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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:33 EST, 9 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:47 EST, 9 January 2014 . Fire starter: Matthew Heckler holding Zeus who chewed through a can of deodorant which caused an explosion . A six-month-old puppy chomped through a can of deodorant which caused a window-shattering explosion. The saluki greyhound cross called Zeus chewed through the can of Lynx and caused a blast so intense that it shattered his owner's double glazed bay window, broke the floorboards and set fire to the sofa. Kerry Leech, 20, and her partner Matthew Heckler, 22, said they were lucky not to have been in during the freak accident at their home in Goldthorpe, South Yorkshire, on Saturday. Firefighters first told the couple that the explosion must have been caused by leaking gas pipes. But after no evidence of a leak was found, they now believe that Zeus chewed through the deodorant can right next to the home's back boiler, located directly behind the living room fire. When the central heating came on just minutes later, a spark ignited the gas and caused the explosion. Mr Heckler, who is currently unemployed, said: 'I didn't even know we had a can of Lynx in the living room. 'It was a Christmas present from Kerry's parents and was in a gift box underneath a table - right next to the fire and back boiler. 'It is just one of those awful coincidences I suppose - moments after Zeus chewed through the can, the back boiler must have ignited. 'Poor old Zeus is lucky he didn't chew that can a few minutes later or he'd probably be dead now.' Miss Leech said: 'We had only left the house 10 minutes before the explosion. Naughty: Zeus the puppy lies on the sofa at his home in Goldthorpe, South Yorkshire . The blast was so intense it shattered a bay window, broke floorboards and set fire to the sofa . 'But while we were out we received text from our neighbour saying our house had blown up, then we were told the living room window had blown out. 'I was panicking about our pets so we rushed back. When we got there we saw flashing lights, two fire engines outside the house, the street was blocked off and there were so many people on the street having a look what was going off. 'We thought someone had put something through the letterbox or there had been a gas explosion.' Mr Heckler added: 'When we got inside the house we saw that the explosion had completely smashed out our bay window. Picture shows glass which was blown out of the window at the front of the home in South Yorkshire . Devastation: Kerry Leech and Mathew Heckler outside their home in Goldthorpe, South Yorkshire . 'It had also cracked the fireplace, all the floorboards underneath the explosion had been destroyed, and the sofa is completely ruined - we have had to buy a new one. 'All I could think about was our pets - thankfully they were okay.' The damage caused by the explosion is estimated to be around £2,000. The couple's three dogs, Zeus, a two-year-old saluki collie whippet called Sonic and a 15-month old saluki collie greyhound called Vinnie as well as three cats - Mittens, Felix and Bow, were in the house but escaped unharmed.
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Saluki greyhound cross chewed through can of Lynx at house in Goldthorpe, South Yorkshire .
Blast was so intense it shattered a bay window and broke floorboards .
Kerry Leech and partner Matthew Heckler said they were lucky not to be in .
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After he played well against a severely weakened Hull City in the FA Cup, I heard calls for Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez to be named player of the year. This is utter nonsense. Put any decent player in this Arsenal side and they'll look good. He's been excellent of course, but only in patches. Look at the Hull game - there was a good half-hour period with the score still at 1-0 when most Arsenal players went missing - including Sanchez. Has he made Arsenal better than last season? Not really, no. And where was he at Stoke City? And Southampton? He looks better than he actually is because he lines up next to a load of shirkers. He's been the best Arsenal player - by far. But not the best player in the Premier League. Alexis Sanchez capped a fine performance with a late goal in Arsenal's 2-0 win against Hull City . The Chilean forward smiles after seeing his inventive chip sail over the crossbar in the first half . Although Sanchez (left) has played well, any decent player would look good in this Arsenal side . Who else stakes a claim? Eden Hazard is a joy to watch, David Silva the same. Maybe Sergio Aguero's injuries will cost him votes but his brilliance cannot be denied. The statistic freaks will be swooning over Cesc Fabregas's assists of course, so he's in with a shout, deservedly so. These are the names most likely. But if Manchester United maintain their league position, it would be criminal to ignore their spectacular return to the top four. Sure they've spent a load of money, but it's not a computer game. It actually needs to be put into place on the pitch and games need to be won. Cesc Fabregas (right) has contributed an abundance of assists for Chelsea so far this season . Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has played brilliantly but has also conceded a lot of goals . But the big-money signings at Manchester United have been injured for chunks of the season – Angel di Maria, Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind and Luke Shaw for example. Radamel Falcao's wages are sky high, but he's not been fully fit this season. So those who expect big money to automatically lead to success are ignoring the facts. So if a Manchester United player should be given the award at the end of the season, which one is it? David de Gea springs to mind, and he's been brilliant of course, although we shouldn't forget he was in goal at Milton Keynes Dons and Leicester City earlier this season. Michael Carrick brings an assured quality to the team not many players can deliver, but again injury has kept him out of action for the early part of the season so that would make it hard to give him the gong. Wayne Rooney must be awarded player of the year if he leads Man United into the top four this season . Rooney holds off a challenge from Yeovil's Joe Edward's during the FA Cup third-round victory . It has to be Wayne Rooney. So far this season he has been asked to take on the captaincy at Manchester United, take on the captaincy with England, adapt to a new and crucial position in the team, and still deliver goals. He's handled everything thrown at him. On top of that he has had to play a true captain's role by helping blend youngsters into the Manchester United first team - the likes of Paddy McNair, Tyler Blackett and James Wilson will all have needed Rooney's arm around them at some point this season. Rooney has captained both Man United and England brilliantly well so far this season . The Man United captain walks out on to the field at Huish Park on Sunday in the FA Cup . He's had to do what a good skipper does and make the new arrivals feel welcome and comfortable. All of this with the pressure of leading the team back into the top four. No other player has been asked to do all this at their club. And so far Rooney has been a success. England even have a 100 per cent record with him as captain. Forget Sanchez and Fabregas. Rooney has delivered far more. In my view, he's the one on course for player of the year. The pressure that has been on Rooney to integrate new players and youngsters means he deserves an award .
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Alexis Sanchez has been brilliant for Arsenal this season but if you put any decent player in that side they will look good .
Calls for Sanchez or Cesc Fabregas to get player of the year are nonsense .
Wayne Rooney has performed brilliantly under pressure so far this season .
He must be given award after captaining England and Manchester United .
Rooney has helped youngsters bed in and could lead United into top four .
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By . Chris Pleasance . PUBLISHED: . 10:39 EST, 7 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:50 EST, 7 October 2013 . A young woman has escaped injury after a hit-and-run driver smashed into her car while she was taking her driving test. The student, who has not been named, was taking her first test in rush-hour traffic when the accident happened. The test was abandoned and police were called. Officers said the collision happened on the roundabout near the Asda supermarket in Bradford Road, Brackenhall, West Yorkshire, at 8.32am on Friday. The student set off on her test at 8.10am but just 12 minutes later the exam was stopped as another motorist rammed into her instructor's car before running off . Holmfirth-based driving instructor Dave Reilly had dropped the student at Huddersfield Test Centre for the first test of the day at 8.10am. She was driving a new automatic Hyundai i20 - which costs £8,695 - bought by Mr Reilly just two weeks ago. Mr Reilly said his student was shocked but unhurt. It is believed the examiner, a woman, suffered slight neck injuries. Mr Reilly said: 'I can’t believe what has happened and I am just glad no one was seriously injured. I was back at the test centre so I don’t know what happened. The new Hyundai i20, which costs £8,695, had been bought by driving instructor Dave Reilly just two weeks before . Pete Tiernan, chairman of Huddersfield Driving Instructors' Association, said the test would not count against the girl . 'I’ve been a driving instructor for 11 years and helped around 200 people pass their tests. I’ve got a 20-year no claims bonus. Nothing like this has happened to me before. Mr Reilly was still waiting to hear how much damage had been caused to his car but a replacement vehicle would keep him on the road. It is understood the examiner rang police on the student’s mobile phone. Pete Tiernan, chairman of Huddersfield Driving Instructors’ Association, said driving test accidents were rare but he knew of another one in Huddersfield just four or five months ago. On that occasion a white van hit a student’s car. Mr Tiernan said the abandoned test would not count against the student and said it would be recorded as a ‘non-fault test’.
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Unnamed student was taking her test in Brackenhall, West Yorkshire .
Had to be called off after just 12 minutes when accident happened .
Instructor's car was new and bought just two weeks before .
'Non-fault test' will not count against the pupil .
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A police inquiry into a Maoist cult that allegedly kept three women as slaves for 30 years descended into farce yesterday when one of the suspects was told she would not be charged. After spending nearly a year on bail, Chanda Pattni, 67, was told she would not be prosecuted over the allegations. Her husband, sect leader Aravindan Balakrishnan, 73, who used the title ‘Comrade Bala’, remains on bail pending further inquiries into the slavery claims concerning three alleged victims – a 30-year-old Briton, a 57-year-old Irishwoman and a 69-year-old Malaysian. The property in Lambeth, south London, where Chanda Pattni and her husband Aravindan Balakrishnan were accused of keeping three women as slaves; today police said Ms Pattni will face no further action . A police officer stands guard at the property where three women were . kept as slaves before one contacted a charity which then alerted . police . The Maoist couple at the centre of the . slavery probe – said to be originally from India and Tanzania – were . held after one of the alleged victims contacted a charity, claiming she . had been brainwashed into remaining in a political collective in South . London for decades. As . detectives continued their inquiries into Balakrishnan last night, it . was unclear whether there will be sufficient evidence to charge him with . any slavery-related offences. Since his first arrest, he has also been accused of serious sex offences – details of which the Met have not revealed. Should . he escape charges over the original allegations, which prompted a blitz . of publicity, Scotland Yard is likely to face difficult questions about . its initial handling of the case. Soon after Balakrishnan and his wife . were first arrested last November, senior officers talked in emotive . terms about the victims’ alleged ordeals at the hands of a slavery . ‘criminal network’. Detective . Inspector Kevin Hyland, from the Met’s Human Trafficking Unit, . described the case as ‘extraordinary’, saying officers believed the . 30-year-old had spent her whole life in ‘servitude’. Another senior officer said police believed victims had been kept captive in ‘invisible handcuffs’. This . prompted Home Secretary Theresa May, other senior politicians and . campaigners to speak out against slavery in Britain. Mrs May spoke of . ‘eradicating the scourge of modern slavery’ and described it as a . ‘personal priority’. Mr Balakrishnan, who is accused of sexual offences, has been re-bailed until December . But . within days, it emerged that the alleged victims had not been kept under . lock and key and at least one talked freely with neighbours in Brixton. It also emerged that the ‘cult household’ was known to local . authorities and that Balakrishnan and his wife were well known to the . police. Described as a ‘guru’, the economics graduate was said to have a . band of devoted female followers under his ‘spell’. Known . as ‘Comrade Bala’, he came to police attention after setting up a . communist squat, the Mao Zedong Memorial Centre, in Brixton in 1976 . where the couple ran their group, the Workers’ Institute of . Marxism-Leninism-Mao Tse Tung Thought, holding lectures and film . evenings. He had been kicked out of the Communist Party’s national . executive after his faction ‘attempted to put themselves above the . discipline of the party’. Balakrishnan . and his wife were arrested following the rescue of the three women from . their home in Brixton. The alleged victims were said to have found the . courage to act after watching a TV documentary about forced marriages on . October 9 last year, which featured an organisation called Freedom . Charity, prompting the Irish woman to call its helpline. The charity’s founder, Aneeta Prem, subsequently spoke about the ‘danger’ the women were alleged to have been in. Scotland . Yard confirmed yesterday that – on the advice of the Crown Prosecution . Service – Miss Pattni would face no further action over the slavery . allegations.
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Chanda Pattni, 67, released without charge, ten months after her arrest .
Husband Aravindan Balakrishnan, 73, still on bail accused of sex offences .
Allegations involved 30-year-old Briton, Irishwoman, 57, and Malaysian, 69 .
Couple arrested after rescue of women from home in Brixton, South London .
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By . Emily Andrews and Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 09:20 EST, 16 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:43 EST, 18 December 2012 . The body of the nurse who committed suicide after the royal hoax phone call arrived back in India yesterday. As Jacintha Saldanha’s family made the journey home with her hessian-covered coffin for her funeral today, it emerged that she left a note for the two Australian radio DJs behind the prank, blaming them for her death. The senior nurse is also said to have been involved in a long-running ‘personal disagreement’ with a junior colleague. Scroll down for video . Grieving: Ben Barboza (right) husband of Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse found hanging in her room days after she had been duped by a hoax call, arrived yesterday at the airport in Mangalore, India, ahead of her funeral . Mrs Saldanha, 46, was found hanged at . her nurses’ accommodation at the King Edward VII Hospital in London, . where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated for severe morning . sickness. One of three suicide notes suggests . that even before the prank call, Mrs Saldanha was ‘unhappy’ that . following a misdemeanour by a subordinate the hospital had decided not . to discipline her colleague. A family friend said: ‘Jacintha was involved in a personal disagreement with a colleague several weeks before the prank call. 'The hospital had decided not to take . any formal action but to put the two nurses on separate shifts. Jacintha made clear her disappointment and that she was not happy. 'She felt the hospital should have taken a tougher line. She was critical of that.’' In the short letter she apparently . singled out two individuals for blame. It also emerged that after she . had unwittingly put DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian through to . another nurse, one called back and told her they had played a prank . which they were about to broadcast. Sadness: Lisha Saldanha (right) and Junal Saldanha (centre) arrive at the airport to meet their mother's coffin . That is believed to have left her . feeling confused and agitated. At a memorial service in Westminster . Cathedral on Saturday, her husband Benedict Barboza said his wife’s . death had left an ‘unfillable void’. The couple’s son Junal, 17, and adopted daughter Lisha, 14, also paid tribute before travelling with her body to Mangalore. Ms Saldanha's funeral will take place today at Our Lady of Health Church in Shirva, Karnataka, at 4pm local . time (10am GMT), said her family, who arrived at Bajpe Airport in . Mangalore yesterday . Her coffin also arrived in India yesterday. It came after Ms Saldanha’s children described . the ‘unfillable void’ left in their lives by their mother's death as a . mass was held at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday. Following . the service in central London, Jacintha's husband, NHS accountant Ben Barboza, 49, and two . children Junal, 17, and Lisha, 14, paid an emotional tribute to a . ‘kind-hearted, generous and well-respected woman’. Mr . Barboza said: ‘My wife, you were the light in my darkness, who always . showed me the way forward. From the day we met, you always stood by me . in times of hardship and happiness. Tragic: A coffin containing the body of Ms Saldanha is loaded onto an ambulance at the airport in Mangalore . Moved: A casket containing the body of Ms Saldanha is shifted in a tractor trolley after it arrived at the airport . ‘I feel a part of me has been ripped . out,’ he added, fighting back tears. ‘Without your beautiful smile and . sparkling personality, the house is an empty place to live. Death: Jacintha Saldanha, 46, was found hanging in her nurses' quarters at King Edward VII Hospital . ‘Nineteen years of togetherness with a . strong bond of affection and understanding will be cherished forever in . my life. Your loss is a very painful one and nobody can take that place . in my life ever again. I love you and miss you forever.’ Ms Saldanha's daughter Lisha, 14, . said: ‘We will miss your laughter, the loving memories and the good . times we had together. The house is an empty dwelling without your . presence. ‘We are shattered and there's an unfillable void in our lives. 'We . love you mum, sleep in peace and watch over us until me meet again in . heaven. We will always love you and keep you close to our heart.’ Her son Junal said: ‘Our mother, kind hearted, generous and a well-respected woman in both of our lives. You were the core of the family who kept is together. ‘In times of difficulty you showed us the way forward to happiness and success. Your priority for us was a good education and a bright future. You taught us right from wrong which we appreciate. ‘You worked tirelessly to give us everything that we have today. When we achieved good grades and merit, your pat on our backs encouraged us more.’ Preparations: A worker digs near the grave of nurse Ms Saldanha while preparing it for her last rites at a cemetery in Shirva, about 32 miles north of Mangalore, on Saturday . Standing outside the cathedral alongside . their local MP Charlotte Leslie and MP Keith Vaz, who has been . campaigning on behalf of the family, Mr Barboza said the family ‘could . not have foreseen the unprecedented tragedy that has unfolded in our . lives’. 'In times of difficulty you showed us the way forward to happiness and success. Your priority for us was a good education and a bright future. You taught us right from wrong' Jacintha Saldanha's son Junal, 16 . ‘The events of the last week have shattered our lives. We barely have the strength to withstand the grief and sorrow.’ He thanked the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prime Minister David Cameron for their condolences. Memorial services have already been held at the hospital where Ms Saldanha worked and in Bristol where her husband and children live. Indian-born Ms Saldanha left two notes in her room and also had marks on her wrist when her body was discovered, Westminster Coroner's Court in London heard on Thursday. Emotional tribute: Ben Barboza, 49, stands outside Westminster Cathedral in central London with his daughter Lisha, 14, and son Junal, 16, with Keith Vaz MP (right) after a mass for Ms Saldanha . Saddened: The DJs behind the call - Mel Greig and Michael Christian - gave an emotional account of their reaction to Ms Saldanha's death in an interview on Australian TV last week . A provisional date of March 26 has been set for the next inquest hearing. 'My wife, you were the light in my darkness, who always showed me the way forward. From the day we met, you always stood by me in times of hardship and happiness. I feel a part of me has been ripped out' Jacintha Saldanha's husband Ben Barboza, 49 . John Lofthouse, the King Edward VII's Hospital chief executive, has said the nurse was reassured on a number of occasions by senior management after the hoax. The DJs behind the call - Mel Greig and Michael Christian - gave an emotional account of their reaction to Ms Saldanha's death. Interviewed on Australian TV networks, the presenters said their prank call to the hospital prompted ‘a tragic turn of events no-one could have predicted or expected’. Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), the parent company of 2Day FM, ended the pair's Hot 30 show and suspended prank calls across the company. VIDEO: Jacintha's body arrives in southern India for burial .
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King Edward VII Hospital nurse Jacintha Saldanha, 46, was found dead .
Body flown to India where husband and two children arrive for funeral .
Service today at 10am GMT at Our Lady of Health Church in Karnataka .
Comes after family tributes at Westminster Cathedral mass on Saturday .
For confidential .
support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local .
Samaritans branch or click here for details .
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By . Jennifer Newton . Dragging your suitcase through the airport or train station could become a thing of the past thanks to this new invention. Amateur inventor He Liangcai has created an electric suitcase, which not only transports your belongings, but allows the owner to sit on it and travel along at up to 12 mph. The reinforced suitcase, which weighs 15 pounds, comes with a small battery and is able to carry two adults for a distance of up to 37 miles on a full charge. He Liangcai demonstrates how to use one of the electric-motored suitcases he designed in Changsha, China . It even has GPS navigation and a burglar alarm. The piece of luggage consists of an electric scooter, which has a suitcase attached to it. The rider sits on top of the suitcase to reach over to the handlebars where the throttle, brakes and lights can be found. Mr He demonstrated how the baggage worked . by riding on one of his suitcases from his home to Changsha train . station in China's central Hunan Province, around seven miles away. Two security guards try out Mr He's ride-on suitcase, which can accommodate two adults . The suitcase has a top speed of 12 mph and can travel up to 37 miles when it has been fully charged . According to the Global Times, it took the inventor 10 years to develop the scooter, despite the fact he is a farmer by trade with little formal education. In 1999, he designed a car safety system, which earned him an award in the U.S. And when he forgot his luggage when travelling to America to collect the accolade, he came up with the idea for the suitcase.
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He Liangcai invents a ride-on electric suitcase which can go at up to 12mph .
Inventor demonstrated the luggage in Changsha in central China .
Rider sits on top of the case and holds on to the handlebars .
The case even comes with GPS navigation and a burglar alarm .
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Moscow (CNN) -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin accused U.S. drones and special forces of involvement in the death of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in comments Thursday. He also attacked U.S. Sen. John McCain over a warning that Russia might follow the same path as Libya, suggesting McCain was not of sound mind following his time as a prisoner during the Vietnam War. Putin's comments were prompted by a question during his traditional year-end question-and-answer program, broadcast live by state media. Responding to a question about McCain purportedly predicting Putin would meet the same fate as Libya's leader, the Russian prime minister described the televised images of Gadhafi's final moments as "horrible, disgusting scenes" and pointed to U.S. involvement in his death. "Is that democracy? Who did this? Drones, including those of the U.S., struck his motorcade and then commandos, who were not supposed to be there, called for the so-called opposition and militants by the radio, and he was killed without an investigation or trial," Putin said. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta acknowledged the day after Gadhafi's death that "it was a U.S. drone combined with the other NATO planes that fired on the convoy" in which the Libyan leader was traveling outside the city of Sirte. But the Pentagon has denied that any U.S. forces were on the ground in a combat role in Libya. When asked about McCain, Putin said he had met the senator from Arizona, but said the questioner's description of him as the prime minister's friend was "exaggerated." He then questioned the mental state of McCain, who ran for U.S. president in 2008, saying he "was taken prisoner in Vietnam, and was held not just in jail, but was put in a pit where he was kept for several years -- any person under those circumstances would hardly remain mentally sane." Shortly afterward, McCain himself jumped into the row via Twitter, posting: "Dear Vlad, is it something I said?" and linking to a news story headlining the Russian prime minister calling McCain "nuts." The senator's earlier Twitter posts had linked to news stories suggesting Russia might be in line for its own version of the "Arab Spring" but did not appear to suggest Putin would meet the same fate as Gadhafi. Putin's attack may be a response to critical comments made by McCain in the U.S. Senate last week. McCain said his statement was a response to "the flawed Duma election that just occurred this weekend, and in light of my strong belief that the growing demand for dignity and uncorrupt governance that has defined the Arab world this year may impact Russia as well." McCain highlighted "the unfortunate issue of Russia's continued back-sliding on human rights and democracy" and said the post-election protests were unsurprising given "the pattern of corruption and abuse that the Russian government has perpetrated over many years." He also criticized Russia's "absolutely shameless" blocking of U.N. Security Council action on President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, despite widespread concerns over human rights abuses there. "The demand for dignity, and justice, and democracy that is shaking the Arab world to its foundations will not be confined to that one region alone," he said, but will spread and demonstrate that change is possible. "And it appears that message may be resonating with people in Russia," he added. In his televised remarks, Putin suggested that criticism of Russia was linked to its pursuit of "an independent foreign policy." While his country had more friends than enemies in Europe, he said, "some would like to sideline Russia so that it doesn't get in the way of those wanting to dominate the globe." Putin's latest comments come a week after he blamed the United States for encouraging opposition protests in the wake of Russia's parliamentary elections. He said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had criticized the elections as "neither fair not free -- even before receiving reports from international observers." This had sent a signal to opposition figures, Putin said, who "with the support of the U.S. State Department" then began "active work." Clinton responded to those remarks by restating her country's "strong commitment to democracy and human rights." CNN's Phil Black in Moscow and Laura Smith-Spark in London contributed to this report.
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NEW: McCain criticized Russia's "back-sliding on human rights and democracy" last week .
Vladimir Putin suggests U.S. drones and commandos had a role in Gadhafi's death .
The Russian prime minister questions Sen. John McCain's soundness of mind .
In response, McCain tweets: "Dear Vlad, is it something I said?"
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By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 10:22 EST, 13 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 05:12 EST, 14 March 2014 . Violence has erupted in Ukraine's eastern city of Donetsk between Ukrainians and pro-Russian groups as Moscow moves thousands of troops to the border. Fighting broke out at rallies staged by opposing demonstrators. One person was killed and at least 10 were hurt, it has been reported. Pro-Russian demonstrators shouted 'Russia, Putin!' and hurled eggs, bottles and other projectiles at rival demonstrators. It comes as Russia confirmed today it has massed thousands of troops on its border with Ukraine as John Kerry warned of 'serious consequences' if Moscow tried to annex Crimea. Scroll Down for Video . Policemen grab a man during clashes between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian activists during a rally in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk . Fighting broke out at rallies staged by opposing demonstrators and 10 people were hurt. Pro-Russian demonstrators shouted 'Russia, Putin!' and hurled eggs, bottles and other projectiles at rival demonstrators . Pro Ukraine protestors, some of them injured, are shielded by police at right during clashes with pro Russia protestors following a rally in Donetsk, Ukraine . It comes as Russia confirmed today it has massed thousands of troops on its border with Ukraine as John Kerry warned of 'serious consequences' if Moscow tried to annex Crimea . Bloody clashes erupted between pro Russia and pro Ukraine protestors in the eastern city of Donetsk on Thursday evening, leaving dozens injured as police struggled to prevent the violence . A pro Russia protestor, left, is sprayed by with mace by WLDa pro Ukraine protestor during clashes between the two sides following a rally . The UN Security Council began meeting to discuss Ukraine in the presence of the country's interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who is to address the session . A referendum is set to be held in Crimea on the peninsula's status this weekend, and the US Secretary of State today said that there is no justification for it to take place. He had earlier said that things could 'get ugly fast' after Russia's defense ministry said massive artillery drills have been launched in its Southern Military District - which covers the border area - involving 8,500 troops and a large amount of hardware. Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are dut to meet in London tomorrow. It coincides with war games conducted by the country’s Airborne Troops.In a statement, the ministry said: 'The main purpose of these actions is to completely check teamwork of the units and make them implement combat missions on an unknown territory. Policemen walk between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian activists. Several hundred people chanting slogans clashed with a similar-sized crowd condemning Moscow's takeover of Crimea . Ukraine's national security chief Andriy Parubiy said the Guard would be deployed to 'ensure state security, defend the borders, and eliminate terrorist groups' Dozens were injured during the clashes, despite best efforts by police to shield the warring groups from each other . Russian paratroopers taking part in a night drill outside the Russian town of Rostov-on-Don . Russia said it was stepping up field training for tank, artillery and infantry units in three regions next to the Ukrainian border in a powerful display of military might . Russian paratroopers during their night drill outside Russian southern town of Rostov-on-Don. The armed forces are 'increasing the intensity of field training exercises,' the defence ministry said . 'The event involves some 8,500 artillery troops and a large number of rocket artillery systems, military and special hardware, including Grad-M, Uragan and Smersh multiple rocket launchers, Msta-S 152-mm caliber self-propelled howitzers, Nona artillery systems and Rapira 100-mm caliber anti-tank guns. 'In response, Ukraine's parliament has voted to create a 60,000-strong National Guard to bolster the country's defences. More... Red Army masses on Ukraine border: 80,000 troops and missile launchers spark invasion fear . Crimean parliament declares independence from Ukraine ahead of region's referendum... paving the way for the state to join Russia . Ukraine's national security chief Andriy Parubiy said the Guard would be deployed to 'ensure state security, defend the borders, and eliminate terrorist groups'. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also was talking tough, telling Congress: 'It can get ugly fast if the wrong choices are made, and it can get ugly in multiple directions.'Kerry will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday in London in a last-ditch effort to halt Sunday's referendum in the Crimea. President Barack Obama declared that the U.S. would 'completely reject' a vote opening the door for the strategic Ukrainian peninsula to join Russia if the election goes ahead. An armed member of a local self-defence unit watches traffic at a checkpoint on the highway between Simferopol and Sevastopol in the Crimea peninsular . Members of a pro-Russian self defence unit stand in formation as they ready to swear an oath to the pro-Russia Crimea regional government in Simferopol . A member of the self-defense of Crimea sits near an old machine gun 'Maxim', outside the territory of a Ukrainian military unit in the village of Perevalnoye, outside Simferopol . Adding pressure on Russia, the Senate advanced a package on Wednesday of potentially tough economic sanctions against Moscow. Obama made a point of welcoming Ukraine's new leader to the White House, declaring as they sat side-by-side that he hoped there would be a 'rethinking' by Russian President Vladimir Putin of the referendum. Obama derided the vote as a 'slap-dash referendum' and warned that if it occurs, the international community 'will be forced to apply a cost to Russia's violation of international law.' Women with their mouths taped over and others participants attend a pro-Ukraine rally in Simferopol . Ukrainian veterans of Euro-maidan movement stand still, with their hats off during the early morning religious prayer at the Independence Square in Kiev . Ukrainian veteran of the Euro-maidan movement Nikolay (right), 43, cooks a piece of pork fat on the flames of a makeshift fire while guarding, together with his colleague Romnaia (left), 21, at the entrance on the Presidential Palace in Kiev, Ukraine . Amid the maneuvering, Obama met in the . Oval Office with new Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, praising him and . the Ukrainian people as the two sat for TV coverage. The . meeting was aimed at showcasing the United States' commitment to . Ukraine, the former Soviet republic at the center of rising tensions . between East and West. 'There's . another path available and we hope President Putin is willing to seize . that path,' Obama said. 'But if he does not, I'm very confident that the . international community will stand firmly behind the Ukrainian . government.' Yatsenyuk, a . 39-year-old pro-Western official who speaks fluent English, defiantly . declared that his country 'will never surrender' in its fight to protect . its territory. He arrived . in Washington seeking financial help to stabilize his fledgling . government. The Senate bill that advanced out of committee on Wednesday . would authorizes $1 billion in loan guarantees. The . measure, which next would go to the full Senate, also would allow the . Obama administration to impose economic penalties on Russian officials . responsible for the intervention in Crimea or culpable of gross . corruption. Pro-Ukrainian activists demonstrate a huge yellow-and-blue Ukrainian flag during a rally in support of Ukraine's territorial integrity in the eastern city of Kharkiv . A man walks next to a poster calling people to vote in the upcoming referendum in the Crimea, is seen in Sevastopol, Ukraine . 'Putin has miscalculated by playing a game of Russian roulette with the international community, but we refuse to blink and will never accept this violation of international law,' said Sen. Bob Menendez, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. In the 14-3 vote, all committee Democrats supported the measure. Some Republican expressed concerns about how the U.S. would pay for the loan guarantees and about provisions to expand the lending authority of the International Monetary Fund. The bill stops short of going after Russian banks or energy companies as some legislators proposed, but it would give Secretary of State John Kerry more leeway as he readies for diplomatic talks with his Russian counterpart in Europe on Friday. Russian President Vladimir Putin was at the 2014 Sochi Paralympic Games where he addressed delagates . Obama urged Congress to move quickly to finalize the loan guarantees, which are supposed to supplement $15 billion in assistance from the European Union, as well as additional money from the International Monetary Fund. The money pledged thus far is less than Ukraine says it will need in order to recover from its recent political upheaval. The country's pro-Russian President, Viktor Yanukovych, fled Kiev for Russia in late February amid growing protests over his decision to scrap an agreement to boost ties with Europe. Shortly after Yanukovych left, Russia began moving military forces into Crimea, a strategically important peninsula where 60 percent of the population is ethnic Russian. Yatsenyuk is serving as head of Ukraine's government in the lead-up to national elections in May. During his meeting with Obama Wednesday, he said Russia must recognize that Ukraine will not sever its ties with the U.S. and Europe. 'Ukraine is and will be part of the Western world,' he said. Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Yatsenyuk cast Putin's move into Crimea as part of a broader plan to reassert Russian influence in Ukraine. 'The idea is not just to annex Crimea, but to invade central Ukraine, Ukrainian capital and to start a war,' said Yatsenyuk, who plans to address the United Nations on Thursday. Putin has so far rebuffed efforts by the U.S. to punish Russia for its military maneuvers in Ukraine. The U.S. has put in place travel bans for Russian and Ukrainian officials involved in the Crimea advances. And the seven other member nations of the Group of Eight have suspended plans to attend their annual summit which was scheduled to be held in Russia this summer.
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Fighting broke out at rallies staged by opposing demonstrators. One person was killed and at least 10 were hurt .
It comes as Russia confirmed today it has massed thousands of troops on its border with Ukraine .
Meanwhile John Kerry warned of 'serious consequences' if Moscow tried to annex Crimea .
And Obama declares U.S. will 'completely reject' Sunday's referendum to be held in Crimea on peninsula's status .
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Zoe Cook, 38, runs a catering company with her husband, Jamie, 39, and lives near Cudham, Kent, with their daughters Lila, nine, and Kiera, seven. Zoe says: . Given that I’ve lost more than 3st and dropped from a size 16 to a size 12 in three years, people assume that I must have been on some sort of extreme diet. Actually, my weight loss and leaner, more toned figure is all down to one 90-minute yoga class a week, plus practising a few poses at home when I get the chance. Scroll down for video . Zoe Cook, 38, (pictured), has lost more than 3st and dropped from a size 16 to a size 12 in three years thanks to one 90-minute yoga class a week . I wouldn’t be without yoga now, but three years ago I had to be persuaded to go my first class. I was convinced it would be full of hippies. I was sceptical about how much difference yoga could actually make, and my husband, Jamie, agreed. ‘You won’t be sweating, so what good will it do?’ he said. My reason for trying it was that I was quite stressed trying to juggle family life with running our catering business. My clothes were tight, I was out of shape, felt sluggish and hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in years. A family member, who is now my yoga teacher, suggested that I should give one of her classes a try. I wasn’t sure, but she was adamant it would help me cope with all the demands being made of me and help me sleep better. She teaches Ashtanga — best known because Madonna does it — which is a fast-paced type of yoga. Ashtanga is very structured and repetitive, and the idea is that you flow between poses without stopping, synchronising your breathing as you do, so the class feels like an exhilarating and challenging workout. But it’s not just for people who are superfit and muscular like Madonna — I’m certainly not. It’s brilliant for people of all fitness levels and flexibility because you’re not in competition with each other, just aiming to improve your own ability. To my amazement, the night after my first class I slept like a baby, which was something I hadn’t done in years. Ordinarily, I would lie awake, fretting about how I’d manage to get everything done the next day, but on that night a bomb could have gone off and I wouldn’t have heard it. A couple of days after the yoga lesson, my muscles ached in a way they had never done after the occasional three or four-mile jog that I’d done in the past. It felt satisfying knowing I’d obviously worked them well, even though it hadn’t really felt like it at the time. Yoga quickly became essential ‘me’ time away from the children and work, even if I could only fit in one session a week. And although I haven’t had a lot of time to devote to yoga, my body shape has changed almost beyond recognition. When I look in the mirror my upper arms, as well as my inner thighs and ‘saddlebags’, have all shrunk and are tighter. My core is stronger and my tummy flatter. I’m now a size 12 and sometimes even a size 10 on my bottom half — I’m 5ft 5in tall. My weight hovers around 9st 7lb, as opposed to the 13st I was before. I lost the first half a stone within a matter of weeks of taking up yoga, and the rest steadily over the next couple of years. When I can’t get to my weekly yoga class — typically during the summer months, when Jamie and I are rushed off our feet with the business — I gain at least half a stone in just a couple of weeks, and feel lethargic and less toned. Pop icon, Madonna (pictured), also practices Ashtanga - a fast-paced type of yoga which is very structured and repetitive . Apart from becoming a yoga devotee, I haven’t really changed a lot else to explain the weight loss. I certainly wouldn’t consider doing a faddy diet. But yoga has had a knock-on effect on the food choices I make. On the day of a class, I eat only a very light dinner, such as a salad — you can’t go to yoga on a full stomach or you’d feel very uncomfortable doing the poses and probably give yourself indigestion. Because doing a class leaves me feeling so good inside, for a couple of days afterwards I find myself naturally drawn towards healthy snacks such as fruit or nuts instead of crisps and chocolate. Even I’m shocked at what a huge impact taking up yoga has had on the shape of my body, and how much more energised and calm I feel. There are postures I still can’t master, but I hope that in years to come I will manage them. So, even though classes follow the same structure each week, yoga never stops being a challenge. I’ll be doing it for the rest of my life now. Reporting by Chloe Lambert, Jill Foster and Sadie Nicholas. 'I dropped two sizes without dieting' Natalie Reid, 38, works part-time in retail. She lives with her partner Dan, 44, and their daughters Rain, ten, and Noa, two, in South West London. She says: . Four years ago my cousin came to my 34th birthday party looking fabulous. She was more toned than she’d been in years and I asked what her secret was. She told me she had started doing yoga, specifically Bikram yoga, and said I should come to a class. At the time I wasn’t very happy with my body. I’d been putting on weight since the birth of my first daughter — before Rain’s arrival I’d been a size 10-12, now I was a size 14 and felt flabby. Natalie Reid, 38, takes classes in Bikram yoga, which is practiced in heats of around 40c. Natalie has lost more than a stone since starting Bikram, despite having made barely any changes to her diet . I knew Bikram yoga was done in high heat, but that was about it. On the internet I learned the heat enables you to stretch into postures more safely. The humidity also promotes sweating, which is believed to help flush toxins from the body. I was intrigued. When I walked into my first class the heat (about 40c or 104f, and 60 per cent humidity) hit me and my first concern was: ‘What’s my hair going to look like after this?’ People say they can’t try yoga because they can’t touch their toes — and that was true with me. I couldn’t do half the things we were being asked to do, but I had a go. At the end I felt invigorated. That day I’d been feeling down, but the yoga left me upbeat and energised. I was hooked. I joined the yoga studio in January 2011 and went every other day for nearly a month. After that, I took out a monthly subscription. I was impressed by how quickly my shape began to change. So did how I felt about my body. After about two months I noticed that my legs were more toned, and so was my stomach. When I found out I was pregnant again, I carried on doing yoga. You can do pregnancy Bikram where the temperature is a little lower, but I went to my normal classes. After I’d had Noa I slipped right back into my jeans. My doctor tells me I’ve lost more than a stone since I started yoga. My diet has changed very little, although I do eat less because I’m drinking around two litres of water a day. My mind feels much calmer, too.
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Zoe Cook, 38, has dropped from a size 16 to a size 12 .
She says her leaner, more toned figure is all down to Ashtanga yoga .
Although initially sceptical, she says she'll be doing it for the rest of her life .
Natalie Reid, 38, has been doing Bikram yoga for four years .
She's lost more than a stone and can see a real change in her body .
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(CNN) -- Three experienced hikers were rescued from California's Mount Whitney, but a father and son in a separate group are missing, the National Park Service said. Battling heavy snow, rescue personnel and a California National Guard helicopter reached the three men around noon (3 p.m. ET) Thursday. The men were part of a group of 10 hikers who set out on their journey up the mountain on Monday. About 45 people looked for the three hikers -- Phillip Michael Abraham, 34; Dale Clymens, 45, and Stevan James Filips, 45 -- the National Park Service said in a statement. All three were able to walk and move during a general health assessment. Two other hikers on a 36-mile cross-country loop were supposed to return Tuesday. They are Sinh Baghsohi, 27, and his father, whose first name is unknown, park officials said. Both men are originally from Iran, but their current residences are not known. The younger Baghsohi is 6 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs about 287 pounds. His father is 6 feet tall and weighs 180 pounds. They had hiked in with a friend, who became ill and hiked out, the park service said. Dave Paladino, an Omaha, Nebraska, resident and leader of the larger group, said extreme weather dumped up to three feet of snow and drastically lowered visibility in Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks. The group of 10 hikers shared a love of climbing, outdoor activities and adventure, Paladino said. They set out on their hike shortly after 4 a.m. Monday in several sub-groups, including one led by Paladino and another including all three missing hikers. "Every single one had been training for this event for years," said Paladino. The snow began for Paladino's group when they reached 10,000 feet up what he called the "10-mile hill," and picked up significantly as they went up another 2,000 feet. His group reached the summit around 3:30 p.m. Monday, staying briefly at a shelter there before going back down the mountain. The climb back down was much more difficult than expected, according to Paladino, due to the heavy snow. "It was by far the hardest thing we've ever done," said Paladino, who said he has climbed Mount Rainier in Washington state, among other peaks. At one point, his group met and talked briefly with the climbers who later went missing. Abraham later sent several texts, the last of which was between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. Tuesday in which they said they couldn't find the trail because of the snow and were heading to the summit shelter. The three climbers did not have snow shoes, said Paladino. However, they likely had enough food and water to last several days, he said. Temperatures near the mountain's peak were in the 20s, Paladino added, not low enough to make frostbite a major concern. A rescue operation involving two hikers was begun and aborted Wednesday because of the snow. On Thursday morning, "bigger and more experienced teams" were brought in, said Paladino. "We wanted to do this," said Paladino. "These guys were doing what they loved, and we'll continue to do what we love."
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Two hikers still missing are from a separate group on Mount Whitney .
Missing are father and son, originally from Iran .
Found men started hike early Monday before being hit by heavy snows and low visibility .
All three were able to walk and move during a general health assessment .
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Five children have perished in a massive fire that destroyed their mobile home - but their parents and little brother managed to escape. The children's father, Johnny Hernandez Jr., 30, was able to push their mother Annabel Ortiz, 32, and two-year-old brother Johnny to safety as the 70-foot mobile home in Edna, Texas was engulfed by flames just after 5am on Tuesday, the Victoria Advocate reported. But the fire claimed the lives of the couple's other children: Noah Ortiz, 15, Nicholas Ortiz, 13, Julian Ortiz, nine, Ariana Hernandez, six and Liliana Hernandez, five. Officials said the children died after the roof of a South Texas mobile home partially collapsed in a fire, making rescue attempts impossible. Scroll down for video . Tragedy: Noah Ortiz, 15, (back center) and his siblings Nicholas, 13, (right) Julian, nine, (left) Ariana, six (front left) and Liliana, five (center) have perished in a fire. Their brother Johnny (front right) survived . Witnesses told Click2Houston that they heard the distraught father shouting 'I tried to get in there! I tried, I tried!' outside the home. 'We're taking it really hard,' the father's brother, Rico Hernandez, told the Advocate. 'It's probably one of the biggest tragedies in Edna, in all around.' The cause of the fire is being investigated, although authorities have said it appears the flames started in the kitchen. 'It was an old trailer so maybe it was something electrical,' Rico Hernandez told the Advocate. 'I'm guessing it was cold last night so something with the heater.' Survivors: The children's parents, Johnny Hernandez, 30, and Annabel Ortiz, 32, also survived the fire . Heartbreaking: The siblings, pictured together, were unable to escape when the home partially collapsed . Photographs taken of the two- or three-bedroom home on Tuesday show it completely burned down. By the time emergency services arrived, it was already completely engulfed in flames. Ortiz was taken to Citizens Medical Center, where she was listed in fair condition. She was treated for a gash to her arm, which she reportedly sustained when her husband pushed her from a window. Her husband and their surviving son did not need medical attention. Hernandez Jr.'s cellphone was found outside the house, the Advocate reported. He had taken photos of his children on Monday night and wanted to make sure he saved the images, his brother said. Destroyed: Firefighters sift through the charred remains of a mobile home where the five children perished . Scene: The 70-foot-long home was completely destroyed by the fire that broke out just after 5am . Questions: Authorities are still looking into what caused the fire at the mobile home in Edna, Texas . 'All of them were just popular, great kids,' Superintendent Robert O'Connor told The L.A. Times. 'It's devastating anytime you lose a child ... but to lose five at a one time, that is unbelievable.' Edna is a town of 5,500 residents about 100 miles southwest of Houston. The high school, where Noah was a starter for the football team, has canceled upcoming sports games and brought in grief counselors across its campuses.
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Johnny Hernandez, 30, managed to get Annabel Ortiz, 32, and their two-year-old son, Johnny, out of their burning home on Tuesday morning .
But their five other children, Noah, 15, Nicholas, 13, Julian, nine, Ariana, six and five-year-old Liliana perished in the partially collapsed Texas home .
Authorities are investigating the cause of the fast-moving fire .
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The stench of death is thick in the air as onlookers peer inside a freight train containing the bodies of some 200 victims of the MH17 massacre. The scene, a grim echo of the mechanised slaughter of millions in the Second World War, has been created by Russian separatists who have collected piles of corpses from the plane crash and put them in refrigerated rail carriages. There was international outrage over the undignified scene last night – with swarms of flies buzzing around the train – although defiant local militia men insisted they were doing what they could for the dead. Scroll down for video . Lined-up: More than 40 body bags wait to be taken away from the station which is nine miles away from the crash site in Grabovo, eastern Ukraine . Transport: Rescue workers wearing face masks remove the corpses from trunks before they are put onto the train . Rescue workers at the crash site in the village of Grabovo carry a body bag containing the corpse of a passenger of flight . Horrifying: The international community has expressed outrage over the undignified scene - with swarms of flies buzzing around the train . Horrifying: The bodies are dumped in rubbish trucks by rescue workers. Despite criticism, militiamen insist they are doing everything they can for the dead . Onlookers: A mother and her young daughter walk alongside the refrigerated trains on the platform at Torez railway station in eastern Ukraine . The bodies . had been lying spread out over fields for two days in the summer heat, . before being removed from a large swathe of the crash site by yesterday. Workers . from local mines were bussed in to clear the corpses.Once the bodies . had gone, only bloodstained military stretchers were left along the side . of the road. Controversy . is now raging over not only the conditions in which the corpses are . being kept, but also fears that vital evidence of exactly what caused . the tragedy is being lost. It risks becoming a gruesome tussle over the dead. Ukrainian sources said they feared the piles of corpses might be moved to Russia or used as a bargaining tool by rebel leaders. The . bodies, each inside individual body bags, were last night still on the . stationary train at Torez station nine miles from the crash site. Ukrainian . officials in the city of Kharkiv, about four hours’ drive away, said . there had been an agreement with rebel leaders for the bodies to next be . taken there so they could be visited by grieving families. Aftermath: Black bags are still being taken from the crash site by rescue workers . Dirty work: Some of the emergency services laid flowers on the bagged-up bodies, as outrage at their treatment intensified across the world . Cleared: Two workers prepare the vehicle for the corpses at a crash site in Grabovo . Macabre: The stench of death hangs in the air as the 298 victims' bodies are loaded into a refrigerated train after lying in the summer heat for two days . The . international investigators, who are wearing body armour, were allowed . to photograph some of the victims who had been removed nine miles from . the crash site . The bodies had been lying spread out over fields for two days in the summer heat, before being removed from a large swathe of the crash site by yesterday . Criticism: The scenes, with flies swarming around the carriages, sparked international outrage but Russian militia have defended the procedure . Controversy is now raging over not only the conditions in which the corpses are being kept, but also fears that vital evidence of exactly what caused the tragedy is being lost . Though most of the bodies have been recovered, workers could be seen inspecting the exploded aircraft for further remains late into the night . Negotiations: World leaders are working to repatriate the bodies, many of which remain along the streets of eastern Ukraine . But there was last night no sign of that happening. A spokesman for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which is monitoring the operation, said rebels had told the team that 167 bodies were in the train, and added that the monitors had checked three of the refrigerator wagons. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, meanwhile, told a news conference 192 bodies and eight fragments of bodies had been placed in the train. But he said the local rebels had yet to give permission for the train to set off. The rebels responded by suggesting the pro-Western Ukrainian government was delaying the train’s departure, and arguing they could do nothing until the arrival of the international experts pledged by several countries to help determine what and who caused the crash. A senior official of the pro-Russian rebels’ self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, Sergei Kavtaradze, said: ‘They will stay there for now, until the issue is resolved. We are waiting for the experts.’ A Ukrainian worker passes body bags at the main crash site of the Boeing 777 near Grabovo, 100km east of Donetsk . Workers . continue to search the wreckage of flight MH17 in the search of . additional bodies as approximately 100 are still unaccounted for . Progress: Identifiable bodies have been placed in refrigerated trains as plans are under way to transport them to morgues and eventually to the families . Political: After three days of negotiations, Russia has agreed to hand over the black box and the bodies that have been recovered . Another rebel leader, Andrei Purgin, said with heavy sarcasm that the investigators must be ‘walking from Kiev’ as it had taken so long for them to arrive. Mr Groysman denied Kiev had put up barriers to the investigators. He also said that as far as he knew 38 bodies, which local media said had been seized at gunpoint from rescue workers late on Friday and taken to a local hospital, were now among those on the train. In the city of Kharkiv, where the bodies were due to be taken, local government officer Natalia Yakovleva said they had been expecting the remains since Saturday. The town had prepared a special refrigerated warehouse to receive the bodies and had 312 hotel rooms on standby for relatives. ‘We have everything ready,’ she said. ‘But despite the agreement the bodies have not arrived.’
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International inspectors have examined bodies in a refrigerated train carriage nine miles from the crash site .
Undignified scene with swarms of flies buzzing around train sparked international outrage but militia defended actions .
Bodies have lain on street in summer heat for two days after a missile shot down Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine .
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(CNN) -- It'll be a brand-new "View" in less than two weeks, with three new co-hosts in a new studio and with a new boss behind the scenes. The long-running ABC talk show finalized its cast Wednesday, confirming that actress Rosie Perez and political analyst Nicolle Wallace will join Whoopi Goldberg and Rosie O'Donnell. The four will start working together when new episodes of the show resume on September 15. Goldberg is the only cast member from last season left standing -- well, mostly sitting -- at "The View." Barbara Walters' retirement from the show in May was the first in a series of changes, both on- and off-camera. In July, Sherri Shepherd and Jenny McCarthy stepped down from their co-host spots. And Walters' producing partner, Bill Geddie, was replaced by Bill Wolff, most recently an executive producer at MSNBC. In a statement Wednesday night, Wolff described the four hosts as "powerful and accomplished women from different walks of life who have had amazing personal and professional experiences." "Each brings incredible perspective and information to the table. This mix of smart, vibrant and energetic women is unlike anything else on daytime television." "The View" faces challenges from a growing number of other daytime panel-style programs, including "The Talk" on CBS and the forthcoming syndicated show "The Real." There had been speculation that ABC might decide to add a man to what has been an all-women show since its inception in 1997. Ultimately the network went with star power over testosterone. Perez has starred in feature films such as "Do the Right Thing" and is about to co-star in the Broadway production "Fish in the Dark." Wallace has a conservative political background, serving as a director of communications during the George W. Bush administration and a senior adviser to Sen. John McCain's 2008 campaign for president. She is a regular on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." The casting of Perez and Wallace was first reported by Deadline.com on Wednesday. The website noted that ABC's "top-to-bottom makeover" of the talk show also entails a "new studio, new set (and) new logo." Rosie O'Donnell returning to 'The View'
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"The View" will have a host of changes when it returns September 15 .
Among the updates are two new co-hosts .
Rosie Perez and Nicolle Wallace join Whoopi Goldberg and Rosie O'Donnell .
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By . Kieran Corcoran . PUBLISHED: . 13:28 EST, 17 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:06 EST, 17 October 2013 . Sex offender: Michael Souter, 60, was convicted of 26 offences today at Norwich Crown Court . A former BBC presenter has been found guilty of 26 child sex offences spanning two decades and faces jail. Michael Souter, 60, was found guilty of offences against seven boys aged 11-16, including indecent assault, indecency with a child and serious sexual offences. The crimes took place between 1979 and 1999. Police also confirmed today that they are investigating further claims against the presenter, who was said to use his status as a local celebrity to play on vulnerable boys. A man who claims he was raped by Souter said he thought the former BBC and Radio Clyde present was 'the best thing since sliced bread' and that he 'aspired to be part of' his world before the alleged assault, which left him 'confused' and convinced 'he was the only one'. The alleged victim - whose case has not been heard in court - said there was now 'little doubt' that there were other victims who have yet to come forward. Souter, from Loddon, Norfolk, was found guilty of the 26 counts in a hearing at Norwich Crown Court. Jurors failed to reach a verdict on one count of indecent assault and cleared him of one charge of possessing an indecent photograph. Prosecutors described Souter, who was also involved in the Scouts and a social services youth mentoring scheme, as a ‘sexual deviant’ obsessed with young boys in uniform. During the five week trial, Andrew Shaw told jurors that Souter used his celebrity status to abuse society’s most vulnerable. Mr Shaw told the court: ‘He worked in radio and television and was something of a local celebrity. ‘The significance of his work and his involvement with the scouts and social services, is that these three roles brought Mr Souter into regular contact with pliable young boys and very often pliable young boys who were among society’s most vulnerable. ‘We say Mr Souter is a deviant sexual abuser of young boys, particularly boys in uniform and those wearing shorts.’ On trial: Souter, pictured arriving at a previous hearing, said the allegations were part of a conspiracy . Souter, originally from Scotland, had denied the offences saying that he was the victim of a conspiracy in which allegations against him were made up. He had worked as a producer and presenter in both commercial and BBC radio since the mid-1970s. He had previously presented for Radio Clyde. Mr Shaw said mistakes may have been made by the authorities in the past, but added: ‘As we have seen in recent high profile cases, victims often only tell what has happened to them when they are ready to.’ The court heard that on one occasion Souter had plied an victim, a casual worker at BBC Norfolk, with alcohol. He passed out and awoke to find his trousers pulled down and Souter, who had not been drinking, molesting him. Another victim was indecently touched at a Scout camp, Mr Shaw said. The court heard how he would take boys on trips to burger restaurants and theme parks, and used his links with Norwich City Football Club to invite them to matches. After Souter was convicted, colleagues came forward to say they had long suspected him of inappropriate behaviour. A man who worked for the BBC in the 1980s said: 'One of the first rules I was told when I started at the BBC was "never be in a room alone with Mike Souter"'. 'It didn’t come as any surprise to me when I heard he had been charged.' Another man, who was not involved in the . trial, told police in 2002 he had been raped by Souter two years earlier, at the age of 17. Local celebrity: The court heard Souter used his links with Norwich City Football Club to invite victims to matches . He claimed the presenter, a friend of his parents, had invited him to his house and got him drunk before attacking him in bed. The . man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: 'I met Mike through . my parents and he was a kind of mentor, helping me set up my own . business. 'I thought he was the best thing since sliced bread - his was a world I aspired to be part of. 'When he raped me I was left confused and assumed I was the only one. 'Now I know there is a larger picture and there is little doubt that there are others in my situation. 'Mike Souter is somebody who values his reputation and public image above all else. 'Now this has been dragged through the public eye, he won’t be fooling anybody anymore.' Detectives confirmed today that they are still investigating outstanding claims against Souter. Norfolk police said they have identified 595 people as witnesses, a number of whom raised concerns about Souter’s behaviour. A spokeswoman said: 'Anyone who may be affected by anything raised during this trial can contact police. Norfolk Constabulary is committed to working with partner agencies to prevent child sexual exploitation, support victims and bring offenders to justice.'
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Michael Souter, 60, was found guilty of indecent assault, indecency with a child and serious sexual offences at Norwich Crown Court .
He committed the crimes from 1979-1999 against seven boys aged 11-16 .
Jurors heard how the 'local celebrity' got boys drunk before attacking them .
Police today confirmed they are investigating more claims against him .
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(CNN)The hip-hop world is mourning the death of A$AP Yams, one of the founding members of the Harlem-based collective A$AP Mob. "Always strive and prosper. RIP Yams," said a post Sunday on the group's official Facebook page with a black-and-white photo of Yams, whose real name is Steven Rodriguez. He was 26 years old. "We bugged out on New Years, I didn't know that would be the last time Seeing my brother," A$AP Ferg, one of the stars who emerged from the A$AP collective, wrote in a post on Instagram. "R.i.P bro. We all love and Miss you." The group's record company, RCA Records, said it was "shocked and saddened to hear of the death of A$AP Yams," according to a statement reported by Rolling Stone. "As one of the creative forces behind A$AP Worldwide, Yams' vision, humor and dedication to the members of A$AP Mob will always be remembered," the statement said. It wasn't immediately clear how Yams had died. Other hip-hop stars expressed their sadness and paid tribute to his life on social media. "Rest in peace Yams. A$AP is family," tweeted Drake. "A.S.A.P YAMS should be remembered as a leader, an innovator and most importantly as an important part of NYC youth culture," wrote Azealia Banks. Rather than being famous for rapping or mixing, Yams is credited with masterminding the rise of A$AP Mob and launching the careers of A$AP Ferg and the chart-topping A$AP Rocky. "Rocky's like Luke Skywalker, and I'm Yoda," Yams said in an interview with The New York Times in 2013, explaining their respective roles. "R.I.P Yams, I love you brother," Rocky posted on Facebook. "You were the brilliant mind, you put us on Game, you changed our lives. You changed my life, you changed the world," Ferg wrote on Instagram next to a photo of him and Yams kneeling on stage. Yams was born to a Dominican mother and a Puerto Rican father, according to The New York Times interview. He grew up on the southern edge of Harlem with a lifelong obsession with hip-hop. "Yams is the hip-hop encyclopedia," Rocky said in the article. "He's no joke. That's one person I can't front on when it comes to music." People we've lost in 2015 .
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A$AP Yams, whose real name is Steven Rodriguez, dies at 26 .
"R.i.P bro. We all love and Miss you," says A$AP Ferg, one of the stars from A$AP Mob .
Other hip-hop figures, including Drake and Azealia Banks, pay tribute .
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By . Sophie Borland . PUBLISHED: . 19:53 EST, 19 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 20:01 EST, 19 March 2014 . NHS staff have been caught writing favourable reviews of their hospitals on patient feedback websites. They were awarding hospitals five-star ratings and posting messages such as ‘the doctor was very helpful’, ‘lovely staff’ and ‘very impressed with the consultant’. An investigation found half the reviews of one NHS trust – Nottinghamshire – on a popular feedback site were written by its own employees. NHS staff have been caught writing favourable reviews of their hospitals on feedback websites (stock picture) Campaigners accused staff of being dishonest and said their actions undermined patients’ ‘fundamental trust’. There are a number of TripAdvisor-style websites where patients can review hospitals and other services and give them a score out of five stars. But an investigation by the BBC’s Newsnight programme found half of 100 reviews of Nottinghamshire NHS Trust on website Patient Opinion had been written by staff. The trust, which mainly runs mental health services, claimed that staff were writing on behalf of vulnerable patients – such as the elderly or those with learning difficulties – who would otherwise have been unable to comment on care. But the investigation identified many highly suspicious reviews on other websites, which looked as though they had been written by staff pretending to be patients. They included comments such as: ‘Very impressed with the consultant’, ‘the investigations were very thorough and performed very efficiently’, ‘The doctor was very helpful’ and ‘lovely staff’. On the Care Connect website, launched by the NHS last summer, reviews apparently by staff rated hospitals a whole star higher on average than those by patients. NHS whistleblower Gary Walker, who was forced out of his job at United Lincolnshire Hospitals, said: ‘We’ve known for a long time that the culture of the NHS is one of staff under pressure to deliver results. I think this is a symptom of that, that staff are now putting on results that aren’t necessarily true and it’s interfering with results. ‘The data they are reporting is skewing the results. That’s wrong. It’s making the data the public sees almost meaningless.’ Half the reviews of Nottinghamshire NHS Trust (King's Mill Hospital in Mansfield pictured) on one site were written by its own employees . Paul Hodgkin, chief executive of the Patient Opinion website, said: ‘Patients and families think the NHS is going to tell them the truth in all sorts of ways. But if there’s an incentive to do little things, like I’ll just put in this story that looks good, that actually attacks that fundamental trust.’ Neil Churchill, director of patient experience at NHS England, said: ‘We can’t guarantee that all the reviews are coming from patients and families but we can be sure that the vast majority are. ‘What they were doing in Nottingham was to help vulnerable people have a voice . . . The NHS in England is leading the world in patient feedback. We have to get this in proportion. At that kind of scale you cannot game [cheat] it.’ In August, the NHS launched Care Connect in a bid to make the system more transparent. It covers 20 hospitals in London, but by 2015 it will be rolled out to every trust and GP in the country.In its first few weeks, it was bombarded with negative reviews about ‘appalling’ care, dismissive nurses and blood-spattered A&E units.
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An investigation found half the reviews of one NHS Trust - Nottinghamshire - on a popular feedback site were written by its own employees .
Campaigners have accused staff of being dishonest and said their actions undermined patients' 'fundamental trust'
There are a number of TripAdvisor-style websites where patients can review hospitals and other services and give them a score out of five stars .
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By . James Salmon . PUBLISHED: . 19:36 EST, 14 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:52 EST, 15 February 2013 . Illegitimate: Eric Daniels, former chief executive of Lloyds, told the banking commission of MPs and peers, said that up to half claims for compensation over mis-selling of PPI were 'illegitimate' Disgraced former Lloyds boss Eric Daniels yesterday launched an astonishing attack on the bank’s customers, blaming bogus PPI claims for pushing up the compensation bill. Daniels – who is widely blamed for steering Lloyds to the brink of collapse in 2008 – said up to half of claims on payment protection insurance policies were ‘completely illegitimate’. In a rare public appearance since retiring from the bailed-out bank almost two years ago, the American told the banking commission of MPs and peers he was ‘deeply regretful’ about customers who were genuine victims of mis-selling, but blamed dishonest claimants for pushing up the compensation bill. And he offered no apology for the debacle, claiming PPI was ‘good value for money’. He said: ‘In the great majority of cases customers received a good sales process, and received a product that suited them.’ And echoing the notorious boast from Goldman Sachs boss Lloyd Blankfein that bankers do ‘God’s work’, Daniels insisted Lloyds ‘was on the side of the angels’ and abided by the City watchdog’s rules. Daniels’ version of events was dismissed last night by the Financial Ombudsman, which pointed out that almost three-quarters of PPI complaints it receives about Lloyds TSB are upheld in the customer’s favour. The ombudsman said last October that bankers’ complaints about bogus claims should be treated with ‘cynicism’. Lloyds has set aside £5.3billion so far to pay compensation to those who were mis-sold PPI – far more than any other bank – and is expected to earmark even more money for payouts when it announces its latest financial results on March 1. By the book: The American insisted Lloyds ¿was on the side of the angels¿ and abided by the City watchdog¿s rules . More than £13billion in total has been set aside by the country’s lenders. Yet banks are still refusing to settle thousands of customers’ PPI disputes – and as a result, subsequent complaints to the banking watchdog have soared to unprecedented levels. The Financial Ombudsman Service is now being swamped by 15,000 bank complaints a week, most of which are about PPI and two thirds of which are upheld. Banks have consistently accused the Financial Services Authority of introducing tougher regulations on PPI and applying them to past sales. No apology: Mr Daniels offered no apology for the debacle, claiming PPI was ¿good value for money¿ . Yesterday Daniels insisted the huge bill for mis-sold PPI that built up after he retired in 2011 was partly the result of a ‘misunderstanding’. ‘We thought we were on the side of the angels,’ he said. ‘I believe the vast majority of the provision is due to a difference in understanding between the industry and regulator.’ Dr Ros Altmann, a former Downing Street adviser, said: ‘These comments are extremely worrying as they suggest lessons still haven’t been learned.’
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Eric Daniels said that up to half of PPI claims were 'completely illegitimate'
Told banking commission he was 'deeply regretful' over genuine victims .
But offered no apology for debacle and said PPI was 'good value for money'
Said Lloyd's was 'on the side of the angels' and abided by watchdog rules .
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The death of Jessica Chambers has brought heartache for her family for the second time in just two years, her brother Ben having been killed in a car accident in 2012. He was 28 when he was killed on May 7 that year on Highway 35 in Panola County. The double tragedy has led to hundreds of messages of support being left on a 'Justice For Jessica' Facebook page. The death of Jessica Chambers (right) has brought heartache for the family for the second time in just two years, her brother Ben (left) having been killed in a car accident two years . The double tragedy has led to hundreds of messages of support being left on a 'Justice For Jessica' Facebook page . Tragic: Jessica Chambers, 19, was doused with a flammable liquid and burned alive on Saturday night and police say they have not yet identified a suspect in her murder . Last moments: Jessica Chambers, 19, was caught on surveillance footage just 90 minutes before she was burned alive along the side of a rural road on Saturday. She is seen walking towards the store . Dollie Meggs Premorel wrote: 'I cant even imagine what this family must be going through after losing their son and now their daughter! May God be with this family in their time of need and grief. God Speed.' And Jeanie Braden Turner said: 'Although I did not have the honor of knowing this family or their children, my heart is breaking as I read this story. Please dear Lord, have love and mercy on this family and help them to lean on you through this grief and tragedy.' A 31-year-old man has been questioned by police over the horrific death of teenager Jessica, as police continue to analyse surveillance footage showing her 90 minutes before she was burned alive. Derrick Turner said he was quizzed on Monday at the Panola County jail, but denied that he had anything to do with the Mississippi murder. Turner said that he had no idea why he was brought in by the authorities. He told Wmcactionnews5.com: 'I was just called in for a situation I didn't know nothing about. They was just asking me did I know her or was I sleeping with her, you know. Like I said, I didn't know her like that.' He added: 'She was a sweet girl so that's why I'm messed up about it, whatever happened to her, I hate it happened you know.' Police are investigating footage that shows Chambers walking across a gas station forecourt in Courtland before waving at someone off camera and going to speak to them. She then walks into the store and pays before returning to her car. A man can be seen filling up a gasoline can beside her vehicle, but police say he has been cleared in the investigation. The footage released by police shows Jessica just before 6.30pm on Saturday. About 90 minutes later, a motorist called 911 to report a burning car a mile away and first responders arrived to find the young woman covered in flames. She fell to the ground and whispered something to one of the fire officers. Investigators have not revealed what she said but indicated that they may help find her killer, WMC reported. Seen: A person off camera caught her attention and after waving, she walked over to say hello . Caught on camera: Jessica (seen left) then went into the shop and paid while three men chatted nearby . 'She was able to communicate. It was difficult,' said Jay Hale, an assistant district attorney who prosecutes cases in Panola County. Convenience store manager Ali Fadhel said Chambers came in frequently and he would often speak with her. He told The Associated Press that Chambers spoke with someone before entering the store to purchase gas. On her way out, Chambers got a call on her cellphone, Fadhel said. After she pumped gas, she re-entered the store, bought cigarettes, and drove away, heading south on Highway 51, he said. According to Fadhel, Chambers was wearing a dark-colored sweater and pajama pants that looked like sweatpants. Chambers said she was going to make a stop before going home, Fadhel said. 'If she knew she had a problem with somebody, she would have told me,' Fadhel said. Chambers bought $14 worth of gas, more than the $5 or so she usually purchased, he said. 'I asked her, 'Why are you putting so much gas?' She said, 'I'm going somewhere,'' Fadhel said. Hale said he could not comment on Fadhel's statements. 'We've talked to a lot of people and some of those people could end up being a suspect,' District Attorney John Champion told USA Today on Wednesday. 'But as of right now we have not questioned anybody who we believe to be a suspect.' He added: 'I feel like it's something we're going to solve. It could be in the next five minutes, five months or five years. You just don't know.' Peter Odom, an attorney who prosecuted some arson cases, told HLN's 'Nancy Grace' that investigators will be assessing the physical appearance of suspects. 'They're looking for someone with singed eyebrows and maybe burned hands. Because the burner often gets burned,' he said. Police have not disclosed what Chambers said or tried to say, but her father, Ben Chambers, told the channel she told them who was responsible for the horrifying crime. 'She told them, she told them, told him who done it,' he said. Questions: While she was inside, a man (seen top right) filled up a gas can close to her car (the dark vehicle in the center) but he has been cleared. After going inside the shop, she drove off . Terrifying: She had told her mother she was going out to get food when she and her car were set alight . When responders arrived on the scene, she was walking along Herron Road, near Highway 51, and covered in flames, and was flown to Region One Health in Memphis but later died. Authorities said initial autopsy results reveal the girl died from severe burns that covered 98 per cent of her body. 'I mean it's bad,' DA John Champion told Fox. 'I have been doing this for 21 years and as far as the means of death it is certainly the worst I have dealt with.' Panola County Sheriff Dennis Darby said she had been doused with a flammable liquid and set on fire. Her father also said she had 'a big gash on her head'. 'They squirted lighter fluid down her throat and in her nose, and apparently they knocked her out,' added Mr Chambers, a maintenance worker for the sheriff's department. 'When the fire department got there, she was walking down the road on fire ... only part of her body that wasn't burned was the bottom of her feet.' As well as the surveillance footage, detectives have been examining the girl's cellphone, which was found at the scene. Her car was also at the scene but was left completely charred by the inferno. Authorities are also looking into reports that she went to a party before her death, Chambers said. Friends said that the family can't think of anyone that might have wanted to hurt Jessica, who didn't have a boyfriend and was not known to have been seeing anyone. They added that she had just started a new job at Goody's Department Store, which she loved. Scene: Her car was found along this dirt bank and she was found walking along the road in flames . Heartbroken: Her mother, Lisa Chambers, sobbed as she pleaded with the public for information . Ripped apart: Her father Ben, right, said someone poured lighting fluid down his daughter's throat and nose before setting her alight. He has also appealed for any information in her death . Lisa Chambers, the girl's mother, begged with anyone to come forward with any information they may have about the heinous crime. 'They have ripped everything I have,' she told Fox. 'She left to go clean out her car and was going to get [herself] something to eat.' She told WMC that she has barely been able to sleep following the tragedy, as the thought of the gruesome death her daughter suffered has been overwhelming. She said: 'Last night's the first night I've slept all night. I had a lady call and pray with me, and my dog started barking at the couch beside me, and it was a strange feeling, and I knew it was Jessica.' She added: 'She's not going to be at rest until her killer is caught.' Chambers' grandmother, Dot Boatright, said the family was doing as well as can be expected. Boatright said she 'went all to pieces' when she heard about Chambers' death. Not much was immediately revealed about the woman's background by authorities, but Boatright said of her granddaughter, 'She was just a sweet little girl.' Amanda Prince, who identified herself as Jessica Chambers' older sister, told CNN Wednesday night that the family is 'shocked, lost ... confused, angry, hurt.' 'I have so many questions,' she said. 'I want to know why.' Asked if she knew of anyone who had a grudge against her sister or might want to hurt her, Prince replied, 'No one. She was loved by everybody. I don't know who would want to do this or why.' Prince described her sister as 'very athletic' and outgoing, and said that at various times she had expressed interest in becoming a nurse, a dentist and a writer. 'She was happy all the time,' she said. 'She made everyone laugh. She lit up a room. ... She was just full of life.' The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is assisting Panola authorities because of her father's connection to the police department. No arrests have yet been made. Mississippi authorities say they have received offers to help from several agencies, including the U.S. attorney's office and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Autopsy results have not been released, and it was not clear when they would be available. Anyone with information on the murder should contact the Sheriff's Office at 662-563-6230. A candle-lit vigil will be held for Jessica on Saturday. See below for video .
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Jessica Chambers, 19, was burned alive on a rural Mississippi road .
Horrific incident occurred after she left her Courtland home on Saturday .
She was found covered in flames on the side of the road .
She managed to whisper something to a first responder before dying .
Gas station surveillance footage shows her waving at a friend .
Authorities said they have not yet identified a potential suspect .
Thirty-one-year-old Derrick Turner has been quizzed over the murder .
Her brother, Ben, was killed in a car accident in 2012, in Panola County .
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(CNN) -- Judith Boutelle plopped herself down on Wednesday and prayed for a helicopter -- the only way out of town. She's one of the hundreds of tourists stranded by days of heavy rain near the majestic Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, in the mountains of southern Peru. The rain triggered mudslides that blocked a rail line leading out of a city near the ruins. Authorities have evacuated many by helicopter, but bad weather has posed challenges for them. "There's stress," Boutelle said by phone to CNN, "but we're comfortable." She and her husband, Jerry -- 65-year-olds from Petersburg, Illinois -- went to Peru to see the famous ruins. They've been stuck in a town near the ruins for the last three days, waiting for choppers to whisk them out. News reports say the rain and floods have killed at least seven people in the region, including a tourist from Argentina. An estimated 10,000 people have been affected by the rain and 2,000 homes have been ruined in and around Machu Picchu, authorities said. James Fennell, spokesman of the U.S. Embassy in Lima, told CNN the Peruvians are saying about 2,000 people need to be evacuated from the region. Several hundred tourists have been stranded in Aguas Calientes, a town at the base of popular tourist attraction. There also have been reports of stranded people on the Inca Trail, a popular hiking trail that leads to Machu Picchu. Peru's Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Martin Perez said Wednesday that the elderly, children and pregnant women have priority for evacuation. He denied reports of preferential treatment for foreigners, saying 103 of 475 tourists evacuated Tuesday were Peruvian. Watch iReport account of Peru flooding . Quoted by state media, Perez said authorities were planning to evacuate 120 tourists an hour but need "the weather's help." He said authorities could evacuate 840 tourists if they could get seven hours of decent weather. On Wednesday, poor weather threatened the ability of authorities to conduct evacuations, he said, and the forecast calls for rain through Friday. Fennell said some Americans might have left by Peruvian aircraft on Monday and 50 were evacuated by U.S. and Peruvian choppers on Tuesday. He said that as of Wednesday, officials estimate about 200 U.S. citizens were in Aguas Calientes. Fennell said four U.S. government helicopters arrived on Tuesday and two more were expected to help Peru in the evacuation. The Peruvian helicopters can accommodate up to 20 people but the U.S. aircraft carry only five. Peru also is bringing in food and water to the region, Fennell said. "The evacuation operations were planned to continue today, weather permitting. The embassy is totally focused on getting Americans out," he told CNN. "We're very grateful for their efforts," Fennell said of the Peruvian government. "We're totally focused on working with them and getting everybody out quickly and safely." The embassy says that the train to and from Cusco and Machu Picchu has been canceled because of landslides, and the roads in and out of Machu Picchu have been closed. One bridge had collapsed and water has covered the other. "Peruvian authorities are working to open a route out of Machu Picchu," the embassy said in a message. Cusco is the closest major city to Machu Picchu. That's where Pamela Alvarez, 29, works as a receptionist at the Royal Inka Hotel. She said a Brazilian guest went to Machu Picchu, got stuck there with everyone else and has been unable to come back to the hotel for two days. "All the people are in the train station, waiting for helicopters so they can get out to go to Cusco," she said. Boutelle said she and her tour group visited Machu Picchu on Sunday and stayed overnight on Monday, but she hadn't been able to leave since then. She said she and others have been been well-sheltered and well-fed at a hotel, but endured inconveniences. For example, people came to Machu Picchu for the day from their hotels in Cusco without the proper amount of clothing or medication for an extended period. Boutelle said she and her husband are among a handful left from their group, most of whom have been airlifted out. They had hoped to leave on Tuesday after wearily standing in an evacuation line for hours during a chaotic day where people jostled to get on helicopters. But they never made it out and were hopeful that they could leave as soon as possible. "We hope today, but we're pessimistic about it," she said. "It's going to take a long time to evacuate." Several people fretted about the predicament. Roberto Rocafort, a 64-year-old tour manager, said officials in the town haven't been prepared to deal with the eventuality and he said conditions resembled a "war zone" for many of the people stranded. News reports say people are sleeping on the street, in gyms, schools, trains and tents. Wearing days-old clothing, sleeping outside, and lacking money and access to proper medications add up to an "alarming, difficult and scary" situation, Rocafort said. Rocafort said he's worried food supplies will dwindle greatly in days if help isn't accelerated. "We need the U.S.A. to help us," Rocafort said. Rocafort said that thousands of Argentines enjoying their summertime are in the town. Argentine Consul in Lima Gabriel Volpi said that about 600 Argentine tourists were trapped and that one of them has died. A weather alert has been issued for southern Peru, which has received record rainfall over the past three days, according to the Peruvian national weather service. More rain is expected through Friday, though less than what's already drenched the region. A state of emergency has been declared in southeastern Peru, which includes Machu Picchu, according to Javier Velasquez, the president of Peru's Cabinet. Machu Picchu is the ancient Incan city on a mountain in the Andes, standing nearly 8,000 feet -- 2,340 meters -- above sea level in a tropical mountain forest. Known as the "Lost City of the Incas," Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and draws tens of thousands of international tourists every year. CNN's Claudia Rebaza and Mark Bixler contributed to this report.
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NEW: Hundreds of tourists are stranded by days of heavy rain in southeastern Peru .
NEW: Some 10,000 people have been affected and 2,000 homes ruined, authorities say .
NEW: "Weather's help" needed to speed evacuations, Peruvian official quoted as saying .
Mudslides cut train line to ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu .
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Britain is set to provide anti-tank weapons, night vision goggles, radar and body armour to Kurdish forces battling Islamic State jihadists. The region’s fighters say they will ask the UK for specific equipment after Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said a request for weapons would be ‘considered favourably’. An emergency meeting of EU ministers yesterday condemned the ‘atrocities and abuses’ against religious minorities – such as the Yazidis – and backed the arming of the Kurdish forces. Back up: The Kurds have requested Javelin anti-tank missiles, mortars, and heavy calibre machine guns . RAF Chinooks are already ferrying weapons supplied by other countries, including France, to Kurds in the city of Irbil, where British and US Special Forces are helping plan an offensive against the IS militants. They are also providing training in the use of the newly supplied weapons, including ‘Milan’ anti-tank missiles and Belgian-made machine guns. Kurdish fighters would like the UK to provide Javelin anti-tank missiles, mortars, heavy calibre machine guns and sniper rifles as well as body armour, night vision goggles and helmets. They may also be given a portable radar called MSTAR used to locate incoming fire and enemy positions. Britain had previously said it would only ferry weapons to the Kurds, not supply them. The change of stance could risk indirectly drawing the UK back into Iraq’s conflict. The weapons supply and training are in addition to the RAF Tornados, Hercules transport planes, other support vehicles and troops already in the region. Masrour Barzani, chancellor of the Kurdish region’s security council, said he welcomed the ‘British decision to supply us with the effective weapons that we’ve been asking for’. The EU's Foreign Affairs chief Catherine Ashton backed Britain and France arming Kurdish fighters in Iraq at an emergency Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels today . Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond is in Brussels today for emergency talks over how to arm Kurdish fighters in Iraq . An Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighter takes position on the front line 40km west of Arbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq . The Kurdish Peshmerga are used to old Soviet weapons and have so far not made any direct request for weapons from Britain . A Downing Street spokesman said yesterday: ‘Tackling the dire humanitarian situation in Iraq remains the UK’s top priority. ‘Ensuring that Kurdish forces are able to counter IS advances is also vital. We have made clear that we will consider any requests from the Iraq or Kurdistan Regional Government favourably.’ No 10 highlighted the plight of the Dahuk region in northern Iraq where 450,000 displaced people are taking shelter – a 50 per cent increase in the area’s population. Farhad Atrushi, the governor of Dahuk, said the US and UK are politically and ethically responsible for helping Iraq. He warned of the threat of ‘genocide’, adding: ‘We have hundreds of thousands [of refugees]. We’re going to face an international humanitarian catastrophe because many of these children will die. Iraq's prime minister for the past eight years, Nouri al-Maliki (centre), speaks at a podium surrounded by Iraqi MPs yesterday. Al-Maliki stepped down in favour of fellow Dawa Party member Haider al-Abadi (stood to al-Maliki's right) Former Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown also welcomed the Government’s decision as he warned that conflicts in Iraq and Syria would result in redrawing Middle Eastern borders. He said the Kurds could act as a ‘northern bulwark’ against the IS, but added: ‘We are acting as handmaidens to Kurdish independence, with implications for Turkey, which is why you have to have a wider strategy.’ He told the BBC: ‘It really is time that we joined the dots. Instead of having a series of plans for a series of humanitarian catastrophes, we need to have an integrated strategy for containing a widening war.’ In Brussels yesterday, Mr Hammond hailed the announcement that Iraq’s prime minister Nouri al-Maliki was relinquishing his post, calling on his replacement Haider al-Abadi to form an inclusive government. It is hoped Mr al-Abadi will be better placed to unite Iraqis in fighting back against IS.
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EU foreign ministers 'welcome' arms shipments to besieged Kurds .
Call for probe into atrocities which may amount to 'crimes against humanity'
US and France have already begun sending weapons to the front line .
Philip Hammond says UK would 'consider favourably' any request for arms .
Paddy Ashdown says conflict in Iraq 'preparation' for wider 'religious war'
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These are the first pictures of water cannon ready for use on the streets of Britain this summer. The German-made weapon is at an Army base in Hampshire where, shielded from public view by several vast warehouses, police officers are being trained in its use. Dozens of Met officers have been travelling to Longmoor base, near Petersfield, every day over the past fortnight. Resistance: Police train with water cannon at Longmoor Army camp near Petersfield in Hampshire . Onlookers said policemen in riot helmets banged batons on plastic shields during gruelling drills. Meanwhile colleagues played the role of a mob of rioters who were drenched with cold water fired out in short bursts. The cannon, a custom-built Ziegler Wasserwerfer 9000, was quietly brought in from Northern Ireland ahead of the G8 talks next month. Up to 4,000 officers are being trained to use water cannon, ostensibly so they can work alongside colleagues across the Irish Sea at the talks at the Lough Erne resort at Enniskillen. However, with police and officials close to reaching a deal about the purchase of three cannon for the mainland, the officers’ skills will be invaluable beyond G8. Duck and cover: Met police officers have been traveling to the training facility for the past two weeks to learn how to use the new water cannon . Practice makes perfect: The picture shows a group of Met police during the training drill which saw officers banging batons on plastic shields . Fighting fit: Officers also played the role of the angry mob and had to withstand regular soakings as their colleagues practiced using the water cannon on human targets . The Home Office has signalled it approves of introducing water cannon ‘in principle’, but staff want more details about how exactly they will be used. Critics believe the machines are a step too far. Some police chiefs say they are unsuitable and human rights lawyers fear they symbolise a creep towards more militant policing. Calls for water cannon climaxed after the riots of the summer of 2011, which began in London and laid waste to parts of several cities. In the aftermath, Prime Minister David Cameron said ‘nothing is off the table’ to keep order in the streets. In a report, a senior Met officer concluded ‘water cannon would be valuable in a few rare situations’. A fleet of six water cannon was used against stone-throwing mobs during the Ulster Troubles and in the marching season, and the machines are in use on a large scale in Germany, Northern Ireland, Belgium and other parts of Europe. Double jet: The custom-built Ziegler Wasserwerfer 9000 is going to be available in case of riots at this summer's G8 meeting in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland . Riot: Flashback to the 2011 troubles in London's Hackney during the riots . There have been reports of them causing serious injuries, including broken bones and a ruptured spleen. A protester was blinded in Stuttgart three years ago when he was hit full in the face by a blast of water. The Metropolitan Police, senior Whitehall officials and the Association of Chief Police Officers all played down the prospect of introducing water cannon to British streets. It is understood the Met wants control of two of the vehicles. Jenny Jones, a Green politician who scrutinises the Met, said the decision was being made ‘without any proper scrutiny’. The Met said talks with the Home Office were ongoing.
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London Met police are being trained to use brand new water cannon .
Weapon brought in for officers to prepare for G8 meeting this summer .
Up to 4,000 officers are being trained ahead of Northern Ireland gathering .
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Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has banned his players from having their cars driven to the Old Trafford exit gates - so they have to mingle with supporters and sign autographs. The Dutch boss wants to improve fan engagement among his squad and his new policy recently saw Colombian striker Radamel Falcao ordered off the team bus to chat to eager fans who gathered in chilly temperatures at the club's Carrington training base. Before Van Gaal's arrival, many of United's millionaire stars would have their luxury sports cars chauffeured to an exit behind a barrier close to the dressing rooms after home matches. Radamel Falcao (centre, scoring against Aston Villa) was ordered to sign autographs by a member of staff . Louis van Gaal wants his United players to interactive with fans more . But the new manager has put an end to the practice - and now the likes of Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Angel di Maria have to walk through supporters to get to their flash motors. A United insider told MailOnline Sport: 'The manager reckoned the players had come detached from the supporters and he thinks that the fans are the most important people at the club. 'The players used to jump straight into waiting cars and they'd be gone but that's all changed now. 'And it's not just at the stadium. At Carrington recently, the players were waiting for the bus to leave to take them to the hotel before a match and one of the staff asked Falcao to get off and go and sign some autographs for the punters who'd turned up. It's good to see.' Darren Fletcher (right) and Ashley Young (centre) sign autographs for fans on United's pre-season tour . Falcao signs a program for a fan during United's 1-0 defeat at Manchester City earlier this season . Newcastle's players looked in high spirits as they trained ahead of their trip to Old Trafford on Boxing Day . Third-placed United face Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Boxing Day looking to stretch their unbeaten run to eight league matches and Van Gaal, also known as a family man, has broken from tradition by cancelling training on Christmas Day to allow players to spend the morning with their loved ones. 'I believe in a total human being, the environment is also important,' the 63-year-old said. 'They are more pleased to be at home with their wives and children. Then, I hope they shall give everything to beat the opponent.'
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Louis van Gaal believes Man United have become detached from fans .
Players now have to walk past fans to get to cars as they leave Old Trafford .
United take on Newcastle at Old Trafford on Boxing Day .
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A Las Vegas magician is going out of his way to help one very deserving man in need. Rob Anderson filmed a video earlier this month where he approached homeless veteran Alan McCracken, shockingly tearing up the man's sign asking for help, but then somehow producing wads of cash for the man, a U.S. Army veteran who served for six years before an honorable discharge. And now, he wants to do more. Scroll down for video . For my next trick: Rob Anderon (right) has started a campaign to raise money for homeless veteran Alan McCracken (left) Good man in need: Anderson hopes to raise $15,000 to get McCracken a hotel room for three months so he can work on finding a job . Anderson, after seeing how positive McCracken was, has started a campaign to raise $15,000 so he can get the vet off the streets and into a hotel for three months. The money will also cover new clothes, living expenses, and setting up a bank account for McCracken. 'Alan is just as kind in person as he appears in the video,' Anderson says on his GoFundMe page. 'He can often be seen in downtown Las Vegas with a large sign that says SMILE, just trying to bring a smile to strangers' faces, even if they don't give him any money. If there's anyone who would be deserving of assistance to get back on their feet, it is Alan McCracken.' Already, Anderson has almost reached his goal, and there is more good news as McCracken has found a place to stay in the interim. 'Alan has been able to get assistance in temporarily getting off the streets through the VA here in Las Vegas,' Anderson announced earlier today. 'He is currently sleeping on a bunk bed in a room with 3 other veterans, and has his meals and other basic necessities provided by the VA. When I spoke with him, he had his usual positive attitude about his situation, and is optimistic about his search for a job now that he has temporary housing provided for him.' McCracken still has no idea about the fundraiser, and Anderson plans to surprise him with the news when he reaches his goal. All money raised will go to McCracken.
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Rob Anderson, a Las Vegas magician, has started a campaign to raise money for homeless veteran Alan McCracken .
Anderson met McCracken when he used the man in a viral video he made earlier this month .
McCracken was a U.S. Army veteran who served for six years before an honorable discharge .
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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Mason Jennings is free of drugs or alcohol. Has been for some time now. But danger still lurks in his music. Rolling Stone recently dubbed Mason Jennings "one of the best songwriters you've never heard of." Effortless melody, dexterous wordplay, tight compositions -- they come easy for Jennings, whom Rolling Stone recently dubbed "one of the best songwriters you've never heard of." But his new album, "Blood of Man" (Brushfire), goes deeper than his previous work, which presented a more affable side of the Honolulu-born, Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter. At a recent show in Los Angeles, Jennings told the crowd that he had to tell his mother about a couple of songs on "Blood of Man." "There might be some painful memories in there," he warned. His mother responded, "Well, I'll be writing a song called 'My Son Stole My Car and Got Stoned and Drunk.' " "Blood of Man" is raw and personal, Jennings allowed in an interview. "I got to a place where I made music that moved me," he said. "When I play with that kind of openness ... I know I can get free." Watch a music video of Mason Jennings » . "I think it has to do with wanting transcendence," he said at another point. "Everybody is looking for a feeling of release, and my release comes through my music." CNN sat down with Mason Jennings in a Los Angeles recording studio. The following is an edited version of the interview. CNN: This record is getting the best reviews of your career. Reaction? Mason Jennings: It's surprising. [For] this one, I didn't even think about other people. What would I like to do? If no one is going to hear this, what would it sound like? So I was just recording tons of songs in the winter by myself, and I ended up putting out what I had done. I thought there would be no reviews or people would just ignore it. So it's great to have this kind of reaction [to the album]. CNN: The title "Blood of Man" can mean many things ... Jennings: I was actually a little embarrassed by it. Kind of intense and pretty dark, but in the end, there was no other option. To me, it's about humanness -- dark and light -- instinctual humanness. There's just life blood coming through it. CNN: You mentioned darkness. On the album, we have "black wind blowing" and "lonely roads" and "suicide halls." Are you speaking from personal experience? Jennings: [It was] letting myself feel anger, desire, fear ... all those human things inside you. Trusting that it's OK to put them out there. Trusting more about what resonates with me rather than trying to steer the songs to safer waters. CNN: Were there parts of yourself that you hadn't really mined to this point? Jennings: Yes. The song "Pittsburgh" draws from experiences I had growing up that triggered a lot of different things. It's a rough period for everybody, but I had a lot of different experiences that were kind of ... difficult. I started writing about those, and it started feeling more like a diary or my own expression [as opposed to] some of my other stuff where I tend to be more "in character." CNN: How did your newfound practice of meditation affect "Blood of Man"? Jennings: I would think that if you go that inward that even more demons would come up, but it was the opposite. I started doing a lot of yoga, pretty intensely, right when I started recording these songs. So I have a feeling that it was a big part of getting into my body -- getting physical and connecting with my spirit and allowing me to get free. It was a big part of this record, strangely, because [the record] is so dark and raw, but the whole time I [knew] I could handle it. CNN: The song "Blood of Man" seems like a centerpiece. Jennings: When I was doing these recordings, I was sending them to a couple of producers to see what they thought of the ideas. Most of the time they were asking me how I recorded this or that and how I got [certain sounds]. I thought "Maybe this is OK just how it is." I didn't have that one final song that tied it all together, and I was so excited about the idea that I was going to release everything [as is] and that song just came to me and really hit me hard. It's one of my favorite songs. That song feels like something I've been trying to do for years. It captures the feeling I had the whole time I was writing this album. CNN: I could see where a producer would take these songs and add strings, make it gloss, but it works the way it is. Jennings: A lot of people want to clean up my sound. They want to take the rough edges off, and whenever I've tried that -- to hear my voice in that context ... it doesn't sound good. It sounds out of place, like having a barn animal walk into a fancy room. Whenever I try to work too hard on [a song] and force it...it doesn't [sound right]. But then I write a song like "City of Ghosts," and it's like a punch. It's [quick], and it's done. CNN: It can't be calculated. Jennings: Got have to that tape rolling. And the other thing is [to] make sure you stay inspired by life. Keep that sense of wonder.
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Mason Jennings' new CD, "Blood of Man," is very personal .
Jennings doesn't shy away from tougher episodes of his life .
One contributor to the songs: intense yoga sessions, says Jennings .
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(CNN) -- Former Czech President Vaclav Havel showed up at the Chinese Embassy in Prague Wednesday to protest the imprisonment of a Chinese dissident, the official Czech News Agency reported. Havel, himself a former dissident jailed by his country's Communist regime in the 1970s and 1980s, was criticizing the 11-year prison sentence imposed on Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo. Havel and two fellow former dissidents wanted to hand a letter personally to a Chinese official in the Czech Republic, but no one opened the door at the embassy, forcing Havel to put the letter in the embassy's mailbox, the agency reported. Liu is a co-author of Charter 08, which calls for greater political freedom in China. It is modeled on Charter 77, an anti-Communist manifesto launched by Havel and others 33 years ago Wednesday. Havel chose the anniversary date specially to make the protest, he said. Liu has been one of China's most prominent dissidents since the 1989 Tiananmen Square protest -- which came, coincidentally, only months before Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution toppled Communism there and ushered Havel into the presidency. Czechoslovakia split into two independent countries -- the Czech Republic and Slovakia -- in 1993. Liu was sentenced last month to 11 years in prison for his role in a separate subversion case, his lawyer said December 25. Attorney Shang Baojun said that Liu's political rights would be suspended for two years under the sentence. Shang said he was disappointed with the verdict and felt the sentence was harsher than he had expected. Liu, a former university lecturer and literary critic, faced a possible 15-year jail sentence, amid growing international outrage over his year-long detention, according to media reports. He was detained on December 8, 2008, and held under "residential surveillance" as police investigated the case, according to the PEN American Center, a U.S. literary and human rights organization. On June 23, 2009, he was arrested and charged with inciting subversion of state power, the organization said. Liu is on the PEN board of directors. The case was turned over to the prosecutor's office on December 8, 2009 -- one year from the time Liu was detained. Charter 08 is "a declaration calling for political reform, greater human rights, and an end to one-party rule in China that has been signed by hundreds of individuals from all walks of life throughout the country," PEN says on its Web site. The group said Liu was arrested before the formal release of Charter 08. "Liu has been engaged in agitation activities, such as spreading of rumors and defaming of the government, aimed at subversion of the state and overthrowing the socialism system in recent years," according to a police statement reported by China's state-run Xinhua news agency. The statement claimed Liu confessed to the charge during a preliminary police investigation. Liu served as an adviser to student leaders during the demonstrations at Tiananmen Square in 1989. Along with three other intellectuals, he took part in hunger strikes there on June 2 of that year prior to the crackdown to show support for the flagging student protests. He was arrested two days after the Tiananmen crackdown and was released in 1991. In May 1995 he was detained again for collecting signatures for a petition calling for human rights guarantees. The U.S. government called for Liu's release. "The United States was deeply concerned to learn that ... Liu ... was found guilty of 'incitement to subvert state power,'" said Mark Toner, an acting State Department spokesman. "We call on the Government of China to release him immediately and to respect the rights of all Chinese citizens to peacefully express their political views." CNN's John Vause contributed to this report.
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Former Czech President Vaclav Havel protests imprisonment of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo .
Havel put letter of protest in the mailbox of the Chinese Embassy in Prague .
Liu has been one of China's most prominent dissidents since 1989 Tiananmen Square protest .
Liu was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his role in a separate subversion case .
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Yugoslavia legend Dragan Stojkovic aims to follow his close friend Arsene Wenger from managing in Japan to taking charge in the Premier League. Stojkovic played under Arsenal's current manager at Nagoya Grampus in the nineties and went onto manage the Japanese side himself, winning their first ever J-League title in 2010. Wenger has admitted in the past he sees Stojkovic, who is currently out of work after his six-year spell in charge of Grampus ended last year, as a possible replacement at the Emirates when he eventually retires. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger shakes hands with former Nagoya Grampus boss Dragan Stojkovic in 2013 . Dragan Stojkovic, on the touchline during his time at Nagoya Grampus, aims to manage in the Premier League . 'I respect English football very much and the Premier League is an incredible league,' he told talkSPORT. 'Of course [I would like to manage in the Premier League]. Why not? I believe I have enough knowledge about modern football to be part of the development of English football. 'I have had a few meetings [with English clubs] but I am still waiting for a good offer.' Stojkovic is a Yugoslavia legend from his playing days, scoring 15 goals in 84 games, spanning over 18 years . The 49-year-old, back in his playing days, has been out of work since leaving Nagoya Grampus last year . The Serbian claims, having worked with Wenger, that he shares an almost identical footballing philosophy. 'Arsene Wenger is a friend of mine and that relationship and friendship exists from 1995,' added Stojkovic. 'If you remember how he changed Arsenal, the way they play, the style and the quality, this is the same style I used in the last six years, and Grampus became champions for the first time in their history thanks to that work. 'It is my objective to teach players to play in an attacking style and to give pleasure to the fans.'
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger signed a three-year deal in the summer .
Dragan Stojkovic played under Wenger at Nagoya Grampus .
Stojkovic also managed the Japanese side for six years .
The Serbian aims to copy Wenger and manage in the Premier League .
Wenger has suggested in the past Stojkovic would be a suitable replacement .
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By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 18:45 EST, 17 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:51 EST, 17 May 2013 . This is the chilling moment an Australian teenager who raped and strangled his neighbour calmly carried her body out of the building in a suitcase before dumping it in a canal. Today Daniel Stani-Reginald, now 21, was sentenced 45 years in jail for killing Tosha Thakkar, 24, in Sydney. He was ‘studying how to become a serial killer,’ and had planned his crime for months in advance as part of his ‘education’, a Sydney court heard. Scroll down for video . Chilling: Daniel Stani-Reginald, who raped and strangled his neighbour Tosha Thakkar, 24, calmly carries her body out of the building in a suitcase before dumping it in a canal . Sentencing him to a maximum 45 year jail term on Friday, Justice Derek Price said Stani-Reginald had shown no capacity for empathy or any remorse for the cruel and premeditated crime. 'There is documented evidence he had been planning similar offences for a period of years, gradually becoming more focused,' Justice Price said as he set a non-parole period of 30 years. 'Notwithstanding her efforts to survive, the offender strangled her, which was extremely cruel,' Justice Price said. 'The last minutes of her life must have been horrifying. This was a terrible way for the deceased to die.' Jailed: Today Daniel Stani-Reginald, now 21, was sentenced 45 years in jail for killing Tosha Thakkar, 24, in Sydney . In the weeks leading up to the 2011 murder, Stani-Reginald had visited 9,500 online articles and websites dedicated to serial killers and rapists. Stani-Reginald has pleaded guilty to raping and strangling the accountancy student, and is due to be sentenced by Sydney Supreme Court. Crown prosecutor Mark Tedeschi QC today urged a judge to impose a life sentence on Stani-Reginald, saying he is capable of seeking notoriety as a serial killer, NineNewsNational reports. Instead of attending university or forging a career, Stani-Reginald 'made a deliberate decision to school himself on how to become a serial rapist and murderer,' Mr Tedeschi said. Miss Thakkar, originally from Gujarat, had moved to Australia two years earlier to take a post-graduate in accounting at the city's Southern Cross University. The brutal killing took place in the home of Ms Thakkar, who lived in the same house as Stani-Reginald in the Sydney suburb of Croydon, on March 9, 2011. Stani-Reginald had spent the morning 'studying' the sentences of serial killers and watching pornography focusing on the 'degradation of Indian women,' the court heard. Macabre education: In the months leading up to the 2011 murder of Miss Thakkar, Daniel Stani-Reginald, then 19, visited thousands of websites dedicated to serial killers and rapists . Brutal killing: Stani-Reginald, now 21, attacked accountancy student Miss Thakkar, stuffed her dismembered body into a suitcase and dumped it in a canal before he went home to read 'Beginnings of a Serial Killer' After the murder, Stani-Reginald jumped in a cab and transported Miss Thakkar's dismembered body, which he had put in a suitcase, to a canal at Meadowbank, Sydney where it was found two days later. After dumping the body, he visited a shopping centre before returning home to continue his morbid studies and even spoke to Miss Thakkar's boyfriend as police investigated her disappearance. Stani-Reginald was not found to have been under any influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the murder and has not shown remorse, Mr Tedeschi said, . 'There's not the slightest suggestion he was horrified by what he had done. The community would be justifiably aggrieved if he were to receive a sentence less than life imprisonment," Mr Tedeschi said. The sentence hearing continues.
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Daniel Stani-Reginald, now 21, raped and killed Tosha Thakkar, 24, in 2011 .
Miss Thakkar had moved from India to Australia to complete her degree .
Stani-Reginald spent months 'educating himself' on how to commit murder .
After dumping her body, he went home to read Beginnings of a Serial Killer .
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f8f6efd6b8e16d5e4cf2509e39f4d2c874cac244
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(CNN) -- In the last few years, awareness about bullying has increased dramatically. Some adults may still think bullying is just a youthful rite of passage, but it seems worse than in previous generations for many parents, educators and kids. It doesn't stop at the schoolyard or even a child's front door. Access to the Internet and social media websites mean kids can be bullied and tormented around the clock, even in the supposed safety of their own homes. The cruelty that can come with the strike of a button on a keyboard can hurt just as much as any punch or push in a playground. We've produced a documentary called "The Bully Effect" which follows the stories of a number of people filmmaker Lee Hirsch introduced audiences to in his remarkable 2012 film "Bully." These are kids and parents who have taken their pain, their suffering, their grief and turned it into action. They are truly inspiring. Our unhealthy love of reality TV bullying . I first started reporting on the problem of bullying a few years ago when a rash of suicides of children propelled the issue into the national spotlight. Since then, I've interviewed far too many parents whose children took their own lives because they felt like it was the only way out of the pain. It's not just tragic, it's unacceptable. Through our reporting, we've repeatedly tried to understand the complex issues surrounding bullying. There are not just bullies and victims. Sometimes a child who is bullied may bully someone else. We've tried to understand how bullying can be a form of what researchers call "social combat," and we've looked at what programs work to prevent it, and why some schools fail to adequately address the problem. Most bullying incidents are witnessed by bystanders: other students, teachers, and adults. All too often those bystanders fail to intervene, fail to stand up and say "enough is enough." As a teenager I saw other kids being bullied. Sometimes I tried to stop it, often times, I remained silent. It still pains me to this day. Share your story about child bullying with CNN iReport . Increasing empathy and understanding is one of the greatest weapons we have to reduce bullying. That's why I believe in the power of reporting. And why I hope you will watch "The Bully Effect" on CNN tonight at 8 p.m. ET. Change is happening, and you can be part of it. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Anderson Cooper. Watch Anderson Cooper . 360° weeknights 8pm ET. For the latest from AC360° click here.
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Anderson Cooper: Bullying today seems worse than in previous generations .
Cooper: When bullied children commit suicide, it's not just tragic, it's unacceptable .
Through reporting we can increase empathy and help reduce bullying, he says .
Cooper: Learn more from "The Bully Effect," which will air on CNN tonight at 8 p.m. ET .
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Police in Florida are on the hunt for a suspect in a hit-and-ran crash involving a pregnant woman who was left injured. Sheriff’s deputies in Holiday say Crystal Lynn Noordhuizen, 32, who is seven months pregnant, was struck by a car Monday afternoon. According to investigators, the driver of the vehicle has been identified as 33-year-old Justin Lee Colby, who is believed to be her half-brother. Scroll down for video . Hit and run: Police in Florida are searching for 33-year-old Justin Lee Colby (left), who is suspected of running over his pregnant sister, 32-year-old Crystal Lynn Noordhuizen (right) with his car . Deputies say Colby mowed down the woman, who is seven months pregnant, with his white 2006 Dodge Charger, which he then slammed into a pole . Deputies told the station WFLA Noordhuizen was walking east on Westwood Drive’s south shoulder at around 1pm when Colby 'traveled off the roadway' and hit her. After striking the mother-to-be, Colby crashed his white 2006 Dodge Charger into a pole. He then walked to his home located on the same street, hopped on a white motorcycle and took off from the scene. Crystal Noordhuizen was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for minor injuries. As of Monday night, police have not apprehended Justin Colby, who has a long criminal history dating back to at least 2006. Tragedy averted: The 32-year-old was taken to a hospital with only minor injuries . The 33-year-old man has been arrested at least eight times over the past nine years on a wide variety of charges, including aggravated assault; domestic violence; sex battery of a minor; possession and sale of controlled substances, and multiple probation violations. According to her Facebook page, Miss Noordhuizen and her alleged attacker appears to be related: both the 32-year-old woman and Justin Colby list a man by the name Dave Colby as their father, suggesting that they are siblings. In 2007, then-25-year-old Justin Colby made headlines when he was arrested for repeatedly having sex with a 15-year-old girl and plying her with drugs. Five years later, the troubled Holiday man landed behind bars again following a violent family feud reminiscent of Monday's incident involving his pregnant sister. In April 2012, Tampa Bay Times reported that Colby was arrested for hitting his brother, Daniel Colby, with his car following a brawl during which the siblings hurled a variety of household items at one another, including cutlery, a toaster and a crowbar. Troubled past: In April 2012, Colby was arrested for hitting his brother, Daniel Colby, with his car following a brawl . According to a police report, then-27-year-old Daniel Colby told officers he thought his big brother just wanted to scare him by pretending to run him over with a car and was going to swerve at the last second. But Justin Colby did not stop the car to miss his brother, who suffered a broken knee after being thrown over the car's hood. At the time, Justin Colby denied striking his sibling on purpose and claimed that Daniel jumped onto the hood of his car.
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Justin Colby, 33, is accused of striking Crystal Lynn Noordhuizen, 32, with his car in Holiday, Florida .
The woman, who is seven months pregnant, suffered minor injuries in the crash .
Colby has a long criminal history dating back to at least 2006 .
In April 2012, Colby was arrested for hitting his brother, Daniel Colby, with his car following a brawl .
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A young family are living in constant fear and could be driven from their home - because of an invasion of monster venomous spiders which attack humans instead of running away. Liam Forrester, 24, has already been bitten by one of the ultra-aggressive hobo spiders - and has been left with a deep, infected wound that could take three months to heal. His partner, 27-year-old Kirsty Garland, has trapped and killed around 30 of the beasts, and the couple are frightened that one of their three young children will be their next victim. Scroll down for video . Under siege: Liam Forrester and Kirsty Garland have had their home invaded by giant, venomous hobo spiders, and fear they may have to leave to protect their three young children . The spiders' attack on the couple's Stockwood, Bristol home started when Ms Garland opened the attic door around two weeks ago - and a large family of them scuttled out. Despite Ms Garland's efforts, more and more of the monsters - which have five-inch long hairy legs - keep appearing in their home. The full-time mother, who has a six-year-old son and two-year-old daughter, said: 'They're like normal spiders on steroids - I hate them. Fearsome: The spiders have five-inch long hairy legs and their venom causes the skin around the bite to die . Aggro arachnids: Instead of running away like most spiders, these beasts rear up and attack humans . 'We opened the attic door and a few of them came out so now we are scared to go up there again. 'They are horrible, vile things. I found one in the bath last week, and when I put a pint glass over it, it's long legs just filled up the whole glass. 'They don't seem to be scared to run at us either, they run towards us and seem very aggressive. 'When you corner them they rear up their legs. Their bodies are pretty much normal size but it's the legs - the front legs are the size of your hand.' Ms Garland, whose partner also has a three-year-old son, added: 'If we can't get rid of them I just want to move because we've got three children and I don't want them to be bitten.' Venom victim: Mr Forrester was bitten and doctors have told him that it may take three months to heal . The spider venom causes the skin around the bite to die - a process known as necrosis which can need surgical treatment - while victims have also reported severe headaches, nausea, vision problems and memory loss. 'The bite on my partner's arm is awful. He didn't feel it at first but the venom started to spread and it has left a crater where the skin has died,' Ms Garland said. 'We are all on edge at the moment, it's terrible. 'This is the first year we've ever seen them as big as this, and had so many.' Hobo spiders - or Tegenaria agrestis - look like common house spiders, but are bigger, with thick, hairy legs. National invasion: The warmer weather means this year has been a bumper one for spiders, and with temperatures set to drop in the coming weeks, they could be coming to homes across the country . They are native to Europe but rarely come into contact with humans. They make funnel-shaped webs of silk sheeting and lie in wait at the small end for their prey. While most spiders scuttle away when approached by humans, these run towards people and have a potent bite. Experts have warned that it could be a bumper year for spiders because of the warm weather, and with the temperature set to fall in the coming weeks, the bigger-than-ever arachnids could be invading homes all over the country. Spider expert Adam Hart, of Gloucestershire University, said there was an increase in bigger spiders this year but urged the public to remain calm. He said: 'The hobo spider is a relative of the common house spider. 'Most bites become nasty because they are not cared for properly and get infected, not because of spider venom. 'If a bite is festering, the wound is going off and you need to seek medical attention.' He added: 'There are a lot of large spiders around this year. 'I have had four or five in my own house in the last few weeks, and we've had a bit of a spider frenzy this week. 'If you're in an area where spiders are moving through, you will see a lot around the house.'
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Liam Forrester, 24, and Kirsty Garland, 27, may be forced from their home .
Their Bristol house has been plagued by giant, venomous hobo spiders .
Mr Forrester has been bitten, and bite could take three months to heal .
Couple are living in fear that their three young children may be next .
Bites cause necrosis of the skin, which can need surgical treatment .
Victims have also reported nausea, vision problems and memory loss .
The spiders rear up and attack humans rather than running away .
Experts warn giant spiders could invade homes all over the country .
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By . Hayley Dixon and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:44 EST, 28 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:02 EST, 30 December 2012 . Suspect: Brenda Stokes Wilson is accused of slashing a Bellagio blackjack dealer and is suspected of kidnapping and slaying 10-year-old Jade Morris . The weeklong search for a Las Vegas girl ended Friday afternoon when officials confirmed that a small body found in an undeveloped housing tract belonged to the missing child. The Clark County coroner's office said a body discovered Thursday belongs to 10-year-old Jade Morris, who police had been searching for since Christmas Day. She died of multiple stab wounds, the coroner's office said. Blood was found inside a car borrowed by a Las Vegas card dealer last seen with a missing 10-year-old girl and later arrested in the razor blade slashing of a co-worker, a prosecutor said Friday. Brenda Stokes Wilson was identified in court Friday as the prime suspect in the slaying, although prosecutor Robert Daskas told a judge that authorities haven't positively identified the girl found dead Thursday in an undeveloped housing tract in North Las Vegas. ‘It's no secret the defendant is the suspect in the murder of 10-year-old Jade Morris,’ Daskas said as he convinced Senior Clark County District Court Judge Joseph Bonaventure to increase Wilson's bail from $60,000 to $600,000 pending the filing of kidnapping and murder charges. Daskas said a weapon was used in the slaying, but he didn't elaborate. 'As soon as we get all the evidence . in that we need, we'll book her on the murder charges,' Las Vegas police . homicide Capt. Chris Jones said. Jones called the slaying 'unfathomable.' 'Even having our jobs, we still can't . wrap our heads around this,' he said. 'A lot of people think that just . because of our positions we can understand it, but we can't.' Gruesome discovery: Police discovered blood inside a car borrowed by Wilson, left, which belonged to Jade Morris, 10, who was last seen when she was taken Christmas shopping by the suspect . The girl was last seen by her family December 21, when Wilson picked her up to go Christmas shopping. She never returned. Wilson, . 50, was arrested later that night after she was wrestled to the ground . with razors in each hand following a face-slashing attack on a female . co-worker, Joyce Rhone, at the Bellagio resort. Wilson . has been jailed on felony battery with a weapon, burglary and mayhem . charges that could get her decades in prison. Police said she has . offered no help in the search for the missing girl. Murder and kidnapping charges could get her life in prison without parole or the death penalty.Wilson . stood in court flanked by eight police officers as her lawyer, Tony . Liker, clutching a Bible and a copy of the charging documents, asked the . judge to postpone arraignment until Wednesday to give him time to meet . with Wilson. Police went . public with the search for Jade Morris on Christmas Day, and the case . received increasing attention after the relationship between the girl . and Wilson became known. Clark . County District Attorney Steve Wolfson watched the proceedings in court . Friday and called the case important for the community. Justice: A judge agreed to increase Wilson's bail from $60,000 to $600,000 pending the filing of kidnapping and murder charges . Wilson, who had been identified by police and prosecutors as Brenda Stokes, told the judge Friday that her full name was Brenda Stokes Wilson. She used to date the missing girl's father, Philip Morris, and had a long and trusted relationship with Jade Morris, according to the missing girl's grandfather, Philip Tucker. Philip Morris was removed from court Wednesday by armed court officers after shouting questions about his daughter's whereabouts to Wilson. He did not attend Friday's hearing. Tucker said Philip Morris lived in Billings, Montana, and worked at a Flying J truck stop for more than a year. He would stay with Wilson when he visited Las Vegas, Tucker said. Tucker said Rhone was Wilson's best friend and also knew Philip Morris. Heartbroken: Claudette Flanagan-Jones, left, Jade Morris' grandmother, Tejuana Reeves-Morris, Jade's mother, and Andres Mack, Jade's grandfather, sit while Brenda Stokes Wilson appears at court . Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the slaying. But Tucker said Wilson appeared to believe that Rhone and Philip Morris had become romantically involved. Tucker said he didn't know if Wilson's jealousy was well-founded. 'But whatever was going on with them didn't concern Jade,' Tucker said. 'How do you take a kid who loves you so much and hurt her?' Jade Morris has been missing for a week after family friend Brenda Stokes offered to take her Christmas shopping. The pair never returned. That night Stokes allegedly slashed a co-worker in the face with razor blade at the famed Bellagio resort on the Las Vegas strip. Emotional scene: Brenda Morris, center, 10-year-old Jade Morris' grandmother, cries and hugs Jade's other grandmother, Claudette Flanagan-Jones, left, outside the courtroom . Jade's family last saw her at about 5pm on December 21, when Stokes picked her up for a shopping outing, police said. Police said Stokes was a trusted friend of the girl's father, and family members have told reporters that the two dated for several years. Stokes was arrested later that night after she was accused of slashing her co-worker. Stokes, 50, is now in jail, and Capt. Jones said she has not cooperated in the investigation of the girl's whereabouts. She even denied collecting the girl from her home. A passer-by called 911 about noon Thursday, and North Las Vegas police found a girl's body in brush near palm trees in a small traffic circle near Dorrell Lane and North Fifth Street. Blackjack dealer Brenda Stokes, 50, was arrested for allegedly slashing a colleagues the same night Jade went missing . The location is a short distance from the northern 215 Beltway and about 10 miles from the downtown Las Vegas outlet mall off Interstate 15 where Stokes was to have taken the girl shopping. Attempts to reach family members have been unsuccessful. Stokes had picked up the girl to take her shopping and two hours later returned to another friend the red 2007 Saab sedan that she borrowed for the trip, Capt Jones said. Daskas said police have the vehicle and are testing blood found on the driver's door and steering wheel to see if it matches Jade Morris. Stokes later got a ride with a friend to the Bellagio, police said. Later, Stokes got a lift with a friend to the luxury hotel famed for its elaborate fountain displays, where she was arrested after authorities say she attacked a female co-worker, Joyce Rhone, with a razor in each hand as Rhone dealt blackjack about 9:30 p.m. Rhone, 44, was hospitalized with deep cuts on her face, including one from her ear to the edge of her mouth. A police arrest report said Rhone also had several smaller cuts around her right eye. The arrest report says casino video shows Stokes attacking Rhone before a casino patron and security officers intervene. Officer Marcus Martin said the video is evidence that may be shown by prosecutors in court but will not be made public by police. Police said Stokes later told investigators that she attacked Rhone over harassing phone calls and an unspecified betrayal that ended their seven-year friendship. The slashing attack is said to have happened at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas strip. The luxury hotel is famed for its elaborate fountain displays, pictured . Stokes also told police she visited her doctor last week, seeking to be admitted to a hospital 'due to feeling like she wanted to hurt someone'. When the family heard that Stokes had been arrested in a vicious knife attack on a fellow card dealer on the casino floor of the Bellagio, they grew concerned for their daughter's well-being. The girl's father, Philip Morris, who is reportedly engaged to Stokes, had said just days ago he was sure Jade was still alive. It is unknown how many of the Bellagio's 4,000 guests saw the fight, which occurred in the crowded casino at around 9.45pm, but it came just a week after many witnessed a murder-suicide in a busy hotel lobby on the Las Vegas strip.
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Coroner confirms DNA evidence found in suspects car .
Police call murder 'unfathomable'
Jade Morris was last seen on December 21 with Brenda Stokes .
Stokes allegedly slashed a fellow blackjack dealer on same day .
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Nancy Motes, the half-sister of actress Julia Roberts, was found dead in a Los Angeles home Sunday, the coroner's spokesman said. Paramedics were called to the home after Motes, 37, was found on the floor of a bathroom, according to Los Angeles County Coroner's Assistant Chief Ed Winter. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:12 p.m. Sunday, Winter said. "She has a history of some medical issues," Winter said. "Some prescription drugs were found near her body." The case is under investigation by the coroner's officer and an autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday, Winter said.
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Nancy Motes was found on the floor of a bathroom Sunday .
"She has a history of some medical issues," coroner's spokesman says .
Prescription drugs were found near her body, official says .
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By . Lucy Crossley . Smash and grab raiders left expensive handbags littered across a street in central London as they fled from a robbery on a designer shop. Luxury luggage brand Moynat's flagship store in London was the target of the break in, which occurred in the early hours of this morning. In their hurry to flee the store following the robbery, the thieves left a number of the expensive bags - which start from around £800 - strewn across the road outside the shop in Mayfair. Smash and grab: Raiders left expensive handbags littered across a street as they fled from a robbery at designer Moynat's London store . Spoils: Thieves left a number of the designer bags, which start from around £800 strewn across the Mayfair street . Sought after: Moynat bags have been sported by celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow and model Natalia Vodianova . The three suspects are thought to have left the scene on two mopeds. The French chain, sported by celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow and model Natalia Vodianova, only opened its shop in prestigious Mount Street in March this year, its first outside France. Police sealed off the area outside the red-brick shop front, as officers inspected the scene of the raid. No arrests have been made. Getaway: The three suspects are thought to have left the scene of the robbery on two mopeds . Investigation: Police are investigating the thefts, but as yet no arrests have been made . 'We were called on Sunday at approximately 1.45am to reports of a burglary,' said a spokesman from the Metropolitan Police. 'Westminster Police are investigating. There have been no arrests. 'There are three suspects in total, two of them left on one moped.' The shop was open as normal today. A spokesman for the chain was not available for comment tonight. The value of the items taken is unknown. Probe: Police sealed off the area around the shop as they launched an investigation into the raid . Exclusive: The French chain only opened its shop in prestigious Mount Street in March this year, its first outside France . In . March this year thieves had attempted to break into a Christian Dior . shop in central London, fleeing before they could take anything. A . similar theft was carried out at the flagship Gucci store off Sloane . Square last year, where dozens of designer handbags were stolen, . including a £30,000 limited edition crocodile bag, which formed part of a . £100,000 haul. Earlier this . month raiders smashed five glass display cases in the foyer of the . Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair, stealing watches and jewellery worth tens . of thousands of pounds, before speeding off through the city on three . mopeds.
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French luggage label Moynat's store in Mayfair struck by thieves .
Fleeing raiders left bags worth more than £800 lying in the street .
Three suspects thought to have left the scene on two mopeds .
Metropolitan police investigating the break-in, which happened today .
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Washington (CNN) -- CNN's John King and other top political reporters empty out their notebooks each Sunday on "Inside Politics" to reveal five things that will be in the headlines in the days, weeks and months ahead. Insights on the reluctant "wartime President" and a concerned former President were part of a trip around the "Inside Politics" table that also highlighted an effort to leverage Latino political might, Rand Paul's minority outreach and a dilemma as GOP groups try to undermine potential Libertarian spoilers. 1. Back to the future: Bill Clinton adopts Arkansas as a 2014 project . For political junkies of any ideological persuasion, watching Bill Clinton on the stump is a treat, and it's an added bonus when he is back home in Arkansas. This past week, he was in fine form as he tried to give a boost to embattled Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor and other Arkansas Democrats, including gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross. Missed it? Not to worry. Jonathan Martin of The New York Times tells us you will get another chance. Maybe two. "I'm told he's not just going back once, he's going to go back two more times to Arkansas: when early voting begins later this month, John, and then right before Election Day," said Martin. "As one longtime friend of Bill Clinton told me -- who knows him better than anybody -- said if he could, he'd be doing direct-mail pieces." While the former President does know several of the candidates on the ballot in Arkansas, Martin notes this involvement isn't motivated just by his friendships. "He also cares about retaining some kind of Democratic strength in a state that has gone to the right, and I think he wants to try and make it at least potentially viable for his wife in 2016," said Martin. 2. The current commander in chief bemoans 'wartime' label . President Obama was first elected on a promise to get U.S. troops out of the Middle East, but he will wind down the final two years of his term directing a sustained military campaign against the terror group ISIS. And unlike George W. Bush, who embraced the "wartime President" label after the September 11, 2001, attacks, this commander in chief prefers not to be characterized that way. Julie Pace of The Associated Press took us inside the White House debate over how to handle the balancing act. "One of the concerns is that they don't want to present him as a wartime President, because he was campaigning as a person who got the U.S. out of wars, but they also want to make sure that he looks like he is managing the situation," said Pace. "So while you're not going to see the President making trips to war zones overseas, you are going to see more pictures of him meeting with commanders at the Pentagon, perhaps traveling to bases around the country. The whole idea is to show that even though he'd rather be talking about other things, he's still on top of this." 3. Latinos see LGBT advances as an example worth following . As Latinos look to maximize their political clout, Ed O'Keefe of The Washington Post says some key activists have an example of steady, if sometimes slow, progress. O'Keefe shared reporting about a recent Arizona summit of Latino, legal and labor activists, which took place just as the Supreme Court declined to hear challenges to several state laws allowing same-sex marriages. For Latinos who at times are frustrated with both political parties, and other obstacles, O'Keefe said the big week for LGBT rights was not unnoticed. "They are modeling this a lot on what the gay rights movement has done over the past two decades," said O'Keefe. "Obviously they had a very good week. The hope is to accelerate that and potentially make some gains in the next few cycles." 4. Rand Paul goes to Ferguson and promises he is a different kind of Republican . Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul spends a lot of time and energy promising to expand the Republican tent, and trying to prove wrong skeptics in the African-American community who cite, among other things, past statements questioning provisions of the landmark Civil Rights Act. This past week, he was off to Ferguson, Missouri, and Nia-Malika Henderson of The Washington Post reported on why Paul wanted to make the trip and how it fit into his larger strategy. "What's going to be interesting to see from Rand Paul is if these are conversations that he continues," said Henderson. "Part of it is he obviously wants to expand the Republican Party, but he's also got the challenge of whether or not he's going to be a leader in his own party on moving that party, not only in talking about criminal justice reform, but also in talking about race and racism and discrimination." 5. TV time scarce, so GOP allies look for digital ad platforms to target Libertarians . Pro-Republican super PACs are nervous that several Libertarian candidates in key Senate races are shaping up as spoilers, and they are looking to find ways to peel off some of their support. But they are also encountering a problem: TV ad time is scarce in the final three weeks of the campaign, especially in the big battleground states. North Carolina is one of the biggest concerns. Most GOP strategists believe that if the election were held today, Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan would win, in part because of support for Libertarian candidate Sean Haugh. So the Chamber of Commerce and other groups are looking for ways to try to boost Republican Thom Tillis by taking after Haugh. But with TV time so scarce, the effort has forced a search for digital advertising platforms. And more old-school tactics also are likely to be added to the mix: phone banks and direct mail.
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Bill Clinton plans two trips back to Arkansas before midterms .
Obama's strategy is to avoid the "wartime President" label .
Latinos see LGBT advances as an example worth following .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:50 EST, 25 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:08 EST, 25 September 2013 . A retired businessman who once enjoyed all the perks that came with his six figure salary job is being forced to make ends meet in his retirement by working two lowly paid part-time jobs. Former high flying marketing executive Tom Palome, 77, now fills his days making $10 an hour to demonstrate food at Sam's Club and $8 an hour flipping burgers and serving drinks at a golf club in Tampa, Florida. ‘I earn in a week what I used to earn in an hour,’ Palome, who used to fly first class on business trips to Europe, told Bloomberg. Former high flying marketing executive Tom Palome now fills his days demonstrating food at Sam's Club and flipping burgers and serving drinks at a golf club in Tampa, Florida . While Palome worked hard his entire career, paid off his mortgage and put his kids through college, like most Americans he didn’t save enough for retirement. In addition, his savings more than halved to $40,000 after the financial crisis struck in 2008. In need of cash to maintain his lifestyle and with years if not decades of life ahead of him, Palome took the first job he could find – not easy to find for someone at his stage in life. Palome’s reduced circumstances are part of a much the larger trend in America in which workers from all wage brackets are being forced to stay on in the workforce as they both live longer and have fewer retirement savings to rely on. Palome says he isn't bitter about his reduced circumstances and is grateful for his health and that he can work . At the Rogers Golf Club in Tampa, Palome is constantly on his feet manning the takeout counter, cash register and grill - all for $8 an hour plus tips . Last year 7.2 million Americans aged 65 and older were employed - a 67 percent increase on a decade ago . Half of the respondents - aged 50 to 64 - don't think they'll ever have enough money to retire (2011 AARP survey) The official unemployment rate for Americans 55 and over is 5.1 percent (Bureau of Labor) That doesn't include the 1.4 million Americans forced into early retirement during the financial crisis . 59 percent of households headed by people 65 and older currently have no retirement account assets (National Institute on Retirement Security) Even many affluent baby boomers who are approaching the end of their careers haven’t come close to saving the 10 to 20 times their annual working income that investment experts say they’ll need to maintain their standard of living in old age. The situation is also getting worse. The baby boomer generation, who began turning 65 in 2011 and are reaching that age at a rate of about 8,000 a day, are the first generation expected to fund their own retirements, even as they live longer lives. Company-paid pensions are mostly a thing of the past now, replaced in the last three decades by 401(k) accounts primarily funded and managed by employees. The median 401(k) balance for households headed by people aged 55 to 64 who had retirement accounts at work was $120,000 in 2011, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. ‘The current retirement savings systems isn’t working, and that’s becoming a crisis as Americans who make it to 65 in good health are now living at least two more decades,’ said Larry Fink, chief executive officer of BlackRock Inc. (BLK), the world’s largest asset manager. In the 1970s, Palome was a vice president of marketing for the pharmaceutical company, The Cooper Companies, he helped secure an endorsement for the Oral-B toothbrush from the U.S. Olympic Committee. Pension coverage rates of all workers by type of savings plan . Palome says he knows many retirees who stay home doing nothing because they refuse to take jobs they feel are beneath them . Now he's expected to sell at least two . boxes of crackers during his seven-hour shift at Sam’s Club. At the . Rogers Golf Club in Tampa, he’s constantly on his feet manning the . takeout counter, cash register and grill. Rather than focus about what he used to have, Palome prefers to be optimistic about his situation. He is in good health, lives independently and he in gainful employment. ‘I tell people I demonstrate food and I do short-order cooking. I don't mind saying it. What's important is that I can work today,’ he told Bloomberg. Palome receives $1,200 from Social Security and a $600 a month pension from his last corporate job. Still, his $1,400 in monthly wages allows him to bolster his savings and provides for some extras. He goes to the theater, pays for plane tickets to visit his children and grandsons and takes occasional vacations. Two years ago Palome met Maxine Haynes, left, from the AARP Senior Community Service Employment Program who helped him find work . ‘I know seniors like me who hardly ever leave their homes because they don’t have money to do anything,’ Palome said. ‘They could work, but won’t take a lesser job.’ Two years ago, Palome saw an advertisement in a local paper for the AARP Senior Community Service Employment Program. He met with Maxine Haynes, the program’s Tampa project director, who helped him get an interview at Advantage Sales & Marketing LLC, which runs food demonstrations for Sam’s Club and other stores. To stretch his income, Palome runs his dishwasher once a week and turns off his hot water heater every morning after he showers. He buys airline tickets six months in advance, booking rental cars for as little as $13.80 a day. If Palome has one regret, it’s that he didn’t get better retirement investing advice somewhere along the line. “I thought I could do it on my own,' he said. The AARP Senior Community Service Employment Program helps senior citizens to find work . Video: Former high-flying exec reduced to flipping burgers in his retirement .
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Tom Palome, 77, was once a top marketing executive earning six figures and traveling first class .
He worked hard to pay off .
his mortgage and put his kids through college, but like most Americans didn’t save enough .
Now retired, he works two $10 an hour jobs to supplement his income .
He isn't bitter and says he is grateful that he his health and can work .
His one regret is that he .
didn’t get better retirement investing advice .
Nearly 60 percent of households headed by people 65 and older currently have no retirement account assets .
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By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . African leaders yesterday agreed to co-operate in declaring ‘war’ on the Boko Haram Islamist militants. At a meeting hosted by Francois Hollande, President of France, the leaders of Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, Niger and Chad agreed to pool intelligence and resources in a bid to beat the terrorists. 'Boko Haram is no longer a local . terrorist group, it is operating clearly as an al Qaeda operation, it is . an al Qaeda of West Africa,' Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan told a . news conference in Paris following the meeting. Tchad's President Idriss Deby (left), French President Francois Hollande (centre) and Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan (right) at a Paris summit to discuss the Boko Haram threat . Hague at the meeting - who promised to send in advisers to Nigeria to help tackle the threat of Boko Haram . 'We have shown our . commitment for a regional approach. Without West African countries . coming together we will not be able to crush these terrorists,' he said. 'There is determination to tackle this situation head on ... to launch a war, a total war on Boko Haram,' Chad's President Idriss Deby said. 'The threat is serious and dangerous for the region, Africa and Europe,' French President Francois Hollande said, although no concrete operational measures were announced. Earlier, Foreign Secretary William Hague had offered to send advisers to help Nigeria tackle the threat of Boko Haram. Hostages: A shot from the video release last week by Boko Haram of the schoolgirls they've kidnapped . He spoke as protesters chanted ‘bring back our girls’ as they took part in a march to Downing Street to deliver a petition calling on African governments to do more to defeat Boko Haram. Around 80 demonstrators, many with signs and placards, took part in the rally, which began outside the Nigeria High Commission in Westminster. Organiser Amour Owolabi said people had travelled from cities such as Birmingham and Manchester to take part. He added: ‘We’re here today to call on the international community to bring back our girls. The Nigerian government should have done a lot more.’
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World leaders to pool intelligence and resourced to beat terror group .
Follows Paris meeting of French, Nigerian, Benin and Cameroon leaders .
British foreign Minister William Hauge offered to send advisers to help Nigeria tackle threat of Boko Haram .
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Facebook has shut down the account of former TLC star Mama June's boyfriend, Mark McDaniel, after it was revealed that he is a convicted child molester. McDaniel was active on the social media site until Tuesday when his page was taken down by Facebook staffers. The website has a strict policy in place that prohibits convicted sex offenders from using Facebook. Scroll down for video . Kicked out: Facebook took down Mark McDaniel's page Tuesday because under the site's policy, convicted sex offenders are not allowed to be on Facebook . Vile crime: McDaniel (left) was released from prison in March after serving 10 years for molesting Mama June's daughter Anna Cardwell (right) when she was only eight years old . 'Photo-shopped': Mama June, pictured here with daughter Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' and McDaniel, has insisted that at least one of the images showing her together with the sex offender is a fake . Other Facebook users are being asked to contact the site administrations if they encounter an account 'that may belong to a convicted sex offender.' 'Once we’re able to verify someone’s status as a sex offender, we immediately disable their account and remove all the information associated with it from Facebook,' the policy states. Before McDaniel was booted from the site, he shared a photo showing him cradling his baby granddaughter, TMZ first reported. He also had posts on his wall from friends welcoming him home from prison after his release earlier this year. TLC axed the long-running reality show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo last month after it has been alleged that ‘Mama June’ Shannon has secretly rekindled her romance with her former boyfriend Mark McDaniel. Nixed: TLC canceled the long-running reality show in October after allegations have emerged that Mama June Shannon has struck up a romance with her sex-offender ex . Shannon, pictured with her clan, previously claimed she has only seen him McDaniel twice since his release . Shannon has repeatedly denied that she has been dating the man who was convicted of forcing her daughter Anna 'Chickadee' to perform oral sex on him on multiple occasions in 2002, sometimes with her younger sister, Pumpkin, in bed next to her. But network executives decided to cancel the show after images emerged showing Shannon and McDaniel together. In an exclusive interview with Dr Phil Monday, Mama June insisted that at least one of the photos showing the couple reunited following McDaniel’s release has been doctored. 'I would never take my child around someone like that,' she told Dr Phil. Shannon previously claimed she has only seen him McDaniel twice since his release - once by coincidence and once to give her daughter, Pumpkin, some closure because she believed he was her father. Speaking out: In an exclusive interview with Dr Phil, Shannon has again denied she is in a relationship with her daughter's molester, claiming he is now seeing someone else . The children's uncle has also claimed in an interview that he witnessed the young girl sharing a bed with McDaniel and Mama June during a trip to North Carolina in September. 'I'm disgusted with June for not protecting Alana from Mark,' Uncle Poodle - real name Lee Thompson - told the National Enquirer. 'This guy can't be trusted. He needs to be locked up and have the key thrown away.' McDaniel's victim, Anna Cardwell, is now 20 years and is married with a young child of her own.
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Mark McDaniel was active on the social media site until Tuesday when his page was taken down by Facebook .
McDaniel was released from prison in March after serving 10 years for repeatedly molesting Mama June's daughter Anna .
Facebook prohibits convicted sex offenders from using the site .
TLC canceled the show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo last month over claims that 'Mama June' Shannon has been secretly dating McDaniel .
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With a new era of European rugby underway, Sportsmail's CHRIS FOY gives his predictions for the opening weekend of Champions Cup action. SALE v MUNSTER . (Saturday: AJ Bell Stadium 1pm, Sky Sports 2) Sam Tuitupou makes his first appearance of the season for the Sharks, after overcoming an ankle injury. The visitors have three Lions — Paul O’Connell, Conor Murray and Simon Zebo — in a side led by Peter O’Mahony. PREDICTION: Away win. Sione Kalafamoni of Gloucester tackles Paul O'Connell of Munster during last season's Heineken Cup . SARACENS v CLERMONT . (Saturday: Allianz Park, 3.15pm, BT Sport 1) England fly-half Owen Farrell is set to comeback from injury off the bench for Saracens, while Will Fraser is fit to reclaim a back-row place. Clermont Auvergne are without injured Morgan Parra and Welsh Lion Jonathan Davies. PREDICTION: Home win. GLASGOW v BATH . (Saturday: Scotstoun, 3.15pm, BT Sport 2) Bath hand first starts to props Nick Auterac and Henry Thomas alongside hooker Ross Batty, while David Sisi lines up at No 8 and Dominic Day switches to blindside flanker. Stuart Hogg returns at full back for the Glasgow Warriors. PREDICTION: Away win. David Sisi of Bath makes a charge into the Wasps forwards at Adams Park on Sunday . RACING METRO v NORTHAMPTON . (Saturday: Stade Yves du Manoir, 5.15pm, Sky Sports 2) The Saints will be led by club captain Dylan Hartley — back in the side at hooker — while George North, Kahn Fotuali’i and Calum Clark also start. Racing Metro recall fit-again Jonny Sexton and have Jamie Roberts at inside centre. PREDICTION: Away win. LEICESTER v ULSTER . (Saturday: Welford Road, 7.45pm, BT Sport 2) Argentina prop Marcos Ayerza comes into the Tigers’ starting XV as the only change to the side from last Friday’s win over Harlequins. Ireland pair Paddy Jackson and Craig Gilroy are recalled by Ulster, but Andrew Trimble is out. PREDICTION: Away win. Paddy Jackson of Ulster steps into an Ulster training session at the Kingspan Stadium on Friday . OSPREYS v TREVISO . (Sunday: Liberty Stadium, 1pm, Sky Sports 2) Steve Tandy has named an unchanged Ospreys XV as the region attempt to build on their unbeaten start to the season. ‘That doesn’t count for anything,’ said the head coach. ‘This is the start of a new challenge.’ PREDICTION: Home win. TOULON v SCARLETS . (Sunday: Stade Felix Mayol, 3.15pm, Sky Sports 2) The Scarlets have changed their front row for this daunting away game against the champions, with Rob Evans, Emyr Phillips and Samson Lee all starting. Steffon Armitage is at No 8 for Toulon, but brother Delon misses out. PREDICTION: Home win. Steffon Armitage has been named in the Toulon line-up following a week of speculation about his future . LEINSTER v WASPS . (Sunday: RDS Arena, 5.15pm, BT Sport 2) England lock Joe Launchbury has been cleared to start for Wasps after missing the win over Bath last Sunday following a car crash. Leinster are without their Ireland international pair Rob Kearney (back) and Mike Ross (groin). PREDICTION: Home win.
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Europe's revamped club competitions kicked off on Thursday .
Harlequins launched Champions Cup against Castres on Friday night .
New tournaments come after two years of political turmoil within rugby .
Northampton, Leicester, Wasps, Saracens, Harlequins, Sale and Bath fly the Premiership flag but are fighting an uphill battle for success .
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By . Associated Press Reporter . O.J. Simpson's lawyers resubmitted a Nevada Supreme Court appeal on Wednesday seeking a new trial on grounds that the imprisoned former football star was misled by his lawyer and didn't get a fair trial in his Las Vegas kidnapping and armed robbery case. The 102-page document asks the seven justices to reconsider whether Simpson's lead attorney at the time, Yale Galanter, had advance knowledge of the ill-fated September 2007 confrontation involving Simpson, several other men and two sports memorabilia dealers at a Las Vegas casino hotel. Evidence at trial 'tended to indicate that Galanter was involved in the alleged conspiracy,' current Simpson lawyers Patricia Palm, Ozzie Fumo and Tom Pitaro say in the appeal. O.J. Simpson's lawyers resubmitted a Nevada Supreme Court appeal on Wednesday seeking a new trial on grounds that the imprisoned former football star was misled by his lawyer . 'Galanter's personal interest in hiding his pre-incident involvement is sufficiently substantial to indicate the existence of an actual conflict.' Palm declined additional comment about the appeal, which was initially stalled by size and formatting issues after she submitted it May 21. Since last week, Palm double-spaced the document according to Chief Justice Mark Gibbon's instructions and re-filed it. The justices haven't decided if they will hold hearings on Simpson's latest appeal and didn't immediately set a date for a decision, court spokesman Michael Sommermeyer said. Simpson's lawyer at the 2008 trial Yale Galanter, right, has defended his performance on his client's behalf and calls the claims a 'charade' The court is Nevada's only appellate bench and cases can take months or longer to decide. The high court in September 2010 rejected a previous appeal by Galanter on behalf of Simpson. The new effort alleges that Galanter had a conflict of interest that skewed his representation of Simpson in a trial also tainted by the sports, television and movie star's notoriety stemming from his acquittal in the June 1994 slayings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman in Los Angeles. The 20th anniversary of the slayings is next week. Simpson, now 66, is serving nine to 33 years at a Nevada state prison in Lovelock in the Las Vegas robbery case. He's not eligible for parole until late 2017. Galanter on Wednesday defended his performance on Simpson's behalf. The 20th anniversary of the slayings his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman is next week. O.J. Simpson was famously acquitted of the two murders in 1995 . The Miami-based lawyer pointed to Clark County District Court Judge Linda Marie Bell's ruling in November - after five days of hearings last May and several months reviewing the case record - that Simpson failed to demonstrate how Galanter's actions led to Simpson's conviction. Bell denied Simpson's request for release and a new trial. She said also that evidence was overwhelming that Simpson orchestrated the September 2007 armed kidnapping and robbery at the Palace Station hotel. 'Judge Bell saw through his and his lawyers' charade and kicked him to the curb,' Galanter said. Simpson continues to say he was trying to retrieve items that had been stolen from him after a 1997 civil case put him on the hook for a $33.5 million wrongful-death judgment. He testified last year that he thought he had a right to get his belongings back, and that he never knew any of the men with him were carrying guns. The NFL hall of famer didn't testify at trial in Las Vegas. He told Bell that Galanter advised him not to.
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O.J. Simpson is seeking a new trial on grounds that he was misled by his lawyer and didn't get a fair trial .
He claims the lawyer in his 2007 trial, Yale Galanter, had 'personal interest in hiding his per-incident involvement' in the kidnapping and armed robbery case .
Simpson's lawyer tried to file the appeal last week, but were ordered to go away and double-spaced the 102-page document .
Galanter has defended his performance on Simpson's behalf, calling the claims a 'charade'
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Tal Ben Haim will be missing for Charlton when they welcome Birmingham City on Saturday after being allowed leave to observe a religious holiday. The central defender will be observing Yom Kippur, known as the Day of Atonement in the Jewish calendar. And the Israel international was given the green light to miss the Championship clash against the Blues by manager Bob Peeters. Tal Ben Haim (centre) has been a crucial part of Charlton's excellent start but will miss Saturday's game . Even though Ben Haim has been an ever-present for the Addicks this season, his boss claimed the decision was a no brainer. ‘Tal Ben Haim has been superb for us this season but he won’t be available for selection on Saturday because of his religious commitments and as a club we must respect that,’ said Peeters. ‘He’s a great professional and after he approached me and asked my permission not to play in this game I decided that undoubtedly it is the right decision to let him observe Yom Kippur.’ Manager Bob Peeters says 'undoubtedly it is the right decision' to allow his Israeli defender the game off .
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Ben Haim will be unavailable for Saturday's home game .
The Israeli defender has been an ever-present so far this season .
Manager Bob Peeters says it was 'undoubtedly' right to let him observe the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur .
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Osh, Kyrgyzstan (CNN) -- Life in this embattled country's second-largest city appeared calm Tuesday even as concerns over the plight of refugees grew. The calm came as the Central Asian nation's news agency AKI Press reported that the death toll had risen to 176, a number that some observers discounted as low. A team of Red Cross doctors who visited Jalalabad's main hospital estimated the death toll at "several hundred." The streets of the southern city of Osh appeared deserted, except for a few pedestrians and army checkpoints. Stores, warehouses and shops were burned along miles of streets, which were patrolled armed police and soldiers. Near the airport, the most dangerous part of town, no one could be seen on the streets, which were quiet except for the sounds of sporadic gunfire. In Jalalabad, about an hour away, journalist Dalton Bennett accompanied Kyrgyz military through the streets Tuesday evening and told CNN that the military appeared to have imposed total control in the downtown area. Explainer: Kyrgyzstan's ethnic unrest . But, in the outskirts of town, sporadic gunfire and impromptu "checkpoints" continued, he said. About two-thirds of the downtown area had been looted and/or burned, with Uzbek-owned buildings appearing to have been the primary targets, he said. Buildings marked "Kyrgyz" appeared undamaged, he said. In recent days, more than 100,000 ethnic Uzbeks have fled the clashes with ethnic Kyrgyz, streaming into camps in neighboring Uzbekistan, according to Uzbekistan's Foreign Ministry. Thousands more have been denied passage into Uzbekistan because of a lack of resources. Many were standing on the Kyrgyz side of a barbed-wire fence. Three border crossings between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan were open, Uzbekistan's Foreign Ministry said. One, at Yor Kishlok, Uzbekistan, remained closed. The closure came after throngs of people fleeing the violence overwhelmed refugee camps in Uzbekistan. Working together, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Society of Kyrgyzstan have helped 16 medical facilities caring for more than 1,130 injured people in the past week, the ICRC said in a statement. Police said 15 officers have been killed. The United States and Germany have evacuated 89 people -- including 31 Americans and 40 Europeans -- from Osh, the German Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. They were taken to the capital, Bishkek, in the north. The United States is providing humanitarian assistance to the impoverished country and evaluating what further help may be needed, including military, a senior U.S. health official said in Washington. "Right now our focus is humanitarian but it remains to be seen exactly what, if any, security assistance Kyrgystan needs," said the official, who spoke on background because of the diplomatic sensitivity of the issue. The official said the United States is not considering acting alone to provide any security assistance. The U.S. military said the interim Kyrgyz government has presented an official request for aid from the U.S. government beyond the $800,000 in humanitarian assistance already provided. U.S. officials were working with the provisional government to determine how best to distribute another $200,000 in medical and emergency supplies. The clashes are part of the most serious outbreak of ethnic violence in the former Soviet republic since 1990, when hundreds of people died in skirmishes between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in Osh. It was not clear what sparked the violence, which came weeks after bloody protests removed Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev from office. But it was clear that Tuesday's calm did not indicate an end to the crisis. "This is far from over," said Anna Nelson, a spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross, in a telephone call with CNN from Geneva, Switzerland. "It's still extremely volatile. The needs are still extremely great." Those Uzbeks who are most vulnerable are those who have had to remain in Kyrgyzstan, many of whom include orphans and the elderly, she said. For some, the situation is dire. "Orphanages are running out of food," she said. Mosques and hospitals in Jalalabad are receiving large numbers of burn victims and people with gunshot wounds, she said. On Uzbekistan's side of the border, refugees were seeking shelter in parking lots and abandoned buildings, the ICRC said. As demand for water outpaced supply, some refugees were drinking from irrigation ditches, raising concern about outbreaks of diarrhea. Some analysts have said the clashes stem from resentment from minority Uzbeks that they have been under-represented in government positions and fears from ethnic Kyrgyz that Uzbeks in the country will help Uzbekistan invade Kyrgyzstan. Refugees were seeking help at bleak camps on the Kyrgyz border with Uzbekistan. "People are screaming, 'We need food; we need food,' to those who are passing by," EU Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva said. But in the refugee camp in Yor Kishlock, there were ample supplies of food, tents, beds, sheets and blankets. The vast majority of the camp's occupants were female. They said the males had largely stayed behind to look after their homes. The United Nations said it was sending an emergency team to Uzbekistan to aid refugees who had crossed the border. U.N. Security Council President Claude Heller said the group condemns the "continued acts of violence in the Kyrgyz Republic and notes the need to support the delivery of humanitarian assistance." He said the council was assessing the situation in Kyrgyzstan and called for "calm and a return to the rule of law" in the country. In Osh, that calm did come Tuesday. But some wondered how long it would last. "A pause before the unknown, and it's not clear if dark or light is ahead," said relief worker Will Lynch said. CNN's Matthew Chance, Brian Walker, Jill Dougherty and Nic Robertson contributed to this report.
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NEW: Death toll at 176, Kyrgyz news agency reports; Red Cross estimate is higher .
NEW: Concern grows over plight of ethnic Uzbeks who have fled the unrest .
NEW: "This is far from over," Red Cross says .
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By . Peter Allen In Paris . and Dan Bloom . Two French journalists have been killed hours after being kidnapped by suspected Al-Qaeda rebels in Mali. French president Francois Hollande has condemned the killing of Ghislaine Dupont, 51, and Claude Verlon, 58, who were covering elections in the volatile African state. Four gunmen struck at 1pm today in the northern town of Kidal, where the pair were seen being beaten before they were driven away in a 4x4 pickup truck. Dead: The bodies of French journalists Ghislaine Dupont, left, and Claude Verlon, right, were found 'riddled with bullets' today eight miles from Kidal, Mali, hours after they were kidnapped by suspected Al-Qaeda gunmen . The pair were beaten outside the home of a separatist leader. Pictured: Soldiers patrolling earlier this year . Both had been interviewing Ambeiry Ag Rhissa, from the Tuareg separatist group MNLA, on behalf of Radio France International (RFI) and were kidnapped outside his house. One source said their bodies were found riddled with bullets eight miles from the town, which was the birthplace of a violent uprising last year. Another source said the pair's throats may have been cut. Mr Rhissa said: . 'When they left, I heard a strange noise outside. I immediately went out . to see and when I opened my door, a turbaned man pointed a gun at me . and told me go back inside. 'I could not see how many men were there.' They had travelled to the town despite being warned not to by the French army, a defence official said. This week French President Francois Hollande, second from right, welcomed home four Frenchmen held captive for more than three years. From left, Marc Feret, Thierry Dol, Pierre Legrand and Daniel Larribe . French president Francois Hollande has condemned the killing, saying in a statement: 'The French president ... expresses his indignation over this heinous act.' Dupont . was a journalist 'passionate about her job and the African continent . that she covered since joining RFI in 1986,' bosses at her radio station . said in a statement. Verlon was 'used to difficult terrain throughout the world,' it added, and staff members 'are all in shock, profoundly saddened, indignant and angry'. France opened a judicial investigation into the kidnappings and deaths 'linked to a terrorist enterprise,' the prosecutor's office said. The French Foreign Ministry said intelligence services are joining with Malian authorities to shed light on the circumstances of their deaths. ‘The kidnappers were driving a Toyota pick-up,’ said local governor Adama Kamissoko, who added that all were heavily armed. French forces intervened in Mali in January against an Al Qaeda rebel army which President Francois Hollande feared was trying to take over the country. Although the force was initially . repelled, the extremists have regrouped, and intense fighting is still . taking place around the country. Francois Hollande. A statement said: 'The French president expresses his indignation over this heinous act' Last week four Frenchmen held captive by Al Qaeda terrorists for more than three years arrived back in Paris. Pierre Legrand, 28, Thierry Dol, 32, Daniel Larribe, 62, and Marc Feret, 46 were all captured in September 2010 during raids on a uranium mine near Arlit, northern Niger, where they were working for nuclear giant Areva. The Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) group claimed responsibility and there were always fears that the hostages would be killed. There have been claims since then that France paid more than £17m for the hostage release, although Mr Hollande vehemently denied this, insisting that his country does not negotiate with Al-Qaeda. Mr Hollande launched air strikes and sent hundreds of soldiers into Mali in January to drive back Al Qaeda rebels, saying they would use the West African country as a base for attacks on the west. The global intelligence company Stratfor estimates that al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, has carried out at least 18 kidnappings since 2003, raising an estimated $89m in ransom payments. There was no initial comment today from the journalists’ employer, RFI.
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Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon were interviewing separatist leader .
Kidnapped by gunmen at 1pm today then found 'riddled with bullets'
Days ago four Frenchmen held hostage for three years returned to Paris .
Kidnappings in the region have earned terrorists an estimated $89m .
French president Hollande condemns 'heinous act' of terrorism .
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(CNN) -- The fairy tale forests of the Gauja Valley in Latvia, the beauty of Saaremaa Island in Estonia and the 170-foot-high Parnidis Dune in Lithuania were waiting for author Patricia Schultz to discover them. The newly independent countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were reeling from the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and were not tourist friendly enough to include in her first edition of "1,000 Places To See Before You Die," published in 2003. Also missing were the stunning Adriatic beaches of Budva, Montenegro; the ancient Roman arena of Istria, Croatia; and the pedestrian bridges over the Ljubljanica River in Slovenia. The civil war in Yugoslavia, following on the heels of the fall of the Soviet Union, kept her away. More than 20 years after the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the new "1,000 Places To See Before You Die" includes the Baltic nations formerly under Soviet control, the nations of the former Yugoslavia and several other countries once considered too dangerous or unfriendly for any but the most hardy travelers. There are also places like Ghana and Greenland that Schultz didn't have time to tackle in the first book. All in all, the second edition includes 200 more entries, 28 additional countries, 200 more pages, 600 color photographs and an interactive iPad app. Now that travel is more accessible and people want to see and do more things they've never experienced before, Schultz has expanded the "1,000 Places" concept beyond that "once-in-a-lifetime" honeymoon, 25th anniversary or 75th birthday trip. Her hotel recommendations now include smaller, more affordable inns in addition to the most fabulous hotels. The definition of "1,000 Places" has expanded to include itineraries or experiences within particular regions. "There's nothing or no place that doesn't interest me for some rhyme or reason, from natural beauty to man-made beauty, from high-brow to low-brow, from festivals to food to culture to music to design," says Schultz, who has traveled professionally for most of her adult life. She estimates she visited 80% of the sites included in the book. "So much to see, so little time!" she said. "One would need to be 200 years old to have seen them all." (A seasoned travel writer, she knows "quite confidently" that Antarctica and other places she hasn't visited do belong in the book.) For the rookie or nervous traveler . For the new or nervous traveler who wants to explore outside his comfort zone, Schultz suggests traveling with the tour operators she includes in many listings. It's probably the smart way to go in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, where cultural differences and language barriers may trip up the inexperienced or solo traveler. "It's a great way to travel if your best friend or husband isn't available to go or interested in going," she said. An inexperienced English-speaking traveler can travel far away to New Zealand or Australia and enjoy the differences of a country that shares some common language and history. "You'll hear this wonderfully accented English that is not your own, so you're always aware these are experiences you would never have had at home if you stayed within our borders." Schultz said. "It's exotic enough to be exciting and exhilarating, but easy enough to do solo -- minus that inherent risk of being in countries that are always on the front page of the newspaper, filling your head with risks," she said. For U.S. residents who prefer to stay within the United States, Schultz has added new entries on the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon and Washington state; the Georgia O'Keeffe Trail in Santa Fe and Abiquiu, New Mexico; and Grafton, Vermont. Chapters on popular cities such as New York, San Francisco and Kauai have turned into mega-entries. (Schultz has also written "1,000 Places to See in the United States and Canada Before You Die.") Get out of your comfort zone . Explorers can expand their bucket lists by finding someplace they've never been before. Be the first in your family to explore the 11 underground churches excavated out of stone in the Ethiopian town of Lalibela. They've been in continuous use since the 12th century. Or head to Ghana's Elmina Castle, the first European slave-trading post in sub-Saharan Africa. There's also plenty to explore in Greenland, 85% of which is still covered by ice. The island, a self-governing territory of Denmark, says that global warming has created the fastest-retreating ice cap in the Northern Hemisphere. Still on Schultz's bucket list: Antarctica, which is very expensive and requires a significant time commitment; return visits to Italy, her first and always love; and the Arctic, where she has traveled but wishes to see again. And for the history buff, nature lover or luxury traveler, there's Eastern Europe, where the high life, nature and history can be found side by side. Schultz recommends getting to Eastern Europe before the sense of Soviet occupation can be found only in museums dedicated to remembering the past. "Sometimes, they're so successfully erasing the period Soviets were there to the extent you wonder if they were ever there; and other times, you think, 'Oh, here I can still feel it,' " Schultz said. "You'd never know in many cases in Prague that the Soviets had been there. In the back roads of Romania, you'd think it's still under Soviet control."
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No longer dominated by the Soviets, Eastern Europe has the old and the new to discover .
The nervous or novice traveler can still find very safe places to explore .
Adventurers can go to cultures completely different from their own, solo or with a tour .
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A devoted animal lover hopes to raise £3,000 for an operation to help her dog who suffered horrific abuse by his previous owners. Tracey Toft and her partner Jonathan Smith, from Whitwood, West Yorkshire, rescued Harvey the Jack Russell and Patterdale cross breed last year. The two year-old dog had been tied up and burned by his former owners, leaving him with severe scalds to his face and a broken leg. He also has a serious ear infection which urgently requires a £3,000 operation to remove his ear canal. Tracey Toft, pictured with her dog Harvey, is hoping to raise money for a much-needed operation to remove his ear canal . Harvey had been abused and neglected by his former owners, leaving him with severe scalds to his face, a broken leg and a serious ear infection . Tracey, 29, said: 'Jonathan agreed to having a dog if I found one that was free. I saw Harvey advertised as free to a good home. 'His previous owners said he suffered burns on a radiator but when we took him to the vets they said it was clear he'd been abused.' The couple's campaign has already raised £600 towards the surgery and they are planning on holding a dog show on Saturday to help with the drive. Now with new owners Tracey Toft and her partner Jonathan Smith, the two year-old Jack Russell and Patterdale cross breed is doing well and is on the road to recovery . Harvey has even qualified for the final of Scruffs Family Crossbreed Dog of the Year at the Crufts contest in March . 'It's so heartwarming that everybody is coming together for a dog they have never even met," added Tracey. 'I think it's because people are passionate about animals and Harvey had no defence to the abuse he suffered. 'The operation is not a life-saving one but his ear causes him a lot of trouble and he cries if you touch it.' Harvey has also qualified for the final of Scruffs Family Crossbreed Dog of the Year at the Crufts contest in March. For more information on how to help, search Help for Harvey on Facebook.
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Two year-old Harvey was left with severe scalds and broken leg from abuse .
He also has a severe infection in his ear canal for which he needs operation .
Young dog was rescued by Tracey Toft and Jonathan Smith last year .
Couple now want to raise £3,000 to give him the life-changing operation .
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(CNN) -- For the past 20 years, the copyright industry has waged a war against teenagers sharing culture and knowledge with each other. First, it was music ("home taping will kill music"), then games, then movies, then books. The copyright industry has tried to portray the teenagers and others who are thus sharing as if they were somehow being immoral. The problem with this depiction is that it resonates very poorly with the people doing the actual sharing -- to them, sharing a record or a game with a friend or a stranger is a good social act. Read related: How mobile tech affects the family . Thus, we have a severe disconnect in how different parts of society regard the activity of sharing culture and knowledge on the sidelines of the established distribution chains -- or in violation of copyright, if you like. As mobile devices develop, it becomes increasingly clear that this is a war that cannot be won. Today, our mobile devices can typically house some 16 to 64 gigs of data. Hard drives that can hold 60 terabytes have been announced and are just around the corner. As this storage capacity becomes affordable and even expected for one person to carry around, each and every person can hold a complete copy of all music ever produced. Read related: We never talk any more: The problem with text messaging . When connecting this phenomenon to mobile devices that can broadcast information anonymously, over technologies like Bluetooth and ad-hoc wi fi, it means that anybody can sit in a café and copy the entire collection of human music to anybody else in the café, completely without traceability: they wouldn't even know themselves whom they were copying to and from. Train and subway cars will form spontaneous clouds of connections that keep owners of mobile devices up-to-date with all music ever produced. Shortly thereafter, personal storage capacities will also be enough to house all movies ever produced. Regrettably, cellphones are a centralized, trackable technology -- they have been called "governmental tracking devices that you can also use to make phone calls", and rightly so -- the built-in trackability possibilities are something that goes far beyond what existed east of the former Iron Curtain. Read related: On second thought: Maybe smartphones make us 'SuperStupid'? But mobile phones can also connect directly to each other, without central trackability, logs or traces -- as long as they are within short range of one another. "Short range" usually means about 10 to 25 meters in practice. This kind of person-to-person distribution of digitizable material -- sometimes called a "sneakernet", as people use their feet to move data -- is not as effective in distributing information as the internet, but effective enough. It's how we shared primitive games on the early computers, before we had BBSes, and before we had the internet. It took about three days for a new game from its release somewhere in the world to reach everybody who wanted it. That's fast enough. So realizing that people cannot be stopped from sharing knowledge and culture, in violation of the distribution monopoly we know as copyright, because of the rapid development of mobile devices -- seeing that it cannot be stopped with any amount of applied violence, is there a flip side to this? It turns out that there is a rather strong flip side. For the first time in history, all of humanity -- at least everybody with an internet connection, which is increasingly fast becoming "everybody" -- can access all of humanity's collective knowledge and culture, as well as contribute freely to it. That is a huge leap ahead for us as a civilization. Read related: Handheld device that saves lives . It's not even a fantasy project with a ridiculous price tag to it, like the space elevator, vacuum-tube satellite launcher, or moon base. All the technology has already been developed, all the infrastructure has already been built, all the tools have already been rolled out. All that we have to do to achieve this leap of civilization is just to remove the ban on using the greatest library mankind has ever built. (Ironically, the exact same discussion about sharing knowledge and culture was held when public libraries were introduced into law in the 1850s, when publishers had argued that people should be banned from lending books from one another. The more things change, the more they stay the same.) So not only can sharing not be stopped -- I argue that it shouldn't be stopped, either, once you see the flip side. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Rick Falkvinge.
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Rick Falkvinge is the founder of the Swedish Piratpartiet, the first Pirate Party worldwide .
He argues that the development of mobile devices makes it impossible to stop file-sharing .
He argues this means almost everybody can access all of humanity's collective knowledge and culture .
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You've been told for years that popping a multivitamin every day might help you live longer. But the daily multi habit has been getting a bit of bad press lately. Vitamins can help provide key nutrients for individuals whose diets are low on fruits and veggies. First, ConsumerLab.com, a watchdog of the supplement industry, found that more than half of the 21 multis it tested had too much (or too little) of certain vitamins -- or had been contaminated with dangerous substances such as lead. Then a controversial paper from researchers in Denmark and other European countries, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, made the claim that taking vitamins may actually shorten your life. What's the real story? Health talked to leading nutrition experts at Harvard and Tufts universities to find out and to get some answers on this and other confusing info about vitamins. Are multivitamins safe? Vitamins have been recommended for years because they help you get key nutrients if your diet's low on fruits and veggies -- and may even help prevent cancer and heart disease. And it's unlikely that one critical paper (speculating that vitamin supplements might upset your body's natural healing process and boost your risk of death) will change that. Health.com: Your vitamin cheat sheet . Longtime vitamin experts at Tufts University and the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University continue to say multis aren't dangerous and the paper's findings are wrong. The paper analyzed previous studies, including many with people who were sick before taking vitamins, so there's a good chance vitamins weren't responsible for shortening their lives. Experts say the paper also ignored two major studies that found vitamins reduced the risk of death. At the same time, the study from ConsumerLab.com shows that you can't assume just any vitamin is safe. Because there are no uniform manufacturing rules for supplements, a multi may not contain what the bottle claims, could be contaminated with something from the manufacturing plant, or might have tainted ingredients. Health.com: 20 antioxidant powerhouses . Your best bet: Avoid the vitamins singled out by ConsumerLab.com, and stick with mainstream names such as Centrum Silver and One-A-Day Women's, which were found to be free of impurities and accurately labeled. Also, check vitamin bottles for the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), NSF International (NSF), or ConsumerLab.com (CL) seals. The USP and NSF are nonprofit groups that verify whether companies offer contamination-free products and use good manufacturing practices. Not every brand has the seals -- some don't want to submit to testing--but those that do (Kirkland and Nature Made carry the USP seal, for instance) are reliable. How much should I spend to get the biggest benefits? Price isn't a sign of quality. In fact, some of the priciest vitamins -- like The Greatest Vitamin in the World and Eniva Vibe, which cost more than $39.95 per bottle -- failed the Consumer Lab.com tests. A mainstream brand such as One-A-Day Women's is $8.99 for a bottle of 100 tablets at drugstore.com, about 9 cents per day. How do I find the right multi for me? In your childbearing years, make sure your multi has 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid, which helps make and maintain new cells. And pregnant women should take a vitamin with 600 mcg of folic acid daily; this nutrient also reduces the incidence of neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida. A premenopausal woman should look for a multivitamin with iron to replace the iron lost during menstruation. Menopausal women should go without the iron. "Too much iron may raise the risk of heart disease," says Meir Stampfer, Ph.D., professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health. Health.com: A new way to "pop" your vitamins . If you're taking a prescription, check with your doctor about risky interactions. (Vitamin E, for instance, may be a problem if you're taking a blood thinner.) If you're a cancer patient, you should ask your doctor about risks before taking vitamins. "Cancer cells need vitamins to grow, too," Stampfer says. Plus, some vitamins can interfere with chemotherapy. What's the best way to avoid that queasy feeling after taking a multi? "Consider switching brands," Stampfer suggests. Trial and error is the best way to determine which brands won't break down poorly in your stomach and lead to irritation. Also, take your multi with food because your body needs some fat (or lipids) to absorb some of the individual vitamins. The delivery method (pill, liquid, gummy bear) makes no difference. But vitamins in liquid form may degrade more quickly on the shelf. How much of each vitamin should my multi have? The amount per serving numbers on the label should match the government's Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI). It's OK if they're higher as long as they don't exceed the tolerable upper limit (UL). (To find the DRIs and ULs, go to Health.com/links.) While most vitamins are listed in milligrams (mg) or micrograms (mcg), the label may use IUs (international units) for vitamins A, D, and E. The DRIs are 2,300 IUs for vitamin A, 200 for D, and 22 for E. What about the label's % Daily Value column? Look at it with a skeptical eye: Those numbers haven't been updated since 1968. E-mail to a friend . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 .
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Stick with mainstream names found to be free of impurities, accurately labeled .
Price isn't a sign of quality .
Premenopausal women should take multivitamin with iron .
Check with your doctor about risky interactions with prescription drugs .
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By . Laura Cox . PUBLISHED: . 23:55 EST, 31 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:54 EST, 2 April 2013 . The illegitimate former drug-addict son of legendary singer Tom Jones said on Saturday that he became a gun-carrying dealer who slept rough because he was abandoned by Sir Tom, who . has always refused to acknowledge his existence. Aspiring singer Jonathan Berkery, 24, who uses the stage name Jon Jones, slept on . park benches, in his car or homeless shelters for more than two years . after he was befriended by a drug gang as a teenager. Mr Berkery’s mother Katherine, who was a . model, became pregnant at 24 after a three-day fling with Sir Tom in . 1987. She met the singer in a New York nightclub when he was 47. Jonathan Berkery, 24, said he became a gun-carrying drug dealer who slept rough because he was abandoned by Sir Tom, who has always refused to acknowledge his existence . Mr Berkery blames a lot of his issues on Sir Tom, claiming: ‘It all stems back to my dad. I don’t think I realised it for a long time but I was one angry kid, crying out for a father.’ His mother was forced to take Sir Tom to court in 1989 and was handed $2,500 a month in child support after DNA tests revealed he was the father. After the settlement at family court in Manhattan, Miss Berkery said that she thought her former lover was 'disgusting', according to the LA Times. However, although the Welsh singer has fulfilled his responsibilities financially, he has refused to provide the emotional support Mr Berkery craved growing up. Mr Berkery said he never received a phone call or birthday card from Sir Tom and it ruined his life. He said: ‘I was very angry. My anger boiled over in school – I fought every kid and rebelled constantly. Mr Berkery's mother Katherine, who was a model, became pregnant at 24 after a three-day fling with Sir Tom in 1987 when he was 47 . Mr Berkery (pictured as a child, left with his mother), claims he slept on park benches, in his car or homeless shelters for more than two years after he was befriended by a drug gang . 'I lost count of the times I changed schools. I needed a father figure. I leaned towards older bad guys. 'Sometimes I wanted to meet my father, sometimes I didn’t. It’s the same now – I am totally conflicted.’ Mr Berkery said he turned to drugs to help him cope with rejection from Jones, and so began his downward spiral which led to him dealing and carrying guns. He said: ‘I tried to numb the pain with drugs – I’ve been smoking weed since I was 16 and I progressed to prescription pills, then ecstasy and cocaine. 'I was never a heavy drug user. I just dabbled. But when I was selling drugs I wasn’t really using. I bought two pistols. I called them The Brothers and wore them in shoulder holsters.’ Although the Welsh singer (right) has fulfilled . his responsibilities financially, he has refused to provide the . emotional support Mr Berkery (left) said he craved growing up . Mr Berkery says he started living on the streets after his mother threw him out of the house. ‘Then a couple of years ago, after an arrest for drug possession, I discovered half-way hostels. I had drug counseling and lived in a shelter.’ Now he has moved back in with his estate agent mother in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is determined to carve out a career as a singer ‘to prove myself in spite of my father’. He added: ‘My feelings for him are conflicted – he is my biological father but he has never been a dad. I am not sure whether we could ever have a relationship now.’
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Singer 'refuses to acknowledge' love-child Jonathan Berkery, 24 .
He claims he slept rough because he was abandoned by Sir Tom .
Berkery's mother had three-day fling with Sir Tom .
in 1987 when he was 47 after meeting him in a New York nightclub .
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Senior female directors – dubbed 'golden skirts' – are damaging feminism by only campaigning for the elite, it has been claimed. A top academic claimed female boardroom executives had hijacked women's rights and campaigned for 'incredibly limited' causes to further their own careers. Professor Alison Wolf, a crossbench peer and economist at King's College London, said the rich, highly-educated women had a 'modern obsession' with the number of women in boardrooms or in Parliament. Professor Alison Wolf (pictured) said the rich, highly-educated women had a 'modern obsession' with the number of women in boardrooms or in Parliament . Meanwhile, issues such as domestic violence, forced marriage and poorly-paid shift work was ignored, in what she branded a 'betrayal of feminism'. In a damning critique, she accused the richest 15 per cent of women of 'pulling away' from the rest of the sisterhood. Baroness Wolf of Dulwich told The Times: 'It is a betrayal of what early feminism was all about. 'Modern feminism should be far more concerned about the lives of people who did not go to university, who are working long hours in low-paid jobs, doing shift work or struggling to hold down a job, in forced marriages or living in domestic environments which are hostile. 'Sisterhood is dead. There is a complete preoccupation in feminism with the economic self-interest of the top people, whether it's boards or parliament.' She said 'golden skirts' – a Norwegian term for women who hold multiple positions on company boards – were failing to have a positive effect on the pay or prospects of ordinary working women. Lady Wolf said: 'We know this because Norway has actually been running a real life experiment and proves the point.' She claimed that Norway's requirement for publicly listed companies to have 40 per cent women on their boards had had little impact on wider women's rights. In a book called The XX factor, published two years ago, Lady Wolf claimed that, while the female elite may have conquered sex discrimination, poorer women had been left behind . In a book called The XX factor, published two years ago, Lady Wolf claimed that, while the female elite may have conquered sex discrimination, poorer women had been left behind. She added: 'There has been an obsession with what is going on at Oxford or Berkeley because it involves 'people like us'. 'But those on the receiving end are not the top 15 per cent and university campuses are not the most dangerous places on earth to be a woman, really they are not.' Leading feminists attacked Lady Wolf's views, claiming there were many grassroots campaigns for women's rights. Caroline Criado-Perez, whose campaign for a woman to appear on a bank note led to Jane Austen being selected for a £10 note, said: 'There is an explosion of feminism at all levels of society and all over the world. 'Also, it is naive to think it doesn't matter who is in the boardroom or in parliament. We are a democracy and who holds power affects us all.' Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman also objected to Lady Wolf's criticism of so-called 'golden skirts', telling The Times: 'The women's movement has always been a coalition with women from every walk of life, from the blue stocking Vera Brittain types to the Dagenham campaigners for equal pay. But they all want to tackle inequality.'
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Professor Alison Wolf says rich, educated women had obsession with number of women in boardrooms or in Parliament .
Accused richest 15 per cent of women of 'pulling away' from the rest .
She said 'sisterhood is dead' and was a 'betrayal of feminism'
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London (CNN) -- Three more people were arrested Saturday in connection with last week's grisly killing of British soldier Lee Rigby, police said. The men were being held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. Police did not detail how they were allegedly tied to the killing, nor did they release their identities, saying only that the men -- ages 21, 24 and 28 -- were arrested by detectives from the Counter Terrorism Command and taken to a south London police station. Police said a Taser was used on two of the men, who "did not require hospital treatment." Police also were carrying out search warrants at four residential addresses associated with the three men, the statement said. The brutal slaying Wednesday of Rigby near the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, a working-class neighborhood in southeast London, shocked people across the United Kingdom. One of the two suspects arrested at the scene approached a man filming the scene in the Woolwich neighborhood and suggested that Rigby had been targeted only "because Muslims are dying daily" at the hands of British troops such as him. "We must fight them as they fight us. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," he said in the video aired by CNN affiliate ITN. Britain's armed forces have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. All its combat troops are due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014. Another man, 29, who was arrested Thursday on suspicion of conspiracy to murder in connection with the Woolwich investigation was released on bail, police said Saturday. BBC arrest . British counterterrorism police arrested a man who said he was a friend of a suspect in the Woolwich soldier killing, after he gave an interview to the BBC on Friday night, the British broadcaster said. The man, Abu Nusaybah, was arrested on suspected terrorism offenses after telling on air how his friend had been approached by Britain's domestic intelligence service, known as MI5, according to the broadcaster. A BBC staffer, who did not want to be named, told CNN that police were inside the BBC Broadcasting House building in central London waiting for the interview to conclude before they made the arrest. Friends, acquaintances and British media identified 28-year-old Michael Adebolajo, a British national of Nigerian descent, as the suspect seen in a gory video from the scene of the Woolwich killing. Authorities have not identified that individual or the 22-year-old man seized with him at the scene by armed police. Both suspects were shot and remain in hospital. A Scotland Yard spokesman told CNN the arrest at the BBC was not connected to the murder investigation in Woolwich. The attack has sparked concerns that anti-Muslim sentiment may flare up in communities angered by the killing of the soldier, drummer Lee Rigby. Members of a far-right group, the English Defence League, called for Muslims to leave Britain as they rallied in Newcastle, northern England, on Saturday. The protest march came only hours after a group that monitors anti-Muslim abuse told CNN of a big spike in reported incidents in the past two days. 'Changed and withdrawn' In the interview with BBC's "Newsnight," Abu Nusaybah said MI5 had approached Adebolajo in the past year, asking if he wanted to work for them. Adebolajo rejected the approach, according to his friend. Abu Nusaybah said the contact from MI5 occurred last year after Adebolajo returned from a visit to Kenya during which he was detained by security forces. Adebolajo told his friend that he was physically assaulted and sexually threatened during his detention. CNN is working to independently verify the allegations made by Abu Nusaybah about his friend's treatment in detention. Abu Nusaybah went on to say that Adebolajo appeared changed and withdrawn after his return from Kenya. The pair first met in 2002, he said. Abu Nusaybah had converted to Islam in late 2004 and Adebolajo followed suit about four months later, he said. A security source told CNN that "we would never comment" on the kind of allegations made in the interview. London's Metropolitan Police Service said a 31-year-old man had been arrested in London on Friday night on terrorism-related offenses, but following standard practice, would not give the arrested man's name. Officers from Counter Terrorism Command arrested the man under the Terrorism Act, on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. He was taken to a south London police station, where he remains in custody, a police statement said. Search warrants were being executed at two homes in east London, police said. Kenya arrest . Kenyan counterterrorism sources told CNN on Saturday that Adebolajo traveled to Kenya in November 2010 and was arrested in the coastal town of Lamu for trying to cross illegally into Somalia. A spokesman for the Kenyan government said Sunday that Adebolajo used the name Michael Olemindis Ndemolajo when he was arrested and taken to a court in Mombasa. Kenyan officials turned him over to British authorities in Kenya when they discovered he was a British citizen, Muthui Kariuki said. "He was interrogated by British security officials," he said. Lamu is part of an area near the Somali border that has been the stage for attacks by armed gangs and suspected operatives from the al Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab militant group. No charges were filed against Adebolajo, according to the Kenyan media. The British Foreign Office said: "We can confirm a British national was arrested in Kenya in 2010. (We) provided consular assistance as normal for British nationals." It's not clear whether Adebolajo may have traveled to the region on more than one occasion. CNN understands that one line of inquiry being examined in the Woolwich terror investigation is that Adebolajo might have attempted -- but failed -- to travel to Somalia some time last year. Al-Muhajiroun connections claimed . A self-proclaimed former radical associate of Abu Nusaybah told CNN terrorism analyst Paul Cruickshank he had been a follower of the group Al-Muhajiroun, a British group of Islamic extremists virulently opposed to UK intervention in Iraq and openly supportive of al Qaeda. The former associate -- who spoke to CNN on condition of not being named -- spent time with Abu Nusaybah in Al-Muhajiroun study groups in Luton, a town north of London, in the years leading up to the July 7, 2005, attacks on London's transit system, he said. At the time, Adebolajo himself was a follower of the group and attended meetings in London, according to several Al-Muhajiroun insiders, before moving away from the group two or three years ago. "Abu Nusaybah was very quiet, always smiling, and very religious," said his former friend, who has now shed his radical views. He said their circle of friends in Luton included Taimour Abdulwahab al Abdaly, who carried out a suicide bombing in Stockholm in December 2010 in which he was the only fatality. He said Abu Nusaybah had connections to a group of Somali extremists in Luton. It is understood that the two individuals suspected in the knife and cleaver attack were known to Britain's domestic security service. They had featured in previous investigations into other individuals, but were not themselves under surveillance. CNN's Lonzo Cook, Neda Farshbaf, Victoria Eastwood, Zain Verjee, Bharati Naik, Dan Rivers, Jonathan Wald and Ed Payne contributed to this report.
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NEW: Kenyan government says suspect was arrested in 2010, handed over to British .
Three more arrests have been made in connection with the killing, police say .
Police arrest a 31-year-old man in London on terrorism-related offenses .
The man told the BBC that one of the Woolwich murder suspects was approached by MI5 .
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Valencia have expressed an interest in Everton striker Samuel Eto'o. The 33-year-old has impressed at Goodison this season and is popular among his team-mates and fans. He has been used mainly from the bench and has helped bring on Everton's younger players. Valencia have expressed an interest in Everton striker Samuel Eto'o, who has been impressing at Goodison . Eto'o has been used mainly from the bench and has helped bring on Everton's younger players . However, Valencia want him to bolster their attack and Singapore-base owner Peter Lim is happy to offer £75,000 per week in wages. They hope that will persuade the Cameroon international to return to Spain where he performed so well for Real Mallorca and Barcelona. The 33-year-old has impressed at Goodison this season and is popular among his teammates and fans .
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Valencia have taken an interest in Everton striker Samuel Eto'o .
The 33-year-old has impressed at Goodison Park this season .
Eto'o largely helps the younger players at Everton and is popular .
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f8fc59768921bad41249cb17dea05a7df020d658
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By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 05:48 EST, 14 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 05:54 EST, 14 March 2014 . A height of 5ft 9in, thigh gap and cheekbones to rival Kate Moss' were once prerequisites when it came to breaking the modelling industry - but Lucy Greene and Pandora Lennard are trying to change all that. The two young entrepreneurs have set up the Anti-agency, which hand-picks talent based not on their looks or size but on their personality, passions and individual style. Speaking to MailOnline about their new business venture, founders Lucy and Pandora, both 24 and from London, said: 'We don't look for stereotypical models, we look for boys and girls with great personality, good style, charisma and interesting hobbies; the whole package.' Founders: Pandora Lennard and Lucy Greene, both 24 and from London, have set up the Anti-agency, where they scout non stereotypical models . Forget outside Topshop on Oxford Street, the duo, who worked in fashion before setting up the Anti-agency nine months ago, scout talent on Facebook, at art galleries and at gigs where they know they'll find 'interesting' people. Speaking about their selection process, they said: 'Our models may be good looking but we specifically choose to use "head shots" so that people aren't judged on their height or weight by clients. We have models ranging from size 6-14 and 5ft 4in to 6ft 2in of all ethnicities.' Different: The founders say they don't judge a model by their cheekbones or weight but by their personalities and interests (pictured: journalist Sydney) Selection process: The girls say they 'unintentionally' scout talent, whether it's at an art gallery or gig (pictured: make-up artist Portia and skateboarder Rico) Interesting: The agency, which has been operating for nine months, scouts people with interesting passions and supports their careers (pictured: student Chiara) She continues: 'The agency is for people who could’ve been models and decided not to, for people who are too cool to be models and people with real lives on the verge of exploding in music, fashion, art, illustration and creative industries. 'We're here to provide casting solutions for companies and to promote people we believe in, as well as supporting their careers.' Lucy and Pandora, whose client list includes the likes of Dr. Martens, Urban Outfitters and Asos, maintain that they'd never ask or encourage their talent to change the way they are. Head shots: The agency only send head shots of their talent round so that potential clients don't judge them on their height or weight (pictured: fashion student Tyler and, right, artist Josh) Success: Despite only operating for nine months, the girls have had their talent walk in Pam Hogg and Vivienne Westwood shows this season (pictured left, poet Amy and right, fashion student Abby) 'They are what they are. We've had people making yearly wages from a bit of modelling but none of them want to go full time, they are focused on their respective careers. Some are artists, others are musicians.' Despite only operating for nine months, the girls have had their talent walk in Pam Hogg and Vivienne Westwood shows this season, as well as in Giles alongside Cara Delevingne - who they credit for shaking up the industry. 'Cara represents a change in the industry, clients want models with big personalities. Models like Cara and Chloe Nørgaard have other strings to their bows and a huge social media following because of their interesting personalities - they are building a brand,' they said. The agency currently has nearly 100 models on its books and the founders have big plans for the future. 'We can't believe how well things are going, we want to go global. In five years time we see ourselves opening up in New York and LA, that would be the dream.' Career minded: 'We've had people making yearly wages from a bit of modelling but none of them want to go full time, they are focused on their respective careers,' said the girls (pictured: mixologist Chris and artist Ayesha)
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Lucy Greene and Pandora Lennard, both 24, set up 'Anti-agency'
They scout people based on personality, style and individual look .
Opened nine months ago and now want to go global .
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Tokyo (CNN) -- Nine bodies -- eight of them burned -- have been pulled from vehicles crushed in a tunnel collapse about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Tokyo, a highway police spokesperson said early Monday. Five of those were recovered in one charred station wagon, and three others were in another burned vehicle, according to the police spokesperson. The other fatality was in a truck. The Sasago tunnel on the Chuo Expressway remained closed Monday morning, one day after the cave-in occurred on the highway's Tokyo-bound lanes, Otsuki police said. Officials from the East Yamanashi Fire Department said the section of concrete that fell was about 50 to 60 meters long and about 20 centimeters (8 inches) thick. Soon after the collapse, Japanese public broadcaster NHK aired images showing smoke rising, a blue car with its side smashed in, and emergency vehicles on the scene. Crews worked through the night trying to get to victims, all the while wary that the tunnel might collapse further. Those efforts continue, and authorities have not said if they believe more bodies will be found. The privately held Central Nippon Expressway Company operates the 4.7-kilometer-long Sasago tunnel, among others, as well as expressways and toll roads around Japan. Central Nippon Expressway conducts annual inspections of the tunnel, with one particularly thorough inspection held every five years, a company spokesperson said. A more intensive inspection of the Sasago tunnel was held sometime in the past two to three months, the spokesperson added. The Chuo Expressway is a particularly busy stretch of highway that runs between Tokyo and, among other places, Mount Fuji. While it is a ways from the Japanese capital, the partial tunnel collapse and its subsequent closure is expected to cause major traffic and other headaches, especially for those who rely on it for business. Authorities have not given any indication as to when they expect the tunnel to reopen, nor is it clear why the collapse occurred. Are you there? Share you stories, videos and images.
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NEW: 5 of the bodies are found in a burned station wagon, police say .
NEW: An inspection of the tunnel occurred a few months ago, a company official says .
NEW: The partial cave-in was on the Chuo Expressway 50 miles west of Tokyo .
It's not clear what caused the collapse, or when the tunnel might reopen .
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President Obama’s high school pot dealer who he thanked in his yearbook for the 'good times' was beaten to death by his lover after a series of fights over flatulence and drugs, MailOnline can reveal today. Raymond Boyer, known as 'Gay Ray' to Obama and his marijuana smoking 'Choom Gang', was bludgeoned to death with a hammer seven years after he sold the future president and his friends drugs. His lover Andrew Devere, a male prostitute, gave police a laundry list of reasons for the killing, including that Boyer, a surfer and unemployed chef, constantly put him down, made him beg for drugs and had a habit of breaking wind in his face. Good times: Obama thanked Ray in his high school yearbook alongside his family and his Choom Gang buddies . Pot head: Obama and his 'Choom Gang' of privately-educated friends used to score drugs off Ray. Ray was murdered seven years after the gang left school by his lover for a myriad of bizarre and frankly petty reasons . The sordid end to the life of Boyer at 37 was in direct contrast to the young men he supplied drugs to who all went on to lead successful and productive lives. Since getting high with Obama and his private school educated friends he lost his job as the manager of a local pizzeria and ended up on welfare living above a car repair shop. The full extent of Ray's grisly end and the bizarre reasons for it were set out in mitigation by Devere, who was jailed for life for the murder. Appeal court documents from 1991, uncovered for the first time by MailOnline, reveal Devere killed Boyer on New Year’s Day 1986 because: Boyer was killing a friend of his by supplying that friend with drugs; Boyer embarrassed Devere and put him down in front of other people; Boyer had developed a habit of farting in Devere's face; Boyer once attacked Devere with a knife, slicing Devere's finger; Boyer made Devere beg for drugs. Finally, the documents say the last straw came on the morning that Devere killed Boyer when the victim had refused to give Devere money to buy medication to soothe the murderer's sore throat. Obama has never hidden his drug taking youth and recently put on record that he felt that marijuana was no worse than alcohol. Killer: Andrew Devere, pictured in a variety of mugshots over the years, was sentenced to life for the grisly crime. He said he killed Boyer because he broke wind in his face, was killing a friend by selling him drugs, didn't pick up his medicine for a sore throat and insulted him in public. Devere is now free and living on the mainland . Party bus: Obama and the Choom Gang used to go to parties in the hills in Ray's surf van (file photo) and get high. Weed was rife in Hawaii during the counter-culture years of the 1970s and often smoked openly . He mentioned in his own autobiography that he took drugs. And David Maraniss’s book ‘Barack Obama: The Story’ revealed the existence of the Choom Gang (Choom is slang for smoking pot) and their dealer 'Ray'. It was even known that 'Ray' had been murdered but only now can the MailOnline can reveal the full tragic story of his life. Raymond Boyer, originally from California, was an athletic surfer who earned a living as the day manager of a pizza restaurant near the private school where Obama and his teenage friends were taught in Hawaii. Mama Mia Pizza restaurant, which also had a bar, was at the centre of a thriving university scene in Honolulu during the counter culture days of 1979. At the time, marijuana – or pakalolo as it was known locally - was flourishing on the island. It was grown in the hills and sold and smoked openly on the streets and beaches. Boyer, 30 at the time, lived the . archetypal hippy existence, sleeping in an old bus with two pet monkeys, . and enjoying in full the promiscuous and hedonistic lifestyle of the . gay community on the Pacific island. He . also dealt drugs to friends - and it was through supplying marijuana . that he came into contact with the young Obama, known as Barry, who was . attending Punahou school nearby. Obama, . 18, who was only just beginning to explore his black roots – having . been brought up by his white grandparents – was a leading member of a . group called the Choom Gang. Choom . is island slang for pot smoking and the group went on excursions to the . countryside where they would get high and party, sometimes in Ray’s . surf van. Experiments: Obama, . 18, who was only just beginning to explore his black roots – having . been brought up by his white grandparents – was a leading member of a . group called the Choom Gang . Choom: The gang, whose other passions were beer and basketball, even made up rules about the smoking of 'bud'. Obama was particularly fond of the 'interception' and 'roof hits', according to a biography . The gang, whose other passions were beer and basketball, even made up rules about the smoking of 'bud'. One of them was that you skipped a turn if you did not inhale properly and the other, a favorite of Obama, was that you could grab an extra drag of a joint if you elbowed in and shouted 'intercepted'. The young Obama popularized the concept of 'roof hits', when all the windows of a car were rolled up so you could suck up the last bit of smoke from the ceiling. 'Wasting good bud smoke was not tolerated,' Tom Topolinski, one member of the Choom Gang, told Maraniss. 'Barry also had a knack for interceptions. When a joint was making the rounds, he often elbowed his way in, out of turn, shouted "Intercepted!", and took an extra hit. No one seemed to mind.' Ray, although older, was an integral part of the gang, known for his ability to 'score good bud' and drive them up nearby Mount Tantalus to party. He even got a mention in Obama's . school yearbook as the teenager wrote his thanks to: 'Tut [his . grandmother], Gramps, Choom Gang, and Ray for all the good times.' While the other members of the gang went onto university and careers as . lawyers, writers and businessmen, Ray’s wild life was just beginning to . unravel. He lost his job at Mama Mia’s and lived above a car repair shop in a rundown area of downtown Honolulu. His . relationships became ever more sordid and he ended up sleeping with a . gay prostitute drug addict called Andrew Devere, 17 years his junior. This was to be his undoing. As . he slept on New Year’s Day 1986, Devere, upset with Ray’s treatment of . him, took a claw hammer and literally beat his brains out. His body was . not found until eight days later. Devere . said that he had meant to shoot Boyer but could not get a gun and was . planning to kill him at night but he fell asleep. He finally bludgeoned . him to death the next morning. Formative: It emerged last week that Obama believes that marijuana is no more dangerous than booze . Privileged: Devere's current wife Elizabeth suggested that rich people have 'the right tools' to deal with taking drugs, but those like Devere, a former male prostitute, didn't and they 'subtract from the good' He said: 'I wasn't mad at him at the time that I did it.... But I knew I had to do it because.... later on ... I knew that I would, you know, I would forget about how he treated me'. Devere, who jailed for life for the murder but released in 2007, has since moved to the mainland. He now has a wife and although has since been convicted of minor drug offenses holds down a job. He is too traumatized to talk about his old life but his wife, Elizabeth, told MailOnline that the gruesome episode was a warning to anyone. 'He is embarrassed about it but I told him that you cannot run from it,' she said. 'Drugs always alter your mind. I have a past myself. Because of the drugs and his lifestyle it was a really tough environment to survive in. 'He survived by being a prostitute. I think drugs affect people in different ways. It depends how you are brought up. 'If you have the right tools to deal with them then it’s okay. But if not they definitely subtract from the good.'
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Raymond Boyer was known as 'Gay Ray' to .
Obama and his marijuana smoking 'Choom Gang' of privately-educated kids at Hawaiian high school .
Ray was bludgeoned to death .
with a hammer in 1986, seven years after he supplied the future president and his .
friends with drugs .
Lover Andrew Devere, a male .
prostitute, gave police a variety of reasons for the murder .
He said surfer Boyer put him down constantly and broke .
wind in his face .
Court documents uncovered for the first time by MailOnline .
Choom is island slang for pot smoking .
and group went on excursions to countryside to get .
high and party, sometimes in Ray’s surf van .
Devere is now living on the mainland after serving his life sentence .
Obama last week said marijuana was no more dangerous than alcohol .
Devere's new wife Elizabeth told MailOnline doing drugs is fine if you are rich and 'have the tools to deal with it' but not if you are poor with problems .
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By . Anthony Bond . Last updated at 4:48 PM on 22nd February 2012 . A father stole thousands of pounds of money from his dying son's trust fund - leaving it so bare that not enough was left to pay for his funeral, a court heard. Julian Emms, 46, set up a charity fund . for his son Michael who was Britain’s youngest victim of motor neurone . disease as a teenager. A court heard many people were touched by his plight - and did sponsored events to raise £55,000 to send brave Michael to China for pioneering stem cell treatment. Horrendous: Julian Emms, right, is alleged to have stolen £16, 500 from a trust fund which was set up for his dying son Michael, left . But father-of-three Emms is accused of 'stripping' thousands of pounds from the money left in the Michael Emms Trust Fund after the treatment failed. The court heard he left just £1,300 in the account - not enough to pay for Michael’s funeral when he died last year, aged 24. Prosecutor Meirion Davies said: 'A lot of work by a lot of good people had helped put money in that fund. 'What sort of man would trick his own son out of that money and use it for his own purposes? 'It was despicable - someone who could do something like that is beneath contempt.' Cardiff Crown Court heard how Emms tricked Michael’s grandmother Anne Brandon who was one of the four people authorised to sign the charity’s cheques. Beneath contempt: A court heard that Julian Emms left the Michael Emms Trust Fund so bare that not enough was left to pay for his son's funeral. He is pictured here with Michael . Mr Davies said: 'Emms said he was booking a holiday to the USA for Michael and needed two cheques. 'One was for £3,000 for the holiday and the other was £300 for insurance. 'Mrs Brandon wrote the cheques out to a travel agency called Travelcare and signed them - but left them blank because Emms didn’t know the exact amounts.' But the court heard Emms altered one of the cheques to get his hands on the £16,500. Problems: The court heard Emms had a £15,000 business debt at the time the cheque was cashed . The jury heard Mrs Brandon and her husband David had 'second thoughts' and asked for the cheques to be returned. Mr Davies said: 'Emms was upset that they were suspicious but they had every right to be. 'Emms went to their home and burned the cheques in front of them. 'It was theatrical and carefully calculated to hide the fact that one of them was a blank piece of paper.' The court was told Emms had already cashed one cheque for £16,500 after changing the payee to 'cash'. Mr Davies said: 'Police searched his home for the money but Emms told them: "It is not here - I spent it". 'He had carried out a cold-blooded and deliberate deception then lied to extricate himself from a deeper and deeper hole.' The court heard Emms, of Ebbw Vale, South Wales, had a £15,000 business debt at the time the cheque was cashed. Emms had broken up from his wife Theresa at the time he allegedly stole from the trust fund. His former mother-in-law Mrs Brandon told how she was 'devastated' when she discovered the money had been taken from her grandson’s account. She said: 'I went to the bank to check the position of the account and found £16,500 had gone. 'Lots of people had been involved. I was devastated.' Mrs Brandon said there was not enough money left to pay for Michael’s funeral when he died in April last year. Emms denies fraud. The trial continues.
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Julian Emms is accused of stripping thousands from his son's trust fund after pioneering treatment failed .
46-year-old alleged to have left the fund so bare that not enough was left to pay for his son's funeral .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Colleagues talking your ear off in the desks surrounding yours aren't just annoying—they're also destroying your concentration and bringing down overall workplace productivity. A new study found that 'focus' tasks are harder to accomplish when there are no barriers between employees, such as in open-plan offices, The Independent reported. Only one in four U.S. workers believe they are in 'optimal' workplace environments, resulting in a decrease in workplace effectiveness since 2008, according to a report by the global design firm Gensler. Open: Offices that boast less space to individually focus might have a negative impact on U.S workers' concentration . An employee's inability to focus has something to do with poorly-planned workplaces that cause less time away from colleagues so that workers can better concentrate on non-collaborative tasks. The open-office design became popular in Germany when designers wanted to break the tradition of factory-style desk arrangements facing the same direction toward management, who were comfortable situated in their own offices. The report, based on responses from more than 2,000 American workers, demonstrates these designs have only made workers more distracted. Distracting: Noise and smell make it harder for workers in the U.S. to focus at work . 'I don’t think it would be going too far out on a limb to say we are at the beginning of a new era in workplace design,' Gensler executive director Diane Hoskins told The Independent. Open-plan workplaces, which meant to boost collaboration and creative thinking, have actually decreased employee's ability to collaborate, the report shows. 'Not only is the focus mode not functioning optimally in most office environments, we found statistical evidence that the effectiveness of collaboration, learning and socializing suffers if the ability to focus is diminished,' Hoskins said. A study by the Danish Ministry of Employment found workers in open-plan offices take 62 per cent more sick days than those with their own space. Unproductive: Open-plan offices originally meant to increase collaboration have actually decreased it . Thirty-one per cent of respondents said they are more satisfied when they can focus. They also see their companies as more 'innovative' when they can focus. The physical barriers companies have taken down have also been replaced by virtual ones, such as headphones and email, rather than face-to-face, conversations. Social media like Twitter and Facebook have also decreased workplace focus. Despite Hoskin's beliefs, many companies have still made their offices more open. Trying to highlight collaborative work, Facebook used a 'non-hierarchical approach' in organizing their new office at the Sun Microsystems California campus. Maximizing space and increasing shared resources, 2,800 engineers share a warehouse with a roof garden.
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Workers lose concentration when they work in offices without space to focus without their colleagues, a report by design firm Gensler says .
Only 1 in 4 U.S. workers believe they are in 'optimal' workplaces .
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By . Associated Press . U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy got a firsthand look inside the Japanese nuclear plant devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami today, as she vowed to help support the clean up. Kennedy toured the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant for about three hours on Wednesday with her son Jack Schlossberg by her side. She wore a yellow helmet and a white radiation protective suit with her last name emblazoned on it as she was shown around the plant. Scroll down for video . US Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy (center) and her son Jack Kennedy Schlossberg (right) visit the central control room for Fukushima on Wednesday . Caroline Kennedy speaks to journalists at the end of her visit to TEMCO's tsunami-crippled Fukushima nuclear plant in Okuma town (her son Jack pictured right) Caroline, 56, and Jack, 21, were given a tour by an executive of Toyko Electric Power Co, Masuda Naohiro, and were taken through the central control room for the Unit One and Unit Two reactors. The pair were shown how Tokyo Electric Power Co. (Tepco) is removing fuel rod assemblies from a cooling pod. Tepco has removed 814 out of 1,533 fuel rod assemblies from the No. 4 reactor since November. 'We stand ready to help in any way we can,' Kennedy told reporters after her visit, when she made a stop at a Tepco facility near the nuclear power plant. The plant was damaged beyond repair by the March 11, 2011, disaster when a 9 magnitude earthquake triggered tsunami waves that hit the plant on the coast north of Tokyo, causing one of the world's worst nuclear disasters. Caroline Kennedy wearing a yellow helmet and a mask inspects the central control room for the Unit One and Unit Two reactors of the tsunami-crippled Fukushima . Caroline Kennedy, left, and her son Jack Schlossberg, second left, wearing protective suits and masks, listen to Masuda Naohiro, third left, an executive of Tokyo Electric Power Co. Shortly after the accident, the United States sent in water pumps, fire trucks, drones and protective suits and masks. Kennedy, daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy, said in a statement the United States 'will offer our experience and capabilities, in particular, toward the near-term resolution of ongoing water contamination issues'. Radioactive water poses a long-term risk at the plant and it could take more than three decades to clear it up. The plant has been hit by a series of accidents this year including a 100-tonne leak of radioactive water from storage tanks. After touring the plant, Kennedy told reporters that it's hard to visualize and understand the complexity of the challenge just from reading about it. Kennedy (pictured) has pledged U.S. support for the clean up at the Japanese plant . Kennedy visits the unit four to inspect the operation to move a spent fuel rod to a cask at the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant . Wearing a protective suit and a mask, an employee of Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) walks through an aisle covered with red plastic sheets . She expressed gratitude to those who continue to work at the plant. Contaminated water accumulates at a rate of 400 tonnes a day at the plant as groundwater flows into the destroyed basements of the reactor buildings and mixes with highly radioactive water used to cool melted fuel. Row upon row of huge blue and grey tanks that store contaminated water are lined up while pink, white and purple azalea bushes are in full bloom nearby. Overgrown plants curl onto the streets while pipes snake across the site where numerous cranes still stand. About 1,200 to 1,300 tanks storing about 450,000 tonnes of contaminated water are on site and over the next two years Tepco wants to set up enough tanks to store 800,000 tonnes of water, said Kenichiro Matsui, a spokesman for the utility. Wearing protective suits and masks, Japanese journalists head to the central control room for the Unit One and Unit Two reactors when U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy visits . Wearing protective suits and masks, employees of Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) walk carefully through a dark aisle in the plant . Up to 5,000 workers are on site each day, according to the Tepco spokesman, Matsui, up from about 4,000 a year ago. In future, that number is likely to increase to about 6,000, he said. Overseas companies including U.S. ones are eager to get in on the clear-up work and the decommissioning of the six reactors at the wrecked plant but most contracts have gone to Japanese companies. Kennedy, accompanied by her 21-year-old son, drew crowds of workers when she arrived at the Tepco facility. 'It's good that she's here because the situation at the plant needs to be reported worldwide,' said one man who now works as a driver for plant workers after hitting his annual radiation exposure limit in his former job at the site.
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Caroline Kennedy was accompanied by son Jack Schlossberg on their first visit to the plant .
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Kennedy has vowed to support the clean up .
The devastated nuclear plant will still take over three decades to clean up .
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Sydney toddler Jakob Brown was murdered by his stepfather in 2008 . A stepfather who killed his two-year-old stepson following years of abuse has been jailed for at least twenty years and six months. Gregory Wayne Hill, 40, pleaded guilty last year to murdering his stepson on March 3, 2008 while he was caring for little Jakob Brown at The Oaks in Sydney's south west. During that day, the court heard Hill delivered the two savage blows that would kill the boy. The first attack ripped the two-year-old's stomach wall and would have caused him 'enormous pain'. But instead of seeking medical attention, Hill watched the boy's suffering for hours before delivering the fatal blow to his head. The boy was pronounced dead on arrival at Campbelltown Hospital. In sentencing Hill to a maximum of 27 years and 6 months at the Supreme Court on Thursday, Justice Geoffrey Bellew said the 40-year-old had shown a 'callous disregard' for the boy. 'They were two separate and distinctive acts of wanton violence perpetrated by the offender on a helpless victim. 'The first left him suffering in pain, the second left him to die.' Three days before his death, the court heard Hill had turned up at his Sydney pre-school telling staff the toddler had bruises and scratches because he had 'fallen out of the shower' and had been 'biting himself'. Later that day when staff undressed the boy, they discovered an inflamed bruise on his pelvic area, along with a large, fresh cut on his shoulder. The little boy's father Darren Gibson described Hill outside court as a 'piece of s***' who 'deserves a death penalty'. 'You don't deserves to go to jail. You deserve a death penalty and that's it,' he said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. 'I hope he rots in hell for the rest of his life.' On the numerous occasions after the boy had been left in the sole care of Hill from 2006 to 2008, severe bruising, swelling and rash-like haemorrhaging to his head, face, neck and shoulders, and bleeding into his nappy had all been noticed. Nevertheless, on March 8 the boy was again left in his sole care while his mother went to TAFE. The court heard Hill had no criminal history. Taking into account his guilty plea, Justice Bellew sentenced him to a minimum of 20 years and six months. Taking into account time already spent in custody, his earliest date of release is November 2032. He made no reaction as the sentence was handed down. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Gregory Wayne Hill pleaded guilty to killing his boy in 2008 .
Stepson had been abused for months in his car in Sydney's south west .
Judge handed down jail sentence of 27 years and six months .
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By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . After cutting the price of a pint, George Osborne would have hoped to be cheered by Britain’s drinkers. But the Chancellor found himself accused of patronising hardworking people with a Tory party advert claiming ‘they’ enjoy bingo and beer. Today he tried to repair his man-of-the-people reputation with a visit to a pub, where he was pictured slightly awkwardly sipping a pint - but committed the sin of taking a gulp before the ale had settled. Chancellor George Osborne supping a a pint of Sunbeam ale, alongside Conservative MP for Wolverhampton south west Paul Uppal (left) and chief executive Ralph Findlay (right) during a visit to Marston's Brewery in Wolverhampton . Cheers! Mr Osborne held his pint aloft, with it still setlling, during his visit to Marston's Brewery in Wolverhampton . Mr Osborne used last week’s Budget to halve duty on bingo to 10 per cent and take a penny off a pint of beer. In an apparent bid to wood blue collar voters, the Conservative party produced an advert to promote the policy which stated: ‘Bingo! Cutting the bingo tax and beer duty to help hardworking people do more of the things they enjoy.’ But the use of the word ‘they’ was widely criticised, with the Lib Dems call it ‘silly’ and Labour saying it was ‘condescending’. Mr Osborne rushed to insist that he plays bingo as a ‘happy participant’, and let it be known that he sometimes calls the numbers. At the weekend it emerged the advert was drawn up and signed off by Mr Osborne and his team in the Treasury. 'PR disaster': Grant Shapps tweeted this Tory party advert about beer and bingo cuts in today's Budget - which spawned numerous spoofs online . During a tour to promote measures in the Budget, Mr Osborne also visit Boal Aluminium UK . Mr Osborne said he was cutting energy bills for manufacturers, as he toured with Treasury minister Nicky Morgan, the MP for Loughborough (centre) and Paul Hatton, production manager at Boal Aluminium UK . But in an attempt to win back the support of beer drinkers he was pictured supping a pint today. Mr Osborne was pictured with a sipping the top out of a pint of Sunbeam ale during a visit to Marston's Brewery in Wolverhampton. Sunbeam is described as a ‘gloriously zesty blonde beer with a 4.2% ABV brewed to be easy drinking and refreshing with a clean long finish’. Writing on Twitter, Mr Osborne said: ‘Great to visit Marston's brewery in Wolverhampton with @pauluppalmp. They're creating 3,000 new jobs. From today - another penny off a pint.’ Mr Osborne began the day meeting the Very Rev'd Dr John Davies, Dean of Derby (left) after a visit to Derby Cathedral . The day started off more soberly, with a cup of tea with the Very Rev'd Dr John Davies, Dean of Derby, after a visit to Derby Cathedral. Starting a tour of the East Midlands, Mr Osborne tweeted: ‘First stop beautiful @DerbyCathedral-who should benefit from the £20m cathedrals' repairs fund announced at budget.’
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Bingo tax was halved from 20% to 10% and 1p off a pint in the Budget .
Tory ad helping 'hardworking people' do what 'they' enjoy sparked row .
Chancellor says he plays bingo, and has even called the numbers .
Now he has posed with a pint of Sunbeam blonde beer in Wolverhampton .
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(CNN) -- We have a tendency, when things in the news get bad, to tell ourselves that it's never been quite this dismal before. We are tempted, when disputes become particularly acrimonious, to believe that the current bitterness is unprecedented. So it's beneficial, once in a while, to look at our current problems in light of what has gone before. And to remember just how much the United States has endured. The newspaper USA Today reported last week that there has been a sharp increase in the unemployment rate for male veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The paper said that such unemployment has tripled since the recession began, having reached 15 percent last month. More than 250,000 of the male veterans were said to be unemployed last month, with another 400,000 having left the workforce for various reasons: to raise children, or attend college, or because they have just stopped trying to find work. Joe Davis, a spokesman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said: "It makes you almost want to go out and rip off all the 'Support Your Troops' bumper stickers. If you want to support your troops, give them a job." Can't argue with that. After what American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are asked to sacrifice, there is something melancholy about the thought of them coming home and having trouble finding a way to support their families. The nation is likely to work on a solution to this honorably and in good faith. There was a time, during parallel circumstances, when that wasn't the case. It was one of the darkest moments in American history, and few people speak about it anymore. The shorthand for it was "the Bonus Army." In the spring and summer of 1932, with the Great Depression gripping the country, tens of thousands of World War I veterans and their families gathered in Washington to demand what they felt they had been promised. They set up shantytowns, and vowed to stay put until their entreaties were met. The federal government had, in 1924, issued service certificates -- redeemable for bonuses -- to the soldiers who had returned from World War I. The certificates were intended to reward the veterans for the time they had spent fighting for their country. They were like long-term bonds -- they could not be redeemed until 1945. But something happened between 1924 and 1932: The economy collapsed. Poverty and joblessness were everywhere. The veterans, many of them hungry and destitute, came to Washington asking Congress to allow them to collect their bonuses early. It didn't happen. The U.S. Senate voted down the bill. So there were the military veterans, amassed in the nation's capital. Out of money, out of luck, almost out of hope, they refused to leave. The government ordered their evacuation. Many of the veterans resisted; the police shot and killed two of them. With that, the president of the United States, Herbert Hoover, fearing that radicals had infiltrated the veterans, ordered the Army to take over the involuntary evacuation. And this country was confronted with the news that the Army was moving against the old soldiers. At the highest level of the Army assigned to the task were men who would later become extraordinarily famous. Gen. Douglas MacArthur was in command; Maj. Dwight D. Eisenhower was the go-between with the local police force; Maj. George Patton was in charge of the cavalry. Bayonets were drawn; tanks and soldiers on horseback advanced into the crowds; acrid gas was unleashed on the protesting veterans; the makeshift camps were torn down. Even though President Hoover didn't want it to happen, MacArthur sent his troops across a bridge to the site of the veterans' main living quarters. A fire broke out; it was never determined with certainty who set it, but there it was: the American veterans' cobbled-together homes in flames, as the Army drove them out. There was no television back then; it is almost impossible to fathom what would have happened if the country had been able to see, live, the military moving relentlessly against former members of the military who were asking for the means to survive. As rugged as the economy is now -- and as difficult a time as some veterans are having as they look for work in a dismal hiring environment -- no one foresees a day when soldiers will again be ordered to roust former soldiers and their families. Later in their lives, MacArthur, Eisenhower and Patton all lamented, with varying degrees of emotion, having had to play a role in driving the Bonus Army out of Washington. Their commander in chief had decreed that it must be done, so they carried out his orders. We've come a long way since then; no president with an eye toward his legacy would order the Army to do such a thing, and it's hard to believe that military officials would not, behind closed doors, try everything in their power to avoid having to use American troops that way. But as much as things have changed, certain truths haven't. We ask our soldiers, in times of war, to cross the oceans and fight in our name. When they come home -- those who do come home alive -- we tell them, in bad economic times, that the jobs for them are just not there. If our soldiers want to work, we owe it to them to make it easier for that to happen. There may never again, we should hope, be a Bonus Army camped in the streets of Washington, pleading for help. The best way to prevent such a sight is to provide the help before the despair of the unemployed veterans reaches that breaking point. You might call it our patriotic duty. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bob Greene.
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People have a tendency to think we live in the worst of times, says Bob Greene .
He says we have a serious problem with unemployment among veterans .
Still, today's troubles don't equal the woes of the early 1930s, Greene says .
He says jobless veterans protesting in 1932 were chased out of Washington by U.S. Army .
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(CNN) -- Rory McIlroy's topsy-turvy form continued at the Scottish Open as the former World No. 1 prepares for the British Open next week. McIlroy hit a three-under-par 68 Saturday, a big improvement on Friday's seven-over-par 78, but not quite as good as Thursday's course record 64. "It's important for me going now into Sunday's last round thinking to myself that I have shot 64 and 68 on this golf course, which are two really good scores," McIlroy told reporters. "Friday was just one of those days where nothing really went right. I couldn't get any momentum. "So it would be nice to shoot another good one tomorrow and head to Hoylake with a bit of confidence," added McIlroy, referring to the venue for the Open. "I feel good with my game and I say enough positives in there to give me confidence going into the Open." Briton's Justin Rose and Marc Warren share the clubhouse lead on 10-under-par, a shot clear of Sweden's Kristoffer Broberg. While the likes of McIlroy and Phil Mickelson were fine tuning their games at the Royal Aberdeen course, Tiger Woods was busy practicing at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake as he prepares for his first major of the season following back surgery in March. After his practice round on Saturday, the 38-year-old Woods said his slow-paced return to action is paying off. "The little baby steps worked," Woods said. "We were very diligent about what I was doing. Going into it we pushed it pretty hard to get my abs and glutes strong so when I did come back I was able to rebound fast. I can do whatever I want. "I've got my speed back, which is nice, and I'm starting to hit the ball out there again. I'm only going to get stronger. As the weeks go on, I'm getting strong and faster." Park takes lead . Meanwhile at the Women's British Open South Korea's Park Inbee has a one-shot lead at Royal Birkdale after compatriot Ahn Sun Ju's title challenge was hit by a two stroke penalty. Park hit a four-under-par 68 putting her a shot ahead of Ahn -- penalized for a bunker rule infringement -- and Norway's Suzann Pettersen as well as China's Feng Shanshan. Briton Charley Hull hit the day's best round -- a six-under-par 66 -- to put her within three shots of Park.
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Rory McIlroy rediscovers his form at the Scottish Open .
McIlroy hit seven-over-par 78 Friday, but back to best with 68 Saturday .
Tiger Woods busy practicing at British Open venue at Royal Liverpool .
South Korea's Park Inbee has one shot lead at Women's British Open .
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(CNN)Spain is officially clear of Ebola, the World Health Organization declared Tuesday, after no new cases were reported since a nurse's assistant who contracted the virus there tested negative for it. Since then, 42 days have passed -- double the maximum known incubation period for the virus -- without another case, allowing Spain to be declared free of Ebola. Spanish authorities had been monitoring 87 people who came into contact with healthcare worker Teresa Romero Ramos, 15 of whom were considered high-risk and were quarantined at a Madrid hospital, WHO said. Another 145 hospital employees who helped care for Romero during her month-long stay at the Carlos III Hospital were also monitored. The WHO statement said it "commends Spain for the measures put in place to identify potential cases and prevent further transmission of the Ebola virus." Romero contracted the illness while helping to care for an infected missionary who had been brought back from West Africa. He died of the disease. CNN's Anna Maja Rappard contributed to this report.
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Spain is declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization .
There have been no new cases since a nurse's aide recovered from Ebola in October .
Spanish authorities had been monitoring scores of people who had contact with her .
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Comedian David Brenner, a regular on Johnny Carson's "The Tonight Show," has died after a battle with cancer, a family spokesman said Saturday. He was 78. Brenner was a staple on Carson's late-night show, appearing more times than any other guest -- 158, according to a bio on his official website. Before getting into comedy, Brenner helped write, produce and direct 115 TV documentaries, earning him nearly 30 awards. Brenner also was the author of five books -- his latest published in 2003, "I Think There's a Terrorist in My Soup." Even in death, he kept the jokes coming. Brenner's final request, according to family spokesman Jeff Abraham, was to have $100 in small bills tucked in his sock -- "just in case tipping is recommended where I'm going." His gravesite will read: "If this is supposed to be a joke -- then I don't get it!," according to Abraham. Comedian Joan Rivers, a longtime friend of Brenner's, tweeted about the news of his passing Saturday. "RIP David Brenner. I adored him, and laughed more with him than anybody. Sad, sad, sad. Knowing David, he's now making the devil laugh," read Rivers' tweet. Brenner is survived by his wife, three sons and a grandson. People we lost in 2014 .
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David Brenner appeared 158 times on Johnny Carson's late-night show .
Brenner started out in television documentaries .
"Knowing David, he's now making the devil laugh," Joan Rivers tweets .
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By . Rebecca Brett for MailOnline . Holidaymakers in Norway will pay 258 per cent more for car hire and petrol than their counterparts in Spain. The shock figures come as the cheapest and most expensive places in Europe for motorists are revealed, showing that the price of car hire alone can quadruple between different popular holiday destinations. The comparison reveals that Spain is the cheapest destination with a tank of petrol costing round £50 and car hire for a week working out at £136.99. Scroll down for video . Average car hire costs can be four times as much for a seven day car hire, depending on the country . The same trip in Norway would set you back £353.96 for car hire and each tank of petrol would cost £68. While Spain tops the list as cheapest country to fill up your tank at just £1.11 per litre, it is followed closely by Switzerland (£1.15 per litre) and France (£1.20 per litre). The most expensive countries are Norway (£1.50 per litre), Netherlands (£1.43 per litre), and Italy (£1.44 per litre) all of whom charge around a third more per litre than their neighbours. Ready to go: Spain tops the list as cheapest country to fill up your tank at just £1.11 per litre . The UK ranks as the third cheapest destination in Europe for car hire and petrol for a week's holiday, making it more expensive for Britons heading to holiday hotspots Germany, France and Greece. But it's not just petrol prices that vary across Europe, average car hire costs can be more than four times as much for a seven day car hire, depending on the country. Again, Spain comes out top with the best value car hire at just £62.54 for a week, closely followed by Portugal at £66.59. Comparatively Norway is yet again the most expensive with car hire coming in at £253.35 for a week. Spain, with the best value for both car hire and petrol, is the best value country to visit for a road trip, with a 500 mile, week-long trip costing just £137 or 27p per mile. The top 10 European destinations and the costs of hiring a car for one week and travelling 500 miles in each country . The same trip in Norway would cost 258 per cent more, at £354 for the week long trip – or 71p per mile. Portugal is ranked as the second best value country to visit, despite having only the 4th cheapest petrol, due to its affordable car hire. 'It's not just the initial car hire costs which affect the price of a holiday but also the fuel stops which need to be paid for over the course of the trip' said Hayley Smith from Skyscanner. Two of the cheaper road trip options: Take a two week trip in Southern Spain for £181 or drive from Paris to Nice, via Geneva, over three weeks for £395 . 'Travellers should do their homework before booking road trips to establish which countries have the best value routes and where they can get the most bang for their buck.' Ms Smith added: 'We've done the hard work for five trips around Europe's most popular destinations to help provide holidaymakers with clarity around the costs they should expect to pay. It's not just the initial car hire costs which affect the price of a holiday but also the fuel stops which need to be paid for over the course of the trip . 'What's clear is Spain is a great all-round option for those sun-seekers looking to get the best deal for car hire and petrol prices.' Hayley added. 'Travellers can save even more money by planning their routes including fuel stops, in advance. If they are intending to cross borders, remember that countries fuel costs differ. 'For example for those travelling from Spain to France should fill up their tank before the border as Spain's petrol prices are cheaper,' continued Hayley. 1. Best of Andalucía . Start in Malaga, visit the sandy coves of Nerja, the port town of Almería, Córdoba and UNESCO World Heritage sites in Seville and Granada then head back to Malaga. Covering 873 miles over two weeks . Total cost petrol and car hire: £181 - 21p per mile . 2. Cultural tour of North-west Spain . Start in Madrid, visit UNESCO World Heritage sites in the old city of Segovia, castles, museums and palaces in Salamanca, religious buildings in Valladolid and the archaeological site of Atapuerca then head back to Madrid. Covering 597 miles over two weeks . Total cost petrol and car hire: £154 - 26p per mile . 3. The grand tour of France, Switzerland, Italy . Start in Paris, visit picturesque French villages, Geneva, snow-capped mountains in Chamonix, the stunning Lake Como and glamourous cities of Milan and Monaco before ending in Nice. Covering 1,005 miles over three weeks . Total cost petrol and car hire: £395 - 39p per mile . 4. Portugal's highlights of Lisbon, Porto and beyond . Start in Lisbon, visit architectural monuments in UNESCO World Heritage Sintra and Porto and the port town of Setúbal before heading back to the capital city. Covering 528 miles over two weeks . Total cost petrol and car hire: £241 - 46p per mile . 5. Fairy tales and castles in Germany . Start in Nuremberg, visit historic towns, walled cities and castles in Würzburg, Tauber Valley, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Nördlingen, Augsburg and Munich . Covering 374 miles over one week . Total cost petrol and car hire: £174 - 46p per mile .
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Spain is the best value country to visit with cheapest car hire and petrol .
Norway is the most expensive country to visit costing 258% more than Spain .
Portugal is the second best country to visit due to its affordable car hire .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:19 EST, 31 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:06 EST, 31 December 2013 . Surrounded by a snowstorm, these young polar bears battle the elements - as well as each other. The lumbering pair's sibling rivalry heats up the frosty winter setting in snow swept Alaska. American photographer and tour guide, Matthew Studebaker, 30, managed to capture these extraordinary shots in 25 miles per hour wind on Barrier Islands, Alaska, in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Rivalry: Surrounded by a snowstorm, these young polar bears battle the elements - as well as each other. American photographer and tour guide, Matthew Studebaker, 30, managed to capture these extraordinary shots in 25 miles per hour wind on Barrier Islands, Alaska in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge . Caught on camera: American photographer and tour guide, Matthew Studebaker, 30, managed to capture these extraordinary shots in 25 miles per hour wind on Barrier Islands, Alaska in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge . No strangers to the freezing weather, the playful polar bears sparred in temperatures of minus six degrees. 'These siblings were teasing each other and sparring during a snowstorm,' explains Matthew of Richfield, Ohio. 'Throughout my visit to ANWR, they were playing innocently together; they had no intent of seriously hurting each other. Playful: No strangers to the freezing weather, the playful polar bears sparred in temperatures of minus six degrees . 'These siblings were teasing each other and sparring during a snowstorm,' explains Matthew of Richfield, Ohio . 'They were tossing sticks, rolling around and sleeping in the snow. 'We . spent the day photographing bears 50 - 100 feet away, it seemed that . the snowstorm was nothing to them as they just kept on playing . together.' Polar bear . cubs are known for being especially playful and play-fighting may be a . means of practicing for serious competition during mating seasons later . in life. Only two years old, the bears will spend many months of the year at sea, living in sea iced areas known as the 'Arctic ring of life'. After an afternoon of sparring, the bears appeared to make up and cuddle with each other, and spend the rest of their day relaxing. 'My images share my love for the natural world with others,' said Mr Studebaker. 'The reaction I get from my photography generally is that I'm incredibly fortunate to be able to spend so much time in Alaska doing what I love for a living. 'I have a love for minimalism which carries over into my nature photography. 'Even these huge, ferocious animals are dwarfed in the vast white snow fields on the edge of the Arctic Ocean.'
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The lumbering pair's sibling rivalry heats up the frosty winter setting in snow swept Alaska .
American photographer and tour guide, Matthew Studebaker, 30, managed to capture these extraordinary shots .
Extraordinary shots in 25 miles per hour wind on Barrier Islands, Alaska .
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A beloved model is dead, those who knew her are in mourning, and one of the world's most admired Olympians is charged with her murder after a Valentine's Day shooting in South Africa. Oscar Pistorius, a Paralympic runner who blazed new terrain by competing in last summer's Olympics, is accused of killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. A shooting took place inside his upscale home in Pretoria, South Africa, early Thursday, and only the two of them were there at the time, police said. Shock waves from the incident quickly reverberated across the world, casting a shadow over the man known as the "Blade Runner" for his achievements on prosthetic limbs. Pistorius will be named officially as the suspect when he appears in court Friday, in keeping with South African law. Authorities have already announced that the suspect is Pistorius' age. Investigators gave no motive for the alleged killing. Read more: 'Blade runner' Pistorius: Track hero at center of shooting probe . "Previous incidents" at the home, police say . Police were alerted to the shooting by neighbors, and residents had "heard things earlier," spokeswoman Denise Beukes said. A police spokeswoman said there had been "previous incidents" at the home, including "allegations of a domestic nature." They did not detail what those may be. Pistorius was arrested and accused of common assault in 2009, but the case was thrown out because of a lack of evidence, police told CNN on Thursday. That incident involved Pistorius allegedly slamming a door during a party, and a piece of the door fell off and hit someone, said Capt. Marissa Van der Merwe of South African police. Police are not aware of any prior incidents between Pistorius and Steenkamp, Van der Merwe said. Some South African media outlets suggested Pistorius may have mistaken Steenkamp for an intruder. South Africa has a high crime rate, and many homeowners keep weapons to ward off intruders. Beukes said those reports did not come from police. There did not appear to be signs of forced entry at the home, she added. "This is a very quiet area, and this is a secure estate," Beukes said. A pistol was recovered at the scene, police said. In November 2011, Pistorius tweeted a photo of himself at a gun range, and wrote that he had "a 96% headshot over 300m from 50 shots! Bam!" Pistorius cooperating with police . Pistorius has made no public statement. His spokeswoman Kate Silvers said the athlete is "assisting the police with their investigation but there will be no further comment until matters become clearer later today." Police also said Pistorius is cooperating. He arrived Thursday at a police station in Pretoria. Beukes said the state will oppose bail. That means the 26-year-old, who was among the men featured in People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" issue, could be behind bars, at least temporarily. Pistorius is not being brought to court Thursday because the public prosecutor needs more time to prepare the case, police spokeswoman Katlego Mogale told CNN. A model's life violently cut short . Steenkamp, 29, had been looking forward to Valentine's Day, encouraging her Twitter followers to "get excited" for the holiday. On Wednesday, she tweeted, "It's a beautiful day! Make things happen. Starting my day off with a yummy healthy shake from my boo," followed by a smiley face. "Boo" is a term for boyfriend. "She was the kindest, sweetest human being; an angel on earth and will be sorely missed," Capacity Relations, the agency that represented her, wrote on Twitter. She was "just a great, fun presence of a person," said Hagen Engler, former editor of the magazine FHM. He described her as "a bikini model, beautiful, gorgeous girl" with a "wicked" sense of humor. She understood the industry and was intelligent and fun to work with, he said. Pistorius' father, Henke, told the South African Broadcasting Corp. his son was "sad at the moment." "I don't know nothing. It will be extremely obnoxious and rude to speculate," the father said. "I don't know the facts." Nike pulls ad . Nike pulled an ad featuring Pistorius from its website Thursday. The ad showed Pistorius taking off for a run, and contained the words" I am the bullet in the chamber." The company issued a statement expressing "sympathy and condolences to the families concerned following this tragic incident." The company added that it will not comment further, noting that the situation is a police matter. Other Pistorius sponsors -- including prosthetics manufacturer Ossur, British Telecom, and Oakley, which makes sunglasses and other products -- expressed condolences and said they had no further comment at this time. Fashion company Thierry Mugler had no comment. As Olympian, Pistorius faced controversy . Pistorius, a double amputee, competed against able-bodied runners during the London Olympics, triggering controversy as some said the prosthetic limbs gave him an advantage. His legs were amputated below the knee when he was a toddler because of a bone defect. He runs on special carbon fiber blades. Pistorius was initially refused permission to enter the Olympics, but he hired a legal team to prove that his artificial limbs did not give him an unfair advantage -- and was allowed to compete. While he did not win a medal, his presence on the track was lauded by many people around the world as an example of victory over adversity and dedication to a goal. He smashed a Paralympic record to win the men's 400m T44 in the final athletics event of the 2012 Games. In an October interview with CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight," Pistorius discussed the "massive blessing" of inspiring people around the world. "Being an international sportsman, there's a lot of responsibility that comes with that, so having to toggle that and remembering, you know, that there are kids out there, especially, that look up to you -- it's definitely something that you need to keep at the back of your mind." In December: Pistorius speaks to Piers Morgan about being a role model .
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Oscar Pistorius once tweeted a photo of himself at a gun range .
Nike pulls an ad featuring Pistorius and the word "bullet"
Reeva Steenkamp tweeted Wednesday about her "boo" making her a shake .
Pistorius was arrested for assault in 2009 but the case was dropped , police say .
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France is resorting to selling off many of its most prestigious and valuable properties in a desperate bid to raise funds and keep its national debt under control. With France's total debt expected to hit almost €2trillion ($2.7trillion) by the end of the year and President Francois Hollande's government hoping to save around €50billion ($67billion) over the next three years, state-owned properties across the world are having to be offered up for sale. The latest property to go on the market is 1143 Fifth Avenue in New York - a stunning seven-floor, red brick and limestone block in central Manhattan once home to many of France's top U.S. diplomats. Up for grabs: This seven-floor apartment block in Manhattan, New York, which was once used to house French diplomatic staff is being offered for sale for $32.5million . Covering 16,000 sq ft, the imposing block was built in 1923 and has an asking price of $32.5million (€24million). It consists of five apartments each boasting an impressive 1690 sq ft as well as a stunning eight-room duplex offering a huge 2712 sq ft. Viewings are understood to have started in April and it is believed that a buyer has already been found as the official authorisation for the sale was granted last week by France's Office Journal, the Daily Telegraph reports. It follows the sale earlier this year of the luxurious 18-room French ambassador’s residence at 740 Park Avenue which was reportedly snapped up by an American financier for a cool $70 million (€52 million). Once dubbed the world's 'richest . apartment building' the block was once home to Jacqueline Kennedy and . John D Rockerfeller. The 18-room, 7-1/2 bath duplex apartment featured . five fireplaces was reportedly used to host parties on an almost daily . basis. Its sale resulted in some embarrassment for France's new ambassador to the UN, Francois Delattre who is yet to find a new place to live after his plan to buy a a palatial 14-room Art Deco flat overlooking the East River were blocked by one of the current residents. New . York City socialite Elizabeth Kabler reportedly upended the sale . because she didn't like the idea of a French ambassador moving in and throwing too many parties. Fearful . of too many guests, constant entertaining and of a neighbor who fancies . himself above the law, Kabler waged a biter campaign to urge her fellow . stakeholders to block the sale of the 14-room co-op to French , or any . foreign emissaries. Sold: An 18-room apartment at 740 Park Avenue, overlooking Central Park, previously used as the French ambassador's residence was reportedly snapped up by an American financier for a cool $70 million earlier this year . Famous residents: Once dubbed the world's 'richest apartment building' the block was once home to Jacqueline Kennedy and John D Rockerfeller . Homeless: The sale of the apartment at 740 Park Avenue means France's new ambassador to the UN, Francois Delattre s yet to find a new place to live . In a letter sent to fellow residents she wrote: 'It is not in the interests of the residents of River House to cohabit with foreign emissaries who are, to a large extent, beyond the reach of the law.' France has an estimated €190billion worth of state-owned property in Europe, more than any other country. A government website is currently listing some 2150 properties that are currently up for sale or in the process of being sold, indicating the scale of the sell-off. Among the prestigious properties that have already been offered for sale are Louis XV's hunting lodge at La Muette outside Paris and Chateau Thonon-les-Bains by Lake Geneva in the French Alps. France is not the the only country looking to cash in on state-owned properties. London in particular has seen scores of embassies or diplomacy related buildings sold or considered for sale in recent months. The trend was started by the US government which sold its embassy in grosvenor Square to the Qatari royal family — for an estimated £500 million. Canada recently sold its Mayfair embassy for £306milion - more than six times the value placed on it just 14 years ago. The Brazilian embassy, on Green Street, Mayfair, fetched £40 million, with one agent describing the diplomatic market as a 'goldmine'.
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France's national debt expected to hit almost €2trillion by the end of the year .
Seven-floor, 16,000 sq ft apartment block in New York once used by diplomatic staff goes on market for $32.5million .
It follows sale of ambassador's residence overlooking Central Park which sold for $70million earlier this year .
French Government has an estimated €190billion worth of state-owned property in Europe .
2,150 state-owned properties currently being sold on government website .
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By . Tom Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 07:21 EST, 23 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:23 EST, 23 September 2013 . The victim of a savage dog attack condemned a magistrate who apologised to the pet’s owner as he reluctantly ordered its destruction. Christoph Egle had to have his face and arm rebuilt as the ferocious mastiff-staffy cross ‘tore chunks of meat’ from him. Surgeons reattached his thumb to his hand and the 56-year-old builder faces months before he can regain full use of it. Savaged: Christophe Egle, 56, shows the scars on his arm and face inflicted during a terrifying attack by a neighbour's dog . Owner Jordan Khan, 19, admitted failing to control his guard dog, called Gunner. But magistrate Rodger Livesey told him: 'It’s with a heavy heart that we have to agree to a destruction order. I know that he’s been a good friend to you and I’m sorry.' Furious Christoph said: 'Why are they apologising to him? It’s unbelievable - I almost lost my life. They need to focus on the real victim and think about what they’re saying. I thought I was doing to die and doctors have told me I’ll be scarred for life. 'In 18 months I still won’t be able to use my thumb, but Khan will have forgotten all about that dog. 'I can’t move my thumb and I’m exhausted all the time. 'I used to play piano and was in a band, but I can’t do that now. 'I’ll have to pay out for any further plastic surgery I need to have.' Mauled: The crazed mastiff-staffy cross clamped its jaws around the head of Christoph Egle during the ferocious attack in June . Surgery: Medics had to reattach parts of Christoph Egle's hand which was so badly injured during the dog attack in St Albans, Hertfordshire, in June . Mr Egle was attacked when he went to retrieve a set of his ladders from Khan’s house in St. Albans, Herts in June. He accused his neighbour of failing to ask permission to borrow them after he locked himself out of his flat. Gunner . mistook him for an intruder and knocked him to the ground and clamped . its jaws on Christoph’s head as he screamed for help. Pounced: The dog, called Gunner, similar to the one pictured, left, mistook Mr Egle for an intruder and launched a savage attack which left him needing extensive surgery, including stitched to his thumb, right . The attack was so vicious Khan and a friend struggled to pull the dog off before calling an ambulance. Christoph - whose wife Janet, 34, was pregnant at the time - was rushed to Watford General Hospital for emergency surgery. He later needed three operations to prevent permanent disfigurement. Mr . Egle told St. Albans Magistrates Court: 'I try not to think about the . events because it was the most traumatic moment of my life. All I . remember is the animal ripping chunks of meat from my body. 'I feel very strongly that this dog should be put down so that it can’t do this to anyone else.' Khan admitted allowing his pet to be dangerously out of control in a public place and causing injury. Mr Livesey, 69, imposed a four-week prison sentence, suspended for twelve months and ordered the destruction of the dog. Wounded: The savage mauling by his neighbour's dog left Christoph Egle with terrible injuries on his face, arm and leg which required emergency surgery . The . magistrate told Khan: 'To your credit you did your best to remove the . dog, you called the ambulance service and were cooperative with . assisting and you’ve pleaded guilty today. 'But . on the other hand we’ve looked at the facts and it was unfortunate that . the incident took place on someone else’s land and you were taking . someone else’s property.' Andrew Hobdell, defending, said: 'At the scene Mr Khan did as much as he could do to assist in removing the dog. 'He managed to get as much as he could do in first aid, and then called an ambulance. I don’t think much more could be done.' Share what you think . The comments below have been moderated in advance. TomD, . Fareham, United Kingdom, . 1 day ago . "Time to introduce a £1,000 a year Dog-Owning Licence. Less dogs = less attacks on humans.- maggio, london, 23/9/2013 16:02" I'm not sure why you have so many upvotes because that's a really stupid idea. Why punish everyone financially because of the 0.001% of owners who aren't fit to have an animal. The key here is in punishing the owners when their dog has attacked. If sentences were harsher then people would think a lot harder about the type of dog they bought and the amount of time they invested in it. For example if the law changed and the dog was treated as an extension of yourself, ie anything your dog does, be it GBH, murder or whatever, would then give you the same sentence as if you had actually done it yourself. This would act as a major deterrent without hitting people financially when most people and families love their dog and their dog loves them. Jane, . Ipswich, . 1 day ago . The story is a bit unclear but it sounds as if the dog was simply guarding his property. Mr Egle - ''can¿t move my thumb and I¿m exhausted all the time'. Well Mr Egle the dog is dead because he did his job, compared to that, you are doing pretty well if that is all you have to moan about. Sapphire, . A House, United Kingdom, . 1 day ago . I would assume, although could be wrong, that the judge is sorry because either A) he is a dog owner, and understands the bond, or B) he regrets that the dog must be destroyed because his owner failed to control him. Very Very Grumpy, . Edinburgh, . 1 day ago . So does that mean if I shoot or stab someone it will be ok as long as I stay on the scene and administer first aid ? Lets face it , he was caught bang to rights and if he had tried to run he would have been arrested within an hour. Simon86, . Birmingham, United Kingdom, . 1 day ago . This idiot broke into someones property. I don't see why the dog should even be put down, he was a security dog he was trespassing. MadamGeorge, . Wateringbury, . 1 day ago . I'd shoot ALL ,but Guide, dogs.....no it's and but's . John, . Bristol, United Kingdom, . 1 day ago . "'It¿s with a heavy heart that we have to agree to a destruction order." I don't usually agree with the death penalty but in some cases is looks almost justifiable, and the dog is clearly a menace too. And while we are at it let's put the judge out of his misery also. Topgun54, . Bolton, . 1 day ago . I am not allowed a gun or a knife (as an offensive or defensive weapon) he same applies for a brick a bat a stick, then none should be allowed to have an offensive dog, a dog that will bite and maliciously. Time to rid this country of this menace. Dave, . Plymouth, United Kingdom, . 1 day ago . I know what. Lest have a cull. Tara, . London, United Kingdom, . 1 day ago . In this instance there was clearly no alternative but to destroy the dog, but the blame for that lies entirely with the owner. Owners need to be more accountable for their pets. It needs to be harder to own a dog. Breeders need to stop mass producing dogs, which will then help prevent the wrong people buying the dogs. I'm a staffie lover so I know the price they pay for poor ownership, both in reputation and in the loss of life (48 bull breed dogs are (openly) put to sleep everyday in the UK). To think anyone could think poorly of my old boy breaks my heart, he was the most amazing little soul. RIP Granddad x . The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.
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Christoph Egle's face and arm ripped apart by the mastiff-staffy cross .
Jordan Khan, 19, admitted failing to control his dog .
Khan was given four-week suspended prison sentence .
Magistrate says sorry for ordering dog's destruction .
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By . Wills Robinson . This is the shocking moment a reckless father and his young son took shelter from 30ft waves after they walked out to a perilous stack of rocks during a vicious storm. The pair wandered 50ft away from the main coastal path in Portland, Dorset, to the outcrop known as Pulpit Rock, and were left exposed to the high winds and choppy seas. As the powerful waves broke around them, the father grabbed hold of the boy, aged about 11, and stood up against one side of the giant rock. Shocking: The pair are thought to have gone for a walk during extreme storms and wandered 50ft from the main coastal path in Portland, Dorset . Perilous: As the powerful waves broke over the front of the huge stack of stones, the father grabbed hold of the boy, aged about 11 . The large waves crashed around them; leaving the pair soaking wet while a stunned passer-by stopped and photographed the scene. A spokesman from Portland Coastguard said: 'Had the pair been struck directly by a wave they would have been washed away. 'They placed themselves at a significant risk by doing that.' Police and coastguards have repeatedly warned sightseers to stay away from the sea front during the dramatic storms. The RNLI warned people not to take any chances and said the behaviour had been irresponsible. James . Millidge, RNLI community incident reduction manager in the south west, . said: 'Ducking waves at any time is not only foolhardy but extremely . dangerous - including for those RNLI volunteers who may have to come to . the rescue you if the sea washes people away. 'The sea is far more powerful than people think and the chances of survival are slim for people who are dragged in to the swell. 'There's the risk of drowning, of dying from cold water shock or from being battered back on to the rocks by the crashing waves. 'We understand why people want to experience extreme weather, but we would urge folk to do it from a safe distance.' Risk: The large waves crashed around the pair as they stood helplessly on the rock. A spokesman for the coastguard said if they had been directly by the water, they could have been washed away . Exposed: The father and son were spotted by a stunned passer-by who stopped to photograph the horrifying scene . Yesterday, a man perched on the edge of the coast in Bude, Devon, as waves came down over his head. The . unidentified man was wearing a suit as he left himself vulnerable to . the vicious conditions during the extreme weather which has impacted . Britain since Christmas. Onlookers were horrified as the man stood for 15-20 minutes in weather that has claimed lives and torn apart homes. Stupid: A man clad in a suit looks sharp but then stands on the coast in Bude as perilous wave crash overhead . Bewildered: Onlookers were shocked to see him being drenched in the storm as emergency services blast storm tourists . Julia Devitt, who saw the man joking with his friend, said: 'We couldn't quite believe what we saw. There on the edge of the sea pool wall was a man dressed in a suit. 'He was with someone else who we presume was taking photos or video from the relative safety of the steps. 'This man kept coming back to pose, long after we thought it was safe to do so. It was scary.' In January a family in Cornwall narrowly escaped . being swept into the sea when a 20ft wave washed over them as they were . walking along a sea wall. At . Mullion Cove in which is almost the southernmost point in all . of Britain, a father, mother and three young children were photographed . walking along a barrier when a 20ft wave came over the top of the wall, . drenching all four members of the family. Drenched: In January a family in Cornwall narrowly escaped being swept into the sea when a 20ft wave washed over them as they were walking along a sea wall . Risky: At Mullion Cove in which is almost the southernmost point in all of Britain, a father, mother and three young children were photographed walking along a barrier when a 20ft wave came over the top of the wall, drenching all four members of the family .
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The pair had taken a walk in the storm before wandering onto the outcrop known as Pulpit Rock in Portland, Dorset .
As the waves crashed around them, the father grabbed his son, who is thought to be aged 11, and held him .
A spokesman for the coastguard said if they had been hit directly they could have been washed away .
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A Reverend who was dumped in a vacant lot when she was a baby has been reunited with the police officer who rescued her more than 50 years on. Toni DiPina was abandoned by her parents among rusting cars and appliances on a disused patch of ground in St Louis, Missouri, when she was nine months old. Today, no-one has ever come forward to claim her and, for decades, all she knew of the day that changed her life forever was a report by officer George Leuckel who was called to collect her. Now, for the first time, they have enjoyed an emotional reunion to share the unique bond they had carried with them during their very separate lives. Emotional reunion: Reverend Toni DiPina meets retired St Louis police officer George Leuckel for the first time since he found her abandoned in a St Louis parking lot more than 50 years ago . Mr Leuckel, now 79, said he seriously considered adopting her, but felt it would not be possible to take in a black baby in the deeply segregated St Louis of 1963. 'The thought had crossed my mind to take her home, but there was no way you could do that back then,' he told the St Louis Post-Dispatch. Mrs DiPina, now 51, was discovered by two boys in a vacant lot off Bell Avenue on May 26, 1963. What wasn't mentioned in the official police reports was the immediate connection that was forged when Mr Leuckel first scooped her up. Close bond: Mr Leuckel, now 79, said he seriously considered adopting Mrs DiPina after finding her, but felt it would not be possible to take in a black baby in the deeply segregated St Louis of 1963 . Detailing the encounter in full for the first time, Mr Leuckel said the baby stared at him quietly without crying and then clutched him when he took her to be assessed at the nearby hospital. She was later taken to an emergency foster home and they lost contact. After a troubled upbringing, Mrs DiPina went on to become a nanny with a respectable family in central Massachusetts, going on to gain a college degree and bringing up a family of her own. She later became a pastor. Mrs DiPina, now 51, was discovered by two boys in a vacant lot off Bell Avenue (above) in St Louis in 1963 . In 2008, she read a report in the St Louis Post-Dispatch of a boy who was abandoned in very similar circumstances. She came forward to tell her story in the hope it might encourage someone to come forward for the boy and herself, but neither did. Then, last year, she decided to launch another appeal on Facebook - and called Mr Leuckel for the first time. They finally met on January 3 at the Oakville condominium Mr Leuckel shares with his wife Barbara and their daughter, named, coincidentally, Toni.
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Toni DiPina was dumped among rusting cars by her parents in 1963 .
George Leuckel called to collect her after she was found by two boys .
Officer said she clutched him when he took to hospital for a check up .
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Washington (CNN) -- A suburban Washington county official at the center of an FBI investigation into years of kickbacks says he is innocent and that the facts will prove it. Jack Johnson, who served as the executive of Prince George's County, Maryland, since 2002, spoke to reporters late Friday after the FBI released details of how he and his wife allegedly tried to hide checks and evidence of illegal payments, even going so far as to flush a $100,000 check down the toilet. The Johnsons were both charged with tampering with evidence and destruction of records after they appeared in federal court late Friday in Greenbelt, Maryland, just outside the U.S. capital. "I'm innocent of these charges and I just can't wait for the facts to come out," said Johnson. "When they come out, I am absolutely convinced that I'm going to be -- that we will be vindicated." An affidavit by an FBI investigator whose team was monitoring wiretaps detailed a dramatic end to an alleged years-long kickback scheme organized by the couple. Read the affidavit (pdf) After the Johnsons were arrested, FBI agents searched their Mitchellville, Maryland, home, walking out with at least 10 boxes filled with evidence. U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein stressed the investigation is continuing. The Johnsons were released on their own recognizance, but Jack Johnson will be required to wear a monitoring device and presumably will be allowed to continue serving out the last weeks of his expiring term as county executive if he chooses. The judge, however, ordered him not to attempt to destroy any evidence. Jack Johnson had been the Prince George's County prosecutor prior to his eight years as executive. Leslie Johnson was just recently elected to the nine-member Prince George's County Council. "We socialize with them and it's just shocking," a female neighbor of the Johnsons told CNN affiliate WUSA on Friday. "They're very nice people, very kind people." The 10-page affidavit says the FBI began investigating Johnson in 2006 when it learned that certain real estate developers were paying Johnson for contracts. That led to "a series of authorizations for the interception of wire communications." The frantic end began early Friday when Johnson allegedly received a $15,000 payoff, and the FBI suddenly barged into the room to demand an explanation. Johnson told them the cash was for a party marking the end of his tenure as county executive. He also claimed he had no dealings with the developer who was with him. The FBI says Johnson made a series of false statements. The agents let him go but then eavesdropped on a series of frantic phone calls between the couple as Jack Johnson and the FBI headed for the Johnsons' Mitchellville home. "Two women (agents) are at the door," Leslie told her husband. "Don't answer it," Jack said. He told her to run upstairs to their bedroom and go to "my drawer." "You will see a check in there that (an unidentified developer) wrote to me," he said. The affidavit says that when Leslie found the check, Jack told her to tear it up. "Do you want me to put it down the toilet?" she asked. Jack Johnson replied, "Yes, flush that." The agents monitoring the phone calls heard a flushing sound. Leslie Johnson grabbed cash from the bedroom and also ran to the basement and grabbed more cash. "Put in your bra and walk out or something, I don't know what to do," Jack Johnson said. "I have it in my bra," his wife replied. Agents then searched Leslie Johnson and found $79,600 in her underwear, the FBI affidavit says. The wild ending may end up costing the Johnsons. The FBI says there is probable cause to believe that the pair "tampered with ... evidence and engaged in destruction, alteration, and falsification of records in a federal investigation." The FBI document does not say how much money Johnson may have received in kickbacks or bribes. It does say at least some of the funds involved were targeted from an $80 million budget for programs supported by federal grants such as those from Department of Housing and Community Development. CNN's Terry Frieden contributed to this report.
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Jack Johnson is executive of Prince George's County, Maryland .
He says he is innocent and the facts will prove it .
He and his wife were charged Friday .
An FBI affidavit describes years of kickbacks .
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England swept lowly San Marino aside - CLICK HERE for our amazing match zone. Here was an ominous warning for the provincial cities. This is precisely the kind of low-grade international football heading your way if England steps aside to make way for more American Football at Wembley Stadium. The Cowboys, the Jaguars, the Falcons and the Lions are on the way later this year. It makes you wonder if Thursday's crowd was swelled by dyslexic gridiron fans hoping to catch a glimpse of legendary quarterback Dan Marino. It was one of those largely pointless one-sided exercises served up in every qualifying campaign, where Roy Hodgson only has to make sure his team turn up on the right day to secure the points. VIDEO Scroll down to watch pictorial highlights of England's comfortable Euro 2016 qualifier win over San Marino . Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring the second goal on an extremely comfortable night for England against San Marino . England: Hart 6, Chambers 6, Cahill 6, Jagielka 7, Gibbs 6, Henderson 6 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 46 - 7), Wilshere 5.5, Milner 5, Sterling 7 (Lallana 46 - 6.5), Welbeck 7 (Townsend 66), Rooney 7 . Subs not used: Foster, Clyne, Baines, Delph, Shelvey, Lambert, Forster . Goals: Jagielka 24, Rooney (pen 43), Welbeck 49, Townsend 72, Della Valle (og 78) Bookings: Milner . San Marino: Simoncini 4; Palazzi 5 (Buscarini 74), F Vitaioli 5, Della Valle 5, Brolli 5, Battistini 5; Hirsch 5, Tosi 5 (L Gasperoni 63), Chiaruzzi 5, M Vitaioli 5; Selva 4 . Subs not used: Benedettini, Cervellini, Stefanelli, Lorenzo, Golinucci, A Gasperoni, Valentini, Mazza, Muraccini . Bookings: Selva . Att: 55,990 . Referee: Marcin Borski (Poland) *Ratings by SAM CUNNINGHAM at Wembley . He did and they did and, as Switzerland lost in Slovenia, England may at this rate qualify for Euro 2016 with years to spare. What will that do to the crowds at Wembley? No wonder the idea is back on the agenda to move some of these less-appealing games to cities where international football is more of a novelty and smaller stadiums, which fill up more easily. Since Wembley is not likely to surrender its A-list fixtures. These will be the ones earmarked for the travelling circus. It was a terrific effort by nearly 56,000 who came along and by England who coped well with the no-win task at hand. Hodgson's team did their best to entertain, sustained a healthy tempo, and never attempted to coast or simplify their football. Five goals did not reflect their utter domination and plenty of chances were missed, many by Wayne Rooney, who might have scored half a dozen but inched within seven of Sir Bobby Charlton's 49-goal record - six if he can claim the fifth which swerved in off defender Alessandro Della Velle. Hodgson wanted to give it him. 'Rooney all day,' he beamed. The opener came from the unexpected source of Phil Jagilka, Danny Welbeck continued his fine goal run and Andros Townsend came off the bench to score his first international goal for a year. San Marino boss Pierangleo Manzaroli was happy with five. Adam Lallana, marked out for praise by Hodgson, had a goal wrongly disallowed for offside, there were some remarkable saves from computer science student Aldo Simoncini and Townsend was denied by a late goal-line clearance. It may have been a glorified training session but it was a spree to lift spirits ahead of Sunday's qualifier in Estonia, which promises to be a little trickier, and Hodgson was able to report there were no injuries of note, another key element of the night. With his international players falling lame at a rate of one a day, Arsene Wenger must have been among those who looked away. Five Arsenal players started the second-half, including Calum Chambers and Kieran Gibbs in their first competitive England game. Well, competitive in the sense that there were points at stake. This particular competition was to see who could puncture the double layer of dark blue insulation on the edge of the Sammarinese penalty area and beat Simoncini. Phil Jagielka (centre) plants a header home after 24 minutes to set England on their way - the Everton defender's first competitive international goal . Jagielka is all smiles when being congratulated by Gary Cahill with goalkeeper Aldo Simoncini lying on the floor after tripping over . England captain Rooney added a second after 43 minutes from the penalty spot - his 42nd international goal . Rooney stroked home with ease past Simoncini into the right-hand corner as England went two up before the break . Rooney and Jordan Henderson after the penalty, while the Liverpool midfielder appeared frustrated with Manuel Battistini (right) Danny Welbeck slides in the third goal just after the break and was given a rest by the manager soon after . Welbeck is given a double high-five by Arsenal team-mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who came on as a substitute at the break . Welbeck looked delighted after firing home his 11th goal in an England shirt to begin added gloss to the three points . Welbeck was given a breather shortly after finding the net, with Tottenham winger Andros Townsend his replacement . Townsend cut in from the right-hand side before beating the goalkeeper at his near post in trademark fashion in the 72nd minute . Townsend is congratulated by Rooney after scoring just minutes after coming on at Wembley in front of a swathe of empty seats . Danny Welbeck put a shift in up front for England against San Marino - CLICK HERE for our brilliant match zone . Two years ago, Simoncini protected his goal for more than half an hour. Here, he was beaten after 24 minutes when he came hurtling from his goal-line in pursuit of James Milner's corner and tripped over his team-mate Luca Tosi. As the goalkeeper crashed to the ground, Jagielka leapt to nod the ball into an unguarded net. It was the 172nd goal conceded by Simoncini in 40 games. It would be 176 by the end of the night. If he were bothered by the avalanche of numbers, he would have packed in long ago, as would San Marino for that matter. For them, they have a right to compete on the international stage as the world' s oldest republic but it is debatable. Simoncini was soon launching himself Superman-style towards Gary Cahill's head underlining the danger of UEFA's comedy mismatches: a student high on adrenalin propels himself like a human missile at the head of a player currently negotiating a £120,000-a-week contract at Chelsea. In truth, England could have few complaints about the way San Marino played. There were some clumsy challenges, but Milner was the first to be booked, raising the question of a how an England player manages to ease to the brink of suspension in a game like this. The night's second yellow card went to San Marino's veteran striker Andy Selva, who was back in his own penalty area, attempting to clear the ball when he kicked Rooney in the face. Rooney's spot-kick would have beaten even a professional goalkeeper. Welbeck (left) saw an early left-footed effort deflected just wide as the hosts tried to turn the heat up on the lowly visitors . Arsenal central midfielder Jack Wilshere tries to escape the attention of Mirko Palazzi (left) and Jose Hirsch (right) James Milner takes a dead ball as Roy Hodgson's Three Lions searched for the opening goal of the night in the Euro 2016 qualifier . Milner is brought down by San Marino's Nicola Chiaruzzi down the left as the Manchester City man looked to up the ante out wide . Kieran Gibbs (marshaled by Chiaruzzi and Hursch) spent the majority of the game deep in San Marino territory down the left-hand side . Winger Raheem Sterling - who was brought off at half-time - uses his low sense of gravity to get away from Matteo Vitaioli (left) It was another crash back to earth for Simoncini who had just produced a splendid reflex save to turn a shot over from Welbeck and the cue for Hodgson to start making changes with the trip to Tallinn in mind. The limbs of Raheem Sterling and Jordan Henderson were to be preserved, a sign of how important the Liverpool pair have become to their country. And, with San Marino beaten, the fluent movement of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and vision of Lallana helped England ease clear. Oxlade-Chamberlain set up the second for Welbeck at the near post, within four minutes of the restart. Lallana had his first England goal wrongly disallowed for offside before Townsend cut inside from the right to score and Rooney, having fluffed one elaborate attempted chip, scored with another, helped by the deflection. And the best part? It is over. On to more important matters. Adam Lallana zips an effort at goal after replacing Sterling at half-time during the victory on Thursday night . Rooney palms off full back Palazzi as the striker attempts to weave his way inside the away penalty area . Wilshere barges Battistini off the ball in midfield as England set about knocking the minnows off any stride they tried to conjure . Oxlade-Chamberlain entered the fray at half-time, replacing Sterling, as Hodgson made a couple of changes . England supporters belt out the national anthem moments before kick-off at Wembley Stadium on Thursday night . Captain Rooney leads the England meeting during the customary huddle ahead of international fixtures . VIDEO Chambers debuts as England hit five .
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Everton defender Phil Jagielka set England on their way with a header in the 24th minute .
Captain Wayne Rooney scored a penalty after 43 minutes as Roy Hodgson's side cruised to victory .
Danny Welbeck notched just after the break with substitute Andros Townsend firing in a fourth .
San Marino defender Alessandro Della Valle put through his own net in the 78th minute .
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By . Mary Gold . PUBLISHED: . 19:45 EST, 17 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:45 EST, 17 February 2014 . Sally sually avoided the scales, and was appalled to discover her weight had shot up to more than 11st . Sally Edwards was in for a shock when the nurse at her asthma clinic asked her to step on to the scales. 'My . doctor had retired and I changed to a new surgery where they had an . asthma clinic,' says Sally, 45, a hairdresser from Aldington in Kent. 'They . saw on my notes that I suffered from asthma, but this was the first . time anyone in the medical profession had weighed me.' 'She took a sharp breath and made a face, so I knew it wasn't good news,' says Sally. Like . many women, she usually avoided the scales, and was appalled to . discover her weight had shot up to more than 11st. At only 5ft 2in tall . this made her officially obese. 'The problem was that I didn't feel . fat because the weight had crept on so gradually during and after my . pregnancies,' says Sally. 'Then when the children left things on their . plates, I'd pick at the leftovers.' Sally was also struggling . increasingly to manage her asthma, making simple tasks such as walking . up the stairs and looking after her children, Maizie, now 12, and . Merrin, nine, more difficult. The asthma clinic nurse advised her to . lose weight and said it would reduce her asthma symptoms. It was a real . wake-up call, says Sally. 'I knew that I had to do something about it . or my asthma would just get worse because I would become more immobile . and reluctant to exercise.' There is a clear link between obesity and . asthma attacks, as Deborah Waddell, clinical lead nurse at the charity . Asthma UK, explains: 'Obese people find their asthma much harder to . control.' It seems they don't respond as well to treatment as people . who are a healthy weight. Indeed, a recent study by Royal Brompton . Hospital in London, involving more than 600 patients at severe asthma . clinics across the UK, found that patients with a BMI of more than 30 . were more likely to need the steroid prednisolone - used to reduce . inflammation in the airways - and to resort to their inhalers more . often. But as Dr Andrew Menzies-Gow, a consultant in respiratory . medicine at Royal Brompton, says: 'Unfortunately, one of the . side-effects of prednisolone is increased appetite and weight gain, so . patients are more inclined to find activity difficult. 'It's a vicious circle, but if an asthma sufferer can break that cycle and lose weight, the benefits will be obvious.' Sally's . asthma started when she was 19, triggered by a severe bout of flu. Upper respiratory infections are often caused by cold and flu viruses . and are a common trigger of asthma. Sally lost a stone-and-a-half and it made a huge difference, bringing the asthma under control . 'I had the flu jab when I was 19, but I was one of the unlucky people who contracted the flu badly,' she says. Her . asthma started to affect her daily life. 'Getting up the stairs was . very scary because the wheezing was so loud. And it stayed at the same . level in my 30s and into my 40s. I couldn't run after the children at . the park.' Since being diagnosed with asthma, Sally has used a brown . preventer inhaler each morning to build up a constant level of . protection and a stronger, fast-acting Ventolin version when symptoms . worsen. This would tend to happen in winter, and also if she was . stressed or had been in contact with pet hair, particularly rabbits. As . well as losing weight, Sally embarked on an exercise regimen - which . can be a brave step for an asthma sufferer, as many worry that increased . activity will spark an attack. The amount spent on treating and caring for people with asthma each year . But, in fact, exercise is good for . asthmatics because it improves their lung capacity. Done carefully, it . shouldn't be risky. And, for Sally, the regimen has been a life-changer. After seeking advice from the Asthma UK website, she took up jogging. As . well as running four miles three times a week, she started going to a . weekly spinning class, while cycling short distances instead of using . the car soon became part of her routine. 'I lost a stone-and-a-half in eight months and it made a huge difference,' says Sally. 'It . really brought the asthma under control and made the attacks less . frequent and less severe - I have just one a month instead of three a . week.' She can now also run up the stairs. 'When I was 11st, my . body was struggling to cope with the weight, especially climbing . stairs, but the fitter you are, the stronger your lungs become.'Sally's experience is backed up by Asthma UK. 'If . you can exercise, this will expand the airways, and improve your lung . function,' says Deborah Waddell. 'Following a low-fat, low-sugar diet . and getting rid of weight, especially around the middle, will make a big . difference. It's all about changing your behaviour and lifestyle.' Andrew . Menzies-Gow suggests that people with asthma should look closely at . their whole lifestyle, stop smoking, avoid pets which aggravate the . condition, and take up exercise gradually, especially walking, swimming . and cycling. When it comes to exercise, he recommends taking a . friend with you when you first start, stopping your work-out to rest if . wheezing starts and choosing gentle, age-appropriate exercises to begin. 'Weight loss and exercise are not a magic bullet for asthma, but they can help enormously,' adds Dr Menzies-Gow. As for Sally Edwards, she's delighted that her asthma is now under control. But that day at the asthma clinic is so vivid and humiliating that she still steers clear of the scales.'I still don't weigh myself very often, but now I have a pair of size 12 jeans and I try them on once a week. 'I know that if they don't fit then I have to try just that bit harder to keep the weight off,' she says. For more information on how to exercise with asthma, go to asthma.org.uk and rbht.nhs.uk .
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Asthma clinic nurse advised Sally Edwards, 45, from Kent, to lose weight .
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By . Wills Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 07:34 EST, 28 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:52 EST, 29 December 2013 . Bubble: The Chancellor risks pumping up a fresh housing bubble with the Help to Buy scheme, warns economists . Britain's economic recovery is under threat from inflated house prices and debt, a leading think tank has warned. In a gloomy New Year message, the Institute for Public Policy Report (IPPR) predicted a new 'debt bubble' is on the way as families continue to live beyond their means by taking out cheap mortgages under the Government's Help To Buy scheme. The policy was set up last year to help people get onto the property ladder, but the economists believe it could lead to an unmanageable level of demand for new houses and increasing levels of household debt. Economic growth in Britain, which is at its strongest since 2007, is being fuelled by higher consumer spending and increased rates of borrowing. This, in turn, is leading to an increase in household debt, which caused the recession to 'deepen' after 2008. Personal debt is expected to rise to 160 per cent of personal income by 2018, and could cause the bubble to burst. The chief economist of the Institute for Public Policy Report (IPPR), Tony Dolphin, took aim at the Help to Buy scheme. He said there was a 'fundamental flaw' in the way the economy was run and condemned Chancellor . George Osborne’s promise of a recovery led by the difference manufacturing and exports, which is running at a deficit . ‘The Chancellor risks pumping up a fresh housing bubble with the Help to Buy scheme’, he said. Some . economists, including Dolphin, are worried that this is pushing up . house prices to artificial levels, as demand outstrips supply of new . homes. Dolphin pointed . out that house prices have risen by 6.5 per cent across the UK in the 12 . months to November, and growth in London has hit double digits. The Bank of England has responded to these fears by promising to keep a close eye on the housing market. The . Office for Budget Responsibility believes debt will start to . increase again in relation to incomes. ‘In the global economy we are truly living beyond our means, and have been doing so for three decades,’ said Dolphin. Obstacles: People taking out cheap mortgages to buy homes is fuelling levels of household debt and could hamper Britain's economic recovery . He . also ridiculed the pledge by Osborne in his March 2011 Budget for a . ‘march of the makers’ – an economic recovery led by manufacturing . industry boosting exports and investment spending. It . comes after latest figures from the Office for National Statistics . revealed that a slump in exports had led to a huge increase in the UK’s . current account deficit – the difference between what Britain . earns from abroad and what it pays out to overseas countries. This . ballooned to £20.7billion from £6.2billion between July and September.
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Institute for Public Policy Report (IPPR) made the gloomy prediction .
Claims the Help To Buy scheme is creating a huge demand for homes .
Policy set up by the Government to help people onto the property ladder .
Household debt expected to rise to 160 per cent of personal income by 2018 .
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A coalition split emerged today over the imminent release from prison of notorious police killer Harry Roberts. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg defended the decision by the Parole Board, insisting the justice system cannot be run according to 'the latest emotion you feel'. But Home Secretary Theresa May made clear she believes anyone who kills a police officer belongs 'behind bars for life'. MPs warned that the public will be 'absolutely furious' about the decision to release the 'evil' killer. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg today refused to condemn the decision to release Harry Roberts from jail, despite a public outcry 48 years after he killed three police officers . Mr Clegg today repeatedly refused to condemn the decision by the parole board to allow the 78-year-old to walk free, despite a judge during his trial for murdering three officers insisting he should die behind bars. He suggested that as Home Secretary Mrs May has the power to intervene but has chosen not to. But in a statement issued this afternoon, Mrs May insisted: 'Policemen and women go out to work every day knowing that they might face great danger and they carry out their duties with great courage. 'I strongly believe that anyone who murders a police officer belongs behind bars – and behind bars for life. That is why I have made sure the Government will change the law so life will mean life for anyone who murders a police officer. Under pressure during his weekly radio phone-in, Mr Clegg conceded the case would provoke 'controversy' but defended the justice system which allows Parole Board's to take the decision. He told LBC: 'It's not about my feelings. It's not about my feelings. It's about how the justice system, works and if you want to run our justice system according to whatever the latest emotion you feel, fine. 'But that would be an absolute disaster for the kind of principles of justice I believe in.' Roberts opened fire with a Luger pistol on unarmed police in Shepherd's Bush in west London in 1966 when they approached a van he was in with two others ahead of an armed robbery. Detective Sergeant Christopher Head, 30, Detective Constable David Wombwell, 25, and Pc Geoffrey Fox, 41, were all killed in the attack on August 12 1966 . His accomplices were caught but former soldier Roberts, then 30, remained on the run for 96 days – sparking Scotland Yard's biggest ever manhunt. He was found near Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, living in a camouflaged den made out of plastic bags and branches. At his trial, Old Bailey judge Mr Justice Glyn-Jones jailed him for a minimum of 30 years for what he called the 'most heinous crime for a generation or more'. He added: 'I think it likely that no Home Secretary, regarding the enormity of your crime, will ever think fit to show mercy by releasing you on licence.' Notorious police killer Harry Roberts (pictured right with a prison guard) is to walk free 48 years after being told by a judge he should never be released . However, the Parole Board has decided he should be released and he is expected to leave Littlehey Prison in Cambridge within days. In the Commons, ministers were urged to keep the 'evil' killer 'behind bars where he belongs'. Labour former minister Ian Austin warned the public are 'absolutely furious' that Roberts will be released from prison within days, despite being warned he faced dying in jail. He told Commons Leader William Hague: 'People out there are absolutely furious at today's news that the notorious police killer Harry Roberts is due to be released. 'The police are saying it's a betrayal, (Home Secretary Theresa May) herself promised the country that life should mean life for anybody convicted of killing a police officer. 'I want to know what's the Government going to do to ensure this evil criminal is kept behind bars where he belongs.' Mr Hague replied: 'There will be a great deal of sympathy with what you have just said. 'This is, as I understand, a decision by the Parole Board but of course there will be concern about it and a great deal of public agreement with what you said. 'I will certainly draw the Home Secretary's attention to your raising of this and the concern in the House about it.' London Mayor Boris Johnson said people would be 'absolutely sickened' by the release. He added: 'They will find it hard to understand how a man who shot dead three police officers in this city in the most horrific fashion can now enjoy the freedom he denied his victims. 'To my mind, in the case of the murder of a police officer, life should mean life.' Roberts murdered three officers in 1966 in Shepherd's Bush before going on the run for 96 days . Mr Clegg stressed that it was 'a decision not by Theresa… it's by the Probation Board'. He added: 'I understand that this provokes a lot of controversy, of course I do. 'But one of the founding principles of the way that we do justice in this country is that you have an independent bunch of people who look at the behaviour of offenders who are behind bars and make a judgement about whether someone can be released or not. And of course there's a role for the Home Secretary as well.' He admitted there 'are circumstances' in which Mrs May could block the release, but refused to say whether she should use the powers in the Roberts case. London Mayor Boris Johnson said people would be 'absolutely sickened' by the release . 'You quite understandably want to invite me to second guess judges, to second guess probation officers, to second guess Home Secretaries, taking decisions. Do you know what? On this occasion I'm not. 'I think I want to vigorously protect the system which allows decisions like this to take place, however controversial and unpopular they are. 'Because we have to have a system in which people for a whole range of grounds, whatever it can be compassionate grounds, grounds to do with rehabilitation, can be released from prison. 'The decision has been taken for this character to be released after 48 years in prison. 'You have to protect the integrity of people being able to decide whether someone is released in this case after 48 years. However unpopular it might be with some people. 'He is coming out of jail because that's what the probation panel board have decided.' Pressed again on whether Mrs May should use her powers as Home Secretary to intervene, Mr Clegg added: 'She has clearly decided not to.' Downing Street insisted it was a decision for the Parole Board. David Cameron's official spokesman said: 'The Prime Minister will very much understand the strength of feeling that this case will provoke. 'Of course there is very rightly and understandably a widely held view among the British public that the murder of policemen and women is a particularly heinous act. 'He very much understands the strength of feeling.' A spokesman for the Parole Board said: 'We can confirm that a three member panel of the Board has directed the release of Harry Roberts. 'The decision to release is a matter for the Board, which is independent - arrangements and the date of the release are a matter for the Secretary of State for Justice. We are unable to comment further on the details of this case.' A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'We do not comment on individuals. 'The release of life sentence prisoners is directed by the independent Parole Board once they are satisfied they can be safely managed in the community. 'Once released, they are subject to strict controls for as long as their risk requires them. If they fail to comply with these conditions, they can be immediately returned to prison. 'Offenders managed through multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPAs) are monitored and supervised by probation, police and other agencies.'
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Deputy PM insists the Parole Board's decision must be respected .
No.10 says Cameron understands strength of feeling but defends ruling .
But MPs warn public is 'absolutely furious' about release of 'evil' killer .
Roberts murdered three officers in Shepherd's Bush in London in 1966 .
78-year-old expected to leave Littlehey Prison in Cambridge within days .
Opened fire on unarmed police when they approached a van he was in .
Accomplices were caught but Roberts remained on the run for 96 days .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:25 EST, 20 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:32 EST, 21 September 2013 . In jail: San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith was arrested on Friday in San Jose on suspicion of driving under the influence and marijuana possession . San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith was arrested Friday morning in San Jose, California, on suspicion of driving under the influence and marijuana possession, authorities said. Smith, 23, was arrested by officers who received a call about a solo vehicle crash involving a pickup truck at around 7am, San Jose police Sgt. Heather Randol said. Officers proceeded to take a breathalyser test and other tests. They conducted an investigation and determined he was under the influence,’ Randol said. The team released a statement regarding the All Pro linebacker Friday morning. ‘The 49ers organisation is aware of the matter involving Aldon Smith. As we continue to gather information regarding this situation, we will have no further comment,’ the team said. Smith was booked into the Santa Clara County jail on $5,250 bail where he remained in custody late Friday morning. It is not clear whether Smith will play Sunday for the Niners when they host the Indianapolis Colts at Candlestick Park. The linebacker was also arrested on suspicion of drunken driving in Miami Beach in January 2012. Smith has also been named in a lawsuit by a Northern California man who said he was shot during a party at Smith's house. Lost control: Aldon Smith crashed his pickup truck at 7am Friday morning in San Jose, California . Another case: Aldon Smith is also facing a lawsuit from Ronndale Esporlas, 21, who claims he was shot at one of Smith's house parties last year . Locked up: Aldon Smith is being held at Santa Clara County jail on $5,250 bail . In the suit filed earlier this month . in Santa Clara County Superior Court, David Kleczek, an attorney for . Ronndale Esporlas, claims that Smith and former Niners tight end Delanie . Walker fired weapons illegally during a party at Smith's San Jose home . on June 29, 2012. The players charged a $10 admission and $5 per drink, the lawsuit said. Smith . and Walker, who is also named in the suit, were allegedly intoxicated . on Smith's balcony when they later fired gunshots in the air while . trying to end the party, the lawsuit said. Kleczek . said they then moved to the driveway where he alleged more shots were . fired. Esporlas, 21, was shot twice in the leg while he was ‘caught in . the crossfire between the two groups of people firing gunshots at each . other,’ the lawsuit said. Sidekick: Delanie Walker of the San Francisco 49ers is also named in the lawsuit for allegedly firing gunshots in the air while trying to end a house party . Victim: Ronndale Esporlas, 21, 'sustained serious, catastrophic and permanent injuries' from being shot at the party hosted by Smith and Walker . As a result, Esporlas, ‘sustained serious, catastrophic and permanent injuries,’ the lawsuit said. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. Attorneys for Smith and Walker, 29, have said Esporlas "freely and voluntarily exposed himself to all risks of harm" by attending the party. They say injuries suffered by Esporlas, who was shot in the leg, were not caused by the defendants.Santa Clara County prosecutors have said they are considering criminal charges. The NFL is no stranger to controversy when it comes to its players. Since . the Super Bowl on February 3, there have been at least 37 incidents of . NFL players being arrested or charged with crimes, including 10 players . accused of driving drunk, according to USA Today. Drunk and dangerous: Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher (right) fatally shot himself in the head after getting drunk and killing his girlfriend. A week later, Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent (left) allegedly drove drunk and flipped his car, killing teammate Jerry Brown in the passenger seat . Aaron Hernandez, former player for the NFL's New England Patriots football team, was recently indicted for the killing of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd in June . The NFL is no stranger to controversy when it comes to its players. Since . the Super Bowl on February 3, there have been at least 37 incidents of . NFL players being arrested or charged with crimes, including 10 players . accused of driving drunk, according to USA Today. The most recent is the murder indictment for ex-New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez. But . the list gets uglier if the second half of last season is included . which saw three car crashes and three people dead in crimes allegedly . committed by NFL players. On . December 1, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher fatally shot . himself in the head after getting drunk and killing his girlfriend. A . week later, Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent allegedly drove . drunk and flipped his car, killing teammate Jerry Brown in the passenger . seat.
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San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith, 23, was arrested Friday morning in San Jose, California .
He is still in jail on $5,250 bail .
The pro footballer is also embroiled in a lawsuit by a man who claims he was shot at Smith's house party last year .
Smith was also arrested for drink driving in Miami Beach in January 2012 .
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LIMA, Peru (CNN) -- Tensions between Chile and Peru remained high Monday after last week's revelation that Peru's top army general said at a party that Chileans in Peru would be sent back in coffins or body bags. General Edwin Donayre, right, meets with Peruvian President Alan Garcia in Lima, Peru, last year. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet met Monday morning with her domestic advisers to discuss the matter after the Peruvian general appeared unrepentant over the weekend, the Chilean government reported on its Web site. Peruvian President Alan García had called Bachelet last week to say that the statements by Gen. Edwin Donayre are not the official policy of Peru. Bachelet said at the time she was satisfied with García's explanation and it was "up to the government of Peru to take measures." Donayre made the remarks in 2006 or 2007 at a party at a friend's house, said CNN affiliate station TVN in Santiago, Chile. The video was downloaded to YouTube in February and surfaced a week ago to wider attention. "We are not going to let Chileans pass by," Donayre says in the amateur-quality video as he offers a toast. "Chilean who enters will not leave. Or will leave in a coffin. And if there aren't sufficient coffins, there will be plastic bags." Tensions rose over the weekend when Donayre, who is scheduled to retire Friday, was widely quoted in Peru and Chile as saying that he will not be forced to resign early due to external pressure. "I was named commander general under a presidential mandate and I can only be relieved under such an order. Not by necessity nor under pressure from another government," Donayre said, acording to the Peruvian Andina news agency. Further heightening tensions, Donayre was quoted as saying that Peruvian citizens have a right to say whatever they want at private functions. "I want to express and specify that it was not a speech nor a public act," Andina quotes the general as saying. "The situation in which what happened at a private gathering was spread worries me." In the video, Donayre is surrounded by other uniformed army officials as well as people in civilian dress. It is not clear from the video in what context the general was making his comments. Nor was it clear in what forum Donayre made his comments over the weekend. After Bachelet's meeting with top aides Monday, government spokesman Francisco Vidal declined to say whether Chile's ambassador to Peru would be recalled in light of Donayre's weekend statements. "General Donayre's declarations in the past 24 to 48 hours only convince us that we are right and that our government's posture is reasonable," Vidal said on the Chilean government Web site. In Peru, meanwhile, a member of Congress, Gustavo Espinoza, is under investigation, suspected of sending Donayre's videotaped comment to Chilean press and politicians. A political opponent said Espinoza has an "unpatriotic attitude," the Andina news agency said. "I would not have expected this conduct from any Peruvian, much less a member of Congress," said Aurelio Pastor. Espinoza is already serving a 120-day suspension for leaking a private conversation with another member of Congress, Andina said. Peruvian Defense Minister Ántero Flores-Aráoz told reporters Saturday that relations between the two nations will be repaired, calling the Donayre incident "a bump in the road." Flores-Aráoz also said that Donayre's remarks about Chileans used "improper terms" that are not shared by the Peruvian people, Andina said. Peruvian Foreign Minister Jose Antonio García Belaunde made similar assertions last week. Peru has not taken any measures against the general. His retirement Friday is required by law at the end of his two-year appointment as the army's top chief. Donayre has been the subject of an investigation in recent weeks concerning the use of 80,000 gallons of fuel under his control as commander of the southern military region in 2006. Chile and Peru have a long history of animosity, having fought in the War of the Pacific from 1879 to 1883. Hard feelings linger to this day. More recently, the two nations nearly came to war in 1975 when left-wing Peruvian leader Juan Velasco, who was backed by Cuba, wanted to invade Chile, which was led by right-wing Gen. Augusto Pinochet. The invasion was called off and Velasco was deposed in a coup a short while later. Tensions rose again when Peru discovered a Chilean spy mission, but war was averted. This year, the World Court agreed to look at an issue concerning Peruvian claims to a disputed maritime area.
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Video surfaced on YouTube last week of Peruvian general's anti-Chile remarks .
Gen. Edwin Donayre said Chileans in Peru would go home in coffins or body bags .
Donayre made the remarks in a toast at a party in 2006 or 2007, CNN affiliate reports .
Peru's president tells Chile the remarks do not reflect Peruvian policy .
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By . Luke Salkeld . PUBLISHED: . 11:26 EST, 3 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 20:39 EST, 3 January 2014 . Fears were growing last night for the safety of a teenage girl who disappeared a week ago after an argument at home. Nida Ul-Naseer, 18, vanished after popping out of her house to put some rubbish in a bin. A handmade sign pinned to the family’s front door reads: ‘Nida please come home. Don’t worry. We are all missing you.’ Missing: Nida Ul-Naseer, 18, of Newport, south Wales, who has not been seen since 8pm on December 28 . A major police search is under way to find missing teenager Nida Ul-Naseer . The teenager, whose disappearance is said to be out of character, is also in need of medication, without which she is likely to become anaemic. Her sister Naila, 22, said yesterday: ‘She’s not in trouble.’ Addressing Nida directly, she added: ‘We all love you. Just come home.’ She went on: ‘The most worrying thing is she’s missed mum’s birthday, which is not like her.’ Police say that so far there is no suggestion that the missing girl was picked up in a vehicle. Her sister urged Nida to get in touch and asked anyone who knew where she might be to contact the police. ‘We are missing her, we just want to tell her that she’s not in trouble. We all love her, we all love you Nida. Just come home,’ she said. ‘Please, please tell police if you . know anything – anything about her – please call police on 101. Please . help us.’ Gwent Police’s Assistant Chief Constable, Paul Symes, said up . to 40 officers had been involved in the search for Nida since she went . missing. They have been . trawling through hours of CCTV footage to try to locate her as well as . working closely with the teenager’s family to establish more about her . friends and lifestyle. Vanished: The 18-year-old vanished from her home after taking out the rubbish . Specially-trained . search officers scoured her home town of Newport, South Wales, . yesterday with the help of horses and sniffer dogs. Police also . distributed leaflets and conducted house-to-house inquiries. Two teams . of officers were seen around 1pm searching scrubland at the Stephenson . Industrial Estate, which is located south of the River Usk and almost . two miles from the home the teenager shares with her mother and father, . believed to be 47 and 54 respectively. About . ten officers used long poles to brush aside briars and nettles as they . searched woodland next to a car park at the industrial estate. A . spokesman for Gwent Police said Nida’s disappearance is ‘particularly . out of character’. Chief Inspector Daniel Taylor added: ‘She has gone . missing from her home address. That is the reason for the concern. There . is no motive for it. Search: Police scoured the Stephenson Industrial Estate . Message: Her family have pinned this note on the front door of their home . ‘As . far as we understand, she went out to the bins at the premises. That was . the last time she was seen.’ Nida is described as being of . Asian-Pakistani appearance with long, dark hair. She is 5ft 3in tall and . of slim build. When she was last seen on December 28, she was wearing blue jeans and a black top. Anyone . with information about Nida’s whereabouts should call 101 and quote log . number 448 28/12/13 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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Nida Ul-Naseer has not been seen since 8pm on Saturday, December 28 .
Sister Nilah Anwar said they 'miss her desperately'
Up to 40 officers and dogs are out looking for her in Newport, South Wales .
Two teams of officers searched scrubland at Stephenson Industrial Estate .
Police say they have found 'no motive' to explain her vanishing .
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(CNN) -- The gun lobby is fiercely, and so far successfully, blocking what easily could be the greatest technological breakthrough to catching killers and deterring others. The simple method allows bullet manufacturers to stamp a numeric code on shell casings that would make it very easy to identify the gun that fired the shot. But the National Rifle Association is lobbying against states enacting laws to require such "microstamping." The gun lobby is likely to prevail, given that in 2008 -- for the first time in American legal history -- the Supreme Court interpreted that the Second Amendment guaranteed an individual's right to own guns for personal use, rather than as the tools of a "well-regulated militia." The 2008 case, championed by the NRA, was the District of Columbia v Heller. The Supreme Court then struck down a strict D.C. law banning handgun ownership. This, and a subsequent ruling in 2010, effectively tied the hands of state and federal governments in enacting any reasonable gun-related laws. In 2008, Justice Antonin Scalia, writing for the typical 5 to 4 conservative majority, argued the first clause of the Second Amendment -- "A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state" -- merely offered one reason the founders sought to maintain the right to own firearms and that the main clause "codified a pre-existing right." The decision was "a radical break from 70 years of Supreme Court precedent," according to an op-ed in The New York Times. Although Heller applied only to federal law, the 2010 decision in McDonald v. Chicago asserted that the individual right to bear arms is a fundamental right, and thus the court's ruling in Heller could apply to strike down state and local laws as well. "Never in history has a federal court invalidated a law regulating the private ownership of firearms on Second Amendment grounds," said none other than Erin N. Griswold, solicitor general in the Nixon administration and former dean of Harvard Law School. "Indeed, that the Second Amendment poses no barrier to strong gun laws is perhaps the most well-settled proposition in American constitutional law." Opinion: Don't be nosy about Fast and Furious . The key Supreme Court cases establishing the precedent are United States v. Cruikshank (1875), Presser v. Illinois (1886), Miller v. Texas (1894) and United States v. Miller (1939). Though the details of these cases vary, and like all such cases they are subject to different readings, the decisions reached in all of them fundamentally affirm that the Constitution does not limit the states' ability to restrict private gun ownership. In United States v. Miller, the case most often cited, Jack Miller had not properly registered his sawed-off shotgun, nor had he paid a tax for transporting this weapon in interstate commerce, both required under the 1934 Firearms Act. Miller claimed the act violated his Second Amendment rights. The court ruled that because Miller could not prove that his shotgun had "some reasonable relationship to the preservation or efficiency of a well-regulated militia, we cannot say that the Second Amendment guarantees the right to keep and bear such an instrument."In the 1875 case, United States v. Cruikshank, members of the Ku Klux Klan were charged with infringing on black citizens' right to bear arms. The court ruled that although the Constitution prevents the government from infringing on that right, it does not apply to citizens' interactions with one another and charged that "'bearing arms for a lawful purpose'... is not a right granted by the Constitution." Presser v. Illinois (1886) reaffirmed the court's ruling in Cruikshank. In this case, participants in a paramilitary organization were arrested for conducting parades and weapons drills without permission. The court ruled that states have the right to prohibit citizens from forming private militias and that the Second Amendment "is one of the amendments that has no other effect than to restrict the powers of the national government," meaning that state governments are free to legislate as they choose regarding guns. Similarly, in Miller v. Texas (1894), regarding a man who was convicted of murder with an unlicensed handgun, the court ruled that the Second Amendment does not apply to state laws, calling it "well settled" that the Second Amendment "operate[s] only upon the federal power and [has] no reference whatsoever to proceedings in state courts." The United States has more gun-related deaths than any other industrialized country. The rate of gun-related death in the United States is more than double that of the next-highest industrialized country and eight times more than the average of its economic peers, according to data from the University of Pennsylvania's Firearms and Injury Center. The U.S. firearms mortality rate is more than 70 times higher than industrialized Asian countries, like Japan, Singapore and Taiwan. An average of 32,300 Americans died each year from gun-related injuries between 1980 and 2006. Among the many victims are children whose parents own guns to protect themselves against intruders. As someone who has experience using guns, I suggest that most homemakers are more likely to be killed in a gunbattle with an intruder than to kill him. It is ridiculous to argue that criminals kill people, not guns. Nor could Seung-Hui Cho have killed 32 people and injured 18 others at Virginia Tech with a knife instead of handguns. I realize that the majority of the Supreme Court is a conservative one and that the court very rarely reverses itself. However, this law enables the gun lobby to promote extreme positions. Is it too much to even hope that justices might revisit the 2008 decision and do what is right -- establish that the government has not just a right but a duty to regulate guns and ammunition? Then we might even get the gun lobby to drop its opposition to stamping a tiny numeric code on shell casings. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Amitai Etzioni.
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Amitai Etzioni: Stamping code on shell casings makes it easy for police to ID gun that fired shot .
NRA is fighting method and could win because of 2008 Supreme Court ruling, he writes .
Etzioni: Court ignored 70 years of precedent and guaranteed individual right to be armed .
This Second Amendment ruling hampers states making any gun-related law, he says .
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By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 08:04 EST, 13 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:54 EST, 14 January 2013 . The Duke of Cambridge’s mug at his Royal Air Force base was labelled ‘Big Willy’, it emerged today. An uncropped version of a photo of Prince William, 30 - part of a set issued by St James’s Palace on the Duke’s website - reveals his nickname on the mug at RAF Valley on Anglesey, north Wales. The photo was first issued last November with the mug title cropped out - and that release followed a Ministry of Defence security blunder that saw sensitive information visible in some earlier photos. 'Big Willy': An uncropped version of a photo of Prince William, 30 - part of a set issued by St James's Palace on the Duke's website - reveals his nickname on the mug at RAF Valley on Anglesey, north Wales . The new version of the photo of Flight Lieutenant Wales is visible on the Duke’s website - along with the mug title. The Daily Star Sunday claimed that the nickname was first given to him by Kate. Mug name: The new version of the photo of Flight Lieutenant Wales is visible on the Duke's website . His wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, was nicknamed ‘Waity Katie’ because they were together for a decade before marrying - and she had to sit out the years before William proposed. The caption on the cropped photo issued by the Press Association last November said: ‘The Duke of Cambridge making a cup of tea whilst working as a helicopter search and rescue pilot at RAF Valley on Anglesey, Wales.’ It added that the undated picture was part of a ‘day in the life’ set of photos featuring William in his work flying RAF Sea King helicopters from RAF Valley as a Search and Rescue pilot. The MoD was forced to reset the user names and computer passwords of dozens of RAF staff following an embarrassing security blunder over the William pictures last November. Original crop: The photo was originally issued last November with the mug title cropped out - but that release followed a Ministry of Defence security blunder that saw sensitive information visible in some earlier photos . Ten photographs of the future king in his role as a search and rescue helicopter pilot were published by St James’s Palace on the Duke’s website before being cleared by the MoD. But the publicity exercise backfired within hours as it emerged that sensitive information was visible in four photos. In one, William was in front of a computer with a password prompt screen open. Another showed a document on the desk and an email open on a computer. Other photographs showed details of passwords and user names pinned up on a wall. By the time horrified defence officials spotted the mistake – some four hours after publication online – the shots had appeared on websites around the world, on TV and in newspapers. They were ‘rereleased’ with the details pixelated, but the MoD had no choice but to reset passwords of some personnel ‘as a precaution’.
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Photo of William, 30, at RAF Anglesey base issued by St James’s Palace .
Originally released last November by MoD/PA with mug title cropped out .
But new uncropped version with nickname appeared on Duke's website .
Follows security blunder last year that saw sensitive information visible .
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By . Richard Spillett . Dee St Phorose was bundled into a police van and charged with a public order offence after shouting at a pedestrian who jumped in front of her car . A mother was bundled into a police van by four officers after she shouted at a pedestrian who walked out in front of her car. Dee St Phorose, 50, who had never been in trouble with police before, was handcuffed in front of her disabled son before being charged with a public order offence. But magistrates have now thrown out the case against her because of a lack of evidence she offended anyone. Speaking after the case, Ms St Phorose slammed the 'heavy-handed' actions of the police and is now taking her case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). The mother-of-two, from Islington, north London, said: 'It has been six months of . having to deal with the humiliation and the fear of prosecution. 'This was a complete waste of taxpayers' money and police resources to have four officers attending to a middle-aged woman.' The incident happened on Boxing Day last year when Ms St Phorose was travelling through Shepherd's Bush, west London with her fiance Russell Shrimplin and their son Oliver, eight. Mr Shrimplin, 51, a TV cameraman, was driving their Audi A6 when the couple say a man ignored a red light at a pedestrian crossing and stepped in front of them with a buggy. Mr Shrimplin was forced to make an emergency stop and Oliver was thrown forward and hurt his neck. Ms St Phorose shouted 't**t' at the man through her open window and her comments were overheard by two policemen standing nearby. She then was surprised when the officers told Mr Shrimplin to pull into a nearby petrol station 'for a chat'. Ms St Phorose, a full-time carer for Oliver, said: 'I was very offended when [the officer] leaned into the car and told me it wasn't Christmassy behaviour.' Ms St Phorose was travelling with her eight-year-old son Oliver when the incident happened . She added: 'I'm a Christian and he was telling me it wasn't Christian behaviour. 'We had a dispute about the word 't**t' and whether it . was a swear word. If they had just issued me with a fine, that would've . been the end of the matter but they didn't. 'Four police officers came in total and I was handcuffed in front of my son, he was extremely distressed, especially when [I was] dragged further away. 'The handcuffs were too tight and I got bruising - the pain was excruciating and I was screaming. The whole thing was disgusting. I feel extremely violated.' Ms St Phorose was taken to Hammersmith Police Station in a van where she says she was left outside for 20 minutes. After finally seeing the custody sergeant, Ms St Phorose was given a £90 fine but refused to pay it and instead was charged with a Section 5 public order offence of causing alarm or distress. Justices at the City of London Magistrates Court have thrown out the case against the mother-of-two . Six months . later, the case has now been thrown out by City of London Magistrates, . who ruled that she had not caused alarm or distress. Pc . Richard Harvey told the court he arrested Ms St Phorose because she . refused to give him her details, but she and her fiance dispute that. Pc Harvey said: 'She was very angry and kept saying she called the man a t**t because he was pushing a child into the road and repeatedly said the word t**t very loudly and there were pedestrians around. 'I asked Ms St Phorose for her name and address because I thought it could be dealt with sensibly but she refused. 'In the end, I arrested her and explained why - saying it was for a section 5 public order act because she was causing distress and alarm to passersby. I put her in handcuffs because of our failure to communicate.' Ms St Phorose represented herself because the offence was so minor she didn't qualify for legal aid. The incident happened in Shepherd's Bush, west London on Boxing Day last year . When she challenged the officer in court, he said he may have told her the situation was 'not Christmassy'. He . said: 'There might have been similar words - it was the day after . Christmas and I might have said words of that kind because it was the . festive period.' Chair of the bench Jan Carr said: 'Ms St Phorose was clearly upset by what she had witnessed and aggravated by the police. The situation escalated resulting in arrest. 'However, I have to find beyond reasonable doubt that we are certain that Ms St Phorose's behaviour caused alarm and distress. We are not satisfied this is the case.' Speaking after the case, Ms St Phorose said: 'I finally had my day in court and common sense prevails and I can now pursue my complaint for the way I had been violated.' She has now lodged a complaint with the IPCC and is awaiting a further response.
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Dee St Phorose shouted at man who walked out in front of car with buggy .
The pedestrian's actions caused her disabled son pain in emergency stop .
She shouted 't**t' at the man and was overheard by nearby policemen .
They pulled over her husband before arresting her when she complained .
Police said her comments, made on Boxing Day, were 'not Christmassy'
Magistrates now throw out claims she committed a public order offence .
After her six-month ordeal, Ms St Phorose branded officers' 'heavy-handed'
She is taking issue to the Independent Police Complaints Commission .
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3-D television was heralded as the breakthrough technology of the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show. Hot on the heels of James Cameron's eye-opening Avatar, 3-D HDTVs were everywhere on the show floor. One year later, at CES 2011, 3-D was back again -- this time iterating. We saw bigger 3D HDTVs, 3-D displays that didn't require special glasses, and camcorders that captured 3-D content. But where is 3-D now? It's certainly not showing up big on our CES 2012 radar, and now looks like over-hyped technology in hindsight -- especially to those of us who always thought 3-D's natural home was in the movie theater, not the living room. Indeed, a variety of obstacles -- high prices, a lack of 3-D content, and uncomfortable viewing experiences -- have kept 3-D TV adoption in the single digits nationwide. Manufacturers and content providers are working to address these issues, but one has to wonder if 3-D was nothing but a flash in the CES pan -- a technology story rather than anything consumers actually wanted. In 2010, consumers purchased a paltry 1.1 million 3-D TV units, and although sales have grown in the two years since, the widespread 3-D fervor that TV manufacturers were anticipating never took root. According to a January Display Search report, just more than 23 million 3-D TVs were shipped in 2011 worldwide, with only 3.6 million shipped in the U.S. Display Search analyst Paul Gagnon says that U.S. household penetration for 3-D TVs is at about 3%. "To be fair, 3-D TVs have only been available for sale in a significant way for about 18 months, so that's why the penetration is so low," Gagnon says. "That said, it's still lower than what many in the industry had hoped for." Markets like China and western Europe are seeing far more enthusiasm for 3-D TV than in North America, but worldwide adoption is still likely less than 2%. So what's to blame? The content, for one. "We have disappointed our audience multiple times now, and because of that I think there is genuine distrust -- whereas a year and a half ago, there was genuine excitement, enthusiasm and reward for the first group of 3-D films that actually delivered a quality experience," Dreamworks animation chief Jeffrey Katzenberg said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. After "Avatar," a string of unsuccessful, rushed-to-market 3-D flicks -- we're looking at you, "Clash of the Titans" -- zoomed to theaters hoping to cash in on the craze. Moviegoers were left with a bad taste in their mouths (and oftentimes headaches, too, as 3-D viewing can cause eyestrain). Since then, better-quality 3-D films like "Tron: Legacy," and, more recently, "Tin Tin" and "Hugo," have tried to improve 3-D's image. Meanwhile, small-screen content providers have branched out to provide live and on-demand 3-D offerings. Currently, there are 55 3-D channels worldwide, including ESPN 3-D. Another 35 channels offer 3-D content on-demand. If content and a disillusioned audience are the biggest problem, that's bad news for manufacturers: They have zero control over the content side of the equation. To this end, 3-D TV manufacturers are doing whatever they can to make the 3-D viewing experience as pleasing and trouble-free as possible. This includes doing away with uncomfortable, unattractive 3-D glasses, which have also been cited in studies as barriers to consumer adoption. LG, for one, has announced it's making 3-D glasses that are lighter and more stylish. But even handsome 3-D specs can't mitigate the headaches and fatigue suffered by some viewers of 3-D content, or the high prices of 3-D TVs. So, yes, 3-D TVs are expensive. And they can cause headaches. And they aren't supported by a lot of quality content. All of which begs the question: Who's buying these things at all? The existing sales, however paltry, can be attributed to consumer desire to purchase high-end TVs. Consumers don't really want 3-D specifically, but if they want that priciest, top-of-the-line unit, they'll receive 3-D capability whether they like it or not. "Sometimes consumers are even unaware [that they're getting a 3-D set] at the time of purchase," Futuresource Consulting's Fiona Hoy said. Whatever the reason for purchase, the most recent studies indicate consumers are slowly warming up to 3-D. An October report from the Digital Entertainment Group found that the majority of 3-D TV owners say the experience is positive: 88% of those surveyed rated 3-D picture quality positively, and 85% of those 3-D TV owners prefer to watch more than half of their programming in 3-D. As prices come down, more content becomes available, and 3-D glasses improve (or are replaced by glasses-free technology), 3-D TV adoption will only increase. Whether we reach the near 50% adoption rates that have been projected for 2014 and 2015 is yet to be seen. But whether you like it or not, 3-D does not appear to be in its death throes just yet. Yes, we'll see new 3-D displays and accessories at CES next week, but you can rest assured the manufacturers' over-reaching hype campaigns are over.
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3-D television now looks like over-hyped technology in hindsight .
23 million 3-D TVs were shipped in 2011 worldwide, only 3.6 million shipped in U.S .
U.S. household penetration for 3-D TVs is at about 3% .
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(CNN) -- It's not every day you meet an active field agent of Israel's super secret spy agency, the Mossad. Generally, if you did, you wouldn't know it. But there he was, taking us on a tour of "Operation Finale: The Story of the Capture of Eichmann" before the V.I.P. guests arrived for opening night. This spy is the curator of the extraordinary exhibit of recently declassified spycraft chronicling the capture of Adolf Eichmann, one of the chief architects of the Holocaust. It's a passionate side project to document one of Mossad's most famous successes. I can't use his name and we couldn't film him, but he told us why he spent months in the archive. "It was our first big 'James Bond' operation. I knew we had the material in the archive," he says, "but until today, people only knew a small part of the story, we had to tell the whole thing." The story starts with Eichmann, a German SS officer put in charge of orchestrating the "final solution," the Nazi plan to kill all of the Jews in Europe, during World War Two in the early 1940s. Eichmann was the chief logistician, organizing transport for millions of Jews to the gas chambers. In the waning years of the war, when Nazis were trying to destroy all evidence of the Holocaust and halted the killing, Eichmann insisted on continuing his evil work. At the end of World War Two, Eichmann escaped and evaded capture several times. He was a wanted man, but the trail went dry. But in the 1950s, word began to reach Mossad and Israel's domestic security service, Shin Bet, that Adolf Eichmann was hiding in Buenos Aires using the name "Ricardo Klement." At first, agents sent to Argentina didn't believe that the shabby suburb where Klement lived could be the residence of a senior Nazi officer. Agents then traveled to Argentina to take photos of the man who called himself Klement. They pretended to be property investors. The small Leica camera, a simple converted business case with a secret camera trigger, and original photographs, are part of the "Operation Finale" exhibit. The agents took the negatives to a developing shop in town and got three shots of an ordinary looking man standing over a barbed wire fence. But Adolf Eichmann was no ordinary man. The covert pictures were compared to SS photos in Mossad's files. A 10-point analysis of his ears (apparently ears are unique) told Mossad they had their man. Avi Armoni, the CEO of the Museum of the Jewish People, says the exhibit shows the evolution of Mossad, then in its early days. "Even the mighty Mossad started with improvising solutions," says Armoni. And it's painstakingly documented in an exhibit crammed with originals: the crudely made license plates; the fake passports used by agents, the metal syringe used to drug Eichmann. "What people react to in museums, aside from the story, is to see original artifacts, to feel that they are in the presence of the real thing," he says. "And to all of us it symbolized evil, it symbolized the Holocaust, it symbolized the notion of justice." To bring Adolf Eichmann to justice, 11 agents traveled to Argentina under assumed names. Dozens of Jews living in Argentina helped provide the cover needed to succeed. The agents put Eichmann in an El Al crew uniform and shoved him into a Pontiac. They slipped him onto a special El Al flight and spirited him out of Argentina. In April 1961, the trial of Adolf Eichmann began in Jerusalem. During nine months of testimony, the world was astounded by the personal testimony of 120 witnesses (99 of them Holocaust survivors). The impact was greatest in Israel. "I grew up in Israel. I was born here," says Armoni. "The whole notion for young Israelis growing up here -- of the Shoah, of the Holocaust -- was very much not spoken of, it was hidden, we were in shock." "The capture of Adolf Eichmann -- bringing him to court and to justice in Jerusalem -- was for so many Israelis of my generation a watershed event. It actually brought out the stories and the horror of what happened to the Jews in Europe." The "Operation Finale" exhibit ends with the actual bulletproof glass booth where Adolf Eichmann sat impassively during the duration of the nine-month trial. The message is clear. The agents who painstakingly tracked down and captured Eichmann were after one thing: justice.
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An exhibition documenting Mossad's capture of German Nazi Adolf Eichmann has just opened .
'Operation Finale: The Story of the Capture of Eichmann' is curated by an active Mossad field agent .
The exhibit follows the evolution of Mossad and the capture of one of it's most high profile targets .
Mossad agent: '"It was our first big 'James Bond' operation'
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:27 EST, 8 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:33 EST, 9 October 2013 . He has been globe-trotting for 25 years and Michael Palin revealed yesterday he has no intention of stopping as it keeps him ‘up to the mark both mentally and physically’. The 70-year-old actor and travel presenter who was on screen late last year in Brazil - the 96th destination he has visited, said the reason why he did it is not because he is interested in being famous per se, but in educating and entertaining people. Responding to questions on Gransnet, a web forum for grandparents, the former Monty Python star said: “I always thought there’d be a time when I wanted to stop what I was doing and let others take over but I find as I get older I’ve learned more about the world, and I want to share it with people rather than sit in a chair and shut up. Michael Palin at the Iguazu Falls while filming his Brazil programme . Michael Palin, 70, has said that travel keeps him young, and he won't hang up his backpack just yet . “I’m not interested in celebrity as such, I’m interested in what I can bring to the rest of the world in terms of information, education and entertainment. “And I think the wisdom of older people is really valuable.” Age should be no barrier to anyone looking for travel adventures, he argued, “provided you’re careful and don’t try and run up and down Everest, or try and swim the Channel every afternoon.” Palin began his career as a travel writer shortly after Python ended following its run from 1969 to 1974. His journeys have taken him across the world including the North and South Poles, the Sahara Desert, the Himalayas, Eastern Europe and, most recently, Brazil. He urged grandparents to try and be adventurous, as a “well-planned” journey could “lift your spirits” as you get older and have time to yourself. “I’m 70 now, and I don’t think I shall ever stop traveling,” he said. “It keeps me up to the mark both mentally and physically and the interaction with the rest of the world and the people I meet makes me feel that there is much more that unites us all, than divides us. “This is a useful antidote to media stories which might give you the impression that the world is falling apart.” Palin returned to television drama last month after a two-decade hiatus, with a part in The Wipers Times, a one-off BBC drama based on the true story of a satirical newspaper produced in the trenches of the First World War. Michael Palin has met interesting people from all over the world on his travels. Here he is pictured while filming his documentary Around the World in 20 Years . Earlier this year, in another interview, he credited his travels as the key to ensuring his marriage has survived 46 years. He said his time away from his wife Helen has ensured the longevity of their union. He said: ‘People say, ‘How on earth can you stay married when you are away for so long?’ That’s the way you stay married: because you are away.’ Explaining the dynamics of his relationship, and her ability to remain unimpressed by what he does, he said: ‘She [Helen] is not a great adventure traveller. We go to cities:New York, Barcelona, Antwerp. Bit more adventurous this year, went Oman. She doesn’t like needless suffering.’ She is however ‘extremely tolerant and very down-to-earth and never admits to being impressed by anything I do. ‘Occasionally, she’ll come along and listen to me talking and say, ‘That wasn’t bad but your collar looked a bit odd.’ The way partners should do really.’
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Former Python has been traveling the world for 25 years .
Claimed on Gransnet forum that going abroad helps to keep him young .
Says that travel has also helped to keep his 46-year marriage strong .
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(CNN) -- A riot at a Sri Lankan prison left 27 dead and 43 injured, officials said. Clashes broke out in the high-security prison in northern Colombo after special task force members began to check the prison for drugs, police said. Authorities used tear gas to try to quell the clashes, but prisoners were able to break through a wall and enter a prison armory. Authorities also deployed armored vehicles to help bring the situation under control, said Gajadeera. The riot will be investigated, said Prison Reforms Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera.
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The riot occurred at a prison located in the northern part of Colombo .
The clashes started when authorities searched the prison for drugs .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 04:20 EST, 12 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:05 EST, 12 October 2012 . A mother has been accused of scorching her six-year-old son's hands on a stove and pouring salt on the burns as punishment for touching an iPad. Karina Torrescano Hernandez, 27, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault of a child after the boy's wounds were spotted by a school counsellor. Doctors found four separate burn marks which 'indicated multiple contacts, not one' and scars on his head, neck, shoulder and buttocks, according to a statement from the hospital. Accused: Karina Torrescano Hernandez (pictured) allegedly burned her young son's hands on a stove as a punishment for touching an iPad . 'Teaching him a lesson': The boy told investigators his mother pushed his hands onto a hot spiral stove like this one then poured salt over the burns . Teachers from his elementary school in Lynnwood, Washington, were first alerted to the youngster's injuries by another student last month. At first, the boy said he hurt himself on monkey bars in the playground, but later broke down in tears and claimed his mother had done it. Officials found red marks on his palms that looked like they 'could have been caused by an electric stove element or something similar', according to the statement of probable cause cited on www.komonews.com. The boy told investigators his mother wanted to teach him a lesson 'because I touched an iPad' so she held his hands over a spiral stove, then cupped his palms together and poured salt over the burns. Red alert: Hernandez was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault of a child after the boy's wounds were spotted by a counsellor at College Place Elementary . He and his three-year-old brother told police their mother often hit them with a spoon, a shoe or a 'witches broom'. The boy's babysitter also claims Hernandez deliberately hurt her son 'because he had misbehaved'. Hernandez, who was questioned with the help of an interpreter, said she believed her son had burnt his hand while trying to toast marshmallows. She said it probably happened when she was having a nap during the day, something she often does because she works night shifts. Offering support: Friend and neighbour Lisa Infante (pictured) says she believes the alleged incident is the result of a big misunderstanding . She claims her son hid the injuries from . her for two days and says she did not get medical treatment because she . was afraid the state might take him away from her. Friend and neighbour Lisa Infante says she believes the alleged incident is the result of a big misunderstanding. 'None of us here that live here could even imagine her doing something like that to her child. She really takes really good care of her kids,' she told www.komonews.com. Hernandez has been booked into jail on one count of domestic violence and second-degree assault of a child, it was reported on www.kirotv.com. Her bail has been set at $25,000. The boy's hands have now healed and the two youngsters are staying with a relative.
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Karina Torrescano Hernandez, 27, then poured salt on the boy's wounds .
Medics found four separate burns and scars on his head, neck and bottom .
Boy and his brother, 3, claim she hits them with spoon or 'witches broom'
Mother claims son injured himself while 'toasting marshmallows on stove'
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(CNN) -- At least 24 passengers have died in a collision in central Punjab, a province in Pakistan. A passenger van collided with a truck on a main street near the city of Bahawalpur on Tuesday morning, Sohail Tajik a senior police official from the area, told CNN. So far, 24 people have died, including seven women and one child from the same family. Twelve other people were injured and have been moved to a local hospital, Tajik said. "We have received and shifted 24 dead bodies and 12 injured to the Victoria Hospital in Bahawalpur so far," rescue worker Majid Saleem told CNN. Journalist Amir Iqbal contributed to this report.
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12 people also were injured when a passenger van collided with a truck .
Accident took place on a main street near the city of Bahawalpur in Punjab province .
The dead include seven women and one child from the same family .
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By . Kieran Corcoran . PUBLISHED: . 15:33 EST, 15 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:54 EST, 15 November 2013 . It is one of the more precarious ways to feel on top of the world. But these hardy travellers are happy to laugh off the impending danger of a 2,000ft plunge into a rushing river below them. At some points on their dangerous journey, believed to be between Killar and Kishtwar in the Himalayas of northern India, barely inches separate the men from a terrifying fall. Tempting fate: One of the British passengers leans out of the van to catch a glimpse of the drop below him . Precarious: At some points the van is just inches from a 2,000ft drop . The footage shows the British travellers tentatively guide their their van along a track carved out of the rock high above the waters of the Chenab river below. One passenger, identified only as Rob, remains tight-lipped throughout the experience despite being prompted to chime in by the narrator. At one point a man referred to as Rinku, who appears to be a local, steps out of the van in order to survey an overhanging rockface, which the tourists fear may be so low as to stop the vehicle from proceeding. The video, uploaded to sharing site Prochan, invites watch to join the gut-churning spectacle as the camera is pointed over the lip over the road. At any especially narrow spot, the men can't help tempting fate s they stare into the abyss below with cries of 'Oh my God!' and 'What do you reckon to that drop?' Sure-footed: A man referred to as Rinku, who appears to be a local, steps out to test whether the van will fit under the jutting rockface ahead . Slippery territory: At one point the road passes directly under a waterfall . They do not seem to have complete confidence in their vehicle either, with one man wondering whether the doors might give way and leave him plunging down the mountainside. The stretch, dubbed 'the narrowest we've been through' by the passengers, was also described as 'the maddest road I've ever been down in my life'. Nonetheless, everybody seemed impressed by the break taking views, despite the danger that came with them. One particularly dangerous moment came when the van came close to a waterfall, sheltered only by the lip overhanging their road. Amusingly, the camerman failed to close his window in time and ended up with a soaked chair.
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Daredevil tourists drive, inches from death, along a mountain track .
The road is believed to connected Killar and Kishtwar in India .
The brief clip sees them pass overhanging rock faces and a waterfall .
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By . Leesa Smith For Daily Mail Australia . Australia has pressed the Thai government to allow a transition period before it bans commercial surrogacy in a bid to allow Australians to receive children being carried by Thai surrogate mothers. The request made by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop comes a day after a Thai surrogacy agency was shut down by authorities. Ms Bishop made the call to acting Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting in Myanmar capital Naypitdaw, yesterday. Foreign minister Julie Bishop (left) has called on Thailand to allow a transition period before banning commercial surrogacy a day after All IVF Clinic in Bangkok was shut down. Dr Pisit Tantiwattanakul (right) was the centre's director . Ms Bishop raised the issue of ongoing cases of surrogate mothers for Australian women and requested Thai authorities allow for a 'transition period' for the births 'for humanitarian reasons' before enforcing proposed laws. The Australian families have already paid thousands of dollars to agents and the surrogate mothers for the procedure. Mr Sihasak told reporters Ms Bishop said the Australian government had no policy to support commercial surrogacy and Thailand had full authority to deal with issue. Ms Bishop's request comes as Thailand prepares to fast track legislation through the National Legislative Assembly. An estimated 70 per cent of Australian couples seeking surrogacy attended the All IVF clinic . As many as 50 Australian couples may have lost the opportunity to be parents after the Bangkok IVF clinic was shut down with Thai authorities suspecting links to an international baby trafficking organisation. Following the closure of the All IVF Center on Friday, there are grave concerns that Thai surrogate mothers could abort their babies now they have no support from the clinic as the baby Gammy scandal has seen 40 clinics raided in a serious crackdown across Thailand. It is estimated that about 50 Australian couples, who have arrangements with the clinic, have no way of contacting their surrogates and the whereabouts of the embryos previously stored at clinic was also unknown, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Thai authorities has cracked down on the growing surrogacy business after the plight of Gammy, a six-month old baby with Down syndrome, whose Australian biological parents allegedly left him behind in Thailand but took his twin sister to Bunbury in Western Australia. Surrogacy Australia founder Sam Everingham has called on the Thai authorities to ensure all of the clinic’s surrogates are safe and the biological parents will be reunited with their babies when born. Thai officials are treating surrogacy as human trafficking until parliament passes legislation banning surrogacy since Gammy (pictured with his surrogate mother Pattharamon Janbua) was allegedly left in Thailand by his Australian biological parents after it was discovered he had Down syndrome . The Thailand Health Service Support department has connected the clinic to the alleged biological father of six boys and three girls aged between six and 12 months, who were found in a Bangkok apartment and were taken into the state’s care. Authorities allege 24-year-old Japanese businessman Mitsuoki Shigeta, who has visited Thailand 65 times since 2012, has taken at least three other babies out of Thailand, two of them to Cambodia. Mr Shigeta, who flew out of Thailand early on Friday morning, is wanted for questioning over human trafficking, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Health Service Support chief Boonruang Trairuangworawat said the clinic was shut down because services could cause harm or even deaths: ‘it’s registered as a medical facility but not as one offering fertility treatments’. Pisit Tantiwattanakul, the clinic’s executive director, infertility specialist and chief embryologist, was described on the clinic’s website before it was shut down on Sunday, as ‘charming and kind,’ who received ‘high marks for his patient demeanour and his direct approach to client care’ and performed more than 700 IVF procedures a year. Surrogacy Australia founder Sam Everingham has called on the Thai authorities to ensure all of the clinic's surrogates are safe and the biological parents will be reunited with their babies at birth . It is estimated that up to 70 per cent of Australian couples seeking surrogacy attended Dr Tantiwattanakul’s clinic. Australia has set up a multi-agency committee to pressure Thai authorities to allow Australians with existing agreements to be fulfilled so surrogacy babies can be taken back to Australia as planned. Thai medical officials are treating surrogacy as human trafficking cases until parliament passes legislation banning surrogacy, except where family members were concerned. David Farnell, who was jailed for child molestation, and his wife Wendy will break their silence on Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes program on Sunday on why they left Gammy in Thailand. But Pattharamon Janbua, the baby’s Thai surrogate, has said she will reject a Channel Nine donation to an appeal to pay Gammy’s medical costs and long-term care, saying she does not want the Farnells' money or sympathy.
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Julie Bishop has called on Thai government to allow a transition period before banning commercial surrogacy .
About 50 Australians are affected by Bangkok IVF clinic shut down .
Thai authorities suspect links to international baby trafficking organisation .
Estimated 70 per cent of Australian couples seek surrogacy from the clinic .
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Editor's note: Rudy Ruiz founded RedBrownandBlue.com, a site featuring multicultural political commentary, hosts a nationally syndicated Spanish-language radio show; and wrote a guide to success for immigrants ("¡Adelante!" published by Random House). He is co-founder and president of Interlex, an advocacy marketing agency based in San Antonio, Texas. Rudy Ruiz says people hold on to their views despite the evidence for fear of being labeled a flip-flopper. SAN ANTONIO, Texas (CNN) -- As people shout over each other and tune out diverging views in town hall meetings, the health care debate is proving to be symptomatic of a major ailment threatening our nation: . A contagious culture of closed-mindedness threatens to suffocate our progress as a society. Why has it become so difficult to even consider changing our minds about important issues? Here's my diagnosis. Increasingly, the willingness to change one's position on political issues has been misread as a mark of weakness rather than a product of attentive listening and careful deliberation. During the 2004 Presidential campaign, the successful branding of John Kerry as a flip-flopper doomed his bid. Fear of "flip-flopper syndrome" is apparently catching like the flu, because today politicians are not alone in their determination to adhere to partisan positions despite the changing needs of our nation. Nearly everyone's so reluctant to appear wishy-washy that they stand firm even when the evidence is against their views. Three factors exacerbate this paralysis by lack of analysis: labels, lifestyles and listening. First, the labels ascribed to many potential policy tools render sensible options taboo, loading what could be rational, economic or social measures with moral baggage. This narrows our choices, hemming in policy makers. Any proposal including the words "government-run" elicits cries of "socialism" and "communism." Any argument invoking the words "God" or "moral" sparks accusations of "right-wing extremism," "fascism," or "Bible-thumping." Instead of listening to each other's ideas, we spot the warning label and run the other way. Second, our lifestyles favor knee-jerk reactions. The way we think, work and live in the Digital Age demands we quickly categorize information without investing time into rich interaction, research and understanding. We're hesitant to ask questions because we don't have time to listen to the long, complicated answers that might follow. And we lack the time to fact-check competing claims. In our haste, it's easier to echo our party's position than drill down, questioning whether party leaders are motivated by our best interests or the best interests of their biggest contributors. Third, we tend to listen only to like-minded opinions as media fragmentation encourages us to filter out varying perspectives. If you're a liberal, you avoid FOX News. If you're a conservative you revile MSNBC. The dynamic is even more pronounced online, where a niche media source can be found for any outlook. This silences the opportunity for meaningful dialogue and deliberation that might lead to reformulating positions, forging sustainable compromises, and developing consensus crucial to moving our nation forward on complex issues. So how can we overcome this challenge, starting with the health care debate? How do we open our minds to the possibility that we could actually learn from somebody else? Here's my prescription. For starters, we should eschew the notion that changing our minds is a character flaw. To the contrary, experts believe it's a manifestation of higher intelligence. Renowned psychologist Stuart Sutherland wrote in "Irrationality," his seminal 1992 book: "The willingness to change one's mind in the light of new evidence is a sign of rationality not weakness." To further free our minds, we should aggressively treat the three Ls: . Let's lose the labels: from "flip-flopper" to "commie," from "fear-monger" to "right-wing nut job." Trash the diatribe; mull the ideas. Let's engage in some constructive lifestyle management, slowing down to ponder -- and make independent decisions -- as enlightened people. We cannot allow the technological evolution to rob us of the intellectual strides of the American Revolution. We must value the art of listening, reflection, comparative analysis, and civil discourse if we're to make the most of our democracy. In the process, we should signal to leaders that we're willing to expand our horizons beyond party lines. Maybe they'll get in front of our parade, collaborating for a change. Let's request a second opinion and listen to each other. Switch channels. Visit different Web sites. Read a newspaper, while we can still find one. How about stepping into a town hall with an open mind, prepared to converse with people hailing from diverse circumstances? A range of perspectives enriches our viewpoint, empowering us to craft nuanced responses to complex situations. Ultimately, we must stop thinking that the only thing to think is what we've thought all along. As we learn more about multifaceted matters, our positions should evolve accordingly. Let's accept that it's OK to change your minds. In the end, opening our minds can only enhance the prognosis for our most cherished patient: America. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Rudy Ruiz.
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Rudy Ruiz: It's become unfashionable to have an open mind about issues .
He says labels like "socialism" and "fascism" obscure the real choices .
He says it's a sign of rationality to be open to the evidence .
Ruiz: Let's listen to each other and take into consideration wider range of viewpoints .
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Tacloban City, The Philippines (CNN) -- The day after the typhoon, Father Edwin Bacaltos stepped out of the compound of the Church of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in central Tacloban and began his work. The scene was one of unspeakable horror. Dead bodies were strewn all over the place. The debris of shattered buildings and their contents filled the street. Father Bacaltos' self-appointed task that day was to bless the bodies that lay scattered around his parish. He crossed the road to the hospital opposite the church compound, tending to each of the corpses in its grounds. He then moved onto other areas that weren't blocked off by walls of wreckage. His day of work took a heavy mental toll. "It was difficult for me," he said. "It was a really emotional experience." The next day, he said, "When I celebrated the Eucharist, I broke down because of all the suffering I had seen." Hundreds of survivors were taking refuge in the church compound, much of which withstood Super Typhoon Haiyan's ferocious winds and destructive storm surge. Many of them asked the pastor how God could let such a calamity befall this predominantly Catholic city. His response, he said, was to tell them that "God is not the cause of the suffering. God cannot prevent this. This is the work of nature." But why it had to happen to Tacloban and its more than 200,000 residents, Father Bacaltos acknowledged, is "difficult to explain." As the people who remain in this broken city attempt to come to terms with the catastrophe that engulfed them a week ago, religion is offering a degree of solace for some of those who have suffered incalculable losses. It's also providing basic elements of community and support to residents of an area where local government ceased to fully function for several days and is still only slowly sputtering back into action. In Santo Nino Church -- situated a few blocks north of Father Bacaltos' compound -- Joan Norcio, 26, sat on one of the wooden pews near the back, waiting for Mass to begin. Her home has been destroyed, she said, and three members of her family are still missing. She's received no food from authorities, relying on the charity of her neighbors instead. Attending Mass at Santo Nino has been "a big help" during this time, she said, sitting solemnly next to a motherly neighbor and the neighbor's young son. The storm ripped off most of the roof of the church. A large pool of dirty water sits in the center of the floor. And the adoration chapel is filled with brown sludge and broken chairs. But the altar is still largely intact. Masses resumed the day after the typhoon and are now being held two or three times a day, said Father Isagani Petilos, one of the two senior pastors at the church. Father Petilos, who also blessed the bodies in the area surrounding his church soon after the storm, said he didn't know if religion was helping the survivors endure the aftermath. "Only God knows," he said. "Only these people know. We are all victims. There are whole families lost." He and his colleagues have encouraged people to write the names of those killed in the storm on a board, so that they can be included in the congregation's prayers. Norcio said she has made use of another board at the back of the church where people can put details about missing loved ones in the hope that others who might know of their whereabouts can alert them. Sitting a few rows farther forward, Arsenia Orioque, 74, had come to the church to pray and to take advantage of the medical services being offered there each afternoon. Since the storm washed out her home and mini-grocery store, she has developed a bad cough, she said. All her clothes were ruined, leaving her to wear a red t-shirt that a neighbor took for her from a nearby shopping mall during the looting in the typhoon's aftermath. She seldom came to church before the storm struck, but now she says she can find peace there. "In my prayers, I give thanks that I survived the typhoon," she said. In the Philippines, more than 80% of the population describes itself as Roman Catholic, and only a tiny fraction of those surveyed in the national census say they have no religion at all. Many of Tacloban residents feel close to the nation's Catholic history. In 1521, the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan landed on Honmonhon Island, which sits on the Gulf of Leyte not far from Tacloban. Though he was eventually killed in a fight on another Philippine island, his arrival marked the beginning of the conversion of most of the archipelago to Catholicism. The missionary spirit is alive and well in Father Bacaltos' chuch. It has provided food and shelter to more than 300 families since the storm, he said. Inside the church, children played in the aisle and pieces of meat were cooking in a pan on a small fire. Sitting shirtless on one pew with a cigarette in his mouth, Eddie Cinco disagreed with the pastor's view of the cause of the storm. "It was an act of God," he said, a silver crucifix hanging from his neck and a wound gradually healing on his right arm. "Only God is strong enough to do this." Rubbing one of his bare feet, he said that God had perhaps decided to punish Tacloban, but he couldn't think why. Cinco said that he was thankful that he and his six family members staying in the church had been spared, even if their home had been flattened. In his prayers, he said, he asks for no more calamities. The churches are doing their best to help the living, but the dead are not being afforded a great deal of dignity - despite the pastors' initial efforts. Corpses have lined the streets here for days, festering in plain view. Many of them are now encased in body bags, and workers are gradually collecting them and moving them to an outdoor morgue. In front of the Church of Our Mother of Perpetual Help on Friday, a row of body bags was being hauled onto the back of a truck. Last in line was a rudimentary coffin with a wooden cross leaning against it. Determining that the coffin wouldn't fit on the truck, the workers picked up the wooden cross and used it to smash open the lid. They pulled out the decaying bodies of a young woman and an older man, loosely wrapped in plastic, and deposited them on the road. In front of a growing crowd, many of whom covered their noses with their hands or shirts, the workers placed the corpses in body bags and added them to the pile on the truck. On the outskirts of town, bodies that hadn't been claimed by relatives who had to examine corpse after corpse at the morgue near the city hall were being lumped into mass graves. There was no sign of religious rites at the proceedings. But Mayor Alfred Romualdez said a priest would conduct a ceremony at the mass graves, once the national authorities had given their approval. Such grim scenes remain harrowingly abundant in and around Tacloban. But Father Petilos urged people not to focus only on the misery. "Even if we have this kind of situation, there is still hope," he said, noting that some families in the city had begun the long, slow process of rebuilding their lives. "Yes, we may have been damaged," he said. "Devastated. But we're not dead." BELIEF BLOG: Jesus statue unscathed by Typhoon Haiyan . Are you there? Share your stories .
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The day after the typhoon, Father Edwin Bacaltos' task was to bless the dead .
Religion is offering some solace for those who have suffered losses .
The missionary has provided food and shelter to more than 300 families .
God had perhaps decided to punish Tacloban, says Father Bacaltos .
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Steve Bruce has revealed he tried to sign Danny Welbeck for Hull in the summer, but has no doubt he has the class to thrive at the very highest level with Arsenal. Tigers boss Bruce has history with the England striker, having taken him to Sunderland on loan in 2010-11, and was keen to renew their acquaintance when it became clear Welbeck's Manchester United days were numbered. He admits Hull's interest never got past an initial enquiry, with heavyweight suitors from home and abroad vying for the 23-year-old's signature, and accepts the player deserves to be among the Champions League elite. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Wenger: It's good to see Welbeck scoring (Archive) Steve Bruce (right) has revealed he attempted to bring Danny Welbeck (left) to Hull City over the summer . Welbeck had a successful loan spell at Sunderland during Bruce's tenure at the Stadium of Light . Four goals in six matches suggest he has enjoyed starting as a central striker under Arsene Wenger and Bruce is unsurprised. 'I rang his brother (and agent, Chris) but there was some rather big clubs in for him,' said Bruce, whose side take on the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. 'I think Spurs were in there, Arsenal as well of course, and one or two from Europe as well. 'He had a pick shall we say but, yes, we had a dabble. 'I've got no doubt in my mind after working with him that he can play at any top four side, no question. He's a top player. 'He's played a lot on the left (for United) and then people start criticising his goalscoring record, but you put him down the middle as a striker and he will score.' The 23-year-old striker has had a successful start to his Arsenal career since his summer move to the Emirates, and on Saturday he will face Bruce's Hull at the KC Stadium . Bruce, as a former Red Devils captain, was surprised to see his old club cash in on one of their brightest homegrown talents but understands the dilemma Louis van Gaal faced balancing his forward options. 'They've made changes at United and decided he's surplus but I believe he can play in any top team around Europe,' said Bruce. 'When you've got (Wayne) Rooney, (Robin) van Persie and (Radamel) Falcao you've got a decision to make but it surprised me because not often do you see Manchester United selling a very good young player. 'The proof will come over time whether they regret it but I'm sure it will work out for him at Arsenal.'
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Steve Bruce attempted to lure Danny Welbeck to Hull City over the summer .
The 23-year-old striker opted to join Arsenal from Manchester United .
Bruce worked with Welbeck at Sunderland when the striker was on loan at the Stadium of Light in the 2010/11 season .
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Samuel Eto'o has joined Sampdoria as a free agent after leaving Everton, it was confirmed on Saturday. Sampdoria coach Sinisa Mihajlovic said earlier that Eto'o was set to join the club and told his players not to be distracted by the former Cameroon forward's arrival. Television pictures showed Eto'o, currently at Everton, arriving at a clinic in Rome for a medical. He was due to be presented to the crowd before Sunday's Serie A match at home to Palermo. VIDEO Scroll down to see Sportsmail's favourite Eto'o Everton moment . Samuel Eto'o has joined Sampdoria as a free agent after leaving Everton, it was confirmed on Saturday . But Mihajlovic said he did not want his players to be carried away by the expected festive atmosphere. 'Party, what party?' he told a news conference. 'Eto'o is joining this team but he must not be a distraction. 'He's a great player, who has won everything and that attracts a lot of attention from the media, but this should not distract us. 'The reason we are (joint) third is thanks to these guys, their commitment and their daily work.' Eto'o, 33, who was a free agent, joined Everton from Chelsea in August after one year at Stamford Bridge. In the same month, he announced his international retirement after winning 118 caps and scoring a record 56 goals for Cameroon. Eto'o has won four league titles, seven domestic cups, a FIFA Club World Cup medal and three Champions League, two with Barcelona and one with Inter Milan. Sampdoria are joint third in Serie A alongside Napoli with 33 points from 19 games. Eto'o has won four league titles, seven domestic cups and three Champions Leagues in an illustrious career .
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Samuel Eto'o is set to join Sampdoria from Everton this transfer window .
Eto'o is due to be presented before Sunday's Serie A match vs Palermo .
Sampdoria are joint third in Serie A with 33 points from 19 games .
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By . Daily Mail Reporters . PUBLISHED: . 02:14 EST, 27 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:37 EST, 27 February 2014 . Spike Lee's made the . interview rounds Wednesday to defend his Tuesday tirade over . gentrification in New York City, but one need only look to his native . neighborhood to see he's got a point. 'Have you seen Fort Greene Park in the morning? It’s like the mother*****’ Westminster Dog Show,' he ranted while addressing the a Pratt Institute audience. Lee's appearance on Anderson Cooper insisting his birthplace has greatly changed may not have been necessary as MailOnline photos reveal Fort Greene really does have an awful lot of dogs. Descriptive: The dogs of Fort Greene: Spike Lee's rant against 'mother******* hipsters' changing the names of neighborhoods and turning his Brooklyn birthplace into the 'mother******* Westminster Dog Show' There ARE a lot of dogs: Lee made some media rounds Wednesday in the wake of his rant row. He wanted to clarify some of the ideas he expressed, but did he have a point? The row began a long-winded rant against gentrification in the Brooklyn art school on . Tuesday night when he was asked to argue against the development of . poorer neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Harlem. The . director, who has focused on racial issues and gentrification in his . films, blasted an audience member at the Pratt Institute who started . defending the changes in the neighborhoods. 'Let me just kill you right now,' Lee said to the unidentified questioner. While we can't so easily travel to the Fort Greene of yesteryear, we can take a look at how the neighborhood looks now. And, in a word (or two), it looks dog-friendly. 'Hot beignets': Mariah Cooperson walks her Chow-Huskie mix past Cammareri Bakery on Dekalb Ave. adjacent to Ft. Greene Park Wednesday. These are sights Lee says seem completely alien to him, but they're very common sights nonetheless . 'I grew up here in New York. It's changed': Henrik Milsen, left, and his Irish Setter, Snobben, Swedish for Snoopy, plays with Matt Estay's miniature Schnauzer, Pauli, right, in Ft. Greene Park . 'Have some respect for the history': Sarah Weir, left, walks with, her Australian Terrier, Tucker, a block from Ft. Greene Park Wednesday . Lee told Anderson Cooper on Wednesday that he wasn't pointing the finger at white people per se. 'I just find it interesting you have to have an influx of white New Yorkers to move into these neighborhoods for the services to go up' In Lee's memory, the area just didn't used to be the type of place where groomed canines roamed freely with latte-sipping owners at their backs. He made this abundantly clear in Tuesday's talk, but wanted to clarify on Wednesday that the rant was not an attack purely on white people moving into black neighborhoods. 'My problem is that when you move into a neighborhood, have some respect for the history, for the culture,' Lee told Anderson Cooper. In spite of the row and his need to Clarify, Lee said he's happy he got people talking. 'What I wanted to do was expand the dialogue,' he told CNN's Erin Burnett OutFront. His soapbox: Spike Lee argued that New York City is being gentrified at an alarming rate and it is no longer the same city that he grew up in . Lee initially pointed the finger at white New Yorkers who have moved into historically black neighborhoods and changed the environment, arguing that those changes have caused the areas to evolve into something completely different. 'Here’s the thing: I grew up here in Fort Greene. I grew up here in New York. It’s changed. And why does it take an influx of white New Yorkers in the south Bronx, in Harlem, in Bed Stuy, in Crown Heights for the facilities to get better?' he said. 'The garbage wasn’t picked up every mother*****’ day when I was living in 165 Washington Park. P.S. 20 was not good. P.S. 11. Rothschild 294. The police weren’t around. 'When you see white mothers pushing their babies in strollers, three o’clock in the morning on 125th Street, that must tell you something.' Protecting a legacy: Lee complained that residents in Brooklyn and Harlem are now stopping events in public parks for fear of excessive noise of garbage . 'Crystal ball': Lee said that a scene in his 1989 hit Do The Right Thing foreshadowed gentrification problems to come in Harlem . The entire 10-minute exchange was transcribed by New York Magazine, and it was clear that he knew it would cause a firestorm. 'My father’s a great jazz musician. He bought a house in nineteen-motherf*****’-sixty-eight, and the motherf*****' people moved in last year and called the cops on my father. He’s not — he doesn’t even play electric bass! It’s acoustic! We bought the motherf*****’ house in nineteen-sixty-motherf*****’-eight and now you call the cops? In 2013? Get the f*** outta here!' 'You can’t just come in the neighborhood and start bogarting and say, like you’re motherf*****’ Columbus and kill off the Native Americans. Or what they do in Brazil, what they did to the indigenous people. You have to come with respect. There’s a code. There’s people.' 'I’m for democracy and letting everybody live but you gotta have some respect. You can’t just come in when people have a culture that’s been laid down for generations and you come in and now s*** gotta change because you’re here? Get the f*** outta here. Can’t do that!' 'The black American population in New York City is going down because of... reverse migration and what we have and - and its something that de Blasio's going to, I mean he can't get the snow off the ground but still- what we need is affordable housing for everybody.' In spite of his outrage, Lee has moved to a cleaner, less noisy . area himself as he has lived in the Upper East Side since 2000. He . keeps connected to his Brooklyn roots by basing his company's . headquarters in Fort Greene, however. The topic was raised when a male audience member asked about a recent New York Times article that extolled the benefits of gentrification. This was not the paper's first recent foray into the issue, as a series they ran about homelessness in the city pointed out that some of the worst-run shelters is located next to brownstone houses that now sell for multiple millions. Lee said that gentrification is shown by more than just a heavier police presence on the streets but also by the dismissal of cultural customs. 'Then comes the mother*****’ Christopher Columbus Syndrome. You can’t discover this! We been here. You just can’t come and bogart. 'There were brothers playing mother*****’ African drums in Mount Morris Park for 40 years and now they can’t do it anymore because the new inhabitants said the drums are loud.' He boasted that his . critically-acclaimed film Do The Right Thing, which was released in . 1989, predicted the gentrification debate like a 'crystal ball', citing a . scene where a white man in Harlem is berated by his black neighbor . after the man accidentally scuffs up his new Air Jordan sneakers. Lee . told a story about how a party in Fort Greene park was proposed in . honor of Michael Jackson when the singer died but the plan got nixed . after residents complained that there would be too much garbage. Changing scene: Lee said that Fort Greene Park is cleaner than it has ever been . 'Garbage? Have you seen Fort Greene Park in the morning? It’s like the mother*****’ Westminster Dog Show. There’s 20,000 dogs running around. Whoa. So we had to move it to Prospect Park!' Lee said. 'I mean, they just move in the neighborhood. You just can’t come in the neighborhood. I’m for democracy and letting everybody live but you gotta have some respect. 'You can’t just come in when people have a culture that’s been laid down for generations and you come in and now s*** gotta change because you’re here? Get the fuck outta here. Can’t do that!'
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The Brooklyn-raised director launched into an argument about the drawbacks of gentrification on Tuesday .
His rant started a row accusing him of unfairly placing the blame on whites .
Lee was raised in Brooklyn but has lived in the Upper East Side since 2000 .
The filmmaker made the interview rounds Wednesday to explain his heated remarks .
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(CNN) -- Over the past two decades, Bishop Eddie Long has built his public ministry at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church near Atlanta, Georgia, upon a testosterone-laden theology and a hypermasculine image. His books bear titles such as "Taking Over," "Called to Conquer" and "Gladiator." Typical names for his sermons are "Conquer and Subdue" and "Reign or Maintain." The ministry motto, "Taking Authority," is signified by a golden sword and shield that adorns the bishop's ring finger. This is why I was saddened to watch Eddie Long duck and dodge allegations that he seduced multiple teenage boys into sexual relationships. One would think that someone who constantly preaches about male headship, rulership, and power would deny these allegations with the same bravado that he defends his right to drive a $300,000 automobile. Yet on Sunday we never heard the term "innocent," or a refutation of the charges. In fact, we witnessed a cowardly, rhetorical two-step that may mark the tragic end to this bishop's reign. Milquetoast quotes like "I am not the man being portrayed on television," and "I'm going to fight this," are at best nondenials. Anyone familiar with these sorts of civil cases knows that such word selection is common among those trying to deflect a potential perjury charge down the line. Either Long engaged in inappropriate sexual acts with these young men or he didn't. To hide behind legal counsel, biblical metaphors and spiritualized acknowledgments of one's imperfection insults the intelligence of those who respect him and his ministry. The question on the hearts and minds of parishioners is not whether he is a "perfect man." Nor does this story have anything to do with David and Goliath, as Long so irresponsibly alluded. The faithful just want to know whether Long used his authority (and their money) to maintain a teenage male harem under the pretense of mentoring. Is this too much to ask? As a professor of social ethics who trains aspiring clergy, you pray religious leaders adhere to two important points. First, although we all fall short of our professed moral ideals, one should never spiritualize indiscretions. And no religious leader is fit to be called a leader unless he or she is willing to acknowledge when he or she is wrong. Second, we must draw a line between our position and the institution that we are called to serve. The latter should always be considered more precious and important than the former. Eddie Long had four days leading up to Sunday morning to address these charges. But aside from a brief yet legally broad statement through lawyers saying that "the charges against me and New Birth are false," he did not counter the boys' allegations. He did choose, however, to invite the media and the world into the house of prayer on the Christian Sabbath. By doing so, he appears to be the kind of pastor who puts his own protection and self-preservation before the community of faith. And rather than courageously defending himself, he looked like a coward using New Birth's congregation as human shields. If the bishop wants to take authority, he needs to begin by taking some responsibility. Maybe for the good of New Birth, Eddie Long should take that sword out of his golden ring and fall on it. The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Jonathan L. Walton.
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Jonathan Walton: Bishop Long never directly refuted allegations of seducing teen boys .
Walton says those trying to deflect a perjury charge use the cowardly rhetoric Long used .
Long hid behind biblical metaphors, he writes, used congregation as shield .
Walton believes if the bishop wants authority, he needs to take responsibility .
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Editor's note: Ted Sorensen was special counsel and adviser to President John F. Kennedy. Ted Sorensen says the Kennedys are not American royalty, but have dedicated themselves to service. NEW YORK (CNN) -- With the death of John F. Kennedy's brother, Senator Edward M Kennedy, and their sister, Eunice Shriver, the founder of the Special Olympics for the developmentally challenged, there has been a wealth of news stories -- obituaries and otherwise -- about the recurring tragedies endured by what some call America's "royal family." All of these comments are well intended but off the mark. The Kennedys have been a remarkable family since its founding roughly a century ago by Joseph P. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. But, its members have never asked for pity or privilege. Their history has emphasized more success than tragedy. Their love of family and country stood out during some of the most cynical and selfish periods in recent American history. Like any large family, particularly one which deservedly remained in the public eye for many decades, a large number of afflictions and setbacks, also in the public eye, was unavoidable. Nevertheless, the members of that family have never considered themselves "royal" or entitled to special privileges. We have no royalty in America, but ever since the Adams family sent several generations to public service in the earliest days of our nationhood, other families have demonstrated similar interests and commitments to public service. The Kennedys were taught as children and genuinely believed that American citizenship was a special privilege and honor, in return for which every citizen had an obligation to serve and help the country. Even the youngest generation of Kennedys today acts not out of a sense of entitlement but a sense of commitment. From the beginning, those members of the family who held or sought public office had the courage to take public positions on controversial issues, not always approved by the leaders of their party, church or respective constituencies. Nevertheless, they stood up and spoke out for what they believed was right, regardless of political and personal consequences. In short, they have had a proud tradition of becoming -- not merely writing about -- profiles in courage. As the result of the elder Joseph P. Kennedy's success in business, many of his descendants could have lived lives of luxury and ease. After all, they liked family fun, in the sun, on the water, sometimes competing with as well as teasing each other. Yet, they devoted and donated more of their valuable time than most families to the service of others, their country, their communities, and those who did not have their good fortune, good education and good opportunities to lead. President John F. Kennedy was their star, their pride, their model and their leader. But his siblings, Robert, Edward, Eunice, Pat and Jean all played their own special roles, making their own special contributions throughout their lives. This country has long been a wealthy country, with all its wealth of brilliant and devoted leaders and traditional ideals. But it would have been a much poorer country without the Kennedys. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ted Sorensen.
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Ted Sorensen: People have focused on the tragedies endured by Kennedy family .
He says focus should be on how family has been dedicated to public service .
Sorensen: Their love of family and country stood out in a selfish era .
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A man hunting whitetail deer in Kansas last week thought he'd bagged an 8-point trophy buck he could show off back home in North Carolina. Chuck Rorie was right about one thing: the deer sported an impressive rack, but it wasn't a buck . It was a doe. Rorie realized his understandable mistake while skinning the animal. 'It didn’t have the right private parts,' he told the Wichita Eagle. Rorie, who calls Monroe County, North Carolina home, had stumbled upon a very rare antlered doe--a 1 in 10,000 phenomenon the occurs when a female deer has an overabundance of testosterone. 'It didn’t have the right private parts': Chuck Rorie killed what he thought was an 8-point trophy buck on Wednesday. When he skinned it, he realized it was actually a 1 in 10,000 antlered doe . 'I’m tickled to death. I know this is a once in a lifetime thing,' he told the Eagle. Rorie's kill was made especially rare by the high quality of the deer's antlers. More often than not, an antlered deer has an off-looking rack with lots of points growing in all directions. And more common than that, most antlered deer never lose the velvet that covers male antlers through the spring because they lack enough testosterone to drive them to rub off the covering. 'You could see tree bark on the antlers where she’d been rubbing them against trees, like a buck,' he said. Rorie told the Eagle that, at least at first blush, the deer looked like any normal buck as he lined up to shoot it at the edge of a hay field. It was with a group of other bucks that were chasing a group of does as potential mates. He didn't notice at the time that his deer lacked the necks swollen for mating season that the other bucks sported. The other does knew, though. '[It tried] to follow the does around, but they wanted nothing to do with her,' he said. 'I guess they saw the antlers and just assumed.' Doe or not, though, Rorie plans to mount the impressive rack like any other.
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Chuck Rorie of Monroe, North Carolina was hunting with a friend in Kansas when he spotted what he thought was a trophy buck .
While skinning his prize, Rorie said it dawned on him the deer 'didn’t have the right private parts'
Rorie plans to mount the head of the deer, which suffered from an overabundance of testosterone, nonetheless .
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By . Associated Press and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 00:39 EST, 8 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:27 EST, 8 April 2013 . North Korea is continuing to stoke tensions with a fourth nuclear missile test, which comes as the regime may be looking to carry out war on a different battlefield - the internet. South Korea's point man on North Korea, Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae, . told a parliamentary committee today that 'there is such an . indication' that the country is preparing to launch another test missile, according to two ministry officials who spoke on condition . of anonymity. Ryoo was answering a lawmaker's question about increased personnel and vehicle activities at the North's nuclear test site. Scroll down for video . Provocative act: North Korea is said to be preparing a fourth nuclear missile test, a new incendiary action amid tensions with South Korea and the U.S. Ministry officials cite Ryoo as . telling the lawmakers he wouldn't provide further details because they . involve confidential intelligence affairs. South Korean defense officials . previously said the North completed preparations for a nuclear test at . two underground tunnels. The North used one tunnel for its February 12 . nuclear test. The second remains unused. North Korea has unleashed a flurry of war . threats and provocations over the U.N. sanctions and ongoing U.S.-South . Korean military drills, which the allies say are routine but Pyongyang . says is a preparation for a northward invasion . The Pentagon has strengthened missile . defenses and made other decisions to combat the potential threat. U.S. Gen Martin Dempsey, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, said yesterday . that he doesn't believe North Korea will engage in military action soon, . 'but I can't take the chance that it won't.' Troubling test: North Korea's warning last week followed weeks of war threats and other efforts to punish South Korea and the U.S. for ongoing joint military drills . Threats: Kim Jong Un's regime may be preparing to launch cyber attacks against the South and the U.S. Dempsey said the U.S. has been preparing . for further provocations or action, 'considering the risk that they may . choose to do something' on one of two nationally important anniversaries . - April 15, the birth of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, and April . 25, the creation of the North Korean army. Meanwhile, Kim Jong Un's regime may be preparing to launch cyber attacks against the South and the U.S. North Korea, which has a reported 3,000 hackers in its cyberterrorism network, is believed to have been targeting various South Korean media and banking sites in recent weeks. Bruce Klingner, senior research fellow for The Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center, told The Daily Caller: 'Defectors from the unit told South Korean intelligence officials that North Korea sends hackers to other countries for training as well as to conduct undercover operations.' Klingner added that the North has 'very strong cyberterrorism capabilities.' Seoul and Washington are taking the . threats seriously, though they say they have seen no signs that . Pyongyang is preparing for a large-scale attack. On watch: South Korean army soldiers patrol along a barbed-wire fence at sunset near the border village of Panmunjom, which has separated the two Koreas since the Korean War . In addition, the U.S. said last week . that two of the Navy's missile-defense ships were moved closer to the . Korean Peninsula, and a land-based missile-defense system is being . deployed to the Pacific territory of Guam later this month. The Pentagon . last month announced longer-term plans to strengthen its U.S.-based . missile defenses. The U.S. military also is . considering deploying an intelligence drone at the Misawa Air Base in . northern Japan to step up surveillance of North Korea, a Japanese . Defense Ministry official said Sunday. Three Global Hawk surveillance . planes are deployed on Guam and one of them is being considered for . deployment in Japan, the official said on condition of anonymity because . the official was not authorized to speak about the issue. North Korea successfully shot a . satellite into space in December and conducted its third nuclear test in . February. It has threatened to launch a nuclear attack on the United . States, though many analysts say the North hasn't achieved the . technology to manufacture a miniaturized nuclear warhead that could fit . on a long-range missile capable of hitting the U.S. Preparing for war: The North has threatened to launch a nuclear attack on America, though analysts say it doesn't have the technology to make one that could fit on a long-range missile capable of hitting the U.S.
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Nuclear missile test would be the regime's fourth, and would further provoke tensions with South Korea and the U.S.
It's the latest in a series of threats over UN sanctions and ongoing U.S.-South Korea military drills .
Regime is also said to be planning cyber attacks against the South and U.S. systems .
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(CNN)His broken bones include both wrists, collarbones, shoulder blades, cheekbones and every single one of his ribs, as well as a leg, arm and ankle not to mention the punctured lungs. Most of his teeth are replacements having been knocked out in the line of duty. Has there ever been a sports person as dominant as jockey AP McCoy? His achievements dwarf those of seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher. His success arguably surpasses that of Tiger Woods in his major-winning pomp. Woods is one of McCoy's idols -- the pair are pictured together in his Twitter avatar -- and they played together in a Pro-Am in 2010. In the aftermath, it was Woods that was left waxing lyrical about his playing partner, astounded that McCoy was still standing after his litany of injuries. But one of the greatest sporting legacies of all-time will draw to a close at the end of April, when McCoy officially retires. The 40-year-old, who announced his shock decision at Newbury Racecourse last weekend, looks set to climb out of the saddle with a 20th consecutive British Jump Jockeys Championship. One more triumph will mean he has taken the crown every year since he first turned professional. His dominance is hardly surprising when you consider his is now well past 4,300 career victories. Has anyone greater ever sat in the saddle? British jockey Sir Gordon Richards managed 4,870 winners but those were in the world of flat racing where falls are notoriously fewer and farther between. The Northern Irishman estimates he has fallen over 1,000 times and he is well known in the Emergency Department of a host of hospitals in Great Britain and Ireland. For all those knocks, he has ridden on regardless until announcing his decision live on British television: "I want to go while I'm still enjoying racing and while I am still near the top. This is without doubt the hardest decision I've ever had to make. I've been dreading this day. "To become a jockey was the best decision I've ever made and I will really miss it. This is something I've been very luck to have as a great way of life for the last 25 years. But time waits for no man in sport and it's not going to wait for me." His rivals will no doubt breathe a collective sigh of relief at his impending retirement. Former jockey-turned-trainer Jamie Osborne tweeted his former rival after the news: "Hated riding with u. Tried to dislike u but couldn't. Too dedicated. Too strong. Too talented." Fellow jump jockey Ruby Walsh joked that McCoy is "made of concrete" such was the manner in which he was able to bounce back from falls that would have written off lesser mortals to ride his next winner moments later. And trainer Martin Pipe labeled him "the iron man." It may be a career history awash with big wins from the notorious Grand National, the world's most famous jump jockey race, in 2010, to two victories in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the main event of the annual Cheltenham Festival, often referred to as the Olympics of the horse-racing world. But the injuries aside, it has come with other difficulties. At 1.78 meters, McCoy is tall for a jockey and in order to keep his weight down, has spent the past two decades and more competing at 65kg when his natural weight is closer to 76kg. As a result, he treats himself to just two steaks a year as part of a meager diet along with routine saunas and scolding hot baths. A teetotaler, he claims to have touched neither drink nor drugs in his life, instead adamant that racing is his drug. Amid all that, he has shone in the sport with a career win record of 24% -- most top jockeys struggle to get in the high teens -- and in the region of 30% this season to date. It is no wonder his fellow riders simply call him "Champ." News of his impending retirement came after riding his 200th winner of the season -- Mr Mole at Newbury -- for the ninth time in his career. In typically understated fanfare, there was no press conference, he had not even told his parents. The only ones that knew were the bookmaker JP McManus, who has McCoy riding his horses on a retainer of $1.5 million a year, his agent Dave Roberts and his wife Chanelle. And he had only told her just five days before his public announcement. It is 23 years since he rode his first winner as a 17-year-old in Ireland before competing for the first time in England in 1994. There is just one regret, that he never rode 300 winners in a season -- his best being 289 in the 2000-01 season, in itself a record. That triple century had initially looked on the cards last season only for injury to peg him back: "I thought I could ride 300 winners and the fact it was taken away from me broke my heart." On the impending retirement, he added: "It is emotional because I am retiring from something I really like doing. That is why it is tough but it's the right thing." So what lies in store in the future? For now, he says he has no idea but much like former jockey Dick Francis did, he has also put pen to paper on a first novel. "Taking the Fall," came out last year with jockey Duncan Claymore in the starring role. A second, "Narrowing the Field," is due for publication in October so expect more works of fiction. So remarkable have McCoy's achievements been and so massively have they surpassed those of any of his predecessors or peers, one would have previously thought them a work of fiction.
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British jump jockey AP McCoy calls time on his illustrious career .
Arguably the greatest jockey of all time, dominating his sport like no other .
Over 1,000 career falls, though, have taken their toll on his ailing body .
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By . Hayley O'keeffe . PUBLISHED: . 04:46 EST, 3 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:13 EST, 3 November 2013 . Derek Tubby, 60, threatened terrified staff at his local Barclays branch, pictured arriving at court . A businessman who threatened bank staff with a makeshift flamethrower after his debit card was cancelled has walked free from court. Shocked staff feared that Derek Tubby, 60, was about to set their building ablaze with his blowtorch and can of petrol after he stormed into the Barclays branch in Acle, near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Norwich Crown Court heard Tubby claimed he had been treated 'unfairly' by the bank after a failed business venture left him £100,000 in debt. The six staff and two customers in the bank fled through a back door before armed police surrounded the building on September 23. Grey-haired Tubby of Rollesby, near Great Yarmouth, was tasered and hit with a baton when officers burst in and found him still holding the green plastic petrol can and blowtorch. He admitted affray and was given a 12-month jail sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered to do 150 hours' unpaid work. Judge Mark Lucraft QC also imposed a restraining order banning him from going into any branch of Barclays. The judge told him: 'It is not, and cannot be right, to deal with anything in this way, whatever the grievance was.' Prosecutor Richard White said Tubby had shouted at staff in a 'raised and aggressive voice'. He added: 'He was saying that what the bank had done to him was criminal and said the bank had done it again and blocked his debit card.' The bank in Acle, Great Yarmouth, where Derek Tubby threatened staff with a makeshift flamethrower . The bank manager tried to calm Tubby down by promising to look into his complaints, but he remained agitated. The court heard how Tubby at first refused to allow the customers to leave as he wanted them to stay and hear what he had to say. A policeman carries the makeshift flamethrower in an evidence bag after the incident . Mr White said one of the bank staff felt sick at the shock of what had happened, but a customer in the bank at the time had said he did not think Tubby would carry out any threat. The court heard that Tubby received a caution in 2009 for going into a Barclays branch, in Lowestoft, Suffolk, with a crow bar and causing alarm. Andrew Oliver, defending, said that Tubby had overreacted after having a difficult past four years and no longer banked with Barclays. He tried to set up a children's nursery in Norwich for his daughter in 2009 but there was a problem over planning, . Tubby tried to get re-finance with the Alliance and Leicester bank, but found Barclays had taken power of attorney on his house and had his deeds to the property. When he tried to get the deeds back, there was a delay in finding them. Mr Oliver said: 'He had to pay £3,500 every three months for the rent of a building which was useless.' He said the situation got so bad that the business had to be closed, which left him with significant debts of nearly £100,000. The final straw came when his debit card was cancelled, causing him to fail to pay a VAT bill which made him liable for fines. Tubby said after the hearing: 'A fair hearing in court witnessed how Barclays Bank had sadly controlled my family life. 'I felt that the public deserved the right to know how I have been treated. Police at the scene: Bank staff said they thought that Mr Tubby would set the building on fire during the incident . 'This forced me to express my opinions in an out-of character manner in order to be heard. I would finally like to draw a line under the long lasting grievances.' A Barclays spokeswoman said the incident was 'a shock' for staff.
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Derek Tubby terrified staff and customers with the makeshift device .
Bank staff thought that the 60-year-old would set the building on fire .
Given suspended sentence and community service for the crime .
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JAMAICA PLAIN, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Lucy Valena is hooked on coffee. Lucy Valena went to Seattle to learn from the best baristas before opening her Boston espresso company. "I had my first shot of espresso when I was 14," she says. "And it was pretty amazing for me." With the dream of opening a coffee house, Valena -- a 24-year-old artist -- went to Seattle, Washington, to learn at the aprons of the best. "The first time I went into a cafe, I saw someone pour the leaf, the rosetta, on top of a latte, and I'll never forget, I just saw that barista pour that rosetta and I said, 'I'm not leaving this town until I learn how to do that.' " Valena returned to Boston, Massachusetts, and launched Voltage Coffee, a mobile espresso catering company, last fall. "When I was in Seattle, I kind of was amazed by this kind of wired culture that they have going on there. People are just obsessed," Valena says. "They just make this amazing coffee and are just really caffeinated and just getting stuff done. It's a very exciting place to be. "So when I moved back to Boston, I really wanted to kind of bring that energy back with me in a way. And Voltage Coffee is a way to bring that on the road and bring it into other peoples' environments instead of bringing them into a separate place. It's bringing the caffeine to the people," she says. Watch Valena talk about her enthusiasm for coffee » . Her corporate headquarters is her bedroom, and she wrote her business plan "with all these Business Plan Writing for Dummies books," she says. Valena then took her plan to the Small Business Administration and was directed to Accion USA, a company specializing in microloans. Accion had just begun a partnership with the Boston Beer Company -- brewer of Samuel Adams beers -- to help small food and beverage businesses get funding and free advice. "I love Lucy's dedication to the quality of her product," says Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch. "I'm a big believer that a great product, and the passion that an entrepreneur brings to that, can carry a long way if you have a helping hand. "Lucy stands out as an entrepreneur because she's got a lot of energy, she's got a huge amount of passion for coffee, for her product. And she does wonderful things about quality. "She makes her own flavorings from scratch with fresh ingredients. So, that reminded me a lot of brewing and how we make our beer, and of course you know I believe that anything brewed is good." Valena started Voltage with $2,000 of her own cash and a $4,000 loan she got through the Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream program. That $6,000 "covered the espresso machine, the grinders, my table, some membership costs, licensing ... and my costs for a few months with the commercial kitchen facility," she says. Now she's focused on opening a storefront. But she has to incorporate, find a space and get a loan. "I need to convince someone to give me 180 grand," she says. "That's a good chunk of change." Despite the economy, Valena remains undaunted: "I'm just going to keep working at it. I'm not letting up. I'm not letting up, Boston! I don't care!"
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Lucy Valena traveled to Seattle to learn from the best baristas .
She returned to Boston and launched a mobile espresso catering company last fall .
Valena started with $2,000 of her own cash and a $4,000 loan from brewer .
Beer maker helps small food and beverage businesses get funding, advice .
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