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In just a few decades they have escaped total extinction after being saved by breeders. The Hucul horses are pictured frolicking in the meadows and forests near Odrzechowa in southeastern Poland. The Hucul is a small primitive breed of sturdy pony which were used as pack horses to carry heavy loads over treacherous paths in the Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe. In the 19th century, the Huculs were used by the Austro-Hungarian Army and in Czechoslovakia in World War Two. However, the numbers of ponies rapidly declined and by the 1970s there were only around 300 horses left. But breeding programmes were put in place and the horses are now thriving and it is thought there are now thousands living in Eastern Europe. The horses are often used now by tourists and keen equestrians for trekking into the mountains. Scroll down for video . Two Hucul ponies show off their toothy grins while playing in a meadow in Odrzychowa in southeastern Poland where farmers have been working to replenish the breed . The horses run in a field together after scientists and farmers in Poland and across eastern Europe worked together to help the breed avoid extinction . Hucul ponies, or Carpathian ponies, were used widely in the Second World War after becoming renowned for their hardiness and endurance . The breed became threatened after the conflict, with only 300 of the ponies recorded in Czechoslovakia, where they originate from . Thanks to a number of breeding programmes in Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic, there are now an estimated 1,000 Hucul ponies in the world . One of the ponies presents its flaring nostrils at a camera while enjoying the meadows and forests in Poland. It is one of a number to have been born with the help of the breeding initiatives . The horses graze in the sun in Odrzychowa in south east Poland as it is revealed the breed is safe from extinction despite a drastic decline in numbers since the Second World War . The ponies originate from the Carpathian Mountains in eastern Europe and are considered one of the oldest breeds of horse in the world . A group of trekkers are taken through shallow water on an organised excursion in Poland where farmers have restored the breed's population . The ponies, now safeguarded by the efforts of scientists devoted to maintaining its population, graze in a field with a number accounting for their herd painted beneath their manes .
Hucul ponies, known for their endurance and hardiness, were used in eastern Europe in the Second World War . Only 300 remained in the area after the conflict and the historic breed became known as threatened . Series of breeding programmes in Carpathian Mountains has replenished population of the species .
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The Australian government is facing a lawsuit that could cost billions after tobacco giant Philip Morris instigated legal action over the incoming law forcing cigarettes to be sold in plain packaging. The controversial law, which comes into effect from late next year, is being closely watched by other governments in Europe, Canada and New Zealand as they consider similar moves. But the legislation change has angered tobacco firms who are worried that it may set a global precedent and by infringing on trademark rights as all images and logos are wiped off the packets. Warnings: Posters issued by the Australian Department of Health as it counts down to the tobacco packaging change contested by the Philip Morris lawsuit . 'The government has passed this legislation despite being unable to demonstrate that it will be effective at reducing smoking and has ignored the widespread concerns raised in Australia and internationally regarding the serious legal issues associated with plain packaging,' said a spokesman for Philip Morris. Under the law, cigarettes, pipe tobacco and cigars have to be sold in olive green packs free from branding, but carrying graphic health warnings, from December 2012. Tobacco export countries including Nicaragua, Dominican Republic and Ukraine have warned they may also challenge the laws under global trade rules, while Philip Morris said it had launched international legal action that could trigger compensation claims worth billions of dollars. The international action is being brought by Philip Morris Asia Ltd, Hong Kong, the owner of the Australian affiliate, through a notice of arbitration under Australia's Bilateral Investment Treaty with Hong Kong. Aussie rules: Under the new law, cigarettes, pipe tobacco and cigars have to be sold in olive green packs free from branding . Philip Morris was also expected to launch separate domestic legal action when the laws received final administrative approval, while British American Tobacco and Imperial Tobacco were also planning to challenge the laws in Australia's peak High Court. Mock-up: An image from the U.S. imagining how to new style packets may look . 'We are looking to go to the High Court after royal assent. We think probably in the next week or two weeks,' BATS spokesman Louise Warburton said. Australia's Health Minister Nicola Roxon, speaking after parliament's lower house approved laws already passed by the upper house Senate last week, demanded tobacco companies respect the will of the parliament. 'The government has received comprehensive legal advice about this matter and are confident with our position,' said Roxon. 'Big tobacco is ignoring the will of the Australian parliament and is prioritising their profits over the lives of everyday Australians with this action.' In 2005 the World Health Organization urged countries to consider plain packaging, and estimated that there are more than one billion regular smokers worldwide, with 80 per cent of them in poor countries. The Himalayan nation of Bhutan banned the sale of tobacco outright earlier this year. Industry . analysts say tobacco companies are worried that plain packaging could . spread to important emerging markets like Brazil, Russia and Indonesia, . and threaten growth there.   | . Tobacco fields: The industry claims to be worried that plain packaging law could harm emerging markets like Brazil, Russia and Indonesia, and threaten growth there . Legal experts have predicted both legal and WTO challenges to fail, as intellectual property rights agreements give governments the right to pass laws to protect public health. Conservative opposition MPs, while backing the laws, urged Roxon to accept a three month moratorium on prosecutions and the enforcement of heavy fines for small tobacco sellers to give them time to adjust to the possible impact on sales. Australia already bans tobacco advertising, smoking in public buildings and the public display of cigarettes in shops. In some states, it is illegal to smoke in a car if a child is a passenger. Australia wants to cut the number of people who smoke from around 15 per cent of the population to 10 per cent by 2018. Health authorities say smoking kills 15,000 Australians each year with social and health costs of around $32billion. Australia's tobacco market generated total revenues of around $10billion U.S. in 2009, up from $8.3 billion U.S. in 2008, although smoking generally has been in decline. Around 22 billion cigarettes are sold in the country each year.
Company seeks compensation for loss of trademarks . Australian government prepares for lawsuit worth 'billions of dollars' Other major tobacco companies 'to follow suit'
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Grand Rapids, Michigan (CNN) -- I am a big-time news junkie but there are days in which I don't turn on the television because I don't want to find out who's next. The next to fall. The next to be torn down. The next to have their nice and shiny public persona ripped apart, doused with gas and set on fire -- done in by the always lethal combination of private shortcomings and stupidity. Or arrogance. Or whatever it is that makes politicians and other public figures believe "no one is going to find out." But we do find out, don't we? If you cheat on your spouse -- the mistress talks. Take a bribe -- there's a receipt. Whisper something offensive under your breath, in your car -- alone -- with the windows down and the radio up and somehow, someway there's an audible clip of it posted on YouTube. And so I have my days when I try to avoid the news. I don't blame reporters for doing their job. Only people running for office tend to do that. Rather there are days I don't need to be told about this new kind of America we're living in. The kind without gods or role models. The kind without heroes. You remember that Tina Turner song that said we didn't need another one of those? Well at times, today's 24-hour news cycle can be a callous reminder that we never really had heroes in the first place. We were just blissfully ignorant. Imagine if TMZ or Twitter was around when Marilyn Monroe was singing to President Kennedy or if smart phones were available to capture video of Mickey Mantle getting drunk in bars and picking up women. Our opinions of those iconic figures would certainly be different. And we wouldn't be behaving as if things have somehow gotten worse. We would know that the country was never as pious as we like to think it was. Each time I hear someone like Pat Buchanan romanticize our past -- as if everyone was living in an episode of "Happy Days" -- I throw up in my mouth just a little. Sure our history is peppered with self-sacrificing individuals who did a tremendous amount of good for the whole of society. And if the narrative would just stop there we wouldn't be so troubled to learn about their flaws or the flaws of self-sacrificing people of today. But we don't stop. We worship. And when we find out our gods are not perfect, we're confused. We don't know what to do with a storyline where the perceived protagonist is complex. Heroes aren't supposed to do bad things. That's what villains are for. So either the good supersedes the bad, or the bad makes it impossible to remember the good. We don't like it when such duality exists in one person. We don't want to know our heroes are human. For example, I have two images of the Rev. Jesse Jackson locked in my head. The first is the brave civil rights soldier who risked his life working side by side with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The second is the lowlife who not only brought his pregnant mistress to the White House but posed for pictures with her standing next to President Clinton. What do you do with that kind of duality? You turn off the television. At least for little while. And you try to remember that few people are as good as advertised and even fewer are as bad as rumored. That in the new America, pedestals are best reserved for flowers, not people. Part of the reason why so many people came rushing to Joe Paterno's defense is because the ex-Penn State coach had done so much good for the school and the community. He was supposed to be a man above reproach, born within the shadow of our greatest generation. It is so hard for some to accept the possibility that one of our great heroes could have been involved in something not becoming of the title. And I found that sentiment more shocking than Paterno's connection to the allegations. After all, scandals involving football coaches at big-time schools happen so frequently it was hard for me to imagine anyone being surprised. If a story broke tomorrow that President Obama was cheating on Michelle, I would be disappointed but not surprised. How could I be given the number of stories about politicians having extramarital affairs? I don't believe such an attitude is cynical, just pragmatic. I don't personally know Paterno or Obama. But I do know people can make mistakes. And if we're to ever have public figures to look up to ever again, we have to start allowing for that. Mistakes. Because in the old America, our heroes could be "perfect" -- since the public would never find out their flaws. Those kind of stories simply would not be written But in the new America that isn't possible. With technology and social media and citizen journalism, every rock that used to go unturned is now being flipped, lit and put on TV. Which is why sometimes, I just don't turn mine on. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of LZ Granderson.
LZ Granderson: When our heroes let us down, we're bitterly disappointed . He says the more we learn about people, the more we see their flaws . Few people are as good as advertised, or as bad as rumored, he says . Granderson: We're living in a new kind of America, one without heroes .
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By . Fiona Macrae . PUBLISHED: . 19:33 EST, 16 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:33 EST, 16 June 2013 . Doomed and saved: An ash tree infected by dieback which may now be a sight soon forgotten . Scientists have made a breakthrough in the battle against the disease that is ravaging Britain’s ash population. They have unravelled the genetic code of a tree that is resistant to ash dieback. The information could be used to breed ashes that are impervious to the killer fungus – and, in time, repopulate Britain’s forests and woodlands. The scientists behind the breakthrough describe it as ‘giving nature a helping hand’. However, it may not be a help in protecting the UK’s existing ash population, which is being killed off by the rapid spread of the disease. Ash dieback, which ravaged other European countries before entering the UK, kills 90 per cent of the trees it affects. It has spread to 500 sites since first spotted here little more than a year ago . Experts fear it could become the new Dutch elm disease, causing widespread destruction of one of Britain’s best-loved trees. The country’s 80million ash trees support wildlife as well as the £10billion timber industry and take up about a third of British woodland. Researchers at The Sainsbury Laboratory and the John Innes Centre, both in Norwich, have decoded the DNA of a Danish ash tree that was found to be able to withstand the fungus. Known as Tree 35, it remained healthy, while other trees around it withered and died. Scientists around the world are being encouraged to analyse the data, which could be used to seek out ashes in Britain that have a similar genetic profile. Other options include crossing Tree 35 . with native ashes – or breeding with other trees known to be immune to . ash dieback – to create a stock of super-resistant saplings. Saviour: Scientists have identified the genetic code of tree resistant to ash dieback, which kills 90 per cent of the trees it infects . It will take ten to 20 years to breed saplings suitable for restocking the countryside. Professor Allan Downie, of the John Innes Centre, said: ‘We’re trying to give nature a bit of a helping hand by identifying the right kind of trees to do the appropriate crosses. ‘It would be wonderful to be part of the solution but the problem is enormous and breeding is going to take a long time.’ While fungicides might help in some cases, the probability is that Britain will lose most of its ash trees, he said.
Scientists have identified the genetic code of tree resistant to dieback . Discovery may help save the British ash tree population .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:06 EST, 5 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:59 EST, 5 October 2013 . Cold case: Police suspect they may have found the remains of Doris Anne Wood, 42, who went missing in July 1997 in Delaware . A Kentucky family have discovered human bones inside a storage unit they had purchased at auction, which may be those of a woman missing since 1997. The remains covered in dirt and stashed inside three plastic bags were found Thursday by a father and son who bought the contents of the storage unit in Corbin at auction after the death earlier this year of the man who had been renting the unit. A spokesman for the New Castle County police department in Delaware confirmed Friday that authorities there are working with Kentucky officials to determine whether the bones are those of Doris Anne Wood. The 42-year-old Newark, Delaware, woman was last seen alive in the summer of 1997. Wood was married to Robert Allen Wood, who once lived in Corbin and died in May at an Alabama hospital at age 59. The shocking discovery was made at . around 4pm Thursday as Steven Terry and his father were going through . the contents of a locker they had purchased for $170 at Pier Mobile . Storage. Scroll down for video . Ghoulish discovery: These human remains covered in dirt were found inside a storage unit in Kentucky . Hiding place: The bones were stashed inside three bags in a unit at Pier Mobile Storage in Corbin, Kentucky . The father and son came across a trio of small yellow grocery bags, inside which they found human bones covered in dirt. Unlucky find: Steven Terry and his father bought Robert Wood's storage locker at an auction for $170 . Police say the condition of the remains suggests that they may have been buried at some point, but were later dug up. The late owner of the locker, Robert Wood, moved from Corbin to Alabama in 2004, but continued paying rent on the storage unit until earlier this year. The owner of the storage facility called 911 after learning of the startling find, telling the operator that Mr Wood had worked for him around the time his wife went missing. ‘Everybody thought for sure that he had killed her,’ the owner said on the call obtained by the station WTVQ. Mrs Wood was reported to have left her home in Newark, Delaware, July 28, 1997, to meet with her sister, but she never made it and has not been heard from since. Her husband was questioned at the time but was never charged in her death, according to the station WKYT. The bones, which the local coroner has determined to be those of a woman, have been sent to the state medical examiner's office for analysis.
Doris Anne Wood, 42, went missing in Delaware in July 1997 on her way to meet her sister . Missing woman's husband, Robert Wood, had been renting out storage unit in Corbin, Kentucky, until his death in May . Bones found by a man and his dad who bought Mr Wood's storage locker at auction for $170 . Condition of remains suggests they had been buried and then dug up .
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Nairobi, Kenya (CNN) -- Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was barred from boarding a flight back home on Wednesday from the Kenyan capital, where he was undergoing treatment, an airline official said. Besigye flew to Nairobi for treatment two weeks ago after he was injured when police pulled him from a vehicle during protests over the rising cost of living in Uganda. The opposition leader said he was traveling with his wife and aide, and had their boarding passes when a Kenya Airways manager told them that there were instructions not to allow them to board. "We refused to allow him to board because our intelligence advised us that it would not be safe to do so," said Chris Karanja, a corporate affairs manager at Kenya Airways. Karanja did not offer any additional details. It was not immediately clear where the order came from or why the action was taken. Besigye said airline officials told him the plane would not be allowed to land In Entebbe, Uganda, with him onboard. His party officials said the Ugandan minister of internal security denied that the government issued the directive. "This is an example of the ongoing frustrations, concerns and violations of rights by the Uganda government," Besigye said. "It is the right of every Ugandan to be able to return home at anytime. The government does not respect the rule of law." Besigye has been thrown in jail several times for spearheading "walk-to-work" protests, contending that the government is manipulating prices for fuel and commodities. Authorities in the east African nation had warned protesters that the gatherings are unlawful and participants will be prosecuted. Despite being held in Kenya, protests will proceed, according to Besigye. "The walk-to-pray scheduled for tomorrow would still go on even if I'm not in the country. It's not dependent on me," he said. "There are Ugandans and activists in the country who want to advance their rights." A Ugandan government spokesman did not answer calls for comment. President Yoweri Museveni is scheduled to be sworn in for a new term following his re-election in February. Besigye, who heads the Forum for Democratic Change party, was the leading opposition candidate.
Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was in Kenya for treatment . He has been arrested several times for protesting rising fuel prices . The protests will continue in his absence, he says .
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Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer head-butted his wife and broke her nose after she refused to have sex with him, and punched her in the face the next day, police revealed today. The details surfaced in a law enforcement report a day after Dwyer was arrested on aggravated assault charges and deactivated from all team activities. He spent a night in jail and made a brief court appearance before being released early Thursday. Dwyer, 25, was arrested Wednesday for investigation in two altercations that occurred on July 21 and 22 at his Phoenix residence, just days before the Cardinals reported to training camp. Scroll down for video . Domestic violence: Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer (far right) is accused of beating up his wife, Kayla (center) for refusing to have sex with him and throwing a shoe at their young son (pictured) Arrested: Dwyer was arrested Wednesday on aggravated assault charges in connection with two altercations at his home in July involving his family . His wife, 27-year-old Kayla Tobin Dwyer, left the state after the incidents, but came forward a week ago after Dwyer apparently sent suicidal text messages including a photo of a knife. In the first encounter, police say Dwyer attempted to kiss and undress his wife, but she refused. Someone who heard the argument reported the assault to police, who showed up at the apartment but did not make an arrest. Dwyer hid in a bathroom and the wife denied he was in the home because the running back threatened to kill himself in front of her and their child if she told police about the assault, police said. The next day, Dwyer punched his wife with a closed fist on the left side of her face, according to police. He also punched walls and threw a shoe at his 17-month-old son, who was not injured. As Kayla Dwyer tried to call police, Dwyer grabbed her cellphone and threw it down from the home's second story. Witnesses told police that Dwyer's wife said, ‘I'm calling the police’ as she held her swollen face and clutched her son. During his police interview, Dwyer acknowledged hiding in the bathroom when police responded to the first argument and sending a photo of a knife with suicidal threats. Dwyer denied committing an assault, though he acknowledged that he punched walls in his home, threw a phone and that his wife bit his lip during the disputes, according to the police report. As he was released from jail Thursday, he said he never hurt his son. Jonathan Dwyer was released from jail at around 5am Thursday after posting a $25,000 cash bond. When asked by a gaggle of reporters if he will ever play football again, he simply replied: 'I will,' according to KPHO. Dwyer was ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device and banned from having contact with his wife and so; he also cannot travel outside Arizona or be in possession of weapons, drugs or alcohol. Authorities depicted a stormy relationship between Dwyer and his wife, a flight attendant from North Carolina, that escalated into violence on July 21, four days before the Cardinals reported to training camp. Neighbors heard a fight and called police, who showed up at the residence but left without making an arrest because Dwyer hid in the bathroom and the woman said no one else was at the home, Sgt. Trent Crump told the Associated Press. 'She said she was in an argument on the phone only,' Crump said. '[Police officers] were convinced that the fight was verbal [and] that it was called in by a third party,' Crump also told AZ Central. '[The 27-year-old woman] convinced them of that while he was hiding in the home.' Handcuffed: Phoenix police officers escort Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer, to the 4th Avenue Jail following his arrest on Wednesday . The Cardinals released a statement Wednesday saying 'We became aware of these allegations this afternoon when notified by Phoenix police and are cooperating fully. 'Given the serious nature of the allegations we have taken the immediate step to deactivate Jonathan from all team activities. 'We will continue to closely monitor this as it develops and evaluate additional information as it becomes available.' Hot temper: Dwyer denied committing an assault or hurting his son, though he acknowledged that he punched walls in his home . The NFL said the case will be reviewed under the league's personal-conduct policy. The NFL has been rocked by domestic violence issues ever since a videotape surfaced that showed former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice knocking out his then-fiancee in an Atlantic City, New Jersey, elevator. Then Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson was indicted on felony child-abuse charges. On Wednesday, the Carolina Panthers decided that star defensive end Greg Hardy will not play any more games for the team until his domestic violence case is resolved. Hardy was convicted of assault on a female and communicating threats after the victim said the 6-foot-4, 275-pound player threw her in the bathtub and onto a sofa covered with guns before threatening to kill her. Hardy is appealing the ruling. Critics have been calling for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's resignation for his handling of Rice's case. Rice was originally suspended for two games, then banned indefinitely after the video surfaced of his attack in the casino elevator. This is the second domestic violence case involving a Cardinals player. Inside linebacker Daryl Washington pleaded guilty to assaulting his ex-girlfriend and is serving a year of supervised probation. Washington has not yet been penalized by the NFL for the offense but is suspended for this season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Sidelined: The Cardinals deactivated Jonathan Dwyer from all team activities following his arrest . Athlete: Dwyer, 25, signed with the Cardinals earlier this year and was their second-string running back after spending the last four years with the Pittsburgh Steelers . Dwyer was led into the jail in handcuffs to be booked on counts that include aggravated assault causing a fracture and involving a minor, criminal damage and preventing the use of a phone in an emergency. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, which runs the jail, said Dwyer has refused all media interviews. Dwyer signed with the Cardinals this year and was their second-string running back after spending the last four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He scored a touchdown last week in Arizona's victory over the New York Giants. His best year for Pittsburgh was 2012 when injuries depleted the team's backfield in the middle of the season and Dwyer filled in and had 100-yard-plus games in consecutive weeks. Dwyer, from Marietta, Georgia, was a sixth-round draft pick of the Steelers out of Georgia Tech in 2010.
Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer was arrested Wednesday on aggravated assault charges in connection with two altercations in July . Police records show the 25-year-old football star allegedly broke his wife Kayla's nose and punched her with a closed fist in the face . One of the counts was 'aggravated assault causing a fracture' against the 27-year-old Mrs Dwyer on July 21 . Neighbors heard a fight and called police, who showed up at the residence . Police Sgt. Trent Crump said Dwyer hid in the bathroom until police left The next day, Dwyer threw his wife's phone from the second floor of their home to prevent her from calling police . Dwyer also allegedly hurled a shoe at their 17-month-old son .
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A bus driver who has been off work with depression for seven months after the sudden death of his daughter following childbirth has been sacked. Robert Parkisson, 62, from Greater Manchester, lost his child Lisa, 35, last June, just two days after she gave birth to her son Zac. Mr Parkisson was diagnosed with reactive depression and has been on sick leave ever since but has lost his job for failing to give bosses a date for his return. He said: 'I understand that I will have to return to work at some point, but at the moment it just isn't possible. I wish the company would understand that and be a bit more supportive. Bereft: Bus driver Robert Parkisson, centre with grandson Zac, has been told he has been sacked after being off work with depression for seven months after the death of his daughter Lisa after Zac's birth. Pictured are Lisa's mother Judith Smith and her sister Ally Ziemniak . Tragedy: Lisa Parkisson, 35, died in June, just two days after giving birth to her son Zac at the Royal Oldham Hospital, pictured . 'When I'm behind the wheel and I'm carrying a bus full of passengers, I'm responsible for their safety. 'But, with how I feel at the moment, I just couldn't drive the bus. Sometimes I lose concentration and drift, sometimes I just break down into tears'. Seven months to the day since Lisa's death, Mr Parkisson claims he was handed 90 days' notice by First Group and told he was losing his job for failing to tell them when he will be returning to work. Mr Parkisson, who has worked at First for more than 10 years, said: 'It is a disgusting way to treat someone while they are grieving for their daughter. 'I'm just a number to them. All they care about is me coming back to work. 'They don't care about me as a person. It is so disrespectful to my daughter's memory.' Mr Parkisson spends his time with his ex-wife, Lisa's mother Judith Smith, and her sister Ally Ziemniak. He added: 'The whole family is still grieving we rely on each other to get through each day. We are all devastated.' Lisa, from Derker, gave birth via a Caesarean section, but was found unconscious by a midwife early on the morning of June 23, two days after giving birth. A team of eight medical professionals were unable to revive her. Her family paid a heartfelt tribute to Lisa, a cruise consultant with Cruise 118, in the week following her death. Much loved: Lisa, 35, (pictured) was described as a a 'beautiful and funny' girl who had an 'infectious personality' Loss: Lisa gave birth to Zac following a Caesarean section but was found unconscious by a midwife early on the morning of June 23, two days after giving birth . They described her as a 'beautiful and funny' girl who had an 'infectious personality'. Her baby son is being cared for by her sister Ally in Watersheddings and is growing into a healthy, happy little boy. His granddad said he is proud of the way the youngster is developing and the pair share a close bond - as well as a name, as Lisa gave her son Mr Parkisson's middle name. Mr Parkisson said: 'First Bus keep asking me for a date to return to work but I just can't give them one. 'When I'm behind the wheel and I'm carrying a bus full of passengers, I'm responsible for their safety. 'But, with how I feel at the moment, I just couldn't drive the bus. Sometimes I lose concentration and drift, sometimes I just break down into tears. Family: Zac's grandmother Judith holds him on the day he was borm. Mr Parkisson's who family are supporting him as he deals with his depression . 'I can't control it and each day is different to the next. 'I've spoken to three doctors, my own and two that were sent by the company, and they all agree that I am just not able to give a return to work date. The news of Mr Parkisson's job loss was made all the more difficult as it came on the same day the family received the latest report into Lisa's death. Mr Parkisson said: 'The coroner's office have been very good with us, keeping us up to date with their inquiries as there are still further reports to be done. 'We have so many questions about Lisa's death but we are no nearer to any answers. 'Every few weeks when we receive a new report or a bit more information, the grief just hits us again. We are constantly being reminded of that day. 'But we have had barely any other support from anyone else and to find out that I've lost my job as well has just been too much for us all to take.' A date for the inquest into Lisa's death has yet to be finalised as more reports are still to be prepared. In a statement a spokesman for First Group said the company could not comment on Mr Parkisson's case but added that it does have polices in place to support and engage with employees after a bereavement. The spokesman said: 'We cannot comment on individual cases but we do follow very clear and supportive policies in such cases. 'We absolutely recognise the support required when our colleagues suffer close bereavement. 'Such support includes a company confidential support line, counselling services and face-to-face meetings at work or at home as well as trade union support.'
Robert Parkisson, 62, claims he was sacked after failing to return to work . He has been on sick leave since his daughter Lisa died seven months ago . She died in hospital just two days after giving birth to her son Zac . Mr Parkisson has been suffering with depression ever since . But he claims he has been sacked after failing to give bosses a return date . First Group say they have a support policy for bereaved employees .
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Tottenham's Emmanuel Adebayor has blasted Yaya Toure and his Ivory Coast team-mates for trying to be heroes rather than playing together. The Togolese striker was hugely critical of a squad brimming with Premier League stars including Kolo Toure, Cheick Tiote and Wilfried Bony, as well as former Premier League stars Didier Drogba and Gervinho. 'I never trust them. They are the country that will always let you down,' said Adebayor speaking to Ghana SoccerNet. Let down: Emmanuel Adebayor (below) has blasted the Ivory Coast for not playing together . Blast: The Spurs striker said the team need to play together and not all try and be heroes . He added: 'How come for the last four or five years have they not won the African Cup of Nations? They have got the best striker in Europe in Didier Drogba. They have got the best midfielder today, Yaya Toure. You’ve got one of the best strikers in the league today, Wilfried Bony. You have all of those players. 'But the thing is, are they going to be collective enough? I don’t know. I am not an Ivorian. They will be talking, laughing and enjoying themselves but when the time comes, they will forget about their job.' Adebayor rates Nigeria's chances as the best among the five African nations, because they have the best 'concentration', while Ghana, whose squad is full of European players, much like the Ivory Coast, are over-reliant on Asamoah Gyan. Individual: Ivory Coast have not won the Africa Cup of Nations since 1992 despite having a number of stars . Best chance: Adebayor believes Nigeria have the best chance in Brazil because they are the most organised . Continuing his Ivory Coast criticism, Adebayor added: 'There’s no togetherness. Everyone wants to be the hero. 'Everybody wants to be the one to finish on a high so the folks remember them for what I have done, not for what we have done as a generation, nor for what we have done as team. 'Everyone wants to be like a hero and that is what is killing Ivory Coast.'
Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor has blasted Yaya Toure and the Ivory Coast for 'always letting you down' at the World Cup . He said he 'never trusts' the Elephants to do well at the World Cup . Adebayor says the team do not play together and forget about their jobs . The Togolese predicts Nigeria will do the best of the five African teams in Brazil .
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Jerusalem (CNN) -- The Israeli military said Monday that it has suspended an officer who was caught on video striking a pro-Palestinian activist in the face. In a statement, the military described the incident as severe and promised that the circumstances would be investigated and "the necessary measures carried out." Video of the incident, which took place Saturday near the West Bank city of Jericho, shows a group of Israeli soldiers attempting to prevent a group of dozens of bicycle-riding activists from passing. One of the activists is next to an Israeli soldier, who suddenly hits the young man in the face with an M-16 rifle. The man falls to the ground and is quickly dragged away by his peers. The video was posted to You Tube on Sunday by a pro-Palestinian advocacy group. He was treated in a Palestinian hospital for light injuries. For reasons of security, when contacted by phone the injured activist would provide only his first name, which he said was Andaers. He said he was participating in a bicycle tour through the Jordan River Valley organized to bring attention to the Israeli military occupation of the West Bank. When his group encountered a military roadblock, Andaers said, he and a few other bikers decided to move peacefully toward the soldiers. "We walked slowly towards them; the immediate response as you see from the video was violence." Andaers said. "One senior officer took off his rifle and beat three people, including myself." Andaers said that "there was no justification for the violence" and that he was considering legal action. The video prompted a quick and emphatic response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said in a statement Sunday, "This behaviour does not characterize the soldiers and commanders of the (Israeli Defense Forces) and has no place in the IDF and the State of Israel." The officer has been identified as Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner, who served as commander for soldiers in the West Bank. Israeli military spokeswoman Lt. Col. Avital Leibovich said the officer's actions were not in line with military training and did "not bide with the ethical code and the moral values that we teach our soldiers and commanders" but suggested that the video did not tell the whole story. "It was an illegal riot trying to block a road," Leibovich said of the activists. The video, she maintained, represented an edited 30 seconds of a 120-minute-long event in which the officer in question had his hand broken by stick-wielding protesters. "I'm not sure the violence of the event was conveyed in those 30 seconds," she said. Bader Zama'reh, the director of Sharek Youth Forum, which organized the bicycle event, rejected the Israeli military's characterization. "This was not a protest; this was a peaceful march," Zama'reh said. "They have overreacted to everything they did. This was a peaceful activity. The youth had bicycles and wanted to ride."
Tape of Saturday's incident shows soldiers attempting to block activists . One young man is shown being hit in face with a rifle . Israeli military says incident will be investigated . Video doesn't tell the whole story, military says .
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A group of daredevil climbers have shown just how fearless they are after camping out on the side of a frozen cliff face in frigid Kyrgyzstan. These jaw-dropping photos show climbers Thomas Senf, Ines Papert and Wolfgang Rusegger taking a break while scaling Mount Kyzyl Asker in Central Asia. The adrenaline junkies were tackling the 19,000ft mountain when a storm forced them to stop in their tracks just 985ft from the summit. Scroll down for video . Thomas Senf, Ines Papert and Wolfgang Rusegger camped out on the side of Mount Kyzyl Asker in Kyrgyzstan when bad weather struck . The adrenaline junkies were tackling the 19,000ft mountain when a storm forced them to stop in their tracks just 985ft from the summit . Unfortunately for the climbers they were forced to abandon their icy climb due to the storm, which brought heavy snow and avalanches . With the deteriorating conditions posing a significant threat to their safety they quickly jumped into their sleeping bags and braced themselves for the storm, which brought heavy snow and triggered avalanches. Thomas’ photographs have only recently been revealed to the public after the 2010 expedition. The 33-year-old said: ‘It was a kind of “1,000-star hotel” experience, a very unique experience. Ines Papert (left) and Wolfgang Rusegger climb the frozen cliff face at Mount Kyzyl Asker in Kyrgyzstan before the storm struck . Ines Papert climbs a solid ice wall (left) and at right she and Wolfgang Rusegger rearrange their ropes . ‘Especially at a place like this where you can see for a hundred kilometres without any lights from a house.’ Thomas shared the photos after he witnessed shots of climbers Kevin Jorgenson and Tommy Caldwell, who recently scaled - and camped - their way up El Capitan. Thomas Senf's photographs have only recently been revealed to the public after the group attempted to scale the mountain in 2010 . Thomas Senf, from Bernese Oberland, Switzerland, said the group was bombarded with snow and avalanches when the storm hit . But unfortunately for Thomas' group, the weather meant they never completed the icy climb. Thomas, from Bernese Oberland, Switzerland, added: ‘That night we were hit by avalanches the whole night and a snowstorm that didn't stop. ‘It became clear there was nobody except ourselves who could help. At least the temperature helped to cool down the nerves.’
Climbers Thomas Senf, Ines Papert and Wolfgang Rusegger were forced to take a break on Mount Kyzyl Asker . They were forced to stop in their tracks just 985ft from the summit when a dangerous winter storm struck . The storm brought heavy snow and triggered avalanches, and prevented the group from completing the climb .
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London (CNN) -- A second case of the potentially deadly MERS virus has been identified in the Netherlands, a spokeswoman for the country's National Public Health Institute told CNN. It comes one day after authorities confirmed the first case. The cases in the Netherlands involve two family members who had traveled together to Saudi Arabia. It is one man and one woman who contracted the disease, said Harald Wychgel, spokesman for the Netherlands ministry of health. The health ministry, citing privacy reasons, did not provide additional details except to say that the pair shared a room for two weeks in Saudi Arabia. Officials do not know if one person infected the other or if both became infected at the same location. One of the two, however, had visited a camel farm. It is estimated that nearly 75% of dromedary -- or single-hump camels -- in Saudi Arabia have come into contact with the MERS virus, researchers said in February. "It is also known that both patients have underlying conditions that make them probably more susceptible to infection with this virus," the health ministry said in a statement. The announcement comes as the World Health Organization said the spread of the virus has become more urgent, but at least for now, is not calling it a global health emergency. The first cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome were diagnosed in the Arabian Peninsula in 2012. MERS attacks the respiratory system, and symptoms can lead to pneumonia or kidney failure. There have been over 570 confirmed cases of MERS, including 171 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Many of the cases are in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Even without any official worldwide alert, Anne Schuchat, the head of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, acknowledges that "this is a relatively new virus that does have a high fatality rate," ample reason to pay attention. Authorities haven't pinned down all the details about how exactly it arose and how it spreads, though Schuchat said, "We don't have evidence right now that this is airborne ... the way the measles virus is." Two cases have been confirmed in the United States. Both patients are health care providers who were working in Saudi Arabia. Those cases are in Indiana and Florida. CNN's Miriam Falco contributed to this report.
A second MERS case is reported in the Netherlands . The two cases involve family members who traveled together . There have been 571 confirmed cases of MERS, including 171 deaths .
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(CNN) -- Less than a week after releasing its 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime, Amazon is out with a new list: 150 Love Stories for Every Romantic Mood, just in time for Valentine's Day. Books that made the cut include Margaret Mitchell's "Gone with the Wind," Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love" and E.L. James' "Fifty Shades" trilogy. The list spans 12 categories -- Dangerous Love, Dystopian Love, First Love, Historical Romance, Love Overseas, Love on the Big Screen, Modern Love, Paranormal Love, Sizzling Series, Star-Crossed Love, True Love and Unlikely Love -- with entries sprinkled among the adult and young adult genres. While many categories are filled with fictional romances, the True Love set features memoirs and autobiographies, including "Just Kids" by Patti Smith, "Love & War" by James Carville and Mary Matalin, and "The Pioneer Woman" by Ree Drummond (known for her Food Network show of the same name). The CNN Living team noted that several modern classics we love were omitted from the Amazon list, including "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel García Márquez, "Love Is a Mix Tape" by Rob Sheffield, "All the Living" by C.E. Morgan and "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" by Terry McMillan. Team Living collected our 40 favorite titles from the Amazon list in the gallery above. Take a look and see if you agree with our top picks. Sara Nelson, editorial director of print and Kindle books at Amazon.com, said her team wanted to capture the essence of the Valentine's Day season in a bigger way this year by expanding last year's 50 Great American Love Stories, which highlighted love stories set in each U.S. state. "We sat in front of the computer and the shelves of books in Seattle, and we took out everything we thought would count as a love story," Nelson said. "I think the big surprise, though, is how many kinds of love there are. When we came up with the categories, it wasn't hard to fill them." Though some were surprised that Shakespeare didn't make the 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime list, "Romeo and Juliet" made the cut this time in the Star-Crossed Lovers category. Other well-known picks were "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky and "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger. The set also includes compilations of letters between former President and first lady John and Abigail Adams and between Georgia O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz. "There's always a little bit of serendipity in these things, because you could do this list with 300 books, 500 books," Nelson said. "We have a list, we refine it, we add, then we refine. What you come up with in the end is a mish-mash, but I think that's what's interesting." All the books on the list can be viewed at Amazon.com, and CNN Living's top 40 favorites are included in the gallery above. Let us know which ones you agree with and which you think should have been included in the comments section below.
Amazon.com unveiled its list of 150 love stories fit for any romantic occasion . The list includes both fiction and nonfiction, adult and young adult romance . CNN Living curated the list to our 40 favorite picks, including "Cold Mountain" and "Bel Canto" Did your favorite book about love make the list? Share your opinion in the comments section .
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(CNN) -- The French spend more time eating and drinking than anyone else among the world's wealthy nations, a new study reveals. The study, by the Paris-based Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), found that the average French person spends nine hours sleeping every night, and spends two hours a day eating. On the other end of the spectrum, the average Japanese gets seven hours of sleep and also spends longer at work -- and getting to work -- than on leisure activities. And when it comes to food, Mexicans spend the least time: just over an hour a day. The survey looked at 18 countries among the organization's 30 members to see how people use "that most fundamental of resources:" time. The results were released Monday. Among the organization's findings: . The lowest obesity rates? South Korea and Japan with less than 4 percent of the population exceeding a BMI of more than 30.
Average Japanese spends longer at work and getting to work than on leisure . South Korea and Japan have the lowest obesity rates . Survey looks at 18 countries among OECD's 30 members to gauge use of time .
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(CNN) -- Chelsea have warned a group of supporters they are slowing the progress of the English Premier League outfit after they opted not to return the freehold to the club's Stamford Bridge stadium. The ground, in the west of the English capital, was sold to a fans' organization called the Chelsea Pitch Owners (CPO) in 1997 to protect it from falling into the hands of developers if the club ran into financial trouble. But only 61.5% of CPO's shareholders voted to sell the freehold back to the club -- less than the 75% needed to authorize the move. Explainer: Chelsea's bid to leave Stamford Bridge . Chelsea, who are currently third in the Premier League, are keen to explore the possibility of building a new ground with a bigger capacity than Stamford Bridge, which currently holds only 42,000 supporters. In a letter to CPO, Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck said that a new ground could help the club raise an extra $56 million of revenue each season but that the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge was necessary to help pay for it. But many fans were not happy at the club's plans to move away from the site and Chelsea fell short of the vote required. The club are owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich but limited space around their ground means expansion is difficult. Two of the club's rivals, Manchester United and Arsenal, have stadiums that hold 76,000 and 60,000 respectively. A statement on the Chelsea's official website read: "Chelsea FC is naturally disappointed with the result. A large number of fans supported our proposals but it was always going to be difficult when we had to have a 75 per cent majority of voting shareholders accepting them. "We approached this process with transparency and the will to do what is best for Chelsea Football Club and while we will remain as ambitious as ever, this decision could slow down our progress." Buck added: "Obviously we are disappointed but we recognise and we respect totally that the shareholders of Chelsea Pitch Owners have spoken. "We will meet with Mr Abramovich (Chelsea's Russian owner) and the rest of the board and we will decide what action, if any, we will take going forward. '"I don't view this as an us and against you, we against they situation. We are all Chelsea fans and I can only hope that on Saturday we can get together and support this club and beat Arsenal."
Chelsea lose vote to buy back their Stamford Bridge stadium . A group of the club's fans who own the freehold opt against handing it back . The 'Chelsea Pitch Owners' have owned the freehold since 1997 . Club says they are losing $56 million of revenue a year due to limited capacity .
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By . Sadie Whitelocks . PUBLISHED: . 16:33 EST, 29 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:35 EST, 29 October 2013 . Blonde bombshell Kate Upton is the unlikely cover star of Golf Digest's December issue. The 21-year-old, not known for her putting skills, appears casually leant against golfing legend Arnold Palmer on the front of the glossy with her ample cleavage covered in an orange polo dress. An editorial inside the magazine shows her getting a golf lesson from Mr Palmer, 84, who explains that 'the way she waggled the club was very easy and natural.' Unlikely cover star: Blonde bombshell Kate Upton fronts the December issue of Golf Digest alongside golfing legend, Arnold Palmer - she keeps her ample cleavage covered in an orange polo dress . He writes that she may be new to the sport but she is 'going to be a very good golfer' because she's 'strong, flexible and coordinated'. '[Her] eyes are another thing that gave away her potential: They're so sharp and alert. 'I've never met a really good player who didn't have eagle eyes. They notice everything around them.' It was announced in late September that Miss Upton would be appearing in Golf Digest - the same month she appeared on the 100th anniversary edition of Vanity Fair - however it was not known in what capacity. Exercising her talents: The blonde bombshell was given a lesson on the green at golfing legend, Arnold Palmer's (pictured) 270-acre Florida estate . Unlikely duo: A comical behind-the-scenes video of the photo shoot shows Miss Upton, wearing a dotted Fred Perry sweater, shorts and athletic sneakers. advising Mr Palmer on his golfing technique . A comical behind-the-scenes video was released at the time showing Miss Upton on the green with Mr Palmer. Wearing a dotted Fred Perry sweater, shorts and athletic sneakers the five-foot-ten-inch model cheekily advises her golfing partner on his technique. After missing the hole twice, she tells him to relax his wrists. 'Kate, like any golfer, is going to find her ball in some tough places. But she'll also have some exhilarating successes' 'Don't break them . . . now try.' As Mr Palmer scores a hole in one, Miss Upton exclaims: 'See, that's so much better, just keep practicing.' Upon learning that Miss Upton was visiting him, Mr Palmer is reported to . have held up a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue with her on the cover . and said: 'Did you see this? She's coming here. Did you know that?' After her golf lesson, which . took place in March at Mr Palmer's 270-acre golf club in Orlando, Florida, Miss Upton . posted a picture to Twitter of her stood next to him, captioned: . 'Had an amazing golf lesson today.' In 2000, Mr Palmer was ranked the sixth greatest player of all time by Golf Digest. Join my fan club: After spending the day with him, Miss Upton was inducted into 'Arnie's Army' with Mr Palmer affixing one of his famous umbrella pins to her lapel . Smiles all around:: The model let Mr Palmer have a quick kiss on the cheek in return . He made $1,861,857 in 734 career tournaments and made millions more off the course through various business ventures. His fans, known as Arnie's Army, refer to him as 'The King' and he even has a lemonade and ice tea beverage named after him. After . spending the day with him, Miss Upton was inducted into Arnie's Army . with Mr Palmer affixing one of his famous umbrella pins to her lapel - . she let him have a quick kiss on the cheek in return. In the new issue of Golf Digest Mr Palmer concludes: 'Kate, like any golfer, is going to find her ball in some tough places. 'She'll hit her share of shots into creek beds, against tree trunks and between rocks . . . [But] she'll also have some exhilarating successes.'
The blonde bombshell appears casually leant against golfing legend Arnold Palmer on the December issue . 'The way she waggled the club was very easy and natural,' Mr Palmer, 84, noted after giving the model a lesson .
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An Alabama Democrat representative has said that white people would force their child to have an abortion if the father was black. Rep. Alvin Holmes made the comments during a debate on a bill in the Alabama state house which would see the state implement the toughest abortion laws in the U.S. Targeting Republican lawmakers, Holmes claimed that '99 per cent’ of white representatives who are against abortion would change their mind ‘if their daughter got pregnant by a black man’. Controversial speech: Democrat Rep. Alvin Holmes said '99 per cent' of white Republicans who are anti abortion would force their daughter to have one if she got pregnant by a black man . Democrat Holmes, first elected in 1974, said that ‘not one in 100,000’ white people would allow their daughter to have a mixed-race baby. ‘If you asked the people in here now to raise their hands, of those who are against abortion, 99 per cent of all of the white people in here gonna raise their hand that they are against abortion,’ Rep Holmes said during the debate. ‘On the other hand, 99 per cent of the whites that are sitting in here now, if they daughter got pregnant by a black man, they gonna make their daughter have an abortion. They ain’t gonna let her have the baby. ‘ . A recording of his speech, published by Birmingham News, also includes Rep Holmes turning to an unnamed white female representative asking her if she would ‘allow’ her child to have a mixed-race baby. When the woman’s reply is positive, he retorts: ‘Well, I need to commend you then. There’s not one in 100,000 that would do that.’ Pro-life: The controversial bill would see Alabama have the strictest abortion laws in the United States . Republican Mary Sue McClurkin compared her bill, which bans abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, to landmark court case Brown vs. Board of Education . After a heated debate, the Alabama House of Representatives approved the bill, which bans abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, something which can happen as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. Bill sponsor Republican Representative. Mary Sue McClurkin said Tuesday that a heartbeat is universally accepted as an indication of life. She later compared her bill to Brown vs. Board of Education, the court case which ended the legal segregation of public schools in 1954. If the bill wins approval, the legislation that moves next to the Senate would tie Alabama with North Dakota as having the most stringent abortion law in the country. It is a direct challenge to the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion up until a fetus is considered viable. Opponents called the bill blatantly unconstitutional. North Dakota approved a similar law last year, but a federal judge put it on hold while the legal challenge plays out in court.
Democrat say 'whites would force daughter to abort baby if father is black' Alvin Holmes targeted white Republicans in the Alabama House of Reps . He said that the prospect of a mixed-race baby would change their mind . He said 'not one in 100,000' would allow child to have a mixed-race baby .
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A 24-year-old man was tasered at least 13 times before he died in police custody, an attorney for the deceased victim has revealed. Gregory Lewis Towns, Jr was killed last April in East Point, Georgia after he was arrested by police who responded to reports of a domestic dispute with his girlfriend. Towns died after Cpl Howard Weems and former Sgt Marcus Eberhart tasered him a combined 13 times while he was laying on the ground, in an attempt to get him up and moving, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Scroll down for video . Justice: 24-year-old Gregory Lewis Towns, Jr was killed on April 11 after he was tasered by police officers a combined 13 times. An attorney for his family said on Tuesday that they plan to file a lawsuit. Above, a picture of the incident . Police even tased Towns when he was wet and lying in a creek . However, this revelation contradicts what the officers self-reported at the time - that they only tasered Towns six times. The Medical Examiner later ruled Towns death a homicide. Now Chris Stewart, an attorney for Towns' family, plans to file a lawsuit against the department later this week for wrongful death. 'This situation is indefensible,' Stewart said. Killed: The Medical Examiner ruled Towns' (pictured) death a homicide. He leaves behind a now 7-month-old son . The Fulton County District Attorney is also awaiting the evidence of an investigation into the incident, before deciding whether to bring up criminal charges to a grand jury. In a press conference on Tuesday, Stewart recounted the deadly confrontation on April 11, after Weems and Eberhardt responded to a 911 at Towns' girlfriend's townhouse, where she lived with their now 7-month-old son. After getting into a foot-chase with Towns, the man ended up on the ground. According to records stored on the taser, and eyewitness accounts, Towns was tasered about 13 times - including once while he was wet in a creek. Eberhardt triggered his taser 10 times to Weems' three times. Stewart says Towns was on the ground, and that the officers were trying to get him up and moving to go back to the squad car. Savage: Chris Stewart, an attorney for Towns' family, says the officers used their tasers to 'cattle prod' the 24-year-old . 'He wasn't cursing. He wasn't being abusive. He was saying, "I’m tired,"' Stewart said. 'They used their Tasers as a cattle prod on Mr Towns while handcuffed.' Stewart adds that the incident was not racially-motivated since both of the officers were black, like Towns. 'Mr Towns' killing is not about race. It's about police brutality...going to the extreme.' Cpl Weems continues to appeal his firing from the department. Neither officers issued a statement following news of the lawsuit.
Gregory Lewis Towns, Jr was killed on April 11 after a confrontation with police in East Point, Georgia . While laying on the ground hand-cuffed, Towns was tasered a total of 13 times by two officers . His death was later deemed a homicide by the medical examiner .
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Marouane Fellaini appeared to land a nasty elbow to the face of Joe Allen during Belgium's Euro 2016 qualifier against Wales on Sunday night. The Manchester United and Belgium midfielder was caught on camera as his elbow collided with the face of his Welsh opponent, before escaping without punishment. The incident, midway through the second half of Belgium's 0-0 draw with Chris Coleman's Wales, resulted in Allen having to temporarily leave the field, his face gushing with blood. Marouane Fellaini (left) clashed with Wales midfielder Joe Allen during the second half of the match . As the pair tangled, Fellaini landed a dangerous elbow to the face of Wales midfielder Allen . Fellaini was given a yellow card last season when he elbowed Manchester City's Pablo Zabaleta . It is not the first time Fellaini has been involved in an incident of this nature. In March, he was criticised for an elbow on Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta which resulted in a yellow card. And on the first day of the season, Fellaini appeared to land a blow to the face of Swansea midfielder Ki Sung-yueng; the outcome this time a yellow card to Ki. The 26-year-old has twice courted controversy when he appeared to spit on an opponent, formerly in the aftermath of the Zabaleta elbow, and recently on Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero. Wales held on for an invaluable point in Belgium, a result which leaves them top of Group B after four matches. Fellaini looks away as Allen lies on the turf after the incident in Belgium on Sunday night . Liverpool and Wales midfielder Allen had to receive treatment on the field after the elbow . The Wales medical team tend to Allen's injury, after he was elbowed by Manchester United midfielder Fellaini . Fellaini also found himself in hot water when he appeared to elbow Ki Sung-yueng at the start of the season .
Wales travelled to Belgium for a Euro 2016 Group B qualifying match . Marouane Fellaini appeared to land an elbow on Joe Allen . The incident left the Welsh midfielder gushing with blood . Fellaini escaped punishment from the referee . The Belgian has caused controversy for elbows in the past .
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David Cameron was yesterday pushing for tougher sanctions to strike at the heart of Russia’s economy over its incursion into Ukraine – even if they risk hurting the City. Downing Street admitted that targeting lending to sectors such as oil could have an impact on London’s financial heart. But the Prime Minister’s spokesman said it was right to put pressure on President Vladimir Putin over his military aggression. Scroll down for videos . Russian President Vladimir Putin was in Mongolia today, but is facing increasing isolation in Europe over Moscow's military intervention in Ukraine . All at sea: The Vladivostok aircraft carrier, which was being built in France, has now been axed after continued fighting in Ukraine . This may well have an impact on the financial sector in London and other capitals, he said. ‘But, as the Prime Minister and Chancellor have said, the costs of the sanctions fall much more greatly on Russia than they do on the rest of the world. ‘Russia needs Europe and others more than the other way around on these commercial issues.’ The development came as France finally bowed to pressure and cancelled the delivery of the first of two warships to Russia. The Vladivostok, a Mistral-class helicopter carrier ordered in the £960million deal, was due to be delivered by late October. French President Francois Hollande’s office called the fighting in Ukraine ‘grave’ and said that Russia’s recent actions in Ukraine harm ‘the foundations of security in Europe’. Britain, France and Germany are all in favour of tougher EU sanctions if the Kremlin refuses to call off incursions into its smaller neighbour. In Brussels, EU ambassadors have begun work on the new measures, including a threat to strip Russia of the right to host the 2018 football World Cup. But the central proposal was a ban on all state-controlled oil and defence firms from raising capital in European markets. David Cameron has hit out at the Russian military presence in eastern Ukraine, but has yet to back proposals to exclude the country from sporting occasions . US President Barack Obama was in Estonia today and condemned the situation in Ukraine . This could have a dramatic effect by halting investment in these key sectors. The Russian economy is already stalling thanks to existing sanctions, and the rouble is at a record low. A document in Brussels out- lining the plans added: ‘Besides economic measures, thought could be given to taking co-ordinated action to recommend suspension of Russian participation in high-profile international events (Formula One races, UEFA football competitions, 2018 World Cup etc).’ However, Number 10 officials suggested that Britain was less enthusiastic about the idea of trying to strip Russia of football’s top tournament. ‘The Prime Minister’s focus is around political and economic measures that have an impact now,’ said the spokesman. Meanwhile President Barack Obama was yesterday in Estonia to reassure the Baltic states that they would be protected by Nato. The US leader declared that ‘borders cannot be redrawn at the barrel of a gun’. He also warned Mr Putin that the alliance would not accept Russian annexation of ‘any part of Ukraine’. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he has agreed a ‘ceasefire process’ with Moscow. Later Mr Putin commented that he hoped a peace deal could be reached by tomorrow during talks in Minsk between his country, Ukraine and separatist rebels. The Nato summit, which is being held in Wales today and tomorrow, is expected to discuss the alliance’s response to the crisis in Ukraine.
Brussels has announced proposals to step up sanctions against Moscow . A new embargo on arms sales to Russia is also set to be introduced . EU has pledged to pass new sanctions by Friday unless Putin pulls back .
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Wonton Food replaced the 'saucy' notes with milder messages . By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 04:06 EST, 11 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:44 EST, 11 February 2013 . Change: Parents contacted Wonton Food after becoming concerned . The world's largest fortune cookie manufacturer has removed romantic messages from their products after complaints from parents. Wonton Food was contacted by parents concerned that the 'words of wisdom' offered in the crisp cookies were unsuitable for children. The Brooklyn-based company, which produces five million . cookies every day, has now replaced the saucy 'fortune' notes with milder prophecies. 'Some parents sent us e-mails. 'They said . they didn’t want their kids reading them,' explained vice president Derrick Wong. 'Different people have a different . perspective,' he said. The company have now removed the more suggestive fortunes from their catalogue of 10,000 messages, reported The New York Post. Messages . which raised eyebrows among parents include 'One who admires you . greatly is hidden before your eyes,' and 'The evening promises romantic . interest,' and 'A . romantic mystery will soon add interest to your life.' New direction: The Brooklyn-based company, which produces five million cookies every day, has now replaced the saucy 'fortune' notes with milder prophecies . They have been replaced by . less controversial message such as, 'You make every day special,' 'No one on Earth is . as beautiful as you,' and 'Only love makes us see ordinary things in an . extraordinary way.' 'You . never know who will get the cookie,' said Jennifer 8. Lee, author of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles. 'You will meet a tall, . dark stranger,’ means one thing to a 20-year-old fashionista - and . another to a 6-year-old kid. Romantic messages aren’t one size fits . all.
Wonton Food replaced the 'saucy' notes with milder messages .
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Mario Balotelli was reportedly dumped by Belgian model Fanny Neguesha because he objected to her sexy mag poses. The Italian striker proposed to the 22-year-old beauty at last year's World Cup in Brazil with a £25,000 sparkler. However, the relationship proved short lived as Fanny returned the engagement ring after he demanded she quit modelling. VIDEO Scroll down to see Fanny Neguesha tackle a huge snake . Mario Balotelli and Fanny Neguesha stroll along the beach before their split . Balotelli didn't want the Belgian beauty doing any photoshoots or even singing and dancing . Fanny was proposed to at last summer's World Cup with a £25,000 engagement ring by Balotelli . Fanny speaks on the phone showing off her £25,000 engagement ring from Balotelli before the split . Fanny revealed on Italian TV: 'He didn't want to see me in photoshoots - or singing and dancing. 'I tried to explain to him that I had a career as well. But he just wouldn't listen. Looking back maybe I was a bit too hasty. 'I should have taken a bit more time and thought about it before I accepted his proposal. 'He was a hard head and couldn't accept  I wanted my own career path as well. 'In the end I returned the engagement ring to him. He was upset but we have both moved on now.' Protective: Balotelli did not like the idea of other men gawping at his fiancee and asked her to quit modelling . Jealous: Balotelli couldn't handed the idea of anybody else looking at  Fanny .
Mario Balotelli did not want to see his fiancee in photoshoots . Hated the idea of other men gawping at her body in magazines . Fanny Neguesha ended relationship and returned £25,000 engagement ring . Model is preparing for Italy's version of 'I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here'
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By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 11:31 EST, 23 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 11:32 EST, 23 January 2014 . U.S. birth rates have been on a steady decline since the onset of the ‘Great recession.’ Newly released data shows births fell 10 per cent from 2008 to 2011, down to well under 4million births after hitting an all-time high of 4.3million births in 2007. A steep decline in teen pregnancies is also believed to be causing the fall. ‘In 2011, there were 3.8 million live births in hospitals, which was 436,000 less or a decrease of 10.3 percent compared to 2008,’ the Agency for Health Research and Quality said in a report. Falling: Births dropped from an all-time high of 4.3million in 2007 to just 3.8million in 2011 . Births have dropped 400,000 after hitting an all-time high of 4.3million in 2007, statistics show.One of the contributing factors is the drop in teen pregnancies. Teen birth rates have been dropping steadily for the past 20 years, and hit a new historic low in 2011, the government said. The rate hit only 31.3 births per 1,000, dropping from 34.2 the prior year and almost halving the 1991 peak of 61.8. The teen birth rate has dropped 25 per cent since 2007 and 49 per cent since 1991. MTV’s ’16 and Pregnant’ has been widely credited with helping to curb teen pregnancies. Less newborn: Births have fallen 10 per cent since 2008 . A recent study found the controversial television show ‘led to a 5.7 percent reduction in teen births in the 18 months following its introduction.’ The show also ‘led to more searches and tweets regarding birth control and abortion’ among the teen set, the study found. ‘This accounts for around one-third of the overall decline in teen births in the United States during that period,’ the study concluded. Birth rates have fallen one or two per cent across most demographics, but women over 35 have remained steady, according to the government. This was attributed to more financial stability and the urgency to have a child while they are still able.
U.S. births hit an all-time high of 4.3million in 2007 . Births dropped to only 3.8million by 2011 . A steep decline in the number of teen pregnancies is believed to be a contributing factor .
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Super Bowl advertisers are being careful not to offend with this weekend's television spots, going for cute, cuddly and sentimental as opposed to the sexy commercials of years past. The millions who tune in on Sunday can expect lots of puppies and relatable celebrities, as opposed to scantily clad women and sexual situations, with even the Victoria's Secret Angels fully clothed in the brand's teaser spot - although they reveal more in their actual Super Bowl ad. And an anti-domestic abuse commercial will have a high profile-spot during the game after a year of domestic violence scandals in the NFL. Scroll down for videos . The Victoria's Secret Angels are covered up in teaser's for their Super Bowl spot . Budweiser will feature an adorable puppy, and a Clysdale in a commercial they premiered earlier this week . Mindy Kaling will get invisible in an ad for Nationwide . Carl's Jr. is sticking with the sex, and, as is tradition, will feature a model enjoying one of their burgers . That's not all either,  with Kim Kardashian and Lindsay Lohan toning down the sexy and mocking themselves for T-Mobile and Esurance respectively, and one of America's most beloved sitcom actresses, Mindy Kaling, pretending she is invisible for a Nationwide ad that has already been heavily teased. Of course, they aren't all devoid of sex, with Carl's Jr. going very sexy as usual with a naked model enjoying one of their burgers. Advertisers have to find a balance between grabbing people's attention and not going too far to shock or offend a broad base of more than 110 million viewers. They want to be sure to make the estimated $4.5 million they're spending for a 30-second Super Bowl ad worth it. This year, that seems to mean erring on the side of caution. 'Companies are being more prudent,' said MediaPost columnist Barbara LIppert. 'It's also a very weird atmosphere with all the coverage about deflated balls and domestic abuse. Maybe advertisers want to be a little more careful in that climate.' Wix.com went for non-edgy laughs with an ad that shows retired football players coming up with funny fictional businesses, like Brett Favre . Kim Kardashian is poking fun at her image in a T-Mobile spot . It's a far cry from the dot.com commercial attempts in 2000, when an E*Trade ad showed a monkey in a garage and touted the fact that the company had just wasted $2 million dollars, but MediaPost's Lippert says it makes sense to be restrained. Even GoDaddy, which made its name with racy Super Bowl spots since it began advertising 11 years ago, has been moving away from being edgy; last year one of its Super Bowl ads focused on a woman running a small business. This year, they promised a warm and fuzzy ad featuring a puppy, spoofing a Budweiser ad from last year that also featured a puppy. But the twist at the end of GoDaddy's spot showed the puppy was being sold online via a web site created with Godaddy.com. After it debuted early, a social media storm erupted, with pet lovers finding the ad offensive. GoDaddy said late Tuesday it wouldn't air the ad. 'At the end of the day, our purpose at GoDaddy is to help small businesses around the world build a successful online presence,' said CEO Blake Irving. 'We underestimated the emotional response." GoDaddy says it has another ad it plans to run.' Wix.com, which helps people build web sites, has taken a lesson from GoDaddy. Instead of debuting as a Super Bowl advertiser with a racy spot like GoDaddy did when it was a new advertiser, Wix.com went for non-edgy laughs with an ad that shows retired football players coming up with funny fictional businesses. Brett Favre, for instance, invents a charcuteries business called Favre and Carve. Other companies appear to be playing it safer too by not focusing so much on bare skin and sophomoric humor. A Victoria's Secret 90-second teaser ad showed supermodels fully dressed as football players. The actual Super Bowl ad shows the models dressed in Victoria's Secret lingerie, though. And the NFL is airing a public service announcement from NoMore, a coalition of anti-domestic abuse organizations. The ad depicts a chilling 911 call from a battered woman to demonstrate the terror of domestic abuse.
Super Bowl advertisers are going for cute, cuddly and sentimental spots as opposed to the sexy commercials of years past . Celebrities like Mindy Kaling, Kim Kardashian, Lindsay Lohan and Brett Favre all appear in commercials that poke fun at their fame . Puppies are also big, appearing in ads for Budweiser and GoDaddy . Even the Victoria's Secret Angels are clothed in the brand's teaser campaign .
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Satirical TV anchorman Stephen Colbert may not have a dog in this fight, but his name alone may have helped a Pomeranian-Chihuahua mix puppy beat a 6-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel. Stephen Colbert el dos rips the prize away from Mozart in the weekly competition. In the online doggie beauty pageant, the canine Steven Colbert el dos won the latest weekly semifinal, which enables him to compete for a $1 million grand prize. Colbert el dos from Georgia beat Mozart, or MoMo as he's known to his family and friends in New Orleans, Louisiana, to win cutest dog of the week. "While it certainly would have been a lot of fun for MoMo to win this past week, we're excited for Stephen Colbert el dos and his owners. What a fun and entertaining ride it's been so far." said piano teacher Cara McCool, MoMo's owner. "We're just happy for the attention this has brought to our charities as well as others supported by so many cute dogs in this competition," McCool said. Her charities included: Redeemer Presbyterian Disaster Relief, Desire Street Ministries, Louisiana Teachers Save Our Students fund, Cavalier Rescue USA, Musical Arts Society of New Orleans, the Louisiana SPCA, and Teach for America. Colbert el dos' winnings are pledged to attract a stork to his owners' house. The owners, Bryan and his wife, Allyson, are newlyweds and are hoping to use the prize money for in vitro fertilization treatments to start a family. Colbert el dos' owners asked not to have their last names published to protect their privacy. There is some controversy over the weekly contest results. When the polls closed on Saturday at midnight Pacific time, Mozart was up by 131 votes. But on Monday the competition posted a message on its blog saying Mozart's fans had cheated. "Mozart obviously worked very hard to receive over 4,500 valid votes in Week 8, but it's unfortunate that the judges had to remove 428 votes due to excessive voter accounts." The Cutest Dog Competition Web site, run by the All American Pet Brands, also said, "there is no evidence that Mozart's owner had any part in the creation of these fraudulent accounts. Colbert's votes showed no signs of cheating." More than 60,000 people have uploaded photos of their adorable dogs to the contest's Web site. Voters have to register an e-mail account with the competition. The rules state only one vote per e-mail address per day. "The fraudulent accounts, with e-mail addresses only one number apart, were all created on the same days, from the same computers, and all votes cast from these 70-plus accounts were received within one minute of each other from the same computers (which generally means the owner of these accounts simply logged off and logged back onto another account to vote again)," according to the competition Web site. Bryan said he was shocked when he found out on Monday his dog had won. "On Saturday night, I went to bed and we were down 150 votes," he said. "I know they announced the winners on the blog and I saw winner for Week 8 and I was expecting to see Mozart and I saw Stephen Colbert el dos and I just couldn't believe it." He said it was a great day for the 7-month-old puppy and his owners. Their four-legged family includes three other dogs, all rescues, but they bought Colbert el dos from Puppies Galore in Lawrenceville, Georgia. When they met him, he was 2 months old, barely weighed a pound and would not eat. The manager of the store said the puppy was regressing after he was separated from his siblings. Now Stephen Colbert el dos is eating well and, "He's as hyper as any puppy you'll see," Bryan said. Last week, they entered the competition and said they only told a few friends and family members. They posted a note on a Stephen Colbert fan site and support for the pooch went viral. A Web site said Colbert el dos had an invitation to appear on the "Colbert Report" if he made the top 12. Bryan said the TV show has not contacted them. Renata Luczak, a spokesperson for Comedy Central, could not confirm or deny the pet's booking, saying the "Colbert Report" "refrains from commenting on upcoming guests appearing on the show." Colbert el dos' owners denied having anything to do with the fraudulent votes for Mozart. "We did not vote for Mozart a single time. And neither did anyone we know. Definitely no way," Bryan said. The human comedian Colbert has wreaked havoc in other online competitions, from a Hungarian bridge-naming contest to a NASA competition to name a room in the international space station. In both cases, Colbert won the popular vote. Hungary declined to name the bridge after Colbert. NASA, instead of naming the room in his honor, sent a treadmill to space with the Colbert honorific. In those contests, the competitions received heavy promotion during the show, with Colbert urging his viewers to participate. In the dog photo fight, Colbert had an impact without direct participation. MoMo was automatically re-entered in the competition for this week. Over the next four weeks, four more dogs will have a chance to be voted into the semifinals. After finishing in second place two weeks in a row, MoMo would appears to be the favorite to advance, where he could get another shot at Stephen Colbert el dos.
"Stephen Colbert el dos" beats Mozart in dog beauty pageant . Contest Web site says Mozart fans violated the voting rules . Mozart, a 6-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel, had been winning .
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Edinburgh Rugby are facing a fight to keep Scotland international Tim Visser, with a host of clubs pursuing the signature of the prolific winger. Sportsmail can reveal that, although contract talks have opened with the SRU, the 27-year-old has yet to sign an extended deal. That has alerted clubs from the Aviva Premiership, the Top 14 in France and also in the southern hemisphere to his possible availability. Edinburgh Rugby's Tim Visser is yet to sign a new contract with the club, alerting potential suitors . The Scotland wing, pictured scoring against France in March 2013, will be much sought-after . Losing one of Scotland's top finishers would be a big blow to the rebuilding plans of Edinburgh head coach Alan Solomons, who is believed to be keen for Visser to remain at the club. But the question is whether the SRU will be able to match the big-money offers sure to come his way over the next few months. Sportsmail understands the player is keen to have his future settled sooner rather than later to allow him to concentrate fully on Scotland's 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign. Dutch-born Visser, who made history by becoming the first man to play for Scotland through the three-year residency rule, has been looking back to his best over the past few months following an injury-hit season. His two tries in the 20-8 win over Glasgow Warriors earlier this month helped secure a vital Guinness PRO12 win for his side and the 1872 Cup - contested by the clubs on an annual basis. Visser also scored in Saturday's European Challenge Cup defeat to Lyon. Dutch-born Visser qualified to play for Scotland through the three-year residency rule in 2012 . The big winger, who joined Edinburgh back in 2009 and made his Scotland debut against Fiji three years later, is a firm favourite of the fans who will be hoping that he remains at the club past the summer. Meanwhile, Solomons will be grateful for some home comforts this week ahead of the European showdown with Bordeaux-Begles. A 75th-minute drop goal in Lyon inflicted a first defeat in five games of Pool 4 on the capital club, who must now win Friday night's clash against the group' s other French outfit. It was always likely to come down to the last round but defeat in Lyon has possibly denied Edinburgh the safety net of qualifying as a runner-up. Head coach Solomons was in forgiving mood in France after watching a demanding schedule take its toll on his players and their Challenge Cup ambitions. Visser (left) tries to help team-mate Alasdair Dickinson (right) tackle Munster's James Coughlan . The day-long journey to Matmut Stadium came on the back of a trip to Galway, never the simplest of ventures, and a busy festive period that featured back-to-back derbies against Glasgow. Solomons believes playing in Lyon proved a bridge too far for his drained players. He said: 'The reasons we lost were relatively simple - we made too many errors and gave away too many penalties. 'Probably 18 of their 21 points came through a combination of those two issues. But you have to look at the reasons behind that as to why we were not at our best. 'That was our ninth game on the bounce. We had two massive games against Glasgow over Christmas, then were away to Connacht, that involves a flight and three-hour bus journey, and then immediately away in France. 'That has all been physically and mentally draining on the players, who were unable to peak once again. They were fatigued.' Visser (left), Edinburgh's try scorer, challenges Lyon's Fabrice Estebabenez for the ball during the 21-19 loss . Solomons could forgive the fatigue but not the indiscipline from his players, which proved decisive. Visser and Dougie Fife both crossed in the opening 25 minutes to hand Edinburgh a dream start that should have paved the way for a second successive win on French soil. But Matt Scott paid the price for his team's collective indiscretions with a yellow card which handed Lyon a route back. Their 13-3 lead was narrowed to 13-10 when Romain Loursac touched down and Lyon found belief, capitalising on Edinburgh's growing number of handling errors despite three kicks from Sam Hidalgo-Clyne. This was a missed opportunity but Solomons has hammered home to his players that their destiny remains in their own hands. Visser is tackled by Wales' Jamie Roberts while playing for Scotland in the 2013 Six Nations . 'We are disappointed to lose because that was a game we felt we should have won, despite being off our game,' he added. 'But one of the first things I told the players in the dressing room is that we are still top of the pool and still in control. 'We still have everything to play for next weekend and we are determined to put things right. Hopefully, we will have a big home crowd backing us - like the one we had against Glasgow.' 'It's going to be my job to make sure we recover in the right way this week and that the players are physically and mentally fresh for a big game.'
Tim Visser has yet to sign a new contract with Edinburgh Rugby . His potential availability will alert Premiership and Top 14 clubs . Dutch-born Scotland winger is a fans' favourite at Murrayfield . He scored during Edinburgh's 21-19 loss to Lyon on Saturday .
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A grandmother has been jailed for 25 years over the death of her three-year-old grandson who was suffocated to death using six blankets in a twisted punishment called The Wrap. Michael McMullen was 'tied like a mummy' with his arms pinned to his side and loose ends of fabric wrapped over his head for four hours - while he was eating a peanut butter sandwich - after displaying 'behavioral issues'. His grandmother Gale Watkins, 57, told the court in Fort Myers, Florida, she checked on the boy once, pleading with him to stop crying so she could get 20 minutes' rest. At one point she tried to untie the knots but she gave up after breaking a nail. Her friend then tightened the loose ends and put more pillows around him. Michael was found unconscious hours later, face down and 'soaking wet' with sweat. He died of suffocation, overheating and choking on the sandwich. Horrific: Gale Watkins, 57, (right) has been jailed for 25 years for the death of her grandson Michael McMullen (left) who was wrapped in six blankets and left for four hours until he died of suffocation and overheating . On Monday, Watkins became the third and final defendant to be convicted of aggravated manslaughter in the case, handing her a 25-year sentence with five years' probation. The jury took just 30 minutes to pass their verdict. Family friend Donella Trainor, 46, was jailed for 20 years and the boy's stepfather, Douglas Garrigus, 22, for 10 years for the same charge. 'The loss of Michael is the greatest I've ever felt,' Watkins told the court, according to Naples News. 'No one feels more remorse than I do.' Cruelty: The three-year-old boy cried and hyperventilated. At one point his grandmother tried to untie him but gave up after breaking a nail . Her daughter, Michael's mother, Samantha McMullen said she was distraught at losing both her son and her mother. 'My mom couldn’t even hurt a fly let alone a child or a person,' McMullen said. Trainor, a friend of the boy's grandmother, told investigators she had disciplined her own grandchildren that way, using a technique all three adults knew as 'the wrap,' Lieutenant Larry King said. King said the group pinned the boy's arms to his side and rolled him in a king-sized blanket. 'There were six layers of cloth over this child. The loose ends would be folded over his head and feet and tied into a knot, all in an effort to prevent the child from moving,' King said. 'You could use a mummy reference.' The boy, Michael Lee McMullen, screamed and pleaded to be released as he was wrapped and put in his crib for a nap in October 2013, the sheriff's report said. The boy's grandmother, and his stepfather, Garrigus, checked on him at . different times as he cried and struggled, the report said. At one point, Garrigus said he could hear the boy crying and hyperventilating, the sheriff's office said. Trainor returned, found the knot loose and retied it, then put pillows around the child, the report said. She later found him unresponsive and soaked in sweat, it said. Paramedics took him to a hospital in Fort Myers on Florida's southwest coast where he was declared dead, and the medical examiner classified the death as a homicide. Family friend Donella Trainor (left) was jailed for 20 years and stepfather Douglas Garrigus (right) for 10 . Trainor, Watkins and Garrigus were charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child. Trainor, 46, was also charged with aggravated child abuse 'for the torture and unlawful caging' of the boy, King said . Watkins had custody of her grandson because the child's mother had been involved in domestic violence, and Trainor was helping her care for him, King said.
Michael McMullen was wrapped in blankets after refusing to have a nap . Grandmother Gale Watkins, 57, pinned boy's arms to his side and rolled him in a king-sized blanket, wrapped it over his head and tied a knot . She checked on him once to tell him to stop crying so she could sleep . She tried to untie it then gave up after breaking a nail, the court heard . Jury took 30 minutes to find Watkins guilty of aggravated manslaughter . Family friend Donella Trainor, 46, and stepfather Douglas Garrigus, 21, were also in the house. They have been jailed for aggravated manslaughter .
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(CNN) -- James von Brunn, who was accused of killing a security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in June, died Wednesday morning at a hospital in North Carolina, his attorney said. "He was just very sick," public defender A.J. Kramer said. "It is a sad end to a very sad occurrence." Von Brunn, 89, a self-avowed white supremacist, was a known Holocaust denier who created an anti-Semitic Web site called "The Holy Western Empire." Kramer said officials from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons transferred von Brunn to an undisclosed hospital, apparently realizing his condition was worsening. Before being moved, von Brunn was undergoing mental competency tests at a prison facility in Butner, North Carolina. The cause of death wasn't immediately known. A federal grand jury indicted von Brunn in July on murder charges in the death of Stephen Tyrone Johns, a six-year veteran of the museum's security staff, the Justice Department said. Von Brunn, of Annapolis, Maryland, faced a seven-count indictment in the June 10 attack. Four of the counts could have made him eligible for the death penalty. He also was charged with gun violations and hate crimes. Officers at the museum returned fire and shot him, and he was hospitalized. In July, against his will, von Brunn was ordered to undergo psychiatric testing. He ignored the advice of the judge and his defense attorney and addressed the court during a hearing to fight any delays. "Your Constitution guarantees me a speedy and fair trial," he said from his wheelchair to U.S. District Judge Reginald Walton. Von Brunn repeatedly claimed "The Diary of Anne Frank," a widely read book about a teenage girl's experiences under Nazi rule, was a hoax. The museum shooting occurred on a day the museum was to stage a play based on Anne Frank and two days before what would have been her 80th birthday. Investigators found a notebook in the suspect's car listing other locations in Washington, a federal official told CNN. It was unclear what purpose the list served. Von Brunn is accused of entering the museum in the afternoon and shooting Johns with a rifle, said Chief Cathy Lanier of the District of Columbia's Metropolitan Police Department. Two other security guards returned fire, according to Lanier and a museum statement. Both Johns and von Brunn were taken to George Washington University Hospital, said D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty. Johns died at the hospital. Johns, 40, was a resident of Temple Hills, Maryland, according to a statement issued by Wackenhut Services Inc., which has provided security services at the museum since 2002. CNN's Paul Courson contributed to this report.
He was accused of killing Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns at the Holocaust Memorial Museum . Von Brunn faced seven-count indictment, four could have made him eligible for death penalty . He died in a North Carolina hospital .
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By . Dan Bloom . For most holidaymakers, there's enough fear of heights to be had from the Eiffel Tower or the Empire State Building. Clearly these are not living on the edge enough for James Kingston - who dangled a 'free climber' off the side of a 377ft-high bridge in the Ukraine holding only his wrist. The thrillseeker known only as Mustang Wanted is the leader of an urban free climbing craze in Eastern Europe, which sees young people tackling ever-larger monuments with no harnesses. Scroll down for video . Don't look down! The Ukranian daredevil known as Mustang Wanted dangles off a 377ft high bridge . Terrifying: Traffic rushes below the thrillseeker's feet as he holds the hand of 23-year-old James Kingston . Dangerous: The climbs are illegal and one slip of the hand could kill those taking part . Iconic: The Moscow Bridge, shown being scaled by 23-year-old James Kingston, is a Ukranian landmark . No fear: The pair of young men on top of the bridge, which carries several lanes of traffic . James, 23, lives with his mother near Southampton and spends his spare time scaling cranes and radio towers. A new documentary shows him teaming up with the thrillseeker, donning camera helmets and crawling fast up the side of the bridge, which carries several lanes of traffic over the Dnieper River in the Ukranian capital Kiev. They reach the apex of the bridge and Mustang Wanted rubs his hands together, preparing them for the big stunt. He and James then secure their grip - before Mustang dangles perilously over the side of the bridge, one slip from certain death. The film follows James near his Southampton home, climbing 500ft structures, and on an out-of-the-ordinary pilgrimage to the Ukraine - said to be the spiritual home of urban free climbing. Daring or idiotic: The film shows Ukranian thrillseeker Mustang Wanted scale the metal cables of a bridge . Ascent: As the pair (James behind) climb higher, they rise above billboards and electricity wires . Fearless: Gradually they recede until they are almost impossible to make out against the sky . Sweaty? Mustang Wanted dries his hands on his trousers before attempting the feat . He grabs the wrist of 23-year-old James... and lowers himself off the side of the bridge . A Channel 4 spokesman said the show, which could attract controversy, will come with a warning . There he teams up with Mustang Wanted and on camera they climb derelict buildings and tightrope-walk hundreds of feet above the city, before their final stunt at its iconic bridge. A Channel 4 spokesman said the documentary, to be shown tonight, explores 'one of the world's most dangerous and most terrifying new crazes'. The young daredevils climb cranes and derelict buildings illegally for the ultimate adrenaline fix - and one which could well cost them their lives. The spokesman added: 'James's actions are clearly set in context in the programme.  It will be proceeded by an appropriate warning and Channel 4 in no-way condones or encourages his behaviour.' Don't Look Down airs tonight (Sunday, January 19) on Channel 4 at 9pm.
'Mustang Wanted' scaled 377ft Moscow Bridge in Ukraine unharnessed . Stunt features in C4 film about British free climber James Kingston, 23 . Lives with his mother near Southampton scaling cranes and radio towers . Feature will carry a prominent Don't Try This At Home warning, say chiefs .
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(CNN) -- Should a sporting event be allowed to continue if a key participant dies during competition? Golf's European Tour insisted it should be following the death of Alastair Forsyth's caddie Iain McGregor on the final day of the Madeira Islands Open Sunday. Known affectionately as Mac by his friends, McGregor collapsed on the fairway with a suspected heart attack as Forsyth was playing the ninth hole -- the last of his round -- and was later pronounced dead. After an initial indefinite suspension of play, and discussions with a number of players and caddies, the European Tour decided the tournament should be completed. "Everyone at the European Tour extends our deepest sympathies to the friends and family of Iain at this time," read a European Tour statement. "Following consultation with the players and caddies involved, however, it has been decided that play should continue and the tournament should finish." Forsyth, who revealed the 52-year-old Zimbabwean's death was one of the toughest experiences he has ever had to deal with, backed the European Tour's decision, insisting McGregor would have expected the show to go on. "Everybody is in shock. To see that happen to someone in front of your eyes -- I don't know how or when you get over that," Forsyth told the European Tour's official website. "Myself and playing partners Adam (Gee) and Tano (Goya) met tournament officials and spoke to (European Tour chief executive) George O'Grady on the phone before taking the decision to play on, because we felt that was what Mac would have wanted." Forsyth went on to pay a glowing tribute to a friend and colleague that leaves behind a daughter. "He was a guy I've known for 15 years and was very popular amongst the caddies. Obviously my thoughts go out to his family at this time. For something like this to happen so suddenly is so sad," he said. "He's was far too young for this to happen. He was the life and soul of the caddies' lounge and a nice guy who will be sorely missed. I'm absolutely numb." But while Forsyth welcomed the European Tour's decision to play on, it was a move that did not prove to be a unanimous one among the Scot's peers, with Sweden's Joel Sjoholm, who had previously worked with the caddie, leading the way, expressing his disbelief that the event had continued. Sjoholm's state of shock and disbelief was shared by many. Prior to McGregor's collapse, the tournament had been reduced to 36 holes due to adverse weather conditions. Daniel Brooks eventually went on to claim the Madeira Islands Open title, beating Scott Henry in a playoff at the Clube de Golf do Santo da Serra. Brooks, however, was unable to bask in the glory of his maiden European Tour win, given the day's tragic events that had occurred earlier in the afternoon. "It's great to get a win, but it's not nice to do it in these circumstances," he told the European Tour's official website. "It's horrible what happened out there so my condolences go out to all of his family."
Caddie Iain McGregor dies after suspected heart attack at Madeira Islands Open . European Tour decides tournament should be completed . A number of golf players angered by European Tour's decision to finish play .
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By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 11:17 EST, 17 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:17 EST, 17 December 2013 . Normally the rejects of the Christmas dinner plate, sprouts are often shoved aside to make way for roast potatoes and scoops of stuffing. But a self-styled Willy Wonka may have achieved the impossible task of getting children to eat their greens over Christmas – by covering them in chocolate. Chocolate shop owner and professional magician, Andrew Simpson, now has queues of curious customers lining up outside his shop to sample the new delicacy Truffle Sprouts he has created using a top secret recipe. Chocolatier Andrew Simpson says making the truffles is a long and drawn out process and it takes hours to make just one batch . The 51-year-old, who runs Simpson’s Chocolates at Elsecar Heritage Centre in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, came up with the idea following the success of his chocolate sprouts, which he introduced two years ago. The chocolatier, who gives talks in schools and turns classrooms into chocolate factories, said he started experimenting with the festive vegetables six years ago at a family party. He said: 'It all started five or six years ago when we had a chocolate fountain and I was looking for something to cover in chocolate. 'I went to the salad graveyard that everyone has in their fridge and found the sprouts. I used a raw sprout and tried it and to my amazement it tasted really good. The eccentric chocolatier added that he is constantly having to tweak his secret recipe as each batch of sprouts can taste different . 'Everyone started trying them and wanted more, same so I took it one step further and introduced them to the public. Parents are stunned to see their child eating a raw sprout.' Since then Andrew has been working . hard on a truffle recipe he can use with the sprouts, which only have a . two day shelf life once ready. He says making the truffles is a long and drawn out process and it takes hours to make just one batch. The . eccentric chocolatier added that he is constantly having to tweak his . secret recipe as each batch of sprouts can taste different depending on . where they have come from and if they have been through a good frost or . not. He said: 'People keep . asking for my chocolate sprouts year after year and I wanted to give . them something extra special this year. Tuck in: The texture of the truffle goes really well with the crunch of the sprout, Andrew claims . 'The Truffle Sprouts are a bit like an after dinner mint or good to be eaten in between courses or even just straight out of the fridge as one of your five-a-day. 'The texture of the truffle goes really well with the crunch of the sprout but you have to try it to believe it.' Andrew said despite the large amount of sprouts he eats while making the truffles he will never get sick of them. He said: 'I love sprouts and I hope by trying my Truffle Sprouts this Christmas more people will learn to love them. 'Unfortunately, although I have made them taste a lot better, I haven’t come up with a recipe which stops them giving you wind.' Andrew, who is working on his latest creation – Marmite Truffles added: 'People say I am like a real life Willy Wonka coming up with weird and wacky ideas like this but I just like adding a bit of magic back into confectionary.'
Chocolate shop owner and magician created Truffle Sprouts . Chocolatier started experimenting with the vegetables at a family party .
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By . Martin Robinson . A teacher who held a knife to a student's throat and then joked he would kill him after he got an answer wrong has been banned for two years. John Holmes grabbed a 12-year-old pupil, put him in a headlock and pulled a blade from his pocket during a lesson at Landau Forte College in Derby in the summer term of 2012. The 53-year-old had said it was 'jovial' fun with his geography class. But a National Council for Teaching and Leadership panel found Holmes guilty of 'unacceptable professional conduct' As a result he has been banned from the country's classrooms for a minimum of two years. John Holmes has been suspended for a minimum of two years for holding a knife to a pupil's throat and threatening to kill him if he failed to answer a question . The panel, who only identified the victim as 'pupil B' said: 'Mr Holmes made physical contact with pupil B by placing his arm around pupil B's neck, and then took his knife from his pocket and pushed it open so that the blade locked into place. 'Mr Holmes then made a pretend threat to kill pupil B.' Paul Heathcote delivered the panel's decision and said: 'Mr Holmes' actions were not perceived by pupil B or other pupils in the class to be a genuine threat. 'Mr Holmes is an experienced and successful teacher, valued by the school and many of its pupils. His current employer has provided a positive testimonial. 'However, his conduct represents serious departure from the personal and professional conduct elements of the Teachers' Standards. 'He was in possession of a bladed or pointed article on school premises and there is a strong public interest in deterring the carrying and use of knives in schools. 'He has not shown clear insight into the implications of his behaviour.' Incident: Mr Holmes argued he was having  'jovial' fun with his geography class at Landau Forte College in Derby but a panel said it was 'unacceptable conduct' Pupil B had stated that Holmes had 'placed him in a headlock during a geography lesson whilst holding a knife and threatening to kill him for giving the wrong answer'. Holmes left the school following the incident, but continued to contact colleagues commenting on the circumstances, which was in breach of his suspension. The panel said Holmes received a caution on August 2, 2013, from Derbyshire Police for possession of an article with a blade or sharp point on school premises. The panel also found the teacher previously received a verbal warning from the school in April 2010 after a pupil injured himself on a door. The pupil claimed he was pushed by Holmes, but accepted the collision could have been the result of Holmes trying to prevent him from leaving a classroom. Stephen Whiteley, chief executive of Landau Forte Charitable Trust, said: 'Following the reporting of the alleged professional misconduct of a member of staff, we as a responsible employer, investigated and dealt with the matter under staff disciplinary and safeguarding procedures. 'Following detailed internal and external investigations appropriate employment procedures were then followed. Mr Holmes ceased to be employed at Landau Forte College as of August 31, 2013.'
John Holmes, 53, said incident at Landau College in Derby was 'jovial' fun . He pulled a knife from his pocket and 'made a pretend threat to kill' boy, 12 . Disciplinary panel finds Holmes guilty of 'unacceptable professional conduct'
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Princeton, New Jersey (CNN) -- In a very clever television advertisement, Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell looks directly at the camera and says to voters: "I'm not a witch. ... I'm you." In another ad, O'Donnell says that unlike her Democratic opponent Chris Coons, "I didn't go to Yale. I didn't inherit millions like my opponent. I'm you." This statement, in a nutshell, is the message of the Tea Party movement. O'Donnell promises that she will not follow the practices of Washington incumbents who believe that trading favors and making backroom deals are legitimate ways to stay in office. O'Donnell is not alone in advancing this message. In West Virginia, Democratic Gov. Joe Manchin is facing an unexpectedly difficult race against Republican John Raese to fill the seat of the late Sen. Robert Byrd. According to Politico, the casting call for an advertisement that was recently broadcast by the National Republican Senatorial Committee in West Virginia stated that they were searching for the " 'Hicky' Blue Collar look. ... These characters are from West Virginia so think coal miners/trucker looks." Many conservative candidates this year have been tapping into the tradition of conservative populism, a tradition that has animated right-wing politics since the 1970s. In their effort to challenge the legacy of the New Deal and the Great Society programs and to overcome the image of country club conservatism, many in the GOP have argued their party best represents average Americans. They have focused on social and cultural issues and anti-establishment rhetoric to claim this mantle. In 2008, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a potential presidential candidate in 2012, talked about "Sam's Club Republicans." The problem they have to overcome is there is a major disconnect between their message and the record of the Republican Party in which they are running. When Ronald Reagan became president in 1981, he advanced the agenda of supply side economics and economic deregulation. His policies have defined the Republicans ever since. According to Reagan, economic policies that benefited the wealthiest Americans would have a trickle-down effect that eventually helped lower-income brackets. Regressive tax cuts that benefit wealthier Americans but generate deficits were also fine since, in the long run, more revenue would flow into the Treasury from rising wages. The voices of conservatives who were skeptical of the theory of supply-side economics rapidly faded away. That includes George H.W. Bush, who in 1980 called Reagan's proposals "voodoo economics." In his book "Unequal Democracy," political scientist Larry Bartels has documented the effect of these policies. During the conservative era of American politics, the so-called Age of Reagan, the distribution of income and wages has become more unequal in the United States than in comparable countries. "Under Democratic presidents," Bartels writes, "poor families did slightly better than richer families (at least in proportional terms), producing a modest net decrease in income inequality; under Republican presidents, rich families did vastly better than poorer families, producing a considerable net increase in income inequality." See more CNN.com opinion articles . While there are a number of factors behind these changes, public policy mattered very much. According to Bartels' persuasive account, rising inequality was not just a result of natural market forces such as globalization, but also a product of partisan choices about the direction of economic and fiscal policy. Americans, he shows, in all income brackets have enjoyed more economic success when Democrats inhabit the White House. Meanwhile, the economic policies of Republican presidents, such as regressive tax cuts, have disproportionately benefited the wealthy. In another book, political scientists Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson have reached a similar conclusion. They have shown how the mobilization of business in Washington during the 1970s profoundly effected inequality. Allying with the Republican Party, the business community pushed for the deregulation of numerous industries, tax cuts for the upper-income classes and policies that weakened organized labor. The result, according to Hacker and Pierson, were policies that left working- and middle-class Americans at the mercy of powerful market forces. Playing defense, many Democrats, including President Clinton, followed this agenda as well. Although President Obama has continued part of the centrist approach of Clinton on many economic issues, he has also pursued economic policies that have focused on working- and middle-class Americans. His economic stimulus program revolved around government spending for projects that would bring jobs to the unemployed and prevent other jobs from disappearing. His health care reform will expand coverage to more than 30 million Americans who have been left outside the market. He has pushed for an extension of the Bush tax cuts to all but the highest-income Americans. To be sure, he has been far from successful. The high unemployment rate is evidence that the success of Obama's policies have been limited, and the administration made compromises that avoided more stringent constraints on powerful interests. Given the history, O'Donnell's ad, as good as it is as a piece of political theater, has its problems. Her website suggests that O'Donnell, like most Tea Party candidates, will not depart that greatly from the GOP's economic policies of tax reductions, deregulation and the curtailment of government spending. It might very well be that O'Donnell is one of us, but her party's economic policies have tended to benefit a very narrow and well-off portion of the population. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer.
Christine O'Donnell's campaign, ads stress populist theme of "I'm You" Julian Zelizer: Republican policies have helped wealthy and increased inequality . He says the GOP has supported supply-side economics, deregulation since Reagan . Under Democrats, Americans of all income have done better, Zelizer says .
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(CNN) -- You had to feel sorry for the home team when host country Brazil got trounced 7-1 by Germany in their World Cup final match on Tuesday. Unless you're Twitter. If you're Twitter, it was open season on the hapless squad, and the more brutally funny you were about the shocking blowout, the better. We've rounded up some of our favorites, but are sure we didn't see them all. If you saw a particularly successful shot on goal -- and there was no shortage of those Tuesday -- share it with us in the comments below. Our favorite zings centered around a few themes (out of appreciation for our German friends, no World War II material will be included, though there was plenty). They included ... Straight-up trash talk . @BitterOldPunk How do you say, "Brazil got their ass kicked" in Portuguese? @TheTweetOfGod The destruction of the Amazon is complete. #WorldCup . @DrunkTedTurner Germany gets 10 goals, everyone in the stadium gets a free taco. And riot gear shield. #worldcup . ‏@DavidEpstein in dog goals, it's 49-0 . @rustyrockets They'll have 5 mins added on for the time Cesar has spent picking the ball out of the net. @psmith If only there was a German word for schadenfreude . Pop culture references . @jearle "Brazil, the Lannisters send their regards." - Germany. @mickmcavoy The last time I saw a Brazil this bleak it was getting directed by Terry Gilliam . @Ihnatko ‏This seems like the right time to use the classic "Yank down the opposing teams' pants and then run back to the bus and split" play. @DarthRachel it's ok Brazil, you still have a chance if you catch the Snitch! @jhoffman NOW IST THE TIME ON SPROCKETS WHEN WE SKOR A GOOOOOAL. Web and tech culture . ‏@papadimitriou #GER #BRA You Won't Believe What Happened Next. ‏@JustinRood I just took the poll, Which German Goal Against Brazil Are You? I'm #6! @lfrum Is Brazil's controller plugged in? Check the batteries? #BrazilvsGermany #WorldCup . @ditzkoff At 7 goals, the World Cup scoreboard just goes to the Donkey Kong kill screen . One (sarcastic) silver lining . @bjnovak And the saddest part is there's probably no fun ways to cheer yourself up in Brazil . Opinion: Why weeping Brazil fans applauded Germany's team . Tears, puns and a Twitter record .
Brazil's stunning loss to Germany in World Cup inspired a flood of tweets . They range from standard sports trash talk to pop culture references . One gem: "I just took the poll, Which German Goal Against Brazil Are You? I'm #6!"
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By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:15 EST, 18 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:50 EST, 19 May 2013 . Departed: Tracey Sharp has left self-proclaimed Messiah Philip amid claims that the family are suffering 'difficulties' The man dubbed the ‘Rampant Rabbi’ after claiming God told him to take seven wives has been left by a second ‘spouse’. Karyn Sharp shared her ‘husband’ Philip with six other women for ten years in a bizarre arrangement that saw them dubbed Britain’s most unconventional family. But mother-of-five Karyn, 34, has now walked out amid claims the family is having ‘difficulties’. Mr Sharp, 53, a self-proclaimed rabbi, has one legal wife and 17 children. Karyn . is the second partner to move out after fellow ‘spouse’ Tracey left the . £675,000 farm they shared in Whatlington, East Sussex, last November. Mr Sharp said he and Karyn had split up amicably but acknowledged that ‘it’s not always hunky dory here’. Philip, 53, keeps racehorses at the . converted oast house he shares with his remaining ‘wives’ Judith, Chava, . Margo, Hannah, and Vreni. They range in age from 29 to 68, and . have ten children between them, all of whom are home-schooled. The . £675,000 farm, in Whatlington, East Sussex, incorporates an array of . stables and a ramshackle collection of caravans that house the overspill . from Philip’s expansive family. The . property, which is for sale, is part-owned by Philip, two of his . ‘wives’ and his ‘mother-in-law’ Maureen — Karyn’s mother — who is the . family matriarch and does not share the matrimonial bed. Scroll down for video . Unrepentant: Philip Sharp has defended his unconventional family arrangements in the past . Unconventional: The full Philip Sharp clan at its most complete - from left, Tracey, Judith, Chava, Margo, Philip,Vreni, Hannah and Karyn . Tracey Sharp left Philip earlier this year after they become embroiled in blazing rows . Tracey Sharp left Sussex harem in November after their relationship disintegrated into a succession of blazing rows. She was the first of Philip Sharp’s . devotees to break free and tell, in full, the truth about the bizarre . household over which he presides. She says she finally grew sick of his . tyrannical autocracy and the unquestioning obedience he demanded from . his women. When she defied him, they had blistering arguments — she . claims that on two occasions he slapped her. ‘I was vulnerable, insecure and lonely . when I met him,’ she says. ‘Philip was my rabbi and a father figure. He . made me feel safe and supported. He was also charming and charismatic.' But Philip’s physical assault was the last . straw. ‘I left. I felt it was right,’ she says. She rented a flat, won a . residency order to take her children with her and for two years kept . her distance from Philip. ‘The hardest thing was recognising that . he wasn’t a king. He wasn’t called by God. He was just a man with a . giant ego,’ she said. 'But despite everything, part of me still . loves him. I’m just not prepared to be governed by him any more. The . best thing is that I have a choice. My life is my own again.’ When he spoke to the Daily Mail, Philip . did not deny that he slapped Tracey; he also conceded that it was . wrong. ‘There were a couple of rows in which she . punched me and I slapped her. I apologise. There is no excuse for it. I . was beside myself, and I slapped her,’ he said.
Karyn Sharp shared 'husband' Philip with six other women for ten years . Mother-of-five walked out amid claims the family is having 'difficulties' Mr Sharp has self-proclaimed rabbi has one legal wife and 17 children . To see the full interview from This Morning click here .
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New York police have cut back on arrests and reduced the amount of summonses they normally issue at this time of year, as relations continue to sour with Mayor Bill de Blasio. In the week to last Sunday, officers made half as many arrests as they normally do and issued just 347 summonses. During the same period a year ago, police issued 4,077. Parking and traffic tickets also dropped by 90 per cent. It is the second straight week, officers have reduced their weekly tallies. Scroll down for video . New York police have cut back on arrests and reduced the amount of summonses they normally issue at this time of year as relations continue to sour with Mayor Bill de Blasio . Hundreds of officers turned their backs on de Blasio at the funeral of slain officer Wenjian Liu which he later said was 'disrespectful' Across the city, officers made a total of 2,401 arrests, compared with 5,448 for the same week the year before - a 56 per cent reduction. The declines came after a drastic drop in activity that began shortly after the murders of officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu on December 20. However, police union leaders have denied that the declines represent any work action. But they have acknowledged that they've told staff to put their safety first. Liu and Ramos were assassinated as they sat in their patrol car by Ismaaiyl Brinsley, who later shot himself in a subway station. Hundreds of officers turned their backs on de Blasio at the officers' funerals, something he later labelled as being 'disrespectful'. Officers had also earlier booed the mayor when he spoke at a police graduation ceremony. The unions have blamed de Blasio for fostering an anti-NYPD atmosphere which they believe contributed to the murders of the officers. The tensions also follow weeks of protests over the death of Eric Garner, whose last words 'I can't breathe' have become a rallying cry against over-zealous policing. Garner died after being placed in a chokehold by officer Daniel Pantaleo. Most New York police precincts' crime tallies were close to zero, the New York Times reported. Coney Island didn't record a single parking ticket, traffic summons or ticket for a low-level crime. De Blasio at a news conference yesterday along with police commissioner William J Batton, second from right; the pair put forward a number of theories for the decline in arrests and summonses issued . Officers had earlier booed the mayor when he spoke at a police graduation ceremony; the police unions have blamed de Blasio for fostering an anti-NYPD atmosphere which they believe contributed to the murders of Liu and his partner Rafael Ramos on December 20 . Officers are reportedly now using their own discretion to largely ignore less serious offences. At a news conference yesterday police commissioner William J. Bratton, stood with de Basio, and tried to explain away the statistical drop.  He cited the officer's funerals and the holiday season, among other theories. He said that police bosses would look very closely, 'precinct by precinct' to see what caused the drop, and suggested that things may turn to normal 'on their own volition'. According to crime statistics, during the first week of reductions, crime was actually down. In the second week, however, it increased. Robberies increase by 13.5 per cent and murders were up 11 per cent. Batton and de Blasio had called the news conference to celebrate the city's success in reducing crime. Robberies and murders had dropped to the lowest levels since 1963, they claimed. Batton did however acknowledge falling morale among officers. Before Liu's funeral he had called on officers to put their grievances aside and to demonstrate outside City Hall, rather than at the ceremony. The tensions also follow weeks of protests over the death of Eric Garner, whose last words 'I can't breathe' have become a rallying cry against over-zealous policing. Garner died after being placed in a chokehold by officer Daniel Pantaleo. His mother, Gwen Carr is pictured center wearing a top printed with 'I can't breathe' The crimes figures showed  parking violations were down by 93 per cent, traffic infractions fell 92 per cent and other low-level crime dropped by 91 per cent. Officers also made 56 per cent fewer arrests. Richard Aborn, the leader of the Citizens Crime Commission of New York City, told the newspaper he expected the drop to correct itself. He said: 'The only thing more critical to the cops right now than their outrage is their sense of duty, and they're not going to abandon that for a long period.' The reduction in infringements may come at a significant cost to New York, which earns about $10.5 million a week in parking fine revenue. The head of the union for police traffic agents, Robert Cassar, has reportedly said his uniformed staff are now doubling up on their rounds and were being 'very cautious' not to 'enrage the public'.
2,401 arrests were made compared to 5,448 during the same period . And just 347 summonses were issued compared to 4,077 last year . Comes after officers turned their backs on Mayor Bill de Blasio .
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Liverpool vice-captain Jordan Henderson insisted it was vital the Merseyside club do not become another shock FA Cup fourth-round victim. Having seen the Premier League's top three of Chelsea, Manchester City and Southampton plus sixth-placed Tottenham all lose at home to lower-placed opposition, the Reds were then held to a goalless draw at Anfield by Sky Bet Championship side Bolton on Saturday evening. While Henderson said knowledge of those upsets had not affected the way they approached the match, they were still grateful to be in Monday's draw for the next round. Jordan Henderson (left) talks tactics with Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers on Saturday evening . "It was obviously a big shock for City, Chelsea and Tottenham to go out but the main thing is we are still in the competition," said the England midfielder, leading the side in the absence of Steven Gerrard who was rested with the Capital One Cup semi-final second leg at Chelsea coming up on Tuesday. "To be honest we were pretty focused on what we were doing but the results came on the tannoy and one or two players might have heard but at the same time we just focused on what we needed to do. "We've seen it for many years, lower league teams have beaten Premier League teams and Saturday was no different but we have shown good character to not lose the game and that is the main thing. Former Liverpool ace Emile Heskey is congratulated as he is replaced during the FA Cup game . "We are a bit disappointed we didn't win but we are still in the draw and are looking forward to the game on Tuesday." While Liverpool created a number of chances they were not clinical enough and also found goalkeeper Adam Bogdan in top form. The 27-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and - having lost his place as first choice early in the campaign because of injury - Wanderers may struggle to keep hold of him. However, manager Neil Lennon is hopeful a deal can be done and will have a meeting with Bogdan's representatives in the next week in an attempt to get him to sign a new contract. "It was a fantastic performance from our goalkeeper, which is what you need when you come away from home," said the former Celtic boss. Bolton goalkeeper Adam Bogdan sends a refreshed Raheem Sterling sprawling during the 0-0 draw . "We know Adam's quality and I like his temperament. He had a great presence and he will have done his reputation no harm at all. "We are very lucky in that we have two exceptional goalkeepers: Adam had a broken finger when I came through the door (in October) and Andy Lonergan has played sensationally. "We want to keep him (Bogdan) - his contract is up in the summer - and we will sit down with his agent this week hopefully and try to resolve it. Sterling tussles with Bolton's Neil Danns at Anfield as Coutinho looks on . "You are always worried when players are coming to the of their contracts and they are talented; Lee Chung-Yong is the same. "I can ill-afford to let the quality of players we have go but that is the situation I find myself in." Lennon's focus remains trying to get his side into play-off contention, having dragged them off the bottom of the table, but while he does not want to lose sight of their primary objective - staying up - he admits he is enjoying their cup exploits. "We are not out of the woods yet in terms of the bottom three in the Championship so we have a bit of work to do on that but this mini cup run is a fantastic distraction," he added. Neil Lennon (right) gives his side instructions as Bolton look to pull off an FA Cup upset .
Liverpool were held to a goalless draw by Bolton at Anfield on Saturday . Jordan Henderson glad to have survived a weekend full of shocks . Manchester City, Chelsea, Southampton and Tottenham all crashed out . Draw for the next round takes places on Monday .
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A Utah high school teacher charged with raping her 16-year-old student pleaded not guilty Thursday to three counts of first degree sexual assault. Brianne Altice, 34, was an English teacher at Davis High School in deeply Mormon Kaysville, Utah when she was arrested in October for the alleged sexual relationship, which reportedly began in a church parking lot and included at least three sexual encounters. The 16-year-old boy admitted to investigators in November that he had had sex with Altice on three occasions in 2013 and testified to that fact at a preliminary hearing February 19. Scroll down for video... Day in court: Former high school English teacher and accused rapist Brianne Altice appeared in a Utah court Thursday to face charges she repeatedly had sex with her 16-year-old student . In her arraignment Thursday, Judge Thomas L. Kay also scheduled a jury trial for May 12. The blonde former teacher appeared collected in the Utah courtroom and chose to wear a close-fitting top, slim pants and conspicuously high heels. According to the Standard-Examiner the teen said in the preliminary hearing that he was upset because his family had moved to Utah from another state. He said he was having problems and home and doing drugs and that he would skip class to hang out with Altice. Fighting it: Altice pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of raping the 16-year-old. But the boy told police they had sex multiple times in 2013 before her October arrest and that their first sexual encounter was in a church parking lot . Poised: The 34-year-old Utah woman no longer teaches at the school. Her husband filed for divorce in November shortly after her arrest . Soon a sexual relationship began after an initial encounter in a church parking lot, he said. The teen was allegedly able to accurately describe the layout of Altice's home to detectives as well as tattoos on her body. Altice's husband filed for divorce shortly after his wife's arrest. It was finalized in December. 'The defendant occupied a position of special trust in relation'. to the juvenile, prosecutors wrote. Mug shot: Altice allegedly had sex with the 16-year-old numerous times at her home and at a park and a church parking lot . Altice was originally arrested in October. Altice was believed to have had sex with a 16-year-old on many occasions, including at her South Weber home and at a park in addition to the church parking lot, a Davis County Jail report states. Police have said there may be other potential victims. Altice was only hired by the high school last August, but had previously worked for other schools in the district since 2004. ‘Anytime . a story surfaces like this ... I think it all causes us concern because . these are members of the community that are held to a higher standard,’ district spokesman Chris Williams told Deseret News. Altice is the fourth Utah teacher currently facing charges of sexually abusing children. Arrest: Brianne Altice, 34, a teacher from Kaysville, Utah, has been charged with three counts of rape . The 17-year-old boy, a student at Davis High School, admitted to investigators on Monday that he had had sex with Altice at least seven times between January of 2012 and October of 2013 .
Brianne Altice, 34, was a teacher at Davis High School in Kaysville, Utah . She has been charged with rape after police investigated three counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor . The teen was able to accurately describe her tattoos to police and layout of her home . 16-year-old boy admitted to investigators he had sex with Altice at least three times in 2013 .
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By . Claire Bates . PUBLISHED: . 18:01 EST, 15 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:25 EST, 16 May 2012 . Abiraterone is marketed as Zytiga . A drug to treat advanced prostate cancer should be given to patients in England and Wales, according to the NHS rationing body. Abiraterone, marketed as Zytiga, can extend the lives of late-stage cancer sufferers by more than three months. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) had originally rejected the drug, which costs around £3,000 a month, for not being cost effective. It provoked an angry response from both patients and cancer charities. However, today it revised its recommendations after the manufacturer Janssen offered the tablet at a lower undisclosed price. If Nice gives final approval to the drug it will have to be offered by the NHS in England and Wales from June. However, in a reverse of the usual trend the drug won't be available in Scotland. In March the Scottish Medicines Consortium turned the drug down saying the cost of abiraterone did not justify the health benefits. This decision could change as it is still in talks with Janssen. The new draft guidance has been welcomed by experts. Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of The Prostate Cancer Charity, said: 'This announcement represents a resounding triumph for each of the thousands of men with advanced prostate cancer in England and Wales who know just how much the prospect of precious extra time with their loved ones really means. 'Although today marks a very welcome advancement, it has to be remembered that abiraterone remains out of reach to men in Scotland on the NHS. We need to see every man who needs this drug receive it on the NHS, regardless of where they live in the UK.' Human prostate cancer cells: Each year around 37,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with prostate cancer . Each year around 37,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with prostate cancer and 10,000 die from the disease. It is the second most common cause of cancer death in men, accounting for 13 per cent. Sir Andrew Dillon, chief executive of Nice, said: 'During the consultation on the draft guidance Janssen, the manufacturer of the drug, submitted further information for the committee to consider. Scots have on average 16 per cent more to spend per head on NHS drugs than the English, which has opened up a medical care divide. Many working patients in England are currently charged £7.40 per prescription even though they are free to all living in Scotland. Prescriptions are also free in Wales and Northern Ireland. Meanwhile the National Institute for Clinical Excellence has come under frequent criticism for ruling dozens of life-prolonging drugs are not cost-effective enough. Here are some of the recent rulings: . In March 2010 Nice turned down the ‘last chance’ arthritis treatment RoActemra, which is available in Scotland, despite it costing just £25 a day. In June 2010 Nice ruled that Xolair, used to reduce the number of attacks in severely asthmatic children, was too expensive for under-12s. It costs £12,000 a year and is available in Scotland. In May 2011 Nice turned down dasatinib, high-dose imatinib and nilotinib, which can give normal life expectancy for those with a rare blood cancer. The treatment costs £40,000 a year and is available in Scotland. The Government has tried to improve access to cancer drugs in England and Wales by creating a temporary Cancer Drugs Fund. So far sufferers have been prescribed nearly 10,000 treatments denied to them by the NHS through the £200m fund. 'This included a revised patient access scheme which involves providing the drug to the NHS at a discounted price, further information on which patients would benefit most and clarification on how many patients could receive the drug. 'These factors enabled the committee to revise its preliminary recommendation and now recommend the drug for use on the NHS. 'We are very pleased that Janssen's submission to our consultation means that we are able to produce draft guidance recommending abiraterone - it is an effective treatment, potentially extending life by more than three months, and it also allows patients to be treated at home as it can be taken orally.' Professor Alan Ashworth, chief executive of the Institute of Cancer Research, said: 'We are delighted by today's decision to allow patients with advanced prostate cancer to receive abiraterone on the NHS. 'This drug was discovered at the Institute of Cancer Research and is the result of more than two decades of dedicated work by our scientists and collaborators. 'In clinical trials of men with advanced prostate cancer who have already tried chemotherapy, it has been shown to extend life by an average of four months and improve quality of life.' As Nice has not issued final guidance there is a chance the decision could be appealed against, and NHS bodies should make decisions locally on the funding of specific treatments. Nice recommended the use of abiraterone in combination with prednisone or prednisolone for the treatment of castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer that has progressed after one docetaxel-containing therapy.
Final approval of abiraterone for England and Wales expected in June . Prostate cancer charity calls on Scotland to approve drug .
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(CNN) -- Two years ago, the Supreme Court upended the rules for campaign finance, unleashing a tsunami of unregulated, unrestricted and undisclosed spending that has, in effect, allowed donors to buy elections. The full impact of this decision is just now becoming clear, and it's bad both for America's businesses and for our democracy. By a 5-4 majority, the Supreme Court affirmed that money is essentially speech -- a notion first addressed in Buckley v. Valeo in 1976 -- and it outlawed nearly all restrictions on independent spending by corporations or other groups, including unions, to influence elections. Such restrictions are unconstitutional violations of free speech, the court said, and are prohibited by the First Amendment. You might expect business owners to welcome the elimination of these restrictions, but if so, you're about to be surprised. A recent poll conducted by Lake Research found that 66% of a random sample of 500 small-business owners believe the Citizens United decision was "mostly bad" or "somewhat bad" for small business. Since small businesses create 70% of new jobs in the private sector, according to the Small Business Administration, their view should matter a lot. The poll was commissioned by the American Sustainable Business Council, the Main Street Alliance, and Small Business Majority -- three groups that represent the views of small business and which have a combined membership of more than 100,000 small businesses nationwide. The poll tapped the views of 500 small-business owners nationwide, most of whom are not members of the organizations conducting the survey. In addition to taking a dim view of Citizens United, 88% of the small-business owners in the poll had a negative view of the role money plays in politics. (The margin of error in the poll is plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.) Do small donations still matter in politics? Tell us what you think. Small-business owners believe in our market-based, capitalist system, which depends on open and robust competition. Unlimited campaign spending undermines this competition, in three crucial ways. First, allowing unlimited money into politics allows the past to hold the future hostage. Companies (and individuals who own them) with sufficient resources to sway elections often represent the industries and companies of the past, rather than the industries and companies that are creating the future. The evidence on this is indirect, because since Citizens United was announced less than a year before the last federal election, its impact has not yet been fully felt or measured. However, we can gauge its future impact by looking at lobbying expenditures, for which multiyear data is widely available. For the period 2008-2011, the computer and Internet industry -- a wellspring of innovation -- spent $458 million on lobbying, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, while the energy and natural resources industry spent more than three times as much: $1.55 billion. The ratio for election-related spending, post Citizens United, will likely be similar. Second, allowing unlimited money in politics allows the big to achieve an unfair advantage over the small. This is ironic in light of the huge role small business plays in creating private sector jobs in America, even as some large corporations act as net destroyers of American jobs, when outsourcing and offshoring are factored in. For example, this kind of money in politics gives power to the push by big companies to repatriate offshore profits, giving some big and profitable multinational corporations lower effective tax rates than the grocer on Main Street. Moreover, unlimited contributions give major Wall Street firms the edge over community banks, because the big banks can win loan guarantees, taxpayer bailouts and deeply discounted borrowing rates that smaller banks can't touch. Third, allowing unlimited money in politics allows companies to collect IOUs for special favors from presidential candidates -- particularly as a result of contributions made early in the election season, when a few million dollars can swing the result in a small state like New Hampshire. America's small-business owners embrace competition -- but they demand the competition be open, robust and vigorous. They don't want to be whipped by big corporations that bought an unfair advantage from senators, congressional representatives and other elected officials. When that happens, it's bad for business and America. Many solutions have been proposed, ranging from the Supreme Court reversing its decision, to legislation, to a constitutional amendment. Momentum for change is growing, as candidates from both political parties learn what it's like to have a campaign with broad public support crushed by a single individual with deep pockets who steps in to help the other side. Citizens United is an assault on our economy, which is supposed to be based on vigorous, free and open competition. It's time for us to reinvigorate our economy by getting government out of the protection racket, and preventing industries and companies from buying special favors. We must undo the damage wrought by Citizens United. Follow CNN Opinion on Twitter. Join the conversation on Facebook. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Brodwin.
David Brodwin says Citizens United ruling is bad for small businesses . He says poll found that most small businesses don't like role of money in politics . He says that role favors old, moneyed industries, not new ones that drive innovation . Brodwin: Campaign spending has un-American effect of stifling competition .
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By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 03:46 EST, 10 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 08:50 EST, 10 January 2014 . Criticism: Carole and Mike Middleton's firm Party Pieces has been accused of cashing in ahead of the Duchess of Cambridge's tour of Australia . The Duchess of Cambridge's parents have been accused on cashing in on their daughter's forthcoming tour Down Under by selling a range of Australia-themed merchandise on their party supplies website . Kate and Prince William, together with their baby son George, are due to travel to Australia and New Zealand in April on behalf of the Queen. Rumours that Kate's mother, Carole Middleton would join them to help care for the infant prince have been scotched by Royal insiders - however, the family firm Party Pieces is now stocking 'Australia Day' goods on its website. Accompanied with the words 'Celebrate . in the sun with our games and catering ranges!', the website is selling . items such as flip flop notebooks for 20p each, and a three-pack of . wayfarer-style sunglasses for 99p. There . are also flip flop printed balloons, red and blue party accessories . such as plates and cups, and a 40ft long 'Coral Reef Scenesetter', . available for £9.95. Although . the range is being promoted in time for the national celebration on . January 26, two months before the royals are due to head to Australia, . Party Pieces has been criticised for selling the products. 'It smacks of cashing in,' Royal fan Melanie Green, 45, told the Daily Star newspaper. It is not the first time that Kate's parents, Carole and Mike have faced criticism over items sold on their website, which was promoting a range of baby goods following the announcement of the Duchess's pregnancy. The firm, which was set up by Mrs Middleton in 1987, has also offered paraphernalia themed around the Royal Wedding and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Its street party items included state carriage-shaped cardboard teapot vases, coat of arms cups printed with ‘Long Live G&T’ and canape flags featuring crown-wearing corgis. Merchandise: The range is being promoted in time for the national celebration on January 26, two months before the royals are due to head to Australia . Royal baby: The website was promoting a range of baby goods following the announcement of the Duchess's pregnancy . The company – which Mrs Middleton started from scratch by making party . bags around her kitchen table – had a dispute with Britain’s Got Talent . after using the show’s logo on the site without permission and on . another occasion fell foul of strict advertising laws covering the . London Olympics. It also rowed with Bond film producers Eon Productions . after using the logo for the latest James Bond film, Skyfall. In November last year the company was sanctioned for breaching environmental rules, and had to pay £12,650 to the Woodland Trust for apparently failing 'to ensure packaging is recycled in the UK'. Party Pieces did not respond to requests for comment. Couple: William and Kate are due to head to New Zealand and Australia for a month-long tour in April .
Party supplies website is promoting Australia Day merchandise . Range includes flip flop notepads, balloons and sunglasses . Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit Australia and New Zealand in April .
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(CNN) -- Just hours after fatally shooting 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman told police investigators the shooting followed a life-and-death struggle in which the teen told him, "You're going to die tonight." Read the written statement from Zimmerman to police about what happened (PDF) The audio of the February 26 interviews, made public late Wednesday, is part of discovery items released by Zimmerman's defense team. The recordings represent the first time Zimmerman is heard giving his account in his own words. Also released were audio and video showing the techniques used by the police department in the investigation: interviews conducted in the days after the shooting, a video of a voice stress test administered to Zimmerman by police and his videotaped re-enactment of the incident for authorities. Zimmerman, 28, is charged with second-degree murder in Martin's February 26 shooting death. Zimmerman has said he shot Martin in self-defense, but Martin's family and civil rights activists across the country said Zimmerman, who is white and Hispanic, racially profiled Martin and ignored a 911 dispatcher's advice not to follow him. In an interview just after the shooting, Zimmerman told police that the struggle began when Martin "jumped out from the bushes" and punched him in the face, knocking him down. "I started screaming for help. I couldn't see. I couldn't breathe," he said. "He grabbed my head and started hitting it into the sidewalk," he said. "When he started doing that, I slid into the grass to try to get out from under him. ... I'm still yelling for help." Sanford police chief fired in wake of Trayvon Martin case . Martin, he said, put his hand over Zimmerman's mouth and nose and told him, "You're going to die tonight." "When I slid, my jacket and my shirt came up. ... I felt his hand go down my side, and I thought he was going for my firearm, so I grabbed it immediately, and as he banged my head again, I just pulled out my firearm and shot him." When he did, he said, Martin, who had been on top of him, fell away and said, "All right. You got it. You got it." In another interview, he noted Martin might have said, "You got me." More evidence to be released in Trayvon Martin case, judge rules . Zimmerman said in the audio interviews that he was driving to the grocery store that evening when he saw Martin walking in his neighborhood. He said he pulled over and called a police nonemergency number "to report a suspicious person." He noted that there had been some burglaries in the area, prompting him to start a neighborhood watch program. He said he had never seen Martin before and thought it odd that although it was raining, "he was just walking casually, not like he was trying to get out of the rain." In another police interview on February 29, three days after the shooting, Zimmerman told Sanford, Florida, homicide investigator Chris Serino he also felt the youth was suspicious because he stopped in front of a home Zimmerman had previously called about, a home that was broken into after his reporting another suspicious person. "Had this person been white, would you have felt the same way?" Serino asked. "Yes," Zimmerman replied. Prosecutors: Jail phone transcripts show Zimmerman, wife talking in code . As he spoke to the dispatcher, he told police Martin circled his vehicle, but he could not hear whether Martin said anything because his windows were up and he was on the phone. Afterward, he said, he "lost visual of (Martin)." At the same time, he said the dispatcher asked him his location. He said he wasn't sure of the name of the street he was on and got out of the vehicle to look for a street sign or an address on a home. The dispatcher asked him if he was following Martin, he said, and he replied that he was "trying to find out where he went." The dispatcher told him, "We don't need you to do that," noting an officer was en route, he said. Zimmerman said he was heading back to the vehicle when Martin jumped out, asking him, "What the f***'s your problem?" He said he told Martin, "I don't have a problem," but the youth replied, "Now you have a problem," and attacked him. He said he fell backward after being punched in the nose, and "he was whaling on my head." Zimmerman told police he yelled for help repeatedly and heard one man say he was going to call 911. "I screamed 'Help me' probably 50 times, as loud as I could," he said. Timeline of events in Trayvon Martin case . In a written statement Zimmerman gave to police, also released late Wednesday, Zimmerman said Martin told him to "shut the f*** up" during the struggle. "Each time I attempted to sit up, the suspect slammed my head into the sidewalk," he wrote. "My head felt like it was going to explode." He wrote he felt Martin "reach for my now-exposed firearm" as the teen threatened his life and cursed at him. A collection of public documents in Trayvon Martin shooting . During the videotaped voice stress test, he seemed to suggest that he wasn't sure he had hit Martin when he fired his gun, saying that he "thought that he heard the shot and he was giving up" and that he pushed Martin off of him. "Either way, I ended up on top of him, straddling him," he said, but he claimed he "felt like (Martin) was hitting me with something in his hands" so he grabbed the youth's hands to restrain him. Martin was saying something like "ah, ah," and cursing, Zimmerman said, and he told him, "Stop. Don't move." Before the voice stress test begins, Zimmerman discusses health insurance with a police officer and mentions he visited the doctor and the psychologist that day. "I think the psychologist is when it hit me the hardest," he said. However, in a February 29 interview, Serino expresses some doubt about Zimmerman's account, noting that many questions remain about the incident. "The court of public opinion is going to beat up on you a lot," Serino said. "A lot of people don't think that your injuries are consistent with getting into a life-threatening type thing." Martin, Serino said, "has no criminal record whatsoever. Good kid. Mild-mannered kid." In his possession, Serino said, "we found a can of iced tea and a bag of Skittles and about $40 in cash. Not a goon." He tells Zimmerman he has received an anonymous phone call "from somebody who gave a different version of events ... more along the lines that you tried to detain him," and recounting an argument prior to the shooting. "You got any problems with black people?" Serino asked Zimmerman, who replied, "No, sir." Serino told Zimmerman authorities can't figure out what would have made Martin "snap." Zimmerman said he didn't know what might have enraged the teen. And the investigator expresses doubt that Zimmerman, who had lived in the neighborhood for three years and described himself as head of the neighborhood watch, did not know the names of the three streets in the subdivision. "To be honest with you, I have a bad memory anyway," Zimmerman said, adding that he has attention-deficit (hyperactivity) disorder and takes medication for it. CNN's Vivian Kuo and Martin Savidge contributed to this report.
George Zimmerman tells police he was attacked by Trayvon Martin . He says Martin "jumped out from the bushes" and punched him . The audio and video interviews shed light on Zimmerman's account of the shooting .
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John Higgins suffered a heavy defeat to little-known Li Hang in the first round of the International Championship. The 39-year-old Scot has slipped into steady decline, failing to advance beyond the quarter-finals of any tournament since finishing runner-up at the Wuxi Classic in June 2013. The four-time world champion was seen off 6-1 by Li, a 24-year-old still striving to make his way in the game since returning to the tour last year. Li made breaks of 70 and 93 in fending off Higgins who had a highest run of 69 as he slumped to a miserable exit. John Higgins (above) lost 6-1 to little known Li Hang in the first round of the International Championship . Higgins could only muster a highest break of 69 as the 39-year-old crashed out of the competition . Ronnie O'Sullivan had no such problem in advancing into the last 32, beating Ben Woollaston 6-4 . Wishaw cueman Higgins was joined by fellow experienced Scottish potters Graeme Dott and Alan McManus in being knocked out at the last-64 stage, with Dott trounced 6-1 by England's Craig Steadman, despite making a break of 139 in the frame he won, and McManus falling 6-4 to young compatriot Anthony McGill. Ronnie O'Sullivan had no such trouble against a more established opponent in Leicester's Ben Woollaston, the 38-year-old winning through 6-4 to earn a shot at McGill in the last 32. O'Sullivan plundered breaks of 124, 97 and 87 twice in his opener at the tournament in Chengdu, China. Jimmy White fell 6-4 to Barry Hawkins, Mark Williams eased to a 6-1 win over Oliver Brown, Mark Allen sped to a 6-0 whitewash against Nigel Bond, and Stuart Bingham earned a 6-4 victory over Robbie Williams.
John Higgins beaten 6-1 by relatively unknown Li Hang in first round . Higgins only managed a break of 69, Graeme Dott also knocked out . Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Ben Woollaston 6-4 to advance to last 32 .
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Parents take note: Spain is cracking down on its sulky teenagers. And not before time, some argue. Under a draft bill approved in the Spanish Parliament, under 18s will be legally obliged to do chores and be 'respectful'. Teenagers in Spain could be forced to help out with the chores under a draft bill in Spain. Pictured here is a 16-year-old boy being made to do housework . If it is passed, children in the country will have to help out with the housework 'in accordance with their age and . regardless of their gender'. They will also have to 'participate in family life' and respect 'their parents and siblings', Spain's ABC newspaper reported. The Child Protection Bill children would also have to 'respect school rules' and 'study as required'. More generally these children 'will have to maintain a positive attitude about learning'. At the same time, will also have to 'respect their teachers and other staff at education teachers', as well as their fellow students. The draft law doesn't set out penalties for children who fail to fulfill these requirements, but marks a new shift in the legislation with its focus on the responsibilities of children. Sulky teenagers will also have to be more 'respectful' to their teachers at school (file picture) Other key elements of the proposed bill include the establishment of a list of known paedophiles who could be banned from working with children. Schools and companies hiring staff to work with children will have to ask applicants to provide a copy of their criminal record. The legislation would also require people working with children to report possible crimes against children and failure to do so will be considered a crime of omission.
The bill has been approved in the Spanish Parliament . If it is passed, under 18s will have to help out with housework . They will also have to respect 'their parents and siblings'
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BEIJING, China (CNN) -- Wei Wenhua was a model communist and is now a bloggers' hero -- a "citizen journalist" turned martyr. The construction company manager was driving his car when he witnessed an ugly scene: a team of about 50 city inspectors beating villagers who tried to block trucks from unloading trash near their homes. Wei took out his cell phone and began taking pictures. The city inspectors saw Wei and then attacked him in a beating that lasted five minutes. By the time it was over, the 41-year-old Wei was slumped unconscious. He was rushed to the hospital but was dead on arrival. His death earlier this month continues to stir controversy. In China's mainstream media and in the blogosphere, angry Chinese are demanding action. After the Web site sina.com published news of Wei's beating, readers promptly expressed their outrage. In one day alone, more than 8,000 posted comments. Bloggers inside and outside China bluntly condemned the brutal killing. Watch the swirling controversy over Wei's death » . "City inspectors are worse than the mafia," wrote one Chinese blogger. "They are violent civil servants acting in the name of law enforcement." Another blogger asked, "Just who gave these city inspectors such absurd powers?" Known as "chengguan" in Chinese, city inspectors are auxiliary support for police. They are expected to deal with petty crimes. Their tasks include cracking down on unlicensed trading. They frequently are seen chasing street vendors off the streets and confiscating their goods. Critics have said they often abuse their authority and prey on the weak. In the central city of Zhengzhou last year, 1,000 college students scuffled with police and overturned cars after city inspectors roughed up a female student who had set up a street stall. These incidents prompted the government to redefine the role of city inspectors. Still, observed Jeremy Goldkorn, editor in chief of Danwei.org, "Some bloggers [are] saying this whole chengguan system is prone to corruption and abuse and it should be disbanded." Beijing scholar Xiong Peiyun wrote in Wednesday's Southern Metropolis Daily, "Perhaps no one wishes to face this question. Wei Wenhua's death stands as clear proof of the violent ways of local city inspectors. It's 2008 and another citizen goes down. When will we stand up and restrain the law enforcement violence of this city inspectors system?" More and more victims of abuse already are standing up. "It's the latest in a series of incidents which have pit provincial government authorities against citizens -- those who are protesting against something who are recording and blogging and writing about something that they consider scandalous," Goldkorn said. Some journalists and bloggers have even compared Wei's fatal beating to the Rodney King case, when the Los Angeles police repeatedly clubbed him. Others say this is reminiscent of the 2003 death of graphic designer Sun Zhigang in the Chinese city of in Guangzhou. The 27-year-old college graduate was fatally beaten while in detention for not carrying proper identification. The public outcry, amplified in the country's blogosphere, prompted China's premier to restrict police powers of detention. Years ago, killings such as these would not have received such attention, and victims would have been forgotten, but with modern technology in the hands of ordinary citizens, abusive officials are getting caught in the act. China's burgeoning economy allows a relatively freer flow of information. In September, China had 172 million Internet users, 10 million more than the last official count was released in July. Officials said about 4 million Chinese go online for the first time every month. Millions have opened blogs, too. Mobile phone users also reached more than half a billion in September, according to the government. Even though Article 35 of the Chinese Constitution is supposed to guarantee freedom of speech, China continues to restrict the flow of information. Fearful of the surge in Internet and mobile phone usage -- and the information they are able to transmit -- the Chinese authorities are stepping up efforts to monitor and restrict their use, according to Reporters Without Borders, which fights against censorship and laws that undermine press freedom. A few Internet data centers have been closed down, along with thousands of Web sites. Controversial blogs are blocked and unblocked multiple times. But silencing these citizen journalists is getting more difficult. Days after Wei's January 7 death, a government official in Tianmen city, Wei's hometown, was fired, four others detained and more than 100 placed under investigation. Chinese authorities now appear to be taking these cases seriously. Goldkorn said: "It's the kind of trouble that is very threatening to the party and the government, because it's the kind of trouble that questions their reason d'etre. So when looking at things like this, in the back of their minds, is always, 'Could this develop into a real mass incident that has the power to threaten the stability of China?' " Meanwhile, bloggers are heaping eulogies for Wei. So far, no one has seen the pictures Wei took that day. It is thought his camera was destroyed in the beating. "Eternal repose to Citizen Wei Wenhua," wrote blogger Wang Gongquan. "In the face of violence and brute power, he lifted a citizen's rights, conscience, responsibility and courage." Reporters Without Borders said, "Wei is the first 'citizen journalist' to die in China because of what he was trying to film." E-mail to a friend .
Beating death of Chinese Wei Wenhua prompts outrage . One Chinese blogger writes: "City inspectors are worse than the mafia" City inspectors in China act as auxiliary support to police . Wei reportedly died at hands of inspectors this month .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Each year at the national figure skating championships, the top three finishers are named as the US Olympic team. But a controversial decision by the U.S. Figure Skating Association on Sunday has seen Ashley Wagner - a major marketing element of the Olympics plan who crashed out of the finals after taking two tumbles during her routine - chosen over Mirai Nagasu, who finished ahead of Wagner in the competition and was the only skater not to fall or make a major error. The move marks the first time the federation has ever bumped a skater from the team who met all the credentials and placed high enough at nationals was passed over for the Olympics, with Nagasu named as an alternate. Nagasu placed third to Wagner's fourth place at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Boston on Saturday, but Wagner was still chosen. However the USFSA defended the decision by saying that it made an 'objective analysis' of the skaters, with Wagner ranked No. 2 in the world by Icenetwork.com before her meltdown. 'Im tough as nails': The US Figure Staking Association bumped Mirai Nagasu - who placed high enough at the nationals to earn a spot in the Olympics - for Ashely Wagner, who took a nasty tumble in the finals . Ashley Wagner falls as she competes during the women's free skate at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Boston on Saturday January 11, 2014. The fall did not affect her chances to make the Olympic team . Graceful: Ashley Wagner remains her composure as falls in the women's free skate at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships . Ashley Wagner struggles to get back on her skates as she competes during the women's free skate at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Boston on Saturday January 11, 2014 . The end: A disappointed Ashley Wagner finishes her routine, in which she fell twice, at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Boston . 'If you look at Ashley Wagner's record and performance, she's got the top credentials of any of our female athletes,' said the organization's president, Patricia St. Peter. Fifteen-year-old Polina Edmunds, who placed second at finals, was also selected, even though she has never competed in an international senior event. Nagasu has impressive credentials under her belt, coming in at fourth place at the 2010 Games as a 16-year-old. But U.S. Figure Skating's selection guidelines consider only the past year, and Nagasu had mostly struggled until a resurgent performance at nationals. Wagner - who slipped under the stands to cry after her performance, fearing the worst - said she was shocked at the decision. But she thanked the USFSA for making the right decision. Mirai Nagasu cries during U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Sunday, January 12, 2014 in Boston. Nagasu, the third-place finisher in the championships but was controversially passed over for the Olympics . Mirai Nagasu, a 20-year-old skater who finished fourth at the Vancouver Olympics, took third place at the nationals competition this weekend. She was also the only figure skater not to fall or make a major error. But when the American women's team was announced on Sunday, Ashley Wagner, who placed fourth, took the third Olympic spot and Nagasu was named as an alternate . Ashley Wagner (center) reacts after competing in the women's free skate as her coaches Rafael Arutunian (left) and Nadia Kanaeva (right) look on at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Saturday in Boston. Ashley Wagner realizes she has finished last at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Saturday Janurary 11, 2014 in Boston . Hopes dashed: Ashley Wagner (middle) reacts after competing in the women's free skate as her coach Rafael Arutunian looks on . 'I'm happy that my federation was able to see beyond one bad skate,' she said through tears once the announcement became official. Wagner fell twice and failed to cleanly land two other triple jumps in Saturday's long program. Afterward, she mouthed, 'I'm sorry' to her mother. 'I was overwhelmed from the big lights and the big show,' she said. Wagner insists that won't happen again in Sochi, with the pressure off by making the Olympic team. 'I'm not that skater that everyone saw last night,' Wagner said. 'I'm a fierce competitor. I'm tough as nails.' (From left) Polina Edmunds, Gracie Gold, Mirai Nagasu and Ashley Wagner pose with their medals after finishing as the top four women at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Boston . There was no way she was going to sleep Saturday night. The 22-year-old Wagner video-chatted with some old friends, had a big glass of wine with her mother and brother and watched the movie The Seven Year Itch. And she accepted that she might narrowly miss making the Olympic team for the second straight games, prepared to train through 2018. 'I danced with danger last night,' she said. 'I never want to feel that uncomfortable again.' Wagner was watching a friend practice Sunday morning when she got the text message that she was on the team. 'It's been a really long four years,' she said later, her voice cracking. Ashley Wagner is overcome facing reporters at a news conference at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014 in Boston. The two-time U.S. champion made the Olympic team Sunday despite finishing a distant fourth at the national championships . Ashley Wagner speaks of her gratitude at making the U.S. Olympic team . Figure skaters Gracie Gold and Ashley Wagner (right) talk to reporters after being introduced as part of the United States' women's figure skating team for the upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics . Edmunds knew she'd have more Olympic opportunities in her future, but Sochi was special. Her mother, who helps coach her, is from Russia. Edmunds hasn't been there since she was 2, but she often says hi over Skype to all her relatives in the city of Tver, and when she competed at the Junior Grand Prix in Belarus, her uncle took an 18-hour train trip to see her perform. The Olympics will also be a homecoming for U.S. pairs champion Simon Shnapir, who was born in Russia. He gleefully said 'We're going to Sochi' in Russian when it was announced that he and partner Marissa Castelli were on the team. They will be joined by runners-up Felicia Zhang and Nathan Bartholomay. Bumped: Mirai Nagasu - who placed high enough at the nationals to earn a spot in the Olympics - was passed over for the team for Ashley Wagner . Mirai Nagasu competes during the women's free skate at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Boston on Saturday January 11, 2014 . Mirai Nagasu pulls of an impressive jump at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships . The U.S. has three spots in ice dancing, and top-three finishers Meryl Davis and Charlie White, Madison Chock and Evan Bates, and Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani were picked. The top-two men's finishers were also selected for the Americans' spots: Jeremy Abbott and Jason Brown. Davis and White, the reigning world champs, are the Americans' best - and perhaps only - hope for a figure skating gold medal. They won silver in Vancouver, and after four years spent establishing themselves as tops in the world, their chance to move up one step on the podium is finally here. 'Obviously we're going into these games with very high expectations,' White said. 'We've had a lot of great momentum over the last four years since the 2010 Games. We feel like we've put ourselves in a really great position to come home with a gold medal.'
Ashley Wagner, 22, placed a distant fourth at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Boston on Saturday after falling twice during her routine . On Sunday she was shocked to learn she had been selected to compete at the Winter Olympics in Sochi despite her performance . The decision meant the third-place finisher, Mirai Nagasu, who finished ahead of Wagner, was passed over . It is the first time the U.S. Figure Skating Association has passed over a skater with the credentials and placements to make the team .
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By . Richard Spillett . Britain was the in the depths of war, and in the fields of Flanders, his Army comrades were fighting and all too often dying. But for Second Lt the Hon Rowland George Winn it was an affair of the heart which threatened to end his war: the Coldstream Guards officer was forced out of his regiment for marrying a 'chorus girl'. The love affair between the future Lord St Oswald and Evie Carew scandalised high society and seemed a timely distraction from the increasing sense of despair in 1915 for a nation which had thought the war would be 'over by Christmas'. Now fresh details of the 'scandal' - although Lt Winn would not have seen it that way - have emerged after the full background of Miss Carew were studied for an exhibition on the affair. The marriage of aristocratic army officer Rowland George Winn (pictured) and stage-girl Evie Carew sent tremors through British high society 100 years ago . The affair between Lt Winn and Miss Carew was certainly unlikely. Lt Winn had been educated at Eton and Sandhurst before the war was sent into battle in August 1914 aged just 21. He . was given a three-day 'coming of age' party at his family's huge estate . before his departure for the front, at which 500 people were . entertained for three days. He was one of the British Expeditionary Force sent to stop the German invasion of France against overwhelming odds - the British Army in total was a tenth the size of the German one, and was involved in a bloody rearguard action in which eventually it stopped the advance at Mons. In . November 1914, his family wrongly received the tragic news that he had . been killed in action after his name was listed among those of the dead. In fact he was wounded. But their grief was caused by a mistake by the War Department, which had wrongly categorised their son's injuries as a death. What exactly happened next is unclear. What is known is that Evie was working as a chorus girl at a theatre, taking part in productions such as Gypsy Love and the Marriage Market. She had to work long hours, six days a week for low wages, although there was a glamorous side to the profession - meeting wealthy audience members. It must have been there that they met - and in October 1915 they secretly married at St Saviour's Church in Paddington, west London. Shortly before the couple's wedding, . members of his regiment had been involved in the Battle of Festubert, in . which the British lost more than 16,000 men in an attack on German . lines. Two months later the union ceased to be a secret, and was front-page news in a series of newspapers. It became known as the affair of the peer and the showgirl. Despite reports describing Miss Carew as 'one of the most beautiful and charming chorus girls on the London stage', the union was not received well by Winn's family or his regiment. The union caused a scandal in the newspapers of the time, as this cutting from the Daily Mirror shows . Despite being embroiled . in war, the perceived affront to the regiment's association with the . royal household was said to make his position untenable. As part of the Guards Division, Coldstream Guards officers were felt to be obliged to follow the conventions of the royal household at the time. An aristocrat could not marry a commoner and remain part of the royal social circle; by extension an officer could not serve his Guards commission fully if he had married beneath himself. Amid the growing scandal, the . soldier quickly transferred to the 13th Squadron of the Royal Flying . Corps, which did not have such strict codes of conduct. But he appeared to enjoy his change of path in the military and described his new role in the war effort to his father after he . was made Captain in 1916. For many years Evie, pictured with one of her children, was kept away from official functions . He wrote: 'The Bosch has been dropping bombs . round about us, in retaliation for our nightly (and daily) excursions . behind his lines with the same purpose – but [we] have dropped . considerably more than he (and these much larger than his) and have done . him a great deal of damage, I’m pleased to say.' In fact the change may well have saved his life. He served as a staff officer in the RFC, the predecessor of the RAF, rather than fighting in the trenches as the Guards did. He survived the war - one of a small number who had served continuously from 1914 to 1918. It did not, however, end the chill which had affected his social status. Because . of his new wife's status, the future third Baron St Oswald was not . allowed to take her to any official family functions - and for years her . name was kept out of all records. The . affair - which came twenty years before King Edward VIII abdicated so . he could marry a commoner - was echoed in a Downton Abbey plot when Lady . Sybil married Tom Branson, a 'lowly' driver. Little . had been known about Evie's life before she met and fell in love with . the Lord, with experts speculating that they may have met while she was . working at Daly's Theatre in London. But . research for a new exhibition has unveiled fresh details of the . relationship, including that Evie Carew was actually her stage name, and . her real name was Nellie Greene. Researchers . studying her family tree have also found she was the daughter of a . restaurant manager - making her marriage to a blue-blooded aristocrat . all the more remarkable. The . new details have been included in a show about the scandalous marriage . at the Winn family's stately home - Nostell Priory in Wakefield, West . Yorkshire, run by the National Trust. Dr Sarah . Burnage, who is leading the project, says as son and heir there was a . lot of pressure on Rowland, whose controversial marriage rocked a family . already facing mounting debts. She said: 'There was a lot of expectation on Rowland George Winn which makes his marriage to a chorus girl seem all the more dramatic and sensational and problematic for the family. 'We have done some digging here and her real name was not Evie Carew, it was Nellie Greene. Historians uncovered new information about about the scandalous marriage ahead of a show at the Winn family's stately home, Nostell Priory in West Yorkshire . 'We found out that her father was a restaurant manager, her sister married a miner and her brother worked on the stage. 'We think is her route into acting and working on the stage she was from a very different social class to Rowland Winn.' Commenting . on the union, Dr Burnage added: 'It must have been devastating news and . such a scandal. His marriage had quite significant consequences. 'The . Coldstream Guards is associated with the Royal household and a rule had . been brought in that actresses could not be presented at court. 'So . when he married Evie he was not able to present his wife at official . functions. And he was an officer in the Guards so he actually had to . resign his commission and instead join the Royal Flying Corps.' It is thought the couple met when Miss Carew was working at Daly's Theatre in London's Leicester Square . Letters . from Rowland to his father reveal the older man's original doubts at . the marriage, causing his son to write letters attempting to persuade . him of Evie's 'better qualities'. The son describes her as 'anything but the average chorus girl' and says she is 'incredibly charming'. Despite that, it appears that Evie was not wholly accepted as her name is not listed among the guests at family functions. But, . despite the shock to his parents, it is believed that they were . eventually won over by Evie, who became Lady Winn when her husband . inherited his father's title after the war. A generation later, the archives reveal . that the actress-turned-Lady was immersed in the life of Nostell Priory . and the community. The couple went on to have two children . and archives reveal that the Dowager Lady Oswald - their grandmother - was happy to . buy expensive coats for their children, suggesting that the ice had,at least to some degree, melted. Lord St Oswald died in 1957 and was succeeded by his son, also Rowland, the fourth Lord St Oswald, while his wife died in 1976. Their story will be told as part of World War One At Home - local stories from a global conflict on BBC Radio Leeds, BBC Radio Sheffield and BBC Radio York from 2 - 6 June. The story of the Wakefield heir and the showgirl - and the marriage which rocked their families - will be on air Thursday 5 June 2014 at 8.15am.
Marriage of officer and stage girl caused scandal during First World War . Roland Winn had to leave Coldstream Guards after marrying 'a commoner' His bride, Evie Carew, was not recognised at court for years after marriage . Now new details of the union have emerged ahead of radio show on couple . Historians uncover records showing Miss Carew was sister of a miner . Letters Lt Winn sent to his father show him pleading for approval .
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Muhammad Ali cannot remember his third heavyweight title win, his daughter has revealed . Boxing great Muhammad Ali cannot remember winning his third world heavyweight title, his daughter has revealed - but he still jokes about making a comeback to win it again. Ali, who has been fighting bravely against Parkinson's Disease for 30 years, has no memory of his third world title victory against Leon Spinks in 1978, often telling his daughter Hana that he plans on becoming a three-time champion. But the sporting legend still has his wicked sense of humour, Hana says, and after being corrected on his great achievements jokes that he could yet make a comeback aged 72. Speaking to The Sun, Hana said: 'A few months ago he was messing with me and telling me he was going to become the three-time champ. 'I said, "You're already the three-time champ. If you come back you'll be the four-time champ". He said, "No, no - I'm the two-time champ." 'He said, "I'm going to look it up." And then he calls me back and says, "I'm the three-time champ, so I'm going to be the four-time champ."' Ali, then fighting under his birth name Cassius Clay, won his first heavyweight world title in 1964 as a 7-1 underdog when he defeated Sonny Liston. His famous line that he would 'float like a butterfly, sting like a bee' came in the build-up to that fight, after which he declared himself 'The Greatest'. Ali ducks to avoid Leon Spinks' fist during his defeat in 1978, but just months later Ali regained the world heavyweight title in Las Vegas . Ali, fighting under his birth name Cassius Clay, won his first title against Sonny Liston in 1964 . He held the belt until 1967, by which time he had converted to Islam and named himself Muhammad Ali, when he was stripped of the title for refusing to fight in Vietnam. He made a comeback and in 1974 knocked out George Foreman in the eight round of the Rumble in the Jungle to become world champion for the second time. He held the title for four years before unexpectedly losing to Leon Spinks in 1978, but defeated him in Las Vegas months later - the bout he does not remember. Hana, 38, and half-sister Maryum, 46, denied rumours that their father is unable to speak, bedridden and close to death. They added that despite Ali's Parkinson's, which can cause tremors, slow movement, problems with speech and memory loss, his fighting spirit remains the same. Rumble in the Jungle: Ali took his second title in Zaire, knocking out George Foreman in the eighth round . Daughters Hana (left) and Maryum say their father (right) still has the same fighting spirit as ever . 'His personality has not changed. Time changes his body, his physicality - but his spirit doesn't change.' A new documentary, called I Am Ali, opens in cinemas tomorrow and is based on 80 hours of tapes of unheard conversations between him and loved ones during the latter stages of his career. In one, Maryum, then 11, can be heard begging not to fight again. Despite Ali being diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1984, his daughters say he was already showing signs of the disease in 1979 - the year he retired. 'That was a very stressful time for us. A lot of people wanted him to stop fighting,' Maryum said. Hana added: 'It was hard listening to it, knowing what was to come.'
Muhammad Ali cannot remember winning his third title, daughter says . But she revealed the boxing great still jokes about making a comeback' Boxing legend says he is 'going to be the four-time champ' aged 72 . Ali won his third heavyweight world title against Leon Spinks in 1978 . Sporting great has been fighting against Parkinson's Disease for 30 years . His daughters deny rumours their father is bedridden and close to death .
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(CNN) -- Apple CEO Tim Cook had to apologize for the buggy new Maps app in the iPhone 5 and iOS 6 on Friday, saying that his company "fell short" of making a "world-class product." It was a gracious and humble admission of a major mistake -- a sign that Apple takes its customers seriously and conducts itself with integrity. "We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused," Cook said in a letter posted on the company's website. "We are doing everything we can to make Maps better." That relentless focus on treating customers right is why Apple has been the undisputed leader of the technology business for the past decade. But while the apology is commendable, the maps mistake was entirely Apple's fault. Previous versions of the iPhone and iOS used Google Maps, which are the industry standard. No one was complaining about Google Maps. Sure, they're not perfect, but we're all used to their errors and gaps. But Apple broke its contract to use Google Maps a year earlier than expected because of corporate politics. Google is a competitor, and Apple wanted to break ties and control its own maps. That's an extra year in which Apple could have improved its own maps — an extra year which was apparently sorely needed. Opinion: Maps app is not the only Apple misstep . The timing of the move surprised even Google, which is scrambling to build its own maps app for the iPhone and iPad. It reportedly won't be ready until the end of the year. Until then, Apple is stuck telling unhappy customers that they can visit Google Maps in the iPhone's Web browser or download other map apps like MapQuest or Bing. Needless to say, it's more than a little strange for Apple to suggest customers to try a Microsoft product. To be fair, Apple's new maps add important features Google wasn't willing to share. The iPhone 5 has built-in, turn-by-turn directions, and the maps are faster and prettier. But for most people, the drawbacks far outweigh the benefits. What good is voice navigation if it gets you lost? Who cares if the 3-D map is prettier when it thinks the Brooklyn Bridge has been demolished and the Statue of Liberty destroyed? These aren't questions anyone is used to asking about Apple products, because Apple doesn't usually ship broken products. Apple's failures are magnified by the company's track record of perfectionism — perfectionism that comes from putting customers first. Apple CEO: "We are extremely sorry" for Maps frustration . It's understandable why Apple felt it needed to switch away from Google. Being dependent on a competitor isn't great for any company. Apple likes to control its own destiny. Cook has said the company needs to "own and control the primary technologies behind the products that we make." Maps are without question a critical feature for smartphones and tablets, and it makes sense for Apple to build its own. But it doesn't make sense to switch away from Google before Apple's own product is ready, and it's doubtful iPhone 5 sales would have been even slightly affected because the Google Maps app on Android is slightly better. Now it's fair to wonder if potential upgraders and switchers aren't holding back because they don't want to be forced into using inferior maps. Google: No plans 'yet' for iOS 6 mapping app . Apple deserves praise for being forthright and direct in its apology, but no company wants to be praised for its apologies. It's more important for Apple to understand its mistake and try to prevent it from happening again. Apple is the most valuable company in the world because it has always fought battles for the consumer, not for the company. But in its race to win a corporate victory over Google, Apple seems to have gotten a little bit lost. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Nilay Patel.
Apple CEO Tim Cook had to apologize for new Maps app on iPhone 5 and iOS 6 . Nilay Patel: In its competition with Google, Apple seems to have gotten a bit lost . He says it's more than a little strange for Apple to tell customers to try other products . Patel: No company wants to be praised for its apologies; Apple needs to get it right .
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Sam Burgess scored his first Aviva Premiership try for Bath as the title contenders brushed off Recreation Ground visitors Wasps in bonus point fashion. Former rugby league star Burgess struck 45 minutes into the contest, which highlighted his most effective performance since he entered the union code as a second-half substitute against Harlequins six weeks ago. The high-profile union convert proved a prominent figure in attack and defence as Bath triumphed 39-26 on the back of further tries from flanker Francois Louw, wings Semesa Rokoduguni and Matt Banahan, plus substitute Ollie Devoto, while fly-half George Ford kicked 14 points. Sam Burgess celebrates his first Aviva Premiership try for Bath in their win over Wasps . Burgess crosses in the 45th minute as second-placed Bath triumph 39-26 over the play-off hopefuls . Burgess gave his most complete performance in rugby union to date in attack and defence . Burgess shows a left-handed fend that made him such a menace for rugby league defences before his switch . Play-off challengers Wasps collected a losing bonus point, which had looked unlikely when they trailed 39-12. Late scores by Ben Jacobs and Alex Lozowski added to earlier touchdowns from Alapati Leiua and number eight Nathan Hughes, while Lozowski booted two conversions and Andy Goode one. Bath's latest league win meant they moved just one point behind leaders Northampton following Saints' 20-7 loss against Sale Sharks on Saturday. And it gave them just the lift they required after last Sunday's defeat at Leicester before resuming European Champions Cup business with a crunch pool clash in Toulouse next weekend. Bath showed a number of changes from the side beaten by Leicester at Welford Road six days ago, including starts for centre Jonathan Joseph, prop Nick Auterac and number eight Leroy Houston. Semesa Rokoduguni (left) speeds away from Wasps' Josh Bassett to run in Bath's opening try at The Rec . Rokoduguni's fellow winger also got on the board with this try which Joe Simpson couldn't prevent . Wasps were forced into a late switch when wing Sailosi Tagicakibau was sidelined by a strained hamstring, so Josh Bassett was promoted to the starting line-up. Burgess was prominent during the initial flurries, twice making ground in midfield as the home side looked to start strongly against opponents who had moved impressively into play-off contention. Burgess also shone through a couple of crunching early tackles, announcing his presence in no uncertain terms just three weeks before a possible run-out for England Saxons against Irish Wolfhounds in Cork. And Bath's momentum was rewarded after 11 minutes when they breached Wasps' defence following sustained pressure, with Louw bouncing off a would-be tackler and touching down bethween the posts for a try that Ford converted. Wasps' early problems were not helped by flanker Sam Jones going off injured - he was replaced by Ashley Johnson - and Bath continued to dominate the territorial battle, helped chiefly by centre Jonathan Joseph's creativity. England fly-half George Ford kicked 14 points as Bath went within one point of the Premiership lead . Bath secure an uncontested line-out in their high-scoring victory over Wasps on Saturday . But Wasps pounced from their first notable attack after Jacobs' strong midfield run left the Bath defence in disarray, and he linked impressively with Hughes, who delivered a scoring pass to Leiua. It was a wake-up call for the home side, yet they responded through a Ford penalty 12 minutes before half-time, and then delivered a stunning try from deep inside their own half. Turnover possession found its way to full-back Anthony Watson, whose angled run stretched Wasps, and then Ford sent Rokoduguni sprinting away on a 50-metre break. Rokoduguni just made it to the line, appearing to suffer a hamstring injury as he neared Wasps' line. Ford converted, but the England wing was then forced off and Olly Woodburn took over from him as the interval approached. Alapati Leuia scored the first of Wasps' four tries to earn the now Coventry based side a losing bonus point . Wasps could not establish any momentum following Leiua's try and a second Ford penalty opened up a 15-point advantage at the break, leaving Bath firmly in charge of the contest. Bath were in no mood to take their foot off the accelerator immediately after half-time, and more sustained pressure resulted in the impressive Ford sending Burgess over from close range. Hughes replied with a try for Wasps shortly afterwards, yet Bath were not to be diverted from their quest for a five-point maximum, which arrived midway through the second period through a trademark power-packed Banahan score. Wasps just could not cope with wave after wave of Bath attacks, and Devoto added another touchdown - Ford converted from the touchline - but the visitors finished strongly through tries Jacobs and Lozowski that said a great deal about their character.
Rugby league convert Sam Burgess gave best performance so far . Francois Louw, Semesa Rokoduguni, Matt Banahan and Ollie Devoto also scored tries for the hosts as England fly-half George Ford kicked 14 points . Wasps collected a losing bonus point after scoring four tries of their own . Bath are one point behind Premiership leaders Northampton Saints .
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(CNN) -- A raging wildfire near the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico has prompted the evacuation of more than 10,000 residents in the town as firefighters battle hot temperatures and high winds, authorities said Monday. An estimated 8,000 people were expected to evacuate Monday, according to Kelly Stewart, a spokeswoman for Los Alamos County. Around 3,000 people left their homes after officials issued a voluntary order Sunday night, she said. The Las Conchas fire, which flared up over the weekend, was reported to be approximately a mile from the lab's southwestern boundary Monday afternoon, according to a statement on InciWeb, an online interagency database that tracks fires, floods and other disasters. The fire, which has spread across nearly 44,000 acres, is burning to the north and northeast. It is 0% contained. Additionally, a one-acre spot fire was reported on the lab's property, at its southern boundary, according to Kevin Roark, a spokesman for the facility. "We are maintaining a very watchful eye on these fires ... Our facilities are not threatened at this point," he said. "It's an unhappy thing, but we are confident in our ability to handle this threat." Los Alamos, a center of American nuclear science, is one of the nation's top national-security research facilities. The fire near the lab has raised concerns about whether hazardous materials kept there are being adequately guarded. Authorities say there are. "They have anticipated the problem of fire and they've taken precautions," Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico told CNN Monday. "The structures that are central to the operation of the laboratory are well protected." The lab is about 35 miles northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico, on 36 square miles of property owned by the Department of Energy. More than 11,000 employees work at the facility. It was closed Monday to nonessential employees and will remain closed on Tuesday because of the risks presented by the fire. The lab is a joint project of Bechtel National, the University of California, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and the Washington Division of URS, and is operated for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. CNN's Craig Bell contributed to this report .
NEW: More than 10,000 people are affected by the evacuation order . Central structures at the facility are well protected, officials say . Authorities order a mandatory evacuation for the town of Los Alamos . The Los Alamos National Laboratory will remain closed on Tuesday .
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Youth unemployment is falling faster in Britain than in any major global economy, employment minister Esther McVey will boast on a visit to Australia today. More than 6million people aged 16-24 are in work or studying after businesses made a 'game-changing investment' in the nation's young people, Miss McVey claims. The senior Conservative is in Melbourne for a meeting of G20 ministers, where she will examine the use of psychological tests to see if the unemployed are 'determined', 'bewildered' or 'despondent' about taking a job. Between the last quarter of the 2013 and the first quarter of 2014, the UK saw a bigger fall in youth unemployment than in the whole of the EU, the G7 and the OECD . The dramatic recovery in the jobs market has been one of the major economic success stories of the last 12months. Last week figures showed that in the last four years the number of people in work in the UK has increased by more than the rest of the EU put together. However, the coalition has faced criticism for high levels of youth unemployment, which Miss McVey insists is now falling sharply. The Department for Work and Pensions pointed to figures which show that in the first three months of 2014, youth unemployment fell faster in the UK than any G7 country, including the US, Canada, Japan, Italy, France and Germany. Employment minister Esther McVey told MailOnline the falls in youth unemployment have not 'happened by accident' Ahead of Miss McVey's trip Down Under, officials noted that 'while youth unemployment is rising in Australia, the UK has seen impressive recent falls'. Miss McVey told MailOnline: 'We've just seen the fastest drop in youth unemployment in the G7 in the last three months - and this hasn't happened by accident. 'I believe the hard work or our frontline staff, the reforms we've brought in, and the enthusiasm and professionalism of our young people have all played a role in the UK leading the way.' In the first three months of this year, youth unemployment fell by 5.38 per cent in the UK, compared to falls of 2.1 per cent in the EU as a whole, 0.85 per cent in Germany and 0.3 per cent in France. The average in the OECD was a fall of just 0.14 per cent. Across the G7, there was a rise of 0.01 per cent, driven by larger numbers of young unemployed people in Canada (up 0.35 per cent), USA (1.45) and Italy (1.73). Australia saw a rise of 0.54 per cent. Year-on-year, only the USA saw a bigger drop than the UK, where the number of 15-24 year olds out of work fell by 10.15 per cent. Miss McVey is attending the meeting of G20 employment ministers ahead of the heads of government summit in Brisbane in November. She will examine Australian attitude tests which are used to identify jobseekers who are less mentally prepared and gives them intensive coaching at jobcentres. Miss McVey's 'segmentation' programme has been inspired by the work of the wife of the former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd, Therese Rein. Her company has used attitude profiling in back-to-work schemes since the 1990s. A UK pilot scheme is taking place in three job centres and, if successful, it will be rolled out for a voluntary trial involving 27,000 jobseekers in 27 cities. In the 12 months to March 2014, only the US saw a bigger drop in youth unemployment, according to OECD data . Miss McVey added: 'With our help, British businesses are making a game-changing investment in our young people by supporting them to get the skills and work experience they need to build the careers they want. 'A generation of young Brits are being helped to build a career and find their way in the world of work, inspiring their peers to follow in their footsteps and helping their country compete on the world stage.' 'Young people tell me they need work experience to get a job, but they need a job to get work experience, which is why our advisers in Jobcentre Plus work closely with local businesses to provide tailored training opportunities for young jobseekers across the UK.' Since January 2011, more than 260,000 young people have taken part in employer-led placements or work experience through jobcentres. The number of jobless young people who have left full-time education has fallen by 174,000 in the last year.
In first three months of 2014 UK saw 5.38% fall in youth unemployment . Fall was lower in Germany and France, but Canada, USA and Italy saw rises . Top Tory Esther McVey attends employment ministers' summit in Melbourne . Says British firms making a 'game-changing' investment in young workers . Will examine Australia's aptitude tests to identify 'bewildered' jobseekers .
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Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg will start the Italian Grand Prix on the front row of the grid, the Briton on pole, the German alongside him. Within a few gear-flicking seconds, the road will narrow at the Variante del Rettifilo and the two of them will try to thread their silver Mercedes over the corner’s kerbs in the shortest and fastest way. Both hope to reach the next corner, the flat-out Curva Biassano. But there are no guarantees that they will reach there and none they will leave. Duopoly: Lewis Hamilton managed to get the better of title rival Nico Rosberg during qualifying . Grid: Hamilton will be on pole at Monza while Mercedes team-mate Rosberg starts in second place . 1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 2. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 3. Valtteri Bottas (Williams) 4. Felipe Massa (Williams) 5. Kevin Magnussen (McLaren) 6. Jenson Button (McLaren) 7. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) 8. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) 9. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) 10. Sergio Perez (Force India) In front of up to 100,000 fans in this crumpled cathedral of Italian motor racing at the centre of the tree-strewn Royal Park, the latest unmissable instalment of the 2014 world championship will unfold. Most of those here with their banners are disciples of Ferrari, the team that Enzo built into an icon of a nation, but, with the shiny scarlet cars off the pace, it is the tussle between a cerebral German and an instinctive Briton that promises to provide the greatest excitement of the afternoon. The backdrop to the race was provided a fortnight ago at Spa, where Hamilton and Rosberg collided on the second lap. Hamilton ultimately retired from the race. Rosberg, the aggressor, survived a broken front wing to come second and increase his advantage in the championship to 29 points. Race: Mercedes say that their drivers can to battle it out between them free from team orders . The row afterwards was even more feisty. It ended up with Rosberg being fined by Mercedes and apologising to his team, his rival and seemingly the whole world. Both were warned to keep it clean, though management will permit them to race free of team orders. So after Hamilton yesterday claimed his first pole since the Spanish Grand Prix on May 10, the question was how they would race in the first few frantic moments today along the fastest lap in Formula One. Would the keep-it-clean instruction be in their minds? ‘It won’t be ringing in ‘my’ ears,’ said Hamilton. Sitting next to him, Rosberg said: ‘It’s a question I am not able to answer. The message is that we keep on racing. Every situation is different.’ Tense: The relationship between the two drivers has broken down since the Belgian Grans Prix . Hamilton was strangely underwhelmed in the post-qualifying press conference. ‘It is a great feeling to be up here,’ he said, with the enthusiasm of a dental patient mid-filling rather than somebody who had interrupted Rosberg’s run of six poles in seven races. Mercedes’ outright pace suggests they should be too strong to be challenged, yet mechanical glitches have hindered them more regularly than expected. ‘Every race is important,’ said Hamilton. ‘But time is running out. I need those points.’ All the top six — Hamilton, Rosberg, Valtteri Bottas in third, his Williams team-mate Felipe Massa and the McLaren pair of Kevin Magnussen and Jenson Button — are powered by Mercedes engines. Mercedes: The German team are unlikely to be troubled in Italy, unless they suffer more mechanical problems . To the disgruntlement of the Italian fans, Fernando Alonso starts in seventh place while the second Ferrari of Kimi Raikonnen was only 12th fastest. Ferrari’s recent dismal run of form led the Monza rumour-mill to suggest that Luca di Montezemolo, the 67-year-old team president, might stand down after more than 40 years with the company. But with a sweep of his hair, he dismissed tales of his demise. ‘I told the board in March that I was ready to accept three more years for my shareholders and particularly for my people, the women and men of the Ferrari,’ he said. Living up to his theatrical billing, Di Montezemolo enveloped Alonso in a long, lingering, listing hug. Another hugger was Hamilton, embracing his dad on the way to the car. There is at least some love here among the enmity.
Italian Grand Prix at Monza the latest setting for Mercedes feud . Lewis Hamilton is on pole, Nico Rosberg starts in second . German driver is 29 points ahead in drivers standings .
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A sex abuse victim who was forced by his neighbour to act out Kama Sutra scenes when he was just nine years old has finally received justice after he bumped into his grinning abuser more than 30 years later. Taxi driver Guy Beadle, 45, was abused at the hands of Barry Rosamund, then 15, who would hold his victim in a headlock, before forcing him to carry out sickening acts as he cried for mercy. The father-of-two, from Beckenham, south London, always kept what happened a secret but was traumatised by the abuse his entire life. Justice: Guy Beadle, 45 (pictured left) reported his abuser Barry Rosamund (right) to police three decades after being abused - after he bumped into him on the street in London . But, in 2012, Mr Beadle unexpectedly walked past Rosamund in the street. Sickeningly, Rosamund grinned at Mr Beadle, as if nothing had happened. The incident infuriated Mr Beadle so much that he told his mother about the abuse, before reporting it to police. Last year, Rosamund, of Looe, Cornwall, was finally convicted of four counts of indecent assault, one of attempted buggery and one of indecency with a child. He said: 'It's nothing compared to the 37-year sentence I've served, but I now know I did the right thing by reporting him. 'The monster had just smiled at me as if nothing had happened. It made me sick to my stomach. It made me realise how much destruction it has caused all through my life - all because of him. 'Now Barry is paying for what he did and, hopefully, he'll never be able to abuse another child again.' The abuse began when Mr Beadle, then nine, was living a few doors away from Rosamund, who was a friend of Mr Beadle's older brother, Mark. Mr Beadle, pictured as a child, was just nine years old when the abuse began . When Rosamund began inviting Mr Beadle over to play along with his brother, he was thrilled to have a new, older friend. He was also fascinated by all the state-of-the art toys Rosamund had at his home, something Mr Beadle and his brothers never had. He said: 'I remember looking around Barry Rosamund's front room. I felt like I'd just stepped into Aladdin's cave. 'Barry asked me what I wanted to have a go on. It was every nine-year-old boy's dream. It was like another world. I felt so grateful he didn't mind me tagging along.' But the abuse started when Rosamund asked Mr Beadle to visit his house alone. On that first occasion, Rosamund asked Mr Beadle to touch him - and gave him £3 when he did. 'He said we could play table football. I left Gary and Mark behind and went to Barry's on my own. 'His mum was in the kitchen. But as we started playing the footie game in the living room something odd happened. 'He asked me to touch him intimately. I supposed it was normal and didn't want to be seen like a baby so did it. Afterwards he gave me £3. I thought it was what lads did.' Another afternoon, Rosamund forced Mr Beadle onto his knees and made him perform a sex act on him. 'Once he'd finished with me, he'd give me money and let me go. He threatened to kill me if I told anyone,' he said. 'I felt so worthless, but I was just a frightened child, didn't know what to do.' Mr Beadle said that he would beg Rosamund to stop, but the abuse continued. He said: 'Most of the time we played in his bedroom. It would always end with Barry forcing me to touch him as I cried. 'He even had a calendar of the Kama Sutra and would make me pick positions from it to try. Then he'd violently wrestle me into the pose. 'If I refused he'd put me in a headlock, choke me until I almost passed out. So I went along with it.' Mr Beadle, from Beckenham, (pictured left and right) has been left traumatised by the abuse he suffered . Then, when Mr Beadle was just ten, Rosamund tried to rape him. He said: 'I was in agony. I somehow managed to fight him off. I made a decision there and then. 'I was going to stay away from Barry Rosamund. So I began taking the long way to school and avoided Barry's house. I stopped playing out with my friends, just in case he walked by.' Soon after, Rosamund moved away to Cornwall. Although Mr Beadle was relived, he was plagued by what had happened. When he was 19, he met a woman, with whom he had twin daughters. But that relationship soon broke down. After another failed relationship, Mr Beadle moved back in with his mother. He said: 'My memories chained me to the past. They made me feel foolish and dirty. 'I tried to start again and aged 19, I met a girl and we had twin daughters. The four of us should've been so happy but I couldn't forget my childhood. 'It affected me so much more than I thought. I just couldn't get close to anyone.' The whole time, Mr Beadle was burdened by what had happened, unable to speak with anyone about it, even his mother. 'I'd never told her the truth,' he said. 'I was terrified it would kill her, knowing she had failed to protect me from the predator on our doorstep.' But everything changed when Mr Beadle was walking along the road in 2012 and bumped into Rosamund. The attacker had come to visit a former neighbour on the street on which the pair used to live. He grinned at his victim as he walked past the driveway. Rosamund even parked his campervan right outside Mr Beadle's home. 'I was so furious. It was awful,' Mr Beadle said, 'Especially when he parked his campervan outside my mum's. 'I remember pacing up and down the living room, not knowing what to do. Then I stuck a note on his campervan, threatening him to go away. I just wanted him to go.' A few months later, Mr Beadle decided to tell his mother about what had happened. Unable to talk about it, he left her a letter instead. He said: 'She was distraught. My mum was a tough woman, from the era of "just plough on", but this stopped her in her tracks. 'I wrote a note because I could not tell her. Then I went out for an hour, saw the letter had been read and she was sat there with her head in her hands. 'I wanted her to understand me. It's not an excuse, but I just wanted to understand why I was how I was.' Knowing the stress any court case would have on her, Mr Beadle vowed only to go to the police after she died. Two months later, she died suddenly from a massive brain aneurysm. 'They said there was no way of knowing but I thought the stress of knowing what Barry had done had probably killed mum,' Mr Beadle said. In September 2014 Rosamund, then 50, appeared at Croydon Crown Court charged with four counts of indecent assault, one of attempted buggery and one of indecency with a child. He pleaded not guilty but was convicted and jailed for three years . He said: 'It was horrific, standing up in that dock, being accused of making it up. It's just not a nice thing to face. 'I did not even have a screen because I wanted to face him - I wanted him to see the damage he had done to me. And I wanted to give it back. 'But now I can start moving on, trying to repair the damage he has done. I only wish I had reported him earlier.'
Guy Beadle, 45, was just nine when he began being abused by neighbour . Attacker, 15, would put him in headlock until he carried out sickening acts . Mr Beadle kept what happened secret, but was traumatised by the abuse . Then, in 2012, he bumped into Barry Rosamund unexpectedly in London . It prompted him to tell his mother and eventually report crimes to police . Rosamund, 50, from Looe, Cornwall, was jailed for three years over crimes .
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(CNN) -- PGA star Hunter Mahan chose family over work this weekend, and though it may have cost him more than $1 million, he sounds ecstatic. "What a whirlwind of a day," Mahan tweeted Sunday morning, "but I'm happy to announce the birth of my daughter Zoe Olivia Mahan born at 3:26 am. Thanks for all the support! "Both Baby and Mom are doing great. Thanks to all to my sponsors who appreciate what's important in life and all my fans for being Awesome!" he added in a second tweet. Mahan was halfway to his sixth career PGA Tour tournament victory, with a two-shot lead after Friday's second round of the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario. But after receiving a call early Saturday that his wife, Kandi, had gone into labor, he withdrew from the tournament and flew home to Dallas to be present for the birth of the couple's first child rather than continuing to pursue the $1.008 million first prize. "Kandi and I are thrilled about this addition to the Mahan family, and we look forward to returning to the RBC Canadian Open in the coming years," Mahan said Saturday, according to PGATOUR.Com. Mahan has made more than $2.3 million already in 2013, with four Top 10 finishes this year, including a tie for fourth place at the U.S. Open and a tie for ninth place at the British Open over the past two months, PGATOUR.com says. CNN Sports' Jason Durand contributed to this report.
Pro golfer Hunter Mahan and his wife, Kandi, have their first child . Mahan withdraws from RBC Canadian Open tournament in which he was leading . He walks away from a potential $1 million payday . He thanks sponsors "who appreciate what's important in life" and "awesome" fans .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:45 EST, 28 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:48 EST, 28 June 2012 . Two of Surrey Police's most senior officers are being investigated over claims they turned a blind eye to allegations News of the World reporters were hacking schoolgirl Milly Dowler’s phone. A probe has been launched by the police watchdog in to Deputy Chief Constable Craig Denholm, who was the senior investigating officer on the Dowler case in 2002, and temporary Detective Superintendent Maria Woodall, who took over as senior investigating officer in 2006. The Independent Police Complaints Commission's investigation will focus on the senior officers’ alleged knowledge that Milly’s phone was hacked by the News of the World in 2002 and any actions taken, the watchdog said. Probe: Deputy Chief Constable Craig Denholm, left, and Temporary Detective Superintendent Maria Woodall, right, are accused of turning a blind eye to claims News of the World reporters hacked Milly Dowler's phone . Mark Lewis, the Dowler family’s lawyer, said: ‘The Dowler family welcomes the proper investigation of what happened at Surrey Police 10 years ago. ‘They regret that the passage of time means that some individuals can now no longer be investigated. The News of the World admitted hacking the phone of 13-year-old Milly Dowler, pictured . ‘The family have no further comment to make at this time.’ An . IPCC spokesman said: ‘The IPCC investigation is considering whether Mr . Denholm was aware during Operation Ruby that the NOTW (News of the . World) had accessed Milly Dowler’s voicemail in 2002 and his handling of . that information.’ He added that the watchdog was also examining information provided by Ms Woodall to Surrey Police during the internal inquiry into the force response to allegations that Milly’s voicemail had been illegally accessed in 2002. Neither officer has been suspended and both remain on duty, a joint statement by the force and the police authority said. Chief Constable Lynne Owens and Assistant Chief Constable Jerry Kirkby have also met the Dowler family to inform them of the referrals to the IPCC, it added. The two referrals to the police watchdog come after it found in February that there was no evidence to support allegations that a Surrey police officer gave information to journalists during Operation Ruby, the investigation into Milly’s disappearance in 2002. The now defunct News of the World admitted hacking the 13-year-old’s mobile phone but it remains unknown whether two missing messages were deleted deliberately, as previously suggested, or were removed from her message box automatically. Trusted: Deputy Chief Constable Craig Denholm, seen second left, has close contact with the parents of Milly Dowler, Bob, third right, and Sally, right . The Leveson Inquiry into press standards . has heard that Milly’s mother Sally phoned her daughter repeatedly in . March 2002 after she vanished while walking home in Walton-on-Thames, . Surrey. The teenager’s voicemail message was a generic automated response when her message box was full but when a message had been deleted the greeting reverted to her personal greeting. The Dowlers told the inquiry they were given ‘false hope’ by hearing the change of greeting - thinking their daughter might still be alive and had wiped a message. In May, MPs on the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee raised concerns about Surrey Police’s decade-long delay in informing the Metropolitan Police that they had evidence that Milly’s phone was hacked.
Watchdog to examine claims the senior officers failed to act on reports as early as 2002 that News of the World journalists had listened to murdered schoolgirl's voicemail .
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(CNN)After two weeks of failed negotiations, Houthi rebels announced Friday that they will chart Yemen's political future, setting up groups to replace the volatile Arab nation's parliament and form a presidential council. This all follows last month's resignations of President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi and other officials after Houthis moved into the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. The chaos in Yemen has far-reaching implications for the United States and its allies, which had considered Yemen's previous government a key ally in its fight against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The United Nations-sponsored talks aimed to find a resolution to the satisfaction of all parties, including the Houthis, who are Shiite Muslims who have long felt marginalized in the majority Sunni country. But Friday's news suggests no such accord. Instead, the Houthis -- politically recognized as Ansarullah -- announced that the country's top supervising authority will become the Houthi Revolutionary Committee. That committee will be charged with setting up a 551-member National Transition Council in place of Yemen's parliament. That body, according to the announcement, will then choose members of a five-person Presidential Council, which will lead the country during a two-year transition. There was no immediate response to the announcement from other Yemeni factions or from officials outside the country. CNN's Greg Botelho contributed to this report.
Yemen's President, Prime Minister resigned as Houthi rebels advanced . U.N.-sponsored talks didn't lead to a resolution agreed to by all parties . The Houthi Revolutionary Committee will be in charge, with a new parliament coming .
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By . Eleanor Harding . PUBLISHED: . 12:12 EST, 28 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:27 EST, 1 March 2014 . Roaming charges for British travellers using their phones in EU countries are on course to be slashed from October. Proposals to outlaw the exorbitant fees  – which have led to holidaymakers and businessmen being hit by huge bills for using their mobiles abroad – are under review  in Brussels. It would mean anyone from the UK travelling to other member states would enjoy the same charges for calls, texts and data use as they would in their home country. Roaming charges for British travelers using their phones in EU countries are likely to be scrapped from October, it is claimed so Britons could browse the internet on their tablet on the beach (illustrated) or make a phone call for the same costs as they pay in the UK . The plans have been under consideration for months but were widely expected to fail by industry and government insiders. But yesterday it emerged that representatives of two member states believed the plans were ‘in the bag’ after high-level meetings with EU leaders. The discussions, at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona, come weeks before a vote is expected on the issue, in mid-March. Experts predict the removal of roaming charges could wipe two per cent off mobile operators’ revenues, but some say it will encourage customers to use their phones more. It could also knock hundreds of pounds off the bills of UK holidaymakers, who on average spend an extra £120 on their mobile phone on each trip abroad, according to a recent study. Charlotte Nunes, from price comparison website uSwitch, said yesterday: 'Every year we rack up hundreds of millions of pounds using our mobiles abroad, so any regulation that helps keep costs down is always welcome. Experts predict the removal of roaming charges could knock hundreds of pounds off the bills of UK holidaymakers so they could make calls abroad without worrying about the cost . 'Despite the roaming caps already in place, people are still being stung.' Earlier this year, a study by the European Commission found that half of tourists in Europe are so terrified of huge bills that they refuse to use their phone on holiday. Under the current plans, operators could be banned from charging for incoming calls from as early as October, with negotiations beginning in July. All other roaming charges would be scrapped by 2016. Speaking last year, Neelie Kroes, the outgoing digital commissioner of the European Union, said: 'I have said from day one in this job that roaming charges should go. 'I want to show the EU is useful to people's lives.' The ban would follow caps on charges across the EU which have been in place since 2007. At the time phone, companies were estimated to make around £3.4billion from these fees. Current charge caps are €0.24 (20p) per minute for calls, €0.08 (7p) per text message and €0.45 (37p) per megabyte of data, all excluding VAT. From July 2014 those will be reduced to €0.19 (16p) per minute for calls, €0.06 (5p) per text and €0.20 (17p) per MB of data. Receiving a text in Europe has been free since 2009. This week, the plans were criticised by Olaf Swantee, chief executive of EE, who said they were ‘completely outdated’ in light of new roaming deals offered by companies. He told The Guardian: ‘Clearly the industry, and I count myself in that, has had big issues in this space in the past, but nowadays it is much, much better.’ Yesterday, Richard Lloyd, Which? executive director said: 'Scrapping EU mobile roaming charges would be a huge win for millions of consumers, especially travellers who have faced expensive data roaming charges even though their mobile hasn’t left their suitcase. 'This would put an end to uncertainty about using mobiles abroad but the Commission must ensure that the industry plays fair and doesn’t hike other charges to compensate.' Current charge caps are €0.24 (20p) per minute for calls, €0.08 (7p) per text message and €0.45 (37p) per . megabyte of data, all excluding VAT. From July 2014 those will be reduced to €0.19 (16p) per minute for calls, €0.06 (5p) per text and €0.20 (17p) per MB of data. Receiving a text in Europe has been free since 2009. Under the current plans, operators . could be banned from charging for incoming calls in the EU from as early as . October. All other roaming charges would be scrapped by 2016.
Proposals are currently under review in . Brussels to outlaw the exorbitant fees, which have long been the bugbear . of holidaymakers and businessmen . If charges are scrapped, Britons travelling in the EU would enjoy the same charges for calls, texts and data use as they would in the UK . Experts predict the removal of roaming charges could wipe 2 per cent off mobile operators’ revenues .
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Editor's note: Rep. Jared Polis, a Democrat, represents Colorado's 2nd Congressional District and is appearing in CNN.com's "Freshman Year" series along with Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Republican from Utah. Jared Polis says America's immigration system is broken and urgently needs reform. (CNN) -- Twelve-year-old Josh Garcia courageously took the stage. Fighting back tears, he told how he came home from school one day to find that his father had been taken into an immigration detention facility. His father, an entrepreneur who had created dozens of jobs, was "exactly the kind of person we want in this country." And there wasn't a dry eye in the place as this young American boy told the audience how the next time he saw his father, he was traumatized to find him "in a prison" surrounded by men with guns. On June 13, I sponsored an immigration town hall in my home state of Colorado to discuss the harm our broken immigration system is causing American families and the urgent need for comprehensive immigration reform. More than 1,600 attendees, including representatives from Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and Muslim faiths, filled the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Center in Northglenn and spilled outside onto the lawn in the hot June sun. Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput -- despite our many differences -- joined me onstage to urge people of faith to stand up for immigration reform. The audience listened with rapt attention as Josh and several other Americans directly impacted by our broken immigration laws recounted their haunting tales. Our current immigration system is broken and greatly in need of reform. In order to create real, long-lasting reform, we must create a pathway to legal status for the millions of undocumented immigrants who have made lives for themselves and their families in the United States. It is essential for our national security to know who resides within our borders. And this phenomenon is not unique to Colorado; throughout the country, Americans agree that it is time to reform our broken immigration system. According to a recent poll of 1,000 voters by the Benenson Strategy Group, more than eight in 10 Democratic, Republican and independent voters support Congress passing comprehensive reform, as do 86 percent of voters who are undecided on the 2010 congressional race. Only 14 percent oppose the reform. Americans agree that comprehensive immigration reform is fair to both taxpayers (81 percent agree) and illegal immigrants (79 percent agree), and 91 percent agree that the comprehensive proposal would help taxpayers by making illegal immigrants pay taxes. If we secure our borders and crack down on employers who illegally hire, and deport illegal immigrants who have committed crimes, nearly seven in 10 (68 percent) voters argue that the remaining 12 million illegal immigrants should be required to register, meet conditions and eventually be allowed to apply for citizenship. A whopping 62 percent of self-identified Republicans say they should be allowed to stay and apply for citizenship. Clearly, Americans agree that the economic and national security burdens placed on state and local governments -- not to mention the incredible hardships placed on immigrant families -- because of the failures of federal immigration policy are unfair and that we desperately need meaningful reform. It is rare to find this kind of across-the-board consensus, and it indicates that rather than demagoguery, the American people want action. Our town hall's other special guest, my colleague Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Illinois, formed the United Families movement. It works to bring diverse groups to the table from faith-based organizations, civil rights groups, unions and businesses to demand comprehensive immigration reform. Thanks to their leadership, progressives and conservatives in Colorado and across the country are working to urge President Obama and Congress to take it up this year. Amnesty alone is not the solution. We need real reform. We tried amnesty in the late 1980s, and because we never took serious steps at enforcement, we wound up in precisely the same predicament 20 years later. If all we do is pass amnesty, we will likely be having the same debate again a few years. Likewise, the "enforcement-only" policies of the past few years have failed and have resulted only in even more illegal immigration and the separation of American families. Trying to enforce our out-of-touch laws is as foolish and impossible as trying to enforce a law requiring that water flow uphill. The good news is that we can solve this issue. We can pass practical comprehensive immigration reform. Crafting a solution to this complex problem will require a debate, which should begin without delay. Citizens and elected leaders of this great nation must realize our common goal of putting an end to illegal immigration and demand immigration reform now. We are a nation of immigrants. Our diversity has always been our strength. We should be thankful that we have even have this problem to consider, thankful that America continues to be a beacon of hope and liberty, and thankful that the best and brightest from across the globe are fighting to start a better life in our country and take part in the American dream. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jared Polis.
Jared Polis: America urgently needs to reform broken immigration system . He says the public supports comprehensive immigration reform . America's strength comes from being a nation of immigrants, Polis says .
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Formula One drivers will have to be at least 18-years-old from 2016. The announcement of new rules by motorsport governing body FIA on Tuesday came following the Toro Rosso team's decision to hire 17-year-old Max Verstappen for this year's championship. Max Verstappen will become the youngest F1 racer ever when he drives a Toro Rosso in 2015 . Verstappen drives a Toro Rosso during a practice session of 2014's Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka . From 2016, drivers will also need to have accumulated a certain amount of points in other motorsports series, to have spent at least two years in junior categories, and hold a valid road driver's license to become eligible for F1. Under the new Super License points system, adopted in December at a World Motor Sport Council, drivers will also need to successfully answer questions on F1 regulations. 1 J Alguersuari (19y, 125d) 2 M Thackwell (19y, 182d) 3 R Rodriguez (19y, 208d) 4 F Alonso (19y, 218d) 5 E Tuero (19y, 320d) =6 C Amon (19y, 324d) =6 D Kvyat (19y, 324d) 8 S Vettel (19y, 349d) =9 E Cheever (20y, 53d) =9 J Button (20y, 53d)
Toro Rosso snapped up Max Verstappen when he was just 16 . Verstappen is the son of former Formula One driver Jos . From 2016 drivers will also have accumulated certain amount of points .
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St. Louis, Missouri (CNN) -- An employee at a transformer manufacturing company opened fire on his co-workers Thursday, killing three people before turning the gun on himself, police said. Five other ABB Inc. employees were wounded in the shooting in the company's factory in St. Louis, police said. A law enforcement official identified the suspect as Timothy Hendron. Hendron is among a group of ABB employees listed in a lawsuit filed in 2006 against administrators of the company's retirement plan. The suit, filed in federal court, accuses the administrators of, among other things, causing the plan to include "unreasonable and excessive" fees and expenses, paid by participants, without their knowledge and not used for their benefit or that of the plan. Linda Siegfried, a spokesman for the law firm representing the plaintiffs, confirmed to CNN that Hendron was among the plaintiffs, although his name is spelled three different ways in court documents. A trial on the matter is taking place in Kansas City, Missouri, Siegfried said. She didn't know whether Hendron would have been required to be present. Online federal court records show the trial began Tuesday. Siegfried would not comment further except to say the firm offers its concern for the welfare of the victims. The shooting occurred just before 6:30 a.m. Arriving officers were told that a man had entered the building with a rifle and a handgun, and that several people had been shot, police said. "Police made a perimeter around the business and located those victims who needed medical attention," a St. Louis Metropolitan Police statement said. Of the five at area hospitals, three victims were in critical condition and two in fair condition, police said. KSDK: Four dead, five wounded at ABB Power . Authorities conducted a room-to-room search of the large building, as well as surrounding buildings at the ABB complex, the statement said. Interstate 70 and surface streets in the area were initially shut down. ABB spokesman Bob Fesmire said earlier that about 100 employees work at the facility, but some of them were unable to come in Thursday because of heavy snow. CNN's Kara Devlin, Ashley Hayes and Carol Cratty contributed to this report.
NEW: Timothy Hendron opened fire on co-workers, turned gun on himself, police say . Three others dead, three critically injured and two in fair condition, officials say . Hendron is part of group of employees who sued company's retirement plan administrators .
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More men are raped in the U.S. than woman, according to figures that include sexual abuse in prisons. In 2008, it was estimated 216,000 inmates were sexually assaulted while serving time, according to the Department . of Justice figures. That is compared to 90,479 rape cases outside of prison. 216,000 prisoners are raped per year in the U.S., compared to about 90,000 reported rapes outside prison . The Department for Justice has now begun implementing new regulations to tackle the high rates of rape in federal prisons. In recent studies 4.5 per cent of 16 and 17-year-olds in . adult prison and 4.7 per cent of those in jail reported being the victims . of sexual abuse. The new Department of Justice rape regulations include separating under 18s from adult prisoners. However, some critics say that will leave many youngsters in virtual solitary confinement. The new regulations also include banning male prison staff from doing pat-downs in women's prisons. The rule changes have been brought in ten years after Congress passed the Prison Rape Elimination Act. Under the terms of the act, all detention facilities are required to take a zero-tolerance approach to rape behind bars. New regulations are being introduced at all detention facilities to tackle the number of rapes in prison . According to the latest National Inmate Survey, 4 per cent of prisoners, 3.2 per cent of people in jail and 9.5 per cent of those in juvenile detention said they had been the victim of sexual abuse. Almost seven per cent of women said they had been sexually abused by a fellow inmate, while more men said they had been assaulted by staff. The National Survey of Youth in Custody found 4.5 per cent of juveniles held in adult prisons had been abused. Those figures have prompted calls for all under 18s to be detained outside adult prisons. Of the youngsters held in juvenile detention, 2.5 per cent of boys and girls and said they had been abused by fellow inmates. Shockingly, more than 7 per cent of teenagers in juvenile detention said they had sexual contact with staff. Procedures also must be put in place to investigate allegations of sexual assault and improve care for victims. The report found incidents of women prison staff assaulting male prisoners. States that do not implement the regulations will lose five per cent of their federal funding for prisons, US News reported. They have also been warned they could face civil court cases from victims. Separate figures produced by the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that sexual abuse rates in juvenile detention were as high as 9.5 per cent in 2011 to 2012. In the same year, four per cent of state and federal prisoners and 3.2 per cent of all people in jail surveyed said they had been a victim. Study author Allen J. Beck told New York Review of Books that the work shows almost 200,000 were sexually abused in detention in 2011. He said the figures are lower than those recorded in 2008 because fewer people are in prison. High rates of abuse were found among gay, lesbian and mentally ill inmates and inmates who had been abused before incarceration. According to official statistics on rape conviction rates, the U.S. Bureau of Justice said 91 per cent of the victims were women and 99 per cent of the perpetrators were men. Just 9 per cent of accusations made by men resulted in a conviction.
In 2008 it was estimated 216,000 inmates assaulted in detention . Four per cent of prisoners said they had been sexually abused in 2011 . Department of Justice introducing regulations to tackle high rates of abuse .
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By . Gerard Couzens . The Spanish mayor of a popular expat town has come under fire for posting pictures of a pretend military invasion of Gibraltar on his Facebook page. Fransisco Perez Trigueros was branded a 'fool' after using a mocked-up image of Spanish Army soldiers marching over Gibraltar's runway while fighter jets fly overhead. The image also shows a Spanish flag flying over the British territory and an Osborne bull - Spain's unofficial national symbol - halfway up the Rock. Controversy: Fransisco Perez Trigueros was branded a 'fool' after using a mocked-up image of Spanish Army soldiers marching over Gibraltar's runway while fighter jets fly overhead . Critics last night attacked the nationalist mayor of Callosa de Segura near Alicante. Gibraltarian Jonathan Manasco said: 'It is fools like this that encourage others to violence and hatred.' Ernest Romero told Trigueros to 'go to hell' on the website of a Gib-based activist group which flagged up his use of the picture. And Robert Menez, urging the right-wing mayor to stop using Gibraltar as a smokescreen to deflect attention from Spain's 4.7 million unemployed, added ironically: 'He could be taken seriously by some. 'After all, if he rounds up all the unemployed he could probably invade China.' Dispute: Simmering tension over the Rock escalated at the start of the month after Gibraltar dumped 70 concrete blocks in the sea to create an artificial reef and stop Spanish fishermen entering its waters . Trigueros, a member of the governing . Popular Party which is at loggerheads with Britain over Gibraltar, got . himself into hot water last month over an attack on nationalists living . in Spain's Catalan region. After the booing of Spain's . national anthem at the opening of the Barcelona swimming world . championships, he went on Facebook to rant: 'Lets give these s**** their . bloody independence now so they leave us be. 'But build a 30-foot-high wall so we don't have to see them again.' He later withdrew his comments and insisted he was only attacking the sort of Catalans who burnt the Spanish flag. Political rivals accused him of behaving like a fascist and called on him to resign. Anger: Spain responded by trying to choke Gibraltar with six-hour-long border queues and threatening to charge motorists £43 a time to cross the frontier . Callosa . de Segura, home to around 18,000 inhabitants, is a 30-minute drive . inland from the Costa Blanca resort of Torrevieja, nicknamed 'the Costa . del Yorkshire' by some holidaymakers. Its . stunning setting at the foot of the Callosa de Segura mountains draws . thousands of tourists to the town every summer and has attracted . hundreds of expats fleeing the more-built up Costa resorts. The town hall website can be read in eight languages including English, Romanian and Russian. Simmering . tension over the Rock escalated at the start of the month after . Gibraltar dumped 70 concrete blocks in the sea to create an artificial . reef and stop Spanish fishermen entering its waters. Spain has never recognised the three nautical miles of sea around the British territory as Gibraltar's. Spain . responded by trying to choke Gibraltar with six-hour-long border queues . and threatening to charge motorists £43 a time to cross the frontier. Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo responded by accusing Spain of acting like international pariah North Korea. An emergency phone call between Prime Minister David Cameron and his Spanish counterpart Mariano Rajoy failed to defuse the situation. Britain is now threatening legal action against Spain. Mr Picardo was due to fly to London today for meetings with Mr Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague in the face of continued pressure from Spain at the border with Gibraltar. Sporadic Guardia Civil checks caused tailbacks into and out of Gibraltar at peak times over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Fransisco Perez Trigueros branded a 'fool' for putting picture on Facebook . Mr Trigueros is nationalist mayor of Callosa de Segura near Alicante . The image shows Spanish Army soldiers marching over Gibraltar's runway . He came under fire last month for a Facebook rant over Catalonia .
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By . David Martosko . PUBLISHED: . 20:20 EST, 1 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:55 EST, 2 May 2013 . White House Press Secretary Jay Carney denied on Wednesday that the Obama administration was prohibiting any U.S. personnel who survived last year's attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya from testifying before Congress about what they experienced. But a lawyer representing one of those potential whistle-blowers is insisting that the White House is stonewalling congressional requests for their testimony. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee announced earlier in the day that it will convene a hearing on May 8 aimed at 'exposing failure' in the Obama administration to respond o security threats to that diplomatic mission, and to present to the public and to Congress an accurate version of the attack that left U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans dead. 'This Administration has offered the American people only a carefully selected and sanitized version of events from before, during, and after the Benghazi terrorist attacks, committee chairman Darrell Issa, a Republican congressman from California, said in a statement Wednesday. 'Not surprisingly, this version of events casts senior officials in the most favorable light possible.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Jay Carney insisted in a press briefing that no administration employees had sought security clearances so they could testify about he Benghazi raid, even after the House Oversight Committee asked for those very clearances . Issa's committee has already shed public light on the U.S. State Department's denials of requests for more robust security at the consulate in Benghazi. And in an October 2012 hearing, it produced evidence contradicting the administration's initial claim that the the Sept. 11, 2012 military-style assault on the diplomatic compound began as a 'protest' sparked by a low-budget YouTube video that lampooned the Muslim prophet Muhammad. 'Next week’s hearing will expose new facts and details that the Obama Administration has tried to suppress,' Issa said. At least four surviving witnesses to the Benghazi attack have retained attorneys to help them navigate the process of testifying before Congress about what they saw. They are all employees of the CIA and the State Department, according to a Fox News report. The U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya was attacked and burned on Sept. 11, 2012 in a military-style attack that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans . California Republican Rep> Darrell Issa (L) has announced a hearing in which the House Oversight committee, which he chairs, will hear testimony from survivors who say they have been blocked from telling Congress what they know. South Caroline Rep. Trey Gowdy (R) has promised that the Benghazi attack is 'not going away despite the efforts of this [Obama] administration' Attorney Victoria Toensing said Tuesday that she is representing one of them, a man who has been cowed into silence under threats of damage to his career. President Obama denied on Tuesday that he was aware of any U.S. personnel who were being prevented from sharing their observations with congressional investigators. 'I'm not familiar with this notion that anybody has been blocked from testifying,” the president said in response to a reporter's question, 'so what I’ll do is I will find out what exactly you’re referring to.' Both the CIA and the State Department have told Congress that no employees have requested the security clearances that their lawyers would need before talking to Congress. And on Wednesday, Obama's chief spokesman Jay Carney insisted during a White House press briefing that 'Benghazi happened a long time ago,' and that 'we are unaware of any agency blocking an employee who would like to appear before Congress to provide information related to Benghazi.' Attorney Victoria Toensing represents a survivor of the Benghazi attack whom she says the Obama administration has blocked from testifying by refusing to give her the necessary security clearance to learn what her own client knows . But Toensing, a former Justice Department official and Republican counsel to the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Fox News that administration officials are issuing 'some very despicable threats to people ... They're taking career people and making them well aware . that their careers will be over' if they testify. The State Department, she said during a separate Fox News interview, has 'had two letters from Chairman Issa, one on April 16, the other one April 26, that specifically say, "We want you to provide a process for clearing a lawyer to receive classified information."' 'How can they possibly get up there and just lie to the press corps?' she asked, referring to the . president and his spokespersons. Toensing, according to her law partner who was interviewed Wednesday on ABC radio affiliate WMAL in Washington, already possesses a Top Secret clearance, and would only need a letter from an administration attorney in order to learn what her client already knows. That law partner, former U.S. Attorney Joe DiGenova, explained on Monday that 'the Department of State is refusing to grant clearances to Victoria and other people who want to represent the whistle-blowers, in an attempt to prevent the testimony.' The FBI released these photos on Wednesday of individuals who sere seen near the Benghazi consulate on the day Libyan terrorists attack it, killing four Americans including the U.S. ambassador. The raid on that diplomatic outpost happened eight months ago . House Republicans issued a scathing report on April 23 criticizing the Obama administration for a series of intelligence failures and an attempted cover-up after the Benghazi raid. When then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified before Congress, she disputed that it was important to determine whether the raid was carried out by terrorist militants or by an angry group of protesters, as the administration first claimed . 'On April 26, Congressman Issa sent a letter to the new Sec of State, John Kerry, demanding that the lawyers who are going to represent the whistle-blowers be cleared - be given clearances - so they can talk to their clients and the committee about classified information,' DiGenova said. 'She got a new Top Secret security clearance within the last year. And now they will not clear her or any of the other lawyers to represent the Department of State people. This is so outrageous.' 'There is going to be a Constitutional showdown here,' he predicted,' and 'Congress is going to win. The administration's effort to cover up whatever happened in Benghazi is going to fail.' 'The whistle-blowers are out there,' DiGenova insisted. 'These are great Americans. These are heroes. They were on the ground in Benghazi. They want to tell their story and the administration is going to do everything it can to stop them from testifying under oath in public. And they want to protect Hillary [Clinton] and the president. That's what this is all about.' South Carolina Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy, who serves on the House oversight committee, said Wednesday that he was 'not at liberty to disclose the identity of the witnesses' who will appear at next week's hearing. 'Benghazi is warming up,' Gowdy promised during a televised interview. 'It is not going away despite the efforts of this administration.' Joe DiGenova, shown here in a file photo, said Benghazi survivors 'want to tell their story and the [Obama] administration is going to do everything it can to stop them.'
White House Press Secretary insisted that no government employees were being blocked from testifying about the 2012 Benghazi consulate attack . Four survivors have retained lawyers to help prepare their testimony, with at least one attorney saying her client's superiors threatened him . The House Oversight committee will hear their testimony on May 8, forcing the Obama administration's hand . President Obama has professed ignorance of any effort to prevent whistle-blowers from telling Congress about the night terrorists attacked .
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Facial surgery that targets and removes small portions of migraine-triggering muscle or nerve tissue may offer permanent relief for some people with the debilitating headaches, a new study suggests. More than 30 million Americans experience migraine headaches. "Other migraine treatments either temporarily prevent the symptoms or they may reduce the symptoms after the migraine headaches start," says Bahman Guyuron, M.D., a professor and the chair of the department of plastic surgery at the University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University. "What we are offering is essentially a cure." In a study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Guyuron and colleagues looked for people who had migraines that started in a specific region on the front, side, or back of the head. The researchers injected Botox into these trigger points to temporarily paralyze the muscle; if the injections helped relieve the migraines, the patients were randomly divided into two surgical groups. After the Botox wore off, one group had a face-lifting surgery combined with the removal of muscle tissue or nerves in the area that triggered the migraines. Fat or muscle was used to fill in the area after tissue was removed. Health.com: Quiz --Surprising migraine causes and cures . The second group had a sham procedure, in which incisions were made but all muscles and nerves remained intact. A total of 75 patients were involved in the study. In the year after the procedure, 57 percent of those who had the actual surgery reported the complete elimination of migraine headaches, compared with just 4 percent in the sham surgery group. In addition, 84 percent of those who had the surgery reported at least a 50 percent reduction in migraine pain compared with just 58 percent in the sham group. Health.com: Secrets to a stress-free home . As for side effects, one surgery patient had persistent numbness of the forehead, and 10 of 19 patients who had the procedure on the side of the head had a slight but persistent hollowing in their temple region. More than 30 million Americans experience migraine headaches. However, Robert Kunkel, M.D., a consultant at the department of neurology at the Cleveland Clinic, says this surgery probably won't become a common procedure, despite the results. Health.com: Knowing your mother's health history can lower your risks . "This may be a technique that will help a small number of migraine patients who have responded to Botox, but it's certainly not a procedure for generally treating migraines," says Kunkel, who was not involved in the new study. He points out that people who had the sham surgery probably suspected that they were in the placebo group, since the face-lift would most likely have reduced wrinkling. If a treatment isn't completely blinded, it can skew a study's results; if patients suspect they've had a sham treatment, they may be less likely to say their migraines are cured. However, nearly 60 percent of the people who had the sham procedure reported some migraine relief too. Guyuron believes this could be related to a placebo effect, or the incisions could have disturbed some of the nerve branches and actually relieved migraines in some way. Health.com: 20 little ways to drop the pounds and keep them off . Overall, there was a 92 percent success rate, notes Guyuron. "This study offers powerful evidence to the plastic surgeon, the neurologist, and the insurance companies that this operation is effective," he says. "Not only are they headache free, depending on the trigger site, but they also may look younger." The Migraine Foundation, the Plastic Surgery Education Fund, and the Prentiss Foundation funded this study. Some of the study coauthors have consulted for Allergan or have been paid speakers for pharmaceutical companies. Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 .
Migraine patients who responded to Botox on a trigger point were enrolled in study . Patients were given real surgery to deactivate trigger point or sham surgery . 57 percent of patients who had actual surgery said migraines were eliminated . Some patients who got sham surgery reported improvements as well .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 05:20 EST, 14 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:53 EST, 15 October 2012 . Cockfighting is gaining popularity among middle-class professionals such as doctors and dentists, the RSPCA warned yesterday. The organisation raised concerns about the growing trend after raiding two farms where inspectors found 500 birds, including 97 mature fighting cocks, and metal spurs that are used as weapons. Mark Giles and his son, also called Mark, have pleaded guilty to animal cruelty at the properties they ran in Billingshurst, West Sussex, and will be sentenced by Brighton magistrates on Wednesday. Fighting: Two prepare to do battle at a cockfight in the Philippines where the 'sport' is very popular . During the swoops, inspectors reportedly discovered 60 pairs of lethal metal spurs, some an inch-long, which are attached to the birds' feet and cause terrible injuries. Vitamin supplements and empty steroid . vials used to increase the birds' strength and stamina were also found . along with magazines which featured the elder Giles at competitions in . Brazil and the Philippines. Lethal: Two birds armed with steel spurs attached to their feet, fly at each other . RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) inspector Dave Long, who led the raids, told the Sunday Times that groups of up to a dozen men would watch four-minute bouts between birds in cockfighting pits stained with blood. He said: 'This was a breeding farm specifically for fighting cocks but it was also used for others to come and test their own birds. 'The people involved come from all walks of life, including people with respectable occupations such as doctors and dentists.' The paper reported the growing popularity of 'cockfighting chic' and the revival of a 'sport' which was banned in England and Wales in 1835. Once, small groups of men in Britain and Ireland linked by a highly secretive network, would gather to pit their fighting cocks in a battle to the death, sometimes waging thousands of pounds on the result. In America cockfighting is illegal, but has many devotees among professionals, including lawyers, police officers and doctors. A source with links to field sports, told the Sunday Times that 'five or six people' he had spoken to in recent months had bought English cocks to fight. He was quoted as saying: 'It's a kind of cockfighting chic. It seems to be a new trend. I haven't come across it before.'
500 birds found in raid by organisation - along with 60 pairs of lethal spurs . Father and son plead guilty to animal cruelty at West Sussex farms they ran . Growing revival of a 'sport' which was . banned in England and Wales in 1835 .
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Sherman Hemsley's body lies in an El Paso, Texas, funeral home refrigerator more than a month after his death while a court decides who gets the actor's remains. A Philadelphia man claiming to be the "Jeffersons" actor's brother is challenging a will Hemsley signed a month before his death, according to the funeral home handling his arrangements. "It is disgraceful," Hemsley's longtime partner Flora Enchinton told CNN affiliate KVIA-TV. "It is sad. This was a man with dignity." The will signed by Hemsley on June 13, 2012, a month after he was diagnosed with cancer, named Enchinton as executor and left his entire estate to her, according to court papers. Hemsley's embalmed remains are kept in a refrigerator at San Jose Funeral Home in El Paso awaiting a court order allowing burial or with instructions on who should be given the body, funeral home employee Renny Dosier said Thursday. A spokeswoman for the El Paso County Probate Judge Eduardo Gamboa declined to comment about the case. Enchinton, who said she lived with Hemsley at his El Paso home for the past decade, told KVIA-TV that the dispute gives her a "very ugly feeling, very desperate feeling that I feel inside." Sherman Hemsley: A tribute to the great George Jefferson and more . "The emotional thing is you wake up thinking he's still frozen out there," she said. Contrary to what Enchinton said, Hemsley's body is "embalmed under refrigeration," not frozen, Dosier said. The man who claims to be Hemsley brother is asking for custody of his remains and possessions. "I have never heard of a so-called brother named of Richard Thornton in the 20 years I have known Sherman," Enchinton said. "This is not what Sherman would have wanted." "Sherman left very worried about me, about me staying alone, what was going to happen to me, being alone if he was gone. That's what worried him the most. I guess maybe he sensed what was going to happen. It just gives me these emotions and feelings (that) all of a sudden there's these people that have never known anything about our life, about who we are, about what we're all about, about what we endured," Enchinton said about the validity of her role in Hemsley's life being questioned. Hemsley played George Jefferson, a wisecracking owner of a dry cleaning business, on "All in the Family" from 1973 until 1975, when the spinoff "The Jeffersons" began an 11-season run on CBS. Hemsley also played Deacon Ernest Frye in the sitcom "Amen." Comments: So long, Sherman; Thanks for the laughs .
A Philadelphia man claiming to be the "Jeffersons" actor's brother is challenging his will . "It is disgraceful," Hemsley's longtime partner Flora Enchinton tells CNN affiliate KVIA-TV. Will signed by Hemsley a month after cancer diagnosis named Enchinton as executor . Hemsley died of cancer on July 24 .
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A fridge-sized asteroid has crashed into the Moon, in the largest lunar collision with a space rock ever captured on video. Incredible video footage has emerged of the spectacular fireball created as the asteroid impacted the Mare Nubium, a lava-filled basin on the moon. Spanish astronomer Jose Maria Madiedo, a Professor at the University of Huelva, Britain's Royal Astronomical Society, witnessed the incident on September 11 last year, according to AFP reports. Scroll down for video . Collision course: Animated graphic depicts asteroid hurtling towards moon at 61,000 kilometres an hour . Destructive path: Computer-generated graphic reveals the scale of the 400 kilogram asteroid before it collided with the moon . Lunar landscape: A digital graphic shows the large craters created on the surface of the moon as a result of asteroid collisions . He spotted the bright flash while operating two telescopes. At one stage, the flare was almost as bright as the Northern Hemisphere's Pole Star, according to the RAS. The flash would have been visible to the naked eye for anyone who was looking at the Moon at that moment in clear viewing conditions, the RAS said. After the impact there was an afterglow that lasted a further eight seconds, which was the longest and brightest incident of its kind ever recorded. See more videos at Jose Maria Madiedo's YouTube channel . Flashing light: Footage shows the moment asteroid hits the Mare Nubium, a lava-filled basin on the moon . Bright flare: Footage shows afterglow following the impact that lasts for eight seconds . 'At that moment, I realised that I had seen a very rare and extraordinary event,' Madiedo told the RAS. Two videos have captured the event, including one which features actual footage and another that was posted by the researchers, which includes computer-generated graphics that explain the event in great detail. Madiedo's team estimate the asteroid hit the moon at about 61,000 kilometres an hour. It was so fast,the rock turned to molten and vaporised, creating the flash and a crater 40 metres in diametre. The impact energy was equivalent to an explosion of around 15 tonnes of TNT, more than triple the largest previously seen event, claimed by NASA in March 2013. As a measure of comparison, the asteroid that hit Chelyabinsk, Russia, in February last year, is believed to have been about 20 metres wide, weighing 13,000 tonnes. It is considered to have been at the lower end of medium-sized asteroids. Madiedo and colleagues estimate the rock had a mass of around 400 kilograms, with a diameter of between 60 centimetres and 1.4 metres. The team  of researchers estimate that asteroids of this size may strike Earth about 10 times more frequently than was initially thought. However Earth is protected by its atmosphere and asteroids of this size burned up as meteors. The Spanish observation is published in the RAS journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Spanish astronomer films asteroid hitting the moon . Impact creates longest and brightest afterglow ever recorded . Asteroid hit the moon at 61,000 kilometres an hour .
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By . Alasdair Glennie . PUBLISHED: . 19:00 EST, 10 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:37 EST, 11 September 2012 . Being critical is Barry Norman’s job. But now the veteran film reviewer is facing some critics of his own. Readers have taken him to task over his weekly film review column in the Radio Times, saying it is sexist, misogynistic and stuck in the past. They pointed to his recent review of 1990 movie Pretty Woman in which he described Julia Roberts’s character as an ‘archetypal tart with a heart’ and ‘every man’s dream hooker’. And why not? Barry Norman, pictured here presenting one of his famous film review programmes, insisted he was merely describing how the movie depicted women . But Norman, 79, insisted he was merely describing how the movie depicted women rather than expressing his own views. ‘God Almighty, what is the matter with these people?’ he said. In the Pretty Woman review he wrote:  ‘Nowadays this arouses the tut-tut of disapproval for its sexism and rose-tinted view of prostitution (as personified by every man’s dream hooker, Julia Roberts). ‘Richard Gere (every girl’s dream billionaire) is the businessman who picks her up in Hollywood and hires her for a week, partly for sex but mostly as arm candy to be worn at dinners and polo matches... ‘Roberts, of course, has been driven to the streets by harsh circumstances and is really the archetypal tart with a heart while Gere is not nearly so ruthless as he first appears. Charm: Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman . ‘Suspend disapproval and enjoy because it’s made and played with a great deal of charm.’ In another review Norman appeared to suggest women liked James Bond because of the spy’s ruthless approach to love. He wrote: ‘For a young man, what was not to like? We all wanted to be James Bond. And somehow, despite – or who knows, possibly because of – his cavalier and occasionally cruel treatment of their sex, women seemed to like him, too.’ In another review he described Marilyn Monroe’s 1953 classic movie How To Marry a Millionaire, saying: ‘It’s all very sexist (Women’s Lib hadn’t been invented then) but it’s amusing enough.’ In another, he referred to Julie Walters’s character in the 1983 movie Educating Rita as a ‘tarty working-class student’. Reader Jackie Grant, from Oxford, complained that Norman had made ‘four sexist remarks in just a few lines’, adding: ‘I’m tired of reading the misogynist (sic) comments Barry Norman injects into so many film reviews.’ Outspoken headmistress Dr Helen Wright, from St Mary’s Calne in Wiltshire, said Norman should take more care not to repeat negative stereotypes of women. Miss Wright, whose targets have included X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos for a foul-mouthed rant on Twitter, said the world had moved on and Norman should too. ‘While he is writing about films from a more sexist era, he should be careful not to suggest they are reminiscent of a glorious golden age,’ she said. ‘By repeating sexist phrases, you help reinforce sexist views. ‘Mr Norman is a witty and acerbic writer. Someone with that power of language needs to be careful not to reinforce outmoded ways of thinking. The world has moved on from the days when it is OK to describe a woman as a “tart with a heart”, and he needs to move on too.’ However, Mr Norman was scathing in his defence. ‘God Almighty, what is the matter with these people?,’ he said. ‘I was merely describing in shorthand how these films depict women, not advancing my own views. If people don’t have the intelligence to see that, it is not my fault. I’m not old fashioned. ‘These are phrases that have been used for years, and are still used now. I think political correctness can be very important, but it does go overboard sometimes. It is possible to be too prickly, possibly a little humourless about things.’
Readers have taken the veteran film reviewer to task over his column in the Radio Times . They pointed to his recent review of the 1990 film Julia Roberts film Pretty Woman .
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Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Federal officials Thursday barred the promoters of last week's deadly off-road race in Southern California from holding future races on public land while an investigation is under way. Saturday night's crash in the desert east of Los Angeles left eight people dead and nine injured when a truck taking part in the 200-mile event crashed into a crowd of spectators along the track. The driver won't face charges in the accident, the California Highway Patrol announced Monday, but the federal Bureau of Land Management is investigating whether sanctioning body Mojave Desert Racing violated any safety regulations. According to its permit, Mojave Desert Racing had five more races scheduled for 2010. The company has not responded to repeated calls for comment since Saturday's fatal crash. "BLM has suspended any future permitted events of MDR Productions while the investigation is underway," the agency announced Thursday. In addition, another promoter's upcoming motorcycle race is under new scrutiny, and future events "are being reviewed on a case-by-case basis," BLM said in a written statement. The agency said that off-highway races are a popular activity and that its investigation "will be aimed at ensuring the public safety remains our first priority." Last weekend's race was part of an amateur series on a course in the Lucerne Valley area of San Bernardino County, east of Los Angeles. Mojave Desert Racing urges spectators to stay back 100 feet from the 50-mile course, but a California Highway Patrol spokesman said there were "no delineations" for the course. Images from the night of the crash show trucks speeding within feet of spectators. Brett Sloppy, the driver of the out-of-control truck, did not respond to repeated requests for comment but announced in a post on his Facebook page that he was devastated by what happened. "My thoughts and prayers go out to all the familys and friends involved," he wrote. "Thank you too all my friends for sticking with me even thru these tragic times I love you all." Keith Carty, a friend of one of the victims in the California crash, told CNN's HLN that races attract a certain type of person: someone who wants to participate as much as watch an event. "It's not anybody's turn to baby-sit us. We're out there. We understand the risk. Everybody that was there understood the risk: the drivers, the spectators, everybody," he said. CNN's Stan Wilson contributed to this report.
Organizers of a race that turned deadly are barred from racing on public land . The California Highway Patrol says it will not file criminal charges against the driver . The driver says he is devastated by the incident . Saturday night's crash left eight people dead .
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The fault zone expected to generate the next 'big one' earthquake has gone silent. Researchers are baffled by the lack of activity at the 1,00km long Cascadia fault which stretches from Northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino in California. Experts believe the lack of activity could point to a build up of pressure - which could lead to a massive killer quake. Scroll down for video . The Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) 'megathrust' fault is a 1,000 Km long dipping fault that stretches from Northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino California.It separates the Juan de Fuca and North America plates. The Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) 'megathrust' fault is a 1,000 Km long dipping fault that stretches from Northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino California. It separates the Juan de Fuca and North America plates. New Juan de Fuca plate is created offshore along the Juan de Fuca ridge. The Juan de Fuca plate moves toward, and eventually is shoved beneath, the continent (North American plate). Two independent research initiatives have both found the same thing - the sound of silence under the sea. The Cascadia earthquake fault zone lies underwater between 40 and 80 miles offshore of the Pacific Northwest coastline. Earthquake scientists have listening posts along the coast from Vancouver Island to Northern California, and have been using ships to drop off and later retrieve ocean bottom seismographs. These record for up to a year right on top of the fault zone. However, they have detected few signs of the grinding and slipping they expected. It is 'a puzzle,' according to University of Oregon geophysics professor Doug Toomey. 'What is extraordinary is that all of Cascadia is quiet. It's extraordinarily quiet when you compare it to other subduction zones globally,' Toomey told the Seattle pi. Two teams have been examining the area. A joint Japanese-Canadian team dropped instruments offshore of Vancouver Island, while Toomey's team is in its fourth year of deployments. Named the Cascadia Initiative, it is rotating among subduction zone segments offshore of Washington, Oregon and Northern California. More videos available at Berkeley Seismo Lab . Researchers have been using ships to drop off and later retrieve ocean bottom seismographs - but still say the fault remains 'eerily quiet'. The Cascadia Initiative (CI) is an onshore/offshore seismic and geodetic experiment that takes advantage of an Amphibious Array to study questions ranging from megathrust earthquakes to volcanic arc structure to the formation, deformation and hydration of the Juan De Fuca and Gorda plates. Researchers say the area is 'locked'. The Japanese-Canadian team, which published their research in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, wrote: 'The lack of interplate seismicity is interpreted to reflect complete healing and locking of the megathrust over three centuries after the previous great earthquake,' wrote Koichiro Obana and his co-authors in the BSSA paper. Experts say this could cause major problem. 'If there were low levels of offshore seismicity, then we could say some strain is being released by the smaller events,' Toomey said. 'If it is completely locked, it means it is increasingly storing energy and that has to be released at some point.' The Cascadia Initiative (CI) is an onshore/offshore seismic and geodetic experiment that takes advantage of an Amphibious Array to study questions ranging from megathrust earthquakes to volcanic arc structure to the formation, deformation and hydration of the Juan De Fuca and Gorda plates. Toomey described himself as 'very concerned' and said it is 'imperative' people in the Northwest continue to prepare for a big earthquake. The last full rip of the Cascadia Subduction Zone happened in January 1700. The exact date and destructive power was determined from buried forests along the Pacific Northwest coast and an 'orphan tsunami' that washed ashore in Japan. Geologists digging in coastal marshes and offshore canyon bottoms have also found evidence of earlier great earthquakes and tsunamis. The inferred timeline of those events gives a recurrence interval between Cascadia megaquakes of roughly every 400 to 600 years, reports the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network.
Cascadia 'megathrust' fault is a 1,000 Km long dipping fault . It stretches from Northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino California . Researchers believe fault is 'locked' and pressure building in it .
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New York (CNN) -- As snow fell across New York Harbor, Isabel Belarsky clutched her mother, Clara, aboard a passenger ship that puttered toward Ellis Island and wondered what their new lives would bring. The year was 1930. About a week earlier, the 10-year-old girl from what is now called St. Petersburg, Russia, had embarked on a transatlantic journey with her Ukrainian parents from the French port city of Cherbourg, escaping what she described as Jewish persecution at the start of Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union. On an island near Manhattan stood the copper colossus that would etch her first memories of the new world. "It was a wonderful sight," she said of the Statue of Liberty, which marked its 125th anniversary Friday. The idea for the monument is thought to have been conceived at a 19th-century dinner party among French aristocrats, historians say, who sought to pay tribute to American liberty. And while the French gift is also widely believed to have at least in part catered to domestic politics, for many, it quickly became a symbol of hope and promise in America's post- Civil War period. "The arrival on Ellis Island is the fulfillment that you know something good is going to happen to you," said Belarksy, now a 91-year-old widow living in a Russian enclave of Brooklyn, New York. Her family became part of the more than 12 million immigrants processed through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954, according to the U.S. National Park Service. Adjacent to Ellis towers Lady Liberty, measuring more than 305 feet from base to torch. Originally, the statue was supposed to be an Egyptian peasant girl that would have stood at the entrance of Egypt's then-new Suez Canal, but plans would evolve into the Roman goddess who would instead adorn New York Harbor. "The sculptor, (Frederic) Bartholdi, was very clever," said Edward Berenson, professor of history and director of the Institute of French Studies at New York University. "He put (the statue) where he did because it's right at the narrows of New York Harbor, so he knew that every boat that came into New York would have to come really close to it. People felt like they could reach out and touch it," he said. Inspired perhaps by Egypt's colossal statues during his own travels to Cairo, Berenson noted, Bartholdi sought to build a monument of his own in a tribute to American liberty and its newfound emancipation of the slaves. The statue rests atop a sculpted wrangling of broken chains on New York's Liberty Island. Only years later, Berenson argues, did the monument come to symbolize immigration to the broader public, despite the structure's engraved plaque bearing the now-famous poem by Emma Lazarus, asking for the "huddled masses yearning to breathe free." Like many who made the perilous journey, Belarsky said, she had often wondered what kind of life was waiting for her on the shores behind the monument. "It was quite frightening," she recalled. "The three of us, my father, my mother and I, wanted for someone to come with money or to tell us what's next." And though a U.S. law passed six years earlier had largely restricted immigration, her father, Sidor, had managed to secure three tickets to America by way of a talent scout who visited the Leningrad conservatory where he had performed as an opera singer. "He had such a beautiful voice," she said. Their travel permit, however, was only temporary. Sidor had acquired a six-month visa to teach at Brigham Young University, Belarsky said. The young family would nonetheless settle more permanently in a west Manhattan apartment. And unlike many who eventually returned to their homelands in Europe, the Belarskys decided to leave St. Petersburg -- then known as Leningrad -- behind. "Authorities were starting to clamp down and consolidate the social state and Soviet power around Stalin," said Fiona Hill, a Russia expert at the Washington-based Brookings Institution. "As an opera singer, you might not have wanted to start singing Soviet anthems." So the young family left Russia without plans to return, Belarsky added. And though many immigrants entered the United States through Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, New Orleans and Miami, historians say steamship companies most often cruised into New York Harbor, commonly making the Statue of Liberty the first land sighting for new arrivals. "Everybody spoke of the golden land," Belarksy said. " 'Come to America, where there's gold on the streets,' until they came here and they had to live in walk-up tenement houses," she said, referencing hardships often endured in overcrowded city buildings. Immigrants also commonly faced unsanitary and unsafe work conditions on docks and in factories as America's need for industrial labor grew. "If you think immigration is unpopular now," Berenson said, "if anything, it was even more unpopular in the 1890s and the first part of the 20th century." Successive immigrant waves, however, still rushed to America's shores through Ellis Island and past the Statue of Liberty, often buoyed by the prospect of economic opportunity. "I think it took a while for people to think of themselves as Americans," Berenson said. "For an awful lot of people, what they wanted was to think of themselves as whatever they were originally and as Americans too." Anniversary celebrations of the Statue of Liberty were marked Friday by a series of official speeches and an array of webcams, provided by Earthcam, that streamed video footage from the torch. The statue will close for renovations starting Saturday, though Liberty Island will remain open, according to the National Park Service.
Friday marks the 125th anniversary of the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty . A Russian immigrant recalls her Ellis Island passage in 1930 . The Statue of Liberty was a French gift . Webcams stream video footage from the torch on anniversary .
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By . Anna Hodgekiss . PUBLISHED: . 08:07 EST, 27 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:27 EST, 27 March 2013 . A mother advised to abort her baby daughter after scans showed her organs were on the outside of her body has spoken of her relief that she saved her. Nine-month-old Piper Smith was given just a 25 per cent chance of survival when she was born with her bladder, intestine and liver outside her body. Her mother Amanda Smith, 29, was told she should consider aborting her unborn child after a rare weakness of the abdominal wall was spotted at her 11 week scan. It meant unborn Piper grew in the womb with the organs outside her body - and was not expected to survive labour. Fighting: Nine-month-old Piper Smith (with mother Amanda) was given just a 25 per cent chance of survival when she was born with her bladder, intestine and liver outside her body . Survivor: Piper undergoing treatment in London's Great Ormond Street Hospital. Her bladder, which is outside her body, is wrapped in cling-film to keep her alive . But remarkably, she was successfully born at 35 weeks with all her organs intact and fully-functioning. She is now being kept alive with cling film which keeps her organs in place and moist. Mrs Smith and her husband Wayne, 23, are now waiting for surgeons to perform a six-hour operation to put Piper's organs back inside her body and then stretch muscle over her stomach. After that, she is expected to have a good quality of life, making her mother even more relieved she chose not to have her daughter aborted. Mrs Smith, a mother-of-two, from King's Lynn, Norfolk, said: 'The doctors offered me a termination, but I didn't feel I could have one - I wanted to give her a chance. And she has been a miracle. She is a little fighter.' Medics diagnosed her unborn baby with two conditions - bladder exstrophy and exomphalos  - after spotting unusual lumps on her scan at 11 weeks. Doctors said the foetus was unlikely . to survive, even if she made it through childbirth but Mr and Mrs Smith . decided to keep her. Mrs Smith added: 'It was really scary when Piper was born. She was very poorly. It was like she was inside out. 'It was really hard as I wasn't allowed to pick her up as she had to go straight in to the incubator. 'The doctors said she had a 50 per cent chance of survival with her intestine and liver outside the body [a condition known as exomphalos]. Doctors said Piper had a 50 per cent chance of survival with her intestine and liver outside the body. When they saw her bladder was outside, this fell to 25 per cent . In her short life Piper has already been in intensive care twice . Mrs Smith and her husband Wayne, 23, are now waiting for surgeons to perform a six-hour operation to put Piper's organs back inside her body and then stretch muscle over her stomach . 'When they saw the bladder was outside too [bladder exstrophy] they said it went down to 25 per cent. It was terrifying thinking she might not make it.' In the meantime, Piper's liver and intestine are still outside her body, but skin has grown over them making it look like she has a hernia. She is also living with her bladder sitting on the outside of her stomach - wrapped in cling film to keep it moist. Mrs Smith was due to be induced at 38 weeks, but was rushed by ambulance to specialists at University College Hospital, London, at 35 weeks, on June 26. Piper spent four days in intensive . care and was eventually sent home from Great Ormond Street . Hospital after five weeks. But at eight weeks she was rushed back to Great Ormond Street with a twist in her bowel and spent five days in intensive care. Piper, . who also suffers from spina bifida - which her family hopes will be . correctable - will need a colostomy bag to pass solids until she is at . least four-years-old. Her . mother said: 'I don't think Piper is aware of her organs being on the . outside rather than on the inside. She is not in any pain. 'She is starting to sit up now and . she is a very happy baby. We are really hoping that she will be able to . walk eventually. I have to check on Piper more than a normal baby - she . cannot roll on her side as her organs are there so we have to be very . careful.' Relief: Piper's mother was told she should consider aborting her unborn child after a rare weakness of the abdominal wall was spotted at her 11 week scan . After surgery Piper is expected to have a good quality of life and her parents hope that her spina bifida will be correctable . Mrs Smith has to change the . cling-film dressing on Piper's bladder every time she changes her nappy - . about five times a day. Cling film is used to wrap Piper's bladder as it reduces the amount of fluids and body heat lost from her abdomen. She said: 'It is amazing that a household product like cling film is doing such an important job and keeping Piper alive. 'We have to change the cling film every time we change Piper's nappy so that is about five times a day. 'The hospital gave us industrial size cling film rolls so we have enough supplies. We keep rolls of it in our changing bag.' Doctors have told Piper's parents it is rare to suffer from both conditions. Bladder exstrophy, a congenital birth defect, occurs in one in every 40,000 births and affects two to three times more boys than girls. It is not known what causes bladder exstrophy, but the problem occurs somewhere between the fourth and tenth week of pregnancy when various organs, tissues and muscles begin to form layers that separate, divide and fold. The skin over the lower abdominal wall does not form properly, so the bladder is open and exposed on the outside of the abdomen. Exomphalos, the other condition she suffers from, affects one in every 2,500 children born each year, occurs when a child's abdominal wall does not develop fully while in the womb.
Amanda Smith, was told at 11-week scan she should . consider an abortion . Baby Piper had rare weakness of abdominal wall, so organs were protruding . She grew in the womb with her liver, intestine and bladder outside her body . But doctors discovered when she was born that they were all working fine . Is now being kept alive with cling film that holds her organs in the right place . After surgery to put her organs in the right place, she is expected to be fine .
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An RAF training plane came dangerously close to colliding with a remote controlled aircraft while flying above Cambridgeshire, it has emerged. The plane came to within just 40ft of the remote-controlled model aircraft, which the report stated may have been flying at 600ft. A UK Airprox Board report labelled the incident on February 4 2014 as 'high severity' and said the 'safety of the aircraft may have been compromised'. Scroll down for video . A Tutor training plane similar to the one being flown above Northborough on February 4 last year . The trainer, from RAF Wyton near Huntingdon, had to take evasive action when the near-miss happened above the village of Northborough, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. The pilot of the Tutor aircraft was forced to bank hard to the left in order to avoid a collision after it appeared both aircraft were flying at the same height. The report stated: 'The differing perceptions of aircraft height from the Tutor pilot and model aircraft operator are fundamental to this incident. 'The model aircraft operator believed that his aircraft was flying considerably lower than seemed to be the case, backed up by the evidence of the Tutor’s height from radar replays.' While the report said the local model aircraft flying club had been permitted to use the airspace, the safety board report concluded 'safety margins had been much reduced'. The board suggested because nearby RAF Wittering had changed to a non-flying base, users of the airspace had become less aware of dangers. It said all operators in the area needed to be alert to each other's activities. The Ministry of Defence said RAF Wittering had since returned to flying status. Peterborough Area Radio Control Society member Dave Wood said he was familiar with the incident. 'We can only gauge that height that we're flying and we tend not to fly too high anyway. You're not likely to go up too high anyway - but we're bound to keep within 400ft with models that are (under) 7kgs. 'I wasn't the person involved. He reported the incident because he felt it necessary that the full sized aircraft are aware that we are there because we've been there for forty years.' The club's secretary Paul Holroyd declined to comment, saying that he disputed some of the facts in the report.
Training plane came within 40ft of RC aircraft in near collision . Airprox report said 'safety of the aircraft may have been compromised' The pilot was required to bank hard left to avoid a collision, report said . Both the training aircraft and RC plane were allowed to use airspace .
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Voicing her concerns: Camille Paglia is urging a major overhaul of sexual education classes in public schools so that the information is more focused on actual needs of students . A top academic has called for massive changes in the sex ed system so that rather than simply being told not to get pregnant, young girls should have discussions about how early their fertility rates begin to drop and when they should start trying to have children. Camille Paglia, who is best known for her 1990 book Sexual Personae, made the bold declaration because she says the current  curriculum is so focused on preventing pregnancy and 'abstinence only' education that it may hinder would-be mothers later in life. 'Sobering facts about women’s declining fertility after their 20s are being withheld from ambitious young women, who are propelled along a career track devised for men,' Ms Paglia wrote in an op-ed for Time. This is an idea she feels passionate . about, saying teachers and parents should force their daughters to think . about the larger picture of their life rather than just the present. 'I . want every 14-year-old girl...to be told: You better start thinking . what do you want in life. If you just want a career and no children you . don't have much to worry about,' she said in a December Wall Street Journal interview. 'If, . however, you are thinking you'd like to have children some day you . should start thinking about when do you want to have them. Early or . late? To have them early means you are going to make a career sacrifice, . but you're going to have more energy and less risks. Both the pros and . the cons should be presented.' She . goes on to explain that informing young girls about the rates at which . fertility rates will drop off in their late 20s should not be taken as a . seal of approval for teenage sex. Separating the sexes: Paglia argues that boys and girls need to be taught different things in the classes and it is 'absurd' to address their concerns in the same setting, citing issues like date rape and fertility . 'My . generation of baby-boom girls boldly rebelled against the cult of . virginity of the Doris Day 1950s, but we left chaos in our wake. Young . people are now bombarded prematurely with sexual images and messages,' Ms Paglia wrote in Time. She . announced that girls and boys have to be separated during sexual . education courses because it is 'absurd' to pretend that the sexes deal . with the issue in the same way. Big ideas: Paglia made her mark on the academic world with her 1990 tome that analyzed the history of gender dynamics . 'Boys . need lessons in basic ethics and moral reasoning about sex (for . example, not taking advantage of intoxicated dates), while girls must . learn to distinguish sexual compliance from popularity,' she said. Ms Paglia, 66, has described herself as a 'contrarian' whose work has focused largely on sexual gender dynamics. She writes that the morality issues that are so intrinsically linked to . sex ed by politicians needs to be taken out of schools and that the . classes need to be taught as impartially- almost clinically- as . possible. 'The liberal . response to conservatives’ demand for abstinence-only sex education has . been to condemn the imposition of “fear and shame” on young people. But . perhaps a bit more self-preserving fear and shame might be helpful in . today’s hedonistic, media-saturated environment,' Ms Paglia writes. Among the suggestions she pushes for are . the removal of condoms from schools, the inclusion of menopause in . biology class curriculum, and the ban on any perceived endorsement of . homosexual relationships by sex ed teachers. 'In . my view, antibullying campaigns, however laudable, should not stray . into political endorsement of homosexuality or gay rights causes. While . students must be free to create gay-identified groups, the schools . themselves should remain neutral and allow society to evolve on its . own,' she writes. Ms Paglia was in a relationship with a female artist for more than a decade and legally adopted her partner's son in 2002. The couple split in 2007.
Paglia, one of the leading academics in gender and sexual dynamics, has revealed that sex ed should not be focused on preventing pregnancies . Says that young girls need to be aware of fertility rates so that they can plan whether or not they want to focus on their career or family early on . Classes are currently focused on teaching children how NOT to get pregnant without any discussion of when they should try . Calls co-ed sexual education classes 'absurd' Believes biology classes should be tasked with explaining reproductive process as well as puberty and menopause .
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MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Any attempt to pardon Mikhail Khodorkovsky -- once Russia's richest man, now its most famous inmate -- must follow standard procedure, including an admission of guilt, the nation's president said Sunday. Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once Russia's richest man, is imprisoned in a work camp 4,000 miles from Moscow. "Concerning the possibility of a pardon for someone, Khodorkovsky or anyone else, the procedure has to be carried out in accordance with our country's rules," President Dmitry Medvedev said in a transcript on his Web site. "In other words, a person must appeal to the president, plead guilty to having committed a crime and seek the appropriate resolution." The president dismissed talks of a pardon, saying, "at this point, there is nothing to discuss." Khodorkovsky once headed the Yukos oil company, once Russia's largest oil producer. He is serving a nine-year sentence for fraud and tax evasion. Medvedev described corruption as a "very serious Russian disease" and emphasized the need to fight it. "To this end, we have enacted a number of measures, including new legislation on corruption and special arrangements relating to government officials, their disclosures, declarations of income and so on," he said. "We are determined to continue this work, because we believe it is extremely important." The former oil magnate is incarcerated in a work camp near the town of Krasnokamensk, 4,000 miles (6,500 kilometers) from his native Moscow. He has been imprisoned since his arrest in 2003. Khodorkovsky had expressed a desire to run for office at the time and funded opposition political parties. He said the trial was part of a Kremlin campaign to destroy him and take the company he built from privatization deals of the 1990s. The Kremlin denied any role in his downfall. Yukos, which has since been crushed by a $27.5 billion back-tax bill, has been the object of a lengthy campaign by prosecutors and tax authorities. The court also ordered Khodorkovsky and his partner to pay about $600 million in back taxes.
There will be no favoritism for Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Russian leader says . Former head of Yukos oil company serving nine years for fraud, tax evasion . President says talks of a pardon are premature .
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New York (CNN) -- Tommy Hilfiger began his career selling jeans out of the back seat of his car in upstate New York. On Sunday night, the designer celebrated the 25th anniversary of his fashion label with 25 limited-edition pieces inspired by American legends. "It's been an amazing journey from where I started," Hilfiger told CNN as looks derived from classic style icons hit the runway. "Grace Kelly--we have a halter dress inspired by her and a sleeveless trench, but with a modern twist," Hilfiger said. Next came a Steve McQueen-inspired navy pea coat, a James Dean-inspired leather motorcycle jacket and a Debbie Harry-inspired hooded sweater. Hilfiger said music, film and pop culture have always helped spark his ideas. In the early days, top rap musicians often sported his label. It symbolized cool street-wear in the 1980s and 1990s. Today's collection has evolved into a more preppy, country-club, classic look -- but with a rock 'n' roll vibe. "It's what I like to call the Tommy Twist," Hilfiger said, dressed in one of his own looks for the season: red trousers and a navy blue blazer, the epitome of relaxed preppy. In keeping with his pop-culture-infused style, the fashion show's after-party featured a live performance of critically acclaimed American rock band The Strokes, who made a comeback appearance after years of touring in Europe and Canada. After four years on hiatus while honing their skills on the music festival circuit overseas, the invite-only bash at the Metropolitan Opera House was the perfect opportunity to return home, said Denise Sullivan, a spokeswoman for Hilfiger and the band. "Tommy has a long history of involvement with rock stars, and The Strokes respect that," she said. More than 1,200 guests turned out, and -- in typical "Tommy" style -- the turnout was diverse; musicians and Hollywood stars mingled with high school teenagers, bankers and airplane pilots. Music legend Russell Simmons and former wife Kimora Lee attended, along with Jennifer Lopez, Serena Williams and Lenny Kravitz. The Strokes performed on the second-tier balcony -- above the Met's grand, red velvet stairs and beside bold Chagall paintings -- emphasizing again the theme of the evening, the Hilfiger motto of "classic meets rock."
The designer's collection includes looks inspired by Grace Kelly and James Dean . He calls his combination of classic looks with a rock 'n' roll vibe "the Tommy Twist" The Strokes perform at the after-party, with more than 1,200 guests in the audience .
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By . Associated Press Reporter and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:23 EST, 9 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:30 EST, 9 May 2013 . There was chaos at Miami International Airport on Thursday afternoon after one of it's busiest concourses had to be evacuated as authorities investigated a suspicious package. Airport spokesman Marc Henderson said the package was discovered Thursday at about 3:05 p.m. outside the gate of a Caribbean Air flight. All passengers in the airport's J concourse were evacuated to a nearby area, although the concourse was reopened several hours later. Henderson said authorities investigated the package and determined it was not a threat. Ten flights were unable to depart and two incoming flights were diverted to other gates. A concourse at Miami International Airport was evacuated on Thursday as authorities investigated a suspicious package . Ten flights were unable to depart Miami International Airport's J concourse and two incoming flights were diverted to other gates after it was closed for several hours on Thursday due to a suspicious package .
The package was found at the airport's J concourse outside the gate of a Caribbean Air flight . Ten flights were unable to depart and two incoming flights were diverted to other gates .
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Bath suffered an agonising defeat that could prove terminal to their hopes of qualifying for the Champions Cup knock-out stages as their young tyros were outgunned by a star-studded French outfit. Following last week's embarrassing loss in Glasgow, Bath were desperate to claim their first win of the European campaign but four-times winners Toulouse had an attacking edge that saw them score three tries to one and left Bath having to settle for a losing bonus-point at The Rec. Bath fly-half George Ford, eager to press his case for a starting spot in the forthcoming QBE series, struggled to spark his back-line despite a remarkable set-piece performance from his side's injury-hit pack, which included a hugely impressive first start from 19-year-old academy star Charlie Ewels. Bath fly-half, and England hopeful, George Ford struggled against a powerful Toulouse defence at the Rec . Toulouse's Maxime Medard holds off George Ford's tackle to cross for the French side in their win over Bath . Toulouse players raise their arms in celebration as Bath's hands go on their heads in disappointment . Bath's European Rugby Champions Cup campaign is now in tatters after two losses in two matches . 'We were that close,' said Bath head coach Mike Ford, who believed his side should have been awarded a penalty in the dying minutes. 'But I'm proud of the guys. They left nothing out on the field. Charlie Ewels is a star of the future.' But without the injured Kyle Eastmond at No 12, and in the face of a world-class Toulouse defence, Bath were unable to break down their opponents until replacement hooker Ross Batty crossed in the 75th minute. Without Eastmond running clever angles off his shoulder, Ford turned the ball over three times in contact as he opted to carry when on other occasions he would have off-loaded. Bath's Ross Batty scores a five-pointer at the Rec during their Champions Cup Pool Four match . Bath's Ollie Deveto gets his left arm free to offload while being tackled by Toulouse's Imanol Harinordoquy . It will not have gone unnoticed by Stuart Lancaster that his second-choice No 10 has not fired on his two outings in Europe this season. At 21, Ford has time on his side and will surely come good. Yesterday Ewels, starting his first game at No 8 having won the Under 20s World Cup as a lock, showed enormous potential against Toulouse's world-class back row, which had the hulking Louis Picamoles anchoring the scrum. Toulouse's Vincent Clerc is driven back in a crunching tackle by Bath's Horacio Agulla . The fact Ewels, only playing because of a horrendous run of back-row injuries,  came out with plenty of credit suggests he has an exciting future. Former England fly-half Toby Flood converted tries by Vincent Clerc and Imanol Harinorduquy, while Luke McAlister converted Maxime Medard's 65th-minute try. Bath centre Jonathan Joseph said: 'It was hard for some of us wider out to get into the game. We weren't quite there today. The fact it was only two points difference showed great character. It's just gutting to lose.' Bath's next game is away to Montpellier on December 6 and with a trip to Toulouse also still on the schedule, the prospects of them qualifying from this pool now look slim. Toulouse winger Vincent Clerc's try-saving tackle on Bath's Olly Woodburn is a match winner . The scene as Toulouse celebrate their victory at the picturesque Recreation Ground in Bath .
Bath must now win all four remaining matches in the Champions Cup . Toulouse tries came from Vincent Clerc, Imanol Harinordoquy and Maxime Medard, while Toby Flood (two) and Luke McAlister kicked conversions . George Ford kicked three penalties, a drop-goal and a conversion . Ross Batty scored a late try for the hosts but it wasn't enough .
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By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 5:21 PM on 13th December 2011 . Expect the poles to be replaced with crosses and songs of praise instead of seedy music - as this former strip club could soon become a church. Art Hage is already a pastor of several churches but now wants to set up a new one at the notorious Pink Pony in Cross Lanes, West Virginia. The Hurricane Bible Church & Ministries preacher wants to raise $795,000 to buy the old strip club, which has been on sale for more than a year. Scroll down for video . House of God: Art Hage is already a pastor of several churches but now wants to set up a new one at the notorious Pink Pony in Cross Lanes, West Virginia . Plan: The Bible Church & Ministries preacher is hoping to raise $795,000 to buy the old strip club, which has been on the market for more than a year . ‘It's been a haven of evil,’ he told WSAZ. ‘When good people do nothing, nothing happens. When good people do something, something happens. ‘Christians that love God, they'll come because they want to help other people,’ he said, before adding: ‘We've got to raise about $795,000.’ His church also operates the Faith Mission, where he runs projects for the homeless and drug addicts with his parishioners. ‘There's so many people that are down and out and they're really going through hard times,’ his parishioner Paul Bentley told WSAZ. Current base: Pastor Art said if the church can raise all the money then it will probably take up to a year to rework and expand the former strip club . Old sign: The club lost its liquor licence in 2003 and failed in a 2008 reapplication because it was too close to an alcohol-serving TGI Friday's restaurant . The club lost its liquor licence in 2003 and failed in a 2008 reapplication because it was too close to an alcohol-serving TGI Friday's restaurant. The Pink Pony became notorious in 2003 when Powerball millionaire Jack Whittaker was allegedly drugged and robbed there. Charges against two staff who were accused . of robbing him of more than $500,000 were dropped - and he eventually got the money back, . reported the Charleston Gazette. Pastor Art said if the church can raise all the money then it will probably take up to a year to rework and expand the former strip club. He is expecting up to 300 families to join the church, but if they can’t raise all the money then what they have will go towards existing projects in Hurricane. ‘Gambling, drinking - all of it's bad and it produces a society that's out of control,’ he told the Charleston Gazette. ‘It has got to be stopped.’ No more: Pastor Art said that the strip club has been a 'haven of evil' (file picture) See video here .
Art Hage has plans for old strip club in West Virginia . Trying to raise $795,000 to renovate building in a year . Strip club notorious for Powerball winner theft incident .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . A mother who was taunted at school for her love of sports and branded a ‘wimp’ by her bullying ex-boyfriend has fought back by becoming a professional bodybuilder. Heather Crowley, 49, from Baddeley Green, Staffordshire became deeply self-conscious after she got divorced at the age of 30 - and more so after the abusive relationship that followed. But after ditching the man who was making her life misery, she hit the gym daily and last month took part in the internationally acclaimed Miss Galaxy Universe contest. Transformation: Heather Cowley, pictured here, was mocked as a child by pupils when she went to school because of her love of sports but is now a bodybuilder . Crunch time: Last month Heather, 49, pictured here, took part in the Miss Galaxy Universe contest and finished 5th out of 120 contestants from around the world . Before and after: Heather before she became a bodybuilder, left, and during a training session now, right . Heather finished an impressive 5th out of 120 contestants from around the world and is now preparing for the National Amateur Bodybuilder's Association (NABBA) Miss Universe, by which time she will be 50. Heather, who has a son Tom, 23 said: 'At school I was always good at sports and enjoyed it but got picked on for that and because I was a happy bouncy person. 'Later in life I was bullied at work and, in my 30s, I found myself being bullied by a guy that I was in a relationship with. 'He emotionally abused me, threatened me and called me a wimp. He knew how to get at me putting me down. He made me feel so worthless and I hit rock bottom. 'At work my . boss harassed me because I rejected his advances. He made my life hell, . made fun of me and made me look incompetent by laughing at me and . taunting me when no-one was around.' Gym bunny: Heather Cowley, pictured here, was bullied by her controlling boss and branded a 'wimp' by her ex-boyfriend but is now a body builder . Fitness fanatic: Heather, pictured here, has a son Tom, 23. She undertakes a punishing three-and-a-half hour daily gym work which starts at 4.45am . Weights: Heather, pictured here, says: 'I have a passion for getting the body trained. I want to do more and if someone does a challenge then I want to do it too' Strong: 'I have always loved fitness,' says Heather. 'At 30 I got divorced and started weight training but it wasn't until last year that I really started to dedicate myself to it' Heather resigned, with no other job lined up and a young son to take care of. While figuring out her next career move, she started to hit the gym. 'I started training to get me out of the house,' she says. 'I have always loved fitness. 'At 30 I got divorced and started weight training but it wasn’t until last year that I really started to dedicate myself to it. 'I love it, I have a passion for getting the body trained. I want to do more and if someone does a challenge then I want to do it too. 'If I go running then I always want to run faster. Put . me in a spin class and I would be bored to death but put me on high . intensity training where you see fast results and I love it.' Heather undertakes a punishing three-and-a-half hour daily gym work which starts at 4.45am in order to stay in shape. Proud mother: Heather, pictured here, is mother of Tom, 23. She says she loves fitness and bodybuilding has changed her life . Way back when: She's all smiles in this old picture, but before she found fitness and bodybuilding Heather was bullied at work and in a abusive relationship . Impressive: Heather shows off her muscles, right, and laughs with her trainer during a workout, left . Dedicated: 'I have six to eight meals a day that all have to be prepared in advance,' says Heather, pictured here working out . She is also going to star in a TV documentary to air next year. Heather said: 'I start with cardio at 4.45am and then after work I will train at the gym from 6.30pm until 9pm. 'I have six to eight meals a day that all have to be prepared in advance. I normally start with oats, egg whites or blueberries. 'I eat a lot of turkey with fresh vegetables like green beans or asparagus. I only allow myself a cheat meal on a Saturday and my only downfall is chocolate buttons so I have to make sure I don’t eat too many of them. 'I set myself a challenge to find the confidence to get back on stage 18 months ago and joined a proper bodybuilding gym. 'It took some courage to get there as very few women training on weights but it was the best decision I ever made.' Miss Galaxy Universe founder Sarah Donohue said: 'The girls compete in tests that comprise of things like shuttle runs, bench presses, push-ups, squats and long jumps and then there is a bikini section. 'Heather always motivates the other girls, she pushes herself to the maximum and is a brilliant role model.'
Heather Crowley, 49, from Baddeley Green, Staffs. was bullied by her boss . She was also taunted as a schoolgirl and by an abusive boyfriend . She's training for National Amateur Bodybuilder's Association contest .
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By . Ted Thornhill . A thug with 19 convictions has been jailed for smashing a New Year’s Eve reveller on the head with a stolen vodka bottle. Victim Jonny Smith, 25, was left in a coma for two weeks, needed a titanium plate in his skull and has been left with brain damage. Surgeons removed a section of his skull the size of a man’s hand. Attacker Alexander Hunter, 21, described by the judge at Ipswich Crown Court as a danger to the public, was jailed for 11 years. Jailed: Alexander Hunter (pictured left and right) was sentenced to 11 years after smashing a bottle of vodka over the head of a young father, leaving him in a coma . Mr Smith was hit on the head with a vodka bottle after celebrating New Year’s Eve in Colchester town centre with his girlfriend. He suffered a bleed on the brain. After the attack, in St Botolph’s Street, Colchester, he could not remember his daughter, confused his relatives and still has constant headaches, although he is improving. However, he has been warned he could suffer a fatal seizure in the future. Devastating injury: Jonny Smith (pictured), suffered a bleed on the brain after the attack in Colchester . Long-term effects: Mr Smith has been told that he may go back into a coma or even suffer a brain seizure . Doting: Mr Smith had trouble remembering his daughter after he woke up from a coma . Mr Smith, a landscape gardener, said: 'The first thing I remember was waking up in hospital two weeks after I had been out with my then girlfriend. 'I did not know my daughter. My family had to keep coming in every day and say: ‘This is your daughter.’ 'Things are starting to come back but I still have difficulty remembering. 'It is quite hard sometimes and I still get bad days.' His daughter is now 14 months old and Mr Smith said the priority is getting better for her. He said: 'I can’t drink now and don’t go out in town. 'I don’t really see my friends and I can’t do much. 'I am supposed to stop taking medication now and they say there is a low risk I could go back into a coma or die.' It was revealed Hunter assaulted two other men on the night he attacked Mr Smith. The court heard he already had 19 convictions for 27 offences before he admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on Mr Smith. Charges were not brought on the other two assaults, which happened minutes before he attacked Mr Smith. Crime scene: Forensic experts scour St Botolph's Street for clues following the attack earlier this year . The court heard Hunter had stolen a bottle of vodka from the Silk Road bar in St Botolph’s Street in the early hours of January 1 this year. Sarah Porter, prosecuting, told the court, he went outside, put the bottle down and punched a man to the floor. CCTV footage showed him kicking another victim to the floor. He then picked up the bottle and hit Mr Smith on the head. When police arrested Hunter they had to call for a caged transport van due to his threatening behaviour. Jonathan Ray, mitigating, told the court Hunter 'does have another side'. He read parts of testimonies commenting on the good character of a man who first appeared in court aged 12. He also read an apology from Hunter saying he is 'truly remorseful' and that his thoughts have been with Mr Smith and his family since his arrest. Judge John Devaux said: 'This was an unprovoked attack. It resulted in devastating injuries. 'You were under the influence of alcohol, cocaine and long-term steroids.' The judge took into account his remorse, eventual guilty plea and the fact it was a single hit but said the use of a weapon, the fact he was on bail at the time and the severity of the injuries aggravated the offence. He said: 'I am sentencing you to 11 years. You are a danger to the public.' After the hearing the fathers of the victim and attacker shook hands. Mr Smith said: 'I feel sorry for his family. It was nothing to do with them. 'I shook his dad’s hand. It was hard to do at first but after seeing them in court I got used to seeing them and it is not their fault.' Other members of Mr Smith’s family embraced members of Hunter’s family after the hearing. Mr Smith’s uncle, speaking on behalf of the family, said: 'We feel sympathy for Hunter’s family. 'Their lives changed that day too. I hope he leaves behind his life of drink and drugs in jail. 'The sentence was about right and it sends out a message and we hope lessons are learnt.'
Alexander Hunter was jailed after leaving victim Jonny Smith in a coma . Hunter smashed a bottle of vodka over Mr Smith's head in Colchester . Mr Smith was out celebrating the New Year with his girlfriend at the time . He needed a titanium plate in his skull and has been left with brain damage . After the hearing the fathers of the victim and attacker shook hands .
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The sombre rumours have stalked him down the decades, but now they are acquiring greater urgency. Muhammad Ali is gravely ill. Parkinson’s Syndrome, the brutal legacy of his 21 years in the professional ring, has tightened its hold and, at 72, there are signs that his battle may soon be over. In time, many will attempt to assess the career of the most dramatically gifted and socially significant sportsman who ever lived. But in the week ahead, we shall concentrate on the 40th anniversary of his most extraordinary achievement. ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’ sounds like one of those promotional slogans which emerge from a three-bottle lunch. Yet somehow it captured the swaggering audacity of the project which saw the two most celebrated athletes on the planet fight for the richest prize in sport in the small hours of a Kinshasa morning. Muhammad Ali looks on after knocking down George Foreman in the so-called Rumble in the Jungle . October 30, 1974: Muhammad Ali versus George Foreman. The heavyweight title was at stake, and the world was captivated. The fight was made possible by the President of Zaire, Mobutu Sese Seko, a deeply corrupt human rights abuser, who systematically exploited the nation formerly known as the Congo for more than 30 years. Mobutu paid more than $10million to promote his own image. It was then an unimaginable sum, far more than fighters had ever commanded. But then, he was hiring the very best. Ali was 32 years old and was attempting to regain the title he had lost to Ken Norton more than a year earlier. Although many shared his own opinion that he was the greatest ‘of ahhhhhl tahm!’, they also suspected that he was past his peak, that after 46 fights his talents were eroding. Ali was brought to Zaire for the fight by the infamous President of Zaire Mobutu Sese Seko . Ali trains in front of a captive audience in Kinshasa before a cut to Foreman's eye delayed the fight . Above and beyond all this lay a widespread conviction that the 25-year-old Foreman was genuinely invincible, a monster, one of the most terrifying punchers the sport had known. He had won the title with a murderous dismantling of Joe Frazier, and he saw Ali as his lucrative victim. ‘My opponents don’t worry about losing,’ he said. ‘They worry about getting hurt.’ It was as near as this malevolent, taciturn presence ever came to humour. By dazzling contrast, Ali was a force of nature; bright, funny, endlessly personable and dauntingly handsome. Somebody once wrote of a fabled heavyweight: ‘Joe Louis was a newspaperman’s champion. He always finished in time for the first edition, so the guys could get to the bar before closing.’ Ali will forever be remembered as the greatest heavyweight boxer in history, but the sport took its toll . Ali took a lot of punishment by methodically drawing Foreman in to waste the younger fighter's energy . 60,000 roaring fans packed Kinshasa’s outdoor Stade du 20 Mai for the fight. 32 -year-old Ali was seven years older than his opponent and a fading former champ not expected to last more than three rounds. It is said that in the dressing room, Foreman and his ringside crew had knelt to pray that he did not kill Ali. 450 locations in the United States and Canada — and in some cinemas in the United Kingdom — screened the fight on closed-circuit television. 100 countries were estimated to have taken the fight, which was scheduled to start at 4.0am in Zaire to accommodate audiences in the US. 10 million dollars was split between the two — $5m each — paid for by President Mobutu. 45 Foreman first quit in 1977 and returned in the early Nineties — winning the world title again at 45, becoming the oldest heavyweight champion in history. Perhaps so. But when Ali started to paint his word-pictures, he made the bar seem a poor alternative. Before the Foreman fight, he ran through his repertoire. He was contemptuous: ‘Foreman’s a big old bully from Texas who used to beat up people on the streets.’ He was dismissive: ‘Foreman hits hard, sure. But hitting power don’t mean nothing if you can’t find nothing to hit.’ He spouted yards of his terrible poetry: ‘You think the world was shocked when Nixon resigned?/Wait till I whup George Foreman’s behind.’ And, right across the world, the public lapped it up. There was a false start when a sparring partner’s elbow cut Foreman’s eye and both fighters were required to remain in Zaire for a month while Foreman recovered. Ali spent much of the time storming around town and leading the locals in chants of ‘Ali, bomaye!’ (Ali, kill him!). Finally, on October 30, 1974, in the Stade du 20 Mai, before 60,000 people, a bell sounded and a fight began. Ali had the locals in Zaire chanting 'Ali, bomaye', which translated means 'Ali, kill him!' Ali begins returning the heavyweight champion of the world's blows with interest . The legend has grown, these past 40 years, that Ali offered himself as a target, that he simply lay on the ropes and allowed Foreman to punch himself out. The promotional poster for the Rumble in the Jungle . Well, up to a point. Watching the fight through once again this week, it could be seen that for calculated spells, Ali encouraged Foreman to throw those scything punches, most of which were deflected by arms and gloves. But time and again he would cut loose from the ropes with bewildering combinations to the head. Foreman grew increasingly confused, unbearably weary. And all the time, Ali talked to him: ‘You was sp’osed to be bad, George! Show me something! That all you got, sucker? An’ you gettin’ tired, George. Ain’t no place to get tired ...’ And then, in the dying seconds of round eight, Ali found the energy and strength to throw the conclusive combination, and Foreman simply crumpled, exhausted, to the floor. I recall the London cinema erupting in joy and relief as the count finished and the aisles were awash with dancing, jostling figures. Ali had that effect; neutrality was not an option. I remember walking out into the Leicester Square dawn, and thinking I should never see anything quite like that again. And I never did. He would have a third fight with Frazier, a vicious battle in which both men inflicted enduring mental and physical damage. Then, as his resistance began to dissolve, every contest became an ordeal. Foreman puts up his guard as Ali surges forward in what has been described as 'The Match of the Century' Referee Zack Clayton counts out foreman after Ali puts him on the canvass in the 8th round . On October 2, 1980, in a casino car park in Las Vegas, I squirmed at ringside as Ali, old beyond his 38 years, was cruelly punished by Larry Holmes. He took punch after pounding punch to his unprotected head, but his perverse pride would not allow him to fall. So he stood and accepted his punishment, and the odious leeches who had taken his money and bathed in his glory simply shrugged and moved on. The illness which would ultimately devour him took hold. The speech grew slower and thicker, the reactions ponderous, the decline precipitous. As his condition became more distressing, it provoked serious moral questions about our readiness to condone such licensed barbarity. After all, if the very best of them could suffer such an excruciating fate, how can boxing hope to protect those who have only their courage to commend them? For many of us, the answer was all too obvious. Ali staged three fights with the legendary Joe Frazier, which left both men physically and mentally damaged . Ali's brash style changed the way that sportsmen behaved, although few have backed their arrogance with genius . Ali left a tangled legacy. Effectively, he legitimised boasting and strident self-praise. Before Ali, sporting modesty was mandatory; you were diffident in victory, gracious in defeat. After Ali, across all our major sports, the old rules fell into disuse. We now see an ordinary footballer celebrate a goal, or a journeyman cricketer a wicket, and all too easily we summon up a vision of a brash young man from Louisville, Kentucky. But the fact that routinely escapes the capering imposters is that the young man happened to be a genius. For once, it is not too inflated a term to describe what he did and how he did it. In this anniversary week, as Ali’s condition grows increasingly hazardous, I shall recall the words of George Foreman, when he made a visit to London two or three years ago. Foreman had escaped the fate which befell Ali. He was in robust health, and he was enjoying unprecedented riches, having lent his name to a hugely successful fat-free grill. Ali was stubbornly punished by Larry Holmes in his final fight in Las Vegas, 1980 . Despite losing the most memorable fight in history, Foreman still holds the highest respect for his tormentor . But he remembered his old opponent, warmly and without rancour. ‘People think they know about him, but they don’t appreciate just what a fighter he was’, he said. ‘I mean, I was pretty good. But Muhammad, he was something else.’ Foolishly, I asked if he could imagine another Ali emerging in this generation or the next. ‘You mean, will we ever see anybody like that guy again? he asked. He gave a small, pitying smile and said nothing. Some questions really don’t deserve an answer.
Muhammad Ali will be remembered as the greatest heavyweight of all time . His most famous fight was the so-called 'Rumble in the Jungle' in Zaire . Ali reclaimed the title after knocking out George Foreman in the 8th round . Years of punishment have taken their toll with Ali suffering from Parkinson's Syndrome and his health now deteriorating daily .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 08:29 EST, 26 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:22 EST, 26 November 2013 . The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is set to direct airlines to avoid flying Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 747-8 jumbo jets with General Electric engines near thunderstorms after some planes experienced ice buildup in their engines. The U.S. regulator said it would issue an airworthiness directive (AD) this week for the airplanes powered by GE's GEnx engines. 'The AD is an interim action to make sure pilots avoid icing conditions that could affect engine power and possibly damage the engine,' said FAA. Warning: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is set to tell airlines to avoid flying new Boeing Dreamliners near thunderstorms after some planes experience an ice build-up on the engine including Japan Airlines . The FAA also said it has been working . closely with Boeing and GE to monitor and understand these events as . the companies develop a permanent solution. The . 787 can be powered by either GEnx engines or rival Trent 1000 engines . made by Rolls-Royce Plc, while the 747-8 is powered exclusively by the . GE engine model. Took action: Japan Airlines pulled Boeing 787s from two international routes amid concerns about ice . Boeing . advised airlines on Friday about a risk of engine icing problems on . 747-8 and 787 Dreamliner planes with GE engines, urging 15 carriers to . avoid flying them near high-altitude thunderstorms. July 28 2012: A fan shaft fails during runway tests in South Carolina . December 2012: A Dreamliner was forced to make an emergency landing in New Orleans . January 7 2013: An unoccupied Dreamliner flight bursts into flames at Boston airport . January 15 2013: . A flight made an emergency landing in Japan after a smoke alarm went . off. The string of incidents led to regulators ordering a global . grounding of the entire Dreamliner fleet, which lasted for four months . June 2 2013: Battery-related problems were reported on a Japan Airlines aircraft forcing the airline to use an alternative plane . June 12 2013: A flight in Japan was cancelled after one of the engines failed to start . June 18 2013: A United Airlines flight was diverted to Seattle due to an oil-filter problem . June 24 2013: A Dreamliner operated by United Airlines had to make an emergency landing in Denver due to a brake problem . July 3 2013: Polish airline LOT cancelled a Dreamliner flight to Chicago because the aircraft had ‘problems with the power supply' July 12 2013: Ethiopian Airlines plane catches fire on the runway at Heathrow, forcing the closure of the whole airport . July 18 2013: . Japan Airlines plane bound for Tokyo had to return to Boston's Logan . airport after take-off because of a possible issue with the fuel pumps . November 2013: Japan Airlines pulls 787s from two international routes amid concerns about ice forming on the planes . The problem was caused by a build-up of ice crystals - initially just behind the front fan - which spread through the engine. Airlines . affected by the warning included Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, United . Airlines, a unit of United Continental Holdings and Cathay Pacific . Airlines. The warning even led Japan Airlines to pull 787 Dreamliners . from two international routes. Boeing . spokesman Marc Birtel said the company has already alerted its . customers who operate some GE-powered engines on 747-8 and 787 models. 'To . reduce chances of ice crystal conditions, Boeing recommends that . operators fly at least 50 nautical miles from thunderstorms that may . contain ice crystals,' said Birtel. So far, Boeing has delivered 57 747-8s and 58 787s with GEnx engines, Birtel said. A GE spokesman said: 'The aviation . industry is experiencing a growing number of ice-crystal icing . encounters in recent years as the population of large commercial . airliners has grown, particularly in tropical regions of the world.' He added that GE and Boeing are attempting to modify the engine control system software in a bid to eliminate the problem. It is the latest in a spate of mishaps . for the 787, which has previously experienced issues with power supply, . brakes, oil and fan shaft, as well as plane fires. The 787 - the first passenger jet built mainly from lightweight carbon-composites.- incorporates a raft of changes in the . way passenger jets are designed, including greater use of electrical . systems that save weight compared with older hydraulics. It has suffered a spate of disasters since it was introduced to commercial airlines in 2011. In . July, a 787 jet operated by Ethiopian Airlines caught fire on the . runway at Heathrow - forcing the closure of the entire airport. Disaster: Earlier this year, a parked Ethiopian Boeing 787 Dreamliner caught fire at Heathrow airport . Closure: The fire kept the airport shut for 90 minutes and was caused by a fault in the lithium battery powering the plane's emergency beacon .
The regulator said it will issue an airworthiness directive this week . It is also working with GE and Boeing to come up with a solution . Ice could affect 747-8 and 787 planes powered by General Electric . Japan Airlines has pulled Dreamliners from two international routes . It is the latest in a spate of mishaps for Boeing's new 787 plane .
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Ahead of his landmark 100th England appearance, Wayne Rooney has been given commemorative boots with '100' printed on them to mark a special century. The striker, who should join the 100 club on Saturday in the Euro 2016 qualifier against Slovenia, posted the picture of him holding the boots on Instagram, and had a special message to supporters. Rooney said: 'Never prouder than representing my country. Looking forward to my 100th cap on Saturday. Thanks to @nikefootball for the new boots #hypervenom'. Wayne Rooney shows off his '100' boots ahead of joining England's century club on Saturday . As we lead up to the landmark appearance, Rooney's team-mates past and present have paid tribute to the skipper. Rio Ferdinand, Manchester United defender between 2002 and 2014, said Rooney was a better player than Cristiano Ronaldo. Speaking in an exclusive with The Sun, Ferdinand says: 'It's hard to explain just how much excitement there was at Old Trafford when he [Rooney] joined us. Rooney signed for Manchester United in a £25million deal from Everton in 2004 . 'He signed a year after Cristiano Ronaldo but Rooney was the better all-round player. Meanwhile, England team-mate Leighton Baines said the pressure placed on Rooney’s shoulders is greater than any of his international team-mates and that he frequently provided the goods. 'Sometimes it’s not until later on that people get the credit they deserve,’ said Baines. 'If Wayne can keep fit, keep playing, he’s going to break more records. Rooney is just six shy of England's record goalscorer Sir Bobby Charlton and his total of 49 . Rooney will only be truly appreciated as an England player once he retires, claims Leighton Baines . VIDEO England looking to maintain unbeaten run .
Nike have given Wayne Rooney personalised boots ahead of the striker reaching his 100th England appearance . Century should come in the Euro 2016 qualifier with Slovenia on Saturday . Rooney said: 'Never prouder than representing my country' Rooney is six shy of England's record goalscorer Sir Bobby Charlton .
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A widow has been left more than £4,000 out of pocket after she says that workmen vanished halfway through revamping her garden. Joyce Watt, 74, paid the builders to redesign her garden and the driveway of her home in Aberdeen. But she was left distraught when the Oakstone Driveways workers failed to return and finish off the job. Joyce Watt, 74, outside her home in Aberdeen - she claims she paid builders to redesign her garden and driveway . She claims she had initially agreed to pay 3,000 pounds for the work but the builders began asking for more cash. And the pensioner said she now hasn't seen them for two weeks. Joyce, of Aberdeen's Foresterhill area, said: 'I can't believe it. It is horrible, I sit here all day and cry. 'It is taking over my life - it's such a burden. Joyce was pleased when she secured Oakstone Driveways to build her dream drive for an agreed price of 3,000 pounds - but it's not finished . No response: Two phone numbers listed on Oakstone Driveway's website are no longer in use . 'I'm struggling for money now - I don't know how I'm going to live. And it's nothing like what I asked for.' Two phone numbers listed on Oakstone Driveway's website are no longer in use. Mum-of-one . Joyce secured planning permission for the work from Aberdeen City . Council before looking for a firm to take on the work. And Joyce was pleased when she secured Oakstone Driveways to build her dream drive for an agreed price of 3,000 pounds. Joyce: 'I can't believe it. It is horrible, I sit here all day and cry. It is taking over my life - it's such a burden' The firm started the work as planned but began to ask for extra cash. Joyce agreed to pay the money, fearing the work would be delayed if she didn't, and claims she ended up paying 4,170 pounds. But with only part of the work completed she says that they left and haven't been seen since. Part of the work has been completed - but there appears to be no sign of the workmen . Mum-of-one Joyce secured planning permission for the work from Aberdeen City Council before looking for a firm to take on the work . Joyce today claimed the workmen failed to complete paving in her garden, as well as creating steps from her house to her drive, building a wall instead of a fence and gates to her drive. She added: 'It was supposed to be 3,000 pounds and no more. 'I went along with it because they had everything at the tip of their tongue. 'They even took my son round to a house and said they had done the driveway. 'I asked for receipts and they said if they had to go back to the office to get bits of paper we would never get the job finished - so I said if no more money changed hands, okay.' After realising the workmen were not coming back, Joyce reported the firm to Trading Standards. She said: 'I don't want anyone else to go through what I have gone through.' Oakstone Driveways did not return calls from MailOnline.
Agreed to pay £3,000 for the work but builders began asking for more cash . Joyce secured planning permission from Aberdeen City Council . Workmen 'failed to complete paving in her . garden, creating steps from house to drive, building . a wall instead of a fence and gates to drive'
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Two men have been charged with child rape offences after a huge police raid by police investigating sex abuse in a Buckinghamshire town. Harmohan Nangpal, 40, and Faisal Iqbal, 31, will both appear before magistrates today charged in connection with alleged child exploitation around Aylesbury. Nangpal, of Hayes, Middlesex, is accused of raping a girl under 13, while Iqbal, of Aylesbury, faces one count of conspiracy to rape a girl under 16. Accused: Two men have been charged with child rape after a huge police raid by police investigating sex abuse in a Buckinghamshire town . Police said the pair were arrested over alleged offences committed in the Aylesbury area between 2005 and 2008. Last Tuesday police carried out a series of synchronised dawn raids, in which up to 120 officers stormed 11 properties across Buckinghamshire and Middlesex. Following the raids, eight other men, aged between 28 and 45, were charged in connection with alleged child sex exploitation following the raids as part of Operation Articulate. Allegations: Police said the pair were arrested over alleged offences committed around the town of Aylesbury between 2005 and 2008 (file picture) Police said the raids had been prompted by information received 'earlier this year', and related to two female victims with the alleged abuse carried out between 2005 and 2012. Speaking after last week's raids, Acting Superintendent Olly Wright said: 'The police action taken today comes as a result of information given to the police earlier this year. We have been working closely with other agencies to investigate these matters, and to provide support and care for the victims. 'The aim of this operation is to protect victims, bring offenders to justice, and to offer help to any others who we are encouraging to come forward. We will continue to work alongside our partner agencies to offer any support victims need as we carry on with the investigation.' Officers said they were not linked to recent high profile sex cases in Rotherham and Oxford. Nangpal and Iqbal have been remanded to appear at Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court later today. The other eight men, who face accusations of rape against teenage girls, forcing them into prostitution, ABH and drugging them, were arrested following the execution of police warrants last Tuesday, and charged the following day. Arshad Jani, 32, from Aylesbury, is charged with one count of conspiracy to rape a girl aged between 13 and 15, one count of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15 and one count of raping a girl. Court date: Harmohan Nangpal, 40, and Faisal Iqbal, 31, will both appear before magistrates in Milton Keynes today charged in connection with alleged child exploitation around Aylesbury . Vikram Singh, 45, also from Aylesbury, is accused of four counts of raping a girl under 16, three counts of raping a girl under 13 and one count of administering a substance with the intent of committing a sexual offence. Asif Hussain, 32, from Milton Keynes, has been charged with three counts of raping a girl under 13 and one count of arranging/facilitating the prostitution of a child, while 35-year-old Jerome Joe, from Buckingham, is charged with one count sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15. Sohail Qamar, 40, from Aylesbury, is charged with one count of assaulting occasioning actual bodily harm, one count of causing or inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and one count of raping a woman aged 16 or over. Akbari Khan, 35, Aylesbury, is accused of two counts of rape of a girl, one count of conspiracy to rape a girl and two counts of administering a substance with the intent of committing a sexual offence. Taimoor Khan, 28, from Aylesbury, is also charged with two counts of raping a girl, one count of conspiracy to rape a girl and one count of administering a substance with intent of committing a sexual offence. And Sajid Ali, 34, from Chesham, is charged with one count of raping a girl, one count of conspiracy to rape a girl, one count of sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15 and one count of administering a substance with the intent of committing a sexual offence. They all appeared before a judge at Amersham Crown Court on Monday. Three other men, aged 30, 40 and 30 arrested in connection with the inquiry were released without charge. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Harmohan Nangpal, 40, and Faisal Iqbal, 31, to appear before magistrates . Nagpal, from Hayes in Middlesex is accused of raping a girl under 13 . Iqbal, from Aylesbury, charged with conspiracy to rape a girl under 16 . Police say alleged offences were committed between 2005 and 2008 . Last week officers carried out dawn raids on 11 properties . Eight men already charged in connection with alleged sex exploitation .
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By . Ellie Buchdahl . PUBLISHED: . 15:09 EST, 23 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:18 EST, 23 August 2013 . A robber attacked an elderly woman after pretending to help her take pictures of her childhood home when she returned with her daughter after 73 years. Marjorie Ramondetta, 93, and her daughter Linda Reynolds, 65, were allegedly shoved down a flight of stairs in the building by a thug when they came back to the house in Washington Heights in Manhattan, New York. The man then stole the women's purses as they lay bruised at the bottom of the stairs, law-enforcement sources said. Victim: Marjorie Ramondetta, 93, was allegedly attacked by a robber in her childhood home . 'After we fell, he took the bags,' Mrs Reynolds told The New York Post yesterday. 'I heard my mother say, "Please help me!" 'I ran upstairs, and I’m yelling, "Call the cops! Call . the cops! Someone help us!"' Mrs Ramondetta, who hadn’t been back to the building since 1940, said: 'We’ve never had such an upset in our life.' Mrs Reynolds said they had arrived at the building on Amsterdam Avenue and 164th Street on Tuesday at 12.20pm to snap photos for a family scrapbook. Mrs Ramondetta was having her picture taken by Mrs Reynolds when the alleged thug — identified as career criminal Richard Davidson — greeted them. 'He said, "Can I help you?" He was clean-cut, clean clothes, clean-shaven. He looked decent,' Mrs Reynolds recalled. Mrs Reynolds said that Davidson, 25, had asked them if they lived in the building. Mrs Ramondetta said that 'she was born there and wanted to see what it looked like at present day,' according to a police source. Davidson then escorted the women to the second-floor apartment, where Mrs Ramondetta once lived, the police source said. Attacker: CCTV shows the man later identified as Richard Davidson pushing the two women down the stairs . 'He [then] says, "I have to get my keys downstairs,"' Mrs Reynolds said. 'He came back up and said, "I’m going to hurt you."' Davidson then allegedly grabbed for their purses, but the women wouldn’t let go of them. 'I tried to kick him. I don’t know if I kicked him in the legs, but my object was not the legs — if you know what I mean,' Reynolds said. Davidson then threw both women down approximately ten stairs, Mrs Reynolds said. Sources said he scooped up their purses and ran away. The women were treated at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. 'I’m in so much pain,' Mrs Reynolds said, showing the bruises on her back and buttocks. Later that day, Davidson was arrested on an unrelated grand-larceny charge. While in custody, he is said to have confessed to stealing the purses as well as to a similar case on August 2. Thief: The man is seen to tussle with the women over their bags, before making off down the stairs of the Washington Heights apartment . Police later said that Davidson had been arrested later that day trying to get into a cab, according to abc7 Eyewitness News. Police said he had a crack pipe in his pocket. He allegedly made two other attacks during the same day - on a 70-year-old woman and a 63-year-old woman who was riding the A train at Harlem. Davidson has 21 prior arrests dating back to 2008. 'I'm not used to giving up things I work for,' Mrs Ramondetta told Eyewitness News. 'I don't go out advertising it, but this is mine.' 'I want to punch him in the face and I also want his mother and his grandmother to be in the courtroom,' added Mrs Reynolds. 'I want them to see and hear what he did to us.'
Mother and daughter returned to childhood home in Washington Heights . Women wanted to take pictures for family album . Career criminal Richard Davidson allegedly attacked two other women in same day .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 00:13 EST, 30 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:57 EST, 30 October 2013 . A new, smaller version of NASA's space shuttle is now recuperating from a rough first landing. The Dream Chaser space plane is vying to carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station in four or five more years. Designed by Sierra Nevada Corp., the Nevada-based company tested a full-scale model at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Saturday. Scroll down for video . Look familiar? The new, smaller version of NASA's shuttle needs some more work before it's ready for space . A helicopter dropped the unmanned craft from 12,500 feet in a first free flight reminiscent of NASA's drop tests of the shuttle prototype Enterprise in the 1970s. Everything worked well for the automated Dream Chaser model until the end, when the left landing gear deployed too late and the test vehicle skidded off the runway. Company space systems chief Mark Sirangelo said Tuesday that damage was minor. The left gear was still attached and the tire wasn't even shredded, he said. The crew cabin area was unscathed and astronauts would have been uninjured, he said. Dream for the future: Everything worked well for the automated Dream Chaser model (seen in an earlier photo) until the end, when the left landing gear deployed too late and the test vehicle skidded off the runway . The flight computers never stopped working, and nothing critical was damaged. Sirangelo stressed that the minute-long test flight was a success despite the ending. He said the mishap is likely due to mechanical failure; an investigation is underway. He said it shouldn't hold up plans for a piloted landing test next year. The landing gear is derived from F-5 fighter planes and not the same type that will be used in space. The test vehicle will be repaired and may fly again, Sirangelo told reporters during a teleconference. 'Dream' goal: This artists rendering shows what designers hope will happen in that it will be able to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station in a few years time . Sierra Nevada - one of several U.S. companies hoping to carry NASA astronauts into orbit - plans the first orbital flight demo of Dream Chaser in 2016 and the first crewed orbital mission in 2017. NASA already is relying on private industry to ship cargo to the space station, a vacancy created by the retirement of the space shuttles in 2011. Until American companies provide a safe spaceship for crews, NASA will continue to fly its astronauts on Russian Soyuz capsules - for hefty prices. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE .
The mini version of NASA's space shuttle will hopefully carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station .
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While most Americans celebrate Thanksgiving by gorging on turkeys in the company of their relatives, boxer Floyd Mayweather Jnr has a different take on tradition. The five-division world champion posted one of his typically egotistical videos on Instagram, this time featuring himself receiving a bathtub massage... to somehow commemorate the Pilgrim Fathers' harvest festival. Soft classical music plays in the background as the undefeated champion is given a back rub by a well proportioned young lady, accompanied by the caption: '#HAPPYTHANKSGIVING'. Floyd Mayweather Jnr was given a back rub on Thanksgiving - the boxer's way of celebrating the day . Meanwhile, Manny Pacquiao has once again called out the pound-for-pound king to put his undefeated record on the line and fight him. Mayweather reacted to the Filipino's recent dominant points win against Chris Algieri by taunting him with an Instagram video showing Pacquiao being knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez when the pair fought back in 2012. The WBO welterweight champion responded by saying: 'He should step up and fight me since I am easy to knock out. 'The fans deserve that fight. I think it's time to step up and say yes.' Mayweather Jnr has been called out again by WBO Welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao . Mayweather Jnr (right) sat in the bath while being given a back rub on Thanksgiving . VIDEO Pacquiao delighted with performance . Pacquiao was given a hero's reception after defeating Chris Algieri in Macau, Philippines .
Floyd Mayweather Jnr spent American Thanksgiving in a different way . The undefeated boxer posted a video of him getting a bathtub massage . Manny Pacquiao has again called out Mayweather to step up and fight him .
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A Florida-based former Christian missionary was today sentenced to 58 years in federal prison for sexually abusing girls who were part of an indigenous tribe in the Amazon and filming the acts. While he was establishing a church with the Katukina tribe, Warren Scott Kennell, 45, a missionary with the Sanford-based New Tribes Mission, befriended the girls and abused them over several years, prosecutors said. He was arrested in Orlando in May and investigators found more than 940 images of child pornography on his hard drive. Convicted creep: Warren Kennell, a Florida-based former Christian missionary, pictured, was sentenced Tuesday to 58 years in federal prison for sexually abusing girls who were part of an indigenous tribe in the Amazon and filming the acts . On Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Davis Wilson said Kennell abused his position as a missionary 'in the most horrendous way.' Homeland Security Investigations began investigating Kennell after they got a tip that he'd posted pictures on a website that allowed people to trade child pornography, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Agents stopped him at Orlando airport after he got off a plane from Brazil and discovered several thumb drives and an external hard drive on his person during a search. The drives contained hundreds of images of child pornography. Kennell admitted he was the man . abusing a young girl in one of the images and said he was responsible . for photographing the second girl. Missionary: Kennell abused his position as a missionary for Sanford-based New Tribes Mission, pictured, which is one of the largest Christian missionary organizations in the world . After his arrest, he pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography and during his sentencing Tuesday, Kennell apologized to the victims and his family. 'I've hurt a lot of people,' he said. His father, Joe Kennell, asked the court for leniency, listing off some of the positive things the missionary has done throughout his life. Joe Kennell, who was also a missionary and, with his wife, raised their children in Brazil, told the court his son often provided medical care to the locals. New Tribes Mission is one of the largest Christian missionary organizations in the world. In 2011, the Sanford-based group was sued by a woman who claimed she was raped repeatedly from age 8 while she lived in a dormitory for missionary children in the Philippines.
While he was setting up a church with the Katukina tribe in Brazil, Warren Scott Kennell, 45, befriended the girls and abused them over several years . Kennell was a missionary with the Sanford, Florida-based New Tribes Mission . He was arrested in Orlando in May and investigators found more than 940 images of child pornography on his hard drive . On Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Davis Wilson said Kennell abused his position as a missionary 'in the most horrendous way'
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Hundreds of private emails detailing Michael Jackson’s dramatic deterioration in his final days will play a key role in a £26.5billion ($41billion) wrongful death trial beginning today in Los Angeles. The messages sent by executives at AEG, the US entertainment giant behind the star’s doomed comeback tour, reveal the 50-year-old singer’s turmoil as he struggled with his health and inner demons to prepare for the lucrative concerts. Opening statements begin this morning in the case being brought by Jackson's mother and his three children, who claim AEG was liable in the June 25, 2009 tragedy. Doomed: The emails between executives from entertainment giant AEG are believed to reveal Michael Jackson's declining health ahead of his doomed This Is It comeback tour . Suit: Jackson's mother Katherine Jackson is one of the family members who have brought the suit against AEG . Children: Damages are also being sought on behalf of the star's children Prince (left) Blanket (middle) and Paris (right) The trial, expected to last up to three months, could include testimony from Jackson’s two older children, Prince Michael, 16, and Paris, 14, as well as celebrity witnesses including Diana Ross, Prince and the singer’s two ex-wives, Lisa Marie Presley and Debbie Rowe. The suit, demanding a staggering £26.5 billion in damages, accuses AEG’ s concert promotions arm of hiring and controlling Dr Conrad Murray, who administered the fatal dose of propofol to the pop singer shortly before he was scheduled to appear in the ‘This Is It’ O2 Arena shows. ‘AEG had legal duties to Michael Jackson to treat him safely and to not put him in harm’s way. But AEG, despite its knowledge of Michael Jackson’s physical condition, breached those duties by putting its desire for massive profits from the tour over the health and safety of Michael Jackson,’ the complaint alleges. Evidence: The star's former wives Lisa Marie Presley (left) and Debbie Rowe could be asked to give testimony during the trial . Jailed: Dr Conrad Murray wwas jailed for four years for causing involuntary manslaughter for his role in Michael Jackson's death . Mr Jackson’s personal doctor is serving a four-year prison sentence after being found guilty of manslaughter in 2011. According to a senior AEG lawyer, the company is likely to bring up Jackson’s drug shopping as well as his acquittal on child molestation charges as part of their case that the promoter had no liability in the tragedy. The Jackson family's lawyers are likely to zero in on the emails they claim show how aware the company’s senior executives were of the singer's fragile state. Stars: Singer Diana Ross is one of a number of celebrities who could be asked to give evidence during the court case . When Randy Phillips, a promoter at AEG, . went to Jackson’s London hotel suite the day before the singer announced . his comeback concerts he found him so drunk that he had to dress him. ‘MJ is locked in his room drunk and despondent. I [am] trying to sober him up,’ Phillips wrote to the company’s president Tim Leiweke. In the US where Mr Leiweke had just woken up, he replied: ‘Are you kidding me?’ ‘I screamed at him so loud the walls are shaking. He is an emotionally paralysed mess riddled with self loathing and doubt now that it is show time,' Mr Phillips responded. By June that year the alarm bells were ringing and a production manager wrote that Jackson was a ‘basket case.’ The show’s director, Kenny Ortega, who had known Jackson for two decades, called for him to be evaluated by a psychiatrist. He also said the star would have to lip synch some of his songs because he was racked by ‘paranoia, anxiety and obsessive-like behaviour’. After Jackson's, Mr Phillips wrote in August 2009: ‘Michael’s death is a terrible tragedy, but life must go on. AEG will make a fortune from merch sales, ticket retention, the touring exhibition and the film/dvd.’ AEG would go on to earn about £160 million from the documentary film ‘This Is It’, which featured rehearsal footage. Lawyers representing the company will claim that Murray was hired by Jackson and not by the promoter. The civil trial jury took more than three weeks to select. The Jacksons are seeking a judgment against AEG equal to the money he would have earned over the course of his remaining lifetime had he not died in 2009, plus exorbitant damages.
Messages sent by executives at US entertainment giant AEG . Firm was behind Michael Jackson's doomed comeback tour . Reveal the 50-year-old singer’s turmoil . as he struggled with his health . Case being brought by the star’s mother and his three children . They claim AEG is liable for his death in June 2009 .
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MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Everyone has heard of the worm at the bottom of the bottle, but what customs officials in Miami found kicked that up a few notches. Customs officials in Miami seized what they believe is "snake wine," poisonous snakes bottled in alcohol. United States Customs and Border Protection officers conducting a routine inspection on Wednesday seized a cobra and other poisonous snakes in a bottle believed to be "snake wine." Customs officials said the snakes, mixed in a glass container containing some form of alcohol, were inside an express mail package from Thailand. Jose Castellano, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said the agency discovered the bizarre beverage during the course of what otherwise would have been an ordinary search. As strange as the tale might seem, Castellano said it was just another day at the office. "We're not just at airports checking passports," said Castellano, whose officers also confiscated cocaine hidden in a diaper the same day they found the snake wine. "We check mail, boats and planes to make sure that anything that can be harmful or illegal does not enter the United States," he said. "Based on a risk management system, we decide what packages we look at, depending on where they are from, and a lot of different characteristics that would cause us to look into something," Castellano said. The investigation into the unusual cocktail is being handled by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Importing cobras into the United States is illegal because they are an endangered species. "It is wildlife that was not declared," said Eddie McKissick, a spokesman. "The issue is that this species of snake is protected by the convention on international trade in endangered species. It applies to live and dead animals." "We see this all the time," he added. "Not just the cobras, sometimes it's turtles and even dried sea horses." Customs officials said the practice of producing an alcoholic beverage that includes a whole venomous snake in the bottle originated in Vietnam and is popular in Southeast Asia. Officials said the entire snake is submerged in the alcohol, often with insects or other animals such as turtles. The snakes, preferably venomous, are not usually preserved for their meat, but to have the snake poison dissolved in the liquor, which is then used for medicinal purposes, officials said. Federal officials said the package was shipped from Thailand to an address in the southeastern United States. Authorities declined to reveal where or to whom the package was destined. "We're still gathering facts and haven't determined a course of action," McKissick said. The package, like all international mail, was inspected when it reached the regional Customs inspection site in the area for which it is destined. Once inspected, mail is turned over to the U.S. Postal system. McKissick said importation of endangered species into the United States requires a permit and proper procedures have to be followed. "If you have a demand for a wildlife species, someone has to go out and kill that species, so the regulations apply," he said. "These species require an export permit that they did not have."
Customs officials seize container of poisonous snakes in alcohol . "Snake wine" popular in Southeast Asia . Officials say they think wine is used for medicinal purposes . Spokesman says bottle was discovered during routine inspection .
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A Texas teacher has resigned following comments she made about President Barack Obama and Muslims. Angela Box of Houston, Texas, was appearing on a local political show, Tommy's Garage, when she joked, 'Can't Ebola just take one for the team and take out Obama?' Box, a frequent guest on the show, also said in one episode, 'Every normal human being in the world knows that goat-f**king Muslims and, oh, boy f**king Muslims, are the evil of the world.' Scroll down for video . Resigned: Angela Box (above), a third grade teacher in Houston, resigned from her job after comments she made about President Barack Obama and Muslims on a local show became public . Ouch: Box joked in one episode of the local political show Tommy's Garage, 'Can't Ebola just take one for the team and take out Obama?' Too far: In another episode she referred to Muslims as 'bacon haters' and 'goat f**kers' After these comments became public and people began labeling her a racist, she decided to resign, a decision that was unanimously approved by the school board. Under her deal she will still receive three months of pay. Now Box, who was a third grade teacher at Daily Elementary, is trying to make it clear she is not a racist. Tommy's Garage host Tom Adkins tried to make this point by showing clips in which Box voices her support for South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, and female fighter pilot Major Mariam Al-Mansouri of the United Arab Emirates, who flew missions against ISIS earlier this year. She is also a fan of Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann, saying that in her dream government Palin would be head of the EPA and Bachmann the ambassador to the United Nations. Box also issued a statement to the Houston Chronicle saying, 'Opposing President Obama and sounding the alarm about radical Islam does not make me a racist.' She reiterated this sentiment in an interview with KHOU last month, saying, 'I don't believe in judging people by the color of their skin. I, actually, like Martin Luther King did, shockingly, judge people by the content of their character.' Tommy's Garage . Clearing her name: Box now wants to make it clear she is not a racist, saying she judges people by the content of their character and not the color of their skin . Now, Box is also voicing her anger on Twitter in what she believes is a double standard in regards to what she can say as opposed to others, specifically liberals and radical Muslims, the latter of whom she refers to in one video as 'bacon haters.' 'Degenerate liberals and America-hating, radical Muslim apologists get to say whatever but patriots have to shut up? NO MORE,' she wrote just this week. She has also used her new semi-public persona to share her views on other political issues, like Tuesday's release of the CIA tortue report. Box wrote on Facebook Wednesday, 'I'm sure any of the people around the world--including the 3,000 innocent souls lost on 9-11--who have been brutally murdered, genitally mutilated, crucified, enslaved, raped, stoned to death, burnt alive, or bombed by radical Muslims would gladly trade places with the terrorists the CIA made stand up for a long time, listen to death metal, or made really super cold.' In another post she shares her opinion that the GOP are just as 'despicable' as Democrats. As for the program that led to this trouble, Box makes it clear she never intended for children to watch it, or see her appearances. 'No I don't want children to watch it. That's cuckoo talk,' she said. 'But we're adults and it plays on midnights on a cable access station. It's a comedy satire show for people that have strong opinions.'
Angela Box of Houston, Texas, resigned from her job as a third grade teacher after comments she made about President Obama and Muslims . Box joked that she hoped Obama would get Ebola, and called Muslims 'goat f**kers' and 'bacon haters' The comments were made on a local political program Tommy's Garage, on which Box is a frequent guest . Box denies she is a racist and in a video of her appearances on the show points out her support of people like fighter pilot Major Mariam Al-Mansouri . Though her resignation was unanimously approved, she will still receive three months of pay .
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By . James Rush . Suspended thousands of feet above the city below, this bridge would probably not be the most popular of places for those with a fear of heights. Yet something is not quite right about the city which lies underneath the feet of those walking across the structure - as none of the boats in the harbour move and the skyscrapers show no activity of life, you could almost be forgiven for thinking you were looking at a picture. But that's because this vertigo-inducing scene was in fact created by French artist Francois Abelanet. Vertigo: Passers-by walk across a bridge high above the city below in this impressive 3D street artwork . Factory floor: Visitors are given a peek into the Renault truck factory in this 3D image created by French artist Francois Abelanet . Flying high: The artist has created a number of surreal worlds, including this scene complete with flying parcels . Looking down: The pictures offer some amazing views across cityscapes and beyond . Daunting: Two boys pretend to teeter on the edge of a ledge high above an impressive cityscape . The artist created the amazing 3D street art for an event showcasing the new range of Renault Trucks in Lyon. The work, measuring more than 4,000 square metres, was also an attempt to enter the Guinness Book of Records for the largest street artwork. The spectacular images show a range of surreal worlds featuring parcels with wings and bridges high above huge cityscapes, which viewers seem to almost be able to step into. The people of Lyon were invited to preview the Renault Trucks's new products at the special event. Visitors were also able to get on board some of the new trucks. Renault Trucks has been situated in the city of Lyon since 1894, according to france3.fr. Originally part of Renault, the manufacturer has been owned by the Volvo Group since 2001. The manufacturer, which unveiled its . new range of vehicles last month, has been developing the vehicles for . the past seven years. The company says it 'has deployed . significant resources in order to offer its customers vehicles with a . high level of reliability'. What a view: Visitors attempt to capture the full effect of the vertigo-inducing images on their cameras . Showcase: The huge artworks were created for an event showcasing the new range of Renault trucks in Lyon, France . Record: The scenes were created in an attempt to enter the Guinness Book of Records for the largest street artwork . Trick of the eye: Artist Francois Abelanet created the amazing 3D images on material which was then laid down on the floor at the event .
Stunning images offer a 3D glimpse into surreal worlds, giving the impression viewer is thousands of feet above scene . Works created by French artist Francois Abelanet for an event showcasing the latest range of Renault trucks . The work was also an attempt to enter the Guinness Book of Records . for the largest street art work .
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(CNN) -- Just about every capital city in Eastern Europe seems to have been called "the Paris of the East" at some point. Unlike most other cities in the region, however, Budapest doesn't need the comparison. The grand old dame on the Danube is one of Europe's finest capitals by any measure. The eight landmark buildings below give you a feel for both Pest and Buda -- originally separate cities, divided by the river, but united about 150 years ago to form the modern metropolis. Visit these sights in the order presented here and they form a walking tour of sorts (see map to the left), albeit with the option of jumping on public transport or taking the odd taxi. Taxis are easy to spot in their bright new yellow livery. Take the subway and you'll be traveling on the world's second oldest underground railway and, on Line 1, a World Heritage Site. Parliament . Taking 17 years to build and completed in 1902, this neo-Gothic structure was partly inspired by the UK's Palace of Westminster. British politician-turned-broadcaster Michael Portillo memorably described it as "one of the most beautiful legislatures in the world, a cathedral of democracy." Kossuth Lajos Square in front of the building is being renovated, so the best views are currently from the river (Parliament is right on the Pest embankment) or the opposite Buda banks. Parliament, Kossuth Lajos tér 1-3, 1055 Budapest; +36 1 441 4000 . More: Hungary's signature dishes . St. Stephen's Basilica . Taking even longer -- 50 years -- than Parliament to complete, the biggest church in Budapest finally opened in 1906. During construction the building's dome collapsed and two of the three lead architects died. St. Stephen's Basilica contains the mummified hand -- called the "Holy Right" -- of Hungary's founding king-saint, Stephen (István). The dome is the same height as Parliament -- current legislation forbids anything higher, so Budapest isn't going to get its own version of London's Shard any time soon. The church is free to enter, though it costs 500 forints ($2.30) to climb up to the observation deck surrounding the 96-meter high dome (closed from November to the end of March). St. Stephen's Basillica, Szent István tér 1, 1051 Budapest; more on VisitBudapest.travel . Hungarian State Opera House . A lot of building rivalry has gone on in Budapest. The Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph approved (and partially paid for) the construction of an opera house in the city on the condition it was no bigger than the one in Vienna. Smaller it may have been but it was far more opulent -- the emperor's reported reaction on seeing it at the grand opening in 1884 was to mutter, "These Hungarians!" You can visit the ornate building on a tour but, even better, see it while watching an opera or ballet performance. The opera house is located on Andrássy út (itself a World Heritage Site), Budapest's grand boulevard full of high-end shops and other magnificent buildings. Hungarian State Opera House, Andrássy út 22, 1061 Budapest; +36 1 814-7100; more information on performance tickets or guided tours . More: 11 things to know before visiting Hungary . Dohány utca Synagogue . Also known as the Great Synagogue, this is one of the largest Jewish temples in the world. Consecrated in 1859, the Moorish revival-style building is a center of Neolog Judaism, a moderate reformed branch of the religion. The complex also includes a museum and, in the rear courtyard, a memorial to Jewish Holocaust victims in the form of a weeping willow with the names of the dead and disappeared inscribed on the leaves. An estimated 565,000 Hungarian Jews were murdered in World War II from a prewar population of more than 800,000. Dohány utca Synagogue, Dohány utca 2, 1074 Budapest; +36 1 343 0420 . Széchenyi Chain Bridge . Budapest is a city of bridges, but the Széchenyi Chain Bridge (Széchenyi lánchíd) is the granddaddy of them all -- in 1849 it became the first permanent span linking Buda and Pest. Commissioned by a Hungarian count, after whom it is named, the 375-meter-long suspension bridge was designed by an English engineer and built under the supervision of a Scot. As with all Budapest bridges, the original was blown up during the siege of the city in World War II -- a broadly similar replacement opened to traffic in 1947. The bridge is at its most spectacular at night, when fully illuminated. Széchenyi Chain Bridge spans the Danube between Széchenyi tér on the Pest side and Adam Clark tér in Buda. More: Budapest's best 'ruin bars' Royal Palace . The Castle District, yet another World Heritage Site (why not just designate the whole town a World Heritage Site?), dominates the Buda skyline. Although it actually lacks a castle, the Royal Palace, dominating the southern end, is magnificent. A royal residence from the 1300s to the end of the Hungarian monarchy in the early 20th century, it was rebuilt time and again through numerous sieges and wars. It now houses the Budapest History Museum, the Hungarian National Gallery and the National Széchenyi Library. Like the Széchenyi Bridge, the palace looks particularly magical each evening, when floodlights are switched on. Royal Palace, Szent György tér 2, 1014 Budapest; +36 1 224 3700 . Fisherman's Bastion . So named because the fisherman's guild was responsible for protecting this section of the medieval defenses, this isn't a building so much as a glorified wall. What you see today was built between 1895 and 1902 to replace the former castle wall and designed to harmonize with neighboring Matthias (Mátyás) Church. The bastion's seven turrets represent the seven Hungarian tribes. They weren't designed to keep people out, but to provide a vantage point -- the panorama they offer over the river (both embankments are -- you guessed it -- also a World Heritage Site) is breathtaking. Fisherman's Bastion, Hess András tér 1-3, 1014 Budapest . More: Why misers should head for Budapest . National Theater . Proof that not every Budapest building worth seeing need be more than 100 years old, the National Theater opened on the Pest Embankment, next to the Palace of Arts, in 2002. The eclectic modern design includes references to much of the city's historic architecture but also incorporates a lot of glasswork. The public park in which the theater sits has a sculptured entrance gate in the form of theater curtains, statues of popular Hungarian actors in their most famous roles scattered about and a maze -- just in case you're not tired of walking around. National Theater, Bajor Gizi park 1, 1095 Budapest; +36 1 476-6868 . CNN Travel's series often carries sponsorship originating from the countries and regions we profile. However, CNN retains full editorial control over all of its reports. Read the policy.
"Paris of the East"? Budapest needs no such comparison . Budapest's Opera House may be smaller than Vienna's -- but it's more opulent . The city's Chain Bridge and Royal Palace look superb lit up at night .
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It's the whizzy invention scientists say can conjure up anything from chess pieces and toy cars to bones, guns and guitars. Now researchers working on the 3D printer have set their sights on revolutionising home cooking – with the launch of the first food printer. The so-called Foodini, which they say combines ‘technology, food, art and design’, can be used to make anything from chocolate fingers to ravioli. A respectable looking cheese and tomato pizza created by the 'Foodini' 3D food printer . Basics: The dough for the pizza is printed out using the machine. Foodini can create savoury or sweet cuisine made from real food and fresh ingredients . Pizza sauce printing. he so-called Foodini, which they say combines 'technology, food, art and design', can be used to make anything from chocolate fingers to ravioli . Pizza before cooking. It's the whizzy invention scientists say can conjure up anything from chess pieces and toy cars to bones, guns and guitars . The machine is expected to go on sale priced at £835 in mid-2014, and needs to be loaded with capsules filled with fresh ingredients. It is is operated by a touch-screen mini tablet that functions as the user interface embedded on the front of the device. Users can then select a design and the food is ‘printed’ as the different ingredients are built up in layers. Natural Machines, the company behind the idea, has suggested that parents could use the device to design meals in the shape of animals or cartoon characters – or surprise a loved one by customising a message that could be printed on top of a cake. The new kitchen processor is about to revolutionise cooking, by letting you make your favourite dishes using a 3D food printer . The machine is expected to go on sale priced at £835 in mid-2014, and needs to be loaded with capsules filled with fresh ingredients. Firm co-founder Lynette Kucsma, a . former PR manager for Microsoft, sad 'Foodini takes on the difficult parts of . making food that is hard and/or time consuming to make fully by hand. One of our goals is to streamline some of cooking's more repetitive . activities - forming dough into breadsticks, or filling and forming . individual ravioli - to encourage more people to eat healthy, homemade . foods. 'Choose your . recipe from our online recipe site, or create your own. Then let Foodini . do the hard part. You prepare and load the fresh ingredients, and . Foodini will create the dish. Depending on the recipe, the food is . either ready to eat after Foodini is done, such as a chocolate dessert, . or you'll need to finish cooking the dish prior to eating, like . ravioli.' Printed nuggets. Users can then select a design on the machine's control panel and the food is 'printed' as the different ingredients are built up in layers . Ready for use: Firm co-founder Lynette Kucsma, a former PR manager for Microsoft, revealed that they are hoping to make family homes and restaurants their top market . The firm co-founder said: 'Retail food stores have shown an interest. They can both print food in-store to sell to consumers as well as sell pre-filled food capsules for consumers to take home to use in their machines' She says the machine will allow people to have fun with food by creating their own recipes. She . explains: 'We printed two sets of burgers. In the pictures, the square . burgers are vegetarian bean burgers, with white beans, lentils, onion . and herbs. The two small round burgers are meat burgers, made with pork . meat, beef, parmiggiano, walnut, red berry jam, salt and peppe . She also revealed that they are hoping to make . family homes and restaurants their top market. She . said: ‘Retail food stores have shown an interest. They can both print . food in-store to sell to consumers as well as sell pre-filled food . capsules for consumers to take home to use in their machines. Ready: The machine arrives ready for use, so-called plug and play, and is operated by a touch-screen mini tablet that functions as the user interface embedded on the front of the device . Faster food: The machine also produces printed cheeseburgers . Lynette Kucsma, co-founder of the Barcelona-based comapny said 'We printed two sets of burgers. In the pictures, the square burgers are vegetarian bean burgers, with white beans, lentils, onion and herbs' 'The two small round burgers are meat burgers, made with pork meat, beef, parmiggiano, walnut, red berry jam, salt and pepper . ‘It could be an option to buy pre-filled capsules, put them in the machine and print.’ However a spokesman for the Barcelona-based company pointed out that the Foodini still has several limitations. He . said: ‘Foodini does not automate all your cooking, nor does it cook . food. If necessary, it can keep food warm as it works as it contains a . heating element.’ He added: ‘Making your own food and knowing all of the ingredients is obviously better. ‘But it does require more time from you in the kitchen versus opening a bag or a box of something that is processed, frozen or already prepared. ‘Foodini can design food into different shapes, make a quiche in the shape of a dinosaur, create pictures with sauces that kids can fill in with veggies or write messages on pieces of toast for breakfast. ‘You could also make food more visually appealing by adding an intricate topping to a cupcake. Who says food always has to be a serious affair?’ Many talents: Liquorice is just one of the foods that the 3D printer can make . A spokesman said: 'Foodini does not automate all your cooking, nor does it cook food. If necessary, it can keep food warm as it works as it contains a heating element' Foodini can design food into different shapes, make a quiche in the shape of a dinosaur, create pictures with sauces that kids can fill in with veggies or write messages on pieces of toast for breakfast . A printed chocolate xmas tree is also one of the shapes that the printer can create . Festive themed: A chocolate snowflake is also another one of the products produced by the machine . A spokesman for the Barcelona-based company pointed out that the Foodini still has several limitations .
We could soon all be enjoying food made by a 'Foodini' machine . The gadget is a 3D printer with the capability to make our favourite dishes . Makers say their invention combines technology, food, art and design .
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By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 10:32 EST, 25 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:43 EST, 26 November 2013 . Almost half of Britons think the right to work and live in the UK should be blocked for Romanians and Bulgarians, a survey has shown. It comes as Downing Street confirmed it is looking at a possible extension of the length of time new arrivals from the EU have to stay in the UK before claiming benefits. And the Romanian foreign minister urged David Cameron to reject the ‘racist attitudes’ which can dominate the political debate on immigration. The UK government is under pressure to curb entry to the UK when EU restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarians coming here to work are lifted in January . Concerns have been raised in Westminster over the numbers of Romanians and Bulgarians who might come to the UK when movement controls imposed when they joined the European Union expire in January. But Mr Cameron’s official spokesman appeared to reject suggestions the Prime Minister was prepared to defy European courts to impose tougher conditions. ‘The Government acts within the law,’ he told reporters. However it was confirmed that the government is considering extending the amount of time migrants have to be in the UK before they can claim benefits from three months to a year. Mr Cameron's official spokesman told a regular Westminster media briefing: ‘You would expect the Government to be looking at whether there is more that could be done. That process is, as you would expect, going on.’ However he refused to comment on when a decision might be made or what changes might be introduced. David Cameron is considering extending the amount of time migrants have to be in the UK before they can claim benefits . Any extension of the bar on benefits would potentially set up a clash with Brussels and a row within the coalition Government. The European Commission prevents member states from discriminating between their own citizens and those from other European Union members. Meanwhile, an opinion poll for Channel 5 News found 47 per cent of people thought migrants from the two countries should have no right to live, work or claim benefits in the UK and 56 per cent believed immigration had resulted in a negative impact on Britain. One in four people surveyed in the Chancel 5 News poll thought Romanians and Bulgarians should be treated the same as other EU citizens and 18 per cent thought they should have more limited rights to live, work and access welfare in the UK. A third of people surveyed over-estimated the percentage of people born outside the UK living in the country, thinking the figure was over 40 per cent, rather than the 13 per cent indicated in the 2011 census. More than a quarter (27 per cent) of those surveyed said Ukip had the best immigration policies, followed by Labour on 18 per cent, the Tories on 12 per cent and Lib Dems on 7 per cent. Romania's Foreign Minister, Titus Corlatean told Channel 5 News he did not expect a ‘flood’ of migrants from his country to come to Britain after January 1 and attacked the way the immigration debate had been conducted in the UK. He said Mr Cameron should reject ‘in clear terms if it's possible the xenophobic and populistic and once again sometimes racist attitudes which are promoted by some other British politicians’. The Bulgarian ambassador to the UK, Konstantin Dimitrov, also accused some politicians of making ‘highly unacceptable ... prejudicial’ comments about his countrymen. Bulgarian Ambassador Konstantin Dimitrov said he had not heard of any Bulgarians being prevented from working in the UK . Mr Dimitrov told the Daily Telegraph that Bulgarians moving to Britain should not be described as ‘immigrants’. ‘Bulgarians are not immigrants,’ he said. ‘Bulgarians are members of the European Union and are moving freely inside the EU, including the UK.’ Although the transitional controls on freedom of movement remain in place until the end of the year, Mr Dimitrov said he had not heard of any Bulgarians being prevented from working in the UK. He said: ‘In other words, most of all those who wanted to work here, especially since we became a member of the EU in 2007, have managed to do so.’ Occasionally, applications for accession worker cards were turned down but this was for technical reasons such as failure to provide the necessary qualifications, he told the newspaper. :: Channel 5 News carried out an online survey of 1,006 adults from England, Scotland and Wales. Data were weighted by age, sex, region, household income, education and past vote.
47% say Romanians and Bulgarians should not have right to come to UK . Should not be allowed to work, live or claim benefits in Britain, poll says . Prime Minister unveiling proposals to renegotiate relationship with Europe . New arrivals would have to wait a year, up from 3 months, to get benefits . EU rules ban discriminating between citizens and migrants' hand-outs . PM considering move, which would spark court battle with Brussels .
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(CNN) -- Lionel Messi broke his own European Champions League record as he scored five goals in Barcelona's 7-1 demolition of Bayer Leverkusen in Wednesday's second leg of their last-16 tie. The three-time World Player of the Year had set the previous best of four against Arsenal two seasons ago, and proceeded to go one better with a dazzling display in the Nou Camp. He now has 12 goals from seven Champions League matches this season as the defending champions waltzed into the quarterfinals 10-2 on aggregate against their unfortunate German opponents. The 24-year-old scored 12 last season as he was the tournament's top scorer. Messi's reaction to his feat was characteristically humble. "The most important thing is that we won, that's what we wanted," he said. Coach Josep Guardiola said the Argentina forward "is the best" and "unique because of his talent and for his competitive capacity." "It's not easy to score five goals in a game. We are very fortunate to have a player like this, we can only enjoy him and this team," Guardiola said after his team reached the last eight for the fifth successive year. "We only try to provide the conditions so that he can receive the ball as many times as possible where he feels comfortable." Trailing 3-1 from the first leg, the Bundesliga side could not contain Messi as he scored twice before the break in the 25th and 42nd minutes. Messi claimed his hat-trick early in the second half with a lob after he eluded a static Bayer defense from Fabregas' through pass. Debutant Cristian Tello added Barca's fourth, again set up by former Arsenal star Fabregas. Messi then scored from a tight angle for his fourth after a defensive error, and goalkeeper Bernd Leno was at fault again as he allowed a weak shot by the 20-year-old Tello to go in for the sixth. Messi's fifth with six minutes to go was unstoppable -- taking him to 49 overall in Europe's top club competition, the sixth highest total -- before Karim Bellarabi scored a consolation for the visitors. The night's other Champions League tie saw triumph for Cypriot underdogs Apoel Nicosia, who reached the quarterfinals for the first time in the club's history. Apoel beat French giants Lyon 1-0 after extra time for a 1-1 aggregate score, then won the penalty shootout 4-3. Dionissis Chiotis was the home hero with two saves in the shootout after Gustavo Manduca scored the only goal of the night in the ninth minute of normal time to cancel out Alexandre Lacazette's winner for Lyon in the first leg.
Lionel Messi hits record five goals Barcelona's 7-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen . Defending champions go through 10-2 on aggregate . Messi held previous record of four goals in a tie . Apoel Nicosia beat Lyon after dramatic penalty shootout .
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The 55-year-old, was sentenced last week to 200 years in prison for impregnating his granddaughter and sexually abusing her younger sister . An 11-year-old girl from Montana has opened up about how her 55-year-old pedophile grandfather got her pregnant and then tried to cover up the incest by spinning a web of lies. The man was sentenced last week to 200 years in prison for impregnating his granddaughter and sexually abusing her younger sister. The Stevensville man was arrested in June after the victim was found to be 32 weeks pregnant after a doctor’s visit. He was the legal guardian of the 11-year-old and her 9-year-old sister. Investigators said the grandfather, who had a history of predatory conduct targeting young women dating back to the early 1980s, molested both girls in his care. Speaking to The Missoulian, the 11-year-old victim said she had no idea she was pregnant until she went the doctor in June complaining of stomach cramps. 'I didn't know what pregnant felt like, so I didn't know,' the unnamed girl said. The 11-year-old delivered a baby in August. During an interview with the head of a children’s advocacy organization, the little girl said when she would reject her grandfather’s sexual advances, he would 'lie on the couch and pout.' 'He’d wait to see if I could come out and look at him and feel sorry for him, but I wouldn’t,’ she said. To cover up the incestuous sex crime, the 11-year-old said her grandfather concocted a story for her to tell the children’s advocate about a 14-year-old boy who had gotten her pregnant at the county fair the summer before. However, medical staff noted that the term of the pregnancy and girl's suggested date of conception were out by three months. The girl later confirmed that her grandfather was the father of her baby. ‘Instead of him doing the wrong thing, he would come in and tell me what to say,’ the girl said in August. ‘He didn’t want to get caught.’ The girl's younger sister has revealed that on several occasions, she awakened on her bunk bed and watched through a hole as her grandfather molested her big sister. On July 1 last year, the nine-year-old girl told her biological mother that she witnessed the pedophile come into the girl's bedroom and assault her sister with his hands and mouth. During a forensic interview, she gave a detailed account of the oral sex, The Missoulian reported. Judge Jeffrey Langton sentenced the grandfather to 200 years in prison for sexually abusing his young granddaughters at Ravalli County District court (pictured) The younger girl also told investigators that he had sexually assaulted her by 'kissing her privates', then telling her it was a secret she had to keep. During the sentencing hearing Wednesday, Judge Jeffrey Langton said the convicted pedophile would be a menace to children if he remained free. ‘You seem to lack any semblance of a conscience,’ Langton said. When given the chance to speak, he muttered: ' I'm so sorry.' His two 100-year sentences will run consecutively. He will become eligible for parole only at the age of 105 and will be required to register as a Level 3 sex offender. The convicted pedophile had been charged two decades ago with lewd conduct with a minor and forced sexual penetration in a different state. The sheriff's office is still investigating claims that the pedophile, who is married according to public records, sexually assaulted other girls, one as young as three.
The 55-year-old, from Stevensville, Montana, was sentenced to 100 years each on two counts of incest . The judge said that he seemed 'to lack any semblance of a conscience' He was arrested in June after the 11-year-old girl was found to be 32 weeks pregnant. She gave birth in August . The grandfather was the guardian of the 11-year-old and her 9-year-old sister and abused both girls .