id
stringlengths 40
40
| article
stringlengths 48
15.9k
| highlights
stringlengths 14
7.39k
|
|---|---|---|
f9882ad955935d4997d1ee78d55af6979b44ae53
|
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:10 EST, 3 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:19 EST, 3 May 2012 . The wife of a former Minnesota Viking was convicted today of two felonies in a hit-and-run that killed a man. Amy Senser was charged with three felony counts of criminal vehicular homicide in the death of Anousone Phanthavong. Senser was found guilty of two counts: leaving the scene of an accident and failure to promptly report an accident. She was acquitted on a third felony charge of gross negligence. She was also convicted of misdemeanor careless driving. Deliberation: The jury found Amy Senser guilty of two of the three counts after she fatally hit Anousone Phanthavong on August 23 last year and left the scene of the accident . Senser, 45, of Edina, showed little emotion as the verdicts were read. She stared straight ahead. Jurors looked tense at the conclusion of the highly publicized trial, with one crying and dabbing at tears with a handkerchief. Senser was to remain free until . sentencing. Each felony count was punishable by up to ten years in . prison, but sentencing guidelines suggested four years for each count. The misdemeanor carried a potential sentence of up to 90 days in jail. To get a conviction on the first felony . count, the prosecution had to prove that she knew she hit a person. On . the second count, the prosecution needed to prove that not only did she . know she struck someone but that she failed to report it as soon as . reasonably possible. The third requires the jury to conclude she acted . with gross negligence, not just ordinary negligence. Phanthavong, 38, was a chef at a Thai . restaurant near the site of the accident. His car had run out of gas . and he had pulled to the side of the highway exit ramp. He was filling the car's tank when he . was hit. Parts of a Mercedes were found at the scene, and authorities . sought the public's help in finding the driver. Nearly 24 hours later, attorney Eric . Nelson called authorities to tell them they could pick up the vehicle . involved at the Sensers'. Despite giving up the vehicle, the . Sensers didn't talk to police, fueling speculation about who was driving . and whether alcohol was involved. It was more than a week later that Amy Senser admitted she was driving. Accused: Amy Senser, center, walks out of the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility with her lawyer, Eric Nelson, left, and her husband, Joe Senser, right, after one of her court appearances . At trial, her stepdaughter Brittani . testified that Amy Senser only came forward only after Brittani — angry . that some people had speculated she was the driver — threatened to go to . authorities. Amy Senser testified that the night . of the crash, she went to meet her daughters and their friends at a Katy . Perry concert at St Paul's Xcel Energy Center, and had part of a glass . of wine at a nearby restaurant before going inside. After about 90 minutes, suffering from a headache, she left, intending to have her husband pick up the girls. As she was driving home, she changed . her mind and decided to return to St Paul. Shortly after turning onto a . freeway exit ramp in a construction area in Minneapolis, Senser said she . felt a jolt at the front of her Mercedes-Benz SUV. She said she was looking to the left at the time, and thought she had hit an orange construction barrel or a pothole. It wasn't until the next day, when . her husband called her outside to look at the car and the couple saw . news reports about Phanthavong's death, that the couple called an . attorney. On the stand, she wept as she said she was still struggling to accept the fact that she had hit him. Brittani Senser, left, testified that she was . 'furious' that her stepmother, Amy Senser, pictured right, had not come . forward about driving the SUV that struck and killed a man as everyone then thought it was her . Drive: On the night of August 23, 2011, Amy Senser was behind the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz SUV that struck and killed 38-year-old Anousone Phanthavong but drove off after she hit him . Prosecutor Deborah Russell said in . closing arguments that Senser had to have known, and questioned whether . Joe Senser himself believed his wife. She reminded the jury of numerous texts Senser had deleted from her cellphone from the night of the crash and the next day. Phanthavong's family members have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Sensers seeking more than $50,000 in damages. Senser played four years with the Vikings in the early 1980s before a knee injury ended his career. He co-owns Joe Senser's Restaurant . and Sports Theater, a Minneapolis-St Paul-area restaurant chain, and has . worked as a Vikings radio color commentator.
|
Amy Senser was found guilty of leaving the scene of an accident and failure to report an accident .
Acquitted of gross negligence and misdemeanor careless driving .
Faces up to ten years in jail .
|
f9882c2d9561c28fcf7e29c180c7e74088b367b7
|
By . James Gordon . PUBLISHED: . 16:45 EST, 23 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:22 EST, 26 November 2013 . An Arizona high school student has been suspended after driving to school with the Confederate flag flying from his truck. Jacob Green, 17, insists he is not a racist person and that flying the flag wasn’t a problem until a few weeks ago when another boy got into a fight with him. The Confederate flag has remained a controversial symbol since the Civil War and to this day still incites a lot of emotion. Scroll down for video... Jacob Green: The high school student displayed a confederate flag on his truck sparking a fight which resulted in the suspension of both himself and another boy . Some call it a symbol of hate from an era that preached segregation among Americans. After the fight, both boys at the school in Goodyear were suspended. Jacob has been banned from displaying the flag on campus but he has argued that the school has violated his first amendment rights to freedom of speech. The school district says it can limit students' rights while they're here on campus, especially when it comes to safety. Flying the flag: Some call it a symbol of hate from an era that preached segregation among Americans, but the flag sparked a fight at a high school and the district suspended both boys involved . The 13 stars of the Confederate flag represent the southern states who attempted secession from the United States during the Civil War, and where slavery was legal. The Confederate States set up a government from 1861 to 1865, but were eventually defeated by northern states in the U.S. Civil War. The 13 stars on the Confederates Flag represent the states of South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri. In an email to parents following the incident, school officials explained that both students were suspended for five days and that Jason was prohibited from bringing the flag on campus. ‘Open display.. bringing it in.. it has . been proven to be patently offensive to certain groups and the courts . recognize that,’ said Agua Fria Unified School District Superintendent . Dennis Runyan. Historically, the flag has been known to symbolize a time of oppression and racism, but the 11th grader at Millennium High School says he has a different view of the flag. ‘I'm not a racist person,’ said Jacob Green to Fox News ‘I've done nothing wrong. I've flown a flag on my truck. Somebody fought me because of it. I didn't fight him. I was walking around like a normal person. He confronted me, he hit me first.. I was defending myself,’ he explained. Jacob claims that the flag wasn't a problem until a couple of weeks ago when he and another boy got into a fight at school. Controversial: Historically, the flag has been known to symbolize a time of oppression and racism . Jacob says he researched the history of the Confederate flag and didn't find it offensive. ‘The flag means basically more independence, less government. It didn't mean racism, it didn't mean slavery, it didn't mean any of that. It basically meant what they were fighting for was their right to be independent and not have the government control them.’ Jacob has so far refused to remove the flag from his car. His parents also back him saying that they believe their son should have the right to fly the flag at school. They also believe the student who attacked their son committed a hate crime and are considering filing a police report . Either way, the school believes the flag to be a source of trouble and Jacob won’t be allowed to return to campus until he changes his mind.
|
Student flew flag from his pick-up truck .
Flag angered other students at his high school resulting in a fight followed by a week-long suspension .
Jacob Green, 17, STILL refuses to remove the flag from his vehicle .
|
f988cde3cd5b3472f6342524ee38a9815168d06d
|
By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 07:55 EST, 5 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:25 EST, 5 December 2012 . The story of how one of the first SAS soldiers escaped from a German desert camp during the Second World War has emerged, 30 years after his death, as his medals for bravery are put up for auction. Sergeant Ernest Thomas Lilley – known as Bob – found himself alone and unarmed behind enemy lines after a raid on German warplanes in Libya saw him separated from his comrades. The 28-year-old sergeant was spotted by a guard but after a life-and-death struggle he overpowered his enemy and managed to escape, a brave action which awarded him the Military Medal in 1942. Brave soldier: Sgt Lilley was awarded the Military Medal for his actions during an SAS raid in Libya during the Second World War . Sgt Lilley’s group were operating as . part of the Long Range Desert Group a reconnaissance and raiding unit . of the British Army during the Second World War. Shortly before Sgt Lilley became separated from them, the Long Range Desert Group had blown up . numerous aircraft and spare engines in hangers and workshops in . Benghazi. The group was discovered by the enemy and was forced to split up. Sgt Lilley, from Wolverhampton, West . Midlands, found himself alone and unarmed inside the German camp and was trying to find a way . out when the Italian soldier saw him. Surrounded by enemy forces, he knew an . alarm would risk the lives of himself and his comrades, and had no choice but to quickly . overpower and strangle the guard. He managed to escape the camp and was reunited with his group after a 12 mile walk in the desert . Sgt Lilley had served in the SAS . since it was first formed in 1941 and won numerous awards for his . bravery and service during his time in the army. Hero: Sergeant Bob Lilley in the Western desert during his time with the 21st SAS regiment . Collectors' gold: Sergeant Bob Lilley's war medals, including the Military Medal, British Empire Medal, Africa Star, Italy Star, France Star and Germany Star, are set to fetch £50,000 at the auction later this month . Sgt Lilley won the Military Medal in . November 1942 for his bravery during the raid before continuing to serve . the SAS until his discharge in 1958. He was appointed Regimental Sergeant Major of 21 Special Air Service Regiment in 1950 and was awarded the . British Empire Medal for his services in 1952. In his recommendationm=m Commander . Lieutenant Colonel A.C. Newman, called him a ‘legendary soldier greatly . deserving the medal for his services to the 21st SAS Regiment'. Sgt Bob Lilley died in August 1981 at the age of 67. The collection of medals, which . includes the Military Medal, British Empire Medal, Africa Star, Italy . Star, France Star and Germany Star, are set to fetch £50,000 when . they are put up for auction next week. Loyal crew: Sergeant Bob Lilley (second from right) with his fellow SAS soldiers on New Year's Eve in 1942 . Christopher Hill, medal expert at . auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb said: ‘Sgt Lilley was a member of the . original SAS squad, or what is now known as the SAS. ‘They were all tough heroic-type characters, you had to be that sort of chap to be in the SAS. ‘This episode reflected his resourcefulness and his determination to do what had to be done. ‘He was a legendary soldier, a real tough character and one of the first ever SAS men. ‘These medals have always been kept in . his family, until now. It has been decided to find it a good home so . the children can use it for inheritance.’ The auction at The Washington Hotel in . London on December 13, is expected to set a new British record. The . medal collection, which includes Sgt Lilley’s awards, predicted to sell for . £1.3million . In uniform: Wearing traditional clothes in Cairo 1941, around the time of the raid on enemy planes in Libya .
|
SAS Sergeant Bob Lilley's medals set to fetch £50,000 at auction .
Sgt Bob Lilley escaped an enemy camp in Libya during Second World War .
He was unarmed and separated from his group when he was spotted by a guard and forced to strangle him .
Sgt Lilley was awarded the Military Medal in 1942 for his bravery .
|
f988fd31b73e4758738903fc2af5adf07d4b9c36
|
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital released a video on Thursday which shows the bittersweet moment Ebola-patient Nina Pham said goodbye to her doctor before leaving Dallas for further treatment in Maryland. The 26-year-old nurse contracted Ebola after volunteering to care for U.S 'patient zero' Thomas Eric Duncan, who tragically died on October 8 from the deadly disease. In the video released Thursday evening, at Ms Pham's request, her treating physician gets emotional as he sees her off on her trip to the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda. 'Thanks for getting well. Thanks for being part of the volunteer team to take care of our first patient,' Dr Weinstein is heard saying, as he focuses the camera on Ms Pham, reclining in her hospital bed. Scroll down for videos . Thanks, Nina: Video shows the emotional moment nurse Nina Pham (pictured) was discharged from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas to receive further treatment at the National Institutes of Health hospital in Bethesda, Martyland . 'It means a lot. This has been a huge effort by all of you,' he adds, before tearing up. Ms Pham then smiles and tells her doctor not to cry. 'We're really proud of you,' Dr Weinstein says. That causes Ms Pham to start crying herself, and another physician standing by in full hazmat suiting hands her a tissue to wipe away her tears. The camera does not linger on Ms Pham long enough to see where she disposes of the wet tissue after drying her eyes. 'I love you guys,' she says. 'We love you, Nina,' Dr Weinstein responds, at the end of the video. Ms Pham was discharged from the Dallas hospital Thursday evening to fanfare as her coworkers gathered outside the building to see her off, holding up signs like 'Get well' and 'You're a rock star'. She landed in Bethesda around 10:40pm Eastern Time, and was admitted to NIH hospital shortly before midnight. Goodbyes: The video was recorded just before Ms Pham left the Dallas hospital Thursday. She was the first there to contract Ebola after treating U.S. 'patient zero' Thomas Eric Duncan . Emotional moment: The young nurse tears up when her doctors (holding the camera) tells her how proud he is that she volunteered to treat Mr Duncan . Watering eyes: Another health care worker in the room is seen handing Ms Pham a tissue to wipe away her tears . Ms Pham was discharged from Texas Health Thursday evening . This afternoon Ms Pham asked the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital to release a statement on her behalf thanking her family, friends and co-workers for the outpouring of support. ‘I feel very blessed, and have gained strength from their support. I appreciate everything that my coworkers [sic] have done to care for me at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas,’ the nurse stated. ‘I’m doing really well thanks to this team, which is the best in the world. I believe in my talented coworkers. I am #presbyproud!’ The press release from the beleaguered hospital also included a statement from Dr. Gary Weinstein, chief of pulmonology and critical care medicine, who described the decision to transfer Ms Pham to Maryland as a difficult one. ‘We’re so glad she has improved so much in such a short amount of time,’ he said. ‘Our prayers are with her, and she’ll be in wonderful hands at NIH.’ Hospital spokeswoman Candace White concluded the statement by saying that it is in the best interest of everyone involved to ‘give the hospital an opportunity to prepare for whatever comes next.’ Meanwhile, the City of Dallas released new photos of Ms Pham's beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Bentley, looking cheerful during quarantine at the Dallas Animal Services and Adoption Center. A worker in hazmat-clothing guides Ms Pham down the stairs of the air ambulance Thursday night, after she arrived in Bethesda from Dallas . Get well, Nina: Well-wishers gathered outside the airport in Maryland where Ms Pham landed Thursday night . Bethesda bound: Ms Pham boarded her private flight to Maryland Thursday evening, and is seen in yellow being lead out of the ambulance by workers in similar protective clothing . On her way: Ms Pham's coworkers at Texas Health Presbyterian hospital lined up outside the hospital Thursday evening as she left in an ambulance to board a chartered flight to Maryland . 'Our hearts are with you': Above, some of the signs crafted by the health care workers to see Ms Pham off on Thursday . The pooch is currently being cared for by professionals in protective Hazmat suits. City spokeswoman Sana Syed tweeted that Bentley was doing well considering the sudden separation from his owner. ‘Bentley is settling in, getting used to new routines. The cutie played w/ new toy and snuggled w/ vet,’ she wrote Thursday afternoon. On Wednesday, Presbyterian Hospital was treating two Ebola patients - Ms Pham and nurse Amber Vinson, both employees of the hospital who contracted the disease while treating 'patient zero' Thomas Eric Duncan. By tonight, the hospital will have zero Ebola patients in its care after federal officials ordered both of them moved to specialized facilities. Ms Vinson was flown out of Dallas to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta Wednesday night. There are four hospitals with infectious disease isolation wards in the United States. Three of them are currently treating patients . Furry friend: Ebola patient Nina Pham's pooch Bentley looks cheerful during quarantine in this photo released Thursday by City of Dallas. The sick nurse's beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is being cared for by professionals wearing protective hazmat suits . There are four special infectious disease hospitals in the US - one in Maryland, one in Atlanta, one in Nebraska and one in Montana . Nurses have come forward to allege that training and procedures at the hospital were not adequate to protect them. Medical records obtained by the Associated Press revealed that during Duncan's first two days in the hospital, nurses did not wear protective hazmat gear when treating him. Nurses also complained that their necks and wrists were exposed in the suits that they were given, that some supervisors said face masks weren't necessary and that Duncan was not isolated for hours before he was admitted to the hospital. All these claims follow the shocking news weeks ago that Duncan was sent home with a prescription for antibiotics when he first showed up at the hospital - despite telling nurses he had traveled from West Africa. There are currently four Americans being treated for Ebola in the United States. NBC News freelancer Ashoka Mukpo is being treated at University of Nebraska Medical Center in Lincoln. Ms Vinson is at Emory University Hospital, along with an American World Health Organization doctor who contracted the disease while working in Sierre Leone. The only US hospital with an infectious disease isolation unit that has thus far not treated an Ebola patient is St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula, Montana. This comes as President Obama said on Thursday he is considering appointing an Ebola 'czar' as the lead U.S. coordinator in the effort to contain the virus and that he remains opposed to a ban on travel from West Africa. Workers put on full hazmat gear to clean up the apartment of Amber Vinson, the second sick nurse, on Thursday . The National Institutes of Health Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, is one of four hospitals in the nation that has a special infectious disease isolation ward . Obama met in the Oval Office with aides who are involved in the Ebola fight and spoke to reporters afterward. He said 'it may be appropriate' at some stage to put one person in charge of the effort. Some lawmakers, such as Republican Senator John McCain, have been urging him to take this step. Amber Vinson, 29, is feared to have been exhibiting Ebola symptoms as early as Friday before she took her flight out of Dallas-Fort Worth Airport to Cleveland, Ohio . Gesturing to top aides who are leading various aspects of the Ebola fight like Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, national security adviser Susan Rice and Centers for Disease Control director Tom Frieden, Obama said they have many other duties in addition to Ebola. 'It's not that they haven't been doing an outstanding job working hard on this issue, but they're also responsible for a whole lot of other stuff,' he said. Obama resisted pressure from lawmakers to impose a ban on travel from West Africa. He said experts tell him that 'a flat-out travel ban is not the way to go' because a ban would be less effective than current screening measures on travelers to the United States from the region. 'I don't have a philosophical objection necessarily to a travel ban if that is the thing that is going to keep the American people safe,' he said. But he noted that some travelers might attempt to enter the United States under the radar and would avoid the screening measures, leading possibly to more rather than fewer Ebola cases. Indeed, the president's comments came after the news that Ebola-stricken nurse Amber Vinson may have been showing symptoms of the deadly virus as early as last Friday - before she flew to Ohio for the weekend and then back to Texas. The CDC made the shocking announcement on Thursday, after Miss Vinson was revealed as the second medical worker in Dallas to contract Ebola from the U.S.'s 'patient zero' Thomas Duncan. Ebola update: President Barack Obama spoke about the government's response to Ebola from the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday . On October 10, Miss Vinson, 29, may have had Ebola symptoms when she flew out of Dallas-Fort Worth Airport on Frontier Airlines Flight 1142 to Cleveland to plan her upcoming wedding, a health official said today. CDC Dr Chris Braden said during a press briefing on Thursday: 'We had started to look at the possibility that she had symptoms going back as far as Saturday. 'This has to do with the bridal shop. Some more information that has come through recently says we can't rule out that she might have had the start of her symptoms on Friday.' Seven people in Cleveland and Akron have put themselves in voluntary quarantine after coming into contact with Miss Vinson, including five friends whom she shopped with for bridesmaid dresses at bridal store, Coming Attractions, in Cleveland. The news has prompted high schools and medical centers in Ohio to send home staff and students amid fears that they could have come into contact with the nurse. Miss Vinson remained in her home for the three days she was in Cleveland, except for one trip to a bridal store with friends - but authorities are pressing her further on her movements. The store's owners have voluntarily closed while CDC officials investigate the level of risk. The owner of the store told Newsnet5 that Miss Vinson didn't seem sick when she visited to pick out dresses. The 29-year-old is now being treated at Emory in Atlanta, Georgia where she was described as being in a stable condition.
|
Video shows Nina Pham saying goodbye to her doctor before she was transferred to a hospital in Maryland, Thursday evening .
Ms Pham contracted Ebola after volunteering to treat U.S. 'patient zero' Thomas Eric Duncan .
Fellow nurse Amber Vinson has also been diagnosed with the deadly virus.
Ms Vinson, 29, was transported on Wednesday to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia .
On Thursday, Ms Pham was discharged to receive further treatment at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda and arrived just before midnight .
|
f9894d7b04ff289e5ab6bfbb1271def088dfcaa0
|
He is one of the Gaal-acticos now, a constellation of stars Manchester United’s manager must align to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford. But there have been times in the past eight months when Radamel Falcao feared he might never play at the highest level again. When Falcao, 28, ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in a French Cup game in January, it soon became clear that the he would miss the Word Cup. VIDEO Scroll down for Radamel Falcao: I was in talks for months with Manchester United . Pointing the way: Colombia's Radamel Falcao is fit again after missing the World Cup through injury . Setback: Falcao ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament playing in the French Cup for Monaco last January . Good feet: Colombia impressed at this summer's World Cup in Brazil despite the absence of Falcao . Colombia’s star striker could only watch as his country went out at the quarter-final stage to hosts Brazil in a bruising encounter in Fortaleza. It has not been an easy road to recovery. However, a week that began with him flying to Manchester on a private jet to tie up a deadline-day move to Louis van Gaal’s United ended with Falcao making his international comeback against the Brazilians in Miami on Friday. It was only for the last 13 minutes of a 1-0 defeat but this is Falcao after all. The man they call El Tigre. While his team-mates —Real Madrid’s new £71m signing James Rodriguez apart — warranted only passing interest from the waiting media, Falcao emerged from the dressing room at the Sun Life Stadium to an explosion of flashbulbs. El Tigre: Falcao came on for the final thirteen minutes of his country's 1-0 defeat to Brazil on Friday evening . Comeback: Falcao admitted he was nervous playing for his country again following his eight month lay-off . Plenty to smile about: Falcao says he is feeling spectacular and hopes to show he is still at the top level . ‘I’m so happy to be back and to have this opportunity life has granted me after the injury,’ he said. ‘I’m excited about being able to join Manchester United. I hope to score a lot of goals for them —that is something I have done everywhere I have played. ‘Because of the injury I felt so nervous before this game, almost like it was my first time with the national team. I expect it will be the same before I play my first game for United. All smiles: Falcao joined Man United from Monaco . ‘Physically I feel spectacular. I have been able to play without any kind of trouble whatever. Throughout my rehab people have given me so much support and sent me so many kind messages. I want to thank them by giving them as much happiness as possible. As time passes and I get into game shape, I believe I will show I’m still at the top level.’ Falcao’s injury made for a rigorous medical at United’s Carrington training centre on Monday night before his move was confirmed some considerable time after the transfer deadline had passed. Now he is determined to justify the massive expense they have gone to by bringing him to English football; more than £20million for one season if you factor in his £280,000-a-week ages on top of the £5m loan fee from Monaco. The transfer fee will be about £51.3m next summer should Van Gaal want to keep Falcao at United alongside Angel di Maria, Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Juan Mata. The former Porto and Atletico Madrid star knows what he is getting into. He understands his new club’s fall from grace and the fact that they have spent £150m this summer trying to put it right. ‘It is a dream come true to play for such a great and famous club,’ he said. ‘To bring the good times back is what we all want and I will work extra hard to do that. United are an historic club, one of the three best clubs in the world. They’ve made me feel very important in this new project and I’m very pleased and happy to have joined them. ‘There has been too much speculation about other clubs but that’s in the past now and I’ve chosen to join Manchester United. Going there was always in my best interests.’ Dream come true: Falcao chats with United's assistant manager shortly after joining the Red Devils . The striker was pictured celebrating with his agent Jorge Mendes and other advisors with a glass of wine in a city centre Chinese restaurant in the early hours of the morning before joining his Colombia team-mates in Miami, where he also applied for a visa at the British Consulate on Thursday. With everything that had gone on, coach Jose Pekerman chose to name Falcao on the bench after he had been out through an hour-long training session at the team hotel on Friday. It was probably a wise decision considering Colombia and Brazil wasted no time re-opening the hostilities that blighted their World Cup meeting. With Falcao hoping to make his United debut at home to QPR a week today, Van Gaal will be grateful he was kept out of the firing line for 77 minutes before replacing Rodriguez. New arrival: Falcao will be hoping to make his Manchester United debut against QPR a week on Sunday . Grateful: Man United manager Louis van Gaal will be pleased Falcao was used sparingly by Colombia . The build-up of excitement that started when he took his place on the bench before kick-off reached a crescendo when the No 9 went up on the board. A couple of final warm-up exercises in front of the dugout and Falcao was back. It all went a bit flat after that. Neymar claimed Brazil’s winner six minutes later and Falcao’s only notable contribution was to head a close-range chance over the bar. United fans will expect more for their money when Falcao lands in England today. El Tigre is desperate to deliver.
|
New Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao feared he might never play again at the highest level .
Colombia international ruptured anterior cruciate ligament playing for Monaco in French Cup in January .
Falcao missed this summer's World Cup in Brazil .
Frontman reveals he is now feeling spectacular and ready to show he can play at the top level .
28-year-old was nervous to return for Colombia against Brazil on Friday .
|
f9896bea74c27901f00771266b5b7bb7a676179e
|
By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 13:01 EST, 19 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:42 EST, 20 November 2013 . Police have launched an investigation after banknotes worth tens of thousands of pounds were mysteriously found floating down a river. Detectives are liaising with the Bank of England after £60,000 worth of damaged notes were seen floating in the water by a stunned dog walker - but so far there are no clues to where it has come from. The cash was spotted in South Drove Drain near Spalding town centre, Lincolnshire, on Friday 25 October. Detectives are liaising with the Bank of England after £60,000 worth of notes were seen floating in water in Lincolnshire by a stunned dog walker . The money was retrieved from the river by officers, whose initial count estimated the cash to be in the region of sixty thousand pounds. Lincolnshire Police are intending to consult with the Bank of England for assistance with a formal inspection of the money and a final accurate count. Police said a large amount of the money has been damaged due to time it spent being the water but there is a good quantity of bank notes that appear to be in fair condition . The money was retrieved from the river by officers, whose initial count estimated the cash to be in the region of sixty thousand pounds . A large amount of the money has been . damaged due to time it spent being the water but there is a good . quantity of bank notes that appear to be in fair condition. If you discover money in the street, according to the law, you must either hand it in or report it to the police. If you keep it but report it, and the owner reports the loss, you must hand it over. If you choose to hand it in you will be given the form that entitles you to collect it after 28 days. If you don't report it to the Police, you are guilty of 'theft by finding' and can be charged. However, police cannot let finders keep unclaimed mobile phones or objects that may contain personal data, such as laptops or iPads. Police . are considering detailed forensic examination of the money and have . been granted a seizure order by the local Magistrates Court to carry out . an investigation into its origins. DC Steve Hull, of Spalding CID, says, . ‘It isn’t everyday that an amount of money like this is found and . somebody must have information that will help the police trace the . lawful owner. 'I would be grateful to hear from people who have genuine information to pass on to me.' The money will remain with the police until the investigation is complete. If the money can not be reunited with a legitimate owner then it will become the subject of a further court forfeiture order. A spokesman for Lincolnshire Police said evidence of ownership of the money would be required if the owner wishes to come forward.
|
The cash was spotted in South Drove Drain near Spalding town centre .
Detectives are now liaising with Bank of England after notes were seen .
The origin of the money is a mystery - but investigation underway .
|
f98a2fae649afc7c7959fc79920249dc49f2d876
|
By . Associated Press Reporter . General Motors' safety crisis worsened on Monday when the automaker added 8.2 million vehicles to its ballooning list of cars recalled over faulty ignition switches. The latest recalls involve mainly older midsize cars and bring GM's total this year to 29 million, surpassing the 22 million recalled by all automakers last year. GM said the recalls are for 'unintended ignition key rotation' and cover seven vehicles, including the Chevrolet Malibu from 1997 to 2005, the Pontiac Grand Prix from 2004 to 2008, and the 2003-2014 Cadillac CTS. Another recall: This 200 Chevrolet Malibu is one of the millions announced recalled today . The company is aware of three deaths, eight injuries and seven crashes involving the vehicles, although it has no conclusive evidence that faulty switches caused the accidents. CEO Mary Barra said the recalls stem from an extensive safety review within the company. 'If any other issues come to our attention, we will act appropriately and without hesitation,' she said in a statement. The announcement of more recalls extends a crisis for GM that began in February with small-car ignition switch problems. GM recalled 2.6 million older small cars worldwide because the switches can unexpectedly slip from 'run' to 'accessory,' shutting off the engines. That disables power steering and power brakes and can cause people to lose control of their cars. It also stops the air bags from inflating in a crash. GM has been forced to admit that it knew of the problem more than 10 years, yet it failed to recall the cars until this year. GM's conduct in the small-car recall already is under investigation by the Justice Department and both houses of Congress. Earlier this year, the company paid a $35 million fine to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for delays in reporting the small-car ignition switch problems. GM has seen better days: This 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix was recalled today as it was announced GM will offer no less than $1million to the families of those killed by faulty ignition switches . The added ignition switch recalls raise questions about the safety of the switches in cars made by all manufacturers. On June 18, NHTSA opened two investigations of Chrysler minivans and SUVs as part of a widening inquiry into air bag and ignition switch problems across the U.S. auto industry. NHTSA began asking automakers and parts suppliers for information on the interrelated issues after GM's small-car recall. NHTSA asked automakers and parts makers for information on switches and how long air bags will inflate after the keys are moved out of the "run" position to 'accessory' or 'off.' In many cases, the answer is less than a second. That led to the Chrysler inquiries, NHTSA said in a statement. 'The agency examined all major manufacturers' air bag deployment strategies as they relate to switch position,' the agency said in a statement. 'NHTSA will continue to refine its knowledge of these systems.' GM's recalls on Monday bring this year's total so far to more than 40 million for the U.S. industry, far surpassing the old full-year record of 30.8 million from 2004. The recalls come just hours after the company's compensation consultant, Kenneth Feinberg, announced plans to pay victims of crashes caused by the defective small-car switches. Attorneys and lawmakers say about 100 people have died and hundreds were injured in crashes, although Feinberg said he didn't have a total. Feinberg said the company has placed no limit on how much he can spend in total to compensate victims. Even Cadillaccs: This CTS is another of the many cars recalled Monday by GM . GM spokesman Alan Adler said that in the Cadillacs, the ignition can slip due to jarring from the road, a bump on the key from the driver's knee or from the weight of a heavy key chain. In the older model midsize Chevrolets, Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles, only jarring or heavy keys — and not a bump from the driver's knee — can knock the ignition out of position. In all the cases, the ignition switches out of the "run" position and into the "accessory" or "off" position. Adler said that, unlike GM's previous recall of 2.6 million Chevrolet Cobalts and other small cars, the ignition switch is made to GM's specifications. But the keys can slip too easily. The company will place inserts on the keys to fix the issues. Adler said GM began investigating all of its ignition switches 60 days ago after the Cobalt recall revealed problems. This recall came out of that investigation. GM is urging people to remove everything from their key rings until the recalled cars can be repaired. Of the three people who died in crashes involving the newly recalled vehicles, it's unclear whether those deaths were ignition-related, Adler said. In each of the cases the air bags didn't deploy, but there are many reasons air bags don't deploy, including the angle the car is hit and whether or not the occupants were belted, he said. Adler said victims in the newly recalled vehicles won't be included in the compensation fund that has been set up for the small-car case. The Detroit company said it plans to take a $1.2 billion charge in the second quarter for recall-related expenses. Added to a $1.3 billion charge in the first quarter, that brings total recall expenses for the year to $2.5 billion. GM also announced four other recalls Monday covering more than 200,000 additional vehicles. Most are to fix an electrical short in the driver's door that could disable the power locks and windows and even cause overheating. Of the 29 million vehicles recalled this year, 17.1 million have been over ignition switches . GM's stock fell 27 cents, or less than one percent, to $36.36 in late afternoon trading. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
|
The automaker has now recalled over 22million vehicles due to the defect .
The announcement came on the same day it was announced GM would pay no less than $1million to the families of those killed by the defect .
|
f98acf35f2d44aa62ebe9a9fa7ba8a504696677f
|
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Let's say you were making a film. Which do you think would be harder? A. Coordinating a mass alien invasion B. Invoking tidal waves and tornadoes C. Telling a prehistoric love story. Roland Emmerich and Steven Strait (D'Leh) discuss a scene shot in Namibia when the young hunter discovers farming for the first time. For Roland Emmerich, the answer is C. He says "10,000 BC" is without a doubt the most difficult film he's ever made. It wasn't the time-consuming graphics that took the greatest toll, nor the need to re-record a lot of the dialogue. No, the most challenging aspect of this film was, um, the weather. "You're obsessed with the weather channel," Emmerich says, of the duration of filming. "Ninety percent of this movie was [shot] outdoors." Producer Michael Wimer: "It seemed like every time we needed sun, we'd get rain, every time we needed green landscape, we'd get snow. There we just got a series of curve balls, the weather is really fickle." Emmerich says: "It's like somebody didn't like 'Day After Tomorrow' and was like: 'We showed him.'" Filming started in the wintry peaks of New Zealand's South Island, then moved to Cape Town in South Africa, then further north to the desert of Namibia. But it wasn't just the weather that tested the filmmakers' skill, patience and stamina. see scenes from the film » . Prehistoric beasts . Visual effects supervisor Karen Goulekas started working on project two years before principal filming even started. She broke down the script to see what could be done, and what couldn't, then set about the bringing prehistoric animals back to life. Perhaps her biggest challenge was to create the film's "terror birds", flightless predators with huge beaks that hunt like sharks, suddenly piercing through long grass to snatch their prey before disappearing again. The birds were based on a number of images. During filming the terrifying bird was actually a blue head on a stick. "It's been an experience," says Camilla Belle (Evolet), "I've never worked with blue birds before and all that fun stuff." see D'Leh take on the terror birds » . Sets . After seeing off all manner of prehistoric threats, the film's hero D'Leh and his assembled army are awestruck by an immense 'lost' civilization dominated by pyramids that reach up into the sky. Not only did the filmmaker build the pyramids (at Dune 7 in Namibia), they also built miniature replicas of the pyramids, 'God's palace', the slave quarters and the Nile River. The buildings were made in Munich before being transport to Namibia in 15 sea containers. Once assembled, they covered an area of 100 square meters. see the pyramids during a battle scene in the film . Costumes . What to wear when you live in 10,000 BC? Presumably there wasn't much choice in those days, which gave the film's costume designers plenty of scope to use their imagination. They dressed the Yagahl tribe, or mammoth hunters, in antelope fur and hides in place of mammoth. But the weather was so cold during filming that some actors also wore thermals underneath. The final scenes required dressing 800 extras as slaves. Each costume had to be handmade to conceal the stitching. Says costume designer Renee April: "We had an army in the workshops making beads from clay and glass and sewing them onto the costumes as well as making the fabric and headdresses." 1000 sandals also had to be made to order. Sound . Most of the dialogue in the film had to be recorded not once, but twice. Peter Gleaves, an Automated Dialogue Replacement Mixer at De Lane Lea Studios in Soho, London explains: "The original sound sometimes has background noises -- wind machines, sounds of cars and aeroplanes -- that in a production like '10,000 BC' you don't want to hear. So to get rid of them you have to get the actors to redo all their lines, or most of their lines." Steven Strait was summoned to London to re-record some of his dialogue. When the Revealed cameras dropped in he was working on his grunts. see Steven Strait grunting and panting! "It's an action sequence," Strait explains, "so there are very few words. It's mostly just running and jumping and grunting and doing all sorts of strange sound effects that are going to look incredibly weird in this room, but hopefully it works in the film." see the final product of Steven's grunting, the mammoth hunt .
|
Emmerich developed obsession with the weather during filming of "10,000 BC"
Film was shot in New Zealand's South Island, South Africa and Namibia .
Other challenges include creating film's 'terror birds', shark-like predators .
Miniature pyramids, 'God's palace', made in Munich then shipped to Namibia .
|
f98b00d9e08923064e540b1b755d86d671911be3
|
ANGOLA, Louisiana (CNN) -- He is not a killer, but the state of Louisiana is determined to execute Patrick Kennedy for his crime. Patrick Kennedy, 43, is on Louisiana's death row for the rape of his 8-year-old stepdaughter. The New Orleans native faces that reality as he sits on death row at Louisiana's maximum security prison, the largest prison in the nation. The Louisiana State Penitentiary, or Angola Prison, is the size of Manhattan and surrounded on three sides by the Mississippi River. Unlike the 3,300 inmates awaiting execution nationwide -- including the 94 other men at Angola -- Kennedy, 43, is a convicted rapist. The victim was his 8-year-old stepdaughter. For the first time in 44 years, a state is preparing to execute a man for a felony other than murder. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday on whether Louisiana can use capital punishment in child rape cases. The constitutional question before the justices is whether the death penalty for violent crimes other than homicide constitutes "cruel and unusual" punishment. The high-profile examination of the death penalty also raises anew a national debate over selective prosecution and race. "A lot of people think there should not be the death penalty [in this case] because the child survives," said Kate Bartholomew, a sex crimes prosecutor in New Orleans. "In my opinion the rape of a child is more heinous and more hideous than a homicide." Kennedy's appellate attorney, Billy Sothern, argues, "When we look at what it means to be cruel and unusual, this is exactly the kind of thing that raises these serious concerns of the constitutionality of Mr. Kennedy's death sentence." Kennedy was sentenced to die in 2003 for sexually assaulting his stepdaughter in her bed. The crime occurred in a quiet neighborhood in Harvey, across the big river from New Orleans. Besides severe emotional trauma, Louisiana prosecutors said the attack caused internal injuries and bleeding to the child, requiring extensive surgery. The former moving company driver had claimed two teenage boys committed the crime near the family's garage, a story the girl -- identified in court papers as "L.H." -- repeated for 18 months after the ordeal. An African-American teenager was initially arrested, based on Kennedy's allegations, but later was cleared of any wrongdoing. Kennedy also is African-American. Police in Jefferson Parish quickly turned their suspicions on him as the attacker. The girl later accused her stepfather, after she returned home from a temporary stay in foster care. Kennedy has denied the charges, but the state supreme court upheld the conviction and punishment. The U.S. Supreme Court, both in 1976 and a year later, banned capital punishment for rape -- and by implication any other crime except murder. But Louisiana 19 years later passed a law allowing execution for the sexual violation of a child under 12. State lawmakers contended the earlier high court cases pertained only to "adult women." Death penalty opponents say Louisiana is the only state to actively pursue lethal injection for child rapists, and argue, among other things, that it could give attackers a reason to murder their victims. "If they're going to face the death penalty for raping a child, why would they leave a living witness?" said Judy Benitez, executive director of the Louisiana Foundation against Sexual Assaults. Benitez also says testifying in a death penalty case can be deeply traumatic for child. And the risk of wrongful prosecution may be higher is such cases since children might prove to be unreliable witnesses for the prosecution, because of their susceptibility to suggestive, leading questions. No one in the United States has been executed for rape since 1964. Other state and federal crimes theoretically eligible for execution include treason, aggravated kidnapping, drug trafficking, aircraft hijacking and espionage. None of these crimes have been prosecuted as a capital offense in decades, if ever. In the appeal filed with the high court, Sothern argues Louisiana "flouts the overwhelming national consensus that capital punishment is an inappropriate penalty for any kind of rape." The law's supporters counter that besides murder, no crime is more deserving of the death penalty, and the punishment would be used only in the most heinous of circumstances. For its victims, "It takes away their innocence, it takes away their childhood, it mutilates their spirit. It kills their soul. They're never the same after these things happen," said Bartholomew, an assistant district attorney in Orleans Parish. "Louisiana has been a pro-death penalty state for a very long time," the prosecutor added. "And I think a lot of people agree with the death penalty for this type of case here in our state." Five other states have similar laws. Four of them -- Florida, Montana, Oklahoma and South Carolina -- have had them for years but not applied them in decades. Texas enacted its version in June, but no defendant has yet been designated death-eligible for child rape in any state but Louisiana. Skin color has also played a role in the political and legal debate over expanding capital crimes to include rape. "When we look at the death penalty in the South we always need to be conscious of the role that race plays," said Sothern, deputy director at the Capital Appeals Project, which represents all the state's death row inmates. "And I think that the fact that Mr. Kennedy [is] a black from Jefferson Parish, a place with a troubling record of racial discrimination, I think that that speaks volumes." Sothern cites Department of Justice statistics showing that all 14 rapists executed by Louisiana in the past 75 years were African-American. Nationwide from 1930 to 1964, nearly 90 percent of executed rapists were black, he said. Kennedy recently was joined on Louisiana's death row by another child rapist -- Richard Davis, who is white. Davis' legal appeals have barely begun. The justices will no doubt consider loneliness of Louisiana's aggressive position when deciding whether a national consensus now exists to allow a broader range of crimes to become subject to capital punishment. The high court has in recent years banned execution for the mentally retarded, underage killers and those receiving an inadequate defense at trial. Angola prison officials would not make Kennedy available for comment. The youngster at the center of the case is now in college and wants to be a lawyer. Her family says that like most underage victims, she has been scarred forever, and they believe her assailant deserves the jury's punishment. "It's going to be justice," said Lynn Ray, the victim's cousin. "It's going to be that she can look forwards and not backwards, and not have to look over your shoulders, and one day see him. Or see him coming after her." A ruling from the high court is expected by late June. E-mail to a friend .
|
Supreme Court hears arguments Wednesday .
Only one state is pursuing capital punishment for crime other than murder .
Patrick Kennedy, 43, convicted of raping stepdaughter, then 8 .
Last execution for rape was in 1964 .
|
f98b479166e6fe34eb7c9ac5972717d82ec9f97e
|
(CNN) -- Seventy-five years later, the innovation and courage of those who designed and built the Golden Gate Bridge shine as brightly as the span's orange towers. The suspension bridge connecting San Francisco and Marin County opened to vehicles on May 28, 1937, a little more than four years after construction began. A daylong celebration Sunday will include music, vintage cars, a watercraft parade and technology demonstrations. The events will be capped by a spectacular fireworks display showcasing the bridge and surrounding parkland. A dedication Friday of new visitor facilities and services paid tribute to the audacity that created the bridge and the 11 men who died during its construction. "Built in the midst of the Great Depression, this bridge is a reminder, no matter what the daunting challenge and overwhelming obstacles, America always invests in big and bold endeavors." said Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-California. The bridge is named for the Golden Gate Strait, a symbol of hope for immigrants and safety for troops returning from war, Pelosi said. Sunday's activities will be centered at Crissy Field and Marina Green, along the northern waterfront of San Francisco. The bridge was made for superlatives and wow-inducing numbers, as provided by the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District: . -- Each tower has approximately 600,000 rivets. -- The 4,200-foot suspension span was the longest in the world until New York's Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opened in 1964. -- Painting is an ongoing task, because it protects the bridge from high salt content in the air, which corrodes steel components. -- The bridge has been closed three times because of weather. What's the chance of signature Golden Gate fog during Sunday's festival? National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Anderson said there will be low clouds in the morning, partly cloudy skies in the afternoon and a mostly clear outlook for the evening. CNN's Phil Gast contributed to this report.
|
San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge opened in May 1937 .
The suspension bridge took just over four years to build .
Daylong festival celebrating the bridge is set for Sunday .
|
f98b869f69370ae2ef74089fa654d85022c82392
|
Federal law enforcement officials are investigating a former Marine and several active-duty Marines after they allegedly posted threatening and lewd remarks online against President Obama and California Rep. Jackie Speier. The threats were made on one of many Facebook pages that have targeted Speier, a Democrat, since she alerted the Defense Department to an online forum where Marines were posting degrading images of female service members. The page that prompted the investigation, titled 'F*** You Jackie Speier,' has since been removed by Facebook, but another - called 'Jackie struggle snuggle Speier' has gone up in its place with similar content, including a photograph of Speier that has been edited to look as though she has a black eye with the caption, 'She burned the bacon only once.' Threats: Several Facebook pages, including this one, have been targeting Rep. Jackie Speier since the Democratic congresswoman alerted Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to inappropriate activity by Marines online . Speier told KCBS that she refereed the original page to authorities after users 'made threatening claims to both the president and me.' Both the Secret Service and U.S. Capitol Police are involved in the investigation, according to USA Today. Speier was targeted online after she wrote a letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel regarding the Facebook page 'F'N Wook,' on which several active duty and former Marines had posted sexually degrading comments and explicit pictures of female service members. In one photo from that page, which has been removed, a female Marine is pictured putting a male Marine into a choke hold. The caption reads: 'This is my rape face.' Another photo shows a female soldier lying on the ground with a gun and the caption reads: 'Hehe... I can "bang" even when I am not on my back!' Several Marines have since been referred to their commanders for punishment as a result of that page and other inappropriate activity online. Outrage: This is a copy of part of Rep. Jackie Speier's letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel concerning a Facebook page called 'F'N Wook' In retaliation against Speier's letter to Hagel, several pages have popped up on Facebook targeting the congresswoman. The page that was referred to authorities for investigation was removed by Facebook over the weekend and its replacement went live on May 24. So far it has 44 'likes.' 'Welcome back my hateful friends,' Facebook user Chris LaCorte, who claims to be a former Marine, wrote on the page. 'What women's group do you think will declare a jihad on us first this time?' Rep. Jackie Speier expressed outrage over the website in a letter sent to the Pentagon . The content includes pictures of Speier . and former Defense Secretary Hillary Clinton with lewd captions and . comments suggesting that women enjoy rape. 'If you get pregnant from a rape than . it means you enjoyed it,' reads one remark, which was 'liked' by a user . claiming to be a former Marine. Another post reads: 'I raped pregnant woman once. Best threesome ever.' The moderator of the page acknowledged the federal investigation in a comment posted to the page late Monday. 'None . of the posts or pictures on this page should be suggested that we are . threatening to harm another person, including Jackie Speier or Obama,' the moderator wrote. 'This page should be looked at as harsh humor and . we will work with authorities on any questions they may ask.' The . message adds: 'This page is meant to distract Jackie and all liberals . who hate freedom of speech. Other military pages were taken down for an . agenda.' Marine . activity on Facebook has come under fire as the military faces . increased scrutiny for increases in sexual assaults within the ranks. As . many as 26,000 military members have reported that they were sexually . assaulted last year, which is up from 19,000 reported assaults in 2011. Taken down: 'F'N Wook' was removed by Facebook after Speier sent the letter . Response: Following Speier's letter, the Marine Corps warned its members to 'avoid inappropriate behavior' online .
|
The Secret Service and U.S. Capitol Police are investigating the threats against Obama and California Rep. Jackie Speier .
The threats were made after Speier outed an obscene Facebook page where Marines were posting lewd images of servicewomen .
The investigation comes as the military faces increased scrutiny for increasing reports of sexual assaults within the ranks .
|
f98b9cc67d7c4fc25f74337385191057c99dfb9e
|
By . Sally Lee for Daily Mail Australia . Shocking figures reveal Australia is a binge-drinking nation with more than 700,000 consuming excessive amounts of alcohol at least once a week. Topping the country is Queensland with a total of 72,300 adults enjoying more than 11 standard beverages each week. The breakdown by Medical Local area shows North Brisbane as the booziest region followed by Queensland's eastern coast area of Townsville-Mackay, News.com.au reports. More than 700,000 Australians bring drink once a week, according to the National Health Survey . QUEENSLAND . NSW . VICTORIA . TASMANIA: 18,600 . SOUTH AUSTRALIA . NORTHERN TERRITORY: 8,200 . The latest National Health Survey, from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, shows North Brisbane has 40,100 binge-drinkers while Townsville-Mackay has 32,200. The second highest rating state is NSW, with the Hunter region - known for its wine - has 23,200 and is followed closely by the Central Coast, north of Sydney, with 23,100. Alcohol is the second biggest contributor to drug-related problems in Australia, after tobacco, according to the Department of Health. The latest studies into alcohol-related harm found it causes around 3,200 deaths and 81,000 hospitalisations every year. Other boozy areas include Victoria's Bayside region, which has 19,300 adults drinking large quantities while Northern Melbourne has 17,700. There are 18,600 Tasmanians drinking more than 11 alcoholic beverages a week. South Australia's Central Adelaide and Hills district has 13,700 and South Adelaide-Fleurieu-Kangaroo Island has 11,200. Northen Territory finishes bottom of the list with 8,200. Studies released by the the Department of Health found 70 Australians aged under 25 will be hospitalised due to alcohol-caused assault in an average week. Four Australians aged under 25 die due to alcohol-related injuries in an average week. Alcohol causes 81,000 hospitalisations and 3,200 deaths in Australia each year .
|
More than 700,000 Australians binge drink once a week, according to the National Health Survey .
Queensland's North Brisbane has more than 40,000 while the Townsville-Mackay region has more than 32,000 .
Binge drinking equates to 11 alcoholic drinks consumed in a session .
Alcohol causes 81,000 hospitalisations and 3,200 deaths in Australia each year .
|
f98bc9dbbc199e2f9c67eea3c2a37f9393862f07
|
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Actor Lee Thompson Young committed suicide in his Los Angeles apartment Monday morning, his manager said. "It is with great sadness that I announce that Lee Thompson Young tragically took his own life this morning," Jonathan Baruch said. Young, 29, is best known for the leading role on Disney's "The Famous Jett Jackson" television series starting in 1998. More recently he has been acting in TNT's "Rizzoli & Isles" as Detective Barry Frost. "Lee was more than just a brilliant young actor, he was a wonderful and gentle soul who will be truly missed," Baruch said. "We ask that you please respect the privacy of his family and friends as this very difficult time." Young's body was found in his home at 8 a.m. Monday, a Los Angeles police spokesman said. "Rizzoli & Isles" Executive Producer Janet Tamaro said the cast and crew were "devastated by the news." "We are beyond heartbroken at the loss of this sweet, gentle, good-hearted, intelligent man," Tamaro said. "He was truly a member of our family. Lee will be cherished and remembered by all who knew and loved him, both on- and offscreen, for his positive energy, infectious smile and soulful grace. We send our deepest condolences and thoughts to his family, to his friends and, most especially, to his beloved mother." Young, who was born in Canada, also co-starred on UPN's "South Beach" and had recurring roles on "FlashForward," "Scrubs" and "Smallville," Baruch said. His feature credits include "Friday Night Lights," "Akeelah and the Bee" and "The Hills Have Eyes II." People we've lost in 2013 . CNN's David Daniel and Topher Gauk-Roger contributed to this report.
|
NEW: "Lee Thompson Young tragically took his own life this morning," his manager says .
Young, 29, is best known for the leading role on Disney's "The Famous Jett Jackson"
Young's body was found in his home at 8 a.m. Monday, a Los Angeles police spokesman says .
|
f98c2c557a1f31edc2fedac634e9d6a8c81ad4f5
|
Tottenham are desperate to offload some of their deadwood in order to revamp their squad on transfer deadline day. Mauricio Pochettino's squad is already two senior players over the Premier League's 25-man limit. Spurs are looking at last-minute deals for Danny Welbeck and Montpellier's defensive midfielder Benjamin Stambouli, but will have to sell or loan other players. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Sportsmail's Top 10 Premier League transfers compilation . Future Spurs: Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is keen to sign Manchester United's Danny Welbeck . Done deal: Benjamin Stambouli is set to join Tottenham from Montpellier after passing his medical . Three goalies: Lloris, Vorm and Friedel. 11 defenders: Walker, Naughton, Kaboul, Dier, Vertonghen, Fryers, Fazio, Chiriches, Rose, Davies and Assou-Ekotto. 11 midfielders: Lennon, Townsend, Lamela, Eriksen, Capoue, Sandro, Paulinho, Holtby, Chadli, Dembele and Mason. Two strikers: Adebayor and Soldado. That’s 27 senior players. Kane and Bentaleb don’t take a place in the Premier League squad as U21 players. Lewis Holtby could be one of the first out of the door with Hamburg set to secure the playmaker on a season-long loan deal and a permanent £6m deal could follow. The German side expect Holtby at the club for a medical later on Monday. Aaron Lennon and Sandro could also be on the way with fellow Londoners QPR - and former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp - interested in the duo. Redknapp is also set to sign young Tottenham left-back Zeki Fryers but he will have to fight off interest from Crystal Palace too. However Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is quoting a staggering £5m for out of favour left-back. Levy is playing hardball, even though the former Manchester United trainee has made just seven appearances for Tottenham. Sidelines: Lewis Holtby has become a fringe player at Tottenham, regularly starting matches from the bench . Going? Aaron Lennon (pictured) and Sandro were left out of Mauricio Pochettino's squad for Sunday's game . Race against time: Sandro may move after seemingly falling out of Mauricio Pochettino's plans at Spurs .
|
Tottenham are currently two players over the Premier League 25-player limit .
Manager Mauricio Pochettino is looking to offload players for new deals .
Spurs are looking at Danny Welbeck and Montpellier's Benjamin Stambouli .
Lewis Holtby, Aaron Lennon, Sandro and Zeki Fryers look set to leave .
|
f98c4f0cf1c1f72d91509731a60a0666eccda7f6
|
By . Mail Foreign Service . UPDATED: . 01:45 EST, 16 August 2011 . The legend of Davy Crockett, the buckskin-clad 'King of the Wild Frontier,' has been cast into doubt by new claims that his fabled last stand at the Alamo may have only lasted 20 minutes. For 175 years, the Battle of the Alamo has been one of America's most cherished historical events. Celebrated in song, story and cinema, the story of heroism against all the odds helped define the young nation's pursuit of liberty. Myth or reality? Actor John Wayne, left, as Davy Crockett in the 1960 classic western The Alamo. A new book has cast doubt on the legend of the fort's heroic defense . But, according to a new book, the brave last stand depicted by Hollywood stars like John Wayne was a myth. In . reality, author Phillip Thomas Tucker claimed many of the Americans who . died at the Alamo were cut down as they tried to escape from the . besieged garrison after a surprise pre-dawn attack. The 'last stand' at the Alamo on March . 6, 1836 came after a small band of Americans held out for 13 days . against the army of Mexican dictator General Antonio Lopez de Santa . Anna. The leaders of the . group included Crockett, already famous as a frontiersman, storyteller . and crack shot, and James Bowie, known for his distinctive knife. Last stand: Mexican soldiers advance on the fort at the Alamo in the 1960 film . It has long been part of the Alamo legend that Crockett died fighting. The legend was firmly established by . the 1955 Disney TV show in which the hero was seen swinging an empty . rifle as the hordes of Mexican soldiers closed in for the kill. But in his book, 'Exodus from the Alamo,' Dr Tucker painted a much less glamorous ending. Using recently discovered Mexican accounts of the battle, the historian wrote that the defenders of the Alamo in the war for Texan independence did not die defending their garrison under brilliant sunlight. Instead, the Mexicans launched a surprise pre-dawn attack, climbing the walls under cover of darkness and causing mayhem in the fort while most of its defenders were still asleep. Bowie is rumoured to have been bayoneted in his bed. According to a diary kept by Colonel . Jose Enrique de la Pena, an officer in Santa Anna's army, Crocket was . captured with a handful of others and executed. Although the accuracy of the diary is disputed, he claimed Crocket and his fellow prisoners were hacked to death with swords. And most of the Mexican casualties inflicted within the fort were said to be the result of 'friendly fire.' Evidence? The bound manuscript of Lieutenant Colonel Jose Enrique de la Pena, who fought at the Alamo. The contentious account claims Mexican soldiers captured Crockett and several others and hacked them to death . Dr Tucker claimed the myth grew over the years because Americans preferred to ignore the Mexican version of the battle in favour of a more heroic ending. 'A culture of chauvinism disregarded the accounts of the Mexicans. The power of the myth was so strong it transcended the truth,' he said. He said his research showed the battle may have only lasted 20 minutes. It was 'but a small affair,' wrote the general who led the final assault. Publishers Casemate said the book has received a hostile reception in Texas, where the story is said to embody the spirit of the state. American hero: A contemporary picture of Davy Crockett . Born 1786 of Irish, Scottish, French and English descent, David 'Davy' Crockett grew up in east Tennessee. He . ran away from home aged 13 and did not return until he was nearly 16 . after three years, in which he claimed to have roamed across Tennessee . and learned his skills as a backwoodsman. During . the 1813 Creek War, a conflict between Indian tribes and U.S. forces, . Crockett was made a scout because of his hunting abilities, he is said . to have supported the starving troops with game. He was eventually discharged from service in 1814 but was elected Lieutenant Colonel in the Tennessee Militia on March 27, 1818. In . 1826 Crockett was elected to the United States House of Representatives . as a Jacksonian. As a Congressman, Crockett supported the rights of . squatters, who were barred from buying land in the West without already . owning property. He . also opposed President Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act, which sought . to evict Native Americans from swathes of the country. Disillusioned with U.S. politics, Crockett left his home in Tennessee in 1835 to join the Texan uprising against Mexican rule. On . January 14, 1836, Crockett and 65 other men signed an oath to the . Provisional Government of Texas saying: 'I have taken the oath of . government and have enrolled my name as a volunteer and will set out for . the Rio Grande in a few days with the volunteers from the United . States.' Crockett . arrived at the Alamo on February 8. To the surprise of the men . garrisoned there, on February 23 a Mexican army, arrived and laid seige. All that is certain . about the fate of David Crockett is that he died at the Alamo on March 6 . when Mexican soldiers overran the fort.
|
Americans cut down trying to escape pre-dawn attack .
Diary says Davy Crockett was captured and executed .
James Bowie was 'bayoneted in his bed'
Hostile reception to new historical account in Texas .
|
f98c58e111eb77a1c84ad160cec5eea91480b7d3
|
Flesh-eating bacteria amputee Aimee Copeland now uses the latest technology in prosthetic hands to chop vegetables, pick up tiny items like Skittles, and comb and iron press her hair. With the bionic hands, Copeland is looking forward to cleaning her house -- she's a neat freak, she tells CNN -- and cooking her own food. She's something of a foodie but has been able to eat only microwaveable foods, she adds. "I really want to be able to get back in the kitchen and start cooking some delicious vegetarian meals for myself," she said as she used the hands in a demonstration for media outlets this week. "It just mimics so well a natural hand that it really just reminds me of before the accident, how I would have done things," she added. "I never thought I would actually be able to hold a knife and cut something. That's just incredible." Family counters flesh-eating bacteria with faith . The "i-limb ultra revolution" hands can cost up to $120,000 each, said a spokesman for manufacturer Touch Bionics. Copeland demonstrated the prosthetic hands at the firm's office in Hilliard, Ohio, showing how hand positions can also be remotely set with an iPad application using a blue-tooth connection. The "bioism" software can also be downloaded to an iPhone and iPod, the spokesman said. On May 1, 2012, Copeland, a University of West Georgia graduate student, was outdoors with friends at the Little Tallapoosa River, about 50 miles west of Atlanta when the homemade zip line she was holding snapped. She fell and got a gash in her leg that required 22 staples to close. Three days later, still in pain, she went to an emergency room, and doctors eventually determined she had necrotizing fasciitis caused by the flesh-devouring bacteria Aeromonas hydrophila. Doctors performed amputations to save her life. She lost parts of all limbs: her hands, a leg and a foot. After the surgery, her family home in Snellville, just east of Atlanta, added a 1,956-square-foot "Aimee's Wing," donated by a builder. In other upcoming milestones, Copeland, whose story raised the nation's awareness of flesh-eating bacteria, will receive a service dog this summer, when she will work with amputee children in a wilderness camp. She is hoping to receive a prosthetic leg later this year as well. Walking will be a dream come true, she said. Copeland is working to complete her master's degree before the end of the year. Surviving a flesh-eating disease .
|
Aimee Copeland receives bionic hands that cost up to $100,000 each .
"It just mimics so well a natural hand," Copeland says .
The multiple amputee says she's looking forward to cleaning house and cooking .
She will work with amputee children in a summer camp .
|
f98c8ccc21afc1dbc807d05b9bbca959aac5418b
|
Haven't we heard this before? With President Barack Obama weighing possible responses to what the United States calls a major chemical weapons attack in Syria, some are warning of another potential open-ended war if America launches an expected military strike. Obama's options appear to range from limited missile strikes in Syria to continued diplomatic efforts -- what critics contend is a "do-nothing" approach. U.S. officials have concluded the Syrian government carried out chemical weapons attacks, the president said Wednesday. "We have looked at all the evidence, and we do not believe the opposition possessed nuclear weapons on -- or chemical weapons of that sort. We do not believe that, given the delivery systems, using rockets, that the opposition could have carried out these attacks. We have concluded that the Syrian government in fact carried these out. And if that's so, then there need to be international consequences," Obama told "PBS NewsHour." He also said that he has "not made a decision" about whether to conduct a limited military strike or a strike of over a limited time period in Syria. While noted hawks such as GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona call for a robust response intended to weaken Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and turn the tide of the nation's civil war, others worry that the inevitable result will be an inextricable mess. Opinion: For U.S., Syria is truly a problem from hell . "Just shooting in some missiles isn't really going to take care of the situation and might aggravate the situation," Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez of California said Tuesday. "You have Syria tied to Iran. You've got the Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon. The whole area is already a difficult area. You have refugees going into other countries." Sanchez, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, added that "for Americans to believe that just by shooting a few cruise missiles, we've made our statement and away we go, it's just not the way that I believe this plays out, if that happens." Her fellow California Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff of the House Intelligence Committee, said the large-scale use of chemical weapons demanded an international response, but he called for a precisely defined mission intended to limit collateral political fallout or open-ended U.S. involvement. "I think the use of chemical weapons is really different, qualitatively different, tragically different, and I think we really have to act here," Schiff said. Obama must "make it clear not only to the American people but also to the Syrian people that this isn't going to be the cavalry riding to the rescue to topple" Assad, he said. At the same time, "this is going to be a punitive, powerful response, a deterrent response to the use of chemical weapons," Schiff said. "That's important to make sure that we don't get entangled in this war, to try and avoid the consequences" cited by Sanchez, he said. "But I think properly defined, it can be done. And I think it will be done in concert with our international partners." McCain said that only a tough response will be effective. "If it's just some strikes with cruise missiles, then it will not only not do any good, it may be counterproductive and help Bashar Assad with his propaganda," McCain said. He called for reversing the advantage held by Assad's forces on the battlefield "by taking out his air assets, cratering his runways and getting the weapons to the right people so that they can reverse the momentum." However, Ed Husain of the Council on Foreign Relations said Obama risks wading into a protracted war that will become his legacy with hasty military strikes now. "By intervening, Syria may well prove to be Obama's war, bequeathed to a new president in 2016," Husain, a senior fellow for Middle East studies, wrote Wednesday on CNN's website. "Civilian casualties are inevitable: The images on our screens will not be Syrians using chemical weapons to kill each other, but American bombs creating carnage and killings in yet another Muslim country." Syria warns West amid growing talk of military strike . White House: No decision yet . White House spokesman Jay Carney insisted Tuesday that Obama continued to weigh options, and he made clear that any U.S. response to the August 21 use of chemical weapons in suburban Damascus was not intended to bring "regime change." "We can't wait. We need to act according to our own national interests," a senior U.S. official said Wednesday. The official echoed the idea that the president has not yet made a decision, but added: "This is moving quickly." Meanwhile, efforts by the Obama administration to mount international support reaped some benefits. Major NATO partners Britain, France and Germany have called for a tough response in Syria, and a NATO statement Wednesday signaled support for action. "Those responsible must be held accountable," the statement said. "We consider the use of chemical weapons as a threat to international peace and security." The NATO language echoed Carney's remarks that sought to justify a military response to what U.S. officials characterize as the worst chemical weapons attack since former Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein launched a poison gas attack that killed thousands of Kurds in 1988. "Allowing the use of chemical weapons on a significant scale to take place without a response would present a significant challenge to or threat to the United States' national security," Carney said. On the same day Obama talked with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and British Prime Minister David Cameron, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Secretary of State John Kerry consulted allies and indicated potentially imminent action by a coalition likely to include key NATO partners and regional powers. Cameron is proposing a U.N. Security Council resolution "condemning the chemical weapons attack by Assad and authorizing necessary measures to protect civilians," but certain opposition by Syrian ally Russia and possibly by China doomed its chances. Instead, a limited coalition of NATO partners and some Arab League members appeared more likely to provide political backing for Obama to order U.S. missile strikes. An Arab League spokesman condemned the al-Assad regime on Tuesday for the chemical attack. In another move, the United States postponed its involvement in talks scheduled for this week in Geneva on seeking a political solution to the Syrian civil war. Russia expressed disappointment at the U.S. decision and warned against any Western military strike on Syria, as did Iran. The United States has already moved warships armed with cruise missiles into the region, and a U.S. official said Wednesday that two Navy submarines also were in the eastern Mediterranean, though it was unclear whether they would be involved in any military action. Hagel told the BBC on Tuesday that forces were ready to carry out a strike if ordered. A senior Defense Department official told CNN that any strike could be completed "within several days." "We are ready to go, like that," said Hagel, adding that "the options are there, the United States Department of Defense is ready to carry out those options." Opinion: How Al-Assad used chemical weapons to poison debate . For almost two years, Obama has avoided direct military involvement in Syria's civil war, only escalating aid to rebel fighters in June after suspected smaller-scale chemical weapons attacks by Syrian government forces. However, last week's attack obliterated the "red line" Obama set just over a year ago against the use of Syria's chemical weapons stocks. Vice President Joe Biden made clear that the administration's view of who was to blame for last week's event, telling the American Legion on Tuesday that "there is no doubt who is responsible for the heinous use of chemical weapons -- the Syrian regime." The White House has ruled out sending ground troops to Syria or implementing a no-fly zone to blunt al-Assad's aerial superiority over rebels fighting to oust his regime. A first step to any U.S. action will be the public release of a declassified U.S. intelligence report on the chemical weapons that rebels claim killed 1,300 people. Carney said the report was expected to come out this week. It would set in motion the process that could lead to missile strikes or other responses, depending on the administration's ability to line up international support and prevent any domestic obstacles. Legislator: Congress can't 'be pushed aside' Administration officials will brief some senators on Syria via conference calls Thursday, several sources said. More than 90 members of Congress, most of them Republican, have signed a letter to the president urging him "to consult and receive authorization" before authorizing any such military action, according to the office of GOP Rep. Scott Rigell of Virginia. "I appreciate and respect that the president is engaging members of Congress," Rigell said Wednesday in reference to outreach by administration officials to legislative leaders and others. "This is good, and I encourage more of it, both on the Senate side and the House. But it is not in any respect a substitute for formally calling us into session, a joint session, laying the facts before us without disclosing of course sources and methods of intelligence. Then we, as the representatives of the American people, can weigh in on this as we should." However, Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington said that "the historical precedence is no, that the president doesn't require congressional action for a variety of different things." Some Republican senators also noted that the War Powers Act allows Obama to order limited missile strikes and report back to Congress afterward. Last month, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey provided Congress with a list of declassified U.S. military options for Syria that emphasized the high costs and risks of what he said would amount to "an act of war" at a time of deep budget cuts. U.S. official: Almost no doubt al-Assad regime used chemical weapons .
|
Obama: U.S. concludes "the Syrian government" carried out chemical attacks .
He tells "PBS NewsHour" that he's "not made a decision" about military action in Syria .
NATO echoes Washington's assessment that the attack poses a security threat .
McCain wants robust action; others warn of an escalating, open-ended conflict .
|
f98cb52631c7ec3a18ec269a69fbeada039d58c1
|
(CNN) -- Dutch investigators will issue a preliminary report Tuesday on the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which was shot down in eastern Ukraine in July. The Dutch Safety Board said its report will be based on the sources available. More investigations will be conducted before a final report is issued, the board said in a statement on its website. The final report is expected within a year after the crash. The Boeing 777 fell from the sky on July 17 near the Ukraine-Russia border. Of the 298 people killed, a majority were Dutch. It's unclear who shot it, but the U.S. and Ukraine have accused pro-Russian separatists operating in the region of downing the plane with a missile. After the crash, the separatists took control of the site for weeks, combing through the wreckage and hindering access to investigators. The plane was headed from Amsterdam, Netherlands, to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. CNN's Susannah Palk contributed to this report .
|
The Boeing 777 was shot down in Ukraine in July .
Of the 298 people killed, a majority were Dutch .
Report will be based on the sources available, Dutch Safety Board says .
|
f98cc83747e0e0b99db7e0e2c67c329e85dc43f5
|
The reputation of music festivals as exhausting, if not exhilarating, events got a shake up this week as Soundwave Music Festival announced it's plan for an over-30's 'comfort zone' for weary revelers. While festivals might traditionally be associated with long days in the baking sun fueled by energy drinks and caffeine, this year's Soundwave will cater to its older demographic, providing must-needed respite in the form of bean bags, chilled beverages, and even remedial massage. In a move which sounds more in line with a red carpet than a moshpit, festival creator and promoter AJ Maddah announced the comfort zone after one of his Twitter followers suggested an 'oldies lounge' as a place to rest her legs. 'In the UK and in Europe most of the festivals have a two-day format, where people camp and if it all gets too much they can go and rest,' AJ told Daily Mail Australia. Soundwave Music Festival announced it's plan this week for an over-30's 'comfort zone' for weary revelers . AJ Maddah announced the comfort zone after one of his Twitter followers suggested an 'oldies lounge' as a place to rest her legs . 'Now that Soundwave has moved to two days, holding the festival in an urban environment made people concerned about handling two days of action without respite,' he said. With reports of brawling at last years Stereosonic Festival, deaths on the way to Falls Festival over New Years, and heightened concern over recreational drug use, many one-day festivals have seen ticket sales plummet. When Twitter user Jo, a mother and music lover, suggested an 'oldies lounge (shaded area with seats)' along with 'proof of age for entry' AJ jumped on the idea as a solution that would perfectly fit the direction he wanted the festival to move in. 'When she suggested it, it was a lightbulb moment. I just thought, let's do this. Let's create a really great space where people can get their breath back, grab a quality coffee or gelato, sit on bean bags and have all the comforts of home,' he said. 'Things have happened really quickly, but we've already had so many things fall into place.' This year's Soundwave will cater to its older demographic, providing must-needed respite in the form of bean bags, chilled beverages, and even remedial massage . Many of the performing for decades, and Twitter user Jo said that many fans would be in the older age range . Jared Leto, 43, performing in 2011 at the Melbourne Soundwave Festival to a packed moshpit . The comfort zone is all set to have a massage therapist, a gelato bar, and a fine wine tasting bar, which AJ is hoping 'to serve in glassware'. 'It's going to be really civilised, I'm taking this very personally. I want people to feel like they're at home,' he said. Despite announcing the zone as initially for over 35's, and then for over 30's, AJ said the zone will only be restricted for those under 18. 'We don't want the space filling up with teenagers, but we're not going to enforce the age apart from that,' he said. 'A lot of people these days spend more time inside and just aren't used to a full day outside, and so this is also another way for us to adapt to our demographic.' Jo, who first suggested the idea and attends the festival with her partner, said that it came as a welcome surprise that her suggestion had been taken seriously. 'It's a full on day, and in previous years our bodies have been knackered afterwards. Soundwave is definitely an all-ages event, and Judas Priest has been playing for almost 50 years so it stands to reason that there are a lot of older fans,' Jo said. Billy Jo Armstrong, 42, and Mike Dirnt, 42, of punk band Green Day, performing in 2012 . The 2015 Soundwave was announced as a two-day festival, concerning some music lovers . Soundwave is definitely an all-ages event, and Judas Priest has been playing for almost 50 years so it stands to reason that there are a lot of older fans,' Jo said . 'They probably have fans who would love to come, but physically don't think they're up to a full day on their feet in the sun,' she said. Jo said that reports of brawls can often hurt the reputation of music festivals, which seem like they are 'for the young' and can put people off attending. The move was met with delight by many who had bought tickets to the Australian festival, who suggested many of the ideas that have now been introduced to the zone. 'Works for me I'm 51, act like I'm 21, with a sometimes a body of a 70 year old...Throw in a masseuse and I'm in,' said one Twitter user. At least one Twitter user was already clamboring to buy tickets for the 'reverse daycare but with amenities'. 'It's been years since I've done a festival without considering a nap, I'm only 30 now.' While no official pricing has been set, a preliminary estimate of $15 to $20 for tickets for the comfort zone was floated by AJ, who will be holding a planning meeting on Monday which he will live tweet . Despite announcing the zone as initially for over 35's, and then for over 30's, AJ said the zone will only be restricted for those under 18 . Jo said that while she always enjoys Soundwave, which she calls 'the highlight of her music year', and has found the festival to be well-run, clean, and friendly, she was glad to have somewhere to sit down and rest out of the sun. 'I would have been happy with shade and seats. But a dedicated bar, tables to eat at, an upmarket toilet are all good. And if someone wants to massage us while we're there, we'll they're more than welcome,' Jo said. While no official pricing has been set, a preliminary estimate of $15 to $20 for tickets for the comfort zone was floated by AJ, who will be holding a planning meeting on Monday which he will live tweet. 'At the end of the day we want people to get the most out of their experience. It's a pretty hectic day and that's another reason for people to have an oasis to run away to,' he said. 'We don't have any filler bands, so the line up is stellar, and we want to give people somewhere they can recharge which helps them get back out there,' he said.
|
Australian music festival Soundwave has announced new 'comfort zone'
It was initially an 'oldies lounge' after a Twitter user suggested a 35+ area .
The zone will have bean bags, a gelato bar, wine in glasses and massages .
Festival organiser AJ Maddah said it will be an 'oasis' for people to recharge in over the new two-day format .
The preliminary price for tickets is $15 to $20 .
The announcement was met with delight by older fans .
|
f98ce768995b77e66abb5dab48d44d56c93554dc
|
By . Lizzie Parry . A six-year-old who has endured more than 30 operations has been given a new lease of life, saved by her grandmother who donated a kidney. Ella Chadwick was born with the rare congenital nephrotic syndrome, and had both of her kidneys removed when she was 19 months old. The youngster has had 38 operations and was facing having dialysis treatment for the rest of her life. When a kidney transplant from her father Martin failed in October 2010, Ella's parents gave up hope. Ella Chadwick was born with the rare condition congenital nephrotic syndrome, which caused her to suffer kidney failure at 19 months. Both her kidneys were removed and she was put on dialysis until her father Martin donated one of his kidneys . When the organ donated by Mr Chadwick failed, Ella's parents gave up hope. But her grandmother Christine Chadwick (pictured with Ella) stepped forward offering to donate one of her kidneys to help the six-year-old . But Ella's grandmother, Christine Chadwick, stepped in and offered to be a donor. The 58-year-old was found to be a match for her young granddaughter and the operation took place at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. Ella's mother Karen Hughes, 33, from Manchester, said: 'It's been an incredibly difficult time for us as a family but it's such a relief to see her up and about. 'We didn't know if she would be strong enough for the operation right up until they cut her open. 'Ella was on dialysis at home until she was strong enough, but after the first transplant failed we barely dared hope this time round. 'Christina was so brave volunteering to give her a kidney - as soon as they said it she was happy to get tested there and then. 'I didn't dare dream we would ever get to this point, never mind how well she has done. Ella is definitely one amazing little girl.' The concerned parents first took Ella to the doctors with her condition when she was just three weeks old, when they noticed she had a red 'outie' belly button. But they were told unless it got worse or became painful it was nothing to worry about. Miss Hughes said: 'We had another check up when she was six weeks old and she had lost some weight. Ella, who is from Manchester, was admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where she has had her transplant operation . The youngster, who had been on dialysis treatment, is recovering well in the hospital, and her parents Karen Hughes and Martin Chadwick hope she will be allowed home soon . Since she was 19 months old, Ella, pictured with her parents, has had 38 different operations . The kidneys of people with nephrotic syndrome do not work properly, causing large amounts of protein to leak into their urine. It can affect people of any age, but it is often first detected in children aged between two and five years old. The loss of protein can cause a range of problems, including swelling of body tissues and increase a person's chance of catching infections. Symptoms can be controlled by medication.Children with the condition have times where their condition is under control, when they are in remission. ion can flare up, when symptoms return in times of relapse. A small number of children have congenital nephrotic syndrome, which means it is inherited. These children tend not to do as well.They may, as in Ella's case, experience kidney failure and need a transplant. Congenital nephrotic syndrome is caused by an inherited faulty gene. For the condition to be passed on, both parents must have a healthy copy of the gene and a faulty one. They then have a one in four chance that any children will develop the condition. Nephrotic syndrome can affect people of any age, but it is commonly seen in young children.It affects more boys than girls. Only about one in every 50,000 children are diagnosed with the condition each year. Source: NHS Choices . 'After that we were in and out of hospital trying to find out what was wrong with her. 'In my head I never thought it would be anything serious - if she was poorly she would not be eating or sleeping, but she was behaving like a perfectly normal baby girl.' Eventually a blood test diagnosed Ella with congenital nephritic syndrome. The condition means the proteins and fats that are meant to be absorbed and excreted in the urine are not. The result is that fluids in the blood stream leak into the body's tissues, flooding the kidneys. Miss Hughes said: 'As a parent after hearing those words it consumes your life day and night. 'You can never unhear them no matter how much you try and push them to the back of your head. 'It would keep me awake at night and then when I finally got to sleep I would wake up with a sudden urge to check on her.' Ella is currently recovering at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and it is hoped she will be out in six weeks. Miss Hughes, added: 'It's been a rollercoaster for us. 'We don't want her to go home until she is better but it's so hard being away from our family and friends. 'Her illness has led to complications - she now can't walk unaided and needs a wheelchair. 'Ella has been on life support five times - it's amazing how much work the kidneys actually do and the knock on affect on her whole body. 'We are so proud of Ella - we have the bravest, strongest little girl.'
|
Ella Chadwick was born with the rare congenital nephrotic syndrome .
It caused both of Ella's kidneys to fail when she was 19 months old .
A transplant from her father Martin Chadwick failed in October 2010 .
Her grandmother Christine Chadwick stepped up offering to be a donor .
Ella is recovering after her operation at Great Ormond Street Hospital .
Mother Karen Hughes said: 'I didn't dare dream we would get to this point'
|
f98d132e68a6edee60ddc7b1aa0bf8de80a08642
|
By . Sam Creighton . Italians are known for their generous portions at dinnertime but one family restaurant has taken it to a whole other level. La Famiglia Giorgio's Ristorante, an Italian restaurant in Boston, Massachusetts, has seen more than half a million people take on its Lasagne Challenge over the last 23 years - that averages out at more than 60 people a day - but only 15 have finished the 7,000 calorie feast. The 6lb feast has only been finished by 15 people in 23 years, out of more than 500,000 attempts . Anyone who manages to complete the challenge at La Famiglia Girgio's Ristorante, left, does not have to pay the $40.90 price tag for the 6lb lasagna and gets an 'I ate the plate!' t-shirt, right, as a reward . 1lb Ricotta cheese - 800 calories1lb Romano cheese - 1800 calories1lb Mozzarella cheese - 1300 calories1lb Bolognese - 1500 calories2lb Pasta sheets - 1600 calories . The rules are simple, customers attempt to eat a 6lb serving of the traditional favourite and, if they manage to clear the plate, they get the meal for free and a t-shirt that read 'I ate the plate!'. If they fail, as almost everyone does, they have to fork out $40.90 (£24) for their trouble. The last successful attempt was more than a year ago. Albert Giorgio, 48, the restaurant's general manager and the man behind the challenge, said: 'I put the dish on the menu because it's hilarious watching people fail. 'Also . lasagne is a classic, staple meal for Italian-Americans as well as . across the world. So it seemed like the perfect challenge to offer. 'All kinds of men and women have attempted the challenge. 'And customers go crazy trying to complete it. People jump around trying to work up an appetite midway through the meal. 'Unfortunately, I've seen a lot of people throw-up attempting to do it too!' The monstrous meal contains 1lb or Ricotta cheese, 1lb of Romano cheese, 1lb of Mozzarella cheese, 1lb of Bolognese sauce (containing beef, veal and pork), and 2lb of pasta.
|
The lasagne is served up by La Famiglia Giorgio's Ristorante in Boston .
Only 15 people have cleared their plates, out of more than 500,000 attempts .
Winners get the meal for free and a t-shirt .
Restaurant manager Albert Giorgio says it's 'hilarious watching people fail'
|
f98d2aaa531aca28218a11060e4ef0c70e7d77e9
|
Metallic temporary tattoos have been summer's biggest new beauty hit. From clubbers hitting the coolest bars in Ibiza to teen festival-goers at Glastonbury. Even Beyonce chose to sport the fade-away accessories while posing on her European superyacht. And according to Paris Fashion Week, the temporary trend is here to stay. Models at the Dries Van Noten SS15 show were painted with gold lip rings in Paris . The minimal, metallic make-up was inspired by the famous Burning Man festival . Finally, a catwalk trend we can all afford! On Wednesday, models at Dries Van Noten SS15 in the Grand Palais sported painted-on gold lip rings with the same metallic foil effect as the other popular tattoo jewellery seen this summer. Makeup artist Peter Philips told Vogue.com the gold line down each model's lower lip 'could be a piercing… it could even look like the shine from a lip gloss.' He used an eyeshadow brush to draw a line with MAC Mixing Medium and Ben Nye Gold Powder, and retraced the line with Make Up For Ever's Aqua Liner (in #1). He continued: 'Dries was thinking of the kind of girl who goes to Burning Man. She's not a hippie, but she loves nature - and she's also a bit high-tech.' VIDEO Scroll down to see Kim Kardashian's revealing Paris fashion week outfit . At Anthony Vaccarello, the vibe was more techno/rock, leading the trend away from the hippie look the jewellery has previously been associated with. Models' earlobes were painted in a lacquered patent black, adding a gothic edge to the Spring/Summer 2015 ready-to-wear presentation on Tuesday. The show's make-up artist Tom Pecheux said Anthony 'came up with the idea to create a piece of jewellery using makeup. 'I thought, perhaps we don’t do an earring, but a black tattoo - something that felt very graphic, because the collection is graphic,' the artist told Allure. He drew rigid shapes on each ear lobe with a felt-tip eyeliner pen, before using Homeoplasmine to apply iridescent black glitter. At the Anthony Vaccarello show models' earlobes were painted in a lacquered patent black . Fashion fans wanting to get this look now should invest in a Sharpie, or one of the packs of Temporary tattoos from Divine Ink London, Seekers of Sun, Flash Tattoos or Rosie Wonders. These stencils mimic jewellery and take just 10 minutes to set after being applied with water. They then wear off gradually after a few days. Dior designed a £100 limited-edition set of temporary tattoo cuffs, earrings, chokers and bracelets made of 24-carat gold in 2012. A set from our favourite high street brand Divine Ink London comes in a little cheaper at £15 per pack. The tattoo-as-jewellery trend really took off at the beginning of summer. Alessandra Ambrosio and Aerin Lauder were the first celebrities to be spotted in them, and this month Beyonce, 33, showed off an impressive collection of temporary gold and silver body art while on a yacht around Europe. The star has sported various iterations of the tattoos while on holiday including belly chains, necklaces, bracelets; and even obscure designs such as peacock feathers on her hip and stencils on her shoulders and shins. Beyonce, 33, showed off temporary gold and silver body art while holidaying on a yacht in Europe . She has worn more obscure designs too, such as peacock feathers on her hip and stencils on her shoulders . Fashion blogger Mademoiselle Robot is a fan, she says: 'I first found out about the trend for metallic tattoos through Instagram (which is possibly where all things pretty can be discovered). 'A friend of mine who is a make-up artist in Los Angeles had used them on a shoot. After a quick investigation (read: increasingly harrassing comments to my friend), I was in possession of my very own metallic tattoos. 'I love them because they are the perfect complement to tanned skin - long live this Indian Summer - and they are also the lazy girl's best companion when it comes to accessorising. How could you say no to a built-in gaggle of bangles? 'You can be as conservative or as creative as you want with the placement of your tattoos as well. I wear mine instead of jewellery, but I have seen some girls proudly sporting theirs in lieu of make-up at festivals and other dance parties in abandoned buildings...' Fashion blogger Mademoiselle Robot was inspired by a make-up artist friend in LA . Celebrity make-up artist Nikki Wolff says: 'This new trend is fun and original and can definitely be translated onto the high street. 'Although I wouldn't necessarily recommend colouring in your earlobes with eyeliner to go into the office, replacing your usual eyeliner with a metallic one, or pressing a little fine gold glitter into the centre of your lips over a gloss or balm is a quick, simple way to wear this trend with minimal effort. Celebrity make-up artist Nikki Wolff recommends using Mac Reflects glitter to recreate a wearable effect . 'Mac's Reflects Gold Glitter (£17) is perfect for this look. 'Keep it under done and not too perfect... if your gold eyeliner smudges, or glitter falls onto your cheekbones, all the better!' Recreate Beyonce's glittering body art on a budget with a pack of £15 Divine Ink London temporary tattoos (www.DivineInkLondon.com). The range is inspired by Egyptian symbols, with two sheets in each pack including chain, pendant and hieroglyphic designs. Divine Ink London's range of temporary tattoos is inspired by Egyptian jewellery and sacred symobls . And finally... what your trendy body art actually means . THE EYE OF THE HORUS: Symbolises protection, healing and royal power. THE ANKH: Represents the concept of eternal life. THE EGYPTIAN FALCON GOD: Symbolises superiority, spirit, light, freedom & aspiration. THE SHREE YANTRA: Means affluence, peace and harmony. THE HAND OF FATIMA: Traditionally offers protection from negative energies. The falcon god symbolises superiority, spirit, light, freedom & aspiration . The tattoos cost £15 for a pack of two sheets from divineinklondon.com .
|
Dries Van Noten models wore gold lip 'piercings' on the catwalk .
The designer was inspired by the Burning Man festival .
At Anthony Vaccarello make-up artists drew on ear lobes and added glitter .
Beyonce has been wearing temporary tattoo jewellery this summer .
|
f98d33446aee2f1572be5e82c9e6e1411fc29460
|
ITV Sport are going in a new direction with their football coverage following the appointment of Mark Pougatch as their lead presenter - replacing Adrian Chiles. The decision to replace Chiles, who signed a two-year deal worth around £500,000 a year last summer, with immediate effect has yet to be commented on by the television network. Pougatch will present ITV's next live match which is Chelsea's Champions League last 16 first leg trip to Paris Saint-Germain Champions League on February 17. With his debut for ITV less than a month away, here are 10 things that you may not know about the 46-year-old. Broadcaster Mark Pougatch was named as ITV Sport's new lead football presenter on Friday . Adrian Chiles, who has been replaced as ITV's lead football host, pictured in west London on Friday . 1) Mark Pougatch is married to Lady Victoria Scott - the younger daughter of the 5th Earl of Eldon. They live in Oxfordshire with their three children. 2) His grandfather and great-grandfather were among the diaspora who escaped Ukraine amid the violence that followed the first Russian Revolution. 3) As a boy, he was the captain was of the First XI cricket team at public school Malvern College. 4) He studied politics at the University of Durham - where he was a member of their prestigious Hatfield College. Pougatch later completed his Postgraduate Diploma in Radio Journalism in June 1991 at London College of Printing, London Institute. 5) In 1991, Pougatch began his career at radio station BBC GLR (now known as BBC London 94.9) as a Sports and News presenter. In addition to this Mark also worked at LBC (London Broadcasting Company) as a sports reporter. Pougatch (left) began his broadcasting career 24 years ago at radio station BBC GLR . 6) In 2010 he wrote Three Lions Versus the World: England's World Cup Stories from the Men Who Were There - an anecdotal history of England's World Cup campaigns from 1950 to 2006. 7) In March 2012, he won the Sports Journalists' Association award for Sports Broadcaster of the Year. 8) He counts gardening, pig-keeping, history, politics and playing sport as just some of his interests. 9) In addition to being broadcaster and author, Pougatch is also a daytime events and after dinner speaker. 10) As well as football, he has covered events such as the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, Wimbledon, boxing bouts and several home and abroad England cricket matches. Pougatch (right) has been involved in broadcasting other sports such as at ringside for boxing bouts .
|
Mark Pougatch will take over from Adrian Chiles as ITV's lead presenter .
Pougatch's debut on ITV will be PSG vs Chelsea next month .
Chiles signed a two-year deal worth around £500,000 a year last summer .
It is understood ITV want to terminate his contract .
Pougatch mainly works for BBC Radio 5 Live .
|
f98e0f30a5fd34d38d958b926e79452ffbf8f03c
|
By . Jade Watkins and Eleanor Gower . PUBLISHED: . 18:50 EST, 6 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:45 EST, 7 August 2013 . Custody: Tameka Raymond, pictured in court last August, has re-launched her bid for full custody . Usher's ex-wife Tameka Raymond has filed for custody of their two children following Monday's pool accident which left their five-year-old Usher V in a coma. Tameka, who divorced the 34-year-old singer in November 2009, filed legal documents on Tuesday asking for an emergency hearing on grounds Usher is allegedly creating a 'dangerous environment' for the children. According to TMZ, the documents were filed in Fulton County, Georgia, and ask for the hearing to take place later this week. Tameka is seeking decision-making power over the children's education, healthcare, religion and extracurricular activities. She is allegedly claiming Usher is 'abdicating' his parental responsibilities by letting other people care for their two children,' report the website. She is also said to be doubtful of the people Usher leaves in charge of looking after the children - Usher Jr and four-year Naviyd. Apparently Usher's aunt - Rena Oden - was in charge of watching the youngster when his arm got stuck in the pool drain on Monday which led him to be rushed to intensive care, say TMZ. Tameka believes that Oden was 'not on the ball' when the incident occurred. In her documents, she also claims that Usher is '85% of the time out of town' and therefore delegates the care of the children to other people. According to Tameka, the singer's family members have been looking after her children because The Voice judge continues to fire nannies that were previously on staff. Usher currently has primary custody while Tameka has limited custodial rights after their split, but now she is seeking to reverse the situation. Usher Raymond V is currently being . treated in the ICU at an Atlanta, Georgia hospital after his arm got . caught in the drain of a pool at the star's home early Monday evening. The incident came just over a year on from the death of Tameka's stepson Kile following a jet ski crash. Scroll down for video . Hospital dash: Usher's son Usher Raymond V, five, was rushed to intensive care after a serious pool accident on Monday . The accident happened when the youngster was said to playing in the swimming pool with Usher's aunt Oden, according to TMZ. After spying a toy in the drain of the pool, he reportedly dove down to retrieve it but his arm got caught in the process. Seeing Usher Raymond V underwater, Rena immediately swam down to rescue the boy but to no avail. A maid also tried but failed to help . before two men working in the house were said to have rushed out and . dove into the pool, finally freeing the boy's arm from the drain. Usher Raymond V was then reportedly given CPR and rushed to hospital. His . famous father was not home at the time of the incident, but as soon as . he was notified, was said to have promptly rushed to his Atlanta . property. Happier times: Tameka and Usher, pictured back in 2007, two years before their divorce became finalised . He rode in the ambulance with his son and was later joined at the hospital by Tameka, TMZ reports. The little boy's state is currently described as 'okay' and doctors are reportedly running tests on him. Meanwhile, the frantic 911 call which Usher's aunt placed to emergency services has now been released and obtained by TMZ. During the call, Rena can be heard hysterically begging the operator for an ambulance. 'My . nephew was in the pool. He went and I couldn't get him. I tried to get . him. They did CPR on him,' she is heard saying in the audio. She is also heard trying to calm . Usher's younger brother Naviyd, four, down, all whilst asking the two men . doing CPR on little Usher Raymond V, if he was breathing. She then reports to the dispatcher that the youngster is in fact breathing after the CPR. 'Is he OK?' she asks the men. 'He's breathing', she is then heard telling the operator. Tragic: The incident comes after Usher's stepson Kile Glover,pictured here, tragically passed away at the age of 11 last year following a jet-ski accident . When the ambulance does arrive whilst . Rena is on the line, little Naviyd is heard saying that his brother is . 'faking it' to which Rena bluntly tells him: 'He is not faking it, come here.' The terrifying turn of events come . after Usher's 11-year-old stepson Kile Glover died over a year ago, two . weeks after he was critically injured in a boating accident. Kile passed away from the injuries he obtained after being run over on July 6, 2012 by a personal watercraft on Lake Lanier. The young boy, whose mother is Tameka, was taken off life support by doctors on July 21, who determined that he would not recover from his injuries. Kile was struck in the head during a jet ski collision while riding an inner tube on the lake in Atlanta, Georgia. Rights : Usher has custody of his two sons, Usher Raymond V and Naviyd Ely Raymond, after a custody battle with his ex-wife Tameka Raymond . According . to authorities, a family friend who was riding a jet ski behind the . pontoon lost control and collided with Glover's tube. Kile . was with an unidentified 15-year-old girl at the time of the accident . and both children were airlifted to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at . Egleston. He was later declared brain dead. In August last year, Usher was granted primary custody of his two paternal sons, Usher Raymond V and Naviyd, four, both of who he shares with Tameka. He had been locked in a custody battle with Tameka when Kile passed away. The . singer had been involved in a bitter dispute with his ex-wife over the . welfare of the boys, and a judge in Atlanta, Georgia, sided with the . star. The children spent the majority of time with their father, while Tameka retained some custodial rights. Heartbroken: Tameka tweeted this picture of Kile with his younger brother just before his death last year . Before the case closed, Usher's attorney labelled Tameka ‘incapable of being a proper parent’ to their children. He had accused Tameka of trying to interfere with the time he was allowed with their kids under their joint custody arrangement - a charge she denied. During closing arguments in the case, the legal representative said she ‘does not have the emotional stability or capacity to bond with them, and therefore she is handicapped’. Tameka's attorney, counter argued that Usher travels all the time and does not have a good relationship with his mother, whom he had testified was part of the family unit that would help take care of Usher V and Navyid when he was on the road.
|
Tameka accused her ex of raising their sons in a 'dangerous environment .
Usher V rushed to intensive care after his arm was trapped in a pool drain .
A workman at the house revived him with CPR .
Usher V was in the care of the singer's aunt who Tameka has 'issues' with .
Incident comes a year after Tameka's son Kile, 11, died following a jet ski crash .
|
f98e5095de044fbe530bcf65a8dc709459d50389
|
Travellers will be forced to prove they are actually travelling around the country under a new Government crackdown to stop them setting up camps on green belt land. Under new plans, to be announced by the Government next month, travelling communities will be expected to prove that they have moved for two months every year. The new draft planning rules state that 'for planning purposes the Government believes a traveller should be someone who travels'. Scroll down for video . Under new plans, to be announced by the Government next month, travelling communities (pictured in Staffordshire) will be expected to prove that they have moved for two months every year and are 'nomadic' It comes after Eric Pickles, Communities and Local Government Secretary, was found to have 'unlawfully discriminated' against gipsies by using his ministerial powers to decide personally whether they should be allowed to settle on green belt land. The new regulations mean travellers will no longer be automatically banned from setting up camp on green belt land, although they must prove they have a 'nomadic' lifestyle. The draft planning rules also state that 'travellers who have given up travelling permanently should be treated in the same way as the settled community, especially regarding sites in sensitive locations, such as in the green belt'. Under current planning rules, councils must provide land to house traveller communities and the Housing Act 2004 also states that authorities must regularly carry out assessments of their accommodation needs. Mr Pickles said the new regulations would allow a fairer planning system. He told The Telegraph's Christopher Hope: 'The public want to see fair play in the planning system, with planning applications being decided on the basis of their effect on the environment, not who the applicant is. 'This Government will stand firm in allowing councils to safeguard the green belt which prevents urban sprawl and stops the open countryside being covered in concrete.' It comes after Eric Pickles, Communities Secretary, was found to have 'unlawfully discriminated' against gipsies by using his powers to personally decide whether they should be allowed to settle on green belt land . Mr Pickles had said that travellers would be barred from settling on green belt land to prevent a re-run of battles such as the £7million eviction of Dale Farm (pictured) travellers. However, it's now been overturned . However, Joseph Jones, a spokesman for the Gipsy Council, disagreed. He told the newspaper: 'This is a very, very divisive issue – they are saying if you live on a gipsy site and you don't go travelling every year, you lose your gipsy status.' He said travellers have 'always travelled for work' and said it is not a nomadic way of life. Last year, Mr Pickles announced that travellers would be barred from settling on green belt land to prevent a re-run of battles such as the £7million eviction of the Dale Farm travellers. He said he took action because his advice to councils to only allow green belt developments in 'very special circumstances' was not being followed. Eric Pickles . Eric Pickles took matters into his own hands when travellers set their sights on his constituency. As he saw 15 caravans turning off the motorway as he was driving home, he chased them down and confronted about 40 travellers after they pulled on to a cricket pitch in Mountnessing, Essex. Unhappy with their answers, he then called in the police and local council to deal with them. The group were eventually issued with a Section 61 eviction notice and told to leave the field. After the incident in 2013, Mr Pickles said: ‘After seeing the trouble this has caused I’ve never felt it more important to protect our green belt land and the communities who live in and around it.’ The new rules were intended to prevent a repeat of the forcible clearance of Dale Farm, once the UK's largest traveller sites, on green belt land in Crays Hill, Essex. It followed a 10-year legal wrangle with Basildon Council, which in 2011 mobilised hundreds of police and bailiffs to clear the site as the residents fought back. However, earlier this week Mr Pickles and his department was found to have breached both human rights and equality laws for 'calling in' cases which would normally be considered by his planning inspectors. In a ruling likely to affect many other travellers, Mr Justice Gilbart, sitting at the High Court in London, said Mr Pickles was operating a legally-flawed policy of 'recovering' for his own consideration appeals by travellers who claim there are exceptional circumstances for allowing them green belt sites. No attempt had been made by Mr Pickles and his ministers to follow steps required by the 2010 Equality Act to avoid indirect discrimination, and 'substantial delays' had occurred in dealing with the appeals in violation of Article Six of the European Convention on Human Rights, the judge said. The judge also said that Mr Pickles' department had 'coined and developed' a practice in 2013-2014 of calling in all, and then a majority, of green belt traveller cases - most involving Romany gipsies or Irish travellers - 'which discriminated unlawfully against a racial group'. Following the ruling, Planning Minister Brandon Lewis said: 'This Government makes no apologies for seeking to safeguard green belt protection and trying to bring a sense of fair play to the planning system. 'The Government's planning policy is clear that both temporary and permanent traveller sites are inappropriate development in the green belt. Today's judgment does not question that principle.' There are currently an estimated 300,000 gipsies and travellers in the UK. However, it is believed that only about 40 per cent regularly travel for two months or more every year, meaning many could be affected by the new planning rules.
|
Travellers will have to prove they live a 'nomadic lifestyle' under new rules .
Will be expected to show that they have moved for two months every year .
Rules: 'Government believes a traveller should be someone who travels'
It comes after Eric Pickles was found to have 'unlawfully discriminated'
High Court ruled he breached human rights and equality laws of gipsies .
|
f98e6478e9fa950dae69e1389c3035aaf6abf680
|
By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 11:10 EST, 2 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:16 EST, 2 December 2013 . It seems Google has become a little prudish with its latest Android KitKat operating system - especially when it comes to feminine hygiene and sex. A list of banned phrases has revealed the tech giant will offer predictive suggestions when a user types the words ‘marijuana’ and ‘bong’, but refuses to offer help for words such as ‘condom’, 'Tampax' 'braless' ‘intercourse’ and even ‘geek’. The words were discovered in the source code of the new software by Wired.com and Google has declined to comment on why and how it made the choices. Wired.com has discovered a list of banned Android words, including 'intercourse', 'condom' and even 'geek'. When an Android user is typing they can enable predictive text suggestions to appear above the keyboard, pictured. Google then guesses which word they're trying to write but won't show any words on the banned list . Selection of banned words Google doesn't show in its predictive text tool: . Sex, intercourse, lovemaking, coitus, penis, vagina, irrumination, pizzle, butt, panty, braless, Tampax, preggers, suck, screw, geek, Chromebook, thud. Allowed controversial words: Marijuana, bong, methamphetamine, Nazi . So-called banned words aren’t words that Google will physically stop users from typing. Instead they are words that don't feature in its built-in predictive text dictionary. For example, when an Android user is typing texts or emails, they can enable predictive text suggestions to appear above the keys. As the user types, Google will try and guess which word they are trying to write and offer a list to choose from. To make typing faster, users can select the word from this list rather than manually typing the word. It also speeds things up when people use the swiping feature, which lets them swipe over the letters rather than selecting them individually. According to the list of words discovered by Wired’s Jon Christian, if a user starts to type the words ‘sex’, ‘intercourse’ or ‘lovemaking’, Google will not show them as suggestions. Typing the word ‘condom’ gives suggestions for ‘condition’ or ‘confusion’. Many of the banned words relate to reproduction, genitalia and swearing, however there are a number of words that Google won't offer suggestions for because it doesn't recognise that the words exist. This includes Chromebook, the name of Google's very own range of laptops, pictured . Google isn’t the only company guilty of partly censoring words in messages; a report in July discovered Apple does similar. Analysis from news website Daily . Beast found that iPhone handsets running iOS 6 will not suggest . corrections for words considered to be sensitive or provocative. Researchers used the built-in spell . checker in the iOS API developer platform to test more than 250,000 . words and discovered that suggestions do not apply for words including . 'abortion', 'bullet', 'suicide' and 'pornography' when they have been . mistyped. The report found that from the 165,000-word dictionary built into Android KitKat, 1,400 English words have been deemed inappropriate. Words for genitalia are banned, as are certain medical terms relating to genitalia, including ‘irrumination’. The word ‘butt’ is banned, as is ‘panty’, feminine hygiene brand ‘Tampax’ and ‘preggers’ among others that relate to reproduction or sexually transmitted diseases. Words that aren’t generally considered offensive and don’t relate to human anatomy yet are still on the list include ‘geek’ and ‘thud.’ Christian also points out the word ‘supremacist’ is banned, but ‘Nazi’ isn’t. Swear words are blocked from appearing automatically, but that list includes the word ‘pizzle’ – on old English word for penis. Words including ‘suck’ and ‘screw’ also don’t show up as suggestions, which was the case in Android Jelly Bean too. Many of these banned words are recognised, once they’ve been manually typed, and Google knows if they’ve been spelt correctly or not. However, other words Google doesn’t even recognise as words include Chromebook – the name for its own brand of laptops.
|
List of words were found in the source code for Android’s KitKat software .
It includes synonyms for sex, genitalia and pregnancy plus the word ‘geek’
If a user types these words, Google doesn't show them in its predictive text .
Controversial allowed words include ‘marijuana’ and ‘bong’ as well as 'Nazi'
|
f98e95408bea708216c9b6e3d67e97a380b4e475
|
MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- An illegal immigrant dishwasher who lost $49,000 to the U.S. government as he tried to take it home to Guatemala will get some of the money back, his attorney said Wednesday. Pedro Zapeta, an illegal immigrant, managed to save $59,000 while working as a dishwasher for 11 years. Pedro Zapeta was "very, very happy" when he learned about a federal appeals court ruling that says he is entitled to recover some of the money, said attorney Robert Gershman, who handled the financial end of Zapeta's case. Zapeta was carrying $59,000 in cash when he was stopped at a security checkpoint at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in 2005. He told authorities he was returning home to Guatemala with the money he had saved working illegally as a dishwasher over 11 years. But federal law requires that anyone leaving or entering the country with $10,000 or more must declare it. Because Zapeta had not done so, he was detained, and his money was seized. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the judge who fined Zapeta applied an incorrect standard in determining the amount to be forfeited. The appeals court ordered a hearing to set a new fine. "I am extremely happy," Gershman said. "Even though he is not a citizen, it shows he has equal rights." Gershman has said Zapeta, who does not speak English, was not trying to conceal the money but did not know the law. Zapeta had paid taxes on the earnings, he said, and under legal guidelines should be fined at most $5,000 for failing to report that he was traveling with the cash. Circuit Court Judge James Cohn instead fined Zapeta $49,000, all the money he was carrying over the $10,000 limit. "The government always acted as if the money was their own," Gershman said. "They acted almost entitled to it. But it's not their money. It was Pedro's, and the [appeals] court affirmed that." Zapeta said last year that he had saved the money to build a house for himself and his family in his home village in the Guatemalan mountains. He returned to Guatemala this year under the threat of deportation, but his lawyers continued to argue that his fine was excessive. Federal prosecutors in Miami did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the decision or on whether they will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. As Zapeta's case was publicized, U.S. residents donated money to him, and Gershman set up a trust. It has received about $15,000 in donations, he said.
|
Pedro Zapeta was stopped in 2005 trying to take $59,000 home to Guatemala .
Zapeta had paid taxes on the money, didn't know he had to declare it, attorney says .
He was fined $49,000 and left U.S. under threat of deportation .
New ruling says judge applied wrong standard and Zapeta should get some back .
|
f98f3236ce6c21b1a1529034a60c07c789b50360
|
New York (CNN) -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced Thursday he has reimbursed the state of New Jersey for the cost of using a state police helicopter to travel with his wife to his son's high school baseball game. The Republican has come under fire from opposition lawmakers and the public since he touched down Tuesday near the ball field in Montvale, about 80 miles from Trenton, the capital. After initially refusing to reimburse the state, Christie has repaid $2,151 to cover the cost of his flights to the game, Christie said in a news conference. "What I know about this business is, perception matters," Christie said. "I'm not going to allow the media and the hacks of the Democratic power to ... get away from the matter because they want to have a circus." Christie claimed he was using the helicopter to balance his responsibilities as a father with his busy schedule as governor. "I'm governor 24/7, every single day, but I'm also a father," he said. Christie, who has taken 33 helicopter flights since assuming office last January, said he has been far more "judicious" in his helicopter use than other recent governors, citing Govs. Jim McGreevey, Thomas Kean and James Florio. "If you look at the way I use this helicopter, it's not like I'm using it as a perk of office," he said. The Republican budget hawk added that according to the State Police, the travel does not cost taxpayers money, because as the pilots need the flying time in order to be certified. When asked, the governor reiterated that he will not be running for president in the coming election but has refused to "rule out" 2016. The GOP paid for a portion of the helicopter rides, $919, to cover the cost of Christie's flight from the ballgame to Princeton, where he met with GOP contributors visiting from Iowa, according to Andy Pratt of the New Jersey Treasury. Still, some Democrats were not swayed. "To use these vehicles to shuttle between both a personal and a political activity is an outright abuse of taxpayer dollars," said Democrat Assemblywoman Joan Quigley. The former federal prosecutor, who earned a reputation for battling corruption, was elected on a platform of fiscal discipline and eliminating government waste and abuse. During his first year in office, Christie helped to pass a $29 billion budget, narrowing an $11 billion deficit with cuts in public-sector spending, including employee pensions and benefits. The governor has since called for some $200 million in tax cuts. He has focused on spending reductions on public unions -- particularly the state's powerful teachers' unions -- who often have said the governor has used them as an excuse for the state's broader financial troubles.
|
Gov. Chris Christie pays back $2,151 for helicopter flight to son's baseball game .
State GOP pays $919 to cover flight to political event in Princeton after the game .
"I'm governor 24/7, every single day, but I'm also a father," Christie says .
Democratic assemblywoman calls it "outright abuse of taxpayer dollars"
|
f98f6e01a3ec7cc7c58fad31877bfe9b5d0ea3bf
|
Childhood school friends who spent ten years apart have been reunited after one was diagnosed with cancer. Hairdresser Joanna Meadows, 21, from Gloucester, lost contact with best friend Neil Vines, 22, over ten years ago. But after she learned over Facebook that her childhood play mate had been diagnosed with a brain tumour she contacted him immediately. The once super-fit personal trainer's appearance has been dramatically altered by the life-saving operations, intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy he has undergone since 2012. Scroll down for video . Childhood school friends Joanna Meadows and Neil Vines who spent ten years apart have been reunited after former personal trainer Mr Vines was diagnosed with cancer. After reuniting, Miss Meadows and Mr Vines have become best friends one again - and she has even shaved her head in support of him . The pair pictured in a school photo. Miss Meadows, 21, who has been at Mr Vines' side ever since learning of his condition, said her inspirational friend refuses to be beaten . But Miss Meadows, 21, who has been his side ever since learning of his condition, said he refuses to be beaten. After reuniting, Miss Meadows and Mr Vines have become best friends once again - and she has even shaved her head in support of him. Mr Vines has battled two brain tumours, one affecting his eye sight - as well as spinal cancer which left him unable to walk. But thanks to rounds of chemotherapy and numerous operations, the pair are looking forward to the future following his cancer free results. The once super-fit personal trainer's appearance (pictured left and right before his diagnosis) has been ravaged by the life-saving operations, intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy he has undergone since 2012 . Mr Vines at a fitness show when he was a personal trainer. Mr Vines has battled two brain tumours, one affecting his eye sight - as well as spinal cancer which left him unable to walk . Miss Meadows said: 'Me and Neil first met each other at play group and even though we grew apart after school, I was devastated when I heard he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour. 'I first got in touch with Neil over Facebook and I arranged to catch up with him at his house. 'From there we exchanged numbers and arranged cinema and coffee outings, it was nice being able to go out, spend time together and build a strong bond between the both of us. 'He was a healthy personal trainer, working out in Crete living life to the full so it was a sudden huge shock for him, his family and everyone who knew him. 'Neil's appearance had changed dramatically within a short space of time but he has always remained positive and brave. 'Over the past two and a half years Neil's cancer diagnosis has brought us closer than ever, we are best friends now. Mr Vines, pictured undergoing chemotherapy. Mr Vines was first diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour that had spread to his spine in 2012 after suffering severe headaches and neck pains . Mr Vines pictured back lifting weights after his first brain tumour. Miss Meadows said: 'Me and Neil first met each other at play group and even though we grew apart after school, I was devastated when I heard he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour' Mr Vines pictured after beating the second brain tumour. Mr Vines was working abroad at the time he fell ill but once returned to the UK he underwent tests that led to his diagnosis . 'I speak to him on a daily basis and I always try to pop round to his house to see him when I can. 'Neil has just beaten his second tumour that was close to the front of his brain, he is currently free of the tumour and we are all so happy for him as he deserved this recent news.' Mr Vines was first diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour that had spread to his spine in 2012 after suffering severe headaches and neck pains. He was working abroad at the time but once returned to the UK he underwent tests that led to his diagnosis. Miss Meadows added: 'After operations, intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy Neil was then left unable to walk, however once his treatment had finished he was overly determined to get back on his feet. A brain tumour is a growth of cells in the brain that multiply in an abnormal way. There are brain tumours known as 'benign' tumours, which are not cancerous and tend to stay in one place. However, Mr Vines had another type of brain tumour which was cancerous. Cancerous brain tumours are generally fast-growing and can spread to other areas of the brain and spinal cord, such as in Mr Vine’s case. There are about 5,000 new cases of cancerous brain tumours in the UK each year. People with this type of cancer usually have surgery to have as much of the tumour removed as possible. This may be followed with radiotherapy, chemotherapy or a combination of both. However, malignant tumours will often return. Steroids are also often prescribed for brain tumours to reduce swelling in the brain. The brain tumour takes up space inside the skull and can increase the pressure inside the head. This can cause headaches, sickness and seizures. Steroids are powerful anti inflammatory drugs which can stop the swelling. However, one of the side affects of steroids is weight gain and water retention, which is why Mr Vines’ appearance changed. Sources: NHS Choices and Cancer Research UK . Mr Vines pictured raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust after his first brain tumour . Joanna and Neil after his first brain tumour diagnosis. He said: 'Neil is my inspiration and he has changed my whole outlook on life' She said: 'His one eyelid is stitched together and his whole body has swelled up due to the steroid treatment. He has suffered all sorts of side affects. He isn't scared anymore, he is always fighting back whatever life throws at him and has never asked "why me?"' 'Just when we all thought his battle was finally over, a routine scan revealed that he had a second tumour near the front of his brain. 'Neil needed further treatment and was put on a high dose of steroids to reduce the swelling on his brain. 'Myself and Neil's supportive family and friends felt helpless as we watched him go through his traumatic battle but everyone has been fantastic in being there every step of the way' After her head shave she said: 'My hair means a lot to me but after everything Neil has been through it was something I was adamant I wanted to do' 'His one eyelid is stitched together and his whole body has swelled up due to the steroid treatment. He has suffered all sorts of side affects. 'He isn't scared anymore, he is always fighting back whatever life throws at him and has never asked 'why me?' 'Neil is my inspiration and he has changed my whole outlook on life.' She decided to shave her hair off to help raise funds for the charity that has helped Neil throughout his ordeal, The Teenage Cancer Trust. She added: 'My hair means a lot to me but after everything Neil has been through it was something I was adamant I wanted to do. 'I thought about doing a charity walk but I needed to do something that would really catch people's attention. 'Neil had no choice about losing his hair so I thought I would shave mine too and prove a point that it doesn't matter what you look like it's the person you are inside that matters' 'So far I have raised just over £1,250 in total for the trust but I want to keep going, Neil is so proud of the funds I have achieved so far. ' The pair are looking forward to 2015 and seeing his health continue to improve - and Mr Vines hopes to get back to walking and running as soon as possible. She added: 'Neil is having help to regain his strength and balance to walk again at the moment and we have decided to do a 5k run together, I have every faith in him that he can do it. 'I just pray and hope for a miracle that this is the end of Neil's cancer journey, I'll always be at Neil's side, we are best friends now. 'He gives me just as much support as I give back. I really do love him, words can't describe what an amazing young man he is and I'm so glad to have him in my life.' Mr Vines has written a book documenting his journey called Powerful Beyond Measure. It goes on sale next month. He added: 'Joanna's friendship has supported me throughout my cancer journey, her texts, calls and visits have helped get me through some really tough times. 'I'm looking forward to my book going on sale.' To donate and help Joanna raise money for The Teenage Cancer Trust please click here or visit:www.justgiving.com/joanna-meadows . Neil pictured with his mother soon after his diagnosis. The friends are looking forward to 2015 and seeing his health continue to improve - and Mr Vines hopes to get back to walking and running as soon as possible .
|
Joanna Meadows, 21, and friend, Neil Vines, 22, lost contact ten years ago .
Miss Meadows learned her over Facebook that her childhood play mate had been diagnosed with a brain tumour and contacted him immediately .
The personal trainer's appearance has been ravaged by extreme treatments .
But Miss Meadows, 21, said her inspirational friend refuses to be beaten .
|
f98f75ecf30776737991db5975e6da0470be0fb6
|
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- The Afghan government hopes to hold talks with Taliban representatives in Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks, according to a senior Afghan official, in a move that threatens to cloud already delicate and fragile steps to negotiate an end to the United States' longest war. The senior official, speaking anonymously as he was discussing sensitive diplomatic issues, said there were plans for a meeting between insurgents and Afghan officials in Saudi Arabia. Yet, he added, the plans were at such an early stage that it was not clear who -- including American officials -- would attend or when any talks would be held. The U.S. has acknowledged that it has held discussions about opening a Taliban office in Doha, Qatar, as well as the possibility of transferring some Taliban prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay as part of American support for Afghan reconciliation efforts. "The principle is that although there is now an agreement -- almost -- to set up an office in Doha, that doesn't necessarily mean that all conversations will take place in Doha," the official said. "We will talk to the same or different individuals (from the insurgency) in a different location. Obviously, Saudi Arabia has been supportive of the recent agenda and has hosted talks in the past. It is likely that we are heading there in the future for meetings." He said the dates and participants were still being worked out and insisted that any Saudi discussions would feed into the Qatar process. This is "absolutely not in opposition to the Qatar process," he added, calling the talks in that Gulf state "a very substantive step forward." Importantly, while the Afghan official was unable to say whether the Americans would attend any talks held in Saudi Arabia, he insisted, "The U.S. is supportive of the idea. It is far too early to discuss any specifics about this." The creation of a parallel process to the Qatar talks risks frustrating American efforts to bring the Taliban and Afghan officials together. The current "talks about talks" in Doha are the product of months of U.S. efforts to reach out to the insurgency, which came to sudden fruition last month when the Taliban announced that they would support opening an office in their name in Qatar. Officials in President Hamid Karzai's government privately voiced frustration at being excluded from the early stages of this process. They agreed to support it last week, but the announcement of a separate drive in Saudi Arabia will be interpreted by many as an Afghan reminder that they wish to exert overriding influence over any peace process. The official's remarks that they might talk to different insurgents in Saudi Arabia could further create distance between this process and that in Qatar, although the official insisted that was not the intention. The official said the Qatar process could move forward once the Qataris sent a delegation to Kabul to discuss the next steps, adding that he hoped that would be soon. He said that as of now, there were no Afghan government officials in Qatar to support any discussions. "To fully assume ownership of the Qatar process is important for us," the official added. "We will work in the weeks ahead" to do that. He said the Americans needed a clear statement from the insurgents, distancing themselves from terrorism, for their role in the Qatar process to move forward and for an office to be established. He said: "We know and are aware the are Taliban representatives in Doha. There are channels in fact, and we are aware of the presence. What's not yet established is the office." An American observer with an intimate knowledge of the discussions said, "What (Karzai) is basically saying is that he is not on board with the Qatar process." The observer said he did not think American officials had been made aware of the Saudi Arabian process before its announcement and expressed doubts as to how thought-out and organized any Saudi meeting was. "This doesn't seem really serious. It's more a symptom of Karzai protesting the progress that's been made in Qatar. We don't know if this is real or if the Saudis are on board. It's yet another statement that comes out of Kabul that throws a monkey wrench into the process." He added that Karzai had blown "hot and cold" over reconciling with the Taliban. "It is frustrating because often the assumption was that it would be difficult to get the Taliban to focus on talks, but actually it's difficult to get Karzai to."
|
Most details, such as who and when, remain up in the air .
U.S. has held discussions about opening a Taliban office in Qatar .
Move is "not in opposition to the Qatar process," Afghan official says .
U.S. official says move shows that Karzai is not on board with Qatar efforts .
|
f98f7b419c6a654f96dac7499c753ddbed5fbb39
|
By . Jason Groves . PUBLISHED: . 20:01 EST, 21 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:01 EST, 21 November 2013 . Cutting the green c**p: David Cameron, who once pledged to lead the 'greenest government ever', has publicly promised to 'roll back' green taxes, which add more than £110 a year to average fuel bills . A leading Liberal Democrat suggested David Cameron was ‘full of c**p’ last night for wanting to ditch green levies on energy bills. The Coalition feud over environmental issues boiled over after the Daily Mail revealed that the Prime Minister has privately told ministers to ‘get rid of all this green c**p’ – a reference to the green taxes which are blamed for driving up energy bills. Treasury chief secretary Danny Alexander reacted furiously to the comments, saying the green levies, which add £112 to the average bill, were helping to insulate homes for the poor and invest in clean energy such as wind farms and solar panels. He told Sky News: ‘We’re engaged in a serious exercise to make sure that the costs of those things are not any more than they need to be. ‘But what’s being referred to here as “green c**p” is stuff, which is helping to insulate people’s homes to reduce the costs of their energy consumption – levies that help support investment in our country’s long-term energy needs. ‘That’s about helping people on low incomes, it’s about investment, it’s about jobs in this country. Anyone who thinks we should get rid of that is full of c**p, I would say.’ Nick Clegg also defended the green levies, saying: ‘It isn’t all c**p.’ Treasury chief secretary Danny Alexander reacted furiously to the comments, saying the green levies, which add £112 to the average bill, were helping to insulate homes for the poor and invest in clean energy such as wind farms and solar panels . Cuts? Mr Cameron wants to scrap green levies which subsidise wind farms . He said he did not believe Mr Cameron had completely abandoned his pre-election commitment to the environment. ‘We . both want to see policies, where we are in control of them in . government, made as cost-effective as possible without cutting our . commitment to reducing carbon commitments and looking after the . environment,’ Mr Clegg said. Mr Cameron has publicly said he wants to ‘roll back’ green taxes in next month’s autumn statement.Yesterday’s row erupted after a senior Tory source revealed the Prime Minister’s message in private is far blunter. The source said: ‘He’s telling everyone: “We’ve got to get rid of all this green c**p.” He’s absolutely focused on it.’ Referring to Mr Cameron’s pre-election slogan ‘vote blue, go green’, the source said: ‘It’s vote blue, get real now.’ Downing Street yesterday said it ‘did not recognise’ the reported comments, although it stopped short of issuing a denial. A spokesman said the Prime Minister stood by his pledge to lead the ‘greenest government ever’. A Number 10 source said: ‘Mr Cameron has been quite clear about rolling back the impact of levies on energy bills, but only last week in Sri Lanka he was talking about the importance of tackling climate change.’ Speaking after a meeting to promote the HS2 rail line yesterday, Mr Cameron said he ‘of course’ still believed in the green agenda. He cited his support for HS2 and added: ‘We have got the world’s first green investment bank, we have got great support for our green technology industries. 'We have got the first nuclear power station since 1995. This is a Government investing in important green technologies.’ Environmental groups condemned Mr Cameron’s apparent change of heart. Greenpeace spokesman Joss Garman said: ‘If David Cameron thinks the road to electoral victory will be found in attacking the very policies he once passionately advocated then he is sorely mistaken. ‘The British electorate are a sophisticated bunch who will see through his chameleon tendencies and conclude this attack is not an act of leadership, but one of cowardice as he panders to the extreme wing of his own party and tries to claw back support from Ukip.’ But former Cabinet minister Peter Lilley, one of a handful of MPs to vote against Labour’s 2008 Climate Change Act, said: ‘There is no point in impoverishing this generation in the vague hope it might help some distant future generation.’
|
Danny Alexander has reacted furiously to the comments about green levies .
He said the 'c**p' was helping heat the homes of the poor and reduce bills .
Nick Clegg also defended the green levies, saying: ‘It isn’t all c**p.’
The Prime Minister has publicly promised to 'roll back' green taxes .
|
f98f944a7eeb70e68113eace2fbabbe218ae3d1b
|
By . Julian Robinson . An engineer refused to install an electricity meter at a couple's home - after telling them he was not trained to climb step ladders. The worker, from Utility Warehouse, said he was not allowed to use ladders while he was carrying out work at John Stearn's house in Saltburn, Teeside. Instead, the engineer downed tools and left saying specialist colleagues would have to finish the job. An engineer told John Stearn, pictured with his wife Linda, that he could not install an electricity meter as he was not trained to climb a step ladder . The company says their employee was unable to carry out the work for 'health and safety reasons'. Mr Stearn added: 'You don't need a training course to be able to use a pair of ladders. 'You have to laugh at what seems another silly health and safety rule.' Utility Warehouse said the engineer did not carry out the work for 'health and safety reasons' while he was at the home of John Stearn and his wife Linda, pictured . He had asked his supplier to change both his gas and electricity meters to a pre-payment scheme. The gas meter was changed without any delay because it was at ground level but the electricity meter was placed on the wall above head height. With the pair facing financial difficulties, he had hoped the work could have been done quickly to help manage his bills. 'We agreed . to have pre-payment meters installed thinking it would be a simple . thing to do, but we had this delay over the ladders,' he added. Mr Stearn said that he had been one of the company's customers for 'a number of years'. Jon Goddard, head of distributor . marketing at the Utility Warehouse, admitted there had been a health and . safety issue over the job at Mr Stearn's home. He said: 'We were able to install a gas pre-payment meter, but the installation of the electricity pre-payment meter has been delayed because the engineer we sent to do this work was unable to climb a ladder to exchange the meter due to health and safety reasons. The highly specialised work was later completed after being referred to a specialist metering team at the company.
|
Utility Warehouse engineer told a couple he was not allowed to climb ladders .
The worker was at John Stearn's home in Saltburn to install electricity meter .
Company says employee could not use ladder for 'health and safety' reasons .
|
f98ff30fa6244fb9985404feb7595a81ac944938
|
Cairo (CNN) -- Egyptian forces secured and cleared a Cairo mosque that had become the epicenter of Saturday's confrontations between protesters and the military, interior ministry spokesman Hani Abdel-Latif said. Hundreds of supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsy had been holed up in the Al-Fateh mosque in central Cairo since overnight. Without food or medical supplies, but fearful of reprisals if they walked out, the protesters earlier rebuffed the military's request for them to clear the building. The situation escalated as security forces fired at the mosque's minaret, claiming there were snipers firing at them. In the end, the security forces were successful in securing the place. The clashes at the mosque had threatened to pull Egypt into another day of widespread violence on Saturday. Political unrest preceded the military coup that ousted Morsy, and his supporters have held massive rallies against the interim government and its supporters. Both sides blame each other for instigating violence. "We are not facing a political struggle," interim presidential adviser Mustapha Higazi said. "We are facing war waged by extreme forces." The spokesman referred to the protesters as terrorists and warned that "what we see in the streets will not be accepted." The government urged pro-Morsy protesters to "come to their senses" and unite Egyptians. "We express our deepest sorrow and offer our condolences to those who have their blood spilled," Higazi said. At least 173 people have been killed across the country since Friday's mass protests began, the government said. It was an especially bloody week in Egypt, as the interim government put in place by a military coup seeks to restore stability to the country while Morsy supporters fight to restore the democratically elected former president to power. With no end to the clashes in sight, the pressure on the international community to act increases, raising questions about aid and diplomacy in North Africa and the Middle East. The government stepped up its rhetoric Saturday, blaming the protestors -- particularly those affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood -- of attacking police stations, churches and civilians. The future of the Muslim Brotherhood and others will be subject to evaluations regarding their legal status, Higazi said. Members of the Muslim Brotherhood who have not been involved in violence and who would like to "join the peaceful Egyptian march toward the future" would be welcomed, but others will face the law, he said. "We are not in the effort of dissolving anyone, or preventing anyone from being active in the public domain, but are trying to make sure everyone is legalized according to Egyptian law," he added. The interim government spokesman also accused the international media of bias and telling an incomplete story. Inside the Al-Fateh mosque . Hundreds of protesters defied a government-imposed curfew Friday night and stood fast at Ramses Square. The government had warned that those breaking curfew would be dealt with "firmly." But security forces appear to have acted with restraint overnight, when 1,000 people reportedly took refuge inside the mosque located on the square. During clashes on Friday -- which protesters had dubbed "a day of anger" -- the building had served as a makeshift morgue and field hospital for the pro-Morsy protesters. The military offered to provide safe passage out for those inside the mosque, but the protesters said they feared that they would be attacked by pro-government supporters aligned with the military who were also outside the mosque. The military told the protesters inside the mosque that they would be taken to an unspecified location, said Hanan Amin, a doctor who spoke with CNN from inside the mosque. Without water and food, and distrustful of the military forces outside the building, those who remained inside said they felt like hostages. "We want to go home in a very polite way," Amin said. "It's a shame for our military persons to deal with our people like this." A son of Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader Mohamed Badie was killed Friday during a protest near the mosque, said the Brotherhood's political wing, the Freedom and Justice party. Ammar Badie, 38, was shot in his neck and head. More violence . Elsewhere in Cairo, the military engaged Friday night in battles with roving bands of armed protesters, state media reported. Helicopters circled overhead, and there were reports that protesters were trying to shoot them down. Smoke wafted through Ramses Square from a fire that engulfed a nearby commercial building. It was unclear what caused the fire. Death counts continued to rise in the confrontation that began Wednesday when an estimated 580 people were killed and 4,000 wounded as the military forced pro-Morsy protesters out of encampments in Cairo. There was no apparent progress toward a political resolution to the crisis. An umbrella group for opponents of the military government called for daily demonstrations next week. The casualties have not been limited to Morsy supporters and security forces. A number of bystanders, residents and journalists have been killed. In northern Egypt, at least 25 people were killed and 171 wounded in fighting Friday between Morsy supporters and the military in the coastal city of Alexandria, a government spokesman said Saturday. The Interior Ministry said 1,004 Muslim Brotherhood members were arrested Friday across Egypt. State-run Nile TV reported Brotherhood members were charged with rioting and creating violence. Authorities seized seven hand grenades, five automatic weapons, pistols and 710 rounds of ammunition, state media said. French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a meeting next week of European Union foreign ministers to coordinate a response. U.S. President Barack Obama condemned the crackdown by security forces Thursday and canceled scheduled joint exercises by the U.S. and Egyptian military. Obama received a briefing on Egypt on Saturday, a senior administration official told CNN. Obama has declined to label Morsy's ouster by the military a coup, a declaration that would stop U.S. military aid to Egypt. CNN's Reza Sayah reported from Cairo; Mariano Castillo wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Ali Younes, David Simpson, Christabelle Fombu, Hamdi Alkhshali, Pierre Meilhan, Saad Abedine, Saskya Vandoorne, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Ian Lee and Frederik Pleitgen contributed to this report.
|
NEW: Al-Fateh mosque has been secured and cleared .
Government: 'We are facing war waged by extreme forces'
More protesters leave mosque as security forces escort a group of women .
State TV reports more than 1,000 Muslim Brotherhood members arrested .
|
f9900cc6da5dfe54600e8dcc06554f9a9e8a6fd5
|
By . Larisa Brown . PUBLISHED: . 17:48 EST, 31 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:51 EST, 1 April 2013 . If you’ve ever fancied the dress Kate is wearing or the hat Zara Phillips has chosen to complement her attire, then soon you could find it in the click of a button. A mobile marketing company is set to create a revolutionary tool that allows its users to find out where an item of clothing is from when it appears on the television. The new technology will enable shoppers to order a jacket or pair of shoes worn by an on-screen star almost instantly. If you've ever fancied the dress Kate is wearing or the hat Zara Phillips has chosen to complement her attire, then soon you could find it in the click of a button . Shazam, the company behind the idea, shot to fame after designing a mobile phone application that could identify the name of music tracks on the radio or television. Now they claim they could revolutionise the way that we use mobile devices to shop and consume information. Andrew Fisher, CEO of the company, told The Observer: ‘We have the ability to identify the product in a TV show so that when somebody ‘Shazams’ it, they could find out where a presenter’s dress is from in one click. ‘We are focused on creating a new category which we call media engagement. ‘We make it easier for consumers to engage with a brand or a piece of content they are interested in, without having to go through search engines, then mining the results. ‘That works with both TV programming and advertising: a 30-second slot can be turned into a three-minute brand engagement – and more.’ Their current mobile phone application that allows people to find out the names of songs they like has been downloaded 20 million times. When users ‘tag’ music or a TV programme, the Shazam application takes a fingerprint spectrogram sample of the audio content and matches it to a cast database. Currently, image recognition isn’t functional, but the unique sound content on TV output (at the time of broadcast) would be enough to drive users to the relevant Shazam content on their mobile device.Mr Fisher hopes that image recognition is the next step but said more needed to be done to comply with Ofcom. A mobile marketing company is set to create a revolutionary tool that allows its users to find out where an item of clothing is from when it appears on the television . Ofcom said the proposed service was still ‘hypothetical’ in the UK and that ‘all broadcasters must comply with rules on sponsorship and product placement to ensure that audiences are protected’. The company has already adapted its audio-recognition technology to identify adverts specially adapted to the service. Last year ITV signed a deal with Shazam which enabled adverts on the television to be complemented with interactive adverts on viewers’ mobile phones. The technology identifies audio fingerprints of jingles on television ads and brings up related content including extra information, online shops, and further promotional offers. The company, which employs 125 people in its Hammersmith headquarters and another 40 overseas, claims to be adding two million users a week worldwide. In the US, where Shazam’s market penetration is also claimed to be a third of the population, the currenty app is used as a ‘companion’ app, delivering extra content to support programming on 160 channels, 24 hours a day. In the UK, the technology is currently being used to provide supplementary content for limited Shazam- enabled programming, for example the Brit awards where users gained behind-the-scenes access and links to engage directly on Twitter and Facebook.
|
Shazam .
shot to fame after designing app that named music track on radio .
New technology will allow shoppers to order clothes worn by screen stars .
|
f9902f3b3f00421d0bf3b1c065c77316511879f9
|
Killed: Ezell Ford, 25, was shot three times by LAPD officers, including once in the back, on August 11 . The autopsy of a mentally ill black man who was killed by Los Angeles police has revealed that he was shot three times at close range, including once in the back. Ezell Ford, 25, was shot dead during a confrontation with LAPD officers near his home in South Los Angeles in August this year. Ford's parents accuse the LAPD of 'executing' their son and have filed a $75million lawsuit against the city. Ezell Ford was shot three times in his right side, right arm and back, and had abrasions to his left hand, forearm and elbow, according to the autopsy report. The autopsy also revealed that a muzzle imprint, consistent with that of the gun used by LAPD, was found around the back wound. The report was disclosed Monday after police initially ordered the Los Angeles County medical examiner's office to withhold the results for months to avoid tainting potential witness statements. Ford was unarmed when police confronted him on a street near his home in South Los Angeles in August 11. Representatives from the LAPD said officers tried to speak to him but got into a struggle with Ford and shot him when he tried to grab an officer's gun. Ford's parents say the killing of their son was 'more like an execution than a confrontation,' according to their attorney. Representing the family, Steve Lerman said the autopsy report was 'horrifying' and supported the parents' claim that the shooting was 'unjustified, illegal and unconstitutional.' He said the family read the report together and that Ford's parents have 'gone into seclusion.' 'They're distraught, they're hysterical with grief and anger,' Lerman said. 'It essentially filled in their worst nightmare that this happened like this'. Scroll down to read the full autopsy report . Rest in peace: Tritobia Ford lights candles at a memorial for her son, Ezell Ford, a 25-year-old mentally ill black man, at the site where he was shot and killed by two LAPD officers in August . Anger: Dozens of protesters march to shut down the 110 freeway near Ezell Ford's home South Los Angeles after the autopsy report was released on Monday night . Killed: Ford's parents say the shooting of their son was 'more like an execution than a confrontation,' and have filed a $75million lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles . Ford's parents have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit and a $75million claim against the city alleging the two gang officers knew Ford from the neighborhood and were aware he had mental problems. Lerman said an expert is reconstructing the incident along with witness statements from people who directly saw what happened, and he was confident the family would prevail in court. 'It's simple to me that they pounced upon an unarmed defenseless man they knew to be mentally challenged and ended up shooting him in the back and killing him, that's the nutshell,' Lerman said. Lerman has said his investigator found witnesses to support his case, but he refused to divulge details. The suit also claimed that the city, LAPD and 10 unnamed superiors or other officers were part of a culture that tolerated civil rights violations, including racial profiling and excessive force against blacks. The autopsy reports comes at a time when tensions between the black community and police are at their highest in recent memory. Mass protests have been held across the U.S. Following the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and the chokehold death of 43-year-old Eric Garner in New York City. Both deaths involved white police officers and unarmed black men, but neither case saw any charges brought against the officers responsible. The anger at police took a horrific turn on December 20th, when two New York officers were executed in their squad car by a man who said he was targeting cops as revenge for the deaths of Brown and Garner. Last week, Antonio Brown, a black 18-year-old, was shot dead by a white officer at a gas station in Berkeley, Missouri. Police say Antonio Brown pulled a loaded 9mm handgun on the officer and that the police officer was justified to open fire. Discovery: The autopsy report revealed that a muzzle imprint, consistent with that of the gun used by LAPD, was found around the back wound on Ezell Ford's body, indicating that he was shot at extremely close range . Preparing: Los Angeles Police set up a perimeter at a freeway offramp after protesters blocked the southbound lanes of the 110 freeway after the Los Angeles County Coroner released the autopsy report . In memoriam: Tritobia Ford, right, is hugged as family light candles at a memorial for her son . A small protest was held on Monday night in Crenshaw District, a few miles from Ezell Ford's home, following the release of the autopsy report. Around 30 to 40 protesters were involced in the peaceful march, while shouting 'No justice, no peace.' A short while afterwards, a group of about 30 protesters blocked traffic on the southbound 110 Freeway in South Los Angeles, but were escorted off the road by California Highway Patrol, abc7.com reports. Police Chief Charlie Beck told a news conference on Monday that the investigation into Ezell Ford's death was far from over. 'There is nothing in the coroner's report that is inconsistent with the statements given to us by the officers,' Beck said. Beck said the officers reported that Ford attracted their attention with suspicious actions then knocked one officer to the ground. Ford was atop the officer and grappling for the officer's holstered weapon when his partner fired two shots and the fallen officer pulled a backup gun and shot Ford in the back, according to an account read by Beck on Monday. Beck said officers told investigators it was a violent struggle in which 'the (downed) officer drew his backup gun and reached over Mr. Ford's back and shot Mr. Ford in very close proximity - possibly, probably the cause of the muzzle imprint mentioned in the coroner's report.' He said the muzzle imprint was consistent with the type of weapon used by the officer, and that the other weapon was a semi-automatic pistol that probably wouldn't leave the same kind of mark. Keeping the peace? LAPD Chief Charlie Beck speaks to the media Monday after the Los Angeles County Coroner released an autopsy report on the LAPD's shooting of Ezell Ford in Los Angeles . Loving memory: Lavell Ford wears a T-shirt protesting the fatal police shooting of his brother Ezell Ford . Beck said he had no indications thus far that the officers involved knew anything about Ford's mental condition, and that police have tried to reach witnesses listed by the family's legal staff but were unable to successfully speak to any. The imprint indicated Ford was shot either right up against his skin or very close to his skin, said Richard Lichten, a retired law enforcement lieutenant and a police practices expert. He said the abrasions only indicated Ford had sustained friction wounds at some point. Additional details such as injuries to the officer involved in the scuffle would provide more details, Lichten said. 'The autopsy report is only one piece of the puzzle, only one piece, and no one should render a solid opinion based only on an autopsy report,' Lichten said. He said many other types of evidence from interviews, officer statements, measurements, photographs, gunshot residue and details about the bullet will also be analyzed during the investigation. The LAPD previously identified the two gang officers involved as Sharlton Wampler and Antonio Villegas. The chief said it would be several months before the investigation was completed and presented to the civilian Police Commission to determine if it was within department policy. Meanwhile, the officers remain on non-field duties. The commission will receive separate recommendations from Beck and the department's independent inspector general. The county district attorney's office will separately determine if the shooting was justified or if charges should be filed. Beck said the department has found no witnesses who saw the confrontation between Ford and the officers. He appealed for any possible witnesses to come forward. The LAPD said no officer was hurt in the incident, and Ford, who was identified by family members, died in hospital. READ THE ENTIRE AUTOPSY REPORT HERE... Ezell Ford Autopsy Report by Dennis Romero .
|
Ezell Ford, 25, was killed in a confrontation with LAPD officers in August .
Autopsy found that he had been shot three times, once in the back .
Mentally ill Ford was unarmed when he was shot in South Los Angeles .
His parents say shooting was 'more like an execution than a confrontation'
Ford's parents have filed a $75m lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles .
|
f99065d8e1b5e40d285eeb61631588c3e4cdf7f7
|
Southampton have made a formal enquiry to Burnley as they attempt to launch their rebuilding project with the signing of striker Danny Ings. The England Under 21 international will see his contract expire at the end of next season and Southampton believe that they can secure the forward ahead of the new season. As things stand, Burnley manager Sean Dyche is demanding £8 million for Ings, who struck 26 goals as Burnley were promoted from the Championship last season. Southampton need a striker to replace Rickie Lambert, who has joined Liverpool, and Ings fits the club’s model to recruit young and ambitious English players. VIDEO Scroll down to see Ings's training ground screamer and show off his dance moves . On the move: Danny Ings (right) could be set to join Southampton from Burnley . However, Burnley’s valuation of the 21-year-old is proving problematic, as Ings will be available on a free transfer in twelve months’ time if he cannot be persuaded to sign an extension with the Lancashire club. Everton and Newcastle are also monitoring the player’s situation, while German sides Wolfsburg and Bayer Leverkusen are also keeping tabs on Ings. Southampton are aware that foreign clubs will have the right to speak to Ings from January and they would be able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with a reduced compensation rate from the turn of the year. Wanted: Ings scored against Southampton for Burnley in the FA Cup last season . Burnley would ideally like to keep Ings at the club but there is also a recognition that they risk losing him for nothing if a deal cannot be struck this summer. Although Southampton are reluctant to meet the asking price, the swathes of cash flowing into the club following the £31.5million sale of Luke Shaw to Manchester United and Adam Lallana’s impending £25m move to Liverpool, means that the club may be prepared to take the hit as new manager Ronald Koeman seeks to reconstruct his squad. Selling: Rickie Lambert (left) joined Liverpool while Luke Shaw (right) has moved to Manchester United .
|
Southampton looking to replace Rickie Lambert with Burnley's Danny Ings .
Burnley want £8million for hitman .
Ings scored 26 goals in all competitions last season .
He helped Burnley reach the Premier League .
Southampton sold Lambert to Liverpool .
Also sold England left back Luke Shaw to Manchester United .
|
f990c238c83a2cd5e483808d64d554aa98267aec
|
By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 08:06 EST, 2 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:14 EST, 2 January 2013 . A policeman's dog sparked an emergency of her own after she managed to survive a 120ft drop chasing a seagull off the edge of a cliff. Phil Raymond and wife Michela half-expected their springer spaniel Beau to have died as they peered over the edge of the sheer drop, but were stunned to see her doggy-paddling in the sea below. She was rescued by a lifeboat crew who plucked her to safety and returned her to her owners, amazingly, without a scratch. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO... Sheer drop: RNLI crew make their way to rescue Beau after she managed to survive the 120ft fall off this cliff, as owners Phil and Michela Raymond watch on from the top (centre) Rescue: Swanage Lifeboat RNLI crew pluck Beau to safety after she feel from the cliff edge . In safe hands: The crew have Beau safely in the boat as they head back to shore . Not even a scratch: Beau looks calm and relaxed despite just falling 120ft after chasing a seagull off a cliff . Mr Raymond, a 46-year-old police detective inspector, saw Beau race after the seagull while they were walking at the coastal beauty spot of Old Harry Rocks, near Swanage, Dorset. The 46-year-old, from Wimborne, Dorset, desperately tried to call the one-year-old dog back as she plunged over the top of the sheer cliff. When he rushed to the edge and peered over the side he was stunned to see Beau swimming in the sea at the bottom. A passing fishing boat motored across to the stranded pooch and kept an eye on her until a lifeboat crew arrived and plucked her to safety. Incredibly, the black and white dog survived her ordeal without a single scratch and was quickly reunited with her relieved owners. Mr Raymond said: 'We were just about to put her lead back on her when she saw a seagull. VIDEO RNLI CREW RESCUE BEAU AFTER HER 120FT DROP OFF A CLIFF... Returned: Beau was returned to her thankful owners Phil and Michela Raymond by the RNLI crew after they watched her jump off the edge of the cliff . Survivor: Beau is now enjoying life back home again following the dramatic rescue after her fall . 'Being a springer spaniel she went straight after it. She briefly looked back at me but then disappeared. 'I prayed it was a false edge and there was a little ledge below. 'I lay on the surface and looked over the edge and half-expected to see her laying dead but instead saw her doggy-paddling in the sea. 'She was very lucky that there was a high tide at the time and she landed straight in the water. Lucky dog: Beau was returned to her owners without a scratch following the rescue . 'She was crying and yelping and we thought that she might drown but luckily the lifeboat turned up very quickly and grabbed hold of her.' The lifeboat crew from Swanage took Beau to a nearby beach where she was given back to her owners. Mrs Raymond, 44, said: 'We are extremely grateful to the lifeboat crew for getting to Beau so quickly.' Stunned: Mrs Raymond and her husband were amazed when they looked over the side of the cliff to see Beau paddling in the water below . Dave Turnbull, an RNLI spokesperson, said: 'We help save human lives at sea, but will respond to animals in trouble to prevent owners taking unnecessary risks to help their pets. 'The RNLI recommend that people keep their dogs on leads when walking near cliff edges. 'The dog was lucky to escape the fall unscathed thanks to the high tide.' Grateful: Phil and Michela Raymond have now thanked the RNLI for rescuing their dog from bottom of the cliff .
|
Spring spaniel Beau survived a 120ft drop after chasing a seagull off a cliff .
The one-year-old dog had to be rescued by lifeboat after landing in the sea .
Dramatic moment the crews plucked her to safety was captured on camera .
|
f99102c44a2723145696eb1a632e595cd8bd3f6a
|
(CNN) -- Imagine if every time you went to the pharmacy, shopping for medications was a complete guessing game. What if drug makers weren't required to disclose ingredients in their products or prove their safety, leaving you without a way to determine whether what you're buying is safe for you and your family? You would live in fear that the medicine you purchased to make your child feel better could actually harm them. It's a frightening scenario, and one that we would never accept. Yet, because of our outdated and broken toxic chemicals law, that is precisely the situation with the consumer products we use every day. These products -- from baby bottles and shampoo to car seats and sofas -- contain tens of thousands of untested chemicals. Last week, I joined with hundreds of moms from across the country to sound the alarm and call on Congress to fix this broken law. These parents came to Washington because they're worried that the chemicals found in these ordinary products are putting their families' health at risk. They're right to worry, because in recent studies, scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found 212 industrial chemicals -- including six cancer-causing chemicals -- coursing through Americans' bodies. In essence, the American public has become a living, breathing repository for toxic chemical substances. These chemicals have been linked to numerous diseases. Studies show as much as 5% of childhood cancers, 10% of neurobehavioral disorders and 30% of childhood asthma cases are associated with hazardous chemicals. The existing law that regulates chemical safety, the Toxic Substances Control Act, was written in the 1970s and is ineffective and outdated. In nearly 35 years, it has allowed the Environmental Protection Agency to require testing of only 200 of the more than 80,000 chemicals in its inventory. What's more, EPA has been able to ban only five substances. The law is so broken that when EPA tried to ban uses of asbestos, a known cancer-causing chemical, its rules were overturned in court. This status quo is dangerous and unacceptable. That's why I've introduced a bill called the Safe Chemicals Act, which simply requires that chemical makers prove their chemicals are safe before they end up in our products and bodies. It would ensure that chemicals are tested and that those deemed dangerous are taken off the market. But sadly, some chemical companies and their lobbyists are fighting reform at every turn. Just recently, the Chicago Tribune exposed a concerted effort by some chemical companies to use dirty tricks and junk science to mislead the public about the dangers of their products. The report detailed how industry bankrolled experts who testified with fake stories, all in an effort to protect the health of their profits instead of the health of our families and children. They've specifically fought to protect flame retardant chemicals such as chlorinated Tris, which is so dangerous that companies voluntarily stopped using it in children's pajamas more than 30 years ago. But while scientists have warned us about chemicals such as chlorinated Tris since the 1970s, they continue to be used in products all around us, including furniture, cribs, mattresses and high-chair cushions. Now, let's be clear: The Safe Chemicals Act is not an attack on chemicals. Chemicals are used in hundreds of useful products, and most of the thousands of chemicals we use everyday are safe. But we need to be able to separate the safe from the dangerous. Under our current law, we can't do that. That's what this bill fixes. The chemical industry's lobbyists argue that the cost of testing all these chemicals would be too high. But what is the cost of our children's health? For three years, I've invited input from all sides of this issue, including the chemical industry. But despite claims of interest in reform, industry lobbyists are refusing to offer concrete suggestions and trying to run out the clock on our efforts. We cannot accept inaction any longer. It is time to come together to finally fix this law and protect our families from toxic chemicals once and for all. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Frank R. Lautenberg.
|
Sen. Frank Lautenberg: Congress needs to fix our outdated toxic chemicals law .
He says ordinary products such as cribs and couches contain dangerous chemicals .
Lautenberg: My Safe Chemicals Act can help reduce the health risks for Americans .
Lobbyists are fighting reform, but we cannot accept inaction any longer, says Lautenberg .
|
f99269980ac1ac263345ae92d6ad2151ff51dbb2
|
Anne Mcintosh has been deselected from her safe seat . A senior Tory woman MP became the . first to be axed by the party for almost a decade last night after a . bitter deselection battle. Anne . McIntosh, a former shadow minister who now chairs an influential . Commons committee, was dumped after a secret ballot of members of her . local party. She is the fifth of the 49 Conservative women MPs who will not be standing for the party in 2015. In . an indication of the turmoil that has engulfed the Conservatives in . Thirsk and Malton, Miss McIntosh – who has been an MP since 1997 and . chairs the environment, food and rural affairs committee – claimed she . had been ousted by a ‘small cabal’. One . fellow Tory said Miss McIntosh, who used her Twitter account to issue . Biblical quotes apparently aimed at her detractors, was ‘a few peas . short of a casserole’. Another Conservative source said: ‘Anne has not helped herself. She is a menace.’ Earlier this week it was alleged that local Tory party officials conducted a dirty tricks campaign to oust Miss McIntosh. A . significant number of new members were co-opted on to the association’s . executive committee before a crucial vote last January to decide on the . MP’s future, it has been claimed. The . alleged irregularity has been called the Tory party’s ‘Falkirk moment’ – . a comparison to allegations of vote rigging over the selection of a . candidate in the Scottish constituency. Among . the names touted as potential replacements is Edward Legard, a . barrister and local councillor – and an old Etonian school friend of . David Cameron. Pollster Andrew Cooper, a Tory Party adviser and a . leading moderniser, expressed despair at the loss of another woman, . writing on Twitter: ‘Five down, 44 to go.’ Labour . frontbencher Jon Ashworth said it was a further blow to the Tories . following the departure of Louise Mensch and the announcement that Laura . Sandys, Lorraine Fullbrook and Jessica Lee will stand down in 2015. ‘What . on earth is the Conservative Party’s problem with women? With Anne . McIntosh deselected, the Tories look set to lose their only female MP in . the whole of Yorkshire and the Humber,’ he said. ‘David . Cameron has done nothing to stand up for one of his most senior women . MPs. His silence speaks volumes at a time when many people are asking . why the Conservative Party is so out of touch.’ Last night’s vote is highly unusual. Only four other MPs have been sacked by membership ballot in 25 years. Anxious wait: Miss McIntosh, pictured with fellow MP David Davies, has faced a deselection vote with the result announced on Friday . Miss . McIntosh, immediately announced that she intends to stand as an . independent in the seat which she held at the last election with an . 11,281 majority – a move that could split the Conservative vote in one . of its few safe northern strongholds. ‘I . do not intend to be thrown aside by a small cabal. It is for my . constituents as a whole to dismiss me if they wish to do so,’ the MP . said. ‘It is my intention to stand for Thirsk, Malton and Filey constituency at the next general election. ‘Meanwhile, . I remain committed to the Conservative Party locally and nationally and . shall continue with my constituency and parliamentary duties with my . customary passion.’ Peter . Steveny, a retired Army major and former Jockey Club stewards’ secretary, who chairs the local Conservative association is among those . said to have fallen out with Miss McIntosh. The . constituency will now re-open its selection process, and Miss McIntosh . will be free to reapply for the Conservative nomination. A . Conservative spokesman said turnout in the secret ballot had been high, . with 88 per cent of members taking part and Miss McIntosh being . defeated by a ‘significant’ majority. Tim . Yeo, the chairman of the energy and climate change committee, is also . facing a deselection battle with his local party and will learn his fate . early next week.
|
MP Anne McIntosh has been lock in a battle with her local constituency .
|
f9928308d56a1c02d6ee39f24b284511e0ee4e13
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- All the news that's fit to print -- the motto of The New York Times -- does not necessarily apply to photos. The newspaper published an editor's note Thursday stating that pictures used in a photo essay in its most recent Sunday Magazine were digitally manipulated without the paper's knowledge. The Times commissioned Portuguese photographer Edgar Martins to shoot a Sunday magazine color photo essay titled "Ruins of the Second Gilded Age" to capture physical evidence of the real estate bust that took place across the United States. In the text that preceded the six photos that were published, the magazine stated that while the photographer "creates images with long exposures," he does so without digital manipulation. "A reader ... discovered upon close examination that one of the pictures was digitally altered, apparently for aesthetic reasons," the Times editors wrote. "Editors later confronted the photographer and determined that most of the images did not wholly reflect the reality they purported to show. Had the editors known that the photographs had been digitally manipulated, they would not have published the picture essay, which has been removed from the NYTimes.com," the note concluded. Numerous attempts by CNN to reach Edgar Martins by phone and e-mail were unsuccessful. The newspaper's decision to withdraw the photos left a publisher of Martins' book "Topologies" released in 2008, intrigued and surprised. "I think he's a great artist and we're very proud to have published his prior works," said Lesley Martin, publisher of Aperture books. She said that Martins' prior works frequently verge on abstract landscapes, including forests ravaged by fire and nighttime beaches. "His work has a certain visual effect. A distinct look and feel to it." However, Martin said she understands the newspaper's decision. Aperture books, which publishes a variety of photographic styles, including photojournalism, "would not have published this work in a strict journalistic context had we known there would be manipulation used," she said.
|
New York Times admits pictures in recent photo essay were digitally manipulated .
Editors say photos in Sunday Magazine were changed "for aesthetic reasons"
Photographer Edgar Martins' photo essay showcased real estate bust .
|
f99302867288db33255e06b45ae251edc67a9bbb
|
By . Alex Peake-tomkinson . Found just off the buzzing Kings Road near Sloane Square in Chelsea, No 4 Royal Avenue is a proper ‘Downtown’ address. So it was, perhaps, the perfect home for legendary singer Petula Clark, whose classic chart hit Downtown has become something of a signature tune. Indeed, Petula loved the house so much that she kept an eye on it after she moved out, even asking its new owners if she could have a look round. Petula lived in the five-bedroom townhouse in the 1980s – and wasn’t the street’s first famous resident. Royal Avenue is the fictional home of James Bond, while architect Richard Rogers, who designed the Lloyd’s building and the Millennium Dome, lived at No 18. Royal spot: No4 Royal Avenue, off the King's Road, is a five-bedroom property on the market for £5.85million . The Pre-Raphaelite painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti rented No 36 for his mistress Fanny Cornforth, and American film director Joseph Losey lived at No 30. One of his best-known films, The Servant, which starred Dirk Bogarde, James Fox, Sarah Miles and Wendy Craig, was set in an empty house opposite. No 4 is now owned by financial adviser Michael Berry, 58, and his wife Sherifa, 52, who moved there in 1998. Their daughter Carina, 26, was living there when Petula, who had downsized a few streets away, called. ‘She was nice; the house must have meant a lot to her,’ Carina says. Inspired: The light and airy first-floor sitting room of the Chelsea property in West London . And though Petula, now 81, has sold 68 million records, appeared in 30 films and had a new album out last year, Carina admitted: ‘I didn’t know who she was!’ But it’s no surprise that Petula had fond memories of her former home. It is an impressive early Victorian, stucco-fronted, five-bedroom, four-bathroom family home offering bright, flexible and spacious accommodation. The house benefits from a commanding position by the gravelled open space originally intended as a carriageway leading to the Royal Hospital. It has a large south-west-facing terrace. Mr Berry is now selling it with a price tag of £5.85 million, as his three daughters have moved out. Memories: Petula Clark, seen in her heyday, lived in the townhouse . He says: ‘It is an empty nest really, now that my youngest daughter has just gone to university.’ The property’s unusual garden arrangement is a major feature. Mr Berry says: ‘It had its garden built over, so we’ve got a roof terrace at a mezzanine level between the ground and the first floor, which, in many ways, is better than a garden because it’s less gloomy.’ He says he can grow apples and tomatoes on this raised patio, whereas ‘the only thing you can grow at ground level here are ferns’. The first-floor sitting room has a Venetian theme. ‘We’re both very fond of Venice and we’ve got quite a lot of Venetian things, . ’ Mr Berry says. ‘We’ve been to Venice twice in the past year. My wife always likes to go and bring back things.’ The lower ground floor of the house, which used to be servants’ quarters, can be used as a separate flat. Mr Berry says: ‘It’s the perfect family house because we can live quite separately and then come together.’ ‘My wife can watch television in one room and I can listen to music in another.’ The Berrys, like Petula, have become ‘downtown’ fans, after moving to Chelsea from Vauxhall in South London, and won’t be going far. Mr Berry says: ‘I think three bedrooms would suit us but it has to be in Chelsea. It can’t be anywhere else. It’s my wife’s stipulation; she likes the buzz.’ Guy Gittins, sales director at Chesterton Humberts Chelsea, says: ‘This traditional Chelsea townhouse will make an ideal family home or – for our international buyers – a rather opulent pied- a-terre.’ Chesterton Humberts Chelsea, 020 7594 4740 .
|
Singer Petula Clark lived in the Chelsea townhouse in the 1980s .
The street - Royal Avenue - is also the home of fictional spy James Bond .
Five-bedroom Sloane home is now on the market for £5.85million .
|
f9938779dc0a1d60defebaf4b5e105b5f9da0f3f
|
Dozens of Tory MPs are threatening to defy David Cameron by voting against plans for plain cigarette packets . Dozens of Tory MPs are threatening to defy David Cameron by voting against plans for plain cigarette packets. Priti Patel, a member of the Prime Minister’s own policy advisory board, is leading the charge - warning it will be the ‘final nail in the coffin’ of hundreds of newsagents. Rebels say around 40 Conservative backbenchers may vote against what they regard as a nanny state measure. If that happens, it would dwarf this week’s rebellion against the controversial HS2 rail line. Public health minister Jane Ellison announced last month (April) that shops would be forced to sell cigarettes in plan packaging within a year. Fifty MPs, most of them Tory, have signed a Commons motion against plain packaging - an indication of the scale of backbench anger. A large rebellion would be another sign of Mr Cameron’s poor grip on party discipline. Most famously, House of Lords reform - part of the Coalition agreement with a Liberal Democrats - had to be dropped when backbenchers refused to back it. As well as being one of the Prime Minister’s advisers on the Number 10 Policy Unit, Miss Patel is chairwoman of the all-party parliamentary group on small shops. Last night she said: ‘This is a very, very anti-Conservative thing to do. ‘It is completely mad. Plain packaging is a blunt instrument which will have a disproportionate impact on independent retailers. ‘All this will do is that it will boost the number of illicit cigarettes, meaning it will actually be easier for children to purchase them.’ Rob Halfon, another Tory backbencher, said: ‘Fifteen thousand people die of alcohol abuse every year, but are we going to have brown paper bags over alcohol bottles? Priti Patel, a member of the Prime Minister's own policy advisory board, is leading the charge - warning it will be the 'final nail in the coffin' of hundreds of newsagents . ‘This decision will simply increase the black market and create a new business in fancy cigarette cases, rather than dealing with the problem.’ Miss Ellison went for plain packaging after commissioning a report from former paediatrician Sir Cyril Chantler, which said there was ‘very strong evidence’ from Australia that plain packaging protects youngsters. No date has yet been set for a Commons vote on the policy. Rebels hope their pressure will force the government into a U-turn before a vote is held. As well as being one of the Prime Minister's Policy Unit, Miss Patel is chairwoman of the all-party parliamentary group on small shops . In a letter to Asian Trader magazine two weeks ago, Miss Patel accused ministers of wishing to ‘steamroll stricter tobacco controls and plain packaging through with no further debate or consideration, under the pretence that this will in some way prevent young people from taking up smoking’. She said: ‘Plain packaging will serve to harm the very businesses that are best-placed to prevent underage sales and fight back against illegal and illicit supplies. ‘Independent retailers are already being clobbered by the burdens of tobacco regulation. ‘Next year, the point of sale display ban comes into effect for small shops, while over the next couple of years the provisions of the European Union’s tobacco products directive will be felt by them. ‘Packs of 10 and small pouches of roll-your-own tobacco under 20 grams are to be banned. These products already make up a sizeable share of newsagents’ trade. ‘On top of this, the EU is also demanding that at least 65 per cent of a cigarette packet contains picture and health warnings. ‘With so much of a cigarette packet already set to effectively become standardised with health warnings, the likelihood of the removal of remaining branding making a significant difference to reducing the prevalence of smoking is highly unlikely.’ She added: ‘New plain packaging rules that go further than this would only serve to be another nail in the coffin for many newsagents. ‘We are a proud nation of shopkeepers, with newsagents forming the backbone of many local communities. ‘Many are already struggling for survival, and unnecessary additional tobacco regulation should be avoided to help these businesses continue to serve their communities and create local jobs.’ On Monday, 35 Tory MPs voted against the government’s plans for a high speed rail link from London to Birmingham.
|
Rebels warn move could be 'final nail in the coffin' for newsagents .
Around 40 Conservative backbenchers may vote against what they regard as a nanny state measure .
Fifty MPs have signed a Commons motion against plain packaging .
Rebellion would be another sign of Cameron’s poor grip on party discipline .
|
f9941537926d3dbdcf7eb6a2d0294bc23ef72071
|
Prince Harry was launched into a new leading role in the royal family last night when he took centre stage at the Olympic closing ceremony. In his most important solo Royal engagement yet, the third in line to the throne was selected as the figurehead for the spectacular farewell to the Games, which the Queen opened two weeks ago. The high-profile task of celebrating Britain’s glory at London 2012 fell to the 27-year-old prince, sitting alongside the Duchess of Cambridge, after a succession of prominent appearances in the crowd at many of the history-making events of the competition. He stepped in after his brother William, the Duke of Cambridge, had to return to work as a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot at RAF Valley in North Wales. Scroll down for video . All smiles: Prince Harry shares a joke with his brother's wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, as the pair enjoy the Closing Ceremony . Celebration: Prince Harry took centre stage at the Closing Ceremony of London 2012 tonight as the most senior Royal in attendance . Having fun: The young Royals looked like they were having a great time at the closing ceremony, which showcased British musical talent . Thrilled: The young Royals showed their appreciation for some of the performers at the ceremony . Respect: Prince Harry, the Duchess of Cambridge and Lord Coe stand for the national anthem at the Closing Ceremony . The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, who have been following the Games closely, always agreed they would only attend the opening ceremony. It was part of a plan to leave the Games to the younger . members of the family notably the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge . and Prince Harry who were official Team GB Ambassadors. Last night in a stirring written . message, Harry said the Games had been ‘extraordinary’, and added: ‘They . will stay in the hearts and minds of people all over the world for a . very long time to come. ‘I congratulate all the athletes who have competed. They have shown us that there are few boundaries to human endeavour.’ The spirit of the Olympics, he said, . represented ‘a magnificent force for positive change’. The athletes, he . said, had ‘captured the imagination of the world’. His appearance on behalf of the Queen . also cemented his image in the public eye as a prince of the people, a . down-to-earth ambassador for what has been widely acclaimed one of the . best things to happen to Britain for decades. Animated: Prince Harry excitedly explains something to the Duchess of Cambridge during the spectacular show . Enthusiastic: The pair clap during the performances . Although he wasn't present last night, Prince Charles did attend the Queen’s official . Buckingham Palace reception for heads of state as well as the opening . ceremony followed by the men’s cycling and badminton on the opening . Saturday before heading off to Scotland on holiday. Whilst staying at his Birkhall estate he even attended his local highland games. His wife the Duchess of Cornwall . stayed on in London for a few days to attend the eventing in Greenwich . Park as Patron of the British Equestrian Federation but then headed to . Scotland to join him. The Queen similarly attended the . opening ceremony and was shown round the Olympic Park the following day . before heading off to her own estate north of the border, Balmoral. In a separate message, the Queen . congratulated the athletes of Great Britain and the Commonwealth, saying . their efforts had ‘captured the public’s imagination and earned their . admiration’. The monarch said Team GB’s success - . the best performance in more than a century - would inspire a new . generation of Olympians and remind everyone how sport 'unifies . communities and nations'. The Queen herself played a starring . role in the opening ceremony for the Games, featuring in pre-recorded . film scenes with Daniel Craig starring as James Bond, before appearing . to parachute from a helicopter into the stadium. Dignitaries: Princess Anne, second left, is also in attendance at the event. She is pictured next to Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee with Prince Harry and Duchess of Cambridge . Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, takes her seat next to the Foreign Secretary William Hague . Friendly: The Duchess of Cambridge speaks with Prime Minister David Cameron, his wife Samantha and Lord Coe before the event got underway . More than two weeks on, she said: ‘As . the 2012 London Olympic Games come to a close, I offer my . congratulations to the athletes of Great Britain and the Commonwealth, . whose efforts across the range of Olympic disciplines have truly . captured the public’s imagination and earned their admiration.' ‘The outstanding performance of Team . GB, in achieving the greatest Olympic success since 1908, will, I am . sure, have inspired a new generation of Olympians and reminded us all . how sport unifies communities and nations. ‘I congratulate, too, the organisers . of the Games, as well as the thousands of volunteers who have epitomised . the Olympic spirit through the warm welcome they have shown to the . sporting teams and spectators from all around the world. ‘As a nation, we now look forward to the Paralympic Games and wish all athletes every success.’ Proud: The Duchess of Cambridge is pictured at the Closing Ceremony next to Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt . Getting ready: The Duchess of Cambridge takes her seat with Lord Coe before the ceremony got underway . Happy: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and the Chairman of the London 2012 Organising Committee Sebastian Coe, right, are pictured at the the Closing Ceremony . The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh . will also hold a reception for the 2012 Great Britain Olympic Team in . Buckingham Palace on October 23. Prince Harry has been a frequent . presence at the Games, enthusiastically cheering our rowers and other . athletes, enjoying the beach volleyball and watching his cousin Zara . Phillips win an equestrian team silver medal. He and his brother Prince William gave . an extraordinary TV interview last week in which they spoke with . chat-show casualness about how much they were enjoying the Olympics. His clear appreciation of Team GB’s . performance, and the image it promoted for the nation, earned praise and . thanks from both athletes and organisers. Royal: Prince Harry applauds during the Closing Ceremony. He was seen singing along to God Save the Queen' Delighted: Prime Minister David Cameron enjoys the Closing Ceremony . Great time: Prime Minister David Cameron is pictured next to his wife Samantha, who is seated next to Boris Johnson during last night's Closing Ceremony . Likewise from fellow servicemen at . Stratford - Harry is an Apache helicopter pilot and chatted easily with . troops at the stadium. None of it would have been possible, he told us . last night, without the work of everyone who helped to bring the Games . in London to fruition. So it was Harry who waved goodbye to . them yesterday, while the Queen and his father Prince Charles stood . aside. Kate took a seat alongside her young brother-in-law but it was he . who gave the formal message of goodwill, the first page of the closing . ceremony programme. Huge: More than 10,000 athletes have competed for 302 gold medals in 26 sports, across 16 days . Colourful: Flagbearers enter the Olympic stadium during the ceremony . Olympic spirit: Prince Harry has been a high-profile spectator throughout the fortnight. Left, he was there to cheer on Chis Hoy to gold, while he also was seen at the beach volleyball (right)
|
Their appearance was part of a plan to leave the Games to younger Royals .
Kate accompanied Harry as the Duke of Cambridge was at work in Wales .
|
f994b65a8ae8fee9178a9f2cffa5d5cdc536d2cf
|
A man was shot by Baltimore police officers in front of a huge mural remembering slain teenager Trayvon Martin. The incident took place in the 1000 block of North Fremont Avenue during a traffic stop according to The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore Police Department said an officer stopped the suspect's vehicle, then tased him before shooting him. Investigation: Baltimore police have begun to investigate an incident after an officer shot and tased a man Sunday afternoon on the city's west side . Police: The incident took place in the 1000 block of North Fremont Avenue in Baltimore around 12:30 p.m. Colonel Garnell Green did not say what circumstances led to the confrontation that occurred around 12:30 p.m. 'One of our officers initiated a car stop. During that car stop, the suspect got out of his vehicle,' Green said. 'What happens after that is still under investigation. What I can tell you right now is this: One of our officers did tase the suspect and another officer shot the suspect.' He said: 'This investigation is early on. We're still canvassing for witnesses, checking cameras, and we're asking anyone who has witnessed it to come forward.' Police did not say if the suspect, who is now in critical condition, was armed or how many times the suspect was shot or why officers attempted to pull the vehicle over. The police department did announce on Twitter that there had been an 'officer-involved shooting on the city's west side.' Few other details about the shooting are currently available, but police said the suspect was taken to an area hospital. Mural: The edge of the crime scene had a striking mural of slain teenager Trayvon Martin pulling a hoodie over his head . Memory: The memorial in Baltimore was erected in memory of slain teenager Trayvon Martin, right, who was gunned down by 'neighborhood watchman' George Zimmerman in Sanford Florida on February 26 2013. The officer involved was reportedly not injured. Local reports said at least 10 police cars raced to the scene. A crowd of onlookers gathered near where the shooting took place between the city's Upton and Sandtown-Winchester neighborhoods. The edge of the crime scene had a striking mural of slain teenager Trayvon Martin pulling a hoodie over his head. The memorial was erected in memory of Martin who was gunned down and killed by 'neighborhood watchman' George Zimmerman in Sanford Florida in February 2012. Local resident Eddie Richard told The Baltimore Sun: 'Just another day in the neighborhood.' Another bystander, Sylvester Solomon, 63, told the newspaper: 'This is happening a lot lately.'
|
The incident took place in the 1000 block of North Fremont Avenue Maryland .
Officer fired at suspect during a traffic stop according to local reports .
Police department announced on Twitter there had been a shooting .
The suspect is in critical condition and has been taken to an area hospital .
|
f9952387f252570163ef1c929300a583623a9510
|
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 22:49 EST, 5 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:08 EST, 6 November 2013 . Darlene Curley and her 16-year-old daughter were on a walk along Daytona Beach on Sunday morning about 7am - one last stroll on the sand before jumping in the car and heading back to their home in Tennessee following a family vacation. But then they stumbled across a woman's purse that had washed up on the shore, and couldn't believe what they found inside. Next to a few other belongings, such as some shoes and a towel, there was a bank bag with $13,000 cash inside. It was $13,087.88 to be exact. Sea of green: Tennessee mom Darlene Curley is being hailed one seriously Good Samaritan after finding over $13,000 washed up in a purse on Daytona Beach and turning it into police. Officers tried the cash and laid it out for counting (pictured) with a final tally of $13,087.88 . Give and you shall receive?: Darlene Curley (center), seen in a family photo, surely has some good karma heading her way after returning over $13,000 to its owner. She said she was more worried something that had happened to them, suspecting they had drowned . After holidaying here, Daytona Beach, Florida, with family, not everyone would have handed over the $13,000 cash they found on the final day of vacation . While many may have grappled with what action to take - keep it, or perhaps take some it and pretend it had drifted away - Mrs Churley, from the small suburb of Etowah, called police. 'We were more worried someone might have drowned or something,' she told WPTV. 'Here we were all their things in the water.' Beach Safety Ocean Rescue responded to the call and put the items inside a lifeguard station to dry. It was them who counted the money in the bank and came up with the final total. The money was found in a purse by U.S. label Coach, which was worth about $400 and similiar to this one . Darlene Curley had been vacationing with her family at this Daytona Beach hotel, the Super 8 at 700 N. Atlantic Ave, when, just before leaving, she found a purse washed ashore . They locked the lifeguard bay and left two officers behind to guard it. Good Samaritan Darlene said he never questioned her decision. Having been on holiday, she said she couldn't imagine losing that kind of money herself. 'We wanted to make sure they got all their money because, you known, that may have been all the money they had,' she said. The money - which was inside a purse by American luxury goods label Coach, valued around $400 - was eventually claimed. A police report shows the person who collected it was 'May Self' of Harwood, Maryland. It is understood the name is a pseudonym. Mrs Curley said that May Self called her to say thank you and asked to meet in person.
|
Darlene Curley and her daughter saw something floating on the shore while walking along Daytona Beach on vacation .
After retrieving the purse, Mrs Curley, from Etowah, Tennessee, opened it to find bundles of cash inside .
She called police and turned the bag in, worried its owner had drowned .
Police determined the amount was $13,087.88 .
It was claimed by a woman from Maryland, who was also on holiday and has asked to meet Mrs Curley to say thank you in person .
|
f9952ee392eb9fcd9f7cfe59abb9514120379b06
|
By . Becky Barrow . PUBLISHED: . 18:51 EST, 21 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:43 EST, 22 May 2013 . Boss: Chief executive Moya Greene defended the huge amount of unwanted 'marketing mail' Royal Mail delivers . Although most of it ends up in the bin, postmen should still treat junk mail with ‘utter respect’, the head of the Royal Mail said yesterday. Announcing a 60 per cent increase in profits to £324million, Moya Greene defended the huge amount of unwanted ‘marketing mail’ it delivers. She said junk mail had contributed to the state-owned company’s profits, together with an increase in the price of stamps and the delivery of a record number of parcels, mostly as a result of internet shopping. There is no limit to how much junk mail – formally known as ‘unaddressed mail’ – can be delivered every day. Yesterday Miss Greene, the Royal Mail chief executive, said the company generated £1.1billion from its marketing mail division last year. She said: ‘We must treat every single piece of mail with utter respect because we need it. It [marketing mail] is a very important way that businesses rely upon us for growth.’ Over the last year, she said the total amount of junk mail delivered by the company had increased by around 200million items to around 3.3billion. Miss Greene, who enjoys a total pay package of £1.1million a year, yesterday insisted junk mail is ‘a very important strategy’ for the firm. As more households go over to ‘paperless’ bills which are sent online, the Royal Mail hopes to deliver larger quantities of junk mail. Overall, the amount of ‘addressed’ mail has dropped from 63million items a day to 58million a day. Postage: Junk mail has contributed to the state-owned company's profits, together with an increase in the price of stamps and the delivery of a record number of parcels, mostly as a result of internet shopping . But a spokesman for the Local . Government Association said: ‘Most people don’t appreciate being . bombarded with junk mail on a daily basis. 'Not only is it a nuisance to . have to pick up and throw away, but it adds thousands of tonnes to the . amount of waste councils have to collect.’ Royal Mail is being prepared for a controversial flotation on the stock market which is bitterly opposed by the trade unions. Dave Ward, deputy general secretary of . the Communication Workers Union, said: ‘The positive results are more . compelling evidence of why Royal Mail should be kept in the public . sector.’ 'We must treat every single piece of mail with utter respect because we need it. It [marketing mail] is a very important way that businesses rely upon us for growth' Moya Greene, Royal Mail chief executive . The union will begin balloting its . members today about whether or not to refuse to deliver any mail which . has been initially handled by one of its rivals, such as TNT or UK Mail. Michael Fallon, the business minister, who has said he would prefer to . float the company rather than sell it, described the results as ‘another . encouraging step’. He said: ‘We are committed to a sale but its structure and timing remain open.’ Mr Fallon wants to give at least 10 . per cent of the shares to Royal Mail workers, although it is not clear . if they will be given away for free or sold at a discounted price. In April 2012, the cost of a . first-class stamp jumped from 46p to 60p after the postal regulator . Ofcom axed the cap which used to control how high stamp prices could be . increased every year.
|
Rises in stamp prices and parcel deliveries have also helped Royal Mail .
Chief says firm generated £1.1bn from marketing mail division last year .
Moya Greene insists junk mail is 'very important strategy' for company .
|
f99530bc5c5dddb2cf95b56cec28c5db6e026adb
|
Bones that could belong to King Alfred the Great have been exhumed from a churchyard over fears that they might be stolen or vandalised . It couldbe the year for discovering notorious monarchs. Just weeks after remains found under a car park were confirmed as Richard III, archaeologists now believe they may just have stumbled on Alfred the Great. Amid great secrecy, a team exhumed an unmarked grave at a more fitting location for a Royal burial - a churchyard in Winchester named in ancient documents as his burial place. After a delicate 10-hour operation on Monday, human skeletal remains were unearthed in the churchyard of St Bartholomew’s in the Hyde area of the city, and taken for storage at an undisclosed location. Unearthing Alfred the Great, the Anglo-Saxon king who fought off the Vikings and established the foundations of our law codes and justice system, would be one of the most significant finds ever. Historians agree that the king, who died in the year 899 after a distinguished 28-year reign, had a great impact on Britain today, safeguarding the English language and Christian religion. But archaelogists admit discovering him would be a very long shot, as unlike Richard III who remained under the same car park for five hundred years, Alfred’s bones were moved at least twice. Earlier this year, Katie Tucker, an archaeologist from the University of Winchester leading the search admitted it would be difficult to prove any remains are his - but hoped her team could prove the age of the bones. She said: ‘If the bones are from around the 10th century then that is proof they are Alfred and his family, because Hyde Abbey was not built until the 12th Century, and there is no reason for any other bones from the 10th Century to be there.’ No-one from the university would comment on the latest developments last night, as the exhumation was carried out behind metal screens on Monday and yesterday in total secrecy for security reasons - although filmed by a TV company. It is not known how Alfred the Great died, but he was buried in the Old Minster, the Anglo-Saxon cathedral in Winchester. Archaeologists carried out the exhumation of an unmarked grave at St Bartholomew's Church in Winchester, Hampshire (pictured), this morning on church orders . Alfred lived from 849 AD to 899 and was born in Wantage, Oxfordshire. He is the only English monarch to be afforded the title The Great . Alfred is the only English monarch to be known as 'the Great' and was the first to consider himself King of the Anglo-Saxons. Although he is often portrayed as a great warrior in statues around Winchester and Wantage, he was not physically strong and is believed to have suffered poro health for most of his life. One of the legends surrounding the king was that, while fleeing from Danish aggressors, he hid in the home of a woman who did not recognise him. She asked him to look over her cakes that were baking in the oven but, troubled by his kingdom's problems, he absent-mindedly allowed them to burn. Alfred was born in 849 and died on October 26, 899. He had been King of Wessex from 871 until his death. It is not known how he died. He was originally buried temporarily in the Old Minster in Winchester, then moved to the New Minster. In 1110 Alfred's body was transferred to Hyde Abbey. Soon after the dissolution of the abbey in 1539, during the reign of Henry VIII, the church was demolished, but the graves were left intact. The royal graves and many others were rediscovered by chance in 1788 when a prison was being constructed on the site. No confirmed remains of Alfred have subsequently been found. When Alfred’s son King Edward the Elder built an impressive New Minster two years later - possibly to house his father’s body - the remains were moved there. Then, in the year 1110, old chronicles reveal the monks at New Minster moved to new location nearby and took the bones with them again, to Hyde Abbey, a little north of the city, along with the remains of King Alfred the Great’s wife and children. This Abbey was demolished when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries in 1539 although most of the graves were left intact. The site was looted by convicts in the 1700s and there seem to have been some attempts to dig for Alfred there in the nineteeth century with no success. Permission to dig at the churchyard was granted by the Diocese of Winchester for security reasons following recent publicity about King Alfred - to prevent people attempting to dig him up. A spokesperson for the Diocese confirmed human remains were exhumed, and that the rector of St Bartholomew’s and the Bishop of Basingstoke performed prayers at the graveside beforehand. No application has yet been made to carry out scientific testing on them, but the diocese expect this will be received very soon. Dr Helen Foxhall Forbes, a lecturer in early medieval history at Exeter University who is not involved in the dig, told the Mail last night: ‘Even if they do radio-carbon dating on the bones which reveals they are from the tenth century, we do not know if it is Alfred. ‘The monks may not have moved the correct bones or made sure they weren’t contamined with any other remains. ‘With Richard III, not only did he have distinguishing features, his scoliosis, to identify him, but they were able to find a surviving descendant after 500 years to do DNA testing. With a king who died more than a thousand years ago that would be very, very difficult. ‘The DNA testing on Richard III was done by experts wearing forensic suits, as even breathing on the remains can contaminate it, so I would be concerned about the amount of tampering with the bones over the centuries. As a historian I would love it if they found him but it would be an extremely long shot, I would be very dubious if they said they had found Alfred the Great.’
|
Removed from St Bartholomew's Church in Winchester, on church orders .
Archaeologists carried out the exhumation of the unmarked grave .
Removal to undisclosed location came amid fears they would be stolen .
|
f9954cfee42baf73402feb8c361abb6d63bad9b2
|
(CNN) -- Rafael Nadal will meet Andy Murray in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open after beating Ivo Karlovic 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-4. The Spaniard faced a tough challenge as Karlovic, known for his big serve, rained down 28 aces during the match, compared to Nadal's two. However, the world No.2 showed his class by only committing 15 unforced errors, compared to the Croatian's 42. Murray earned his match with Nadal after earlier defeating John Isner 7-6 6-3 6-2. "Murray is very good, he's one of the most talented players on tour," Nadal told the Australian Open Web site when quizzed about their upcoming meeting. "He can play offensive, he can play defensive. He can do a lot of things during the same match ... He's a very important player." On Saturday, Roger Federer booked his place in the last 16 of the Australian Open after a routine straight sets win over Spain's Albert Montanes to set up a match with home favourite Lleyton Hewitt. The world number one was relatively untroubled as claimed a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Montanes and felt his serve proved to be crucial factor in the victory. "I thought it was dominated from my side with my serve, which allowed me then to take chance on the return," Federer told the Australian Open Web site. "It was a pretty straightforward match, really. I don't remember him having any breakpoints. He was playing tough from the baseline and making it hard. I'm happy with the match and was able to serve it out, so it was good." Federer will now turn his attention to Australian Hewitt who led Marcos Baghdatis 6-0 4-2 before the Cypriot was forced to retire with a shoulder injury. Third seed Novak Djokovic thrashed Denis Istomin 6-1 6-1 6-2, while sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko claimed a 6-0 6-3 6-4 victory over Juan Monaco. Davydenko's fourth-round opponent will be Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, who advanced when Stefan Koubek of Austria retired due to sickness after losing the first set 6-1. France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who was a beaten finalist in 2008, came from a break down in the fourth set to beat Tommy Haas 6-4 3-6 6-1 7-5. .
|
Rafael Nadal to meet Andy Murray in quarter-finals of Australian Open after beating Ivo Karlovic 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-4 .
Roger Federer sets up a last-16 encounter with Lleyton Hewitt at the Australian Open after a routine victory over Albert Montanes .
Fourth seed Juan Martin Del Potro and seventh seed Andy Roddick are also through after they win in four sets .
Fifth seed Andy Murray cruises into fourth round and is on course to face Nadal in the quarterfinals .
|
f995b81a3a2ce6d15cdd1a87b2cde96624d7c5aa
|
By . Alex Sharp for MailOnline . Manchester City defender Eliaquim Mangala has confessed he was unaware he was part-owned by two investment firms. Both Doyen Sports Investments (DSI) and Robi Plus Ltd (RPL) owned a percentage of Mangala whilst at Porto before his £32million summer transfer to the Etihad. Doyen Sports is an investment fund supported by a collection of wealthy but anonymous businessmen speculating on the purchase of footballers to make money. VIDEO Scroll down for Eliaquim Mangala scores with cheeky back heel volley . Clueless: The France international was unaware two investment firms had ownership rights over him at Porto . Instead of buying up players’ economic rights, as with other third-party ownership schemes, Doyen loan money to clubs to assist in transfers of notable targets who would otherwise be unaffordable. DSI claimed a third of the France international’s transfer fee to Manchester City having assisted Porto with his move in 2011. Asked about DSI’s involvement, Mangala incredibly revealed to the Sun: ‘I didn’t know about it. I wasn’t in the loop. I learnt about it from the media. I wasn’t consulted before.’ New signing: France international defender Eliaquim Mangala is yet to make his debut for Manchester City . Furthermore, it has been revealed RPL owned an additional 10 per cent and asked whether he knew, Mangala said ‘No, not at all.’ Speaking on France 2’s Cash Investigation Programme, Mangala didn’t seem too concerned and said: ‘In effect, we are financial products. You have to be realistic. We bring value to that enterprise. ‘Each of us has a market value which can go up or go down according to performance.’ Working hard: The former Porto defender is training hard in order to reach match fitness to make his City debut .
|
Manchester City signed Eliaquim Mangala for £32m from Porto this summer .
Mangala is the most expensive defender in the Premier League .
The 23-year-old has yet to make his debut for Manuel Pellegrini's side .
Mangala was unaware he was part-owned by two investment firms at Porto .
|
f995bf357271faefe927e61b9f6c7638e7e51ee1
|
Nemanja Vidic trained with his new Inter Milan team-mates on Tuesday following his move from Manchester United. The Serie A side are at their training base - in the village of Appiano Gentile, near to Como - for the start of their pre-season training and the Serbian defender looked to have quickly settled in to his new surroundings. He was officially unveiled as an Inter player on Friday after joining the club as a free agent following eight seasons at Old Trafford. Calling the shots: Vidic issues instructions to his new Inter Milan team-mates as he trains . On your head! The Serbian defender was signed by Inter after being released following eight seasons at Manchester United . He's behind you: Vidic closes in on Mauro Icardi during a practice match in training . He's got a point: Vidic wasted little time in getting to know his new team-mates after signing a three-year deal at the San Siro . VIDEO Inter Milan not a step back - Vidic . The 32-year-old centre-back has signed a three-year contract with the Nerazzurri and aimed to deliver the club the Scudetto for the first time since the 2009-2010 campaign. 'Inter is one of the top clubs in the world, with a great history and tradition,' he said at his first press conference. 'There was a new project in place and I immediately liked it. 'When Inter made an approach, there were many other clubs interested in me. I'm happy to be here. The new man: Vidic is unveiled to the media on Friday after completing his transfer from Man United . The boss: Inter coach Walter Mazzarri smiles as he takes the training session . Hard at work: Mauro Icardi on the ball as Inter prepare for their tour of the United States and the Serie A season beyond . Heads you win: Danilo D'Ambrosio controls the ball during the training session at the Centro Sportivo Angelo Moratti . 'I know the president [Erick Thohir] has a long-term plan and he wants to keep Inter at a high level.' Inter trained at the Centro Sportivo Angelo Moratti, their training base, for the final time on Tuesday before heading north to their Alpine training camp in Pinzolo. They will play one warm-up match there before flying out to the United States for friendlies against Real Madrid on July 26, Manchester United on July 30 and Roma on August 2. Â .
|
Serbian defender looked at ease on the training ground with new team-mates .
Inter signed Vidic on a free after release by Manchester United .
Serie A side preparing for pre-season tour of United States - which includes match with United .
|
f995d9c039edf3001fc42a8be772d545c5ef0b71
|
Just one year after the Las Vegas mansion of Liberace was purchased for just $500,00 out of foreclosure, the flamboyant pianist's massive estate has been restored to its former glory. British businessman Martyn Ravenhill put in $1million after buying the property in August 2013, and has brought back the opulence and grandeur the massive 14,939-square-foot home was once known for. And he is just getting started. Scroll down for video . British businessman Martyn Ravenhill (above) has spent $1million restoring the Las Vegas mansion of Liberace . Ravenhill purchased the 14,939-square-foot home for $500,000 out of foreclosure in August 2013 . Among the work he has had done is a ceiling mural in the master bedroom and bathroom . 'Liberace, to me, is like the face of Las Vegas. Liberace brought magic to the stage,' said Ravenhill . “I saw that it was for sale and that it was in really bad shape,” Ravenhill told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. 'I called and was told that it already had an offer and was not for sale. I asked "Who bid on it — a person or a company? Is it officially sold?"' That is when he decided to buy the estate, paying in cash. 'I did not realize the magnitude of the place until I saw it. It is almost 15,000 square feet. In England, you can purchase a studio flat for about $500,000, and here I could get a 15,000-square-foot home owned by Liberace for the same amount,' he said. Now, Liberace's home has come back to life once again. Front door: British businessman Martyn Ravenhill put in $1million after buying the property in August 2013, and has brought back the opulence and grandeur the massive 14,939-square-foot home was once known for . The mural is supposed to resemble that of the famed Sistine Chapel in the Vatican . 'I did not realize the magnitude of the place until I saw it. It is almost 15,000 square feet,' said Ravenhill . 'In England, you can purchase a studio flat for about $500,000, and here I could get a 15,000-square-foot home owned by Liberace for the same amount,' he added . The house is filled with 18 chandeliers, something that Liberace was famously fond of . 'Upon entering its ornate doors is the grand staircase that was reportedly imported from France,' says the paper as they describe the interior of the estate. 'The home features 18 chandeliers, some original to the home. There are eight marble pillars and multiple stained-glass windows. Images of Liberace and musical notes are incorporated throughout.' There are also lots of mirrors, and even a ceiling mural in the master bedroom and bath. Aerial: This view shows the huge and sprawling mansion in Las Vegas that the famed and flamboyant pianist and entertainer once called home . 'I grew up believing that Las Vegas is the place of dreams and magic. The house has that glitz and a magical feeling to it,' said Ravenhill . 'When you take a look at Liberace, he was a very different type of entertainer, and there is no one to compare. He had a personal touch, and I think that he had that little spark, that glitz and that glamour like no one else,' Ravenhill said . Ravenhill is not set to begin his next project of restoring parts of the grand estate . 'When you take a look at Liberace, he was a very different type of entertainer, and there is no one to compare. He had a personal touch, and I think that he had that little spark, that glitz and that glamour like no one else,' Ravenhill said. 'Liberace, to me, is like the face of Las Vegas. Liberace brought magic to the stage, and I grew up believing that Las Vegas is the place of dreams and magic. The house has that glitz and a magical feeling to it.'
|
British business Martyn Ravenhill has restored the Las Vegas mansion of Liberace after purchasing it for just $500,000 out of foreclosure in August 2013 .
Raavenhill has so far spent $1million on the 14,939-square-foot home .
The home features 18 chandeliers, eight marble pillars, multiple stained-glass windows and one giant ceiling mural .
|
f9964da76fa9e925d209b5bb9cd876adaa8d0b7e
|
More American women have had medical help to have their babies than ever, according to the latest annual report from the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology. The group represents the greater majority of in vitro fertilization clinics in the United States. Their report showed that doctors at these clinics performed 165,172 procedures, including IVF, with 61,740 babies born as a result of those efforts in 2012. That's about 2,000 more babies born using treatments from IVF clinics than in 2011. That also makes 2012 the year with the highest percentage of babies born through IVF than ever reported previously, according to the society. That upward trend is the opposite of American birth rates overall. Since 2007, the American birth rate has been declining steadily. In 2012, more than 3.95 million babies were born, the Centers for Disease Control reports (PDF). That's below what demographers call the "replacement level," the level at which the generation can replace itself. Of those births, IVF treatments account for about 1.5% of all babies born in the United States that year. This growing trend doesn't necessarily mean Americans are having more trouble having children. It may point to the fact that couples are having babies later. American women are having babies a lot later in life than they used to: In 1980, the average age of a new mom was about 22. Now, the average age of a new mom is closer to 26, according to the CDC (PDF). Although women today are generally healthier, fertility does decline as people age. A woman's body produces fewer viable eggs when she gets older, and men's sperm doesn't swim as well as they age. Women can't wait too long to seek out treatment, though. That is also clear from the annual report. The IVF success rate was significantly higher for women under the age of 35 compared with those who were older. Looking only at the IVF treatments that used fresh embryos from non-donor eggs, the number of women under the age of 35 who gave birth using IVF was about 40%, compared with only 31% for women between the ages of 35 and 37. Only 3.9% of 42-year-olds got pregnant as a result of IVF treatment. IVF treatment has become more medically successful over the years and is gaining acceptance. It is still, however, cost-prohibitive for a lot of couples. Most assisted reproductive technologies are not covered by insurance, or the reimbursements are capped, according the National Infertility Association. The average cost of one IVF treatment in the United States is $12,400, and that's without the extra medicines the couple may need, according to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. Often, couples will need more than one treatment to conceive. The number of multiple embryos being transferred in IVF treatments has also declined, according to the report. Doctors prefer that women give birth to a single baby or "singleton," as they are called in medical lingo. That's because even with medical advances, multiple births are still considered risky for mothers and babies. The real reason behind the multiples baby boom .
|
About 2,000 more in vitro fertilization babies were born in 2012 than 2011 .
Since 2007, the U.S. birth rate has been declining steadily .
IVF treatment success rates decline as women age .
|
f996922df6bfe39daa4438ebaff48cf6ffb20fcd
|
Washington (CNN) -- The Justice Department is about to reverse a century of resistance to technology, requiring that federal agents record interviews of most suspects under arrest. It's a policy change that the department, at the behest of agents, has resisted for decades. A memorandum from Deputy Attorney General James Cole, first reported Wednesday by the Arizona Republic, says that beginning July 11, "There is a presumption that the custodial statement of an individual in a place of detention with suitable recording equipment, following arrest but prior to initial appearance, will be electronically recorded." The policy will apply to the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and U.S. Marshals Service. Cole's memo was issued without any public notice on May 12. U.S. law enforcement officials confirmed the authenticity of the memo. The Justice Department declined to comment. There are exceptions. Those include national security or intelligence interviews or those done under the public safety exception to the requirement that suspects be read their Miranda rights. And it also doesn't apply to interviews of suspects before arrest. Recorded interviews are common practice among state and local police departments nationwide. Even inside the Justice Department, the inspector general's office records interviews. But until the Cole memo, Justice Department policy discouraged recorded interviews for decades, in part because of fears that it could aid defendants on trial. That meant that even in high-profile trials, juries are often treated to the spectacle of FBI or other agents having to testify about what their hand-scribbled notes taken during interviews were supposed to mean. Report raps doctors over roles in post-9/11 interrogations . In 2012: Justice Department won't prosecute CIA interrogators in two prisoner deaths .
|
Memo from Deputy Attorney General James Cole reverses a century-old policy .
New policy will apply to FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and ATF .
Exceptions include national security or intelligence interviews .
|
f997ae4965517d732b704abaf13cb7a1cc5feb58
|
Country legend Johnny Cash and his enduring musical legacy are being celebrated in the city of Folsom following the grand opening of the first section of the $3.8 million Johnny Cash Trail and Overpass at the weekend. The release of Cash's 1968 album At Folsom Prison firmly established the singer as an international country music star and his song Folsom Prison Blues catapulted the California city to enduring notoriety. City officials unveiled the first section of the 2.5-mile trail on Saturday. The centerpiece is a pedestrian and bike bridge especially designed to look like the east gate guard towers at Folsom State Prison. Folsom city officials and Rosanne Cash, holding the scissors, unveiled the first section of the 2.5-mile Johnny Cash Trial and Overpass on Saturday . The centerpiece is a pedestrian and bike bridge especially designed to look like the east gate guard towers at Folsom State Prison . Johnny cash's legendary performance at Folsom State Prison in 1968 provided the live album which helped established the singer as an international country music star . 'People around the world know Folsom because of that very famous song,' Folsom Mayor Kerri Howell told The Sacramento Bee. The trail will traverse prison property and link to other area trails. Next the city is planning a $3 million fundraising drive to pay for a two-acre park next to the bridge. It will feature art installations along the trail including a 40-foot steel statue of Cash, a large replica of a guitar pick that will include a trail map and a Ring Of Fire display made up of swirling red guitar picks. Federal and state funds paid for the trail and bridge, but officials say donations will be a more appropriate source of money for the art celebrating the singer nicknamed the Man in Black because of his trademark black stage outfit. ‘There's some kind of beautiful connection between this and the prison, you know?’ Cash's daughter Rosanne said. ‘Just, to involve nature and healing and exercise.’ No stranger to prison: Country star Johnny Cash, center, is flanked by a bondsman and a US Marshall as he was transferred from El Paso County Jail to the Federal Courthouse in 1965 . Rosanne Cash, the musician's daughter, attended Saturday's ceremony and cut a ribbon to officially open the overpass. ‘There's some kind of beautiful connection between this and the prison, you know?’ she told ABC. ‘Just, to involve nature and healing and exercise.’ Even before his 1968 album, Cash had sung about the area in his 1955 song Folsom Prison Blues. It is a Cash classic and features one of his most famous lines: ‘But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.’ ‘I sat with my pen in my hand, trying to think up the worst reason a person could have for killing another person, and that's what came to mind,’ he said years later. The song was inspired by the movie Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison. Cash had first sung about the area in his 1955 song Folsom Prison Blues which features the famous line: 'But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die' I Walk The Line: The city is planning a $3 million fundraising drive to pay for a two-acre park next to the bridge and to build a 40-foot steel statue of Cash. A miniature model was on display on Saturday . Cash had intent was to play his first prison concert at San Quentin, but the warden was out when his manager called, so he ended up at Folsom first. The song was the first on the At Folsom Prison album, although the cheering from the audience following the 'But I shot a man in Reno' line was added in post-production. The atmosphere at the prison was tense during the concert because the inmates were ordered to stay in their seats throughout the concert, the result of a guard being kidnapped two weeks earlier. In August, Cash's childhood home in Dyess, Arkansas was opened to the public. Rosanne Cash said that the Arkansas State University-led scheme was launched to help boost the local economy in Dyess, which has struggled in recent years. 'We have lost many other such places of historic significance because of a lack of funds, [no interest] or ignorance,' she said. 'I am so happy ASU stepped in when they did. There were only around 35 cottages left and my dad's, though dilapidated, was one of those.' Other works of art commissioned for the proposed park include a large replica of a guitar pick that will include a trail map and a Ring Of Fire display made up of swirling red guitar picks .
|
The country music legend famously sung the Folsom Prison Blues, but now the city has opened a trail and overpass in his honor .
The $3.8 million tourist attraction features a pedestrian and bike bridge designed to look like the Folsom State Prison .
'People around the world know Folsom because of that very famous song,' said Folsom Mayor Kerri Howell .
Next the city is planning a $3 million fundraising drive to pay for a two-acre park next to the bridge featuring a 40-foot steel statue of the Man In Black .
Cash also famously played the prison in 1968 and a recording of the concert became one of most famous albums At Folsom Prison .
|
f997caadc71b056531eea7715685ca3f885648c2
|
The U.S. Olympic Committee will try to land the 2024 Olympics and end a 28-year drought without the Summer Games. Which city will it pick? Stay tuned. After hearing presentations from the four candidates Tuesday — Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington — USOC board members voted to join the race, but not until they have a chance to mull over the candidates during the holidays. 'It's a four-way tie,' CEO Scott Blackmun said, not diverging from the federation's closed-lip policy on this yearlong selection process. 'We had great presentations, now we have an opportunity to explore how everyone felt about the presentations. We'll reflect, come back after the holidays and see what's in the best interest for the United States.' Tight-lipped: USOC chairman Larry Probst (left) and USOC chief executive officer Scott Blackmun (right) address the media in a press conference following the USOC board of directors meeting at Hotel Sofitel San Francisco which revealed the US will vie to host the 2024 Olympics. They stayed mum on which city would put in the bid . This was the expected move from a federation that lost badly the last two times it bid for the Games — New York for 2012 and Chicago for 2016 — and hasn't played host to the Summer Olympics since the Atlanta Games in 1996. The 2016 Olympics are set for Rio de Janeiro. The 2020 Games, which the United States did not bid for, will be in Tokyo. America's chosen city for 2024 will be up against Rome and either Hamburg or Berlin. There will be others in the mix, as well, possibly including Paris, which is expected to announce its intention soon. The Games will be awarded in 2017. 'There are some real good cities lining up,' said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. 'It's going to be a tough race. It's important to take the time to make the right decision, to find a city that represents a very bold message.' Blackmun said there were no major changes in the decision-making process that stemmed from the International Olympic Committee's Agenda 2020 — an attempt to streamline the bidding process and make the Olympics less expensive. He and chairman Larry Probst said there was no move to have two cities combine on a bid — a possibility raised in Agenda 2020. All the cities had their mayors or mayor-elects there, along with the bids' power players. They included Giants owner Larry Baer for San Francisco, agent and media mogul Casey Wasserman for Los Angeles, construction magnate John Fish for Boston and Wizards and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis for Washington. 'Four-way tie': San Francisco is among the cities vying to host the games. The city is one of four in the U.S. hoping to outbid Hamburg or Berlin, Rome and possibly Paris . Boston also wants to play host to the Olympics, though a movement in protest of the bid has grown quickly in the city . 'We're not going to leave a bill for future generations,' Boston Mayor Marty Walsh told The Associated Press, hammering home a theme of cost-effectiveness that the USOC has insisted on from the start of this process. Also represented was the group No Boston Olympics, the most organized protest group in the four cities, which unfurled a banner outside the meeting place in Redwood City, California. The group cited polling data that showed tepid support, along with the secretive process of the domestic selection process, as among the reasons to reject the Olympics. Blackmun said the protest groups won't scare the USOC. 'Once we pick a city and the city has more freedom (to outline details of its bid), I think you'll see opposition decline,' he said. 'You'll see that each bid is fiscally responsible.' The cities all came in with projected operating budgets of between $4 billion and $5 billion, though that cost almost always skyrockets, and doesn't include the infrastructure and other Olympic-related improvements cities make. Blackmun said the cities had to show how an Olympics would fit into their long-term plans — an element the IOC also thinks is important as it tries to end the days of billion-dollar roads, stadiums and airports that are only partially used once the Olympics leave town. Also important to the U.S. bid is the USOC's reputation overseas. Blackmun and Probst have spent more than four years traveling the world to repair frayed relations that played into the country's last two losses. 'They've done a tremendous job,' said Max Siegel, CEO of USA Track and Field. 'They've been consistent, deliberate, invested in building meaningful relationships. Where we operate, I think people are noticing there's a genuine effort to be a contributing member.' Los Angeles wants to host the games for the third time in 2024--having hosted in 1932 as well as 1984 .
|
The U.S. cities will be up against Hamburg or Berlin, Rome and possibly Paris for the games .
The 2016 Olympics are set for Rio de Janeiro. The 2020 Games, which the United States did not bid for, will be in Tokyo .
The U.S. has not played host to the Olympics since Atlanta hosted the games in 1996 .
|
f9984c5c69c0dc5e9fab1e58066b86bcc84f0700
|
By . Steve Doughty . Last updated at 7:47 AM on 30th December 2011 . France and Germany are lagging behind Britain on aid spending to poor countries, a report says. Both countries have failed to hit EU targets and have barely increased their spending in recent months. Their reluctance to spend on the Third World contrasts with David Cameron’s determination to ensure that British taxpayers meet our full commitment to overseas spending. Reluctant: French President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right have been criticised for their countries' lack of foreign aid spending . The Prime Minister has come under increasing criticism for raising aid spending by £1.4billion last year in the name of hitting international targets for help for poor countries. It brought Britain’s overall aid spending to around £9billion at a time of spending cuts in public services. Critics say much of this is wasted on bureaucracy or misappropriated by corrupt officials and governments abroad. There are also growing numbers of Tory backbenchers opposed to spending large sums of money in aid to comparatively wealthy countries. India, which is rich enough to afford nuclear weapons and a space programme, is to get £1.4billion from British taxpayers to ease poverty over the next five years. David Cameron is determined to ensure British taxpayers meet our full commitment to overseas spending . Yesterday the Daily Mail revealed that Britain continues to send aid money to Brazil, even though the Latin American country has now raced ahead of Britain in the world economic league table. France and Germany’s lack of aid spending was disclosed in a report by the EU statistical arm Eurostat. It put the level of British foreign aid in 2010 at 0.56 per cent of national income, in line with European targets and on course for the United Nations ambition for wealthy nations to put 0.7 per cent of their spending into aid by 2015. But Germany put less than 0.4 per cent of its income into aid, barely increased on 2009 levels. France was at just under 0.5 per cent, again a figure only slightly increased in a year. The EU report was critical of the failure of some countries to push up their aid spending. ‘Contributions varied considerably between member states in 2010,’ it said. ‘It seems unlikely that the EU will achieve its 2015 target. At current growth rates, it would only happen around 2040.’ German Chancellor Angela Merkel has come under domestic criticism for her reluctance to keep promises of big increases in aid spending. And French President Nicolas Sarkozy promised a 20 per cent increase in aid last year. But critics say France is trying to pad its figures with debt relief, remittances sent by immigrant workers in France, and spending on its overseas territories. The United States pays out around 0.2 per cent of its income in foreign aid.
|
Both countries have failed to hit EU targets and have barely increased their spending in recent months .
David Cameron by contrast raised aid spending by £1.24billion last year to hit international targets for help for poor countries .
|
f9987827659dc96b209ef26d76c5d16ce747f5c3
|
(CNN) -- The crowdfunding model, in which entrepreneurs seek online pledges to finance their pet projects, appears to be alive and well. Kickstarter, the platform that has helped launch the Pebble smartwatch, the Oculus Rift gaming headset and the upcoming "Veronica Mars" movie, said it surpassed $1 billion in pledges on Monday. Although Kickstarter has been around for almost five years, it said more than half of the money was pledged in the past 12 months. "$1 billion means that people care about new ideas," said the company in a special page announcing the milestone. The money helped bankroll 57,000 creative projects, from films and comic books to tech gadgets and video games. Pledges came from 5.7 million people in 224 countries, most commonly the United States ($663 million), the UK ($54 million) and Canada ($45 million). That's a far cry from Kickstarter's first day -- April 28, 2009 -- when a grand total of 40 people pledged $1,084 to seven projects. Kickstarter's top 50 projects: When they shipped . The site requires project creators to choose a deadline and a target funding goal, with financial backers typically receiving preferential access to their product. Kickstarter takes 5% of all successfully funded projects. Investors are only charged if the project reaches its stated goal within the alloted time for fundraising -- otherwise no money changes hands. If you're wondering, Wednesday is the day of the week when backers have pledged the most money, while pledges usually drop off on weekends. Kickstarter is part of a growing number of crowdfunding sites that include Indiegogo, RocketHub and Crowdrise. Last month Kickstarter urged users to change their passwords after revealing it had been hacked.
|
Kickstarter says it surpassed $1 billion in pledges on Monday .
The money helped bankroll 57,000 creative projects .
The crowdfunding site launched in 2009 .
|
f998e62196bdc2c84518aaed7bcfc168a59ecc0a
|
A prominent Republican campaigner is due in court today after five women came forward to say he had raped or sexually assaulted them. Gregory Nathan Peterson, 37, has been accused of attacks going back to April 2010 when one woman said he took her to his remote cabin for lunch and insisted they watch a movie. He then tried to kiss her and when she told him to stop, he exposed his genitals. The mother managed to escape the lodge in Heber, Utah after showing Peterson that she had a holstered gun. Scroll down for video . Political power: Gregory Nathan Peterson (right) with Representative Jason Chaffetz during a Republican rally at his log cabin in Heber, Utah . Fear: Haley Hayes (left) said she met Peterson at a Mormon singles event but had been scared by his behavior. She is not connected with the case in any way . The latest victim came forward on Monday after four other women had accused the Republican stalwart of sexual assault. Peterson, from Orem City, Utah, is due to appear at district court in Salt Lake City this morning to begin a two-day hearing. Defiant: Peterson in court today for a preliminary hearing to see if he will stand trial for rape . The judge will decide whether he will stand trial on 23 charges including rape, assault and kidnapping. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, in March 2011 Peterson allegedly raped a woman he attended church with at his cabin in Heber after she had agreed to go to a movie with him. Peterson drove her to his home after threatening her with a gun allegedly stored in the glove compartment. Four months later, the GOP activist allegedly struck again after taking a woman to a movie in the city of Sandy, Utah. He then threatened to expose her for having an expired immigration visa before driving her to his cabin and raping her. After that he forced her to go to his mother's house where he continued to assault her for two days. In December 2011, Peterson then reportedly turned to online dating sites to find his victims. After setting up a lunch date with one woman, he turned up at her home in West Jordan and sexually assaulted her. This April, he met another woman through . a dating site and attempted to attack her in the bedroom of her Salt . Lake City home before she managed to fight him off. Attack: An interior shot of Peterson's cabin where he allegedly carried out the assaults . Remote: Peterson's cabin in Heber, Utah where he allegedly raped women after taking them on dates . Wealth: One woman came forward to say she had been sexually assaulted by Peterson last summer but they did not have enough evidence to act . Peterson has been held on $750,000 bail at Salt Lake County jail since July 18. Peterson often used his cabin to hold Republican events which were attended by the GOP elite including Senator Orrin Hatch, Governor Gary Herbert, Representative Jason Chaffetz and congressional candidate Mia Love. The 37-year-old accountant has been deeply involved in GOP events in Utah. After receiving an MBA at Brigham . Young University, he went on to set up Peterson Wealth Management and . online trading site smartstocks.com. He . used his business connections to organize the Rocky Mountain . Conservatives Convention 2010 at his log cabin in Heber, which is . surrounded by three large reservoirs. High-profile: Mia Love (pictured with Peterson) was one of several Utah politicians to visit the log cabin in Heber. The Congressional candidate is not connected with the case in any way . Accused: Peterson is due to appear in court today in Salt Lake City where it will be decided if he is to be tried on 23 charges including rape, assault and kidnapping . Defense attorney Cara Tangaro said that she would present information at Peterson's hearing 'about the strength, or lack thereof, of this case'. Three more women have also come forward to say that they were abused by Peterson but no charges have been filed although public prosecutors were not ruling it out. GOP members had distanced themselves from Peterson since the allegations emerged. Emails to the Utah Republican Party by MailOnline went unanswered. Shortly after Peterson was charged in July, one female acquaintance, who met the 37-year-old at a Mormon church singles event, said he had aggressively pursued her to go to his cabin. Haley Hayes told KLS: 'He really did corner me for an hour and a half. I know the situation those girls were in and I can't even imagine.'
|
Gregory Nathan Peterson, 37, charged with rape, assault and kidnapping .
5th victim came forward Monday to say he had attacked her at his cabin .
Activist held Republican fundraisers at remote Utah home which were attended by Senator Orrin Hatch, Governor Gary Herbert, Representative Jason Chaffetz and congressional candidate Mia Love .
|
f999c07325695249059c1810097a4eee1f4757c7
|
When Lay's announced that it would be launching a chocolate-covered potato chip, the reception was divided. But now that the limited-edition snack has gone on sale, Femail has had a chance to put it to the test. Proving the doubters wrong, the reaction to the salted Wavy chips dipped on one side in milk chocolate has been overwhelmingly positive. The five bags distributed across the team disappeared in a heartbeat - despite containing 800 calories each. Sweet AND salty: Lay's milk chocolate-covered potato chips have proved a unanimous hit on team Femail . Reporter Margot Peppers reflected on this fact afterwards, calling them 'very, very addictive. 'They were the perfect balance of sweet and salty,' she continued. 'Although the chocolate was . pretty rich. I couldn’t stop eating them!' Editorial manager Lucy Jones said they were 'like choc covered pretzels, but better,' and photo director Jolie Novak 'loved the smooth chocolate with a crunch and the subtle salty taste at the end.' Femail deputy editor Olivia Fleming . hailed them 'the best thing since the Cronut' - high praise indeed - . while social media editor Taylor Lorenz said that 'they are everything . I'd ever want in a potato chip and candy bar. I can't wait to pre-order . them by the box.' 'They are everything . I'd ever want in a potato chip and candy bar. I can't wait to order by the box' The chips were not without some . critique though. A couple of tasters remarked that they would have . preferred more chip and less chocolate - while another mused whether a . dark chocolate version would be tastier. What's more, even this snack-loving team felt defeated after eating too many. One editor admitted that they are 'totally delicious' but 'the bag is too big. Now I feel sick.' Margot echoed the opinion, but added: 'It was worth it though.' Success! The positive verdicts indicate that Lay's has struck gold with this unlikely combination . The chocolate chips are a limited-edition, only be available during the holidays and exclusively at Target stores. If they . prove popular, however, they could be made a permanent addition to the Lay's product . line. 'They are totally delicious but the bag is too big. Now I feel sick' 'When . you try something drastically different, you have to walk before you . can run,' said Ram Krishnan, vice president of marketing at Frito-Lay. 'We wanted to test our way through this before . we go big.' Lay's chocolate potato chips is the latest unlikely product to combine sweet and salty flavors, a growing trend in the $31billion snack market that food manufacturers are keen to cash in on. Last month Pringles announced that it would be launching a series of holiday-themed flavors including mint-chocolate chip, pecan pie and cinnamon and sugar. If it proves a success, Mr Krishnan says 'it gives us latitude to offer other . flavor combinations that we've never done. . . [It] opens a world of possibilities that we haven't explored before.'
|
One reporter called the salted Wavy chips dipped in milk chocolate 'the best thing since the Cronut'
They are on sale exclusively at Target during the holiday season, retailing for $3.49 per 5oz bag .
|
f999ecc2539bb06c73ff735f7693d8952cd44973
|
The German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, has been accused of anti-Semitism after it published a cartoon depicting Mark Zuckerberg as an octopus controlling the world. The cartoon was published in the newspaper last Friday after the announcement that Facebook had purchased Whatsapp. Two versions were published, one with the caption ‘Krake Zuckerberg’, the other ‘Krake Facebook’ – Facebook Octopus and Zuckerberg Octopus. In the drawing, the 29-year-old Facebook founder is portrayed with a hooked nose, fleshy lips and curly hair, features ascribed to Jewish people in Nazi cartoons. Zuckerberg Octopus: The cartoon was published in Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper last week and has led to accusations of anti-Semitism . The cartoon was ‘starkly reminiscent’ of anti-Semitic Nazi era cartoons, Efraim Zuroff from the Simon Wiesenthal Centre told the Jerusalem Post. ‘[I]f anyone has any doubts about the anti-Semitic dimension of the cartoon, we can point to Mark Zuckerberg’s very prominent nose, which is not the case in real life,’ said Mr Zuroff who added that he found the cartoon, 'Absolutely disgusting!' The cartoon depicts Mr Zuckerberg, who was raised Jewish but now describes himself as an atheist, as an octopus grasping at computers around him. In one of his tentacles he holds the logo of Whatsapp, the instant messaging service his company recently purchased for $19billion. Jews were commonly depicted as octopuses, spiders, vampires and devils in Nazi-era propaganda, such as this poster from 1938 . ‘The nefarious Jew/octopus was a caricature deployed by Nazis. That was used pretty much as a staple by the Nazis in terms of their hateful campaign against the Jews in the 1930s. [An] exaggerated Jewish nose removes any question if this was unconscious anti-Semitism,’ Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre told Algemeiner. ‘Mark Zuckerberg is fair game for the media, including German media, but no German should deploy such caricatures,’ he said. The cartoonist, Burkhard Mohr, apologised for the offence his cartoon caused in an email to the Jerusalem Post on Monday. ‘Anti-Semitism and racism are ideologies which are totally foreign to me,’ he wrote. ‘It is the last thing I would do, to defame people because of their nationality, religious view or origin.’ The newspaper took to Twitter on Monday to address the issue, writing simply: ‘We apologise for the cartoon.’ Mr Mohr released an updated version of the cartoon this week, replacing Zuckerberg’s face with a blank rectangular hole. The Suddeutsche Zeitung came under fire for publishing a cartoon that seemed to depict the State of Israel as a ravenous monster. The cartoonist Burkhard Mohr apologised for the offence he caused and released an updated version of the cartoon without Mark Zuckerberg's face . The cartoon as it originally appeared in the newspaper last Friday. It bears the caption 'Krake Zuckerberg', or Zuckerberg Octopus . Cartoonists have often used the image of an octopus to portray a global power taking over the world, such as this poster showing fear at the reach of the U.S. and this cartoon from 1994 depicting Microsoft's expansion . The image dates back a long way, this cartoon depicting the colonial reach of England was published in America in 1888 . A Japanese cartoon shows the fear at the reach of Communist Russian into Asia .
|
Cartoon in influential German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung .
Published after announcement that Facebook had bought Whatsapp .
Zuckerberg resembles caricature of Jewish people used in Nazi propaganda .
Newspaper has apologised and released an updated version of the cartoon .
Süddeutsche Zeitung accused of anti-Semitism for another image last year .
|
f999fb8f103bdaeaea216b3c0fabe3ae2d3328a3
|
By . Anna Hodgekiss . Denise Clark, 34, arranged her own funeral and wrote goodbye letters to her two young sons after being told she had terminal cancer . A mother has spoken of the 'absolute hell' she endured after being wrongly told for two years she had terminal cancer. Denise Clark, 34, arranged her own funeral and wrote heartbreaking goodbye letters to her sons after she was told the disease would claim her life. After being given the prognosis at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, she also spent £10,000 attending an alternative therapy clinic in Spain. She hoped the treatment there would extend her life, giving her more time with her two young boys before she died. But as the months passed and she continued to feel well, she became suspicious and eventually demanded another scan. To her total shock, the results revealed the growth in her pelvis was not cancerous - but internal damage from previous cancer treatment she'd undergone. Ms Clarke has now settled a claim for a high five-figure sum after she took action against NHS Grampian. She said she hoped no-one else would ever endure the nightmare ordeal her family went through. 'I planned my funeral and wrote farewell notes to my boys. It was heartbreaking but I had to do it for my family. No one should have to do that if they don’t need to. 'Hearing them say it was a mistake was amazing - but it doesn’t give us back the two years of our lives that were made absolute hell.' Ms Clarke's ordeal began in 2009 when she suffered bleeding, nine weeks into her pregnancy with son Luca, now four. When she finally got an appointment for tests nearly six months later, in January 2010, she received the devastating news she had cervical cancer. With the disease spreading, Luca was delivered at 33 weeks so Ms Clarke could start treatment as soon as possible. She went on to beat the disease but in November 2011 she was told she had a huge, cancerous mass in her pelvis and there was nothing more doctors could do. 'They said I'd already had as much radiation as I could have in a lifetime,' she said. 'There was an option for some more chemo - which might buy me some time - but I wanted my boys to remember me how I was, and not rotting away on a couch. 'I was absolutely devastated. We just weren't expecting it at all.' Desperate, she researched alternative treatments and booked herself into a special clinic in Spain to build her health up as much as she could. She also began to plan for the future of her two sons, Harvey and Luca. Ms Clarke with her sons Harvey and Luca. As the months passed and she continued to feel well, she became suspicious and demanded another scan. The shocking results revealed the growth in her pelvis was not cancerous - but internal damage from previous cancer treatment she had received . 'I wrote them farewell letters to say how proud I was of them and told them not to be sad because of all the good times they had spent together.' She even had family photographs taken to remind them of her. 'I wanted the boys to have fun times and . lots of mum memories, like playing football together or having a . barbecue. Nothing that cost a fortune.' She added: 'I didn’t know if I was going to end up dying in a hospital, if I would be at home or how it would happen.' Then after two years of agony, specialists revealed her recurring health problems were actually due to internal damage caused by high levels of radiation she'd received during her initial cancer treatment. She said: 'The doctor was there with the test results and my mum burst out crying. I just started to laugh. 'Mum said "how can you laugh?", but it was out of relief,' says Ms Clarke, an oil firm operations manager. 'I got home and said to my son: 'Harvey, the doctors made a mistake, they are wrong". 'His little face just lit up and he was hugging me the hardest he has ever hugged me. 'He said he never wanted to let me go.' Ms Clarke has now received a five-figure sum from NHS Grampian to compensate for the misdiagnosis. She said: 'It's a massive relief they made a mistake and I'm OK - but that's two years of my life I'll never get back' She added: 'It's a massive relief they made a mistake and I'm OK - but that's two years of my life I'm never getting back.' She also worries the misdiagnosis had forced her eldest son Harvey, now 10, to grow up too quickly. 'Even now he's still got worries in his head, he says he doesn't want to be without me and tells me not to leave him,' she said. The misdiagnosis also led to her running up huge debts paying for alternative treatments and her marriage broke down due to the strain of her poor health. During treatment, high doses of chemotherapy left her needing a blood transfusion and she suffered acute renal failure after medics unnecessarily inserted stents to maintain her kidney function. Despite this, Ms Clarke added she has nothing but praise for many of the medical staff at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmity X-ray unit, but said she felt let down by NHS Grampian. 'It wasn't just one department that got it wrong, it was multiple departments. They made mistakes time and time again,' she added. 'Going through something like this gives you clarity on so much. 'All I want now is to see my boys grow up, and watch my babies become the men I know they will be.' NHS Grampian refused to comment on the case, adding that it was a confidential matter.
|
Denise Clarke, 34, underwent treatment for cervical cancer in 2010 .
Had extensive radiotherapy to pelvic area and beat the disease .
But in November 2011 she was told she had huge cancerous mass in pelvis .
Doctors said there was nothing more they could do to treat her .
But after two years and feeling fine, she demanded more scans .
Was astounded to learn mass was actually damage from previous treatment .
Has now received five-figure sum from NHS Grampian for misdiagnosis .
|
f99a1239ba32d986fdf657b4f72ae55e3ce9c441
|
Teenager Nile Wilson narrowly missed out on a medal in the men's horizontal bar on the final day of the World Gymnastics Championships in China. The 18-year-old, forced to withdraw from Friday's all-around finals with a wrist injury, took fourth place on Sunday with a score of 14.766, with Croatia's Marijo Moznik beating him to bronze with a score of 15.000. The Dutch Olympic champion Epke Zonderland claimed gold with a total score of 16.225. Teenager Nile Watson came close to claiming a place on the podium in the horizontal bar . Gold at the World Gymnastics Championships went to Olympic champion Epke Zonderland of Holland . But Leeds-born Wilson, who took gold in this event among four medals at the Commonwealth Games, was delighted with fourth after the disappointment of Friday. 'I didn't really go in with any expectations,' he said. 'I was just happy to be in the final and to be lined up against an Olympic champion was unreal. Coming fourth is a great achievement, just below the medals. Eighteen years old. I could not be happier. 'I know my difficulty is quite low so I just focused on going really clean today. Just tried to enjoy myself. That was the main thing.' The experience also gave Wilson a better idea of what he needs to do to one day match the likes of Zonderland. 'First, I'm going to increase my difficulty,' he said. 'I think he's gone up to seven plus (difficulty), so that's my first target. And during the skills he's doing, he's just unbelievable. My target and my mission is to beat him. One day, I think I can do it.' Wilson was forced to retire from the all-round event after injuring his wrist . Great Britian teammate Max Whitlock stepped in to take silver in the men's all-round final . Wilson withdrew from Friday's final, handing his place to Max Whitlock who went on to take silver. 'I made the decision the day before (the final),' he said. 'My wrist injury was getting to the point where it was a bit silly to carry on and it could cause a major injury. So I made that decision to help Max get through. 'I think it was the right decision. It could have done serious damage to my wrist and that would have put me out for months. I didn't want that. I was thinking more about the future. It's my first world championships, not the be all, end all of my career.'
|
Epke Zonderland of Holland claimed gold in the horizontal bar at the World Gymnastics Championships in China .
Teenager Nile Watson narrowly missed out on bronze but remained upbeat, despite being forced to withdraw from all-round event with injury .
GB's Max Whitlock stepped in take take silver in the men's all-round event .
|
f99ac2083fe0cc89aba191343ea66c5abcc88099
|
Dhaka, Bangladesh (CNN) -- Nobel Laureate and microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus faced a new government fight Monday as the Cabinet ordered "legal action" against him for what it called "tax irregularities." The Cabinet meeting, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, discussed a report prepared by the National Board of Revenue that claimed it had found tax irregularities by Yunus between 2004 and 2011, said cabinet secretary Mohammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan at a briefing. The allegations are related to his overseas earnings of about $ 6.4 million, including award money and royalties from his books, and possible improper tax exemptions. Yunus, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, however, denied the allegations in a news release issued by Yunus Center in Dhaka. It said the government was supposed to determine what earnings were taxable. "Professor Yunus has done everything with the consent and approval of the governing body," it said. "Professor Yunus had brought all his overseas earnings through banking channels as per laws and showed them in his income tax return and paid all the applicable taxes." The National Board of Revenue chairman, Ghulam Hussain, said on Monday the board would seek an explanation from Yunus and take legal action if the explanation was found to be unsatisfactory. On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department urged the Bangladeshi government to treat Yunus "in a fair and transparent manner, in keeping with Bangladeshi law and the principles of due process." This is not the first time that Yunus and the government have been at odds. In 2011, Bangladesh's central bank removed Yunus as managing director of Grameen Bank, citing a mandatory retirement age. Yunus, 73, founded Grameen Bank three decades ago to reduce poverty in Bangladesh. The model of financing the extremely poor without requiring any collateral was replicated around the world. Yunus was also awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 and a U.S. Congressional Gold Medal in April.
|
The Bangladeshi government accuses Muhammad Yunus of tax irregularities .
Improper tax exemptions on about $6.4 million among the allegations .
Yunus, who won the Nobel Prize in 2006, says he paid all taxes as required .
The government forced Yunus to retire from his Grameen Bank in 2011 .
|
f99b032c86b0439be32381de3b0e78d192f54202
|
Martin Murray takes his courage in both fists as he enters the ring in Monte Carlo this Saturday night to confront the most concussive pound-for-pound puncher in the world. Gennady Golovkin will greet him with a handshake and a smile, followed by flurries of the blows which have knocked out 28 of the 31 victims in his unbeaten professional career. Call It Fearless vs Fearsome. Martin Murray (right) faces the toughest challenge of his career against Gennady Golovkin on Saturday . Murray has vowed to give the fight his best shot despite being rated as a 25-1 underdog . Murray and Golovkin looked confident as they made the weight ahead of their world title bout in Monaco . Martin Murray: 159.9lb . Gennady Golovkin: 158.9lb . (Weight limit: 160lb) Murray declares himself ‘unafraid of being hurt’ by the iron-fisted Kazakh and insists he has perceived ‘chinks in Golovkin’s armour which I can exploit to upset the odds.’ If he does, the casinos in the principality will be paying out at 25-1. Golovkin talks respectfully of our reformed ex-prisoner as ‘a strong fighter who brings my toughest test so far’ but still believes ‘I will end it inside the 12 rounds.’ If he does, Murray will be stopped for the first time in a career in which he has yet to be sent to the canvas. Not even the only two men to deny Murray victory managed that in his two previous, close-run, world middleweight title challenges. Felix Sturm was given the benefit of a home-town draw in Germany, Sergio Martinez declared a disputed winner in Buenos Aires. Golovkin, however, is a more intimidating proposition than either of them. He not only hits like a steam-hammer to head and body but employs speed, mobility and a profound depth of ring cunning to create the openings for those punches. The Kazakh is unbeaten in 31 bouts, winning 28 by knockout - including against Daniel Geale (above) St Helens born Murray (right) has never been knocked to the canvas in his 31 fights . Name . Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin Martin Murray . Born . Karaganda, Kazakhstan, 8 April, 1982 St Helens, UK, 27 September, 1982 . Residence . Stuttgart, Germany St Helens . Turned pro . 6 May, 2006 22 September, 2007 . Titles won . WBA/IBO middleweight British & Commonwealth middleweight . Pro record . 31 fights, 31 wins (28 KOs) 31 fights, 29 wins (12 KOs), 1 loss, 1 draw . Golovkin sets more traps than a pest control agency and, in professional terms, the consequences can be just as fatal. The careers of several previously unbeaten challengers for his WBC world title have either been ended instantly by his blows or petered away into premature retirement a few fights later. Wayne Rooney is expected to be in attendance in the plush ballroom in Monaco, supporting the man from St Helens in the hope that he can deliver a miracle. Some of Murray’s domestic peers are making persuasive cases for Murray pushing Golovkin to the limit. Matthew Macklin, who was destroyed by a GGG-force body shot, says: ‘I’m sure Martin will give a very good account of himself.’ George Groves, who could find himself on Golovkin’s dance card in the future, says: ‘Martin is not only tough but a clever fighter and I don’t expect it to be easy for Gennady.’ But neither goes so far as to predict a British upset. Martin Murray's manager Andrew Mikhail is confident his charge will win after posting his bets on Twitter . Man United star Wayne Rooney is expected to be cheering Murray on from ringside at the Casino Royale . Murray has modified his initial bravado - ‘I’m going to knock his head off’ - by saying: ‘I have given everything humanly possible in training camp. I will give my all in the ring. I do not want to go home with any regrets about having given anything less than my absolute best.’ Murray, having turned his entire life around so admirably that his focus is now on his young family, has the strength of physique and will-power to return home with both his dignity and his future as a fighter intact. If he rises so spectacularly to the challenge as to rupture Golovkin’s invincibility, he will have won a gamble of James Bond proportions in Monte Carlo. Golovkin v Murray will be televised live on Channel 5 from 10 pm this Saturday night.
|
Martin Murray faces Gennady Golovkin for the WBA middleweight title .
The Kazakh world champion is unbeaten with 28 knockouts from 31 fights .
The St Helens boxer is a 25-1 outsider, despite never being knocked down .
|
f99b28efb2bfeb761af3c9902619f4e75c701d76
|
Former Cagliari sporting director Nicola Salerno has delivered the clearest indication he will link up with Leeds president Massimo Cellino at Elland Road again. Salerno worked with Cellino during the pair's time at Serie A club Cagliari and turned down an offer to join Palermo following talks with the newly-promoted club last week. 'Leeds? It's a life choice, my first experience abroad but with an Italian owner,' Salerno told Italian football website Tuttomercatoweb. VIDEO Scroll down to decide whether Leeds United fans give off the best chant . Moving on? Nicola Salerno (right) has dropped his biggest hint yet that he will join Leeds . Missing link? Leeds president Massimo Cellino may have Nicola Salerno back by his side at Elland Road . Excited: A reunion between Cellino (pictured) and Salerno has been rumoured since the former took over . 'The no to Palermo? There was some contact considering I have an excellent rapport with (Palermo owner Maurizio) Zamparini. 'I needed time and then I made my decision. But the rapport remains a good one.' Salerno's potential reunion with Cellino has been no secret since the latter completed his takeover of Leeds in early April. Cellino ended his 22-year association with Cagliari when agreeing a deal to sell the club to the Giulini family on June 11, and said he had officially severed ties with them last Thursday when unveiling David Hockaday as Leeds' new head coach. Hockaday was installed alongside new assistant Junior Lewis, while Cellino appointed former Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa striker Benito Carbone as a consultant responsible for all technical and football operations at Elland Road in May. Salerno said the offer of a sporting director's role at Palermo had initially interested him, but when speaking to the Italian press last week he said: 'I do not have the heart. 'I can confirm that I have not accepted the proposal of Palermo. The club needed an immediate response, while I did not have sufficient certainty.' New man: David Hockaday (right) was installed as Leeds manager last Thursday by Cellino (left) Aim: Leeds are aiming for promotion to the Premier League to battle with the likes of Manchester City again .
|
Nicola Salerno, who worked with Massimo Cellino at Serie A club Cagliari, turned down offer to join newly-promoted Palermo last week .
Salerno said: 'Leeds? It's a life choice, my first experience abroad but with an Italian owner'
Reunion rumoured since Cellino's takeover of Leeds in early April .
|
f99bd7c4d74f0e60306b6688c1d33294bf613fd6
|
Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- A trio of wildfires burned through Southern California on Tuesday, threatening homes, shutting down roads and prompting some residents to evacuate, officials said. There were no reports of injuries from the three fires in Camarillo, Walnut and at Camp Pendleton. Capt. Ron Oatman of the Ventura County Fire Department estimated the fire in Camarillo -- about 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles -- to be about 15-20 acres. Oatman said some homes were threatened, but residents were not yet evacuating. In Walnut, 25 miles east of Los Angeles, a 5-acre wildfire prompted residents in 24 homes to evacuate, though the fire was later extinguished without burning any structures, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Meanwhile, fire officials at Camp Pendleton -- home to a U.S. Marine Corps base north of San Diego -- had that blaze 60 percent contained Tuesday evening after it burned 2,700 acres. Firefighters expect to have it fully controlled Wednesday, according to a statement from the base. The Camp Pendleton fire, which started Tuesday morning during a training exercise, forced the closure of at least one road that will remain closed through the night, the statement said. CNN's Sonya Hamasaki contributed to this report.
|
There are no reports of injuries .
Some homes are under threat in Camarillo, fire official says .
Residents were evacuated in Walnut, fire department says .
Camp Pendleton fire officials expect to contain that blaze by Wednesday .
|
f99c166c93e8bb79fad123132d1a6b0150cafd3e
|
By . Mail Online Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:38 EST, 17 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:53 EST, 17 March 2014 . It is part of the national stereotype that Britons love queuing, but new research has shown that the majority of customers will abandon their shopping if the line is too long. New research by mobile company EE reveals that three quarters of customers will leave without buying anything if they are forced to wait longer than five minutes, costing retailers £1billion a year. The survey also revealed that nearly a third of customers will only wait a maximum of two minutes, while 59 per cent will wait no longer than four minutes. Research has found that, despite the national stereotype, British shoppers hate queuing more than five minutes . Now a new system is being brought into Asda stores which will see shop assistant given tablet computers to help take payments when the checkouts are busy. Staff will also be able to check whether a product is in stock on the devices, meaning less time spent away from the shop floor. A new heat-mapping programme will also let managers know when the tills will become busy, meaning they can direct more staff there to shorten line. And free wireless internet will be available for both staff and customers. An EE spokesman said: 'British consumers are demanding retailers use mobile technology to improve their in-store shopping experience. Asda staff are being given tablet computers to help customers pay without visiting the tills, and to check stock without having to leave the shop floor . 'For example, according to EE research, Britons are increasingly frustrated at the time it takes for sales assistants to check whether a product is in stock. 'It's therefore unsurprising that nearly three-quarters of consumers, 74 per cent, believe in-store sales assistants should use tablets so they can check stock levels if a product is not on the shop floor. 'Shoppers also see the benefit of using mobile devices to cut queues, which are costing retailers £1 billion a year, as 63 per cent want shop assistants to use tablets to take payment for goods when tills get too busy.'
|
Queuing found to be customers' least favourite part of shopping .
Long queue cost retailers £1billion in lost sales every year .
Asda staff being issued with tablet computers to help cut lines .
Devices will be used so customers can pay without visiting the tills .
|
f99c386eb2eca649aca7795a8b6e8568b79cc631
|
With the Eiffel Tower standing proudly above decorative European buildings, this looks like a magnificent view of the famous French capital. However, not all is at it seems. Incredibly, this Parisian scene is actually in the middle of China. The Tianducheng development in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, is filled with grand European buildings and wide walkways. Ornate fountains and statues also line the streets of the town. This is a view of the Tianducheng development in Hangzhou, China. Despite being built as a replica of Paris, the town has not proved popular and is virtually empty . Empty: The Tianducheng development in Hangzhou is designed to accommodate at least 10,000 people but it has instead been labelled as a ghost town . Fierce: A huge thunder storm streaks across the Eiffel Tower replica . Replica: With China's love of all things French, the developers must have thought they were onto a winner when they built Tianducheng . Copy-cat: The town is filled with Parisian houses and, despite being in the middle of China, has a distinct European feel . During its construction in 2007, a replica of the Eiffel Tower standing at 108 metres was even built. There is also a replica of a fountain from the Luxemburg Gardens in a main square called Champs Elysées. With China's love of all things French, the developers no doubt expected the town to be a huge success. But things haven't quite worked out as they would have hoped. Different: Despite attempting to look like the famous French city, the town is is surrounded by farmland and dirt roads . Quirky: Almost everything about the town has a European edge, such as this fountain . Odd: This image perhaps best demonstrates the confusion at the heart of the town. A farmer tills the surrounding farmland in front of the Eiffel Tower . Looking good: Despite not exactly proving popular, the town does look impressive . Quaint: The Tianducheng development is located in the Zhejiang Province of China . This picture shows a farmer's house . Plush: This resident stands on the balcony of his apartment at the development, admiring the empty streets below . Shop: Despite being nowhere near as busy as the developers hoped for, it still contains a number of businesses, including this supermarket . Despite being designed to accommodate at least ten thousand people, the town remains sparsely populated. Local media have now started labelling it as a 'ghost town', with pictures showing the large streets remaining virtually empty. Images from the town show how China's aspirations and its traditional culture collide. Surrounded by farmland and wide roads, farmers can be seen working in fields with the mock Eiffel Tower looming over them. Video: caspar stracke .
|
Tianducheng development designed to look just like the French capital .
But it has been labelled a 'ghost town' because fewer people than expected have moved in .
|
f99c3ae197735a0f9ac87c757e9a9c571130c46a
|
When I first poked my head inside Virgin Galactic's newest spaceship, I felt a little like I was getting a front-row seat to space history. The company, led by billionaire Richard Branson, allowed CNN unprecedented access to a "SpaceShipTwo, Serial Two" spacecraft which was being carefully assembled by workers at a secure facility in the high desert north of Los Angeles. This invention spun from carbon fiber and imagination is designed to fly tourists some 60 miles high to the edge of space. In 2008, Branson predicted the company would be launching paying passengers by 2010. Obviously that hasn't happened yet. Meanwhile, more than 700 people -- reportedly including astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, Justin Bieber and Ashton Kutcher -- are awaiting to gain official status as Space Cowboys. The latest word: Virgin Galactic says it's on track to begin commercial service by the end of this year. "Rome wasn't built in a day," Branson tweeted in January. The spaceship I boarded isn't expected to fly until 2015. I was asked not to take photos or video. From the inside, it looks bigger than you'd expect after seeing its 60-foot-long exterior. For some reason I expected more machinery during assembly. Standing inside the cabin's shell, I found four technicians working away with precision and TLC. There were no furnishings installed yet, so I tried to imagine which of the six seats in the spacecraft would be my choice -- if I could afford a $250,000 ticket. The cabin is dotted with so many windows it blew me away -- a side window and a ceiling window for every passenger. I imagined myself in the front row. Right side. Stepping carefully to the window, I remembered what space travelers have said about the power of seeing the awe-inspiring curvature of the Earth and what a life-changing experience that is. I was sort of projecting that as I stood inside the spaceship. Here's how Virgin Galactic's space tours are supposed to work: Six passengers and two pilots will board a SpaceShipTwo -- a combination rocket and glider. The ship is attached to a powerful airplane, called a WhiteKnightTwo. That plane flies the rocket/gilder up to about 50,000 feet. Then the real fun starts. The pilots separate the spacecraft from the plane. They ignite the spacecraft's rocket engine, creating G-forces that pin passengers back in their seats, according to Virgin Galactic. They'll experience "eye-watering acceleration" to nearly 2,500 mph, more than three times the speed of sound. As the ship reaches higher and higher, the cobalt blue sky turns to black. Then: engines off. Silence. Passengers will be allowed out of their seats -- to feel that weightlessness we've all heard so much about. It will be interesting to learn what really happens during the six minutes of weightlessness that Virgin Galactic says passengers will get on each flight. Imagine all six passengers inside this cabin as they're dying to get that space-faring-selfie they can post online for the rest of their lives. I'm wondering: What are the rules in space to get those photos? How is that going to work? Is everyone going to be bumping into each other while they're floating around the cabin? There were four workers in the ship's cabin with me, and I could imagine us all bumping into each other -- accidentally throwing an elbow while we tried to maintain balance and control in zero-G. After the weightless portion of the flight -- if all goes according to plan -- passengers will strap themselves back into their seats before the spacecraft yields to the forces of gravity and begins its glide downward toward sweet Mother Earth. Related: What does a Virgin Galactic ticket get you? Perhaps the real, lasting value of this experience will be what passengers bring back with them. Will it change the way they live here on Earth? Virgin Galactic says its primary goal isn't about pushing the boundaries of space exploration. It's about offering people a chance to gain a new perspective on the world -- literally and figuratively. Will seeing the beauty of the planet shift the way passengers interact with the environment? Will it trigger people to embrace more environmentally sustainable lifestyles and technologies? Whatever the case, the Virgin Galactic website promises: "Life will never quite be the same again." As anticipation builds towards the maiden passenger flight, here are seven things about the program you may not know: . 1. Can we call them astronauts? Virgin Galactic refers to its space tourists as "passenger astronauts." But Buzz Aldrin doesn't like it. "I don't think they should be called astronauts," Aldrin told CNN in 2010. "That term was created by the U.S. military. My suggestions would be star-traveler or starflyer." Aldrin knows from astronauts. Let's not forget he was the the second astronaut to walk on the moon. 2. Chinese nationals are banned from flights . U.S. anti-espionage laws require Virgin Galactic to ban Chinese nationals from its flights, according to the South China Morning Post. Why? Because rocket engines on the Virgin Galactic vessels reportedly are considered military-grade technology under U.S. arms trafficking laws established during the Cold War. The legislation was designed to prevent certain foreign powers, such as China, from getting hold of U.S. military tech secrets. 3. Virgin Galactic accepts Bitcoin . For the unaware: Bitcoin is an experimental form of money that exists only online. It's not regulated by any central authorty. About 12 million Bitcoins have entered circulation. Branson told CNNMoney last January that a "future astronaut, a female flight attendant from Hawaii, has already purchased her Virgin Galactic ticket using Bitcoins." 4. Look who's hitching a ride: NASA . As everyone knows, NASA figured out how to go to the moon long ago. Now, after the death of the shuttle program, the legendary space agency is relying on others for transportation. Virgin Galactic has agreed to carry a dozen NASA technology experiments on its first commercial research flight. 5. Should Virgin Galactic partner with Google? Doug Messier, managing editor of the space news site parabolicarc.com, speculates that Virgin Galactic and Google might make a good match to help Google gain a foothold in space. Google already is developing flying wind-turbine technology. 6. DiCaprio's secret seat-mate . At a charity auction last year in France, an anonymous bidder won a Virgin Galactic seat next to actor Leonardo DiCaprio, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Winning bid: $1.5 million. 7. Breakfast in London, lunch in LA . Branson is said to be looking down the road to even more space ventures, including high-speed, point-to-point travel on Earth. Imagine traveling by rocket-plane from London to Singapore in an hour -- or from London to Los Angeles in a couple of hours. With every delay, the global attention on Virgin Galactic intensifies to prove that it will accomplish what it set out to do years ago. I can't wait to see what happens next. We'll keep you posted.
|
Virgin Galactic space tourism flights are scheduled to begin this year .
The company is building a fleet of spaceships for passengers .
700 people have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars each to be passengers .
Stephen Hawking, Justin Bieber, Leonardo DiCaprio and Ashton Kutcher reportedly are on the passenger list .
|
f99ce542ff2a4812f5e73535806219f923d70766
|
By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 02:00 EST, 9 August 2011 . A home-made drone capable of launching airborne cyber attacks and hijacking mobile phone calls has been developed by two computer security experts. The Wireless Aerial Surveillance Platform - or Wasp - was constructed from a former U.S. Army target drone. Richard Perkins and Mike Tassey customised the aircraft so it can find and track internet hotspots and mobile phones. Scroll down for video . Airborne cyber master: The Wireless Aerial Surveillance Platform - or Wasp - was constructed from a former U.S. Army target drone. Inventor Richard Perkins introduces the craft at the DefCon hacking conference in Las Vegas at the weekend . Mr Perkins and co-designer Mike Tassey customised the aircraft so it can find and track internet hotspots and mobile phones . It can identify unsecured online gateways and then exploit these to launch cyber attacks on computer systems. The . craft can also capture GMS mobile PIN numbers that can then be used to . pay for outgoing calls, allow hackers to eavesdrop on conversations and . even impersonate mobile phone towers. Mr . Perkins said: 'It will fly a plotted course and return to base. We . loaded it up with the ability to attack wi-fi, Bluetooth, and GSM . cellular networks.' The two men exhibited the bright yellow Wasp, which weighs just 14lbs, at the DefCon hacking conference in Las Vegas at the weekend. They . built it for a total of just $6,200 and claim their inspiration was to . force the computer industry into realising that anybody has access to . the materials to make such a hi-tech device. Infiltrating internet hotspots: The Wasp was built for just $6,200 and weighs just 14lbs . Top attraction: Mr Perkins (left) and Mr Tassey tinker with their creation at the conference . The implications and potential uses for Wasp are quite extraordinary. It could find mobile phones in disaster areas and lead rescuers to survivors, or it could fly over a disaster zone to act as a mobile phone tower enabling calls. However, if it were to fall into the wrong hands, Wasp could quite easily infiltrate a company's computer networks via unsecured wi-fi networks. And that's just for starters. Mr Perkins said: 'I can take the various pieces of your digital life - Bluetooth headset, mobile phone, wi-fi - and find the least secure place you exist and attack you there.' Even more worryingly, Wasp could carry a small payload, opening up the potential for smugglers to use it or to serve as a targeted biological or nuclear weapon in a terror attack. Unsurprisingly, authorities in the U.S. will not allow the drone to fly over populated areas.
|
The Wireless Aerial Surveillance Platform can also hijack mobile phone calls .
Drone only cost $6,200 to make .
|
f99cfd039a3ebd3243b6eaa7cb3377905af0afa9
|
By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 05:29 EST, 15 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:38 EST, 15 May 2012 . Television psychic Derek Acorah today denied claiming missing Madeleine McCann was dead and 'has been over in the spirit world for some time' in a newspaper interview. The medium, 62, said he would fly to Portugal to join the hunt for the missing girl and turn his findings over to police. Mr Acorah allegedly told The Sun that Madeleine, who vanished five years ago, would be reincarnated before long. 'In the spirit world': Derek Acorah, right, is joining the search for Madeleine McCann and claims she will be reincarnated as another little girl . He was quoted as saying: 'I know her . parents are convinced Maddie is alive and I'm really sorry - but the . little one has been over in the spirit world for some time. 'I don't think she will be there long before she reincarnates. 'When children pass over who haven't . had full lives I believe they choose the time to come back in the same . form again - as another little girl.' When contacted by the MailOnline . today, he said that 'no one knows' if the schoolgirl is dead. Mr Acorah refused to repeat the comments and said he had been . 'misquoted' by The Sun. He said he would fly to Praia da Luz to see if 'the spirits' can solve the mystery of what happened. Critics have questioned why the . television psychic has waited until now to join the search for the . missing child - as he promotes a theatre tour. Psychic Derek - who used to host TV's Most Haunted - was allegedly exposed as a fraud by psychologist Dr Ciaran O'Keeffe. While filming at Bodmin gaol in . Cornwall he said he was being possessed by Kreed Kafer - an anagram of . Derek Faker - which Dr O'Keeffe had invented and mentioned when he was . within earshot. Anguish: Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann with a picture of their daughter as she would appear aged nine. They have never given up hope that she is still alive . Scotland Yard have recently carried out a £2million review of the evidence in the case. Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann have always insisted that their missing daughter may still be alive. Mr Acorah said that he is happy to join the hunt to find her. 'I am willing to go over to Portugal to help search for Madeleine. I will go to . the place where she went missing and see what I can pick up. 'I . would ask the world of spirits in the area what happened and anything I found out I . would pass over to police to help with their investigation.' Psychic: Derek Acorah said today he is willing to go to Portugal to help with the police investigation . He added that he had been 'stitched up'. 'I have been totally and utterly misquoted. I am a very sensitive person and the last thing I would do is to force my beliefs on other people. 'I hope and believe Madeleine is alive.' Mr Acorah said there were four mediums in Portugal at the time and he 'didn't want to get in their way'. 'It was in my mind to go over and . search for Madeleine when she first disappeared but there were already . four mediums over there,' he added. 'I was surplus to requirements and I'm not going to be getting in another medium's ground.' The £2million police review of the Madeleine McCann case will examine calls from psychics which were previously ignored, it has been revealed. Detectives are studying around 100 logs of calls that were discounted because the callers said they were psychics or had dreamt about the high-profile investigation. Critics said the decision to include information from ‘supernatural’ sources was a waste of resources. Scotland Yard officers who have been . called in to review the case last month released a new picture of how . Madeleine would look now as a nine-year-old. A team of 35 Metropolitan Police officers are examining more than 100 leads as they renew the hunt for the missing child.
|
Psychic says he will visit apartment where she vanished from to 'pick up what spirits say'
TV medium, 62, says if she is dead she will be reincarnated as 'another little girl'
He vows to fly to Portugal to 'lend his expertise' to the hunt .
|
f99d5a2d7940267b89098428b643231e4e591fed
|
(CNN) -- Ireland reached the quarterfinals of the rugby World Cup Sunday with an emphatic 36-6 victory over Italy at the Otago Stadium. Ireland topped Pool C ahead of second-placed Australia, and now play Wales in the knockout phase in Wellington next Saturday. They were 12-6 up as the second half began but put the game out of reach for Italy with two tries. Captain Brian O'Driscoll scored in the 47th minute after taking a well-timed pass from Tommy Bowe. Four minutes later left-wing Keith Earls marked his birthday by finishing a sweeping move with a try in the far corner after good work by center Gordon D'Arcy and blindside flanker Stephen Ferris. Ronan O'Gara, who landed six out of seven placekicks for a match haul of 16 points before being replaced by rival fly-half Jonathan Sexton, a less reliable goalkicker, duly landed the conversion. Ireland's traveling support virtually turned the match into a home game with most of the stadium bathed in green. Before the match Italy coach Nick Mallett had claimed his team boasted a better front row and would prove it. All Black star Carter ruled out of World Cup . But that dominance failed to materialize and neither side ever took full control. Earlier, Wales were in superb form as they thrashed Fiji 66-0 tn Hamilton. Jamie Roberts with two tries, Scott Williams, George North, Sam Warburton, Lloyd Burns, Leigh Halfpenny, Lloyd Williams and Jonathan Davies crossed in the rout. Hosts New Zealand also shrugged off the loss of star fly half Dan Carter to round off their Pool A campaign with a 75-19 victory over Canada. They ran in 12 tries with Zac Guildford leading the way with four. Colin Slade, the replacement for Carter, kicked four conversions and a penalty. The All Blacks will play Argentina in the quarterfinals next Sunday after the Pumas confirmed their qualification for the knockout stages ahead of Scotland with a 25-7 win over Georgia.
|
Ireland reach quarter-finals of rugby World Cup with emphatic 36-6 victory over Italy .
Ireland top Pool C ahead of second-placed Australia, and now play Wales .
Italy's coach had claimed his team boasted a better front row and would prove it .
Hosts New Zealand shrug off loss of Dan Cartter to thrash Canada 75-19 .
|
f99d5bdf34f33ce436e63e4e66900bc4676e08a5
|
Tory MP Fiona Bruce is attempting to stop 'femicide' - the termination of pregnancies if the mother finds that she is expecting a girl . MPs will mount a bid tomorrow to make it a criminal offence to abort a child on the grounds of gender. The move, being spearheaded by Tory MP Fiona Bruce, is an attempt to stop ‘femicide’ – the termination of pregnancies if the mother finds that she is expecting a girl. Campaigners say that the practice is well established in some ethnic minority communities in the UK, where a greater value is traditionally placed on a male child. Mrs Bruce has tabled an amendment to the Serious Crime Bill which would ‘put beyond doubt’ that it should be a prosecutable offence for a doctor in the UK to abort a baby on the basis of gender. The MP, who claims wide cross-party support for the measure, says the reform is required because in 2012 the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to charge two doctors who were caught agreeing to abort female babies. The then Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, said the law did not ‘in terms, expressly prohibit gender-specific abortions’. Tomorrow’s debate will be a free vote, allowing MPs to ‘follow their consciences’ on the matter. When the issue was put to a non-binding vote last November it was passed by 181 votes to one. In support of her move, Mrs Bruce points to university research which has found evidence of a shortage of girl babies in some ethnic minority communities. She says that women have come forward to say that they were kicked and punched repeatedly in the stomach by husbands trying to cause a miscarriage if they were carrying girl babies. Last night, Mrs Bruce was backed by her Conservative colleague Nadine Dorries, who said: ‘In some cultures and religions, the birth of a girl child is a birth of shame. There are reports of women being coerced and forced with the threat of violence into aborting their daughters. ‘There are even stories of women too afraid to leave hospital and return home with a baby daughter. The debate in the House of Commons will be a free vote, allowing MPs to ‘follow their consciences’ on the matter . ‘Some of the mothers are victims of their own upbringing and they believe themselves, and any female child they bear, to be of less value than a male.’ Mrs Dorries added: ‘Labour-supporting websites, publications and prominent figures have this week been calling for MPs to vote the amendment down. But if the vote goes our way there will be young women everywhere who will have no idea that their life once hung in the balance.’ The amendment is also backed by Labour’s Indian-born Virendra Sharma, MP for Ealing Southall. He said that a ‘legal framework’ was needed to send a clear signal to those families where pressure is put on pregnant women to terminate according to gender.
|
MP Fiona Bruce spearheading attempt to stop 'femicide' of unborn girls .
Tabled an amendment to the Serious Crime Bill to make criminal offence .
Practice is well established in some ethnic minority communities .
Debate is a free vote allowing MPs to follow their consciences .
|
f99d7876a8243f16d00bfdfcb8a8fc08747973e1
|
Running robots have been inspired by nature’s fastest runners, including the cheetah and the ostrich. But one group of researchers has looked further back in time for their inspiration and created a speedy droid based on the now extinct velociraptor, which lived between 75 and 71 million years ago. The robo-raptor has two powerful legs that can propel it to speeds of 28.5mph (46km/h) which is just fast enough to beat Usain Bolt in a race. Cool runnings: The robot (pictured) has a top speed of 28.6mph (46km/h) and is inspired by a velociraptor . The machine was created by a team of engineers at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kaist) and has a mechanism that mimics a tail, as well as its two nimble legs, Discovery News reported. In one test run, the robot recorded a top speed of 28.5mph (46km/h) on a treadmill, which is almost as fast as a cheetah bot – the world’s fastest legged robot – which can run at 29mph (47km/h). In comparison, the world’s fastest sprinter, Usain Bolt, can run at 27.4mph (44.7km/h). Th chase is on: The robo-raptor has two powerful legs and has a top speed of 28.6mph (46km/h). It was created by by a team of engineers at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kaist) and has a mechanism that mimics a tail, as well as its two nimble legs . Nimble: Each of the robotic raptor's legs (pictured) has an Achilles tendon to works as a shock absorber. It also has a tail, which while dissimilar to the dinosaur's, helps it keep its body more stable while it jumps over obstacles . Ancient: A group of researchers from Korea have have created a speedy robot based on a ferocious velociraptor (pictured) which was one of the dinosuars to terrify children in the film Jurassic Park . While Boston Robotics’ cheetah is heavy, four-legged and powered by hydraulics, the robotic velociraptor weighs just under 7lbs (3kg) and has two legs made of carbon fibre. Each of the legs has an Achilles tendon to works as a shock absorber. The Raptor has a tail, which while dissimilar to the dinosaur’s, helps it keep its body more stable while it jumps over obstacles, Jongwon Park, a PhD student at Kaist, Korea said. This capability was tested by the researchers throwing obstacles onto the treadmill for the robot to negotiate. The tail swings from side to side as the robot runs to act as a counterweight and stop the robot plunging forwards and backwards, Cnet reported. But both sprinting bots rely on poles to stop them falling over, giving Usain Bolt a large advantage is a race was ever run between man and robot. Fast: The robo-raptor has two powerful legs that can propel it to speeds of 28.6mph (46km/h) which is just fast enough to beat Usain Bolt (pictured) in a race, whose top speed is 27.4mph (44.7km/h) Speedy kitty: In one test run, the robot recorded a top speed of 28.5mph (46km/h) on a treadmill, which is almost as fast as a cheetah bot (pictured) - the world's fastest legged robot - which can run at 29mph (47km/h)
|
The robotic dinosaur's top speed is 28.5mph (46km/h)
It was built by engineers at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in Daejeon and has two nimble legs and a tail for balance .
It's not quite as fast as Boston Dynamics' record-breaking cheetah bot but could theoretically out-run Olympian Usain Bolt .
|
f99dcb575619bdc981c411cc9139eecff74e825f
|
Kennedy Space Center, Florida (CNN) -- NASA launched its Ares I-X rocket Wednesday, after multiple delays over two days because of bad weather. The 327-foot rocket -- which NASA considers the world's largest -- took off at 11:30 a.m. ET, 30 minutes before a noon deadline for the launch. It rose about 24 miles. About two minutes after liftoff, the first-stage, reusable rocket booster fell into the Atlantic, where it was to be picked up by a ship. It was the first flight test for the Constellation Program, NASA's next-generation spacecraft and launch vehicle system. The rocket's launch is part of NASA's mission to someday return astronauts to the moon and later travel to Mars. NASA spokesman George Diller, who was moderating the launch preparations for broadcasters, communicated the frustration as launches were repeatedly called off with just minutes to go. After 11 a.m., it appeared there would be a narrow window for a liftoff, and a half-hour later the rocket roared skyward. "I can't tell you how proud I am of all of you," Ed Mango, Ares I-X launch director, told engineers and others inside the center after the launch. "That was just one of the most beautiful rocket launches I've ever seen." "It shows what we can do when we have a common goal." As the clock ticked toward noon, NASA officials nervously awaited all-clears for technical items and a weather clearance from weather officer Kathy Winters who, time and again, said conditions were "red," meaning a no-go. A reconnaissance plane was giving her frequent weather reports. She kept looking for a break in the high-level clouds. "It's a very dynamic situation," Winters said. Before the launch, the space agency had begun negotiating with the Air Force to see if a Thursday launch attempt was possible. Failing that, NASA couldn't have tried again until November 16. NASA's primary concern was the high-level, cold clouds that can cause triboelectrification, or the production of a kind of static electricity, similar to what happens when you walk across a carpet, then touch something. If static surrounds the rocket, it can interfere with radio signals sent by or to the rocket. The Constellation Program has been developing new vehicles to replace space shuttles, which will be phased out in 2010. If the program moves forward, the Orion capsule atop the Ares rocket will not be ready to take astronauts into space until at least 2015, leaving a gap of at least five years in which the only way the United States would be able to put humans in orbit would be by hitching a ride with the Russians. Part of the test rocket mission is for scientists to try out three massive main parachutes, measuring 150 feet in diameter and weighing one ton each -- the largest rocket parachutes ever manufactured. The parachutes are a primary element of the rocket's deceleration system, NASA says. After the rocket is successfully launched, the parachutes are to open at the same time, "providing the drag necessary to slow the descent of the huge solid rocket motor for a soft landing in the ocean," the agency says on its Web site. The two parts of the rocket are to separate at about 130,000 feet. The top of the rocket, known as the upper stage, includes a mock Orion crew capsule and a launch abort system. The upper stage will continue its ascent until gravity forces its return to Earth, after which it will fall into the Atlantic Ocean. The launch comes at a critical time, when NASA is waiting for President Obama to decide future funding for the agency. An independent committee reviewing the future of space flight recently reported that the U.S. space program appears to be pursuing goals that exceed current funding. The committee also recommended to the White House that funding for NASA's under-construction international space station should be extended until 2020. CNN's Kim Segal and John Zarrella contributed to this report.
|
NEW: "One of the most beautiful rocket launches I've ever seen," says launch director .
Ares l-X rocket heads into space at 11:30 a.m. ET .
Weather delayed launch Tuesday at Kennedy Space Center .
Eventual goal with Ares I-X program is return to the moon .
|
f99e26854f3d3e32500dc0d7025856ba2565d392
|
Tragedy: Megan White, 11, died after suddenly collapsing at school last year . A healthy 11-year-old girl suddenly collapsed at school and died just 24 hours later after suffering a rare brain haemorrhage, an inquest heard. Popular Megan White, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, was 'merry and laughing' with her friends during the morning at All Saints’ Academy. She had even told her mother not to pick her up from school that afternoon as she was having dinner at a friend's house. But, just after lunch, she fell ill and was rushed to a nearby hospital where tests revealed she had suffered a small bleed on her brain. Avon Coroners’ Court heard Megan then suffered a second, larger, bleed when she was in the accident and emergency ward, causing her to lose consciousness. She underwent emergency surgery but did not recover from her brain injuries. An inquest into Megan’s death at Flax Bourton in Somerset was told the haemorrhage was 'rare', with experts unable to pinpoint what had caused it. Gail Elliman, deputy coroner for Avon, ruled Megan died from 'natural causes' following the tragedy in January last year. She said: 'Megan collapsed at school on January 13. She was taken to hospital where investigations showed a large bleed on her brain. 'She was transferred to Bristol Children’s Hospital where despite treatment, she died on January 14. I am sorry that the experts have not been able to make it any clearer as to why this happened. 'She died of natural causes.' Dr Margrid Shindler, a consultant in paediatric intensive care at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, told the inquest: 'While she was in the emergency department, she had a larger bleed which caused her to go unconscious and at that point she was put on a breathing machine. 'She was taken to Frenchay Hospital and underwent neurosurgery. After that, unfortunately she was still showing signs of a very severe brain injury. 'This bleed occurred in an area very deep inside the brain where even a small bleed can cause a large amount of damage. 'We probably see two cases like this a year, where people come in with a small bleed then the second bleed occurs. 'Mostly, despite our best efforts, we are unable to save these children. It is very, very sad - going from someone who is quite normal to such devastating injury.' 'The family very kindly consented for organ donation and we thank them very much for their kind gift.' Dr Craig Platt, who conducted a post-mortem examination, said he had consulted with other experts about what could have caused the haemorrhage. Sudden: She arrived 'merry and laughing' friends at All Saint's School in Cheltenham in the morning but fell ill shortly after lunch . 'It was clear that there had been quite a large haemorrhage which was the cause of death,' Dr Platt said. 'But I don’t think that we can say what the cause of this bleed was.' The cause of death was recorded as cerebral haemorrhage and raised inter cranial pressure. Speaking after Megan’s death in January last year, her parents Rebecca and Paul White, who attended the inquest, paid tribute to their daughter. Mrs White said her daughter was 'always smiling' and 'generous beyond belief'. 'She’d been happier than usual on the morning of Friday the 13th when she died. 'Her teachers and friends said she was merry and laughing. Just after lunch she fell poorly immediately and the ambulance came. 'It was instant and quick and the surgeons said she wouldn’t have known anything.' Mrs White added: 'Children seemed to gravitate to her. 'Megan was beautiful, but never vain - she always thought others were more beautiful.' The schoolgirl had been particularly good at maths and loved performing as she . was a 'bit of a drama queen'. All . Saints’ principal, Peter Kingham, said last year: 'Megan was a very popular . student who loved being part of All Saints’ Academy. Megan was bright . and cheerful and stood out as an excellent student.
|
Megan White died last year after falling ill at All Saint's Academy, Cheltenham .
She arrived at school 'happier than usual' and was 'laughing' with friends .
But after lunch she suddenly collapsed and died in hospital the next day .
Avon Coroners’ Court near Bristol heard she suffered two fatal brain bleeds .
Her parents said she was 'always smiling' and 'generous beyond belief'
|
f99e5cc7810343c6543bb7022f04fc7d0eb3ae9b
|
Top gambler: Multi-millionaire Mr Ivey, 36, has been dubbed ¿the Tiger Woods of poker¿ . One of the world’s top gamblers won £7.8 million in a game of chance by ‘reading’ the backs of the cards, claim the owners of Britain’s oldest casino, who are refusing to pay out. Phil Ivey, dubbed ‘the Tiger Woods of poker’, is understood to have exploited tiny flaws in the card design during a game of punto banco, a type of baccarat based purely on luck. He insists he did nothing illegal, however, and is suing Mayfair club Crockfords in the High Court in what is expected to be the biggest legal battle in casino history. The technique has echoes of Kaleidoscope, a 1966 film starring Warren Beatty as a playboy who breaks into a card manufacturer to mark the cards and then beat the bank at every European casino. The Mail on Sunday, which revealed last October that Mr Ivey’s winnings had been withheld, understands the cards were flawed because of a mistake during the cutting process at an overseas manufacturing plant. Crucially, it meant their geometric pattern was not symmetrical, though this would not have been noticeable to the untrained eye. Cards should look exactly the same if turned 180 degrees. If they do not, it allows so-called advantage players to use a system known as ‘playing the turn’. Multi-millionaire Mr Ivey, 36, was accompanied by an unidentified Chinese woman and was the only person playing against the croupier over three nights at the exclusive Mayfair club last August. His remarkable winning streak was witnessed by a casino inspector and ten video cameras.Initially gambling £50,000 per hand, which can be over in less than a minute, he was later given permission by the management to increase his stake to £150,000. It is thought his companion, who is banned from at least two casinos around the world, was also able to spot the imperfections and helped Mr Ivey place his bets. Like Mr Ivey, she lives in Las Vegas. Along with two others, she is said to have won more than $1 million in similar fashion in the US in 2011, but the money was similarly withheld and the casino’s decision was later upheld by a gaming commission. It is not clear if Mr Ivey and the woman heard about the rogue cards at Crockfords before arranging the punto banco game or simply noticed them while playing. Punto banco is the sister game of chemin de fer, the high-stakes card game favoured by James Bond. The aim is to hold cards with a count of nine or closest to nine. You bet that either the hand held by the player (punto) or banker/croupier (banco) will win and place bets on the appropriate area on the table. Tens and picture cards and multiples of ten count as zero. Though Mr Ivey was not allowed to touch the cards at any point, he is thought to have instructed the dealer to tilt each card back to expose its value. Break the bank: Warren Beatty in Kaleidoscope about a marked-card scam . The key cards he was looking out for were nines and eights, and possibly sevens and sixes. When these cards appeared, his companion asked for them to be rotated 180 degrees, pretending that Mr Ivey was superstitious. As this appeared to give him no advantage, the dealer acquiesced. The rotated cards were returned to the shoe and were easily recognised by the player as different when they were eventually re-dealt, giving him a strong edge. At first, his losses were heading towards £500,000 but he recovered, and at the end of the first night was £2.3 million up. He is also thought to have persuaded the casino not to destroy the cards at the end of each session, which is normal practice. By ‘holding the shoe’ his rotated cards were preserved for the following day’s play. The 184-year-old casino, the oldest private gaming club in the world, initially agreed to transfer his winnings to his bank account, but nine months on it has returned only his £1 million stake. Crockfords is owned by Genting, a Malaysian gaming corporation, which sent investigators to London to question employees and scrutinise hours of CCTV footage. Willy Allison, a leading casino suveillance specialist, warned the gaming industry about flawed cards in November 2011. He described their exploitation as the ‘latest scam to hit Las Vegas casinos’, adding: ‘Not every player who wins a lot of money at the casino is a cheat. You don’t have to be. Legal battle: Crockfords casino in Mayfair is being sued by Phil Ivey after he played there for three nights last August . ‘By turning an asymmetrical card 180 degrees it is possible to identify what the value of the card is before it is revealed. You simply glance at the edges on the back of the card. ‘Essentially, playing the turn has the same effect as marking the cards and gives players a huge house edge. ‘Who needs invisible ink and red-tinted sunglasses when you’ve got manufacturer-made “marked cards”.’ Mr Allison said casino card manufacturers are under pressure to produce more and more cards, mainly due to massive demand in Macau where millions are used — and destroyed at the end of each session — every day. ‘Inevitably quality control goes down because of this,’ he said last night. ‘Casino management should be vigilant when it comes to manufacturer defects and flaws.’ Mr Ivey said: ‘I was given a receipt for my winnings but Crockfords has withheld payment. I have no alternative but to take legal action.’ A spokesman for Crockfords said: ‘We shall be defending this claim vigorously.’
|
Phil Ivey is accused of 'reading' the cards in a game based purely on luck .
Mr Ivey’s winnings were withheld by Mayfair casino Crockfords .
He insists he did nothing illegal in a game of punto banco .
|
f99e632aa2097a07db30cb0d2c722e19354160ee
|
Two were arrested on Dick Cheney's lawn as dozens gathered outside the former vice president's home to protest torture on Saturday. The crowd of 20 demonstrators was there to mark the 13th anniversary of the opening of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and protest the torture of detainees held by the United States. The protesters, some clad in orange jumpsuits reminiscent of those worn by inmates at Guantanamo, along with black hoods, walked across the snow-covered lawn of Cheney's home in McLean, Virginia. Scroll down for video . Protest: A crowd of 20 demonstrators gathered at Dick Cheney's home on the 14th anniversary of the opening of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp to protest the torture of detainees held by the United States . Code Pink, the group organizing the demonstration, also had members in front of the home of CIA Director John Brennan, calling it their 'Guantanamo Anniversary Weekend Torturers Tour.' A 6,000-page report from the US Senate released last month detailed how the CIA misled the White House and public about the detention and torture of prisoners held as part of the War on Terror. The report included instances of 'rectal feeding' and 'rectal rehydration,' and said in some cases detainees were kept awake for up to a week. On Fox News, Cheney called the report 'full of crap' and 'deeply flawed,' though he admitted he had only 'seen parts' and 'read summaries.' He also defended the techniques used on detainees as 'successful.' 'The question is what are you prepared to do in order to get the truth about future attacks against the United States,' he said to Fox News host Bret Baier. This is in spite of findings in the report that showed torture techniques to be ineffective at creating actionable intelligence, and instead leading detainees to stop talking or fabricate information. Lineup: Protesters posed as Guantanamo detainees and held signs across from Cheney's home . Deeply flawed: Former vice president Cheney called the Senate report on torture 'full of crap' and claimed that torture was successful in stopped attacks on the US, though no evidence has yet been presented . The Guardian reports that Senator Dianne Feinstein claimed investigators could not find one instance where torture produced intelligence used to prevent future attacks that had not already been obtained through other means. The Senate report also found that at least 26 of the 119 prisoners believed to have been detained at Guantanamo were 'wrongfully held.' Fairfax County police spokesman Roger Henriquez said that police arrested two protesters who refused to leave the property after being asked to leave. Code Pink identified the two as Tighe Barry, 57, and Eve Tetaz, 83, and told Reuters they were unfairly singled out.
|
Two were arrested during a protest by Code Pink at the McLean, Virginia, home .
The group also protested at the home of CIA Director John Brennan and called it the Guantanamo Anniversary Weekend Torturers Tour .
Last month, a report from the US Senate detailed torture techniques used against detainees that included 'rectal rehydration' and 'rectal feeding'
The report alleged 26 prisoners detained at Guantanamo were 'wrongfully held' and that there was no evidence that torture helped prevent attacked .
|
f99e82ec1e1163ad91ff48b567e5ba6cfe590ea0
|
By . Michael Blackley . PUBLISHED: . 06:14 EST, 26 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:14 EST, 26 January 2014 . Bank of England Governor Mark Carney will warn Alex Salmond that a proposed currency union with the UK if his nation votes for independence may not be viable . The head of the Bank of England will this week warn Alex Salmond about the dangers of a separate Scotland keeping the pound. Bank Governor Mark Carney is expected to compare the ‘currency union’ between the rest of the UK and an independent Scotland proposed by the SNP to the crisis-hit Eurozone when he meets the First Minister for the first time later this week. If he secures a yes vote in September’s referendum, Mr Salmond claims Scotland could keep the pound, with the Bank of England continuing to represent Scots and make key decisions on issues like interest rates. But it has emerged that the Canadian bank chief has major concerns about whether formal currency-sharing unions can ever work between countries. And he has confirmed that he intends to raise these concerns when he meets the SNP leader and delivers a major speech in Edinburgh on Wednesday. In a interview recorded last week, Mr Carney warned of ‘issues’ with currency unions which have already been seen in Europe. In a clear reference to the troubles of crisis-hit countries like Greece and Cyprus, he also warned of the ‘challenges of having a currency union without certain institutional structures’. It is a significant intervention from Mr Carney, who has not previously discussed the issue of Scottish independence in detail. When asked if an independent Scotland could keep the pound, he said: ‘Well, there are issues with respect to currency unions. We’ve seen them in Europe. ‘It’s one of the factors that affects the outlook for the UK economy, has affected us over the last five years, affects us going forward - the challenges of having a currency union without certain institutional structures. Scottish First Minister Mr Salmond has previously claimed that his country could keep the pound, with the Bank of England continuing to represent Scots and make key decisions on issues like interest rates. ‘I’m actually going to speak to this issue in Scotland next week and I’m certainly going to meet with the First Minister prior to doing so.’ The comments come after senior members of the UK Government warned that it was ‘unlikely’ that the rest of the UK would agree to a pound-sharing union after independence. Although he is unlikely to completely rule out the possibility of a pound-sharing union in Scotland, Mr Carney is expected to raise his concerns about how it would work in a private meeting with Mr Salmond on Wednesday, before he delivers a speech to the Scottish Council for Development and Industry in Edinburgh. However, when asked if he would look forward to managing a shared currency with an independent Scotland, he insisted the he and his colleagues ‘would implement whatever remit we were given’. A UK Government source said: ‘It is significant that Mr Carney has outlined the comparison that others have been making. 'We have been saying for some time that a formal currency union on the UK pound is highly unlikely. More and more individual voices are now saying why that is so.’ Mr Carney is expected to warn that the new union could be plagued by the same problems that have threatened the crisis-hit Euro . In a further blow to the SNP, a former chief manager at the Bank of England has also warned that a deal on a currency union ‘is not in Alex Salmond’s power’ – and that English voters could demand that a deal is blocked. John Nugée, who has also worked in senior roles at the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the European Investment Bank, said that a currency union would mean that the rest of the UK would have to give up some of its decision-making power on economic issues – which he said it was ‘conspicuously unwilling to do with its EU partners’. In an article published today, he said it is ‘almost certainly in Scotland’s interests’ to reach an agreement with the rest of the UK to share the pound, but went on: ‘It is not in Alex Salmond’s power to do so single-handedly. 'It requires the agreement and consent of the continuing UK government, and it is nothing like as clear that - viewed from England, Wales and Northern Ireland - a common monetary area with an independent Scotland is desirable.’ He warned that the rest of the UK may not be willing to give up some of its economic power to a separate Scotland and may not be willing to accept the risk of having to ‘bear the lion’s share of any financial bail-outs’. And he also warned of a backlash from English voters after a yes vote, who may demand that there is ‘no hanging on to the best bits of the Union’. A poll on Scottish independence will be held on September 18 this year, and if successful Scottish independence day is planned for March 2016 . Mr Nugée said: ‘At the moment, it suits the nationalists not to allow voice from elsewhere in the UK too much of a platform. 'But if Scotland votes yes, they will have to allow the rest of the UK to speak, because you cannot negotiate with someone to whom you do not allow a voice. ‘And if the nationalists will have to talk to the rest of the UK after a yes vote, it might be advisable to know what they are thinking and listen to what they are saying before it.’ The Better Together campaign is also today publishing the views of 50 experts who have raised doubts about a currency union. Campaign leader Alistair Darling said: ‘The choice we face is clear - believe Alex Salmond or believe the experts and the facts.’ A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The Scottish Government has put forward sensible proposals for a formal monetary union that would ensure both governments had full flexibility over their fiscal policies, within an overall sustainable framework.’
|
Mark Carney will speak to Alex Salmond before a speech in Edinburgh .
He is expected to raise concerns over a proposed currency union between England and an independent Scotland .
In an interview Carney compared the union to the crisis-hit Euro .
|
f99e963db3a7e0b9d021c14e29caab383c9d77a9
|
(CNN) -- Obamacare expands access to health insurance for tens of millions of people come January 1. Dental care for adults, however, is not included, and experts say we've got a potential oral health care crisis coming. Studies show that people who have insurance are more likely to get regular dental care. But only about 2% of older Americans have dental insurance of any kind, according to a new report. "Until we have an expansion of this kind of coverage, and until we have people really recognizing what this means for their overall health, I do believe we have an unimaginable tragedy on our hands," said Beth Truett, president and CEO of Oral Health America. Truett's organization published the report "State of Decay: Are older Americans coming of age without oral health care?" which shows that baby boomers -- who have, for the most part, kept their natural teeth -- could be facing some serious oral health problems over the next decade. People with low income and racial and ethnic minorities are particularly vulnerable, according to the report. How brushing your teeth lowers your risk of cancer . "It's an issue that is particularly important that is not always talked about," said Ira Lamster, dean emeritus of the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. "People in the United States are retaining their teeth, and as a result, teeth that have been in use for 50 or 60 or 70 years will have problems." Neither Medicare nor the Affordable Care Act includes adult dental coverage, although some pediatric dental care is covered. Even the Medigap insurance that adults buy to expand their plans' benefits still won't cover dental procedures. Less than 1% of dental services are covered by Medicare. And neglected dental health can turn into even bigger medical issues. "For instance, if you have diabetes and you have gum disease, your metabolic control will be worse," Lamster said. "There is a lot of data showing that periodontal disease can increase your risk for heart attacks and strokes. There are so many ways this can impact your overall health. That is why regular access to care is so important." The study put together by Oral Health America ranked states in terms of the oral care their populations receive. Seventeen states received a "poor" grade. The states were evaluated on edentulism, which is the fancy word for total loss of teeth. Other factors included community water fluoridation, adult Medicaid coverage, access to dentists and a state oral health plan that addresses older adults. Some states' Medicaid programs cover adult dental care. However, of the 17 states that received a "poor" grade for dental care, the majority are led by Republican governors who have refused or are leaning against expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Dental screening that could save your life . Mississippi is ranked the worst. Tennessee and Alabama tied for second to last. The other states rated as "poor" are Florida, Arizona, Louisiana, Delaware, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Montana, Kentucky, Maine, Virginia and California. "Some of this 'poor' care is in direct relation to the economic changes our country has experienced," Truett said. "A lot of it, though, stems from the fact that some people see this as a tangential kind of medical care." Emergency room visits for dental health have doubled from about a decade ago. In 1999-2000, there were a reported 1 million cases of adults over 65 who went to the ER for dental problems; in 2009-10, there were 2.3 million cases. "Dental care is extremely expensive, and the older adult will require the more extensive care," Lamster said. "The frustrating part is that we have some great technology now: Dental implants, for instance, work remarkably well, but they are beyond the means of much of the population." Baby's teeth: What you should know . Not all states fared as badly in the report. Minnesota ranked at the top of the list, with Maryland a close second. "We wanted to show that there are states that are getting close to having a model kind of care that others could replicate," Truett said. According to the report, Minnesota ranks high in terms of communities with fluoridated water, a Medicaid program that covers dental care for adults, a state oral health plan that addresses this population and, perhaps consequently, a low rate of edentulism. The report suggests that Minnesota still needs more dentists to serve its population. There is some good news: The number of federally qualified health centers that provide dental care have increased, and 41 of 50 states have state oral health plans. There is also a bill in Congress that would widen the ACA, Medicare, Medicaid and veterans benefits to include dental health. That legislation, though, is in its very early stages. The OHA also put together a website toothwisdom.org that offers a handy guide on where you can find dental care in your state. It even gives suggestion on transportation options to these caregivers if an older person is unable to drive. Obama offers funding to help communities understand .
|
Only about 2% of older adults have dental insurance .
Emergency room visits due to dental problems more than doubled in the past decade .
Obamacare, Medicare do not cover dental care for adults .
|
f99eb6b7bbc2c54a5697478ff403a33417ad5b59
|
By . Jessica Jerreat . PUBLISHED: . 19:40 EST, 1 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:39 EST, 2 June 2013 . Love moves in mysterious ways, and that's certainly the case for 81-year-old Cynthia Riggs. The divorced author from Martha's Vineyard became the central character in her own mystery after receiving a love letter written in code in the mail. 'I'm always looking for wonderful mysteries and this seemed to be one,' Ms Riggs said, adding that the only details the code came with was a set of co-ordinates. Scroll down for video: . Mystery: Cynthia Riggs unexpectedly received a coded letter, with no details other than a set of co-ordinates . Happily ever after: The code led to a reunion for Cynthia Riggs and Howard Attebery, who married last week . It was a mystery that took the author . back 60 years, to when she worked at a San Diego marine laboratory with a . young man named Howard Attebery. When Ms Riggs tracked Dr Attebery down in California he admitted to sending the note. In a final twist to the story, Dr Attebery confessed his love for Ms Riggs and the couple married last weekend. Although they never dated when they worked together, the pair used to pass coded messages to each other at the laboratory, using a simple formula where A is substituted for B and so on. Ms Riggs said the notes were just office banter, adding: 'I would say something like, "Did you see that Don found a copepod in his sample?".' She told CBS: 'I liked him a lot but I didn't see any romantic interest in it'. Dr Attebery however, adored his co-worker and kept all of the notes she passed him. Because he was sure Ms Riggs did not feel the same way, he never asked her out - until he was 90 years old. Second chance: Cynthia Riggs and Howard Attebery met at a marine laboratory in California 60 years ago . Mementos: Howard Attebery kept all the coded notes the pair used to send to each other at the laboratory . The co-workers both went on to marry other people. After the death of his wife, Dr Attebery stayed single for a long time, before finally plucking up the courage to track down Ms Riggs. And, after years of not knowing how to tell her how he felt, Dr Attebery's coded message read: 'I have never stopped loving you'. The pair exchanged letters for about a year before meeting and, when they were finally reunited in California, he proposed within an hour. 'You know, love is a great place to spend the rest of your life,' he said. While the couple were writing to each other they realized that despite their time apart they had plenty in common, including the heartbreak of losing a child. When Dr Attebery sent her a photograph . he had taken in Sedona, Arizona. Ms Riggs sent back a poem written by her . late daughter, Mary, called Meeting My Father in Sedona. Dr Attebery wrote back to say his son . had died 'at the same time your daughter died and at the same age. It . was a moment right away,' Ms Riggs told the Vineyard Gazette. Ms Riggs, who comes from a family that has produced generations of Martha's Vineyard sea captains, was also married and has five children. She divorced after 25 years, and said her abusive husband stalked her for several years afterwards, before finally taking his own life. 'After that,' she said, 'I said never, never, never again. And then this appears out of nowhere. It is just plain magical.' Romance: Cynthia Riggs, who writes thrillers, was surprised to be at the center of a real-life mystery . Love story: The newlyweds will live in the Martha's Vineyard home of Cynthia Riggs . The author of crime books set in her home town added: 'Life is just amazing. Don’t give up hope. This is not what I expected at all.' 'Really, how much time do we have? But you know, it really makes that amount of time precious.' In March, Dr Attebery and his son Mark, who teaches in New York, packed up his belongings in San Diego and headed to Martha's Vineyard where the couple had a commitment ceremony, according to the Vineyard Gazette. Their wedding was held in West Tisbury Congregational Church on Saturday last week.
|
Code sent to Martha's Vineyard writer says 'I never stopped loving you'
Couple who worked at laboratory together 60 years ago finally marry .
|
f99f534dded854ad5182dedc3d0d5bf328aafafc
|
By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:46 EST, 31 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:00 EST, 31 August 2013 . A national guard aircraft returning to base from a training mission on Thursday night accidentally dropped a practice bomb over the town of Sudlersville, Maryland. A potential disaster was narrowly avoided when the bomb landed in a carpark rather than closer to a nearby bar called Darlene’s Tavern. Surveillance video from just after 9 p.m. on Thursday shows stunned patrons looking on as gray smoke billows from the parking lot. Suspect device: A practice bomb, made to fly like a 500-pund bomb, but weighed much less, accidentally dropped on a Maryland carpark on Thursday . A news reporter for local TV station WJZ stands outside the tavern beside the spot where the bomb landed . Owner Darlene Hurley said a customer came in from outside saying he thought a car in the parking lot was on fire. After going outside to find most of the vehicles in the carpark covered in dust and stones and a 3-foot deep hole, she called 911. Police officers dug in the hole and when they spotted the fins of the device, they called in the fire marshal's bomb squad. Bomb technicians determined that it was a practice aerial bomb and the device was turned over to the National Guard, the fire marshal's office said. Surveillance video shows stunned patrons look on as gray smoke billows from the parking lot (top left) Bar owner Darlene Hurley called police after patrons complained about smoke coming from the carpark . ‘It could have been a whole lot worse. It landed about 100 feet from the building,’ Hurley said noting that there are propane tanks nearby. ‘It could have been really, really bad. Thank God everyone was OK.’ Maryland National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Charles Kohler confirmed on Friday that an A-10 Warthog jet from the 104th Fighter Squadron in the 175th Wing was returning from a training mission to Warfield Air National Guard Base in Middle River when the inert device was dropped. He believes an electronic failure may have been to blame and said the device - which wasn’t explosive - was made to fly like a 500-pund bomb, but weighed much less. ‘This is an unfortunate incident and we're very lucky that no one was hurt. Safety is a top priority in all operations,’ Kohler said. An A-10 Warthog jet was returning from a training mission to Warfield Air National Guard Base in Middle River, pictured, when the inert device was dropped . Video: Military practice bomb lands in bar parking lot .
|
The plane was returning from a training mission when it dropped the device .
Surveillance video shows stunned patrons looking on as gray smoke billowed .
from the parking lot .
Maryland National Guard believe an electronic failure may have been to blame .
|
f99f9106dde4657e2b19a37ddcf550aef18ae7f6
|
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Lady Gaga struck back at tabloid attacks on her weight, posting photos of herself wearing only a bra and panties on her fan website Tuesday. The singer's blog, titled "A Body Revolution 2013," invites fans to "be brave and celebrate with us your 'perceived flaws,' as society tells us," by posting their own photos. "May we make our flaws famous, and thus redefine the heinous," Gaga wrote. Are we really ready to take a look at 'real women'? Online publications have speculated about Gaga's weight gain in recent months, which she has acknowledged to be about 25 pounds. Four photographs posted on her LittleMonsters.com site Tuesday leave no questions about her size and shape, showing her nearly naked from the front, side and rear. The captions above each photo read: "Bulimia and anorexia since I was 15... But today I join the BODY REVOLUTION.... To Inspire Bravery.... and BREED some ... COMPASSION." Gaga wrote that her "weight/loss/gain since I was child has tormented me." "No amount of help has ever healed my pain about it," she wrote. "But YOU have. My boyfriend prefers me curvier, when i eat and am healthy and not so worried about my looks, I'm happy. Happier than I've ever been. i am not going to go on a psycho-spree because of scrutiny. This is who I am. And I am proud at any size. And I love you, and want you to be proud in any form you may take as well." We asked, you answered: Are we really ready to take a look at 'real women'? Fans began posting their own stories and images including a woman who wrote about weight gain from lupus, saying she was "very self conscious about my body but today I am inspired to be brave." "I've had a hard year, I've been torturing myself with being perfect and I felt I couldn't trust anyone around me," another fan wrote. "I cried so much because I felt like I wasn't enough, and I only felt loved by YOU, monster family. I still feel like this a lot of times. People think I'm happy because I always smile, but they have no idea of how much I cry in my room at nights and I feel so lonely." Gaga warns her fans, whom she calls her "little monsters," not to "look for kindness in critics, go where you know the gold is. Here, in our hearts." Photos: The Lady before she was Gaga . Lady Gaga's 'slutty' fragrance .
|
Lady Gaga tells fans "weight/loss/gain since I was child has tormented me"
The singer challenges fans to "celebrate with us your 'perceived flaws'"
Online publications speculate about Gaga's weight gain in recent months .
"My boyfriend prefers me curvier," Lady Gaga writes .
|
f99ff67dd2f6d29d72034df136cf5c5efda97f0e
|
By . Victoria Wellman . UPDATED: . 10:55 EST, 7 March 2012 . Record-breaking yo-yo dieter Michael Hebranko is used to making headlines but according to his doctors, this may be his last appearance. The 58-year-old has been told that due to congestive heart failure, liver failure and kidney failure, he may not make it to 60 unless he loses at least 140lbs and soon. Speaking at his home in Staten Island where he is confined to his bed, Mr Hebranko admitted: 'My wife, Madeleine and I have been told to put our affairs in order.' Home-cooked meal: Michael Hebranko, the world's most famous yo-yo dieter has been told he has to lose at least 140lbs if he can expect to survive his heart, liver and kidney failure . Over the past 24 years, the New Yorker has gained and lost a total of 4,004lbs on account of his excessive eating habits and currently weighs 588lbs - only half of his personal record of 1,120lbs. In a candid interview, the morbidly obese husband and father confessed: 'I know eating is killing me. I am a food addict, just like an alcoholic or a heroin addict. 'I've been told all my life if I kept eating I wouldn't make it to the age of 60. Now that birthday is just two years away and doctors don't think I'll make it.' Cared for around the clock by a nurse during the day and his loving wife Madeleine in the evening, Mr Hebranko is no stranger to feeling like a victim. Fluctuation: Michael Hebranko married Madelaine in 1976 (left) and continued to gain weight. After reaching out to fitness guru Richard Simmons he had lost a staggering 924lbs by 1988 (right) But now the inability to control his greed, that at one point drove him to consume a whopping 13,260 calories a day, has well and truly caught up with him. He has trouble breathing and keeps an oxygen mask by his bedside for emergencies. Mrs Hebranko, a cancer survivor herself, works 12 hour days in an office to support them and then returns home in the evening to take care of her ailing husband. 'He’s lost the weight before so I . have to believe he can do it again,' said the office employee who . herself weighs 224lbs. 'It’s the only hope he has of surviving.' Mr Hebranko's battle over his weight, he explained, began at what should have been been the height of his happiness. 'I had everything,' he said. 'A gorgeous wife, a successful career at a pharmaceutical company and a lovely ten year old boy. Officially obese: At his heaviest, Michael Hebranko weighed an astonishing 1,120lbs and considered taking his own life, asking a friend to borrow his gun . 'But . I was 1,120lbs, couldn't walk up stairs, could hardly breath because of . the weight on my stomach and I couldn't stop eating. I would eat up to . four meatball subs or turkey sandwiches at work for lunch. 'Then . I would secretly eat six Big Mac's on the way home from work. As the . chef at home I would then make an enormous meat loaf and eat that. My . wife begged me to stop eating 100,000 times.' After considering suicide but unable to go through with it, Mr . Hebranko suffered a heart attack that inspired him to seek help from . fitness guru Richard Simmons. Committed . to a 1,200 calorie a day diet of vegetables and proteins, the patient . lost a staggering 924lbs, winning the title of Highest Recorded Weight . Loss in the Guinness Book of Records. Yo-whoa! After losing weight with Richard Simmons, Mr Hebranko was at his slimmest here in 1991 and looked almost dangerously thin standing next to his friends . Lighter days: Mr and Mrs Hebranko in 2004. Even despite stints in rehab over the years, the morbidly obese man has been unable to keep his weight below 350lbs since the Nineties . But his new trim 194lbs-physique was only briefly enjoyed and he soon fell off the health wagon. Mr Hebranko re-gained the weight plus more over the next six years, at one time having to be airlifted from his home to hospital. Despite proving that he is capable of shedding the pounds with the right attention in rehab, since 1998 he has not been able to drop below 350lbs at his very thinnest. Now doctors tell him he must lose at least 140lbs to expect any chance of survival. 'If I can see my grandchildren grow up that would mean the world to me,' he said. 'I want everyone to know that obesity is a disease. If you’ve got it, get help straight away. You don’t want to end up like me.'
|
Michael Hebranko weighed an astonishing 1,120lbs at his heaviest .
Helped by fitness guru Richard Simmons he then plummeted to a trim 194lbs .
Over 24 years he has fluctuated by over 4,000lbs .
He now suffers from heart, kidney and liver failure .
|
f9a025c67fd92c41894e8d5fdeb5291d4d3a9a51
|
Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- Cuban-state media on Sunday published photos of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro meeting with former Cuban leader Fidel Castro in Havana. Maduro arrived Thursday in Cuba to attend celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the start of the Cuban revolution. Castro wasn't at the ceremony, which was officiated by his brother, Cuban President Raul Castro. Fidel Castro has made infrequent public appearances following an intestinal illness in 2006 that forced him to step down. According to the official Cuban government site Cubadebate, Maduro gave Castro a painting by former Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, who died in March of cancer, and Castro gave Maduro a letter for the heads of state who had attended the anniversary of the revolution. In the letter titled "I Lived to Fight," Castro mentions the recent scandal involving Cuban weapons discovered hidden on a North Korean freighter trying to cross the Panama Canal. "In recent days there were attempts to defame our revolution," Castro wrote, according to the Juventud Rebelde newspaper, which published the text of the letter. "Trying to make our head of state and government appear as if they were tricking the United Nations and other heads of state and were guilty of being two-faced." After Panamanian authorities seized the North Korean ship, Cuba admitted to sending MiG fighter jets, missiles and anti-aircraft systems aboard the ship, which also carried 10,000 tons of Cuban sugar. The arms, Cuba's Foreign Ministry said, were "obsolete" weapons to be repaired in North Korea and returned to the Caribbean island for defensive use. Panama has asked for assistance from the United Nations, United States and Britain to determine whether the shipment violated a U.N. ban on sending weapons to North Korea.
|
Ex-Cuban leader Fidel Castro greets Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, state media say .
Castro has made infrequent public appearances since illness forced him to step down in 2006 .
Castro dismisses recent controversy of Cuban weapons found on North Korea freighter .
|
f9a032387e153f67cadc247c586a6a3b609d7e82
|
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former South African President Nelson Mandela is to be removed from a U.S. terrorism watch list under a bill President Bush signed Tuesday. Mandela and other members of the African National Congress have been on the list because of their fight against South Africa's apartheid regime, which gave way to majority rule in 1994. Apartheid was the nation's system of legalized racial segregation that was enforced by the National Party government between 1948 and 1994. The bill gives the State Department and the Homeland Security Department the authority to waive restrictions against ANC members. "He had no place on our government's terror watch list, and I'm pleased to see this bill finally become law," said Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts. South Africa's apartheid government had designated the ANC a terrorist organization during the group's decades-long struggle against whites-only rule. Its members have been barred from receiving U.S. visas without special permission, and the bill Bush signed will lift that requirement, State Department spokesman Tom Casey said. "What it will do is make sure that there aren't any extra hoops for either a distinguished individual, like former President Mandela, or other members of the African National Congress to get a U.S. visa," Casey said. Mandela shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 with F. W. de Klerk, the South African president and National Party leader who worked with Mandela to end apartheid. Mandela replaced him as president in 1994 and served until 1999. Recognized as a symbol of freedom and equality, Mandela will turn 90 on July 18. iReport.com: Have you ever met Mandela? He spent 27 years in prison on charges that included sabotage committed while he spearheaded the struggle against apartheid. He was released in 1990. The bill is H.R. 5690, which "authorizes the Departments of State and Homeland Security to determine that provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act that render aliens inadmissible due to terrorist or criminal activities would not apply with respect to activities undertaken in association with the African National Congress in opposition to apartheid rule in South Africa."
|
Nelson Mandela was on list for fighting South Africa's apartheid regime .
He will be removed under a bill President Bush signed Tuesday .
State Department, Homeland Security will waive restrictions .
Mandela spent 27 years in prison for fighting South Africa's racist system .
|
f9a0355b933b03834f9a5fee3c96bcefb561939c
|
The Premier League may only be three weeks old but there have already been plenty of twists and turns. Chelsea have set their stall out early with nine points from nine while Louis van Gaal's Manchester United have stuttered. Here, EA Sports crunch the numbers to reveal the top 10 Premier League performers from the weekend. It's no surprise that Diego Costa tops the lead after his double at Everton but who else makes the top 10 in our Player Performance Index PPI chart? 10. Gabriel Agbonlahor, Aston Villa (PPI score: 40.2) Aston Villa, with Roy Keane as their new assistant manager, have made a solid if unspectacular start to the Premier League season and Gabby Agbonlahor found the net in his side's win over Hull, converting one of just two shots on target. On target: Gabriel Agbonlahor (left) helped Aston Villa remain their good start to the Premier League season . The EA Sports PPI is the official player rating index of the Premier League. It measures a player's contribution to the success of his team. The intention is to remove any opinion bias and only work with proven statistical measurements which become more accurate as the season progresses. So, what are the six indices? 1. Winning Performance . 2. Player's Performance per match . 3. Appearances . 4. Goals scored . 5. Assists . 6. Clean sheets . 9. Graziano Pelle, Southampton (41.1) Southampton were expected to struggle after offloading a host of players over the summer but in Graziano Pelle the Saints look to have found a mean marksman worthy of filling Rickie Lambert's boots at St Mary's . As well as scoring against West Ham, he completed 27 passes at Upton Park. 8. Kevin Mirallas, Everton (41.9) He might be overlooked in favour of his more illustrious team-mate and countryman Romelu Lukaku but Kevin Mirallas has proved himself a valuable asset at Goodison Park. He found the back of the net against Chelsea last Saturday and enjoyed a 92 per cent pass accuracy. Unfortunately his performance wasn't enough to prevent Everton losing 6-3. Back of the net: Kevin Mirallas was on the scoresheet as Everton lost a nine-goal thriller with Chelsea . Short lived: Mirallas ended up on the losing side as Everton failed to stem the tide at Goodison Park . 7. Nemanja Matic, Chelsea (45) If anyone doubted why Chelsea splashed out £22million to bring Nemanja Matic BACK to Stamford Bridge, he is starting to show them. The 26-year-old has cemented his position in what is a highly competitive midfield and he proved his worth with a goal and an assist in his side's win over Everton. Midfield maestro: Nemanja Matic has consolidated his position in the middle of the park for Chelsea . 6. Andreas Weimann, Aston Villa (45) There hasn't been much to smile about down at Villa Park over the last few seasons but Andreas Weimann has proved himself a consistent performer for Paul Lambert. He showed his versatility against Hull, scoring one, setting up another and making four successful tackles. Foot in: Andreas Weimann (above and below) was the heartbeat of the Villa side as they beat Hull last weekend . 5. Ramires, Chelsea (45.8) Chelsea may have added Cesc Fabregas to their already burgeoning midfield this summer but Ramires continues to quietly impress for Jose Mourinho's side. He too managed to get on the scoresheet against Everton in what became something of a free-for-all. He also set up to others for his team-mates. Squeezed in: Ramires was also on the scoresheet during Chelsea's win over Everton . 4. Raheem Sterling, Liverpool (46.3) Last season was something of a breakthrough for Raheem Sterling as LIverpool finished second in the Premier League and he jetted off to Brazil with the England squad. While he may not wish to be reminded of the failed World Cup campaign, Sterling continues to impress at Anfield. Against Tottenham on Sunday, he scored the opener and completed three dribbles. Stunning start: Raheem Sterling opened the scoring for Liverpool at Tottenham on Sunday . 3. Morgan Schneiderlin, Southampton (55.6) While Southampton bought well over summer, perhaps their biggest achievement was keeping midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin at the club amid frenzied interest from Liverpool and Tottenham. And despite an initial outburst from the Frenchman, he appears to have put the speculation to the back of his mind. He scored twice against West Ham and enjoyed a 91.8 per cent pass completion rate. Main man: Morgan Schneiderlin is still at Southampton after being linked with a move away this summer . 2. Nathan Dyer, Swansea (56.5) Swansea had something of a turbulent season last year but manager Gary Monk has presided over an impressive start to this campaign. He looks to be getting the best out of Nathan Dyer who had two shots on target and scored with both. He also made 21 passes in West Brom's half last weekend. Not so Dyer: Swansea's Nathan has been integral to their side during an impressive start to the season . 1. Diego Costa, Chelsea (65.6) As Chelsea scored six past Everton on Sunday, one player stood head and shoulders above the rest. A £32million buy from Atletico Madrid, Diego Costa had his doubters when he arrived on these shores but slowly but surely he is proving them wrong with a stunning start to the season. At Goodison on Saturday, he scored twice from his four shots on target. Six of the best: Diego Costa scores Chelsea's final goal against Everton at Goodison Park . Jumping for joy: Costa grabbed a double as he showed he needs no time to bed in to the Premier League . Data courtesy of the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, the Official Player Rating index of the Barclays Premier League .
|
Premier League continued last weekend with Raheem Sterling, Nemanja Matic and Ramires among those putting in the top performances .
EA Sport crunch the numbers to reveal the Player Performance Index chart .
Who ranks highest in the top 10 Premier League stars from the weekend?
|
f9a07ff85f305f345b9a2783b764e36e6757bfb2
|
Manchester City and England goalkeeper Joe Hart has shown off his skills in a remarkable video with F2 freestylers Billy Wingrove and Jeremy Lynch. Hart was put through his paces by the pair, who had provided a number of challenges for the former Shrewsbury Town stopper. There was no sign of the jitters that saw him questioned by supporters last season as he showed off his talents for Rio Ferdinand's 5MAG. The Manchester City goalkeeper watches the ball he threw land in a bucket on the back of a golf cart . While there's little doubting Hart's talent as a footballer, some of the tricks on show appeared to portray the 27-year-old as almost superhuman. Only Chelsea and Southampton have conceded fewer goals in the Premier League so far this season, and after this video it's clear to see why. Freestylers Wingrove and Lynch have previously done videos with stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Robinho, and performed at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in 2012. Joe Hart managed to hit the crossbar with the ball from a number of improbable angles . Hart smiles as he learns of the challenges the freestyle duo have in store for him . Hart in training for City ahead of their clash with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium . Hart talks to Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko during a training session .
|
Joe Hart shows off his skills in a freestyle video .
Hart was with F2 freestylers Billy Wingrove and Jeremy Lynch .
The video made Hart look almost superhuman in terms of his ability .
|
f9a089554a5b698a95952acb70a4889d1f1b5c95
|
A loving pair of otters were captured snoozing while holding hands to stop them floating apart in their slumber. The male and female, named Nellie and Abra, were cuddling up on their waterbed after a playful morning together. And despite the water's chilly temperature, the otters were in no danger of catching a cold as their fur is one of the densest in the animal kingdom - with up to a million hairs per square inch. Inseparable: A pair of northern sea otters hold hands while floating across water in Tacoma, Washington, USA . Water baby: Although otters can walk on land, they prefer to stay in the water with their thick coats - up to a million hairs per square inch - keeping them warm . Photographer John Vargas, 62, said: 'The otters' eyes were shut and they appeared to be napping. They slowly and smoothly floated across the water as if they were skating on ice.' Otters are known to hold hands in groups - called a raft - while they eat, sleep and rest, to prevent families losing each other. The furry animals, the largest member of the weasel family, are even known to wrap sea plants around them to secure the bond. These photographs were captured at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington, but in the USA they can be found in the wild in Alaska, the Aleutian Islands, the Commander Islands, the northwestern coast of Vancouver Island and Washington. Laid back: Otters hold hands while eating and sleeping so they don't accidentally lose each other . Drifting off: Otters will also secure themselves to sea plants to make sure they aren't swept away by water currents while they sleep . Northern sea otters have historically been hunted for their dense, waterproof fur. They came close to extinction at the turn of the 20th Century but are now protected by the International Fur Seal Treaty and the US Marine Mammal Protection Act. In 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil spill is estimated to have killed about 5,000 sea otters. They are also threatened by parasites and infectious diseases, thought to reach the ocean via storm drain runoff. Heavyweight: Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals . Photographer John Vargas captured these images at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington .
|
Male and female otters, named Nellie and Abra, were pictured cuddling up in Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington .
Otters hold hands while they eat and sleep to stop families losing each other .
|
f9a0b300c9cf27dc36b044b8ff467b5bf7693b49
|
By . Associated Press Reporter . A Samoan woman who acknowledged killing her newborn son at a Washington convent where she was studying to become a nun was sentenced Friday to four years in prison. Sosefina Amoa, 26, has said she didn't know she was pregnant before she gave birth to a baby boy in her room at the Little Sisters of the Poor convent in Washington in early October. Amoa had arrived in the United States from Samoa less than a week before delivering the child. She acknowledged as part of a plea deal in February that after giving birth to her son she put a piece of wool clothing over his nose and mouth and applied pressure, smothering him. On Friday, prosecutor Cynthia Wright praised Amoa's 'generosity of spirit' for wanting to help others and become a nun, but she said Amoa also initially lied, claiming she had found the dead child outside, before acknowledging the boy was hers and had been born alive. A nun from the Little Sisters of the Poor convent in Washingtong DC is seen leaving court on Friday following the sentencing of nun-in-training Sosefina Amoa, who pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for suffocating her infant son . 'The hard truth is that she consciously killed her son,' Wright said in asking for a five-year sentence. Wright held up a larger-than life photo of the infant and asked that the courtroom remain silent for two minutes, the same amount of time that Amoa has acknowledged having her hand over the child's mouth. Amoa's attorney, Judith Pipe, called the request "theatrics," but the judge allowed the court to pause. In response, Pipe argued that Amoa would never have come to the United States if she knew she was pregnant and was 'panicked' and 'terrified' after giving birth. Pipe said Amoa loves children and never intended to hurt her baby. She has said previously that Amoa didn't mean to kill the boy, only to quiet him so she could figure out what to do. Pipe asked that Amoa not spend any more time in jail and instead be deported immediately to her native Samoa. Or, she said, a sentence of less than a year was appropriate. The 26-year-old had only been in the U.S. for five days when she gave birth to the baby boy she named Joseph at the Little Sister of the Poor convent in Washington last October, but said she did not realize she was pregnant . 'This is a woman who will be punished for the rest of her days no matter what the court's judgment is,' she said. Amoa cried throughout much of the hearing. At one point she addressed the judge, her voice breaking repeatedly, telling him she was 'shocked' when she gave birth to her son, whom she named Joseph. 'I was not able to think straight,' Amoa said and asked for forgiveness. Judge Robert Morin called the case a 'tremendous tragedy' and said he believed Amoa was in denial about her pregnancy and shocked when she gave birth. Morin said Amoa had led a good life before hurting her child and he believes she is committed to leading a good life again. 'I hope you do heal,' he told her. Two Little Sisters of the Poor nuns attended Friday's hearing but declined to comment.
|
Sosefina Amoa gave birth in her room at the Little Sisters of the Poor convent in Washington, D.C. on October 10 .
The Samoan woman allegedly covered Joseph's mouth so no-one could hear him cry and discover she had a child .
She and another nun took the baby in a black bag to a local hospital .
Amoa accepted a plea agreement for voluntary manslaughter, punishable by up to 30 years in prison .
She was sentenced Friday to four years .
|
f9a0dac9ae62a8604f3c755010374b4e8cc89e3d
|
The transfer window may have slammed shut after a month of activity, but Premier League clubs will still be in a position to speak to a select group of Europe's elite before the end of the season. There are a raft of players, including Real Madrid's Sami Khedira, Dani Alves of Barcelona, and the Shakhtar Donetsk forward Luiz Adriano, who has scored nine times in the Champions League this season, available to sign ahead of the 2015-16 season on a pre-contract agreement. Sportsmail takes a look at the players who are available on a bosman transfer- firstly in an XI format - and then with a collection of notable others. Sergio Romero (Sampdoria) Interest: Manchester United, Liverpool . The man who saved two Holland penalties in the World Cup semi-final could well be leaving Serie A at the end of this season. Argentina's stopper - who was shortlisted for the Golden Glove award in Brazil - would be very handy for most sides. One wonders whether Brendan Rodgers fancies deploying someone down at Stadio Luigi Ferraris? Sergio Romero was Argentina's goalkeeper during the 2014 World Cup and plays for Serie A's Sampdoria . The 28-year-old dives to his right as he thwarts Wesley Sneijder in the World Cup semi-final shootout . Dani Alves (Barcelona) Interest: Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham . Alves has already made it clear that he won’t be staying at the Nou Camp beyond his current contract and would represent an exciting prospect for almost every side in Europe. A veteran of the Champions League but still with the vibrancy a full back in England requires, the Brazilian will have many suitors. Dani Alves has already made it clear that he won't be staying at Barcelona beyond his current deal . Fabian Schar (FC Basle) Interest: Arsenal . One of the emerging central defenders in Europe and with designs of bigger things. Excellent against Liverpool in the Champions League earlier this season and has plenty of admirers. Only 22 so would require a compensation fee to be paid, but that would come out at less than Basle’s asking price otherwise. Andrea Ranocchia (right), pictured in action for Inter Milan against Sassuolo on Sunday . Andrea Ranocchia (Inter Milan) Interest: Liverpool . He says he'll stay at Inter Milan but Premier League clubs with a space in central defence could do worse than have a chat with Italy international Ranocchia. The tenacious 26-year-old is a regular in Roberto Mancini's defence but might be interested in a fresh start if offered an exciting opportunity elsewhere in Europe. Alvaro Pereira (Sao Paulo) Interest: Tottenham . Uruguay’s chosen left back during the summer World Cup, Pereira was the man to continue playing despite a heavy clash with Raheem Sterling in England’s group stage defeat. Loves to gallop forward. Uruguay's Alvaro Pereira played on despite suffering after a heavy clash with Raheem Sterling in Brazil . The full back (pictured playing for Sao Paulo in October) loves to gallop forward from his defensive station . Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Interest: Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United . The real standout player available. It’s no secret as to Khedira’s obvious ability - with Arsenal interested in the central midfielder - and, although his wages will undoubtedly be high, not many would pass up the opportunity to add the German. Bayern Munich are however, the favourites to land the 27-year-old. Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina) Interest: QPR . Aquilani was sold to Fiorentina in the summer of 2012 after three disappointing years at Anfield in which he started only nine Premier League games. But the Italy international is yet to commit to a new deal with the Serie A side, and Premier League suitors could be tempted to track the out-of contract midfielder. Sami Khedira (right) is out of contract in the summer and could seal a move to a Premier League club . Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) At 35, the goalkeeper - with 114 caps for Croatia before retiring from international football - may be looking for one last move before he calls it a day for good. Would surely only act as a No 2, but definitely someone who could act as reliable cover. Nigel De Jong (AC Milan) Looking for that little bit of added steel in midfield? De Jong may well be your man. A fierce competitor and someone who Manchester City have missed a touch this season. Maxi Pereira (Benfica) Bombs forward from right back and one of the more exuberant fliers to watch in Europe. Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Played in Italy's back four during the World Cup and did so impressively. A good age at 28. Yoann Gourcuff (Lyon) Has never scored enough goals given his position and the quality he has, but would still provide a touch of class to a range of sides. Andre-Pierre Gignac (Marseille) Not keen on signing a new deal, with the striker - linked with Arsenal and Newcastle - seemingly on his way. Yevhen Konoplyanka (Dnipro) Interest: Liverpool, Tottenham . Liverpool failed to sign the winger in the summer because Dnipro dug their heels in, but the Ukrainian side must be regretting that now. Interest is high for the jinking creator and he is certain to leave on a free. It’s a matter of who gets there first. Andre Ayew (Marseille) Interest: Liverpool, West Ham, QPR . Always one who is talked about when a window comes around, and January was no different, with Queens Park Rangers having had a bid rebuffed. Marseille won’t see any value in taking the money and running, so it’ll be interesting to see who courts the Ghanaian livewire. Eduardo Vargas (Napoli, on loan at Queens Park Rangers) Interest: QPR, Arsenal . Is QPR merely a shop window for the Chilean? Perhaps, perhaps not. Harry Redknapp will be well aware Vargas is out of contract and - should Rangers have designs of consolidating in the Premier League, they could do a lot worse than to get this one sorted. The one thing that may work against them is question marks over which division they’ll be in next year. Luiz Adriano (Shakhtar Donetsk) Interest: Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool . Simply put, the striker cannot stop scoring. It’s nine (yes, nine) goals in the Champions League already, including five away at BATE Borisov. He is a late developer and an unknown commodity. Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenahm are all interested. Luiz Adriano on target against Porto in the Champions League - he has scored nine times in Europe's premier competition this season . Like MailOnline Sport's Facebook page.
|
The transfer window has closed, but clubs are allowed to speak to players whose contracts will expire in the summer .
Sami Khedira, Dani Alves and Luiz Adriano all available on free transfers .
Adriano has scored nine goals in the Champions League this season... more than the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo .
|
f9a1288b51f952da32112a7c7cbae2c4ed8fbf97
|
Massive ice floes rose out of a lake in Canada over the . weekend, destroying a dozen homes and damaging fifteen others. Within mere moments, strong winds drove piles of ice onto . the shore from Dauphin Lake on Friday, inundating homes and giving . residents only minutes to flee. 55-mile-per hour winds drove masses of ice from the thawing lake in a phenomenon that is commonly witnessed but rarely seen with such intensity and size. Scroll down for video . Dwarfed: Winds forced massive walls of ice onto the shores of Lake Dauphin, dwarfing homes in rural Manitoba, Canada on Friday . By Friday night, a state of emergency had been declared in . the town of Ochre River, a 188 miles northwest of Winnipeg. Authorities told the Winnipeg Free Press that seven of the . destroyed homes were ‘literally crushed by the ice that rose up within minutes . from Lake Dauphin.’ Twenty-seven homes were affected in total as the frozen wall to plowed through everything in its way . along Ochre Beach. Though the moving ice was as tall as a house in places, no . injuries have been reported. Nonetheless, residents were still shaken Saturday . Unusual: A dozen homes were destroyed and many others left uninhabitable after winds piled ice onto Ochre Beach Friday in an unusually large ice flow . Terrifying: Homeowners had only minutes to flee as the mounting ice entered their doors and windows . Even some of those whose houses remained standing were . allowed inside only to collect their belongings after authorities declared many . of the seemingly spared dwellings to be structurally unfit to inhabit. One family told the Free Press the ice easily topped and pushed . into their two-story home, shuffled moved furniture around, and ‘pushed the . bathroom tub and vanity into the hallway.’ ‘They heard it before they saw it coming up their decks,’ Ochre . River deputy Reeve Clayton Watts told the Free Press Saturday. ‘Then, it came . right in their front windows. It was just a matter of minutes. Fortunately, no . one was hurt. We were very lucky.’ Unlucky: The affected town Ochre River, 188 miles outside Winnipeg, had only recently begun to recover from severe floods in 2011 . Help: Hundreds of volunteers showed up Saturday to help dig Ochre Beach out of the massive ice floe . The town, still reeling from a severe 2011 flood that . destroyed many homes, was somber but not helpless. Watts was one hand for Saturday’s clean-up efforts, which saw . friends and neighbors come together to get the community back on its feet. Hundreds of volunteers were on hand with shovels, wheel . barrows, and even bulldozers to dig the town out. ‘Everybody was pitching in to help them make it through the . day,’ Watts said. ‘It was a good community effort. It’s typical. Everybody just . helps out.’ Severe: Many of the 27 affected homes were not destroyed, but still deemed uninhabitable . A similar phenomenon occurred around 600 miles away at a Minnesota lake resort. And though the ice wave on the American side wasn't nearly was as destructive, it still had some residents calling it an 'ice Tsunami' and marveling at its unbelievable speed, according to WCCO. Youtube user Darla Johnson uploaded footage of ice rising out of Milles Lacs Lake and into the townhomes of Izatys Resort on May 11. The same high wind weather system is thought to have caused both incidents. Again: Some of the leveled homes were brand new, having just been rebuilt in the wake of severe 2011 flooding . Homeless: Canadian officials were at work Saturday helping the community dig out of the ice and to find shelter for those left homeless by the floe .
|
High winds cause same ice floe phenomenon 600 miles south in Minnesota over the weekend .
|
f9a1e31f2ac9ed9723e80a6dea73b10e86f94198
|
Facebook has raked in billions and will make a splash when its stock hits the open market next week. So, what are folks on Wall Street concerned about? Mark Zuckerberg's hoodie, apparently. Michael Pachter, an analyst for Wedbush Securities, told Bloomberg that the Facebook CEO's decision to show up for a meeting with potential investors dressed down in his trademark casual outerwear suggests that he's too immature to run a massive corporation. "He's actually showing investors he doesn't care that much; he's going to be him," Pachter said in an interview on Bloomberg TV. "I think that's a mark of immaturity. "I think that he has to realize he's bringing investors in as a new constituency right now, and I think he's got to show them the respect that they deserve because he's asking them for their money." If nothing else, Pachter's take (and he still thinks Facebook is a solid investment) reinforces the inevitable culture clash that occurs when a 27-year-old titan of California's freewheeling startup culture meets the buttoned-down world of Wall Street. It's not a new phenomenon: Zuckerberg is known for his ever-present T-shirt and sandals, and in Facebook's early days, he once showed up for a meeting with a venture-capital firm in his pajamas. Pachter went on to say that Zuckerberg might be a better product manager or designer than CEO. Needless to say, the tech world got a good laugh out of it all. The Next Web led with this not-so-subtle headline: "Odd analyst mocks Zuck's hoodie, ironically sounding stupid in a suit while doing so." In the article, Michael Wilhelm notes that if Zuckerberg had shown up in a suit, it could actually have signaled that Facebook was moving away from its winning formula, which could spook employees (and presumably investors) who like the way things run now. "And finally: 'he's going to be him, and he's going to do what he's always done,'" Wilhelm writes. "That's to say that he's going to build a $100 billion business and change the world? That's what the hoodie signifies? Well then, I think that he shouldn't take it off at all costs!" Tech blogger Om Malik had a more blunt take on Pachter's remarks. "This analyst is smoking stuff that is outside the realm of legality," he wrote. "Now if you were looking for a problem with Zuckerberg's hoodie, then you should see it for what it really is: a fashion abomination." And Box CEO Aaron Levie weighed in on Twitter: "Yahoo CEO: No hoodie; AOL CEO: No hoodie; Facebook CEO: hoodie. Coincidence?" It's not like Zuck doesn't know how to clean up. He donned a coat and tie last year when he and other technology luminaries had dinner with President Obama, and wore a suit a few months later when Obama visited Facebook for a town hall event. In fact, he bucked the Valley Casual look for an entire year not so long ago. On his Facebook Timeline, Zuckerberg wrote that, in 2009, he wore a tie every day. "After the start of the recession in 2008, I wanted to signal to everyone at Facebook that this was a serious year for us," he wrote. "Great companies thrive by investing more heavily while everyone else is cutting back during a recession. But great companies also make sure they're financially strong and sustainable. "My tie was the symbol of how serious and important a year this was, and I wore it every day to show this." Maybe Zuckerberg, sitting on the verge of a blockbuster stock offering, no longer feels the need to prove himself.
|
Analyst says Zuckerberg showed "immaturity" by wearing hoodie to New York meetings .
The Facebook CEO has been courting Wall Street investors in casual wear .
The comments suggest a culture clash between Silicon Valley and Wall Street .
Blogger: If hoodies mean billions of dollars, keep wearing them .
|
f9a218698a3b9c7bc427e02062ddb7b47463bbd9
|
By . Paul Donnelley . Printer Philip Lewis was looking forward to a relaxing drink after work when he stopped at an Esso garage. He was in for a disappointment however. The assistant would not serve Mr Lewis, 58, who has a moustache and receding grey hair because he could not prove his age. Mr Lewis did not have any photographic identification on him – and was forced to leave empty-handed. No ID No lager: 58-year-old Philip Lewis was refused four cans of lager at a garage in Somerset because he could not prove he was over 18 . Petrol station managers have since apologised and admitted the shop assistant had applied ‘a little too much zeal’ to its strict policy on alcohol sales. Mr Lewis, of Radstock, Somerset, said: ‘I could understand it if I was nearer 25 and looked that way but I will be 59 in June. I don’t carry my driving licence with me. ‘There was a queue behind me and I felt really humiliated and demoralised. I reckon I spend about £2,000 in there on petrol and magazines over a year – and I was made to feel like that at my age.’ Refusal: This Esso garage in Midsomer Norton, Somerset. refused to serve Philip Lewis with four cans of lager because Mr Lewis, 58, could not prove he is over 18 . The garage that likes to say no: A shop assistant at this Esso petrol station refused to serve 58-year-old Philip Lewis with lager because he had no photographic proof of age on him . Mr Lewis said he is boycotting the Norton Service Station in Midsomer Norton, Somerset, after the incident. A spokeman for the garage said: ‘We apologise to Mr Lewis for any offence or inconvenience caused during his visit to the service station. ‘While we have strict rules concerning the sale of alcohol, it is clear they were applied with a little too much zeal on this occasion. ‘We have advised the sales assistant accordingly, and will contact Mr Lewis to offer him a small gift as a goodwill gesture.’ Selling alcohol to someone under 18 can lead to a maximum fine of £20,000 for bar staff/managers. Retailers can reserve the right to refuse the sale of alcohol to an adult if they’re accompanied by a child and think the alcohol is being bought for the child. In 2005, the British Beer and Pub Association introduced a Challenge 21 campaign to prevent underage drinking. This has evolved into the Challenge 25 policy of most supermarkets in England and Wales including Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons along with Marks & Spencer, The Co-operative, Bargain Booze and Waitrose. Esso also take part in the scheme. However, the scheme has no official or legally enforceable basis.
|
Assistant refused to serve printer Philip Lewis of Radstock, Somerset .
Mr Lewis spends £2,000 on petrol and magazines annually at garage .
Esso has words with assistant and offers 'a small gift' as apology .
|
f9a232dcfc9646cc501df3392ce864174c163b5a
|
By . Hayley Dixon . PUBLISHED: . 12:05 EST, 21 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:08 EST, 21 December 2012 . A woman who allowed the death of her two-year-old son at the hands of her murdering boyfriend has been jailed for four years. 'Infatuated' Kirsty Smedley, 24, put her desire to please Daniel Rigby ahead of son Rio, who suffered 91 injuries all over his body. The fatal blow was delivered to the youngster’s stomach and split his liver in two after Smedley left her home in Bolton to get cash to buy cannabis for her boyfriend. Tragic: Rio Smedley, pictured left, was left in the care of Daniel Rigby by his mother Kirsty Smedley, right. He was found to have 91 injuries and his liver was split in two . She was convicted last month in a trial at Manchester Crown Court of allowing his death after the court heard she knew her son had received two nasty injuries to his backside and head the day before when Rigby was looking after him. Rigby, 23, from Tyldesley, Wigan, was sentenced to life last month and ordered to serve a minimum of 17 years after he was found guilty of the murder on April 22 at Smedley’s former home in Cheriton Drive, Breightmet. Daniel Rigby, pictured holding a baby, was found guilty of murdering two-year-old Rio whilst he was supposed to be looking after him and jailed for a minimum of 17 years . The injuries were inflicted in the space of three hours and included significant bruising to both his feet caused by stamping. Smedley who has already been pregnant seven times was castigated by the judge for having 'an irresponsible view . of obligations of a mother' after he heard how she put her love life . first. Sentencing her, Mr Justice MacKay said the jury’s verdict meant they were sure she knew or ought to have known there was a significant risk of serious harm to her son. He told Smedley: 'At no stage did you do anything to protect Rio from his fate. He must have suffered greatly before his death. 'You should never have left him that night. It was quite clear that Rio was at risk. You were infatuated with Rigby at the time and I think you still are, or at least during the trial. 'At the top of your list was a need to please him (Rigby).' Doctors said he was beaten viciously . his injuries were similar to being kicked repeatedly by a horse or being . involved in a road accident . The mother of two had been headbutted, . slapped across the face and called a 'fat slag' by 23-year Rigby during a stormy relationship. Yet even though he . was arrested and banned from contacting her she was so infatuated . she dropped charges against him - even though her son Rio had had previous unexplained bruises. The pair had only kissed and made up . after a row just 48 hours earlier but Smedley paid the deadly price for . inviting Rigby back into her home when he battered her son senseless. Kirsty Smedley, left, was so keen to impress her boyfriend Daniel Rigby, pictured right, that she did not think about the safety of her toddler . The judge noted that she had shown no remorse over Rio’s death and the only time she showed distress was when her 999 call to the emergency services was played in court. The tragedy occurred whilst Smedley was heavily pregnant with a third child - but had not told Rigby someone else was the father. She only revealed the truth in a witness box when she was testifying at a trial over the toddler’s death. Whilst awaiting trial she fell pregnant again to a neighbour but she had a termination in prison two weeks ago - and is now considering sterilisation, the judge was told. She was said to have been exposed to a chaotic upbringing and suffered a traumatic assault at the age of 15. Smedley is of low IQ, has low self-esteem and as a consequence sought solace in a string of sexual relationships - moving on to the next man when abandoned, her QC Robert Woodcock said. He said she did not believe Rigby posed the 'slightest threat' to Rio. Rio was beaten to death at his house in Cheriton Drive, Breightmet, Bolton, pictured. The jury found Smedley knew leaving him with her lover left him at risk . Mr Justice MacKay told Smedley, who will be released on licence halfway through her sentence: 'I hope you will take the assistance that the prison will give you. 'I hope it will lead to some realisation that you need to take control of your life in a different way.' Following sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Phil Reade said: 'This is a shocking case in which an innocent and defenceless little boy has suffered appalling injuries at the hands of someone who had been trusted to look after him. A police officer stands guard outside Smedley's former home in April where tiny Rio recieved 91 injuries including a split liver which caused his death . 'Although Daniel and Kirsty have now both been jailed for their involvement in Rio’s death, this will go little way to ease the suffering of Rio’s family, who have lost their beloved little boy under such tragic circumstances.' Her two surviving children will now be cared for by foster carers and she has made little effort to contact them. Smedley began dating Rigby, who has previous for or assault, public order matters and car theft, in 2011 . Last January she announced she was three months pregnant with her second child but Rigby punched and slapping Smedley in the belief she had been texting other men. Smedley, pictured left leaving Manchester Crown Court, has been pregnant seven times and Rigby, right, was not Rio's father . Friends recalled how he also headbutted her and kicked her in the head during a row in the kitchen whilst waiting for her to 'get him some money'. Last March 21 when Smedley was five months pregnant, Rigby punched her in the face grabbed her by the cheeks, pushed her into a door and headbutted her after claiming she was planning to have sex with other men. He was arrested and bailed on condition he make no contact with her with Smedley telling her midwife how she feared Rigby would kill her. A social worker also urged Smedly to ring her if there were any further problems. But on April 3 Smedley later withdrew a police statement she made about the attack and on April 20, Rigby was told no further action would be taken against him. Flowers and a teddy bear were left in memory of tragic Rio outside the home where he was beaten to death earlier this year . He immediately returned to their home and that evening Smedley left him to care for Rio for an hour whilst she and a friend went off to pick up portions of fish chips from a nearby takeaway. When Smedley returned home Rio already had red blotches on him and was feeling sick but she ignored the warning signs and instead went out again the next day to see relatives leaving the youngster at home with her violent boyfriend. During that time Rigby sent a text to Smedley saying Rio had 'fallen off the arm of the couch' at his grandmother’s house when the dog jumped up at him' and another saying he had been hit with a plastic toy sword. When she returned the youngster was sporting a bruise to his bottom, yet the following day the mother went out for a third time leaving Rio with Rigby. She was eventually called in a text by Rigby who said Rio had fallen down the stairs. She rushed back home to find the youngster was not moving and his eyes “sunk” to the back of his head and dialled 999. Rio was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital but later died of a ruptured liver caused by punches kicks and stamping. A pathologist who examined Rio, found 91 separate marks of injury including 40 bruises and abrasions to his head and face, 11 bruises and abrasions to his abdomen, a 9.5cm x 3.7cm bruise to his buttock, seven bruises and abrasions to both his arms, and 20 injuries to his legs and feet. A police officer surveys the home where Rio was killed by his mum's boyfriend just days after the pair had got back together . Prosecuting Simon Phillips QC said: 'Kirsty was infatuated or desperate to make her relationship with Rigby work. 'What she was fearful of wasn’t what might happen to her child but what might happen to her if she didn’t please him. Rio was very much second in her thoughts. He was not her priority.' During the hearing Rigby held his head in his hands as Smedley revealed a DNA said had shown he was not the father of her second child. Earlier he had told the trial he never harmed Rio and insisted the youngster had fallen down the stairs.
|
Kirsty Smedley, 24, put her lover Daniel Rigby ahead of son Rio .
She was jailed for four years for allowing the toddler's death .
Rigby has been jailed for a minimum of 17 years for murder .
|
f9a2aba0e6c7516ff4e220d64071871a559b5abe
|
By . Chris Pleasance . A father accidentally shot his two-year-old son in the head during a domestic row the the boy's mother early yesterday morning, according to police. Officers say Derrice Alexander, 23, killed his son after firing a gun at the outside of of his house in Cleveland, hitting the boy in the head as he stood on the upstairs landing by a window. Derrice Alexander Jr, known by has family as 'Baby Reece', was rushed to Lutheran Hospital at around 5.30am but could not be saved. Scroll down for video . Derrice Alexander, 23, has been arrested after police say he shot his two-year-old son in the head during a domestic argument on Tuesday morning . Derrice Alexander, two, died after a bullet hit him in the head while he was standing on the upstairs landing . Fox 8 Cleveland reports that the boy's mother, who has not been identified, sat in the street cradling the child until medics arrived. Police say Alexander had been involved in a verbal and physical fight with the boy's mother before storming out of the house at 2522(B) Division Street into a shared garden. As he left he turned back and fired one shot into the property, hitting his son who had woken up and was standing on the upstairs landing. According to witnesses, Alexander threw the gun in a trash can, then drove through a metal fence before arriving at the boy's grandmother's house. She told reporters that Alexander was trying to kill himself when he arrived, said he did not mean to hurt the boy, and was 'devastated' over the death. She added that Alexander was eventually turned over to the authorities by relatives. Officers say Alexander stormed out of his house on Division Street, Cleveland (pictured) after arguing with the boy's mother. They say he turned and fired one shot back at the property, which killed the boy . He was arrested at around 8.15am and is said to be cooperating with the investigation but has not yet been charged. Police say Alexander was a felon who should never have had a gun, though declined to comment further on his previous convictions. Officers added that there was a history of domestic violence at the address. Ed Tomba, the deputy chief of Cleveland police, said: 'Any time there’s a weapon involved and intimate partner relationships, emotions are running high, it’s a recipe for disaster and tragedy.'
|
Police say Derrice Alexander, 23, killed son firing at the outside of his house .
Alexander 'stormed out after argument, firing one shot back at property'
Derrice Alexander Jr, two, hit in the head as he stood on stairs by a window .
Alexander arrested after fleeing to relative's house and 'trying to kill himself'
Police say he is a convicted felon who was not allowed to own a gun .
|
f9a3356742e1d0773d188b3f0b2ada666d0c5540
|
A Thomson flight hit by a 22-hour delay from Cancun, Mexico, to Gatwick, saw passengers celebrating the New Year on the beach instead of in the air. The flight was due to depart from Cancun at 4.10pm local time on New Year's Eve and fly overnight to arrive in London at 7.05 am on New Year's Day. But instead, passengers spent New Year's Eve in a hotel on Mexico's Caribbean coast, after problems with the scheduling of cabin staff for the plane, apparently being delayed in Sweden, meant the aircraft was left sitting on the runway. Scroll down for video . The Maloney family were able to see in the New Year on the beach in Cancun rather than in mid-air after a flight delay saw them spend an extra day in Mexico . The Maloneys were handed a special bonus with a New Year's Eve night at the Riu Caribe resort . The Maloney family, from Hatfield in Hertfordshire, was among the passengers who were shuttled to the plush Riu Caribe beach resort, rated as 4T+ by the holiday company. Speaking to MailOnline Travel, father Chris Maloney, who had spent two weeks in the the five-star star all-inclusive Grand Bahía Príncipe Akumal, said: 'When we came down for breakfast on the day of departure, our tour guide came over and told us that the flight had been delayed. 'When she said by 22 hours I thought she was joking at first; but in the end it meant we got an extra day of holiday. The family were treated to live dolphin shows at their hotel, and were able to sneak in an extra performance . With an extra day of holiday handed to them, the Maloneys begin to set up their beach spot . 'I'm not totally sure what the problem was; we were told the staff had been held up in Sweden, but it was crazy as the plane was just sitting there with nowhere to go. 'We were taken off to another hotel in Cancun, and the extra day we spent by the swimming pool, exploring Cancun, and getting some last-minute sun - the temperature was around 30 degrees.' Incredibly, last year on their trip to annual Christmas trip to Mexico, the Maloneys, father Chris, mother Jo and sons Chris and Tom, were delayed 24 hours at Gatwick due to flood problems. Their desperation to make it to the airport had seen the family of four take a taxi all the way from their home in Hatfield to Gatwick - a 70-mile journey and a £150 fare to boot. Chris added: 'Last year was the full 24-hour, full-day delay, so I suppose this time we're two hours better off! It wasn't a bad way to spend New Year's Eve as the Maloneys got the chance to sun themselves on the beach . It's not a bad thing when a flight delay means an extra day's stay in Cancun, Mexico . 'It's some contrast though; from travelling in a taxi to the airport to be told the flight is delayed last year and put up in an airport hotel, to getting an extra day in the Mexican sun this year. 'We really love this part of Mexico, I would highly recommend a family holiday here, so getting an extra day, despite the flight delay, isn't all bad. The family's flight out of Cancun was yesterday (Thursday) at 4.10pm local time, landing back in the UK at 7.27am this morning. MailOnline Travel have contacted Thomson for comment regarding the delayed flight, and are awaiting a response. A spokesperson for Thomson told MailOnline Travel: 'Thomson Airways would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused to customers travelling on flight TOM049 from Cancun, Mexico to London Gatwick Airport. 'The aircraft operating this flight was delayed on another route and as a result the flight had to be delayed further, due to mandatory crew rest restrictions. 'Thomson provided customers with overnight accommodation and meals in a hotel in Cancun. All customers are now back in the UK after the aircraft landed at London Gatwick airport at 07.27 today (Friday). 'We would like to reassure customers that delays of this length are extremely rare.'
|
The Maloneys, from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, delayed due to staffing issues .
Cabin crew were apparently stuck in Sweden, so plane grounded in Mexico .
Whisked off to another hotel, and celebrated the New Year on the beach .
Second consecutive year family been hit with Christmas holiday delay .
|
f9a34283d46c909c23ed84f72632cc6e0c2ce70b
|
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Couples will be able to marry at any time of the day or night in England and Wales from tomorrow. The round-the-clock ceremonies follow the lifting of a 176-year-old ban on getting hitched outside the hours of 8am-6pm . One of the first venues to embrace the Las Vegas-style weddings will be Blackpool Tower where couples can tie the knot at sunrise, midnight or even 3am. Wedding venue: One of the numerous 24-hour chapels in Las Vegas which caters for couples who want to get hitched in a hurry . Local authorities and churches will not be forced to conduct marriages outside the traditional hours and at least 15 days advance notice will also still be required. Wedding venue: Blackpool tower will hold ceremonies at sunrise and even midnight after the lifting of a 176-year ban . Venues for civil partnerships are also expected to conduct day and night weddings. Laws . which impose time limits on marriage solemnization date back to 1836 . and were introduced in order to prevent clandestine marriages, which . were deemed to be a particular problem in society at the time. The . change was brought in by the Home Office following a cross-government . survey, Your Freedom, which gave the public the chance to suggest which . unnecessary laws should be repealed. Kate Shane, general manager of Blackpool Tower is looking forward to ceremonies being held 380ft above the ground at the top of the tower. She told the Sunday Times: 'We are really excited about this change as it now means we can offer sunrise, sunset and even midnight weddings.' Registrar General for England & Wales, Sarah Rapson said she was 'pleased' at the relaxation of the wedding hours. She added:'Marriage and civil partnerships are something very personal to every couple that chooses to undertake them and this change will allow people to make their day unique to them.' Las Vegas has been the home of night-time weddings for decades and a favourite venue for celebrities to marry in haste and then regret their impulsive behaviour. Singer Britney Spears married her childhood friend Jason Allen Alexander at 5am at the Little White wedding Chapel wearing jeans and a baseball cap. The marriage was annulled after lasting just 55 hours. Radio Two presenter Chris Evans married actress Billie Piper at the Little Church of the West in 2001. They were divorced in 2007. Bob Geldof and Paula Yates got hitched there in 1986 and divorced 10 years later. But actor Michael Caine and his wife Shakira who married in a Vegas chapel in 1973, will soon celebrate the 40th wedding anniversary. Kelly Chandler, director of the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners, welcomed the change, describing it as a 'positive move.' She told the Sunday Times: 'Wedding planning is so personal and individual and this change is just an extension of that, allowing people to make it that bit more unique to them.' The way they were: Chris Evans and Billie Piper married in a Vegas chapel . Over the years, celebrities have flocked to Las Vegas to marry because they can get hitched there in almost total secrecy. Marriage licenses are available seven days a week, including holidays and late at night, and there is no waiting period or blood test required. Stars who wed there included Joan Crawford, Kirk Douglas, Clint Eastwood, Jane Fonda, George Hamilton, Rita Hayworth, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow, and Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. Here are some of the celebrities married in a Vegas chapel . Rock star Tom Bailey and rock star Alannah Currie (1991). Composer Burt Bacharach and actress Angie Dickinson (1966). Actress Drew Barrymore and bar owner Jeremy Thomas (1994). Actor Michael Caine and model Shakira Baksh (1973). David Cassidy and actress Kay Lenz (1977). Actress Joan Collins and Peter Holm (1990). Chris Evans and singer Billie Piper (2001). Zsa Zsa Gabor and lawyer Felipe de Alba (1982). Zsa Zsa Gabor and actor George Sanders (1949). Oasis rocker Noel Gallagher and Meg Mathews (1997). Actor Richard Gere and model-actress Cindy Crawford (1991). Rock star Bob Geldorf and Paula Yates (1986). Actor Dennis Hopper and singer (later actress) Michelle Phillips (1970). Actor Don Johnson and actress Melanie Griffith (1976). Actor Dudley Moore and makeup artist Lane Brogan (1988). Actress Brigitte Neilsen and American football player Mark Gastineau. Basketball star Dennis Rodman and actress Carmen Electra (1998). Singer Britney Spears and Jason Allen Alexander (2004) Actor Billy Bob Thornton and actress Angelina Jolie (2000). Actor Bruce Willis and actress Demi Moore (1987).
|
Blackpool Tower to hold ceremonies at sunset, sunrise and even midnight .
Law changed by Home Office following consultation with the public .
|
f9a36f634924de959dd9d4cb148ccf86821b9ff0
|
(CNN) -- Calling attention to a logjam of stalled diplomatic nominations in the Senate, Secretary of State John Kerry said the delay is harming U.S. national security. In direct public commentary on an issue crossing politics and diplomacy, Kerry called for swift approval of the nominees, many of whom are career diplomats. Some were selected for difficult jobs in global hotspots. "Make no mistake: Vacancies in so many world capitals send a dangerous message to allies and adversaries alike about America's engagement," Kerry said in an opinion piece for Politico on Tuesday. "This perception makes it much more difficult to do the nonpartisan work at the heart of U.S. foreign policy — defending the security of our nation, promoting our values and helping our businesses compete to create American jobs back home," he added. Fifty-three State Department nominees await confirmation. Nearly two thirds are uncontroversial career diplomats who are caught up in a partisan standoff that has nothing to do with them or the jobs they've been tapped to undertake. Democrats lead the chamber and accuse Republicans of delaying confirmation votes as payback for new rules aimed at making it easier to break Republican filibusters on nominations. Republicans require separate votes for each nominee, rather than the customary practice of allowing votes on multiple names at once. White House spokesman Josh Earnest urged Senate Republicans to, "stop playing political games and let these individuals get to work on behalf of the American people." But Republicans blame the other side. In an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper, Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio said the GOP has no choice but to take the slow approach. "The leaderships on the Democratic side of the aisle has chosen, for the first time ever, at least in modern history, to say, 'You know, Republicans are not going to have a voice in these nominees,'" Portman said of the rules change. Now, Kerry is urging members of both parties to cooperate and act swiftly. Some 40 countries are awaiting permanent ambassadors, including Qatar and Kuwait, Gulf allies whose cooperation is critical to the fight against extremists in Iraq. Embassies in Honduras and Guatemala are also waiting for new ambassadors at a time when unaccompanied minors from Central America are surging across the southern border, creating what the White House calls a humanitarian crisis. And in Africa, nearly a quarter of U.S. missions are awaiting permanent ambassadors. Those include Cameroon and Niger, where the State Department insists the lack of American leadership has hampered efforts to recover hundreds of schoolgirls abducted by the Boko Haram extremist group in neighboring Nigeria this year. "Ambassadors are there for a reason," Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield told CNN. "They speak for the President. They speak for the administration. Not having those voices on the ground has made a difference in our ability to convey the messages we need to convey to these governments." Obama to nominate first U.S. ambassador to Somalia in more than two decades .
|
Dozens of nominees held up by partisan politics in the Senate .
Many are career diplomats, not political patrons who often get ambassador jobs .
Kerry says some are destined for hotspots where U.S. leadership is needed .
|
f9a3836d8ea7ba6a489be8f9603d3856d62b3d90
|
ON PUGET SOUND, Washington (CNN) -- When commercial diver Kenny Woodside takes to the depths, he enters a world of murky low light and dangerous currents. Diver Kenny Woodside descends to the murky depths to retrieve an abandoned net. Until recently Woodside and about 100 hundred other divers searched Puget Sound for sea cucumbers and urchins to sell to buyers in Asia, where the items are considered delicacies. But demand for the fishermen's catch dried up with the worldwide economic crisis and left many of these divers without a reason to go out on the water. "The fishing industry has slowed from a full-time job to just a couple months a year," said Doug Monk, the captain of the boat from which Woodside dives. "The red sea urchin market is almost non-existent." But thanks to a small piece of the federal stimulus recovery plan, Monk, Woodside and about 40 other fishermen will get back to work hauling in a very different catch: lost fishing nets. While many stimulus projects have come under fire as pork barrel spending, backers of the nets program say it is a model for helping those battered by the economic downturn while completing needed public works. Thousands of the large nets stretch across the floor of Puget Sound, where they create an environmental hazard. Some of the nets were lost by fishermen to the rocky coastline decades ago but continue to catch and kill. According to the Northwest Marine Conservation Initiative, the nets are responsible for killing tens of thousands of marine life, mammals and birds every year. The nets, some of which extend larger than a football field, can also tangle the propellers of boats and pose a danger to scuba divers. After struggling to find funding, the group received $4.6 million in stimulus funds to recover most of the nets that litter the unique Puget Sound ecosystem. The only reason the nets have remained underwater for so long, said Ginny Broadhurst, director of the Northwest Marine Conservation Initiative, is because the damage they are doing to the environment is invisible from the surface. "If you had nets strung along the streets that are catching bunny rabbits and squirrels, we wouldn't be discussing whether we should be removing them. We would be pulling them. It would be immediate," said Broadhurst. "When those threats are underwater it's so much harder to know what impacts they are having." But pulling those nets is no easy task. Divers swim close to 100 feet down to an environment that is anything but friendly. Instead of using scuba equipment, they breathe through air hoses running from the boat above. When the divers find the fields of nets, they begin the labor of cutting them free piece by piece and all by hand. Removing one net can take days. Watch the divers at work » . The nets are then pulled to the boat waiting on the surface. In just a few hours on the water, the divers can pull free about 1,000 pounds of nets. Inside are the bones of countless fish and birds, along with several species of protected sharks and crabs. Anything still alive is cut free and thrown back in the water. Then, biologist Jeff June notes what they have brought up. So far, he says, the group has identified 112 distinct species trapped in the nets. The fishing nets themselves are considered toxic after the years of catching so much sea life. The divers seal them in heavy duty plastic bags and, once on shore, take the nets to a landfill. But biologist June said the group is working on a plan that would have the nets burned, creating energy from lost fishing nets. Over the next 18 months the group expects to pull some 3,000 nets from Puget Sound. And in that time the fishing industry could bounce back from its slump, allowing Doug Monk and his crew to return to catching urchins and sea cucumbers. But, the boat captain said, recovering the fishing nets has greater meaning than just riding out a rough economy. "We feel we are doing a good thing," he said. "[With] harvest diving we are taking from the resources; here we are giving them back."
|
Worldwide economic downturn has hit fishing industry hard .
Stimulus money is paying fishermen to haul up lost nets in Puget Sound .
Nets kill thousands of marine life, birds, mammals each year .
Some of the nets are longer than a football field .
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.