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(CNN) -- A major general who formerly headed U.S. Army operations in Japan will be forced to retire and do so at a lower rank after the military concluded that he failed to "properly address" sexual assault allegations in his command, the Army said on Wednesday. Army Secretary John McHugh has directed that Maj. Gen. Michael T. Harrison "be retired" as a brigadier general, according to a statement. The Army said federal law requires that officers retire "at the highest grade" at which they served satisfactorily and McHugh determined that in Harrison's case, it was one step below his current rank, the statement said. Reports of military sex assault up sharply . An Army investigation found that Harrison mishandled sex assault allegations reported to the command, Lt. Col. Alayne Conway said. No other details were provided. Harrison was suspended from his post as head of U.S. forces in Japan last year amid the investigation. The military has struggled with the issue of sexual misconduct reports within its ranks. Survivors of military sex assaults frustrated with legislation . Under current guidelines, military commanders have the authority to decide whether their subordinates should face prosecution when such allegations emerge. A debate in Congress over whether to remove that decision-making process from the command structure was the subject of political infighting earlier this year. Harrison joined the Army in 1980 served in numerous capacities around the world. He is due to retire in October. Report: More than 1,300 military sexual harassment claims last year .
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Army Maj. Gen. Michael Harrison is a former commander of U.S. forces in Japan .
He was disciplined over his handling of sex assault allegations in his command .
The military has seen an increase in the number of sex assault reports within its ranks .
He has been retired from the Army at a lower rank, the Army said .
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0afb9b34cab3e3e5b01c23daa2d922ecf1ee2b3a
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This shocking picture shows how a young woman's face was savagely ripped apart by a female gang member as part of an 'initiation ceremony'. The victim, named only as Leanne, 22, was set upon as she walked alone through a park in Southend, Essex. She was dragged to the floor by her hair before the crazed attacker repeatedly scratched her fingernails down her face. Attack: Leanne, 22, is left with a bloodied face after being clawed by a suspected gang member in an unprovoked park attack in Southend, Essex . Three men kicked her in the legs and body as she lay in a bloody mess before fleeing with her black Nike bag. Police fear the attacker targeted Leanne as part of an initiation process for a gang responsible for a recent spate of street robberies in Southend, Leigh and Westcliff, Essex. She has released this bloodied picture of herself to help police catch the woman and the gang of four men she was with. The incident happened as she was walking through Southchurch Park, near Woodgrange Drive, Southend. Attacker: This is an efit of the woman yob police are hunting over the lunchtime park attack on Leanne, 22 . Leanne, who lives in Southend, was so traumatised that when she called 999 she was unable to even give them her surname. A passer-by comforted her until police and paramedics arrived, and took her to Southend Hospital for treatment. She could now be left with permanent scarring. Police have also released an e-fit of the woman attacker. Southend Inspector Matt Bennett said: 'There seems to be a completely unnecessary level of violence that's quite horrific. 'There's no reason why this level of violence has been used, it was totally unprovoked. 'There . are theories as to why this happened - maybe somebody tried to prove . themselves to the gang, but that's only a theory at the moment. 'Whatever the motivation, it's thoroughly unjustified and disgraceful behaviour.' Leanne was robbed of her bag containing £62 cash, a gold chain, store cards and documents. The . woman who led the attack was thought to be in her early 20s, about 5ft . 1in tall, either tanned or of mixed race with dark-coloured hair in a . pony tail. She wore a grey tracksuit, and would have had blood all over her trousers. Three of the men with her were black, and the victim described them as aged about 25. One was wearing a red hooded top and the others had black hoodies. One of them had a red bandana over his face. A fourth man helped drag the woman to the ground. He was white, in his 20s, skinny and wearing a black jumper.
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Leanne, 22, may be left with permanent scarring after the unprovoked attack in Southend, Essex .
Three men kicked her legs and body as she lay on the floor before fleeing with her bag .
Officers issue an e-fit of the attacker they are hunting following the 'unjustified and disgraceful' incident .
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0afc6215cec2f2e17d6fd1efdf5e42ae6a948987
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A 75-year-old man was left lying on the freezing cold pavement for more than two hours waiting for an ambulance after a fall - even though passers-by had called 999 five times. The pensioner was found on the ground outside Teeside Magistrates' Court in Middlesbrough having fallen and hit his head. Passers-by found him shortly after the fall - at 7pm on Monday - and covered him with blankets in a bid to keep him warm as temperatures dipped as low as 4C. A 75-year-old man was left lying on the freezing cold pavement for more than two hours waiting for an ambulance after a fall . But an ambulance did not arrive on the scene until 9.10pm - and only turned up after the people caring for him had called 999 five times. One man, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'We got here about 7.25pm and saw the man lying on the floor. 'There were quite a few people gathered around him, so we went to get blankets and hot water bottles. We have already put in about four phone calls to the ambulance but they are still not here.' Around 7.50pm, three Middlesbrough street wardens arrived to offer their help to the man, who is believed to have been from the North Ormesby area of the town. After a fifth phone call to the emergency services an ambulance arrived at 9.10pm and the pensioner was taken straight to hospital. Ambulance bosses have apologised and said the service was experiencing 'exceptional pressure' that evening. A Met Office spokesman said temperatures that day ranged from 2C to 6C in Middlesbrough but estimated it would have been around 4C at the time of the incident. An ambulance did not arrive on the scene until 9.10pm - and only turned up after the people caring for him had called 999 five times . One street warden, who wished to remain unnamed, said: 'We got here and the man was just lying there and you could tell he was freezing. 'These three young people were already here and really it was them who did all the work. 'They are students who have just finished a 12-hour shift so they could have just walked past but they stopped to help. A spokesperson for North East Ambulance Service said: 'We would like to say sorry to the patient, and apologise for not being able to reach him sooner. 'Over the last few days ambulance services across the UK have been experiencing exceptional pressure, and this has meant that some patients have had to wait longer than normal for a crew to become available. 'There are six levels of alert for UK ambulance services and on Monday it went up to level four, which means extreme pressure. 'Nearly all of the other UK ambulance services are the same. 'We would also like to thank the three students who stayed with the patient during this time for their kindness and concern.'
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Pensioner was found on ground near Magistrates' Court in Middlesbrough .
He had fallen and hit his head at 7pm and was discovered shortly after .
Passers-by kept him warm calling 999 five times before ambulance arrived .
Ambulance crew eventually arrived on the scene at 9.10pm, two hours later .
North East Ambulance Service has apologised for delay on Monday night .
Spokesman said service had been experiencing 'exceptional pressure'
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0afc97eccbc591c781dd79e7f5bd4c4d83304287
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By . Frank Coletta for Daily Mail Australia . Billionaire MP Clive Palmer has been forced into an embarrassing backdown over his controversial comments towards 'Chinese mongrels' and 'Chinese b***ards', by delivering a letter of apology to the Chinese Ambassador today. After coming under increasing fire for his bizarre rant last Monday night, Mr Palmer's has delivered a letter to 'His Excellency Mr MA Zhaoxu'. In it he says: 'I most sincerely apologise for any insult to the Chinese people caused by any of the language I used during my appearance on the ABC television program Q&A. Scroll down for video . 'I regret any hurt or anguish such comments may have caused any party and I look forward to greater understanding for peace and cooperation in the future.' He went on to say that 'we always must have an open mind' and that 'I now come to the realisation that what I said on Q&A was an insult to Chinese people everywhere and I wish to assure them they have my most genuine and sincerely apology, that I am sorry that I said the things I said on the program.' Clive Palmer had said about the Chinese that 'they're Communist, they shoot their own people, they haven't got a justice system and they want to take over this country', now he says sorry and that 'it is in the interest of the whole world that Australia and China have good relations'. Clive Palmer in the middle of THAT rant on ABC television against the Chinese. Today he's done a complete backflip, apologising in a letter to the Chinese Ambassador, conceding he had insulted "Chinese people everywhere' Friends again. This is a picture from back in 2009 where Clive Palmer and Junhua Wu of Metallurgical Corporation of China celebrated the China First mining venture. He also added that 'it is in the interest of the whole world that Australia and China have good relations'. Mr Palmer had been roundly criticised for the rant and his comments labelled 'racist'. Several community leaders and Coalition MPs said the tirade could hurt Australia's trade relationship with China. The Palmer United Party leader tried to appease those critics by suggesting his comments were directed against CITIC Pacific, with whom he's locked in a series of legal disputes, even going as far as tweeting his position. Clive Palmer tried to fend off claims he was racist after the rant last Monday by saying on Twitter that the comments were aimed at a Chinese company only . CITIC has accused Mr Palmer of using $12 million to fund his election campaign in 2013. The verbal spray included him calling Chinese people 'bastards' and 'mongrels' who 'shoot their own people'. 'The Chinese government wants to bring workers here to destroy our wage system ... they want to take over our ports and get our resources for free. So far they've shifted $200 million worth of iron ore out of this country without paying for it. I don't mind standing up against the Chinese bastards and stop them from doing it,' he said. He then claimed he was owed 'about $500 million by the Communist Chinese government.' 'We'll be suing them and they'll be answering the questions. We've had... an arbitration against these Chinese mongrels - I'm saying that because they're Communist, they shoot their own people, they haven't got a justice system and they want to take over this country. And we're not going to let them,' he said. In an attempt to smooth things over, foreign Minister Julie Bishop told the Chinese embassy that 'these were the comments of one Member of Parliament and not representative'. The PM also chimed in by calling them 'over the top, shrill and wrong'. Mr Palmer will hope his letter of apology will bring to an end a forgettable fortnight for his party with his problems exacerbated by star Senate recruit Glenn Lazarus being forced to fend off plagiarism claims and Jacqui Lambie's suggestions Australia needed to significantly boost its military presence or risk 'letting our grandchildren become slaves'.
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The Palmer United Party leader has written a letter of apology to the Chinese Ambassador .
Said he had 'come to the realisation that what I said was an insult to Chinese people everywhere'
Added that he was sorry and that he 'regretted any hurt or anguish'
He'd been labelled 'racist' for the tirade delivered on ABC television last week .
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0afdee0f6c6e0e733dc0dee69fff8ec19e248d34
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By . Paul Hirst . Roy Hodgson touched down in Rio and issued a calming message to those who were unimpressed by England's back-to-back draws against Ecuador and Honduras. England rounded off their week-long stay in Miami with a storm-affected goalless stalemate against Honduras. That draw came three days after England failed to beat Ecuador, who exposed England's defensive frailties on the counter-attack. Scroll down for videos... Keep calm: Roy Hodgson is not concerned by England's results in their warm-up friendlies . Much harder opposition lie in wait for Hodgson's men in Brazil. Next Saturday they face four-time world champions Italy and they then tackle Uruguay before a final game against Costa Rica.Hodgson insists very little should be read in to the friendlies. 'I have to say these warm-up games, I don't know that they necessarily answer many questions,' the England manager said. 'You answer your questions over a long period of time. 'When I look at the other warm-up games I am pretty certain I am not alone in thinking it's just a way of getting yourself to Rio where the real tournament begins.' Referee Ricardo Salazar handed Honduras five yellow cards on Saturday, including two for Brayan Beckeles, who was sent off in the 66th minute for a flying elbow on Leighton Baines. It was therefore something of a surprise that England did not pick up any injuries. There were more plus points too. Danny Welbeck silenced his critics with a good performance. Ross Barkley, Jordan Henderson and Adam Lallana did their selection chances no harm either. Below the belt: England were fortunate not to pick up any injuries during a 0-0 draw with Honduras . Weather or not: The game against Honduras was delayed for 40minutes after an electrical storm in Miami . Four years ago, England arrived at the World Cup in the eye of a storm created by injuries to key players, Fabio Capello's contract negotiations and the embarrassment caused by the Capello Index. This time the squad appears united and their only injury concern is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has travelled to Brazil despite suffering medial knee ligament damage against Ecuador. 'It has been three excellent weeks of preparation,' Hodgson added. 'The squad is growing stronger, they are bonding together very well and the mood is one of quiet optimism and a reasonable degree of confidence. That is all you can hope for. Pick me! Danny Welbeck staked his claim for a starting place against Italy with a decent performance in Miami . 'Now is when the real football begins and I am happy that we are in good spirits and the players have really done as much as we could ask of them.' Jon Flanagan and John Stones have now left after spending the last three weeks with the squad. The standby duo have been told they could be called up at any time though if Oxlade-Chamberlain does not demonstrate sufficient progress in his recovery from the injury to his right knee. Hodgson has until Friday to decide whether he will replace Oxlade-Chamberlain, and for now he is positive about the midfielder's chances of playing some part in the tournament. Waiting game: Hodgson is confident that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will return to fitness for the tournament . 'That is what we are hoping for,' he said. 'But there are still a few assessments to be made on him so I wouldn't want to suggest that is a stone-wall certainty.' After their overnight flight from Miami, England were due to check into their hotel near Ipanema beach on Sunday afternoon. Preparation for the Italy game will begin in earnest on Monday, when England will hold a fully-open session at their training centre at the Urca military base in the shadow of Rio landmark Sugar Loaf mountain. Will Rooney start? Hodgson claims he knows his starting XI for the opening game against Italy on June 14 . o after three weeks together, does Hodgson have a firm idea of his starting XI for the Italy game? 'Pretty much, yeah,' he said. 'In these three games certain players have performed better than others. Now we will have to start thinking about (the group) games. 'Whatever team I decide to use against Italy will be very, very competitive and I am sure we will show the discipline and organisation we showed (against Honduras).
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Roy Hodgson is not concerned by England's results in their World Cup warm-up friendlies .
The Three Lions beat Peru but drew with Ecuador and Honduras .
Hodgson insists the real business will begin at the tournament in Brazil .
England boss is confident Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be fit .
Hodgson claims to know his starting XI for the opening game against Italy .
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0aff20e6341628f50c5062e19493ab734044a390
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(CNN) -- Colleen LaRose, the Pennsylvania woman indicted for allegedly conspiring to support terrorists and kill a person in a foreign country, attempted to commit suicide in 2005, according to a police report filed at the time. LaRose, who authorities say called herself "Jihad Jane," was depressed about the death of her father, the report from Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, Police Officer Michael Devlin said. LaRose told Devlin she swallowed as many as 10 pills of cyclobenzaprine, a muscle relaxant. The pills were mixed with alcohol. "Colleen was highly intoxicated and having difficulty maintaining her balance," Devlin wrote. I "questioned LaRose about harming herself, at which point she stated she does not want to die." Devlin was dispatched to check on LaRose in response to a 911 call made by LaRose's sister in Texas, who was worried LaRose might try to kill herself. LaRose was arrested on the terrorism charges in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 15, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office said Tuesday. She is being held at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, according to the U.S. attorney's office. She will be arraigned at 10:30 a.m. March 18 in Philadelphia, the Justice Department said. Among other things, LaRose has also been charged with making false statements to a government official and attempted identity theft. If convicted, she faces a possible life prison sentence and a $1 million fine. Last year, LaRose agreed to kill a resident of Sweden, an indictment says, and a U.S. government official familiar with the case identified the target as Lars Vilks, a cartoonist who outraged some with a drawing of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed. LaRose worked with at least five co-conspirators, the indictment says. Authorities did not identify them, but police in Ireland took into custody seven people in arrests Tuesday that the U.S. official said were directly related to the plot involving LaRose. Read the indictment (PDF) Authorities in Ireland said the seven people they arrested also were plotting to commit a murder abroad. Irish media reports, citing unnamed police sources, identified their target as Vilks. A person from Pennsburg who knew LaRose said she "didn't have the smarts or brains" to pull off the alleged plot. "Not without someone telling her what to do, maybe even brainwashing her," said the person, who asked not to be identified for privacy reasons. It appears that LaRose was not well known in her neighborhood in Pennsburg, which is about an hour north of Philadelphia. One neighbor reacted to the news by saying, "It scares the hell out of me." Meanwhile, LaRose's former boyfriend, Kurt Gorman, told CNN on Wednesday that the circumstances surrounding her arrest are "just crazy ... really crazy." Gorman said that when he lived with LaRose, she spent most of her time at home and frequently used a personal computer. "I think she just used it to play games mostly," he said. "I really didn't pay much attention." The alleged terrorist conspiracy began in June 2008, when LaRose posted a comment on YouTube under the username JihadJane saying she was "desperate to do something somehow to help" Muslims, according to a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday. From December 2008 to October 2009, LaRose engaged in electronic communication with five alleged co-conspirators about their shared desires to wage jihad and become martyrs, according to the indictment. LaRose and the alleged co-conspirators, according to a Justice Department statement, used the Internet to develop plans that "included martyring themselves, soliciting funds for terrorists, soliciting passports and avoiding travel restrictions (through the collection of passports and through marriage) in order to wage violent jihad." According to the U.S. government official familiar with the case, LaRose raised money for the cause and recruited people to join it. The official also said she was in contact with committed jihadists in South Asia, Western Europe and Eastern Europe. The official declined to link her to any specific terrorist organizations. 'Jihad Jane,' American who lived on Main Street . The indictment says that at one point, LaRose stole a U.S. passport to "facilitate an act of international terrorism." Gorman told CNN that after LaRose left him suddenly last August, he realized his passport was missing. He said he reported the lost document to the State Department. Several months later, he said, the FBI came to see him, and he told them what he knew about her. In November, he said, he testified in Philadelphia before a grand jury. The FBI told him she was already in custody then, Gorman said. "I really don't know much," he said. LaRose had received "a direct order to kill a citizen and resident of Sweden, and to do so in a way that would frighten 'the whole Kufar [nonbeliever] world,' " according to the indictment. LaRose agreed to carry out the murder, according to the Justice Department statement. "I will make this my goal till I achieve it or die trying," LaRose said via electronic communication, according to the indictment. In 2007, Vilks drew a cartoon of Mohammed with the body of a dog, prompting the al Qaeda terrorist network to offer $100,000 to anyone who killed him, plus an extra $50,000 if the killer slits his throat. Watch a profile of Vilks from 2007 . Irish police did not confirm that Vilks was the target, but responded to a CNN question about Vilks by saying the arrests were "part of an investigation into a conspiracy to commit a serious offense, namely, conspiracy to murder an individual in another jurisdiction." Irish police arrested four men and three women in Waterford and Cork, authorities said. They range in age from the mid-20s to late 40s. Ireland's national broadcaster, RTE, said the suspects are originally from Morocco and Yemen but are all living legally as refugees in Ireland. Irish police worked with counterparts in the United States and "a number of European countries," they said. LaRose, along with the co-conspirators, believed that "her appearance and American citizenship would help her blend in while carrying out her plans, calling it a possible "way to achieve what is in my heart," according to the indictment. The indictment alleges that LaRose even agreed to marry one of the co-conspirators to obtain residency status in a European country. LaRose traveled to Europe in August 2009 and "tracked the intended target online in an effort to complete her task," the Justice Department statement said. According to the indictment, LaRose told the co-conspirator who allegedly ordered the murder that she considers it an "honour & a great pleasure to die or kill for" the co-conspirator, and she pledged that "only death will stop me here that I am so close to the target." The killing did not occur, and LaRose was arrested about two weeks after the electronic message was sent. Mark Wilson, a federal public defender representing LaRose, declined to comment on the case Tuesday. The Justice Department said LaRose was born in 1963 and lives outside of Philadelphia in Montgomery County. Police records show she was arrested twice in 1997: once for driving while intoxicated and once for passing a bad check in the San Antonio, Texas, area. She moved from Texas to Pennsylvania in 2004. CNN's Susan Candiotti, Carol Cratty and Jeanne Meserve contributed to this report.
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Colleen LaRose, accused of conspiracy, was depressed about father's death, police say .
Last year, LaRose agreed to kill a resident of Sweden, indictment says .
She went to Europe in 2009 "in an effort to complete her task," Justice Department says .
LaRose's former boyfriend says circumstances surrounding her arrest are "really crazy"
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0affb08b7d23ddbf55f660c2f359d08588abdf21
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(CNN) -- A journalist was among three people killed Friday during clashes between Muslim Brotherhood supporters and Egyptian security forces in eastern Cairo, Egypt's Interior Ministry said. Mayada Ashraf was fatally shot, according to her employer, the private Egyptian newspaper Al-Dustour. She was covering the fighting when she was killed, the state-run Middle East News Agency reported. The clashes involved people who were protesting this week's decision by Egyptian army chief Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to resign from the military and run for president, semiofficial news outlet Ahram Online reported. The demonstrators were supporters of deposed Egyptian President Mohammed Morsy, a former Muslim Brotherhood leader, Ahram Online said. Ashraf was in her 20s and graduated from college last year, according to Al-Dustour. Definitive information on who shot her wasn't immediately available. A representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists called on the Egyptian government Friday to open an independent and impartial investigation into Ashraf's death. The organization noted that opposing groups -- those supporting the army, and those supportive of the Muslim Brotherhood -- were blaming each other for the killing. "A journalist's death should not be used to settle political scores -- the focus should be on journalists' right to safely cover events in Egypt," said Sherif Mansour, the CPJ's Middle East and North Africa program coordinator. Protests similar to that in eastern Cairo happened across the country on Friday, Ahram Online reported. El-Sisi's decision is just one of the latest grievances expressed by Morsy supporters. El-Sisi deposed Morsy last year following mass protests against Morsy's rule. Morsy became Egypt's first freely elected leader in 2012, a year after a popular uprising ended Hosni Mubarak's three decades of one-man rule. El-Sisi is popular among Egyptians who supported the army's decision to remove Morsy from power a year into his term -- seeing him as the kind of strong man needed to end the turmoil dogging Egypt since Mubarak's 2011 ouster. But El-Sisi is reviled by the Islamist opposition, which sees him as the mastermind of a coup against an elected leader and the author of a fierce crackdown on dissent. Egypt has suffered bloody internal strife since Morsy was overthrown. On Wednesday, police clashed with protesters at Cairo University who were demonstrating against a court's decision to sentence 529 supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood to death. In a separate report, Al-Ahram quoted the health ministry as saying one person was killed and eight injured in the clashes. Monday's court ruling drew widespread criticism from international human rights groups.
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Mayada Ashraf was killed while covering clashes, state-run news outlet reports .
Committee to Protect Journalists calls for independent investigation .
Clashes happened during protests of army chief's decision to run for president .
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0affe6dea1382fba90de35b17fe11bfcd87a6307
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By . Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 05:35 EST, 27 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:10 EST, 27 December 2012 . Christmas was cut dramatically short for residents of a famous New York apartment building after its facade collapsed onto the sidewalk - forcing them to flee into the night. The drama unfolded after part of a structural wall belonging to the O'Neill Building, on Sixth Avenue, crumbled as many of its occupants tucked into Christmas dinner on Tuesday evening. Local authorities immediately evacuated the block amid fears the former department store - the city's first when built in 1887 - might buckle. 'We were given a few minutes to . collect medication or anything we needed' before being ushered out,' resident Anna Backer told WNYW-Fox 5 TV. Crumbling: The drama unfolded after part of a structural wall belonging to the O'Neill Building, on Sixth Avenue, crumbled as many of its occupants tucked into Christmas dinner on Tuesday night . By Boxing Day, the building was still on lockdown, with residents on the West 20th Street side told to find somewhere else to spend the rest of the festive period while builders worked to repair the damaged wall. No one was injured, but the building was evacuated, the fire department said. The evacuation was ordered as a . precaution after officials saw some small cracks in the wall where the . facade fell, Fire Chief Tom McCarthy told reporters. Luxury: The five-storey building has been converted into 49 condominiums in recent years. A recent real estate listing offers a two-bedroom apartment for sale at $3.7 million . 'It caused some concern on our part,' he said. He said engineering inspections Wednesday would determine how . soon residents would be allowed to return. Resident Eva Laboz told reporters she'd seen a crack in the wall some days before. 'They put the yellow tape over, but I didn't know it was going to be that serious,' she said. He husband Maurice, 75, who has lived . in the building’s penthouse for five years, said: 'The building won’t fall. They don’t build buildings like this . anymore.' Historic: The seven-story building on Sixth Avenue, between and West 20th and West 21st streets, was built in 1887 as a department store called O'Neill's . A city Buildings Department spokesman didn't immediately respond to phone and email messages asking about the collapse. The phone rang unanswered at the building's management company. The seven-story building on Sixth Avenue, between and West 20th and West 21st streets, was built in 1887 as a department store called O'Neill's. The building was converted into 49 condominiums in recent years. A recent real estate listing offers a two-bedroom apartment for sale at $3.7 million. Buildings Department records show the facade was inspected in February and declared safe. Records show some sprinkler system work and first-floor restaurant renovations have been under way in recent months.
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The drama unfolded at the O'Neill Building on 6th Ave on Christmas Day .
Evacuation ordered as residents sat down for Christmas dinner .
Cracks spotted in structural wall above a five-foot pile of rubble in street .
Records show inspectors declared the facade safe in February .
Recent listing offers a two-bedroom apartment for sale at $3.7 million .
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0b000695f3f46d5be6292284b6d9ac63187dfb86
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By . Laura Cox . They are the tigers who came to tea - then stayed for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sumatran cubs Spot and Stripe found a home with animal expert and zoo keeper Giles Clark after they were born at the Australia Zoo in Queensland. There are less than 500 Sumatran tigers . left in the wild, so zoo breeding programmes are essential in preserving the species. A third of Sumatran cubs born in captivity don't make it to adulthood, so to ensure their survival, Giles agreed to give them round the clock care at home for the first few months of their lives. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Sumatran cubs Spot and Stripe found a home with the Clark family, Mr and Mrs Clark pictured here with Spot and Stripe and children Alicia, 16, and Kynan, eight . It makes for an unusual family album, which can be seen here for the first time. From riding a skateboard to playing with trucks in a sandpit, Spot and Stripe adapted to a remarkably human lifestyle during their time living with the Clarks. They had their own purpose-built pool for when their thick coats made the heat unbearable, while sofas and beds became free-range for a sleepy cub wanting a cuddle with Mr Clark’s children: Alicia, 16, and Kynan, eight. And they would even climb on to their beds where they would blend in among the soft toys. Giles took the cubs into his care after they were born at an Australian Zoo in Queensland . The mischievous cubs learned to interact with the family - and even played with the children's toys, their favourite being the skateboard . Mr Clark, 36, a zookeeper and tiger enthusiast and a ‘tiger daddy’ according to his wife Ceri, 37, grew up in Middlesex, England. He fell in love with the big cat species as a 16-year-old boy during a trip to a British zoo. Now, having followed his dream to Australia, the real-life Tiger Man works at Australia Zoo, where can be found playing with fully-grown adult big cats or taking them on walks in the nearby bush. Mr Clark believes that encouraging humans to interact with wild animals will make them more likely to want to help save rare species from extinction. The tigers have become a permanent fixture in the Clark family home, blending in with their son's soft toys . Just like children, the cubs loved playing with the toy digger in the garden . And so naturally, when resident tiger Kaitlin gave birth to her cubs it was Mr Clark who volunteered to take two of them home. Spot and Stripe, so called because of their markings, are two of the most critically endangered tigers in the world. But safely within the walls of the Clarks' home, they quickly settled in, forming close bonds with the family and exploring the house and its surroundings like a pair of curious toddlers. Mr Clark had to take on the role of their mother and provide round-the-clock care for his charges. He said: ‘As with any baby, I had to make sure that everything was washed and sterile. And not just bottles – with the number of towels you’re going through, it felt like the washing machine was going constantly. I was more exhausted than when my son was a baby. Giles has to act as a mother to the two young cubs: 'You never, ever forget in those first couple of months how dependent they are. Everything you do has an impact on them,' he explains . Giles says by having the cubs at home, they are able to care for them in ways that a zoo can't, such as building them a custom-made pool . 'Naturally mum would lick them to stimulate them to go to the toilet, so I had to replicate that with my hand. You never, ever forget in those first couple of months how dependent they are. Everything you do has an impact on them.' The unique family set-up mirrors that depicted in the children's book The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr, which is about a girl called Sophie, her mother, and a tiger who interrupts their afternoon tea. Spot and Stripe and the Clark appear in a new BBC2 documentary called Tigers About the House that airs tonight on BBC2. Despite their at-home comforts, these tigers are no pets and survive on a diet of raw meat . The tigers have learnt to live alongside the other family animals, including Caesar the dog . The tiger cubs obviously feel completely at home with the Clarks who regularly find them prowling the work surfaces . It follows their remarkable upbringing at Mr Clark's suburban Australian home, which is already rather full with two children, two dogs - Ruby, a black Labrador cross and a caramel-coloured mastiff cross named Caesar - and Mrs Snakey, a pet snake. Giles believes that by forming a relationship with the tigers he is able to give them a much better quality of life . Spot and Stripe are two of the most critically endangered tigers in the world . He told the Radio Times: 'By forming this relationship - I call it a friendship - with our animals, we're able to give them a much better quality of life. They’re not stressed or frustrated like tigers you might see in other facilities. 'We do a variety of things with our cats that normally just wouldn’t be possible in captivity. We even play with them in a purpose-built pool. We can only do that by having a really strong bond, and you need to establish that when they're very little.' Tigers About the House, tonight at 9pm on BBC2, for more information visit BBC.co.uk . Giles strives to protect the rare species who have become so endangered due to poachers .
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Sumatran cubs Spot and Stripe found a home with Giles Clark .
The British zookeeper volunteered to hand-rear the endangered species .
Cubs formed close bond with the Clarks .
Creates unique family photo album .
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(CNN) -- Knowledge is said to be power. But as parents living in an information-driven age, we feel compelled to grasp all of the facts that bombard us. We are hyperinformed and ultraconscientious. We surf the Web, we read the books, we poll our friends. Yet in accumulating new insights, we are often left feeling confused and uncertain. The most vexing parenting decision my husband and I have faced thus far was whether to circumcise our son. Religious tradition was not a factor for us, as non-Jews, so instead we searched our consciences, weighing myriad factors such as aesthetics, tradition, hygiene, future sexual pleasure, and self-esteem -- lofty concepts indeed to contemplate for the unnamed bulge in my tummy, but contemplate them we did. This is why one evening, while bathing my 5-year-old son, I was thrown into a bubbly contemplative haze as he looked down at himself and shouted, "I hate my foreskin!" This was certainly not a sentence I ever imagined coming out of his mouth, but there it was. (And yes, he knows the actual word.) He slid the skin on top of his penis to make himself appear circumcised. Had we made the wrong decision? Some families do to their son whatever was done to the child's father so father and son will look alike. In our case, my husband's father was not circumcised due to a premature birth, and my husband was. My husband never felt particularly disturbed that he and his father were different in that area, so again, we were on our own. Empowered Patient: Should teens make own circumcision decision? Our Los Angeles pediatrician, for whom we have great respect, Dr. Kimberly Klausner, had been very neutral on the subject. She told us that about half of the boys in her Beverly Hills practice were circumcised. She reiterated the American Academy of Pediatrics statement of 1999, which states: "Existing scientific evidence demonstrates potential medical benefits of newborn male circumcision; however, these data are not sufficient to recommend routine neonatal circumcision." Also worth noting is that not all health insurance companies cover routine circumcision. So religiously, cosmetically, and medically, there seemed to be no compelling reason for us to circumcise. At that point, I was at a loss -- no, not penis envy, but I had never seen an uncircumcised penis. Yet to circumcise simply because that was familiar to me seemed unfair to my son. My husband, in weighing the arguments, kept coming back to an encounter we had with Dr. Paul Fleiss, one of the pediatricians that we had initially interviewed when choosing a doctor years before. Fleiss wrote the book, "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Circumcision." He is the country's leading pediatric advocate for not circumcising. His writings stressed the significance of foreskin in sexual pleasure, pointing out that "the foreskin is an organ" that contains "a rich concentration of blood vessels and nerve endings." As I considered that, my mind flashed to my liberal arts college's Women's Studies classes' literature about female circumcision being used in some countries for the precise reason of decreasing sexual pleasure. We would never in a million years consider circumcising a girl, so why should we do so to our son? We chose not to. Until the bubble bath incident, I had been comfortable with our decision, even secretly proud of it. I had a small moment of panic in 2006 when a National Institutes of Health AIDS study discussing circumcision as a significant factor in AIDS prevention in Africa was reported in The New York Times. I hoped the medical community wasn't going to change its mind, as by then my son was already 2, his foreskin intact. When he was 4, I noticed he very often he retracted his foreskin, and once while so doing said, "Look, Mommy, like Sam." Sam was a circumcised friend whom he had seen while changing clothes. I realized that most of the boys my son had seen naked -- cousins and friends at preschool -- looked different. Most were circumcised, including his father. Why, I wondered, were all these other boys circumcised? I decided to informally poll a few moms to find out how they decided. Hilary, in her work as a journalist, had seen an inadequately skilled first-year resident perform the procedure. She vowed that should she ever have sons, she would not circumcise. Years later, her Jewish husband told her that "he wanted his son to have the chance to be Jewish." Hilary deferred to that. She chose a mohel who had circumcised 10,000 boys to do the procedure. Yet she said she had to leave the house during the bris. Hilary said when she read about the NIH AIDS study in 2006, she was delighted to learn there could be additional public health benefits to circumcision. Liza told me that she regrets having her son circumcised. "It was hard for us to justify doing it other than that it was something that he (my husband) and I understood." Her son's circumcision was botched. The doctor had trouble with the clamp in the procedure, and, at 3 months old, her son had to have surgery by a urologist in order to be re-circumcised. Another friend, Alison, said, "I always said that the penis was his (her husband's) department. He wanted our son to look like him. But I am really glad my son was circumcised. It is hard enough to get him to wash at all, so if there were one more layer to it, I can't imagine." Finally, I asked Klausner again, as I knew she recently had her own son. She told me: "I had him circumcised for religious reasons, in a very traditional service. I felt very uncomfortable about it, but it was a faith-based decision, not a rational, medical one. If it were not part of my faith, I don't think I would do it." Back to the bubble bath: After my son stopped screaming I told him that Mommy and Daddy had made the best decision about his body they could, because he was too little to ask. "We didn't want them to cut your body when you were a tiny baby," I explained. Then, I cringed imagining him at the pool asking some unsuspecting circumcised boy why his parents would let them cut his body when he was a tiny baby. Confronting our circumcision decision over and over has been humbling. My one conclusion: In parenting, and in life, there is never a clear answer. Most big decisions are based in faith, be it religious faith or faith in ourselves. If we have either of those as parents, then no matter which way the trend swings, or what the studies prove over time, we can, at the very least, live with the knowledge that we did what we thought was the best for our children. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Lee Rose Emery.
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Couple considered religion, medicine and aesthetics in circumcision decision .
NIH study discussed circumcision as a factor in AIDS prevention in Africa .
"Confronting our circumcision decision over and over has been humbling," says Emery .
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(CNN) -- For Dr. Lisa Newman, a 16-hour trip over two days from Michigan to Ghana in Africa is just part of the journey in uncovering clues about a rare form of breast cancer. Dr. Lisa Newman hopes to uncover clues in Ghana about an aggressive and rare form of breast cancer. Newman, a surgical oncologist specializing in breast cancer at the University of Michigan, collaborates with doctors in Kumasi, Ghana, in hopes of discovering the origins of an aggressive and difficult to treat form of breast cancer that disproportionately affects black women. It is called triple negative breast cancer or TNBC. "The women that are most likely to be afflicted with the triple negative breast cancers are younger aged women, women in the pre-menopausal age range, and women with African ancestry," says Newman. According to the American Cancer Society, 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in the United States in 2009. Triple negative breast cancer represents approximately 15 percent of breast cancer cases in the United States. As an African-American female surgeon, Lisa Newman is a rarity in the United States. African-Americans make up less than 5 percent of physicians in this country, according to the American Medical Association. Newman, who is also the director of the Breast Care Center for the University of Michigan, recalls her early days during the '90's as a general surgeon in Brooklyn, New York. "It was just heartbreaking every day in the clinic to continuously be seeing African-American women that seemed to be disproportionately afflicted with breast cancers at younger ages, and more advanced stages of disease." Little is known about what causes TNBC. But statistics show that black women are twice as likely as white women to get it. When diagnosing breast cancer, doctors look for three markers: estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and the HER2/neu receptor. These markers show where the cancer is most vulnerable and help determine how best to treat it. The most successful treatments for breast cancer are drugs that specifically target these markers. Doctor travels to Ghana for cancer clues » . However, triple negative breast cancer is negative for all three markers, hence the name, making it very difficult to treat and more likely to recur. With the devastating statistics and grim reality of this disease, Newman began her journey about five years ago to learn more about it. Triple negative breast cancer survivor finds life's purpose . "We are very interested in looking at whether or not African ancestry in and of itself might actually predispose women to a biologically more aggressive form of breast cancer, such as the triple negative breast cancer." Sixty percent of Ghanaian women who have breast cancer have triple negative breast cancer, according to Newman. "Western sub-Saharan Africa is an important geographic location to focus on because that's where many of the slave colonies were located several hundred years ago," says Newman. To test her theory, Newman sets off for Ghana. Three flights and two days later, she arrives at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in the city of Kumasi. Newman is convinced there's a profound link between Ghanaian women and African-American women afflicted with TNBC. She hopes her trips each year to the African country could lead to clues about the origins of TNBC or perhaps pave the way to finding a cure. On each trip Newman gathers genetic evidence and tissue samples for her study. But she also believes there's a cultural and educational benefit for herself and her colleagues through this exchange. "We bring medical students and trainees with us to Ghana and they get to see what the health care system is like in a medically underserved part of the world," she says. "And our colleagues from Ghana have opportunities to visit with us at the University of Michigan, and to learn more about westernized practices in terms of multidisciplinary care of breast cancer patients. So, it allows trainees and cancer specialists on both sides of the ocean to learn more about each other and about what's available in different parts of the world." Working with her Ghanaian colleagues, Newman sees a wide range of patients. Some women need biopsies on undiagnosed breast abnormalities, while others have diagnosed tumors that have gone untreated for some time. In addition, Newman and her Ghanaian counterparts discuss the day's cases, a critical step to establishing individualized courses of treatment. Dr. Newman has her own scare with breast cancer » . "It's heartbreaking that we see many advanced stage of cancers in the women of Ghana, but it's a tremendous opportunity to make a difference and to be able to share what we have in the United States with the women here, with our family, our extended family," says Newman. Back in the United States, Newman gathers samples at a local Detroit, Michigan, hospital and at events held by the Sisters Network, an organization for black breast cancer survivors. She runs DNA comparisons to the samples gathered in Ghana and one day hopes to correlate African ancestry with the risk of being diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in African-Americans. If this happens, according to Newman, it will open doors to new treatments.
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Dr. Lisa Newman travels 16 hours from Michigan to Ghana in search of cancer clues .
She collaborates with doctors to find origins of triple negative breast cancer .
Newman: Women most affected are younger, pre-menopausal with African ancestry .
She believes there's a link between Ghanaian, African-American women with TNBC .
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Click here for your ultimate stats guide to the game, including Romelu Lukaku's goal . If Alan Irvine thought he may be able to gain his first win as West Bromwich Albion head coach by exposing weaknesses in the team he knows so well, he was left with the realisation that deficiencies at his current club require urgent attention. Everton left The Hawthorns with three points, collected in relative comfort from the moment — one minute and 40 seconds in — that Romelu Lukaku scored his first goal since signing permanently for Roberto Martinez. Jonas Olsson, for the second time in as many games, was at fault and his error was compounded in the second half by Ben Foster, who allowed Kevin Mirallas’s weak shot to squirm under his body. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Roberto Martinez: Romelu Lukaku has absolutely everything . After only 100 seconds Everton striker Romelu Lukaku whipped in a magnificent long range goal following an error from West Brom defender Jonas Olsson . Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, having spent a loan spell at West Brom, chooses not to celebrate too much after firing Everton ahead with a fine strike . West Brom keeper Ben Foster couldn't do anything about Romelu Lukaku's magnificent strike after just two minutes but should have saved Everton's second goal . Everton won for the first time in the Premier League this season as Kevin Mirallas celebrates scoring their second to secure the three points in an easy away win . It meant a first win and first clean sheet in the Premier League this season for Martinez, who now sets his sights on Wolfsburg in the Europa League on Thursday. Irvine still awaits victory and his focus remains on top-flight survival. Albion have seen 13 players leave the club this summer, with 11 new faces arriving and the difficulty in knitting such a changed squad together is clear to Irvine. Many missed pre-season but the lack of fluency or creativity in their play on Saturday alarmed supporters still scarred by last season’s turmoil to such an extent a vocal minority booed at the final whistle. Everton boss Roberto Martinez and West Bromich Albion manager Alan Irvine greet each other before kick-off at the Hawthorns on Saturday . England international Josh Stones tries to gain possession from West Brom striker Saido Berahino during Everton's first league win of the season . West Brom midfielder James Morrison fends off a challenge from Everton striker Steven Naismith but couldn't help his side to a possible first win this season . Everton's Gareth Barry battles with West Bromwich Albion's Andre Wisdom and Craig Dawson during the easy 2-0 win for the Merseyside club . England Under-21 international Saido Berahino keeps his eye on the ball as Everton captain Phil Jagielka attempts to keep up with the lively forward . West Brom: Foster 6, Wisdom 6, Dawson 6, Olsson 4, Pocognoli 5.5 (Gamboa 77, 5), Dorrans 6, Morrison 6, Gardner 6, Brunt 6 (Blanco 70, 5.5), Ideye 5 (Samaras 70, 5.5), Berahino 6. Subs not used: Baird, Yacob, Gamboa, Daniels, McAuley. Bookings: Gardner, Wisdom. Everton: Howard 6.5, Coleman 7, Stones 7.5, Jagielka 7, Baines 7.5, Barry 7, McCarthy 7, McGeady 7 (Besic 88), Naismith 6.5, Mirallas 7, Lukaku 8 (Osman 68, 6.5). Subs not used: Robles, Gibson, Atsu, Garbutt, Alcaraz. Goals: Lukaku 2, Mirallas 66. Bookings: McCarthy, Naismith, Besic. Referee: Anthony Taylor . ‘I understand it,’ said Irvine. ‘We’re all frustrated, we all wanted a really good result. You talk about two international players and they don’t normally make those mistakes. They are devastated and will be hurting for next few days. ‘It’s important we get good results while building a team. They are working extremely hard to try to get that.’ Irvine was facing the club he had called home for eight years over two spells. By his own admission he could have had a job for life but chose to leave the comfort behind to step back into the harsh world of football management. After 100 seconds he felt that brutal edge. Leighton Baines’ low cross looked harmless until Olsson cleared straight to Lukaku. The Belgian striker, on the edge of the area, took one touch then bent a devastating shot into the far corner beyond Foster’s despairing dive. The Swedish defender’s slip against Swansea in West Brom’s last game granted Nathan Dyer an opener inside 90 seconds and Irvine can be forgiven for wondering whether his pre-game plans will always have to be torn up so soon after kick-off. Lukaku, who scored 17 goals during a loan spell at The Hawthorns in 2012-13, almost apologised to the home faithful after the ball hit the net. Interestingly, his strike was his first Premier League goal for a club that owns him. His previous 32, for West Brom and Everton, had all been on loan. Martinez called his £28million fee ‘money well spent’. ‘As a player he is everything expected in a striker,’ he added. Six minutes after the interval it should have been 2-0. Lukaku unleashed a fearsome shot with his left foot that Foster saved well with a strong wrist. The ball fell straight to Steven Naismith but he ballooned the ball over rather than into the open goal. Left-back Leighton Baines, back from englad duty, evades a tackle from James Morrison and was as lethal as ever for Everton with his distribution play . West Brom's club record signing Brown Ideye tries to get past Everton cetre-back Josh Stones but couldn't find the back of the net at the Hawthorns . Right-back Seamus Coleman and goalkeeper Tim Howard manage to regain possession for Everton under pressure from West Brom striker Saido Berahino . West Bromwich Albion's Cristian Gamboa battles for the ball with Everton's Kevin Mirallas as the Belgian forward went on another marauding run . The visitors established a two-goal cushion in the 66th minute. It was another shocker defensively. Baines passed inside to Mirallas, who had time to turn and shoot for goal under little pressure from Olsson. The Belgian’s effort did not look the deadliest until Foster allowed the ball to slip under his body. Irvine flung a water bottle to the turf in fury. He must work hard to ensure it is not one of those seasons. West Bromich Albion's striker Georgios Samaras came off the bench to make his debut for the club but failed to find a way past Everton's impressive Tim Howard . Tim Howard collects the ball under pressure from approaching West Brom players as the American held on to secure a clean sheet at the Hawthorns . Everton forward Kevin Mirallas managed to evade the oncoming Craig Gardner to fire in a fortunate second for Everton, as Ben Foster should have saved his effort . Kevin Mirallas (right) celebrates with team mates after completing the 2-0 win for Everton at the Hawthorns after Ben Foster failed to keep out his tame shot . Everton keeper can't hide his delight as his side kept a clean sheet and won in the Premier League for the first time this season with the 2-0 victory on Saturday . Everton's £28million summer signing Romelu Lukaku salutes the away fans after guiding his side to victory at former club West Brom with a marvellous early goal . The Everton squad made sure to thank their away supporters having won 2-0 at West Brom to secure their first victory of their Premier League campaign . CLICK HERE for all facts, stats and graphics from the big match at the Hawthorns, including Romelu Lukaku's heat map (below)
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Romelu Lukaku scored first goal of the season for Everton, since joining permanently in the summer .
The Belgian striker netted from outside the area after only two minutes with a brilliant curling strike .
Ben Foster's error enabled Kevin Mirallas to complete the first league victory of the season for Everton .
West Brom still without a win this season as Alan Irvine's side struggled again in front of goal .
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RAF jets were caught in a near-miss above a busy city centre when pilots commanding the flights became 'startled' by two other aircraft flying above them. Two Hawk fighter jets were performing a training flight in July when two Tornados some 500ft beneath them began their climb. Pilots were forced to divert from their path to avoid collision above Sunderland, a report into the incident revealed. The Tornados were flying above Sunderland when they became 'startled' by two Hawk fighter jets flying 500ft above them, a report has found. Above, two Tornado GR4s on a combat mission to northern Iraq . Pilots were forced to divert from their original path to avoid collision over Sunderland in the July incident . The mishap occurred after the Tornados completed a training exercise at RAF Spadeadam in Cumbria. Above Newcastle, the Hawks came into pilots' sight, with just two to three nautical miles separating the two formations, the Airprox Board report found. While the Tornado pilots knew the Hawks had been flying in the same airspace, they were told by air traffic controllers that the aircraft had begun their own climb. 'The pilot reported that having been told that the Hawks were climbing, he had expected the separation between them to increase,' the report concluded. 'He noted that under a Traffic Service the controllers were not required to achieve deconfliction minima and that separation was the pilots’ responsibility, and that in this case, had he not elected to level off they would have climbed straight through the Hawk’s level. 'Although 500ft vertical separation would be considered sufficient in many circumstances, the Board considered that because the Tornado crew were not expecting to see the Hawks only 500ft above them, they were probably startled by their proximity.' The report concluded the mishap may have been the result of information being given to pilots via air traffic in a different format than is usual. Above, two Hawk jets of the 100 Squadron . The confusion, it was said, could have been the result of air traffic information being given in an unfamiliar BRRA format. An RAF spokesperson said the Ministry of Defence could not comment about individual employees, but said: 'Safety is of paramount importance to us and safety considerations continue to be at the core of all our aviation activity. 'We welcome the recommendations made in the report and will use the lessons learnt from this incident to do whatever we can to prevent it from happening again.' In September 2013 a Hawk jet overshot the runway at Anglesy during a training flight after crashing into a stray goose. Last October an American F-15 crashed in the Lincolnshire countryside during another practice exercise. It is not known what caused the incident that is now being investigated by aviation authorities.
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RAF Tornados and Hawks were flying in airspace above Sunderland .
Pilots began their climb without realising close other aircraft were .
The Hawks were forced to divert from their path to avoid collision .
Report into July incident said pilots were 'startled' by planes' presence .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 21:20 EST, 27 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 21:20 EST, 27 December 2012 . ‘We just made your day very exciting,’ a Southwest Airlines pilot radioed to the control tower as the plane veered off a taxiway at MacArthur Airport in Long Island on Thursday morning. ‘We just taxied off the taxiway into the grass,’ the unnamed pilot said, according to an audio recording on the Web site LiveATC.net. The control tower was equally calm as he told the pilot he would dispatch fire and rescue. Scroll down to listen to audio . 'We just made your day very exciting': The Southwest Airlines plane veered off a taxiway at MacArthur Airport in Long Island on Thursday morning at 6.30 am . No one was hurt in the incident, which occurred moments before the jet was to take off for Tampa, Florida, at 6.30 am. The more than 130 passengers, two pilots and three flight attendants on the Boeing 737 were evacuated from the airplane by stairs and then taken back to the airport terminal by bus, ABC News reported. Southwest Airlines sent a replacement plane to the airport, and the passengers resumed their flight to Florida five hours behind schedule, the airline said. Crews at MacArthur were working to get the stray plane back on the taxiway this afternoon. South and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the mishap. MacArthur Airport was open for business on Thursday afternoon and evening, though some flights are still being delayed by weather. Everyone's ok: The more than 130 passengers, two pilots and three flight attendants on the Boeing 737 were evacuated from the airplane by stairs and then taken back to the airport terminal by bus . Busy day: Crews at MacArthur were working to get the stray plane back on the taxiway this afternoon . Watch video here: .
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The plane veered off a taxiway at MacArthur Airport in Long Island on Thursday morning .
No one was hurt in the incident .
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By . Tim Shipman and Daniel Martin . PUBLISHED: . 19:47 EST, 4 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:48 EST, 4 November 2013 . David Cameron is quietly sounding out Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny about becoming the next President of the European Union in a bid to boost his hopes of renegotiating Britain’s relationship with Brussels. Downing Street officials are seeking a candidate who can stop Socialist Martin Schulz, the German left-winger who is currently President of the European Parliament and is backed by Labour. Senior sources say Britain wants to block Mr Schulz ‘at all costs’ since his taste for more regulation on business would scupper efforts to make Europe more competitive. Bid: Cameron, left, is quietly sounding out Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny, right, about becoming the next President of the European Union in a bid to boost his hopes of renegotiating Britain's relationship with Brussels . The plotting came as Mr Cameron admitted that support for British membership of the EU is ‘wafer thin’ - something his aides fear could disappear if Mr Schulz replaces current Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso next year. Mr Schulz first came to public attention in 2003 when former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi compared him to a concentration camp guard. A confirmed EU federalist, he has previously demanded that the European Parliament sets EU budgets and repeatedly demands more money for Brussels - an attitude that would undermine Mr Cameron’s efforts to secure a new deal with the EU. One insider told the Mail that picking Mr Schulz would be like returning to the centralising days of former Commission President Jacques Delors, a bitter opponent of British attempts to reclaim powers from Brussels. Search: Downing Street officials are seeking a candidate who can stop German Socialist Martin Schulz, pictured, who is currently President of the European Parliament and is backed by Labour . Government sources in Dublin revealed that Mr Cameron’s officials have been in touch about whether Prime Minister Kenny fancies the job. ‘One of the people pushing this name out there is the man in Downing Street,’ a source told the Belfast Telegraph. ‘We have been getting questions from people in that building. [Cameron] has a high regard for [Kenny]. They would feel he would be sensitive to their sensitivities on Europe.’ One government source in London denied that Mr Cameron has settled on Mr Kenny as his chosen candidate but said: ‘The question is: how do you stop Schulz from winning? In terms of making Europe more competitive, more flexible and if you want to stop tying businesses up in red tape, he is not the man.’ The Prime Minister told business leaders that he was determined to secure a ‘yes’ vote in a promised in/out referendum on EU membership in 2017. Warning: Boris Johnson said that Cameron needed to change Britain's relationship with the EU . But he told the CBI annual conference: ‘It is my judgment that our current consent of remaining inside the EU is wafer-thin - we have not made the argument enough about why Europe matters. ‘The British people were told about a Common market, about an economic area. So much has changed about this organisation and so little consent has been granted. ‘Let us reform this organisation, let’s make changes to how it works and put those changes to the British people in a referendum.’ London Mayor Boris Johnson yesterday unveiled a shopping list of changes to our relationship with the EU that he wants to see David Cameron come back from Brussels with. And he warned that unless the Prime Minister is successful, the British people would vote to come out of the EU in 2017. He told the BBC: ‘We need a totally new approach. The Prime Minister will find loads of allies around Europe if he says do we need all this employment law, do we need all this funny agricultural stuff, do we need a common fisheries policy? ‘Can’t we get rid of so many of these pointless intrusions by the European Union machine into the running of national life? ‘It’s unbelievable that in 2013, 60 or 70 years after the European movement as launched, we’re still having a system of agricultural subsidy - a support mechanism in which taxpayers pay subsidies to farmers in order to maintain the price of food. ‘I think that’s absolutely crazy in a globalised economy, it’s an anomaly, it’s an anachronism, we should get rid of it.’ He added: ‘I happen to think David Cameron has a massive chance now. He’s greatly respected among leaders and he could say to his colleagues around the table that in the end, unless you give me what I need, I’m afraid the British people are going to vote against. ‘They don’t want that, believe me - they want us in.’
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Downing Street officials are seeking candidate who can stop Martin Schulz .
Mr Schulz is President of the European Parliament and is backed by Labour .
Cameron admitted that support for British membership of EU is 'wafer thin'
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This woman is suspected of dying of the Ebola virus in Liberia, but a local burial team is still forced to spray disinfectant over her in a desperate attempt to stop the disease spreading even further. Now, officials in the country face a difficult choice of deciding which handful of Ebola patients will receive an experimental drug that could prove life-saving, ineffective or even harmful. ZMapp, the untested Ebola drug, arrived in the West African country late on Wednesday. A day later, no one had yet received the treatment, which officials said would go to three people. Scroll down for video . Virus outbreak: A burial team from the Liberian health department sprays disinfectant over the body of a woman suspected of dying of Ebola yesterday in Monrovia, Liberia . Difficult time: Children sit in a newly-opened isolation ward set up by the Liberian health ministry in a closed school yesterday in Monrovia. They sleep on matresses on the floor . The government had earlier said two doctors would receive the treatment, and Information Minister Lewis Brown revealed yesterday the third person would probably be another health care worker. These are the last known doses of ZMapp left. The company based in San Diego, California, that developed it has said it will take months to build up even a modest supply. The Ebola outbreak was first identified in March in Guinea. It has since spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, killing more than 1,060 of the 1,975 people sickened, according to the World Health Organization. There is no licensed treatment for Ebola, a virus transmitted by contact with bodily fluids like blood, sweat, urine, diarrhoea and vomit. The outbreak has overwhelmed the already strained health systems in West Africa and raised questions about whether authorities are doing enough to respond. The US State Department has ordered families of embassy personnel to leave Sierra Leone because of concerns that the crisis would make it difficult to get treatment for even routine health problems. Blue: A man lies in a newly-opened Ebola isolation centre set up by the Liberian health ministry in Monrovia . Sadness: Relatives and neighbours watch as a Liberian burial team prepares to enter the home of a woman suspected of dying of the Ebola virus in Monrovia . Meanwhile, police in riot gear dispersed an angry crowd yesterday in Liberia’s capital of Monrovia who blocked city buses to protest delays in clearing away the infectious body of an Ebola victim. President Barack Obama spoke by phone yesterday about the Ebola outbreak with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and in another call with President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone. 'The criteria of selection is difficult, but it is going to be done. We are going to look at how critical people are. We are definitely going to be focusing on medical staff' Dr Moses Massaquoi, who helped Liberia obtain ZMapp drug . The White House said Mr Obama expressed his condolences for the hundreds who have died in both countries and underscored America's commitment to work with West African nations and United Nations agencies to contain the outbreak. The outbreak has sparked an international debate over the ethics of giving drugs that have not yet been tested to the sick and of deciding who should get the drugs. So far, only two Americans and one Spaniard have received ZMapp. The Americans are improving - but it is unclear what role the drug has played. The Spaniard died within days. Now Liberian officials are facing those questions. In this outbreak, over 50 percent of those sickened with Ebola have died, according to the UN health agency. Taking care: A Liberian health department burial team disinfects their protective clothing after retreiving the body of a woman suspected of dying of the Ebola virus in Monrovia . Taken away: Neighbours watch as a burial team departs with the body of a woman suspected of dying of the Ebola virus in Monrovia . ‘The criteria of selection is difficult, but it is going to be done,’ said Dr. Moses Massaquoi, who helped Liberia obtain the drug from Mapp Biopharmaceutical. ‘We are going to look at how critical people are. We are definitely going to be focusing on medical staff.’ He added people past the ‘critical phase’ who looked likely to survive would not be chosen. 'Who gets the chance to be experimented on?' Arthur Caplan, New York University Langone Medical Center . Massaquoi said there was only enough of the drug to treat three people. Treatment will be staggered, so doctors can observe the effects in one patient before moving on to the next. Last night he said the treatment had not yet started. Arthur Caplan, director of medical ethics at New York University Langone Medical Center, said the choice of who to treat would have to balance helping the largest number of people with learning the most from the treatments. He said the question is not ‘whose life do we save?’ but ‘who gets the chance to be experimented on?’ Untested: Liberian Foreign Affairs Minister Augustine Ngafuan (left) and a porter bring boxes of an experimental Ebola-fighting drug ZMapp on a Delta Airlines flight from New York's JFK Airport to Monrovia . Checks: Kenyan health officials take the temperatures of passengers arriving at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. The World Health Organization said Kenya is a high-risk area for transmission . For that reason, recipients need to be good experimental subjects - people who have recently contracted the disease and are more likely to respond to treatment or perhaps younger patients, he said. In order to study the long-term effects, doctors will likely prefer people who can be observed for months, which might eliminate those living in remote places, he added. Nigeria announced yesterday that another person had died from Ebola, bringing the country's death toll to four. The Health Ministry said the person was a nurse who helped treat the country's first Ebola case, Liberian-American Patrick Sawyer who flew in last month and died. The ministry corrected its total number Ebola cases to 10 instead of 11 as it had reported earlier in the day.
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WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT .
ZMapp has arrived in West Africa but no-one has yet received treatment .
U.S. developers say it will take months to build up even a modest supply .
Ebola was first identified in March in Guinea and it has since killed 1,060 .
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(CNN) -- A fire that claimed the lives of 44 children at a day-care center in Hermosillo, Mexico, started Friday in an air-conditioning unit in an adjacent warehouse, the attorney general of Sonora said Monday. Maria Jesus Coronado Padilla mourns her daughter, Paulette Daniela Coronado Padilla, 2, on Sunday. Investigators have not determined whether the fire was caused by an overheated motor or deficiencies in its installation, said Abel Murrieta Gutierrez, according to the state-run news agency Notimex. However it started, there's no doubt it moved toward papers in bookshelves on the wall shared with the building housing ABC Day Care, where 141 children and day-care workers were, he said. The two buildings also shared a roof, which contained a false bottom made of polyurethane, which overheated, emitting highly toxic fumes, he said. He blamed all 44 of the deaths on the fumes. The general director of the Mexican Institute of Social Security vowed investigators will pursue the case wherever the evidence takes them. Daniel Karam Toumeh had said Sunday that the building had passed an inspection on May 26. "Here, I want to be very emphatic, in the sense that in Social Security we don't cover for anyone, don't defend anyone, we are the most interested in finding out what it was that happened," he said. As of Monday morning, 20 children ages 1-5 were hospitalized in Hermosillo, and 13 had been taken to other hospitals, including three to Sacramento Shriners Hospital in California, where pediatric burn treatment is a specialty. Watch parents gather at the site of the fire » . Hermosillo, the capital of the state of Sonora, is about 200 miles (320 kilometers) south of the U.S. border in northwestern Mexico. On a radio show, a firefighter said Monday that many of the children were napping at the time of the fire and died in their sleep. Jose Jesus Diaz, the first firefighter to enter the day-care center, told Radio Los Cheros that he arrived to find some people ramming the building with their vehicles in an effort to reach the children. Inside, Diaz said, he saw children in sleeping positions on the floor. "They never knew what happened," Diaz told the radio station. The scene was one of people crying, calling out names and running with babies, he said. "There's an image that I will carry for the rest of my life: a shirtless man walking outside holding a young boy, yelling 'fireman, fireman, save my son,' but the boy was already dead," Diaz said. Watch a town in deep shock » . Of the 20 children hospitalized in Hermosillo, 12 were in serious condition. The children taken to Children's Hospital in Sacramento are a 2-year-old boy in serious condition with burns over 20 percent of his body, a 3-year-old boy in critical condition with burns over 50 percent of his body, and a 3-year-old girl in critical condition with burns over 80 percent of her body, a hospital spokeswoman said. CNN's Mariano Castillo in Atlanta and CNN en Español's Rey Rodriguez in Hermosillo contributed to this story.
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Deadly fire at Mexican day-care center began at nearby warehouse, state official says .
44 children killed in blaze; 30-plus kids hospitalized, some in serious condition .
Official: Fire started with air conditioner; warehouse, day care shared wall .
Firefighter found children in sleeping positions: "They never knew what happened"
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Fast bowler Stuart Broad admitted to feeling frustrated as England battled a slow pitch at Trent Bridge on the second day of the first Test against India. After four wickets for two runs in the afternoon session, the hosts had India 346 for nine and looked like they would remove the tourists for less than 400. Slip up: Stuart Broad can't believe it as Matt Prior drops India batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni . High point: Broad, left, celebrates dismissal of India's Ishant Sharma for one run during day two . VIDEO Broad remaining optimistic after tough second day . But a . final-wicket partnership of 111 from Bhuvneshwar Kumar (58) and Mohammed . Shami (51 not out) held Alastair Cook's men up, with the captain . departing early as England reached 43 for one at the close. 'It was frustrating, but we tried pretty much everything with the ball,' Broad told Sky Sports 2. 'The . ball was 50 overs old leading up to the new ball, and it wasn't really . doing a huge amount. There wasn't much for length, so it was quite hard . to buy a wicket. 'You were almost hoping for a batsman error and, credit to the 10 and 11 of India, they didn't give us that error, really. 'It . was frustrating, but actually if you break the day down and the session . down, it was 90 for four that session. That was actually our best . session of the game, but we walked off at tea a little bit frustrated. 'It's . a good pitch to bat on. We stuck to our guns fantastically well - 457 . could have been 600, no question about that. We bowled really well.' Broad is encouraged, however, that groundsman Steve Birks took the unusual step of apologising for conditions after day one. 'I . think the best thing that's happened is Trent Bridge have come out and . said 'Look, our mistake', and apologised for the pitch. 'It's certainly not what England would have asked for, not what Trent Bridge would have hoped for. 'Let's just hope that other grounds don't follow suit.' Broad is optmistic about England's prospects in the first innings. Trudging off: Cook walks off at the end of the India innings . Tail wagging: Mohammed Shami plays a shot at the end of the India innings . Feeling down: Ian Bell looks lies on the floor as India pile on the runs . In the runs: Kumar and Shami both celebrate reaching 50 for India . In the wickets: India batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni is run out by a direct hit from James Anderson . 'After . day two of our last Test (at Headingley), I think Sri Lanka had an . eight per cent chance of winning - and they ended up winning,' the . seamer said. 'A session in Test cricket can change it. The third day is always the 'moving' day, a huge one for us. 'If . we can get a good start and build, I'm sure the Indian bowlers won't be . looking forward to bowling at Ben Stokes coming in at number eight when . you're a bit tired. 'We can certainly get a big score if we get our heads down.'
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England were in contention with India on 346-9 but the tourists were eventually all out for 457 in their first innings .
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami added 111 runs for last wicket .
England bowled 161 overs over two days on a slow piitch at Trent Bridge .
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A Maryland woman has delivered a miracle baby after doctors said a rare heart condition she suffers from would prevent her from ever having children. Shanelle Ragin was born with a single ventricle in her heart, which would prevent the organ from pumping blood properly. While surgeons corrected her congenital defect when she was just a day old with a procedure called the Fontan operation, she was left with side effects including difficulty breathing and other concerns that require her to take medication for the rest of her life. Scroll down for video . Miracle: Maryland woman Shanelle Ragin, pictured, has delivered a miracle baby after doctors said a rare heart condition she suffers from would prevent her from ever having children . Heart condition: Ragin, pictured left and right, was born with a single ventricle in her heart, which would prevent the organ from pumping blood properly. Doctors were fearful when she became pregnant . And when she unexpectedly became pregnant, doctors warned her that going through with the pregnancy meant risking death. 'It's one thing for half a heart to function for one individual, but now she's growing a baby inside of her as well,' Dr. Anitha John, a congenital heart defect specialist at Children's National Health System, told NBC News about the miracle. The pregnancy increased the risk that Ragin would suffer heart failure, especially during labor, when stress on the organ is increased, John said. She spent almost nine months on bed rest, all the while being monitored intensely. Still, doctors weren't sure the mother and baby would survive. 'Either one of us dying. That was my biggest fear,' Ragin told the network. Dangerous: The pregnancy increased the risk that Ragin would suffer heart failure, especially during labor, when stress on the organ is increased . Healthy: An expert medical team of about a dozen doctors and nurses at MedStar Washington Hospital Center ensured Shanelle pulled through, delivering a healthy baby called Carter, pictured left and right, two months ago . Bed rest: Shanelle Ragin, pictured left, spent almost nine months on bed rest, all the while being monitored intensely. But Carter was born without issue . But an expert medical team of about a dozen doctors and nurses at MedStar Washington Hospital Center ensured she pulled through, delivering a healthy baby boy called Carter two months ago. 'It was somewhat of a gamble on her part and on our part,' Freiss told NBC. Little Carter weighed just more than five pounds - and he has a perfect little heart. 'I felt really proud of Shanelle,' Freiss said. 'I think in a way, having a baby, a healthy beautiful baby like Carter, is an affirming part that you are a normal woman.' A 2013 study published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology looked at pregnancy after the Fontan operation and found 33 percent of pregnancies were complicated by an adverse maternal cardiac event, including heart failure. This could occur during pregnancy, labor or up to eight months post-delivery.
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Maryland woman Shanelle Ragin was born with a single ventricle in her heart .
When she unexpectedly became pregnant, doctors warned her that going through with the pregnancy meant risking death .
But an expert medical team of about a dozen doctors and nurses at MedStar Washington Hospital Center ensured she pulled through .
The new mom delivered a healthy baby boy called Carter two months ago .
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- It is still remembered as one of the worst days in the history of modern sailing. The Fastnet race still remains one of the biggest events in the yachting calendar. Yet the Fastnet tragedy of 1979 in which 15 people were killed and ex-British leader Edward Heath went missing helped to usher in a new era of improved safety in the sport. It was 30 years ago today that a freak storm struck over 300 vessels competing in the 600-mile yacht race between England and Ireland. Mountainous seas and vicious high winds sunk or put out of action 25 boats. The British rescue attempt turned into an international effort with a Dutch warship and trawlers from France also joining the search. In spite of the biggest rescue operation launched by the UK authorities since the Second World War a total of 15 people died. Some of them drowned and others succumbed to hypothermia. Six of those lost went missing after their safety harnesses broke. "It was a catastrophic event that had far-reaching consequences for the sport, the biggest of which was in the design and safety of the boats," Rodger Witt, editor of the UK-based magazine Sailing Today told CNN. "Most people in the sailing community at the time knew someone who was involved in one way or another. I had a friend who lost his father. It was devastating." In total 69 yachts did not finish the race. The former British prime minister, Edward Heath disappeared at the height of the storm, though he later returned to shore safe from harm. The corrected-time winner of the race was the yacht "Tenacious", owned and skippered by Ted Turner, the founder of CNN. Witt said that in the aftermath of the disaster the rules governing racing were tightened to ensure boats carried more ballast. Improvements were also made to the safety harnesses that tied crewmen to their boats, many of which proved ineffective in the tragedy. It also became mandatory for all yachts to be fitted with radio communication equipment and all competitors were expected to hold sailing qualifications to take part. At the time of the tragedy the Fastnet race was the last in a series of five races which made up the Admiral's Cup competition, the world championship of yacht racing. Competitors from around the globe attempted the route which sets off from the Isle of Wight, off the English south coast, and rounds the Fastnet rock on the southeast coast of Ireland. Roger Ware was in charge of handling press for the event on behalf of the organizers, the Royal Ocean Racing Club. Ware said that even today the tragedy "still spooks me." The racers set off on a Saturday but it wasn't till three days later that the authorities in the English coastal town of Plymouth realized there was a problem. The press team was based at the Duke of Cornwall hotel in Plymouth and early Tuesday morning Ware got a call from his superiors to go to the hotel immediately in order to field calls from journalists. "The night before we'd noticed high winds but there'd been no forecast of bad weather so we didn't think much of it," Ware told CNN. "As the morning progressed though, we heard that more and more boats were missing. It became obvious a tragedy was unfolding." Ware said the worst part for him was fielding calls from concerned relatives. "The Royal Ocean Racing Club headquarters was overloaded so calls were getting transferred to the press team. "I found myself talking to a woman whose husband I knew was in one of the boats where there'd been fatalities. I couldn't give her the information she wanted and to this day I still think about that telephone call."
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The 1979 Fastnet race ended in tragedy after a freak storm hit competitors .
In all 15 people died and the ex-British leader Edward Heath went missing for a time .
The disaster resulted in a raft of new safety rules introduced into the sport .
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By . Tom Worden In Barcelona . PUBLISHED: . 19:28 EST, 16 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:28 EST, 16 September 2012 . A British holidaymaker is fighting for her life after a quad bike accident in Spain. Lisa Darlington, 45, is in a critical condition with serious head injuries after falling from the vehicle on the island of Ibiza. Police said she was riding as a passenger on the quad, being driven by her son Danny, 21. Crash: The accident happened on a road near Cala Llonga, a popular beach resort on the island's south east coast, at around 9pm last Thursday . A police source confirmed local reports that he had been arrested for driving the vehicle without a licence. He is thought to have lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a stone wall. The accident happened on a road near Cala Llonga, a popular beach resort on the island’s south east coast, at around 9pm last Thursday. Mrs Darlington was taken by ambulance to hospital where she underwent emergency surgery. It is understood she is being kept in a drug-induced coma in intensive care. Her son was taken to the island’s Can Misses hospital with minor injuries but was released the same day. The accident is being investigated by the Civil Guard’s traffic department. A police source said: 'It appears he lost control and his mother was very seriously injured as she came off the quad bike and banged her head. Quad biking: Lisa Darlington, 45, is in a critical condition with serious head injuries after falling from the vehicle on the island of Ibiza (file picture) 'We’re still investigating what made him lose control.' He is said to have rented the quad bike using a provisional UK driving licence, when a full licence is required to drive the vehicle on a road. Danny appeared before an investigating magistrate and was released on bail. He went straight from the court to be at his mother’s bedside in hospital. 'It appears he lost control and his mother was very seriously injured as she came off the quad bike and banged her head' Police source . He has not been charged with any offence. It is the fourth quad bike accident on the island already this month and the sixth since June. On September 9 a British couple, aged 64 and 52, were run down by a quad bike in the party town of San Antonio. They were struck as they crossed a busy road at a crossing point at 3pm. The 52-year-old woman suffered multiple injuries while both the man’s legs were injured. And in July a French woman was taken to hospital with serious injuries after falling from a quad near Cala Jondal.
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Lisa Darlington, 45, fell off vehicle last Thursday .
Her son Danny, 29, was driving quad, police say .
He was arrested for driving vehicle without licence .
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By . Associated Press . Last updated at 7:56 PM on 5th January 2012 . Smouldering embers blamed for a Christmas morning house fire that killed three girls and their grandparents had been taken out of a fireplace so the children would not worry about Santa Claus coming down the chimney, two officials briefed on the investigation said on Tuesday. The officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation is still under way. Authorities say embers in a bag of discarded ashes started the blaze in Stamford that killed ten-year-old Lilly and seven-year-old twins Grace and Sarah Badger and their grandparents, Lomer and Pauline Johnson. Devastating: Fire fighters were unable to save Madonna Badger's three girls and their grandparents from the flames at her home in Stamford, Connecticut . The girls' mother, Madonna Badger, escaped the fire along with a friend, Michael Borcina. Borcina and Badger were treated at a local hospital and released. Fire officials have said Borcina is believed to have placed the ashes in or outside an entryway, near the trash. A funeral service will be held on Thursday in New York City for the girls. The . victims died of smoke inhalation. Lomer Johnson also suffered a blunt . head and neck trauma, which resulted from a fall or being hit by an . object. One of the girls, found dead just inside . a window, had been placed on a pile of books, apparently so Johnson . could reach in and grab her after he jumped out. Instead, authorities . say, he fell through the roof. Stamford police are helping fire officials investigate the blaze. Victims: Lomer Johnson, 71, his wife Pauline, 69, and their three granddaughters, Grace, Lily and Sarah (all pictured right) perished in a fire on Christmas morning after fireplace embers caught the house (left) alight . Victims: Lomer and Pauline Johnson and their grandchildren, from left, Lily, Grace, Sarah and Morgan - who was not in the house - perished in the 5am fire . Last family photo: Matthew Badger with his daughters (left to right) Grace, Sarah and Lily, are pictured for the last time together in front of the Statue of Liberty, four days before the fire that claimed their lives . Survivors: Madonna Badger, left, and her boyfriend Michael Borcina, right, escaped the inferno at her home . Police said Monday officials want to know if there were smoke alarms, the status of renovation work in the house and whether the contractor had permits. The issue of permits could figure in the investigation because the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection has said that neither Borcina nor his company, Tiberias Construction Inc., was registered to perform home improvement work in Connecticut. Contractors are required to register with the state, though numerous building and other permits are issued by local officials. Gone: The house, which was built in the 1890s, has been entirely demolished . Pain: Firefighter Nick Tamburro pays respects outside the destroyed home in Stamford, Connecticut. Many of the fire fighters dispatched to the scene are undergoing counselling to deal with the horrifying memories . Fire: A neighbour was woken up in the early hours by screaming and saw the house was engulfed in flames . The agency said it did not yet have enough information about what work may have been done or completed and would not comment on whether it will investigate. Facebook messages have been left for Borcina. Repeated attempts to contact him by telephone since the fire have been unsuccessful. Stamford authorities deemed the house unsafe following the fire and ordered it torn down the day after the fire. Fire Chief Antonio Conte said the fire was Stamford's deadliest since a 1987 blaze that also killed five people.
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Authorities say embers in a bag of discarded ashes started the blaze in Stamford, Connecticut .
Private wake for three girls scheduled Wednesday .
Public funeral to be held Thursday in Manhattan church .
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A pregnant wife was smothered to death by her husband, his parents and his brother-in-law who later all claimed she may have been killed by an evil spirit, a court has heard. Nalia Mumtaz, 21, was pronounced dead at hospital after being rushed there by paramedics who found her lying lifeless and ashen faced on a bed at the family home. Her unborn child died with her. Her husband Mohammed Mumtaz, 24, his . father Zia Ul Haq and mother Salma Aslam, both 51, as well as his brother in . law Hammad Hassan, 24, all deny charges of murder and manslaughter. Death: A pregnant wife was smothered to death by family members who later all claimed she may have been killed by an evil spirit, a court has heard. Pictured left-right are Mohammed Mumtaz, Salma Aslam, Zia Ul-Haq and Hammad Hassan who appeared at court today . Tragic: The family home in Birmingham, pictured, where Nalia Mumtaz was found . At Birmingham Crown Court today, prosecutor Christopher . Hotten said the cultural context in which Mrs Mumtaz met her death on July . 8, 2009 was of importance, as were the religious beliefs of the . defendants, described as a ‘traditional Muslim family with an emphasis . on religious observance’. He asked the jury: ‘Was she or may . she have been possessed by an evil spirit which took her life as the . defendants were to suggest both at the time and after her death? ‘Or may she have died as a result of some unknown or undetected illness? 'Or will you be sure that, as we say, she was assaulted, smothered, by these four defendants all of whom admit they were present when she died?’ Mrs Mumtaz was born in Pakistan and willingly entered into an arranged marriage with her husband, then a student at Wolverhampton University, in August 2007. In the dock: Nalia Mumtaz was born in Pakistan and willingly entered into an arranged marriage with her husband Mohammed Mumtaz, pictured. He denies - along with other members of his family- killing her . She came to Britain for the first time the following May after obtaining a visa and moved into his parents’ modern, three bedroom detached home in Birmingham. Mr Hotten said she was attractive, bright and was ‘thrilled’ by the prospect of motherhood after falling pregnant in February 2009. During her pregnancy, she was regularly seen by a GP and various midwives – the last time two days before her death - and both she and her unborn child appeared healthy. But her parents said she phoned them at their home in the Jhellum district of Pakistan the day before her death and told them she was ‘not at peace’ living with her in-laws and was upset, Mr Hotten said. The jury was also told that numerous telephone calls were made to Mrs Mumtaz's relatives in Pakistan, the emergency services and other individuals in the hours before she was taken to hospital. During the calls it is alleged that Ul Haq claimed that a ‘djinn’ - or evil spirit - had been sent from Pakistan, while a woman at the house was allegedly heard to say ‘don’t call an ambulance yet - we will cure her ourselves.’ Part-way through Mr Hotten’s opening speech, Mumtaz collapsed in the dock in a clearly distressed state and the jury was sent home until tomorrow. The case continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Nalia Mumtaz, 21, was found lying .
lifeless on a bed at the family home .
Her unborn child .
also died with her .
Her husband, his parents and his brother-in-law all deny charges of murder and manslaughter .
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0b0af0e1094c17f3b7c26b3c2894a6ede1f0aa7c
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(CNN) -- A new CNN poll confirms that we're witnessing a quiet reversal in the character of our two major parties. Traditionally, Republicans have always coalesced around the conventional wisdom front-runner for president. Conservatives respect structure, order and party brand names. Not for nothing was the name Nixon, Bush or Dole on the GOP presidential ticket from 1952 to 2004. In contrast, Democrats have favored the presidential candidate with the hot hand, rising from obscurity to the White House -- think Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. But a fresh-out-of-the-oven CNN presidential poll shows a fractured GOP field of newcomers with no clear front-runner while the Democrats have given an unprecedented lead to a brand name of their own: Hillary Clinton. Opinion: GOP strategy on shutdown courts doom . Yes, it is pathetically early to be projecting on the 2016 presidential campaign. Predictive capacity hovers somewhere near zero, and time fixated on polls would be productively used thinking about the 2014 midterms or the fights over the debt ceiling looming over our divided, dysfunctional Congress. But as a snapshot of the underlying dynamics driving the two parties, this new poll is worth a look. On the GOP side of the aisle, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie narrowly leads the fractured field at 17%, one point above Rep. Paul Ryan, best known as Mitt Romney's vice presidential running mate. In the old days, the previous vice presidential nominee would be the future favorite. But that doesn't seem to be the case for Ryan, who emerged from the 2012 presidential race arguably damaged by his association with the Romney campaign. Traditionally, the governor of blue state New Jersey wouldn't be on the GOP radar at all, but Christie -- cruising to a landslide re-election -- seems to be the exception to this and other rules. Next on the list is Rand Paul, the scion of an outsider libertarian movement sparked by his dad's multiple runs for president. But the compelling and controversial one-time eye doctor is a first-term senator from Kentucky, far from your typical presidential timber. Perhaps most interesting is the second tier of GOP candidates. Jeb Bush seems settled in at 10%, despite brand name and legendary brand loyalty. Two Hispanic senate Republicans, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, come in next at 9% and 7% respectively. And then, at the bottom of the barrel, come two 2012 aspirants: Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. Far from being strengthened by their 2012 campaigns, these two candidates seem weakened by the experience. Rick Perry's "oops" heard round the world still resonates while Santorum's strident social conservatism doesn't seem to be taken seriously by 95% of the party faithful. Strange days. Obama pressures conservative Republicans over possible shutdown . The real news is on the Democratic side. Hillary Clinton has accumulated a towering 55 percentage point lead over her next closest competitor, Vice President Joe Biden, who is at 10% and doesn't exactly lack name recognition. Below Biden are first-term Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 7%, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo at 6% and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley -- perhaps the most openly ambitious of the bunch -- at 2%. Clinton's dominance illustrates an interesting dynamic. Six years ago, she was a far more polarizing figure among Democrats (and independents). Today, after her service as secretary of state, she seems more qualified and less polarizing, transcending her association with the culture of wars concurrent with Bubba's two terms in office. Tough and experienced, Clinton is now positioned as a candidate who rivals Obama's 2007 surge. She will also be positioned as the candidate of the 51%, compelling to women of all ages and even possibly competitive among Republican women in this incarnation. Uncle Joe Biden is well liked by the rank and file, but there doesn't seem to be much of a stampede to put him on the top of the ticket. Warren's strength comes from fascination with the new and represents the growing strength of the liberal base in the party. And while successful governors like Cuomo and O'Malley have earned the right to be taken seriously as presidential candidates, the party faithful don't seem to be much interested in buying what they are selling at the moment. If Clinton does not run for some reason, Democrats will quickly wake up to the awkward fact that they have almost no depth of the bench after two Obama terms. So there you have it: Democrats are behaving like Republicans, falling in line behind the big brand name dominating a race that is still three years away. And Republicans are behaving like Democrats, putting forward a fractured field with no clear front-runners but elevating a New Jersey governor, a Wisconsin congressman and a Kentucky senator to the front of the pack. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Avlon.
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John Avlon: A new CNN poll shows a reversal in the character of two major parties .
Avlon: Traditionally, GOP coalesce around a front-runner; Democrats root for newcomers .
Now, GOP has an eclectic pool of presidential candidates; Democrats have Hillary Clinton .
Avlon: If Clinton does not run, Democrats will have almost no strong candidate .
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0b0b5f333a21bac8c7a25319389a532a70764963
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President Barack Obama's choice for the No. 2 job at the Homeland Security Department is under investigation for his role in helping a company run by Hillary Clinton's brother Anthony Rodham. Alejandro Mayorkas, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, is being investigated for his role in helping the company secure an international investor visa for a Chinese executive, according to congressional officials briefed on the investigation. Anthony Rodham is president and CEO of Gulf Coast Funds Management LLC in McLean, Va. Under investigation: Alejandro Mayorkas, who is being probed, (pictured far right) stood with President Obama and Director of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano (center) in March 2013 at the White House . The officials spoke only on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release details of the investigation. Mayorkas was named by Homeland Security's Inspector General's Office as a target in an investigation involving the foreign investor program run by USCIS, according to an email sent to lawmakers late Monday, Associated Press has learned. In that email, the IG's office said,'At this point in our investigation, we do not have any findings of criminal misconduct.' The email did not specify any criminal allegations it might be investigating. White House press secretary Jay Carney referred questions to the inspector general's office, which said that the probe is in its preliminary stage and that it doesn't comment on the specifics of investigations. The program, known as EB-5, allows foreigners to get visas if they invest $500,000 to $1 million in projects or businesses that create jobs for U.S. citizens. The amount of the investment required depends on the type of project. Investors who are approved for the program can become legal permanent residents after two years and can later be eligible to become citizens. Clinton connections: Hillary Clinton's brother Anthony Rodham (pictured right with his bride Nicole Boxer in 1999) is president and CEO of Gulf Coast Funds Management LLC in McLean, Va . If Mayorkas were confirmed as Homeland Security's deputy secretary, he probably would run the department until a permanent replacement was approved to take over for departing Secretary Janet Napolitano. The email to lawmakers said the primary complaint against Mayorkas was that he helped a financing company run by Anthony Rodham, a brother of Hillary Rodham Clinton, to win approval for an investor visa, even after the application was denied and an appeal was rejected. Mayorkas, a former U.S. attorney in California, previously came under criticism for his involvement in the commutation by President Bill Clinton of the prison sentence of the son of a Democratic Party donor. Another of Hillary Clinton's brothers, Hugh Rodham, had been hired by the donor to lobby for the commutation. Mayorkas told lawmakers during his 2009 confirmation hearing that 'it was a mistake' to talk to the White House about the request. Hillary Clinton, who stepped down as secretary of state on Feb. 1, is considered a possible contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016. According to the Inspector General's email, the investigation of the investor visa program also includes allegations that other USCIS Office of General Counsel officials obstructed an audit of the visa program by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The email did not name any specific official from the general counsel's office. Family ties: Another of Hillary Clinton's brothers, Hugh Rodham (pictured with Bill Clinton in 1999) had been hired by the donor to lobby for the commutation . The email says investigators did not know whether Mayorkas was aware of the investigation. The FBI's Washington Field Office was told about the investigation in June after it inquired about Mayorkas as part of the White House background investigation for his nomination as deputy DHS secretary. The FBI in Washington has been concerned about the investor visa program and the projects funded by foreign sources since at least March, according to emails obtained by The AP. The bureau wanted details of all of the limited liability companies that had invested in the EB-5 visa program. Of particular concern, the FBI official wrote, was Chinese investment in projects, including the building of an FBI facility. 'Let's just say that we have a significant issue that my higher ups are really concerned about and this may be addressed way above my pay grade,' an official wrote in one email. The FBI official's name was redacted in that email. Appointed by Obama: Alejandro Mayorkas is director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services . Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent the FBI a lengthy letter Tuesday asking for details of its review of the foreign investor visa program and Chinese investment in U.S. infrastructure projects. Chinese investment in infrastructure projects has long been a concern of the U.S. government. In September, the Obama administration blocked a Chinese company from owning four wind farm projects in northern Oregon that were near a Navy base used to fly unmanned drones and electronic-warfare planes on training missions. And in October, the House Intelligence Committee warned that two leading Chinese technology firms, Huawei Technologies Ltd. and ZTE Corp., posed a major security threat to the U.S. Both firms have denied being influenced by the Chinese government. The most routine users of the EB-5 program are Chinese investors. According to an undated, unclassified State Department report about the program obtained by the AP, the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, China, processed more investor visas in the 2011 fiscal year than any other consulate or embassy. The document says 'applicants are usually coached and prepped for their interviews, making it difficult to take at face value applicants' claims' about where their money comes from and whether they hold membership in the Chinese Communist Party. Party membership would make an applicant ineligible for the investor visa. Gulf Coast Funds Management LLC is one of hundreds of 'Regional Centers' that pool investments from foreign nationals looking to invest in U.S. businesses or industries as part of the foreign investor visa program. There was no immediate response to an email sent to Gulf Coast requesting comment. It is unclear from the IG's email why the investor visa application was denied. Visa requests can be denied for a number of reasons, including a circumstance where an applicant has a criminal background or is considered a threat to national security or public safety.
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Alejandro Mayorkas under investigation for helping get an international investor visa for a Chinese exec .
Clinton's brother Anthony Rodham is president and CEO of the company .
The visa allows foreigners into the U.S. if they invest $500K to $1m in projects or business that create jobs for American citizens .
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By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 03:49 EST, 29 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:49 EST, 29 November 2013 . Prime Minister David Cameron said he was determined to roll back the green levies which push up bills . David Cameron today signalled that green levies on energy bills will be cut within days, as the political row over living costs heated up. The Prime Minister said he was determined to ‘roll back' costs which add to pressures on family finances, ahead of next week's Autumn Statement. But Downing Street was forced to deny reports it had 'asked for a price freeze' in talks with energy firms in a bid to ensure gas and electricity charges did not rise ahead of the next election. and was still working on ways to ease the pressure on family finances. It was reported that ministers were urging the Big Six to hold prices until the . middle of 2015 if action is taken next week on curbing green levies which push . up costs. Labour leader Ed Miliband seized on the claims, to accuse Mr Cameron of 'flailing' around in search of an energy policy. 'What we now know is that while David Cameron has in public been opposing an energy price freeze, in private he has been pleading with the energy companies to get him off the hook,' Mr Miliband said. The Labour leader stepped up his calls for . the biggest overhaul of the energy market since the utilities were privatised. Since he unveiled his promise to freeze gas and electricity . bills from 2015 to early 2017, the government has been scrambling to find a way . to offer help to families now. Chancellor George Osborne is expected to use the . Autumn Statement on Thursday to announce that up to £50 will be cut from bills by removing levies . used to fund green and social policies. Instead they will be funded from general taxation. Industry sources suggested last night that Energy Secretary Ed Davey had written to . the Big Six asking for a price freeze in return for the green levy cuts. But a Number 10 source said: 'This story is utterly misleading. The Government has not asked for a price freeze. People should wait for us to announce our plans.' Profits on the average bill have risen from £8 in 2009 to £53 in 2012, fuelled by a bitterly cold winter . Latest figures show the profits made from domestic bills has . risen by 75 per cent to £53. The Big Six – British Gas, Npower, E.ON, EDF, SSE and . Scottish Power – are pushing up prices by up to 10 per cent this winter. Speaking . at a summit in Lithuania today, Mr Cameron said: 'I've said all along I . want households and families to have sustainably low energy prices now . the only way you can do that is by increasing competition and rolling . back some of the costs of some of the levies. 'I've said that is what we are going to do and that is what we are going to do. 'That's a world away from saying you might do something in 20 months time with no ideas about how to do it. That is a con, we're talking about real policy.' Energy watchdog Ofgem this week warned the Big Six that 'making a profit is not an entitlement' after reveal a sharp rise in the money they made in 2012. But Angela Knight, chief executive of Energy UK, today insisted the profits made by the companies were 'modest'. 'In the energy industry, we have got a lot of changes for customers coming through, but it also is very political,' she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 'The energy situation is a lot more complicated than people often think. Only about 18 per cent of the bill comes from energy. 'The profits are pretty modest, not in the league of many other industries. Energy companies have to be profitable.’ Mr Miliband used a speech in Manchester today to set out more detail . of his plans to overhaul the energy market, which he would push through in the . 20 months that a Labour government would freeze prices. Labour leader Ed Miliband, in a speech at Manchester town hall, called for a two-year freeze to give time to overhaul the energy market . He pledged to end the energy ‘rip-off’ and call for a . tough new regulator, and an independent body to plan new infrastructure and . ensure the lights stay on. He also promised action to boost competition among . suppliers, and simplify bills for customers. The shake-up - described by Mr Miliband as the biggest . since privatisation in the 1980s - would be implemented during the 20 month . price freeze planned if Labour wins the general election. ‘In the past three years it has become clear to everyone . but this government that the energy market is broken,’ he said. ‘Prices are rising year on year without justification. And Britain is not getting the investment in energy we need to secure supplies . for the future.’ An independent Energy Security Board would be created . modelled on the Office for Budget Responsibility, to help draw up and implement . a timetable for building energy capacity. A new regulator will have powers to order firms to pass . on wholesale savings to customers, and intervene in the market to ensure . consumers will get good value in the future. Other commitments in the green paper include preventing . power generation companies doing exclusive deals with their retail arms and ensuring . all environmental and policy levies on bills are delivering ‘value for money’.
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Ministers write to energy companies seeking deal on two-year price freeze .
Follows Labour leader Ed Miliband's pledge to block rises until 2017 .
Profits accounted for £53 on the average bill in 2012, up from £30 in 2011 .
Total profits made by the Big Six rise from £1.25billion to £1.6billion .
Bills due to rise by up to 10% this winter as temperatures plummet .
Revenue raised from customers growing 50 per cent faster than costs .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 05:00 EST, 11 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 20:03 EST, 12 March 2014 . Elle Wright’s eight-year-old daughter wants nothing more than to be a boy. In a tell-all article for Daily Life, Ms Wright said: ‘I was driving along in the car recently when my daughter Ruby [name changed] asked if she could go to the doctor's and get a penis.' She said her breath caught in her throat and she tried to stay calm as she told her daughter she would ‘have to Google it when I got home’. Gender confusion: Elle Wright is determined to support her daughter, who wants to be a boy, no matter what she decides about her future . The mother, who runs a clothing store in Byron Bay on the north coast of New South Wales in Australia, said Ruby had never been interested in ‘girly’ clothes or toys. She said: ‘Ruby only wanted to play with Tonka trucks and tool belts. By the time she was three, she simply refused to wear anything remotely girlish.’ The eight-year-old now wanted to be called ‘Jack Black’, and wore her hair short with a swept-over, Justin-Bieber-style fringe. 'At eight years of age, Ruby is still so young, and I have no idea what the next few years will bring. But this has been present in Ruby forever, so I'm not going to overlook or ignore it... ‘I have no idea what the future holds for Ruby, but whatever the outcome, I’m firmly in her corner and we’ll tackle it as a team' Ruby, whom strangers often mistook for a boy, also enjoys playing ‘rough-and-tumble games’, walks with a swagger, rides skateboards and surfs like a pro. When strangers call her ‘mate’ or ‘boy’, Ruby never corrects them - and Ms Wright said she barely noticed it anymore. Until recently, Ruby had only ever wanted to play with boys. Lately she had started to play with girls - but Ms Wright said: ‘It’s definitely a different dynamic.’ The issue of Ruby's gender identity came to a head when her class went on a school camp. Boys and girls were made to sleep in different tents and Ruby was heartbroken when she was put in the girls’ tent. Ms Wright said: ‘She tried to cajole the volunteer parents into believing she was a boy, but didn’t succeed.' More... Duke and Duchess of Cambridge 'hire Spanish supernanny with 20 years' experience to look after Prince George' ADHD doesn't exist and drugs do more harm than good: Doctor claims symptoms can have routine causes that are ignored due to knee-jerk diagnosis . Two years ago, the headmaster of Ruby's school called Ms Wright into the office and suggested that Ruby might be more than just a tomboy. He advised Ms Wright to start researching gender identity issues and to contact support groups so she could provide Ruby with the information she needed. Ms Wright said she did not know what the future held for Ruby, and while she did not ‘feel the need to label it at this young age’, she also wanted to be aware of the issues and supportive of her child. She added: ‘At eight years of age, Ruby is still so young, and I have no idea what the next few years will bring. But this has been present in Ruby forever, so I'm not going to overlook or ignore it. 'Once, a couple of mothers suggested I must have wanted a son because of the way I encourage Ruby to dress and behave as she does. I was shocked. I ran away and got into my car shaking with anger. I'd never felt more judged. I've also never been more resolute about letting Ruby be herself' ‘I understand that puberty can be a time of great distress for kids who have gender confusion. Depression and suicide are risks at this time. I believe with love and support you can tackle anything, so I'm going to be as prepared as I can be with information to help Ruby with whatever direction she chooses for her life.’ One option available for children who show evidence of gender dysphoria – where they feel discontent with their sex – is to take drugs that delay the onset of puberty, to give them more time to decide whether they want to begin the process of gender reassignment. Ms Wright said she knew it might be a rocky road ahead for her daughter, and she had already faced criticism from other parents. 'Once, a couple of mothers suggested I must have wanted a son because of the way I encourage Ruby to dress and behave as she does. I was shocked. I ran away and got into my car shaking with anger. I'd never felt more judged. I've also never been more resolute about letting Ruby be herself. ‘I can’t imagine how confusing it must be to feel you’re not in the right skin. ‘I have no idea what the future holds for Ruby, but whatever the outcome, I’m firmly in her corner and we’ll tackle it as a team.’
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Elle Wright's daughter wants to be called Jack Black, hates 'girly' clothes and toys, and always plays with boys .
Devastated when she was made to sleep in the girls' tent at school camp .
In personal essay, Elle says she will support her daughter no matter what .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:56 EST, 16 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 23:50 EST, 16 June 2013 . President Barack Obama today released an old picture of him and his young daughter Sasha, now 12, in honor of father's day. It came on the weekend he used his weekly address to lament the fact that his own father wasn't around and says he's still working to be a better father. 'I never really knew my own father,' he said. 'I was raised by a single mom and two wonderful grandparents...But I still wish I had a dad who was not only around, but involved.' Scroll down for video . Proud daddy: President Obama released this picture of him and daughter Sasha on the White House Twitter account . President's Father: President Obama's father never had a large presence in his life. He was raised by his single mother and grandparents . Obama says being a dad isn't easy for anyone - gay, straight, grandparent or foster parent. He says he wants to encourage marriage and strong families by reforming child support laws to get more fathers engaged. He says businesses, faith groups and communities have a role to play. But mostly the speech dealt with Obama's personal role as a dad, something he described Friday as 'the best job I've got.' 'When I look back on my life I won't be thinking about any particular legislation that I passed or policy that I promoted - I'll be thinking about Michelle and the journey that we've been on together,' President Obama said. 'I'll be thinking about Sasha's dance recitals and Malia's tennis matches.' Throwback: The Obama family in 2004, back when the President was still the Democratic senator from Illinois . Carpool President: President Obama dropping off Malia and Sasha at school before he assumed office . Speaking of recitals, the President celebrated Father’s Day by attending his daughter Malia’s dance recital in North Bethesda, Maryland. Obama was seen outside the Music Center at Strathmore with his arm around his daughter and walking with first lady Michelle Obama, who extended a special Father’s Day wish to her husband and all dads on Twitter. 'Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there — especially you, POTUS! -mo' Michelle Obama personally tweeted. Daddy's girl: US President Barack Obama laughs with his daughter Malia as they leave Strathmore Music Center in Bethesda, Maryland after attending the Obama's youngest daughter Sasha's dance recital . Uplifted: President Barack Obama laughs with his daughter Malia as they leave with First Lady Michelle Obama who tweeted 'Happy Father¿s Day to all the dads out there ¿ especially you, POTUS!' The President also celebrated Father's Day on Friday at a luncheon at the White House with members of the Becoming a Man program. One young guest looked distinctly underwhelmed by his encounter with the President. Where's my dad? The child appeared underwhemed at being held by the most powerful man in the world . President Obama, who has two daughters, cradled the baby as he dropped in on a Father's Day Lunch at the White House. While . the baby's father looked delighted at his son's big moment with the . Commander in Chief, the little boy seemed unfazed by the fuss. The President told the specially selected gathering at the luncheon that being a father is the best job he's got. At the Father's Day luncheon, President Obama had a message closer to home, telling the guests Sunday's celebration was the perfect time for fathers to remember how lucky . they are. Fathers and their children, along with . students and leaders from the Becoming a Man program at Chicago's Hyde . Park Academy were among those treated to burgers, fries and lemonade in . the State Dining Room. President Obama spoke at the school in February. Get to the point: The Father's Day luncheon to celebrate the importance of strong families and mentorship . His chief of staff, several economic advisers and his legislative affairs director sat with guests during the lunch. Obama leaves . tonight on a three-day trip to Northern Ireland and Germany, giving . him a bit of time to enjoy Father's Day with daughters Malia, 14, and Sasha,12.
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President Obama's weekly address was personal, with references to his absent father .
Being a dad is the best job I've got, Obama told guests at a luncheon .
President attended his daughter, Malia's dance recital .
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0b0e9d8b2466ea8b9e7672efe15e2443d60c9b79
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BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- An Australian author was sentenced Monday to three years in prison in Thailand after falling foul of a Thai law that makes it a crime to insult the country's royal family. Harry Nicolaides behind the bars of a Thai holding cell on Monday. Harry Nicolaides was arrested last August over a 2005 book called "Verisimilitude," which includes a paragraph about the king and crown prince that the authorities deemed a violation of the Lese Majeste law. Nicolaides, 41, was bombarded with questions from foreign journalists as he arrived at the court Monday, wearing shackles as he stepped from a prison bus. In tears, he said he would plead guilty. "Truth is stranger than fiction," he said. "It's been an ordeal for months. It feels like a bad dream." Watch shackled Nicolaides at court » . The Thai Criminal Court originally sentenced Nicolaides to six years in jail but cut the punishment in half because of the guilty plea. He listened calmly as the verdict was translated to him. After hearing his verdict Nicolaides said: "I wish my family the best." Watch Nicolaides' brother's reaction » . One of his lawyers said no decision had been made about whether to appeal or seek a royal pardon. King Bhumibol Adulydej has pardoned foreigners in other similar cases in the past. CNN has chosen not to repeat the allegations made by Nicolaides because it could result in CNN staff being prosecuted in Thailand. Nicolaides had been living in Thailand since 2003, lecturing at two universities about tourism. He was about to leave Thailand when he was arrested on August 31 last year. It is not clear why the authorities waited three years after the publication of his book to bring charges against him. "I think there are individuals who have exploited an obscure law for their own self-interest," he said. Only 50 copies of the book were published, and only seven were sold. The law Nicolaides was convicted of breaking is section 112, known as the Lese Majeste law. It says: "Whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent, shall be punished with imprisonment of three to fifteen years." Thailand's king is highly revered in this Buddhist nation, but even he has said in the past that he can be criticized. Thailand's new prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, also told CNN he is concerned about the misuse of the Lese Majeste law. "There are cases in the past where this law has been abused for political purposes, and I agree this has to stop," he said. Despite the rhetoric there's little sign the prime minister will change the law. Other cases are pending against both foreigners and Thais. CNN's Dan Rivers and Kocha Olarn in Bangkok contributed to this report .
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Australian author jailed for insulting Thai king in a book .
Harry Nicolaides jailed for three years; cut from six for his guilty plea .
He was arrested last year, three years after the book was first published .
Defense lawyers deciding whether to appeal or ask for a royal pardon .
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By . Richard Shears . PUBLISHED: . 07:03 EST, 30 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:16 EST, 31 May 2013 . A school sandwich was thrown at Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard today for the second time this month - and this time it hit her. The salami sandwich on white bread struck Miss Gillard on the arm when she visited a school in Canberra. But she laughed off the incident later, declaring: 'The child who threw it must have thought I was hungry.' Scroll down for video . Target: Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard had a school sandwich thrown at her for the second time this month . Earlier this month a Vegemite sandwich was tossed at - and missed - the Prime Minister when she was visiting a school in Queensland. The contents of the sandwich thrown today has sparked widespread debate on social media, with some observers asking why the parents of the culprit - who has yet to be identified - had prepared such a non-nutritious sandwich. But others said more expense had gone into the making of the sandwich as salami would have cost more than a spread of vegemite. Miss Gillard's security team and photographers surrounded the missile as it lay splattered at the Prime Minister's feet during her visit to Lyneham High School. She was walking through the foyer, filled with excited schoolchildren who were calling her name and trying to shake her hand, when the sandwich was lobbed from the back of the group and, said witnesses, struck her on the arm. She did not react at the time but joked later with the remark about the child who threw it probably thinking she was hungry. The salami sandwich attack happened weeks after another flying sandwich narrowly missed Julia Gillard . Incident earlier this month: The missile - believed to contain Vegemite - didn't hit Labour leader . Julia Gillard but it landed with a plop on the ground near her when she . was mobbed by the students in Queensland . The sandwich was thrown by a student at Australia's prime minister as she was mobbed by abusive children at a school south of Brisbane . The Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory, Katy Gallagher, also made light of the incident, saying that 'schools are full of kids and kids occasionally do silly things.' She added: 'Occasionally you're going to get a rogue student. 'From what I saw, and I was squashed in the crowd, it was a really excited student population eager to talk with the Prime Minister and she was very generous with her time.' While the school declined to comment pending an investigation, principal Colleen Matheson gave one student a severe dressing down, although the matter was apparently unrelated to the sandwich throwing. Miss Matheson was heard telling the student: 'I've already been humiliated by one child today - don't let it happen with another.'
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Salami sandwich on white bread struck Miss Gillard on the arm .
She laughed it off declaring: 'The child must have thought I was hungry'
Earlier this month a Vegemite sandwich was tossed at - and missed .
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0b0ff43891b42d7c9759cf8cbfb500a720cdaf86
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By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 04:54 EST, 6 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:03 EST, 6 March 2013 . Run-down and left to the elements, these abandoned buildings offer a sometimes macabre, often poignant insight into their history - as a leper colony. The centuries-old institution on the Greek island of Chios once housed dozens of outcasts who had contracted the disease, which is still often misunderstood today. These evocative photos by Kelly Katsarou vividly reveal the environment in which the lepers were forced to live out their lives. Scroll down for video . Welcoming? The gates to the leper colony situated on the Greek island of Chios . Cruel: But parts of the archaic colony can also be unexpectedly beautiful, as these pictures show . Isolated: The building is shut off from the rest of the island to prevent the infection spreading . Left to suffer: This woman shows the affects of . leprosy to her hands and face. Greek leper colonies are the subject of . Victoria Hislop's best-seling debut novel The Island . Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Left untreated, the disease can cause permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes. A common myth is that body parts can fall off, but it can cause limbs to become numb or diseased from secondary infections. Although the form of transmission remains uncertain, it is thought to be through respiratory droplets. The World Health Organization estimated that in 1995 between two and three million people were permanently disabled because of leprosy. In the past 20 years, 15 million people have been cured of leprosy worldwide. The colony, called Lovokomeio, opened in 1378 as the first leper colony in Greece and one of the first in all of Europe. It . was intended to isolate those suffering from leprosy and other . contagious skin diseases from the rest of society in order to avoid . infecting others. The origins of leprosy, now known to be caused by a bacterium, were then unknown, adding to the stigma placed on its sufferers. As the disease was so poorly understood, many of the 'lepers' sent to the colony did not even suffer from it - rather, they had other skin diseases or fungal infections. Such was the fear and stigma, settlements were usually built in . isolated locations such as islands. Sometimes, however, they . were deliberately set up to be accessible so that they were kept in the public eye, and thus received a steady flow of . donations. Lovokomeio was no such colony. Fitting with the commonly held belief of the time that the disease was a punishment from God, there was a church dedicated to St Lazarus, the patron saint of lepers. Step inside: The abandoned leper colony is now a tourist attraction since being shut down in 1957 . Picturesque: Some of the photographs make you forget the sinister past of the buildings . Eerie: Other images bring home the horror of what used to happen at the institution . Outdated: Lepers were made to live with one another and forbidden from mixing with their families . It is just one of the run-down buildings on the colony photographed by Kelly Katsarou, where children’s . notebooks and medicines lie scattered alongside open tombs. Doors are smashed, stripped beds lie . rusting, and rotting floorboards give an ominous creak whenever someone . is foolhardy enough to put their weight on them. While it would of course have been . miserable to be separated from one's family and placed in a . colony, these pictures show that there were positives to be found in life at the colony. Ancient: The colony opened in 1378 as one of the first homes for lepers in the whole of Europe . Beautiful: Photographer Kelly Katsarou managed to transform the creepy colony into these stunning images . Decline: The 19th century brought warfare and natural disasters to Chios . Sign: A Greek poster advertising 'The leper colony of Chios' to would-be visitors . Some areas of the complex are undeniably beautiful, and it could have been a consolation to spend time with fellow sufferers who could empathise with each others' plight. The colony at Chios began to decline during the 19th century, when the island was the centre of fierce fighting in the Greek War of Independence. By the middle of the century Chios was largely deserted, and the situation was worsened by an 1881 earthquake which killed nearly 8,000 people. The colony was finally shut down for . good in 1957, by which time a cure had been found for leprosy and much . of the stigma had disappeared in the West. However, there are still hundreds of leper colonies open around the world, particularly in India. Storeroom: Old furniture from the colony stacked up in a room since it closed down . Mystery: The cause of leprosy was unknown until it was discovered to be a bacterium in the late 19th century . Stigma: Many believed that the illness was a curse from God due to references to it in the Bible . Relic: But hundreds of leper colonies are still operating around the world, particularly in India . Back in time: The building has been left just as it was and is now a valuable historical exhibit . Grim: But some leprosy sufferers may have been able to enjoy a reasonable quality of life .
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Lovokomeio leper colony on the island of Chios opened in 1378 but has long been abandoned .
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0b112e998454f31f4dd57e166c5e8edaac0db2fa
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Rome (CNN) -- Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke, who was serving a life sentence for his role in the massacre of hundreds at Italy's Ardeatine Caves in 1944, has died, his lawyer said Friday. Priebke, 100, spent the last years of his life under house arrest in Rome. He left behind a video interview, lawyer Paolo Giachini said, though its contents were not immediately available. Priebke was sentenced to life in prison by an Italian court in 1998 for helping organize the March 24, 1944, execution of 335 men and boys in retaliation for partisan attacks on German troops. Among those said to have been killed were members of the Italian resistance movement, resistance sympathizers and Jews. After the war, he managed to flee to Argentina, where he lived as a free man for half a century before being extradited to face trial in Italy. Dubbed the "butcher of the Ardeatine Caves" after his extradition, Priebke long maintained he was only following orders that came directly from Berlin. Because of his age at the time of his conviction, Priebke was allowed to serve his time under house arrest, and was even able to leave home each day to work at the office of a lawyer. Giachini, the attorney, said there were plans for Priebke to be buried near his late wife at an undisclosed location in Argentina. But Argentina's Foreign Ministry said Friday it will will not accept the remains. "Foreign Minister Hector Timerman has given orders to not accept any process that will permit the body of Nazi criminal Erich Priebke access to our country," the ministry said in a post on its Twitter account. "The Argentines will not accept this type of affront to human dignity." CNN's Chelsea J. Carter contributed to this report.
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NEW: Argentina says it will not allow Priebke to be buried within its borders .
Erich Priebke was under house arrest at the time of his death .
He was sentenced to life in prison for war crimes .
He was convicted for his role in the massacre of 335 people in 1944 .
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0b1225617f43bbee49dedb6dd60f345a33a7307e
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(CNN) -- Joao Victor Marcari Oliva could become one of Brazil's brightest Olympic talents, if he can step out of the shadows of a legend: his mum. Oliva is the son of Hortencia Marcari, who led Brazil's women to the basketball world title in 1994 and Olympic silver at the Atlanta Games two years later. "Hortencia is a celebrity at the level of a great soccer star here in Brazil," says basketball writer Marcos Antonio. "She was a born scorer, a 'clutch player' -- it was almost impossible to block her shots. She was always on TV." Oliva says: "Every time I'm walking down the street with my mum, there are a lot of fans taking photos of her and people asking for autographs. Sometimes that gets boring -- but it's nice." A fraction taller than his mother at 180 cm (5 foot 10 inches), the teen has shunned a career in basketball. His heart is set on an entirely different sport: dressage. "I have my mother's blood when it comes to sport, but my father bred horses. When I was young, I spent all my time with them," says the 18-year-old, whose mother played in the Atlanta '96 basketball final just months after he was born. "If my mother was someone else, I wouldn't be talking to you. A lot of people in the media speak to me because they know my mum. I think that's a good thing: it's good for me, and good for my job." With a home Olympic Games two years away, the Brazilian equestrian team is in the middle of an unprecedented push for success on the world stage. Oliva belongs to the next generation of Brazilian riding talent hoping to capture imaginations, if not medals, at Rio 2016. Brazil has virtually no history of dressage -- one of three equestrian disciplines at the Olympics -- so Oliva has moved to Germany, one of the sport's leading nations, to find better tuition. "I don't want to win in Rio -- I don't think that's possible," he says. "I have a lot to learn and Europe is too strong in the sport. But I'm here, and I will learn like a European. I think I can be a good rider." The nation has hired world-renowned experts to help its riders develop. New Zealand's Mark Todd, for example, is coaching the Brazilian eventing team. Todd is one of the most successful riders in the history of eventing, which combines dressage, cross-country riding and showjumping. At 58, he has twice won Olympic titles (in 1984 and 1988) alongside three bronze medals, including one at London 2012. "The Brazilians are a long way behind, but they're very enthusiastic," says the 58-year-old, who coaches some of the riders at his base in Wiltshire, England, alongside several trips to South America each year. "One of the things which struck us most is how little they knew. Yes, they could all ride. But as far as training horses goes? A lot of them didn't have much of an idea about basic stuff. "Another thing I will say is that the funding system from the government is very hard to fathom. Although there is money available, the system isn't practical and there are huge amounts of red tape. You're asked to do a job and they say there will be help, but you spend six months of the year faffing around." Moving to Europe, like those who have moved to train with Todd, is a rite of passage for many Brazilian riders. Standards are markedly higher east of the Atlantic. Showjumper Marlon Zanotelli moved to Belgium to further his career, even though -- unlike dressage and eventing -- his discipline has history in Brazil. Zanotelli is aiming to follow in the footsteps of his hero, Rodrigo Pessoa, at his home Games in Rio. Pessoa, now 41, became a star of Brazilian horse sport by winning jumping gold at the Athens Olympics in 2004. He has a world title and many other honors to his name. "Rodrigo has always been my idol," says Zanotelli. "When they talk about horses, people talk about Rodrigo -- even people who have never seen showjumping. They know who he is. "There will never be another Rodrigo but I want to win medals and events like he did." The 26-year-old spent his childhood on the road with his father, a moderately successful eventer named Mario, at tournaments across Brazil. "Everything is completely different in Europe," says the younger Zanotelli. "In Brazil almost everyone has grooms, everyone is spoiled. Here in Europe, most people do all the jobs themselves -- they help the horse themselves, they know how to do everything. "Luckily, my dad always made me do everything too, so I had some experience of that. Otherwise, I would have arrived here and been completely lost." Brazil has no shortage of aspiring talent: comparatively new faces like Oliva and Zanotelli line up alongside the likes of Doda Miranda in showjumping and Roger Clementino -- the first African-Brazilian to reach the Olympics, who taught a young Oliva -- in dressage. Then there is Luiza Almeida, who made her Olympic dressage debut at Beijing 2008 aged just 16, the youngest equestrian rider in the history of the Games. But Todd says Brazil's success in 2016 will depend on finding quality horses before Rio. "No matter how good the riders are, you've got to have good horses, too," he cautions. "And good horses take time to produce. "One of the biggest problems for Brazil is the lack of horse power. Although the Olympics are two years away, two years is nothing in terms of getting a horse educated to compete against all the other countries at the top level." The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, taking place in France, are the biggest test of Brazilian riders -- and their current lineup of horses -- prior to the Rio Olympics. But the riders are already looking to Rio, and what could be the greatest equestrian show of their lives. "Brazil will put on a great party," says Zanotelli, who rode well to sit 22nd, seven places behind compatriot Pessoa, after two rounds of showjumping at the World Equestrian Games. "Many people said many things about the World Cup -- even Brazilians were saying bad things about it -- but in the end, it was a big success. "This is a big country, and we have a lot of issues, but when the time comes for an event we have really good people who love to host foreigners and put on a good show. "Every day, when you wake up in the morning, an Olympics in your own country gives you the motivation to keep working. I think it's going to be amazing."
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Son of Brazilian basketball star is Rio Olympics hopeful in dressage .
Joao Victor Marcari Oliva, 18, heads next generation of Brazilian riders .
Eventing superstar Mark Todd is coaching Brazil team for home Rio Games .
Showjumpers lead the way for next Olympic host thanks to "hero" Rodrigo Pessoa .
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By . Riath Al-Samarrai for MailOnline . Follow @@riathalsam . There is a statue in the Next Cristiano Ronaldo's living room of himself, allegedly carved from marble and life-size. The Next Roy Keane has just nominated Sir Alex Ferguson to throw ice on himself. It's fair to say Luis Nani and Anderson have made peculiar decisions. But what of Manchester United? The combined outlay for that pair was £42m. This week, Nani has returned to Sporting Lisbon on loan as part of the move that brought Marcos Rojo to Old Trafford. The 27-year-old's annual wages of £4.7m will be covered in their entirety by United. A good deal for Sporting, certainly. But also an indication of where Nani stands at United after seven years at the club. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Nani arriving in Lisbon for his move back to Portugal . Fresh faces: Nani (left) and Anderson (right) sit in the stands just after signing for Manchester United in 2007 . Ill-fated: Nani poses with Sir Alex Ferguson (centre) and Owen Hargreaves, whose career was ruined by injury . Anderson recently returned from a loan at Fiorentina and was reportedly told that he, alongside Nani and Wilfried Zaha, could not train or eat with the first-team squad. His contract is up next year and on Thursday morning, Wikipedia, such is its vulnerability, listed his club as Witnisham Wasps. Suffice to say, things have not worked out quite as expected, even if Nani has shown considerably more of his talent than his hungry team-mate, who for a while has been a figure of fun. Last summer, when Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra discussed Anderson during MUTV's Rio Tour Diary, Evra said: 'I bring him his burger at 1 o'clock.' A joke said endearingly about a popular player, of course, but fitness has been an obvious problem for a player who is still only 26. In 70 starts, he has been substituted 51 times and finished only 19 games. He has scored five Premier League goals and never more than two in a season. Belly up: Anderson celebrates with Javier Hernandez after a goal against Reading in the FA Cup last February . Not fit for purpose: Anderson has struggled with injury and concerns over his all-round physical condition . Cheeky: Anderson's Wikipedia page has been changed by those poking fun at the midfielder . It's horribly disappointing for a so-called box-to-box midfielder, a player who Ferguson believed could fill gaps left by Keane and later Paul Scholes. Unlike Bebe, a terrible flop since moved on to Benfica, United did their homework on Anderson. Ferguson wrote in his most recent book about his brother Martin's excitement on a scouting trip to Porto. 'I sent Martin to watch him in every game for four or five weeks,' he wrote. 'Martin said, "Alex, he's better than Rooney". '"For Christ's sake, don't say that", I told him. "He'll need to be good to be better than Rooney." Martin was adamant.' Nani's case has been less clear-cut. Like Anderson, he has been saddled with a comparison. It is not something he designed or encouraged, save for his early preference of extra stepovers, but he has been forced to compete against an aura he cannot match. Ronaldo, quite possibly, is the greatest United player that has lived. In that shadow, he has had significant high points. Three years ago he was named the club's players' player of the year award. He was part of the 23-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or. He also scored United's fifth penalty as they beat Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final and won four league titles and a league cup. But he was so inconsistent. He's been on the periphery for two seasons and scored only one league goal in that time. He was always more adept at assisting, capable in his work on either wing, but the spark seems to have gone for a player contracted until 2018. He's still only 27, but like his statue, his Manchester United career has stood still. Anderson's never really got going. Head over heels: Nani has had an up-and-down career at United, but has finally been shipped out . Theatrics: The Portugal winger has failed to live up to high expectations at Old Trafford . VIDEO United reach deal for Rojo .
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Nani has joined Sporting Lisbon on season-long loan .
Anderson is unwanted at Manchester United but the club cannot find a buyer .
The duo joined United for combined £42m in 2007 .
Duo have become figures of derision during United's recent struggles .
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Pacific walrus that can't find sea ice for resting in Arctic waters are coming ashore in record numbers on a beach in northwest Alaska. An estimated 35,000 walrus were photographed Saturday about 5 miles north of Point Lay, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Point Lay is an Inupiat Eskimo village 300 miles southwest of Barrow and 700 miles northwest of Anchorage. Scroll down for video . Global warming: Tens of thousands of walruses have come ashore in northwest Alaska because the sea ice they normally rest on has melted . The enormous gathering was spotted during NOAA's annual arctic marine mammal aerial survey, spokeswoman Julie Speegle said by email. The survey is conducted with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the agency that oversees offshore lease sales. Andrea Medeiros, spokeswoman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said walrus were first spotted Sept. 13 and have been moving on and off shore. Observers last week saw about 50 carcasses on the beach from animals that may have been killed in a stampede, and the agency was assembly a necropsy team to determine their cause of death. 'They're going to get them out there next week,' she said. The gathering of walrus on shore is a phenomenon that has accompanied the loss of summer sea ice as the climate has warmed. Pacific walrus spend winters in the Bering Sea. Females give birth on sea ice and use ice as a diving platform to reach snails, clams and worms on the shallow continental shelf. Unlike seals, walrus cannot swim indefinitely and must rest. They use their tusks to "haul out," or pull themselves onto ice or rocks. In this aerial photo taken on September 3 and released by NOAA, some 1500 walrus are gather on the northwest coast of Alaska because the sea ice they rest on has melted . As temperatures warm in summer, the edge of the sea ice recedes north. Females and their young ride the edge of the sea ice into the Chukchi Sea, the body of water north of the Bering Strait. In recent years, sea ice has receded north beyond shallow continental shelf waters and into Arctic Ocean water, where depths exceed 2 miles and walrus cannot dive to the bottom. Walrus in large numbers were first spotted on the U.S. side of the Chukchi Sea in 2007. They returned in 2009, and in 2011, scientists estimated 30,000 walruses along 1 kilometer of beach near Point Lay. Young animals are vulnerable to stampedes when a group gathers nearly shoulder-to-shoulder on a beach. Stampedes can be triggered by a polar bear, human hunter or low-flying airplane. The carcasses of more than 130 mostly young walruses were counted after a stampede in September 2009 at Alaska's Icy Cape. The World Wildlife Fund said walrus have also been gathering in large groups on the Russian side of the Chukchi Sea. "It's another remarkable sign of the dramatic environmental conditions changing as the result of sea ice loss," said Margaret Williams, managing director of the group's Arctic program, by phone from Washington, D.C. "The walruses are telling us what the polar bears have told us and what many indigenous people have told us in the high Arctic, and that is that the Arctic environment is changing extremely rapidly and it is time for the rest of the world to take notice and also to take action to address the root causes of climate change." This summer, the sea ice's annual low point was the sixth smallest since satellite monitoring began in 1979. Ice melting: In this aerial photo taken on September and provided by NOAA, some 35,000 walrus gather on shore near Point Lay, Alaska looking for places to rest in the absence of sea ice .
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An estimated 35,000 walrus were photographed Saturday about 5 miles north of Point Lay .
The gathering of walrus on shore is a phenomenon that has accompanied the loss of summer sea ice as the climate has warmed .
This summer, the sea ice's annual low point was the sixth smallest since satellite monitoring began in 1979 .
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(CNN) -- Welcome to the brutal realities of English football Eden Hazard. Last summer, when arguably Europe's most talented youngster was bought by Chelsea for $50m, the future looked so bright. The newly crowned European champions made a blistering start to the English Premier League season, with the Belgian the focal point for Chelsea as they wowed critics and fans alike with some wonderfully inventive football. Fast forward six months and the 22-year-old Hazard, who earns a reported $270,000 a week, was reduced to kicking a ball boy as Chelsea's season took another turn for the worse. It had been a frustrating night for Hazard. For more than an hour he had tried but failed to get his team Chelsea out of a big hole as the London team desperately attempted to turn their season round in a cup match against Welsh side Swansea City. But when a 17-year-old ball boy decided it was time to engage in some time wasting -- he lay on the ball after it had gone out of play -- the red mist descended over Hazard . The Belgian, whose modus operandi as a player is more sumptuous flicks and stepovers than sly skullduggery, aimed a kick at the youngster's midriff. Cue bedlam. Hazard, who had previously never been sent off in his professional career, was red carded by the referee, South Wales Police briefly contemplated pressing charges and Chelsea -- not for the first time this season -- were facing a public relations disaster of their own making. "The boy put his whole body onto the ball and I was just trying to kick the ball and I think I kicked the ball and not the boy," Hazard told the Chelsea website. "I apologise. "The ball boy came in the changing room and we had a quick chat and I apologised and the boy apologised as well, and it is over. Sorry." Too late. The British media and social media website Twitter had already gone into overdrive. "Football's fresh shame," was the verdict of the Daily Mail -- a reference to English football's continuing ability to attract the wrong headlines -- while Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand tweeted: "I'm not the authorities but in my eyes it's a red for all those asking. Us players do put refs in bad spots at times unfortunately!" Immediately after the sending off, Hazard did find support -- from Chelsea's official Twitter account. "Has football gone mad? Hazard is sent off for kicking the ball under a ball boy attempting to smother the ball rather than return it," the club wrote on the account, which has over 1.79 million followers. However, Chelsea quickly sent a more diplomatic tweet: "Apologies for earlier ballboy tweet. Hazard has now met with the ballboy and has said sorry." If initially Hazard was condemned for actions, he also won plenty of support, with the ball boy -- reported by the British media to be the son of millionaire businessman who sits on the Swansea board -- coming in for plenty of criticism. "After reviewing last nights footage, I've come to the conclusion that the games gone," tweeted Marseille midfielder Joey Barton, who has nearly two million Twitter followers. "Ballboys aged 17, time wasting, then rollin round like ..they've been shot. Games gone. He was actually claiming to be best time waster in the world on twitter yesterday! What's that all about? ... Hazard only crime is he hasn't kicked him hard enough." After the game Hazard apologized to the 17-year-old ball boy, who also said sorry to the Chelsea forward, though the Belgian is likely to be banned for a minimum of three games by the English Football Association for lashing out in the way he did. More woe for Chelsea boss Benitez . The ball boy furore is the last thing under pressure Chelsea interim manager Rafa Benitez needs just now. Hazard's kick and red card is just the latest in series of setbacks following the club's exit from the European Champions League and its dismal league form which has seen the London team fall 11 points off the lead, leaving Chelsea to focus on cup competitions -- the FA Cup and the Europa League. The Hazard incident overshadowed Swansea's achievement of reaching a first major cup final in its 100-year history after their 2-0 aggregate win over Chelsea. The Welsh club, which almost went out of the Football League 10 years ago, will now face fourth-tier Bradford City in the League Cup final at Wembley on February 24. "Over two legs Chelsea had the ball more than us," said Swansea manager Michael Laudrup. "That is normal, that is Chelsea, but today they didn't really have any good chances. We had some good chances. "They had to score at least two but to be honest we deserved it. They didn't score once in 180 minutes. Minnow Bradford in fairytale triumph . "What Bradford has done - there are no words. They have beaten three Premier League teams, it is marvelous. If I had a hat on I would take it off." In the Premier League, Arsenal thrashed West Ham 5-1 at Emirates Stadium. Olivier Giroud scored twice, while Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla and Theo Walcott were also on target for the Gunners. Arsene Wenger's men are now four points off fourth place which holds the coveted prize of Champions League football. In Spain, Real Madrid booked its place in the last four of the Copa del Rey, despite being reduced to nine men during the 1-1 draw at Valencia. Leading 2-0 from the first leg, Real opened the scoring a minute before the break through Karim Benzema. Alberto Costa's 52nd minute strike brought the home side level before Fabio Coentrao and Angel Di Maria were sent off. Jose Mourinho's side will play Malaga or league leader Barcelona in the next round. In the night's other tie, Sevilla cruised past nine-man Real Zaragoza 4-0 thanks to two goals from Alvaro Negredo. Ronaldo inspires Real Madrid . Zaragoza lost defender Jose Fernandez to a straight red card after 26 minutes before Fran Gonzalez followed him down the tunnel 40 minutes later. Spain striker Negredo fired his side ahead after 36 minutes before Ivan Rakitic doubled Sevilla's advantage. Negredo netted his second from the spot before Manu del Moral completed the rout to set up a last-four clash with either Atletico Madrid or fierce rival Real Betis. In Italy, AS Roma claimed a 2-1 win over Inter Milan in the first leg of its Coppa Italia semifinal. Alessandro Florenzi headed home Ivan Peris' cross on 13 minutes with Mattia Destro adding a second. Inter pulled goal back just before the break when Rodrido Palacio latched on to Esteban Cambiasso's free-kick and fired into the net. Swansea star helps the homeless .
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Chelsea's Eden Hazard sent off after kicking ball boy .
Hazard apologizes, says he was trying to kick the ball .
Swansea reaches first major final in its 100-year history after goalless draw .
Arsenal thrashes West Ham 5-1 in Premier League .
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Like many of us as we get older, the long-serving Mars rover Opportunity is having trouble storing its memory. The six-wheeled vehicle, which has been roaming the red planet for more than a decade, keeps wiping its data at random. Nasa believes that an ageing flash memory is causing the bouts of 'amnesia', and the agency now plans to hack the rover's software in an attempt to cure it. The stoic Opportunity rover, which has been roaming the red planet for more than a decade, keeps wiping its data at random. Nasa believes that an ageing flash memory is causing the 'amnesia' and is planning to 'hack' the rover's software so that it ignores the broken part of its flash memory . The problem has been ongoing for the last six months because the flash memory has been overwritten so many times. Project manager John Callas told Discovery News that Opportunity has both volatile and non-volatile memory. Non-volatile memory is used for long-term storage, allowing Opportunity to 'remember' its information even when it's on standby. Volatile memory, meanwhile, is similar to RAM (Random Access Memory) found in computers. When the rover turns off, any data stored within the volatile memory is wiped. The problem has been ongoing for six months because the rover's flash memory has been overwritten so many times. And the problem is getting worse, causing the rover, in some instance, to stop communicating with mission control in Houston altogether . The problem has been found with the rover's non-volatile memory, which means it can still operate, but sometimes saves data on the volatile memory, causing the information to be lost. Opportunity landed on Mars in 2004 in what was to be a three-month mission. Instead the rover has lived beyond its prime mission and roved the planet for nearly 10 years. The rover is currently at 'Solander Point' at the rim of Endeavour Crater on Mars. The rover hasn't moved in over a month as it waits for better weather on the red planet. During its time on Mars, the rover has identified rock laden with what scientists believed to be clay minerals. Their presence is an indication that the rock has been altered at some point in the past through prolonged contact with water. Currently the rover is just 2,100ft (650 metres) away from Marathon Valley, which looks like ancient clay beds that would have been created when the planet was moist. 'So now we're having these events we call 'amnesia,' Mr Callas told Ian O'Neill at Discovery News. 'Which is the rover trying to use the flash memory, but it wasn't able to, so instead it uses the RAM.' And the problem is getting worse, causing the rover, in some instance, to stop communicating with mission control in Houston altogether. Before Christmas, mission control sent three days' worth of commands to Opportunity, but the rebooting problems meant that only the one day's activities were completed. 'It stores telemetry data in that volatile memory, but when the rover goes to sleep and wakes up again, all [the data] is gone,' added Mr Callas. In a process that may take a few weeks, Nasa is planning to 'hack' the rover's software so that it ignores the broken part of its flash memory. The hack will involve dividing, isolating, and shutting down one of the seven memory banks causing the problem. 'It's like you have an ageing parent, that is otherwise in good health - maybe they go for a little jog every day, play tennis each day - but you never know, they could have a massive stroke right in the middle of the night,' said Mr Callas. Before Christmas, mission control sent three days' worth of commands to Opportunity, but the rebooting problems meant that only the one day's activities were completed. Pictured is the rover's route . 'So we're always cautious that something could happen.' Opportunity has been on Mars for 10 years, despite being designed for a 90 Sol mission . A Sol, one Martian day, is slightly longer than an Earth day at 24 hours and 37 minutes. The rover's mission has been extended several times as it continues to make new and profound discoveries about the red planet. In December 2012, for instance, mission scientists announced that Opportunity was exploring a special spot on the rim of Endeavour Crater. The area, known as Matijevic Hill, was found to contain clay minerals, implying that the area was exposed to water billions of years ago. Currently the rover is just 2,100ft (650 metres) away from Marathon Valley, which looks like ancient clay beds that would have been created when the planet was moist.
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Six-wheeled vehicle has been roaming Mars for more than a decade .
Problem has been ongoing for six months due to faulty flash memory .
It's getting worse, with mission control at times losing touch with rover .
Nasa will hack its software so ignores the broken part of its memory .
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Manchester United earned £60.8m and were featured live 25 times . Liverpool and Arsenal were on 22 times each . Chelsea were chosen for just 16 matches . QPR's share of the pot was almost £40m despite being on TV just 11 times . The figures will rocket next season when BT Sport joins the party . The mega bucks keep rolling in for Manchester United as they earned £60m in Premier League TV money last season and also topped the live match table with 25 games. Liverpool and Arsenal were in second place with 22 matches in front of the cameras, while Manchester City and Spurs had 21 live broadcasts. More surprisingly, Chelsea were only chosen for 16 live matches despite finishing third in the table. We're in the money: Premier League champions Manchester United earned £60.8m from television . Second best: City were the closest challengers to United in the race for the title and in the TV pay scale . But the arrival of box office new . manager Jose Mourinho is sure to make them a more popular pick for Sky . and newcomers BT Sport during the 2013-14 campaign. The start of the new TV deal in August will bring in yet more extraordinary amounts of money. Even clubs such as Norwich, . Southampton, Stoke City, West Brom and Fulham, who only appeared in the . minimum 10 games stipulated for live match allocations, can expect to . pocket around the £60.8m - the highest broadcast payment any winner has . received - that Manchester United earned last season. Next . term's champions will be receiving around £100m from TV appearances, . merit payments that depend on where each club finishes in the league and . facility fees each time a club’s matches are on TV in the UK. All international broadcast revenue is split equally amongst the 20 clubs. Money worries: Relegated QPR were paid the smallest share of the money from television .
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Manchester United earned £60.8m and were featured live 25 times .
Liverpool and Arsenal were on 22 times each .
Chelsea were chosen for just 16 matches .
QPR's share of the pot was almost £40m despite being on TV just 11 times .
The figures will rocket next season when BT Sport joins the party .
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0b14fa50b76b488e131c7f572f1b41be351143fb
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(CNN) -- Where "global knowledge" was once essential for leaders, IBM's 2010 Global CEO Study cited "creativity" as the most important leadership quality for the future. This is one of many signals that the business world is evolving out of the "Information Age," where left-brain technical skills, knowledge and expertise were king. In "A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future," Daniel H. Pink asserts that current global conditions -- abundance, Asian outsourcing, and automation -- are setting the stage for a brand new era: the "Conceptual Age." As employees chart their route to the top in this new era, it's important to know the skills that companies are looking for. In the Conceptual Age, right-brain skills will be key. Given the velocity of change and the complexity that results from this, we need to go beyond just knowledge or expertise. The best employees of the future will excel at creative problem solving and different ways of thinking -- synthesizing seemingly diverse things together for better solutions, using metaphors to explain new ideas for which no context yet might exist. See also: Why your career is a work in progress . This is partly because the amount of new information about any given subject is constantly increasing. Tomorrow's companies will need to take a creative-thinking approach to the sea of knowledge, bridging the gap between analytical, left-brain functions and creative, right-brain capabilities. My new book, "Kill the Company," identifies the most critical skills of the Conceptual Age -- and simple ways to cultivate them before it's too late: . 1. Strategic Imagination refers to "dreaming with purpose." Today's employee is so mired in busywork that their ability to think long-term has waned. But employees of tomorrow must learn to actively imagine future possibilities and create scenarios to act on them. Seek out resources that fuel future thinking, such as LongBets.com, Springwise.com, and NewScientist.com. Challenge yourself to envision your business unit in the year 2020. Even better, draw your vision -- create a magazine cover, an organizational chart, etc. -- as a visual representation of what the future might look like. 2. The ability to ask smart and often unsettling questions is known as Provocative Inquiry. Transformative power lies in asking questions that make us rethink the obvious. In the healthcare industry, for example, it can be seen in the shift from curing illness to preventing it via wellness services. To unearth new answers to existing business problems, learn to ask better questions -- ones that make other team members really stop and think. For example, "What are the unshakable beliefs about client/customer needs in our industry ... what if the opposite were true?" and "Which competitors could eat our lunch tomorrow and what are we doing about it?" By encouraging curiosity, you fan the fires that create new ideas and improve current offerings. 3. The quick and obvious strategy will not survive the fierce competition of the Conceptual Age. Employees will need to continually exercise their Creative Problem Solving skills, the application of best practices from unexpected sources to create fresh solutions. In the consumer product category, James Dyson exemplifies this skill. Dyson applied the mechanics of a local sawmill -- a giant cyclone-shaped dust collector -- and invented the best-selling vacuum in the UK. Hone this reflex by utilizing an exercise called "RE:think." Take an everyday object (paper clip, scissors, etc.) and pretend you've never encountered it before. What does this new product do? What are its benefits and who would use it? Activities like Re:think can strengthen your ability to approach problems in unconventional ways. See also: Have you got the career X-Factor? 4. Keeping pace with change is a challenge, yet meeting unexpected situations with quick thinking and resourcefulness is the very definition of Agility. In a world where change is the only constant, a Plan B -- and C, D, and E -- is truly critical. Cultivate the mindset of preparedness by creating "Wild Card" scenarios. Using a current project you're working on, challenge yourself to meet your current goals despite wild cards that might occur -- such as "50% less budget" or "half the R&D time" or "severely restrained resources or technology." Planning for success under constraint helps you learn agility and prepare for change before it is forced upon you unexpectedly. 5. Building on agility, employees will also need to demonstrate Resilience, which translates to tenacity and courage in the face of obstacles. People who are undaunted will give their organizations a competitive edge in the Conceptual Age. Learn to overcome barriers by practicing the art of "Impossible to Possible." Write answers to these questions: What would a customer say we should do for them but never would? What would make us the industry leader -- although hell would have to freeze over for it to happen? What impossible thing would make your job infinitely better? Once you've made a list, find a way to turn the list of impossible things into possibilities. This exercise truly awakens the competitive spirit and gives rise to a solution-driven mindset. The business world is at a critical inflection point and to compete in tomorrow's market, today's companies must demonstrate more than knowledge or technical expertise: they must cultivate new skill sets. The valued leaders and successful employees of the Conceptual Age will be firing on all cylinders -- and many will involve right-brain functions. To avoid extinction, employees must embody the kind of daily future thinking that will enable their teams and organizations to conceptualize -- and handle -- the blessings and burdens of a new era. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Lisa Bodell.
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Lisa Bodell says the best employees of the future will excel at creative problem solving .
She says workers will need to go beyond just knowledge or expertise .
Bodell offers ways to cultivate the right brain skills before it's too late .
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Cirrus des Aigles was denied a fourth win in the Group Two Prix Dollar on Saturday after being disqualified for causing interference. But the eight-year-old gelding did more than enough to show he was back to form after being injured when winning the Coronation Cup at Epsom in June., . He will now try to win the Group One Champion Stakes at Ascot which he landed in 2011. Cirrus des Aigles (second from the left) was denied a fourth win in the Group Two Prix Dollar . Longchamp stewards demoted Cirrus Des Aigles, who passed the post first, to fifth after deeming he had interfered with Planetaire in his prolonged duel with second past the post and promoted winner Fractional. Barande-Barbe said: 'He has still 'won' the race, and he was off for a long time, so I'm still very happy.' Fractional is trained by Andre Fabre and owned by the French branch of Sheik Mohammed's Godolphin organisation. Their spokeswoman Lisa-Jane Graffard said: 'It's quite an emotional feeling, tempered because you don't want to win a race in the stewards' room and I'm sorry for all the fans of Cirrus Des Aigles. There are no plans for him at the moment.' Cirrus des Aigles crossed the line first but was demoted to fifth after causing interference with Planetaire .
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Cirrus des Aigles was denied a fourth win in the Group Two Prix Dollar .
Eight-year-old crossed line first but moved to fifth for causing interference .
Fractional then promoted to race winner .
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New York (CNN) -- The head of the International Monetary Fund, jailed on charges of sexual assault of a chambermaid in his New York City hotel suite, should consider stepping down for the good of the institution, Austria's finance minister said Tuesday. "Given the circumstances that his bail was not granted, he should think about whether he is damaging the institution," Maria Fekter told reporters in Brussels, Belgium, during a meeting of European finance ministers. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, 62, was denied bail by a Manhattan Criminal Court judge and remanded Monday to an 11-by-13-foot cell at New York's Rikers Island jail complex. There, the man whom many refer to as DSK was placed on suicide watch -- a common procedure in high-profile cases, two sources with direct knowledge of the case told CNN. The case has shaken the IMF, an organization of 187 countries working to improve world economies by providing loans and guidance. It has also shaken the political world in France, where the Socialist Party politician was considered a front-runner to unseat President Nicolas Sarkozy. But until his next court appearance Friday, Strauss-Kahn will neither be working to save world economies nor to endear himself to French voters. Instead, he will be largely left alone -- denied contact with other inmates because of his high-profile status, said a New York Department of Correction spokesman who declined to be named. Ahead of Tuesday's meeting to address the Greek debt burden, Spanish Finance Minister Elena Salgado said the alleged crimes of the IMF chief were "very serious" and suggested letting "justice take its course." In Ireland, Minister of Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore called the incident a "disruption." "There's no doubt that an event like that does cause a disruption in the functioning of a body like the IMF when its senior figure is arrested," Gilmore said. "We have to wait and see how that works out, and we have to respect the legal process which is under way in New York." British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who was with Gilmore in Dublin, told reporters he hopes the incident does not affect the "many important decisions ... before the IMF." "At the moment it is important that it functions well," Hague said. "So we look to all concerned to make sure that it does." Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said he was confident the scandal would not affect the organization's broader mission. "Ireland as a country deals with the IMF as an institution," Kenny said. "We don't get involved in any individual situations." In Washington, U.S. Sen. John Kerry told reporters the situation involving the IMF chief was "very troubling, if not damning." "You've got to give it a few days to let that develop. But if the evidence is what it appears to be, I think it would be very difficult for him to manage." On Tuesday, IMF spokesman William Murray said in a written statement that the IMF had had no contact with its leader since his arrest. In Strauss-Kahn's absence, First Deputy Managing Director John Lipsky has been named acting managing director, "and the fund continues its normal work," Murray said. Murray also said Strauss-Kahn's diplomatic immunity does not apply in the sexual assault case. "The MD's (managing director) immunities are limited and are not applicable to this case," he said. He added, however, that any IMF-related documents Strauss-Kahn may have had with him or left in the hotel room would be governed by diplomatic immunity and should be returned to the Washington-based organization. A former French finance minister, national legislator and economics professor in Paris, Strauss-Kahn became the IMF's 10th managing director in November 2007. He is also chairman of the IMF executive board. The alleged victim is a 32-year-old single mother living in the New York borough of the Bronx who moved to the United States from the West African country of Guinea. She had been working at the hotel for at least two years, according to her attorney, Jeffrey Shapiro. "Her world has been turned upside down," he said. "She is very scared about her future." Shapiro said his client is cooperating with police and prosecutors, and would be willing to testify against Strauss-Kahn. Strauss-Kahn's accuser picked the IMF chief out of a lineup Sunday at a New York police station, saying he was the man who had sexually assaulted her, according to a law enforcement source with direct knowledge of the investigation. "She's recovering -- slowly," said Blake Diallo, the general manager of a Harlem restaurant she frequents, who described himself to reporters as her friend. The alleged attack began Saturday around noon, when the housekeeper entered Strauss-Kahn's $525 suite on the 28th floor of the Sofitel Hotel in Midtown to clean. New York Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said the economist emerged naked from a room, ran down a hallway after the woman, and attacked her. He shut the door, preventing the woman from leaving, according to a criminal complaint released by prosecutors. "He grabbed the victim's chest without consent, attempted to remove her pantyhose" and forcibly grabbed her between her legs, the complaint said. He also forced her to perform oral sex on him, Assistant District Attorney John McConnell said at Monday's arraignment. The criminal complaint alleges that Strauss-Kahn forced the woman to engage "in oral sexual conduct and anal sexual conduct" and tried to force her to engage in sexual intercourse. He faces charges that include two counts of first-degree criminal sexual act, one count of first-degree attempted rape, one count of first-degree sexual abuse, one count of second-degree unlawful imprisonment, one count of forcible touching and one count of third-degree sexual abuse. The most serious charge, criminal sexual act in the first degree, carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. Afterward, the employee went to the front desk, and staffers alerted police, Browne said. By the time officers arrived, Strauss-Kahn had left in the hotel limousine, according to the law enforcement source. He called the hotel around the same time police got to the hotel to say he had left his phone behind and asked if it could be delivered to him at the airport. Investigators told the hotel staff member to agree to do so and police went to the airport. Two plain-clothes Port Authority police detectives led him off the plane, the source said. Strauss-Kahn's attorneys pointed to their client's lack of a criminal record and the fact that his daughter lives in New York as evidence that he was not a flight risk. Defense attorney Benjamin Brafman called the case "very defensible." But Criminal Court Judge Melissa Jackson sided with the prosecution in characterizing Strauss-Kahn as a flight risk and denying him bail. The impact of his arrest has perhaps been strongest in France, where Strauss-Kahn, where the Socialist Party leader had been considered a strong challenger to Sarkozy. But some observers said Tuesday that his political future appears bleak. "If the accusations are true, Strauss-Kahn will not be able to run for president," said Jacques Attali, a political analyst and a former top aide to late Socialist President Francois Mitterrand. CNN's Susan Candiotti, Ivan Watson, Richard Roth, Saskya Vandoorne, Caroline Paterson, David Ariosto, Raelyn Johnson and Jim Bittermann contributed to this report.
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NEW: "She's recovering -- slowly," says friend of the alleged victim .
Sen. John Kerry says the case is "very troubling if not damning"
Spain's finance minister says alleged crimes are "very serious"
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(CNN) -- The two boys abducted by their parents and taken to Cuba were "well cared for" on their trip, their grandmother told reporters. The children, Chase and Cole, don't know they were abducted, Patricia Hauser said. All they know is they were on an "adventure," she said Thursday. The boys -- 2 and 4 -- appeared in front of reporters after Hauser spoke, smiling and showing off toys. "We have not asked the boys anything about the journey. We are just letting them tell us as things come out if they feel like talking," said Hauser, who along with her husband was given legal custody of the children April 2. Police say their father, Josh Hakken, broke into the home where the boys were living with their grandparents a day later, tying up their grandmother before whisking the two children away. Authorities say they traveled to Cuba on a sailboat. Authorities reunited the boys with Hauser and her husband on Wednesday after Cuban authorities turned the parents and the children over to U.S. officials. Boys reunite with grandparents . Hauser thanked U.S. State Department and Cuban officials for their work to find the children and bring them back to Florida. "They called us from Cuba and let us talk to the boys before their plane even left," she said. "Many tears were shed in that room from us." She said the family would not have any more news conferences or interviews, and asked that the media and public respect their privacy. "We are trying very hard to shield the boys from media coverage, and we want them to get back to their normal everyday schedules and just be normal carefree boys again," she said. According to search warrant documents released Thursday by Florida authorities, Hauser told investigators that Hakken and his wife, Sharyn, had "previously discussed suicide." The documents, citing the boys' grandmother, also allege the boys' father tied her to a filing cabinet with plastic cable ties before abducting the children "with force." Thursday night, an attorney for the Hakkens agreed to the prosecution's request that the Hakkens remain jailed without bond until trial. The next hearing is May 30. The judge also appointed a public defender to represent the couple after they said they wouldn't be able to pay for a lawyer on their own. Later, the state attorney's office filed formal charges against the Hakkens, including two counts of felony kidnapping. Given Florida sentencing guidelines, a conviction on the kidnapping charges could mean the Hakkens will spend the rest of their lives behind bars. Among the 11 counts, the couple was also charged with burglary, false imprisonment and child abuse. Police: Parents talked of 'journey to the Armageddon' The circumstances leading up to the ordeal began in June when the family was staying at a hotel in Slidell, Louisiana. Responding to a call, police officers found the parents "acting in a bizarre manner," Slidell police said in a statement. Inside the room where the boys were, authorities found narcotics and weapons. "They were talking about 'completing their ultimate journey' and were traveling across the country to 'take a journey to the Armageddon,'" police said about the parents. Louisiana authorities took the children from their parents after that incident. About two weeks later, the father showed up at a foster family home with a gun and demanded the return of the boys, Slidell police said. He fled after the foster parents called 911. Over subsequent months, the parents "did not participate in the system," said Sheriff David Gee of Hillsborough County. He did not offer details. "As a result of that, the authorities in Louisiana gave custody to the grandparents," he said. That transfer became official on April 2, when a Louisiana judge terminated the suspects' parental rights. Early the next morning, Patricia Hauser told police, Josh Hakken entered her Florida home, tied her up and sped away with the children and the family dog in a silver 2009 Toyota Camry. They met up with Sharyn Hakken, sheriff's investigators said, and eventually ended up on a 25-foot sailboat named Salty. The boat's seller later tipped off authorities after word got out about the alleged abduction. It was at the Hemingway Marina just west of Havana, on Tuesday, that CNN found the family -- hunkered inside the boat, under the watch of Cuban security forces. That morning, U.S. officials in Havana told CNN that they were afraid the children could be in danger from their parents. Armed Cuban security agents watched over the family most of the day until the parents and children were led away peacefully that afternoon. Boys 'fine, happy and sleepy' on return to U.S. Cuba and the United States are divided by far more than the Straits of Florida. But this week, U.S. officials repeatedly expressed their appreciation for the Cuban government's "extensive cooperation." The Cuban Foreign Ministry said the boat pulled into the marina in bad weather Sunday. The two governments shared information, which led to the return of the family and their dog to the United States. CNN's Patrick Oppmann, Kim Segal and John Zarrella contributed to this report.
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NEW: The next hearing for the couple is set for May 30 .
Josh and Sharyn Hakken are accused of abducting the boys and taking them to Cuba .
The boys thought they were on an adventure, their grandmother says .
Prosecutors file 11 charges against the parents, including kidnapping and child abuse .
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Arturo Vidal showed he is ready to play week-in, week-out for Juventus after proving he is over his injury nightmare by playing the full 90 minutes for Chile in their match against Mexico. The midfielder, who was linked with a summer move to Manchester United throughout the summer, has told Italian newspaper Tuttosport that he is 'feeling great' and is keen on doing his best to help Juventus qualify from the Champions League group stages. Portuguese newspapers A Bola and Record reflect on Portugal's disastrous start to their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign. Fully fit: Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal is ready to help his side win the Champions League this season . What a shame! Portuguese newspapers A Bola and Record reflect on Portugal's shock defeat to Albania . Paulo Bento's side, who were without Cristiano Ronaldo, failed to beat Albania at home on Sunday. A Bola go with the headline 'The biggest shame ever' while Record's headline reads just 'Shame'. Bento fielded a strong side with Nani, Pepe and William Carvalho among the players selected by the Portuguese boss. Spanish boss Vicente del Bosque is having problems of his own as he has had to choose between Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea and Real Madrid's Iker Casillas. AS report on Del Bosque's decision to start Casillas in goal ahead of De Gea for their first Euro 2016 qualifier against Macedonia on Monday. The newspaper also carry quotes from Real Madrid new boy Toni Kroos who has declared he made the right decision in leaving Bayern Munich for the Spanish capital. First choice: Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas will start for Spain against Macedonia on Monday .
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Juventus ace Arturo Vidal played the full 90 minutes against Mexico .
Portugal were unable to defeat Albania in their opening Euro 2016 qualifier .
Toni Kroos is happy he swapped Bayern Munich for Real Madrid .
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By . Kieran Corcoran . PUBLISHED: . 07:13 EST, 12 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:46 EST, 12 September 2013 . A town council has been ordered to move a new war memorial because it breaches planning regulations – despite being just yards from a monument to those who died in the two world wars. Shaftesbury Town Council has been told it faces criminal prosecution after it put up the 6ft monument to commemorate those who have died fighting for their country since 1945 without planning permission from English Heritage. The memorial to the soldiers of the Dorset and Devon regiments is in the shadow of Shaftesbury Abbey. The war memorial, pictured, was built without permission 15ft away from the wall of Shaftesbury Abbey (right) But although the council owns the land surrounding it, the ruin itself is recognised by law as a ‘scheduled’ – or listed – monument. The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 rules it is a criminal offence to carry out works to listed monuments – such as erecting the memorial – without consent from the Secretary of State. The council defended the move, claiming it did not realise the Abbey had specially protected status. English Heritage has now demanded the memorial be moved – and it refused to rule out prosecution should a solution not be found. The quango said it was a ‘criminal offence’ to build the monument so close to the historic 9th-century abbey. The council may have to move the war memorial after English heritage pointed out their mistake . The council could be fined up to £5,000. The 1979 Act does not allow for retrospective planning consent to be given. The memorial was built of expensive white Portland stone, and £20,000 of its cost was covered by public donations. The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 makes it a crime to carry out works to listed monuments without consent from the Secretary of State. Anyone convicted under the act can face fines of up to £5,000. English Heritage has demanded the 8ft monument be moved to a different location, and has refused to rule out prosecution. The £30,000 monument was erected 15ft away from historic Shaftesbury Abbey . An English Heritage spokesman said: ‘Under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, it is a criminal offence to carry out works to a Scheduled Monument without Scheduled Monument Consent from the Secretary of State. 'English Heritage is taking this matter seriously but our focus is on achieving a negotiated solution. 'There is no facility under the 1979 Act for the Secretary of State to issue retrospective Scheduled Monument Consent and so the matter of unauthorised works and criminal offence stands until the situation is satisfactorily resolved. 'Wherever possible, a negotiated solution is preferable and this is what we are currently pursuing with the Town Council. Although Shaftesbury Town Council owns the land the memorial was built on, its proximity to a protected building means it needed special permission . ‘I am sure this was put up with the best of intentions, and we have had constructive discussions with Shaftesbury Town Council about resolving the issue of unauthorised works involving the erection of a stone memorial at a Scheduled Monument known as Shaftesbury Abbey. ‘The Town Council is looking at options for moving the memorial in consultation with interested parties.’ Simon Pritchard, the Mayor of Shaftesbury, said: ‘The Town Council is currently in constructive discussions with English Heritage to resolve the issue of the new memorial recently erected on Park Walk within the Scheduled Monument of Shaftesbury Abbey. ‘Due to an oversight this was carried out without having obtained Scheduled Monument Consent. The memorial is just 4ft away from a wall surrounding Shaftesbury Abbey, which is now mostly a ruin. A statue of King Alfred has been erected there, and the tower of another church can be seen in the background . 'We are confident that a negotiated solution can be reached with English Heritage and the Town Council is looking at options, working together with English Heritage, the Royal British Legion, North Dorset District Council and the Civic Society to find the right location for the memorial.’ Shaftesbury Abbey was founded by Alfred the Great in 888 AD and his daughter Aethelgiva was the first abbess there. The only part of the abbey that remains today is the excavated ruins of the abbey church within a walled garden, home to the Shaftesbury Abbey Museum. Under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, carrying out works on protected buildings is a crime if permission is not sought. The legislation is designed to protect sites deemed to be of 'national importance' from unnecessary development. There are no fixed rules stating what distance away from a protected building works can be freely carried out, but in this case the small distance between the memorial and the wall of the abbey would appear to mean the land was covered by the act. More than 20,000 buildings are on the ‘schedule’ in England alone including Ironbridge in Shropshire, the missile shelter at RAF Greenham Common and Cadbury Castle in Somerset. In order to carry out works on any scheduled monument, permission must be granted by a Secretary of State, and people who break the rules face fines of up to £5,000. In 2006 a man was fined £1,230 for dumping waste on a protected hill fort in Tunley, Somerset, which was also a breach of the Environmental Protection Act.
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Shaftesbury Town Council has built the war memorial just 15ft from the historic Shaftesbury Abbey .
Abbey is a protected building, and carrying out works nearby may be an offence .
English Heritage refuse to rule out prosecution over the blunder .
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Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama signed ratification documents for America's new nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia on Wednesday, clearing the way for the two powers to put the landmark accord into effect. The agreement, known as the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) replaces START 1, which expired in December 2009. The U.S. Senate approved the new START pact last December, while the Russian parliament ratified it in January. The treaty is designed to slash the stockpile of strategic nuclear weapons in both countries to 1,550 warheads -- down from a current cap of 2,200 -- and 700 launchers. It also calls for a resumption of inspections of nuclear arsenals that ended when START 1 expired and helps move forward with White House efforts to "reset" U.S.-Russian relations. Obama has called the treaty "the most significant arms control agreement in nearly two decades." The Senate's approval in December gave the president a key victory on what has been considered one of his top foreign policy priorities.
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Obama signs the new START treaty .
The treaty will go into effect following an official exchange of documents .
The accord limits both America and Russia to 1,550 warheads and 700 launchers .
The treaty will allow for a resumption of inspections of each country's nuclear arsenal .
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It is the disease that is now responsible for one in four deaths in the Western world. Now, what may be the oldest case of cancer has been discovered in a 4,500-year-old skeleton. Archaeologists say that a Siberian man succumbed to either lung or prostate cancer, as revealed by tell-tale marks on his bones. Earliest victim? What may be the oldest case of cancer has been discovered in a 4,500-year-old skeleton (pictured). Archaeologists say that a Siberian man succumbed to either lung or prostate cancer, as revealed by tell-tale marks on his bones . The early Bronze Age man's remains were exhumed from a small hunter-gatherer cemetery in the Cis-Baikal region of Siberia. ‘This represents one of the earliest cases of human cancer worldwide and the oldest case documented thus far from Northeast Asia,’ said Angela Lieverse, a bioarchaeologist at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada. Older skeletons believed to be between 5,000 and 6,000 years old have yielded similar discoveries, but cancers were unconfirmed or tumours were found to be benign. Analysing the Russian remains with Daniel Temple from George Mason University in Virginia and Vladimir Bazaliiskii with Irkutsk State University in Russia, Dr Lieverse discovered that the cancer had riddled the ancient man’s bones with from head to hip, including his upper arms and upper legs, and virtually all points between. As he lay dying, severe pain and fatigue would have been his constant companions, punctuated by periods of panic as he struggled to breathe, she said. The man's age, sex and lesions on his bones point to lung cancer ( a magnified human lung cancer cell is shown) or possible prostate cancer for his cause of death. Experts found the cancer had riddled the ancient man’s bones with from head to hip, including his upper arms and upper legs, and virtually all points between . The man’s community buried him in a foetal position in a circular pit after he died, according to the research published in the journal, Plos One. The cancer victim was buried with an ornamental bone and a bone spoon, intricately carved with a winding serpent handle. Ancient skeletons bearing the scars of cancer are rare, leading some people to believe that the disease is a recent phenomenon caused by our modern lifestyles. However, this find provides evidence that refutes this hypothesis. Dr Lieverse suspects that taking into account variables such as longer life expectancies, cancer may have been considerably more common in ancient times than is generally presumed. ‘As we become more familiar with what metastatic carcinoma looks like in the skeleton, the number of cases identified by bioarchaeological research is likely to increase,’ she said. He is thought to have been between 35 and 40 years old when he died. This burial differed from most men’s of the period, who were typically laid to rest on their backs with fishing or hunting gear. The researchers performed a battery of tests on the man, as if he had died recently and ruled out the possibility that he had died from tuberculosis or fungal diseases. They said that the most likely culprit was metastatic carcinoma – cancer that starts in one part of the body and spreads. ‘It’s clear the disease had progressed considerably, metastasising far beyond its original location in the body and contributing to his death,' Dr Lieverse said. ‘His age and sex and the lesions on his bones point to lung cancer or possibly prostate cancer.’ The early Bronze Age man's remains were exhumed from a small hunter-gatherer cemetery near Lake Baikal (shown on the map) in the Cis-Baikal region of Siberia . Ancient skeletons bearing the scars of cancer are rare, leading some people to believe that the disease is a recent phenomenon caused by our modern lifestyles. The Bronze Age man lived in a mountainous region with freshwater lakes and would have eaten a healthy diet of fish, game and fresh seasonal plants. However, this find provides evidence that refutes this hypothesis. Dr Lieverse suspects that taking into account variables such as longer life expectancies, cancer may have been considerably more common in ancient times than is generally presumed. ‘As we become more familiar with what metastatic carcinoma looks like in the skeleton, the number of cases identified by bioarchaeological research is likely to increase,’ she said. ‘A related example is scurvy. Once we knew what scurvy does to the skeleton and became familiar with the signs, identification of the disease increased.
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Siberian Bronze Age man succumbed to either lung or prostate cancer .
Study led by the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, came to the conclusion after analysing bones riddled with holes .
Man was buried in a circular grave in the Cis-Baikal region of Siberia .
Cancer victim was buried with an ornamental bone and an elaborate spoon .
Experts say he would have suffered severe pain and fatigue in his last days .
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0b17d16132281b0768ed0c2a920b7219dcdd9910
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Andy Murray moved a step closer to his first title in more than a year with a 6-3 7-5 defeat of Slovakian Lukas Lacko to reach the semi-finals of the Shenzen Open on Friday. The Briton, trophy-less since winning Wimbledon last year,eased past the world number 85 to set up a clash with Argentina's Juan Monaco who earlier ousted French third seed Richard Gasquet 7-6(7) 6-4. Murray is facing a battle to qualify for the year-ending ATP World Tour Finals and needs a healthy haul of points from his remaining events this year to make the eight-man London finale. Andy Murray beat Lukas Lacko in the Shenzen Open 6-4, 7-5 as he bids to reach the ATP World Finals . Murray is looking to end his trophyless run since winning Wimbledon and is in the Shenzen Open last-four . Britain's number one hopes to qualify for the ATP World Finals in London and is currently in 11th place . 1 Novak Djokovic 8150 (number of points) - qualified . 2 Roger Federer 7020 - qualified . 3 Rafa Nadal 6645 - qualified . 4 Stanislas Wawrinka 4795 . 5 Marin Cilic 3935 . 6 Kei Nishikori 3675 . 7 David Ferrer 3535 . 8 Tomas Berdych 3510 . - - - - - - - - - - - - . 9 Milos Raonic 3440 . 10 Grigor Dimitrov 3335 . 11 Andy Murray 3155 . 12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 2650 . His cause was boosted earlier in the week when Spain's David Ferrer, one of the players he is vying with for one of the five remaining slots, crashed out early. Murray, ranked 11th in the ATP world rankings and also in the Race standings, took a wildcard to compete in Shenzen and it could prove a fruitful decision seeing as he is now clear favourite to land the indoor title. Should he win the title he would move to 10th in the standings but would still need to overhaul the likes of Canadian Milos Raonic and Czech Tomas Berdych, as well as Ferrer, to make sure of appearing at the year-ender. Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal have already booked their London tickets with Australian Open winner Stanislas Wawrinka, U.S. Open winner Marin Cilic and Japan's Kei Nishikori well on the way to joining them, leaving a fight for the two remaining places. The other semi-final in Shenzen will be between Spain's Tommy Robredo, who beat Italian Andreas Seppi 6-4 6-7(5) 6-3, and Colombian Santiago Giraldo who beat Serbia's Viktor Troicki in straight sets.
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Andy Murray is 11th in the Race to London ATP World Tour rankings .
Murray is trophy-less since winning Wimbledon .
Britain's number one is sweating on making a place at the ATP World Finals .
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0b183712266ab362191f911a791da8ac5b0053c1
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By . Shari Miller . PUBLISHED: . 06:12 EST, 14 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:50 EST, 14 August 2012 . While subway users simply throw away their used MetroCards, for one New York artist they are just the ticket for her next masterpiece. Nina Boesch spends hours slicing up the yellow, blue and black train cards before piecing them back together and creating amazing works of art. The 33-year-old has transformed the mundane into a host of iconic New York landscapes and portraits of the city’s famous faces, including Woody Allen, Audrey Hepburn and adopted New Yorker John Lennon. From MetroCard to masterpiece: Director and writer Woody Allen and musician John Lennon are depicted in Nina Boesch's unusual artwork . She estimates that she has sliced up more than 30,000 of the cards and admits to spending hours scouring the floors of stations around the bustling city to find new material. But the hard work has paid off for the German-born artist, who can command up to £2,230 ($3,500) for her work. Nina said: 'I can’t leave a subway station without looking around, it’s almost OCD at this point. 'Sometimes you’re lucky and you find a whole stack of them. 'My friends and co-workers collect them for me and donate them for my hobby.' Hail the cab: The iconic yellow taxis of New York feature in this piece . Going underground: Metrocards for the New York subway were the source of inspiration for Boesch's work . She first came up with the idea for the unusual mosaics 11 years ago, when she needed a cheap gift for her host family following an exchange trip to New Jersey from Germany. Thinking on her feet, she used the stacks of train tickets she had accumulated during her daily commute to make them a picture. Nina said: 'I made them a map of the United States. My host family liked it so much they kind of motivated me to go on. 'I get inspired just by walking the streets of New York, there's so much inspiration all over the city.' Hollywood heroes: Audrey Hepburn and James Dean feature on this stunning black-and-white mosaics created entirely from used MetroCards . Each piece is painstakingly produced by cutting the cards into tiny pieces, glueing them to acetate and then glazing it in glue so it stays solid. Her collages are currently on display at The Bean coffee shop in the East Village, and at the House of Art gallery in Brooklyn. Making a splash: Nina Boesch's depiction of the Lincoln Center fountain . Iconic: The Empire State building and other famous landmarks around New York feature in the works by artist Nina Boesch, who spends hours crafting each piece . Train of thought: Boesch has sliced up more than 30,000 cards to create her pieces, which also include a Metro map and an optician's eye chart . Flying off the wall: This depiction of a pigeon and other works by Nina Boesch are popular among collectors and can sell for as much as $3,500 . Raising the roof: Boesch's iconic depictions of New York's skyline have caught the eye of art lovers . Inspiration: Artist Nina Boesch says she is inspired by city life, from the landmarks of Brooklyn bridge to New York's famous residents, including violinist Itzhak Perlman .
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Nina Boesch spends hours slicing up yellow, blue and black train cards and creating mosaics .
Portraits of New York's famous faces include Woody Allen, Audrey Hepburn, James Dean and John Lennon .
Once transformed into art, the discarded Subway tickets can sell for up to $3,500 .
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0b19068130ff4fd976e8af9dfc061c8176ca868e
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(CNN) -- What really motivates us? And what motivational techniques lead us to work smarter and live better? Those are questions that behavioral scientists around the world have been exploring for the past half-century. Their answers might surprise you. In laboratory experiments and field studies, a band of psychologists, sociologists and economists have found that many carrot-and-stick motivators -- the elements around which we build most of our businesses and many of our schools -- can be effective, but that they work in only a surprisingly narrow band of circumstances. For enduring motivation, the science shows, a different approach is more effective. This approach draws not on our biological drive or our reward-and-punishment drive, but on what we might think of as our third drive: Our innate need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world. In particular, high performance -- especially for the complex, conceptual tasks we're increasingly doing on thejob -- depends far more on intrinsic motivators than on extrinsic ones. Read more about Daniel Pink's talk at TEDGlobal2009 . With these conclusions in mind, here are a few ways to tap your third drive and enlist the science of motivation at work, with your children and in your personal life. WORK: Try a FedEx Day . The Australian software company Atlassian has an ingenious method for stoking innovation. Once a quarter, on a Thursday afternoon, they allow their developers to work on anything they want, any way they want and with whomever they want. The only requirement is that people have to show what they've created to the rest of the company at a fun and spirited meeting 24 hours later. Atlassian calls these sessions "FedEx Days" because people have to deliver something overnight. These one-day bursts of autonomy have produced an array of fixes for existing software and ideas for new products that might not have emerged otherwise. This isn't management through carrots and sticks. It's innovation through autonomy. You can give this a whirl at your organization. Set aside an entire day when employees can work on anything they choose, however they want, with whomever they'd like. Make sure they have the tools and resources they need. And impose just one rule: People must deliver something -- a new idea, a prototype of a product, a better internal process -- the following day. The results might amaze you. CHILDREN: Give your children an allowance and some chores -- but don't combine them . In the peculiar world of human motivation, sometimes adding two positives can give you a negative. Take the case of chores and allowances. Both are good. Chores show kids that families are built on mutual obligations and that all members need to help each other. Allowances teach kids to be responsible for, and manage, their own money. But combining the two is a big mistake. By linking money to the completion of chores, parents turn an allowance into what I call an "if- then" reward (as in "If you do this, then you get that.") The science is very clear that "if-then" rewards, while effective in some circumstances, can trigger an avalanche of unintended consequences. In this case, the carrot of payment sends kids a clear (and clearly wrongheaded) message: In the absence of cash, no self-respecting child would willingly set the table, empty the garbage or make her own bed. It converts a moral andfamilial obligation into just another commercial transaction -- and teaches that the only reason to do a less-than-desirable task for your family is for payment. So keep allowance and chores separate, and you just might get that trash can emptied. Even better, your kids will begin to learn the difference between principles and payoffs. PERSONAL: Find your sentence . Clare Booth Luce, one of the first women to serve in Congress, once said, "a great man is a sentence." What she meant was that anybody who ever achieved anything of enduring significance wasn't running in 17 directions at once. Those who leave left a lasting imprint -- not just on their country, but also on their families and communities -- are animated by a singular purpose. One of the best ways to find your purpose is to ask yourself a variation of Luce's question: What's my sentence? When all is said and done, how to do you wanted to be remembered? How will the world be different because of your presence on it? Your sentence need not be George Washington-esque in its scope. ("He led a revolution from tyranny and helped guide a young democracy.") Maybe it's "she served every patient who came into her office whether or not that person could pay." Maybe it's "he taught two generations of children how to read." Maybe it's "she raised four children who are now happy and healthy adults." There are few better navigational tools than to find your North Star of purpose. So ask yourself: What's my sentence? You might find the answer motivating. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Daniel Pink.
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Our traditional idea of motivation is to reward good behavior with money, Daniel Pink says .
He says research shows that carrot-and-stick motivators work only in limited circumstances .
He says many people motivated by need to be creative, productive, independent .
He says managers and parents can adopt better ways to motivate .
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Los Angeles (CNN) -- A prominent California Democrat campaign fund manager charged with defrauding a state legislator of $677,181 is in settlement negotiations with federal prosecutors, a law enforcement source said Tuesday. Kinde Durkee, whose Durkee & Associates firm is based in Burbank, California, has been charged with two counts of mail fraud regarding the alleged misappropriation of $677,181 in campaign funds belonging to California Assemblyman Jose Solorio, a Democrat whose office is based in Anaheim, authorities said. The law enforcement source asked for anonymity because the source wasn't authorized to speak publicly about the negotiations. Durkee is accused of filing false disclosure reports to hide the misappropriations, according to an affidavit by FBI Agent Reginald Coleman. Durkee, who appears to have signature authority over more than 400 bank accounts, including those for political campaigns, allegedly moved "substantial" sums of money from client campaign committees to her firm's accounts or other campaign accounts, Coleman said in the affidavit. Durkee also allegedly spent funds from clients' accounts to make her firm's payroll and to pay for her mortgage, her American Express bill, her mother's assisted living facility expenses and other personal expenses, Coleman's affidavit said. In an interview with the FBI on September 1, "Ms. Durkee admitted that she had been misappropriating her clients' money for years, and that forms she filed with the state were false," Coleman wrote. Durkee and her attorney could not be reached by CNN for comment on Tuesday. In the wake of the charges, U.S. Rep. Susan Davis, D-California, has accused Durkee of stealing "upwards of $250,000 in campaign funds," according to a letter that Davis sent to her supporters on Saturday. Durkee was also Davis' campaign fund manager, a Davis spokeswoman said. "As this scandal emerges, she may well become known as the Bernie Madoff of campaign finance treasurers," Davis said about Durkee in the letter to supporters. Lauren Horwood, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Sacramento, California, said prosecutors are looking at Davis' accusations and the campaign accounts of other Democrats that Durkee was managing. "The investigation is looking at all of the accounts of clients of Kinde Durkee," including those of elected Democrats, Horwood said. On her firm's website, Durkee states: "We have performed accounting and reporting for political campaigns day-in and day-out since 1972. Accounting, reporting and compliance management for political campaigns and nonprofits is quite different from standard business accounting; we understand the differences because we've specialized in political campaigns." Durkee, who was arrested earlier this month and released on $200,000 bond, will return to federal court for a preliminary hearing on October 19 in Sacramento, Horwood said. CNN's Casey Wian and Sara Weisfeldt contributed to this report.
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Kinde Durkee is a prominent campaign fund manager for California Democrats .
She has been charged with two counts of mail fraud .
She is accused of misappropriating $677,181 in campaign funds .
The FBI accuses her of spending other clients' money on personal expenses .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . A rare blue-plumed parrot believed to be one of the very last of its kind to have been born in the wild and the inspiration behind a hit movie has died in Brazil. The Spix's macaw named Presley was believed to have been about 40 years old when he died Wednesday outside São Paulo. He is believed to have been the inspiration behind the 2011 animated movie Rio and its sequel Rio 2, which was released in 2014, about a Spix's macaw called Blu. Dying breed: Presley the Spix's macaw has died after a tumultuous life that saw him living in Europe and North America before being returned to his native Brazil . A blow for conservation: It was hoped that Presley would be able to add diversity to the tiny gene pool of the Spix's macaw, but he never produced any offspring . Presley's species is critically endangered, and the native Brazilian birds are thought by experts to be extinct in the wild. His death is a blow to conservation efforts, because Presley represented an opportunity in inject some diversity into the remaining gene pool, which is thought to consist of fewer than 100 birds worldwide in captive breeding programs. According to National Geographic, the species is vulnerable to genetic defects caused by inbreeding. But Presley never had any offspring after deforestation, animal trafficking and introduced species left Spix's macaws decimated and he himself spent many years away from his native forests. Presley was smuggled out of his birthplace in the São Francisco Valley in northern Bahia in the 1970s and was traded among several private bird collectors in Europe before he wound up in the U.S. An avian veterinarian was amazed when more than a decade ago she received a call to examine an ailing blue macaw named Presley in Colorado and recognized it as a Spix’s. The lone macaw was depressed after losing its companion of many years, an Amazon parrot, living in a small cage, unwell and unable to fly. After six months of rehabilitation he was returned to Brazil, where he lived in the São Paulo Zoo before being moved to the Lymington Foundation, a refuge and breeding facility for rare parrots in the forest outside the city. Blue bird: Presley was the inspiration for Blu, the main character from the animated film Rio . Rare: The Spix's macaw is a medium-sized parrot that weighs about 300 grams. Their lifespan in the wild is unknown, but it's believed Presley was about 40 . 'He was very affectionate – just a very congenial bird, very chirpy, very talkative. He loved visitors,' Bill Wittkoff, Lymington's executive director told National Geographic. 'He's got an aviary that we'd wheel in and out, for the cold in wintertime and because of very, very hot sun. We'd go by his aviary often and he'd always gives us a chirp, a hello.' Bill and his wife Linda Wittkoff, who is director of the facility, tried breeding Presley with another Spix's macaw, but they produced sterile eggs. They still had hopes for Presley's ability to breed by artificial insemination, but before they could try it Presley began to sicken. Chirpy: Presley was affectionate and talkative, say his carers Bill and Linda Wittkoff . It was discovered over the past year that he had an irregular heartbeat and when he went off his food last week, the Wittkoffs took him to a vet. They believed he'd recover, but he never rallied and at 7am Wednesday morning he died. 'To us, Presley is a symbol of the best and worst in mankind,' the Wittkoffs wrote in a letter announcing his death. 'The love, care, concern and effort to help and preserve [on one side], with the greed, selfishness, and lack of concern for the animal world on the other side.'
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The second-to-last Spix's macaw to have been born in the wild has died .
Presley was believed to have been about 40 years old .
The bird was smuggled out of his native Brazil in the 1970s and wound up in Colorado by way for Europe .
He was returned to Brazil more than 10 years ago .
Conservationists were hoping he would be able to add diversity to the genetic pool of Spix's macaws - only about 100 are living in captive breeding programs around the world .
Presley was never able to reproduce .
He was the inspiration for the animated films Rio and Rio 2 .
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By . Laurie Whitwell . Follow @@lauriewhitwell . Philippe Senderos has joined Aston Villa on a two-year deal to become Paul Lambert’s first signing of the summer. The 29-year-old, who flies to out to the World Cup with Switzerland on Friday, moves on a free transfer from Valencia where he spent the second half of last season after leaving Fulham. Lambert has been searching for an experienced centre-back to play alongside Dutch international Ron Vlaar and had chased Joleon Lescott but his wages are more than the club can afford. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Senderos in training with Switzerland World Cup Squad . Deal: Philippe Senderos has joined Aston Villa on a two-year deal to become their first summer signing . Fresh start: Senderos wrapped the deal up before beginning Switzerland's World Cup campaign . Swiss boss Ottmar Hitzfeld, Lambert’s manager when he was a player at Borussia Dortmund, played a part in getting the deal done by praising the former Arsenal player to the Villa manager. ‘I went to Switzerland not long ago to watch the national team train and I could see he has a good, strong mentality for the game,’ said Lambert. ‘Ottmar knows players and for him to say that Philippe has never disappointed him on the pitch, that's no small commendation. ‘This will be Philippe's third World Cup finals and there aren't too many players who compete at that level over that stretch of time. He'll be a great addition to the group.’ Senderos added: ‘I’m really delighted to be joining Aston Villa, a great club with such a big history, and for me this is a great step in my career. ‘There will be a lot of competition for places with Ron Vlaar, Ciaran Clark, Nathan Baker and Jores Okore also very capable Premier League defenders, so it will be up to me to fight for and to earn my place in the team. ‘This is a team and a club which wants to do better, I know this, and hopefully we can all develop together and create something special.’ Exile: The Swiss defender is one of many players to depart Fulham this summer following their relegation .
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Philippe Senderos was released by Fulham at the end of the season .
The defender had a medical at Aston Villa after agreeing two-year deal .
Senderos will represent Switzerland at the World Cup this summer .
Ottmar Hitzfeld played a part in the move .
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Fort Hood, Texas (CNN) -- Those who knew Nidal Malik Hasan before he was a major in the Army -- and the suspect in last week's mass killing at Fort Hood -- say he was long known for militant Islamist views. Doctors who crossed paths with Hasan in medical programs paint a picture of a subpar student who wore his religious views on his sleeve. Several doctors who knew Hasan spoke to CNN, but only on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation of the shooting, which left 12 soldiers and one civilian dead and dozens of other people wounded. Hasan, an Army psychiatrist who faces 13 counts of premeditated murder, "was clearly espousing Islamist ideology" during his time as a medical student at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, one of his former classmates told CNN. Hasan's family has revealed little about him, saying in media interviews that Hasan was a "good American" and a lifelong Muslim who complained he was harassed in the Army because of his religion. His former classmates describe a much more militant Hasan. His presentations for school were often laced with extremist Muslim views, one source said. "Is your allegiance to Sharia law or the United States?" students once challenged Hasan, the source said. "Sharia law," Hasan responded, according to the source. The incident was corroborated by another doctor who was present. The source recalled another instance in which Hasan was asked if the U.S. Constitution was a brilliant document. Hasan replied, "No, not particularly," according to the source. The former classmate told CNN that he voiced concerns about Hasan to supervisors at the school. A second former medical school colleague of Hasan said several people raised concerns about Hasan's overall competence. Even though Hasan earned his medical degree and residency, some of his fellow students believed Hasan "didn't have the intellect" to be in the program and was not academically rigorous in his coursework. Hasan "was not fit to be in the military, let alone in the mental health profession," this classmate told CNN. "No one in class would ever have referred a patient to him or trusted him with anything." The first classmate echoed this sentiment. Hasan was "coddled, accommodated and pushed through that masters of public health despite substandard performance," the classmate said. He was "put in the fellowship program because they didn't know what to do with him." The second classmate said he witnessed at least two of Hasan's PowerPoint discussions that included what he described as extremist views. In these presentations, which were supposed to be about health, Hasan justified suicide bombings and spoke about the persecution of Muslims in the Middle East, in the United States and in the U.S. military, the source said. Some in the crowd rolled their eyes or muttered under their breath, he said, and others were clearly uncomfortable. Those in the audience, which included program supervisors, did not loudly object to Hasan's presentations, but did complain to their higher-ups afterward. The supervisors expressed "appreciation, understanding and agreement" that the complaints would be discussed, but it was unclear what action, if any, came, the source said. When the classmate challenged Hasan personally, Hasan dodged the questions, the source said. Despite the controversy that his schoolwork created, classmates did not view Hasan as mentally unstable or psychotic, the source said. Questions remain over how much Hasan's behavior and actions in school were reflected in his personnel files. Col. Kimberly Kesling, deputy commander of Clinical Services for Darnell Medical Center at Fort Hood and Hasan's supervisor at the post, told reporters last week that Hasan was doing a good job in Texas. "As a supervisor, I am aware of the job performance of people coming into our organization, that is part of our credentialing process," Kesling said. "The types of things that were reported to me via his evaluation report were things that concerned me, but did not raise red flags toward this [the shootings] in any way, shape, or form." "His evaluation reports said that he had some difficulties in his residency, fitting into his residency, and we worked very hard to integrate him into our practice and into our organization, and he adapted very well, was doing a really good job for us," she said. Prompted by reports of former classmates, however, Army investigators would like to speak with people who have had contact with Hasan and who may have information about his activities and behavior, Maj. Gen Kevin Bergner, head of U.S. Army public affairs, said. Defense Secretary Robert Gates weighed in on the information surfacing about Hasan. "I deplore the leaks that have taken place," he said on a trip to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. People are talking about "what they know, which is one small piece of the puzzle." "They don't know whether or not what they're leaking might jeopardize a potential criminal investigation and trial," he said. "People who have a piece of this, frankly, ought to keep quiet and let the authorities go forward on this in an organized and comprehensive way," Gates said. Hasan came under investigation last year when his contacts with radical imam Anwar al-Awlaki were intercepted by terrorism investigators monitoring the cleric's communications, a federal law enforcement official told CNN. An employee of the Defense Department's Criminal Investigative Services, assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force, decided to drop the investigation after reviewing the intercepted communications and Hasan's personnel files. Hasan remained hospitalized Thursday from gunshot wounds he received from two police officers who responded to last week's shooting. CNN's Brian Todd and Ed Lavandera contributed to this report.
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NEW: Defense Secretary Gates: Leaks should stop, because they might jeopardize probe .
Medical school classmates: Hasan espoused Islamist views in class .
Hasan said his allegiance was to Sharia law, not the U.S., source says .
Hasan charged with murder, accused of killing 13 at Fort Hood last week .
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By . Chris Wheeler . PUBLISHED: . 05:53 EST, 4 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:39 EST, 5 March 2013 . Sir Alex Ferguson's fears were confirmed when Phil Jones was ruled out of Manchester United's Champions League clash with Real Madrid. The England defender, 21, had been a major doubt for the second leg since damaging ligaments in his right ankle in the FA Cup victory over Reading two weeks ago. He missed training on Monday morning and Ferguson confirmed his absence shortly after the session. 'He's not fit. He won't be fit for tomorrow,' said the Scot. Scroll down for video . Warming up for the big one: Rio Ferdinand (left), Ryan Giggs (centre) and Tom Cleverley head out for Manchester United training today ahead of the massive match against Real Madrid . All smiles: Manchester United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson (second right) appears unperturbed by Phil Jones's absence from training today as he shares a joke with his staff, including Mike Phelan (second left) and Rene Meulensteen (right) Losing Jones is a major blow for the . United manager, who used the player in a defensive midfield role to . blunt Madrid’s considerable attacking threat in a 1-1 draw at the . Bernabeu. Ferguson, who was joined by Sir Bobby Charlton at the training session, gave Jones . every chance to be fit in time, but he had not even started . light training until the end of last week after the club’s medical staff . estimated a three-week lay-off. Meanwhile, Ryan Giggs will play a part . in what will be the 1,000th game of his career. There also appears to be a slight . concern over Jonny Evans, who trained away from the rest of the . first-team squad this morning, doing some light running on an adjoining . pitch. Drill bits: Manchester United players warm up during training at the club's Carrington HQ . Watching brief: Jonny Evans sits out Manchester United's training session on Monday morning . Blow: Phil Jones has missed United's last two games since sustaining an injury against Reading . Struggling off: United medics help Jones from during the FA Cup fifth round clash with Reading at Old Trafford . But Robin van Persie, Patrice Evra . and Danny Welbeck, who all picked up knocks in Saturday’s 4-0 win over . Norwich, trained without any problems. A huge media presence this morning . was a reminder of the magnitude of this fixture, with Spanish press and . television crews turning up in numbers before heading over to Manchester . City’s Etihad Stadium, where Real will train this afternoon. Two members of the Glazer family, . Joel and Avi, even watched the players go through their paces from a . balcony overlooking the pitch. Keeping watch: Sir Bobby Charlton joins Sir Alex (left) at Monday morning's session, which was watched by club directors Avi Glazer (second from right) and brother Joel Glazer (far right) at Carrington . Getting stuck in: Robin van Persie (No 20) trains despite picking up a knock against Norwich as Wayne Rooney (No 10) looks on . Tuesday's Champions League clash between Manchester United and Read Madrid is the match of the season so far. Sportsmail will have news and pictures of all the build-up as it happens: . They were greeted by freezing . conditions as the United squad, many wearing hats and gloves, formed two . circles and played keep-ball with two players in the middle trying to . win it back. Captain Nemanja Vidic, unlikely to play if Evans . is fit, found himself in the middle more than most. Afterwards fitness coach Mike Strudwick oversaw some quickstep exercises over small hurdles as the intensity increased. Overall, the mood seemed relaxed and . even jovial at times with Ferguson – wrapped up against the cold in a . grey anorak and hat – looking on. The United boss is set to appear at . his pre-match press conference alongside Ryan Giggs at Old Trafford on Monday afternoon as the build-up to the big game continues. Ryan Giggs . Wayne Rooney . Rio Ferdinand . Wizard of the dribble: Nemanja Vidic (centre) takes on Wayne Rooney (left) and Tom Cleverley (right) United midfielder Michael Carrick acknowledges nights like this are the ones that really get his competitive juices flowing. After . almost seven years at Old Trafford - during which time he has gained four . Premier League title-winning medals, won one Champions League and played in two other . finals - Carrick has enough experience not to be overwhelmed by the . biggest of occasions. But he accepts certain matches are beyond the norm. 'These . are the nights you live for,' he said. 'It is extra special. There is . just something in the air. Everyone comes to the stadium with a spring . in their step. Raring to go: Evra (left) and Welbeck (right) trained despite picking up knocks against Norwich on Saturday . Talking a good game: United's midfielder Michael Carrick trains today ahead of the Real clash . 'Every supporter is that little bit more vocal. They appreciate how important it is and what it means to get through. 'The prestige and history of the club suggests we should be challenging in the later stages of these tournaments. 'It is up to us to go out there and do it.' Iker Casillas' presence in the 24-man Real Madrid squad that flew into Manchester on Sunday night underlines the importance being placed on the game by Real boss Mourinho given the vastly experienced goalkeeper has been missing since January, when he fractured his hand against Valencia, and only returned to training on Thursday.
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Ankle injury prevents 21-year-old from facing Spanish giants .
Evans trains away from first-team squad .
But Van Persie, Evra and Welbeck all take part in full training .
Sir Bobby Charlton joins Fergie as players are put through paces .
And the Glazers are at Carrington, too .
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0b1c65eac4e48a58ecebca75a1cf5f608f667db8
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:43 EST, 18 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:44 EST, 18 June 2013 . A teacher has been arrested on suspicion of stashing child porn on his work-issued computers - seven years after the school reportedly branded one of his students a 'troublemaker' for telling them about graphic images. Lawrence Hughes, 59, allegedly had more than 20 child porn pictures on two computers issued by Union Academy Magnet School in Polk County, Florida and was arrested last week. Now the mother of one of his former 8th-grade students has claimed her son alerted the school to the images years ago, but said officials punished the boy and told her he was a troublemaker. Caught: Middle school teacher Lawrence Hughes, 59, allegedly told police he had a pornography addiction . 'My son just blurted out, "He has . porn on his computer",' Joan Mac Hill told WTSP. 'I thought "well he's a kid; he'll do anything to get out of . not having to do his homework".' But when the boy, John Mac Hill, insisted that he was telling the truth, she told the principal. 'He said my son was a troublemaker and there was no point of fact that there was porn on that teacher's computer,' she told the news channel. When Hughes was arrested last week, she contacted school officials and police to complain. The images surfaced after a student told detectives he had been using Hughes' computer when he saw a 'pop-up' warning reading: 'You have been viewing or distributing child pornography.' Hughes, a research teacher and . 30-year veteran of the school district, promptly shut down the computer . and did not say anything about the message, according to the police . statement. Anger: Joan Mac Hill said she'd previously warned the school about porn her son found on his computer . Discovery: Her son John, pictured, was in 8th grade when he found the lewd images, his mother said . Authorities allegedly later found lewd pictures of prepubescent and pubescent boys between the ages of 12 and 16. Others showed images of children engaging in sexual acts with adults, and yet more showed nude boys engaged in sexual acts with each other, the police statement said. The student also told investigators he had been invited by Hughes with some other male students on a canoe trip earlier in the year, but did not go. He said he later saw photos of the two students, who were 13 or 14, and said Hughes 'wrestled' with one of the boys and held their hands while 'praying', ABC Action News reported. Hughes was arrested in his front . driveway as he headed for a vacation with his wife in the Carolinas; . when officers approached him, he admitted he had a porn addiction, . the sheriff said. 'He said, "I'm addicted to pornography, but I don't download child pornography, but if it downloads I put it on a thumb drive and I take it to school and put it on the school's computers",' Polk Sheriff Grady said. Workplace: Hughes is a research teacher at Union Academy and has worked for the district for 30 years . Investigators are now asking students or parents who may know of inappropriate contact that Hughes may have had with children to contact them. The Sheriff's Office said that for 22 years, Hughes has been part of a mentoring program where he took young boys camping. 'He didn't say how many years he'd been addicted to porn, but I am suspicious. We know it's not his first rodeo, so who's not been reporting him in the past?' Judd asked. Mac Hill added: 'He had no right to expose those children to that. He had no right to bring his personal things into that classroom.' 10 News contacted the school district, who said they could not comment on any previous complaints because of their on-going investigation.
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Lawrence Hughes 'stashed dozens of lewd images on school computers'
Mother of one of his former students claims her son told her he had seen child porn on Hughes' computer seven years ago .
She told school principal who said the boy was a 'troublemaker'
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0b1d14b9f6619ced37003ff77f22dbd122fca645
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By . Graham Smith . PUBLISHED: . 05:02 EST, 9 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:58 EST, 9 October 2012 . A lorry transporting brand new Range Rovers crashed on a busy dual carriageway last night, scattering its expensive cargo across both sides of the road. The long-vehicle hit the central reservation and overturned, spilling several luxury cars worth more than £70,000 each and damaging the tarmac. Police closed the A34, near Whitchurch, Hampshire, in both directions after the accident late last night and repair work is still taking place today. Expensive spill: Police have closed the A34, near Whitchurch, Hampshire, in both directions after the long-vehicle hit the central reservation, scattering Range Rovers across the road, last night . Hampshire Constabulary’s roads . policing unit posted on its Twitter account: 'A very expensive road . traffic collision, thankfully nobody was hurt! Not much left of some nice Range Rovers!' The transporter was driving north up . the A34, between Bullington and Highclere, when it hit the central . reservation, at around 11pm. No one was hurt in the crash and no other vehicles were involved, police said. Rush hour commuters were this morning . met with gridlock as the busy main artery was shut. It is expected to . be closed for most of the day. The lorry and all of the Range Rovers have now been removed, but work is still . needed to clear spilled diesel and hydraulic fluid and repair extensive . damage to the road surface. Luxury: The brand new Range Rovers that were wrecked in the accident are similar to this latest model, which starts at £71,295 . A spokesman for Hampshire . Constabulary said: 'A transporter lorry carrying several vehicles was in . collision with the central barrier on the A34 northbound carriageway at . Whitchurch. 'Several . vehicles being carried on the lorry came off and ended up in both . carriageways. 'No other vehicles were involved and fortunately no one . was injured. 'The road is likely to remain closed for most of Tuesday to allow for repairs to the road surface and barriers.' A spokesman for the Highways Agency added: 'The A34 is expected to remain closed until at least the early afternoon. Road users are advised to leave plenty of time for their journeys and to avoid the area if possible, using alternative routes.' The . spokesman added: 'Sections of the north and southbound carriageway have . been damaged and will need to be resurfaced, and around 100 metres of . barrier in the central reservation also needs to be repaired before the . road can be safely re-opened to traffic.
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Long-vehicle hit central .
reservation on A34 and overturned .
It spilled luxury cars worth more than .
£70,000 each and damaged the tarmac .
Road is closed in both directions today .
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0b1ebf58c6e2bd6f2095defe6f0b3caf7ff2b34d
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A lemon-sized skull unearthed in Montana is evidence of the earliest horned dinosaur species ever found in North America. It belongs to a distant relative of Triceratops, called Aquilops americanus, which was markedly smaller and lighter than its truck-sized ancestors. The discovery could help palaeontologists understand how horned dinosaurs evolved their fierce facial features. Scroll down for interactive module . A lemon-sized skull unearthed in Montana is evidence of the earliest horned dinosaur species ever found in North America. It belongs to a distant relative of Triceratops, called Aquilops americanus, which was markedly smaller and lighter than its truck-sized ancestors . Experts have struggled for decades to reconstruct the early evolutionary history of Ceratopsia – herbivorous, beaked dinosaurs - in North America, because of a limited fossil record, but this latest discovery could shed new light. The dinosaur name means ‘American eagle face’. It would have weighed just three pounds (1.4kg), and was the size of a small cat, measuring just two feet long (61cm), according to the study published in Plos One. It lived in the Early Cretaceous Period - around 108 million years ago. Its diminutive size contrasts with its later, and more famous relative, Triceratops, which weighed 4,000 times more. Aquilops’ skull, which measures just 3.3 inches (8.4cm) long, has a distinctive hooked beak-like structure and a pointed cavity on its cheeks (illustrated) Record: Aquilops Americanus is the earliest known horned dinosaur species in North America. Name: The animal's Latin name means American eagle face. Skull features: A distinctive hooked beak-like structure and a pointed cavity on its cheeks. Age: The creature lived in the Early Cretaceous Period. The fossil is thought to be 108 million years old. Weight: Three lbs (1.4kg). Size: Two ft long (61cm). Family: It's a distant relative of Triceratops. Relevance: The fossil could help palaeontologists understand how horned dinosaurs evolved. Discovery: The fossil was unearthed in 1997 in Montana. Aquilops’ skull measures just over three inches (8cm) long, and has a distinctive hooked beak-like structure and a pointed cavity on its cheeks. The dinosaur lacks the later species’ trademark head shield and facial horns and is comparatively ‘no frills,’ experts at the Sam Noble Museum in Oklahoma said. The fossil was discovered by a team of paleontologists led by Rich Cifelli in 1997, and the dinosaur is now considered the oldest member of the horned dinosaur lineage in North America. Andrew Farke, the from Raymond M. Alf Museum of Palaeontology in Claremont, California, who led the study, told the BBC that the animal is closely related to similar species in Asia. ‘Aquilops lived nearly 20 million years before the next oldest horned dinosaur named from North America. ‘Even so, we were surprised that it was more closely related to Asian animals than those from North America.’ Experts predict that by studying other horned fossil records, they will find that the ancestors of Aquilops may have come from Asia. The dinosaur lacks the later species’ trademark head shield and facial horns and is comparatively ‘no frills,’ according to one expert. A 3D-printed version of the skill is pictured on a Triceratops' skull, to give people an idea of how small the newly-discovered dinosaur was . The fossil record suggests horned dinosaurs arose in Asia and spread to North America near the Bering Strait by about 108 million years ago - the age of Aquilops. Surprisingly, however, the study places Aquilops near the base of this tree, removed from horn-bearing Triceratops and other relatives (diagram pictured) If this proves true, it would support theories of an ‘intercontinental migratory event’ between Asia and North America, which palaeontologists think may have occurred in the late Early Creataceous, between 113 million and 105 million years ago. Experts have created 3D models of the dinosaur and will add details to it as they learn more about the prehistoric creature. The skull itself will be featured in a new exhibit in the museum’s Hall of Ancient Life and will sit alongside its Pentaceratops, which holds the Guinness World Record for being the largest dinosaur skull ever found. The dinosaur (illustrated), whose name means ‘American eagle face’ would have weighed just three pounds (1.4kg), and was the size of a small cat, measuring just two feet long (61cm), according to the study . The skull, unearthed in Montana is the earliest horned dinosaur species ever found in North America. Outcrops of Cloverly Formation within the Bighorn Basin of Montana and Wyoming are shown in orange . Triceratops (pictured) first appeared in the late Cretaceous period, about 68 million years ago and unlike its earlier relative, was the size of a truck. A scale model being crafted for the film Jurassic Park, is shown .
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108 million-year old skull of Aquilops americanus was found in Montana .
Name means 'American eagle face' and it would have weighed 3lbs (1.4kg)
Fossil comes from the earliest horned dinosaur found on the continent .
It's an earlier, distant relative of Triceratops, but weighed 4,000 times less .
Find could help experts understand how horned dinosaurs evolved .
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Iaroslav Semenenko of Ukraine won the first heat of the men's swimming despite not having any arms . The Paralympic Games got underway today and within one of the first events proved why it is going to be a display of 'superhuman' abilities. Iaroslav Semenenko, a swimmer from Ukraine, powered to the finish of the first heat of the men's 100m backstroke, well ahead of the other competitors despite not having any arms. The 25-year-old Paralympian used just his legs to propel himself along the pool and completed the swim more than two seconds ahead of second place swimmer Sebastian Iwanow from Germany. His achievement came before Great Britain's first Paralympic medal, a silver won by Mark Colbourne this afternoon, in the C1-2-3 one-kilometre time-trial. At the end of his race, Semenenko swam at full speed into the wall, banging his head on the edge of the pool to hit the timer. Elsewhere, cyclist Mark Colbourne today bagged Paralympics GB’s first medal of the Games - just three years after breaking his back in a horrific paragliding accident. His breathtaking performance in the velodrome was cheered on by thousands of fans, who watched him get silver in the men’s individual 1km Time Trial. The achievement marks an incredible turnaround, after he was forced into an emergency landing when his paragliding wing collapsed in 2009. Colbourne, a former professional Welsh volleyball player, broke his back in the fall and underwent five months of gruelling physiotherapy just to learn to walk again. Mark Lee Colbourne of Great Britain celebrates alongside physio Kirstin Henderson as he moves in to silver medal position in the Men's Individual C1-2-3 1km Cycling Time Trial . His silver medal is all the more impressive as he only took up the sport three years ago. Britain didn't have to wait too long for gold. Cyclist Sarah Storey landed the top . spot on the podium, winning the C5 individual pursuit. She had earlier . broken the world record in the event in front of the Duke and Duchess of . Cambridge at the Velodrome. And she was followed by 20-year-old swimmer Jonathan Fox, who lived up to his world record holder status, triumphing in the S7 100 metres backstroke race. Gold: Team GB's Jonathan Fox celebrates with his 100m backstroke medal . Podium finish: Nyree Kindred won silver in the 100m backstroke . In the women's swimming heat, Lu Dong . completed her swim with a huge roar from the crowd which lifted the roof . off the Aquatics Centre at the Olympic Park in Stratford following her . performance. She also . briefly held Paralympic Record with her time of 1.28.18, but in the . second heat Nyree Kindred, 31, gave Britain hope for gold when she beat . Dong, setting a personal record with 1.27.96. But the Chinese swimmer stormed to gold in the final, setting a new world record - forcing Kindred to settle for silver. This afternoon two British competitors qualified for the men's 50m S5 freestyle event. Anthony Stephens qualified with a time of 35.59 seconds while Andrew Mullen completed the race in 37.4 seconds. Uncertainty . surrounded the start of the women's competition at the Aquatics Centre with double . world record holder Victoria Arlen set to learn if she can participate . in the London 2012 Paralympic Games after initially being found to be . 'non-eligible' for competition by the International Paralympic . Committee. The IPC had received evidence . compelling them on Tuesday to assess Arlen, who holds world records for . S6 100metres and 400m freestyle, and found she was ineligible for . competition. Scroll down to see a video of Semenenko swimming . Semenenko beat his nearest rival by two seconds and came to a halt by crashing his head into the wall . Semenenko is helped into the pool ahead of the men's 100m Backstroke S6 heat . Anthony Stephens qualified in the men's 50m S5 freestyle with a time of 35.59 seconds . The U.S. appealed and the 17-year-old is now set to be reclassified on today's opening day of the swimming programme. It . is a situation that could affect teenager Ellie Simmonds who is in the . same S6 classification as the American with the Briton the defending . champion over 100m and 400m freestyle. An IPC spokesman said: 'She was . reclassified on Monday and found non-eligible; she did not meet the . eligibility criteria for her chosen sport. She must be reclassified . tomorrow morning.' Arlen, a . former junior state champion, returned to swimming last year after a . neurological virus called Transverse Myelitis affected her spinal cord . in 2006 and left her in a vegetative state for two years, and set the . world records at the US trials in June. Simmonds had last week earmarked Arlen as one who presented a very real threat to the defence of her titles. Dong Lu of China swam three seconds ahead of her fellow competitors in the 100m backstroke and got into the final . Nyree Kindred beat Dong's Paralympic record time in the second heat of the 100m Backstroke . Simmonds was just 13 when she was flung into the public eye after her tears on the podium in Beijing following her two gold medal-winning performances. Since then the Walsall-born athlete has won European and world titles and earlier this year made history when she became the first swimmer to break a world record at the Aquatics Centre when she set a new mark in the SM6 200m individual medley in March. Simmonds said: 'I have learned not to . put pressure on myself - not to target (medals) - I am just going to go . out and swim the best possible I can because you never know what you . are going to wake up to.' Britain's Ellie Simmonds had said that Victoria Arlen was her main rival in the Paralympics . Amy Marren was born a little over two miles from the Olympic Park in Newham and she credits Simmonds as her inspiration. Competing in the S9 category, Marren - who turned 14 on August 14 - said: 'I got into Paralympic swimming when I watched Ellie win her double gold in Beijing. 'I thought I would really love to do something like that when I get older. I haven't told her to her face (about being inspired by her). I still get starstruck around her.' There are a number of British medal hopes today at the Aquatics Centre. Remarkable: Sini Zeng of China competes in the Women's Individual C1-3 Pursuit qualification round today . Top cyclists: Jianping Ruan of China competes in the Women's Individual C4 Pursuit , left, and Fiona Southorn of New Zealand and Greta Neimanas of the United States of America finish in the Women's Individual C5 Pursuit . Susie Rodgers is a relative newcomer to the Paralympic scene but five golds and a silver at last year's European Championships underline her talent and she goes in the S7 100m backstroke. Stephanie Millward is in the S9 100m butterfly while Hannah Russell is one to watch in the S12 400m freestyle. Anthony Stephens will look to add to his five Paralympic medals in the S5 50m freestyle. Pool star: Jessica Long of the United States competes in the Women's 100m Butterfly . True superhuman: Arnulfo Castorena of Mexico competes in the Men's 50m Breaststroke today . Table tennis: Natalia Partyka of Poland serves in a match against Umran Ertis of Turkey during the Preliminary Round of the Women's Singles Table Tennis . Watch the video to see Semenenko swimming at the European Championships .
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Laroslav Semenenko beat his closest rival by two seconds .
Team GB's Jonathan Fox wins gold in the S7 100 metres backstroke race .
Britain's Nyree Kindred wins silver behind China's Lu Dong .
Doubt over whether Ellie Simmonds' main rival Victoria Arlen can compete .
Paralympic GB wins first medal - a silver in the men's C1-2-3 1km time-trial .
Cyclist Mark Lee Colbourne bags Paralympic GB's first medal with a silver .
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0b1f8463fcfbf55d3f49190a835d66931fc1c550
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(CNN) -- Urban exploration is an edgy pastime. But give it a Japanese name and this underground community, known for seeking out derelict and often inaccessible environments, sounds even more hardcore. Haikyo is the Japanese word for ruins and is the term used to describe urban exploration ("urbex"), a growing trend for people to track down and often photograph society's crumbling edifices. Urbex in Japan plays out in much the same way it does in the rest of the world -- explorers are recreational trespassers who seek out abandoned, man-made structures, where they have a good poke around as they soak up the atmosphere. There are few hard and fast rules aside from the oft-quoted mantra -- "Take nothing but photographs, leave only footprints" -- but there are a few aspects that are unique to urban exploration in Japan. Among these, abandoned amusement parks and sex museums. German Florian Seidel, a translator, has lived in Japan more than seven years and been a dedicated urbexer for almost five. He says he's seen the hobby take off in Japan since he started. Although there are no official numbers -- urbexers tend to be a low key, scattered community not least of all because of the potentially illegal aspects of the business, such as trespassing -- he says the number of urbex blogs has exploded from a dozen when he started to about 100 today, most of which are in Japanese. "There are tons of abandoned places in Japan, the problem is you have to find them," says Seidel. That's the part he most enjoys. He's proud of the fact that more than 90% of the places on his site, Abandonedkansai.com, he has researched and found himself. As with most urbexers, he doesn't give away exact locations, largely because he doesn't want to see them overrun. 'Very, very weird' The detective work doesn't end when he's found and explored a site. Seidel likes to find out about the history of place. Take those abandoned sex museums -- there are two in Japan, both of which have been deserted for more than 10 years. "In the 1960s, Europe had the sexual revolution, but that didn't happen in Japan -- they had sex museums, especially in onsen [hot spring] towns," says Seidel. "There were 20 to 30 sex museums all over Japan, pretty much one in every prefecture. Most of them closed from the beginning of the 1990s -- I guess the Internet killed them." Seidel has visited two abandoned Japanese sex museums and although both have clearly been picked over and pilfered from, enough remains to make it clear what they were all about. The one in Hokkaido he remembers best for the bizarre shooting games and taxidermy animals in sexual positions -- horses and monkeys. "You could say it was partly educational and very, very weird," says Seidel. The other museum, in southern Japan, is filled with crumbling erotic statues and sculptures and an eerie naked mannequin in a white casket, her mutated nipples pointing in all directions. He found old advertising pamphlets that boasted of wax dolls of Marilyn Monroe and a 1970s erotic star, but these were long gone when he visited. Other amusements . The current hot haikyo site is an abandoned amusement park, Nara Dreamland, says Seidel. It's so popular that a security guard has been posted at the gate to try and keep out the curious. "Technically, if there's a security guard there it's not abandoned, but it makes it onto all the lists and blogs," says Seidel. Nara Dreamland, built in 1961 and closed in 2006, does make for dramatic images -- the abandoned, rusting rollercoaster set amid the desolate ruins of the theme park. If you're after atmosphere, it's got plenty. But what about the danger factor? "I'm a conservative explorer, I've never been injured, but it's definitely dangerous," says Seidel. "There are all sorts of rusty things where you could get tetanus, there's barbed wire and some military areas could still have ammunition -- a mine could go off." For a sample of Seidel's haikyo images, you can check out the above gallery or visit his site, Abandonedkansai.com.
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Around the world, urban explorers hunt down and often photograph society's crumbling edifices .
In Japan, urban exploration is referred to as "haikyo," the Japanese word for "ruins"
Japan-based Florian Seidel documents his derelict findings on his blog, Abandonedkansai.com .
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0b207d143601420b6ce4121fd7187b84b1f3c307
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By . Alasdair Glennie . She sobbed her way through all 11 weeks of The Great British Bake off, only to fall at the final hurdle. So when Ruby Tandoh’s ordeal was over at last, she certainly had plenty of sorrows to drown. The disappointed contestant headed straight to her local pub to get ‘absolutely trolleyed’ – and kept her Twitter followers updated every step of the way. Miss Tandoh made the final three of the BBC2 competition, but was eliminated when her ‘showstopper’ wedding cake failed to impress judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry. Scroll down for videos . Updates: The Bake Off star used Twitter to keep her fans in the loop as she drowned her sorrows . As soon as the final episode was aired, the 21-year-old former model hit the tiles with a female friend. On the tiles: Ruby Tandoh meets up with a female friend . She was soon spotted the bar of at . her local pub in Southend, Essex, where she had what she described as . ‘the most desperately needed/deserved/overdue pint of my life.’ Several hours later, the philosophy . student had switched drinks. Tweeting a drunken message to Bake Off’s . eventual winner Frances Quinn, she said: ‘I LOVE YOU! I’m sitting . sobbing with pride and relief into my red wine. A friend for life :) xxx’ It seems Miss Tandoh may have been helped along the way by last year’s finalist James Morton. He shared his version of the Bake Off ‘drinking game’ online, which requires viewers to down a shot of alcohol every time a contestant or judge uses one of the show’s well known innuendos such as ‘soggy bottom’ and ‘good bake’. But Mr Morton updated the game – which became a hit with students last year – by insisting players finish all the alcohol in front of them when a contestant cries on air. Given Miss Tandoh spectacularly failed to keep the floodgates closed when she lost Tuesday night’s final, watching herself back on TV may have led her to consume more than was wise. She wrote: ‘Nothing like a drinking game to legitimise my getting absolutely trolleyed tonight. WOOHOO.’ The following morning – while a triumphant Miss Quinn was doing the rounds of breakfast TV studios – Miss Tandoh freely admitted she was nursing a sore head. Asked how her hangover was, she wrote: ‘Feeling a more than a little queasy...’ Miss Tandoh has made no secret of the fact she found her progress through the different stages of Bake Off more difficult than most. Joy... and more usually pain: Ruby holds one of her delicious creations, and the tears flow after criticism from the judges in the final . Not such a showstopper: Ruby deliberately avoided decorative baking in case she was dismissed as 'silly', as evidenced by her lacklustre wedding cake . Writing an article for The Guardian yesterday, she complained at the ‘nastiness’ of some fans. Viewers had persistently complained her self-effacing manner was false modesty, and accused her of flirting with Mr Hollywood to stay in the show. She said: ‘I’d rather eat my own foot than attempt to seduce my way to victory, and even if I had any intention of playing that card, it’s insulting to both the judges to suggest that they’d ever let their professional integrity be undermined in that way.’ Cake experts: (L-R) Ruby Tandoh with Mary Berry, Kimberley Wilson, Frances Quinn and Paul Hollywood .
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Ruby Tandoh drowned her sorrows after failing to win TV competition .
The 21-year-old enjoyed a few drinks and tweeted about it .
She spoke of the 'nastiness' she has experienced from some Bake Off fans .
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0b215dc1c9a9e9ea896842c7c2e4ba97c692cb82
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A Native American tribe in Oklahoma has been awarded custody this week of a four-month-old baby who was adopted by a South Carolina couple. The case has drawn comparisons to the long-running adoption dispute over three-year-old Cherokee girl Veronica and led to criticisms of 'human trafficking' from tribes. In the latest case, an Oklahoma County District Court judge awarded custody of baby Desaray, who had been adopted by a couple from outside the state, to the Absentee Shawnee Tribe. Inquiry: Tribe attorney Charles Tripp says adoption lawyers should be investigated . Custody: Raymond Godwin is representing the South Carolina couple . The case echoes that of . three-year-old Veronica, who was also put up for adoption by her birth . mother, only for the biological father to later object. A . federal law called the Indian Child Welfare Act mandates strict . procedures for guardianship and custody of Native American children. The . unnamed couple who adopted Desaray were present at her birth in May. They returned with her to South Carolina in June so the father could . return to work. But the . baby's biological father, Jeremy Simmons, who is not Native American, is . seeking custody. Because Desaray's biological mother is a tribal . member, the Absentee Shawnee Tribe stepped in and was awarded custody . this week. The Indian Child . Welfare Act mandates that Native American children enrolled in a tribe . must first be placed with an extended family member, another tribal . member who is not a family member or another Native American from a . different tribe. This . summer, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Dusten Brown, a Cherokee . Nation member who is seeking custody of his daughter, Veronica, could . not use the law to press his claims for custody. Veronica's . biological mother is not Native American. Courts in South Carolina and . Oklahoma have ordered Mr Brown to hand over the girl to Matt and Melanie . Capobianco, but Mr Brown has refused. Custody battle: Veronica, pictured above with biological father Dusten Brown has been at the center of a custody tug-of-war for her entire life . A . lawyer representing the Absentee Shawnee Tribe in the Desaray case said . he fears the tribe could have trouble in its effort to bring Desaray . back to Oklahoma. Charles Tripp said he believes the South Carolina-based adoption lawyer, Ray Godwin, who helped set up adoption cases involving Veronica and Desaray, and other adoption lawyers should be investigated by the Department of Justice. He told Indian Country Today Media Network last month that tribal attorneys were caught off guard in May when they heard that Desaray had been moved to Oklahoma. 'She was already gone and out of the state before we even received notice,' he claimed. 'The adoptive couple paid their money and took off with the kid without the required approval of either the State of Oklahoma or the Absentee Shawnee.' Mr Tripp had called for an investigation to end the 'human trafficking of our tribal children in South Carolina'. 'Part of the reason for an investigation is the fact that I think we've got women, primarily, who are in bad situations financially, maybe emotionally, maybe societal issues – whether that's drug and alcohol issues or criminal issues – who are being selected, preyed upon, by these agencies,' he said. 'I think they prey upon people in dire straits.' In a statement, Mr Godwin said the Absentee Shawnee Tribe were aware of the plan for adoption before the birth and did not voice any objections. He acknowledged that the couple did leave Oklahoma without obtaining an interstate compact agreement, which governs the placement of children from one state to another. 'But they only did so under dire circumstances,' Mr Godwin said in the statement. 'Any statements by the birth father or the Absentee Shawnee Indian Tribe that the child was whisked out of Oklahoma a couple of days after birth are patently false.' Mr Godwin said the couple went to family court in South Carolina where a temporary custody order was put in place. It's unclear if the adoptive couple plan to appeal the Oklahoma order, though Mr Godwin did write that the couple are trying to obtain an interstate compact agreement.
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Law on Native American adoptions says child must be placed with tribe first .
Couple had been present for birth before returning home with new baby .
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0b219f016a74bbb22391c5096fa9e2cad93613d1
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The DEA is launching an investigation into claims that NFL players illegally have been given powerful painkillers, among other prescription drugs, to keep them on the field, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. The federal drug enforcement agency is looking into records pertaining to the distribution of prescription drugs handed out to players by trainers and doctors, the source added. Those records would include documented visits and examinations by doctors, diagnoses and authorized prescriptions written for players. The investigation is described as being in its "early stages." The DEA would not respond Monday to inquiries specifically on the NFL. Agency spokeswoman Erin Mulvey in New York told CNN, "We cannot confirm or deny the existence of any investigation." Depending on what is found, the case could become a civil and/or criminal case with doctors potentially going to jail if convicted of drug-related offenses. In part, the investigation was prompted by a class-action lawsuit filed in May, 2013 in federal court by nine named retired NFL players representing 1,300 others who claim the NFL "intentionally, recklessly, and negligently created and maintained a culture of drug misuse, substituting players' health for profit," according to court documents. The players' suit accuses NFL trainers of handing out pills without prescriptions and without regard to possible dangerous interactions with other drugs. The named players in the lawsuit include former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon who, according to the lawsuit, says he got hooked on painkillers taking as many as 100 Percocet pills a month. "Our more than 1300 clients welcome any government investigation which aims to protect them from further harm," Steve Silverman, attorney for the plaintiffs suing the NFL, said in a statement to CNN. NFL Senior Vice President of Communications Greg Aiello said in a statement Monday that "we are unaware of any such investigation." It's unclear at this point whether subpoenas have been prepared during this phase of the investigation. The story was originally reported by the New York Daily News. $8 million worth of heroin seized, some bags stamped 'NFL'
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The probe was prompted in part by a class-action lawsuit .
That suit claims that the NFL "maintained a culture of drug misuse"
The league was "substituting players' health for profit," the suit says .
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0b21ed781d89c24479e157489a937eaaa44c49cf
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West Ham hope to announce the signing of Canadian defender Doneil Henry. His work permit application will be submitted on Monday and manager Sam Allardyce has high hopes that 6ft 2in Henry will make the grade in the Barclays Premier League. Henry already has 14 caps for the senior Canada team and the high-flying Hammers hope that will be enough to get the application through the stringent work permit test, although caps for Canada do not rank highly. West Ham are hopeful to announce the signing of defender Doneil Henry following a work permit application . Henry has 14 full international caps for Canada and has twice been on trial with the Hammers . West Ham, however, believe the former Canadian U20 player of the year will prove to be a wise signing and will make a strong case. Apollon Limassol signed him, then loaned him back to Toronto and the Cypriot club will get the transfer fee, even though he has yet to play for them. He was due to make his debut for Appollon in January, but West Ham have stepped in with an offer. He has been a team-mate of ex-West Ham striker Jermain Defoe in the MLS and the fee is likely to be around £1.5m. He has played 70 times for Toronto after rising through their academy. West Ham's Winston Reid has not yet signed a new contract with the club and can leave for free in the summer . Henry, 21, has twice been on trial at West Ham and Allardyce has been tracking his performances. Sources say Big Sam was 'impressed' and feels Henry is 'raw, but talented'. West Ham are searching for a replacement for New Zealand defender Winston Reid who can leave on a free transfer in the summer and is reluctant to sign a new contract. Signing Henry now will give him the chance to prove he can step into Reid's boots. Henry was coached by former QPR defender Ryan Nelsen at Toronto. Nelsen has high hopes for his protege. The deal, subject to his work permit being granted, should go through when the transfer window opens on January 1. If the work permit application is a success Henry would be a perfect replacement for Reid should he leave .
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West Ham could announce the signing of central defender Doneil Henry .
6ft 2in centre-back Henry has 14 caps for the Canadian international team .
The 21-year-old will await news on his work permit application on Monday .
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0b2206b5468d92c2d53d996345183706c4fe28fe
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Getting money out of the hole-in-the-wall won't be such a dull experience for the next few weeks as six ATMs have received a funky makeover across the city to get into the spirit of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival. Following such a positive reaction to last year's GAYTMs, the selected ANZ machines are back brighter and better than ever complete with rainbow-coloured receipts for the customers. As if that wasn't fabulous enough - some of the GAYTMs play dance music that is motion-activated, as well as display messages including 'Hello darling!' and 'Push my buttons' with one machine on Oxford Street displaying a glittering disco ball to really get you in the mood. Six ATMs have received a funky makeover across the city to get into the spirit of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival . The selected ANZ machines are back brighter and better than ever complete with rainbow-coloured receipts . Some of the GAYTMs play dance music that is motion-activated with one machine on Oxford Street displaying a disco ball to really get you in the mood . ANZ's Australia Division Diversity Council chair Mark Hand, and ANZ staff member David Beks dressed in drag as his alter ego Anzabella to launch the machines including one that celebrates the Dykes on Bikes at Pitt St, one for the bears on George St while the ATMs on Oxford St are in honour of the drag queens, The Sydney Star Observer reported. 'Building an inclusive culture at ANZ is not just important to our staff, but to our customers and the communities in which we work, so we're very proud to be able to mark our ninth year of sponsorship and the second year as Principal Partner by bringing back GAYTMs,' Mr Hand said . 'It's very exciting to bring a new element to the GAYTM campaign this year by involving not just Sydney but communities across Australia. 'It gives Australians far and wide a chance to show their support for diversity and also to celebrate Mardi Gras.' 'The only GAYTM in the village' campaign will see one Australian town awarded a GAYTM during Mardi Gras . This year, the initiative will also venture outside Sydney's borders with 'The only GAYTM in the village' campaign, which will see one Australian town awarded a GAYTM during Mardi Gras. Australians can vote for the location they would like to see host 'The only GAYTM in the village' by visiting the GAYTM website or the ANZ Facebook page. Once again, ANZ is donating ATM operator fees for non-ANZ cardholders from its GAYTMs during the festival to Twenty10, a not-for-profit organisation working with and supporting people of diverse genders, sexes and sexualities, their families and communities. While, ATM operator fees from 'The only GAYTM in the village' will be donated to a charity near its location. Australians can vote or the location they would like to see host 'The only GAYTM in the village' by visiting the GAYTM website or the ANZ Facebook pag .
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Six GAYTMs are set up in Sydney printing out rainbow-coloured receipts .
ATMs got funky makeover for Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival .
Some ATM screens will play dance music and display disco balls .
While other machines will carry messages of support for the festival .
'The only GAYTM in the village' campaign will see one Australian town awarded a GAYTM during which the public can vote for .
ANZ is donating ATM operator fees for non-ANZ cardholders to Twenty10 .
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0b224f63ec76a316d112d165fd90663b8675ca33
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(CNN) -- Next month, the Vidalia Onion Committee, a Georgia group that promotes the consumption of sweet onions, will roll out 6-foot cardboard cutouts of the ogre Shrek as a tie-in to the latest film in the series, "Shrek Forever After." In turn, the Georgia-based growers group hopes the green guy will turn children on to eating Vidalia onions. "We do like to market to younger audiences and teach them about our product," said Wendy Brannen, the committee's executive director. Although it's not the first time movie advertising has taken to the produce aisle (Disney promoted the DVD release of Peter Pan a few years ago with stickers on fresh tomatoes), it's definitely one of the most prominent displays. It's become almost commonplace to see the latest cartoon character pop up on a cereal box or a Happy Meal, but these characters have been creeping up among fresh fruit and vegetable displays in recent years, which industry officials say is all good if it gets children to eat more produce. In a study published last year by the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers at Ohio State University found that adolescents don't meet guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption, and fruit and juice consumption drops once children turn 6. Popeye and the characters from Disney and Peanuts are among the cartoons that have been featured by produce companies, says Patrick Delaney, communications manager for the United Fresh Produce Association in Washington. And last summer, Sesame Street's Cookie Monster teamed up with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to promote children eating a rainbow of fresh produce. Shrek seemed an obvious choice for the Vidalia campaign, Brannen says, because the ogre compares himself to an onion in the first Shrek film. "Ogres are like onions," Shrek tells Donkey: "Onions have layers. Ogres have layers. Onions have layers. You get it? We both have layers." Beginning in late April when Vidalia onions are harvested and up through the movie's May 21 premiere, Shrek cutouts will decorate produce aisles in thousands of stores, Brannen says. Along with taking home kid-friendly recipes, shoppers can enter to win a 50-inch television, a Nintendo Wii game system and a Shrek video game. In the meantime, here are our five favorite produce spokescartoons: . Donald Duck . Imagination Farms tapped Disney's wubbable Donald Duck to tout the wonders of cauliflower to the young generation under its Disney Garden line. Donald's got a big bowl of cauliflower florets that he looks very excited to quack down. Snoopy . Hinkle Produce uses Charlie Brown's beagle to sell young shoppers on the merits of its juicy watermelons. Though there's no special Snoopy plastic wrap, the watermelons come in Snoopy-covered watermelon bins. Cookie Monster . Not content to scarf down cookies, Sesame Street's crumby blue monster joined Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and an animated stalk of broccoli for a public service announcement geared to PBS's youngest viewers on the benefits of eating a wide variety of veggies. Charlie Brown . Well, if you're waiting for the great pumpkin, look no further than Charlie Brown in the produce aisle. Hinkle Produce of Cissna Park, Illinois, puts its pumpkin haul in big orange bins with Charlie, Snoopy and Linus proclaiming, "It's the Great Pumpkin!" Popeye . It could be argued that Popeye has been selling kids on spinach since his inception in 1929. California producer River Ranch Fresh Foods has been using Popeye to tout its array of fresh packaged spinach and salad blends under the Popeye Fresh! label since the mid-2000s.
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Vidalia Onion Committee to place cutouts of Shrek in grocery stores .
Industry officials say it's good if it means children eat more vegetables .
Popeye, Disney characters have also done partnerships with produce companies .
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(CNN) -- A political group of gay conservatives will begin airing ads against a handful of Democratic candidates on Monday, including a spot against openly gay congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts. In a statement, GOProud declares that this is "the first time ever a national gay organization is airing a television advertising campaign going after Democrats." "Barney Frank is an absolute embarrassment," said Christopher R. Barron, Chairman of GOProud's Board of Directors. "He represents the worst kind of Washington politician." In addition to Frank, the $50,000 purchase of airtime by GOProud will pay for ads against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), two progressives who pride themselves as champions of gay rights. The group will also run commercials in support of Rep. Charles Djou (R-Hawaii), a freshman who was one of five House Republicans who voted to repeal "don't ask, don't tell." All of the ads will air on the Lifetime and Bravo channels, whose demographics have a large share of women and members of the LGTB (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community. Citing "out of control debt, runaway spending, and the loss of millions of jobs," GOProud Executive Director Jimmy LaSavia says the advertising campaign "will show the American people what the real Democrats of Washington, D.C. are all about and make it clear, that under Democrats, reality bites."
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GOProud cites the campaign as a first .
The group will air ads against Frank, Pelosi and Boxer .
The ads will air on Bravo and Lifetime cable channels .
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By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 09:25 EST, 8 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:28 EST, 8 August 2013 . A crafty thief who dressed in smart golfing gear to bluff his way into elite country clubs in order to steal cash and credits cards from the locker rooms has been arrested. Oscar Cabrera, 33, would wear polo shirts, golf pants, spiked shoes and a glove on one hand during his elaborate scam, which police believe he may have carried out at countless clubs across the country. Cops have also arrested his partner in crime Luis Paz, 34, who wouldn’t have blended in quite so easily at 5ft 7inches and 450 pounds and so acted as getaway driver. Caught in the act: Cabrera caught on CCTV footage at Baltusrol and then, right, at Millburn police station in his smart golfing gear . Both men hail from Miami and were caught on CCTV footage last month after carrying out their sting at the exclusive Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey. ‘Based upon their attire, as to be able to blend in with players at the club, it was obvious to my detectives that these suspects may have committed similar crimes in the past,’ and Springfield Police Chief John Cook. At Baltusrol - where the U.S. Open has been played seven times - Cabrera is alleged to have stolen a stash of credit cards from members’ unlocked lockers. He and Paz are then accused of taking the stolen credit cards to at least two nearby stores and purchasing $8,000 in gift cards before their behavior aroused suspicions at a Target store and they promptly left. In his smart golfing gear Cabrera, left, was able to blend in at the country clubs but his large accomplice Paz, right, stayed in their vehicle and was getaway driver . Springfield cops were able to match Target’s surveillance footage to video of the men at Baltusrol and send out an alert. When the duo tried their trick again - on July 20 - it was at the Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, New Jersey where staff, armed with video images of Cabrera, were ready. ‘He asked for the men’s room, and he walked off when a worker confronted him,’ Capt. Michael Palardy of the Millburn Police Department told the New York Post. ‘He was wandering around the locker room and couldn’t give a straight answer for why he was there.’ A chase ensued, with Cabrera on foot and caddies and other workers in pursuit on foot and in golf carts, Palardy said. Cabrera was caught on CCTV footage carrying out the sting at the exclusive Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey ¿ which has hosted the U.S. Open tournament seven times . Police were called and Cabrera was arrested. His partner Paz escaped, but was apprehended on Aug. 1, in Queens, New York. Cabrera is being held at the Union County jail in Elizabeth in lieu of $200,000 bail, while Paz is awaiting extradition to New Jersey. Authorities are confident that video surveillance from county clubs elsewhere in the country will show that the pair have carried out the same sting before. They have been linked to at least three other country clubs in Jersey - in Manalapan, Edison and Springfield - which were all struck on the same day in June. When Cabrera showed up at the Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, New Jersey, staff were ready for him .
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Oscar Cabrera wore polo shirts, golf pants, spiked shoes and a glove on one hand to carry out the elaborate scam .
His 450 pound accomplice Luis Paz waited in their getaway vehicle .
The pair aroused suspicions after trying to purchase an $8,000 gift card in Target using stolen credit cards .
They escaped, but police matched their number plates and warned other golf clubs in New Jersey to be on the lookout .
Cabrera was arrested when he next tried the scam at a country club and officials chased after him in a golf cart before the cops arrived .
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A team of diggers has started removing 2,500 tonnes of waste from a 40ft-high rat-infested rubbish pile which has blighted the lives of residents for the past three years. The towering mountain of putrid rubbish sits at the end of cul-de-sac near Orpington, Kent, and is laden with everything . imaginable - from rotting industrial waste, old shoes and broken fridges . to tyres, scrap metal, excrement, discarded nappies and plastic bottles. The stinking mound - which residents say 'smells like rotting corpses' - is also prone to catching fire, as 'hot spots' smoulder deep inside the 60-ft wide pile of rubbish. Fire crews have now been called to 23 fires at the site - one of which lasted ten days - which has cost the taxpayer £650,000. Scroll down for video . This 40ft pile of stinking rubbish has blighted the lives of . residents living in a cul-de-sac near Orpington, Kent, since . 2011. Now, experts from the Environment Agency are starting to remove . some of the waste . The Environment Agency, which has been locked in a High Court legal battle with Waste4Fuel, which runs the site, has called in experts to remove 2,500 tonnes of rubbish from the 20,000 tonne pile . The towering mountain, which sits at the end of cul-de-sac, is laden with everything imaginable - from rotting industrial waste, old shoes and broken fridges to tyres, scrap metal, excrement, discarded nappies and plastic bottles . Now the Environment Agency - which is locked in a High Court legal battle with Waste4Fuel, which runs the site - has ordered experts to remove some of the mess so the pile is at a 'safe' level and stops spontaneously catching fire. But fed-up locals in Cornwall Drive, St Paul's Cray, say the action is not enough - and have called for the entire 20,000-tonne mountain to be removed. Jan Watkins, 60, a grandmother-of-two, said: 'It is a plague. It is a living nightmare. It is really, really horrible. You can't open your doors or your windows. The smell that comes through is like rotting corpses. 'You can't go out, it is in your clothes, in your hair, because the smell gets in them. You can't use your garden. Many residents have sore throats and coughs. Anybody who has a breathing problem suffers greatly.' Ms Watkins said residents had been campaigning to clear the site for three years and accused the EA of allowing the mound to spiral out of control by failing to take swift action. She said she feared the frequent fires . were belching toxic fumes which could be endangering the health of her . two young grandchildren, whom she looks after during the day. She said: 'If the Environment Agency . had taken action when we wanted them to two and a half years ago it . would be half the size. We feel very, very let down.' The mountain of garbage has been a problem for residents since rubbish disposal . company Waste4Fuel took over the site in 2011. Fire crews have been called to 23 fires at . the site, mostly during the hot summer weather, costing the taxpayer £650,000 and taking up 2,000 hours of firefighters' time . But residents say efforts by the EA to remove some of the waste - which includes rotting industrial waste, tyres, scrap metal and even excrement - is too little too late. They are campaigning for the entire tip to be removed . According . to its website, the firm’s aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions . and it ‘specialises in the collection and correct disposal of waste that . can be reprocessed for use in generating electricity.’ It charges people to dump rubbish at the site during the day and the night, which it then sorts, treats and sends on for disposal elsewhere. But residents say this practice does not happen and instead, over the past couple of . years, Waste4Fuel has simply taken the money and let it stack up into a . monstrous pile. Resident Denise Clark, 34, a mother-of-two, said : 'The smell, especially when it's hot, is repugnant, disgusting. It makes you feel sick to the stomach. It's like living next to a sewage . works. 'We have a real rat . problem. The size of the rats are massive - up to 2ft with their tails. I . have a three-year-old son and five-year-old daughter and it makes me . fear for their health. My son has eczema and it is not good for him.' Diggers working on the site is the first sign of any tangible action . being taken to free the residents of the rat-infested rubbish mound, which regularly catches fire . Waste4Fuel uses the site as a waste transfer site where it 'processes . general non-hazardous waste'. It is allowed a maximum of 5,500 tonnes on the site at . a time - but has almost four times that amount . She said local schools do not allow children out in the playground at break when the rubbish pile is on fire because of health fears. She added that residents fear the pile will one day cause a fire that gets out of control and spreads. She said: 'About 18 months ago there was a fire that lasted 10 days and that was pretty scary. If the wind was blowing the other way it could have taken the whole street out.' Ms Clark also blamed the unsightly 'scourge' for sending house prices in the street down, saying house prices had plummeted by £100,000. The location of a waste or recycling plant is the responsibility of the local authority, which in this case is Bromley Council. But . its size and scope is set out in the operating permit granted by the . Environment Agency, which allows Waste4Fuel to use the site ‘as a waste . transfer station processing general non-hazardous waste, from commercial . operators with [a maximum] of 5,500 tonnes allowed at any time.’ The pile is often seen emitting steam, as . rubbish smoulders deep inside the mound, pictured left. It is that which . has forced the EA to send in workers, pictured right, in a bid to take . the mound to a 'safe' level . The height and width of the giant mound mean most residents can see the rubbish pile from their window. Resident Denise Clark, 34, said the smell is 'repugnant, disgusting' and it is 'like living next to a sewage works' The . Environment Agency is currently locked in a legal battle with the firm, claiming it has not been paying for . the mound to be treated and sent on for disposal or recycling elsewhere. Last November, the agency won a court order for Waste4Fuel to clear the site of combustible waste by the end of April. But the firm said it could only afford to comply by generating more money — by allowing more waste to be brought on site — and applied to increase the amount of rubbish it handles from 75 to 200 tonnes a week. It ended up failing to comply with the order. The Environment Agency then tried to seek contempt charges against the recycling company, former company director Bryan Hughes, new company director Shelley Hurst and site manager Jonathan Beckson. The charges were in relation to . Waste4Fuel not complying with an undertaking to install appropriate fire . breaks and separate areas for new waste at the site. Resident Jan Watkins, 60, said she cannot open her doors or windows because the smell comes through like 'rotting corpses'. She said the smell even gets in her hair and on her clothes when she steps outside . Steam can often be seen coming from the top of the rubbish mountain as fire from within smoulders away, creating a putrid stench of burning plastic for local residents . But, in July this year, the High Court dismissed the case – a decision which the agency is now deciding whether to appeal. Talking about the team of diggers, the EA said: 'Environment Agency contractors have entered the Waste4Fuel site in Orpington in an operation to lower the illegal waste pile to a safe level. 'The Environment Agency's battle to ensure that the site operator and landowner clean up the site is continuing, but is taking this rare step to reduce the blight on the local community.' Rob Wise, environment manager at the EA, said: 'We understand the frustration of local residents and we will continue our fight against Waste4Fuel. 'It is not right that taxpayers should pick up the bill for this operation when it remains the responsibility of the site operator and landowners, but the priority is to make the site as safe as possible. 'We are committed to working with our partners, including the London Borough of Bromley, to find a long-term solution.'
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The 40ft tip, which is also 60ft wide, has 20,000 tonnes of rubbish which towers above street near Orpington, Kent .
The rat-infested pile includes industrial waste, scrap metal, tyres, excrement and smells 'like rotting corpses'
Environment Agency, which is locked in High Court battle with site managers Waste4Fuel, is clearing 2,500 tonnes .
Pile keeps catching fire - crews have gone to 23 fires at site, clocking 2,000 hours and costing taxpayer £650,000 .
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0b259d3a91cdb7ecb0a30a0fd4b47ae808938409
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New York (CNN) -- It is fear that drives Dale Henderson down into the subways, lugging his large case. "I caught some fear from some other musicians that classical music is dying and in 100 years there will be no more classical music. I can't believe that's true. I mean, it scares me to my soul if it were true." So he sits with his cello on a New York subway platform and plays Bach as a sort of CPR to keep his style of music alive. Henderson has played cello since the age of 5, making his professional debut at age 13 with the Buffalo Philharmonic and earning a degree from the New England Conservatory of Music. When he first moved to New York in 2008, he played for tip money that he needed to survive. He now supports himself by teaching cello and playing at recitals and solo performances. Henderson stopped accepting tips in 2009 and began focusing on Bach Solo Cello Suites. His website says he chose them because their "power and beauty unfailingly inspire great appreciation, joy and deep emotion in those who hear them." "From the first time I ever started Bach in the Subways, I had a sense of conviction of the value of what I'm doing," he said. "I think that Bach in the Subways is providing something meaningful to the people who hear it." Some commuters immerse themselves in the harmonic sounds as they pull out their cameras to record the experience, and others just stare, as if they are captivated by the ambience. Postcards propped on his silver music stand read, "I do not take donations." "I don't collect donations while I play, because on the most simple level, it pollutes the experience for myself and everyone listening," he said. "I think the most obvious answer to the question why am I doing this without collecting money on my own time is that I love it," he said. "The interest is growing, so I think it's working." Some listeners take a postcard from the music stand to learn more about Henderson and his music. "The most memorable, satisfying moments happen when there's a group of people listening to me and connecting with the music, and it creates this other space -- this other realm that we can all come together in. And that's an incredible thing ... that's the magic of music."
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Dale Henderson gives cello concerts in New York subway stations .
"Bach in the Subways is providing something meaningful" to people who hear it, he says .
He doesn't ask for donations, gives out postcards about music .
Henderson says he feels "the magic of music" when a group gathers to listen .
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0b283498ba6e31f21c646de6d9014d0541bb6685
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By . Nick Craven . PUBLISHED: . 18:03 EST, 8 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:08 EST, 8 September 2012 . Douglas Lamond was given someone else's medication at a branch of Boots . A blind man has died after being given the wrong prescription at a Boots pharmacy, The Mail on Sunday has learned. Douglas Lamond, 86, did not realise he had been handed someone else's medication after collecting the drugs at a branch of the chemist in May. After complaining of feeling unwell, the grandfather was taken to a hospital accident and emergency department where he later died. Police have since launched an investigation into Mr Lamond's death after being called in by hospital staff. Boots, . which has sent a message of condolence to his family, has refused to . reveal which branch mixed up the prescriptions or which drugs were . involved. Extra safeguards have been put in place at the pharmacist's branches to ensure the mistake is not repeated. It is believed Mr Lamond began to feel ill on a weekend in May and was taken to A&E at Ipswich Hospital. However, his condition worsened and he died on Saturday, May 12. Following an inconclusive post-mortem examination, an inquest was opened and adjourned after the coroner ordered toxicology tests. Police are treating the case as an unexplained death, and cannot determine whether the wrong drugs were a factor. Mr Lamond's daughter, Dianne Moore, a nurse, and her IT consultant husband Thomas, both 58, who live about 18 miles away in Hintlesham, Ipswich, are said to be very distressed over his death. The couple, who have two children, Ben, 28, and 26-year-old Alissa, declined to comment last week. A statement from Suffolk Police said: 'We were contacted by Ipswich Hospital at around 6.15pm on Saturday, May 12 with a report that an 86-year-old man from the Felixstowe area had been admitted to accident and emergency feeling unwell and had subsequently died. 'His next of kin had been informed. The gentleman's death, at this stage, is being treated as unexplained. A post-mortem examination took place on Monday, May 14. The cause of death was unascertained and further toxicology tests are ongoing. Pharmacist Boots has refused to reveal from which branch the mix up with the prescription happened . 'As well as awaiting the toxicology results, officers are carrying out inquiries to try to establish the circumstances surrounding the man's death. The matter has been referred to the coroner. 'Initial inquiries would suggest Mr Lamond had been given an incorrect prescription from his pharmacy. However, it has not been established whether the medication Mr Lamond took led to his death. 'This will not be established until the pathologist has received the full toxicology report. Corrective procedures have been introduced at the pharmacy concerned to ensure the correct prescriptions are given to the correct person.' A statement from Boots UK said: 'Our thoughts are with Douglas Lamond's family. We are not in a position to comment as the police investigation is ongoing.' Mr Lamond was born in Scotland but lived for most of his life in Felixstowe, Suffolk, where he worked as an import clerk at Britain's biggest container port. His first wife Jean died in 1982, and he remarried five years later. Second wife Cynthia died after a long illness in 2009. A . neighbour said of Mr Lamond – who was also known as 'Dougie': 'He was . always cheerful, even though he could see very little and always wore . dark glasses. 'Even at his . advanced age his death was a shock, and the long gap between his death . and the cremation did make me think something wasn't right.' Pharmacist Boots has refused to reveal from which branch the mix up with the prescription happened . A death announcement in a local newspaper from his family described Mr Lamond as 'an endearing man who will be missed by all who knew him'. He is believed to have been a member of the Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club, where refreshments were served after his funeral and cremation on July 27. A spokesman for Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust declined to comment. Steve Winyard, of the Royal National Institute of Blind People, said: 'While we cannot comment on the particular circumstances of this case, RNIB's Losing Patients campaign has been calling on the NHS and other healthcare providers to end the practice of giving blind and partially sighted people their health information in ordinary print. 'Pharmacy systems should be improved to provide prescription labelling and dosage instructions automatically in large print or Braille. Everyone has the right to manage their own health affairs, whether they have a sight problem or not.'
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Douglas Lamond did not realise he had been handed someone else's drugs .
Boots has refused to reveal from which branch the drugs were ordered .
Police are treating case as unexplained death, and cannot determine whether wrong drugs were a factor .
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0b2942fd8e88dc12b2cd05c2ae9586c8ac2b6724
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China has opened the world's longest cross-sea bridge - which stretches five miles further than the distance between Dover and Calais. The Jiaozhou Bay bridge is 26.4 miles long and links China's eastern port city of Qingdao to the offshore island Huangdao. The road bridge, which is 110ft wide and is the longest of its kind, cost nearly £1billion to build. A bridge over misty waters: The immense £1billion structure which is supported by more than 5,000 pillars stretches for 24 miles along China's eastern port city of Qingdao to the offshore island Huangdao . Engineering feat: The vast bridge, the largest cross-ocean bridge in the world, cost £960million and took four years to build . Chinese TV reports said the bridge passed construction appraisals on Monday and it, along with an undersea tunnel, would be opened for traffic today. It took four years to build the bridge, which is supported by more than 5,000 pillars across the bay, and it is almost three miles longer than the previous record-holder - the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana. Lengthy: The bridge stretches into the distance further than the eye can see and right, the first few cars roll out across the surface . Open road: Drivers pass through the mist as they make some of the first passes over the 110ft wide bridge which is longer than any others of its kind . Flowers: The first vehicle runs into toll station to the applause of staff and passers-by after the bridge opened to traffic today . Musical mileage: A brass band plays on the sides of the road as flags and banners herald in the opening of the bridge . The start of things to come: Two cars edge through the toll gates that will raise revenue to maintain the £1billion bridge . That structure features two bridges running side by side and is 23.87 miles long. The three-way Qingdao Haiwan bridge is 174 times longer than London's Tower Bridge, spanning the River Thames, but cuts only 19 miles off the drive from Qingdao to Huangdao. Two separate groups of workers have been building it from different ends of the structure since 2006. After linking the two ends of the . bridge on December 22, one engineer said: 'The computer models and . calculations are all very well but you can't relax until the two sides . are bolted together. Don't keep me hanging: The suspension beams form an imposing sight as the reach through the clouds and look down upon colourful flags marking the bridge's grand opening . The long road home: The two roads which run alongside each other wind across The Jiaozhou Bay . 'Even a few centimetres out would have been a disaster.' The . engineering feat will only hold the record as the longest sea bridge . for a few years - it will be beaten by another Chinese bridge in the . next decade. Last . December officials announced workers had begun constructing a bridge to . link southern Guangdong province with Hong Kong and Macau. Set to be completed in 2016, officials said the £6.5billion bridge will span nearly 30 miles. It will be designed to cope with earthquakes up to magnitude 8.0, strong typhoons and the impact of a 300,000 tonne vessel. But both structures will still be dwarfed by the longest bridge in the world, also in China. The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is an astonishing 102 miles in length. Record breaker: The Qingdao Jiaozhou bay bridge, spanning 26.4 miles between Qingdao and Huangdao, will open for traffic today . Impressive: Testing on the bridge was completed on Monday and it is expected to be opened to traffic for the first time today . A driver's dream: Twenty-four miles of fresh untouched tarmac stretch from Qingdao to Hungdao .
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At 26.4 miles long, it is five miles further than the distance between Dover and Calais .
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0b298eb6aa9e30c8df62d45ce1e5b7f4ff0fcef1
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(CNN) -- Visitors be warned: Security around the White House about to intensify. In the wake of last week's unprecedented security breach, the Secret Service is planning to increase surveillance around 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Secret Service Director Julia Pierson has ordered a full review of Friday's incident. Omar Gonzalez, an Iraq war veteran, is accused of carrying a small knife, scaling the White House fence, sprinting roughly 70 yards across the North Lawn and making it pass the North Portico doors, which were not locked. Investigators said they later found more than 800 rounds of ammunition, plus two hatchets and a machete, in his car. Here's a look at four possible measures the Secret Service could implement to increase the security around what's supposed to be the most fortified residence in the country: . 1. Increase the number of agents patrolling the grounds . The uniformed division of the Secret Service -- the part of the agency responsible for patrolling the premises -- is immediately visible walking past the White House. They're on the lawn, they're on the roof, and most notably, they're carrying some very intimidating rifles. White House security was increased immediately after Friday's breach, but permanently adding more guards on the lawn and around the entrances would help prevent jumpers and make it easier to catch anyone who successfully jumps in the future. A federal law enforcement official tells CNN's Jim Acosta that this is a step the service plans to take, with officers patrolling the area in greater numbers and "looking for individuals who do not look like tourists." 2. Expand the barrier around the entrance . Creating an additional no-go zone around the fence separating the public from the White House grounds is another possible option for the Secret Service. Despite the fence and the armed guards, the White House North Lawn is relatively accessible to the public. Pedestrians can walk right up to the wrought-iron gate, and partial closures of the North Lawn -- because someone on the public side of the gate threw a bag or dropped something on the White House side of the gate -- are common. Earlier this year, a toddler even managed to squeeze through the gate. The approachability of the White House is of course a major draw for visitors, and the optics of an additional perimeter could be problematic. "The White House is still the people's house, and we are long passed the days when anybody could walk up and get in, but the fact that anybody could walk so close to it -- I think makes an important and powerful statement in a democracy," said Jeffrey Engel, director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University, told CNN. "Keeping the White House within public reach, if you will, sends an important political message," said Engel, who specializes in presidential security. 3. Set up metal detectors around the premises . This would be the most complicated and likely controversial security measure to implement. Metal detectors are set up inside the gates that visitors must pass through to continue to the White House, but nothing is on the outside of the gates. In addition to the optical problems, setting up this measure would bring about a lot of logistical questions: Where exactly would they be? Which law enforcement agency would be responsible for staffing them? Which agency would pay for them? This step is also the most unlikely; law enforcement officials tell CNN that they won't be going up on Pennsylvania Avenue's pedestrian area. 4. Always lock the doors . All of the details of Friday's breach are surprising, but perhaps the most shocking of all was that the North Portico doors -- a large main entrance to the White House -- were not locked. "They should lock the door," Ronald Kessler, author of "The First Family Detail" and outspoken critic of the Secret Service, said. "It's just common sense." The North Portico entrances are frequently used, and that's why they are not always locked, but the doors were not in use on Friday at the time of the intrusion. Josh Earnest, White House press secretary, told reporters on Monday that going forward, those doors will be locked when not being used. Tough time for the Secret Service . Friday's breach is just the latest embarrassing incident for the U.S. Secret Service. The agency has not had a great run of it in recent years -- from the prostitution scandal in Colombia in 2012, to the incident in the Netherlands earlier this year in which three agents were sent home for drinking. The attention on the Secret Service is counter to the entire purpose of the organization, Engel notes. "They would love to be secret. If you never see them, then they are doing their job," Engel said. "If we are never talking about them, then they are doing their job the way that they want. The last thing that they want is for people to be discussing them." President Barack Obama reiterated his support for the agency that protects him on Monday. "The Secret Service does a great job. I am grateful for the sacrifices they make for me and my family," he told reporters. CNN's Jim Acosta contributed reporting .
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Secret Service under criticism after an armed man was able to enter North Portico doors .
New security measures are being considered in wake of the breach .
One measure could be increasing the number of agents patrolling the grounds .
Another one would be the installation of more security cameras outside the gates .
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New York is awash with excitement ahead of this year's Met Ball, as celebrities and designers alike rush to put the finishing touches to their extravagant outfits ahead of tonight's festivities. This year's theme is 'White Ties and Diamonds', and while the gowns won't make their sparkling debut until they hit the red carpet, social media-savvy stars have been teasing their followers with sneak peek snaps of their preparations. Kate Upton joked that 'Getting ready for . the Met is stressful' as she lounged in a leopard print shirt, glad in . shining jewelry and gripping a bottle of Moet champagne. Having a ball already: Model and new movie star Kate Upton posted this snap to her Instagram account, with the caption 'Getting ready for the met is so stressful #justkidding #dolceandgabbana' And Victoria's Secret model Toni Garrn, . current squeeze of Leonardo DiCaprio, posted a snap of her hair . preparations, captioned: 'Getting my Charles James on'. Supermodel Cara Delevingne led the frenzy this morning with a no make-up wake-up shot, simply captioned: 'Good Morning #Metball', . followed by a photo of her hotel room stuffed with silver balloons from . designer Stella McCartney, who will be dressing her tonight. Selena Gomez shared a photo in which she . is sporting casual dungarees as she sits with jewelry designer Lorraine . Schwartz, surveying a glittering array of options to go with her gown. All dressed up: Arabella also played an instrumental role in styling her for her night out, adorably recommending a pink Disney dress for the occasion (pictured) Coy: Hailee Steinfeld bit her nail and glanced over her shoulder as she prepared for the ball in a silk dressing gown and sky high heels . Hair prep: Victoria's Secret Angel Toni Garrn was busy with some high-tech hair preparation, after partying with her boyfriend Leonardo DiCaprio's ex Gisele Bunchden at the pre-party on Sunday . Stunner: Kendall Jenner shared this snap, captioned: 'Can't you tell how excited I am' as she had her make-up carefully applied . All smiles: Kate Holmes tweeted this snap, with the caption 'Very excited to be going to the Met Ball :)' Taylor Swift let the cat out of the bag about her designer of choice, tweeting: 'That moment when your cat casually walks up, then abruptly ATTACKS your custom satin Oscar de la Renta gown during your fitting for Met Ball.' And Lena Dunham mused: 'It's a challenge fitting all my spy equipment in my Met Ball clutch.' Kendell Jenner looked stunning in a photo she shared while getting her make-up carefully applied, captioned: 'Can't you tell how excited I am?' Rise and shine! Supermodel Cara Delevingne kicked things off with an early morning snap, her trademark eyebrows peeking out from underneath the covers . Celebrations: Cara showed off an abundance of silver balloons, which spelled out Cara and Stella - referring to the designer of her dress . Decisions, decisions: Selena Gomez got to grips with her jewelery choices, with designer Lorraine Schwartz, captioning this Instagram snap 'Preppin' Alexa Chung had some tough decisions to make in regards to her shoes, as she shared a photo of four pairs of shoes lined up in pale pink and black hues. For supermodel Joan Smalls, it was all . about the toes, as she zoned in on her perfectly painted pedicure, which . she accessorized with a no-mess pair of flip-flops. Flame-haired model Karen Elson was also in the mood to party as she showed off her personalized Moet bottle, which reads 'Karen' in gold sequined print. BFFs: Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss got lippy and donned matching cat eye eyeliner on their pretty lids . Team effort: Cara was worked on by a three-strong beauty brigade . 'Me and my big lug': Christy Turlington cosies up with her husband, sporting a polka dot shirt and glamorous wavy locks . Uncomfortable? Toni Garrn pulls an unimpressed expression with model pal Jourdan Dunn in the back of their car . Ready for the ball: Ivanka shared a photo of the finished product before heading out for the evening, crouching in the hallway with Arabella perched on her lap . Gearing up: Model Alexa Chung looks both nervous and excited in this snap, which she captioned 'OMG met ball count down' Which will it be? Miss Chung is clearly having some tough choices to make in regards to which shoes to wear (pictured) Only the tootsies: Supermodel Joan Smalls shared this pedicure snap as she primped and preened ahead of her big night . Champagne love: Flame-haired model Karen Nelson showed off her personalized bottle of Moet . Cinderella-worthy: Ms Elson looks ravishing in her soft pink gown, clothes strewn across the bed behind her . Oops! Kendall Jenner also posted this photo, joking that the corset structure makes it nigh impossible to sit down in her car . Tease: Dita Von Teese looks every inch the movie goddess in this structured gown .
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Cara Delevingne, Ivanka Trump, Katie Holmes, Alexa Chung and Hailee Steinfeld have also shared their getting-ready snaps .
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By . Gemma Mullin . The actor, who has also appeared in The Bill, Holby City, Doctors and Family Affairs, has always denied the allegations . Soap star David Easter has spoken of his relief at being cleared of rape allegations as his lawyer accuses the alleged victim of trying to ‘cash in’ after the Jimmy Savile scandal. The 54-year-old actor, who is the former husband of Loose Woman presenter Denise Welch, was accused of carrying out the assault 17 years ago by a woman now in her 40s. He said today: 'I am relieved that this ordeal is now over and that I have been formally cleared. 'These allegations were always unfounded and I am focused now on my career, which has been understandably very difficult to manage over the last few months.' Mr Easter was questioned by police in May as part of Operation Sapphire after the alleged victim spotted him playing Gil Keane in Emmerdale last December. But officers have now said there is not enough evidence to prosecute. Mr Easter’s lawyers now claim that the woman tried to use Operation Yewtree, which was launched in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal, as a way of ‘cashing in’. Lawyer Julian Lee told The Sun: ‘It was a 17-year-old allegation and the woman in question must have seen him on TV thousands of times during those years but she only waited until the Jimmy Savile bandwagon started and tried to cash in on it. ‘Thankfully it didn’t get anywhere – I hope David can get on with his life now.’ His agent, . Mark Deitch, told MailOnline: ‘It is great news. We are, as is David, . enormously relieved that this has been dropped and that no charges were . brought against him. ‘He can now get on with his career.’ Mr . Deitch was unable to confirm whether the actor would be making a return . to Emmerdale after his last contract with the show ended in December. He added: ‘He left before the allegations came to light when his contract was up at the end of last year.’ The actor, who has also appeared in The Bill, Holby City, Doctors and Family Affairs, has always denied the allegations. The actor is pictured above playing Gil Keane in Emmerdale alongside Gaynor Faye as Megan Macey . Mr Easter (left) married actress Denise Welch (right) in 1985, but the pair divorced three years later . He made his acting debut in the 1979 disco film The Music Machine, before playing Pat Hancock in the soap opera Brookside from 1984 to 1987. Mr Easter married former Coronation street actress Denise Welch in 1985, but they divorced three years later. He now lives with his long-term partner and five-year-old son in Hanwell, west London.
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The actor, 54, was accused of historic assault 17 years ago on woman in her 40s .
Alleged victim made claims after seeing him play Gil Keane in Emmerdale .
Questioned by police but it has now been dropped due to a lack of evidence .
Mr Easter spoke of his relief and says the 'allegations were unfounded'
Lawyers claim alleged victim used the Jimmy Savile scandal to try to 'cash in'
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0b2b1c90c5a00c0c3596b0212cc2f16887cdadfc
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A guard who lost his job after taking a photo during a visit from President Obama has spoken out about being fired - saying it was 'unjust'. Kenneth Tate, 47, a security guard who worked at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, embarrassed the Secret Service and was thrown into a political firestorm last month - but has said all he wanted out of the encounter was a picture to show his 81-year-old mom. He was fired from his $42,000 job after getting too close to the President's security detail during a visit on September 16, and taking a picture of the assembled cars. 'Injustice': Kenneth Tate, 47, said he unfairly lost his job after he took a photograph during a visit by President Obama - and also embarrassed the Secret Service by riding next to him in an elevator while armed . Speaking to the New York Times in the wake of the sacking, Tate called the events which lost him his position 'a nightmare' and 'unjust'. He also spoke out about the scandal that erupted when it emerged he was armed during the encounter with Obama - contrary to rules which state that only Secret Service agents can have firearms in the President's presence. The revelation came as an embarrassment to the service, which was still reeling from accusations of incompetence after letting a man armed with a knife hop the White House fence and charge inside. Secret Service Director Julia Pearson resigned soon after. Tate says he was never told to surrender his gun, and was in the elevator because it was his job. He told the Times: 'From the reports, I was some stranger that entered the elevator. I mean, I was appointed.' 'Tarnished': Tate is now unemployed after losing his CDC job, and says his good name has been smeared . Before it emerged the day had cost him his livelihood, Tate said he was proud to have met the President - who shook his hand and asked his name. A Secret Service agent apparently quipped that this was remarkable, as he had never been acknowledged by Obama in two years. But speaking later, he said the day tarnished his reputation. He said: 'It's a nightmare. My whole life's been changed upside-down.' 'How do you go anywhere when it seems like the doors have been closed on you, your reputation tarnished, the embarrassment? Recalling the encounter, he said: 'He [Obama] acknowledged me, he asked me what my name was and extended his hand and shook my hand. 'I was trying to get a picture of them leaving, and I was unsuccessful. 'At the end part I tried to take a picture of them leaving. The motorcade was driving, they were parked, getting ready to leave. 'I tried to get a picture for my mom, she's 81 years old, just to show that I had met the President. 'When I got back the agents stated that somebody was going to lose their job, because nobody ever got that close to the motorcade. 'I didn't know it was going to be me. 'Two days later I was told to bring my statement in - when I was bringing my statement in the captain told me I didn't need it because the CDC had already taken me off the contract.' Tate, who is now unemployed, has never been given an official explanation for his sacking. He was not directly employed by the CDC, but worked for a company called Professional Security Corporation. His son, who also worked at the CDC headquarters, also lost his job two weeks later - which the organization blamed on 'downsizing'. A Secret Service source indicated that Tate's account is a fair summary of what happened that day - though an executive at his old company told the Times his description was 'not correct' - but would not elaborate. Embarrassment: Revelations about Obama's CDC visit came as the Secret Service was under fire - and resulted in the resignation of its director, Julia Pearson (pictured)
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Kenneth Tate, 47, was a security guard with the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia .
Was on duty when Obama visited - and met the President in an elevator .
Embarrassed the Secret Service when it emerged he was armed at the time .
Later that day he took a picture of Obama's motorcade to show his mom .
Was told he had breached security protocol taking picture, and lost job .
Says the action was 'unjust' as he did not disobey any instructions .
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0b2b3132cb14e2076694f6297a269be9e4dd3f98
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Space exploration is no longer the preserve of huge agencies who can spend up to £280 million on a single satellite launch. Now amateur engineers - working in bedrooms, basements and garages - have the chance to launch their probes into space for just £12,000. For the price of a car, anyone who can send a tiny 5cm cube satellite into orbit to take pictures of Earth and perform cosmic experiments. Scroll down for video… . For the price of a car, anyone who can send a tiny 5cm cube satellite into orbit to take pictures of Earth and perform cosmic experiments . This has all been made possible by . Glasgow-based start-up Alba Orbital who has recently begun creating and . selling the building blocks for tiny satellites named ‘PocketQubes’. Founder Tom Walkinshaw told MailOnline that he was inspired to launch the company after being rejected for a job at local company, Clyde Space. ‘My skillset at the time didn't meet what they needed so I had to essentially create a company if I wanted to be involved in the industry,’ he said. Clyde Space supplies CubeSats- a type of miniaturised satellite for space research that usually has a volume of exactly one litre and a mass of no more than 1.33 kilograms. Despite CubeSats' small size, they can still cost more than $100,000 (£62,300) to launch, compared to the £12,000 it costs to launch a PocketQube satellite. The smaller size of Walkinshaw’s PocketQube has driven down the cost of launch, and elements of a PocketQube can be stacked up to create a larger satellite. ‘We believe small satellites are on the cusp of a major breakthrough much the like personal computers were in the late 70's/early 80's,’ the company said on its website. While space research is currently dominated by large agencies, the ability to launch satellites on the cheap could open up a host of opportunities for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). ‘Small companies have short chains of commands, ideas can be implemented straight away and there is less bureaucracy and schedule slips,’ Walkinshaw said. The PocketQube deployer, named the MR-FOD, will next fly on the Unisat-5 flight on a Dnepr rocket . PocketQube has teamed up with an Italian company called GAUSS which has brokered launch opportunities with a Russian rocket called Dnepr . ‘They also have the freedom to try new things. Agencies may tend to stick to the popular choices as opposed to try something high risk with a low chance of success.’ PocketQube even helps find a launch vehicle. The group has teamed up with an Italian company called GAUSS which has brokered launch opportunities with a Russian rocket called Dnepr. This wasn’t what Walkinshaw initially set out to do when he started a company. Alba Orbital wanted to sell people the opportunity to have a space burial, with capsules of cremated ash being launched into orbit aboard a satellite. But they had to change course due to some legal challenges with the UK Space Agency. ‘We have a really difficult environment for space startups to succeed in the UK which has forced us to change the plan more than once,’ he said. ‘Startups in general have lots of challenges and it is a constant battle to raise funds and sell products, hence why we are focused on this Kickstarter.’ The company, who is based in a MakLab in Glasgow, has developed a number of prototypes and is looking for Kickstarter funding to develop commercial structures that people can buy. A number of satellites built to the PocketQube standard will be launched in November. These include Morehead State University's BearkerSat and the University of Maryland's QubeScout-S1.
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Alba Orbital sells parts for satellites small enough to fit into your pocket .
Satellites built to the 'PocketQube' standard will be launched in November .
These include Morehead State University's BearkerSat and the University of Maryland's QubeScout-S1 .
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0b2b704b79587e6904b5eb0ecadd887efcb92251
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(CNN) -- One month after Typhoon Haiyan tore through six Philippine islands, the death toll stands at 5,924 and 1,779 people are still missing, according to government figures released Sunday. More than 12 million people have been affected by the monster typhoon that left behind catastrophic scenes of destruction and despair when it made landfall on November 8, the government said. It left entire communities without immediate access to food and medical care. Several countries, including the United States, have been aiding in the recovery. According to the Pentagon, the military effort, dubbed Operation Damayan, cost $32 million. At their peak, the relief efforts involved more than 13,400 U.S. military personnel, 66 aircraft and 12 naval vessels. Two weeks ago, the U.S. scaled down its operation in the Philippines, but USAID continues to provide food and support as the recovery continues. INTERACTIVE: Panoramic photo shows Haiyan devastation . CNN's Stefan Simons contributed to this report.
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Death toll from Typhoon Haiyan rises to almost 6,000, and many are still missing .
12 million people have been affected by the storm that hit a month ago .
U.S. military spent $32 million on recovery aid; USAID is still providing food .
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(CNN) -- Illegal weapons have been found inside the northern Prague residence of a Palestinian diplomat who died Wednesday of injuries suffered when he opened a safe in the living room and an explosion occurred, police said Thursday. "Several illegal firearms were seized by the police in the flat of the late Palestinian ambassador," Jamal al Jamal, Prague police spokeswoman Andrea Zoulova told CNN about al Jamal, 57. She would not say how many weapons were found or where they may have come from. In the Czech Republic, all firearms must be registered with authorities; possession requires a permit. Police said Wednesday that al Jamal died after an explosion possibly related to his improper handling of a safe inside his house in the neighborhood of Suchdol. He died after he was taken to Prague Military Hospital. "The explosion was most likely caused by dangerous or unqualified manipulation with the safety box by the ambassador himself," Zoulova said Wednesday. "The explosive device was probably part of the safety mechanism of the safe." She added that authorities had found evidence of explosives in the debris. However, police have ruled out any "criminal involvement of a third person intending to kill a particular person," she said Thursday. She had said Wednesday that the incident was not related to terrorism. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry announced that the explosion occurred minutes after al Jamal opened an old safe that had been moved from the old diplomatic mission to his two-story house, which was being readied to house the new diplomatic mission. A high-level delegation sent by the ministry arrived in Prague on Thursday to help with the investigation. The house was newly constructed, said CTK, a state-run news agency. The blast, which occurred about 12:30 p.m. (6:30 a.m. ET), also injured al Jamal's 52-year-old wife, who was treated at an area hospital for smoke inhalation and shock. The couple's son, who was also in the house at the time of the blast, was not hurt. Al Jamal had been a diplomat in the Czech Republic since last October, CTK said. CNN's Tom Watkins contributed to this report.
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"Several illegal firearms were seized," police spokeswoman says .
Police say Jamal al Jamal died after a blast possibly related to his improper handling of a safe .
His wife was taken to a hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation and shock .
Their son was not hurt .
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0b2c623a07c3bb05b118de2bccb7cf20f19d25cf
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One of the world's most prestigious (and most visited) department stores - Galeries Lafayette in Paris - has listed itself on Airbnb for a once-in-a-lifetime sleepover opportunity. Six lucky guests will have the chance to spend the night in the store on January 6 - and be first in line when the Winter Sale starts on January 7. Their stay will begin at 8pm on the 6th and will include a private tour, personal shopping advice and a €200 voucher to spend. Scroll down for video . Six lucky guests will win the chance to spend the night in the iconic Galeries Lafayette department store . The winners will sleep under the century-old glass dome in one of the prêt-a-porter departments . The chosen six will also benefit from a first look at sale items and a luxurious dinner. There are also two triple rooms, located in one of the prêt-a-porter departments, where guests will then spend the night in comfortable beds under the famous, century-old glass dome. The next morning, after a typical French breakfast, they will take part in the official launch of the Sale and then make their purchases before heading home. The department store is known for its intricate glass dome - and its high quality fashion offerings, of course . The six guests will have the chance to puruse the sale first and receive personalised shopping advice . For your chance to win, enter the contest before midnight on December 28. In 100 words, explain - in French or English - why you should be the one to stay one night in the Galeries Lafayette. Six winners will be selected from the submissions, chosen entirely on merit. A luxe dinner and fabulous French breakfast will also be included in the overnight stay . To enter, simply submit a 100-word piece explaining why you should be the one to stay overnight there . Even if the entrant is not Paris-based, all transportation costs will be covered and a €200 voucher provided . Judging criteria is as follows: 70 per cent based on the originality and creativity of the submission and 30 per cent based on the spirit of the submission, meaning how it relates to fashion. Not based in Paris? No problem. Transportation to the French capital will also be provided. The stay will take place on January 6 - before the official start of their Winter Sale on January 7 . This is the latest addition to Airbnb's 'A Night At' initiative, designed to unlock unexpected places . One hundred thousand visitors are expected through the doors of Galeries Lafayette during the store's much-anticipated seasonal Sale. This is the latest addition to Airbnb's 'A Night At' initiative, designed to unlock places around the world where it's never before been possible to spend the night. So far, these have included an IKEA store in Australia, a KLM plane in Amsterdam and a Waterstones book store in the UK.
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Airbnb will list iconic store for a one-night-only sleepover on January 6 .
Six lucky winners will spend the night under the 100-year-old glass dome .
Plus, they will be first to shop the store's Winter Sale the next morning .
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0b2c74949d9deccc5b751b66e5edcb5e96fd9730
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A teacher has been suspended after he went on a rant in support of two female colleagues suspended for allegedly having sex with male students at a beach party. Sean Patrick Kane, who teaches art at South Hills High School in West Covina, California, was placed on paid leave on Thursday. In a lengthy message on his Facebook page, Kane wrote a message directed at the teen victims of the teachers, saying: 'You should have just kept your stupid mouths shut and enjoyed it.' Scroll down for video . Art teacher Sean Patrick Kane was suspended from South Hills High School in West Covina, California after ranting on Facebook in defense of his colleagues . He went on: 'All I want to know is what the f*** is in the heads of the dudes who banged these ladies and then squealed?... Everybody has lost their f****** minds.' A school district spokeswoman confirmed to NBC that Kane had been placed on leave, adding: 'We would expect teachers to be professional.' The latest debacle comes after four teaching staff were arrested or facing lawsuits at the school. Two female teachers were arrested last Saturday for engaging in sexual encounters on the beach with male students, police said. Melody Lippert, 38, met up with the boys from South Hills High at a beach in San Clemente in November 2014. South Hills High School teacher Melody Lippert, 38, (pictured left) and teacher Michelle Ghirelli, 30, allegedly had sex with a group of male students on an Orange County beach . Lippert reportedly gave the group alcohol and then engaged in a sexual act with one of the students. During a second liaison, Lippert brought along 30-year-old teacher Michelle Ghirelli. The high school's wrestling coach, Anthony Vidales, 29, was arrested for alleged sex with a girl, 17 . The two spent the night on a beach with a group of boys during which they had sex with two students, police said. Police were tipped off and Lippert was charged with conspiracy and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Ghirelli was charged with copulation and unlawful sex with a minor, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Both women were placed on paid leave. The school district gave no comment other than to say the encounters did not take place during events sponsored by the school or district. On January 7, a part-time wrestling coach at South Hills High was arrested for allegedly having sex with a 17-year-old girl on the team . Anthony Vidales, 29, who does not teach in the district, was placed on paid leave. He posted $20,000 bail. The investigation continues. A second wrestling coach, Scott McDonald Stragier, was named in a lawsuit by a former student, Joseph Leyba Jr, who alleged that the staff member choked and berated him in front of students during a March 14 incident.
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Sean Patrick Kane, who teaches art at South Hills High School in West Covina, California, was placed on paid leave on Thursday .
He said: 'You should have kept your stupid mouths shut and enjoyed it'
Kane now placed on paid leave by the school district .
Melody Lippert, 38, allegedly gave male students alcohol and engaged in a sexual act with one of them .
Michelle Ghirelli, 30, joined Lippert and 'the two spent the night on a beach with a group of boys during which they had sex with two students'
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0b2c794fbf6d9443e9571ad9f5a159c973f05936
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Police in Florida are looking through CCTV footage to try and determine who tried to steal a bank's drive-thru ATM machine using a stolen forklift. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office say the 10,000 lb. industrial sized machine was taken from a construction site overnight on Monday. The $135,000 piece of equipment was next seen at the site of the ATM. A would-be robber was hoping to make off with with an ATM machine and thought he had the perfect tool . The suspect ended up fleeing the scene without the cash or construction equipment . A wannabe robber tried to pry open a drive-through ATM using a stolen forklift . The 10,000-pound industrial forklift was stolen from a nearby construction site early Monday and driven a half mile to Synovus Bank . Although the machine was smashed, the actual forklift remained intact and with very little damage. No suspect information has been made available. An officer on scene was seen dusting a large industrial sized truck for fingerprints. The ATM was later wrapped with police tape, but remained in its same location. No cash was stolen during the attempted robbery. The thief tried to double down, piercing the bulky ATM machine with twin forks . Despite visible damage to the ATM, it wouldn't budge and held as firm as any bank vault and the wannabe robber walked away empty-handed . The thief left the forklift embedded in the ATM machine and ran off . Police were alerted to the botched theft by a bank employee at 7 a.m. and have been combing the area for fingerprints .
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Robber attempted to steal entire ATM using fork lift but it wouldn't budge .
Would-be thief ran off leaving the construction vehicle embedded in ATM .
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0b2d1a19ce0abc6721c1a2eb0968fdce71f7a8c2
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Qantas flights which travel over the Iraqi airspace have been re-routed to avoid another MH17-like disaster as tensions in the Middle East intensify. The change took effect on Thursday night - two weeks after the Ukrainian tragedy - and will add up to 10 minutes to the seven-hour-long London to Dubai flight, which is scheduled for four times a day. It is understood that instead of flying over Iraq, planes will take a path further east over Iran. Qantas stopped flights over Iraqi airspace on Thursday in the wake of the MH17 disaster on July 17 . The new route is expected to add up to 10 minutes to the seven-hour-long flight . A Qantas spokesman said the airline has closely monitored flight paths over conflict zones since Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine two weeks ago. The tragedy claimed the lives of all 298 people on board, including 38 Australians. He said Qantas flights from London to Dubai travel over Iraq at an altitude of 38,000 feet and 41,000 feet, well above the minimum altitude for commercial flights over Iraq. But the US Federal Aviation Administration had just increased the minimum altitude from 20,000 feet to 30,000 feet, prompting a review of Qantas' London-Dubai route. It is understood that instead of travelling over Iraqi, airspace planes will be travelling over Iranian airspace . The Iraqi conflict zone has been marred with attacks from militants of the Islamic State - an off-shoot of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda . 'Qantas has closely monitored the issue of flight paths over conflict zones, particularly in light of the MH17 tragedy, with safety our first priority,' the Qantas spokesman said. 'We have no new information that alters our safety assessment of flying over Iraq, especially given the altitudes we maintain over this region. 'However given the various restrictions imposed by different governments in the past 24 hours, including by the United States FAA, Qantas has temporarily rerouted its flights within the Middle East to avoid Iraqi airspace. This change will apply until further information becomes available.' The airlines' decision comes after alliance partner Emirates announced its plans to stop flying above the area 10 days after the attack, Daily Mail Australia reported on Monday. The wreckage of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 at the Ukrainian crash site where international experts are now looking through for more remains . Australian and Dutch experts arrived at the crash site earlier this week to assist in investigations of the tragedy .
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The US Federal Aviation Administration has just increased the minimum altitude from 20,000 feet to 30,000 feet .
A spokesman for Qantas said this prompted a review of their London-Dubai route .
The change took effect on Thursday night and will add up to 10 minutes to the seven-hour flight .
It is understood that instead of flying over Iraq, planes will go over Iran .
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0b2ddcfbaa33befdfcf3a46dad835d37211bc922
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It could be the wedding video to end all wedding videos. There are not many newlyweds who can say they received a call from the President of the United States on their wedding day. Granted, the President was calling to apologize after the bride and groom -- Natalie Heimel and Ed Mallue Jr. -- were forced to scramble to find an alternate location for their wedding, once they were informed by the Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course at Marine Corps Base Hawaii that Obama wanted to play through the site of their nuptials. "Listen. Congratulations on your wedding. I feel terrible. Nobody told us," Obama told the couple in a video provided to CNN by the bride's family. "If they had just mentioned that they were going to have a wedding on the 16th hole, we would have skipped the 16th hole," the President added. "I hope the wedding went OK anyway," he continued. In the video, Heimel and Mallue can be seen all dressed up for their big day, hanging on Obama's every word, and laughing as they carried on a conversation with the President that lasted several minutes. The wedding was just fine, Mallue and Heimel reassured Obama, who was clearly embarrassed by the mix-up. "Thank you very much. It was a blessing in disguise," Mallue said. "We just went right above the 16th hole. So we were watching you golf," Heimel joked about their new wedding site. Acknowledging he is far from an ace golfer, Obama quipped, "That must have been kind of painful." "What did you shoot, Mr. President?" Mallue asked. "I shot an 84. If I had skipped the 16th hole, I would have shot a 79," Obama replied. The conversation then turned to what sounded like an episode of the presidential dating game. "How long you been going out?" Obama asked. The couple proceeded to tell Obama they have been dating since 2011. The military couple, both captains, attended West Point, before moving to Germany where they met. They now live in Hawaii, which led to the President's next question. "Now, the only question is where do you honeymoon when you live in Hawaii?" Obama joked. "We haven't figured that part out yet," Heimel joked. "Might be Fort Polk, Louisiana," Mallue quipped. The couple then invited Obama to their reception. Fearing he might cause another wedding mishap, the President respectfully declined. "Everybody would have to be magged," Obama joked about his security needs. "Sorry for the change of plans. But sounds like you guys are gonna have a great wedding and at least you will have a good story to tell." "Congratulations and thank you both for your service," Obama added at the end of the call.
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President Obama called newlyweds after his golf game interrupted their wedding plans .
"I feel terrible," he told the couple .
Obama said he would have skipped the 16th hole if he had known .
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0b2f5ff6d136ed5431229f08fbf23e7fd7319ae9
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Owners of lawnmowers, mobility scooters and golf buggies may have to take out motor insurance under a new EU directive. It follows a ruling from the European Court of Justice that an accident involving a tractor trailer on private land should have been covered by compulsory insurance. Cover must now be obtained for ‘any motor vehicle intended for travel on land and propelled by mechanical power’. Dangerous: Graham Davies, 46, council gardener mows the grass on a ride-on lawnmower, which is just one of the kinds of vehicles that may now have to be covered by motor insurance under a new EU directive . UK ministers are worried the directive could even apply to ride-on lawnmowers because the definition of motor vehicles is so unclear. There is also concern that insurance costs could rise for all drivers. The ruling comes following a European legal case involving a Slovenian, Damijan Vnuk. He was hurt after falling from a ladder when it was hit by a reversing tractor trailer. Because it involved a vehicle being used as an ‘agricultural machine’ and took place on private property, motor insurers refused to cover the claim. In September, The European Court of Justice ruled the accident should have been covered by compulsory vehicle insurance. As a result, motor insurance is now required to cover vehicles used in all situations — not just on roads. The definition has also now been extended to ‘any motor vehicle intended for travel on land and propelled by mechanical power’. Tearaway: A man rides a mobility scooter, another of the vehicles that may be covered by the new ruling, which a Conservative party spokesman described as 'bonkers' Roads minister Robert Goodwill said that it would probably lead to a rise in insurance costs for all British motorists. They are charged an average £30 levy to cover accidents involving untraced or uninsured drivers – which he said would have to go up as the scope of motor insurance was broadened. Meanwhile, a Conservative party spokesman told The Times: ‘This is clearly a bonkers ruling. 'Only with David Cameron as PM will British people get a referendum on our membership of the EU.’
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Vehicles may be included in new ruling from European Court of Justice .
It follows a case involving a man hurt when his ladder was hit by a tractor .
Conservative party spokesman calls the new ruling 'bonkers'
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By . Suzannah Hills . Oscar Pistorius looked at porn and car websites the night before he shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, it emerged in court today. The double-amputee athlete searched a porn website and later looked at cars including an Aston Martin Rapide R in the early evening on February 13, 2013. His internet search history was revealed as a ballistics experts told the High Court in Pretoria how Ms Steenkamp, 29, was standing in a toilet cubicle facing the closed door when Pistorius opened fire the following night on February 14. Captain Christiaan Mangena told . Pretoria's High Court that Reeva Steenkamp was struck in the hip by the first bullet and then fell back on to a . magazine holder by the toilet before she was hit by a further two . bullets. One bullet fired from the 9mm pistol struck her in the right arm and while another penetrated her skull as she crossed her arms over her head to protect herself, Captain Mangena said. Scroll down for video . Not listening: Oscar Pistorius appeared to place his thumbs in his ears as ballistic evidence about his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp's gunshot wounds are described to the court yesterday . Distressed: Pistorius wipes his eyes as ballistics expert Captain Christiaan Mangena tell his murder trial how Steenkamp was shot in the hip, arm and head . Emotional: Pistorius appears to grimace as further details of the night he shot his girlfriend are told to the court . As Mangena threw his hands up to . cover his head in court and replicate the 'defensive position' he said . Steenkamp took as the last shots were fired, Pistorius put his fingers . in his ears in an apparent attempt to block out the testimony. June . Steenkamp, Reeva's mother, also was in the courtroom and occasionally . glanced at photos of the bloody scene of her daughter's shooting before . looking away. Mr Mangena also testified that he believed the second bullet fired missed Ms Steenkamp . and ricocheted off a wall inside the cubicle and broke into fragments, . which caused bruising on her back. Mr . Mangena concluded, through his analysis of the shooting scene and . wounds on Ms Steenkamp's body from post-mortem photos, that one bullet . went through Ms Steenkamp's left hand before penetrating her skull as . she held it over her head. The policeman said he could not determine the order of the last two shots. Pistorius, . 27, is charged with premeditated murder over Ms Steenkamp's death on . February 14 last year and faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted. Family support: Pistorius hugs his sister Aimee (pictured right) during his trial at the High Court in Pretoria . New details: The court heard how the first shot fired by Pistorius broke Ms Steenkamp's hip bone, causing her to fall back on to a magazine rack near the bathroom toilet . Gunshots: While Ms Steenkamp was collapsed on the magazine rack, Pistorius fired a further three shots through the bathroom door, one of which struck her arm while the other hit her in the head . Alone: Pistorius sits in the dock on the 13th day of his trial for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria . He . says he shot Ms Steenkamp, 29, by mistake through a locked door in his . bathroom because he thought she was a dangerous night-time intruder in . his home. Pistorius . says Ms Steenkamp went to use the toilet during the night without him . knowing, but prosecutors maintain he killed her after a loud argument . that caused her to possibly flee and hide in the toilet area. Mr . Mangena said the bullet that struck Ms Steenkamp's skull broke into two . fragments, one of which exited her head and struck the wall behind her. The first shot into the right hip broke Ms Steenkamp's hip bone, Mr . Mangena said. 'I'm of the opinion that after this wound was inflicted, she dropped immediately,' Mr Mangena said. He . said Ms Steenkamp then slumped into a 'seated or semi-seated position' on top of a magazine rack near the toilet, where she was hit another two . times. 'She ended up with her head on top of the toilet seat, and the lower part of her body on the rack', Mr Mangena said. Pistorius . fired from a distance of at least 60 centimetres (24in) and no further . than a wall behind him, about three metres (10ft) away, Mr Mangena said. Back in court: June Steenkamp, mother of Reeva Steenkamp, left, sits next to African National Congress Women's League spokesperson Jackie Mofokeng, right, as details of her daughter's death are described to the court . Questioning: State prosecutor Gerrie Nel questions ballistics experts Captain Christiaan Mangena over how Ms Steenkamp was killed . He also described the impact of the type of bullets in Pistorius' gun, which were designed to cause maximum damage, he said. 'It . hits the target, it opens up, it creates six talons, and these talons . are sharp,' Mr Mangena said. 'It cuts through the organs of a human . being.' He noted the . Black Talon brand of ammunition was often used for self-defence because . while it caused significant damage to a human target, it was less likely . to penetrate the first target and hit other people. Mr . Mangena also said he conducted shooting tests to try to pinpoint the . location from which the bullets were fired by Pistorius in the bathroom, . based on where the cartridge cases were found. However, . in his tests, he said, the cases fell at different angles. He also . noted that the cartridge cases at the scene of Ms Steenkamp's shooting . could have been 'moved or kicked around' during the investigation. He . said Pistorius was probably on his stumps when he fired, supporting the . athlete's statement that he was not wearing his prosthetic limbs when . he opened fire. Mr Nel . also asked Mr Mangena to comment on a 2012 incident in which Pistorius . allegedly fired his gun out of the sunroof of a moving car. The athlete . faces a firearms charge in that case, as well as two other firearms . charges. Mr Mangena said firing a shot in such circumstances was dangerous. The . bullet leaves the barrel at around 280 metres (900 feet) a second, and . will travel upward, then stop and fall to the ground under the force of . gravity and wind deflection, he said. 'The bullet can still kill a person,' Mr Mangena said. Pistorius's sister was also in court today and appeared to hand Ms Steenkamp's mother June a handwritten note. It comes after Arnold Pistorius, the uncle of the athlete, approached the 67-year-old mother in court on Tuesday. According to the Mirror, he told her: 'I am so sorry for your loss. We as a family are just as heartroken for the life that has been lost. 'Like your family we are trying to fight for a life and also for a life that has been lost.' Together: Reeva Steenkamp pictured with Pistorius. The prosecution allege he intentionally killed her after an argument . Scene: Pistorius shot Miss Steenkamp through the bathroom door at his home (above) in Pretoria in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year . In other testimony Wednesday, police Colonel Ian van der Nest testified that many of the blood spots and stains found in various parts of Pistorius' house were due to arterial bleeding, consistent with the gunshot wounds on Steenkamp's head and arm. Some stains came from Steenkamp's blood-soaked hair as well as her short pants, which had been saturated with blood, he said. Another witness, Col. Mike Sales, investigated the web history on two iPad tablets found in Pistorius' home. He analyzed the activity on one of the devices hours before Steenkamp was killed, he said. Around 6.30pm South African time on February 13, 2013, a search was made on Google for a pornographic website. Then, straight after, a page was accessed that was described with the words 'Mobile Porn, Free Mobile Porn, iPhone Porn, Phone Porn, iPad Porn'. Other Internet searches referred to car websites and details on cars, including a Ford Ranger SUV, an Aston Martin and a British-made Morgan sports car. Col. Sales said the searches and website history on the second iPad showed similar records to the first. The hearing was adjourned and will resume on Monday.
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Pretoria High Court has been told Pistorius looked at porn and car websites on February 2013 - the night before he shot Reeva Steenkamp .
Captain Christiaan Mangena told how first bullet hit Ms Steenkamp's hip .
Shot caused her to fall backwards where she was hit by two more bullets .
One struck her in the arm, the other hit Ms Steenkamp's head, killing her .
The policeman said he could not determine the order of the last two shots .
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0b32ef8b9275c4d5a0cef388c229d2a34eaef8f4
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A football player who was beaten into a coma just took a big step on the road to recovery when he was discharged from rehab after five months. Isaac Kolstad, a former linebacker at Minnesota State University, Mankato, finally got a chance to return home after suffering a skull fracture and traumatic brain injury in a bar fight that happened last May near his school. His wife, Molly, shared the happy news on Kolstad's CaringBridge page. Scroll down for video . Back and doing better: Isaac Kolstad m(above in yellow at a September football game), a former linebacker at Minnesota State University, Mankato, emerged from rehab five months after he was attacked in a bar fight and suffered a traumatic brain injury . Baby girl: While he was in rehab his wife gave birth to a daughter, Malia (above with her father) Sportsman: Kolstad (pictured playing in a 2012 game) had to relearn how to walk . 'It is with a full heart that I update you all that today Isaac was discharged from inpatient care!' she wrote. 'After 5 months of being confined to a facility, of sleeping in a twin sized hospital bed, of reporting daily to nurses, doctors, therapists, and aides, Isaac is finally released and free to go home. He and his entire family are incredibly excited to take this huge step in Isaac’s recovery and start the process of transitioning back to family life.' Just this past September, Kolstad, 24, who graduated in 2013, made an emotional return to the playing field with some of his former teammates, walking out before kickoff during the opening game of ther season. He also became a father for the second time when his baby daughter Malia was born in June, less than a month after he was injured. Kolstand and his wife have another daughter, Haidyn. Rutgers University quarterback Philip Robert Nelson, who once played at the University of Minnesota, has been charged with one count of first-degree assault and one count of third-degree assault for the incident. Trevor Shelley, 21, who authorities believe punched Kolstad, was arrested just days after the attack and charged with felony assault counts. Kolstad, described by a friend as 'a quiet, young man' who was not a big drinker, was with a group of football players in the South Street Saloon just before closing time on the night of the fight. According to a criminal complaint, 20-year-old Nelson was angry that night because a bouncer at the bar had hit on his girlfriend. Two: Kolstand and his wife Molly have another daughter, Haidyn (above) Arrests: Trevor Shelley (left) and Philip Nelson (right) have been arrested in connection with the incident . As he left the bar with his girlfriend, he saw Kolstad outside. The bouncer and Kolstad are different people. Nelson and Kolstad got into a verbal dispute before Kolstad threw a punch that hit Nelson in the back, causing him to fall to the ground, according to a police officer, the complaint says. Graduate student Steph Stassen, 25, told the Star Tribune that the attacker came 'out of nowhere'. 'He [Kolstad] was knocked out on his feet,' she told the paper. 'He fell straight back and smoked his head on the pavement.' He was found at an intersection around 2am by police and taken to hospital in an ambulance. Kolstad suffered bleeding of the brain, skull fracture, brain swelling, brain shifting, and deterioration of lungs from lack of oxygen, according to the criminal complaint. He is now being treated at an inpatient rehabilitation program in the Twin Cities. There, he has bonded well with his new daughter, his wife Molly wrote.
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Isaac Kolstad has emerged from rehab five months after entering following a traumatic brain injury he suffered during a bar fight .
The former Minnesota State University, Mankato linebacker will be returning home to his wife Molly and baby girl Malia .
Malia was born in June, less than a month after a man sucker punched Kolstad and put him in a coma .
The former footballer took to the field with his former teammates before kickoff during their opening day game this September .
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0b330e583d945d6db1e0dfaef689023bdf181c18
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(CNN) -- William Adolfo Cortez -- the man suspected in four homicides in Panama, including the death of one American -- and his wife were arrested in Nicaragua on Monday, a Costa Rican official told CNN. The arrest was the conclusion of an international manhunt for the couple, whose nationality remained unconfirmed by authorities. Cortez and his wife, Jane, were on the run since the body of Cher Hughes, a native of suburban St. Louis, Missouri, was found last week on his property in Panama. The couple fled Panama to the north, traversed through Costa Rica, and were caught as they crossed the San Juan River, which acts as the boundary between Nicaragua and Costa Rica, Costa Rican Vice Minister of Public Security Jorge Chavarria said. Cortez and his wife boarded a boat and then threw the boat's driver overboard, commandeering the vessel for themselves, Chavarria said. The Nicaraguan army stopped them as they tried to enter the country. The couple was in Nicaraguan custody and was transported to a facility known as El Castillo, the vice minister said. The pair face charges of stealing a boat, but an international murder warrant out for the couple is expected to result in extradition to Panama, Chavarria said. Cortez could be American or Dutch, according to local reports, but his true nation of origin remained unconfirmed. Hughes, who was in her early 50s, was found in a shallow grave. A second body -- which has not yet been officially identified -- was found near Hughes. Panama police said they believed that Cortez's motive was to take his alleged victims' property. Hughes had lived in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she owned a neon sign business, before moving to Panama. CNN's Mariano Castillo contributed to this report.
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William Cortez is wanted on murder charges in Panama .
He and his wife were caught on the border between Nicaragua and Costa Rica .
Cortez commandeered a boat to try to make it to Nicaragua .
The Nicaraguan army made the arrest .
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0b35b8df4fb055e27f21c3fc102f56202e779341
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DAVID Cameron last night ordered a fresh investigation to discover what happened to the missing dossier detailing explosive claims of a Westminster paedophile ring. Ministers including Nick Clegg and Theresa May have been rejecting calls for a full-scale public inquiry into historical child abuse, insisting a police investigation will be sufficient to get to the bottom of the claims. Yesterday, however, the Prime Minister ordered the Home Office’s most senior official to launch an investigation amid claims that the department’s response to the affair so far had been ‘outrageous’. Probe: David Cameron, left, has ordered the most senior Home Office official to investigate a missing dossier handed to Lord Brittan, the former home secretary, by Conservative MP Geoffrey Dickens about an alleged paedophile ring in Westminster in the 1980s . Mr Cameron said he understood mounting . concerns about what happened to the dossier handed over to then Home . Secretary Leon Brittan by Tory MP Geoffrey Dickens in 1983. He said: . ‘That’s why I’ve asked the permanent secretary at the Home Office [Mark . Sedwill] to do everything he can to find answers to all of these . questions and to make sure we can reassure people about these events.’ He . added: ‘If anyone has information about criminal wrong-doing they . should, of course, give it to the police.’ But the Daily Mail can reveal . that only seven detectives have been deployed by Scotland Yard chiefs . to investigate the allegations. The tiny squad has been given the . huge task of investigating historical allegations of child abuse . relating to MPs, a guest house where rent boys entertained Establishment . figures, a children’s home and the notorious Paedophile Information . Exchange. The police inquiry, launched in November 2012, is also . responsible for investigating the activities of the disgraced Liberal MP . Cyril Smith. Sources close to the investigation, which has the . umbrella name Operation Fairbank, say it has been poorly resourced since . day one and claim that Metropolitan Police bosses have shown little . interest in it. Shadow home secretary Yvett Cooper said the 2013 Home Office review was 'not good enough' and led to a 'lack of proper answers' By contrast, nearly 200 detectives have been deployed . on the investigation into phone hacking and bribery allegations . involving journalists, while about 30 officers have been attached to . Operation Yewtree, the Jimmy Savile scandal inquiry into sex crimes . committed by celebrities. The revelation that Scotland Yard boss Sir . Bernard Hogan-Howe and his senior officers put just seven officers on . Operation Fairbank prompted widespread criticism and claims of a . continuing cover-up. Simon Danczuk, one of the original group of . seven cross-party MPs who wrote to the Home Secretary urging her to . launch a ‘Hillsborough-style’ inquiry into the abuse scandal, said: . ‘Theresa May will know that barely a handful of police officers are . assigned to these investigations, so when they claim this is a matter . best left to the police they are essentially consigning it to the . dustbin of history.’ He added: ‘They know full well that proper . resources are needed to get to the bottom of years of cover up to . protect establishment paedophiles, and without this there is no chance . of the truth being uncovered. The public will now rightly want to know . why our political leaders are not doing all they can to expose . establishment paedophiles and bring them to justice.’ Labour MP Mr . Danczuk, who helped expose the full extent of Cyril Smith’s vile . paedophile attacks in a book serialised by the Mail, said more people . have contacted his office in recent days with claims of a child sex ring . at Westminster and naming one particular MP from the 1980s. Responding . to Mr Cameron’s announcement of a fresh investigation, he said: ‘The . Prime Minister knows that there is a growing sense of public anger about . allegations of historical abuse involving senior politicians and his . statement today represents little more than a damage limitation . exercise. ‘It doesn’t go far enough. The public has lost confidence . in these kind of official reviews, which usually result in a whitewash. The only way to get to the bottom of this is a thorough public inquiry.’ From yesterday's Daily Mail: MPs had called for an full-scale public inquiry to be launched . Thursday's Mail: Pressure has been mounting on David Cameron to take action . Demands for a full-scale investigation into an alleged cover-up of a . Westminster paedophile ring increased this week leaving Leon Brittan, . now Lord Brittan, facing questions over his handling of the explosive . dossier handed to him by Mr Dickens. Lord Brittan has confirmed he . received a ‘substantial bundle of papers’ – which detailed allegations . of a paedophile network within Parliament and Whitehall – and passed . them to his officials for investigation. But amid claims of an Establishment cover-up, the Home Office admits the dossier was either lost or destroyed. An . internal review last year revealed that the Tory peer had written to Mr . Dickens in 1984 saying the dossier had been assessed by prosecutors as . worth pursuing and handed to police. Yet the Mail has learned that the Met can find no record that the Dickens dossier was investigated by the force in the 1980s. Speculation . was mounting that Sir Bernard and Commander Graham McNulty, who is . overseeing the Westminster paedophile ring investigation, could be . hauled before MPs to explain the alleged under-resourcing of the . inquiry.
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Most senior Home Office official will investigate alleged paedophile ring .
Prime Minister said probe would 'find answers' to 'reassure' about events .
130 MPs called for inquiry over dossier given to former home secretary .
Leon Brittan was given 'substantial bundle of papers' by Geoffrey Dickens .
But Home Office has admitted dossier was either lost or destroyed .
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0b3625c26507224cb80d51608f52bef8a09ab7d8
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Giving back: Glenn Close is auctioning off her Damages wardrobe to benefit the mental illness awareness charity she founded in 2010 . In drama TV series Damages, Glenn Close's lawyer character Patty Hewes is known for her polished pantsuits, immaculate outfits and expensive tastes. Now, the 66-year-old actress is auctioning off 380 pieces from the wardrobe for charity. The looks come from labels that are fitting for a high-powered lawyer like Patty, including Giorgio Armani, Christian Louboutin, Prada and Balenciaga. Proceeds will go towards Bring Change 2 Mind, a charity Ms Close founded in order to raise awareness of mental illness. Her ruthless lawyer character certainly had a budget for designer looks such as these, but given that they are going under the hammer on eBay, fans may be able to snag them at a discounted price. Aside from her signature power suits, Patty's iconic Oliver Peoples sunglasses are also available on the eBay auction, and have so far attracted 31 bids. Some of the pieces, such as a grey Domenico Vacca jacket, have already fetched more than $2,000. A black Giorgio Armani shift dress has so far raked in $1,250, while the price of a silk ivory Armani blouse is starting at a more modest $5.50. In a video for the auction, the actress explains that in real life, she 'doesn't dress like a grown-up'. Her fictional character, however, had a 'formidable wardrobe' thanks to 'fantastic personal shopper' Frank Fleming, the costume designer for the series. Mr Fleming has said in the past that a typical Patty outfit costs around $5,000. He told Xfinity.com that he shopped at Bergdorf's, Barney's, Saks, Akris and Tom Ford for many of Patty's powerful lawyer looks. Expensive tastes: The clothes being auctioned off by Ms Close include looks from Giorgio Armani, Christian Louboutin, Prada and Balenciaga, to name a few . The nine-day auction will run until next Friday, July 19, in conjunction with the release of the fifth season of Damages on DVD. Ms Close founded Bring Change 2 Mind in 2010, after her sister Jessie was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The actress said she was inspired to . launch the charity when she realized just how ill-informed she was about . mental illness, despite the fact it was very present in her own family. Expensive tastes: A black Giorgio Armani shift dress (left) has so far raked in $1,250. Other looks being auctioned off include those from Prada, Domenico Vacca, Christian Louboutin and Balenciaga . In her shoes: Damages fans can bid for Patty's Manolo Blahnik patent leather heels (left) and Jimmy Choo reptile slingbacks (right) 'When . my sister came to me and said, "I can't stop thinking about killing . myself, I need your help," it was shocking to me,' she told Elle.com. 'I realized how little I know about mental illness, and how badly things had gotten for my sister without me knowing' 'I realized how little I know, and how badly things had gotten for her without me knowing.' Her . sister Jessie - whose son Calen had already been diagnosed with . schizoaffective disorder - was ultimately diagnosed with bipolar . disorder at the age of 51. The . actress launched the charity, with the support of her sister and . nephew, in order to eliminate the stigma and discrimination surrounding . mental illness. For a good cause: Ms Close founded mental illness awareness charity Bring Change 2 Mind in 2010, after her sister Jessie (right) was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 51 . 'Now that . Jessie and Calen talk about their illness publicly and openly without . shame, their recovery has been huge,' she explained. According to the Bring Change 2 Mind . website, one-in-six adults lives with a brain-related illness like . depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD and schizophrenia. The website allows people to share stories about their own illnesses, in an effort to put an end to common misconceptions.
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In conjunction with the DVD release of the fifth season of Damages, the actress is auctioning off her wardrobe from the series for charity .
Proceeds will go to Bring Change 2 Mind, the mental illness awareness charity she founded in 2010 after her sister was diagnosed with bipolar disorder .
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0b365850e18d4140eb69e852214fa35c747d1efe
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:35 EST, 1 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:38 EST, 1 March 2014 . An over-eager fan who ran onto the court to touch Cavaliers All-Star guard Kyrie Irving was crash-tackled and handcuffed by security during Cleveland's 99-79 victory over Utah at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday night. The dramatic moment, which happened during the fourth quarter and was caught on camera, sees the ambitious admirer pushed to the ground within seconds of getting up close to the towering NBA star, who seemed startled by the encounter but not scared. While the fan - who is yet to be identified - is facing a public nuisance charge, if speaking with Irving was what he set out to do then he succeeded. Scroll down for video . Game time: The fan starts running onto the court towards Kyrie Irving (top right) The fan makes it to Irving, but a slew of security are on his tail . 'Come here!': A security guard tackles the fan . The fan is handcuffed, with security and police coming onto the court . Slam dunk: The police officer subdues the fan as a startled Kyrie Irving looks on . Within moments, there are about 10 police and security officers on the court . Cleveland police and security escort a fan from the floor after he ran out into play during the fourth quarter . Cleveland policemen and security guards escort a fan off the court during the fourth quarter . After the game Irving spoke of the incident and what the two managed to say to each other in the brief moment, according to Cleveland.com. 'He told me he loved me, I told him, ''I love you, too, bro'',' Irving said. 'The police didn’t think it was a joke. 'It goes back to the emotional and deep-rooted support the fans have for the team. 'It was a great honor, but to do it during the game … maybe he could have waited until after the game?' It is the second time a fan has approached Irving on the court this season. On with the game: Following the incident, Kyrie Irving and his Cleveland Cavalier teammates continued with the game against Utah Jazz . Cleveland Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving jumps to the basket against Utah Jazz's Enes Kanter (left) and Alec Burks (right) It is also the third time in le3ss than a year that ther3 has been a fan incident at the Quickens Loans Arena. In December a fan walked up to Irving during a game against the Clippers in an apparent attempt to get him to look at his “Kyrie, Don’t Leave” t-shirt. A recent ESPN.com report indicated that Irving might not be totally happy in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers are on track to miss the playoffs for the fourth straight year.
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Incident occurred during the Cleveland Cavaliers and Utah Jazz game at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday night .
Fan ran onto court during fourth quarter, presumably to meet Kyrie Iriving .
Tackled and handcuffed within seconds .
Moment caught on camera .
It is the second time such a thing has happened to Irving this season .
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0b36c49c464021de89ec96593159fbac73af0be6
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By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . Charlotte Dujardin OBE, with her rescued pony Santa, who she has adopted . Underweight and barely able to stand, he was just another horse abandoned by his owner. Now, a better life has begun for Santa the foal after he was adopted by dressage champion and double Olympic gold medal winner Charlotte Dujardin. The piebald gelding was close to death when he was rescued by the RSPCA in December. However, when Ms Dujardin, pictured with Santa, met him through a friend, she fell in love – and decided to offer him a home. Ms Dujardin, 28, a 2016 Olympic hopeful, said: ‘He caught my eye because, even though he was in a really bad condition, he was just so pretty. I felt so sorry for him. 'I just wanted to give him the best chance of life.’ Dressage rider Ms Dujardin, who was born in Enfield and brought up in Hertfordshire, started riding when she was two-years old. By the time she was 16 she had won the Horse of the Year Show competition four times and was a winner at Hickstead on three occasions. She took up dressage with a horse bought from her grandmother’s inheritance any was offered her first job as a groom in Gloucestershire, where she has remained. Ms Dujardin holds all three world records in dressage and just this month she also won the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final in Lyon. Ms Dujardin won two gold medals in the London 2012 Olympics and is hopeful she will have a place in the 2016 Olympics in Rio. RSPCA rehoming co-ordinator Gareth Johnson added: ‘It is fantastic that someone of Charlotte’s standing is taking on a rescued pony.’ Going for gold: Charlotte Dujardin with her gold medal for Team GB in the Individual Dressage at London Olympics 2012 .
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Foal was close to death when he was rescued by the RSPCA in December .
British dressage rider Charlotte Dujardin fell in love and offered him a home .
She said she felt sorry for the foal and wanted to give him a home .
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0b392e5b84d810fdee807218616913d943e0ed9b
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- CIA interrogators used waterboarding at least 266 times on two top al Qaeda suspects, according to a Bush-era Justice Department memo released by the Obama administration. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, seen in a December sketch, was waterboarded 183 times in a month, a memo says. The controversial technique that simulates drowning -- and which President Obama calls torture -- was used at least 83 times in August 2002 on suspected al Qaeda leader Abu Zubaydah, according to the memo. Interrogators also waterboarded Khalid Sheikh Mohammed 183 times in March 2003. Mohammed is believed to be the mastermind behind the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. Obama released the memo Thursday, saying that "exceptional circumstances surround these memos and require their release." Watch other tactics outlined in memos » . The memo, dated May 30, 2005, was from then-Deputy Assistant Attorney General Steven G. Bradbury to John Rizzo, who was acting general counsel for the CIA. It paints a different picture from the one described by former CIA officer John Kiriakou. In a December 2007 interview with CNN, Kiriakou said Zubaydah had been waterboarded for "about 30 seconds, 35 seconds" and agreed to cooperate with interrogators the following day. In an interview on "Fox News Sunday," Michael Hayden, who directed the CIA from 2006 to 2009, was asked about the number of times Mohammed was waterboarded. Hayden denounced the release of the memos and did not comment on the number, saying it was his understanding that the frequency of waterboarding was among the operational details that had not been declassified. Watch one expert say tactics 'worse than Abu Ghraib' » . The 2005 memo refers to a letter that had contained the numbers as well. Part of the reference to the letter was redacted in the released memo. Waterboarding is among the interrogation tactics that Obama has prohibited through an executive order. The CIA also has admitted waterboarding Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, the first person charged in the United States for the 2000 attack on the USS Cole in Yemen that killed 17 U.S. sailors. Obama said last week he felt comfortable releasing the classified memos because the Bush administration acknowledged using some of the practices associated with the memos, and the interrogation techniques were widely reported and have since been banned. "Withholding these memos would only serve to deny facts that have been in the public domain for some time," Obama said in a statement. "This could contribute to an inaccurate accounting of the past, and fuel erroneous and inflammatory assumptions about actions taken by the United States." The president applauded the work of the U.S. intelligence community and said no one who "carried out their duties relying in good faith upon legal advice from the Department of Justice" would be prosecuted.
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Memo: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed waterboarded 183 times in one month .
Former CIA officer said in 2007 that Mohammed waterboarded for 30-35 seconds .
Obama: Memos released because methods were reported, are now banned .
CIA's ex-chief denounces decision to release memos .
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0b396afdae7e868de1c14e1c7949be5b5608a082
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(CNN) -- I moved to Lagos earlier this year as CNN's correspondent for West Africa and so far, it's been everything I expected and more. I've lived abroad a good part of my life and I've visited some of the most dynamic cities in the world -- from Sao Paulo to Hong Kong to Dubai -- and I can honestly say that I've never experienced anything as vibrant, exciting and yes, as challenging, as Lagos. Recently, I had the pleasure of filling in for Errol Barnett on CNN's Inside Africa and while batting around show ideas I mentioned that I had been so busy since arriving here that apart from a few dinners, I hadn't really had any time for leisure. It was like a light bulb went off. Why not do a show where I try to find things to do? But not just anything. I would look for activities that I'd really want to do in my spare time -- which granted, I don't have a lot of. It's not always easy to find, but if you know where to look, Lagos offers up almost any activity that you can think of -- golf, sailing and even polo. Read more: 'Netflix of Africa' brings Nollywood to world . But I'm not that much of a golfer and while I like watching polo, I wanted to find more accessible activities. Not one which requires the purchase of a horse. For me, staying active is the key to getting rid of any stress that comes on from work, traffic and the incessant power outages. And as you can see from my Inside Africa show, I am an avid student of the martial arts. I started out learning judo when I was six or seven years old and got hooked on taekwondo in my 20s. In Lagos, when it comes to martial arts, taekwondo -- the way of the hand and foot -- rules. Nigerians really started to get hooked on the art when Chika Chukwumerije won the bronze medal at the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing. Watch: Taekwondo - 'Nigeria's fastest-growing sport' In Lagos, you'll find most martial artists practicing at Lagos National Stadium in Surulere. That's where I met 7th Dan black belt Ferguson Oluigbo. He's also the president of the Nigeria Taekwondo Referees Association. (+234-803-409-3004). Whether you just want to learn how to defend yourself or stay fit by focusing on the sporting/Olympic aspect, you'll find plenty of opportunities to do so in Lagos. Everyone knows that Lagos has a notorious traffic problem. Whenever we are working on a story in and around Lagos, we always have to factor in the traffic. It can take hours to travel even short distances. I'm still getting used to it but I found a place where I can indulge in my "need for speed." GET ARENA is a go-kart race track and the only drivers you'll see are your mates or other patrons that you want to race against. Watch: Go-kart racing in Nigeria . After a workout and cruise around the track, I like to head out in the town with the friends I have met here. If you've heard anything about Lagos it's probably around its killer nightlife. When I started going to some of the nightspots in town, I noticed that everybody -- and I mean everybody, loves to dance. Unfortunately, I seemed to have been born with two left feet and even my Caribbean roots are not enough to get them moving to the rhythm. So I decided to try and learn how to salsa dance. Enter Bunmi -- the dance instructor of the Bailamos Dance Company (33 Moloney Street 1st floor, off Obalende). Trained as a lawyer, she's now following her bliss and teaching both movers and shakers -- and the inept like me. Watch: Changing the perception of dance . Once you've got a few moves under your belt, it's time to hit the scene. And you can make that scene at countless bars and nightclubs all over the city. There's something for everyone, from the old expat standby Pat's (2952C Ajose Adeogun st. Victoria Island) to the ritzy Sky Bar (Eko Hotel & suites, Adetokunbo Ademola Street) and the rowdy and pulsating Xclusive Lounge (1310 Karimu Kotun Street, Victoria Island). I personally like to chill out with a nice bottle of wine and some good conversation over at Lotanna Winehouse(19 Mekunwen Road.). It's a wine bar with great selection and great nibbles to accompany the wines from Europe and South Africa. One place I have been looking forward to visiting is the Bogobiri guest house. I play the guitar and I am told that you can sit in with the house band from time to time. Another journalist I know is prone to bringing his saxophone there and jamming with the band all night long. I have only scratched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to having a good time in Lagos. I haven't mentioned the beaches, the restaurants or the paintball tournaments. But for me, access to the martial arts, dance, nightlife and music feels just like home.
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CNN's Vladimir Duthiers investigates what to do in your free time in Lagos .
The Nigerian city offers up almost any leisure activity that you can think of .
Duthiers tries out taekwondo, go-kart racing and salsa dancing .
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0b39779fa246716a69618aa260495ec6ad0a1958
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A Russian tycoon has become the victim of a cement bucket challenge after his gleaming £165,000 Bentley received a dousing when he parked too close to a construction site. Artur Shachnev parked his prized Bentley too close to a Moscow building site when workers from a height of 50 feet accidentally spilt seven tonnes of wet cement, which then dried on the car. By the time he noticed, the Bentley was concreted over and very seriously damaged. A Russian tycoon has become the victim of a cement bucket challenge after his £165,000 Bentley received a dousing when he parked too close to a construction site . Artur Shachnev parked his Bentley too close to a Moscow building site when workers accidentally spilt seven tonnes of wet cement, which then dried on the car . Mr Shachnev tried his best to laugh off the damage caused to his car. He posted on Facebook: 'Today my close friend, which died suddenly under some tonnes of construction cement, left me' The 32-year-old did his best to laugh off the nightmare to his Bentley, which he nicknames Bantik. He posted on Facebook: 'Today my close friend, which died suddenly under some tonnes of construction cement, left me. 'Rest in peace, my dear Bantik, under concrete.' The car's headlights and boot were damaged too, as were his expensive suits which were inside the vehicle . He has passed the problem to his insurance company which has so far not commented. Mr Shachnev, the CEO of a music production company, challenged Russia's political clown, ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, to take the cement bucket challenge in his wake. By the time Mr Shachnev had noticed what had happened, the Bentley was concreted over and very seriously damaged . As pictures of his car were shared on Russian websites, Shachnev spoke of 'my famous concreted Bentley'. 'I hope to get into the Guinness Record Book, because 7 tonnes of cement from a height of 15 meters is not a bucket of ice,' he said. 'If I don't get the proposal to compensate me for the damage from the representatives of the developer, I will go to the court,' he vowed. The car owner said he had been contacted by the deputy general director of the construction company at the site of the disaster, which is owned by the Institute of World Civilisations. Mr Schachnev has now passed the incident on to his insurance company to assess the damage . The company had promised to compensate him for all losses, but had yet to make a specific proposal, he said. 'It's impossible to clean the concrete off the entire body of the car,' he said. 'It needs to be changed. A new body would cost twice the price of my car, which I've been using for three years.'
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Artur Shachnev had parked his Bentley too close to a Moscow building site when workers accidentally spilt seven tonnes of wet cement on to the car .
The 32-year-old did his best to laugh off the damage to his £165,000 Bentley .
He posted on Facebook: 'Today my close friend, which died suddenly under some tonnes of construction cement, left me'
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0b399d4b839dbd440731ac49011d540ffcc9d47c
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(CNN) -- It's been a year of mishaps, but Boeing finally has some good news. The Chicago-based aircraft manufacturer announced over the weekend it had completed its first 787-9 Dreamliner. A larger incarnation of the 787-8, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is 206 feet long -- 20 feet longer than its predecessor -- and holds 40 more passengers. Its range is also greater, at 8,000-8,500 nautical miles, versus the 787-8s 7,650-8,200 nautical miles. Like the 787-8, the new plane uses 20% less fuel than other planes its size. Pre-debut . The new plane rolled out of the factory in Everett, Washington, and is in the flight line awaiting its first flight by Boeing teams. The plane will be delivered to Air New Zealand, its first customer, in mid-2014. More: What's so special about the 787 Dreamliner? This year, Boeing has had a total of 82 orders to date for the 787, with the largest order of 42 planes coming from American Airlines. Singapore Airlines has the second largest order for 787s with 30 planes ordered. Approximately 40 percent of all 787 orders to date (not just this year) are for the 787-9. Boeing's second and third 787-9 planes remain in final assembly. The company says the schedule is "on track." A troublesome year . The announcement is one of the few celebratory moments for the company in recent months. The four-month global grounding of the entire Dreamliner fleet after an ANA flight was diverted following a battery fire in January was the first such global grounding in 30 years. The grounding was lifted at the end of April. Since the dramatic ANA incident, Dreamliner's list of problems have gone on to include a United Airlines emergency landing in Houston due to brake problems, a fire on an Ethiopian Airlines Dreamliner at Heathrow Airport and plane groundings and investigations into a faulty fuel pump indicator, an electric panel, a plane oven and emergency beacons. As well as being lighter and more fuel efficient than other similar aircraft, the Dreamliner's in-cabin experience is different too. It has bigger, dimmable windows (out go the pull-down shutters), it has LED mood lighting and is pressurized at 6,000 feet rather than 8,000 feet, making air sickness less likely. "We are working with our supplier partners to continue to introduce improvements to the 787-8 to enhance reliability, just as we do for all of our airplane models," said Boeing's communications representative Julie O'Donnell. "As the 787-8 and 787-9 share a high degree of commonality, we will apply relevant improvements to the 787-9 as appropriate." More: Best of Boeing: 10 revolutionary aircraft .
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Boeing completed and rolled out first Dreamliner 787-9 over the weekend .
Fuel-efficient new plane awaits flight and delivery .
Air New Zealand will receive the first 787-9 in mid-2014 .
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0b3afbc46f6bbd17b06541da0c19c56e8faccb5a
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(CNN) -- An Alabama man whose wife died during a honeymoon scuba diving trip off the coast of Australia almost five years ago has been charged in her death. Tina Watson, background right, lies motionless after she drowned in 2003 while diving in the Great Barrier Reef. An Australian coroner ruled Friday that there was enough evidence to put Gabe Watson on trial for the death of Tina Watson, who was 26 when she drowned in October 2003 while diving around a historic shipwreck in Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Watson, 31, told police that his new bride appeared to panic 45 feet underwater and that he "looked into her eyes and saw her eyes were wide open, but there was no response," Townsville Coroner David Glascow said in his inquest findings. Glascow, however, cited what he said were inconsistencies in Watson's statements to investigators. The coroner said he was "unable to conclude that Tina's death was an accidental drowning." Watch Tina Watson's family demand justice » . The couple married just 11 days earlier in Birmingham, Alabama. They left their home in Hoover, Alabama, for their Australian honeymoon two days later, the coroner said. As possible evidence for the husband's motive, Glascow pointed to a statement by the woman's father that Watson asked her to maximize her life insurance and make him the beneficiary shortly before the wedding. The insurance company confirmed that Gabe Watson inquired about her life insurance policy after her death, the coroner said. The coroner noted that Watson, through his lawyers, contended that police had made a judgment that he killed his wife before they began their investigation and that they tailored their investigation to fit their theory. Glascow said he saw no evidence of police rushing to judgment. "It appears certain that at some point in time, investigators considered some of Gabe's explanations lacked credibility, and it further appears to me that investigators gave Gabe the opportunity to clarify matters which may have caused concern," the coroner said. The husband was an experienced diver, and his new wife was considered a novice, the coroner said. They were diving on the Yongala shipwreck about 42 miles off the coast of Townsville in the state of Queensland, Australia.
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Gabe Watson has been charged with 2003 death of his wife during honeymoon .
Tina Watson died while scuba diving in Australia's Great Barrier Reef .
Coroner unable to conclude that Watson's death was accidental .
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0b3d317ab86c28ea7ab662d87bdc04d90df8ef60
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Madrid (CNN) -- A former chief of the Basque terrorist group ETA has been sentenced to 105 years in prison for ordering the assassination of a politician, according to a copy of the court ruling, made public Monday. It is the first sentence in a case involving ETA from the National Court, which handles terrorism cases, since ETA announced last month "a definitive cessation of its armed activity," raising hopes that decades of separatist violence may finally be over. The maximum that can be served in Spanish prison is 40 years, although courts often hand down a longer sentence for terrorist attacks. Spain has no death penalty. In the sentence issued last Friday but made public on Monday, the court ruled that Francisco Javier Garcia Gaztelu, whom Spanish authorities called the military chief of ETA when he was captured in 2001, ordered the assassination of a Basque Socialist politician, Fernando Buesa. Buesa and his bodyguard were killed in the Basque city of Vitoria in northern Spain in February 2000 when they walked past a vehicle that contained a hidden bomb that was exploded by remote control. Garcia Gaztelu, now 45, was sentenced to 30 years each for the killings of Buesa and his bodyguard, 13 years each for two people injured in the attack, and additional time mainly for damage caused by the bomb, the court said. The government, courts and police have said they will not halt the court cases pending against ETA operatives despite the outlawed group's announcement last month. Listed as a terrorist organization by Spain, the United States and the European Union, ETA is blamed for more than 800 deaths in its decades-long fight for an independent Basque state that it wants carved out of sections of northern Spain and southwestern France. ETA's announcement last month followed a recent push for the group to abandon violence permanently. That effort was led by international figures who include Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams of Northern Ireland and former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero termed ETA's announcement as being of "transcendental importance" and a "victory for democracy." "Ours will be a democracy without terrorism, but not without memory," Zapatero said, referring to 829 people killed by ETA and their families. The prime minister said that it would be up to Spain's next government -- which will be formed after parliamentary elections on November 20 -- to lead the peace process.
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Francisco Javier Garcia Gaztelu has been in custody since 2001 .
He is found guilty of ordering the assassination of a Basque Socialist politician .
He is sentenced to 105 years, but can serve only 40 under Spanish law .
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0b3dd105e4cf01605d0ed81c8d22e21b77d85419
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London (CNN) -- With all the fuss in the media at the moment about Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee anyone could be forgiven for thinking that the British are united in their adoration of their monarch. The reality is that while a large swathe of public opinion is largely indifferent to the royals -- but happy to have an extra public holiday to mark the jubilee -- many millions want the whole institution of monarchy consigned to the history books. The British republican movement has been growing rapidly over the past 18 months -- thanks in large part to the heightened royal coverage prompted by last year's wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton and this year's jubilee. Our cause is simple: it's about democratic reform and a rejection of inherited power and privilege. The case for Britain becoming a republic is threefold: the monarchy is wrong in principle, in practice and it is wrong politically. We're supposed to be a democratic society, which means we should cherish and value democratic values, such as equality of citizenship, freedom to participate in government, accountability and transparency. In a democratic society there is no room for a head of state who is put there for life and by birth. A hereditary monarch has no place in a society that believes "we the people" should be in charge. The principled objection is unanswerable. In practice the monarchy is an institution that is not fit for purpose. It is secretive, having recently lobbied successfully to have itself removed entirely from the reaches of our Freedom of Information laws; it lobbies government ministers for improvements to its financial benefits and for its own private agenda; it is hugely costly -- an estimated £202 million a year, enough to pay for thousands of teachers, nurses or police officers at a time of sweeping public spending cuts. The queen and Prince Charles must be asked for consent before our elected parliament is able to debate any legislation that affects their private interests -- that consent is sought in secret and we have no idea whether, how or how many times it has been used. Politically the monarchy is wrong because -- contrary to what is believed by many here and abroad -- it is a central feature of our unwritten constitution. The "Crown" is the supreme authority in this country -- not the people. The Crown has vast powers that cannot be challenged in a court of law and those powers are exercised by the queen on the instruction of our prime minister. Those powers include considerable patronage -- the ability to appoint bishops, government ministers, heads of public bodies and so on -- as well as the power to go to war, sign treaties and change the law through the little-understood Privy Council. Thanks to the Crown there is almost no limit to the power of our politicians other than those limits they place upon themselves (such as our Human Rights Act, which they have the power to repeal). The pomp of the monarchy is a neat way of distracting from this highly questionable constitutional arrangement. It is the power of the Crown and the authority it gives our politicians that most likely explains the hostility every government has shown the republican movement. But rather than engage with the issue on these serious matters most monarchists instead implore us to believe in fantasy and make-believe. "The queen has never put a foot wrong" is the time-honored cliché, along with "but what about all the tourism the monarchy generates?" The tourism argument goes that as Britain has a monarchy and also attracts a lot of tourists, the monarchy obviously acts as a great tourism magnet and therefore generates millions of pounds of revenue and economic activity. The problem is that there are no facts to back this up. Does the monarchy pay its way? There is no reason to believe that if Britain abandoned the monarchy tourism would suffer -- that's something even the head of official tourism agency VisitBritain has acknowledged. Our history is certainly an attraction -- and the great thing about our history is that it will always be there regardless of what we do in the future. Selling hotel rooms and "I Love London" T-shirts is, anyway, no reason to abandon a proud ambition for democratic reform. As for the queen, well we really have no idea how she has done her job given that most of it is done behind closed doors. There has never been any real scrutiny of her role and she has never had to compete in open and free competition for the job. If keeping quiet and cutting ribbons is all we can expect of our head of state then perhaps we can agree she's done well -- but surely we can expect more. As a national figurehead and leading public figure the queen has utterly failed to do anything of note or worth. After 60 years who can quote a famous speech or point to a moment of crisis or celebration when the queen offered leadership and inspiration? For all the failures of the monarchy -- in principle, practice and in political terms -- the queen and the institution offer little in return but an empty chair where an inspiring national figure could have stood. These are the reasons why come the jubilee, republicans will be rejecting the celebrations and demanding real democratic change. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Graham Smith.
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Millions want monarchy consigned to history, argues Graham Smith of Republic group .
Republic says monarchy is wrong in principle, in practice and politically .
No room in democracy for head of state who is put there for life and by birth, Smith says .
Most monarchists implore us to believe in fantasy about queen's role, he adds .
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0b3dd9567102962001740555e603271c565340d0
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Mario Balotelli has left Liverpool's Melwood training ground after going through the rigours of a medical having reached an agreement to join the Premier League club. The former Manchester City striker is on the brink of signing for Brendan Rodgers' side in a deal worth £125,000 per week. Balotelli earlier had scans at Spire Liverpool Hospital before completing the rest of the medical at Melwood. However the Italian will not be available to make his debut against former club Manchester City on Monday night, with the registration deadline of midday having passed. VIDEO Scroll down to watch the biggest, badest and best moments of Mario Balotelli . Arrival: Mario Balotelli (in the red T-shirt) gets out of a car at Melwood ahead of his medical at Liverpool . And he's gone! Balotelli left Melwood at 9.04 on Friday night and into a people carrier with his entourage . A bit later on: Balotelli signed autographs for young supporters as he left the training complex . Liverpool-bound: Balotelli underwent his medical before completing his switch to Anfield from AC Milan and he arrived at Melwood with Reds doctor Zaf Ikball (second right) and his agent Mino Raiola (third left) Replacement: Balotelli will likely take Luis Suarez's place in the side after the Uruguayan moved to Barcelona . Excitement: Liverpool fans look into the car in which Mario Balotelli arrived at Melwood training ground . On his way: Balotelli gets into his Ferrari as he prepares to leave Italy and join Liverpool . Ready to go: Balotelli was in Brescia on Friday morning ahead of a flight to England in the early afternoon . Imminent: Liverpool have agreed personal terms with the striker's agent after two days of discussions . Welcome: Balotelli is set to join Steven Gerrard at Liverpool after he completes a medical on Friday afternoon . Unregistered: Balotelli has not been registered as of midday Friday, so cannot play against Man City . Waiting game: Supporters outside Melwood in the hope of catching Balotelli as he left on Friday . Tens of supporters swarmed around the Melwood gates at 9.04pm on Friday as Balotelli left in a people carrier with his entourage. Balotelli's agent held discussions on Thursday and Friday, with a key point believed to be the Merseyside outfit's desire to obtain some kind of guarantee about the discipline of the mercurial 24-year-old Italy striker. The player on Thursday added credence to the reports that he is set to return to English football by saying it would be his last day at Milan's training ground. The Serie A side followed that later with a statement on their website revealing he had said his farewells to his team-mates. Liverpool have been looking for a marquee striker to replace the departed Luis Suarez this summer but their interest in Balotelli represents a remarkable about-turn from around three weeks ago. Boarding: Balotelli, pictured here last year, is flying to Liverpool on Friday to complete the deal . Leaving: Balotelli revealed on Thursday that he would be leaving Milan . Agreed: What Balotelli might look like in a Liverpool shirt, after he agreed personal terms with the club . Adam Lallana - Southampton, £23m . Lazar Markovic - Benfica, £20m . Alberto Moreno - Sevilla, £12m . Emre Can - Bayer Leverkusen, £9.8m . Rickie Lambert - Southampton, £4m . Dejan Lovren - Southampton, £20m . Divock Origi - Lille, £10m . Javier Manquillo - Atletico Madrid, loan . Mario Balotelli - AC Milan, £16m . When Liverpool played Milan in a friendly in the United States, manager Brendan Rodgers expressed admiration for Balotelli but subsequently 'categorically' said he was not a target. Recently, however, a move for QPR's Loic Remy has collapsed while interest in former Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o has cooled and attempts to sign Radamel Falcao from Monaco seem unrealistic. With new signing Rickie Lambert the only frontline support for Daniel Sturridge and the transfer deadline nearing, a move for Balotelli has apparently become more attractive. He is a proven performer and scored Italy's winner in the World Cup opener against England in Manaus. But the baggage that comes with him is considerable. His spell at City from summer 2010 to January 2013 was a whirlwind one, with occasional sparkling performances interspersed with volatility on the field and erratic behaviour off it. Title race: Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers sprints to keep up with Rickie Lambert and Steven Gerrard . Out of time: Brendan Rodgers has not been able to complete the deal in time for Balotelli to face City . Prepared: Rodgers is ready to welcome Balotelli for his medical after agreeing personal terms with the striker . His numerous misdemeanours famously included fireworks being set off in his bathroom, throwing a dart at a youth-team player and training-ground bust-ups with team-mates and manager Roberto Mancini. On the positive side he played a key role in the 2011 FA Cup win and contributed to the following year's Premier League success, but he also hindered progress by accruing four red cards. City - for whom he scored a total of 30 goals in 80 appearances in all competitions - eventually tired of the circus surrounding him and offloaded the former Inter star to his boyhood club AC Milan. Proven: Balotelli has scored goals in the Premier League before, and has international experience for Italy . Jetting in: Balotelli, pictured with his girlfriend Fanny Neguesha, is flying to Liverpool on Friday .
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Balotelli travelled by private jet from Brescia to Merseyside .
Liverpool have agreed £16million deal with AC Milan .
Player to earn £125,000 per week after agreeing contract .
Balotelli not registered by midday deadline, cannot play against City .
Club have agreed a contract with the Italian .
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0b3e14ce0bd13040d81f5a21ec84ca446e37992f
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New York (CNN) -- With chants and banners, opponents of the planned construction of an Islamic community center and mosque near ground zero faced off Sunday with demonstrators in favor of the facility. Hundreds of critics and supporters of the proposed center in New York showed up despite an overcast and drizzly sky to express their views amid the national debate over the facility. Police estimated that supporters of the center numbered up to 250, and critics numbered about 450 during the demonstration. iReport: See, share your images and opinions with CNN . A banner on the anti-center side said, "Land of the free. Stop sharia before it stops you," referring to Islamic law. Another sign read, "No mosque here. Preserve the dignity of our loved ones killed on 9/11." Opponent Mike Meehan said he would not be opposed to the center if it were built elsewhere in the city, "just not down here, please. ... It's just too close to ground zero." Another critic, Shawn Gilfeather, called it "a breeding ground for terrorists." "I think the people that are backing, the people that are funding it, are actually in cahoots with them ... the terrorists," Gilfeather added. "I don't think they're just people practicing religion. I think there's something more." Those in favor of the construction said freedom of religion was the main issue in the debate. "There are many Muslims who lost Muslim family members at ground zero, so when they come to visit ground zero as a memorial, they should be able to walk two blocks down and pray for their loved ones," supporter Ali Akram said. Others said Americans need to set an example of tolerance to the rest of the world. "It would be giving in to bigotry and intolerance to demand that it be moved and I think in the end, it makes us less safe because we need to show the world that we are a tolerant, open society," supporter Ruth Massie said. Lt. Col. Chris Dzubek, an Army reservist preparing to head to Iraq, agreed, saying developers have "the right and the ability to do it wherever they would like." "That's what I like about the country is the ability for people who disagree with one another to hash it out without guns," Dzubek said. At the conclusion of the protest, those opposed to the construction marched by ground zero. The Islamic center's leaders say the $100 million facility calls for a community center including a mosque, performing arts center, gym, swimming pool and other public spaces. It will be built near where the World Trade Center was destroyed by Islamic extremists on September 11, 2001. The attacks killed more than 2,700 people. Some New Yorkers say an Islamic center near the site is a painful affront. The Coalition to Honor Ground Zero organized the rally against the construction of the center. The NYC Coalition to Stop Islamophobia staged the counter-protest. Plans to build the center near the site have stirred emotions nationwide. A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released earlier this month marked nationwide opposition to the proposed facility at 68 percent. "What that tells me is the wounds of 9/11 haven't healed, and I think if they haven't, perhaps we can find ways to bring about that healing by perhaps creating a situation where people will feel more comfortable," New York Gov. David Paterson said last week. Paterson said there is no local, state or federal statute that prevents the construction of the facility. On Sunday, Daisy Khan, who is heading the development of the project with her husband, said moving the project to another site is not under consideration for now. She added that a move could be considered after consultations with "all major stakeholders." "We have to be very careful and deliberate in making any move," Khan said. CNN's Susan Candiotti and Ross Levitt contributed to this report.
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Protesters march by ground zero .
The planned $100 million facility includes a mosque .
It will be built a few blocks from the site of the World Trade Center .
Critics say an Islamic center near the site is a painful affront .
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