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In light of new reports that the Syrian government used nerve gas against its own citizens, killing at least 213 and as many as 1,300, President Obama is considering military options to respond to an action he previously warned the Assad government was crossing a 'red line'. U.S. naval forces are moving closer as the president emphasized that a quick intervention in the Syrian civil war was problematic, given the international considerations that should precede a military strike. The White House said the president would meet Saturday with his national security team to consider possible next steps by the United States. WARNING: Graphic content. Scroll down for video... Escalation: Angela Kane, the UN's high representative for disarmament, arrives in Damascus, Syria on Saturday to press President Bashar Assad to let UN investigators look into the reported chemical attack . Four battleships have been moved to within striking range of Syria as President Obama weighs his options following a reported use of chemical weapons against citizens on Wednesday . Officials say once the facts are clear, Obama will make a decision about how to proceed. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel declined to discuss any specific force movements while saying that Obama had asked the Pentagon to prepare military options for Syria. U.S. defense officials told The Associated Press that the Navy had sent a fourth warship armed with ballistic missiles into the eastern Mediterranean Sea but without immediate orders for any missile launch into Syria. U.S. Navy ships are capable of a variety of military actions, including launching Tomahawk cruise missiles, as they did against Libya in 2011 as part of an international action that led to the overthrow of the Libyan government. 'The Defense Department has a responsibility to provide the president with options for contingencies, and that requires positioning our forces, positioning our assets, to be able to carry out different options - whatever options the president might choose,' Hagel told reporters traveling with him to Asia. Hagel said the U.S. is coordinating with the international community to determine 'what exactly did happen' near Damascus earlier this week. Calling Assad a 'thug' and a 'murderer,' John Kerry declared, 'History would judge us all extraordinarily harshly if we turned a blind eye to a dictator's use of chemical weapons.' 'Evidence': Secretary of State John Kerry said images like these contributed to the U.S. assessment that chemical weapons were used in Syria . According to reports, a chemical attack in a suburb of the capital killed at least 100 people. It would be the most heinous use of chemical weapons since Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein gassed thousands of Kurds in the town of Halabja in 1988. Hagel left little doubt that he thinks the attack in Syria involved chemical weapons, although he stressed there is not yet a final answer. In discussing the matter, he said, 'it appears to be what happened - use of chemical weapons.' The United Nations disarmament chief, Angela Kane, arrived in Damascus on Saturday to press the Syrian government to allow U.N. experts to investigate the alleged chemical attacks. Obama remained cautious about getting involved in a war that has killed more than 100,000 people and now includes Hezbollah and al-Qaida. He made no mention of the 'red line' of chemical weapons use that he marked out for Syrian President Bashar Assad a year ago and that U.S. intelligence says has been breached at least on a small scale several times since. 'If the U.S. goes in and attacks another country without a U.N. mandate and without clear evidence that can be presented, then there are questions in terms of whether international law supports it - do we have the coalition to make it work?' Obama said Friday. 'Those are considerations that we have to take into account.' Obama conceded in an interview on CNN's 'New Day' program that the episode is a 'big event of grave concern' that requires American attention. President Obama appeared on CNN's 'New Day' on Friday to discuss the alleged attack, saying it was a 'big event of grave concern' that requires American attention . He said any large-scale chemical weapons usage would affect 'core national interests' of the United States and its allies. But nothing he said signaled a shift toward U.S. action. U.S. defense officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss ship movements publicly. But if the U.S. wants to send a message to Assad, the most likely military action would be a Tomahawk missile strike, launched from a ship in the Mediterranean. For a year now, Obama has threatened to punish Assad's regime if it resorted to its chemical weapons arsenal, among the world's vastest, saying use or even deployment of such weapons of mass destruction constituted a 'red line' for him. A U.S. intelligence assessment concluded in June chemical weapons have been used in Syria's civil war, but Washington has taken no military action against Assad's forces. U.S. officials have instead focused on trying to organize a peace conference between the government and opposition. Obama has authorized weapons deliveries to rebel groups, but none are believed to have been sent so far. In his first comments on Syria since the alleged chemical attack, Obama said the U.S. is still trying to find out what happened. Hagel said Friday that a determination on the chemical attack should be made swiftly because 'there may be another attack coming,' although he added that 'we don't know' whether that will happen. After rebels similarly reported chemical attacks in February, U.S. confirmation took more than four months. In this instance, a U.N. chemical weapons team is already on the ground in Syria. Assad's government, then as now, has rejected the claims as baseless. Obama also cited the need for the U.S. to be part of a coalition in dealing with Syria. America's ability by itself to solve the Arab country's sectarian fighting is 'overstated,' he said.
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Activists report that a nerve gas attack near Damascus Wednesday killed as many as 1,300 .
President Obama is said to be weighing his military options after he warned President Bashar Assad that chemical weapons use would be crossing a 'red line'
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the nerve gas attack needs to be verified but that it 'appears to be what happened'
UN representative Angela Kane arrived in Syria today to ask President Assad to let investigators into the country to look into the claim .
Military officials told the Associated Press that four battleships have been moved within the striking zone of Syria and could be used for a Tomahawk missile attack .
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By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 13:42 EST, 5 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:08 EST, 5 August 2013 . Gina DeJesus, one of the three women who was snatched from the streets and held captive in a Cleveland house for a decade, has made her first public appearance since her dramatic escape. The 23-year-old looked relaxed as she waved a flag and threw treats to the crowd during the annual Puerto Rican Parade and Latino Fest on Sunday. Although Gina thanked her supporters in a video released by the three survivors a month ago, it is the first time she has been seen in public since just her escape from the house on May 6. Her smiling, relaxed appearance came in stark contrast with the gaunt, shaky figure that appeared in police interview footage shortly after her escape three months ago. Scroll down for video . Free: Gina DeJesus laughed and waved as she took part in a parade on Sunday - in her first public appearance since she escaped the house of horrors where she was held captive for a decade . Support: Gina, right, took part in the Puerto Rican Parade and Latino Fest for a city council candidate . The other survivors, Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight, have also stepped out in public in remarkable shows of courage. Berry, 27, was pictured dancing at a Nelly concert last . month, while 32-year-old Knight faced her captor, Ariel . Castro, at his sentencing in court last week before returning to the . home on Seymour Avenue on Friday to thank neighbors for their support. Members of the community who attended the parade on Sunday said they became emotional when they saw DeJesus, whose family is Puerto Rican. She was riding with relatives as part of the Janet Garcia for City Council group. 'It was very beautiful. I got chills when I saw her on top of the car,' Vivian Prez, who watched the parade, told Fox8. Happy to be there: Gina seemed at ease as she rode atop the car and waved to the crowds . Joy: DeJesus gave a 'thumbs-up' - an echo of the sign she gave as she arrived home after her escape . Parade: She took part in the annual parade where local groups raised awareness of missing people . Aida Cruz added: 'I got emotional when . I saw her. I got a granddaughter back there, looked like she was about . to cry. It was just very emotional.' The . theme of the parade was 'a celebration of renewed hope and community . healing', and many taking part in the festival held posters bearing the . faces of people missing from the area. DeJesus' father Felix also spoke at the Latino Fest with his wife by his side as he pleaded with the crowd to keep their ears and eyes open to help find other missing children in the state. 'I want to tell you Gina, Amanda and Michelle are doing beautiful,' he said. 'I got to tell you something. Our work is not done. We have more beautiful children out there that need our help.' Fighter: DeJesus was gaunt in a video of her interview with police shortly after her escape on May 6, left, while a video taken a month ago shows her smiling and looking healthy . Home: Gina poses with her mother, Nancy Ruiz, after a company donated a privacy fence last month . Community activist Angel Arroyo added: . 'On Friday, there were still 95 people in this city missing. Fifty . people from the list are children, 45 people are adults and so we still . have a lot right here.' The three survivors released a video last month thanking people for their support and donations. After . their escape from Ariel Castro's house, The Cleveland Courage Fund was . set up to help them rebuild their lives and has so far raised more than . $1.2 million. 'I would like to say thank you for the . support,' DeJesus said in the video, while the other two women spoke . out at greater length. The . three women and a six-year-old girl fathered by Castro were saved from . the house in Cleveland in May after Amanda Berry managed to escape, . alert neighbors and call 911. Having fun: Amanda Berry, second left, made her first public appearance on stage with rapper Nelly on July 27 . Appearance: Michelle Knight, pictured right, stepped out in public on Friday to thank neighbors near the home she had been held captive for a decade with the other girls . They had been kidnapped between 2002 and 2004 and held captive at the home for more than a decade, where they were subjected to sexual, physical and emotional violence. Castro pleaded guilty to more than 900 counts and last week and he was sentenced to life in prison plus 1,000 years for the sick crimes. He has started his prison term in isolation due to the high profile of the case. Graphic and disturbing evidence was heard during the four-and-a-half-hour hearing on Thursday, with Castro himself giving a deluded version of events in which he denied raping his victims. Standing in an orange jumpsuit, Castro . shocked the packed courtroom by stating there was 'a lot of harmony' in . the house where he trapped and abused the three women. Sick: Ariel Castro was given a life sentence plus 1,000 years behind bars for kidnapping and raping the girls . The detective in charge of the case described how Castro abducted the three women, took them to his home and immediately tied them in chains in the basement and raped them. He put a motorbike helmet on each girl and left them in the dark basement overnight, Detective Harasimchuk said. 'Each woman told me they were repeatedly sexually, physically and emotionally abused by Ariel Castro during the entire time they were in captivity,' he said. The women disappeared separately between 2002 and 2004, when they were 14, 16 and 20 years. But at the hearing on Thursday, . Michelle Knight bravely faced him and said: 'You took 11 years of my . life away, but now I have it back. I spent 11 years in hell. Now your . hell is just beginning.' See below for video .
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DeJesus, 23, waved and threw treats to the crowds in Sunday's parade .
It is the first time she's been in public since her escape on May 6 .
Fellow survivor Amanda Berry, 27, made first appearance on stage at a Nelly concert while Michelle Knight, 32, spoke in court last week .
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[headerlink . Archeologists have been left scratching their heads after the unearthing of part of an ancient Egyptian sphinx in northern Israel. The find has prompted Egyptologists to speculate as to how the stone-carved mythical creature travelled so many miles from its original resting place. Some speculate that it may have been looted from the Egyptians thousands of years ago, while others suggest it was likely to have been given by Egypt as a gift to its neighbours. Scroll down for video . Baffling: Australian excavation volunteer Joshua Talbot displays the remains of a Sphinx with a hieroglyphic inscription between its paws dating circa 3rd century BC, found during excavation in the Northern Israeli archeological site of the ancient Tel Hazor . It has taken almost a year for the paws and forearms of the granite statue to be painstakingly restored, exposing hieroglyphic writing. The writing reveals that the sphinx was dedicated to Egyptian ruler Mycerinus, who ruled circa 2500 BC and was builder of the smaller of Giza's three great pyramids. It is the first statue ever to have been found that was created for the leader, and the first time an Egyptian statue has ever been found in the ancient Levant region - today's Israel, Lebanon and Syria. The writing also says: 'Beloved by the divine souls of Heliopolis.' Volunteers of the Hebrew University work during an excavation in the Northern Israeli archeological site of the ancient Tel Hazor, where they found the remains of a Sphinx with a hieroglyphic inscription . Archeologists have been left scratching their heads after finding the Egyptian sphinx with hieroglyphic inscription between its paws dating circa 3rd century BC at the Israeli dig . Egypt's magnificent Pyramids - one of the engineering marvels of all time - are situated at Giza just outside Cairo. The pyramids are generally believed to be tombs for the Pharaohs and/or a resurrection machine for the rulers' rebirth. The remarkable and baffling find was stumbled upon by archeologists working in the Tel Hazor dig site, in Israel's Galilee in August 2012. But only now having carefully removed the incrustation, are they able to clearly see the inscriptions. Amnon Ben-Tor, an archaeology professor at the Hebrew University in charge of the Tel Hazor dig, told AFP that the sphinx would have originally been placed by the temple of Mycerinus. His is the smallest of the three great pyramids at Giza, Cairo. Tel Hazor was the capital of southern Canaan, founded circa 2,700 BC and at its peak covering approximately 200 acres and home to some 20,000 Canaanites. It was destroyed in the 13th century BC . So far, only parts of the feet and the face have been retrieved, but archaeologists hope to find more of the sphinx as they continue the dig. Mr Ben-Tor believes the sphinx was brought to Tel Hazor 3,000 years ago, either as war booty or as a gift to the then ruler of Hazor by an ancient Egyptian king. He said: 'That it arrived in the days of Mycerinus himself is unlikely, since there were absolutely no relations between Egypt and this part of the world then. 'Egypt maintained relations with Lebanon, especially via the ancient port of Byblos, to import cedar wood via the Mediterranean, so they skipped' today's northern Israel, he said. Another option is that the statue was part of the plunders of the Canaanites, who in the late 17th and early 16th century BC ruled lower Egypt, the expert said. 'Egyptian records tell us that those . foreign rulers... plundered and desecrated the local temples and did all . kinds of terrible things, and it is possible that some of this looting . included a statue like this one.' But to Ben-Tor the most likely way the sphinx reached Tel Hazor is in the form of a gift sent by a later Egyptian ruler. The small sphinx is believed to be the only one found from the pyramid of Myrcerinus - the smallest of Giza's great pyramids . The most distinctive feature of Khafre's Pyramid, in the background, is the topmost layer of smooth stones that are the only remaining casing stones on a Giza Pyramid . Giza's three great pyramids, built for the fourth dynasty kings Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, also known as Mycerinus, who ruled from 2589-2504 BC . 'The third option is that it arrived in Hazor some time after the New Kingdom started in 1,550 BC, during which Egypt ruled Canaan, and maintained close relations with the local rulers, who were left on their thrones,' he said. 'In such a case it's possible the statue was sent by the Egyptian ruler to king of Hazor, the most important ruler in this region.' Ben-Dor said the statue was most likely deliberately broken by new occupiers at Tel Hazor in an act of defiance to the old rule. Finding the sphinx was 'unexpected,' said Ben-Tor, 'but fits' archaeological facts and findings. 'When you're in a bank, you find money,' he said. Shlomit Blecher, who manages the Selz Foundation Hazor Excavations, was the archaeologist who unearthed the finding in August 2012. 'It was the last hour of the last day of the dig,' she told AFP of the moment of the find. 'We all leapt with joy and happiness, everyone was thrilled.' 'We hope the other pieces are here and that we find them in the near days,' she said. The first and great pyramids at Giza was constructed by Khufu (also known as Cheops) the son of Sneferu. Khufu ruled around 2589-2566 when the Old Kingdom of Egypt was nearing its peak of prosperity and could afford to build the vast structures. Constructed of 2,300,000 blocks limestone and granite blocks, the total weight is 6.5 million tonnes. The whole structure reached 140 metres in height and had a base length originally of 230 metres. It is believed that the stone blocks were hauled up sloping ramps, lubricated by water, using manpower. The outer white face of the pyramid was finished with soother and polished limestone. Inside the pyramid are a number of chambers and passages. The burial chamber is almost six meters tall, and was built by solid blocks of granite to prevent penetration. It is believed that construction took 20 years. The original entrance to the great pyramid is on the North face, 15m high; the modern entrance is located several metres down and was forced in the 9th century. The other two pyramids were constructed by Menkaure (also known as Mycerinus), which is the smallest, and Khafre’s (who is also known as Chephren). Khafre’s pyramid looks higher than Khufu’s but it is actually half a metre smaller but built on higher ground. The most distinctive feature of Khafre's Pyramid is the topmost layer of smooth stones that are the only remaining casing stones on a Giza Pyramid. Some believe that the Sphinx has the face of Khafre. Others argue that it was Khufu, and that it was part of Khufu’s pyramid complex. And others believe that it was there before Khufu built his pyramid. Due to the vast expense, the end of the Old Kingdom and the movement of the capital to Thebes, modern day Luxor, the Pharaohs started to be buried in tombs cut out of the rock in the Valley of the King and the construction of pyramids ceased.
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Sphinx feet, forearms and hieroglyphics found at dig site in northern Israel .
Believed to belong to Mycerinus who built one of Giza's great pyramids .
First statue from ancient Egypt to be found in the Levant area .
Speculation remains as to how it travelled from the tomb to Israel .
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Almost two years ago, Neil Lennon masterminded Celtic's famous Champions League victory over Barcelona - now he's at the bottom of the Championship. The former Northern Ireland midfielder was appointed manager of Bolton on Sunday and has one of the most difficult tasks in English football as he looks to arrest Wanderers' alarming slump. Lennon concedes he has a 'big job on his hands' at a club who are £160million-plus in debt where losing has become a habit, and the fact he has taken the Bolton post highlights problems facing British and Irish bosses (although there are five managers in the Championship with experience as a Champions league boss). He turned down more lucrative offers abroad and will hope to lead his new club up the Championship table. Here's his in-tray at the Macron Stadium... Neil Lennon during his first training session as Bolton manager on a filthy day in the North West . Lennon shakes hands with Dorian Dervite as Kevin McNaughton looks on . BUILD FROM THE BACK . Bolton are too easy to beat and concede goals at an alarming rate. In their last two matches they shipped four at Fulham and let in two against 10-man Bournemouth - both matches were lost. In fact, Bolton have won the joint-fewest games in the Football League this season - their solitary victory coming over Rotherham. Lennon knows how to organise a defence - last season Celtic keeper Fraser Forster set a Scottish Premiership record for minutes without conceding a goal. Some of that solidity is needed at the Macron. Hugo Rodallega (right) scores Fulham's first goal in Bolton's 4-0 defeat at Craven Cottage earlier this month . PICK A SETTLED TEAM . Lennon's predecessor Dougie Freedman seemingly made changes for the sake of it or to show how clever he was. Despite bemoaning in an interview that he was never able to have a settled side, the Scot would make three or four alterations to his line-up and often put square pegs in round holes. Lennon also, as Mike Bassett might say, needs to play 'four-four-f****** two', especially at home - in that win over Rotherham, Bolton played with two up front and Joe Mason scored a hat-trick. It is easy to forget there are some good players in this Bolton squad - Matt Mills was bought for £5million not so long ago, Jay Spearing has played in an FA Cup final, Lee Chung-yong has scored in two World Cups - but Mark Davies is the spark and one of the best players in the division when fit. He needs to be nurtured. Joe Mason (right) scores one of his three goals against Rotherham in Bolton's only league win this season . GET THE FANS ONSIDE . Bolton supporters do like a moan (name a club where fans don't grumble) but there is a huge disconnect at the moment between the club and their followers and home attendances are falling off a cliff. Many were unimpressed by Freedman's apparent disdain for them, randomly-generated team selections and haughty air in press conferences, and some made their feelings known by invading the pitch in his last home match in charge against Derby. Lennon says he wants to play in the style that will 'make the fans happy' and goals and victories should do the job. Bolton fans made their feelings against Dougie Freedman known with this banner, and need encouraging again . SEE WHETHER THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT . A club that is £160m-plus in debt cannot keep relying on loan players and Lennon must aim to bring through lads from the academy and give them a chance in the Championship. The likes of midfielder Josh Vela, striker Conor Wilkinson and defender Joe Riley are rated by those who know but spend more time out on loan than around the Bolton first team. If, as looks likely, there is another season outside the top flight, the money will dry up even further and the kids will make up more of the side. Lennon would be wise to introduce some of them gradually. Conor Wilkinson (second right) has a shot on goal for Oldham, where he is on loan from the Trotters . IT'S A COMPETITIVE DIVISION . OK, so maybe this is a bit of a cheap shot at the Scottish Premiership, but leading Bolton to survival after their horror start will be a tougher job than winning the title with Celtic. The cliche about the Championship is that it is the hardest division to get out of and while Wanderers would prefer to stay in it, Lennon will have to adjust to his team not being favourites in virtually every match they play. It seems he and his assistants Johan Mjallby and Garry Parker are up for the challenge. Lennon turned down a £2m-a-year offer to manage in Saudi Arabia. It has to be assumed that Lennon, who has signed a three-year contract at Bolton, is looking to get a Premier League job by doing well at the Macron. The fact he has to drop to the bottom of the Championship is a potential worry for other managers from these shores. But at least Lennon knows the only way is up. Former Celtic boss Lennon lifts the Scottish Premiership trophy in May before later leaving the club . Bolton parted company with Freedman after a dismal run of results in the second tier . Neil Lennon (Bolton) - managed Celtic in the Champions League . Sami Hyypia (Brighton) - was boss of Bayer Leverkusen . Steve McClaren (Derby) - took charge of FC Twente and revealed his dodgy Dutch accent . Darko Milanic (Leeds) - managed Slovenian side Maribor in Champions League qualifying rounds . Jose Riga (Blackpool) - lost in Champions League qualifying rounds as Standard Liege boss .
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Neil Lennon has been named as Bolton Wanderers' new manager .
Former Celtic boss has replaced Dougie Freedman in the hot seat .
Bolton are bottom of the Championship table after just one win .
Lennon has several pressing priorities, including winning back the fans .
Northern Irishman turned down offers from abroad to take Bolton job .
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10757c26bc11679430a26c942b37139f7b549f4b
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 01:34 EST, 2 July 2011 . Two college students were shot dead in their car as they tried to negotiate a drug deal. Arizona State pre-med Tyler Webster, 18, and his friend 19-year-old Olek Wladyszewski were gunned down in their vehicle as they arrived to meet a dealer. Illegal immigrant Jesus Estopellan is accused of setting up a meeting with Wladeysewski as a trap in Mesa, Arizona. 'Drug deal': Oleg Wladeysewski, left, reportedly set up the meeting and was accompanied by his friend pre-med student Tyler Webster, 18 . Suspect: Jesus Estopellan has been charged with first degree murder . But when he found Webster in the car as well, he gunned him down too. The 21-year-old reportedly told detectives he wanted to make sure there were no witnesses to his crime. The students had been friends at Red Mountain High School and hundreds of friends in Mesa, Arizona, attended a vigil for the pair after the shooting on Wednesday in the town of Mesa. Detectives also told how Webster made a frantic 911 call as his friend lay dead in the SUV and he died from his injuries. Webster's mother Sheila told Fox: 'He's my everything to me, everything to my life. 'He's [Estopellan] gonna have to pay for it...Just my boy's never coming home and he didn't deserve it.' She was able to talk to her son as he lay dying in hospital. Estopellan was yesterday charged with two counts of first degree murder. Arizona police said they traced him through phone records of his conversations with Wladeysewski. Detective Michael Mendez said: 'After . two days of working tirelessly.. detectives contacting people, . conducting interviews following up on leads, they got a break in the . case where phone records directed them to a potential suspect.' Crime scene: The students were gunned down their car in Mesa, Arizona . Olek was the greatest guy who you would ever meet... he would give you the shirt off his back," says friend Alanah Fanning. 'Tyler was an awesome person. You could tell he was a good kid,' his friend Ryan Burroughs said. Another added: 'I just want to say that he was one of my best friends here - and I don't know what to do without him.'
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Arizona State students shot dead in car .
Jesus Estopellan set up meeting as a 'trap for Oleg 19-year-old Wladysewski'
He shot dead pre-med Tyler Webster 'to make sure there were no witnesses'
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1075f686198116edcebaf8cb21286773220af567
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(CNN) -- A group of Chilean miners who spent 69 days trapped underground have traveled to Britain as the guests of football team Manchester United. A collapse at the San Esteban mine in Chile on August 5 left 33 men stranded, but they were rescued amid jubilant scenes as the world's media watched in October. Twenty-three of those miners are visiting England, having been invited to cities around the world after becoming international celebrities. They took part in a training session with United manager Alex Ferguson at the club's Carrington headquarters on Monday ahead of watching that night's Premier League visit by title rivals Arsenal. "It's fantastic that they're coming," the 68-year-old told United's website. "These are people who showed real substance and perseverance to make sure they survived. There are examples in life which you should always take note of. "I mean, the life of a miner, having to work in the bowels of the earth and not being able to see anything. That's a great sacrifice to earn your living. I'm sure they'll enjoy themselves on their trip." Former United star Bobby Charlton also met the club's South American guests. "I can't believe these are the same people the whole world dropped everything for," Charlton said. "You took it in your stride and everyone around the world is very proud of you." Last month the miners were saluted with a standing ovation at the CNN Heroes event in Los Angeles, California. Heroes show opens with salute to Chilean miners . In October Manchester United invited them to visit, while Spanish football star David Villa sent two shirts from his club team Barcelona to the families of the men while they were still trapped to show his sympathy. Former Chile defender Elias Figueroa, who played in three World Cups and collected 47 caps for his country, accompanied the miners on their trip.
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Manchester United have welcomed 23 of the rescued Chilean miners to the club .
The men spent 69 days trapped underground at the San Esteban mine in Chile .
They were invited by the club to Britain in October after emerging from their ordeal .
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1077b033f9e9c327ff1edb2fbd617444a2218cfa
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By . Katie Davies . PUBLISHED: . 14:59 EST, 11 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:46 EST, 12 February 2013 . Thousands of mourners attended a memorial service today for former Navy Seal Chris Kyle as his wife and young children paid painful tribute alongside his military colleagues who spoke of his unrelenting loyalty to them. Crowds queued to enter the Cowboys Stadium so they could hear memories of a kind and loving family man, a practical joker and a proud veteran dubbed ' America's deadliest sniper'. His wife Taya Kyle, said at the memorial service that her husband made her feel like 'pure gold' and loved her without judgement. Scroll down for video . Mourners: A large crowd packed out a memorial service to Chris Kyle in the Cowboys stadium today . Honored: Taya Kyle and her children walked behind the coffin of her husband Chris Kyle during his memorial service in Dallas today . Tribute: The Cowboys stadium was a fitting venue for the memorial to Kyle, a proud Texan. Heart-breaking messages, right, from his children aged 8 and 6 were printed onto the ceremony program . 'Thank you Chris thank you for loving me, all of me,' she said through tears. 'God worked through you to make me the woman I was supposed to be...You taught me I was okay just the way I am. 'I stand before you a broken woman . but I am now and always will be a wife of a man who was a warrior both . on and off the battlefield.' The couple's children wrote heart-breaking tributes to him on the memorial program alongside . pictures of their parents wedding day. 'You are the best dad ever. I never wanted you to die, I miss your heart', one of the messages simply signed by 'Baby Girl' from Kyle's daughter read. The other signed by 'Bubba' added: 'One of the best things that has happened to me is you. I love you dad. I always will.' The 38-year-old sniper, who completed . four tours of Iraq and wrote best-seller, the American Sniper, was shot . dead at the Rough Creek Lodge shooting range on February 2 alongside . his friend Chad Littlefield. Heartbreaking: Letters to Chris Kyle from his young children were printed on the memorial program which also carried the couple's wedding picture . In action: America's deadliest sniper was . remembered at a memorial service today. Chris Kyle was the author of . best-seller American Sniper, right . Paying respects: Thousands queued to join a memorial service to former Navy Seal Chris Kyle. The author of 'American Sniper' was shot earlier this month on a shooting range in Texas . Tearful: Many of those paying tribute to Chris Kyle broke down. His wife Taya, pictured, bravely shared her memories of her husband . Courage: Taya Kyle made a heartfelt tribute to her husband. Through her tears she told of how much her husband supported her . Eddie Ray Routh has been charged over . the shootings - it is alleged the murdered pair were trying to help the . marine corporal recover from PTSD by taking him out for the day. Kyle, who also received two Silver Stars, had worked tirelessly to support his fellow comrades since leaving the Navy in 2009. The man dubbed the 'most lethal . sniper in U.S. history' after killing 150 was the founder of a . non-profit supporting veterans providing them with fitness equipment. He and Littlefield, . who wasn't a military man, regularly took veterans to the shooting range . in order to support them. The mother of a soldier killed in . Iraq told the memorial service of how Kyle selflessly offered her the . proceeds of his best-selling book to support her family. VIDEO 'I'm broken but I was blessed'. Chris Kyle's widow leads poignant tribute . Debbie Lee, the mother of Marc Lee, . the first Navy Seal to lose his life in Operation Iraqi Freedom, . revealed how Kyle made the offer after 'adopting her' into his family. 'Marc's final gift to me was his . teammates, Chris adopted me and I adopted him. Chris had a huge heart . full of compassion, love and generosity,' she said. 'He didn't give out of abundance. He . used his platform to acknowledge and remember the sacrifice troops make . for you and me every day.' The service was punctuated with songs acknowledging Kyle's military service and love for Texas. His casket draped in a flag sat . solemnly at the front of the ceremony alongside a framed picture of the . father-of-two while a video screen showed pictures of his life both in . the armed forces and at home. His Navy Seal uniform was also proudly on display. One friend read a letter from Kyle . parents. It said: 'The Lord had his hand on you the moment you were born . and you were destined for greatness. 'Son, we are so thankful for having . you in our life - we are so blessed to have shared in your happiness and . your sorrow...You will live in our hearts forever. We are . broken-hearted but we will grasp at the strength you have given us. We . will stand at ease knowing you are watching over us.' Fellow servicemen also paid tribute to their former colleague but it was his role as father to a 8-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter that made him most proud. 'Under that tough guy exterior was a . caring and selfless man who would give whatever he had to help someone . in need,' one friend said. 'He was a proud husband and father. At home . he wasn't a superhero he was just dad. His love for his family was . endless.' Taya Kyle took a moment in her tribute to remind her children how important they were to their father. 'I cherish the look on you dad's face . when you would both come running across the house to take a flying leap . into his arms,' she said. Selfless: The mother of a soldier killed in Iraq told the memorial service of how Kyle selflessly offered her the proceeds of his best-selling book to support her family. Remembered: Former colleagues, members of the armed services and family and friends joined to pay respects to Chris Kyle . Accused: Iraq war veteran Eddie Ray Routh, left, is facing murder charges over the shootings of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield at a Texas shooting range, Rough Creek Lodge, right . 'I hope you know with all your heart that being your dad . was the highlight of his life.' 'You made him feel like the best dad in the world...You loved him in a way that was different to any way he has ever known.' A memorial billboard dedicated to Kyle was visible to the hundreds arriving into Dallas today. Queues snaked around the Cowboys stadium from 11am for the ceremony. Sarah Palin was one of those in attendance alongside her husband Todd. Writing on her Facebook page she said: 'We may never know to what extent Chris kept us free or how many lives he saved by his brave actions in the line of fire. But his fellow warriors know how important he was. 'My son Track couldn’t meet Chris when Todd and I first met him because Track was deployed to Iraq.' 'Then when we got to know Chris even better, our son was deployed in Afghanistan. We’ve met a lot of people in recent years, and Track has been privileged to meet them as well. But he said about Chris, 'Mom, he’s the ONE person in the entire world I would be star-struck to meet. He’s it'. 'God bless this great warrior. Let us keep his wife and children in our prayers, and may we never forget him or his sacrifice.' Kyle will be buried at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin on Tuesday, Littlefield's funeral was held Friday in Midlothian. Watch full tributes HERE .
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Crowds queued for hours to enter the Cowboys stadium in Dallas to pay tribute to former Navy Seal Chris Kyle .
Wife Taya paid tribute to her loving husband and speaks of his pride at being a father as heartbreaking notes from his children are printed on the memorial's program .
Kyle was shot dead at a shooting range alongside friend Chad Littlefield earlier this month .
Marine Eddie Ray Routh, 25, has been charged with their murders .
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By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 19:50 EST, 8 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:50 EST, 8 June 2013 . Male train drivers in Sweden have found a novel way to work around a shorts ban during the summer months - by wearing skirts. Drivers on the Roslagsbanan line north of Stockholm are required to wear long trousers or skirts to work and shorts are not allowed. As a result, a dozen workers have been working in skirts to keep cool during the summer months when temperatures in their cabins can hit 35 degrees. Cooling off: As Martin Akersten, 30, and his colleague Edward Elvefors, 32, are not allowed shorts while driving Roslagsbanan in Stockholm, they wear skirts to work . Train company Arriva has said they have no problem with men wearing skirts, saying the uniforms represent their company, no matter the sex of the person wearing them. ‘Our thinking is that one should look decent and proper when representing Arriva and the present uniforms do that. 'If the man only wants [to wear] a skirt then that is OK,’ Arriva communications manager Tomas Hedenius told local newspaper Mitt I. ‘To tell them to do something else would be discrimination.’ Dress code: Stockholm train drivers are allowed to wear skirts or trousers, whether they are man or woman, as long as they do not go for shorts . It can get really hot on the trains,' driver Martin Akersten, 30, told newspaper Aftonbladet. 'A skirt is nice and trousers are too hot.' 'Today a man in his 40s collected his uniform skirt, but other than that it's mostly us youngsters,' he added. Arriva has announced that there will be a meeting in September to discuss future rules on uniforms - so for summer 2013, it seems to be skirts or nothing.
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Train drivers' uniforms banned shorts, only allowing trousers and skirts .
So a dozen male drivers at Stockholm train company went for the skirts .
Company Arriva says as long as they stick to the uniforms, they are fine .
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By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . The sun unleashed a massive X-class solar flare over the weekend which could result in spectacular auroras on Earth tomorrow. The solar flare peaked at 5:48pm GMT (1:48 pm EDT) on Saturday March 29 causing a brief radio disturbance while generating a series of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). CMEs are powerful plasma eruptions near the surface of the sun driven by kinks in the solar magnetic field. Scroll down for video... Extreme ultraviolet light streams out of an X-class solar flare as seen in this image captured on March 29, 2014, by Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory . The CMEs will graze Earth tomorrow causing a possible geomagnetic storm that will create auroras. It is not yet clear where auroras will be seen, but it is thought that people living at higher latitudes will be most likely to spot a light show if one emerges. Scientists, however, believe it will only deliver a ‘glancing blow’ and will not seriously affect communication systems. ‘The best-guess forecast calls for minor G1-class storms. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras,' wrote SpaceWeather.com. Watch the X-class solar flare in action . Solar flares can damage satellites and have an enormous financial cost. Astronauts are not in immediate danger because of the relatively low orbit of this manned mission. They do have to be concerned about cumulative exposure during space walks. The charged particles can also threaten airlines by disturbing the Earth’s magnetic field. Very large flares can even create currents within electricity grids and knock out energy supplies. A positive aspect, from an aesthetic point of view, is that the auroras are enhanced. Geomagnetic storms are more disruptive now than in the past because of our greater dependence on technical systems that can be affected by electric currents. As well as blacking out some radio signals for about an hour over the weekend, the solar flare produced radio signals of its own, according to SpaceWeather.com. ‘The explosion above sunspot AR2017 sent shock waves racing through the Sun's atmosphere at speeds as high as 11 million mph (4800 km/s),’ it said. ‘Radio emissions stimulated by those shocks crossed the 93 million mile divide to Earth, causing shortwave radio receivers to roar with static.’ Sunspot AR2017, that contained the flare, was active over the weekend, producing three solar flares in total. In addition to the X-class solar flare on March 29, two M-class solar flares erupted from the region on March 28 and March 30. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground. However -- when intense enough -- they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel. This flare is classified as an X.1-class flare. X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength. An X2 is twice as intense as an X1, an X3 is three times as intense. Plasma from the solar flare will graze Earth tomorrow causing a possible geomagnetic storm that will create auroras for high-latitude sky watchers . A solar flare occurs when magnetic energy that has built up in the solar atmosphere is suddenly released. Radiation . is emitted across virtually the entire electromagnetic spectrum, from . radio waves at the long wavelength end, through optical emission to . x-rays and gamma rays at the short wavelength end. The amount of energy released is the equivalent of millions of 100-megaton hydrogen bombs exploding at the same time . A . flare occurs when magnetic energy that has built up in the solar . atmosphere is suddenly released - mostly in the active regions around . sunspots. Their frequency varies from several a day, when the sun is particularly active, to less than one a week during quiet periods. Earlier this week scientists came a step closer to . understanding this powerful phenomenon behind solar flares by witnessing, for the first . time, the mechanism behind it. Footage . put together by an international team led by University of Cambridge . researchers showed entangled magnetic field lines looping from the sun’s . surface. These magnetic lines slip around each other and lead to an eruption 35 times the size of the Earth and an explosive release of magnetic energy into space. The discoveries of a gigantic energy build-up bring scientists a step closer to predicting when and where large flares will occur. ‘We care about this as during flares . we can have CMEs and sometimes they are sent in our direction,’ said . lead author, Dr Jaroslav Dudik from Cambridge University. ‘Human civilisation is nowadays maintained by technology and that technology is vulnerable to space weather.' ‘Indeed, coronal mass ejections can damage satellites and therefore have an enormous financial cost.’ ‘They . can also threaten airlines by disturbing the Earth’s magnetic field. Very large flares can even create currents within electricity grids and . knock out energy supplies.’
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The solar flare peaked at 5:48pm GMT (1:48 pm EDT) on March 29 .
It caused a radio disturbance and sent off a plasma cloud that will hit Earth .
Scientists said it will only deliver a ‘glancing blow' to the planet tomorrow and will not seriously affect communication systems .
The aurora may be seen at higher latitudes but it is not entirely clear how far south they could be seen .
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- It's the biggest film industry in the Middle East and known as the Hollywood of the Arab world. Veteran players like actor, Omar Sharif and director, Youssef Chahine are known to film fans the world over. Censors allowed Youssef Chahine's latest film "Heya Fawda" which is about police brutality . "Egypt is the only country in the area, in the Middle East, which has cinema industry in all the meaning of the word" explained Ezzat Abou Auf, the President of Cairo Film Festival. But until recently strict state control which favors censorship -- and a monopoly on the industry by a handful of corporate giants peddling formulaic romantic comedies -- led to many years of decline for the Egyptian film industry. Omar Sharif -- famous globally for roles in the David Lean epics, "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Dr Zhivago" -- agrees that censorship is harming the Egyptian film industry. "We have the studios, we have all the amenities they need but we have censorship. We have to check the script they're shooting, we have to agree with it, that there is nothing anti-Arab, Anti-Muslim. We're losing a lot of income because of censorship here," he said. Today, a new wave of movie-makers are breaking traditional taboos, challenging the censors and taking Egyptian film into new markets around the globe. The latest of these films, "The Yacoubean Building" was seen as a landmark in Egyptian cinematic history. It had the biggest ever budget and an all-star cast led by the revered actor Adel Imam and featuring popular actress,Youssra. It also included subjects to challenge the censors and religious conservatives, including homosexuality and terrorism. The film's director, Marwan Hamed, says he had to work with the censors to ensure the script would be approved before filming: "It's very important that you tackle a taboo subject but at the same time you don't want the audience to leave the cinema and go, especially when you have a conservative audience," he told CNN. "The head of the censors, Mr. Ali Abou Shadi, was originally a very important film critic and he's very liberal. I sat with him a lot and I told him what I was gonna do. It's not about being the bravest it's about being entertaining but at the same time giving the people the chance to watch the film," he continued. Abou Shadi, head of the Egyptian Censorship authority says they are becoming more tolerant of controversial issues. "In my own experience as a censor, I can assess that there is more freedom than in the past," he said, "Some recent films like "The Yacoubian Building" and certain films of Youssef Chahine were examples of films that would never have passed the censor in earlier times." "Heya Fawda" ("Chaos") the latest release of Egypt's greatest living director, Youssef Chahine -- almost 60 years after his directorial debut -- has ruffle feathers. The film tackles police brutality and corruption, both among several sensitive issues, which have challenged the Egyptian censors. Censorship can be used as a tool to protect political regimes and public behaviours and beliefs, in Abou Shadi's view. "Egypt, like many other Arab countries suffers from a very conservative or Islamic current. This creates a lot of confusion and means that creative talented people often find themselves in opposition to the fundamentalist parties," he said. But he is very positive about the future: "I like to think that in this last period with a new political climate and more freedom, censorship has become more tolerant to innovation." One production company that is dramatically shaking up the whole film industry in Egypt is "GoodNews4Film". It is the go-getting media giant behind "The Yacoubean Building" and its ambitions are stretching in many directions. Its latest production "The Night of the Baby Doll" -- has a budget of 40 million Egyptian pounds. That's about $7 million -- a relatively modest budget in Hollywood terms but a figure which would typically finance three Egyptian movies. "We think and produce cinema in the same way as the Americans do", says Adel Adeeb, director of "Baby Doll Night" and managing director of Good News4Film. Bigger budgets means improved film quality and and in the future, the company hopes to produce films in English as well as Arabic. Adeeb acknowledges that in order to work internationally subject matter has to change to be, perhaps, less tuned in to local audiences in favour of wider ones -- but he is convinced cinema has the power to communicate over national borders. "We're trying to work internationally because we need to communicate. This is the glamour or the magic of cinema. We know the jeans or the hamburger, everything from the American movies, so I think people will know us," he said. The company aims to broaden minds beyond images of gun-battles and belly dancing synonymous with the region. "Night of the Baby Doll" is a comedy which highlights misunderstandings between the Arab and western worlds post-9/11 -- it will be followed by an Arab take on the legend of Sinbad. A new generation of film makers is emerging from Cairo's Higher Institute for Film Studies -- and more women are now following the path towards a future in film. What's very promising is that women are getting involved in directing and producing excellent work, according to Ezzat Abou Auf. "We have Hala Khalil, whose film "The Best of Times" won an award at Cairo Film Festival. We have Sandra Nasha'at. We have very promising young ladies in the directing business," he told CNN. But even as some degree of liberation descends upon the Egyptian film industry, there are reminders about the boundaries of tastes - a lesbian kiss in Khaled Youssef's latest film "Until Things Get Better" brought calls for the director and both actresses to be jailed on moral grounds. Marwan Hamed believes such challenges will continue but must be met face to face: "We will struggle a lot to be more daring because the films that were done recently they had a big effect on the audience and I don't think we will be able to work as freely as we did. But I think there's a new generation of film-makers that are very strong, hungry and really want to do something about it," he said. E-mail to a friend .
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Egyptian film industry known as the "Hollywood of the Middle East"
But strict state censorship has pushed it into a decline for some years .
A new breed of filmmakers are breaking taboos and taking Egyptian film global .
"The Yacoubean Building" had a big budget and controversial subject matter .
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107889fd15f4a54d33696c399f029892879f218a
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Ernst Hess, Adolf Hitler's company commander in WWI, who was, despite his Jewish roots, spared from the genocide unleashed by the Nazis . Some German Jews escaped the Holocaust by fleeing the country, others hid and some battled to stay alive long enough to be freed from the Nazi death camps. But Ernst Hess owed his survival to the personal intervention of Adolf Hitler. The Fuhrer ordered his SS thugs to leave the Jewish judge alone because Hess had been his commanding officer during the First World War. Hitler looked back on his time on the Western Front with great pride and fondness so, while some six million Jews perished in the Holocaust set in motion by Hitler, Hess was allowed to live on the Fuhrer's whim. His remarkable story was told by his daughter Ursula, 86, after a newspaper unearthed the letter sent on the orders of Hitler insisting that Hess was not to be 'persecuted or deported'. A file kept by the Dusseldorf Gestapo on him includes the letter from the head of the Gestapo and the SS, Heinrich Himmler, dated August 27, 1940, saying Hess must receive 'relief and protection as per the Fuhrer's wishes'. Himmler made a point of informing all relevant authorities and officials that the judge was 'not to be inopportuned in any way whatsoever'. Ironically, Hess told his daughter that he and his old comrades from the trenches hardly remembered Hitler – by then a well-known figure in German politics – when they met at reunions in the 1920s and 30s. He told her that the future dictator rarely spoke and had few friends among the troops. Historians have in recent years poured scorn on the Nazi myth of the heroic Corporal Hitler running messages from one frontline trench to another. In fact, other soldiers regarded him as a 'rear area pig', taking his messages between HQs a few miles behind the front. Ernst Moritz Hess, born in 1890, had joined the 2nd Royal Bavarian Reserve Infantry as an officer at the beginning of the First World War, the same regiment that Austrian-born Hitler volunteered for. Both men were deployed to the Flanders front in autumn 1914, serving in what was known as the List Regiment until 1918. Hess was seriously wounded in October of 1914 and again two years later in October 1916. In the summer of that year, the highly decorated officer had temporarily been Hitler's company commander. Although baptised a protestant, his mother was Jewish and the Nuremberg Race Laws of 1935, introduced by the Nazis, classified him as a 'full blooded Jew'. Hess, standing far right, with his unit during the Great War . Hitler (pictured far right) and Hess were both deployed to the Flanders front in the fall of 1914, serving in what was known as the 'List Regiment' until 1918 . The letter which was sent by Heinrich Himmler, . reichsführer of the SS and overlord of the death camps, dated 27 August . 1940, granting Hess 'relief and protection as per the Führer's wishes' Hess with his wife Margarethe and daughter Ursula in the early Thirties . Hitler pictured in 1934. He remembered his time in the army fondly and was proud of his service in the war . Hess was forced by the laws to quit . his post as a judge in 1936. His family saw him being beaten up outside . his house by Nazi thugs the same year. He had petitioned Hitler in June of 1936 asking for an exception to be made for him and his daughter under the race laws. In his letter Hess said: 'For us, it is a kind of spiritual death to now be branded as Jews and exposed to general contempt.' Hess ended up as a slave labourer, . building barracks. This time he escaped extermination because of his . 'privileged miscegenated marriage' to Margarete Hess, a Protestant. His sister Berta was gassed at Auschwitz, wrongly believing that the protection afforded to her brother extended to her. Hess died in Frankfurt after a successful career in post-war West Germany on September 14, 1983. Hess moved his family to Bolzano, . Italy in October 1937, but was forced to return in 1939. Hoping that . his connections to Hitler would keep him safe, he moved his family to a . remote Bavarian village in mid-1940. A copy of the letter Himmler sent to . the Gestapo in Dusseldorf was given to him. But in late June 1941, Hess . was summoned to appear before the SS in Munich. When he submitted his letter of . protection it was taken from him and he was told it had been revoked in . May of 1941, and that he was now 'a Jew like any other'.
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Ernst Hess commanded Adolf Hitler's unit during the First World War .
Baptised a Protestant, he had a Jewish mother and was thus regarded a 'full-blooded Jew' by Nazi race laws .
Although finally thrown in concentration camp in 1941, he survived the war to become president of the German Federal Railways Authority .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:31 EST, 21 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:53 EST, 21 June 2013 . Euphoric basketball fans spilled onto the streets of Miami for an impromptu party after the Heat claimed their second consecutive NBA title last night. But this picture suggests that celebrations turned sour in at least one corner of the city. It reveals a woman apparently being pushed to the ground by police officers as they attempted to clear the streets of jubilant Miami Heat fans. Scroll down for video . Scuffle: A City of Miami Police officer appears to push a woman to the ground as the force attempts to clear a street of revellers following Miami Heat's victory over the San Antonio Spurs . One picture shows the woman tumbling onto the concrete, while another shows a police officer apparently trying to haul her to her feet by grasping her t-shirt. She can then be seen pointing angrily at the City of Miami Police officers as they form a barricade with their bicycles. But officials in the city said the jubilant scenes that followed Miami Heat's 95-88 victory over San Antonio Spurs passed largely without incident. Fans swarmed from . downtown bars and rushed cheering and screaming into the streets after their team won its second straight NBA championship. As . the final seconds of the Heat's win over the San Antonio Spurs . wound down, fans by the thousands streamed into the area surrounding the . AmericanAirlines Arena to exchange high-fives and hugs, blow whistles or simply scream. Some climbed atop street signs and a railroad . crossing. Celebrations gone sour: Heat fans took to the streets of Miami after their team claimed a second victory in a row . Victory: Officials in Miami said jubilant celebrations throughout the city were largely peaceful - although these images appear to show a minor mishap . Police presence: The woman, who appeared angry, pointed at one of the police officers as they formed a barricade with their bicycles . 'It's euphoria in the city of Miami,' said Alex Vailon, a 20-year-old Miami resident. As with the Heat's two previous titles, . officials said the city's celebration was generally peaceful - police . chased away a few celebrants who were jumping on top of limousines that . were leaving the arena. Lt. Ignatius Carroll of the City of . Miami Fire Department said early Friday that authorities had gotten no . reports of major problems arising from the post-game celebrations. He . said there had been no gun-related incidents as of 1:30am, with the . main problems earlier being fans jumping on cars and limousines outside . the arena after the Heat won. 'It's a very peaceful celebration,' Carroll said, adding that the heavy police presence near the arena helped maintain control. 'Euphoria in Miami': Beaming Miami Heat fans carried on the celebrations late into the night after their team beat the San Antonio Spurs . Triumph: The basketball team defeated the San Antonio Spurs 95-88 to take home their second consecutive NBA championship .
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Miami Heat beat San Antonio Spurs to take second consecutive NBA title .
Thousands of jubilant fans spilled onto the streets of Miami to celebrate .
Pictures reveal female fan being pushed to ground by police officers .
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George Groves will aim to put his Wembley demons behind him when he returns to the ring on September 20 for the first time following his brutal KO at the hands of Carl Froch. Groves suffered a crushing loss to Froch at the national stadium, but now returns in a final WBC title eliminator against Frenchman Christopher Rebrasse at Wembley Arena. Should the ‘Saint’ overcome Rebrasse, he will fight for the WBC super-middleweight world title against one of Anthony Dirrell and Sakio Bika, who are due to clash on August 16. VIDEO Scroll down to watch George Groves on Rebrasse fight and loss to Froch . Bouncing back: George Groves will fight Christopher Rebrasse at Wembley in September as he returns to ring after defeat to Carl Froch . Floored: Groves was beaten by Froch at Wembley Stadium in May . VIDEO George Groves v Carl Froch II highlights . Groves - . whose defeat to Froch came on May 31, admitted it was crucial not to . dwell on the nature of the loss - an eighth-round KO - he suffered . against his bitter rival. ‘It’s . great to be back, back at Wembley and back in world-class boxing,’ said . the 26-year-old Groves who signed for Sauerland promotions ahead of his . rematch with Froch. ‘It didn’t . go quite as I’d hoped last time out (against Froch), but I think I . proved I belong at world level. In boxing sometimes it does just take . one punch and that was what happened to end my ambition to become world . champion. ‘But we . are back on the road in that journey and the journey will continue. This . is a big fight for me - Rebrasse is a very good fighter. Most . importantly he offers me a step back to be world champion. He has a very . good record, he’s European champion, and it gives me an opportunity to . get right back into the picture and become world champion. I’m sure that . will happen in the very near future.’ Groves, who will expected to beat Rebrasse, 32, comfortably, said he had no regrets following back-to-back defeats to Froch. ‘I didn’t enjoy falling off the horse, but we’ll be back on it soon,’ Groves added. ‘I approach boxing as a high-stakes gambler. ‘I put a . lot on the line. Sometimes it pays off, but when it doesn’t you end up . losing big too. Fortunately for me I haven’t changed that mentality. I . still have a deep conviction that I will be world champion.’ Asked . whether he would engage in his infamous mind games against Rebrasse, a . man who speaks no English, Groves joked: ‘maybe I’ll just dribble out . some Del Boy-style French and see if he can work it out!’ Rebrasse . has a record of 22 wins, two defeats and three draws. Groves has won 19 . of his 21 fights, with both defeats coming against Froch. Groves . promoter Kalle Sauerland said there was a possibility that Liverpool . heavyweight David Price could fight on the undercard.
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George Groves to return from defeat to Carl Froch by fighting Cristopher Rebrasse .
Groves and Rebrasse will challenge for the Frenchman's European super middleweight championship .
Fight will also be a final eliminator for the WBC world super middleweight title .
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(CNN) -- Maria Sharapova pulled out of the season ending WTA Championships in Istanbul Monday, still plagued by a troubling right shoulder injury. The Russian World No.3 has only played one match in the second half of 2013 and has admitted defeat in her battle to get fit for the prestigious tournament in Turkey later this month. "I am very disappointed that I will not be able to play in the TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships this year," she told her official website . "The fans in Istanbul have welcomed us each year with such intense passion and warmth, I will sincerely miss the energy and excitement they brought to the year-end tournament." Last year's tournament was played to capacity crowds in the Sinan Erdem Dome and Sharapova progressed to the final where she was beaten in straight sets by current No.1 Serena Williams. Sharapova showed fine form in the first half of this year, winning two tournaments and losing to the dominant Williams in the final of the French Open. But at Wimbledon she lost in the second round to qualifier Michelle Larcher de Brito before injury problems struck again. Sharapova has battled shoulder injuries throughout her career and underwent major surgery in October 2008. She defied the doubters to return to the upper echelons of the rankings, capped by her French Open triumph in 2012, completing a career grand slam of the major titles. Sharapova will now bid to recuperate in time for the 2014 Australian Open in January. Meanwhile, the WTA announced that Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, Italy's Sara Errani and Jelena Jankovic had clinched their place in the eight-strong field for Istanbul. They join Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Agnieszka Radwanska and Li Na in the $6 million event with one place still to be decided.
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Maria Sharapova withdraws from WTA Championships in Istanbul .
Season ending finale in Istanbul from October 22-27 .
Sharapova's season wrecked by right shoulder injury .
Serena Williams will be defending the title in Turkey .
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(Rolling Stone) -- Steven Tyler walked up the driveway to the entrance of the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles like it was a second home. Surrounded by a large entourage as he was led to the red carpet, Tyler stopped to bare a Cheshire Cat's grin as he looked at the four lovely Playboy Bunnies waiting to pose for pictures with him. The rock star and the equally iconic home that has hosted thousands of parties seemed made for each other, but this was Tyler's first visit ever to the Holmby Hills grounds. How was that possible that in all the years of Aerosmith's success, the frontman had never been to one of the famous Halloween parties or a Midsummer Night's Dream? "I was too busy in someone's bathroom getting high," Tyler told Rolling Stone. "I was too busy on tour, I was too busy writing songs. We were just busy." While he had never been to the house that Hef built, Tyler has crossed paths with the famed Lothario, Hugh Hefner. And Tyler is a big fan. "I love people that are committed to their crimes of passion and he is the gentleman of all time," Tyler told us. "He's been on every man's mind around the world at least a hundred times in their lifetime for what he did. So he signifies the joys of womanhood and not the degradation . . . and even women love Playboy." What finally brought Tyler to the mansion after more than 40 years in the spotlight was Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp, a program that allows people to live out their rock and roll dreams and spend four intense days training with counselors to play with Tyler or other superstars, such as Kiss' Gene Simmons, who will be the headliner at an upcoming event in Las Vegas from October 10 through 14. Tyler got involved with the camp last year through Mark Hudson, a counselor in the program who co-wrote Aerosmith's "Livin' On The Edge." "We spoke last year, I was doing a book, and they asked me here and I said I would, and I spoke in front of the whole camp. It's called just being a mentor, if not to incite a riot," he says. Tyler had a challenge for this week's campers, who joined him on stage at the mansion last night. "I just dared them all to learn an Aerosmith song to see how good they can do it," he says. "If they do it good, which I'm sure they will, I'm gonna pick the best group of them all, we're gonna pick straws and the best one out of that gets to ride around in my car and hear the new Aerosmith album." When Tyler says, while speaking of the upcoming record, "I'm on fire, as you can tell," he is not exaggerating. Despite being pulled away by several handlers, he doesn't want to stop talking about the new music, which is now in the mixing stages. "It's one of the best Aerosmith albums ever," he says. "I'm one of the worst judges of my own music because I'm very harsh, highly critical. [But] we waited until we had at least four really good songs that were representative and we got 19." See the full story at RollingStone.com. Copyright © 2011 Rolling Stone.
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Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler recently made his first trek to the Playboy Manision .
"I was too busy in someone's bathroom getting high," Tyler explained as to why he had not been before .
The singer was there to participate in Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp .
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By . Simon Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 17:05 EST, 23 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:25 EST, 28 November 2013 . We've seen countless examples of them from Rihanna, Cara Delevingne, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry . . . and even the Pope. But as these pictures show, supermodel Yasmin Le Bon has added an extra-large helping of glamour to the ‘selfie’ fad – employing a lighting rig, a top-of- the-range camera and all the other trimmings of a fashion shoot – to take the ultimate self-portrait. The selfie – defined as ‘a photograph that one has taken of oneself’ – has taken off to such a degree in 2013 that the term was last week named Word of the Year by the Oxford English Dictionary. Yasmin does the ultimate selfie by styling and taking the photos herself with a professional camera . And as one of most photographed women in the world, Mrs Le Bon, wife of Duran Duran frontman Simon, was clearly determined to go one better than Lady Gaga and Co with her example of how it should be done. With a Vivienne Westwood cape draped around her shoulders in one shot, dramatic make-up and spotlights to accentuate her high cheekbones and seemingly never-ending legs, the 49-year-old still managed to press the button to take selfies that put all other smartphone and tablet efforts to shame. Mrs Le Bon is close friends with Miranda Hart who is the guest editor of the magazine's 200th edition . The supermodel organised the extravagant shoot after being asked to photograph herself by Miranda Hart as part of a feature in a special 200th edition of Stylist magazine, which the comedy star is guest-editing. Mrs Le Bon and Ms Hart are close friends, having attended a number of charity functions in recent years. Other celebrities who helped out for the milestone issue include TV chef Nigella Lawson, artist Tracey Emin and athlete Jessica Ennis-Hill. Last Tuesday ‘selfie’ beat other shortlisted words to become the defining word of 2013. It faced competition from ‘twerk’, the raunchy dance routine performed – to the fury of concerned parents – by singer Miley Cyrus at the MTV video awards in August, and the online-only currency ‘bitcoin’. Others considered by editors included ‘showrooming’, the practice of browsing in shops before leaving and buying the same products online, and ‘binge-watch’, a term used to describe viewing all episodes of a television series in one sitting. Previous winners of the defining word title include ‘chav’ in 2004 and ‘credit-crunch’ in 2008. Richard Holden, editor of Oxford Dictionaries Online explained: ‘Like a lot of words, selfie has got a much longer history than you might imagine. ‘The first evidence we could find of it was from 2002 in an internet forum post in Australia. Someone posted a pictures of themselves after a drunken fall and wrote, “Apologies for the quality, it’s a selfie.” Miranda Hart has roped in 28 famous friends to help her guest edit the latest edition of Stylist Magazine . ‘Although it has been around for a few years in social media, in the past year we have found a 17,000 per cent increase in usage in our monitoring, as it’s gone from being something mainly used in social media to something that hits the mainstream. Word of the Year is not just about pure frequency, it’s about whether it captures something about the year – whether it’s iconic.’ Editors are now considering including ‘selfie’ in the next print edition of the Oxford English Dictionary after adding it to the web version.
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Model used top-of-the-range camera to pose for amazing shots .
Was enlisted by Miranda Hart who is guest editor of Stylist Magazine .
The comedian has roped in 28 stars to mark the magazine's 200th edition .
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(CNN) -- China is facing its worst wave of labour unrest since a series of wildcat strikes at Japanese-owned car plants last year, as declining export orders force factories to reduce worker pay. More than 10,000 workers in Shenzhen and Dongguan, two leading export centres in southern Guangdong province, have gone on strike over the past week. The latest protests broke out on Tuesday at a Taiwanese computer factory in Shenzhen. "There has been an intensification of labour unrest in the past week that is probably the most significant spike in unrest since the summer of 2010," said Geoffrey Crothall of China Labour Bulletin, a Hong Kong-based labour advocacy group that monitors unrest in China. The strikes come amid mounting concerns about the global economy, which is suffering from the European sovereign debt crisis and a weak recovery in the US. Fears about the Chinese economy grew on Wednesday after a manufacturing index compiled by HSBC fell to levels not seen since March 2009. Last week, Guangdong's acting governor said the province's exports dropped 9 per cent in October from the previous month. Provincial leaders are also contending with widespread protests by farmers over land seizures. On Monday nearly 5,000 residents in the town of Wukan marched on government offices in a peaceful protest. Factories are cutting the overtime that workers depend on to supplement their modest base salaries, after a drop in overseas orders. According to CLB, the average basic wage for electronic workers is about Rmb1,500 ($236) a month, but rises to Rmb2,500 with overtime. "Their basic wage is never enough on its own without overtime," Mr Crothall said. Tuesday's protests followed a bigger demonstration last week at a shoe factory in Dongguan that supplies footwear to Nike and Adidas. About 7,000 workers at the Taiwanese factory, owned by Pou Chen, objected to a cut in their overtime and management's decision to shift some work to other factories in the Chinese hinterland and Vietnam, where labour costs are lower. "We were forced to return to the factory," one worker told the Financial Times. "But we just sit there. No one is operating machines." The worker, who did not want to be identified, said the local government had taken a tough stance during negotiations and sided with the management. With additional reporting by Zhou Ping .
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China is facing its worst wave of labor unrest since a series of wildcat strikes last year .
More than 10,000 workers in Shenzhen and Dongguan have gone on strike the past week .
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Nick Clegg yesterday announced plans for an £8 billion tax hike after the election, as he laid the groundwork for a coalition with Labour. In a significant shift towards Labour’s position, Mr Clegg said the Lib Dems would pursue a higher ratio of tax rises to spending cuts if they find themselves still in power again after the election. He said this would involve ‘at least’ £8 billion in tax rises, more than half of which have yet to be set out. Scroll down for video . In a significant shift towards Labour’s position, Nick Clegg (left) said the Lib Dems would pursue a higher ratio of tax rises to spending cuts if they find themselves still in power again after the election. Right: Ed Miliband . David Cameron condemned the move, saying it would hit millions of ordinary families. But the shift opens the door to a potential post-election deal with Ed Miliband, who is also expected to raise taxes and reduce the pace of spending cuts if he wins power in May. The coalition has pursued a deficit reduction programme comprising 80 per cent spending and welfare cuts and 20 per cent tax rises. But the new Lib Dem plans will see that shift to 60 per cent cuts and 40 per cent tax rises after the election. The Conservatives want to clear the remaining budget deficit entirely through cuts to spending and benefits. Mr Clegg yesterday dismissed the Tory plans as ‘implausible and undeliverable’. Speaking at the Shangri La Hotel on the 52nd floor of the Shard building in London, Mr Clegg said his party’s ‘sensible, balanced approach would bring an end to the era of austerity in three years’ time while protecting public services and the most vulnerable in society. ‘Austerity should only be a means to an end - and the end is in sight,’ he said. Mr Clegg insisted that the planned tax rises would not hit those on low and middle incomes, and would not involve a rise in the headline rates of income tax, National Insurance or VAT. But speaking at a campaign event in Leeds, Mr Cameron dismissed the Lib Dem proposals, warning that they would hit ‘hard-working people’. ‘I don’t think it is right to have a plan that involves really quite substantial tax increases that would hit hard working people,” he said. ‘I think that what we need now is a plan that the Conservative Party has set out which is to eradicate the remaining deficit, to start putting money aside during years of growth for a rainy day.’ Mr Clegg (pictured) said his party’s ‘sensible, balanced approach would bring an end to the era of austerity in three years’ time while protecting public services and the most vulnerable in society . The deputy Prime Minister was speaking at the Shangri La Hotel on the 52nd floor of the Shard in London . The Lib Dem shift came as a new analysis found the party now shares almost 100 policies, fuelling speculation that they are plotting a post-election Coalition. Agreement over major issues such as the mansion tax, votes at 16 and a green light for further government borrowing would make it easier for Mr Miliband and Mr Clegg to come to a deal in May. A commitment to implement in full the draconian recommendations of the Leveson Report into press regulation is also shared between the two leaders’ parties – as is a commitment to sex and relationship education in schools. The analysis by the Fabian Society and Centre Forum, two think tanks, suggests that agreement between Labour and the Lib Dems may be significantly easier than between the Tories and the Lib Dems. The two organisations, which are close to the respective parties, has identified 97 areas of agreement in their joint report, ‘Common Ground?’. These include fiscal rules which permit the government to borrow billions more, a mansion tax for properties over £2million, decarbonising the power sector by 2030, and major devolution of power and money to English councils. Other shared priorities include more free childcare for children under five, greater control over free schools and academies, the construction of at least 200,000 new homes a year, and restrictions on access to some benefits for EU migrants while supporting international students. The two parties also agree on a higher minimum wage, withdrawal of the winter fuel payment from the richest pensioners, votes at 16 and a commitment that the UK should ‘remain a committed member of the EU’ and of the European Convention on Human Rights.
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Nick Clegg said Lib Dems would pursue higher ratio of tax rises to cuts .
Would involve ‘at least’ £8billion in tax rise in shift towards Labour position .
David Cameron condemned the move, saying it would hit ordinary families .
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By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 10:51 EST, 31 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:42 EST, 31 May 2013 . A border terrier fell from a 150ft clifftop after chasing a blackbird off the edge - and survived without a scratch on her. Eight-month-old Lola was running at Splash Point in Seaford, Sussex, when she spotted the bird and chased it before running straight off the cliff and plummeting into the sea. Her terrified owner 47-year-old Clare Callard, from Seaford, watched as her pet disappeared from view. Clare Callard, pictured left with her dog Lola, feared the worst when she saw the eight-month-old disappear from view after chasing a bird over the edge of a cliff . Lola fell 150ft off the clifftop after she chased a bird off the edge . She feared the worst until another walker further up the cliff called to her that the tide was in and she could see the dog trying to swim to safety. Mrs Callard frantically dialled 999 who put her through to the coastguard who then contacted the local lifeguard at Seaford. The stay-at-home mum of two said: 'It is incredible, it is a miracle. 'She wasn't even close to the edge but it all happened so quickly I didn't even have time to shout her name. 'She is always chasing birds and crows but suddenly I just watched her disappear over the edge. 'Lola has never been swimming before so I couldn't believe she instinctively managed to get herself to safety. Lola (pictured being rescued) was running at Splash Point, in Seaford, Sussex, on Saturday morning when she spotted the bird and chased it off the cliff . 'Remarkably the tide was not in completely so there was a small shingle area which she climbed out onto and sat on there. 'The lifeguard was able to take his paddle board and hold Lola's collar as she sat on it and he brought her to safety. 'My husband, Steve, wrapped her up in his big coat as she was shaking so much.' Mrs Callard's husband and their two children, nine-year-old twins Joseph and Jessica, were beneath the cliffs playing with a kite when the accident happened on Saturday. The family then took the dog to their local vets. Mrs Callard said Lola was sitting subdued on her lap until another dog walked into the surgery when she started wagging her tail and jumped down onto the floor. Mrs Callard said: 'The vet said it was a great sign as the next two hours after an accident are crucial. 'Animals can die of shock or have internal injuries. They observed her for a while and then checked her over. She didn't have a scratch on her. 'Her breath was slightly raspy because she had a small amount of water in her lungs which the vet said is not affecting her ability to breath and will pass through naturally.' A Seaford lifeguard said: 'It's not common but it has happened a few times. Lola was very lucky because the tide was in and I suspect she hit the water with quite a thud. Lola with her owner Clare Callard and her twin nine-year-olds Joseph and Jessica . 'But it's good to hear she survived and I'm glad our team could help.' Mrs Callard said: 'We don't usually go walking on the cliffs and had only gone that day to use the kites. 'Now I know I will never take Lola for a walk on those cliffs again. I would never have forgiven myself if something had happened to her.'
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Border terrier Lola fell from 150ft clifftop after chasing bird over edge .
Terrified owner Clare Callard watched as her pet disappeared from view .
But the eight-month-old dog survived without a scratch .
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By . Ryan Lipman . Port Augusta police had to use their coaxing skills to try and entice a goat called Sandra down from the roof of a house on Saturday afternoon. Known for their climbing skills, Sandra was right at home as she frolicked about on the roof of the single storey home in Crichton Drive in Port Augusta, South Australia. The adventurous animal also climbed onto the flat roof of an adjoining covered area without any concern. Stuck: Police attended a home in Port Augusta, South Australia to get Sandra the goat off the roof . Police had to get creative with their coaxing methods as the Sandra refused to come down . 'On the early hours of Saturday afternoon at about 1.10pm, police were called by neighbours to the house following reports of a goat on a roof,' Inspector Ian Humby told MailOnline. Insp Humby said because the backyard was raised, the goat was able to jump onto the roof. 'It was feasible that she jumped from the backyard onto the roof,' he said. As residents of the property were not home at the time police were called, Insp Humby said it was hard to determine how long Sandra had been on the roof for, but he does not believe it was a long time. With the goat refusing to budge, the police tried using two different types of grass to entice her back down, as reported on the South Australia Police News Facebook page. Inspt Humby said the officers used hay to bring Sandra down temporarily before she got back onto the roof. The police tried using two types of grass to encourage Sandra to come down off the roof to no avail . Getting creative, the police used an old clothes line as a lasso and a makeshift ramp to bring down the adventurous animal . At this point the people living in the home returned and explained to officers they were only looking after the goat for a few days. They also said it was not the first time Sandra had got onto the roof. 'I guess its true when they say goats like heights,' Insp Humby said. But with the animal back on the roof and refusing to come down, the police improvised by using a makeshift ramp and a lasso made from and old clothes line to bring Sandra back down. Sandra suffered no injuries and was safely returned to her owner's yard. Despite her excellent climbing skills, Sandra was brought back down off the roof . Success: Police were able to return the goat to her owner's yard without any injury .
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SA police had to bring a goat down from a residential roof on Saturday .
The officers tried using two types of grass to no avail .
They then had to improvise by using a lasso and makeshift ramp .
The goat was brought back down safely and returned to the owner's yard .
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By . Gerri Peev . PUBLISHED: . 19:26 EST, 17 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:26 EST, 17 October 2013 . Alan Milburn called on the Government to slash winter fuel payments and free TV licences . Pensioners must shoulder some of the burden of the spending cuts or their benefits could bankrupt the welfare state, the Government’s social mobility tsar has said. Alan Milburn, a health secretary under Labour, called on the Government to slash universal benefits for over-65s such as free TV licences and winter fuel payments. He said it was ‘unfair’ that better-off pensioners were protected from the impact of the cuts while working families with children were bearing two-thirds of the burden of cutting the deficit. His comments were dismissed as ‘bonkers’ by pensioners’ groups, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who said: ‘Punishing pensioners isn’t going to help a single child achieve more in life.’ David Cameron’s official spokesman also dismissed the claims, saying: ‘The Prime Minister believes it’s right to make the commitments he’s made to pensioners and to introduce the triple lock which means pensioners will get a 2.7 per cent rise.’ Mr Milburn’s Social Mobility Commission unveiled its report on the state of the nation yesterday. He warned that the burden of cuts had fallen disproportionately on middle-class families, and that for the first time in more than a century there was a risk that the next generation of adults could end up with lower living standards than today’s generation. As a result, Mr Milburn claimed pensioners should shoulder more of the burden. The report highlights that the number of pensioners is rising, their state benefits are going up and the numbers who can fund them are in decline. It said ministers had allowed an ‘inter-generational injustice’ which sees better-off pensioners protected but families with children bearing two-thirds of spending cuts. ‘We do not believe that favouring pensioners over their children and grandchildren will be a sustainable position over the long-term if a meaningful dent is to be made in the UK’s high levels of child poverty and low levels of social mobility,’ it added. Mr Milburn said pensioners should shoulder more of the burden and said their benefits could bankrupt the welfare state (file picture) Nick Clegg said: 'Punishing pensioners isn¿t going to help a single child achieve more in life' Mr Milburn later told the Mail that the Government was simply trying to protect its share of the vote among pensioners. ‘I just don’t think it’s right that you have ordinary hardworking middle-income families who are finding their finances being squeezed and their public finances being cut and, at the same time, wealthy pensioners seeing their benefits not just protected but enhanced,’ he said. ‘I think that is going to be increasingly hard to justify.’ He added that sparing pensioners from being charged the spare room subsidy if they rented homes that were bigger than they needed was also ‘part of the same picture’. ‘Pensioner benefits are rising by 17.5 per cent during the course of this parliament,’ he said. ‘That is equivalent to half of the reductions in expenditure on welfare. ‘I understand politically why a . Government would want to protect pensioners who vote, but you can’t say . you want a fair fiscal deficit reduction and then you don’t do it . fairly.’ Polls showed . wealthy pensioners would be happy to give up their winter fuel . allowances and free TV licences and bus passes, Mr Milburn said, adding . that cutting perks for all but the poorest pensioners – who receive . pension credit – could save £1.4billion a year. ‘Grandparents are more concerned about what is good for their children than themselves. ‘The . decline in social mobility is not just a problem for low-income . families, it’s definitely a problem for middle-income families too. ‘The gap is widening between the wages that people are getting, the prices that they are paying and the fact that their children are finding it hard to get on the housing ladder. ‘That is the reason why Middle England is feeling uncomfortable about the prospects for the next generation.’
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Social mobility tsar wants Government to slash free TV licences for elderly .
Says winter fuel payments should also be cut for over-65s .
Said it was 'unfair' that better-off pensioners were protected from cuts .
Milburn's claims dismissed by Nick Clegg, David Cameron and charities .
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1084e8e9f18ee983f38d83097a8e6cd64dc60ea6
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A Chinese woman was crushed to death after trying to stop a digger driver from driving off following a dispute about damage the driver had caused to her property. The incident happened after the owner of the digger was sent to dig a trench as part of work being done to put in an oil pipeline in the Kongwan township, in the city of Yicheng, in central China's Hubei province. According to neighbours of the couple, Yu Chung, 49, and his wife Zhen, 48, the trench had been dug too close tot their home which caused a wall to crack and sag outwards. Zhen Chung was crushed to death after trying to stop a digger driver from driving off following a dispute about damage the driver had caused to her and her husband's property in China . Annoyed by the damage the couple are said to have used pitchforks to threaten the digger driver and force him to agree to pay compensation. When he refused the couple reportedly chased him off and seized the digger. A week later, with the dispute still unresolved, the owner of the digger, Yu Bin, 29, came back to the property during the early hours of the morning. Using a spare key, Bin then tried to drive off in the digger, but the engine woke up the Chungs. Another villager Ye Meng, 40, said: 'As soon as he started the engine he woke up the couple, and they ran outside shouting which woke some of us up as well. Zhen had lay down behind the digger to stop the driver from leaving, but he had failed to see her . 'When I got there I saw Chung standing in front of the digger and refusing to move to stop it getting away, and when the digger driver decided to try going backwards his wife ran behind it and lay down on the ground. 'But the digger driver clearly didn't see her, and ran over her body. Her distraught husband rushed up to her and held her hand but it was clear that she was dead.'
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Digger driver Yu Bin was digging a trench so an oil pipeline could be layed .
While doing so a couple claimed he damaged a wall at their property .
Yu and Zhen Chung seized Bin's digger and demanded compensation .
But early one morning Bin used a spare key to try and reclaim his digger .
While trying to stop him from leaving Zhen was run over and killed .
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1086501d713a2385e0a2587e0815892463466c0c
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(CNN) -- President Barack Obama gave a special salute Monday to Americans who lost their lives fighting in the Korean War, noting the upcoming 60th anniversary of the conflict's end, and asked Americans to remember the troops' work in Afghanistan as that war winds down. "Last Memorial Day, I stood here and spoke about how, for the first time in nine years, Americans were no longer fighting and dying in Iraq. Today, a transition is under way in Afghanistan, and our troops are coming home," the president said after laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. "This time next year, we will mark the final Memorial Day of our war in Afghanistan." He delivered Memorial Day remarks the week after addressing America's controversial counterterrorism strategies and a rash of sexual assaults in the military that he said could threaten national security. Calling Virginia's Arlington National Cemetery "a monument to a common thread in the American character," Obama asked the audience not to forget the "men and women who are willing to give their lives and lay down their lives" for the freedoms the nation enjoys. A serviceman recently wrote the president to say he feared "our work in Afghanistan is fading from memory," Obama said. "And he's right. As we gather here today, at this very moment, more than 60,000 of our fellow Americans still serve far from home in Afghanistan. They're still going out on patrol, still living in spartan forward operating bases, still risking their lives to carry out their mission. "And when they give their lives, they are still being laid to rest in cemeteries in the quiet corners across our country, including here in Arlington." Obama cited a handful of troops by name who were buried at Arlington after making the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan: . • Capt. Sara Cullen, a West Point graduate and Black Hawk helicopter pilot, died after a crash during a training mission near Kandahar. • Staff Sgt. Frankie Phillips, a combat medic, was killed by a roadside bomb while on patrol. "He was so humble that his parents never knew how many lives he had saved until soldiers started showing up at his funeral from thousands of miles away," Obama said. • Staff Sgt. Eric Christian served five tours of duty because he felt responsible for his team and "was determined to finish the mission." He was killed escorting a U.S. official to meet with Afghan leaders. "For those of us who bear the solemn responsibility of sending these men and women into harm's way, we know the consequences all too well," Obama said. "I feel it every time I meet a wounded warrior, every time I visit Walter Reed and every time I grieve with a Gold Star family." Chuck Hagel, a former Army sergeant who volunteered for the Vietnam War and is the first enlisted combat veteran to hold the post of defense secretary, told CNN's Barbara Starr that he remembers soldiers who served alongside him, including a captain who was killed 14 days into his tour. Hagel was next to him when he died, he said. "Anybody who has ever been in combat remembers the names, remembers the faces, remembers the fun, remembers the uniqueness of every person," the defense secretary said. Obama arrived at the cemetery amid a 21-gun salute and was met by Hagel, cemetery Executive Director Kathryn Condon and Maj. Gen. Michael Linnington, commander of the Army's military district of Washington. Linnington escorted the president to the tomb, where Obama laid the wreath and observed a moment of silence before speaking at the Memorial Amphitheater. Home and Away: Remembering those we have lost . The president, who used last year's occasion to pledge his support for Vietnam War veterans, spoke Saturday about the "1% of the American people (who) bear the burden of our defense." "They are heroes, each and every one," he said. "They gave America the most precious thing they had, the last full measure of devotion. And because they did, we are who we are today: a free and prosperous nation, the greatest in the world." What to know about Memorial Day . He continued, "They risk their lives, and many give their lives, for something larger than themselves or any of us: the ideals of liberty and justice that make America a beacon of hope for the world. That's been true throughout our history -- from our earliest days, when a tiny band of revolutionaries stood up to an empire, to our 9/11 generation, which continues to serve and sacrifice today." Obama further urged Americans to "do more than remember:" to care for the loved ones the fallen soldiers leave behind; to ensure that veterans have adequate care, jobs and benefits; and to support military missions at home and abroad. By the numbers: Memorial Day and veterans . The speech comes at a time when the administration is dogged by controversy. While facing tough questions about the alleged IRS targeting of conservative groups and his administration's response to the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, Obama also answered questions last week about the use of drones, the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention center and sexual assault in the military. In a Thursday speech, he said drones are a necessary evil but one that must be used more judiciously as the American security situation evolves. About Gitmo, he said he would push Congress to allow him to shut down "a facility that should never have been opened." On Friday, responding to a Defense Department report that the number of cases of unwanted sexual contact had jumped 35% between 2010 and 2012, Obama said the attacks threaten the trust and discipline that is the military's backbone. "That's why we have to be determined to stop these crimes. Because they have no place in the greatest military on Earth," Obama said during remarks at the U.S. Naval Academy. Opinion: In Ohio, signs of soldiers' sacrifice .
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NEW: Defense secretary says he "remembers the uniqueness of each person"
Obama says serviceman fears that "our work in Afghanistan is fading from memory"
Obama lays wreath at Tomb of Unknowns, delivers Memorial Day remarks .
His Memorial Day speech comes as he and military face controversies .
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10865a4a1d17b686d35431747dfa3e391c14867d
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(CNN) -- Any kid can dream up a roller coaster. But those who visit a new exhibit at Walt Disney World's Epcot theme park can actually take a ride on their fantasy creations. An artist's rendering of the "Sum of All Thrills" interactive ride, opening Wednesday at Disney World. Epcot on Wednesday opened a new attraction called "Sum of All Thrills," which lets kids use computer tablets to design a virtual roller coaster, bobsled track or plane ride. After inputting their designs, kids climb into a robotic carriage that uses virtual-reality technology to help them experience the ride they've created. "This is really the next generation -- where there's a lot more personalization involved" in the amusement-park experience, said Eric Goodman, Disney's lead project manager on the ride. This make-your-own-ride approach appears to be a growing trend in the world of amusement parks and museums. Taking cues from the video game industry, park and ride designers have realized that people -- especially young ones -- want to interact with and even design their own thrill rides. In addition to the new Epcot ride in Orlando, Florida, two Disney theme parks feature a ride called "Toy Story Mania," which lets riders shoot at targets as they roll down the track and, in doing so, shape their own ride experience. Another Disney attraction, CyberSpace Mountain, caters to adults and kids by letting them customize their own virtual ride from a menu of drops, loops and other features. Universal Studios in Florida opened a roller coaster in August called the "Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit," which lets people create their own personal musical soundtrack for their ride. Interactive rides are in the "baby stages" so far, since roller coasters and theme-park attractions are so expensive to build, but interaction and personalization promise to be running themes in the industry, said Bob McTyre, president of Apogee Attractions, which has has helped design rides for Disney, Universal Studios and others. McTyre was not involved in the new ride at Epcot. He said theme park designers frequently bring up ideas such as roller coasters with three possible endings, allowing riders to choose which path to take. But those big ideas quickly hit a roadblock: the high costs of implementing such a project, he said. Shawn McCoy, vice-president of marketing and business development at Jack Rouse Associates, another amusement-park design firm, said this desire for interactivity in amusement parks takes its cues from video games. "There's also a definite need to compete with video games or the gaming industry -- where [players] have control over all of the elements, from the environment to the players' movement," he said, noting that museums and zoos also are taking notice of the trend. The "Sum of All Thrills" ride at Epcot employs a robotic arm -- more commonly seen assembling cars at an auto plant -- to let kids experience their roller coaster creations. Sitting in a carriage with their legs and arms outside the ride, kids watch a video version of their ride while the arm moves them from side to side and up and down to simulate the feeling of a real roller coaster. Fans blow air at the riders at various speeds to give people the sensation that they're moving forward. Goodman, the Disney designer, said the robotic arm and carriage come "pretty darn close" to replicating the real roller coaster experience. Kids design their experience on touch-screen computers, using a digital ruler and pre-selected track options to construct their rides. If a person tries to build something physically impossible -- a hill that's too steep for the cars to climb, for example -- then they're asked to retool their ideas. Disney hopes the interactive nature of the Epcot ride also helps kids learn that math and science can be fun. "I think it's really empowering for the kids to realize that the math doesn't control them. They get to control the math," Goodman said. The Raytheon Company, a maker of weapons and defense systems, said it sponsored the exhibit as a way to get middle-school aged kids more interested in careers in math and engineering.
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Disney opens an exhibit where kids create roller coasters -- and ride them .
Theme parks are trying to make their rides more interactive, taking cues from gaming .
The "Sum of All Thrills" ride opens Wednesday at Epcot Center in Florida .
Kids design their rides on computers, ride them in a stationary robotic carriage .
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(CNN) -- Forget old conspiracy theories about snake bites and fatal poisons. Egyptian King Ramesses III died after a brutal throat slashing, a new study says. The study provides the latest twist in a mystery that has long perplexed researchers. Did a venomous viper take him out? Poison? An assassination plot in a reign tainted by war? And if it were the latter, who did it? Read more: King Tut statue among missing Egypt treasures, minister says . Researches say he died at the hands of a killer in a plot planned by one of his wives and a son who wanted to succeed him. Scans conducted after layers of bandages were removed revealed a deep cut in Ramesses III's throat, probably made by a sharp knife during a royal coup, according to a study published by the British Medical Journal. "Our CT analysis provides evidence that conspirators killed Ramesses III by cutting his throat," the study says. His throat, neck and arteries were brutally slashed, causing an immediate death, according to the study, which highlights his final moments. Read more: Mummified cat walled up in 17th century 'witch's cottage' "Damage to the throat after death appears to be unlikely, because the collar around the mummy's neck was intact and undamaged at the unwrapping in 1886, where a thick layer of bitumen was removed with a hammer from the mummy," the study says. Speculation has raged over what led to his death. Read more: The battle for Egypt's past . "Further evidence of an assassination comes from the presence of a Horus eye amulet in the wound," the study says. "The presence of the amulet deep in the soft tissue of the wound together with the homogeneous material that penetrated the wound up to the bone substantiate the supposition that the wound was already present at the time of embalming. " The study singles out one of his wives and her son as conspirators in the killing. A trial found the son, Pentawere, guilty, leading him to take his own life, it says. Read more: Extremist calls for destruction of Egyptian antiquities . The unusual mummification of unknown man E, believed to be Pentawere, points to a "nonroyal burial" that includes use of goat skin to cover his body. The procedure appears to be a punishment for conspiring against the king, according to the study. "Use of goat or sheep skins in dynastic burials was rare because these materials were regarded ritually impure," it says. A genetic study shows they had common lineage. Read more: British WWII fighter found in Egyptian desert . King Ramesses III, who was referred to as "the great god" in the study, ruled from about 1187 until 1156 BC. He was succeeded by another son, who was his preferred heir. CNN's Richard A. Greene contributed to this report .
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New forensic evidence reveals a brutal throat slashing .
Scans conducted after layers of bandages are removed reveal a deep cut .
King Ramesses III ruled from about 1187 until 1156 BC .
Theories have raged over what led to his death .
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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Seven U.S. troops were killed near Baghdad early Monday in a vehicle rollover accident, U.S. officials said. U.S. troops question a man who was out after a curfew Sunday night in Baghdad. Officials do not believe any hostile fire was involved. The location and name of the unit were not available as officials attempted to notify next of kin. The U.S. military also said that a Task Force Lightning soldier died Sunday from injuries caused by rocket fire during a patrol in the northern Tameem province. The number of U.S. military deaths in the Iraq war stands at 3,770, including seven civilian employees of the Defense Department. Also Monday, 12 militants were killed in fighting between troops and insurgents just outside the northern city of Samarra, the U.S. military said. The military said Iraqi and U.S. troops conducting a helicopter assault raid were confronted by militants from al Qaeda in Iraq. Insurgents fired at troops and wounded three U.S. soldiers, a statement said. Backed up by helicopters, Iraqi and U.S. ground forces fired back, the statement said, killing 12 people described as "enemy extremists." Three people were detained and a fourth "was positively identified as a hostage being held for ransom by the insurgents." Samarra has been the scene of much fighting in recent months. The city in Salaheddin province is the site of Al-Askariya Mosque, the Shiite shrine that was attacked twice, apparently by Sunni militants. Watch U.S. soldiers give a tour of life in Iraq » . The U.S. military also claimed success against militants in volatile Diyala province. The military said Monday that nine insurgents were killed and 10 detained during an Iraqi and U.S. operation called Operation Lightning Hammer II, which began last week. Soldiers were operating in the Baquba, Muqdadiya and Balad Ruz areas. "The value of these operations is vital as we continue to pressure and target al Qaeda elements who feel they have a power base in Diyala province," said Lt. Col. James George. Meanwhile, an official announced a slight easing of security measures in Baghdad during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a religious observation that begins this week. Brig. Gen. Qassim Atta, an Iraqi military spokesman, said on Iraqia TV that the nightly curfew will go into effect at midnight instead of 11 p.m. during Ramadan. It will last until 5 a.m. The Friday vehicle curfew from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. will be dropped during the month. But vehicles won't be permitted over many of the Tigris River bridges linking eastern and western Baghdad. It is unclear what other security measures will be enforced. Muslims fast during daylight hours during Ramadan. In the evening, they eat small meals and visit with friends and family. Iraq's prime minister on Monday touted his government's efforts in thwarting "sectarian war" but acknowledged Iraqi troops are not yet ready to take over security duties from the U.S.-led coalition. "We have succeeded in preventing Iraq from going into sectarian war -- which threatened our dear Iraq -- and I am fully confident that national reconciliation is our only way that takes Iraq into safety in spite of all the destabilizing actions by local and international groups," said Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who addressed the country's parliament, the Council of Representatives. "Despite the security improvement, we still need more efforts and time in order for our armed forces to be able to take over security control in all Iraqi provinces from the multinational forces that helped us in a great way in fighting terrorism and outlaws" he said. Al-Maliki's comments came hours before U.S. Gen. David Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, U.S. ambassador to Iraq, were to appear before Congress to deliver reports on military and political progress in Iraq. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Barbara Starr and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
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NEW: U.S. says nine insurgents killed in operation in Diyala province .
NEW: Curfew in Baghdad slightly shorter during coming month of Ramadan .
Vehicle rollover kills seven U.S. troops near Baghdad .
Twelve militants killed in fighting between troops and insurgents near Samarra .
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Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling has praised Brendan Rodgers for helping him become a better player during his time at Anfield. The 19-year-old has quickly become an integral part of Rodgers' first-team and played a key role as the Reds narrowly missed out on the Premier League title last season. And Sterling, who is currently training with England ahead of Saturday's Euro 2016 qualifier against Slovenia, believes his manager has been a major factor in his development. Raheem Sterling (left) takes on Michael Carrick during England training at St George's Park on Tuesday . Sterling credits Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers (right) with helping him to become a better player . Sterling, pictured in action against Chelsea, has become a key part of Rodgers' first-team at Anfield . Asked about Rodgers in an interview with LFC Xtra, Sterling said: 'He has taught me to play in numerous different positions and adapt to different positions, being able to work and be effective in each of them. 'The best piece of advice I've been given is to live, eat and sleep football. It was great advice given to me by the manager, and it has helped me going forward.' Sterling is yet to win silverware with Liverpool or England but he has his sights firmly set on success for club and country over the next five years. He added: 'Hopefully winning trophies with Liverpool, doing well for England and trying to be at the peak of my game at that time.' Video courtesy: R Buxton / @RichardBuxton_ . Sterling wants to win trophies with Liverpool and continue playing for England over the next five years . Sterling believes Rodgers gave him the best piece of advice he has ever been given during his career . VIDEO Rodgers hoping for swift Sturridge return .
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Raheem Sterling is preparing to face Slovenia with England on Saturday .
The midfielder believes Brendan Rodgers has helped him improve .
Sterling has played a number of roles at Liverpool under Rodgers .
He is aiming to win trophies at Anfield over the next five years .
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Manchester City must decide who will make way for Wilfried Bony in their Champions League squad by February 3 — three weeks before they meet Barcelona in the first knockout round. Bony’s arrival from Swansea has raised the number of ‘foreign’ players in City’s first team to 17, which is one more than the Premier League champions are allowed this season as punishment for breaching UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations. VIDEO Scroll down for Wilfried Bony: I joined Manchester City to become a champion . Wilfried Bony should solve a striker shortage at City, but his arrival has created another problem . Willy Caballero is one of the first-team squad whose European place is under threat since the Ivorian's arrival . Stevan Jovetic is another who could be excluded from City's Champions League squad . The problem will be solved if City can be persuaded to sell Stevan Jovetic, but if not manager Manuel Pellegrini faces a tough decision. Goalkeeper Willy Caballero and full backs Bacary Sagna and Aleksandar Kolarov are the other players understood to be most under threat. Pellegrini said: ‘We must see which of the players will not be in the squad for Champions League because we don’t have space.’ And Bacary Sagna (right) could also see his chances in Europe's Premier League competition limited . Aleksandar Kolarov (left) could also get the chop from City's Champions League squad . City midfielder Yaya Toure believes the media should be more respectful of religion following the Charlie Hebdo shootings. Toure, who is a Muslim, said: ‘When you hear something like that it’s very disappointing — I feel very sorry for the families. ‘Of course, it’s a newspaper trying to say something. But sometimes it hurts people you know.’
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The arrival of £25m Wilfred Bony has raised the number of 'foreign' players in Manchester City's Champions League squad to 17 .
So will it be Stevan Jovetic, Willy Caballero, Bacary Sagna or Aleksandar Kolarov who makes way for the Ivorian hitman?
Boss Manuel Pellegrini was giving little away, saying: 'We must see which of the players will not be in the squad for Champions League because we don't have space'
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An Australian naval officer appears to have taken on board the old adage of having a girl at every port. A young man who was in Auckland for a few days recently, wrote postcards to women all around the world, according to The New Zealand Herald. Known only as Gav, staff at a cafe he regularly visited during his stay in the city assumed the sailor to be in his twenties. Eight lucky ladies around the world have postcards on the way to them from an Australian sailor with a lot of love to give . He travelled on an Australian Navy ship the HMAS Choules, a vessel formerly known as the Largs Bay when it served as part of the Royal Fleet Auxillary. On the day of his ships' departure, it is reported the casanova handed a stack of postcards to the owner of Barabra Cafe, Steaffan Ljunggren. 'His ship was leaving ... He nicely asked us 'oh, could you please do [me] a favour, would you mail this for me', owner Mr Ljunggren told the publication. The postcards were handed to the owner of a cafe, Steaffan Ljunggren (believed to be pictured) who sent them on their way . After taking a peek at the postcards, staff found that amongst the letters to family and friends, there were eight which appeared to be love letters. Women from Germany, Russia, Latvia and the Ukraine were all being written to with similar sign-offs, ending with the sailor professing his longing and love for each lucky lady. Many of the short letters finish with 'I miss you', 'I love you' and describe Auckland as a 'small and peaceful city' which reminds him of Sydney. The casanova's ship was docked at the Princes Wharf in Auckland when he penned his postcards . In one postcard addressed to Yana, Gav wrote 'I wish we could do some exploring together here', while another to Tatiana echoes a similar sentiment with 'I wish you were here with me to explore'. The postcards were sent on their way, and the naval officer's eight love letters are now sailing the seven seas to each of their special recipients. Gav's ship was at port at Princes Wharf, a former commercial wharf which has been developed and now houses cruise ships and the likes when they're passing through. The cafe - Barabra - which means 'all good' in Swedish, is situated right on the water, very close to where the HMAS Choules was docked.
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Man known as Gav handed postcards to cafe staff to send for him .
Amongst letters to friends and family were eight similar notes to women .
Each signed off with a similar expression of love or longing .
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(CNN)As if scripted by Hollywood, former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo's death on New Year's Day came just hours after his son, Andrew, was sworn in to a second term in the same office. It was a storybook ending to a larger than life career and personality that raised enduring questions about whether Cuomo's style of big-hearted, big-state liberalism can win the White House. Mario Cuomo was famous for the idealism he expressed in soaring oratory, but he had a prickly practical side as well. Cuomo, the political infighter, was famously combative: He frequently picked fights with the press and had a contentious relationship with the state legislature that included comparing them to clapping monkeys in one address. In 1977, Cuomo famously ran three races for New York mayor against Ed Koch in a single year, a bitter string of campaigns that included a scurrilous flier suggesting Koch was gay (Koch denied this until his death; Cuomo denied any knowledge of the flier). Cuomo lost all three contests, but bounced back to defeat Koch in the 1982 race for governor. That's when Cuomo began to tantalize his fellow Democrats, many of whom wanted him to lead a liberal counterattack on the conservative Republican philosophy embodied by President Ronald Reagan. An electrifying speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention sent Cuomo to the front ranks of Democratic candidates -- and in 1991, a plane famously idled at a local airport, waiting for a go-ahead to rush paperwork to New Hampshire that would have enrolled him in the 1992 presidential primary. In the end, after extended deliberations that earned him the nickname "Hamlet on the Hudson," Cuomo opted not to run for president, and in 1993 he turned down an all-but-engraved invitation by President Clinton to accept a nomination to the Supreme Court. The consensus among New York's political class is that Cuomo avoided the national stage due to personal doubts and hesitations; As one observer put it, "Cuomo simply did not trust enough people to build the kind of staff needed to run an effective national campaign." But the question remains: Would America have been ready to elect an unabashed liberal? And is the country ready to do so now? At a time when income inequality has far surpassed even the startling differences of the 1980s, liberalism shows signs of revival. After 20 years of electing Republican mayors, New York City voters in 2013 chose Bill de Blasio, whose promise to close the gap between rich and poor was embodied in a line -- a "tale of two cities" -- taken directly from Cuomo's 1984 speech. Cuomo's son, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, used his inaugural speech to focus on national issues: He included talk of raising the minimum wage and boasts about being the first big state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage and implement tough restrictions on gun ownership. Andrew Cuomo said his father, on what turned out to be his deathbed, had reviewed the speech. "He said it was a good speech," Andrew said. A hint, perhaps, of things to come.
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Errol Louis: Mario Cuomo's death a reminder of when a strong liberal mulled presidential run .
He says Cuomo's son, N.Y.'s governor, also eyes presidency. Can liberalism make comeback?
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One of the world’s biggest banks was accused of breathtaking arrogance yesterday for handing a £367m pay bonanza to its London staff. The staggering sum is being shared out among 121 Goldman Sachs bosses and traders – at an average of £3million a head. Campaigners said the payouts were obscene and accused the Wall Street bank of ‘sneaking the details out while no one is watching’. Scroll down for video . Goldman Sachs was accused of breathtaking arrogance yesterday for handing a £367m pay bonanza to its London staff (pictured is the London headquarters) The salary packages equate to nearly £60,000 a week – more than 120 times the average wage. Deborah Hargreaves of the High Pay Centre said: ‘This is a classic case of trying to bury bad news. 'This behaviour just underlines the breathtaking arrogance of the banking industry which thinks it can get away with anything.’ John Mann, a Labour MP on the Treasury committee in the Commons, said: ‘Goldman Sachs will struggle to find a biblical justification for this greed. They obviously wanted to sneak this out when everyone was celebrating New Year’s Eve, hoping no one would notice. This just reinforces the message that the bankers that caused us so many problems are out of control and out of touch.’ The Goldman Sachs pay and bonuses, which are for 2013, were handed out just in time to beat a cap introduced by the European Union 12 months ago. And they comfortably eclipsed the £1.3million average among 13 London banks in the same year, according to research by Reuters news. The staggering sum is being shared out among 121 Goldman Sachs bosses and traders. Group vice-chairman Michael Sherwood is pictured . Star performers at Barclays in London averaged £1.6million while their counterparts at state-backed Royal Bank of Scotland were on £600,000. None of the top employees at Goldman were individually identified in the documents filed to the stock market yesterday. But they would include Michael Sherwood, who is the head of the bank’s UK operation and is thought to be Britain’s highest paid banker. He scooped around £12.8million in pay and perks for 2013. The new cap restricts banks to paying a maximum bonus of one year’s salary, rising to twice salary if shareholders approve. All the major banks have tried to sidestep these restrictions by introducing six- and seven-figure fixed allowances to bolster the basic pay packages of senior staff. This also means they can pay a bigger bonus, because it is calculated as a multiple of their basic pay – including the new allowances. European Union rules require banks to reveal how many ‘code staff’ – those who take and manage risks – they employ and how much they are paid in cash and shares each year. But while its rivals published these details months ago, Goldman – which employs around 5,500 people in London – chose to release the details just before the New Year’s Eve deadline. This week it emerged that RBS boss Ross McEwan plans to accept a £1million fixed allowance in 2015, having forfeited it this year to avoid a row over pay. Last month, Chancellor George Osborne dropped his attempt to challenge the EU cap on bonuses after it was dismissed by the legal adviser to the European Court of Justice. The Chancellor said the new rules were ‘badly designed’ and would serve only to inflate bankers’ pay. He has warned previously that a cap might have a ‘perverse effect’, saying ‘it may undermine responsibility on the banking system rather than promote it’ by increasing the size of salaries. The Bank of England also warned that the cap could have the ‘undesirable side-effect’ of limiting how much cash regulators can confiscate for wrongdoing. The Bank’s Governor Mark Carney said rules may need to be introduced that also allow bankers’ fixed pay to be clawed back if they are found guilty of misconduct. The Canadian said: ‘Standards may need to be developed to put non-bonus or fixed pay at risk.’ Goldman – the most powerful investment bank in the world – has long seen itself as a cut above its rivals and had earned the nickname Goldmine Sacks. Last month, Chancellor George Osborne dropped his attempt to challenge the EU cap on bonuses after it was dismissed by the legal adviser to the European Court of Justice . In the wake of the financial crisis, the bank’s American chief executive, Lloyd Blankfein, infamously described himself as ‘doing God’s work’ and argued that banks have a vital ‘social purpose’ to create wealth and jobs. Chris Leslie, Labour Party Treasury spokesman, said: ‘Excessive bonuses aren’t just in stark contrast with the hard times for the vast majority of the rest of society – they have encouraged risky behaviour where the bankers get the rewards and the taxpayer foots the bill if everything goes wrong. 'This underlines the case for repeating the banker bonus levy that worked well in 2009 but was abandoned by George Osborne. ‘It’s clear that banking reform is unfinished business and the Government shouldn’t allow the banking sector to return to business as usual.’ Frances O’Grady, head of the TUC, said ordinary employees should be given a seat on banks’ remuneration committees to help rein in pay. She said: ‘Risk-taking banks caused the global crash, yet while pay for the many has fallen every year since 2008 top bankers are still raking it in. ‘It’s time their pay came out of the stratosphere and back to planet Earth. ‘Let us make 2015 the year in which employees get a voice on remuneration committees.’ The UK’s biggest high street lenders will start announcing their bonuses for the past year in the coming weeks. RBS made losses of £8.2billion last year but still paid out £588million in bonuses. It is expected to make its first full year profit since the financial crisis. Goldman Sachs declined to comment. The pay packages of Goldman Sachs’ top four executives show how generous the bank is with its most senior staff: . Michael Sherwood . Group vice-chairman, based in London . Pay in 2013: £12.8million . Michael Sherwood – ‘Fat Mike’ to his friends – is a leading Goldman Sachs money-maker and is thought to be Britain’s most highly paid banker. Michael Sherwood – ‘Fat Mike’ to his friends – is a leading Goldman Sachs money-maker and is thought to be Britain’s most highly paid banker . A career Goldmanite, the 49-year-old joined in 1986 straight from Manchester University, where he studied economics. He is a keen table tennis player and sponsors sporting charities to keep children off the streets. Lloyd Blankfein . Chief executive and chairman, based in New York . Pay in 2013: £14.7million . Lloyd Blankfein, 60, infamously declared in the heat of the financial crisis in 2009 that he was doing ‘God’s work’. But for many he has become the poster child for fat-cat pay and capitalism at its most cut-throat. The son of a truck driver from the Bronx, he was pocketing £45million a year before the crisis in 2007 – a record for any Wall Street boss. The Harvard graduate became chief executive in 2006 when his predecessor, Henry Paulson, left to become the Treasury secretary in the Bush administration. On his watch, Goldman has been accused of profiting at its clients’ expense by betting on property prices falling, while selling investments that relied on a rising market. Gary Cohn . President and chief operating officer . Pay in 2013: £13.5million . The number two at Goldman Sachs started his career selling window frames while in his spare time learning how to trade commodities. He was working in the silver market when Goldman snapped him up in 1990. Harvey Schwartz . Chief financial officer . Pay in 2013: £13.5million . Tipped to take over from Lloyd Blankfein at the top, Harvey Schwartz has had a stellar career as a trader. Yet the 49-year-old has kept a relatively low profile.
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Staggering sum shared out among Goldman Sachs bosses and traders .
Equates to nearly £60,000 a week – more than 120 times the average wage .
Bank accused of ‘sneaking the details out while no one is watching’
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This is the moment a driver who was 'showing off' in a borrowed £100,000 Audi supercar crashed into another driver at 75mph in a residential street, killing her sister passenger. Saqib Hussain, 25, was speeding in the hired Audi R8 Spyder in a 30mph zone when he crashed into a Ford Fiesta carrying two sisters at 11.30pm on August 26 last year. Driver Mary Ryan, 60, suffered a punctured lung, broken pelvis, broken ribs and a chipped spine in the crash in Hall Green, Birmingham. Scroll down for video . This is the shocking moment a driver who was 'showing off' in a borrowed £100,000 Audi supercar crashed into another driver at 75mph in a residential street, killing her sister passenger . Her sister Noreen Ryan, 49, who was a front seat passenger, was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. The . sisters had been returning from a family 16th birthday party to their . home in Kings Norton, Birmingham, when the £600-a-day vehicle hit them. The . court was shown CCTV footage of the moment the hit the bright . blue Ford at over two-and-a-half times the speed limit. Hussain initially fled the scene but was arrested when he handed himself in at a police station later the same night. Pictures taken at the time show the mangled wreckage of the blue Fiesta barely recognisable after the devastating impact of the horror smash. The IT worker pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and whilst uninsured when he appeared at Birmingham Crown Court in August. Saqib Hussain, 25, was speeding in the hired Audi R8 Spyder in a 30mph zone when he crashed into a Ford Fiesta carrying two sisters at 11.30pm on August 26 last year. The car can be seen (left) just moments before the crash . The court was shown CCTV footage of the moment the hit the bright blue Ford at over two-and-a-half times the speed limit . The court heard Hussain crashed his Audi R8 into a Ford Fiesta carrying Noreen Ryan, Birmingham . Hussain, from Birmingham, was handed a six year prison sentence at the same court. Jailing him Judge Peter Carr said: 'You showed flagrant disregard for the rules of the road and were a danger to everybody on them. 'You have since said it was your fantasy to drive the car and that you were testing its capabilities, but it seems to me you were showing off. 'The words from the family do not even come close to adequately describing the pain and grief that they feel for the loss of Noreen.' Emergency services were forced to cut off the roof of the super-mini to free it’s trapped occupants. Investigators found Hussain had been driving at at last 76mph when he spotted the oncoming car and began to brake. Noreen Ryan, 49, who was a front seat passenger, was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Her sister, driver Mary Ryan, 60, suffered a punctured lung, broken pelvis, broken ribs and a chipped spine in the crash in Hall Green, Birmingham . Hussain initially fled the scene but was arrested when he handed himself in at a police station later the same night . Investigators found Hussain had been driving at at last 76mph when he spotted the oncoming car and began to brake . The court heard Hussain had picked up the keys of the car of the hired car from a table at a family wedding and had 'fantasised' about driving such a powerful car. Prosecutor Joanne Barker told the court: 'Mary Ryan was not at fault in any way for what happened that night. 'Had he [Hussain] been travelling at the speed limit the collision would not have occurred. 'It is not the prosecution case he was racing with the Mercedes vehicle behind. 'The prosecution would submit he may well have been showing off. 'He did not adjust his speed despite seeing her. He was going too fast to do anything about it.' After the crash Hussain climbed out of the wreckage and said to an injured Mary: 'I’m sorry it’s not your fault, it’s mine.' Hussain and passenger Faizal Wahid, who suffered a broken cheekbone, jaw and eye socket and is now paralysed down the left side of his face, both fled the scene. Emergency services were forced to cut off the roof of the super-mini to free it's trapped occupants . Pictures taken at the time show the mangled wreckage of the blue Fiesta barely recognisable after the devastating impact of the horror smash . Robert Cowley, defending, said Hussain had shown genuine remorse for what he had done. Before the crash he said he would have been described as a 'decent, hardworking, polite and respectable individual.' A family tribute to Noreen, the youngest of her seven brothers and sisters, described her as the 'heart, spark and soul' of her family. It said: 'Birmingham City was Noreen’s passion in life and she was a season ticket holder who never missed a match. 'But her family was also very important to her and she was a much-loved stepmother, step grandmother, daughter, sister and aunty to her nieces and nephews. 'Noreen was the heart, spark and soul of her family. She was overgenerous and loved buying presents at Christmas and birthdays. 'She enjoyed a glass of prosecco with the girls and had a great sense of humour and some fantastic one-liners. 'She had watched all of Birmingham City’s home matches with her brother John since they were kids. She always had the last word on football debates.' Hussain was also banned from driving for six years.
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Saqib Hussain, 25, was speeding in hired Audi R8 Spyder in a 30mph zone .
Crashed into Ford Fiesta carrying two sisters at 11.30pm in August 26, 2013 .
Noreen Ryan, 49, who was a front seat passenger, was killed in the crash .
Hussain, from Birmingham, was handed a six year prison sentence .
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By . Ryan Lipman . Experts have confirmed Sydney's northern beaches and north shore are the perfect breading grounds for deadly funnel web spiders. But brave residents who capture the animals can play an important part in developing crucial anti-venom necessary for treating life-threatening bites. The confirmation of Sydney's northen suburbs being ideal funnel web territory follows a traumatic ordeal experienced by a northern beaches family, when a six-year-old girl was bitten on the finger by a male species of the spider. Scroll down for video . Don't get too close: Experts have confirmed Sydney's northern suburbs provide the preferred habitat for the deadly funnel web spider . Following the girl's bite, there have been reports from other residents in the area who have spotted the dangerous arthropods near their homes, The Daily Telegraph reported. Australian Museum retired spider specialist Mike Gray said the region in Sydney's north was a hotspot for the infamous funnel web arachnid, because of the combination of bush, sloping ground and rocky terrain. 'They like to make burrows under rocks, rotting logs and in tree roots, where the ground tends to stay moist,' he said. Mr Gray said male funnel webs often wander into homes during summer and autumn. Life-saving: There have been 13 recorded deaths from funnel web bites in NSW but none since the anti-venom was developed in 1981 . On Wednesday, the six-year-old girl was rushed to a Sydney hospital after mistaking a funnel web for a toy and being bitten. As the spider's venom started to take effect, the young girl began vomiting, shaking uncontrollably and sweating and suffered cloudy vision. The girl's father, who does not want his family identified, said his daughter has since been recovering at home and after being released from hospital on Thursday afternoon and was fine, although a little weak. Doctors gave the young girl three vials of the anti-venom to treat the poison and told the girl's family to monitor her for signs of relapsing over the next four weeks. Sydney's north shore is a hotspot for funnel web spiders because of its bush, sloping ground and rocky terrain . It was thought she may have been bitten by a rare sub-species of the spider for the northern beaches area and there are ongoing test to confirm this. The Australian Reptile Park curator Liz Gabriel previoulsy said despite peak season being from November to April, funnel webs can still be out and particularly this year due to the mild weather. The reptile park, located on the Central Coast north of Sydney, collects funnel web spiders to create anti-venom. To create the anti-venom, trained staff at the park carefully milk up to 500 male spiders, caught within 150km of Sydney. The northern beaches area is also a funnel web hotspot and a young girl was bitten in the area on Wednesday . The venom is then sent to laboratory where anti-venom is developed. Residents who safely catch the animals can take them to drop off points in Brookvale, Mona Vale and Hornsby. The father of the young girl who was bitten said he encouraged others to support the reptile park's work, as his daughter was living proof anti-venom saves lives. 'We will be forever grateful,' he said. There have been 13 recorded deaths from funnel web bites in NSW but none since the anti-venom was developed in 1981. Greencross Vets vet director Dr Adam Stenberg recently had four funnel web spiders waiting to be collected by the reptile park and said despite only offering the service for the last six weeks, about 12 spiders had been dropped off, with four this week. 'The only way the anti-venom can be created is by extracting venom from live funnel webs and so every donation we get helps to save lives,' he said. For those game enough to try capturing a funnel web spider, Dr Stenberg said recommended using long tweezers, a stick or even chopsticks to direct the animal into a deep container. While the spiders will not be capable of climbing out, he said a lid is needed. The Australian Bites and Stings: First Aid Guide to Australian Venomous Creatures app provides advice on poisonous spiders and other animals including snakes.
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Experts warn suburbs in Sydney's north are perfect funnel web habitat .
Residents can help develop anti-venom by safely capturing the spiders .
A young girl was bitten a male funnel web on Wednesday in the northern beaches .
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By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 12:12 EST, 15 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:38 EST, 17 January 2013 . Cuban authorities are scrambling to contain a cholera outbreak that has infected dozens of people in Havana, the capital city of 2.2 million residents and a popular tourism destination. The Health Ministry said the outbreak was first detected on January 6 and was being contained. 'Fifty-one cases have been confirmed to date,' the statement read, without mentioning fatalities. Outbreak: Cuban authorities are scrambling to contain a cholera outbreak that has sickened dozens of people in Havana, the capital city of 2.2 million residents and a popular tourism destination . Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It has a short incubation period, from less than one day to five days, and produces an enterotoxin that causes a copious, painless, watery diarrhoea that can quickly lead to severe dehydration and death if treatment is not promptly given. Vomiting also occurs in most patients. But recent outbreaks in nearby Haiti have killed more than 7,200 people. 'Due to the measures adopted transmission is in the phase of extinction,' it said. But in off-the-record discussions with a ministry official and doctor directly involved in fighting the outbreak, a different picture emerged with hundreds of suspected cases. They said the first cases were traced to a baseball game at the Latin American Stadium in the Cerro municipality of the Cuban capital, where fans come from all parts of the city to watch their team, the Industriales, play. 'We know what happened. Either the pork sandwiches or Tan Rico soda pop was contaminated at a game earlier this month,' the official said. 'Even some of the baseball players became sick,' she added. The Health Ministry statement said the outbreak had begun in Cerro and 'later spread to other municipalities in the capital.' Tens of thousands of British tourists Cuba every year and in particular visiting Havana, but there have been no reports of foreigners catching the illness. Concern: Tens of thousands of British tourists travel to Cuba every year and in particular visit Havana, but there have been no reports of foreigners catching the illness . Several European diplomats have told AP they are considering issuing travel advisories to citizens planning visits to Cuba, and have been concerned that the government is not sharing information with them in a timely manner. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Tourism is the top sector in Cuba's flagging Communist economy, with 2.8 million visitors a year, making £1.5billion. In 2010, 174,343 tourists from Britain visited the country. A major cholera outbreak is sure to make some visitors think twice about a trip, despite Cuba's sterling reputation in responding to epidemics and natural disasters. Community clinics and family doctors are on high alert and giving out instructions to prevent the disease, transportation hubs have passengers sterilizing their shoes before leaving town and eateries are being systematically inspected and sometimes closed, residents say. The official said Havana had been preparing to fight the disease since Cuba's first cholera outbreak in decades last year in eastern Granma province. Killer disease: Recent outbreaks in nearby Haiti have killed more than 7,200 people . There have been scattered cases since then, but all were traced to the Granma area and quickly contained, she said. 'This time is different. There are many cases, but we are well prepared in terms of supplies and the protocol,' she said, adding, 'let's just hope we can stop this before it becomes much worse.' The lack of official information until Tuesday has led to rumors that dozens have died in the Cuban capital, though the official and doctor said there had been only one fatality. The family of one man, 46-year-old Ubaldo Pino Rodriguez, told The Associated Press last week that he died of cholera in Cerro on Jan. 2, about two weeks after going to the hospital with severe vomiting. Rodriguez's sister, Yanise Pino, said her brother had a drinking problem and lived in squalid and unhygienic conditions in a tiny makeshift wooden dwelling. 'When he began to feel bad he thought it was from drinking and nothing else,' she said, adding that he left the hospital of his own accord last month. She said that following his death authorities sealed off Ubaldo's room and told her to burn all his belongings. Three Havana hospitals have been designated to handle cholera cases - one for adults, another for children and a third for pregnant women. Another doctor working at the designated adult hospital, the Center for Tropical Medicine, said they were swamped at the weekend with suspected cases. Cholera is generally not fatal, but can kill in just a few hours when diarrhea and vomiting cause dehydration, especially among the elderly. The illness runs its course within a week, making it relatively easy to track, but at the same time is highly contagious, spreading from hand to mouth, through contaminated food and the water supply. 'So far there is no indication its in the water supply, but we are dumping more chlorine in the system,' the Health Ministry official said. Until 2012, there had been no cholera outbreaks reported in Cuba since well before the 1959 revolution and the creation of a national health system by the Communist government. Hundreds of Cuban doctors and nurses have worked for over a decade in Haiti which has battled a cholera outbreak that has killed more than 7,000 people since that country's 2010 earthquake. Cuba lies closer to Haiti than any other Caribbean country, with the exception of the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the crisis stricken country and has reported more than 20,000 cholera cases and 350 deaths since the Haiti epidemic began.
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Health Ministry: Outbreak was first detected on January 6 .
Waterborne disease caused by a bacteria found in tainted water or food .
Until 2012 no cholera outbreaks reported in Cuba since before 1959 .
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(CNN) -- The crackdown on protesters after the police shot and killed Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, highlighted that more and more, police departments possess sophisticated weapons and equipment originally designed for the battlefield. Federal anti-terrorism funding is a major driver of this trend, but once police departments have this equipment they use it -- even if it's not against terrorists. What few people understand is that police increasingly make use of sophisticated surveillance equipment as well. NSA-style mass surveillance technologies are making it possible for local police departments to gather information on each and every one of us, on a scale never before been possible. One key area in which the government is amassing large pools of data is location tracking, particularly of automobiles. You might think that location data isn't sensitive. After all, when you're out in public other people can see you. But that's not the right way to think about it. Most Americans drive everywhere. Most can't go to a therapist, a church, a gun range, a bar, or a casino without driving. And when all of that information about where we go is amassed into a large database stored by a government agency and held for months, or years, that's a sensitive collection of information. History has shown that once the government has access to massive pools of data, it's just a matter of time before it's abused -- for political retribution, or even simple voyeurism. An important driver of this trend toward mass surveillance of Americans' movements is the automatic license plate reader. They sound innocuous -- and if they were used in a limited and appropriate manner, they would be innocuous. These devices snap a photo of every passing license plate. If all the police did was check the captured plates against lists of cars associated with people wanted for crimes, there would be no problem. But in the era of cheap data storage, police are increasingly using the technology to amass vast pools of data tracking where people have been over time—and hanging onto it for months or even years. The question is not whether law enforcement agents should be permitted to use license plate readers: The question is how they should be permitted to use them. You can agree that license plate readers are useful for identifying wanted criminals who are driving around, but disagree that the government should amass vast pools of data about everyone, given that most of us are not criminals. This technology can be abused -- and it has been abused. In New York, police in cars equipped with plate readers drove by mosques to record each attendee -- a major burden on the freedom of religion that many of us hold dear. In the UK, the police put the plate number of activist John Catt, in his late 80s, on a hot list because he'd attended a large number of lawful protests. (He was known to sketch the protesters.) Federal funds are being spent to push this equipment out across the country, a process that often bypasses the role that traditional elected representatives once played because the police no longer need funds from the city council. And the technology is more powerful year over year as the cost of computer processing plummets and storing data becomes a trivial matter. The presumption has flipped. Police departments once asked themselves: Why keep this data? But now data storage is so cheap that they ask: Why not keep it? One of the most pernicious aspects of how police departments have adopted surveillance technologies—which is really deciding how much privacy people should enjoy—has been the lack of public debate or even knowledge that these technologies are being adopted. Because police departments can get funding from the federal government, often there is no need to involve local legislative bodies, let alone the public, in the process. Sometimes this lack of notice has led to a backlash. In Seattle, the mayor instructed the police department to terminate its drone program and return the drones to the vendor after the public learned that the drones had been acquired. The public wants in on the debate about surveillance—and democratic values suggest that we ought to have this opportunity. But in the main, we know far too little about which cities and towns around the country are using powerful surveillance technologies. The time to fix this is now.
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Catherine Crump: U.S. police getting surveillance equipment and anti-terror weapons .
Crump: Government amasses data by location tracking, especially of cars .
Crump: It's as if a cop with perfect memory was following you wherever you go .
She says the public should know about monitoring and it should be justified .
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By . Will Stewart In Moscow . PUBLISHED: . 12:20 EST, 23 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:53 EST, 23 July 2013 . Snowden is expected to be allowed a temporary visa while his asylum application is formally considered . Russia is poised to announce it is freeing US whistleblower Edward Snowden from his airport transit zone hideaway in Moscow, allowing him into the country, it is believed. The intelligence leaker has applied to the Kremlin for temporary political asylum after the US blocked his travel routes out of Russia. Snowden, 30, who has been inundated with offers from Russian women of a home and marriage, may have already left Sheremetyevo Airport, where he has been living for a month since fleeing Hong Kong after the US called for him to be arrested, several unconfirmed Russian reports said on Tuesday. He is expected to be allowed a temporary Russian visa while his asylum application is formally considered. In Russia, Vladimir Putin has refused to hand him over to America but has also made clear he does not want Snowden to become an issue destabilising relations with Washington. The American wants to make a permanent home in exile in South America but the US has called on countries he would overfly or transit to arrest him and hand him to the US authorities. A spokesman at the Air Express transit hotel said Tuesday: 'He is not here.' His lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said last night: 'As far as I know, Snowden is in Sheremetyevo's transit zone.' Putin has denied his secret services are tapping the former CIA employee for his intelligence knowledge. 'I am receiving calls from people who ask me to convey their offers of help. Most of the girls are offering Snowden a home and marriage, and men are offering financial support,' said Kucherana. Among those offering marriage by tweet was glamorous Russian spy Anna Chapman, expelled by the US after being arrested on espionage charges in New York. Causing problems: The battle over Snowden has increased tensions between President Obama and President Putin, as the U.S. wants him back so the government can prosecute but Russia refuses .
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Snowden, 30, is expected to be allowed temporary Russian visa while his asylum application is formally considered .
He has been inundated with offers from Russian women of a home and marriage .
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By . Colin Randall . PUBLISHED: . 10:57 EST, 7 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:58 EST, 8 February 2013 . An amateur art-lover stands to earn up to £35million after unearthing the missing head that goes with a woman’s naked body in a notorious 19th century painting. Gustave Courbet’s The Origin Of The World, displayed in one of Paris’s most prestigious museums, the Musee d’Orsay, depicts female genitalia. Until now it has only showed the body but experts believe the missing head has been uncovered after the anonymous art buff bought it for just £1,200 at a furniture shop. Scroll down for video . The missing head was discovered among bric-a-brac and furniture and bought for just £1,000 but is now believed to be worth £35million . Courbet expert Jean-Jacques Fermier verified the painting and said 'The Origin Of The World finally has a face' Gustave Courbet led the French Realist movement of the 19th Century . He is said to have knocked down the asking price by a sixth. French magazine Paris Match revealed yesterday that the collector made the accidental discovery of the head while looking through bric-a-brac back in 2010. But the magazine says the authenticity of . the 1866 painting, showing a brunette with a wistful upwards gaze, was . confirmed in exhaustive chemical and spectographic tests. Jean Jacque Fernier, author of a catalogue of Courbet's work, told Paris Match: 'The Origin Of The World finally has a face'. He said the work is one of the 'most daring in the history of painting'. The Origin Of The World is regarded as a masterpiece by some, vulgar or even pornographic by others. It has long been thought Courbet wished to preserve, to that extent at least, the modesty of his subject and Irish lover Joanna Hiffernan. The discovery is now the talk of the art . world and prompted the French TV channel TF1 to declare yesterday: 'At . last Courbet’s painting has a face.' Jean-Jacques Fernier, author of the . recognised Courbet catalogue and one of the world’s leading experts on . the painter, told Paris Match the tests were conclusive. He described it as a 'highly important' find. Authenticity was scientifically . established using state-of-the-art techniques that matched the two parts . of the painting, its canvas and the original wooden frame. Mr Fernier also compared the length of brushstrokes and studied a sketch of the complete work. The painting depicts female genitalia and was deemed so scandalous that it was not displayed until 1988 . The Origin Of The World is displayed in the Musee d'Orsay, Paris . The art buff who found the painting is said to want to re-attach head to body a century and a half after the woman was painted. Courbet, from an affluent farming family in eastern France, influenced many other artists, from Claude Monet to Paul Cezanne, but scandalised Paris with some of his work. One painting, Young Ladies on the Banks of the Seine (Summer), depicted two prostitutes under a tree. The Origin Of The World was considered so daring that it was not displayed until 1988. He was imprisoned in 1871 for his role in inciting the revolutionary Paris Commune’s dismantling of a prominent column that was the centerpiece of the Place Vendome, but continued to paint during his detention. He died six years later in Switzerland, aged 58, from liver disease associated with heavy drinking. Jo la Belle Irlandaise, painted in 1865 of Irishwoman Joanna Hiffernan, hangs in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art . Gustave Courbet is heralded as artist who led the 19th century Realist movement and influenced greats such as Claude Monet. His work is displayed at some of the most prestigious galleries in the world, including the Musee d'Orsay, in Paris and Metropolitan Museum of Art. Born to a wealthy farming family in 1819, Courbet learned to draw by using his sister's as subjects before moving to Paris in 1839. There he developed his own style by observing the reality around him. After winning national plaudits for his work such as After Dinner at Omans and Stone-Breakers, he gained notoriety for his detailed depictions of female genitalia in The Origin of the World. It was deemed so scandalous that it was not publically displayed until 1988. Scandal also followed other paintings such as Young Ladies on the Banks of the Seine, which showed two prostitutes, and Sleep, which depicts two nude women in bed. He was an established artists in France but in 1871 he was jailed for his part in inciting the Paris Commune's dismantling of the Vendome Column. He spent six months in prison and was fined 500 francs. Courbet died in 1877, aged 58, in Switzerland.
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Art collector discovered it among furniture and bric-a-brac .
Scientific tests proved it was the missing head of The Origin Of The World .
The Gustave Courbet masterpiece hangs in the Musee d'Orsay .
It depicts female genitalia and was scandalous not displayed until 1988 .
Long thought head was removed deliberately to protect subject's modesty .
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(CNN) -- "Grey's Anatomy" star Patrick Dempsey thinks he's just what the doctor ordered for a struggling Seattle-based coffee chain. Dempsey said he won the bid to buy Tully's Coffee, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October. The company, citing "rising commodity prices and challenging lease economics," said it planned to close a number of underperforming coffee shop locations as part of its reorganization. Dempsey's company, which said it beat out six other bidders, including Starbucks, will pay $9.15 million for Tully's. "It was a brand that needed to be preserved. There were 500 jobs at stake and it just felt right," Dempsey told CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront" on Friday. "I'm really excited about this." Starbucks, however, cautioned that the final determination certifying the winning bid for Tully's will not occur until a bankruptcy hearing next week. The coffee giant made an offer for some of Tully's assets, while another bidder made an offer for all other assets. The combined total of the Starbucks bid and the other "back-up bid" was $10.56 million, Starbucks said in a statement. The bankruptcy filing did not affect Tully's Coffee online sales and wholesale business, which were purchased in 2009 by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. The hunky Dempsey plays Derek Shepherd, nicknamed "McDreamy," on the TV series. The medical drama is set is Seattle. "After a celebratory cup of Joe, we will immediately begin the transition of the company and implementing our vision for quality customer service and building the Tully's brand," Dempsey said in a statement released Thursday. "I will be making Seattle my home away from home and spending a significant amount of time in the community." According to Dempsey, Tully's Coffee operates 47 locations in Washington and California and has other franchises across the country. 'Grey's Anatomy': Did Dempsey tweet a huge spoiler?
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NEW: "It just felt right," says the "Grey's Anatomy" star .
NEW: Starbucks comments on its bid .
Dempsey's company will pay $9.15 million for Tully's Coffee .
The struggling Seattle-based chain filed for bankruptcy last year .
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A man is assisting police their with inquiries into the alleged indecent assault of two children at a shopping centre last month. Police have been investigating a report that two nine-year-old girls were approached by a man inside an electronic store at the Top Ryde City shopping centre on Blaxland Road at about 1.30pm on Sunday 28 September 2014. The man allegedly indecently assaulted both girls before leaving the store, police were then alerted. Earlier police released CCTV vision of a man they wanted to speak with. Police have released CCTV vision of this man (pictured) they wish to speak with, following the indecent assault of two children in a Ryde shopping centre last month . CCTV vision of this man has been released after a man is alleged to have indecently assaulted two nine year old girls at a Ryde shopping centre. Police want to speak to this man (pictured) in relation to the incident . The public appeal for assistance left to a man fronting the Eastwood Police Station about 3pm on Monday. The 30-year-old man was arrested and taken to Ryde Police Station where he is assisting with inquiries. He was described as being of Indian / Sub-Continental appearance, aged in his 30s, approximately 180cm tall and with a large build. He is shown wearing a short-sleeved shirt and dark pants. Looking for the man, Ryde Local Area Commander, Detective Superintendent John Duncan, said at the time the shopping centre was busy and he is confident there will be people who can help. 'The incident took place in a crowded centre and I have no doubt that the man in the footage or shoppers at the centre can assist us with more information about the incident,' he said. 'This is extremely disturbing incident. These children have simply gone to the shops for a day out and should not have been subjected to that.'
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A man, 30, has been arrested following the alleged indecent assault of two nine year old girls at a shopping centre .
Earlier police released CCTV vision of a man and he fronted Eastwood police station on Monday .
Two nine year old girls were allegedly approached by an unknown man in a Ryde shopping centre last month .
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MALE, Maldives (CNN) -- The new president of the Maldives wants to relocate -- his entire country. Much of Male, capital of the Maldives, was flooded following the 2004 tsunami. Mohamed "Anni" Nasheed, a former political prisoner, was sworn in Tuesday after he unseated Asia's longest-serving leader in the country's first multi-party elections two weeks ago. He inherits an island nation with several problems. Foremost among them: the very likely possibility that the Maldives will sink under water if the current pace of climate change keeps raising sea levels. The Maldives is an archipelago of almost 1,200 coral islands located south-southwest of India. Most of the islands lie just 4.9 feet (1.5 meters) above sea level. The United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has forecast a rise in sea levels of at least 7.1 inches (18 cm) by the end of the century. The island was badly hit by the December 2004 tsunami, which killed an estimated 273,800 people and left thousands missing across Asia and Africa. In the Maldives itself, at least 82 people were killed and 26 unaccounted for from a population just over 270,000, according to the Maldives Disaster Management Center. Sixty-nine islands were completely flooded and a further 30 islands half flooded. The capital of Male was also flooded, although sea walls protected it from further devastation. The government has calculated that creating a similar barrier around the rest of the country would cost too much. Watch Maldives president vow to save the nation. » . And so the tourist nation, which has white sandy beaches that lure well-heeled Westerners, wants to set aside some of the $1 billion a year it receives from tourism and spend that money on buying a new homeland. "We will invest in land," Nasheed said. "We do not want to end up in refugee tents if the worst happens." Nasheed's government has said that it has broached the idea with several countries and found them to be "receptive." Lands owned by Sri Lanka and India are possibilities because the countries have similar cultures, cuisine and climate as the Maldives. Australia is also being considered because of the vast unoccupied land it owns. Climate change is not the only challenge the new president will have to tackle, though. Other thorny issues include rising unemployment, corruption and a staggering drug epidemic. By some estimates, one of every three Maldivian youth uses drugs. Maldivians also worry that their tiny secular nation of 370,000 Muslims could fall prey to the reach of Islamic radicals. A bombing in Male, attributed to Islamic extremists, wounded 12 tourists in September 2007. "We have made many pledges," Nasheed said in his inaugural address. "The citizens gave their majority vote to us to implement these." Nasheed said he will work to bring affordable housing and medical care for everyone. Twenty-one percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Nasheed, a 41-year-old one-time journalist, was among the fiercest critics of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who came to power in 1978 and ruled the Maldives for 30 years. He won the six previous elections as the only candidate on the ballot. Nasheed contended that Gayoom ruled with an iron fist, crushing dissent, amassing wealth and stacking his administration with friends and relatives. Gayoom's critics say his government enforced a system of 'apartheid' tourism that banned most Maldivians from nearly 90 luxury resorts. Shortly before election day, an auditors' report said that millions of dollars were improperly accounted for by Gayoom's government. He disputed the findings. Nasheed was arrested several times in the last 15 years and held as a political prisoner. Five candidates challenged Gayoom for the presidency in elections held on October 9. Gayoom said he needed a seventh five-year term to see through the reforms he put in place. But critics said Gayoom instituted democratic reforms -- and legalized political parties -- only after violent protests in 2004 and 2005. Nasheed and Gayoom ended up in a runoff -- with Nasheed winning 54 percent of the votes to Gayoom's 46 percent in the October 28 race. "No other citizens in the world in modern times have changed a 30-year-old regime so peacefully," Nasheed said in address. As the clock struck 12 a.m. Tuesday, Gayoom quietly exited the presidential office. "I deeply regret any actions on my part ... (that) led to unfair treatment, difficulty or injustice for any Maldivian," he said in a farewell speech. "From anyone who had had to face any such unfair treatment, difficulty or injustice, I sincerely seek forgiveness." Maldivians took to the streets in a celebration that carried into the wee hours of the morning. Residents danced to the beats of local bands and feasted on rice and mutton. They decked the cobbled roads of Male with the red-and-green flag of the Maldives and the yellow banner of Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party. "We cannot believe that this is happening. I have spent more than half my life in exile in Sri Lanka," said Nasheed's close confidant Mohammed Naseem. Journalist Sumon K. Chakrabarti in Male and CNN's Saeed Ahmed in Atlanta contributed to this report.
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Newly sworn-in Maldives president vows to buy land to relocate entire nation .
Climate change-threatened Indian Ocean islands could sink under rising sea levels .
Maldives is considering land in Sri Lanka, India and Australia .
Island was badly hit by tsunami of 2004, with more than 100 people dead or missing .
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(CNN) -- Former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo has been hospitalized to treat a heart condition, a spokeswoman said Sunday. "He is in good spirits and thanks everyone for their support and best wishes," a spokeswoman for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the former governor's son, said. "We will provide updates as appropriate." Mario Cuomo, 82, was New York's governor for three terms from 1983-1995. Son Chris Cuomo, the host of CNN's "New Day," thanked supporters in a Twitter post Sunday night. "Pop is in the hospital, and he is doing well enough," he said. "Thx for all the sweet sentiments. Appreciated."
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Former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo has been hospitalized .
"He is in good spirits," a spokeswoman for Gov. Andrew Cuomo says .
"Pop is in the hospital, and he is doing well enough," CNN's Chris Cuomo tweets .
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Tony Abbott says he's feeling 'young and vigorous' after his approval rating rose to a four month high despite coming under fire in recent weeks for a series of gaffes. Support for the Abbott government rose three points, while Labor fell three points - making both parties tied on a primary vote of 38 percent, according to the latest Newspoll published by News Corp. 'Karl, you know what it's like to be young and vigorous and at the height of your powers,' the Prime Minister told Karl Stefanovic on Today this morning. 'That is exactly how I feel. There are some mornings we don't feel like that but that is certainly how I feel this morning.' Scroll down for video . Tony Abbott says he's feeling 'young and vigorous' after his approval rating rose to a four month high in the latest opinion polls . The percentage of those voters satisfied with Mr Abbott's performance rose to 25 percent in the latest opinion poll. But Labor leader Bill Shorten took a hit with his satisfaction rating down to a record low of 35 percent. The latest opinion poll was taken over the weekend where Mr Abbott was in full force talking about his response to tackling terrorists and national security. Despite Mr Abbott's bump in the polls, 77 percent of those surveyed consider him arrogant and only one one-third of them believe he is in touch with voters. The percentage of those voters satisfied with Mr Abbott's performance rose to 25 percent in the latest opinion poll released by News Corp . The latest opinion poll was taken over the weekend where Mr Abbott was in full force talking about his response to tackling terrorists and national security . It comes after a rough few weeks in which the Prime Minister was ridiculed for controversially giving Prince Philip a knighthood, admitting he felt no guilt 'whatsoever' for children in detention centres and describing job losses under the Labor government as a 'holocaust of jobs'. While Mr Abbott also managed to survive a motion for a leadership spill this month, it emerged on Tuesday seven ministers who had expressed support for him have now put him on notice, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. The seven ministers, who asked not to be named, voted for Mr Abbott in the spill motion but say they are now prepared to help remove him if he can't revive the budget and further recover the approval ratings. Labor leader Bill Shorten took a hit with his satisfaction rating down to a record low of 35 percent . Despite Mr Abbott's bump in the polls, 77 percent of those surveyed consider him arrogant and only one one-third of them believe he is in touch with voters . Several ministers have reportedly reached out to Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, but one said: 'There's not overwhelming support yet for Malcolm [Turnbull] and it needs to be.' 'I'm focused on government. I know there are always some people in this business of politics who would rather pursue their own ambitions than the national interest but I am absolutely focused on getting on with government,' Mr Abbott told Today. 'There is a sense in which Prime Ministers are always on probation. There is a sense in which every day you have to perform. It is true you have to perform. It is true of you, it is true of me, it is true of most of us.' Support for the Abbott government (L-R: Treasuer Joe Hockey, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Tony Abbott) rose three points, while Labor fell three points - making both parties tied on a primary vote of 38 percent .
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Tony Abbott's approval rating has risen to a four month high .
Support for the government three points to equal Labor at 38 percent .
Mr Abbott said he was feeling 'young and vigorous' with news of the bump .
Percentage of voters satisfied with Mr Abbott's performance rose to 25 percent in latest opinion poll .
Labor leader Bill Shorten took a hit with satisfaction down to 35 percent .
It comes as seven ministers revealed they will help get rid of Mr Abbott if he can't revive the budget and opinion poll ratings .
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Last updated at 5:37 PM on 17th June 2011 . A government office worker who faked a spinal tumour stole £70,000 to to buy 22 designer handbags has been jailed. Zaira Beg cashed 35 forged cheques so that she could splash out on luxury items including a £4000 Louis Vuitton bag. Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that her haul of exclusive leather goods also included top name designers Gucci and Hermes. Expensive: A Gucci bag similar to the luxury model that was bought with the stolen cash, a London court heard . And that when they were discovered some of them remained unused and in their original packaging. Beg, 26, forged the cheques over a nine month period while she worked for welfare-to-work provider Ingeus UK Ltd. Prosecutor Karen Maxwell-Burnside said Beg ripped off her employers between February and October 2009. She told the court the treasury assistant faked a spinal tumour and regularly feigned illness to take time off. The court also heard that in the days after she cashed a forged cheque she would go shopping. Beg was eventually caught when an investigation was launched into her repeated absences and she was unable to explain and back up her reasons for taking time off. Coveted: Handbags by Louis Vuitton, like this one, were found unused after Beg's shopping spree, Snaresbrook court heard . Prized: Luxury brands like this Hermes were targeted by Beg the court in London heard . She later complained that she had been bullied at work and passed over for promotion. Ms Maxwell-Burnside added: 'The timing of the cashing of the cheques seemed to correspond with the times she was on sick leave. 'It seems she would go and get the money when she was not working. 'Although she took time off work she would return for the odd day to complete the monthly reconciliation forms in an effort to ensure her fraud was not discovered. 'In total Beg, who was earning £1,700 per month, stole £71,350 and bought 22 handbags as well as a laptop computer. But many of the bags were recovered from Beg's home in Walthamstow, east London, unused and still in their original packaging. Ms Maxwell-Burnside said: 'Miss Beg told officers she had been bullied at work. 'She also felt that she had been passed over by less well qualified colleagues on the basis of their dress and their manner.' The court heard that since her arrest Beg had been diagnosed with Bipolar affective disorder and was receiving treatment for the condition. Caroline Jackson, defending Beg, told the court: 'It is not being put forward that she was so unwell that she did not know what she was doing. 'Though, to have some 22 designer handbags at home seems quite odd behaviour.' Sentencing Beg Judge Nicholas Huskinson said: 'This was a very serious offence involving a breach of trust, especially having regards to your position of responsibility. 'It was carried out over a substantial period of time and indeed the last cheque was drawn after you had already been suspended. 'The deviousness with which you operated can be noted in that not only did you forge the cheques but you took substantial sick leave for which your company was receptive and generous to but you came in on the day of reconciliation in order to cover your tracks and that in my judgement shows a degree of calculation. 'Beg, of Walthamstow, admitted one charge of fraud and was jailed for 16 months.
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She cashed 35 cheques for raids on luxury labels Gucci and Louis Vuitton .
And feigned cancer treatment to take time off for shopping trips .
Many items were unused and had not been unwrapped .
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When Francis Benali arrives at St Mary's on Saturday, he'll be emotional. The former Southampton hardman may even shed a tear, perhaps not something you would expect from a man of his reputation. But consider this. How would you feel after running close to 1,000 miles in three weeks? Pretty emotional, probably. Test: Benali (left) is running the 1000 miles between every Premier League ground in just 21 days . Power: The former Southampton full-back poses by the pitch after reaching Leicester's King Power stadium . Well, when Benali reaches the final stop of his tour of all 20 Barclays Premier League grounds ahead of Southampton's clash against West Ham this weekend, that's exactly what he would have achieved. Twenty-one days of agony, ice-baths and sleep deprivation - all in aid of Cancer Research UK. 'I've always been interested in extreme challenges such as this and the idea to do something like this has been floating around in my head for about three years now,' Benali told Sportsmail. 'And then came the moment where I just thought: "It's now or never". I always wanted a challenge to be based around football given I used to be professional, so this sounded like a perfect idea - though halfway through, I'm not so sure now! Emotional: Although the physical pain is tough, it's the mental test that Benali is finding hardest . 'The idea of seeing how far you can push yourself has always intrigued me.' Benali, now 45, knows a thing or two about putting his body through the mill. Over 300 league appearances for the Saints between 1988 and 2004 speaks for itself. But the former Saints full-back is quick to point out that his years as a Premier League footballer pales in comparison to his current challenge of running, on average, 50 miles a day. Helping out: Benali battles with Alan Shearer but his former teammate is helping him along the way . 'Obviously the pain threshold is the biggest difficulty you face,' said Benali. 'It's a different type of fitness to playing football professionally, this is more about the mind when you can barely put one foot in front of the other. 'Nothing can prepare you for that. The extent of my training was going on a 40 miler, but I had two days off after that. 'So you know you can run the distance, it' just having the mindset to tell yourself you have to do it everyday. That's the hardest thing. 'Some days you get through it, some days you can hardly put one foot in front of each other. Stretching the limits: Running an average of 50 miles a day, some days Benali runs longer than he sleeps . 'Some days I finish running, take an ice bath, eat and fall straight into bed and have to do it all over again. Some days I'm running longer in a day than I'm sleeping at night. 'Some days I just can't eat anything, I have no appetite. Obviously my support team are keen for me to stay sufficiently refuelled for the next day, but some days I just can't physically eat anything. 'That is perhaps the hardest thing. The running, yes, it's painful but you get through it. 'But it's the mental and emotional battle that is the hardest to deal with. All the days are blurring into one at the moment. 'The other day I just burst into tears when I finished for the day after seeing my family. You don't expect that to happen. Mental strength: 'It's a different type of fitness to playing football professionally,' says Benali . 'You can prepare physically, but it's the emotional side you can't prepare for. But that was part of the intrigue for me, how far you can push yourself, what your limits are.' Thankfully, Benali has been helped along the way during his gruelling personal battle across England's footballing landscape. He's managed to rope former team-mates Alan Shearer, Matt Le Tissier and James Beattie into helping him along on certain legs, while current top-flight stars Dean Hammond and Danny Ings have also lent their support. Southampton's promising start to the season will have also helped Benali's mood along the way. Many had tipped the south-coast club as relegation contenders following the departure of manager Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham, as well as the likes of Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Calum Chambers and Dejan Lovren. But under the guidance of new manager Ronald Koeman, Southampton have lost just one from their opening three game - a narrow defeat at Liverpool. Exhausted: By the time he arrives at St Mary's on Saturday Benali will have been to all 20 grounds . Hardman: The fullback had a reputation as a tough guy but he admits to breaking down during this journey . Staying positive: Benali believes that Koeman's men can have a good season despite a tough summer . 'People had Saints tagged as relegation candidates, but I was always pretty confident, I suppose I'm always a confident and positive person,' added Benali . 'People were questioning why were selling so many players, in many ways we were victims of our own success. But Koeman needed time to get his players in and he looks to have signed some real real quality there. 'So I was never one who feared the worst.' You'll need all that positive thinking this week, Francis. Former Southampton footballer Francis Benali is running 1000 miles in 21 days to every Premier League club, covering between 45 and 50 miles a day for Cancer Research UK. . Benali will be arriving at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea on Saturday at approximately 10-10.30. To find out more information visit benalisbigrun.co.uk To donate text "BIGR55 £amount" to 70070 (For example, "BIGR55 £10"). Or you can donate via Just Giving, the link can be found at benalisbigrun.co.uk .
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Benali is running between every Premier League club for charity .
Former Saints full-back covering more than 50 miles a day on average .
Alan Shearer, Matt Le Tissier and James Beattie have helped him along by running part of the way with him .
Benali says he was totally unprepared for the emotional drain and constant pain of gruelling challenge .
'Seeing how far you can push yourself has always intrigued me,' he says .
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By . Emily Davies . PUBLISHED: . 11:40 EST, 8 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:21 EST, 8 February 2013 . New York has been named the 27th most expensive city in the world, and it is getting pricier, according to new figures. An index ranking 131 cities in order of costliness showed New York had risen 19 places since last year, and it is now joint most expensive city in the U.S. tied with Los Angeles. A weighted average of the prices of 160 products and services was used to work out the cost of living for the survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit. New York has risen 19 places to be ranked the world's 27th most expensive city, new figures show . Joint with Los Angeles, New York has be named the most expensive city in the U.S. New York's figure was set to 100 to provide a base for comparisons with other cities. For the 14th time in 20 years Tokyo was . found to be the world's most expensive city, having reclaimed the title . from Zurich, which topped the table last year thanks to its strong currency. Rising costs of clothing, tobacco and groceries were factors in New York's pricey cost of living . Paris was found to be the most expensive in 2010 and Oslo has also placed first in recent years. The stronger U.S. dollar and rising costs of clothing, tobacco and groceries were factors which led to the rise in living costs in New York. Only 12 cities saw a relative rise in the cost of living compared with New York, while 112 cities saw the . cost of living relative to New York fall. In the last year Switzerland sought to weaken its franc, meaning Geneva and Zurich saw the biggest falls in living costs. Detroit and Panama City were cities where the cost of living decreased most over the last decade, and it rose most . in Caracas and São Paulo. Tokyo came top of the index and was the world's most expensive city for the 14th time in 20 years . Despite the gains of the US dollar, . the Canadian city of Vancouver remains the most expensive location . in North America. The British Columbian capital rose by 15 places in the overall ranking to become 21st most expensive and remains six per cent more expensive than New York. Mumbai and Karachi were the joint cheapest locations surveyed, with indices of just 44 when compared with New York.
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New York ranked joint most expensive city in the U.S. tied with Los Angeles .
Tokyo world's most expensive, while Mumbai and Karachi were cheapest .
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A man who stole a woman's cell phone after she was fatally hit by a subway train has turned himself in. Surveillance footage at Boston's Downtown Crossing station shows the man cover his face in shock as the car struck and killed the woman at 9.48pm on Thursday. After reviewing the video, police saw her phone - in an orange case - flew out of her purse on impact and landed on the platform. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Manhunt: This is the moment a man put his foot over a woman's phone after it flew out her purse as she was hit by a subway car in Boston's Downtown Crossing station a 9.48pm on Thursday. He then picked it up . Lodged: As people rushed toward the scene, the man can be seen lightly turning his foot to cover the phone . As crowds rushed over to the scene, the man in question is seen placing his foot over the phone. He then slowly reached down, picked it up, and put it in his pocket, before walking down to another part of the station. Police tell NECN that the still unidentified 26-year-old male suspect from Brockton, Mass., turned himself in at the MBTA Police Headquarters Friday night. MBTA Transit Police had released images from the video in a bid to track down the alleged thief. Grabbing: After looking around at other passersby, he swiftly bends down to pick up the device . Search: Police said footage shows him putting the phone in his pocket then walking off down the platform . Appeal: Witnesses or people that know the man pictured are urged to contact the police with information . Lieutenant Richard Sullivan told Boston Globe: 'Ninety-nine percent of all of the other people were concerned about what happened, running to the end of the train to see if they could help. 'This gentleman had a different idea.'
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Woman hit by Boston subway car, her orange phone flew out her purse .
CCTV footage shows man walk over, put foot over it, then pick it up .
Alleged thief turned himself into Boston police Friday night .
Police have released images of the man and appealed for witnesses .
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This should be the day Nigeria steps into the spotlight and basks in the glow of hosting the World Economic Forum in Africa. It is the first time the West African country has hosted the VIP event since the Geneva-based WEF came to the continent nearly a quarter century ago -- but the spotlight has shifted. Focus is now on the Nigeria's list of problems in the North: kidnappings, terrorist attacks and killings. The country has been a terrific economic growth story for the past few years, humming along at around 7%. It is at the heart of what many define as an African Renaissance. After decades of loans from international lenders such as the World Bank, high debt and little development, Africa is coming alive. That is why Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and his highly regarded economic team were eager to bring global CEOs to their turf. But Nigeria does have a couple of obvious economic black-eyes, most notably an inability to close the wealth gap between the North and South, which in turn has given fuel to the Boko Haram movement and, by extension, radical Islam. These groups take issue with what they see as the negative influences of globalization. The WEF is seen as standing at the forefront of a policy discussion and networking linked to more, not less, globalization. The best indicator for the wealth gap is per capita income. Let's start in the financial capital of Lagos and work our way North. In Lagos, it is pegged at just over $2,900, according to a survey by Renaissance Capital. In the political capital of Abuja, where the economic forum is taking place, it rises to $4,000. But if one heads North to Borno -- the birthplace of Boko Haram -- per capita income is just $1,631. There is an overemphasis on farming, very little in the way of an industrial base and the financial situation is even worse in surrounding states. In Borno, alarmingly, 60% of the population lives in extreme poverty, according to the Nigeria Security Tracker. Poverty and violence often go hand-in-hand, and that is the case here. Nearly a third of all violent deaths in the country over the past two years have taken place in this region. One cannot overlook the effort by the terrorist group to ramp up the heat ahead of this high-profile business forum. But at the same time one cannot ignore the lack of progress in fighting off the violence and persistent corruption. This government's track record of unleashing pent-up demand is solid. After re-basing its economy in early April to take in services growth, Nigeria zoomed ahead of South Africa as the continent's biggest economy. Nigeria and South Africa are both plagued with high unemployment, but the former's GDP now stands at over a half trillion dollars while the latter's is at $325 billion. South Africa also struggles with less than a third of Nigeria's growth. South Africa's President Jacob Zuma goes to the polls making the case that his country can serve as a springboard into the faster growing economies of West and East Africa, due to its lead in financial and trade services. Nigerian private sector banks and telecom providers have a different view. Nigeria has all the ingredients for growth: 170 million people, a low debt level and low budget deficit with the blessing of sizable proven oil reserves. At 37 billion barrels, the country is ranked second on the continent behind Libya. It is a nice recipe for growth, but the rule of law and rooting out corruption rank high on the foreign investor check list. That is where Nigeria remains vulnerable. More from John Defterios: Pocketbook politics will decide India's electionOpinion: My country, the schizophrenic NigeriaRead more: 6 reasons why the world should demand action in NigeriaOpinion: Nigerians don't care about their 'new economy'
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Nigeria has a nice recipe for growth, CNN's John Defterios writes .
But he says the country remains vulnerable to violence and corruption .
The rule of law rank high on the foreign investor check list, he says .
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Pilot forced to head back to Stansted 20 minutes in to 1,000-mile flight to Riga, Latvia . Comes as company outlines ambitious plan to double number of passengers . Passengers with Ryanair have long been accustomed to the airline cutting financial corners. But when one party found ground crews applying sticky tape to a cockpit window, they feared the penny-pinching had gone too far. Twenty minutes after take-off, the service from Stansted airport to Riga in Latvia was forced to turn back when the patch came loose and started making a ‘loud’ noise. Running repairs: Airport staff work on the Boeing's cockpit using duck-tape . Ryanair has insisted safety was never at risk, but passengers said they were in fear of their lives. Anthony Neal, 33, from Bromley, Kent, who was with a group of friends for his stag party, said: ‘They were taping up the front window as we were queueing to get on. ‘One guy was up a ladder and another was hanging out of a side window of the cockpit. ‘About 20 minutes into the flight the pilot came on the loudspeaker and said there was a problem with the windscreen – that it had been damaged on a previous flight and they’d have to turn back to Stansted. People were terrified.’ The Boeing 737-800 took off on the evening of September 29 with around 200 passengers. A replacement plane was found after two hours . The Irish Aviation Authority has investigated the incident and said the tape was used to provide protection to sealant on a new window, adding: ‘At no time was passenger safety threatened.’ Before the 1,000-mile flight from . Stansted, Essex, to Riga in Latvia ground crew had been called out to . wrap the edge of the windscreen with the tape . The incident comes as the Micheal . O'Leary, chief executive of the airline, today outlined ambitious . expansion plans that would see it almost double the number of passengers . and stretch its reach across Europe. Mr O'Leary told the Financial Times . that he wanted to increase passenger numbers to between 120million and . 130million over the next decade - which would make Ryanair one of the . biggest airlines in the world. Controversial: The incident comes as the Micheal O'Leary, chief executive of the airline, outlined ambitious expansion plans that would see it almost double the number of passengers and stretch its reach across Europe . He said the airline is in talks with . plane makers Boeing, Comac in China, and Russia's Irkut over the . purchase of 200 to 300 new narrow-bodied aircraft. Dublin-based Ryanair carried . 72.1million passengers in 2010/11 but the plans could double the size of . its fleet of about 270 aircraft. Mr O'Leary added that Ryanair could . increase its share of the European market as the tough economic . environment boosts demand for low-cost travel. The outspoken Irishman said the . airline could deploy 50 new aircraft to serve Scandinavia and a further . 100 to service the Baltic states, Poland, Hungary and the Czech . Republic. All of Ryanair's planes are . manufactured by US manufacturer Boeing, and analysts said costs could . increase if it bought aircraft from another maker. Mr O'Leary is well-known for courting . controversy with his cost-cutting suggestions, which have included . charging to use the toilets on planes, removing a toilet, standing . passenger space, and scrapping the role of the co-pilot.
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Pilot forced to head back to Stansted 20 minutes in to 1,000-mile flight to Riga, Latvia .
Comes as company outlines ambitious plan to double number of passengers .
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10971f7e8929e9f71cbe55c766465d43ecf66222
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The congressional spending bill agreed to on Tuesday night blocks Washington, DC lawmakers from using federal or local funds to implement November's popularly passed referendum to legalize marijuana in the district. The legislation, according to a release from Republican Rep. Hal Rogers, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, "prohibits both federal and local funds from being used to implement a referendum legalizing recreational marijuana use in the district." The language in the bill -- found on page 660 of the 1,603 page document -- is word-for-word what Republican Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland proposed earlier in the year. "None of the funds contained in this act may be used to enact or carry out any law, rule or regulation to legalize or otherwise reduce penalties associated with the possession, use, or distribution of any schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act or any tetrhydrocannabinols derivative for recreational purposes," reads the bill. DC marijuana activists' worst fears were realized on Tuesday night with the agreed upon language. Earlier in the day, activists worried that Congress would thwart November's popular vote to legalize pot in the district. "This House language sucks," Adam Eidinger, chair of the DC Cannabis Campaign, said after the language was released. "Only the Senate can step up and do something or presidential veto. Otherwise our election has just been overturned and we will take it to the streets." In response to the Congress' decision, pro-marijuana groups are prepared to protest Wednesday night. Although the proposal needs to pass the House and Senate and get signed into law by the President, it appears unlikely the Democrats will risk shutting down the government to remove the marijuana language. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who believes that DC should be able to do what it wants, admitted to reporters earlier today that "if they put it in there, it's going to be hard to take it out." And in announcing the deal, Rep. Nita Lowey, D-New York, said that although she "strongly oppose[s] several policy riders included in this final agreement ... I am pleased Democrats were able to eliminate many of the most damaging provisions." By moving to stop legalization efforts in DC, Congress will have trumped the over 70 percent of district residents who voted to legalize marijuana in November. Congress, under DC's Home Rule charter, is able to veto every law approved by either DC voters or government. In the past, this power has been used to block everything from abortion spending to needle exchange. During the 2011 budget negotiations, President Barack Obama reportedly used the district's law of paying for low-income women's abortions as a bargaining chip with House Speaker John Boehner. "John, I will give you DC abortion. I am not happy about it," Obama said, according to The Washington Post. "This was always a possibility but I think it is very, very disturbing that Democrats have given this away," said Michael Collins, policy manager for the Drug Policy Alliance, a group that lobbied for the DC law. "This is really one of the final acts of Democratic leadership before Republicans control both sides and for them to give this away, it just seems to very tone deaf." The DC Cannabis Campaign, the group who introduced and passed the legalization ballot initiative, also blamed congressional Democrats for blocking the legislation. "This is a big issue and if you are going to overturn an election, you are going to demoralize young Democrats across the country," said Eidinger said. DC Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser has not yet commented on the possibility of Congress addressing the district's marijuana law. But her spokesman, Joaquin McPeek, before the language came out on Tuesday that Bowser "would hope that Congress would respect the will of the voters and reject any challenge to their rights." With Congress blocking marijuana funding, expect many DC residents to cry foul about what they calling living under the thump of Congress. "This is nothing new," said Mark Plotkin, a longtime figure in DC politics. "We are a colony. We are America's colony and anytime they want to screw around with us, they can do such things." What's more, while Congress is making decisions for the district, proponents of district autonomy were quick to point out that district residents still have no voting member of the House or Senate.
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The congressional spending bill blocks Washington, DC lawmakers from implementing marijuana legalization .
D.C. marijuana activists' worst fears were realized on Tuesday night with the agreed upon language .
Congress, under the district's Home Rule charter, is able to veto every law approved by either DC voters or government .
"This House language sucks," said Adam Eidinger, chair of the DC Cannabis Campaign .
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1097520d745f7a668f6f2affae609e0b2b1a1fd2
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By . Emma Glanfield for MailOnline . A classical musician is suing police for loss of earnings after a PCSO stopped him from busking in a town centre and called him a 'beggar and a 'vagrant'. Professional flautist and singer Barry Jackson, 48, was singing Luciano Pavarotti arias and playing music in a shopping precinct in Sale, Greater Manchester, when the female community officer ordered him to move on saying he was causing an obstruction. The intervention under the Vagrancy Act 1824 forced Mr Jackson, from Walkden, Greater Manchester, to abandon his five hour stint after just 45 minutes. Barry Jackson, 48, has launched a case against Greater Manchester Police claiming loss of earnings after being told to move along by a PCSO and apparently being called a 'beggar' and a 'vagrant' while he performed . The professional flautist and singer was singing Luciano Pavarotti arias and playing music in a shopping precinct in Sale, Greater Manchester, when he was moved along by the PCSO under the Vagrant Act 1824 . He later consulted a solicitor and has now filed complaints to Greater Manchester Police and the Independent Police Complaints Commission. The father-of-one who received his classical music training as a flautist and tenor singer at Salford College of Music for two years before training at the Manchester College of Music said: 'I am not a beggar or a vagrant - I am a professional musician, classically trained who has been through years of training to learn my craft. 'I have been in orchestras and choirs. I can sight read, I can join a group of musicians and sight read straight away and I find it very sad the PCSO should react in this way. 'It's bad a day when buskers are tarred with the same brush as aggressive beggars. We're not doing any harm - in fact we are playing beautiful music. Busking is a great British tradition but it seems someone in authority wants to restrict street culture and that is bad for all for all performers who perform in the street like me. 'I always try to be a responsible performer, never obstructing and definitely never asking for money. I simply play so people hear my work and it's a great platform for showcasing what I can do. There is no way I would demand or pester anyone for money.' Mr Jackson, who also plays viola, entered the music industry at 16 having picked up a flute when he was just eight years old. The father-of-one claims he lost about £40 in earnings after his set was cut short after just 45 minutes . The singer was performing a number Pavarotti favourites including Nessun Dorma when he was moved along . After leaving college he became a blue coat entertainer at a Pontins holiday camp and has played with a variety of musicians including Scottish singer-songwriter Jim Diamond and jazz saxophonist Christopher 'Snake' Davis. The incident occurred last month while he was performing in Sale town centre when he started singing Pavarotti favourites like Nessun Dorma and a complaint was made to the police. Mr Jackson, a high baritone, said: 'A PCSO arrived and said the complaint had been about someone singing and dancing and there was a lady dancing nearby who was nothing to do with me. There are no laws against busking in the UK, although those wishing to do so are strongly advised by authorities to seek permission from the local council. Each authority operates a different policy on busking but some stipulate that a licence is necessary to be able to busk in a public area. While busking is not illegal, there are rules which those doing so must follow. They are: . Children under 14 aren’t allowed to busk. In contrast, under the Vagrancy Act 1824, it is an offence to sleep rough or beg in England and Wales. Those doing so will be told to move along and can be arrested. Those who continue to persistently flout the law can face jail for the offence. 'I said to the PSCO, "can I stop you there? I am not with this woman. I work on my own. This lady is dancing. I am not." The lady even told the PCSO she wasn't with me. But the PCSO just signalled me out and called me a beggar and a vagrant which got me really upset. 'As I remember she said "you are a beggar". She only said that when it was just me and her. I told her it was wrong and that her comment was inflammatory. 'I said "I am not a beggar, I am a street performer". She replied "actually it's not, its vagrancy". 'I was so shocked. They are meant to know the law and enforce the law fairly but she had it all wrong.' 'She told me I was causing an obstruction and told me to move on. I was shocked. I couldn't believe it. 'I always make sure my equipment is contained and not obstructing anything. She could clearly see that. To be sent away at midday meant I missed out on a good four more hours of performing.' Mr Jackson who claims he can earn up to £90 in one day of street performing believes he missed out on £40 because of the incident. He added: 'I rehearse many hours a day and to be called a beggar is very insulting. When I busk I normally stay all day but after this incident I left after 45 minutes. 'I was in choirs from a young boy as a soprano and my mother was a soprano. She is one of the main reasons I became classically trained - she said if you are going to be a professional musician you might as well do it properly.' He said: 'I have been trying to make it for years but sadly I haven't have my break yet. But if I had a penny for the times people come up to me when I am busking and say "you should be on the TV" or "you shouldn't be here", I would be a rich man. 'There are so many talented singers out there but some like me aren't lucky enough to get discovered. I reckon I lost about £40 and I cannot afford to lose this money.' Mr Jackson started out as a blue coat entertainer at a Pontins holiday camp and has played with a variety of musicians including Scottish singer-songwriter Jim Diamond and jazz saxophonist Christopher 'Snake' Davis . Greater Manchester Police said: 'We can confirm a complaint was made about officer conduct and they have been advised.' The IPCC confirmed it had also received a complaint. Trafford Council confirmed it does not issue a specific licence for busking but added: 'If we are contacted by someone about busking we advise they should be mindful of shoppers and businesses by responsible and not cause an obstruction or nuisance. 'They are also advised to be considerate and move on if asked by a business or the police.'
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Flautist Barry Jackson was asked to move along in Sale, Greater Manchester .
48-year-old father was singing Pavarotti when he was approached by PCSO .
Claims he was called a 'beggar and vagrant' and told he was an obstruction .
Told to move on under Vagrancy Act but there are no laws against busking .
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1097e9656c2cdd24d61dd4105eba222576e51905
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My Kitchen Rules contestant Adam Anderson has been called a 'deadbeat dad' by his ex-wife in an explosive interview which also revealed the former tennis pro is friends with show judge Pete Evans. Cindy Anderson, Adam's former wife of almost 20 years, told A Current Affair on Monday night that her ex owes her tens of thousands of dollars in child support for their five children, aged between eight and 15 years of age. Adam's ex said she feels no bitterness that he has moved on and re-married to Carol Molloy - his partner on the Channel 7 reality show - but she claims that's when her issues with child support payments began. Cindy also claimed that Adam used to coach My Kitchen Rules judge Pete on the tennis court and that the pair worked together at his Kings Cross restaurant Hugo's, in Sydney, after she split with him. 'He has known Pete Evans, he knows him through tennis, through coaching him,' Cindy told reporter Brady Halls. Scroll down for video . Owing child support? My Kitchen Rules contestant Adam Anderson's ex-wife, Cindy, told A Current Affair on Monday night that he owes their five children approximately twelve months worth of child support, amassing tens of thousands of dollars . 'Deadbeat dad'? The former tennis professional is alleged to be providing his children with 'no financial support at all' according to his former wife . 'We get no financial support at all,' she also told Brady. Cindy claims her concern is that the large sum owning to her has amassed over the past year, which she says 'worries me considerably in that my youngest is only 8 - he has many more years where he needs support from his father.' 'The children also have no emotional support from him. He does not ring them, nor come and see them,' she said, adding 'they do not receive a card [for birthdays] in the mail, not even a phone call.' 'He's never played an active, massive role in their lives anyway...but basically his role now is non-existent, he's pretty much wiped his hands clean of the children,' Cindy said. Happier times: The couple were married for almost 20 years and had five children together . Ranging in age: Their kids are aged between eight years and 15 years of age . Adam's ex also claimed that the lack of funds has reached a point where it's 'significantly impacting on the children', with the blonde single mother saying she's speaking on A Current Affair instead of dealing with the matter privately because 'He has blocked my number and both his childrens' numbers - the older two girls have phones'. Cindy not only took aim at Adam during the interview but also at the Child Support Agency and producers of My Kitchen Rules. 'It seems there is little they [child support agency] can do, irrespective of him being in the print that he's working at three private schools doing tennis, irrespective of his face being on My Kitchen Rules. 'They consistently say there is no source of collection, there is no avenue for us to collect revenue,' she said. Upset: The blonde single mother says she went on the show for the tell all after Adam's allegedly blocked her calls and the numbers of their two eldest daughters . Making money? Cindy said she was most upset because her ex speaks of coaching at private schools but is allegedly unable to pay monies to his children . Spokesman and General Manager for the Department of Human services, who over-sees the Child Support Agency, Hank Jongen told Brady: 'I can't talk about individual cases but let me assure you, that we go to great lengths in order to enforce child support obligations.' 'We will do whatever it takes to recover that money,' he added. While Cindy claims she wrote to producers of the show to find out if he was being paid for his appearances to garnish money from his wages, she was left without a response. A Channel Seven spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia in response to Cindy's claims: 'This is a private matter between the parties involved.' Channel Seven also refuted the claim, that Adam and Pete are friends: 'They [Adam and Pete] met for the first time on the program'. On TV: Cindy says there is no bitterness that Adam has moved on and re-married recently, to his MKR partner Carol Molloy (pictured) Friends in high place? Adam's ex-wife also claims the former tennis pro used to coach judge Pete Evans, a claim Channel Seven refute .
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My Kitchen Rules contestant Adam Anderson's ex-wife has spoken out .
Cindy Anderson claims Adam does not pay child support for their five kids .
She spoke out on A Current Affair because he's 'blocked' her number .
Also revealed Adam knows the show's judge Pete Evans .
The former tennis pro reportedly coached the celebrity chef on the court .
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An Oklahoma man who allegedly tried to hire a former co-worker to kill his pregnant girlfriend by poisoning her with ricin is set to stand trial. Preston Rhoads, 31, reportedly asked his friend to take part in a series of plots to poison the unnamed woman and her unborn fetus with the deadly toxin at their home in Oklahoma City. These included acting as a pizza delivery person and sprinkling ricin on a pizza, and dissolving the substance in a can of soda before handing it to the victim. Today, Rhoads waived his preliminary hearing in Oklahoma County District Court on two counts of solicitation to commit murder and attempting to kill another person. On trial: Preston Rhoads (pictured in court yesterday), 31, allegedly tried to hire a former co-worker to kill his pregnant girlfriend by poisoning her with ricin. He will now appear at a pre-trial conference on November 26 . He will now appear at a pre-trial conference on November 26. He has denied all charges. Rhoads allegedly told his former co-worker in April that he had extracted ricin from the seeds of a castor bean plant after downloading a poison manual from the internet. He then referenced the hit U.S. crime drama Breaking Bad, before showing his friend a vial of the toxic substance, according to an affidavit cited by News 9. On the show, lead character Walter White prepares ricin twice as a form of killing - preferring it to other methods because it leaves behind little or no trace of its use on the victim. In custody: Rhoads reportedly asked his friend to take part in a series of plots to poison the woman and her fetus with the deadly toxin at their home in Oklahoma City. These included acting as a pizza delivery driver . Suspect: They also included dissolving the substance in a can of soda before handing it to the victim . Seeds: Rhoads allegedly told his former co-worker he had extracted ricin from the seeds of a castor bean plant (pictured) after downloading a poison manual from the internet. A single dose of the toxin can kill . Symptoms of ricin poisoning include trouble breathing, coughing, nausea, fever, seizures and vomiting. A single dose of the toxin, made up of only a few grains, can kill. After showing his friend the vial on April 6, Rhoads allegedly asked him to dress up as a pizza delivery person, before giving a pizza sprinkled with ricin to the victim. However, the suspect later decided against that particular plot because he did not wish for his girlfriend's parents to get sick, it is alleged. He then reportedly suggested that his unidentified would-be accomplice hide the toxin in a soft drink and give it to his girlfriend. Deadly plan: Rhoads (pictured in his mugshot, left, and in a Facebook picture, right) referenced the hit U.S. crime drama Breaking Bad, before showing his friend a vial of the toxic substance, according to an affidavit . Crime drama: On the show, lead character Walter White (pictured) prepares ricin twice as a form of killing - preferring it to other methods because it leaves behind little or no trace of its use on the victim . Rhoads was hoping the ricin would poison his pregnant girlfriend and therefore kill his unborn child, the affidavit said . It added: 'Rhoads stated that if the girlfriend were to die in the process, Rhoads is okay with the result.' However, Rhoads's alleged plot fell through when his former co-worker notified the FBI on April 17. Rhoads, who was later arrested and charged, remains in jail without bond. Raid: Rhoads's alleged plot fell through when his former co-worker notified the FBI on April 17. Above, the suspect's home is pictured being raided agents wearing hazmat suits earlier this year .
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Preston Rhoads, 31, allegedly asked former co-worker to poison girlfriend .
He 'wanted to kill unborn fetus and was okay with woman dying in process'
But suspect's alleged plot fell through when unnamed friend alerted the FBI .
Rhoads has waived preliminary hearing in Oklahoma County District Court .
Charged with solicitation to commit murder and attempting to kill a person .
Rhoads, of Oklahoma City, will appear at pre-trial conference in November .
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109843720ee9d563a54edca3dad714f082effc8b
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By . Mia De Graaf . A coroner has criticised the Ministry of Defence for a series of failures which led to the deaths of two soldiers in a fire as they slept at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan. Privates Dean Hutchinson, 23, and Robert Wood, 28 - plus one survivor - were sleeping in a tented office so they could respond more quickly when vital supplies arrived. But in the early hours of Valentine's Day 2011 witnesses could smell smoke and went out to see flames engulfing the air-conditioned canvas unit. Tragic: Privates Dean Hutchinson, 23 (left), and Robert Wood, 28 (right), died in the fire on February 14, 2011 . Today David Ridley, Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner, condemned a string of 'contributory factors' to the deaths - including a broken fire alarm. The MoD now has 56 days to reply in writing with details of actions that have been taken to prevent future similar deaths. Pte Wood, known as Woody, had become a . father to a boy, Noah, shortly before he died. He was a driver port . operator, posted to 17 Port and Maritime Regiment, and lived in . Hampshire. Pte Hutchinson, from County Durham, was a driver and had seven years’ service with the Army. The inquest heard that both senior . commanders and fire safety officers did not know the soldiers were . sleeping on duty during night shifts at the base in Helmand Province. Witnesses described struggling to get hold of emergency services when they saw the Transport Troop unit was ablaze. Private Sikeli Ratu, who was woken by . the smell of smoke, fled the canvas tent to raise the alarm but soldiers at the scene did not know the emergency 222 number. He told the court he . could hear Pte Hutchinson calling his name. By . the time firefighters arrived at the scene, the blaze had taken hold of . the tent, with flames approximately 3ft high and only the metal tent . poles remaining of the structure. They had been sleeping in the canvas tent in Camp Bastion (pictured) to be closer to vital supplies being delivered . Fire . investigators have concluded that the blaze started in the vicinity of . the electrical appliances - including a 32in flat-screen TV, boiler and fridge, and a nearby air conditioning unit. The fire quickly spread, igniting combustible . materials stored nearby, the court heard. Recording a narrative conclusion, Mr Ridley listed the seven errors that led to the deaths of Pte Hutchinson and Pte Wood: . 'The . systemic failure by the chain of command to communicate the occurrence . of sleeping on duties at night to key personnel, such as the unit fire . safety officer, as safety measures associated with this practice to all . Transport Troop personnel. 'The failure to police the occurrence of sleeping on duties at night through the use of random checks. 'The . failure to effectively check the working functionality of the nine-volt . smoke detector located inside the tent where the fire started, . resulting in it not being in working order at the time of the fire. 'The . systemic failure to provide effective training, especially to fire . NCOs, to identify the potential risk of the overloading of sockets and . extension blocks. The MoD now has 56 days to make or plan measures to prevent future similar deaths of soldiers . 'The . failure to rectify the error in the December 2010 fire risk assessment, . when it became known that sleeping was taking place within the tent in . December 2010. 'The failure to request a fresh fire risk assessment following the structural alterations that took place in January 2011. 'The absence of the Transport Troop tent from the theatre asset register.' The court heard senior officers were not certain who was responsible for checking the smoke detectors in the Transport Troop tent. It also emerged senior officers were not certain who was responsible for checking the smoke detectors in the Transport Troop tent. The rear of the Transport Troop tent was not permanently sealed and could be opened by unzipping the fire retardant inner lining and undoing the toggles to the canvas door. But the rear door to the adjacent Quartermaster’s tent was tied up tightly and also padlocked, the inquest was told. Since the tragedy a number of changes have been made by the Ministry of Defence and Army to improve safety for troops using tents.
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Dean Hutchinson, 23, and Robert Wood, 28, died on February 14, 2011 .
Flames engulfed tent that were sleeping in to be near vital supplies .
Fire alarm broken, soldiers did not know emergency number, court heard .
Coroner issued a report, MoD has 56 days to respond with changes .
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The Obamas and Bidens spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on three separate vacation trips during last year's President's Day weekend, records show. The total tab for he U.S. Secret Service came to at least $295,437. President Barack Obama spent that weekend golfing in West Palm Beach, Florida with Tiger Woods' former coach, and appeared briefly with the golf superstar. The first lady and the Obamas' daughters took their annual three-day weekend jaunt to the Colorado ski resort town of Aspen, where they might have bumped into Vice President and Mrs. Biden – who were there on a separate vacation trip. The watchdog group Judicial Watch obtained records from the Secret Service through a Freedom of Information Act request, learning that the cost of protecting the president that weekend came to $98,135.79. That total included $32,406.50 for flights, $16,466.25 for rental cars and $48,490 for hotel rooms. President Obama played golf for three days in Florida while Secret Service agents kept watch and blocked traffic for his motorcade -- all at a steep price . The first lady and the Obama children hti the slopes in Aspen, billing the taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in related security expenses . The U.S. Secret Service protects current and past presidents, vice presidents and their families year-round, whether they're at work in Washington or just vacationing on a golf course somewhere . 'The Obamas and Vice President Biden are oblivious to the costs to taxpayers for their vacation travel,' Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. Michelle Obama's trip cost the government at least $81,523.64 to keep her, Sasha and Malia safe, including $13,221.30 for flights, $3,925 for rental cars and a whopping $64,377.34 in weekend hotel bills. Not to be outdone, the Bidens' ski weekend cost the most in hard dollars: $115,777.61. The vice presidential family's security detail spent $92,596 on lodging, $17,866.61 on car rentals and $5,315 on flights. President Obama's trip also carried another substantial cost: Air Force One is among the world's most expensive aircraft to operate. The president's private Boeing 747 costs taxpayers $179,750 per hour to fly, according to government estimates published in 2012. First lady Michelle Obama schussed down hills at the Buttermilk ski area in Aspen, trailed by Secret Service the whole way . Actual size: Air Force One costs nearly $180,000 PER HOUR to operate . Who, me? -- Michelle Obama's security detail for a three-day ski trip last year set taxpayers back more than $81,000 . The Obama administration has come under fire for the expenses it incurs on personal travel and parties. There have been no estimates yet on the cost of Mrs. Obama's 50th birthday soiree at the White House. ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl caught White House Press Secretary Jay Carney off guard on Thursday by asking what the final price tag was. Carney referred him to the East Wing, where Mrs. Obama's office is located, for the answer. Who, me? -- Michelle Obama's security detail for a three-day ski trip last year set taxpayers back more than $81,000 .
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President Obama got golf lessons from Tiger Woods's coach in West Palm Beach, Florida during President's Day weekend 2013 .
Mrs. Obama and their daughters jetted off to Aspen, Colorado to ski while he was in sunnier climes .
Vice President and Mrs. Biden were also in Aspen on a separate trip .
Each journey required separate Secret Service protection details, and the final six-figure price tags included flights, car rentals and hotel rooms .
Judicial Watch released the documentation after pursuing the Secret Service via a Freedom of Information Act request .
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One of the most famous child actors from the 1980s has opened up about sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of older men in Hollywood and how his friendship with Michael Jackson was the healthiest relationship he had. In a new book, Coreyography, Corey Feldman, from hit movies 'Stand By Me,' 'The Lost Boys,' 'Gremlins' and 'The Goonies,' recalls his often twisted friendship with fellow child star Corey Haim and how the pair were told by trusted adults that it was normal for older men and young boys to have sexual relations in the industry. Feldman explains his family life wasn't happy: his former Playboy model mother dyed his hair blonde at age four and tortured him about his weight, force-feeding him diet pills. Meanwhile, his father only seemed to care about him when they were getting high together, he writes. Scroll down for video . Tragic: Corey Feldman, center, has opened up about the sexual abuse he and fellow child actor Corey Haim, left, suffered in Hollywood . By the age of seven, Feldman was the family breadwinner, working as a commercial actor, and his mother banned him from riding a bicycle because she said he couldn't afford to get hurt. 'You have responsibilities now,' she said, according to excerpts of the book in The New York Post. When he began acting out on the set, and was fired from one TV movie, his mother was furious. '"How could you f****** do this to me?" she screams. She is out of control, wild-eyed, like an animal. Her face is bright red and blotchy, her cheeks are streaked with mascara,' he recalls. '"You know I need this f****** money. I will kill you. I will f****** kill you, you worthless piece of s***."' Naturally, he sought out adult role models at work. And while Steven Spielberg, who hired him for the first time for 'Gremlins,' became a trusted friend, other grown ups took advantage of him, he writes in the book. An assistant his father, who managed him for a time, hired called 'Ron' took him out on the town as a teenager and introduced him on to new drugs. Memoir: In a new book, Coreyography, pictured, Corey Feldman, from hit movies 'Stand By Me,' 'The Lost Boys,' 'Gremlins' and 'The Goonies,' recalls being told by trusted adults that it was normal for older men and young boys to have sexual relations in the industry . One night, after taking a cocktail of pills 'Ron had made up,' the man, in his early 20s, placed a hand on Feldman's thigh. Ron ended up having oral sex with the 'petrified' and 'revolted' Feldman that night, the teen too frightened to say no. His . relationship with Ron lasted several years but Feldman also formed relationships . with other adults who reached out during this time. Sadly, these men, in many instances, turned out to be pedophiles. One picture in the book shows Feldman and Haim at the former's 15th birthday party flanked by five older men who at the time were abusing them. 'Slowly, over a period of many years I would begin to realize that many of the people I had surrounded myself with were monsters,' he writes. Interestingly, the only safe place he knew was with Michael Jackson. 'I was shattered, disgusted, devastated. I needed some normalcy in my life. So, I called Michael Jackson,' he recalls. The pair had been introduced by Spielberg. 'Michael Jackson's world, crazy as it sounds, had become my happy place. Being with Michael brought me back to my innocence. When I was with Michael, it was like being 10 years old again.' He insists in the book that Jackson never abused him or tried to touch him sexually. Death: Corey Feldman, left, and Corey Haim, right, starred in a TV series called 'The Two Coreys' in 2007 before Haim tragically died in 2010 following a long battle with drug addiction . During their first meeting, on the film 'The Lost Boys,' Haim confided in his new friend that on the set of the 1986 film 'Lucas,' 'an adult male convinced him that it was perfectly normal for older men and younger boys in the business to have sexual relations, that it was what all the guys do. So they walked off to a secluded area between two trailers... and Haim (was) sodomized.' The friends made nine films and starred in one TV series together and partied heavily, their increasingly damaging antics driven by the horrors of their abuse. After discovering his mother's stash of cocaine, Feldman's developed a dependance on drugs. He found himself snorting an eighth of an ounce every two days and bales of weed in his trailer. He recalled having 'regular coke-off challenges' with friends. Later he moved onto heroin. Haim was even more dependent. With his career all but over, Haim relapsed several times before dying of pneumonia in 2010 aged just 38. Feldman relapsed in 1995 but he said since then he's been clean. He now works on low budget horror films and has a 9-year-old son with ex-wife Playboy model Susie Sprague. But Feldman is adamant he will not be encouraging his son to follow him into child acting. 'People always ask me about life after childhood stardom. What would I say to parents of children in the industry?' he writes. 'My only advice, honestly, is to get these kids out of Hollywood and let them lead normal lives.'
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Corey Feldman starred in hit movies 'Stand By Me,' 'The Lost Boys,' 'Gremlins' and 'The Goonies,'
In new book Coreyography, he recalls how he and Haim were told by trusted adults that it was normal for older men and young boys to have sexual relations in Hollywood .
He described his rough home life left him searching for strong role models who often turned out to be pedophiles .
He spiraled into drug abuse, having regular 'coke-off challenges' with friends and doing heroin .
Writes that his relationship with Jackson was the healthiest in his life and that he never abused him .
Feldman kicked the habit and now acts in low budget horror films and has a son with a Playboy model .
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109c2c3d64cbe75b01fc521d4b95a67204e830d3
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By . Hannah Roberts . PUBLISHED: . 19:58 EST, 30 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:20 EST, 1 May 2013 . Refusal: Stephanie Kercher, pictured in 2011, has said her family are not interested in what Amanda Knox has to say in her book . It is one of the most keenly anticipated books of the decade. But Amanda Knox’s million-dollar memoir isn’t to everyone’s taste - the Kercher family have made it clear that they at least will not be reading it. ‘We're not interested in this book, just like we weren't interested in the others about the case, and we won't read it,' Meredith’s sister Stephanie Kercher said, after its US release yesterday. She added: ‘Meredith is the victim in this tragic case.’ Knox served four years in an Italian jail for the 2007 murder of her British flatmate Meredith Kercher in Perugia. She and former boyfriend Rafaelle Sollecito were freed on appeal in 2011, but last month Italy’s highest court dramatically ruled the pair must face retrial. Her memoir Waiting to be Heard, for which Knox was reportedly paid a 2 million pound advance, was published today in the US although plans to sell it in the UK were shelved after its publisher Harper Collins took legal advice. While a new trial is expected to take place by the summer in Florence, US authorities could invoke the principle of double-jeopardy, arguing that a person cannot be convicted of the same offence twice, and so refuse to extradite Knox back to Italy. Stephanie Kercher, the sister of the victim, released a statement in Italian through the family's lawyers Francesco Maresca and Serena Perna in Italy late on Tuesday after excerpts of Miss Knox's first US TV interview were released to publicise the release of her book, Waiting to Be Heard. She also emphasised that Miss Knox could be found guilty in the new trial. She said: ‘The Italian legal system still has an appeal procedure under way and so the case is returning to a new court hearing. The sentence can still be overturned. ‘I have no doubts that on the other side there is a story of pain and loss and enormous mistrust but in the end it is also one of hope and the opportunity to live life. Her story: In pre-interviews ahead of the release of 'Waiting to be Heard', Amanda Knox has said she wants the Kercher family top read her memoirs . Killed: Knox spent four years in jail for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher, 21, in Perugia, Italy, November 2007 . ‘Something Meredith will never have and something we can never share with her. Meredith is the victim in this tragic case.’ Knox had earlier expressed the desire that Meredith’s parents would read the book, something she hoped would give her some ‘closure’. ‘The ideal situation in my mind is that they could show me Meredith's grave,' she told USA Today. ‘I wasn't allowed to grieve, either, and that would mean a lot to me’. ‘I really want to go see her grave," repeated Miss Knox, who spent four years in prison before being acquitted. 'And right now I don't feel I have the right to without her family's permission.’ Knox likened her ordeal to being forced to crawl through a 'field of barbed wire' to reach the 'same side' as the Kerchers. In another interview, she told ABC News that she wrote the book to respond in full to accusations that meant ‘for all intents and purposes I was a murderer’. ‘I want the truth to come out. I'd like to be reconsidered as a person,' she said. 'I was in the courtroom when they were calling me a devil. ‘It's one thing to be called certain things in the media, but it's another to be sitting in a courtroom, fighting for your life, while people are calling you a devil.’
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Knox said she hopes the family of Meredith Kercher read her book .
Meredith's sister has said they are not interested in the memoirs .
Stephanie Kercher said Knox can still be found guilty in new trial .
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109c60c4170f75d9cf48f42ce2e5d7577df09e6b
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The manager at a Domino’s Pizza joint in Michigan has been fired after he was filmed repeatedly swearing at a customer. Cell phone footage shows the customer, Brandi Averill, confront the manager at the restaurant in Saginaw after he allegedly put the phone down on her and her son over an incorrect order. When Averill asks the man for the name of his supervisor, he calls her a ‘f****** retard.’ Scroll down for video . Chris Bernier, the manager at a Domino’s Pizza joint in Saginaw, Michigan, has been fired after repeatedly swearing at a customer in an argument over a wrong order . Brandi Averill, right, confront the manager at the restaurant in Saginaw after he allegedly put the phone down on her and her son over an incorrect order. Her daughter, left, film the incident on her phone . ‘My supervisors name is “go f*** yourself,”’ get the f*** outta here!’ says the manager in a shockingly bad example of customer service. According to Averill, the incident started after her son complained about receiving a pizza with ‘light sauce’ instead of the ‘white sauce’ they had ordered. ‘The guy hung up on (my son),’ she told WNEM. When the manager hung up on her too, she showed up in person, along with her daughter who recorded the incident on her cell phone. The manager, who has been identified as Chris Bernier, is immediately rude to the customer. Bernier, who has been fired, has said that he regrets the incident but also that the footage doesn't show everything that happened to provoke his abuse . The store's owner has said that he feels embarrassed by Bernier's behavior and Domino's Corporation have also released a statement to distance themselves from the outburst . 'Did you come here to get your money back because I really don’t care much for your opinion,’ he tells her. When Averill persistently asks for his supervisor's name, he unleashed his verbal tirade although the customer isn't shy about giving as good as she gets. 'Excuse me, I’m not the one in a pizza outfit when I’m 40 years old so don’t be calling me a retard,' she yelled at Bernier. As the incident came to light via social media, Bernier has been fired from his job as the store's general manager. 'I regret the language I used, but if people could see everything that happened, especially in the phone calls, they would not be sympathetic for this woman,' he told WNEM. Averill has also admitted that she wasn't completely innocent, but says the treatment she received was still uncalled for. 'I didn't go about any of this to get him fired. I just wanted his supervisor to know that you need to talk to customers nicely,' she said. The store's owner Rob Asmar has said he feels embarrassed by the incident and Domino's Corporation have released a statement to distance themselves from Bernier's behavior. 'The comments made by this person do not reflect those of Domino's Pizza. We apologize for how poorly this reflects on our local stores and we assure you corrective action will be taken as the franchise owner determines,' read the statement.
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Chris Bernier has been fired as the manager at a Domino’s Pizza joint in Saginaw, Michigan, after he repeatedly swore at a customer .
Brandi Averill decided to confront Bernier at the restaurant after he hung up on her .
When Averill asked for the name of his supervisor, Bernier called her a 'f****** retard'
Bernier has said that he regrets the incident but also claims that the footage doesn't show everything that happened to provoke him .
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109cd3dcac8830a219e914b2a60034379f18f094
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(CNN) -- A World War II German U-boat, sunk during the Battle of the Atlantic more than 72 years ago, has been discovered off the coast of North Carolina, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Tuesday. The German sub, the U-576, was found at the bottom of the Atlantic 30 miles off Cape Hatteras and just 240 yards from an American merchant ship, the merchant tanker Bluefields, which was part of a 24-ship U.S. convoy heading from Virginia to Key West, Florida, on July 14, 1942. "This is not just the discovery of a single shipwreck," said Joe Hoyt, chief scientist of NOAA's Office of Marine Sanctuaries expedition, which found the vessels. "We have discovered an important battle site that is part of the Battle of the Atlantic. These two ships rest only a few hundred yards apart and together help us interpret and share their forgotten stories." The story of U-576 is the more tragic of the two wrecks. Bluefields did not sustain any casualties during the sinking, but all 45 crew of the U-boat were lost. Commanding U-576 that July day was Kapitanleutnant Hans-Dieter Heinicke. According to documents from the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, where the wrecks rest, Heinicke had radioed back to commanders in occupied France on July 13 to say the U-boat was damaged and heading back to Germany after a month-long patrol without success against Allied shipping. A U-boat and its American prey haunt Gulf of Mexico . As U-576 began that journey home, it ran across convoy KS-520, with 19 merchant vessels and five escorts, on the afternoon of July 14, according to the documents. Heinicke, who was on his fifth U-boat patrol with relatively little success against Allied shipping, saw a chance for redemption. "In spite of his damaged ship, Heinicke decided to attack at all costs," a history from the sanctuary reads. "However, at 4:00 pm just before he could fire his torpedoes, one of the Coast Guard cutters picked up a sonar contact. The Coast Guard crew dropped three depth charges, followed by five more 10 minutes later." But Heinicke pressed his attack, firing off four torpedoes about 4:15 p.m. "The U-576 sank the Nicaraguan-flagged freighter Bluefields and severely damaged two other ships. In response, U.S. Navy Kingfisher aircraft, which provided the convoy's air cover, bombed U-576 while the merchant ship Unicoi attacked it with its deck gun," the NOAA release reads. The sub sank in minutes. Two NOAA research vessels, the Okeanos Explorer and SRVX Sand Tiger, participated in the search for the wrecks, which were found and verified in August, NOAA said. The wreck site is considered a war grave and protected by international law. "Few people realize how close the war actually came to America's shores," David Alberg, superintendent of NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, said in a statement. "As we learn more about the underwater battlefield, Bluefields and U-576 will provide additional insight into a relatively little-known chapter in American history." Zeroing in on what caused Civil War submarine's sinking .
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German U-576 attacked convoy off Cape Hatteras in 1942 .
U-boat sank tanker Bluefields, but was sunk by Allied planes, ship .
Wrecks rest 240 yards apart on bottom of Atlantic .
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109f8ae923025094691e912db8ffa9cfd90185b7
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American Amanda Knox vowed Tuesday to fight with her head "held high" to prove her innocence after Italian Supreme Court judges ruled Tuesday she should stand trial again for the death of her former roommate in Italy. Knox spent four years in prison before an appellate court overturned her murder conviction, citing lack of evidence against her in the 2007 death of British student Meredith Kercher in Perugia. Knox, who returned to the United States in 2011 and has been living in Seattle, was not in court for Tuesday's ruling. The Supreme Court judges in Rome also ordered that her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, who was acquitted with her, face a new trial as well over Kercher's death. Knox said it had been "painful" to hear the news that the court had ordered a retrial, in a statement issued through the family's PR spokesman, David Marriott. Timeline: Meredith Kercher murder case . The prosecution's case against her "has been repeatedly revealed to be completely unfounded and unfair," she said in the statement, and an "objective investigation" and "capable prosecution" are needed if any questions remain about her innocence. "The prosecution responsible for the many discrepancies in their work must be made to answer for them, for Raffaele's sake, my sake, and most especially for the sake of Meredith's family. Our hearts go out to them," she said. "No matter what happens, my family and I will face this continuing legal battle as we always have, confident in the truth and with our heads held high in the face of wrongful accusations and unreasonable adversity." 'Psychological impact' Knox's attorney, Carlo Dalla Vedova, earlier told CNN that Knox was "upset and surprised because we thought that the case was over." But, he added, "at the same time, as she's done in the last five years, she's ready to continue and we are ready to fight." Dalla Vedova said he did not expect his client to leave Seattle for Italy "for many reasons," although she is free to travel. Experts disagree over extradition for Amanda Knox . "She's a very young girl and she's looking to have her life," he said. "This has a psychological impact on her." Prosecutors have argued that despite the appellate decision, they still believe Knox and Sollecito are responsible for the death of the 21-year-old student. Another man, Ivorian drifter Rudy Guede, was convicted separately of Kercher's killing. Guede admitted having sexual relations with Kercher but denied killing her. Kercher's older sister, Stephanie, said Tuesday that the family welcomed the news of the retrial because they still hoped to discover the full story behind her death. "We are never going to be happy about any outcome because we have still lost Meredith but we obviously support the decision and hope to get answers from it," she told CNN affiliate ITN from the family home in Coulsdon, south of London. "There are still so many unanswered questions. All we have ever wanted to do is do what we can for Meredith and to find out the truth of what happened that night. "Rudy Guede's conviction was on the basis that there was more than one person there so that is something that needs to be looked into." The Kerchers' family lawyer, Francesco Maresca, earlier said they wanted a retrial because they believed the ruling that acquitted Knox and Sollecito was "superficial and unbalanced." Amanda Knox: Fascination with 'the evil female' Judge Saverio Chieffi told the court he would publish the reasoning behind his decision within 90 days, after which the parties would have 45 days to present their case. The retrial is not expected until sometime early next year, to be heard in an appellate court in Florence. After that, both parties would again be able to appeal at the Supreme Court. Riccardo Montana, a law lecturer at City University London and an expert on the Italian legal system, said that the judges' decision to order a retrial is "not unusual when a case is very complex and there is a clear contrast between different accounts of the factual scenario." While the Italian Supreme Court decides on points of law, the boundaries are not always clear, Montana said. "In this specific trial, the use and interpretation of evidence was discussed," but the picture should become clearer when the full reasons for the court's ruling are issued in the coming weeks, he said. Knox may be ordered to return to Italy for the retrial. If she refuses, the Italian government could appeal to the U.S. government for her extradition. But even if it does, Knox might still not end up before an Italian court. Double jeopardy? U.S. officials might reject such a request because it violates the U.S. legal principle that a criminal defendant can't be tried twice on the same allegation, said Joey Jackson, a contributor for HLN's "In Session." Italy lacks the absolute prohibition present in U.S. law preventing authorities from retrying a criminal defendant who has been acquitted of a charge. 2011: Was Italy fair to Amanda Knox? "We have principles that are well-founded within our Constitution, one of which is double jeopardy," Jackson said. "So as a result of that, I think it would be highly objectionable for the United States to surrender someone to another country for which justice has already been administered and meted out. So I don't think or anticipate that that would happen." Another lawyer for Knox, Luciano Ghirga, said Monday that her client was confident in the Italian legal system and hoped one day to return to Italy as a free woman. The Supreme Court did not order her retrial Tuesday on a charge of defamation. Knox's conviction for defaming Patrick Lumumba, a club owner whom she accused of killing Kercher, was upheld in October 2011 by the same appeals court that cleared her of murder. 2011: Amanda Knox judge explains murder acquittal . The case began in 2007, after Knox moved to Perugia to study at the University for Foreigners of Perugia for one year. Knox, then 20, shared a room with British student Kercher. That November, Kercher's semi-naked body was found at the home, with her throat slashed. Police arrested Knox and Sollecito, who was her boyfriend at the time. Two years later, they were convicted of murder, but they were cleared when they appealed the verdicts in 2011. 'Lack of evidence' In legal paperwork published in December 2011, the judge in the case wrote that the jury had cleared the pair of murder for lack of evidence proving they were guilty. Knox's family said last year the appeal was unwelcome, but no cause for concern. "The appeal of Amanda's acquittal by the prosecution was not unexpected as they had indicated from the day of the verdict that they would appeal," a family statement in February 2012 said. 2011: Knox makes emotional return to Seattle . Knox has spent the last year and a half trying to resume a normal life, studying creative writing at the University of Washington in Seattle, her hometown, according to family spokesman Marriott. She also has written a book on her ordeal, titled "Waiting to be Heard," which will be published next month. According to Harper Collins, Knox "tells the full story of her harrowing ordeal in Italy -- a labyrinthine nightmare of crime and punishment, innocence and vindication -- and of the unwavering support of family and friends who tirelessly worked to help her win her freedom." The publisher did not have any immediate response to the news that Knox now faces a retrial. Francesco Sollecito, Raffaele's father, told CNN in a phone interview last year that the family was "not happy about the decision (to appeal). My son is trying to get back to normal life." "We can do very little in this situation," he said, but as Italian citizens, they would have to accept the court's decision. "We hope that the high court will finally put the words 'the end' to this story."
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"There are still so many unanswered questions," says sister of murdered British girl .
Knox: "My family and I will face this continuing legal battle ... confident in the truth"
Decision to order a retrial in a complex case is not unusual in Italy, legal expert says .
Amanda Knox's lawyer says he does not expect her to travel to Italy at this time .
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109fc2c8da597bda812b1effb32ec198e9048e37
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By . Alex Gore and Reuters Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 22:02 EST, 26 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:22 EST, 27 February 2013 . Police have identified a 22-year-old woman as a 'person of interest' in last week's slaying of an aspiring rapper who was shot and killed while driving his Maserati on the Las Vegas strip. Police said Tineesha Lashun Howard was riding in a black Range Rover with prime suspect Ammar Harris when he opened fire on the Maserati being driven by 27-year-old Kenneth Wayne Cherry Jr. before dawn on Thursday. Cherry, who performed under the name 'Kenny Clutch,' was mortally wounded and his silver sports car veered out of control, colliding with a taxi in an intersection at the heart of the strip - killing the cab driver and his passenger. Fatal attraction: Tineesha Lashun Howard, right, a new 'person of interest' in the last week's Las Vegas strip shooting, is pictured with Ammar Harris, left, the prime suspect . Harris, 26, has been the subject of a multistate manhunt since the incident, and police say he has a long criminal history that includes arrests for robbery, sexual assault, kidnapping and soliciting prostitution. Police believe Harris is 'involved in the sex trade,' said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police spokesman Officer Bill Cassell. Harris is described as having several tattoos, including a large black-eyed owl on his neck and small heart on his upper right cheek. Police officials described Howard as a 'missing and possibly endangered individual' from the Miami area. 'She's listed as a missing person,' Cassell said. 'How she went missing is part of the Miami Police Department's investigation.' Sought: Howard, of Miami, has been described as a 'missing and possibly endangered individual' Several photos released by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department showed Howard and Harris together in each others' arms. In one of them they are seen riding in a sport utility vehicle, possibly the Range Rover. The Range Rover used in the shooting, which bore paper dealer plates, has been impounded by police, but officials have not said where they found the luxury sport utility vehicle. No weapons were recovered from inside. Earlier on Tuesday, Las Vegas taxicab companies pledged $35,000 toward a reward fund for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Harris. Authorities say the dramatic shooting in a busy intersection of the desert resort city may have stemmed from a verbal altercation in the valet area of the Aria Resort and Casino a few blocks away on the Strip. Manhunt: Police have released this photograph of Ammar Harris, prime suspect in the Las Vegas shootout . The new revelations came hours after a new picture of Harris was released as cops widen their manhunt. Capt Chris Jones, of Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, said: 'We have him identified. Now the focus is on locating and apprehending him. We're getting help all over the place.' He is described as having several . distinctive tattoos, including a large black-eyed owl on his neck and . small heart on his upper right cheek. Police have also revealed that Harris, an alleged pimp, has a length criminal history, which includes charges of sexual assault, kidnap and robbery. Search: Las Vegas Police's Capt Chris Jones, left, and Lt Ray Steiber, right, have appealed for the public's help . The manhunt has been extended to the southeastern states, with police already searching Nevada, Arizona, California and Utah. It follows the shootout early on Thursday at the junction of Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road, near several world famous casino resort hotels, including The Bellagio and Caesars Palace. The driver of the taxi, Michael Bolden, 62, and his passenger, identified in local media reports as Sandi Sutton, from Washington state, were killed in an explosion after the Cherry's Maserati struck the vehicle. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Lieutenant Ray Steiber said Harris is wanted for the murder of all three, and that officers were 'utilizing every available resource' to find him. Murder: Police are treating the three deaths following the shooting and crash in Las Vegas as murder . He warned yesterday that any members of the public 'harboring' Harris or helping him to evade the authorities could face charges themselves. Lt Steiber said: 'At this point Ammar Harris is the one responsible for the shooting and the murder of three individuals.' No weapons were found in the silver Maserati, police have confirmed, and Cherry, an aspiring rapper, did not return fire. Terrifying: Kenneth Cherry Jr. was shot dead and taxi driver Michael Bolden died when his vehicle exploded . Lt Steiber added: 'Right now, as far as we're concerned, Mr Cherry, he's the victim of a murder and that's what we're focused on.' Harris, who lived in South Carolina and Georgia, was convicted of marijuana possession in 2005 in Atlanta. In December, he was arrested in Miami for reckless driving and failure to produce a valid license. He also used the name Ammar Asim Faruq Harris when he was arrested last May in Las Vegas and charged with sexual assault, kidnapping and coercion with a weapon. Explosion: A fiery crash followed the shootout on Thursday, with Cherry's Maserati colliding with a taxi . His apparently brand new Range Rover has been impounded, but police have declined to say where it was found. Steiber said no guns were found inside. Authorities say the shooting may have stemmed from a verbal altercation in the valet area of the Aria Resort and Casino a few blocks away on the Strip. It took place less than a mile from where rapper Tupac Shakur was shot in September 1996. The 25-year-old had been riding in a BMW with Death Row Records co-founder Marion 'Suge' Knight after the two men had attended a Mike Tyson boxing match.
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Came on same day as a photo shows heavily-tattooed prime suspect Ammar Harris .
Officers reveal Harris' long criminal past, including kidnap and sex assault charges .
He is believed to have shot and killed Kenneth Cherry from his Range Rover .
Taxi driver and passenger died in a fiery car crash following the shootout .
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10a2988c20a7f4e63da9b01849f4a84ff97e7320
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Vauxhall has been on a roll this week, announcing hundreds of new jobs in Britain ahead of the launch of the new Astra family hatchback, which is to be built at its factory in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. And it's also released details of the new, fifth-generation Corsa super-mini. It's set for its official launch at the Paris Motor Show in October, priced from less than £10,000. Vauxhall is out to knock Ford's Fiesta off the top sales spot. The current Corsa — its best-seller — sold 83,000 in the UK in the past year, against around 121,000 Fiestas. Supercar: Vauxhall's new, fifth-generation Corsa super-mini is set to launch in October . Although almost as long as the outgoing model, Vauxhall says almost every other aspect of the new car's design and engineering has been changed to 'significantly improve' it. That includes a re-designed instrument panel and dashboard and Vauxhall's IntelliLink communications system, which operates through a 7in colour touchscreen, is compatible with smartphones and incorporates extra features, such as voice command. The new model, pictured right, will be available with heated front seats, steering wheel and windscreen, as well as 'soft-tone' ambient lighting and an optional, full-size panoramic roof. Available in three and fivedoor versions, the next-generation Corsa has a new chassis, better suspension and speedsensitive power steering, while the chassis has been tuned for a smoother drive, with more precise steering, to cater for what Vauxhall calls Britain's 'unique and challenging topography'. Does it mean our crumbling, potholed roads? Star exhibit: Princess Diana's Austin Mini Metro will be on display at Hagerty's Festival of the Unexceptional . A red Austin Mini Metro once owned by Princess Diana — and affectionately known as the 'Courting Car' — will be the star exhibit at an event that aims to be the antidote to all those posh, glittering supercar extravaganzas. Normally in Coventry Transport Museum, it makes its first public outing in around 20 years at Hagerty's Festival of the Unexceptional later this month. Said to have been a gift from Prince Charles to the then Lady Diana Spencer during their courtship, the car will headline the first 'Concours de l'Ordináire' in Towcester, Northants. The event promises 'the finest collection of mauve interiors and beige exteriors ever brought together in one place', within a show that 'humorously celebrates the best examples of some of the most mundane British and European cars ever built' between 1968 and 1985. An spokesman said: 'The 1980 Metro is the final entry on a list of 50 truly unexceptional vehicles and highlights how a great era of ordinary cars has become endangered.' Other unexceptional specimens include a Peel P50, a three-wheeled micro-car, produced from 1962 to 1965, and an Austin Maestro — a distant cousin of the Metro — owned by the grand-daughter of the aristocrat who financed William Morris, to create his celebrated, eponymous company. Can you imagine F1 archrivals McLaren and Williams getting together? They are next week for a major sale of registration plates. The DVLA is offering the plate '650 S', ideal if you're the owner of a £200,000 McLaren 650S supercar. The plate (reserve price £3,500) is among 1,500 that will go under the hammer during the agency's threeday summer auction. The event at the Williams Formula One team's factory starts on Wednesday, July 16 and entry includes a pass to the museum, which houses one of the largest collection of grand prix cars under one roof. See: dvlaauction.co.uk .
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Vauxhall has released details of new, fifth-generation Corsa super-mini .
Set for official launch in October, priced from less than £10,000 .
Vauxhall is set to knock Ford's Fiesta of the top sales spot .
This week Vauxhall announced hundred of new jobs in Britain .
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10a36e68949eff4c7028f05eae1f052b46b3a5ff
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By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 07:30 EST, 7 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:18 EST, 7 November 2013 . A family's possessions went up in flames as they moved home from Glasgow to Dorset when their removal van caught fire just 30 miles from their final destination. The family, who have not been identified, were moving to their new home in Weymouth, Dorset, when smoke started to fill the cab of the Britannia Caledonian removals lorry. Driver Alan Cameron, 40, stopped the vehicle when he spotted the acrid smoke had entered the cab and flames were licking at his feet. On fire: A family's possessions were destroyed when a 40ft removal lorry burst into flames on the way to their new home . As Mr Cameron and colleague Derek Pickles, 31, leapt to safety the entire lorry caught fire and became engulfed in 30ft tall flames. Firefighters put out the fire and managed to salvage around 30 per cent of the possessions. An ambulance crew treated the two removalmen for smoke inhalation at the scene. The Britannia Caledonian lorry had travelled 460 miles without any problems but began filling with smoke on the A31 at Corfe Mullen, Dorset. Station manager Julian Lockwood, from Dorset Fire and Rescue Service, said: 'The two drivers saw flames were licking at their feet so they pulled over as quickly as possible. 'The fire crew from Wimborne attended in five minutes and in that time a 30ft flame had reached up to the street light and the flames were engulfing the whole cab. Escape: Smoke started to fill the cab of the Britannia Caledonian removals lorry, but driver Alan Cameron managed to pull the vehicle over before it was engulfed in 30ft flames . Fire damage: The cab of the removal lorry was left destroyed following the fire on the A31 near Wimborne, Dorset . Moving home: Firefighters remove the family's possessions from the fire damaged lorry. Crews managed to salvage around 30 per cent of the possessions . 'It's terribly sad because a family's worldly belongings have been lost in that van.' Mr Cameron said he felt lucky to be alive following the incident at 10.15am yesterday. He said: 'It was about a minute between seeing the smoke, to us stopping and then the whole thing going up in flames. 'It . is terrifying because if we had driven another 100m we would have been . right next to a petrol station. I don't even want to think about what . could have happened. 'I feel very lucky to be alive.' Mr Pickles said: 'It was all just such a shock because it all happened so quickly. We are lucky to have escaped with our lives.' Police said the lorry was containing hazardous canisters but the cause of fire has been deemed an accidental electrical fault. The lorry travelled from Glasgow to Dorset, but caught fire just 30 miles away from the final destination in Weymouth . Fire: The lorry had travelled 460 miles without any problems but began filling with smoke on the A31 at Corfe Mullen, Dorset . Inspection: Fire crews inspect the contents of the lorry after it caught fire while transferring a family's possessions as they moved home . Scene: Station manager Julian Lockwood pictured in front of the lorry which caught fire on the A31 near Wimborne, Dorset .
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Removal lorry goes up in flames while family were in the process of moving from Glasgow to Weymouth, Dorset .
The lorry had travelled 460 miles without any problems but started to fill with smoke 30 miles short of its destination .
Driver Alan Cameron stopped the lorry when he spotted smoke had entered the cab and flames were licking his feet .
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10a38c4a5436d6c1f9db59dc161a1f9cdfd10cfd
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By . Jennifer Newton . Larissa Westcott from Windsor, who says her dreams of being cabin crew with British Airways have been dashed because she has a tattoo on her foot . A student claims she was dismissed from an interview for her dream job as cabin crew with British Airways because she has a small tattoo on her foot. Larissa Westcott says she was just 20 minutes into the all-day interview at British Airways' headquarters at Heathrow airport when she was told her application wouldn't be taken any further because of the inking on her left foot. Miss Westcott, of Windsor in Berkshire had always dreamed of a life working at 36,000 feet for the airline. But once she told interviewers that she had a discreet tattoo of the word 'Aquarius', which is her star sign, her hopes were dashed. The 20-year-old said: 'I had put on a smart dress, pinned my hair up in a bun, put on heels and applied some red lipstick. I looked the part. 'It was all going well until the woman said, "do you have any tattoos?" I said yes and the woman looked mortified. Straightaway, she dropped her pen and said it was over. 'I wasn't even given a chance. I was humiliated and had to shuffle past all the other candidates on my way out. It was so embarrassing.' British Airways is currently the subject of a BBC documentary called 'A Very British Airline', which has shown the strict standards the company has when employing cabin crew. But Miss Westcott, who is a college student while working as an admin clerk, thinks British Airways need to 'get with the times'. She added: 'If you go to any High Street and picked 10 people at random, I bet eight of them will have a tattoo. The tattoo, which spells out her star sign Aquarius on her foot, which she believes would have been covered by the tights cabin crew wear as uniform . The 20-year-old, who is a college student and also works as an admin clerk says British Airways 'needs to get with the times' 'Mine is so small and discreet - plus you wouldn't even see it underneath the black tights you have to wear as part of the BA uniform. 'I was really upset because I love BA and I would still fly with them even now. For me, it is the best airline out there - but the way they treated me was ridiculous. 'I feel I would have been an asset for them. I feel BA are losing out on employing good people because their rules are too strict. A spokesman for British Airways says their uniform policy is clearly stated in the application process . 'If passengers can't see the tattoos, then what is the problem?' However a spokesman for British Airways said: 'We receive thousands of applications to become British Airways cabin crew every year and are proud of the high standards of customer service the successful applicants deliver. 'Our uniform policy is clearly stated during the application process.'
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Student Larissa Westcott dreamed of becoming cabin crew with BA .
But claims her dreams of working for them were dashed due to a foot tattoo .
Says it would have been covered with tights which are part of uniform .
But BA says uniform policy is clearly stated in application process .
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10a4591e9ae2712638501acf4c3af619c352bbd8
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By . Lizzie Parry . They climbed from the ashes to honour those lost on September 11. New York firefighters joined hundreds of fundraisers scaling the 72 floors of 4 World Trade Center in aid of charity. More than 700 took part in the inaugural Runyon Up event, raising $170,000 for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. Returning to the World Trade Center site was particularly poignant for Captain Ray Farrell of the Fire Department of New York's Ladder 43 in East Harlem. Scroll down for video . 'We climbed from the ashes to honour those lost': More than 700 people including dozens of New York and New Jersey firefighters took part in the inaugural Runyon Up run, scaling 72 floors of 4 World Trade Center for charity . Participants had the option of racing to the 72nd floor or completing a partial run to the 54th floor . The event, which took place on Thursday, raised more than $170,000 for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation . Returning to the World Trade Center site was particularly poignant for Captain Ray Farrell of the Fire Department of New York's Ladder 43 in East Harlem. The 53-year-old made the climb with a few of the men from his company. 'We climbed from ashes, here we are,' the 25-year veteran said . Elite climbers were the first to take on the challenge, leading the pack, with the fastest male contender reaching the 72nd floor in under nine minutes . 'We do it as a tribute to those who were lost in the Sept. 11 attacks', said Sean Smith, 22, who completed the climb wearing 68 pounds of equipment. He was one of dozens of firefighters who took part in the run . The 53-year-old made the climb with a few of the men from his company. 'We climbed from ashes, here we are,' the 25-year veteran said. A crew of firefighters from New Jersey took on the climb in full gear. 'We . do it as a tribute to those who were lost in the September 11 attacks', . said Sean Smith, 22, who completed the climb wearing 68 pounds of equipment. He has been a firefighter for five years in Lebanon, N.J. Tim Donahue (pictured) was the first man to reach the 72nd floor, making the climb in just under 9 minutes. He said: 'It's striking how new this building is. It's like an unused baseball glove. It's missing the cigarette butts and gum stains.' The 44-year-old New York City teacher does several tower climbs a year . The first woman was Shari Klarfeld, 33, of Plainview, made it across the finishing line in just over 11 minutes . Hundreds of runners, including some as young as 14 completed the challenge . The building, part of a complex still under construction to replace the towers destroyed in the 2001 terrorist attacks, is so new that the floors climbers finished on were still unfinished . A New York City firefighter after the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 . Elite climbers were the first to take . on the challenge, leading the pack, with the fastest male contender . reaching the 72nd floor in under nine minutes. The general field followed with the option of tackling all 72 floors or completing a partial climb of 54. Tim Donahue was the first man to reach the 72nd floor, making the climb in just under 9 minutes. The 44-year-old New York City teacher does several tower climbs a year. The first woman was Shari Klarfeld, 33, of Plainview, made it across the finishing line in just over 11 minutes. 'It's striking how new this building is. It's like an unused baseball glove,' Mr Donahue said. 'It's missing the . cigarette butts and gum stains.' The building, part of a complex still under construction to replace the towers destroyed in the 2001 terrorist attacks, is so new that the floors climbers finished on were still unfinished. The event raised more than $170,000, said Lorraine Egan, foundation president and chief executive. She said the organization hopes to repeat the event next year. Asked if organizers considered trying to move it to 1 World Trade Center, she said it wasn't something they had spoken to anyone about, but added: 'I would love that'. Tower climbs are held in high-profile buildings around the world, including the Empire State Building. The event on Thursday was sanctioned, unlike a recent spate of unauthorized visits by thrill-seekers to the site. Sixteen-year-old Justin Casquejo, of Weehawken, N.J., was arrested last month after getting through a hole in the fence surrounding the 104-story 1 World Trade Center and taking the elevator to the spire. A judge has ordered Casquejo to be assessed in a program for youthful offenders. He faces charges including criminal trespass. In September, three people parachuted from the building, producing a video of their jump. When the first visitors make their way through the doors of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum next month they will be confronted with a stark wall bearing a dedication to all those who lost their lives that day. On the wall, which stands in front of a repository containing about 8,000 remains from the 2,749 victims, is the quotation: 'No day shall erase you from the memory of time. Virgil.' The seemingly poignant sentiment spans 60 feet and each of the 15inch letters is made from Twin Towers steel. Directors of the museum say the quote 'speaks to the indelibility of our memories'. An early rendering of the inscription at the National September 11 Memorial Museum, which is set to open next week . But the choice of quotation has sparked controversy just weeks before the opening. The line comes from the ninth book of the Aeneid. It refers to two Trojan soldiers Nisus and Euryalus, who raid their enemy's camp at night, slaughtering sleeping soldiers in an orgy of violence. For this, the enemy kill them as they try to flee, impaling their heads on spears. 'If we take into account its original context, the quotation is more applicable to the aggressors in the 9/11 tragedy than to those honored by the memorial,' Helen Morales, a classics professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara told The New York Times. 'So my first reaction is that the quotation is shockingly inappropriate for the U.S. victims of the 9/11 attack.' Museum director Alice Greenwald said the quote was selected for the reference to one day, rather than the narrative of the classic story. She said: 'What resonated with us, and with everyone who reviewed its use in the context of the museum, was the reference to a single day not being able to erase the memory of those we love.'
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Firefighters from New York and New Jersey took part in the event to honour those lost on September 11 .
The Runyon Run took place on Thursday raising $170,000 for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation .
Captain Ray Farrell from NYFD said: 'We climbed from the ashes, here we are'
Sean Smith who completed the climb with 68lbs of firefighting equipment said it was a 'tribute to those lost' in 2001 .
Elite runner Tim Donahue was first to the 72nd floor finishing line, conquering the climb in under nine minutes .
Fastest female runner was Shari Klarfeld who reached the summit in just over 11 minutes .
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10a4dd96d61a03602baf30d1daac925e21504903
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Tragedy: The parents of Luke Weaving-Shorrocks were told he was dead, only for the baby to be rushed to intensive care 36 minutes after his traumatic birth . Doctors told a first time mother her baby was dead only for the infant to start breathing and be rushed into intensive care 36 minutes after his traumatic birth, an inquest heard. Midwives had expected Victoria Weaving-Shorrocks, 33, to give birth after eight hours, but she was only offered a Caesarean-section after seven further hours of difficulties delivering naturally. When her baby Luke was born, weak and barely breathing, Mrs Weaving said she saw a 'look of dread and panic' on the faces of maternity staff - some who were reduced to tears during the delivery. Staff at Wigan Infirmary in Greater Manchester battled to . revive him for 20 minutes before paediatrian Dr Martin Farrier told her: . 'I think dad knows what I’m about to say. Unfortunately there was . nothing we could do.' However, around 36 minutes after his birth Luke . suddenly took a 'couple of breaths' and was rushed . into intensive care. He was kept in hospital for a further five weeks . before being sent home by doctors - to the surprise of his parents. Luke, was left severely brain damaged after his brain was starved of oxygen during the birth, died aged only three months after he stopped breathing during a feeding session. At the inquest into her baby's death Mrs Weaving-Shorrocks, a travel firm consultant, claimed the length of the labour may have cost her son his life. 'I think labour went on incredibly long,' said Mrs Weaving-Shorrocks, of Wigan. 'I felt it should have been recognised that I had delivery problems naturally. 'After that lunchtime period I felt I . was just left. It wasn’t staffing issues because I had two midwives. I . wasn’t a priority, I was a first time mum having a long labour.' When asked about having a Caesarean-section . sooner she told the hearing in Bolton: 'I feel that it may have saved my . baby’s life. Letting me push the way I did, they couldn’t get him out. I . think that maybe in hindsight I would be demanding a c-section. Parents: Richard and Victoria Weaving-Shorrocks believe their son might have survived if his mother had been offered a caesarean section earlier in her labour . 'I would have asked for an earlier delivery. I felt they left me a long time. If they had to put me on a drip things weren’t going particularly normally. I just feel like something could have been done earlier.' The tragedy occurred after Mrs Weaving-Shorrocks, who conceived Luke after fertility treatment and had a normal pregnancy, was admitted to Wigan Infirmary at 1am on May 17 2011 when her waters broke. Midwives were initially happy with her progress and there was no suggestion she was at risk. 'I was told that I was fully dilated and everything seemed to be progressing normally,' she told the hearing. 'But by 10am I never really got a really strong urge to push, if anything things seem to be slowing down. By mid-morning contractions started to diminish and after midday I was reviewed by a consultant. Birth: Staff at Wigan Infirmary in Greater Manchester battled to revive Luke for 20 minutes before paediatrian Dr Martin Farrier told his mother: 'Unfortunately there was nothing we could do' 'Yet there was never any mention of there being any concerns with the baby’s heart rate. I was reassured everything was going as normal.' Mrs Weaving-Shorrocks later had an epidural to help her push for longer but by 3pm there was still so sign of her baby and she was taken to theatre for a caesarean section at 4pm. During the procedure it was discovered . Luke’s head had become stuck in his mother’s pelvis with doctors . struggling to extricate him. He was left with severe brain damage after being starved of oxygen and suffering a fractured skull and bleed on the brain. Mrs Weaving-Shorrocks said: 'Being a first time mum you expect a longer labour and there was nothing for me to be concerned about. The midwife were so reassuring, that I was heading towards a normal natural delivery. Breathing: Around 36 minutes after his birth Luke suddenly took a 'couple of breaths' and was rushed into intensive care. He was kept in hospital for a further five weeks before being sent home by doctors . 'There was never anything to make me feel there was concerns-until after 3pm. It was then I remember thinking "I’m sure my baby should be born by this point". I remember the midwife saying you should have had this baby born by 9am. 'I started to think why is it taking all this time. I remember the midwife saying she was going to find someone because they had not been to check on me for some time. 'A c-section was mentioned as a back up and I put all my faith in them to make the decision. If I had any concerns I would have asked to go in for a c-section earlier. 'I would never have put my baby at risk. I thought this was the natural progression and this was best for my baby. Tender: Mr Weaving-Shorrocks with his baby son, who was left with severe brain damage after the traumatic birth . 'In theatre there was no sense of urgency or panic and then the atmosphere totally changed. There was a sense of panic on people’s faces, a look of dread on people’s faces. I knew something wasn’t right.' Mrs Weaving-Shorrocks told the hearing that when her baby was born he did not cry, and she knew that something was wrong as she looked at her husband. 'I knew from Richard’s face that something wasn’t right and then it was when Dr Farrier came and told me that unfortunately he had not made it,' she said. 'I remember lying there and Richard sat at the side of me holding my hand. I remember asking why my baby was not crying. Everybody’s faces said it all. 'Then Dr Farrier said, "I think dad knows what I’m about to say that unfortunately there was nothing we could do". I always remember those words. 'I was in shock. All I was thinking was ‘this was my fault, how can I not deliver him’. I was taken to recovery to try and digest the news that this baby we were having had been born with no signs of life.' However, later in the recovery room another doctor told the couple Luke was in fact in intensive care on a ventilator and he was transferred to Hope Hospital in Salford. She added: 'Nobody ever mentioned life expectancy to us because nobody could tell us. There was a lot of confusion what was actually wrong with him. His heart stopped on a couple of occasions. We were even woken up at 3am to get him christened. 'They couldn’t tell us what ability he would have, if he would have any motor skills. It was a waiting game. It was a case of taking every day as it came.' Mr Weaving-Shorrocks, a vehicle technician said in the moments after the birth he saw midwives in tears and added: 'It went from him dying and straight into the intensive care. Infant: The couple were allowed to take their son home on June 25 after they were given just a short demonstration on administering CPR if he collapsed . 'After he had died he was in recovery. The doctor told us that he had never seen it before, that the baby had taken a couple of breaths and they have resuscitate him.' Luke regained consciousness but . doctors told the family he had a 'very limited' life expectancy. The couple were allowed to take their son home on June 25 after they were given just a short demonstration on administering CPR if he collapsed. Mr Weaving-Shorrocks said: 'I was quite astonished Luke being sent home later when we knew very little about his condition and the way we should approach the condition. 'We only got very little resuscitation lessons and I remember saying to Vic we should know more. 'He was never expected to live as long as he did. I remember receiving a letter saying cerebral palsy.' Condition: Throughout his short life Luke had to be fed through a tube. His condition deteriorated and on August 14 he was rushed back into hospital where he was pronounced dead . Throughout his short life Luke had to be fed through a tube. His condition deteriorated and on August 14 he was rushed back into hospital where he was pronounced dead. Midwife Christina Lowe said Mrs Weaving-Shorrocks had, 'been progressing really well' during labour. She said: 'I wasn’t concerned about the foetal wellbeing. It was a long labour but it can happen with first time mums. There was no sign of an obstructive labour.' Dr Farrier said attempts were made to revive Luke for 20 minutes after he was born but he showed no signs of life for a further 16 minutes after that. 'I remember looking at dad and recognising absolute terror,' he told the hearing. I did not expect Luke to survive, I believed the outcome was inevitable. 'I believe I said that I did not expect Luke to survive. Babies typically die some hours later, usually 12-24 hours, it was my expectation that he would not survive. 'It was the most extraordinary moment of my career when I recognised that he was breathing. We had 36 minutes of no significant output.' He said Luke would have suffered brain and heart damage because of the conditions he was born in. The hearing continues.
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Luke Weaving-Shorrocks was born after a traumatic 15 hour labour .
Parents Victoria and Richard were told their baby was dead, inquest told .
Wigan Infirmary staff tried to save him but there was 'nothing we could do'
However, 36 minutes after his birth Luke took a 'couple of breaths'
He was rushed to intensive care, but was left with severe brain damage .
Luke died aged three months after he stopped breathing during a feed .
Family believe he might have survived if Caesarean-section performed earlier .
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The determination from a section of Newcastle United fans to remove Alan Pardew from his position as manager has ramped up another notch as thousands of posters were printed demanding the 53-year-old be sacked. A campaign named SackPardew.com has grown immeasurably in its endeavours to convince owner Mike Ashley to dispense with the Magpies boss as frustration mounts on Tyneside. And the group behind the website claim they have printed more than 200 banners and 15,000 posters ready to be displayed when the Premier League's basement-boys host Hull City on Saturday - with the text used a parody on the Sports Direct logo, the company which Ashley owns. Newcastle United protest group 'SackPardew.com' have parodied owner Mike Ashley's Sports Direct logo . Alan Pardew's future as Newcastle boss is clouded in uncertainty, with a large section of fans on his back . A different 'SackPardew.com' banner was held up at Newcastle's 4-0 defeat to Southampton last weekend . The group claim to have printed more than 200 banners and 15,000 posters ahead of this weekend's match . The banners will be unveiled when Steve Bruce's (pictured) Hull City visit St James' Park on Saturday . A 'Pardew Out' banner in the away end at St Mary's Stadium during the Magpie's 4-0 loss to Southampton . The group contacted The Chronicle and told the paper they were confident the banners could be taken into St James' Park without any hassle. They said: 'They (the banners) are small enough to conceal so we can get them into the stadium, but we don't want to go down that road. 'We have contacted the club to let them know our plans and are still waiting to hear back from them. 'We have also let the police and council know our plans. We want this to be peaceful and well organised.' Having contracted the support of many pubs in Newcastle, fans will be able to collect banners from specific locations which will be revealed by the group before the match. VIDEO Pardew on the edge . The group say they have contacted the club and are confident they will be allowed to display their banners . Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley (centre) is being encouraged by fans to wield the axe and sack Pardew . Newcastle were hammered 4-0 at Southampton last week and this appears to have accelerated the campaign . Newcastle United's Fabricio Coloccini (left), Chiek Tiote (centre) and Jack Colback (right) look dejected . Alan Pardew (right) puts his hands to his face and closes his eyes in frustration during the Magpie's 4-0 loss . A protest van emblazoned with the campaign's logo will also drive to some of Newcastle's most-recognisable landmarks ahead of the game. Large banners were already held aloft emblazoned with the name of the website and with a smiling picture of Pardew during Newcastle's embarrassing 4-0 hammering at St Mary's last weekend. There were also fans' posters with the messages 'Pardew out' and 'Pardew is a muppet' displayed in the away end on the south coast. It seems that the defeat at Southampton prompted an acceleration of the campaign as photos show boxes and boxes of signs bearing the slogan being printed across the city. The Magpies are yet to win a game this season and sit bottom of the Premier League with just two points from four matches. Newcastle United fans hold up a banner with the words 'Pardew is a muppet' during the defeat to Saints . Supporters will be able to collect the posters from pubs around the city ahead of Saturday's match with Hull .
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Section of Newcastle United fans have created 'SackPardew.com' website .
The campaign aims to force the removal of Magpies boss Alan Pardew .
More than 200 banners and 15,000 posters have been printed by group .
Campaign logo is a parody on owner Mike Ashley's Sports Direct symbol .
Aim is for banners to be displayed during Newcastle's match with Hull City .
Group have contacted club ahead of Saturday's St James' Park clash .
Newcastle were hammered 4-0 at St Mary's by Southampton last weekend .
Magpies sit bottom of the Premier League with two points from four games .
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If Norwich City stumble upon a little bit of good fortune this season, then God help the rest of the Championship. On Saturday evening, despite his team sitting top of the table, Neil Adams was still convinced and concerned that the footballing deities had deserted him. 'They say these things even themselves out over the season and we've had our share of bad luck,' Adams lamented. Norwich boss Neil Adams was frustrated with his side's 1-1 draw with Rotherham - his team have not won at home since mid-August . Cameron Jerome scored Norwich's equaliser against Rotherham but missed good chances during the match . 'You normally get one a season but we've had freak games back-to-back.' The Norwich manager certainly could be forgiven for feeling a sense of deja vu. On Saturday, as in Tuesday's 1-0 home defeat by Charlton, his team had created enough chances against Rotherham to win four or five games but saw precious points slip through their fingers. But they remain top after rivals Ipswich did them a favour by holding Nottingham Forest to a draw on Sunday. The Canaries fell behind to Rotherham courtesy of Paul Green's penalty having had the better of the match . It certainly is freakish that the Canaries are flying so high having not won at home in the league since mid-August. Not since Newcastle United returned to the top tier in one attempt in 2009-2010 has a side relegated from the Premier League started so well in the division below — but Adams was justified in thinking they should have more. Norwich lost 1-0 at home against Charlton despite completely dominating the game from start to finish . 'It's an opportunity lost,' he continued. 'We've totally dominated and again I've got an opposition manager saying: 'I don't know how the hell we've got anything from that.'' Rotherham's Steve Evans had a point. This was an afternoon of yellow-shirted dominance. Nathan Redmond rampaged down the right, Martin Olsson stormed down the left. Crosses whizzed in pretty much every minute. Cameron Jerome had four good opportunities before he finally made one count. Norwich crafted 27 openings in all but lacked ruthlessness. Despite the two dropped points, the manner of the performance still showed that Norwich this season — in contrast to Fulham and Cardiff — are a textbook example of how to cope with life after the Premier League. Adams believes that with players like Lewis Grabban (right), the team will start winning home matches . Having played 206 times for the club and taking charge of the academy, Adams was rightly given his chance at the top job. With some quality players retained and a revamped front line of Jerome (seven goals so far) and Lewis Grabban (six) they have hit the ground running. Adams added: 'There's very little wrong with the performances. It just isn't going our way, particularly at home.' The October internationals are a good time to take stock and Evans, too, can be content with how things are going. His Rotherham side were not without clear-cut chances and took the lead when Paul Green rolled home a penalty after John Ruddy had clattered Matt Derbyshire. Norwich remained top of the championship after Nottingham Forest drew 2-2 with Ipswich on Sunday . After four successive promotion seasons — two with Crawley Town, two with the Millers — Evans is probably finding it a little frustrating to sit 17th, and he said as much afterwards. 'We're five or six points light of where we deserve to be,' he said. 'Those who watched us against Brentford and Watford (both 2-0 defeats) saw total domination in both games. And if you'd watched us at Ipswich (another 2-0 defeat), you'd think Rotherham were the established Championship team. We've embraced it.' What's caught my eye . Ian Holloway's comments when asked if Millwall were in crisis following their draw at Derby: 'Crisis is what is happening to people who go out to work for Christian Aid and lose their life.' Plenty of incident in the Chesterfield vs Sheffield United derby, with Blades striker Michael Higdon and Spireites keeper Tommy Lee seeing red. Chesterfield won 3-2. Colin Cooper resigned as Hartlepool United manager after a 3-0 home defeat to fellow strugglers Carlisle left them rock bottom of League Two. Performance of the week . Joy for Blackpool at long last on Friday as they beat Cardiff 1-0 to drag themselves off the foot of the Championship — a first win of the season. Could it be the start of a great escape? Francois Zoko (centre right) scored the only goal of the game for Blackpool in their 1-0 win against Cardiff .
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Norwich City could only draw 1-1 with Rotherham on Saturday .
In their previous match the Canaries lost 1-0 at home to Charlton .
In both matches, Neil Adams' side missed a number of good chances .
Desite the setbacks, Norwich are top of the Championship after Nottingham Forest only drew 2-2 with Ipswich .
Adams believes his side are due some good fortune .
Elsewhere in the Championship this weekend, Blackpool beat Cardiff 1-0 to record their first win of the season .
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As President Barack Obama channels his inner salesman to pitch military action in Syria, he shouldn't be surprised when he finds a number of congressional doors already closed. One common refrain from those who plan to vote against the resolution to authorize military action in Syria is they simply can't support a proposal that their constituents vociferously oppose. "Both in terms of the percentage opposed -- I would have to say it is by far the single biggest issue we have seen," said Rep. Steve Daines, a Republican from Montana. Daines represents all of Montana -- he is an "at large" member -- and he said that during the August recess he put 3,000 miles on his truck, crisscrossing the state and attending events that put him in close conversations with his constituents. At coffee hours, town halls, and meet and greets all over the state, Daines found that the sentiment was overwhelming: "I am hearing from the people of Montana. They are telling me we should not be involved." "It is called the people's house for a reason," Daines concluded. "We are here to express the voice of the people. This is an example of where Congress, hopefully, will express the will of the American people." The number of "no" votes in Congress continues to grow, while lawmakers planning to vote "yes" are becoming an even smaller minority, according to CNN's latest vote count. There are currently 148 House members prepared to vote against Obama's call for military action -- with 30 Democrats joining 118 Republicans in their opposition. That overall number of "no" votes has grown from 109 on Friday. In order to win passage of the authorization, Obama will have to persuade 270 members to vote "yes" -- a heavy lift, considering there are currently only 25 members who say they plan to vote "yes" on military action, 17 Democrats and eight Republicans. The number of "yes" votes has only increased by two since Friday. A CNN/ORC International poll released Monday shows that even though eight in 10 Americans believe that Bashar al-Assad's regime gassed its own people, a strong majority don't want Congress to pass a resolution authorizing a military strike against it. Since Obama unexpectedly asked Congress in August to authorize military action in Syria, polls have found that Americans are opposed to such action. The Senate has been more receptive than the House to Obama's authorization request. There are currently 25 "yes" and 23 "no" votes in the Senate, with a significant 52 senators undecided. But the trend favors the "no" votes -- with a handful of moderate Democrats in the last three days coming out against the proposal. "After doing my due diligence, I believe we need an alternative path forward in dealing with the Assad regime," said Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota in a statement. "We must balance the legitimate concerns that Americans have about the use of military force with our strategic interests." Other Democratic senators echoed Heitkamp: Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Mark Begich of Alaska. Pryor issued a statement Saturday saying Obama and his national security team had not yet made an effective case for taking action against al-Assad's regime and laying out the criteria that had to be met in order for him to support military action in Syria. "Based on the information presented to me and the evidence I have gathered, I do not believe these criteria have been met," Pryor said. Begich told people on a telephone town hall last week that he was a "probable no" on Syrian authorization. "This has probably been the No. 1 issue, especially in the last week, that Alaskans have been contacting my office, as well as when I was back home for the last month," Begich said. Because of the possibility of a filibuster, Obama and supporters need 60 votes in the Senate to win passage. Despite the vocal opposition and light support, majorities in both the House and Senate remain undecided on the proposal, and the White House is putting on the hard sell to court those possible "yes" votes. The Senate is expected to take up the resolution after returning from its month-long summer recess Monday. White House officials will travel to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to try to make their case with lawmakers, hours before Obama addresses the nation in a prime-time speech.
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Lawmakes who plan to vote against military action say their constituents oppose it .
The number of those who plan to vote "no" grew significantly over the weekend .
Obama will take his pitch to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to try to find more "yes" votes .
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China has evacuated more than 3,000 of its citizens from Vietnam and is sending ships to retrieve more of them after deadly anti-Chinese violence erupted last week over a territorial dispute between the two countries. Five Chinese ships will travel to Vietnam to help with the evacuation, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported Sunday, citing the Ministry of Transport. One of the ships has already set off from the southern island province of Hainan, the ministry said. Sixteen critically injured Chinese citizens were flown out of Vietnam on Sunday morning on a chartered medical plane organized by Chinese authorities, Xinhua said. Two Chinese citizens were killed and more than 100 others were injured in the violence that hit parts of Vietnam last week, according to the news agency. Some of the worst violence appeared to have taken place in the central coastal province of Ha Tinh. Foreign factories, particularly those run by companies from China and Taiwan, were burned and looted by rioters outraged over Beijing's decision to send an oil rig into waters of the South China Sea that both countries claim as sovereign territory. Protests spin out of control . Vietnamese authorities initially allowed protests, which are usually forbidden in the country, to take place over the Chinese move. But after the unrest spiraled lethally out of control, the government tried to rein in its angry citizens. On Saturday, the government sent out a series of text messages to cell-phone users saying Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung was urging people "not to participate in illegal protests that cause public disorder and harm social safety." Chinese officials have repeatedly called on Vietnam to take action over the riots, protect Chinese citizens and help victims. Vietnamese authorities have arrested hundreds of suspects and started legal proceedings against several of them, Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA reported Saturday, citing Minister of Public Security Tran Dai Quang. He described the attacks as regrettable, saying dozens of police officers were injured as they tried to bring the situation under control. Ships clash at sea . But out in the South China Sea, neither side appears to be showing any sign of backing down over the territorial dispute that sparked the violence. VNA on Saturday accused China of continuing to show "its aggressiveness by sending more military ships" to the area around the oil rig. Vietnam has demanded that China immediately withdraw the rig from the disputed waters. The news agency cited Nguyen Van Trung, an official at the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Department, as saying that China had 119 ships in the area on Saturday morning, including warships, coast guard vessels and fishing boats. Some of the ships were provoking the Vietnamese vessels by ramming them and firing water cannons at them, he said. 'We are not afraid of trouble' China, for its part, has continued to accuse Vietnamese ships of similar acts, saying they are trying to disrupt the oil rig's drilling operation. It has declared a three-mile exclusion zone around the rig, which is operated by the state-owned oil and gas company CNOOC. "We do not make trouble, but we are not afraid of trouble," Gen. Fang Fenghui, the chief of the general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), said Thursday during a visit to the United States. "In matters of territory, our attitude is firm. We won't give an inch," Fang said after meeting U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey. U.S. concerns . Relations between China and Vietnam soured earlier this month, when the Chinese platform began drilling for oil near the Paracel Islands, which are claimed by both countries. At the time, the U.S. State Department called the move "provocative," saying it "raises tensions." Beijing has laid claim to most of the South China Sea, putting it at odds with several of its neighbors in the region, including the Philippines and Malaysia. China is also locked in a bitter dispute with Japan over a group of tiny islands in the East China Sea. "We have to acknowledge there are territorial disputes," including "what exactly is the status quo and who is seeking to change it," Dempsey said Thursday at the news conference with Fang of the PLA. His comments were a veiled reference to Washington's view that Beijing is attempting to change the status quo by more aggressively seeking to establish control over disputed areas. Protestors torch factories in southern Vietnam as China protests escalate .
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China has evacuated more than 3,000 citizens from Vietnam, Xinhua reports .
Anti-Chinese protests in Vietnam descended into deadly violence last week .
The unrest was provoked by Chinese oil drilling in disputed waters .
Vietnamese authorities have arrested hundreds and are calling for protests to stop .
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10a77afd62407766674d5fd98db37105f1490e31
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(EW.com) -- Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill may play totally inept undercover cops in "21 Jump Street," but at the box office, they're proving much more effective. The R-rated comedy scored a tremendous $35 million in its opening weekend, enough to easily top the chart. "21 Jump Street" opened in the same range as films like "Bad Teacher" ($31.6 million), "Superbad" ($33.1 million), "Wedding Crashers" ($33.9 million), and "Scary Movie" ($42.3 million), but each of those films opened in the summer, when R-rated fare like "The Hangover" and "Bridesmaids" has traditionally captured raunch-loving audiences. For "21 Jump Street" to earn $35 million over a weekend in mid-March is a far more impressive achievement. Indeed, only one R-rated comedy has ever debuted to higher numbers outside the summer season: "Jackass 3-D," which started with $50.4 million in October 2010. "21 Jump Street" also opened higher than fellow TV adaptations "Starsky and Hutch" ($28.1 million), "The Dukes of Hazzard" ($30.7 million), and "Miami Vice" ($25.7 million). The strong debut marks a return-to-form for star Jonah Hill, whose live-action comedic catalog seemed less impressive after unremarkable box office performances from "The Sitter" ($30.4 million total) and "Get Him to the Greek" ($61 million), and a slew of more dramatic roles in "Cyrus," "Moneyball," and "Funny People." "21 Jump Street" finally delivered on the expectations set up by Hill's breakout role in "Superbad," which earned $121.5 million total in 2007. Channing Tatum, meanwhile, scored his second straight hit after "The Vow," which has a running total of $121.1 million. These numbers bode well for his next two releases, "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" and "Magic Mike," both out in June. Sony and MGM, who have a potential juggernaut franchise on their hands, spent a sensible $42 million on "21 Jump Street," which earned a "B" CinemaScore grade from polled audiences. In second place, Universal's smash animated hit "The Lorax" dipped 41 percent in its third weekend to $22.8 million. After 17 days, the 3D film has found an impressive $158.4 million, already more than the last Dr Seuss adaptation, "Horton Hears a Who," which grossed $154.5 million total in 2008. Also impressive is the film's per theater average, which remains a robust $6,049, even in its third weekend 3-D ticket prices are certainly helping). Considering "The Lorax," which cost $70 million to produce, is headed for a final domestic gross right around $200 million, it's no surprise that Universal and Illumination Entertainment are now getting to work on an animated version of "The Cat in the Hat." Disney's expensive misfire "John Carter" dropped by 55 percent in its sophomore frame to third place and $13.5 million. The $250 million project has now earned $53.2 million after ten days, and if it continues to play like a frontloaded fanboy flick (and it will), it will finish its run around $80 million. International receipts will need to be utterly gargantuan to save the Edgar Rice Borroughs adaptation -- it's taken in $126.1 million overseas so far. "Project X" and "A Thousand Words" came in fourth and fifth place, respectively. "Project X" fell 64 percent to $4 million, giving the party flick a total of $48.1 million against a $15 million budget. Eddie Murphy's "A Thousand Words" dropped by a slim 39 percent to $3.8 million, for a two-weekend total of $12.1 million. The $40 million comedy will join the ranks of "Imagine That" ($16.1 million) and "Meet Dave" ($11.8 million) as major Eddie Murphy bombs. Over on the limited release front, Will Ferrell comedy "Casa De Mi Padre" proved to be the most caliente smaller title, drawing in $2.2 million from just 382 locations, enough for a sturdy per theater average of $5,759. "Friends With Kids," meanwhile dipped by 26 percent to $1.5 million despite expanding from 369 to 641 theaters. Jason Segel/Ed Helms collaboration "Jeff, Who Lives at Home" proved less appealing, earning $840,000 from 254 theaters, though that was way better than Nicholas Cage thriller "Seeking Justice," which found $260,000 from 231 theaters. Perhaps a direct-to-DVD run would have been a better option. 1. "21 Jump Street" -- $35.0 million . 2. "The Lorax" -- $22.8 mil . 3. "John Carter" -- $13.5 mil . 4. "Project X" -- $4.0 mil . 5. "A Thousand Words" -- $3.8 mil . Next weekend, a little movie called "The Hunger Games" is coming out, and with some of the best tracking numbers ever seen a week before release, the hugely anticipated adaptation will likely score one of the best opening weekend's of the year -- maybe ever. How much will it earn? We'll find out next weekend! See the full article at EW.com . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved.
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"21 Jump Street" scored a tremendous $35 million in its opening weekend .
"The Lorax" dipped 41 percent in its third weekend to $22.8 million .
"John Carter" dropped by 55 percent in its sophomore frame to third place and $13.5 million .
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British forces have been rehearsing surprise airborne assaults which could be used to rescue British hostages from their Islamic State captors. Troops were seen rappelling quickly from helicopters as others parachuted from planes five miles off the coast of RAF Valley in Anglesey, Wales. The training missions honed techniques which could be used by elite troops in a shock attack on Islamic State extremists. Scroll down for video . British troops were seen rappelling quickly from helicopters while others parachuted from planes . The practice manouevres took place five miles off the coast of RAF Valley in Anglesey, Wales . The training missions honed techniques which could be used by elite troops in a shock attack on ISIS . Manchester taxi-driver-turned-aid worker Alan Henning, 47, has been held by IS since last December and earlier this month, they threatened to kill him in the same video which showed the beheading of fellow Briton David Haines. Another British hostage, the journalist John Cantlie, has now been held by IS since November 2012, and last month appeared on a YouTube video. In the two-week long training exercise launched from RAF Valley – where Prince William served as a search and rescue pilot – various scenarios were rehearsed to prepare troops for whatever might lie ahead. In one, troops leapt out of RAF Lynx and Merlin helicopters, zipping down ropes in a mock offensive. They were also spotted in a daring manoeuvre launching fast boats from the back of a Chinook helicopter which was flown just inches above the water at breath-taking speed. Manchester taxi-driver-turned-aid worker Alan Henning, 47, has been held by ISIS since last December . British journalist John Cantlie has now been held by ISIS since November 2012 and last month appeared on a YouTube video released by the militants . Alan Henning appeared in a video showing the beheading of British aid worker David Haines by Jihadi John . Servicemen were also seen leaping from two RAF Hercules transport planes during the exercise, which saw various routines carried out late in the evening until around midnight. A hostage rescue mission in hostile territory would be one of the most hazardous missions imaginable. In 1979, a top-secret attempt by US special forces to free American hostages held in Tehran, Iran, ended in disaster with the death of eight soldiers when two of the aircraft involved – a helicopter and a Hercules – collided and were engulfed in flames. The British Government has ruled out deploying ground troops against IS militants as the RAF joined air strikes against the extremists in Iraq yesterday. But that hasn’t stopped military commanders ensuring UK troops are at maximum readiness to strike in a targeted assault. Security services have identified six plots involving jihadi fanatics who have returned from Syria to launch attacks in Europe. One involved a gun and bomb attack in London which was to be carried out on the orders of a terrorist mastermind in the Middle East. As reported in The Mail on Sunday earlier this year, counter-terrorism officers working with MI5 detained a man who had returned to London from Syria with substantial amounts of cash which he used to buy weapons and bomb-making equipment. The suspect joined up with another extremist, and security officials arrested them at gunpoint. David Cameron warned of the six thwarted plots during the parliamentary debate on whether to take military action in Iraq against ISIS . The other plots were uncovered in France, Italy and the Netherlands, but the men were not charged with terrorism offences, security sources said. David Cameron referred to the six plots during the parliamentary debate on whether to take military action in Iraq against Islamic State. He said: ‘This international operation is about protecting our people too, and protecting the streets of Britain should not be a task that we are prepared to entirely subcontract to other air forces of other countries. This is not a threat on the far side of the world.’ One plot was not disrupted. In May, Mehdi Nemmouche, 29, who had fought with IS in Syria, was arrested after three people were shot and killed in a Jewish museum in Brussels.
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Troops seen quickly rappelling down ropes from helicopters at RAF base .
They were also seen parachuting from planes at RAF Valley, in Anglesey .
The techniques could be used in a mission to rescue British hostages .
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10a824006ebb76484c19f346cc694b16f9da291c
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:41 EST, 16 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 08:25 EST, 17 March 2014 . A female New York City police officer claims she was repeatedly groped and grinded against by a hulking sergeant who nicknamed her his 'work p****.' Ann Cardenas, 29, has accused 300-pound Sgt. David John of sexually abusing and harassing her at the 83rd Precinct in Bushwick, Brooklyn. She claims in a discrimination suit filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the state Human Rights Division that the 41-year-old showed her photos of his penis and crudely told her he wanted to have sex with her as well as rubbing himself against her while grunting. Alleged harassment: Ann Cardenas, 29, has accused Sgt. David John of sexually abusing and harassing her at the 83rd Precinct in Bushwick, Brooklyn, pictured . The Brooklyn district attorney's office and the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau are also investigating the claims, which Cardenas' lawyer describes as the worst sexual harassment case she's seen. 'There was a frathouse culture in the precinct that was beyond the pale,' Linda Cronin told the New York Daily News. The six-year force veteran describes an occasion in the summer of 2013 when she was sitting on a couch in the precinct and Sgt. John 'grabbed me, threw me down and held me down while trying to kiss me.' The January EEOC complaint continues, 'He then climbed on top of me and would not let me up.' The harassment allegedly went on for more than a year. 'He also showed me pictures of his penis and asked, "Is this big? It's bigger than your boyfriend's."' In the complaint she alleged the harassment regularly took place in front of other officers. 'Sgt. John often pulls his pants down in front of me,' she claims. 'He often sleeps in the office with his belt undone, and then will pull his pants down, grab his groin and say, "Ann, hold this for me."' John's representatives have denied Cardenas' claims, suggesting there are many holes in her story. Andrew Quinn, a lawyer for the Sergeants Benevolent Association, told the Daily News: 'Sgt. John is aware of the allegations and is in possession of compelling evidence confirming that Officer Cardenas is not being entirely truthful.' The 20-year NYPD veteran has filed for retirement but his departure is on hold during the investigation. He was placed on modified assignment last month.
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NYPD officer Ann Cardenas, 29, has accused Sgt. David John of sexually abusing and harassing her at the 83rd Precinct in Bushwick, Brooklyn .
She has filed a discrimination suit with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the state Human Rights Division .
She claims the 41-year-old showed her photos of his penis and crudely told her he wanted to have sex with her as well as rubbing himself against her while grunting .
But John's lawyers claim there are substantial holes in her story .
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Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- Nigerian unions resumed talks with the government Saturday following days of national protests over corruption and soaring fuel prices in Africa's largest oil producer. The two sides met ahead of a promised labor shutdown of the Nigerian oil industry. In solidarity with protesters, the oil union has threatened to stop production if the government does not reinstate subsidies that will return the cost of fuel to previous levels. A decision to halt production would affect global oil prices; Nigeria is the world's eighth-largest exporter. Throngs of protesters have rallied to demand government accountability and a return of fuel subsidies ended on January 1, a move that doubled gas prices and sent the cost of other goods skyrocketing. "This is not the first time the subsidy has been removed in Nigeria. For two decades, every single government has done this," said Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the nation's finance minister. "There is a very short memory. It has always resulted in resistance and a strike and so on." A deal had not been reached to avert the shutdown as talks stretched into early Sunday. While negotiations remained ongoing, one union leader said oil workers will resume their strike Monday. Earlier, labor unions urged protesters to take a break from their five-day strike Saturday and Sunday to stock up on food and water supplies. Stores and supermarkets shut down as part of the national strike were set to reopen over the weekend to allow protesters to get supplies, said Folorunso Oginni, chairman of the nation's oil union, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria. Despite the strike suspension, the deadline to shut down oil production is still in effect unless the government and labor unions reach an agreement, he said. The protests -- dubbed "Occupy Nigeria" -- have galvanized the continent's most populous nation. Nigerians accuse their leaders of corruption and misusing oil revenues in a country where most citizens battle grinding poverty. The government has said the removal will free funds to improve the country's infrastructure. But there is a widespread lack of trust in the government to provide the infrastructure -- Nigeria is regularly ranked among the most corrupt countries in the world. "It is to now to try to move this forward regain the people's trust. They cannot say because of mistakes in the past the country should not move forward," the finance minister said Friday. In addition to the protests, the government faces another crisis -- religious attacks that have heightened fears of sectarian violence in parts of the country. CNN's Vladimir Duthiers, Kim Chakanetsa and Nima Elbagir contributed to this report.
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NEW: Oil workers will resume their strike on Monday, union leader says .
Meeting comes ahead of a planned shutdown of the Nigerian oil industry .
An oil industry union gave the government an ultimatum to restore fuel subsidies .
A decision to halt production would affect global oil prices .
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10a85ffcb8543539c140c5fde2fcbe2f809a58f3
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A gang who stole a fleet of expensive, high-performance cars from some of London’s wealthiest residents were caught out after posting pictures on Facebook - including one showing a member eating a ‘cash’ sandwich. The eight men stole nine cars - including BMWs, Range Rovers, Porsches and a £100,000 Mercedes - as well as jewellery, phones and laptops in 15 separate burglaries. Detectives finally caught up with the them after one of the gang members posted a picture of himself sat on the bonnet of a stolen black Range Rover on Facebook. One of the gang, Conor Murphy, posted a picture of himself on Facebook eating a 'Cash Sandwich'. The pictures would eventually lead police to catch the gang . Rory Mason, 18, poses with cash. He denied involvement in the plot to steal the cars but was found guilty by a jury . Two other members of the gang, Niah George and Kalan Williamson were pictured with a stolen Mercedes AMG C63 sports car worth £100,000 . That picture led police to discover a number of other incriminating images on the social network site and on the phones of the group, which showed them boasting about their wealth. They showed the men sitting in the stolen cars, drinking champagne, wearing Rolex and Cartier watches and posing with huge piles of £20 and £50 notes. In one of the pictures Conor Murphy, 19, is seen about to take a bite into a hundreds of pounds worth of notes sandwiched between two slices of bread. Police also found video footage on their phones that showed them racing the cars they’d stolen and bragging about what other motors they had their eye on. Blackberry messages used by the gang to arrange burglaries were also discovered. Seven of the men pleaded guilty to the burglaries earlier this year. Another man, Rory Mason, 18, denied any involvment in the plot to steal the cars but was found guilty by a jury last month. Isleworth Crown Court heard how the men focussed their attention on houses where valuable cars were kept. Between April and September last year they broke into homes in Notting Hill, Kensington and Kensal Green and stole nine cars, as well as electrical goods and jewellery. The gang snapped pictures of their hauls including large amounts of cash, designer watches and mobile phones . Cash rich: Rory Mason, from the gang, pictured with a large pile of £50 notes . Connor Murphy, 19, was another who allowed a photo of himself holding a large pile of cash on social media websites . Mark Paltenghi, prosecuting, said: 'It seems quite plain from looking at the evidence that the principal, but not sole aim, was to target houses where valuable cars were kept. Car keys were stolen from the houses and the cars were driven away.' Kalan Williams, 20, described as the ‘principal conspirator’, pleaded guilty to 11 of the burglaries. Footage from a police helicopter showing Williams running away from officers and dropping the key to a stolen Land Rover Discovery was used in court. During their investigation, detectives found a picture taken from Williams’ phone which showed him holding three sets of keys to three vehicles. Two - a BMW and an Audi - were confirmed as having been stolen, while the other was an unknown car. Mr Paltenghi told the court: 'You may not be surprised to see Williams holding three sets of keys, we suggest for three stolen vehicles - a BMW, an Audi and another. You may have no trouble concluding that this is a young man flaunting and boasting about his prowess as a domestic burglar.'Another photograph found on Williams’ phone shows him sitting on a Porsche 911, which police later discovered was stolen from a house in Stamford Brook on July 26. A BMW was stolen from the same house that night and police discovered video footage of Williams, Murphy, Niah George, 18, Akin Ford and Jonathan Oriba, both 20, racing the cars around the streets of west London at high speeds. The men were seen passing a phone between cars as the filmed themselves. Rory Mason smirks as he is arrested by police as part of Operation Decker in September 2012 . The teenager, wearing a grey tracksuit, bows his head but appears to smile as he is led away by police . The crimes, which took place during one nine-month spree were obviously very lucrative for the gang . The gang's downfall was posting pictures of their ill-gotten gains on Facebook . The gang were responsible for stealing a haul of cars worth hundreds of thousands over the space of five months. These included a Porsche 911, Porsche Caymen, Mercedes AMG C63, Land Rover Discovery, two BMW 6 series, Range Rover Sport, Audi Q5 and a VW Golf. The white Mercedes was believed to be the gang’s ‘trophy car’. Many of the photos seized by police showed the men posing beside the £100,000 high-performance motor. Even when the car was recovered by police and returned to its owner, the brazen group, who had kept the key, tried again to steal it only to find it had been reprogrammed. Their attempts were caught on CCTV and the owner of the car was seen chasing the thieves away in his boxer shorts. In September three of the men, Williams, Murphy and Daniel Talbot, 23, tried to steal a Maserati and a laptop from a home in Notting Hill but ran off empty handed after they were disturbed by the owner. The men were arrested after a series of dawn raids as part of the intelligence-led Operation Decker.Mason, of north Kensington, denied one count of conspiracy to commit a dwelling house burglary but was found guilty after a week-long trial. Kalan Williamson, from Chelsea, Conor Murphy, 19, north Kensington, Niah George, 18, from Hammersmith, Jonathan Oriba, 20, from Notting Hill, Akil Ford, 20, from Clapham, Daniel Talbot, 23, from north Kensington and Yassin Imlahi, 19, from Kensington, all pleaded guilty to the same charge. Kalan Williamson was jailed for four years and eight months, Conor Murphy was handed a four year detention for conspiracy and eight months for dangerous driving. This picture, of a gang member pictured with stolen car, was the first to alert the police to the gang's crimes . Connor Murphy sitting on the bonnet of a stolen Porsche Caymen . The white Mercedes was believed to be the gang's 'trophy car', and many of the photos seized by police showed the men posing beside the £100,000 high-performance vehicle . Jonathan Oriba was sentenced to four years detention, while Niah George got three years and 10 months. Akil Ford, who had 24 previous convictions, got four years detention, while Daniel Talbot was jailed for four years. Yassin Imlahi got three years detention, as did Rory Mason, who was found guilty by a jury after denying his involvement. Speaking after the sentencing, DI Craig Leonard, from the pro-active unit at Kensington Police Station, said: 'Months and months of hard work have finally come to fruition. These eight were a group of young lads, who were good at what they did. But their downfall was that they were stupid. 'They posted pictures of their loot on Facebook and sent messages to each other using Blackberry Messenger planning their crimes. They were brazen about their crimes but this eventually led to their downfall. 'These were men who were wrapped up in their own world and driven by by greed and the gangster lifestyle. If an opportunity arose, they would go for it. They were going into properties regardless of people being in or not. Since their arrest we have seen a 48 per cent decrease in burglaries in the Kensington area. 'The sentences passed down today show this kind of crime is totally unacceptable.'
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The gang stole 9 sports cars and an array of electrical goods and jewellery in 15 separate burglaries .
Facebook pictures and Blackberry messages posted by the gang led the police to their arrest .
Since the gang was arrested burglaries in the Kensington area have decreased 48 per cent .
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Los Angeles (CNN) -- It was a public relations battle featuring two well-known masters of the media, a beauty queen, and a controversial question: Should someone born a man be allowed to compete in the Miss Universe pageant? On the East Coast was Donald Trump, the New York business tycoon whose fortune and brand is boosted by his ability to navigate storms of controversy. On the West Coast was Gloria Allred, a Beverly Hills lawyer legendary for her ability to draw hordes of cameras to her law office to capture her outrage over alleged injustices done to her clients. The client is Jenna Talackova, a 23-year-old, 6-foot-1-inch blond Canadian, who underwent sexual reassignment surgery four years ago. Talackova won a regional beauty crown qualifying her for Canada's national title, but she was then told the Miss Canada Universe pageant in Toronto on May 19 was only open to "naturally born females." "I am a woman," Talackova said in a prepared statement she read to reporters in Allred's conference room Tuesday. "I was devastated and I felt that excluding me for the reason that they gave was unjust." Allred attacked Trump, who owns and controls the Miss Universe franchise, for questioning Talackova's sexuality. "She did not ask Mr. Trump to prove that he is a naturally born man or to see photos of his birth to view his anatomy to prove that he was male," Allred said. How she became a female is not important, she said. "The Miss Universe competition is designed to find the one person in the world whose human qualities make them worthy of the Miss Universe crown and title," Allred said. "Jenna is beautiful in every way. Her life story will undoubtedly inspire people throughout the world." Talackova, in a 2010 interview, said she knew she was a girl at age 4. She said she started hormone therapy at age 14 and underwent sexual reassignment surgery at 19. Trump, warned of Allred's attack when the lawyer alerted reporters Monday afternoon that she would hold the news conference, shifted his pageant's position in an announcement Monday night. Talackova could compete provided "she meets the legal gender recognition requirements of Canada, and the standards established by other international competitions," the Miss Universe Organization said. Trump's maneuver didn't appear to temper Allred's outrage. "The last-minute statement by Mr. Trump's representative put out late yesterday only confuses the issue," she said. "Instead of stating clearly that Jenna will be allowed to compete, Mr. Trump qualifies it by adding conditions that are ambiguous." She asked Trump for "a clear answer -- not a wimpy, wishy-washy type of answer -- but something that we can take to the bank." Allred didn't know it then, but Trump gave a clearer statement to CNN in New York two hours earlier. "We went by the laws of Canada and the laws of the United States, and those laws say that she should be allowed to enter the pageant," Trump said. "So she will be entering the Miss Canada pageant." When read Trump's new statement, Allred paused for several seconds and said "I stand by my statement. We want this rule eliminated." "We want a clearer statement that this rule will be eliminated," Allred said. "Step up, say it loudly, say it clearly, this rule will never be in effect again for anyone." Allred declined to have Talackova react to Trump's decision to let her compete. "Sorry," Talackova whispered to a reporter, apologizing for her silence. Allred would not say if her client still intended to compete in the pageant. Controversy over pageant rules is not new for Trump. The media stir over Miss California Carrie Prejean's same-sex marriage comments at Trump's Miss USA pageant three years ago raised the profile of that competition. Prejean, in response to a question from a judge, declared her opposition to same-sex marriage. Trump initially said Prejean could keep her Miss California title despite a controversy over topless photos, missed appearances and her statements against same-sex marriage. He eventually fired her for "contract violations," including missed public appearances. Allred has affected more than beauty contests. She hosted several news conferences in 2010 to reveal evidence that Meg Whitman, who was then the Republican nominee for governor of California, employed an undocumented worker. The October surprise hampered Whitman's campaign at a crucial time in her race against Jerry Brown, who won the election. CNN's Doug Hyde contributed to this report.
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"She should be allowed to enter the pageant," Miss Universe owner Donald Trump says .
Contestant's lawyer: "We want this rule eliminated"
"I am a woman," contestant Jenna Talackova says .
Officials previously disqualifed the transgender woman from Miss Canada Universe .
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10a93857708255417731e20d5fe51aba4956ec5c
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London (CNN) -- The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attract crowds of cameramen and hoards of press photographers everywhere they go -- even when they aren't really there. Wax models of William and Kate went on display at Madame Tussauds in London Wednesday, and were immediately swamped by onlookers keen to get close to the "royal couple." The figures, which cost more than $230,000 each to make, are shown in copies of the outfits they wore when they announced their engagement in November 2010, complete with a replica of the ring once worn by William's mother Diana, Princess of Wales. "Since the royal wedding, guests from all around the world have been asking where is Catherine? We want to come and have our photo taken with her," said Madame Tussauds spokeswoman Liz Edwards. "So we've recreated the iconic moment where they announced to the world that they are in love with each other." A team of artists and model makers spent four months working on the couple. Kate's hair alone took six weeks, each individual strand of real, ethically-sourced human hair inserted by hand. "It's really important for us that when people come and stand next to them, that they are seeing a piece of that real person," said Edwards. Unlike the subjects of most other Madame Tussauds waxworks, the company said William and Kate did not "sit" for their figures, but St James's Palace provided all the key measurements, and the finished pieces have been given the royal seal of approval. Other versions of the models will go on display at Madame Tussauds' attractions in Amsterdam and New York, and in Blackpool, in northern England. In each city, "Kate" will be shown in a different outfit: A lilac Alexander McQueen gown worn on the couple's U.S. tour in New York, a black lace Temperley London dress worn to a film premiere in Amsterdam, and a Jenny Packham gown worn at a charity dinner in Blackpool. Early reactions to the new figures suggest they are set to prove almost as popular as the real thing. "Unfortunately I don't think we'll ever get to meet the real ones," one visitor told CNN. "This is definitely a good substitute." "It's great," said another. "I can't see the difference between them and the real people." Madame Tussaud was born Marie Grosholtz in France in 1761, and learned to sculpt wax as a teenager -- her early subjects included Voltaire and Benjamin Franklin -- and went on to become a favorite of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. During the French Revolution, she was imprisoned, and later commissioned to create death masks of many of those put to death on the guillotine. In 1802, she brought her waxworks to Britain and toured the country before settling in London, where she lived until her death in 1850.
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Wax figures of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge unveiled at Madame Tussauds in London .
The models took a team of artists four months to create -- at a cost of more than $230,000 each .
London waxworks dressed, posed to recreate engagement announcement in 2010 .
Other models of the couple are to go on display in New York, Amsterdam and Blackpool, England .
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A panhandler takes a vicious beating from a man in a horrifying video uploaded online. The film, which has more than 3,500 views, shows tree surgeon Joseph Johnson get out of a car and repeatedly punch and kick the man in a sustained attack. Another man in the background can be heard cheering as the 40-second beating, which took place in Memphis, Tennessee, goes on. But Mr Johnson says the man is not homeless, once worked for him and stole seven chainsaws from his family business. Scroll down for video . Ominous: Joseph Johnson walks over to the panhandler at the side of the road . Savage: He launches his attack, raining down blows on the cowering panhandler . However, Mr Johnson says the beating was retribution for the theft of seven chainsaws by the man . He told WMC Action News, which tracked him down: 'The man is not homeless, the man used to live with my brother. 'He's a good friend of mine. I own my own tree business, he worked for me for a long time. He stole all of my equipment.' Mr Johnson says the panhandler stole seven of the chainsaws that he needs to run his family's business and attacking the man was retribution. The TV station showed the footage to Memphis panhandlers, who were horrified. Another man in the background can be heard cheering as the 40-second beating, which took place in Memphis, Tennessee, goes on . Mr Johnson says the panhandler stole seven of the chainsaws that he needs to run his family's business and attacking the man was retribution . 'It just messes me up,' said Lori Finley. That's messed up though.' Mr Johnson does have a criminal history, though his most recent charge was 2008. Memphis Police have issued an arrest warrant for Mr Johnson for Simple Assault, reports WREG Memphis. He told the station it was 'worth it.' 'I don’t think it was wrong at all because that’s what used to happen. You know? But I don’t…I do agree that it’s against the law. You know what I mean? Probably not legal,Johnson said. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Film shows Joseph Johnson get out of a car and punch and kick the man .
But the attacker says the panhandler stole seven chainsaws from him .
Police officers in Memphis are investigating the 40-second attack .
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10a985ad87c647976a7710e22615c1f5ff1a3ca7
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(CNN)The U.S. military will deploy 400 trainers and hundreds more troops in a train-and-equip mission for Syrian rebel forces, the Pentagon said Friday. The American troops will be deployed starting in early spring on six- to eight-week missions in three countries -- Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia -- as part of the Obama administration's plan to expand training for moderate Syrian rebels. Those groups are battling forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and extremist groups such as ISIS, as well as others linked to al Qaeda. The mission would be led by the military and complement a modest CIA training program, based on what was authorized by the White House more than a year ago. "Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar have agreed to host training sites, and we anticipate the program to train and equip the moderate Syrian opposition will take approximately 400 U.S. trainers, with the caveat that this number could fluctuate based on course load, course requirements and other variables," said Cmdr. Elissa Smith, a Pentagon spokeswoman. "We also anticipate that the trainers will have enablers. We expect to begin training in early spring." The trainers focused on Syria will join up to 3,000 American troops that were authorized by President Barack Obama last year to act as anti-ISIS fighters in Iraq, which shares a border with Syria. American involvement in the battle against ISIS has been more robust in Iraq, where the government has requested assistance. American planes have conducted numerous bombing missions in both countries. This new training program is meant to help "moderate Syrian fighters" target ISIS. The moderate fighters are also at war against al-Assad, whom the Obama administration also wants to see defeated. But in her statement, Smith didn't mention al-Assad as a target of the U.S. training mission. "The goal for the train and equip program is to build the capabilities of the moderate Syrian fighters to defend the Syrian people; stabilize areas under opposition control; promote the conditions for a negotiated settlement of the conflict in Syria; and empower trainees to go on the offensive against ISIL," she said, using the U.S. government term for ISIS. U.S. officials have said that vetting the rebels who take part in the program will play an important role to assure they do not share any dual allegiances to Jabbat al-Nusra, al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, or any other militant groups. Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, has said training the vetted rebels could take eight to 12 months before they are ready to return to Syria for the fight against ISIS. CNN's Chloe Sommers, Z. Byron Wolf and Jamie Crawford contributed to this report.
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Obama administration wants to train moderate Syrian rebels .
Training was authorized by the White House more than a year ago .
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10aa73d8a7ed923c09d69e8cccd060c3c2c879d9
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This is the shocking moment a Baltimore Ravens cheerleader was stretchered off the field after apparently landing on her neck during a stunt. The teenager, who has not been named, was reportedly thrown into the air during a routine at the Ravens' game against Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Sunday. However, as she headed toward the ground, she was dropped by her teammates and landed on her head and neck, witnesses said. Fall: A Baltimore Ravens cheerleader is attended to by medical personnel after apparently landing on her neck during a stunt at the Ravens' game against Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore . Taken to hospital: The cheerleader (pictured being stretchered off the field) was reportedly thrown into the air at the game on Sunday. However, as she headed toward the ground, she was dropped by her teammates . Emergency: The woman reportedly did not move for several minutes as medics attended to her on the field. Although she lay very still, she could be seen hyperventilating and crying, photographer Rob Carr said . She then reportedly did not move for several minutes as medical personnel rushed on to the field and attended to her, according to CBS Sports. Photographer Rob Carr, who was taking photos of the game for Getty Images, said that although the girl lay very still, she could be seen hyperventilating and crying. After stablizing the cheerleader, medics transported her off the field on a stretcher as sombre-looking football fans stood up and applauded. Minutes after the incident, witnesses took to Twitter to express concern for the young woman, who was later taken to a nearby hospital for 'precautionary' tests on her neck. Medics: After stablizing the cheerleader, medics transported her off the field on a stretcher as sombre-looking football fans stood up and applauded. Above, medical personnel attend to the cheerleader on the field . Stunt: Another cheerleader - not the girl who was injured - is thrown into the air during Sunday's game . 'It's pretty serious': Minutes after the incident, witnesses (including Madison Kirk, pictured) took to Twitter to express concern for the teenager, who was later taken to a hospital in the area for tests on her neck . In his prayers: Connor Sauer, who was at the game, wrote: 'Serious thoughts and prayers out to the Ravens cheerleader who was seriously injured after being dropped on her neck during one of the stunts' Madison Kirk wrote: 'Everyone please pray for a Ravens cheerleader. I just watched her get put in the air and then dropped on her neck, and it's pretty serious.' Connor Sauer added: 'Serious thoughts and prayers out to the Ravens cheerleader who was seriously injured after being dropped on her neck during one of the stunts.' According to online reports, the game recommenced following the girl's fall. Shocked fan Eliza Graham tweeted: 'Cheerleader bounces off her head, medics on scene, but game goes on!' On Sunday evening, a Ravens spokesman told the Baltimore Sun that the 'precautionary' tests on the cheerleader's neck had come back clear. Criticism: Football fan Eliza Graham criticized officials' decision to continue the game following the cheerleader's fall, tweeting: 'Cheerleader bounces off her head, medics on scene, but game goes on!' Witness: Photographer Rob Carr (picutred) witnessed the girl's fall as he took photos for Getty Images . Scene: The incident happened during the Ravens/Titans game at M&T Bank Stadium (pictured) on Sunday .
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Cheerleader thrown into air during Ravens vs Tennessee Titans game .
But as she headed toward ground, she was 'dropped by her teammates'
She reportedly landed on her neck and didn't move for several minutes .
She was then stretched off field and taken to nearby hospital for tests .
Shocked football fans took to Twitter to express their concern for her .
Madison Kirk wrote: 'It is pretty serious', while others offered prayers .
Ravens spokesman said girl's 'precautionary' tests came back clear .
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10aba69ca8552d699ade933377036afe7a6c04a8
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Remains of a former lord mayor of London, a notorious criminal and political activists will be unearthed when excavation of an infamous burial ground is undertaken by the London Crossrail project. Crossrail-led research has identified the names and backgrounds of more than 5,000 people buried at the old Bedlam cemetery site at Liverpool Street in London. Names include Sir Ambrose Nicholas, who was lord mayor of London in 1575, and Dr John Lamb (also known as Lam or Lambe), an astrologer and advisor to the First Duke of Buckingham. Their skeletons are among those of tortured former patients of Bethlem Royal Hospital, thought to have been the world's first mental asylum. Scroll down for video . Archaeologists at the burial site on Liverpool Street, London, work to excavate a centuries-old skeleton . Intense archival research has identified the names of more than 5,000 people buried at the Bedlam site in London in the 16th and 17th centuries . Workers divide the Bedlam site into sections in order to carefully excavate the skeleton of a person buried at the cemetery . The site is found beneath Liverpool Street station in the city of London, with thousands of skeletons lying undisturbed beneath it for centuries . Lamb was said to have been stoned to death by an angry mob outside a theatre in 1628 following allegations of rape and black magic. Others identified in the research, carried out by 16 invited volunteers and covering burials in the 16th and 17th centuries, include victims of riots by 'Fanatiques', noted in the diaries of Samuel Pepys in January 1661. Also buried in the area was soldier Robert Lockyer, an activist in England's first democratic political movement known as the Levellers, The Independent reported. Executed by firing squad in 1649, he became a martyr for the fledgling left-wing group after he refused parliamentarian military bosses' orders that he be sent away from the capital in a bid to mitigate his dissent. More than 4,000 people were reported to have attended his funeral at Bedlam, wearing green ribbons to show their allegiance to the Levellers. Crossrail workers recently discovered the gravestone of Mary Godfree, who died in 1665 as a result of the Great Plague . The Crossrail team will use the information when work to excavate 3,000 skeletons from the Bedlam site starts next month. But with mental patients showing no physical symptoms of illness, determining which of the remains belonged to those treated at the hospital will be near impossible. The hospital is considered the first asylum in Britain. It has been moved several times since and is now found in Bromley. Bedlam burial ground was established in 1569 to help parishes cope with overcrowding during outbreaks of plague and other epidemics. Crossrail workers recently discovered the gravestone of Mary Godfree, who died in September 1665 as a result of the Great Plague which peaked that year. Jay Carver, lead archaeologist at Crossrail, said: 'This research is a window into one of the most turbulent periods of London's past. 'These people lived through civil wars, the Restoration, Shakespeare's plays, the birth of modern industry, plague and the Great Fire. 'It is a real privilege to be able to use Europe's largest construction project to uncover more knowledge about this fascinating period of history. 'Our heartfelt thanks go to the volunteer researchers, who have contributed immensely to Crossrail's legacy.' The archaeological excavations at Liverpool Street are being undertaken by Museum of London Archaeology on behalf of Crossrail. Scientific analysis of up to 3,000 skeletons will provide new insights into the lives and deaths of early modern Londoners. The upcoming dig is also expected to uncover medieval and Roman artefacts, and help piece together centuries of history. After excavation, the skeletons will be reburied on consecrated ground. To date, Crossrail, which will be fully opened in 2019, has found more than 10,000 artefacts from London's long history across over 40 construction sites. Thousands of Londoners were buried at the site, including Bedlam patients among the first to be treated for psychiatric illness in the 14th century . Researchers will not be able to distinguish between the skeletons of former Bedlam patients and others, with mental illnesses bearing no bodily symptoms . Thousands of people have been buried at the site over hundreds of years. The Royal Bedlam Hospital now operates in Bromley and is considered a leading psychiatric facility . Bedlam: The scene inside the hospital as depicted by William Hogarth in The Rake's Progress . The Bethlem Royal Hospital was the first dedicated psychiatric institution in Europe, having been founded as a priory in 1247 and converted into a hospital in the early 14th century. It was founded by Goffredo de Prefetti, who had been elected Bishop of Bethlehem, and was originally located just outside the London city wall, on the site of what is now Liverpool Street station. Due to the hospital's reputation as the principle treatment centre for the insane, a bastardised version of its name - 'Bedlam' - came to signify madness and chaos more generally. Although it is sometimes thought to have treated its patients cruelly, most were free to walk around the grounds, and conditions were not much worse than the average home of the period. In 1674, the hospital's governors decided that the institution should move a few hundred metres to the west to Moorfields, with the area's open space thought to be healthier than its original premises. Bethlem moved against in 1815, to St George's Fields in Southwark, which is now the site of the Imperial War Museum. A final move came in 1930 when the hospital relocated to the suburb of Bromley - it is now run by the NHS and is considered to be a leading psychiatric hospital.
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Crossrail project at Liverpool Street, London, has uncovered a cemetery .
Researchers identify names of more than 5,000 people buried at the site .
The remains of former mayor Sir Ambrose Nicholas set to be unearthed .
Dr John Lamb, an advisor stoned to death in 1628, was also buried there .
It is also the site of Britain's first mental asylum, Royal Bedlam Hospital .
Skeletons of patients cannot be distinguished from others, experts said .
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The barristers who represented Man Haron Monis in court just three days before he staged a bloody 17-hour siege work in the same building as victim Katrina Dawson. The gunman's lawyers Guy Renolds SC and David Hume work at Sixth Floor Selborne Wentworth Chambers, two floors below Eight Selborne Chambers office where Ms Dawson and colleague Julie Taylor work, the Daily Telegraph reported. The building is around the corner from the Lindt cafe in Sydney's Martin Place, where Ms Dawson and cafe manager Tori Johnson were fatally shot and 16 other hostages escaped after a terrifying ordeal at the hands Monis. Scroll down for video . Barristers Guy Renolds SC and David Hume represented Man Haron Monis (pictured) in court on Friday . Mr Hume and Mr Renolds SC work in the same building (pictured) as Monis's victim Katrina Dawson . Three days before he stormed a Sydney cafe with a shotgun Man Haron Monis had an appeal against conviction rejected in the High Court . Last Friday morning, after reluctantly pleading guilty to twelve charges of sending malicious notes disguised as 'sympathy letters' and making phone calls to the families of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan, 50-year-old Monis had taken his case to the High Court. But Monis was rebuffed. He had already been rejected by the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal (NSWCCA). He had already taken his case - that charges of using a postal service or similar to menace, harass or cause offence were unconstitutional - once to the High Court. In February last year, six members of the High Court returned their judgement. It was a split decision, divided evenly between three male judges who agreed with Monis that the charges were unconstitutional. Three female judges ruled that the appeal court decision that the charges against him were constitutional should hold. Separated from two adult daughters back in Iran, Monis had also been denied contact with his two sons - now aged 10 and four years old - in a long running custody battle with his ex-wife's family . On Tuesday morning many innocent people were injured and two were tragically killed in the deadly siege . Last Friday Monis went to the High Court again. Represented by Sydney barrister Guy Reynolds SC, he made an application to remove the Appeal court decision to the High Court. By 10am, the court's Chief Justice Robert French and Justice Stephen Gageler swiftly dismissed his application. Monis, who was not present in the court, was telephoned and told his bid had failed. Separated from two adult daughters back in Iran, Monis had also been denied contact with his two sons - now aged 10 and four years old - in a long running custody battle with his ex-wife's family. Following a bitter and vengeful relationship with the children's mother Noleen Hayson Pal after she ended it in 2011, Monis had been charged with intimidating her but was lucky enough to have the charge and an Apprehended Violence Order against him dismissed in May 2012. In April the mother of Monis' children Noleen Hayson Pal was stabbed 18 times and set alight in the stairwell of his western Sydney flat in Werrington . But in April 2013, Ms Pal was stabbed 18 times and set alight in the stairwell of his western Sydney flat in Werrington and seven months later, in October last year, police charged Monis with accessory to murder. His girlfriend, Amirah Droudis, a Greek Australian Muslim convert was charged with Ms Pal's murder. Ms Droudis was also charged over the hate letters, for aiding and abetting Monis. In September last year, Monis told police he had known Droudis for six years but that their relationship had not begun until May 2013 - the month following Ms Pal's murder. Seven months later, in October last year, police charged Monis with accessory to murder while his girlfriend Amirah Droudis was charged with Ms Pal's murder . Ms Droudis was due to appeal her charges in court next February, the same months Monis would face a trial on the multiple sex charges, including two of inciting a teenage girl to commit an indecent act. No date had been set for the murder trial. But it was the mark against his name over the poison pen letters which had dominated Monis's thoughts since 2009, as he went from the District Court to the Court of Criminal Appeal, to the High Court and back to the High Court again, only to be rebuffed. Seventy-two hours later, Monis took a shotgun into Martin Place.
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On Friday Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis was before High Court .
His barristers work just two floors below victim Katrina Dawson's office .
On Monday morning Monis stormed the Lindt cafe and took 18 hostages .
Two victims died as a result of the deadly siege, as did Monis .
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By . David Gerges . PUBLISHED: . 05:06 EST, 4 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:46 EST, 4 May 2012 . Maxwell Stuart Alvey has admitted to profiting from his car mileage scam . A bogus car dealer made thousands of pounds by wiping the mileage off cars before selling them on to unassuming drivers. Maxwell Stuart Alvey, from Arnold, Nottinghamshire, profited in excess of £100,000 in just 10 months after buying a fleet of vans at auction then tampering with their mileage. People who bought the vans complained to Trading Standards after noticing there was an unusual amount of wear and tear for their mileage. In one case he reduced the mileage of a Mercedes Sprinter by more than 275,000miles from 364,370 to just 89,000. When cross-referenced with auction house records with AutoTrader records it was discovered he had taken more than 200,000 miles off another Mercedes Sprinter van before selling it to a plumber in Derby. Pegasus Plumbing Services forked out £6,319 for the vehicle which Alvey had bought for £4,423 at auction just weeks earlier. Mark Denton, contracts manager for . Pegasus, bought the 55-registration . Mercedes from Alvey who claimed it had clocked a mere 76,000 miles when in fact it had done 276,000. Mr Denton said: 'I was looking for a . larger van and when I saw the Mercedes it looked ideal. It was five . years old when we bought it, so the 76,000 miles quoted in the advert . was reasonable for a commercial vehicle. 'The price was a little bit lower . than the dealer prices I’d seen for the same model but because I thought . I was buying privately I wasn’t suspicious. 'When I went to see the van it looked . in good condition and Mr Alvey seemed a genuine character. He told us . the vans he sold were all supplied by the same company. 'We had the van HPI-checked - which it passed - and went ahead and bought it.' Angus will be sentenced today at Nottingham crown court for the series of offences . After altering the milometer readings . and tidying the bodywork, Alvey typically advertised the vans at between . £1,000 and £2,000 more than he had paid for them at auction. Trading Standards officers sifted . through documents and sales records relating to 123 vehicles, 111 of . which had already been sold. The . remaining 12 vehicles found in Alvey’s possession were seized. Only . four of the 123 vehicles had not had their milometer readings altered. In . total, 22 of the vehicles had milometer readings reduced by 100,000 . miles or more, with two vans having more than 200,000 miles wiped off . their real mileage. Councillor Mick Murphy, Cabinet . member for community safety at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: 'The extent of the vehicle clocking in this case is absolutely shocking. 'Mr . Alvey not only ripped off unsuspecting buyers, he placed their safety . at risk by making them think they were driving a vehicle with much less . wear and tear.' Alvey, has admitted 10 counts of fraud and will be sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court today. His then-partner, Jane Louise Starbrook, was cleared of any involvement in the fraud at an earlier hearing. Following . sentencing, Trading Standards’ Proceeds of Crime team will begin . proceedings to recoup profits Alvey has made from the van scam.
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Reduced a Mercedes van's reading from 364,370 miles to just 89,000 before selling it on .
Sold another van having wiped 200,000 off the mileage .
Will be sentenced today after admitting to 10 counts of fraud .
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10acc635e3b1ad73a278ce1351f04fb4c91c2c2c
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By . Richard Shears . PUBLISHED: . 06:46 EST, 14 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:37 EST, 15 March 2013 . An armed robber who tried to distract a shop attendant by exposing her cleavage was today sentenced to four years in prison. Tonee Walker, 22, was dubbed the 'Buxom Bandit' after she was caught on CCTV robbing a petrol station in Australia wearing a strikingly low-cut top. She was armed with a knife during the hold-up in Gold Coast in July, and lowered her top to give the station attendant 'something to look at', according to her getaway driver. Jailed: Tonee Walker, 22, has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery . Mocked: She was dubbed the 'Buxom Bandit' for displaying her cleavage while holding up a petrol station . Walker escaped with $300 (around £200) in cash, and gained worldwide notoriety after the CCTV footage was posted online. She was caught after five days in the run because she had forgotten to cover her face and only wore one glove, meaning her fingerprints were found at the scene of the crime. But prosecutor Mark Whitbread urged Southport District Court to take the crime seriously, and said it was only the 'moral background' of the service station attendant, Gary Corcoran, that stopped him retaliating against Walker. ‘It was a truly violent robbery, where a man has shown extreme courage acting in the way he did,’ the lawyer said. Dangerous curves: And the knife she was carrying looked like it could hurt someone too... Blunders: She failed to hide her face and, while she wore a single glove, she used her ungloved hand to snatch cash from the petrol stations till . Walker toned down her appearance when she appeared in court today – she was dressed in a demure black shirt-dress as she pleaded guilty to armed robbery and stealing a number plate. Her lawyer, Marcin Lazinski, said his client had been high on amphetamines during the robbery.Judge Anthony Rafter said that the footage of the crime was ‘disturbing’, and praised Mr Corcoran’s bravery. Walker was sentenced to four years in jail, but will be eligible for parole in November because she has been behind bars since the robbery. Her getaway driver, Alexander Spinks, told police that Walker had intentionally exaggerated her cleavage before going into the service station with the knife. Spinks today pleaded guilty today to being an accessory to armed robbery, stealing a mobile phone, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and arson. He was given a two-year suspended prison sentence. Watch the CCTV footage here .
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Tonee Walker gets four years in jail after pleading guilty to armed robbery .
Exposed her cleavage to distract shop attendant in theft caught on CCTV .
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10aebd29166802d75f0fb8fac90be08caca2454d
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Three members of Russian female punk rock band Pussy Riot were sentenced to two years in prison Friday after they were found guilty of hooliganism for performing a song critical of President Vladimir Putin in a church. The five months they have spent in detention since their arrests in March count toward the sentence, Judge Marina Sirovaya said. The judge said the charges against the three young women -- Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich -- had been proved by witnesses and the facts. The Pussy Riot members were charged after screaming, "Mother Mary, please drive Putin away," in a protest act in February inside Christ Savior Cathedral, one of Moscow's grandest houses of worship. Punk bands perform in support of jailed rockers . Sirovaya rejected the women's defense that they were acting from political motives, ruling that they had intended to insult the Russian Orthodox Church and undermine public order. However, the fact that two of them have young children was a mitigating factor in the sentencing, the judge said. The defendants were accused of offending the churchgoers present -- through their actions, obscene language and their clothing -- and showing a lack of respect for the rules of the Orthodox Church. They ignored requests to stop their brief unscheduled protest performance, the court heard. While their actions outraged many of Russia's faithful, their high-profile trial prompted international concern about freedom of speech in Russia. Opinion: Why the Pussy Riot case matters . The U.S. Embassy in Moscow said on its official Twitter feed that the sentence was "disproportionate." European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton condemned the court's decision as "deeply troubling." "Together with the reports of the band members' mistreatment during their pre-trial detention and the reported irregularities of the trial, it puts a serious question mark over Russia's respect for international obligations of fair, transparent, and independent legal process," she said. Pussy Riot and Russia's surreal 'justice' "It also runs counter to Russia's international obligations as regards respect for freedom of expression." Urging Russia to reverse the sentence, Ashton said the case "adds to the recent upsurge in politically motivated intimidation and prosecution of opposition activists in the Russian Federation, a trend that is of growing concern to the European Union." Rights group Amnesty International said that the court's decision was "a bitter blow for freedom of expression in the country" and that the women were now "prisoners of conscience." Amnesty believes that the women's conduct "was politically motivated, and that they were wrongfully prosecuted for what was a legitimate -- if potentially offensive -- protest action," it said in a statement. Supporters vent anger on Twitter . John Dalhuisen, director of Amnesty International's Europe and Central Asia Program, urged Russian authorities to overturn the sentence and release the trio unconditionally. He also highlighted recent measures "restricting the freedom of expression and association" introduced after a wave of popular protests that accompanied elections earlier this year. "This trial is another example of the Kremlin's attempts to discourage and delegitimize dissent. It is likely to backfire," he said. Human Rights Watch also said the women should never have been prosecuted for a hate crime. "The charges and verdict against the Pussy Riot band members distort both the facts and the law," Hugh Williamson, the rights group's Europe and Central Asia director, said in a statement. Band member's husband condemns Pussy Riot's prison sentences . Earlier, a number of arrests were made outside the court, where protesters gathered as the verdict was read, RIA Novosti reported. The women are expected to appeal the court's decision. The charge of hooliganism aimed at inciting religious hatred carried a potential sentence of up to seven years in prison. None of the three women is older than 30. They have been in custody since their arrest shortly after the unexpected performance. They looked calm and occasionally smiled and exchanged remarks as they stood, sometimes in handcuffs, behind a glass wall in the court, listening to the lengthy ruling. Moscow district court heard that the three worked together to carry out their "criminal act which violated public order" -- in an action that "went against tradition and is a great insult to the church and people." The three wore revealing, brightly colored clothing and covered their faces with balaclava-style masks in a style "inappropriate" for a church before making use of a microphone and electric guitar, the court was told. Video footage of the "punk prayer" protest song was placed online, although the judge said it was not clear who had posted it. Sirovaya said that the apologies by the defendants "were not sincere" and described their conduct as "an unprecedented act of hooliganism by women." Celebrities back Pussy Riot . Evidence from character witnesses for the three women was also read out. Alyokhina was described as being a writer of poetry, a vegan and a good mother, RIA Novosti said. Pop star Madonna last week performed Pussy Riot-style in a face mask and with the group's name on her back during a packed Moscow gig. She's one of a number of celebrities to back the women's cause. "Everyone has the right to free speech, everywhere in the world. Maria, Katya, Nadia, I pray for you," Madonna said at Tuesday's concert, according to RIA Novosti. "They did something brave with their action. And I am praying for their freedom." Rallies in support of Pussy Riot were also organized Friday outside Russian embassies around the world, including in London and Washington. Pussy Riot and Putin's iron fist . Putin criticized the women's action this month but said they should not be judged "too harshly," RIA Novosti said. He added that he hoped the court makes "the right decision." Pussy Riot specializes in sudden, often illegal public performances, including one in Moscow's Red Square. The "punk prayer" was inspired by the women's anger about the relationship between the Russian government and the Orthodox Church, according to the band's manager, who is married to one of the women. The Orthodox leader Patriarch Kyril has been widely reported as saying Putin's years in power have been a miracle from God. Putin won reelection to the presidency in March in a vote that international observers said did not meet international standards. The presidential election came just months after allegations of fraud in parliamentary elections prompted the largest anti-government demonstrations Russia had seen in two decades. Pussy Riot pushes free speech limits in Russia .
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EU foreign policy chief says case adds to "upsurge in politically motivated intimidation"
The three women were sentenced to two years' imprisonment for hooliganism .
They sang a song critical of President Vladimir Putin in a protest at a Moscow cathedral .
Arrests were made outside court as the verdict was delivered, state media reported .
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10af64de0b78b296f6d32be9fee56fcb5cccae63
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Click here for the full fixture list for the 2015 MLS regular season. Steven Gerrard will likely face his first Stateside showdown with Frank Lampard when LA Galaxy host New York City in August. The former England team-mates are set to come up against each other on Sunday, August 23 with the match due to kick off at the 27,000-capacity StubHub Center at 10pm UK time (2pm local). Gerrard will join LA Galaxy in July after his contract with Liverpool expires, while Lampard's extended deal with Manchester City ends this summer. Steven Gerrard (left) and Frank Lampard train alongside each other in Belo Horizonte last summer . Sportsmail’s mock-up of how Gerrard could look in the colours of LA Galaxy . Frank Lampard pictured in New York last summer after his introduction in the American city . Gerrard and Lampard will be on opposite sides at least once before this summer when Liverpool take on Manchester City in the Premier League at Anfield on Sunday, March 1. The full fixture list for Major League Soccer's 20th landmark season was released on Wednesday with Gerrard's first possible appearance in an LA Galaxy shirt taking place on Independence Day when they take on Toronto FC on Saturday, July 4. The 34-year-old will come across a familiar face on Saturday, July 25 when LA Galaxy travel to Owen Coyle 's Houston Dynamo. A general view of the StubHub Center, home of LA Galaxy, during an MLS Cup match last month . Gerrard celebrates after scoring the opening goal against AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup on Monday . Lampard gives the thumbs up after scoring for Manchester City against Sunderland on New Year's Day . The regular season begins on Friday, March 6 with champions LA Galaxy hosting Chicago Fire. Gerrard will very much hope to be involved in the MLS Cup play-offs which are held from October 28 to early December. Another intriguing fixture is Orlando City's season opener against New York City on March 8. Orlando head coach Adrian Heath, the former Everton midfielder, last month stirred things up by having a pop at New York's relationship with Manchester City. Heath said: 'We are looking forward to that Man City game - I mean New York.' Orlando City manager Adrian Heath watches his side take on the Columbus Crew in February 2013 .
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LA Galaxy host New York City at the StubHub Center on August 23 .
The full Major League Soccer fixture list was released on Wednesday .
Gerrard's first appearance could come on Independence Day .
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10b05443cde5b3b3c6ef1f466efe9b0ad9f72af9
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AC Milan will re-launch their bid to sign Adel Taarabt from QPR this week as his representatives head for talks over a proposed £3million transfer. Milan have scheduled talks for Tuesday and are willing to offer £3m plus a percentage sell on clause for any future sale. The Morocco forward still has a year on his contract but manager Harry Redknapp says Taarabt has not trained ahead of the new season, that the 25-year-old is determined to move and would not be fit enough to play Premier League football were he to stay. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Harry Redknapp say QPR are desperate for new faces . Deal: AC Milan will re-launch their bid to sign the £3m-rated Adel Taarabt from QPR this week . Redknapp said: 'I don't know what's happening with Adel. He hasn't done a day's training since we've been back. He's miles away from being fit to play at the moment. 'I think he's fit to train this week, but I think wants to move. But if he doesn't want to be here then someone's got to pay the money. He's not going to go cheap.' Milan are also talking to free agent Stephane Mbia, who impressed on loan at Sevilla last season. Meanwhile, QPR want to bring in four new players and have an interest in Villarreal midfielder Jonathan de Guzman and Marseille winger Morgan Amalfitano although the latter is closer to joining West Ham on a free transfer. QPR have also made enquiries about Lassana Diarra at Lokomotiv Moscow although his wages could be an issue. The 29-year-old worked well with Redknapp while at Portsmouth, prompting a £19m move to Real Madrid. Wanted man: QPR have their eye on Marseille's Morgan Amalfitano but he is more likely to join West Ham . Almost a red: Sevilla left back Alberto Moreno is poised to join Liverpool ahead of the new season . Alberto Moreno may be happy to stay on British soil once Sevilla's UEFA Super Cup final with Real Madrid is over. The Spain left back, who is poised to join Liverpool, was among a worried bunch of Sevilla staff left stranded on the runway as their plane for Cardiff broke down. The plane was ready to take flight before it turned back on the runway citing technical problems. The team eventually took off two hours later than planned. Moreno is ready to join Liverpool at the end of this week with midfielder Suso expected to go in the opposite direction on loan as part of the deal. .............................................................................. Brighton are interested in signing Liverpool full-back Jack Robinson on loan. The 23-year-old left-back had an eventful spell at Blackpool last season. .............................................................................. Radamel Garcia, the father of Monaco striker Radamel Falcao, says his son has not ruled out leaving the French Ligue 1 side. Garcia said: 'I don't rule out that my son may leave. All I'm saying is that he currently has a contract with Monaco.' Monaco, who signed Fulham goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg on a season loan at the weekend, began the season with a defeat. Falcao scored a penalty against Lorient on Sunday but Monaco still lost at home 2-1 after Ricardo Carvalho was sent off. Liverpool have enquired about a loan for Falcao but expect the 28-year-old to join Real Madrid. .............................................................................. Liverpool have looked at Lazio striker Keita Balde Diao, the former Barcelona prospect who is valued at £25m, and retain an interest in Wilfried Bony at Swansea and Jay Rodriguez at Southampton, who remains very much on Tottenham's radar. .............................................................................. West Brom, Brighton and Celtic are among the clubs monitoring South Africa midfielder May Mahlangu. Reports out of Sweden say the Gothenburg player is poised for a move to the UK for a knockdown price of around £500,000. The 25-year-old is a box to box style midfielder who is considered one of the best in the Swedish league and won the country's Player of the Year in 2012 while playing for Helsingborgs. Similar in stature to compatriot Steven Pienaar at Everton, Mahlangu has scored four goals in his last eight games including two in the Europa League. VIDEO Liverpool eye Falcao to replace Suarez . Thinking: Radamel Falcao has not ruled out leaving Monaco before the end of the transfer window . Wigan are in talks over players at Real Murcia after the Spanish club was relegated for failing to address their finances. Spain's professional league (LFP) has demoted Murcia from the second division to the third tier Segunda B and fined them £144,000 after they failed to meet the competition's financial criteria. A Murcia delegation led by coach Jose Manuel Aira and accompanied to the LFP headquarters in Madrid by several hundred protesting fans failed to prevent the league from ratifying the sanctions on Thursday. Miranda de Ebro-based Mirandes, who finished 19th among the 22 second-division sides last season and were relegated, will take Murcia's place, the LFP said in a statement. Murcia now need to sell and Wigan are among the clubs to have enquired about who is available. West Ham have made their move for Sunderland striker Connor Wickham. The 21-year-old had a strong finish to last season and played his part in keeping Sunderland up but there have not been an abundance of clubs moving for him. Gus Poyet is keen to move the player on as he has shown little inclination to sign a new contract with his current deal running out next summer. Poyet is keen to convince Fabio Borini of Liverpool to move to the Stadium of Light as he is not blessed with prolific or confident strikers. Wickham has shown glimpses of what he can do in loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds but is still a work in progress. West Ham are offering around £5m and are waiting on Metz striker Diafra Sakho also. Heading for the exit? West Ham have made their move for Sunderland striker Connor Wickham . Southampton are keen on Serge Gnabry at Arsenal and retain interest in Nathan Redmond at Norwich. Manager Ronald Koeman is keen to strengthen down the left hand side with a centre back, left back, left winger and a forward still on his wishlist. They are ready to make an improved offer for Sam Byram at Leeds also to replace Calum Chambers and cover Nathaniel Clyne. Marcos Rojo of Sporting Lisbon is still a target but his third party ownership is pushing the price up so Sporting make a clearer profit. Winging: Southampton are keen on Serge Gnabry at Arsenal and retain interest in Nathan Redmond (above) Manchester United have not made a move for Juan Cuadrado of Fiorentina. Despite reports out of Spain that they have agreed personal terms, United are still taking stock of what players they need to prioritise. The Colombia star at this stage is not one of them. Barcelona remain favourites while Chelsea, who allowed Marko Marin to join Fiorentina on loan today, have an interest. United have an admiration for Mats Hummels at Borussia Dortmund but don't expect the Germans to be willing to sell their new captain. Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal is a player United know they could sign if they want to but again club sources say they have not made a move for the Chile international. Ajax defender Daley Blind and Roma's Kevin Strootman are players that Louis van Gaal likes. Not happened: Manchester United haven't made a move for Fiorentina's World Cup star Juan Cuadrado (left)
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Alberto Moreno ready to move to Liverpool with Suso off to Sevilla .
Radamel Falcao hasn't given up hope of leaving Monaco this month .
Liverpool's Jack Robinson is interesting Brighton .
Brendan Rodgers is looking at striker Keita Balde Diao .
May Mahlangu is being tracked by West Brom and Celtic .
Serge Gnabry and Nathan Redmond are on Southampton's radar .
Manchester United have not made a move for Juan Cuadrado .
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10b07f8a8f65883d27f7483eeb2def8172d3f599
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Kiev, Ukraine (CNN) -- Sporadic heavy artillery barrages and machine gun fire could be heard early Sunday on the outskirts of the southeastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, raising questions about the viability of a ceasefire between the Ukrainian government and pro-Russian separatists. While the source of the weapons fire was not immediately clear, it came as the ceasefire appeared to be holding, a rare positive sign in a conflict that has ratcheted up tensions between Russia and the West. By late Saturday, however, bursts of heavy artillery and machine gun fire replaced the evident calm, a gas station was ablaze and cars carrying injured civilians could be seen on the roads. The warring factions blamed each other for violating the truce. The Russian news agency Itar-Tass late Saturday quoted rebel officials saying that Ukrainian forces continued to shell Donetsk and rebel positions near Mariupol. The RIA Novosti new agency reported that four Donetsk residents were killed in the shelling. Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council spokesman Col. Andriy Lysenko told reporters in Kiev on Saturday that the situation was calmer than before but that there had been a number of "provocations" by rebels. These include 10 instances of shelling in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, he said. But Lysenko said a prisoner exchange would begin soon without specifying a time and date. Amnesty International, meanwhile, accused Ukrainian militia and separatists of carrying out war crimes. It singled out Russia for a buildup of armor and artillery in eastern Ukraine. "All sides in this conflict have shown disregard for civilian lives and are blatantly violating their international obligations," said Salil Shetty, Amnesty International's secretary general, who will travel to Kiev and Moscow in the coming days. "Our evidence shows that Russia is fueling the conflict, both through direct interference and by supporting the separatists in the East," Shetty added. "Russia must stop the steady flow of weapons and other support to an insurgent force heavily implicated in gross human rights violations." Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels have battled in eastern Ukraine since April, leaving more than 2,200 people dead, according to the United Nations. A truce deal signed Friday after talks in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, went into effect that evening. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko had a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin after the signing of the deal in the Belarusian city of Minsk, Poroshenko's office said Saturday in a statement. The leaders agreed that the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine has been mostly upheld and they discussed further steps to make the truce last, the office said. After roughly five months of bitter fighting between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian rebel groups, the question is whether the ceasefire will last. Artillery fire and explosions were heard in the flashpoint city of Donetsk around the time the ceasefire went into effect, the city's website said. But there have been no subsequent reports of major incidents. A CNN team in southeastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces and the rebels have engaged in fierce fighting this week between the Ukrainian border town of Novoazovsk and Mariupol, said that artillery fire appeared to have stopped after the start of the truce. Despite the ceasefire deal, Putin remains under international pressure over Russia's actions in Ukraine. Hours after the guns stopped firing, EU leaders meeting in Brussels, Belgium, agreed on a new round of economic sanctions against Russian interests. They are due to be formally adopted on Monday. Russia's Foreign Ministry warned Saturday that if new EU sanctions are imposed, Russia "certainly will respond," Russian state-run news agency Itar-Tass reported. Obama expresses support for Ukraine . U.S. President Barack Obama said he was hopeful but skeptical that the ceasefire would hold, questioning whether pro-Russian rebels would adhere to it. Obama, speaking at the end of a NATO summit in Wales, added that NATO was "fully united in support of Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and ability to defend itself." Member nations would send nonlethal military aid and help modernize Ukraine's security forces, while the United States and European allies finalize measures "to deepen and broaden sanctions" against Russia, he said. The Ukrainian government and the West accuse Moscow of backing the rebels with arms and troops -- claims that Moscow has repeatedly denied. The conflict has sparked a humanitarian crisis in eastern Ukraine, where homes and infrastructure have been destroyed by shelling. Nationwide, more than a million people have been displaced from their homes by the fighting, most of them in the east. Luhansk city council said that Saturday was the first day in over a month with no shooting. The city office has started working on repairs to the power and water supply. Russia has contacted the International Committee of the Red Cross to express its readiness to deliver a second aid convoy to Ukraine, state news agency RIA Novosti reported Saturday, quoting Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov. "We are now discussing the practical details of this operation and expect it to be accomplished," Gatilov is quoted as saying. Gatilov said he could not discuss details but that this time humanitarian aid would be delivered by railroad. The last Russian aid convoy, which entered without Ukraine's permission, was sent by road. Ukraine ready for 'significant steps' Poroshenko said the ceasefire deal was based on his peace plan and an agreement reached in a phone call this week with Putin. "We are ready to provide significant steps, including the decentralization of power," he said, as well as greater economic freedoms for the Luhansk and Donetsk regions and guarantees that their culture and language be respected. Many people in eastern Ukraine are Russian speakers. Poroshenko said the exchange of "hostages," or prisoners, could begin as soon as Saturday. He said he hoped the ceasefire, based on a 12-point plan, would lead to more substantial talks on core issues and a lasting peace. The talks in Minsk brought together the leaders of the separatist groups with former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, as well as Russia's Ukrainian envoy. The ceasefire, however, does not mean the end of the self-styled Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic, separatist leaders said at a televised news conference after signing the deal. Poroshenko has asked his foreign minister and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which already has international observers in Ukraine, to monitor compliance with the ceasefire. A previous unilateral ceasefire declared by the Ukrainian government in June broke down after 10 days. New sanctions planned . Amid skepticism over Russia's intentions, the European Union agreed a fresh round of sanctions Friday against Russian interests, though they are not yet in force. The package includes "enhanced measures related to access to capital markets, defense, dual use goods, and sensitive technologies," an EU statement said. It also includes sanctions against the rebel leadership in eastern Ukraine, the government of Crimea, annexed by Russia in March, and Russian decision makers and oligarchs, it said. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton welcomed the ceasefire, adding that it must now be respected by all sides. "We hope that this will be a first step toward a sustainable political solution, based on respect for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," she said. "Permanent monitoring of the Russian-Ukrainian border and withdrawal of illegal armed groups and forces illegally operating on Ukrainian territory should be integral parts of such a solution." British Prime Minister David Cameron, who hosted the NATO summit in Wales, said in his final remarks that what Putin was doing is "indefensible and wrong" and that Russia should face further economic costs. Western countries in July stepped up targeted sanctions against Russia, prompting a retaliatory ban by Moscow on certain imports. Putin has voiced sympathy for the separatists, many of whom are ethnic Russians. But he denies that Russia has armed and trained the rebels, or sent Russian troops over the border. NATO: An amusing show for Putin? NATO's moment of truth on Ukraine . CNN's Reza Sayah reported from Kiev, while Laura Smith-Spark wrote and reported from London and Jethro Mullen from Hong Kong. CNN's Matthew Chance, Mick Krever, Jo Shelley, Radina Gigova, Michael Martinez and Alla Eshchenko contributed to this report. Journalist Victoria Butenko also contributed from Kiev.
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Sporadic heavy artillery barrages and machine gun fire heard near Mariupol .
Poroshenko and Putin talk about ensuring truce lasts, Poroshenko's office says .
Russia will respond if new EU sanctions are imposed, state media reports .
EU nations agree on further sanctions against Russia, due to be adopted Monday .
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By . Anthony Bond . and Nina Golgowski . Despite listed at what realtors are calling a bargain of a price, a three-bedroom home described as perfect for entertaining while nestled in secluded 1.5 acre woods is still without a buyer. What not all prospective buyers initially know, the picturesque home in Bath, Ohio, is the house where serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer grew up and took the life of his first victim in 1978. It would be the start of what would be 17 victims he confessed to killing in all. 'Some people are not going to want any part of it. Some people want a part of it. But there have been families that have lived here since that happened,' real estate agent Gregory Greco told Fox 8 Cleveland during a tour of the home. Scroll down for video . For sale: This three bedroom on 1.5 acres of secluded green land in Ohio is listed for $329,000 . History: What many potential buyers do not first know is that the home is where serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer grew up and took the life of his first victim . Former occupant: Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer is pictured during his trial in the murder of 17 men he confessed to having killed with the first in 1978 . 'Perfect for entertaining,' he said guiding a Fox8 reporter around the roughly 2,200 square-feet home. 'The rooms flow, this room could be a library or office space. And off of this, we have a greenhouse.' While listed on Mr Greco's website for $329,000, what's not, are the details of the home's past. Those details are better filled in by its latest owner, Chris Butler, who recalled to NPR of its purchase after initial unease over its history. 'I was instantly charmed the first time I pulled in the driveway and was really puzzled why such a fantastic pad had gone unsold for six months, though it was priced way below anything comparable in the area,' he told NPR in 2009. As he next explains, the first . victim's body - a young hitchhiker named Steven Hick - was dismembered . by Dahmer in the home's crawlspace. Today, . walking through the ranch-style home, the kitchen is entirely updated . with granite counter tops and higher end appliances. Welcome home: The home built in 1952 has both space and character . Features: Inside perspective buyers could be further charmed by its updated kitchen featuring granite counter tops . Green: The home also features a wrap-around deck overlooking the lush green front and backyard . Details: One of the last buyers in 2009 said the home's low price made it a near steal though did learn that a man was dismembered in its crawl space . Stepping outside, a wrap-around porch prompts its residents before a quiet, green backyard, and down below, a greenhouse steps out onto the grounds. 'In the greenhouse is an atrium with . great lighting. There’s some plants, a nice finished floor, and we can . walk right onto the grounds,' Mr Greco notes. To . prevent those more curious at touring the house than buying, Mr Greco . says those interested must have a pre-approval or proof of having the . funds for its purchase to visit. 'This is not a museum. This is someone's home,' he said. Modernized: A walk down one of the home's hallways shows off its wood flooring and modern lighting . Bath: One of the two and a half bathrooms is pictured with a glass wall beaming in light from outside . But there is a market for such homes. An idyllic-looking Spanish-style home . in Houston, Texas was ideal for Peter Muller. It looked picture perfect with . its brick exteriors and leafy lawn. Thankfully, the history of the home didn't bother the new owner. And that is just as well. Low: This is the home where Andrea Yates, 37, drowned her five children in a bathtub. It was bought for a knock-down price of just $87,000 three years later . Shocking: Andrea Yates confessed to killing her five children in their Houston home. She is pictured with four of her children before the birth of another daughter . It . was where Andrea Yates, 37, drowned her five children in a bathtub. She . was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of the murders in . 2001. Mr Muller bought the home three years . later for an incredible price of $87,000. And he said he doesn't care a . jot about its horrific history. Though many may baulk at purchasing such properties, studies have found that homes like these are great bargains. Thriving: The home in Fall River, Massachusetts , where Lizzie Borden was accused of killing her father Andrew and stepmother Abby is now the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum . Historic: Lizzie Borden, pictured, stood trial for killing her father and stepmother with an ax but she was later acquitted . Horrific: Four members of the wealthy Lemp family committed suicide in this home over 40 years . Sad: This home is where 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was murdered in 1996 . Buyers can expect to pay up to 25 per cent off the standard market price. This could be seen with the . former home of O.J Simpson, who was accused of killing his ex-wife . Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman at the Los Angeles . property. It was sold for just $590,000 after two years on the market. This was $200,000 less than the initial asking price. Bargain: The house were OJ Simpson was accused of killing Nicole Brown Simpson was sold for just $590,000 after two years on the market. This was $200,000 less than the initial asking price . Low price: The former home of O.J Simpson, pictured, in Los Angeles was sold for a much reduced value . And not only can some properties with tainted pasts become homes - they can also become thriving businesses. The . home in Fall River, Massachusetts, where Lizzie Borden was accused of . killing her father Andrew and stepmother Abby is now the Lizzie Borden . Bed & Breakfast Museum. The entire house can be rented for weddings and events, with room rates starting at $200 off-season. Grim: Serial killer Anthony Sowell murdered 11 women in this Cleveland home . Anyone for this: An auction sign stands at the driveway of the house were serial killer Dennis Rader lived with his wife and two children . Watch the video here: .
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Dahmer lead his first 19-year-old victim in 1978 to the house before killing him with exercise equipment .
Man's body was dismembered under home's crawl space according to previous owner .
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10b1ac36b9d5118c6df373f7b2532ddf4bee4cc0
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United Nations (CNN) -- In a contentious closed-door U.N. Security Council meeting Tuesday, Russia criticized France's decision to airlift weapons to rebel forces in Libya, according to a Western diplomat present during the discussions. Earlier Tuesday, French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet told reporters that parachute drops of weapons into the North African nation were "no longer necessary" because opposition forces had become organized enough to procure their own arms. Rebels battling Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi are "becoming more autonomous," Longuet said. "This autonomy allows them to build relationships with external partners, including when it comes to equipping themselves in self-defense," he said. But even as Longuet said the weapons drops were no longer needed, debate over the approach continued. Russia brought up the issue at the U.N. Security Council session Tuesday, arguing that by sending weapons, France had violated the council's resolution that authorized NATO force in Libya, the Western diplomat said. France offered a detailed defense of the country's actions, arguing that supplying weapons was "the only practical way of fulfilling" the council's mandate authorizing force to take "all necessary measures" to protect civilians, the diplomat said. During Tuesday's meeting, ambassadors from the United Kingdom and United States defended France's actions, according to the Western diplomat. France acknowledged last Wednesday that it had supplied weapons to anti-Gadhafi forces, saying the weapons were provided for self-defense. "It became clear that people there were defenseless and very much threatened by Gadhafi's forces," French Ministry of Defense spokesman Colonel Thierry Burkhard said last Wednesday. Libyan Prime Minister Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi told reporters last week that rebel forces were receiving arms from France but were not trained in their use. He said it was reckless of France to take such action, saying it went "against all of the proclaimed aims of NATO's intervention in Libya." Meanwhile, in Libya, a rebel spokesman said fighting had moved Tuesday westward from Misrata, which rebel forces say they continue to hold. Eleven rebels were killed in Dafniya, and one was killed in Zliten, said Mohammed Ibrahim, the spokesman. Another 60 rebels were wounded in the two cities, he said, citing figures from Al-Hekma Hospital, in Misrata. Pro-Gadhafi forces fired some six rockets into Misrata, but they caused no casualties, he said. The opposition website freemisurata.com, published by Ibrahim's group, said at least 20 members of Gadhafi's forces were killed and six were captured Tuesday in Dafniya and Zliten. CNN's Richard Roth and Mick B. Krever and journalists Catherine Clifford and Dheepthi Namasivayam contributed to this report.
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Russia argues that France violated a U.N. Security Council resolution, a diplomat says .
Diplomat: Drops were "the only practical way of fulfilling" the council's mandate .
United States, United Kingdom defend France, the diplomat says .
France's defense minister says the weapons drops are no longer necessary .
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A two-year-old boy was found alone and shaking in an apartment two days after his father shot his mother and grandmother dead then turned the gun on himself in a double murder-suicide. Jacob Knauf was wearing an old diaper and 'smelled of bodies' when relatives came to check on the family on January 4. The bodies of his parents Bianca and Daniel, as well as Daniel's mother Sally, were found lifeless with gunshot wounds in the property in Palm Springs, California. Scroll down for video . Tragic: Jacob Kanuf, two, was found at home in Palm Springs with the two-day-old corpses of his parents . Shooting: Police believe discharged US Marine Daniel Knauf (left) shot his 23-year-old wife Bianca (right) Third victim: He also shot his New York-based mother Sally before turning the gun on himself, police say . Police believe discharged US Marine Daniel Knauf, 27, shot his 23-year-old wife and his mother before killing himself at least two days before the bodies were found. '[Jacob's] hands were shaking, he had blisters around him because his diaper wasn't changed for a couple of days,' Bianca's older sister Diana Benitez told KESQ. 'He thinks his mom's asleep,' she added. Daniel joined the Marine Corps in 2008 and was discharged in 2009, military records show. His recent purchase of guns had sparked argument in the family, relatives told police. KESQ . Unaware: Relatives say Jacob, pictured in his father's US Marines cap, thinks his mom is just sleeping . Close family: Police are investigating a motive that led to the deaths of Daniel (left) and Bianca (right) Bianca's mother Lourdes Benitez told KESQ: 'I would tell my daughter I don't like that. And that's how we ended up here.' Their last contact with Bianca was on New Year's Eve. They believe Daniel unleashed his attack on the morning of New Year's Day, when his mother, a special needs teacher at School 41, traveled from Rochester, New York, to visit. 'She boasted about seeing the grandchild and being so happy that she was now able to spend time with her grandson,' School 41 Principal Marion Whitfield said on Tuesday. After four days with no reply to texts or phone calls, Bianca's parents went to visit the family. Desperate state: Jacob was covered in blisters when his family finally found him as his diaper hadn't changed . Dispute: Bianca's mother said the family had been arguing over Daniel's recent purchase of guns . Nobody answered the door so they peered in a window and spotted Jacob sleeping. Tapping on the window they woke him up and told him to open the door. 'I went outside and I just burst into tears in my car,' Diana told the station. preparing for the funeral, the Benitez family is keen to express they do not hold a grudge against Daniel. 'Our focus is on Jacob,' Diana said. Police are still investigating a possible motive for the crime. Rescue: Jacob's maternal grandparents (pictured) came to check on the family after four days without contact . Discovered: No one answered the door but they saw Jacob asleep through a window and he let them in .
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Jacob Knauf, two, was found shaking, alone, in Palm Springs apartment .
His discharged US Marine father Daniel, 27, shot wife Bianca, 23, and his own mother Sally before turning the gun on himself, police believe .
Initial reports suggest the bodies lay undiscovered for at least two days .
His mother, a special needs teacher in New York, was visiting for holidays .
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10b384579de66dab12fbb9b807c52fee6b05b5b9
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:29 EST, 7 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 17:10 EST, 7 January 2014 . Suspect: Andrew Scott Boguslawski, 43, was charged with illegally making or possessing an explosive device after four guns and nearly 50 bombs were found in his vehicle during a traffic stop Monday . A man stopped for speeding in central Ohio was charged with illegally making or possessing an explosive device after nearly 50 bombs and four guns were discovered in his vehicle. Andrew Scott Boguslawski, 43, was arrested late New Year's Day on Interstate 70 west of Columbus. Investigators found two pistols, two rifles, 48 explosive devices and tools and materials to make additional explosives. Also inside was a remote detonating device, Assistant Madison County Prosecutor Nick Adkins said. Officials are trying to determine why the man had the cache of weapons and bombs. He is being held on $1million bond pending a court hearing Friday in Madison County. According to the state trooper who stopped him for going 85mph in a 70mph zone, Boguslawski said he had no weapons. However, the officer returned with a ticket and saw the handle of a gun between the man's knees. ‘At that point, he drew his service weapon, held the man there and called for backup,’ said Adkins.Boguslawski told authorities he has an attorney, but none was listed on the court docket. Adkins said a $1million bond set for the defendant reflected the possible risk to the public. Boguslawski was stopped on I-70 in Madison County just before midnight on New Year's Day for going about 15mph over the speed limit. Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper William Davis asked the driver if he had any weapons in his vehicle after spotting a bumper sticker on Boguslawski's car that read: 'If you can read this, you’re in range,' The London Madison-Press reported. The 43-year-old man lied that he was unarmed, but when the trooper returned with his ticket, Boguslawski was clutching a gun with his knees. Tell-tale sign: An Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper asked Boguslawski if he had any weapons on him after spotting a bumper sticker on his car that read: 'If you can read this, you're in range' After additional officers arrived on the scene, Boguslawski's car was searched, yielding an arsenal of two pistols, two rifles, 48 explosives and bomb-making paraphernalia. 'Most concerning to me was that they found a remote detonating device,' said Adkins. According to Adkins, Boguslawski works at a training facility for Navy SEALS in Indiana. At the time of his arrest, the suspect was carrying blueprints for buildings that are part of his workplace. The prosecutor said investigators are trying to determine if Boguslawski has ties to any known terrorist organizations.
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Andrew Scott Boguslawski, 43, was arrested New Year's Day on Interstate 70 west of Columbus, Ohio .
State trooper spotted the driver doing 85mphs in 70mph zone .
Boguslawski lied he had no weapons after trooper noticed bumper sticker that read: 'If you can read this, you're in range'
Officials seized 48 explosives, four guns and bomb-making equipment .
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10b44ddbd87dabe59e8b912c6486f56a753390b2
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(CNN) -- Two Italians, a Dane, a German, a Frenchman and a Brit walk into a space station... or will, in 2013, if all goes according to European Space Agency plans. Europe's six new astronauts hope to join their American counterparts on the Internation Space Station. The six new astronauts named Wednesday were chosen from more than 8,400 candidates, and are the first new ESA astronauts since 1992, the space agency said in a statement. They include two military test pilots, one fighter pilot and one commercial pilot, plus an engineer and a physicist. "This is a very important day for human spaceflight in Europe," said Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of Human Spaceflight at ESA. "These young men and women are the next generation of European space explorers. They have a fantastic career ahead, which will put them right on top of one of the ultimate challenges of our time: going back to the Moon and beyond as part of the global exploration effort." Humans have not walked on the moon since 1972, just over three years after the first manned mission to Earth's nearest neighbor. The six will begin space training in Germany, with an eye to being ready for future missions to the International Space Station and beyond in four years. They are: Samantha Cristoforetti of Italy, a fighter pilot with degrees in engineering and aeronautical sciences; Alexander Gerst, a German researcher with degrees in physics and earth science; Andreas Mogensen, a Danish engineer with the private space firm HE Space Operations; Luca Parmitano of Italy, an Air Force pilot with a degree in aeronautical sciences; Timothy Peake, an English test pilot with the British military; and Frenchman Thomas Pesquet, an Air France pilot who previously worked as an engineer at the French space agency.
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2 Italians, a Dane, a German, a Frenchman and Briton make astronaut list .
Six new astronauts named Wednesday chosen from 8,400 candidates .
Group will undergo four years of training in Germany .
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10b454a90fafd41521f7a79cf79b5626d288cd1a
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(CNN) -- You know the drill. Pony up a little (or a lot) more scratch at America's top theme parks, sports stadiums, wildlife sanctuaries, lounges and museums and you can expect a different deal. The VIP deal. But where and when does it pay to go VIP? You should always take those three letters with a grain of salt, but sometimes they really do sweeten the pot, provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience or just save your sanity. Here are 12 VIP options in nine categories that are worth the extra cash. Theme parks . If money was no object, who wouldn't do the whole destination amusement park thing differently? As in, no lines anywhere, front row seating everywhere and a personal park operative to maneuver you through the madness. The Disney World Premium VIP Tour (from $315 per hour) is about as close to that parallel universe as it gets in the Magic Kingdom, Epcot and beyond. The package includes a door-to-door resort guide overseeing your own personally customized, multipark itinerary -- with all the line-skipping, special-seating and headache-saving that groups of up to 10 can pack into six hours. The Six Flags VIP Tour (from $199) also offers fully customized tours for private groups, assigning a hands-on guide to keep you oriented and on-task with preferred everything from parking to show and restaurant seating to front-of-line privileges on most rides. Major League baseball . Unless you're about to be tackled by security at midfield, stepping onto the actual turf at one of the world's most venerable sports venues is strictly reserved for pro athletes and umps, right? Not if you book The Wrigley Field Experience (from $25,000) for a private VIP event. Then the hallowed home of the Chicago Cubs, the nation's second-oldest ballpark, is yours for the experiencing at home-plate level. Customized events let you tour "The Friendly Confines," play ball right on the field with accompanying scoreboard and sound system, and even take batting practice with legends of the game. Will they play the Seventh Inning Stretch song for you? You bet. Wildlife . Not that jockeying for position to glimpse gorillas among the weekend zoo crowd isn't a privilege in its own right. It might even inspire some comparisons with the guy standing beside you. Just know that there are premium animal encounters to be had at some of America's most popular wildlife parks and attractions from coast to coast. Left Coast: San Diego Zoo's Exclusive VIP Experience (from $599) provides a customized, intimate journey through one of the world's most famous zoos. The tour includes up-close animal encounters, a special lunch and access to off-exhibit areas tailored to your zoological hankerings. Right Coast: SeaWorld Orlando's Private VIP Tour (from $299) lets guests dodge crowds for intimate feeding sessions with dolphins, sea lions and stingrays -- plus jump to the front of every ride line and enjoy reserved seating at live shows -- before their own feeding at Sharks Underwater Grill. Hollywood . Hollywood studios have been inviting folks for behind-the-scenes peeks since the silent era, when Universal boss Carl Laemmle came up with the idea of selling bleacher seats during shoots for 25 cents a pop. While the standard 45-minute Universal Studios Tour is more or less a warmup for the theme park, the Exclusive Universal Studios VIP Experience ($299) at the world's largest movie and TV studio includes a personal park guide, VIP meal service, hours of front-of-line ride benefits and back-lot access to otherwise off-limits sound stages, props warehouses, costume departments and all those immortal exterior sets from your favorite old Jim Carrey and Michael J. Fox flicks. Warner Bros. Studios is home of "Casablanca," "Rebel without a Cause," "Two and a Half Men" and the Warner Bros. VIP Tour ($52), which whisks guests for more than two hours around the 100-acre lot of Hollywood's oldest studio. No two tours are the same here, because this is workingman's Hollywood. You're seeing life on the lot as it plays out during the week without the aid of a theme park ride: through props departments, craft shops, sets of hit TV series and sound stages. Museum . You love the American Museum of National History's great Fossil Halls, the Earth and space section covering the universe's 13-billion-year history and those fascinating human origins dioramas. But you'd love it even more without all those other humans milling around. Take it from Ben Stiller and Robin Willia ... er, Theodore Roosevelt -- New York's natural history museum is an entirely different place outside regular public hours. While the American Museum of Natural History's VIP Tour ($500 for a group of up to five) can't guarantee you'll befriend Sacajawea or a T-Rex that fetches rib bones (that stuff only happens after sundown), the facility's premier private tour (9-10 a.m., before doors officially open) walks you through the place like it's your own. Then, when all the regular guests arrive, you get pre-seating at the Space Show, IMAX viewing and access to special exhibits. Tough to come up with a sequel as good as that. Live music . Snagging any old seat to hear The Eagles crank out "Take It Easy" for the millionth time or watch Sting, LL Cool J, Ozzy Osbourne and Kiss strut on stage (no, not all together) means a call to TicketMaster. Sitting front row at any of these upcoming summer concert tours, attending a pre-show party and doing a meet-and-greet photo op with some of these stars means a trip to VIP Nation. The preferred concert seating company, specializing in premium VIP packages and rare access to your favorite musical artists, can probably help you get that special moment with Gene Simmons you've been waiting for all these years. Dining . You can get the "private room" VIP treatment with great city views at any lofty restaurant worth its African salt-crusted sea bass. But for the real gravity-defying haute dining experience you have to lose the walls, the floor and the windows and do Dinner in the Sky -- a singular multicourse dining adventure that seats you and your closest 21 VIP friends or business associates at a table suspended up to 18 stories high by a specialized crane and equipment. Developed by Europe-based Events in the Sky, the U.S.-authorized experience can be set up in virtually any 100-foot by 50-foot space accessible by a large truck. Still miss the Rainbow Room? Tennis . Can you believe it? The World Series is just two months away and the Super Bowl is in less than half a year! Welcome to the sports doldrums of late August and early September. Is there a classic American sporting event happening somewhere at this time worth dropping a bundle on to experience in the most pampered manner possible? Yes. In Flushing Meadows, New York, home of tennis' U.S. Open. There are four basic ways to experience the greatest Grand Slam tournament (if you're not British, French or Australian) in racquet sports. 1. Not at all . 2. In your living room, on ESPN . 3. In the nosebleeds watching Serena Williams -- or is that Roger Federer? 4. With a U.S. Open Supreme Package (from $700 up to $1,850), which includes VIP parking, loge level seating, breakfast in the Media Dining Room, exclusive dining access and a $200 U.S. Open Event Card for each guest. Vegas . Tao. Pure. Lavo. Moon. Mix. Rain. Hyde. Do any -- or all -- of these syllables spell a brilliant time in Vegas to you? If so, the V Card ($149.99) might just make it even smarter -- allowing you to cut through long lines, escape crazy cover charges and score two-for-one drinks at some of the most happening venues all over the Vegas Strip. Introduced last year on the heels of Vegas' VIP-for-a-weekend "club crawl" services, the V Card lets frequent Vegas visitors check off 40-plus ultra lounges, nightclubs and all-hours pool parties over the course of several visits. Or one really crazy weekend.
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Want to meet Gene Simmons? VIP Nation might be able to help you out .
The Wrigley Field Experience lets you take batting practice with legends of the game .
American Museum of Natural History's VIP tour lets you avoid crowds .
Disney World Premium VIP Tour gives you a new perspective on the park .
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10b5206defa6c64f38f95a4ffc2f6fed3993093b
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Arsenal's training was cut short by a storm but that bad weather could not force England midfielder Jack Wilshere to head for cover. Not for the first time this summer the 22-year-old was causing a splash but at least this was a laughing matter. Wilshere threw himself around in enormous puddles that appeared on the pitches after the storm. The Gunners had been training prior to the downpour but even Arsene Wenger was forced to call it quits when torrents began cascading down on them. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Wilshere mess around in training with Cazorla and Ramsey . Soaked: jack Wilshere looks delighted to be rolling around in puddles caused by the sudden storm . Session: Arsenal players had been training on the pitches when then storms hit . Arsenal are in Austria on their pre-season training camp before they head back to London for this weekend's Emirates Cup. The north London side will be joined by Monaco, Benfica and Valencia at The Emirates but they will only play the former two. Arsene Wenger's men will play their first competitive match of the season when they face manchetser City in the Community Shield on August 10. Austria: Arsenal are training in Austria before returning to London for the Emirates Cup this weekend . High spirits: Wilshere said he did have regrets about his smoking incident which took place in Las Vegas . Empty: Even the most motivated Arsenal players would struggle to train in flooded pitches . VIDEO Arteta expecting great season .
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Arsenal in Austria for pre-season .
Training session taking place when storm came and forced players inside .
Jack Wilshere stayed behind to mess ab out in the puddles .
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10b53f15c0d98cf1f07479a584e4c3529f15b342
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(CNN) -- In middle school, a lot of kids think it's cool to cuss and toss around four-letter words like a soccer ball at recess. McKay Hatch, 16, launched an initiative to curb the use of profanity. But when McKay Hatch was in eighth grade, he called foul on the cussing he heard. Hatch started the No Cussing Club. It began at his school and then, through his Web site, attracted members of all ages from all 50 states and 30 countries. His efforts even got the attention of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, which declared the first week of March "No Cussing Week." CNN's Nicole Lapin spoke to the 16-year-old about the recent success of his movement and the trials he overcame to start it. The following is an edited transcript of the interview. McKay Hatch: Actually, when I first went to my parents about the idea, my dad was kind of like, 'No, no, don't do this.' He knew I'd get bullied and teased, which I did, and more. I got a lot of death threats from people, but I realized that through this whole thing that these people were bullies and I wasn't going to let them win. Watch the entire interview with McKay Hatch » . Nicole Lapin: Well, you received not only death threats we should say, McKay. Your site was hacked into, prostitutes were sent to your house. Were you ever scared by any of those threats? Hatch: At first I was actually pretty scared because they said, 'I know where you live.' Our address was posted online on a really big Web site and at first I was scared. But like I said, these are bullies and they wanted me to be scared and I wasn't going to let them win. Lapin: Even with the bullies, even with the threats, is this now in 30 different countries with thousands of members? Is it worth it? Hatch: It's definitely worth it. Now we have members in all 50 states and 30 countries. People are signing up with our Web site nocussing.com and they're taking the pledge to use language to uplift and make people feel good about themselves. That's what this whole club is. Lapin: It's not really about just cussing. It's also about civility. Hatch: Yeah, it's about talking to people with civility like you said, and making people feel good about themselves and talking to people with respect. That all starts with your words and how you choose to use them.
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McKay Hatch, 16, started a No Cussing Club to encourage civility .
Club has grown on the Internet with members in 30 countries .
Teen says he received death threats for starting club .
His efforts led to an official No Cussing Week in Los Angeles County .
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10b6d739ba615e8a7f33cdaf11fe6effbfc113e5
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A Cambridge University educated research scientist is so desperate to live the life of a wheelchair-bound person she is prepared to pay a doctor help her become disabled. Since childhood, Chloe Jennings-White has made several attempts at injuring herself so she can finally climb into her own wheelchair. In 2010 she even found a doctor overseas willing to help her become disabled by cutting her sciatic . and femoral nerves, but she could not afford the £16,000 costs. Scroll down for video . Chloe Jennings-White adjusting her leg braces at her home on May 16, 2013, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She uses a wheelchair, even though her legs are fine, and has chosen to live as a disabled person, due to a rare condition . 'I might never be able to afford it, but I know, truly and deeply, I won't regret it if I ever can,' she said, referring to the doctor who might be able to help her become disabled. Chloe, 58, from Salt Lake City, Utah, suffers from a rare condition called Body Integrity Identity Disorder, or BIID. Sufferers do not accept one of their own limb or limbs and seek to amputate them or become paraplegic. Able to stand: Chloe, 58, pictured out hiking in May this year in Salt Lake City, Utah. She wears leg braces and uses a wheelchair, even though her legs are healthy . Some experts believe it is caused by a neurological fault, in which the brain's mapping system cannot see a certain body part. The Cambridge graduate believes both of her legs do not belong to her and dreams of being paralysed from the waist down. 'Something in my brain tells me my legs are not supposed to work,' she said. 'Having any sensation in them just feels wrong.' For years she bandaged herself secretly, but now lives openly with her condition despite facing intolerance, insults, and sometimes online threats. Chloe first realised she was different at the age of four, after visiting her Aunt Olive, who was using leg braces after a bike accident. 'I wanted them too,' she said. 'I wondered why I wasn't born needing them and felt something was wrong with me because I didn't have them.' At the age of nine, Chloe even took action and pedalled her bike off a four-foot high acting stage on Hampstead Heath, north London, landing on her neck. 'I only wanted to stop my legs working but could have broken my neck or died,' she added. From then on, Chloe lived out her fantasy in secret, pretending to be disabled when alone, playing risky sports and climbing trees in the hope of hurting her legs. Without her leg brace on in her bathroom in Salt Lake City, US. Her distorted body image causes her to sit in a wheelchair even though she can stand and ski . Now, as an adult, Chloe enjoys the . excitement of downhill skiing and the possibility she might fall and . suffer serious leg fractures. 'I ski extremely fast, and aim for the most dangerous runs,' she said. BIID occurs when a person's idea of how they should look does not match their actual physical form. The condition affects just a small percentage of the population. The sufferer wants to have an amputation. In most cases, the limb that the person would like removed is healthy. Many psychologists and neurologists have tried to understand what the root cause of the condition is. The theory is that BIID occurs when the brain is not able to provide an accurate plan of the body. Some experts believe the cause to be psychological. One . theory is that a person with BIID may have seen an amputee at an . earlier age and this image has replaced their own thoughts about what . constitutes the ideal person. To become a better person they feel that a certain limb will have to be amputated. In severe cases, a person with BIID may harm the limb they wish to be removed or force doctors into removing it. Others manage to cope with the illness by using canes and prosthetic attachments to help them feel complete. 'Doing . any activity that brings a chance of me becoming paraplegic gives me a . sense of relief from the anxiety caused by the BIID. 'My . friends and family can get a little worried about me skiing, as they . know I ski very aggressively and they know that in the back of my mind I . actually want to get paralysed.' Chloe had a real skiing accident seven years ago, which left her with a minor back injury and a reason to get leg braces. She researched the braces online and came across BIID for the first time. She discovered there were others like her. 'It was a huge relief,' she said. 'I wasn't a freak - there were hundreds of others like me.' She took part in a BIID research study . with psychiatrist Michael First, from New York, who diagnosed her in . Spring 2008 and recommending she use a wheelchair. At first, she used the chair in private, but eventually gained the courage to reveal her secret to friends and work colleagues. 'The . chair gives me psychological relief, instead of physical,' she said. 'I . know it can be difficult for people without BIID to understand, but . it's what we feel.' In 2009 she was involved in a serious . 75mph car crash and suffered pre-concussion amnesia and cannot remember . the 15 minutes before the impact. It was not a deliberate act, according to police . reports, but she worries she might have subconsciously wanted it to happen. Now, . Chloe spends most of her time in a wheelchair, but has to get out for . various household tasks and walk down the steps to her car. With her doctor, Dr Mark Malan. He is helping her with her condition Body Integrity Identity Disorder, or BIID. Chloe is a research scientist and graduate from Cambridge University . 'I can't afford to convert my home for disabled access so I just use the chair as much as I can,' she said. She fantasises about having a car crash without hurting anyone else just so she can damage her own legs. 'Any time when I'm driving I sort of conjure up accident scenarios in my mind where I will become paraplegic,' she admitted. Psychiatrist Dr Mark Malan, who treats Chloe, said: 'The question I often ask is, is it better to have somebody pretending to use a wheelchair, or to commit suicide? Chloe Jennings-White pictured hiking with her friend David Allen earlier this year in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she now lives. She is rarely seen out of her wheelchair . Chloe sitting with her friend Clover and her baby boy Randi (pictured right) back in May at her home in Salt Lake City, Utah. Friends and family worry about her as they know she wants to self harm . Cambridge graduate Chloe outside her workplace, the University of Utah, US. She sometimes has to get out of her chair to walk up stairs or get into a car . 'One possibility could be to do some sort of nerve blocking so that that limb could not actually be used for a period of time, to let the patient test the reality of being physically disabled temporarily. 'It would give BIID sufferers a chance to change their minds if they wanted to.' Chloe believes it is important to raise . awareness about the condition and now writes for the BIID support group Transabled.
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Chloe knew at 4 she was different and wanted to live as a disabled person .
She wanted to wear leg braces like her aunt, hurt in an accident .
Aged 9, she caused an accident to stop her own legs from working .
Now she enjoys the excitement of downhill skiing - because she might fall .
She spends most of her time in a wheelchair, but is still able to stand up .
A doctor is willing to help her become disabled, but it costs £16,000 .
Psychiatrist: 'Is it better pretending to use a wheelchair or commit suicide?'
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10b86f46aa29a576c5d31e8814e2824da25a9b21
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(CNN) -- The Czech Republic's practice of surgically castrating convicted sex offenders is "invasive, irreversible and mutilating" and should stop immediately, the Council of Europe's Anti-Torture Committee said in a report made public Thursday. The central European country castrated at least 94 prisoners in the 10 years up to April 2008, when investigators from the Council of Europe, a human-rights forum, visited the Czech Republic. The Council of Europe condemned the practice as "degrading." The procedure is being performed even on first-time, non-violent offenders, such as exhibitionists, its investigation revealed. Prisoners have to request castration under Czech law, but many fear they will be jailed for life if they do not, the investigation found. "In practically all the cases, these patients indicated that their application was at least partially instigated by fear of long-term detention," the report said. "Some patients claimed that the treating sexologist had explicitly told them that surgical castration was the only available option to them and that refusal would mean lifelong detention." And it warned that some "significantly" mentally retarded people had been castrated. "In at least five cases, legally incapacitated offenders were surgically castrated," the report said. "In all of these instances, the court-appointed guardian had signed the consent form; in two cases, the guardians were mayors." The investigators found only two convicts who had spontaneously volunteered for castration, while others they interviewed said mental health staff specializing in sexuality had recommended it. "The other patients interviewed indicated that the treating sexologist had suggested surgical castration, in several cases within a week of the patient's admission to hospital," the report said. "Some of the sexologists interviewed by the delegation themselves affirmed that for certain patients there was no alternative treatment to surgical castration." The Czech Republic defends the practice as voluntary, saying castration aims permanently to reduce testosterone levels in order to diminish the offender's sexual urges. The process, officially called "therapeutic testicular pulpectomies ... are performed upon a written request of an adult man," the Czech government responded. It said the operation had to be approved by a committee of experts. "Prior to the performance of such intervention, the patient must express his consent with its performance. Castration is considered with respect to men who cannot manage their sexual instincts and are sexually aggressive," the Czech government said, saying the Council of Europe had not proven its case sufficiently for the country to abandon castration. It argues the procedure is effective in reducing repeat offenses. But the Council of Europe questioned the statistics on repeat offenses and said even if they were correct, castration was not an appropriate way to reduce recidivism. "The committee's delegation came across three cases in which sex offenders had committed serious sex-related crimes, including serial rape and attempted murder, after they had been surgically castrated," the human-rights group said. "Surgical castration is no longer a generally accepted medical intervention in the treatment of sex-offenders," the report said. It said candidates for castration often received information about the procedure which was too technical to understand -- or no information at all. "Several patients who had undergone surgical castration told the delegation that they would never have applied for surgical castration had they been properly informed," the report warned. It condemned the practice as "an irreversible intervention that always leads to infertility and, in the long run, a significantly increased risk of osteoporosis," also warning of possible depression and changes in appearance. It said it was impossible to determine how many people had been castrated in keeping with a 1966 law. The Council of Europe delegation visited the Czech Republic from March 25 to April 2, 2008. It issued its report and the Czech response on July 23, 2008. It made them public on Thursday at the request of the Czech government, it said.
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Council of Europe says Czechs should abolish it castration law for sex offenders .
CoE says some choose castration fearing refusal means long jail sentences .
Group alleges some choosing castration include non-violent and first offenders .
Czech Republic defends procedure as voluntary and effective .
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10b8f29db839d552810d0c5867f23f53a8d32697
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By . Wills Robinson . The highest paid Legal Aid barrister in Britain raked in nearly £700,000 of taxpayers’ money last year even though many lawyers refused to work because of a drop in fees. John Rees QC earned a staggering £675,798 and is one of four barristers who received more than £500,000 in 2013, despite protests over a £2billion cut in public-funded legal aid which has caused many barristers to shy away from complex cases. He specialises in fraud, has represented a number of alleged murderers and child abusers and is one of 20 lawyers who shared fees of nearly £8.5 million representing defendants. Protests: Twenty of the country's top lawyers shared £8.5million in taxpayer-funded fees, despite many barristers refusing to work because of a cut in their fees . The . government proposals have sparked angry protests by members of the legal profession and has led to the collapse of a high-profile fraud . case. Among the top . earners was Lewis Power QC, who recently represented traveller Tommy . Connors who was convicted of keeping vulnerable men captive and forcing . them to work. Connors, 53, . was jailed for eight years, and his son Patrick, 21, for five, at Luton . Crown Court last May, after being convicted of servitude, compulsory . labour and assault charges. The . pair, from Bedfordshire, deliberately targeted men on the streets or in . soup kitchens and promised them food and lodgings, but subjected them . to shocking abuse. Mr Power QC, who represented Connors Sr, received £372,664 from legal aid during 2012/13. Nigel Power QC earned £399,925 for his work defending a number of high-profile cases. One of his recent clients was . Christopher Curran, who was cleared of the murder of pensioner Glynis . Solmaz, who was choked to death while he burgled her home. Curran . admitted conspiring with three others to burgle Ms Solmaz's home in . Wrexham, North Wales, last February, to steal £40,000 cash. Mr Power . represented Curran who was jailed for four years at Mold Crown Court in . November, while one of his accomplices, Alexandros Wetherill, was . convicted of murder. Anger: The £2billion cut in legal aid has seen the fees lawyers have paid for some cases slashed by up to 30 per cent. But many are still receiving huge taxpayer-funded payouts . John Rees QC earned nearly £700,000 in taxpayer-funded legal aid last year . John Rees QC is based in Cardiff, and was the highest-paid Legal Aid barrister in Britain last year, raking in £675,798 . He specialises in serious crime and has worked on a number of high-profile fraud cases, which normally garner the highest legal aid fees. He was educated at Jesus College in Cambridge and received a 'Blue' in boxing. In 2011, he represented Cardiff City player Craig Bellamy after he was arrested for assault. The Welsh striker was found not guilty. He has also defended solicitors who have been accused of defrauding the legal aid system or private clients. A section called 'quotations' includes . one from an unknown client saying: 'If he murdered his wife, John would . be his first port of call.' Another says: 'His commitment, dedication, painstaking preparation and mastery of detail make him second to none in complex, serious fraud cases.' Earlier in the month the trial of five defendants accused of a land bank fraud collapsed because barristers could not be found to defend the complex case at Southwark Crown Court, on the lower rate. Last night Nigel Lithman, chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, accused the Ministry of Justice of producing misleading figures to portray the profession as ‘universally wealthy’. He said: ‘The earnings of 20 people continue to be published in a misleading way, namely including 20 per cent VAT, whilst excluding the substantial expenses that attach to the Bar and ignoring the fact that these fees may well reflect two or even three years' work. These figures continue to be published in a way that applies to no other professions. ‘The purpose can only be to portray the profession as universally wealthy, whereas the Government recognises that an average take-home pay is in accord with the national average and is below £28,000 per annum.’ The Ministry of Justice said: ‘We have one of the most expensive legal aid systems in the world and these kind of costs are exactly why we had to make changes. ‘We have reduced the cost of a small number of the longest running criminal cases by 30 per cent - just one of these cases recently cost more than £8 million in legal aid. ‘We want to ensure the limited money we have for legal aid is concentrated on those cases and people who need it most.’
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John Rees QC, who has defended high-profile fraud cases, raked in £675,798 .
He is one of four lawyers who earned more than £500,000 last year .
Twenty of the Britain's top barristers shared £8.5million of taxpayers' money .
Ministry of Justice said these costs are 'why we need to make changes'
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10b9899b561030472fbf264a1fcdd23d908d000c
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Hazmat teams arrived at the apartment of Ebola patient Dr Craig Spencer last night to remove items that he could have contaminated. Workers from Bio Recovery Corp were at the property in Harlem, New York, wheeling away large blue barrels to be taken for testing at the CDC. The containers were loaded onto the back of the truck into the night as cleanup crews carried out essential testing of the apartment. Scroll down for video . A Hazmat worker wheels a barrel out of Dr Craig Spencer's apartment so it can be transported to the Center for Disease Control . The containers are loaded onto the back of a lorry by workers who had been in the Harlem apartment all day . They contain possibly contaminated goods and are taken by the Bio Recovery Corp. team for testing . According to their site, the company charged with the clean-up, is 'dedicated to the recovery of all accident, crime, trauma and bio-hazardous scenes; from suicides, homicides, hoarding clean up, sewage back flows, and microbial contamination issues.' The same team also cleaned The Gutter Friday night, the Williamsburg bowling alley Spencer was at the night before he wad admitted. The NYPD began putting up barriers late on Friday morning to prepare for the decontamination, and cleaners arrived. The biohazard truck was parked near the home with large blue sealed containers in the back. There has been no evacuation order for the building, and the Department of Health has been canvassing the neighborhood to keep neighbors informed. Some workers had been previously criticized for not wearing enough protective clothing . The men were sent in to sterilize the apartment . They left without any gloves, face masks or protective gear . The men works for a company called Bio Recovery Corp. They had been in the apartment almost all day working . The sealed barrels were then loaded into the back of a truck . It is uncertain where these barrels will now be disposed of . This comes just one day after NYC police officers were seen throwing gloves and tape into a public trash can near Spencer's apartment . These men had not been in the apartment building however . This comes just one day after police were seen throwing gloves, face masks and caution tape in a public trash can after being near Spencer's apartment. Those men, however, were never in the apartment building, and it is standard practice for NYC police officers to wear gloves while putting up and taking down caution tape.
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Crew sent in to sterilize the apartment of NYC Ebola patient Craig Spencer .
Worked late into the evening on Friday removing barrels of personal items .
They were then transported to the CDC where they will be tested .
They left with sealed barrels, but not wearing any sort of protective gear .
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10ba2d4b7ed4d69ec8f4553669956ade3486022e
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By . Rob Preece . PUBLISHED: . 11:58 EST, 12 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:37 EST, 13 September 2012 . A father was sprayed in the face with a powerful chemical by police who arrested him for staging a sit-in protest at a supermarket about a faulty television set. Officers squirted pava spray into Eric Rawlinson's eyes and struck him on both arms with a baton before removing him from the Tesco Extra store in handcuffs while staff and shoppers watched. Mr Rawlinson, 41, had been protesting peacefully for four hours at the Swindon supermarket because staff told him they would not exchange his 10-month-old television, which had a faulty on-off switch. Arrest: Peaceful protester Eric Rawlinson was squirted in the eyes, struck on both arms and handcuffed as officers removed him from a Tesco Extra store in Swindon . But his demonstration ended dramatically after the store's manager called police. Officers arrived to find the unemployed former design manager sitting on a swing chair in the corner of the electrical goods area. After Mr Rawlinson told them he could not move, they squirted his eyes with the noxious spray - more potent than CS gas - and then struck his arms to release his grip from the chair. He was handcuffed face down on the floor. Then two other police vans and two squad cars arrived. Pava spray canisters, which are used by about 60 per cent of police forces in England and Wales, contain pelargonic acid vanillylamide and ethanol. They are designed to minimise a suspect's ability to resist arrest without unnecessarily prolonging their discomfort. Mr Rawlinson, a father-of-two from Abbey Meads, Swindon, described the encounter as 'the giants against the little people'. Arrest: Peaceful protester Eric Rawlinson was squirted in the eyes, struck on both arms and handcuffed as officers removed him from this Tesco Extra store in Swindon . Police forcibly removed Rawlinson from the Tesco Extra store by using a pava incapacitant spray on his eyes and striking him with a baton on both his arms . 'I was given an offer for a repair service but under my consumer rights I rejected it because I wanted an exchange,' he told the Swindon Advertiser. 'Too many people would go quietly and accept it but I believe I have a right of exchange.' Mr Rawlinson said that staff were 'polite' but refused to back down over the £599 widescreen set. Officers arrived to find the unemployed former design manager sitting on a swing chair in the corner of the electrical goods area . Eric Rawlinson was handcuffed face down on the floor. Then two other police vans and two squad cars arrived . Eric Rawlinson is led away by police after staging a sit in protest over a broken television at a Tesco in Swindon . Mr Rawlinson, a father-of-two from Abbey Meads, Swindon, described the encounter as 'the giants against the little people' PAVA spray is an incapacitant spray dispensed from a hand-held canister in a liquid stream propelled by nitrogen. It is approved for police use in the UK, although many forces use the significantly less potent CS gas spray instead. The liquid stream is a spray pattern and has a maximum effective range of up to 4 metres. Maximum accuracy, however, will be achieved over a distance of 1.25 to 2 metres. PAVA primarily affects the eyes, causing closure and severe pain. The pain to the eyes is reported to be greater than that caused by CS. The effectiveness rate is very high once PAVA gets into the eyes; however, there have been occasions where PAVA and CS have failed to work - especially when the subject is under the influence of alcohol or drugs . Exposure to fresh moving air will normally result in a significant recovery from the effects of PAVA within 15 to 35 minutes. Both PAVA and CS are prohibited under s5 of the Firearms Act as a 'weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other thing'. While it is unlawful for a member of the public to possess them, police officers, as servants of the Crown, are exempt from this restriction. Store manager Stuart Edginton said he was forced to call Wiltshire Police because Mr Rawlinson ignored repeated requests to leave and warnings from staff. Mr Edginton called Tesco head office numerous times during the stand-off but he was advised to stick to the company's policy, which only offers a refund or exchange during the first 28 days after purchase. A Tesco spokeswoman said: 'It is our policy to return a faulty item to the manufacturer for repairs and if these cannot be done, we will happily offer an exchange or refund. 'In this instance, as a gesture of goodwill, we also offered the customer an extended warranty on the product and the loan of another television. 'Unfortunately, the customer was not satisfied, and the police were called when he refused to leave the store after several hours.' A spokesman for Wiltshire Police . said: 'When officers arrived at the supermarket, the male was asked to . leave the store, but refused to do so. 'Despite . officers best efforts to resolve the situation, the male refused to . leave the store so was arrested for breach of the peace but resisted . officers when they tried to arrest him. 'In trying to restrain the male, officers were required to use pava spray and an asp (police baton). 'The . first officers arrived at the scene approximately 10 minutes after the . call but when the man became aggressive, officers called for emergency . assistance and a further four units were called as precaution.' Mr Rawlinson was seen by a police doctor but did not require any medical treatment. He was cautioned for obstructing an officer in course of their duty before being released.
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Officers squirted pava spray into Eric Rawlinson's eyes after he refused to leave the supermarket in Swindon .
He had staged a four-hour sit-in protest after staff told him they would not exchange his television set .
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