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By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 10:21 EST, 26 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:30 EST, 26 June 2013 . A hungry police officer parked his patrol car on double yellow lines in a cycle lane - so he could buy a pork bun. The armed officer pulled over in the narrow road near London's Borough Market in his BMW X5 and left his car parked illegally before queuing to buy a sandwich at a cafe under the railway arches nearby. The officer, who wore body armour and had his gun clearly strapped to his leg as he waited in line, is thought to have ordered a BBQ pulled pork bap. Dressed in body armour and with his gun clearly visible, the policeman left his car illegally parked to buy a pork bun . The marked police BMW was left on double yellow lines and in a cycle lane while the officer bought his lunch . The incident took place yesterday lunchtime at Hobbs Meat Roast just south of the Thames in London, a city where 4million parking fines are handed out each year. Chris Thomson, an office worker in London Bridge, captured the armed officer’s brazen behaviour after he saw the car parked illegally and assumed an urgent police operation was taking place nearby. He said: 'Upon seeing a Met Police BMW X5 slowly parking up on both a cycle lane and double yellow lines, I thought there must be some sort of incident to which the officers inside were attending. This picture shows the narrow street with double yellow lines and cycle lane where the policeman left his car . 'I stopped briefly just to see if . anything was going down, but one of the officers casually hopped out . smiling and proceeded to walk into Borough Market. 'I . thought he might be responding to something involving one of the market . stalls, but was shocked to see him simply saunter up to buy his lunch. 'As . someone who’s had to fork out £65 for a parking fine in London when I . was just a few minutes over the time, I think it displays shocking . double standards that the police can get away with this sort of thing.' The Hobbs Roast Meat stall which the . police officer visited is a popular haunt in the food-lovers' market. Set up by former market trader Michael Hobbs and his wife Julie, it . offers hot meat rolls, buns and baguettes, with popular items including a . pulled pork bun and a beef sandwich wrap.
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Officer left his marked BMW X5 parked illegally while he bought a sandwich .
Armed policeman's gun clearly visible as he queued at Borough Market .
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For the first time, the United States is publicly accusing China and Russia of being the top offenders in the theft of U.S. economic and technology information, according to an intelligence report released Thursday. The two countries are "trying to build their economies" on American research and development, said Robert Bryant, the National Counterintelligence Executive whose office wrote the report. That office is responsible for mounting an integrated national counterintelligence battle against foreign intelligence threats to the United States, according to its website, and must compile such a report every two years. An unclassified version of the report to Congress on Foreign Economic Collection and Industrial Espionage was released Thursday and focused primarily on the exploitation of cyberspace from 2009 to 2011. "U.S. private sector firms and cybersecurity specialists have reported an onslaught of computer network intrusions that have originated in China," said the report. It noted that analysts could not pinpoint specific responsibility for many of the intrusions, but Bryant said the source of the attacks could be government intelligence services, corporations or individuals. The report was more specific about Russia. "Russia's intelligence services are conducting a range of activities to collect economic information and technology from U.S. targets," it said. "The nations of China and Russia, through their intelligence services and through their corporations, are attacking our research and development. That's a serious issue, because if we build their economies on our information, I don't think that is right," Bryant said at a news conference unveiling the report. He hoped that by pointing out the problem with the two nations, it will help spur solutions. The latest intelligence community assessment comes on the heels of House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers' harsh criticism of what he referred to as China's "predatory campaign" of stealing U.S. intellectual property. Last month, Rogers said the cyber attacks against the United States had reached "an intolerable level" and were harming U.S. national security. In a statement released Thursday, Rogers said the report "once again underscores the need for America's allies across Asia and Europe to join forces to pressure Beijing to end this illegal behavior." But foreign economic espionage against the United States isn't limited to China and Russia. The report indicates cyber attacks against America have come from dozens of other countries, but it doesn't name those nations. The cost to both national security and private business is said to be considerable but difficult to quantify. Bryant said U.S. companies and the U.S. government produce approximately $400 billion of research and development each year. Depending on whose figures you go by, the losses each year range from $2 billion to as much as $400 billion -- estimates that Bryant called "meaningless." The report broadly states that if a hostile nation such as Iran or North Korea illegally obtains U.S. technology with military applications, it could endanger American lives. The FBI has prosecuted a number of espionage cases involving private companies, in which the economic impact was cited. The report gives the example of the Valspar Corporation, where an employee downloaded proprietary paint formulas that he planned to take to a job in China. The theft was valued at $20 million, representing one-eighth of Valspar's annual profit. Tackling the problem isn't easy. Sean Noonan, a tactical analyst for Stratfor, said private companies are often reluctant to report such attacks to the government. "It's a business issue for these companies. If it goes public, they've seen in the past that it could hurt them, hurt their business more and more," said Noonan. He also noted the privacy issues that inevitably arise when the government is involved in cyberdefense measures. Another difficult issue is how much information the government can provide to private industries about cyber attacks without compromising secrets. Roger Kubarych, the national intelligence officer for economic issues with the National Intelligence Council, admitted it's a problem. "There are going to be limits on how much information and expertise and knowledge the government and its expertise agencies can share with the private sector, but there's more available than there was," said Kubarych. A senior U.S. intelligence official, who briefed journalists on the report on the condition of anonymity, said a public-private partnership is the key. "There needs to be improved threat reporting by industry,cyber and there needs to be communication back by the government to industry as to best practices and how to prevent the theft of significant economic issues," the official said. The outlook isn't particularly bright. According to the report, Russia and China will continue to lead the pack in attacking U.S. systems. "We judge that the governments of China and Russia will remain aggressive and capable collectors of sensitive U.S. economic information and technologies, particularly in cyberspace," it said. But the report also warns that changing economic and political developments around the world could lead other nations to steal U.S. economic secrets. There's also the threat of disgruntled insiders within corporations or government agencies leaking sensitive information to activists, who publicly release the information, much like the dissemination of confidential State Department cables on the website WikiLeaks.
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Bryant hopes the report will spark solutions .
China and Russia are singled out as top offenders in industrial espionage report .
Many cyberattacks are coming from China, report says .
Other countries area also conducting foreign economic espionage against U.S.
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By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 09:15 EST, 21 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:58 EST, 22 August 2013 . To head off unwanted advances, women should avoid an 'upward inflection' when speaking, learn to accept compliments gracefully and imagine their grandmother was in the room during interaction with male colleagues. This advice doesn't come from the pages of a 50s etiquette guide, but courtesy of an employee education and training service used by companies such as Groupon, Google, Eventbrite and Ask.com. The service responsible, Jhanaeducation.com, recently published the article, entitled: 'What if a male colleague gets the wrong idea?' An employee education and training service used by the likes of Groupon and Google has published an article instructing women on how not to lead men on in the workplace . And it's enraged some women. Writing on Jezebel, Erin Gloria Ryan, who spotted the feature, said: 'The problem with the piece - besides the fact that it treats its target audience like actual sex idiots - is that it once again implies that women are responsible for how men behave and what men think.' Tips include avoiding 'revealing clothing' and the manual states: 'If you’re touchy-feely or flirtatious by nature, you might want to dial it back around him and any guys from whom you sense discomfort.' 'If you’d feel embarrassed saying or doing whatever you’re about to say or do in front of Grandma, don’t go there' The article discusses how the way women dress can affect their position in the workplace: 'In a perfect world, women would feel . free to dress however they want without being stigmatized for it.' 'Know that revealing clothing and certain verbal tics, such as ending . statements with an upward inflection in your voice or struggling to . accept a compliment, can affect others’ ability to take you seriously.' And apparently the greatest weapon a woman has against inadvertent flirting is her grandmother: 'Don’t say or do anything you wouldn’t say or do in the presence of . your grandmother. If you sense that you could start unconsciously . flirting (you’re human, and sometimes it happens), imagine that your . grandmother is in the room. 'If you’d feel embarrassed saying or doing whatever you’re about to say or do in front of Grandma, don’t go there.' And it even provides tips for when the male in question doesn't quite get the hint. 'If he still doesn't get the message, socialize in groups, especially after hours and outside the office. The article states that revealing clothing can affect others' ability to take you seriously . 'There's a greater chance that the guy will misinterpret your behaviour in 1-on-1 situations that happen outside the office. 'Leave when everyone else does. And try to avoid letting him pick up the tab.' The manual instructs women to use their 'creep-o-meter' to determine whether the man is getting the wrong message. 'Always . pay attention to your creep-o-meeter. Every woman has one. If you get . even a faint whiff of creepiness off of the guy or anyone else at work, . ask yourself if it's really worth trying to know the person. In most . cases, it isn't.' It . concludes with: 'Still confused? You should be. This is a confusing . topic with a long, confusing history' and then directs women to further . reading material to help them 'delve deeper' into the topic. Website Jezebel's thoughts on the subject were, however, more clear cut: 'Unsurprisingly, . a male equivalent (How Not to Act All Skanky In Your Tie And Your . Business Clothes) doesn't seem to exist... Men are not advised to keep . their clavicles under wraps, lest their lady colleagues be driven mad . with lust.' Rob Cahill, CEO and co-founder of Jhana Education told MailOnline: 'We did not intend to offend or blame anyone with our recent article on gender relations in the workplace. 'Based on the thoughtful feedback we received, we are re-thinking our approach to this topic.' MailOnline have contacted Google for comment.
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Features in weekly digest from employment and training service .
Used by Groupon, Google and Ask.com .
Advises women to avoid revealing clothing .
Says 'upward inflection in your voice' will stop women being taken seriously .
No equivalent advice for men on how to treat female colleagues .
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By . Charlie Mccann . PUBLISHED: . 13:16 EST, 31 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:18 EST, 1 August 2013 . Every year, the fashion world waits with baited breath for Vanity Fair to draw up its famous International Best-Dressed List. And now the wait is finally over as the most fashionable people of 2013 have been declared. Some of the choices were far from surprising. The Duchess of Cambridge makes the list for the fourth time since she first appeared in 2008. And the Duchess of Cambridge doesn't want for royal companions either. Princess Letizia of Asturias is also on the List, as is Princess Madeleine of Sweden. Scroll down for video . The Duchess of Cambridge was included in Vanity Fair's International Best-Dressed List for the fourth time . New names on the list include singer Beyoncé and burlesque dancer Dita von Teese . Scandal actress Kerry Washington, who graced the cover of the magazine's August issue, made the number one spot. Gisele Bundchen, Charlize Theron and Justin Timberlake also appeared, as did Stella Tenant. Victoria Beckham was also listed. There were the obvious choices, and then the more intriguing ones. Peng Liyuan, the wife of the Chinese President Xi Jinping, makes her debut this year. It's an interesting choice; Peng, who is also a singer and performing artist, has been feted for adding some glamour to her husband's staid office. But if the List charts those whose star is on the rise, those whom it excludes must feel the burn. With that in mind, it's interesting that the List's compilers have failed to include Michelle Obama - for the second year running. (Barak hasn't appeared since 2009). Lighthearted: David Walliams with his wife Lara Stone . In fact, the wives of Western politicians are conspicuously absent. Samantha Cameron hasn't appeared since she was included for the first time in 2010. And, while Carla Bruni-Sarkozy is a veteran of the List, having appeared four times, the wife of the former French president isn't in the List this year. For some, the List is a sacred affair, but there are those who treat it more lightheartedly. While Lara Stone, appearing in the Couples category with husband David Walliams, said her favourite item of clothing is 'my wedding . dress, made by Riccardo Tisci', David said his were his 'Charvet pajamas'. He added that his style icon is Italian actress 'Omella Muti as Princess . Aura in Flash Gordon.' When asked who his is, Keith Richards, new to the List, responded, 'Why should I [have one]... I am one!' He also insisted that 'I don't shop!' Keith Richards and Kerry Washington featured on the coveted list . Other newbies include Beyonce and Dita von Teese. The burlesque dancer said her favourite article of clothing is "The 'Hussar' gown from Jean Paul Gaultier's 2002 winter haute couture collection.' Fittingly, her style icons are 'the women of 1940s-era fetish artist John Willie.' Ronan Farrow, a writer, human-rights lawyer and diplomat but better known as the son of Mia Farrow and Woody Allen, was also included. For the first time in its history, the fashion's who's who has been opened up to the public. The International Best-Dressed Challenge, as it was known, invited submissions from readers. Fashion blogger Hallie Swanson and interior Designer Darren Henault were selected. Swanson's style icon is Miranda Kerr; Henault's styel icon is 'Bill Blass with a touch of Pee-wee Herman and the Mad Hatter thrown in'. Human rights lawyer and diplomat Ronan Farrow (l) China's First Lady Peng Liyuan (r) were included .
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Kate, a veteran of the List, has been on it four times .
Chinese First Lady included - while Michelle and SamCam aren't .
Beyonce, Dita von Teese and Keith Richards included for the first time .
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By . Hannah Roberts In Rome . PUBLISHED: . 17:32 EST, 1 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:33 EST, 2 July 2013 . Form of expression: This gesture is commonly used by Silvio Berlusconi as a sign of disbelief . Waving your hands in the air is as undeniably Italian as buffalo mozzarella, bankruptcy and bunga bunga. But the well known tradition of gesturing is not just an expression of their extensive range of emotions – Italians use around 250 distinct hand signals in everyday conversation, experts have revealed. Gestures, most of which originated in Naples, generally include fingers flying horizontally from the chin, exaggerated shrugs and upheld palms, and lots of exasperated cries and raised eyebrows. Some are offensive – meaning ‘gay’ or ‘cuckold’. But many are mundane: ‘can I have a cigarette’, ‘call me’. Or ‘tastes good’, virtually all now internationally recognised gestures. Perhaps the best known is the one used regularly by Silvio Berlsuconi to express disbelief at the stupidity of what someone is saying. The hands are slightly cupped, with the finger tips forming upward-pointing cones which are shaken more or less violently, depending on the degree of exasperation. Very common in Naples, it translates as ‘What do you want?’ Professor of psychology at Roma Tre University and an expert on gestures, Isabella Poggi has identified 250 individual signs, that she says are akin to a language in their own right. The signs can have quite complex meanings, she told the NY Times; ‘There are gestures expressing a threat or a wish or desperation or shame or pride,’ she said. The sign for ‘I don’t give a ****’ is an act of defiance.: ‘It’s a rebellion against power, a way of reacquiring one’s own dignity.’ The only thing that separates hand gestures from sign language is that they are used individually, she said. Meaning: The range of signs can have quite complex meanings, from desperation to shame. Here, Berlusconi seems to be pinching his lips, telling someone to stop talking . Talking with hands: The only thing that separates hand gestures from sign language is that they are used individually . No one knows for certain why the system of gestures developed. One theory is that Italians developed them as an secret language of communication during centuries of foreign occupation — by Austria, France and Spain in the 14th through 19th centuries, Professor Poggi said. And in busy cities like Naples, gesturing was a way of marking one’s territory. ‘To get attention, people gestured and used their whole bodies,’ she added. Recognisable: Some of the signs are easy to decipher. Here, the Italian Minister for Integration Cecile Kyenge is raising her hand to stop someone mid-speech . Salute: Bank of Italy deputy governor Fabrizio Saccomanni gestures during a meeting. The hand movements developed from a time when people gestured with their whole bodies . Hand gesturing appears to be an ancient phenomenon. Gestures used by the figures painted on ancient Greek vases found in the Naples area can be easily compared to those used by today’s Neapolitans. Italian writer Italo Svevo wrote in a letter to his wife from England in 1901. ‘It seems that in this country, I’m actually a laughing stock on account of my way of gesturing... Hands in pockets - only then can you speak English.’
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Gestures originated in Naples are now internationally recognised .
Complex system of gestures began in 14th century to mark territory .
Best known gesture of pushing fingertips together and cupping palms is used by Silvio Berlusconi .
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Plans by Labour to charge visitors from the US and 55 other countries who don't require a visa to enter the UK have been met with dismay by airlines. Under the proposals, nationals in countries enjoying a 'visa waiver' system of fast-track permission to enter the UK will be hit with a charge of around £10 per visit, which the party said would more than cover the £45 million cost of 1,000 extra border guards. That is a similar sum as the US charges for its equivalent service and Labour said tourism experts did not anticipate it would have any impact on the numbers choosing to travel to Britain. Under Labour's plans, passengers who don't require a visa to enter the UK could be met with a £10 entry fee (File Photo) But Nathan Stower, chief executive of the British Air Transport Association (BATA), voiced serious concerns over the proposals. 'While we welcome the desire to improve the customer experience for passengers arriving at the UK border, airlines have significant concerns about this proposal,' he said . 'Visitors from countries like the USA and Australia already pay the highest air passenger tax in the world to fly to the UK – £71 from next April – contributing billions of pounds to the Treasury. Adding yet another charge will make the UK more uncompetitive in attracting tourists, businesses and inbound investment. 'It is not clear how this proposed charge would be collected. The vast majority of visitors from those countries that are not required to obtain a visa to enter the UK, such as the USA, do not currently provide information to UK authorities ahead of their visit. Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper believes changes need to be made on the UK's immigration policy . It might not just be your passport you need to show to enter the UK, but also an extra £10 . 'Furthermore, if more money were to be raised from airline passengers alone, it would only fair for this to fund improvements in the border at airports and not at other ports of entry such as Calais.' Regular increases in the cost of general visas since 2010 - from £68 to £83 - had not resulted in reduced visitor numbers from countries not benefiting from waiver arrangements, aides said. Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced the plan as part of a wider program of wider reforms she believe needs to be introduced to the UK's policy on immigration. As many as 5.5 million travellers a year will be subject to the new fee - more than two in five of those from America, with Australians and Canadians the next largest groups.
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Visitors who benefit from a 'visa waiver' could be charged £10 entry fee .
Labour believe charge will cover cost of 1,000 extra border guards .
Airlines believe charge will mean UK is 'unattractive' in tourism terms .
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11954fc739cd4cd5cb82e7daf6ec21c4b307aad5
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Jerusalem (CNN) -- A controversial Facebook page calling for another Palestinian intifada has been pulled off the social media website, following complaints from the Israeli government that it incited violence against Jews. A statement from Facebook said the group page entitled the "Third Palestinian Intifada" -- which had garnered more than 350,000 "likes" over the course of the past month -- was removed from the website because it contained direct calls for violence. "The page... began as a call for peaceful protest, even though it used a term that has been associated with violence in the past. In addition, the administrators initially removed comments that promoted violence," the company statement said. "However, after the publicity of the page, more comments deteriorated to direct calls for violence. Eventually, the administrators also participated in these calls. After administrators of the page received repeated warnings about posts that violated our policies, we removed the page. "We continue to believe that people on Facebook should be able to express their opinions, and we don't typically take down content that speaks out against countries, religions, political entities, or ideas. However, we monitor pages that are reported to us and when they degrade to direct calls for violence or expressions of hate -- as occurred in this case -- we have and will continue to take them down," Facebook said. A few other identically named pages have popped up since then, some with the same messages the previous page had. The page's removal follows heavy criticism from the Israeli government and pro-Israel organizations that Facebook was ignoring its own terms-of-service guidelines, which prohibit the posting of content that is "hateful, threatening, or... incites violence." Yuli Edelstein, Israel's minister of public diplomacy and diaspora affairs, said Tuesday in a statement that the removal of the page showed that "Facebook management understood that the page is a blunt abuse of freedom of speech to incite to violent actions." The Anti-Defamation League also praised the move. "By taking this action, Facebook has now recognized an important standard to be applied when evaluating issues of non-compliance with its terms of service involving distinctions between incitement to violence and legitimate calls for collective expressions of opinion and action," said a statement Tuesday from Abraham H. Foxman, national director of the group. "As it continues to monitor its pages, Facebook should be able to apply this standard in response to complaints about other pages with similar content. We hope that they will continue to vigilantly monitor their pages for other groups that call for violence or terrorism against Jews and Israel." Edelstein sent a letter to Facebook founder and chairman Mark Zuckerberg last week, complaining of content on the page that promoted "the killing of Israelis and Jews and the 'liberating' of Jerusalem and of Palestine through acts of violence." "You are obviously aware of the site's great potential to rally the masses around good causes, and we are all thankful for that. However, such potential comes hand in hand with the ability to cause great harm such as in the case of the wild incitement," Edelstein's letter said. Edelstein's office had said Monday it was satisfied with moves the social media giant had made in monitoring the site and removing objectionable content. The Facebook page in question was set up in early March by a group of unidentified activists who called for a third intifada to start on May 15, a date known by Palestinians as the Nakba -- or catastrophe -- which commemorates the displacement of hundred of thousands of Palestinians from their homes in warfare that led to the establishment of Israel in 1948. The word intifada -- which is literally translated as "shaking off" -- is popularly used to describe a revolt or rebellion. Palestinians have staged two intifadas, which began in 1987 and 2000 respectively. Violence surrounding the second intifada claimed the lives of thousands of Israelis and Palestinians. In an administrative post, the activists wrote that the purpose of the page was to liberate Palestine and fight "against injustice, division, and corruption" following the protest movements in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. In a March 24 post, the administrators said their approach was peaceful and that they were committed to maintaining freedom of expression. They also suggested it was not fair to single out their page when thousands of pages on the social media website contained similar content, and threatened a mass Muslim boycott of Facebook if the page was pulled down.
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NEW: Facebook says it removed the page because it called for violence .
Other pages with the same name have been created on Facebook .
The Israeli government said the page promoted the killing of Jews .
The creators of the page said it promotes the liberation of Palestine .
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11974e7cb01ca0b352fc4c5d06f5c45671727800
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Caught on tape is the shocking moment a crane snapped atop a 65-story luxury building in New York after high storm winds left it dangling precariously over the city. The construction crane was left hanging over the edge of a building on West 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan, while nearby streets and buildings were cleared as a precaution. The crane can be seen standing erect before the high winds force it to lurch over, snapping it in the process, leaving it swinging over the streets below. VIDEO: The shocking moment the crane snapped . Evacuation: The collapsed crane dangles beside a building under construction as Hurricane Sandy makes its approach . Record: Once completed, the building will be the tallest residential building in the city . The fire department reported that it had . responded to a multiple-dwelling building collapse at Eight Avenue and . 14th Street. People were reportedly trapped inside the structure, but additional information about the 7pm . accident is not yet known. The call over the crane collapse came in around 2.30pm yesterday as conditions worsened and Hurricane Sandy approached. Meteorologists said winds atop the building could have been close to 95mph at the time. New York City evacuated neighbors of the . nearly completed luxury apartment building after the collapse prompted fears . the crane's boom could crash to the ground. The buildings that were evacuated included the Parker . Meridien hotel with 900 guests. The crane's upper arm dangled over the . street near Central Park from what should eventually become the city's . tallest residential building. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the crane . had been inspected on Friday, as other construction cranes had ahead of . the storm, and that the cause of the accident remained unknown. High risk: A large part of the problem was the fact that the malfunction occurred at such a high point . Evacuation: The buildings near the crane, including a major hotel, were all evacuated in case the crane falls to the ground . Engineers went to the top of the building to examine the crane but stopped short of attempting any repairs, officials said. The New York City Buildings Department suspended construction work at 5pm Saturday in anticipation of the storm. The government body reminded contractors and property owners to secure construction sites and buildings. VIDEO: Panic as crane collapses and front of building torn off in New York . Sky-high: The storm has caused the shutdown of transport, schools and financial markets and wrecked buildings throughout the city . Jaw-dropping sight: A shocked pedestrian stares up at the crane hanging from the high-rise building . Last light: Passers-by took pictures of the chaos before the storm hit and darkness shrouded New York after a power cut . It was also performing random inspections to make sure equipment was secured. Mayor Bloomberg told a news conference: 'It's conceivable that nobody did . anything wrong whatsoever and it wasn't even a malfunction, it was just a . strange gust of wind. 'Just because it was inspected, that . doesn't mean that God doesn't do things or that metal doesn't fail. There's no reason to think at this point in time that the inspection . wasn't adequate.' Firefighters closed streets for . several blocks surrounding the site, evacuated 300 apartments in three . buildings and were preparing to evacuate more, a Fire Department . spokesman said. Exposed: Four apartments at 14th Street and Eight Avenue were exposed to the elements after the face fell off the building Monday night . Sheared off: The face of an apartment building in the West Village collapsed, leaving the inside of the apartments exposed to the elements . Major incident: Dozens of fire trucks lined up over the reported collapse that displaced 25 people . Before: This is what the building looked like prior to its face falling off and collapsing onto the street . A spokeswoman for Lend Lease, construction manager for the project, said the company was working with city officials to secure the structure but the weather remained severe. Passers-by stared in apprehension, while some stopped to take pictures of the building that . will feature $90million duplexes. 'It's fascinating, I saw it on TV and . came out to see it. But it's also scary. If it happened there, who . knows where else it could happen,' said Sam O'Keeffe, 25, a bartender . who lives in the neighborhood. Dangerous: Billionaire Donald Trump posted this photo of the building as seen from his apartment window in Trump Tower, several avenues east of the site . Dangling: A portion of the crane collapsed in the high wind because it was not secured properly . Keeping watch: Police look up from the street level as emergency teams worked for a solution . Stumped: Hours after the problem was reported, it still had not been fixed . Increasing winds: A solution will be even more difficult to come by as winds are only expected to increase overnight and into Tuesday . Grave danger: Firefighters gaze at the damaged crane as it hangs from its base following the high winds and pouring rain . Shannon Kaye, 96, lives in the building next door. 'We heard a noise, but we didn't know what it was,' she said. Minutes later, she and her neighbors were told to leave. 'I never liked that building, looking down into my bedroom,' she said. 'I always had the feeling that something would come falling down from it.' The latest police reports state that . fire department officials are currently responding to a call that a . crane at the One World Trade Center site has broken. The . World Trade Center is at the bottom end of Manhattan, in the area that . Mayor Bloomberg ordered a forced evacuation in preparation for . the storm. The first fallen crane, at 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, is significantly further uptown. One57, New York's tallest residential building-to-be, has been under construction since 2009 and is set to open in 2013. The New York Times recently called the . building a 'global billionaires' club' because the nine full-floor . apartments near the top have all been sold to billionaires. Opulent: One57 will be New York's tallest residential once it opens in 2013 . Luxury: The building, located at 157 West 57th Street in Manhattan, is currently under construction and was designed by French architect Christian de Portzamparc . Full-floor apartments start at floor . 77, with the Park Hyatt Hotel at the base, and the starting price for a . space in the tower is reportedly $45m. The tower, designed by French . architect Christian de Portzamparc, will offer luxury amenities like a . full service spa, a screening room, private dining room, a full spa and . even a pet wash room. Ninety-two luxury condominiums will sit atop a five-star Park Hyatt hotel. Two of those units were under contract for more than $90m each, . The New York Times reported last month, citing the president of building . developer, Extell Development Company. Extell, which did not respond to requests for comment on Monday, . announced in May it had reached $1bn in sales and that half of its . units had sold in six months. Occupancy was set for 2013. High end: The units at the Manhattan tower reportedly start at $45 million . Stunning: The building overlooks Central Park and comes with a slew of amenities including an indoor pool, a screening room, a pet-wash room, an arts atelier and a full service spa . The contractor was Australia's Lend . Lease Construction and Canada's Pinnacle Industries own the crane, said . Mary Costello, a spokeswoman for Lend Lease. 'We are working with structural engineers and the DOB (Department of . Buildings) on evaluating any additional measures that can be taken to . secure the boom and crane structure,' Costello said. The billionaires behind fashion label Michael Kors, Lawrence Stroll and Silas Chou, have both signed contracts for $50 million full-floor apartments in the tower at 157 W. 57th Street. A sprawling 13,554 square foot apartment on the 75th and 76th floor on . the building, reportedly sold for $90m to an unknown buyer and the penthouse of One57, located on the 89th and 90th floors, was rumored to have sold for $95m.
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City's tallest residential building-to-be, One57, is due to be finished in 2013 .
Upper portion of crane collapsed with winds up to 95mph .
Luxury apartment building was evacuated after collapse prompted fears the crane's boom would crash to the ground .
FDNY responding to call that crane at World Trade Center broken .
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Queens Park Rangers owner Tony Fernandes has backed Adel Taarabt to prove he is capable of competing at the highest level of English football. Taarabt, who has made two appearances for QPR so far this season, was omitted from Harry Redknapp's pre-season squad for their summer tour of the US - but has since managed to edge his way back into his manager's plans. Fernandes believes Taarabt can replicate the form he had shown at Loftus Road before sealing consecutive loan moves to Fulham and AC Milan with the help of QPR's coaching staff. Back in the fold: Adel Taarabt starred for QPR in their Capital One Cup defeat against Burton Albion . Public backing: Queens Park Rangers owner Tony Fernandes has put his trust in Taarabt . The QPR owner has revealed that Glenn Hoddle has taken it upon himself to keep a close eye on the Moroccan's development. 'Adel is a QPR enigma,' Fernandes told the Evening Standard. 'On his day he is the best, someone who can turn a game around. He has shown in the Championship what an amazing player he is. 'He has shown flashes of brilliance. Glenn Hoddle is very focused on Adel. He is a Glenn Hoddle player. He is flash, which Glenn was. 'Adel has got to get his head right. He saw my trainer about nutrition and he gave me a very good report on Adel. We are going to get a special nutritionist for him because he is like me. He eats all the wrong things at the wrong time. 'Adel sent me a text saying, "I want to show the world what I can do". Now he is focused on making it work at QPR. He is training hard. If we can get the best out of him, we are going to be the winners.' Close watch: First team coach Glenn Hoddle is keen on helping Taarabt resurrect his QPR career .
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Tony Fernandes is confident QPR can get the best out of Adel Taarabt .
QPR coach Glenn Hoddle is working closely with the Moroccan midfielder .
Fernandes plans to employ a nutritionist to improve Taarabt's diet .
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By . Richard Spillett . Joshua Bryant was given a suspended sentence after attacking a retired couple but went on the rampage weeks later . A retired couple have hit out at the justice system after a thug who brutally attacked them walked free from court - only to attack his own family and two police officers weeks later. Joshua Bryant, 21, launched an unprovoked assault on Danny and Pamela Capaldi in the garden of their home in Horfield, Bristol last summer. But after a judge freed him on a suspended sentence, he went on another rampage earlier this year, attacking four people, including his own mother and sister. Bryant, . who was armed with a knife, punched Mr Capaldi, 62, to the ground before . grabbing his wife around the throat and kicking her in the back. Mr . Capaldi suffered a swollen brain and spent two days in hospital and his . wife has been left in constant pain with a non-healing fracture at the . base of her spine. Bryant . admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and possessing an offensive . weapon but was spared jail by a judge after a court heard had a mental . illness. But exactly a month later he was arrested again following another rampage and has now finally been sent to prison. Describing . the latest case, prosecutors said Bryant assaulted his mother and . sister after an argument over whether he could use their car. He fled the scene and stole bottles of beer from a shop before police tracked him down and he resisted arrest, prosecutors say. He . admitted two counts of assault, one of theft and two of assaulting a . constable in the execution of his duty and was given a two year sentence . earlier this week. Mr Capaldi suffered a swollen brain and spent two days in hospital after he was attacked by Bryant, who was later given a suspended sentence . Mr and Mrs . Capaldi, who have six grandchildren, have now said Bryant should have . been jailed for the first brutal attack on them. Mrs . Capaldi, 65, a retired dressmaker, said: 'Bryant left us in such pain. We are still not well, and before this week, we were also living in fear . of him still being on the streets. 'He should never have been given a second chance after what he did to us. I was even scared to have my young grandchildren to play on my street, for fear of what he might do. 'While he was walking free, I was . constantly checking behind me as I walked down the road. The judge gave . him a second chance, but he clearly didn't deserve one.' Mr Capaldi has hit out at the justice system after Bryant committed a second string of offences just weeks after he walked free from court . The couple were at home in Horfield, Bristol last July when their living room window was smashed. They went out to investigate and saw Bryant - the son of a neighbour - who launched a savage attack when they remonstrated with him. Judge Alan Large, sitting at Bristol Crown Court in March this year, freed Bryant with a suspended 19-month sentence after hearing he had a mental illness and was not taking medication. The judge told him: 'Anyone will wonder what on earth I’m doing not locking you up now. But you had a head injury when you were younger and you have been diagnosed with mental illness. 'Unless this is sorted out, it will be longer and longer in prison. This is quite an exceptional course.' Bryant was freed by a judge at Bristol Crown Court but went on to offend again .
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Joshua Bryant given suspended sentence for attacking couple in their 60s .
But just one month after he walked free he went on another rampage .
This time he attacked his mother and sister and two police officers .
He's now been jailed for two years after admitting catelogue of offences .
Victims of first attack say he should never have walked free from court .
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Their faces and torsos smeared with dirt, a handful of Shiite Muslims crawl along desert sand under the watchful nose of their superior's rifles. It is one of many gruelling drills they will endure after joining the Iraqi Army in its fight against bloodthirsty ISIS fanatics wreaking terror across the country. In the Najaf desert south of Baghdad, one group of volunteers were seen jumping through pits of fire and hurling themselves from sand dunes as part of the training. Scroll down for video . A group of Shiite men crawl through sand in the Najaf desert, south of Baghdad, after joining the Iraqi Military . The men are among hundreds who joined the military after clerics pleaded for worshippers to volunteer . The men are among hundreds to have signed up to the military after answering a plea from Iraq's most senior Shiite cleric last year. In June, grand ayatollah Ali al-Sistani pleaded with youngsters to volunteer their services in the wake of crippling attacks against the religion by ISIS fighters. Hundreds flocked to military centres across Baghdad, with Iraqi Army officials confident the boost in soldiers would help regain crucial swathes of territory. Since then extremists have faced increased opposition, fighting off Kurdish militias as well as the the army all the while under the threat of airstrike by US and UK led coalitions. Over the weekend 26 strikes were carried out across Iraq and eight in Syria by US forces as part of the ongoing campaign. Mosul, the country's second largest city and an ISIS stronghold, is primed for retaking, it was claimed earlier this week, with residents exasperated with life under the rule of fanatics. According to the former mayor of the neighbouring town of Tel Afar, civilians are 'ready' to join the Iraqi Army in its campaign to take back control of the city. ISIS militants are thought to control around a third of Iraq despite a sustained campaign of airstrikes against fanatics . The Shiite men join hundreds on the front line battling against fanatics, with Kurdish forces in the north also waging war against ISIS militants . Last year Iraqi Army officials said an increase in the number of men signing up to the army would help the country in its fight against terror . In Sinjar, one of the most heated patches of conflict, Kurdish forces fought off extremists' unrelenting gunfire and strikes after months of battle. The town's Yazidi population was all but obliterated last year in a humanitarian crisis which prompted UN intervention. While IS fighters have been driven out of the region, Kurdish troops remain under the threat of sniper fire, experts have warned. In Syria however, militiamen and women were filmed celebrating after defeating ISIS militants in the fight for Kobane. Fighters speaking on behalf of extremists admitted they had been overpowered by Kurdish forces following months of bloodshed. It is the latest in a string of blows to the fanatical regime which has also murdered Western and Japanese journalists and aid workers in the past year. ISIS has lost control of crucial swathes of territory including Kobane in Syria. Above, a fanatic waves the group's flag through the streets of Raqqa in Syria .
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The men are among hundreds to have recently joined the Iraqi Army .
Military is in constant battle with ISIS which controls one third of country .
Crucial swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria regained from fanatics .
A US-led coalition has seen hundreds of air strikes launched in region .
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(CNN) -- Detroit Mayor David Bing called Tuesday's 85 fires in the city a "natural disaster" and defended the fire department's response. "I have ultimate confidence in the Detroit Fire Department," he said at a Wednesday afternoon news conference. "I think they've done an outstanding job." Asked whether the department was adequately staffed or had enough equipment Tuesday, Bing said the important thing was that no one was hurt or killed. "I don't care how much money you have. When something like this happens, all you can do is respond," he said. Fire Commissioner James Mack Jr. said the department is budgeted for about 500 firefighters, about 20 fewer positions than last year. About 236 firefighters fought Tuesday's fires across much of the city and took no breaks, Mack added. The inferno was a perfect storm, and was aggravated by high winds and downed power lines, the officials said. "It just created a firestorm where we had fires," the fire commissioner said, adding that at least eight of the fires were linked to downed power lines and two to arson, though he said those numbers may change. He said response times might have been slow because of the volume of calls and officials having to prioritize the fires, especially if some were at vacant residences. Monday morning quarterbacking of resources is always easy to do, Mack said. "I have to balance safety of public and the monies the department has." CNN iReporter Joe Wilk, who recorded video of flames and their charred aftermath Tuesday and Wednesday, said that one fire spread to about 10 homes in an hour. "It's pretty tragic. How many people just lost their houses and everything they own?" he asked. A woman told him that firefighters didn't arrive for an hour to fight the fire, which also destroyed garages. "A lot of these fires were due to high winds and downed wires," said Karen Dumas, a city spokeswoman. "We had winds from 30 to 50 mph and have a number of downed power wires," Mack said. "We are attributing some of the fires to downed power wires, which makes more fires with the wind being so strong." Mack said that between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., the fire department responded to 140 calls of wires down before the evening outbreak. Fire officials said Wednesday that there were still hot spots and downed power lines in the city. Fire departments in the neighboring towns of Warren, Dearborn and Harper Woods helped Detroit firefighters. Mack said perhaps he should have asked for help earlier. "It's a matter of public safety," Dumas said. "We have enough resources to manage our daily demands, but that was an unusual and concentrated number of fires." City officials say they will be communicating with DTE Energy about its response to downed power lines. Bing said he was heartened by the community response. "I want to thank the residents who came and did what they needed to do," the mayor said. "That's one of the cultural changes we are starting to see here in the city. I think our community understands we are all in this together."
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He defends fire department response, staffing .
The fire department responded to 140 calls for wires down .
85 fires were reported across Detroit over a four-hour period .
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By . Associated Press . and Zoe Szathmary for MailOnline . A 40-year-old woman tackled a 20-year-old man fleeing from police in Washington state, then taunted him about being taken down by a grandmother. Becky Powell told The Tri-City Herald she was driving by Wednesday as Joseph Lewis Fry tried to run away from police. Powell told the newspaper she told her husband to drive faster before she got out to confront the man. Scene: Fry reportedly ran from police near Columbia Center Boulevard and 240, according to The Tri-City Herald . 'I got into a football stance and said, "You're going to stay here,"' Powell told the newspaper. 'He stiff-armed me and I just wrapped him up and threw him on the ground.' Powell told the newspaper she pulled down his shorts in the process. She told The Tri City Herald she got help keeping Fry down. 'I whispered in his ear, "How does it feel to be taken down by a mother of five and a grandmother of three?,"' she told the newspaper. There was an outstanding warrant for Fry's arrest, the newspaper reported. Richland's Capt. Mike Cobb told The Tri City Herald 'We appreciate the assistance, but we don't want to have people get involved because they can get hurt.' Busted: Fry reportedly had an outstanding warrant before he was tackled by Powell (file photo)
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Becky Powell, 40, was driving by Wednesday as Joseph Lewis Fry, 20, tried to run away from police .
She told her husband to drive faster before she got out to confront the man .
There was an outstanding warrant for Fry's arrest .
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Michael Carrick was named among the Manchester United substitutes for their trip to West Brom on Monday night after making a quicker than expected recovery from an ankle injury. Sportsmail revealed earlier in the day that the 33-year-old was in Louis van Gaal's side for their Premier League clash at The Hawthorns, although he remained an unused substitute as his side battled to a 2-2 draw. Carrick has missed the entire season so far but United medical staff have been pleased with the speed of the midfielder's recovery. Michael Carrick warms up during half-time but failed to come on during the 2-2 draw with West Brom . Carrick, pictured in training last week (L) and at the Hawthorns (R), has come back sooner than expected . The midfielder (laughing after a win against Hull in May) is yet to play for Louis van Gaal's side this season . Van Gaal is eager to get the former Spurs player back on the pitch given Carrick's experience. United may prefer to give Carrick a run out for the Under 21s against West Ham later this week before reintroducing him to senior action. Young winger Adnan Januzaj - who has featured in five league games thus far - was named in the starting XI for the game at The Hawthorns. Van Gaal is desperate to have Carrick back in the fold after missing the first two months of the season .
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Michael Carrick has not played for Manchester United yet this season .
The holding midfielder started on the bench at The Hawthorns .
Manchester United drew 2-2 with the West Brom .
Manager Louis van Gaal is desperate to have Carrick back in the team .
Adnan Januzaj started for United in Premier League clash against Baggies .
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(EW.com) -- Last night's results show spanned an exhausting two hours, but luckily Ryan Seacrest was able to keep the telecast as fresh as the yellow rose on Randy Jackson's sweater by trying out various intonations of his favorite term ("the nationwide vote") and one of life's eternal questions, "WHO WILL FILL THESE STOOLS?" It's Ryan's time to shine, so don't even think about trying to plow him over, Brielldozer Von Huge Mistake! Speaking of freshness, Jimmy Iovine showed up. They'd found him living in the boiler room under Joe Pesci's School of Speech (the Harvard of the West; sorry, Stansbury) and he was more than happy to come sit in a little room off to the side and drop little truth pellets all over the Top 24. I've missed him and the way my stupid Text Edit program auto-corrects his name to "iodine." Jimmy gave more frank and succinct criticism of the kiddies over a few minutes of edited commentary than the judges have doled out all season. On DeAndre: "What he needs is a coach." On Reed Grimm: "Way too kitschy for me, way too cabaret. Not gonna make it on this show like that." Eben Franckewitz: "Not ready for primetime." Baylie Brown: "Beautiful tune, nice tone, but she lost the plot." And my favorite, Jimmy on Adam Brock: "Supposedly he has a large black woman trapped in his body. As of right now, he's not pulling them both off." Someone had to say it. Jimmy only lost me a little when he compared Aaron Marcellus to a cheesy Don Cheadle and called Heejun Han's intentions into question. Just because the kid has a sense of humor doesn't mean he thinks the show is named "American Comedian." Everyone knows it's named "American Adele." Heejun wouldn't be in the Top 13 if he couldn't actually get through to people while the music's on. So here they are -- your Top 13! America's Top 10: Phillip Phillips, Jessica Sanchez, Hollie Cavanagh, Joshua Ledet, Heejun Han, Shannon Magrane, Skylar Laine, Elise Testone, Colton Dixon, Jermaine Jones . Wild cards: Erika Van Pelt (Randy's choice), Jeremy Rosado (J. Lo's hugmonster), and DeAndre Brackensick (Steven Tyler's 17-year-old spirit animal) The six wild card contestants had to "sing for their lives" while their nine devastated compadres had to sit around, playing dead. Up first: Jen Hirsh on the Beatles' "Oh Darling." Maybe they showed too much of her too soon. I'd been really excited about Jen heading into this week, but the magic was gone. I agreed with Jimmy that Jen should have stayed miles away from Adele on Wednesday and this last performance of hers seemed just as desperate in terms of what he called "vocal pyrotechnics." She changed much more of both melodies than she needed to. It's always a fine line on Idol -- wanting to make something your own vs. going too far. I realize that Jeremy Rosado was a mostly personal/emotional choice for J. Lo, but I ain't mad at her because I love watching people cry, and because his high notes on Carrie Underwood's "I Know You Won't" sounded perfect to me even through the tears. If Jeremy is as popular with the other singers as he seems, I think he's a good one to have around during these first few weeks. It's always better when the cast can be at ease with each other -- and have you heard Jer-Bear gives the BEST hugs? "Something's going through your body right now," suggested Ryan as Jeremy shook with emotion after his performance. If this was Ryan's way of begging for a hug, he should consider being more direct. Just get in there. Nestle, quick! Not so tender was Brielle Von Hugel, who nearly knocked Ryan over in her excitement to be called back into the spotlight, which is where Brielle belongs. "That's just Brielle," she said OF HERSELF. "Putting a twist on old classics." Right, Brielle? Right. Brielle. Anyway, moments after Jimmy Iovine had bitched about there being "too many Adele wannabes," Brielle launched right into Adele's "Someone Like You." [Aside:] I tend to have no shame regarding the way I live, and have generally adopted a "sucks to be you" attitude toward my neighbors when it comes to my TV habits. I'm sorry the apartment walls are thin, but we're all paying rent here and I'm just trying to do my job, you know? In all my years of recapping embarrassing reality television, Brielle's performance marks one of the few times I've ever actually turned my television way, way, way down -- not, like, as a courtesy to the Thai delivery guy (that's normal) but as a way to save face from strangers passing in the night. I could hear that someone was about to walk by outside, and I suddenly couldn't bear the thought of him or her thinking I might have CHOSEN to listen to "Someone Like You"...like this. [/End of aside.] . Against all odds, the blessed Steven Tyler was honest with Brielle. "I heard you nail it. A little pitchy in some spots in the turnaround. I just didn't hear it this time, I'm sorry baby." It took him three sentences to twist his gist from lie to truth, but he did it. I'm proud of him. You could tell DeAndre Brackensick was a shoo-in for the wild card before he'd even begun "Georgia On My Mind" -- pretty much because of his hair. You just cannot NOT put that hair in the Top 13 when the hair-owner in question also has this super-high, very pure voice which, as of yet, he has no idea how to handle. The vocal coaches will help him, and he'll either figure it out in the near future or he'll crash and burn like the fire Eben Franckewitz never quite set to the rain. DeAndre is an adorable, sweaty, unpredictable sweetheart and I love not knowing what crazy hairography or misguided vocal gymnastics he'll try to pull off next. I'm into it. Yes! After getting sacked with having to sing second of 12 girls Wednesday night, Erika Van Pelt got her second chance and went all out in her purple bridesmaid shift on Lady Gaga's "Edge of Glory." She kicked ass. In fact, I'd comment on this performance the same way as Jimmy Iovine commented on her showing from Wednesday: "She has music in her blood, and great restraint -- something the show needs more of, not less." Erika didn't need to twist this song into a wretched balloon animal of Lady Gaga in order to prove she was the one to bring in as a finalist. Singing it solidly was enough. I'm not sure it'll be enough to keep her in much longer; I'm just glad we'll get to hear her voice another time. She does need a big performance next week -- and better placement. Finally, the judges called for Reed Grimm. Do it, Reed! Sing Adele's "Hometown Glory" the way it was meant to be self-indulgently cackled and scatted! No, Mr. Grimm gave Adele (and Randy, whose favorite word is "Adele") a break by self-indulgently cackling and scatting his way through Bill Withers' "Use Me." Eliminated: Reed Grimm, Brielle Von Hugel, Jen Hirsh, Chase Likens, Hallie Day, Adam Brock, Baylie Brown, Chelsea Sorrell, Creighton Fraker, Aaron Marcellus, Eben Franckewitz, Haley Johnsen . I'm fairly happy about this Top 13. I'm extremely happy about a Fox press release I just received that informs me that Deandre Brackensick "makes Polynesian costumes for a living" and that Hollie Cavanagh "loves old couples." Who doesn't?! I'm making a Polynesian costume right now! (In Photoshop; you can't see it until it's perfect.) Also, Jessica Sanchez "can rap," y'all. Watch out. Next week the girls will don all-new pageant gowns to sing Whitney Houston, while the guys will try out Stevie Wonder. I wonder....if DeAndre can just make his hair look even prettier than usual and get permission to sing "How Will I Know (If Heejun Really Loves Me)." Fingers crossed! 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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Jimmy Iovine gave more frank and succinct criticism of the kiddies .
The six wild card contestants had to "sing for their lives"
Against all odds, the blessed Steven Tyler was honest with Brielle Von Hugel .
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For the fifth time this year, ISIS has flaunted its savagery by posting a video about a Westerner's beheading. This time, it was the family of American hostage Peter Kassig that received the horrific news. But the video that purportedly shows the aftermath of Kassig's beheading is different from the other videos -- and shows hints of desperation by the terror group, analysts say. Here are some key points about the latest video and what they could indicate about ISIS: . The actual killing isn't shown . The video, released online Sunday, shows the aftermath of a beheading, but the victim's decapitated head is not clearly recognizable. The White House confirmed that the video showed Kassig. Kassig, 26, was a U.S. soldier who served in Iraq in 2007. He returned to the Middle East as a medical worker, helping victims caught in Syria's civil war. That's when ISIS captured him. Kassig converted to Islam in captivity and also went by the name Abdul-Rahman Kassig. The ISIS video doesn't show the actual killing, unlike previous videos. But it does show -- in gruesome detail -- the beheadings of what the group claims are pilots for the Syrian government, which is also battling ISIS forces. "It can't be said enough," said CNN's Nic Robertson. "This is the most barbaric they've done so far." The production is more basic . Unlike the glossy productions of the past, the latest footage appears to be more hastily produced, CNN national security analyst Bob Baer said. "I think what this tape indicates is these guys are on the run," said Baer, a former CIA analyst. "They didn't have time to do a nice setup (with) a lot of production values. I think they know they're being targeted. There's a lot of American platforms in the area looking for the hostages, so I think they're trying to beat those." And for the first time in such a video, the speaker names the place where he is standing with the victim -- in the town of Dabiq in Aleppo province, Syria. There was no threat of another beheading . In each of the previous beheading videos, an ISIS militant shows another Westerner who it says will be next to be killed. And each time, it has followed through on its threat. In the latest video, ISIS did not show images of another Westerner targeted for beheading. But that doesn't mean Westerners are spared from more killings, said Haras Rafiq of the anti-extremist think tank Quilliam Foundation. "As we see the U.S. and the coalition making gains against ISIL, we will find that they try and show that they are still strong, try and show that they are just as barbaric as they have been, and unfortunately one of the things we'll see is that the videos will become more and more barbaric," Rafiq said. ISIL is another acronym for ISIS, which calls itself the Islamic State. "I think it's a sign of desperation," he said. "I think it's a sign that they know and feel they are under attack, they're under siege and they're struggling." Yet after almost 900 airstrikes by U.S.-led coalition forces, ISIS is still operating and has shown it is still killing Westerners. "I think until we really deal with the political problems in that part of the world, the airstrikes will only go so far." The video could also be directed at Syrians and Iraqis . The video is clearly "a prize piece of propaganda for them," Robertson said. It is likely also meant to scare Syrians and Iraqis into obeying ISIS' orders when it comes calling, said retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Joe Ruffini, a counterterrorism expert. "What ISIS is telling them is, 'When we come in and tell you to do what we tell you, you know what the consequences are if you say no,'" Ruffini said. But it also comes at a time when the United States and its anti-ISIS allies are claiming their airstrikes and support for ground forces fighting the group are beginning to slowly turn the tide, said retired U.S. Maj. Gen. James "Spider" Marks. "Clearly there are no coincidences," Marks told CNN on Sunday. "This is timed very specifically to those activities by the coalition and, I would say, the results of those activities." Has ISIS peaked? Terror group suffers setbacks in Iraq . The U.S. says it is making progress . Since beginning airstrikes in August, U.S. officials have touted successes in disrupting ISIS communications and logistics, slowing its advances and forcing fighters to disperse into smaller formations. Earlier this month, President Barack Obama said the fight was entering a new phase that would rely heavily on Iraqi ground troops and other local fighters. More recently, U.S. officials have suggested more openness to a role for U.S. ground forces in the fight. Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey testified last week that commanders are "certainly considering" the prospect that U.S. forces might be needed to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul, currently held by ISIS. In the latest ISIS video, the narrator taunted Obama to do just that. Hostages tortured before beheadings .
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Analysts say the latest video is aimed partly at local residents .
Some say the video suggests ISIS is feeling the sting of U.S. and coalition airstrikes .
Marks: The video's release was timed to counter coalition claims that it's make strides against ISIS .
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119db2d0acb4aed5c4e91783b70c79b24ac67649
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A Colorado Sheriff is speaking out over the says the death of Harold Henthorn's first wife, Lynn, in 1995, claiming it was not an accident, despite his department reaching that conclusion 20 years ago. 'Based upon the information I've been briefed on up to this date … I do not think it's an accident,' Sheriff Tony Spurlock told CBS4 in an exclusive interview. 'I don't think it was an accident and I think it's very suspicious,' said Sheriff Spurlock, who became the Douglas County sheriff last month. Last year Harold Henthorn, 58, was indicted on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of hi second wife Dr Toni Henthorn, 50. Scroll down for video... First wife: Henthorn's first wife, Lynn, also died in a remote location with her husband as the only witness . Accused: Harold Henthorn, left, has been accused of murdering his second wife, Dr Toni Henthorn, right, who fell to her death while the couple took a hike at Rocky Mountain National Park in September 2012 . An autopsy report says she fell or was pushed over the ledge when she paused to take a photo during a hike on Sept. 29, 2012. The couple was visiting the park for their 12th wedding anniversary. Harold Henthorn told investigators his wife slipped and fell, but prosecutors didn't buy his explanation and charged him with murder last November. He has pleaded not guilty and faces trial in May. Only after her death did Toni Henthorn's relatives realize she was covered by three life insurance policies totaling $4.5 million. A claim was sent in for one policy just days after she died, court records show. Harold Henthorn's attorney, Craig L. Truman, has said that the case is complicated and that 'justice will be done' once the facts come to light. Loss: His first wife, Sandra Lynn, was killed in a freak accident when their car crushed her as she changed a flat tire . But now attention has shifted to Henthorn's first wife, Sandra Lynn Henthorn, 30, who also died in mysterious circumstances. She was crushed to death in 1995 when a car slipped off a jack while she and Harold were changing a flat tire. Reports emerged showing that Dr Henthorn, who had one daughter, also had life insurance policies to the value of $4.5 million - and that a claim was made on one of the policies just two days after her death. The indictment says Harold Henthorn, who was the only witness to her death, 'willfully, deliberately, maliciously and with premeditation and malice aforethought did unlawfully kill his wife', CBS reported. He told authorities that his wife had been reaching under the car to help him change the front tire on their Jeep Cherokee on the rural road, when the jack slipped and the Jeep fell on his wife, crushing her. Harold Henthorn collected nearly $500,000 in life insurance proceeds from his wife's death. Detectives closed the case just one week after the investigation, ruling the death an accident, but the Douglas County Sheriff's Office told CBS4 that they have now re-opened the investigation. A source told the channel that Henthorn had taken out a $300,000 insurance policy on his wife. It added that three life insurance policies had been taken out on his second wife - each valued at $1.5 million - and that efforts had been made to collect on it on the first business day after her death. Changing his mind: Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock says the death of Harold Henthorn's first wife, Lynn, in 1995 was not an accident, despite his department reaching that conclusion 20 years ago . How she died: As he changed the tire, his wife crawled under the Jeep, apparently to retrieve a lug nut or flashlight, when he said a jack gave way or slipped and the Jeep fell, crushing her. Harold Henthorn collected nearly $500,000 in life insurance proceeds from his wife's death . One of the policies named the Harold and Toni Henthorn Trust as the beneficiary and a claim was sent in for the policy on October 1, 2012, CBS reported. No payment was made, however. The Douglas County coroner wrote 'this is an accidental death' on May 9, two days after Lynn Henthorn died. It is not clear who attempted to file a claim for the policy. The claim was made before her body was cremated or a memorial service was held. Dr Henthorn, an ophthalmologist, had been married to her husband for 12 years. She left behind a daughter, then seven. Douglas County investigators reopened the Lynn Henthorn death two weeks after the death of Toni Henthorn in 2012. They say they have done 40 interviews in the past 27 months and continue to diligently work the case. That information leads my detectives to determine this is probably not an accident,' emphasized Spurlock. Some have accused the local police of botching the investigation. Items and paperwork went missing at the time, hence the need for a follow-up. Case closed: The coroner wrote 'this is an accidental death' on May 9 1995, two days after Lynn Henthorn died. Three days later, on May 12, six days after the death, the Douglas County Sheriff's Department followed suit, closing the case as an accidental death and ruling no criminal charges should be filed . Oversight: Some are now asking if the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department mishandled the investigation into Lynn Henthorn’s death the first time around . At the time Henthorn told investigators several different and conflicting stories of what he did after r the Jeep fell on his wife. He told some that he gave her CPR and helped get her out from under the vehicle. He told others he did not give her CPR and was unsure of how she was pulled out from under the Jeep. One investigator said he looked over Henthorn's hands and noticed no unusual marks, bruises or scratches that might have indicated an attempt to pull the car off his wife. Even the flashlight was found under his car in the 'off' position yet no questions were raised about it. In an interview with a Douglas County investigator, Harold Henthorn said he had been having a lot of flat tires recently 'due to construction in the area of their home. There is one tire with a nail in it in their garage at home.' The file indicates there was no follow up done to locate the tire Henthorn talked about to verify that part of his story. On the evening of the accident Patricia Montoya was returning to Denver on Highway 67 with a group of friends and family members. They stopped to help Henthorn and his stricken wife. 'He didn't want us to touch her,' Montoya told CBS4. 'It was a creepy feeling that he gave all of us.' Stories: Harold Henthorn told different sheriff’s investigators shifting versions of what happened in the hours before Lynn Henthorn's death, but police did not pursue the discrepancies or attempt to pin Henthorn down . She said her group immediately began administering CPR to Lynn Henthorn, angering Harold Henthorn, who did not want anyone to touch his wife. And Montoya said when they placed their jackets over Lynn to keep her warm, 'The husband wouldn't take his coat off for her, he wouldn't take the coat off to cover her. We all felt the same oddness. It was creepy, it was like he was trying to harm her,' said Montoya. She said everyone in her group came away from that evening with the same feeling. 'We all said that he probably set it up to where that car fell on her and that was all our thoughts. We all thought the same thing. It didn't seem like that was an accident.' She shared her thoughts with the police yet nobody came to interview her about what her suspicions or what she had witnessed. 'We were all very surprised. We all felt they would come and find us. And they never did.' Only when the case was reopened in October 2012 did investigators seek her out and interview her about that night. Now in documents that provide further damning detail of the deaths of both Toni Bertolet Henthorn and Lynn Rishell Henthorn the prosecution has highlighted the similarities between both women's passing. Both deaths, the documents state, 'involved bizarre 'accidents.' Both left Henthorn with significant insurance benefits. He is beneficiary or trustee on three policies on Toni, totaling around $4.5million and received a $500,000 pay out on the death of his first wife. Both occurred in remote locations. Both times Henthorn was the lone witness. Both deaths occurred after about 12 years of marriage. Henthorn told wildly varying stories about both deaths. Witness: Patricia Montoya was returning to the Denver metro area with a group of friends. They stopped to help Henthorn and his stricken wife. Harold Henthorn's behavior was strange but the police didn't want to know . New tact: Tony Spurlock said investigators are employing new techniques and digging up new information on Lynn Henthorn’s death. He is optimistic that the reopened investigation will have a positive result . According to the documents the man who met his second wife on a Christian dating website, even told a Sunday school class that his first wife died of cancer and lost a baby she was carrying to chemotherapy. In the case of his second wife, an incident which happened just two years after she almost died when she was struck by a wooden beam Harold had thrown off their deck is disclosed in the documents. After that incident, Harold joked to friends: 'I was trying to kill my wife.' In both situations, the documents continue, the women were doing atypical things when they died. Lynn Henthorn was 'fastidious in dress and a cautious women who would not ordinarily crawl under a jacked-up car to search for lug nuts while wearing a nice sweater, especially after exploratory surgery only two weeks earlier.' Sheriff Spurlock is attempting to reassure the public that things will be different this time around and that there will be a positive outcome. He says investigators are employing new techniques and digging up new information on Lynn Henthorn's death.
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Harold Henthorn told friends that his wife Toni had slipped while trying to take a photograph during their hike in September 2012 and fell 50ft .
Toni Henthorn had life insurance policies worth $4.5m and two days after her death, a claim was put in for a $1.5m policy, according to reports .
In 1995, Henthorn's first wife was also killed in mysterious circumstances .
They were changing a tire on a rural road late at night when the car slipped off a jack and crushed her to death, he told authorities .
Harold Henthorn collected nearly $500,000 in life insurance proceeds from his wife's death .
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(CNN) -- Queen Elizabeth and the royal family cost British taxpayers an average of 66 pence ($1.32) per person last year, Buckingham Palace announced Friday in its annual report of royal finances. The Queen and the royal family cost Britons a little bit more in the latest financial year. The total cost of the queen and royal family was 40 million pounds ($80 million) in the past fiscal year, an increase of 2 percent from the year before, according to the Royal Public Finances report. The man in charge of managing the queen's financial affairs said she has tried to keep costs down, pointing out that the queen's expenses are more than 3 percent lower in real terms than they were in 2001. "The reduction in the amount of head of state expenditure in real terms reflects the continuous attention the royal household pays to obtaining the best value for money in all areas of expenditure," said Alan Reid, whose official title is "keeper of the privy purse." Funding for property maintenance at the royal palaces increased by almost 1 million pounds ($2 million) from the year before to 15.3 million pounds ($30.6 million), but it will stay at that level for the next three years, the palace said. Reid warned that the money is not enough to deal with a backlog of maintenance work. "This backlog relates to essential maintenance and does not include any allowance for projects such as the redecoration of the state rooms at Buckingham Palace, most of which were last redecorated before the queen's reign," he said. Available funds are also unlikely for replacing the lead and slate roofs at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle (which would cost an estimated 16 million pounds, or $32 million); replacing heating and electrical wiring and removing asbestos at the palace (2.4 million pounds, or $4.8 million); and replacing Victorian cast iron and lead water mains at the castle (3 million pounds, or $6 million). Travel was a major expense for the queen and her family over the past year, the reports showed. The most expensive trip was the queen's six-day state visit to the United States, which cost a total of 414,042 pounds (about $828,000). It cost 316,061 pounds (about $632,000) for Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, to take an eight-day trip to Uganda and Turkey in November for Britain's Foreign Office. Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, also had a series of expensive trips as part of his role as the United Kingdom's special representative for international trade and investment. He visited more than 20 countries in that capacity last year, trying to attract investors to Britain and helping British companies improve their prospects overseas. "This report is provided every year to show transparency in the royal accounts," said CNN royal watcher Richard Quest. "It is often used as an example to show profligacy, for instance with the cost of the royal train, which runs around 20,000 pounds ($40,000) a day."
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Queen and royal family cost British taxpayers 66p ($1.31) per person last year .
Figure is a 4p (8c) increase on the previous year, according to Palace .
Accounts reveal need for more spending to maintain palaces .
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By . Liz Hull . A woman made four increasingly desperate 999 calls after her husband became ill with chest pains, eventually telling the operator: ‘It’s too late now, he’s gone.’ Fred Pring, 74, died of heart failure while waiting almost an hour for an ambulance after paramedics initially refused to attend because they were due a break, an inquest heard yesterday. In a string of harrowing calls the retired gardener’s wife Joyce, 63, had begged the emergency service for help for her husband. Fred Pring, 74, pictured with wife Joyce, died at his home, near Mold, after the ambulance turned up late . By the time paramedics arrived more than 50 minutes after the first call it was too late. Delays in A&E meant paramedics had had to wait up to 99 minutes to hand over patients to hospital staff, and there were no ambulances available. When a crew was found they refused to attend because they were due a break. Only when Mrs Pring rang to say her husband had died and her 999 call was flagged at the most serious level did they agree to go to her aid. John Gittins, coroner for North East Wales, heard that the ambulance service was ‘extremely busy’ on the night Mr Pring died and their response was almost 45 minutes slower than the target time of eight minutes for life-threatening cases. Mrs Pring first called 999 just before 1.10am on March 21 last year after her husband (pictured) complained of chest pains at their home . The inquest was told by Mr Pring’s cardiologist, Raj Thaman, that he might have survived if paramedics had arrived soon after the first call, but by the time of the second it was unlikely he would have lived. Mrs Pring, a retired civil servant, first called 999 just before 1.10am on March 21 last year after her husband, who suffered from several serious conditions including heart failure, complained of chest pains at their home in Mynydd Isa, near Mold. The operator reassured Mrs Pring that an ambulance was on the way. Nine minutes later – at 1.19am – Mr Pring’s condition worsened and his wife called 999 again. Mr Pring could be heard groaning as his wife told the operator: ‘He’s in very severe pain, he’s having trouble breathing. I just want someone to help.’ Mrs Pring told the hearing: ‘I could see the panic in his face, the fear in his eyes. He kept saying: ‘‘Tell them to hurry up’’.’ In the third call, 19 minutes later at 1.38am, Mrs Pring told the operator: ‘I can’t make it any more urgent… I keep phoning back but nothing changes.’ Soon afterwards her husband stopped breathing and died, Mrs Pring told the hearing. ‘At 1.45am he said he couldn’t take any more,’ she said. ‘He said: ‘‘I’m going’’ and slumped back on the pillow, stopped breathing and just passed away.’ She called 999 for the final time, at 1.51am, telling the operator: ‘This is the fourth time I’ve rung for an ambulance, it’s too late now, he’s gone.’ Mrs Pring told the inquest at Ruthin, North Wales, that the female operator in the final call showed a ‘considerable’ lack of compassion. Ten minutes after the call three ambulances, two from the Welsh Ambulance Service and one from the North West Ambulance Service, arrived at the couple’s home. In a string of harrowing calls Mrs Pring, 63, had begged the emergency service for help for her husband . In a statement Michael Bennett, one of the first paramedics to arrive, said they had experienced ‘considerable delays’ at the A&E department of Wrexham Maelor Hospital on a previous call when they had waited 99 minutes to hand over a patient to staff. They left the hospital at 1.32am and received a ‘red two’ call – the second most serious – but had been on shift for six hours without a break, so ‘politely declined’ to help. Paramedics are supposed to receive a 30 minute break every three hours. A short time later Mr Bennett and a colleague got a ‘red one’ call, the most serious and agreed to forgo their break. The inquest continues. A statement released last night by Mrs Pring’s solicitor said she was ‘haunted’ by the 999 calls and was unable to listen to them in court, but she believes her husband was let down by a systemic failure and does not seek to blame any individual. Joyce Pring (pictured) begged the emergency services for help for her husband, Fred . Mrs Pring: ‘It’s my fourth call, I think my husband has just died.’ Operator asks for her full address . Mrs Pring: ‘This is the fourth time I’ve rung for an ambulance, it’s too late now, he’s gone.’ Operator: ‘Are you with him now.’ Mrs Pring: ‘There’s not much point now, he’s dead.’ Operator: ‘How old is he?’ Mrs Pring: ‘He was 74.’ Operator: ‘Is he awake?’ Mrs Pring: ‘No’ Operator: ‘Is he breathing?’ Mrs Pring: ‘No.’ Operator: ‘Alright, what happened?’ Mrs Pring; ‘He just couldn’t take the pain anymore and couldn’t breathe anymore.’ Operator: ‘Okay, I’m organising help for you now.’ Mrs Pring: ‘There’s nothing I can do now for him, he’s just lying on the bed.’ Operator urges Mrs Pring to help her husband by laying him flat on his back on the floor. Mrs Pring: ‘I can’t do that, there’s nobody here, he’s died.’ Operator: ‘Are there any neighbours that can help you?’ Mrs Pring: ‘No, there’s nothing I can do, he’s dead.’ Operator: ‘I can tell you how to help him.’ Mrs Pring: ‘You’re too late, I’m sorry.’ Operator: ‘Are you wanting to help your husband? Mrs Pring: ‘Just let him go. He was in pain, I do not want him to suffer. It’s not that I do not want to help him, he’s gone.’ Operator: ‘Let’s help him together.’ Mrs Pring: ‘I can’t he’s gone. Don’t you understand? I don’t want to get him back to suffer more.’ Operator: ‘When did he stop breathing?' Mrs Pring: ‘Two minutes ago.’ Operator: ‘Just follow my instructions, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.’ Mrs Pring: ‘I just want someone to come and take him, it’s nearly an hour…What are your target times?’ Operator: ‘What do you mean…we try to get to patients as quickly as possible.’ Mrs Pring: ‘Well, you haven’t succeeded this time.’
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Fred Pring died of heart failure waiting almost an hour for an ambulance .
Retired gardener’s wife Joyce had begged the emergency service for help .
By the time paramedics arrived the 74-year-old had died .
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119ff811948abdb007b8b6a3d18133d72ce29ecf
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(CNN) -- As the nation and the world's attention turned to the impending execution of Hank Skinner in Texas before a late stay by a Texas court, one question seemed paramount: "Why the rush?" The answer to that question is buried deep inside the psychology of prosecutors and the culture of Texas. Skinner was scheduled for execution on Wednesday for the 1993 killing of his girlfriend, Twila Busby, and her two sons, until the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (the top criminal court in that state) issued a stay late on Monday. While Skinner was found hiding in another house after the murders and some tests showed the blood of the victims on his clothes, he has maintained his innocence. He claims he was in the house at the time of the killing, but was too incapacitated by alcohol and codeine to have hurt anyone. Some question his conviction and point to Busby's uncle as another suspect, and Skinner wants some of the items found at the scene tested for DNA. Even the foreperson of the convicting jury has now stepped forward to ask that the tests be conducted. However, the prosecutors have steadfastly refused to allow such testing, and Skinner's attorneys have failed (thus far) to get a court order requiring those tests. The prosecutors have been adamant about an immediate execution, precluding further tests, and it is this fact that many people find baffling. As a former prosecutor who then spent 10 years training future prosecutors in Texas, I am not surprised by this development. Quite simply, the prosecutors are committed to their conviction in a way that should surprise no one. To a prosecutor, convicting dangerous people and incapacitating them is a life's work, nothing less than their duty to a community. Prosecutors have wide discretion in choosing whom to charge with capital murder and whether to seek the death penalty for the person they have charged. Once they have chosen that path, though, it is a somber commitment: It is nothing less than a public pledge to kill another person, and that is the kind of thing that is not done lightly. There is a deep emotional component to it, and that emotional commitment cannot be ignored, especially when it no longer matches the trajectory of justice. Academics such as Susan Bandes and Ellen Yaroshefsky have studied the emotional overcommitment of prosecutors, and explain it in part by looking to peer groups. Throughout the post-conviction process, prosecutors are usually surrounded by people (such as supervisors and investigators) who share their commitment to a conviction. At the same time, ethical rules keep them away from the person with the highest stake in the game, the defendant, who may want to challenge the outcome. Among those complaining about the rush to execution has been the government of France. Here's a news flash: Texans really don't care much what the French think. What do Texans care about? As even a casual observer of the campaign of Texas Gov. Rick Perry for president has probably noticed, many Texans care about the Bible. Texas, for good or bad, has a highly Christianized political culture, and the very center of the Christian gospels themselves contain a dramatic warning against the dangers of overcommitted prosecutors. At the trial of Christ it was the chief priest, Caiaphas, who took the role of prosecutor. As the trial wore on, he became frustrated. The evidence had contradicted itself; it suggested more than one story. Finally, Caiaphas could take no more and demanded an immediate outcome. He tore his shirt and said, "Why do we still need witnesses?" It was only then that Christ was condemned to die. That emotion, enough to tear your own shirt, is the kind of commitment that is in the heart of prosecutors. It is a passion born of good intentions, but one that can turn against the good. Caiaphas was not a hero, and Texans of all people should understand that. The commitment of prosecutors is too rooted in emotion to be a deciding factor in a case such as this, and the objectivity of courts must bring to bear what is right. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Mark Osler.
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Texas was set to execute man who wanted evidence tested for DNA .
Court stayed his execution Monday over objection of prosecutors .
Mark Osler says prosecutors who try death penalty cases display certainty .
He says courts need to step in to make sure justice is being done .
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11a17ce337606fc1c9ce9a857a24625ecddc1422
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(CNN) -- Farrah Fawcett, whose public battle with anal cancer has brought new attention to a rarely discussed disease, has not been given a timetable from her doctor about how much time she has left, according to her friend Alana Stewart. Farrah Fawcett, seen here in 2006, has waged a very public battle with anal cancer. "No one has said to her you have two months to live," Stewart said Monday. "So I'm looking at that as a really good sign." Stewart talked with Lara Spencer, host of "The Insider," who discussed her interview with Fawcett's close friend on CNN's "Larry King Live" Monday night. Spencer said Fawcett, her family and friends are clinging to hope for a recovery. "She [Alana Stewart] doesn't want to throw out a number. And neither does Farrah. ... They're still hoping for that miracle," Spencer said. "Farrah's Story," a documentary-style program that has followed the course of her illness and showed her grueling treatment in graphic detail, aired on NBC Friday and was viewed by almost 9 million people. Fawcett and partner Ryan O'Neal watched the show together, Spencer confirmed. "Alana said it was the ultimate in bittersweet," Spencer said. "You know, they're reliving two years of hell that they've endured together." King asked Spencer whether Fawcett, who made her name a household word on the hit '70s TV series "Charlie's Angels," and O'Neal might marry. "He said you never know. He was cagey about it," Spencer said. "And, you know, I think he would in a second. He's so madly in love with her." King also had a panel of medical experts on his show to discuss Fawcett's cancer. Dr. Thomas Vogl, who at one time treated the actress in Germany, called her medical condition "very, very serious." Dr. Allyson Ocean, a medical oncologist in New York, said only about 5,000 cases of anal cancer are diagnosed in the United States yearly. Unlike Fawcett's case, it usually doesn't spread, and only about 10 to 15 percent of cases are advanced, Ocean said. Fawcett's cancer, however, is in Stage 4 and has spread to her liver. Ocean said there are various causes of anal cancer. "One of the causes is a virus called the human papilloma virus, which is a sexually transmitted virus. It seems to be more common in women, in general, outside of any viral infections. Smoking is actually a risk factor," she said. King asked Dr. Paul Song, a radiation oncologist, if he had seen Stage 4 cancer cured. "Not with anal cancer. I have seen it with other GI malignancies such as rectal cancer," Song said. "But anal cancer is a little bit more difficult to treat." Despite the bleak outlook, Song had praise for Fawcett and her documentary. "I think one of the most powerful things that Miss Fawcett did in this documentary was give patients a sense of hope and to just show how she's handled this with such courage and dignity," Song said. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta told King that doctors have to strike a delicate balance when they are caring for patients such as Fawcett. "You have to be absolutely honest with patients, but, you know, you don't want to strip away their hope and optimism, either. There are people, Larry, as you know, who beat the odds," Gupta said. Vogl told King he developed a close relationship with Fawcett during the time he treated her in Germany and expressed admiration for his one-time patient. "From a lot of treatments and contact and communication, I think she is extremely special, an extremely brave person," he said.
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"Insider" host Lara Spencer says friends, family holding out for a miracle .
Farrah Fawcett has been fighting Stage 4 anal cancer, which has spread .
Doctor who once treated her calls condition "very, very serious"
Another doctor said actress has handled illness with "courage and dignity"
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(CNN) -- Iran won't be attending this week's international peace conference on Syria because it won't embrace the framework laid out in a previous conference, U.N. and Iranian officials said Monday. The last-minute invitation to Iran, a leading Syrian ally, had threatened to derail the talks after the leading Syrian opposition group and the United States spoke out against it. Louay Safi, a spokesman for the Syrian National Coalition, called Iran's attendance "a deal-breaker." Iran announced Monday afternoon that it would not accept "any preconditions" for joining the talks, slated to begin Wednesday in Switzerland. That includes acceptance of the communique issued at the first Geneva conference in 2012, said Mohammad Khazaee, Tehran's U.N. ambassador. "If the participation of Iran is conditioned to accept Geneva I communique, Iran will not participate in Geneva II conference," Khazaee said in a written statement Monday afternoon. Foreign Minister Javad Zarif had made a similar declaration on Iranian state TV earlier Monday. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who issued the invitation Sunday, believed he had Iran's assurance that it accepted the original Geneva declaration, his spokesman, Martin Nesirky, told reporters. "The secretary-general is deeply disappointed by Iranian public statements today that are not at all consistent with that stated commitment," Nesirky said.The declaration "remains the internationally agreed framework for ending the crisis," he said -- and without Iran's acceptance, this week's conference "will proceed without Iran's participation," he added. The goal of the talks is to set up a transitional government to help end the violence that has wracked the country. The United Nations says more than 100,000 people have been killed in Syria since the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad began in 2011. The Geneva I communique calls for a transitional government and eventual free elections as part of a political settlement to end the war. Monday's news capped a day of what Ban described as "intensive and urgent" discussions." Gruesome Syria photos may prove torture by Assad regime . The opposition coalition initially set a 2 p.m. ET deadline for its conditions to be met. When that time passed, the coalition said it would await Ban's decision before making any moves on its own. Safi told CNN that Ban "did the right thing" by withdrawing Iran's invitation. And in Washington, the State Department praised the move. "We are hopeful that, in the wake of today's announcement, all parties can now return to focus on the task at hand, which is bringing an end to the suffering of the Syrian people and beginning a process toward a long overdue political transition," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. Western intelligence officials believe Iran has provided fighters, intelligence and communications to support al-Assad. In addition, fighters from the Iranian-backed Shiite militia Hezbollah have seen combat in Syria on the side of the government. Most outside support for rebel forces has come from the Persian Gulf monarchies of Saudi Arabia and Qatar. U.S. aid has been limited largely to non-lethal assistance such as communications gear and medical equipment, and American officials have struggled with how to back opposition groups without providing weapons to those linked to Islamic militants. Syrian opposition votes to attend Geneva 2 peace talks . A preliminary international session is scheduled for Wednesday in Montreux, Switzerland, with talks between the Syrian government and opposition delegations slated to begin Friday in Geneva. Al-Assad has called for the conference to include a focus on "fighting terrorism" in Syria. Throughout the civil war, Syria has blamed violence on "terrorists." "The obvious matter that we continuously talk about, is that we like Geneva conference to have clear resolution concerning fighting terrorism in Syria, and put pressure on the countries that export terrorism to Syria, by sending terrorists to Syria, sending money to terrorist organizations and sending weapons, especially Saudi and Turkey, and of course the western countries who create political cover for these organizations," al-Assad said in an interview with AFP. Saudi Arabia and Turkey have denied similar accusations from Syria in the past. Any political resolution that comes out of the talks "without considering fighting terrorism will have no value," al-Assad added. 'Iran needs to be part of the solution' Damascus softens its stance as talks near . Ban announced the invitation to Iran at a surprise news conference Sunday night. "As I have said repeatedly, I believe strongly that Iran needs to be part of the solution to the Syrian crisis," Ban said, adding that he has spoken "at length" with Zarif in recent days. "He has assured me that, like all the other countries invited to the opening day discussions in Montreux, Iran understands that the basis of the talks is the full implementation of the 30 June 2012 Geneva Communique, including the Action Plan. "Foreign Minister Zarif and I agree that the goal of the negotiations is to establish, by mutual consent, a transitional governing body with full executive powers. It was on that basis that Foreign Minister Zarif pledged that Iran would play a positive and constructive role in Montreux," Ban said. On Monday, two car bombs exploded in northern Syria near a border crossing with Turkey, killing 10 people, according to the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, a network of opposition activists. The Bab al Hawa border crossing has been has been one of the main terminals for sending supplies from Turkey into rebel-held portions of Syria, though it has been closed during periods of violence on the Syrian side of the border. Monday's bombing was the latest attack there. Last February, an explosion rocked a customs gate on the Turkish side, killing at least 13 people, the Turkish government said. Syrian rebels first overran the Syrian border gate at Bab el Hawa in the summer of 2012, flushing out government forces after days of fighting, though different groups have battled for control of the area since. The Syrian side of the border gate currently is held by an Islamist militant group, opposition activists say. Photos: Haunting images of Syria's abandoned homes . CNN's Josh Levs, Elise Labott, Ivan Watson and Shirzad Bozorgmehr contributed to this report.
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Ban is "deeply disappointed" by Iran's statements, his spokesman says .
Iran says it won't attend Geneva talks if it has to accept "preconditions"
Syrian opposition and the United States had called for Iran's invitation to be rescinded .
The goal of talks is to set up a transitional government to end the violence .
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By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 05:32 EST, 2 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:19 EST, 2 August 2013 . There are fears this brown bear could lose the sight in one eye after cruel thugs flung paint in his face at a zoo in Bulgaria. Staff at Varna Zoo were alerted when a group of children visiting Svoboda in the bear enclosure found him doused in bright blue paint. It is not known who was behind the attack, which left vets concerned the liquid could have damaged Svoboda's eyesight in his left eye. Scroll down for video . Fears: Brown bear Svoboda could lose the sight in one of its eyes after it was doused in blue paint by a zoo visitor in Bulgaria . Cruel: Svoboda has been treated by vets who shaved away the fur that was left caked in blue paint on the bear's face . Half of the brown bear's face was left coated in paint after the cruel stunt at the zoo. Vets treating the animal carefully shaved away the paint-encrusted fur and examined Svoboda's eye. The bear has been left with a large patch of bare skin on its face where the affected fur has been removed. The team has said it is hopeful that Svoboda was cleaned up in time to prevent any lasting damage to the bear's eyesight. Attack: Brown bear Svoboda may lose the sight in his eye after paint was thrown in its face by a visitor at a zoo in Bulgaria . Svoboda: The fur on the left side of the bear's face was left coated with blue paint at Bulgaria's Varna Zoo . Treatment: Vets who had the shave away the paint-encrusted fur from around Svoboda's eye are hoping they will be able to save his sight . Tentative: The patch of bare skin on Svoboda's face can be seen as the bear pads around in its enclosure at the zoo in Bulgaria . Recovery: A group of children who visited the bear enclosure spotted the bright blue paint on Svoboda's face . Victim: It is not known who was behind the cruel paint attack on the bear at Varna Zoo .
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Svoboda doused in paint by unknown visitor at Varna Zoo .
Group of children found him covered in blue paint and alerted staff .
Vets forced to shave away the paint-encrusted fur from around bear's eye .
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11a260a54d257f63c3b5a25aae2bd4e31bdf7d0a
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:18 EST, 1 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:37 EST, 1 October 2013 . Gary Hake, 35, discovered he could dribble tea out of a hole in his chin after cutting it during a game of football . As a keen footballer, it is no surprise that Gary Hake is good at dribbling - but not in quite the way you might imagine. When the burly teacher cut his chin during a football game, it reopened an old wound and, as he sat in hospital waiting to be patched up, he discovered he could dribble tea out of the hole. Rather than chasing the doctors to take a look at him, the 35-year-old from Chatham, Kent, decided to video his unusual new trick, before posting the horrifying footage online. Mr Hake, a father of two, was hit in the face as he jumped for a header during a game with his team, Sheppey and Sheerness United FC, on Saturday. He said: 'I remember jumping up for a header and then I’m not entirely sure what happened. 'I don’t know if it was an elbow or what but the next thing I remember is coming down in a bit of a daze with blood everywhere.' The accident reopened an old wound, but Mr Hake plugged the bleeding hole below his lip with Vaseline and played on for 10 minutes before he was taken to Sheppey Community Hospital. Waiting to be seen, he discovered he could spurt tea from the hole, and asked his niece to film it on her mobile phone. She then posted the gruesome footage on Facebook. Mr Hake said: 'The accident opened up a wound from about nine years ago, although this time itw as a lot worse. 'When I did it nine years ago, I thought about doing the thing with the tea then, so this time I thought I’m not going to miss the opportunity to do it this time. 'I didn’t hurt. I think it helped clean it out a bit.' Mr Hake, who had two stitches to the wound, retired from football last year after 30 years of games but was persuaded to sign up again at the start of the season. VIDEO: (WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT): WATCH MR HAKE DRIBBLE TEA THROUGH HIS CHIN . Mr Hake realised he could squirt tea through the hole in his chin as he waited to be stitched up in hospital .
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Gary Hake, 35, from Chatham, Kent, cut his chin open in a football match .
As he waited in A&E, he discovered he could dribble tea out of the hole .
The father of two then posted the wince-making footage onto Facebook .
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(CNN) -- Sri Lanka's cricket team returned home to Colombo early Wednesday, as police in Pakistan searched for at least 12 gunmen believed responsible for the attack that left seven people dead. Sri Lankan player Thilan Samaraweera is taken aboard an ambulance Wednesday in Colombo. Police in Lahore on Wednesday confirmed six police officers and a driver of a van carrying umpires were killed after earlier reports had put the death toll at eight. Six team members were wounded by glass and shrapnel, and two -- Tharanga Paranavitana and Thilan Samaraweera -- were shot in the chest and leg, respectively. Both men were being treated in Colombo and in stable condition, officials said. "We are very lucky that no one [sustained] any serious injuries and everyone is in good shape," one player told reporters upon arriving in the capital. "There are a few more guys who need more time to recover. And we can hopefully put this behind us and move forward." The attack happened Tuesday at about 9 a.m. (11 p.m. ET Monday), as the visiting Sri Lankan team's bus approached Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium for a match against Pakistan. See a map of where the attack took place » . The brazen daylight attack sent shock waves across the cricket-crazy region and raised fears about the future of world cricket matches in Pakistan, which has been reeling from a string of terrorist attacks. iReport: Send us your videos, photos . "The events can only be described as shocking, and we send our sympathy to the relatives of those who lost their lives," International Cricket Council President David Morgan said at a news conference in London Tuesday. "On many occasions we've been told that cricketers would never be targeted in Pakistan. And this morning's events have proved that to be quite incorrect." Watch ICC's reaction to the attack » . ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said none of the teams had been threatened before Tuesday's attack, which happened about 150 meters from the stadium in Lahore. Investigators cannot yet say who was responsible for the ambush. Watch footage of the gunmen staging their attack » . Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari praised Pakistani police, saying the officers "rose to the occasion and laid down their lives to protect our Sri Lankan guests." He also telephoned Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to express his condemnation and regrets, and to emphasize his determination to investigate. Watch Sri Lankan's foreign minister condemnation of the attack » . Teams have long stayed away from Pakistan, concerned about the security situation in a country that is battling an escalating pro-Taliban insurgency. But Sri Lanka -- a country enduring its own civil war with separatist rebels -- agreed in December to visit for a series of matches, after the Indian cricket team called off its tour following the deadly terror attacks in Mumbai in November. Indian authorities blamed those attacks on Pakistan-based militants. The Pakistan Cricket Board had said it was set to lose more than $16 million as a result of India's cancellation, but the Sri Lanka visit was to help it recoup most of the costs, officials said. The Sri Lankan offer to tour was a reciprocal gesture. Pakistan was one of two countries that agreed to tour Sri Lanka during the 1996 World Cup tournament, while other countries refused to travel there because of security concerns. With this attack, fans now worry that Pakistan won't be able to co-host the 2011 Cricket World Cup with India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Morgan said the ICC's board will be meeting in April to consider whether the Cup will include stops in Pakistan. "The board will have to think very carefully about the extent to which Pakistan will be used for that event," Morgan said. "It's a very important event, but the safety and security of players, officials and supporters is very important and the board will be taking that into account." Read profiles of the wounded players » . "This has really damaged Pakistan," former Pakistani cricket player Zahir Abbas told Geo-TV. "Already some teams didn't want to come to Pakistan. Now who will come after this incident?" John Stern, the editor of cricket magazine Wisden, said it was "not possible" to imagine international cricket taking place in Pakistan in the near future. He described the situation for the sport in the country as "desperate." Watch how attack strikes at legitimacy of Pakistani government » . He said one possibility for the Pakistani team is to play its matches in the United Kingdom, which has a large Pakistani community.
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NEW: Players Tharanga Paranavitana, Thilan Samaraweera in stable condition .
Both were shot in the chest and leg, respectively .
Six other team members were wounded by broken glass and shrapnel .
Police confirm six officers and a driver of a van carrying umpires were killed .
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By . Phil Vinter . PUBLISHED: . 15:34 EST, 9 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 00:52 EST, 10 May 2012 . A pair of amateur hot air balloonists died when their craft burst into flames as they attempted a high altitude four-mile ascent. Pilot Lee Pibworth, 42, and his passenger Allan Burnett, 55, were killed after their £20,000 balloon plunged towards earth at more than 60mph before crashing into a field at Midsomer Norton in Somerset. An inquest at Flax Bourton was today told that the balloon caught fire before two oxygen cylinders on board exploded after it hit the ground at Prattens Bowls Club on New Year’s Day 2011. Tragic: Lee Pibworth, left, and scout leader Allan Burnett were tragically killed on New Year's Day 2011 when their hot air balloon crashed into a field in North Somerset . Both men sustained horrific injuries in the accident with tree surgeon Mr Pibworth, a father-of-one, dying instantly from chest injuries. The inquest heard that father-of-three Mr Burnett survived the impact but suffered extensive fractures and was unable to escape the blaze alive. The pair from Bristol had decided to undertake the challenge in September 2010 in order for Mr Pibworth to gain the 19,700ft ascent standard necessary to earn a British Balloon and Airship Club gold medal. After spending months meticulously planning the flight they took off from a field in Chelworth just after 9am in front of proud family and friends. A crew with radios - including Mr Burnett’s son Alex - followed the men on the ground in a trailer but lost contact as they ascended into the clouds. Tragic: An aerial GV of the balloon crash site in at a Bowls club in Midsomer Norton, Somerset, where balloonists Allan Burnett and Lee Pibworth died . Alex Burnett, a trainee pilot at the time of the crash, told the inquest he received two calls from his dad during their flight. In the first, BT engineer Mr Burnett said they had reached 4,600 metres but were turning back after using 60 litres of gas. He called a final time to state that they had reached 6,600 metres - higher than required - and were heading to the ground. Alex told the inquest: 'I replied ‘roger that, see you at ground level’. We waited for them to land and tried to estimate their landing place. 'We drove past the accident site thinking it was a car crash after New Year’s Eve. He said a call was received from a friend saying there had been a balloon accident at Midsomer Norton and aware that no one else was flying in the area Alex drove back to the site. Shocking scene: Both men sustained horrific injuries in the accident with tree surgeon Mr Pibworth, a father-of-one, dying instantly from chest injuries . Giving evidence witnesses said the balloon resembled an 'upside down umbrella' as it sped to the ground. Tessa Hawtin, who lives just 150 yards from where the balloon landed said: 'There was a horrific noise, we were aware of it for two to three minutes before we actually saw the balloon. 'This balloon appeared out of the sky and instantly I knew it was wrong, it should not look like that. I just stood and watched. I felt so helpless. 'I was aware of somebody on the balloon, he was operating the burners. 'We watched the balloon for several minutes, it felt like a lifetime but it was probably two to three minutes. 'It went quiet and we realised the balloon had come to land.' Brave: Mr Pibworth wanted to gain the 19,700ft ascent standard necessary to earn a British Balloon and Airship Club gold medal . She told the inquest she first heard a 'ripping' noise at around 9.30am on the morning of the accident. Alex said his dad, an experienced mountaineer, was simply a passenger on theflight while experienced Mr Pibworth was pilot. He said both men were well prepared for their challenged and had planned for the -30 degrees Celsius temperatures and low oxygen at such a high altitude. Wing Commander Graham Maidrent, a pathologist, told the inquest both men could not have survived the incident. Mr Burnett suffered fractures to his legs, ribs and bleeding to his brain - but was alive when the blaze began. The pathologist said: 'The presence of soot in the trachea indicates that he was breathing during exposure to the fire.' He said Mr Burnett died from 'the effects of fire' and 'multiple injuries'. Mr Pibworth suffered fractures to his right arm, thigh, lumber spine, pelvis, sternum, a ruptured heart and lacerations to his liver. His death was caused by 'chest injuries'. Both men were identified by dental records. The inquest continues.
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Balloon plummets to ground at more than 60mph .
Tragedy happened on New Year's Day as pair were attempting to reach 19,700ft .
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It was supposed to be a class trip to a resort island that's considered the Hawaii of Korea. Instead, a ferry has capsized in the Yellow Sea, and hundreds of people are unaccounted for. The parents of students from a South Korean high school have been clutching their cell phones, waiting for a call from their children or rescuers. On Tuesday night, more than 300 high school students from the city of Ansan departed on a ferry called Sewol for a four-day trip to Jeju Island. About 70% of those aboard were from the high school. The Sewol pulled out of the port at Incheon at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to JTBC, a CNN affiliate. Survivor accounts . Shortly before 9 a.m. Wednesday, passenger Kim Sung-Mook was eating breakfast in the ship's main hall when he felt a tilt, he told CNN affiliate YTN. At first, "we thought it was because of the tide," he said. The waves had been smooth until the ship suddenly leaned, witnesses said. The ship tilted further, and an announcement blared through loudspeakers warning passengers that moving would be dangerous. Then, he heard a loud bang from inside the ship. Kim said he thought a crane on board had toppled over. When seawater started gushing into the ferry, passengers began to scramble. Elsewhere on the ferry, high school student Lim Hyung Min felt tremors that were strong enough to knock shipping containers off balance. Several of his classmates were flung off their feet as the ferry began to lean. "The students were falling over and crashing into things and bleeding," Lim said. The ship tilted further, to about 90 degrees, passengers said. Back in the main hall, Kim heard the buzzing of helicopters overhead. Cafeteria workers were dashing up to the deck. "The helicopters arrived. They said they could take five more people, so we sent students," Kim said. Footage from South Korean media showed helicopters hovering over a half-submerged ferry with panic-stricken passengers scrambling from the side. Announcements on board: Don't move . Not everyone had made it to the top deck, because "the announcement asked not to move since it could be dangerous. So everyone stayed where they were. But when the water started coming in, people started moving to the upper level," he said. Kim managed to get on a helicopter, but he said he'd seen as many as 30 people still trapped inside the ship. Shortly after his rescue, the ship capsized. "Unless they broke a window, I think it would have been impossible for them to come out," Kim told YTN. It remains unclear how many people have survived and how many are missing as the official numbers from authorities have been fluctuating throughout the day. Inside the ferry, Lim told YTN he stayed in a room until rescuers opened a door and threw life jackets in his direction. He was ordered to jump into the ocean, which he described as "unbearably cold." After his rescue, Lim went on air on YTN to list the names of his classmates whom he had seen to reassure their parents that they were safe. Agonizing wait for parents . Meanwhile, parents had gathered at Ansan Danwon High School, clutching their cell phones in an agonizing wait for a call from their children. Officials posted a list of names, and each name was circled after confirmation of a rescue. A woman was immediately swarmed by cameras as she received a call from her child. "Are you OK?" she cried out. Although their own phones were lost in the water during the rescue, students have been borrowing rescuers' phones to call their parents. At one point, the school announced that all students had been rescued but soon rescinded the announcement, to the parents' wrath. The students who fell into the water were "having difficulties due to their body temperatures dropping, but they have blankets and changed their clothes, so they're feeling better now," Lim told YTN. The rescued students gathered in a gymnasium awaiting their parents and teachers. They have since departed the school in buses, according to YTN. More on other major ferry and ship sinkings .
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High school students left for Jeju Island for school trip .
Numbers reported rescued and missing are fluctuating, leaving parents and families in anguish .
Witnesses tell CNN affiliate that the ship began tilting, which flung people off balance .
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By . Stephen Wright . Two leading officials at the . scandal-hit police union dramatically quit yesterday, just days after it . faced fresh, disturbing questions over its role in the Plebgate affair. Steve . Williams, chairman of the Police Federation, and general secretary Ian . Rennie resigned days after the Daily Mail revealed it had hired a PR . firm to mastermind a ‘guerrilla’ and ‘blitzkrieg’ campaign against the . Government. In addition, the Mail has run a series of investigations revealing: . Quit: Chairman Steve Williams and General Secretary Ian Rennie will step down, plunging the Police Federation into crisis after a turbulent period . Both . Mr Williams and Mr Rennie were aware of the decision to award a . £10,000-a-month deal to a controversial public relations company to . oppose Coalition plans on police pay and reform. The . ‘guerrilla tactics’ deal had been agreed just weeks before the now . infamous Plebgate incident in September 2012, involving then chief whip . Andrew Mitchell and a policeman at the gates of Downing Street. Critics . of the Federation argue that the union mercilessly exploited Mr . Mitchell’s bust up at the gates as part of its ongoing campaign against . ministers who wanted to reform its working practices. Last . week Police Minister Damian Green said that the Federation – which . represents 125,000 rank and file officers – should put its house in . order or face tough new laws forcing it to reform. Shock jock: Jon Gaunt was hired to wage 'guerilla war' on ministers . Mr . Williams and Mr Rennie will leave in late May after the union’s annual . conference – plunging one of Britain’s most powerful staff bodies into . crisis. Last night their decision to leave at such a sensitive time was greeted with surprise by senior politicians. Home . Affairs Committee chairman Keith Vaz will today hear evidence about Sir . David Normington’s highly critical review of the union which called for . top-to-bottom reform and an end to a bullying culture. Last . night Mr Vaz said: ‘I am amazed and surprised by the proposed . retirement of two people who have been instrumental in instigating . reform in the Police Federation. ‘These . retirements will leave this important organisation with a huge vacuum . and leaderless at a time when they need strong direction. It will remain . to be seen if the Federation will continue on the path of change.’ Home . Secretary Theresa May said: ‘As chairman, Steve Williams understood . that the Police Federation needs to change, and I am sorry that he will . be retiring in May. ‘If the . Federation is to have public legitimacy, the Normington recommendations . now need to be implemented, in full and in good time.’ Pointedly, Mrs . May made no comment on Mr Rennie’s resignation. Insiders . predicted last night that further heads would roll over the Federation . scandal. A source said: ‘There are a lot of unresolved issues at the . Federation, not least the offshore bank accounts, outrageous spending on . credit cards and general culture of secrecy.’ Details of the ‘guerrilla . tactics’ plan were confirmed by a former senior Police Federation . official when she appeared before the Home Affairs Committee last week. Fiona . McElroy – who says she was sacked after advocating reform at the . Federation – said the anti-Government plot was outlined in a contract . handed to a public relations company run by former DJ Jon Gaunt in 2012. The deal, agreed by national Federation leaders, lasted only two months . but Mr Gaunt continued to provide PR advice to three branches of the . Federation in the Midlands, all central to the ‘Plebgate’ storm. But . cracks in the Federation’s unity had started to emerge in January, when . an independent review of the union by former Home Office mandarin Sir . David concluded that the organisation had a staggering £95million in . reserves and assets. Scandal: Mr Gaunt provided PR advice to three branches of the Federation in the Midlands, all central to the 'Plebgate' storm . Investigators . found there were centrally held funds of £29.5million and those held by . branch boards stood at around £35million, but there was also another . estimated £30million in separate accounts, details of which were not . given to the national heads of the organisation. In . a statement Mr Williams, who according to Miss McElroy’s testimony had . previously been ‘bullied and ridiculed’ by senior colleagues, . acknowledged the union had faced a ‘turbulent period’. The . chairman, who has been in the post barely a year, said: ‘When I took up . office it was quite clear that as an organisation we were not fit for . purpose and that is why I … commissioned an independent review … It . delivered a hard-hitting report that clearly showed that we were not . delivering what our members wanted, were failing in key areas and that . many of our practices were outdated. I have made no secret of my fears . that unless we get this right and embrace the change required others . will do it to us, a view echoed recently by the Policing Minister, . Damian Green.’ Mr Rennie, . who had been in the post for six years and was regarded as a hardliner . on police pay and conditions, said he was stepping down after it became . clear he no longer had the support of a number of senior colleagues. Yesterday it was claimed that the national Police Federation was set to reject demands for ‘top-to-bottom’ reforms. Luxury: An aerial view of the police federation headquarters 'Federation House' in Leatherhead in Surrey which has a swimming pool and a bar .
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Chairman Steve Williams and General Secretary Ian Rennie will step down .
Follows criticism of lavish spending and drunken excess of officials .
Pair were also aware of £10,000 campaign to oppose coalition reforms .
Tactics had been agreed just weeks before the Plebgate scandal .
The union has invested vast sums in mysterious off-shore bank accounts; .
Alleged lavish spending on credit cards; .
A senior Federation official is a self-confessed bigamist; .
The drunken excesses of some officials; .
A Freemason’s lodge was created for the Federation’s £26million luxury HQ in Leatherhead, Surrey.
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11a58792bb05cd081f991edce6a710ffcc85d98b
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:53 EST, 13 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:55 EST, 13 January 2013 . Tragic: Shepherdess Liz McIntosh was killed in a quad bike accident . A shepherdess has died in a quad bike accident while she worked on the hills. Liz McIntosh, 64, was tending her flock in the Northumberland National Park when her machine crashed and it may have been some time before the alarm was raised on Friday afternoon. The accident happened on an unnamed road near Elsdon in Northumberland, where she looked after a flock of 700 sheep and cattle with the help of a part-time shepherd. John Hartshorne, chairman of Otterburn Parish Council, said: ‘She had stock to deal with and at this time of year farmers are charging around the hillsides on quad bikes. ‘You might say everybody is to some extent at risk if they are out on the hills and people don’t know where they are if something happens. ‘That’s the sort of environment she was working in - upland hill farming, isolated, cold.’ Mr Hartshorne, who runs Albion Outdoors which gets young people out into the countryside to study nature, said Ms McIntosh was a keen naturalist. The important 10,000-year-old peat bog known as Steng Moss was part of her land, and she allowed his students access to learn about it, he said. ‘She was well-informed, a very good naturalist and very good with birds,’ he said. Ms McIntosh, the daughter of a surgeon who studied geography at Newcastle University, was understood to be divorced. Her friend and neighbour Barbara Foti told the Sunday Sun newspaper: ‘She was very strong, very tough and enjoyed what she did. Ms McIntosh was tending to her flock of sheep in the Northumberland National Park when her quad bike crashed . A keen naturalist: Ms McIntosh, who studied at Newcastle University (pictured) was 'well-infomed, a very good naturalist and very good with birds' ‘We are devastated and we can’t believe it.’ Northumbria Police has yet to officially name the person who died in the accident. The force is preparing a report for the coroner and has appealed for witnesses who may have seen her prior to the accident to contact them.
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The accident happened on an unnamed road in Northumberland where she looked after a flock of 700 sheep and cattle .
Liz McIntosh, 64, was 'very strong, very tough and enjoyed what she did'
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11a602248c09e09f4ac3cf460e0feecd8b61e26d
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The number of people in the UK infected with HIV has reached an all-time high, new figures show. Nearly 110,000 are living with the condition, but around a quarter are unaware they have it. They are therefore at risk of passing on the virus to others through unprotected sex, experts warn. The figures, from Public Health England (PHE), have been released ahead of National HIV Testing Week. Nearly 110,000 people in the UK are living with HIV, but around a quarter are unaware they have it, experts have warned ahead of National HIV Testing Week . They show that overall, more people are being diagnosed earlier. The proportion of people diagnosed with a late stage of HIV infection fell from 57 per cent in 2004 to 42 per cent in 2013. Meanwhile, around six per cent of gay and bisexual men are now living with HIV. This rises to 13 per cent in London - meaning that one in eight sexually active gay men now has the condition. In 2013, 3,250 men were newly diagnosed - an all-time annual high. It is estimated that over 7,000 gay men have an HIV infection that remains undiagnosed and that an estimated 2,800 men acquired HIV in 2013. Doctors say these figures highlight the need to increase both the numbers and frequency of HIV tests, which is critical to tackling the ongoing high levels of HIV transmission. In a statement, Public Health England (PHE) said: 'While the large majority of black Africans do not have the HIV infection, the report also draws attention to the fact that one-third of the 40,000 black African heterosexual men and women living with HIV in the UK do not know they have HIV.' Dr Valerie Delpech, head of PHE's national HIV surveillance, said: 'We can’t overstate the importance of testing for HIV to ensure an early diagnosis. Early diagnosis of HIV enables better treatment outcomes and reduces the risk of onward transmission. To get a test... Go to an open access STI clinic (some clinics in large cities are offering ‘fast-track’ HIV testing) or go to a community testing site. Ask your GP for an HIV test – nowadays there is no need for lengthy discussion about the test, it just involves having blood taken, or even a finger prick. Ask online for a self-sampling kit. 'People diagnosed promptly with HIV infection can expect to live long and healthy lives. 'However in 2013, people diagnosed with HIV late were 10 times more likely to die in the first year of diagnosis compared to those diagnosed promptly. 'People who remain unaware of their infection are also at risk of transmitting HIV to others. 'Knowing HIV status is the key to both effective treatment, and to preventing onward transmission'. As a result, PHE is encouraging people most at risk to take an HIV test. This includes gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men and black Africans in particular. Professor Noel Gill, head of the HIV & STI department, said: 'Used correctly and consistently, condoms remain an inexpensive and effective way to prevent HIV. 'We are also now seeing important and exciting data on ways to use antiretroviral medication to prevent HIV.' PHE has also issued advice on safer sexual behaviour to reduce the risk of HIV. Around six per cent of gay and bisexual men are now living with HIV (the infection is pictured) Get tested regularly for HIV if you are one of those most-at-risk: . * Men who have sex with men are advised to have an HIV and STI screen at least annually, and every three months if having unprotected sex with new or casual partners. * Black African men and women are advised to have an HIV test and a regular HIV and STI screen if having unprotected sex with new or casual partners. * Always use a condom correctly and consistently, and until all partners have had a sexual health screen. *Reduce the number of sexual partners and avoid overlapping sexual relationships. * Unprotected sex with partners believed to be of the same HIV status (serosorting) is unsafe. For the HIV positive, there is a high risk of acquiring other STIs and hepatitis. For the HIV negative, there is a high risk of HIV transmission as well as of acquiring STIs and hepatitis.
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Nearly 110,000 people in the UK are now living with the condition .
6% of sexually active gay men nationwide and 13% in London diagnosed .
Official figures have been released ahead of National HIV Testing Week .
But with 25% of people with the infection undiagnosed, the virus is being passed to others through unprotected sex .
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11a62040a97e1a233ab06ca921cfd234ba0b281f
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By . Jonny Singer . Follow @@Jonny_Singer . Hull manager Steve Bruce kept his counsel over whether summer signings Robert Snodgrass and Tom Ince would make their full debuts in Thursday's Europa League third-round qualifier against AS Trencin. The attacking midfielders, recruited from Norwich and Blackpool respectively, ran out for the Tigers for the first time as substitutes towards the end of last week's goalless first-leg draw in Slovakia. Bruce has no injury concerns after winger Robbie Brady recovered from tonsillitis, but recently-recruited defenders Andrew Robertson and Harry Maguire are not eligible. New boy: Tom Ince could be in line for his full debut as Hull attempt to get past AS Trencin . Firepower: Robert Snodgrass has been brought in to add incision to the Hull attack this season . McGregor, Harper, Jakupovic, Rosenior, . Dudgeon, Meyler, Davies, Elmohamady, Chester, McShane, Boyd, . Huddlestone, Long, Sagbo, Snodgrass, Quinn, Livermore, Aluko, Brady, . Jelavic. Honduran centre-back Maynor Figueroa has been permitted to take an extended holiday following the World Cup. The Tigers were unable to secure a first leg lead after Tom Huddlestone missed a penalty before blazing the rebound over the bar in Slovakia. However, Bruce's side are favourites to progress to the Europa League play-off round where they could be drawn against the likes of Inter Milan on Villarreal. Disaster: Tom Huddlestone missed a penalty and then blasted over the rebound in Slovakia . Preparing: Bruce has kept his cards close to his chest as he decides whether to start his new signings .
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Hull drew first leg 0-0 with Slovakian minnows AS Trencin .
Ince and Snodgrass could both start for the first time .
Defenders Andrew Robertson and Harry Maguire both ineligible .
All other players are fit ahead of Thursday night's clash .
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11a693dd093a747c60d8794ec07635d8033beff0
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Amir Khan believes he is well placed to fight Floyd Mayweather Jnr - should a bout between the American and Manny Pacquiao fail to materialise. A mega-money fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao appears to be edging closer after the pair met at the half-time interval of the Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks NBA game on Tuesday and then later in a hotel. But Khan is more than happy to step in and fight Mayweather if the pair fail to agree terms - insisting he has earned his shot. Amir Khan is all smiles in front of a portrait of himself at Bolton Art Gallery on Wednesday . Khan poses with his WBC Silver Welterweight title, which he retained by beating Devon Alexander . Manny Pacquiao (left) and Floyd Mayweather met briefly at the Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday . Mayweather (above) and Pacquiao are currently in talks over a £200million mega fight . Khan told Sky Sports News HQ: 'If that fight falls through, I think I have to be the next fighter to face Mayweather because I've proven myself in many ways. 'Mayweather wanted me to prove myself at 147lbs which I did by beating Luis Collazo and then by moving up and beating Devon Alexander - two top guys in the welterweight division who were both coming off good wins. The Pac Man (left) was in London last Friday to discuss a potential future fight with Bolton boy Khan . Khan looks up at his picture, produced by Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year Christian Hook, in the gallery . 'The fight between me and him would be much easier to make than the Pacquiao fight because we have the same manager and the same promotions team, so why not get it done?' The Bolton fighter was speaking in his hometown as an impressive new portrait of him was unveiled at Bolton Art Gallery. Christian Hook, 43, was recognised as the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2014 for producing the painting.
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Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are in talks over a £200m fight .
If that fails to materialise Amir Khan hopes to fight Mayweather .
The 28-year-old believes he deserves a world title shot .
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11a7bd017fdf071ffc725333e3aa3aebe93a85c9
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Horses are the latest victims of the obesity crisis as they take the burden of their overweight riders, experts have warned. A study found a third of recreational riders were too obese for their mounts, leaving the animals at risk of health problems such as back pain and lameness. They can also develop behavioural problems, such as bucking, rearing and problems following commands. Horses are the latest to suffer from the obesity crisis - because riders are too heavy for them, say researchers . Hayley Randle, one of the scientists . behind the research, said: ‘People tend to think horses are such big . animals they must be okay, and not to take notice of the weight issue of . riders. But the health impact on the horse can be quite extreme, quite . quickly.’ Published in the Journal of . Veterinary Behaviour, the study assessed 152 horses and their adult . riders from stables across Devon and Cornwall. Guidelines set by vets state that . riders should weigh less than 10 per cent of the weight of their horse. But researchers from Duchy College in Cornwall found that just 5 per . cent of the riders passed the test. Riders should weight no more than 10 per cent of their horse's weight to prevent it from suffering from health problems as it adjusts to its load, scientists at Duchy College said . Thirty-two per cent weighed more than . 15 per cent of the weight of their animal, a level considered to pose a . welfare risk. The remaining 63 per cent tipped the scales at between 10 . and 15 per cent of the weight of their horse – a level seen as . ‘satisfactory’. Miss Randle, who conducted the study . with Emma Halliday, said guidelines should be put into place to protect . horses from overweight riders. She added: ‘The problem is that these . ratios are not widely known by people in the horse industry. People do . seem generally to be a bit heavy for horses. That is just a consequence, . I suppose, of our average weights going up. It is definitely a . potential welfare issue. These are broad-brush guidelines. ‘They don’t take account of all . factors, such as the age of the horse, the breed, the style of riding or . the experience of the rider. ‘But they are still important and helpful and people are not taking enough notice of them.’ Keith Chandler, president of the . British Equine Veterinary Association, said his members spent a large . part of their time dealing with lameness and back problems, which is . often be caused by ‘the wrong riders on the wrong horses’. He added: ‘Many riding schools are . very aware of these problems and exactly who can ride which horses and . who cannot, but there are some horse people who may not fully understand . the issues. ‘There is a discussion which needs to . take place in the horse riding community. There needs to be an awareness . that some larger riders need to ride bigger horses.’
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Only one in 20 riders are within the optimum weight for their horse .
A heavy load can mean back pain, lameness and bad behaviour in horses .
Vet guidelines advise that riders weigh less than 10 per cent of their mount .
Weighing more than 15 per cent of horse's weight poses health risks .
Research is published in the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour .
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11a838c1f7e7403b1d09f723f83d89ad6a468313
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By . Allan Hall . UPDATED: . 09:51 EST, 18 January 2012 . The only works of art depicting the horrors of Auschwitz in occupied Poland - made by an inmate and hidden in a bottle - have gone on display for the first time at the camp's museum. Children can be seen being torn from the arms of their mothers and a guard smoking a cigarette outside a gas chamber as bodies are loaded into a lorry are among the artworks on show. They were made in secret - their discovery at the time would have meant instant execution for the artist - and hidden in a bottle that was then stashed into the eaves of one of the huts. Horror: The 'Sketchbook from Auschwitz' contains drawings of the selection process Nazi soldiers employed on Jewish prisoners at the concentration camp - including this one showing a little boy being taken from his family . Unique: A German soldier smokes a cigarette in front of a gas chamber as bodies are loaded on to a truck nearby. The drawings were hidden inside a bottle in the eaves of one of the huts used to house Jewish people . Agnieszka Sieradzka, Auschwitz art historian, said: 'You can clearly see that the author was determined in presenting the largest number of details. 'Badges of functionary prisoners, number plates of trucks, train cars on the ramp as well as block numbers are carefully depicted. 'The author of the sketchbook hoped that someone would find his work so that it would become a witness to extermination.' Auschwitz, not far from the Polish city of Krakow, was the biggest extermination facility operated by the SS during the Second World War. Some 1.2 million of the six million victims of the Nazi genocide programme were killed there. A former prisoner working as a watchman discovered the 32 sketches in a bottle near the death camp's crematorium in 1947. Holocaust: This image depicts hundreds of Jewish families as they are taken off a train at the concentration camp. The drawings were created before 1943, but the artist is only known as MM . Terror: In this image, a pajama-wearing man offers a book towards a Nazi guard as lines of prisoners look on . 'The Sketchbook from Auschwitz' includes the 22 pages of drawings from an unknown prisoner whose initials were apparently MM. They represent a rare first-hand historical account of the Holocaust. 'These sketches are the only work of art made in Birkenau that depict exterminations,' said museum spokesman Pawel Sawicki. 'The second wing of the main gate was built between 1943 and 1944, but is absent from the sketches. Thus we concluded that the sketches were drawn in 1943 or before. 'From our records we believe that the author would have worked in the hospital sector or gathering luggage from the ramp,' Mr Sawicki explained. On display: The sketchbook is being shown for the first time at the museum at Auschwitz, in Poland. Right, the famous 'Work Makes You Free' on the main entrance of the death camp . The Polish-English publication was launched by the Auschwitz archives last week. Auschwitz has 6,000 works of art in its archives relating to the horrors which took place there and many are due to go on display this year, the 70th anniversary of the start of the Holocaust. The blueprints for the extermination programme were laid down on January 20, 1942 at the Wannsee Villa situated on the lake of the same name in Berlin. To mark the event this Friday in the German capital there are a number of cultural and memorial events including a gala concert and a moment of silence in the parliament.
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Drawings of children ripped from arms of mothers and bodies loaded on to lorries .
Jewish artist would have faced certain execution if works had been found .
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11a927fd3d02b3c7f76d2acc129823443aaa8c80
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Ashya King's brain cancer treatment will start next week after a series of successful tests at Prague's Proton Therapy Centre today. The five-year-old's father Brett admitted that his unwell son 'will be scared' but his mother Naghmeh will be there to hold his hand and both have 'every confidence' Czech doctors will cure him. Ashya was flown by private jet from Spain to Prague, where he is expected to start pioneering treatment for his brain tumour next week after being monitored by experts today. Scroll down for video . Good news: Ashya King leaves the Prague clinic this afternoon clutching a teddy bear after a day of tests that mean his cancer treatment can start next week . Brett King, father of the five-year-old Ashya King, spoke today and believes that the care his son will receive abroad will save him . Doctors warned Mr King that his son will suffer headache-like-pain as he inspected the proton beam machine that will treat him. He said: 'I'm so happy we can finally bring Ashya here. It is incredible, I have every confidence in it. 'It is daunting and Ashya will be scared but his mother will be holding his hand.' With his devoted parents by his side, Ashya King finally arrived at hospital in the Czech Republic yesterday – as his father declared: ‘It’s all worthwhile – he will get better.’ Just days ago, his parents were in a Spanish prison cell after being arrested for removing the youngster from an NHS hospital in Southampton without doctors’ permission and taking him abroad. But following a public outcry, the couple were released and reunited with their son, before being allowed to transfer him to Prague for the proton beam therapy treatment they desperately want for him. In a statement, the Proton Therapy Centre said: 'If all goes well and the physicists will be able to prepare Ashya's irradiation plan in four days already instead of standard 10 days, he will start the first irradiation on Monday . 'His plan takes 30 irradiation visits and is combined with chemotherapy. 'The chemotherapy will be applied by specialised oncologists at Motol University Hospital, where Ashya is hospitalised with his mother.' Fresh start: Ashya King arrived at Prague's Proton Therapy Centre this morning for tests before treatment his parents have 'every confidence' will cure his brain cancer . Family: The unwell five-year-old was again with his parents Brett and Naghmeh as he was wheeled into the clinic . Love: Brett King gives his son a kiss ahead of crucial tests to determine what care he can receive . As Ashya was stretchered from the ambulance yesterday, his father Brett, 51, said: ‘It’s amazing, I’m excited. Power to the people. ‘When you see my son you see why the whole thing we’ve been through has been worthwhile to get him better. He will get better.’ Ashya’s mother Naghmeh, 45, added: ‘I’m so happy to be here.’ Their emotional arrival came as it emerged Ashya’s treatment is expected to cost up to £70,000 – and could be paid for by the NHS. Miloslav Ludvik of the Motol University Hospital – where Ashya will stay while he is treated at the Proton Therapy Centre – said it was a ‘good question’ who would foot the bill. He said: ‘We are not concerned about the financial issues at the moment, what matters is treating the child. Parents Brett, 51, and Naghmeh, 45, were reunited with their son after 72 hours in jail and later dramatically granted permission by a High Court judge to allow Ashya to undergo proton therapy in Eastern Europe . Visit: Yesterday Brett King visited the facility where his son will have proton beam therapy . 'But there are three options for payment eventually. Either the parents will pay, or the NHS will pay under new EU regulations or the parents will pay and then take the bill to the NHS for reimbursement.’ The NHS funds proton beam therapy abroad ‘whenever it is considered clinically appropriate’. However, NHS England does not fund proton therapy for medulloblastoma – the cancer that Ashya has – because of concern that patients not fit enough to travel would be delayed from receiving radiotherapy and subsequently have a reduced chance of a cure. Last year 99 children were fully funded by the NHS to go abroad for proton beam therapy. One method of funding is the S2, an arrangement between the NHS and the state healthcare provider in the EU country patients are visiting, which requires prior approval. A spokesman for University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust said: ‘It is good news that Ashya’s treatment can be resumed without delay and we are delighted for him that the situation has now been resolved.’ Ashya is expected to be taken to the Proton Therapy Centre today for assessment, and if all goes well a six-week treatment programme will start next there on Monday. British paediatricians who treated Ashya have insisted that proton therapy is not suitable for his type of tumour. They want him to receive conventional radiotherapy. After being taken from Britain to Spain and then being isolated from his parents and family, Ashya King arrived in Prague for cancer treatment yesterday . The couple stroke young Ashya's head as they arrive in Prague yesterday. The five-year-old's mother said she was 'so happy' to be in the Czech Republic . The family travelled on a private jet from Malaga to Prague after being released from prison where they spent 72 hours . An ambulance carrying the child arrives at the centre where Ashya's treatment is expected to cost £70,000 . The five-year-old's mother Naghmeh accompanied him on both ambulance journeys in Spain and the Czech Republic . Ashya's parents removed him from Southampton hospital on August 28 without doctors' consent . The £30million Proton Therapy Centre where Ashya King is to be treated boasts state of the art cancer-fighting technology. Built in 2012, the gleaming white lobby of the five-storey building on the outskirts of Prague appears more like a modern hotel – complete with an 18ft tropical fish tank and red sofas. The centre says its treatment is more accurate than conventional radiotherapy because proton beams stop once they reach their target. For brain tumours, this reduces the radiation doses to other parts of the body by 60 per cent and halves the risk of secondary tumours, staff claim. A course of treatment takes from five to 30 visits. Sessions never last more than 30 minutes. Jiri Kubes, Chief Medical Officer of proton therapy (right) shows Brett King around the centre where his son will receive treatment for medulloblastoma .
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Ashya King arrived with parents in Czech republic yesterday from Malaga .
Now having tests for pioneering treatment to fight his brain tumour .
Parents removed him from British hospital without consent on August 28 .
Fled to Spain where they were held in police custody 72 hours .
They were released and reunited with son last week following public outcry .
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11a975590b42adb731cd0427c1007c09370b7450
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The debate over the legalisation of marijuana continues to rage in the US... but it seems a more pressing issue concerns the safety of milk. More Americans support a ban on the sale of unpasteurized milk than they do a ban on the sale of marijuana, according to a survey. While 46 per cent of those surveyed wanted to outlaw the drug, 59 per cent were against the sale of raw milk. Unpasteurized milk has become trendy among celebrity food writers and other advocates of unprocessed ‘raw food’, who claim it is both tastier and healthier. More Americans support a ban on the sale of unpasteurized milk than they do a ban on the sale of marijuana, according to a survey (file photos) They also claim raw milk is associated with reduced levels of asthma, hay fever and food allergies in children. Untreated raw milk is thicker with a distinctive creamy taste . Marijuana, one of the most commonly used drugs in the world, has been legalized in multiple states and many argue that it serves medical benefits that can relieve pain and combat anxiety. Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize the possession and use of recreational marijuana by adults in 2012. In the results of the Oklahoma State University's monthly food survey of at least 1,000 people, Americans showed even more support for policies that would require country-of-origin labels for meat and lower calorie school lunches . Though both have been up-and-coming in recent years, both have dangerous elements. Microorganisms in raw milk can cause serious health risks, including salmonella, E. coli and listeria. Any harmful bugs on the body or udders of the cow that pass into the milk are not killed off. Cheese made from raw milk may contain these bugs. Raw milk has not been pasteurised by heat treatment. All fresh milk sold in the high street is pasteurised – heated to 72C (162F) for 25 seconds, which kills bacteria. As for marijuana, many believe it is a gateway drug that can lead users to more serious substance abuse. Some believe it has permanent affects on the brain. In the results of the Oklahoma State University monthly online survey of at least 1,000 people, Americans showed even more support for policies that would require country-of-origin labels for meat and lower calorie school lunches. Eighty per cent said they supported policies that would require foods containing DNA to have labels - that includes all fruits, vegetables and meats. Almost the same amount of people said genetically modified foods should require labels while nearly 70 per cent said restaurant menus should require calorie counts.
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Sixty per cent of Americans support bans on the sale of raw milk, Oklahoma State University's Food Demand Survey shows .
While only 46 per cent agree with banning the sale of marijuana .
Survey also shows majority of people support more food labeling .
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11aaff0f9795339306d1dc13697fbab41852f2b4
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By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 10:25 EST, 14 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:00 EST, 15 February 2013 . Google was today facing the prospect of being forced to remove offending posts on the Blogger website after a judge ‘opened the door’ for the firm being required to monitor what users write. The California-based internet giant convinced London’s Court of Appeal in a libel case that Blogger is the equivalent of a blank wall and it cannot be held responsible for what is written there by people. But the court ruled in the case involving law student Payam Tamiz that it was arguable Google was a ‘publisher’ in defamation law, and therefore responsible for offending comments once told of them. Court ruling: Google was today facing the prospect of being forced to remove offending posts on Blogger . However the court's decision will come as little comfort to former Conservative Party hopeful Mr Tamiz, who was vilified on Blogger by entirely false allegations of drug dealing and dishonesty. His epic legal tangle with Google, which was first reported by MailOnline one year ago, has so far only earned him a huge legal costs bill - £30,000 of which he must find within the next two weeks. Lord Justice Richards, sitting with Master of the Rolls Lord Dyson and Lord Justice Sullivan, upheld Google's arguments that Blogger is a ‘purely passive wall’ with no responsibility for internet ‘graffiti’. Mr Tamiz's plea that Google was a primary publisher of the smears was rejected as ‘misplaced’ by the judge, who said it only operates as a ‘facilitator’, enabling other people to express their views. Google could not be compared to an author or editor and the judge said he was also ‘very doubtful’ that it could be viewed as a ‘secondary publisher’, in a similar way to a libellous article ‘distributor’. However, the judge went on to rule that Google and others do have a responsibility to remove offending material from their sites within a reasonable time of a complaint of libel being received. Contest: The court ruled in a case involving law student Payam Tamiz (pictured) that it was arguable Google was a 'publisher' in defamation law, and therefore responsible for offending comments once notified . He said that if Google failed to act swiftly enough, it might be inferred to have associated itself, or made itself responsible for, a libellous post. It would at that point become responsible as a publisher and could be sued. In Mr Tamiz’s case the libellous posts had been taken down and - although he argued Google failed to do that quickly enough - the judge ruled that ‘the game would not be worth the candle’ if his libel case went ahead. 'Google's position is that it had no control over the content of the material posed on the “London Muslim” blog. It was not the publisher of that material but a neutral service provider' Antony White QC, for Google . During the very brief period in which Google could conceivably have been held liable, the judge said it was ‘highly improbable that any significant number of readers’ would have seen the comments prior to their removal. Mr Tamiz was suing Google over anonymous comments made in reaction to a posting on the ‘London Muslim’ blog. Amongst other things, he was accused - without justification - of being a drug dealer and having stolen from his employers. Dismissing his claim last year, top libel judge Mr Justice Eady said: ‘It is no doubt often true that the owner of a wall which has been festooned, overnight, with defamatory graffiti could acquire scaffolding and have it all deleted with whitewash’. But he added: ‘That is not necessarily to . say, however, that the unfortunate owner must, unless and until this . has been accomplished, be classified as a publisher’. Search engine: Lord Justice Richards, sitting with Master of the Rolls Lord Dyson and Lord Justice Sullivan, upheld Google's arguments that Blogger is a 'purely passive wall' with no responsibility for internet 'graffiti' The libel claim brought by Mr Tamiz, who in 2011 stood as a Tory candidate in local elections in Thanet, Kent, was left dead in the water by the ruling, even though nobody had suggested the accusations made against him were even ‘remotely true’. On appeal, Godwin Busutill, for Mr Tamiz, had argued for an extension of libel laws to police the melting pot of the internet. 'Little that happens on the internet is genuinely 'automatic' or 'passive'... the notion that the internet runs 'automatically' or 'passively' is in essence a powerful myth which has been fostered very successfully and profitably by internet superpowers such as Google' Godwin Busutill, for Payam Tamiz . He said: ‘Little that happens on the internet is genuinely "automatic" or "passive"... the notion that the internet runs "automatically" or "passively" is in essence a powerful myth which has been fostered very successfully and profitably by internet superpowers such as Google. ‘It suits their business model to take and to be seen to be taking a “hands off” approach and not really able to do anything about problems that may be generated by their internet-based operations.’ However, Antony White QC, for Google, argued: ‘Blogger.com is a platform that allows any internet user around the world to create his or her own independent blog, free of charge. ‘It is a piece of computer technology... Google does not create, select, solicit, censor or approve the content of a blog, which is published and controlled only the blog owner or blogger. Analogy: Mr Justice Eady said the owner of wall which has been covered in defamatory graffiti could have it taken off with whitewash, but added that the owner should not be classified as a publisher until then . ‘Google's position is...that it had no . control over the content of the material posed on the “London Muslim” blog. It was not the publisher of that material but a neutral service . provider.’ His appeal dismissed, Mr Tamiz was ordered to pay 50 per cent of Google's legal costs. He will have to pay £30,000 on account within 14 days, but that is likely to be only a fraction of the final bill he will face. 'The ruling does open the door for a future case where a court might take up the comments of the Court of Appeal in this case and run with them. But we are not there yet. In the meantime, Google and other similar companies will rightly be worried that they may be liable in similar future cases' Adam Wagner, barrister and UK Human Rights Blog editor . Adam Wagner, barrister and editor of the UK Human Rights Blog, told MailOnline: ‘The court did not rule that Google is legally obliged to take down offending posts once they are notified of them - in this regard, the judgment has little or no legal effect on Google. ‘The court did rule that it was arguable that Google was a "publisher" in defamation law, and therefore responsible for defamatory comments once notified of them. ‘Google in fact won this case, because even if it had been potentially liable under defamation law, the offending comment only had a "trivial" effect. ‘The ruling does, however, open the door for a future case where a court might take up the comments of the Court of Appeal in this case and run with them. ‘But we are not there yet. In the meantime, Google and other similar companies will rightly be worried that they may be liable in similar future cases.’ A Google spokesman told MailOnline: 'Google helps spread knowledge, enabling people to find out about almost anything by typing a few words into a computer. 'And services like Blogger, YouTube and Google+ help users to express themselves and share different points of view. Where content is illegal or violates our terms of service we will continue to remove it.'
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Google says Blogger is blank wall and it isn't responsible for writings online .
But appeal court hears it's arguable Google is 'publisher' in defamation law .
Legal expert: 'Another court could run with these comments in the future'
Long-running case involves student Payam Tamiz who was vilified online .
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11ab0654fc14de507142c1fed037b78c06327b84
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Kit Symons will be announced as Fulham’s new manager this week, barring any last minute change of heart by Shahid Khan. The Cottagers owner is due to fly back to London on Wednesday night, with his caretaker boss likely to be appointed on Thursday. Symons has overseen five wins from his eight games in charge, leaving Khan with little choice but to promote the coach. Kit Symons (pictured) is expected to be confirmed as Fulham manager this week by owner Shahid Khan . The 64-year-old was handed a trio of prospective new bosses by the five-man search committee installed to ‘provide guidance’ in their quest to find Felix Magath’s successor. Danny Murphy, Brian McBride and Niall Quinn were alongside supporter and Nike director David Daly and academy boss Huw Jennings. Symons took temporary charge at the back end of September with Fulham rooted to the foot of the Championship table. The caretaker boss has overseen five wins in eight games to lift Fulham out of the relegation zone . But his sterling transformation at Craven Cottage has seen his side’s record only beaten by Bournemouth and Derby County in the month following. The odds of Hull City’s Steve Bruce taking over from Magath had tumbled on Monday night but there was never anything in the link, while moves for ex-Premier League managers Chris Hughton and Steve Clarke were also mooted. After Fulham’s 3-0 win against Charlton on Friday night Symons said: 'I'm very confident I'll get it, it has to be getting more difficult, with the team winning games, for the five-man panel not to see the obvious thing to do for this football club.’
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Kit Symons has five wins in eight games to pull Fulham from relegation .
Fulham chairman Shahid Khan to fly from America on Wednesday .
Cottagers face Derby in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday .
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11abd28c900c984c18ebb240d3c2939a27b7a640
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Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia have arrived in Italy for an official visit to mark the fifth month of their reign. Letizia looked elegant in a cream jacket with stitch detail, coupled with a below knee pencil skirt and towering heels as they began the visit with a meeting at the Quirinal Palace with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, 89, and his wife, Clio Bittoni. Former reporter Queen Letizia smiled for the waiting cameras as she and King Felipe were met by Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment Isabel Garcia Tejerina. Spain's King Felipe VI and his wife, Queen Letizia, have arrived in Italy for an official visit coinciding with the fifth month of their reign . The couple walk hand in hand to the Montecitorio Palace on the first leg of their Italian visit . Queen Letizia looked smart and elegant in a cream jacket with stitch detail, coupled with a below knee pencil skirt . During the visit the royal couple will also meet with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and the chairmen of the Senate and the chamber of deputies. While Felipe VI wass scheduled to return to Madrid late last night, while Queen Letizia will stay on in Rome to address an international conference of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation. The Spanish Royal visit comes five months to the day after King Felipe was coronated on June 19 in a ceremony at the Spanish Congress, following the abdication of his father, Juan Carlos I. Since he became King, the royal couple has visited eight countries, and it is their second visit to Italy, the first being in June when they traveled to Rome to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican . Letizia, whose father Jesús José Ortiz Álvarez and stepmother Ana Togores are both journalists, enjoyed a lengthy career in TV and newspapers before marrying Felipe in 2004 . After a stint at Asturian daily paper, La Nueva España, she went on to work for ABC, a popular national newspaper that enjoys the third largest circulation in Spain. Queen Letizia's elegant and impeccable taste has often drawn comparison with the Duchess of Cambridg . Since he became King, the royal couple has visited eight countries, and it is their second visit to Italy, the first being in June when they traveled to Rome to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican. They later went to Portugal, France, the United States for the United Nations' General Assembly, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium. In December they are scheduled to travel to Germany and Mexico for the 24th IberoAmerican summit that will be held on December 8 and 9 in the city of Veracruz. Letizia, whose father Jesús José Ortiz Álvarez and stepmother Ana Togores are both journalists, enjoyed a lengthy career in TV and newspapers before marrying Felipe in 2004. After a stint at Asturian daily paper, La Nueva España, she went on to work for ABC, a popular national newspaper that enjoys the third largest circulation in Spain. The couple leave Palazzo Chigi after a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi . A former reporter, the Queen smiled for photographers as she left the palace. She is a patron of a number of Spanish charities dedicated to the Press . The visit by Felipe VI comes five months to the day after he was proclaimed king on June 19 in a ceremony at the Spanish Congress, following the abdication of his father, Juan Carlos I . Queen Letizia and King Felipe VI meet with President of the Italian Senate Piero Grasso and his wife Maria at Giustiniani Palace . Queen Letizia, sits with Laura Boldrinian, an Italian journalist and President of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy . Queen Letizia of Spain stands next to Italian First Lady, Clio before a meeting on the sidelines of the International conference on Nutrition (CIN2) at the Quirinale in Rome . Italian President Giorgio Napolitano walks with King Felipe VI of Spain next to Queen Letizia and Italian First Lady Clio . Next came a stint at Spanish news agency EFE before a move to Guadalajara in Mexico saw her take on a role on local paper, Siglo 21. Back in Spain a year later, she worked for the Spanish version of Bloomberg, a news channel and agency specialising in economics, before moving to CNN+. By the time she met her husband-to-be, Letizia was working for popular TV channel 24 Horas, where along with anchoring the popular Telediario 2 evening news bulletin, she reported on a wide range of breaking news events, among them the 2000 US presidential elections and the 9/11 attacks. Perhaps as a result of her reporting background, Letizia is one of the most enthusiastically pro-newspaper royals in Europe and regularly turns out for journalist charities and awards ceremonies.
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King Felipe VI and wife, Queen Letizia, arrived in Italy on Wednesday .
Visit coincides with the fifth month of the Spanish royal couple's reign .
Couple met Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, 89, and wife Clio Bittoni .
Queen Letizia looked smart and elegant in a cream jacket with stitch detail, coupled with a below knee pencil skirt and towering heels .
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11abe3a991aed4114d193ad4295200a335bfab6d
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By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 11:04 EST, 2 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:02 EST, 3 October 2012 . A teenager wants to ‘clear his slate’ after allegedly burgling 278 homes and stealing 60 cars since he was 12. Adam Crampton, 19, has been a ‘prolific’ one man crimewave, especially in the Leicester area where up to 200 of the burglaries took place. He pleaded guilty to three specimen counts of burglary at Leicester Magistrates’ Court recently but has asked that a further 278 break-ins and 60 car thefts be taken into consideration when he is sentenced later this month. Adam Crampton claims to have burgled 278 homes and stolen 60 cars . Crampton, of no fixed address, revealed the full extent of his criminal history in interviews with police at a young offenders’ institution earlier this year as he began a four-year sentence for robbery and burglary offences in March. He even took officers on tours of Leicester four times, pointing out homes he had targeted. Inspector Andy Parkes, of Leicester Police said: ‘Victims want to know that someone has been caught and held responsible for crimes committed against them. This man was very young when he began and has been prolific. ‘One of the aims of the criminal justice system is to help people turn their lives around and hopefully this is the beginning of that process for him.’ Confessed to crimes: Crampton revealed the full extent of his criminal history in interviews with police, even taking them on tours, pointing out homes he targeted . Steve Morris, defending, said: ‘He has volunteered the information to get things cleared up and he wants to do this as soon as possible.’ Sylvia Hammond, one of his earliest victims, told of her relief at discovering the identity of her intruder. Crampton stole a laptop, a phone and a digital camera from Mrs Hammond’s home in Oakham, Rutland, in July 2007. The 60-year-old said: ‘It did cause great upset at the time. Clear up crimes: Prosecutor Ian Johnson told Leicester Magistrates' Court that Crampton 'indicated he wanted to clear up all of his outstanding crimes'. He will be sentenced at Leicester Crown Court (pictured) on October 23 . ‘If he is only 19 now he must have been . very young then, only a child but it’s comforting to know who did it and . also that the police have never given up even after all these years. ‘You hear that a lot of people in prison go back to their old ways when they are released. I just hope he doesn’t, now that he has admitted all of these crimes.’ Prosecutor Ian Johnson told the court: ‘He was sentenced to four years in March this year for offences of robbery and dwelling house burglary. ‘He was visited by police officers and he indicated he wanted to clear up all of his outstanding crimes.’ Crampton will be sentenced at Leicester Crown Court on October 23.
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Adam Crampton pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary but asked for a further 278 break-ins and 60 car thefts to be taken into consideration in sentencing .
He revealed the extent of his criminal history to police .
Crampton took officers on four separate tours of Leicester, pointing out homes he targeted .
He will be sentenced later this month .
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11ac8fe2e268328f97ec8dcba2c75ec418424f63
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(EW.com) -- For a comedy like "The Change-Up" -- which is to say, a comedy with a message about as deep as a bowl of beer nuts -- familiarity with Shakespeare's disguise plays and Aesop's Fables isn't a prerequisite for getting the picture. On the other hand, familiarity with both body-switch comedies and Judd Apatow laffers is indispensable for understanding just where this raunchy Apatow imitation with a heart of Lipitor goes wrong. The anatomy swappers here are Mitch (Ryan Reynolds), a swingin', irresponsible single guy, and Dave (Jason Bateman), a driven lawyer/husband/dad. The switcheroo goes down because the two buddies-since-childhood do something stupid during a Guys' Night Out in their hometown of Atlanta: They pee in a fountain. Specifically, they pee in a fountain presided over by a stony statue of the Greek goddess Metis while drunkenly declaring to each other, ''I wish I had your life!'' (For the record, Metis is the goddess of counsel, advice, planning, and cunning.) Dave thinks he envies Mitch's life of free sex and fiscal irresponsibility. Mitch, a wannabe actor, thinks he envies Dave's successful career, his loving home life, and his cute wife (Leslie Mann). Crash, lightning, temporary power outage, "Freaky Friday!" The deal is done. The next day each guy wakes up in the body of the other. Discovery of genital distinctions follows. Here's "The Change-Up's" first mistake: As set up by director David Dobkin ("Wedding Crashers") and writers Jon Lucas and Scott Moore("The Hangover"), the game is rigged. Dave may be burned-out, so much so that he has stopped appreciating his squeaky Leslie Mann of a wife. He may even feel a pang or two of extramarital lust at the sight of his beautiful law associate Sabrina -- as played by Olivia Wilde, who wouldn't? But no one would envy Mitch's directionless, idiotic Peter Pan life -- even if Peter entertains the ladies in a playpen of an apartment. The early Mitch is so excessively unsocialized and unlikable (I blame the script and direction rather than Reynolds' game performance) that there's no contest: Dave may need a little kick in the khakis to realize that he's got it pretty good at home, but he's clearly the movie's winner. In fact, early Mitch is so obnoxious that in the end, when the two friends regain their own bodies, having learned lessons in gratitude (oops, did I give something away?), Dave is more or less Dave again. But Mitch 2.0 bears little resemblance to early Mitch. He's still Ryan Reynolds-y, but he's now someone a lot more like Dave -- reformed by the traditional values "The Change-Up" endorses -- than like a guy who previously kept a weekly sex date with a lady he described as a tigress. I won't give away more about the tigress in question; let's just say she bounces and veers from "Hangover" turf into Farrelly brothers territory. And she also personifies "The Change-Up's" second mistake: The movie's scenes of id-fueled transgression are alternately desperate, trite, and an off-putting color of ugly -- as if the filmmakers were given the ingredients but not the cooking instructions for a successful crude-but-cuddly frittata. Gross-outs involving poop -- kids of all ages usually love 'em! -- are more humiliating than hilarious. (Really, the old toxic-baby-diaper gag?) Freakish-looking women are easy receptacles for disgust. And when jokes give way to the ''I love you, bro!'' finale, the tone oozes past charming happiness all the way to cloying self-satisfaction. Anyway! There's one consolation, and that's in watching the stars play opposite what is often their type of guy. Bateman, in particular, is enjoyably nimble and unbuttoned when he sheds his usual persona of responsible-and-exasperated guy and lets some devil out. Quick-witted and a pro at physical shifts, he finds more subtleties in his Dave Gone Wild than actually appear in his dialogue. And that resourcefulness rubs off on Reynolds, a pleasant if less complex performer. Acting here as if he were a vaguely disgruntled but resigned grown-up, Reynolds gets to escape the tonal confines of his boyish smile. Too bad "The Change-Up" has little use for such interestingness. Soon enough it's back to stale jokes about spousal date nights, the sight of moldy fast-food leftovers in a bachelor's refrigerator, and the timeless male joys of sharing a whiz in an outdoor fountain after a night of drinking and bulls---. C . See full article at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2010 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved.
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The anatomy swappers are Mitch (Ryan Reynolds) and Dave (Jason Bateman)
They switch lives after peeing in a fountain presided over by a statue of a Greek goddess .
Bateman, in particular, is enjoyably nimble and unbuttoned .
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11acaa2f7a533a10f851650427b0001fe34b9b9b
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By . Vanessa Allen . PUBLISHED: . 18:44 EST, 22 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:29 EST, 23 December 2013 . Nigella Lawson was effectively put on trial without a lawyer, her furious brother claims today. The TV cook was falsely portrayed as 'permanently drug-dazed' and 'addled by narcotics', Dominic Lawson says. The court did not let her present evidence to defend herself, treating her instead as an 'object to be paraded and tormented during ten hours of cross-examination as a key prosecution witness. Bond: Nigella Lawson and brother Dominic Lawson arriving at Isleworth Crown Court, west London . Writing in today's Daily Mail, Mr Lawson likens her treatment to the burning of heretics in the Spanish Inquisition and warns that the 'vicious' treatment of prosecution witnesses is a threat to British justice because it could deter future witnesses from giving evidence. He says his sister was 'heroic' in the face of such treatment but that the circus surrounding the fraud trial of her former aides has left the public under the impression she was the defendant. Yesterday defence minister Anna Soubry told the BBC it was 'disgraceful' that the allegations and the collapse of Miss Lawson's marriage to advertising guru Charles Saatchi were played out in a courtroom. 'Nigella Lawson quite properly complains that she feels that she's on trial,' said the Tory MP. 'I just find it utterly appalling.' Lawyers for Miss Lawson's former housekeepers Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo questioned the 53-year-old about her drug use in an attempt to show she sanctioned the sisters' £685,000 spending in return for their silence. Miss Lawson admitted taking cocaine seven times. She admitted she had also smoked cannabis during the collapse of her 'doomed' marriage but insisted she was not a long-term or habitual user. She said she had been drug free since leaving the relationship. Sisters Elisabetta (left) and Francesca Grillo, the two former personal assistants cleared of defrauding Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi . Giving evidence at Isleworth Crown Court in West London, Miss Lawson said she had faced 'a long summer of bullying and abuse' which she said had been 'dedicated to salvaging Mr Saatchi's reputation and savaging mine'. As her two former housekeepers were acquitted of a £685,000 card fraud, Miss Lawson said she had been 'vilified' by the court process despite having done all she could to alert the Crown Prosecution Service to a 'sustained background campaign deliberately designed to destroy my reputation'. She said she had been made to feel she was on trial without any legal protection or representation, adding: 'I did my civic duty, only to be maliciously vilified without the right to respond.' 'On trial': Nigella Lawson arriving at Isleworth Crown Court in London where she gave evidence in the trial of two former personal assistants who worked for her and Charles Saatchi . Charles Saatchi being protected by security at Isleworth Crown Court . Her brother says she was given no advice or support by the CPS and – as a witness and not a defendant – was not entitled to a lawyer to represent her. Mr Lawson writes: 'I would say that her conduct in the witness box was heroic. It was especially heroic given the way what was meant to be a formal examination of transactions by two employees had turned into a media circus – or rather an auto da fe – with this prosecution witness as the object to be paraded and tormented.' He adds: 'The process of justice is seriously damaged if the system makes testifying intolerable for prosecution witnesses.' Mr Lawson's warning follows several high-profile trials which have raised questions about the treatment of prosecution witnesses, including violinist Frances Andrade who committed suicide after giving evidence against a teacher who sexually abused her as a child. The parents of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler also faced detailed questions about their private lives from a lawyer representing her killer Levi Bellfield during his trial. Miss Soubry said it was 'disgraceful' that the collapse of a marriage should have played out in a courtroom and took aim at Charles Saatchi, saying the saga began with the 'Throttlegate' photographs of him grabbing Miss Lawson by the throat at a Mayfair restaurant. 'The whole thing is disgraceful. I think we're beginning to lose the plot in this country,' she said. 'This started with an unfortunate divorce. It started with a photograph of her being assaulted by her husband. So out in public was played what should have been a very private and very distressing moment. 'As a result of that they became divorced. These criminal proceedings had already begun, back in 2012.'
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Lawson says TV cook was falsely portrayed as 'permanently drug-dazed'
He adds the court did not let her present evidence to defend herself .
She was treated as an 'object to be paraded and tormented', he claims .
Mr Lawson likens it to the burning of heretics in the Spanish Inquisition .
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11acd527344b5cd7ce41d1474142f6a885a7e9fb
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Some of CNN's social media accounts and blogs were compromised Thursday. The affected accounts included CNN's main Facebook account, CNN Politics' Facebook account and the Twitter pages for CNN and CNN's Security Clearance. Blogs for Political Ticker, The Lead, Security Clearance, The Situation Room and Crossfire were also hacked. The posts were deleted within minutes and the accounts have since been secured. Some of the posts claimed that the Syrian Electronic Army, a group of pro-Syrian regime hackers that has aggressively targeted major news organizations and activists, was responsible. "Syrian Electronic Army Was Here...Stop lying... All your reports are fake!" one of the posts on CNN's Twitter account said. Another post Thursday night on a Twitter account purportedly tied to the group said it was retaliating for "viciously lying reporting aimed at prolonging the suffering in Syria." Last year the Syrian Electronic Army claimed credit for a 20-hour-long outage of the New York Times website. The group also claims to have hacked other major American and British news organizations, as well as Columbia University and rights group Human Rights Watch.
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CNN's main Facebook account and Twitter page were among those compromised .
Several CNN blogs were also affected .
The posts were deleted within minutes and the accounts have been secured .
Some posts claimed the Syrian Electronic Army was responsible .
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11acfd0e8ab8b4ea983cb38674c44a22e68ddcc5
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By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 22:16 EST, 20 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 22:16 EST, 20 October 2013 . An accident that resulted in the tragic deaths of two Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) workers is being investigated by the National Transport Safety Bureau (NTSB). Union officials have named the two deceased as Chris Sheppard, a BART worker and member of the AFSCME union and Larry Daniels who was a contract worker, according to ABC. The two men were killed when a train on a routine maintenance run hit them as they performed track inspection. Sad day: Christopher Sheppard (pictured) of Hayward and Larry Daniels were killed by a train just north of the Walnut Creek station on Saturday . The . accident in the East Bay city of Walnut Creek occurred shortly before . 2pm on Saturday as the train was on a routine maintenance operated by non-union . staff members, Bay Area Rapid Transit officials said in a statement. BART . officials said an 'experienced operator' was at the controls, but did . not specify who it was. The train was being run in automatic mode under . computer control at the time of the accident, the statement said. The NTSB held a media briefing Sunday about the ongoing investigation into the deaths. 'My concern coming out here, as it is with every investigation, is to find out what happened, gather the facts,' said NTSB Investigator-in-Charge Jim Southworth. 'And on scene, that's all we'll do is gather the facts. We'll make the measurements, we'll open every door, we'll spread out the expertise that we'll get from the parties, and we'll look at very single part of what went on out here and make a determination as to what happened.' On Friday, BART employees went on strike for the second time in four months over union demands for shorter workdays and overtime pay. According to the Los Angeles Times, the two unions representing BART workers had warned of the safety risks if managers were allowed to operated the trains during work stoppages. 'The managers may very well have been train operators at one time, but still it's a bit of a struggle to come up to speed on short notice,' Des Patten, a spokesman for Service Employees International Union Local 1021, said in a phone interview. Tragedy: A BART police officer looks along the BART tracks along Jones Road in Walnut Creek, where a moving BART train struck and killed two people . One of the BART workers who was killed was a member of the AFSCME union who had crossed the picket line to return to work. Investigators have not said who was at the controls of the train when the deadly incident occurred. They will be examining video recordings from inside the trains to see who was in the cabin at the time of the accident. They'll also be looking into the training and safety records of individuals operating that train. Inside Bay Area published the radio transmission that was made moments after the accident. The . train operator said: 'BART emergency! BART emergency to Central! We . just struck some individuals [at a track location] ... Central be . advised it may be BART employees.' Later, he said: 'Both are deceased and definitely BART employees.' Grim work: A BART officer both covers the body of one of the men struck and killed by the train and then inspects the outside of the train car . According . to a statement from BART, the two workers were performing track . inspections and both had 'extensive' experience working around trains. The inspection procedure requires that one person inspect the track and the other act as a lookout for oncoming trains. It is unclear if the two BART workers were following this procedure. BART . said the train was being run by an 'experienced' operator who was shuttling graffiti-covered cars to be cleaned. It was in . automatic mode and under computer control at the time of the accident. The bodies of the two deceased were spaced about 160 feet apart from each other on the tracks. According to ABC, union officials are holding two Sunday night vigils for the victims.
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The victims have been named as Chris Sheppard and Larry Daniels .
Sheppard was a union member who had crossed the picket line .
The National Transport Safety Authority has launched an investigation into the accident .
According to BART officials, an 'experienced operator' was at the controls of the train .
Unions workers are still on strike .
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11ad562c9b1ff0fbeb3c598019238628999c9754
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(CNN) -- Oklahoma City Thunder guard DeAndre Liggins was in jail early Sunday morning on charges of domestic abuse. Liggins, 25, was booked into the Oklahoma County jail Saturday night where he's being held on an $8,000 bond. According to jail records, authorities charged Liggins with domestic abuse in the presence of a minor child -- a felony. No additional details were immediately available. But police told CNN affiliate KOCO, that the victim is believed to be Liggins' girlfriend. In a statement to NewsOK.com, the team said it was aware of the arrest. "We are aware of the situation and take this matter seriously," the statement read. "We are in the process of gathering more information and have no further comment at this time." Liggins was signed by the Thunder last year after playing his rookie season with the Orlando Magic. He has averaged 1.6 points and 7.2 minutes a game for his career, and has been used almost exclusively as a substitute.
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He is charged with domestic abuse in the presence of a minor child .
He was signed by the Thunder last year .
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11adf0472f74bef19445583ce782f258e7f916b8
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PUBLISHED: . 07:05 EST, 24 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:23 EST, 26 July 2012 . Soldiers struggling to cope with the horrors of war are behind a shocking toll of violence back in Britain, a report has found. One in eight service personnel has attacked someone in a rage after returning from the battlefield. Wives and partners are often the victims. Academics confirmed a strong link between psychological trauma and aggressive behaviour at home. One in eight soldiers has attacked someone after coming home, a new study has found . The findings are especially worrying because British forces have seen a decade of intense conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thirteen thousand troops were . questioned for the study, which was led by Deirdre MacManus of the . King’s Centre for Military Health Research in London. Nearly 13 per cent admitted being . violent in the weeks following their return from a war zone. The figures . were twice as high for combat troops. And those who experienced multiple . traumatic events on the battlefield – including handling bodies, aiding . the wounded and seeing comrades maimed or killed – were four times more . likely to lash out violently. ‘Army personnel returning home often . find it difficult to adapt to civilian life after deployment,’ said Dr . MacManus. ‘Violence was more common among those who showed aggressive . tendencies before joining the Army, but even when we took that into . account, there was still a strong link between exposure to combat and . traumatic events during deployment and violence on return home.' Former soldier Aaron Wilkinson, 24, (left) shot dead his landlady Judith Garnett (right) after returning from Afghanistan . Earlier this month Aaron Wilkinson, . 24, was jailed for shooting dead his landlady Judith Garnett, 52, at her . farm in Leeds just weeks after serving in Afghanistan with the . Territorial Army. The killer, who was convicted of manslaughter, had . been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder but was not monitored . or treated. Lord Dannatt, the former head of the . Army, said: ‘The whole issue of psychiatric injury, which in its extreme . form expresses itself in PTSD, is going to be expressed in domestic . violence,’ he added. ‘The scale needs to be quantified and more action . needs to be taken.’ Retired colonel Tony Gauvain, a . qualified psychotherapist and chairman of the charity PTSD Resolution, . said soldiers were conditioned to live in a state of hyper-vigilance and . heightened awareness to cope with the dangers of battle. ‘When they get home they are still on this wavelength,’ he said. Col Gauvain added: 'Many find for days, weeks, months and years that their families and people around them don't understand what they have been through. 'There is an immediate communication gap and this becomes a catalyst for temper and anger.' Dr Walter Busuttil, director of medical services at Combat Stress, said: 'We aren't surprised by these findings. Studies from abroad have found instances of violent behaviour in returning troops. 'We know from veterans that anger management issues can ruin their lives. Veterans and their families need to make sure they seek help as soon as possible - not years down the line or after their relationships have suffered irreparable damage.' The Ministry of Defence said it was putting in place measures to improve mental health support for soldiers. Members of each unit are trained in trauma risk management enabling them to recognise signs of stress in their comrades. Anyone identified as being at risk is interviewed to check how they are coping with their problems. An MoD spokesman said: ‘We are determined to make the mental health services our armed forces receive the best in the world.’ PTSD Resolution can be contacted on 0845 021 7873. Combat Stress’s 24-hour Helpline can be contacted on 0800 138 1619.
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Study found direct link between combat and violence at home .
A third of victims are family members .
Former soldier Aaron Wilkinson was jailed last month for killing his landlady .
He was found to be suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after returning from Afghanistan .
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11b0120789a6f0ca4e259049bf9a2a6a3a566e5b
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They say there's a fine line between genius and insanity and Pizza Hut will have the country divided on which category their new Vegemite crust pizza falls in to. Just in time for the Australia Day weekend, Pizza Hut has launched the quintessential Aussie pizza, combining two of the country's most loved foods - cheese and Vegemite. In a promo for the new pizza, the fast-food chain took to Noah's Backpackers at Bondi Beach to carry out a taste test on non Australians, in a quest to prove the pizza is 'Made for Australians'. Scroll down for video . Just in time for the Australia Day weekend, Pizza Hut has launched the quintessential Aussie pizza, combining two of the country's most loved foods - cheese and Vegemite . Not surprisingly, travellers from Spain, The Netherlands, France and Chile were appalled at Pizza Hut's latest crust-stuffer, with some describing it as 'disgusting' and 'horrible'. The 'Mitey Stuffed Crust Pizza' takes a regular cheese-filled crust of molten mozzarella and fills it with Australia's favourite breakfast spread, but judging by this video, the Vegemite pizza craze won't be going any further than our shores. The video, which has been viewed over 82,000 times since it was uploaded on Monday, begins with a booming didgeridoo playing in the background, as the Vegemite spread is squeezed onto the pizza crust. In a promo for the new pizza, the fast-food chain took to Noah's Backpackers at Bondi Beach to carry out a taste test on non Australians, in a quest to prove the pizza is 'Made for Australians' The taste testers seem genuinely pleased that they are about to receive free pizza until they see the black crust. The 'Mitey Stuffed Crust Pizza' takes a regular cheese-filled crust of molten mozzarella and fills it with Australia's favourite breakfast spread . 'Is that a Yorkshire pudding?' a girl from the UK asks, insisting that the pizza doesn't smell that bad. 'What's the black thing' a girl from Germany asks, later questioning the cameraman on whether or not there's 'sh**' in the pizza crust. A range of wild guesses are thrown around as the astounded backpackers try to distinguish exactly what they've eaten. 'Medicine? Petrol? Fish jam?' the men of the group say as they appear to be resisting the urge to vomit. Two men from Chile are persistent that the Vegemite is fish jam, claiming that the substance is 'horrible'. The video, which has been viewed over 82,000 times since it was uploaded on Monday, begins with a booming didgeridoo playing in the background, as the Vegemite spread is squeezed onto the pizza crust . Not surprisingly, travellers from Spain, The Netherlands, France and Chile were appalled at Pizza Hut's latest crust-stuffer, with some describing it as 'disgusting' and 'horrible' One man looks defeated as he realises that this is one of the most-loved foods in Australia. 'But if females in Australia like this I don't know, they're very crazy people,' he says as he relaxes with a beer. Cementing the fact that this pizza has been created solely for Australians, two Aussie men take to the couch a the end of the promo, and devour the controversial treat. The taste testers seem genuinely pleased that they are about to receive free pizza until they see the black crust . A range of wild guesses are thrown around as the astounded backpackers try to distinguish exactly what they've eaten . 'That's nice, I'd have it for breakfast I reckon,' one of the men says. 'Yep, full of Vegemite keeping Aussies strong' the man in the blue hoodie says. Pizza Hut has more than 14,000 restaurants around the world but the Vegemite crust is only available in Australia. It will cost $3 extra to add to any pizza.
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Pizza Hut have released a Vegemite crust pizza in time for Australia Day .
The fast food chain has combined the Aussie favourite with cheese .
Pizza Hut went to a backpackers in Bondi to test it out on non Australians .
Not surprisingly, the backpackers were disgusted with the crust-filler .
Proving it's 'Made for Australians' two Aussie boys filmed love the pizza .
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11b0146a69180b3c9adf69ec55e5236d84df4dd9
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A father who strapped his one-month-old baby to a steering wheel, span it around and posted footage of the stunt online has been blasted by children's rights groups. Yong Liao, 39, was at a service station in western Taiwan's Miaoli county when he strapped the baby to the wheel of his car and spinned it back and forth. The baby's mother, Xia Lung, then posted the clip online to the horror of children's rights groups. Scroll down for video . A father has been blasted by children's rights groups after sharing a video of his baby strapped to the wheel of a car . After receiving a torrent of abuse, the 34-year-old removed the video, having responded to her critics: 'I don't know what everyone is complaining about, we weren't on a main road at the time, we were only at a service station.' Despite widespread criticism, social workers said no action would be taken against the couple. Throughout the brief video, Mr Liao and Miss Lung can be heard cooing and singing to the baby as it's rocked back and forth. The infant does not cry, but kicks its legs and makes a gargling sound when turned to be almost upside down. Officials said while the video should not be imitated, it does not appear as though the baby's parents were trying to bring it any harm. Wang Wei-Jun, the director of the Taiwanese Committee for the Improvement of Children's Rights, said: 'Looking at the video, it does not seem as if there is intentional abuse of the child, although I think it's fair to say that the parents are a bad example for others and that the activity is certainly dangerous.' Despite a torrent of abuse from online critics, Taiwanese officials said no action would be taken against the baby's parents as the video did not suggest that any harm had been done .
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Yong Liao strapped baby to steering wheel while at a service station .
The 39-year-old spins the infant round while laughing and singing .
The baby's mother, Xia Lung, filmed the stunt and posted the clip online .
Removed the video after receiving abuse from children's rights groups .
Officials said the video did not suggest that any harm had been done .
It is not clear whether the father was driving at the time of the video .
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11b05a1a38f902187c0e525b137b4ce303d6ceb6
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By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 08:17 EST, 23 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:18 EST, 23 October 2013 . It is without doubt one of the most iconic symbols of the American Government - but while it may look good from a distance, it is in desperate need of a makeover. The U.S Capitol dome will be covered in scaffolding for around two years after it was announced today that the 150-year-old structure will undergo its first major restoration for more than 50 years. The Architect of the Capitol, the federal post responsible for maintaining the historic building, said that more than 1,300 cracks and other structural problems need desperate attention. Much needed repairs: The U.S Capitol dome is to be shrouded in scaffolding for two years as it undergoes a $59million makeover . Damage: Around 1,300 cracks in the famous dome will need to be repaired during the two year period . Wear and tear: Experts say that the structural damage is due to weathering rather than an after effect of an earthquake which hit DC in 2011 . Stephen T. Ayers said in a statement: 'Under the paint, age and weather have taken its toll.' The restoration is expected to cost around $59.6million. According to Mr Ayers spokesman, Justin Kieffer, the damage to the dome is not the result of the earthquake which hit Washington DC in 2011 and damaged other structures, including the Washington Monument. Repairs on the Capitol dome are not expected to affect legislative . business and are being designed to minimally affect tours and other . events. When possible, the architect's office said, repairs will be . done at night and on weekends. Inside the Capitol Rotunda, a . doughnut-shaped canopy will be built to protect visitors from . construction debris and will ensure the Apotheosis of Washington, a . fresco painting in the center of the Capitol, can still be seen. Minimal disruption: The Architect of the Capitol, which is in charge of overseeing all congressional grounds, said most of the construction will happen during nights and weekends . Regular updates: The Architect of the Capitol's office plans to post regular updates on the construction on its website . In a similar way to the Washington Monument during restoration work on that, the dome's scaffolding will be lit up at night. The Architect of the Capitol's office plans to post regular updates on the construction on its website. The dome was lasted given a facelift back in 1960 - just in time for the beginning of John F Kennedy's Presidency. Then the dome temporarily turned red - workmen removed paint from the iron dome and had to paint a red rust inhibiting coating on its surface. The Capitol building is not the only famous Washington DC landmark to undergo repairs. Still on view: Inside the Capitol Rotunda, a canopy will be built to protect visitors from construction debris and will ensure the Apotheosis of Washington, a fresco painting in the center of the Capitol, can still be seen . As well as the Washington Monument, which was damaged in the 2011 earthquake, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where many White House staff work, recently shed its scaffolding after years of repair. The building has been the home of at the centre of American Government since the first Congress sat there in 1800. Its construction was based on a revised version of architect William Thornton's design inspired by the east front of the Louvre in Paris. It was built at the east end of the National Mall on a plateau some 88 feet above the level of the Pontomac River. The building covers around four acres and has more than 600 rooms. Since it was built, the Capitol Building has been partially burned down, rebuilt, extended and restored.
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The Architect of the Capitol announced the major restoration work today .
It is the first major work on the Dome for more than five decades .
Officials say damage is not due to Washington DC earthquake in 2011 .
Most of the work will be done at night or over weekends, say officials .
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11b143cc2d0ec021a8d03d5006d1f57e10862210
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By . Nick Craven and Jonathan Petre . PUBLISHED: . 17:40 EST, 22 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:18 EST, 22 December 2012 . Church leaders have warned that Christmas Day is in danger of becoming a ‘frenzy of bargain hunting’ after Amazon announced it is launching its sale on December 25. Online retailers expect an astonishing £307 million of business on Tuesday alone – 50 per cent more than an average day. Critics have called for the sales to be postponed until Boxing Day, leaving Christmas as a family occasion and religious celebration. Unheard of: Amazon has announced that it will be launching its sale on Christmas Day to the anger of church leaders . However, after a disappointing December, many retailers desperate to clear their stock have decided to unveil their sales a day early. A huge proportion of the 42 million Britons who shop online are likely to log on, dwarfing the 2.3 million expected at Christmas Day services, including Midnight Mass. Most controversially, the biggest retailer, Amazon – already under fire for avoiding UK tax on its estimated £3 billion annual sales – will begin listing bargains from 9am on Christmas morning. Alongside discounted stock will be ‘Lightning Deals’ – limited offers throughout the day, which are likely to pose a distraction from unwrapping presents. High street chains in the online rush include Currys PC World, John Lewis, Halfords, Marks & Spencer, House of Fraser and Argos, all of whose sales begin on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. However, many have already begun to offer major discounts in shops and online. 'It never stops': Amazon (warehouse pictured) - already under fire for avoiding UK tax - will begin listing bargains from 9am on December 25 . Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, said: ‘Christmas Day is a time to be together with the family, to focus on the children and to have a great time together. ‘This day is precious. We are now in danger of the gadgets taking over our lives and we are not in control of them.’ The Rt Rev Graham James, Bishop of Norwich, a close contender for the post of Archbishop of Canterbury earlier this year, said: ‘Christmas Day is an oasis of peace in an often frenzied world. ‘It’s a pity we don’t seem able to sustain a 24-hour period free of our acquisitiveness. We do need a Sabbath [rest] from shopping if only once a year.’ And Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern and a member of the General Synod, added: ‘We all miss out if we forget the true meaning of Christmas. ‘And we will forget it if there is no space to remember. Big businesses have a responsibility to leave that space open for families to spend time with one another. Lord Carey said: 'Christmas Day is a time to be together with the family...' ‘Companies like Amazon will say they are meeting consumer demand. But surely even they recognise their responsibility to ensure time for things that money can’t buy?’ Her views echo the words of Pope Benedict XVI, who last year claimed Christmas had increasingly become a ‘shopping holiday’. However, a spokesman for Amazon said that although its website would take orders on Christmas Day, warehouse staff would not begin dispatching products until Boxing Day or December 27. He added that last year, some shoppers logged on as early as 6am to download music and books for their new iPods, Kindles and other devices. Andrew McClelland, of e-retailers’ organisation IMRG, said: ‘As consumers encounter discounts and offers already available in the sales on these sites, it is not surprising they will spend more than £300 million even on Christmas Day itself. ‘Online, the Christmas shopping never really stops.’ A spokesman for Currys PC World said: ‘We are simply offering something our customers want and have, in past years, demonstrated that they want. ‘Of course the convenience of online is such that customers can dip in and out of the sales without compromising time with family, friends and the other things that they hold dear at this time of year.’ However, MP Gary Streeter, chairman of the all-party Christians in Parliament Group, said: ‘It’s a sad reflection on our times. I hope that most people will be focusing on their families and on bigger issues on Christmas Day and not ordering books online. ‘I would hope we’d never see shops opening at Christmas. It would require a change in the law and I can’t see Parliament voting for that – most people want to focus on their families and rightly so.’ Senior Tory backbencher Sir Tony Baldry, who speaks for the Church of England in the Commons, added: ‘I think that it’s very sad if we can’t retain at least one day of the year as a family day, a day of celebration and reflection to mark Christmas and for people to be together. ‘Whatever Amazon or others sell on Christmas Day, they will just as easily sell on subsequent days. It just seems unnecessary commercialism and very regrettable.’
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Online retailers expect £307million of business on Tuesday alone .
Critics have called for the sales to be postponed until Boxing Day .
Retailers are desperate to clear their stock and will unveil sales a day early .
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11b144ea6fcfa2cd0f763fa8d825933e688afd7a
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By . Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 20:16 EST, 4 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 04:52 EST, 5 January 2014 . Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is in good humor after being airlifted from a cruise ship in the Galapagos Islands by the Ecuadorian Navy to undergo emergency kidney stone treatment in the U.S. 'Galapagos: five stars. Kidney stones: zero stars,' Bezos joked in an email to Reuters. Local websites in Ecuador were the first to break the news of Bezos' health scare. Galapagos Digital reported today that the new owner of the Washington Post was flown by helicopter from a cruise ship off Santa Cruz Island to Baltra Island after suffering a kidney stone attack on New Year's Day. Expensive cargo: Jeff Bezos was airlifted by the Ecuadorian Navy after suffering a kidney stone attack on New year's day while cruising the Galapagos Islands. Above, Bezos at a conference in Las Vegas last August . From there he took his private jet back to the United States to receive treatment. Juan Ibarra, the captain of the helicopter, told El Comercio that Bezos was vacationing on the islands. Captain Daniel Ginez Villacis, the regional director of the islands Coast Guard, said Bezos' family and business friends thanked the navy for their quick rescue. According to the Mayo Clinic, most kidney stones don't require surgery and can be passed by drinking water, pain relievers or other medicine. Upbeat: Bezos joked in an email that he rated the Galapagos 'five stars' but gave kidney stones zero . Larger stones cause more serious symptoms like bleeding, kidney damage and urinary tract infections and need to be removed by doctors. The 49-year-old is worth an estimated $25.2billion, making him the 19th richest man in the world according to Forbes. He founded Amazon in 1994, writing the business plan on a cross-country road trip from New York to Seattle. Bezos is married to his wife MacKenzie and they have four children together.
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The billionaire suffered a kidney stone attack while cruising the Galapagos islands on New Year's Day .
He was airlifted by the Ecuadorian navy back to Baltra Island where his private jet took him back to the U.S. for treatment .
Bezos confirmed the incident in an email to Reuters, writing: 'Galapagos: five stars. Kidney stones: zero stars'
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11b18a8d810efaf2aad4b3206ed33dd901422f3c
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By . Damian Spellman . Edin Dzeko has insisted Manchester City will take nothing for granted as they attempt to defend their Barclays Premier League title. The reigning champions launched their defence with a hard-fought 2-0 victory at Newcastle on Sunday with an efficient, rather than dazzling, display. Title rivals Liverpool and Arsenal both enjoyed even narrower successes in their opening fixtures, and Dzeko knows there is no room for complacency during a campaign he expects to be as competitive as ever. Hard work: Manchester City will hope to retain their title this season but Dzeko knows that will be a tough task . Champions: The Bosnian striker has won the Premier League twice with Manchester City in 2012 and 2014 . The 28-year-old frontman told CityTV: 'It's just the beginning of the season and it will be, definitely, a long season with the five teams fighting for the title. This is just the beginning. 'It's good to start with a win, but we are not there. There are so many games to come and we have to prepare for the next one, for the big game against Liverpool to try to win at home. 'We have brought in some great new players. Some of them still need time because it was the World Cup and a lot of us came later to the pre-season. 'I think we can still improve a lot. Each game, we can be better and better and just try to continue where we finished [at Newcastle].' Dzeko was a key figure in the win at St James' Park despite not finding his own way on to the scoresheet. It was his clever back-heel after he had drawn central defenders Fabricio Coloccini and Mile Williamson to the ball which allowed David Silva to fire City into the lead against the Magpies, just as he had done 12 months earlier. Opening win: David Silva scored City's first goal of the new Premier League season at Newcastle . Winner: Sergio Aguero, who has signed a new contract, scored the second of City's goals in the 2-0 win . VIDEO Important to start with a win - Pellegrini . But if Silva's 38th-minute intervention gave the visitors the advantage, it was one they were unable to push home until substitute Sergio Aguero beat Tim Krul at the second attempt in stoppage time at the end of the game. Dzeko said: 'We played very well. From the first minute, we were there like the manager wanted us to be, from the first minute to try to press them high, to try to score a goal. 'We didn't score an early goal, but it was the perfect time, five minutes before half-time, and I think we controlled the game during the 90 minutes, were definitely the better side and deserved this win.' New recruit: Fernando, signed from Porto for £12million, was impressive for Manchester City at Newcastle . Dzeko's impressive individual display came amid reports that he is close to signing a new contract at the Etihad Stadium, but it was collective, rather than individual plaudits which were of greater interest to the Bosnia-Herzegovina international. He said: 'I am very happy because of my performance and the performance of the team because I think we were brilliant. 'It's always good to start the season with a win, especially away at Newcastle where it is always tough to go.' Dzeko's mood was in sharp contrast to that of Newcastle debutant Jack Colback as he and his team-mates emerged from a tight encounter with nothing to show for their efforts. Manager Alan Pardew was quick to take positives from a spirited display in the immediate aftermath, and urged his players to take them into Saturday's trip to Aston Villa. Dream: Despite the result, Jack Colback fulfilled his dream by making his debut for boyhood club Newcastle . Colback told nufcTV: 'We are disappointed with the result. You get nothing for good performances, but defeats. 'We are not going to come up against the quality that City have every week and we are going to get more chances against the teams who aren't the so-called better teams, so we have got to take the positives out of Sunday and look to go there and get some points.' Tyneside-born Colback fulfilled a dream when he made his league debut for the club he supported as a boy after spending the whole of his career until the end of last season with arch-rivals Sunderland. The 24-year-old said: 'It was bittersweet, really, coming off with a defeat. It would have been fantastic to have come away with at least a point. 'But it was great to finally have that moment and get it under the belt.'
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City opened their title defence with a 2-0 victory away at Newcastle .
Dzeko has won the Premiership twice with Manchester City in 2012 and 2014 .
Manager Manuel Pellegrini has added to his squad with six summer signings .
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11b23c98cc7ee6d263ee5f9fcf5d92c67880d9bc
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(CNN) -- Only a few hours had passed after the Boston Marathon bombing, which killed three people and injured hundreds, when this little nugget of inspiration showed up in my Twitter feed: . "Back home. You know what? I'm going for a run. Definitely." That tweet is from Peter Vigneron, a writer who was at the marathon when the bombs went off. Luckily, as he writes on his blog, he was far enough from the blasts to be safe. As the hours went by I started to see more online posts like that -- runners in Boston and elsewhere making pledges to lace up their sneakers and hit the road. It felt like a groundswell of grass-roots action, a collective statement that this tragedy, no matter who perpetrated it or why, wasn't going to stop people from doing what they love. iReport: Run for Boston 2014 . By Tuesday, people from Hong Kong, India, Canada, England, Croatia, Brazil, Mexico, Russia and the Netherlands were using the hashtag #runforboston and a Google doc created by CNN iReporter Becca Obergefell to log their journeys. The momentum has been building. As of early Tuesday afternoon, 360 people had logged more than 1,200 running miles on Obergefell's page. People also have been sharing their stories with her. "I ran to clear my head, but it didn't work. So I ran because I could. Because the freedom of running wasn't taken away from me. Because the running community stretches to all cities and all places, and I'm glad to be a part of it," one person wrote to Obergefell, a 26-year-old in Columbus, Ohio. I heard these stories and got inspired. That's why I'm pledging to run a marathon in honor of Boston -- and, since I'm kind of a couch potato, I'm going to pledge to do it by April 15, 2014, the 1-year anniversary of the tragedy. I'd like to invite you to do the same. Sign up by going to the "Run for Boston 2014" page on CNN iReport and uploading a photo of you and your running shoes. Alternatively, post the photo to Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #runforboston and #cnnireport. If you're so inclined, tell us why you're running. You don't have to pledge to run a marathon. Run a mile or a 5K -- or do a walk. The important thing is to get out there and get moving. Do it for Boston. Do it for your health. Or, if you use the simple app called Charity Miles, you can do it to raise money for one of the several worthy charities it features. I'm doing it because I feel like I've got to do something. It's been 12 years since 9/11 and 18 years since the Oklahoma City bombing. I was safely miles away, in a middle school classroom, when a bomb exploded in downtown Oklahoma City, killing 168. But that morning is stuck in my memory forever. I'm running because I don't want any of these tragedies to change me or to change us as a people -- to make us afraid, to keep us indoors. I am by no means a regular runner -- or even a runner at all. One of my friends saw a post about this idea on Facebook and thought I was joking. So please don't feel shy about signing up to do something new. I have no idea what I'm getting myself into -- and I think that's probably a good thing, at least for now. CNN also hopes to make a video about the collective journey -- and I'm running to see what it will be like to (hopefully) complete this challenge as a group. I could go on, but instead I'm going to go take a photo with my sneakers. And then hit the sidewalk. I hope you'll do the same. The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of John D. Sutter.
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Runners are hitting the road in support of Boston bombing victims .
John Sutter: I'm pledging to run a marathon by April 2014; join me .
Sign up for the CNN iReport challenge: Run for Boston 2014 .
Sutter says the #runforboston hashtag led to the challenge .
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11b351efdb35bb545750e1278b853477a13241fe
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(CNN) -- Richard Sherman made several things very evident last Sunday night: . He's confident. Brash. Competitive. A "dogged mentality" helps, too, when it comes to lining up against the other guy. That other guy in the NFC Championship Game was Michael Crabtree, the object of the cornerback's rant after the Seattle Seahawks earned their way to the Super Bowl by beating the San Francisco 49ers. "Don't you open your mouth about the best," Sherman barked on national TV, "or I'm going to shut it for you real quick." In the days since the outburst stirred controversy, Sherman has become something akin to the upcoming Super Bowl's unofficial provocateur-in-chief. But in an in-depth interview with CNN's Rachel Nichols -- which aired Friday night -- Sherman expressed some regret about the rant while showing a far more gentler side when he's off the field. "I've always been a square, a nerd. Kind of odd, kind of awkward," he said. "I still am to this day. People just think I'm a lot cooler 'cause I play football." Sherman said he likes the History Channel and "Animal Planet" on TV. The Stanford University grad lauded his parents, saying they set an example of going to work every day and not complaining. With his can-do attitude and philosophy "you gotta be who you are," it's fitting that one of his heroes is one of sport's most outspoken athletes -- Muhammad Ali. Like Ali in his day, Sherman may now be the biggest newsmaker in sports following the Seahawks' playoff victory. When he was about 7 or 8 years old, Sherman saw Ali for the first time on the screen. Ali struck him as "so much different than everybody else in the world," Sherman said. "It was one of his interviews," Sherman said. "And he was just so clever, so well-spoken, so articulate -- so off-the-cuff. "He kind of went against the grain . ... and that takes a lot of courage to go against the grain, to say what you really want to say." Cornerback stunned by rant reaction . As the Seahawks and Denver Broncos prepare for the Super Bowl on February 2, Sherman took a break from practice to speak with Nichols. He spoke of defying all odds by growing up in a Los Angeles neighborhood -- Compton -- where violence is documented in rap songs, and working in school so hard and successfully that he later attended and played football at Stanford. 5 things you should know about Richard Sherman . "How almost oxymoronic does it sound that a kid from Compton is going to Stanford?" Sherman said. "I was just trying to show 'em anything's possible." Sherman has been publicly excoriated, particularly on social media, for his postgame comments. He told Nichols he probably should not have attacked Crabtree. "And that was immature and I probably shouldn't have done that. I regret doing that." Still, he was shocked by some of the racists responses he received. "It was really mind-boggling the way the world reacted," Sherman told Nichols. The NFL All-Pro defensive back told Nichols he still feels the sting of not going in the 2011 NFL draft until the fifth round -- the 24th cornerback chosen. "You don't know what to expect. You don't know if your phone's supposed to ring or if somebody's supposed to text ..." he said. "When your phone just doesn't ring, doesn't have any activity, it's really disheartening. " In the days since his rant, the phone is ringing for Sherman. His agent said the incident has ended up being more positive than negative for Sherman's image. "I think that he's more likeable," said Jamie Fritz. Fritz told CNNMoney that interest in his client for endorsements has boomed since the remarks. "We have some new (corporate) players who have come to the table who are starting the conversation," Fritz said. Sherman told CNN he is concentrating on moving forward, preparing for Denver superstar quarterback Peyton Manning. For now, he has one objective. "On the football field, you're still going out to there to win. And if you're not going out there to win, what are you going out there for?" CNN's Chris Isidore contributed to this report.
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Richard Sherman talks with CNN about his NFL career, growing up .
"I've always been a square, a nerd," athlete says .
He pays tribute to his parents, talks of his neighborhood .
Agent says his image is now more positive than negative .
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11b68770c0e77cb399a4f1862e0073b811024819
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Cancer deaths are soaring in parts of the UK with the highest obesity levels, new figures have revealed. In pockets of the country where vast swathes of the population are overweight, rates of the disease are rocketing. It comes as it emerged the mounting obesity crisis is costing the UK economy a staggering £47 billion each year - the same as smoking and war and terrorism. Campaigners warned today if drastic action is not taken to stem the rising tide of obese and overweight people, cancer will continue to claim more and more lives. Scroll down for video . Cancer deaths are soaring in parts of the UK with the highest obesity rates. Copeland in Cumbria recorded the largest increase in death rates linked to the disease over a 10-year period, rising 30 per cent. Three quarters of the population in the Cumbrian borough are overweight or obese - a UK high . For both men and women the first and second most common forms of cancer leading to death were cancers of the digestive organs, the respiratory and intrathoracic organs. For women the fourth most common form was breast cancer, pictured under the microscope, while for men it was testicular, prostate and penile . Obesity is measured using the body mass index (BMI) score which is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by their height in metres squared. Anything under 25 is fine. BMI of 25 to 29.9 is classified as overweight and clinical obesity is defined as 30 or greater. New figures published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, found cancer continues to kill more people under the age of 75 than any other disease. For every 100,000 people in England aged 74 and younger, 142 died from cancer in 2013, compared to 166 in 2003. Of the 326 local authority areas included in the report, the death rate from cancer among the under-75s fell in 298 areas, and rose in 246. The largest increase in cancer death rates was in Copeland, Cumbria, where three quarters of the population are obese or overweight - a UK high. There the death rate rose by 30 per cent in a decade, from 149.3 to 193.3 per 100,000 residents from 2003 to 2013. Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, told the Sun: 'This is a real wake-up call and proof that being fat can kill. 'Bad diet and being overweight means you are more likely to die of many cancers.' People living in Salford face the greatest risk of dying from cancer, with death rates at 201 per 100,000 of the population. Blackpool and Manchester rank second and third with rates at 196. Gosport - where 72.9 per cent of the population are obese - came fourth with 195. Meanwhile, those people living in Hart (95), West Oxfordshire (95), Spelthorne (96) and North Dorset (97) faced the lowest risk. • 6,451 women under 75 died from cancers of the digestive organs in 2013, a 10.2 per cent rise from 5,856 in 2003 . • 6,497 women under 75 died from cancers of respiratory and intrathoracic organs in 2013, an increase of 15.7 per cent on 5,617 in 2003 . • 5,810 women under 75 died from breast cancer in 2013, a 13.3 per cent fall from 5,037 in 2003 . • 10,948 men under 75 died from cancers of the digestive organs in 2013, an increase of 3.0 per cent from the 10,630 deaths in 2003 . • 8,677 men under 75 died from cancers of respiratory and intrathoracic organs in 2013, a 7.0 per cent fall from 9,330 deaths in 2003 . • 2,381 men died from cancers of the genital organs in 2013, a 9.7 per cent fall from 2,636 in 2003 . Spelthorne in the South West recorded the largest fall in the death rate over the decade of 39.1 per cent. For both men and women the first and second most common forms of cancer leading to death were cancers of the digestive organs, the disease of the respiratory and intrathoracic organs. North East (68% are overweight or obese) North West 66% . West Midlands 65.7% . East Midlands 65.6% . Yorkshire and the Humber 65.4% . East of England 65.1% . South East 63.1% . South West 62.7% . London 57.3% . For men the third most common form of the disease was cancers of the genital organs - testicular, prostate and penile cancers - while for women it was breast cancer. HSCIC chair Kingsley Manning said: 'As the report shows, cancer kills more people under 75 than any other cause and so most of us will have been touched in some way by this. 'So many people will take a keen interest in these statistics and the story they tell about the overall drop across the country and the different pictures in local areas.' A report published yesterday by the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) found the spiralling obesity epidemic costs the UK economy £47 billion each year. It found the burden of treating and caring for those who are overweight or obese has the second largest impact after smoking. They predict a series of 44 interventions could bring 20 per cent of overweight or obese people in the UK back to normal weight within five to 10 years. It would save around £16 billion a year in UK, including an annual saving of about £766 million in the NHS, according to the study. It comes as a report by the McKinsey Global Institute found obesity costs the UK economy a staggering £47 billion each year - the same as war and terrorism, and just a shade less than smoking . The study found the UK Government's efforts to tackle obesity were 'too fragmented to be effective', while investment in obesity prevention was 'relatively low given the scale of the problem.' The UK spends less than £638 million a year on obesity prevention programmes - about 1 per cent of the country's social cost of obesity, researchers said. But the country spends about £6 billion a year on the medical costs of conditions related to being overweight or obese and a further £10 billion on diabetes. Meanwhile, the cost of obesity and diabetes to the NHS is equivalent to the UK's combined 'protection' budget for the police and fire services, law courts, and prisons. The current rate of obesity and overweight conditions suggest the cost to the NHS could increase from between £6 billion and £8 billion in 2015 to between £10 billion and £12 billion in 2030, the study found. MGI director Richard Dobbs said: 'Efforts to address obesity have been piecemeal up till now. 'Yet obesity is a systemic issue, born of many interlocking factors, and only a systemic response will do.'
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New figures show death rates have increased 30% in Copeland over 10-year period - where 75% of the population are overweight or obese .
Comes as obesity crisis found to cost UK economy £47 billion every year .
Campaigners warn if action isn't taken death rates will continue to soar .
People in Salford face greatest risk from dying of cancer with Blackpool, Manchester, Gosport and Copeland completing the bottom five .
Residents of Hart, West Oxfordshire, Spelthorne, North Dorset and Harrow have the lowest chances of dying from the disease .
Gosport and Copeland are among the top 10 fattest local authorities .
Most deadly cancers include liver, bowel, stomach, lung and breast .
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11b68dc22799670fabd5282f88711941d160cd60
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By . Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:10 EST, 12 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:54 EST, 12 May 2013 . Astronauts making a rare, hastily planned spacewalk replaced a pump outside the International Space Station this weekend in the hopes of plugging a serious ammonia leak. The prospects of success grew as the minutes, then hours passed and no frozen flecks of ammonia appeared. Mission Control said it appeared as though the leak may have been plugged, although additional monitoring over the coming weeks will be needed before declaring a victory. 'I will tell you that we're happy. We're very happy,' said Joel Montalbano, NASA's deputy space station program manager. The spacewalk outside the International Space Station was captured on film by the tweeting, Facebooking, social media maven and space station commander Chris Hadfield. 'Amazing day,' he said. 'EVA (extra-vehicular activity) went off without a hitch. Great crew, phenomenal ground support and a supportive audience. Who could ask for anything more?' Space: Cassidy and Marshburn work outside the ISS in the 'approaching orbital sunset, the harshest of light, a blackness like endless velvet,' said Hadfield . Illuminating: Chris Cassidy and Tom Marshburn turn on their helmet lights 'doing their best to light the universe on the dark side of the Earth,' said Chris Hadfield . One small step: 'Climbing out of the airlock, quite the commute to work!' said Chris Hadfield via Twitter . Chris Cassidy, Navy SEAL and lead spacewalker on Saturday . Say cheese: Chris Cassidy and Tom Marshburn take a minute with visors open to have their picture taken by Chris Hadfield, inside the ISS . Dr. Tom Marshburn, well-dressed for a day's work outdoors . 'We didn't see any obvious signs of a leak, but it's going to take some . time...for us to look at the system, evaluate the system and make sure . we did, indeed, stop the leak.' Montalbano expects it will take 'a good four weeks, five weeks, maybe even a few weeks longer.' 'Obviously, the longer you go, the more confidence you get,' he told reporters. Christopher . Cassidy and Thomas Marshburn installed the new pump after removing the . old one suspected of spewing flakes of frozen ammonia coolant two days . earlier. They uncovered 'no smoking guns' responsible for the leak and . consequently kept a sharp lookout for any icy flecks that might appear . from the massive frame that holds the solar panels on the left side. Spacewalk: Astronaut Chris Cassidy took photos as he worked on repairs to the ISS on May 11, 2013. Cassidy and crewmate Tom Marshburn are believed to have repaired the dangerous ammonia leak . Concern: NASA emphasized that the lives of the multinational crew were not in danger but both Russian and US space experts were scrambling to swiftly fix the problem . Emergency: This picture shows the astronauts being prepared for their spacewalk at the International Space Station . Ammonia: Astronauts discovered a leak of ammonia coolant in its power system . 'Let . us know if you see anything,' Mission Control urged as the fresh pump . was cranked up. Thirty minutes later, all was still well. 'No snow,' the . astronauts radioed. 'We have our eyes on it and haven't seen a thing,' Marshburn said. NASA . said the leak, while significant, never jeopardized crew safety. The . space agency never before staged such a fast, impromptu spacewalk for a . station crew. Even during the shuttle program, unplanned spacewalks . were uncommon. The . ammonia pump was the chief suspect going into Saturday's spacewalk. So . it was disheartening for NASA, at first, as Cassidy and Marshburn . reported nothing amiss on or around the old pump. 'All . the pipes look shiny clean, no crud,' Cassidy said as he used a long, . dentist-like mirror to peer into tight, deep openings. 'I can't give you any good data other than nominal, unfortunately. No smoking guns.' Engineers . determined there was nothing to lose by installing a new pump, despite . the lack of visible damage to the old one. The entire team - weary and . stressed by the frantic pace of the past two days - gained more and more . confidence as the 5 1/2-hour spacewalk drew to a close with no flecks . of ammonia popping up. 'Gloved . fingers crossed,' space station commander Chris Hadfield said in a . tweet from inside. 'No leaks!' he wrote a half-hour later. Space station Commander Chris Hadfield of Canada has tweeted that the problem, while serious, has been stabilized . Crew noticed white flakes of ammonia leaking out of the station on Thursday . Flight . controllers in Houston worked furiously to get ready for Saturday's . operation, completing all the required preparation in under 48 hours. The astronauts trained for just such an emergency scenario before they . rocketed into orbit. This area on the space station is prone to leaks. The . ammonia coursing through the plumbing is used to cool the space . station's electronic equipment. There are eight of these power channels, . and all seven others were operating normally. 'We . may not have found exactly the smoking gun,' Cassidy said, 'but to pull . off what this team did yesterday and today, working practically 48 . straight hours, it was a remarkable effort on everybody's behalf.' NASA . officials remain mystified as to why the leak erupted. Ammonia already . had been seeping ever so slightly from the location, but the flow . increased dramatically Thursday. Montalbano . did not know, as of Saturday evening, how much ammonia was lost. Another spacewalk will be needed to replenish the supply. With . the repair work behind them, the astronauts and ground controllers . turned their attention to the impending departure of three of the six . crewmen. Marshburn . has been on the space station since December and is set to return to . Earth late Monday, along with Hadfield, a Canadian, and Russian Roman . Romanenko. Cassidy is a new arrival, on board for just 1 1/2 months. By coincidence, the two Americans performed a spacewalk at this troublesome spot before, during a shuttle visit in 2009. 'This . type of event is what the years of training were for,' Hadfield said in . a tweet Friday. 'A happy, busy crew, working hard, loving life in . space.'
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Astronauts made the spacewalk to fix a coolant leak today .
Ammonia coolant was leaking from the power system on board the International Space System .
Nasa will monitor the situation in the coming weeks but the team said they were 'happy' with the repair work .
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11bcbf6f39ba30f141a767bb5f1d52a9607fd0d5
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A serial bride who had already married four times before she was 24 and even made a vow never to marry again tied the knot yesterday to her new partner, making it her fifth marriage at just 31. Alison Smith had told her latest husband Matthew Hume, 48, that she was not proud of her previous marriages and would never marry again. However, the mother-of-two from Arbroath arrived at the town's registrars in a knee length black and white frock for her close, family only, wedding ceremony in an apparent change of heart. And it is likely she will be hoping her latest marriage fares better than her previous four. Scroll down for video . Marriage number 5: Alison Smith, 31, (right) married her latest husband Matthew Hume, 48, (left) yesterday in Arbroath . The unusual wedding party contained Alison's mother Pat and her husband George Greenhowe. George was actually Alison's first husband in a marriage that only lasted 10 days. The two families were torn apart when George ran off with Alison's mother. However time healed the rift and they made up and reportedly even all lived in the same caravan together at one point. The happy couple (left) and Alison's first husband George Greenhowe (back) with her mother Pat (right) who ranoff with George after Alison's first wedding . Alison's first husband George Greenhowe with her mother Pat leave the ceremony today having watched Alison get marred for the fifth time . Alison, pictured here leaving the ceremony today with mother Pat (left), wore a knee length black and white frock yesterday, shunning the more traditional white gown . Marriage One: She married George Greenhowe but their union only lasted 10 days after George ran off with Alison's mother Pat. (George and Pat have since married in a humanist wedding- making George Alison's stepfather) Marriage Two: Alison was meant to marry Peter Knight but he got cold feet the day before the wedding and ran off. His best friend Daniel Innes,18, 'stepped in' and married Alison instead. Marriage Three: Having divorced Daniel due to 'family pressures', Alison married Willie McKellican. She soon discovered he was already married. He was investigated by the police for bigamy but no charges were brought. Alison left him. Marriage Four: Alison married Alex Shepherd, a friend of her first husband George. He divorced her after discovering she was having an affair with Matthew Hume, 48. Marriage Five: Alison and Matthew married yesterday at Arbroath town hall. The service was attended by family including her mother and stepfather and ex-husband George. George and Pat themselves tried to get married at a registrars office but were told because of the close family connections the law would not allow it. They were eventually married in a humanist ceremony with Alison as bridesmaid. She is now said to call her first husband 'dad'. Alison's next try for wedded bliss was also to end in disaster. In 2004, she was all set to marry fiancé Peter Knight, but Peter got cold feet on the eve of the wedding and called it off. Alison, who was eight months pregnant with her daughter, was despondent but, didn't let the grass grow under her feet. She turned to friend, 18-year-old Daniel Innes, who agreed to step in as the groom. They were married four days later. At the time she married Daniel, Alison said, 'I feel certain I've done the right thing by marrying Daniel. 'He makes me feel so secure. 'When he heard Peter wouldn't marry me, Daniel said he would instead.' However, family pressures resulted in that relationship falling apart and Alison was back in the divorce court and on the lookout for a new man. Before long, the next potential husband arrived in Alison's life. She thought she had a bright future with Willie McKellican. Marriage number 1: Alison at her first wedding where she married George Greenhowe in Arbroath. George then had an affair with her mother . Marriage number 3: Alison at her third marriage with to husband William McKellican, who she later discovered was already married . Alison, pictured in her wedding dress for her third marriage which was to William McKellican, has apparently said she is now ashamed of her past marriages . Unfortunately for Alison, McKellican had a past that he had not revealed to her. He never told her that he was still married to his wife. He was investigated by the police for bigamy but no charges were brought. Alison left McKellican after this revelation and she was on the hunt for a man again. Marriage number 4: Alison Smith, seen here arriving for her last marriage to Alexander Shepherd in 2008, yesterday married for the fifth time . Marriage number 4: Alison on her way to her wedding reception at a local bar with fourth husband Alexander Shepherd in 2008 . Alison, pictured in her wedding dress for her third marriage which was to William McKellican, has apparently said she is now ashamed of her past marriages . She married husband number four Alex Shepherd, a friend of her first husband George, but again that marriage was short lived. He dumped her after finding out she had cheated on him with new love Matthew. Alison said when she met her latest love, 'Matthew knows how many times I have been married in the past and he knows how I feel.' As Alison woke up this morning from her wedding night, no doubt she will be hoping that new husband Mathew Hume will be around for longer than the rest. When asked outside the wedding about their plans for the future the couple declined to comment. Her first husband and now stepfather George Greenhowe said, 'She is happy and just wants to be left alone.' Alison has now made peace with her mother Pat, pictured, and was even a bridesmaid at her wedding to George- Alison's first husband .
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Alison tied the knot with fifth husband, Matthew, yesterday .
The mother-of-two hit headlines due to her many, brief, marriages .
Her first husband George had an affair with, and eventually left her, for her mother Pat .
The three have now healed the rift and Pat and George are married .
Alison, who was a bridesmaid at their wedding, now calls George 'dad'
Her second groom Peter got cold feet the night before the wedding .
His best friend Daniel stepped in instead and the pair married days later .
After divorcing Daniel, married Willie, only to discover he was still married .
Husband number 4, Alex, left her when he discovered her affair with Matthew .
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(CNN) -- If volunteer work is a requirement, is it really volunteer? Of course not. But that didn't stop Michigan state Sen. Joe Hune from writing a bill that would require certain welfare recipients to do community service in order to receive public assistance. "The whole intention is to make certain folks have some skin in the game, and I don't feel that there's any problem with making folks go out and do some kind of community service in order to receive their cash assistance," Hune said. Now as a former welfare recipient, I don't have a problem with expecting people to work to earn money. But where I come from we call that a job, not volunteerism. Hunes' bill bastardizes the word while positioning those who challenge it as pro-moocher. It's a political parlor trick designed to fire up the kind of voters who saw nothing wrong with Mitt Romney's infamous statement that 47% of Americans are basically freeloaders. And it reeks of the Reagan Republican worldview that characterizes welfare recipients as parasites or inner-city welfare queens who vote Democratic -- even though seven of the 10 states the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports rely the most on food stamps have Republican governors. The same misdirection applies to the sister bill Hune wrote, which requires drug testing. Reports such as the National Survey of Drug Use and Health suggest drug abuse among welfare recipients is hardly widespread. Many states have tried drug testing for welfare recipients with practically nobody testing positive. In Arizona, for example, in 2012, after three years and 87,000 screenings, one person had failed a drug test. Utah's drug screening program spent $30,000 on testing and only 2.5% of recipients turned out positive for illicit drugs. Florida's program had the same results. In all cases, the testing -- which assumes all welfare recipients are druggies -- cost much more than the savings in welfare payments. And the United States Department of Agriculture found fraud -- selling food stamps illegally -- accounts for a little more than 1% of all food stamp spending nationally. But that doesn't matter. Arguing against testing makes it appear as if you're pro-illicit drug use. Are there people who abuse the system? Yes. And growing up I saw them around me. As Paul Ryan once suggested, the safety net can become "a hammock that lulls able-bodied people into lives of dependency and complacency." But it was my experience that people who were working but couldn't make ends meet far outnumbered the abusers. This is what happens when inflation outpaces wage growth for the better part of 40 years. The richest 20% of working families took home nearly half -- 48% -- of the income in 2011. The bottom 20% only took in 5%. These are the sort of details these faux fiscal hawks rarely, if ever, bring up. Which makes today's demonization and humiliation of poor people even more unethical than when Reagan did it. This characterization of poor people as lazy drug abusers is often cast in the narrative of Democrats representing urban areas with large minority populations fighting Republicans from predominantly white regions. It's impossible to ignore a racial component here that neither party should foster. There are ways to put people in a position to earn the aid they receive without trying to rebrand exploitation as volunteerism. For example, establish a program similar to the work-study on college campuses, in which qualified people could have access to jobs designated specifically for them. Transportation for America reported that more than 13% of Michigan bridges are considered structurally deficient, nearly 40% of the roads are in poor or mediocre condition and 161 dams have been classified as "high hazard." There is work the state needs done, and not all of it requires a degree in civil engineering. More important, polls indicate Michigan voters at least are willing to support a tax increase to address some of the state's infrastructure needs. If politicians are committed to helping people who are struggling financially but want to discourage sloth, there are creative ways to do that without demonizing the folks who are struggling. But let's not pretend that work in exchange for money is anything other than a employer-employee relationship. To do otherwise is dehumanizing. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of LZ Granderson.
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Michigan bill would require some welfare recipients to do community service .
LZ Granderson says working for money is a job, not volunteerism .
LZ: Second bill requires drug testing, even though few recipients abuse drugs .
LZ: Creative ways exist to earn aid that don't exploit or demonize poor people .
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Dawn Aubrey-Ward's stepfather called on RSPCA to 'stop bullying people' The family of an RSPCA whistle-blower who committed suicide have spoken for the first time about her death, launching a blistering attack on the charity and calling on it to ‘stop bullying people’. Animal welfare officer Dawn Aubrey-Ward, 43, took her own life after publicly accusing the RSPCA of needlessly killing thousands of healthy animals. An inquest heard this week how the mother-of-four was discovered dead at home, just five months after she helped reveal in The Mail on Sunday that the charity had destroyed 53,000 animals in a year. Her family say the RSPCA is partly responsible for her death. Miss Aubrey-Ward had spoken out after she left her job when she was accused of stealing a tortoise. She had claimed the animal was an unwanted pet which she had taken home to look after. Miss Aubrey-Ward’s stepfather, Michael Newport, said: ‘They treated her very, very badly. ‘If Dawn had been allowed to pursue her career with the RSPCA, which had been her childhood dream, I don’t think she would have gone down the road she did. If they had left her alone, she would have had a happy life.’ Mr Newport, a parish councillor, added: ‘I feel very strongly that she was badly treated by the RSPCA. They behave like a paramilitary organisation. They have to stop bullying people.’ Mr Newport, who is married to Miss Aubrey-Ward’s mother, Jean, is sad that his twice-divorced step-daughter did not live to witness the torrent of criticism that the RSPCA received following her decision to become a whistleblower. ‘She would have wallowed in all the well-deserved bad publicity surrounding the charity since she blew the whistle on them in The Mail on Sunday. Hearing that the Charity Commission is investigating them would have made her very happy.’ According to her family, Miss Aubrey-Ward dreamed of becoming an RSPCA inspector all her life . Jean Newport, 64, of Stoke St Mary, Somerset, said: ‘Dawn was extremely distressed because lots of nasty things were said about her. ‘She had loved animals ever since she was a tiny child, and would go without food herself to feed her animals when she was broke. ‘Becoming an RSPCA inspector was a dream come true. She was over the moon when she qualified in 2008.’ Miss Aubrey-Ward, who was found hanged at her home in Matlock, Somerset, in May, strongly disagreed with her employer’s policy of putting down animals that couldn’t easily be re-homed. In an interview in The Mail on . Sunday, the former inspector, who once won an RSPCA award for rescuing a . stranded sheep from a cliff face, accused the RSPCA of killing . thousands of creatures unnecessarily. Her . mother said: ‘It was OK if the animals were very sick or too . traumatised to be pets, but it wasn’t just those animals that died. Dawn once received an RSPCA commendation for abseiling down a Cornish cliff face to rescue a stranded sheep . The 44-year-old animal lover was treated 'very badly' by the charity according to her family who have accused them of bullying . 'She told me lots of horrible stories, and got very angry and upset. ‘The job wasn’t what she had expected it to be, and her idea of animal welfare was very different to that of the RSPCA. She found it tough, and when she didn’t agree with what was going on she had to speak her mind. She stuck to her principles and that made her unpopular.’ Mrs Newport said her daughter had been ‘devastated’ by some of the Twitter comments from ex-colleagues following the whistleblowing episode. ‘She was particularly distressed by one posting which said she didn’t care for her own animals, which she felt put a question mark over her as an animal lover. It was rubbish, but she took it to heart. 'Life will never be the same without Dawn. She was such a lovely, caring clever young woman. I can’t get used to her being gone. It just doesn’t seem real.’ Dawn Aubrey-Ward pictured aged 7 with her mother, Jean (left) and in 2008 (right) when she qualified to become an inspector for the RSPCA . The inquest heard how Miss Aubrey-Ward had been suffering from depression after her partner, Rob Colclough, had taken his own life in October 2011. She had also been experiencing financial difficulties and had issues with alcohol. After her disclosures last December, the charity released a statement saying she was ‘merely a disgruntled former employee’ and suggesting she was motivated by malice. Asked if she believed her daughter’s treatment at the hands of the RSPCA could have contributed to her suicide, Mrs Newport said: ‘We will never know. I’m not going to get into an argument with the RSPCA – they are much bigger than I am.’ The RSPCA said: ‘Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Dawn Aubrey-Ward. Her death and the circumstances surrounding it are tragic and it would not be appropriate for us to comment further.’
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Miss Aubrey-Ward helped The Mail on Sunday reveal the charity destroyed thousands of animals .
Whistleblower's family believe animal charity is partly responsible for her death .
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By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 18:10 EST, 27 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:48 EST, 29 April 2013 . The Duchess of Cambridge has given her first ever video message to make an emotional appeal for support for 'inspirational' children's hospices. In the message, aired for the first time today, the Duchess pleaded to people to support Children's Hospice Week. The week, which runs until Friday, is run by UK children's palliative care charity Together for Short Lives. Scroll down for video . Seen with a picture of her wedding day, the Duchess urged people to support the hospices that carry out such inspirational work . In the video, which lasts just under two minutes, pregnant Kate, who is Royal Patron of East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH), said she had seen first-hand the 'transformational' work done for children and their families. Wearing a black dress with a white Peter Pan collar, she said: 'As Patron of East Anglia's Children's Hospices I have been fortunate to see at first hand the remarkable work that they do for children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families. It is simply transformational. 'There are 49 children's hospice services across the UK, all providing similar invaluable and life enhancing care to thousands of families. 'Children's Hospice Week is a time to . recognise, celebrate and support the inspirational work of those . hospices, and those who provide palliative care to these children and . families. 'Children's hospices provide lifelines to families at a time of unimaginable pain. The support they give is vital. 'In order to carry out this wonderful work, our help is needed. With our support, those providing children's palliative care can continue to offer these extraordinary services. It does not bear thinking about what these families would do without this. The Duchess of Cambridge seen visiting East Anglian Children's Hospice, Ipswich, of which she is Royal Patron . The pregnant Duchess met children of the EACH centre, and said the work carried out by hospices is 'vital' 'I hope that you will join me this Children's Hospice Week in supporting your local service. To find out more about how you can help, please visit togetherforshortlives.org.uk . 'With your support, we can help ensure that these children and their families can make the most of the precious time they have together.' Children's Hospice Week, organised by Together for Short Lives, celebrates the work of children's hospices and children's palliative care services that provide vital care to children with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions, and their families. It culminates this Friday with Superhero Friday - a special day of hero-inspired fundraising. Barbara Gelb, chief executive of Together for Short Lives, has welcomed support from the Duchess of Cambridge. 'I am so delighted and very excited that Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cambridge, as Royal Patron of East Anglia's Children's Hospices, has generously given her support to Children's Hospice Week,' she said. 'I know this extraordinary backing will mean so much to all the UK's 49,000 children with palliative care needs and their families and will really help raise awareness of what these families need, today and in the future. In her emotional message, she said: 'Children's . hospices provide lifelines to families at a time of unimaginable pain. The support they give is vital.' 'The Duchess's message will be a real boost to children's hospices and all the charities that deliver vital health and social care to these families. 'These services rely on donations so they can help children and families make the most of the precious time they have together. 'I hope that the public will be inspired by Her Royal Highness to join us this Children's Hospice Week by supporting their local service.' EACH supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, providing care and support wherever families wish - in their own homes, in hospital or at one of its hospices in Ipswich, Milton and Quidenham. It is just one of several charities of which Kate is a patron, and the video includes clips of her on visits to its hospices. Chief executive Graham Butland said: 'The Duchess of Cambridge in her role as Royal Patron has brought great benefits to EACH. Her Royal Highness's involvement helps us to celebrate and raise awareness of the care and support we provide to life-threatened children and their families across East Anglia. 'To have our work recognised in this way has also given a great boost to the families we support, as well as our staff, supporters and volunteers. 'We're delighted to have Her Royal Highness's support during Children's Hospice Week, not only for EACH but for all children's hospices and palliative care services across the UK.'
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Made an emotional appeal for people to support 'inspirational' hospices .
The Duchess is Royal Patron of East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH)
The week, which runs until Friday, is run by UK children's palliative care charity Together for Short Lives .
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Legendary photographer Michel du Cille, a 26-year veteran of The Washington Post, unexpectedly died on Thursday while on assignment in Liberia. The Post said du Cille, 58, collapsed "during a strenuous hike on the way back from a village" affected by the African country's Ebola outbreak. He was traveling with Post correspondent Justin Jouvenal. "He remained unconscious, and was taken to a nearby clinic, where he had difficulty breathing," the Post said. "He was then transported to Phebe hospital, two hours away, where he was declared dead by doctors." The news stunned many staffers at the Post, where du Cille was respected and beloved. He was a three-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the highest honor in print journalism. Post executive editor Marty Baron called du Cille "one of the world's great photographers." Du Cille's wife, Nikki Kahn, also is a photographer. "Michel du Cille was one of the people who made the Post the Post," the newspaper's senior politics editor Steven Ginsberg wrote on Twitter. "We lost one of our heroes today," wrote Emilio Garcia-Ruiz, the Post's managing editor for digital. Lenny Bernstein, who traveled with du Cille on an Ebola reporting trip in September, wrote, "An indescribable loss for us and the people of Africa you brought into our homes with your photos." According to the Post, du Cille had taken a four-week break and had gotten back to Liberia on Tuesday. "Michel died at 58 doing the work he loved," Baron said in a memorandum to staffers. "He was completely devoted to the story of Ebola, and he was determined to stay on the story despite its risks. That is the sort of courage and passion he displayed throughout his career." A Post spokeswoman said there was no connection between du Cille's death and the Ebola outbreak in Liberia. People we've lost in 2014 .
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Michel du Cille, 58, was a 26-year veteran of The Washington Post .
He died in Libera on assignment covering Ebola outbreak .
He "was one of the people who made the Post the Post," colleague tweets .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:45 EST, 23 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:36 EST, 23 May 2013 . A Florida woman was arrested earlier this week after police say she broke into the home she previously shared with her ex-boyfriend and their three young children and threatened to chop off the childrens' heads with a machete. According to authorities in Valusia County, Florida, police were called to the home of Carlos Quinones about 4 p.m. Tuesday after his ex-girlfriend, 32-year-old Alisa Lynn Williams - while wielding a machete - broke into the house and threatened the former couples' 7-year-old twin boys and 6-year-old daughter. When police first arrived at the home, they found Williams sitting on the porch covered in blood, according to an arrest report first obtained by the Daytona Beach News-Journal. Mommy dearest: police in Florida say Alisa Williams threatened to chop off the heads of her three young children with a machete . Quinones told authorities that Williams barged into the home with the machete before being disarmed and pushed out the door by Quinones and his father. According to the report, two neighbors overheard Williams saying she was going to 'cut off their heads,' referring to the three children. After Quinones removed Williams from the home, she attempted to get . back in by breaking a window and climbing through the shards of broken . glass, which cut her. A history of violence: in 2006, Williams was charged with battery . Williams, Quinones told police, has been . living in the woods for the last two weeks after she moved out of the . house because of drug and alcohol problems. After Quinones put her . belongings on the porch of the home, Williams returned on Tuesday. According to Quinones, she was out of control and tearing the screens on . the windows while armed with a machete. This isn't Williams' first scrape with the law - MailOnline has found records of at least four . other incidents for which Williams was taken into custody, including . busts in 2005 and 2006, both of which resulted in battery charges. On two other occasions, Williams was arrested for drug possession offenses. Williams . has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and armed . burglary. She is being held without bail in the Volusia County Branch . Jail. A history of violence: in 2007, Williams was charged with battery - again . No stranger to police: this 2010 mugshot was taken after Williams was arrested on drug possession charges . No stranger to police: this OTHER 2010 mugshot was taken after Williams was arrested on drug possession charges .
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Alisa Lynn Williams broke into her former home and threatened her own kids with a machete .
Williams has been arrested on battery charges on at least two prior occasions .
Williams has been 'living in the woods' for the last two weeks because of a drug and alcohol problem .
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11c471581b114bc0b5c0848163c3da8afb083e78
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(CNN) -- After a week in which football's reputation has been dragged through the mud, the ugly spectre of hooliganism raised its head once more after a goalkeeper was subjected to a physical assault during an English Championship game. Chris Kirkland, the goalkeeper of Sheffield Wednesday, was hit in the face by a supporter of Leeds United during the teams' 1-1 draw at Hillsborough. With Leeds just having equalized in the 77th minute, the man ran onto the pitch and struck Kirkland, who fell to the floor and required medical treatment. Racism row shines light on Serbian football . The former England goalkeeper, 31, was left visibly shocked by the event and led to his manager, Dave Jones, insisting that Leeds fans should be 'banned from every league ground'. "They are vile animals," Jones told Sky Sports. "You don't wave at them after that. I thought it had gone out of our game. "The authorities have to look at it and sort it. I'm talking about an incident when we should be talking about the football. We're talking about vile animals. "That's what they are. We talk about racism, but that, we need to sort that. "Chris Kirkland is feeling sore, if he had stayed down I wonder what would have . happened? They [Leeds United] should be punished." English player chief Carlisle calls for Serbia ban . The two teams, both from Yorkshire, have a fierce rivalry and had not played at Hillsborough for six years. "I felt embarrassed to be a manager when I saw that," said Leeds manager Neil Warnock. "I thought it was an absolute disgrace. I think they should get the guy and prosecute him and put him in prison. "He (Kirkland) went down like a ton of bricks but that doesn't make a difference. Nobody should be on the pitch doing that. "I hope we can make an absolute issue of it. He spoiled everything for everyone. I've not enjoyed that when I see a moron like that. "I am not proud of being Leeds manager when I see that. I don't mind the rivalry between us - there was a great atmosphere. "To see things like that on the field of play there is no place for it - I am absolutely embarrassed." In March 2007, Timothy Smith, was fined £300 and given a three-year Football Banning Order after running onto the field and attempting to punch Frank Lampard during Chelsea's FA Cup replay at Tottenham. Call for unity as racism divides English football . And action is nearly certain to be taken against the offender with Leeds offering its full cooperation to ensure he is found. In a statement released after the game, Leeds said: "Leeds United Football Club would like to publicly apologise and condemn the action of the fan who came on the pitch and attacked Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Chris Kirkland. The club will fully cooperate with the police and the football authorities in identifying the individual concerned. "After the week football has endured there is no place for this type of behaviour and the majority of Leeds supporters will be ashamed of his actions." Speaking after the incident, Chief Superintendent Jason Harwin of South Yorkshire Police said: "During tonight's match, Sheffield Wednesday versus Leeds United at Hillsborough, incidents occurred where it is believed seats and bottles were thrown inside the ground. "We are also aware of an incident whereby the Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper has been assaulted by an individual who ran onto the pitch. "Fans are still leaving the ground and surrounding areas and our priority is to ensure the safe departure of fans. "Such incidents are not acceptable and won't be tolerated. We will be working with both clubs to identify and quickly bring to justice the persons responsible. "Thankfully, such incidents are a rarity and we see a minority spoil it for the majority of genuine supporters. "We are keen to hear from anyone that can help identify any person responsible for any of these incidents tonight." Meanwhile, in Russia, Dynamo Moscow's players came under attack from fans using paintball guns at the club's training ground on Friday. Fans arrived in camouflage at the club's training base in Novogorsk, just north of Moscow before unleashing a flurry of paintballs at the players. Dynamo lost seven of its opening eight games before the arrival of new coach Dan Petrescu. The former Chelsea defender has helped guide the club to 13th position in the league since taking over the reins. "They are idiots," club president Gennady Solovyov told local media. "I have no other words to describe those who could do such things. I promise I'll do my best to try to find and punish those responsible for these actions." Dynamo midfielder Alan Gatagov added: 'I was hit in the back of the head when they shot at us. Lots of players were also hit. 'I just can't find the right words. What are we supposed to do now? Should each of us hire a personal bodyguard?'
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Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Chris Kirkland attacked on pitch .
Former England keeper knocked to the floor and needed medical attention by his goal .
Game continued after the incident with Kirkland left shaken .
Leeds issue statement condemning actions of fan .
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11c58d31b927992dbe119146aa17686f4b6c33da
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Search crews will send a robotic . submarine deep into the Indian Ocean on Monday for the first time to try . to determine whether underwater signals detected by sound-locating . equipment are from the missing Malaysian plane's black boxes, the leader . of the search effort said. The . crew on board the Australian navy's Ocean Shield will launch the . unmanned underwater vehicle Monday evening, said Angus Houston, the head . of a joint agency coordinating the search off Australia's west coast. The Bluefin 21 autonomous sub can create a three-dimensional sonar map . of the area to chart any debris on the seafloor. The . move comes after crews picked up a series of underwater sounds over the . past two weeks that were consistent with an aircraft's black boxes. Scroll down for video . Subs: Rescuers are hoping the Artemis AUV submarine (pictured) will be able to help find the missing plane . Bluefin: The remote subs will search the ocean floor for any sign of the missing plane, which was last heard from more than a month ago . 'We haven't had a single detection in six days, so I guess it's time to go under water,' Houston said. Prime . Minister Tony Abbott raised hopes last week when he said authorities . were 'confident' the four underwater signals that have been detected are . coming from the black boxes on Flight 370, which vanished March 8 . during a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing. But . Houston warned that while the signals are a promising lead, the public . needs to be realistic about the challenges facing search crews, who are . contending with an extremely remote, deep patch of ocean. 'The search area is new to man,' he said. 'I . would caution you against raising hopes that the deployment of the . autonomous underwater vehicle will result in the detection of the . aircraft wreckage - it may not. 'However, this is the . best lead we have, and it must be pursued vigorously. Again, I emphasize . that this will be a slow and painstaking process.' Officials released this map showing areas they plan to search for the missing jetliner . His assessment came after it emerged that Malaysian military investigators believe the missing plane was 'thrown around like a fighter jet' just after it lost contact with the authorities in a bid to dodge radar. Flight MH370 is thought to have climbed to heights of 45,000ft - 10,000ft above its normal altitude - before plummeting to just below 5,000ft. The . plane's two black boxes, which contain flight data and cockpit voice . recordings, have beacons that emit 'pings' so they can be more easily . found, but the beacons' batteries last only about a month, and it has . been more than a month since the plane vanished. The . Australian navy ship Ocean Shield has been dragging a U.S. Navy device . called a towed pinger locator through the water to listen for any sounds . from the beacons. Over the past 10 days, the equipment has picked up . four separate signals. The . Bluefin sub takes six times longer to cover the same area as the ping . locator, and the two devices can't be used at the same time. It will begin searching an area 5km by 8km and will be launched for a second search 24 hours later. Crews were . hoping to detect additional signals before sending down the sub, so they . could triangulate the source and zero in on where exactly the black . boxes may be. Search: A spotter aboard a Royal New Zealand Air Force plane looks for any debris that could be from the missing plane . Pilots: Zaharie Ahmad Shah (left), 53, and Fariq . Abdul Hamid, 27 (right) were in charge of the plane . But it has . been 38 days since the plane disappeared, and search crews haven't . picked up any new sounds since Tuesday, suggesting that the devices' batteries may now be dead. That is why officials will now being using . the Bluefin, Houston said. The . submarine will take 24 hours to complete each mission: two hours to . dive to the bottom, 16 hours to search the seafloor, two hours to return . to the surface, and four hours to download the data, Houston said. In . its first deployment, it will search a 40-square-kilometer . (15-square-mile) section of seafloor. The . black boxes could contain the key to unraveling the mystery of what . happened to Flight 370 after it disappeared with 239 people on board. Investigators believe the plane went down in the southern Indian Ocean . based on a flight path calculated from its contacts with a satellite and . analysis of its speed and fuel capacity. But they still don't know why. Meanwhile, . officials were investigating an oil slick not far from the area where . the underwater sounds were detected, Houston said. Crews have collected a . sample of the oil and are sending it back to Australia for analysis, a . process that will take several days. Joint effort: A U.S. Navy P8 Poseidon waits to join the search for the missing Malaysian airliner . The 'pings' were possibly emitted by the Malaysia flight's black box, which puts a strict time limit on the search, as the black box only has about a month of battery power, and has been missing for a month already . Working alongside ships and aircraft from seven other nations, the two Royal Navy vessels face the same race against time to find the black box flight recorder . The . oil does not appear to be from any of the ships in the area, but . Houston cautioned against jumping to any conclusions about its source. A . visual search for debris on the ocean surface was continuing on Monday . over 47,600 square kilometers (18,400 square miles) of ocean about 2,200 . kilometers (1,400 miles) northwest of the west coast city of Perth. A . total of 12 planes and 15 ships would join the two searches. But . Houston said that the visual search operation would be ending in the . next two to three days. Officials haven't found a single piece of debris . linked to the plane, and Houston said the chances that any would be . have 'greatly diminished.' 'We've . got no visual objects,' he said. 'The only thing we have left at this . stage is the four transmissions and an oil slick in the same vicinity, . so we will investigate those to their conclusion.' The ship is designed for long stays at sea, and could potentially continue its search for up to 60 days . Also aiding Australian vessel Ocean Shield in the search effort is the U.K nuclear submarine HMS Tireless . Complicating . matters further is the depth of the ocean in the search area. The . seafloor is about 4,500 meters (15,000 feet) below the surface, which is . the deepest the Bluefin can dive. Officials are looking for other . vehicles that could help to retrieve any wreckage, should the Bluefin . find any. Houston's gloomy outlook will be met with mixed emotions by relatives of the mostly Chinese passengers. Some . are still clinging to hope that the aircraft has not plunged into the . Ocean and sunk, but has crashed or landed somewhere on land, giving . those on board a chance of surviving. But other relatives have accepted that their loved ones are lost, but want closure with the discovery of the wreckage and recovery of bodies.
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Search continues - but it is possible plane's black box batteries have failed .
If so, the boxes will no longer be able to release 'pings' used to locate them .
Rescuers have deployed Bluefin 21 submarine to search 5km by 8km zone .
Sub capable of creating 3-D maps of ocean floor to help identify debris .
Authorities believe flight MH370 climbed to 45,000ft then dropped to 5,000ft .
The drastic manoeuvres are thought to be a bid to dodge radar signals .
It has been more than a month since the jet disappeared with 239 on board .
International search efforts continue - and now include Royal Navy vessel .
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11c5e14320700738830d5e50bff4b6129210843f
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If stacking the dishwasher is a chore you dread, help may soon be at hand. British scientists have developed a robot which they are training to complete that very task. The robot - which they have named Boris - is the first to have enough intelligence to work out how to grip any single item put in front of it. Scroll down for video . A Birmingham University project has created a robot that can grab plates and cups. It can work out how to pick up different objects placed in front of it. Called 'Boris' (shown) it is controlled by three separate computers . While that is sufficient for most factory production, creating a robot which can pick up and manipulate any single item hugely increases its potential use for industry, surgery, or in the home. The development marks a huge step forward in robotics. Until now robots could only pick up items of a fixed size, placed in a fixed location. Boris - who was publicly unveiled at the British Science Festival in Birmingham today - is controlled by three different computers and has cost £350,000 ($570,000) to build. Professor Jeremy Wyatt, the Birmingham University computing expert who led the project, said loading a dishwasher was his main goal. ‘The scenario that we've got is to get the robot to load a dishwasher,’ he said. ‘That's not because I think that dishwasher-loading robots are an economic, social necessity right now. It's because it encapsulates an incredibly hard range of general manipulation tasks. ‘Once you can crack that, once you can manipulate an object that you've never seen before, you can do a whole bunch of different things. ‘Loading a dishwasher is a really hard task.’ The Boris robot has been created by British scientists . Boris has thick multi-jointed arms that enable it to pick up objects. The robot can learn various grips and costs £350,000 ($570,000) to build . Boris the robot's hands can learn the dexterity needed to pick up objects of different shapes and sizes . Boris performed in public for the first time in front of a festival audience yesterday. Safely confined to a basement laboratory, he reached out with a thick multi-jointed aluminium arm and picked up a measuring jug followed by a dustpan before depositing them in a tray. Significantly, Boris has been programmed to figure out different ways to handle each object, by curling round his fingers to use the whole hand, using the palm of the hand in a power-grip, or adopting a more delicate pinch-grip to grasp an edge. Boris is able to learn the different grips and adapt them to other unfamiliar objects without breaking or dropping them. ‘You've got all the freedom of having all these fingers, so now your brain has got to work really hard,’ said Prof Wyatt. ‘The robot comes up with about 1,000 different grasps in its head in about 10 seconds.’ Boris performed in public for the first time in front of a festival audience yesterday . Boris has been programmed to figure out different ways to handle each object, by curling round his fingers to use the whole hand, using the palm of the hand in a power-grip, or adopting a more delicate pinch-grip . He added: ‘It is fairly commonplace to programme robots to pick up particular objects and move them around - factory production lines are a good example of this. But when those objects vary in size or shape, robots tend to get clumsy. ‘The system we have developed allows the robot to assess the object and generate hundreds of different grasp options. That means the robot is able to make choices about the best grasp for the object it has been told to pick up, and it doesn't have to be re-trained each time the object changes.’ This could have major applications in industry. The project, called Pacman, has been carried out in collaboration with the universities of Pisa in Italy and Innsbruck in Austria, and is funded by the European Commission. The team has already patented the technology, and is working with a firm in Coventry to develop a version of Boris that co-operates with humans on the factory floor. Boris is able to learn the different grips and adapt them to other unfamiliar objects without breaking them . Professor Jeremy Wyatt, the Birmingham University computing expert who led the project, said loading a dishwasher was his main goal . ‘It might be five or 10 years in the future, but you're going to have robots working with humans, and that means they're going to have to cope with all the uncertainty that humans introduce into the environment,’ he said. ‘One of the really big problems on robot assembly lines is if you want to change the part shapes. At the moment, when the world changes, the whole system breaks down. You want to be able to change the parts on short runs very, very quickly.’ A lot more work is needed before a new generation of Boris robots is sent into the real world. The next big step for the scientists is to get Boris to use both his arms and transfer objects from one hand to another. ‘Being bi-manual is a real advantage for all sorts of purposes,’ said Prof Wyatt, who hopes to see the robot stacking plates by next April.
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Birmingham University project creates robot that can grab plates and cups .
It can work out how to pick up different objects placed in front of it .
Called 'Boris' it is controlled by three separate computers .
It has thick multi-jointed arms that enable it to pick up objects .
The robot can learn various grips and costs £350,000 ($570,000) to build .
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11c609629a52f880818df7017c83fce62e93f1a0
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Hong Kong (CNN) -- A Bollywood star is facing a storm of controversy over the sex of his unborn child. India's Health Ministry has launched an investigation into media reports that the actor Shah Rukh Khan and his wife are expecting a boy through a surrogate mother. Sex determination tests are banned in India, and elsewhere in Asia, due to a traditional preference for sons. Dr Jignesh Thakkar of the Indian Radiological & Imaging Association told CNN that India's Health Ministry had investigated the case at the association's request. "We wanted to know how this had been leaked out because it's confidential information that only a doctor and not even a patient knows," said Thakkar, who is the association's coordinator for the Pre-Conception Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act that bans sex selection. "Action should be taken against the doctors and the patients who are not following this law. The celebrities or the rich and famous cannot get away with it." Khan -- who has a 16-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter -- has not yet commented on the issue. Thakkar said that doctors proven to have divulged an unborn child's sex could face three years in jail and the suspension of their medical license for five years, while parents could face up to five years in jail. India banned sex detection in 1996 as it attempted to prevent the abortions of girls but, according to Rob Brooks at the University of New South Wales in Australia, this measure has had little impact on the country's skewed sex ratio. Sex detection tests are also illegal in China, another country where sex ratios are strongly biased toward males, but the ban has done little to correct the country's gender ratio, which in 2011 stood at 117 men for every 100 women. The global average is between 103 to 107 men per 100 women. "It's not particularly effective because there are always unscrupulous doctors," he said. "And ultrasound is a really important diagnostic technology so people go and get the ultrasound for other reasons and sometimes you can't help but notice the sex of the child." Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Afghanistan, Taiwan and South Korea also have unbalanced gender ratios, Brooks added. Brooks said that, in India, the preference for sons was historically confined to upper castes but as its economy has grown and the technology for sex selection made more widely available, the middle class had adopted the practice. In China, the preference is magnified by the country's one-child policy and campaigns to stress gender equality are undermined by provisions that allow families in rural areas to have a second child if the first is a girl. "Rich people want to have a male heir to inherit the family fortune, while people in rural areas want strong manpower and farmers think boys can do more to the help the family," Zhang Zhongtang, an expert in family planning from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences told the Global Times in March. Brooks said that banning abortion for sex selection is just one small part of the measures needed to change attitudes, with improvements needed in women's rights to property ownership and better pension provision to reduce parents' reliance on their children along with reform to dowries and dowry like systems. But change is possible. Through legal reforms and a "love your daughter" public awareness campaign that highlighted the dangers of skewed sex ratios, South Korea managed to reduce its sex ratio at birth from 116 men per 100 women to 107 by 2007.
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Health Ministry investigates reports Bollywood star and wife expecting a boy .
Sex determination tests are banned in India due to a traditional preference for sons .
Doctors and parents that break the law face time in jail, expert says .
Sex detection tests are also banned in China and South Korea .
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11c68801bff1c21e04ca83f68e1f5a5a960290dd
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Archaeologists are set to excavate the buried remains of a sixth century chapel - which could be Britain's oldest place of Christian worship. St Piran's Oratory near Perranporth, Cornwall, has been encased in a concrete bunker for decades to protect it from the elements. But experts have finally been granted permission to remove the casing so they can begin excavating and preserving the medieval site. St Piran's Oratory is pictured in its protective shell in 1955. James Gossip, an archaeologist at Cornwall Council, said: 'This is a very important site and it will be amazing to see what is under the sand' Saint Piran was an early 6th-century Cornish abbot and saint from Ireland. He is the patron saint of tin-miners and the patron saint of Cornwall. Legend has it that the heathen Irish tied him to a mill-stone, rolled it over the edge of a cliff into a tempestuous sea, which suddenly became calm. He then floated safely over the sea to land upon the sandy beach of Perranzabuloe in Cornwall. He was joined at Perranzabuloe by many of his Christian converts and together they founded the Abbey of Lanpiran, with Piran as abbot. Saint Piran 'rediscovered' tin-smelting - tin had been smelted in Cornwall since before the Romans' arrival, but the methods had since been forgotten - when his black hearthstone, a slab of tin-bearing ore, had the tin smelt out of it and rise to the top in the form of a white cross. This white cross then came to be the symbol of Cornwall. According to legend, St Piran, the patron saint of tinners, built the chapel and forged a white cross in a fire which went on to become the symbol of Cornwall. Engulfed by sand in the Middle Ages, the remains of the oratory were first discovered in the late 18th Century. There were two major digs in 1835 and 1843 that uncovered a number of skeletons - including one of large, headless man. However, the remains were buried and encased in a large bunker in 1910 to protect them. The . shell was further reinforced in 1980 but now the St Piran's Trust has . finally convinced authorities to let archaeologists tear down the . concrete and explore the site. Saint Piran was an early 6th-century Cornish abbot and saint from Ireland. map . Here St Pirian's Oratory in pictured in 1910. Excavation work took place at the time for the building of its protective shell, that would shield it from the elements . There were two major digs in 1835 and 1843 that uncovered a number of skeletons (one is pictured) - including one of large headless man . Legend . has it that the heathen Irish tied him to a mill-stone, rolled it over . the edge of a cliff into a tempestuous sea, which immediately became . calm. He then floated safely over the sea to land upon the sandy beach of Perranzabuloe in Cornwall. He . was joined at Perranzabuloe by many of his Christian converts and . together they founded the Abbey of Lanpiran, with Piran as abbot. Ian Saltern, of the trust, said: 'We are uncovering more than a building here. It is a cultural site of enormous importance. It is intricately tied to the history of Cornwall. James Gossip, an archaeologist at Cornwall Council, added: 'This is a very important site and it will be amazing to see what is under the sand.' The excavation is due to being in February. According to legend, St Piran, the patron saint of tinners, built the chapel (ruins pictured) and forged a white cross in a fire which went on to become the symbol of Cornwall .
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St Piran's Oratory near Perranporth, .
Cornwall, has been encased in a concrete bunker for three decades to .
protect it from the elements .
According to legend, St Piran, patron saint of tinners, built a chapel and forged a white cross .
in a fire which became the symbol of Cornwall .
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11c6fce875550d2cf85f265efbcb42b6b9550a6f
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By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 04:15 EST, 21 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:39 EST, 21 January 2013 . A French sailor has been rescued from wild seas in a dramatic operation in the Southern Ocean - 500 nautical miles off the coast of Tasmania in Australia. Alain Delord, 63, was taking part in a solo round-the-world voyage when the mast on his yacht broke in bad weather forcing him to spend three days adrift in treacherous conditions on a life raft. He was finally plucked from the sea amid cheers from passengers aboard the luxury cruise ship MV Orion, which had changed course from a trip to Antarctica to save him. Scroll down for video . Lucky escape: Stranded Alain Delord was picked up by a cruise ship 500 nautical miles off the coast of Australia . Dramatic: French sailor Alain Delord (pictured right) is pulled from his life raft onto a rescue boat after spending three days in the Southern Ocean . Good spirits: Passengers on board the cruise ship said veteran sailor Alain Delord looked relatively well considering he had spent three days adrift in bad weather conditions . Despite high winds and seven metre waves, Mr Delord looked awake and relatively well as he boarded the Orion, according to passengers. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority coordinated the rescue and the ship reached Mr Delord at about 9.30pm last night local time. 'He is currently receiving medical attention and early indications are that he is healthy,' the authority said. 'Weather conditions were better than expected and there was plenty of light in the area.' Rescued: Lucky Alain Delord on board his monohull as he left the harbour in Crouesty , France, before embarking on a solo round-the-world tour . Orion captain Mike Taylor had warned passengers the stabilisers would have to be switched off as they approached Mr Delord’s raft and urged passengers worried about the ship rolling and rocking to lie down in bed. The lucky sailor toasted his rescuers with a glass of fine red wine once on board and thanked them for saving his life. Ian Vella, catering manager aboard the luxury cruise ship Orion, said despite his ordeal Mr Delord was in good spirits and 'absolutely fine' following medical checks. He said: 'He is very tired and being attended to by the ship’s doctor. Operation: Alain Delord spent three days adrift in the Southern Ocean after he was forced to abandon his yacht . Brave: Stranded yachtsman Alain Delord was rescued by a cruise ship 500 miles off the coast of Australia . The life raft which carried French sailor Alain Delord floats in the Southern Ocean after he was rescued . 'He is very hungry so he is going to have something to eat and a glass of red wine for his dinner. 'I think you would all agree what a fantastic effort everyone involved made. 'It went ahead like clockwork, a wonderful job. Alain is aboard and we are under way. All’s well that ends well.' It is believed the French sailor may have been taking part in the Vendee Globe race but was not a registered competitor. The race was founded by French sailor Philippe Jeantot in 1989 and is held every four years. Competitors race from France around the world and in the seas around the Antarctic. In 1997 Frenchman Thierry Dubois and Briton Tony Bullimore were both rescued in the Southern Ocean during the race.
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Alain Delord was taking part in a solo round-the-world voyage when the mast on his yacht broke in bad weather .
He was rescued amid cheers from passengers aboard a luxury cruise ship which changed course to save him .
The lucky sailor toasted his rescuers with a glass of fine red wine once on board and thanked them for saving his life .
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11c8a54937efb295195df47907b6ae86eaaa090a
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(CNN) -- The biology professor charged in the shooting deaths Friday of three faculty members at the University of Alabama in Huntsville fatally shot her brother more than 23 years ago, police said Saturday. Amy Bishop Anderson, who was then known as Amy Bishop, was never charged in her brother's death, Braintree, Massachusetts, Police Chief Paul Frazier told reporters. Police records detailing the 1986 incident are missing, and a log of the incident lists it as an accidental shooting, he said. But the account told by Frazier differs from the one published at the time by a Boston newspaper. "It is a far different story I believe than what was reported back then," Frazier said. "I cannot tell you what the thought process was behind our releasing her at the time." A December 8, 1986, article in the Boston Globe states that Anderson asked her mother how to unload a round from a 12-gauge shotgun and accidentally shot her brother while she was handling the weapon. The article cited then-Police Chief John Polio as the source. However, Frazier said an officer, who was involved in the case and still works for the department, told him that Anderson shot her brother in the chest during an argument. The woman allegedly fired a shot in her bedroom without hitting anyone, then argued with her brother and shot him. She fired yet another round in the home before fleeing, Frazier said. Police arrested Anderson after she pointed a weapon at a vehicle near the house in an attempt to get the driver to stop, but it drove on, Frazier said. But during the booking process, Chief Polio called and told the officers to release her, Frazier said. In a telephone call with CNN, Polio -- now 87 and retired -- denied ever calling in the order. He said detectives had interviewed Anderson and her mother -- Judith Baker, who was a member of the police department's personnel board -- as well as the lead investigator, Capt. Theodore Buker, who has since died. Buker told him that the shooting appeared accidental and the two men agreed she should be released to her mother, Polio said. A request was then filed with the office of District Attorney Bill Delahunt to conduct an inquiry, but Delahunt never did so, he said. Delahunt, now a Democratic congressman representing Massachusetts, was in Jerusalem on Saturday and unable to comment on the case, spokesman Mark Forest told CNN. Polio acknowledged that an argument had occurred during the shooting and said that the other shots, including one fired into the ceiling, did not appear aimed at anyone. He also recalled that Anderson had fled the scene. But, he said, he could not remember what he had told the newspaper in reference to the case or why details, including the argument, were not reported. Polio rejected as "laughable" any suggestions that the suspect's mother might have influenced their handling of the case. "There was no cover up," Polio said. "Absolutely no cover up and no missing records. The records were all there when I left. Where they went in the last 22 years and two police chiefs subsequent, I don't know." Anderson, a Harvard-educated professor, has been charged with capital murder. Huntsville Police Chief Henry Reyes said Anderson, 45, was attending a faculty meeting on the third floor of the sciences building Friday afternoon when she shot six colleagues, killing three. Anderson, a professor and researcher at the university, was arrested as she was leaving the building, Reyes told reporters Saturday. He said a 9 mm handgun was recovered from the second floor of the building late Friday. Anderson is charged with one count of capital murder, a crime that involved two or more intentional deaths and is eligible for the death penalty in Alabama. Madison County District Attorney Rob Broussard said officials were considering other charges, including attempted murder. University spokesman Ray Garner has identified the dead as Gopi Podila, chairman of the biological sciences department; Maria Davis, associate professor of biology; and Adriel Johnson, associate professor of biology. The injured were Joseph Leahy, associate professor of biology, in critical condition; Luis Cruz-Vera, assistant professor of biology, in stable condition; and Stephanie Monticello, staff assistant, also in stable condition. They were taken to Huntsville Hospital. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of other suspects in connection with the shooting. Investigators have interviewed Anderson's husband, Jim. Anderson had been working at the university since 2003 and was up for tenure, Garner said. However, authorities wouldn't discuss possible motives or whether the issue of tenure may have played a role in the shooting. Garner said the meeting at Shelby Hall was for faculty and staff in the sciences department, but he gave no other details. The incident occurred shortly before 4 p.m. (5 p.m. ET), and residence halls were locked down 10 minutes later. An alert notifying the campus about the incident was issued at 4:42 p.m. CT. Pressed on the amount of time that passed before a campus alert was sent notifying students and faculty about the shooting and the lockdown, university police Chief Chuck Gailes said the lag "didn't impact the safety of people on campus and in the building." He said there is no specific timeframe that dictates how quickly such an alert is issued, but he said it would be an issue officials will look into. University President David Williams said there would be a prayer service Sunday. "We are a resilient community, and we know we will come together to overcome these difficult times," he said. Williams said the campus would open for employees next week but there would be no classes. Kourtney Lattimore, a 19-year-old sophomore studying nursing, was one of about 100 students who attended the suspect's anatomy class from 10:20 to 11:15 a.m. Friday., when the subject included neurons. "Nothing seemed to be off at all," she said about her teacher, who wore a pink sweater in class. "We were all shocked, like, all of us just couldn't believe it." Lattimore said her anatomy class was not the only one affected by Friday's events. Leahy -- who was wounded in the shooting -- taught her infection and immunity class, she said. Reached at the couple's home, Jim Anderson told CNN that his wife has an attorney whom he would not identify. He described his wife as a good teacher.
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NEW: Charged professor killed brother in 1986, Massachusetts police say .
NEW: Anderson was never charged in her brother's death, police chief says .
NEW: Police log of the incident lists it as an accidental shooting, chief says .
Three faculty members at University of Alabama in Huntsville were killed Friday .
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11c9c2ac359107a9c1481639b358ff646628aba4
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Traumatised: Michelle Goodhall, 35, who has just 12 months to live, was targeted by teenage home-raiders twice in three days . A terminally-ill mother has been targeted twice in three days by teenage burglars - who stole £7,000 cash she had been saving to pay for her funeral. Michelle Goodhall, 35, was left traumatised after the two boys stormed into her home and took the money, which was hidden in her bedroom. Less than 48 hours later, the thugs broke into the property again, slamming Mrs Goodall's head against a wall during the raid before fleeing when she called for her daughter Laura, 14, who was upstairs. The wheelchair-bound mother-of-two, of Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, has just 12 months left to live as her respiratory system is shutting down. She was given the dire prognosis six months ago after an unsuccessful double lung transplant to treat her emphysema. On hearing the the news from doctors, she decided she would keep some money away so that she could be given a proper send-off. She said: 'My husband John had just popped out to pick up a takeaway and I thought it was my daughter and a friend. 'Suddenly I heard this tremendous crashing and banging. 'I was scared it was a burglar and I heard them come back down and head to the kitchen, then I heard plates being smashed on the floor. 'I was terrified as I was home alone. 'Later we found out that £7,000 we've saved for my funeral was taken - I haven't got longer than 12 months.' Her husband John said that since his wife's operation went wrong - her airways have been slowly shutting down - leaving her almost entirely wheelchair-bound and in need of an oxygen supply. Mr Goodall, 61, who is her full-time carer, added: 'On Thursday night I went out to pick some food up from a local takaway. 'Michelle had been in the toilet under the stairs when she heard people come in. She heard banging before they came downstairs and threw plates and a bowl of fruit in the kitchen before leaving. 'They were in and out within a few minutes but it was a terrifying ordeal. She rang me and my daughter and we alerted the police straight away. Tragic: The young mother was given her dire prognosis after having a double lung transplant six months ago . 'I later noticed that a case I kept on top of my wardrobe in our room had been opened and the cash we kept inside was gone. 'We were saving it for future arrangements - Michelle has just 12 months to live and has to be on oxygen when we go out.' A camcorder was also taken in the raid on the Goodhalls' family home. The couple, who also have a daughter called Nicola, 16, were still recovering from the shock of the first break-in when they were targeted again by the two teenagers on Saturday morning. Mrs Gooddall said they grabbed her head and slammed it against the wall before leaving empty- handed. Her husband added: 'We couldn't say if it was the same people, but if it was I presume they were returning to take more of our possessions. 'It all happened so quickly but she was left shocked and terrified.' The thieves have been described as male and wearing black hooded-tops. The first was described as 16-17 years, of chubby build and wearing black tracksuit bottoms and white trainers. The second was described as 14, slim and wearing grey tracksuit bottoms and white trainers. Detective Sergeant Paul Keitch, from West Yorkshire Police, said: 'It is clearly concerning that this vulnerable woman's home has been targeted twice in a short period of time, with the intruders in this latest incident also using violence against her. 'Thankfully she was not seriously hurt but nonetheless this was a frightening experience for her and it is vitally important that we identify those involved. 'We are supporting the victim and her family, which includes advising on how the property can be made more secure. 'Additional patrols are also being put in place to provide reassurance and deter any further offending.' Anyone who knows anyone about the two attacks is urged to contact the force.
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Michelle Goodhall, 35, traumatised after teenagers raided home stealing cash .
Just 48 hours later they struck again slamming her head against wall in raid .
Mrs Goodhall has just 12 months to live after unsuccessful lung transplant .
The two culprits, aged between 14 and 16, have not been caught by police .
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11caab1b57cb2bd7c5a7a16ec84f02c4dac32954
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By . Jack Doyle . PUBLISHED: . 19:33 EST, 2 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:02 EST, 3 January 2014 . No parole: Ohio kidnapper Ariel Castro enters the courtroom in Cleveland . David Cameron was yesterday accused of planning to 'kow-tow' to European human rights judges and scrap the country's toughest jail sentences. So-called 'whole-life' terms, which condemn the most dangerous serial killers to die behind bars, could be replaced by 'US-style, 100-year terms'. But crucially, unlike many states in the US, the new sentences in Britain will come with an automatic review – potentially allowing murderers who would otherwise have stayed in jail to be released back on to the streets. The proposal has infuriated Tory backbenchers. Last night Peter Bone said: 'The trouble with 100-year sentences is they can be reviewed and reduced and people could be let out. For certain people, life should mean life – in prison for the rest of their lives.' Downing Street is set to change the law to comply with a European Court of Human Rights judgment, which found life sentences without any prospect of parole amounted to a breach of killers' human rights. In July, the court ruled all inmates, however long their sentences, should have a chance at proving they have changed their ways and are no longer a threat to the public. Without a review mechanism, such sentences amounted to 'inhuman and degrading treatment' and breached Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the judges said. When the ruling was released, Mr Cameron's spokesman said the Prime Minister 'profoundly disagreed' and was a 'strong supporter of whole-life tariffs'. But less than six months later he appears ready to bow to Strasbourg's demands. Yesterday Mr Cameron tried to appear tough on the issue. He told BBC News: 'What I think is very clear, there are some people who commit such dreadful crimes that they should be sent to prison and life should mean life. Whatever the European court has said, we must put in place arrangements to make sure that can continue.' But he failed to rule out changes to the 'whole-life' regime, which is reserved for killers and rapists deemed so depraved they can never be let out. In the US, many criminals are given lengthy sentences with no chance of release. Last year Ohio kidnapper and rapist Ariel Castro was sentenced to life imprisonment plus 1,000 years without parole. He was later found dead in his cell. Last night pressure was mounting on Mr Cameron. Mr Bone said: 'We should ignore the ruling of this Mickey Mouse court in Strasbourg and do what the British people want.' Prime Minister David Cameron has been accused of planning to 'kow-tow' to European human rights judges . Peter Cuthbertson, of the Centre for Crime Prevention, said: 'The abolition of whole-life sentences is a backward step. This proposal means that every murderer, no matter how grotesque their crimes, has an automatic right to parole hearings. What is the point of having elections if governments always end up kow-towing to the European Court of Human Rights?' The Strasbourg case was brought by three convicted killers given whole-life sentences who demanded the right to a parole hearing – Jeremy Bamber, Douglas Vinter and Peter Moore. There 52 individuals serving such terms. The Strasbourg court said all must be allowed a review of their sentence, with release following if they can prove they have been successfully 'rehabilitated'. It suggested the whole-lifers should be given a review after 25 years inside and every few years afterwards. There is also pressure to amend the law from senior judges. In October, Mr Justice Sweeney said it was 'not appropriate' to give triple killer Ian McLoughlin a whole-life sentence because of the Strasbourg decree. The same judge is due to sentence the Woolwich killers of Lee Rigby – Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale.
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So-called 'whole-life' terms could be .
replaced by 100-year terms .
But crucially the new sentences will come with automatic review .
The proposal has infuriated Tory backbenchers .
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11cbb0c7f771f053bd02f9b0e1f21c7917940837
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Mexico City (CNN) -- Mexican authorities were investigating Wednesday after finding the dismembered bodies of 15 people inside two vehicles on a highway in western Mexico, state media reported. Investigators were working to determine the ages, genders and identities of the victims, Jalisco state Attorney General Tomas Coronado Olmos said. The bodies, found in two vehicles on a highway between the cities of Guadalajara and Chapala, could be connected with the kidnapping of 12 people in a nearby municipality, Coronado said, according to the state-run Notimex news agency. The discovery occurred more than five months after authorities found 26 bodies in three vehicles near a monument on one of Guadalajara's main avenues. Jalisco state has seen an increase in violence since 2008, as clashes increase between drug cartels over trafficking routes and local drug sales. Several weeks after the bodies were found in November, state prosecutors said they had arrested three men who masterminded those killings. The suspects, they said, were members of the Milenio cartel, which is allied with the Zetas and fighting for territory in the region with the powerful Sinaloa cartel. More than 47,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence since Mexican President Felipe Calderon announced a crackdown on cartels in December 2006, according to government statistics. But brutal cartel killings have been less common in Guadalajara, Mexico's second-most populous city. CNNMexico.com contributed to this report.
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Prosecutor: Investigators are working to determine victims' ages, genders and IDs .
The incident could be linked to a kidnapping that occurred nearby, a state prosecutor says .
Authorities find 15 dismembered bodies inside two vehicles on a highway .
Five months ago, 26 bodies were found inside vehicles in Guadalajara .
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11ce7228dd82b417fb6485d161d4083d4806e920
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Banned: Jockey Tom Queally has been disqualified from driving for 22 months after he was arrested twice over the legal alcohol limit . A top jockey caught drink-driving walked free from court yesterday after claiming he was ‘sleep-driving’. Tom Queally, 30, who rode legendary winner Frankel, said he was a habitual sleep-walker and had no recollection of setting off in his BMW. When motorists saw him parked in the middle of the road and knocked on the window, he drove off and pulled on to a garage forecourt, where he fell asleep again with the engine running. He was woken by police who found he was more than two times the drink-drive limit. Drink-driving carries a maximum jail term of six months. Queally was represented by Nick Freeman – known as Mr Loophole after defending celebrities such as Sir Alex Ferguson and David Beckham against motoring charges – who said the jockey had been a sleep-walker from childhood. But millionaire Queally was forced to plead guilty to the offence as a sleeping condition is not a legal defence. He walked free from court after District Judge Bridget Knight banned him from the road for 22 months and ordered him to pay costs and fines of almost £5,000. Crewe Magistrates’ Court was told the Irish jockey, who earned £2.5million in one year, had been out for dinner with his agent Nicholas Whittle. He was supposed to sleep at Mr Whittle’s house, but got up and went off in his £70,000 BMW 730. He was spotted by another motorist asleep in the car at 5am on March 16 in the middle of a road in Knutsford, Cheshire. Queally then drove off and was later seen parked at a Shell garage five miles away, asleep in the passenger seat. When officers breathalysed him, he had 84mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – more than twice the legal limit of 35mg. Kate Marchuk, prosecuting, said Queally ‘rolled out’ of a police car and curled up on the ground like he was napping. Mr Freeman said: ‘He was unaware of what he was doing – he was sleep-driving. The defendant’s last recollection was lying on the bed, fully clothed, reading Horse & Hound magazine. ‘While asleep... he drove for no reason 300 or so yards and parked in the carriageway. Mr Queally is blameless. This is not a man who has knowingly got into a car while drunk. He has no defence in terms of guilt but is completely innocent on a moral basis.’ Victory: The jockey is most famous for being the regular rider of 'wonder horse' Frankel. The pair are pictured winning the Qipco Champion Stakes during QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot in 2012 . Dr Irshaad Ebrahim, of the London Sleep Centre, told the court: ‘Mr Queally has a long history of sleep-walking, and his brother and father were sleep-walkers. ‘From a medical perspective he was unaware of his actions.’ Outside court, Mr Freeman said it was time for sleep-walking to be recognised by the law, adding: ‘Perversely, had he raped or murdered someone, this would have provided him with a defence, but not for drink-driving – and that is not fair.’ Embarassing: Queally initally claimed he had not been drinking, then 'rolled' out of a police car and lay down on the ground after being arrested .
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Police found Tom Queally asleep in Shell garage forecourt with engine on .
After being arrested he 'rolled' out of police car and lay on the ground .
Defence lawyer, known as Mr Loophole, claimed he was 'morally innocent'
Added: 'He's completely unaware of what he's doing. He's sleep-driving'
But judge said it is clear that law does not allow such a defence to qualify .
Banned from driving for 22 months and must pay £5,000 in fines and costs .
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11cec2f7ee3c6d378fad06120202675b4f895440
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By . Matt Lawless . Follow @@mattylawless . Laura Robson will be a notable absentee on the court at Wimbledon this year. Twelve months ago she became the first British woman to reach the last 16 at SW19 in 15 years. A longstanding wrist injury disappointingly denies the popular 20-year-old her place in the competition this time round, however, with Heather Watson and Johanna Konta among the British women left to fly the flag. Sidelined: Laura Robson will miss the Championships at Wimbledon this year with a wrist injury . But the former British No 1, who will be a part of the BBC's commentary team this year, should be encouraged by one statistic, at least: the average age of a Grand Slam champion is 24. According to new research by Virgin Active, future Grand Slam champions will hit the ball a staggering 2.4million times by the time they reach the golden age of 24; equivalent to 100,000 strokes-a-year. The study also suggests that top players would have spent three years of their life on the courts at the same age, covering 2,496 miles and burning more than 936,000 calories - which equates to the large number of 3,505 bowls of strawberries and cream for armchair fans. Robson is an ambassador for the new ‘Active Aces’ programme and was pictured covered in tennis balls to launch the initiative that is aimed to inspire the next generation of budding British talent. On the red carpet: Robson attended the WTA pre-Wimbledon party at Kensington Roof Gardens on Thursday . 'That a professional player has spent three years of their life on court by the time they are 24 shows how much dedication is needed to become a world-class player,' said Great Britain's Davis Cup captain Leon Smith. 'It also shows that it’s important for children to start playing the sport young.' Indeed, Robson will be keen to make up the numbers when she returns to full fitness soon with next year's Australian Open her likely Grand Slam comeback date. Selfie time: Robson (top 2nd right) joined a number of tennis stars at the Rally For Bally match at Queen's . 'I don't actually know my recovery timescale,' said the British No 2, speaking last week. 'The most important thing is not to rush it. 'I kept trying to come back too soon, and that kept making it worse.' Big time: Robson is an ambassador for Virgin Active to help get more youngsters playing tennis . For further information on Active Aces and to find your nearest club, visit www.virginactive.co.uk .
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Laura Robson misses Wimbledon this year through injury .
The British No 2 last played in January .
New research shows the average age of a Grand Slam champion is 24 .
Robson will commentate for the BBC during Wimbledon 2014 .
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11d01fa3ce775219509a3dfc12d9fcecb488909b
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By . Emily Allen and Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 11:06 EST, 13 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:08 EST, 14 August 2012 . Comrades of missing sailor Timmy MacColl left a space on deck where he should have stood as their ship returned to port in the UK yesterday. The 27-year-old father-of-two, originally from Killin, Scotland, vanished on a night out socialising when the ship was docked in Dubai more than 12 weeks ago. Despite a large media campaign in the Emirate, there has not been an update on the case from Dubai police for weeks. It is feared he may have been kidnapped. Touching tribute: A space is left on deck where missing Leading Seaman Timmy MacColl should have been standing as HMS Westminster returns to port in Southampton yesterday morning . There were tears yesterday as sailors lined the deck of HMS Westminster as it arrived at Portsmouth. In tribute to their missing comrade the ship's company left a space where he should have been standing. On land, the family of Leading Seaman MacColl stood at the shoreline as the vessel made its way to dock at 10am, unfurling a banner that read, simply: 'Bring Timmy Home'. Leading Seaman MacColl’s pregnant wife Rachael, 25, watched the ship arrive from the privacy of the dockyard. The return comes as an anonymous benefactor put up a 'substantial cash reward' for any information . Missing: Timothy MacColl, 27, from Gosport in Hampshire, with one of his two children. He vanished more than 12 weeks ago . Mrs MacColl - who married her husband . seven years ago after they met at HMS Collingwood - hopes the reward . will lead to a development in the case. 'The . reward will be paid if information given actually leads to Timmy being . physically located,' she said. 'If someone knows something please come . forward. 'My life can’t move . forward until I find him. It’s not just emotionally, it’s financially, . my children, his family. Our family deserves answers. That’s the main . thing, we just need to find him.' Timmy went missing after being put into a taxi by two shipmates outside the Rock Bottom Cafe nightclub at 2am on May 27. He had no ID and only a Nokia phone, which has never been found. The cab was told to go back to Port Rashid where Westminster was docked, but the sailor never arrived. The . driver has told Dubai police the sailor got out of the car when he got . lost inside the port and pulled over to ask for directions. Mrs . MacColl, who is expecting their third child in October, made a trip to . Dubai and retraced her husband’s last-known steps last month. She fears he has been kidnapped. Land and sea searches around Port Rashid failed to find any clues. 'We are told Timmy gets in the taxi, he gets out of the taxi at the tea shack and that’s it,' she said. 'We’ve . not been told how they know this information is true. And we’ve not . been told about forensics on the vehicle or anything like that, so we . don’t even know if it was Timmy in the taxi. 'It’s . assumed it was Timmy in the cab. It has been ascertained now that there . were other members of the ship’s company in Rock Bottom. 'They would have left at some point and got a taxi back. There’s nothing after he is seen on CCTV leaving the bar. 'The . description of his clothing given to the police by shipmates was wrong, . he was wearing blue and white checked shorts with a red T-shirt and . dark-blue canvas shoes.' Mixed emotions: Friends and relatives of Timmy lined the shoreline to . release yellow balloons and unfurled a banner as the ship returned to its . home port of Portsmouth, Hampshire . Difficult time: Timmy's friends and family hug as HMS Westminster returns to Portsmouth. They are calling on the British police to become involved in the search after hearing nothing from the Dubai police for weeks . Tearful crowds shouted 'Welcome home . Westminster' as the ship passed yesterday and 50 yellow balloons were . released in tribute to the missing sailor. The Captain of HMS Westminster said he was 'desperately disappointed' to be returning home without Leading Seaman MacColl. Mrs . MacColl's uncle Neil Cunningham - who flew out to Dubai to help with . the search in June - joined her mother, aunt and grandfather yesterday . at Portsmouth's Round Tower fort to watch the Westminster's arrival. He said: 'Not knowing what happened to Timmy has been hard for Rachael but she has been amazingly strong and resilient. 'She has shown immense strength of character and will never give up searching for him. 'Outwardly . she displays such strong emotions. When she is with people she is fine - . she has the comfort and support of family and a good network of . friends. 'But when she is alone with the children - particularly early in the morning - things are more difficult. 'We will go on searching for Timmy forever.' Family man: His wife Rachael, who is expecting their third child in . October, has vowed to find her husband . Mr . Cunningham, 42, added: 'We are also here to support the ship’s company . who have gone through the same awful 77 days as us, missing a ship . mate.' Mrs MacColl’s . grandfather Jim Cunningham said: 'It has been a very, very fraught time . for us. We never realised it was going to continue for this long without . a positive outcome. 'I have . wanted Hampshire Constabulary to be involved in this case from the . start. They have experience of dealing with other forces and a good . track record with murder enquiries.' Mrs MacColl’s mother Jacqui Brien also vowed to never give up hope. But she said the couple’s son Cameron, seven, and daughter Skye, four, are struggling to understand what’s going on. Cameron thinks his dad has been kidnapped - 'like in the film Pirates of the Caribbean'. Mrs Brien, 46, added: 'Someone knows something. Whatever has happened we need to find Timmy or we’ll always be wondering. 'We have shed more tears this last week than any other - I think it was knowing the ship was coming back without Timmy. 'The closer my daughter gets to her due date the harder it gets. It is really hard for her. We feel empty and numb.' Departed: Routine checks were carried out by the Navy before the HMS Westminster sailed, but they could not locate the leading seaman and local authorities were alerted . Concerning: The sailor, right, has not been seen since getting into a taxi at around 2am on May 27. It is known that he had just left the Rock Bottom Bar, left, which is at the Regent Hotel in the area of Deira . Neil . Cunningham said the family is struggling to gather information and . added: 'I keep trying to get the Dubai police to speak to me but they . won’t unless I’m out there in person. 'I’m . requesting information from the home secretary and speaking to the . Royal Navy’s investigation branch, which is doing a sterling job in very . trying circumstances.' The Royal Navy has continued to express its 'concern' for Timmy’s safety. A . spokesman said: 'The matter is being treated as a missing person case. The MoD and Royal Navy continue to liaise with and provide assistance to . the Dubai authorities. 'The Foreign Office also remains in contact with the Emirati police about their ongoing investigation.' Captain . Nick Hine, Leading Seaman MacColl's commanding officer, said: 'Clearly . we are all desperately disappointed that Leading Seaman MacColl remains . missing. 'Our thoughts and prayers remain with his family at this particularly difficult time.'
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Father-of-two Timothy MacColl, 27, has not been seen since May 27 when he got into a taxi after a night out .
There has been no update on the case from the Dubai police for weeks and his family have called on the British police to get involved .
Captain of the ship said he was 'desperately disappointed' to be returning without the sailor .
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11d10bfefa783e71a8e4c5d63e3efaaee3c021b5
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A garden centre advertising for a cook told applicants who claim benefits that their CV would be put in the bin. A staff member at Hastings Garden Centre in East Sussex posted the advert on Facebook page 'The Bexhill-On-Sea Group' in the hunt for a new chef, but caused outrage with members. It read: 'I need a reliable staff member at the Hastings Garden Centre Cafe as a cook. The staff member from Hastings Garden Centre posted the job advert on a Facebook group asking for a cook . 'If you are in receipt of benefits your application is going in the bin. Send cv to my inbox please.' The notice, which is believed to have been posted by garden centre worker, Gavin Oram, was quickly removed - but not before many of the group's 5,500 members had seen it. Local Lisa Giddon said: 'How horrible, what about genuine people on benefits because they want a job?' Alan James added: 'I have just had to claim JSA after 11 years continuous employment. 'It is quite degrading being scrutinised by the job centre on your efforts to find work. The Facebook post, by Gavin Oram, said 'if you are in receipt of benefits your application is going in the bin' 'His post was derogatory towards benefit claimants, insulting and infuriating.' Colin Boylett wrote: 'How to lose potential customers in one easy lesson.' But Mr Oram stood by the offensive notice and told members: 'It's not getting reworded. 'I already have my books full of benefit claimants and don't need any more.' Wyevale Garden Centres, which runs the store, has apologised for the comments. A spokesman said the views expressed by the member of staff on Facebook did not represent the view of the company. Jason Danciger, food and beverage director, said: 'Wyevale Garden Centres would like to apologise for the comments made by a colleague on The Bexhill-On-Sea Group. 'The views of the individual in no way represent the views of Wyevale Garden Centres and we are sincerely sorry for any offence these comments may have caused. 'Our recruitment and selection policy states 'All candidates who apply for jobs will receive fair treatment and will be considered solely on their ability to do the job'. 'We are investigating this internally and will take the appropriate management action.' An expert from the Citizens Advice Bureau told MailOnline that while discrimination against a person who claims benefits is not specified under the Equality Act 2010, it could still be argued as illegal. 'Being on benefits isn't against the Equality Act, but the job advert could be argued as discriminatory,' they said. 'The act protects certain characteristics such as age, race, gender, disability and so on. If a person is disabled and claiming disability allowance they could certainly argue they had been discriminated against'.
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Staff member at Hastings Garden Centre posted advert on Facebook group .
Advert for new cook threatened to bin applications from those on benefits .
It caused outrage with group's 5,500 members and was quickly removed .
Believed to have been posted by Gavin Oram who stood by comments .
But garden centre apologised and said views do not represent company .
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11d138f7573b89116af5914556de6dd197316c1b
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The UK will continue to honour Scotland’s huge debts even if it votes for independence, the Treasury said yesterday. In a surprise intervention, Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander said the move was essential to prevent investors being spooked by the independence referendum and charging a 'separation surcharge' for lending to the UK. It follows concerns over debt being transferred to a newly-independent country with no credit history. The Treasury denied that London was letting Scotland ‘off the hook’. First Minister Alex Salmond has insisted he will only take on a share of the UK's debt if an independent Scotland can keep the pound . It said an independent Scotland would . inherit a ‘fair and proportionate’ share of the UK’s £1.4trillion debt . and would still be required to pay the money back. But Scotland’s First . Minister Alex Salmond hailed the move as a victory, which he said made a . mockery of the Government’s claims that an independent Scotland would . be barred from keeping the pound. Some . Tories questioned whether the deal was fair on English voters. MP . Philip Davies warned it would fuel resentment about ‘preferential’ treatment for the Scots. A spokesman insisted the move was designed to provide reassurance to investors looking to buy gilts, or government debt, this year. It was feared that global investors would turn their back on the UK if there was uncertainty about who would take responsibility for the repaying the debt if Scotland became an independent country. The Treasury paper published today said: ‘In the event of Scottish independence from the United Kingdom, the continuing UK Government would in all circumstances honour the contractual terms of the debt issued by the UK Government. ‘An independent Scottish state would become responsible for a fair and proportionate share of the UK's current liabilities.’ Treasury minister Danny Alexander said the move was designed to provide certainty to the bond markets . However gilts sold by the UK would not be transferred, instead an independent Scotland ‘would need to raise funds in order to reimburse the continuing UK for this share’. Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander, . who is an MP in Scotland, said the UK Government's new position should . reassure the financial markets. ‘We want to make sure people who lend us money continue to do so at very low interest rates,’ he told BBC News. ‘Everybody . knows that an independent Scotland would be likely to face considerably . higher interest rates, less credibility in the international finance . markets. ‘What we want to . avoid is any sort of idea that the rest of the UK - taxpayers across the . whole of the UK, including in Scotland between now and in September - . pay any sort of separation surcharge, an extra cost on debt that causes . uncertainty in the financial markets. ‘But . an independent Scotland would still be required to take its fare share . of the debt, were Scotland to vote to separate from the rest of the UK.’ The pro-independence campaign seized on the announcement as proof it was setting the agenda and would demand a currency union – allowing Scotland to continue using the pound – in return for accepting a share of the debt. British ministers have so far refused publicly to ‘pre-negotiate’ terms of independence for Scotland. But Mr Salmond said the decision by the Treasury shows that UK ministers are coming to terms with ‘reality’. He added: ‘These documents make clear that we remain prepared to negotiate taking responsibility for financing a fair share of the debts of the UK provided, of course, Scotland secures a fair share of the assets, including the monetary assets. ‘Any market uncertainty in the gilts market has been caused by their own refusal to discuss the terms of independence before the referendum and it is their own insistence that Scotland would be a new state that lands them with the unambiguous legal title to the accumulated debts of the United Kingdom. ‘That position is now beyond argument and today's announcement makes clear that Scotland would be in an extremely strong negotiating position to secure that fair deal.’ Voters in Scotland will have their say on a referendum on independence on September 18, 2014 . He said opponents of independence must end the ‘bluff and bluster’ and ‘listen to the overwhelming majority of the people of England who, polls indicate, see the common sense of sharing a common currency’. However, UK Chancellor George Osborne has ruled out allowing an independent Scotland to continue using the pound if voters choose to go it alone. The Scottish Government set out two possible positions on debt sharing in its formal White Paper on independence last November. It explored the historical balance of public spending and tax since 1980, when figures became available, or a population-based share. It calculates a historical share of debt interest could be £3.9 billion in 2016-17 or £5.5 billion based on a per head share.
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Treasury guarantees all £1.4trillion in debt over fear of interest rise .
Move to reassure bond markets about who will repay what the UK owes .
Alex Salmond insists he will take on a share, but wants to keep the pound .
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11d3effe17e9cd9bba36fd22fc1e5f3b1e286c00
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(CNN) -- Actor Larry Hagman said Friday that he has been diagnosed with cancer, but noted "it is a very common and treatable form" of the disease. Hagman, who turned 80 last month, is best known for his role as J.R. Ewing, the son of a Texas oil tycoon on the primetime television series "Dallas," and as a dashing Florida astronaut living with a 2,000-year-old genie on the sitcom "I Dream of Jeannie." In recent days he has been preparing for a stint on the remake of "Dallas" later this month. "As J.R I could get away with anything -- bribery, blackmail and adultery," Hagman said. "But I got caught by cancer." Hagman said he will receive treatment for his cancer -- the type of which was not disclosed -- while working on the new "Dallas." This isn't the first health scare Hagman has faced. In 2003, he talked to CNN about his fight with cirrhosis and the 16-hour liver transplant in 1995 that saved his life. Warner Horizon Television, TNT's television production branch, which is producing the "Dallas" remake, issued a statement Friday expressing support for Hagman. "We look forward to watching Larry once again work his magic by bringing one of television's most interesting, complex and controversial characters back to the screen in the new Dallas series," the statement said. The original "Dallas" series ran from 1978 to 1991. "I could not think of a better place to be than working on a show I love, with people I love. Besides, as we all know, you can't keep J.R. down!" Hagman said. CNN's KJ Matthews contributed to this report.
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Hagman, 80, says "it is a very common and treatable form" of the disease .
He will receive treatment while working on the upcoming remake of "Dallas"
Hagman underwent a liver transplant in 1995 .
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11d4111050441e11c1e653df4c49bfce6a25e55f
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(CNET) -- If you want to consider a difficult computational problem, try thinking of the algorithms required to animate more than 10,000 helium balloons, each with its own string, but each also interdependent on the rest, which are collectively hoisting aloft a small house. The production team at Pixar faced many new technological challenges on "Up," its tenth feature film. That was the challenge the production team at Pixar faced when it set out to begin work on "Up," its tenth feature film, five years in the works, which hits theaters on Friday. There was absolutely no way the team was going to hand-animate the balloons. Not with their numbers in five-figures, and especially not when you consider that within the cluster, every interaction between two balloons has a ripple effect: If one bumped another, the second would move, likely bumping a third, and so on. And every bit of this would need to be seen on screen. In "Up," the story revolves around the main character, 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen, who, frustrated with his mundane life, ties the thousands of balloons to his house and sets off for adventures in South America. A small boy ends up marooned on board, and hilarity ensues. The cluster of balloons is so central to the film's branding--it's called "Up," after all--that to promote the film, Pixar teamed up with two of the world's cluster ballooning experts for a nationwide tour involving a real-life flying armchair and dozens of huge, colorful balloons. "You have a movie that's about a house that flies, which is a pretty far-fetched idea," said Steve May, the supervising technical director on "Up." "We all know, from kids' parties, how a bunch of balloons behave, so if we could animate balloons in a realistic way, the believability that the house could fly would sell." For May, "Up" producer Jonas Rivera, director Pete Docter, and the many others involved in making the film, believability was key, even within the context of a story about a flying house. And while a major part of instilling that believability must come from a well-conceived and executed story and script, the animation is no less responsible for winning over potentially skeptical audiences. Balloons, the mother of animation invention May said that the animation department at Pixar never even considered hand-animating the balloons. But even standard computer animation wouldn't be up to the task, because of the N-squared complexity involved in the thousands of interdependent balloons. Instead, the studio's computer whizzes figured out a way to turn the problem over to a programmed physical simulator, which, employing Newtonian physics, was able to address the animation problem. "These are relatively simple physical equations, so you program them into the computer and therefore kind of let the computer animate things for you, using those physics," said May. "So in every frame of the animation, (the computer can) literally compute the forces acting on those balloons, (so) that they're buoyant, that their strings are attached, that wind is blowing through them. And based on those forces, we can compute how the balloon should move." This process is known as procedural animation, and is described by an algorithm or set of equations, and is in stark contrast to what is known as key frame animation, in which the animators explicitly define the movement of an object or objects in every frame. Procedural animation has been around for some time, but May suggested that even the most difficult uses of it in the past don't come close to what Pixar had to achieve in "Up." Pixar fans may remember the scenes in "Cars" of a stadium full of 300,000 car "fans" cheering on a high-speed race below, each of which was independently animated. That, too, was done with procedural animation, May said, since creating so many cars individually would have been a non-starter. But even that complex computation problem didn't approach the balloon cluster issue in "Up": the "Cars" scene involved no interdependent physics. Getting the simulator humming properly is no easy task, as one might imagine. May said it involves setting rules for how individual objects should behave, giving the computer these initial conditions, and then "let it run." Oddly, because the simulator does indeed run with those conditions and rules and the peculiarities of physics, the animators found themselves without precise control of what would happen with the balloons--or other objects in the film animated using these techniques. "If the (balloon cluster) is moving too slow, we increase the amount of wind, and then run the simulator again," May said. "Then maybe we turn the wind down. It's a little fun science experiment where sometimes, hopefully by the end, we're getting what we want." Losing control of balloons Sometimes, given the vagaries of physics and chaos theory, unexpected things happen. The computer team inputs the rules and because some of the initial conditions are random, "you get semi-random results." One of May's favorite examples is that early in the film, when the house first is hoisted aloft by the balloons, a small group of the balloons actually broke off of the main cluster. May said that this breakaway group of balloons is actually visible--albeit very briefly--in "Up." Eagle-eyed moviegoers can see the escaped balloons in the upper right-hand side of the screen, he said. "We didn't mean for that to happen," he said, "but (we said) 'It's cool, let's keep it.'" Even being able to make such choices wasn't possible at the beginning of the film's production, however. May said Pixar's physical simulator, an open-source program called ODE, couldn't initially handle the complexity of modeling the behavior of more than 10,000 balloons. "We could handle about 500 (balloons), and we knew we needed tens of thousands," he said. "We knew we needed to develop a new simulator software pipeline...to handle an order of magnitude more complex simulation." Of course, at Pixar, adjusting to evolving computer needs on the fly is nothing new. In fact, May said the studio has done so in one form or another on many of its films. For example, he said that when the studio made "Monsters, Inc.," it had to figure out how to animate the movie's monsters' fur. Similarly, when Pixar made "Finding Nemo," the animators had to figure out how to simulate underwater scenes. "We had to learn about (how light refracts under water), and murk and how particulates float under water," May said. And in "Up," too, there were additional animation challenges. Among them were figuring out how to animate and render the feathers on Kevin, a bird that is a major character in the film, and how to make the cloth on (main character) Carl's clothes seem believable. Carl's threads were "the hardest clothing we've ever had to animate here," said May, "in part because Carl's a (small) man in an oversized suit. That was another case of (using) the physical simulation, and of setting up rules for how cloth should behave. And the looser the clothing, the more it can behave badly." Even Carl himself presented some animation difficulties, May said, because the character's head is shaped like a cube. Like many other elements in "Up," the cube-shape of Carl's face wasn't a random whim of the director. Rather, it is a story element: May explained that Carl's character is based on someone who, as a young man, was vivacious and adventurous. But as he grew older, his small house became more and more surrounded by buildings, and "it's like his world has compressed him into a square." Thus, a cube-like face. But May said animating his facial expressions, which must fit into this cube shape, was complicated. Smiles, for example, had to come up and wrap around his cheek. Still, for the award-winning filmmakers at Pixar, the goal is to make even the hardest animation problems look simple on the silver screen. As producer Jonas Rivera put it, "The audience looks at (the balloon cluster) and says, 'Oh, that's pretty.' But they have no idea how much work went into it. We worked on that for over a year. (Then) the kid takes off his hat and runs his fingers through his hair. My mother will never know that took 15 people six weeks." © 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. CNET, CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. Used by permission.
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Pixar faced many new technological challenges on its film "Up," opening Friday .
The movie is about an old man who flies away on a house lifted by balloons .
Pixar used a programmed physical simulator to animate thousands of balloons .
Studio's goal is to make even the hardest animation problems look simple on screen .
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11d494256b910a40b45c92afcf80bb6cdc77ddc6
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By . Lillian Radulova . The devastated family of a man who was snatched by a crocodile in Kakadu National Park during a fishing trip last Saturday has been described as a 'hard working family man' who was 'adored by his grandchildren.' Contrary to original reports which said Bill Scott, 62, was leaning over his boat to wash a bucket at the Flying Fox waterhole, the statement said he was 'standing at the rear of his moored boat' when he was attacked and dragged into the water by a 4.7 metre long saltwater crocodile in the mid-afternoon. Scroll down for video . Bill Scott, 62, has been identified as the man who was snatched from his boat by a crocodile, in a tribute statement released by his family on Friday . 'It was fast, over in seconds and suddenly he was gone,' his family wrote. Mr Scott's remains were found inside one of two crocodiles shot dead by officers in South Alligator River on Sunday in the Arnhem Land region of the Northern Territory. 'He was a good bloke who enjoyed a good story and a laugh over a beer with his mates,' the statement said. 'A "mad-keen" fisherman, Bill loved nothing more than packing up the 4WD, fishing rods and heading bush with his family. He regularly visited remote locations, as well as campsites along South Alligator River for 35 plus years.' A specialist search and rescue team searched for the 62-year-old man all through Saturday and Sunday at the Kakadu National Park . The grandfather-of-four's remains were found inside a 4.7 metre long saltwater crocodile which was shot by NT police . At the time of the attack, Mr Scott's wife, son and daughter-in-law were forced to drive an hour off-track to seek help at the nearest small town, Cooinda, due to the lack of phone reception in the area. 'The family offers thanks to the kindness of the Northern Territory Police, Kakadu Rangers and Cooinda Lodge staff and many other friends and strangers who have offered assistance within their means through this difficult time,' the statement said. 'Family and friends are advised that a funeral service for Bill will be held at the Thorak Chapel on Wednesday 18th June at 2pm. 'In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Heart Foundation NT.' It is thought the man, his wife, son and daughter-in-law were in a fishing boat outside of crocodile-management zones patrolled by rangers . The man was attacked by a croc on South Alligator River while he was with his wife, son and daughter-in-law . Mr Scott was on board a boat outside crocodile-management zones patrolled by rangers when the unusual attack happened, sources say. Authorities were stunned to hear that he had been grabbed by the crocodile while on board a boat - a situation that is usually considered safe. However, tourists are warned to beware of crocodiles in any part of Kakadu as an attack is always possible. Cooinda is a popular tourist area in the heart of the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park - where the original Crocodile Dundee movie was shot. The tiny township is on the banks of the Yellow Water Billabong, described as one of the world's most spectacular wetlands. The attack happened at Kakadu National Park's (pictured) South Alligator River .
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The family of Bill Scot, 62, have released tribute statement through police .
The grandfather-of-four was snatched by a 4.7m long saltwater crocodile .
His remains were found inside the croc which was shot by NT police .
He was on a boat with family who witnessed the horrific attack unfold .
The incident happened around lunchtime on Saturday .
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11d4e03910071dbfeaf5bf965e8a8a9dc173092f
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New York (CNN) -- The ninth and 10th suspects arrested in a series of anti-gay beatings in New York were arraigned in Bronx Criminal Court Tuesday evening. Jose Dominguez, 22, who was arrested early Tuesday morning, was charged with sexual abuse, gang assault in the first and second degree, unlawful imprisonment, criminal possession of a weapon, hate crime, and harassment, according to the complaint filed in court. Ruddy Vargas-Perez, 22, was charged with 10 charges including four counts of robbery, gang assault in the second degree, unlawful imprisonment, criminal possession of a weapon, hate crime, and harassment, according to the complaint. His bail was set at $25,000. Despite the complaint stating the 10 charges brought against Vargas-Perez, his attorney, Benjamin Heinrich, maintains his client is only charged with robbery. "He had nothing to do with any of that horrific conduct and he was as mortified as we all are by what happened to that poor man," Heinrich said. "And we see that he hasn't been charged with that." The courtroom was packed with Vargas-Perez' family and friends who gathered outside after the arraignment holding signs with his picture and chanting, "Ruddy." "We said it once and we'll say it again, that my brother was innocent through all this time and he was not guilty. And we deserve an apology from the government," said his brother, Raul Sweeney. Vargas-Perez was taken into custody late Monday afternoon, the New York Police Department said. Heinrich told reporters his client was "absolutely not" involved in the October 3 attacks. Of the other eight suspects in the attacks, six have been ordered held without bail and bail for two others has been set at $100,000. The case involved three victims being held against their will by as many as 10 assailants who beat them in a vacant apartment and sodomized two of them, New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said Friday. A fourth victim was beaten and robbed in connection with the attacks, which New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg described as "torture." "I was sickened by the brutal nature of these crimes and saddened at the anti-gay bias that contributed to them," Bloomberg said Saturday. "Hate crimes such as these strike fear into all of us." The string of attacks began when members of a street gang calling themselves the Latin King Goonies learned that an aspiring member is gay, authorities said. According to Kelly, the 17-year-old pledge was forced into an unoccupied apartment around 3:30 a.m. Sunday and questioned about his contact with a 30-year-old man. He was thrown into a wall, forced to strip naked, hit in the head with a beer can, cut with a box cutter and sodomized with the wooden handle of a plunger, the commissioner said. His assailants let him go, but threatened to hurt him or his family if he talked, Kelly said. The victim went to a hospital for treatment, but claimed his injuries were from an attack by unknown assailants on the street, the commissioner said. The same day, another 17-year-old was beaten and questioned about the same 30-year-old man, robbed of jewelry and held against his will in the same vacant apartment, Kelly said. About an hour after that, the 30-year-old man was lured to the location where the second 17-year-old was being held, was forced to strip naked and was tied to a chair opposite the teenager, Kelly said. The teenager was forced to hit the older male several times in the face and burn him with cigarettes, after which the suspects assaulted him with their fists and a chain and sodomized him with a small baseball bat, the commissioner said. The 30-year-old man was later dumped outside his home, he added. Five of the suspects then went to the apartment the 30-year-old victim shared with his older brother and let themselves in using a key they'd taken from the man, Kelly explained. They beat the man's brother and demanded money from him. When he refused, the assailants put a cell phone to his ear and he heard his younger brother say that he was being held against his will and to "give them the money," the commissioner said. The older brother told the suspects where they could find the money, after which they tied him up and left the apartment, Kelly added. All ten of the suspects live in the Bronx, police said. The hate crimes task force took over the investigation, Kelly said, and coordinated with the Bronx Gang Division and Bronx Special Victims Squad to help identify and capture the suspects. Pending charges against them include unlawful imprisonment, abduction, sodomy, assault, robbery, and menacing, all as hate crimes, the commissioner said. The crimes and arrests have attracted national attention. "It is tragic to see what hate can do," Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, a national gay rights group, said Saturday. "These three men were brutally attacked ... simply for who they are." CNN's Elise Zeiger, Christina Romano, Susan Candiotti and Julie Cannold contributed to this report.
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The ninth and 10 suspects are arraigned .
Vargas-Perez' lawyer says his client is only charged with robbery .
Eight other suspects were arraigned Sunday .
The suspects face charges of abduction, sodomy assault and robbery .
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11d545b5c309ab3ad83411e730a608e3763d5d4b
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Furious activists fighting against anti-Semitism have demanded that a French hamlet changes its name from 'Death to Jews'. Anger against the small settlement of La-Mort-aux-Juifs - which has a population of less than 20 and is around 60 miles south of Paris - comes amid increasing claims of anti-Jewish prejudice in France. The Simon Wiesenthal Centre, an . internationally renowned Jewish pressure group, has now sent a letter to . France's Interior Minister to complain about the hamlet's name, and . express shock that nothing has previously been done to address its . controversial moniker. Controversial: Anger against the small settlement of La-Mort-aux-Juifs (pictured) - which has a population of less than 20 and is 60 miles south of Paris - comes amid increasing claims of anti-Jewish prejudice in France . Shimon . Samuels, director of the SWC, said he was 'shocked to discover the . existence of a village in France officially called 'Death to Jews'. Referring . to the Second World War Nazi Occupation and the French collaborator . government, Mr Samuels added: 'It is extremely shocking that this name . has slipped under the radar in the 70 years that have passed since . France was liberated from Nazism and the Vichy regime.' Local police and the national railway, the SNCF, assisted the Nazis during the Holocaust, which saw about 76,000 French Jews murdered. Many more were persecuted in major cities, including Paris, where 'round-ups' were regularly carried out by the Nazis. But the deputy mayor of the village of Courtemaux - population 289 - which has jurisdiction over 'La-Mort-aux-Juifs', said nobody had anything to be ashamed of. 'It's ridiculous. This name has always existed,' said Marie-Elizabeth Secretand, in an interview with France's national news agency, AFP. 'No one has anything against the Jews, of course. It doesn't surprise me that this is coming up again.' History: Local police and the national railway, the SNCF, assisted the Nazis during the Holocaust, which saw about 76,000 French Jews (pictured) murdered . Changing the name would require a decision by the municipal council, and Ms Secretand said this was unlikely to be successful. 'Why change a name that goes back to the Middle Ages or even further?,' she said. 'We should respect these old names. 'A previous municipal council, at least 20 years ago, already refused to change the name of this hamlet, which consists of a farm and two houses.' The Israeli offensive against Gaza, in which hundreds of civilians including young children have died, has led to claims of increased anti-Semitism in France. Others say that the increasing electoral success of the far-right National Front, whose founder Jean Marie Le Pen is a convicted anti-Semite, is another reason why Jews are feeling unsafe. There are currently around 500,000 Jews in France, but many are expressing a desire to emigrate to places where they will feel more secure. Castrillo Matajudios - which means 'Castrillo Kill Jews' - is a Spanish village which voted to change its name in May.
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Small settlement has been named La-Mort-aux-Juifs since the Middle Ages .
Has population of less than 20 and consists of just a farm and two houses .
Name is causing anger amid increasing claims of anti-Semitism in France .
Activists demand village's name is changed, but local deputy mayor refused .
Marie-Elizabeth Secretand described the anger as 'ridiculous', adding: 'No one has anything against the Jews, of course'
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11d65511463a988ad646a08c0aafa03d50de90cc
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(CNN) -- President Barack Obama on Monday will announce Thomas E. Perez, U.S. assistant attorney general heading the Justice Department's civil rights division, as his nominee for the next secretary of the Department of Labor, according to a White House official. A former federal prosecutor and an official in his home state of Maryland, Perez was sworn into his current post in October 2009. CNN's Jessica Yellin reported earlier this month that Obama would name Perez to the Cabinet position. If approved, he would take the position recently held by Hilda L. Solis, a former congresswoman who resigned in January. In a letter to colleagues announcing her departure, Solis said she'd "taken our mission to heart." "As the daughter of parents who worked in factories, paid their union dues and achieved their goal of a middle class life, and as the first Latina to head a major federal agency, it has been an incredible honor to serve," she wrote. Perez, who is himself Hispanic, and his office have been active in several high-profile cases in recent years. They include: . -- In 2010, Perez launched a probe into the law enforcement tactics of Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio after the controversial sheriff's hard line anti-immigration policies led to accusations of civil rights violations. The Justice Department determined that Arpaio had engaged in "pattern or practice of wide-ranging discrimination against Latinos and retaliatory actions against individuals who criticized" his department's activities. Arpaio condemned the investigation as politically motivated and a "witch hunt" provoked by the Obama administration's disfavor of the state's controversial immigration law. -- In October 2010, Perez filed a legal brief in response to a lawsuit brought by local landowners trying to prevent the construction of a mosque in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. In the friend-of-the court brief, Perez argued that practicing Islam is a freedom protected under the First Amendment of the Constitution. -- Perez also became involved in a controversial 2008 voting rights case after it drew attention from Republican lawmakers and became the target of a Justice Department Inspector General's report that slapped the department's voting rights section for having a lack of professionalism and pervasive warring between employees who disagreed politically. The case stemmed from a complaint against members of the New Black Panther Party who stood outside a polling station in Philadelphia on Election Day dressed in boots and berets and carrying a nightstick. Though civil charges for attempted voter intimidation were filed by the Bush Administration, they were dropped against three of four defendants after President Obama came in to office. Republicans called foul -- accusing the department's political leadership of getting involved in the decision. Though Perez had not yet been confirmed when the decision was made, he said in testimony to Inspector General Michael Horowitz in May 2010 that politics played no part in the decision. Horowitz was not satisfied with Perez's account of the situation, saying in his report that Perez should have tried to get more information before testifying. Perez was not accused of any wrongdoing, but he has been criticized for not doing enough to improve what the Inspector General described as a dysfunctional department with persistent ideological polarization spanning two administrations. Before rising to the Justice Department position, Perez led Maryland's Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. This office is charged with "safeguarding workers, protecting consumers, providing a safety net and cultivating a thriving workforce," according to its website. Perez also was on the Montgomery County Council from 2002 to 2006. He had earlier spent 12 years as an attorney in the Justice Department's civil rights division, rising to become deputy assistant attorney general during the 1990s. Perez also worked for late Sen. Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, and spent the final two years of President Bill Clinton's administration as head of the Health and Human Services Department's civil rights office. CNN's Greg Botelho contributed to this report.
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Thomas Perez will be the nominee for labor secretary .
In the Justice Department's civil rights division, he had been involved in high-profile cases .
He will replace Hilda Solis, who resigned in January .
He was a prosecutor and elected official in Maryland .
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11d6b721cfcde52bfe65f6cc5e633ba02d228452
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On any other day, she would certainly have stood out from the crowd. But the Queen almost blended into the background at a children’s hospital in Australia yesterday – because the staff’s shocking pink uniforms perfectly matched her Stewart Parvin crepe coat. The monarch couldn’t help smiling when she spotted the co-ordinated line-up that awaited her as she opened the £65million Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. Seeing the funny side: The Queen smiles at how the nurses' shocking pink uniforms match her Stewart Parvin crepe coat . It came on the same day it was revealed that the Queen’s grandson William and his wife Kate will help victims of . famine in East Africa by packing aid boxes for UNICEF. Elsewhere in Melbourne, the Queen continued attracting plenty of attention – particularly when she swapped her usual chauffeur-driven cars for a trip on public transport. As she settled into a seat on the number 72 tram for an eight-minute journey along St Kilda Road, her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, joked to driver Joyleen Smith: ‘Let’s go. We’re running late!’ The pair’s seniors’ concessions tickets – at £1.80 each – were paid for by their Australian equerry, Commander Andrew Willis. It is the first time the Queen has travelled by tram since she boarded one during the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002. All aboard! The Queen and Prince Philip ride on an electric tram through Melbourne city centre, past huge crowds of well wishers . Memory lane: It is the first time the Queen has travelled by tram since she boarded one during the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002 . School girls in their sun hats wave as the Queen and Prince Phillip ride on the royal tram down St Kilda Road . Complete with 'sunnies', 'Arki' awaits the Queen alongside two well-wishers who have prepared their own banner . In honour of the royal passengers, . the white Z3-Class vehicle had been transformed with a red, white and . blue exterior colour scheme and inside it had been refurbished and . restored. A dot-matrix . screen at its front displayed the world's 'Royal Tram' while a smaller . one was lit-up with the monarch's initials 'ER'. Ms Smith, a tram driver for almost seven years, described today's event as an 'honour'. She . added: 'When they got on I said hello to the Queen, and Philip said, . "Come on driver, let's go, we're running late", so I thought we better . go. 'He said it with a smile on his face and I know he's got a wicked sense of humour.' The . Queen and the Duke boarded the tram at Stop 13 in Melbourne's . Federation Square and travelled along St Kilda Road to a reception and . lunch with local politicians at Government House. They . had been held up during a walkabout through the square as dozens of . well-wishers had wanted to hand flowers and presents to the royals as . tens of thousands looked on. The royal couple sat facing each other with the Premier of Victoria, Ted Baillieu, and his wife Robyn sat side-by-side close by. Refurbished: In honour of the royal passengers, the white Z3-Class vehicle had been restored inside and had its exterior transformed with a red, white and blue exterior colour scheme . Disembarking: The Queen and the Duke boarded the tram at Stop 13 in Melbourne's Federation Square and travelled along St Kilda Road to a reception and lunch with local politicians at Government House . Tram driver Joyleen Smith (left) said Prince Philip had a 'wicked sense of humour. Supporters in Federation Square (right) hold up a placard as they patiently await the Queen's arrival . The . Queen may be more used to travelling in a chauffeur driven state . Bentley or Rolls-Royce but she appeared at home on public transport. And . like any other passenger she had to pay her way - although her . Australian equerry Commander Andrew Willis had the job of buying her . ticket. They used a . myki - a pre-paid travel card - but it is not known if they chose the . two-hour zone one fare costing 3.80 Australian dollars (£2.38) or opted . for the cheaper 2.80-dollar (£1.73) senior citizen option. Four . mounted officers from Victoria Police escorted the royal tram which . travelled at walking pace, around 3mph, during the eight-minute journey. Among . the two horses that led the way was Super Impressive, a former . racehorse that had earned around 1.5 million Australian dollars . (£900,000) during its former career. The royal couple waved at the thousands who lined their route and the crowds cheered and screamed in response. Their . journey took them along part of the route of the number 8 tram which . runs from Brunswick depot to the wealthy Melbourne suburb of Toorak. Ms . Smith, who drives trams along the inner-city routes 1, 8 and 19, said . she had taken commuters along the stretch of track used by the royals . hundreds of times. Huge crowds turned out to greet the royal party as they made their way through downtown Melbourne . Camera phones at the ready, these youngsters are all smiles as they meet the Queen . Flags and flowers: Still the bouquets keep on coming as the Queen makes her way past the crowds . Youngsters wait for the Queen to move along the red carpet so they can hand over the flowers they have been patiently holding . Now what have we here... Prince Philip examines flowers he has been given to hand over to the Queen . She . added: 'A couple of times I got a little overwhelmed and thought I was . going to cry - all the people were waving at her. At one point I even . waved at someone I recognised. 'But despite being nervous at first it was overwhelming, what an honour to drive the Queen.' Earlier, . the Queen had met two former conjoined twins when she opened the Royal Children's Hospital - one of the . world's leading centres for paediatric health care and clinical support. The institution cost more than one billion Australian . dollars (£65million) to build, and is the largest project of its kind in the . Commonwealth country. Trishna . and Krishna Mollick were born joined at the top of their heads and . shared brain tissue and blood vessels but were successfully separated in . November 2009. The scene in Federation Square, Melbourne where huge crowds gathered to see the royal walk-about. The yellow building in the background is Flinders Street railway station . A young girl offers out her hand to the Queen as two elder children await their turn on the red carpet . The . twins, now aged five and originally from Bangladesh, had intended to . greet the Queen with a curtsy but for Trishna the occasion became too . much. Overwhelmed by all the applause, she ran off when the Queen approached her, leading the monarch to ask: 'Where's she gone?' Trishna's legal guardian, Moira Kelly, explained: 'She's got a bit frightened by all the clapping.' The Queen smiled and as she walked on little Trishna reappeared and performed a ballerina curtsy in the distance. As well as its state-of-the-art . medical equipment, the hospital has one unusual feature - a large . aquarium and a meerkat enclosure to help soften the mood in the . institution for the children. The . hospital's chairman Tony Beddison said the idea was to have a facility . which was not foreboding or frightening to the young patients. When . the royal tour of Melbourne took the Queen and duke to a gallery of . Australian art, Philip found himself getting the wrong end of the stick. All those involved saw the funny side as the confusion arose over an actual stick, meant to be a gift to the Queen. The Queen receives flowers from Miora Kelly as she holds previously conjoined twin Krishna. Her shy twin sister Trishna hides from the monarch (right) Although . possibly one of the more modest gifts the Queen has received in her . 59-year reign, the eucalyptus twig in question was, in fact, art. It . was part of an Aboriginal-inspired collaborative artwork in which . children have painted messages on sticks and made a nest out of them. When . she was presented with the stick and its message of hope and . sustainability by 16-year-old Eli Ivey, the Queen looked suitably . grateful during her tour of the Ian Potter Centre, part of the National . Gallery of Victoria. Philip, . however, did not twig the significance of the item and said: 'Put it on . the nest,' prompting the assembled dignitaries to burst out laughing. It . may not have been what was planned, but Eli did not need asking twice, . and dutifully took it over to the Bunjil's Nest sculpture, where he . carefully laid it with the other sticks. The teenager refused to be downhearted following his royal setback. 'It was fine,' he said. 'The Queen appreciated the stick.' The Queen meets aboriginal artist Muntararr Rosie Williams at the Ian Potter Centre in Melbourne which forms part of the National Gallery of Victoria. The Bunjil's Nest sculpture, within the gallery is, shown to the Queen .
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Hospital workers' uniforms offset HM's Stewart Parvin crepe coat .
The monarch travelled on a tram for first time Queen has since Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002 .
'Wicked joker' Prince Philip waved his hand and ordered driver to set off .
Visit took place as William and Kate vowed to help victims of famine .
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11d6d31e659bcca3affaeb59e3804eff7eca1a89
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Vice Admiral Simon Lister says the Navy is overly reliant on civilians to repair its craft, which are then left limping back to port for repairs . A serving Admiral has launched a scathing attack on the state of the Royal Navy, claiming it has been reduced to a collection of broken-down ships and ageing submarines whose crews are demoralised and poorly trained. In an extremely unusual move for such a high-ranking officer, Vice Admiral Simon Lister blamed Government spending cuts for undermining the Navy’s ability to carry out its duties. Admiral Lister complained that: . Admiral Lister, who joined the Navy in 1978, is a nuclear and engineering expert. Writing in a military journal, he said: ‘The price of unrelenting operational tempo is unsustainable pressure on engineers as every opportunity for maintenance is squeezed out of busy programmes. ‘For example, the lack of operators trained to stream and recover Type 23 towed sonar. ‘Overall material readiness continues to decline. From the submarine perspective, the numbers of force elements at readiness have been driven low by late delivery of Astute [a new model of submarine] and platform ageing. ‘Support is increasingly over-reliant on [civilians] for repair. This philosophy builds in declining competence and confidence.’ Admiral Lister cited the submarine HMS Trenchant, which was due to be retired in 2011, yet completed a 333-day deployment – the longest-ever by a British nuclear vessel – over 2012-13. HMS Dauntless, a £1bn destroyer, was forced to abandon exercises in February after suffering a loss of power . A number of vessels have also had to be towed back to Britain after malfunctioning at sea. In February, HMS Dauntless, a destroyer, was forced to abandon exercises and seek emergency repairs after losing power. The 8,000-ton ship, which cost more than £1 billion to build, suffered a similar problem off Senegal in 2012, as did her sister ship HMS Daring in 2009 and 2012. Engineers were unable to fix the faults and the ships had to limp to the nearest port. In his report, published in The Naval Engineer, Admiral Lister also criticised a ‘churn and outflow’ of staff, which was coupled with ‘reduced training investment and increasing transfer of engineering responsibility to [civilians].’ The MoD said: ‘The Admiral is merely pointing out the obvious facts given the shortage of engineers across the maritime industry. 'It is a challenge to recruit and retain these skilled personnel. We are offering incentives and excellent training.’
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Vice Admiral Simon Lister has attacked Government spending cuts .
Claims they have left Navy with broken-down ships and demoralised crews .
Added that force is overly-reliant on civilians to repair ageing vessels .
On a recent mission, there were not enough sailors able to use the Type 23 Frigate’s towed sonar array – needed to track Russia’s nuclear submarines.
Ships grind to a halt at sea because no time is set aside for basic maintenance before they sail – and when problems arise, crews are incapable of finding or fixing the faults.
Officers don’t receive necessary training and rely on civilian consultants to solve technical problems, causing a drain on skills.
Budget constraints mean the Navy buys second-rate equipment.
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11d6fa81a54afb7202e4d1dd8e7415adc1ce748d
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(CNN) -- At his son's 11th birthday party, just before everyone was about to sing "Happy Birthday" and cut the cake, 46-year-old Dr. Carlos Zayas stepped on to the porch of his Atlanta home to take a call from another doctor about a particularly sick patient. While on the phone, Zayas reached up absent-mindedly and touched his neck. He felt a lump on the right side. Then he felt a lump on the other side. Feeling a bit panicky, he unbuttoned his pants and felt for lumps in his groin. They were there, easy to feel. In just seconds, his "doctor's mind," as he calls it, added it all up. The fatigue he'd been feeling recently, the weakness, the lumps all meant one thing: cancer. When he went to the doctor, he found out it was peripheral T-cell lymphoma, one of the rarest and most aggressive blood cancers there is. Twenty-four rounds of chemotherapy with 18 different drugs couldn't stop its spread. A transplant with Zayas' own bone marrow did nothing. He needed a transplant with someone else's marrow or he would die. As chairman of the department of transplantation at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, Zayas had helped countless patients find donors. Now it was his turn. Zayas' search failed, and there's one major reason for that: He's Hispanic. The search for the perfect donor . If you're looking for a kidney, finding the perfect match isn't absolutely crucial -- there's considerable wiggle room. But with blood cancers, there's little wiggle room. You need a perfect -- or nearly perfect -- bone marrow match, and you're much more likely to find that with someone of your own ethnicity. Hispanics have only a 33% chance of finding a perfect match on Be The Match, the national bone marrow donor registry, according to Dr. Willis Navarro, the medical director for transplant medical services for the registry. Partly that's because relatively few Hispanics sign up to donate: They represent 10% of people on the registry, yet 16% of the U.S. population. Language barriers explain the low rate to some extent, and so does the fact that Hispanics who are in the United States illegally are often reluctant to sign up, even though the registry doesn't share their information with the government. The other reason for the difficulty is that Hispanics often have a varied genetic background that can include European, African and Native American roots. "I'm Spanish, French and Portuguese. That's why it's so hard to match me," Zayas says. "And a lot of Hispanics are like me, with a weird combination of genes." Through a long series of medical interventions, few of which his doctors thought would work, Zayas lived, and today he's devoted himself to helping other Hispanics looking for donors. Zayas' story: A 10% chance at life . After discovering the lumps that February night in 2009, Zayas ended his phone call and went inside his house. He tried not to look panicked as he sang "Happy Birthday" to his son, also named Carlos. After the party guests left and Carlos and his two sisters had gone to bed, Zayas closed their bedroom door and told his wife, Rita, what he'd found, and that he knew it was bad news. The next year was filled with the aggressive chemotherapy and the transplant with his own bone marrow, both of which failed. An international search for a marrow donor yielded no perfect matches and one nearly perfect match -- nine out of 10 antigens matched -- but that donor backed out. "My doctors gave me a 10% chance of living," Zayas said. "Then I thought about my brother, Hector, who was an eight out of 10 match. But a transplant with a match like that can kill you faster than the actual cancer." Zayas was out of options. "I made my plea to my doctors to use Hector's marrow," he remembers. "I said, 'I know my chances. Please consider it.' " His doctors agreed. In June 2010, they destroyed Zayas' immune system so it would accept his brother's cells and then they gave him Hector's marrow. Throughout that summer, Zayas and his family waited to see if Hector's cells would work in his body. "Please don't leave me," Rita would say to him every night. "I'm not planning on leaving you," he would reply. "I'm going to fight and God is going to help me." Zayas did develop graft-versus-host disease, the dreaded consequences of a poorly matched transplant. Hector's cells attacked his cells. Already too slim, he lost 30 pounds. Tumors grew in places where they hadn't been before. Then, just when it looked like he was at a low point, Zayas started to get better. Today, he's back full time at his job at Piedmont Hospital. A second chance . Zayas attributes his recovery to excellent medical care at Piedmont, the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, but he also credits his faith. "I thank God all the time for this second chance," he says. Zayas first trained as a priest in his native Puerto Rico before he made the difficult decision to leave the seminary and go to medical school. "I studied theology, but my call really was to serve others through the gift of medicine," he says. "I was born to be a doctor." Now he takes time to help other Hispanics find bone marrow donors, including Isaac del Valle, a teenager who lives not far from Zayas in Alpharetta, Georgia . Isaac's story . Like Zayas, Isaac, 16, has a mixed background -- his father is Mexican and his mother is of Irish descent -- and like Zayas, his road has been long. Found to have leukemia in March 2006, Isaac was treated and went into remission. In May, his family and friends gathered at a local Mexican restaurant to celebrate five years of survival. "Five years is such a huge milestone, and we felt like the world had been lifted off our shoulders," says his mother, Linda del Valle. But then a few days later, they got a call from the teen's doctors. They'd found something suspicious in his last blood test, and Isaac needed to come back in for a spinal tap and a bone marrow biopsy. Those tests revealed the leukemia had returned. "It was just devastating, and that's not even a strong enough word," del Valle says. Isaac immediately joined a clinical trial with an experimental chemotherapy drug, and the search for a bone marrow donor began in earnest. They found one perfect match through the registry, but that donor, for reasons the del Valles don't know, didn't work out. Now they have no choice but to proceed with a transplant from either his parents or his two sisters, who, like Zayas' brother, are far from perfect matches. When Zayas heard about Isaac through an e-mail that had been forwarded several times over, he went to a recent bone marrow drive for him. He couldn't donate to Isaac himself since he's had lymphoma, but he brought with him test results from his wife, three children, four brothers and three half-sisters in hopes that they might be matches for Isaac. "It's extremely heartwarming -- it's just amazing," del Valle says. "It just kind of leaves you in awe that people who don't even know your son would step forward and help." At the drive, Zayas spoke with Isaac. "I told him, I understand how you're feeling, how it is to wait and not have a donor," Zayas remembers. "I told him there's light at the end of the tunnel, and I'm here to do all I can for you." It turned out none of Zayas' relatives was a match for Isaac. Now both, doctor and patient, or actually patient and patient, wait to see if anyone can save Isaac. For information on joining the national bone marrow registry, visit bethematch.org. To learn more about Isaac, visit the website of CNN affiliate WXIA-TV in Atlanta.
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Near-perfect match needed in bone marrow transplants .
Hispanics have a 33% chance of finding the perfect bone marrow .
Atlanta doctor nearly died from lymphoma .
He's committed to helping other Hispanics such as ill teen find right match .
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(CNN) -- Former world champion Ricky Hatton has had his boxing license revoked after damaging revelations about his personal life. The British Boxing Board of Control took action against the 31-year-old for "bringing the sport into disrepute." They ruled his "current physical condition is such that the Board decided to withdraw his boxer's licence." Hatton admitted he was suffering from depression and a drink problem after a tabloid newspaper published video footage of the boxer allegedly using cocaine. Hatton, a former world light-welterweight champion, last fought in a May 2009 showdown with Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas, being knocked out in the second round. Hatton, who had massive following for his all-action style, was also beaten in another money-spinning bout in Nevada by Floyd Mayweather Junior. After the revelations in the News of the World, the British board called a hearing on Wednesday and issued their judgment Thursday. Hatton was also fined £20,000 pounds ($31,388) and had his manager license revoked, but they will allow him to continue as a promoter. The board said they were allowing Hatton to continue in this role because of the effect on "innocent persons" who were employed by his organization, including other professional boxers.
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Former world boxing champion Ricky Hatton has his boxing license revoked .
Hatton was filmed allegedly using cocaine in a tabloid newspaper sting .
Hatton lost super fights against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao .
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By . Luke Salkeld . PUBLISHED: . 04:38 EST, 21 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:47 EST, 21 October 2013 . Police are investigating the ‘Fagin’ lifestyle of a jobless mother of 11 who claims she only survives thanks to a network of shoplifters. Heather Frost, who has never worked and is reputed to claim up to £60,000 a year in benefits, was filmed buying goods from sellers at her front door, including washing powder and clothes. ‘Everybody has to get their goods off shoplifters don’t they?’ she said. Earlier this year, it emerged the 37-year-old and her family were to be given a £500,000 eco-home paid for by the taxpayer. Now she is causing outrage again after she appeared to praise shoplifters who supply her with cheap groceries. Home: Frost stands in the doorway of her current home which is to be totally remodelled at taxpayer's expense . Putting them away: The mother of 11 then started stacking the goods, like these air fresheners, she 'couldn't survive without' New buys: Ms Frost appeared to have bought these clothes as part of a consignment delivered to her door . Family affair: Frost pictured with her 11 children including Toby, 19, and Sophie, 21, who also live on benefits . On a television documentary, Miss Frost was shown paying for the allegedly stolen household goods. It has been suggested they were supplied by local shoplifters who sell them on at knockdown prices. After paying a ‘seller’ for the items at her front door, she was seen in the documentary stacking her purchases in the kitchen. She then told an interviewer: ‘I couldn’t survive without these. ‘I’d be lost without my shoplifters because they bring my washing powder. They do it at half price what the shop does.’ Unrepentant: Heather Frost with one of her nine daughters at their taxpayer-funded six-bedroom home . Outspoken: In the aftermath of the controversy, Frost appeared on Good Morning to defend herself . Miss . Frost was being featured in On Benefits And Proud, which was made in . the wake of widespread coverage of her plans to move into a brand new . taxpayer-funded home with her family. But her comments have prompted a police investigation into her shopping habits at home in Churchdown, Gloucestershire. A . spokesman for Gloucestershire Police said: ‘We are aware of the . comments that were made on the Channel 5 programme regarding shoplifting . and the purchase of stolen goods. 'A 37-year-old woman has been officially interviewed after a caution at a police station and an investigation is ongoing.’ The documentary about families whose lives are supported by the state claimed Miss Frost receives £60,000 a year in benefits. Screened last Monday, it featured her quest to move into a council-funded eco-home. She said on the show: ‘Yes, it is my choice to have a large family but there is no law to say how many kids you can have.’ Miss Frost was due to move into a specially built six-bedroom home after she complained that her existing home was not safe. Just weeks later she was refused the new home in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, when it was said not to meet her needs. The . 1,850 sq ft detached property was designed with state-of-the-art . technology to cut electricity bills – but it has now been given to . another family. She currently lives with her children, aged from three to 21, in two terrace houses that have been knocked together. In . the film, the foul-mouthed 37-year-old from Gloucestershire is seen . telling her friends that as far as angry taxpayers are concerned, her . view is 'f*** the lot of them.' 'It's a f***ing s****y council house,' she adds. 'Everyone wants to believe what they read in the f***ing papers don't . they. 'Every child needs a house, a roof over their head I should say, . don't they? It . wasn't our choice for the council to build a new house, it was theirs. 'No one's put a gun to their f***ing head. I think they [other people] . are jealous. F*** the lot of them! Everyone's entitled to their opinion . but everyone's entitled to a place to live.' Frost, . who receives the equivalent of £60,000 a year, is now looking forward . to a council-funded renovation of her current home, which will see the . two three-bedroom houses she currently occupies knocked together to . create a permanent six-bedroom house. Controversial: This is the moment Ms Frost opened the door and apparently paid for stolen goods . Renovation: This three-bedroom home and the one next door will be renovated for the Frost family . The cost of the renovation will run into thousands of pounds, and includes a new kitchen and bedrooms. But, . despite the vast expense to taxpayers, who spend a staggering £100 . million on benefits every day according to Government figures, Frost, . who has never had a full time job, says the system is put there to help . people like her. 'Yes, people don't agree with the . benefits system and s*** like that but the benefits system is put there . to help people that can't go out and work,' she asserts. 'Yes, it's my choice and my . decision to have a large family but there's no law out there to say how . many kids you can have or can't have. There's people out there with more . kids than me, that's my argument.' She adds: 'Fred . West or someone who murdered someone wouldn't have got as much s*** in . the press as what I got. 'You only get what you're entitled to. We . have to budget. You know, a weekly shop costs quite a bit, then gas and . electric for both houses - it's all got to come out of it. 'By the end . of the week, you can guarantee you're skint. We can't afford to take the . kids to Spain or on posh holidays.' Frost says she is looking forward to . seeing what kind of response those who do eventually get the £500,000 . home she almost moved into. 'Are the people who get it going to get as . much grief as what I got?' she asks. 'The £500,000 house was built for somebody. So lets . see if they get the s*** I got for being allocated it.' Miss . Frost, who is sterile after suffering from cervical cancer in 2011, . first became pregnant when she was 15 to a 23-year-old boyfriend who . ended up in prison. Lost: The £500,000 home described by Frost as 'just a s***y council house' that she won't now be moving into .
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Heather Frost, 37, has 11 children and gets £900 in benefits every week .
She appears in a new documentary and offers her side of the story .
But she admitted on camera she relied on shoplifters to get cheap goods .
Gloucestershire Police say they have interviewed her over the comments .
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By . Emily Allen . UPDATED: . 08:39 EST, 26 March 2012 . Former New Zealand cricket captain Chris Cairns won £90,000 libel damages today over an accusation of match-fixing which he said turned his achievements to 'dust'. The 41-year-old, who notched up the rare double of 200 wickets and 3,000 runs in his 62 Tests, had sued Lalit Modi, ex-chairman of Twenty20 franchise the Indian Premier League (IPL), over an 'unequivocal allegation' on Twitter in January 2010. He was not at London’s High Court for the ruling by Mr Justice Bean, who heard the case without a jury. Scroll down for reaction outside court . Damages: Former New Zealand cricket captain Chris Cairns, left, won £90,000 libel damages against Lalit Modi, right, over an accusation of match fixing which he said turned his achievements to 'dust' The judge said that Modi had . 'singularly failed' to provide any reliable evidence that Cairns was . involved in match-fixing or spot-fixing, or even that there were strong . grounds for suspicion that he was. He said: 'It is obvious that an . allegation that a professional cricketer is a match-fixer goes to the . core attributes of his personality and, if true, entirely destroys his . reputation for integrity. 'The allegation is not as serious as . one of involvement in terrorism or sexual offences (to take two examples . from recent cases). But it is otherwise as serious an allegation as . anyone could make against a professional sportsman.' The judge heard that Modi’s tweet was picked up by cricket website Cricinfo. When Cairns complained, Cricinfo . withdrew its report, paid damages and apologised - but Modi declined to . apologise and pleaded justification, maintaining that the charge was . true. Cricket star: Chris Cairns of New Zealand in action during the Twenty20 International match between New Zealand and the West Indies in 2006 . Cairns’s case was that it was 'wholly . untrue' and a very grave libel which could destroy all he had achieved . over a distinguished 20-year career. In evidence, he said: 'The defendant’s allegations have also had a profound effect on my personal and private life. Cricket star: Chris Cairns hits 84 runs against England at Lords and sets a world record for sixes in test match cricket in 2004 . 'It put a strain on my marriage. It hurts that my wife may think that I am not the man she thought I was. 'It hurts me too that friends, many of . whom are former cricketing foes, will question my integrity as a man . and a sportsman and that all I achieved in the great game of cricket is . dust.' In 2007 and 2008, Cairns captained the . Chandigarh Lions in three competitions in the Indian Cricket League . (ICL), which flourished briefly before the ascendancy of the IPL. The allegation made by Modi related . to the second and third of these competitions, between March and April . 2008 and October and November that year. Later, Cairns said in a statement: . 'Today’s verdict lifts a dark cloud that has been over me for the past . two years. I feel mixed emotions. 'Firstly, sadness that I should ever . have had to put myself, my friends and my family through this because of . one man’s misdirected allegations. 'But I also feel great joy because my . past career has come through unscathed and remains intact and because I . had the courage to stand up in the highest court to defend my name.' He added: 'Lastly, I feel great relief that I am able to walk into any cricket ground in the world with my head held high.' The judge granted Modi permission to . appeal over the amount of damages but refused permission on the question . of liability, although Modi’s lawyers are set to pursue that . application with the Court of Appeal direct. He also ordered Modi to pay £400,000 on account of costs to Cairns’ solicitors within 28 days.
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Chris Cairns said the accusation turned his achievements to 'dust' and put strain on his marriage .
Former IPL chief Lalit Modi 'singularly failed' to provide evidence that he was involved in match-fixing or spot fixing .
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11d975d1204b168aa41ac5dc64b7dd91d9c4cd1d
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A nervous flyer who dashed for the exit door on a Qantas flight forced the plane to return back to Melbourne airport as other passengers feared for their lives. An 18-year-old man become ‘quite fidgety and agitated’ just 15 minutes into a Qantas Link flight to Hobart on Thursday, an airline spokesperson told the ABC. Southern Cross News Tasmania reported other passengers on the plane were terrified as cabin crew attempted to bring the man under control. An 18-year-old man become ‘quite fidgety and agitated’ just 15 minutes into a Qantas Link flight to Hobart . ‘Passengers say he was “playing” with exit door and grew increasingly anxious,’ reporter Mitch Broughton wrote on Twitter. The captain reportedly made the decision to return to Melbourne because they were not far from the airport at about 1pm. Australian Federal Police officers arrived on the scene and interviewed the man. He was not charged with any offences. The passengers onboard, who had their flight disrupted, then took off from Melbourne again 45 minutes later. The flight turned back to Melbourne airport at 1pm, not long after take off .
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An 18-year-old man reportedly began acting erratically 15 minutes into flight .
Passengers claim he tried to open the emergency exit door .
Pilot decided to turn back to Melbourne airport .
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11da59bacbc2a4bc64f2e5e6a0d6da94832a2ee5
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By . Will Payne . and Sara Malm . The biological family of a little girl taken from her foster parents and returned to her jailbird father have branded her adoptive mom and dad, ‘selfish’ for fighting to get her back and vowed never to give her up again. Sonya, aged nine, had been in the care of Kim and David Hodgin, from Dickson, Tennessee for more than seven years, but she was recently handed over to ex-con John McCaul in Omaha, Nebraska. The Hodgin family have released a heart-breaking phone conversation, revealing Sonya’s desperate pleas, begging to be reunited with them. Scroll down for video . Heartbreaking: David and Kim Hodgin had been caring for Sonya, now nine, since before she was two years old, but were forced to see her forcibly returned to her biological father in January . Sonya, pictured with her adoptive father David Hodgin, has been returned to her biological father who served time in prison for transporting arms . Desperate pleas: The Hodgin family has released heartbreaking phone conversations in which Sonya begs to be reunited with them . And they have claimed the school girl, . "cried her eyes out", screaming, "Please don't let them do this, Daddy, . please, Mama, don't let 'em take me," when she was forcibly removed . from them. But a female . relative of McCaul – a convicted felon who served time for transporting . firearms – has hit back at the Hodgins, branding them "selfish" and . accusing them of not have the little girl’s best interests at heart. Speaking . from Omaha, Nebraska, the woman, who asked not to be named, said: ‘This . is not the way to do things. If you don’t get what you want you . shouldn’t behave like they are. ‘They . are spreading all kinds of dirt about John, but they don’t know him. Sonya should never have been with them in the first place. She wasn’t . treated badly. She’s the most important person in John’s life. ‘His . mother, Sonya’s grandmother, never gave up on her and has been fighting . to get her back all this time. Her real family love her. ‘What . is happening now is not in the best interests of the child. They are . foster parents, but they are plastering her picture all over the . internet and selling t-shirts with her face on to pay for lawyers’ fees. I have never seen that kind of behavior. Tragedy: Mrs Hodgin and her husband were just given three hours notice before their adoptive daughter was taken from their home in Dickson County, Tennessee and moved to Omaha, Nebraska . ‘John . has had to take Sonya into hiding because he is being targeted by . people. Some people stole his trash and tried to steal his truck. ‘I . feel sorry for the Hodgin’s because they have a relationship with Sonya . and if it was up to us, they would continue to see her, but they are . making that impossible, because they want to take her back permanently. ‘We . are never going to let that happen. She is family and families don’t . just give up on each other. They have no blood link to her. They have no . right to her and if you ask me, their lawyer needs to tell them to shut . their mouths.’ The . family member also revealed McCaul has been in prison for an armed . robbery as well as transporting a gun across state lines. But she . defended him saying: ‘John got into trouble when he was a kid, I’m not . going to deny that. ‘But the robbery was not his fault. He told some guys how to do a robbery, but he wasn’t with them when they did it. ‘It . was the same with the gun charge. He was running a security firm and he . wasn’t allowed to have a gun. A woman was in his car and she had one, . but it wasn’t in a holster, so as it was in her car, he was charged. ‘But he has served his time and has straightened up. He just wants to start a new life with his daughter.’ McCaul was in court in Tennessee on Friday after the Hodgins petitioned to have her returned to them on Sonya’s best interest. The family adopted her in 2008, but a Tennessee appeals court overturned that after McCaul was released from prison. In . a recording of a phone call made on January 30 this year, a day after . Sonya was moved from Dickson County to Omaha, she can be heard asking . for her adoptive parents to take her back.'What did you say, baby doll?' Mrs Hodgin can be heard asking in a recording of the phone call obtained by CNN. 'I want to you to come and get me', the young girl responds. During . the phone call, the last time the Hodgins spoke to her, Sonya also . describes her biological father's home as 'dirty, with mold and . cigarettes everywhere,' and although the man is 'nice' to her, the home . lacks clean water. Convicted felon: Sonya has no memory of her father Josh McCaul, left, but a court still ruled she should live with him . The Hodgins say they were given just three hours' notice before the young girl was taken from them.'Sonya's . crying her eyes out. Screaming bloody murder, "Please don't let them do . this, Daddy, please, Mama, don't let 'em take me,",' Mr Hodgin told . CNN. 'They took her bags, and that's the last that I've seen her,' Mrs Hodgin adds. McCaul had been awarded custody of his infant daughter in 2004 after Sonya's mother gave up her rights. However, . she has been living with the Hodgins since 2006 and they were able to . adopt Sonya after McCaul pleaded guilty to transporting firearms and was . sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. This . automatically terminated his parental rights as Tennessee state law . does not allow anyone incarcerated for more than ten years to have . rights to a child under the age of eight. But . his sentence was shortened to just eight years and he was able to . retain it upon his release from prison after claiming his parental . rights were illegally terminated. In . 2009, McCaul won an appeal claiming he did not voluntarily give up his . rights and the court did not follow due process in the adoption . proceedings. For the next five years, Sonya continued to live with the Hodgins on their Tennessee farm as the two sides fought for custody. In . January this year, a judge ruled that the nine-year-old should return . to her biological father, and a few hours later, she had been taken from . the Hodgins. DCS . spokesman Rob Johnson said earlier this year that while foster parents . often come to love the children in their care, the law is clear, 'Birth . parents have the right to raise their children.'
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Sonya McCaul has been 'returned' to an ex-con father she did not know .
Nine-year-old had been living with Kim and David Hodgin since 2006 .
They were given two hours notice before she was removed from their care .
She now lives with her father, jailed for transporting arms, in Nebraska .
Sonya has been calling her adoptive parents, pleading to return home .
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11db852f8ce2bf718dcbf4ac12321cffda44464e
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A teenager has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly hitting a policeman in a stolen Lexus following a two-hour car chase. The 17-year-old, along with two other teenage boys, allegedly stole two cars in Wynnum and Mount Cotton in east Brisbane before driving south to Logan on Wednesday. Video of the police chase shows two of the 17-year-olds speed along a road in a dark purple Lexus before mounting a footpath and knocking down a senior constable who had his gun drawn, Nine News reported. Scroll down for video . A 17-year-old male has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly hitting a policeman in a stolen car . The teen - with two others - allegedly led police on a two-hour chase in Queensland on Wednesday . The police officer was knocked to the ground by the car. He was taken to hospital with leg and shoulder injuries . The car can then be seen tearing down another road before the two teens inside decide to ditch the vehicle and attempt to escape on foot. The pair can be seen running through the backyard of a property before entering a park, but a swarm of police quickly apprehend them. The injured officer was taken to hospital to be treated for leg and shoulder injuries. Queensland Police’s Tony Wormald said the car’s wheels had been deflated by police stingers. ‘They’ve driven along motorways even though their vehicle has been damaged by the stingers and they’ve put a lot of people’s lives at risk,’ Mr Wormald said. ‘It’s stupid behaviour on their part just for a stolen car.’ Two teens in the dark Lexus ditched the car and tried to escape on foot through a backyard . They were quickly apprehended after they ran into a park and were swarmed by police officers . A police helicopter following the car via GPS tracked the Lexus to Chambers Flat, south of Logan, which allowed officers initiated the police chase. A short time before the two teenagers were arrested, a third 17-year-old driving a second vehicle – a white Toyota Camry – crashed into an oncoming car while driving the wrong way down an on ramp. It is believed the three 17-year-olds were involved in an alleged burglary in Wynnum earlier in the morning. The driver of the Lexus will appear in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Thursday charged with attempted murder, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, failing to stop a motor vehicle and unlicensed driving. A second teen has been charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, and the third teen was charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, unlawful use and obstructing police. They will also appear in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Thursday. One of the teens being led by police. The three will appear in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Thursday . A second white Toyota Camry crashed after it drove the wrong way down an on ramp .
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Three teens allegedly stole two cars in Wynnum and Mt Cotton in Brisbane .
Video shows one car speed along a road before hitting a policeman .
The alleged driver of a stolen Lexus was charged with attempted murder .
Three 17-year-old males to face Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Thursday .
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11dbf0e48537433d4784422cc560ffb0a2534659
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By . Daniel Martin, Whitehall Correspondent . Nick Clegg has been accused of 'unbelievable hypocrisy' over a spare room subsidy U-turn . Nick Clegg was accused of ‘unbelievable hypocrisy’ last night after withdrawing support for one of the Government’s flagship welfare policies. The Liberal Democrats demanded significant changes to the spare room subsidy, under which tenants with more bedrooms than they need see their housing benefit reduced. The change of heart is being seen as a Lib Dem tactic to woo Ed Miliband in the run-up to the 2015 election – and a desperate attempt to overturn months of appalling poll ratings. But Labour condemned the move, pointing out that the Tories were only able to introduce the subsidy, dubbed the ‘bedroom tax’ by critics, thanks to Lib Dem votes in the Commons. Tories said they were baffled by the change of heart, saying the Lib Dems had never argued against the measure in private. And it emerged last night that the Lib Dems had been given the chance in March to soften the impact of the ‘bedroom tax’. BBC’s Newsnight programme reported that options were drawn up by civil servants and presented to both coalition parties that would have allowed councils to cushion the impact of benefit cuts under the policy to help people struggling. But the Lib Dems apparently ignored the suggestion. Under the controversial reform, introduced in April 2013, social housing tenants deemed to have more bedrooms than they need have had their housing benefit reduced, to tackle what the Government calls a ‘spare room subsidy’. But a government review published this week showed that almost 60 per cent of households affected by the benefit changes were in arrears as a result. And a shortage of smaller homes meant just 4.5 per cent of tenants had been able to downsize to avoid it. Unveiling the U-turn yesterday, Lib Dem Cabinet minister Danny Alexander did not call for the bedroom tax to be scrapped – but said it should be reformed so that no one faces a benefit cut if there is no suitable smaller property available. In addition, he said all disabled claimants should be exempt. Scroll down for video . The Lib Dem change of heart is being seen as a tactic to woo Ed Miliband, pictured, in the run-up to the 2015 election . Mr Clegg has been under pressure to join Labour in opposing the policy since the Lib Dem conference voted overwhelmingly to commit the party to the review of what activists called a ‘reprehensible and evil’ move. Mr Alexander said the issue would be raised with the Tories ahead of George Osborne’s Autumn Statement but if the Lib Dems are not able to secure agreement within government it will be ‘one of the key things in our election manifesto’. Rejecting the accusation of hypocrisy, he said: ‘We are part of the Government and the principle is the right one, which is that people should be paid housing benefit according to the number of rooms that they need. Then and now: Deputy PM Nick Clegg's change of heart over the spare bedroom subsidy . ‘This is about how that policy is applied in practice. It’s about listening to the evidence and significantly adjusting the policy in the light of that evidence.’ Labour’s welfare spokesman Rachel Reeves said: ‘This is unbelievable hypocrisy from Nick Clegg. There wouldn’t be a bedroom tax if it wasn’t for the Lib Dems.’ Mr Cameron’s official spokesman said the Lib Dem shift had not been discussed with the Premier or the Chancellor. But Mr Clegg told LBC Radio it was ‘baloney’ for the Tories to claim they were surprised. ‘I’ve been constantly badgering away within government, with the Department for Work and Pensions, to try to make sure we really stress-test this properly.’
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Nick Clegg is accused of 'unbelievable hypocisy' over spare room subsidy .
Lib Dems demanded changes to one of Government's key welfare policies .
Change of heart seen as tactic to woo Ed Miliband in run-up to 2015 election .
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11dce16a182e286f0eecc8c8e1a8d57372c63591
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The White House threatened Wednesday to veto a Republican bill to overhaul the widely criticized No Child Left Behind law, calling the effort 'a significant step backwards.' The veto threat came as lawmakers began debate on the measure in the House. A vote is expected on Friday. Republicans say the bill would restore local control in schools and stop top-down education mandates. Democrats say it would allow billions in federal dollars to flow out without ensuring they will improve student learning. The White House threatened Wednesday to veto a Republican bill to overhaul the widely criticized No Child Left Behind law, calling the effort 'a significant step backwards' The bill maintains annual federal testing requirements. It consolidates or eliminates many federal programs, creates a single local grant program and allows public money to follow low-income children to different public schools. It would also prohibit the federal education secretary from demanding changes to state standards or imposing conditions on states in exchange for a waiver around federal law. Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia said the bill would allow states to redirect federal funds away from districts with high concentrations of poor students. 'In other words, the low-income areas would get less, the wealthy areas would get more,' Scott said. 'If that's the solution, I wonder what you think the problem was.' The White House said it was opposed to the bill because it 'abdicates the historic federal role in elementary and secondary education of ensuring the educational progress of all of America's students, including students from low-income families, students with disabilities, English learners, and students of color.' Furthermore, the bill 'fails to identify opportunity gaps or remedy inequities in access to the resources,' the White House said. The statement was the latest in a series of veto threats issued by President Barack Obama since both chambers of Congress went under Republican control last month. House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio called the education measure 'a good conservative bill that empowers America and does not empower the bureaucracy here in Washington.' 'If you step back and look at what the president’s doing, the president’s trying to protect the bureaucracy here in Washington,' he said in a statement. 'We’re for an opportunity society and empowering people around America to do their best and to empower them to get the education that’ll help them be successful in life.' At a news conference Wednesday, Boehner called education 'the civil right of the 21st century.' The measure, pushed by Education Committee Chairman John Kline, of Minnesota, would provide states and local communities greater flexibility over how 'federal dollars are used to educate America's kids,' Boehner said. Kline said education can be the 'great equalizer' in America, but only if schools succeed. About 1 in 5 students drops out of high school, and many who do graduate enter college or the workforce with subpar education, Kline said. He decried federal mandates that dictate how to gauge student achievement, define qualified teachers and spend money. 'We need to place less faith in the secretary of education and more faith in parents, teachers and state and local leaders,' he said. Speaker of the House John Boehner accused the president on Wednesday of 'trying to protect the bureaucracy here in Washington.' Republicans, he said, are for empowering people around America to do their best and to empower them to get the education that’ll help them be successful in life' The bipartisan No Child Left Behind law President George W. Bush signed in 2002 sought to close significant gaps in the achievement of historically underserved group of students and their more affluent peers. It mandated annual testing in reading and math for students in grades three to eight and again in high school. Schools had to show student growth or face consequences. No Child Left Behind required that all students be able to read and do math at grade level by 2014. The Obama administration in 2012 began allowing waivers around some of the law's more stringent requirements if schools agreed to certain conditions, like using college- and career-ready standards such as Common Core. House Republican leaders view the bill as a way to show their opposition to the Obama administration's encouragement of the Common Core state standards. The standards have been adopted in more than 40 states and spell out what English and math skills students should master at each level. They have become a political issue in many states because they are viewed by critics as a federal effort even though they were developed by U.S. governors. In the Senate, there appears to be more of a bipartisan effort to fix the law. Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and the committee's senior Democrat, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, have said they were working together on a proposal. Alexander said this week he wants to get a bill to the full Senate in March.
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President Bush signed the bipartisan No Child Left Behind law in 2002 .
Republicans say their changes would restore local control in schools and stop top-down education mandates coming from Washington bureaucrats .
The new bill maintains annual federal testing requirements. It would allows public money to follow low-income children to different public schools .
But according to the White House, it 'fails to identify opportunity gaps or remedy inequities in access to the resources'
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11dd00fcf793d049aea6b87e743ea245edf04855
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Power giants and airlines were warned last night to pass on plummeting fuel prices to families or face Government sanctions. George Osborne insisted they should quickly follow the lead of petrol retailers and slash their charges. The wholesale price of gas has plunged almost 30 per cent in a year while crude oil has more than halved in six months. A barrel cost just $53 last night – the lowest level in five years. George Osborne has started a Government investigation into whether key sectors such as utilities are reducing consumer bills with Brent crude trading at just 52 US dollars a barrel . The Chancellor insisted it was ‘vital this was passed on to families at petrol pumps, through utility bills and air fares’. ‘The Government is conducting studies of industries like the utilities and the airlines. We are examining if any action needs to be taken,’ a Treasury spokesman said. A source said ministers would be watching utility companies and airlines closely to ensure they cut prices. ‘Consumers could feel the benefit in many other ways if the fall in oil and gas price was passed on to final product,’ one official said. The Chancellor has put energy firms, airlines and others on notice that they must pass on the benefits of a dramatic fall in global oil prices - or face possible state action (file picture) ‘We’re going to be watching them like a hawk. So far this has worked with fuel prices. Pump prices are coming down. We believe it can work with other industries.’ Asda announced a 2p cut in its petrol price this week with a new maximum charge of 107.7p a litre. Other supermarkets have followed suit and experts say petrol prices are heading below £1 a litre. Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander wrote to fuel suppliers and distributors late last year demanding they pass on falling oil prices to customers or face action. All four of Britain's big supermarkets have announced a 2p cut in the cost of a litre of petrol . Oil price: Brent crude has fallen to levels not seen for more than five years . A source close to him said last night: ‘Anybody involved in the supply of energy in terms of petrol, diesel, domestic heating, air fares and domestic gas and electricity must make sure they are passing on the reductions in full. ‘And they must be in no doubt that they should do it very quickly.’ Ed Davey, the Energy Secretary, told LBC Radio: ‘It is vital we get the fall in oil and gas prices through to consumers. I am glad the Treasury is now looking at this.’ Ministers hope lower bills will undermine Labour leader Ed Miliband’s proposal to introduce a 20-month energy price freeze if he wins power in May. Such a move would make it impossible for firms to pass on the benefits of falling wholesale prices. Npower said fears over Labour’s planned freeze was a reason they were not cutting prices. Danny Alexander said the fall in oil prices was a benefit to 'most of the UK economy' - provided savings are passed on . Industry regulator Ofgem last month accused the ‘Big Six’ energy firms of failing customers for not passing on oil and gas price cuts. Its chief executive Dermot Nolan said at least two firms should have slashed prices by now, adding: ‘I am concerned about this and about the lack of competition this would appear to show.’ But British Gas, the UK’s biggest energy firm, defended its decision not cut bills. A spokesman said: ‘We buy our gas well in advance – up to three years in some cases – to ensure security of supply and to smooth out price volatility, so movements in wholesale prices do not feed through immediately to retail prices. ‘The wholesale cost of energy is now less than half the bill – we have other costs that are rising such as network costs, which have risen 40 per cent in seven years. ‘We are certainly not increasing profits on the back of lower wholesale gas prices. Our July 2014 half-year results showed a 26 per cent fall in pre-tax profits.’ Virgin Atlantic cut fuel surcharges by £10 on its long-haul flights last month, but other firms, including British Airways, have not followed suit. The Treasury has written to the bosses of all the major British airlines insisting they should pass on fuel price savings to consumers by cutting surcharges or reducing ticket prices. Mr Alexander said: ‘Airline ticket prices appear not to be falling as significantly as customers might expect given the very significant fall in oil prices.’
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Chancellor has told Cabinet colleagues firms will be 'watched like hawks'
He has started a Government investigation into whether key sectors are passing on savings .
Airlines and energy firms are among those warned to pass on the savings .
Firms will be told that failure to act could result in possible state action .
Brent crude trading at about 52 US dollars a barrel - lowest price since 2009 .
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11df27fadd890f940761ef3dee7cc2f9d8f5bf95
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By . Emma Glanfield . Dr David Glowacki, a Research Fellow at the Royal Society, was ejected from the Bristol Old Vic . A leading scientist was kicked out of a classic music concert after trying to crowd surf during a performance of Handel’s Messiah, it has emerged. Dr David Glowacki, a Research Fellow at the Royal Society and visiting professor at the prestigious Stanford University in the US, was ejected from the Bristol Old Vic after getting ‘overexcited’ during the performance. His apparent crowd surfing came as audience members were encouraged to move towards the front of the stage with their drinks and ‘clap or whoop when you like’ by the theatre’s artistic director, Tom Morris. However, while the crowd were warned not to ‘shush other people’, Mr Morris said the respected chemist got ‘very excited’ during the Hallelujah Chorus. Witnesses claim he was lurching from side to side with his hands raised and whooping before attempting to crowd-surf, The Independent reported. Apparently irritated by the commotion, audience members attempted to eject the professor from the main arena. Mr Morris, who directed War Horse at the National Theatre, told The Independent: ‘The Bristol Proms are contributing to a ground-breaking way of thinking which will pave the way for a new kind of classical concert. ‘But by allowing an audience to respond in whatever way they want, you also allow an audience to self-regulate, as we discovered.’ However, Dr Glowacki, who said he was not . under the influence of alcohol, defended his actions and accused both . Morris and the audience members of hypocrisy in only approving the right . sort of 'free' behaviour. He told the newspaper: ‘Classical . music, trying to seem cool and less stuffy, reeks of some sort of . fossilised art form undergoing a midlife crisis.' His apparent crowd surfing came as audience members were encouraged to move towards the front of the stage during the performance at the Bristol Old Vic (above) by the theatre's artistic director, Tom Morris . Several ticket holders have since . urged Mr Morris to stipulate an official ban on crowd surfing. He said while . he does not wish to impose strict rules, he would not . tolerate crowd surfing during classical concerts. The performance of Handel's Messiah, launched by Mr Morris as a more 'accessible and informal' alternative to classical music, forms part of this year's Bristol Proms.
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Dr David Glowacki ejected from Bristol Old Vic after trying to crowd surf .
Theatre's artistic director Tom Morris said professor got 'very overexcited'
Happened during Hallelujah Chorus during Handel's Messiah performance .
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11df467d182b5b023dc78d44eafb0e6a4c3a3a62
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Best-selling author Hilary Mantel has revealed how her fantasies about killing Margaret Thatcher inspired her new short story about her assassination. The 62-year-old has recalled how she once spotted the former Prime Minister standing unguarded near her Windsor flat in 1983 and imagined shooting her. The fantasy was the inspiration for her short story, The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher, which will be published at the end of the month. But her comments have already sparked anger with one Conservative MP describing them as 'shocking'. Tempted: Hilary Mantel (left) spotted Margaret Thatcher (right in 1983) in an unguarded window in her flat . Miss Mantel whose best-selling novels about the Tudors have been adapted into a BBC series called Wolf Hall, has told how she feels ‘boiling detestation’ for the politician. In an interview with The Guardian, she said Baroness Thatcher was an anti-feminist and ‘psychological transvestite’, who did ‘long-standing damage’ to the country. It is not the first controversy the author has been caught up in. In 2013, she said the Duchess of Cambridge had gone from being a ‘jointed doll on which certain rags are hung’ to a woman whose ‘only point and purpose’ was to give birth. The new short story tells of a well-off woman waiting in her Windsor flat for a plumber. The man she lets in turns out to be an assassin who wants to use her bedroom to shoot Baroness Thatcher as she leaves the private hospital opposite after an eye operation. Mantel described how she used her finger and thumb to form a gun when Baroness Thatcher wandered into view at noon on Saturday, August 6, 1983. She said: ‘Immediately your eye measures the distance, I thought, “if I wasn’t me, if I was someone else, she’d be dead”.’ Waving: The story, published in the Guardian, was inspired by a 1983 sighting of Mrs Thatcher in a window . Nadine Dorries, Conservative MP for Mid Bedfordshire, told MailOnline this morning: 'I cannot quite believe it. I am gutted because Hilary Mantel is one of my favourite authors. 'It is shocking as it is so close (to Margaret Thatcher's death) and she still has living family and children. It is about a character whose demise is so recent.' Later in the interview Miss Mantel reveals she did not considered herself to be either of the two characters featured in the short story and instead was 'standing by the window with the notebook'. Miss Mantel, a two-time Man Booker prizewinner, said the book had taken 30 years to write, but dismissed the idea she had been waiting for Baroness Thatcher’s death to write it. ‘I am concerned with respect, I’m not concerned with taste,’ she said, adding: ‘I would have happily concluded the story in her lifetime but couldn't – it was my technical difficulty, not any delicacy. I believe in walking that line. You mustn't be too timid to risk getting it wrong.’ The story has been hotly anticipated ever since news of its title was unveiled in January this year. In the interview, she describes Mrs Thatcher as having caused ‘long-standing damage' in many areas of national life. She says the former Prime Minister was a 'fantastic' character to write about about and that 'as a citizen, I suffered from her but as a writer, I benefited.'
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She said former PM was an anti-feminist and a 'psychological transvestite'
She spotted her in a window unguarded in 1983 and imagined shooting her .
Now the 62-year-old author has written a short story about the experience .
It comes a year after she called the Duchess of Cambridge a 'jointed doll'
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11df51322a0185ada380cfba15eb805559016378
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Fruit in Europe may no longer come with sticky labels, now that the European Union has approved the use of iron oxides and hydroxides, hydroxypropyl, methyl cellulose and polysorbates on the skins of fruit. Using these chemicals creates contrast to allow the laser markings to stand out more clearly, and prevent the laser from penetrating the skin of the fruit. A Spanish company developed the laser system, which can brand up to 54,000 pieces of fruit in an hour. Fruit gets inked: Spanish company Laser Food has developed a method of branding fruits with a laser to replace the small stickers currently in use . The company, Laser Food, developed the technology in 2009 and has been in talks with the EU to obtain approval ever since. A significant stumbling block has been removed now that the EU has approved the use of iron oxides and hydroxides and other chemicals on fruits. The laser markings will contain information such as logos and place of origin and, according to trade magazine The Grocer, bar codes which could be scanned to access further information about the produce and QR codes that can be scanned with smartphones. Details: The laser system can be used to inscribe brands and other information onto fruit such as melons, citrus and pomegranates . Chemical romance: The EU has approved the use of some chemicals in labeling fruit, but so far only fruits that are usually peeled such as citrus . Producers will know where their produce is being sold, and consumers will know the exact provenance of their fruit. Jaime Sanfelix, managing director of Laser Food told The Grocer, 'Consumers will have absolute certainty the product they are buying is fully guaranteed.' Outdated: On the left, kiwifruit with the commonly-used stickers, and right, kiwi branded with lasers by Spanish company Laser Food . According to the ruling, the technology will be used on fruits which are usually peeled and the skin discarded: . '[The chemicals] are to be used in small quantities and only on the external part of fruit and are not expected to migrate significantly into the internal part. For that reason, the treatment of fruit of which the peels are not commonly consumed is not liable to have an effect on human health. It is therefore appropriate only to allow...for marking of citrus fruit, melons and pomegranates...' says the report. The report also notes that the new technology will save on environmental costs of paper and glue needed for sticky labels. The system will open up marketing opportunities for retailers too, who will be able to brand fruit with various motifs and logos.
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The EU has approved the use of certain chemicals, enabling producers to brand fruit with lasers .
The technology allows producers to 'tattoo' logos, websites and even QR codes that can be scanned with smart phones onto fruit .
So far, the use of chemicals is allowed only on citrus, melons and pomegranates .
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11dfc0a61d34aa97cf8442fe9a2005bb14fe7188
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- They are the tales of two very different people. Director Danny Boyle's film "Slumdog Millionaire" shines a stark light on poverty in India. One an amoral businessman pouring out his life story to the Chinese Premier, the other a lovelorn teenager appearing on "Kaun Banega Crorepati," the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" But if their protagonists are polar opposites, both stories -- one as told in Aravind Adiga's best-selling novel "The White Tiger," the other in "Slumdog Millionaire," the new movie from "Trainspotting" director Danny Boyle -- have much in common. Both are based in modern day India, both feature characters who succeed against all the odds, and both have garnered considerable critical acclaim, with "Slumdog Millionaire" recently awarded the three top prizes at the British Independent Film Awards. "Slumdog," which is set in Mumbai, has also assumed a particularly poignant resonance in light of the recent terror attacks that left 174 people dead. Above all, both narratives shine a stark light on poverty -- an aspect of Indian society that has increasingly been pushed into the background by a decade and more of upbeat headlines about the country's dramatic economic growth. "The growth aspect has tended to receive much more attention than the darker side of the Indian story," Professor Babu Mathew, Country Director of Action Aid India, told CNN, "More and more the poverty goes unnoticed, and there is less and less of a voice for the excluded peoples." The breadth of the divide between what Aravind Adiga calls the "India of Light," and the "India of Darkness," is both dramatic and shocking. Since 1991 when "neo-liberal" market reforms were introduced, India's economy has ballooned. From 1991 to 2004, the world's largest democracy grew at 6.5 percent annually, a figure which increased to over 9 percent between 2005 and 2007. The result has been a massive explosion of wealth creation among the middle and upper echelons of Indian society, with Indian billionaires now occupying four of the top eight slots on the annual Forbes rich list. While growth has benefited one section of society, it has left a vast swathe of the population lagging far behind. "People in urban areas, the rich, the middle classes, the educated -- all of these have benefited from economic growth," Dr Arun Kumar of Development Alternatives Group, a sustainable development organization based in Delhi, told CNN, "Those who have not benefited are the small farmers, the rural poor, the artisans -- for these their situation has worsened." Nisha Agrawal, CEO of Oxfam India, agrees. "Economic growth has been primarily focused on manufacturing and services and largely in urban areas," she told CNN, "Rural agriculture has not received the kind of attention it deserves. And since the bulk of poor people derive their incomes from agriculture, that has left us with two Indias, one rich, one impoverished." Even a cursory glance at the statistics reveals a problem on a huge scale. According to World Bank estimates, 456 million people -- just over 40 percent of India's population of 1.2 billion -- now live on less than $1.25 per day, a sum recognized as the international poverty line. Almost half of India's children are malnourished; 1000 die every day from diarrhea; hundreds of millions have no access to proper sanitation. These figures provide a grim counterpoint to the glitzy high-rises and designer shopping malls that have sprung up throughout the country's major cities. How to narrow this gulf between the haves and the have-nots is a fiendishly complex issue and one that has no quick or easy solutions. More investment in basic infrastructure is seen as crucial, as is a reform of international trade agreements. "Import and energy prices have increased for farmers, but global markets are not opening up for Indian agricultural products," Agrawal told CNN, "That needs to change." Greater access to institutional finance, the creation of new jobs and economic opportunities, and the spread of information technology all have a major role to play. "We already have small pockets of improvement," says Arun Kumar, "But these involve limited numbers in limited geographies. "We need to scale everything up. It is a huge challenge." The global economic problems have not bypassed India. Inflation is now running close to 12 percent and the Mumbai Stock Exchange has almost halved in value from a peak in January 2008. Sensex -- the Bombay Stock Exchange Sensitive Index -- has not registered any significant drop as a result of the recent Mumbai attacks, and it remains to be seen what the longer term effect will be on the Indian economy. Nonetheless, these difficult and uncertain times may make the challenge of poverty reduction an even harder one. Will India be able to successfully reduce the gap between rich and poor? Leave your comments in the SoundOff box below . Both Kumar and Agrawal remain hopeful that change is coming to India, albeit slowly. "We are eternal optimists," says Kumar, "I do believe things are changing." "The government recognizes that people don't just want a high level of growth," adds Agrawal, "But also growth that is more equalizing. We need to bring the two Indias together, and I believe we can do it." Despite their optimism, the problems remain vast, and the darkness intense. For the foreseeable future it seems likely the question most on the minds of India's 456 million poor will be less "Who wants to be a millionaire?" than "Will I be able to feed myself and my family today?"
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Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire" shines a light on slum-dwellers in India .
Huge growth means four of top eight billionaires on Forbes rich list are Indian .
But the new wealth has bypassed India's 456 million poor .
Nisha Agrawal of Oxfam says there are: "two Indias, one rich, one impoverished"
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11dfe0ac9fc96b54b5a20a6a39ef0b047e3112e8
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By . Associated Press . Detectives believe a boy charged with stabbing 21 other students and a security guard at his Pittsburgh-area high school threatened two students by phone before the attack, according to a search warrant. Neither was one of the victims. The warrant, obtained from the home of Alex Hribal hours after last Wednesday's rampage, said two students received 'threatening phone messages and completed calls' from someone believed to be Hribal. It said the threat of violence contained an expletive. Scroll down for video . Warning signs: Suspect Alex Hribal, 16, is led from his arraignment after he was charged with four counts of attempted murder as an adult. Authorities believe he threatened two students before carrying out the attack on April 16 . Terror: Twenty one students were injured in April 16's blood bath, as well as a security guard. The two students Hribald allegedly threatened were not injured . Evacuation: Students at Franklin Regional High School were evacuated after the stabbing. District Attorney John Peck said the two male students who got the calls were not among those stabbed or slashed in the attack, which occurred minutes before the start of classes at Franklin Regional High School. Neither Peck nor the warrant say when the calls were made. Murrysville police Chief Thomas Seefeld previously said investigators were looking into a threatening phone call the night before the assaults. 'The caller is believed to be the actor because of the subsequent conduct of the actor coming to school and attacking numerous individuals,' the warrant said. Seefeld noted Monday that police had not definitively linked the calls to the 16-year-old suspect but were seeking phone records to determine if they came from a phone he could have used. Sophomore student Alex Hribal, 16, (pictured here in his high school yearbook) will be charged as an adult on several attempted murder charges . Transported: Hribal is driven away from a district magistrate in a Westmoreland County Sheriff's car after he was arraigned . Defense attorney Patrick Thomassey did not return calls Monday from The Associated Press. But he told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which first reported the contents of the search warrant: 'I don't know of those phone calls.' He had previously told the AP that Hribal's parents weren't aware of any threatening calls the night before the attacks. The warrant indicates detectives seized three video game systems and games, a wooden kitchen knife-holder, some notebook paper believed to contain Hribal's handwriting and two computers. Four students remained hospitalized Monday, three in critical condition. The fourth was upgraded to fair condition. The high school's teachers attended a counseling session at a nearby church before returning to the school for the first time Monday, part of a three-day effort by school officials and a hired crisis management team to fully reopen the school for classes Wednesday. School spirit: A group of students tapes up a sign supporting their school near the entrance to Franklin Regional High School . Prayers: Ashlin (L) and Jude Burkhart, from Murrysville, hold candles during a prayer vigil for victims of the Franklin Regional High School stabbing rampage, at Calvary Lutheran Church in Murrysville, Pennsylvania on April 9, 2014 . On Tuesday, students and parents will get a chance to see that hallways have been cleaned up and other steps taken to return the school to normal. Some parents said their children are eager to get back to school. 'That's where he wants to be, to be with his friends,' Jeff Mauro said of his son, Jamie, a ninth-grader who witnessed some of the stabbings. 'This has been a learning experience that we have to love each other — all of us.' Laura Thompson said her children 'seem to think they're going to be fine. But I think it's going to be different when they're back in that environment.' Thomassey has said he plans to waive Hribal's right to a preliminary hearing next week. After that, he said he would ask a judge to move the case to juvenile court, a move prosecutors are expected to contest. Thomassey said that request will be based largely on a mental health evaluation by a doctor he's hired.
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Alex Hribal, 16, went on a stabbing spree at Franklin Regional High School last Wednesday .
Authorities believe he threatened two students over the phone prior to the attack .
The teen injured 21 of his peers as well as a security guard .
He has since been arrested and is set to be tried as an adult on several counts of attempted murder .
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