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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:43 EST, 16 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:28 EST, 16 May 2013 . Sirens blazing, traffic officer Mark James was in hot pursuit of a speeding driver doing 52mph in a 35mph zone. But Officer James had to abandon the high speed chase - to save a mother and her two ducklings from the road. Footage from the patrol car's dash cam has been posted to YouTube by Portland Police, who may also be hoping that someone will identify the speeding car. Scroll down for video . The chase began when a black car doing 52mph in a 35mph zone sped past Officer Mark James . Officer James put his siren on and gave chase, but quickly had to give up when he spotted the ducks . The mother and her two ducklings waddled in front of the car, unaware that they had just helped an offender . The officer is seen slowing down on NW Bridge Avenue to avoid hitting the family, who waddle around the road blissfully unaware that they have just given avian aid to the offender, who was long gone by the time the chase resumed. Officer James is shown walking towards . the family, and a caption on the video reassured viewers that: 'the duck . family was safely escorted to water in a ditch and swam away'. It added: 'The traffic violator swam away too.' The video ends with a shot of the force's badge and a motto: 'Friends of waterfowl since 1871'. Officer James blocked traffic and got out of the car to usher the ducks to safety . With the ducks swimming away from danger, Officer James headed back to the car, but it was too late to catch the speeding driver . The officer's good deed was largely applauded by the force's Facebook fans when it was posted it to its page. But one Facebook user commented: 'Really? He let a speeder going 17mph OVER the speed limit get away for a duck? Hopefully the speeder didn't cause any accidents and next time he will get a ticket!' As another user pointed out: 'Drivers trying to avoid the ducks or making emergency stops on a narrow road, were much more likely to cause an accident than a driver going a few miles over speed'.
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Portland Police officer Mark James gave up his chase to save the family .
Traffic officer James was chasing a car doing 52mph in a 35mph zone .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Friends: Kirstine Hamilton, who has a ten-year-old daughter with former partner Neil Trotter . The ex-girlfriend of lottery winner Neil Trotter may have missed out on his fortune, but is still happy after finding love with the man two doors down. Kirstine Hamilton, who lived with Mr Trotter at number 29, stayed at the address after she split with mechanic Neil ten years ago. She soon struck up a friendship with Michael Hamilton, who lived in number 27 - just two doors down, the Sun reports. The friendship turned to love and now she and Mr Hamilton, who is said to work for F1 mogul Bernie Ecclestone, are married and enjoying their honeymoon in Cancun, Mexico. But despite her ex-boyfriend's new found fortune, Mrs Hamilton has taken news of his £108million win in good humour, and is said to be 'over the moon' for Mr Trotter. The pair, from Coulsdon, Surrey, who have a ten-year-old daughter together, are said to remain on good terms despite their split several years ago. Mr . Trotter said that he planned to use his fortune to buy . country mansions, sports cars and designer handbags for his new . girlfriend. But he appeared . amused when asked if he would be buying his ex-girlfriend a house – and . explained that she and her husband were rich enough already. He . said: ‘She’s just married. He’s in Formula 1. I think he’s in charge of . all the radios and things like that for Bernie Ecclestone. They are . well off and live just up the road from me. ‘Her mum texted her. She was pleased – she said, “That’s just typical of you, Trotter.”’ Victorious: Car mechanic Neil Trotter, with partner Nicky Ottaway, celebrates his win in Dorking, Surrey, where he was revealed as the man who scooped a £108million jackpot on the Euromillions lottery . Mrs . Hamilton, who will turn 41 at the weekend, attended Purley High School . for Girls in South London, close to where her ex-boyfriend went to . school. The couple are . believed to have broken up not long after their daughter Annabelle was . born, and Mr Trotter has been with his new partner Nicky Ottaway, 33, . for eight years. Neil Trotter (pictured with partner of eight years Nicky Ottaway), is celebrating banking a massive £107,932,603.20 EuroMillions jackpot . Mr Trotter bought £10 worth of Lucky Dip tickets on Friday after getting a 'funny feeling' that he had to play while on the drive to work . Pictures posted on Mrs . Hamilton’s Facebook page last month show her in a white wedding dress . and kissing her new husband, in full morning dress, surrounded by their . friends and family. Another picture, apparently from later that evening, shows her in a blue dress clutching a celebratory glass of champagne.
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Kirstine Hamilton heard about Neil Trotter's win while on honeymoon .
Met her new husband on same street, after she split with Mr Trotter .
She sent him a joking text message: 'That's just typical of you, Trotter'
Pair remain on good terms and have a ten-year-old daughter together .
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Washington (CNN) -- The systems that control U.S. military drones have been infected with a computer virus, a U.S. defense official confirmed to CNN on Monday. Despite the infection of the classified program, the virus has not "stopped flights worldwide," the official said. The official declined to comment on how the systems were infected nor whether the virus has resisted attempts to remove it. The infection was first reported by Noah Shachtman for Wired magazine last week. "Military officials are more concerned than panicked by this virus. They're just really not sure what's going on. They're not sure if it's a deliberate attack. They're not sure if it's something accidental," he said. While drones are flown on missions in war zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan, the actual "cockpit" of the unmanned aircraft is on U.S. soil -- the operators work at Nevada's Creech Air Force Base. According to Wired, the virus, which records pilot key strokes, was first detected about two weeks ago. Tech specialists are unsure whether it was installed intentionally, Wired reported. Shachtman said the military has had a hard time wiping out the virus. "They're tried over and over again to get rid of this thing using some fairly conventional methods, and they haven't worked. And so it seems the only thing to get rid of this virus is to basically wipe the hard drives of these computers entirely and sort of rebuild the computers from scratch," he said. But that can be an exhausting process. In 2008, removable hard drives introduced a virus into thousands of Defense Department computers, and to this day the Pentagon is still purging some machines. In the case of the computers that help coordinate the drones, care also has to be taken to back up all the information so it isn't lost during rebuilding. U.S. drone strikes have been responsible for the deaths of dozens of suspected militants. In recent years, the United States has sharply increased its used of unmanned planes to target insurgents in Pakistan's tribal region, a volatile area bordering war-torn Afghanistan. The covert CIA drone program has been deeply unpopular with many Pakistanis, who say the attacks kill civilians and violate their country's sovereignty. In August, a drone attack killed al Qaeda No. 2 Atiya Abdul Rahman in Pakistan. The most recent high-profile drone strike resulted in the death of U.S.-born militant cleric Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen last month. Unmanned aerial vehicles have become indispensable for military planners who depend on constant combat air patrols. But current and former Pentagon officials admit the technology cuts both ways. At the confirmation hearing for Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, former Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn said bluntly, "In the 21st century, bits and bytes can be as threatening as bullets and bombs." He said even the National Defense University has been breached, and in a single intrusion this year 24,000 files were taken from a defense company. "Some of the stolen data is mundane, like the specifications for small parts of tanks, airplanes and submarines. But a great deal of it concerns our most sensitive systems, including avionics, surveillance technologies, satellite communications systems and network security protocols," he said. Perhaps most alarming, Lynn admitted that up till now, the U.S. military had been unable to secure its systems. "Current countermeasures have not stopped this outflow of sensitive information," Lynn said. "We need to do more to guard our digital storehouses of design innovation." Officials have not yet determined whether the virus introduced into the drone program is benign, or doing actual harm. An investigation is ongoing. Despite the fact the controls are not linked into any outside network, and therefore seemingly impervious to intrusion, the drone systems do have security issues. Shachtman said they still use external hard drives, and when they're attached to top-secret computers they can open them up to infection. He said the true danger of the virus comes not from an ability to "bring down a drone," which is unlikely, but from an erosion of trust. If officials come to think that the information they're receiving from the unmanned vehicles has been compromised, they're much less likely to view it as safe and valuable, he surmised.
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The virus has not "stopped flights worldwide," defense official says .
The infection was first reported by Wired magazine .
Drones have targeted suspected militants in such countries as Pakistan and Yemen .
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A government minister today pleaded with civil servants to let him have a games console in his ministerial office. Ed Vaizey revealed he had been told not to have gaming equipment wired up to his office TV because it would look ‘frivolous’. But the Tory culture minister said he was going to ‘renew’ his campaign, arguing that it was connected with his day job. Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has revealed his frustration at civil servants who will not let him have a games console in his office . As Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, the 44-year-old is responsible for policy affecting the gaming industry. But the plea to try out the latest games in his government office will raise eyebrows at a time when other Conservatives have suggested that people work harder to get the economy growing. He revealed that his requests for a console in his office at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, just off Trafalgar Square, were rejected by the ‘powers that be’. He added: ‘I was encouraged not to, in case it looked frivolous,’ he told The Independent. ‘But I think I will renew my campaign. I have a television so why can't I have a games console?’ Ed Vaizey was an early player of the Angry Birds (left) iPhone game but Prime Minister David Cameron is a secret fan of Fruit Ninja on his iPad . For now, Mr Vaizey is making do with playing games on his iPhone. Having first played Angry Birds – a favourite of Prime Minister David Cameron – he has progressed to Plants vs Zombies and now enjoys Monopoly on his iPad. But Mr Vaizey admitted he was in the dark about the industry until Mr Cameron gave him the brief in opposition six years ago. ‘I knew nothing about gaming in terms of either doing games or its policy place. ‘The only time I heard about games in the policy sphere was about violence and banning games.’ As a schoolboy he played Asteroids and Space Invaders but was baffled by the complexities of Defender. ‘It was the game that put me off gaming - because I wasn't any good at it,’ he laments. Earlier this year Mr Cameron was forced to defend the amount of time he spent playing games on his iPad, after it an advisor said the Prime Minister was addicted to the game Fruit Ninja where players swipe a sword at flying pineapples, melons and strawberries.
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Culture minister Ed Vaizey wants a games console in his departmental office .
Civil servants tell him it would be 'frivolous'
Like Prime Minister David Cameron, he is addicted to playing on his iPad .
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A western lowland gorilla has been born at London Zoo as part of breeding programme for critically-endangered species. Following an eight and a half month gestation period, 15-year-old mother Mjukuu gave birth to the baby, her second infant, last night. The new arrival was discovered by delighted Zoo staff this morning. Gorilla keeper Daniel said: 'We are thrilled with the birth of a baby gorilla here at ZSL London Zoo and mum and infant are both doing really well. Scroll down for video . Western lowland gorilla Mjukuu holds her adorable new baby close in their enclosure at London Zoo . Western lowland gorillas are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Their numbers have drastically reduced in the last two decades - by more than 60 per cent. Found in tropical rainforests of Angola Cameroon; Central African Republic; Congo; Equatorial Guinea; Gabon, illegal poaching, disease, and habitat loss have all been blamed for the species dwindling numbers. Scientists estimate that even if all the threats to the gorillas were removed, it would take the population some 75 years to recover. West lowland gorillas are now part of the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP) to boost their numbers. 'Mjukuu gave birth overnight, surrounded by the rest of the troop – who all seem very pleased, and quite intrigued, by the new arrival. 'Western-lowland gorillas are critically endangered in the wild, so this infant is a really important addition not only to the Zoo, but for the European conservation breeding programme.' The infant is the first offspring of the Zoo's silverback male Kumbuka, who arrived in May 2013 from Paignton Zoo. Kumbuka quickly settled in to life at London, and took his role as group leader in his stride. Female Mjukuu soon won the attention of the strapping silverback, and keepers were delighted when she fell pregnant less than a year after he arrived. London Zoo has now released a video of mother and baby where Mjukuu is seen gently cradling the newborn and hugging it towards her. A Zoo spokesman said the protective mother was keeping her baby very close and would often been seen 'stare lovingly' at the new addition to the family. Keepers will now leave the infant in the capable hands of mother Mjukuu allowing her to bond with her new baby, and allow the rest of the troop to get to know the new arrival. Following an eight and a half month gestation period, 15-year-old Mjukuu gave birth to the baby last night . Western lowland gorillas are critically endangered in the wild, so the youngster is a very important addition to the Zoo and the European conservation breeding programme .
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15-year-old mother Mjukuu gave birth to the adorable baby overnight .
The infant is important for European conservation breeding programme .
In the wild western-lowland gorillas are critically endangered .
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Los Angeles (CNN) -- -- The mother of a 24-year-old California woman whose decomposed remains were found in Malibu Canyon in August said Monday she believes her daughter was murdered and asked that the coroner exhume the remains and the FBI crime lab examine her clothing. Mitrice Richardson was last seen leaving a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lost Hills/Malibu station in September 2009 after being detained by deputies on a citizen's arrest complaint made by a restaurant manager. She was missing for 11 months until her remains were discovered by park rangers searching an area of the Santa Monica Mountains for marijuana fields, authorities said. Sheriff Lee Baca said last August that authorities had "no indication of a homicide," but Latice Sutton, 46, Richardson's mother, said she and a forensic anthropologist with the Los Angeles-based nonprofit Missing Persons Identification Resource Center disagree with the sheriff. Sutton says evidence wasn't analyzed . The Los Angeles County coroner already has agreed with Sutton's request that medical examiner personally visit the remote area where deputies retrieved Richardson's remains, said Clea Koff, a forensic anthropologist with the resource center, who's working with Sutton. And Baca has agreed to meet with Sutton on December 29, Sutton said. For the FBI crime lab to examine Richardson's clothing, the sheriff has to request their involvement, she said. But Sutton said she isn't satisfied that her daughter's death has been investigated thoroughly. She held a news conference at a Los Angeles church Monday to highlight her crusade. "Today is the day I'm going public and I've announced some of the hidden facts that people are not aware of so that they can understand why I'm pushing that Mitrice's case be looked at as a homicide case," Sutton told CNN. Sutton, of La Verne, California, is an operation manager at a Boys and Girls Club of San Bernardino. Richardson's father, Michael Richard, has acknowledged that his daughter was in a troubled mental condition the evening of her arrest for allegedly being unable to pay $89.51 for food and drink at a Malibu restaurant. The woman's remains were found about eight miles from the sheriff's station, in the Monte Nido section of the Santa Monica Mountains, which bisect Los Angeles, Richardson's mother said. "Mel Gibson gets driven to his car, and Charlie Sheen gets taken to his house," the father said last August, referring to practices by law officers in Malibu. Richardson was just released, though she was in a manic state, Koff said. Sutton cited several circumstances about her daughter's skeletal remains and mummified arm that made the mother believe her daughter was murdered. Sutton said the mummified arm was bent in a way that would made if difficult for floodwater or other acts of nature to wash clothing off the body. Richardson's bra was found unsnapped and her pants unzipped several hundred feet away from the remains, the mother said. Her underwear, shoes and shirt were never recovered, the mother said. Koff, the forensic anthropologist who has worked for the United Nations' international criminal tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, examined Richardson's remain at Sutton's request prior to burial. She said that metallic jewelry and man-made artifacts were found in Richardson's hair, but the coroner's exam didn't examine those materials sufficiently. Koff claimed that the pupae casings -- the eggs from which maggots hatch -- found on the remains were never tested to determine if the insects were consistent with the area in which the remains were found. "We believe that it is imperative that the coroner complete the examination," Koff said.
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Mitrice Richardson went missing after she left a Los Angeles County Sheriff's station .
Eleven months later her remains were found in a remote mountain area .
Her mother asks authorities to exhume her daughter's remains .
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14fdaaf09e08e8f11c9c9683a3ab4821bd46e177
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By . Sam Adams . PUBLISHED: . 07:40 EST, 17 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:55 EST, 17 May 2013 . A grieving husband has been accused of assaulting a traffic warden who tried to ticket cars outside his home while he waited for his wife's funeral cortege. Angry relatives confronted the warden as he was allegedly preparing to issue them fines while they waited for the hearse carrying the body of cancer victim Rena Page, 64. Her stunned husband Mac Page, 66, challenged the official who later reported him to the police for assault. Stunned: Matthew Page, 39, with wife Kerrie outside his family's home where a traffic warden tried to issue tickets as they waited for his mother's funeral cortege. His father is accused of assaulting the warden . Four cars were briefly parked on a . single yellow line outside Mr Page's home in Hunstanton, Norfolk, as . the funeral cars moved into position. The family confronted the official who allegedly carried on noting the cars' details. A funeral director is also reported to have tried to intervene. Angry family members admit they challenged the warden but were stunned to later learn he had reported widower Mr Page for assault. Mr Page, a self-employed gardener, said yesterday: 'I can’t describe how I felt really. It was bad enough to bury someone at 64 after 48 years of marriage. This bloke didn’t show any compassion at all. Mourned: Relatives of Rena Page, 64, who died of cancer, have accused the warden of behaving heartlessly . 'If it was the middle of the season and there were lots of cars about, I could at least understand it a little bit, but he was just being a jobsworth. The last three years - watching my wife die of cancer - have been quite horrendous, now we have this to deal with on top. 'What I couldn’t believe is that when we rang to complain, his boss backed him up. How can anyone in authority back somebody like that up? It beggars belief.' Mr Page said he was happy to appear in court to give his version of events. His son Matthew Page, 39, who runs a chip shop, added: 'There was just a total lack of respect - and they wonder why they get a bad name. The worst thing was Mum never liked a fuss. This turned it all into a debacle. I cannot believe someone could be so insensitive.' Funeral director John Lincoln, who was leading the cortege, said: 'I have never known anything like this before. He might lose someone one day and I wonder how he would react if this sort of thing happened to him.' A West Norfolk Council spokesman confirmed discretion exists within its parking rules for occasions such as funerals, but refused to apologise until the outcome of the police investigation into the assault was known. The spokesman said: 'Following the incident referred to, a member of our staff reported an assault and the matter is now with the police. We await the outcome of any subsequent investigations.' The spokesman said no tickets were issued during the incident but that vehicles attending a funeral, 'are not exempt from parking rules. When we are made aware of a funeral, we work to accommodate the hearse and funeral cortege respectfully,' he added.Father-of-two Matthew Page has lodged an official complaint with the council. A spokesman for Norfolk police confirmed the force was investigating a reported assault.
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Mac Page accused of assaulting warden who tried to ticket relatives' cars .
Family was waiting for funeral cortege of his wife Rena at the time .
Mr Page, 66, left stunned by assault allegation which he said he will contest .
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14fe2ae87d2b8acea9f8671d8cf40518a63f3b22
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By . Ashley Collman for MailOnline . A woman was rescued after she backed into a 17-feet deep sinkhole that opened up in her tanning salon's parking lot in Ross Township, Pennsylvania yesterday. Allegheny High School teacher Natalie Huddleston had just finished a session at Hollywood Tans around 4:30pm when she heard a 'thunk' and felt her car start to teeter. 'I was kind of sticking up in the air, kind of disoriented. Hit the gas, nothing happened. No contact with anything in the back wheels. They were spinning. I felt a rocking motion and I felt myself sinking,' Huddlseton told WTAE. Scroll down for video . Trapped: A sinkhole opened up in Ross Township, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, swallowing up a car in a tanning salon's parking lot . Need for repair: Authorities say the sinkhole opened up due to a collapsed storm drain underneath the store . So she called the tanning salon to ask for help and owner Lisa Masley came running. 'When I went out to help her, I kept thinking, "Don't stand too close." I was a little nervous when I was out there. And as soon as we got her out, we just ran into the salon.' Just seconds after pulling her out of the window of the car, Huddleston's car was swallowed whole into the sinkhole. According to the town manager, the sinkhole emerged after a storm pipe collapses in recent heavy rains. Natalie Huddleston had just finished a tanning appointing when she pulled out of her parking space and straight into the sinkhole . Huddleston (pictured) then called the tanning salon on the phone for help . Huddleston's car being pulled out of the hole Tuesday night . 'When we get a heavy rain like that, it caused an additional issue and the fact the pipes were outdated and needed to be replaced,' Ross Township POlice Detective Brian Kohlhepp said. Town manager Douglas Sample says maintenance of the pipes is the local businesses' responsibility, but that the city took video of the deteriorating pipes two years ago and warned the store owners to repair them. Some business owners took the advice, while others didn't. Wednesday morning, crews were busy clearing the sinkhole and repairs are expected to take about a week.
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Natalie Huddleston was leaving an appointment at a tanning salon when she backed into a 17-foot deep sinkhole .
Sinkhole merged when storm drain collapsed underneath store .
Tanning salon's owner rescued Huddleston from her car before it fell completely into the hole .
Repairs to the storm drain and sinkhole will take at least a week .
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14ffe4c9a9c3fb8f16797dcf167da6df17afb9c4
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By . Simon Tomlinson and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 23:19 EST, 12 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 23:52 EST, 12 December 2013 . Ritual: Chun Michael Deng died after being knocked unconscious during a fraternity hazing . The 19-year-old New York college student who died from brain injuries after a hazing has been pictured as police claim that his fraternity brothers tried to cover up how he got his injuries. Members of Pi Delta Psi allegedly failed to get medical attention for Chun Michael Deng for more than an hour, as they changed him into dry clothes and researched his symptoms on the internet. Brothers from Baruch College also removed fraternity related items from the Pennsylvania home they were in, according to a police affidavit. Mr Deng, died from head injuries on Monday, after three fellow students took him to the hospital at about 6.40am on Sunday. He had been knocked unconscious between 5am and 5.30am earlier that day. According to a police report seen by the Daily News: 'Deng was reported to be unconscious . and unresponsive immediately after he fell ...Deng was then carried inside and placed by a fire and continued to be unresponsive.' Police believe the student received his injuries during a hazing ritual called the Glass Ceiling, where people are blindfolded and made to drag sand-filled bags across a room while being tackled by members of the fraternity. Members of the fraternity had initially said Mr Deng had hurt himself while wrestling in snow outside the rented property, about 100 miles from the Manhattan campus. A Pennsylvania prosecutor has said charges in the case are expected once the police investigation ends. The level of charges and who specifically will be charged is not clear, Monroe County District Attorney E. David Christine told CNN. 'As a result of this incident we are immediately suspending all new member education nationwide until further notice', national president of the fraternity, Andy Meng, said in a statement. Scroll down for video . Fraternity ritual: Police are investigating how an NYC student died over the weekend in Pennsylvania . The . Monroe County District Attorney's office said the 19-year-old was injured at a Tunkhannock Township residence, . where about 30 members of the Pi Delta Psi fraternity had travelled for . the weekend. The township is in northeastern Pennsylvania, about 30 miles north of Allentown. Mr Deng, a freshman at Baruch College, was one of four students pledging to the fraternity in the hazing ritual, the practice of humiliating newcomers as part of their initiation into the group. Pocono . Mountain Regional Police Chief Harry Lewis told NBC News that the . pledges were told they had to get from one point to another while . blindfolded. They had to carry loads while the others pushed him over, knocking him unconscious. The national website for Pi Delta Psi said that it takes 'hazing allegations very seriously'. Tragedy: The 19-year-old was injured at a residence in Tunkhannock Township (above), where about 30 members of the Pi Delta Psi fraternity had travelled for the weekend . The . fraternity identifies itself as 'an Asian American Cultural Fraternity' founded in 1994, with a mission 'to spread Asian American Cultural . awareness.' Baruch College issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon that said: 'The . preliminary reports indicate that Michael died over the weekend while . participating in an unsanctioned fraternity pledging event.' 'Baruch . College had no knowledge of this event or that the fraternity was . rushing a pledge class. Pi Delta Psi did not request permission nor were . they approved by Baruch on this matter.' The . school also said that it has a 'zero tolerance policy regarding hazing' and that all fraternities and sororities are required to attend an . orientation session that includes anti-hazing training, and sign . statements that they understand the policies. 'Michael's . death is a deeply painful reminder that no individual should ever be . put into a position where his or her personal safety is in jeopardy. Our . deepest sympathies go out to Michael's family and his friends.'
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Chen Deng died after being brought to hospital by fellow students .
Fraternity failed to seek medical help for nearly an hour, police claim .
Freshman suffered 'major brain trauma' after being knocked unconscious .
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150017a4e0f73fba84dca95314c04479b0ea9090
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(CNN) -- While most first-person shooter games want players to kill as a means of completing a mission,"Bulletstorm" takes that premise to the next level by having players "kill with skill." The new first-person shooter from Epic Games, People Can Fly and Electronic Arts ends up being a campy, over-the-top offering, featuring a new game play style that awards points for killing enemies in unique ways. The more outlandishly someone dies, the more skillshot points you get. You play as Grayson Hunt, an assassin-turned-mercenary who is on a mission to redeem himself by going after the people who used him to kill innocents. Sound convoluted? There are enough twists, turns, betrayals and unlikely partnerships that it feels like you will end up targeting everyone at some point in the game. That mounting body count, which is the game's true lead character, isn't just about using different weapons to off your opponents, but includes using the environment around you to deal death blows. Spiked cacti and steel beams become your friends for the "Spiked" or "Voodoo Doll" skillshot points. Kicking an opponent off a high platform earns you the "Vertigo" skillshot points. Players can cash in the points for upgrades to weapons and a special device called the Leash. It's a wrist device that shoots out an energy tendril, allowing Hunt to pull enemies or items toward him. You can also use the Thumper feature of the Leash to fling people into the air, where you can pick them off and earn "Trap Shooting" points. Hunt starts off the game with a standard assault rifle, but other weapons are found throughout the scenes. My favorite ended up being the Flail Gun, which fires off two bombs attached together by a chain. Wrap up an enemy, kick him into a crowd of bad guys, and then set off the bombs. It clears out a room quickly and will earn you points for the "Gang Bang" skill or the "Grenade Gag" skill. Get the idea? The more creatively a player uses his weapons and surroundings, the better his weapons become and the more destructive he can be. Instead of just mowing down enemy after enemy, I found myself taking a few extra moments to survey what was around me and how I could use it to destroy others. The wanton mayhem isn't the only thing that's over the top in "Bulletstorm." Dialogue is one obscenity after another in some of the most outlandish ways. Obviously, they are all NSFW (or for any real conversation), but they are laugh-out-loud funny if you keep your tongue firmly in your cheek. There is no real character development or even an attempt at real interaction between Hunt and the nonplayer characters that will help you along the way. Also, don't worry about trying to figure out where to go next. The nonplayer characters will lead the way and then stop right before heading into a danger zone. There are also indicators along the way (like a message telling you to press "B" to kick open a door) that lead the player by the hand through the linear game play. Single-player maps can be replayed after completion to see if you can improve your skillshot score in a timed setting. Multiplayer action ramps things up by introducing three team members to destroy the bad guys with you. The play is the same, but team skillshots are introduced to add a bit of spice. Cooperation is needed to move along, so play with people who will work with you rather than go off on their own. "Bulletstorm" is an entertaining attempt at making bloody fun with the skillshot feature. I think of it as a teenage shooter game that tries to get attention by being gross, obscene and sexually charged. It is funny at first, but after a while, it becomes tired -- especially the dialogue. But the shooting aspect is really something new and does keep interest levels high. Even toward the end of the game, I was still figuring out new combinations of weapons and environment that unlocked more new skillshot points. If you go into "Bulletstorm" thinking it is an elite first-person shooter game, you will be very disappointed. However, "Bulletstorm," with its "kill with skill" mentality, is a great change of pace in the first-person shooter genre that rewards players for doing something different. And that is refreshing. "Bulletstorm" is now available on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. It is rated M for mature because of blood and gore, intense violence, partial nudity, sexual themes, strong language and use of alcohol. This review was done playing a retail copy on the Xbox 360.
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"Bulletstorm" follows Grayson Hunt, an assassin-turned-mercenary .
In the game, the more outlandish the killing, the more points you get .
It is not only about using the different weapons, but also the environment .
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By . Lucy Waterlow . PUBLISHED: . 05:42 EST, 12 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:12 EST, 12 April 2013 . One couple have the magic moment they became engaged captured for posterity after a romantic father-to-be went down on one knee during a professional photo shoot. Matt Beards, 32, stunned his pregnant partner Kirsty Leneveu by popping the question while they posed for a photographer who reeled off a sequence of frames capturing her saying 'yes'. He had arranged for the pictures to be taken as birthday present but mid-way through the shoot, he suddenly got down on one knee and proposed. Surprise! Matt Beards dropped down on one knee and proposed to pregnant Kirsty Leneveu during a professional photo shoot . Yes! Photographer Gary Maxwell captured the magical moment the couple became engaged . Wedding bells: The couple, from Evesham, Worcs, plan to tie the knot later this year . Kirsty, 23, who is seven-months pregnant with their first child, said: 'I was posing for a regular photo, but when I looked round Matt was down on one knee. The ring was so big there was no way I could say no. 'The photographer was just as . surprised as me but carried on taking pictures and now we have a . wonderful memory captured on film forever.' She added: 'I thought I was going to be enjoying a normal birthday, but ended up getting the best present I have ever had. When he proposed I was completely overwhelmed. Present: The proposal took place during a photo shoot Matt had organised for Kirsty's birthday . Soon-to-be parents: The couple's first baby is due in two months . Wonderful memory: Kirsty said the photo shoot proposal was a complete surprise . Captured the moment: Photographer Gary Maxwell, who conducted the photo shoot, was equally surprised . 'We've been together for two years and always knew we wanted to get married one day but I never expected him to propose like he did. It's been an agonising wait, and there were times when I was wondering will it be today? 'When he finally did ask I just wasn't expecting it at all.' Matt, a police officer, arranged the surprise proposal on Kirsty's 23rd birthday on March 18. He said: 'I knew what the answer would be because we've talked about getting married so much, but I was worried about the way it would come across. I definitely wanted to get it right. 'I chose the shoot because I thought her mind would be on other things, and of course the fact we could get a picture there and then buy it. 'I thought about waiting until our son was born, but was glad I chose her birthday because she was absolutely gobsmacked.' The couple, from Evesham, Worcs, plan to tie the knot later this year. Photographer Gary Maxwell, who runs the studio in Leamington Spa, where the couple got engaged, said: 'What started off as a more glamorous couple's makeover session was quickly turned into a proposal which I was not expecting at all. 'I'm just glad I captured the moment because you really only get one shot at that but I was glad the pictures came out well.'
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Pregnant Kirsty Leneveu was stunned when Matt Beards proposed .
He surprised her at photo shoot organised for her birthday .
Equally surprised photographer captured moment on camera .
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By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 14:03 EST, 3 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:08 EST, 3 March 2013 . Britain's youngest schoolgirl racer Jamie Chadwick has beaten the boys to win a £40,000 track deal. The fourteen-year-old is studying for her GCSE exams during the week - but at weekends she will soon be swapping her uniform for a flame-proof racing suit. Jamie has won a prized scholarship from car makers Ginetta to campaign one of their racing cars in a championship that begins later this month. Her backers predict the teenager will give the boys in the championship a real run for their money and could easily progress up the racing ladder to Formula One. Jamie Chadwick has won a prized scholarship from car makers Ginetta to campaign one of their racing cars in a championship that begins later this month . Racing driver: Jamie will be competing in a rear-wheel drive Ginetta G40 in the 2013 Ginetta Junior Championship . Jamie, who lives near Tetbury, Gloucestershire, began her motor racing career when she was just 11, in go-karts, but last year beat dozens of 14 to 16-year-olds to win full funding, worth £40,000, for her to race in the 2013 Ginetta Junior Championship. She will be racing in a rear-wheel drive Ginetta G40 with a restricted 100bhp output from a standard 1.8 litre Ford engine. But the sleek two-seater cars are still capable of speeds in excess of 120 mph on the track and are highly manoeuvrable. Jamie said: 'It's a dream come true. I have been watching the championship hoping one day to get involved and winning the scholarship has made it possible. 'I drove quads and things when I was younger but didn't start in karts until I was 12 which is relatively late these days. 'I want to become a professional driver and establish a proper career in the sport. Speed: The two-seater cars have a restricted 100bhp output from a standard 1.8 litre Ford engine, but are still capable of speeds in excess of 120mph on the track . 'The scholarship test was a terrific event staged over three days and there were sixty other drivers competing including some from Europe. 'We were tested not only on our driving ability but also on our fitness and media skills. On the final day there were just four of us left but I worked really hard in every discipline and the competition was tough but when I was announced as the winner it was a fantastic feeling. 'I am proud of myself and really want to do well this season - I am younger and less experienced than many of the other drivers but I am looking forward to the challenge. Contender: Jamie began her motor racing career when she was just 11, in go-karts . 'This is a brilliant opportunity for young racers to move up. Jenson Button is my hero - and he started in go-karts before moving up to racing cars . But he was 18 when he made the switch from karts. 'I definitely see females as Formula One drivers. There is no reason why a woman can't succeed at the highest level and with the right opportunity and support it is only a matter of time. 'Inevitably some men like to think they are better drivers than women but it is not always the case - there are plenty of hopeless male drivers around.' Ginetta's general manager Simon Finnis said: 'During the scholarship programme Jamie impressed us with her speed, skill and personality.' Future: She now wants to become an established racing driver and develop a career in the sport .
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Jamie Chadwick to race in 2013 Ginetta Junior Championship .
14-year-old beat dozens of teenagers to win full funding worth £40,000 .
Teenager wants to become Formula 1 driver like hero Jenson Button .
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(CNN) -- People keep asking me what my dad might like for his 90th birthday on June 12. I think I can answer that one. He'd like to jump out of an airplane and feel that freedom one more time. He'd like to have his family and close friends around him for a quiet celebration. He'd like a good martini with a couple of olives. But most of all, I know he'd like you, on the occasion of his birthday, to give to others. Volunteer service is Dad's true north. He made it a centerpiece of his presidency, encouraging millions of people to look within to find "your own special genius for helping others." He gave 1,020 Daily Point of Light Awards from the White House to inspire people to volunteer and to prove that "somewhere in America, every serious social problem is being solved through voluntary service, for therein lies the greatest national resource of all." In the years since he left the White House, Dad joined forces with former President Bill Clinton to support victims of Hurricane Katrina and the Indian Ocean tsunami -- and the volunteers who showed up afterward to help rebuild. Opinion: What George H.W. Bush, at 90, can teach millennials . Last July, he and Mom traveled to the White House to join President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama and hundreds of others in a special ceremony to present the 5,000th Daily Point of Light Award to an Iowa couple fighting world hunger one meal at a time. So what would he really like for his birthday? He'd like you to go to BeOne.PointsofLight.org and pledge to pitch in. As Dad said, "It doesn't matter who you are. Everybody's got something to give: a job skill, a free hour, a pair of strong arms." I hope you'll volunteer as a way to honor my Dad -- or yours (Father's Day is Sunday). Or volunteer as a way to be good to yourself; researchers say it leads to healthier, happier lives. Whatever your cause, whatever your motivation, I hope you'll agree with me that volunteer service is an extraordinary gift. Thanks for everything and happy birthday, Dad.
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His son says former President George H.W. Bush wants more than a skydive for his 90th .
Neil Bush: Dad wants to continue to encourage people to serve the community .
He says encouraging volunteer service was a hallmark of 41's presidency .
Neil Bush: Volunteer as a way to honor my dad -- or yours .
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In order to use many websites and social networks, you have to forfeit a certain amount of your privacy. But one San Diego firm is willing to pay you for the privilege of following you around as you browse the web, make searches and use social networks. For $100 (£60) a month, Luth Research will track your every move online before selling it to the highest bidder, typically companies looking to advertise on the web. The ZQ Intelligence scheme is run by San Diego-based Luth Research. It pays preselected participants a monthly fee to collect their data, including website visits, search entries and time spent on social networks when using a phone, tablet (stock image pictured) or PC . In February, Datacoup became the first personal data marketplace. It lets people sell their social media habits, searches and even how much they use online banking for a reward of up to $8 a month. The more data that’s shared, the more money people can earn. In a similar way to Luth Research, Datacoup analyses this information to spot trends and sells this trend information to advertisers. Only preselected participants can take part in the scheme, and around 20,000 PC users and 6,000 smartphone users are, at any given time, giving their permission to be tracked. As well as tracking browsing history, web searches, time spent on social networks and the user’s location, participants are also asked to complete survey questions about their behaviour. This means clients can ask participants follow-up questions about why they choose to visit certain sites, or more details about their movements. All the information is collected through a virtual private network connection, and the data is securely routed through Luth Research’s servers. The firm also tracks a user’s location, and participants can be asked to complete survey questions about their behaviour to help companies learn more about their decision-making process. All the information is collected through a virtual private network connection, and the data is securely routed through Luth Research’s servers . It is then collected and analysed for trends, and works across PCs, phones and tablets. Participants and clients should contact the company if they want to be involved in the scheme. In February, Datacoup became the first personal data marketplace. It lets people sell their social media habits, searches and even how much they use online banking for a reward of up to $8 (£5) a month. The more data that’s shared, the more money people can earn. In a similar way to Luth Research, Datacoup analyses this information to spot trends and sells this trend information to advertisers.
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The ZQ Intelligence scheme is run by Luth Research .
It pays preselected participants a monthly fee to collect their data .
This information is collected on behalf of company clients .
All information is securely routed through the Luth Research’s server .
It tracks website visits, search entries, time spent on social networks and location details .
Participants are also asked to complete surveys about their behaviour .
However, the firm doesn’t read the content of messages or social accounts .
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(CNN) -- Authorities have identified three of the four women found dead this month in two incidents in Detroit, an investigator with the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office said Friday. Three of the women have been linked to a website that accepts ads for escort services, police have said. In the latest case, one of the two women found early Christmas Day in the trunk of a car that had been set afire was identified as Vernithea McCrary, 28, the investigator said. The second victim remains unidentified, said the investigator, who asked not to be identified because he is not allowed to speak on the record to the news media. The bodies of two other women found December 19 have been identified as Demesha Hunt, 24, and Renisha Landers, 23. They were found in the trunk of Landers' Chrysler 300. Causes of death for the four women were pending toxicology results, which typically take six to eight weeks to be completed, the investigator said. The process of identification can be difficult. "People hear of someone that is discovered that we bring down here and they call down here and inform us that someone is missing," the investigator said. "They give us a description and then they come down if they can be viewed and are recognizable. If not, we ask them to bring a set of dental records for comparison." The deaths are being treated as the work of one person or group of people, Detroit's police chief said Tuesday. "At this point, we are working it as one case or one suspect or set of suspects," Chief Ralph L. Godbee told CNN. "There are too many common links for us not to, at this point, work this as one single investigation." Among those links, he said, is the fact that three of the women had placed online ads dealing with "prearranged adult dating services" and posted on backpage.com, Godbee told reporters Monday. "We felt it is imperative to alert the public that deciding to meet unknown persons via the Internet can be extremely dangerous," Godbee said. But a lawyer for backpage.com, Steve Suskin, said it was not clear that his company's website was involved. "Our team has already provided the police with detailed information about the ads that the suspect or others posted on numerous web sites. Law enforcement authorities now have evidence that the investigation appears to connect to at least 30 different ads or other postings on at least 15 different websites, separate and distinct from ours," Suskin said. "We are not aware of the existence of any evidence that would indicate which of these many sites were used by the suspect to establish contact with his victims." Backpage representatives have been cooperating with police, the police chief said. Postings on the escort section of the website cost $1. Referring to the advertisements on the website as "borderline prostitution," Godbee said that his priorities lie elsewhere. "Right now, we want to get to the bottom of how these four individuals passed away, and who had a hand in their demise," he said.
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One of the two bodies found Christmas Day has been identified .
Three of the four women are linked to a website that accepts ads for escort services .
Lawyer: Not clear website was involved in deaths .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:14 EST, 28 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:43 EST, 28 March 2013 . A baby gorilla being temporarily raised by human surrogate parents is doing well while learning to roll over, sit up and nearly walk on all fours. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden primate specialists say two-month-old 'Gladys' is in good health, developing and growing quickly with loving care from 10 humans imitating a gorilla mom's behavior. This week she began supporting herself on all fours. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Growing up: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Primate Team Leader Ron Evans lays with baby Gladys, seen here at just 2-months-old . Taken care of: Gladys is said to be in good health while in the loving care of 10 humans imitating a gorilla mother's behavior after her biological mother showed no interest in her . Life together: Mr Evans works on paperwork on a bed of hay as Gladys sleeps on his back cloaked in black hair meant to resemble a gorilla's . Gladys came to Cincinnati last month . from Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, after she was born there . Jan. 29 to a first-time mother who showed little maternal instinct. It was decided to move her to . Cincinnati's zoo because of its extensive experience in raising gorilla . babies and its availability of experienced gorilla mothers. 'The next step, she'll be able to walk around by herself,' said Ron Evans, primate team leader, commonly now seen with Gladys on his back. Growing strong, Gladys also is teething and has begun eating some cooked foods, such as sweet potatoes and carrots, besides being bottle-fed five times a day. 'She's at the age now where she really starts growing by leaps and bounds,' Mr Evans said. Role model: Primate Keeper Ashley O'Connell carries Gladys, an endangered Western Lowland Gorilla on her back, in an effort to model other gorilla behavior . New home: Zoo specialists think she will be ready within a few months to be moved to the care of one of four perspective mother gorillas they believe will latch onto her . Support: Ms O'Connell, who just had her first child five months ago, cuddles with Gladys who flashes a bright pink tongue and wide, energetic eyes . Human surrogates dress in black, wear furry vests and kneepads and make gorilla sounds to help prepare Gladys for the transition to a real gorilla family. They have been showing her to other gorillas and letting them touch her. ‘I'm not gonna lie, she's waking up now too, it's fun, but, more importantly it's a big responsibility that we do not take the least little bit lightly,’ Mr Evans told the Cincinnati Enquirer while lying in a bed of straw. The little gorilla was seen nestled on his black back. ‘It's a privilege to get the opportunity to do it and despite how much we might like hanging out with Gladys, the thing that we are looking most for in return is the day she goes in with a mother gorilla,' he continued. It's especially important with western lowland gorillas being critically endangered in the wild. Newborn: In February adorable photos of the baby being cared for at the Texas zoo after her birth were released . Left behind: The zoo said that after the baby was born in January its mother just walked away, showing no interest in caring for it . Cared for: Zoo workers immediately went to work making sure the newborn was bottle fed every two hours . Experts: The baby was later sent specifically to the Ohio zoo because of their experienced care with newborn gorillas . The Enquirer reports that zoo specialists think she will be ready within a few months to be transferred to a new mother. There are four potential adoptive moms among their gorillas. 'The gorillas have to decide who this baby's mom is going to be,' said Mr Evans. 'That will be the day that all this hard work pays off,' said primate keeper Ashley O'Connell, crawling around with the 9-pound gorilla riding on her back. Ms O'Connell just had her own first child five months ago. 'I feel like I'm the mother of two right now,' she said. 'If I have to be away from my own child, this is where I want to be.' WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: .
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Baby Gladys was born in Texas to a first-time mother who showed little maternal instinct .
Ohio zoo plans to raise her for the first few months themselves before introducing her to a few potential new gorilla mothers .
Western lowland gorillas are critically endangered in the wild .
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By . Nick Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 17:14 EST, 7 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:14 EST, 7 April 2013 . Tests: David Nutt wants to investigate whether magic mushrooms work in treating depression . Campaigners have criticised a decision . to award £550,000 of public funds to a sacked government drugs tsar so . he can investigate whether magic mushrooms work in treating depression. Professor David Nutt was forced out of . his role as the Government’s chief drug adviser in 2009 for saying . ecstasy was less dangerous than horseriding. He now wants to study whether the . hallucinogenic ingredient in magic mushrooms, psilocybin, can be used to . treat severe depression. His team has been given a grant by the Medical . Research Council for a pioneering trial on 60 sufferers who have failed . to respond to two previous treatments. But he said he cannot start because . the Home Office must first grant a licence for companies to supply his . team with the compound. Critics say Professor Nutt’s track record makes him an inappropriate choice to carry out the research. Previously, he opposed the decision to . reclassify cannabis from Class C to Class B in 2009, and has argued . alcohol was ‘considerably more dangerous’ than the drug. Last year, he . led a controversial live trial of pure ecstasy on Channel 4. Mary Brett, of Europe Against Drugs, . said of the latest project: ‘Why are the MRC giving money to a man who . had got it completely wrong over cannabis? Professor Nutt’s patchy . record raises questions. He seems obsessed with recreational drugs.’ Magic mushrooms, with heroin and cocaine, are Class A drugs and are believed to exacerbate mental health problems in some users. Previously Professor Nutt’s team at . Imperial College London found psilocybin reduced activity in a part of . the brain known to be over-active in depression. But that study was on . healthy volunteers subject to less stringent regulations. Only four hospitals in Britain have a . licence to hold psilocybin, and Professor Nutt said the authorities . refused to tell him where. He said: ‘The rules are absurd.’ Risk: Magic mushrooms, with heroin and cocaine, are Class A drugs and are believed to exacerbate mental health problems in some users .
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Professor David Nutt given cash by Medical Research Council .
Wants to investigate whether magic mushrooms work in treating depression .
Team given £550,000 grant for trial involving 60 sufferers .
Sacked in 2009 for claiming ecstasy less harmful than horseriding .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:21 EST, 13 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:27 EST, 13 January 2013 . The Church of Scientology has vehemently denied claims made in a sensational new book that Tom Cruise auditioned a host of Hollywood beauties including Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan and Kate Bosworth to be his wife before settling on Katie Holmes. Allegedly disappointed by his split from Oscar-winning actress Penelope Cruz in 2004 after she failed to embrace Scientology, Cruise, 50, allowed senior members of the church to summon the unwitting stars to read for a non-existent part in the 'Mission: Impossible' series. According to 'Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison Belief', the Top Gun star initiated the unusual casting couch-style marriage interviews after a complaint to his sister at a Scientology church opening in Madrid that no one had been able to find him a new girlfriend. Actresses Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Alba (right) were reportedly auditioned by Scientologist's looking to find a new wife for Tom Cruise . Actor Tom Cruise attends the 'Jack Reacher' press conference at Conrad Hotel on January 10, 2013 in Seoul, South Korea . Actresses Kate Bosworth and Lindsay Lohan were also reportedly considered for the role of Tom Cruise's wife and were asked to attend casting for a bogus role in a new Mission Impossible film . The Hollywood mega-star also allegedly made the same complaint to Scientologist leader and his best friend David Miscavige after his three year relationship with Cruz ended, who according to the book wasted no time in beginning the search for a suitable Mrs. Cruise. Lawyers for Tom Cruise have vehemently insisted that no such conversations ever occurred while he was in Spain. However, the tell-all book, penned by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright, alleges that Scientologist matchmakers arranged for 'auditions' at the organisation's Celebrity Center in Los Angeles and invited the bevy of what were young and promising actresses. The book claims that each of the girls including hell-raiser Lohan, who was 18 in 2004, Alba, who is now happily married with two children and Johansson, were not chosen and in 2005 Cruise instead met Katie Holmes and then infamously jumped on Oprah Winfrey's couch. Marriage: Actors Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise arrive at the 2012 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Graydon Carter at Sunset Tower on February 26, 2012 in West Hollywood, California . Holmes, who is now 34, split from Tom cruise in 2012 and took primary custody of their child, Suri. The book also claims that prior to the auditions of the would-be stars, Cruise was hooked up with British-Iranian actress Nazanin Boniadi, who is now 32. Vanity Fair magazine's special correspondent Maureen Orth reported that Shelly Miscavige, the wife of David Miscavige was part of the search to find Tom Cruise a suitable girlfriend. The magazine contended that Boniadi was convinced by Scientology leaders that she had been selected for a project that would help further her religion and would lead to her meeting 'world leaders' and having an influential role in the church. Allegedly, top Scientology official Greg Wilhere told the actress to darken her hair, remove her orthodontic braces and that she break up with her long term boyfriend, who was also part of the controversial religion and with whom she was reportedly deeply in love. When she refused to do that, Wilhere allegedly showed Boniadi evidence that her boyfriend had cheated on her and that led her to break up their relationship. Tom Cruise allegedly became disappointed by the break down in his relationship with Penelope Cruz in 2004 and asked Scientologist leader David Miscavige (right) for his help . Tom Cruise during his much-maligned couch jumping episode in 2005 on Oprah as he declared his love for Katie Holmes . She was flown to New York to meet Cruise and he swept her off her feet with an amazing series of dates that included visits to the Empire State Building, dinner at Nobu, skating at the Rockefeller Center and nights spent at the Trump Tower. In fact, she so impressed Cruise that he asked her to sign a nondisclosure agreement, which is generally acknowledged to be a sign that the actor is keen to persue the relationship and make it serious. Tommy Davis, a Scientology executive, told Boniadi that her new life with Cruise was all about keeping him happy. 'Davis warned her that if she did anything to upset Cruise, he would personally destroy her,' the book reported. 'Davis and (Scientology official) Jessica Feshback were constantly tutoring her in how to behave toward the star.' The auditions for the role of Tom Cruise's new wife allegedly took place at the Church of Scientology's Celebrity Center in Los Angeles . However, the pairing did not work out and Feshback is said to have ordered Boniadi to pack her belongings and leave Cruise's home. She is said to have last seen the Hollywood actor working out in his home gym and has never heard from him again. And when she confessed her love for Cruise to another Scientologist, the church sent her to Clearwater in Florida and asked her to scrub public toilets with a toothbrush, the book reported. The church has denied all allegations of cruelty towards Boniadi for speaking to anyone about Tom Cruise. The reason for the unusual auditions organised by the Church of Sceintology stem from their interest in keeping their best known member happy. He is also a huge donor to the religion, reportedly handing over $3 million in 2004 alone. Divorce: Katie Holmes attends "12-12-12" a concert benefiting The Robin Hood Relief Fund to aid the victims of Hurricane Sandy at Madison Square Garden . Nazanin Boniadi reportedly dated Tom Cruise before his marriage to Katie Holmes . Before his marriage to Holmes, Cruise and Miscavige harbored political ambitions for the actor, alleges the book. 'If f******g Arnold (Schwarzenegger) can be governor, I could be President,' said Cruise. 'Well, absolutely, Tom,' replied Miscavige. Lawyers for Cruise have denied that converstaion ever took place. The book also details Cruise's failed attempts to try and recruit Steven Spielberg into the Scientology fold after the Oscar winning director cast the actor in 'War of the Worlds'. However, Cruise became angered after her learnt of a conversation between Spielberg and Paul Haggis, the director of the Oscar winning movie 'Crash'. Allegations: Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood & the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wright will be published on January 17 . 'I've met all these Scientologists, and they seem like the nicest people,' Spielberg is alleged to have said reports the New York Daily News. 'Yea, we keep all the evil ones in the closet,' replied Haggis, who at the time was a Scientologist before leaving the church in 2009. Haggis says that he was called in by the church executives for a dressing down over the remarks and ordered to write a letter of apology to Cruise. When his first draft was rejected, Haggis was made to write an even more contrite letter to Tom Cruise. A Spielberg publicist said the director doesn’t recall the brief exchange with Haggis, and Cruise’s lawyer said the actor does not remember the incident.
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A controversial new book claims that Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan and Kate Bosworth were 'auditioned' to be Tom Cruise's wife .
He eventually settled upon Katie Holmes in 2005 .
According to 'Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison Belief', Cruise also harbored political ambitions toward the White House .
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Posted pictures of himself with Bill Clinton and Silvio Berlusconi . Called for a 'boycott' of Arab businesses . The Israeli prime minister's 19-year-old son posted disparaging and obscene comments about Arabs and Muslims on his Facebook page, an Israeli paper reported today. Earlier this year, Yair Netanyahu posted that Muslims 'celebrate hate and death,' the Haaretz daily reported. After Palestinian assailants entered a West Bank settlement and stabbed five members of an Israeli family to death, he wrote that 'terror has a religion and it is Islam.' Facebook blunder: Yair Netanyahu, right, seen with his father Benjamin and brother Avner at the Western Wall, is reported to have made the disparaging comments online . Yair Netanyahu, the eldest of the prime minister's two sons, is currently a soldier in the Israeli military's media liaison unit. But a lawyer for the Netanyahu family, David Shimron, defended teh soldier, insisting in a statement that the comments were those of a 'teenager' and were 'taken out of context in an attempt to defame the prime minister and his family.' According to the Haaretz report, the prime minister's son also ran a Facebook group that called for a boycott of Arab businesses and products, and used obscenities to describe Arabs. He was 17 at the time. The group had a total of 23 members, the paper reported. In another comment, he wrote that there had never been a Palestinian state and that he hoped 'there would never be one.' Haaretz said the comments in question were removed within two hours of the paper's request for a response from the prime minister's representatives. Out of context: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's lawyer says the comments were 'taken out of context' The younger Netanyahu's Facebook page also included comments on the Israeli version of the TV show Big Brother and a 'like' directed at Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli, alongside photos of himself with world leaders like Bill Clinton and Silvio Berlusconi. A military spokesman said commanders had spoken to Netanyahu "to clarify to the soldier the military commands, outlining his mistakes, as would be done with any soldier in a similar situation." Some of the comments predated his military service, the military said. Shimron, the Netanyahu family's attorney, slammed Haaretz for reporting the comments. 'Bringing them up now is ridiculous and shows the cynical use of the words of a teenager, said in anger, when he could not imagine that someone would someday make use of them,' the lawyer wrote. 'Prime Minister Netanyahu and his wife believe in moderation and tolerance, and they respect all people without regard for their religion, origin or nationality and that is how they raise their children,' the statement said. The families of Israeli leaders have typically been kept out of the spotlight, but Netanyahu's family has sometimes drawn media attention in ways that have been a liability for the Israeli leader. Sara Netanyahu, the prime minister's third wife, has been criticized for allegedly mistreating her household staff and for meddling in state affairs. She has denied the accusations.
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Posted pictures of himself with Bill Clinton and Silvio Berlusconi .
Called for a 'boycott' of Arab businesses .
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Clearly Jesus was sexy. After all, He is the Son of God. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but as I watched the trailer for the new movie, "Son of God," I found myself gawking at the actor portraying Jesus. Diogo Morgado is one hot dude. His Jesus looks more like Brad Pitt than that nice man with the beard in all those paintings. I'm not the only one gawking at Morgodo's Jesus. He inspired the hashtag, "#HotJesus". It went viral on Twitter. The actor told The New York Times he doesn't want his looks to distract from the movie, but, "If the message of Jesus was love, hope and compassion, and I can bring that to more people by being a more appealing Jesus, I am happy with that." Clearly we have a new trend. A "more appealing" Jesus is not just a better prophet, he's ... sexy. We actually don't know what Jesus looked like. We do know he was a carpenter, so perhaps Jesus was buff. But, I don't think when the Biblical Nathaniel asked, "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" and Phillip answered, "Come and see," they were talking about Jesus' beautiful face or chiseled abs. Yes, Jesus, as portrayed in countless paintings, has a six-pack. As comedian and author, Greg Behrendt joked, "I'd like to get ripped ... ripped like Jesus. Jesus was ripped. You've seen the pictures, right? He's ripped! Ripped. He's the son of God. He's not going to be walking around saying I've got back fat today, I'm so puffy." All joking aside, why must Jesus be sexy? Or ripped? Or even handsome? The Rev. Robert B. Lawton, SJ, a Jesuit priest and former president of Loyola Marymount University, says, "There is absolutely no indication that Jesus was good-looking and sexy. In fact there is a passage in the prophet Isaiah that is taken as referring to Jesus. It says this: . "He had no form or majesty that we should look at him/nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account." (Isaiah 53. 2-3.) While this might not be conclusive evidence, it's quite possible that Jesus was no Jewish Brad Pitt from Palestine. On the other hand, why wouldn't God create a perfect Son? "Anything that is sexy is going to attract people. People who might not go to the movie might want to check it out, particularly non-Christians," says the Rev. Lisa Jenkins, senior pastor of St. Matthew's Baptist Church in Harlem. "I don't see a problem with Jesus being attractive given our cultural context," she says. "I don't recall a Jesus who was not appealing to the eye. That's Hollywood." Jenkins is more concerned about what she considers an inaccurate portrayal of Jesus' ethnicity. The Rev. James Martin, SJ, editor-at-large for America Magazine, and author of the coming book, "Jesus: A Pilgrimage," agrees. "God did not choose to incarnate himself in Laguna Beach," he says. "He chose to incarnate Himself at a certain place, at a certain time in a certain person." And that person was a Palestinian Jew. "Many people have a hard time with the humanity of Jesus ... the closer He is to human physical perfection, the easier it is for some to accept Him." But, Martin says, there is a danger in that too. A physically perfect Jesus makes Him into a God pretending to be man. When Jesus was both human and divine. "He was like us in all things, except sin, as the theology goes," Martin says. "That means, He had a body, He got sick, He got tired, He may have sprained an ankle or two. There are passages in the Gospel showing Him falling asleep because He was tired. We tend to airbrush the physical imperfections away." Those traits make Jesus so much more accessible. So much more ... human. I tried to come up with a living person to compare to Jesus. That, of course, is impossible. The closest I can come, as a Catholic, is Pope Francis. I've grown to revere him. Is it because he's sexy? In a word: No.
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A film starring Diogo Morgado as Jesus opens this week .
Carol Costello says he inspired the hashtag "HotJesus"
Costello: Is physical attractiveness necessary for a religious figure in today's culture?
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By . Derek Hunter . Arsene Wenger has backed Jack Wilshere to take the World Cup by storm after revealing the Arsenal star’s rehabilitation from a broken foot will ensure he is in peak condition for England this summer. The 22-year-old has not played since suffering a hairline fracture to his left foot during England’s friendly against Denmark on March 5 — an injury that appeared to threaten his participation in Brazil. But Wenger says the midfielder is likely to return for Arsenal’s clash with West Bromwich on May 5 and that he has already assured England manager Roy Hodgson he should have no worries about naming the playmaker in his squad. VIDEO: Scroll down to watch Wilshere and Neymar star in the new Nike ad . On the mend: Jack Wilshere will go to the World Cup in peak condition, according to Arsene Wenger . Ouchy! The Arsenal playmaker has not played since breaking his foot in an international friendly against Denmark . ‘Jack started to jog again this week and I would say two to three weeks until he returns to action,’ said Wenger. ‘I spoke with Roy Hodgson, I told him Wilshere will be available for England. He will be just polished for England. ‘I think he will pick him. I didn’t feel any doubt on that front. Jack can prove himself to be world class at the World Cup. He can be the positive surprise. Pep talk: Wenger has told England manager Roy Hodgson that Wilshere will be polished for the World Cup . ‘England has a very difficult group but if you come out of a group like that your belief is really strong. They have to deal really well with the situation as they have Italy and Uruguay in the group and they have to get out of there.’ Wenger also believes Wilshere is ready to put his long run of injuries behind him and show his consistency next season. A long-term ankle problem meant he did not make a single appearance during the 2011-12 season and just 35 for club and country the following campaign. Yet Wenger says Wilshere has learned a lot during his lay-offs and is adamant he will prove his doubters wrong when he gets a run of games. Stuttered: Wilshere has had a stop-start season after a succession of niggling injuries . ‘He has been stop-start this year and last season,’ he said. ‘I think we have sorted out the problem and I hope from now on he will be always available. ‘I hope he has stabilised now. We have seen with Lionel Messi recently, who is the best player in the world, that being in and out is the most difficult thing to deal with as you need to be competitive and to do that you need to be playing. ‘He is a football man, Jack. You speak to him about something in the game and he understands straight away. He has a natural football understanding. Not much in it: Wenger insists that Arsenal have not fallen behind Liverpool, despite the league table . ‘He watches the game and analyses very well what happens. While they are injured, these players learn, of course. I think he learns from watching the games, from the problems you can face in the game.’ And Wenger has refuted suggestions Arsenal have fallen behind Liverpool this season, saying that the Reds’ lack of European football has helped them while his side have only struggled due to injuries. ‘We beat them twice this season and they also benefited from a season when they played only the Premier League. I do not think if you take the injuries, plus all the competitions we played in and compared it to Liverpool you cannot say we are miles behind them.’
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Arsene Wenger claims Jack Wilshere will prove his class at the World Cup .
England star hasn't played since breaking his foot against Denmark .
Wenger has assured Roy Hodgson that Wilshere will return rejuvenated .
The 22-year-old is set to comeback for the West Brom game on May 5 .
Wenger insists that Arsenal have not fallen behind leaders Liverpool .
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A new species of shrimp has been discovered living deeper than any seen before in the world's most extreme deep sea volcanic vents. British scientists made the discovery while on an expedition to explore boiling undersea springs - which may be hotter than 450C - on the Caribbean seafloor. Some 5,000 metres down, in a rift in the seafloor, exists a volcanic spring known as a 'black smoker', which fires a jet of mineral-laden water more than a kilometre into the ocean above. No little discovery: Rimicaris hybisae, the world's deepest known vent shrimp, was found at a depth of 5,000 metres . Hot stuff: Thousands of the newly discovered species of shrimp mass around an oceanic geyser beneath the Cayman Islands, in temperatres in excess of 450C . But despite the extreme conditions, the vents are teeming with thousands of a new species of shrimp that has a light-sensing organ on its back. The pale shrimp congregate in hordes - up to 2,000 shrimp per square metre - around the six-metre tall mineral spires of the vents. Lacking normal eyes, the shrimp instead have a light-sensing organ on their backs, which may help them to navigate in the faint glow of deep-sea vents. The researchers have named the shrimp Rimicaris hybisae, after the deep-sea vehicle that they used to collect them. Water cannon: One of the 'black smoker' vents, 5,000m down on the Caribbean seafloor, belches a jet of mineral-laden water more than a kilometre into the ocean above . The Cayman shrimp is related to a species called Rimicaris exoculata, found at other deep-sea vents 4,000 kilometres away on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The team was led by marine geochemist Dr Doug Connelly, of the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, and marine biologist Dr Jon Copley, of the University of Southampton. During an expedition in April 2010 the scientists used a robot submarine to locate and study the vents at a depth of five kilometres in the Cayman Trough, an undersea trench south of the Cayman Islands. The vents are gushing hot fluids that are unusually rich in copper, and shooting a jet of mineral-laden water four times higher into the ocean above than other deep-sea vents. Although the scientists were not able to measure the temperature of the vents directly, these two features indicate that the world's deepest known vents may be hotter than 450C, according to the researchers. Elsewhere at the Beebe Vent Field, the team saw hundreds of white-tentacled anemones lining cracks where warm water seeps from the sea bed. Dr Copley said: 'Studying the creatures at these vents, and comparing them with species at other vents around the world will help us to understand how animals disperse and evolve in the deep ocean.' The researchers also found black smoker vents on the upper slopes of an undersea mountain called Mount Dent which rises nearly three kilometres above the seafloor of the Cayman Trough, but its peak is still more than three kilometres beneath the waves. Dr Connelly said: 'Finding black smoker vents on Mount Dent was a complete surprise. 'Hot . and acidic vents have never been seen in an area like this before, and . usually we don't even look for vents in places like this.' A light in the dark: The vents of Mount Dent are also home to snake-like fish and previously unseen species of snail and a flea-like crustacean called an amphipods . He said: 'Because undersea mountains like Mount Dent may be quite common in the oceans, the discovery suggests that deep-sea vents might be more widespread around the world than previously thought.' The vents on Mount Dent are also thronged with the new species of shrimp, along with snake-like fish, and previously unseen species of snail and a flea-like crustacean called an amphipod. Dr Copley said: 'One of the big mysteries of deep-sea vents is how animals are able to disperse from vent field to vent field, crossing the apparently large distances between them. 'But maybe there are more "stepping stones" like these out there than we realised.' The British expedition that revealed the vents followed a U.S. expedition in November 2009, which detected the plumes of water from deep-sea vents in the Cayman Trough. A second U.S. expedition is currently using a remotely-operated deep-diving vehicle to investigate the vents further and the British team also plans to return to the Cayman Trough in 2013 with Isis, the National Oceanography Centre's deep-diving remotely operated vehicle, which can work at depths of up to 6,000 metres. The findings were published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.
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Rimicaris hybisae was found 5,000m beneath the Caribbean sea .
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From the Rampant Rabbit to Love Egg, there are thousands of gadgets and devices that promise to boost your sex life. But which ones are any good - and which can help problems between the sheets? Now, leading sexual dysfunction nurse, Wendy Hurn, has compiled her top 10 - based on years of experience helping couples overcome problems and them trialling various products. Leading sexual dysfunction nurse, Wendy Hurn, has compiled her top 10 sex gadgets that enhance pleasure and help overcome performance problems (file picture) She has now launched a website, Libidina, to provide advice on issues such as erectile dysfunction, painful sex and masturbation - recommending products that can help for each. She told MailOnline: 'We take sexual function for granted, but sometimes, for whatever reason, it can become ‘different or change’. 'This may be due to many reasons, even down to familiarity with your partner or routine. But can also be caused by physical or mental health conditions.' Libidina asked 50 people, some individuals and some couples, to try a variety of devices. Here, exclusively for MailOnline, Wendy reveals which ones really will boost your sex life....1. SORAYA . 6 second orgasm: The Soraya has . eight unique vibration modes and can work as a massager . 'This is an amazing device with eight unique vibration modes. It's great as a massager and for obtaining either a clitoral or vaginal orgasm…. or both! Fully rechargeable, lockable and waterproof, it is quiet and beautifully made - one to replace the redundant Rabbit. One of our researchers, 42-year-old Jess, a mother of two, had never had a vaginal orgasm. We recommended the Soraya and gave her some innovative tips and advice - she had an orgasm in six seconds! She was overwhelmed and now is finding ways to achieve this with her husband, with a little help from her Soraya. 2. THE TIANI 3 . Fun outside the bedroom: The Tiani 3 will give your love life an 'extra charge' A fantastic device, ideal for couples and really gives your love life an extra charge. It has eight stimulation modes - two are remote controlled - for added excitement and anticipation. Fully rechargeable and waterproof. It's a great item for ‘fun’ outside the bedroom as no one else will know! Has a wireless range of 12 meters. Our testers Rob and Sue, who are in their 50s, said: 'We had a great time using this when we were out for dinner and when we got home - WOW!’ 3. HULA BEADS . Progress: Hula Beeds are 'fantastic at helping to strengthen a woman¿s pelvic floor', says Wendy . These . are designed for both single and couples use. The remote control with . SenseMotion Technology, if used with a partner, adds extra excitement . because you don’t know what is coming next! It's also fantastic at . helping to strengthen a woman’s pelvic floor. By . using low speed and working your muscles against the pulsation, it . strengthens the muscles and so helps with issues such as incontinence as . well as heightening sexual awareness. Our . tester, 39-year-old Claire, a mother-of-four, suffers with stress . incontinence and lack of sensation. After using the Hula Beads every day . for six weeks, she reported an 'amazing difference', getting her . bladder weakness under control and finding sex more pleasurable. 4. ELITE VACUUM DEVICE . The Elite Vacuum Device helps men with erection problems and those suffering Peyronie's disease - a curved penis . A . simple but hugely effective vacuum device which has several purposes. It's fantastic for achieving erections, which the constriction rings . help to maintain, enabling a man to have intercourse. It's . also used for ‘exercising’ the penis after surgery and widely used to . treat Peyronies - a bend or curve in the penis which prevents a man from . having sex because it causes both him and his partner pain. This . device can help men have a satisfying relationship without the need for . surgery. George, 62, was considering surgery but got in touch with us . before for advice. Before using the pump, he wasn't able to have sex - . but six months on, the curve has straightened and he's having . intercourse again. 5. LILLY . Discreet: The Lilly (left) 'packs a powerful punch' and fits in the palm of your hand, while the Liv 2 (right) can help women who experience pain during intercourse . The original pleasure object. Small and discreet, it sits in the palm of your hand, but packs a powerful punch. It builds up intensity, with five exciting vibration modes and can be used alone or with a partner. Our tester, 25-year-old Louise, who is single, said: 'It's brilliant! It does just what I need, no stupid shape or fancy extras. Not having a partner you need something to fulfil your needs and this does just that.' 6. LIV 2This . is a small to mid-sized vibrator which is an excellent first device if . you've not used one before. It's also great for those who have problems . with pain during intercourse. Pain . can affect many young women and some can't even insert tampons due to . the pain. Liv 2 is the ideal device for helping to deal with this and, . with expert advice, it can help women who would avoid sex for fear of . the pain. Chloe, . 22, couldn't have a sexual relationship or insert a tampon, but eight . weeks after using the device - with guidance from a clinical expert - . she has managed to have sex.' 7. ORA . The Ora has been designed to give the same sensations experienced during oral sex . One of the newest devices on the market, it offers seductive swirls and pulsations on and . around the clitoris. It has been designed to give the same sensations . experienced during oral sex, has 10 varied stimulation patterns and rotates and vibrates. Marie, . 67, hadn't had a sexual partner for more than 15 years and bought it . because she only wanted external pleasure. She's described it as . 'excellent'. 7. THE MIA . The Mia has six stimulation modes and charges via a USB port . This is a nifty little device for busy women who want instant results. It recharges via a USB port and looks like a lipstick, so it is not out of place in your cosmetics bag. The intense vibrations hit the spot with six adjustable stimulation modes. Some women won't leave home without it. 8. TOR 2 . The Tor is a 'useful device for men who have sensation issues or problems maintaining erections' A rechargeable waterproof ring for both partners that can also be used by a man to help with sensation and to maintain an erection. Worn during lovemaking, it brings pleasure for both partners. It has six stimulation modes and is the most powerful of its kind. It's also a useful device for men who have sensation issues. By gradually increasing sensitivity over a period of time, men can regain more feeling. John, 47, bought a Tor 2 after surgery left him with erection and orgasm problems. He and his partner Roz found it helped both of them with pleasure and satisfaction.' 9. LYLA 2 . An upgraded version of the leading remote-controlled massager, it turns on pleasure even at a distance. For internal or external use, it has 50 per cent more vibration intensity and is a breath-taking device. A simple movement of the controller changes the mode or intensity. Josh and Lauren trialled the device after their marriage fell into difficultly - they wanted to offer each other surprises in the bedroom. 'They raved about it - particularly used with the massage candles and stone.' For more advice or information, visit www.libidina.com . The Lyla 2 is 'an upgraded version of the leading remote-controlled massager'
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Leading sexual dysfunction nurse, Wendy Hurn, has compiled her top 10 .
Based on years of experience helping couples and them trialling products .
Some help women to orgasm, others help with erectile dysfunction .
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What could be so horrible? Grade-school math. As schools around the U.S. implement national Common Core learning standards, parents trying to help their kids with math homework say that adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing has become as complicated as calculus. Stacey Jacobson-Francis (right) works on math homework with her 6-year-old daughter Luci at their home in Berkeley, California. As schools around the U.S. implement national Common Core learning standards, parents like Jacobson-Francis trying to help their kids with math homework say that adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing has become as complicated as calculus . They're stumped by unfamiliar terms like 'rectangular array' and 'area model.' They wrestle with division that requires the use of squares, slashes and dots. They rage over impenetrable word problems. Adopted by 44 states, the Common Core is a . set of English and math standards that spell out what students should . know and when. The standards for elementary math emphasize that kids . should not only be able to solve arithmetic problems using the . tried-and-true methods their parents learned, but understand how numbers . relate to each other. Stacey Jacobson-Francis, 41, of Berkeley, California, said her daughter's homework requires her to know four different ways to add. 'That is way too much to ask of a first grader,' she said. 'She can't remember them all, and I don't know them all, so we just do the best that we can.' Simple arithmetic isn't so simple anymore, leading to plenty of angst at home. Even celebrities aren't immune: The comedian Louis C.K. took to Twitter recently to vent about his kids' convoluted homework, writing that his daughters went from loving math to crying about it. Comedian Louis C.K. has even taken to Twitter to make fun of how ridiculous he thinks the Common Core math standards are. He has two daughters, Mary Lou and Kitty, who attend elementary school in New York City . 'Part of what we are trying to teach children is to become problem solvers and thinkers,' said Diane Briars, president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. 'We want students to understand what they're doing, not just get the right answer.' That's a radically different approach than many parents are accustomed to. Jennie Barnds, 40, of Davenport, Iowa, was puzzled by her fourth-grade daughter's long division homework, a foreign amalgam of boxes, slashes and dots with nary a quotient or dividend in sight. 'If we are sitting there for 20 minutes trying to do a simple problem, how is an 8, 9, 10-year-old supposed to figure it out?' she said. 'It's incredibly frustrating for the student and the parent.' A sample question from New York's Common Core math exam for the third grade . Another sample question from New York's Common Core exam for the third grade . Whether Common Core itself is responsible for the homework headaches is a contentious issue. Some experts say Common Core promotes reform math, a teaching method that gained currency in the 1990s. Derided as 'fuzzy' math by critics, reform math says kids should explore and understand concepts like place value before they become fluent in the standard way of doing arithmetic. Critics say it fails to stress basic computational skills, leaving students unprepared for higher math. This question, for New York's Common Core math test for fourth graders, is one of the most detailed questions asked on the exam . Stanford University mathematician James Milgram calls the reform math-inspired standards a 'complete mess' — too advanced for younger students, not nearly rigorous enough in the upper grades. And teachers, he contends, are largely ill-prepared to put the standards into practice. 'You are asking teachers to teach something that is incredibly complicated to kids who aren't ready for it,' said Milgram, who voted against the standards as part of the committee that reviewed them. 'If you don't think craziness will result, then you're being fundamentally naive.' Under Common Core, parents are likely to see some unfamiliar terms on their children's elementary-school math homework. Here are some examples drawn from New York state's math curriculum: . SECOND GRADE . Addition: Solve using your place value chart and number disks, composing a 10 when necessary: 53 + 19 . Subtraction: Craig checked out 28 books at the library. He read and returned some books. He still has 19 books checked out. How many books did Craig return? Draw a tape diagram or number bond to solve. Are these comparisons true or false?A) 2 hundreds + 3 ones > 5 tens + 9 ones ______B) 9 tens + 2 hundreds + 4 ones < 924 ______C) 456 < 5 hundreds ______ . THIRD GRADE: . What is another way of expressing 8 ×12?A. (8 ×10) + (8 × 2) B. (8 ×1) + (8 × 2)C. (8 ×10) + 2D. 8 + (10 × 2) The number of objects described in which situation can be represented by 24 ÷ 4?A. There are 24 boxes with 4 pencils in each box.B. There are 24 people on a bus, and 4 people get off the bus.C. There are 24 marbles that need to be sorted into 4 equal groups.D. There are 24 books on a shelf, and 4 more books are put on the shelf. What number sentence is another way to represent the missing number in the equation 36 ÷ 4 = ?A. ? × 4 = 36B. 36 × 4 = ?C. 36 + 4 = ?D. ? ÷ 4 = 36 . FOURTH GRADE . Multiplication: Represent the following expressions with disks, regrouping as necessary, writing a matching expression, and recording the partial products vertically: 3 x 24Word problem: Cindy says she found a shortcut for doing multiplication problems. When she multiplies 3 × 24, she says, '3 × 4 is 12 ones, or 1 ten and 2 ones. Then there's just 2 tens left in 24, so add it up and you get 3 tens and 2 ones.' Do you think Cindy's shortcut works? Explain your thinking in words and justify your response using a model or partial products. Which number is sixteen thousand four hundred seventy-two in standard form?A. 16,472B. 16,702C. 160,472D. 164,702 . There are 5,280 feet in a mile. What is the total number of feet in 6 miles?A. 31,280B. 31,680C. 33,680D. 35,280 . Rosa wrote a pattern using the rule 'subtract 7.' The first two numbers in her pattern were 83 and 76. Which number below is part of Rosa’s pattern?A. 41B. 49C. 57D. 61 . FIFTH GRADE . What is the value of the expression below? 24.5 − 15.75 . A. 8.75B. 8.85C. 9.25D. 9.75 . Which term can be put in the blank to make the statement below true?3,000,000 = 30 . A. thousandsB. ten-thousandsC. hundred-thousandsD. millions . What is the value of the expression below?738 ÷ 18 . A. 40B. 41C. 401D. 410 . Rich’s fish tank is in the shape of a right rectangular prism. It has a length of 6 feet, a width of 2 feet, and a height of 4 feet. What is the volume, in cubic feet, of Rich’sfish tank? A. 12B. 32C. 36D. 48 . Penelope made a paper chain that was 6 feet 10 inches long. What was the length, ininches, of the paper chain? A. 82B. 72C. 60D. 28 .
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Some parents say math homework involving adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing has become as complicated as calculus .
Common Core, adopted by 44 states, is a set of English and math standards that students should know .
Comedian Louis C.K. has taken to Twitter to vent about how ridiculous he thinks the standards are .
SCROLL DOWN TO TAKE A SAMPLE TEST .
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(CNN) -- There can't be many people whose image has sat side by side on a front page with Colonel Gaddafi, the now expired former dictator of Libya. But Sepp Blatter, the president of soccer's governing body FIFA, is one of the few to hold this dubious honor. It was June 2011, and The Sun -- a British tabloid newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch and known for its cheeky, salacious front pages -- ran one of its most memorable headlines. "Despot the Difference," it screamed above a picture of Blatter and Gaddafi. "Two deluded dictators continued to cling on to power yesterday as their corrupt regimes crumbled around them." The ire directed at Gaddafi was obvious. But Blatter? Soccer's administrator in chief had become one of the most hated men in Britain. Blog: Time for football to tackle racism epidemic? A series of corruption scandals within FIFA, his botched re-election campaign -- where his only opponent was barred from standing after another corruption scandal -- and the failure of England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup to attract any interest in FIFA's corridors of power (despite having the best technical report) led to an outpouring of incredulity. Blatter was deemed arrogant and elusive. He became public enemy number two, after Gaddafi. Just over 18 months on and Blatter has fared slightly better than Gaddafi. But only just. This weekend he was vilified again for refusing to back the principle of AC Milan walking off the pitch when one of the Italian club's black players was racially abused by fans. It was seized as another example of Blatter's buffoonery and came after comments he made in a 2011 interview with CNN when he seemed to suggest there was no problem with racism in soccer, at least on the pitch. But is this foolishness, myopia or inelegance? I would say the latter of the three. His comments on the AC Milan incident were broadly correct. Whilst Kevin Prince Boateng should be applauded for his "Rosa Parks" moment, enshrining it in law would be highly problematic. As James Lawton in the British newspaper The Independent wrote this week in a piece criticizing UEFA for its weakness on tackling racism: "Boateng has issued a significant threat, not just of uncomplicated outrage by black players, but situations which would create incentives for all kinds of connivance in the abandonment of vital matches in which one side had taken what looked like an impregnable advantage." That soccer's governing bodies contributed to the situation by handing out paltry fines for previous transgressions is true too. Sure, FIFA is not without its problems, but the sound bites tend to obscure a much wider, more important truth: Blatter's largely positive influence on the game, especially in the developing world. Whilst he is parodied as an out of touch buffoon haphazardly directing affairs from FIFA's "Death Star" in Zurich, he has arguably done more in the modern era to spread the game globally than anyone else. This year I interviewed Blatter twice. On both occasions he talked about soccer being more than just a game. That it was also an agent of social change. His first act when elected president in 1998 was to fly into the Gaza Strip and welcome Palestine to the soccer family. It allowed the Palestinians to organize their own league, push for movement restrictions in the West Bank to be lifted, to build their own national football stadium, start a women's professional league and, in 2011, host their very first World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan. Sure, the Afghan government were not happy, but the team traveled and played in the West Bank, the first time a team from Afghanistan had done so. It was defacto recognition of both sides of this seemingly intractable conflict. FIFA became one of a tiny handful of international organizations to recognize the existence of Palestine, a full four years before a U.N. vote almost, but not quite, got to the same point. The Palestinians have cleverly used soccer as a way of both flying their flag and as a dry run for building and maintaining important civic institutions. Blatter should take credit for kickstarting that movement. The wider point here is that Blatter's tenure as FIFA president has been internationalist in tooth and claw. Under his watch the World Cup was hosted in Asia for the first time in 2002. It is a region that, in 50 years' time, will undoubtedly be the new power center of the world game. Blatter championed Africa's first ever World Cup, in South Africa in 2010, a remarkable vote of confidence in a country barely two decades out of apartheid. And, most controversially, Russia and then the Middle East will host their first World Cups in 2018 and 2022 respectively. No one should have been surprised by either move. Both regions are booming and have a deep love of the game. FIFA under Blatter has been aggressively expansionist and hosting a World Cup in England or even the U.S. would have added little new. Soccer is, now more than ever, a global game and deserves to be shared across the world. Europe may now be the most successful region both in terms of money and success on the pitch but the balance of power is shifting, to South America, Asia, the Middle East and the new Europe. Blatter recognized that shift and helped to drive it. Given that context it would be absurd to now think that the 76-year-old was someone unconcerned with the issues of racism. Now there are a new set of pressing challenges. The rise in racism needs to be tackled with financial penalties so stiff that clubs would have no choice but to take the issue seriously. Greater transparency within FIFA's decision making and finances need to be addressed. The corruption watchdog Transparency International cut its ties with FIFA in 2011 when two of its recommendations -- that the investigator charged with overseeing FIFA would be compromised if he was paid by FIFA and that he should be allowed to investigate old corruption scandals -- were dropped. The stain of corruption emanating from countries with poor records in transparency and openness is another issue. Why not publish the salaries and expenses of FIFA's leading members to combat that? But, when his tenure is up, the same question will be asked. Will Blatter leave the game in a better place than he found it? The game has been spread further and deeper than ever before. There is much that still needs reforming in FIFA. But in Africa, Asia and the Middle East he'll be rightly feted for seriously taking the game to the world, no matter what the headline writers think.
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Sepp Blatter has been criticized for saying players cannot "run away" from racism .
FIFA president's comments came after Kevin-Prince Boateng walked off pitch in protest .
Ghana international was playing for AC Milan in a friendly against fourth division Pro Patria .
Blatter has been president of world football's governing body since 1998 .
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Washington (CNN) -- The Chamber of Commerce is launching an ad featuring Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, a favorite of libertarians, to build support for Alaska Republican Senate hopeful Dan Sullivan, who faces a challenge from libertarian third party candidate. Republicans and their allies have begun work to limit how much support third party candidates draw away from GOP candidates in states which could determine control of the Senate. In the ad Paul uses language libertarians would like to tout Sullivan, who is locked in a tight race against first term Democratic incumbent Sen. Mark Begich. Mark Fish, past chairman of the state's libertarian party, is running as well and is the wild card there because drawing even a small amount of votes away from Sullivan could prove the difference in this key race. "Washington is horribly broken. I am Rand Paul, and I am fighting to change that. But nothing is going to change when Mark Begich votes with his liberal Democratic friends 91% of the time," Paul says in the spot. "Washington takes too many of our freedoms and too much of our money. I think Dan Sullivan will get it back. To change Washington change your Senator." "In states like Alaska, the Chamber is focused on the independent swing vote, and we think Sen. Paul is well positioned to deliver a message that appeals to them. This fits into our them this year of using credible messengers in target races," Chamber spokeswoman Blair Latoff Holmes says in a statement. Besides Alaska, some Republicans worry libertarian candidates could cost GOP candidates support in such key Senate battlegrounds as North Carolina, Georgia and Kentucky. The Chamber's Alaska buy for the Paul ad is seven figures, and the spot will air statewide beginning Friday on broadcast as well as on line. Rand Paul blasts Obama as arrogant 'autocrat'
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Republicans fear third party candidates in several key Senate races, including Alaska .
The Chamber of Commerce has launched ads featuring Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul .
Paul is a favorite of Libertarian leaning Republicans .
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150cc0d5ce9a8cee26dbe9564ec34bd0688abdad
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(CNN) -- American actor David Carradine has been found dead, hanging by a nylon rope in a hotel room closet in Bangkok, Thailand, according to a Thai police official. David Carradine became famous in the 1970s after starring in the television series "Kung Fu." Carradine became famous in the 1970s when he starred in the television series "Kung Fu." The rope was believed taken from the hotel room curtains, Bangkok Police Lt. Colonel Pirom Chanpirom said. Investigators found no sign of a forced entry into Carradine's room, Chanpirom said. An autopsy was being conducted at a Bangkok hospital, but no results will be available for another day, he said. A Carradine family spokeswoman issued a short statement saying the family "is devastated by the news of David's passing." "Circumstances surrounding his death are still unknown, and there will be no further comment until more information can be confirmed," the statement said. "The family appreciates the many expressions of condolence, and asks for privacy at this time." Carradine's personal co-manager, Tiffany Smith, said police provided the family with information about their investigation. Carradine's friends and personal managers said they were in "complete shock" and brushed aside suggestions that Carradine might have taken his own life. Actor Michael Madsen told CNN's Larry King that the one thing Carradine's wife, Annie Bierman, wanted everyone to know is "David was not suicidal." Chuck Binder, Carradine's manager for the last six years, said he spoke with a producer in Thailand who thought there was foul play. "I don't know if I'd call it accidental," Binder said, adding that Carradine's career was on a roll and his life was on an upswing. Carradine was in Bangkok for filming of the movie "Stretch," being produced by a United Kingdom-based company, Smith said. "He was the only American cast member," she said. Carradine, who portrayed the traveling Shaolin monk Kwai Chang Caine in the television series "Kung Fu," was 72. Watch Carradine talk about his "Kung Fu" role » . Modern audiences may best know him as "Bill" in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" films. He earned a 2005 Golden Globe nomination for his role in the second movie in the two-part saga. Watch flowers left at his star in Hollywood » . Tarantino, also appearing on "Larry King Live," called Carradine one of "Hollywood's great mad geniuses." "He was a rock star at the time 'Kung Fu' came out," Tarantino said, holding up a vintage metal lunch box with an image from the popular show. "I'm in shock," he said. Carradine's career included more than 100 feature films, two dozen television movies and theater work, according to the Internet Movie Database. See photos of some of his notable roles » . "He was clearly an actor who followed his own path," said Leah Rozen, movie critic for People magazine. "He was never a guy who talked a whole lot. You knew as an actor, the characters he played, you knew they had a past, you knew there was probably some unhappiness there, but he wasn't going to talk about it." Carradine was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role as folk music legend Woody Guthrie in the 1976 movie "Bound For Glory," according to a biography on his official Web site. iReport: Share memories of David Carradine . He also made appearances in television series such as "Gunsmoke" and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." His first starring role in a series was as the title character in "Shane" in 1966. Carradine was married five times and divorced four, according to People magazine. He was the son of actor John Carradine, a character actor who appeared in hundreds of films, plays and television episodes. "David's career as an artist did not begin on the stage, though some of his early career was on and off Broadway. His earliest work was as a sculptor and painter," Carradine's official Web site says. The site also includes an "Art Bio" in which the actor opens up about his life. "I've always had an especially hard time with everything I've tried to do," Carradine wrote. "I've made it pretty big as an actor in spite of being terminally shy. ... Invariably, I had huge obstacles to overcome in anything I tried. Had to work against my genes to achieve my dreams." CNN's Jack Hannah, Kocha Olarn and A. Pawlowski contributed to this report.
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Actor was found in a Bangkok hotel hanging by a rope in a closet, police say .
Rope was believed taken from the hotel room curtains, police say .
Carradine became famous in the 1970s after starring in the TV series "Kung Fu"
Carradine, 72, was also known as "Bill" in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" films .
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By . Darren Boyle . Armed robber Charles Bronson, who was born Michael Gordon Peterson attacked a dozen staff at Full Sutton prison in York . Charles Bronson is to sell off pieces of his artwork to raise money to send his mother on holiday as an apology for attacking 12 prison guards after the FA Cup final, it emerged yesterday. The career criminal, who is a fanatical Tottenham Hotspur fan was outraged after north London rivals Arsenal beat Hull in the FA Cup. The armed robber was especially annoyed as Hull went two goals ahead before being defeated in extra time. In response, Bronson smeared himself in Lurpack butter and attacked a dozen prison officers. Bronson's mother Eira, 85, is said to have been upset by her son's latest rampage in Full Sutton prison in York on May 17 after Arsenal's latest FA Cup success. Now, Bronson, 61, has instructed Ronnie Kray's ex-wife Katie to include several of his own artworks in a sale of gangster memorabilia being auctioned on June 17. The paintings are being sold by JP Humbert auctioneers in Towcester, Northants and are expected to reach at least £5,000. Auctioneer Jonathan Humbert describes the works as 'a peak into the mind of an intelligent man with some issues'. Bronson uses art to explain some of his darkest fantasies and his mental struggles. One picture shows eight books stacked on top of each other each with parts of Bronson’s life named on the spine, with various terrifying faces around it inside a cell. Each painting will have a minimum estimate of between £400-£600. There are a total of ten Charles Bonson related items included in the sale. The 61-year-old Tottenham Hotspur fan was outraged by these jubilant scenes following Arsenal's 11th FA Cup victory in Wembley Stadium last month . Bronson, smeared himself in Lurpack butter and attacked a dozen prison officers. Now the 61-year-old Spurs fan wants to sell his artworks, including this one, to send his mother on holiday . Bronson has written to Ronnie Kray's ex-wife Kate to sell ten items of memorabilia including several of his artworks, including this one titled 'A day in the life of life' which has an auction estimate of £400-£600 . According to Mr Humbert: 'Charles Bronson recently had a ‘rumble’ with twelve prison guards. 'In a letter to Kate Kray, he states remorse at upsetting his mother and accordingly, asked if some of his artwork could be included in the sale so as to generate funds to send his mother on holiday. 'The intimate and personal nature of these never-before seen Kray items and Bronson paintings show a real human side to these larger than life personalities. 'Although they are bound to polarise opinions, the lots, much like the individuals, are far from dull. 'It’s almost impossible to say how much they will go for, the market will dictate that, but with his art selling for up to £1,000 a piece in the past there will be a lot of interest. 'We have already had a lot of people phoning up to ask about the pictures. 'They are a peak into the mind of an intelligent man who, well lets say, has had a lot of issues. 'I would put an initial estimate of £400 to £600 but that is a starting estimate. 'There is no reserve on it, and I fully expect us to see a lot of interest in two weeks when it goes on sale. This is a very important and eclectic sale of British social history.' Bronson wants to use the funds generated from the sale to send his mother Eira Peterson on holiday as an apology for his most recent prison rampage . In one of the artworks for sale in the auction, Bronson, 61, calls for Kate Kray to be appointed prime minister and claims to have been 'born insane' He is also selling a handwritten poem entitled Asylum about Ronnie Kray . Bronson, asked Kate Kray, pictured, to include his paintings in a sale of her husband's memorabilia later this month . Bronson was jailed for seven years following a raid on a post office in 1974. In the past 40 years, he has only been a free man for just four months and nine days. He has spent a total of 36 years in solitary confinement due to his violent outbursts. Much of his artwork relates to violent scenes involving prison offers and have featured in exhibitions around the globe. He has taken hostages in ten different sieges as well as injuring 30 prison officers. He has caused at least £500,000 worth of damages in rooftop protests. In 1999, he was sentenced to life for taking education worker Phil Danielson hostage for 44 hours for criticism of his art. In one of his more unusual artworks, Bronson features a fantasy visit to the beach, which is also for sale later this month . Bronson, smeared himself in Lurpack butter to make it difficult for prison staff to hold him and attacked a dozen officers in Full Sutton Prison, York, pictured .
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Bronson, 61, asked Ronnie Kray's ex-wife Kate to sell several of his paintings .
The armed robber wants to send his mother Eira, 85, on holiday as an apology .
The Tottenham Hotspur fan was incensed by Arsenal's latest FA Cup win and went on the rampage .
He smeared himself in Lurpack butter before attacking a dozen prison staff .
The artworks is described as 'a peak into the mind of an intelligent man with issues'
Bronson is expected to make in the region of £5,000 from the sale to pay for his mother's break .
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Former deputy speaker of the House of Commons Nigel Evans has appeared in court this morning accused of a string of sex offences. Evans, 55, who was charged with two counts of indecent assault, five of sexual assault and one of rape earlier this month, spoke only to confirm his name, address and that he understands the charges during a ten minute hearing at Preston Magistrates' Court. Granted bail until a preliminary hearing at Preston Crown Court next month, Evans told reporters as he left the hearing: 'I'm going back to Westminster to work now, thank you.' Scroll down for video . Court hearing: Nigel Evans pictured arriving at Preston Magistrates Court today to face his first hearing after being charged with a string of sex offences . His bail was granted on condition he does not approach directly or indirectly named witnesses. On September 10, Evans was charged with the rape of a man between March 29 and April 1, 2013, five sexual assaults dating back to 2009 and two indecent assaults dating back to 2002. The former Conservative stood down as deputy speaker in a speech in the House of Commons the day after the charges were brought. He said he will continue to represent his Ribble Valley constituency in Lancashire but as an independent MP. The decision to charge the openly-gay politician – a popular figure in Westminster – came after he was arrested for a third time. Evans had originally said that he would . not comment further on the allegations until the case was concluded when . he appeared on the steps of Preston police station after he was . charged. Charges: MP Nigel Evans posed for photographers outside the court before telling reporters that he is 'returning to work' But in an emotional address to the Commons the following day, he told how his impending court battle was the 'most painful' experience of his life alongside the death of his mother and brother. He said: ‘Since these allegations, I have not been able to fully fulfil my duties in the chair, which left me in a land of limbo. ‘None of us were elected to the fine office of Member of Parliament to be put in that invidious position, unable to fully fulfil the reason why we were sent here.’ 'This is clearly the most painful thing I have endured in my life alongside the loss of my mother in 2009 and the loss of my brother earlier this year . First appearance: Evans is ushered into the court by a policeman this morning . ‘Winston Churchill said when you are going through hell, keep going. Sage advice. And so I will see this through to the end with the support of the people that mean so much to me.’ He had earlier said that he would 'robustly defend my innocence and seek acquittal'. Evans, from Pendleton, Lancashire, stepped aside from his deputy speaker duties after his arrest but had continued to work as an independent MP. He was one of three deputy speakers elected in a secret ballot of MPs in 2010. Later that year he came out as gay, saying he was ‘tired of living a lie’. He was a vice chairman of the Conservative Party from 1999 to 2001. When Iain Duncan Smith became party leader in 2001, he was promoted to the shadow cabinet as shadow Welsh secretary - a post he held for two years. Evans gave up the Tory whip when he became deputy speaker in 2010 and has said that he will not take the whip until 'after the conclusion of events'. District Judge Jane Goodwin adjourned . the case until October 4 when the former deputy speaker will appear for a . preliminary hearing at Preston Crown Court. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Evans, 55, is accused of two counts of indecent assault, five of sexual assault and one of rape .
The MP for Ribble Valley appeared for a ten minute hearing at Preston Magistrates' Court .
He will now appear at Preston Crown Court for a preliminary hearing next month .
Although he stood down as deputy speaker, Evans still stands as an independent MP .
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Everett, Washington (CNN) -- Sprawled out before us sits the exterior of the world's biggest building by volume. They make airliners here. Big ones. "Let's go see some airplanes!" says our Boeing VIP tour guide. I remind myself: This doesn't happen very often. Yeah yeah yeah, Boeing offers public tours of this 98.3-acre airliner factory north of Seattle every day. This ain't that. This is special. As part of a convention of aviation fans called Aviation Geek Fest, we're gaining ultra-exclusive access to the factory FLOOR. The public tour is limited to the balcony. We're about to walk knee-deep where Boeing gives birth to some of the world's biggest and most advanced airliners, including the 747-8 Intercontinental, the 777 Worldliner and the 787 Dreamliner. Hot damn. But not so fast -- before we go inside, Boeing has laid down some rules: no photos, no video, for our eyes only. Here's a painful development: Our smartphones have been confiscated. Gulp. I'm already suffering from phantom phone pangs. We enter through a small, inconspicuous door marked S-1. Suddenly, we're surrounded by partly assembled airliners in a room so big it takes on the feeling of an entire world. In some spots, we gaze across an unobstructed view measuring a quarter-mile. This building is so flippin' big that -- years ago -- it created its own inside weather patterns, including vapor clouds. They eliminated that by installing a special ventilation system. Today's factory forecast: avgeeking, with continued avgeeking and a favorable chance of avgeeking later in the day. Here are a few cool tidbits: . Jaw-dropping perspective . The thrill of being so close to the planes literally stops you in your tracks. Seemingly everywhere you look there's another five- or six-story-tall airplane towering over you. Some are covered with a green, protective temporary coating. One Dreamliner tail is painted with the familiar British Airways red, white and blue. Another sports New Zealand Air's cool black-and-white. Boeing paints the tails before they're attached to the planes. Then they carefully adjust the tails for balance. Paint adds hundreds of pounds of weight, which would ruin the plane's balance if the tails were painted after being attached. Soon these behemoths will jet across vast oceans as they carry travelers to far-flung destinations. 'You've gotta have secret clearance' The planes' huge fuselages are joined together with the help of a giant piece of equipment called a "saddle." This U-shaped metal cage straddles the top of the planes during the body-joining process. The "Wing Build" area -- where workers attach wings to the planes -- is the loudest part of the entire facility. The staccato of rivet guns pierces the heavy air. Whooshing vacuums suck up any dust that may be created when workers drill into the planes' lightweight carbon composite material. Security concerns in the plant are real. "Conversation-restricted area," says one sign. As we walk past a fenced-off zone, our guide quips, "You've gotta have secret clearance. I can't even go in there!" The rock star engine . Then, like a holy relic brought back from the Crusades -- Boeing lets us touch "it." By "it" we mean the GE90-115B. Guinness calls it the most powerful commercially produced jet engine in the world. We gather around this rock star engine like thirsty travelers at a desert oasis, each taking turns running our hands across its silver exterior. The lip of the engine's mouth feels rough, like it has countless scratches etched into it. That design, engineers discovered, helps reduce noise. This 19,000-pound monster hangs from the wing of a giant 777, but the engine still looks humongous -- measuring more than 11 feet in diameter. In fact, Boeing says it's so big you could fit the body of a 737 airliner inside it. "There's no way to sense the sheer size of an airplane without being right there underneath it," says NYCAviation.com contributor Ben Granucci, enjoying his first Aviation Geek Fest. Engines like this make it possible for wide-body planes to fly long-distance routes nonstop with only two engines instead of three or four. In fact, the 777 flies many of the world's longest nonstop routes. In 2005 it set the world distance record for a nonstop commercial airline flight, jetting 13,423 miles from Hong Kong eastbound to London in 22 hours, 22 minutes. The world's top flying hauler . Just a few hours earlier, a handful of aviation geeks were hanging out at a hotel next to Paine Field, the airport Boeing uses to test and deliver the factory's planes. Then, Granucci tweeted out that the plane that hauls the most cargo by volume in the world just happened to be passing through. Count me in. Soon, a dozen camera-wielding geeks are lined up outside the hotel to welcome the Dreamlifter -- a modified 747 -- as it lumbers in for a landing. "We're gonna be late for breakfast," says avgeek Steve Dillo as he snaps photo after photo. "But this is worth it." The thing roars like a lion, but it looks like a whale as it slows for touchdown. In the entire world, there are only four of these giant planes. Boeing uses them to ferry big sections of the 787 for final assembly here in Everett. Last year, when a Dreamlifter landed at the wrong airport in Kansas, it wasn't exactly a stellar moment. The Avgeek News Network . This is the fifth avgeek fest, co-sponsored by AirlineReporter.com and Everett's Future of Flight Museum. The February convention drew a record 300-plus participants from 18 different states and three countries. Former GM and Toyota engineer Philip McKenzie, flew 8,000 miles from Melbourne, Australia, to see how "things are laid out" in the factory. Vancouver Airport official Trevor Batstone traveled 100 miles from Canada. Who are these people -- these avgeeks? What defines them? "It's someone who always looks up in the sky when they hear a jet roar," says Ryan Ewing, 14, who runs airlinegeeks.com out of his Bethesda, Maryland, home. Ewing was right there in the thick of the geeks with his camera when the Dreamlifter came calling. The event was born from an aviation-obsessed online community that uses social media to organize and share information. Aviation news sites like Airchive, AirlineReporter, NYCAviation and AirlineGuys all share common friends, connections and interests. When news breaks, their informal social network sometimes challenges traditional news media. This month AirlineReporter and a few other aviation sites broke news about the hijacking of an Ethiopian Airlines 767 in Rome about 30 minutes before many "legacy" news organizations, says AirlineReporter founder and editor-in-chief David Parker Brown. Boeing's desire to connect with fans and fliers combined with the emerging power of the avgeek nation opened the doors to the exclusive Boeing tours, Brown says. "Boeing has increasingly realized how smart and educated about aviation avgeeks are." Baby Boeings . The following day southeast of Seattle, Boeing opens up yet another factory for us to tour. This one is the birthplace of what Guinness calls the "most produced large commercial jet in aviation history" -- the 737. No public tours here. This is a tour for avgeeks and VIPs. "Avgeeks love getting access to places that are off limits," says Brown. "It's all about exclusivity." Here's some 737 tour trivia: . —This place creates 38 of the planes every month on a moving assembly line. And they're pushing to increase that rate. "Even though we joke that the 737 is the 'Baby Boeing,' it's still a large and complex machine," says Granucci. "It requires precision to put it together. The fact that you can perform such precise work on a moving target -- I find that to be incredible." — The facility receives pre-assembled fuselages by train from a factory in Wichita, Kansas. — Workers attach wings to the fuselages. It takes about nine hours to put wings on a 737. —The planes also get "winglets" — the tiny, upward pointing wings you see on the wingtips of 737s and other airliners. These doodads reduce drag on the plane and make it more fuel efficient — by about 4%. —Workers install seats on the planes by using a loading machine they call a "hay baler." — In an operation called "high blow," Boeing tests each plane's passenger cabin for possible leaks during pressurization. The procedure includes putting people inside the planes to listen for leaks. — Each 737 is made up of 42 miles of wire and 394,000 separate parts . — If there's a problem on the assembly line, workers activate a purple flashing light -- alerting others that they need help. "Blinking purple is bad for us here," says Christian Ofsthus, a Boeing senior manager. "If there's something wrong, something doesn't fit, we need to do something about that." As the tour ends, we wind through an employee diner named for the World War II symbol Rosie the Riveter, and file back onto our bus. Driving off the property, we spot a train loaded with brand new wingless 737 fuselages headed to the factory behind us. That triggers spontaneous applause and scattered whoops throughout the bus. Well, you just can't get any geekier than that. "That is so cool," I hear someone say. "Yeah," said someone else, "baby planes!"
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Boeing allowed aviation fans unique factory access during a February convention .
"Avgeeks" toured factories for 737, 747, 777 and 787 Dreamliner .
Growing avgeek community challenges legacy news media .
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Motorola has stolen a charge against Apple and its rumoured iWatch by officially launching its Moto 360 device. The Android Wear-powered watch is now available in the US for $249.99, and is set to launch in the UK at the beginning of October costing £199. Motorola also unveiled the new Moto X 5.2-inch phone, its next-generation budget Moto G, and the Moto Hint bluetooth earpiece. Scroll down for video . Motorola’s Android-powered smartwatch (pictured) is on sale in the US $249.99. It is set to launch in the UK at the start of October for £199. The watch has a 1.56-inch display and 4GB of storage, is water resistant and is compatible with Android 4.3 and higher . The Moto 360 has a round face and syncs with any Android smartphone running 4.3 or higher. It shows notifications from apps including Facebook, Twitter and email applications, and can be controlled by touch, or by voice. Elsewhere, sensors track the wearer’s steps and heart rate. Motorola claims the device has an all-day battery life, but it is said to be closer to 12 hours, and it is charged wirelessly. Moto 360 is available in black leather and a limited edition grey leather with suede finish. Later this year, two metal options will go on sale for $299.99 in the US. Moto 360 will be available in black leather (pictured) and a limited edition grey leather with suede finish . Moto 360 . Moto 360 will be available in black leather and a limited edition grey leather with suede finish. It is available in the US now, for $249.99. Later this year, two metal options will go on sale for $299.99. The smartwatch will launch in the UK at the start of October and cost £199. It will be available from O2, Tesco, Amazon and John Lewis. Moto X . The new Moto X will launch in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia later this month and comes in three colours – black, leather and bamboo. All models have 16GB storage. It will be available from $99.99 on a two-year contract in the US, or $499.99 unlocked. The phone will be available to buy from Amazon at the end of September in the UK, for £419.99. Moto G . The new Moto G is available in the US for $179.99 in the US, India, France, UK, Brazil, Spain, and on motorola.de in Germany. It will cost £144.99 in the UK and comes in black and white. Moto Hint . Moto Hint will be available in the US for $149.99 later this year, and will expand to other regions in time for Christmas. Motorola has also unveiled a new flagship phone, the 5.2-inch Moto X. Running Android 4.4.4 KitKat, the handset has 16GB expandable storage and a 13MP rear-facing camera. The camera on the front is 2MP, 1080p. It will be available from $99.99 on a two-year contract in the US, or $499.99 unlocked. The phone will be available to buy in the UK from Amazon at the end of September, for £419.99. ‘Moto X gives you fast performance with the latest, unadulterated version of Android along with the quickest updates,’ said the Illinois-based firm. Motorola claims the watch (pictured) has an all-day battery life, but this is said to be closer to 12 hours, and is charged wirelessly. It also comes pre-loaded with six digital watch faces . ‘Enhanced voice control lets you select a custom prompt, and use your voice to do just about anything. 'Plus, Moto X learns your preferences and adapts to you, making everyday interactions easier.’ To accompany the Moto X, Motorola also revealed the Moto Hint - a discreet, voice-controlled Bluetooth earpiece that syncs with the new flagship phone. For example, when paired with the Moto X, wearers can ask questions such as ‘What’s today’s forecast?’ or get turn-by-turn navigation directions without touching or looking at their phone. Motorola also unveiled a new flagship phone, the $499.99 5.2-inch Moto X (left). The phone will be available at the end of September in the UK for £419.99. At the lower end of the market, Motorola also showcased its latest budget handset, the Moto G (right) available in the US for $179.99, and £144.99 in the UK . To accompany the Moto X, Motorola also unveiled the Moto Hint - a discreet, voice-controlled Bluetooth earpiece that syncs with the new flagship phone. For example, when paired with their Moto X, wearers can ask questions such as ‘What’s today’s forecast?’ or get turn-by-turn navigation directions in their ear . And at the lower end of the market, Motorola launched its latest budget handset, the new Moto G. Moto G comes with a 5-inch HD display plus stereo sound and an all-day battery. It runs Android KitKat and is available in the US for $179.99. It is also on sale in India, France, UK, Brazil, Spain, and on motorola.de in Germany. It costs £144.99 in the UK and comes in black and white.
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Motorola’s Android-powered smartwatch is on sale in the US for $249.99 .
It is set to launch in the UK at the start of October for £199 .
The watch has a 1.56-inch display and 4GB of storage .
It is water-resistant and compatible with phones on Android 4.3 and higher .
Motorola also unveiled the new Moto X 5.2-inch phone, its next-generation budget Moto G and the Moto Hint bluetooth earpiece .
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Chelsea are virtually certain Eden Hazard will sign a new five-year contract worth £200,000 per week in the coming weeks. The Belgian's representatives and Blues officials have been locked in discussions for months over an improved contract. And the process is finally coming to a positive conclusion for Chelsea, with Hazard virtually certain to pen a new deal. Eden Hazard looks set to sign a new five year contract at Chelsea worth £200,000-a-week . Hazard has been a key player for Chelsea since he joined in 2012 and has flourished under Jose Mourinho . Hazard fires Chelsea ahead during Tuesday's Capital One Cup win over Derby . The news will come as a major boost to manager Jose Mourinho, whose side are top of the Barclays Premier League. Hazard has proved an instrumental member of the Chelsea squad since the Portuguese's return to Stamford Bridge at the start of last season. Paris Saint-Germain are long-term admirers of Hazard and have been heavily linked with a swoop for the forward. But news of Hazard's new deal will, for the time being, end the French club's hopes of landing him. The news that Hazard is set to sign a new deal at Chelsea is sure to put a smile on Mourinho's face .
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Eden Hazard close to signing new five-year-deal at Chelsea .
Hazard has been a key player for Chelsea since he joined back in 2012 .
The new deal will end PSG's hopes of signing the Belgium international .
READ: Eden Hazard picks THREE Arsenal legends in Chelsea star's FIFA 15 Ultimate dream XI .
READ: Chelsea's current side have can be one of the best teams in Blues history, believes Petr Cech .
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Next up: the debt ceiling. The White House continues to issue dire warnings about the economic consequences should Congress fail to raise the debt ceiling this month. President Barack Obama told Wall Street to be "concerned" and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said Congress is "playing with fire." But despite all the drastic pronouncements, some Republicans in Congress aren't buying it. For one thing, they doubt that October 17 is the date when the Treasury will be unable to meet its obligations. Rep. Lee Terry, R-Nebraska, is one of those lawmakers. "For him to just put out the 17th as a drop-dead date, I don't think there's a lot of credibility to that. I don't think a lot of my peers and I believe in that," Terry recently told CNN. Lew said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union" that he has exhausted all of the "extraordinary measures" he employed when the debt limit was reached in May. "I have no more. That means that on October 17th, we'll run out of the ability to borrow," he said. He said he will have only $30 billion to pay as much as $50 billion or $60 billion worth of daily bills. Lew also warned in a recent news release that default would be "unprecedented and has the potential to be catastrophic." He said: "[C]redit markets could freeze, the value of the dollar could plummet, and U.S. interest rates could skyrocket, potentially resulting in a financial crisis and recession that could echo the events of 2008 or worse." House Speaker John Boehner demands cuts for debt limit increase . But many conservatives doubt that, too. "We don't expect there to be chaos," Terry said. Coming catastrophe or 'false demagoguery'? Rep. Steve King of Iowa recently called the threat of default "false demagoguery." "I don't think the credit of the United States is going to be collapsed. I think that all this talk about a default has been a lot of demagoguery, a lot of false demagoguery," he added. The lawmakers' skepticism echoes a distrust of the government that runs deep in both liberal and conservative constituencies. But with a Democratic president, conservatives' skepticism is more pronounced. According to a September CNN/ORC poll, a slight majority of Republicans -- 52% -- said it would be a good thing for the country if the debt ceiling is not lifted while only 18% of Democrats said so. While Republicans are more skeptical of the Obama administration's posturing, the administration isn't totally sure what will happen if the debt ceiling is not lifted. When asked what would happen on October 18 if Congress doesn't act, Lew told CNN's Candy Crowley on Sunday that he "can't tell you." "We've never gotten to the point where the United States government has operated without the ability to borrow," he said. There lies the central tenet. Because the United States has always lifted the debt ceiling when the borrowing limit was tapped, no one knows for sure what impact it would have. Constitution and the debt: Can the president go it alone? Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer of New York even said that "no one's certain" what the economic fallout would be. But he added on CNN's "New Day" on Monday, that "no one should risk it and no one should say I want my political agenda attached to it." But some conservatives are willing to take the risk and force the president's hand on the health care law and reducing government spending. A coalition of conservative tea party-aligned groups, including Freedom Works, Tea Party Patriots and Americans for Prosperity have spent more than a year cultivating a plan to push for the defunding of the health care law, the Affordable Care Act, according to the New York Times. As the stalemate over government funding has become interspersed with the debt limit fight, another log has been added to the fire. By the numbers: Shutdown and debt ceiling . Tempting fate or a bargaining chip? Republican Rep. Tom Cole said the debt limit should be used as a bargaining chip for less spending. "Why would you pass a debt limit ... without doing something about the deficit?" he asked rhetorically on "CNN Newsroom" on Monday. He pointed to the 2011 debate over the debt limit that reduced the deficit from $1 trillion to $700 billion. "We're saying we should do the same thing now," Cole added. Additionally, some Republicans see the debt limit fight as an opportunity to not only shrink the size of government but also to pay off interest. Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma said the United States could meet its obligations without lifting the debt ceiling. "I would dispel the rumor that is going around that you hear on every newscast that if we don't raise the debt ceiling we will default on our debt," Coburn said Monday on CBS' "This Morning." "We won't. We will continue to pay our interest. We'll continue to redeem bonds and we'll issue new bonds to replace those." What Coburn doesn't mention is that the United States would have to choose to pay its interest over the billions of dollars of other obligations -- Medicare, Social Security, etc. -- for which the federal government is responsible. Lew, however, said that's a "dangerous" and "reckless" notion. "[T]he reality is, there are no good choices if we run out of borrowing capacity and we run out of cash," he said. 4 debt ceiling scenarios freaking out traders . Most economists tend to agree with Lew's assessment. Moody's economist Mark Zandi told the Joint Economic Committee recently that the economy "would quickly fall into another severe recession" if the debt ceiling is not lifted in adequate time. Which side is right? Before default is reached, it's hard to know. But a recent study published in Psychological Science found that people on the far end of the political spectrum believe that their positions are "correct." "Given the stalemate in Washington, understanding why people become so entrenched in their views — even when there is not an objectively correct answer — is more important than ever," Kaitlin Toner, a postdoctoral fellow at Vanderbilt University, said, describing why she conducted the study. Wall Street could be the biggest indicator of who is right in this fight. Investors nervous over the political impasse in Washington pushed all three major U.S. stock indexes lower on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average alone lost more than 130 points, or nearly 1 percent of its value.
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W. House continues to issue dire warnings about consequences about debt ceiling .
Some Republicans in Congress aren't buying it; one calls it "false demagoguery"
Critics see the debt limit fight as an opportunity to shrink the size of government and pay off interest .
The financial markets could be the biggest indicator of who is right in this fight .
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(CNN) -- It takes a real man to make the moves on the wife of the most powerful man in the biggest country in the world. Especially when the wife is a civilian major general, her husband is sitting next to her, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Beijing, hobnobbing with the President of the United States and the entire event is being televised. But if 2014 has taught us anything it is that Vladimir Putin is a real man. From grabbing Crimea to finagling a featured role in the Olympic opening ceremonies for his gymnast girlfriend, he has flexed his political muscles as often as his pecs, and according to The Guardian newspaper has become "a heart-throb among many Chinese women for his macho, man-of-action image." And the social media-obsessed hordes on the Internet loved it. They loved him draping a shawl over the chilly shoulders of Peng Liyuan on Monday. They loved her taking it. They loved that China's censors later concluded it didn't show their leader, President Xi Jinping, in a good light as a husband (too inattentive) and decided to block the footage within China. Never mind Ebola, ISIS, a historic greenhouse gas deal reached between China and the United States, or anything else about the actual meeting of world leaders that Putin, Xi and President Barack Obama were attending. This small act of courtesy by the scourge of Crimea showed him as adept at grabbing headlines as he is neighboring territories. What does Putin know that others, like Obama, for whom the China meeting is more of a respite from the news than a high-profile visit, do not? Perhaps it is that the viewing public is essentially an adolescent boy. Or more properly, the audiences of the world are -- despite cultural and demographic differences -- pretty much just like the idiots that sat in the back of your eighth-grade history class snoozing through the substance but tittering through anything off-color and titillated by explosion, fights and mayhem. It used to be said that your better newspapers were written to be readable at an eighth-grade reading level. Nowadays in the world of immersive social media, 140-character tweets and never-ending video from smartphones and live feeds worldwide, what does reading have to do with it. The audience giggles and laughs for the same reason they did in Miss Groenwald's class. Because everyone else was doing it. How else do you explain that television producers and Web pundits thought that one subject worthy of debate was a video showing Obama chewing gum at the same APEC meeting in Beijing. Trade talks? Please. The President appeared undignified to some Chinese observers with a taste for the trivial. Said one Chinese social media commentator, "We made this meeting so luxurious, with singing and dancing, but see Obama, stepping out of his car chewing gum like an idler." Needless to say, some of America's more right-wing news organizations picked up on the story because it showed Obama in a bad light -- as if plunging popularity ratings and a drubbing in the polls were not enough. Ha. The teacher's socks don't match, Mindy has last year's backpack. That's way more important than, like, geopolitics. This is not entirely new. When George H.W. Bush threw up on the Prime Minister of Japan on a trip awhile back or when Gerald Ford stumbled down a flight of stairs even longer ago, the gaffes became memes, defining these two notable public servants more so than many of their biggest accomplishments. But in recent years, the frequency and ridiculousness of the incidents seem to have accelerated. Whether it is George W. Bush massaging German Chancellor Angela Merkel's shoulders at a summit, or Obama grabbing a selfie with Denmark's attractive Prime Minister at a memorial service for Nelson Mandela, to the apparent displeasure of Michelle Obama, world leader outtakes have become pure click bait. Which is why tonight when you turn on the news, some of it is likely to look a lot like "The Global Elite's Funniest Home Videos." But as you gawk and click and click again, remember it's not the media that are at fault. It's you. You're the one who chose to sit in the back of the class with the other nitwits.
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David Rothkopf: It takes a real man, Putin, to "make moves" on China leader's wife at APEC .
Putin put shawl on her, and media went nuts because public is an adolescent boy, he says .
Forget climate deal, ISIS, Ebola, he says, when focus is on Obama chewing gum .
Rothkopf: These nonevents have increased in recent years, and we're to blame .
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By . Simon Cable for MailOnline . It was the most famous coffee shop in sit-com history. And now a replica version of Central Perk – the fictional hangout in long-running comedy series Friends – is set to open in New York next month. Fans visiting the city will be able to step into the shoes of actors Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matthew Perry when the pop-up cafe opens its doors on September 17. The replica version of Central Perk – the fictional hangout in long-running comedy series Friends – is set to open in New York in September, delighting fans of the programme . The stunt, which is sure to delight tourists and New York residents alike, is being created to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the hit show which premiered on September 22, 1994. But anyone planning a visit to the city will need to be quick if they want to get in on the action - the shop will only stay open for one month.The shop’s business hours will be Monday - Friday 8 am–8 pm, and Saturday -Sunday, 10 am - 8 pm. The café, located in Soho at 199 Lafayette Street, will offer free Eight O'Clock coffee featuring the brand's limited edition special Central Perk roast coffee. It will also offer the chance for photo-ops on the famous orange couch that was used in the show. Fans visiting New York will be able to step into the shoes of actors Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matthew Perry . The pop-up Central Perk will also feature props from the show and there will also be live musical performances . It is exactly the same piece of furniture that was regularly used by characters Chandler, Monica, Phoebe, Joey and Ross throughout the programme’s ten-season run. The event will also feature appearances from actor James Michael Tyler, the actor who played deadpan employee Gunther. It will also see weekly in-store performances of Smelly Cat – the song made famous by Lisa Kudrow’s ditzy character Phoebe – and giveaways of Friends merchandise including DVDs. The event is being staged to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Friends,which premiered on September 22, 1994 . The stunt is being staged by Warner Bros. and is being advertised as is billed as 'The One with the Free Coffee' - a play on the show's episode titles, which all began with 'The One...' Friends, which revolved around a group of six twenty-somethings living in Manhattan, finally ended its ten-season run in 2004. Despite the show's New York City setting, Friends was actually filmed in Burbank, California. It was in 2009 that a replica ofthe Central Perk coffee shop opened in London for two weeks to mark the 15th anniversary of the show's start. It welcomed around 900 visitors a day.
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The pop-up cafe opens its doors to customers on September 17 .
It will offer photo-ops on the same orange couch that was used in the show .
Cafe made famous by Chandler, Monica, Phoebe, Joey and Ross and Rachel .
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151179b38bee1c6c3f356db396b5c9a9c47d31dc
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Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- Three people were killed when a parked car rigged with explosives blew up Saturday in Najaf on the eve of parliamentary elections, the Interior Ministry said. At least 54 others -- 17 Iraqis and 37 Iranians -- were injured in the attack near the Imam Ali Holy Shrine, which houses the tomb of Ali, cousin of the Prophet Mohammed. Two of the dead were Iranians, the interior official said. Najaf, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Baghdad, is frequented by Shiite pilgrims from Iran. Iraqis will go to the polls Sunday to choose a 325-member parliament. The election has been marred by violence despite heavy security. It is Iraq's fifth nationwide vote since 2003, but only the second for a full four-year-term parliament. Three attacks happened Thursday during early voting for those who will be unable to cast ballots Sunday, such as military and security personnel, detainees, hospital staff, and patients. A total of 12 people were killed and dozens were wounded. There have been warnings of further insurgent attacks around the vote. These are Iraq's first national elections since 2005, when the Sunni Arab population boycotted the elections and the political process. A Shiite-led government emerged and the Sunnis, feeling disenfranchised, went on to form the main part of the insurgency. The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq calls the elections an "important milestone in Iraq's democratic progress," serving to strengthen the country's sovereignty and independence as the United States draws down its military presence there. Sunday's elections were supposed to happen in January but were delayed because of political disagreements and a delay in passing the election law that paved the way for this vote. There are 18.9 million eligible voters, casting ballots for 325 seats in the Council of Representatives, as Iraq's parliament is called. The seats represent Iraq's 18 provinces. At least a quarter of the positions -- 82 -- are guaranteed to go to women, and eight more have been allocated for minorities. They include five set aside for Christians and one each for the Shabak, Sabaeans (Mandaeans), and Yazidis. The number of seats is increasing from the previous 275. Seat allocation was based on 2005 population data from the Ministry of Trade and adjusted for a 2.8 percent annual growth across all governates. Voting for Iraqis abroad also is happening in 16 countries starting Friday -- including the United States, United Kingdom, Turkey, Iran, Canada and others in the Middle East and Europe. There are no exact figures for those eligible to cast ballots abroad. Estimates on turnout have ranged anywhere from 300,000 to 3 million. Around 6,200 candidates from more than 80 political entities are vying for seats. It is the first parliamentary vote to use an open list, in which the voters vote for political entities and, if they want, also can vote for candidates within those entities, according to the U.N. Assistance Mission. Although open lists complicates the training of election staff and the counting of votes, the system enhances the role of the voter in the election beyond casting a vote simply for a political party, the assistance mission says. At least 25 percent of the candidates on the ballot list of each political entity must be women. The assistance mission is providing technical assistance to the Independent High Electoral Commission, which is organizing the vote. The commission has ordered that all political campaigning must end as of 7 a.m. Saturday. A number of other special measures are being put in place for security reasons. Since Monday, there has been a ban on motorcycles and bicycles in Baghdad until further notice, and on Sunday a two-day ban on any vehicles in cities will begin, Iraqi authorities announced on state television. Provincial borders will be sealed, preventing movements between provinces, from Saturday to Monday. And international borders and all airports will be shut from midnight Saturday. A curfew will be in place in cities from midnight to 5 a.m. on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, officials said. Civilians may not carry weapons on those days, they said. More than 47,000 polling stations will be open across the country, each one able to accept a maximum number of 420 voters. Polling stations are clustered into polling centers. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. All those in line at the time the polls are open will be able to vote. About 300,000 trained election staff -- mostly teachers, principals, and lawyers -- will be on hand at polling sites. There will be more than 494,000 local and international observers, according to the Independent High Electoral Commission. The number includes about 500 to 600 international observers, according to the United Nations. Voter turnout figures should be available shortly after polls close, and preliminary results are expected by Tuesday or Wednesday, the United Nations said. Results will start emerging for each province as soon as 30 percent of polling centers in that province are tallied. Counting will take place at the polling stations at the end of voting, under the gaze of observers. Ballots will be counted twice to ensure accuracy. The number of ballots cast will be reconciled with the number of ballots issued to each polling station, and in case of a significant discrepancy, the station will be audited. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report.
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Explosion near Imam Ali Holy Shrine kills 3 on day before parliamentary elections .
Seats in the 325-member parliament are up for grabs .
Elections were supposed to be in January but were delayed by political disagreements .
18.9 million people are eligible to vote, and will choose from about 6,200 candidates .
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1512cbf8c5f2b079695a725d980379241bf0fd77
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By . Associated Press Reporter . An Alaskan teenager has been accused of using an assault rifle to shoot dead two state troopers as they tried to arrest his father in a remote village. Nathanial Lee Kangas was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and a count of third-degree assault when he appeared in court on Saturday. The 19-year-old allegedly shot Trooper Gabriel Gabe Rich and Sergeant Patrick Scott Johnson in the back as they struggled to detain his father, Arvin, in the remote village of Tanana on Thursday. Charged: Nathanial Kangas arrives in a courtroom in Alaska. The teenager is accused of shooting dead two state troopers . Victims: Gabriel Rich, left, and Patrick Johnson were shot as they responded to a call in a remote village . As bail was set at $2 million, the judge . asked Kangas if he had anything to say. After a long pause, the teenager . replied: 'I'm sorry.' Every seat in the courtroom was full, and the walls were lined with law enforcement . officers of several agencies as Kangas faced his charges. Officers . hugged and consoled each other at the hearing. Kangas' mother, Judy, and younger brother, Albert, each gave brief apologies. 'I . want to tell everybody, the families, from the bottom of my heart that I . am sorry,' Mrs Kangas said as she choked back tears. The troopers, both fathers, were part of a four-man team that patrolled the remote regions of Alaska. On . the day of their deaths, Rich and Johnson had been following up a . report that public safety official Mark Haglin had been threatened with a . gun. The pair had traveled to Tanana, which is accessible only by boat or plane, to arrest Nathaniel's father, Arvin Kangas. The 58-year-old was due to face charges of driving without a . license and threatening Haglin, an unarmed official. Haglin had . received reports that the elder Kangas was driving around the village, . even though he doesn't have a valid driver's license. After Haglin . approached his home, the elder Kangas pointed to a rifle . and suggested he would use it if Haglin did not leave, according to the . charging document. Haglin . then contacted state troopers, who obtained an arrest warrant and . accompanied him to the home a day after the confrontation. Crime scene: The officers were shot as they tried to arrest Arvin Kangas at this Tanana house in Alaska . Arvin . Kangas refused to cooperate with the troopers after being informed of . his arrest warrant and tried to run inside his home, according to the . charging document. The troopers pursued, and a scuffle ensued, according . to the document. That's . when Nathanial Kangas allegedly appeared with an assault rifle and shot them. He then pointed the weapon at . Haglin, but lowered it and Haglin was able to flee, according to court documents. Haglin . called for help, and with the aid of other community members, was able . to detain the teenager Kangas until more troopers arrived. Kangas 'spontaneously stated that he was sorry for doing "it" and that he shot troopers because the troopers were wrestling with . Arvin,' the documents stated. His father was also arrested and is being held in Fairbanks. 'These . are serious crimes, killing two Alaska State Troopers, two of my Alaska . State Troopers ... I would support the recommendations of the district . attorney and hope that you put the maximum amount of bail possible,' Colonel James Cockrell said during Saturday's hearing. Processions were held for Rich and Johnson on Saturday. Their bodies were taken from Anchorage to Fairbanks. The deaths highlighted the dangers the force faces as it patrols remote and difficult terrain. Arrest: Arvin Kangas has been charged with assault and his 19-year-old son Nathaniel is being held in connection with the shootings . Evidence: Forensic science officers arrive at the remote village as they investigate the double shooting . Cut off: Investigators take photos on the porch of the house, where the troopers had confronted a man about an earlier alleged gun threat . 'This will take us a long time to heal,' Colonel Cockrell said on Friday. 'Currently . department members are dealing with shock and disbelief trying to make . sense of Sergeant Johnson and Trooper Rich's deaths,' Cockrell told KTUU. Like . many troopers assigned to patrol multiple villages, Rich and Johnson . worked from a rural service base about 130 miles from Tanana, which they . reached by plane. The men and their rugged patrol route had featured on a National Geographic reality show, Alaska State Troopers. Tanana resident Ruby Cruger is related to the Kangas family, but said she did not know the details of the shooting, just that it has affected the entire community. 'They're all shocked,' Cruger said of the town's reaction to the shooting. Loss: Sergeant Scott Johnson, pictured, was a father of three girls . Reality show: Alaska trooper Gabe Rich is pictured on the National Geographic show he featured in . National Geographic said in a statement that it was 'incredibly saddened' to learn of the deaths. Spokesman Chris Albert said the troopers are among the many who are subjected to the daily challenges of working in isolated areas of the state, such as Tanana. Johnson was born in Fairbanks and grew up in the Alaska community of Tok. He was a veteran trooper who joined the force in 1993. He spent his career in Fairbanks and worked a variety of roles, including patrol trooper, field training officer and as a canine officer, instructor and canine unit supervisor. The husband and father of three daughters also had worked as a supervisor of a Fairbanks-area narcotics team. Rich was born in Sayre, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Fairbanks. He first worked as a patrolman with the North Pole Police Department southeast of Fairbanks before deciding to join the troopers in 2011. With the troopers, he spent most of his career on patrol. Survivors include his fiance, their one-year-old son and his fiance's eight-year-old son. At the time of his death, Rich was in the process of adopting the older boy, troopers said. Johnson and Rich joined the interior rural unit on January 1. The unit covers 23 villages scattered across a sparse terrain. Their deaths came the same day the name of Manokotak village public safety Officer Thomas Madole was added to the Indian Country Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Artesia, New Mexico. Madole was shot and killed March 19, 2013, while responding to a domestic violence call in the Alaska Native village. Remote village: The troopers were killed in Tanana, which is only accessible by boat or plane . Before Thursday, 64 law enforcement officers had been killed in the line of duty since 1897 in Alaska, according to information previously provided by the Alaska State Troopers. Police memorials in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau are being planned to pay tribute to the slain troopers. Gov. Sean Parnell said in a statement that he and his wife, Sandy, 'were deeply saddened to learn of the senseless, brutal crime that took the lives of two of Alaska's finest. 'These fallen heroes answered the call to serve and protect, and made the ultimate sacrifice, while keeping our communities safe.'
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Nathaniel Kangas, 19, charged with two counts of murder .
Troopers Gabriel Rich and Patrick Johnson had been responding to calls about someone brandishing a gun .
Courtroom was packed with police for teenager's first court appearance .
His father, Arvin, was also arrested and has been charged with assault .
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1513c481db232bd887c1f5e6d48ab8d42043be4b
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(CNN) -- Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel is the new Formula One world champion after winning the title-deciding race in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. The German produced a peerless drive from pole position to take the checkered flag ahead of the McLaren pair of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, who led the championship standings going into the final race of the season, could only manage seventh place to see his title hopes ruined. The 23-year-old Vettel is the youngest-ever world champion in motorsport's premier class, claiming his fifth victory of the year to take the lead in the standings for the first time in a topsy-turvy season. "I'm a bit speechless. I don't know what you are supposed to say in this moment," Vettel told the official post-race press conference. Blog: Vettel ushers in new F1 era . "It has been an incredibly tough season, physically and mentally especially. But we have always believed in myself, my car, the team " Spain's Alonso, who only needed to finish fourth to deny Vettel the title, looked to be the victim of a tactical error by his Ferrari team after being pulled in for an early pitstop. It left the two-time world champion behind slower cars and he could not overtake and make up lost ground on the tight Yas Marina circuit. Alonso defended his team after his shattering disappointment, having qualified third fastest behind Vettel and Hamilton. "After the race, it is always very easy to see the best strategy," he told gathered reporters. "But this is a sport. This is motor racing. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Congratulations to Red Bull and Sebastian, but next year we will try again." Vettel's teammate Mark Webber, who trailed Alonso by eight points going into the final round, saw his chances disappear in similar fashion after a premature stop for new tires and finished eighth. He too defended his team's decision to bring him in early. "Early in the race, obviously, we had to make a few calls to get out of that position we were in. It wasn't too bad till then. "And going for the harder tire pretty early on obviously hurt Fernando (Alonso) too because he had to cover me off -- so in a way it was a bit of a team effort I suppose that helped Seb take the title -- but obviously I didn't get the result I wanted." The victory left Vettel on top of the standings with 256 points, just four clear of Alonso. Webber finished the season on 242 points with 2008 champion Hamilton on 240. Red Bull had already clinched the constructors' title after the penultimate race in Brazil, but a solid display from McLaren left them in second place ahead of Ferrari.
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Sebastian Vettel becomes youngest-ever F1 world champion .
Red Bull ace takes title after winning title deciding race in Abu Dhabi .
Fernando Alonso sees his hopes disappear after finishing seventh .
McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button take second and third .
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15147df3499d96904ae991042f5a54a02988f6df
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By . Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 05:51 EST, 29 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:18 EST, 29 June 2012 . Trouble ahead? Stephen Hester, the CEO of RBS, will face the same tough questions as his Barclays counterpart Bob Diamond, who has come under increasing pressure to resign in the wake of the scandal . Royal Bank of Scotland is set to be fined about £150 million for participating in market manipulation offences similar to those engaged in by Barclays, it has been revealed. Sources said RBS admitted guilt of offences similar to those committed by Barclays' traders, though at RBS they were more isolated and less serious. The news comes after a sacked RBS trader accused his bank bosses of colluding with staff to rig the financial markets to maximise profits in an explosive set of court documents revealed today. The bank is thought to have accepted that it will probably have to pay about half as much as the £291 million in fines imposed on Barclays, according to the Times. Any settlement with the various regulatory authorities is thought to be several months off, the Times said. Stephen Hester, the CEO of RBS, will now face the same tough questions that have bombarded his Barclays counterpart Bob Diamond, who has come under increasing pressure to resign in the wake of the scandal. Barclays . agreed on Wednesday to pay a record $453 million fine to US and British . regulators for attempting to manipulate the London Interbank Offered . Rate in 2005-08. Britain's banking woes deepened today as the Financial Services Authority said it had settled with four banks - Barclays, RBS, HSBC and Lloyds - after finding evidence they mis-sold products to protect small businesses against a rise in interest rates. Compensation could run into the hundreds of millions of pounds, lawyers have said, although Lloyds said the cost for it would not be material. The FSA said from 2001 to date, banks sold around 28,000 interest rate protection products to customers, although it did not did not say how much it would cost the banks. Guilty: RBS admitted guilt for offences similar to those committed by Barclays' traders, though at RBS they were more isolated and less serious . A string of mis-selling cases has rocked the financial services industry for over two decades and banks are already likely to pay upwards of £9 billion in compensation for mis-selling loan insurance. The Libor mis-selling scandal is expected to draw in many banks globally, but Diamond has found himself first in the firing line after U.S. and British authorities fined Barclays $450 million on Wednesday for manipulating the London interbank offer rate (Libor). Under fire: The Libor mis-selling scandal is expected to draw in many banks globally, but Barclays boss Diamond has found himself first in the firing line . Prime Minister David Cameron said Diamond - who was running the investment banking arm Barclays Capital when the rigging occurred in 2005-2009 - and other bosses had some 'big questions to answer'. Britain also called in the fraud squad to investigate possible crimes. 'Politicians . have already been baying for blood and calling for the head of Bob . Diamond, especially as he was in charge at BarCap at the time,' said . Stephen Peak, manager of the Henderson UK Alpha and European Absolute . Return funds and a shareholder in the bank. 'We . feel that the Barclays board will instinctively wish to resist this, as . Diamond is clearly the architect and leading light of Barclays, but . feel that the pressure may be too great.' Earlier, Tan Chi Min, a former head of delta . trading for RBS’s global banking and markets division in Singapore, . alleged that managers at RBS condoned collusion between its staff to set the . Libor rate artificially high or low to maximise profits. He . named five staff members he claims made requests for the Libor rate to . be altered and three senior managers who he said knew what was going on. He also says the practice 'was known to other members of [RBS]’s senior management'. Mr Tan, who was eventually sacked for gross misconduct, worked for RBS from August 2006 to November 2011and alleges that senior members of staff knew about Libor fixing, and that the behaviour started while Fred Goodwin was chief executive . During his dismissal case he accused Brevan Howard, one of Europe's largest hedge funds, of asking RBS to change the Libor rate. He accused the fund of telephoning the bank on in August 2007 asking if they could change the bank's Libor submission. Investigation: The ex-RBS employee alleges that senior members of staff knew about Libor fixing, and that the behaviour started while Fred Goodwin was chief executive . Banks submit their rates to Thomson . Reuters which then calculates the Libor rate and distributes it on . behalf of the British Bankers' Association. The fund was not named in the court case and was not being sued for any wrongdoing. Tan alleged that it was in fact common . practice among senior RBS employees to make requests to the bank's rate . setters as to the appropriate Libor rate. In . the court papers filed in New York as part of a class action, Mr Lin . also implicates hedge fund bosses who have given thousands of pounds to . the Conservative Party. It . is claimed that hedge fund Brevan Howard asked RBS to fix financial data . by making false submissions. The fund donated £10,000 to the Tories and . spent £3,542 on flights for George Osborne to attend a conference in . 2008. RBS said it was confident of mounting a successful defence against Mr Tan’s claims. It filed a response to the court in . January saying Tan was dismissed after being found guilty of gross . misconduct. Delta trading is usually conducted by investment banks, . using derivatives to track a basket of securities.
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RBS admit guilt of offences similar to those committed by Barclays' traders .
The bank is thought to have accepted .
that it will probably have to pay about half as much as the £291 million .
in fines imposed on Barclays .
But a settlement could be several months off .
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1514a7bc89fa6a0385eb8dfa55a7728aa0498517
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London (CNN) -- A British lawmaker said Thursday that he and 17 others have been awarded payouts over phone hacking by the News of the World newspaper, in settlements totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. News International, the parent company of the now defunct News of the World newspaper, issued a statement confirming that a subsidiary had agreed to settlements, but did not provide details. A number of people have brought civil cases against News International over alleged phone hacking by its employees. Chris Bryant, a Labour Party member of Parliament, posted on Twitter: "News of the World apologises to me and 17 others in the High Court - and pays damages plus costs, with no hush clause." In another post, Bryant said News of the World "admitted in court today that my phone was hacked and privacy intruded." He listed former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, actor Jude Law, the actor's ex-wife, Sadie Frost, and high-profile rugby player Gavin Henson as among the 18 people in court. News International, in its statement, said that News Group Newspapers, its subsidiary that was the publisher of News of the World, "agreed (to) settlements in respect of a number of claims against the company." It added that the company "made no admission as part of these settlements that directors or senior employees knew about the wrongdoing by NGN or sought to conceal it. However, for the purpose of reaching these settlements only, NGN agreed that the damages to be paid to claimants should be assessed as if this was the case." The office of Mark Thomson, the lawyer who is representing many of the claimants, gave details of their payouts. The office said Law received £130,000, while Frost was awarded £50,000. Law's personal assistant, Ben Jackson, was given £40,000, while a former PR adviser to Law and his ex-partner, Sienna Miller, Ciara Parkes, received £35,000. Henson was awarded £40,000, as were Guy Pelly, a friend of Prince William, and Joan Hammell, a former chief of staff to Prescott. Lisa Gower, who was linked to actor Steve Coogan, was given £30,000, the lawyer's office said. According to court documents posted online by the Guardian newspaper, freelance journalist Tom Rowlands -- who had worked for fellow News International titles the Times and Sunday Times -- was given £25,000 damages after News of the World hacked his voice mail to get information it then used in stories it published itself. In a statement read outside the High Court by his legal team, Jude Law called the behavior of News of the World "appalling" and said he had brought legal proceedings "to try to find out the truth." The group of lawyers representing the claimants said they had obtained documents from News International that revealed its attempts to destroy evidence, partly thanks to the fact that the 12 legal firms involved joined forces to work together. "As a result, documents relating to the nature and scale of the conspiracy, a coverup and the destruction of evidence/e-mail archives by News Group have now been disclosed to the claimants," said the lawyers' statement, read outside court. "In the face of this overwhelming evidence, the 'rogue reporter' position has disintegrated and the range, scale and extent of phone-hacking has become clear." James Murdoch, chief executive of News International and the son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, has insisted that the practice of phone hacking was not widespread. News International scrapped the best-selling News of the World Sunday tabloid in July amid outrage over claims it had hacked into the voice mail of a missing 13-year-old girl who turned out to have been murdered. Mark Thomson said other claimants would press ahead with a trial scheduled for next month, and praised the courage of all those taking on "a massive and influential multinational media organization." Thursday's hearing followed the settlement of a number of other claims against News Group Newspapers, which also publishes the Sun. Among them was the claim brought by Law's ex-fiancee, Miller. Law's statement said: "For several years leading up to 2006, I was suspicious about how information concerning my private life was coming out in the press. I changed my phones, I had my house swept for bugs but still the information kept being published. I started to become distrustful of people close to me. "I was truly appalled by what I was shown by the police and by what my lawyers have discovered. It is clear that I, along with many others, was kept under constant surveillance for a number of years." Prescott, in an interview with the Hull Daily Mail newspaper in his former constituency, said he had been awarded £40,000 in damages, plus his legal costs. "Today's court decision at long last brings clarity, apology and compensation for the years of hacking into my telephone messages by Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers," he told the newspaper. "It follows years of aggressive denials and a cavalier approach to private information and the law. These denials were supported by the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) and the inaction of senior officers of the Metropolitan Police." A public inquiry was set up in the wake of the scandal to examine British media ethics and behavior. Senior executives and editors for News International and other media organizations, both current and former, have testified before the Leveson Inquiry, a wide-ranging government-backed investigation of British press ethics and practices, as have many of the alleged victims of phone hacking and other abuses by the press. The Metropolitan Police is also conducting investigations into phone-hacking claims and allegations that police officers were bribed for information. CNN's Richard Allen Greene and Laura Smith-Spark contributed to this report.
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NEW: News International confirms it agreed to settlements, but gives no details .
Jude Law, awarded £130,000 in damages, says News of the World's behavior was appalling .
A journalist who worked for other News International papers had his phone hacked .
Lawyers for the claimants say News International tried to destroy evidence .
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By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 08:07 EST, 29 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:07 EST, 29 June 2013 . If you are short of something to do this weekend and grimly looking forward to another night in front of the TV you are not alone. Brits are much less happy with their social lives than most of Europe, according to new analysis of how we spend our free time. People in the UK get less satisfaction from time partying or socialising than the likes of Luxembourg, Austria and Denmark. Staying in: A new league table released in Parliament shows how the UK lags behind most of Europe for satisfaction with our social life . Figures released in Parliament reveal Denmark tops the European league table for socialising. People in Turkey and Bulgaria, by contrast, are least happy with their lot. Brits abroad might have a reputation for partying hard, but long working hours and raising children are taking their toll. People across the continent were asked to rate how happy they were with . their social life out of 10, with one being very dissatisfied and 10 . being very satisfied. The UK average was only seven out of 10, almost 20 per cent lower than Denmark’s 8.3. The figures, from the Office for National Statistics director general Glen Watson, were published by the Cabinet Office this month. Contrast: Britain might boast some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Ministry of Sound in London (left), but people in Luxembourg (right) are happier with their social lives . Austria and Cyprus recorded 8.1, with Finland and Luxembroug on 7.8. Anyone looking for a good time might want to give Bulgaria a miss, where people scored their social life at just 5.9 out of 10. Experts suggest levels of satisfaction with social life could be linked . to not having enough time because of work or family commitments. New parents often fear that children will spell the end of their social life, and they could be right. More than three-quarters of couples with no children are happy with how . often they go out with friends, compared to just two-thirds of those . with young children and half of single parents. More than two-thirds of under-25s see their friends every day or most days, compared to just a third of people aged over 65. Rows: Barely two-thirds of parents are happy with their social life, compared to three-quarters of couples without children . Earlier studies suggest a quarter of people in the UK are unhappy with . the amount of leisure time they have, while 15 per cent are 'completely . satisfied'. And in an alarming warning, having a poor social life can be worse for your health than eating badly. The Office for National Statistics points to research by the . Universities of Exeter and Queensland, Australia which states: ‘The . quality of a person’s social life could have an even greater impact than . diet and exercise on their health and well-being’. Almost three quarters of those aged 16 to 24 and the over-55s are most satisfied with their social life, the ONS says. This compares with 58 of those in the 35-44 age bracket, 62.1 per cent . of those aged 45 to 54 and 63 of those aged 25 to 34-year-olds.
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League table reveals people in the UK get less satisfaction from socialising .
Denmark, Austria and Luxembourg are most happy with their social life .
Under-25s and over 55s enjoy life most, but couples with children do not have time to go out .
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A court ruling has stated that fingerprints are not protected by the Fifth Amendment, which could mean police can access devices such as iPads and iPhones more easily through their touch ID. The decision in Virginia by Judge Steven C. Fucci stated that defendants do not have to give up passcodes or pin numbers to access personal devices. However, they will be required to open fingerprint operated gadgets, according to the Virginia Pilot. The by Virginia Judge Steven C. Fucci stated that defendants do not have to give up pass-codes or pin numbers to access personal devices - but may have to give up fingerprints to operate devices such as iPhones . The Fifth Amendment states that 'no person shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself,'. This protects memorized information like passwords and passcodes, but it does not extend to fingerprints in the eyes of the law . The ruling is believed to have stemmed from a case involving David Baust who allegedly strangled his girlfriend. Prosecutors believed Baust may have stored video of the attack on his phone, and requested that the judge force him to unlock it. If protected by a passcode, Baust will not be required to unlock his phone under the Fifth Amendment, but if protected with a fingerprint, he could potentially be forced to unlock the device. Macie Pridgen, a spokeswoman for the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, said prosecutors still are considering whether to appeal. Trial: The ruling is believed to have stemmed from a case involving David Baust who allegedly strangled his girlfriend. Prosecutors suspected he had a video of the alleged attack on his phone .
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Virginia court decision says officers will be entitled to use defendant's prints .
However, they do not have to give up their passcodes or pin numbers .
The Fifth Amendment protects a citizen's memorized information .
Stemmed from a case involving allegedly strangler David Baust .
He is said to have stored a video of the attack on his phone .
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By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 03:58 EST, 21 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:21 EST, 21 January 2014 . Police in Texas have released a sketch of a suspected robber, but unless they are looking for Morph, they might struggle to locate him. The e-fit was sent out by Lamar County Sheriff’s Department after two women were robbed at knife point in Paris, Texas last Thursday. However, the poorly drawn composite sketch looks more like a cartoon character than a human being. Scroll down for video . Robbed by Morph? This is the e-fit sketch released by Lamar County Sheriff's Department in search for a suspect in an armed robbery . The man depicted in the sketch allegedly robbed the two women around 11am on Thursday as they approached a house in East Post Oak Community in Lamar County, Paris. The man, described as 6ft tall with short black hair, a round face and tattoos on his arms and neck threatened the women with a knife, demanding money. When given when he wanted, the man fled on foot, Lamar County Sheriff’s Department told eParisExtra. The sheriff’s department stresses that the sketch is ‘not a true depiction of the suspect, only a likeness,’ the website said. Just as bad: This e-fit was sent out by Bolivian police in 2009 during a murder investigation and actually resulted in an arrest . The 'egg' man: A sketch of a sketch which Portuguese police used in the hunt for a suspect in the Madeleine McCann case . Although this may possibly be the world's worst e-fit it is not without competition. In 2009, Bolivian police released a sketch of a suspected murderer which looked nothing like an actual person, however they did manage to catch a suspect. Portuguese police did not do much better in their search fro Madeleine mcCann, showing local business owners a faceless, egg-shaped head. The sheriff’s department has released a composite sketch of the suspect and encourages the public with any information on this individual or his whereabouts to please contact the Lamar County Sheriff’s Department at 903-737-2400 or Crime Stoppers at (903) 785-TIPS.
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Texas police release 'cartoon' e-fit sketch of suspected robber .
The person on the sketch lacks lips, irises and even eyebrows .
It depicts a suspect in an armed robbery which took place last week .
A man held two women at knife point in Lamar County, Paris .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 02:17 EST, 7 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:03 EST, 7 November 2012 . About a dozen Sandy victims taking shelter in a Brooklyn high school came down with a contagious stomach virus. Mayor Bloomberg said John Jay High School will be closed on Wednesday as the school is shut down and sanitized, NBC New York reports.'The school will be thoroughly cleaned and then reopened,' Bloomberg announced. Shut down: John Jay High School in Brooklyn is being closed and sanitized after about a dozen storm victims came down with a stomach virus . None of the sickened storm victims became severely ill and the cleaning is being done as a precaution, he said. An additional 47 New York City schools will remain closed to students on Wednesday. Those students will need to report elsewhere. Thousands of New York residents headed to shelters as Sandy ravaged coastal and lower-layer regions of the tri-state area. The majority of New York City schools reopened on Monday. Members of the Army National Guard Unit Fox 250 from the Teaneck Armory deliver emergency drinking water to the Hoboken Homeless Shelter to aid victims from Hurricane Sandy . Hurricane Sandy destroyed large parts . of the coast on October 28 and 29, leaving more than two million . without power in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New . Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island and . Virginia. Whole cities have were flooded and an estimated $50 billion in damage was caused. Traffic on New York's iconic Brooklyn Bridge was bumper to bumper this, as this picture shows, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Only cars with three or more passengers will be allowed to cross says Mayor Bloomberg .
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Storm refugees taking shelter at John Jay High School in Brooklyn came down with a contagious stomach virus .
The school will be closed on Wednesday for precautionary cleaning .
An additional 47 New York City schools will remain closed to students on Wednesday .
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(CNN) -- U.N. officials on Tuesday put the number of rapes and other sexual attacks in eastern Congo since late July at more than 500, more than double the previous estimate. In remarks prepared for delivery to the Security Council after returning from a fact-finding trip to the region, U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Atul Khare cited 267 rapes or other sexual attacks in the town of Uvira -- on the eastern edge of the country -- and other nearby regions of North and South Kivu, in addition to the 242 rapes that had already been reported in and near the village of Luvungi. Among the additional cases was a report of 10 women raped by members of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo on August 17 and 18 in the community of Katalukulu, in Fizi territory, South Kivu, he said. On August 17, at least 40 rapes were committed in the village of Mubi by an alleged coalition of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda and Mayi-Mayi, a militia group active in the region, he said. Another 13 rapes occurred in Pinga area in Chuho market, he said. On August 26, Khare received reports of 74 cases of sexual violence -- including 21 directed at girls 7 to 15 years of age -- and six men in the village of Miki in the territory of Mwenga, he said. The incidents occurred in July and August, he said. Five days later, he said, 130 cases of rape were recorded in several villages in the territory of Shabunda. There were reports that in one village, "all women might have been systematically raped," he said. Khare had gone to Congo to find out why peacekeepers said they hadn't learned about the rapes near Luvungi sooner. The United Nations reported last week that some 242 people were raped by armed Congolese and Rwandan rebels in villages in North Kivu province between July 30 and August 3. Attackers blocked roads and prevented villagers from reaching outside communications. Many homes were also looted and burned. Many of the victims were gang-raped by as many as six men at a time, according to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The rapes were first publicly reported on August 22. The United Nations initially said it did not learn about the attacks until August 12, when it was alerted by International Medical Corps. That group said it first told the United Nations about the rapes on August 6. But on Tuesday, the United Nations acknowledged that it first learned of a report of rape on July 30, nearly two weeks earlier than it had previously said. "We can confirm that the Daily Field Security Report from North Kivu on 30 July included the following: 'Today 30 July 2010 during morning hours, the locality of Mpofi (52 Km E of Walikale) passed under control of FDLR [Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda] combatants. One woman was reportedly raped and locals fled towards Walikale and Kibua. More information to be ascertained.' "We can also confirm that, on the basis of this information, an e-mail was sent by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs transmitting information of the FDLR movement," it said. The July 30 internal U.N. email was relayed to relief agencies working in the area and warned that the rebels had taken over the villages, and had already committed one instance of rape. U.N. officials have said they will toughen efforts to stop rapes in the region. "The women of eastern DRC deserve better," said Margot Wallstrom, a U.N. special representative for sexual violence in conflict who sent a senior member of her staff with Khare on his fact-finding mission to the region. "For them, there is no safe place. They are raped when harvesting crops; when going to market; when fetching water and firewood; when carrying their babies; when in their homes at night, among their loved ones." She added that the rape is becoming a weapon of choice in eastern DRC. "The sad reality is that incidents of rape have become so commonplace that they do not trigger our most urgent interventions," she said. Noting that the information about the rapes "was slow to surface," she called for the United Nations to focus on how to improve its response to such reports. "We should examine the U.N.'s response, including that of our peacekeepers on the ground, not in a spirit of self-recrimination but with a determination and resolve to do better to protect civilians in what is undoubtedly one of the most complex, vast and volatile conflict zones in the world." She noted that some rebel leaders have been identified as having been present during the attacks and called for them to be used "as a starting point" to bring the attackers to justice. "Our policies of 'zero tolerance' cannot be backed by a reality of 'zero consequences,'" she said.
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The figure is more than double the previous number .
All women in one village may have been raped, according to some reports .
A U.N. Daily Field Security Report cited July 30 rape .
"The women of eastern DRC deserve better," says U.N. official .
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By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 05:57 EST, 29 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:30 EST, 29 November 2012 . A father has miraculously survived after he was hit on the head by a speeding train as he leaned over the edge of a platform to vomit. Stephen Wright's two terrified sons watched as their father's skull was struck with the commuter train, though to be reaching speeds of up to 70mph. Warehouse clerk Stephen was hit after he began to feel unwell while waiting on the platform in Goodmayes, near Ilford, Essex. Warehouse clerk Stephen was struck on the head in front of his two horrified little boys . But against all the odds the 34-year-old father escaped the accident with just shock, whiplash and swelling. The packed commuter train, which was not scheduled to stop at the station, is thought to have been reaching speeds of up to 70mph. Stephen managed to board another train with his two sons Kye, seven, and Keon, five, and went home after the incident. But baffled police did not realise he had staggered away from the scene and searched the tracks for his body after the alarm was raised. Mr Wright, of Upton Park, east London, said: 'My aunt said that God was rolling with me, and she's right. 'There's no way I should be here.' The accident happened after Stephen . picked up his two sons from Barley Lane Primary School in Chadwell Heath . last Wednesday night. He went into the station in Goodmayes Road at about 6.30pm and began to feel unwell. The father managed to board another train after the horrifying accident at Goodmayes Station, Ilford, Essex . He stepped to the edge of the platform to be sick on the tracks and was standing on the yellow line leaning over when the train smashed into him. 'The next thing I knew I felt the biggest bang in my head and I screamed out and grabbed my head,' he recalled with horror. 'I thought I could fall down. 'My son was so scared and I had to be strong.' Deeply shocked and bleeding from his mouth, Stephen managed to stagger across the platform with his sons and board a waiting train to Stratford. He was having tea at his girlfriend's . house in Manor Park as he recovered from his ordeal when a train . accident was reported and the line was closed for two hours that night. Shaken-up . Stephen went to King George Hospital, Goodmayes, the next day after he . suffered swelling to his head and neck as well as whiplash. The packed train (not pictured) smashed into Stephen but left him with just swelling and minor whiplash . He underwent two brain scans at Romford's Queen's Hospital but was given the all-clear. Stephen said it struck home just how lucky he had been to survive after he was tracked down by a police officer involved in the station search for his body after the dramatic scare. 'A policeman told me, 'we were searching for you on the tracks last night'. 'That's when it came to me more and started to sink in,' he said. This is not the first time Stephen has had a brush with death - when he was a baby he plunged 50ft out of his flat. He plummeted five storeys out of a tower block in Hackney, east London, when he was a 15-month-old infant and survived without any broken bones or hardly a scratch. 'Nobody could believe how I'd got out of my cot but I did. 'I fell on the hard concrete - I should have been dead,' he said. A British Transport Police spokesman said: ''BTP officers were called to the line close to Goodmayes rail station on Wednesday, 21 November after a driver reported striking a person on one of the platforms. 'BTP and Essex Police officers attended the incident, which was reported to BTP at 7pm. 'A thorough search of the area was carried out by officers, but no person was found. 'A man in his thirties has since come forward to police reporting he was struck by a train at the station. 'Officers have spoken to the man, who voluntarily attended Goodmayes hospital following the incident, which appears to have been an accident. 'The man sustained minor injuries and has since been discharged from hospital.'
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Father-of-two escaped with only whiplash, shock and swelling to his head .
Stephen Wright, 34, had leaned over platform edge to vomit after he began to feel unwell .
Police searched the tracks in Essex for a body .
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Public officials could have been behind a ‘deliberate cover-up’ of the Rotherham sex abuse scandal, MPs will warn today. In a damning report, they call for an urgent investigation into the loss of crucial files on the abuse of at least 1,400 vulnerable young girls by mainly Asian men. Their inquiry into the scandal heard evidence from an anonymous council researcher who had gathered evidence of failures to tackle the abuse. Scroll down for video . Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs committee, has called for an 'urgent investigation' into the loss of files . The woman claimed an unknown person stole a draft report from her office in 2002 which had been set to go to the Home Office. There was no forced entry and access was only through key-coded and locked security doors. Her report had contained severe criticisms of the relevant agencies in Rotherham, with the most serious alleging ‘indifference’ by senior managers. Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs committee, said: ‘The proliferation of revelations about files which can no longer be located gives rise to public suspicion of a deliberate cover-up. ‘The only way to address these concerns is with a full, transparent and urgent investigation.’ One victim of men in the area, of which there are thought to be around 1,400, fell pregnant twice and tried to end her life . The committee’s report added: ‘This is not the first case in which it has been alleged that files relating to child sexual exploitation have disappeared.’ The influential panel also demands new powers of recall for police and crime commissioners after South Yorkshire PCC Shaun Wright clung to his position for weeks before finally quitting. The full horror of the scandal over 16 years came to light in August in the Jay Report.
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MPs will warn public officials were involved in 'deliberate cover-up'
Damning report calls for investigation into loss of crucial files .
At least 1,400 vulnerable young girls abused by mainly Asian men in Rotherham .
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1518f074717ef7a2b2e09e8e2f248107c6e57b17
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By . Rachel Quigley . PUBLISHED: . 11:01 EST, 30 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:45 EST, 30 August 2013 . He has stared death in the face and come out the other side to tell his story - so swallowing an amputated human toe should be child's play. The man who paid $500 for the privilege of gulping down a pickled toe was today named as Joshua Clark, who is believed to be a Hurricane Katrina survivor from New Orleans. Reports emerged on Wednesday about the incident, which took place at the Downtown Hotel in Dawson City, Canada, on Saturday night. Clark decided to take on the area's infamous Sourtoe Cocktail Challenge - wherein an amputated toe, which has been . preserved and pickled, is dropped into a glass and for $5 the customer must . drink the shot and have the toe touch their lips. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Josh Clark listens to the rules of the Sourtoe Challenge: 'You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow. But the lips have gotta touch the toe' Down in one: Josh tilts his head back to ensure the entire contents of the glass - toe and all - disappear . Saloon: The Downtown Hotel in Dawson City, Yukon Territory, is famous for its Sourtoe Cocktail - a 40-year tradition which has been done by more than 65,000 people . But Clark went one step further and . drank the toe down with his whiskey, then threw $500 on the table - the . fine imposed by the saloon should anyone swallow it. The idea of the Sourtoe Cocktail started in September 1973, when riverboat captain Dick Stevenson found a severed big toe preserved in a pickle jar. Captain Dick somehow got the idea of making a game with it and came up with the original rules for the drink over the course of a drunken evening with friends - Take a beer glass full of champagne, drop in the toe, tip the glass back…and the toe must touch the lips. In September 1973, eight people participated in the first attempt; nearly four decades later, the Sourtoe Cocktail Club has an estimated 100,000-plus members. Any liquor can be used in the cocktail, but the norm now is a shot of Yukon Jack whiskey. It costs just $5 and for that you sign a log book and get a certificate confirming you as a member of the Sourtoe Cocktail Club. One rule must be adhered to however: 'You can drink it fast, you can drink it . slow. But the lips have gotta touch the toe.' It has been described by members of the club as a 'leathery piece of jerky with a toe nail attached'. Clark was said to have been in Yukon Territory for the summer and had just got his rent deposit back. A video of the incident emerged today on CBC Yukon . and shows the toe-curling moment the pinkie disappeared from the glass. Clark's eyes widen as it goes down his throat before he washes it down with . another drink. He then stands up, raises his arms in . the air in triumph and says, 'I did it, it's down', before throwing . $500 on the table to a visibly shocked Terry Lee, the 'Toe Captain' of . the night. Lee said the latest toe was 'mummified' with salt, and plonked into drinks for brave patrons about 30 to 40 times per night. Speaking to The Star about what happened, he said: 'This guy popped it in his mouth, takes $500 out of his pocket and slams it on the table and starts walking away. 'I said, "Where’s the toe?" and he said, "I swallowed it". I was shocked.' The fine has since been raised to $2,500. Throughout the 40-year tradition, more than 100,000 people have joined the Sourtoe Cocktail club. The Sour Toe started in September 1973 . when a local eccentric named Captain Dick Stevenson found a severed toe . preserved in a jar. He came up with the original rules . for the drink over the course of a drunken evening with friends: take a . beer glass full of champagne, drop in the toe, tip the glass back. Since then a number have been swallowed, lost or . destroyed - eight in total - but fortunately for the bar, they always manage to find . someone to donate a new toe. Lee said they have a backup toe but like to keep two at a time so are on the hunt looking for a new one. He told CBC: 'We like to have two toes - . we switch them off once a week - and now we can't do that. We need . toes. We're putting it out there, if you have a spare toe, hey we need . one.' Josh Clark remained in New Orleans during Hurricane . Katrina and the collapse of the levees. He refused to leave the city at the dangerous and devastating time and tape-recorded impressionistic . interviews with fellow storm survivors. From these interviews and his own diary entries, he penned Heart Like Water: Surviving Katrina and Life in its Disaster Zone, which was a 2007 finalist for the National Book Critics Circle award. Gnarly: While it may sound unsanitary, the toes are pickled for months in medical alcohol and then packed in dry salts so pose no health risks to drinkers . New member: A female customer prepares to take the Sourtoe challenge so she can join the prestigious club . Down in one: The famous tradition is mentioned in guide books and people have come from far and wide to become members of the Sourtoe Cocktail Club . Terry Lee said they are now looking for more toes: 'We like to have two toes - we switch them off once a week - and now we can't do that. We need toes. We're putting it out there, if you have a spare toe, hey we need one' Captain Dick shows how it's done: The now-83-year-old says the Sourtoe Cocktail is his greatest and proudest achievement . The toe is believed to belong to Steve White, a chain-link fence installer in . Whitehorse, who got his pinkie toe amputated in January 2000 after . developing hammertoe. He kept it in a jar in his freezer and donated it in April 2002. Manager at the Downtown Hotel Dick Van Nostrand told the Wall Street Journal last year: 'We've had people throwing up, we've had . people gagging on their drinks. 'Real trouble is when someone gets . overenthusiastic. You never know when some fool is going to do . something stupid. And then we'll be without a . toe.'
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The 40-year tradition was started by Captain Dick after he found a severed toe in a jar .
Those up for the challenge must make sure the toe touches their lips .
Josh Clark is the only person to have deliberately swallowed the toe .
The fine for swallowing it has now gone up to $2,500 .
Downtown Hotel are now searching for a new toe for the club .
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The antique dealer jokes that his photo is proof Nicolas Cage is more than just an a-list actor - he’s also a vampire who lived during the American Civil War. An eBay seller claims to have a 4” by 2.5” carte de visite photo from around 1870 of a man who looks exactly like the 47-year-old star of Con Air, Ghost Rider and The Rock. The seller, who has put the starting price at $1million, says the photo is 100 per cent genuine and was taken of a man who lived in Bristol, Tennessee, around the time of the Civil War. Lookalike: An eBay seller claims to have a 4” by 2.5” carte de visite photo, right, from around 1870 of a man who looks exactly like the 47-year-old star of Con Air, Ghost Rider and The Rock, Nicolas Cage, left in 2006 . The man who put the photo on eBay is Jack Mörd, of Seattle, Washington, whose Facebook page says he is originally from Los Angeles, California, and owns ‘The Thanatos Archive’. 'My theory is that he allows himself to age to a certain point, maybe 70, 80 or so, then the actor “Nicolas Cage” will “die”,’ Mr Mörd joked. ‘But in reality, the undead vampire “Nicolas Cage” will have rejuvenated himself and appeared in some other part of the world, young again, and ready to start all over.’ Listing: The seller, who has put the starting price at $1million, says the photo is 100 per cent genuine and was taken of a man from Bristol, Tennessee, around the time of the Civil War . The photo comparison may suggest Nicolas Cage could have lived forever. But the actor's radically-changing . appearance over the years suggests he's as vulnerable to the ravages of . time as the rest of us. The 47-year-old Californian has clearly aged since his appearances in Con Air in 1997, top right, and then Adaptation in 2002, right. Mr Cage's wife Alice Kim is around . half his age at 27. But hair . transplants have seemingly helped maintain a youthful look. The picture was found in the back of an . album that contained many unusual death portraits from the Civil War era . - but the Nicolas Cage lookalike was not identified by name, Mr Mörd . said. He has a 100 per cent positive feedback . rating on eBay and his profile says he is interested in collecting and . selling Victorian Era post-mortem photography, as well as other vintage . pictures. The eBay product description for ‘Nicolas Cage is a Vampire / Photo from 1870 / Tennessee’ says: ‘Original c.1870 carte de visit showing a man who looks exactly like Nick Cage. ‘This is not a trick photo of any kind and has not been manipulated in Photoshop or any other graphics program. 'It's an original photo of a man who lived in Bristol, TN, sometime around the Civil War.' It is believed the photo was taken by a confederate Civil War prisoner of war photographer called Professor G.B. Smith. Mr Mörd joked that Nicolas Cage could be a walking undead man who reinvents himself once every 75 years - and might be looking at going into politics or talk show hosting next.
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Antique photo dealer wants huge price for 1870 photo of Tennessee man .
EBay seller Jack Mörd says it's a genuine 4” by 2.5” carte de visite photo .
Picture was found in back of album of death portraits from Civil War era .
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(CNN) -- North Carolina State University women's basketball coach Kay Yow, who won more than 700 games in nearly four decades of coaching, died Saturday after a long struggle with breast cancer, the university said. North Carolina State University's Kay Yow, in 1996, was one of only six coaches to amass 700 wins. She was 66. Yow, who was in her 38th season as a coach, had amassed numerous awards, including inductions into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. In her 34 years on the sidelines for the Wolfpack, her teams won four Atlantic Coast Conference titles, averaged 20 wins a season, appeared in 20 of 27 NCAA tournaments and reached the Final Four in 1998. She was one of only six coaches in the women's game to win at least 700 games, the university said. She also coached the 1988 women's Olympic basketball team to a gold medal in Seoul, South Korea. Yow was beloved by her players, colleagues and fans, and in 2007, N.C. State christened the court in Raleigh's Reynolds Coliseum in her name. Since being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987, Yow had been active in efforts to raise awareness and money to battle the disease, which forced her to miss two games during the 2004-05 season and another 16 in the 2006-07 season, the university said. She helped establish the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund, which raised money for the cause. About three weeks ago, Yow announced that she was stepping away from coaching duties for the remainder of the 2008-09 season, after missing four straight games because of an extremely low energy level. "Stepping away from coaching is one of the hardest decisions I have had to make," Yow said January 6, according to N.C. State. "Even though I don't feel well enough to coach, I'm hopeful to feel well enough to attend some ACC games and show my support for the team as well as N.C. State University," she added. Yow was born in 1942 in Gibsonville, North Carolina, about 16 miles outside Greensboro. She began coaching at local high schools in 1964 before Elon University hired her. N.C. State hired her in 1975. "It has been an honor and a privilege to work with Coach Yow for the last 15 seasons. I suddenly find myself grasping to retain everything she has ever said and ever taught me," interim head coach Stephanie Glance said, according to the university. The team's game against Wake Forest University, which was scheduled for Monday, has been postponed until February 10 in Winston-Salem, the university said.
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Women's basketball coach dies at 66 after struggle with breast cancer .
Yow's North Carolina State teams won 4 ACC titles, reached Final Four .
Yow coached the 1988 women's Olympic basketball team to a gold medal in Seoul .
Yow helped establish the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund .
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Former Everton star Tim Cahill was on target as Australia struggled to a tepid 1-1 draw in an international friendly against an under-strength South Africa in Sydney on Monday. More than 50,000 turned out at the Olympic Stadium to bid farewell to the Socceroos before they depart for the finals but the home side struggled to break down a Bafana Bafana team weakened even from that which went out in the second round of African qualifying. Both the goals came inside a minute early in the first half with Ayanda Patosi's 13th minute effort for South Africa cancelled out by Australia's stand-in captain Tim Cahill almost immediatly. On the scoresheet: Former Everton player Tim Cahill celebrates after scoring for Australia in Sydney . Man of the moment: Cahill stands on top of an advertising board as he celebrates his equaliser . Hugs all round: Cahill is congratulated by his team-mates after scoring in the friendly against South Africa . In demand: Cahill poses for photographs with fans after the match at the ANZ Stadium . Let me take a selfie: One young fan asks for a selfie with Cahill after the farewell match . Fond farewell: Cahill and the Australian team walk through a cordon of South African players . With world . champions Spain, 2010 runners-up the Netherlands and Chile lying in . wait in Brazil, Australia would have been hoping for a different . conclusion to the evening than the slow handclap that rang around . stadium towards the end of the match. Socceroos . coach Ange Postecoglou was always up against it with just eight months . to bring fluency to his young team before Australia's third successive . World Cup finals campaign and it showed in a ragged performance. South . Africa opened the scoring after Tokelo Rantie drove at the heart of the . defence at pace and, when his progress was stopped, stabbed the ball . back for Ayanda Patosi to slide the ball into the net. Australia's . response was immediate and it was no surprise that it came from the . head of Cahill, who rose above goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa to steer Tommy . Oar's ballooned cross into the net for his 32nd goal in his 68th . appearance for his country. The chase is on: Australia's Ryan McGowan (left) fights for the ball with Thulai Caleb Serero . Incoming: South Africa's Ayanda Patosi (left) is tackled by Australia's Ivan Franjic . Opener: South Africa's Ayanda Patosi celebrates after scoring the opening goal in the 13th minute . South . Africa grew in confidence and had the better of the second half with . what rhythm Australia had mustered disrupted by the inevitable string of . substitutions. Postecoglou . will cut three players from his 30-man provisional squad on Tuesday . before the remainder fly to South America - one certain to be central . defender Curtis Good, who has a hip injury. Australia . open their campaign in Brazil against Chile on June 13 in Cuiaba before . playing the Netherlands on June 18 and Spain on June 23. Down low: South Africa goalkeeper Senzo Robert Meyiwa dives to his left to make the save . Silky stuff: Australia's Matthew Leckie (left) controls the ball as Thato Mokeke looks on . Calm and composed: Australia coach Ange Postecoglou sits on the touchline during the farewell match .
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Australia struggled to a 1-1 draw with South Africa at the Olympic Stadium .
Former Everton and Millwall player Tim Cahill equalised just one minute after Ayanda Patosi had put Bafana Bafana in front .
More than 50,000 turned out for Australia's last match Down Under ahead of Brazil 2014 .
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By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 03:22 EST, 8 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:13 EST, 8 May 2013 . Scores of firefighters from two counties converged on the Yorkshire Moors to battle widespread fires that blazed through the night. More than 40 firefighters from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service joined West Yorkshire crews to help tackle pockets of fire that stretched from Mytholmroyd, in Yorkshire, into Littleborough, in Rochdale. At least 14 fire engines were called to the scene, where one blaze at its height stretched for more than a mile, threatening isolated cottages and farmhouses. All night operation: The dry ground was still smouldering today after firefighters spent the night battling flames on the Yorkshire Moors . Damping down: Crews maintained a presence on the moors all night to ensure the safety of remote properties, before once again starting to tackle the flames at first light . The fires had spread across dry vegetation from West Yorkshire and across the county border. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said six fire engines and an operational support unit were called to land behind the Summit pub on Todmorden Road at around 7.30pm last night. Another fire engine from Rochdale and one from Littleborough joined six Yorkshire fire engines in tackling pockets of fire dotted across the moorland. After battling for hours to keep the raging flames under control, crews were forced to withdraw from the hillside for safety reasons as darkness fell. Firefighters maintained a presence on the moorland throughout the night, damping down remote properties under threat from the pockets of fire. They used strategically placed fire engines to protect the properties, crews said. Flames and smoke: A ranger uses a power hose to try to stop the fire flames from spreading further on the smouldering Yorkshire Moors . Quelling the flames: The strong wind and dry ground has allowed pockets of fire to spread across the moorland . Heat: Crews from Manchester and Pontefract attended to support local firefighters as they battled the flames sweeping the landscape near Baitings Reservoir . Moorland fires: Firefighters battled throughout the night to bring the flames under control . Joint effort: Fire crews from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service teamed up with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to help tackle the pockets of fire . Station manager Pete Buckley said this morning: 'Overnight we maintained a presence protecting some remote property with a spray of water and we were able to monitor any fire spread and wind changes.'The fire had spread across the dry vegetation from West Yorkshire and we had eight fire engines and an Operational Support Unit tackling the fires at its height.'First light will give us the optimum time and temperature to begin offensively fighting pockets of fire again and continue to defend and protect remote property from any fire spread.' Keeping vigil: GMFRS station manager Pete Buckley said crews had maintained a presence overnight protecting some remote properties using sprays of water . Under threat: Firefighters used strategically placed fire engines to damp down remote cottages and farmhouses under threat from the flames . Dramatic scenes: Two firefighters survey the scene as moorland fires rage overnight . West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said crews used beaters, back packs, ultra lightweight pumps and water shuttles to tackle the moorland fire. Crews from Mytholmroyd, Todmorden, Halifax, Huddersfield, Mirfield and Skelmathorpe attended the incident, along with specially trained wildfire officers. The cause of the fires has not yet been established, both Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire fire services said today. Pockets: Flames also broke out near Baitings Reservoir, near the M62 motorway, yesterday evening . Specialist wildfire crews: At least 14 fire engines attended the pockets of moorland fire overnight . Remote: Crews began 'offensively fighting' the flames again at first light this morning, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said . Sparks: Specially trained wildfire officers were among the scores of firefighters who attended the scene overnight .
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Fire crews from two counties battled moorland blazes overnight .
Pockets of fire stretched across border from Yorkshire to Manchester .
Crews remained overnight damping down threatened properties .
Firefighters began fighting flames again at first light this morning .
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151c112b63016b42c85d111ac5e9b5a2fbc40a4c
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:19 EST, 11 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:21 EST, 11 March 2013 . Claims: Brooklyn Democrat Vito J. Lopez is accused of saying that he found a 14-year-old intern 'sexy' A powerful New York lawmaker is accused of saying that he found a 14-year-old intern so 'sexy' that he wished he lived in a state where it was legal to sleep with underage girls. Brooklyn Democrat Vito J. Lopez, 71 told his twisted fantasy to at least one person from his district office, a source told the New York Daily News. The 14-year-old girl he allegedly made the crude comments about is the daughter of Brooklyn Judge Pamela Fisher. Fisher helped Lopez get elected and the politician and her family remain close, reported the New York Daily News. After the comments were reported to police by another staffer the young intern was interviewed - she told investigators she had only been working for Lopez for six days. She also told police that she had never heard him say anything inappropriate - authorities determined 'nothing of a criminal nature' took place, a source said. Today Sonia Ossorio, president of the . National Organization for Women’s New York City chapter has called for . his resignation as a result of the allegations. The claims add to the growing sex scandal engulfing the once-powerful politician, who was first elected in 1984. Mr Lopez, has been in embroiled in . sexual harassment claims in the past and only a few days ago the . newspaper revealed that police were notified after he told one . 24-year-old intern, Chloe Rivera to dress 'sexier.' Powerful: Lopez speaks at the state assembly. He was first elected in 1984 (file photo) The former Brooklyn Democratic Party boss reportedly pointed to Fisher’s . daughter while talking to Rivera and said Rivera needed to 'dress like . that intern' and should 'go shopping for sexier clothes.' When Rivera’s mother heard about the comment, she felt it necessary to alert police last July and Rivera also notified authorities. His comments prompted Rivera and another memeber of the team to quit, reported the Daily News. They also filed a complaint against Lopez with the Assembly ethics commission. After it was upheld by the commission Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver stripped Lopez of his leadership positions. But it also revealed a second sexual harassment complaint from two women who worked for Lopez and received a $103,000 taxpayer settlement after putting forward their allegations. Silver was later forced to admit he made the wrong decision giving the June settlement the go-ahead - while defending the payment as 'legally correct and ethical,' Silver acknowledged that keeping the deal quiet was not the right move. Lopez was forced to resign from his party boss job, but he was re-elected to the Assembly in November - he is now the subject of a criminal probe. Neither Lopez nor his lawyer returned messages seeking comments from the New York Daily News. A spokesman for the state ethics commission declined to comment.
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Brooklyn Democrat Vito J. Lopez, 71,told his fantasy to person in his office .
Made the crude comments about daughter, 14, of Brooklyn Judge Pamela .
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151c8054937cbdaaf22f14c477817133e076fda1
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By . Travelmail Reporter . It's the perfect gadget for holidaymakers who fancy an impromptu picnic on the beach or in a city park - but just don't fall out over dinner. The portable Napkin Table, suitable for two people, has been designed to encourage conversation between diners by connecting them together. The product, which folds out from a carry bag-style, has straps that fasten around each person's neck, with trays that join in the middle suspended between them. Scroll down for video . Portable lunch: The Napkin Table joins two people together to encourage conversation . Social aim: The table straps around two people's necks, with trays in between for food and drinks . Stylish design: The table folds out from a bag-style design with a handle . It means plates and food can be placed in the middle, while the couple sits closely together, facing one another. The fabric stretches out from the trays, creating extra surface space for eating - and doubling as a bib under each diner's chin for any rogue crumbs. There are also two napkins attached, cut-out holes for cups and stitched pockets for utensils in the product, which was created by graduates in from the Tunghai University in Taiwan. Impromptu lunch: The unusual table for two has enough space to hold two meals . As well as attached napkins, the table boasts holes for cups and pockets for cutlery . Social occasion: The Napkin Table was designed by students to encourage conversation . And the product, which is yet to go on sale, folds away into a slim holdall, with a carry strap. The idea for the project was to create a portable table that would require two people to sit closely together, encouraging conversation between the two.
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Napkin Table fastens around each person's neck so they are face-to-face .
It was designed by graduates in Taiwan to encourage conversation .
Product folds out from a slim bag and has pockets for cutlery .
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151c9e875865b20538879098c19744c8f7e378a7
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An alleged bank robber was arrested after she posted a video on YouTube claiming to have stolen more than $6,000 at gun-point. In the bizarre YouTube video Hannah Sabata, 19, is seen fanning herself with a wad of cash that she said was stolen using a 'gun, a pillow case and a note'. In a series of subtitles and hand-written notes, Sabata, of Stromsburg, Nebraska, also claims to have stolen a Pontiac Grand Am during an alleged crime spree that she described as 'the best day of my life'. Scroll down for video . Gotcha: Hannah Sabata, 19, was arrested after uploading a video to YouTube which showed her fanning herself with a wad of cash she claimed to have stolen using a 'gun, a pillow case and a note' Confession: The teenager claims the car keys she shows the camera are from a stolen Pontiac . Brag: Hannah Sabata included a series of subtitles in the video seemingly boasting about a crime spree . Sign: Hannah Sabata holds up a hand-written note to the camera that reads 'Then I robbed a bank' Lock-up: The teenager poses for a police photo. She was taken to York County Jail where she awaits a court appearance . Gawker said Sabata was arrested last week in connection with the robbery of a Cornerstone Bank branch in nearby Waco and the theft of a car in York. York County Sheriff Dale Radcliff was quoted on the website as saying 'all but $30 of the stolen money' has been recovered. She is also reportedly dressed in similar clothes to that worn by the female bank robber in surveillance footage. The teenager was taken to York County Jail where she remained today. VIDEO: The 'Chick Bank robber' video posted by Hannah Sabata . The video, entitled Chick Bank Robbery, has been viewed more than 7,000 times since it was posted on Wednesday. Set to a backing track of Greenday songs, Sabata poses with a large amount of money and holds up signs saying she is the 'victim of the government'. Sabata said she planned to pay off student loans and go on a 'shopping spree'. She shows the camera some car keys and said her new car is 'shiny' but 'of course I already took the license plates off'. Towards the end of the seven minute video, she writes that her baby was taken away but that she can 'still find a purpose.' Money: Hannah Sabata can be seen holding up a pile of cash in the video . Chick Bank robber: Sabata then fans herself with the money . Happy: Sabata said described the alleged robbery as 'the best day of my life' Watch the video here: .
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Hannah Sabata from Nebraska posted the video claiming to have stolen more than $6,000 at gun-point .
Said the alleged crime spree was 'the best day of my life' in clip watched more than 7,000 times .
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151cf4bf3df4b7ff80d39481f2fa5f7e97d3ce79
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By . Michael Seamark, David Wilkes and Emine Sinmaz . PUBLISHED: . 06:17 EST, 15 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:42 EST, 18 March 2013 . Shy Keenan is devastated after her 14-year-old son Ayden Olson was found dead at their Colchester home . A leading campaigner against child abuse claims her teenage son was ‘bullied to death’ after he was found dead at their family home. Ayden Olson, described as a ‘beautiful, kind-hearted’ boy, had apparently killed himself. His heartbroken mother Shy Keenan, who fights alongside Sara Payne for tougher controls on paedophiles, revealed the news on Twitter. She posted: ‘Shy and Tim’s beloved son Ayden died today age 14 – no further update at this time...’ Repeated pictures of him, with his . name and dates of birth and death, were used as a backdrop to her site . with the words ‘bullied to death’ written under each photograph. Along with the many messages of . condolence she received, Miss Keenan also posted links to the website of . the charity Bullying UK. Police and paramedics were called early on . Thursday to the family home near Colchester, where Ayden was declared . dead. Stunned pupils and staff at Philip . Morant School in Colchester, which Ayden’s twin brother Jarrad also . attends, were told of his death and offered counselling. Well-wishers posted dozens of tributes to the teenager and messages of support for Miss Keenan. Mrs Payne, whose eight-year-old . daughter Sarah was murdered by paedophile Roy Whiting in 2000, wrote on . Twitter: ‘ My darling our hearts break with yours,’ and ‘beautiful kind . hearted boy with a wonderful soul’. Actress Brooke Kinsella, who has . campaigned for a clampdown on knife crime after the murder of her . brother Ben, tweeted: ‘I am so sorry Shy. I don’t know what to say apart . from I am thinking of you and my heart breaks for you XXXX.’ School friend Megan Grinham posted: . ‘RIP to the most wonderful boy Ayden. At dancing, he always made us . laugh. Praying for his family.’ Ayden’s friends condemned bullying in . tributes on Twitter. One, Jessica Manning posted: ‘RIP Ayden’ and . retweeted a message from Millie Bentley, which said: ‘Maybe now all the . fowl mouthed [sic] children in lower school will realise that everything . you say to someone will stick with them & impact them.’ A pupil’s mother posted a message to . Miss Keenan, saying: ‘My daughter was friends with your son and came . home devastated yesterday. He used to make her laugh every day, xx.’ Yesterday neighbours visited the . family’s large detached home in Birch, Essex, to pay their respects. Miss Keenan, 49, exposed her own stepfather as a child abuser. She was . repeatedly raped by him from the age of four and sold to gangs of other . paedophiles for just £15. Shy Keenan told a Sunday newspaper that she 'couldn't win' against Ayden's bullies . But, after suffering years of torment . which drove her to attempt suicide, she recorded Stanley Claridge . incriminating himself on a hidden camera. It led to him being jailed for 15 . years in 2002 for a string of sex attacks on her, other girls and a boy . dating back to the 1970s. She has since campaigned to keep . Britain’s streets safe for children, dedicated herself to helping . victims of child abuse and spoken out on child protection issues. In her autobiography, Broken, she . told how she sometimes almost died from the violence of the sexual abuse . she suffered. As a teenager, she was talked down from a Liverpool tower . block clutching a suicide note. She went on to launch the sex abuse . victims’ support group Phoenix Survivors, named after the police . operation which led to her stepfather’s imprisonment. She has criticised soft sentences for . child abusers and called for more information about where paedophiles . live to be available to the public. A spokesman for Philip Morant School . and Essex County Council said: ‘Our thoughts and prayers are with . [Ayden’s] family during this difficult time. Ayden was a much-loved, . talented pupil who bought joy to the school. A flurry of tributes were sent to the grieving mother, who is a high profile child abuse campaigner, and posted a picture of him on her Twitter page . ‘The school community is incredibly . saddened by his loss and we ask that people respect the privacy of his . family and friends during these devastating circumstances. ‘Essex County Council is working with . the school to provide counselling to students and staff. We would urge . any student who feels overwhelmed, confused or upset to talk to someone . about their feelings and seek support. ‘It is a statutory requirement for . all schools to have an anti-bullying policy and pupils are aware of . where they can go for support and advice. ‘If any pupil is being bullied, or is . aware of bullying taking place, we would urge them to tell a friend, . trusted adult or family member so that appropriate action can be . taken.’ An Essex Police spokesman confirmed . that the teenager’s death was not being treated as suspicious. The . coroner has been informed. For . confidential support, call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or visit a . local Samaritans branch. See www.samaritans.org for details .
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Teenager Ayden Olson was found dead at home in Colchester .
Mother Shy Keenan claims 'beautiful, kind-hearted boy' was bullied to death .
Unclear if Ms Keenan believes he was bullied at school or elsewhere .
Stepfather Stanley Claridge jailed for 15 years when she secretly filmed him .
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151cf8552349ca96be686ceb83d193f247104992
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They are heavily armed and known for carrying out dangerous and remote pursuits in night time helicopter raids. But for the first Navy SEALs that would have been something of a luxury as they landed on beaches in the dark on two-man motorised rafts dubbed 'flying mattresses'. Often members were only armed with knives and wore nothing but swimming trunks and flippers as they carried out seaborne clandestine missions during the Second World War. Scroll down for video . Two combat swimmers from the Maritime Unit of the Office of Strategic Services can been seen during a training exercise in 1944, where they are on one of the raft's dubbed a 'flying mattress' in just their trunks . Frank Monteleone, 89, was a member of an elite commando force within the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) - the precursor to the CIA. Created after the United States entered Second World War, the OSS pioneered many of the intelligence-gathering techniques and commando-style tactics used by today's U.S. Special Forces. The spy agency's Maritime Unit, formed in 1943, shares the credit for setting the foundation for what would become the Navy SEALs, created during the Kennedy administration in 1962. Head of the OSS, William 'Wild Bill' Donovan - a Wall Street lawyer - recruited yachtsmen, Olympic-calibre swimmers and California's 'beach rats' - lifeguards and surfers. The son of Italian immigrants, Mr Monteleone was recruited by the OSS because he spoke fluent Italian and was trained as a Navy radio operator. He said he went through 'all kinds of training' with the services, including demolition and hand-to-hand combat, but had missed out on parachute training - a must for any OSS operator. Frank Monteleone, 89, was a member of an elite commando force within the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Once in the Mediterranean Theatre of operations, his detachment was assigned to the British Eighth Army. Mr Monteleone, now a retired tailor living in Staten Island, New York, said: 'When they sent me to the British, they wanted to know if I had jump training. I said no, and they gave it to me right then and there.' He explained how he conducted dangerous missions nearly the entire length of Italy, from the beaches at Anzio to the Alps, often working with Italian partisans behind the lines. Some of the missions entailed landing on beaches at night using the inflated craft that resembled mattresses and were powered by silent electrical motors. Mr Monteleone and his Italian comrades named the teardrop-shaped vessel 'tartuga,' which is Italian for turtle. Combat swimmer Lt. John Booth is seen wearing a rebreather, a precursor to SCUBA during a training exercise and features in new book, 'First SEALs: The Untold Story of the Forging of America's Most Elite Unit' Members of the combat swimmers and other operatives conduct an operation in the South Pacific in 1945 to provide reconnaissance and demolition missions that allowed the Navy to land on key islands during the war . His story along with others is told in a new book entitled 'First SEALS: The Untold Story of the Forging of America's Most Elite Unit' and reveals what it was like to be a member of the early commando force. Its release comes as a member of the SEAL team that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011 chose to waive his anonymity and went public with his role in taking down the terrorist leader in Pakistan. Frank Monteleone, centre, pictured with other members of the Maritime Unit, attached to the British Eighth Army . Rob O'Neill, a highly-decorated veteran who quit after 16 years service, has chosen to given an interview to Fox News - due to be broadcast later this month. O'Neill claims to be 'The Shooter' and said he shot him three times 'just for luck'. The book's author, Patrick K. O'Donnell said he had always wanted to write a book on the early Navy SEALs. 'The bin Laden raid was sort of the culmination of what all these men had built from 1943 to 1945,' he said. O'Donnell, who has written eight previous books on Second World War military and intelligence history, had met Mr Monteleone 15 years ago while researching a book on the OSS. Speaking of Mr Monteleone's role in the war, he said: 'The radio operator was the key to the mission. If you could not send and receive information on missions behind the lines, you were dead.' Approximately 13,000 people served in the OSS during the war, but only a few hundred were in the Maritime Unit and O'Donnell believes Mr Monteleone may be one of the last still living. Another member included in the book is Gordon Soltau, a combat swimmer considered one of the Navy's first 'frogmen.' Mr Soltau, who starred for the San Francisco 49ers during the 1950s, died in California at 89 on October 26, just days before the new book was published. Rob O'Neill (left) has waived his right to anonymity and claims to be 'The Shooter' that killed al Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden in a raid on his compound in Pakistan (right) in 2011 . Modern US-Navy SEALs practice beach landings during combat training. Their uniforms and heavy arms are a far cry from their first SEALs in the Second World War .
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New book tells story of early commando force - known as Maritime Unit .
It pioneered many of commando-style tactics used by today's Navy SEALs .
Members were armed with knives and only had two-man motorised rafts .
Whereas today they are heavily armed and carry out helicopter raids at night .
Frank Monteleone, 89, is thought to be one of last surviving from first unit .
He was recruited as a Navy radio operator because he spoke fluent Italian .
Publication of new book by Patrick K. O'Donnell coincides with the decision by the Navy SEAL that shot Osama bin Laden to waive right to anonymity .
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Let Toys Be Toys are celebrating today after retail giant Marks and Spencer announced that it will ensure all toys stocked in store are gender neutral by the spring. The parent-led group campaigns against gender stereotyping in toy shops, and started putting pressure on Marks and Spencer at the beginning of the year. Mystery shoppers for the campaign found toy marketing at the store to be one of the most gendered on the high street with Marks and Spencer selling a wide range of science and tech-themed toys branded as 'boy stuff', and craft toys marketed only to girls, branded 'Lil' Miss Arty'. Marks and Spencer announced on Twitter that from Spring onwards all their toys will be gender neutral . Everyday Sexism argues that Marks and Spencer aim toys, like the 'Lil' Miss Arty' craft range enforce gender stereotypes . Mystery shoppers for the campaign found toy marketing at M&S to be one of the most gendered on the high street . Kerry Brennan from Let Toys Be Toys said, 'We're really pleased that Marks and Spencer have publicly committed to leave behind these outdated stereotypes. Girls can enjoy tech and science, and boys love arts and crafts too - why turn them away? It's especially good that Marks and Spencer are tackling their packaging too, as the problem of sexism in the toyshop goes far beyond just the retailers’ signs. 'In many stores, pink-and-blue colour coding, gender-specific packaging and promotion of toys continue to send the message that some interests are only for boys, and others only for girls.' Marks and Spencer’s announcement is part of a wider trend on the high street. Twelve toys retailers have agreed to take down gendered signs after contact with Let Toys Be Toys, and the group's recent survey of the high street across the UK and Ireland showed a 60 per cent reduction in shops using ‘Boys’ and ‘Girls’ signs in their toy departments since the campaign was formed a year ago. Marks and Spencer's announcement is part of a wider trend on the high street, which has seen twelve toys retailers agreeing to take down gendered signs . Kerry Brennan from Let Toys Be Toys said, 'We're really pleased that Marks and Spencer have publicly committed to leave behind these outdated stereotypes' Laura Bates, founder of Everyday Sexism says: 'I understand that for some people this may sound like a minor issue, but it isn't until you have heard the hundreds of stories we've received about little girls genuinely believing they 'aren't allowed' to be doctors because science is a 'boy thing', or asking if they can be turned into a boy so they can go into space, that you realise the true impact gendered toy marketing really does have on young children. 'Why cordon off science, adventure, technology and engineering as 'boys' toys' from such a young age when only one in ten UK engineers is female and we're struggling to recruit enough women into STEM careers? 'Why send the message to boys at a young age that dolls, or cooking are only 'for girls'? Don't we want them to grow up to be great parents and partners too? It's the sort of issue that some people will scoff at, but when you stop and really think about it, removing gendered toy division really is an important step forward.' Marks and Spencer say on the issue: We offer a wide range of fun and educational toys which are designed to appeal to children regardless of gender. 'We always listen carefully to feedback from our customers and based on this a decision was made earlier this year that by spring next year all our toys will be gender neutral.'
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Parent-led group Let Toys Be Toys campaigns against gender stereotyping in toy shops .
M&S was found to be one of the most gendered stores on the High Street .
Retailer has now pledged to make all toys gender neutral by spring .
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By . Rebecca Camber . Last updated at 11:46 PM on 4th January 2012 . 'Flirting': Elizabeth Filkin warned police to watch out for hacks who might try to get them drunk to reveal information . Police officers have been warned they face the sack if they have ‘improper’ communications with journalists. A review into the relationship between Scotland Yard and the media has called for tighter controls on the release of information. It even recommends that officers should not drink alcohol with journalists because it ‘loosens tongues’. But it is feared that the rules will lead to less information reaching the public as officers are deterred from speaking out. The guidelines could also allow police to bypass questioning and the potentially critical glare of the media by briefing community groups instead. The report, by Dame Elizabeth Filkin, the former parliamentary commissioner for standards, was ordered by former Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson. It followed allegations that ‘cosy relationships involving excessive hospitality between some senior officers and News of the World journalists’ had undermined the Met’s phone hacking inquiry. Sir Paul later resigned following criticism of his decision to hire ex-News of the World executive Neil Wallis as a PR consultant. He had also accepted a £12,000 freebie . at a luxury health spa promoted by Mr Wallis, who was arrested in July . over alleged hacking. Yesterday Met Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said . there would be ‘no more secret conversations’. He issued a stark warning to officers . that whistle-blowers who act ‘improperly’ by leaking stories for . malicious, selfish purposes or who merely pass on gossip would face . disciplinary action. Ms Filkin's report was commissioned by former Met commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson, left, who subsequently resigned amid allegations about the force's PR contract with former News International executive Neil Wallis, right . If leaks did not lead to criminal proceedings, . ‘robust’ management action would be required, he said. Officers could be banned from accepting lucrative work as media pundits soon after leaving Scotland Yard. The report said such moves had damaged the Met. It criticised officers such as Andy Hayman, a former assistant commissioner who was responsible for the original phone hacking inquiry, who became a columnist for The Times two months after leaving the force. The Times is owned by News International, the company at the centre of the phone hacking scandal. Dame Elizabeth said: ‘The speed with which some former police officers take employment within the media is a cause for concern. ‘I am also concerned that former police officers, some of whom have been dismissed, take employment with private investigation firms and continue to obtain information from former colleagues.’ The report said there was a ‘range of . contact that is not permitted’ and which, if unregulated, would continue . to damage trust in the impartiality of the police. Officers are advised to watch out for . reporters’ ‘flirting’ and ‘late-night carousing’, which were described . as ‘long-standing media tactics to get you to spill the beans’. The report also found that contact . between the police and the media had ‘not been transparent enough’. Under the guidelines, officers are to be told to brief community groups . instead of mainstream media. Dame Elizabeth said officers should . ‘weigh up the risk’ when speaking to the Press and formalise meetings by . making a note of every conversation, with those records open to a . random audit. She said: ‘There are lots of other . channels they should be using, because lots of people don’t hear about . what the Met is doing through the Press. ‘They hear about it through community groups, through community and local papers and lots of new media.’ Mr Hogan-Howe said: ‘There should be no more improper contact – that which is of a selfish, rather than a public interest. ‘Anyone found to have improperly shared information will be subject to misconduct and/or criminal proceedings.’
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New guide for Scotland Yard urges officers to keep a note of every conversation they have .
with journalists .
Report urges officers to 'watch out'
for 'late-night carousing' and 'yet another bottle of wine at .
lunch - all media tactics to get you to spill .
the beans'
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151ea6f1dc4a40cf854a8b2d9fed22ea457d2afa
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(CNN) -- R&B power couple Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz have tied the knot, Keys' representatives confirmed to CNN on Sunday. The two were married Saturday at a private residence overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Keys, 29, a 12-time Grammy-award winning singer, wore a Grecian-inspired, one-shoulder Vera Wang gown. Her groom, a DJ/producer/rapper, wore a tuxedo designed by Tom Ford that featured a white jacket and pale pink shirt. The couple are expecting a child together. Swizz Beatz and Keys have been friends for several years and worked together on one song for her current album, "The Element of Freedom." CNN's Denise Quan contributed to this report.
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Keys, 29, and Swizz Beatz are expecting their first child together .
They were married at a private residence overlooking the Mediterranean .
The bride wore a one-shoulder Vera Wang dress .
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151f57616012e6dcc0cb0df16dd4107fc3feca63
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By . Ulla Kloster . PUBLISHED: . 07:40 EST, 12 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:11 EST, 12 July 2013 . Darren Feldman was given £20,000 compensation after a tribunal agreed his position at HCA International had become intolerable . A Jewish surveyor received £20,000 in compensation today after a tribunal found that his bullying boss repeatedly taunted him and said he wanted to lock up and gas 'Yids' like Apprentice star Lord Sugar’s son. Darren Feldman’s manager Chris Oates also repeatedly invited him to JuJu, an exclusive champagne bar on London’s King’s Road and mocked Jewish Tottenham football fans. Mr Oates also said he wanted to run past the club’s White Hart Lane stadium wearing an Arsenal top with ‘IVOR 4 SKIN’ printed on the back. Referring to Lord Sugar’s son Daniel, with whom he was negotiating a deal, Mr Oates said: 'Quite frankly they’re all a bunch of Yids. I’d like to lock them in the building and gas them all.' A panel at Central London employment tribunal ruled that Mr Feldman, 33, was hounded out of his £47,500-a-year job with private hospital group HCA International. It found the firm and Mr Oates guilty of race and religious discrimination and harassment, ruling that Mr Feldman was constructively dismissed. Mr Feldman, of Teddington, south-west London, was awarded £15,000 for injury to feelings and £5,000 for lost earnings. Speaking after the tribunal, Mr Feldman said: 'I am very relieved by this outcome. I was so disturbed by my treatment at HCA and it is a shame the company fought this to the end. 'I hope HCA takes action to make sure this never happens again.' HCA’s London hospitals also include . the Portland, Princess Grace, Wellington, Lister, London Bridge, Harley Street Clinic, and Harley Street at University College Hospital. Mr . Feldman’s solicitor Shilpen Savani of law firm DWFM Beckman, said: . 'This is an extreme instance of an employer failing to safeguard an . employee. 'Mr Feldman should never have been subjected to such abuse.' Giving evidence, qualified surveyor Mr Feldman told how he joined HCA as a construction project manager in April last year. Colleagues soon learned that he was Jewish when he showed them a tattoo in Hebrew on his ankle. He told how director of estates and projects Mr Oates, who is in his 40s and not Jewish, called him into his office. Mr Feldman (pictured above) alleged that on his boss's birthday, . the pair discussed doing a potential business deal with Daniel Sugar, . son of Apprentice star Lord Sugar, when Mr Oates made the remarks . Mr . Feldman said: 'Chris asked me what I thought of the idea of his to run . down White Hart Lane wearing an Arsenal football top with the writing . ‘IVOR 4 SKIN’ on the back. He wrote it out on a piece of scrap paper. 'This was a derogatory and offensive . reference to the fact that Tottenham Hotspur Football Club is known to . have a large contingent of Jewish supporters. 'I did not know how to answer that question as I was shocked and offended.' Mr Feldman said that his tormentor then looked up bar JuJu on an iPad and showed him the search results. 'Chris . then asked if I wanted to go to a club after work which is located . along King's Road called JuJu. He pointed his finger at me saying "want . to go to JuJu, Juju?" repeating it several times in an intimidating . manner.' 'Chris was not only a bully in the way that he treated me but he was also seriously abusive towards me because I was Jewish.' In . his evidence, Mr Feldman said that on his boss's birthday the pair . discussed doing a potential business deal with Daniel Sugar, son of . Apprentice star and former Tottenham chairman Lord Sugar. Spanish electrician Juan Ignacio, who sued HCA International in 2009 after being nicknamed 'Manuel' after the Fawlty Towers waiter at London Bridge Hospital . Mr . Oates is alleged to have said: 'I'm just messing them around. Quite . frankly they're all a bunch of Yids. I'd like to lock them in the . building and gas them all'. It . will be the second payout by American firm HCA, the world’s largest . private hospital group, in recent years after a race discrimination . claim. HCA and Mr Oates strenuously denied Mr Feldman's allegations. A . string of HCA witnesses including Mr Oates, who remains at the firm, . had also denied Mr Feldman’s allegations of racism but the tribunal . rejected their evidence. HCA said that it is 'deeply disappointed' by the judgment and considering an appeal. A . spokesperson said: 'HCA has a clear code of conduct around acceptable, . professional and ethical behaviour and offers an inclusive, open and . supportive working environment for all our staff.' In 2009, Spanish . electrician Juan Ignacio alleged that he was nicknamed ‘Manuel’ after . the Fawlty Towers waiter by workmates at HCA’s London Bridge Hospital. He . complained he was taunted with the famous ‘I know nothing’ and ‘Que?’ catchphrases used by Andrew Sachs’s iconic sitcom character. He . claimed that bullying bosses mocked his accent and jibed ‘He’s from . Barcelona’ in front of others - the standard excuse made for Manuel by . John Cleese’s Basil. Mr Ignacio sued HCA for race and sexual orientation discrimination, harassment and constructive dismissal. On . the first day of his planned five-day hearing HCA agreed to pay him an . undisclosed sum in an out-of-court settlement without admitting any . liability.
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Darren Feldman, 33, hounded out of his £47,500-a-year job with private hospital group HCA International .
His manager, Chris Oates, made string of offensive comments about Jews .
Construction project manager sued firm for race and religious discrimination, harassment and constructive dismissal .
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1521b42f277385ada8095c5ef47cbb1cfcda8653
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:22 EST, 9 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:58 EST, 10 January 2013 . Office workers who spend all day behind their desks should consider working standing up instead, according to new research. Staying on your feet for an extra three hours a day would burn off 8lbs (3.6kg) of fat each year, according to exercise scientist John Buckley from Chester University. He said there is no need to sit down so much and those feeling sluggish would do well to push their chairs away during the day. On your feet: Humans are designed to stand up and keep moving, says Dr Buckley . Dr Buckley added that people could switch to higher than normal computer desks to answer emails and type documents. An upright working stance was championed by author Ernest Hemingway who wrote his vigorous prose on a typewriter at a special chest-height desk. In a letter in 1950, Hemingway wrote: 'Writing and travel broaden your ass if not your mind and I like to write standing up.' Dr Buckley, from the department of clinical sciences and nutrition at Chester University, said that switching from chairs to working standing up will reduce obesity and improve circulation. Standing up for three hours will consume 144 calories, he claims. 'People are sitting down at work, then sitting in the car and then sitting down in front of the television,' Dr Buckley told BBC News. 'Your metabolic rate crashes to an absolute minimum. It isn't natural. Humans are designed to stand up and keep moving.' Though pictured sitting with his typrewriter in 1944, Ernest Hemingway, liked to write standing . Dr Buckley is part of a group of experts working with England's chief medical officer on ways to tackle obesity. There have been several recent reports warning about the sedentary nature of work and recreation. A study late last year made a strong connection between too much sitting down and an increased risk of diabetes. Meanwhile a major Australian study published in March 2012 found . sitting down too long increases your risk of dying within a few years - . even if you are already physically active. It found adults who sat 11 or more hours . per day had a 40 per cent increased risk of dying in the next three . years compared with those whosat for fewer than four hours a day. Dr Buckley concluded making small changes in the workplace such as standing at your disk can make long-term improvements to your health.
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Standing for 3 hours a day can burn 8lbs of fat a year .
Higher desks suggested to stop workers sitting all day .
Writer Ernest Hemingway was a fan of standing while writing .
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After David Hasselhoff he's the world's most recognised lifeguard but Bondi Rescue's chief lifesaver Bruce 'Hoppo' Hopkins says it's not all fun in the sun, shark-spotting and getting chatted up by girls. The 46-year-old grew up on Sydney's Bronte beach and got into lifesaving as a casual job when he was still at school. Fast forward 23 years and he's performed thousands of rescues but says the scariest one was when they struggled with a semi-conscious snorkeller who was drowning and smashing onto the rocks at Bondi Beach. It's a tough life, but someone's got to do it! Bondi Rescue's head lifesaver Bruce Hopkins details the famous crew's exploits in new book Stories From The Bondi Lifeguards which documents day-to-day life on the beach . And if it wasn't for his 23 years of lifesaving experience the struggling swimmer could have been a goner. 'I was working on Bondi Beach with Kerrbox (fellow lifeguard Rod 'Kerrbox' Kerr)', he tells the Daily Mail Australia. 'And a guy from Fiji or one of the islands had jumped off the rocks to go snorkelling but the surf was huge and he was just getting smashed around. 'His wife had called us, terrified, and he was struggling to stay up because he kept getting pulled under and thrown into the rocks and as soon as we got there I knew we were in trouble. 'We'd gone out with tubes, flippers and a rescue board each and he was a big guy, around 130 kilos and kept sinking the board. He was in a bad way and at times only semi conscious. 'We had to keep swapping the rescue boards and then putting the tubes around him to try and stop him getting bashed from the impact. It was touch and go and took us a long time, about 30 minutes. Living the dream! Just another day at the office for the crew, L-R, Harries, Reidy, Maxi, Kerrbox and Hoppo . 'That's when 23 years of experience comes in as that split-second decision can mean life or death, and if it was one of the younger guys it could have been a very different outcome.' The Bondi Rescue boys, who start filming season 10 next month, shot to stardom in 2006 with their first series on Network Ten and it's a massive hit worldwide. Series 10 starts filming in December and they released a book this weekend, Stories From The Bondi Lifeguards, which details their lives and day-to-day responsibilities of the beach. 'It's like herding cattle!' Hoppo says the worst thing about his job is when people don't swim between the flags . The stars of the book are Hoppo and his mates, Rod, Anthony 'Harries' Carroll, Trent 'Maxi' Maxwell, Andrew 'Reidy' Reid, and tells of the hilarious pranks they play on each other. Like the time they set up an unwitting Maxi and trainee Harrison Reid for a penalty shoot-out against one of the world's top soccer players, Italian Alessandro Del Piero. The lifeguards have also rescued actor Hugh Jackman's children from the ocean and tell how they were paid an impromptu visit from Mr Baywatch himself, David Hasselhoff. They scrub up well! The cast on the red carpet at the 2014 National Rugby League Dally M awards in Sydney . 'We put the uniform on him and he thought he was back in Baywatch,' laughs Bruce. 'He's massive, about 6ft 5, and very funny. 'He really enjoyed it and was telling us a few stories about his Baywatch. Sadly no Pamela Anderson though - we're still waiting for her to come down!' The lifeguards don't get paid for the show but have been able to supplement their salary from promotional spin-offs and appearances, and 'Hoppo' travels the world as a water safety consultant. 'What keeps me in the job is the lifestyle and you get to meet a lot of people travelling around the world from different cultures, he adds. And the winner goes to... Bondi Rescue: Bruce, Nicola Atherton and Trent Maxwell at the Logies in April. The series has won Logie Awards Most Popular Factual Program in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 . 'I was in Dubai and an Iraqi guy came up to me. He was beside himself, saying excitedly, 'I can't believe I've met you.' Apparently the show 's very popular in Iraq, which just blows me away. 'And it definitely helps when I go overseas as I get a lot of water safety consulting in India and Japan so I already understand some of heir culture.' Bondi Beach is Sydney's biggest tourist attraction after the Opera House and Bruce says the most annoying thing about the job is when people don't swim in between the flags. 'Sometimes we can have 45,000 people on the beach and instead of swimming between the flags they'll be like, 'oh, that spot looks nice and calm, I'll go over there,' but that's where the rips are. Catching waves: Former World Junior Surfing Champion Nicola Atherton is Bondi's only female lifeguard . 'We try and educate them but when you're dealing with that many people it's impossible to have them all swimming in between the flags anyway so it's a bit like herding cattle!' For anyone planning to head to Bondi this summer, father-of-two Bruce says the northern part of the beach is safest because, 'the rips pull a lot harder down south.' Although he's heading towards his fifth decade Bruce, who also does a lot of yoga to stay supple and strong, says he'll stay in the job as long as his body holds up but also has other projects. In September he launched Bondi Rescue HQ, a juice bar at the north beach which he hopes to turn it into a franchise a few years down the line. Splice as nice: The Hoff relives his Baywatch days patrolling the beach to promote Splice Real Fruit ice cream . 'It's good to have alternatives,' he adds. 'The lifestyle's great and I've been doing this 23 years with my best friends but you're only as good a lifeguard as your body allows. 'I used to race a lot in my 20's and 30's which kept me fit but now it's maintaining it so I've had to change my routine a little bit. 'I probably don't do as much swimming and paddling as I used to but I now mix it up with yoga now and whatever else is needed.' Because the job is so tough and physically demanding - not to mention dangerous - Bruce says it's not something he'd encourage his two daughters, Lauren, 16 and Georgia, 12, to go into. I'm not going to push my daughters into anything,' he says. 'I'm here to guide them but if they were to say they wanted to start going into it now I would be concerned and try and steer them away.' Do hassle the Hoff! The former Baywatch star appeared in episode 3 of series 6 and according to Hoppo is, 'massive, about 6ft 5, and very funny. We put the uniform on him and he thought he was back in Baywatch' Bondi has only had a few female lifeguards and former World Junior Surfing Champion Nicola Atherton is the current one. 'We're all for female life guards,' he says. 'But we don't get that many applying. I think it takes a certain person to come into that culture and obviously it's extremely physically demanding. 'Nicola has just come from the pro-surfing tour and has surfed all around the world so she really knows the ocean and is extremely strong. And she can hold her own.' Sardines: In the summer months approximately 2.2million people flock to Sydney's famous Bondi Beach . In Stories From The Bondi Lifeguards Anthony 'Harries' Carroll talks about the first time he came face-to-face with a shark, just before the TV show started. 'When Kerrbox and I were working on the first pilot,' he writes. 'A guy knocked on the door and said, 'look I have just seen a massive shark out at the point there.' 'I said 'oh yeah? 'Well it's a seal probably'. We get a lot of seals around here. With my luck it may be a mermaid! Or it might have been a dolphin. 'He said, 'Look mate, I have been around here a long time, and I surf and I fish, and this one is massive'. Then people started ringing into the tower. 'I'm not going to push my daughters into anything,' Bruce, pictured here with Lauren and Georgia, says. 'But if they were to say they wanted to start going into it now I would be concerned as it's so physically tough' 'The guys on the cameras got really excited – wow they were going to get a shark in the first show! 'So I went out on the jet ski and couldn't see anything for half an hour. All I could see were about 100 people on the headland screaming at me and pointing at the ocean. 'Then I saw the fin come up – it was around 18-foot and it was a Great White – they got a shot of it and the shot went international. Then we got the show two days later! Surprise surprise! The early days: Bondi Rescue lifeguards: (L-R) Blake McKeown, Dean Gladstone, Bruce Hopkins and Anthony Caroll attend Network Ten's 2008 Program Launch at the Hordern Pavillion in Sydney . Unsurprisingly Bruce is against the shark-culling that the government trialed earlier this year after a spate of attacks, saying: 'Obviously it's very tragic when a shark attack happens. 'But more people in Australia die from bee-stings than shark attacks. They don't search out humans, it usually happens when they are chasing food and it's been in the wrong place at the wrong time. 'The more sharks you take out of the water affects the ocean, which affects the food chain and everything else. Each time we go into the water we're guests in their playground, their environment.'
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He's done thousands of rescues but one where a snorkeller was getting smashed against the rocks was the scariest .
It took Bruce and fellow lifeguard and friend Rod 'Kerrbox' Kerr 30 minutes to rescue the semi conscious man and get him back to shore .
It was 'touch and go' because he kept sinking the surfboard, and if it was a less experienced lifeguard carrying out the rescue the man could have died .
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1522da440cb538c8fc60f254efcb65e8378065a1
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Raheem Sterling will miss England's final warm-up game against Honduras on Saturday after he was sent off during the draw with Ecuador in Miami. The Liverpool forward saw red with 11 minutes remaining after a wild sliding tackle on Manchester United counterpart Antonio Valencia sparked a late brawl. Substitute Sterling had only been on the pitch for 15 minutes before launching into a flying challenge near the touchline which won him the ball - but took Valencia out afterwards. Harsh? Raheem Sterling saw red and will miss England's final friendly against Honduras . The angered Ecuador captain responded by jumping to his feet and grabbing the England winger’s neck, before the pair were split up. Sterling's absence against Honduras means he will struggle to force his way into Roy Hodgson's starting line-up for England's opening game of the World Cup against Italy on June 14. Valencia, who suffered an horrific leg break four years ago after a challenge from Rangers' Kirk Broadfoot when playing for United in the Champions League, apologised to his team-mates and coach Reinaldo Rueda after the game. 'I am sorry for the fight with Sterling,' said Valencia. 'I apologised to the team after the match and the coach.' Team-mate Segundo Castillo nearly missed out on Ecuador’s World Cup squad because of a knee injury he sustained against Mexico. Flying in: Sterling went in hard on Valencia, sparking furious scenes as the two sides battles to a draw . Making contact: Sterling gets the ball and the man with a reckless challenge . Going to ground: Valencia is knocked off his feet by the impact of Sterling's tackle . Valencia reacted so aggressively against Sterling because he feared the Liverpool winger could have ended his World Cup prospects. 'When he (Sterling) tackled me I thought about Segundo Castillo,' Valencia said. 'He nearly missed the World Cup because of injury and I feared I would too, but thankfully I am OK.' Hodgson later spoke of his 'disappointment' after the duo were given their marching orders. 'I'm disappointed,' he said. 'I thought it was a fierce challenge from young Raheem, not a foul challenge. He played the ball and accelerated into the ball. 'I'm disappointed with Antonio's reaction, grabbing the player. Had he not jumped up there wouldn't have been a problem but, when he does that, the referee had to deal with that and sent Raheem off. I'm pleased Raheem didn't react to a lot of people milling around him. 'Jack had been on the receiving end a few minutes early from a very similar challenge from an Ecuadorian player and did not react.' Pushing the limits: Valencia continues to shove Sterling on the sidelines .
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Raheem Sterling was sent off for a late challenge on Antonio Valencia .
England drew 2-2 with Ecuador in Miami on Wednesday night .
Valencia also saw red for his reaction .
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152303728eee8993846b9ecc7a77ae3b8a16c48c
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(CNN) -- The mother of missing American teen Natalee Holloway met with the man suspected in her daughter's disappearance this week at the Peruvian prison where he is being held in another woman's death, attorneys for both sides said Friday. Beth Holloway is in Peru with a Dutch documentary maker. Producers for the the Dutch journalist who is accompanying her posted a note on his website that said journalist Peter de Vries and the mother made a trip to Castro Castro prison to see suspect Joran van der Sloot. Beth Holloway's attorney, John Q. Kelly, confirmed the trip to CNN Friday saying, "She was at Castro Castro prison and she saw Joran." Van der Sloot's attorney, Lima Maximo Altez, also confirmed the meeting, telling CNN that it took place on Wednesday -- female visitor day at the prison. Altez said Holloway arrived with a group of Dutch journalists and asked to meet prison officials. Altez said van der Sloot was brought to the meeting "practically by force." Peru's "24 Horas" television program reported that Holloway spoke to van der Sloot for about five minutes before van der Sloot canceled the meeting because his lawyer was not present. The program reported that they spoke very little and treated each other well. According to Altez, Holloway told van der Sloot that she doesn't have any hatred in her heart towards him. Van der Sloot replied that he understood, but that he couldn't talk to her further, and handed her his attorney's business card, Altez said. Holloway has not reached out to Altez, he said. Kelly told CNN that Holloway didn't initially tell him about her planned trip to Peru until after she was already in the country. "She just said she wanted to see Joran, she didn't give me any of the substance of what she was going to talk about," he told NBC's "Today." Kelly said he spoke to Holloway after she saw van der Sloot, but told CNN he doesn't know what she said or how long she spent with van der Sloot. "She's been very guarded," he told "Today." De Vries said the crew did not break any rules and prison officials knew of their visit. However, Castro Castro spokesman Bruno Guzman told CNN Thursday that Holloway was never allowed inside the prison. De Vries denied media reports that prison authorities detained them and confiscated the documentary crew's gear. Kelly also shot down those reports. "I know she definitely wasn't arrested. ... Nothing was taken from her. It was done without violating any laws or breaking any regulations," Kelly told "Today." Early Friday morning, the receptionist at the Sheraton hotel in Lima, Peru, told CNN that Holloway was in her room, where she checked in by herself. A woman in the room answered the phone in English, then immediately hung up. Kelly told "Today" that he doesn't believe Holloway's purpose in meeting with van der Sloot -- whom he has called a "pathological liar" -- was to get answers out of him. Instead, Kelly said, "I think it was more to deliver the message that he might be in Peru but she hasn't gone away. She's determined to get answers, and you know, she wants to bring Natalee home." Van der Sloot is imprisoned awaiting trial on a murder charge in the death of Peruvian student Stephany Flores. Flores body was found in May in a hotel room registered to van der Sloot, which the two were seen entering on surveillance camera video. He also is charged with a count of wire fraud and a count of extortion in Alabama for allegedly trying to extort more than $250,000 from Holloway's family in return for disclosing the location of her body. Natalee Holloway was last seen in the early hours of May 30, 2005, leaving an Oranjestad, Aruba, nightclub with van der Sloot and two other men, brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. She was visiting the island with about 100 classmates to celebrate their graduation from Mountain Brook High School in suburban Birmingham, Alabama. Van der Sloot was arrested twice in Aruba in connection with the younger Holloway's disappearance, but was never charged. He has denied responsibility for her disappearance. In a jailhouse interview with a Dutch television station this month, van der Sloot said he is remorseful for telling so many stories regarding the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, but once again denied culpability in the case. CNN's Susan Candiotti, Ben Brumfield and In Session's Mayra Cuevas contributed to this report.
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Van der Sloot's attorney provides insight into the conversation .
Peruvian news program reports van der Sloot called off the meeting .
Van der Sloot is jailed in Peru accused of murdering a Peruvian student .
Dutch journalist says he visited the jail with Natalee Holloway's mother .
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Actor Warren Clarke, known for his role in TV drama Dalziel And Pascoe, died today at the age of 67. Warren Clarke's gruff northern accent was familiar to millions who watched him play the taciturn Superintendent Andy Dalziel in the popular BBC drama. The Oldham-born actor played the surly police officer for 61 episodes, providing the yin to the yang provided by Colin Buchanan's Peter Pascoe. But his career spanned several decades on stage, television and film, ranging from Cold War dramas to comedy and even playing Winston Churchill in the West End. The star, who also appeared in films such as Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, is said to have died after a 'short illness'. Scroll down for video . Actor Warren Clarke, known for his role in TV drama Dalziel And Pascoe, died today at the age of 67. Pictured right with co-star Colin Buchanan . Born into a poor Lancashire family, he worked hard to achieve fame, telling the Daily Mail in 2011 that he was a 'lucky b******', adding: 'Although I've worked nearly 50 years for this, through the tough times as well as the good times.' Clarke was raised by his secretary mother and stained-glass window maker in a council house. They died within a year of one another when Warren was in his 20s, leaving him and his sister Beryl, who is 11 years older, a ‘bunch of photographs and happy memories'. He was conceived when his father returned from the War. He wanted to be a footballer until his passion for acting kicked in. ‘When I told my parents what I was going to do, they said, “Good luck, son.” He told the paper that before one television series, 1989's Nice Work, he had to ask friends for money and his wife Michelle had to sell her engagement ring to buy food. His first big-screen appearance could have led to stardom but was affected by factors out of his control. A twenty-something Clarke appeared alongside Malcolm McDowell as Dim, a half-witted yet violently evil 'droog' in Stanley Kubrick's controversial 1971 dystopian masterpiece A Clockwork Orange, based on Anthony Burgess's novel. After several court cases implicated the film's brutal violence, including the murder of a tramp in an underpass by a gang featuring McDowell and Clarke's characters, Kubrick withdrew the film from cinemas and it remained rarely shown until its re-release following his death in 1999. With appearances in Coronation Street and the Avengers already under his belt Clarke went on to appear in numerous television series and films in a wide variety of roles. Warren Clarke (left) as a thuggish droog in A Clockwork Orange with Malcolm McDowell (right) Oldham-born Clarke was also known for his starring role in BBC series Down To Earth alongside Pauline Quirke, about a family who leave the rat race to relocate to rural Devon . They included a Russian dissident opposite Clint Eastwood in 1982 Cold War thriller Firefox, a violent football hooligan in 1995's British cult classic ID, and a nouveau-riche, pig-obsessed northern Regency industrialist opposite Rowan Atkinson and Miranda Richardson in Blackadder the Third in 1987. This appearance spawned some of his best-loved lines, flattering his daughter (Richardson) by telling Blackadder: 'I'd no more place her in the hands of an unworthy man than I'd place my John Thomas in the hands of a lunatic with a pair of scissors' and 'I love her more than any pig, and that's saying summat'. Other brief television appearances included Lovejoy, All Creatures Great and Small and The Onedin Line. He was was also known for his starring role in BBC series Down To Earth, about a family who leave the rat race to relocate to rural Devon. Clarke with his wife, Michelle, the mother of his daughter Georgia who he met 30 years ago . But it was Dalziel and Pascoe which made him a household name. He starred as the ageing, gritty detective in the TV adaptation of Reginald Hill's stories about the chalk-and-cheese colleagues for 12 series from 1996 until its conclusion in 2007. Other notable programmes have included the BBC adaptation of Bleak House nine years ago and Channel 4's Red Riding trilogy in 2009. His death was announced by the agency which handled his career, Independent Talent Group. A statement issued on behalf of his agent said: 'The actor Warren Clarke died peacefully in his sleep on November 12 2014, after a short illness. 'He will be greatly missed by his family and loved ones. At this time we ask that you respect their privacy in their time of grief.' Warren Clarke with daughter Georgia Mabel on the Carribean Island of Barbados, and right, on the Alan Titchmarsh Show . Clarke’s marriage to his first wife and the mother of his son, Rowan, ended a few years after his parents died. He said: ‘Not being there with Rowan (who was 10 at the time) was tough. Nobody has an easy time with divorce. You don’t like what’s happening but you have to get on with it. But I’ve got a happy marriage now.’ Warren met Michelle through friends 30 years ago. They tried for a baby for 20 years and had pretty much given up hope when Michele became pregnant with Georgia. ‘When I thought it would never happen, it did, then I thought, “Oh my God, I’m old enough to be a grandfather",' he said. Many paid tribute to Clarke today. Warren Clarke as Boythorn in the ground-breaking adaptation of Dickens' Bleak House for the BBC . Warren Clarke as Bob in football hooligan drama I.D. from 1995 . Clarke as Winston Churchill in 'Three Days In May' at Trafalgar Studios, London . Actor David Morrisey tweeted: 'So sad to hear about the death of Warren Clarke. He was a very special man/a great actor. We had wonderful times together on Red Riding. RIP.' Chasing Shadows actor Reece Shearsmith, who shared a screen with him in an ITV drama, calling him 'a very funny and lovely man'. Emmerdale actor John Bowe, who has acted alongside him, said: 'Safe journey, Warren. And no arguments on the way.' Writer and broadcaster Tony Parsons said: 'Warren Clarke was wonderful for 40 years - from Dalziel And Pascoe all the way back to Dim in Clockwork Orange.' Clarke was a lifelong Manchester City fan and his death was mourned by the club. City's official Twitter feed included a message which read: 'Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Warren Clarke following sad news of the actor and MCFC fan's passing.' Actor Will Mellor called him a 'good friend' and said in a message posted online: 'So sad to hear the news. I can't believe it. Great man.'
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The actor's career on TV, film and stage spanned over 40 years .
Early roles included Coronation Street and a role in A Clockwork Orange .
Biggest role was Detective Superintendent Andy Dalziel in hit BBC show .
He was raised in a council house in Oldham by a working class family .
He leaves behind a wife, Michelle, and two children, Rowan and Georgia .
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By . Emma Glanfield . Jess Rowles, 24, was left needing stitches to her lip and chin after allegedly being punched in the face by a taxi driver following a night out in Bristol on July 27 . These photos show the horrific injuries a woman suffered after being punched in the face by a rogue taxi driver following a night out. Jess Rowles, 24, said she was assaulted by the taxi driver in an 'isolated' street after she told him she didn't have enough money to pay the fare as he took her home on July 27. She had enjoyed several drinks with a friend in Bristol city centre prior to the incident and was on her way home at about 2.30am when the taxi driver allegedly locked the doors before driving to the random street. The insurance company worker said she realised during the drive home she didn't have enough money and asked the taxi driver to stop off at a cash point. However, he ended up dropping the two young women off in the secluded street – miles from home – before allegedly assaulting Miss Rowles. She said: 'We had £14 but he wanted £20 so we asked him to take us to a cash point. 'He refused, locked us in the cab and said he was going to take us back to where he collected us. 'But in fact he dumped us in (another road) which was dark, but to be honest we were just glad to be able to get out the cab. 'Then as we walked away he got something out the boot of his car and sprayed us with water. 'I went back to ask him why he had done that and it felt like he punched me in the face. 'There was certainly a lot of force because it knocked me to the ground and I hit my face on the kerb.' The young women, from Shirehampton, Bristol, called the emergency services and police officers took Miss Rowles to hospital where she had several stitches to her lip and chin. However, the cabbie - which the girls believe was run by Bristol City Council and had an Asian driver who was in his 20s– drove off and police have been unable to track it down. Miss Rowles said she told the taxi driver she didn't have enough money to pay the fare as he took her home in Shirehampton, Bristol, and asked to be driven to a cash point. It was then he apparently punched her in the face . Avon and Somerset Police were informed of the incident but have now closed the investigation due to lack of evidence, infuriating Miss Rowles, who thinks they have done the 'bare minimum'. A force spokesman said: 'A thorough and detailed investigation was carried out based on the limited information and evidence available. 'CCTV was checked but there was no film showing the incident or a good shot of the actual taxi. 'House-to-house investigations were also carried out and private CCTV checked but no relevant footage was found. 'Because Miss Rowles has a right to complain if she feels we have not carried out a thorough investigation, this has been reported to the force's professional standards department to review.' Ms Rowles has now gained the support of her local MP, Wayne Harvey, who said: 'Seeing the photos of this horrific, violent and cowardly attack on Jess has left me feeling sickened. Avon and Somerset Police has closed an investigation into the case which Miss Rowles blasted them for, saying they had done the 'bare minimum'. She now has the support of MPs who said the attack was 'cowardly' 'This is the second attack that has been brought to my attention regarding taxi drivers becoming violent and assaulting their passengers. 'With all the CCTV we have in Bristol this should be being picked up.' MP Charlotte Leslie added: 'Taxis should be seen as a place of safety for people, not a place where you risk being assaulted. 'It seems sad but perhaps we need to encourage people to note down taxi licence numbers when they get in a taxi.'
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Jess Rowles needed stitches to her lip and chin after being punched in face .
The 24-year-old claims taxi driver attacked her after she couldn't pay the fare .
She asked to be driven to cash point but was taken to isolated Bristol street .
Cabbie drove off and police have closed investigation due to lack of evidence .
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She is the model of the moment after starring in one of the sexiest Super Bowl adverts last night - watched by the highest TV audience in history. As Charlotte McKinney sashayed through the Carl's Jr. commercial, it was a million miles away from her high school days at Boone High School in Orlando, Florida. There, she reveals to Daily Mail Online, she was bullied so badly she ended up leaving school at just 17. The curvaceous blonde, now 21, admits: 'The girls were rude, they would call me w***e, slut, fake boobs, it was brutal, pretty brutal.' Scroll down for video . Happy now: Charlotte McKinney - seen at ESPN's Super Bowl bash in Arizona - has overcome difficult high school years and scored a hit Carl's Jr. advert . '[My dad] friggin' loved it! Even my grandfather who's in his 90s got to see it': She'll make her Super Bowl debut this Sunday on NBC with her steamy Carl's Jr. commercial . Saucy: Charlotte McKinney appears in the advert for the 'All Natural' Carl's Jr. burger . Famous footsteps: Charlotte follows in the footsteps of supermodel Heidi Klum, Kate Upton, Kim Kardashian and even Paris Hilton . At parties Charlotte says: 'The girls would throw beer at me, just because I was the prettier girl in high school' 'But it was hard for me, when I was 14 I was growing into my body and I had these boobs, I didn't know what to do with them! But I just knew I was above it all, I have an older sister, Garland, who has my back and these girls didn't matter.' Speaking about her decision to drop out of school, she says that she also suffered because she is dyslexic, admitting: 'I've had such a hard time with dyslexia my whole life. When I was a child I didn't learn to read until I was a lot older and I was behind in my classes, it was such a challenge. 'Whenever people talk about dyslexia, it's important to know that some of the smartest people in the world, major owners of companies, are dyslexic. We just see things differently, so that's an advantage. I just learn a different way, there's nothing bad about it.' Charlotte's parents Susan and Terry were always there for her, she says, and fully supported her when she left school. 'Most parents would be bummed out, but my parents knew I was on the right track, I knew what I had to do to be successful. 'I'm only 5ft 7ins tall and for modelling that's small, so I wasn't getting signed, but I kept on pushing.' Charlotte won the Carl's Jr. role, following in the footsteps of Kate Upton, Nina Agdal, Kim Kardashian and and Heidi Klum, after they approached her management and has already snared a campaign for Guess, who discovered her on her social media accounts. And now she's hoping her dream of appearing in Sports Illustrated's fabled swimsuit issue will come true. She said: 'That's been my goal my whole life, to me, that's so iconic.' Making a splash: Charlotte McKinney looks sensational in a little black dress at ESPN'S Superbowl party . McKinney meets McCarthy: Charlotte tossed a football around with SiriusXM host and former Playboy Playmate Jenny McCarthy on Friday night . Dancing queen: Charlotte then goofed around dancing with Oscar winner Jamie Foxx . Sporty selfie: The 5ft7in stunner and the 47-year-old Annie actor posed for a selfie with New Orleans Saints towering tight end, Jimmy Graham . Moving onwards and upwards, Charlotte has already filmed the sequel to Joe Dirt with David Spade, produced by Adam Sandler's production company Happy Madison. Asked about constantly being compared to her fellow Carl's Jr. model Kate Upton, Charlotte says: 'I'm taking it on the chin, hopefully it will ease off soon, it's such a compliment to me, but just because we have boobs and we're blonde it doesn't mean we're the same!' Advertisers are known to dish out an eye-popping $8M for just one minute of air time during the football game - which drew 111.5M viewers last year - while 30-second spots cost $4M. In the All-Natural Burger advert for Carl's Jr. Charlotte seemingly struts 'au naturel' through a farmers market. '[My dad] friggin' loved it,' Charlotte told People of the racy advert. 'I'm embracing what I have. I'm a curvier bombshell with big boobs. I'm not high-fashion': The real-life pin-up then takes a big bite out of the $4.69 patty boasting no antibiotics, hormones, or steroids . On the verge: The high school drop-out from Florida follows in the footsteps of the chain's burger babes - Kim Kardashian, Heidi Klum, Paris Hilton, and Kate Upton . 'Even my grandfather who's in his 90s got to see it. They all loved it.' The real-life pin-up then takes a big bite out of the $4.69 patty boasting no antibiotics, hormones, or steroids. And though McKinney admits to eating burgers once in a while, she spends far more time doing Pilates, hot yoga, and weight training. However, she told Daily Mail Online she DID eat her burger while filming, saying: 'I ate small bites, as it was a long shoot, but I definitely ate it!' As for her love life, Charlotte said she is 'having fun', but is NOT dating anyone seriously (yet). Meanwhile, it was revealed today that Superbowl XLIX has the highest ratings in Superbowl history. A total of 114.4 million viewers tuned in on NBC. 'You won't see me at Fashion Week': Charlotte currently fronts Guess's new lingerie campaign when she's not tantalizing her 260K Instagram, 61K Facebook, and 27.7K Twitter followers with selfies . 'On set today for #joedirt2!' Two months ago, the It Girl acted in this year's sequel to the 2001 redneck comedy Joe Dirt alongside star and modeliser David Spade .
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The 21-year-old model is starring in racy Carl's Jr. advert .
She is following in the footsteps of Kate Upton and Heidi Klum .
She now has Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue on her hit list .
Super Bowl XLIX has the highest ratings in Superbowl history - with 114.4 million viewers watching on NBC .
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By . Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 05:31 EST, 15 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 11:13 EST, 15 February 2014 . Angry: Freddie Starr has blasted police and the CPS for 'tarring me with the same brush' as Jimmy Savile . Freddie Starr has pledged to bring Operation Yewtree 'down on its knees' after his fourth arrest over historical sex abuse allegations. The TV comic, 71, blasted Scotland Yard for using him as a scapegoat after failing to convict Jimmy Savile during his lifetime. The investigation, which was set up in October 2012, has so far led to 16 arrests, with four people charged and five suspects remaining on bail. Mr Starr, who denies the claims, was first arrested in November 2012 in connection with the late DJ, and three more times over unrelated allegations. Last year he suffered a health scare due to stress. Mr Starr told The Daily Mirror: 'I've been tarred with the same brush as Savile and Gary Glitter. What's happened to me is unlawful. The cops and the Crown Prosecution Service are playing dirty. 'I will expose them and bring Operation Yewtree down on its knees.' He added: 'It's a celebrity witch-hunt after the Met failed to get the one person who was guilty, Savile. If they had enough evidence they would have charged me.' He was arrested on Wednesday after returning to the police station to answer bail. He has been re-bailed until April. His lawyer says he will now file for a judicial review into the conduct of the police and CPS. Dean Dunham said: . 'In January 2014 we wrote to the police and Crown Prosecution Service . to express concern for the amount of time that the investigation was . taking and to put them on notice that we believed that the decision to . keep Mr Starr on bail was unlawful. Accusation: Mr Starr claims police are trying to make arrests to atone for the Jimmy Savile scandal in 2012 . Senior officers and prosecutors faced allegations of a 'celebrity witch hunt' to 'make us feel better about Savile' after former BBC DJ Dave Lee Travis was this week acquitted on 12 of 14 sex assault charges . Coronation Street actor William Roache was also cleared of sex charges, not in connection with Operation Yewtree. The acquittals have sparked questions into police conduct . 'Both the police and CPS responded by saying that a decision whether to charge or release would be forthcoming by 12 February 2014, at the latest. 'We are therefore disappointed that this has not transpired and as such Mr Starr will now be filing an application in the High Court for judicial review in relation to the conduct of the police and CPS.' Senior officers and prosecutors also faced allegations of a ‘celebrity witch hunt’ to ‘make us feel better about Savile’ after the former BBC superstar DJ Dave Lee Travis was acquitted on 12 of 14 sex assault charges. The acquittal of the former Radio 1 star – dubbed the ‘Hairy Cornflake’ – came the week after Coronation Street actor William Roache was cleared of sex charges dating back to the 1960s and follows last year’s failed prosecutions of Coronation Street actors Michael Le Vell and Andrew Lancel. However, MailOnline understands that there is no review planned into the Scotland Yard investigation at this stage. Scotland Yard did not name the performer, but released a statement that said: 'Today 'Yewtree 2' was further arrested after returning to a police station to answer bail. 'The arrest relates to further allegations made to Operation Yewtree, which falls under the strand of the investigation we have termed 'others'. We are not prepared to discuss further.' Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
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TV comic blasts repeated arrests, latest on Wednesday, as 'unlawful'
Claims he is being 'tarred with same brush' as Jimmy Savile .
His lawyer is filing judicial review into conduct of police and CPS .
Suffered health scare last year, and vehemently denies the claims .
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By . Robin Cottle for MailOnline . Every morning Sportsmail brings you the biggest gossip and headlines on the continent, giving you your early morning fix from the biggest leagues across Europe. In Italy, the papers focused on Juventus who continued their 100% start to the new Serie A season. Argentine former Man City striker Carlos Tevez scored his first goal of the season in a 2-0 victory over Udinese, and his picture is featured on the front of Tuttosport, Corriere dello Sport and La Gazzetta Sportiva. Corriere dello Sport show a picture of Carlos Tevez wheeling away after opening the scoring for Juve . Tuttosport and La Gazetta Sportiva also focus on Tevez, but the latter also highlights Roma, the only other side with a two out of two record in Serie A . Tevez opened the scoring from close range before Claudio Marchisio powered in a low shot after the break. Roma are the only other team to have a 100% having played two games after former Chelsea defender Ashley Cole helped them beat Empoli 1-0. Radja Nainggolan's shot deflected into the net off keeper Luigi Sepe and he is shown celebrating on the front of La Gazzetta Sportiva. Spain's sport newspapers laud Atletico Madrid after they downed hated rivals Real Madrid in their own back yard. Marca run with the emphatic headline 'where it hurts most' alongside a picture of Tiago celebrating his opening goal. Marca went with the brutal headline 'where it hurts most' as AS lauds Atletico boss Diego Simeone . Neymar and Lionel Messi were the main men as Barca left it late to beat Athletic Bilbao . Cristiano Ronaldo equalised from the penalty spot but Turkish winger Arda Turan neat finish 14 minutes from time clinched the points in the Bernabeu. Atletico are now unbeaten in eight La Liga Madrid derbies and are second to Barcelona in the fledgling table. Barca are the only side with a 100% record after beating Athletic Bilbao 2-0 with Mundo Deportivo dubbing the dynamic strike force of Neymar and Lionel Messi the 'lethal duo'. Neymar clambered off the bench, continuing his recovery from a back injury sustained at the World Cup, to score two late goals from two brilliant Messi assists.
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Carlos Tevez and Claudio Marchisio scored as Juventus beat Udinese 2-0 .
Ashley Cole's Roma are the only other team to have a two wins out of two record after defeating Empoli 1-0 .
In Spain the big news was Atletico Madrid beating city rivals 2-1 in the Bernabeu .
Goals from Tiago and Arda Turan ensure Diego Simeone's team are unbeaten in eight La Liga derbies .
Neymar and Lionel Messi combine to give Barcelona a late win over Athletic Bilbao .
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Garry Monk is ready to take his place in the 'madhouse' after being appointed as manager of Barclays Premier League club Swansea. Monk has spoken with several of his new managerial colleagues in English football's top flight after landing a three-year contract at the Liberty Stadium. 'A lot of them said "welcome to the madhouse". In fact, pretty much every one of them has said that,' said Monk, who revealed via his Twitter account on Friday night that he had officially retired as a player. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Monk talk about the honour and privilege of managing Swansea . New recruit: Garry Monk is ready to join the Premier League 'madhouse' as permanent Swansea manager . 'I think the bottom line is, out of all the advice I have had, the most important bit is that they have just said be yourself, don't try and be something else. 'For me it has to be that way. You have to learn from what you have done, and that is what I am going to do. 'I have it clear in my mind what I want, and though I am not going to say it's going to be easy to get there, I will try to get there. 'For me, Tony Pulis (Crystal Palace manager) was one of the best I spoke to, to be honest. 'After the game (against Swansea) he came in and spoke. It was a proper manager speaking. He was very honest about his group and my group and the way they work, why they do it. I found it very interesting. 'There have been quite a few managers, and all of them I have spoken to have been good to me. They have been very supportive and encouraging.' Ousted: Monk took charge of the club after Michael Laudrup was sacked in February . Victors: Despite leading them to League Cup victory just 12 months earlier . Adventurers: Napoli's Gonzalo Higuain celebrates their Europa League win over Swansea behind Ben Davies . Monk has been elevated from the head-coaching role he took on in early February after Swansea dispensed with Michael Laudrup's managerial services. During that time, despite a few setbacks in terms of results, he ultimately guided Swansea away from relegation danger and towards mid-table heading into Sunday's season finale at Sunderland. 'It hasn't really sunk in. All I have been thinking about is the games,' he added. 'Everything that happened in the week was great, but we've got a game on Sunday. I went home and I was just planning the training sessions for the next day and what I would say to the players regarding the Sunderland game. I didn't want to make it too much of a distraction to anyone else. 'Because it's not about me right now, it's about finishing the season, and I guess when I get to the summer I will probably reflect upon what has gone on and the magnitude of it.' For his part, Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins has no doubt about Monk's qualities. The Swans have a track record for getting managerial appointments right, as shown by former bosses like Roberto Martinez and Brendan Rodgers, and Jenkins feels that Monk is from a familiar mould. Pedigree: Former Swansea bosses Roberto Martinez and Brendan Rodgers now running Merseyside . 'Like every decision we make, whatever manager you bring in is a gamble. You only have to look to other Premier League clubs to see what has gone on to see that 10 or so managers have changed," Jenkins said. 'That argument is completely overshadowed by the fact every club needs, first and foremost, good people you can work with and people you think will take on the challenge, and I think as always at our club look to build their experience and improve things and set their mark. 'The biggest qualities are commitment and a passion for the job and working for Swansea City with the way we want to work. He (Monk) has got the thirst to learn and grow in experience. 'The other side is every young manager in his position will make mistakes, like experienced managers do. You just hope while he's learning we still carry on and achieve success, That is all you can hope for. 'He has got ideas and thoughts of how he would like to implement some of the way we work in the backroom staff like other managers have, and I can see that growing as he gains in confidence as he goes along.'
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Gary Monk signed a three-year deal to become Swansea manager .
Had been in temporary charge since Michael Laudrup's sacking in February .
Next season will be the Welsh club's fourth consecutive one in the top flight .
Monk also announced his retirement from playing on Friday night .
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By . Katie Amey for MailOnline . Are petrol prices keeping you from heading off on a mini-getaway this Bank Holiday weekend? You aren't the only one. New research from supermarket Tesco reveals that record high fuel prices are preventing Brits from enjoying car trips around the UK. Scroll down for video . New research reveals 85 per cent of Brits would like to explore the UK more - if fuel wasn't quite so expensive . Among the top places to visit, survey respondents chose Edinburgh Castle and Stonehenge . However, 85 per cent of those surveyed admit that they would like to explore more of the UK if petrol was cheaper. Over a third of respondents also revealed that, although they have had to cut down on family day trips, Stonehenge tops the list of UK attractions that families would most like to visit. Other top sights include The Eden Project in Cornwall and Edinburgh Castle. The survey also revealed that one quarter of British families would choose the seaside as their dream day out, particularly if their petrol was provided. To help Britons reach their holiday hotposts, Tesco and RAC have teamed up to offer tips on how to drive more efficiently. Among their recommendations, keeping your tyres inflated and accelerating and decelerating gently are two of their top quick fixes to help make the most of your Bank Holiday car trips. 1. Stonehenge . 2. The Eden Project (tied with Edinburgh Castle) 3. Cadbury World . 4. Windsor Castle . 5. Kew Gardens (tied with the London Eye) 1. Keep tyres inflated . 2. Accelerate and decelerate gently . 3. Remove your roof rack . 3. De-clutter to lighten car (it will then require less effort to accelerate) 4. Turn off your engine whenever possible .
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New research reveals high fuel prices are preventing Brits from travelling .
One-third of respondents have had to cut back on family day trips .
Stonehenge, Edinburgh Castle and seaside visits top Bank Holiday wishlist .
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A family of beavers is to continue living free on a Devon river, officials have ruled. Ministers wanted the remarkable animals, believed to be the first wild beavers to breed in England for 800 years, to be rounded up and put in a zoo after they were spotted last year. But Natural England, the government agency in charge of wildlife, has decided they will instead be allowed to stay in the wild and be carefully monitored in the first project of its kind. Beavers won't be budging: A family of beavers is to continue living free on a Devon river after Natural England, the government agency in charge of wildlife, has decided they won't be put in a zoo, but will instead be allowed to stay in the wild and be carefully monitored in the first project of its kind . Devon Wildlife Trust, which will run the pilot project for the next five years, welcomed the decision as a ‘great day for conservation in England’. There are at least ten beavers thriving along a 12mile (19km) stretch of the River Otter near Exeter. They have been quietly living and breeding there for at least five years, completely unnoticed until just over a year ago. It is an extraordinary environmental success story, for which green groups and conservationists can take no credit. Nobody knows where they came from – but they are certainly thriving without any outside interference. So environmentalists were furious when Defra, the Government’s environment department, decided last year that they would round up the beavers. There are at least ten beavers thriving along a 12 mile (19km) stretch of the River Otter near Exeter (shown on a map). They have been quietly living and breeding there for at least five years, completely unnoticed until just over a year ago . Peter Burgess of the Devon Wildlife Trust said the beavers could have a hugely beneficial impact on rivers, reducing numbers of trees on the banks, improving light levels, and reducing flood risk by controlling water flow with their dams. Some people think they may slow down flood waters, as well as boosting wildlife diversity. Farmers and anglers have that they can damage the landscape and fish migration routes. Officials said that they posed a risk to other wildlife, and might spread parasites and disease. They ordered the beavers to be caged and either rehomed or culled, prompting a fierce campaign to allow the animals to remain free, backed by more than 12,000 people. The threat of a zoo or worse has now been averted. The beavers will be carefully tested for disease this spring and, as long as they are free of disease, will be allowed to stay on the River Otter. Tom Buckley, a retired environmental scientist who spotted the first beaver on the banks of the River Otter a year ago, said: ‘I am very grateful to all those people who have given their support to saving our beavers. ‘Currently there are few signs of the beaver on the river Otter, no dams or lodges, but beaver can do such a lot more to help improve the environment and now they have been given the chance, I'm looking forward very much to helping them show people just what they can do.’ But he said the Animal and Plant Health Agency must be very careful when they trap the beavers to test them for diseases in the coming weeks. He said: ‘There is still grave concerns regarding trapping the beavers, including the significant risk of drowning them and ensuring the safety of the kits who still rely on their parents for their survival. ‘None of the Animal and Plant Health Agency people licenced to trap the beavers have direct beaver skills or experience.’ Beavers, which are native to England, were plentiful in our countryside until they were wiped out by hunters in the Middle Ages. They vanished from our rivers and wetlands for centuries until, mysteriously, one was spotted near Ottery St Mary in eastern Devon last winter. A few months later a second beaver was seen and then grainy pictures emerged in the spring of a juvenile. The Daily Mail revealed in November that there are three generations living on the River Otter, with at least ten individuals. They vanished from our rivers and wetlands for centuries until, mysteriously, one was spotted near Ottery St Mary in eastern Devon last winter. A few months later a second beaver was seen and then grainy pictures emerged in the spring of a juvenile. A screen grab of video footage of the beavers is shown . ‘Natural England has very carefully considered the Devon Wildlife Trust application against international standards, and has decided that a licence will be issued permitting the managed release into the wild of beavers currently resident in the River Otter, on a five year trial basis,' a Defra spokesman said. 'This decision is subject to the beavers being tested and found to be free of Echinococcus multilocularis parasite. ‘Our priority is to ensure humane treatment for the beavers while safeguarding human health, that’s why we will be working with the Devon Wildlife Trust to capture and test the animals before the trial begins.’ This proves that they have been quietly prospering and – crucially – breeding. Experts think they must have been there for at least five years, unnoticed. As well as being a rare victory for native English wildlife, conservationists say beavers directly benefit the environment. Peter Burgess of the Devon Wildlife Trust said the beavers could have a hugely beneficial impact on rivers, reducing numbers of trees on the banks, improving light levels, and reducing flood risk by controlling water flow with their dams. He said: ‘We are really pleased that we have obtained this step forward. ‘It is a really important day for conservation in England, a really great day for conservation in England. We are looking forward to making this trial a success.’ Andrew Sells, Natural England chairman, whose board agreed to give Devon Wildlife Trust the licence for the project, said: ‘Reintroduction of a species is a complicated and emotive subject and we have considered this application very carefully. ‘We are now satisfied with Devon Wildlife Trust’s plans for managing and monitoring the project, which will allow important evidence to be gathered during the trial on any impacts which the beavers may have.’ Peter Burgess of the Devon Wildlife Trust said the beavers could have a hugely beneficial impact on rivers, reducing numbers of trees on the banks, improving light levels, and reducing flood risk by controlling water flow with their dams. An adult beaver with her young is shown . Beavers normally live in family groups and can survive up to 24 years in the wild and 35 years in captivity. They are herbivorous rodents that build corridors in their dams to escape predators such as wolves and bears in the wild. The animals are nocturnal and can grow to more than 3ft, weigh up to 70lbs, and feed on a diet of reeds, leaves and bark. Beavers were hunted almost to extinction in Europe, both for fur and for castoreum - a secretion of its scent gland for medicinal properties. The beavers’ presence in Devon remains a mystery. There are several captive breeding programmes in the UK, including thirty miles away in western Devon, on the other side of Dartmoor. But none of the animals is unaccounted for. Other explanations touted by locals include their escape from a private collection, or a deliberate release by wildlife fanatics. There is a slim chance they travelled from Scotland, where they have been successfully reintroduced on several rivers, or even from Europe, where there are a greater number of reintroduction programmes. The Daily Mail revealed in November that three generations are living on the River Otter and campaigned to save them (shown) Conservationists welcomed today’s decision, but not everyone will be happy. Farmers and anglers have raised concerns that they can damage the landscape and fish migration routes, and said conservation efforts should be focused on the UK’s existing wildlife. Clinton Devon Estates, which owns part of the land where the beavers are living, welcomed the decision but warned of the need to manage problems and compensate people whose livelihoods are damaged. Sam Bridgewater, nature conservation manager for Clinton Devon Estates, said: ‘If their numbers increase, then it is inevitable that they will eventually start to engineer their local environment. ‘This will bring all kinds of benefits such as a potential slowing down of flood waters and an increase in the diversity of wildlife habitats, but will also likely cause some grief. ‘We very happy to work with other parties such as Natural England and the Devon Wildlife Trust to ensure this trial is a success.’ Harry Barton, chief executive of Devon Wildlife Trust, said: ‘This is an historic moment. The beavers of the River Otter are the first breeding population in the English countryside for hundreds of years. ‘We believe they can play a positive role in the landscapes of the 21st century through their ability to restore our rivers to their former glories. ‘We know from our own research and research done in Europe that beavers are excellent aquatic-engineers improving the flood and drought resilience of our countryside and increasing the water quality of our rivers.’ Friends of the Earth campaigner Alasdair Cameron, said: ‘If, as seems likely, they can now remain in the wild, it will be a major victory for common sense and everyone who has campaigned on their behalf. ‘Beavers add to Britain’s rich natural heritage and can bring huge benefits to the local environment, such as boosting wildlife and reducing flooding risks.’
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Beavers have been living and breeding on the River Otter, in Devon for five years and went completely unnoticed until a year ago .
They are the first wild beavers to breed in England for 800 years .
Ministers called for the rodents to be rounded up and put in a zoo .
But now Natural England has they will stay wild - with careful monitoring .
Creatures will be tested for the Echinococcus multilocularis parasite .
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(CNN) -- Oil company Royal Dutch Shell will pay $15.5 million to settle a lawsuit against its Nigerian subsidiary by the family of executed Nigerian environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and other dissidents, the plaintiffs announced Monday. A team from Royal Dutch Shell works amid spilled oil in Atali, Nigeria. The lawsuit accuses Shell of complicity in the 1995 hanging of Saro-Wiwa and the killings or persecution of other environmental activists by the military government that ruled the country at the time. Roughly half of the settlement will go into a trust fund to help the people of Nigeria's Ogoni region, according to court papers. "In reaching this settlement, we were very much aware that we are not the only Ogonis who have suffered in our struggle with Shell, which is why we insisted on creating the Kiisi Trust," Saro-Wiwa's son, Ken Saro-Wiwa Jr., said in a statement accompanying the settlement. Nigeria's Ogoni people have complained for years that Shell was allowed to pollute its land without consequences. Saro-Wiwa's death sparked a worldwide outcry, and his movement ultimately forced Shell out of the oil- and gas-rich Ogoniland region. There was no immediate response from Shell to Monday's settlement. The New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights went to court on behalf of Saro-Wiwa's family and others in 1996. Shell fought the lawsuit until last week, when a federal appellate court ruled that the plaintiffs could sue the company's Nigerian subsidiary in American courts, overturning a March decision in the company's favor. "This was one of the first cases to charge a multinational corporation with human-rights violations, and this settlement confirms that multinational corporations can no longer act with the impunity they once enjoyed," plaintiff's lawyer Jennie Green said in a statement released with the settlement.
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Executed environmental activist's family sued oil company .
About half of settlement will go to help people of Ogoni region .
Residents have long complained that Shell was polluting land .
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(CNN) -- A University of Pittsburgh research professor accused of killing his wife with a lethal dose of cyanide pleaded not guilty Tuesday, according to Mike Manko, spokesman for the Allegheny County District Attorney's office. Robert Ferrante was extradited from West Virginia to Allegheny County Jail in Pennsylvania on Tuesday morning, where he later appeared via video conference at his arraignment, according to the Allegheny County district attorney's office. The arraignment lasted only five minutes. Ferrante pleaded not guilty in the death of his wife, Autumn Klein, 41, former head of women's neurology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, according to the district attorney's office. Several preliminary hearing dates have been set for early next month regarding the custody of Ferrante and Klein's 6-year-old daughter, Cianna, who is in the care of her maternal grandparents, the district attorney's office said. Hearings have also been set regarding Ferrante's assets. Before his arrest on July 25, Ferrante was a researcher and professor of neurological surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. Part of his job included managing a laboratory where he conducted clinical trials using various drugs and chemicals, according to a criminal complaint. Several text messages sent between the couple before Klein's death in April suggest that Ferrante urged Klein to try using creatine to get help her get pregnant, according to the complaint. CNN Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen reports that some people use creatine to build up muscle and may have some medicinal value, but that there is no connection between increased fertility and creatine use. A source close to the case told CNN: "One of the theories the prosecution will work off of is that the cyanide was mixed with the creatine that Ferrante was urging his wife to take." One day before Klein fell ill, Ferrante had used his University of Pittsburgh credit card to place an overnight order for more than a half a pound of cyanide. At the time the order was placed, there were no active projects at Ferrante's lab that involved the use of cyanide, according to the complaint. Cyanide is a naturally occurring toxic substance that can be found in seeds of various plants. It is widely distributed throughout research laboratories as a chemical used in scientific experiments. Cyanide interferes with the ability of the body to use oxygen to produce energy, which can lead to rapid death. "Cyanide in low doses will make you dizzy, you'll start breathing rapidly, but if you get it in big doses, it can actually make you stop breathing and that's what kills you," Cohen said. On April 17, Allegheny County 911 dispatch received a call from Ferrante requesting medical assistance for his wife, who he said was possibly having a stroke, the complaint read. He described her condition as "conscious and breathing, but not alert." When paramedics arrived, they found Klein on the floor of the kitchen with a plastic bag containing creatine. Klein died on April 20. In a statement made to detectives shortly after being informed of Klein's death because of cyanide poisoning, Ferrante said, "Why would she do that to herself? Who would do this to her?" according to the complaint. A neighbor of the couple told CNN on Tuesday that nothing seemed amiss to her. "I've never seen anything to suggest they were anything but a happy couple with a beautiful little girl," Blithe Runsdorf said. She said the family had just gotten back from a trip to Puerto Rico and that they had never seemed happier. Runsdorf added that after his wife's death, Ferrante "acted like a guy who had everything pulled out from under him." Ferrante's defense attorney, William Difenderfer, told CNN Tuesday that his client is "devastated not only for losing his wife but being accused of it." After a nationwide manhunt, Ferrante was arrested on July 25 in West Virginia. He has also been placed on immediate and indefinite leave, according to University of Pittsburgh spokesman John Andrew Fedele. Ferrante will appear in Allegheny County Court on September 23 for a preliminary hearing regarding the criminal homicide case. Another neighbor to the couple said the community is concerned about the welfare of the couple's daughter, whom he described as "essentially an orphan now." The neighbor said it was "no secret" in the neighborhood that Klein wanted to have another baby. However, Klein told the neighbor's wife that Ferrante did not want another child, said the neighbor, who asked not to be identified. He called the whole situation "a tremendous shock" and added that this was not the kind of case where someone could say, "Oh, there was a lot of fighting." He said he was aware of none of that. He described the couple as "dedicated and hard-working" and their daughter as "bubbly." "They were hustling and trying to manage a family and the demands of the American Dream," the neighbor said. Allison Malloy, Poppy Harlow, Sho Wills, Erinn Cawthon and Dominique Debucquoy-Dodley contributed to this report.
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NEW: The wife wanted another baby, a neighbor says .
Client is "devastated not only for losing his wife but being accused of it," lawyer says .
Robert Ferrante pleads not guilty at arraignment in Pennsylvania .
His wife, 41-year-old Autumn Klein, died on April 20 .
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152a80d4aa5a90e6117de73bb0d5923c56ccbafb
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By . MailOnline Reporter . A 4.2-magnitude earthquake shook Guthrie, Oklahoma, on Tuesday morning. While no injuries have been reported, two local news anchors got quite the scare on air. KAUT co-hosts Lacey Lett and Emily Sutton were talking about healthy food options about 7:41am when the studio began to shake. 'Earth quake, we just—wait, it's still going,' Sutton told her viewers. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . KAUT co-hosts Lacey Lett (left) and Emily Sutton were live at 7:41am on Tuesday when they began to feel an earthquake striking Guthrie, Oklahoma . Lett and Sutton brace themselves while the KAUT studio continues to shake . Massive studio lights are seen shaking back and forth as the excited anchors make awkward chit-chat. 'I'm the person that gets overly-excited about earthquakes,' Sutton told her viewers. The anchor even launched into a post-earthquake dance. 'I can't even focus because I get way too excited,' Sutton added. 'All right, breathe,' co-anchor Lett told her. Residents . and business owners in Guthrie, about 30 miles north of Oklahoma City, . reported a few broken items but not much in terms of extensive damage, KFOR reported. 'It . was just like a boom, then 7,000 bottles going "ch-ch-ch-ch-chhhh,"' Mark Uselton, who owns a liquor store, told KFOR. 'My heart just . stopped.' Uselton lost three bottle of tequila to the earthquake—luckily for him, the cheap kind. 'This . was a 4.2, 4.3—if we get anything like a 5.0 just get out a mop and a . rag,' he told KFOR. 'Clean it up and go back to work.' Lett and Sutton have a minor freakout when the tremor continues to shake lights during their Tuesday morning broadcast . Sutton could hardly deal with the excitement of an on-air earthquake, dancing and jumping in the tremor's aftermath . In March, a 4.4-magnitude earthquake rolled through Southern California and also forced news anchors to take cover. 'We're having an earthquake!' exclaimed anchor Chris Schauble as he and co-anchor Megan Henderson dove under their desk. It was over almost as quickly as it had begun. But a quick cut to a KTLA correspondent in the field a few miles away revealed he'd felt it, too. 'It was a definite jolt, just one single jolt and I haven't seen the magnitude,' reporter Eric Spillman said. 'But it definitely something we could feel here in downtown.' 'We're having an earthquake!': A 4.4 quake hit while KTLA aired its morning news in March. Here, anchors realize what's happening just in time to dive under their desk . As it happens: Anchors Megan Henderson and Chris . Schauble took cover under their desk on air as the quake hit during . morning news . Startling: The quake was clearly felt quite strongly in the Hollywood KTLA studios, but no damage was reported .
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Co-anchors Lacey Lett and Emily Sutton were on air at 7:41am when the KAUT studio began to shake .
The 4.2-magnitude quake struck near Guthrie, Oklahoma .
There were no injuries or major damage reported .
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152ae98ec0e2b40458875c915464232dac883cb8
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London (CNN) -- Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran have increased this year, particularly over Bahrain and Syria, and relations are likely to worsen on the news of the alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in Washington. But ironically, the rise of more representative governments in key Arab countries poses risks to both Iran and Saudi Arabia. While each country will seek to defend its allies against uprisings (for Saudi Arabia, the Bahraini ruling family; and for Iran, the Syrian regime), neither will be able to control or dominate the changing regional dynamics -- and both have reasons to worry about the risk of unrest at home. The news comes at a time when regional relationships are in flux. The ongoing domestic political changes in a number of key countries -- especially Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Syria -- will create new foreign alliances and rivalries. There are few certainties. It is not yet clear whether these countries will become democratic in the near future, or which parties will be empowered. New political players have plenty of domestic challenges to absorb their attention and won't necessarily be focused on foreign policy for some time. With these caveats, however, here are four predictions about the new Arab order. 1) Dividing the region into two "camps" is an oversimplification . In recent years, many analysts and policy makers saw a "pro-Western" camp, led by Saudi Arabia and Egypt, opposed to a self-styled "resistance" camp of Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas. But new political players will probably want to avoid being forced into these old categories. Emerging political players in Egypt and Tunisia, whether Islamist or secular, generally do not want their countries to look like either Saudi Arabia or Iran. Representative governments would not be as reflexively pro-Western as their predecessors. They are likely to be more pro-Palestinian,and more sympathetic to the fact that Hamas and Hezbollah are both popularly-elected movements, but they will also be wary of Iran. Analysts have also written about the countries of the revolution versus the countries of the counter-revolution, meaning the Gulf states. But the Gulf states have backed the uprising in Libya and have withdrawn their support from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad -- indicating that they will not necessarily act as a conservative force throughout the region. 2) Egyptian-Saudi rivalry will be a defining feature . In the 1950s and 1960s, Egypt and Saudi Arabia were major regional rivals, with Egypt representing pan-Arab nationalism, socialism and sympathy for the "non-aligned" movement, while Saudi Arabia was a more traditional, pro-US monarchy. The two countries backed opposing sides in the Yemeni civil war, while Egyptian political philosophy inspired leftist movements throughout the Gulf. Egypt is witnessing a resurgent nationalism and there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that Saudi Arabia is unpopular among Egyptians, particularly given reports that the Saudi king wanted to help former president Hosni Mubarak stay in power, which would probably have required the Egyptian military to fire on civilian protesters. Egypt is also the only Arab country that can rival Saudi Arabia's influence on the pan-Arab media, with the partial exception of Qatar (where al-Jazeera is a single broadcaster rather than a media hub). This renewed rivalry will take time to materialize. In the short term, Egypt's foreign policy is likely to remain constrained by the persistent power of the army. At the same time, Saudi Arabia's foreign policy is constrained by domestic preoccupations, including the political succession, and by the fact that key foreign policy players are ageing. Saudi Arabia is unlikely to have the capacity to act as a regional "counter-revolution sponsor" even if it wants to. 3) Iraq will rise as a foreign policy player . Since 2003, Iraq has been consumed with its internal problems and has had little capacity to be a foreign policy player. However, this year, Iraqi politicians have taken vocal positions on Bahrain -- opposing the crackdown and expressing their concern about the risk of exacerbating regional sectarian tensions -- and on Syria, with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki calling on Syria's President Bashar al-Assad to end the one-party rule of the Ba'ath party there. As one of the larger countries in the region, with nearly twice as many citizens as Saudi Arabia, and as a major oil producer, Iraq will expect to be a regional diplomatic heavyweight once again. Importantly, Iraq's current oil production targets are likely to create tensions within OPEC, particularly with Saudi Arabia and with Iran. Iraqi officials have recently said they should revise down their existing ambitious oil production targets, which would see the country producing 12 million barrels a day by 2017 -- more than Saudi Arabia currently produces. But even the revised level of eight million barrels a day recently suggested by the oil minister would mean Iraq produced more oil than Iran -- and almost as much as Saudi Arabia. 4) Arab uprisings pose risks to both the Iranian and Saudi models of government . While neither Iran or Saudi Arabia would be enamored of the comparison, neither is a democracy. Both have authoritarian governments that claim religious legitimacy; and in both cases, significant segments of the growing youth population that are dissatisfied with the political and social restrictions that they face. Iran and Saudi have backed different uprisings this year. Iran has expressed support for the uprising in Bahrain, which was repressed with Saudi help, while following severe state violence against protesters in Syria, Saudi Arabia has broken off diplomatic relations with President al-Assad of Syria, Iran's key Arab ally. But both the Iranian and the Saudi governments have mixed feelings about the political transitions in Egypt, Tunisia and Egypt. If these latter countries emerge as successful democracies -- which is still a big if -- they are likely to offer more inspiring models for future Arab development than either Saudi Arabia or Iran can offer. Indeed, it is the lack of existing models in the Arab region that explains why so many Arabs regard the Turkish government with such enthusiasm. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jane Kinninmont.
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Kinninmont: Dividing region into two 'camps' is too simple .
Egyptian-Saudi rivalry will be a 'defining feature' of future .
Iran will rise as foreign policy heavyweight in region .
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By . Jack Doyle, Home Affairs Correspondent . Free: More than 750 foreign criminals - including killers, rapists and paedophiles - are walking the streets after jumping bail, it has been revealed . More than 750 foreign criminals – including killers, rapists and paedophiles – are walking the streets after jumping bail. They should have been deported after completing their sentences, but instead have been released from detention under human rights laws and then gone on the run. Among those at large are serious violent criminals, including 11 rapists, at least two killers and several child abusers and arsonists. The previously unseen figures show the total also includes six burglars, 26 robbers, dozens of violent thugs and 76 drug dealers. The Home Office is refusing to identify the criminals by name because to do so would breach their ‘right’ to privacy. The figures were released to the Daily Mail after a request under the Freedom of Information Act. The Home Office revealed that 752 foreign offenders who have committed crimes in Britain have absconded after they were released on bail from prison or immigration detention and have never been found. Of those, 16 have been on the run for more than ten years, and 158 for between five and ten years. Another 310 have been on the run for between two and five years, while 191 have been at large for between one and two years, and 77 for less than a year. Human rights rulings mean foreign criminals who the Home Office is struggling to remove from Britain cannot be kept behind bars indefinitely. Concern: Tory MP Nick de Bois (left) said it is 'deeply worrying' that so many violent foreign criminals are on the run. The scandal is a serious blow to David Cameron (right) who has pledged to deport more foreign offenders . They can only remain in custody as . long as there is a reasonable prospect of officials being able to remove . them in the near future. But . in many cases, human rights laws block their return. Other barriers can . include difficulties in obtaining a passport for offenders who . destroyed their travel documents on their arrival. Violent thug Kawa Ali Azad should have been deported five years ago. Instead, the Iraqi failed asylum seeker is in Britain after twice going on the run while on bail granted by immigration judges. He has six convictions for violence including an attack on the mother of his young son. Azad, pictured, battered his terrified ex-partner Tania Doherty unconscious – before trying to snatch the boy. In 2009, he was flown all the way to Baghdad, but the Iraqi authorities refused to take him and sent him back. Miss Doherty says she and their son live in ‘constant fear’ that he will return. They had to be moved and she was given a new identity in case Azad attacked them again. She carries a phone with a direct link to police. As a result, even the most dangerous offenders can be let out on bail by a judge. Tory MP Nick de Bois said: ‘It is deeply worrying that so many dangerous foreign criminals are walking the streets and urgent action must be taken to find them. ‘The British public are losing patience with so-called human rights claims putting them at risk. These criminals should by rights have been thrown out of this country and put back in jail in their country of origin.’ The new scandal is the latest blow to the reputation of the beleaguered immigration service, and is a serious blow to David Cameron, who has made personal pledges to deport more foreign offenders. The freedom of information request was made in March last year, but despite a legal requirement to release the information after 21 days, no response was received until last month. The Home Office refused to say which countries the offenders are from. It claimed releasing that information could undermine its ability to negotiate deportation agreements with foreign governments. Officials also refused to say exactly how many criminals had committed particular offences – if the total was fewer than five – in case it could aid public identification. But they said there were fewer than five criminals guilty of manslaughter, and at least one guilty of conspiracy to murder. They admitted they did not classify the criminals according to how much of a risk they pose to the public. A Home Office spokesman said: ‘We believe foreign nationals who break our rules should be removed from the UK at the earliest opportunity. ‘Last year we removed more than 4,500 foreign national offenders. Where individuals abscond from our controls, we work closely with the police and probation services and employ specialist trace teams to return these individuals to prison. ‘Absconders are circulated on the Police National Computer and are added to our watch lists in case those who have left the country seek to re-enter.’
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More than 750 foreign criminals are walking the streets after jumping bail .
Released from detention under human rights laws and then gone on run .
Among those at large are violent criminals, including rapists and killers .
Burglars, robbers, violent thugs and drug dealers are also walking streets .
Home Office is refusing to identify criminals due to their 'right' to privacy .
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A man who is risking his health thanks to his addiction to illegal tanning injections says he would rather die than be pale-skinned. Ryan Ruckledge, 22, from Blackpool, regularly injects himself with Melanotan - a synthetic hormone that makes the skin turn darker - before enjoying his six sunbed sessions a week. The jabs are currently unregulated and experts say they could cause side effects including depression, nausea, high blood pressure and panic attacks. Scroll down for video . Ryan Ruckledge, 22, from Blackpool, pictured on today's This Morming regularly injects himself with Melanotan so his fair skin will tan when he uses a sunbed . Despite suffering from many of these symptoms - and once even being hospitalised because he thought he was having a heart attack - Ryan says he won't stop having the injections. Speaking on today's This Morning, he said: 'I would rather be dead because otherwise my personality would be dead. I couldn't walk down street if I was pale, I couldn't physically function.' The telesales worker - who once auditioned for The X Factor - told TV presenters Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley that he heard about the injections from a friend after sunbeds were failing to give him the tanned look he desired. He explained: 'At school I was really pale as I am fair skinned. People would say to me "'you are so pale" and I hated being pale. Half the people I saw in magazines were orange and brown so it went from there. 'I started using sunbeds at the age of 15 but I just used to burn and peel so I stopped. Then a friend recommended the injections to me.' Ryan told TV presenters Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley that he's rather be dead than pale . The telesales worker says he hasn't thought about the long term effects to his health by having the injections and using sunbeds regularly as he's currently enjoying life thanks to being tanned . He said that thanks to the jabs, which he purchases from illegal sellers, he can have six sunbed sessions a week where he his skin tans instead of burning. Ryan said: 'I can't imagine my life without them. Without them I would be ghostly pale, see through. 'I wouldn't love life without these injections, I would not be confident or have the confidence to do the things I do.' Ryan says the nausea, stomach cramps, dizzy spells and panic attacks he has had since taking the jabs are not enough to put him off. 'I couldn't go out and walk down the street unless I have these injections because I hate being pale. I would have to stay in and miss parties,' he explained. He added that even the risk of death doesn't dissuade him and he hasn't considered the effect on his long-term health as he's currently living for the moment. The 22-year-old, pictured left auditioning for The X Factor in 2013, said he wouldn't have the confidence to walk down the street without a tan so he can't live without tanning injections(file photo of self injection, right) NHS Choices explain on their website... 'We could all be gone tomorrow. I could slip on a drink in a night club, hit my head and that would be it. 'No-one knows what round corner,' he said. 'I just love life at the minute with my mates.' When asked why he couldn't use fake tan products instead, Ryan said: 'I'd smell of biscuit and it goes streaky. It's not natural and when it comes off and I look in mirror and see myself pale, I don't like the way I look.' He added that he has run up thousands of pounds worth of debt in order to have the tanning jabs, as well as other beauty treatments including Botox and teeth whitening. But he said he wouldn't be in such debt if the government legalised the tanning jabs and made them available on the NHS. He believes many pale-skinned people could benefit from the product being investigated. He said: 'This injection means when you come into sun you don't burn so it could prevent skin cancer, it could be beneficial. 'I'm not just vain, I burn myself because I can't get a natural tan. It should be tested and looked into more. The government needs to look into it.' He has made a direct plea for this to the Secretary of State for Health tweeting: '@Jeremy_Hunt where's my tan jabs and Botox.' Despite the lack of knowledge around the long term health effects of injecting Melanotan - and the fact he is risking skin cancer with the frequent sunbed use - undeterred Ryan says he's addicted to tanning and won't quit. 'I'd rather walk around with gravy smeared on my face than be pale,' he said.
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Ryan Ruckledge, from Blackpool, regularly injects himself with Melanotan .
The synthetic hormone makes the skin turn darker .
But it hasn't been regulated so long term effects to health are not known .
Side effects include nausea, panic attacks and high blood pressure .
22-year-old doesn't care if jabs lead to early grave .
He 'can't function' without a tan and would 'rather be dead than pale'
Wants government to make jabs available on NHS .
He's in debt because he buys them so often .
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A Kurdish primary school teacher has spoken of how she quit her job to fight ISIS on the frontline near Kobane in Syria. Denis Sipan left her school in the Syrian part of Kurdistan five months ago to join the a rebel enclave of the Kurdish People's Protection Units(YPG) as a sniper. The Kurdish forces made fresh advances yesterday near Kobane, where ISIS surrendered last week, bringing the number of recaptured villages to 50, . Scroll down for video . Hero: Denis Sipan left her job as a primary school teacher to become a sniper on the frontline . 'If we didn't do it, the whole place will be full of ISIS, and they'll destroy everything,' Denis Sipan told CBS News. When asked what it would take for her to give up fighting and go back to teaching, Ms Sipan replied: 'I don't think that's going to happen. 'I need to protect myself, my friends, my people, and my country.' She also revealed that although the YPG and rebel groups are making advances against ISIS, they are woefully under-equipped and she is forced to share her rifle with another sniper. Ms Sipan fights alongside local volunteers, a group made up of wheat-farmers, housewives and shop owners, using weapons they have bought on the black market. Frontline: Ms Sipan now fights for Kurdish forces as a sniper, trying to hold off and push back ISIS . Making moves: Kurdish forces made fresh advances yesterday near Kobane bringing the number of recaptured villages to 50 . Fighting on: The rebels are so under-equipped that Ms Sipan has to share her rifle with another fighter . Last night, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the YPG, backed by rebel fighters such as Ms Sipan, 'are continuing to advance in the countryside of Kobane, facing no resistance from the ISIS'. 'As soon as the YPG enters into a village, the IS withdraws its fighters,' Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said. After nearly five months of fighting for Kobane, which is strategically located in Kurdish Syria on the border to Tyrkey, the YPG recaptured the town last Monday. Battles then broke out for the 350 villages surrounding the town, out of which 50 have been reclaimed by the Kurdish forces . Motley crew: The rebel group Ms Sipan is part of is made up of volunteers from the local towns and villages, comprising housewives, teachers, farmers and shopkeepers . One win: After nearly five months of fighting for Kobane, Kurdish forces recaptured the town last Monday . Final blow: Airstrikes by the US-led coalition were the main reason why extremists were forced to withdraw from the town, according to two of the group's fighters . 'The number of villages reclaimed by the YPG... has risen to 50,' the Britain-based group said. The YPG's advances come amid fresh US-led coalition air strikes against IS positions around Kobane. According to the Pentagon, coalition warplanes carried out 11 strikes against IS positions in the area from Tuesday to Wednesday morning. The Observatory says 10 IS militants have been killed in fighting around Kobane since the Kurds reclaimed the town.
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Denis Sipan, a former teacher, joined the fight in Syria five months ago .
The group is so under-equipped the sniper is forced to share her rifle .
She fights with local volunteers: farmers, housewives and shop owners .
Last week, ISIS fighters admitted they had been defeated in Kobane .
Kurdish forces advanced yesterday, retaking 50 villages near the city .
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(CNN) -- Six weeks after he was released from Taliban captivity, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl spent his first day of regular duty working at the headquarters of U.S. Army North in Texas, the army said Tuesday. Bergdahl, like many soldiers at a new assignment, spent much of his day on Monday getting paperwork straightened out, spokesman Don Manuszewski said. The 28-year-old soldier spent five years in the hands of Taliban militants after he disappeared in Afghanistan in June 2009. After he was released in May in exchange for five senior Taliban members held by the U.S. military, Bergdahl has undergone counseling and been given medical care at a hospital in San Antonio. On Monday, he began his job with a unit responsible for homeland defense, civil support operations and security cooperation programs involving countries such as Canada, Mexico and the Bahamas. He will eventually be given a position commensurate with his rank of sergeant. The army spokesman has said that Bergdahl would be assigned a desk job. Bergdahl lives on base, in a two-bedroom unit in non-commissioned officers quarters. "He's just another soldier in the U.S. Army," Manuszewski said. He has two soldiers who are helping him adjust to life at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. Bergdahl venturing off base, rubbing elbows with public . Bergdahl was a private first class when he was captured and the Army extended his enlistment and twice promoted him on schedule while in captivity. Manuszewski wouldn't say how much longer Bergdahl's enlistment would last. The news of Bergdahl's freedom initially was met with jubilation, but it quickly turned as many called for an investigation into his disappearance and captivity. Some critics accused the soldier of deserting his comrades in war. Manuszewski didn't comment on the investigation. Bergdahl has yet to be interviewed by the officer investigating his case, Lt. Colonel Alayne Conway said last week. Army general to start investigating how, why Bergdahl left base .
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The sergeant will work at the headquarters of a unit based in San Antonio .
Much of his first day was spent dealing with paperwork .
Army spokesman wouldn't say how much longer Bergdahl will serve .
Bergdahl was captured after disappearing from his base in Afghanistan in 2009 .
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Trevor Gibbon, 48, of Harrow, north west London, was remanded in custody when he appeared at Hendon Magistrates' Court today charged with the murder of his neighbour Alison Morrison (pictured) A man has appeared in court today charged with the murder of his neighbour who was stabbed to death on her way to work. Trevor Gibbon, 48, of Harrow, north west London, was remanded in custody when he appeared at Hendon Magistrates' Court this morning. He is accused of killing his neighbour, Alison Morrison, who died half a mile from her Harrow home as she made her way to work on Thursday morning. Residents reported hearing piercing screams and police were called to the attack in Alexandra Avenue at 7.47am. Mrs Morrison was taken to St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, west London, but died from her injuries. A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as multiple stab wounds. Gibbon, satellite TV engineer, held on to glass at the front of the dock and looked around the court during today's brief hearing. Magistrate Caroline Whycer told him he was being remanded in custody to stand trial at the Old Bailey, where there will be a bail hearing on Tuesday, followed by a preliminary hearing on January 12. Tributes have been pouring in for Mrs Morrision, who has been described as a 'wonderful and caring' mother and wife who worked hard to reduce crime in her community. Her three sisters, Julie, Paula and Lorraine, have left from their homes in Waterlooville, Hampshire, to comfort her grieving husband Cedric and their 16-year-old son Kori in Harrow. Her sister Julie had been due to stay at their £410,000 end-of-terrace house after visiting the Olympia Horse Show in London this weekend. Mrs Morrison, a mother of one, grew up in Bedhampton, Hampshire, before moving to the capital after finishing university. She was planning to return home to see her family to celebrate Christmas next week. Her brother-in-law, Lee Richards, said her 46-year-old husband called the family to tell them the tragic news. He said: 'We are in shock. It couldn't have happened to a nicer lady. 'You know what sisters are like - you can't separate them. 'They received a phone call from Cedric to say there had been a situation. 'They left what they were doing and went straight up there.' The much-loved mother died from multiple stab wounds after being attacked in Harrow, London, on Thursday . Gibbon, 48, was remanded in custody when he appeared at Hendon Magistrates' Court (pictured) this morning . Mrs Morrison's sister Paula received the news after stepping off the plane at London Heathrow airport following a 10-day holiday in Cuba. Mr Richards said his wife Julie Brathwaite, a 52-year-old mother-of-two who runs a cleaning business, was inconsolable. He said: 'She's in a mess. I have left the sisters together - that's the best way. 'Alison was here a couple of weeks ago. My family were due to go up this weekend to the Olympia horse show. 'They were going to stay at Alison's home. 'A couple of years ago they lost their dad. 'It's taken them this long to get over that and now this has happened.' Her mother, Valerie Brathwaite, who still lives in the family home in Hampshire was too upset to speak yesterday. But Mr Richards described Mrs Morrison as a 'wonderful, caring mother' to her teenage son Kori. He said she died a lot of voluntary work for her community, and was the vice-chairwoman of her local Neighbourhood Watch scheme. Tributes for the 'wonderful and caring' mother of one have been left at the scene of her death in Harrow . One tribute left at the scene, from one of her sisters, said: 'I'm so sorry you've been taken away from us all' Her full-time job was as a senior manager at consumer organisation Which?, a position she moved to London for after studying a degree. He said: 'She was fun-loving and happy. She was sensible and responsible - this is a disaster.' Bianca Brathwaite, 24, Mrs Morrison's niece, added: 'She was everything you could ask for in a woman, she was strong and always stood up for herself and her family and is loved dearly.' David Perry, leader of Harrow Council, described her as a 'key member of the board'. He said: 'Alison Morrison was passionately committed to creating a safer Harrow through her work with the Harrow Safer Neighbourhood Board and as a community champion, and it is terrible news that she has lost her life in this violent way in a borough she cared so much about. 'Alison's colleagues on the Safer Neighbourhood Board are absolutely shattered by this news, as are the staff of Harrow Council. Alison was a key member of the board and a tireless advocate of its work. 'We will do whatever we can to help the police. In the meantime, our thoughts are with Alison's family.' Chief Superintendent Simon Ovens, borough commander for Harrow, said: 'I had the pleasure of knowing and working with Alison in her role as the vice-chair of our borough's Safer Neighbourhood Board. 'She was held in high regard locally, and truly cared about the borough. Her friends within the local community will be devastated by her loss.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Trevor Gibbon appeared in court charged with murder of Alison Morrison .
Satellite TV engineer, 48, remanded in custody by Hendon magistrates .
Mrs Morrison died after being stabbed on her way to work on Thursday .
45-year-old, from Harrow, described as a 'wonderful and caring' mother .
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The defending Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks beat the Carolina Panthers 31-17 on Saturday, putting them one win away from a return trip to the NFL's championship game. The top-seeded Seahawks, who are trying to become the NFL's first repeat champion in 10 years, used a suffocating defence and explosive fourth quarter to put what had been a close game out of reach. 'The guys played really hard tonight and played a really good tough, physical game,' Seattle head coach Pete Carroll said. 'Our guys hung in there tough and kept the score down and allowed for some guys to make things happen.' Defending Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks beat the Carolina Panthers 31-17 on Saturday . Seahawks are trying to become the NFL's first repeat champion in 10 years after winning the Super Bowl . Seattle Seahawks' Luke Willson celebrates after catching a 25-yard touchdown pass against the Panthers . With the victory, Seattle are the first defending Super Bowl champion to win a post-season game the following season since the 2005 New England Patriots. Seattle will next host the winner of Sunday's game between the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship game on January 18. The Seahawks' Russell Wilson completed 15 of 22 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns, including a team post-season record 63-yard scoring pass to Jermaine Kearse in the second quarter. Kearse made a spectacular one-handed catch before out-running the Panthers defence and diving for the pylon at the left corner of the end zone for a 14-7 lead before Carolina responded with a field goal on the final play of the half. Seattle will next host the winner of Sunday's game between the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys . Seahawks tamed the Panthers to move one win away from a return trip to NFL's championship game . Kam Chancellor of the Seattle Seahawks runs a 90-yard touchdown off of an interception in the fourth quarter . Seahawks' Russell Wilson (pictured) completed 15 of 22 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns . Following a scoreless third quarter the teams looked headed for a tense finish until Seattle erupted for 17 consecutive points in a nine-minute span. After a Steven Hauschka field goal early, the Seahawks added to their lead when Wilson, facing a third-and-10 at the Carolina 25-yard line, connected with Luke Willson for a touchdown to build a 14-point lead. Seattle put the game out of reach when Kam Chancellor stepped in front on a Cam Newton pass and returned it 90 yards for a touchdown that sparked wild celebrations at CenturyLink Field. 'It was really an extraordinary night,' said Carroll. 'The support and the backing and just the noise and craziness in the stadium is just extraordinary and makes it so much fun to be a part of.' Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera (left) talks with Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll . Fourth-year quarterback Newton, who dropped to 0-4 in his career against Seattle, completed 23-of-36 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns but was undone by a two interceptions and a lost fumble. Four plays after a Newton fumble in the first quarter that gave Seattle the ball at the Carolina 28-yard line, Wilson found Doug Baldwin on a 16-yard pass for a 7-0 lead. The Panthers drew even six minutes into the second quarter when Newton capped an impressive 14-play, 79-yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Kelvin Benjamin. 'The difference was just missed opportunities,' Newton said. 'When you are playing a great defence you just got to take what they give you and a lot of times I was kind of overlooking the play that needed to be made and instead tried to make the bigger play.' Cam Newton (right): 'It was really an extraordinary night. The support and the backing and just the noise and craziness in the stadium is just extraordinary and makes it so much fun to be a part of' Ricardo Lockette of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with fans after defeating the Carolina Panthers . Carroll, head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, walks off the field after beating the Carolina Panthers .
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Seattle Seahawks are just one win from another NFL championship game .
Seahawks are trying to become the NFL's first repeat champion in 10 years .
Seattle will next host the winner of Sunday's game between the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys in NFC Championship game on January 18 .
Pete Carroll, Seahawks head coach: 'The guys played really hard tonight and played a really good tough, physical game'
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Wolfe pictured here at the internment camp where he was held . When American pilot Roland Wolfe crashed his British Spitfire into a peat bog in Ireland during World War Two, few thought it would ever be seen again. The pilot who bailed out immediately wanted to climb into the cockpit of another military aircraft and continue fighting for the allies. Knowing that his fighter was doomed, the young RAF Officer had radioed: 'I'm going over the side' before parachuting to safety moments before impact. But instead of fighting again the serviceman was interned in a camp - where captured UK and U.S. troops mixed freely with the German enemy. Despite managing to escape Ireland, neutral during the war, and make his way back to Britain, the 23-year-old was sent back to the camp. Fearing a diplomatic row, the British Government returned Wolfe to the most relaxed of 'prison' camps in Ireland where he was kept for a further two years. The pilot from Nebraska had been stripped of his U.S. citizenship after agreeing to fight for the British because the Americans had not yet joined the war. Now almost 70 years after the pilot from the 133 'Eagle' Squadron crash-landed in the north of Ireland in November 1941, his crashed plane has been recovered. The Spitfire was the first of 20 made with a donation from a Canadian millionaire called Willard Garfield Weston who wanted to support the Allies in the Battle of Britain with a £100,000 donation. Remarkably large parts of the plane have been recovered from the bog. Six . machine guns and about 1,000 rounds of ammunition were also discovered . by archaeologists searching the Inishowen Peninsula in Co Donegal. American Spitfire pilot Roland 'Bud' Wolfe lost his U.S. citizenship in 1941 when he signed up to fight for the RAF . The excavation was carried out as part of a BBC Northern Ireland programme. Historian Dan Snow said: 'The plane itself is obviously kind of wreckage and the big pieces survived. We're expecting to find things like the engine and there still may be personal effects in the cockpit. 'It's just incredible because it's just so wet here that the ground just sucked it up and the plane was able to burrow into it and it's been preserved. 'It's in amazing condition,' he told RTE radio. A team of Irish recruits at the Curragh Camp, just outside Dublin, where Wolfe was held for two years during World War Two . Historian Dan Snow led the project to dig the Spitfire out of the peat bog almost 70 years after the pilot bailed out of the doomed plane . Mr Snow said Mr Wolf was forced to . abandon his Spitfire over the Republic when its engine overheated about . 13 miles from his base at RAF Eglinton, now Derry International Airport, . in Northern Ireland. Aviation archeologist Simon Parry . told the Irish Independent that it was highly significant that the . doomed plane had been recovered. 'The . pilot was lucky to survive that day because if his engine had failed a . few minutes earlier he would have ended up in the sea,' he said. Landing on neutral soil, the 23-year-old pilot was interned at Curragh detention camp in Co Kildare for two years. With fishing trips, fox hunts and football matches it sounded almost like a holiday camp - and seemingly the ideal place to be holed up as war raged across the rest of Europe. The guards were only issued with blank rounds, visitors were permitted and there were frequent excursions to nearby pubs. Around 40 RAF pilots who crashed in Ireland were held in the corrugated iron huts alongside the German enemy. The crew of destroyed U-boats and Luftwaffe planes also ended up at the camp. The warring nations even played football matches against each other - with the Germans defeating the largely English team 8-3, in a precursor to their repeated post-war footballing triumphs over their North Atlantic enemy. Spitfires fly over Britain - the recovered fighter had been remarkably well preserved by the bog . But although servicemen were free to come and go from the camp Wolfe, who died in 1994, was determined to fight on. In December 1941, just two weeks . after his crash, the serviceman made his way into Dublin before hopping . onto a train to Belfast which was British territory. As his doomed plane came down he parachuted out before watching it plunge into the ground half a mile away. Although . he made his way back to RAF Eglinton, he was returned to the Irish camp . where he spent a further two years before it was closed. Belatedly . he got his wish, and in 1943 he was allowed to return to frontline . action as the tide of the war turned in the Allies direction. It is only because of the unusually soft ground that the crashed Spitfire could be recovered in the 70th year after the crash. The . Irish Defence Forces said the six Browning .303 machine guns and . approximately 1,000 rounds of ammunition were discovered by a team of . archaeologists from Queens University buried up to 30 feet in the bog. 'The . six machine guns and ammunition have been removed by the bomb disposal . team to a secure military location where they will be decommissioned and . cleaned before being handed over to the Derry Museum,' a spokesman . added. The plane will now be preserved and go on display at the Tower Museum in Derry.
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Recovered Spitfire 'one of the first ever made'
U.S. pilot lost American citizenship to fight for Britain .
Roland Wolfe later fought for U.S. in Vietnam war .
Allied troops and German opponents mixed together at 'relaxed' World War Two prison camp .
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From an officer 'endowed with a certain lethal gentleness' to another who 'supervises a part-time wife', these hilarious remarks prove that even intelligence bosses are simply human. The comments, featuring misused vocabulary, strange phrases and inadvertent connotations, were made by CIA supervisors during performance reviews in the 1980s. They were among hundreds of documents declassified by the agency from its in-house journal, Studies in Intelligence, yesterday. Intelligence agency: A series of hilarious comments, made by CIA supervisors during performance reviews in the 1980s, were among hundreds of documents declassified by the agency from its in-house journal yesterday . Hilarious: The remarks, featuring misused vocabulary, strange phrases and inadvertent connotations, include: 'He is endowed with a certain lethal gentleness' and 'He commits everything to paper voluminously but poorly' The quotes, published in a compilation alongside witty commentary by an unnamed CIA employee, include: 'This employee is not located under me physically; However, I concur.' They also feature: 'I both like and dislike this officer', 'He commits everything to paper voluminously but poorly' and 'He has the capacity to do an intelligence analyst.' Above one phrase - 'Her deficiencies are directly related to her effort to do a better job' - the employee has written: 'The 17-word-a-minute typist – but she hits each key as hard as she can.' Meanwhile, ahead of 'To a large degree his future is behind him', he has remarked: 'When one is walking backward through life.' Mishaps: The quotes, published alongside witty commentary by an unnamed CIA employee, also include: 'Although unmarried she has growth potential' and 'Subject skillfully balances this Potemkim village' Simply human: The comments, such as the ones above, prove that even intelligence bosses are simply human . And in relation to the quote 'It is a pleasure to have her on my desk,' he has said: 'The office was sparsely furnished'. The document, titled 'Par-Faits (And Other Faits), states that the quotes are 'rendered faithfully, with misspellings and other errors intact'. But fortunately for the supervisors, all of the amusing comments have remained anonymous. The officer who kills with kindness . 'He is endowed with a certain lethal gentleness' Observed while moonlighting . 'He supervises one part-time wife' In addition to not being a grandfather... (First par of a 22-year-old case officer) 'This officer lacks field experience' The open-minded supervisor . 'I both like and dislike this officer' Effect? 'Although unmarried, she has growth potential' But absence makes the heart ponder . 'This employee is not located under me physically; However, I concur' The 17-word-a-minute typist – but she hits each key as hard as she can . 'Her deficiencies are directly related to her effort to do a better job' The none-of-your-business aside . 'He has the capacity to do an intelligence analyst' Setting high goals . 'He must try to not make mistakes that are unavoidable' The timely grunter . 'Subject's handling of the English language is inferior but he makes up for it with promptness' When one is walking backward through life . 'To a large degree his future is behind him' The office was sparsely furnished . 'It is a pleasure to have her on my desk'
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Comments were made by CIA supervisors during appraisals in the 1980s .
Feature misused vocabulary, odd phrases and inadvertent connotations .
Include: 'He is endowed with a certain lethal gentleness', 'I both like and dislike this officer' and 'Although unmarried she has growth potential'
Quotes among hundreds of documents declassified by agency yesterday .
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By . Chris Brooke and Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 03:13 EST, 23 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:48 EST, 23 April 2013 . Killer: Heather Butler who knocked Sam Brown, 15, off his bicycle and killed him in Eastrington, East Yorkshire . A drunk nurse mowed down a 15-year-old boy while driving to work and left him to die – but only after stopping to remove his damaged bicycle from the front of her car. Heather Butler, 67, was unsteady and slurring her words when she arrived for her shift at a nursing home and a breath-test showed she was two-and-a-half times the legal limit, a court heard. She was jailed for five years and four months at Hull Crown Court. Judge Mark Bury told her it ‘would have been obvious’ she had hit the boy and the tragedy was made worse because she was ‘going to work caring for people and possibly giving out medication’ while drunk. By coincidence Butler knew the victim’s mother because she worked at the same nursing home. Her Audi A4 car ploughed into schoolboy Sam Brown as he and a friend cycled home in the dark at 9pm without rear lights. Her windscreen was smashed and wing mirror removed. She stopped 200 metres on to remove the bike from her grille, threw it aside and continued to work less than a mile away without going back to treat Sam or his 15-year-old friend, who suffered a broken shoulder. Butler had drunk a glass of wine and ‘three home measures’ of gin and tonic before driving, the court heard. When she arrived at the Old School House Nursing Home in Gilberdyke, East Yorkshire, she was asked if she was alright and replied: ‘No, I think I hit a cyclist.’ Two colleagues went out in a car, found Sam and tried to help motorists resuscitate him. He died of head injuries in hospital. The court heard Butler had been reported for being drunk at work in the past and ‘it was rare she did not smell of alcohol’. Motorist Nicholas Webb was behind Butler at the time of the crash on the B1230 on September 6 last year. He said she was ‘all over the road’ and ‘driving fast’, prompting him to drop back. She was speeding and a crash investigation found she did not brake or take evasive action. In a statement to police, Butler recalled ‘seeing a cyclist ahead of me, very close to me, and then I felt the impact at the front of my car.’ Victim: Sam Brown, 15, was thrown off his bicycle after being clipped by Butler's Audi A4 as he cycled with his friend . Victim: Sam Brown who died after being hit by Heather Butler's Audi A4 in Eastrington, East Yorkshire . She added: ‘Following the feeling I . pulled over and got out. I could not see anything close to my car. I was . in a state of panic and thought I should drive to work and report it . at work. 'Sometimes I wish I was not here. The loss is something I will feel for the rest of my life' Tracey Brown, mother of Sam Brown . ‘It never occurred to me to use my mobile phone.’ Butler, who is married and worked at . the nursing home for 18 years, admitted causing death by careless . driving while over the limit, failing to report an accident and failing . to stop. Paul Genney, defending, said she wanted to apologise. He said: ‘She is genuinely remorseful.’ Butler has resigned and is likely to . be struck off the nursing register. Butler was given a five-year . driving ban and ordered to take an extended re-test. She is likely to . serve only half of her prison term. Crash scene: Flowers are piled up in tribute to Sam Brown, 15, following the accident on the the B1230 Hull Road last September . In a statement mother-of-four Tracey Brown, 42, said losing Sam was ‘unbearable’. 'Following the feeling I pulled over and got out. I could not see anything close to my car. I was in a state of panic and thought I should drive to work and report it at work' Heather Butler . She added: ‘Sometimes I wish I was not here. The loss is something I will feel for the rest of my life.’ After the hearing she and husband Stephen, 45, described the sentence as ‘disgusting’. Franki Hackett of road safety charity Brake said: ‘It is appalling such a callous crime could lead to such a paltry sentence. ‘It makes a mockery of justice that someone could face less than three years in prison for taking a promising young life.’
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Heather Butler drank three gin and tonics and wine before driving to work .
Care home nurse hit Sam Brown's bicycle before driving off in East Yorks .
67-year-old was jailed for five years and four months at Hull Crown Court .
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With less than three months to go before the birth of her first baby, the Duchess of Cambridge is clearly in the mood for a little nesting. And who better to take on a shopping trip to furnish her future prince or princess’s new nursery at Kensington Palace than her mother, Carole Middleton. The pair were spotted in upmarket South Kensington together, browsing some of the capital’s most exclusive baby stores after enjoying a spot of lunch together at the Zefi Mediterranean restaurant where they were seen by fellow diners sipping healthy fruit juices. The Duchess of Cambridge was spotted with her mother Carole Middleton during a shopping trip in South Kensington, where they bought a large white wicker Moses basket for the imminent arrival of the royal baby . Kate wore a loose blue maternity top with a pretty lace collar for the outing . The Duchess and her mother were seen dining in a nearby Mediterranean restaurant before their visit to a children's clothing and furniture store . Carole carried the Moses basket out of Blue Almonds, where prices go up to £295 for an off the shelf model . First on their list was Blue Almonds, which boasts that it creates ‘magical rooms for children’ - perfect for the third in line to the throne. Dressed in identical dark blue skinny jeans and knee-high black boots, mother and daughter spent up to an hour browsing the Moses baskets on sale. Priced up to £295 for an off the shelf model, they are certainly out of reach price-wise for many new mothers-to-be. Some bespoke versions at the store can cost up to £1,000 and be customised with frilled fitted sheets and sun shades. Kate, 31, who was wearing a loose blue maternity top with a pretty white lace collar, and her mother finally settled on a large white wicker version and walked out into the street together, clearly discussing their purchase. They were then whisked off by a waiting car driven by one of Kate’s bodyguards, presumably back to Kensington Palace where Kate is overseeing the renovation of her new apartment. Kate spent up to an hour inside the children's clothing and furniture store with her mother . The shop owner would not discuss Kate's purchases but said she was 'honoured' to receive a visit . A bodyguard was waiting to drive the Duchess and her mother away, presumably to Kensington Palace where Kate is overseeing the refurbishment of her future family home, Apartment 1A . The Duchess and her mother both wore dark blue skinny jeans with knee-high black boots for the shopping trip . As revealed by the Mail, work on Apartment 1A, once the home of the Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, will not be finished until at least September or October this year, well after the birth of her baby. Kate and her husband, Prince William, are currently living in a small two-up, two-down cottage in the grounds, which is less than ideal to bring a royal heir home to. As a result, say sources, Kate has decided to eschew the help of a maternity nurse and spend the first six weeks after her child’s birth living with her parents at their new £4.8million Georgian mansion in Bucklebury, Berkshire. She has told friends that she cannot think of anyone better suited to helping her in those first difficult few weeks than her mother, who has brought up three children of her own. ‘It’s where I feel safest,’ she has said. Kate and Carole settled on a large white wicker version of the basket and were clearly discussing their purchase as they walked towards their waiting car . Kate is to move in with her mother at the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, after the birth and preparations for the royal arrival look to be well underway . Carole is said to be nervous but thrilled at the prospect of becoming a grandmother for the first time . The Duchess carried two handbags while Carole took care of carrying the large white wicker Moses basket . Carole, for her part, is said to be nervous but thrilled at the prospect of becoming a grandmother for the first time - to a future king or queen at that. Although Izabela Minkiewicz, the owner of Blue Almonds, has declined to comment on the Duchess’s purchases, she confirmed that she was ‘honoured’ to have received a visit from her. ‘We spend a great deal of time making sure that we get to know the client, their particular taste and demands,’ she said. Prince Harry was spotted carrying a teddy bear for his future niece or nephew yesterday as he arrived home to Kensington Palace. He had promised a wellwisher in Nottingham this week that he would pass on the gift . The shopping trip came at a busy time for the Duchess, who yesterday gave her first public video message appealing for support for Children's Hospice Week . Kate also joined her husband Prince William and brother-in-law Prince Harry at the opening of the Warner Brothers Studios in Leavesden where they had a go at wand work on the set of the Harry Potter films . The Duchess carried out a charity engagement at the National Portrait Gallery on Wednesday and prompted a rush on Topshop's website when she wore their spotted dress, right, to the Warner Brothers Studios on Friday . The following day Kate was seen back out shopping for baby goods again at the Peter Jones department store in Chelsea, where she spent several hours mulling over buggies and a car seat. The Duchess has revealed that her baby is due in mid-July and that she will be going on maternity leave around a month earlier but insists, contrary to speculation, that she and William have chosen not to discover the sex of their first child.
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The Duchess and her mother were spotted shopping in South Kensington .
They left the Blue Almonds store with a large white wicker Moses basket .
Kate is to move in with her parents for six weeks after the birth of her child .
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Intense storms swept through the Southwest on Saturday, snapping trees and shrouding metropolitan Phoenix in cascading showers while also bringing flooding to parts of Nevada. The skies above downtown Phoenix were completely gray in the afternoon as strong winds, thunder and rain hit the region. The outside visibility of buildings was almost entirely obscured by rain and clouds. Vehicles drive through the flood prone area of 39th Avenue between Peoria Avenue and Cactus Road during a storm in Phoenix on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014 . A woman runs from a parking lot to a store during a storm in Phoenix on Saturday . The storm forced authorities to close a section of Interstate 17 for more than hour due to flooding. Flight departures and landings resumed about 3:30 p.m. after they were halted for an hour at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. But airport spokeswoman Julie Rodriguez said delays are expected into the evening. More than 40 flights scheduled to land in Phoenix were diverted to other airports, she said. 'The wind caused some damage to the roof of Terminal 2 in the baggage claim area and in some of the gate areas. However, all three terminals at Sky Harbor are operational,' Rodriguez said in a statement. Branches and debris littered streets around the city and at least one traffic light was knocked over. Some trees were toppled by the ensuing wind. The Salt River Project utility said that about 31,000 customers were without power as of Saturday afternoon. , Sept. 27, 2014. National Weather Service meteorologist Marvin Percha says the weather is a mix of Phoenix's first fall storm and leftover monsoon moisture . Vehicles drive through the flood prone area of 39th Avenue between Peoria Avenue and Cactus Road during a storm in Phoenix . Most of the outages were in west Phoenix and suburbs west of Phoenix, with smaller clusters reported in Scottsdale, Mesa and Tempe. Utility officials estimated that power would be restored sometime Saturday afternoon. Phoenix Fire Capt. Benjamin Santillan said firefighters were helping to locate a hiker in south Phoenix stranded by a washed away trail. The woman was hiking with her dog when the rain hit. Santillan said she was able to find her way to a road and crews were using her cellphone signal to find her. Crews, meanwhile, have been responding to multiple calls around the city of trees falling on vehicles and small electrical-related fires. National Weather Service meteorologist Valerie Meyers said a record-breaking 1.6 inches of rain has been reported so far. That total surpassed the 1.46 inches reported on this date in 1903. While the storm was starting to clear out in some parts of the city, there would still be lingering showers and isolated thunderstorms into the evening east of Phoenix, Meyers said. Drivers negotiate water and debris in the street at the intersection of North Central Avenue and Osborn Road in Phoenix . Vehicles drive through the flood prone area of 39th Avenue between Peoria Avenue and Cactus Road during a storm in Phoenix . The weather was a mix of Phoenix's first fall storm and leftover monsoon moisture, National Weather Service meteorologist Marvin Percha said. In southeast Nevada's rural Moapa Valley, heavy rains brought flooding but authorities say that despite a river cresting at a record high, the damage wasn't as bad as what was caused by high waters in the area earlier in the month. Clark County Deputy Fire Chief Jon Klassen said the only evacuations occurred in the tiny town of Warm Springs, but he didn't know how many people or homes were affected. Roads to the town were flooded and inaccessible. David Aguilar said an inch of silt came into his Moapa Valley house along the Muddy River. A shopper pushes a cart as he runs to his vehicle during a storm in Phoenix . 'All of a sudden, I heard the sound of water,' he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal, adding a water pipe also broke, complicating cleanup efforts. Other residents say the flood left mud and debris in yards, inundated sheds and other exterior buildings and damaged vehicles. There were also reports of storm problems in Las Vegas, as well as a power outage in Henderson. Las Vegas Fire and Rescue spokesman Tim Szymanski said a townhouse was heavily damaged after being hit by lightning, but no one was hurt. He said firefighters also responded to two calls of minor flooding, one at a residence and another at a business. A taxi drives by a downed tree branch near the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz. Authorities responded to cars stuck on Interstate 15, but no one was trapped and the cars were unoccupied, Klassen said. Interstate 15 just south of Mesquite reopened after flooding closed it in both directions Saturday morning, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation. But southbound travel was reduced to one lane. In northern Arizona, Flagstaff residents also saw showers, thunder and lightning Saturday. More than an inch of rain fell in isolated areas south of Prescott by the afternoon, meteorologist Megan Schwitzer said. The Weather Service also said that nickel-sized hail was reported near Yarnell.
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Storm .
forces authorities to close a section of Interstate 17 for more than .
hour due to flooding .
Flight departures and landings halted for an hour at Phoenix Sky Harbor .
International Airport .
The Salt River Project utility said that about 31,000 customers were without power as of Saturday afternoon .
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A bungling jihadi hacker has targeted a small part-time football club's website to declare that 'I am not Charlie' after mistaking it for a Premier League team. The Muslim hacker, who called himself Abdellah Elmaghribi, targeted Chatham Town Football Club's website on Saturday ahead of its clash with Tilbury FC - which attracted a crowd of just 63. The website was shut down for 12 hours after an image of a machine-gun wielding man wearing a gas mask was posted with a message asking: 'Where is the security?' Supporters of the tiny Kent club in Ryman League Division One were left baffled by the message which also said: 'I'm not a terrorist. I am a Muslim and proud to be. A Muslim hacker, who called himself Abdellah Elmaghribi, posted a message on Chatham Town FC's website saying: 'I'm not Charlie. I'm not a terrorist. I am a Muslim and proud to be' 'A little respect for other religions. Allah is One.' The hacker also declared 'I am not Charlie' in reference to the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris which claimed the lives of 11 people. Bosses at the club apologised to fans, saying its website had been hacked. Steve Archer, who looks after the website for the club, said the cyber attack 'made no sense' and that the hacker was probably thinking he was 'targeting a Premier League club'. 'It makes no sense - we're a part time football club so I'm pretty sure it's just a random attack - I hope it was,' he told Kent Online. 'Someone told me about 11pm. It must have been quite late as I had been working on it that evening. The website of the small club which is in Division One North of the Isthmian League was shut down for 12 hours ahead of a clash with Tilbury FC - which attracted a crowd of just 63 . 'I'm just hoping I've not lost too much information. It's taken me two years to put it together, and I've spent a lot of time on the history section. I've got results on there going back to 1990.' The average attendance at club's home matches at The Sports Ground, a 5,000 capacity stadium in Chatham, Kent, is just 143. Chatham FC supporter John Hendry, 38, said: 'There is no way this guy would want to waste his time attacking a website that only a handful of people look at. 'He must have thought he was targeting a Premier League team or at least a Championship team - poor old Chatham must be low on the radar when it comes to cyber terrorism.' Another local, calling himself Kentishman, said: 'Today Chatham Town FC. Tomorrow the world. Mwahhahahaha. 'I bet MI5 are putting their best people on it right now. These people know how to strike at the very heart of society. The hacker, based in Morocco, has attacked websites across the globe, including Nigeria's number one music site, NotJuskOk . 'I'm inconsolable now I can't get access to the Chatham Town FC website. There's no point in carrying on.' Another, calling himself Billbo, wrote: 'Hahahahaha. Literally the worst hack I've ever seen.' The hacker, based in Morocco, has attacked websites across the globe, including Nigeria's number one music site, NotJuskOk. He is believed to be part of X-AMZ Team along with fellow hackers ViRusx.EL, Nasser Eddine, Moroccan Wolf and AlFeRox. In a previous message he has said: 'If you are asking why your website got hacked by me, it's basically because i want to share my message . So, The Sahara is a Moroccan, Free Palestine. Viva Quassam And Hamass & F*** Israhell.' Thousands of French websites were hit by cyber attacks in the wake of the Paris shootings, but hackers have also set their sights on websites in other western countries. The Chatham Town FC website is now back up and running.
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Muslim Abdellah Elmaghribi hacked Chatham Town FC's website .
He posted an image of a machine-gun wielding man wearing a gas mask .
Message said: 'I am not Charlie' and asked 'where is the security?'
Website was closed ahead of clash with Tilbury FC - which attracted 63 .
Bosses said hacker probably mistook small club for Premier League team .
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By . Lydia Warren . A police officer shot dead a beloved family dog and then called the killing 'awesome', the animal's family has claimed. Sarah Brown, from Ardmore, Oklahoma, said she is devastated after her beloved pit bull Cali was gunned down by officer Brice Woolley after it hopped over their garden fence last Wednesday. Other members of the community are now joining her as she calls for justice and demands the officer to be fired. Officers with the Ardmore Police Department said they had received several complaints about the dog acting aggressively and headed to the scene, arriving before animal control. Scroll down for video . Missed: Cali the pit bull, pictured with her owner's daughter, was gunned down by a police officer last week . Killed: Images show the deadly wounds suffered by the dog after she was shot near to her Oklahoma home . According to a Facebook group set up in support for the slain animal, Woolley said, 'I'm not waiting for animal control', pulled out a shotgun and shot the dog through the neck, killing her. 'She had done nothing to provoke the office,' the page said. 'She died immediately.' Brown, who did not witness the incident, added to KFOR: 'He turned back to the animal control . officer and said, "Did you see the way her collar flew into the air when I blew her head off? That was awesome".' Woolley informed the animal control that . he had shot the dog, adding: 'We'll just write in the report that she . tried to attack you and others in the neighborhood', according to . witnesses. Devastated: Owner Sarah Brown said she wants justice for Cali, who was a member of her family . Safe: She said the family dog never acted aggressively and was gentle around children . Loved: Cali is pictured with her family on a Facebook group fighting for justice following the incident . She said that her dog was never aggressive and was gentle around her young children, including a baby. But like other animals, Cali was territorial in her own yard, she said. 'I cried so much,' Brown said of her death. 'I knew this was totally unjust. Cali was family and it's not funny.' As well as the Facebook group, a Change petition has been created to raise awareness of the story and to seek justice for Cali. It has already received more than 17,000 signatures. Many of the visitors are demanding the officer lose his job. Cpt. Eric Hamblin told KFOR that Officer Woolley has received death threats about the incident, but that a review of the incident showed he acted according to protocol. Support: Police Captain Eric Hamblin, right, said officer Brice Woolley had acted appropriately . 'I don't think it's wise for police department to wait for a dog acting aggressively actually bites somebody,' he said. The police report added: 'It was determined that the dog had to be euthanized for the safety of the nearby park and neighborhood as the dog’s owner could not be located, nor could it be captured.' Brown argued that her neighbors have never complained to her about her dog being aggressive. The officer continues to work pending the outcome of an investigation, police said. See below for video .
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WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES .
Cali the pit bull was gunned down by officer Brice Woolley after she jumped over her garden fence in Ardmore, Oklahoma last week .
Woolley said watching her collar fly into the air after shooting her in the head was awesome, according to Cali's owner, Sarah Brown .
Brown is now calling for justice and supporters want Woolley fired .
But the police department said the dog was acting aggressively and officers feared she would hurt someone .
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Officials have stepped up the security presence at Gallipoli ahead of the annual Anzac Day commemorations in April, amid terrorism fears in the area. Terrorism concerns were raised after a female bomber killed herself and an officer on Tuesday after walking a police station in Istanbul's Sultanahmet district, disguising herself as a distressed tourist who had lost her wallet. The woman was shot after she pulled the pin on one of her grenades. Nearly 4000 Turkish police and paramilitary troops have been drafted in to protect the thousands of Australian tourists expected to travel to the historical site in Turkey. Officials have stepped up the security presence at Gallipoli ahead of the annual Anzac Day commemorations in April, amid terrorism fears in the area . Speaking to Fairfax media, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop stressed that the attack against the Istanbul police station meant tourists travelling to Turkey should execute extreme caution. Ms Bishop urged any Australian travelling abroad to take heed of the seriousness of the situation and asked them to regularly check the government's Smartraveller website, which is updated regularly. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation is also carrying out extensive tests and assessments of the area in turkey for possible terrorist attacks. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop urged any Australian travelling abroad to take heed of the seriousness of the situation and asked them to regularly check the government's Smartraveller website, which is updated regularly . Afghanistan . Central African Republic . Chad . Iraq . Libya . Mali . Niger . Somalia . South Sudan . Syria . Yemen . Nearly 8000 Australians are expected to travel to Gallipol for the centenary on Anzac Day in April. A national ballot was held to hand-pick the 8000 Australians who were lucky enough to be rewarded the honour. Turkey has become embroiled in terrorism fears since it became the main passage for fighters joining extremist groups in Syria and Iraq. The neighbouring conflicts have the potential to cause instability in Turkey and spill over into some of it's major cities. The Department of Foreign Affairs has previously voiced concerns about the possibility of attacks against targets in Turkey, including Ankara, Istanbul or areas close to the Syrian border. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is expected to be joined by Prince Charles and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the event. Nearly 8000 Australians are expected to travel to Gallipol for the centenary on Anzac Day in April. A national ballot was held to hand-pick the 8000 Australians who were lucky enough to be rewarded the honour . Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Australian National University terrorism expert Clarke Jones said the Anzac Day commemorations in Turkey was a high risk event. 'It is a valuable target and it would be quite strategic for, say, Islamic State to launch something in Turkey. Gallipoli is a fair distance from the border of Syria and Iraq but distance is not big deal if they wanted to do it … especially given the porous border.' While the government's Smartraveller website says that the security environment in Turkey is volatile and may change between now and April 2015, they have urged Australia tourists to plan their trip in advance and be sure to purchase travel insurance. Tight security arrangements will be in place for the commemorations. Turkish authorities will screen all visitors on arrival. All bags will be searched and prohibited items will be confiscated. Terrorism concerns were raised after a female bomber killed herself and an officer on Tuesday after walking a police station in Istanbul's Sultanahmet district (pictured above), disguising herself as a distressed tourist who had lost her wallet. The woman was shot after she pulled the pin on one of her grenades .
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Security presence has been stepped up in Gallipoli ahead of Anzac Day .
Terrorism concerns were raised after a female bomber killed herself and an officer on Tuesday .
Nearly 4000 Turkish police and troops have been drafted in to protect tourists .
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has urged Australian to exercise caution in the area .
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Kennedy Space Center, Florida (CNN) -- Floating 245 miles over the Earth Tuesday, NASA engineers Michael Fossum and Ronald Garan tethered themselves to the International Space Station and paused to absorb the view. "My goodness, Mike, look down ... absolutely breathtaking," Garan said as they floated over the Yucatan Peninsula. "Welcome back to our other office." The last spacewalk of the shuttle era began about 40 minutes behind schedule. Veteran astronaut Stephen Bowen was speaking to the engineers from Houston's Johnson Space Center during the walk, which was scheduled to last just over six hours. The excursion was Fossum's seventh spacewalk and Garan's fourth, according to a NASA statement. Fossum and Garan had been at the International Space Station for several weeks before the crew from Atlantis arrived Monday on the last shuttle flight of the 30-year-old program. Members of the Atlantis crew helped choreograph the spacewalk from inside the space station, but only Fossum and Garan ventured outside. While on the spacewalk, the engineers were expected to recover a broken pump and stow it in the shuttle's cargo bay. They also planned to retrieve an experiment from the bay and mount it outside the space station before deploying another experiment, according to NASA. On Monday, the crews learned they are not in danger from an orbiting piece of debris, the space agency said. The agency had been tracking a piece of the COSMOS 375 satellite, saying it could come close to the station. But NASA said Mission Control verified that the debris will pass a safe distance from the station and shuttle. The scrap is one of more than 500,000 pieces of debris tracked in Earth's orbit, according to NASA. The space agency also announced Monday that Atlantis would stay in space one day more than originally planned. The shuttle, which was scheduled to land July 20, will now make what NASA called a night landing at the Kennedy Space Center at 5:56 a.m. July 21. Atlantis lifted off Friday on NASA's final space shuttle mission. The first shuttle, Columbia, blasted off in April 1981. Since then, space shuttle crews have fixed satellites, performed scientific studies, and ferried materials and people to International Space Station Alpha, a football field-sized construction project in orbit. In 134 missions, the five space shuttles have ferried 355 astronauts into space. When Atlantis lands, it will leave the United States with no way to lift humans into space for the first time in decades. NASA will rely on the Russian space agency to ferry U.S. astronauts to orbit. CNN's Ed Payne contributed to this report.
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NEW: Engineers Mike Fossum and Ronald Garan begin excursion .
NEW: Garan: "Welcome back to our other office"
The Atlantis crew is delivering supplies and spare parts .
The mission is the last of the 30-year space shuttle program .
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TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- Japan has joined the growing number of major economies that are back in black. Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso's $150 billion stimulus helps nation out of recession. Japan's economy grew 3.7 percent on an annualized basis from April to June this year, the first time the world's second largest economy has seen positive growth in 15 months. The announcement of preliminary figures by Japan's Cabinet Office comes after France and Germany surprised economists last week by posting 0.3 percent growth for the second quarter of the year. The news that Japan has rebounded -- the hardest hit of the major economies because of its reliance on exports -- gives economists cautious optimism that the worst of the global recession is over. "The economy has seen a bottoming out of global demand, which has pushed out net exports ... especially in high tech industries and basic materials, such as chemical, steel and so on because of Chinese demand," said Hiromichi Shirakawa, chief economist in Japan for Credit Suisse. Japan's GDP grew just under 1 percent during the three-month period and trade increased 1.6 percent. The uptick marks the end of the worst recession in Japan since the end of World War II. Japan's GDP fell at a record pace during the January-March quarter, when GDP was 15.4 percent lower than the same time period last year. The Japanese economy was buoyed by a historic ¥15 trillion ($150 billion) stimulus package in May, which included unemployment benefits, aid to struggling companies, promotion of green industries and a variety of tax breaks. "There are many times in the past when tax breaks and fiscal stimulus were offered and failed, but this time around, it worked," Shirakawa said. Economists expect GDP to continue modest growth through the rest of the year, especially with an expected rebound in global auto sales this quarter. But whether the recovery can continue into the new year after the stimulus package runs its course remains a question. "Japan's economy still is quite sensitive to global demand ... and for consumer demand to grow on a self-sustained basis still seems unlikely," Shirakawa said.
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Japan's economy grows by 3.7 percent on an annualized basis .
First growth in the world's second largest economy in 15 months .
Ends the nation's worst recession since World War II .
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LONDON, England -- A Colombian sculptor has created a mystery at London's Tate Modern gallery by refusing to reveal how she seemingly managed to crack open a concrete floor. "Shibboleth" is Colombian artist Doris Salcedo's first public commission in the United Kingdom. The work by Doris Salcedo begins as a hairline crack then widens and deepens as it snakes across the full 167 meters (548 feet) of the former power station's Turbine Hall. Salcedo said "Shibboleth," a statement about racism, took her more than a year to make but has revealed little else about its construction. She apparently created it elsewhere and spent the past five weeks installing it in the Tate, on the south bank of the River Thames. She refused to say how she managed seemingly to crack open a concrete floor. "What is important is the meaning of the piece. The making of it is not important," she said. Asked how deep the crack goes, she replied: "It's bottomless. It's as deep as humanity." Visitors meanwhile are warned not to trip on the crack. Tate director Nicholas Serota insisted the work was no optical illusion. "This sculpture has been made in the most painstaking, meticulous way by Doris and her team before it was slowly inserted into the Turbine Hall," he told the Press Association. "It has taken five weeks of work here with very considerable disruption to the hall. It's not an illusion - it's there, it's real. "From the Tate's point of view, there were only two questions: could we realize it in the way Doris envisaged? And once the piece was created, would it damage the structural integrity of the building forever? "The answer to the first was yes, and to the second was no." He declined to elaborate further. The installation will be removed next April by filling in the crack. Serota said: "There is a crack, there is a line, and eventually there will be a scar and that scar will remain. It will remain as a memory of the work and also as a memorial to the issues Doris touches on." The artist said the work of art represents the gap between white Europeans and the rest of humanity. Wire mesh is on show because it is "the most common means of control used to define borders and divisions." Salcedo said of the work: "It represents borders, the experience of immigrants, the experience of segregation, the experience of racial hatred. "It is the experience of a Third World person coming into the heart of Europe. "For example, the space which illegal immigrants occupy is a negative space. And so this piece is a negative space." E-mail to a friend .
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Work by Colombian sculptor at London's Tate Modern is crack in concrete floor .
Doris Salcedo refuses to reveal how she created the huge work of art .
"Shibboleth" represents gap between white Europeans and the rest of humanity .
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Former Cardiff City midfielder Gary Medel required mouth surgery after being elbowed by Ricardo Cruzado and losing two teeth during Chile's 3-0 victory over Peru. Medel scored for Chile before the clash with Cruzado towards the end of the first half, which earned the Peruvian a red card in a game that also saw QPR loan signing Eduardo Vargas net a brace. The Inter Milan enforcer was left spitting blood after having one tooth knocked out and another broken - while he also required stitches in his tongue to stem the bleeding. Gary Medel was left spitting blood after having two teeth broken by Ricardo Cruzado's elbow . Former Cardiff City midfielder scored during Chile's 3-0 victory over Peru in an international friendly . 'One less tooth and another broken in a 'friendly' game,' wrote Medel on Twitter. 'Thank you all for your concern.' A statement by team doctor Giovanni Carcuro said: 'As soon as the match had finished, (Medel) had an urgent dental operation to resolve his situation.' VIDEO Scroll down to see Vargas take to the stage during his QPR initiation . Peru had marginally the better of the opening 20 minutes but striker Paolo Guerrero missed a penalty before Vargas put the home side ahead in the 27th. With Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez in good form, the hosts controlled the rest of the match and Vargas struck again with a fine volley in the 53rd minute. QPR loan signing Eduardo Vargas (L) ceebrates after scoring a brace during the game in Valparaiso, Chile . Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez continued his impressive form for his country . 'We dominated a lot and maybe we need to keep improving in how we finish moves because we might have got a bigger result,' Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli told reporters. Chile, who impressed at the World Cup and only narrowly lost to hosts Brazil in the last 16, are preparing to hold the Copa America next year. They host another friendly against Bolivia in Coquimbo on Tuesday. Captain and goalkeeper Claudio Bravo became Chile's most capped player in his 85th international, surpassing 1962 World Cup striker Leonel Sanchez. Barcelona keeper Claudio Bravo (C) won his record 85th international cap .
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Gary Medel required mouth surgery after an elbow from Ricardo Cruzado .
Former Cardiff midfielder scored in Chile's 3-0 friendly win over Peru .
QPR loanee Eduardo Vargas netted a brace and Alexis Sanchez starred .
Claudio Bravo became Chile's most capped player on his 85th appearance .
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Cynthia Osokogu had it all: Beauty -- she was a former model -- intelligence and business savvy. She also modeled herself on her idol, Tyra Banks, and was emerging as a successful businesswoman. "She was hardworking, loving, industrious and beautiful," said her mother, Joy Osokogu. "She had achieved so much at age 24." On July 21 this year, Osokogu traveled to Lagos from the country's capital Abuja, ostensibly, to meet with retailers whom she thought might be able to offer her better prices on clothes and accessories for her fashion boutique. After landing, she called her mother to tell her that she had arrived safely. But Cynthia never made it to the meetings because there weren't any. She was found strangled to death in her hotel room the next morning. The trip was organized by Echezona Nwabufor -- a man, police say, she met through the BlackBerry messenger service and Facebook. For months, he and Cynthia had chatted through these social media platforms and soon she had also "friended" his cousin, Ezike Ilechukwu Olisaeloka. Police say Nwabufor told Cynthia that he was a student at Lagos State University but that he had connections and could help her with her fashion business. What Cynthia didn't know was that Nwabufor had been stalking her for months, patiently gaining her confidence through frequent chats and postings. Eventually, Nwabufor made Cynthia an offer that seemed too good to be true. He offered to buy her a plane ticket and to put her up in a nice hotel if she would come to Lagos to meet with his business associates. When Cynthia arrived in Lagos, she was taken to a hotel just outside of town, drugged, beaten, sexually assaulted and finally, murdered, according to police. Read related: L.A. police use social media to ID possible 'Grim Sleeper' victims . She was targeted, police say, because the suspects had figured out that she was the daughter of a retired Nigerian Army general. They assumed that she would come to Lagos with cash, a large bank account and jewelry. "She got involved with the murderers while chatting," says Lagos Police Commissioner Umar A. Manko. "At some point they discovered that she came from a very good home and felt that they could make some quick money out of her." But her brother, Kenneth Osokogu, says that Cynthia never carried any large sums of cash. "She doesn't even have an ATM card, she used a checkbook," he said. Cynthia's sad and tragic story has shocked Nigeria. But criminal acts through the use of social media are not uncommon around the world. In the United States, Julissa Brisman was murdered by Philip Markoff who used Craigslist to find his victims. And in August, Christopher Dannevig pleaded guilty to murdering 18-year-old Australian student Nona Belomesoff after stalking her, like Cynthia, through Facebook. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, blogs -- Nigeria¹s internet use has exploded from just over two million users in 2005 to more than 44 million users today, according to the country's National Information Technology Development Agency. Nigerians are some of the most active users of social media on the continent and the BlackBerry Messenger service is how millions of Nigerians communicate every day. But Cynthia's murder has touched a nerve and exposed the dark side of the web in a way that most had not imagined possible. And while many outside the country may express shock that a Nigerian would fall for what seemed like an offer too good to be true in a country known for fraud and corruption, the sad irony is that many Nigerians are, in reality, very open and trusting people. And Cynthia's murder really does seem senseless. After the suspects were arrested several other women came forward to say that they too had been drugged, tied up and robbed by the suspects. But they all lived. It is difficult to understand why Cynthia was killed. The police have some theories. Perhaps, they say, the suspects became enraged at the lack of payday after spending so much money to get her there. Or, maybe, Cynthia struggled or attempted to scream even after being drugged with the sedative Rohypnol. Read related: Facebook video leads to teens' murder arrests . "She was struggling to see how she could liberate herself or make noise that would attract people to come (to her aid)," said the investigating officer FESTAC Area Commander, Dan Okoro. "But they overpowered her." The next morning, after having spent the night with Cynthia's body, the suspects left the hotel. A staffer and the police told CNN that the suspects placed a call to reception and told them to get "the body of that bastard" out of the room. While police attempted to identify the body, Cynthia's mother tells CNN that she tried calling Cynthia's cell phone for five days but that the phone was switched off. On the seventh day, she says the suspects answered the phone and told her that Cynthia was sick. Soon, they were asking her for ransom money. "I asked them if they killed my daughter and they said no, she was just sick and couldn't come to the phone," she said. Within three weeks, the police were able to arrest the suspects through cell phone records and CCTV footage of them leaving the hotel. Several other men have been arrested in connection with the crime including the pharmacists who sold the Rohypnol to the suspected killers without a prescription, their driver who police say always accompanied them during their robberies and a "fence" -- the man who sold Cynthia's and the other victims goods. The suspects are due in court on November 5, exactly one month after Cynthia Osokogu was laid to rest. The police say this is a cautionary tale and issued a call to parents to become more aware and vigilant about what their children are doing while surfing the web. Cynthia's family and friends agree. Her father and older brother both believe that Cynthia's murder, as tragic as it was, will serve a higher purpose. "An eye opener to younger girls and also future criminals with such barbaric intentions," said Kenneth Osokogu.
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Police say Cynthia Osokogu was lured to Lagos using social networking sites under false pretenses .
Suspects targeted her as they believed she would be carrying large amounts of cash, police say .
In Lagos, she was taken to a hotel, drugged, and sexually assaulted, before being murdered, they say .
Nigerians are some of the most active social media users in Africa .
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By . Louise Cheer . A crocodile expert has told how a ring on his finger saved his arm when he was attacked by one of his 2.5m maneaters . Craig West spent five days in the Royal Darwin Hospital and needed plastic surgery and stitches on his left arm when his saltwater pet, named Lucifer, turned on him while he was doing maintenance in the croc's pen. When Lucifer got hold of Mr West's fingers and thumb, he could feel the beast's teeth hit his bones. Scroll down for video . Craig West, who has been a reptile wrangler for decades, was attacked by his pet saltwater crocodile, Lucifer . 'He grabbed my fingers and pulled them sideways, it was lucky he didn’t have my whole hand or he would have gone into a death roll and ripped it off with my arm,' Mr West told NT News. But his injuries could have been a lot worse. A ring given to Mr West by his son a decade ago saved the reptile enthusiast's finger. The 43-year-old said he was lucky to escape last week's attack. Mr West was able to pull his hand free when Lucifer released it for a split second to get a better grip. 'A ring my son gave me 10 years ago was on my wedding finger and took a lot of the impact, it saved that finger because a (croc) tooth crunched right through it, the ring had to be cut off,' he said. The 2.5m croc almost took off one of his fingers but a ring saved it . But with decades of experience behind him as a reptile wrangler, this is not the first time Mr West has had a close call. He said this latest attack served as a reminder to others who wanted to tangle with salties. 'They’re not a pet they’re not something that’s ever going to be friendly with you,' Mr West said. Mr West (pictured here at the Royal Darwin Hospital) spent five days in hospital and required plastic surgery and stitches . 'You’ve got to be aware of that all the time because the instant they have the chance to go and grab you, they’ll grab you every time.' Mr West said a crocodile's reflexes were 15 times faster than a human's.
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Craig West needed plastic surgery and stitches on his left arm .
He was attacked by 2.5m Lucifer while doing work in its pen .
A ring given to him by his son saved the Darwin man's finger .
The 43-year-old has warned pet crocs can turn on you at any time .
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153b1704032c5c4a402a61729da5ae8f541be8f9
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Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has argued that his side's performance in their 1-1 draw at Chelsea on Saturday proved there is still plenty of life left in the title race. City, bidding to be the first team since Manchester United in 2009 to retain the Premier League crown, trail Chelsea by five points after sharing the spoils at Stamford Bridge. But the visitors were the better team with Sergio Aguero missing three good chances to score and Fernandinho also shooting wide from a well-placed position. Manuel Pellegrini (right) has warned Jose Mourinho (left) that the Premier League title race is far from over . Chelsea striker Loic Remy celebrates putting his side 1-0 up against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge . In contrast, Chelsea failed to produce a single shot after Loic Remy's goal after 41 minutes, which was cancelled out four minutes later by David Silva. Pellegrini said: 'We tried to win the game from the first minute to the end so while I am not happy with getting only one point, I am proud of the performance. 'Of course it was important to close the gap, but we still have 45 more points to play for. Although it was a very important game, it was not the final.' Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero (centre) competes for the ball with Chelsea's Ramires (right) City's David Silva slots home to equalise for his side and earn a share of the points at Stamford Bridge . Chelsea's Serbian anchorman Nemanja Matic (left) holds up play against the oncoming Silva (right) Pellegrini's side were the more adventurous of the two teams despite being the away team. The City manager doesn't like Mourinho but refused to directly criticise Chelsea's defensive methods. 'I think both teams have a clear style of play that they think is best for them,' he said. 'I am not saying Chelsea played for a draw.' Remy brings the ball forward for Chelsea as Manchester City's midfielder Fernandinho (left) gives chase . Sergio Aguero has an effort at goal but sees his shot go well wide on a frustrating afternoon for the striker . However, the City boss will have Yaya Toure and Wilfried Bony available after the African Cup of Nations pointed out his team had 'tried to create space against a team who defended well and near their box.' He added: 'We came for the three points.' Manuel Pellegrini is looking forward to welcoming Yaya Toure (left) back from international duty . Toure and Bony (pictured) will return to Manchester City following the Africa Cup of Nations .
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Manuel Pellegrini says there is plenty left to play for in the title race .
League leaders Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw with Manchester City .
City midfielder David Silva scored to cancel Loic Remy's opener for Chelsea .
Jose Mourinho's side lead the table by five points .
But Pellegrini says City can catch them up before the end of the season .
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153eede9e0cfeb239e9fd6611ba966cbe426a751
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Australian triathlon legend Jackie Fairweather was always striving for perfection and didn't realise what a difference she made to the world of sport, according to Triathlon Australia CEO Anne Gripper. The Perth-born 46-year-old, who was grappling with crippling depression, tragically took her own life on Sunday. Ms Gripper, a personal friend of both Jackie and her husband Simon, said the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and world champion, battled with her contribution to the sport and 'was always challenging herself to be better'. Australian triathlon legend Jackie Fairweather was always striving for perfection and didn't realise what a difference she made to the world of sport, according to Triathlon Australia CEO Anne Gripper . Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Ms Gripper said she was mourning the tragic loss of her dear friend, whom she met while she was living in Canberra and Jackie was training for triathlon competitions. The last time Ms Gripper saw Jackie was at a book launch three months ago on the Gold Coast, where Jackie had previously lived in the 80s. Ms Gripper wanted to acknowledge Jackie's hard work within the industry and the huge influence she had on the world of triathlon. 'Like a typical athlete and as a world champion striving for perfection, she never really thought she had made a big enough contribution to the sport,' Ms Gripper said. 'She was very keen to do anything she possibly could,' Ms Gripper said. 'From a sport perspective, I just want to acknowledge the contribution she made, particularly when things weren't going so well for the sport,' she continued. The Perth-born 46-year-old, who was grappling with crippling depression, tragically took her own life on Sunday . Gallagher changed her surname in 2004 after marrying Australian Olympic archery champion Simon Fairweather (right) Ms Gripper revealed that Jackie always had time to spare for aspiring athletes and would constantly encourage the younger generation to take part in the sport, however she was constantly battling with her own demons and never thought she was good enough. Fairweather, or Gallagher, as she was known at the time - was considered a trailblazer for triathlons back in the 1990's when she excelled to the top of her game in the international arena. She began competing in triathlons in 1992 and won the elite Australian National Series in her first season. Fairweather, or Gallagher, as she was known at the time - was considered a trailblazer for triathlons back in the 1990's when she excelled to the top of her game in the international arena . During her eight years as a professional athlete - a career highlight was in 1996 when she was crowned the world triathlon champion - setting a championship record time of 1 hour 50 minutes, 52 seconds in Cleveland, Ohio. She also won the World Duathlon Championships in 1996 and became the only person ever to claim both world titles in the same year. Jackie bagged a further World Championship silver medals in 1995, 1997 and 1999. She began competing in triathlons in 1992 and won the elite Australian National Series in her first season . She also claimed the Duathlon World Championships for a second time in 1999. She then went on to collect the bronze medal in the marathon in the 2002 Commonwealth Games and win the Gold Coast Marathon in 2005. Jackie changed her surname from Gallagher to Fairweather in 2004, after marrying Australian Olympic archery champion Simon Fairweather. Jackie met Simon at the Australian Institute of Sport and they married in 2004. During her eight years as a professional athlete - a career highlight was in 1996 when she was crowned the world triathlon champion - setting a championship record time of 1 hour 50 minutes, 52 seconds in Cleveland, Ohio . She received the honour of being name Australian Sports Woman of the Year in 1996 and Australian Triathlete of the Year in 1993 and 1996. In 2012 she was inducted into the Triathlon Australia Hall of Fame alongside other legends of the sport Emma Carney and Loretta Harrop. 'Of all the champions we've had in our sport, Jackie was certainly one who gave back,' Ms Gripper said. 'She was a remarkable Australian who put her heart and soul into everything she ever did. 'The number of calls and messages, we have received clearly indicate that Jackie will never be forgotten by anyone who had the pleasure of knowing her. She also won the World Duathlon Championships in 1996 and became the only person ever to claim both world titles in the same year.Jackie bagged a further World Championship silver medals in 1995, 1997 and 1999 . She then went on to collect the bronze medal in the marathon in the 2002 Commonwealth Games and win the Gold Coast Marathon in 2005 . Ms Gripper said Jackie had continued running up until the day she died, however sports commentator Jim Wilson disputes this. Mr Wilson, who is a friend of Jackie's husband Simon, told Daily Mail Australia that he believes Jackie had finished competing. Although he did not know her on a personal level, Mr Wilson is very familiar with her husband and expressed his condolences to the whole family. Jackie met Simon Fairweather at the Australian Institute of Sport and they married in 2004 . 'It's way too young and my thought are with Simon and with her family,' he said. Mr Wilson also encouraged anyone who is suffering from depression to seek the help they need. He revealed to Daily Mail Australia that he has personally sought help for the disease. 'Having lost loved ones, I don't mind saying I have had counselling and it was the best thing I ever did,' he said. 'If you need help, seek help, it's made a difference,' he continued. She received the honour of being name Australian Sports Woman of the Year in 1996 and Australian Triathlete of the Year in 1993 and 1996 . Having worked in the sports industry for decades, Mr Wilson understands how athletes are constantly striving to better themselves. 'Athletes set high expectations and it can be difficult if they don't reach it,' he said. 'It can be challenging physiologically.' 'I have a lot of respect for some people who seek help and seek council,' The Australian sports journalist and reporter praised Jackie Fairweather for her achievements and claimed that she was the 'elite of the elite' in the sports world. Anne Gripper, a friend of Jackie and CEO of Triathlon Australia said she was mourning the loss of one the true champions and supporters of the sport . 'She was a world champion athlete and to go on and win world championships and a bronze medal in the commonwealth games is just phenomenal,' he said. Mr Wilson said Jackie was well respected in the triathlon world and personally saw how giving she was of her time. Mr Wilson said he has not spoken to her heartbroken husband Simon yet, however he has his number and he will be calling him to express his condolences. In 2012 she was inducted into the Triathlon Australia Hall of Fame alongside other legends of the sport Emma Carney and Loretta Harrop . Jackie received a plaque and was inducted into the Triathlon Australia hall of fame in 2012, for her contribution to the sport . 'It's a very difficult time for the family I think the two of them reached the pinnacle of sport,' he said. 'He's a decent man and I feel very very sad for his loss and for Jackie's family.' Mr Wilson said that Jackie was in a very select club, having won numerous world championships and then going on to win the bronze in the Commonwealth Games. He also claimed that being an athlete, she would have set very high benchmarks for herself and believes that it would be 'naive' of people to think that depression is not rife in sport. 'One in five people suffer from some sort of issue and it's a community problem,' he said. 'I have a lot of respect for people who seek help and seek council' Sports commentator Jim Wilson has encouraged the public to seek help if they are battling with depression . 'If you need help please go and talk to someone about it,' Mr Wilson referenced Beyond Blue Lifeline, which are both organisations who work to support people suffering from depression. In a statement, ASC Chief Executive Simon Hollingsworth said Jackie will be sadly missed. 'Jackie was a true star of international triathlon and a highly respected and valued member of the Australian Sports Commission and our thoughts go out to her husband, family and friends in this difficult time,' said Hollingsworth. Jim Wilson said that Jackie would have set very high benchmarks for herself as does every athlete and this can effect them physiologically . She was a first class coach being appointed as the inaugural coach of the AIS Triathlon program, a position she held through until 2005, the year in which the program was awarded AIS Program of the Year. 'Jackie will be sorely missed by the many people whose lives are better for knowing her,' he said. Jackie's fellow athletes took to their Facebook pages to express their sadness at her sudden death. Olympic gold medallist Scott McGrory expressed his sympathy to Jackie's husband and her family . The tributes on Twitter show how Fairweather's peers held her in a very high regard and were absolutely devastated by her shocking passing . Ironman distance champion, Belinda Granger, said 'tonight I will have a glass of red and toast an absolute legend of our sport and bloody top chick'. 'Will never forget you Miss Jackie,' she continued. Australian athlete Jessie Trengove said: 'Very sad to hear of the passing of Jackie Fairweather - a passionate, kind and inspirational Australian who will be dearly missed by many . Olympic gold medallist Scott McGrory took to his Twitter page to pay tribute to the star. An overwhelming number of tweets are pouring in for Fairweather on Twitter . 'Sad to hear of the sudden passing of Jackie (Gallagher) Fairweather. A true legend of Aussie sport. Thoughts are with Simon and family,' he said. Courtney Atkinson, who was a member of the 2008 Olympic triathlon team, paid his respects to his mentor. 'RIP #JackieFairweather Did amazing things for triathlon and Australian sport and me personally in my youth. Thankyou. Missed,' he said.
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Jackie Fairweather was always striving for perfection .
She didn't think she 'contributed enough to the sport'
Jackie tragically took her own life on Sunday .
She was suffering from crippling depression .
Jackie was always battling with herself and wanted to be better .
Triathlon Australia CEO Anne Gripper paid tribute to the star .
She claims that Fairweather always had time for young aspiring triathlon athletes .
Jackie was a world championship medallist and received a bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games .
Sports commentator Jim Wilson has encouraged the public to seek help if they are battling with depression .
He revealed that he has had counselling and it was the best thing he ever did .
He said Jackie would have set very high benchmarks for herself .
Social media has been flooded with touching tributes for the star .
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153fdbd4b7035dec24dc47be9bab1d691b864caa
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By . Daniel Martin . PUBLISHED: . 14:11 EST, 17 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:00 EST, 18 July 2013 . David Cameron spent thousands of pounds of public money on a 140-mile helicopter flight to Lincoln instead of taking a car or train. The Prime Minister snubbed public transport and travelled by military aircraft to attend a question-and-answer session with factory workers. Last night green campaigners said there was ‘no justification’ for using a helicopter for such a short journey. David Cameron answers questions for workers at . Siemens' factory in Lincoln: The Prime Minister spent thousands of . pounds of taxpayers' money on a 140-mile helicopter flight there rather . than going by car or train . Travelling in style: It is not known how much . the RAF helicopter would have cost - but it is likely to have run into . the tens of thousands. A similar train journey costs just £67 for standard class return ticket . It is believed that the flight by RAF helicopter was only a little more than an hour faster than taking a train. On Tuesday, Mr Cameron was driven to . RAF Northolt, near Uxbridge, West London, in his ministerial car, a . journey of around 35 minutes. He was then flown by military . helicopter to RAF Waddington, near Lincoln – a flight of less than an . hour – where he was met by another car to take the 13-minute journey to a . Siemens factory. A similar train journey from London to . Lincoln, changing at Newark North Gate, takes around two hours and . costs £67, or around £120 for a first-class ticket. It is not known how much using the RAF helicopter would have cost, but it is likely to have been several thousand pounds. Working dad: It has been speculated that the PM . may have chosen to fly to Lincoln so that he was able to take his . daughter Florence to nursery and help with the school run for his other . children while his wife is away . The shortest distance between any two points... This map compares the road and rail routes from . London to Lincoln with the 'as the crow flies' route the Prime Minister . chose to take in an RAF helicopter . Following the question-and-answer . session, Mr Cameron was asked how he travelled to Lincoln, where . travellers have long complained of poor rail links. He said: ‘Today, I’ve been flying . around, but I use trains, cars, boats, planes, helicopters – all manner . of means. But I know here in Lincoln you want to see more direct . services. There’s the one but we need more.’ 'It's amazeballs': Former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott used his Twitter account to mock Mr Cameron's choice of transport . Natalie Bennett, the leader of the . Green Party, said: ‘Clearly, he should have taken a train for . environmental reasons. It’s an immense sum of money.’ Steve McCabe, Labour MP for Birmingham . Selly Oak, said: ‘People stuck on trains and in traffic queues in the . sweltering heat will be appalled to find out that David Cameron was . spending thousands of pounds of their money on a helicopter to ferry him . to a publicity stunt. 'Once again it just shows just how out of touch . the Tories are.’ Mr Cameron’s spokesman said: ‘The Prime Minister will use the most appropriate form of travel.’ Asked why an RAF helicopter was deemed . to be the most appropriate mode of transport on this occasion, he . replied: ‘Because it was. I’m not a travel agent. ‘The Prime Minister travels in a range . of different means, of course dependent on the event he is going to. We . publish the costs of ministerial travel. Everything is as . cost-effective as possible.’ Asked if he had travelled by helicopter to avoid sitting on a hot train, the spokesman said: ‘I didn’t have a thermometer.’ Former deputy prime minister John . Prescott made fun of the flight on Twitter, despite the fact that he was . once flown by helicopter to a Grand Prix at Silverstone, paid for by . the Motorsports Association. Mr Prescott, who also took his . chauffeur-driven car the short distance from a Bournemouth hotel to the . Labour Party conference, tweeted a link to a train ticket website . yesterday, saying: ‘David Cameron, you really should try this. It’s . amazeballs.’
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Choice of transport is thought to have shaved just an hour of the journey .
Mr Cameron may have chosen to fly to take his daughter to nursery that day .
John Prescott uses Twitter to mock the PM's decision to travel by helicopter .
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