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(CNN) -- A 7.2-magnitude earthquake has struck south of the Mariana Islands, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The Mariana Islands -- an archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean -- are made up of two U.S. territories, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The islands sit about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue a tsunami warning after the quake, which struck at 7:19 a.m. Saturday (5:19 p.m. ET Friday). "We wouldn't expect any kind of significant tsunami for this event," said the center's director, Charles McCreery, noting that the quake's magnitude was relatively low to provoke one. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, emergency management officials said. The quake struck about 375 kilometers (233 miles) west-southwest of Hagatna, Guam, and 445 kilometers (276 miles) west-southwest of Rota, Northern Mariana Islands. It ran 4.7 kilometers (2.9 miles) deep. CNN's Dan Gilgoff and Talia Kayali contributed to this report.

NEW: No immediate reports of damage, casualties . Earthquake hits south of the Mariana Islands early Saturday . No tsunami warning has been issued . The islands are made up of two U.S. territories .

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Suad Abu-Dayyeh, Middle East and North Africa Consultant for Equality Now pictured holiding a photograph of Soheir al-Bata'a, who died after undergoing female genital mutilation in Egypt . An Egyptian doctor and the father of a 13-year-old female genital mutilation victim have gone on trial after the youngster died during the barbaric procedure. Soheir al-Bata'a suffered an allergic reaction to penicillin following the illegal operation in the Nile Delta medical clinic  in June 2013. Dr Raslan Fadl and the victim's father Mohamed did not attend the first day of the trial in the northern town of Aga  where they are accused of illegally mutilating the youngster as well as her manslaughter. According . to the Daily Telegraph, the trial has been adjourned until July 10 when . the judge is expected to return a guilty verdict. It . is understood that Dr Fadl faces a £40 fine and up to seven years in . prison while the victim's father can receive a maximum of six months. According . to Human Rights group Equality Now, Dr Fadl made several attempts to . block the investigation, even paying the family more than £5,000 to drop . the case. The . victim's father changed his statement to match Dr Fadl claiming his . daughter had been brought to the clinic to receive treatment for genital . warts. Equality Now believes Dr Fadl is still performing procedures from his apartment beside the clinic. It . is understood that he performed between eight and ten procedures in his . clinic a day - despite FGM being outlawed in Egypt in 2008. Suad . Abu-Dayyeh, Middle East and North Africa Consultant for Equality Now . said: 'Equality Now and our partners in Egypt are glad that the Egyptian . authorities continues the process to ensure justice for Soheir. 'We . continue to monitor the court proceedings to make sure that those . responsible for Soheir’s mutilation and death are held accountable. As . in the UK, this first ever FGM prosecution sends out a strong message . that it will not be tolerated. ' According . to Unicef, nine out of ten Egyptian women aged between 15 and 49 have . undergone the procedure, which can cost as little as £2.50. More than 70 per cent of the operations in Egypt are still performed by doctors. An anti-FGM poster in Somalia where the procedure is also very prevalent, more than nine out of ten Egyptian women are believed to have been cut according to figures released by Unicef .

Soheir al-Bata'a suffered an allergic reaction to penicillin used by clinic . The doctor tried to pay the family to change their story and block probe . Egyptian court expected to return guilty verdicts on July 10 .

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A mother learnt her partner had been crushed to death after his employment agency left a message on her answer phone checking she was okay. Father-of-one Richard Brown, 48, was killed as he unloaded pallets containing heavy kitchen worktops at an industrial estate. His partner Kim Tribe had been out Christmas shopping and was unaware of his death until she got home and picked up the message from a concerned member of staff at Prestige, the employment agency whose books he was on. Kim Tribe pictured with her partner Richard Brown, 48, who died in an industrial accident at Howdens Joinery in Wokington, Cumbria . 'The agency, which he worked for, wanted to know if they could be of any assistance after the tragic news about Richard,' said devastated Ms Tribe, aged 44. 'No one had told me about the accident. I rang Richard's mobile. It just rang out. I rang the agency back and they came straight round. 'They were mortified. They honestly thought I'd been told. I don't blame them. 'It has destroyed us. I'm still numb and in shock.' Cumbria Police and the Health and Safety Executive are carrying out a joint investigation into the industrial accident at Howdens Joinery depot in Workington, Cumbria. Mr Brown was making his second or third delivery on November 10, for the kitchen suppliers when the accident happened. The air ambulance along with a land ambulance, medical director, four fire engines the police responded to the 999 call at 1.30pm. A spokesman for North West Ambulance Service spokesman said Mr Brown was trapped under a number of pallets. 'Richard went off to work quite happy,' said Ms Tribe. 'He had been wearing his new work boots and hi-vis jacket. 'Workington was his second or third drop.' Ms Tribe said she had spoken, briefly, to her partner about an hour before the incident. 'Richard loved to talk on the phone,' said Ms Tribe from West Hull, East Yorkshire. Father-of-one Richard Brown, 48, was killed as he unloaded pallets containing heavy kitchen worktops at Howdens Joinery in Workington, Cumbria . 'He was always ringing people up. 'He told me, 'I'll unload this lot and I'll ring you back'.' Ms Tribe said she became worried when Mr Brown failed to call her back. 'I rang his mobile five times and left a message asking if he was OK,' she said. 'It was really unlike him not to ring back.' After learning of her partner's death the hairdresser had to break the news to his son, Dominik, 17, a former Hull City academy footballer. Mr Brown's nephew, Martin Oliver, 41, said his London-born uncle had not intended to work that shift. 'Richard was on nights, but agreed to do the agency a favour by working that shift,' he said. 'He shouldn't even have been in Workington.' 'Richard was a good man - very hardworking and likeable. Wherever you went, people would know him. 'But without doubt the biggest, most important thing in his life was Dominik. He loved him to pieces. The two of them could not have been closer. 'He was known by some people as 'Cockney' because he was from London originally,' said Mr Oliver. 'Everyone loved him.' A spokesman for Howdens Joinery said that the company had launched their own internal investigation into the incident.

Richard Brown, 48, was crushed as he was unloading kitchen worktops . He was making a delivery at Howdens Joinery in Workington, Cumbria . His partner Kim Tribe, 44, learnt of his death in a voice message . They wanted to check that she was okay and offer their assistance . Mr Brown's employment agency thought she had been told of his death . Just before the accident the couple had been talking on the phone . He told MsTribe 'I'll ring you back,' but  she never heard from him again . Police and Health and Safety Executive are jointly probing his death .

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(CNN) -- Brett Rumford is enjoying the European Tour's 'Asian Swing' and is well placed to secure back to back victories by taking a one-shot lead into the final round of the China Open Sunday. The Australian, who won the Ballantine's Championship in Korea last weekend with an eagle at the first playoff hole, carded a third round three-under 69 in blustery conditions at the Binhai Lake Golf Club. Rumford, 35, carded a hat-trick of birdies to catch overnight leader Mikko Ilonen and the Finn bogeyed the last after driving into the water to relinquish the lead. It left Rumford on 12-under 204, one clear of Illonen, with Spain's Pablo Larrazabal in third, a further shot back. Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat will go into the final round in fourth -- three behind. The tournament has been notable for the appearance of teenage local players, notably 12-year-old Ye Wocheng, who missed the cut. But his amateur counterpart, Dou Zecheng, a relative veteran at 16, continued to impress and carded a level-par 72 for two-under overall. "I had some good iron shots and my putting was especially good today, but I still need to improve on my distance," he told AFP. Up front, Rumford has taken charge but acknowledged conditions were difficult, particularly on the back nine. "That was a tough day," he told the official European Tour website. "I really started to feel things on the back nine. I did really well to hang in nicely with some tired golf swings, I mentally stayed with it -- physically not so much but mentally I hung in there." Defending champion Branden Grace of South Africa was the last player to win two successive events on the European Tour, back in January 2012. He is nine shots behind in China after a third round 72. Meanwhile, on the PGA Tour, Phil Mickelson grabbed a share of the halfway lead at the $6.7 million Fargo Championship in North Carolina. The legendary "leftie" carded a five-under 67 at Quail Hollow to stand on a nine-under 135. Australia's Scott Gardiner, who matched Mickelson's 67, was tied for second on 137 with Americans Nick Watney and George McNeill. World No.2 Rory McIlroy shared fifth place with five others, three behind. Mickelson finished second behind McIlroy at Quail Hollow in 2010 and is tuning up for the U.S. Open championship at Merion next month. Northern Ireland's McIlroy, one of seven joint leaders after the first round, shot a one-under 71 to be tied with England's Lee Westwood, Australian Rod Pampling and home pair Jason Kokrak and Derek Ernst.

Brett Rumford leads China Open by a shot after third round . Rumford is bidding for successive wins on the European Tour . Local amateur Dou Wocheng continues to impress . Phil Mickelson leads Wells Fargo Championship on PGA Tour .

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They're bigger, brawnier, and faster than the typical male, but are National Football League players healthier than other men their age? Justin Bannan, who plays for the Baltimore Ravens, participated in the study on NFL players. Yes and no, according to a new NFL-funded study that looks at the cardiovascular health of young athletes. The good news is that NFL players have cholesterol levels similar to other men in their 20s and 30s, and their blood sugar tends to be even healthier. However, they are much more likely to have high blood pressure or borderline hypertension when compared with men who aren't professional athletes. "It's a step in the right direction to have this study," says Justin Bannan, 30, who plays defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens and took part in the research. "I think the more information we can find out and the more studies we can do, the better." The study, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is important, particularly as more and more players are weighing in at 300-plus pounds. The extra weight could potentially strain an athlete's heart in youth or even after retirement, and many question whether it has played a role in a handful of high-profile deaths. Health.com: Eat right advice: Fiber, starch, fats, serving sizes . In particular, the death of Thomas Herrion at age 23 has raised concerns about the heart health of larger players. Herrion, who was 6'3" and 330 pounds, had just finished an exhibition game with the San Francisco 49ers when he collapsed and died in 2005. "He's sort of the prototype of the bigger, stronger linemen that populates the NFL now, as compared with 20 or 30 years ago," says lead study author Dr. Andrew M. Tucker, the team physician for the Baltimore Ravens. "We have so many big, strong guys over 300 pounds. I think that case in particular was important in stimulating the whole study and the investigation." Other heavy players-- such as defensive end Reggie White-- have also died at an early age. White was 43 when he died from cardiac arrhythmia in 2004. In the study, Tucker, who is the cochair of the NFL subcommittee on cardiovascular health, and his colleagues looked at 504 active players from 12 teams in 2007. The researchers measured the players' height, weight, percentage of body fat, and other factors, and then compared them to 1,959 men ages 23 to 35 who participated in a study called CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults). Health.com: 20 little ways to lose drop the pounds and keep them off . They found that players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men (only 6.7 percent of players had impaired fasting glucose compared to 15.5 percent of other men) and their cholesterol levels were essentially the same. However, 13.8 percent of players had high blood pressure and 64.5 percent had prehypertension, or borderline high blood pressure, compared to 5.5 percent and 24.2 percent of other men, respectively. Tucker notes that the football players outweighed the men in the CARDIA study by an average of 70 pounds and that it's natural to assume that larger people may have higher blood pressure. "But what was fascinating to us was the category of prehypertension," says Tucker, who is also the medical director of sports medicine at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Health.com: How to eat out without getting fat . The study found that NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men-- regardless of the size of the player or his position. "So our lean players who play defensive back and wide receiver, they have prevalence of prehypertension just as common as the really big guys playing offensive and defensive line," says Tucker. "So there's something that we're trying to investigate now that accounts for elevated blood pressures in our active players that is not accounted for by size alone-- there's got to be something else." Health.com: Cut up to 900 calories with simple substitutions . That "something else" could be strength or resistance training, the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, sleep apnea (which is characterized by heavy snoring and a hike in blood pressure), or diet, including excessive sodium intake. Dr. Tucker doesn't think anabolic steroids are to blame. Even though he and his colleagues didn't ask players if they used steroids, he says that the NFL's year-round testing program should have ruled out any use. "[However] I'm concerned about the widespread use of performance-enhancing agents, which contain stimulants that can not only increase blood pressure but of course have stimulating effects on the heart," says Dr. Tucker. He adds that, in the last several years, such stimulants have been linked to sporadic deaths in college and even professional athletes. Although today's players are much more likely to weigh in excess of 300 pounds than those in the past, it doesn't necessarily mean they are fat, Dr. Tucker explains. Athletes are larger nowadays due to rule changes in the 1970s and 1980s that were aimed at protecting their lower bodies; those guidelines also gave larger players a competitive advantage. If one goes by body mass index alone-- a measure of height and weight that doesn't take into account muscle mass-- more than half of players are obese, according to a 2005 study. However, Tucker and his team found that the average percentage of body fat was 14 percent, ranging from 8 percent to 10 percent in the leaner positions-- such as wide receivers and linebackers-- to 20 percent in defensive linemen and 25 percent in offensive linemen. "Even our offensive linemen are really on the upper limits of what's considered healthy," says Tucker. "There are plenty of my regular patients who would take that." Health.com: Olympic swimmer discusses life with exercise-induced asthma . Overall, Tucker says he is most worried about older, retired athletes. "I'm concerned about whether there is a constellation of things going on that puts them at risk when they're 45 or 55," he says. More attention is being paid to detraining athletes so that they can adopt healthier lifestyles and better nutrition after they retire, says William Kraemer, Ph.D., a professor in the department of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut. "It really is tough because you're trying to stay big in your playing days," says Kraemer. "The big fear is, [after retirement] you stop exercising and you keep eating the way you used to when you were expending a lot of calories. A lot of times when kids get out of college or they get out of the pros, there is no system in place that helps them make the transition." The Ravens' Bannan says the older generation is teaching younger players the importance of changing their lifestyle after retirement. "If you're a heavier player, a lineman that's over 300 pounds, really what it comes down to is a lifestyle change and eating healthier, losing weight when you are done, and staying active and staying healthy," says Bannan, who is 6'3" and 310 pounds. "Make a few changes in your life; I think that's going to make things a lot better for you down the road." Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 .

Death of Thomas Herrion has raised worries over the heart health of big players . Researchers looked at 504 active NFL players from 12 teams in 2007 . Players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men . NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men .

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Five prisoners released Thursday from the U.S. Navy prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba included hard-core al-Qaeda members who traveled and worked closely with terror leaders Osama bin Laden and Abu Zubaydah. The move is being seen as part of the Obama administration's effort to shutter the military detention center, a promise the president made during his 2008 campaign but which he has yet to fulfill. Although an administration task force found in 2009 that they no longer posed a great enough threat to keep behind razor wire indefinitely, classified documents demonstrate that only a year earlier they were deemed high-risk and likely to re-engage in hostilities against the United States and its allies. In an April 2008 evaluation report, the Department of Defense determined that one of the men, 36-year-old Yemeni citizen Abdel Ghaib Ahmad Hakim, was 'a member of al-Qaeda who reportedly accompanied Osama Bin Laden throughout Afghanistan.' SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE INTELLIGENCE REPORTS . The U.S. Naval detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is a political hot potato, with President Barack Obama insisting it should be closed and congressional Republicans saying there's nowhere safe to send hardened al-Qaeda terrorists . Former Guantanamo Bay detainees Hashim Bin Ali Bin Amor Sliti (left) and Husayn Salim Muhammad Al-Mutari Yafai (right) have been released to the government of Slovakia . Abdel Ghaib Ahmad Hakim (left) and Abdul Khaled Al-Baydani (right) were sent to the nation of Georgia . Intelligence agents learned that he went with the 9/11 mastermind as he toured Afghanistan to receive 'bayat' – declarations of allegiance – from terror cell leaders. Less than a year before the Obama administration first reclassified him as a detainee who could leave, the Pentagon ruled that Ahmad Hakim was a 'high risk' prisoner, 'as he is likely to pose a threat to the U.S., its interests and allies.' He was also described in the report as having 'high intelligence value' to the United States. That assessment was based on the conclusion that he was 'a member of Abu Zubaydah's Martyrs Brigade, a Faisalabad [Pakistan] cell intended to conduct IED attacks against U.S. and Coalition forces. A second released terror suspect, 37-year-old Husayn Salim Muhammad Al-Mutari Yafai, also from Yemen, was an al-Qaeda forger. Another April 2008 Department of Defense report referred to him as 'an al-Qaeda facilitator located in Iran providing travel and false travel documents to Arab extremists attempting to enter Afghanistan.' He, too, was deemed 'a high risk, as he is likely to pose a threat to the US, its interests, and allies.' Yafai, his assessment concluded, 'is an assessed al-Qaeda member who has information on al-Qaeda associated guesthouses and safe houses in Afghanistan and Iran.' In January 2009 before Obama's task force met, the Pentagon declared in a supplemental report that he was 'a probable recidivist candidate.' 'If released without rehabilitation, close supervision, and means to successfully reintegrate into his society as a law-abiding citizen,' the addemdum read, 'it is assessed detainee would seek out prior associates and reengage in hostilities and extremist support activities at home and abroad.' The reports covering Hakim and Yafai recommended 'continued detention under DoD control' for both men. Yafai was released to Slovakia. Akim went to the former Soviet nation of Georgia. Sliti, a 48-year-old Tunisian, was a member of an Islamist extremist organization called the Tunisian Combatant Group. His classified assessment revealed that in 2004, he was convicted in absentia on terrorism-related charges for his role in suicide attacks – 'including a foiled attack against U.S. military personnel at the Kleine Brogel Air Base in Belgium.' His jailers considered him a high-risk prisoner, writing in 2008 that he had 'holds anti-US sentiment and on more than one occasion has threatened to kill members of the guard force.' An older assessment on another inmate released this week, written in 2004, concerned the 52-year-old Al-Dhabi, a Saudi- born Yemeni man. He was trained to use rocket-propelled grenades and small arms at the Sadeeq terrorist camp in Afghanistan, the Pentagon found. And 'in Kandahar, the detainee and his family stayed in an apartment provided by the Taliban.' 'This detainee is a member of Al-Qaeda and/or its global terrorist network,' the report concluded, adding that he 'has demonstrated a commitment to jihad, has links to key facilitators in Al-Qaeda's international terrorist network, has participated in terrorist training, likely participated in direct hostilities against the U.S. and coalition forces, and maintains the capability to continue to do so if released.' The report's author, U.S. Army Brigadier General Jay Hood, wrote that Al-Dhabi's specialized terror training suggested that the only safe way to release him would be to transfer him to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he could be monitored intensely. 'He is likely to pose a threat to the US, its interests and allies,' Hood wrote . The Defense Department reports, classified as 'SECRET,' were first released by the controversial Wikileaks website in 2011 but have since been lost in the Internet's staticky coverage of America's war on terror. EMPTYING: The Obama administration has released nearly 100 Guantanamo Bay prisoners . Leaving for what? Many released Guantanamo Bay detainees have returned to the battlefield in the Middle East, including one who is now in the ISIS leadership structure . California Republican Rep. Buck McKeon, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, said Thurdsay that 'as long as detainees are rejoining the battlefield, these transfers must stop.' “I have written to Secretary [Chuck] Hagel expressing my frustration and great concern over a new swell of recidivism. If just one U.S. soldier loses their life over these transfers, we will have failed in our duty to the American people.' 'What the Obama Administration is doing is dangerous and, frankly, reckless,' McKeon said. 'They have chosen many times to put politics above national security. It’s time they stop playing with fire and start doing what’s right. Until we can assure the terrorists stay off the battlefield, they must stay behind bars.' Georgia Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss, likely to be the next chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, also slammed the White House for its latest move. 'For years, we’ve seen the president put politics over America’s national security by releasing Guantanamo Bay detainees and transferring them to other nations,' he said in a statement. 'Dangerous and, frankly, reckless': House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Buck McKeon blasted the White House . 'These are dangerous terrorists who will continue to plot ways to harm and kill Americans, just like previous detainees released to foreign countries who have reengaged in terrorism.' Obama, he said, 'seems more occupied with efforts to fulfill a campaign promise than ensuring these terrorists cannot rejoin the fight.' Guantanamo Bay now holds 143 prisoners, about 100 fewer than the number when Obama took office. Congress had repeatedly prohibited the release of any inmate to domestic American prisons and put tight restrictions on other releases as well. But those limits were mostly lifted in December 2013, and more of what the White House and the Pentagon call 'resettlements' are expected before the end of the year. Another 74 prisoners at Guantanamo have already been cleared to leave. Fifty-five got the green light from an Obama-appointed task force in 2010. 'These men were approved for transfer by consensus of the six departments and agencies comprising the task force,' the Pentagon said Thursday in a press release. Overall, 620 detainees have been released from the prison camp; 107 have returned to the battlefield and another 77 are suspected of doing so, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. One of the confirmed terrorist fighters who returned to the Middle East, Abdul Raheem Muslimdost, was determined to no longer be an 'enemy combatant' in 2006, during the George W. Bush administration. A Pakistani newspaper reported this year that he is now among several Pakistanis with leadership positions in the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham. The Associated Press reported Thursday that U.S. State Department envoy Clifford Sloan has been trying to persuade countries to accept prisoners from Guantanamo. Three were sent to Georgia and two to Slovakia. Those countries now hold a total of 16 former terror detainees once held at the prison. 'We are very grateful to our partners for these generous humanitarian gestures,' Sloan said in a statement. 'We appreciate the strong support we are receiving from our friends and allies around the globe.' 2014-Nov-20 GTMO detainee releases uploaded by MailOnline .

One former detainee toured Afghanistan with bin Laden as he received pledges of obedience from terror cell leaders . Another was a prolific forger based in Iran who helped Islamist extremists cross into Afghanistan . A third was convicted in absentia for his role in a foiled terror attack aimed at killing American military personnel on an air base in Belgium . Five in all were sent this week to the nations of Georgia and Slovakia . Most recent prison release leaves 'Gitmo' with 143 detainees . Men were called high-risk prisoners in classified 2008 Pentagon evaluations, but were reevaluated after Barack Obama became president and cleared to leave when a country could be found to take them . Obama famously pledged in 2008 to close the prison camp .

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If Mitt Romney were to write a bumper sticker slogan for the past month, it would probably be, "Detroit DID go bankrupt. Russia IS a geopolitical foe." Reality isn't quite so simple as to perfectly apply recent developments on Detroit and Russia to the American debate in 2012, but neither were Romney's arguments on the car industry and on Russia. That didn't stop Democrats and pundits from using them to beat Romney down. And it would be a good retort to Joe Biden's often-repeated 2012 bumper sticker slogan: "Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive!" Biden used the phrase to simultaneously flaunt what the Obama administration accomplished in the war on terror and hit Romney for his position against the auto bailout. Romney had different ideas than the president about the war on terror, and he also had outspoken ideas on Russia, which he told Wolf Blitzer on CNN in March of 2012 was "without question our number one geopolitical foe." His statement drew snickers in Washington and complaints in foreign policy circles that he was stuck in the Cold War. Archives: Hillary Clinton criticizes Romney's remarks on Russia . "You don't call Russia our No. 1 enemy -- not al Qaeda, Russia -- unless you're still stuck in a Cold War mind warp," President Barack Obama said at the Democratic National Convention last September. The president probably still wouldn't call Russia this country's top foe. But now that Russia has given NSA leaker Edward Snowden a year of asylum, and the two countries can't find accord on Syria or Iran, he might choose not to put the line in his convention speech. Snowden asylum could cancel planned Obama-Putin talks . "Now is the time to fundamentally rethink our relationship with Putin's Russia," Sen. John McCain said upon hearing news of Snowden's asylum. "We need to deal with the Russia that is, not the Russia we might wish for. We cannot allow today's action by [Russian President Vladimir Putin] to stand without serious repercussions." "Russia has stabbed us in the back," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat. He called on Obama to protest by demanding the upcoming G-20 summit for world economic powers be moved away from Russia. Biden's slogan, "General Motors is alive!" drew a direct contrast between the candidates on the auto bailout that Obama engineered after initial action by President George W. Bush. Romney's much-cited New York Times op-ed argued the car industry should be shepherded into a managed bankruptcy and not propped up with taxpayer dollars. The headline of Romney's op-ed in November 2008 was "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt." That headline followed him all the way to November of 2012 when he lost the election. Romney's argument in the opinion piece was directed at the car industry, but it foreshadowed last month's news that the Detroit the city, once the powerhouse of the American economy, was going bankrupt. "[W]e refused to throw in the towel and do nothing," Obama said in a video message in October of 2012. "We refused to let Detroit go bankrupt, I bet on American workers, and American ingenuity and three years later that bet is paying off in a big way." A conservative might apply the high labor costs Romney cited as part of the downfall for the auto industry to the cost of government worker pension plans that have helped put the city in trouble. How to deal with promises made to public employees is an issue Americans will face in the coming decades in places far flung from the Motor City. Hatch: After Detroit, replace public pensions . The federal government has made pretty clear there won't be any sort of bailout for the city of Detroit like there was for the auto industry that lives there. CNNMoney: Why Obama won't bail out Detroit . Campaigns are full of little moments like the Detroit and Russia storylines that may have worked against Romney. They add up. More damaging for Romney than either the Detroit op-ed or the Russia as a foe storyline was his statement to fundraisers about giving up on the 47% of Americans who would not vote for him no matter what. This week we also got the most in-depth explanation from Romney on those comments in the form of a book excerpt from Washington Post writer Dan Balz. Romney said he was misunderstood. More: Romney regrets 47% comments . Archives: Romney doesn't back away from message caught on secret tape . In politics, eight months is an eternity. It's enough time for the Romneys to welcome four new grandchildren into the world. How Detroit and Russia and the 47% factored into 2012 are interesting historical questions, but the national dialogue has moved on. Romney is retired from national politics and the pundits and press have moved on to the 2016 parlor game. Trio of potential 2016 GOP contenders heading to South Carolina .

During the 2012 race, Mitt Romney was criticized for calling Russia the United States' top "geopolitical foe" Romney was also haunted by an op-ed about the auto industry entitled "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt" Now, Russia has granted temporary asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden and the City of Detroit is bankrupt . But Romney was also hurt in his 2012 White House bid by other controversies like his "47 percent" comments .

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Gutted by fire and currently uninhabitable, even an estate agent could not hide the problems with this property. However, that did not stop one woman bidding $790,000 for the smoke-strained ruin in St Peter's, Sydney, despite her husband's attempts to stop her. Footage shot at the auction shows an increasingly desperate George Ge tugging at Sonia Chen's arm in a futile bid to keep her out of the bidding war. Scroll down for video . A determined wife has completely gone against the wishes of her concerned husband after bidding nearly $1 million at auction for an unliveable house . He eventually had to admit defeat and a delighted Mrs Chen secured the cottage for $90,000 above the reserve. Over 20 potential buyers registered to bid on the property and the bids came thick and fast for the sought-after house. Bidding on the three-bedroom house began at $550,000 but rose after a quick-fire round of bids. The house ended up selling for $790,000, which is significantly higher than the Sydney median house price of $725,000. Nothing could deter Sonia Chen from forking out $970,000 for the property . Sonia's husband George was at a loss as to how to control his wife at the auction . Sonia can be seen looking triumphant at the end of the video, as her wary husband cowers behind his hands, clearly dreading the renovation process to come. In an interview following the sale, a dumbfounded Mr Ge revealed to Channel 9 that he was at a loss as to how the couple would face the imminent renovations. 'She is excited, not me,' he said, referring to his ecstatic wife, who could not hide her broad smile. 81 Frederick St, St Peters has some unavoidable flaws - including being gutted by a sever fire and being within stomping distance to the airport . The auctioneer appeared to be delighted that the house went for $90,000 over the reserve price . When reporters questioned Mr Ge on why wasn't more enthusiastic about his investment, he replied: 'Because I have to do, a lot of work for this one... I don't know how to do that,' Mr Ge revealed that the purchase was an impulse buy on his wife's part and he was at a loss to what would happen next. 'Not very planned, not very prepared, but she is determined' he said. 'I don't really know what to do next.' The house was gutted by a raging blaze in August and left extensive smoke damage throughout the property. Over 20 bidders registered for the auction . Sonia Chen was ecstatic when she was the final bidder standing . The previous owner, Tom Noicos, was forced to sell-up after his insurance company suspected arson was involved in the demise of the home and refused to pay him any compensation for the tragedy. Speaking to Domain,Noicos said he was devastated when his three-bedroom home was destroyed, but can see the silver lining in the huge profit he has made. 'I always think from all that's bad something good happens,' the former IT worker said. 'The price was good and if I can find the right place [to move] that will be even better.' The house was gutted by fire in August and left extreme smoke damage throughout . The previous owner, Tom Noicos, was forced to sell the house after his insurance company suspected foul play in the fire . He said he will use the money from the sale to finance a new property. Mrs Chen revealed that she was attracted to the property because of its close proximity to the airport and the city. According to Channel 9, $7.7 billion dollars is expected to be spent on the housing market in NSW in 2014. The most popular areas for renovations in Sydney are the lower north shore and the eastern suburbs . Auctioneer Damian Cooley told Channel 9: 'Buyers always like to add value, they like to renovate a home tp their own tastes and what we saw today was a very strong auction.' Tom will use the money to invest in another property . George Ge was at a loss as to how the couple would cope with all the renovations that were needed to complete the property .

A hilarious video shows a husband desperately trying to stop his wife bidding at a house auction . The house was destroyed by fire in August and is totally unliveable . Sonia Chen persisted and bought the house for $790,000 . Her weary husband wasn't impressed with his wife's impulsive buy . The house requires extensive renovations .

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(CNN) -- The Anchorage, Alaska, airport reopened Sunday afternoon after being closed after an eruption of a nearby volcano on Saturday. Ash from Alaska's Mount Redoubt volcano has been falling, causing flight cancelations. Ash from Mount Redoubt fell around the city, Alaska's largest, resulting in the closure of Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Only a trace amount of the ash reached the airport grounds, airport spokesman Jeremy Lindseth said, but it was enough to affect operations. The airport reopened at about 2 p.m. ( 6 p.m. ET) Sunday, according to the airport's operations office. The eruption occurred at about 1:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. ET) Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey told CNN. The eruption shot ash about 45,000 feet in the air, officials said. The volcano erupted four times on Friday, at times shooting ash 51,000 feet into the air. The eruptions are the latest in a series that began March 22. The Alaska Volcano Observatory has set the alert level at red, its highest possible designation. That indicates an eruption is under way or imminent and the eruption will produce a "significant emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere." iReport.com: Send photos, videos of the volcanic ash . Friday's volcano activity prompted Alaska Airlines to limit flights to and from Anchorage, according to the airline's Web site. The airline canceled all its Thursday flights to and from Anchorage after an eruption earlier in the day sent an ash cloud 65,000 feet high. CNN's Chuck Johnston contributed to this report.

NEW: Airport reopened at about 2 p.m. (6 p.m. ET) Sunday . Anchorage airport closed for awhile as volcanic ash clouded the sky . Latest eruption of Mount Redoubt happened at 1:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. ET) Saturday . Volcano erupted four times Friday and once shot ash at least 51,000 feet into the air .

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Tennis ace Victoria Azarenka had the crowd on their feet when she treated them to a celebratory dance on court after powering her way into the third round of the Australian Open. The Belarusian showed off her dancing skills to a packed Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne on Thursday night after dumping eighth seed Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets. Azarenka hugged her opponent and friend before holding her hands victoriously up in the air as she danced with her racket, much to the delight of the crowd. Scroll down for video . Tennis ace Victoria Azarenka had the crowd on their feet when she showed off her dancing skills to a packed Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne on Thursday night . The former world number one, who split with boyfriend of two years Redfoo last year, shook her hips as fans cheered her on. 'I just love to dance,' she said on court after her win. 'When I watch tennis on the TV they always show people in the crowd dancing and I just start dancing in my room with the crowd. 'I just might as well enjoy myself on the court.' She's no stranger to the odd dance or two especially if a victory is involved. Azarenka hugged her opponent and friend, Caroline Wozniacki, before holding her hands victoriously up in the air as she danced with her racket, much to the delight of the crowd . The former world number one shook her hips as fans cheered her on . The two-time champion arrived in Melbourne unseeded after battling foot and knee injuries in 2014. But she looked right at home and dictated play from the outset to stun Wozniacki and claim her first top 10 scalp in more than a year. 'I'm happy with the way I stayed consistent throughout the whole match,' Azarenka said. 'I think there's always things you can improve, but it's a great progress from one match to another.' The Belarusian no stranger to the odd dance or two especially if a victory is involved . Azarenka and Wozniacki battled it out on the court but are friends away from the competition . She said she was pleased with her court game and the intensity she was able to maintain throughout the one hour and 38 minute match. Azarenka won the Open in 2012 and 2013 and reached the quarter finals last year before injury and illness hit. 'I love the energy of people here,' she said of Australia. 'I think the whole country is like a sporting nation. I think you feel very excited every time you come here to play.' Azarenka will next face Czech 25th seed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in the third round and is on course to take on top seed Serena Williams in the quarter-finals. Azarenka will next face Czech 25th seed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in the third round and is on course to take on top seed Serena Williams in the quarter-finals .

Victoria Azarenka showed off her dancing skills after dumping eighth seed Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets on Thursday night . The Belarusian hugged Wozniacki before shaking hips to delight of crowd . She said she just 'loves to dance' and may as well enjoy herself on court . Azarenka won the Open in 2012 and 2013 and reached the quarter finals last year before injury and illness hit . She will next face 25th seed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in the third round .

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By . Paul Hirst, Press Association . Jack Wilshere thinks Arsenal will be brimming with confidence when they face Besiktas thanks to their comeback heroics at Everton on Saturday. Arsenal looked destined for defeat at Goodison Park after falling behind to goals from Seamus Coleman and Steven Naismith. The Gunners missed a host of chances in the second half, but their dogged determination bore fruit in the end as Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud scored in a dramatic final seven minutes to snatch a point. Confident: Jack Wilshere believes Arsenal's comeback against Everton will inspire them against Besiktas . On Wednesday, Arsenal face arguably their biggest match of the season when they host Besiktas in the second leg of their Champions League play-off. With the tie currently standing at 0-0 after the first leg, Arsenal need a win to make the group stages for the 18th consecutive time, but Wilshere is not worried about the prospect of failure. 'This was a fantastic point and now we have a big game on Wednesday and this will give us great confidence going into that,' Wilshere told Arsenal Player. Fighting spirit: Wilshere gets his pass away despite being surrounded by three Everton players . 'We have got great character, great togetherness and some leaders out there that keep us going. 'We also have great players to go with that. 'We never give up and at this level that is massive. We have always shown over the years that Arsenal are going to battle like mad right until the end. 'There have been a few games where we have been behind right until the end but have kept going.' Comeback: Giroud scored right at the death to secure a late equaliser for Arsenal at Goodison Park . All the pre-match talk had been about a possible venture into the transfer market for a defensive midfielder, but based on the evidence of this match, Arsenal are more in need of a top-class striker. Alexis Sanchez endured a torrid first half against experienced centre-back pairing Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka. His replacement Giroud fared little better for the majority of the second period, wasting three good chances to score, before he finally nodded in Nacho Monreal's cross in the 90th minute. Belief: Aaron Ramsey's first goal inspired an Arsenal turnaround and gives them belief they can challenge . Arsene Wenger, who may be without Giroud for Wednesday's game because of an ankle injury, admits Arsenal's finishing was not good enough on Saturday. 'Normally when you score two away from home, you should win the game,' the Arsenal manager said. 'We had plenty of chances.' Wenger must have privately been wishing Everton's number 10 was on his books. Romelu Lukaku had an outstanding game, muscling Per Mertesacker off the ball all match. The big Belgian gave the German, and Calum Chambers the slip to set up Naismith on a stunning counter which allowed the hosts to go in 2-0 up at the break. Chasing: Wilshere tracks back for Arsenal as he tries to win the ball back against Leon Osman . Naismith, who also scored on the opening day draw at Leicester, says it is a pleasure to play alongside a man he thinks can go on to become one of the best strikers in Europe. 'He is a good young guy with a massive amount of potential,' the Scot told Press Association Sport. 'I have even noticed a difference from last season and that is only going to continue over the coming years so I am sure when he gets to his mid-twenties, he will be one of Europe's best strikers.' Many were surprised when Chelsea allowed Lukaku to sign for Everton on a permanent basis after he scored 15 league goals on loan at the Merseyside club last year. Naismith thinks the £28million signing will be out to show the Blues what they are missing next week when they come to Goodison Park. 'I am sure there will be things he wants to prove to Chelsea,' Naismith said. 'It was a big money move to come here so I don't think he was a disappointment at Chelsea. 'There was a lot of quality players ahead of him at the time so we are just lucky we have him and hopefully next week he will have a good performance and really turn it on against them.'

Jack Wilshere hails the Everton comeback as fantastic point . Arsenal came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Everton . Wilshere insists the point will give them confidence for Wednesday's Besiktas clash .

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(CNN) -- Glitzy Dubai lures globetrotters with its modern architectural wonders and a bounty of luxury shopping, dining and lodging. This United Arab Emirates metropolis boasts "sunshine, shopping, seaside, sports and safety" as key selling points on its tourism website. Caroline Faraj is CNN's chief operations director in Dubai and editor of CNN Arabic. Faraj, originally from Jordan, moved to Dubai in December 2001. We asked Faraj to share her tips for visiting this dynamic city: . Where can you get the best view of the city? At Burj Khalifa, which is the tallest building in the world. The tower's observation deck, At The Top, is located on level 124. To which restaurant would you take your loved one for an anniversary or other special occasion? Try Pierchic at Madinat Jumeirah Hotel. This romantic restaurant is at the end of a pier that stretches over the waters of the Persian Gulf. Time Out Dubai named Pierchic as the best seafood restaurant in 2010. Where is the best place to people watch? The Dancing Fountain at Burj Khalifa. On a lake outside, choreographed water shows are put on multiple times each evening. What is your favorite neighborhood? Zabeel Park, where you can run, walk, play games, barbecue, rent a boat on a small lake or visit the space and science museum. This park stretches over about 117 acres in central Dubai. What's the best way to blend in? Visit one of the souks (markets), like the gold market, or spice, textile or fish souks. What's the biggest misconception about your city? Some come to Dubai with a misconception that you can do whatever you want in Dubai. To a certain extent that might be true, but there are restrictions, rules and the need to respect the culture of the country. For example, with regards to consuming alcohol, only Christian ex-pats can apply for a license to buy alcohol from special shops, but visitors can find it in hotels, too. Where do you go to relax? I go to a spa, and the best one is at the Park Hyatt. The hotel's Amara spa is on the banks of the Dubai Creek. I also go sometimes to a resort to enjoy the beach. What essential thing should visitors see/experience if they only have a few hours? Take a creek tour in an abra, a small crossing boat. And if there is time, take the bus tour that gives you a quick briefing on the architecture and souks as well as the desert safari trip in the middle of the dunes. Where's your favorite place to spend a night out on the town? Trader Vic's with its Cuban live music. Are there local specialty dishes or drinks that visitors must try? If you like seafood, then I would recommend trying fish cooked the traditional way, which is either salt cured (called maleh), sun-dried (Al kaseef) or ground dried fish (sahnah). What is a good local souvenir? The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates, so I would suggest the bottles that have sands in seven colors coming from the seven emirates.

CNN's Caroline Faraj recommends a Dubai Creek tour to visitors . Try the traditional salt-cured or sun-dried fish . For a stunning view, go to the observation deck at the Burj Khalifa . Have a short time there? Take a tour in an abra, a small crossing boat .

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JACKSONVILLE, Florida (CNN) -- Eduardo Gonzalez, a petty officer second class with the U.S. Navy, is about to be deployed overseas for a third time. Making his deployment even tougher is the fact his wife may not be around when he comes back. Mildred and Eduardo Gonzalez worry about what would happen to their family if she is deported. His wife faces deportation to Guatemala -- her home country that she hasn't seen since 1989. He also doesn't know what would happen to his young son, Eduardo Jr., if that happens. "I like being in uniform and serving my country, but if she goes back I'm going to have to give it all up and just get out and take care of my son and get a job," he said. "Defending the country that's trying to kick my family out is a thought that always runs through my mind." Gonzalez, who works on helicopters that bring cargo, supplies and military personnel in and out of Iraq, testified before a House Judiciary Committee panel last month, detailing his situation and urging officials to consider some sort of policy to deal with cases like his, where military members' families could be deported while they're defending their country overseas. Watch "they're tearing families apart" » . "I want to serve my country 100 percent. But with this issue in the back of my mind, I feel I can't do that," he testified on September 6. The U.S. military does not have a policy to deal with such cases. Each is handled case-by-case, not by the military, but by immigration authorities. The government doesn't have numbers on how many military members are in predicaments similar to Gonzalez's. Immigration officials also said marrying a U.S. citizen does not mean the spouse is automatically entitled to U.S. citizenship or permanent legal status. Lt. Col. Margaret Stock, a member of the U.S. Army Reserves who teaches immigration law at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, said she believes there should be an overall policy dealing with the potential deportation of family members of active duty military members. "You got to understand. When you're in a combat zone, you need to be focusing all of your energies on fighting the enemy. You can't be worried that your loved ones back home could be shipped off to a foreign country where you're never going to see them again," she said. Stock also said the government is conflicted about how to treat such cases. On the one hand, the government is supposed to be providing military families with assistance, housing and other forms of benefits while their spouses are overseas. On the other hand, the same government is trying to deport the very same people. "What's happening right now is, because of the dysfunction and complexity of our immigration laws, we've got people fighting overseas who are facing the impossible situation of having family members facing deportation back home," she said. In Gonzalez's case, his wife, Mildred, came to the United States with her mother in 1989 when she was 5 years old. They were granted political asylum because of their status as war refugees from Guatemala. In September 2000, Mildred's mother applied for legalization and included her daughter in that application. Her mother was granted legal status in July 2004, according to Gonzalez. However, six weeks earlier, Gonzalez and Mildred got married, canceling Mildred's ability to apply for legal status through her mother because she was no longer an unmarried daughter under the age of 21. As a result, her legal status still remains in jeopardy. A judge in June granted her a one-year extension to remain in the United States. If her legal status does not change by June 8, 2008, she will have 60 days to voluntarily leave the country or face deportation. That's just fine, according to Mark Krikorian, the executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which lobbies for tougher laws on illegal immigration. "What you're talking about is amnesty for illegal immigrants who have a relative in the armed forces, and that's just outrageous," he said. "What we're talking about here is letting lawbreakers get away with their actions just because they have a relative in the military. ... There's no justification for that kind of policy." Gonzalez said that type of response is unjustified. "I'm trying to make his country better -- my country better -- and it should be her country too." Gonzalez himself entered the country legally, crossing the Mexican border with his family when he was about 10. He joined the Navy as a so-called "green-card sailor" and became a U.S. citizen in July 2005. The military does accept some immigrants who aren't U.S. citizens. "I understand the laws have to be followed and guidelines and a system must be maintained, but on the other token, there are times when the situation is just out of their reach," Gonzalez said. His wife, Mildred, added, "We didn't come here to break the law. We just want to feel safe and have a home just like everybody else." U.S. Army Sgt. Emmanuel Woko, a member of the Army's 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division who faces his third tour in Iraq, understands just how Gonzalez and his family feel. His wife and children could be sent back to Nigeria. "My heart is bleeding on the thought that my wife could be deported back to Nigeria while I am deployed in Iraq," he said. "I am extremely distressed and distracted by the thought." That's a sentiment echoed by Gonzalez: "We are not asking for anything. We are just asking for our families to stay with us." E-mail to a friend . CNN's Gregg Canes contributed to this report.

Sailor's wife could be deported while he's overseas . Sailor: "Defending the country that's trying to kick my family out" is tough . U.S. military doesn't have overall policy to handle such situations . Wife: "We just want to feel safe and have a home just like everybody else"

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By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 05:19 EST, 15 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:47 EST, 15 April 2012 . Attack: Millionaire Lord Fink said that cutting tax relief for donations would discourage people from giving . The Conservative party treasurer turned on George Osborne today in a growing revolt over plans to cut relief on charitable donations. Millionaire Lord Fink, one of the country's most generous supporters of good causes, said the plans would inevitable reduce the value of donations. The tax relief cap, set at 25 per cent of a donor’s income if he or she is giving more than £50,000, is due to come into effect next April. Lord Fink told the Sunday Times: 'If you have to pay out of your capital the tax on your income you give, it will put people off.' As the backlash continued against the policy, announced by Chancellor George Osborne in last month's budget, a group of leading benefactors also warned it would act as 'a brake on philanthropy'. Senior Conservative backbencher Zac Goldsmith said he was 'ashamed' that his party appeared to have 'declared war' on the very people who should be at the heart of the Government's Big Society project. Someone earning £1million will be able to donate £250,000 to charities without paying tax on it. However, any further income given above that threshold will be taxed - reducing the amount good causes receive. Defending the scheme, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said it was 'not right' that some super-rich individuals were able to exploit the reliefs to cut their income tax bills 'to almost nothing'. 'There's been a lot of controversy about plans to cap charity tax relief. But it is not right that some wealthy individuals can use them without limit to reduce tax bills to close to zero,' he told the Sunday People. 'Tax without friends': George Osborne is under growing pressure to perform a U-turn over plans to cut tax relief on charitable donations . Amid reports that the Treasury was considering alternatives to the £50,000 cap, a spokeswoman said it was in talks with philanthropists to find ways to limit the impact on charities that rely on big donations. 'We support charitable giving and the vast majority of donations will be completely unaffected,' she said. Ed Miliband has said he would be happy to publish his tax return, adding he felt that enhanced transparency was 'inevitable'. But he said limits should be agreed to stop details emerging such as medical records or spouses revealing their tax details. David Cameron and George Osborne have said they are happy to publish their details and would consider making it a requirement for people seeking high office. Mr Miliband said today: 'I'm perfectly happy (to publish). I sort of think it is kind of inevitable it is going to come. 'I challenged David Cameron and George Osborne on the day of the Budget, I said to them do you benefit from the 50p tax cut? I thought a lot about this, whether it was fair to do it. 'The reason I did it was if you're coming along with a Budget which raises taxes on pensioners, raises taxes on working families, raises taxes effectively on charities, if you're personally getting a benefit only a few people are getting, I think it is a fair enough, legitimate question. 'I didn't call for the tax return to be published, but if that's the way things are going I'm perfectly happy to do it.' Critics have questioned why the tax system, rather than a charity sector watchdog, is being used to tackle what the Government says is a problem with bogus charities being used as vehicles by a small number of individuals. Senior Tory MP David Davis told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show it was a 'tax without friends' and said he expected the cap to be dropped and replaced with an alternative method to tackle the issue. The Sunday Telegraph said the main option under consideration was a US-style 'lifetime legacies' system that allowed individuals to 'donate' assets to institutions and charities but continue to benefit from their assets during their lifetime. In a letter to the paper, 46 wealthy donors including members of the Sainsbury family, urged a rethink. 'The proposal in the Budget to cap charity tax reliefs is a brake on philanthropy that may deter future donors. 'It is confusing and dispiriting, and we urge the Prime Minister and chancellor to think again,' they wrote. 'None of us view tax relief as a primary motive, although it may substantially increase our donations. 'But . it is an important signal that the decision to use wealth to help . others, rather than to enrich ourselves, is recognised, encouraged and . supported by society.' Prime . Minister David Cameron said last week that he would listen 'very . sympathetically' to charities concerned that philanthropic giving will . decline as a result of the change. Mr . Goldsmith said: 'I am ashamed that a Conservative Chancellor has not . only announced measures that will undoubtedly depress giving in this . country; he has spun a narrative in which philanthropists are now the . enemy. 'His intention to cap tax relief on donations to charity could well prove to be this Government's single costliest mistake.' Former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy . Ashdown said there was a problem with the very rich selecting charities . to fund in lieu of paying tax for public services. He . told the BBC Andrew Marr programme: 'There is a problem here but it is . simply not open to the kind of simplistic solution that Labour grabs . hold of for opportunistic reasons. Dropped: David Davis MP, pictured on the BBC's Andrew Marr show today, said he expects plans for the charities tax relief cap to be axed . 'I'm president of UNICEF UK, I know exactly how this hits big and small charities. 'But . there is a problem. What is the Government trying to do? It's trying to . make sure the rich pay their taxes and don't dodge them. 'Just . imagine everybody did this, that everybody said I'm not going to pay my . taxes, I'm going to donate to a charity of my choice. 'No taxes - no hospitals, no schools, . no welfare. There is a sensible balance to be struck here. If the . Government has to recalibrate, retreat if you like, to find that balance . that is right and proper they should do so.' Shadow . chief secretary Rachel Reeves said: 'The Government have talked about . some people giving money to dodgy charities. If that's happening then . the Charities Commission need to investigate. 'We've got our major charities, universities, and arts organisations in this country saying it is going to cost them. 'Yes we want to make sure people are paying their fair share of tax but the people who seem to be losing out from this change aren't tax avoiders - it's the charities and people who rely on the charities.' Senior Liberal Democrat Sir Menzies Campbell told the Sky News Murnaghan programme he had written to George Osborne about the impact on charities in his capacity as Chancellor of St Andrew's University. He said: 'The proposals the Chancellor has made could easily hit the kind of targets we need to seek out ourselves in order to persuade people, such as former graduates, to make generous donations. 'The Government is obviously accepting it has got to go back and look at this again. 'Very rich people should pay their fair share of tax and that is why the tax regime, and it's been Liberal Democrat policy, to take the poorest people out of tax altogether. Everyone should pay what they are assessed to pay.'

Millionaire Lord Fink says plan to cut relief will 'put people off' giving to charity . Chancellor plans to cap tax relief on donation to 25 per cent of donor's income if giving more than £50,000 . Nick Clegg defends the scheme saying super-rich exploit the scheme to reduce their tax bills . Tory MP David Davis says it is a tax 'without friends'

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:27 EST, 7 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:29 EST, 7 September 2012 . A pensioner has spent more than a decade painstakingly copying out every single word of the bible - in a 1,500-page labour of love. Religious Dino Mazzoli, 78, came up with the idea of copying the religious text after mobility problems left him housebound back in 2001. The amateur artist then wrote out the whole of the religious text on A4 paper - using hundreds of parker pens and sketching out more than 5,000 colourful illustrations. Mr Mazzoli, who now wants to sell his unique book for charity, got a letter from the pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury, after finishing his work - believed to be a world first. Dedicated: Dino Mazzoli shows off part of his hand written and illustrated Bibles. The folders behind him all contain different parts of the religious book . The Italian, who moved to England in 1961, said: 'I have dedicated my whole life to this for years and have done it every single day I could. 'I know it is perhaps considered old-fashioned but I am a Christian and this was something I wanted to do. 'It is unique - people have told me that they have not seen anything like it before.' Mr Mazzoli, from Eastbourne, Sussex, first thought of the idea after struggling to get out the house after giving up work in a book shop. The grandfather-of-three bought an American copy of the Old Testament and a British book of the new testament and began writing it out on A4 paper using a parker pen. Keen artist Mr Mazzoli also began creating illustrations for the text using water colours, crayons and collages. He would then cut them out and stick them into his bible. This colourful illustration of Jesus and one of his followers is one of more than 5,000 that Mr Mazzoli has done while recreating the Bible . Unique: This page of the bible has a number of illustrations accompanying the words. The book is set to be published once copyright issues have been sorted out . Mr Mazzoli said: 'I would start every morning, do 8am until 10 or 11am, again in the afternoon and then for a long time in the evening. 'I started on Genesis and just kept going. I put four to five illustrations on each page of text then a larger drawing every five pages or so. Proud: Mr Mazzoli shows off his work, which he has dedicated himself to for the last ten years . 'I put quite a lot of energy into it.' The influences from Dino’s drawings range from Picasso to Matisse, from Cezanne to del Castagno - with a little bit of each hidden in his pictures. One larger image has a line from Revelation 2:7 alongside a picture of Holocaust victim Anne Frank. Another is inspired by William Blake. Mr Mazzoli has now finished his masterpiece and even won praise from the Pope after his son sent details of the work to Rome. His children, Laura, 38, and Marco, 36, now plan to publish the book both in print form, on the iPad and as an eBook. He is just waiting on the final copyright permission to come through after using text from an American-based translation. Mr Mazzoli said: 'I won’t make a penny from it. I want the proceeds to be divided up between charities, including Save the Children. 'My son sent it to Rome and I got a letter back thanking me for taking the time to do it. I also got a letter from and Archbishop and the Jerusalem Bible makers. 'They said they had never seen anything like it. 'I didn’t realise the Bible was subject to copyright but we are expecting the permission to come through soon so it could be printed later this year. 'I will keep painting. I do pictures for friends and love painting my family. I can’t go out any more because of my health, but I still have my painting and I am thankful for that.'

Dino Mazzoli worked on copying book every day for the last decade . Housebound artist made 5,000 illustrations of scenes from the bible . Now it's set to be published in hardback, on the iPad and sold as an ebook .

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By . Ted Thornhill . Presenter Susanna Reid drew just over half of the audience of her old BBC colleagues when she launched ITV’s new breakfast show, Good Morning Britain, according to overnight figures. The programme, which began broadcasting yesterday, had an average audience of 800,000 viewers while Reid’s old show, BBC Breakfast, pulled in 1.5million. The launch of GMB was also markedly down on the first-morning figure for its predecessor, Daybreak, which pulled in one million viewers when it began in 2010. Scroll down for video . Sofa so good: There was initial criticism that Ms Reid spent too much time behind the show's desk, with her acclaimed legs hidden from view . Not feeling so blue: Susanna Reid was beaming during day two of her Good Morning Britain career . ITV chiefs can draw some comfort from the new show proving more popular than the audience levels of around 600,000, which axed Daybreak had recently been achieving in recent months. Yesterday’s Good Morning Britain launch peaked at 1.2million viewers. But its distance behind BBC Breakfast is marked, and even more so when analysing . audience reach, which adds up the total number of people watching at any . time during the broadcast for at least three minutes. For BBC Breakfast, the reach is 6.81million, for Good Morning Britain it's 3.08million. On Daybreak, which ended last week, it was 2.32million. In terms of audience share, Breakfast got 35 per cent of viewers yesterday and Good Morning Britain 18 per cent. What's more, Breakfast's peak number of viewers on the day Good Morning Britain launched was higher than its peak the previous Monday. Reid was the big signing to launch the new show after being lured from the BBC, where she had proved to be a popular figure. Her profile increased hugely late last year in the wake of her appearances on last year’s Strictly Come Dancing. Reid - who wore a dazzling red dress for launch day - has been joined on the weekday ITV show by Ben Shephard, Charlotte Hawkins and Sean Fletcher. For viewers, one of the biggest changes to predecessor Daybreak - along with the presenting team - was the introduction of a glass desk at which the hosts were seated for much of the show, although they moved to sofas later in the show. Twitter storm: Many people took to social media sites to voice their discontent about Good Morning Britain looking similar to Good Morning America . Many observers have interpreted the discussions around the desk as more of a US-style approach, taking its cue from ABC’s popular Good Morning America. Viewers were divided on the show, with some lamenting the passing of its predecessor while others praised its fast pace and gloss. The programme also featured Andi Peters presenting a regular ‘Wheel Of Cash’ competition slot from a different location each day, inviting the public to win prizes. The big reveal: Susanna later moved and showed off her legs in her knee-length dress . Smiles better: Reid and Shephard laugh together on the sofa during the debut Good Morning Britain show . Teamwork: Reid with co-presenters Sean Fletcher, Ben Shephard and Charlotte Hawkins . Helen Warner, ITV’s director of daytime, was pleased with the performance and said: ‘The launch was a fantastic team effort, and we are focused on building a strong breakfast brand going forward.’ Media commentator Steve Hewlett believes it stands a fighting chance of succeeding, not least because of its poaching of Ms Reid from Breakfast. He told MailOnline: 'This is a major throw of the dice - there's a new production team and new presenters. It's a major move, but on paper it stands every chance of working. Susanna Reid is a great booking. 'The question is whether Good Morning Britain gets to know its audience and whether it gets the right tone.' Mr Hewlett said that arrogance was the cause of Daybreak's failure. He said: 'With Daybreak corporate hubris took over at ITV. In one fell swoop they demonstrated everything that can go wrong in one show. They hired Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley, an amazing partnership on The One Show, but transplanting chemistry from one place to another is very hard to do.' He added: 'It would be really good, not least for the BBC, if ITV manage to make a success of Good Morning Britain, because if it gets traction the BBC will be forced to react. Not having competition is not good for the viewer.' Dawn arrival: Ms Reid pictured turning up to the ITV studios on Tuesday, carrying a large bag and the papers . Ms Reid’s ITV debut initially drew mixed reactions, with criticism that the show looked too similar to its U.S counterpart and that Ms Reid’s figure was obscured by a desk. As the show began viewers took to Twitter to complain that the legs of the 43-year-old - whose pay for the role has been reported as £400,000 and as much as £1million a year - were hidden from view. One viewer commented: 'Why has ITV paid so much for @susannareid100 only to put her behind a desk? Its like buying a Ferrari and keeping it in the garage #gmb.' Another wrote: 'You don't hire Susanna Reid and then stick her behind a desk #getyourpinsout #GoodMorningBritain.' Co-presenters: Ben Shephard, left, and Charlotte Hawkins, right, who joined ITV from Sky . The dismay was short-lived, though, as Ms Reid, dressed in a knee-length red dress, soon moved to a sofa. Speaking recently about the desk and the new set of the show, Susanna said: 'Our set is different, fresh and it's not what people have been used to over the last couple of years in breakfast television. 'It is something new and exciting for us. We all start behind the desk, which hasn't happened for a while.' Sky News anchor Kay Burley told MailOnline that she found the show too frantic. The presenter, who was a reporter on Good Morning Britain's distant cousin, TV-am, in 1985, said: ‘The show itself is just too busy for me at the moment but I'm sure it'll settle down after a couple of weeks. ‘Breakfast viewers just need to know that the world is still turning, they can get to work on time and what the weather is doing...'But she added: ‘I love Susanna. I think she has all the ingredients a great presenter needs. Smart, presentable, serious when she needs to be and fun when she doesn't.’

Good Morning Britain had an average of 800,000 viewers on its debut . It peaked at 1.2m viewers, but BBC Breakfast peaked at 2.1m . The average number of viewers for rival Breakfast was 1.5m .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- It only takes one injury to end an athlete's career. Anything that impairs an athlete's performance could mean they're no longer good enough for the top flight -- that's why the best athletes need the best treatment if they're to recover from injury. Owen Hargreaves (L) in action before his career was cut short by tendonitis. Manchester United star and England international footballer Owen Hargreaves is known for his versatility and exceptional work rate, but in 2008 his season was cut short by tendonitis. Hargreaves, 27, was told he would need surgery on both knees to save his career. That's when he decided to travel to the small mountain ski village of Vail, Colorado, to meet the "knee whisperer" -- Dr Richard Steadman. Steadman became fascinated with the way the knee functions and how it can be injured during his university days playing American football. Now known as "Doctor Steady," Steadman is knee specialist to the stars, counting Real Madrid ace Ruud van Nistelrooy, American football sensation Bruce Smith, and even the King of Spain among his clients. "I just think he understands the athletes, the significance of the injuries and he's able to deal with the personalities that go along with these injuries," Hargreaves told CNN. Watch Owen Hargreaves talking about his recovery » . Steadman works with a team of 75 doctors who have together repaired some 16,000 knees. He has developed pioneering knee treatments, including "micro-fracturing," which involves making a small hole in a patient's bone to draw out marrow blood, allowing the patient's own stem cells and growth factors to make new cartilage. Dr. Steadman says the secret to healing athletes is letting them do what they do best. "I became convinced early in my career that mobility was important and immobility was a bad thing. "I was one of the first ones to say, 'I don't think we'll use casts, we'll work on braces, we'll try to get motion back'," he told CNN. Owen Hargreaves has about a month left of rehab in Vail. His days follow a strict routine: Wake up, rehab, eat lunch, rehab, eat dinner and rest. "It's been frustrating at times," says Hargreaves. "I don't really watch our games because as an athlete, and being so competitive, it's hard to watch when you normally would be out there." Steadman says Hargreaves will return to football next season better than ever, adding that athletes often build inner strength from overcoming what could be a career-ending injuries. Hargreaves shares that view. "I'm going to come back stronger and hopefully add a couple of years onto my career," he said. For others the road to recovery can be slower. British middleweight boxer Michael Watson almost died after collapsing at the end of his 1991 title fight with Chris Eubank. "I took a punch, everything went blank and I woke up in a bed. I thought I was dreaming," Watson told CNN. Watson spent the next 40 days in a coma and had to undergo six brain operations. Neurosurgeon Peter Hamlyn, who operated on Watson, told CNN, "He was as close to death as I think it's possible to go, and survive. And he stayed there for longer than anyone I've ever known." It was thought that Watson would never walk again, but after years of slow recovery, he was able to enter the 2003 London Marathon, completing it over six days. "His [recovery] is by far the most remarkable I've ever seen," said Hamlyn. There's now a close bond between Hamlyn and Watson, and Steadman's patients are similarly grateful for their recoveries. The hallway of Steadman's clinic is lined with the signed shirts of his former patients; the number 10 Manchester United shirt signed by Ruud van Nistelrooy reads simply "Thank you for giving back my dream."

The best athletes need the best treatment if they're to recover from injury . Football star Owen Hargreaves was told he'd need surgery to save his career . Dr Richard Steadman, knee specialist to the stars, is treating Hargreaves . Boxer Michael Watson recovered slowly after sustaining severe brain injuries .

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By . Katie Davies . PUBLISHED: . 13:00 EST, 8 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:04 EST, 8 March 2013 . The eldest son in the 'Amityville horror family' has revealed how his experiences in the haunted house in the 1970s ruined his life. Now a 47-year-old Queens UPS driver, Danny Lutz, was just a 10-year-old boy when his family moved into the Long Island property which had previously been home to a brutal murder. He and his parents reported 'paranormal activities' at the property and fled - their experience inspiring a book, a 1979 movie and plenty of column inches disputing their claims. Haunting: Danny Lutz, was 10, when his family lived in the 'possessed house' in Amityville, Long Island. His documentary explores his experiences and life since has family left the home . Horror house: The 2 bedroom property in Amityville was said to be haunted following Ronald DeFeo's murder of his family. The Lutz family, who lived there a year after, claimed it was possessed . Childhood trauma: Danny Lutz, left as a boy, had a troubled relationship with his stepfather, George, center, who his mother, Kathy, ended up divorcing . Now he features in a documentary sharing his experiences - the first time he has spoken publicly about the experience in nearly 40 years. 'I didn't want to be the Amityville horror kid. I’ve been running away from it my whole life and it finally caught up with me.' Lutz says in the trailer for 'My Amityville Horror' which is being released on March 15. 'I was possessed by a spirit I couldn't get rid of on my own. I just wanted somebody to believe me. It has been in my dreams my whole life.' This is the first time Lutz has spoken of his experiences in the Long Island property as a child. His family only lived in 112 Ocean Avenue for 28 days in 1975 but their story quickly became famous. The year before they moved in, 23-year-old Ronald 'Butch' DeFeo had shot his parents and four siblings dead as they slept. He was found guilty on six counts of second-degree murder, and is currently imprisoned at Green Haven Correctional Facility in Beekman. Evil: Ronald DeFeo shot his entire family dead in the house in 1974, pictured. The Lutzs moved into the home a year later . Amityville kid: Daniel Lutz appears in the documentary about the Amityville haunting, pictured. He was 10 when his family lived there and said they did experience supernatural goings on . The Lutzs - Kathy, her three children Daniel, Christopher and Missy and new husband George - soon reported strange goings on. Kathy said she levitated, saw glowing red eyes and began having nightmares about the murder. George would be woken by strange noises at 3.15am - the time of the murder - while Danny's youngest sister Missy acquired a strange imaginary friend. The family said many of the things that happened there echoed the events of the murder and strange smells, cold drafts and moving objects completed their experiences. A priest who visited the home said he heard a voice telling him to 'Get Out' - later made famous as a soundbite in the movie of their story. The Lutzs tried to bless the house but they said they experienced things that were 'too frightening' to bear repeating that night. They later said they believed DeFeo could have been possessed by the evil lurking in the property. Outside the home: Lutz visits the property in the documentary but doesn't go inside. Another family currently live there . High hopes: The Lutzs received the house at a reduced rate because of the murders that had taken place just a year before . Their story was told in a best-selling book by Jay Anson in 1977. It was made into the famous film starring James Brolin and Margot kidder. Many dismissed them as trying to profit commericialy from made-up experiences. But Danny Lutz's account backs those previously given by his parents, who are now deceased. It also explores his frictional relationship with his stepfather, who his mother later divorced. On the 'paranormal activity' in the house, he says furniture would move around, voices would whisper to him and he experienced 'bodily possession'. The film follows Lutz returning to the house, which is currently occupied by another family, but he doesn't go in. It also shows him refusing to do a polygraph and his anger at experts who believe his experiences could be a case of false memory. The documentary's maker Eric Walter said the film is much more about what it was like to be the Amityville Kid rather than retelling the Lutzs horror stories. 'He's been carrying around this weight for nearly 40 years,' he told the Wall Street Journal. 'It's not easy to talk about.' 'People being haunted by a haunting is not something I had seen before. The evidence we can present is this man's life, everything that has happened for the last 40 years—it comes down to a family story and it's quite tragic.' Danny's siblings didn't want to appear in the film. Christopher is writing a book on the subject and Missy has never spoken about their time in Amityville.

Danny Lutz, who was 10 when his family moved into 112 Ocean Avenue, has spoken for the first time about what happened in the house . The 47-year-old Queens man claims the Amityville house was haunted by an evil force and he and his family were possessed, in a new documentary . The film explores how his life was ruined by the fame the family's experiences received via a best-selling book and its famous film adaptation . He goes back to the Long Island property in the footage but refuses to go in .

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By . Greg Walton . PUBLISHED: . 19:45 EST, 17 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:45 EST, 18 August 2012 . Almost 2,000 jobs are under threat after the UK’s second biggest hotel chain was snapped up in a £1billon deal masterminded by Goldman Sachs. Fears are mounting for Travelodge’s 6,000-strong workforce as sources suggest up to 150 of the chain’s worst performing hotels could be axed. Goldman led a cabal of finance houses to take control of Travelodge – along with its colossal debt pile. It was previously owned by Dubai International Capital. Travelodge is said to be struggling to make its sites on out-of-town A-roads pay . The chain has touted itself as an island of hope for jobseekers, participating in the Government’s Job Centre Plus Scheme. In one recent round of hiring, it took on a batch of employees who had all been long-term unemployed. It could now be forced to return those very staff to the dole queue. Sources say the burden of any job cuts would fall disproportionately on rural areas. Travelodge is said to be struggling to make its sites on out-of-town A-roads pay. It confirmed yesterday it has plans to offload leases on 49 troubled hotels. Additionally, it has pleaded with landlords at 109 of its hotels to reduce its rent bill. However, top industry sources say the chain is unlikely to find any takers for the 49 sites, in which case the 350 workers at those hotels would almost certainly face the chop. ‘There isn’t another hotel company in the UK that could make them profitable,’ said one expert. Little Chef was similarly squeezed after demand plummeted when its most lucrative sites were bypassed by larger roads. Experts fear that Travelodge’s new owners could be planning to offload even more properties than the 49 announced yesterday. ‘There’s 150 hotels that don’t make any profit,’ said a hotel industry source. If it was forced to shut 150 hotels, up to 1,800 jobs could be at stake. Little Chef was also financially squeezed when its most lucrative sites were bypassed by larger roads . Despite the bad news – contained in a rescue deal known as a Company Voluntary Agreement – there were also promises of new investment. Travelodge said that it, along with its new owners, planned to invest £75million in the business including £55million to refurbish older hotels. Under the terms of the CVA, banks wrote off over £235million of Travelodge’s debts which will bring the firm’s total debts down to £330million. The CVA will be voted on by creditors on September 4 and must command approval of three-quarters of lenders to pass.

Hotel chain could axe 150 sites . Fears mount for Travelodge's 6,000-strong workforce .

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By . Sarah Griffiths . Children of the 1980s spent hours perfecting the art of playing Namco’s Pac-Man computer game. And now computers are teaching each other to play the popular game, which sees a player navigating a maze, trying to gobble up pellets while avoiding four colourful enemies. Researchers have managed to develop a method to allow a computer to give advice and teach skills to another computer in a way that mimics how a real teacher and student might interact - and are demonstrating it with video games. Scroll down for video . Game on: Computers are teaching each other to play Pac-Man (pictured) which sees a player trying to gobble up pellets while avoiding four colourful enemies, thanks to clever algorithms developed by researchers at Washington State University . The team, which was led by Matthew Taylor, Washington State University’s Allred Distinguished Professor in Artificial Intelligence, used virtual robots called agents to simulate the teacher and student relationship. The student robots initially struggled to learn Pac-Man and a version of the video game StarCraft, but the scientists were able to show that with time the student agent learned the games and surpassed the teacher’s abilities. Helping robots to teach each other to play games is an important and challenging are of research in robotics. Experts said that if robots could teach each other tasks, then they could learn to clean houses and make chores a thing of the past, for example. Pay attention: In the study, the scientists programmed their teacher agent to focus on action advice (shown in the text on the right of the screen) as well as giving it no advice so it could learn for itself . ‘As robots become more common, we want them to be able to learn quickly and any time one robot learns something we want to make sure that it can teach that information to another robot, because we don’t want this information to be lost,’ Professor Taylor said. In the study, which was published online in the journal Connection Science, the scientists programmed their teacher agent to focus on action advice or telling a student when to act. They said: ‘As anyone with teenagers knows, the trick is in knowing when the robot should give advice. If it gives no advice, the robot is not teaching. But if it always gives advice, the student gets annoyed and doesn’t learn to outperform the teacher.’ Professor Taylor explained that the team designed algorithms for advice giving and tried to work out when their advice made the most difference to make the learning technique as effective as possible. Must try harder: The team, which was led by Matthew Taylor, Washington State University's Allred Distinguished Professor in Artificial Intelligence, used virtual robots called agents to simulate the teacher and student relationship (illustrated) He aims on developing a curriculum for the agents that starts with simple work and builds to more complex tasks. His ultimate goal is to let agents teach humans new skills. But Professor Taylor said there is no need to worry about computers taking over the world because ‘they’re very dumb’. Even the most advanced robots are easily confused and when they get confused, they stop working, he explained. It often takes two or three times as long as he predicts to get the robots to learn and the easiest way of successfully teaching them new skills is to remove the ‘brains’ of the old one and put them in the new one. Problems occur, though, when hardware and software don’t work in the new model and this approach cannot be used in one of robotics long-term aims, which is to use robots to teach skills to humans, as we cannot simply insert their hard drives. Robots will be smarter than the most intelligent humans within the next 15 years, Google’s engineering head has predicted. Computers will soon be able to learn from experience, tell jokes and even flirt, according to Ray Kurzweil, the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) expert. Google has spent billions of its £57billion fortune quietly buying up the world’s top robotics companies, including DeepMind, a British company which specialises in machine learning and Boston Dynamics, which makes advanced military robots. Prophet? Ray Kurzweil (pictured) predicts that the 'Turing test' moment - when computers become cleverer than us - will be passed in 2029 . The 66-year-old entrepreneur and futureologist, who predicted the rise of the internet and that a world chess champion would one day be beaten by a computer, has said machines will outsmart their makers by 2029. In an interview with The Observer, he said: 'My project is ultimately to base search on really understanding what the language means. 'When you write an article, you're not creating an interesting collection of words. You have something to say and Google is devoted to intelligently organising and processing the world's information. 'We want [computers] to read everything on the web and every page of every book, then be able to engage in intelligent dialogue with the user to be able to answer their questions.' Mr Kurzweil predicts that the 'Turing test' moment - when computers become cleverer than us - will be passed in 2029.

Scientists from Washington State University developed a method to allow a computer to give advice to another computer . Their method mimics the way a real teach and student interact . The student robots initially struggled to learn Pac-Man but eventually learned the game and surpassed the teacher's abilities .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 14:58 EST, 25 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:42 EST, 26 June 2013 . A divided Supreme Court said Tuesday that federal law doesn't require that a Native American child be taken away from her adoptive parents and given to her biological father, meaning that the girl will be moved once more. The girl was put up for adoption by her mother and was raised by a South Carolina family for more than two years before the state's courts cited an old law- intended to protect Native American families- and forced the girl to be put in the care of her biological father, who has Native American ancestry. South Carolina courts said the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act favored the biological father of the girl, named Veronica. But the South Carolina couple who raised her for the first 27 months of her life appealed that decision. Happy family: Matt and Melanie Capobianco were in the delivery room when Veronica was born in Oklahoma in September 2009 . Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the court's majority, said the federal law didn't apply in this case because the biological father never had custody of the child and abandoned her before birth. Alito also said the law doesn't stop non-Native Americans from adopting the child when no other eligible candidates stepped forward. The law 'doesn't apply in cases where the Indian parent never had custody of the Indian child,' said Alito, who was joined in his opinion by Chief Justice John Roberts, and Justices Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Stephen Breyer. 'The Act would put certain vulnerable children at a great disadvantage solely because an ancestor – even a remote one – was an Indian,' Alito said. 'A biological Indian father could abandon his child in utero and refuse any support for the birth mother – perhaps contributing to the mother's decision to put the child up for adoption – and then could play his ICWA trump card at the eleventh hour to override the mother's decision and the child's best interest. 'I'm always going to be her daddy': Dusten Brown and daughter Veronica met for the first time on New Year's Eve 2011 . ‘If this were possible, many prospective adoptive parents would surely pause before adopting any child who might possibly qualify as an Indian under the ICWA.' The court's 5-4 decision sends the case back to the South Carolina courts. But Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented and pointed out that the court's ruling doesn't mean the baby, whose is only known publicly as Veronica, will now go back to her adoptive parents. September 2009: Baby Veronica is born in Oklahoma, with the Capobiancos present at the birth . January 2010: Dustin Brown signs away his custody rights but days later files an appeal . December 2011: Veronica is handed over to her biological father after a family court in South Carolina grants him custody . July 2012: South Carolina Supreme Court upholds the custody decision . April 2013: U.S. Supreme Court hears an appeal from the Capobiancos . July 2013: Court sides 5-4 with the adoptive family . 'The majority does not and cannot foreclose the possibility that on remand, Baby Girl's paternal grandparents or other members of the Cherokee Nation may formally petition for adoption of Baby Girl,' she said. 'If these parties do so, and if on remand, Birth Father's parental rights are terminated so that an adoption becomes possible, they will then be entitled to consideration under the order of preference established in' federal law. Her dissent was joined by Justices Antonin Scalia, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan. Sotomayor said the court's decision turns the law 'upside down, reading it from bottom to top in order to reach a conclusion that is manifestly contrary to Congress' express purpose in enacting ICWA: preserving the familial bonds between Indian parents and their children and, more broadly, Indian tribes' relationships with the future citizens who are `vital to (their) continued existence and integrity.' Added Scalia in a separate dissent: 'This father wants to raise his daughter, and the statute amply protects his right to do so. There is no reason in law or policy to dilute that protection.' The Obama administration, 18 states, several Indian tribes, current and former members of Congress and children's welfare groups filed briefs in support of the father. The future of Veronica Brown is being discussed at the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday . The National Council for Adoption and the American Association of Adoption Attorneys were among the groups that filed briefs in support of the South Carolina couple. Dusten Brown, a member of the Cherokee Nation, invoked the federal law to stop the adoption arranged by the girl's non-Indian mother when she was pregnant and the Charleston, South Carolina-area couple, Matt and Melanie Capobianco. The couple was present at Veronica's birth in Oklahoma. Brown had never met his daughter and, after the mother rebuffed his marriage proposal, played no role during the pregnancy and paid no child support after Veronica was born. But when Brown found out Veronica was going to be adopted, he objected and said the law favored the girl living with him and growing up learning tribal traditions. South Carolina courts agreed and Brown took Veronica, now 3, back to Oklahoma at the end of 2011, even though she had lived with the Capobiancos for the first 27 months of her life. Jefferson Keel, president of the National Congress of American Indians, said the court's decision leaves the ICWA in place, which he called 'the most important law to protect Native children and families.' Busy week: The Supreme Court has been handing down a number of important decisions this week . 'While we are pleased the court has upheld ICWA, we're very disappointed for Dusten, Veronica, and the Brown family that the court has ruled to send the case back to the South Carolina courts on a technicality,' Keel said. 'However, the courts in South Carolina have previously affirmed that Dusten Brown is Veronica's father and that he is a fit parent. We are confident that his parental rights will be upheld, and that Veronica will stay with her family.' Sotomayor said 'the anguish this case has caused will only be compounded' by the court's ruling if another change is made in the girl's living arrangements. 'Baby Girl has now resided with her father for 18 months,' she said. 'However difficult it must have been for her to leave Adoptive Couple's home when she was just over 2 years old, it will be equally devastating now, if at the age of three and a half, she is again removed from her home and sent to live halfway across the country.'

Biological father Dusten Brown was able to gain custody of his daughter after invoking Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 . Federal law gives American Indian parents preference in custody battles . Judges ruled in favor of adoptive family saying the father abandoned her at birth and had no legal rights to her as a result . Comes during busy week for the Supreme Court who also ruled on affirmative action and voting rights .

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By . James Nye . Shocking security camera footage released by the NYPD shows the moment a music video shoot descended into violence when one rapper shot his 'best friend' five times before pistol whipping him as he lay on the ground on Saturday. After the vicious argument has been settled, five people step over the 37-year-olds twitching body as they attempt to leave following the disturbing attack and not one of them stops to help the victim. According to owner Ali Abdul, speaking to the New York Daily News, 'They were fighting over who’s the star, who’s better. They were drunk. They spit at each other then one guy pulled out a gun and shot the other guy five times.' Scroll Down for Video - Warning Graphic Content . Fire: The braided suspect can be seen firing on his rap-rival while he holds a beverage in his right hand . No mercy: The rap-rival pistol-whips his friend after shooting him on the floor . The shooting suspect, wearing a red polo shirt with jeans and baseball cap, doesn't even put the drink he is holding in his right hand down while he fires at least three times at the victim, who falls to the floor. Not content with unleashing a barrage of bullets against the unidentified victim, the suspect who also has braided hair, is seen to viciously pistol-whip his 'friend' while he lies on the floor. Then, in a heartless twist, five other men who were in the store at the time are seen to walk over the victim without offering to help or provide assistance. Paramedics arrived shortly after the store was vacated by the six men and the victim was rushed to Lincoln Hospital, where he remained in a critical condition on Monday. The argument reportedly began during the filming of a rap video in the Bronx at E.170th St. on Saturday morning. Police have yet to announce what the argument was over and if any of the people who ignored the plight of the victim were connected with the suspect. Watch Video Here: . Callous: One of four men walk over the wounded man and do not stop to help him or ask how he is .

Unidentified victim, 37, shot inside convenience store in the Bronx in New York City on Saturday . The suspect has not been arrested and the victim is in critical condition . Owner of the store said the men were filming low-budget rap video .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . A grandmother has been hit with an £80 littering fine for feeding birds in a seaside town. Rose Rodell, 68, was given the fixed penalty notice while feeding peanuts to pigeons in Sidmouth, Devon. The pensioner started feeding the birds three years ago when she noticed two lost homing pigeons, and has not missed a day since. Rose Rodell, from Sidmouth, Devon, has been feeding peanuts to seagulls and pigeons in the resort for the last three years but was only handed a fixed penalty notice for her actions this week . Rose Rodell, 68, left, has been handed a fixed penalty notice for feeding birds in the town, right. East Devon District Council decided to take action following 'many calls' about her encouraging them to return to the area . She said she will now stop doing it but is refusing to pay the fine. ‘I’ve never been told not to feed them,’ she said. ‘I’ve always been advised about the birds but not told not to do it. 'The council knows I feed them, and a council officer watched me before pouncing and fining me for littering. ‘People who know me know I never litter, and I always sweep up. 'The lady who fined me was very abrupt. It saddened me to get the fine, because I’m worried the homing pigeons will suffer now.’ Sidmouth is one of three East Devon towns to employ a falconer to stop seagulls nesting in built-up areas . Rose Rodell said she would stop feeding the birds but would not pay the fine. The council said it had already warned her not to feed birds and said she was ‘well aware’ of the issues caused by seagulls in the town centre . East Devon Council has previously brought in falcons to rid the area of seagulls which have attacked residents. The authority said the gulls are attracted by food left for the pigeons. A . council spokesman added that they had spent ‘thousands’ on tackling . bird problems and their efforts were undermined if people fed them. The local authority said feeding the birds attracts vermin and seagulls to the area and said methods to dispel seagulls from the area were undermined by people like Mrs Rodell who continue to put food out for them .

Rose Rodell handed fixed penalty notice for feeding birds in seaside town . The 68-year-old has fed birds in Sidmouth, Devon, for the last three years . Fine issued because she was undermining efforts to stop seagulls in resort .

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By . Victoria Woollaston . Websites and their users have been left reeling this week after a flaw was exposed in a common encryption service. Around two-thirds of websites are vulnerable to so-called ‘heartbleed hackers’, and now a password expert has created a tool to see if your favourite sites are affected. LastPass’ Heartbleed Checker looks to see when a site’s secure encryption certificate was last valid and warns if the server may be at risk. LastPass' Heartbleed Checker, pictured, looks to see when a site's secure encryption certificate was last regenerated and warns if the server may be at risk. It also reveals the websites that either aren't affected by the bug, or have updated their certificates . The heartbleed bug lets hackers eavesdrop on supposedly secure communications. It was found by uncovered by a team of researchers from Google Security and Codenomicon in the OpenSSL cryptographic software. OpenSSL is open-source software that is widely used to encrypt web communications. It is used to protect websites, instant messaging, email servers, virtual private networks and other communications. OpenSSL certificates are also used to protect credit card details on select services. The software is used in two of the most widely used Web servers, Apache and nginx. Research by analytics firm Netcraft found almost 500,000 websites could be affected. In theory, if the site is vulnerable, . any data that has been stored on it since 2011 - when the flaw is . thought to have originated - could be at risk. The tool also reveals the websites that either aren’t affected by the bug, or have updated their certificates. Experts are advising people to change . their passwords, but if a website is still vulnerable, the information . may still be at risk. Changing passwords will work on sites that have been updated, and if your details were stolen before the flaw was identified. It's good practice to change passwords following a vulnerability either way, though. The heartbleed bug lets hackers eavesdrop on supposedly secure communications. It was uncovered by a team of researchers from Google Security and Codenomicon in the OpenSSL cryptographic software. The software offers encryption services, such as when people log into internet banking, or into a webmail service like Yahoo. The fault lets a hacker craft an attack which, under the right . conditions, will return small chunks of information from the . remote system or service. For example, it has been demonstrated that hackers can steal other users’ usernames and passwords from Yahoo - although this flaw has now been fixed. OpenSSL is open-source software that is widely used to encrypt web communications. According to the tool, pictured, Bing.com doesn't use OpenSSL so is not at risk . Instagram runs on the nginx server, which uses OpenSSL software, and its SSL certificate was last valid three years ago. LastPass has flagged it as a potential risk, pictured. The tool is a guide to affected services; it is not a definitive list . It is used to protect websites, . instant messaging, email servers, virtual private networks and other . communications from hackers. The . software is used in two of the most widely used web servers, including . Apache and nginx, and is said to be used in one way or another by . roughly two-thirds . of all websites. According to the tool, Bing.com doesn’t use OpenSSL so is not at risk. The server details of Facebook and Twitter aren't reported, so LastPass was unable to confirm if they use OpenSSL. However, it warns neither sites' SSL certificate has been updated since the flaw was identified. Yahoo.com, which was confirmed as vulnerable by developers yesterday, has since updated its SSL certificate and is listed as secure again. Instagram runs on the nginx server, which uses OpenSSL software, and its SSL certificate was last valid three years ago meaning LastPass has flagged it as a potential risk. The tool is a guide to affected services; it is not a definitive list. The bug means hackers can eavesdrop and leave no trace in server logs. The flaw was introduced in OpenSSL in December 2011, and was 'in the wild' until Monday, when a new version fixing the flaw was released . The flaw was introduced in OpenSSL in December 2011, and was 'in the wild' until Monday, when a new version fixing the flaw was released.Experts have confirmed the flaw is real. 'We were able to scrape a Yahoo username & password via the Heartbleed bug,' tweeted Ronald Prins of security firm Fox-IT, showing a censored example. Research by analytics firm Netcraft found almost 500,000 websites could be affected. 'The serious overrun vulnerability in the OpenSSL cryptographic library affects around 17 per cent of SSL web servers,' it said. The . Heartbleed bug lets anyone on the web read the memory of the . systems protected by vulnerable versions of the OpenSSL software. It compromises secret keys used to identify the service providers and . to encrypt web traffic. This includes the names and passwords of the users and the . actual content, such as credit card numbers. Attackers can 'eavesdrop' on communications between servers, steal data directly . from the them, and use the information to impersonate services and users on other sites or platforms. James Lyne, global head of research at security firm Sophos told MailOnline: 'This fault undermines the fundamental trust on the internet for anyone running the vulnerable software and it is widely . integrated into the technology we all use every day. 'While the fault has now been fixed, providers must apply it manually, so many still are vulnerable. 'Worse still, the defect was in the code for over two years before being discovered by security researchers - attackers could have discovered this at any time during that period and retrieved large volumes of data without anyone knowing. 'At this point the best thing for consumers to do is to assume their passwords and alike have been leaked. They may not have been, but since it's very hard to actually tell retrospectively, it is better to be safe than sorry. 'As providers rush to patch [the flaw], consumers should apply typical IT security best practice: ensure you change passwords - once you know the issue has been fixed by your provider; update your computers; and don't use the same password across multiple sites or services. 'This is not the first defect of its kind and it certainly won't be the last, but it is one of the more serious faults we've seen in recent Internet history.' 'The heartbleed bug allows anyone on the internet to read the memory of the systems protected by the vulnerable versions of the OpenSSL software,' according to a website the researchers who found the flaw set up to explain their find. 'This compromises the secret keys used to identify the service providers and to encrypt the traffic, the names and passwords of the users and the actual content. 'This allows attackers to eavesdrop communications, steal data directly from the services and users and to impersonate services and users.' Experts say the bug could leave up to 66% of sites vulnerable to hackers if their encryption software is not updated. It compromises secret keys used to identify the service providers and to encrypt web traffic. This includes the names and passwords of the users and actual content, such as credit card numbers . 'This bug has left large amount of private keys and other secrets exposed to the Internet," they warned. 'Considering the long exposure, ease of exploitation and attacks leaving no trace this exposure should be taken seriously.' Daniel Foster of hosting firm 34SP.com warned firms with eCommerce capabilities to be extra cautious. 'With potentially all web users affected by the recent ‘heartbleed’ security bug that has hit OpenSSL software, which is the software that protects credit card transactions - it is important that eCommerce businesses contact their web hosting providers to check that they have taken necessary actions to avoid their customers being affected by spying and eavesdropping,' he said.

Around two-thirds of websites are vulnerable to ‘heartbleed hackers’ Password expert has created a tool to see which sites are affected . LastPass’ Heartbleed Checker looks to see when a site’s secure encryption certificate was last updated and warns if the server may be at risk . The problem was found in the widely-used OpenSSL software . Experts are urging server owners to upgrade to the latest version . Flaw lets hackers eavesdrop on communications and steal encryption keys .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:41 EST, 23 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:43 EST, 23 April 2012 . The Moroccan belly dancer at the centre of Silvio Berlusconi's sex trial told friends he was ready to pay millions for her silence, according to wiretaps published today. Karima El Mahroug, aka Ruby the Heartbreaker, said the former Italian Prime Minister was 'crazy for me' and promised to 'cover her in gold' if she kept their 'friendship' quiet. She also revealed, in conversations recorded by investigators in October 2010, he was paying her €47,000 each week and she had demanded €5million to ensure her silence. Scroll down to listen to the recordings . Wiretaps: Conversations between Karima El Mahroug (left) and her friends reveal Silvio Berlusconi (right) was paying her €47,000 per week . Claims: Karima El Mahroug, aka Ruby the Heartbreaker, said the former Italian Prime Minister was 'crazy for me' and promised to 'cover her in gold' if she kept their 'friendship' quiet . The wiretaps contain no substantial new revelations about the lurid 'bunga bunga' scandal which overshadowed Berlusconi's final months in office. But they reinforce allegations that he made frantic efforts to quell news about his relationship with Ruby. The Rubygate affair is the most spectacular of the many sexual scandals surrounding Berlusconi and is particularly dangerous for him. This is because it centres on the allegation he had paid El Mahroug for sex while she was still a minor - a criminal offence. He is also accused of using his office to have her released from police custody after she was accused of theft in an unrelated case. Both he and Mahroug deny they had sex and Berlusconi denies ever paying for sex with anybody. Belle of the ball: Ruby made an appearance at Vienna Opera Ball in 2011 . More famous faces: Veteran actor Larry Hagman, aka Dallas' JR Ewing, was also among invited guests at last year's high-society ball . In other tapes, Ruby tells friends that Berlusconi told her to 'act crazy' and in one, says she and her lawyer had asked for €5million to ensure her silence. Audio of the conversations were made available on the website of the daily La Repubblica newspaper. Since the opening of his trial in Milan a year ago, a number of young women have described striptease 'bunga bunga' parties at Berlusconi's luxury villa outside Milan. He has long insisted they were no more than elegant, convivial dinner parties. But speaking last week during his first appearance at the trial, Berlusconi said the young women took part in 'burlesque games'. He said he made payments to help a number of young women whose reputations had been ruined by the sex scandal. In the taped conversations published today, El Mahroug and her friends appear amused at the agitation her antics were causing at the Italian prime minister's office. Money maker: Audio of the conversations were made available for the first time today . 'Mamma mia! What have you gone and done now?' one asks with a laugh. 'I told you I knew Silvio...What's coming out is me being Silvio's lover,' Ruby is heard telling the friend, identified as Antonella. 'He called me yesterday and said I'll give you all the money you want, I'll pay you, I'll cover you in gold but the important thing is that you hide everything and don't tell anyone anything,' she said. Asked what she means by knowing Berlusconi, she replies: 'That I go to his house, that we've been friends for a year. It's just that people think the worst straight away. 'They see a beautiful girl who goes to Silvio's house, that he throws money at her - because he gave me €47,000 every week. Payments: Ruby said she was paid €47,000 per week and demanded €5million for her silence . 'They say 'Why does he do that for her? because he'd certainly have got something out of it, he'd have had sex'. It's not like that.' Asked by a friend whether she was afraid following the explosion of media interest in the story, she said: 'No I'm not afraid of anything. I'll have a lot of money, I'll be famous. What should I be afraid of?' Berlusconi, undermined by sex and corruption scandals, was forced from office last November and replaced by technocrat Prime Minister Mario Monti after Italy risked being plunged into a Greek-style debt crisis. He says left-wing magistrates have waged a campaign for decades to drive him from power and subvert democracy.

Taps reveal former Italian PM paid Ruby the Heartbreaker  €47,000 per week . She told friend she wanted €5million to ensure she kept quiet .

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A dispute over public prayers at town board meetings will be taken up by the Supreme Court in coming months, another contentious case over the intersection of faith and the public arena. The justices announced Monday the court will decide whether a New York community may continue what it calls "inclusive" prayers at its town board sessions. The petition will be argued later this year or early in 2014, with a ruling ready by the spring. After the Greece, New York, Town Board's policy was challenged because virtually all of those invited to offer prayers were Christians, the board for a time invited a few others, including a Wiccan, to offer invocations. But when that practice appeared to end, local citizens Susan Galloway and Linda Stephens sued. A federal appeals court found the board's policy to be an unconstitutional violation of the Establishment Clause, which forbids any government "endorsement" of religion. The town board then asked the Supreme Court to intervene. Galloway and Stephens say the board of the town outside Rochester almost always invited Christian clergy to open the meetings, usually with sectarian prayers. The plaintiffs said in court papers they were non-Christian and felt "marginalized" by the practice. Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the Washington, D.C.-based group that is representing the two women, cited records showing that between 1999 and 2010, approximately two-thirds of the invocations contained the words "Jesus Christ," Jesus," Holy Spirit," or "Your Son." And the lawsuit claims that from 1999 through 2007, every meeting had a Christian-only invocation. Following the complaints from the plaintiffs, four other faiths were invited in 2008, including a Baha'i leader and a Jewish lay person. Galloway and Stephens say the Christian-only invocations resumed from January 2009 through June 2010. The plaintiffs then launched their legal fight, saying those invited to the monthly meetings were selected by a city employee from a local guide that had no non-Christian faiths listed. "A town council meeting isn't a church service, and it shouldn't seem like one," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, AUSCS executive director. "Government can't serve everyone in the community when it endorses one faith over others. That sends the clear message that some are second-class citizens based on what they believe about religion." While the 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in New York last year unanimously ruled against the city's policy, other courts around the country have found such invocations -- if inclusive and limited in scope -- to be permissible. The U.S. Congress regularly opens its sessions with a prayer. Friday's invocation by House Chaplain the Rev. Patrick Conroy began: "Loving and gracious God, we give You thanks for giving us another day. Help us this day to draw closer to You so that, with Your Spirit and aware of Your presence among us, we may all face the tasks of this day." Forty-nine members of Congress, mostly Republicans, along with 18 state attorneys general have filed supporting legal briefs backing the city. The Alliance Defending Freedom, a "legal ministry" based in Scottsdale, Arizona, filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Greece Town Board, saying the Supreme Court has upheld the practice of government bodies "to acknowledge America's religious heritage and invoke divine guidance and blessings upon their work." "A few people should not be able to extinguish the traditions of our nation merely because they heard something they didn't like," said Brett Harvey, an attorney for the group. "Because the authors of the Constitution invoked God's blessing on public proceedings, this tradition shouldn't suddenly be deemed unconstitutional." But the 2nd Circuit appeals court concluded Greece officials were not diligent enough in efforts to find a more diverse set of voices from other faiths to open the public sessions, suggesting "a single religious sect" was being advanced. The high court is now being asked to offer more firm guidelines over when and if such public prayers are constitutionally acceptable. The case is Town of Greece, N.Y. v. Galloway (12-696).

A New York community has what it calls "inclusive" prayers at its town board sessions . Some local citizens sued and a federal appeals court found the policy unconstitutional . "A town council meeting isn't a church service," the legal group backing the citizens says . "A few people should not be able to extinguish" the nation's traditions, the other side says .

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By . John Hall . A German woman has started transporting her two-foot tall miniature horse in the boot of her Smart Car after finding it impossible to safely secure him in a horse box. Kim Scholz, 23, said she had been stopped by police several times while driving in her hometown of Koenigsbrunn in Bavaria, but has always been able to prove that four-year-old Sammy - who is about as tall as a medium-sized dog - is properly secured. The University of Augsburg student said she was forced to adopt unorthodox methods to transport the Argentinian Falabella after realising he was far safer in the boot of her car than in a full-sized horse box, where he is too small to be suitably fastened. Taken for a ride: Sammy - a four-year-old Argentinian Falabella - has to travel in the boot of his owner's Smart car because he is too small to travel in a normal-sized horse box . Unusual: Sammy's owner Kim Scholz (pictured in white) said she was forced to adopt unorthodox methods to transport him after realising he was far safer in the boot of her car than in a horse box . Cute: The four-year-old stallion is an Argentinian Falabella - one of the smallest breeds of horse in the world . Ms Scholz contacted local media to explain her reasons for transporting Sammy in the back of her black Smart Car after photographs started appearing in national media. She felt she needed to explain that not only was Sammy traveling in the boot for his own safety, it was also a perfectly legal way of transporting an animal of his size. 'I have actually been stopped several times by the police, but once they see that Sammy is properly secured in the back of the car and in fact that he seems to be quite enjoying it in there, they always let me carry on,' Ms Scholz said. 'In the horse box it is not possible to properly secure him because he is so small, and he only has a white wall to look at which is nowhere near as interesting as having a window in the car,' she added. Entertainer: Two-foot tall Sammy now routinely travels in the back of a Smart car whenever he needs to travel to perform in a show or an event . Strapped in: Kim Scholz said she had been stopped by police several times while driving in her hometown of Koenigsbrunn in Bavaria, but has always been able to prove that Sammy is properly secured . Adorable: Ms Scholz adopted Sammy two years ago after seeing him advertised on the internet . Bad fit: Ms Scholz started transporting her two-foot tall miniature horse in the boot of her Smart Car after realising he was too small secure properly in a normal horse box. It also allows him to look out the window . Ms Scholz said Sammy now routinely travels in the back of her Smart Car whenever he needs to travel to perform in a show or an event. 'It is particularly practical for short journeys just to put him in the boot,' she said. Ms Scholz adopted Sammy two years ago after seeing him advertised on the internet. He . had been badly treated and underfed by a previous owner and required a . lot of extra care and attention to become calm enough to perform at . local horse shows. The four-year-old stallion is an Argentinian Falabella - one of the smallest breeds of horse in the world. For the record: Kim Scholz contacted local media to explain her reasons for transporting Sammy in the back of her black Smart car after photographs started appearing in national media . Loved: Sammy had been badly treated and underfed by a previous owner and required a lot of extra care and attention to become calm enough to perform at local horse shows . Trot: Despite the fact they seldom grow much taller than a medium-sized dog Argentinian Falabellas are classed as horses, not ponies. Because they are so small, they are not suitable for riding . What a sight! Kim Scholz felt she needed to explain that not only was Sammy traveling in the boot for his own safety, it was also a perfectly legal way of transporting an animal of his size . Despite the fact they seldom grow much taller than a medium-sized dog Falabellas are horses, not ponies. Although the difference between the two is usually based on height, the actual definition is in fact based on phenotypes - the physical characteristics and temperament of the animal. In short, despite being smaller than many ponies, the character and physicality of an Argentinian Falabella has far more in common with a horse, and they are therefore defined as such. Because they are so small, Argentinian Falabellas are not suitable for riding. They are, however, highly intelligent and are occasionally used as an alternative to a guide dog for blind people.

Argentinian Falabella 'Sammy' is too small to travel in a normal horse box . Owner Kim Scholz, 23, instead transports him in the boot of her Smart car . Student from Koenigsbrunn, Germany says police regularly pull her over . But she has always been able to prove that Sammy is happy and secure .

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Police are hunting for a gunman after a man was shot dead on a rural road just two hours into 2015. A murder investigation has been launched after the 36-year-old man was fatally injured close to a travellers' site in Burwell, Cambridgeshire. Pictures from the scene today show a forensics tent covering the victim's body and a white van mysteriously abandoned in a ditch. A second man - also caught up in the New Year's Day row - was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge with severe facial injuries. He is in a stable condition and was not shot. Murder probe: Police have sealed off a rural Cambridgeshire road after a 36-year-old man was shot dead at 2am on New Year's Day . Detectives have been talking to residents on a travellers' site located just yards from the rural road where the man was found. There have been no arrests. A cordon remains in place and police say armed units will remain in and around the surrounding area throughout the day. Police say they are treating the death as an 'isolated incident'. Detective Chief Inspector Jason Gordon said: 'We are in the early stages of this investigation but at this stage we are treating this as an isolated incident. 'We are keen to hear from anyone who may have information about this man's death.' Manhunt: Police have sealed off the site and are yet to make any arrests but they believe it is an 'isolated incident' A Cambridgeshire Constabulary spokesman said 'firearms were involved' in the incident but a cause of death has not been confirmed. Police and paramedics were called at 2am this morning but the shooting victim could not be saved. The man's family have been notified but formal identification has not yet taken place. Anyone with information should call the Cambridgeshire Major Crime Unit on 101 of Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Victim was found lying in the road in village of Burwell, Cambridgeshire . Police called at around 2am on New Year's Day after shooting reported . Incident happened near to travellers' site. Police are yet to arrest a suspect . Second man suffered facial injuries but was not shot, detectives say .

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By . Erin Clements . Since making her 1959 debut, Barbie has done stints as an astronaut, a surgeon, a news anchor and even a U.S. president. And ever the Renaissance woman, the leggy blond doll has found a new calling: entrepreneur. Entrepreneur Barbie, which Mattel unveiled at the American International Toy Fair in February, is available on Amazon starting today, and will hit other retailers in August. Mattel has teamed with eight female entrepreneurs to launch the tech-savvy doll, who comes equipped with a tablet, a smartphone and a laptop . case. Well connected: Entrepreneur Barbie, part of Mattel's 'I can be' line of career-oriented dolls, comes with her own smartphone and tablet . Barbie's 'Chief Inspirational Officers' include Girls Who Code founder Reshma Saujani, One Kings Lane founders Susan Feldman and Alison Pincus, and Rent the Runway founders Jennifer Hyman and Jenny Fleiss. 'Unfortunately we live in a culture where girls are bombarded with images of male coders and engineers that just don’t look like them,' Saujani told Wired. More... Fancy a Slash of milk with that? Artist creates portraits of celebrities - using cornflakes . This gives a new meaning to face painting! Make-up artist who transforms herself into celebrities, including footballers from the World Cup Squad . 'When you ask a girl what a computer scientist is, she usually pictures a geeky guy typing away. And then we wonder why girls don’t pursue careers in tech! We have to change popular culture and start showing more women, more cool, dynamic, creative women, in these roles.' Tools of the trade: Entrepreneur Barbie's accessories include a tablet, smartphone and laptop case . The campaign's participants offered career tips to young fans in a Twitter discussion Wednesday afternoon, using the hashtag #BarbieChat. Barbie will also get her own LinkedIn page and a billboard in New York's Times Square featuring the hashtag #unapologetic. Entrepreneur Barbie is part of Mattel's 'I can be' line of career-oriented Barbies, which launched in 2010 in an effort to showcase . modern-day careers for women. 'She's ready to take on anything that comes her way,' Mattel spokeswoman Michelle Chidoni said earlier this year. Think pink: Each version of Entrepreneur Barbie sports a fuchsia frock . 'We always try to make career Barbie . a reflection of the times,' she added. 'Women entrepreneurs are more prevalent now and they’re . growing in number. [It's] a great way to encourage girls to also learn . about this role.' It's the first time in her 55-year . history that Barbie has taken on the role of business owner, where women are 'living their dreams their own ways.' Chidoni said Mattel is also partnering with the Girl Scouts to create video stories of successful female entrepreneurs. Barbie Entrepreneur comes in four ethnicities and will retail for $12.99, according to CNN.

The new Barbie is available on Amazon starting today, and will hit other retailers in August . Eight female entrepreneurs teamed with Mattel to serve as Barbie's 'Chief Inspirational Officers'

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(CNN) -- Here's a reason to be hopeful if you ever find yourself stuck on a desert island: sending a message in a bottle could actually work. Just ask Corey Swearingen. A teenager in Ireland recently found the bottle and message he tossed off the Florida coast last year. "I was excited and amazed that my bottle traveled all the way across the Atlantic Ocean," said Swearingen, 18. But Swearingen's message wasn't an SOS. It was part of an experiment in his marine science class at Florida's Melbourne High School that started 16 months ago. "The goal was to basically see how the ocean currents work and how the Gulf Stream flows, and eventually it landed in Ireland," he said. Swearingen says 17-year-old Adam Flannery and his father made the discovery. "He was walking along the shore, and he saw the bottle and opened it," Swearingen said. "The message said, 'Please do not throw this away. This is a science experiment.'" The note directed the pair to contact science teacher Ethan Hall, which they did. By this time, Swearingen had graduated from high school and was attending Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. Hall tracked him down through Facebook and sent him a message with the incredible news. Swearingen said he had yet to speak with the Irish duo who found the bottle, but was looking forward to hearing their take on the find. This is not the first time Hall's experiment has proven successful, according to Swearingen. People in Georgia, South Carolina and Rhode Island have discovered bottles from other students in Hall's class. Still, Swearingen didn't expect anyone would ever find his bottle. But he said the fact that it travelled thousands of miles ensured he learned a lesson from the experiment -- more than a year after taking part in it. "I learned that the Gulf Stream goes really, really far away," he said.

A Florida teenager says people in Ireland found a bottle he threw into the ocean . The bottle is part of a high school science experiment . Other students' bottles have been found in Georgia, South Carolina and Rhode Island .

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(CNN) -- My parents always told me I could do anything I wanted. They told me I could be anything I wanted if I studied hard, got good grades and treated people well. They were right. They never said to me, however, that I could have it all. The notion that women can have it all, in the way society defines "all," is a ridiculous myth. That's OK. What matters is I have my version of "all." What is easy to forget at the core of it is: What do we actually want? Not what does society expect from us. And not what do our mothers and fathers expect from us, though the latter helps shape our fundamental views on this subject. The real question is: What will make us happy? It sounds simple. But it is not simple precisely because there has been so much buildup of expectations from society as to what a good mother and a successful career woman should be. And none of it is based in reality. As a Latina mother of two young children, I have chosen to follow a tough, grueling, demanding, sometimes discriminating, yet very rewarding career in communications, politics, community advocacy and the private sector, beating back cultural pressure to marry and have children in my 20s and early 30s. Sandberg: Speak up, believe in yourself, take risks . To the chagrin of my mother, my own motherhood choices came later in life. I had my first child at age 38, after I was able to carve out quite a bit of career success. This gave me the ability to find an executive position with flexibility and autonomy, which helped ease the burden of guilt and pain when I first left my baby boy -- and later my baby girl -- to go back to work full time. I could not have done any of this without an amazing husband and partner who sacrificed some of his own professional ambitions to partly stay home with our children during their infant years. (What would my old-fashoined machista Colombian father think about that?) But no matter how nurturing and caring husbands are and how much we trust them to fulfill our children's every need, the pangs of a working mother never subside. Guilt pangs, pangs of wanting to be there to not miss a single thing, pangs of letting your children down because you are not at their side every waking minute. For those of us who have chosen to be working moms, the flip side is also true. When you do have the fulfillment of being at home with the kids, there is a slight pang of guilt nudging you to work on that memo, that proposal, read those news stories, think through that new client pitch. Just this week, I left an important annual dinner, full of rich networking opportunities, to be home for my son so he could finish a school project. The concept of "having it all" is individual. Maybe it means being all you can be in the choices you have made and ensuring you are doing your best in the role or roles you are carrying out. Maybe it means trying to have one piece at a time. I chose to focus on my career first, to establish myself and then have some flexibility to have a more fulfilling family life. But many women don't want to wait that long to have children, or worse, have waited only to find heartbreak when they try and cannot get pregnant. Some of my childhood friends chose the opposite timing. They had children early and now that their children are grown, they are focusing on fulfilling their professional dreams. Confessions of a busy mom: 5 lessons . Some of my friends have chosen -- gasp! -- to either not have children and focus 100% on their careers or to give up their successful and lucrative professions to dedicate themselves entirely to their families. Both are perfectly fine choices to make. Instead of judging the choices women make, we should rejoice in the fact that we have the ability to make these choices at all. I believe that true feminism does not lie in having to prove that we can be both doting mothers and high-powered career professionals at the same time and do both 100% well 100% of the time. We can't. No one can. Anyone who says differently is lying or not facing reality. The beauty of what the feminist movement has brought today's women is that these choices are available to us. My mother did not have the luxury to choose. She married my father and took care of us. She worked early on as a secretary, and enjoyed it greatly. Then my father demanded she quit to focus on the family. She did. When I found out this family lore, I was outraged, having been brought up by this same mother and father to be an outspoken, independent-minded woman. But then I had to take a step back and realize it was a different time, a different era and a different country. For me and my husband, it is important that in our choices we are setting examples for our kids that it is natural for girls to be strong leaders and for mothers and women to work in demanding careers, and for boys to be nurturers and for dads and men to be the primary care-givers, and vice versa. My hope is that this "dilemma" will not even be an afterthought for my daughter. That she will choose what makes her happy. And that will be the definition of "having it all." Work, family and 'leaning in': Seven families trying to make it work . We must acknowledge that many women, because of differing circumstances, may not have the luxury to make choices. We are fortunate to live in a country that allows many of us to pave our own way and to make the choices that are best for us, our families, and if we decide to have them, our children. We can embrace our choice, or change it along the way, in the pursuit of happiness. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Maria Cardona.

Maria Cardona: The notion that women can have it all is a myth . Cardona: The real question for every individual is what would make you happy? She says choosing either career or motherhood first is OK; there is no one formula . Cardona: Don't judge the choices women make, rejoice that we have many choices .

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(CNN) -- It's hard not to notice Aziz N'Diaye. Standing at seven feet tall, the starting center for the University of Washington's basketball team is a dominant force in American college basketball. His towering height and physical power, coupled with his impressive shot-blocking and rebounding skills, make the senior a serious prospect for a professional basketball career. But the imposing center's past is just as compelling as his promising future. N'Diaye's long journey to college basketball started several years ago on the other side of the Atlantic. "I'm originally from Dakar, which is the capital of Senegal," explains N'Diaye, whose introspective tone contrasts with his imposing stature. "I was going to a smaller high school over there ... for two years and I got offered to come to the States to finish my high-school career." Read also: NBA boss finding Africa's basketball stars . The place that jump-started N'Diaye's dream of playing in the NBA was the Sports for Education and Economic Development in Senegal (SEEDS) academy, a boarding school that gives eager young men from the West African country the opportunity to study and play basketball, with the possibility of being recruited to play on a bigger stage in the United States. Located in Thies, western Senegal, SEEDS uses sports as a vehicle to empower and support youth in the country while offering them quality education and helping them to improve their athletic skills. The academy provides up to 30 youngsters a year with a place to live, study and train, sheltering their dreams for a better future in a country where less than 20% of children make it to high school. "As Africans, we have a responsibility to build our community," says Amadou Gallo Fall, who started the SEEDS foundation in 1998, before opening the boarding school in 2003. "Those days are over where other people came, saw tremendous potential and resources that exist here and you know, exploited to their benefit or advantage. It's about empowering our youth, making them see that there's a pathway to success." Read also: Why Africans will be basketball stars of tomorrow . Fall, who also serves as the NBA's vice president for development in Africa, is one of basketball's most prominent figures in the continent. His vision to start SEEDS and help his fellow countrymen stems from his own personal experience as one of the first Senegalese to earn an education through basketball in the United States. Back in the late 1980s, Fall played for the University of the District of Columbia after his basketball talents were discovered by a member of the Peace Corps in Senegal. "Everything started from there," says Fall, who also pursued an MBA from Georgetown University while in the United States. Watch video: Shooting for the NBA . After graduation, Fall worked for the Senegalese national team and later he accepted a position as international scout for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. Along the way, his desire to enable youth in his country to follow in his footsteps and gain a quality education grew even bigger. Fall realized that the power of sports to mobilize youth and give them a platform to fulfill their goals could be used for a bigger impact. The result was the establishment of SEEDS. "To me, it was about how these young people could use their God-given talent to get an education, because that happened with me," he says. "Most of them didn't realize that possibility existed. So really, my thing was, how do we help them identify that this opportunity exists? At some point I thought, in order to have a bigger impact, to reach more people, we wanted to really create something back in Senegal where it would be about, how do we use sports and the power of sports to contribute in the efforts of socio-economic developments in Senegal and Africa and beyond?" Read also: Luc Mbah a Moute -- African prince of the NBA . SEEDS has so far sent more than 40 Senegalese youngsters to study in the United States, giving 25 of them the chance to play at American colleges. For youngsters like N'Diaye, the lure of a quality education coupled with a chance to pursue his dream of one day playing in the NBA were enough to make him decide to go to SEEDS. "It was a good academic school," he says. "It's like, people going there, having the opportunity, the chance of traveling with basketball and having the chance of going to some camps and have some coaches take a look at them and see where their skill is at. "At the end of the day, I wanted to come to the States because here, sports and education, they combined it."

Academy in Senegal gives basketball scholarships to U.S. colleges . The boarding school uses basketball as a vehicle to empower Senegal's youth . It lets them improve their basketball skills while offering them quality education . So far the academy has sent some 40 kids to study in the United States .

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(CNN) -- For some people, it's been an open question: Is six seconds, the limit before a Vine video starts looping over and over again, enough time for real creativity? The answer is yes. About 24 hours into the existence of Vine, Twitter's appropriately brief video-sharing app, it's already clear that users are doing really cool stuff with it -- in much the same way that people found ways to be funny or insightful with just 140 characters of text. Sure, a lot of the Vine posts we're seeing are random images of crap on people's desks, their lunches or their cats. (Would it really be the Internet without cats?) But why focus on the negative when you can accentuate the positive? Here are a few of the most interesting Vines we've seen so far. Let us know of ones we missed in the comments. .

Twitter's video-sharing app, Vine, launched Thursday . Already, some folks are finding ways to be creative with it . From Jimmy Fallon to the Australian Open, Vine clips are flooding Twitter .

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A Chinese couple who can't afford live-saving medical treatment for their sick daughter are trying to sell their son on the street to raise money for her chemotherapy. Meng Xiangyan, 29, said that with certain death awaiting their daughter unless she receives medical treatment, she and her husband were prepared to sell their daughter's twin brother to a good home so that both would have a chance of life. Pictures show her standing on Weihai Road in Qingdao, in China's eastern Shandong province, with a placard offering to sell him to the highest bidder. Meng Xiangyan pictured with her son as she tries to sell him on the streets of a busy Chinese city . The 29-year-old claims she and her husband love both their children, but they are willing to sell their son (pictured together) to a good home in order to try and save the life of his twin sister . The boy's twin sister (pictured with Xiangyan) is suffering from leukemia and requires life-saving treatment . In the pictures, he can be seen eating what appears to be candied fruit and standing alongside his mother as she appeals for someone to come forward and buy him. She said: 'Up until a year ago we had a wonderful family and we thought we had everything we could need with a wonderful little boy and a wonderful little girl who are twins. 'But all that changed when my daughter was diagnosed as suffering from leukemia in August of last year and we spent all of our savings and borrowed everything we could from friends and relatives. 'It still wasn't enough, and now we are hoping to raise cash from the sale of our son.' Medical staff say the child is suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia and needs urgent medical treatment that includes chemotherapy every 10 days at the Rizhao Municipal Hospital. The family have sold their apartment and everything in it and are now living in a tiny 10sqm flat close to where the chemotherapy is being carried out. Meng Xiangyan pictured with her daughter, who requires urgent, and expensive, chemotherapy treatment . By selling her son (right) to pay her daughter's (left) medical bills, Meng Xiangyan (centre) hopes both her children will have a chance at life . They are struggling to heat the tiny apartment which is vital to prevent the child, weakened by chemotherapy, from suffering in the cold which could be fatal. Their attempt to sell their son follows a similar situation last month in which a woman was spotted trying to sell her baby daughter on the streets of China in order to pay her husband's £10,000 medical bill. Ni Qiong was photographed roadside in Fuzhou, southeastern China, with a written sign imploring pedestrians to purchase her one-year-old daughter. She and her husband Zhou Xinggui are both migrant workers, but he is currently in hospital needing surgery after falling off scaffolding. Despite remaining on the street for four hours, no pedestrians offered to purchase her daughter. His wife's sign read: 'Please buy my daughter. My husband is waiting for surgery fees in the hospital as his boss ran away. I would like to sell my daughter and save my husband.'

The Chinese couple want to sell their son to pay for his sister's treatment . Their daughter is suffering from leukemia and needs urgent chemotherapy . Meng Xiangyan was pictured trying to sell her son on a busy city street . The family have spent everything they own to try and pay for medical bills .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . and Associated Press . Insight: Timothy Cannon has lifted the veil on the previously secretive execution process . A top corrections officer has lifted the lid on how Florida carries out its executions - revealing that all officials test the death chamber to ensure it is comfortable for the doomed inmate. Timothy Cannon, the assistant secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections and the team leader present at every execution, spoke out about the previously secretive process as part of a lawsuit involving an inmate who is fighting a new execution drug. The lawsuit has been brought by attorneys for Paul Howell, who is scheduled to die by lethal injection on February 26 for killing a state trooper in 1992. His lawyers argue that the first of the new injected drugs, midazolam, isn't effective at preventing the pain of the subsequent drugs. Cannon told a Leon County court in his testimony that . ahead of executions, each team member 'has to serve in the role of the condemned . during training at some point'. 'We've . changed several aspects of just the comfort level for the inmate while . lying on the gurney,' he said. 'Maybe we put sponges under the hand or . padding under the hands to make it more comfortable, changed the pillow, . the angle of things, just to try to make it a little more comfortable, . more humane and more dignified as we move along.' He then detailed the inmate's final moments from the officers' points of view. Routine: His testimony, which was given as part of a lawsuit against a new execution drug, revealed that they now carry out a new 'consciousness check' to make sure the inmate is not conscious . He said an . inmate is first injected with two syringes of midazolam and a syringe of 'flush' - saline solution to get the drug into the body. Midazolam is a . sedative. Once the three syringes have been administered from an . anonymous team of pharmacists and doctors in a back room, Cannon carries out consciousness checks. Cannon . told a Leon County court that a new inmate 'consciousness check' is . given due to news media reports and other testimony stemming from an . October 15 execution - the root of Howell's suit. Death . row inmate William Happ was the first to receive the new lethal . injection drug trio and an Associated Press reporter noted he acted . differently during the execution than those before him. It appeared Happ remained conscious longer and made more body movements after losing consciousness. Cannon . said that during Happ's execution and the ones that came before it, he . did two 'consciousness checks' based on what he learned at the Federal . Bureau of Prisons in Indiana. Fight: Paul Howell, left, is scheduled to be executed at the end of the month in Florida for killing Trooper Jimmy Fulford, right, with a homemade bomb in 1992. He is fighting the new drug, claiming it takes longer to kill . These . are a 'shake and shout,' where he vigorously shakes the inmate's . shoulders and calls his name loudly, and also strokes the inmate's . eyelashes and eyelid. After . Happ's execution, Cannon said the department decided to institute a . 'trapezoid pinch', where he squeezes the muscle between an inmate's neck . and shoulder. It was added . 'to ensure we were taking every precaution we could possibly do to . ensure the person was, in fact, unconscious,' Cannon said. 'To make sure . that this process was humane and dignified.' During the consciousness checks, the anonymous team of doctors in the back room . watches the inmate's face on a screen, which is captured by a video . camera in the death chamber. The inmate is also hooked up to a heart . monitor, Cannon said. There are two executioners in the back room . - the ones who deploy the drugs - along with an assistant team leader, 3 medical professionals, an independent monitor from the Florida . Department of Law Enforcement and two corrections employees who hold an open line to the governor's office. Put to death: The lawsuit comes after William Happ, left, appeared to stay conscious for longer with the new drug used in executions last year. He was put to death for raping and killing Angie Crowley, right, in 1986 . Protesters: Florida Highway Patrol cars frame protesters rallying against Happ's execution last year . If the team determines that the inmate is unconscious, the other two lethal drugs are administered. But lawyers for Howell say that they are concerned that the midazolam does not produce a deep enough level of unconsciousness to prevent the inmate from feeling the pain of the second and third injection and causes a death that makes the inmate feel as though he is being buried alive. 'Beyond just the fact that Constitution requires a humane death, if we decided that we wanted perpetrators of crime to die in the same way that their victims did then we would rape rapists. And we don't rape rapists,' said Sonya Rudenstine, a Gainesville attorney who represents Howell. 'We should not be engaging of the behavior that we have said to abhor. If we are going to kill people, we have to do it humanely. It's often said the inmate doesn't suffer nearly as much as the victim, and I believe that's what keeps us civilized and humane.' Corrections spokeswoman Jessica Cary said on Wednesday that the department 'remains committed to doing everything it can to ensure a humane and dignified lethal injection process'. Lethal dose: Happ was the first death row inmate to be injected with the drug midazolam hydrochloride, pictured, and witnesses said he appeared to stay conscious for longer before dying . Cannon's testimony is . notable because it shows that the Department of Corrections has changed . its procedures - namely the consciousness checks - since the state started using a new cocktail of lethal . injection drugs. Howell, the inmate appealing the execution based on the new drug, is scheduled . to die by lethal injection later this month. In 1992, Howell made a bomb intended to kill a woman who could link him to an earlier murder, put it in a microwave, wrapped it like a present and commissioned a friend to drive it to her home. But the friend was stopped for speeding on the way to her house by Trooper Jimmy Fulford, who learned that the car had been loaned by Howell. Officers told him the friend would be taken to custody - and he did not tell them the car was containing a bomb. Fulford was later granted permission to search the car and was holding the package when it exploded, killing him. Howell was charged with the trooper's murder.

Timothy Cannon, who is present at every execution in Florida, has revealed details about executions during a lawsuit against new execution drug . Lawyers for death row inmate Paul Howell - who is due to die this month - say the new drug does not prevent the pain of the subsequent drugs . Cannon revealed he carries out 'consciousness checks' during the process - such as shaking and pinching inmates and touching their eyelids . Also revealed that as part of their training, officers test the death chambers for comfort and have tweaked details such as pillows since . The lawsuit comes after inmate William Happ was the first to receive the new injection last year - and appeared to be conscious for longer .

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By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 11:06 EST, 24 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 17:28 EST, 24 January 2014 . Timberland boots graced the footwear market forty years ago and quickly became synonymous with high vis jacket clad workman. But the humble boot is stepping back into the fashion forefront thanks to a few famous feet. All the cool kids on the block - from Rihanna and Beyonce to Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn - have been stomping around Tinseltown in their beloved Timberland boots. Step back into fashion: Timberland boots were more commonly associated with builders - but not since Jay Z and Rihanna have brought them to the forefront of the fashion world . Fashion-savvy Rihanna lead the trend, spotted by Grazia Daily, when she wore hers on the red carpet at the Brit Awards. And it seems her famous friends have followed suit. Kayne West styled his APC lookbook with them, Cara Delevingne complements her tomboy look with a pair and Jourdan Dunn even wears her with a dressing gown in her downtime. Even Hollywood's youngest fashionista Blue Ivy Carter has a pair. The youngster's tiny boots were displayed right in the middle of Mr. and Mrs. Carter's in an Instagram photo posted by Beyonce. The . one-year-old's shoes replicate her 43-year-old father's, with the Bow . Down singer opting for a platform, high-heeled version. And Blue Ivy has actually been spotted in her pair before. Famous fans: Kayne West gives Timberlands the seal of approval and Jourdan Dunn even rocks hers with a dressing gown . Queen of cool: Cara Delevingne loves her trusty Timberlands and pulls the urban look off with aplomb . Speaking about the . hot new trend, Lisa Haynes, fashion and beauty editor of the Press . Association, said: 'Nobody can work Timberlands like the All Saints . circa 1997 - complete with baggy khaki pants. 'In 2014, you need a distinctly edgy street vibe a la Cara Delevingne to really pull them off. Supermodel pins help too. 'If . you can’t resist the lure of this workboot comeback, keep them classic. Avoid the towering heel homages that can take them into tacky . territory. 'Opt for a . pared-down look with leggings or slouchy trousers so your Timberlands . don’t look too try-hard. Think perfect pooch walking footwear. Even the kids are catching on! Orlando Bloom's son Flynn and Blue Ivy Carter are also sporting the style . 'Me? My flat shoe obsession is sole-ly dedicated to the Chanel Couture sneaker.' Celebrity stylist and founder of Style School, Alex Longmore, said: 'Timberlands are just the next thing in a long list of fashion must haves that have stemmed from the revival of 90’s fashion. 'I didn’t like these chunky boots the first time and I am not that keen on them now, they are the most unfeminine footwear you could be seen in and the garish sand colour and the heaviness of them just doesn’t do most of us any favours. 'The best way to wear them is to recreate the "models off duty look", wear with a slogan T shirt, baggy black harem pants with the bottoms tucked into the boots, a hoodie cardigan worn under a black leather jacket or for a different look, take a pair of black leggings worn with an oversized thigh length T shirt and an oversized checked shirt thrown over the top. 'A serious fashion faux pas would be to wear them under jeans or indeed with a skirt or dress. This look is all about going a bit "ragga" and a bit "urban".' In 1918, Timberland founder Nathan Swartz . began his shoe-making career in Boston, Massachusetts, as an apprentice . stitcher and developed the Timberland brand name in 1973. Famous footwear: Beyonce shared a snapshot of her husband Jay Z's, daughter Blue Ivy's, and her classic yellow Timberland boots .

40-year-old boots make a comeback thanks to famous fans . Kayne West even styled his APC lookbook with them .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:40 EST, 31 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:01 EST, 31 January 2014 . A comic known for dressing as an old woman on a popular Spanish TV show has been charged with possessing child pornography. Adonis Losada, 49, used to appear on the popular Spanish-language TV variety show 'Sábado Gigante' on Univision. The comic faces 66 child pornography charges, many involving graphic images of young children in sexual situations. Justice: Adonis Losada, the 49-year-old former comic actor from the popular Spanish-language TV show Sábado Gigante, is now on trial in Palm Beach County on 66 counts of child pornography from September 2009 . He has offered no defense and has refused to use an attorney in court. Losada told Circuit Judge Karen Miller on Thursday, 'It's not my wish to be here.' 'I don't want to participate,' he said, 'send me the verdict and all that information.' The judge has ruled Losada is mentally competent and has told him he is required to sit in the courtroom whilst the jury hears the evidence the Sun Sentinel reports. 'It's better if you are present,' Miller said, adding she had a hard time finding any past Florida cases where criminal defendants opted to stay in jail while their trials were held. 'It's your day in court.' Funny man: Adonis Losada once made people laugh whenever he wore a gray wig and granny glasses for his acting role on the popular Spanish-language TV variety show Sa¡bado Gigante on Univision . If convicted on all charges he faces a minimum sentence of 44 years in state prison and a maximum of 330 years. Before the trial got underway on Tuesday, Losada turned down a plea deal for a lighter sentence of 20 years. Judge Miller asked Losada to think hard about taking part in his defense, noting that if he doesn't he can't complain about his conviction after the fact. 'The chairs are more comfortable up here than I imagine they are in a holding cell,' Miller said. 'We take breaks.' Losada replied through his interpreter: 'I'd like the record to be clear: I am here against my wishes.' Losada was first arrested in September 2009 after connecting online with a Boynton Beach police detective posing as a bilingual, bisexual adult male in a chat room for people interested in having sex with children. The room was called '#baby@todderlove,' according to court records. Freedom curtailed: Losada faces 66 child pornography charges. Over the years he's been transferred back and forth between jails in Florida . Losada used a social network to send Detective Charles Ramos — using the name 'Paul' — a photo of a boy and an adult male on August 28, 2009. He also invited Ramos to watch him pleasuring himself via his webcam. The dialogue continued when Losada sent Ramos 32 more child porn images. Four days later, Miami Beach police seized Losada's computer and reportedly discovered 16 child porn images. Losada then told a Miami-Beach detective that he has 'a problem.' In Palm Beach County, Losada was charged with 33 counts of transmitting child pornography, and 33 counts of child pornography. His bail was set at $3 million. In Miami-Dade County, Losada was charged with 16 counts of possession of sexual performance of a child. Over the years he's been transferred back and forth between jails in the counties. Losada's gig as a TV personality on Sábado Gigante ended with his arrest. The trial is set to continue Friday with Detective Ramos still on the witness stand. Prosecutors plan to rest their case on Monday.

Adonis Losada, 49, used to appear popular Spanish TV show Sábado Gigante . Comic faces 66 child pornography charges involving graphic images of young children . Losada is refusing to testify in court . Faces minimum jail term of 44 years .

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England coach Stuart Lancaster has chosen to suppress a patriotic video shown to his players for fear of it upsetting Scottish nationalists . The England rugby team will not release a patriotic video used to inspire its players because head coach Stuart Lancaster fears it will upset the Scots. The emotionally-charged video, which brought some of England's toughest sportsmen to tears when they watched it, will not be released to the public because of 'political ramifications' from Scottish nationalists. Lancaster said he was concerned that the video could prompt claims of 'arrogance' from other Home Nations sides before they meet in the Six Nations tournaments early next year. The team's coach said the video, which features English rugby legends such as Peter Winterbottom and Bill Beaumont, would help motivate the players before the World Cup, which takes place in England next year. But England will face Scotland in February in the Six Nations, and there are fears that the video's release could provoke anger among nationalists in the wake of last month's independence referendum. The Sunday Telegraph reported that Lancaster, speaking at a business conference in Leeds on Thursday, said: 'If you start talking about Englishness you are soon seen as arrogant. We have to make sure we have our feet firmly on the ground and show we are not an arrogant team. 'I am hesitant to put the video out there because of the political ramifications. It articulates really well … English identity and some of the good aspects of being English. I think it will be really powerful in the lead-up to the World Cup.' His view was backed up by Welsh Conservative MP Glyn Davies, who said: 'We are living in an era where people are outraged by the oddest things. 'I haven’t seen the film but rugby teams have just got to be sensitive. Everybody has got to be careful because very often the message backfires. Stuart Lancaster has got to think about his team.' Lancaster has been trying to boost national affection in the lead-up to next year's World Cup. He said he admired the way the Welsh team play for a 'cause', which the whole nation rallies around. The England team, pictured celebrating after Luther Burrell's (second from right) try against Scotland in this year's Six Nations, were shown the inspirational video, with some even shedding a tear . Lancaster is hoping the patriotic video will help replicate England's success at the 2003 World Cup, which was won after this last-gasp drop goal by Jonny Wilkinson . He hopes the team can improve from England's disastrous 2011 World Cup, hosted by New Zealand, which was tarnished by a series of incidents of ill-discipline. Four players, including captain Mike Tindall - who is married to Zara Phillips - were pictured on a night out in Queenstown just hours after a narrow 13-9 victory over Argentina. Martin Johnson, England's coach at the time, also reprimanded three players for inappropriate comments made to a female worker at the team hotel. The day after being knocked out by France in the quarter finals, England centre Manu Tuilagi was fined after jumping off a ferry in Auckland. A spokesman for the Rugby Football Union said: 'Several motivational videos have been used for the players over the last couple years including one which talks about the history and heritage of the shirt. 'There are no plans for any to be released publicly because it was made for the players and something we want to keep it for the squad.'

The England rugby team were shown a patriotic video to inspire them . Some of England's toughest players were brought to tears by the video . But head coach Stuart Lancaster says it cannot be released to the public . He fears video could have 'political ramifications' and might upset the Scots . Video could anger Scottish nationalists following independence referendum .

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Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has defended outgoing champion Sebastian Vettel after another race in which he again played second fiddle to team-mate Daniel Ricciardo. After winning the title for the last four years, Vettel's reign is almost officially over as he trails championship leader Nico Rosberg by 132 points, with 175 available. For the most part it has been a season of struggle for Vettel, who has far from enjoyed the change in car following the switch at the start of this year to the current 1.6-litre V6 turbo-charged power units. Feeling the strain: Four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel has endured a troubled campaign . Coming through: Daniel Ricciardo passes his team-mate during the latter stages of Sunday's race . During Sunday's Italian Grand Prix, Ricciardo produced another fine drive to finish fifth following a shocking start, dropping several places after lining up ninth on the grid. Following his only pit stop, Ricciardo conjured a number of stunning overtaking moves on Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, the McLarens of Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen, Force India's Sergio Perez, and finally Vettel. The 27-year-old German now faces the ignominious prospect of being beaten by a team-mate for the first time in his F1 career. Despite that, a protective Horner said: 'It's been a difficult year for Seb, but that's not been of his own making. 'Daniel has driven incredibly well, and all credit should be given to him for how he has driven this year. On the move: Vettel finished sixth behind Ricciardo in Monza. He is 60 points behind the Australian . 'Sebastian was happy with the car in qualifying, and in the early stages of the race, and his defensive driving was phenomenal. 'But his result wasn't down to a lack of pace, it was how their different strategies worked out.' Not for the first time this year, though, Horner was again full of praise for Ricciardo, who retains a small but unlikely hope of denying Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton the title. Winner of the previous two races in Hungary and Belgium, fifth was undeniably the best of the rest given the pace of the Mercedes-powered cars ahead, with the two works cars followed by Williams. 'I thought some of Daniel's moves were fantastic. He really drove with precision,' said Horner of Ricciardo, who trails Rosberg by 72 points in the standings. 'For somebody who had a question mark over their overtaking at the beginning of the year, he's right up there with the best. Does he continue to surprise me? Absolutely. Every race is a surprise. 'His start was shocking, which he's apologised for, but his recovery - particularly after the stop on to the prime (hard) tyre - was extremely impressive.'

Ricciardo finished fifth in Monza, one place ahead of his Red Bull team-mate . The Australian has won three times this season, but Vettel is yet to take to the top step of the podium . Vettel is 60 points adrift of Ricciardo with just six races remaining . Horner says is has been a 'difficult year' for the four-times champion .

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The idea of "wearable robots" may seem like something out of a movie, but this technology is already being used in real life. Started as a project for the military, the exoskeleton has transformed from a device designed to allow soldiers to lift heavy loads and walk further to one that enables people with disabilities to step out of wheelchairs and stand upright. The "Ekso" is a bionic exoskeleton developed by Ekso Bionics that gives paraplegics upright mobility. While the commercial version of the Ekso has recently been made available to hospitals and rehabilitation centers, the company hopes to make the technology more accessible so that people can use it at home and in their everyday lives, with a personal version releasing in 2014. CEO Eythor Bender sat down with CNN to talk about Ekso, the bionic exoskeleton he helped develop. CNN: How many years have you been working on exoskeletons? Bender: We have been working on exoskeletons for the last 10 years. It started as a project with the military and it was funded by DARPA, the same people who funded the Internet and GPS systems. So it was groundbreaking technology, and in the year 2005 we had a breakthrough in terms of making sure that the weight of the exoskeleton transfers all the way down to the ground. So the user who is wearing it -- it usually weighs up to 50 pounds -- doesn't feel the weight at all. And that's so important because obviously you are trying to make their lives easier, not more difficult. CNN: What powers the exoskeleton? Bender: What we are using here is electric motors, and there are four of them, which is actually quite unique especially when you compare it to (technology used by) amputees. Prosthetics so far have usually had one moving component, and in this case you have in one system four moving components. You have four motors -- two sitting at the hips and two at the knees -- and that's what you hear. and it's driven by a battery pack sitting on the back. In the middle, between the two batteries, is a computer and so that is pretty much it. It's an outer frame that pretty much mimics the bone structure. There are 15 sensors in it that almost re-create your nerve system. And then there is the computer, which is really the brain of the whole thing. CNN: What is your long-term hope or vision for this product in terms of helping people on the medical side? Bender: Our hope is simply to help people in wheelchairs to live a fuller life. They already live a pretty full life. They can do pretty much anything except they can't walk, and that is such a basic need if you think about it. We all learn to walk even before we learn to talk, and suddenly in the prime of your life you are deprived of that basic need. We are determined to provide at least a tool that people can have, whether it is about walking for part of the day or it is in the recovery phase or rehabilitation or simply in daily living where people want to go about and do things during the day just like an amputee would use a prosthetic leg during the whole day. CNN: Will the Ekso exoskeleton eventually be available in homes for people to use whenever they want? Bender: Yes. We see it as a companion during the whole day. It's not going to happen overnight for us to get there. We have been on this journey, working with the best rehab centers around the world improving the Ekso and making it better. But at the same time, through working with users in rehab centers, it is helping us take the first step into homes so that we can develop a product -- and it's probably going to be products -- that help people not only to gain their health back or get back on their feet, but simply to become a mobility tool similar to the wheelchair. The wheelchair by the way has been around for 1,500 years and it is pretty much the single mobility tool for people that can do pretty much anything else.

The Ekso is a wearable robot consisting of a motorized frame and computer . Bionic device gives paraplegics upright mobility and enhances strength in others . The Ekso is available in rehab centers and hospitals; a personal version is planned .

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By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 11:38 EST, 4 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:34 EST, 5 February 2013 . With a luxury childrenswear market thought to be worth £500 million in the UK alone and the likes of Romeo Beckham already making a foray into the world of fashion, it was only a matter of time before the kids got their own fashion week. And now childrenswear website AlexandAlexa has announced the first ever Global . Kids’ Fashion Week (GKFW) launching in London this spring. GKFW will cast a spotlight on premium kids’ fashion, from both established designers and emerging names and proceeds from all ticket sales for the public fashion show will be donated to Kids Company, the charity partner for GKFW. It's here: AlexandAlexa.com founders Alexa Till and Alex Theophanous (left) with Camilla Batmanghelidjh celebrate the launch of the first ever Global Kids Fashion Week . Designers showing include the likes . of luxury labels Paul Smith Junior, Junior Gaultier, Chloe, Little Marc . Jacobs, I Pinco Pallino, Suzanne Ermann, Anne Kurris, Supertrash. As . well as established brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Diesel and . emerging independent brands like Rachel Riley and Finger in the Nose will also be featured. Designers: Designers showing include the likes of luxury labels Paul Smith Junior and Chloe . The event will feature runway shows and performances as well as a mix of playful activities for children and parents in collaboration with event partner the V&A Museum of Childhood. And the little tyke's every need will . be catered for, there will also be entertainment from supporting brands . such as child-friendly nail varnish company Little BU, a bloggers lounge . and a sponsored photobooth. Fun for all the family: The event will feature runway shows and performances as well as a mix of playful activities for children and parents . Ambassadors . involved in the project include Sarah Curran, founder of . my-wardrobe.com, Tanya Kazeminy Mackay, founding partner of Mama Mio, . model Portia Freeman, Pippa Vosper, founder of the maternallychic.com blog . and Olcay Gulsen, Dutch fashion designer and founder of SuperTrash . Girls. GKFW aims to educate and inspire . people about Kids’ fashion – celebrating how this specialist category . has thrived and evolved over the past five years. 'I'm . delighted to be involved in Global Kids Fashion Week. It's a great . initiative which celebrates designer children's wear on a global . platform,' said Sarah Curran, Founder my-wardrobe.com. The news stars? Will fashion fans Harper Seven and Romeo be walking the catwalk? Alex Theophanous, founder and CEO of AlexandAlexa.com says: ‘Kids’ fashion is playful, fun and innovative – we all believe it deserves its own dedicated platform. 'This is why we are so proud to be supporting the very first Global Kids’ Fashion Week. With this event, we aim to put children’s fashion on the map worldwide’. PETA – with the help of judges Sadie Frost and Meg Mathews – is recognising the best cruelty-free contributions to the fashion world in the first-ever PETA-Approved Vegan Fashion Awards. Most Stylish Handbag: . Vivienne Westwood Derby Bag (£500) The awards mark the launch of PETA's new logo, which designers and retailers can use to identify vegan clothes and accessories that they sell online or in stores. 'My two greatest passions are fashion and helping animals, so I was thrilled when PETA asked me to help judge their fashion awards' said Sadie Frost, the founder of popular fashion and lingerie line Frost French. 'It's phenomenal how many retailers and top designers are using pleather, micro-suede and faux cashmere in their collections, and the quality is amazing. 'The new fabrics are kinder not only to animals but also to the environment. 'So with ethical consumerism on the rise – and its increasing importance to young people – retailers need to respond by using compassionately produced materials if they don't want to be left behind.' The winners include Vivienne Westwood for Most Stylish Handbag, Ted Baker for Most Stylish Men's Bag, Stella McCartney for Most Stylish Women's Shoes and H&M for Most Stylish Men's Shoes. Other retailers to take home prizes include Topshop, New Look, AllSaints and Burton. Bo Carter – known for her bright, playful designs and her refusal to use fur or leather – picked up the award for Most Talented New Designer.

AlexandAlexa, a designer childrenswear site announce the first ever Global . Kids’ Fashion Week (GKFW) launching in London this spring . Runs 19th – 20th March 2013 at . the Freemason’s Hall, Holborn, London . Designers include Paul Smith Junior, Junior Gaultier, Chloe, Little Marc Jacobs, I Pinco Pallino .

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By . Sam Webb . Supermarket staff have been grassed up by shoppers for trying to flog discounted plants - despite them looking dead. Customers at Aldo spotted the drooping pot plants and wilted ornamental grasses outside a branch in Exeter, Devon. They claim workers have continued to wheel out the withering greenery for the past week without realising it’s all gone to pot. Withered: The shabby plants on sale at an Aldi in Exeter. Locals say the plants have been on sale for a week, despite obviously being dead . Still not a bargain: Despite the price being slashed from £2.59 to £1.99, shoppers haven't been tempted . The plants were still on sale today for £1.99 each, despite much of the foliage literally withering on the vines. A shopper said: 'I noticed these plants looking the worse for wear last week and was amazed to find what looks like the same batch still on sale several days later. 'A member of staff must be wheeling them out each morning oblivious to the fact these plants are as dead as a Monty Python parrot. 'The manager told me he was watering them but it looks far too late to save them. I know Aldi shoppers like a bargain but nobody wants a dead plant.' Bosses at Aldi - whose slogan is Spend a Little, Live a Lot - are yet to comment. Petrified plant: This collapsed and dessicated plant is clearly a snip at £1.49 . The petals on these flowers are turning brown at the edge - but they are still on sale . I'll pass, thanks: A shopper inspects the less-than-verdant plants on offer . One shopper said: 'The manager told me he was watering them but it looks far too late to save them'

The withered foliage has been on sale for a week in Exeter, Devon . The clearly departed vegetation is on sale for £1.99 . Witness said: 'Aldi shoppers like a bargain but nobody wants a dead plant'

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Winter flooding has wiped out 17,500 acres of cider orchards, growers warned yesterday. The downpours in the South mean many of the million apple trees planted across the country in the past ten years will be lost. Farmers face an agonising wait until May to see if the water has destroyed their livelihoods, or whether some of the fruit trees will defy the odds and blossom. Warning: A small orchard in Somerset which was swamped by the flooding event at the beginning of 2014 . Julian Temperley, one of Somerset's most famous growers, said it was hard to remain upbeat and described his 170 acres as 'touch and go'. 'We've had an appalling late December, January and February - trees over the whole of the South West have taken a hammering,' Julian, from Martock, Somerset, said. 'There's certainly a big worry about waterlogged trees - there will be a considerable number dying. We have one orchard that's been under a foot of water. I'm not certain if the trees will survive.' Just 14 days underwater can destroy an apple tree's root system, a time limit easily passed this winter. It is believed that a huge proportion of the UK's 17,300 acres of cider orchards may have been ruined by the rain and floods. Despite a fortnight of recent intermittent sunshine, which has seen some fruit trees blossom in earnest, - with fruit already set - growers have warned there is no guarantee of success. Trees in Somerset are reflected in flood water during the flooding event at the beginning of 2014 . There are around 480 cider-makers across the country and the traditional trade plays a crucial role in the UK's rural economy and communities . The crisis has prompted the National Association of Cider Makers to prepare for the worst, and issue a stark warning crops may not live up to expectations for the next few years. Paul Bartlett, chairman, said: 'We hope for the best though recognise that the potential impact could seriously affect the income of growers this season and for several years to come.' The devastation has worried companies such as Bulmers, the world's largest producer of cider, which takes 90 per cent of its apples from local orchards. Cider drinking in Britain is on the increase with around 1.5 billion pints downed each year . And the weather could spark a second year of worry for grower Kier Rogers, who last year lost hundreds of trees through groundwater flooding, after prolonged rain made drainage impossible. Mr Rogers, from Herefordshire, said: 'We've had surface water here since the end of December when it started raining - and that causes me great concern - I don't know what the long-term effects will be on the trees, and the damage we will see this year.' There are around 480 cider-makers across the country and the traditional trade plays a crucial role in the UK's rural economy and communities. Cider drinking in Britain is on the increase with around 1.5 billion pints downed each year. The industry is worth £3 billion and rising and cider and perry account for nine per cent of all alcohol consumed nationally. The picture paints a direct contrast to last year when the cider industry was toasting its best harvest in a decade. The weather over 2013 created ideal conditions for a tasty, bumper apple crop and led to a huge jump in profits. Just ten years ago the cider industry used 110,000 tonnes of UK-grown apples but now the figure has more than doubled to 250,000 tonnes.

Downpours mean apple trees across the country will be lost . One Somerset grower described his 170 acres as 'touch and go' Crisis has prompted cider makers to prepare for the worst . They warn crops may not live up to expectations for years .

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By . Sam Adams . PUBLISHED: . 06:49 EST, 1 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:02 EST, 1 February 2013 . Incentives: Border Patrol officers are receiving special 'bonuses' for arresting suspected illegal immigrants, according to a new report (file picture of a Border Patrol officer) Getting paid on time each month is usually enough of an incentive for most people to do their jobs properly. But US Border Patrol agents who arrest . immigrants on the border with Canada are also getting 'bonuses' of as much as $2,500 a year - on top of their normal pay, according to a new report. These 'gifts' reportedly include $100 Home Depot gift . cards, additional holiday time and even cash bonuses. New York City immigrant advocacy group . Families for Freedom and the NYU Immigrant Rights Clinic used the . Freedom of Information Act to reveal the incentives, which it described as 'disturbing.' Agents in the 'Buffalo sector' of the . border with Canada, covering counties in New York and Pennsylvania, were . reportedly given around $1 million in cash awards between 2003 and . 2011. Abraham Paulos of Families for Freedom said 'we have every reason to believe that this is going on everywhere else,' reports the New York Daily News. The files did not reveal the reasons behind the bonuses but Border Patrol officials testified they were awarded for 'professionalism,' according to the website. A spokeswoman for the US Border Patrol said in a statement yesterday that the bonuses are not 'paid incentives and . awards for specific human targets or enforcement actions.' 'No such practice... has ever occurred,' she said. Vouchers: Bonuses received by officers working at the US border with Canada in New York and Pennsylvania have reportedly included cash and even store vouchers . Concern: A New York immigrants advocacy group which revealed the details using a Freedom of Information request called the payments 'disturbing' The report found that agency officials had a budget of $3,000 in 2011 just for gift cards, which they gave out as part of a program called "On-the-Spot Award," according to the Daily News. It also revealed that agents from a single Border Patrol station in Rochester wrongfully arrested hundreds of people between 2006 and 2011 who were actually in the US legally - many of who were from ethnic minority backgrounds. However, the agency's spokeswoman said it 'does not tolerate racial profiling.' Arrests: The US border with Canada at Niagara Falls in New York State. Most of the arrests reportedly involved people from ethnic minority backgrounds .

Some agents receive as much as $2,500 a year on top of normal pay . Bonuses reportedly handed out in reward for 'professionalism' of officers . New York Immigrant advocacy group calls payments 'disturbing'

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By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 13:36 EST, 25 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:15 EST, 25 January 2013 . This is the terrifying moment a dedicated community doctor was brutally attacked and run over outside his surgery by a gang of thugs. Dr Srinivas Rao Dharmana was closing up his practice in Liverpool when a masked gang of five set upon him demanding his Rolex watch and keys to his Audi. The GP struggled with the robbers and was stabbed twice - which included him being slashed across the face. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Vicious: These CCTV images show the terrifying moment a gang of thugs brutally attacked a dedicated GP just as he left his surgery in Liverpool . Horrifying: Dr Srinivas Rao Dharmana was closing up his practice when the masked gang of five set upon him. He was stabbed twice, saved only by his thick coat . After attacking Dr Dharmana on the ground, the gang then drove the doctor's black Audi TT at him. He was thrown onto the bonnet as he attempted to stop them just after 7pm on Wednesday outside his surgery on Queens Drive in Walton. The brave medic has said he refuses to let the 'nightmare' stop him doing his job, and returned to work the day after the brutal attack. Dr Dharmana, 42, said: 'It's been a nightmare. I just came out of the surgery after the last patients had left and they were waiting. 'They grabbed me and asked for my watch. I tried to battle them off but they tried to stab me twice.'Luckily they didn't manage to because my thick coat stopped it going through. 'One of them slashed my face and another kicked me in the knee to get me to the ground. Victim: This picture shows Dr Srinivas Rao Dharmana, left. A scar following the slashing across his face can be seen. He was brutally attacked outside Dharmana's Family & General Practice, right, in Walton Liverpool . 'When they drove at me it was terrifying and I was completely shocked by the whole thing. I thought they were going to kill me. 'I normally have a carefree attitude when shutting up the surgery so it's been a real shock to the system.' The doctor, who has worked at the surgery for seven years, returned to work on Thursday after having hospital treatment on his face. After the attack, he also had to have an X-ray on his knee after one of the thugs tore ligaments in it after kicking him to the ground. Nasty: The gang were first pictured on CCTV entering into the grounds of the practice . Planned: The gang waited until Dr Dharmana, 42, walked out of the surgery . He added: 'I'm very cautious now when I'm in the dark alone, but I am not letting them scare me or stop me doing my job. I don't want them to think I was scared. 'They can't drive me away from my job and from helping the community here.' The father-of-two from Hightown, Merseyside, now hopes CCTV will help police track down the gang. He said: 'They were clever because they had covered their faces with balaclavas so I don't know how much help the footage will be. Unprovoked: The robbers demanded his watch and also kicked him in his knee to get him to the ground . Evil: After attacking him on the ground, the gang drove the doctor's black Audi TT at him . 'It must have been someone who knew I . had an expensive watch for them to have asked for that straight away, so . it's possible it is someone I have treated as a patient.' After the attack the doctor's car was found dumped a mile away from his surgery. Detective Inspector Martin Earl said: . 'Queens Drive is a major route used by pedestrians and motorists alike . and I would appeal to anyone who may have seen something, or who has . information which could help us with our inquiries, to contact us.'

Dr Srinivas Rao Dharmana was attacked by a masked gang of five . As the GP struggled with the robbers he was stabbed twice and kicked . The gang then drove the doctor's black Audi TT at him . I thought they were going to kill me' the 42-year-old said .

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(CNN) -- "The Voice" crowned Texas teen Danielle Bradbery its new winner on Tuesday, proving to the country singer that she could do what she'd thought to be impossible. "I remember singing in my room to my wall, just acting like there's so many people out there even though I knew I could never do that," Bradbery told CNN after her big win. "My mom wanted to do something about my voice, and signed me up and we took a road trip to Dallas for 'The Voice' (auditions) not knowing what was going to happen. I was scared to death. And it led to me being the winner, and that is unbelievable." The 16-year-old claimed the title during Tuesday's finale of the NBC singing competition, which was packed with performances from Cher, Bruno Mars and "Voice" coach Christina Aguilera, who will return to the series next season after a short hiatus. Bradbery is "The Voice's" youngest winner, and also the third victor in a row from coach Blake Shelton's team. Shelton, who was celebrating his 37th birthday on Tuesday, told CNN that he doesn't try to win as much as he tries to build a team that excites him. "This year, I finally got the country team that I dreamed of since day one, and I have a little bit more knowledge about that than I had in the past," he said. "But the truth is, anybody could win if they have Danielle Bradbery. She's just an incredible, God-given gift to the music industry. Anybody who can sing like that, with almost no experience whatsoever coming into this thing, is very special. Any producer, no matter what genre, would be thankful to work with somebody that talented." New "The Voice" coach Usher Raymond saw one of his mentees, Michelle Chamuel, land in second place, while the Swon Brothers from Shelton's team came in third. The show itself was a huge ratings winner for NBC on Tuesday, as the finale pulled in 15.3 million viewers. That marked "The Voice's" most-watched finale to date, and it also surpasses the 14.3 million who watched "American Idol's" 12th season finale on Fox in May. That veteran singing competition is undergoing a slew of changes, as Fox has announced that longtime producer Nigel Lythgoe is departing "Idol," along with judges Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj. But perhaps the updates will benefit "Idol" in the same way it's worked for "The Voice," which temporarily brought in Usher and Shakira as coaches this season in place of Aguilera and Cee Lo Green. "People thought we were crazy to switch up something that was working," host Carson Daly told CNN, "But ... it's about American families. I think people feel guilty that there's not enough connectivity between their kids and themselves, and maybe their parents if they're still around. There's not a lot of great TV on network primetime that brings them all together. If you can figure out how to do that, and I think 'The Voice' has, then you're doing something right." CNN's KJ Matthews contributed to this report.

Danielle Bradbery, 16, won the fourth season of "The Voice" She's the youngest winner for the NBC singing competition . Bradbery is coach Blake Shelton's third champ in a row . Shelton: Anyone could win with a talent like Bradbery .

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By . Ossian Shine . England manager Roy Hodgson should wrap his talisman Steven Gerrard up in cotton wool because an injury to the 34-year-old captain would be disastrous for England's World Cup plans, says Glenn Hoddle. Hoddle, who coached England at the 1998 World Cup, said Hodgson must carefully manage the Liverpool midfielder's game time in friendlies before the team's opener against Italy in Manaus on June 14. 'Roy must have winced when his captain was hurt in an early tackle during the Peru game at Wembley, in the final warm-up game on home soil before heading off to Miami,' said Hoddle, England manager from 1996-1999. Left out: Glenn Hoddle believes England should not have started Steven Gerrard against Peru . Rested: Roy Hodgson eventually withdrew Gerrard from the action after 64 minutes had elapsed . 'Personally, I wouldn't have risked him for longer than a half, and in fact, wouldn't have even started with him. He needs to be wrapped up in cotton wool and protected like a National Treasure. 'Look at the major worry now circulating around Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. It's horrible for the player, horrible for the manager.' Arsenal winger Oxlade-Chamberlain injured his right knee against Ecuador in Miami on Wednesday and faces two weeks out. 'Now you can see why Roy didn't play Gerrard against Ecuador, such is his importance, especially because of the role he will perform in Brazil - an injury to the skipper would spell disaster for Roy's plans,' Hoddle said. Hoddle, in a column for British bookmaker William Hill, said Hodgson simply cannot risk not having his skipper lead England out against the Italians. 'Gerrard is as important to England as Andrea Pirlo is to Italy; both vastly experienced, and hugely influential in midfield, where the games will be won or lost. 'The worry for Roy and England going into this tournament is that there is no natural understudy to Gerrard. Frank Lampard is the nearest, but nowhere near as effective in his long range of passing as Gerrard, nor as robust.' Selfie: Gerrard was one of the players not involved against Ecuador in Miami .

Roy Hodgson's decision to start Steven Gerrard against Peru questioned . Glenn Hoddle also claims injury to Gerrard would prove disastrous . Former England boss likens Gerrard to Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo . Also says there is no natural understudy or replacement for Gerrard .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:42 EST, 22 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:50 EST, 22 August 2013 . Last summer, Randy and Heidi Martin sold their house, bought an RV and took their daughter Kristi and son Kyle out of school to visit all 50 of the United States. Randy and Heidi went on sabbatical last June from their jobs at The King's Academy school in West Palm Beach, Florida after spending nine months planning the trip. For the past 13 months, the Martins have been touring the U.S. in their RV trailer, driving more than 50,000 miles in the continental U.S., in addition to flying to Hawaii and sailing to Alaska. Scroll down for video . Epic family road trip: The Martin family sold their home and all their belongings last summer to go on a yearlong tour of the United States. From left: daughter Kristi, mom Heidi, son Kyle and father Randy . Kids Kristi, 14, and Kyle, 12, were enrolled in online . courses at the school during their year off, completing their eighth and . sixth grade studies while getting to learn about American history first . hand. 'We got to learn a ton about politics,' Kyle told NBC's Today. 'Places I see in the textbooks. We got to cross the Mississippi, we got to actually go on battlefields George Washington walked.' Mother Heidi viewed the trip as a year of retirement she and her husband could share with their children while they are still young. 'I don't want us to do it when we're 60, because I'd be sitting there the whole time saying, "Oh, wouldn't the kids have loved this?"' she said. On the go: The Martins sold their home and belongings and turned a truck and RV into their new mobile home away from home . Countdown: The Martins tracked their progress, filling in each new state they visited on their RV's sticker map . The trip started off on June 10th in Delaware, and from there the family drove across the U.S. visiting sights like the White House, Niagara Falls, Mt. Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, and the Hollywood sign. They flew to Hawaii and took a cruise to Alaska to complete their tour of the United States. They visited each state's State Capitol, several presidential libraries and historic sites like The Alamo and Ground Zero . They soaked in culture at Elvis Presley's Graceland and the Smithsonian Museum. When it came to food, they got out of their comfort zones trying  polyglot soup in New Mexico and a runza sandwich in Nebraska. Presidential sighting: The family at Mt Rushmore in South Dakota . All of the sites: Randy with the kids outside the White House, left, and Kristi seeming at ease on the Chrysler Building's observation deck in Chicago, right . Natural beauty: Kristi soaks in Niagara Falls. The family was also able to visit five of Canada's ten provinces during the trip . Creating memories: The kids took surfing lessons in Hawaii and caught lobster in Kennebunkport, Maine . Taste of America: Kyle trying a Runza sandwich in Nebraska. Unfortunately. only dad Randy liked the sandwich which everyone else found undercooked and soggy . Paradise: The Martins flew to Hawaii and took a cruise to Alaska to visit the two states outside the continental U.S. The Martins kept friends and family updated on their adventure with daily posts on Facebook and their personal website. The trip had many sponsors and Heidi estimates they spent about $264 a day. In . addition to seeing all the important sites, the kids got to experience . life all across the U.S. - from catching Lobster in Maine to learning . how to surf in Hawaii. Not afraid of heights: Father and son pose for a picture at the top of the Empire State Building in New York City . 'First Family': The Martins pose in a mock Oval Office at the George HW Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas . Out of their comfort zone: The native Floridians try snow skiing for the first time in Nevada . Road trip complete: Alaska was the last stop on the trip for the Martins, and the two kids kissed the dock in Ketchikan to mark the occasion . The Floridian family experienced what a real winter is like, snow skiing for the first time in Nevada. Now back home, Randy Martin reflects on the impact the trip and it's varied experiences had on his family. 'I hope I've shown my kids if you have a big dream you can do it.' On the road: A map plotting their course through the lower 48 states. It took parents Randy and Heidi nine months to plan the trip .

Randy and Heidi Martin sold their house and took their kids, 12 and 14, out of school for a yearlong road trip of the United States . They started their trip in June 2012 in Delaware, and wrapped up July 20 in Alaska .

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A Florida woman tried to hide a stash of cocaine down a one-year-old baby girl's diaper during a police traffic stop. Mercedes Williams, 24, was told by boyfriend Reginald Hadley, 28, of Sanford, to put a pill bottle with a gram of crack cocaine in her pants when he was pulled over for a window tint violation. The worried woman, from DeLand, was sitting in the back seat of the 2015 Kia and decided to place the bottle into the diaper of the baby girl, but was caught in the act. Mercedes Williams, 24, attempted to hide a bottle with crack cocaine in a one-year-old's diaper, but was seen by police. She was later found to have a small bag of heroin after being taken in by police . While Williams was later being searched at Volusia County Branch Jail, a small bag containing less than one gram of heroin 'fell from her bra area when she was taking it off,' according to police documents. She was charged with child abuse, possession of cocaine, possession of heroin and introduction of contraband into a detention facility. Police smelled marijuana during the stop off the interstate yesterday, and found one gram of the drug in the door handle behind the driver's seat. Hadley, a habitual traffic violator, was charged with driving on a suspended license as well as possession of crack cocaine and marijuana. The driver was overheard telling Williams after they were stopped that he should have run from the vehicle. He was released after posting $2,500 bail, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal. Reginald Hadley, 28, told Williams to hide the cocaine in her pants and was arrested for driving on a suspended license as well as cocaine and marijuana charges . Police notified the Department of Children and Families about Williams's behavior and the baby was handed over to a family friend. Williams was held without bail. At least one other passenger was in the car, a 19-year-old woman in the front passenger's seat. The incident is the second time in a week where has been charged with abuse after a small child was in a drug environment. An 11-month old baby pulled a baggie of cocaine out of his mother's shirt on Monday.

Boyfriend told Florida's Mercedes Williams, 24, to hide drugs at traffic stop . Police saw her with hand in baby's diaper and one gram of crack cocaine . Williams faces child abuse charge; baby girl given to family friend . Boyfriend Reginald Hadley, 28, charged for having crack and marijuana .

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Deja vu? Yesterday's news? Nope, it's just another series of air dramas involving disruptive Chinese air travelers. It hasn't been the most peaceful fortnight in the aviation industry -- we've seen the aftermath of a Korean Air exec's "nut rage" and R&B singer Jeremih arrested for attempting to force open a closed airplane door after missing the last call for boarding. In the midst of this unruly behavior have come no fewer than four inflight dramas involving Chinese tourists. On the heels of a "Gimme my cup noodle water!" meltdown and two emergency exit incidents, a bizarre fight between multiple passengers broke out over a dispute involving a crying baby. The poor kid probably just couldn't get any sleep with all the fuss going on. Hot water throw down . The fortnight of infamy was highlighted by the cup noodle row heard 'round the world -- or at least across Asia. On December 11, four tourists threw a series of tantrums on an Air Asia flight from Bangkok to Nanjing. The episode began during takeoff when, observing safety rules, cabin staff refused to serve hot water to a couple who wanted to immediately get going on their cup noodle. The couple retaliated by crushing nuts on the floor. The man, Wang, was allegedly still fuming when a flight attendant for the budget airline brought him a cup of hot water after the plane reached cruising altitude, then attempted to charge him 60 Thai baht ($2) for the water. "You think I can't afford it?" Wang demanded, using the word "laozi," a pompous way of referring to one's self as a boss or superior. A video captured Wang yelling at the attendant. As the quarrel dragged on, the man's girlfriend, Zhang, threw hot water on the back of the flight attendant. Thai authorities eventually ordered Zhang to pay 50,000 baht ($1,500) to the flight attendant. Each passenger involved in the incident was fined amounts between $3 and $6. Chinese government not amused . The China National Tourism Administration issued a stern statement after the Air Asia episode, saying it had "severely damaged the overall image of Chinese people" and demanding local authorities review the case. Air rage is a common sight in delay-prone China. In recent years, state media has reported numerous dramatic incidents involving irate passengers, ranging from blocking moving aircraft on an active runway to fistfights with airport employees. During an official visit to the Maldives in September, President Xi Jinping personally asked Chinese tourists to behave themselves while traveling abroad. Last year the government released a lengthy list of do's and don'ts aimed at turning Chinese travelers into "civilized tourists." All the warnings and cajoling seem to have fallen on deaf ears, though. Quickest way off a plane? Emergency exit! Impatient or lacking fresh air or ... something ... Chinese passengers in separate incidents in the past two weeks decided to deal with their "stuck on a plane" dilemmas in unexpected fashion. Upon landing in Sanya on December 8 after a China Eastern flight from Xi'an, a fidgety passenger not content to suffer through the excruciating disembarkation process -- Don't judge! We've all been there! -- went ahead and opened the emergency exit door, engaging the aircraft's inflatable slide. Xinhua news agency said the reason for the man's action was unknown, but The Nanfang website from southern China reported that the passenger said he simply wanted to depart the plane sooner. His solution, to borrow loosely from Jane Austen, did display a certain amount of sense, if not sensibility. Regardless, the shortcut cost the airline $16,000 and a two-hour delay, according to Xinhua. That unauthorized exit was followed by an incident on December 14 during which a first-time flier on a Xiamen Air flight reportedly felt the urge for some fresh air while waiting for his plane to take off. His fix? Open the emergency door for better ventilation. The man wasn't fined or punished because the act didn't cause any damage, stated the airline. Baby mama drama . Calm in the skies reigned for three entire days before being shattered on Thursday when a minor brawl broke out on an Air China flight from Chongqing to Hong Kong. The imbroglio began when a pair of passengers complained about the crying baby seated behind them. The child's mother, meanwhile, spared no words in expressing her own displeasure with the people in front reclining their seats into her space. Unable to compromise, the quarrel escalated into a full-on fight. A photo in which one woman appears ready to slap another woman -- who herself seems to be floating almost perpendicular to the floor of the aircraft, perhaps readying to deliver an unorthodox blow of her own -- quickly circulated online. "A group brawl above 7,500 meters. Our plane was almost turned around," wrote a passenger who shared the incident and picture on Weibo, China's Twitter. The plane wasn't diverted, though Hong Kong police were called in to keep everyone calm and carrying on once the plane landed. Meanwhile, no air rage incidents have been reported for 24 hours ... and counting ...

Past two weeks have seen media coverage of four separate incidents of Chinese tourists misbehaving on planes . A couple, after throwing a series of tantrums, threw hot water at a flight attendant . Emergency exits were opened in two separate incidents for different reasons . A mini-brawl was touched off by a crying baby and reclining seats .

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Al Qaeda inspired terrorists in Iraq are 'just a few hours flying time' from striking Britain 'and want to attack us', Home Secretary Theresa May said tonight. Mrs May said Islamist fighters had carved out a 'safe haven' in the Middle East - with 'advanced technology and weapons' capable of threatening the UK. She said the terror threat was now 'on the doorstep of Europe' and was the most serious since 9/11. Mrs May also revealed that some women are among the 400 radicals that have left the UK to fight in Syria. Home Secretary Theresa May tonight launched an impassioned defence of the security services and warned the threat faced by Britain was serious . The Home Secretary's dramatic warning is reminiscent of Tony Blair's infamous claim that Saddam Hussein was just 45 minutes away from hitting Britain in the run up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. But the Home Secretary, speaking at the Lord Mayor's annual security and defence Lecture at London's Mansion House, said the terror threats against Britain are 'considerable'. She also reiterated her demand for fresh powers to monitor people's internet like emails and skype calls to keep tabs on terrorists. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has blocked any further extension of the Government's powers to monitor people's communications. But Mrs May said: 'We need to make changes to the law to maintain the capabilities we need.' 'This is quite simply a question of life and death, a matter of national security. We must keep on making the case until we get the changes we need.' Mrs May revealed she was now signing off spying warrants every week for the police and security services to monitor British based terrorists planning to travel to fight in the Middle East. She said around '400 UK linked individuals' have gone to fight in Syria include 'many young men but also some women'. But she said the security services were working with their hands tied behind their back because they did not have the power to monitor the internet properly. She said the web was becoming 'a safe haven for terrorism and criminality'. Mrs May said the 'danger is already upon us'. The Home Secretary said: 'We no longer have capabilities upon which we have always relied. 'Let me give one example. Over a six-month period the National Crime Agency alone estimates that it has had to drop at least twenty cases as a result of missing communications data. 'Thirteen of these were threat-to-life cases in which a child was assessed to be at risk of imminent harm.' She added: 'The real problem is not that we have built an over-mighty state but that the state is finding it harder to fulfil its most basic duty, which is to protect the public. ISIS fighters in Iraq and Syria are no longer just a threat to towns and cities in the Middle East - they also plan to attack Britain, according to the Home Secretary . ISIS has carved out an safe haven to attack Britain from 'just a few hours' away, Theresa May warned tonight . Mrs May said the Government had been criticised for 'overstating the threats we face'. But she said: 'We need to remember some facts. Between September 2001 and the end of 2013, more than 2,500 people were arrested for terrorist offences in this country. 'Almost 400 people have been convicted for terrorism-related offences. We have disrupted more than one major attack in this country each year since 2005 and many more overseas. Mrs May's warning is reminiscent of the now-discredited claim that Saddam Hussein could hit Britain in  45 minutes . She added: 'The terrorist threats to this country and our interests are changing faster than at any time since 9/11. 'We continue to face possible attacks by al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan. 'But we face further threats from Syria and now from Iraq where al Qaeda, ISIL and others have created a safe haven with substantial resources including advanced technology and weapons. 'They are on the doorstep of Europe, just a few hours flying time from London, and they want to attack us – not just in Syria or Iraq but here in Britain. Mrs May revealed that 'many hundreds of people from our country have travelled to Syria to fight against the Assad regime'. She said: 'They have ended up fighting for terrorist groups, often against other parts of the opposition rather than against the Syrian government. 'Some of them will present a real danger to us when they return to Britain. The investigation of these people will require all of our sensitive capabilities and the skills and resources of the agencies and police. 'It will involve the further use of the powers I have through the Royal Prerogative to remove people’s passports to stop them travelling – and in a smaller number of cases, I am prepared to use my powers to deprive people with dual citizenship of their British nationality.'

Home Secretary warns ISIS fighters in Iraq 'want to attack us here in Britain' Says around 400 'UK linked individuals' have gone to Syria to fight . Among terrorists that have travelled from UK are 'some women', she says . Claims they have carved out a 'safe haven' in Middle East to strike UK . Demands new powers to monitor emails and other internet communications . Claims the Government is 'finding it harder to protect the public' Reveals she is signing snooping warrants every week on UK based jihadis . Demand for fresh snooping powers will spark rift with Nick Clegg .

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By . Harriet Hernando . A penguin picked up a GoPro and was about to swallow the camera – before realising it was not in fact the tasty treat it had in mind. Footage shows the Gentoo penguin spotting the camera and sprinting over before giving it an inquisitive peck. Fortunately the camera is too big to swallow, so the penguin waddles off in search of something edible. The footage was captured on Cuverville Island in Antarctica, home to a large Gentoo penguin colony. Alex Cowan, on-board geologist on the adventure tours vessel MS Expedition, which is owned and operated by G Adventures, left the camera buried in the snow. Cuverville Island, situated in the Errera Channel, is well-known for its large Gentoo colonies and abundant icebergs, while late in the year humpback whales are frequently seen feeding and breaching in the area. Bird's eye: The penguin spots the GoPro camera and makes a beeline for it, only to discover that it's not edible . Down the hatch: As the penguin tries to eat the GoPro it snaps some incredible shots inside the bird's beak .

Footage shows the Gentoo penguin pecking curiously at the camera . As soon as it realises the camera isn't food, the penguin waddles off . The footage was captured on Cuverville Island in Antarctica .

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Tom Magliozzi, half of the "Click and Clack" team of brothers who hosted NPR's "Car Talk" radio show, died Monday. He was 77. NPR reported the death Monday afternoon. The cause was complications from Alzheimer's disease, the radio network said. In a statement, his brother Ray remembered a jovial partner. "We can be happy he lived the life he wanted to live; goofing off a lot, talking to you guys every week, and primarily, laughing his ass off," he said. For more than 25 years, "Car Talk" has been one of NPR's most popular shows, a laid-back free-for-all that's only occasionally about cars. The brothers stopped doing original broadcasts two years ago, but archival material has kept their laughter on the air. A typical show featured Tom Magliozzi and Ray, 12 years his junior, taking questions from listeners about whether it was appropriate to buy a BMW roadster for a teenager, how to get the smell of a dead mouse out of an air-conditioning vent and whether relationships were worth pursuing with a partner who owned an old rattletrap. Tom Magliozzi had an old rattletrap himself, a 1963 Dodge Dart that was a constant source of fun for both brothers. In fact, most things were sources of fun for the brothers, whose uproarious laughter frequently punctuated the show. "His laugh is the working definition of infectious laughter," Doug Berman, the longtime producer of "Car Talk," told NPR. "Before I ever met him, I heard him, and it wasn't on the air." Opinion: Who won't miss 'Car Talk' laughter? "Car Talk" debuted in 1977 on Boston radio station WBUR. NPR picked it up in 1987. The show was drawing about 4 million listeners at the time the brothers stopped making original broadcasts in 2012. The network said in a statement that it continues to be a top-rated show. The two retired from the show in October of that year. "We've decided that it's time to stop and smell the cappuccino," Ray wrote on the show's website. The two brothers didn't just talk cars. They also owned a Cambridge, Massachusetts ("our fair city," as they've long called their home), garage. Behind the laughter and advice were two smart men. Both Tom and Ray graduated from MIT. But after years as an engineer, Tom decided he'd had enough. "I quit my job," he said. "I became a bum. I spent two years sitting in Harvard Square drinking coffee. I invented the concept of the do-it-yourself auto repair shop, and I met my lovely wife." The program inspired two TV shows -- one of them, "The George Wendt Show," ran for one season on CBS -- and at least two books. There's also a website, cartalk.com, which features a daily car question and other information about automobiles and the brothers. NPR has been airing archival material since the Magliozzis stopped making original shows two years ago. Berman told NPR that Ray would like the shows to continue as a tribute to his brother. People we've lost in 2014 .

Tom Magliozzi, the older "Car Talk" brother, dies at 77 . The cause of death was complications from Alzheimer's, said NPR . "Car Talk" has long been one of NPR's most popular shows . The brothers stopped making original broadcasts in 2012; archives have continued .

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By . Reuters . The body of an 18-year-old freshman at Penn State was found on Sunday morning after he fell or jumped from a construction site crane on the college campus, the weekend before he was set to begin classes. Jack Crean's body was discovered on the pavement of the Hetzel Union Building-Robeson Center renovation project on the school's campus in State College, Pennsylvania, after a fall of roughly 85 feet. Crean was found dead around 11am local time on Sunday by Penn State University Police. Scroll down for video . Jack Crean, 18, pictured earlier this year, was set to begin his freshman classes at Penn State today . The HUB-Robeson Center construction site at Penn State, where Crean's body was found Sunday morning . Centre County Chief Deputy Coroner Judy Pleskonko said an autopsy was done late Sunday, and the cause of death was blunt force trauma. Pleskono said Crean died on impact. 'It's a sorrowful start to the academic year and our hearts go out to Jack’s family and friends,' University spokeswoman Lisa Powers said. Toxicology reports are not expected for four to six weeks, but there is currently no evidence that Crean was intoxicated when this tragedy occurred. Crean was due to begin his first classes today along with thousands of other incoming first-year students. Penn State's main campus has about 45,000 students, of whom about 35,000 are undergraduates. 'He was as loyal of a friend as you can find and all he ever wanted when he was with us was for us to be laughing and enjoying ourselves,' Penn State freshman Mitchell Walker, of State College, told the Centre Daily Times. 'He will be forever missed and never forgotten. I love that kid like a brother.' The college freshman also excelled at business, this according to Sam Schwab, who graduated from State High, also located in State College, Pennsylvania, with Crean in 2014. 'Jack was always a good friend and had so much potential,' he said. 'Any time I had a question about something to do with business I would go to him. Everyone loved him because he was so outgoing and bright.' Crean had just moved into a dormitory on the campus, according to Pleskonko. His death does not appear suspicious and an investigation has been launched, she said. Penn State's main campus, in State College, Pennsylvania, where Crean was part of the Class on 2018 .

Jack Crean, 18, was found on Sunday morning at the HUB-Robeson Center construction site in State College, Pennsylvania . Authorities are still trying to determine whether the Penn State student jumped or fell . He was described a 'loyal' friend who excelled at business according to those close to him .

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Daniel Confino was thrown off the Eurostar after asking for an extra tea bag . He is the financial expert who saved the Eurotunnel project two decades ago when it looked sure to fail. But when Daniel Confino took the Eurostar earlier this month he was unceremoniously thrown off the train – because he asked for an extra tea bag. Mr Confino, 56, protested when staff tried to charge him £2.20 to strengthen two cups of tea he had ordered with an extra bag of Duchy Organic. After a brief argument, he left the drinks and refused to pay – only to be dragged from a carriage by two police officers and bundled off the train at a station in the middle of the Kent countryside. Mr Confino said the case summed up ‘the death of simple common sense and the triumph of bully-boy incompetence’. The father of four is now considering legal action, arguing that he suffered ‘degrading treatment, mental distress and anxiety’. ‘Any right-thinking person would have been outraged. To charge £2.20 for an extra tea bag was sheer spite,’ he said. ‘When I have a builder’s tea I like a proper stand-up job. The chef de train was French, or possibly Belgian. What do they understand about tea?’ In 1993 Mr Confino, from Brockley, South-East London, was working at the bank Hill Samuel when he was commissioned by the Department for Transport to advise on the Eurotunnel project. It had exceeded projected costs and looked doomed. But Mr Confino and his team secured a deal with the banks that kept it going. On Saturday a fortnight ago, Mr Confino took the Eurostar from Paris to St Pancras with a colleague after attending a conference. When he went to the buffet car to buy two teas he asked for two large cups, costing £2.20 each, but noticed they were the same as the smaller size, with just a little extra water. The medium-sized ones were 20p cheaper. Mr Confino protested when staff tried to charge him £2.20 to strengthen two cups of tea he had ordered with an extra bag of Duchy Organic . He asked for an extra tea bag that he could dip in each cup but was allegedly told by a member of staff that she ‘didn’t have authority’ to allow this. He asked to see a superior, but when she arrived she said he would have to pay another £2.20 for the extra bag. Mr Confino then demanded to speak to the chef de train, the senior staff member responsible for all passengers. But she too said he would have to pay £2.20 extra. ‘This was patently ridiculous,’ Mr Confino said. ‘My two large insipid “French style” teas – minus the extra tea bag – stood on the counter cooling and when I went to pay they put £6.60 in the card machine. They were being provocative.’ He refused to pay and walked off with the two cups and the extra bag, but staff threatened to call police and he returned the lot. He had not drunk any tea or removed the extra bag from its packet. Mr Confino was dragged from a Eurostar carriage by two police officers after refusing to pay for the tea; he said the case was an example of 'the death of simple common sense' He then tried to take just the two teas but when the staff again said they would call police, he mouthed that they were ‘idiotic bitches’ and left the cups with them. Later, he was in the toilet when there was a banging on the door. ‘I emerged to be confronted by two officers in high vis jackets, referring to me as “fella” and saying “you’re coming off the train”,’ he said. ‘They literally bundled me off. I had to resist strenuously, both verbally and physically, just to retrieve my bags. The train had made a special stop at Ebbsfleet and the whole theatrical performance meant everyone was looking. I was accused of stealing a tea bag. I was worried I would be spending the night in the cells.’ He said that when he explained his side of the story, the officers apologised and got him a free ticket to London. ‘They even offered to get me a cup of strong tea.’ Last night a spokesman for Eurostar apologised, saying: ‘We appreciate that Mr Confino made a simple request for a tea bag and it’s unfortunate that the situation escalated.’ The spokesman said, however, that staff had felt ‘threatened’ by the argument.

Daniel Confino was the financial expert who saved the Eurotunnel project . But he was escorted by police off a Eurostar train after an argument . After refusing to pay £2.20 when he asked for an extra tea bag .

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By . Becky Barrow . PUBLISHED: . 18:16 EST, 28 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:02 EST, 29 August 2012 . Millions of Britons would prefer to have a current account with John Lewis or Asda rather than Britain’s disgraced banking giants, according to a report. Published today, it reveals the level of anger felt by hard-working Britons towards banks, which have been hit by a series of scandals, from mis-selling insurance to manipulating key rates. In a poll, around 1,300 adults were asked which brands they thought would be most trustworthy if the company moved into banking and offered current accounts. Anger toward banks: Britons said they would trust companies John Lewis and Asda more than banking giants if the companies offered bank accounts . John Lewis, best-known for its ‘never knowingly undersold’ policy, came out top, with three in four adults saying they would trust it to take care of their cash. Nearly half said they would trust Waitrose, which is owned by the John Lewis Partnership. Asda, Morrisons, House of Fraser and online retailer Amazon were also rated highly. Meanwhile, less than one in ten said they believed their bank offered ‘the best value for money’, while only 37 per cent said they receive ‘good customer service’. Despite a deeply troubled five years, few rivals have emerged to compete for the customers of big banks such as Barclays, RBS and HSBC. Banks deeply troubled: Less than one in ten said they believed their bank offered the best value while only 37 per cent said they received good customer service . In 2010, Metro Bank became the first high-street bank to open in the UK for more than 100 years. It has attracted around 50,000 personal current account customers. And in October, Marks & Spencer will . launch a current account, but will charge either £15 or £20 per month . for the service. Tesco and Virgin are also expected to launch current . accounts. Michael Ossei, a personal finance expert at comparison site Uswitch.com, which carried out the poll, said: ‘It is a telling reflection of the UK banking industry that consumers are willing to put their trust in brands that have no previous banking experience.’ Louis Brooke, of Move Your Money, which campaigns for people to switch from big banks to ethical, local or mutual alternatives, said: ‘For years, the big banks have not bothered competing in the current account market and instead made it as difficult as possible for customers to switch whilst swindling them for everything they can. ‘The banks contempt for their customers is finally coming home to roost.’ Recently Lord Turner, chairman of the Financial Services Authority, the City regulator, admitted there is widespread lack of trust in banks. He said: ‘They doubt whether banks have their interests at heart.’

People would prefer a bank account with John Lewis or Asda rather than Britain's bank giants . A report revealed the anger towards banks after a series of scandals . Less than one in ten said they believed their bank offered the 'best value for money'

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By . Laura Cox . PUBLISHED: . 17:42 EST, 25 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:02 EST, 26 March 2012 . Two 16-year-old girls have been charged with murder for their roles in a North Carolina taxi driver's slaying. Consandra Nicole Tyree and Emily Katherine Starnes are accused of being involved in the brutal stabbing death of Yellow Cab Company driver Adam Williams in a Hickory parking lot in August. The girls join three men between 18- and 22 years old charged in the death of the 32-year-old. Arrested: Consandra Tyree (left) and Emily Starnes, both 16, face murder . and robbery charges in the death of Hickory cab driver Adam Williams . The Hickory Daily Record reports Emily . Starnes of Hickory and Consandra Tyree of Newton were arrested on . Saturday and charged with murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon and . conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon five months after . an initial arrest in relation with the case. They are being held in the . Catawba County jail. Williams was murdered shortly after he arrived to pick up passengers at a Hickory restaurant on August 23 at around 10.30pm. He had driven for Yellow Cab Company for just two months. Brutal: Adam Williams had only worked for the Yellow Cab Company for two weeks when he was slain on Tuesday night in August. He was carrying just $39 in fares . He had been on his shift for less than . five hours and was carrying just $39 in fares when his attackers . pounced and he was stabbed after arriving at the parking lot of . Fuddruckers hamburger restaurant. Despite his injuries, Williams . mananged to struggle down the street to the doorway of the Longhorn . Steakhouse, bleeding from slashes to his face and throat. Employees called an ambulance and he was taken to Frye Regional Medical Centre where he was pronounced dead. In October the teens, who were both . students at the time, were charged with obstruction of justice after . investigators said the girls were not honest during questioning, . according to Captain Thurman Whisnant of the Hickory Police Department. Scene: Adam Williams, a cab driver, was stabbed to death in the parking lot of Fuddruckers restaurant in Hickory, North Carolina . North Carolina: Adam Williams' attackers pounced and fatally stabbed him shortly after he arrived at the parking lot for Fuddruckers hamburger restaurant . 'They were the two girls that were with the suspects on the night on the cab driver’s murder,' Whisnant said. 'They were heavily involved; they were involved before, during and after the murder.' He added that the girls will be treated as adults when they appear in court on May 14. Tyree's stepmother, Kelly Tyree, declined comment on Sunday. A message left at Starnes' home was not returned. Five people have now been arrested in relation to the killing. Camyron Johnson, 22, and Robert . McElwee, 18, both of Hickory, and Matthew Hopkins, 22, of Connelly . Springs, were arrested three days after Williams was killed. Johnson and Hopkins were charged with murder. McElwee was charged with accessory after the fact. Starnes and Tyree are scheduled to appear in court on May 14.

Accused of killing Yellow Cab Company driver Adam Williams who had only worked there for two weeks . Three others have already been charged . The girls were charged with obstruction of justice in October . They are being held under no bond in the Catawba County jail .

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'Selfie' may have been named Oxford . Dictionary’s word of 2013, but its popularity just earned it another . accolade - being voted the most annoying and overused term of the past . 12 months. It topped the list of words Lake Superior State University want to be banished in 2014. Other words that made the cut include 'twerk', 'hashtag', 'Twittersphere' and 'Obamacare.' Scroll down for video . Iconic: One of the most famous selfies from 2013 was taken of U.S. President Barack Obama (right) and British Prime Minister David Cameron by Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt (centre) at Nelson Mandela's memorial, pictured . 1. Selfie - taking a photo of yourself . 2.Twerk/twerking - a dance move made famous by Miley Cyrus . 3. Hashtag - used for trending topics on Facebook and Twitter . 4. Twittersphere - another word for Twitter . 5. Mr. Mom - the name of the 1983 film starring Michael Keaton . 6. T-Bone - the layout of a car accident . 7. '...on steroids' - to describe something fast or strong . 8. 'Ageddon and 'Pocalypse - shortened versions of Armageddon and Apocalypse . 9. Intellectually/Morally Bankrupt - words used by politicians . 10. Obamacare - the U.S. health reform . 11. Adversity - to describe struggling sports teams . 12. Fan base - another word for fans . The annual list of annoying words is based on nominations made on the official Banished Words Facebook page. Each nomination was submitted with a brief explanation of why the word is annoying or should be banned. According . to his nomination for the word ‘selfie’, Facebook fan Bruce, from . Ontario wrote: 'Named 'Word of the Year' by Oxford Dictionary? Give me a . break! Ugh, get rid of it.' While . David Lake from Wisconsin wrote: ‘It's a lame word. It's all about me, . me, me. Put the smartphone away. Nobody cares about you.’ The term was made popular in 2013 when celebrities, in particular, began posting 'selfies' on Twitter and Instagram. Even . U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron . posed for a selfie with Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt . at Nelson Mandela's memorial earlier this month. The word 'twerk' became popular following Miley Cyrus' performance with Robin Thicke at the MTV Video Music Awards in August. Actor Hugh Jackman (left) posts a picture of himself after he is treated for skin cancer and Joey Essex (right) saying in these social network pictures 'Safe though' and 'SELFIE with my mate Ed' One of the most famous selfies of the past 12 months was the Pope posing with teenagers at the Vatican. The picture went viral on social media and was widely speculated as being the first ever 'Papal selfie' The word 'twerk' became popular following Miley Cyrus' performance with Robin Thicke at the MTV Video Music Awards in August, pictured . In . nominating 'twerk' and 'twerking', Lisa from New York explained: 'I . twitch when I hear twerk, for to twerk proves one is a jerk - or is at . least twitching like a jerk. Twerking has brought us to a new low in our . lexicon.' 'Hashtag' and 'Twittersphere' have been growing in popularity for years and are used most commonly on, and about, Twitter. Facebook fan Jen, from Michigan wrote in her nomination for 'hashtag': 'It's #obnoxious #ridiculous #annoying and I wish it would disappear.' Among the other words that made the list was Mr. Mom, following the 30-year anniversary of the 1983 . Michael Keaton movie of the same name. The overuse of the words ‘intellectually’ and ‘morally bankrupt’ by politicians was the reason why these words made the list. While the most annoying words in sports were listed as 'adversity' and 'fan base.' As . Facebook user Kyle, from White Lake in Michigan wrote on his . nomination: 'Facing adversity is working 50 hours a week and still . struggling to feed your kids. Facing third and fifteen without your best . receiver with tens of millions in the bank, is not.' While the biggest criticism for fan base was that it uses two words, when just one – the word ‘fans’ – will do. Obamacare dominated the headlines earlier this year when the U.S. suffered a federal shutdown over the health reform plans. Another popular word that the poll claimed was overused in the press was T-Bone, a word used to describe a layout of a car accident. The term '...on steroids' was slammed for being overused when describing something as being fast or strong. While 'Ageddon and Pocalypse' - as shortened versions of Armageddon and Apocalypse - were also overused in 2013 according to the poll.

'Selfie', 'twerk' and 'Twittersphere' among the most annoying words of 2013 . The words make up Lake Superior University's 2014 Banished Words list . List is based on nominations made on the Banished Words Facebook page . 'Obamacare', 'hashtag' and 'adversity' also made the list .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:10 EST, 21 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:25 EST, 21 May 2012 . A third victim is recovering from a flesh-eating bacteria in a strange surge in the rare condition after a Georgia student lost her leg, a foot and both her hands and a new mother of twins was left fighting for her life. Bobby Vaughn, 32, has lost two pounds of flesh from his groin and back after he caught the aggressive bug when he got a cut on his side after falling out of a tree in Georgia. Aimee Copeland's fight against the condition has risen to national attention after the 24-year-old student caught it after cutting herself on a homemade zip-slide into Georgia's Little Tallapoosa River at the beginning of this month. Lana Kuykendall, 36, contracted the condition in South Carolina just hours after giving birth to twins on May 11. Lucky to be alive: Bobby Vaughn watched his infection grow from the size of a peanut to the size of a grapefruit . Two victims: Aimee Copeland, 24, (right) was infected when she was cut after falling from a homemade zipline. Lana Kuykendall (left) came down with the disease after giving birth to twins . Mr Vaughn is currently being treated at Doctors Hospital in Augusta, Georgia, the same place where Miss Copeland is still fighting for her life after doctors were forced to amputate one of her legs, one of her feet and both her hands. Miss Copeland, 24, became infected after she received a cut after falling from a homemade zip-line into the river east of Atlanta. Her father announced on Sunday that she was able to breathe for 10 hours without a respirator, a new milestone in her long road to recovery. Lana Kuykendall, 36, was hospitalized with necrotitis faciitis just hours after she was released from Emory University Hospital after giving birth to twins there. She is in critical but stable condition after undergoing seven operations to remove dead and infected tissue from her leg. Two pounds of flesh: Mr Vaugh had to endure five surgeries, but doctors believe they have removed the infected tissue . Aimee Copeland, pictured, a 24-year-old graduate student at the University of West Georgia, suffered a nasty cut on her thigh when her zipline broke and she plunged into the Little Tallapoosa River, east of Atlanta. Doctors stapled the wound shut, but it became infected with a flesh-eating bacteria on May 4. Surgeons amputated her leg, but by then the disease had spread rapidly. On Saturday, they also amputated her foot and both hands. Now she finally appears to be on the mend, despite being in critical condition. She breathed on her own for 10 hours on Sunday, the first time since being admitted to the hospital. Lana Kuykendall, 36, pictured with her husband, had been home just 13 hours after giving birth to twins at  Emory University Hospital when she noticed a painful spot on her leg last on May 11. Mrs Kuykendall is a paramedic and her husband Darren is a firefighter, so they recognized quickly that something was wrong. Her husband rushed her to Greenville Memorial Hospital in South Carolina. While they waited to be seen, the couple watched in horror as the spot on Mrs Kuykendall's leg grew a quarter of an inch in one hours. She has now undergone seven surgeries to remove the infected tissue and is currently listed in critical condition. Doctors say that despite the strange surge in cases of the rare disease, the three infections are not related. Both Miss Copeland and Mr Vaughn are at Doctors Hospital because it has one of the most renowned burn clinics in the country. Because of the nature of the injuries the flesh-eating bacteria causes, burn doctors have experience removing damaged tissue and repairing it with skin grafts. Mr Vaughn, a landscaper from Cartersville, said he realized immediately after he received the cut that something was wrong. 'I just out of the blue wasn't feeling real well, and I went over and sat in my truck for a minute, and I was feeling real hot, and I started vomiting, you know, so we just stopped for the day,' he told CBS Atlanta. However, when the infection, which began the size of a peanut, grew to the size of a grapefruit, he went to see a doctor. Like Miss Copeland and Mrs Kuyrkendal, Mr Vaughn was rushed into emergency surgery, where doctors cut out as much of the infected tissue as they could. 'I lost a lot of tissue that was in there. I've had a total of about five surgeries,'' Mr Vaugh told the TV station. Vaughn said he's slowly recovering after doctors managed to stem the spread of the rare infection. 'I was told I was just a day or two from being dead or losing entire parts of my body,' he told NBC 11. Necrotizing fasciitis, more commonly known as 'flesh-eating disease', is a rare but extremely vicious bacterial infection. 'Necrotizing' refers to something that causes body tissue to die, and the infection can destroy skin, muscles and fat. The disease develops when the bacteria enters the body, often through a minor cut or scrape. As the bacteria multiply, they release toxins that kill tissue and cut off blood flow to the area. Because it is so virulent, the bacteria spreads rapidly throughout the body. Symptoms include small, red lumps or bumps on the skin, rapidly-spreading bruising, sweating, chills, fever and nausea. Organ failure and shock are also common complications. Sufferers must be treated immediately to prevent death, and are usually given powerful antibiotics and surgery to remove dead tissue. Amputation can become necessary if the disease spreads through an arm or leg. Patients may undergo skin grafts after the infection has cleared up, to help the healing process or for aesthetic reasons.

Bobby Vaughn, 32, is recovering at the same hospital as Aimee Copeland, the first victim of necrotitis faciitis . Miss Copeland, 24, has one leg, one foot and both hands amputated as the infection spread rapidly . Lana Kuykendall, 36, was infected after she gave birth to twins at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta .

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One of the University of Alberta's oldest underclassmen is a 60-year-old man who's come back to school to study the cancer that ended his wife's life. Powel Crosley's wife Sladjana died in 2009 at the age of 58 due to granulosa, a rare form of ovarian cancer. Only 5 per cent of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed as granulosa. CBS News reports Crosely spent his career to now in information technology, and enrolled in cllege again in 2010. Powel Crosley, seen here with wife Sladjana, who died of a rare type of ovarian cancer in 2009, has returned to school at the age of 60 to study the disease that took her from him . 'The main thing I'm trying to do is come up with an effective treatment,' he said. Crosley especially hopes to find better drugs for patients than many now which are 'highly toxic' He's now doing course work in biochemistry and oncology and has secured a $60,000 grant to continue researching. A promising drug developed by the University of Illinois is among the compounds he's currently testing. The drug, Pac-1, has shown some results with lymphoma, which carries a mortality rate of 85 per cent. He's also hoping to find something easier for patients to process. 'Many of the drugs are highly toxic,' he told reporters. In Sladjana's case, the fatal problem came from internal bleeding cause by a medication. She was initially diagnosed in 1996. Despite undergoing six major surgeries and multiple clinical trials, the cancer metastasized to her liver and lungs. 'They . told us they caught it early, they told us there was no sign of the . disease, they told us it wouldn't come back,'he told CBS News. Much as her husband is doing now, she studied scientific literature about her cancer for 13 years and was the one who found literature pointing to Pac-1. Crosley has helped get a $60,000 grant to continue his research at the University of Alberta . She also founded the Granulosa Cell Tumor Research Foundation to help patients get information about their disease. Her husband has since taken over running the foundation. 'She . had tremendous drive and determination to look into things and achieve . things.' Crosely said. 'She was incredibly intelligent and just a very strong person. 'Her motto was: The answer lies in the lab. She was pretty persistent about things she . believed in. And so I'm just basically completing her mission.'

Powel Crosley's wife Sladjana died in 2009 at the age of 58 due to granulosa, a rare form of ovarian cancer . Crosley has since enrolled in University of Alberta to study cancer and specifically to find a treatment for his wife's disease . Has raised $60,000 to keep research going in school's labs .

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By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 03:50 EST, 26 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:40 EST, 26 December 2013 . Unseasonably balmy weather settled over Southern California yesterday as the region already accustomed to celebrating Christmas without snow experienced temperatures 15 degrees above normal. The warm spell baked the West Coast while the Midwest, Northeast and parts of Canada were still dealing with the aftermath of a winter storm. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses were without power on Christmas morning, energy companies reported. Festive: Nicole Englanoff, 19, (right) and Leah Zeffren, 19, sunbathe on the beach on Christmas Day in Santa Monica, California . Southern California temperatures climbed to record or near-record levels in the upper 70s and low 80s, propelled by warm, dry Santa Ana winds blowing toward the Pacific from the high deserts, meteorologists said. By midday, the temperature reached 81 degrees Fahrenheit in downtown Los Angeles and was expected to top out just short of the city's record Christmas day high of 85 degrees, set in 1980. The afternoon warmth followed an overnight low of 47. Temperature records for the city date to 1877. The city of Long Beach, about 20 miles south of Los Angeles, saw the temperature soar to at least 83, 2 degrees Fahrenheit above the 1972 record for Christmas Day, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Curt Kaplan. A woman in a Santa hat rides a bicycle on the beach in Santa Monica, California on Christmas day . Hot Christmas: A man in a Santa hat rides a bicycle on the beach in Santa Monica, California . Jason Rockett (left), 36, from Boston, and Christine Lam, 30, from Los Angeles, eat turkey and bacon sandwiches on the beach on Christmas Day in Santa Monica . Daytime highs also were forecast to approach record levels in Burbank and San Diego. Southern California's normal daytime highs range in the mid- to upper 60s this time of year. The region's coastal conditions likewise brought little Christmas cheer, with low waves expected to frustrate surfers who traditionally wear Santa Claus costumes to ride the swells at this time of year. Tucking in: Jason Rockett and Christine Lam, 30, eat turkey and bacon sandwiches on the beach . Ben Dragan, left, and his brother Charlie, from Vancouver, British Columbia, play in the surf at Santa Monica . Beachgoers take in a balmy day of sun and sand at Santa Monica Beach in California, on Christmas Day . Capping a year of scant rainfall, the arrival of Santa Ana winds also prompted the Weather Service to post a "red flag" advisory for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, warning of a high risk of wildfires due to dry, blustery conditions. The Santa Anas arise when a high-pressure area forms over Utah and Nevada, producing a strong, westerly air flow that heats up sharply as it blows through the desert mountains of southeastern California and descends into the coastal basins below, meteorologist Mark Moede said. The warm spell baked the West Coast where beachgoers enjoyed the sun and sea on Christmas Day . Singer Rouyn Noranda, left, sings gospel music on Santa Monica Pier where revellers enjoyed the festivities . The winds were thought to have contributed to power outages that left some 5,000 homes without electricity Wednesday morning in Simi Valley, north of Los Angeles. Most customers were reported back on line by midday, according to Southern California Edison.

The warm spell baked the West Coast including Santa Monica beach . Parts of Canada were still dealing with the aftermath of a winter storm . By midday temperature reached 81 degrees Fahrenheit in downtown LA .

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Hackers have used photos to recreate the fingerprint (stock image) of a German politician . Hackers have already proved they can bypass Apple's fingerprint scanner using a collection of household items to make a latex replica print. And now, one expert has recreated the fingerprints of Germany’s Minister of Defence, Ursula von der Leyen, using just a photo of her. The security researcher known as Starbug, used publicly available software called VeriFinger with photos of the finger taken from different angles. Starbug, whose real name is Jan Krissler, told attendees of the Chaos Computer Club’s (CCC) 31st annual congress in Hamburg, Germany, how he achieved the hack. Mr Krissler obtained a high-resolution photograph of the politician’s thumb using a ‘standard photo camera’ during a press conference. He also used other 'good quality' photos of the politician, taken from a variety of angles. From these images, he reconstructed an accurate thumbprint using the VeriFinger software. This software is good enough, according to CCC, to fool fingerprint security systems. ‘These fingerprints could be used for biometric authentication,’ it wrote in a blog post. Hackers have previously demonstrated how easily fingerprints can be stolen from an individual who has touched a shiny surface, such as a smartphone screen, . But CCC said that with ‘this knowledge there will be no need to steal objects carrying the fingerprints anymore,’ meaning that people could potential steal someone's fingerprint identity from photos posed on social networks, for example. Starbug said: ‘After this talk, politicians will presumably wear gloves when talking in public.’ One expert has recreated the fingerprints of Germany’s Minister of Defence, Ursula von der Leyen (stock image), using photos taken at a press conference. From these images, he reconstructed an accurate thumbprint using the VeriFinger software.This software is good enough to fool fingerprint security systems . A security researcher known as Starbug, used the publicly available software, plus a variety of photos of a finger taken from different angles to replicate the fingerprint. Starbug previously hacked Apple's iPhone 5S fingerprint sensor (pictured) just two days after the phone launched in 2013 . In September 2013, hackers from CCC used a photograph of a fingerprint on a glass surface, scanned it and then used a laser printer to print it onto a transparent sheet. They then poured latex milk or white wood glue into the print pattern created by the toner onto a transparent sheet. Starbug obtained high-resolution photographs of Germany’s Minister of Defence, Ursula von der Leyen's thumb, which were taken at a press conference. He used the images, which were taken from different angles to reconstruct a fingerprint with a sense of depth. To do this, he used publicly available software called VeriFinger, demonstrating that anyone with the necessary skills could do the same. The copy is good enough to trick fingerprint systems for biometric authentication, he said. Once the glue had dried, they peeled off the thin latex sheet and pressed it on the scanner of the iPhone to unlock the handset, which launches two days earlier. During the launch, Apple claimed the new iPhone with a fingerprint sensor was 'much more secure than previous fingerprint technology.' At the time, Starbug said: 'As we have said now for more than years, fingerprints should not be used to secure anything. 'You leave them everywhere, and it is far too easy to make fake fingers out of lifted prints.' CCC first published the steps taken to bypass fingerprint scanners in 2004 and they claim that it uses everyday household items - meaning anyone can do it. In September 2013, hackers from CCC used a photograph of a fingerprint on a glass surface, scanned it and then used a laser printer to print it onto a transparent sheet to make a new print using wood glue. This technique relied on a print obtained from a glass surface (pictured) whereas the new one only needs photos . Security expert Graham Cluely said: 'It’s worth remembering that fingerprints are not secrets. 'You literally leave them lying around everywhere you go, and they could be picked up by others. Relying on your fingerprints to secure a device may be okay for casual security – but you shouldn’t depend upon it if you have sensitive data you wish to protect.'

Security researcher known as Starbug used photos and software called VeriFinger to copy the print of a German politician . Shared his findings at Chaos Computer Club’s annual meeting in Hamburg . Fingerprints created could be used for biometric authentication, he said . Hackers have already shown prints can be copied from shiny surfaces . New technique has no need for personal objects - only photos .

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By . Dan Bloom for MailOnline . A sex attacker who groped a young woman in the street at 4am has been jailed after she filmed him on her iPhone. Luis Silva, 22, had fought with his girlfriend and 'drunk enough to sink a ship' when he exposed himself to the stranger, groped her and slapped her to the ground. When she revealed she was filming him, Silva tried to take her phone by force - but she ran away and handed the footage to police, who issued the images to the public. Intimidating: Luis Silva, 22, was 'drunk enough to sink a ship' when he exposed himself to a stranger at 4am, groped her and slapped her to the ground - but he was caught after she filmed him on her phone (pictured) Silva was jailed yesterday for three-and-a-half years after he admitted sexual assault, attempted robbery and indecent exposure. Judge Robert Juckes QC said: 'The victim showed an extraordinary presence of mind and intelligence by recording the attack.' The court heard Silva, of Repton, Derbyshire, had spent £150 on whisky after a row with his girlfriend. He then went outside and wandered the streets of Evesham, Worcestershire, where he worked, until he found the victim. Prosecutor Paul Whitfield told Worcester Crown Court: 'The defendant began to follow the woman through the town. 'He approached her at a junction and exposed himself. Scene: The woman was walking in this street in Evesham, Worcestershire, where Silva worked in a chip shop . 'He then demanded she touched him and, when she got out her mobile phone to film him, he sexually assaulted her by touching her over her clothes.' West Mercia Police used stills from the footage to appeal for witnesses and Silva was quickly recognised. Sarah Holland, defending, told the court Silva did not remember the incident but was 'very ashamed' of his actions. He had moved to Britain from his native Portugal in January this year looking for a better life, she added. He had moved to be close to his girlfriend and had a job in a fish and chip shop in Evesham. Miss Holland said on the night of the attack Silva had an argument with his girlfriend and her mother, who was visiting from Portugal, and had gone out to 'drown his sorrows'.

Luis Silva pounced at 4am as woman walked in Evesham, Worcestershire . He exposed himself on a street corner and touched her over her clothes . He then slapped victim as she drew phone - but she escaped and told police . Silva, 22, pleaded guilty and has been jailed for three and a half years .

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(CNN) -- Taiwan's government has threatened legal action after one of its taekwondo athletes was disqualified at the Asian Games in China. Olympic bronze medallist Yang Shu-chun was leading during a match in the women's 49 kilogram division on Tuesday when it was halted due to claims she had used extra electronic sensors in her socks. Taiwan's minister of sports affairs, Tai Hsia-ling, told reporters in Guangzhou that the island would take the case to the International Court of Justice unless it received "a reasonable answer" from the Asian Taekwondo Union, the Tapei-based Central News Agency reported. CNA said that Taiwan's Premier Wu Den-yih asked Tai's office to question the fairness of the ruling. Yang, who led Vietnamese opponent Vu Thi Hau 9-0 when the match was halted, was left in tears after the decision and a subsequent appeal to World Taekwondo Federation was rejected, the Taipei Times reported. "This was an extremely unfair decision. I don't know what was wrong. All of my electronic protective equipment followed official specifications," she said on Wednesday. "I brought two pairs of WTF-certified socks with me. The Chinese examiner asked me to scrap the first pair, but the second pair passed the examination. "Before the start of [yesterday's] bout, the chief judge carefully examined all the equipment on my body and did not raise any questions." Coach Liu Yung-lung said: "Even though the model was different, the judge did not find fault with it before the bout. If the judge had brought up the problem at the start, Yang Shu-chun could have changed her socks. "This was negligence on the part of the organizers. Individual athletes should not have to pay for the authorities' problems." Meanwhile, China leads the medal table after day five with 97 golds and 172 overall. South Korea was second with 29 golds ahead of Japan (17), North Korea and Iran (both five) and Taiwan (four). China won the team tennis title for the first time in 24 years, beating defending champions South Korea 2-1 thanks to victories by Wimbledon semifinalist Li Na and Peng Shuai. South Korean swimmer Park Tae-Hwan claimed his third freestyle gold of the week, adding the 100m title to his earlier victories in the 200m and 400m distances. The 21-year-old Olympic 400m champion, who won a record seven medals in Doha four years ago, collected his fifth medal of the week. China, however, have taken 22 out of a possible 32 golds going into the final day in the pool, with Tang Li claiming her fourth title with victory in the women's 100m freestyle.

Martial artist Yang Shu-chun disqualified at Asian Games for having illegal socks . Taekwondo match was halted as judges said she had extra electronic sensors . Taiwan officials fail with immediate appeal to World Taekwondo Union . Sports minister will take matter to international court unless explanation is given .

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By . Steph Cockroft . A rare bee thought to be extinct in the UK since 1946 has been rediscovered in Kent by a wildlife photographer. Roger Tidman, 66, was in Dungeness when he unknowingly spotted a female Andrena vaga bee carrying pollen. But although Mr Tidman was drawn to the striking grey-haired insect because of its colour, he had no idea it was so rare. The unique Andrena vaga bee, commonly known as the mining bee, was last spotted on British soil 68 years ago - but has now been spotted by wildlife photographer Roger Tidman off the Kent coast . Mr Tidman, 66, from Briston, Norfolk, was immediately drawn towards the bee, but had no idea it was so rare until he showed the photo to his friend Nick Owens, a bee expert . It was only when Mr Tidman showed the photo to his close friend Nick Owens, a bee expert, that the true identity of the bee was revealed. Unbeknown to Mr Tidman, the bee had last been seen on British soil 68 years earlier and was even considered by experts to be extinct. Mr Tidman, from Briston, Norfolk, was over the moon when he realised he had spotted an incredibly rare species. He said: 'I had no idea it was so rare, but it turns out it has not been since in the UK since 1946. 'I'm not a bee expert, but my close friend Nick Owens is and when I showed him the picture he said: 'You've hit the jackpot, mate!' 'He explained that this bee was declared extinct in the UK 68 years ago and that he couldn't believe it was back in England. The keen photographer spotted the distinctively grey-haired insect carrying pollen before burying it underground . The bee, which is more regularly seen across the Channel in France, is only one-and-a-half centimetres long . Mr Tidman wanted to call the bee by an easier name so has named it the grey-backed mining bee . The bees that populate Britain today were mostly introduced from abroad - including the popular honeybee. In total, there are around 250 species of bees . in the UK. These include 25 species of bumblebees, . around 225 species of solitary bee and just a single honeybee species. Although bees are not a protected species, they are incredibly important to the UK. They pollinate fruit and vegetable plants - making them worth £560m a . year to the UK economy. They are a critical part of the food . chain because flowering plants depend on insects for pollination. The honeybee is the most effective. Nationally, seven of the UK’s 25 native bumblebee species are in decline. Two have become extinct, including the short-haired bumblebee. But sightings of rare bees, including the . ruderal bumblebee, the red shanked carder bee, the moss carder bee and . the brown-banded carder bee, have increased. 'It was very exciting when he told me how rare the bee is and when I realised I could be the only person with a clear picture of it, I was thrilled.' Mr Tidman, who has been a wildlife photographer since the late 1970s, said the bee's return was probably due to global warming. He said the energetic insect had most likely flown across the English Channel from France, where it is more regularly seen. He said: 'It is called the Andrena vaga, but I wanted to call it something easier to understand so I've named it the 'grey-backed mining bee'. 'Hopefully this common name will make it easier for children to understand so they can get involved and interested in nature. 'Because it is a mining bee, the female was flying around to gather pollen before burying it underground. 'It has a grey back, and looks like a small bumble bee, but it is only one-and-a-half centimetres long. 'Anyone who has knowledge of bees would have been able to tell it was something completely different and incredibly rare.' Bees are a critical part of the food chain because flowering plants depend on insects for pollination. The honeybee is the most effective. It pollinates 90 commercial crops . worldwide, including most fruit and vegetables, alfalfa for cattle feed, nuts and cotton.

The Andrena vaga bee, known as the mining bee, last spotted 68 years ago . Roger Tidman, 66, saw the grey-haired insect while in Dungeness, Kent . Only realised he had seen the rare bee when an expert saw the photo .

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January was a quiet month for Brendan Rodgers in terms of transfers but there was one move Liverpool’s manager knew he had to make. Having watched Jordon Ibe grow and develop in 24 demanding games on loan for Derby County, Rodgers felt compelled to bring him back to Merseyside and see if he could make a contribution in the frantic pursuit of a Champions League place. It might have seemed an unusual decision, to give a 19-year-old with such little top flight experience such a big responsibility, but Rodgers’ thinking was clear. While staying in the East Midlands would have aided his education, why should another manager benefit when he could aid Liverpool? Jordon Ibe rattles the post with a long-range effort during the Merseyside derby on Saturday . Ibe dribbles with the ball while being tracked by Belgian forward Romelu Lukaku . And do not doubt that Rodgers rates him. He has regularly spoken of him in glowing terms, saying that if you turned up at Melwood and were unaware of who was who in his squad, you would have Ibe down as Portuguese or Spanish given his technical ability and skill. ‘We brought him back because with system we play (3-4-3), he can play in four positions,’ Rodgers explained ahead of this trip to Goodison Park. ‘There is greater chance for him to play. I felt for six months, he needed to go out and play consistently. ‘He went with Steve MacLaren at Derby, who is a very good coach and plays really good football. This was the ideal time to bring him back and he has matured really well. It is unfortunate he is not able to play in cup games but he has got incredible talent. My job is to nurture that.’ So back came Ibe and, true to his word, Rodgers has given him minutes, first at Aston Villa then against West Ham before, most significantly, unleashing him from the start in the frenzy of a Merseyside derby. Everton's Bryan Oviedo puts in a tackle on Ibe during the first half at Goodison Park . The Liverpool youngster robs Steven Naismith of the ball during the Premier League clash . Rodgers isn’t afraid to make big calls nor does he ever consider age if he thinks a player is good enough, so with Lazar Markovic nursing a back problem, in came the England youth international, whose first Liverpool appearance in May 2013 came on the day Jamie Carragher retired. If the game was a disappointment, one of the most ordinary, tame and mundane 90 minutes this grand old fixture has ever witnessed, Ibe most certainly wasn’t and he was responsible for providing the genuine moments of entertainment. First there was electric charge down the right flank, then a chance arriving on to a Raheem Sterling cross before, most spectacularly of all, he cracked a drive against the side of a post from 25 yards after he had turned Bryan Oviedo one way then the other. While others wanted too many touches and were deliberate with their passes, Ibe was constantly looking for a way to stamp his name on the game right until the very end. Fearless and exciting, this will not be the last we see of him. His future is certainly bright. Ibe could be part of a very bright future for Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers . Ibe's heat map, as can be seen in Sportsmail's Match Zone feature .

Liverpool drew 0-0 with Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday . Reds youngster Jordan Ibe was handed a start in the clash . Ibe came closest to breaking the deadlock but his shot hit the bar .

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By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 04:53 EST, 21 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:18 EST, 21 March 2013 . Stark warning: Former teen conman Frank Abagnale says the personal details revealed by millions on Facebook enable identity theft . The famous former teenage conman whose exploits were immortalised in the Hollywood blockbuster Catch Me If You Can has issued a stark warning about the dangers of Facebook. Frank Abagnale, portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in the Steven Spielberg film, said that the personal information revealed by millions on the social network is a rich seam for identity thieves. Children in particular need to be made aware of the serious risks of unwittingly revealing personal information online, he added. Once dubbed the world's greatest conman, Mr Abagnale spent half his teenage years on the run as a confidence trickster, imposter, cheque forger and escape artist in the Sixties. The 64-year-old is now a security consultant for US law enforcement agencies -  including the FBI -  having switched sides when he was eventually caught. He said Facebook gives away too much personal information about you and this can allow con artists and impersonators to use your history of ‘likes’ to discern your personal info, lifestyle choices and personality traits. He also warned against using ‘passport style’ photos as profile picture and said being pictured in group photos was safer. ‘If you tell me your date of birth and where you’re born on Facebook, I’m 98 per cent of the way to stealing your identity,’ he told the Guardian. ‘Never state your date of birth and where you were born on personal profiles, otherwise you are saying “come and steal my identity”,’ he warned. Immortalised on the silver screen: Leonardo DiCaprio portrayed Mr Abagnale in the 2002 Steven Spielberg blockbuster Catch Me If You Can . Window to the soul: Facebook gives away too much information about you and this can allow impersonators to use your history of ¿likes¿ to discern your personal info, lifestyle choices and personality traits, he warned . Frank Abagnale spent half his teenage years in the Sixties on the run as a confidence trickster, imposter, cheque forger and escape artist. He became one of the most famous impostors ever, claiming to have assumed no fewer than eight identities. He escaped from police custody twice (once from a taxiing airliner and once from a U.S. federal penitentiary), before he was 21 years old. He served fewer than five years in prison before starting to work for the federal government and is currently a consultant and lecturer for the FBI academy and field offices. He also runs Abagnale & Associates, a financial fraud consultancy company. He said children in particular need to be made aware of the serious risks of unwittingly revealing information online. ‘What I did 40 years ago as a teenage boy is 4,000 times easier now,’ said Mr Abagnale, who is known as one of the most successful impostors of all time, assuming the identities of pilots, doctors, lawyers, and even a U.S. prison agent. ‘Technology breeds crime,’ he said. ‘I’m not on it Facebook, but I have no problem with it,’ he said, addressing the Advertising Week Europe conference in London last night. He added: ‘I have three sons on it. I totally understand why people like it. But like every technology you have to teach children, it is an obligation of society to teach them how to use it carefully.’

'World's greatest conman' Frank Abagnale says social network is rich seam for identity thieves . Children in particular need to be made aware of the risks of unwittingly revealing personal information, he warns . Mr Abagnale spent half his teenage years in the Sixties on the run as a conman, imposter and escape artist .

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A group of pranksters' comedy 'gangsta' sketch went horribly wrong after police mistook their toy guns for real ones. The four men had been filming a stunt in Enfield, London, for their Intagram and You Tube pages which involved two of the group brandishing the fake guns before holding them to their friend's neck. But the joke quickly backfired after a member of the public mistook the toys for real weapons and reported them to police. The camera was still rolling when armed officers arrive shouting at them to 'Drop the gun, drop the gun.' The group of pranksters hold the fake guns to their friend's neck as part of their comedy 'gangsta' stunt . But the sketch quickly becomes very real for the four men after police are called and order them to lie on the ground and surrender their weapons . The friends attempt to explain they are filming and the guns were fake but the officer forces them to lie down on the ground and surrender their weapons. He can then be heard reporting to a back up team saying: 'Four recovered - at least two firearms.' Police confirmed that armed officers had attended and arrested the group who were later released without charge. The three minute clip has now been viewed almost 300,000 times since it was added on November 30. One of the stunt men, who posted the clip on YouTube on November 30, wrote: ''We was filming a short sketch for my Instagram page, using plastic toy guns as props. A member of public must of saw us and called the police. The video has split opinion online over the police's response. Lauren Cassinia wrote on the YouTube video's comments: 'That was excessive. They dropped their guns as soon as they were asked to and everyone but the cameraman got on the floor when asked. 'There was no need for the language either. All it would have taken was a quick check once they'd been handcuffed and it would have been so much less violent. But then it's understandable for the police to be scared since they don't have guns.' But Gustaf Smythe-Richards added that: 'Guns aren't toys.' YouTube user MadSaltySkills wrote: 'In America they would of got shot with no question asked lol.' Dale Of Hope added: 'In the cops defense... If they treated every situation with exposed firearms as 'they're probably just filming', we'd have a lot of dead people on our hands. So I'm glad they took the 'better safe than sorry' route.' 'Rightly so. Especially with all the stuff going on over in the states. 'We should have been more responsible. Definitely pooped myself a bit tho haha! 'Let this a lesson to everyone, don't play with plastic guns in public.' (sic). Possession of imitation and toy firearms can in certain circumstances amount to a criminal offence. The four men, all in their late twenties and early thirties, were arrested on November 29 at around 2pm. Another member of the group posted on Instagram: 'What a mad day... can't lie tho I was shook and fully nearly lost my life if I held the gun any longer I was a goner. 'All for me and my boys filmin a robbery sketch for Insta.' (sic) A spokeswoman for London Metropolitan Police said without officers knowing if the guns were real or fake they had to follow protocol. 'Four men aged 27, 28, 30 and 30 were arrested at the scene and taken to an east London police Station,' she added. 'Two imitation firearms were recovered at the scene. 'All suspects were interviewed and provided the same account. They explained that they were using the imitation guns to make a film. 'The suspects showed remorse and were later released with no further action being taken.' The four men, all in their late twenties and early thirties, were arrested on November 29 at around 2pm . One of the members of the stunt later warned people on his Instagram account not to play with plastic guns in public .

Four jokers were using toy guns for a comedy sketch in Enfield, London . A member of the public saw and believed the stunt calling the police . Armed officers arrive and order them to lie down and surrender weapons . The group are arrested but later released without charge .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:39 EST, 14 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:12 EST, 14 August 2013 . A man in Gallatin, Tennessee who became an online sensation for posting videos of his pet racoons, had one of those raccoons taken away by the state. Mark 'Kuhn Rippy' Brown, a self-described 'hillbilly', became famous after posting a hilarious video dancing with his pet raccoon named Gunshow to Aretha Franklin's 'Chain of Fools' on YouTube, garnering the video over 1million views. The video has attracted the attention of local news outlets, and Brown recently signed a deal to shoot a reality TV show pilot. Scroll down for video . Taken: Mark Brown and his girlfriend recently lost their pet raccoon Rebekah. Brown is famous for posting videos of his pet raccoons . Viral: Brown's video dancing with his raccoon Gunshow has garnered over 1million views on YouTube . Raccoon number two: Rebekah was Brown's second raccoon. His other pet raccoon Gunshow died earlier this year . Brown, a former animal control officer, has posted some 40 videos to YouTube, chronicling his adventures with Gunshow, who sadly passed away earlier this year. Since his death, Brown and his girlfriend adopted a new baby raccoon named Rebekah and in the latest video Brown is shown showering with the creature. But his YouTube notoriety may also have been his downfall, since it alerted the authorities that he was keeping a raccoon illegally. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency showed up last month and took Rebekah with them. Shower buddies: One of Brown's more recent videos shows him showering with baby raccoon Rebekah . Big star: Brown's internet stardom landed him a contract to shoot a reality TV pilot . Now Brown is fighting to get his furry friend back. He's personally petitioned the governor and even made another video asking for contributions to his legal defense. Brown believes it's his internet stardom that caused the state to target him. 'Now that I have become a big fish, they've come after me to take Rebekah away from me,' he told WKRN-TV. He questions why they came now, right when he was about to get his own reality show. He says the authorities would have to be 'living under a rock' not to have known about Gunshow. Bring her back: Brown has written the governor and recorded a new video asking for contributions to his legal fund to get Rebekah back . A TWRA representative told News Channel 5 that it was a neighbor complaint - and not the YouTube videos - that alerted them to the illegal animal . The agency is required to confiscate wild animals if they know someone is keeping them. For now, Rebekah is living at Walden's Puddle, a wildlife rehabilitation and educational center. 'I ask God every night for two things: either free Rebekah back to me or just let me forget about it. One is a whole lot easier than the other,' Brown said .

Mark Brown became famous when he posted a video of him dancing with his pet raccoon Gunshow . When Gunshow died, he adopted a baby raccoon named Rebekah who he was filmed showering with . The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency took Rebekah from Brown last month .

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Washington (CNN) -- There will be plenty of legacy items by which to judge President Barack Obama. Obamacare, for instance: Whether the new law that seeks health insurance for every American is a prudent piece of policy or an albatross of government overreach is a matter of opinion. How about drawing down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? What about his efforts to police suspected terrorists abroad through the use of deadly drone strikes? None of these, in the long run, might be as important as his efforts to help the economy, which, ironically, has felt stronger just as Americans' faith in Obama to steer it has dwindled. According to a Pew Research Center poll from November, just 31% of Americans approve of the way he is handling the economy. By one measure, the Obama economy is almost back to par. If he's lucky, the economy might be able to save his second term. "It's impossible to tell the future," said Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton who has written about presidents and their legacies for CNN. "If the economy moves in a positive direction and in the next two years we are really out of the sluggish economy that he started his presidency with, people will value that." What sort of value remains to be seen. The short-memory syndrome . Certainly, handing off a good economy would help his long-term legacy. In the short term, there seems to be little appetite among Republicans on Capitol Hill for some of his legislative priorities like raising the minimum wage or passing an immigration reform bill. An emboldened president would enter those negotiations with a stronger hand. He'd also have more power to sway budget negotiations that could affect future spending on social programs such as Medicare and Social Security. Stephen Weatherford, a political science professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said Americans have short memories. "To a kind of ironic extent, if presidents come in facing big problems and they're able to do something to solve those problems, people don't evaluate them based on those problems," he said. "It becomes a kind of, 'What have you done for me lately?' problem," said Weatherford, who thinks Obama's domestic legacy will be focused squarely on the health care law. "I think if the health care law is in place and works, he'll be remembered really favorably," said Weatherford, comparing the law to the Great Society social programs enacted by President Lyndon Johnson. The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 7% in November. It's an imperfect measure for the health of the economy. People long unemployed and who aren't looking for work aren't counted, for example. But that's the lowest unemployment rate since Obama was first elected president, when the rate sat at 6.8%. In hindsight, that 6.8% figure from 2008 seems low, either because Americans at the time were used to much lower jobless rates or because in the time since then we've become used to much higher rates. In 2008, the economic ground was rumbling with talk of the potential for an economic apocalypse. The unemployment rate grew a full percentage point in the 2 1/2 months between his election that year and his inauguration in January 2009, and it peaked a little less than a year into his presidency at 10% in October 2009. Now we call it the Great Recession, something much worse than your father's recession but probably not quite as bad as your grandfather's Great Depression. The U.S. government took an activist approach to saving the economy. It began pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into bailouts of the banking and auto industries in the final days of the Bush administration. The Federal Reserve was just beginning to pump trillions of dollars into the economy through a menu of bond-buying programs and artificially low interest rates. Taking an approach, running with it . Obama took this activist approach and ran with it. He spent a good portion of his new political capital passing a nearly $800 billion stimulus program opposed by all but three Republicans in the Senate. The rollout of the stimulus, by the way, was beset by a flawed website and created a huge political headache as those hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars flooded into the economy -- the effect was not immediately felt by everyone and it was hard to quantify as it was spread across years. Even if the recovery is felt most prominently in the coming years, it could affect perception of those early programs, Zelizer said. "If the last two years of the Obama presidency are filled with a possibility economy, it's going to change the way we view the stimulus and his other economic programs," he said. Temporary increases to food stamps authorized by the stimulus package only ran out at the beginning of November. Temporary increases in unemployment insurance are set to run out at the end of this year. The ultimate effect of billions spent on infrastructure had a short-term effect on jobs, but will also have long-term benefits. Continued growth will come with growing pains. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke or his soon-to-be successor Janet Yellen are expected to taper off the Fed programs that have helped buoy the back end of the economy and kept interest rates down. The Congressional Budget Office guessed that the stimulus kept the unemployment rate 2% lower than it otherwise would have been in 2010. That means the country could have faced 12% unemployment instead of 10% at the height of the Great Recession, but we'll never know for sure. What we do know is that the national debt skyrocketed as the federal government spent furiously to save the economy. The stimulus cost $830 billion, according to the CBO. Deficits have started to shrink as the economy has improved and Republicans in Congress have insisted on spending cuts. But the debt now stands at nearly $17 trillion. America's Debt: CNN Money special section . A Wall Street rally; a widening divide . But while the stock market has rallied during the Obama presidency -- the Dow Jones Industrial Average has nearly doubled during his time in office -- the divide between wealthy and struggling Americans has grown exponentially. Potentially rising interest rates and less help for the unemployed and the hungry as those stimulus programs run out could exacerbate the problem, which Obama has made clear will be a focus of his remaining time in office. "I believe this is the defining challenge of our time: Making sure our economy works for every working American. It's why I ran for President. It was at the center of last year's campaign," Obama told a liberal group during a speech in an economically depressed area of Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. "It drives everything I do in this office. And I know I've raised this issue before, and some will ask why I raise the issue again right now." He later added that he think the government should be spending money to invest in creating opportunities for Americans. "A relentlessly growing deficit of opportunity is a bigger threat to our future than our rapidly shrinking fiscal deficit," he said. After his re-election, Obama extended Bush-era tax cuts for all but the wealthiest Americans, making good on his campaign effort to make them pay a little more in the coming years. The economy for years has been the issue that Americans want politicians to fix. More than health care or the Iraq war, the economy dominated the 2008 election — 55% of voters said it was the most important problem facing the country. Four years later, when Obama was re-elected, the economy and unemployment split the top spot. Perhaps one sign of an improved economy is that a different poll, conducted by Gallup in October, found that the economy is no longer the top concern of Americans. Now it is "government dysfunction." Two academics wrote recently that Democratic presidents seem to preside over generally better economies than Republicans. But there's no evidence that their policies are the reason. That means it's perhaps not fair to give presidents credit when the economy improves or blame them when it goes bad. "It's never fair," Zelizer said. "Presidents don't have total control of the economy. They can't even control Congress. But fair or not, that's what happens."

The Obama legacy likely will include many elements . One will be the economy . It might even be THE one in the long-term of history .

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By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 08:29 EST, 13 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:22 EST, 13 November 2013 . The immense ash clouds that erupted from Iceland’s Eyjafjallajoekull volcano in 2010 caused chaos for the airline industry. No one really knew if it would be safe to fly, and technology to accurately detect the plumes of ash had yet to be developed. Since then, easyJet has been working on a system known as AVOID (Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector) that it claims will prevent ash clouds disrupting flights. Scroll down for videos... Easyjet has been working on a system known as AVOID (Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector) that it claims will prevent ash clouds disrupting flights in the future . The group today flew a commercial aircraft through the first-ever artificial ash cloud to see if  the sensor could detect the plumes. In the test, an A400M Airbus plane dispersed one tonne of Icelandic ash into the atmosphere at between 9,000ft and 11,000ft. This created conditions consistent with the 2010 eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull. A second Airbus test aircraft, an A340-300, with the AVOID technology fitted, flew towards the ash cloud identifying and measuring it from around 40 miles away. An A400M Airbus plane released a cloud of ash as part of test to see how passenger aircraft can cope with volcanic eruptions . From inside the A400M test aircraft, Icelandic ash was extracted then dispersed into the atmosphere as part of the AVOID system testing . The AVOID system uses infra-red technology that allows pilots to see the damaging ash plumes up to 62 miles ahead between 5,000 and 50,000 ft. The system shows images of ash to aircrew, allowing them to change flight path. The images are also sent back to ground control where data from different aircraft can help create a detailed ash cloud map. The experiment also used a small aircraft, a Diamond DA42 from Dusseldorf University of Applied Sciences in Germany, to fly into the ash cloud to take measurements which help to corroborate the measurements made by the AVOID system. The ash cloud produced during the test was between 600ft and 800ft deep measuring about 1.75 miles in diameter. To begin with the ash cloud was visible to the naked eye but dissipated quickly, becoming difficult to identify. The AVOID system uses infra-red technology that allows pilots to see the damaging ash plumes up to 62 miles ahead at between 5,000 and 50,000 ft. AVOID detected the ash cloud and measured its density which showed that it was within the range of concentrations measured during the ash crisis in April and May 2010. Dr Fred Prata who invented AVOID volcanic technology is shown with the original detector at the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France . During the testing, the AVOID volcanic sensor detected the artificial ash cloud and measured its density . ‘The threat from Icelandic volcanoes continues and so we are delighted with the outcome of this unique and innovative experiment,’ said EasyJet’s engineering director Ian Davies. ‘Finding a solution is as crucial now as ever to ensure we never again see the scenes of spring 2010 when all flying ceased across Europe for several days.’ EasyJet said it is now working towards a non-integrated stand-alone system which its aim to fit on to a number of its current fleet of aircraft by the end of next year. Dr Fred Prata, inventor of the AVOID technology, said: ‘The team has just executed a unique scientific and engineering experiment conclusively demonstrating that low concentrations of ash can be identified by the AVOID sensor. ‘ . Ash clouds that erupted from Iceland's Eyjafjallajoekull volcano in 2010 caused chaos for airliners . A second Airbus test aircraft, an A340-300, with the AVOID technology fitted, flew towards the ash cloud identifying and measuring it from around 40 miles away . Airbus engineering head Charles Champion added: ‘We are at the beginning of an invention which could become a useful solution for commercial aviation to prevent large-scale disruption from volcanic ash.’ Explosive volcanic eruptions in Iceland happen on average once every five years. When winds blow from the north west, the ash is transported towards Europe as it did during the Eyjafjallajokull eruption in 2010. ‘It was a coincidence that this did not happen in the seven explosive eruptions that took place between 1970 and 2010. Instead the ash was mostly carried away from Europe by southerly winds,’ said Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson, from the Institute of Earth Sciences in Iceland. ‘Considering the relatively long time since the last eruptions in two of Iceland’s most active volcanoes, Hekla and Katla, both should be regarded as ready to erupt. ‘It is not possible to predict when or where the next eruption will take place. What is certain is that it will happen.’ Explosive volcanic eruptions in Iceland happen on average once every five years. Pictured is an ash cloud from the volcano Eyjafjallajokull . This graphic reveals which flight paths were affected by the volcanic ash cloud in 2010 .

AVOID uses infra-red which allows pilots to see ash plumes 62 miles ahead . System shows images of ash to aircrew, allowing them to change course . Images are also sent back to ground control to create an ash cloud map . EasyJet aims to fit AVOID systems on a number of its aircraft by 2015 .

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By . Iona Kirby . PUBLISHED: . 12:04 EST, 14 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:02 EST, 14 June 2013 . It seems Farrah Abraham has learned the hard way that getting on the wrong side of Charlie Sheen is not a good idea. The angry Anger Management actor has slammed the Teen Mom star in a rather humiliating open letter. Farrah shared text messages between the pair which showed them planning a date, and Charlie is furious at her for leaking the conversation. A bit embarrassing: Charlie Sheen has slammed Farrah Abraham in an open letter published on TMZ.com . The 47-year-old branded the 22-year-old a ‘desperate guzzler of stagnant douche agua’ in a note published on TMZ.com. Charlie told the former reality star: 'I truly do not recall giving you permission to globally reveal any communication between us. congrats on surviving your lobotomy and an even bigger congratz on the recent attempt at porn.' He went on to tell her ‘your daughter must be so proud’ and expressed very sternly that he never wants to hear from her again. ‘Please send my number to middle earth and if allowed, eagerly follow it into said abyss and slam the door behind you,’ he wrote. Furious: Charlie is annoyed at Farrah, pictured on Wednesday, for sharing text messages exchanged between them . 'The world will collectively sigh as the pungent memory of you vanishes into the pedestrian troposphere of lame-suck and zero-life. Oh and I'm sure they'll wave the cover charge when they see your tranny-boobs and five o'clock shadow.' It came after Farrah reached out to the actor in May saying she would like to meet him and score a role on his show Anger Management. Farrah sent the star a longwinded and frankly embarrassing series of text messages, one of which said; ‘Just wanted to say I was excited to meet you if anger management ever ends up booking me, but idk if that will happen … . ‘So I just felt like saying your super funny and would love to meet you at some point & I’m in town alot & hopefully soon will move to the area and maybe we can meet up for a play date with our children or if your cool just for coffee and relaxing let me know. [sic]’ Not happy: Charlie told the Teen Mom star to 'send his number to middle earth' and added that she should 'follow it' Farrah added: ‘This week I’m doing appearances & other work and could only meet later so – All the best & hope your having a great week.’ Charlie seemed keen on the idea at the time, and wrote back: ‘You sound fabulous! Coffee is for amateurs and grandma… would love to get together!!’ The redheaded sex tape star followed up a few days later, asking Charlie if he wanted to come with her to a party with some ‘porn star ppl’ if he felt ‘comfortable’. While Charlie may have been open to the idea of meeting Farrah a month ago, the former Two And A Half Men star has done a complete 180. And his colourfully worded letter has in turn irritated Farrah, who responded to Charlie via a letter on Radar Online. Forward: Farrah asked Charlie, seen with ex-wife Denise last month, for a playdate with their children, or if he wanted to meet for coffee . 'That's right Charlie you never did tell . me I could share my own texts with anyone – it looks like you have . control issues because I can do whatever I want and I have nothing to . hide maybe you do,' she wrote. 'I think all the drugs, fame, money, . alcohol, and whores messed with your head because your bashing response . to me is really uncalled for and makes zero sense. 'You sound like you have mental . issues, (hints maybe you need some anger management counseling) given . your disgusting lash out towards my body and my relationship with my . daughter which each are both the epitome of perfection.' The star continued: 'So for a old . train wreck like yourself you sit in your own pedestrian troposphere of . lame-suck and zero-life, enjoy your dwindle and I wish you all the best . at being a good male figure for your children who really need a good . male role model in their lives. 'As well I hope those call girls, . pornstars, and goddesses you have around and pay are worthy because its . sad you can not have a stable relationship to show your children a good . example. Never going to happen: The 22-year-old said she wanted to guest star on Charlie's show Anger Management . Farrah added: 'I was only being . friendly with Charlie because Anger Management contacted my rep and so I . thought it would be good to reach out and spend some civil quality time . apparently that’s not possible and I will be strictly professional and . not speak to other talent in the future because I do not need to be . bothered by their crazy personal lives and horrible personalities. I . have a bright future ahead of myself I do not have time for this . nonsense of drama.' Charlie’s explosive letter is not the only thing helping Farrah stay in the spotlight following the release of her sex tape, Farrah Superstar: Back Door Teen Mom. The mother-of-one has also just had a second breast augmentation surgery, and kindly brought the cameras into the operating theatre with her. Farrah replaced her C-cup saline implants with larger D-cups filled with silicone in a surgery which took place on May 31, just three days after she turned 22 (the FDA's minimum age for a woman to get silicone implants), according to In Touch. Now, she says, 'I look more natural. I want to look my best. And I’m looking amazing.' Treating herself: Farrah went under the knife for a second breast augmentation surgery three days after her 22nd birthday .

Lashed out at Teen Mom star after she published text messages they exchanged . Farrah asked Charlie to meet up for a coffee or playdate and also said she wants to guest star on Anger Management . Farrah has responded to open letter and calls Charlie an 'old train wreck' who has 'mental issues' The 22-year-old added that her body and relationship with her daughter 'are both the epitome of perfection'

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By . Snehal Shah . The teenage college student cut off by her parents when they found out she was gay has revealed that they thought ‘she had a mental disease’. Kate Koenig, 19, said her 'homophobic' parents refused to pay for her classes at the University of Pittsburgh after her father opened her mail last year and learned about her sexuality. She resorted to asking for $15 000 in donations to pay for college via a GoFundMe page. Plea: Kate Koenig, 19, has launched a fundraising campaign online to help her fund her degree at the University of Pittsburgh after her 'homophobic' parents found out she was gay when they opened her mail . Ms Koenig spoke exclusively to MailOnline about how her parents treated her because of her sexuality and the backlash she suffered from the public after news broke of her fundraising campaign. 'They said I had a mental disease,' she said. 'They said my sexuality was a mental disease and I needed medication for it. They said I’m a sick person for being gay. 'My parents said I was just looking for attention, I’m obviously a very sick person who needs help and medication can solve that for me.' Her parents’ discovery, and the family blowout that followed, happened in September 2013, just before Koenig started college at the University of Pittsburgh. She said: 'My mom sat me down and asked me how I became gay. She asked if it was because she started working full time again and wasn’t home as much, or if it was because someone hurt me.' Koenig’s parents also discovered her boyfriend was transgender and had been born female. She said: 'My mother asked, "Do you want a penis now? If you’re dating this transsexual, transgender man, do you want to be a man too?" 'Then they wrote me a letter to tell me I was cut off and to shame me for my personality and my sexuality. 'In the letter, they also said they’d found a few psychologists for me and asked me to get therapy and take medication, to cure myself, before they would let me back into the house. They wanted me to switch off my sexuality. 'They said the fact that I used social media and took selfies was indicative of a very narcissistic person. They said social media fuels the gay agenda. It ruins our society and promotes homosexuality and they asked me to delete my social media accounts. 'And my dad said he felt sorry for people in the LGBT+ community. "They are living a morally corrupt life, they are making this society crumble. They are going to hell."' Loved: Koenig is pictured with her transgender boyfriend Will, who was born biologically as a woman . Together: She dismissed claims that dating Will meant she was straight, saying: 'I am still gay. Being in a "straight" relationship does not take away my sexuality'. The couple have been together over a year . Koenig identifies as pansexual, but also describes herself as ‘gay’, saying: 'To me, gay is the umbrella for the entire LGBT+ community.' Koenig’s parents had already paid for the first semester and co-signed a loan with her for the second semester, but they refused to co-sign any more loans. She asked for $15,000 for her second year’s tuition on her GoFundMe page, which she set up last week. She has already raised almost $12,000, but also received an enormous negative backlash after news of her campaign broke last week. 'People are commenting really disgusting things like ‘die homo b****’, "why don’t you just go to stripper school or do porn?", "suck my d*** and I’ll send you money". I’m afraid I’ll start getting death threats.' Struggle: Recently, she shared a document showing she had been fired from Costco because the company had overhired. She lamented that it was her main source of income to supplement her loans . Support: Koenig is pictured with Will and his family who have given their support to Kate and her campaign . Koenig says the comments are 'because I’m gay, I’m young, and I’m a woman.' 'I’m being attacked for needing a handout and being lazy. But there are so many people who do this. People have GoFundMes for home improvement or sending their kids on vacation. Some guy got thousands of dollars on Kickstarter for making a potato salad. 'I just feel really harassed right now,' she added. But Koenig is adamant that it’s not about being gay. She continued: 'I’m not asking for money because I’m gay. I happen to be gay, but that’s not my full story. My sexuality is only relevant because that’s the reason I got kicked out. 'I’m just trying to go to school. Pittsburgh is the first time in my life I’ve felt truly safe and accepted for who I am.' For more information, visit Koenig's GoFundMe page.

Kate Koenig was cut off by her parents after they read her mail last year and learned she was gay; her extended family also disapprove . They had already paid for tuition last year but she now faces not being able to afford this year - despite working and getting loans . She recently lost her job because her company had overhired . She hopes to raise $15,000 and has already raised more than $5,000 . She has the support of her trans boyfriend Will and his family . Her parents said she has a 'disease' and that homosexuals are 'going to hell' Koenig said she has received abusive messages such as 'die, homo b****'

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A 23-year-old man has spoken of his horror at needing a new bladder at just 17 after snorting ketamine. Chris, from Hampshire, began using drugs when he was just 12 years old and his cannabis use quickly spiralled to hard drug abuse. He began taking ketamine at 16 and within just a year, he had taken so much that he had caused irreversible damage to his body. Old before his time: Chris needed a new bladder at just 17 after snorting ketamine excessively. He began using drugs when he was 12, his cannabis use quickly spiralling to hard drugs. He began taking ketamine at 16 and within just a year, he had taken so much that he had caused irreversible damage to his body . Ketamine is known for shrinking and scarring the bladder - and Chris' had shrunk to the size normally seen in a pensioner. At just 17, he needed to have his bladder removed and a new one made from his bowel - or face a life of incontinence. Chris is one of several young people featured in a BBC3 documentary airing tonight. Called Old Before My Time, presenter Cherry Healey follows people who have ailments typically seen in pensioners because of drug abuse. Although he has a new bladder, he is by no means free of health problems . Every two weeks he must insert a catheter - a thin, flexible tube - into his belly button and syringe out mucus sitting in his bladder. Chris went to see a specialist who gave him shocking news - his bladder had shrunk to a fraction of its normal size - and was smaller than a pensioner's. A normal bladder can hold up to 500ml - but Chris' could hold just 5ml . Viewers see the stomach-turning moment where the mucus fills the syringe attached to the tube in his stomach – a far cry from the hard core raver he once was just a few years ago. Ketamine use in the UK has doubled since 2006 – around the time Chris began taking it. In the documentary, he explains: ‘I started taking drugs when I was 12 – starting with cannabis and gradually working up to heavier things. ‘When I started taking K I took a gram a night, but before long, as I was taking 10-15g a night – I had a wicked time.’ But within months, his body began to object violently to his drug abuse. At just 17, he needed to have his bladder removed and a new one made from his bowel - or face a life of incontinence . Although he has a new bowel, he is by no means free of health problems. Every two weeks he has to insert a catheter (a thin, flexible tube) into his belly button and syringe out mucus sitting in his bladder . ‘I was at a party, tried to go to the loo and it was really painful. Then a big lump of goo came out – blood, mess… it as horrible.’ Chris went to see a specialist who gave him shocking news – his bladder had shrunk to a fraction of its normal size - and was smaller than a pensioner’s. A normal bladder can hold up to 500ml – but Chris' could hold just 5ml. Normally, the bladder wall expands when filled with urine and contracts when emptied. But extreme ketamine use can cause stiffness and scarring in the bladder walls which means it can only expand to a tenth of its normal size. While the bowel material can act as a bladder, it is probe to collecting mucus that must be washed out . Viewers see the stomach-turning moment where the mucus fills the syringe attached to the tube in his stomach - a far cry from the hard core raver he once was just a few years ago . To avoid a lifetime of incontinence, Chris had two options. He could have a bag attached to his hip – or have his bladder removed totally and a new one made from his bowel – surgery typical in someone 60 or 70 years of age. He went for the latter – but must now syringe mucus out of his bladder for every two weeks of his life. His days of playing rugby are over and he is at risk of dangerous kidney infections. His new bladder won’t forever, either – he will need it replacing again in 20-30 years. But ketamine doesn’t just cause physical problems such as Chris' – it can severely affect the brain, too. The documentary also follows 29-year-old Dave, who has been using ketamine for eight years. He . has noticed a disturbing deterioration in his memory – to the point . where he can walk into a room 10 times and not remember why he is there. The documentary also follows 29-year-old Dave, who has been using ketamine for eight years. He has noticed a disturbing deterioration in his memory - to the point where he can walk into a room 10 times and not remember why he is there . Ketamine blocks receptors in the brain that are important for how we learn and respond to new experiences. These receptors are hugely concentrated in the areas critical for memory – the hippocampus – and people who take a lot of the drug can have memory problems as bad as the early stages of dementia. Like Chris, Dave began taking ketamine at raves – but he soon became addicted. In memory tests conducted during the documentary, Dave struggles with basic recall tasks such as naming words that begin with the letter F – or thinking of different types of fruit. Professor Val Curren explains that ketamine users often have problems recalling names, words and conversations – all common signs of dementia in old people not someone in their twenties. Dave vows to stop taking the drug – claiming he is now only using it once a month. If he doesn’t, the tests show his memory will only get worse and worse.

Chris, now 23, began smoking cannabis when he was just 12 years old . By 16, he going to raves and taking 10-15g of ketamine a night . At 17, he experienced pain and problems going to the loo . Ketamine had shrunk his bladder to size normally seen in an OAP . To avoid a lifetime of incontinence, he needed a new bladder fashioned from his bowel - surgery usually reserved for pensioners . Chris is just one of many drug users featured in the BBC3 documentary Old Before My Time, highlighting the ageing effects of drugs on the body . 'Cherry Healey: Old Before My Time' airs tonight at 9pm on BBC3 .

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(CNN) -- The death toll from an Ebola outbreak in coastal West Africa has risen to 86, with dozens more ill, aid workers reported Friday. The deaths are among the 137 cases reported by the World Health Organization, which said the outbreak has "rapidly evolved" since originating in the forests of southeastern Guinea. The city of Guekedou, near the borders with Sierra Leone and Liberia, has seen the majority of the deaths. Five people are believed to have died in Guinea's capital, Conakry, according to WHO. Two of the victims had traveled to the region. It's the first emergence of Ebola in western Africa, and WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said the U.N. agency is trying to track people who had encountered the victims and make sure "that all those who have been in contact with infected people are being checked upon." "What is really important is to inform the population of Guinea and Conakry about this disease, as this is the first time they are facing Ebola. They need to know what it is and how they can protect themselves." In Liberia, seven Ebola deaths have been confirmed out of 14 suspected cases. Sierra Leone is investigating at least two deaths. The aid organization Doctors Without Borders has called the outbreak unprecedented, because previous cases have been limited to a small area. Mali's government reported on its Facebook page on Thursday that biological samples tied to three suspected Ebola cases within its borders are being sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for analysis. In the meantime, the three people there suspected of having the disease are being treated in an isolated unit, where their health is improving. Ebola is one of the world's deadliest viruses, causing a hemorrhagic fever that kills up to 90% of those infected. It spreads in the blood and shuts down the immune system, causing high fever, headache and muscle pain, often accompanied by bleeding. The virus is named after the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), where one of the first outbreaks occurred in 1976. What is Ebola and why does it kill? CNN's Anna Maja Rappard contributed to this report.

Mali says it has three suspected Ebola cases . Ebola has sickened 137 people, killed dozens, WHO says . More deaths are suspected or confirmed in Liberia, Sierra Leone .

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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) -- The light from the cell phone screens allowed surgeons to complete an emergency appendix operation during a blackout in a city in central Argentina, reports said on Saturday. Leonardo Molina, 29, was on the operating table on July 21, when the power went out in the Policlinico Juan D. Peron, the main hospital in Villa Mercedes, a small city in San Luis province. "The generator, which should have been working correctly, didn't work," a hospital spokesman, whose name was not given, told TN television news station. "The surgeons and anesthetists were in the dark... A family member got some cell phones together from people in the hallway and took them in to provide light," he said. Ricardo Molina, 39, Leonardo's brother, told La Nacion newspaper that the lights were out for an hour and his brother's anesthesia was wearing off. E-mail to a friend . Copyright 2007 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Surgeons complete emergency appendix operation with light from cell phones . The power went out in the main hospital in Villa Mercedes, central Argentina . The hospital's generator, which should have been working correctly, didn't work .

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By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 14:51 EST, 14 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:51 EST, 14 December 2013 . A festive family has spent thousands of pounds turning their home into their very own Santa's grotto. Grandfather-of-four Jim Cooper, 59, and his wife, 56, have been transforming their semi-detached house into a winter wonderland to celebrate Christmas for the last ten years. The entire building is covered from top to bottom in twinkling fairy lights while the front garden is full of illuminated Christmas-themed ornaments. Carol and Jim Cooper from West Moseley in Surrey, have spent the last 10 years transforming their home into a winter wonderland . The house and garden is covered in more than 40 sets of lights and there are at least 15 inflatables - including several life-sized Santas as well as a Winnie The Pooh and Tiger wearing Father Christmas outfits . Mr Cooper said: 'We love doing this every year and seeing the reactions of the children. 'Many insist on coming round every day to look at the house and a lot of adults love it too. We like to help get people in the Christmas spirit and have a bit of fun.' The house and garden is covered in more than 40 sets of lights and there are at least 15 inflatables - including several life-sized Santas as well as a Winnie The Pooh and Tiger wearing Father Christmas outfits. There is even a rotating Merry-Go-Round complete with elves swinging from Christmas candy canes. Another unique garden feature is an igloo with a snowman which leaps out at intervals before hiding back inside. But the finishing touch is a snow machine which pumps out dozens of litres of snow at the flick of a switch, blanketing the house and garden in West Molesey, Surrey, within minutes. Making use of CCTV they installed to ward of vandals, the couple catch unsuspecting passers-by by surprise, flicking the switch to start the snow-making machine, which douses their front garden with dozens of litres of snow . The incredible display has cost the couple more than £5,000 over the years - with each inflatable costing between £80 and £300 - and Mr and Mrs Cooper say they plan to continue adding to it . The couple first started decorating their home at the behest of their 32-year-old daughter Clare, who wanted to put up a decoration of Santa climbing up the side of the house . Mr Cooper said: 'We installed CCTV outside a few years ago after the display was vandalised - the inflatables were all cut with a knife. 'But we have quite a bit of fun with the CCTV now and turn on the snow machine when we spot someone on the camera coming near the house. 'People now think the snow machine has a sensor or something on it and we watch them on the little screen in our living room jumping up and down in front of the snow machine to try and get it to turn on. 'Then when they go to walk away we turn it on and they come running back. It's a lot of fun.' The incredible display has cost the couple more than £5,000 over the years - with each inflatable costing between £80 and £300 - and they plan to continue adding to it. But, perhaps fortunately for the couple, they don't know how much it costs them in electricity to run it. 'We pay a set amount by direct debit every month,' Mr Cooper explained. 'So we don't actually know how much it costs to run all the Christmas lights and the inflatables, which each have their own fans to keep them upright, as the electricity bill seems to even out over the year.' The inflatables’ fans are turned on at 9am so they can be seen throughout the day and the lights are switched on by a timer at 4pm every day. The couple turn everything off around 10pm. Mr Cooper and his wife, who have two children, first started decorating their home at the behest of their daughter Clare, 32, who wanted to put a decoration of Santa climbing up a ladder on the side of the house. It grew from there and the couple have been building up their Christmas decorations collection ever since. Mr Cooper, a father-of-two, said: 'A couple of years ago my daughter, who's just a big kid, wanted us to put this Santa on the side of the house. 'So at first we just had that one Santa but then we kept adding something every year until we decided seven years ago to go all out and turn it into a Christmas house. 'We try to get something new every year and move things round a bit to make it look a bit different. 'We also buy lots of light bulbs in bulk so we can replace any that break. The couple, who have four grandchildren, have dedicated this year's display to raising money for a local school for children with learning difficulties . Mr Cooper, a father-of-two, said: 'It does take quite a bit of work but we love doing it' 'It does take quite a bit of work but we love doing it. ‘ . It now takes the couple three days to set up display before the lights can be switched on December 1. The couple put on the lights every day over the Christmas period before they start taking it down on the weekend before January 6. Mr Cooper said: 'We like to make sure everything is ready for the lights to be switched on December 1 - to mark the start of Christmas. 'We set the counter on the front door which then runs down the days until Christmas Day.' The house has become an attraction for locals with many parents bringing their children by to see the spectacular display. Mr Cooper said: 'The kids absolutely . love it. We’ve had parents tell us the lights drive them mad because . their kids insist on being driven to see them every day until Christmas . is over. 'We also have groups from the Brownies and Rainbows and I dress up as Santa for them.' It takes the couple three days to set up display before the lights can be switched on December 1. They put the lights on every day over the festive period before dismantling the display on the weekend prior to January 6 . And after all their hard work keeping their Christmas display working all month, Mr and Mrs Cooper will be able to put their feet up on Christmas Day as a relative will be cooking the traditional turkey dinner. Mr Cooper added: 'It will be nice not to be the one waking up at 6am to put the turkey on this year. 'But we always have a big traditional, family celebration and this year will be no different. 'Christmas is our favourite time of year and we like to take the opportunity to bring a bit of happiness and Christmas spirit to our friends and neighbours. 'None of our neighbours have ever complained about the lights - just that they've sometimes struggled to park because so many people stop their cars to look our lights.'

Grandparents Jim and Carol Cooper have spent 10 years transforming their home into a winter wonderland . The house is covered in 40 sets of lights with 15 inflatables - including Santa Claus, Winnie the Pooh and Tiger . A snow machine pumps flurries across the front garden catching neighbours by surprise .

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By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 07:37 EST, 13 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:37 EST, 13 March 2013 . An elderly who was shot by police during the manhunt for LAPD officer Christopher Dorner have refused a replacement truck after the force asked them to pose for publicity photographs. Emma Hernandez, 71, was shot twice in the neck and her daughter Margie Carranza suffered wounds from shattered glass as police shot at their Toyota Tacoma more than 100 times. LAPD Chief Charlie Beck promised to . replace the truck after it was left riddled with bullet holes in the . 'case of mistaken identity' on February 7 but more than a month later it had not been delivered. Emma Hernandez was hit twice in the neck after police shot her pick-up truck more than 100 times. The LAPD promised a replacement but wanted publicity photos taken and for her to pay tax on the vehicle . Mrs Hernandez, 71, pictured in an ambulance was mistaken for accused cop-killer Christopher Dorner . Mrs Hernandez's attorney Glen Jonas said the women no longer want it after the force asked them to pose for photographs and pay income tax on the truck by filling out a 1099 form. He told NBClosangeles: 'You tried to murder the woman, now . you're telling her she can't have a four-wheel drive, you're telling her . she can't sell it and you've got to be taxed on it?' He said the truck - valued at $32,560 - was being treated as a 'reward or prize' instead of a gesture of compensation. He added that Mrs Hernandez is still suffering complications after she was hit twice in the neck by police. She was shot as about eight officers protecting the home of a department captain and his family who had been included on Dorner's list opened fire. Dorner died on February 12 during a police shootout after a nine-day manhunt. He was accused of killing the daughter and future son-in-law of former LAPD Captain Randy Quan, . who defended him at the disciplinary hearing where he was expelled from . the police force. Mrs Hernandez's daughter Margie Carranza was also injured in the shooting . The truck is worth about $32,000 and attorney Glen Jonas said they would file a government claim . He also allegedly killed a 34-year-old police trainer and three further police personnel were shot . and wounded while he was on the loose, and another died in the final . siege at the ski resort of Big Bear. Police shot Mrs Hernandez on February 7 as she delivered newspapers in her aqua blue Toyota Tacoma. Despite the fact police were looking for Dorner's gray Nissan Titan they still opened fire. Mr Jonas said after the shooting: 'This was two petite Latina women . versus a large black man, with a different vehicle, different color. The . police didn't take the time to do the identification. 'They didn't . give the "suspect" the opportunity to surrender. So the whole thing was . just mishandled, and we expect that the city will acknowledge that and . go from there.' Former police officer Christopher Dorner died last month in a police shootout after a nine-day manhunt . Christopher Dorner died at a cabin, which then burned down, near Angelus Oaks, California, on February 13 during a shootout with LAPD officers after a nine-day manhunt . LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith says the department's Chief . Charlie Beck met the women in their home to . apologize and tell them he had arranged for someone to donate a new . pickup truck. However more than a month later no truck has been delivered and Mr Jonas said they will file a government claim - the precursor to a lawsuit against a government agency. Cmdr Smith told NBC: 'It's really sad for us because we want to help these women move on with their lives, and help them move forward with that, we just can't get past the 1099 issue. 'The government has to take their bite out of it, I guess.' The eight officers involved in the shooting have been put on 'non-field assignments' for the time-being.

Emma Hernandez, 71, shot twice in the neck and daughter Margie also hurt . LAPD mistook them for Christopher Dorner during manhunt last month . Women's truck was shot more than 100 times and force promised new one . Women now turned it down after being told they would have to pay tax .

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Washington (CNN) -- On a typical Monday morning, lines of travelers heading toward the security checkpoint at Washington's Reagan National Airport snake past a sign that reads: "Not much longer. 25 min. approximately from this point." But wait times could lengthen if millions of dollars in mandated spending cuts force the Transportation Security Administration to trim the number of agents that screen passengers and cargo for bombs, guns and other prohibited items. From military training to educational grants to border patrols to hurricane relief, federal agencies face $85 billion in automatic, government-wide spending cuts this year. It was part of a $1.2 trillion deal struck by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama in 2011 to extend U.S. borrowing authority and cut the deficit. By the Numbers: Automatic spending cuts . That budget measure -- a kind of fiscal doomsday device called sequestration -- was extended for two months this year already. Unless Congress and the president reach a deal to avert them, those spending cuts come due on March 1. Federal agencies are busy trying to find ways to minimize the impact and delay immediate reductions. Lawmakers are wringing their hands with forecasts of doom and gloom, all the while playing a game of political chicken. Democrats, who offered their own plan Thursday, want to replace the automatic cuts with a mix of tax increases and more gradual spending cuts. Republicans want to replace it solely with other spending cuts. Then there are those who may be willing to bring the hammer down and let the cuts occur, hinting that a dramatic curtailment in spending is exactly what the government needs to ease its multi-trillion-dollar debt. "Tea party people are saying the sequester is a pittance," Sen. Rand Paul, a leader of the tea party faction of the Republican party, told CNN's Candy Crowley. "It's just very much the beginning. $1 trillion? We're going to increase spending by $9 trillion. So even with the sequester, spending goes up by $7-or-$8 trillion over the next several years. We're not even getting close to scratching the surface of the problem." Still, caught in the middle are thousands of U.S. military members, teachers and federal workers who are at the backbone of government's basic ability to function. Military pay in play in game of political poker . Cuts could hit education, the IRS, border patrols . In education, those cuts could mean $725 million less for a program that allocates funding to districts and schools with high percentages of lower income students, Education Secretary Arne Duncan told lawmakers Thursday. It also could mean cutting funding to 70,000 low-income children who rely on Head Start for early childhood education programs. It might mean fewer teachers and staff, larger class sizes, less tutoring and higher unemployment, Duncan said, adding that he considered such cuts "morally indefensible." "The most vulnerable students will be hurt the most," Duncan said. Duncan, along with Office of Management and Budget Federal Controller Daniel Werfel, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan and Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee on the impact of the proposed cuts. Earlier this week, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano sent a letter to lawmakers saying sequester cuts could mean a potential cut in border patrol agents; difficulties for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in sustaining current detention and removal operations; increased passenger wait times at airports; reduced Federal Emergency Management Agency funding: furloughs, and more. Spending cuts to hurt homeland security . Donovan testified that Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts, the Federal Housing Administration's ability to process loans and tens of thousands of jobs could all be affected. Air Force bases cancel air shows . Officials at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia and Luke Air Force Base in Arizona on Friday canceled their upcoming air shows, citing both budgetary pressures and the expected consequences of sequestration. "I cannot in good conscience spend some of our limited resources to host an open house while the Defense Department considers potential civilian furloughs," said Brig. Gen. Michael Rothstein, 56th Fighter Wing commander at Luke. The open house and air show was scheduled for March 16 and 17. A statement from the base said officials were taking other money-saving steps, such as deferring non-mission-critical repairs and supply purchases and significantly reducing flying not directly related to pilot training. "The Air Force has to consider the fiscal challenges affecting the Department of Defense and the nation," said Col. Korvin Auch, 633rd Air Base Wing commander at Langley. "We're taking prudent steps now in order to be good stewards of taxpayer resources while focusing on maintaining readiness." Senate Democrats offer plan to avert mandatory cuts . Sequester may be inevitable . Despite varying efforts to come up with a solution to avert sequester, some leaders are acknowledging the cuts may be inevitable. "It is pretty clear to me that the sequester is going to go into effect," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters Tuesday. In the last Congress, the GOP-led House passed the same measure twice to replace the across-the-board cuts with another set of federal reductions. But that bill went nowhere in the Democratic controlled Senate. The $110 billion measure proposed Thursday by Senate Democrats calls for replacing the sequester with a combination of increased tax revenue from millionaires, ending agriculture subsidies and reducing defense spending after the war in Afghanistan ends. By the numbers: Recent defense spending . But congressional Republicans have made clear any tax increases to avoid the sequester are a non-starter. House Speaker John Boehner criticized the cuts, even though they were part of the 2011 debt-ceiling proposal he brokered. He has worked to pin the blame for them on Democrats. "The sequester is bad policy. It's taking a meat ax approach to cutting government spending. That's why the president ought to be forthcoming with a plan to replace his own sequester," Boehner said. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta put it a bit more bluntly. "For those of you who have ever seen (the movie) 'Blazing Saddles,' it is the scene of the sheriff putting the gun to his head in order to establish law and order," Panetta said in a speech at Georgetown University. "That is sequestration." CNN's Jim Acosta, Ted Barrett, Tom Cohen, Jeanne Sahadi, Matt Snith and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report .

NEW: Two Air Force bases cancel air shows, citing budget cuts and sequestration . Looming cuts in spending could reduce services, impact the military, teachers, border patrols . Some Republicans feel even more cuts are needed, while Democrats offer a plan of their own . Lawmakers blame each other for yet another congressional showdown .

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Unification fights are nothing new in boxing but the divisions Carl Frampton will be fighting to close this Saturday night are more important than titles and belts. The Jackal is not only bidding to become a world champion but to help heal the sectarian rifts which still haunt he city of Belfast. Frampton takes on Kiko Martinez for the IBF super-bantamweight title, while challenging the old prejudices which brought decades of strife to Northern Ireland. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Carl Frampton square up to Kiko Martinez in heated weigh-in . Fight: Kiko Martinez will take on Carl Frampton for the IBF super-bantamweight world title . He does so as a Protestant boy who married a Catholic girl. It is a Titanic task so it is fitting that it will be undertaken on the site from which that great, if doomed, vessel was launched. A temporary arena has been erected in the Titanic Quarter of Belfast and it is a tribute to the power for good of which the hardest old game is capable that it will be packed with 16,000 Ulstermen and women of both religious persuasions. Thus Frampton follows in the courageous footsteps of his mentor. The great Barry McGuigan, now Frampton’s manager and promoter, defied the worst of The Troubles in reverse wedlock to his protegee, as a Catholic married to a Protestant. The Clones Cyclone also campaigned for peace while bringing a world championship to Ireland, in his case by defeating the renowned featherweight maestro Eusebio Pedroza in London in 1985. Weigh-in: The fight will take place in the Titanic Quarter of Frampton's hometown, Belfast . Head-to-head: Carl Frampton squares up to Martinez during the weigh-in in Belfast . Spaniard: Martinez, from Alicante, was unfazed by Frampton's theatrics . Promoter: Barry McGuigan recognises something of himself in Frampton . McGuigan, who has been married to Sandra for 33 years now, says of young Carl and Christine: ‘He’s a great boxer and a bright kid from a hard loyalist district, she’s a lovely girl with a degree in criminology from a tough Republican area. ‘They offer hope for a new kind of Belfast.’ As did McGuigan himself two decades ago. Frampton talks just as eloquently about being brought up at a virtual battle-front, in streets where the walls were pock-marked with bullet holes. As both his ring-wise inspiration and his living example, McGuigan has steered Frampton to the brink of glory in only his 18th fight while offering living proof that the bitterest of enmities can be overcome. Manager: Carl Frampton's manager ad promoter is Barry McGuigan, who can empathise with Frampton's past . The combine into a formidable force, one which Martinez for all his qualities is unlikely to be able to resist. Frampton has already stopped the Spaniard once, in the ninth round early last year, and should be able to repeat that achievement, especially given home advantage again. Martinez regrouped, admirably, to claim this IBF title but Frampton has been getting stronger and better with every fight. The Jackal’s family – both parents, his pregnant wife and their three-year-old daughter Carla – will be in close attendance. Opponent: Kiko Martinez's record is fought 35, won 31 (23 by knockout) and lost four . They are likely to see him triumph more quickly if he goes to work on the Martinez body from the start. It was when he stepped up that mode of attack that this opponent began to unravel first time out. If so, a golden future will open for Frampton in the shape of more traditional title unification fights against Scott Quigg, Leo Santa Cruz and current champion emeritus Guillermo Rigondeaux. Of itself, this will be the biggest fight in Belfast since McGuigan used to fill the old King’s Hall by uniting rival communities in the name of sport. The open night air will be electric with anticipation. Expect exciting victory, inside and outside the ring. Frampton v Martinez will be televised live on BoxNation this Saturday from 7 pm. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Carl Frampton facing Kiko Martinez on Saturday . Barry McGuigan is Frampton's manager and promoter . Fight is for the IBF super-bantamweight title . Titanic Quarter of Belfast will host the fight .

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By . Martha Kelner for Mail On Sunday . Follow @@marthakelner . Mo Farah and James Dasaolu both won European gold to continue Great Britain’s best ever start to a major athletics championships, a seven-medal haul with more likely in the coming days. ‘We’re all feeding off each other,’ said Dasaolu. ‘Everyone’s feeling positive.’ Farah won the 10,000 metres title just ahead of team-mate Andy Vernon to rescue a lacklustre season and emulate the success of Jo Pavey in the women’s race on Tuesday. Dasaolu then won the 100m with a relieved Harry Aikines-Aryeetey taking bronze. VIDEO Scroll down for Mo Farah sets his first world record... in the 100m sack race . Winning ways: James Dasaolu cruised to victory in the men's 100m with a time of 10.06sec . Double delight: Mo Farah (middle) won the 10,000 metres title just ahead of team-mate Andy Vernon (left) Medals table: Great Britain top the charts at the end of competition on day two in Zurich . To cap an historic day in Zurich, Tiffany Porter won the 100m hurdles gold and Ashleigh Nelson 100m bronze. Dasaolu cruised to victory in 10.06sec, a long way behind his personal best of 9.91 but enough to seal victory over France’s Christophe Lemaitre, who took silver. The Briton still acknowledged he will need to improve to challenge the Caribbean and American sprinters who dominate the world stage. ‘Winning a medal is going to give me confidence but I’m under no illusion that the guys out there are running 9.8 and 9.9 on a regular basis,’ he said. ‘There is still work to be done. But if we rewind to February when I pulled my hamstring and my tendon, that was a down-point. I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to compete in the summer so this is a lovely feeling.’ Dasaolu’s title represents Great Britain’s first individual sprint medal since Darren Campbell won gold at the European Championships in Budapest in 1998. The 26-year-old had proved his durability by qualifying fastest in the semi-finals. France’s Jimmy Vicaut, the fastest man in Europe this season, did not make it to the start line, withdrawing with a knee injury. There had been hopeful suggestions that Dasaolu might threaten Linford Christie’s British 100m record of 9.87, which has stood for 21-years. The track at Zurich’s Letzigrund stadium is famously quick, but the weather was not conducive to fast running. A vicious wind caused the meeting to be delayed by 30 minutes and a light rain began to fall just before the start. There was a further wait after Aikines-Aryeetey was shown a yellow card for a false start. Flying the flag: Tiffany Porter of Great Britain poses with a Union Jack after winning gold in Zurich . Champion: Jo Pavey celebrates after winning her first career title at the age of 40 . ‘My spike dropped out of my shoe, which caused it,’ said the south Londoner. ‘When I saw I wasn’t (disqualified) I just said “thank you Lord”.’ Seconds later he was being confirmed as the bronze medallist in a photo-finish with Dwain Chambers. Aikines-Aryeetey sank to his knees with a beaming smile. The start had also not been one of Dasaolu’s best. ‘I just had to zone out and focus,’ the new champion said. ‘I actually thought I had messed up my opportunity of even picking up a medal but once I got through my drive phase I was able to pull away and win.’ As for double Olympic champion Farah, he is a long way from his best but gritted his teeth as he crossed the line to become European 10,000m champion six weeks after dramatically collapsing at a training camp. Farah was forced to work hard in the final lap, grimacing as he powered down the home straight ahead of Great Britain team-mate Vernon and two Turkish athletes. The Farah showboating was saved until after victory was confirmed in 28min 8.11sec. Then the Mobots flowed and he was embraced by friend Usain Bolt, who was in Zurich doing promotional work. It was no surprise Farah was below par — this is only his second race on the track in a year where he collapsed twice, came a disappointing eighth in the London Marathon and withdrew from the Commonwealth Games because he was unfit. Thumbs up: Youngster Harry Aikines-Aryeetey kept up the medal haul with bronze in the men's 100m . Two champions: Usain Bolt was on hand to congratulate Farah after his victory . Vernon was perhaps best known previously for his Twitter spat with Scottish athlete Lynsey Sharp last week. He sniped at the 800m runner for boasting about buying a designer handbag after winning silver at the Commonwealth Games. Farah had sauntered off the start-line and remained at the back of the pack for two laps. One effortless kick and he had moved up to be second of 24 athletes after four circuits. He was, as Steve Cram remarked, ‘putting his comfortable coat on’. After the year he’s had, Farah needed a cushioned reintroduction to major competition on the track. He spoke earlier this week of his latest collapse 40 days ago when he lost consciousness in his bathroom after a training run in Park City, Utah. ‘It’s been a hard time for me,’ he said. ‘I’ve still got four stitches in my ear from falling in the bathroom so to come out here and win meant more than anything else in the world.’ ‘This one meant a lot to me,’ he said. ‘Two weeks ago there was doubt I was going to compete here after I pulled out of the Commonwealth Games. I wanted this title more badly because of that.’ He was followed home by Vernon, who chased down Turkey’s Ali Kaya and dipped on the line to clinch the silver in 28:08.66. Triumph: Farah crosses the line to take gold with Vernon just behind him in a British one-two . Medallists: Vernon and Farah pose together for the cameras after taking the top two medals . VIDEO Times not important for Martinot-Legarde .

James Dasaolu cruised to victory in the men's 100m with a time of 10.06sec . Mo Farah won the 10,000 metres title just ahead of team-mate Andy Vernon . Tiffany Porter also won gold in the women's 100m hurdles . Harry Aikines-Aryeetey continued the haul with bronze in the men's 100m . GB have enjoyed their best ever start to a major athletics championships .

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By . Tony Whitfield . PUBLISHED: . 07:29 EST, 26 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:09 EST, 26 September 2012 . A stroke victim was forced to wait an hour for an ambulance because staff were on a 'meal break'. Carl Brown, 47, found his retired cook mum Pauline slumped in her chair when he returned to their Liverpool home. He rushed to get his sister-in-law who lived four doors down before making the first 999 call. But an hour lapsed before a crew finally arrived at the family home with  the driver admitting managers had forced them to take a break. Anguish: Retired cook Pauline Brown agonising hour wait for ambulance after suffering stroke . The delay came despite a high profile government TV advertising campaign entitled Act F.A.S.T which set out the symptoms of a stroke and the need to seek prompt medical attention. Carl said: 'We’ve all seen the adverts that say "act fast after a stroke," but we had to wait an hour for the ambulance. 'The driver said to me "this is unofficial but we saw your mum’s job pop up on our screens, but we were told you’ve got to have your 20 minute break." 'I just think people should know this, it’s appalling.' Wavertree MP Luciana Berger said the . situation 'beggars belief' adding: 'The ambulance service have got very . serious questions to answer.' Launching an investigation the North West Ambulance Service apologised for the distress caused to the family by the wait. A spokesperson added: 'In line with health & safety regulations, staff are required to take a meal/rest break during their shift. 'This rest break is necessary to ensure the welfare of our staff in what is both a physical and demanding job. 'These breaks are staggered so that there is minimal effect on the resource levels. 'We offer our most sincere apologies for . any distress that may have been caused for this patient and their . family, whilst waiting for an ambulance.' Angry: Son Carl Brown helpless for an hour as waited for 999 crew . Mrs Brown suffered the stroke 12 days ago when Paul returned to the home in Stonebill Road, Old Swan, on September 14. The first 999 call was made at 5.16pm as other family members and neighbours rushed around to help while the emergency operator gave instructions down the phone on what to do. When help finally arrived, his mum was rushed to hospital and later transferred to Broadgreen Hospital. Describing the lasting effects caused by the stroke he said she could answer ‘yes’ to some questions. But he added: 'She’s not going to get any better and her quality of life is not going to improve. 'She paid her taxes all her life and should have had an ambulance when she needed it.' 999: Paramedic ambulance crew taking a patient on a stretcher into hospital. Around 150,000 people across the UK suffer a stroke each year which disrupts the flow of blood to the brain. The government's advertising campaign to raise awareness of getting help to stroke victims quickly was launched under the banner Face, Arms, Speech and Time. It asks 'has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile? Can they raise both arms and keep them there? Is their speech slurred? Time to call 999 if you see any single one of these signs.' .

Son found pensioner Pauline Brown slumped in chair and then endured agonising wait . Crew member said they had been told to take their break despite the 999 call . Bosses apologise for the delay but said rules were there to protect welfare of workers .

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Esther Mbabazi wheels her bag towards the airstairs of the Boeing 737 sitting quietly on the tarmac at Kigali International Airport. Today she'll be flying from Rwanda's capital city to Juba in South Sudan. A short hop south with a flying time of around 1 hour and 20 minutes. But for Mbabazi, 26, it isn't about the destination. As Rwanda's first female pilot, it's about the journey and her highest priority is to get passengers safely to their terminus. "Growing up I wanted to be a pilot when I was four," says Mbabazi, who became a pilot for Rwanda's national airline carrier, RwandAir, at 24. "I'd never been inside a cockpit but I used to see a plane in the sky and I imagined that thing must be flown by someone. "I had to go for it. Even though it looked like a long shot, it was my only shot -- that's how I saw it so I went for it, and here I am." Dream big . During her childhood, Esther's family would move on a regular basis due to her father's work as a pastor. But her desire to take to the skies never wavered, even after her father passed away in a plane crash in the Democratic Republic of Congo, when the passenger aircraft he was traveling on overshot the runway and hit some terrain. Read this: The woman saving Uganda's lost children . "From day one, he was always my biggest supporter or fan," recalls Mbabazi, who lost her father before turning 10."[But] an accident is an accident. Like I said, if someone gets hit by a car, you don't stop driving. "You can't live life being scared an in fear of anything. If something is bound to happen, you can't stop it." Going all in . Thus, Mbabazi continued to work toward her goal of becoming a pilot and achieving what no other woman in her country had done before. Once she completed high school, she packed her things and bought a one-way ticket to attend pilot school in Uganda. "When I went it was a one-way decision," she says. "If they bounce me, I'll just pack my things and come back -- so that was the way I joined pilot school, and it was a long journey." More from African Voices . A year later, Mbabazi began training with Rwandair in Miami and her exploration of the aviation world began. "My greatest memories are flying to different cities," she says. "Being in the sky gives you a whole other view -- you get to see what they call a bird's eye view of everything." Sexism in the skies? Now, the young pilot has become a pioneer in a male-dominated industry in Rwanda, and yet she knows she is constantly being closely watched because of her gender. "No one ever says, 'Oh it's a male crew aircraft that crashed,' even though it's been many of the sort," she says. "But you know, if there's a woman on board and something happens, you know, definitely you're going to be mentioned." Mbabazi recalls a previous incident where a passenger realized that the pilot for his flight was a woman shortly after arriving at the gate and refused to get on the flight. "The cabin crew said we'll gladly leave you behind. You've already paid the ticket, so if your reason is that basic and shallow, it's not because of safety reasons. It's just because you don't want to fly with a woman, we'll gladly leave you behind." Mbabazi refuses to let her critics win and is determined to continue being a role model for others. She hopes that her achievements can provide inspiration to other women who might not think they can attain their dreams jobs. "Time has changed," she says. "Women are out there working, technology has changed, and everyone has the brains to do something, now it's not about how much bicep or how much energy you have." Read this: The woman saving Uganda's lost children . Read this: Meet Kenya's cycling hero .

Esther Mbabazi is Rwanda's first female commercial pilot flying regional jets for Rwandair . A tough dream job for many but for a women in Rwanda, it was previously unheard of . Mbabazi says that as a woman she is scrutinized more intensely in the aviation industry . "If there's a woman on board and something happens you know definitely you're going to be mentioned"

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Sending signals: Jeb Bush will release emails and an e-book to give voters an insight into his beliefs in the clearest sign yet that he plans to run for president . Jeb Bush is releasing 250,000 emails and an e-book in the clearest signal yet that he plans to run for president. The news comes after Bush, 61, revealed he will announce his plans to run or not 'in short order'. But first he wants to 'let people make up their mind' by making vast swathes of his work files public at the beginning of 2015. The former Florida governor, George W Bush's younger brother, insists the release will offer a candid insight into his beliefs and ideals because he 'was digital before digital was cool'. He cryptically described the documents as containing 'some funny ones...some sad ones...some serious ones'. 'One of the things I am going to do as I go through this process is release all of my e-mails and write an e-book, which has been kind of fun to go back and to think about this, and remind myself that if you run with big ideas and then you're true to those ideas, and get a chance to serve and implement them and do it with passion and conviction, you can move the needle,' Bush told WPLG's Glenna Milberg. 'And that's what we need right now in America.' His words came in a wide-reaching interview that addressed his criticism of President Obama's immigration plans. Earlier this month, the younger Bush said he will make up his mind on whether to follow his father and brother into the White House based on whether he can 'lift people's spirits and not get sucked into the vortex', and whether 'the sacrifice for my family is tolerable'. He said: 'I'm thinking about running for president. And I'll make up my mind in short order - not that far out in the future.' 'I don't know if I'd be a good candidate or a bad one,' Bush continued. 'I kind of know how a Republican can win, whether it's me or somebody else, and it has to be much more uplifting, much more positive, much more willing to be practical...'. Bush, who is the son of one former president and brother of another, also blasted Obama's immigration order for going 'way beyond' what other presidents have done. He reiterated his support for a pathway to legal status for those immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally. But he said Obama may have exceeded his constitutional authority by unilaterally lifting the threat of deportation from millions of such immigrants last month. 'The idea that, well, Reagan did it, my dad did it - they did it on a much smaller scale and they did it with consent of Congress. There are a lot of differences,' Bush said on December 1 at the Wall Street Journal's CEO Council, an invitation-only event in Washington featuring some of the nation's most powerful CEOs. Speaking publicly about the order for the first time, Bush said Obama's move 'makes it harder' for Congress to adopt lasting immigration reform. 'It's a shame,' he added. The former Florida governor is seen as the early favorite of business-minded Republicans eager to reclaim the White House in 2016. 'What America needs right now': Bush, younger brother of George W, branded Obama hesitant and indecisive . While he would be a force in the Republican presidential primary, Bush would face criticism from the party's conservative wing unhappy with his positions on immigration and education reform. Those who attended the event, however, include many political donors and Republican business leaders who support a more forgiving immigration policy. Bush was seen chatting with News Corp. head Rupert Murdoch, who has urged lawmakers to adopt a pathway to legal status for immigrants who are in the country illegally. Two of the last three Republican presidents - Ronald Reagan and Bush's father, George H.W. Bush - also extended amnesty to family members of immigrants who were not covered by the last major overhaul of immigration law in 1986. Obama's executive order has drawn a withering response from Republicans, but also has laid bare divisions within the GOP over how to deal with immigration. The issue is seen as critical for the GOP ahead of the 2016 presidential contest as party officials work to attract more Hispanic voters. The comments come as Bush works this week to keep his public profile high. Jeb Bush (right) hugs his brother former president George W Bush at a Republican Party campaign event . Earlier in the day, he attended a Capitol Hill fundraiser for Republican Senate hopeful Bill Cassidy, less than a week before Cassidy faces incumbent Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisana in a runoff election that could increase the GOP's new majority. Bush, whose wife is Mexican, told the CEO Council that he supports a nation in which people ultimately find no need to identify their cultural origin. 'That is the America we should aspire to - not the one where we're dividing ourselves up to find where we are different,' he said. 'But the fact that you're from a different place or you've got a different origin is totally irrelevant.'

Bush wants to 'let people make up their mind' about potential nomination . 61-year-old claims emails will give candid insight into his belief system . Former Florida governor will decide 'in short order' if he will run in 2016 . He said it would depend on whether 'the sacrifice for my family is tolerable'

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By . Mark Wilson For The Daily Mail . For Ally McCoist, a brief period when football dominated the agenda at Rangers came to an abrupt halt on Friday. Two hours before the Ibrox manager conducted a 9am press briefing at Murray Park, a statement to the Stock Exchange spelled out the precarious financial position at the club. The launch of a new share issue is intended to raise £4million to provide a stop-gap injection of funds. An uptake of at least £3m is required for it to go ahead. Concern: Ally McCoist is worried about the club's perilous finances and the prospect of administration . Should that fail to happen, said the release from the board, then ‘the company will be unable to pay its creditors as they fall due and the future of the company will be uncertain. The directors will immediately have to seek emergency financing which may or may not be available’. Those were words to chill supporters. Ibrox sources discount the possibility of a second administration, pointing out that the only two creditors are shareholders Sandy Easdale and George Letham, who provided £1.5m in loans last season. In the event of non-repayment, they would be granted security over the Albion car park and Edmiston House facilities at Ibrox. Disgraced: Craig Whyte put Rangers into administration in 2012 when he was in charge of the club . Others, though, are not so certain. Having bubbled away in the background while the fluctuating form of McCoist’s team drew attention, monetary worries are once again front and centre at Rangers. McCoist has been down this particular road many times. Ever since the cracks began to appear in Craig Whyte’s scandalous tenure almost three years ago, he has been confronted by a variety of looming off-field crises. It was with a certain weariness, therefore, that he insisted he would only answer questions relating to football matters. But even those issues are far from immune from the wider situation. With the transfer window closing on Monday night, Rangers look decidedly vulnerable to offers for any of their key players. Could the board reject an even half-decent offer for stalwart left-back Lee Wallace or precocious midfielder Lewis Macleod? Hot prospect: Midfielder Lewis Macleod has impressed for Rangers but could be sold to raise funds . McCoist hopes there will be no need to learn the answer to that question as he expressed his desire to keep together a squad seeking to gain promotion from the Championship at the first attempt. Asked if he was confident bids could be turned down, the Ibrox boss said: ‘I would obviously hope so as a manager. If I’m happy with my squad then you don’t want to see it being depleted. ‘But I do know what’s involved in football and I know that sometimes people make decisions that can alter your squad. That’s part and parcel of football. ‘I would hope that no bids come in for any of the players. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens. ‘If we did lose someone we’d just have to regroup and get on with it. As I say, I’m not expecting to lose anyone. I’m expecting to go with the squad we’ve got and hopefully that’s the case.’ McCoist said he had not been informed by chief executive Graham Wallace of a need to sell during their discussions. He had previously hoped some squad movement might allow him to augment his midfield options but that now appears a non-starter. Saturday's home game against Queen of the South, unbeaten so far in the Championship, will restore football to prominence for 90 minutes or so. It will be interesting to see whether further supporter dissent is aired against the board, but McCoist doesn’t expect an impact on his players. Money men: Chief executive Graham Wallace may allow players to be sold before the transfer window closes . ‘Our supporters have been fantastic in handling everything that has been thrown at them,’ he said. ‘We’ve sold 23,000 season tickets and, say what you like, that is fantastic support for us. As long as the team continue to give them everything that they can in terms of their effort and attempt to play in the right manner and win games, then the fans will stick by the team 100 per cent.’ The concern felt among many supporters was made clear, however, by a stinging retort from the Union of Fans to the Stock Exchange statement. They attacked the lack of investment progress since last December’s AGM and questioned why more had not been done to facilitate Dave King’s involvement. The South African-based businessman rejected an approach to underwrite the £4m share issue, apparently through unhappiness about the conditions. He has previously expressed a desire to invest up to £30m in Rangers in return for significant boardroom influence. Such a move would, though, require shareholder approval and dilute the existing power base. ‘The board’s inaction and incompetence over the past nine months has led the club once again into an extremely precarious financial position which could easily have been avoided,’ said the Union of Fans. Fire sale: Full back Lee Wallace is another player who may have to be sold because of Rangers' lack of money . ‘Graham Wallace and the other board members have known for at least nine months that significant levels of investment were required not only to see out the current season but also to invest properly in the club. 'They have also been, or should have been, well aware that this level of investment would not be raised from current shareholders and that only those with a genuine love for the club were willing to put such sums in. ‘They have continually refused to take the necessary steps to allow those outside the existing shareholder base to invest the funds required. Indeed, they have continued to pursue every option to keep those people out. ‘They now hang the threat of a second administration over the heads of both fans and shareholders when they remain fully aware that funding can be brought in from outside. For the avoidance of doubt, if this board would finally start to do their job properly, there can be absolutely no threat of administration. A £30m funding package has been available for at least the past seven months and remains available.’ Happier times: McCoist and Paul Gascoigne celebrate wining the Coca-Cola Cup in 1996 . The statement added: ‘Fans and shareholders should not be blackmailed into servicing this board. ‘They are doing everything in their power to keep those who care about the club from having any control over its destiny. ‘We ask them to finally do the right thing, stop putting their own positions and salaries ahead of the welfare of the club, gain shareholder approval for significant, much-needed investment and allow those who care about Rangers to take it back to where it belongs.’

Rangers may not be able to pay their creditors, and go into administration . The launch of a new share issue is intended to raise £4million to provide a stop-gap injection of funds . Manager Ally McCoist is wary that players will have to be sold . Union of Fans slams the board's 'inaction and incompetence' The Gers face Queen of the South on Saturday at Ibrox .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 02:10 EST, 30 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:37 EST, 30 October 2012 . Protest was right: Andrew Haldane, from the Bank of England, said the Occupy protests were right to attack the financial system . The Occupy protesters who camped at St Paul’s Cathedral were morally and intellectually right to attack the financial system, says a Bank of England official. Andrew Haldane, a member of the financial policy committee at the bank, said the movement was successful in attacking the problems of the global financial system and ‘helped stir’ improvement in financial services. Protesters staged considerable protests in London and New York against economic inequality and the influence of the financial services industry. Hundreds of movement members camped outside St Paul’s for more than three months after they were prevented from entering nearby Paternoster Square, where the London Stock Exchange is located. Police forcibly evicted them in February this year after the protesters lost a court battle with the local authorities. Mr Haldane spoke to Occupy Economics, a branch of the movement, at a London event last night. He said: ‘Occupy has been successful in its efforts to popularise the problems of the global financial system for one very simple reason; they are right.’ ‘Occupy’s voice has been both loud and persuasive and policymakers have listened and are acting. ‘In fact, I want to argue that we are in the early stages of a reformation of finance, a reformation which Occupy has helped stir.’ Influential: Mr Haldane said the movement, whose members camped outside St Paul's Cathedral for more than three months, 'helped stir' improvement in financial services . Loud voice: A protester at the High Court after demonstrators lost a court battle with the local authorities to evict the protesters camping outside St Paul's . He said that protesters had been right about the consequences of high salaries and bonuses in the financial sector. Mr Haldane said: ‘I do not just mean right in a moral sense. It is the analytical, every bit as much as the moral, ground that Occupy has taken. ‘For the hard-headed facts suggest that, at the heart of the global financial crisis, were and are, problems of deep and rising inequality.’ Mr Haldane told activists that Occupy played an instrumental role in improving and reforming finance services. 'Popularise problems': Mr Haldane said Occupy were persuasive and 'policymakers have listened and are acting' He said: ‘If I am right and a new leaf is being turned, then Occupy will have played a key role in this fledgling financial reformation. ‘You have put the arguments. You have helped win the debate.’ The Bank of England official made no mention of Occupy’s use of controversial protest techniques which included claims that they desecrated the church and spoiled the grounds. Earlier this month, four women from the movement invaded the cathedral and chained themselves to the pulpit for more than six hours, interrupting a service. Chain gang: References to the Bible had been scrawled on one protester's arms and legs in a protest earlier this month when four women chained themselves to the pulpit in St Paul's .

Andrew Haldane spoke at an Occupy event . He said the movement was successful in highlighting the problems of the global financial system and improve financial services . Occupy members camped outside St Paul's Cathedral for more than three months before they were evicted by police .

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Occupy Oakland . protesters claimed victory after they shut down one of the nation's . busiest shipping ports - escalating a movement whose tactics had largely . been limited to marches, rallies and camps. In . a five-hour stand-off protesters vandalised businesses and smashed bank . windows, as they tried to shut down the city - and police appeared to . respond using tear gas and flash bang grenades. The . California demonstrators blocked operations at the city's port and . stopped traffic on Wednesday in protests against economic inequality and . police brutality, marred by scattered vandalism. Scroll down for videos . Riots: Occupy Oakland protesters pass a burning rubbish heap during a confrontation with police . As Oakland burned up, authorities were cracking down on protester camps elsewhere in the U.S. Officials in Maryland are trying to get rid of protesters by turning off the electricity in the area. But Occupy Baltimore protesters told CBS Baltimore that won't make them leave McKeldin Square. Occupy Minnesota protesters have got a new set of rules from city officials, who say they are banned from sleeping . overnight at the plaza when it is below 25F - and all . portable toilets will be removed, . New York City Mayor Bloomberg says the time has come for . protesters to start treating their local neighbourhood with more respect - and he will ensure they are kicked out of their camp if not. On fire: Riot police clashed with protesters in Oakland in the early morning hours on Thursday . Flag bearer: Occupy Oakland protester Mike Clift runs from teargas on Thursday in California . Carried away: Following a mainly peaceful day-long protest in Oakland by thousands of demonstrators, several hundred rallied through the night with some breaking windows and setting fire to rubbish . Getting ready: Police officers in riot gear form a line at the Occupy Oakland demonstration on Wednesday . Back in Oakland - riot police arrested dozens of . protesters who had marched through downtown to break into a vacant . building, shattering windows, spraying graffiti and setting fires along . the way. Jamie . Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, was the target of protesters’ ire at . Occupy Seattle on Wednesday, as they marched to a posh Sheraton hotel . where he was a speaker at a University of Washington awards ceremony. They . chanted ‘banks got bailed out - we got sold out’ and ‘Shame on Chase’ and police used pepper spray to clear an entrance so people at the hotel . could get in and out. ‘The turnout was fantastic,’ protester Sage Wilson told the Seattle Times. ‘Seeing how many people had had enough.’ They began protesting at 6pm and finished at 9:30pm after hearing Mr Dimon had left half-an-hour earlier. ‘We go from having a peaceful movement to now just chaos,’ protester Monique Agnew, 40, said. Two . protesters were struck by a Mercedes-Benz car last night, suffering non . life-threatening leg and ankle injuries. 'It was a pretty volatile . situation,' a police spokesman told the San Francisco Chronicle. Around 3,000 people converged on the . Port of Oakland, the nation's fifth-busiest harbour, swarming the area . and blocking exits and streets with illegally parked vehicles and . chain-link fences. Oakland . Police Chief Howard Jordan told CBS San Francisco that the vandalism was . caused by up to 70 anarchists 'bent on creating problems'. Port officials said they had to cease . maritime operations, citing concerns for workers' safety - but hope to . resume operations on Thursday and that their workers can get to their . jobs safely. Rising up: A demonstrator flashes the peace sign as police officers in riot gear line up at Occupy Oakland . Protest: Smoke billows from bonfires in Oakland after protesters seized control of the city's busy port . Clashes: Hooded youths move towards riot police firing tear gas as business and banks were vandalised . Gridlock: Protesters set up a bonfire in Oakland as traffic was blocked by inequality demonstrations . Car trouble: Paramedics help an injured protester after a car stuck him and another marching demonstrator . ‘Continued missed shifts represent . economic hardship for maritime workers, truckers, and their families, as . well as lost jobs and lost tax revenue for our region,’ a port . spokesman said. 'Continued missed shifts represent . economic hardship for maritime workers, truckers, and their families, as . well as lost jobs and lost tax revenue for our region' Port of Oakland spokesman . Supporters in New York; Philadelphia, Los Angeles and elsewhere staged smaller-scale . demonstrations - each group saying its protest was a show of support for . Oakland. The city became a rallying point when . Iraq War veteran Scott Olsen was seriously injured in a clash with . police last week in an incident that caused nationwide outrage among the . protesters. The Occupy movement has yet to . coalesce into an organised association and until the port shut down had . largely been limited scattershot marches, rallies and camps since it . began in September. Menacing: Three masked protesters stand in a street in Oakland as riot police move in behind them . Violence: A protester in a mask waves a flag in front of a bonfire. Riot police responded with tear gas . Victory: Oakland protestors cheer as they climb on tractor trailers loaded with shipping containers at the port . Mayhem: Oakland protesters stand atop a railroad scaffold at the port during the five hour stand-off . Pain: A man is treated by protesters after he was sprayed in the face with pepper spray at Occupy Seattle . Organisers in Oakland had viewed the . day as a significant victory. Police said about 7,000 people . demonstrated throughout the day and were peaceful except for a few . incidents of vandalism. 'We put together an . ideological principle that the mainstream media wouldn't talk about two . months ago' Boots . Riley, protest leader . One of the protest leaders, Boots . Riley, touted the day as a success, saying ‘we put together an . ideological principle that the mainstream media wouldn't talk about two . months ago’. His comments came before a group of . demonstrators moved to break into the Travelers Aid building in order . to, as some shouting protesters put it, ‘reclaim the building for the . people’. Mr Riley, whose anti-capitalist views . are well-documented, considered the port shut down particularly . significant for organisers who targeted it in an effort to stop the . ‘flow of capital.’ Held: A man jumps on to the bonnet of a police car as a fellow protesters is arrested during Occupy Seattle . Inequality: Protesters carrying banners and placards pass through a tunnel during a march in Los Angeles . Violence: Occupy Oakland protesters vandalised businesses and smashed bank windows on Wednesday . The port sends goods primarily to . Asia, including wine as well as rice, fruits and nuts, and handles . imported electronics, apparel and manufacturing equipment, mostly from . Asia. 'If they do that after all this... they're . smarter than that' Boots Riley, protest leader . It also deals with cars and parts from . Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Hyundai. An accounting of the financial toll . from the shutdown was not immediately available. The potential for the chaos that . ultimately erupted was not something Mr Riley wanted to even consider. ‘If they do that after all this ...’ He paused, then added: ‘They're . smarter than that.’ But the peace at day did not last at . night. Protesters voicing anger over a budget trim that forced the . closure of a homeless aid programme converged on the empty building where . it had been housed. Fight: Demonstrators with opposing agendas clash during as they meet outside a bank in downtown Oakland . Anarchy: Protesters on the second march of the day turned violent, smashing windows at a Chase bank branch . Protest: Emotions have run high in the city since last week when an attempt by police to break up a camp led to the serious injury of an Iraq war veteran who had joined in with the Occupy Oakland protests . They blocked off city streets with dumpsters and other large rubbish bins, starting bonfires that leapt . 15ft in the air. City officials released a statement describing the . spasm of unrest. 'The protesters began hurling rocks, explosives, bottles and flaming objects at responding officers. Several private and municipal . buildings sustained heavy vandalism' Oakland Police spokesman . ‘Oakland Police responded to a late . night call that protesters had broken into and occupied a downtown . building and set several simultaneous fires,’ the statement read. ‘The protesters began hurling rocks, explosives, bottles and flaming objects at responding officers. ‘Several private and municipal . buildings sustained heavy vandalism. Dozens of protesters wielding . shields were surrounded and arrested. Symbol: A protester burns a dollar bill in Oakland in front of graffiti as a sign of the demonstrators' message . Disruption: Thousands of Wall Street protesters marched through the streets of Oakland . Divisions: Occupy leaders called the violent demonstrators 'anarchists' and denied they were in the movement . Clean-up: Occupy Wall Street protesters clean the area around their tent in Zuccotti Park in New York . ’Protesters reported running from . several rounds of tear gas and bright flashes and deafening pops that . some thought were caused by ‘flash bang’ grenades. Firemen arrived to . suppress the flames. Protesters at Occupy Wall Street took to the camp with soap and water today. Campers have been attempting to improve hygiene following criticism of unsanitary conditions at the downtown Manhattan site. The park is normally cleaned daily but has deteriorated since demonstrators moved in. Last . month protesters were briefly moved off site so owners could clean the . park but they have continued to flout the rules of the park, which . include no tarps, tents or lying down. Meanwhile, protesters and police faced . off for the rest of the night in an uneasy standoff. And among the . other protests in Oakland, parents and their children joined in with a . ‘children's brigade’. ‘There's absolutely something wrong . with the system,’ said Jessica Medina, a single mother who attends . school part time and works at an Oakland café. ‘We need to change that.’ In Philadelphia, protesters were arrested earlier on Wednesday as they held a sit-in at the headquarters of cable giant Comcast. In New York, 100 military veterans . marched in uniform and stopped in front of the New York Stock Exchange, . standing in loose formation as officers on scooters separated them from . the entrance. New York City Mayor Bloomberg said it was time for protesters to start treating their Manhattan neighbourhood with respect, reported the New York Daily News. ‘No one should think that we won’t take actions that we think are appropriate when we think they are appropriate,’ he said in a press conference. ‘This isn’t an occupation of Wall Street. It’s an occupation of a growing, vibrant residential neighbourhood in lower Manhattan.’ In . Boston, college students and union workers marched on Bank of America . offices, the Harvard Club and the Statehouse to protest the nation's . burgeoning student debt crisis. See video of anarchists attacking Whole Foods store here . View more videos at: http://nbcbayarea.com.

California demonstrators shut down city's port while blocking traffic . Riot police fire tear gas and stun grenades to try and regain control . Two protesters hospitalised after they were struck by Mercedes car . Protesters went on rampage vandalising banks and storefronts . Chase and Wells Fargo branches attacked and Whole Foods store . Meanwhile... Occupy Seattle protesters target Chase CEO Jamie Dimon . Occupy Wall Street warned they will be cracked down on by Bloomberg . Occupy Baltimore left in dark after city officials turn off electricity . Occupy Minnesota protesters told to prepare for winter plaza changes .

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(CNN) -- A pilot died Thursday after his plane crashed in eastern Australia during efforts to fight vast bush fires that have threatened the suburbs of Sydney in recent days. The water-bombing plane went down in a remote area more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of Sydney, said authorities in New South Wales, the Australian state where fires have ravaged tens of thousands of hectares of land and destroyed more than 200 homes. Rescue crews found the body of the 43-year-old pilot after reaching the crash site in rugged terrain. He was the only person on board the plane and his family has been notified, police said. "We're acutely aware there's a family suffering today because their dad hasn't come home," said Shane Fitzsimmons, the commissioner of New South Wales Rural Fire Service. He said the crash started a new fire in the area that other firefighting aircraft are now tackling. Many fires still not contained . More than 60 blazes continued to rage in the region, over 20 of them out of control, fire service spokeswoman Natalie Sanders said Thursday. The fire service has issued emergency warnings for two of the fires in the hard hit Blue Mountains region west of Sydney, telling residents to leave the area of find shelter, she said. But the overall threat has decreased from Wednesday, when more than 1,500 firefighters battled for hours against blazes propelled by powerful gusts of wind. The weather is cooler Thursday, Sanders said, and winds are gusting up to 75 kilometers per hour (about 45 mph) -- still strong, but less severe than the 85-100 kph gusts on Wednesday. "The broader risk to a more larger population has certainly eased," Fitzsimmons said Wednesday. He warned, though, that there were "many hours of firefighting still to come, many hours of concern for those who are living in the fire affected areas." Defense exercise blamed . The threat was indicated by the scale of one of the two most alarming bush fires in the Blue Mountains. Known as the State Mine fire, the blaze has engulfed more than 125,000 hectares (300,000 acres) of land and has a perimeter of more than 300 kilometers, Sanders said. And the cause of that fire has stirred anger among local residents. The fire service said Wednesday that the blaze was the result of live ordnance exercises on an army range in the State Mine area. The flames have destroyed 10 buildings and homes in the area since October 16. The Australian Department of Defense issued a statement acknowledging defense personnel were conducting an explosive training activity in the same area on the day the fire started. The department is conducting its own investigation into the military exercise. The scores of fires have damaged huge areas in the past week, but human casualties have been limited. Before the pilot's death on Thursday, the only fatality was a 63-year-old man who died of a suspected heart attack on October 18 while defending his home against a blaze on the New South Wales Central Coast. Officials have underlined the severity and the unusual timing of the fires, which have struck during a very dry spring in the Southern hemisphere. "Never before have we seen the extent of damage and destruction and wide-scale fire activity at this time of the year," Fitzsimmons said Wednesday. CNN's Aliza Kassim, Kevin Voigt, Laura Smith-Spark, Marcy Heinz, Robyn Curnow and Larry Register contributed to this report.

The water-bombing plane crashed south of Sydney, authorities said . "There's a family suffering today because their dad hasn't come home," a fire official says . More than 60 wildfires still rage in New South Wales; over 20 are not contained . But the overall threat is lower than Wednesday when conditions were most severe .

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Hosts Brazil opened the World Cup with a 3-1 victory over Croatia with poster boy Neymar bagging a brace - before Oscar rounded off the win with a toe-poked finish. The technique is used mostly for mere tap-ins but there have been some outrageous and unusual goals scored via a toe-poke down the years. Here, Sportsmail takes a look at five of the best toe-poke finishes... plus we've added in David Nugent's debut goal for England just for good measure. VIDEO Scroll down to watch five of the best toe-poke finishes ever... plus David Nugent . Toe-poke: Oscar scores Brazil's final goal in a 3-1 win against Croatia in the World Cup opener . Happy: Oscar (left) celebrates with Chelsea and Brazil team-mate Ramires (right) after his goal . 1) David Narey, SCOTLAND v Brazil (June 18, 1982) The World Cup reached Spain in 1982 and Scotland arrived with a fantastic squad. They came up against a magnificent Brazilian team, however, and looked certain to struggle. Yet David Narey produced a moment of magic when he toe-poked the ball from the edge of the area. Brazilian legend Socrates later argued it was not a toe-poke, but whatever it was - it was certainly memorable. Original: Dave Narey also scored a toe-poke at the World Cup, for Scotland against Brazil in 1982 . 2) Ronaldo, BRAZIL v Turkey (June 3, 2002) He inspired his nation in 2002 and ultimately won them the World Cup trophy. Ronaldo scored some spectacular goals in his career, and this one against Turkey was certainly up there with the best. After weaving inside, he improvised by poking the ball into the far corner from the edge of the area. Brazilian magic at its very best. Class: Ronaldo improvises with a finish for Brazil to score against Turkey at the 2002 World Cup . Number one: Ronaldo (right) runs off in celebration with Rivaldo (left) following him . 3) Fernando Torres, CHELSEA v Newcastle (August 25, 2012) Torres has seriously struggled at Chelsea since his £50million move from Liverpool but there have been flashes of the old magic there. This finish against Newcastle United in the Premier League optimises what makes Torres so special. Eden Hazard crossed the ball to Torres won ran on to it and smashed it with a toe-poke past Tim Krul. Bullet. Finish: Fernando Torres scores for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge against Newcastle in the Premier League . 4) Ronaldinho, BARCELONA v Chelsea (March 7, 2005) At his best Ronaldinho was simply a marvel to behold. In the Champions League in 2005 he lit up Stamford Bridge with a marvellous double against Chelsea. For the first of those goals he picked the ball up over 20 yards out, dummied a group of defenders before poking the ball into the bottom left-hand corner. Simply breathtaking. Peach: Ronaldinho toe-pokes the ball from the edge of the area to score for Barcelona against Chelsea . Look at me: Ronaldinho celebrates after his goal against Chelsea by running off and pointing to himself . 5) Sergio Aguero, MANCHESTER CITY v Norwich (December 3, 2011) This Argentinian just loves scoring, and Norwich City were his victims on this occasion. Crowded inside the box with several defenders, it looked impossible to score. But after jinking from side to side he prodded the ball home. Great improvisation. Roar: Sergio Aguero celebrates putting Manchester City ahead against Norwich City . AND... David Nugent, England v Andorra (March 28, 2007) This list would not be complete without Nugent's (sort of) memorable strike for England against Andorra. With the visitors already leading 2-0, Jermaine Defoe slotted the ball past the goalkeeper and the ball was trickling towards the line. The ball was already half-way over the line, but Nugent opportunistically ran over and toe-poked it in... just to make sure. An absolute screamer. Screamer: David Nugent prods the ball over the line for England against Andorra after Jermaine Defoe's shot . Explanation: Nugent tries to explain to Defoe (right) what happened and why he prodded the ball in .

Oscar scored stunning toe-poked goal for Brazil in World Cup curtain-raiser . Brazil beat Croatia 3-1 in controversial Sao Paulo match . Brazil has history of stars scoring toe-poked goals . Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and more make our list of top toe-poked finishes .

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(CNN) -- When Elizabeth Joice found out that she was pregnant, she and her husband, Max, were ecstatic. A fertility specialist had told her that this would never happen, Max says, because of the chemotherapy Elizabeth underwent to beat sarcoma in 2010. "It very much felt like a miracle," he says. "Bringing a child into this world -- I mean, it wasn't just important for me; it was one of the most important things for Liz." Then, one month into her pregnancy, Elizabeth's cancer returned, he says. Surgeons removed the tumors in her back, but she needed a full-body MRI scan to know whether the cancer had spread. Because an MRI's contrast dyes may damage a developing fetus, she faced a difficult decision. She could either terminate her pregnancy to undergo the scan or continue with the pregnancy without knowing her true cancer status. "We felt that if we terminated this pregnancy and did these scans, if it turned out that there was no evidence of this disease after the scans, then we would have possibly given up our only chance at having a child naturally and would have done it for nothing," Max said. "It was a calculated risk. We knew there was a possibility of a worst-case scenario, but we also thought there was a good chance that we could have the baby." Shortly after becoming pregnant, Elizabeth was introduced to filmmaker Christopher Henze. His upcoming documentary on pregnancy and motherhood will include the Joices' story. "It took about three minutes to realize that Liz was a stellar human being, and I wanted her for my movie," Henze said. "I was impressed by the way she looked at cancer as another problem to be solved." Even though a shielded chest X-ray taken in November found no sign of cancer, by January, she was having trouble breathing. Another X-ray revealed tumors in her lungs. Her C-section date was moved up, and on January 23 -- six weeks early -- Lily Joice was born. "It was incredibly difficult to want to enjoy this amazing moment as much as you possibly can," Max said. "Yet to know that you're facing something so incredibly dire, and the chances didn't look good at that point." After delivery, doctors found cancer in Elizabeth's heart, abdomen and pelvis. She died in the hospital on March 9. She was 36. "In the face of this life-threatening illness," her husband said, "she was so optimistic and so strong and so willing to go through whatever fight she would have to go through in order to have this baby." Henze delivered a eulogy at Elizabeth's funeral. "Lots of people say 'Liz was'; I say 'Liz is,' " Henze said. "Through her spirit and grace, she is still affecting people, and she will through the movie, will continue to impact people. Liz is." CNN's Jennifer Bixler contributed to this report.

Elizabeth Joice underwent chemotherapy to beat cancer in 2010 . One month into her pregnancy, the cancer returned . Joice decided to not have an MRI to see how far the cancer had spread . She died less than two months after giving birth to Lily .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Investigators had a "significant break" in tracking the salmonella outbreak when they found the bacteria on a jalapeño pepper imported from Mexico at a Texas food supplier, the Food and Drug Administration announced Monday. The FDA has discouraged all consumers from eating raw jalapeño peppers. The FDA also warned consumers not to eat fresh jalapeños and products made with fresh jalapeños. The discovery may provide a clue to the source of a recent outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul. The bacteria have sickened more than 1,200 people in 42 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "One of the jalapeño peppers has tested positive with a genetic match to the Saintpaul strand," said Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the CDC's Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases. Consumer Tips Blog: Hold the jalapeños He said officials are "looking at the chain that the peppers would have passed through to decide if any of them are a point of contamination." Watch more on the salmonella outbreak » Tauxe called the discovery a "significant break." "While this one sample does not give us the whole story, this genetic break is very important," he said. "This will hopefully help us pinpoint the source of this outbreak." The bacteria were found at a distribution center in McAllen, Texas, and the distributor has agreed to recall the products. Although the pepper was grown on a farm in Mexico, Tauxe said, investigators are not yet certain where the bacteria originated. Read food safety tips » "This does not mean that the pepper was contaminated in Mexico," he said. "We aren't only looking for the source, but the reason for the spread [of the outbreak]." The news comes just days after the FDA lifted its ban on consumption of certain raw tomatoes. The FDA has not ruled out tomatoes as the source of the original outbreak, but investigators have determined that tomatoes currently in fields and stores are safe, Dr. David Acheson, the FDA's associate commissioner for food protection, said Thursday. Learn about the differences between salmonella and E. coli » The FDA is still investigating fresh tomatoes as a possible source of the outbreak. It is possible that tomatoes were paired with another food that was contaminated, Tauxe said. Watch more on the FDA investigation » Before Monday's warning, the agency had discouraged high-risk people -- elderly people, infants and those with impaired immune systems -- from eating serrano and jalapeño peppers. Two elderly men with pre-existing conditions died while infected with Salmonella Saintpaul, and the FDA said the infection could have contributed to their deaths.

NEW: Discovery called a "significant break" in outbreak investigation . Strain is Salmonella Saintpaul, which has sickened hundreds recently . CDC: Pepper grown in Mexico, but origin of bacteria uncertain . Bacteria were found at distribution center in McAllen, Texas .

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Two women have been charged with animal cruelty, one month after a raid on a suburban Buffalo, New York, kennel. Authorities found dozens of animals at the Dodge Boarding Kennel living in deplorable conditions - and nearly as many dead ones stored in freezers at the Getzville facility. Maria Faricellie, 53, and Sheila Meli, 49, were each charged with five counts of animal cruelty. Faricellie owns the kennel and Meli ran the facility. Scroll down for video . Authorities found dozens of animals at the Dodge Boarding Kennel living in deplorable conditions - and nearly as many dead ones stored in freezers at the Getzville facility . Gruesome: 72 dead animals were found in freezers - some of which were raccoons, rabbits, sugar gliders, guinea pigs and turtles - the SPCA said.  A rescued cat is seen being led away during the raid . The five counts come from the number of animal species discovered at the time of the November 7 kennel raid: cats, dogs, reptiles, birds and small exotics. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said it removed 77 live animals and amphibians from the facility. The SPCA said it also discovered 72 dead animals in freezers, some of which were raccoons, rabbits, sugar gliders, guinea pigs and turtles. WIVB reported last month that the animals were in bags with labels on them. Officials said many of the cats and dogs were malnourished and had matted hair. A turtle showed 'shell rot', and there was a 'severely underweight chinchilla,' the SPCA said. The animal's overgrown teeth may have hindered its ability to eat. The SPCA said the raid took place after officials earlier went to the property on October 27, October 28 and November 4 and observed poor conditions, including the smell of urine. Sickly: Officials said many of the cats and dogs were malnourished and had matted hair . Care: The animals rescued from the Dodge Boarding Kennel are seen being tended to after the raid . Busted: The raid took place after officials earlier went to the property, where they observed poor conditions . Both the Amherst Police Department and New York's Department of Environmental Conservation were involved in the raid, Buffalo News reported. The charges against Faricellie and Meli were served Friday afternoon by peace officer Aaron Kandefer, SPCA spokeswoman Gina Browning said in a release. The two women are due in court next month, Browning said. Browning told Buffalo News that the six live amphibians went to New York's Department of Conservation since the creatures are not legally pets. The other animals stayed at the Tonawanda SPCA.

Dodge Boarding Kennel owner Maria Faricellie, 53, and facility operator Sheila Meli, 49, were each charged with five counts of animal cruelty . The SPCA said it removed 77 live animals and amphibians from the facility . 72 dead animals were also discovered in freezers, the group said .

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Beijing (CNN) -- Mo Yan's Nobel Prize in literature appears to be a nod to the hungry literary tastes in modern China and could help spark more freedom, activists say. The beloved Chinese author -- whose pen name means "not talking" -- has captivated his countrymen by intertwining fantasy and gritty everyday life. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded Mo the prestigious prize Thursday, praising the way the author's "hallucinatory realism merges folk tales, history and the contemporary." Mo plies his trade in a country where running afoul of party lines could lead to censorship. His work packs a punch but he walks a fine line. He is considered a writer within the system and even has embraced official restrictions on writing. He's a Communist Party member and was elected to a vice-chairman spot in the state-sanctioned China Writers Association. State media reported Mo's victory immediately after the announcement -- a sharp contrast to Chinese dissident's Liu Xiabo's win of the Nobel Peace Prize two years ago, when international news coverage was blacked out. "I think this comes at a really important time for Chinese literature. China is an extremely literate and energetic society. The bookstores are full. There's a lot of interesting writing going on now," said Larry Siems of Pen American Center -- which promotes literary freedom and free exchange of literature around the world. Mo, Siems said, is one of the most notable writers to come out of a system that's been "a rigid combination of patronage and censorship." Mo has produced compelling literature as he navigated that line, he said, but many in China think the author has been too "reticent" on some topics. Siems said the award is "a really good thing for Chinese literature." "I think in some ways, the award may be recognizing the fact that there's lively literature happening in China and I hope this stimulates people to read Chinese writers, not only Mo Yan," he added. Patrick Poon, executive secretary of the independent Chinese Pen Center, said Mo is famous for the book on the country's policy that restricts couples -- with few exceptions -- to having one child. Poon called Mo "one of the most influential" contemporary writers and a "good writer." However, he said, there are better and bolder writers who didn't get a Nobel. He said he senses that the award appears to be a recognition of -- or trying to please -- the Chinese government. "I don't think it's a very wrong decision to give it to Mo Yan," he said. But "we can't understand it." However, Poon said, now that Mo won the prize, maybe he can ask the Chinese government to free the more than three dozen or so imprisoned writers in the country. "He should have this responsibility," Poon said. Mo was born in Gaomi in Shandong province into a family of farmers in 1955 as Guan Moye. He joined the People's Liberation Army as a young man and began his career, becoming, according to literary magazine Granta, one of the country's "most celebrated and widely translated writers." "He's an earnest and pragmatic person," his brother said, according to news reports before the award was announced. "I hope he will continue writing earnestly and create more literary work enjoyed by the masses." Mo told local media in 2003 that his pen name is a word play on his original middle name, but also a reminder to himself that he should talk less and write more. The author sets his novels in a community based on his hometown. Granta asked him in a recent interview if he has been influenced by other writers, such as American novelist William Faulkner, who set many of his stories in one specific fictional county in Mississippi. "When I first started writing it was the year of 1981, so I didn't read any books by Marquez or Faulkner," he said, referring to Colombian novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez. "It was 1984 when I first read their works and undoubtedly those two writers have great influence on my creations. I found that my life experience is quite similar to theirs, but I only discovered this later on. If I had read their works sooner I would have already accomplished a masterpiece like they did." His novel "Frog" explores China's one-child policy, designed for population control. He poignantly explored the traditional Chinese preference for boys over girls, which stems from the perception that boys are more able to provide for the family and carry on the family line. That tendency has fed the practice of aborting female fetuses or abandoning infant girls, which continues today in rural parts of China. "Frog traces the life of a midwife who witnesses forced late-term abortions, forced sterilization and other horrors, and it does so whimsically — in the form of four letters and a play. The midwife's struggle to reconcile her conflicting loyalties to party, family and patients forms the backbone of the narrative, which Mo Yan says had been percolating in his head since the early 1980s," a Time magazine story said. Read more: Nobel Peace Prize winner rips into fellow laureate over corruption . Mo recently won China's prestigious Mao Dun literary award -- a potential indication that China has become more open to talking about the issue. He also is famous for his novels "Red Sorghum," a story that takes place during the Japanese occupation of China during World War II, and "Big Breasts and Wide Hips," described as an epic about women. He was asked by Granta if he considers himself a feminist or if he is "simply drawn to write from a female perspective." "First of all, I admire and respect women. I think they are very noble and their life experience and the hardship a woman can endure is always much greater than a man. When we encounter great disasters, women are always more brave than men -- I think because they have their due capacity, they are also mothers. "The strength that this brings is something we can't imagine. In my books I try to put myself in the shoes of women, I try to understand and interpret this world from the perspective of women. But the bottom line is I am not a woman: I'm a male writer. And the world I interpreted in my books as if I were a woman, might not be well received by women themselves but that is not something I can do anything about. I love and admire women, but nonetheless I am a man," he said. Mo told Time that he doesn't worry about censorship when deciding what to write. He told the magazine that the "inability to attack some topics head on is actually an advantage." "There are certain restrictions on writing in every country," he said. "One of the biggest problems in literature is the lack of subtlety. A writer should bury his thoughts deep and convey them through the characters in his novel." "By placing much of his writing in the past, and through the adroit subtlety of his magic-realist style, Mo Yan avoids stirring up the animosity of the country's ever vigilant censors any more than he needs to," the Time interview said. After the award was announced, Chinese national pride rippled across the Internet. "China," one commenter said on the Nobel website, "is rising." Mo himself "was overjoyed and scared," Chinese state media reported, citing a Nobel committee member who informed the author of the prize. Chinese authorities and many Chinese people regard Mo as the first to win the literature prize. The prize in 2000 went to Chinese writer Gao Xingjian, who was born and educated in China but is now a French citizen. Read more: Ideas cost Liu Xiaobo his freedom . Favorites for this year's award included American folk singer Bob Dylan, Canadian author Alice Munro, American novelist Philip Roth and Japanese author Haruki Murakami. Murakami and Dylan were also favorites among bookies last year, but Swedish poet Tomas Transtromer won the million-dollar prize. Nobel Prize winners: Medicine . Nobel Prize winners: Chemistry . Nobel Prize winners: Physics . CNN's Joe Sterling reported from Atlanta. Steven Jiang reported from Beijing. CNN's Ben Brumfield contributed to this report.

NEW: One activist hopes Mo Yan uses his acclaim to fight repression . His novel "Frog" explored the traditional Chinese preference for boys over girls . Canadian Alice Munro and folk singer Bob Dylan had been mentioned as front-runners . Mo recently won China's prestigious Mao Dun literary award .

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Roy Hodgson has unveiled his 23-man squad to bid for World Cup glory when the Three Lions jet out to Brazil later this summer. Hodgson confirmed he will be taking a side packed with young talent as England bid to end their 48-year wait for a second world title. One notable absentee is Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick, less than two years after he was tempted out of international retirement by the England manager. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Luke Shaw is going to Brazil! THe boss: Roy Hodgson has named his 23 man squad for the World Cup in Brazil . Star man: Wayne Rooney is one of the key strikers in Roy Hodgson's 23-man squad . Carrick is a big-name casualty as . Hodgson proved his determination to include young midfielders Ross . Barkley, Jordan Henderson and Jack Wilshere in the 23-man squad. Hodgson . also revealed Everton youngster John Stones will come into the squad if . Phil Jones' shoulder injury does not heal in time. Ashley Cole and Jermain Defoe (with 162 caps between them) are the other most senior internationals jettisoned. Rickie Lambert, who has scored 14 goals this season, gets the nod ahead of Andy Carroll. Former Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe, who now plays for Toronto FC, is only good enough for a place on the standby list. Carrick rejected the chance to be on the standby list for Euro 2012, but he has accepted the same position this time around. No-go: Michael Carrick has missed out on a chance of being in the England midfield in Brazil . Hart, Forster, Forster, Baines, Cahill, Jagielka, Johnson, Jones, Shaw, Smalling, Barkley, Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana, Lampard, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sterling, Wilshere, Lambert, Rooney, Sturridge, Welbeck . Standby: Ruddy, Cleverley, Flanagan, Carroll, Stones, Defoe, Carrick . Carrick is joined in Hodgson's . contingency planning by Tom Cleverley, who has not made the 23 despite . starting nine consecutive games under Hodgson at the start of the . 2012-13 season. Hodgson has selected just four strikers for the tournament in Brazil, which kicks off on June 12. Wayne Rooney will be the leading . striker, with Daniel Sturridge, Danny Welbeck and Lambert in support. Frank Lampard, 35, makes the cut, but otherwise there is a youthful look . about England's midfield selection. Ross Barkley, 20, has been selected, alongside Liverpool teenager Raheem Sterling.Arsenal duo Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere are in the 23 despite their recent injury concerns. Young Lions: Raheem Sterling is one of several young players included in England's charge for Brazil . Different ball game: Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley played a round of golf after being named on England's stand-by list for the World Cup . Adam Lallana, who has three caps, has been rewarded for a fine year with Southampton by being included. James . Milner also is favoured ahead of the likes of Adam Johnson and Ashley . Young - neither of whom made the squad or standby list. There were no surprises in defence. Gary Cahill, Phil Jagielka, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling were Hodgson's four centre-halves. Leighton . Baines goes to Brazil as first-choice left-back, with Shaw in reserve. Glen Johnson goes to the tournament as England's only recognised . right-back. Hodgson selected . Fraser Forster as third goalkeeper behind Joe Hart and Ben Foster. There was a place on the standby list for Everton teenager John Stones, . who only made his first Premier League start in January. Impressed: Adam Lallana capped off a brilliant season by being named in England's squad for Brazil . Uncapped Liverpool right-back Jon Flanagan was also on the standby list. Those standby players will fly to Portugal with the squad next Monday for a week-long training camp. Hodgson admitted the decision to leave out Cole was 'an unbelievably hard' call. 'Ashley is a player that I and the rest of my staff appreciate,' he said. 'He is a magnificent player and what he's done for England is second to none. Luke Shaw has had a wonderful season. He has captured headlines with his form and ability. 'One player has 107 caps and one has many caps to come. It was a hard job to ring Ashley and I can only be unbelievably grateful for the gracious way he accepted the decision. 'Circumstances will prove whether the decision to take the younger player was the right one or not.' For . Carrick, it is a miserable end to a disastrous season at Old Trafford . and another unsatisfactory episode in a haphazard England career of 31 . appearances in 13 years. It . began with a debut against Mexico in 2001 at the age of 19 and his last . cap was as a starter against Poland in the final World Cup qualifier in . October. Back in action: Jack Wilshere has been named despite a lengthy spell out with injury . Golden chance: Rickie Lambert caps off a fantastic season for Southampton by beating Andy Carroll . There has been only . one taste of action in a major tournament, when Sven Goran Eriksson . selected him against Ecuador in Germany 2006. Nine . of his caps have been awarded by Hodgson, since he was lured out of . retirement in 2012. Like Cole, his experience and reliability has proved . valuable to England during the campaign for Brazil. He . played in the six of the qualifiers, but Hodgson has shown a glimpse of . his ruthlessness by casting them both aside as he moves the team into . the next phase. Confusion . reigned as Carrick was left out two years ago. Having officially retired . from international football under Fabio Capello, Hodgson assumed that . was that. ‘I was given to . believe he didn’t want to be part of the England set-up,’ said Hodgson, . but it turned out he did want to play and had unfinished business with . England. Young gun: Saints starlet Luke Shaw has been picked ahead of Ashley Cole . After a terrific . 2011-12 season with his club, the United midfielder came back for the . friendly against Italy in Switzerland, amid a national debate about how . to value ball possession, which followed the exit in Kiev orchestrated . by Italian pass-master Andrea Pirlo. In . the heat of a World Cup, which will start for England in the jungle . city of Manaus, Carrick might have expected this to be the perfect . moment for his calming qualities, but events at United have not helped. Nor has the development of young midfield players. A . year ago, Carrick started the summer friendlies in the absence of . Steven Gerrard against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley and Brazil in . Rio, and deep midfield was one of the areas where Hodgson considered his . options to be thin. Wilshere . was struggling for fitness – as he still is - and Barkley had yet to . emerge as a force at Premier League level. Henderson, too, has . progressed beyond expectations in the last 12 months. World at his feet: Everton starlet Ross Barkley could be one of England's wild cards in Brazil . Without . Carrick, however, there is no natural replacement for Gerrard as the . midfield anchorman if the captain is lost to injury or suspension during . the tournament. Gareth . Barry is another with the required defensive instinct, able to deputise . in the holding role but he has never been recalled by Hodgson since he . was injured in Norway, in a warm-up friendly against of Euro 2012. Frank . Lampard has played the holding role at times for Chelsea but has not . made the conversion as completely as Gerrard. The ever-versatile James . Milner and Phil Jones could be adapted, but if there is a bare patch in . the squad it is here. It . appears to have been boiled down to a straight choice between West Ham . Academy graduates Lampard and Carrick to supply midfield experience; . Carrick’s stability and ball retention versus Lampard’s goal knack and . general good influence around the camp. Not for the first time Carrick is England’s fall-guy.

Luke Shaw picked ahead of Ashley Cole . Rickie Lambert gets the nod ahead of Andy Carroll . Hodgson puts faith in young players like Ross Barkley, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Raheem Sterling and Luke Shaw . Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverley, Jon Flanagan, Jermain Defoe, John Stones, Andy Carroll and John Ruddy all on stand-by list .

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(CNN) -- Six people, including two children and the suspected shooter, were found dead in Greenwood County, South Carolina, an official said Tuesday night. All died from gunshot wounds, said Greenwood County Sheriff Tony Davis. Authorities believe it's a "domestic-related incident." The crime scene was along Callison Highway, according to South Carolina Law Enforcement Division spokesman Tom Berry. Four crime scene investigators and three regional agents from that agency have been sent there to assist local authorities, Berry added. About 80 miles west of the state capital of Columbia, Greenwood County has roughly 70,000 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Children and the suspected shooter are among the dead . All died from gunshot wounds, a sheriff says . Greenwood County is located about 80 miles west of the state capital of Columbia .

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Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- Dennis Gossard is fine with the enhanced security techniques at U.S. airports, and he said security agents are welcome to pat him down all they want if it keeps air travel safe. "They can pat me down for three hours if it's going to save someone's life," the 63-year-old Glendale, California, resident semi-joked Tuesday after flying into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Are you flying? Share your airport experiences . Not that security personnel tested his willingness. Gossard did go through a full-body scan at Los Angeles International Airport hours earlier but didn't get an enhanced pat-down. Neither, it seemed, did many people arriving in Atlanta on Tuesday. From the volume of the public outcry as enhanced measures have been rolled out at more airports this month, you might think Americans were getting groped right and left. But the Transportation Security Administration estimates that less than 3 percent of air travelers will receive enhanced pat-downs, which some travelers have called "groping" or worse. Less clear is how many are getting full-body scans, another enhanced measure that has drawn complaints of its own. But of the fliers to whom CNN spoke at Atlanta's airport Tuesday, most said they felt like air travel was business as usual. Of 35 people CNN interviewed at the airport's baggage claim areas in an unscientific survey, 28 went through only metal detectors at the airport they departed. Five underwent body scans, and two had enhanced pat-downs. Nearly all had flown into Atlanta on Tuesday; two were picking up passengers but had flown in the past week. Mary Lou Monaghan, 51, said she was subjected to metal detectors when she flew from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Atlanta on Saturday. But she said she'd be OK with submitting to advanced-imaging technology and pat-downs. "If it's what you have to do to be safe, then it's OK. Either that, or you just don't fly. You can drive if you want to drive," Monaghan said. Check the latest airport delays at the nation's busiest airports . The TSA has said the ramped-up use of full-body scanning and pat-downs is needed to stop nonmetallic threats, including explosives, from getting aboard planes and are meant to head off attacks such as the one allegedly attempted by Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab last Christmas. Authorities allege he had a bomb sewn into his underwear on a flight from the Netherlands to Michigan. About 400 body-scanning machines have been installed at 70 of the country's nearly 450 commercial airports. The TSA said there are nearly 2,200 security lines at checkpoints nationwide. Metal detectors are still the dominant screening technology, although the new scanners have been installed mostly at airports with high passenger volume. The TSA has not estimated what percentage of passengers are likely to receive body scanning, but the number will jump over the next year. By the end of 2011, the agency plans to deploy another 600 scanning machines, bringing the total to 1,000. Pat-downs are used primarily on passengers who set off either the body-scanning machine or metal detectors, and are guaranteed for travelers who opt out of body scanning. Critics of the scanners said they are too invasive -- showing more anatomy to security personnel than some may wish -- and possibly unhealthy, pointing to low doses of radiation used in one of the two technologies used by the machines. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has said the radiation levels have been thoroughly tested and are "almost immeasurable, [they're] so small," and the TSA said a traveler is exposed to less radiation from one full-body scan than from two minutes of an airline flight. Critics of the pat-downs said they have become more aggressive and humiliating, coming too close to private areas. Public opinion polls seem to suggest more Americans favor the full-body scans over pat-downs. A Washington Post-ABC News poll released Monday showed 64 percent of respondents supported the use of scanners, with 32 percent opposed. In the same poll, 48 percent said the new pat-down procedures are justified, while 50 percent said they went too far. In a USA Today/Gallup Poll of frequent air travelers released Tuesday, 57 percent said going through a full-body scan doesn't bother them. About 24 percent said it bothered them but didn't make them angry, and 18 percent said it made them angry. Forty-two percent said pat-downs didn't bother them. Waiting for his baggage at Atlanta's airport Tuesday after flying from Houston, Texas, Eric Fitzgerald said he didn't go through a pat-down or a body scanner. He said he's OK with body scanners in some cases, but not the hand pats. "I think the way they're patting down people is a little too blunt," said Fitzgerald, 31, of Sugar Land, Texas. Jerry Feldkamp, 73, said he just went through a metal detector when he prepared to fly to Atlanta from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. But he doesn't like the idea of body scanning, citing radiation and privacy concerns. "They might go in the backroom and start laughing," the Dallas, Texas-area resident said of his concerns about security agents looking at images of his body. "But my main concern is it will give a lot of X-rays to you." Abbey Mayer, a 26-year-old legislative correspondent for a U.S. senator, said she received a body scan Tuesday at Washington's Reagan National Airport. "I don't mind them," she said. "If it's going to protect me from someone hiding something on my airplane, I'm fine with it." As for people's concerns that the images are too revealing? "You can't see my face, so I don't care," she said. Gossard's wife, Geri Gossard, did receive a pat-down at Los Angeles International. The agent asked her if she wanted the hand pat in a private room (she declined) and told her what she would be doing with her hands before she did it. "To me, it's fine. Just get it over and done with," the 63-year-old teacher said. Her husband, a football coach at Pasadena City College and a teacher, said the public is fickle. "If we get a [terrorist] incident tomorrow, then people will [complain] that people weren't patted down enough," he said. "If you want security, you've got to expect inconveniences."

Of 35 passengers interviewed at Atlanta's airport, 28 went through metal detectors . TSA has nearly 2,200 security lines at airports nationwide and 400 body scanners . Polls show public is more supportive of body scanning than enhanced pat-downs .

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(EW.com) -- A remake, a prequel, and one woefully misguided bird-watching comedy couldn't take down Hugh Jackman and the robots of "Real Steel" at the box office this weekend. "Steel" punched up an estimated $16.3 million this weekend, marking a healthy 40 percent drop from its $27.3 million debut. As evidenced by the film's impressive 64 percent boost on Saturday, it appears that "Real Steel" is playing as an outright family affair, and that sort of appeal will help it achieve small drops in the coming weeks. Still, the $110 million Dreamworks film, which is being distributed by Disney's Touchstone Pictures, has a very long way to go before it's in the black. So far, "Real Steel" has earned $51.7 million in ten days. Paramount's $24 million remake "Footloose" managed to open in second place with $16.1 million, a rather lackluster result. Instead of playing like a hyped-up event movie, "Footloose" played much more like a typical dance flick. It attracted fewer dance fans than movies like "Save the Last Dance" (2001, $23.4 million opening) and "Step Up" (2006, $20.7 million opening), but it performed on the same level as "Step Up 3D" (2010, $15.8 million opening) and "You Got Served" (2004, $16.1 million). The film played best with women, who made up 75 percent of the audience, and older moviegoers, who composed 61 percent of the opening weekend crowd. "Footloose" earned a solid "A" CinemaScore grade, and strong word-of-mouth could help it dance its way out of financial trouble, but it will not be able to match the $80 million total that the original "Footloose" achieved back in 1984. In third, Universal's horror prequel "The Thing" didn't scare up many ticket sales this weekend, opening with $8.7 million. The film, which totes a reported $35 million budget, performed below Universal's expectations, becoming the latest 2011 horror film to not connect with audiences. Movies like "Scream 4" ($38.2 million total), "The Rite" ($33 million), and "Priest" ($29.1 million) have all struggled at the box office this year. Even "Thing" star Mary Elizabeth Winstead's former franchise film, "Final Destination 5," performed unremarkably, earning only $42.1 million. The best comparison for "The Thing" is probably "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," which opened with a similar $8.5 million and finished with $23.2 million. Considering "The Thing" earned a weak "B-" CinemaScore grade and a sad $2,990 per theater average, that total is about the best it can hope for. George Clooney's political thriller "The Ides of March" held very well in its sophomore weekend, dipping only 28 percent to $7.5 million in fourth place. That decline is far less severe than Clooney's other recent political flicks, "The American" and "The Men Who Stare At Goats," which dropped by 57 and 54 percent in their second weekends, respectively. Perhaps Clooney has made a political movie that's a bit more palatable for general audiences -- or perhaps it's just the Ryan Gosling effect. Either way, after ten days, "Ides," which cost Sony $12.5 million to produce, has earned $22.2 million. If it keeps up the soft declines, it could become a serious Oscar contender. "Dolphin Tale" spent one last weekend in the Top 5, sliding 31 percent to $6.3 million. After four weekend's Warner Brothers' surprise 3-D hit has accrued a nice $58.7 million total. Along with "Moneyball" ($57.7 million after four weeks) and "The Lion King 3D" ($90.5 million after five), "Dolphin Tale" is one of the few box office bright spots since "The Help." The weekend's other new wide release, "The Big Year," debuted way back in ninth place with $3.3 million out of 2,150 theaters. Fox spent $41 million on the Jack Black, Steve Martin, Owen Wilson bird-watching collaboration that wasn't quite a comedy, wasn't quite a drama, wasn't quite a competition film, and apparently wasn't at all enticing for audiences, who gave the picture a "B-" CinemaScore grade. Between the financial failure of "The Big Year," and 2006′s "Hoot," which opened to $3.4 million out of 3,018 theaters, maybe Hollywood should think twice about the appeal of birds at the box office. They don't always soar. In limited release, Pedro Almodovar's deeply creepy "The Skin I Live In" got off to a strong start, with $231,000 in six theaters, good for a robust $38,500 per theater average. Internationally, tastes weren't quite as refined, as "The Smurfs" finally passed $400 million overseas. 1. Real Steel -- $16.3 mil . 2. Footloose -- $16.1 mil . 3. The Thing -- $8.7 mil . 4. The Ides of March -- $7.5 mil . 5. Dolphin Tale -- $6.3 mil . 6. Moneyball -- $5.5 mil . 7. 50/50 -- $4.3 mil . 8. Courageous -- $3.4 mi . 9. The Big Year -- $3.3 mil . 10. The Lion King 3D -- $2.7 mil . See the full article at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved.

"Real Steel" is playing as an outright family affair . "Footloose" played much more like a typical dance flick . "The Thing" is the latest 2011 horror film to not connect with audiences .

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By . Chris Greenwood . PM's policy fixer: Whitehall adviser Patrick Rock was detained on child porn charges in February, but the National Crime Agency has never admitted it . Britain's crime agency last night refused to discuss the arrest of a senior No.10 aide three months ago – in case it breaches his human rights. Whitehall adviser Patrick Rock was detained on child porn charges in February, but the National Crime Agency has never admitted it. Yesterday, director general Keith Bristow suggested the information blackout was to protect Rock’s ‘right to life’. Speaking for the first time about the controversy, the former Warwickshire chief constable said he feared such publicity could drive suspects to suicide. And he suggested reporting that someone had been arrested could deprive them of their ‘right to a fair trial’. His comments, which will add to growing fears over secret arrests, provoked outrage among child abuse campaigners. Mr Bristow also said he wanted his staff to be known as crime fighters, not police officers, adding: ‘We are not the police, we are a different type of agency. We have the powers of constables but we are different. We are pleased to be described as crime fighters.’ Described as David Cameron’s policy fixer, Rock, 62, was a key member of the Prime Minister’s inner circle at Downing Street, and had been involved in drawing up Government policy on internet porn filters. He was arrested at his London home on February 13 on suspicion of hoarding child abuse images. Officers from the NCA – known as Britain’s FBI – were called in by No.10 to search his office. Revealed: The senior aide's arrest on suspicion of hoarding child abuse images was revealed by the Daily Mail . The inquiry was revealed by the Daily Mail a fortnight later after the move was confirmed by senior Whitehall figures. The NCA, which says it aims to be open and transparent, has never commented on the inquiry. Yesterday, Mr Bristow suggested this was because the rights of suspects override the need for openness. Director general: Yesterday, Keith Bristow suggested the information blackout was to protect Rock's 'right to life' Asked about the case, he said: ‘It is difficult for us to talk about investigations where we have neither confirmed nor denied investigating anything. We have obligations around right to life and the right to a fair trial. These are obligations we have to balance.’ He added: ‘I believe our interpretation of what is expected of us is right.’ In six months, the NCA has arrested more than 600 people and charged about half, of whom only a handful have been named voluntarily. Its refusal to confirm it had made an arrest in the Rock case contrasts with the policy of every other police force, which always confirm arrests. Leaders at the College of Policing insist it is in the public interest to do so. It is understood that NCA policy was shaped by the Leveson Inquiry, which included proposals to rein in the Press. It highlights concerns that the inquiry into Press standards is letting police and other officials withhold information from the public. Peter Saunders, of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, said he was astonished by the secrecy, adding: ‘Abuse persists because it is constantly covered up. ‘There are too many abusers and their apologists in positions of power. Too many with much to lose, and thanks to the public, the media and survivors who have spoken out we finally have them on the run.’ Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Whitehall adviser Patrick Rock detained on child porn charges in February . The National Crime Agency last night refused to discuss the aide's arrest . Director general suggested the blackout was to protect his human rights . He added such publicity could drive suspects of such crimes to suicide . Comments yesterday provoked outrage among child abuse campaigners .

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Los Angeles (CNN) -- Though she is free to leave court-ordered rehab for substance abuse this week, actress Lindsay Lohan's legal issues could get more complicated after police in California said she violated her probation. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department said Lohan violated probation when she allegedly tussled with a then-staff member at the Betty Ford Center here as she was undergoing three months of court-ordered substance abuse rehab. Authorities plan to send the result of their investigation to the district attorney's office to decide if the actress should face battery charges -- even though the former staff member has said she will no longer cooperate with the investigation and does not want charges filed, the department said Monday. "It is expected that this investigation will be sent to the district attorney's office later this week," the sheriff's office added. The Betty Ford Center fired the staffer, Dawn Holland, after information about the December 12 incident was leaked to the media. "When patients come to the center for treatment, they come to a safe place where their identity is protected, where anonymity is safeguarded," the center said in a statement, without confirming Holland was the employee in question. Holland has told investigators she will "no longer be cooperating with the investigation and does not wish to have charges filed," the sheriff's office said. Last month, Lohan's lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley confirmed that an "incident" had taken place, but declined to comment on what happened. Meanwhile, Holland's lawyer said last month that the former staffer was "targeted, unmercifully interrogated, intimidated and threatened with her livelihood" by the treatment center. Lohan checked into the Betty Ford Center on September 27 after it became clear a judge intended to send her to jail because of a failed drug test. The judge eventually ordered Lohan to stay in the drug rehabilitation program until Monday instead of going to jail. Lohan's probation is scheduled to end in August of 2011. Prosecutor Danette Meyers said she expects to see Lohan back in municipal court on February 1 for a review of whether she has fulfilled the terms of her probation. Lohan's legal troubles began when she was arrested twice in 2007 on charges of driving under the influence; in the second incident, she was charged with cocaine possession. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elden Fox has said if Lohan violates the rules of her rehab program or fails a drug test before her court date on February 25, she will be sent to jail for 180 days. CNN's Alan Duke and In Session's Grace Wong contributed to this report.

Investigators have been looking into claim that Lohan tussled with an employee . Officials expect a copy of the investigation to go to a district attorney's office this week . Authorities say the former staffer will "no longer be cooperating in the investigation" Lohan is free to leave court-ordered rehab this week .

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PUBLISHED: . 10:45 EST, 26 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:15 EST, 26 June 2013 . South African-born golfer Gary Player is one of the 21 athletes who will strip down for ESPN Magazine's 2013 Body Issue. Not only is the 77-year-old the oldest one in this year's bunch - which includes 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, tennis star John Isner and Wizards point guard John Wall - but he is also officially the oldest athlete ever to to pose nude for the special edition. The nine-time grand slam champion's appearance in the magazine serves to remind readers that physical fitness is not reserved exclusively for the young. Gary bares all: South African golf pro Gary Player, 77, will be the oldest of 21 athletes to pose nude for ESPN Magazine's 2013 Body Issue . The golfer, who earned the nickname Mr Fitness in the Fifties, took to Twitter to share his excitement about the upcoming magazine. 'I was at first hesitant,' he wrote. 'But @ESPNmag's Body Issue celebrates the human body. No matter what your age, we should all look after ourselves!' Mr Player, who has six children and 21 grandchildren with his wife of 56 years, VIvienne Verwey, began playing golf professionally in 1953. Famous for his intense workout regime, which includes 1,000 sit-ups a day, the golfer has been training particularly hard for the upcoming shoot, according to Golf Digest. Mr Player is often credited for making intense physical fitness an integral part of golfing. 'When other players first saw my weight-training program back in the 1950s, they thought I was crazy,' he told the magazine in 2011. Olden days: Mr Player (pictured in the 1970s) has always been known for his intense physical workout - which apparently includes 1,000 sit-ups a day . Family man: Mr Player has been married to his wife Vivienne (pictured in April 1961) for 56 years. The couple have six children and 21 grandchildren together . 'In fact, lifting weights has made me a better golfer.' Mr Player explained in the same interview that his older brother Ian, now a notable environmental educator, first instigated his passion for exercise when he was eight years old. 'Today I'm about as fit as a 75-year-old man can be,' he said. 'The secret is commitment. It cannot be a fad. Even if your exercise program is small, you must make it a part of your life.' Another important part of Mr Player's life is his family; in the early days of his career the golfer was known to bring his wife, six children, nanny and a tutor along with him to each tournament. Winning days: The golfer (pictured in 1959, after winning the British Open at Muirfield in Scotland) was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974 . Staying strong: 'The secret is commitment,' the father-of-six (in Augusta, Georgia, circa 1960s) has said about fitness. 'It cannot be a fad. Even if your exercise program is small, you must make it a part of your life' Along with Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, Mr Player is known as one of the 'Big Three' golfers, who competed against each other in every major tournament in the Sixties and were considered the best three golfers in the world at that time. Mr Player, who no longer plays competitively, was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. ESPN Magazine's Body Issue - which shows nude athletes, but strategically maintains their dignity - will hit shelves on July 12.

South African-born golfer Gary Player will be the oldest of 21 athletes to strip down for ESPN Magazine's upcoming Body Issue . Known for his grueling daily workout, which includes 1,000 sit-ups a day, he was given the nickname 'Mr Fitness' in the 1950s . Nine-time grand slam champion began playing golf professionally in 1953 .