id
stringlengths 40
40
| article
stringlengths 48
15.9k
| highlights
stringlengths 14
7.39k
|
|---|---|---|
fe70f38ec7b2e70291958bc25baade08064aafae | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 06:41 EST, 18 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:12 EST, 18 July 2013 . With the hottest summer in seven years upon us, it seems that Brits are really feeling the heat. But it isn't just women using the opportunity to expose some flesh. The latest research reveals that men are daring to bare more leg than ever before as temperatures across the UK continue to soar. High street sales data has revealed that demand for men’s shorts that sit at the top of thighs, rather than knees has shot up by a staggering 156 per cent in the last week alone. The thighs the limit! Sales of very short shorts have surged in recent weeks, could it be thanks to Joey Essex who has been donning the designs in Essex and at Wireless festival in recent weeks? It seems that the trend has been spurred on by celebrities with well-known faces such as TOWIE’s Joey Essex and Mark Wright, Cristiano Ronaldo, Danny Dyer, Olly Murs and One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson, who all prefer the thigh-skimming option. Spotted on the recent SS14 catwalks of Versace, Emporio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana and Gieves & Hawkes, this is one trend that has definitely made the leap to the great British high street, and looks set to continue. Debenhams spokesperson Ed Watson, who carried out the research, said: 'We have all heard about the emergence of "mankles" – male ankles peeking out from rolled up trousers. Well, this takes it to the next level. 'All over the world, British men are renowned for exposing their white knobbly knees during the summer holidays. Higher and higher: As temperatures rose at Glastonbury, so did the men's short length with Nick Grimshaw (L) and Oliver Cheshire (R) donning the tiny designs . The only way is shorts: James Argent, Joey and their TOWIE friends have also been sporting the thigh-skimming designs . Get shorty! The 'Cristiano effect' caused by football star Ronaldo's barely-there holiday wear has seen sales of men's micro shorts surge. Rio Ferdinand and Olly Murs also dabble with the trend on holiday . 'For the daring few, wearing short shorts can be a liberating experience, particularly when faced with the recent tropic temperatures. 'We haven’t seen a demand for short shorts as high as this since Wham sparked the trend in the 1980s – we are currently considering whether or not to go even shorter for next summer!' The retailer has seen a particularly high demand for short shorts in Newcastle, Glasgow and Cardiff. Flashback: Debenhams say they haven't seen a demand for short shorts as high as this since Wham sparked the trend in the 1980s . During the 19th and early 20th centuries . shorts were worn as outerwear only by young boys and because of this, . men would not wear shorts to avoid looking immature. In the 1930s, shorts started to be worn . for casual comfort (e.g. outdoor and athletic activities) by both men . and women.However, it was still taboo to wear shorts outside certain . activities. Since arpond World War II, when soldiers . often served in tropical locations, adult men have worn shorts more . often, especially in summer weather, but the perception of shorts as . being only for young boys took several decades to change. By the late . 20th century it became common for men to wear shorts as casual . wear in summer. The 1980s saw the emergence of short shorts and there has been a steady rise in popularity. Longer, baggier board style shorts were . favoured in the 1990s but in recent years a tailored, shorter style has . become most popular. Midnight Ventura Swimshorts Short, £14.95, Debenhams . Star print swim shorts, £26, Topman . ASOS Swim Shorts With Polka Dot Print £22.00 . | Sales of short shorts for men up 156% in last week .
Trend loved by Joey Essex, Mark Wright and Olly Murs .
Retailers haven't seen demand this high since Wham sparked trend in 1980s .
Particularly high demand in Newcastle, Glasgow and Cardiff . |
fe72cb904f66cca4f82f9dda3c530348e734fa09 | An eco-friendly ‘hobbit house’ made entirely from natural materials faces being bulldozed after planning chiefs ruled it was a blot on the landscape. Nature-lovers Charlie Hague and Megan Williams spent £15,000 building their unique roundhouse at a secluded location near Fishguard, Pembrokeshire using all natural materials. However, the couple, who built their dream without obtaining planning permission, now face having to tear it down after council officers recommended their retrospective planning application was refused. Scroll down for video . Nature-lovers Charlie Hague and Megan Williams spent £15,000 building their unique roundhouse at a secluded location near Fishguard, Pembrokeshire using all natural material including wood and rendered straw bales . The couple built their dream eco-home without obtaining planning permission and now face having to tear it down after council officers recommended their retrospective planning application was refused . The home looks like something Bilbo Baggins would be proud of. Pictured: Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins in JRR Tolkein's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey . The pair, both 26, spent four years living in a damp caravan before starting work on their home last summer. Made from straw bales rendered in lime and situated on land owned by Mr Hague’s parents, it took less than 12 months to build and is now said to be worth between £15,000 and £20,000. The couple said it was the only way they could afford a home of their own after prices of conventional houses in the area increased because of it being popular with tourists. Using local wood and all natural materials, they completed the house just weeks before their son Eli was born and now claim to live a self-sufficient lifestyle at the property - growing their own fruit and vegetables and rearing their own animals. However, they now face having to bulldoze their unique home – which looks like something Bilbo Baggins would be proud of – following an ongoing planning dispute with Pembrokeshire County Council. The authority told the couple that without planning permission they would have to tear it down, so the pair applied retrospectively a year ago hoping the Welsh Government’s ‘One Planet Development Policy’ - which encourages sustainable development - would persuade planners to let them keep their home. Charlie Hague and Megan Williams, both 26, spent £15,000 building the roundhouse and completed it just weeks before their son Eli was born. They said it was the only way they could get on the property ladder . Made from straw bales rendered in lime and situated on land owned by Mr Hague's parents, it took less than 12 months to build and is now said to be worth between £15,000 and £20,000 . But planning officers have now recommended the couple’s application is refused and that their eco-friendly house is razed to the ground. Planning officials said: ‘The proposal represents an unjustified residential development in countryside. ‘Despite its relatively low visual impact it erodes the rural character of its surroundings and represents an unsustainable form of development.’ The couple, who launched an online campaign to keep their home which has been backed by 90,000 people from all over the world, have vowed to carry on fighting. Miss Williams said: ‘We are confident Pembrokeshire County Council will view our retrospective application fairly in line with One Planet Development guidelines. Using local wood and all natural materials, they completed the house in under 12 months and now claim to live a self-sufficient lifestyle at the property - growing their own fruit and vegetables and rearing their own animals . Planning officers have recommended the couple's retrospective application is refused and that their eco-friendly house is razed to the ground. An official said it was an 'unjustified residential development' ‘We admit the house was built without planning consent but said there was no other way for them to afford their own home. ‘We have made the best of the space available to us and there’s no way we intended to flout planning laws. ‘I know it’s not a possibility for everyone, and our situation here is unique - but if young people are to live and work in the area they need somewhere to live.’ Mr Hague added: ‘We built this house to provide our son with a healthy environment to grow up in. ‘We were born in the area, went to school here, and have lived here all our lives. We wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.’ The couple said building the eco-home was the only way they could afford a property of their own after prices of conventional houses in the area increased because of it being a popular tourist destination . The couple, who launched an online campaign to keep their home which has been backed by 90,000 people from all over the world, have vowed to carry on fighting the dispute in an attempt to keep the eco-property . A friend of the couple described the pair as ‘heartbroken’ and said: ‘The roundhouse is a thing of great beauty which they put their hearts and souls into. ‘They are a young couple who should be applauded for solving their own housing issues by creating a sustainable home out of local materials. ‘Instead they are now facing the prospect of watching it being razed to the ground.’ Pembrokeshire County Council is due to decide the fate of the property next week. | Charlie Hague and Megan Williams spent £15,000 building unique eco-home .
The pair, both 26, used only natural materials and built it within 12 months .
They said it was the only way they could afford to build or buy a family home .
However, they failed to obtain planning permission before building property .
Pair submitted retrospective application but officials recommended refusal .
They have launched an online campaign which has been backed by 90,000 . |
fe73eb97bee065e5ccab7c705a36fa2c8b2a0014 | By . Sadie Whitelocks . PUBLISHED: . 11:00 EST, 4 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 08:12 EST, 5 March 2014 . Jane Fonda has revealed that she lied about losing her virginity to friends at school because she 'wanted to fit in.' The 76-year-old New Yorker opened up about the difficulty of coming to terms with her sexuality as a teenager on the Today show this morning, but declined to divulge the exact age she first had sex. In a bid to help other young people stand up to peer pressure and feel confident about saying 'no' the veteran actress has now published a sex and relationship manual titled Being A Teen. Scroll down for video . Growing pains: Jane Fonda revealed that she lied about losing her virginity to friends at school because she 'wanted to fit in' on the Today show this morning . 'One of the things I say in the book is . often [young people] hear from their peers that everybody is "doing it". Not true,' she told Today host, Matt Lauer. 'In fact more adolescents are not engaged in sexual activity. I [lied about losing my virginity] because I wanted to fit in.' In her new book, Ms Fonda 'straight talks' about a range of topics from sexting to eating disorders. Flashback: The New Yorker (pictured here aged 28) opened up about the difficulty of coming to terms with her sexuality as a teenager on the Today show this morning, but declined to divulge the exact age she first had sex . With three children of her own - two . biological and one adopted - and two grandchildren she said she has . great insight into the problems many young people encounter. 'Today it's even more difficult for kids because of the media, . cyber bullying, sexting,' she continued. 'No is a complete sentence. Kids need to learn to say no. 'Boys and girls have right to have agency . over their bodies. 'We're such a strange nation. We're very puritanical . on one level and then yet there's a lot of sexuality in the media. You're supposed to look sexy and be the good girl.' All smiles: The thrice-married blonde is currently in a solid relationship with music producer Richard Perry - five years her junior - and says she is happier than ever . Ms Fonda has been very open about her sex life in recent years, claiming that it helps keep her young and in shape. However, . decades ago it was something that she did 'without feeling' as she was forced . to participate in a range of sexual acts, including threesomes, by her former husband . Roger Vadim. The thrice-married blonde is now in a solid relationship with music producer Richard Perry - five years her junior - and says she is happier than ever. Revealing the secrets to a healthy relationship she said on Today: 'You have . to be able to trust the person you're with. Relationship how-to: Being a Teen by Jane Fonda is published by Random House and available at Amazon.com . You should be able to feel you could tell him or her private things without them being used against you.' She added that the one thing she now values in people is 'kindness' - a quality she overlooked in her younger years. Asked if she thinks about mortality as she nears 'the big 8-0', Ms Fonda merely replied: 'All the time.' 'I think it's really important to realize we're not going to live forever. I'm not scared of dying,' she added. Being a Teen by Jane Fonda is published by Random House and available at Amazon.com . | The 76-year-old New Yorker has published a sex and relationship manual titled Being A Teen in a bid to help other young people in her position . |
fe742d41e99c966400cf2cfd37da7331fdaf754d | By . Oliver Todd . Crystal Palace are among the clubs keen on Brede Hangeland after it emerged the defender was released by Fulham via email. The departing captain had a year remaining on his deal at Craven Cottage but had his contract ripped up following relegation to the Premier League. And Hangeland claims the west Londoners gave him no warning before cutting their ties short after six-and-a-half years of service while he was enjoying an off-season holiday in the Indian Ocean. On his way: Brede Hangeland has been released by Fulham . ‘Today I received the news that Fulham has chosen to cancel my contract with the club with immediate effect,’ he said, via adviser Jon Morland. ‘I was notified of the decision via email, without anyone from the club meeting with me beforehand to discuss my contract or future at the club. ‘After six-and-a-half years of loyal and hard work, the last years as captain, I am immensely disappointed by how this was handled.’ However, Fulham say the 32-year-old knew his fate before they made their announcement. Hangeland is also understood to have . ignored requests to get in touch with manager Felix Magath and was . reluctant to commit to a future in the Championship in meetings held . last month. Head and shoulders above the rest: Stalwart Hangeland made 272 appearances for Fulham . The defender took time out of his holiday to thank Fulham’s supporters, despite the disappointing nature of his departure from the club. ‘I would like to thank the fantastic Fulham fans who I’ve got to spend the best years of my football career with. 'I have worn the white shirt with . pride at Craven Cottage. I feel I still have much to give as a football . player, and look forward to the next chapter in my career.’ The . towering Norweigan centre-back had been linked with a move to Arsenal . before signing a new three-year deal with the Cottagers in 2012 and . Palace could offer him the chance to remain in the top flight now he is a free . agent. Highlight: Hangeland helped Fulham reach the Europa League final in 2010 . | Cottagers show the door to captain after six-and-a-half years at the club .
Experienced defender claims he was informed of his fate via email .
Club claim they followed protocol and Hangeland was informed correctly .
Crystal Palace lead the chase for the Norwegian's signature . |
fe747d0dc515050e6f065d2b6f6ab2038bb2ee8b | (CNN) -- It's a famous photograph: Sophia Loren, seated at a table, looking with side-eyed concern at Jayne Mansfield's breasts, which threaten to spill out of her low-cut dress. The 1957 photo, which was taken when the Italian film star was new to Hollywood, shows Loren as shocked and frightened -- and she absolutely was, she tells Entertainment Weekly. "Listen. Look at the picture. Where are my eyes? I'm staring at her nipples because I am afraid they are about to come onto my plate," she told the magazine. "In my face you can see the fear. I'm so frightened that everything in her dress is going to blow -- BOOM! -- and spill all over the table." Loren, now 80, was 23 at the time, a beauty who'd dazzled at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival. Mansfield, perhaps known today as the mother of "Law & Order: SVU's" Mariska Hargitay, was making her name as the blonde bombshell star of "The Girl Can't Help It" and "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" She knew how to make an entrance, recalled Loren. "Paramount had organized a party for me. All of cinema was there; it was incredible," she said. "And then comes in Jayne Mansfield, the last one to come. ... She came right for my table. She knew everyone was watching." Indeed, there are a number of other photographs of Mansfield's arrival, many showing Loren smiling. But Loren says that the only one accurately showing her mood is the side-eye. She won't even sign it -- partly out of respect for Mansfield, who died in a car crash in 1967, and partly because it frankly makes her uncomfortable. "Many, many times I am given this photo to autograph it. And I never do," she said. "I don't want to have anything to do with that." Loren's memoir, "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: My Life," was released Tuesday. | Sophia Loren: Side-eye in photo showed shock, fear .
Was worried that Mansfield's nipples were "about to come onto my plate"
Loren was new to Hollywood; Mansfield was established star .
Loren's memoir was just released . |
fe74ea8e1e300a37a6ab3b1d49d387208b40e535 | LONDON, England (CNN) -- Fantasy author Terry Pratchett has admitted that he has been diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's disease -- but says he plans to continue writing his multi-million selling Discworld books. Terry Pratchett, whose books have sold more than 45 million copies worldwide in 33 languages. Pratchett, 59 -- whose books have, according to his Web site, sold more than 45 million copies worldwide in 33 languages -- suffered what he called a "phantom stroke" earlier this year. In a statement titled "an embuggerance" on the Web site of Discworld illustrator Paul Kidby, Pratchett says that he has been diagnosed with what he terms "a very rare form of early onset Alzheimer's." "I would have liked to keep this one quiet for a little while, but because of upcoming conventions and of course the need to keep my publishers informed, it seems to me unfair to withhold the news," says Pratchett, who has a strong following among fans of fantasy fiction. "All other things being equal, I expect to meet most current and, as far as possible, future commitments but will discuss things with the various organisers," he continues. "Frankly, I would prefer it if people kept things cheerful, because I think there's time for at least a few more books yet." Pratchett adds that work is continuing on his next book "Nation" and that the "basic notes are already being laid down for Unseen Academicals." In a P.S. he adds that "I would just like to draw attention to everyone reading the above that this should be interpreted as 'I am not dead'. I will, of course, be dead at some future point, as will everybody else. "I know it's a very human thing to say 'Is there anything I can do', but in this case I would only entertain offers from very high-end experts in brain chemistry." Pratchett's Discworld novels, of which 36 have been published to date, are set in a fantasy universe through which the author satirizes modern-day life. He says in a statement on his own Web site that the series "started out as a parody of all the fantasy that was around in the big boom of the early '80s, then turned into a satire on just about everything, and even I don't know what it is now." Pratchett, who began writing while a provincial newspaper journalist in the 1960s, received the Order of the British Empire "for services to literature" from the Prince of Wales in 1998. E-mail to a friend . | Multi-million selling writer has "a very rare form of early onset Alzheimer's"
Terry Pratchett says work continuing on books, plans to honor commitments .
Discworld novels are set in a fantasy universe but satirize modern day life .
Received the Order of the British Empire from the Prince of Wales in 1998 . |
fe7516fe1b2089be7a3b3900575382442dc73fee | Fashion designer Alexander McQueen loathed Victoria Beckham and 'barred her from his catwalk show because he thought she was stupid', a new tell-all book claims. The British designer, who committed suicide aged 40 in 2010, apparently banned the former pop star from wearing his clothes and turned down the chance to have her attend his catwalk show. McQueen's supposed animosity towards the established fashion designer has been outlined in Gods And Kings, a revelatory biography of McQueen and his rival, John Galliano, by Dana Thomas. Scroll down for video . British fashion designer Alexander McQueen (left), who died aged 40 in 2010, apparently banned Victoria Beckham (pictured right wearing a McQueen tartan skirt) from attending his 2001 collection show in London . Its release comes as Mrs Beckham, who has four children with husband David, continues to receive rave reviews for her latest fashion collection at New York Fashion Week. The book recalls McQueen's 2001 Voss collection show at the bus depot in Victoria, London, and reveals how it started late because actress Gwyneth Paltrow was stuck in traffic. McQueen allegedly said the show could not start until she arrived. However, author and journalist Ms Thomas claims in her book that the former Spice Girl, 40, didn't receive such treatment. She writes: 'Not all celebrities were so lucky — or respected — chez McQueen. Victoria Beckham asked to attend and he turned her down.' She claims he said: 'F****** right. At the end of the day, it's about my clothes and the hard work that everyone backstage puts into it, not about the t***** sitting in the front row lapping it up. 'And that's why I didn't let Posh Spice come to it… The stars you see at my shows, be it Gwyneth Paltrow, be it anyone else, are there because I've got a connection with them… [I design for] intelligent women.' It has also previously been claimed that McQueen was furious when he saw photographs of Mrs Beckham wearing his classic tartan skirt in 2006. In July last year, fashion stylist Archie Reed, who was McQueen's lover – on and off – for 12 years and his closest confidant, revealed that McQueen had 'exploded in fury' after seeing the picture. McQueen (left), who was found dead at his Mayfair home aged 40 in February 2010, reportedly delayed his 2001 Voss collection show in London because actress Gwyneth Paltrow (right) was stuck in traffic . The designer counted a host of famous faces among his friends including Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss . He told the Mail: 'He said: "David can wear my clothes but she can't." 'He thought David was hot, but he couldn't abide Victoria. After he saw her in his tartans he put out the word that she wasn't allowed to get any freebies any more. 'Lee didn't rate her as a fashion designer at all and used to say: "What the f*** does she know about fashion? She's a pop star, and she can't even sing." 'No matter how famous he was, he always used to say that celebrity and celebrities didn't matter to him at all.' However, despite the late fashion designer's apparent animosity towards Mrs Beckham, she has never hinted at any feud and gave a touching tribute to McQueen when he passed away. Following his death on February 10, 2010, which came just eight days after his mother Joyce passed away from kidney failure, Mrs Beckham said: 'Today, the fashion industry has lost a true great. An icon of all time. He made all he touched beautiful and will be desperately missed. 'McQueen was a master of fashion, creative genius and an inspiration. 'My heart is very much with his family and friends at this very sad time.' McQueen reportedly said that David Beckham (left) could wear his clothes but wife Victoria (right) could not . | Alexander McQueen allegedly loathed Victoria Beckham, new book claims .
Late fashion designer barred her from his 2001 show in Victoria, London .
It is claimed in book that he said: 'The stars you see at my shows are there because I've got a connection with them… [I design for] intelligent women'
McQueen was found dead, aged 40, at his Mayfair home in February 2010 . |
fe752f9963ea55b5ef86bcc0833797012996846e | By . Ap . PUBLISHED: . 00:56 EST, 16 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:46 EST, 16 August 2013 . Elvis Presley fans . from around the world made their annual pilgrimage to Graceland on . Thursday to pay their respects to the rock n' roll icon with a solemn . candlelight vigil on the 36th anniversary of his death. Thousands . of Presley fans carried lit candles as they walked silently through the . Mediation Garden at Graceland, Presley's longtime Memphis home. The . garden is the location of Presley's grave and also is the spot where his . mother, father and grandmother are buried. Wreaths . of flowers and pictures of Presley encircled the grave, while shadows . cast by the glowing candles danced along the stone wall surrounding the . garden. Soft music played in the mild night, as some in the procession . bowed their heads or cried quietly. Scroll down for video . Vigil: Police expect 35,000 people to show up at Graceland for the 36th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death . The King: This year's vigil featured a listening party at Stax Records for the recent release of the three-CD box set 'Elvis at Stax' Each year, . fans of Presley's music and movies come to Memphis for Elvis Week, the . weeklong celebration of his life and career. Presley died on Aug. 16, . 1977, of a heart attack after battling prescription drug abuse. The . vigil is the highlight of Elvis Week, which this year featured a . listening party at Stax Records for the recent release of the three-CD . box set 'Elvis at Stax.' Performances by Presley tribute artists and a . screening of the 'Aloha from Hawaii' television program from January . 1973 are other featured events of the weeklong reunion, which wraps up . Saturday. Police estimated 35,000 people would . attend the vigil. Last year, an estimated 75,000 people descended on . Graceland for the event. Elvis' ex-wife Priscilla Presley and his . daughter Lisa Marie Presley spoke at last year's event, the first time . they appeared together at the vigil since it began. Christine . Jeffords made her fifth trip to Graceland with her husband Jon and . three other members of a fan club called the Elvis Midwest Mafia, whose . members are from Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. They wore red . T-shirts with Presley's image emblazoned on a king of hearts playing . card on the front. Elvis Presley fan Jill Gibson lights candles outside Graceland, Presley's home, before the annual candlelight vigil . Uh-huh: Hundreds of fan dressed as Elvis to celebrate the life of their herp . The back of their shirts . had a quote that gives one reason why fans have made repeated trips to . Memphis for Elvis Week and the vigil: 'If you have a friend who is an . Elvis fan, you have a friend for life.' 'Where . else can you go where you meet people from year to year who have the . same passion?' said Christine Jeffords, a pre-school teacher from . Traverse City, Mich. Jeffords, 52, smiles when . she talks about buying her first Presley 45, 'Let Yourself Go,' which . she bought as a young teen with money she had saved from babysitting . jobs. She said the vigil is a way to remember not only his career, but . also his giving personality and ability to make people happy with his . music. 'If you were sad or happy or whatever, . he was such a big part of your life,' Jeffords said. 'I always felt in . my heart that he was a good person, a beautiful person.' The . vigil started as an informal gathering the year after his death. It has . blossomed into a major tourist event. Fans begin lining up along the . outer wall of Graceland about 12 hours before the vigil, and many will . stay until the early morning hours of the next day. The . event also has become an international affair and a tribute to the . Tupelo, Miss., native's worldwide popularity, hosting fans from . Australia, Brazil, England and Japan and other foreign countries. 'I always felt in my heart that he was a good person, a beautiful person,' 52-year-old Christine Jeffords said of Presley . Dedicated: Fans show up at Graceland about 12 hours before the vigil, and many will stay until the early morning hours of the next day . Miguel . Salinas Caceres, 53, came with other members of a fan club whose . members are from Chile. Making his first visit to Graceland, Salinas . Caceres recalled making scrapbooks of newspaper article clippings about . Presley when he was a teen. The articles and . scrapbooks were a way he and his family followed and learned about . Presley because they could not afford a record player or even the . records themselves. He said his family used to pay a neighbor who owned a . television so that they could watch Presley movies and other TV . programs at the neighbors' house. 'For a . person who is an Elvis fan and has the chance to come to the place he . lived, it's emotional for me,' said Salinas Caceres, of Santiago, Chile. 'It's hard to believe that I'm here on the street where he walked, the . street corners where he stood, the restaurants where he ate.' His . fellow fan club member Rodrigo Gandarillas, a native Chilean who now . lives in Houston, is on his second visit to Graceland. An Elvis tribute . artist himself, the 39-year-old Gandarillas said the vigil is a way to . give thanks for the enjoyment Presley has given him. 'The . thing that impacts me the most about the vigil is the large amount of . people from different countries, different races and different languages . who understand `the King's' musical message,' Gandarillas said. | Thousands .
of Presley fans carried lit candles as they walked silently through the .
Mediation Garden at Graceland .
Each year, .
fans of Presley's music and movies come to Memphis for Elvis Week, the .
weeklong celebration of his life and career .
Last year, an estimated 75,000 people descended on .
Graceland for the event . |
fe754481458f9abac0fe408686cee5b06e5640dc | By . Paul Bentley . PUBLISHED: . 09:40 EST, 18 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:50 EST, 19 December 2012 . Refused: Sally Roberts, 37, pictured outside the High Court yesterday, told a judge that she did not want her son Neon, 7, to receive surgery on a brain tumour . The boy snatched by his mother to save him from the ordeal of cancer treatment will have brain surgery today against her wishes. A judge ordered yesterday that seven-year-old Neon Roberts must be operated on ‘as soon as possible’. A doctor told the court that without treatment it was highly likely the child would die ‘after a relatively short period of time’. But Sally Roberts has refused to give her consent because she does not trust British doctors and fears her son will suffer long-term side effects from treatment. Mrs Roberts, 37, wants to seek second opinions from abroad and argued it is her ‘human right’ to decide what is best for Neon. But in the High Court yesterday, Mr Justice Bodey said: ‘We do not have the luxury of time. I am quite satisfied that surgery is in his best interests.’ Last night Neon was given his Christmas presents early before being taken to hospital. He was diagnosed two months ago with a medulloblastoma tumour, which doctors believed they had removed in full during a nine-hour operation on October 25. But Mrs Roberts refused to let her son receive radiotherapy following the first operation, and recent MRI scans picked up a growth of 1.5cm squared – either regrowth or residual tumour. Her estranged husband Ben, 34, wrote a statement to the judge saying he was in support of surgery and is said to be ‘anxious’ it is performed as soon as possible. After yesterday’s verdict, Mrs Roberts, . who triggered a national search when she went on the run with her son . two weeks ago, said she understood why the judge made the ruling, but . added: ‘Should this be my decision as his mother? Of course it should . be. It is a human rights issue. ‘I’m not keeping this case going, spending taxpayers’ money, for . nothing. I believe in this. Death by doctor – people need to understand . how big a problem it is. I couldn’t forgive myself if I did nothing.’ The operation carries a risk of between 10 and 25 per cent that Neon . will be left mute. But despite experts unanimously reporting that his . cancer has returned and warning that he may have only two or three . months to live without treatment, Mrs Roberts said she believed doctors . were over-emphasising how ‘sick’ he is. ‘Everyone is talking of me depriving him of treatment, saying my son is . going to die. It is simply not true but everyone believes it,’ she . added. Scroll down for video . Decision: A judge ruled that Neon, left, should undergo further surgery on a brain tumour. His mother Sally Roberts, centre, told the court she is opposed to the surgery. Neon's twin Electra is pictured right . Siblings: The High Court was forced to rule on Neon's case, pictured with his twin sister Electra, after repeated delays to treatment . Opposition: Sally Roberts has expressed concerns that radiotherapy may damage her son Neon in the long-term, potentially affecting his IQ and fertility . Neon Roberts faces brain surgery today . ‘He’s running about, wanting to play. But the surgery will take it out . of him. The operation will affect his movement, balance, his speech. It . can sometimes cause the cancer to spread.’ She insisted that she was not fighting simply on mother’s intuition, . saying: ‘This is not something I just think. This is something I know. I . have researched this.’ She said her estranged husband opposed her actions because he had not . done enough research on the subject. Mrs Roberts, who wants Neon to be . treated with alternative medicine such as oxygen therapy, insisted . ‘death by doctor’ was a ‘bigger problem than terrorism’. She argued that the only evidence cited in court in favour of . radiotherapy was a study on a small number of infants from the 1940s, . and claimed to have found studies from abroad which prove radiotherapy . is often unnecessary. A doctor in court said he was not familiar with . the research. Mrs Roberts dismissed her legal team minutes before court yesterday . because she did not believe they had enough faith in her case. She has . since hired renowned human rights lawyer Imran Khan, best known for . representing the family of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence. In court: Sally Roberts, 37, pictured left at a previous court hearing, has been battling with her estranged husband, Ben, 34, pictured right, over the treatment of their son Neon . The mother-of-two, who is originally from New Zealand, had asked the . court to postpone a decision on surgery until she could seek second . opinions from Russia, Germany, China and the United States. She had earlier consented to the operation but changed her mind on the . morning of yesterday’s hearing, and said she believes the growth spotted . on recent MRI scans could be scar tissue. Doctors treating Neon, however, claim he has already been . ‘disadvantaged’ by the delays in his treatment. Mr Justice Bodey said he . had sympathy with Mrs Roberts, but added: ’Putting all those risks in . the balance . . . in the unhappy position [Neon] now finds himself, I am . quite satisfied that surgery is in his best interests.’ After spending today in hospital with Neon, Mrs Roberts will tomorrow . return to the High Court to try to prevent her son being given . radiotherapy in January. Public: Mrs Roberts has spoken widely to the press about why she went on the run with her son, pictured here appearing on ITV's Daybreak . Neon Roberts, 7, pictured, is suffering from a recurrence of his brain tumour, the court heard . VIDEO Sally adamantly told Daybreak she didn't want Neon to have operation . | High Court rules Neon Roberts needs surgery on brain tumour .
His mother tells court she does not consent to the operation .
Doctors tell court that he would inevitably die if untreated .
Mother previously disappeared with child after opposing the treatment . |
fe75628b1acc104d024218cdfec399bc9512b25f | Manchester United decided to cut their losses on two of Sir Alex Ferguson's worst flops on deadline day as Anderson and Wilfried Zaha were both pushed through the Old Trafford exit door. Anderson, who sealed a £25.7million move to Manchester United back in 2007, was allowed to leave Louis van Gaal's side on a free transfer in order to complete a move back to his native Brazil. Zaha was also allowed to return to familiar surroundings as he rejoined Crystal Palace for a fee around £6m. Manchester United midfielder Anderson has left Old Trafford after spending eight years at the club . Anderson, pictured with Robin van Persie, has joined Brazilian outfit Internacional . Wilfried Zaha completed a deadline-day switch back to Palace after failing to make the grade at Old Trafford . Zaha sealed a permanent switch back to SE25 by signing a five-and-a-half year deal to rejoin the Eagles . The 22-year-old will go down in history as Ferguson's last signing at the Red Devils but he did not have the chance of working under the Scotsman before the former manager's retirement in 2013. Here, Sportsmail provides a countdown of Ferguson's worst 10 signings during his outstanding 26-year reign at Manchester United. 10 - Zoran Tosic (£7million) January 2009 - June 2010 . Appearances: 4 . Goals: 0 . Ferguson decided to fork out £7m on Serbian winger Tosic in January 2009 as he went in search of a long-term replacement for Ryan Giggs. The former Manchester United manager claimed he had been monitoring Tosic for a number of years but the player, now 27, failed to live up to expectations at Old Trafford. Tosic was shipped out on loan to Cologne before eventually completing a move to CSKA Moscow for an undisclosed fee. Former Manchester United winger Zoran Tosic did not score a goal during his time at the club . 9 - David Bellion (£3m) July 2003 - May 2006 . Appearances: 40 . Goals: 8 . Bellion was billed as the 'next Thierry Henry' when he arrived at Old Trafford as a 20-year-old striker. Manchester United beat off fierce competition to sign the Frenchman from Sunderland back in July 2003 on a Bosman before eventually having to pay £3m in compensation. However, Bellion joined Bordeaux after struggling to cope with the demands of life at Old Trafford. David Bellion scored just eight goals in 40 appearances at Manchester United . 8 - Juan Sebastian Veron (£28.1m) July 2001 - August 2003 . Appearances: 82 . Goals: 11 . Veron failed to establish himself in English football after moving to Manchester United for just shy of £30m. Ferguson said Veron 'was a world-class footballer' who would bring 'a personality to the team', however, the big-money signing disrupted the balance of Manchester United's midfield. The former Lazio and Parma playmaker, who was sold to Chelsea in 2003, was unable to form a successful partnership with then Manchester United stars Roy Keane and Paul Scholes. Juan Sebastian Veron (centre) failed to form a successful midfield partnership with Roy Keane (right) 7 - Kleberson (£6.5m) August 2003 - August 2005 . Appearances: 30 . Goals: 2 . Brazilian World Cup winner Kleberson was unveiled as a Manchester United player on the same day as Cristiano Ronaldo. The central midfielder was seen as the big-name signing along alongside the relatively unknown Ronaldo - but we all know which player proved to be the better purchase. Kleberson was signed to replace Veron, but he proved to be just as bad. Kleberson joined Manchester United for £6.5m on the same day as a certain Cristiano Ronaldo . 6 - Wilfried Zaha (£15m) - January 2013 - February 2015 . Appearances: 4 . Goals: 0 . Zaha was afforded just 28 minutes of Premier League football to show he was worthy of rubbing shoulders with the likes of Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Co. The England international failed to impress both David Moyes and Van Gaal during his brief stint at United. Ferguson's last signing will be hoping to prove the doubters wrong at former club Palace after sealing a permanent move back to Selhurst Park. Zaha has returned to Crystal Palace after failing to hold down a regular spot at Old Trafford . 5 - Ralph Milne (£170,000) - November 1988 - June 1991 . Appearances: 23 . Goals: 2 . Ferguson plucked Milne from Bristol City for a mere £170,000 but has openly stated that the Scottish midfielder was one of his worst buys. Speaking in November 2009, Ferguson said: 'I only paid £170,000 but still get condemned for it.' Milne was unable to find another professional club after leaving United on a permanent basis. Ferguson brought fellow countryman Ralph Milne to Old Trafford for £170,000 in November 1988 . 4 - Eric Djemba-Djemba (£3.5m) - July 2003 - January 2005 . Appearances: 39 . Goals: 2 . 'He's so good they named him twice,' was the phrase which was circling around United's messageboards when Ferguson signed the defensive midfielder from Nantes. Djemba-Djemba was seen as a potential long-term replacement for Keane but he spent the majority of his Old Trafford career on the bench. The fact that Djemba-Djemba is now playing for Persebaya Surabaya in Indonesia tells you all you need to know about his failure to establish himself in Europe. Eric Djemba-Djemba, pictured with Thierry Henry, is among Ferguson's worst purchases . 3 - Massimo Taibi (£4.5m) - August 1999 - July 2000 . Appearances: 4 . Ferguson's biggest failure in the transfer market was being unable to find a suitable replacement for Peter Schmeichel. Taibi was by far the worst he signed in an attempt to fill the gigantic void following the Great Dane's departure. He is remembered for his appalling error against Southampton in September 1999 and for conceding five goals against Chelsea in his final appearance for the Red Devils. Italian goalkeeper Massimo Taibi made several high-profile blunders during his brief stint at the Red Devils . 2 - Anderson (£26m) - July 2007 - February 2015 . Appearances: 179 . Goals: 9 . Ferguson launched a £26m move for Anderson after his brother Martin said he was 'better than Rooney'. The Brazilian's potential was clear to see with the midfielder putting in fine performances against the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool during the early stages of his United career. However Anderson, who was billed as the next Scholes, struggled with fitness during his time in Manchester and has now returned to Brazil after his contract was cancelled. Anderson (right) struggled for form and fitness during his eight-year spell at Manchester United . 1 - Bebe (£7m) - August 2010 - July 2014 . Appearances: 7 . Goals: 1 . Ferguson reportedly beat off competition from La Liga giants Real Madrid to sign Bebe - the first player he signed without watching extensive video footage of. A Manchester United scout was 'adamant' that Ferguson had to move quickly to conclude a deal for the Portuguese forward due to Real Madrid's interest. Bebe recently said 'I thought Manchester United were joking' when they made a move for him in August 2010, which shows just how bizarre his transfer to the Theatre of Dreams proved to be. Bebe (centre) recently revealed he thought Manchester United were joking when they made a move for him . | Anderson and Wilfried Zaha have left United after failing to make the grade .
Sir Alex Ferguson forked out £26million on Anderson back in July 2007 .
Zaha will go down in history as Ferguson's last signing at Man United .
Bebe and Kleberson among stars who turned out to be Old Trafford flops .
CLICK HERE for the latest Manchester United news . |
fe75a32265bd52a5c8f7a0155dcda5927ae5c563 | Manchester United have been paired against League Two outfit Cambridge United in the draw for the fourth round of the FA Cup. Louis van Gaal side's will travel to Abbey Stadium in late January as the Dutchman aims to end United's 11-year wait to get their hands on the FA Cup. The Red Devils progressed to the third round with a 2-0 win against League One side Yeovil Town and they have been handed another away trip to a Football League outfit. Angel di Maria and his Manchester United team-mates will face League Two outfit Cambridge United . Luke Chadwick, pictured with Roy Keane (left) and Nicky Butt (right) in 2001, will face his former side . Cambridge midfielder Chadwick (right) has dropped down the leagues since leaving Old Trafford in 2004 . January's clash at the Abbey Stadium will see ex-Manchester United midfielder Luke Chadwick face his former side. Elsewhere, holders Arsenal will travel down to the south coast to take on Chris Hughton's Brighton after defeating fellow 2014 FA Cup finalists Hull City at the weekend. Southampton will host Crystal Palace in one of two potential all-Premier League ties of the round if they can eliminate Ipswich Town in a replay at Portman Road. The only other all-Premier League tie will see Burnley or Tottenham face Premier League strugglers Leicester. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho (left) could come up against Ian Holloway's Millwall . Emile Heskey (left), pictured in 2003, will return to Anfield as Bolton have been paired with Liverpool . One of the ties of the round could be an all-London affair between Chelsea and Millwall if Ian Holloway's side can win their replay against Bradford. New West Brom manager Tony Pulis will be hoping he can win his first derby match since taking over the reins at The Hawthorns when his side travel to St Andrew's to take on Birmingham. Emile Heskey will make a return to Anfield following Liverpool's win at AFC Wimbledon. The draw was made by Lawrie Sanchez and local grassroots football coach Stef Loucaides at the Cherry Red Records Stadium before Liverpool's third round match against AFC Wimbledon. Following Everton's 1-1 draw with West Ham at Goodison Park and Scunthorpe's 2-2 draw against Chesterfield on Tuesday night, both will be replayed a week later on January 13. Southampton/Ipswich vs Crystal Palace . Cambridge vs Manchester United . Blackburn vs Swansea . Chelsea vs Millwall/Bradford . Derby vs Scunthorpe/Chesterfield . Preston vs Sheffield United . Birmingham City vs West Brom . Aston Villa vs Bournemouth . Cardiff vs Reading . Liverpool vs Bolton . Burnley/Tottenham vs Leicester . Brighton vs Arsenal . Rochdale vs Stoke . Sunderland vs Fulham/Wolves . Doncaster/Bristol City vs Everton/West Ham . Manchester City vs Middlesbrough . Ties to be played across the weekend of January 24 and 25 . Former Wimbledon midfielder Lawrie Sanchez picked out the away teams . | Cambridge, the lowest side in the competition, will host Manchester United .
Richard Money's side are 14th in League Two .
FA Cup fourth-round clash will see Luke Chadwick face his former side .
Holders Arsenal face tricky test on the south coast against Brighton .
Emile Heskey will return to Anfield as Bolton are paired with Liverpool .
Everton's 1-1 draw with West Ham at Goodison Park and Scunthorpe's 2-2 draw against Chesterfield will be replayed on Tuesday January 13 . |
fe75fd183eab84ee9e4a99ab8dba430ceba3c939 | By . David Kent . Samir Nasri has been winding down his stress-free summer with his girlfriend Anara Atanes before he returns for Manchester City training just two days after his country were knocked out of the World Cup. The 27-year-old playmaker was left out of Didier Deschamps' France squad and it should be City that reap the rewards with Nasri at his freshest ahead of what is likely to be another tough campaign battling on four fronts at home and in Europe. And Nasri looks well rested in a photo posted by his girlfriend Anara on Instagram. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Nasri close to contract extension . This is the end: Nasri enjoys the last of his summer break before returning for pre season training with City . The midfielder appears to be chilling out, shirtless, in his car with his model partner by his side. And Pellegrini will surely be excited at the prospect of having one of last season's City stars back in tip-top condition after a strenuous summer for most of his squad out in Brazil. Nasri is expected to return to training on Monday alongside City's other holidaying stars including Stevan Jovetic and Alvaro Negredo. Happy days: Nasri and Atanes pose for a photo during their summer break together . Delighted: Atanes and Nasri pose with the Premier League title after City's win against West Ham . VIDEO Nasri close to contract extension . | Midfielder is to report for training with Manuel Pellegrini on Monday .
His girlfriend posts snap of herself and topless Nasri on Instagram .
Frenchman had the summer off after not being selected for the World Cup . |
fe760ae2f352cb9709ad11b7128b462539ad89bd | New York (CNN) -- High-end clothing retailer Juicy Couture shut the doors of its Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan, New York, after employees discovered bedbugs there. The 15,000-square-foot clothing store closed Tuesday but is expected to reopen Friday, after an exterminating company removes and treats all of its merchandise. It's the latest bedbug problem to affect stores and hotels across the city. Employees discovered the bugs after hours Monday, company spokesman Joseph Assad said. Juicy Couture is owned by Liz Claiborne Inc., a New York-based fashion company. Customers affected by the outbreak may make returns to the store, Assad said. "Our primary concern is to our customers, store employees and their well-being." The retailer's three other stores in the city were also tested as a precaution, but no bedbugs were found at any of those locations, he said. The average bedbug is a wingless blood-sucking insect that grows up to 7 millimeters (a little more than a quarter inch) in length, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bugs leave itchy bite marks on the skin, and some people are allergic to them. Calls to exterminators concerning bedbugs have increased 81 percent since 2000, according to the National Pest Management Association, which conducted the 2010 Comprehensive Global Bed Bug Study with the University of Kentucky. Last month, lawmakers and industry leaders met in Washington to discuss the outbreak at the Congressional Bedbug Forum, hosted by Reps. G.K. Butterfield, D-North Carolina, and Don Young, R-Alaska. | The clothing company temporarily closed its Fifth Avenue store .
The store is expected to reopen Friday, after an exterminator's treatment .
Bedbug-related exterminator calls have increased 81 percent since 2000, study says . |
fe7629a96ce34ccafca7dc9c48b33d0de886eb2f | An alleged Islamic hate preacher has been arrested over claims he is the terror mastermind who recruited the two Austrian jihad 'poster girls' and more than 160 others who joined ISIS. Samra Kesinovic, 17, and Sabina Selimovic, 16, became radicalised through the cell led by unemployed benefits claimant Ebu Tejma, 33, who lived with his pregnant wife and five children in a council flat in Vienna, Austria. It was stuffed with jewellery, cash and savings books worth a fortune when it was stormed by Austria's elite heavily-armed police special forces team WEGA. Scroll down for video . Poster girls: Samra Kesinovic, 17, (left) and Sabina Selimovic, 16, (right) became radicalised through the cell led by unemployed benefits claimant Ebu Tejma . A picture believed to show Sabina Selimovic, 15, with jihadi fighters in Syria: An interview given by the Austrian teenager saying how she feels 'she can really be free' among the extremists may have been given at gunpoint. It is claimed they now want to return home - but it is too late . The valuables had all been provided by Muslims radicalised by the preacher and his cronies in a network that reportedly extended across the country and into the rest of Europe. His arrest has been seen as a major blow against the terrorist group's activities. According to security forces, Ebu Tejma, whose real name is Mirsad Omerovic, not only recruited the two girls that became the public face of jihad - but was also involved in a further 166 defections of European youngsters to fight in holy war. It's also claimed he raised a 'significant' amount of cash for terrorists. Security service insiders claim that he was not only one of 200 leading jihadists, but was also one of the leaders of the so called 'Bosnian cell' based in the Meidling district of Vienna that was 'one of the most important logistic and financial support centres for jihadist activities in Europe', according to a 'Vecernje novosti', a local newspaper in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Austria has been concerned for years over fears that the country was becoming a hub for terrorist activities after inviting thousands of Muslim refugees into the country during the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. The moved provided a fertile breeding ground for Ebu Tejma and his network. The influential Austrian newspaper the Krone, claimed that 'there was scarcely a single recruit in Europe for Jihad in which he and his group were not involved'. Originally from the small Serbian town of Tutin, Tejma was known in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a preacher of hatred and intolerance, who very soon found himself allied with the extreme form of Islam known as Wahabism. According to Austrian anti-terrorism authorities, Tejma appeared on their radar more than three years ago, when he began uploading videos onto his YouTube channel. Hate preacher: Tejma would approach fathers at Friday prayers and tell them it was their duty to provide wives for fighters in Iraq and Syria, it is claimed . Although officially unemployed, he was observed driving expensive fast cars. For the past two years, intelligence officials have been tapping his communications, monitoring his phone calls and building up a picture of his network - which then prompted the arrests on Friday November 28. One of those connections is allegedly a direct line to the caliph of ISIS terrorism, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Investigators saw a constant stream of Salafist Muslims while monitoring the Altun Alem mosque during their operation on Tejma. Salafism is the fastest-growing Islamic movement in the world. It is rooted in the 19th century where it emerged as a way of combating the spread of European ideas and values. But in recent years, it has come to be associated with the jihad of extremist groups that advocate the killing of innocent civilians. Security services recorded a constant stream of Salafist preachers, often accompanied by Mujahedin fighters travelling up from Bosnia and Herzegovina, to the mosque and the imam has been appearing in online videos revealing that it is every Muslim's duty to join jihad if an Islamic state is under attack from non-believers. It is not even necessary to ask parents for permission, because even that normally essential parental duty takes second place to the duty to fight. This is exactly what happened in the case of Samra and Sabina, who left only a note for their worried parents. It was at underground mosques like these that the teenage girls were recruited and the signs were there that they were in danger even before they fled. Messages painted on the walls at school urging fellow believers to follow the call to jihad were traced back to the girls. Nobody heeded that warning until their parents discovered the notes in their bedrooms. 'Don't look for us, we have gone to fight in the holy war.' Vanished: The girls disappeared one day and just left notes to their parents in their bedrooms. 'Don't look for us, we have gone to fight in the holy war', they read . Jihadi brides: The two girls in their new life in a pic posted online. They attended sermons given by Tejma . Meanwhile, Samra and Sabina attended Tejma's sermons - in which he said it was a woman's duty to support men fighting jihad. Tejma would even approach fathers attending Friday prayers to tell them that he had many contacts looking for wives. Samra and Sabina were radicalised within a few short months and travelled to Syria to marry jihadists.Both girls have now revealed they made a mistake, and desperately want to return home. But they are married already, and also both reportedly pregnant, so the chances of ever returning home or indeed seeing their parents seem remote. Tejma and 12 others were picked up in the raids involving hundreds of officers. They have been remanded in custody for a further two weeks while the investigations continue. According to state prosecutor Hansjoerg Bacher, the charges they are being investigated over are on suspicion of membership of a terrorist organisation, in 'connection with the recruiting of young people for the civil war in Syria'. The lawyer for Tejma denies all the charges while police and prosecutors sift through the evidence, and begin questioning his associates. Publicly they say they have struck a major blow against a likely terrorist network - but the arresting officers are clearly worried that there may be others at large. | Ebu Tejma, 33, who lived in Vienna on benefits arrested over claims he recruited 166 young Europeans to join jihad for ISIS .
Includes Samra Kesinovic, 17 and Sabina Selimovic, 16, who became ISIS 'poster girls' after they ran away to become brides for terror fighters .
Tejma is also accused of raising 'significant' amount of cash for ISIS . |
fe7693088acfe8ef80d4ad972bf221b3e4d21e34 | (CNN) -- While this year's Super Bowl commercials ran the gamut from sentimental to silly, some were downright offensive to viewers who used the Twitter hashtag #NotBuyingIt to flag what they considered the most sexist spots of the night. Web host GoDaddy.com earned more than 7,500 #NotBuyingIt tweets for its ad featuring an intimate smooch between supermodel Bar Refaeli and a bespectacled computer programmer, putting it at the top of the list of offenders, according to Miss Representation, the social activism nonprofit leading the Twitter campaign for the second year. The "Perfect Match" and its "smart meets sexy" tagline drew criticism from men and women for "stereotyping programmers and objectifying women" in the words of one male Twitter user. "@GoDaddy, continuing the tired stereotype that programmers are geeks, while women are sex objects. Disgusting," a female user tweeted. Overall, #NotBuyingIt generated more than 10,000 tweets and reached more than 8 million people on Twitter during Sunday's Ravens-49ers showdown, a spokesman for Miss Representation said, citing statistics from Topsy and Hashtag.org. Two days after the Super Bowl, the ads continue to generate conversation and controversy. "Love 'em or hate 'em, you have to admit Go Daddy's Super Bowl ads are effective," begins one story published Tuesday on news that the domain name provider had its biggest sales day in history after its Super Bowl campaign. 'God made a farmer' ad stirs pride, passion in agriculture . Others continued to criticize some of Sunday night's ads for playing on typical gender stereotypes, promoting sexual assault and making the Super Bowl into a less than family-friendly event. "The #superbowl commercials are a window into American culture & values. Today, try to pay attention to what (they're) telling you," one user said in a comment that was retweeted more than 230 times. In response, another person tweeted: "(Let's) just enjoy the game. No academics. PLS:-):-)" In a statement Monday, GoDaddy.com said it embraced "commercial controversy" even if some viewers deemed the content "inappropriate." CBS rejected two "edgier" versions of the spot, and the final version earned more than 4 million views on YouTube before the game even started, the company said. "We're not going to apologize for 'The Kiss,' " CEO Blake Irving said. "It's sparking conversations. It was approved by network Standards and Practices and it uses humor to illustrate the point about how powerful a combination 'sexy' and 'smart' are. Personally, I think it's hilarious." GoDaddy.com wasn't the only company to earn the #NotBuyingIt designation. The main goal of the campaign is to make consumers think twice about their purchasing power, said Imran Siddiquee, social media coordinator of MissRepresentation.org. But, as the response to the GoDaddy spot showed, the campaign not only highlights demeaning portrayals of women but also the limited depiction of manhood on display in most Super Bowl commercials, he said. Breaking down Super Bowl tech ads . "Masculinity in America is so very narrowly defined, and it's an interesting juxtaposition to have that conversation during the Super Bowl," Siddiquee said. Viewers have come to expect women seductively devouring fast food or throwing themselves at men during Super Bowl commercials, he said. But more surprising was the reaction to ads featuring what Siddiquee called more "subtle" forms of sexism, such as Audi's "Prom" ad, which showed a teen boy strutting onto the dance floor, grabbing a girl and pulling her in for a kiss. "(S)top teaching our boys that bravery is kissing a girl you've never talked to & that girls are simply objects or rewards," one person tweeted. A spokesman for Audi said the prom queen's reaction to the kiss was meant to indicate there was history between the two, showing that "in no way was the kiss something less than mutual." "While trying to tell a complete story within the 60-second format, much of the backstory has to be implied or set up off-camera," the spokesman said in an e-mail. After the kiss, another prom-goer, presumably the girl's date, lunges at the guy and punches him in the face. Change scene to the protagonist driving away in his Audi with a bruised eye. "So getting punched in the face makes someone a man?" another person tweeted. KIA, Mercedes-Benz and Fiat USA were also targeted for ads playing the "nice car = get the girls" trope, in the words of one person. "Hey @MBUSA More WOMEN drive than men AND we influence 85% of car buying decisions. Stop the sexist ads," @WellVersedMom said. The lesson of the evening? As one person put it: "What have I learned from #SuperBowl ads? Women = robots, objects, strippers & showgirls. Violent men are brave. Hmm what else???" Miss Representation compiled its favorite tweets and viewpoints into a Storify summarizing reaction. Mobile users who can't see the Storify below should click here. . Follow Emanuella Grinberg on Twitter . | Viewers use Twitter hashtag #NotBuyingIt to call out what they saw as offensive TV spots .
GoDaddy's ad featuring model kissing programmer biggest offender among hashtag users .
Twitter campaign's purpose to raise consumer awareness about purchasing power .
Campaign highlights limited depiction of masculinity in Super Bowl ads, activist says . |
fe76fe57cac7fa8b9be287b8e1d76647a051c8f1 | Legend: Radio personality, Casey Kasem, attends the Golden Dads Awards ceremony at the Peterson Automotive Museum on June 15, 2005 in Los Angeles, California . The widow of radio icon Casey Kasem has been dumped by a second set of attorneys, the MailOnline can reveal. According to documents filed with the Superior Court in Pierce County, Washington, Jean Kasem was let go by Seattle based law firm Ryan, Swanson and Cleveland. The firm was representing Jean in a legal battle over her dead husband’s remains after Casey’s daughter Kerri blocked moves by Jean to have her father cremated. This comes after another legal group last week dumped Jean and is suing the former actress for not paying their fees. LA based Haney & Young claims it entered a contract on June 5 with Jean, who they allege ignored subsequent bills. The firm represented her in the fight to keep Casey on life-support while he was in hospital. According to TMZ the lawyers claim Jean rarely responds to their emails - and refuses to communicate by phone. She's also ignored mounting fees against Casey's Estate which they say could end up totaling $500,000. Battle: Kerri Kasem, (right), the daughter of the radio personality Casey Kasem, appears in Kitsap County Superior Court, along with Casey Kasem's wife Jean Kasem, (second from left), and their attorneys in Port Orchard, Washington . A private investigator hired by Casey’s daughter Kerri to investigate Jean said she is 'out-of-control' and rapidly losing support. Logan Clarke told MailOnline: ‘Jean is out-of-control and has now been dumped by all of her attorneys, she’s flying without a plane. ‘She’s been playing games with the family and dragging them through court but she’s losing any support she had, soon she’ll be all alone.’ Casey Kasem passed away June 16 at the age of 82 following a battle with dementia and Lewy body disease. His declining health sparked a bitter family feud over his care and treatment. In October 2013, Kasem’s children with his former wife, actress Linda Myers, as well as Kasem’s brother and a business associate, went public. Feud: Jean Kasem with her husband, Casey Kasem (left) is battling the radio icon's daughter, Kerri, (right) for control of his body . The group held a protest outside Kasem’s home, alleging Jean wouldn’t let any of them see Casey and had been rebuffed in their efforts for three months. In May 2014, Jean told a judge that Casey was no longer in the United States, however, he turned up several days later in Washington state. On June 6, a Washington state court recognized the legal rights of Casey’s eldest children to see their father and gave daughter Kerri full conservator control of his affairs. Haney & Young initially won a ruling on Jean’s behalf that same month, when a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered the legendary broadcaster to continue to be cared for at the Washington state hospital. Family: Casey Kasem and his first wife, Linda Myers with the couple's daughter, Kerri . That decision was reversed two days later when the judge authorized Kerri to remove her father from life support. Casey, the radio host of America's Top 40 and voice of animated television characters like Scooby-Doo's sidekick Shaggy, died June 15 at a hospital in Gig Harbor, Washington. Kerri asked a Pierce County Superior Court judge for authorization to seek an autopsy on her father as well as a temporary restraining order to ensure his body was held in cold storage and not cremated until that autopsy is completed. But since winning the order Kerri and the rest of the Kasem family have no clue where Casey’s body has been taken. It’s believed it was moved from a funeral home in Washington to one in Montreal, Canada. The Santa Monica police department is currently investigating claims of elder abuse against Casey in his final months. | Entertainment legend's widow dropped by lawyers for battling for control of his body .
Jean Kasem let go by Seattle firm and described as 'flying without a plane' in her battle for Kasem's remains . |
fe774130c27c5a355687c9496dab3eb18ec81af8 | The U.S. military has decided against rebuilding the entire Iraqi army and will instead focus on training a handful of brigades to take on Islamic radicals, initiating a shift in the Pentagon's decade-long approach to the handling the country. 'The idea is, at least in the first instance, to try and build a kind of leaner, meaner Iraqi army,' a senior U.S. official told the Washington Post. Officials who spoke to the Post on the condition of anonymity said the military plans to create nine new Iraqi army brigades of up to 45,000 light-infantry soldiers over the course of the next two months and team them with other Kurdish and Shiite fighters. Scroll down for video . Iraqi security forces march on the outskirts of Najaf, south of Baghdad last week. The U.S. military has altered its plans to train and equip all Iraqi forces to fight ISIS and will instead focus on readying nine select brigades to take on the terrorist group . At the height of the U.S. occupation of the country, Iraq boasted 400,000 combat forces. But the number of able troops had dwindled down to roughly half that by last summer, the Post said. In September Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that U.S. military assessors had discovered that 24 of the Iraqi army's existing 50 brigades were not fit to fight because of their sectarian differences. The remaining 26 brigades didn't have the right training and equipment, Dempsey admitted, making it impossible for the nation to properly defend itself against ISIS. The Washington Post said Thursday that an updated count conducted by Michael Knights, a fellow with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, now puts the number of active brigades at just 36. In any case, the country isn't currently equipped to launch an offensive against ISIS that would allow it to retake its largest city, Mosul. That sort of a mission would require roughly 80,000 soldiers, Dempsey has said. In September he suggested that a time may come when U.S. ground forces would be needed to supplement Iraqi forces if they underwent a major incursion to retake Mosul but has made it clear he's made no such recommendation to the president. As of the beginning of November the U.S. had 1,400 non-combat troops in Iraq serving as advisers with the option to send in up to 1,700 more under the direction of President Barack Obama. Obama has ruled out putting American combat boots on the ground to the irritation of lawmakers who would like to see the U.S. take a more aggressive role in the Middle Eastern conflict. Instead, he has asked for $5.6 billion from Congress to fund his current military campaign against ISIS, including $1.6 billion to train and equip Iraqi and Kurdish forces. The Pentagon said at the time of the request that additional troops and money sent in to Iraq would aid in the creation of 'two expeditionary advise-and-assist operations centers, in locations outside of Baghdad and Irbil, to provide support for the Iraqis at the brigade headquarters level and above. 'These centers will be supported by an appropriate array of force protection,' Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby said in a statement. Kirby also also claimed that U.S. Central Command would 'establish several sites across Iraq that will accommodate the training of 12 Iraqi brigades, specifically nine Iraqi army and three [Kurdish] Peshmerga brigades.' The Washington Post reported Thursday that the U.S. also has high hopes for the creation of a 'national guard' of Iraqi, Shiite and Kurdish peshmerga forces similar to a 2006-2007 program initiative by the U.S. that would be managed by the Iraqi government. The formation of a national guard would have to be approved by the Iraqi legislature, though, and it's no where close to taking that step. U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey addresses questions from U.S. military members during a town hall meeting in Baghdad, Iraq last week. Dempsey has indicated in the past that U.S. troops may be put into combat situations in Iraq in the future, even though President Barack Obama says they won't . A fighter for ISIS holds holds the group's flag and a weapon on a street in the city of Mosul in June. Iraqi security forces have made substantial progress in taking their country back from the Islamic extremist group, but it will be a long time before it will have the resources to retake Mosul, the nation's largest city . A dozen of the United States' top attack aircraft are being rerouted from Afghanistan to Kuwait to aid in the fight against ISIS. The A-10 Warthogs will also joined within six weeks by Reaper drones as well, the New York Times reports. A-10s come with a 30mm cannon and can carry missiles as well as 500lb bombs. Flying as low as 50ft, the planes are better able to access to targets on the ground than the warplanes currently carrying out airstrikes in Iraq and Syria. They also feature heavy armor, which protects them against small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. In Afghanistan they have proved successful and targeting Taliban near American patrols and keeping the terrorist group at bay. Even legislators who normally take a dovish stance on military intervention, including Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, have acknowledged that some U.S. ground forces may be necessary to destroy ISIS, though. Paul plans to introduce legislation after the Thanksgiving holiday that declares war on ISIS in Iraq and Syria and authorizes the president to continue bombing the countries and to deploy U.S. soldiers into combat situations there in certain circumstances, including 'for limited operations against high value targets.' The White House has pointed to old Authorization of Military Force agreements passed by Congress giving George W. Bush permission to invade Iraq and engage terrorists militarily as its legal authority to carry out air strikes in ISIS in the two countries. According to Paul and other Capitol Hill lawmakers, however, the current Commander in Chief's authority to attack the group expired 60 days after the first bomb was dropped, per the War Powers Act, and he must seek new authorization from Congress - which he'll most likely get if it comes up for a vote - to continue the strikes. According to Bloomberg News, the cost of air strikes averaged $8.3 million a day in mid-October and had already cost more than $580 million since they began Aug. 8, data from U.S. Central Command showed. On Thursday Iraq's finance minister Hoshiyar Zebari said his country had made headway in the battle against ISIS in no small part because of the U.S.-led airstrikes. Zebari told Reuters ISIS soldiers are no longer able to engage in direct combat with Iraqi forces because the fighting exposes them to air raids. 'After all these years nobody wants to see a caliphate of hatred. They are no longer an existential threat to our existence,' he said. Iraq army forces and Peshmerga forces are seen here launching a US-led operation in Saadiya in Iraq last weekend. They later regained control of the town in the Diyala region . Iraq army and Peshmerga forces celebrate their victories over ISIS in Saadiya and neighboring town Jalawla . 'They are still a very very serious threat,' though, he cautioned, noting that ISIS has continued to use an array of other guerrilla tactics, including roadside bombs and suicide bombers, to conduct warfare. Zebari said he didn't know how much longer it would take to eliminate ISIS entirely, telling Reuters, 'I don’t have the crystal ball to tell you. It will take some time. 'I think we are winning, they are losing,' he added. Just this week Iraqi soldiers and police working with an Iranian-backed Shiite group and Kurdish peshmerga fighters were able to retake the towns of Saadiya and Jalawla in the Diyala region. Some of the greatest hindrances to additional progress come from within the Iraqi military, not from outside forces, however. 'Definitely we will recommend strongly that there should be some serious deep-rooted reforms in the military security establishment to fight corruption, mismanagement,' Zebari told Reuters while previewing a request to spend close a quarter of the country's 2015 budget on defense spending. Of the most common forms of corruption within the battalions is the enlistment of 'ghost soldiers' - Iraqis who sign up but never show up for service allowing commanders to pocket their pay. 'All the formations have to be reviewed in terms of the numbers. There should be no ghost members of the military,' Zebari said. 'People should be accountable. Your battalion, the number of your members should be accounted for, for weapons or salaries, for munitions for food. These are basic things it doesn’t need a genius (to understand).' Since taking over in August Iraqi's new Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who replaced previous PM Nouri al-Maliki, has already replaced more than 20 senior military commanders, the Post says. | 'The idea is, at least in the first instance, to try and build a kind of leaner, meaner Iraqi army,' a senior U.S. official said .
The U.S. military plans to create nine new Iraqi army brigades of up to 45,000 light-infantry soldiers over the course of the next two months .
They'll team up with Kurdish and Shiite fighters to fight ISIS .
'I think we are winning, they are losing,' Iraqi finance minister Hoshiyar Zebari said Thursday . |
fe77bcd638513da5b70a8546c97526d601a7c89d | By . Neil Sears . PUBLISHED: . 07:15 EST, 5 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:45 EST, 5 July 2013 . This is the moment two lazy binmen were caught on camera filling a bin so they did not have to empty it. The men rearranged the refuse inside the large wheeled container to ensure the lid was jammed open, even picking up rubbish from the ground and piling it on top. They then took a photograph of their handiwork as ‘proof’ that the bin was too full for collection, and strolled off. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . 'Utterly ridiculous': Mr Ahmed said he could not believe the footage of the binmen stuffing extra cardboard boxes into the wheelie bin . But the work-dodging pair were not as clever as they thought – their antics had been caught on CCTV footage. Now Cambridge council, which employs them, has issued a humiliating apology for the ‘inexcusably poor service’, and has promised to discipline the men after an investigation. But the shopkeeper who fell victim to the scam – and was left with the jam-packed bin after it should have been taken away – said the ‘moronic and inexcusable’ duo may have pulled the same stunt on countless other taxpayers. The CCTV footage shows the two men arriving at the back of the Dars Express convenience store in the city. Caught on camera: The workers had no idea they were being filmed as they put extra cardboard into the bin . One of the pair finds the large . wheelie bin comfortably full, with the lid propped only slightly open. He immediately begins ‘plumping up’ the rubbish inside to make it appear . more full, and pulls a flattened cardboard box partly out, to jam the . lid wide open. His colleague then joins in, taking . out a camera as he prepares to get the photographic evidence to justify . them leaving the bin behind. Several more cardboard boxes from the . ground are stuffed casually inside the bin, before a black bin bag is . picked up off the ground and placed on top, as the grubby icing on their . cake of lies. Only then is the photograph taken, . and the pair stroll off. Their whole deceitful operation has taken a . minute, which could have been spent emptying the bin. Red-handed: The pair are seen 'puffin up' the rubbish so the bin looks even more overfilled . The first that shop owner Iftkhar . Ahmed knew of the affair was when he found his bin – which he shares . with the neighbouring Seven Days Chinese restaurant – still full. He called the council for an . explanation, but was promptly told the authority had photographic . evidence the bin had been overloaded. Mr Ahmed said: ‘We checked our . CCTV – and couldn’t believe our eyes. It is totally and utterly . ridiculous. ‘This is a total disgrace and God knows how many others this has been done to. These actions are moronic and inexcusable.’ Mr Ahmed added: ‘In the footage it is . apparent that the bin was filled sufficiently and set to be emptied. But the bin collectors chose to be indolent and deceitful. Not happy: Mr Ahmed described the binmen's behaviour as 'moronic' ‘Not only did they refuse their duty . but added to the waste, filling it past the maximum capacity where the . bin could no longer close and put a bin bag on top of the bin lid. Their . purpose was clear in making it appear as though we had over-filled the . bin. ‘Not having suitable waste facilities . has created an unsafe and unhygienic environment for our customers and . employees. As a result, we have lost revenue and gained stress.’ The council’s head of refuse . collection, Jas Lally, said: ‘We have written to the owner of the . premises and apologised for this poor service, which is inexcusable. Arrangements are being made to investigate this in accordance with the . council’s disciplinary policy.’ | Shop owner Iftikhar Ahmed, 52, told his bin had been too full to empty .
CCTV showed two workers adding extra cardboard and black bin bags .
One then uses camera to take a photo as 'evidence' of overfilled bin .
Cambridge City Council apologies for 'inexcusable' behaviour . |
fe785537f25dfead5548a73111ea33dc3c1f072f | (CNN) -- The Federal Aviation Administration has suspended two air traffic controllers over last week's collision of two aircraft over the Hudson River that killed nine people, a spokeswoman said. The wreckage of a plane that collided with a helicopter is lifted this week from the Hudson River. A controller at New Jersey's Teterboro Airport handling the flight of a Piper airplane carrying three people "was involved in apparently inappropriate conversations on the telephone at the time of the accident," FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said in a statement Thursday. A source with knowledge of the investigation said the controller was on the phone with his girlfriend "after he cleared the pilot for takeoff; he was still on the phone at the time of the crash." In addition, "the supervisor was not present in the building as required," Brown said. "While we have no reason to believe at this time that these actions contributed to the accident, this kind of conduct is unacceptable, and we have placed the employees on administrative leave and have begun disciplinary proceedings," she said. Watch amateur video of the moment of impact » . "These are serious violations of the FAA regulations," said Mary Schiavo, former inspector general for the Transportation Department. The union for air traffic controllers urged caution. "We support that any such allegation is fully investigated before there is a rush to judgment about the behavior of any controller," said a statement from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. The National Transportation Safety Board is working with the FAA in investigating Saturday's collision of the Piper, which had taken off from Teterboro, with a sightseeing helicopter that was carrying five Italian tourists and a pilot. No one aboard either aircraft survived the crash. The NTSB has said the pilot of the small plane was cleared electronically and handed off to Newark, New Jersey, air traffic controllers, a standard procedure. However, Newark's control tower never got a verbal response from the pilot of the small plane. The controller put on leave was described as a longtime employee, the source said. He and the supervisor face disciplinary action that could include their firing. Also Thursday, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said the agency may reissue advisories to pilots using the busy airspace over the Hudson. Pilots are urged to use a radio frequency dedicated to traffic in that corridor, fly no faster than 140 knots and turn on their lights as they enter that airspace. Babbitt made the comments at an event at the agency's research facility in Atlantic City, New Jersey. CNN's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report. | Spokeswoman: Controller was talking to girlfriend on phone during accident .
Controller's supervisor also not present in building as required, spokeswoman says .
Controller was handling plane carrying three people that collided with helicopter .
Nine people died in collision of tourist helicopter and plane over Hudson River . |
fe7891203eaa10ebe4a87c61a599f954becbd5d4 | By . Lee Moran . Last updated at 9:51 AM on 24th November 2011 . She was ETA's green-eyed femme fatale - who lured policemen into her bed before calmly gunning down their colleagues days later. But Idoia Lopez Riano, dubbed La Tigresa (The Tigress) for her legendary sexual prowess, has turned from the organisation's heroine to hate-figure - after she renounced her violence and said sorry for her crimes. Riano, now 47 and who was locked up for 1,500 years in 2003, became one of the Basque Separatist group's leading commandos during the 1980s. Scroll down for video... Cuffed: Idoia Lopez Riano, dubbed La Tigresa, has renounced her past violence. Pictured here at Madrid's Barajas airport following extradition to Spain in 2001 . She was responsible for a Madrid explosion that killed 12 Civil Guards in 1986, a car bomb that claimed five more later that year and gunned down several individual policemen and four soldiers. There was also an attempt on the life of a high court judge. But she has now been expelled from the group after publicly condemning the use of violence, and issuing an apology to the relatives of her victims. Her announcement has led to the Basque Political Prisoners Group (EPPK) removing her name from the roll call of ETA prisoners it distributes to its supporters. They said she was persona non grata for 'breaking with discipline'. Support: ETA may have laid down its arms, but there is still a strong desire for an independent Basque state in northern Spain and south-western France . It means Riano's family will no longer be entitled to financial support. She will now be shunned by fellow ETA inmates. ETA . was founded more than half a century ago during the dictatorship of . General Francisco Franco who banned the use of the Basque language. They were fighting for an independent Basque state in northern Spain and south-western France. The name of the organisation - Euskadi ta Askatasuna - means Basque Homeland and Freedom. The group has killed more than 825 people since 1968, typically using car bombs or shootings. The . last ETA-related fatality was the murder of a French policeman near . Paris in March 2010 in a shoot-out - the first French security officer . to be killed by ETA. Reports from Spain also suggest that by signing the statement she has agreed to meet with the relatives of victims - in a programme of reconciliation. Despite her fearsome reputation, Riana was said not to be able to resist seducing policemen ahead of a planned attack. Her comrades were said to have tired of her behaviour, and pensioned her off to the south of France. She was tracked down and arrested in 1994, and later extradited to Spain. Her expulsion from the group comes a month after ETA revealed it was ceasing its 43-year-long bloody campaign for an independent Basque state in territory straddling northern Spain and south west France. More than 825 people have been killed in the five-decade campaign. ETA is considered a terrorist organisation by Spain, the European Union and the United States. | Idoia Lopez Riano dubbed La Tigresa .
She seduced policemen, later shot colleagues dead .
One of Basque group's leading commando in 1980s .
Responsible for 1986 Madrid bomb that killed 12 .
Family no longer receives financial support from ETA . |
fe7914858e399f140c695baf995f7114fe56ceaa | (CNN) -- A terminally ill college basketball player in Ohio will get a chance to make her dreams come true Sunday with her first college game. Lauren Hill's first game may be her last one. The 19-year-old freshman at Mount Saint Joseph University was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2013. Her diagnosis came during her final year of high school. A few weeks before she found out, she'd signed up to play basketball at Mount Saint Joseph. Undeterred, she played ball in high school despite rounds of chemotherapy for her inoperable tumor, CNN affiliate WKRC reported. "I never gave up for a second even when I got a terminal diagnosis; never thought about sitting back and not living life anymore," she told the affiliate. After doctors told her she doesn't have much time left, the university asked the NCAA if it can move its season opener by two weeks to November 2, according to the affiliate. The answer was yes. Hill will join her new teammates for her first college game against Hiram College. She plans to wear her No. 22 jersey. Support for Hill poured in ahead of the game from a few high-profile sports fans, including from Cincinnati Bengals. . | NCAA grants dying teen's wish .
University moves season opener so she can play .
"I never gave up for a second even when I got a terminal diagnosis," Lauren Hill says . |
fe796908f5a7ca3e74f3f7c2d0ed288cb97d905c | (CNN) -- Japan has suspended its annual Antarctic whale hunt because an anti-whaling group is tailing its ship, a government official said Wednesday. Hirosh Kawamura, an official at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said the hunt has been "temporarily suspended" since February 10 due to the actions of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. "We have experienced the dangerous attacks from them, it might take the life of crews," he said. "Considering the safety as the first priority, we decided to halt the whaling temporarily." Sea Shepherd regularly dogs Japanese whaling vessels during their hunts to make their task more difficult and to lower the number of whales harvested. Japan annually hunts whales in the Antarctic, despite a worldwide moratorium on whaling, under the loophole that a country may legally do so if its purpose is scientific research. Sea Shepherd has said the science argument is a sham, noting that the whale meat is sold in Japan and served in restaurants. | Japan suspends its annual whale hunt after anti-whaling group chases its ship .
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society regularly dogs Japanese whaling vessels .
The group aims to lower the number of whales harvested . |
fe7aa8dd25ee599215933ea8d62f1faf568ac084 | By . Tom Mctague, Mail Online Deputy Political Editor . Tony Blair has risked sparking sparking further controversy after helping poverty-stricken Albania take a step towards joining the European Union . The former Prime Minister has been widely criticised for his decision to open Britain borders to eastern European immigration in 2004 - allowing some 669,000 workers to settle in the UK. But Mr Blair has defended the decision and has been working to help the formerly Communist Albania be allowed into the club as well. Tony Blair has given advice to Albania since stepping down as Prime Minister. The Balkan country wants to join the European Union . Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama smiles during a press conference in Tirana this week after clearing the first hurdle on its long path to European Union membership . Mr Blair and his former spin chief Alastair Campbell forged strong links with Albania during the 1999 Kosovo war and last year became an unpaid consultant for the country. The Balkan nation has overcome concerns about endemic corruption and organised crime to be named an official candidate in Brussels. EU leaders today formally signed off the decision to allow Albania to start the process of preparing its application to join. Albania has failed to win the coveted status three times since 2009. Edi Rama, 49, the socialist prime minister, posed for a celebration selfie in the country's capital Tirana with Mr Campbell, which the ex-Downing Street communications chief posted on Twitter. Albania was isolated from Europe until 1985 while under the leadership of hardline Communist ruler Enver Hoxha. It only began to emerge as a democracy in 1991. Mr Campbell, a paid consultant, said: 'I have been offering advice, strategy, that sort of thing and just making sure that whenever I see people who are decision-makers anywhere in Europe I just try to break down some of the myths about Albania which have a powerful hold.' He was in Tirana when EU foreign ministers agreed to recommend Albania for candidate status on Tuesday. Mr Blair congratulated the country on his Facebook page, adding he had met Mr Rama last week. 'This follows the country’s continued efforts to reform and is a credit to its government and its people.' Albania is one of Europe's poorest countries - with a population of 3.2 million earning on average 10 times less than workers in Britain. While Britain has historically supported EU expansion, David Cameron has vowed to veto Albania's membership unless new rules are introduced to immigration. Mr Cameron has made clear that he will block any attempt to allow Albania to formally join the 28-nation bloc without new limits on freedom of movement. Countries including Britain and Germany have made clear it will not be allowed to proceed without further efforts to tackle corruption and the introduction of an independent judiciary. However, Downing Street today made clear that the it will use its veto to block further expansion of the EU without new rules to prevent migrants from new, poorer countries moving to the UK in search of work. A Number 10 source said: ‘It is absolutely clear that before Albania can ever join, the long-term transitional arrangements would have to apply. If they don’t, we won’t let them in. End of story.’ Mr Cameron is pushing the idea of new countries having to reach a set level of income per head before the borders are opened to the rest of the EU. It follows concerns about the influx of people from countries like Poland, and more recently Bulgaria and Romania, when they joined the EU. Former Downing Street director of communications Alastair Campbell posted this picture of himself with the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama after the country was named as a candidate EU state . The prospect of EU expansion has emerged for the first time since the European Parliament elections, in which support surged for Eurosceptic parties. Mr Cameron believes the introduction of controls on freedom of movement for new controls could be a major gain in his plan to renegotiate Britain’s EU membership, before staging an in-out referendum by 2017. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘The Prime Minister set out that all and any future accessions would have to be the subject of the new transitional controls that he wants to see, and that would apply to all and any future cases. ‘This is not a decision on accession, it’s a decision to at some point in the future, it could be several years down the line, this is the beginning of any negotiations. ‘There is a period of negotiations that in some countries’ cases has taken decades, any final decision, at the end of that process requires unanimity, and the Prime Minister is very clear the new transitional requirements he wants to see would have to apply to any and all future accessions.’ Albania will not be allowed to progress in joining the EU without major reforms on the use of fraudulent documents, money laundering, drug cultivation and human trafficking. As well as Britain, other countries taking a hardline stance include Holland, Germany, France, the Czech Republic and Spain. In a statement, the EU said Albania had to address issues such as the use of fraudulent documents, money laundering, drug cultivation and human trafficking. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said that, with the EU's decision, Albania had 'regained its lost dignity in the eyes of international partners.' 'It was not an easy job, Europe is not a door that opens easily. After the (European) elections, things could have gone in another direction. The reason I am thankful to European leaders ... is that they stood by the project of Europe,' he told reporters in the Albanian capital Tirana. | Former Prime Minister advising Balkan country on how to join Brussels club .
Blair's decision to open borders to Eastern Europe criticised by Miliband .
Campbell was in Albania this week to celebrate state being named candidate . |
fe7b27190ef640d8d0af1ec896b67b8773e5793c | By . Sean Poulter . PUBLISHED: . 08:34 EST, 28 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:57 EST, 28 September 2012 . A new pay-TV service is launched today in the biggest challenge yet to the dominance of Sky. For . a one-off payment of £49 and as little as £4 a month, YouView gives . access to the 70-plus Freeview TV channels with the ability to ‘pause . and rewind’ live television. The . YouView box can also record and store 300 hours of programmes and lets . you watch the previous week’s TV using BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD and . Demand 5. Scroll down for video . DVR for terrestrial TV: The sleek box can record one channel while watching another . YouView is a joint venture between the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. The . basic service, with a set-top box thrown in, costs £49 if installed by . BT and TalkTalk, plus a monthly fee starting at £4. In contrast, the . cheapest Sky+ package costs more than £250 a year. Although . YouView boxes have been on sale since the summer for around £250, the . new deal for BT and TalkTalk customers has brought the price right down . and brings in extra services. BT intends to be a major player, purchasing the . broadcast right for 38 Premier League games with BBC sports presenter . Jake Humphrey, pictured, to front their sports channel . BT . is giving away millions of YouView boxes to broadband customers. The . firm says the box is free, but there is a one-off £49 activation charge . and a £6.95 delivery fee. TalkTalk is matching this offer for its broadband customers. BT intends to be a major pay-TV . player following the purchase of the broadcast rights for 38 live . Premier League football games, including the opening match of the . season, from 2013 to 2016. BBC . sports presenter Jake Humphrey has been hired to front the coverage on a . new BT sports channel. It has also snatched live broadcast rights for . four years to show Aviva Premiership Rugby. The . BT Vision service sells pay-TV packages including Sky’s sports and . movie services plus pay-on-demand access to blockbuster films. The cheapest BT Vision package costs £4 a month, while an enhanced package comes in at £12.50 a month. By . comparison, the cheapest Sky entertainment package costs £21.50 a . month. All YouView customers need to pay a monthly broadband line rental . to access the services. At present, around ten million homes subscribe to Rupert Murdoch’s Sky channels and 11million have Freeview boxes. But . YouView intends to become a major player, having launched a £10million . marketing campaign featuring Gary Barlow and Benedict Cumberbatch. Lord . Sugar, the firm’s chairman, said: ‘The simple–to-use YouView box allows . people to search back an entire week to catch what they’ve missed and . also combines on-demand services with TV channels, providing . extraordinary TV for everyone.’ Chief . executive Richard Halton said: ‘YouView has undergone successful trials . in thousands of homes across the country and we are excited about . entering the next stage of the journey.’ The key to YouView is to combining traditional broadcast TV and online TV services into one box. The on screen programme guide lets viewers scroll back into the past and watch shows from broadcasters catchup services. The vast online archives of iPlayer, 4OD and others can also easily be accessed without leaving the sofa. As part of the launch, Joanna Lumley re-created famous TV moments, such as Basil Fawlty snapping at his car in the classic Fawlty Towers . First: The YouView box will provide catch-up TV from all the terrestrial channels . The last two years have seen the rise of the smartphone and tablet as second TVs in many homes, with some even abandoning traditional TVs altogether. Most phones and laptops can easily be hooked up to a TV to view the content on the big screen. iPhone and iPad owners can even wirelessly 'beam' programmes to their TV using a £99 Apple TV box. Android phones also have the capability . to play most catch-up content, particularly from the BBC and ITV Player, . and many phones come with HDMI-out to allow you to hook your phone to . your television. Smart (but expensive) televisions also usually offer the full gamut of catch-up services, as well as YouTube. Another route is via a games console - bot Sony's PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360 can access most of the major services. | Service backed by Alan Sugar aims to bring internet catch up services to the living room TV .
Box initially cost £280 when it went on sale, but firms now set to subsidise it - with TalkTalk and BT offering it to customers from just £50 . |
fe7b48e4895e23ba1673ab43c72e4bad56842837 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux has covered the Bush administration for six years. CNN's Suzanne Malveaux shares a light moment with President Bush during his final press conference Monday. As always, she was in the room Monday when Bush held his final press conference, an almost hourlong event in which the president answered questions about current issues and reflected on his eight years in office. Here Malveaux reflects on her time covering the Bush administration and on the final White House press conference, which she described as "raw," "fascinating" and "bizarre." Q: How do you compare this to previous briefings? Malveaux: This was an extraordinary press conference. It took the president a little time to warm up. He called on me third. About two questions after that, he embraced this different kind of mood and revealed things about himself that he didn't before. Watch Bush talk about his respect for the press » . We'd heard a bit about his misgivings before, but we didn't expect to hear about his disappointments -- "Sometimes the biggest disappointments will come from your so-called friends." At times he looked directly at me, other times away, in flashes of rage. And occasionally he turned to all of us pleading with an expression for understanding, empathy. He raised his voice when it was suggested that he was alone, insisting that he never felt the burden of the office: "I believe this -- the phrase 'burdens of the office' is overstated," he said. But at other points he reflected on the weight of the job: "You never escape the presidency. It travels with you wherever you go." When he was discussing Iraq, he was almost yelling, defending his administration. He was using gestures, leaning forward on the podium, his finger raised in the air. It was dramatic. Q: What was it like in the room? A: You saw at times a defiant President Bush as well as ultimately reflective in some ways. We know he regretted the "Mission Accomplished" banner on the aircraft carrier. But we heard some new details about how he had some regrets that Air Force One flew over New Orleans at that critical time when the city was under water during Katrina, as opposed to landing. He said he was wary of taking away law enforcement and rescue resources on the ground. But later in the press conference he was defiant about Hurricane Katrina, telling us: "Don't tell me the federal response was slow when there was 30,000 people pulled off roofs right after the storm passed." Watch Bush defend the response to Katrina » . It was from there the president shifted to the president-elect. He discussed the fact that many people never thought they'd see the day when a black man would become the president, and it spoke volumes about the progress the country's made with race. At that time, he seemed misty-eyed. Q: Were you surprised at how candid the president was? A: This is certainly the most open he has been about some of the failures of his administration. You know, what was interesting, he took us back to the time of September 11 in a very emotional and strident way. He said -- remember those times when they had those tough questions, why didn't you put the dots together? It was almost as if he felt like he couldn't win either way. But at the same time, he said self-pity was pathetic and it wasn't something he was going to engage in. It was a very interesting look at President Bush grappling with all of these different things -- the successes as well as the failures. You get a sense here that he is looking at his legacy, that he's trying to come to terms with some of the things he did, his role in all of this. Q: Was there any one moment that stood out to you? A: He was most defiant when he talked about what he believes are the threats, potential threats against the United States. You could see him becoming emotional -- that this is something the future president is going to have to deal with, that he is going to have face. Every single time he went back to the threat out there, it seemed he wanted to reveal more, and would wish Barack Obama the best. At times, Bush seemed to be speaking directly to the president-elect: "He'll get in the Oval Office, and there will be a lot of people that are real critical and harsh, and he'll be disappointed at times by the tone of the rhetoric." Watch how Bush and Obama are working out the shift of power » . Q: The president ribbed you about the pronunciation of your name because it's French, even jokingly saying you can call him "Georges." But he finally got your name right. A: Yes, you could say the president and I have had an ongoing standoff for years now. When I first met the president, he called me Suzanne [said: Sue-zan], and I initially corrected him: "It's Suzanne. Rhymes with John." The president would blame it on his Texas accent. Actually, the first time he got it right was years ago on a trip to India and Pakistan. I remember feeling shocked. Sometimes I thought he intentionally called me "Sue-zan," if he was angry with my questions. Q: Any other surprises about this press conference? A: He didn't call on Helen Thomas, who is widely viewed as the dean of the White House press corps. She's been critical of President Bush and been covering presidents since Kennedy. She was out there, front row center with her hand raised. | CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux reflects on covering president .
President Bush reveals more of his feelings about job than ever before, she says .
President most emotional over potential threats to United States, Malveaux says . |
fe7b8e0cae2baedf18e137bc8f867988fdafb1b2 | Pakistani authorities have ordered six foreigners working for the aid group Save the Children to leave the country, officials said Thursday, suggesting the aid workers had been helping a foreign spy agency operating on Pakistani soil. An official from the Pakistani Foreign Ministry and a Pakistani security official confirmed the order and said it was linked to suspicions the foreigners had been working with the spy agency. They declined to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the news media. A spokesman for the Save the Children, Ghulam Qadri, denied the accusations against the organization, which operates in dozens of countries. He said officials from the Interior Ministry hadn't explained why the foreign workers had to leave. The Pakistani authorities have previously alleged that Save the Children was linked to the CIA's search in Pakistan for Osama bin Laden, accusations the organization has long denied. Bin Laden was killed in a U.S. Navy SEAL raid in Pakistan in May 2011. "Save the Children has never been involved in any activity beyond our mandate," Qadri said. "We have always cooperated with investigators and provided them with all the information they have asked for." In a May 2011 report, Pakistani investigators alleged that Save the Children's country director in Pakistan at the time had introduced doctor Shakil Afridi to the CIA in 2008. Pakistani authorities accused Afridi of working with the CIA to set up a fake vaccination campaign to try verify bin Laden's whereabouts. Save the Children denies being involved with the CIA or the search for bin Laden. Afridi "has never worked for Save the Children," Qadri said. "This has been made clear." Afridi is now serving a 33-year prison sentence related to separate charges of providing medical care for Pakistani militant groups. Qadri said the authorities had initially given Save the Children's six foreign employees two weeks to leave the country, but the group is negotiating for more time. He said some of the employees had already left Pakistan. Save the Children says the group remains fully operational with more than 2,000 Pakistanis working in 70 districts throughout the country. "We have a firm resolve that we will put the needs of the children first," Qadri said. "We'll continue to work with the same spirit and zeal for the rights of the children in this country." | The Pakistani authorities have previously linked Save the Children to the CIA .
The government has now ordered six foreigners working for the group to leave .
The aid group denies the accusations and says the order hasn't been explained .
A 2011 report alleges that Save the Children helped in the hunt for bin Laden . |
fe7b8e6b657c1a34e4279dcab304cd7d551302d8 | America's oldest person has passed away in her Clearwater, Florida, home, just weeks before her 114th birthday. Born on April 5, 1899, Elsie Calvert Thompson was the fourth-oldest person in the world. She died peacefully on March 21 and her family held a memorial service in Clearwater. Her ashes will be buried in Pennsylvania, next to her late husband. Thompson's only child George Thompson, 72, said she died as he flew from his home in California to see her. She had congestive heart failure. Aged nicely: Thompson, pictured with a friend in 1999, enjoyed dancing and singing until the end . 'She had such a big heart,' he told The Tampa Bay Times on Sunday. 'She was such a large person.' Thompson passed the baton to Jeralean Talley, who was born on May 23, 1899. As well as being the oldest person in the US, Talley, from Inkster, Michigan, is the oldest living black person and credits 'the Lord' as her secret to a long life. Thompson was born during the administration of President William McKinley and just a year after the close of the Spanish-American War. She was a stylish dresser who enjoyed ballroom dancing until shortly before her death. She also loved to sing and play the piano, the Times reported. Susie Harper, 59, Thompson's caregiver of 13 years, said she never saw the elderly woman in a bad mood. Long life: On the brink of her 114th birthday, Elsie Calvert Thompson, pictured, died peacefully in her Florida apartment . Secret: At age 111, Thompson divulged the secret to longevity: 'I love people,' she said . In fact, Harper said the 113-year-old . told the Times she glided from bed every morning with a smile and was a . 'tireless hostess' who always offered guests food and drink despite . being well over a century old. 'She would wake up and say, "Oh my, . won't you look outside? Isn't it beautiful?" And if it was raining, she . would say, "That's okay, we'll make our own sunshine,"' Harper said. Thompson . had been in the record books for her remarkable age for four years . before she won the distinguished title of being the oldest living . American. At age 111, Thompson divulged the secret to longevity. 'I love people,' she told the Times back then. She always loved entertaining and . welcoming to visitors, but she wasn't able to celebrate earning her new . title of America's oldest person in January as she had been advised to avoid outside contact . because of the flu epidemic. Record books: Elsie Calvert Thompson was the fourth-oldest person in the world . Big milestone: Elsie Thompson, pictured on her last birthday, was just weeks shy of turning 114 . Those steps are seen as wise by many, as two of the previous title-holders died as a result of infections last month. Both 116-year-old Besse Cooper and 115-year-old Dina Manfredini died in December. Reporters from The Tampa Bay Times . met with Thompson on her 111th, 112th, and 113th birthdays, but the flu . precautions kept them away when she earned her title recently. Thompson was known for having a zest for life that many did not expect of someone her age. 'You'll say, "Elsie, honey, you wanna get up?" And she'll say, "You betcha." Sometimes she'll talk and talk,' Harper said of the woman in January. Harper had worked with Thompson for the past 13 years as she continued to live in her own condominium in Clearwater, Florida as opposed to an assisted living facility. New elder: Thompson passed the baton to Jeralean Talley, pictured left, who was born on May 23, 1899. As well as being the oldest person in the US, Talley, from Inkster, Michigan, is the oldest living black person . In the record books: Dina Manfredini (left) died due to infection last month at the age of 115, while Japan's Jiroemon Kimura (right) remains the world's oldest person at 115 as well . 'Sometimes when she's tired, she . doesn't want to say anything. But she has a happy and uplifting spirit . about her,' Ms Harper told The Tampa Bay Times. Thompson is one of the only 14 people left on Earth who were on the planet during the 19th century. Thompson stopped traveling to California to visit her son and his family son time before her death. He initially pushed for her to move to be nearer to him and his family when his father- her longtime husband- died in 1986, but she opted to stay in Florida. 'It has continued to work because she's well taken care of,' he told The Tampa Bay Times in January. 'It's a different world here, and she's so familiar with everything there. You should see how she gets around her apartment. She knows exactly where everything is.' | Elsie Calvert Thompson died peacefully on March 21 .
She was born on April 5, 1899 .
Oldest living American is now Jeralean Talley, who was born on May 23, 1899 . |
fe7b9213532113be3dc8a88ae38ae33349625fff | From Marilyn Monroe meeting the Queen, to Liz Hurley walking the red carpet in THAT gold-pinned Versace gown, London’s Leicester Square has played host to some of the most iconic moments in cinematic history. Now a new book is set to be released featuring a collection of images documenting some of the most historic events. The Glamour Of Leicester Square includes images of 1950s star Sophia Loren kissing her film producer husband Carlo Ponti, Muhammad Ali leaving the Odeon Cinema after weighing in for his title defence against British champion Henry Cooper in 1966, . It also features Richard Burton, Mia Farrow and Elizabeth Taylor at the 1967 Royal Film Performance and Bob Geldof with Paula Yates at the premiere of Pink Floyd's The Wall in 1982. Scroll down for video . Elizabeth Hurley wore a Versace dress when she accompanied then boyfriend Hugh Grant to the premiere of Four Weddings and A Funeral in Leicester Square in 1994. The outfit, which is now often referred to as ‘That Dress’, is credited for having launched Hurley’s career . The book is being published by the W London hotel, which is also hosting a free exhibition of the pictures. The release has been timed to coincide with the launch of this year’s BFI London Film Festival, which runs between October 8-19. There will also be screenings of two films featured in the book, James Bond classic Goldfinger, and David Bowie fantasy film The Man Who Fell to Earth. Goldfinger premiered in Leicester Square in 1964, while The Man Who Fell To Earth premiered there in 1976. Italian film producer Carlo Ponti kisses his wife, actress Sophia Loren, after she received the first Alexander Korda award, naming her International Star of the Year, at the world premiere of her new film Lady L at The Empire in Leicester Square . Woody Allen and Ursula Andress were among the stars at the 20th Royal Film Performance held at the Odeon, Leicester Square. A month later Allen released his debut directorial film What’s Up, Tiger Lily? From left to right, actresses Julie Christie, Ursula Andress and Catherine Deneuve attend a Royal Film Performance of Born Free at the Odeon in 1966 . Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie attend the Beowulf film premiere at Vue, Leicester Square in 2007 . Both films will return to the square for a limited run in the Screening Room, from October 8-12 and 13-18 respectively. Visitors will also be able to drink specially crafted cocktails at the W London during the festival. Guests can sip on a Ziggy Stardust Supreme or a Bond Bellini whilst they take in The Glamour of Leicester Square exhibition. Opened in 2011, the W London Leicester Square says it is proud to be part of the area’s rich and diverse history and the association between cinema and Leicester Square that continues to this day. Singer Bob Geldof arrives at the Empire Leicester Square for the premiere of Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ in 1982, with his girlfriend Paula Yates. Geldof played the leading role in the film, replacing the screenplay’s writer and Pink Floyd vocalist Roger Waters . The Queen shaking hands with Marilyn Monroe at a Royal Film Performance of The Battle of the River Plate at the Empire Theatre in 1956. It was at this meeting that the Queen complimented the actress on her proper curtsey before remarking 'How do you like your home at Windsor…you are neighbours of mine?' Speaking about the book Coen Van Niersen, W London’s General Manager, said: ‘W London is a passionate supporter of film and creating this book is the perfect way to celebrate the influence that the movies have had on both the area of Leicester Square and the hotel. ‘Our aim is to offer our guests and readers an insider glimpse into the intertwined history of the world’s most esteemed stars of cinema and popular culture and the home of cinema in Britain. ‘The past few months have been incredibly exciting; we have relished the opportunity to uncover these images and create a visual history of Leicester Square to share with the world. Boxer Joe Frazier model clothing at the Leicester Square Empire Ballroom in 1973 . Actresses Carey Mulligan (left) and Keira Knightley attends the Never Let Me Go première during the opening night of the 54th BFI London Film Festival at the Odeon Leicester Square in 2010 . 'The photographic gems featured in this book each depict the most glamorous and captivating moments that have taken place on the square.’ The book draws together a collection of images from 1925 to the present day. Alongside dazzling images of Leicester Square’s buildings and billboards through the ages, the book charts the area’s creation, transformation and more recent regeneration. Alongside each photograph readers will find anecdotes that tell the story behind each scene and the faces within it, and how they contributed to Leicester Square’s history. A time-lapsed photograph of a night scene in Leicester Square in 1925 shows a wide variety of electrically lit billboards and signs advertising products such as Gillette Safety Razors, Bass Ale, Yardely's Old English Lavender soap . An aerial view of London's Leicester square in 2014. The area has played host to some of the most famous cinematic events in history . | New book called The Glamour Of Leicester Square priced at £35 .
W Hotel London is also featuring a free exhibition to mark launch .
Includes images of celebrities visiting London tourist destination .
The Glamour of Leicester Square, £35, whotelsthestore.com . |
fe7bb838eb9c22b5db38b56565f1aebb9bebe581 | (CNN) -- A preseason soccer match in Austria had to be abandoned after pro-Palestinian protesters invaded the pitch and started attacking players from Israeli team Maccabi Haifa. Clashes between a group of youths carrying Turkish and Palestinian flags and the Maccabi team broke out at the end of Wednesday's friendly game with French side Lille. War has been raging in the Middle East for more than two weeks now, with Hamas rockets being fired into Israel, which has responded with continued air strikes on Gaza and a ground incursion into Palestinian territory. The conflict has now claimed 732 Palestinian lives, many of them children according to the Gaza Health Ministry, while Israel has reported 35 deaths -- 32 of those soldiers. Resentment and anger spilled onto the football pitch in the Austrian town of Bischofshofen in the Tyrol region where Maccabi regularly spends a period training before its domestic campaign begins. A group of 20-25 flag-waving people had shown up for the match, according to Itamar Chizik, general manager of the team based in the northern Israeli city of Haifa. "They were shouting all the game," Chizik told CNN. "This is OK if they want to shout, if they want to demonstrate, but in the 85th minute they went onto the pitch directly to our players, no doubt to engage. "It was a little bit using of force and then the police came and it took about 10 minutes before we succeeded to take all our players back to the dressing room. Nobody was injured. "We came here for sport, for football. Our club is well known, we have in our club hundreds of Muslim players, in the A team we have five Muslim players as well as Jewish players and Christian players. "We're not dealing with politics, we are a football team. In Haifa, we are living with peace with all religions. You can imagine by yourself the reason why (this group) was trying to spoil our camp. "I believe most of them don't even know the reason they demonstrate for. But it is not our problem, we came to play football and that's it -- very clear, very simple." Maccabi has twice made the group stages of the European Champions League, in 2002-03 and 2009-10, and has won the Israeli league 12 times. The team is scheduled to play two more matches before its 10-day stay in Austria ends on Sunday. Its domestic season starts in August. The Israeli Football Association told CNN it is still considering whether to ask European soccer's governing body UEFA to investigate, calling the incident one of "pure violence." "We know UEFA are against any kind of political activity," said head of communications Shlomi Barzel. "We are not against protest, it is OK if you come to the game to protest but it is different once they go down to the field. "We hope this is something that won't happen again." Chizik praised the reaction of local Austrians to the incident, many of whom apologized to him and the team, and said it was the first time it had encountered anything like this since heading to the region for its preseason preparations. And he also said no-one from Maccabi would be asking UEFA to investigate. "The police here are doing their investigation, it is a local event -- nothing to do with football," he explained. "We have very good relations with the Austrian teams and with the Austrian Football Association. "It's not a question for football, it's a political question probably and we are not involved in politics at all. The policemen took care to investigate and do everything that should be done to make sure it doesn't happen again." Maccabi is one of the big four clubs in Israel alongside Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Beitar Jerusalem. It has a reputation for being an inclusive club and Chizik said he was "totally disappointed" football and politics had been meshed together on Wednesday. "Wherever we go in Europe or wherever we play, we never, never merge together politics and football," Chizik said. "Never has any problem come out, we are all friends living together with peace. "We are all proud Israelis and we do care what is happening in Israel, but we never mixed sports with politics and we are very happy and proud about it at our club. "We never thought this event should come to sport or football but it is over." CNN contacted the Palestinian Football Association, which said it was preparing an official response to the incident. French club Lille said in a statement: "Although we regret and disapprove any form of violence, mainly those events that occasionally involve sports demonstrations, LOSC remains a football club and a sports entertainment company and it's not our duty to comment on political matters." Football: New home for Shakhtar . | Players from Maccabi Haifa attacked during a pre-season friendly with Lille .
Protestors bearing Turkish and Palestinian flags invade the pitch late on .
Israeli FA considering whether to ask UEFA to open an investigation .
Maccabi general manager says "Co-existence at our club is well known" |
fe7bd4729314cd1ac07ecedc7825fa663c500aad | By . Sarah Michael . A 16-year-old boy is in an induced coma following a tackle that caused him a serious head injury during a rugby league match in Bathurst on Thursday. Bathurst High School Year 11 student Tyler Horton collapsed off the field during a game against another local school and had to be airlifted to Westmead Hospital. Tyler's sister Emily Horton, 19, was at the game and witnessed the tackle. Tyler Horton is in an induced coma after he went in for a tackle at a high school rugby league game . 'He tackled pretty hard and got up and shook it off but I knew it must have been a bit of a knock because he worked his way to the side line waiting to come off,' Miss Horton told MailOnline. 'I could see he knew something was wrong, he quickly became unconscious and hasn't come around.' Miss Horton said Tyler was taken to Bathurst Hospital where he underwent scans and tests, and he was then was medically sedated and flown to Westmead Hospital. He was later operated on to relieve pressure on his brain. The Year 11 student plays rugby for the Bathurst High School team and he was on the field on Thursday afternoon when he suffered a horrific head injury . 'He's stable and still sedated having more tests and we're just waiting to hear more,' Miss Horton said. 'That's as much as I know right now, we are just lucky to have so many people care and have had unbelievable doctors, nurses and support.' Bathurst High School's principal Geoff Hastings said Tyler hit his head during the second half of the game on Thursday afternoon. 'We're not entirely sure but we think Tyler went into a tackle, it was just part of the normal flow of the game,' Mr Hastings told MailOnline. 'He came off the field and then collapsed.' The teenager's sister, Emily Horton, said he was now in a stable condition at Westmead but was still sedated . A Westmead Hospital spokeswoman told MailOnline Tyler was in a critical but stable condition on Friday afternoon. Mr Hastings said he had spoken to Tyler's parents who were dealing with the situation as best they could. 'Of course as any parent would if their child was hurt playing sport, they're worried and concerned,' he said. 'I think they're focused on his recovery... We've had very positive news about his recovery.' The 16-year-old, who goes to Bathurst High Campus (pictured), was rushed to Bathurst Hospital and then onto Westmead Hospital for further treatment . Mr Hastings said the school had been working with Tyler's schoolmates to help them cope with the news. 'Obviously they're upset, concerned and want to know how he's going, all that you'd expect when your friend's in hospital' he said. 'But they're coping extremely well.' Daily improvement: Curtis shown here recovering in Royal North Shore hospital . This comes less than three weeks after another young NRL player, Curtis Landers, was left paralysed by a horror tackle that fractured his c2 and c3 vertebrae. Curtis is making small steps towards getting better, and is now swallowing and eating ice cream on his own as he recovers from his severe injuries. He has also started gym session and his arms and legs are improving. Aaron Temple, president of Curtis' football club Forster-Tuncurry Hawks, said his stint in hospital would be long-term. 'He's looking at 12 months in hospital,' he told MailOnline. If you would like to donate to the Curtis Landers appeal, deposit money into the following bank account: . Forster Tuncurry Junior Rugby League . BSB 012626 . Account number 213700588 . | Year 11 student Tyler Horton suffered a head injury during an NRL match .
The Bathurst High School pupil had to be airlifted to Westmead Hospital .
Tyler was in a critical but stable condition on Friday afternoon . |
fe7c03565f6d0b48d821309c440ab77f6726f240 | By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 03:37 EST, 5 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:51 EST, 5 August 2013 . Tiger Woods gave a rare glimpse into his family life as he celebrated his latest tournament win with a giant hug from his four-year-old son Charlie. In touching scenes, Woods scooped up his young son on the 18th green after cruising to victory at the WGC-Bridgestone in Ohio yesterday. Following intense media scrutiny after he was accused of cheating on his wife Elin Nordegren in 2009, Woods has been careful to keep his children Charlie and five-year-old daughter Sam out of the public eye. Scroll down for video . Tiger Woods celebrated his victory at the WGC-Bridgestone with a giant hug from four-year-old son Charlie . The adorable youngster, who wore a matching red top to his dad, was carried to the clubhouse . Charlie was carried across the green on the 18th hole to celebrate with his dad . But four years after the infidelity scandal, Woods's professional and private life are much more stable. Woods has been dating international skier Lindsey Vonn since March and in recent months the couple were pictured on holiday with his two children. Yesterday, Woods stormed to victory with a score of -15 and was seven clear of runner up and defending champion Keegan Bradley. Before he teed off, a relaxed Woods was seen holding Charlie's hand as the pair strolled through the parking lot and, rarely for an international star, there was no security of hangers-on in sight. Woods allowed a rare glimpse into his family life as he celebrated the prestigious win . Woods seemed relaxed throughout the tournament and smiled and pointed to the crowd after the victory . After claiming the win, Charlie was carried over to the 18th green for a celebratory hug with his dad. The youngster was dressed in a red top, to match his father. Amid cheers and a scrum of photographers, Charlie buried his head in his dad's neck as they walked towards the clubhouse. Woods's victory strengthened his hold on the top of golf's world rankings. The win strengthened Woods's hold on the World No.1 ranking . Woods and ex-wife and mother of his children Elin Nordegren (left) divorced after his infidelity scandal in 2009 and he is now settled with downhill skier Lindsey Vonn, (right) who he announced he was dating in March . It was his 79th career win taking him . within three of Sam Snead's all-time record, and took his average point . total from 12.46 to 14.19. Asked about the US PGA Championship . at Oak Hill next week, he told CBS: 'I'm really looking forward to it. I . feel like my game is pretty consistent. 'That's one of the things I've . noticed this year is that I have hit it pretty good most of the year and . weeks I've putted well I've been able to win so it's been pretty good . so far.' | Tiger Woods won the WGC-Bridgestone in Ohio by seven shots .
Charlie celebrated with his father by giving him a giant hug .
Woods scooped up the youngster and then carried him to the clubhouse . |
fe7c4092e86007cce637c87271d57dcd336a0aa8 | (CNN) -- Willkommen. Bienvenue. Welcome. Set in the seedy underbelly of early 1930s Berlin, the movie "Cabaret" largely takes place in the fictional Kit Kat Klub, a gaudy, raunchy cabaret full of drunks, dancers, glitz and -- apparently -- odors. The film's director, Bob Fosse, preferred that his actors rehearse in costume, and while Liza Minnelli (as Sally Bowles) had been fitted for her dress, Joel Grey (as Master of Ceremonies) learned his tailcoat was not ready yet. So the costumer provided him with an old coat from backstage. "I want to tell you about this coat," Grey told CNN before the January 31 screening of the film at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York. "It was the coat of a thousand men. It had come from stock, and it had been worn by many, many actors for many, many years." "And never washed," Minnelli interjected. "That was way before anybody knew anything about, ya know, keepin' it nice," Grey said. In other words, the coat was a relic from the pre-antiperspirant era, and when Grey "got warm, all the lives of these other actors, dancers or whoever came back." "I kept looking at him and going, 'What? What?' " Minnelli recalled. The screening was a homecoming of sorts for the cast, because the film made its world premiere at the same theater on February 13, 1972. Although billed as the "40th anniversary," the festivities came just shy of the 41st anniversary because a vertical scratch ran along an entire reel of the film. Computer technology couldn't remedy it so more than 1 million frames were restored by hand. "Cabaret" made its Blu-ray debut last week. The film is only loosely based on the 1966 Broadway musical of the same name. The Broadway show was based on the 1951 nonmusical play "I Am a Camera" and Christopher Isherwood's 1945 book "The Berlin Stories," which included his earlier 1939 short novel "Goodbye to Berlin." Many details -- including characters, story lines and songs -- were added, removed or interchanged for the film adaptation. For example, the Sally Bowles character was originally British, and Brian Roberts' name in "I Am a Camera" and the novels was Christopher Isherwood (the writer had used his own name as the fictional narrator). Also, there was no romance between Brian/Chris and Sally, and Brian was only bisexual in the movie. "I was the first one hired," Minnelli said, "and I remember one of the first things our producer said was, 'Tell me what you think of the story.' And I said 'Really?' And he said 'Yes.' And I said, 'I think that the man should be gay so that leaves that wonderful relationship and it just opens up all sorts of emotions that couldn't have been there in the play." In "Goodbye to Berlin," Sally was supposed to be untalented, so there was some criticism upon the film's release that Minnelli was too polished a dancer. In fact, director Fosse worked tirelessly to make the Kit Kat dancers look unpolished and unkempt. Louise Quick, who portrayed one of the dancers, said Fosse "wanted it to seem more real, shaggy." He asked the dancers to pluck their eyebrows and then draw them in, not shave their legs and put on weight. "It was the first time in history that he allowed dancers to eat during rehearsal," she laughed. Grey added, "When 'Cabaret' came out, it was so unlike the usual Hollywood musical." Fosse was not a fan of people "erupting into song," Grey said, explaining the director's realistic approach to movie musicals. "Movie musicals were in ill-repute. They weren't doing well at the box office. As a matter of fact, Bob had had a big failure right before, (1969's 'Sweet Charity,' his screen debut) so he was intent on making it more adult -- more relevant." Fosse's "Cabaret" was replete with political satire and heavy issues such as abortion, death, Nazis and the Holocaust. All the musical numbers in which characters sang to each other were cut for the movie. "There was no change for me from stage to film," said Grey, who had originated the emcee role onstage and won the 1966 Tony Award for best featured actor in a musical. "It was the same dark character, and I somehow felt empowered to make him even darker in the film. You couldn't miss his intention in a close-up. Whereas if you're sitting in a balcony watching it on the stage, you're saying, 'So, is this funny or not?' "There was no denying or question of what the intention was of this movie," Grey said. "There are so many people who have said over the years: 'Oh, 'Cabaret' is so much fun! Such a great movie! I had the best time!' And I think to myself: Did they get it?' " The film's most controversial line was a lyric to the song "If You Could See Her." As Grey slow-danced with Quick dressed in a gorilla suit, the last line of the song went: "If you could see her through my eyes, she wouldn't look Jewish at all." The lyric and gorilla costume were meant to show how anti-Semitism was beginning to run rampant in Berlin, but Grey said it caused problems in the New York stage production. "There were a number of Jewish groups who missed the point of that song," he said. "They just thought that we were saying Jews were ugly." The line was replaced with "She isn't a meeskite at all," but the response was tepid. (Meeskite was an old Yiddish term to describe an unattractive woman.) Grey, who is Jewish, said the lyrics didn't offend him and he was hesitant about changing them. "I conveniently forgot about the change a few times," he said with a nod. Fosse passed away in 1987. Daughter Nicole Fosse told CNN that when the famed director and choreographer worked, he "asked people to do something they had never done before." Actress Marisa Berenson was still new to show business at the time she was cast as Natalia Landauer. "Cabaret" was her second film, and she remembered Fosse as a great director who brought out the best in her and found unique ways to challenge her. "He played tricks on me and used to whisper erotic things in my ear before scenes so that I would kind of blush and feel strange," she said, "which I did. And, you know, all that to get a good performance, and so I learned a lot and it was really wonderful." As the song goes, "Life is a cabaret, old chum," and that appears to have been the case for this cast as well. "We were so close," Minnelli said. "We were in a world of our own, and I think that shows." The actress/singer called the filming "one of the best beginning to end experiences I ever had. And every Friday night, (Fosse) gave a party on the set. In fact, there's a scene in the movie where you see somebody playing the saw. That was a stagehand who played the saw." She added, "Making the movie was so much fun, and so weird and bizarre and very sensual." "Cabaret" won eight Academy Awards, including best director (Fosse), best actress (Minnelli) and best supporting actor (Grey). It lost the best picture Oscar to "The Godfather." "They said my name and my father (director Vincente Minnelli) screamed so loudly," Minnelli said, "screamed in my ear -- that I still have tinnitus. I do!" | The cast of the 1972 film "Cabaret" reunites for "40th anniversary" screening .
Joel Grey as emcee: "I somehow felt empowered to make him even darker (than onstage)"
Favoring gritty realism, director Bob Fosse didn't like actors to burst spontaneously into song .
"Cabaret" won eight Oscars the year "The Godfather" was released . |
fe7c48a63ab7fbd24503d4a7a8d9f6da1a61038c | West Brom head coach Alan Irvine insists Manchester United are still a force and warned his side to treat them with respect. The Baggies host United on Monday and Irvine reckons the former champions are still a top draw. United chief Louis van Gaal has seen his side lose 5-3 at Leicester and stunned 4-0 in the Capital One Cup by MK Dons already this season. They are 11 points behind Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea following Van Gaal's stuttering start since replacing David Moyes in the summer. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Alan Irvine say Saido Berahino is extremely talented . West Brom manager Alan Irvine warns that Louis van Gaal's Manchester United should be treat with caution . West Brom's Saido Berahino is congratulated by team-mates after scoring for Irvine's side . Irvine: 'Manchester United have been dominant for many years so they are eventually going to have to change' Victory would move Albion level on points with United but, while Irvine believes they are in transition, he is wary of their threat. He said: 'They are still Manchester United and have some great players. It's going to be a huge game for our club, players and fans. 'When the fixtures come out most people up and down the country look to see when they are playing Manchester United at home. 'They have been a fantastic team over the years but the squad was looking like it was going to need some changes and I read something from Sir Alex Ferguson saying it has needed an overhaul. 'It was getting to that time and David Moyes inherited that situation. It's a period of transition. 'Manchester United have been dominant for many years so they are eventually going to have to change and that's the situation they are in at the moment.' David Moyes (left) was replaced by Van Gaal and Irvine (right) worked with him as a coach at Everton . The Baggies have won three of their last four games after failing to win their opening four league matches. United have beaten Everton and West Ham in their last two outings and Irvine has called on Albion to shut them down early. 'They will work the ball out and we've got to make sure they don't get moves started easily,' he said. 'We've done our video work and there are clips of them scoring goals where it starts with the goalkeeper and ends up in the back of the net. 'Clearly that involves a lot of control and a lot of movement and good positioning of their players. 'We've got to be really well organised when we don't have the ball in order to stop them building these attacks. 'But one of the things we've spoken about is the need for us to be really good with the ball and not give it back really cheaply to players of the quality of Manchester United.'Â . United and West Brom go head to head on Monday night in the Premier League at the Hawthorns . | Alan Irvine won't be fooled by Manchester United's rough start this season .
Louis van Gaal taking charge is part of their transition, says Irvine .
The West Brom manager says his team won't take them for granted .
'Manchester United have been dominant for many years so they are eventually going to have to change,' says Irvine . |
fe7c4f93be7ff1298f6d1392b1cb06bda10758dc | By . Paul Bentley . PUBLISHED: . 09:43 EST, 11 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:24 EST, 12 September 2013 . When it opened its timber doors three years ago, this £7million ‘eco primary school’ was applauded for its environmentally friendly credentials. It was heated by solar power and its plumbing system relied on rain collected from the roof, which was made of locally grown sweet chestnut. Sadly, the zero-carbon building is not quite as sustainable as the designers had hoped. 'One of the greenest schools in Britain': Dartington Primary School's eco-building, near Totnes in Devon, needs 'significant' repairs just three years after opening because it has been leaking water . In fact, thanks to a series of water . leaks and mouldy walls, pupils are now being taught in tents erected in . the school grounds. The . local authority in Devon has already spent £250,000 to investigate the . problem, and plans to sue the architects. Without urgent repairs, it . says teaching pupils inside the building could seriously damage their . health. Dartington Primary . School, near Totnes, used to house students in a Victorian building but . it reopened in 2010 as one of the first zero-carbon schools in the . country. The new site was . praised for being ‘stunning’ and ‘extremely environmentally friendly’. Its design featured four buildings made from ‘sustainable’ timber, with . solar panels providing electricity and heat. The roof was supposedly . weather-proofed with strips of sweet chestnut grown nearby and angled so . rainwater could be collected and used to flush the toilets. But . apparent faults in the structure mean the roof and walls have become . sodden, buckling over time and leaving gaping holes for rain to leak . inside. Costly: The school's 320 pupils will be taught in temporary buildings which will be set up in the playing fields . Tania Mountney, whose son attends the school, said: ‘There’s . been leaking there ever since it opened. Last year we could see the roof . was starting to warp.’ She . added: I went to a parents’ lunch and you could see these large patches . of mould. My ex-partner is a builder and he couldn’t understand how it . could get that bad.’ Children . are now being taught in five large marquees in the grounds, with . repairs to the main buildings predicted to take up to two years. Miss . Mountney, a childminder, said she only found out about the tents when . she took her son to school for the beginning of term this week. ‘I drove . past on Sunday and saw several marquees. I thought there must have been . some sort of event on. The next morning I arrived to find classes had . moved, some of them into marquees and some of them into the library and . the art room. 'The children are too young to know what’s happening. They . think it’s all very exciting.’ Legal case: Devon County Council said it might sue the architects of the £7m Dartington Primary School . When . the eco school opened three years ago, headteacher Jill Mahon said: ‘It . is a stunning design. I believe it will be a flagship school which will . be extremely environmentally friendly.’ She declined to comment . yesterday. A report for . Devon County Council found it has already paid £250,000 merely to . investigate the cause of the leaks and start initial repairs. A . spokesman said: ‘Temporary accommodation has been installed and all . classes went ahead when children returned to school. We are currently . taking legal advice.’ Architects White Design, of Bristol, said they were working with the council to solve the problems. | Dartington Primary School's new £7million eco-building opened in 2010 .
But Devon County Council says it began leaking shortly after opening .
Lessons are in tents on the playing fields while repairs are carried out .
Local authority may now sue architectural firm White Design over the fault . |
fe7c917d8f174be05ac12b7a3d39c5b35c07c35b | Every once in a while, people get all crazy about the idea that some people might "import" drugs from Canada. Many pharmaceuticals are much cheaper in that country and many Americans, especially those who live on the border, are sometimes tempted to buy their drugs there. Inevitably, when this topic comes up for debate, someone questions the safety of those drugs. This concern is somewhat overblown. Canada isn't a banana republic, and it does a rather good job of ensuring the safety of its citizens without our help. Moreover, it's a concern that ignores that the vast, vast majority of drugs we buy here are not manufactured here. We import most of what we consume. For some reason, we don't seem to be as concerned about the safety of our drugs here are home. It turns out, though, that we might need to rethink that, according to a recent story in The New York Times. For some time, many people, including me, have been advocating for greater use of generic and over-the-counter drugs over bioequivalent name brand drugs because they would result in significantly decreased health care spending. Those arguments have resonated with the American people, and generic drug use has increased dramatically. In response, countries have massively increased their capacity to produce such drugs. For instance, about 40% of all over-the-counter and generic drugs used in the United States are produced in India. In response to this and other factors, the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act was passed in July of 2012. Part of the law involved changes to generic drug user fees. Companies looking for approval now need to pay some extra money to allow for better inspection of production facilities. And in India, those inspections are bearing fruit. Last year, inspectors from the FDA looked at 160 drug plants there. What they found was often quite concerning. Drugs were sometimes adulterated or contaminated. Facilities were often filthy or infested with bugs. They also caught some executives lying to them, leading to felony charges. As you can imagine, this is leading many pharmaceutical companies to question whether India is a safe and reasonable place to manufacture their drugs. India's drug industry is in a panic. They should be. The World Health Organization has, for years, monitored the use of falsified or counterfeit medicines, and some of the problems have been in the United States. The New York Times documents many instances in many countries where improperly made or counterfeit drugs led to serious consequences, including deaths. Many people have legitimate concerns about how much regulation goes into the approval of drugs in the United States. Some believe the FDA is too cautious and makes it too difficult for people to get the medicines they want or need. But examples like this are a cautionary tale about how some regulation is necessary. Without proper oversight, people in the United States, not some Third World nation, are at risk for buying counterfeit drugs in their pharmacies. They are at risk not only for not getting the benefit they expect but also a negative consequence they didn't see coming. In many ways, you get what you pay for. Companies have been using India for production largely because they have been able to do it so cheaply. But it's becoming apparent that one of the reasons for those low costs may be because they were doing a much less-than-perfect job. Fixing the problem will likely mean that they will lose their competitive advantage. If pharmaceutical companies move out of India, they will likely decide to go to other countries that can also offer cheap services. One of those is likely China. But China, unlike India, has blocked U.S. efforts to send FDA inspectors. We're in a similar situation to what we had in India before the increased oversight. This is far from over. We need to be vigilant. We also need to support the government in its efforts to protect us overseas. Fixing this problem, both now and in the future, will require resources and a firm stance. It may also require us to pay more for our drugs than we have in the past. That won't be popular, but sometimes good things cost money. | Aaron Carroll: Americans worry about safety of buying cheaper drugs in Canada .
Carroll: We import 40% of our drugs from India; contamination and fake pills are a problem .
He says India allowed inspections; China, which also makes drugs, resists them .
Carroll: We need to support the government in its efforts to protect us overseas . |
fe7ca3479d2b3fbea977d938f49cbbd8a5b68a4b | (CNN) -- Petrol bombs and stones were thrown at police protecting a gay pride march Sunday in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, an interior ministry representative told CNN. About 40 police officers were injured, and about 60 people were arrested, the ministry's Suzana Vasiljevic told CNN. None of the marchers were injured. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic had urged people to allow the march to go ahead without incident, Serbia's Tanjug news agency reported Saturday. "It is very important that the event, which might be disagreeable to most of Serbia's citizens, goes by without incidents," Dacic said in Belgrade. A gay pride march in 2001 -- thought to be the country's first -- was attacked, resulting in some injuries. Last year's march was canceled due to security concerns after a wave of anti-gay graffiti appeared before the event, news reports at the time said. About 1,000 people participated in this year's march, guarded by close to 5,000 police officers, Vasiljevic said. A number of streets were closed for the event, and international diplomats were scheduled to observe it, according to the interior ministry. CNN's Bharati Naik contributed to this report. | NEW: About 1,000 people marched, protected by nearly 5,000 officers .
Interior ministry: About 40 police officers were injured, and about 60 people were arrested .
A gay pride march came under attack in Belgrade in 2001 . |
fe7d3ed8f4275adc45dff377754117489f9f760c | (CNN) -- The Queen has invited the Middleton Family to Sandringham for Christmas, or so the British newspaper headlines recently declared. Oh, that it were true if only because Richard Palmer, royal reporter for Britain's Daily Express, tweeted that if Carole Middleton, the mother of Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, emerged alongside the Queen and drove to church, he'd cartwheel naked down the path. Lucky for Richard -- and dare I say even luckier for us -- it's highly unlikely. Invitations to Christmas are never extended to the families of royal spouses and why should they be? Nothing personal, simply that Christmas provides an opportunity for the Queen to enjoy quality time with her own immediate family with no expectation of being on parade. Well, that and the issue of space. Large as Sandringham might be, it is a house, not a castle. When the whole family is in attendance, there just isn't room for anyone else. The Royal Family has Christmas down to a science, and the Queen's festive plans are as reliable as television airings of "It's a Wonderful Life" and my inadvertently cooking the turkey upside down. It's the same every year. Since the fire at Windsor Castle in 1992, the royal family has gathered to celebrate Christmas at Sandringham, the Queen's privately-owned Norfolk estate. Following arrivals on Christmas Eve, afternoon tea is served. The evening brings a fancy black-tie dinner, and the opening of presents -- a German tradition embraced by Queen Victoria when she married Prince Albert. After breakfast on Christmas morning, it's church, lunch, a huddle around the television to watch the Queen's Christmas message to the nation, a country walk, and an evening of parlor games. It is an occasion steeped in familiar tradition and protocol for the Windsors, but for the inexperienced newbie it's enough to make you want to double-spike your eggnog. Sandringham is the Queen's house, and therefore as the Lady of the Manor invitations are at her discretion. She has consistently been open to change and has adapted to the times accordingly. During her reign she has opened Buckingham Palace to the public, made the royal finances more transparent, made walkabouts the norm, signed the Commonwealth Charter, and she was the first reigning monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland since Irish independence. Christmas, however, is one area where change is unlikely. The Queen is not obligated in any way to the extended families of either her children or her grandchildren. The Middletons may well be the grandparents of the future king, but so too were Earl Spencer and Frances Shand Kydd, yet that didn't see either of them swilling sherry and pulling crackers over the Queen's Christmas goose. Were the Queen to invite the Middleton family, it would in turn pave the way for other in-laws to attend. Camilla's children haven't spent Christmas with their mother since she married Charles in 2005. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie haven't celebrated Christmas with their mum since their parents' divorce in 1996. The list goes on and therein lies the quandary. Invite the Middletons, and suddenly Christmas becomes a free-for-all "plus one." Last year, with the Queen's blessing, William and Kate chose to spend Christmas with Kate's family in Bucklebury, Berkshire. While alternating families for the holidays is the standard festive headache for us regular folk, it was an unprecedented decision for the Sandringham lot. By doing something different William and Kate effectively changed the model of a royal family Christmas. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh enjoy a relaxed relationship with Michael and Carole Middleton. Before the royal wedding the Queen asked them to lunch at Windsor Castle. In June 2012 they were invited to sail on the Elizabethan paddle steamer during the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant, and they joined other members of the royal family in the Queen's official carriage procession to Royal Ascot in 2011 and 2012. She has already publicly embraced the Middleton family far more than she has the family of any other royal spouse. William and Kate are the new owners of Anmer Hall, a property on the Sandringham estate, but it is currently being renovated, so there's no room at the inn for the Middletons there. Even if it were ready, I don't see William and Kate leaving her family at home while they swan off to the "big house." Every family celebrates Christmas in their own unique way, and the Middletons would never presume to be included in the royals' personal festivities, nor would the Queen, Philip, Charles and Camilla expect to load the corgis and a fruitcake into the Range Rover and head down to Bucklebury. There is no slight, no malice, no scandal here, rather a wish to preserve the elements of sacred family Christmas. In that way, the royals are "just like us." Looks like Richard will be keeping his clothes on this year after all. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Victoria Arbiter. | Some newspapers suggest Queen will invite Middletons to Sandringham for Christmas .
Victoria Arbiter says such an offer would break with all royal traditions .
Christmas is one area where Queen is unlikely to break with tradition, she adds . |
fe7d5cf95c350710140e06b3a953dd9dfd9d12d3 | Washington (CNN) -- Aviation authorities around the world ordered airlines to stop flying their Boeing 787 Dreamliners over fire risk associated with battery failures aboard the highly touted aircraft. Groundings that extended globally on Thursday stemmed from a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration directive on Wednesday night that planes should not fly until the problems are resolved. The action resulted from recent mechanical and other glitches culminating with a severe battery related fire aboard an empty Dreamliner in Boston 10 days ago and an emergency landing in Japan this week prompted by an alarm indicating smoke in an electrical compartment. "The battery failures resulted in release of flammable electrolytes, heat damage, and smoke on two Model 787 airplanes," the FAA said in a statement. "The root cause of these failures is currently under investigation. These conditions, if not corrected, could result in damage to critical systems and structures, and the potential for fire in the electrical compartment," the FAA said. In all, authorities in Europe, Japan and India have grounded the planes while the battery problem is investigated. Carriers in Chile and Ethiopia also set down their 787s until further notice. United Airlines is the only U.S. carrier to operate the Dreamliner. The carrier said it would work with the FAA on its directive. It inspected its fleet of six 787s after the Boston fire. The marquee and technologically advanced 787 is widely viewed as crucial to the future of the world's biggest aircraft manufacturer. The Dreamliner order book is very strong even though the plane had years of embarrassing setbacks and cost overruns during development. The first commercial Dreamliner flight took off in October 2011, flying from Tokyo to Hong Kong, and the planes flew without major problems for months. But Boeing's most recent problems with the plane extended beyond battery technology, global safety regulators, canceled service and a steady stream of negative publicity. The company's shares on Wall Street are sharply lower as well. Growing list of problems . Most problems have been considered fixable and described as growing pains for a new airliner. But these experts say any battery system design problem would raise larger issues for the manufacturer, carriers and travelers. Dreamliners fly 150 flights daily worldwide, Boeing said. Q&A: Dreamliner problems explained . Since July, the growing list of reported troubles aboard the planes include a fuel leak, an oil leak, two cracked engines, a damaged cockpit window and a battery problem. The FAA announced a safety review of the aircraft last week before taking stricter action on Wednesday. In the most serious incident so far, an All Nippon Airlines (ANA) 787 with 129 people aboard made an emergency landing after a battery alarm on Wednesday. Those aboard reported a burning smell in the cabin, and an alarm indicated smoke in a forward electrical compartment. Hours later, ANA and Japan Airlines announced that they were grounding their Dreamliners -- a total of 24 planes -- pending an investigation. Japanese authorities followed suit, saying the planes should stay on the ground until battery safety could be assured. The head of India's civil aviation regulator, Arun Mishra, also asked Air India to halt operation of its six Dreamliners for the time being. The European Aviation Safety Agency said it, too, had adopted the FAA directive, which applies to the two 787s flown by the Polish carrier LOT. Ethiopian Airlines also announced it was temporarily grounding four Dreamliners, according to regional manager Yohannes Teklu. It has had no issues with its 787s but is following the FAA directive as "an extra precautionary safety measure and in line with its commitment of putting safety above all else," the company later said in a statement. Chile-based LAN Airlines said it was temporarily grounding its three Boeing 787 aircraft and Qatar Airways was also putting down its fleet of five Dreamliners. Boeing confident planes are safe . Boeing Chief Executive Officer Jim McNerney said in a statement on Wednesday the manufacturing giant is confident that the planes are safe and is working with authorities to get them flying again. "Boeing is committed to supporting the FAA and finding answers as quickly as possible," the statement said. McNerney did not mention specifics about the recent incidents, but said the company "deeply regrets the impact that recent events have had on the operating schedules of our customers and the inconvenience to them and their passengers." The batteries are critical to the plane because the 787 is thirsty for electrical power. The Dreamliner uses electricity to run more systems than any other Boeing airliner, said University of Dayton professor Raul Ordonez, an aircraft electrical and computer engineer who spent time observing Dreamliner development at Boeing's Seattle headquarters. The 787 is unique because its batteries are lithium-ion batteries. These hold more energy for longer periods than the standard nickel cadmium airliner batteries. "These kinds of batteries," Ordonez says, "are slightly more likely to cause problems." Although lithium batteries heat up quickly because of their structure, they have systems and circuits in place to prevent overheating, said Tsutomu Nishijima, a spokesman for GS Yuasa. The Japanese company supplies batteries for Dreamliners. Investigation expected to take weeks . The investigation will take several weeks, the company said. Boeing has delivered 50 Dreamliners so far and has more than 800 additional orders from airlines around the world. Carriers who have ordered planes but are still awaiting delivery, like Qantas of Australia and Etihad in the United Arab Emirates, expressed confidence that the problems would be sorted out by the time they received the planes. Boeing's shares, which had previously been resilient in the face of this month's negative publicity over the Dreamliner, sank another 2% on Thursday. After last week's incident in Boston, Boeing chief engineer Mike Sinnett expressed confidence in the aircraft's battery system. "I am 100% convinced the airplane is safe to fly," he said. "I fly on it all the time." Longtime commercial pilot and industry analyst Patrick Smith said the battery issue did not appear to be a major problem, but called the FAA order "a positive and pro-active step." "I don't think that it was dangerous for the plane to be flying, but it probably wasn't the best thing to be flying it on the heels of this latest emergency landing in Japan," Smith said. "All airplanes have their teething problems, and this was trending in a bad direction," he added. "Now the authorities have said, 'Stop,' and that's a good thing." CNN's Mike M. Ahlers, Thom Patterson, Harmeet Shah Singh, Pamela Boykoff, Junko Ogura, Marilia Brocchetto and Ayesha Durgahee contributed to this report. CNNMoney's Charles Riley and journalist Chie Kobayashi also contributed to this report. | Governments, airlines ground their Dreamliners over fire risk .
Action follows directive from U.S. authorities to not fly plane pending investigation .
Boeing says the company is confident that the planes are safe .
The moves follow an emergency landing in Japan and fire aboard a 787 in Boston . |
fe7d828d33bcfc848a5882f0c40c08c6e1c928cd | John Robert Reeves, 25, had expressed his feelings on blogs since 2004 . Memorial service held for brother and sister who were shot dead . A Navy pilot who killed himself and three others had been posting troubled messages online for years, saying he would 'unintentionally screw people over'. John Robert Reeves, 25, reportedly committed suicide by shooting himself in the head after murdering three . others with him - fellow Navy pilot David Reis, 25, his sister Karen . Reis, 24, and Matthew Saturley, 31. The four dead were found in Coronado, . California, after authorities responded to a report of gunfire around 2am last Sunday. Deeply troubled: John Robert Reeves allegedly killed three people in California before turning the gun on himself. He had been posting distressed messages online since 2004 . Reeves had taken part in online discussion groups since 2004, according to 10News.com, posting comments such as: 'I might come across as a nice guy, but I unintentionally screw people over on a regular basis.' The . motive for the shooting has not been revealed but authorities suggested . it could have been motivated by jealousy. Results from an autopsy were . not yet available to see if drugs or alcohol might have been involved. Speaking about Reeves, clinical psychologist Dr. Michael Mantell told the station: 'There is a man who is hurting, who is in emotional turmoil. There's a storm brewing in him.' Hundreds of people gathered at a ceremony on Friday to remember the brother and sister who were killed. David Reis was remembered by friends, family and others at a high school as an avid hiker and Navy pilot with a promising career, according to The Bakersfield Californian newspaper. Karen Reis was said to be a great role model and volleyball coach who hoped to become an occupational therapist. At the end of the service, hundreds of coloured balloons were released into the sky. Confirmed dead: Tom Reis said on Monday that his son David, left, and daughter Karen, right, were confirmed as victims by the Navy . Reeves and David Reis were both . training as F/A-18 fighter pilots assigned to the Marine Fighter Attack . Training Squadron 101 of the Third Marine Aircraft Wing at nearby . Miramar Air Station. Officials . say they do not know the motive for the killing, but are investigating . the possibility that Reeves had romantic feelings for, or a relationship . with, Ms Reis. 'We are looking into all aspects, including the possibility there was . some type of relationship between Karen Reis and John Reeves but that . has not been confirmed yet,' said sheriff's captain Duncan Fraser. Mr Fraser cautioned that investigators might never determine the motive . because there were no eyewitnesses to the shooting. Ambused: Matthew Saturley, 31, right, was killed last Sunday in Coronado, California . He said the suggestion that Reeves was jealous of the attention being paid to Ms Reis by Mr Saturley was only speculation. Retired Naval pilot Steve Diamond said the case was shocking because it involved such high achievers. Mr Diamond said: 'The . first thing that most people think of even within the Navy community is . how could such an enormously tragic thing happen involving people who . are the cream of the crop, highly trained, highly educated, national . assets basically.' It . takes years of training to get one's wings as a Navy pilot, and . fighter-jet pilots are considered to be among the top in that group. They . undergo a battery of rigorous physical, psychological and background . tests before finishing the highly competitive program.' The siblings' father Tom Reis . didn't know who else was at the condo in the seaside community where . his son had been living. 'He just had his first F/A-18 flight,' Mr Reis . said. 'Oh man, he loved it.' David Reis held a mechanical . engineering degree from the University of New Mexico. Karen Reis . graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2009. She . stayed in the area, coaching volleyball and working at a grocery store. 'She has a really great spirit and knows how to make things fun,' Ms . Bailey said. Quiet neighbourhood: A passerby called police on his mobile phone after hearing shots being fired at this address in Coronado in San Diego Bay at 2.20am . Family photo: David, far left, and Karen Reis, next left, are pictured in a photo after what appears to be their sister's graduation . A passer-by called police on his . mobile phone after hearing shots being fired outside the San Diego Bay . condo in Coronado, California, at 2.20am on Sunday morning. The first officers arrived within . four minutes and found a dead man in the doorway to the three-story . condo and the bodies of two men and a woman inside in different parts of . the structure. 'They checked and he had no . obvious signs of life,’ Sheriff's Lieutenant Larry Nesbit said. ‘They . tried to make contact with anyone else that might be inside the building . and they got no response.’ A SWAT team sent in a robot to the first floor of the building before searching the second and third floors. The bodies of two men and a woman were discovered in different parts of the three-storey building . A SWAT team then sent in a robot . to the first floor and later searched the second and third floors. The . bodies of two men and a woman were discovered in different parts of the . three-storey building. It was not immediately clear how . the four people died. However, authorities previously said they did not . believe there were any outstanding suspects. Asked if it was a murder-suicide, . he said: 'I'll let it infer what it does. We're not going to say that. Although it's very early in the investigation, we don't believe there . are any outstanding suspects.' Close: The killings took place just a few blocks from the famous Hotel del Coronado (pictured), where it was long speculated that the Prince of Wales, later to become King Edward VIII, visited and met Spencer Simpson . | John Robert Reeves, 25, had expressed his feelings on blogs since 2004 .
Memorial service held for brother and sister who were shot dead . |
fe7da64f4398a91226cbec073d0ee43e92cdf981 | By . Glen Owen . PUBLISHED: . 18:57 EST, 13 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:57 EST, 13 October 2012 . Clear vision: Britain's biggest trade union, Unite, has set up a new wing - which can only be joined by the unemployed. The union's leader Len McCluskey is pictured . Britain’s biggest trade union has set up a new wing – which can only be joined by the unemployed. Tory MPs said it was ‘scandalous’ that Unite, led by the hard-Left former docker Len McCluskey, was trying to exploit benefit claimants for political and financial purposes. In return for £26 a year in ‘subs’, the jobless members of Unite Community receive perks including discount designer glasses, advice on ‘claiming the right benefits’ and a pre-paid debit card offering cashback in high street stores. The union, which is a key backer of the Labour Party, last month called for the first general strike in the UK since 1926 in protest at the Government’s austerity measures. Benefit claimants will bear a significant part of the impending public spending cuts, with Chancellor George Osborne planning to slash an extra £10 billion from the welfare budget. But the recruitment drive could also help to shore up Unite’s bank balance: the union has been shedding members at a dramatic rate in recent years, losing 262,740 of its 1.4 million strength since 2007. This decline has alarmed Labour, which has received more than £6 million in donations from the union since Ed Miliband became leader. A new poster campaign, timed to coincide with an anti-austerity rally on Saturday, will promote Unite Community as ‘the union for people who aren’t in paid work’. It claims membership ‘provides a way people can find and use their political voice’. Other perks include a debit card that offers six per cent cashback at ‘high street retailers’, a tax-refund service – under which the union checks whether the member has overpaid tax when in work, and takes a cut of any refund – and a ‘welfare benefits check-up’ to target the ‘millions of pounds per year that goes unclaimed by people who are entitled to benefits’. Members are also entitled to discount vouchers from Vision Express, and can get deals including ‘designer 2-for-1 glasses’. Those who find work again no longer qualify to belong to Unite Community. If they then switch to full membership of the union, it will cost them £132 a year. Controversial: A new poster campaign, timed to coincide with an anti-austerity rally on Saturday, will promote Unite Community as 'the union for people who aren't in paid work' Last night Tory deputy chairman Sarah Newton said: ‘It is scandalous that Labour’s largest donor, Unite – which backed Ed Miliband for the leadership – is looking to politically mobilise the unemployed and plug its falling membership subs. ‘The public expects trade unions to protect the rights of their members in the workplace – not try to fill gaps in their funding off the back of the unemployed. Is Ed Miliband really comfortable taking money from a union that is acting in such a cynical way?’ A Unite spokesman said last night: ‘I am surprised that the Tories are opposed to us trying to help people to get back to work. ‘This is an effective way of giving unemployed people and students the access to financial and employment advice, which they lack. ‘It is complete nonsense to suggest that we are trying to “mobilise” benefit claimants for political purposes, or as a new way to fill up our coffers.’ | Tory MPs said it was ‘scandalous’ that .
Unite was trying to .
exploit benefit claimants for political and financial purposes .
The .
jobless members of Unite Community receive perks including advice on ‘claiming the right benefits’ in return for £26 a year in ‘subs’ |
fe7dfb014a56f63f00128d47e976464710950107 | (CNN) -- Alaskans and air travelers remained on alert Thursday due to the rumblings of a more than 8,000-foot volcano emitting a "continuous ash, steam and gas cloud" that already extends up to 60 miles away. The Alaska Volcano Observatory noted Thursday that the Pavlof volcano "continues to erupt," with "fire fountaining" at its summit 8,261 feet above sea level. A resulting cloud that extends downwind 30 to 60 miles (50 to 100 kilometers) moved southeast on Thursday morning over the Gulf of Alaska. It reaches an altitude of about 20,000 feet above sea level. "Satellite images show persistent elevated surface temperatures at the summit and on the northwest flank, commensurate with the summit fire fountaining and resulting lava flow," the observatory said in its Thursday update. A lava fountain, the U.S. Geological Survey explains, is "a jet of lava sprayed into the air by the rapid formation and expansion of gas bubbles in molten rock." It typically spews lava 10 to 100 meters up, though it sometimes goes as high as 500 meters. Remote but still connected to the Alaskan mainland, Pavlof is one of two volcanoes -- the other is named Cleveland -- that are on "watch" status due to heightened activity. They're also both under an orange code that relates to how their rumblings might affect planes flying over their summits. Both these alert levels are the second most serious out of four options, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory. Less was known Thursday about Cleveland, which is on an island and not monitored with ground instruments like Pavlof. Two days ago, the observatory reported a 100-meter-wide swath of lava reaching about 1 mile down its southeastern flank. "Cloudy conditions" have made it difficult for satellites, and thus scientists, to assess its status over the last 24 hours. Even so, the observatory continues to warn that "sudden explosions of blocks and ash are possible with little or no warning." Five climbers killed in Philippines after deadly volcanic ash blast . A SIGMET, short for significant meteorological information, advisory from the National Weather Service remained in effect Thursday around the volcanoes. After "eruptive activity" last year at the Cleveland volcano, University of Alaska Fairbanks scientist Steve McNutt said 90% of air freight from Asia to Europe and North America flies over Alaska's airspace, and hundreds of flights fly through Anchorage's air space daily. "We think of the Aleutian Islands as being remote and desolate," USGS scientist John Power told CNN earlier this week, "but when you come up to 30,000 feet, we are talking about 20 to 30,000 people there every single day." Power described Pavlof as "one of the most historically active volcanoes in the Northern Hemisphere." Cleveland is also "very active," with its last large eruption in 2001. Imposing central Mexican volcano spews ash skyward . | Observatory: Pavlof volcano "continues to erupt," with "fire fountaining" at its summit .
A "continuous" cloud of ash, steam and gas extends 30 to 60 miles downwind .
Alerts are in effect for that volcano and another on the Aleutian range named Cleveland . |
fe7e1406a45af01bf4921130318dd0774615171f | She was not seen on an official public engagement for almost two months while she battled with extreme morning sickness. But the Duchess of Cambridge, who is 15 weeks pregnant, looked the picture of heath as she showed off her baby bump during a tour of an oil refinery in Wales. Wearing a light blue Matthew Williamson coat and heeled black boots, she joked and laughed with well-wishers outside the Valero Pembroke Refinery on the Pembrokeshire coast. Scroll down for video . The Duchess of Cambridge's baby bump could be seen clearly through her coat during the royal visit . Kate looked the picture of heath today when she braved the wind and rain to tour an oil refinery in Wales . Kate was not seen at a public engagement for several weeks after her pregnancy was announced at the start of September. It was revealed that she had been suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, which causes extreme vomiting and dehydration. The Duchess also battled with this condition while she was pregnant with Prince George and she was admitted to hospital to receive treatment. She returned to royal duties last month as part of the state visit by the president of Singapore. The royal couple met with oil refinery workers and apprentices during the visit earlier today . It was revealed that she had been suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, which causes extreme vomiting and dehydration . She joked and laughed with children outside the Valero Pembroke Refinery on the Pembrokeshire coast . The oil refinery which is celebrating its 50th anniversary said the royal couple's visit was a 'huge honour' It has been announced that the Duchess is expected to give birth in April. For the first few years of their marriage, William and Kate lived a secluded four-bedroom cottage in Anglesey on the north west coast of Wales. The oil refinery which is celebrating its 50th anniversary said their visit was a 'huge honour'. The royal couple met with workers and apprentices and looked at a display celebrating the last 50 years. They were ushered into a minibus to travel to the 1,270-acre site's control room where they met shipping and blending workers. 'Nicely spruced up for our arrival,' William joked as they entered the room. 'I can smell the paint.' Both William and Kate sat in front of screens and pressed a button to create their own gasoline blend. 'Shall I do one and you can do the other one?' Kate told William. The Pembroke refinery was officially opened in 1964 by the Queen Mother and employs 1,200 people . William and Kate met with leading members of the community during their visit to the refinery . Wearing a light blue Matthew Williamson coat and heeled black boots the Duchess looked very chic . For the first few years of their marriage, William and Kate lived a secluded four-bedroom cottage in Anglesey on the north west coast of Wales . They were ushered into a minibus to travel to the 1,270-acre site's control room where they met shipping and blending workers . Kate and Prince William were shown the main control room at their visit to the Valero Pembroke Refinery . The couple looked interested as William Richards showed them the main operations centre of the refinery . After she pressed the button William laughingly told workers: 'We are waiting for the red light to go off.' The group clapped loudly after William had also pressed his button and told the couple it would take 15 hours to create the blend. William replied: 'We will do the night shift.' He asked whether anyone would be watching the rugby match later, which the royal couple will attend. 'I am sure one of these (monitors) can be turned into a big screen,' he told them. Valero vice president and refinery general manager Ed Tomp said it was a recognition of the role the plant 'continues to play supporting our economy and communities here in west Wales.' 'I know the entire community is looking forward to welcoming the duke and duchess to the refinery, which looks set to be a wonderful opportunity for everyone in Pembrokeshire to celebrate.' The couple laughed and joked with the refinery workers as they posed outside in the blustery conditions . Prince William wore a dark blue suit adorned with a poppy for the visit to the oil refinery in Wales . During the visit, Prince William joked that he would do a night shift at the Valero Pembroke Refinery . The Royal couple flew to Cardiff to watch the rugby union match between Wales and Australia, above . The Pembroke refinery was officially opened in 1964 by the Queen Mother and employs 1,200 people. Built in a deep natural harbour at Rhoscrowther, it processes 270,000 barrels a day, has a pipeline stretching as far as Manchester and supplies more than 10% of the UK's fuel. The couple will now travel by helicopter to Cardiff to watch the rugby union match between Wales and Australia. William, vice patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, will attend the match at the Millennium Stadium, accompanied by Kate. The match will begin with a Remembrance tribute and both William and Kate were wearing red poppies today. The Duchess looked relaxed as she arrived at the Millennium Stadium ahead of the rugby match on Saturday . It was revealed that Kate had been suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, which causes extreme vomiting and dehydration . During the visit the royal couple sat in front of screens and pressed a button to create their own gasoline blend . During half-time the pair will privately meet injured servicemen in the President's Box. William will also visit injured players and their families at a reception after the match. Meanwhile, Prince Harry braved the wet weather in London to attend the international rugby union test match between England and New Zealand at Twickenham. The Prince, who wore a poppy pinned to his lapel, kept a close eye on the action as he watched the home side narrowly lose to their opponents. And at half time, the Prince met with guests at meeting for the RFU Injured Players Foundation, of which he is a patron. Prince Harry watched the international rugby union test match between England and New Zealand today . The prince kept a close eye on the action as he watched the home team narrowly lose to their opponents . Harry, who wore a poppy pinned to the lapel of his navy suit, braved the wet weather at Twickenham Stadium . Prince Harry, patron of the RFU Injured Players Foundation, greeted guests during a half-time meeting . The prince looked every inch the professional as he spent time talking with guests at the match . Harry met chairman of trustees of the IPF, John Owen (left) and the foundation director Dr Mike England (right) As usual, the prince had most of his guests in stitches during the half-time break . | Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited an oil refinery in Wales earlier today .
Kate, who is 15 weeks pregnant, returned to royal duties in late October .
She greeted well-wishers wearing a light blue Matthew Williamson coat .
Valero Pembroke Refinery is celebrating its 50th anniversary today .
The royal couple used to live in Anglesey on the north west coast of Wales .
They later flew by helicopter to Cardiff, where they watched rugby match .
Meanwhile, Prince Harry watched England play New Zealand at Twickenham . |
fe7e50da34ab827d9d7ce30d5458e2519ab1755b | (CNN) -- In a rare and candid interview, CNN's Robyn Curnow spoke to Nelson Mandela's wife of 10 years, Graca Machel, to find out more about the man from the person who arguably knows him the best. Here, Machel reveals that Mandela's courageous and eventful life has left him with only one regret. Machel: "We have enjoyed this relationship in a really special way." How would you describe your relationship with Nelson Mandela? He is simply a wonderful husband. We met in life at time we were both settled. We were grown up, we were settled, we knew the value of a companion, of a partner. Because of that, we have enjoyed this relationship in a really special way. It's not like when you are still young, you are too demanding. No, no. We just accept each other as we are. And we enjoy every single day as if it is the last day. Because of that, it has been wonderful to have him as a husband.. Do you look at him and go, "I married Nelson Mandela?" At the beginning, yes. I already had this very deep involvement with him. Then sometimes. It's ... there was a sort of conflict between the man I loved and the myth. Particularly because people were saying things, and I couldn't figure out the two would go together. I know him as a human being, a person and this myth surrounding him. The aura around him was a bit confusing, but then I learnt to live with it, in terms of separating the two. Is he comfortable in his own skin? Absolutely. More than comfortable. He is so happy with himself. At the end of his life also he realizes, although he doesn't express it. He realized that he achieved the things he had as goals in life. So is he at peace with himself? Yeah, really. It's peace, fulfillment. Best way to characterize it is to be at peace with himself, but also at peace with the world . Does he have any regrets? Ya, only one I know of. You feel he would have really liked much more input in the development of his children. Only thing. Although he tried his best. Madiba (Mandela) was not given the opportunity to bring up his own children. He left them. Went to prison when they were very young. He didn't have much opportunity to do those things that a parent a father does to read stories to child. How has he dealt with old age, for somebody who seems to be such a fighter, doer, has the frailty of old age frustrated him? I think the only thing that frustrates him is walking. When he tries, he feels, he puts it as his knees don't cooperate ... that's how he puts it. He is not anxious about getting old. No, no, no. He feels he would like to move freely. That this the kind of frustration I sense in him. Birthday wishes? I have already given him the best present I could and thought of, 10 years ago when we got married. I looked back sometimes ... It sounds crazy, someone of my age at the time. I was 52; I married a man of 80. It wasn't a problem. I was so happy to marry him. I think after that any other thing is much less, because it will never surpass the possibility of us being together, sharing a life. That is the best I could have given him. Because it is your wedding anniversary? When we married, we didn't know we'd be given 10 years together. We have been very lucky. Very grateful for that. | Mandela's wife describes life with her "wonderful husband"
Gracel Machel says Mandela regrets the time he lost with his children .
Mandela also frustrated by the incapacities of old age, she says . |
fe7e6f466efe3c947fa38eaf54545645f58f8dbb | Unpleasant video footage of reinstated Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson has emerged in which he appears to advise young men to marry underage girls because they are easier to control. In the 2009 Sportsmen's Ministry talk, Robertson, 67, who began dating his wife when she was 14-years-old, advises his audience, 'You got to marry these girls when they are 15 or 16. They'll pick your ducks' - which is a literal reference to removing dead bird's feathers. Warming to his stereotypical redneck theme, Robertson, who was suspended from the A&E hit for nine days earlier this month for homophobic comments, tells the gathered crowd that in addition to being young, the girls have to know how to cook and carry a Bible - 'That'll save you a lot of trouble down the road.' Scroll Down to Watch Video: . Controversial again: Video has emerged in which Phil Robertson is seen to advise young men to marry girls as young as 15 to make sure they are supportive wives . While the speech given in Georgia is recounted in a somewhat tongue-in-cheek manner, in light of Robertson's strong views on traditional family values - protected by the First Amendment - they seem slightly inappropriate. His advice for a happy marriage, which he claims is a kind of 'river rat counseling', is that all men 'Make sure that she can cook a meal. You need to eat some meals that she cooks, check that out.' Strongly wagging his Bible during his talk, Robertson, declares that each man marrying his young bride needs to make sure she is a God-fearing woman. 'Make sure she carries her Bible,' preaches the duck call patriarch as he repeats his claim that a lady who plucks ducks - an unsavory task - is a real woman. Watch Video Here: . Strong marriage: Miss Kay and Phil Robertson have been married for 47-years and began dating when she was 14 and he was 18 - they married when he was 20 . Phil Robertson, the patriarch of the "Duck Dynasty" TV series, center, leaves the White's Ferry Road Church of Christ in West Monroe, La. on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013. Robertson was suspended in early December for homophobic comments . To a few uncomfortable laughs, Robertson tries to bring some humor to proceedings by telling the boys they need to check with the girls parents obviously before they marry the 15 or 16-year-old girls. While the age of consent in Robertson's home state of Louisiana is 17, it is legal for marriage to take place with parental consent at the age of 16. However, in his address, the Duck Dynasty star says that guys should catch girls early because waiting makes it harder to find the right one to take care of your ducks. 'Look, you wait until they get to be 20-years-old, the only picking that’s going to take place is your pocket,' said Robertson. 'You got to marry these girls when they are about 15 or 16, they’ll pick your ducks. You need to check with mom and dad about that of course.' The Robertson clan are worth an estimated $15 million based of the back of the Duck Commander that Phil launched back in the 1970's . Robertson, 67, began dating his wife of 47-years, Miss Kay, when she was 14-years-old and he married her in 1966 when he was 20 and she was 16-years-old. This new video has emerged in the wake of A&E lifting his suspension from the cable network's No.1 rated show for his anti-gay and racially provocative comments that Roberston made in an interview with GQ magazine. In the article, Robertson quoted passages from the Bible - calling homosexuality a sin and comparing it to bestiality. His suspension appalled his supporters on the right such as Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Their vocal campaign to make Robertson a victim of political-correctness which had violated his First Amendment rights was successful and he was reinstated. Reinstated: Phil Robertson won't miss a day of filming after his brief hiatus was reversed by A&E . Indeed, over the weekend the Robertson family issued a statement to Fox News saying they are 'excited to keep making a quality TV show for our dedicated fans, who have showed us wonderful support. We will continue to represent our faith and values in a positive way through Duck Dynasty and our many projects that we are currently working on.' 'The outpouring of support and prayers has encouraged and emboldened us greatly,' the family added. The network said in a statement yesterday that they planned to reinstate Phil on the reality show after discussions with the Robertson family and consultations with 'numerous advocacy groups'. Stardom: Two of the unlikely reality TV stars of Duck Dynasty, brothers Silas 'Uncle Si' Robertson (left) and Phil Robertson . But despite this, many spoke out against Phil's reinstatement - the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination (GLAAD) issuing a statement yesterday to Fox News saying it the network is just greedy to capitalize off the hit show. 'Phil Robertson should look African American and gay people in the eyes and hear about the hurtful impact of praising Jim Crow laws and comparing gay people to terrorists. 'If dialogue with Phil is not part of next steps then A+E has chosen profits over African American and gay people – especially its employees and viewers,' the said. The fourth season is set to premiere this January, and was largely completed before Phil made the statements, meaning he didn't miss a single episode of filming during the ban. The removal of the 67-year-old patriarch from the show was lauded by gay rights organizations, but fans of the show denounced it as a violation of Robertson's right to free speech. | Video of Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson telling an audience at a Georgia Sportsmen's Ministry talk to marry girl's as young as 15 has emerged .
The video dates from Georgia in 2009 and follows the Robertson family patriarch's controversial comments on homosexuality and race-relations .
The video has been discovered just days after Robertson was reinstated to the hit reality-show by A&E .
This followed a huge backlash against his 9-day suspension - which his supporters said violated his First Amendment rights . |
fe7eacb857207269855dec8b3fac2b9416ba307a | More than 6,000 children across England have been reported as at risk of sexual exploitation in the past 18 months, according to new figures. The data, collected by Channel 4, shows that 6,300 children aged under 16 have been flagged up to social services for being vulnerable to exploitation since January last year. The figures, which were obtained from 88 councils across the country, have been disclosed following the Rotherham sex abuse scandal where more than 1,400 children were sexually abused over a 16-year period. The data from 88 councils across England shows that 6,300 children aged under 16 have been flagged up to social services for being vulnerable to exploitation since January last year (file picture, posed by a model) According to the new information, social services were aware of 3,202 children at risk in 2013 and a total of 3,009 children were referred to social services, or known to them already, in the first six months of 2014. The data shows that those as young as newborn babies and toddlers could have been exploited and the council reported potential exploitation of children aged between nine and 14 through gangs, social media, family members and massage parlours. Children were found to be most at risk in northern regions, with 452 deemed at risk in Manchester, 407 in Derbyshire, 363 in Sheffield and 311 in Blackburn and Darwen. However, the problem is not just confined to the north, as the data shows that children are at risk nationwide – including 256 in the London borough of Havering, 230 in Northamptonshire, 196 in Hampshire and 140 in Southampton. Ann Coffey, the Labour MP for Stockport, (pictured) is currently chairing an inquiry into child exploitation . Of those reported at risk, the majority were girls but 523 cases involved young boys. Ann Coffey, the Labour MP for Stockport who is chairing an inquiry into child exploitation, said agencies were being more pro-active in tackling exploitation nowadays. She told Channel 4 News: 'I think that child sexual exploitation has been under-identified for a very long time - part of the reason being that victims feel they are going to be blamed for what happened to them. 'Agencies are being much more proactive in going out and identifying children at risk of sexual exploitation and hopefully intervening before that sexual exploitation and the trauma that it causes children occurs.' She also said that with proper information being widely available, the public may become better at recognising the signs and symptoms of sexual exploitation in their own neighbourhood, making it easier for them to report children who are at risk. The issue of 'victim blaming' by the agencies and authorities who were tasked to support the children had been 'a real problem for victims' in the past, but Ms Coffey said this situation was now changing. She said: 'I don't think the police can deal with this by themselves - that is why we need to engage the community.' According to the NSPCC, child sexual exploitation involves the manipulation or coercion of young people under the age of 18 into sexual activity in exchange for money, gifts, accommodation, affection or status. | Data reveals that 6,300 children aged under 16 have been reported as at risk .
Figures collated from 88 councils across England show the majority are girls .
3,202 children deemed at risk in 2013 and 3,009 reported in first half of 2014 .
Children found to be most at risk in northern areas, with 452 in Manchester .
Data revealed in wake of Rotherham abuse scandal affecting 1,400 children . |
fe7f0d332380b002a6f8eac861a22ed6c5ef418d | Single mother Sanaa Derbas will face court next month for allegedly conning a string of elderly men out of $2 million in a lonely hearts scam - and then using the cash to fund her lavish lifestyle. The 39-year-old was arrested on Thursday at her Miller home in Sydney's west and charged with offences which are more commonly committed by Nigerian fraudsters. She is accused of trawling lonely hearts messages online and in newspapers to find her alleged victims, who were all in their 60s and 70s. She is believed to have formerly owned a cosmetics business called 'Provocative Nails'. Scroll down for video . The woman, who is being led away by police, was arrested on Thursday charged with a crime usually committed by Nigerian fraudsters . This is the profile picture the mother-of-four used to allegedly lure elderly men to hand over their money . Derbas, whose children are aged two to 16, will appear in court on June 25 to face several counts of fraud and money laundering. She is the first person in Australia to be charged with these offences in relation to a lonely hearts scam. The mother-of-four, who receives $1,500 a fortnight in welfare payments, is accused of using sites like Lavalife and Meeting Point to target older men. She used the proceeds of her alleged crimes to fund a lifestyle of flashy cars, exotic getaways, designer handbags and plastic surgery, the Daily Telegraph reported. She used the money she allegedly scammed to fund a luxurious lifestyle of designer bags, holidays and flash cars . It is also alleged she purchased a home in Miller, knocked it down and built a brand-new one. On Friday, one man, a woman and a teenage boy arrived next door to the woman's Miller home, where Ms Derbas's mother is believed to live. Relatives of the woman also occupy a third house next door, neighbours said. After arriving at the mother's house the man, named Gus, who was dressed in grey cargo pants, a hoodie and sunglasses turned the garden hose on reporters in the street. Another neighbour, Lyn, yelled out her support and said when asked about the alleged fraud of the elderly men, 'good on her, if they're that stupid'. Emanuel, who lives across the road from the woman said she had built her current brick house in the last few years, replacing an older house. 'She is a lovely woman with lovely kids,' he said. A woman in the street told MailOnline the woman's family were of Lebanese background and had lived in the street for many years. She said the alleged con woman 'fancies herself' and had had plastic surgery.One man in the street said people joked about the woman's botox injections and her 'butt lift'. Police allege one man handed over $1.9million to Ms Derbas while others gave her $190,000, $58,000 and $12,000. Police say that there may be more victims. Three of the men she allegedly duped had not even met her. One of them was an interstate businessman and had a sexual relationship with her at his north shore apartment. NSW Fraud and and Cybercrime Squad's Detective Superintendent Arthur Katsogiannis said the woman was a master at manipulating the older men. 'This woman was very good convincing men that she was in love with them and that they were in a relationship,' he told the Daily Telegraph. NSW Police will allege the woman had five bank accounts and invented sob stories to convince her victims to deposit the money in her account. Detective Katsogiannis said she would tell men a relative in Egypt had died and she needed money to get the funds released from the state or her child needed an operation in Melbourne. The single mother, 39, hugged one of her children as the police led her away from her Miller home in Sydney's west . Police will also allege she laundered money by buying cars and selling them off at a loss . 'We will allege she used a number of these stories to play on the men's good nature and emotions,' he said. It is also alleged the woman laundered money by buying expensive cars and then selling them at a loss. Detective Katsogiannis said this type of scam was often performed overseas and police believed this was the first time anyone in Australia had been charged with doing it. He commended the men for having the courage to come forward and report something that was 'potentially very embarrassing'. More than $1 million and assets have been frozen by police, and the woman's cars were seized on Thursday. She is currently on bail and is due to appear at Liverpool Local Court on June 25. It is also alleged the woman bought a home in Miller, knocked it down and rebuilt a new one . At the home on Thursday, police seized her cars as well as freezing $1 million and assets . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | The mother-of-four allegedly targeted lonely men through online ads .
Police say Derbas is the first person in Australia charged with the crime .
These types of offences are usually committed by Nigerian scammers .
She is said to have used proceeds to fund a luxurious lifestyle . |
fe7f52d3325669b103cce1491e9b54751858c29c | Would-be artists can now complete illustrations in a new dot-to-dot version of the ancient Kama Sutra sex guide. The original book, believed to have been written around 1,600 years ago, includes chapters on Sexual Union, About A Wife and About Others' Wives. It is based on ancient Indian Hindu philosophies and was first translated into English in 1883 under the guidance of Victorian explorer Richard Burton. The 'tantric tortoise': A dot-to-dot illustration of a Kama Sutra pose in a new version of the ancient sex guide . The 'spontaneous and joyous ecstasy position': Some of the dot-to-dot illustrations are trickier than others . The new version includes several incomplete illustrations of recommended positions including the inverted crow and the tortoise. The design team behind the book said it was an 'obvious subject for a dot-to-dot'. They added: 'The Kama Sutra positions are extremely odd to start with, so when you create a dot-to-dot and take away the main parts of the body, leaving the odd suspended head and hand it looks even more comical. Ancient: The dot-to-dot illustrations in the book, such as the 'inverted crow', pictured, are based on the original Kama Sutra written approximately 1,600 years ago . Hard work: The design team behind the dot-to-dot Kama Sutra sex guide, which includes this sketch of the pose 'splitting of a bamboo', said it was a complicated task figuring out where the dots should go . 'The response to the first few spreads we did was utter hilarity, as the fun part is guessing what will be revealed. 'We have done all the hard work figuring out what needed to be dots and where there should be a printed hand, foot or head. 'It was surprisingly difficult - you could easily lose your way round a body when positioning the dots. 'Of course the bits that everyone wants to draw themselves are the rude bits. They were the most complicated parts to work out - so many dots, so close together to portray the intimate details.' History: The Kama Sutra, which contains illustrations of sexual poses such as the 'lotus position', pictured, is based on ancient Indian Hindu philosophies . Point to point: Some of the illustrations involve more than 150 dots to make up the pose - making the correct joining up of lines difficult even for some experts . | A new version of the Kama Sutra has been released - in dot-to-dot format .
It contains incomplete illustrations of poses such as the 'inverted crow' |
fe7f5b38a51303f1219e9d8ae4cd1b533c58e1a3 | By . Rebecca Camber . PUBLISHED: . 07:30 EST, 28 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:31 EST, 7 March 2014 . Cradling her Heckler & Koch MP5 rifle, she was once Scotland Yard’s poster girl for the Olympics. But just months after this picture was taken, Police Constable Carol Howard launched a race and gender discrimination claim against the force, claiming that her career had been held back by bullies. The 34-year-old firearms officer, who is a member the elite Diplomatic Protection Group (DPG) – the same unit embroiled in the Plebgate scandal – has accused a senior male officer of denying her equal opportunities because of her race and gender. Carol Howard, 34, is suing Scotland Yard claiming racial and sexual discrimination . Her tribunal hearing, due to take . place next month will also hear allegations of bullying within the DPG. The squad protects senior politicians, government buildings and foreign . embassies in London. Miss Howard, who has served in the force for ten years, helped safeguard London from terror attacks during the 2012 Games. She . was thrust into the spotlight when the Metropolitan Police chose her to . be a poster girl for a glossy magazine feature on the 10,000 men and . women on duty during the Olympics, which ran under the headline: ‘The . Met Police is a force to be reckoned with.’ At . the time, she was happy to talk about her firearms. When asked how many . weapons she had, Miss Howard said: ‘Four: the Glock, which is a pistol; . the Heckler & Koch MP5 rifle; a Taser; and CS spray, which is like . pepper spray.’ She . also challenged suggestions that armed police have a bad reputation, . saying: ‘It comes down to public perception. A lot of people who say . they’ve had problems with the police haven’t actually had a personal . incident, it’s just something they’ve heard about.’ But . yesterday it emerged that she has been pursuing a discrimination claim . against the Met for two years. The constable has now been removed from . frontline duties. Yesterday . a Met spokesman said: ‘Police Constable Carol Howard of the Diplomatic . Protection Group is bringing an employment tribunal against the Met . citing racial and sexual discrimination. The Met will robustly defend . the claim.’ Her case, which also involves bullying allegations, will be heard at Central London Employment Tribunal on March 31. The . issue of racism is particularly sensitive for the force. This week . Baroness Lawrence, the mother of murdered black teenager Stephen . Lawrence, said she believes some attitudes ‘haven’t changed much’ since . the Macpherson Report which claimed the Met was ‘institutionally . racist’, 15 years ago. Last . year, on the eve of the 20th anniversary of his death, the Metropolitan . Black Police Association declared the force is still ‘institutionally . racist’. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: 'The Met will robustly defend the claim' The racial . discrimination claim is the latest in a series of allegations to rock . the DPG after two of its officers were sacked on Wednesday for their . role in the Plebgate scandal involving former chief whip Andrew . Mitchell. PC Keith Wallis, . who was sentenced to 12 months in prison on February 6 for lying about . witnessing the incident, was dismissed from the Met. PC James Glanville . was also dismissed after a misconduct hearing found he had given . information about the incident to The Sun newspaper and lied about it to . investigators. He was arrested on January 31 last year but in November was told he would not be charged. Last . year three officers in the unit were arrested over claims they . exchanged ‘extreme’ pornography with each other on their mobile phones. They no longer face criminal charges but are still subject to an . investigation into allegations of misconduct. | Carol Howard, a firearms officer with the Diplomatic Protection Group, claims her career has been held back at Scotland Yard .
She claims a senior male DPG officer has denied her equal opportunities .
Tribunal hearing, to be held next month, also involves bullying allegations . |
fe7fb84a0c16678969cec2a02262146907507202 | The silent half of illusionists Penn & Teller has revealed the truth behind his wordless stage presence. Teller, 66, who legally dropped his first name years ago, explained this week that by not speaking at all on stage and communicating with a series of shrugs and gestures, he creates a greater intimacy with his audience. He was a high school Latin teacher in New Jersey and part-time magician when he met Penn Jillette, a clown college graduate, in the mid-1970s. Scroll down for video . Teller, 66, who dropped his first name years ago, revealed in an interview aired last Sunday that he stays silent during his magic tricks (right) to create a greater intimacy with his audience . Their act turns on contrasting stage personas - Penn is large, loud and brash while Teller is shorter and maintains a mime-like presence throughout the tricks. In an interview aired on Sunday, Teller told CBS: 'Not speaking is just about the most intimate thing you can do. 'If we just stop and look, that gets intimate fast. That's what I feel when I'm on stage.' Penn & Teller have been the headline act at The Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for the past 14 years. The magic duo are also behind TV shows Wizard Wars and Fool Us which encourage up and coming magic talent. In 2013, they were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in honor of their long career. The unlikely duo admit that their longevity and success is down to the fact that they don't have a 'cuddly friendship'. Penn said: 'We were carny trash... we would take any gig we could get. But all of our confrontations happened in the first couple of years.' Teller added: 'Opposites do sometimes compliment.' Penn & Teller, pictured on stage during 58th Annual Creative Arts Emmy Awards, performing one of their more famous tricks, sawing a person in half . Magic pays! Teller's stunning home sits high in the hills surrounding Las Vegas, where his magic act has been in resident for the past 14 years . The 66-year-old gave CBS a tour of his home which is full of magic artefacts and books and even contains a secret passage hidden behind the library shelves . The other half of the duo, Penn Gillette, lives with his family in a quirky colorful home on the outskirts of Vegas . Teller was a high school Latin teacher who did magic on the sides (pictured) when he met Penn Jillette in the mid-1970s and formed their act . And it's the simplest illusions that keeps Teller hooked on magic. He explained one of his most beloved tricks - where a red ball seems to move of its own accord towards and around a hoop - really is just a ball, thread and a hoop, which took years of practice to perfect. 'It's a long bit of juggling with me, a ball and one piece of thread,' he said. 'There's no mechanisms off stage.' Teller explained that being able to draw from his own imagination to entertain is what keeps him returning to the stage after four decades. He said: 'That great line from ''Sunday in the Park with George'' - it makes me tear up - ''Look I made a hat where there never was a hat''. 'That pretty much summarizes anybody who makes something artistic - there was nothing there and now something that was in my head is out there.' In a rare interview, Teller revealed one of his favorite tricks with a red ball and a hoop was one of the most simplest - with no mechanics and years of juggling practice . Magician Penn Jillette with his wife Emily and children, Moxie Crimefighter and Zolten, and magician Teller at a ceremony honoring Penn & Teller with the 2,494th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013 . | Teller, 66, who dropped his first name years ago, explained that by not speaking a word on stage he creates a greater intimacy with the audience .
He was a high school Latin teacher and part-time magician when he met Penn Jillette, a clown school graduate, in the mid-1970s .
They have been the headline act at The Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for the past 14 years . |
fe7fbe966f94a6f5949e4ec958cdadf2d362685e | By . Sean Gallagher . Mamadou Sakho and Simon Mignolet have proved to be a hit off the field as well as on it after doing a special signing session with Liverpool fans on their US tour. The Reds are currently on the fourth stage of their tour in Charlotte, North Carolina, after already visiting Boston, Chicago and New York so far. And on Friday, Sakho and Mignolet met supporters for a special signing session at an official Liverpool FC pop-up store at the Epicentre. VIDEO Scroll down for 'France and Liverpool's Mamadou Sakho football FREESTYLE' Meet and greet: Mamadou Sakho and Simon Mignolet took time out to visit a pop-up Liverpool store at the Epicentre in Charlotte, North Carolina as the team prepare to face AC Milan in their latest American tour match . Signing session: Mignolet addresses the crowd at the Liverpool store as the team prepare for their latest International Champions Cup fixture . Signed and delivered: Sakho and Mignolet take time out to sign fans' merchandise . All smiles: Mignolet grins as he signs a fan's shirt . Faithful: Hundreds turned out at the pop up LFC store in Charlotte to catch a glimpse of their heroes . Warm welcome: Mignolet is cheered by the crowd as he arrives at the signing session . Character: Sakho has played a big role . Hundreds turned up at the shopping mall to meet their heroes, many waving 'You'll Never Walk Alone' scarves and wearing the famous red colours. Sakho and Mignolet took time to sign replica shirts and all kinds of other merchandise for the club's American faithful and also addressed the crowd, thanking them for their support. Liverpool . have a 100 per cent record on their Stateside tour so far, having . beaten Olympiacos 1-0 and Manchester City on penalties after a 2-2 draw . on Thursday evening. | The Liverpool duo signed autographs for Liverpool fans at a special signing session in Charlotte .
The Reds have already visited Boston, Chicago and New York .
They face AC Milan in their next game on Saturday . |
fe7fcdce1050455027d27d0f452cb541b049f2a6 | (CNN) -- "Fifty Shades of Grey" fans are hot -- and not for the reason you might think. No sooner were the stars of the forthcoming film adaptation of the wildly successful erotic novel announced than the Internet roared its disapproval. No, no, no some fans cried to the casting of Charlie Hunnam and Dakota Johnson as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele respectively. The front-runners for the gig appear to be "White Collar" star Matt Bomer and Alexis Bledel, who is best known from the hit TV show "Gilmore Girls." There is even a Change.org petition demanding that the roles be recast and given to that pair. Wow. As we learned with the drama that became "Batfleck" (yes, that's henceforth the term for the madness that went down when it was announced that Ben Affleck would be playing Batman) people take very seriously these casting decisions -- especially when it's a pair of characters they have been fantasizing about. Therefore it seems like just about everyone has "Fifty Shades" opinion. And Twitter lit up with them, from the serious to the semi-joshing. | Charlie Hunnam and Dakota Johnson have been cast in the film .
Some fans wanted Matt Bomer and Alexis Bledel to get the roles .
A petition is being circulated . |
fe7fdab0be8ec92d1e992fbdf95181da56bf1904 | By . Katy Winter . One of the country’s oldest sets of identical twins put the secret of their longevity down to a close friendship as they celebrated their 90th birthday. Great-great grandmother Gladys Watkins and her sister Dorothy Hunt still live in their own homes and phone each other at least five times everyday. The sisters have remained close friends all their lives and they and their many family and friends believe it is this bond has helped them stay so sprightly during their advancing years. Twin sisters Gladys and 'Dot' Watkins, now one of the oldest identical twins in the country, pictured celebrating their 90th birthday . Gladys, pictured right age 10, now has two stepchildren, five step-grandchildren, nine great step-grandchildren and five great-great stepchildren, while mother-of-two Dorothy, pictured left aged 10, has four grandchildren and four great- grandchildren, . The pair both joined the Auxiliary . Territorial Service during the Second World War - on the proviso that . they could stay together. Colleagues could only tell the pretty pair apart because Gladys was a lance corporal so had an extra stripe on her arm. They parted ways when clerical worker Gladys moved to Bristol with husband Frank, and Dorothy to Nottingham with husband Bob - but continued to enjoy regular coach holidays together. The duo marked their milestone birthday with two parties - one in Nottingham last month, and a family do in Bristol on Saturday. The spry pair, pictured in 1944 during service, both joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service during the Second World War - on the proviso that they could stay together . Gladys and Dot in 1944 serving during WW2 with the girls from hut 145. The two could only been told apart because Gladys was a lance corporal so had an extra stripe on her arm . They parted ways when clerical worker Gladys moved to Bristol with husband Frank, and Dorothy to Nottingham with husband Bob - but continued to enjoy regular coach holidays together . Gladys has two stepchildren, five step grandchildren, nine great step grandchildren and five great-great stepchildren, and still works part time in a cafe in Sea Mills, Bristol. Mother-of-two Dorothy, who has four grandchildren and four great- grandchildren, only recently retired from a part-time job at a cafe in her Nottingham church. Gladys said: 'It’s wonderful to have so many of the family around us for another celebration.' Gladys’ step grandson, Philip Watkins, 58, from Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, said: 'They have always kept busy and kept themselves involved in local things.' | Gladys and Dorothy celebrated their milestone birthday with two parties .
Although they live apart they speak at least 5 times everyday .
Joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service in WWII on proviso could stay together . |
fe7fdd6a0b396bb95083277bdf39f7262d4895b4 | Moscow (CNN) -- Russia's president fired the country's defense minister Tuesday after his office became embroiled in a controversy involving alleged corrupt property deals, state media reported. Anatoly Serdyukov, a former businessman, had been in charge of the Defense Ministry since early 2007. Putin appointed Sergey Shoigu, a former Emergencies Minister, as the new head of defense, according to Russia's state-owned channel RT. Shoigu, who's been serving as governor of the Moscow region since the summer, was well regarded in his role at the helm of the Emergencies Ministry, the channel said. Russia's Investigation Committee has filed a court case against a company affiliated to the Defense Ministry, Oboronservis, over the sale of ministry properties, according to RT. Two suspects, Yekaterina Smetanova and her partner Maksim Zakutailo, are accused of aiding illegal sales. Another suspect, Yevgeniya Vasilyeva, is thought to be a former protege of Serdyukov, RT said. The scandal, which must be embarrassing for the Kremlin, concerns real estate scams involving nearly $100 million, according to state-owned news agency RIA Novosti. "Given the situation that has developed around the Ministry of Defense, in order to create the conditions for an objective investigation of all the issues, I have decided to free the Minister of Defense Serdyukov from office," Putin is quoted as saying by RT. Russia's large military is in the midst of a much-needed modernization program. Putin urged Shoigu to push forward with the reforms, according to RT, saying he "must continue further dynamic development of the army to ensure the fulfillment of the state arms order and the immense plans of re-equipment of the army." The appointment of Shoigu, a general, in place of Serdyukov, who was Russia's first civilian defense minister, may please senior military figures who've been unsettled by sometimes painful reforms. The modernization program was ordered after Russia's invasion of the former Soviet republic of Georgia in 2008 revealed unexpected weaknesses in its armed forces. CNN's Arkady Irshenko contributed to this report. | Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov is sacked as a scandal embroils his ministry -- state media .
Sergey Shoigu, a former Emergencies Minister, is the newly appointed head of defense .
Putin said he was sacking Serdyukov to ensure an objective investigation, state media report .
Russia's large military is in the midst of a much-needed modernization program . |
fe7ff14e0d3fad53174cba5c2bbc8a33234505e4 | Abu Dhabi (CNN) -- Fujairah, one of seven emirates which make up the UAE, is putting new meaning into the saying "build it and they will come." As members of OPEC tussle with a 20% drop in oil prices since June -- and question if they should trim production at their November meeting -- the UAE is forging ahead with a crucial piece of its energy strategy. Sitting south of the world's busiest oil shipping lane, the Strait of Hormuz, the tiny emirate of Fujairah is emerging as a global energy hub. Mousa Murad, general manager of the Port of Fujairah, saw the area's potential in 1991, during the first Gulf War. A traffic jam of more than 200 tankers, triggered by concerns of bomb attacks, was lined up at the mouth of the Strait. Murad told CNN this was a "light bulb moment" for his team. "We thought we should be thinking about how we can serve shipping as maritime services," he said, referencing the bunkering service initially offered. Today, the once sleepy emirate is doing far more than just loading fuel for ships. After Iran threatened to shut down the Strait in 2008, oil-rich Abu Dhabi decided to leverage Fujairah's strategic location on the Indian Ocean with unimpeded access to the seas to reach clients in Asia. China, Japan and South Korea are Abu Dhabi's top three importers of UAE crude. The game changer was a decision by the UAE government to build a $3 billion, 240-mile oil pipeline from Abu Dhabi's Habshan field into Fujairah, with a capacity of 1.5 million barrels a day. The pipeline, opened two years ago, can handle about half of the UAE's daily production. Thangapandian Srinivasalu, a 30-year veteran of the business and executive director of Gulf Petrochem, laid out the energy hub's potential while taking me through a map of the facility. Srinivasalu said Fujairah has something those in Asia and Europe don't: plenty of oil in its neighborhood. "Unlike Singapore or Rotterdam, which are the leading ports, you are surrounded by crude producers, surrounded by refineries," said Srinivasalu. "This is what interested us the most, and it's very peaceful." Indeed, it is almost eerily peaceful. On a clear day, looking east from the balcony, one can see Iran. With rising demand from Asia, and two thirds of proven reserves sitting in the region, the UAE will continue to up the ante with more spending. By June 2016, the port is expected to be able to manage huge crude carriers known in the business as "VLCCs," which handle two million barrels per load. Future plans include building a LNG import terminal to use natural gas to fuel power plants, saving the oil for export. Malek Azizeh, commercial director of Fujairah Oil Terminal, told me those investments are ensuring the expanding terminal is catching the attention of the energy industry. He points to, for example, the joint venture he is helping launch in December with China's Sinopec and Singapore's Concord Energy. "All these things, add them up and it gives you a perfect scenario for somebody to take a step forward and get out of the usual thing and do something different," Azizeh told me as we toured the construction of the site's massive holding tanks. In an irony not lost on the executives, it was threats by Iran in 2008 which triggered this investment. If talks with Tehran over its nuclear program go well and sanctions are lifted, this expanding hub could eventually welcome Iranian crude. More from John Defterios: ISIS' struggle to control its oil riches . Read more: Airstrikes, militants and a refugee crisis fail to dampen Iraq oil markets . | Fujairah, one of seven emirates which make up the UAE, is emerging as a global energy hub .
By 2016, the port is expected to be able to manage huge crude carriers, which handle two million barrels per load . |
fe80083a2397dbc69b3565d20184de972456a664 | An autistic man trapped in a world of silence who can only speak a few words has stunned his family by singing, and has now released an album. Kyle Coleman, 27, was diagnosed with 'classic autism' aged three, but soon retreated into a world of his own, stopped speaking, and to this day has never uttered a full sentence. Kyle was almost completely non-verbal until 2009 when his mother took him to a musical therapy session and he started singing along to his favourite songs in pitch-perfect harmony. Scroll down for video . Kyle Coleman, 27, has released an album of original songs despite being a non-verbal autistic who has never uttered a full sentence and has been virtually mute for his entire adult life . Kyle was diagnosed with autism aged three, and eventually stopped speaking. However he showed a natural affinity with music, and first sung aged six (pictured) but suddenly stopped . Kyle, of Gwithian, Cornwall, has now spent hours in a recording studio and is releasing an album of original material. Caroline said: 'Singing is his turn to be heard. He will feel a song rather than think it. Kyle is so much calmer and more at peace now. 'About three years ago, on a scale of ten, his anxiety level was around nine - I would say it's about three now. 'It's opened a dialogue that makes Kyle and I more connected. He used to be very distant - autism can create a fortress around a person. Kyle's gift for singing was unlocked in 2009 when he started music therapy and began singing along to his favourite songs . 'But he pays attention when he is singing. He sleeps well, his tolerance levels are much better, and he's been able to make friends for the first time. 'It is kind of awe inspiring. Song has unlocked this innate, built-in gift that he had. It has taken Kyle to another level. 'What is the most breath taking thing is that he can put his own stamp on songs. He is extraordinary.' Kyle showed an early affinity with music, and first sang aged six or seven with a clumsy rendition of 'Walking in the Air' from the Christmas classic The Snowman. Caroline's ex-husband, who died in a motorbike accident, used to be a musician and she credits Kyle's musical ability to him. But suddenly Kyle stopped singing. After years of silence mother-of-three Caroline took him to Cornwall Music Therapy Trust in Redruth where Kyle's talent was finally unlocked. Caroline recalls how he came home, ran upstairs, got his favourite CDs and started singing along while playing the tune on his keyboard. Encouraged by his therapist, Caroline took Kyle along to a local recording studio where he produced an album of cover version of his favourite Inide songs which was released in 2012. His new album, Beyond the Syntax - referring to the difficulty autistic people have with ordering words - made its debut to coincide with World Autism Awareness Day on April 2. It is a collection of 12 original songs - including Standing On Solid Ground - with most the the lyrics penned by his mother, who used to sing in her youth. Kyle released his first album in 2012 featuring cover versions of Indie songs, but has now released an album of original tracks which were penned by mother Caroline who also used to sing in her youth . Mother-of-three Caroline says music has provided Kyle with a way to communicate and make friends. She says he is now much less anxious and that singing has brought them together . To coincide with the record's release, Kyle has also starred in his own music video, with some shots filmed in the busy high street near his home, a nerve-wracking ordeal for him which Caroline would have been unthinkable even a few months ago. The LP is a collaboration between Kyle, Caroline and recording studio owner John, 42, a guitarist and producer based in Plymouth, Devon. John, who sets the lyrics to music, said: 'It was clear straight away that he was really good.' To coincide with the release of his first single Kyle also starred in a music video, including some shots recorded in a city centre, which his mother said would have been unthinkable even a few months ago . | Kyle Coleman was diagnosed with 'common autism' aged three .
However he soon stopped talking and has never spoken a full sentence .
He had an affinity with music and first sung Walking In The Air aged six .
The singing eventually stopped and he was virtually mute until his mid-20s .
In 2009 he started singing again after his mother took him to music therapy .
He has released an album of original material called Beyond the Syntax . |
fe803da29ef839b776d5c3879018d33944890c41 | By . Francesca Chambers . President Barack Obama announced today that he would again go around Congress to enact immigration reform measures. In a hastily scheduled statement this afternoon from the White House Rose Garden, Obama said he would 'greatly prefer' Congress pass its own legislation, rather than having to take matters into his own hands, but House Republicans have given him no choice. 'I don’t prefer taking administrative action,' he said. 'I take executive action only when we have a serious problem, a serious issue, and Congress chooses to do nothing.' The president said he had directed his administration to 'refocus' is efforts on border security and said it would use its 'existing legal authorities' to do 'what Congress refuses to do' and fix the broken immigration system. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . My way or the highway: President Barack Obama said today that in the absence of Congressional legislation addressing the broken immigration system, his administration would use its 'existing legal authorities' to enact its own reforms . This June 18, 2014 photo shows illegal immigrant children sleeping on the floor of a holding cell at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing facility in Brownsville, Texas . The President said he expected recommendations from his administration on what he can do without Congress by the end of the summer. It will still taken an act of Congress, however, Obama said, to truly reform the system, and Obama indicated that he had recently told House Speaker John Boehner as much. 'I’m going to continue to reach out to House Republicans in the hope that they deliver a more permanent solution with a comprehensive bill,' Obama said. 'Maybe it will be after the midterms, when they’re less worried about politics. Maybe it will be next year. Whenever it is, they will find me a willing partner.' The president said he'd be willing to look at . legislation other than the version he supports that is stalled in the . Senate. 'The only thing I can’t do,' Obama said, 'is stand by and do nothing while . waiting for [House Republicans] to get their act together.' 'I believe Speaker Boehner when he says he wants to pass an immigration bill. I think he genuinely wants to get something done,' Obama said at another point in his remarks. After Obama's announcement Boehner released a statement saying 'it is sad and disappointing' that the president 'won't work with us, but is instead intent on going it alone with executive orders that can't and won't fix these problems. 'In our conversation last week, I told the president what I have been telling him for months: the American people and their elected officials don't trust him to enforce the law as written. 'Until that changes, it is going to be difficult to make progress on this issue,' Boehner said. President Barack Obama said he expects recommendations from his administration by the end of the summer on what it can do without Congress' approval . The president's announcement comes two years after he went around Congress to change how the administration handles deporting young people who have lived in the United States since they were children. The president's 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals executive order instructed immigration officials to stop deporting anyone under the age of 31 who had arrived in the U.S. before the age of 16, lived in the U.S. continuously since 2007 and had no criminal record. That policy, Republicans claim, led to the current humanitarian crisis on America's border with Mexico. Unaccompanied minors have poured into the border since DACA went into effect. Many are coming from Mexico, but the majority are coming from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. The Customs and Border Protection agency expects 100,000 children to illegally immigrate to the Unite States by the end of the year. Neither Obama's DACA directive nor his immigration reform legislation that is currently stalled in the Senate would apply to them, but more than 200 a day are coming to the U.S. anyway under the false assumption they will receive amnesty when they arrive. 'They are principally motivated by a disinformation campaign that’s being propagated by criminal syndicates that are preying on vulnerable populations of people who are living in pretty desperate situations,' White House Press Secretary John Earnest told reporters today. Border enforcement officials have been overwhelmed by the flood of children, and detention facilities in the Rio Grande area in Texas are overflowing with teens and small kids awaiting deportation or other government action. 'The White House claims . it will move to return these children to their families in their home . countries, yet additional executive action from this president isn't . going to stem the tide of illegal crossings, it’s only going to make . them worse,' Boehner said today. Boehner accused the president was 'giving false hope to children and their families that if they enter the . country illegally they will be allowed to stay.' Two female detainees sleep in a holding cell at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Nogales Placement Center in Nogales, Arizona . In his remarks Obama said today that crisis on the border 'underscores' the need for immigration reform and called on House Republicans saying otherwise to stop coming up with excuses not to pass reforms. 'It makes no sense. It's not on the level. It's just politics, plain and simple,' he said. Obama denied that his past actions had provided encouragement for the . mass migration of children, saying, 'I've sent a clear message to . parents in these countries, not to put their kids through this.' 'But the problem is, is that our system is so broken, so unclear that folks don’t know what the rules are,' Obama said. So while I will continue to push House Republicans to drop the excuses and act,' the president said, 'America cannot wait forever for them to act,' which is why he directing his administration to act on its own. And if House Republicans don't like it, they should pass their own legislation instead of trying to sue him, he said. Obama was referring to Boehner's announcement last week that the House would bring a lawsuit against the president for repeatedly going around Congress to amend the law as he sees fit. 'Pass a bill; solve a problem. Don't just say no on something that everybody agrees needs to be done,' the president said of House Republicans. 'With the House of Representatives filing a lawsuit to curb Obama’s presidential overreach, you'd think this administration would get the message,' Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement harshly rebuking the president. 'Our Constitution is not a list of suggestions. Our Founders were not mistaken when they created three separate branches of government,' Priebus argued, citing recent Supreme Court decisions rolling back Democratic-supported legislation. '[The president] wants a comprehensive immigration overhaul that's his way or the highway. But that doesn't give him the power to rewrite the Constitution or the law.' Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, a member of the Gang of Eight senators leading the way for immigration reform, said Obama's decision to go rogue today was a poor choice. 'We're all frustrated that IR hasn't moved in the House,' the Republican Senator tweeted, 'but POTUS . dismissing genuine concern about unilateral executive action doesn't . help.' Anxious for action on immigration . reform, President Barack Obama instructed his administration to stop . deporting young, illegal immigrants in a June 2012 memo. To . qualify for the president's 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival . program, immigrants were required to: be under the age of 31; in school, . graduated or be a member or veteran of the armed services; have no . criminal record; arrived in the U.S. under the age of 16; and been . living in the U.S. continuously since June of 2007. Since the president announced DACA, the number of young, illegal immigrants coming to the U.S. via Mexico has skyrocketed. Since . last October, 52,000 minors, many of whom are unaccompanied by their . parents, have made the dangerous journey to the United States' southern border. The . president's policy does not apply to new illegal immigrants but . smugglers are purposefully telling families of foreign children that it . does. The executive . branch is working with the governments of the countries where most of . the children are migrating from - El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and . Mexico - to correct the record, but so far their efforts have been . limited to meetings, phone calls, op-eds in Spanish language newspapers . and new aid to those countries. The . administration has taken no real action to stop the children from . getting into the U.S. and has instead encouraged children . to flee to the U.S., Republicans say, by focusing on making detention . centers along the border more cozy for children held in . custody. Obama has ignored . calls from House Speaker John Boehner and other Republicans to send the . National Guard to the border to handle the humanitarian crisis so that . Border Patrol officials can focusing on shutting down the criminal . networks that profit off of the child immigrants. | President Barack Obama announced today that his administration would use its 'existing legal authorities' to do 'what Congress refuses to do' and fix the broken immigration system .
Obama said he would 'greatly prefer' that Congress pass legislation addressing the issue, but in the absence of action, he said he would take matters into his own hands .
If House Republicans want him to stop governing through executive orders, Obama said, they should, 'Pass a bill; solve a problem'
'I take executive action only when we have a serious problem, a serious issue, and Congress chooses to do nothing' |
fe808ff1b30189db2167f404d2e29f551c33e1e1 | By . James Gordon . Rising costs: Cancer drug prices have doubled in the past decade, from an average of $5,000 per month to more than $10,000 . Cancer drug prices have doubled in the past decade, from an average of $5,000 per month to more than $10,000. Eleven of the 12 cancer drugs the Food and Drug Administration approved for fighting cancer in 2012 were priced at more than $100,000 per year, double the average annual household income . Thousands of cancer patients, even many with insurance, face the same dire decision: Go bankrupt or die. Many are struggling with a huge jump in the average price tag for branded oncology treatments, which have doubled to $10,000 per month in just a decade. That jump . is contributing to a surge in global spending on oncology treatments, . which reached a whopping $91 billion last year, according to a new . report from the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics. The . U.S. is the largest segment of that market, with American patients and . their insurers paying $37.2 billion for oncology treatments in 2013. Pharmaceutical . companies say it costs on average more than $1 billion to research a . new drug and bring it to market, but critics put the costs at less than . $90 million. Last year 100 cancer specialists . suggested that drug prices of $100,000 or more for treatments could be . viewed as profiteering and may be causing financial harm to patients. The pharmaceutical industry is the second most profitable industry in the United States, after the oil and gas industry. Rising costs: Cancer patients are more than two times as likely to file for bankruptcy compared with Americans without a cancer diagnosis . The . top-tier cancer drugs cost twice as much in the United States as they . do in parts of Europe, China, Canada and the United Kingdom, where the . government sets a limit on pricing and medications are as much as 38 . percent lower. As . the cost of the pills have more than doubled since 2007, the CEOs of . the drug companies have earned tens of millions of dollars. The . companies justify the enormous spend by pointing out the research . needed to develop them and the scientific innovation they represent . along with thevalue they deliver to patients and physicians. However, . nearly one in five cancer patients can’t afford their medication and . even with insurance many are on the hook for covering 20 percent of . their drug payments. The study also found that patients were less likely to persist with treatment as the costs climbed. There . is some positive news however, Cancer survival rates are climbing, with . 20 percent of the improvement due to advances in treatment. The . top-tier cancer drugs cost twice as much in the United States as they . do in parts of Europe, China, Canada and the United Kingdom, where the . government sets a limit on pricing and medications are as much as 38 . percent lower. As . the cost of the pills have more than doubled since 2007, the CEOs of . the drug companies have earned tens of millions of dollars. The . companies justify the enormous spend by pointing out the research . needed to develop them and the scientific innovation they represent . along with thevalue they deliver to patients and physicians. However, . nearly one in five cancer patients can’t afford their medication and . even with insurance many are on the hook for covering 20 percent of . their drug payments. The study also found that patients were less likely to persist with treatment as the costs climbed. There . is some positive news however, Cancer survival rates are climbing, with . 20 percent of the improvement due to advances in treatment. | The cost of cancer drugs has increased 100 per cent over the last ten years .
During the same period, the consumer price index has increased by 23 per cent .
Even insured patients may have to pay up to 20 per cent of the cost of drugs .
Prices are higher in the U.S. than Europe where the cost is 38 per cent cheaper . |
fe8150dc2ea17255ff9227606e6882b9478c328b | By . Anna Edwards . and Hannah Ellis-petersen . and Andrew Young . The Duchess of Cambridge couldn’t make it – nor could Prince Harry’s girlfriend, Cressida Bonas. So it fell once again to Pippa Middleton to steal the spotlight at yesterday’s big society wedding. Both William and Harry were there to witness James Meade and Lady Laura Marsham tie the knot in Norfolk, but both came unaccompanied. It had been rumoured that Kate was due to attend as the newlyweds are part of the couple’s ‘inner sanctum’, but instead she was said to be looking after baby George. Scroll down for video . Pippa Middleton looked beautiful in blue as she attended the wedding of Lady Laura Marsham to James Meade at St Nicholas Church, Gayton, Norfolk . Prince William played the role of usher at the wedding of two of his close friends, James Meade and Lady Laura Marsham, and was joined by his brother Harry . William was among 15 ushers who set . off for a pre-wedding pub lunch from Lady Laura’s family home at Gayton . Hall opposite St Nicholas Church church. They travelled the five miles to the Dappling Duck in a shooting party . trailer, looking like a gazebo on wheels, pulled by a Land Rover. In . 2011, Mr Meade, son of equestrian gold medallist Richard, gave an . unofficial speech at William and Kate’s wedding reception, while the . bride is the daughter of Julian Marsham, the eighth Earl of Romley. They were taken by tractor trailer to the church ahead of the bride, who walked from the neighbouring country home of her father, Julian Marsham, the 8th Earl of Romney, who was at her side. Where's Nico? Pippa looked in high spirits as she walked through the grass and chatted to guests - but her boyfriend was nowhere to be seen . The Duke of Cambridge (left) flew solo while his wife and newborn son missed out on the nuptials . Harry, pictured at the wedding of James Meade and Lady Laura Marsham in Norfolk, yesterday, is expected to mark his 29th birthday with his girlfriend Cressida Bonas and close friend Guy Pelly, among a few others . But despite the ride in the back of a . tractor, Pippa Middleton still managed to look elegant in a teal lace . dress by Tabitha Webb, which neatly fitted her toned figure. She finished her outfit with a complementing hat, which was adorned with a peacock feather. The 30-year-old columnist highlighted her tanned skin with a metallic clutch, chunky gold watch and bracelet, and a collection of rings adorning her fingers. Like her sister's enviable bouncy locks, Pippa's hair was perfectly teased into loose curls. The glamorous socialite, who wore pink blush and lipstick, was seen chatting to other guests, but there was no sign of her stock-broker boyfriend Nico Jackson. Pippa was rumoured to have got engaged to the 35-year-old during a recent holiday to Mustique - but there was no sign of a ring on her engagement finger at the wedding. Lady Laura Marsham married James Meade this afternoon - and were watched by friends and family and cheered on by wellwishers . All smiles! The couple looked overjoyed after tying the knot in the beautifully decorated church, whose entrance was elaborately covered in cream flowers . The bride walked from the neighbouring country home of her father, Julian Marsham,who is the the 8th Earl of Romney . The Princes and Pippa avoided getting soaked at the ceremony, as the early morning rain gave way to sunshine during the couple's vows at the rural church late this afternoon. The happy couple have a good friendship with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge that has lasted for years. The son of Olympic gold medallist equestrian Richard, James Meade is a friend of William's from his days at Eton and is so friendly with Kate that he took her to Badminton Horse Trials during ‘The Split’ when the couple separated for a while in 2007. Along with Prince Harry, he made a speech at the Royal Wedding. Meade is engaged to Lady Laura Marsham, daughter of the Earl of Romney. Small crowds of wellwishers and royal fans gathered at points outside the churchyard, with cheers and screams for Harry as he arrived and left the service with friends. Guests, including Miss Middleton, were taken by tractor trailer to the church ahead of the bride . The early morning rain gave way to sunshine during the ceremony at the rural church late this afternoon . The married couple led the congregation from the church after the hour-long ceremony and they all walked back across a field to the Romney estate . Hymns could be heard from outside the church, including Jerusalem. The married couple led the congregation from the church after the hour-long ceremony and they all walked back across a field to the Romney estate, where it is believed the reception is being held this evening. Like her polished sister, Kate looked dazzling on Thursday evening. The Duchess beamed as she accompanied husband William to the Tusk foundation gala dinner at The Royal Society in London. She wore a glittering floor-length Jenny Packham dress covered in sequins with her brunette hair carefully curled over her shoulders and simple, pretty make-up. Kate finished the look with sparkling stiletto heels and diamond jewellery. Just last month, Kate made her first public appearance since the birth of Prince George when she attended the Anglesey ultra-marathon with William. Back in her skinny jeans just five weeks after having her son on July 22, Kate looked sensational - without the slightest sign of baby fatigue - in a green tweed hacking jacket, Zara top and J Brand jeans. Then, Prince William had revealed that Kate was bearing the brunt of the night duties - and that their son was proving to be quite a nocturnal little fellow. | Prince William was usher in James Meade and Lady Laura Marsham's wedding in Norfolk wedding - but Kate and George did not attend .
He was joined by two familiar faces - Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton . |
fe815551738fd878b1cbbf478f6e17a54900756d | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 09:11 EST, 26 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:38 EST, 27 February 2013 . A mother and daughter have today been jailed after dealing crack cocaine from an alleyway. Terry Beaumont, 51, and her daughter Jane Leonard, 33, appeared at Teesside Crown Court alongside two others involved in conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. Prosecutor Sue Jacobs told the court that police had observed the home of Leonard over three days in February last year and saw both mother and daughter, as well as co-defendant Jake Hutchinson, meeting people in the alleyway to the back of the house. Mother and daughter Terry Beaumont, 51, and Jane Leonard, 33 (pictured right and left at Teesside Crown Court today) were jailed for two and a half years each today after being caught dealing crack cocaine in an alleyway . Officers . stopped Beaumont in the alley behind the house in central . Stockton-on-Tees, and found her carrying a package of crack cocaine. When they went into the home, a fourth defendant - Alex Ibbotson, 21 - was seen throwing more packages of crack - with a street value of £505 - on to the floor. He had a further £657 worth of the drug hidden on his person. Hutchinson, 19, had also been seen throwing packages to the floor. These were found to be heroin worth £74. A small amount of tamazepam was also found. More crack was found on Beaumont and around the home. Mrs Jacobs said the overall value of the drugs recovered was £1,254 of crack cocaine and £85 of heroin. Ibbotson, of Blackbush Walk, Thornaby, Stockton, Leonard, now of Norcliffe Street, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, and Beaumont, of Green's Beck Road, Hartburn, in Stockton, pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply crack cocaine. Hutchinson denied this charge. Hutchinson, of Sun Gardens, Thornaby, Leonard and Beaumont admitted conspiring to supply heroin between the same dates. Ibbotson denied this charge. Hutchinson also admitted possession of the Class C drug tamazepam. Mrs Jacobs said all pleas were accepted. The pair appeared at Teesside Crown Court alongside two others involved in conspiracy to supply Class A drugs . Paul Abrahams, defending Leonard, said his client had played a 'lesser role' and added: 'She, and it would appear her mother, have been used by others to sell drugs. They are the ones that go out.' Sean Grainger, for Beaumont, said: 'Her position is she was simply passing on drugs so she could get drugs from people further up the chain.' Robert Mochrie, defending Ibbotson and Hutchinson, said both his clients accepted they faced an immediate jail term and asked for credit for their early guilty pleas. Judge Peter Armstrong jailed Beaumont and Leonard for two-and-a-half years and Ibbotson for three-and-a-half years. Hutchinson was sent to a young offenders' institution for two-and-a-half years. The judge said: 'This sort of drug dealing results in immediate custodial sentences. 'As has been said, the main mitigation, if not the only mitigation, is you pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity and, as such, you are entitled to a third from the sentence.' After the hearing Detective Constable Max Leonard, of the Stockton drugs unit, said: 'This gang who blighted the streets of Stockton by dealing drugs from back alleys were caught following an intelligence-led operation. 'All information received from the public is acted upon, and we would ask those with information on drugs in their area to contact police on 101 or call the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.' | Terry .
Beaumont and daughter Jane Leonard supplied Class A .
drugs .
They appeared at Teesside .
Crown Court alongside two others .
Overall value of the drugs recovered was £1,254 of crack and £85 of heroin .
Police observed pair meeting people in an alleyway outside Leonard's home . |
fe82298718d36875002999d047878bc804c2e675 | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 05:48 EST, 4 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:37 EST, 4 March 2014 . Hundreds of rogue landlords in one London borough are illegally renting out 'beds in sheds' to immigrants on an industrial scale. Harrow Council chartered a plane with thermal imaging to fly over streets picking up heat and found four times more 'suspicious' outbuildings than expected. Aerial photos revealed that instead of 75 suspected illegal developments at the bottom of gardens or in garages, there were actually at least 319. Welcome to Harrow: This is a thermal image of a street in the London borough. At the bottom of the picture is a road, and then a row of houses with heat escaping from windows. The circled building is at the bottom of a garden, and is believed to be a illegally converted outbuilding housing immigrants . Caught: A spy in the sky aeroplane with thermal imaging was chartered to find conversions. They can be seen because sheds and garages are generally not insulated, but houses are, so heat is seen in blocks of yellow . Officials believe more than 1,000 people could be living in cramped and squalid conditions costing around £55 per week, because they cannot afford a proper home. The results mean they are probably living there without planning permission or contributing any council tax. Beds in sheds - ultra basic accommodation used by 'exploited' immigrants paying reduced rents to rogue landlords who ignore planning laws - are believed to be an increasing problem nationwide, but especially in and around the capital. Harrow Council flew over their borough at 3,379 feet between 9pm and midnight in January to gauge the scale of the problem. They were looking for buildings with escaping heat - a tell-tale sign that it is an uninsulated 'shed' - as they are often hidden behind fences and cannot be seen by passers-by. The council found one case with a person paying £55 a week to sleep on a mattress in a tiny room with two other people. Concerns: Although many of the outbuildings are habitable, some are described as being unsafe, with little or no heating, or do not comply with building or fire safety regulations . The recent lift of immigration restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarians on January 1 has led to concerns that more beds in sheds will spring up. And there was also a net increase in migration to the UK of 212,000 between September 2012 and September last year, according to Government figures. Harrow Council leader, Councillor Susan Hall, said: 'The pressures of migration in London, fuelled by recent waves of new arrivals from Eastern Europe, are creating new stresses on local authorities that we just haven't had to contend with before. 'What was once thought even just 18 months ago to be a problem for the centre of big cities is now rippling out to the suburbs. 'The beds in sheds phenomenon means there is a hidden community springing up in the back gardens of our cities - in our borough alone the thermal pictures we receive suggest there are four times as many as we first suspected. 'These are people who use council services - like bin collections - but for whom we receive no extra funding. 'In many cases the people in beds in sheds are at the bottom of a pyramid of exploitation. 'But we get complaints from their neighbours that we cannot ignore, and it is not fair on them that these houses should turn into cash cows for opportunist landlords.' Illegal: Councils want to crack down on rogue landlords turning sheds into illegal and often substandard living accommodation, such as this conversion in nearby Slough . Cut backs: People living in these illegal conversions use council services but do not contribute any council tax towards them - so town halls use thermal imaging to find them . The planning enforcement department of Harrow Council is now investigating 319 suspect properties identified from aerial photos. Fergus Sheppard, of Harrow Council, added: 'It's a London-wide issue. 'Some of these properties are okay, but in some places people are holed up and it's an exercise to see how many people can fit into one property. 'You can go from the quite nice and well looked after to places which are fairly grim and actually dangerous, with exposed electric wires. 'The people in these buildings often come from abroad and they are at the bottom of a pyramid of exploitation.' A Bulgarian man who was won the . National Lottery - twice - has an illegal cabin in the back garden of . his home that he rents out for as much as £10,000 a year. George Traykov, . 46, right, a former member of the Bulgarian skydiving team, beat odds of . one-in-438 million when he picked up a £160,873 EuroMillions prize in . March to add to the £1million sum he won in the Millionaire Raffle in . September 2011. Now a home . he owns in Harrow, north-west London, has been investigated by council . staff after the cabin - which has a kitchen, toilet and bedroom - was . discovered, pictured below. Speaking at the time of his win, the . property developer, who has lived in the UK for 20 years, said: 'I've . always worked very hard and never spent more than I have so money has . never been a major problem for me.' A neighbour, who did not wish to be . identified, said a lot of people go to and from the property and claimed . a fence was installed to hide the structure in the garden. Harrow council served Mr Traykov with two planning enforcement notices. The . house itself has been divided into four separate rooms, one of which is . rented by Polish special educational needs teacher Agnieszka Klojzy, . who lives in it with her two children, aged five and two. She . said: 'George is a good landlord. He looks after us quite well. It was . scary [when the council came]. I felt like a criminal.' | Harrow Council found 319 suspicious sheds and garages emitting heat .
At least 1,000 could be living in converted outbuildings without permission .
Plane criss-crossed streets, picking up heat signals from outbuildings .
Analysis of images from night flight revealed suspicious dwellings .
They can be spotted because sheds aren't insulated so heat escapes . |
fe8237ebeaa504b68e9fce3634ca1d6d1af88bf7 | Anna Wintour has joined the stampede of stars boycotting the Dorchester Collection hotels for their links with the Sultan of Brunei, who has implemented Sharia Law in his country. The Vogue editor has confirmed that she will not be staying at the Le Meurice, the hotel favoured by the fashion elite and her usual base during Paris Fashion Week. Ms Wintour release a statement to the New York Times explaining: 'While I am sensitive to the potential . impact that this issue may have on the wonderful staff at Le Meurice, I . cannot in all good conscience stay there, nor can Vogue’s editors.' In support: Anna Wintour, pictured with her daughter Bee Shaffer, is often in Paris for fashion events, but will not be staying at Le Meurice in future . The British editor's decision comes as Conde Nast confirmed that all its magazines have opted to boycott the Dorchester Collection of hotels, which includes The Dorchester and 45 Park Lane, in London, as well as famous retreat Coworth Park, in Windsor. Stephen Fry was among the first British stars to announce he was joining the campaign, tweeted that he had cancelled his stay at Coworth Park. In the US, the Beverly Hills Hotel, in Los Angeles, has become a main focus for Hollywood and the fashion industry's anger after the Sultan of Brunei approved new laws which call for homosexuals and adulterers to be stoned to death. Paris hotspot: Le Meurice is a fashion industry favourite in the French capital . Boycott: All Conde Nast magazines confirmed they would not be staying at Dorchester Collection hotels, such as Le Meurice (pictured), The Dorchester and Coworth Park . Star support: Russell Crowe tweeted that he did not agree with the boycott of The Beverly Hills Hotel . Chat show hosts Ellen DeGeneres and Jay . Leno are among those who have spoken out against the properties, with . Sir Richard Branson and Sharon . Osbourne also confirming they would be avoiding the hotels. Members of the fashion industry such as shoe . designer Brian Atwood and designer Peter Som have also called for . action, as well as François-Henri Pinault, the head of Kering, which . owns Gucci, Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen. However, not everyone agrees with the action being taken against the hotels. Hollywood star Russell Crowe has announced that he didn't support the Hollywood boycott that has crippled business. The star wrote on Twitter that didn't agree with the boycott as it hits hard-working staff he considers his 'friends'. Once known as the place 'to be seen', the hotel has been almost empty in recent weeks thanks to the boycott. Dissension: Russell Crowe said he did not agree with the hotel boycott . The Gladiator star Crowe tweeeted his support for workers, . saying: 'I don't agree with the boycotting of Dorchester Collection . hotels. It only hurts the hard working staff who I consider friends.' His message was greet with support on Twitter, with 102 people rewteeted the comment and 274 'favouriting' the tweet. However, not everyone agreed with the . star. Scott Holleran tweeted: 'Maybe you should watch Gladiator again . for a refresher in what it truly means to persecute innocent people.' Scroll down for video . In the pink: The Beverly Hills Hotel has been a favourite retreat of Hollywood stars since it opened in 1912 - but has found itself at the centre of protests against its owner, the Sultan of Brunei, and Brunei's new anti-gay laws . A gathering storm: Celebrities such as comedian Jay Leno have led protests outside the Beverly Hills Hotel . Kevin Kane added: . 'I am married to a gay Bruniean. Giving money to the Sultan is support. Boycott leads to media interest and political pressure.' Reality . star Kim Kardashian is said to have cancelled her bridal shower at the . hotel, while the Motion Picture & Television Fund said it will no . longer hold its annual ‘Night Before the Oscars’ party at the hotel. The . Fund said it was making a protest at Brunei’s new sharia criminal law, . which punishes same-sex relationships, as well as adultery and . abortions, with flogging and stoning. ‘We . cannot condone or tolerate these harsh and repressive laws, and as a . result support a business owned by the Sultan of Brunei or a Brunei . sovereign fund associated with the government of Brunei,’ the Fund's . directors said in a statement. Coming under fire: Protestors have been gathering outside the Beverly Hills Hotel all week . Prominent . figures such as comedians Ellen DeGeneres and Jay Leno, and entrepreneur . Richard Branson, have been among those to advocate shunning the hotel . and its bungalows – a favoured locale for the Hollywood elite since it . opened its doors in 1912. Branson . tweeted that no member of his Virgin staff would stay at any Dorchester . Collection property ‘until the Sultan abides by basic human rights.’ Mavis . Leno, co-chair of the Global Women's Rights Awards with husband Jay . Leno, said the new penalties ‘violate international law and have no . place in civilised society.’ Flashpoint: The Dorchester Collection, which runs the Beverly Hills Hotel, says the current protests are misdirected . In an added move, the City of Beverly Hills voted to pressure the government of Brunei into selling the Beverly Hills Hotel in the wake of its new laws. Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has praised his state's laws as a ‘great achievement.’ Brunei, a conservative country where alcohol is banned and Muslim courts already govern family affairs, has begun phasing in its version of sharia law, which allows for penalties such as amputation for theft and stoning for adultery. The most severe punishments – flogging, amputation and stoning – are to be introduced over the next two years. Response: Comedian Ellen Degeneres and entrepreneur Richard Branson have been vocal in their opposition . The Dorchester Collection's chief executive has said that the hotel boycott is misdirected. ‘American companies across the board are funded by foreign investment, including sovereign wealth funds,' Christopher Cowdray said in a statement. The Beverly Hills Hotel has played host to a constellation of stars in its 102-year history. Leading lights such as Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, John Wayne, Faye Dunaway and The Beatles have all stayed or partied amid the property's inimitable pink walls. | Vogue editor confirmed she would not stay at Le Meurice in Paris .
Wintour Praised the 'wonderful staff' at the French hotel .
Editor is the latest to join the boycott, led by Ellen DeGeneres .
Brunei's laws call for homosexuals and adulterers to be stoned to death . |
fe82559b6c0a289215c8915fd2504a5b4ad73108 | By . Naomi Greenaway . A mother has beaten incredible odds to give birth to the third consecutive generation of twins in her family. Stephanie Procter, 33, of Newmarket in Suffolk, is 'inseparable' from her twin sister Gina Breakenbury and desperately wanted twins herself so they could share the same special bond. She fell pregnant with twins with her husband Danny, 32, a mechanical engineer, but suffered a miscarriage. Then incredibly, she conceived a second set. Three generations of twins in the same family, (left to right) Marianne Flack, Marianne's daughter Stephannie Procter with her twin babies Honey and Amalie, Stephanie's twin Gina Breakenbury, and Marianne's twin Valerie Taylor. Identical siblings Honey and Amalie were born just three minutes apart and are now being doted on by their extended family. Proud Stephanie - whose mum Marianne Flack, 61, has a twin sister Valerie Taylor - said: 'It’s been hard work but it’s a dream come true for me. 'Growing up with a twin made me really want to have twin girls. Twin sisters Honey age 7 weeks (right) and Amalie Procte . Twin mothers and grandmothers: the twins' mother Stephanie Procter, pictured with sister Gina Brackenbury, 33 (left) and the babies' grandmother Marianne Flack with sister Valerie Taylor, 61 . When I lost twins I thought I’d had my chance and that would be it. So when I found out I was having twins again at my 12-week scan I was delighted.' Even before the scan Stephanie says she had an inkling. 'I told my twin sister I thought I was carrying twins,' she said. 'I didn’t want to tell anyone else in case I was wrong, but I’m so glad I was right.' The twins were born on July 2 at 11.11am, with Honey arriving first, weighing 4lbs 15oz and Amelia three minutes later at 3lbs 15oz. Mum Stephanie with twin Gina growing up . Left: twin sisters Marianne (left) and Valerie in their younger days; Right: the twins Marianne (in sunglasses) and Valerie have always been close . However, their early days of life were fraught with worry as Honey had an underdeveloped stomach and was taken to the Rosie, a neo-natal unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. The twins were separated for 12 days. Stephanie, who is a planning coordinator for a packaging company, said, 'We thought Honey was going to need an operation but luckily in the end she didn’t.' Now nine weeks old, the twins are back at home. Stephanie’s mum Marianne and her husband Danny are taking it in turns to help out. The three generations of twins all live within five miles of each other and the family are very close. Three generations of identical twins in the same family (left to right), grandmother Marianne, Marianne's daughter Stephannie with her twin babies Honey and Amalie, Stephanie's twin Gina and Marianne's twin Valerie . Stephanie hopes her children Honey (right) and Amalie will have the same 'magical' experience growing up . Stephanie explains: 'All the twins in the family are natural so it’s very rare. Three sets of twins in one family is just amazing. 'It’s hectic when we all get together. The poor husbands, bless them, they hardly get a word in edgeways.' Stephanie's twin, mother-of-two Gina, who works as a commercial analyst, said: 'I loved growing up as a twin and I’m so pleased that Stephanie had her own set of twins because they’ll be exactly the same. 'It’s just brilliant. She’s my best friend as well as my sister. 'We did everything together, netball, clubbing, going on holiday. I’ve never felt alone in my life because I’ve always had Steph - and her kids will be the same. New mum Stephanie (left), pictured here with sister Gina, says having twins herself is 'a dream come true' Marianne (left) and Valerie have been close their whole lives . 'Maybe they’ll be even closer because they’re identical.' Knowing how much hard work twins can be, Stephanie’s mum took some time off work to help out. Proud grandmother Marianne, who works as a labour and delivery domestic at RAF Lakenheath, said: 'I thought it was marvellous when I found out and I was excited for her but, knowing what I know, I thought it would be hard work for the first year. 'Then it’s very rewarding after that. They play together - they’re much better together than bringing them up on their own. 'They were never sad, they were always happy and that’s how me and my twin are. We do everything together and we always have.' Marianne has been married to her husband Stephen, 67, a retired construction worker, for 43 years.She added: 'I’ve got my twin who’s my best friend. 'It’s just wonderful. There’s me and my sister and then my daughters and now my granddaughters. They’re going to have fun together.' Marianne's twin, Valerie, a cleaner, said: 'We’re a close family anyway but with twins it’s very special.' William Hill said the odds of three successive generations of twins within one family is 20,000 to 1. Ultrasound scan of twin sisters Honey and Amalie . | Stephanie Procter, 33, of Newmarket, Suffolk, gave birth to identical twins .
Siblings Honey and Amalie were born three minutes apart .
All three generations live within a five-mile radius .
Stephanie is 'inseparable' from her own twin sister Gina .
Grandmother Marianne Flack, 61, also has incredible bond with twin Valerie . |
fe8265ac0df9d80f233509a66da05cb67a8018bd | The man accused of killing 6-year-old Etan Patz pleaded not guilty Wednesday to two counts of murder and one count of kidnapping in the iconic missing child case that has gripped New York City and the nation for more than three decades. Pedro Hernandez was indicted last month by a grand jury after he confessed in May to killing the child in 1979. His attorney said his client had falsely confessed. Hernandez's next court appearance is scheduled for January 30. Police said Hernandez confessed to killing Etan, who disappeared on his way to a New York school bus stop, after passing by the bodega where Hernandez once worked. Hernandez -- who was a stock clerk in Lower Manhattan in May of 1979 -- admitted that he choked the boy after luring him into the basement of the grocery store, police said. He allegedly told authorities that he threw away the boy's body in a garbage bag, though the remains were never found. Etan disappeared on May 25, roughly a month before Hernandez left New York to resume living at his mother's South Jersey home, according to family members and police. Defense attorney Harvey Fishbein has claimed Hernandez was repeatedly diagnosed with schizophrenia, and that he has "an IQ in the borderline-to-mild mental retardation range." | Pedro Hernandez's attorney has said his client falsely confessed to the child's murder .
Hernandez faces charges of second-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping .
Etan disappeared on May 25, 1979, a month before Hernandez left New York . |
fe8372e912a8bdea642ff0d95dd1d33100c4e6c4 | Since it was revealed Mark Wahlberg is seeking a pardon in Massachusetts for assaults he committed as a teen, the actor is well aware that the court of public opinion has weighed in on why he wants one and whether he deserves it. 'Everyone has an opinion and has a reason why they think I'm doing it,' said the actor Wednesday at the New York premiere of his new movie 'The Gambler,' opening December 25. 'I've been working very hard to correct a lot of mistakes that I made since the day that I woke up and realized, 'You know what? I need to be a leader instead of a follower,'' he said. However, some Asian Americans are wary of his motivation and wondering why he has never personally apologized. Pardon? Mark Wahlberg's application seeking a pardon for a previous assault is being met with skepticism by some Asian Americans, wary of his motivation and wondering why he has never personally apologized . Troubled past: Mark Wahlberg served 45 days in prison after he blinded a man in a 1988 assault . A group called 18MR, short for 18MillionRising.org, which promotes civic engagement among Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States, has voiced its opposition to the pardon. So far almost 3,000 signatured have been collected. A document was filed November 26 requesting the pardon by Wahlberg. It states in 1988, when Wahlberg was 16, he hit a man in the head with a wooden stick while trying to steal two cases of alcohol in front of a convenience store near his family's home in the Dorchester section of Boston. He punched another man in the face while trying to avoid police. Court documents reveal just how horrifying the 1988 attack was - including startling racial slurs he shouted at the victim and others. Wahlberg, who served 45 days in jail after the assault, says his record continues to impact him and could prevent businesses, such as restaurants, that work with him from getting licenses. Changed man: Now, Wahlberg is hoping to get a pardon for his past actions . New start? Mark Wahlberg and Rhea Durham attend 'The Gambler' premiere. Wahlberg wants to become an LAPD reserve cop. But a felony conviction from his youth may block his attempt to become a volunteer . Scene of the crime: The liquor store where Wahlberg attacked a man with a stick and then ran away . He insists he has come a long way since April 1988, when he attacked Thanh Lam with a five-foot stick while yelling slurs at him in order to steal the two cases of beer he was carrying. Wahlberg admits in the application that he was high on marijuana and narcotics at the time. He ended up being convicted as an adult of assault and other charges, and he was sentenced to three months in jail. He said he was released after serving about 45 days. Wahlberg, 43, who went on to be a rapper and then A-list actor who's been nominated for an Oscar, said he isn't trying to use his public persona to sway the decision. 'In no way shape or form was I trying to use my celebrity or success to say, 'Well, I feel entitled to get this because of the fame and fortune.' Instead he said 'Every day I wake up trying to be the best person I can be.' He also tries to set an example for kids growing up in tough neighborhoods like he did. 'I've worked really hard to be a positive influence for kids growing up in communities like mine who don't really have a chance, and try to provide an opportunity for them to be more successful and that's why I'm doing it.' Family guy: Wahlberg (above with wife Rhea Durham and three of his children and Kevin Hart) is now committed to multiple charities and attends church every day . The actor said he's never shied away from talking about his troubled past. 'And it's not like the story hasn't been talked about. I've been talking about it for 25 years. You read any piece that's ever been done on me it's really the same old kind of story and for me to kind of be able to move on from that and move forward and continue to show kids that anything's possible.' But it was his appearance in the 1996 film Boogie Nights that really changed things, catapulting Wahlberg into the critically-acclaimed box office juggernaut that he is today. 'I am deeply sorry for the actions that I took on the night of April 8, 1988, as well as for any lasting damage that I may have caused the victims,' Wahlberg wrote in the pardon application. 'Since that time, I have dedicated myself to becoming a better person and citizen so that I can be a role model to my children and others.' Pardon? It will ultimately be up to newly elected Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker (above) to decide whether or not Wahlberg should be pardoned . He devotes much of his time and a large amount of his money to various charities, including the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation and the Dorchester Boys and Girls Club. He is also a family man now, married to former model Rhea Durham and the father of four children, and attends church daily. The Board of Pardons will investigate the petition to decide if it warrants a hearing before it is recommended to the governor who by that time will be the recently elected Charlie Baker. The Massachusetts Parole Board would have to review Wahlberg's case and make a recommendation to the governor, who can grant pardons. Pardons rarely are issued in Massachusetts. Governor Deval Patrick has not approved one in his nearly two terms in office. Nor did former Governor Mitt Romney. Wahlberg said his commitment to being a good person and role model stands, no matter the outcome. 'I will continue to do that whether the pardon is granted or not,' he said. | Mark Wahlberg is seeking a pardon from the state of Massachusetts for an assault he committed in 1988 that left a man blind in one eye .
Wahlberg, now 43, served 45 days in prison and was tried as an adult even though he was just 16 years old at the time .
The actor, who has always been vocal about his troubled past, is now a married father who attends church every day . |
fe83b68bc4be01353801405f62a5e6678df7f675 | More than 300 flights. Over 3,000 hours in the air. A staggering 4.6 million square kilometers of ocean. The numbers speak to the breadth of the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The results speak to the fruitlessness of it. The plane, carrying 239 people, disappeared on March 8. And despite an expansive search involving 26 countries, officials have nothing to show for it. So authorities are moving on to the next phase of the search -- one that will be even more challenging. "We know very clearly the area of the follow-up search will be even broader, with more difficulties and tougher tasks," Chinese Transport Minister Yang Chuantang said Monday. What's next . Australian, Malaysian and Chinese officials will meet in Canberra, Australia, on Wednesday to hash out plans for the next stage of the hunt. One group will analyze the data and information collected so far. Another will look at the resources needed. The data audit will look at information gathered since the beginning of the search. "It will also look again at the satellite information that's been accumulated so that we can make sure that it's been accurately interpreted," Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said. Authorities have relied on satellite information and pings believed to be from the plane's flight data recorders in picking their search area. But with an expanded search area comes the most challenging task ahead: scouring uncharted territory. A key element of the new phase will be a detailed mapping of the ocean floor. "We know that the water is very deep," Truss said. "And for the next stage involving sonar and other autonomous vehicles, potentially at very great depths, we need to have an understanding of the ocean floor to be able to undertake that kind of search effectively and safely." Truss said he's not sure how deep the ocean is in the expanded search area because "it's never been mapped." The tools . The next stage of the hunt will involved highly specialized technology, including towed side-scan sonar and more autonomous underwater vehicles, Truss said. "You can count on one hand the number of devices that can do this work, when you talk about towed sonar devices," said Angus Houston, chief coordinator of the joint search effort. Truss said he's optimistic that the new devices will be in the water within a month or two. In the meantime, he said, the Bluefin-21 drone will continue underwater missions. The Bluefin-21 has already scanned 400 square kilometers of the Indian Ocean floor, but with no luck. The United States has authorized the use of the drone for another month. The cost? About $40,000 a day. While the Bluefin-21 provides greater resolution than deep-towed sonar devices, the drone can only go about 4.5 kilometers deep. The cost . Australia estimates the next phase of the search will cost about $60 million, Truss said. He said officials will consult with Malaysia, China and other parties on how that cost would be shared. Until now, all countries involved in the search have paid for their own costs. "Whenever we've asked, people have come forward," Truss said. But "I think we'll be looking at increasing involvement from the manufacturers and their host countries." Letting others in . The new phase will allow more parties to join the search, acting Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said. "This gives an opportunity to those not involved in the early phase of the search and rescue efforts to come on board," he said. Those could involve research institutions and more countries, he said. Truss said most of the new equipment will likely have to come from the private sector. Lessons learned . It took two years to find the wreckage of Air France Flight 447 in the Atlantic Ocean. Truss said authorities can learn from that effort. "There were some quite long gaps in their search, and we don't want that to happen in this instance," he said. "That's why we're starting work this week on actually putting together the next stages of the search." But as officials from this search have already learned, hope can dash as quickly as it arises. "We've been confident on the basis of the information provided that the search area was the right one," Truss said. "But in practice, that confidence has not been converted into us discovering any trace of the aircraft." | Officials will review data to see if satellite information has been "accurately interpreted"
More high-tech devices will be used over an expanded search area .
The search area will expand to deep water that has "never been mapped"
Australia estimates the next phase will cost $60 million . |
fe83eff60c8d47545fc7327772ff6416fcf1718b | (CNN) -- Science has brought us incredible gifts: life-saving vaccines and clean water, air travel and instant communication. Modern life is built upon the knowledge that the scientific community has gathered and that society -- markets, governments, workers -- put to use. We have our ancestors to thank. But will our descendants thank us? Have we put to good use the knowledge we are gaining today to help those who will come after us? That question is now before one of the highest courts of the United States. As a scientist who has spent the past half-century documenting how mankind is fundamentally altering our climate, I fear that unless the courts understand the threat and require the government to produce a plan of action, the answer of history could be damning. In a new study, I and my co-authors make indisputably clear what the world's scientists have increasingly warned: Our climate is changing, and the impacts are growing. The changes harm humans and threaten other life on the planet. Our study, published in the prestigious peer-reviewed science journal PLOS-ONE, was written in support of a lawsuit against the federal government. The plaintiffs are young people, those to whom we are handing an increasingly warmer and destabilized planet. They argue that they have a constitutional right to a safe climate, that they have a right to receive from us a planet that supports all life, just as our forebears gave us. It is correctly a legal argument, but it relates to a fundamental moral question. We know without a doubt that gases we are adding to the air have caused a planetary energy imbalance and global warming, already 0.8 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times. This warming is driving an increase in extreme weather, from heat waves and droughts to wildfires and stronger storms (though mistakenly expecting science to instantly document links to specific events misses the forest for the trees). More than simply listing calamitous threats, we wanted to jump-start the discussion of how the world can take significant action. Now. First, the good news. We still have time to choose. Will we seek out and exploit ever deeper and dirtier fossil fuels or phase in cleaner carbon-free energy? If we start aggressively reducing carbon emissions, we can stabilize our climate and avoid cataclysmic change. Our fate truly is in our hands. Our analysis shows that we must rapidly reduce carbon emissions and improve land management policies to restore billions of tons of carbon to soils and forests. We recognize that won't be easy. Carbon emissions will decline only if the price of fossil fuels begins to include their costs to society: their effects on human health and climate. Economic analysis shows that a rising carbon fee collected from fossil fuel companies would swiftly drive market innovations and investments in clean energy. (Indeed, many companies are preparing for such a fee.) Watch out for climate surprises, scientists warn . Courts cannot tell the government how to reduce emissions. But they can require that the government provide a plan: How will emissions be reduced to assure that the rights of young people are protected? There is also painfully challenging news. The widely accepted goal of limiting global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius would lead to continually receding shorelines and growing climate extremes. We must, instead, keep maximum warming close to 1 degree Celsius. Thus, most of the allowed carbon emissions budget has been used up. We must phase out coal emissions. And it would be foolhardy to develop unconventional fossil fuels such as tar sands. In short, our analysis finds that we must act more quickly and more aggressively than politicians and international negotiators have even considered. My co-authors are experts on biology, ecology, law, economics, public health, climate modeling, oceanography and paleoclimatology. We need broad expertise because climate change is not just a science problem. It is the great challenge of our times. Climate change warriors: It's time to go nuclear . Climate change is altering people's lives, right now, from the United States to Africa to the Arctic. It is as clear and present a danger as we've ever seen. And the threat will only get worse if left unchecked. If we allow the planet's energy imbalance to increase and the ocean to continue to warm, we will pass a point of no return. Our children and grandchildren would inherit disintegrating ice sheets, rising seas that inundate all coastal cities, increasingly violent climate extremes and extermination of countless species. We would leave future generations a far more desolate planet than the one that we were blessed to inherit. Science and the knowledge it brings is a gift only if we use it. Failing to act on our knowledge to protect future generations would be the gravest injustice of all. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of James Hansen. | James Hansen: We know what to do to prevent climate catastrophe .
Ending emissions from coal and stopping development of tar sands are key, he says .
It's time to establish a fee for companies that emit carbon, Hansen says .
Hansen: It would be unjust to bequeath to our descendants a desolate planet . |
fe8418a965555853ae5bf1879c67f30323dca46a | A woman who was told she probably only had flu when she went to hospital suffering cold sweats and pains in her arm was diagnosed four days later with cancer - on the same day her late sister was also diagnosed with the disease. Tara Deacon is now trying to fulfill her bucket list after Hodgkin's lymphoma returned and doctors said there was nothing more they could do, seven months after younger sister Jade passed away after her own brave battle. Tara, 26, from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, first started feeling unwell one night in 2010, when she began suffering sharp pains and bouts of cold sweats. She drove herself to the Nambour Hospital but decided to leave when she was forced to wait for hours and still had not seen a doctor. Tara Deacon (left) and sister Jade supported each other through chemotherapy, radiation treatment and their bone marrow transplants about four years ago . Lymphoma is the most common blood cancer and the third most common childhood cancer in the World. The causes of lymphoma are not yet known. Exposure to radiation and certain chemicals puts some people at higher risk. For people diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, prognosis is generally good, with a five year survival rate of more than 87% in Australia. People diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Australia have a five year survival rate of 71%. 'I thought I was having a heart attack from those sharp pains,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'It took forever to see someone at the emergency room that night and my partner needed to go to work. 'I told the receptionist to not worry about it and I would just go home and sleep through it.' 'The lady told me that it could just be a cold or flu so I thought it wasn't anything serious and left.' Tara returned the next day, when she had a CT scan of her abdomen and a bone marrow biopsy. At the same time, she noticed her sister Jade, who was with her at hospital, had a 'massive lump on her neck' so she got checked too. Four days later, the sisters were both told they had Hodgkin's lymphoma by a specialist at the Royal Brisbane Hospital. Tara remembers started noticing sharp pains down her right arm and chest after dinner in 2010 and rushed herself to hospital . Sadly, Jade (right) passed away in February at the age of 22, leaving her now five year old daughter Acaica (left) in the care of her dad and Tara . While there is no known genetic link with the disease, the sisters supported each other through chemotherapy and radiation treatment and their bone marrow transplants about four years ago. 'We supported each other through the tough battle - we just kept going,' Tara said. Despite her determination, Jade died in February at the age of 22 when her body failed to accept her donated bone marro. Her death left her then four year old daughter Acaica without a mother, and in the care of her dad and aunt Tara. More tragedy was to follow - three months later Tara’s cancer returned and she was told she had only 18 months to live. ‘My advice to everyone is to get checked regularly, ' she said . Now, Tara has started a bucket list of things she wants to complete and will fly to NZ on Monday for a 12 day getaway with her partner Shane, who raised money to make the trip possible . Now, Tara has started a bucket list of things she wants to do and is due to fly out to New Zealand with her partner Shane on Monday for a 12-day holiday. ‘Shane organised a fundraising (drive) to make this trip possible for me,’ she said. ‘After Christmas, around New Year's, I am hoping to hire a campervan trailer and travel to Wagga Wagga to see family or Melbourne.' She said she is enjoying every second she has left and hopes to go up in a hot-air balloon, go on relaxing cruises and travel around parts of Australia. In Australia in 2011, there were 1371 deaths caused by non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and 72 deaths caused by Hodgkin lymphoma. Lymphoma Australia chief executive Sharon Millman spoke to Daily Mail Australia, and said that lymphoma awareness in Australia needs to be on par with awareness of breast cancer and prostate cancer. 'Every two hours someone is diagnosed with lymphoma, and every five hours we lose someone to the disease,' 'At the moment a lot of people don't know anything about it, so we want to raise awareness so that when people are diagnosed they at least know what it is.' Ms. Millman noted that often people aren't even aware that lymphoma is anything to worry about, despite it being the fifth most common cancer in the world. 'We don't want people to be afraid of the unknown. We want them to have the facts and be equipped to deal with it.' Today is World Lymphoma Day and Lymphoma Australia is encouraging people to learn more about the disease and get themselves checked regularly. Read more at their website. | Tara Deacon and her sister Jade, from, Caloundra, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, were both diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma on the same day in 2010 .
The sisters helped each other through chemotherapy, radiotherapy and bone marrow transplants .
Jade, 22, lost her battle with the disease in February and Tara only has 18 months to live .
She is currently ticking off her bucket list, with a trip to New Zealand trip planned for this week . |
fe84c15b4aebaa593e64ae659aae1a28f893074f | The owner of a trendy Manhattan cafe is being sued for discrimination after he claimed that 'people with big butts don't work fast.' Joshua Berkowitz is accused of making the comment to his employee Michael Douglas Jnr, after Mr Douglas employed Noho cafe's first black waitress. According to documents lodged at Manhattan Supreme Court Mr Berkowitz made several racial slurs to Mr Douglas, who was employed to manage the venue. Michael Douglas Jnr was employed to manage the Noho cafe in Manhattan, pictured, . Court documents claims that Mr Berkowitz asked who 'the new dark girl was'. Later Mr Berkowitz is alleged to have said: 'My father warned me about hiring people like that, people with big butts. Do you understand what I mean? People with big butts don't work fast.' Mr Douglas' case claims that he is part black and part Asian. Later Mr Berkowitz is alleged to have said: 'You have some black in you and you're Spanish/Filipino. I'm sorry that's really f***** up. If I married a non-Jewish woman, my parents would sit shivah.' (A Jewish ritual of mourning the dead). A week later, Mr Berkowitz is claimed to have said: 'With all due respect to your background... large bottoms don't move fast, large bottoms don't work hard. 'Do you agree? I mean, aren't the Irish all drunks? Aren't Russians all thieves. I love saying the most f***** up s***.' According to the court documents, which were seen by the New York Post, Mr Douglas resigned because he did not want o hear the constant racial stereotypes. According to court documents lodged at Manhattan District Court, pictured, Mr Douglas is seeking unspecified damages after his employer Joshua Berkowitz made racial comments in his presence . | Michael Douglas Jnr claims his boss made racial comments while working .
He claims Joshua Berkowitz told him people with 'big butts' don't work fast .
He said the comment was directed towards a newly hired black waitress .
Mr Berkowitz is also alleged to have asked if the Irish are always drunk .
Mr Douglas is suing the owner of Noho cafe in Manhattan for damages . |
fe84e8b04d41346978b9c3659ef5cfd299038237 | (CNN) -- Ramadan is the holiest month for Muslims around the world, a time to fast, cleanse the soul and surrender to God. But in the Middle East, there's a new twist to the tradition. Arab channels' soap operas contain enough twists to entertain through the month of Ramadan. Ramadan translates into big bucks for Arab satellite channels. Millions of dollars are spent on special programming, much of it comparable to Western soap operas, to entertain the masses during their sunrise-to-sunset fasts. One program, the popular Syrian production "Baab El-Hara" -- "The Neighborhood Gate" -- offers high drama focused on a family feud. A man and his pregnant wife are separated as their mothers fight it out, with each mother-in-law trying to teach the other a lesson. The woman misses her husband and wants to go back to him. The husband kisses his mother's hand and promises her he'll do only what she wants. The soaps showcase social traditions mixed with melodramatic characters and enough twists and turns of events to last the entire month of fasting. But it's not all soap. There are also history programs highlighting glorious times of Islamic and Arabic bygone eras. On these, the ancient Arabic tribal costumes are showcased, complete with the traditional headdress, dagger on the side and more camels than a viewer can count. Watch a report on Ramadan television » . The soap opera boom during Ramadan has become the subject of hot debate on news channels. Some people have expressed concern that sitting in front of a TV set all day doesn't go well with the spirit of the month, when Muslims are supposed to be contemplating and meditating. The Dubai-based news channel Al-Arabiya found a novel way to entertain its viewers: a documentary in which the host walks in the footsteps of the prophet Mohammed as detailed in the Quran. The channel also offers a daily lighter look at Ramadan, focusing on people's health during the holy month. Recommendations on the best meals to eat are followed by descriptions of how many calories they contain. Middle Eastern cuisine is displayed to viewers just in time to break fast. That, too, is announced on TV these days, instead of the traditional cannon and call to prayer. And if Muslims decide to break their fasts with a traditional shisha smoke and a light meal in a neighborhood cafe, no worries. Satellite channels will serve them soaps there, too. It's all part of the big plan, and it happens only during Ramadan. | Arab TV channels spend millions to entertain Muslims during Ramadan fasts .
Popular programs are soap operas, history lessons, food shows .
Some say sitting in front of TV all day undermines true purpose of holy month . |
fe8585ff74b2c32d61a927108a64e78d290bea8a | By . Sam Greenhill . PUBLISHED: . 04:09 EST, 5 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:54 EST, 5 August 2013 . This is the terrifying image that plunged the Twitter abuse row to a new low yesterday. The horror photo of a masked man brandishing a large knife was sent to MP Stella Creasy by an internet troll, who warned her: ‘I’m gonna be the first thing u see when u wake up’. It is the latest menacing attack on high- profile women on Twitter. Scroll down for video . Chilling: An abusive Twitter user has sent this horrible image to a female MP as trolling of women online appears to be getting out of control . Suspended: The man, who goes under the name @Murkztah_ has been thrown off Twitter and reported to police for telling Stella Creasy: 'I'm gonna be the first thing u see when u wake up' On Sunday, television historian Mary . Beard was sent a bomb threat, and she and Miss Creasy, 36, have both . been threatened with rape. They were targeted because they backed . campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez, who received rape threats after she . led a campaign for women to be featured on bank notes. Labour MP Miss Creasy, a shadow Home . Office minister, retweeted the chilling message as an example of what . trolls have threatened her with. The user who posted the image – . @Murkztah – has been reported to police and suspended by Twitter. Miss Beard, a professor of classics . at the University of Cambridge, contacted police after receiving a . message claiming a bomb had been left outside her home. Yesterday she . called for repeated ‘threats of violence and death’ against her and . other women on Twitter to be distinguished from mere abuse. Outrage: Stella Creasy is one of several high-profile women threatened with bombing, rape and violence because they backed having Jane Austen on a £10 note . The 58-year-old academic added: ‘I’ve . had lots of abuse, but only recently have I had these things actually . threatening violence, rape and death. Professor Mary Beard was sent a bomb threat on Twitter. It is one of many in a series of threats and vulgar insults she has sent . ‘I think we’ve got to be quite . careful about drawing a distinction between those things because abuse . is very nasty, it’s sexist, it’s misogynist but I think in some ways you . can cope with that . . . [but] these are criminal threats, they are . threats of violence and death and all you can do is take them to the . police.’ Prof Beard added: ‘There is no two . ways about it, threatening to kill someone is a crime.’ Meanwhile, Miss . Creasy has taken screen grabs as evidence of the vile abuse directed at . her. One abuser, calling himself @killcreasynow, threatened to behead the Walthamstow MP and carry out grotesque sexual violence. Although suspended quickly by . Twitter, another account called @eatcreasynow emerged that appeared to . have been set up by the same person. He gloated: ‘HI AGAIN S***!! IT . TOOK TWITTER 30 MINUTES TO BAN ME BEFORE . . . I AM HERE AGAIN TO TELL . YOU I WILL RAPE YOU TOMORROW AT 6PM.’ Another sick user – hiding behind the . pseudonym @rapey1 – said: ‘I will rape you tomorrow at 9pm . . . shall . we meet near your house?’ Scotland Yard has launched an investigation into allegations of online abuse and threats. Interview courtesy of BBC Breakfast . The TV classicist informed her followers of the violent threat . Sickening: She called the hollow threat 'stupidly nasty' The professor also tweeted about her struggle to report the threat to the website's administrators . | Troll has been suspended by Twitter and reported to police over message .
Another told Ms Creasy to ignore a rape threat because 'You're not that hot'
Abuse of women online appears to be out of control after latest vile threat .
Historian Mary Beard demands end of 'threats of violence and death' online . |
fe85e355ca57f5bbb08776b23010766014f58ca7 | By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 16:15 EST, 5 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:21 EST, 6 September 2013 . The most powerful men and women in the world last night sat down for dinner in the luxurious surroundings of the Peterhof Palace in St Petersburg. The luxurious setting and the seemingly civil ambience belies the simmering tensions and rivalry that have dogged the G20 summit in Russia as nations clash, Cold War-style, over the civil war tearing through Syria. Earlier world leaders were seen strolling through the impressive gardens of Peterhof Palace, laid out on the orders of Peter the Great and known as the 'Russian Versailles'. Actors dressed in period clothing befitting the opulent surroundings also entertained the heads of state . Scroll down for video . Revelry: Actors in costumes arrive at the Peterhof Palace where heads of state meet for a working dinner as part of the G20 summit . Civil: The dinner table of the G20 summit at Peterhof Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where the G20 summit is taking place . European contingent: (L-R) British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy . However, the opulence of the surroundings was not lost on . one Twitter user, who posted: 'Let them eat yellowcake (a type of Uranium ore): . Versailles revisited.' Earlier, U.S. President Barack Obama said he was convinced that the chemical attack in Damascus last month was the work of the Syrian government and claims the world must intervene to prevent further attacks and uphold the Chemical Weapons Convention. However, Russia's president Vladimir Putin, an ally of the regime of Bashar Assad, dismissed the idea that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would risk retaliation by using chemical weapons. He called the evidence the U.S. has gathered as 'groundless'. The actors were dressed in period clothing befitting the opulent surroundings . G20 Summit members walk together in the famous gardens of Peterhof Palace . Power walk: Russia's President Vladimir Putin, (front right, red tie), walks with G-20 leaders towards the dinner at the Peterhof Palace . U.S. President Barack Obama (left) has repeatedly clashed with Putin over Syria. French President Francois Hollande, second left, speaks with British PM David Cameron . Fireworks and a light and water show illuminate during the G-20 summit . The opulence of the surroundings was not lost on one Twitter user, who posted: 'Let them eat yellowcake (a type of Uranium ore): Versailles revisited' The extravagant show and air of festivity sat at odds with the gravity of discussions . The threat of missiles over the Mediterranean is weighing on world leaders meeting on the shores of the Baltic this week, and eclipsing economic battles that usually dominate when the G-20 world economies meet . Fireworks are seen during an extravagant musical fountain show for G20 heads of state . The luxurious setting and the seemingly civil ambience belies the simmering tensions and rivalry that have dogged the G20 summit in Russia . There was also tension between Russia and Britain, after President Putin's official spokesman Dimitry Peskov reportedly wrote the UK off as 'just a small island no-one pays any attention to'. In an astonishing attack, Vladimir Putin mocked the UK's size and influence and boasted that Soviet oligarchs had 'bought Chelsea'. It was unclear whether this was a reference to the exclusive London borough or the football club. The alleged remarks came as David Cameron continued to make the case for intervention in Syria despite his shock defeat in Parliament last week. Russian officials flatly denied the remarks had ever been made. If they were, it would represent an extraordinary breach of diplomatic protocol, particularly as Russia is hosting the G20 meeting. U.S. President Barack Obama arrives for the Water and Music Show welcomed by women in costume . President Obama walks in Peterhof garden with a smile on his face as he passes a golden statue . Earlier, U.S. President Barack Obama said he was convinced that the chemical attack in Damascus last month was the work of the Syrian government . Russian President Vladimir Putin, second right, covers Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel warm blanket as they arrived for the show . A reflective Russian President Vladimir Putin sits in Peterhof garden. Russia hosts the G20 summit hoping to push forward an agenda to stimulate growth . | Heads of state sit down for dinner in midst of tension over chemical attacks .
Luxurious banquet took place at Peterhof Palace, the 'Russian Versailles'
Earlier, Putin and Obama clashed over proof of toxic attacks in Damascus . |
fe866870adc002cd3630f613141b81a72c3647fc | By . Alex Brummer . PUBLISHED: . 18:15 EST, 18 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:16 EST, 19 April 2013 . Warning: Mark Carney, who takes over from Sir Mervyn King in July, compared the UK with basket case countries in the eurozone in a brutal assessment of the economic outlook . Britain was last night branded a ‘crisis economy’ by incoming Bank of England governor Mark Carney. The Canadian, who takes over from Sir Mervyn King in July, compared the UK with basket case countries in the eurozone in a brutal assessment of the economic outlook. Speaking on the fringes of the International Monetary Fund’s spring meetings in Washington, he said: ‘The US is breaking out of the pack of crisis economies that include the eurozone, the UK and Japan.’ It came after the IMF this week slashed its growth forecasts for the UK over the next two years and warned that George Osborne is ‘playing with fire’ by pressing ahead with his programme of tax hikes and spending cuts. The IMF could now officially recommend that the Chancellor ditch his harsh austerity package – possibly as soon as next month – in what would be a humiliating setback for Mr Osborne. The IMF last year warned that Britain would have to slow its package of cuts if the economy did not pick up pace. Mr Carney’s use of the world ‘crisis’ will not have lifted Mr Osborne’s mood after Sir Mervyn recently stressed that only a ‘gentle recovery’ is under way. The new governor also made it clear that he and the Bank of England cannot be expected to solve the UK’s economic problems alone – another warning to Mr Osborne who has placed great faith in his skills. Mr Carney, who will be the highest paid central bank governor in the world with an annual income of £874,000, including a generous London housing allowance, indicated that he was prepared to take aggressive action to support the recovery when he takes over. But he added: ‘Can central banks provide sustainable growth? No. They can help with the transition, but they can’t deliver long term growth. The new governor also made it clear that he and the Bank of England (pictured) cannot be expected to solve the UK¿s economic problems alone . 'That needs to come through true fiscal adjustments and necessary structural reforms. Sustainable growth comes from the private sector.’ Mr Carney, the first foreigner to be put in charge of the Bank of England in its 319-year history, indicated he would interpret Britain’s inflation target of 2 per cent more flexibly – suggesting he would allow it to remain high for longer. IMF managing director Christine Lagarde also said that central banks around the world ‘cannot be the only game in town’ when it comes to restoring economies to health. She said governments must also tackle deficits and implement reforms ‘so there is a mix that allows central bankers to be relieved of the weight they carry on their shoulders’. Her comments on the state of the UK economy were more measured than those of IMF chief economist Olivier Blanchard, who said this week that Britain was ‘playing with fire’ by pressing ahead with austerity. The IMF could officially recommend that George Osborne ditches his austerity package . Asked whether she agreed with Mr Blanchard, Mrs Lagarde said: ‘We have said that should growth abate then there should be consideration to adjusting by slowing the pace. ‘The growth numbers are certainly not particularly good. So, in a sense, this is a continuation of the position. What has changed is clearly the quality of the numbers.’ Although she did not go as far as Mr Blanchard and say that austerity should be ditched, her comments suggested that the IMF’s health-check on the UK economy next month will make grim reading for the Chancellor. Mrs Lagarde said that the inspection team, which is expected to be led by her American deputy David Lipton, would seek ‘to really go under the skin’ of the British economy. Under the terms of its membership of the IMF, Britain must undergo a thorough inspection each year known as an Article IV review. IMF experts will crawl over all the UK’s accounts and ask hard questions of officials at the Treasury, the Bank of England, the Office for Budget Responsibility and other bodies. The inspection usually takes up to a month, followed by a press conference when the IMF’s advice is issued. Any formal recommendation from the IMF that a change of course is required will be seized upon by Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls who has long argued for a Plan B. Mrs Lagarde added: ‘I would not, and I don’t think anybody in this institution would want to pre-judge ahead of Article IV because we spend three four weeks, discussing, debating, understanding trying to get under the skin of each economy and we will for that.’ | Mark Carney compared the UK to basket case countries in the eurozone .
The IMF has slashed its growth forecast for the UK over next two years . |
fe86e7d4ce9ea77a2dbe069a0b03fc16b57c260d | Spider-Man may regularly swoop in to save Gwen Stacy from his foes, but this time he failed to catch the 'damsel in distress' during a stunt in Times Square ahead of New Year’s Eve celebrations. The superhero dropped Good Morning America reporter Sara Haines as she pretended to faint in his presence, expecting him to catch her. Instead she fell flat on her back and burst into laughter. The botched TV stunt comes as Times Square prepares to welcome one million revellers to watch the famous ball drop at midnight. Scroll down for video . Not-so-superhero: Spider-Man failed to catch Good Morning America reporter Sara Haines (right) as she pretended to faint (left) in a live TV stunt in Times Square for a New Year's Eve celebration story . Nearby, restaurant Applebee’s - the chain best known for two-for-$20 dinner specials – is charging $375 for a New Year’s Eve ticket despite not being able to guarantee ball drop views. The menu for the evening, billed as 'a night to remember,’ will begin at 8pm and end at midnight, at which time guests can 'make their way to the streets of Times Square'. Laugh it off: Despite falling flat on her back thanks to the bumbling superhero, Ms Haines laughed it off, even giving Spider-Man a hug . Applebee’s website states that a viewing of the ball drop is 'subject to NYPD approval.' Ultimately, the NYPD has control over whether or not to allow partiers spilling out of bars and restaurants to move along in order to allow space for people who showed up earlier in the day. Tim Tompkins, the president of the Times Square Alliance, said: ‘Security is much more tightly controlled and there are so many people.’ Strike midnight: Workers test the famous ball that will drop at midnight in Times Square . Hope to have a ball: One million revellers are expected to squeeze into Times Square to see the ball drop at midnight, with people queuing in the wintry weather in a bid to get the best view . Patriotic party: Party-goers pose with a living Statue of Liberty as New Year's preparations get underway . Tickets for chain TGI Friday's party range from $225 for general admission which includes trays of chicken fingers and potato skins, to $1,095 for the 'Couples Champagne VIP Package'. For guests who do not mind skipping dinner, Cipriani's New Year's Eve party starts at $150 per person and includes 'premium top-shelf alcohol' and a prosecco toast at midnight - but no food. As revellers start to queue to get the best spot to see the ball drop at midnight, the NYPD have ramped up security, which has increased each year since the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Time for 2014: A living Statue of Liberty stands in Times Square, where police are making sure security is tight, searching people for explosives and directing revellers into pens along Broadway and Seventh Avenue . Queue for a view: Just like New Year's Eve in Times Square in 2008 (pictured), people began arriving in Times Square several hours before the celebrations are due to begin in a bid to get the best view . A night to remember: As the clock struck midnight on January 1 2013 hundreds of thousands of party-goers were sprinkled with confetti . According to the New York Daily News, the Sergeants Benevolent Association President Ed Mullins said: ‘Times Square would be the biggest potential place for any kind of terorist action, kind of like the Boston bombing.’ Revellers will be searched for explosives and other dangerous contraptions as they are directed to pens along Broadway, Seventh Avenue and uptown from 43rd Street to Central Park. Backpacks are prohibited and there are no trash cans on the streets. The roads will be closed to vehicles from 3pm today. Confetti city: Spider-Man poses for photos as tests are done on the 'air worthiness' of confetti in Times Square . America is set to ring in a very chilly new year with meteorologists predicting bitterly cold weather around the country. Two weather systems are expected to merge and bring a major snowstorm to New England as early as Thursday. It will also bring chilly temperatures and possibly single-digit temperatures to New York City. For revelers in Times Square, temperatures are forecast to plunge through the 20s in New York City on New Year's Eve. 'Some all-time record lows could be challenged in parts of southern Quebec, northern New England and northern upstate New York, when the core of the cold air settles in Wednesday night,' according to AccuWeather Canada Weather Expert Brett Anderson. Comes at a price: Times Square restaurant Applebee's - a chain known for its two-for-$20 dinner specials - is charging $375 for a New Year's Eve ticket despite not being able to guarantee ball drop views . | The superhero dropped Good Morning America reporter Sara Haines .
The stunt on live television ended in giggles after she fell flat on her back .
One million revellers are expected to go to Times Square for the celebrations .
Restaurant Applebee's is charging $375 for a New Year's Eve ticket . |
fe86e7dc2f95ac4bda4b0cd9a518e4c146c274bd | (CNN) -- During the past 57 years, I have crossed paths with some amazingly inspirational people. A few of these are friendships from my childhood that have endured the test of time. Others are special bonds I've formed with a handful of people that I have met during my adult life, and include both personal and professional acquaintances. For reasons that are as unique as the individuals themselves, each of them motivates me to dig deep within myself and find whatever it takes to succeed whenever the going gets tough. On March 19, Tom Clements was fatally shot when he answered his door in El Paso County, Colorado. Mr. Clements was the executive director of Colorado's prison system -- where I've worked for 25 years. Since his death, much has been said about the leadership, vision and direction that he provided to the Colorado Department of Corrections. As significant as this impact was, the inspiration that I gained from him comes from the way that he lived his life as a husband, father, brother, son and friend. The key to fitness? Schedule it in . This inspiration is not based on a close personal friendship between Mr. Clements and I. The most powerful and effective leaders are those who lead based on the same core values that they use in their personal lives. Tom Clements was that type of leader. When I found out that I was accepted to the Fit Nation team, I e-mailed my entry video to my immediate supervisor, the director, and Mr. Clements so they would know what I would be doing this year and why. I knew they would be supportive of me, as they always have been. What I didn't anticipate was the genuine enthusiasm and encouragement I would receive from Mr. Clements. From the very beginning, he let me know that not only did I have his full support, but that he himself would have loved to have the same opportunity. He made me promise that I would share every article, blog and update on my adventure with him. His response stemmed from his own passion for staying physically fit and taking advantage of the great outdoors, especially all that Colorado has to offer. He told me that one of his goals when he retired from his 31-year career with the Missouri Department of Corrections was to ride his bicycle through each of the lower 48 states. Turns out he was an avid cyclist. The last time that I saw Mr. Clements was about a month before he was killed. It was at a two-day meeting in Denver. It was customary for him to open these meetings by speaking to the group about how we were doing on meeting our strategic goals and objectives, and to listen to any questions or concerns that we had. This time was no different. But what I will remember the most is that before the meeting started he sat down next to me and asked how my training was going. He didn't ask just to be asking -- he really wanted to know, and smiled when I told him how I was already way outside of my comfort zone (in a good way). As he always did, he made me promise to keep him posted on my progress. He even opened the meeting by making sure everyone in the group knew I was training for a triathlon. He added that I was his inspiration. 6 people who will inspire you this year . I was so surprised that I could be an inspiration to someone of his stature. I was very honored and humbled. From that moment forward, any time I felt like I was too tired, too stressed, or didn't have time to train, I would hear him telling my peers that I was his inspiration. There was no way I was going to let him down. I cannot begin to compare the impact his death has had on me personally to the tremendous loss that his family and friends will experience for the rest of their lives. But those that have led our corrections system since that tragic night have made it clear that, as a tribute to Mr. Clements, we will keep moving forward. With that in mind, I have decided to dedicate my training for the Nautica Malibu Triathlon, and the event itself on September 8, to him. I am now even more committed to making sure he is proud of me each step along the way. For those of you that, like me, sometimes doubt your own ability or motivation when the going gets tough, try focusing on a personal hero, and do it for them. It works! | Tom Clements was fatally shot when he answered his door on March 19 .
Clements inspired triathlete-in-training Rae Timme to keep pushing the limits .
Timme is now dedicating her training and race to Clements' memory . |
fe87bd2a722be30ca984a52fcfa8504f3cb2b9f1 | (CNN) -- The jailed mayor of Hampton, Florida, resigned Tuesday as the embattled city of 477 residents fought to keep its municipal government functioning in the wake of a state audit that exposed rampant corruption and mismanagement. Barry Layne Moore had held office for just over a month when he was arrested in November in a sting operation in which he allegedly sold a single 30-milligram oxycodone pill to an undercover informant for $20. He has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. Gov. Rick Scott suspended Moore shortly after the arrest. But state lawmakers, including Sen. Rob Bradley and Rep. Charles Van Zant, are pushing to dissolve Hampton, saying the city, notorious for its speed trap along U.S. Highway 301, is too corrupt to govern itself. The audit, released last month, found 31 violations of Hampton's city charter, as well as violations of state and federal codes and laws. The allegations included nepotism, sloppy bookkeeping, and failure to maintain records, withhold payroll taxes or insure city vehicles. The audit also found $9,000 in questionable payments to the city clerk, $27,000 in questionable charges on a city credit card and $132,000 charged to an account at a BP gas station and convenience store across the street from City Hall. The city has been given 30 days to show it can put its house in order. If the lawmakers are not satisfied that progress has been made, they will proceed in the state legislature with a bill to dissolve Hampton's city charter. Among the conditions the city must meet: All current office-holders and employees must resign. The police chief, city clerk, and water manager already have quit, as has one of the five city council members, who are paid $125 a month. Others are likely to follow. The City Council meets Tuesday night. Moore's letter was short and to the point, stating, "I, Barry Layne Moore, being of sound mind and body, ask that you would please accept this letter as notification that I am leaving my position with the city of Hampton, effective immediately." | Barry Layne Moore, the jailed mayor of Hampton, Florida, resigns after audit .
State audit finds rampant corruption, and lawmakers want to dissolve the city .
Moore is accused of selling one oxycodone pill for $20 in November .
Hampton is known for its speed trap along U.S. Highway 301 . |
fe883215d1f68ef4e4389824f85ebaffe986c9e3 | With its health benefits and celebrity fans, super-hydrating coconut water is the must-have drink of 2013. But hot on its heels is mineral-rich aloe vera juice. Market trend predictors are singing the . praises of nutrient-packed, cholesterol-lowering aloe vera-based drinks. The latest must-sip claims to aid weight loss, digestion, immune function, and even ease general discomfort. Move over, coconut water! With its cocktail of vitamins and minerals, aloe vera juice is tipped to be the season's hottest health trend . Aloe Vera contains a multitude of vitamins including A, C, E, folic acid, B1, B2, B3, B6 and is one of the few plants that contains vitamin B12, which helps with brain and nervous system function. It is also mineral-rich, containing calcium, magnesium, zinc, chromium, selenium, sodium, iron, and potassium, as well as being packed with amino and fatty acids - all helpful in beating indigestion. Much like super food favourites chia . seeds and seaweed, aloe vera is a gelatinous plant food and well-known . adaptogen, which boosts the body’s natural ability to resist illness and . also eliminates toxins. Nutritionist Madeleine Shaw, who works with Millie Mackintosh, said: 'Aloe Vera is amazing if you have any suggestive discomfort. It is very soothing for the internals and helps beat the bloat.' The plant juice, which is sold in health stores such as the Nutri Centre and Holland and Barrett, has traditionally been used to treat burns and psoriasis. However, . information regarding its use dates back nearly 5,000 years to early . Egyptian times, when it was cited as being a powerful herbal medicine. Multi-use: The plant juice has traditionally been used to treat skin conditions but now people are starting to catch on to the benefits of drinking it . Shona Wilkinson, Head Nutritionist at The Nutri Centre, said: 'Most people are aware of the benefits of aloe vera applied topically for sunburn but the benefits are far more wide than just that - especially when taken internally. 'Drinking aloe vera replenishes your body naturally with a huge range of nutrients. It contains approximately 200 active components including - vitamins A, B1,B2,B6, B12, C, E, folic acid and Niacin. 'Many people take aloe vera to help with digestion but it is also taken for good immunity, cleansing and good skin health. 'Aloe vera is often used to help with the symptoms of Irritable bowel syndrome and has also been shown to be helpful for conditions such as acid reflux. 'Overall its a great all rounder, jam packed full of nutrients!' | Packed with vitamins and minerals .
Aids digestion and rids toxins .
Health benefits date back to Egyptian times when it was used as herbal medicine . |
fe888a22e9c47f0a329ed0de429180b3c99478e9 | A chocolate, appearingly deflated football has raised $20,000 for a Pennsylvania charity. Amid the bitter 'deflate-gate' scandal surrounding the New England Patriots, Pennsylvania candy company Sarris Candies decided to find the sweet side of the situation -- literally. Bill Sarris had his staff at Sarris Candies make the chocolate football with a dent in its side -- to make it look like a deflated football -- and posted a photograph of it to Facebook just for laughs. Auction: Pennsylvania candy company Sarris Candies auctioned off a deflated-looking football made out of chocolate and raised $20,000 for charity . The caption with the photo reads: 'Chocolate 'Bradie' Ball Net weight 13 lbs.... Oops! We meant 11.2 lbs.' What started as a small joke has brought in big bucks for the Dollar Energy Fund -- a fund providing utility assistance for residents in need, according to FOX. The ball was auctioned off Friday with a local car dealer bidding $5,000 and Sarris matching the bid, CBS reports. Utility companies that support the fund matched the $10,000 bringing the total to $20,000. 'It's going to a good cause, so that's the best thing,' Sarris said. Laughs: Bill Sarris (photographed) had his staff at Sarris Candies make the chocolate football with a dent in its side and posted a photograph of it to Facebook just for laughs . Offers: After Sarris posted the photo, the company received multiple offers to buy the one-of-a-kind sculpture prompting Sarris to auction it off with the help of a local radio station . Sarris Candies, located about 18 miles outside of Pittsburgh in Canonsburg, is known for its sweet Super Bowl specialties, but this deflated delicacy was not originally for sale, FOX reports. After Sarris posted the photo, he told CBS, the company received multiple offers to buy the one-of-a-kind sculpture prompting Sarris to auction it off with the help of a local radio station. Sarris wouldn't reveal how his staff achieved the football's deflated look, according to the Huffington Post, instead he said 'You'll have to ask the Patriots how they did it.' | Sarris Candies auctioned off a deflated-looking football made out of chocolate and raised $20,000 for charity .
The deflated delicacy was auctioned off Friday on a local radio station .
Bill Sarris posted a photograph of the treat to Facebook as a joke but soon began receiving offers from people seeking to buy it .
The photo's caption reads: 'Chocolate 'Bradie' Ball Net weight 13 lbs.... Oops! We meant 11.2 lbs' |
fe88fedf5914fb3358c5562f7e085a50d3000195 | This is the man who has been dubbed the Russian grave-robber after 29 female bodies that he dressed up as dolls were found at his apartment. Russia’s Interior Ministry says police have arrested a man who kept the bodies, who was named by Russian media as Anatoly Moskvin. The historian and journalist is said to speak 13 languages and has been described as a 'genius'. Dressed as a doll: A body pictured at an apartment dressed up like a doll after being taken from a grave . Grave-robber: Anatoly Moskvin is pictured as a suspect accused of vandalising graves in the region of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia . Ministry spokesman Valery Gribakin said . today that the suspect from the Volga River city of Nizhny Novgorod dug . up the bodies at several cemeteries in the region. The man, whose identity was withheld by police but exposed by local media, dressed them in clothes dug up from the graves. Gribakin said that the suspect is a historian who has authored several books. He said the arrest followed a police probe into the desecration of graves in the region, which was initially blamed on extremist groups. Nizhny Novgorod is located about 250 miles (400 kilometres) east of Moscow. Russian media reports quoted police as saying that the man only had selected the remains of young women for his grisly collection. Suspect: Police said that the suspect (pictured) is a historian who has authored several books . Anatoly Moskvin is said to have dug up the corpses from hundreds of cemeteries and took them to his small, three-bedroom flat in Nizhny Novgorod, according to local media. He was said to have carried the 'dried up' remains of at least 29 women - all aged between 15 and 26 - in plastic bags. At his apartment, the 45-year-old . apparently dressed the bodies and skeletons in stockings and dresses, . and even made one look like a teddy bear. All had died years earlier. His ghastly obsession was uncovered when . Moskvin's parents visited him in the town around 200 miles east of . Moscow after returning from a holiday. Sick mind: Moskvina committed his heinous crime in the attractive Nizhny Novgorod in western Russia . Moskvina, a historian and journalist described by neighbours as a 'genius', sometimes slept in a coffin or on graveyard benches, said BNO News. Moskvina was said to have visited more than 750 cemeteries in western Russia to indulge his fantasies, although it was not clear when he had begun exhuming graves. He is said to speak 13 languages and have a vast knowledge of history - on which he used to lecture at a local museum. Anatoly Moskvina kept the women's remains in his flat in Nizhny Novgorod, about 200 miles east of Moscow . | Anatoly Moskvin's sick fetish discovered when his parents came to visit him . |
fe89bb0e8c5fe8257210f160facafdc1612b68a3 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:01 EST, 22 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:29 EST, 23 December 2013 . A 16-year-old girl survived certain death on Saturday night when her glasses miraculously deflected a bullet that was about to hit her in the face. Alonza Bryant, 16, was asleep on the couch in her parent’s living room when a drive-by shooter opened fire on their Seattle home. The incident happened at around 9:40 pm on Saturday, when there were several people, including children, inside the residence at 54th Avenue South and South Roxbury Street. Lucky to be alive: Alonza Bryant, 16, was taken to the hospital with a relatively minor flesh wound after her glasses miraculously deflected a bullet . An unknown group of individuals, possibly in a dark sedan, drove by the house and began shooting. Several of the shots went through the walls and one round went through the front window. Bryant was struck by a single round in the bridge of her glasses, breaking them. ‘I fell asleep with my glasses on,’ Alonza Bryant told NWCN.com. ‘If I didn’t have my glasses on I wouldn’t be here.’ The other occupants in the house called 911 as the car returned and fired into the house a second time. Amazingly, she was not seriously injured. Alonza Bryant (pictured), her mom LaVette has said that nobody living in their home has a connection to gangs . Alonza Bryant, 16, was asleep on the couch in her parent’s living room when a drive-by shooter opened fire on their Seattle home . Investigators believe the residence was targeted, but that the 16-year-old girl was not the intended victim. Alonza's mother, LaVette Bryant, said nobody living in the home has a connection to gangs. ‘We are honest, upright citizens. We don't do anything - harm - to anyone in this neighborhood,’ she said. She told NWCN.com that she doesn’t want her family to spend another night in the bullet-ridden house. ‘We have to move. We have to find a place to stay tonight because we're not staying here,’ she said. An unknown group of individuals, possibly in a dark sedan, drove by the house and began shooting . | Alonza Bryant, 16, was asleep on the couch in her parent's Seattle home when a drive-by shooter opened fire .
She was struck by a single bullet to the bridge of her glasses .
The glasses broke, but they probably saved the girl's life .
Her family has no ties to local gangs and her mom doesn't want them staying in the house another night . |
fe8a00ac73d35003d8e2f07a316c2fa72ed92e26 | By . Jill Reilly . Trayvon Martin’s friend Rachel Jeantel has been offered a full scholarship by radio host Tom Joyner. While some looked at murder trial witness Rachel Jeantel and saw either a defiant young woman or a victim, Mr Joyner looked at her and saw potential. The nationally syndicated radio personality and philanthropist says he was touched by Jeantel, who spent two days testifying in the trial of George Zimmerman about her last conversation with her friend Trayvon Martin. Taking the stand: Rachel Jeantel giving her testimony to the prosecution during George Zimmerman's trial . Offer: Mr Joyner was so moved that he has offered to pay for Jeantel to attend a historically black college of her choice . Mr Joyner was so moved that he has offered to pay for Jeantel to attend a historically black college of her choice - which she has accepted. Mr Joyner explained the offer in an open letter to Jeantel and 'all the young people in this country who, through no fault of their own, find yourself living in underserved communities and not yet figuring out your way in this world.' 'I realized a hug wasn't enough,' Joyner wrote in the letter posted Wednesday on BlackAmericaWeb.com. Wednesday night, Mr Joyner and Jeantel appeared on Headline News, where she thanked the talk-show host. Asked if she would accept his offer, she said simply, 'I will.' No details were discussed. 'Whatever her future is going to be, I want to help her,' Joyner said on Headline News. 'You stand a better chance of success if you have a college education.' Jeantel was the last person to talk . to the 17-year-old before he was fatally shot in a February 2012 . confrontation with Zimmerman, who claimed he shot Martin in . self-defense. Zimmerman, 29, was acquitted last week of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges. Jeantel, 19, has yet to graduate from high school. Before attending college, she would have to get a diploma and take . entrance exams. Joyner also offered to provide her with tutors to . accomplish those goals. Mr Joyner explained the offer in an open letter to Jeantel and 'all the young people in this country who, through no fault of their own, find yourself living in underserved communities and not yet figuring out your way in this world' 'We are committed to meeting you . where you are, helping you to get your GED and prepping you for the . historically black college or university of your choice,' Joyner wrote . in the letter. Joyner has supported historically black colleges and students who attend them through the Tom Joyner Foundation. According . to its website, the foundation has raised $65 million to support more . than 29,000 students attending historically black colleges and . universities, many of which have their roots in 19th century efforts to . educate newly freed slaves. Last call: Jeantel was the last person to talk to the 17-year-old, right, before he was fatally shot in a February 2012 confrontation with Zimmerman, left, who claimed he shot Martin in self-defense . Mr Joyner wrote that he'd only ask in return that Jeantel try to make a difference in someone's life. 'Time and time again, we watch our young people get written off, tossed aside or put at the end of the line because no one wants to give them a chance,' he said. Joyner has provided full scholarships in the past to others, including Genarlow Wilson, who at age 17 was sentenced to 10 years in prison for engaging in sex acts with a 15-year-old girl. Wilson's conviction was ultimately overturned by the Georgia Supreme Court, and he graduated from Morehouse College in May with a degree in sociology. Police arrested 17 people in . Victorville,outside of Los Angeles, last night after demonstrators . protesting about Zimmerman being acquitted, tried to storm a shopping . mall. According to NBC Los Angeles, a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner said most of the arrests were for unlawful assembly, and eight of those arrested were under age 18. Police arrested 17 people in Victorville, outside of Los Angeles, last night after demonstrators protesting about Zimmerman being acquitted tried to storm a shopping mall . Anger: More than 100 Trayvon Martin protesters unhappy with the George Zimmerman verdict marched along Bear Valley Road from The Mall of Victor Valley to Eleventh Street in Victorville . A group of nearly 30-40 protesters run from a Extra Mile convenience store after looting the store during the protest . According to NBC Los Angeles, a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner said . most of the arrests were for unlawful assembly, and eight of those arrested were under age 18 . | Tom Joyner said he was touched by Jenatel who spent two days testifying .
Offered to pay for her to attend a historically black college of her choice .
She has accepted the offer, but has not commented further . |
fe8a594e9bab05cf0f5db4f5b91fca2ecc57a2f9 | Mehdi Benatia has revealed he turned down Manchester City and Chelsea to join Bayern Munich. The central defender joined the German giants from Roma in a £20million deal last month after rejecting the Premier League duo. The 27-year-old also spurned offers from Real Madrid and Barcelona and says he is very happy to be a part of Pep Guardiola’s squad. VIDEO Scroll down to see Benatia's new team mate Alonso talk about Pep Guardiola . Spoilt for choice: Mehdi Benatia has revealed he turned down offers from Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona to join Bayern Munich in a £20m move from Roma over the summer . New colours: Benatia poses with daughter Lina and a Bayern strip at his unveiling press conference . Roar: Benatia in action for his former club Roma before the switch to German champions Bayern . ‘Manchester City and Chelsea wanted me, while there were also approaches from Real Madrid and Barcelona,’ Benatia was quoted as saying by Kicker. ‘I discussed my future with Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini. He told me that the club wanted to hold on to me, but that they needed the money from a sale. That annoyed me, because I initially wanted to stay put. ‘But let it be clear, I was happy to join Bayern Munich. I like Munich – even if it’s a bit cold here.’ | Mehdi Benatia revealed he turned down Premier League giants Manchester City and Chelsea before opting to join Bayern Munich .
Real Madrid and Barcelona also made approaches for Roma defender .
But he joined the Bundesliga giants last month in a £20m deal .
Bentia insists he is happy to be in Munich, despite the cold weather . |
fe8a829a12ac3c52dc654d15dc7e89a99ab8cfd5 | (CNN) -- Just ten miles south of the Polish city of Krakow is a remarkable place carved from salt. Hidden 1,000 feet (305 meters) underground lies a dimly-lit labyrinth of subterranean chambers, with saline lakes, horses' stables, a chapel and even a salt-sculpted hall. Decorated with elaborate sculptures -- the most astounding perhaps being "The Last Supper" carved into a rock salt wall -- even the crystals of the chapel's chandeliers are hewn from salt, dissolved and reconstituted to resemble glass. It might sound like something out of a Jules Verne novel, but the Wieliczka salt mine is not science fiction but one of Poland's 13 UNESCO Cultural World Heritage sites, many of which date back to the medieval period. Warsaw's Old Town (meticulously reconstructed after 85% of the capital's historic center was destroyed during the war) and Auschwitz Birkenau concentration camp are must-visit spots. But beyond them, you can find hundreds of years' worth of fairytale-like medieval history. Deeper underground . Few places capture the imagination like the salt mine at Wieliczka, believed to have been completed in 1280. Tourists can delve into its depths on guided tours. "You see a little more than 1% of the mine on the tourist route," said Marek Strojny, a guide for more than 20 years. Consider that the tourist route is three kilometers (1.8 miles) long and takes three hours to explore. "It would take years to see all of the mine," said Strojny. "There are nine levels, with 300 kilometers (186 miles) of tunnels and more than 3,000 chambers." Tourists view the mine at just over 300 feet (91 meters) below the surface, but its intricacies continue down for more than double that depth. Mining here was dangerous work; there were cave-ins, and occasional methane explosions. This accounts for why the miners built the chapel in the 14th century -- they prayed constantly for their safety, and carved religious figures in their spare time. (Strojny estimated "The Last Supper" alone would have taken a year to complete.) However, the job came with its perks. "There was great respect for the miners among the community on the surface," he noted. "And they were given privileges by Polish kings. For example, each worker was allowed to carry three kilograms of salt to the surface with them each month and sell it. Salt was (a valuable) preservative and was almost as expensive as silver." "Vampires" in Krakow . The salt would doubtless have been traded at Krakow's Rynek Glowny, the largest medieval market square in Europe and the site of another intriguing underground voyage. In 2005, an archaeological dig in the square was intended to last six months, but stretched into five years, such was the volume of treasures exhumed. The result is Rynek Underground, a subterranean museum built under the square. "The square has risen about four meters since early medieval times," said Dominik Lulewicz, an archaeologist at the museum. "Over the years, the debris from earlier phases (of the square's history) was spread across its surface." READ MORE: Krakow becomes world center for literature . While the entire historical center of Krakow is a UNESCO site, the 40,000 square meters of Rynek Glowny is its beating heart. In the 14th and 15th centuries it was a major center of European trade, abuzz with merchants selling everything from luxury goods (such as silks and spices) to cloth and lead. As well as seeing some of those treasures, visitors to the museum can also see reconstructions of burial sites that were discovered during the dig, including what Lulewicz called "anti-vampiric burials". "There are a few with tied hands and legs, probably due to the remains of Pagan beliefs," he said. Choosing their religion . Diversity of belief is a uniting facet of Poland's UNESCO heritage sites. Among the prettiest listed monuments are the wooden churches of Malopolska. Winding through the looming mountains and sprawling fields of this picturesque pocket of south east Poland, are 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) of trails that take hikers past striking examples of timber churches in everything from Roman Catholic to Greek Orthodox styles. READ MORE: Bison thrive in Poland's wild woods . "The multicultural history of Poland is marked by the variety of houses of worship from different periods," said Małgorzata Trelka, of the National Heritage Board of Poland. She pointed to the 18th and 19th century wooden mosques that can be found in north east Poland by way of example. Indeed, Trelka revealed that a 14th UNESCO site has been approved -- wooden Eastern Orthodox and Greek Catholic churches, dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries, in the Carpathian mountain range. And yet another enduring example of Poland's long tradition of religious tolerance is the UNESCO-listed Churches of Peace in Jawor and Swidnica. These 17th century Protestant churches were permitted by a Catholic emperor following the Thirty Years war, which had sprung from those very religions' rivalry. But maybe what unites these sites most of all is that, whether deep underground or spread throughout the countryside, Poland is rich in a tangible cultural landscape. | Poland has 13 cultural UNESCO world heritage sites .
Many of them date back to the medieval period .
The whole of the historic center of Krakow is declared a heritage site . |
fe8ade12d32b4e8efc975f52827a0186eaddcd0f | (CNN) -- Here's a tip for dairy farmers: If you want your cows to produce more milk, get to know them better. Herdsman Paul Nelson of Eachwick Red House Farm, Newcastle, England, with Highlight the cow. So says a study out of Newcastle University in northeast England, published online Wednesday in the academic journal Anthrozoos. The researchers found that farmers who named their cows Betsy or Gertrude or Daisy improved their overall milk yield by almost 500 pints (284 liters) annually. "Just as people respond better to the personal touch, cows also feel happier and more relaxed if they are given a bit more one-to-one attention," Catherine Douglas of the university's School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development said in a news release. "By placing more importance on the individual, such as calling a cow by her name or interacting with the animal more as it grows up, we can not only improve the animal's welfare and her perception of humans, but also increase milk production." Douglas and her colleagues questioned 516 dairy farmers in the United Kingdom. Almost half said they called the cows on their farms by name and reported a higher milk yield. A press statement from the university, touting the study, quoted Dennis Gibb, who co-owns a dairy farm outside of Newcastle, called Eachwick Red House Farm. "We love our cows here at Eachwick, and every one of them has a name," Gibb said. "Collectively, we refer to them as 'our ladies,' but we know every one of them and each one has her own personality." | Study in the U.K. finds cows treated with personal touch increase milk production .
Farmers who named their cows got almost 500 more pints annually .
Dairy farmer: "We love our cows ... and every one of them has a name"
Researchers questioned 516 dairy farmers in the United Kingdom . |
fe8b383f08b4c2dd5f5f25a8edc3c166d61be359 | The winner of the 2014 Open Championship will pocket £975,000. The R&A has published the prize money for this year's tournament, revealing there will be a total of £5,400,000 on offer to those taking part at the 143rd Open Championship, which will be played at Royal Liverpool between July 17-20. With an increase of £30,000 compared to last year's champion Phil Mickelson, the winner will take home a near-seven-figure sum as well as the famous Claret Jug. Holder: Phil Mickelson picked up the Claret Jug at Muirfield last year . Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott and Tiger Woods are amongst the favourites to top the leaderboard at Hoylake. McIlroy has stepped up his preparations for The Open by playing a practice round at Royal Liverpool - the venue for this year's tournament. The World No 7 is heading to Royal Aberdeen for the Scottish Open later this week, and on his way north he stopped off at this year’s venue for The Open and Tweeted a picture with the message: 'Great day at Royal Liverpool getting some early prep in for The Open Championship!' Field of dreams: McIlroy tweeted a picture of Royal Liverpool where he practised ahead of The Open . | A total of £5,400,000 will be on offer to those taking part at the 143rd Open .
The winning fund is an increase of £30,000 compared to last year's champion Phil Mickelson .
Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott and Tiger Woods are amongst the favourites to top the leaderboard at Hoylake . |
fe8c2452c7ea22e3d3f01bfc50b24a7597419a5a | LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Actor Charlton Heston died at his Beverly Hills home at the age of 84 Saturday, his family said. Heston was suffering the late stages of Alzheimer's disease. Heston, known for portrayals of larger than life figure including Moses and Ben Hur, was suffering the late stages of Alzheimer's disease. Heston's wife of 64 years, Lydia, was at his side at the time of his death, according to the family statement. Heston is survived by a son, a daughter and three grandchildren. "We knew him as an adoring husband, a kind and devoted father, and a gentle grandfather, with an infectious sense of humor," the family said. "He served these far greater roles with tremendous faith, courage and dignity. He loved deeply, and he was deeply loved." While no funeral plans have been announced, the family said it would hold a private memorial service. The Internet Movie Database listed 126 movies and television production credits for Heston, starting in 1941. He rose to fame in the 1950s with starring movie roles including Ben Hur, for which he won an Oscar. He played Moses in the "Ten Commandments." Heston's last acting credit was for playing an elderly Josef Mengele, the Auschwitz Nazi surgeon who performed medical experiments on concentration camp refugees during World War Two in the 2003 movie "My Father, Rua Alguem 5555." Heston was also known for his political activism. He was a high-profile supporter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his civil rights movement. He attended King's 1963 March on Washington and stood near the podium as King delivered his "I have a dream" speech. He was president of the National Rifle Association from 1998 to 2002, a role that cast him as a conservative. Heston was born John Charles Carter in Evanston, Illinois, on October. 4, 1924. He took the surname Heston after his mother divorced and remarried when he was 10. E-mail to a friend . | Heston was suffering the late stages of Alzheimer's disease .
Heston's wife of 64 years, Lydia, was by his side at the time of his death .
The family said it would hold a private memorial service . |
fe8c78fe949177b959078dc0d2f2a846736dab31 | A sports reporter managed to namedrop 22 of Robin Williams’ films in two minutes as part of a TV tribute to star. Sports news anchor Zach Klein, of WSB television in Atlanta, Georgia, namechecked the films during his sports round-up just a few hours after the 63-year-old actor died. 'For those of you who suffer from Insomia, Saturday's Braves game was perfect for you.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Tribute: News anchor Zach Klein namechecked 22 of Robin Williams' films during his sports round-up . He went on to describe a baseball player with Happy Feet and how another flexed his muscles like Popeye. Other films mentioned during the segment included Mrs Doubtfire, One Hour Photo, Hook, World's Greatest Day and Moscow on the Hudson. 'Honestly, I just wanted to do something to show my appreciating for the greatness that was Robin Williams,' Klein told AFP via email on Tuesday. Insomnia; The Timekeeper; Nine Months; Man of the Year; Happy Feet; Jumanji; Popeye; Hook; Everyone's Hero; Mrs Doubtfire; World's Greatest Dad; Father's Day; Toys; Seize The Day; Patch Adams; Hamlet; Jack; Mork and Mindy; One Hour Photo; The Best of Times; Moscow on the Hudson; The Final Cut . 'It was a hard day for so many and I thought a subtle tribute to a man many loved and admired was the least I could do.' Robin Williams hanged himself on Sunday night while his wife slept in a nearby bedroom. He had several superficial cuts on the inside of his left wrist. A pocket knife with what appeared to be dried blood was discovered nearby. The . Mrs Doubtfire and Good Will Hunting star's suicide comes after decades . of battling depression and alcohol and drug addiction. He was also facing significant financial pressures and admitted he was selling a $35million estate in Napa because he could no longer afford it. Williams struggled with depression and an addiction to cocaine and alcohol for decades. Last month the married father-of-three was back in rehab 'fine-tuning' his sobriety in a year where he had been working on six movies and a TV series. | Zach Klein is a sports reporter for WSB television in Atlanta, Georgia .
Namechecked films during sports round-up a few hours after actor's death .
Describe a baseball player with Happy Feet and how another flexed his muscles like Popeye . |
fe8c8ec9d6d0d82dac84cb508ecf3e89a0c3ae5e | George Osborne is set to hand the gambling industry a multi-million-pound tax cut as part of an incentive to bring the offshore internet gaming business back to Britain. The highly controversial move comes the day after the Chancellor faced nationwide protests over the Government’s failure to crack down on massive corporation tax avoidance by companies including Starbucks, Google and Amazon. Last night, fair tax campaigners criticised any new tax concession to the online gaming industry, which is linked to alarming increases in gambling addiction, with children suffering as families are plunged into debt. Controversial move: George Osborne is set to hand the gambling industry a multi-million-pound tax cut as part of an incentive to bring the offshore internet gaming business back to Britain . Britain’s biggest gambling companies moved their internet gaming operations offshore after Labour brought in a 15 per cent tax for all internet betting seven years ago. But The Mail on Sunday has been told the Treasury is considering slashing the gambling levy by a third to recoup some of the £2.1 billion in revenues that has been lost over the last seven years. Yesterday, tax avoidance campaigners said they were protesting at dozens of Starbucks cafes across the UK, despite the firm’s pledge to pay millions of pounds of extra corporation tax for the next two years. The organisers, UK Uncut, say the coffee company’s promise to pay £20million is ‘a desperate attempt to deflect public pressure’ from itself. Public protest: Tax avoidance campaigners have protested at dozens of Starbucks cafes across the UK, despite the firm's pledge to pay millions of pounds of extra corporation tax because they say it is 'a desperate attempt to deflect public pressure' A draft Bill published this week proposes a tax that will bring offshore gambling companies in line with bookmakers based and regulated in the UK. Opponents to the tax concession point out that other EU countries impose higher gambling taxes of 20 per cent and, in the case of Germany and America, have laws that greatly restrict all online gambling. John Christensen, a director of Tax Justice Network, said: ‘It really doesn’t make much sense to lower the rate of taxation to try to bring them back to the UK. The tax rate should remain as it is.’ Dr Mark Griffiths, director of the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University, said: ‘Online gambling exacerbates the problems associated with addictions because it is available 24/7 and 365 days a year.’ He added: ‘It is much more difficult to regulate and to make sure children don’t use online gambling.’ But a senior Government source says the Treasury is close to accepting the argument that the rate should be slashed by a third. Fair tax criticism: Campaigners criticised any new tax concession to the online gaming industry, which is linked to alarming increases in gambling addiction, with children suffering as families are plunged into debt . Eighteen of the 20 big betting companies who operate most of the 2,500 gambling websites in the UK use offshore bases like Gibraltar to market and operate their services. On the Treasury’s own estimates, a five per cent cut would save the companies nearly £100 million in tax each year. But a Government source said the argument for lowering gambling taxes from 15 per cent to ten per cent was almost won. ‘There are two separate arguments – what is the appropriate rate of tax and should people pay it?’ the source said. ‘On the second of those two questions, the answer must be a firm yes. ‘I’m all in favour of lower taxes but we have got to work out how it is going to be paid for. There is an argument that you should lower taxation in order to incentivise the firms to come back.’ The draft Bill focuses on online betting scandals, including potential match fixing, as justification for bringing the offshore companies under the tighter regulation controlled by the Gambling Commission. Minister for Sport and Tourism, Hugh Robertson, said of the new Bill: ‘These proposals will ensure that British consumers enjoy consistent standards of protection, regardless of where a gambling business is based.’ | There has been nationwide protests over the Government's failure to crack down on massive corporation tax avoidance by some companies .
Chancellor is set to give the online gaming industry a new tax concession .
Britain's biggest gambling companies moved their internet operations offshore after Labour brought in a 15 per cent tax for internet betting . |
fe8cf7c0c7b985db727edd3e11c90dd6af2d7489 | The Spanish sports papers try to make sense of the basket-case Copa del Rey match between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona in their Thursday morning editions. 'They went crazy again' reads the headline on the front of Marca, which features a close-up of the boot Arda Turan hurled at the linesman during the second half. The referee decided a yellow card was sufficient punishment for Turan, despite the impassioned protests of Barcelona coach Luis Enrique. 'They went crazy' runs the headline on Thursday's Marca after the game between Atletico and Barca . It takes about 10 lines on Marca's front page to fully summarise all that happened but the upshot is that Barca's 3-2 win on the night takes them into the semi-finals 4-2 on aggregate. Meanwhile, Atletico defender Cristian Ansaldi, who was on his way to support his team-mates at the Vicente Calderon, was detained after catching a policeman's hand in his car door. Ansaldi was trying to drive closer to the stadium but police had already sealed off the access road. As he tried to move barriers blocking his path, he caught the policeman's hand in the door. Detained during the match at the Arganzuela station, he wasn't released until 12.55am. AS call it a 'crazy game' and feature a photo of Fernando Torres trying to scrap with Neymar during one of the many flashpoints. They pinpoint the 42nd minute as the moment things started to unravel for Atletico following Neymar's goal to make it 3-2. AS reflects on a 'crazy game' packed with bad temper and incident as Barcelona progressed to the last four . Gabi was sent off in the tunnel at half-time following another confrontation and Mario Suarez also saw red late on to compound Atleti's ill-disciplined performance. AS also report that Cristiano Ronaldo will be available to play for Real Madrid in the derby with Atletico on February 7 after being handed just a two-match suspension for kicking out at Edimar in their 2-1 win over Cordoba at the weekend. The Portuguese will miss the matches against Real Sociedad and Sevilla instead. Mundo Deportivo take the Barcelona perspective on things, featuring a picture of Neymar jumping into the air to celebrate one of his goala and the headline 'leap into the semi-finals.' Interestingly, despite Barca's win, they say that the referee killed the game with his decisions to send off the Atletico players. 'A leap into the semis' reads the headline on Mundo Deportivo after Barcelona's 3-2 win on the night . Unsurprisingly, they take a different approach to Ronaldo's suspension, saying that the Spanish League's competition commission has shown leniency. A play on words for Sport, whose headline reads 'La Copa del Ney' in reflection of Neymar's two decisive goals. The paper hails the 'Trident' between the Brazilian, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, which caused Atletico endless problems during the second leg. A 'Copa del Ney' headline for Sport as they mark Barcelona's victory at Vicente Calderon . In Italy, Gazzetta dello Sport have been speaking with agent Mino Raiola, who says Juventus will regret it if they decide to sell Paul Pogba. 'Paul is a Van Gogh, the price will be decided by whoever buys him,' he says. Raiola reveals that his biggest mistake was selling Mario Balotelli to Milan in January 2013: 'With Manchester City he was playing football that mattered.' Gazzetta dello Sport have an interview with agent Mino Raiola, who says Juventus would regret selling Pogba . Corriere dello Sport report that Mattia Destro's move from Roma to Milan will go through on Thursday. Milan's vice-president Adriano Galliani made a personal mission to Destro's house in Rome to convince him to sign a loan deal. The paper also suggest that Roma are interested in signing Shakhtar Donetsk striker Luiz Adriano and Dnipro winger Yevhen Konoplyanka. Mattia Destro will complete his move from Roma to Milan on Thursday, according to Corriere dello Sport . Tuttosport reflect on Juve's latest win, 1-0 at Parma to reach the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia on Wednesday night. 'Matador' Alvaro Morata scored the winning goal to send Juve through and they will face either Roma or Fiorentina in the last four. Their manager, Massimiliano Allegri, however was infuriated at the performance, saying 'We made too many mistakes.' Tuttosport lead on Alvaro Morata's winning goal for Juventus in their Coppa Italia win at Parma . In Portugal, the sports pages focus extensively on national hero Luis Figo's decision to stand against Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency. 'Figo versus Blatter' reads the headline on A Bola as they swing behind the Portuguese candidate. A Bola in Portugal lead on Luis Figo's decision to stand against Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency . | Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 3-2 in 'crazy' Copa del Rey quarter-final .
Arda Turan was shown just a yellow card for throwing boot at linesman .
Neymar scored twice as Barca progressed 4-2 on aggregate .
Atletico defender Cristian Ansaldi was arrested outside the ground .
Cristiano Ronaldo will receive just a two-match ban for kick .
Mino Raiola: Juventus would regret selling Paul Pogba .
Juventus beat Parma 1-0 in Coppa Italia thanks to Alvaro Morata goal .
Mattia Destro to complete move from Roma to Milan on Thursday .
Luis Figo decides to stand against Sepp Blatter for FIFA presidency . |
fe8d7e7c94cc837f7c462200504ed42b87947d84 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 02:55 EST, 12 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:28 EST, 12 December 2012 . A million time-poor workers are preparing to call in sick this festive season so they can get their Christmas shopping all wrapped up. With the big day fast approaching, one in seven Britons would not be against pretending to be ill in order to be able to shop for presents, a survey found. Of those pulling a 'sickie', one in three were keen to avoid the long queues and crowds of December weekends in favour of quieter weekday outings. Crowds: One in three workers willing to call in sick in order to do their Christmas shopping were hoping to avoid weekend crowds . But many workers planning to feign illness to get a day off won't even be leaving the house, the survey found. Just over a third will be waiting at home for a delivery to arrive, according to the study by Vouchercodes.co.uk. The same amount admitted they would not get their Christmas shopping finished in time if they left it to the weekends, a report in the Daily Star newspaper said. Some employees may have to take an extra sick day, as the survey showed a fifth of Britons have not even started buying presents yet. Tick tock: There are just 13 shopping days left before Christmas . | One in seven Britons would be happy to skip work to give them time to finish buying their Christmas gifts .
One in three are eager to avoid crowds at weekends in favour of shopping during the week . |
fe8d8c9778ad356e8b58f0763dc8d47f23f32a7d | By . Daniel Mills . Australian and UK health campaigners are being targeted with abusive, four letter emails and Twitter rants from a 'bizarre' online cult who oppose their stance on electronic smoking. It has emerged an online group of e-cigarette smokers, known as 'vapers', have been attacking Perth professor and anti-smoking campaigner Mike Daube over his opposition to the battery-powered version which smokers use to help them kick their bad habits. The Professor of Health Policy at Curtin University told MailOnline most e-cigarette dealers in Australia are 'dodgy' and are 'out to make a quick buck.' And like other substitution cigarettes before them, he said there is little to no empirical evidence which suggest they work. His stance on the subject has received a severe lashing from their users who have sent a trail of nasty emails to him. Attacked: an online e-smoking lobby known as 'vapours' have attacked health campaigners for their opposition e-cigarettes . 'Four letter emails starting with C and F,' Dr Daube told MailOnline on Thursday. 'Really vile, vicious and nasty stuff. 'I couldn't tell you who they are, all I know is that there is this quite bizarre group called 'vapers' writing them.' Dr Daube, who is also the president of the Australian Council on Smoking and Health, said he had never before experienced such vitriol in his 40 years of research in tobacco. Those responsible for the emails stem from an online e-cigarette forums known as vaping chatrooms. Users post and comment on reviews of different e-smoking devices, share thoughts on their uses and discuss what products are on the market. How e-cigarettes work and what they are made from vary, but most release a vapour that contains far less harmful carcinogens than a normal cigarette. Some do contain nicotine, while some do not - but a large percentage come in a range of flavours including mint, strawberry and chocolate. The are not approved for use by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Association, and until they are, Dr Daube said, they will not have a place as a 'safe and healthy' alternative to smoking in Australia. More... Japan Tobacco to Buy British E-Cigarette Maker Zandera in deal which will catapult firm into fast-growing tobacco free market . Cowell’s guide to beating . bad breath: How drinking black coffee and forgetting mouthwash can stop halitosis . Professor Daube and another researcher from Sydney University, professor Simon Chapman, recently hosed down a study by London academics which concluded smokers were about 60 per cent more likely to succeed if they used e-cigarettes, than if they used willpower or over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapies such as patches or gum. Dr Mike Daube has been sent a string of nasty emails from e-smoking lobbyists known as vapours . They said such studies are often drawn from skewed sample groups, such as those who frequent online vaping chatrooms. Dr Chapman wrote in a peice for The Conversation: 'Data from such research tend to show sometimes stratospheric success levels,' going on to say the studies are 'almost worthless for smokers at large because they're drawn from non-representative populations, such as vaping chatrooms.' Supporters say they are safe and are saving the lives of countless smokers who no longer inhale carcinogenic smoke. Their detractors say the health benefits and risks are still unclear. In the UK, Professor of Public Health Martin Mckee wrote a skeptical piece in the British Medical Journal on e-cigarette smoking, and straight after its publication received a trail of hate tweets from vapers. 'I have been overwhelmed by the response to my paper' he said. 'Within a few hours of it being posted on the BMJ website I was attracting hundreds of messages on twitter, almost all personally abusive ... 'vile cretin' was one of them.' He said he 'had no idea that the e-cigarette lobby was so well organised.' Dr Daube said if you can't quit smoking by going cold turkey, then there is a vast array of other tried and tested products that have been proven to help, like nicotine patches. Electronic cigarettes are battery-powered devices which simulates smoking . The design was patented in 1963, and uses a heating element known as an atomiser that vaporises a liquid solution . Some e-cigarettes contain a mixture of nicotine and flavourings, while others release a flavoured nicotine-free vapour . They are sold in flavours like chocolate and strawberry that are banned in conventional cigarettes because of their appeal to young people . But their opponents claim they do little do little help people quit and actually encourage young people to smoke . | UK and Australian anti-smoking campaigners trolled on email and Twitter .
Cult online group that support e-cigarette smoking behind the attacks .
Perth researcher Mike Daube skeptical about effectiveness of e-smoking .
Best proven method of quitting, he says, is going cold turkey . |
fe8dea139e406be74a38c2979439c0629f9f03ba | By . Hannah Roberts . He has sworn to live a cloistered existence, shut off from all the world. But life after retirement doesn’t seem too lonely for Pope Benedict - with no fewer than four female companions to dote on him. The former pontiff, who stepped down in February, has been pictured for the first time with the women at his new home, a restored convent within the confines of the Vatican. Companions: The former pontiff, who stepped down in February, has been pictured for the first time with 'the four guardian angels', at his new home, a restored convent within the confines of the Vatican . Walking with the aid of a stick, Benedict, 86, strolled in the garden of Mater Ecclesiae, with the four lay sisters who are his constant companions. Rosella, Loredana, Carmella and Cristina, known as ‘the four guardian angels’, previously lived with Benedict in the luxurious Papal apartments and made the move with him to take care of cooking his meals, housework and secretarial work. Rosella is the most recent arrival, after her predecessor Manuela, was killed in a car accident in 2010. Loredana, who is from Puglia in the deep south of Italy is the chief cook preparing simple classics such as salmon and zucchini pies and pasta al prosciutto, Italian weekly gossip magazine Oggi reported. Carmela prepares the puddings, including the strudel from his native Germany that Benedict is crazy about, while Cristina is the secretary. Relaxed: In May the former Pope was seen walking in the grounds of Castel Gandolfo wearing a white baseball cap days after his retirement . Wearing his favourite white baseball cap to shield his face from the autumn sun and his Papal whites Benedict appeared to have lost weight since he was last pictured in private at the Papal summer palace Castel Gandolfo. The four women surrounded him protectively as he strolled, stopping to chat with gardeners and workers. The unusual household’s day starts at dawn, with mass in the chapel followed by breakfast. After that the Pope Emeritus retires to his study where he replies to his correspondence. He also spends time divided between meditation and prayer. Summer retreat: Former Pope Benedict pictured in 2010 in his summer residence where he is now enjoying his retirement . Retirement: The former Pope pictured blessing his followers for the last time as he arrived at Castel Gandolfo earlier this year . In the afternoon he takes a walk in the gardens, usually accompanied by the last member of the ‘family’, private secretary George Ganswein, a former ski instructor known as the George Clooney of the Vatican. The former Pope also spends a great deal of time reading, especially history and theology, and listening to the music of Mozart and Beethoven. It is a quiet life- there are not many visitors apart from his brother George who is a frequent guest staying in the spare room. The former convent has 12 monastic cells over two floors as well as a refectory, kitchen, infirmary and vegetable garden. It was founded by John Paul II in order to have a monastic group of nuns inside Vatican City, who pray for the pope and the Church. | Pictured for first time with women at new home within confines of Vatican .
Benedict, 86, strolled in the garden of Mater Ecclesiae .
The lay sisters are known as ‘the four guardian angels’
Women previously lived with Benedict in luxurious Papal apartments . |
fe8df0b19bbb53ca7672ba8169fa9966a6d884f4 | By . Kit Holden . Germany has a new hero. The national team may be preparing for their second round clash with Algeria on Monday evening, but back home, the name on everyone’s lips is neither Thomas Mueller, nor Miroslav Klose, nor Phillipp Lahm. The name on everyone’s lips is Howard Webb. The Premier League referee is England’s last surviving representative at this summer’s World Cup. He gained worldwide praise for his outstanding display during Brazil’s victory over Chile on Saturday. Nowhere has the praise been louder than in Germany. Decisive: Former World Cup final referee Webb spotted Hulk handling the ball and booked him . Outrage: Hulk complains to assistant referee Michael Mullarkey but the English officials got it right . On Monday morning, the German papers were packed full of plaudits for Webb. The 'Tagesspiegel' referred to the former police sergeant as 'The best Englishman', while the 'Berliner Morgenpost' described his performance as 'a shining example to other referees'. 'Bild' went one further, claiming that Webb was a 'chink of light' in the never-ending discussions over poor refereeing decisions. 'Webb is the World Cup’s Super-Referee!' wrote Germany’s biggest newspaper, 'can he not take charge of every single game?' The Munich paper 'Sueddeutsche Zeitung' also pointed out the stark contrast between Webb’s performance and those of his contemporaries. 'The English referee is reparing the reputation of his profession. He is correcting the impression of otherwise overwhelmingly average refereeing displays' they told their readers. Handball: Webb indicates why he disallowed Hulk's strike which looked to have given Brazil the lead . Unhappy: Brazil coach Scolari argues with Webb and the fourth official Felix Brych after the decision . In all corners, there was praise for Webb’s correct assessment of a number of difficult decisions, not least the penalty he denied Brazil striker Hulk, having correctly judged that the player had controlled the ball with his upper arm. Webb’s general approach to the game was also remarked upon, with most pointing out that he was reluctant to issue cards, and thereby allowed the game to flow freely. To earn so much respect from the German media was no mean feat for the British referee. Prior to this tournament, his name was a byword in Germany for poor officiating, courtesy of his infamous poor decision at the World Cup Final in 2010. On that day, he failed to send off Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong, despite the player having planted his studs into the chest of Spain’s Xabi Alonso. Good call: Although on first viewing the goal looked legitimate, Webb rightly spotted Hulk's handball . Ridiculed: Webb was mocked by the German press for only giving a yellow card for this 'tackle' by Nigel de Jong . Now though, Webb’s reputation is restored in Germany. He has 'rehabilitated' himself, as the Sueddeutsche Zeitung put it. Indeed, many are now calling for him to be in charge of this year’s final. 'Webb was cool-headed and courageous,' wrote the Spiegel, 'as a performance, it was the perfect application to referee a second consecutive World Cup Final'. Germany will also be hoping that Webb’s comeback can inspire a similar reaction from their own whistle carrying representative. Rehabilitation: The former policeman's excellent display on Saturday has revived his reputation . The German referee at this tournament is Felix Brych, who achieved infamy last season after granting Bayer Leverkusen a goal, despite the ball having clearly hit the side netting. His nomination for the World Cup was greeted with much derision in the German media. Brych was Webb’s fourth official on Saturday. Perhaps, in the dressing room, he picked up some tips on how to go from laughing stock to refereeing superstar. | Webb disallowed Hulk's goal in Brazil's last-16 match against Chile .
German papers call for him to referee second consecutive World Cup final .
English referee has rehabilitated his image after controversial 2010 final . |
fe8e9c93159fe5d987a6a1b5fabd9f83873a3e22 | This is the private jet you'll never want to fly. The Gulfstream air ambulance may look like the luxury pleasure liner used by celebrities and moguls to travel the world in style ... but inside it is anything but. For this is the plane used to bring U.S. Ebola victims home to America. Most of its cabin space is taken up by the sealed-tight isolation chamber - or aeromedical biological containment system where patients are monitored around the clock. Scroll down for video . Sealed: The collapsible plastic tent is designed to house a single patient and stop any infectious germs from escaping . Disease control: It was built to transfer employees of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) exposed to all manner of contagious diseases for treatment. Beside it is an antechamber where medics put on their protective 'moon suits' before entering the tent to treat their ailing passenger. Next to the isolation chamber is a specialist toilet for the patient to use. 'As you know from a variety of reports, Ebola causes a lot of bodily reactions, and we have to be able to take care of that,' Dent Thompson, vice president of owner Phoenix Air, told ABC. The jet, based in Atlanta, Georgia, has already been used to ferry two American missionaries — Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol — infected with the disease in August. And yesterday at was used again to transfer nurse Nina Pham, 26, from Texas to Maryland after she was infected while caring for U.S 'patient zero' Thomas Eric Duncan, who tragically died on October 10 from the deadly disease. It is one of about four such units around the country for testing and treating people who may have been exposed to very dangerous viruses, said Dr. Eileen Farnon, a Temple University doctor who formerly worked at the CDC and led teams investigating past Ebola outbreaks in Africa. Sole purpose: But for now it has only one purpose: to bring U.S. doctors and nurses home when their protective suits are compromised while treating Ebola victims in West Africa . Dangerous: It is one of about four such units around the country for testing and treating people who may have been exposed to very dangerous viruses . State-of-the-art: The cabin is fitted out with a range of state-of-the-art equipment . Few seats: There are some seats for doctors to sit in on the journey . Brantly, who works for Samaritan's Purse, was treating Ebola patients at a Liberia hospital. Writebol also worked there for another U.S. mission group called SIM. The government is working to ensure that any Ebola-related evacuations 'are carried out safely, thereby protecting the patient and the American public,' the State Department's Harf said. Ebola is not spread in the air, but only through direct contact with blood or other bodily fluids from an infected person. It comes as Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital released a video which shows the bittersweet moment Ebola-patient Ms Pham said goodbye to her doctor before leaving Dallas for further treatment in Maryland. Patients: The jet, based in Atlanta, Georgia, has already been used to ferry a number of infected Americans including Dr. Kent Brantly (right) and nurse Nina Pham (left) Key role: Yesterday it was used to transfer nurse Nina Pham, 26, from Texas to Maryland after she was infected while caring for U.S 'patient zero' Thomas Eric Duncan, who tragically died on October 10 from the deadly disease . In the video released last night, at Ms Pham's request, her treating physician gets emotional as he sees her off on her trip to the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda. 'Thanks for getting well. Thanks for being part of the volunteer team to take care of our first patient,' Dr Weinstein is heard saying, as he focuses the camera on Ms Pham, reclining in her hospital bed. 'It means a lot. This has been a huge effort by all of you,' he adds, before tearing up. Ms Pham then smiles and tells her doctor not to cry. 'We're really proud of you,' Dr Weinstein says. Ms Pham was discharged from the Dallas hospital on Thursday evening to fanfare as her coworkers gathered outside the building to see her off, holding up signs like 'Get well' and 'You're a rock star'. She landed in Bethesda at around 10.40pm Eastern Time, and was admitted to NIH hospital shortly before midnight. | The Gulfstream jet contains a sealed-tight isolation chamber for patients .
Also has an antechamber for medics treating patient to put on 'moon suits'
Took infected Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol home from West Africa .
Also used last night to carry U.S. nurse Nina Pham from Texas to Maryland . |
fe8eebb1f80eb06a08fb859a60bde0c067e09766 | A teacher's scorned ex-boyfriend has been arrested for hacking into the man's email account and sending nude photos of him to hundreds of students, teachers and community members. David A. Galvan, 38, was caught in Oregon last week after allegedly leaking the images of Richard Rosa, who works at John Muir High in Pasadena, California, earlier this summer. He allegedly accessed Rosa's work email account in July while the science teacher was out of the country and sent emails because he was angry that their relationship was over. He attached four shirtless photos the teacher, 31, had taken of himself, including two where the man's privates were also visible. Leaked: The ex-boyfriend of Richard Rosa, a high school science teacher, allegedly sent nude images of him (pictured) to students and teachers over the summer and he was finally arrested last week . Cruel: Rosa, pictured, was out of the country when Galvan allegedly sent the images to his colleagues . Galvan then allegedly sent them to as many as 287 people in the address book, including students, teachers and a member of the school board - with the subject: 'Enjoy.' Several of the recipients called the police. 'A criminal investigation was launched and detectives learned that Rosa was not responsible for the e-mails and he was out of the country at the time the emails were generated,' Pasadena police Lieutenant Terysa Rojas said, the Pasadena Star News reported. 'Further investigation revealed the e-mails were sent by Rosa's estranged partner, David A. Galvan, who had unlawfully accessed Mr. Rosa's Pasadena Unified School District e-mail account. Suspect Galvan was reportedly angry over the relationship ending when he distributed the obscene pictures.' On July 24, 2014, an arrest warrant was filed against Galvan for false impersonation, identity theft, internet/electronic impersonation and obscene matter. Victim: Rosa was not reprimanded by the school and hundreds of students signed a petition in support of him . When Galvan learned that he was wanted by police, he fled to Oregon but he was eventually detained on October 21 in Hillsboro, Oregon. Galvan waived an extradition hearing and was transported back to the Pasadena City Jail this week, before being transferred to the LA County Jail. He posted bail and was released from custody on Thursday afternoon. He is scheduled to appear in court on November 21. Rosa, who has been a teacher at the school since 2007, was not reprimanded by the school district in the aftermath of the incident. The X-rated email sent from his account prompted School Superintendent Jon Gundry to issue a written apology to the recipients, KTLA reported at the time. Devoted: Rosa, a science teacher, has worked at John Muir High School since 2007 . ‘If you received this email, I would like to apologize for any harm this email might have caused and want to assure you that we are working with the relevant authorities to investigate the matter,’ he wrote. Even though he did not face termination, John Muir student Devin Perry preemptively launched a 'Save Mr Rosa' petition online, which received hundreds of signatures. ‘Mr. Rosa is one of the most professional teachers I know and I would hate for a great teacher to lose a job based on a mistake that may have been an accident,’ Perry wrote. ‘He's taught me so much and I don't want a teacher who has impacted lives to be turned down because of a mistake.’ | David Galvan 'sent an email containing four photos of his ex, teacher Richard Rosa, from the man's work account with the subject "Enjoy"'
He sent the photos in July 'because he was angry the relationship was over'
Recipients contacted police and a warrant was put out for Galvan's arrest .
He fled from California to Oregon and was finally caught last week . |
fe8f0abd9e9744c99b7c2a697067f761b513eede | Tragic: Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan, 69, died in hospital on Wednesday after suffering a stroke on Tuesday . Rolling Stones collaborator and Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan has died. The keyboardist passed away in hospital in Austin, Texas, at the age of 69 on Wednesday after suffering a stroke just the day before. A message on his website stated: 'It is with great sadness and eternal admiration that we report the passing of rock and roll icon Ian McLagan. 'Ian was a member of the Small Faces and Faces and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. He died today, December 3, 2014, surrounded by family and friends in his adopted hometown of Austin, TX, due to complications from a stroke suffered the previous day. He was 69 years old. 'His manager Ken Kushnick says, "He was a beloved friend to so many people and a true rock n roll spirit, His persona and gift of son impacted the music across oceans and generations." 'Ian's artistry, generosity and warmth of spirit touched countless other musicians and music fans around the world. His loss will be felt by so many. 'Ian was scheduled to begin a North American tour on Wednesday, opening for labelmate Nick Lowe.' After the Faces - who changed their name from the Small Faces in 1969 when Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood joined - split in 1975, Ian began working as a session musician playing with artists including Bob Dylan, Billy Bragg, Bruce Springsteen and Chuck Berry. Close: Ian attended the wedding of Ronnie's daughter Leah in 2008 and the Rolling Stones rocker has revealed his devastatoin on Twitter . Tribute; Ronnie paid tribute to both Ian and Rolling Stones saxaphonist Bobby Keys, who died at the age of 76 . Billy was among the first to pay tribute to the musician, hailing Ian as one of the 'greatest players' in British rock. He tweeted: 'I have lost a dear friend and British rock has lost one of its greatest players. RIP Ian McLagan'. Ronnie - whose Rolling Stones saxophonist Bobby Keys also died this week - used social media to express his sadness. Alongside images of praying hands, he wrote: 'God bless Bobby and Mac (sic)' Steve Jones, guitarist with the Sex Pistols, tweeted: 'Sorry to hear Ian McLagan died today, he and the faces was a big part of my teens.' New Faces: [From left] Ian Mclagan, Kenney Jones, Ronnie Lane and Steve Marriott were in the New Faces together . Kenney Jones, McLagan's bandmate, said he is 'completely devastated' at the news, adding, 'I know this goes for Ronnie and Rod also.' McLagan went onto record and perform with the Rolling Stones, playing on the band's 1978 album Some Girls, including the organ solo on the hit single Miss You. He released several solo albums, including a tribute to his Small Faces bandmate Ronnie Lane in 2008. McLagan was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. Ian - whose wife Kim Kerrigan passed away in 2006 - was surrounded by friends and family when he died. He and Kim didn't have any children but her daughter Amanda, from her marriage to The Who's Keith Moon, previously lived with them. Kim died in a traffic accident near their home in Austin, Texas on 2 August 2006 at the age of 57. Tribute: Ronnie Wood paid tribute to his Faces bandmate Ian McLagan, after the keyboardist died on Wednesday in hospital at the age of 69 . Talent: Ian's talent has been praised by some of the biggest names in music . | Died in hospital one day after suffering a stroke .
Ronnie Wood took to Twitter to pay tribute to his Faces bandmate .
Billy Bragg and Steve Jones also posted tweets about the musician . |
fe8f92e51353824b6c9e95afbd46634d777e10d9 | The cost of petrol is set to fall again after a leading figure in OPEC contemplated the oil price dropping to as low as $20 a barrel. The RAC said unleaded petrol and diesel could fall by 7p a litre to 107p and 114p respectively over the festive period. Unleaded is currently averaging 114.07p and diesel 120.59p a litre. But it warned that cuts at the pump will be limited, however low the oil price goes, by the fact that tax makes up so much of the cost of petrol. Fuel duty and VAT comprise nearly 70p in every £1 spent at the pumps. Scroll down for video . Saudi Arabia's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Ibrahim Naimi has said oil production will not be cut to restrict demand . And the AA says motorists are still cutting back on their driving after being victims of ‘cripplingly-high pump prices’ over recent years. Oil has already slumped by nearly 50 per cent to under $60 a barrel since mid-June but could drop further following astonishing remarks by Saudi oil minister Ali al-Naimi. He is arguably the most powerful figure in the Arab-dominated oil cartel OPEC – the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries. He has insisted that production will not be cut back to restrict demand and push the price back up. ‘It is not in the interest of OPEC producers to cut their production, whatever the price,’ he told the Middle East Economic Survey. ‘Whether it goes down to $20, $40, $50, $60, it is irrelevant.’ He added that the world may never again see oil at $100 a barrel. The Saudis want to keep their large market share of the oil market by keeping down the price. Mr al-Naimi said that if Saudi Arabia cut production ‘the price will go up and the Russians, the Brazilians, US shale oil producers, will take my share’. Oil analyst Jamie Webster, at IHS Energy, said the remarks represent a ‘fundamental change’ in OPEC policy. He said: ’We have entered a scary time for the oil market and for the next several years we are going to be dealing with a lot of volatility. Just about everything will be touched by this. The RAC said unleaded petrol and diesel could fall by 7p a litre to 107p and 114p respectively over the festive period. Unleaded is currently averaging 114.07p and diesel 120.59p a litre . ‘We have entered a scary time for the oil market.’ The drop in the price of oil spells good news for economic growth by putting more cash into motorists’ pockets. The International Monetary Fund says a prolonged oil price drop could boost global growth by up to 0.7 per cent next year and 0.8per cent in 2016. But it is infuriating green groups which fear cheaper fuel will put more cars on the road. RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: ‘The current reductions in the wholesale price of petrol mean we’re looking at 107p in the next two weeks and diesel 114p. Retailers should still be reducing their current prices over the festive period. ‘We think the oil price is likely to stabilise a little over Christmas as traders consolidate their positions for the break. The fall is expected to resume in earnest in the New Year.’ He added: ‘Even if OPEC keeps pumping oil far exceeding global demand, and the price of a barrel falls to $20, the tax paid to the Treasury on every litre of fuel fundamentally limits how low pump prices can go. Oil prices are continuing to plummet around the globe and dropped to less than $60 a barrel in mid-June . ‘This is, however, another strong indicator that we could be on the way to seeing petrol at £1 a litre if the oil price continues to drop towards the $40 a barrel mark in the new year.’ UK petrol consumption is still falling despite plunging prices at the pumps, according to Government figures highlighted by the AA. They show that in November 2014 UK drivers used just under 1.5billion litres of petrol at a time when pump prices fell to an average of 122p a litre. Yet in November 2013, consumption was more than 1.52billion litres at a time when pump prices averaged 130.4p a litre. However, diesel sales in November 2014 reached a record 2.50billion litres, up 6.1per cent on the October 2014 figure and 64 million litres higher than the November 2013 total of just under 2.44billion litres. AA president Edmund King said: ‘Once again, the official statistics illustrate the trauma of cripplingly-high pump prices over recent years. ‘In 2012, you could see the petrol consumption rise and fall in line with prices. Now consumption is struggling to get out of the rut created by drivers and families being forced long-term to adopt fuel-saving travel patterns to make ends meet.’ Mr King added: ‘It suggests that the savings from lower pump prices are being used to balance the books of family expenditure rather than increasing mileages. This points to the likelihood that much of the spare cash will find its way back to the high street.’ | Petrol and diesel could fall to 107p and 114p respectively over Christmas .
But tax collected by Chancellor - 70p per £1 - will limit how far prices fall .
Oil has already slumped nearly 50% to under $60 a barrel since mid-June .
Saudi oil minister Ali al-Naimi said production would not be cut back to restrict demamd . |
fe90c06f34f149bf26bcf649933242b8f698786e | Former world No 1 Luke Donald and five-time major winner Phil Mickelson both struggled in the first round of the Humana Challenge in La Quinta, California. Englishman Donald found himself 12 shots off the lead in the PGA Tour event following a three-over-par 75 that put him in a share of 145th place, while Mickelson was four shots better off but still no better than tied for 89th. Mickelson reached the turn in three under but his scoring fell away over the back nine as he signed for a one-under 71, while Donald began on the 10th tee and followed a double bogey at the par-four 18th with further dropped shots at the first and fifth before making an overdue birdie at the eighth. Michael Putnam plays his second shot on the 18th on his way to a first round 63 at the Humana Challenge . Luke Donald plays his approach to the 15th green during a disappointing opening round of 75 at La Quinta . Phil Mickelson plays a bunker shot on the fourth hole as he tied for 89th after day one in California . At a tournament that features three courses, Mickelson was playing at the La Quinta Country Club, with Donald off his best game on the PGA West Nicklaus. The other course is PGA West Palmer. All players will play a round on each during the first three days. The cut will then be made after 54 holes with the top 70 and ties playing the final round on the Palmer course. Mickelson said of his round: 'I got off to a pretty good start, and then I just stalled. I'm excited about the year, excited about playing, and even though this is the worst score I've had in a long time, I'm excited about getting back out tomorrow. I can't wait to get started again because I feel like I played a little tight today, kind of steered it a little bit.' The 44-year-old American added on the PGA Tour website: 'Hopefully the way I'm playing will show in the score, but today it just didn't.' Francesco Molinari is tied for second place after a bogey-free round of 64 on the Nicklaus Course . Ryan Palmer plays out of the rough on the 10th hole on his way to a one-under-par round of 71 . Matt Kuchar reacts after missing a birdie putt on the 10th hole of the Humana Challenge . The lead after Thursday's play belonged to Michael Putnam, with the 31-year-old American shooting a nine-under 63 on the Nicklaus course. Putnam said: 'The focus for me is on the Palmer tomorrow and then La Quinta on Saturday. There's a lot of birdies going to be made in 54 holes by a lot of guys. So I have to make a lot of birdies.' Putnam was being closely pursued, with five players on eight under. Italian Francesco Molinari, who had eight birdies in a flawless round on the Palmer course, was joined on that mark by four Americans: Mark Wilson, Blake Adams, John Peterson and Scott Pinckney. | Michael Putnam shot a first round 63 to lead by one stroke after day one .
Francesco Molinari and Matt Kuchar also near top of the leaderboard .
Luke Donald could only manage a three-over-par round of 75 .
Phil Mickelson tied for 89th after one-under-par round of 71 in California . |
fe9121b705d75e556765dc81d9da27cf92b786e2 | By . Tammy Hughes . PUBLISHED: . 03:57 EST, 14 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:37 EST, 14 June 2012 . A federal agency charged with preventing the spread of infectious diseases has come under attack for 'serious' airflow problems in one of their buildings that houses anthrax, SARS and monkeypox. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) works to develop disease prevention and control, with particular focus on infectious diseases. But despite harbouring lethal airborne gases new documents reveal that their building in Atlanta has a poorly engineered airflow system which could expose unprotected staff and visitors to dangerous pathogens. Concern: The Centers for Disease Control were accused of having serious airflow problems in one of their buildings housing infectious diseases . On February 16 safety inspector Eddie Jackson sent an email to a top CDC official which said: 'As the door . closed a very noticeable puff of air could be felt coming through the . slit in the window out into the "clean corridor".' ANTHRAX: Caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis and transported through spores, anthrax causes respiratory infection in humans. It starts with cold or flu-like symptoms which last for several days, followed by fatal respiratory collapse. SARS: Severe acute respiratory syndrome is another respiratory disease in humans, caused by the Sars coronavirus. Resembling severe flu the virus killed 916 people between November 2002 and July 2003. MONKEYPOX:This exotic infectious disease causes symptoms similar to small pox. Monkeypox can be transmitted to humans from infected animals and cases occur primarily in remote villages of Central and West Africa in proximity to tropical rainforests. Under biosafety regulations imposed by the CDC itself labs housing the most dangerous 'inhalable' infectious gases must be maintained under negative pressure. Meaning that pressure inside the room should always be less than that on the outside - ensuring that no toxic air will flow out. Dr Richard Besser, former head of the CDC Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, said airflow systems serve as a final safeguard keeping dangerous germs confined to labs. Worryingly the revelations about inadequate airflow are just the latest in a long history of botched safety procedures at the $214 million infectious diseases laboratory in Atlanta. In 2007 backup generators failed to keep airflow systems working during a power outage reports ABC News. While in 2008 the door to the lab housing Coxiella Burnetii - a bacterium which causes the life-threatening Q-fever - was found to be sealed with duct tape. Nine workers were tested for the bacterium, which causes the fever, but none were infected. Shocking: In 2008 a door to the lab housing a deadly bacterium was found to be sealed with duct tape (picture posed by model) Congressman John Dingell said: 'This is yet another incident that calls into question CDC's self-inspection policy.' And Dr Besser added that the airflow issue and the failure of the CDC to respond quickly highlighted the problems with self-inspection. The CDC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were found to have serious airflow issues at their building in Atlanta .
Revelations come after news that one lab was sealed with duct tape . |
fe912c00faba1ea2b743b88bf93e4eb5cbc50923 | By . Sebastian Shakespeare . PUBLISHED: . 03:01 EST, 10 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 08:31 EST, 10 March 2014 . This could be the prelude to a formal engagement announcement. I hear that Prince Harry is planning to take Cressida Bonas to Balmoral this summer. It would be the 25-year-old dancer’s first visit to the Queen’s Scottish retreat and would be likely to involve a meeting with Her Majesty. ‘Prince Harry is expected to bring Cressida,’ a source at Balmoral tells me. ‘It is the talk of the estate.’ Good company: Cressida Bonas' maternal second great grandmother, Lady Georgiana Spencer-Churchill, was Winston Churchill's aunt. Miss Bonas is believed to have been in a relationship with Prince Harry since 2012 . Visits to the Queen’s 49,000-acre home in the Highlands are a rite of passage for any royal bride-to-be. Kate Middleton and her parents were invited to join Prince William on a private shooting party at Balmoral in October 2010. William and Kate’s engagement was announced the following month. The Middletons spent the weekend at Birkhall, Prince Charles’s private residence on the Balmoral estate, which is where Cressida is expected to stay with Harry. William and Kate cemented their relationship at Balmoral, where they were given use of a cottage to spend weekends together while they were students at St Andrews University. Last Friday, Cressida attended her first public engagement with Harry, at the WE Day UK youth event at Wembley Arena. While the couple have been secretive in the past, arriving separately at parties, this time they were happy to be photographed cuddling and displaying open signs of affection. Yesterday they were pictured enjoying the rugby at Twickenham. The daughter of businessman Jeffrey Bonas and the aristocratic former model Lady Mary Gaye Curzon has been courting Harry for almost two years. Their relationship survived the Prince’s four-month posting to Afghanistan. Courting: The couple attended the England v Wales Six Nations rugby match at Twickenham at the weekend . Last October, it was reported that Cressida had finally overcome her reservations about marrying into the Royal Family. ‘Cressie is going to marry Harry,’ one of her friends told a broadsheet newspaper. ‘Harry never stops talking about marriage and children, and she has now got used to the idea. The wedding is likely to take place next year.’ The Prince turns 30 in September and many of his closest friends are now married or engaged. A Buckingham Palace spokesman says: ‘We would never comment on any private engagements.’ A source close to Cressida tells me: ‘I think it is too early in the year for a formal invitation to have been made.’ | Prince Harry and Cressida Bonas photographed enjoying rugby yesterday .
'It is the talk of the estate,' a source tells SEBASTIAN SHAKESPEARE .
Prince William proposed to Kate a month after she visited the retreat . |
fe9137be37faee860600426a435cc20f2f3e4581 | For the 10 per cent of the world's population who are left-handed, writing left to right on paper is a chore; as their hand moves across the page, it often smudges the ink. But a left-handed woman fed up with smudging letters whenever she writes in ink has invented a special glove that will stop 'lefties' from blotting their copy books. The garment covers half of the hand and just the little finger and creates a barrier from the paper to stop any smudging. An entrepreneurial mum inspired by her son has invented a glove to stop left-handed people covering their fingers in ink or pencil while writing. The revolutionary contraption covers half of the hand and the little finger and creates a barrier from the paper to stop any marks staining the skin . Called SmudgeGuard, the glove is made from spandex and nylon and stops any perspiration from the skin touching the page, which is the usual cause for stains. The glove will protect a hand from a variety of substances such as ink, paints, crayons and chalk. It has been invented by Jeannie Lit from New Jersey, who struggles whenever she writes as her hand drags along the page and becomes covered in ink. When she realised her son was also left handed, she decided to invent something that could help him. She made a prototype by cutting up a sock and has now developed the product, which retails at £9.65 ($14.99). Jeannie, 43, from New Jersey in the US, said: 'I'm left handed and when I was writing in school the little finger and underside of my left hand would get graphite or ink on it. 'When I found out my son was left handed too that's when I realised he would have the same exact problem as me. 'I searched high and low online for a solution and I couldn't find any product that could help solve it. 'I made a prototype with a sock which I cut up and made a covering for the little finger, and tested it by writing with pencils, pens, markers and crayons. 'The glove got dirty, but not my hand or the page and that was my ultimate goal. I named the product the SmudgeGuard.' The glove will protect a hand from a variety of implements such as pen, pencil, paints, crayon (shown) and chalk. The gadget is made from spandex and nylon and stops any perspiration from the skin touching the page, which is the usual cause for stains . Frustrating: Using an ink pen when left-handed can make writing neat messages almost impossible . When a person writes their hand can perspire, which makes ink or graphite adhere to the moist skin and causes smudges to appear. Perspiration from a person's hand will then re-smudge the paper. But according to Ms Lit, wearing the SmudgeGuard 'keeps the sweaty hand away from ink or graphite and it will allow your hand to glide over the paper more easily.' The outer fabric also remains dry, making it less likely to re-smudge the paper. The SmudgeGuard comes in two varieties; one style covers just the little finger and the second type covers two fingers. The glove can also be used by tablet users (shown) to prevent their hand sticking to their device. It was invented by Jeannie Lit, who is left handed and struggled when she was writing at school because her hand would drag along the page and become covered in ink . Designers have come up with an eco-friendly alternative to the traditional hairdryer - a pair of revolutionary gloves made from hi-tech microfibres (shown above). The 'Hair Drying Gloves' look just like ordinary gloves and their makers claim they dry wet hair twice as fast as the traditional bathroom towel. The microfibres in the gloves are apparently specifically designed to absorb the water and leave hair completely dry; they even work without removing styling products such as hair gel and hairspray. Online retailer Hammacher Schlemmer, which is selling the gloves for around £13 ($20), say they are the best way to dry hair. Those who get caught in heavy showers can also dry their hair quickly by putting on the handy gloves and rubbing their wet tresses, say the makers. According to Ms Lit, wearing the SmudgeGuard 'keeps the sweaty hand away from ink or graphite and it will allow your hand to glide over the paper more easily.' The outer fabric also remains dry, making it less likely to re-smudge the paper . | Jeannie Lit from New Jersey has designed a glove to prevent smudging .
Called SmudgeGuard it stops perspiration adhering to ink on paper .
This allows 'lefties' to write without ruining their page .
It can also be used with tablets to stop hands sticking to the surface .
The garment is available now for £9.65 ($14.99) |