article
stringlengths
48
15.9k
highlights
stringlengths
14
7.39k
id
stringlengths
40
40
Michael Brown's stepfather has said sorry for his controversial and incendiary chants aimed towards the unarmed teen's supporters the night of the grand jury decision not to indict Officer Wilson. The apology comes one day after Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson said that his department was actively pursuing an investigation into whether Louis Head incited the riots that left parts of the city a burning wreck. Head issued a statement to the effect that while he was sorry for screaming 'Burn this b**** down!', to arrest and charge him 'goes way too far and is as wrong as the decision (of the grand jury) itself.' The victim's stepfather (center) screamed 'Burn this b**** down' as he stood next to Brown's mother in the seconds after he learned of the grand jury's decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson . Head, who is married to Brown's mother, apologized to those 'who read my pain and anger as a true desire for what I want for our community. It wasn't.' He said that he feels he is being unfairly blamed for the chaos that followed his outburst, which was videoed by the New York Times on November 24, moments after the grand jury decision came in. Furthermore, it is understood that Head will not face any charges for his furious invective last Monday night, despite Jackson's revelations on Fox News at the beginning of the week. Speaking on Monday night's Fox News, Jackson was asked by host Sean Hannity whether he believed charges should be pressed against Head for his role in the disturbances that evening, posing the question, 'Is that inciting a riot?' 'Something came over me as I watched and listened to my wife, the mother of Michael Brown Jr., react to the gut-wrenching news that the cop who killed her son wouldn't be charged with a crime, my emotions admittedly got the best of me. 'This is my family. I was so angry and full of raw emotions, as so many others were, and granted I screamed out words I shouldn't have screamed in the heat of the moment. I was wrong and I humbly apologize to all those who read my anger and my pain as a true desire for what I want for the community. 'To place blame solely on me for the conditions of our community and country after the Grand Jury decision goes way too far and is wrong as the decision itself. To declare a state of emergency and send a message of war, not peace, before a Grand Jury decision is announced is also wrong. 'In the end I've lived in this community for a long time. The last thing I truly wanted was to see it go up in flames. In spite of my frustration, it really hurt me to see that. It's time to rebuild. If we are to honor Michael Brown's memory we need to work together to make rebuilding happen. I plan to remain here and do my part in earnest truth.' In reply, Jackson said, 'We are pursuing those comments. And there is a lot of discussion going on about that right now. But I really can't get into that right now.' Ferguson police spokesman, Jeff Small clarified Jackson's comments and said that Head is 'one of the people being looked at as part of an ongoing investigation into the activities surrounding Nov 24 pertaining to the rioting, looting and arsons.' However, despite the claims from CNN that Head will not face charges, there has been no official confirmation. Lesley Michael Brown's mother Lesley McSpadden hugs Brown's stepfather who wore a 'I am Mike Brown shirt' Yesterday it was announced that law enforcement were looking into Louis Head's comments as part of a broader investigation into the arson, vandalism and looting that followed the November 24 grand jury announcement, St. Louis County Police spokesman Brian Schellman said. Twelve commercial buildings were destroyed by fire. Brown, 18, who was black and unarmed, was killed August 9 by Darren Wilson, who is white. Wilson, who resigned from the Ferguson department last weekend, had told the grand jury his life was being threatened, but some witnesses said Brown was trying to surrender. Video widely circulated after last week's grand jury announcement shows Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, on top of a car and breaking down as the decision blares over a stereo. Head, her husband, comforts her then yells angry comments, including 'Burn this bitch down!' Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, stood sobbing and screaming on top of a car with her husband and friends outside Ferguson police department after the grand jury decision . Family attorney Benjamin Crump has called the reaction 'raw emotion,' but 'completely inappropriate.' He did not immediately return messages seeking comment Tuesday. Charges? Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson has said that his department is pursuing an investigation into whether or not to charge Louis Head for inciting the Ferguson riots . Head has not yet been interviewed by police, and there is no timetable for when the investigation will be complete, Schellman said. He declined to discuss what specific charges Head could face. A message left with a spokesman for St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch was not immediately returned. Ferguson police spokesman Jeff Small said that department is not conducting a separate investigation of Head. Most of the violence occurred in the first two days after the announcement. Peaceful protests have continued, including one Tuesday involving students who walked out of classes from three Ferguson-area high schools. The Ferguson-Florissant School District said in a letter to students and parents teachers accompanied the students to ensure their safety but that the protests were student-led. The letter also said the district dispatched transportation to pick up students and return them to classes, though some chose to walk back. It was their first day back in class after Thanksgiving break was extended a day due to bad weather Monday, when similar walkouts were staged across the country. While daytime protests continue, nighttime demonstrations have waned. There were 124 arrests in Ferguson in the five days following the grand jury announcement, but none since Friday. Protestors in the parking lot of a burning auto parts store in Ferguson following the grand jury decision . Ferguson has been struggling to return to normal after Brown, an 18-year-old black man, was killed by Darren Wilson, a white Ferguson police officer . Rampage: Demonstrators brazenly loot a local store in Ferguson following the grand jury decision with armfuls of goods being carried off . Fearsome: A demonstrator flashes a peace sign before a burning police car during clashes between police and protesters over the decision in the shooting death of 18-year-old Brown . As a result, police and the National Guard are scaling back. Schellman said county officers are no longer working 12-hour shifts, though a small contingent will remain posted at night outside Ferguson police headquarters, which has been a focal point for protest gatherings. CNN law enforcement analyst Tom Fuentes says no: . 'I think they'll have a hard time proving that somebody that heard him in the midst of all that noise actually went over and did an arson or committed an act of starting a fire. I think most of the people you see in the crowd are not watching CNN. They're not watching media reporting of him saying that,' he told 'The Situation Room.' 'So it is probably very few people that heard it at that time.' Gov. Jay Nixon also announced Tuesday that the National Guard has completed duties in the city of St. Louis and is reducing its presence - which peaked at about 2,200 guard members - in Ferguson and elsewhere in St. Louis County. Still, nearly 1,300 remain in the region. Nixon also said the Missouri State Highway Patrol will continue to work with local police. It was last Monday, after spending months appealing for calm that Michael Brown's family exploded into rage when it was announced that the grand jury had decided not to charge Officer Darren Wilson. Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, stood sobbing and screaming on top of a car with her husband and friends outside Ferguson police department. She wore a button pinned to her chest that read 'Indict Now and a white hat with a photo of her son which called for 'Justice for Mike Brown.' 'They wrong!' she yelled, pointing toward the police station. 'You all know, you're all wrong!' Although she wore sunglasses, her anger and devastation were clear as tears ran down her face. 'Everybody wants me to be calm. You know what them bullets did to my son!' 'They still don't care!' she screamed as she threw her arms in frustration. 'They never going to care!' She then buried her face in her the chest of the victim's stepfather, Louis Head, who wore a t-shirt reading: 'I am Mike Brown.' Disruption: Police confront protestors in Ferguson using armored vehicles and riot shields . Raid: Looters smashed their way into a local Ferguson business and helped themselves to products that it sold . He turned around to the incensed crowd and screamed: 'Burn this b**** down'. He did this at least ten times and called for a microphone at one point to spread his message to more people. At that, some of the crowd did become agitated toward the police. Wearing a t-shirt with the words 'I Am Mike Brown' while was expressing his rage toward the crowd and cameras, Head also had a beanie on that had a photograph of Michael Brown. As the roaring crowd began to surge forward, the pair were both whisked away by supporters. Head has a long rap sheet which includes two felony narcotics convictions and he pleaded guilty in 1997 to marijuana distribution and was put on probation for five years. In mid-2003, he pleaded guilty to a felony count of narcotics trafficking and he was sentenced to seven years in prison. He was released in 2008 after five years behind bars.
Said sorry day after Ferguson police chief said he might be arrested . Louis Head says blaming him for riots is wrong and was not his intention . Head was caught on camera screaming obscenities last Monday . Head was videoed screaming: 'Burn this b**** down' Was expressing frustration at decision not to indict Officer Wilson . Ferguson quickly descended into fiery chaos after the announcement .
498f56ff28e1ae2d71972f4cc6170838a8857549
A woman who endured almost a decade of failed IVF attempts and two miscarriages has finally become a mother – after taking an aspirin every day during her pregnancy. Sarah Broadfield, 34, feared she would never have children after spending £15,000 on fertility treatment and two miscarriages that left her devastated. But when she became pregnant again in November last year, she began taking the 2p aspirin each day after doctors said her miscarriages were caused by her blood being too 'sticky'. Sarah Broadfield, 34, finally gave birth to son Alfie (pictured) after seven rounds of IVF and two miscarriages . After being diagnosed with Antiphospholipis syndrome, which is known to cause miscarriages in pregnant women, Mrs Broadfield (pictured left during her pregnancy) was told to take a daily aspirin . The aspirin helped prevent a miscarriage and baby Alfie (pictured) was born in August weighing a healthy 8lb . She had been diagnosed with Antiphospholipid syndrome, which causes an increased risk of blood clots and miscarriage. However aspirin can help by thinning the blood, preventing this. Nine months later, her son Alfie was born in August 2014, weighing a healthy 8lb. Mrs Broadfield, a nurse, said: 'Finally holding Alfie in my arms after everything we've been through was the best moment of my life - and it's all thanks to me taking an aspirin a day.' She had married her 36-year-old husband Chris, an electrician, in 2006 and a year later they started trying for a baby, with hopes of eventually having two children. But, two years later, with no success, the couple went to see their GP for fertility tests. Although Mrs Broadfield had previously been diagnosed with endometriosis, doctors didn't believe this was affecting her fertility, but couldn't find another explanation. The couple were referred for IVF through the NHS but two rounds of treatment failed. 'The first failure was the most devastating because I really thought it would work,' Mrs Broadfield said. Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), which is also known as Hughes syndrome, is a disorder of the immune system that causes an increased risk of blood clots. Pregnant women with APS also have an increased risk of having a miscarriage, although the exact reasons for this are uncertain. At least 15 per cent of recurrent miscarriages (having three or more miscarriages in a row) occur as a result of APS, and it is now recognised as the most common, treatable cause. Generally, if a woman is diagnosed with APS following miscarriages, she will be treated daily with low dose aspirin (75mg-150mg). Treatment with aspirin can help pregnant women improve their chances of having a successful pregnancy. With treatment, it's estimated there is about an 80 per cent chance of having a successful pregnancy. In April this year, U.S. scientists found low doses of the drug could improve the chances of conception and of having a live birth. It can help women who have recently lost a baby to conceive again . This could be because the drug increases blood flow to the womb, they said. 'Even though I knew it wasn't my fault, I blamed myself. I felt like I'd failed as a woman.' When a third IVF cycle failed, the couple scraped together their savings, as well as getting some help from their parents, and paid for a fourth attempt at a private hospital. They were delighted when Sarah became pregnant a few weeks later. At the six week scan, everything looked fine but, two weeks later, a second scan showed that she had suffered a 'silent miscarriage' and the baby had stopped developing in her womb. 'It was heart-breaking but we were reassured that at least I'd managed to become pregnant this time. 'When it happened for a second time though, we started to wonder if there was a serious problem,' she said. Following the two miscarriages at eight weeks, the couple were referred to the Liverpool Miscarriage Clinic and blood tests showed that Mrs Broadfield had Antiphospholipid syndrome (AS), a disorder of the immune system which causes an increased risk of blood clots. People with AS are at risk of developing deep vein thrombosis and artery clots, but the condition is particularly dangerous to pregnant women as it can lead to miscarriages. It's estimated that AS is responsible for one in six cases of multiple miscarriages, as well as one in six cases of deep vein thrombosis. For Mrs Broadfield, the condition did not explain why she hadn't become pregnant naturally - but did explain why she'd miscarried twice. She said: 'It was such a relief to know what was wrong and the solution seemed impossibly simple.' Because of its blood-thinning qualities, an aspirin a day has long been hailed as a means of preventing strokes and some experts say it could also reduce the risk of cancer. Doctors advised Mrs Broadfield the daily tablet throughout her pregnancy would thin her blood and dramatically reduce the risk of her miscarrying for a third time. So, the couple embarked on their final round of IVF, with two eggs from previous attempts being implanted. Mrs Broadfield married electrician husband Chris, 36, in 2006 and a year later they started trying for a baby . At the 20 week scan doctors said Alfie was developing normally, but Mrs Broadfield said she was a 'nervous wreck' before every scan, 'waiting for them to deliver bad news' 'By that stage, we were wrung-out, emotionally and financially so we decided it would be our last go,' she added. Weeks later, she became pregnant with twins and started her 'aspirin therapy', as well as having an anti-clotting injection daily throughout the pregnancy. Sadly, at the six week scan, the couple were told that one of the foetuses had failed. But, despite their disappointment, they were relieved to see the second baby was developing normally. Aspirin, which helped her give birth to son Alfie, was 'modern day magic', Mrs Broadfield said . 'The doctors kept a really close eye on us, which was reassuring, but I was still a nervous wreck before every scan, waiting for them to deliver bad news,' she said. Superstitious, Mr and Mrs Broadfield even waited until the later stages of the pregnancy before preparing their baby's nursery. As her risk of having a stillbirth was heightened, the baby was induced at 38 weeks and the couple's baby boy Alfie came along on August 1st 2014. Mrs Broadfield described how holding her baby in her arms was a moment of both joy and terror. She said: 'Just after he was born, he went quiet and I panicked. Then we heard him cry and it was the best moment ever,' she said. She added: 'Holding him in my arms, it felt so surreal, as we'd waited so long to meet him.' The next day, they brought Alfie home and he continues to thrive. 'They have no plans to embark on more IVF but she knows what to do if another baby were to come along. 'If only I'd known that taking one aspirin a day could help me so much,' she said. 'It would have saved us a lot of heartache. 'I wanted to speak out to hopefully help any other women who might have this condition without knowing it. 'For us, the aspirin was modern day magic and we always keep a box in our cupboard now, just in case.'
Sarah Broadfield, 34, thought she would never become a mother . She endured 7 years of IVF treatment costing £15,000 and 2 miscarriages . Doctors said her miscarriages were caused by Antiphospholipid syndrome . This condition causes an increase risk of blood clots and miscarriage . Doctors said aspirin could help thin her blood and prevent miscarriage . The couple scraped together their savings for one last round of IVF . She became pregnant and in August, Alfie was born weighing a healthy 8lb . Mrs Broadfield credits the aspirin for his birth, calling it 'modern day magic'
d2b24fdf176528000f54b83772f1dd41a52e6949
Victim: Jane Bartholomew, 39, (pictured) was killed by her former boyfriend Scott Ellis, who was 'obsessed' with films and serial killers, a court heard . A man 'obsessed' with films and serial killers battered his former girlfriend to death with a claw hammer on Friday 13th, a court heard today. Scott Ellis, 42, is accused of attacking Jane Bartholomew, 39, after using a spare key to get into her home in Martlesham Heath, near Ipswich, Suffolk. He waited for his former partner to return home from taking two of their daughters to school, before killing her and slashing his own wrists, Ipswich Crown Court heard. The court was told thatunemployed Ellis, a heavy cannabis smoker who had suffered from depression for years, could not accept that his 25 year relationship with Miss Bartholomew was over. He allegedly assembled a 'killing kit' in the days before attacking her on Friday, June 13 this year, buying a hammer from a hardware store, and adding nylon rope, scissors, a modelling knife, bin liners, freezer bags, duct tape and a spade. Ellis, who had suffered minor injuries, was taken to hospital and arrested after Miss Bartholomew's body was found. A post mortem examination on the mother-of-three who worked in an electronics factory found she had suffered 22 blows to her head and had been strangled. Ellis of Tunstall near Woodbridge denies murder, but has admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Tiler Mark Mayhew, who had been friends with Ellis since school, said in a statement read to the court: 'Scott is obsessed with films.' He added: 'He was interested in notorious serial killers and knew a lot about them. He saw programmes about them and read books which made him knowledgeable about them.' The court heard how Ellis, who lived in a converted garage at his mother's home, was the father of Bartholomew's three daughters. Scene: The court was told that Ellis, 42, used a spare key to get into Miss Bartholomew's home in Martlesham Heath, near Ipswich, Suffolk, (pictured) and then waited for her to arrive home . The couple were said to have lived apart for around ten years, but continued in an 'on and off' relationship. Mr Mayhew said Miss Bartholomew had been urging Ellis to get a job so they could be together 'like a normal family'. However, he said that his friend later hacked into her email and discovered that she had put her profile on an internet dating website. He added that Ellis had told him how he grabbed Miss Bartholomew by the throat and pushed her into a thorn bush at her workplace on May 22, leaving her with red marks on her neck. Partner: Miss Bartholomew had been urging Ellis to get a job so they could be together 'like a normal family', the court heard . Miss Bartholomew later told him in an internet conversation that her relationship with Ellis was over. Mr Mayhew added: 'On Friday the 13th of June, I got a call from Scott at 2pm. Scott was in tears in a really bad way. He was crying and said. 'Mate you have got to come right now'.' He said he drove to see Ellis at his home, but was turned away by his mother. Peter Gair, prosecuting, said police officers used a crowbar to break into Miss Bartholomew's semi-detached home and found her body after the alarm was raised by the couple's 15-year-old daughter, who found the house locked. Her body was on the living room floor with her arms and legs bound with rope, a bag over her head and her feet covered by a bin liner. She had damage to her fingernails consistent with her 'clawing' at her attacker as well as broken bones and bruising on her arms and hands consistent with her raising her arms to defend herself, added Mr Gair. Ellis told police that he had been lying in wait for Miss Bartholomew and attacked her with the hammer when she returned home. He also told officers that he had wanted her to die because she had 'hurt' him and he had intended to slit his wrists and die beside her. Mr Gair added: 'He said he felt he couldn't live without her and didn't want her to meet anyone else. 'This killing was premeditated and planned and we say in all probability motivated by anger and rejection. We say the killing was brutally executed.' Mr Gair said that Ellis had attacked his former partner from behind, striking her repeatedly over the head with the hammer and putting his hand over her mouth to stop her screaming. Trial: Ipswich Crown Court (pictured) was told that Ellis had tried to clear up after Miss Bartholomew's death . After allegedly tying her legs and arms and putting bags over her head and feet he tried to clean up some of the blood before leaving the house and locking the door behind him, the court heard. Jason Ball, another friend of Ellis, told the court that Ellis had told him he would be better off if she had died. He said he also got a call from Ellis 'at 2pm on Friday the 13th of June'. Mr Ball added: 'He was very distressed and not making too much sense. He said. 'I have done Jane' or 'I have done something terrible'.' Mr Ball's brother Steven Ball who also spoke to Ellis before the killing said: 'Jane was putting pressure on him to get a job and be more responsible for the children. 'He said to me in April or May, 'I feel like taking a hammer to her, cutting her up, putting her in bags and getting rid of her in the sea.' I thought it was over the top, but I didn't think he was serious at the time.' The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Scott Ellis, 42, is accused of attacking Jane Bartholomew, 39 . He used spare key to get into her home in Martlesham Heath, near Ipswich . Cannabis user 'waited for her to get home, then attacked her with hammer' He assembled 'killing kit' with rope, scissors and a knife, court told . Ellis has admitted manslaughter but denies murdering former partner .
ae9f29ea6c51dae963b16f618925eea30fbdb7ce
When it comes to losing weight quickly and effectively, one nutritionist claims we should look to the eating habits of toddlers as the perfect example of what diet plan to follow. Nicolette Pace, who is based in New York, told ABC News that babies have an organic rhythm when it comes to refueling their bodies and insisted that adults could benefit to learn from their food habits. 'We prioritize everything above eating. But our babies - if they're hungry we'll move hell and high water to make sure they're fed,' she said. Scroll down for video . Baby talk: New York-based nutritionist Nicolette Pace says that adults could lose weight by behaving more like toddlers, who push food away when they're no longer hungry . Ms Pace went on to point out that babies almost never skip meals, while it's common for adults to forgo food when putting in long hours at work. She added that babies tend to push food away when they're no longer hungry, and are not likely to spend an entire day snacking on chips like their grown-up counterparts might. What's more, babies have their portions controlled for them, which is especially important as a newborn's stomach is only about the size of a cherry. 'It grows as they grow and by adulthood our stomachs are about the size of a softball,' she said, explaining that it's key to know what our stomachs can handle. Steady diet: 'We prioritize everything above eating. But our babies - if they're hungry we'll move hell and high water to make sure they're fed,' Ms Pace (pictured) said . Ms Pace also advised taking at least 15 minutes to finish a meal. 'Babies don't rush through their meals. They slow down and enjoy,' she said. And finally, she recommends eating in intervals of two to four hours - the length of time that food stays in one's stomach. Ms Pace, who shares more nutrition advice on her website NutriSource, further warned against the dangers of eating too quickly in a recent blog post. 'Eating fast is one of the most common habits people with weight problems face,' she wrote. 'Even though the body has an intricate signaling system to alert you as to when you’ve had enough, a 24/7 lifestyle can override these subtle suggestions and you end up wolfing down your meal.'
Nutritionist Nicolette Pace says that babies' behaviors such as pushing away food when they're no longer hungry could benefit adults .
f5464657ab14f2806ae5d0d2f5c64818b874072d
Her daughter makes millions every year walking the catwalk and fronting campaigns for the world's most esteemed designers but the mother of supermodel Natalia Vodianova still makes a living selling pies on the streets of Russia. Natalia, 33, used to join her mother as a market trader in Nizhny Novgorod before being discovered at the age of 17 and whisked off to a life of luxury at the forefront of fashion. Since then, she has become one of the world's most in-demand supermodels working with Calvin Klein, Stella McCartney and Louis Vuitton and many others. Scroll down for video . Rags to riches: Natalia Vodianova has made millions as a supermodel after growing up in poverty . Still earning her own living: Natalia's mother Larissa says she won't give up work . But despite her daughter's wealth and success, 52-year-old Larissa is insistent that she will continue to make her own living. She said: 'I and my other daughter (Natalia's sister) want to show others that we can achieve something in life by ourselves. Sixteen-years-ago Natalia was selling bananas in the market to help make ends meet. It's nothing to be ashamed of.' Larissa, who also had a daughter with cerebral palsy, said Natalia has been 'incredibly supportive' of the family and understands her mother's to desire to keep working. Natalia told You Magazine: 'My mother is such an inspiration to me: she lived her life by following her heart, rather than what she was being told was "the right thing to do".' Proud: Larissa said she wants to keep working to 'show others that we can achieve something in life by ourselves' Supportive: Natalia used to join her mother selling fruit before becoming a supermodel and understands why she wants to keep her job going . Larissa taught Natalia to have a strong work ethic from a young age. As the family were struggling to get by, Natalia had to leave school to start earning money by selling fruit before she found fame as a model. Her rags to riches tale was complete when in 2001, she married English aristocrat, Justin Portman, the heir to 110 acres of prime central London property and the half-brother of the 10th Viscount Portman. They had three children together but separated in 2011. Since then, Natalia has met another wealthy suitor, Antoine Arnault, 36, the CEO of luxury men's footwear brand Berluti, and the son of LVMH founder Bernard Arnault. Close: Natalia said her mother is an inspiration to her . Role model: Natalia, pictured with her mother at an awards do, said it's thanks to her upbringing that she has achieved success . New love: The supermodel  has a son with Antoine Arnault, 36, the CEO of Berluti . They had a son, Maxim, together in May. While Natalia now lives a privileged life, she said she has never forgotten her roots. She said of her past: 'It was a tough but not a bleak life. I remember once finding a rouble on the street – at a time when the average salary was perhaps 25 roubles a month; I grabbed it with a feeling of euphoria, ran back to my mother and was allowed to go shopping for food with it. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to do that for my family. From very early on, I had a strong sense of responsibility.' Cover girl: Natalia is always in demand for fashion campaigns . Friends in highplaces: The model with designer Stella McCartney . She added that she believes growing up in poverty set her on the path to success. 'I live a very different life now, with incredible privileges, but looking back I realise that growing up in Russia gave me tools that other people don’t necessarily have – such as the will to push that bit further, to make things happen, to succeed. I try to use these now to help other people,' she explained. In 2004, Natalia founded the Naked Heart Foundation to help children in need in Russia. The charity aims to 'ensure that every child has a loving family, and a safe and stimulating place to play'. The supermodel holds a number of fundraising events every year and has run half marathons to raise money for the charity.
Natalia, 33, used to join her mother as a market trader in Nizhny Novgorod . She was discovered at the age of 17 and whisked off to a life of luxury . Became one of the world's top supermodels . Her mother, Larissa, wants to carry on working despite daughter's wealth . She said: 'I want to show we can achieve something in life by ourselves'
b698905d7026a309d010b91838095b59a4167428
Protection: Harris has been moved to Stafford prison after being bullied by inmates at HMP Bullingdon . Disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris has been moved to a 'soft' prison after being bullied by inmates. The 84-year-old has been transferred to Stafford jail, which has two separate wings for 'vulnerable' sex offenders, from HMP Bullingdon, in Oxfordshire. He was moved prison following a number of incidents where he was targeted by fellow inmates. A source said: 'The other prisoners were keen to take him down a peg or two. He was moved to another prison for his own safety about two weeks ago.' In July, the former TV personality was spat at by an inmate during a prison church service which sparked a mass brawl. Other prisoners verbally abused Harris from the pews of the chapel. Witnesses claimed the inmate tried to spit on the convicted paedophile but missed and hit another prisoner. The incident led to an attack between the two convicts, who began throwing punches and had to be separated by officers. Harris also angered fellow inmates when he was accused of receiving special treatment after landing the 'plum job' of prison gardener. The Australian was paid to look after the vegetable patch and parts of the ground, despite one prisoner saying he had been waiting 12 months for a similar job. Easy living: Harris has been moved to Stafford prison, which has separate wings for 'vulnerable' sex offenders . Elsewhere, Harris faced threats from prisoners on his wing for hogging the prison phones. The shamed TV star chattered for up to an hour each time on one of the five phones shared between 140 inmates to call his wife Alwen and daughter Bindi. It was also reported that Harris had lost a stone since being jailed, as he disliked the taste of prison food. Harris, who had previously enjoyed eating curried lobster and roast quail as part of his pre-prison diet, struggled to adjust to prison meals such as tuna salads and low-fat chicken curries. But more recently, it was claimed Harris had won over some of the prisoners by signing drawings for convicts who queue outside his cell. However, the artist, who painted an official portrait of the Queen, was banned from painting last week because prison bosses decided his oils pose a fire risk. It meant he was forced to use pencils for his sketches instead. Disgraced: Harris was convicted in June of 12 indecent assaults on four girls as young as eight. He is pictured here with his daughter Bindi, right, and his wife Alwen, left, who is said to regularly visit him in jail . Harris was convicted of 12 indecent assaults on June 30 at Southwark Crown Court by Mr Justice Sweeney - one on an eight-year-old autograph hunter, two on girls in their early teens and a catalogue of abuse of his daughter's friend over 16 years. During the trial, Harris, a family favourite for decades, was finally unmasked as a predator who was fixated with under-age girls. Jurors were told how his 16-year campaign of sex abuse against his daughter's friend ‘haunted’ her and made her abandon her dreams as he continued to be adored by millions of fans worldwide. Passing sentence, Justice Sweeney said: 'You have shown no remorse for your crimes at all. Your reputation now lies in ruins, you have been stripped of your honours but you have no one to blame but yourself.' His fall from grace was underlined as he was stripped of a Bafta fellowship and accolades in his native Australia were removed, and he faces losing his prestigious CBE. The performer's multi-million pound fortune is also at risk from potential compensation claims. He was jailed for five years and nine months for the sex abuse, meaning that he is due to serve just under three years for the crimes, which spanned between 1968 and 1986. The Prison Service said: 'We don't comment on individuals.' A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said: 'We would not describe the prison as soft, it is more simply more appropriate for this type of offending. 'The prison is somewhere where they hold this type of offender and so it is easier to have them in one place.'
Rolf Harris has been moved to Stafford jail from HMP Bullingdon . Stafford prison has two separate wings for 'vulnerable' sex offenders . Disgraced entertainer had been repeatedly targeted by inmates . He was spat at by a prisoner during a church service which sparked a brawl . Also angered inmates when he landed the plum job of prison gardener . Harris was sentenced in July to five years and nine months for 12 indecent assaults on four girls .
cd1be1f95961a11b53a7200d4b728ea2534cc591
In the midst of a grueling, final-hour push by Congress to rescue the economy from the looming fiscal cliff, House Speaker John Boehner sought brief reprieve with an evening of margaritas and Mexican fare in Arlington, a source told Mail Online. Dressed in a festive, bright red sweater, a cheery Boehner arrived through a side door at Guapo's in Shirlington around 7:15 p.m. Friday - about three hours after he left stone-faced from a meeting at the White House with other congressional leaders and President Obama - according to a diner who happened to arrive at the restaurant around the same time. Accompanying Boehner to his table Friday were about six men - all security detail - who stood behind him for about 30 seconds and then sat down at a table nearby, said the diner, who works in government and said she wished to remain anonymous. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, was spotted at Guapo's Restaurant in Arlington Friday evening drinking margaritas with a group of three . After his night at Guapo's, Boehner returned to Capitol Hill, where senators were working on a solution to avert the fiscal cliff . Boehner was drinking margaritas while most of his party - two men and one woman - were drinking beer and sangria, the source said. They were all chomping on chips and salsa at the table. Other diners in the restaurant recognized the House Speaker and approached his table to say hello, the source noted. Boehner was 'very friendly to anyone that went up and spoke to him,' she said. Despite the long weekend of work ahead of him, 'He and his group were laughing and having a good time,' the source said. Several times throughout the evening Boehner stepped outside - through the side door - to take smoke breaks with some of his security detail, she added. 'We saw him walking out when we were leaving at 8:30,' she said. 'We passed two of his detail driving away then so we assumed he was leaving for the night, but it could have just been another smoke break.' Meanwhile, on Saturday, Senate leaders were working feverishly in private for a last-hour budget solution that could prevent the fiscal cliff - a package of tax increases for the middle class tax and deep spending cuts - from being triggered at dawn on New Year's Day. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, are trying to find a solution in time for votes Sunday night by both houses. Whatever manages to pass in the Senate, with its Democratic majority, would then face a second test in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Boehner arrived at the restaurant through a side door about three hours after he left a White House meeting on the fiscal cliff, and he'd changed out of his work clothes and into a festive red sweater . Boehner and his party at Guapo's were 'laughing and having a good time' - a far cry from how he appeared after his meeting at the White House hours earlier . Boehner, a Republican speaker who has . struggled recently with anti-tax rebels inside his own party, said . through an aide that he would await the results of the talks between the . Senate and White House. With the deadline for action fast approaching, Obama reiterated his demand for Congress to strike a deal that would prevent taxes from rising on the middle class. 'It's a balanced plan — one that would protect the middle class, cut spending in a responsible way, and ask the wealthiest Americans to pay a little more,' Obama said in his weekly radio address. 'And I'll keep working with anybody who's serious about getting a comprehensive plan like this done — because it's the right thing to do for our economic growth.' Obama is expected to renew his demands during a rare appearance on NBC's 'Meet the Press' on Sunday. In a rebuttal to Obama on Saturday, Republicans held their ground on their view of how the fiscal cliff should be resolved. 'The president's proposal to raise taxes on the top 2 percent of Americans won't even pay one-third of the annual interest that's now owed on this massive $16 trillion debt,' Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, said. 'We still can avoid going over the fiscal cliff if the president and the Democrat-controlled Senate step forward this week and work with Republicans to solve this problem and solve it now.'
A witness told MailOnline about John Boehner's night out Friday . Drinks came hours after he left tense Oval Office meeting . Meanwhile Senator leaders met all day Saturday to try and hash out a plan .
d90b244ae2bdbe69233cf806e762dc2229bf355f
A vehicle dashcam has captured the frightening moment a driver has spun out of control at high speed, after being clipped by a truck changing lanes. The footage shows a motorist driving along the M1 highway at Gosford on the NSW Central Coast when suddenly a car is hurled sideways and spins across three lanes, in front of a semi, and collides with the dashcam vehicle. It even captures the expression of the driver, who appears frightened and alarmed at what is happening. Scroll down to video . A driver's face says it all after he was clipped by a car and spun across three lanes of the M1 motorway near Gosford . The accident was captured by a vehicle which had a dashcam as the other car was hurled right in front of it . The accident is captured at high speed, with the section of the highway, a 110 kilometre an hour zone. Posted to Facebook, by Dashcam Owners Australia, the incident which saw no one injured, has copped a few humorous responses. Most of the responses surround the expression on the drivers face saying 'he saw it coming' and 'the guys face is pure fear', while the picture has been captioned with a number of different sayings. Posted to Facebook, there has been discussion as to who was at fault, the truck or the car . The vehicle that was clipped by the truck, was hurled across three lanes on the M1 before colliding with the dashcam vehicle . There is also talk about who is at fault, some users making comment that it is clearly the fault of the truck driver because 'the truckie should have made sure it was clear to change lanes' while others refer to a trucks 'blind spot', saying no one was at fault.
A vehicle dashcam has captured the moment a driver spins out of control on the M1 highway in NSW after being clipped by a truck . The dashcam also captured the expression of the driver, who appears frightened and alarmed . The incident which was posted to Facebook has received mixed reactions as to who was at fault .
cf156a26dcc5fd05abca37399af06a70009c92f7
Mothers are ‘worth less’ to employers in the City than men, Nigel Farage claimed today. The Ukip leader suggested women who take time off to have children are paid less because they lose contact with their client base and struggle to succeed when they return to work. Hours after making the controversial remarks, Mr Farage complained it was 'not very nice' being clobbered over the head with a placard as he tried to enter push his way through an angry protest in Kent. Scroll down for video . Mr Farage was confronted by a crowd of angry protesters as he arrived at an event in Thanet, Kent today . As he battled through the crowds, he was hit over the head with a placard which crumbled under the force . Addressing an audience . in the City this morning, Mr Farage insisted there is no sex . discrimination in financial services because childless women do ‘as well . or better than men’. In . highly-controversial remarks, Mr Farage – who has previously defended . the City’s culture of drinking and strip clubs – said women can succeed . in the industry as long as they are willing to ‘sacrifice the family . life’. He also rejected the idea of becoming a stay-at-home father who allowed his wife to pursue a career. But hours later he was physically attacked as he tried to attend an event in Margate in Kent. He said the incident, outside a hotel, was worse than when an angry mob blockaded him in an Edibnurgh pub last year. 'In . Edinburgh they cane along to make a noise. Here they came to bar me . from actually physically entering this hotel, and with intent to . physically hurt me,' he told ITV Meridian. 'So that's not very nice. I didn't like it but it is not going to stop me.' Ukip leader Nigel Farage said women who take time off to have children lose their client base and become less valuable to employers . ON LAPDANCING‘Lap . dancing? Don’t have the time these days, but I used to go to them. Like . it or not, they are a fact of life. You are talking about normal . behaviour there. Everyone does it... Prostitution and lap dancing are not the same thing, they can be but not usually.' ON DRINKING'I’ll tell you something. I work an 18 hour day most days and I think I’m entitled at lunchtime to a pint.' ON MARGARET THATCHER'I . cannot believe that a young Margaret Thatcher leaving Oxford today . would join the Conservative party led by John Major. I think she’d come . and get involved in UKIP.' ON EU PRESIDENT HERMAN VAN ROMPUY'You have the charisma of a damp rag, and the appearance of a low-grade bank clerk. And the question that I want to ask... that we're all going to ask, is "Who are you ?". I'd never heard of you. Nobody in Europe had ever heard of you.' ON ENOCH POWELL'Enoch Powell was an extraordinary fellow. I admired him for having the guts to talk about an issue that seemed to be to be really rather important – immigration, society, how do we want to live in this country.' Speaking in London this morning, Mr Farage rejected the idea that the . City is still an ‘old boys’ although he admitted that in the 1980s it . was a ‘deeply sexist place’. But he insisted the culture had changed and women could be successful – provided they did not have children. Mr Farage said: ‘You are as valuable as the client base that sticks with you and will move with you. ‘In many, many cases, women make different choices in life than what men make simply for biological reasons. ‘And . if a woman has a client base, has a child and takes two or three years . off work, she is worth far less to the employer when she comes back than . when she went away because her client base will not have stuck rigidly . to her.’ Mr Farage said . there was no ‘discrimination against women at all’ in the City, adding: . ‘Young, able women who are prepared to sacrifice the family life and . stick to their career will do as well or better than men.' While growing numbers of men were choosing to stay-at-home to allow partners to return to work, Mr Farage added: ‘I have to admit I was never going to be one of them myself.' Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman said Mr Farage was ‘downright wrong’. She added: ‘There’s not a single business or public service in this country which would still have the lights on if women weren’t there at work. ‘And yes, women do an important role in the home as well, not least because men don’t share equally in the home and therefore it falls to women. ‘But women are vital in their work and I think that is an  affront to women in this country and I just can’t believe that he’s said that.’ Kirsty Ayre, a partner at the international law firm Pinsent Masons, said: ‘These remarks reflect an incredibly narrow  view of worth.’ She added: ‘The days when you evaluate someone’s contribution based on their book of contacts are long gone and employers risk losing out  on top talent if that is their attitude.’ Mr Farage also hit back at attacks on . Ukip, after he suspended a councillor who blamed the Christmas and New . Year floods on David Cameron’s decision to legalise gay marriage. David . Silvester claimed last week that the country had been ‘beset by storms’ because the Prime Minister had acted ‘arrogantly against the Gospel’ by . passing same-sex marriage laws. Ukip’s . leadership had originally refused to discipline Mr Silvester, 73, a . town councillor in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, saying that everyone . was entitled to their religious views. But he was finally suspended yesterday afternoon after defying a request not to do further interviews on his beliefs. However, . Mr Farage today suggested that the remarks had only become a story . after Mr Silvester joined Ukip from the Tory party, where he had . previously aired similar views. Women who 'sacrifice' family life can still be successful in the financial sector, Mr Farage said . Speaking . in a question-and-answer session in the City, the Ukip leader said: 'I . think it is very interesting that, when Mr Silvester was saying these . things in 2012 and 2013 as a Conservative town councillor in Henley, it . was not a news story. But suddenly he switches to Ukip and continues the . same thing and gets on the national news. 'I . think that shows you and tells you all you need to know. The . establishment, the status quo, the big businesses, the big Eurocrats and . our three so-called main political parties are scared witless by what . Ukip is doing because we are striking a chord not just for ordinary . people but for many elements in the business community as well. 'They will try to do whatever they can to shoot us down.' Mr Silvester angered party bosses by going on local radio to say that being gay was a ‘spiritual disease’ which can be healed.
Ukip leader says mothers who take time off lose contact with client base . Dismisses idea of sex discrimination because childless women do succeed . Accused the media of singling out Ukip for criticism over members . Councillor David . Silvester suspended for linking storms to gay marriage .
9da7db4186c5234c68de8ebf78b3676e18d4a658
A Chinese woman has undergone drastic surgery to remove just under one stone of tissue from her breasts. The woman, known only as Mrs Lin, from Xiamen in China's Fujian Province, noticed her chest began to grow rapidly in her 30s. The now 50-year-old finally visited doctors when the size became unbearable. Scroll down for video . Mrs Lin, 50, underwent surgery to reduce the size of her enormous breasts (pictured left before the surgery). The doctor who performed the operation said they were the biggest he had seen in his career. He removed 6kg of fat leaving her with a manageable C-cup bust (pictured right after the procedure) She said: 'My breasts were normal sized even after I gave birth at 20, but they grew up crazily when I was 30.' Dr Ouyang Zhong, from Xiamen University's 1st Hospital, said despite working as a doctor for more than a decade, he had never seen breasts as large as Mrs Lin's. 'Her breasts hung even under the bellybutton,' he said. He removed 6kg – just under one stone – of fat to shrink her breasts to a manageable C cup. The amount of fat removed weighs almost twice as much as an average newborn baby, he said. The medical term for giant breasts is gigantomastia, a form of a condition known as hypertrophy of the breast tissue. It is a rare medical condition and is diagnosed where the breasts weigh more than three per cent of the total body weight. The consequences of having large breasts can be devastating, ranging from crippling back pain, neck and arm pain to headaches, friction rash and a curvature of the spine. It can cause stretching of the skin, which can sometimes lead to sores appearing. Over time, the physical strain of the breasts can cause breathing problems. Mrs Lin's breasts had been growing 'crazily' every since she was 30, so she eventually decided to go to hospital to see if doctors could do anything to help . Many women who have the condition suffer depression, lack of self-esteem and wellbeing. Gigantomastia is diagnosed when breast weight exceeds three per cent of a person's body weight. The enlargement can cause muscle pain, and over-stretching of the skin, which can lead to ulceration. The condition usually affects one breast more than the other, causing asymmetry. It is thought the underlying cause of the condition is a heightened sensitivity to female hormones prolactin, oestrogen and progesterone. Embarrassment can deter women from exercising, leaving them prone to health problems linked to obesity, including diabetes and heart disease. A study published in the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 2012 found that a woman with very large breasts can lose five years off her expected lifespan if she does not have a reduction. The condition can affect both breasts equally, but usually affects one breast more than the other, causing different-sized breasts. In Mrs Lin's case, her right breast was larger than her left. Gigantomastia is thought to be caused by sensitivity to the female hormones prolactin, estrogen and progesterone, or an abnormally elevated level of these hormones in the blood, or both. Sometimes it occurs naturally in pregnancy, but usually the breasts shrink again a few months after the baby is born. It is usually treated with breast-reducing drugs, or testosterone. If at least 1.8kg of breasts tissue needs to be removed then surgery is sometimes offered. Procedures include a reduction mammoplasty, an operation to reduce the size of the breasts, or a mastectomy, which removes all of the breast tissue altogether.
Mrs Lin, 50, noticed her breasts began to grow 'crazily' in her 30's . By the time she was 50 she decided to go to the hospital for help . Doctors were shocked and said these were the biggest breasts they'd seen . She underwent surgery to remove one stone of fat from her enormous bust . The 50-year-old now has breasts that are a manageable C cup . Enlarged breasts are normally caused by a hormonal condition .
416facc676f980ecf70760ef4f66a24094e92e58
Discovered: The body of Kosta Karageorge was found on Sunday in a dumpster two blocks from his Columbus, Ohio, apartment . Missing Ohio State football player, Kosta Karageorge, has been found dead in a dumpster, days after sending his mother cryptic texts apologizing for being 'an embarrassment' because of his repeated concussions. Police spokesman Sgt. Rich Weiner said police received a call around 2:30 p.m. from someone reporting a body found in the trash bin in Columbus. Weiner said a woman and her son apparently were looking for items in the dumpster when they found the body, which had suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 'At this time we are able to confirm through tattoos here at the scene that it is the body of Kosta Karageorge,' Weiner said. Weiner also revealed that a handgun was recovered from the dumpster. Police found the body near the campus after a search began when Karageorge went missing Wednesday. The senior defensive tackle had last been seen at his apartment in Columbus, when his roommates said he left to go on a walk. Susan Karageorge told police she had received a text from her son about 1:30am on Wednesday that said, 'I am sorry if I am an embarrassment but these concussions have my head all f***ed up.' The body was found within a couple hundred yards of Karageorge's home and about a half block from High Street, the main artery of the campus. Sunday evening, no one answered when an Associated Press reporter knocked on the metal door of Karageorge's apartment. Karageorge's parents filed a missing-person report Wednesday evening, and his mother, Susan Karageorge, told police he had had several concussions and a few spells of being extremely confused, according to the report. She said that at about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday he texted a message apologizing and saying the concussions had messed up his head. 'I am sorry if I am an embarrassment,' he said. Scroll down for video . Sad end: A police officer walks through the alley near 6th Avenue and Cortland Avenue in Columbus, Ohio where the body of missing Ohio State football player, Kosta Karageorge was discovered in a dumpster . Grisly: Neighbors observe police activity in an alley way near 6th Avenue and Cortland Avenue in Columbus on Sunday after the discovery of Kostas Karageorge's body . Tragic: Columbus Police block the intersection near 6th Avenue and Cortland Avenue in Columbus, Ohio where the body of missing Ohio State football player, Kosta Karageorge was found on Sunday . The team's physician said he's confident in the policies in which athletes are returned to play after injury . A woman answering the phone Sunday at Susan Karageorge's home identified herself as a friend and said that neither Susan Karageorge nor other family members had any comment. University athletic officials said they were grieved to learn of Karageorge's death. 'It's hit the team hard,' team spokesman Jerry Emig said. Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith said in a text message when asked about any plans to honor the player or logistics for the team to attend the funeral that it was too soon to answer those questions. The Buckeyes will play Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. A former Ohio State wrestler, Karageorge joined the football team as a walk-on this season. He played in one game and was among two dozen seniors slated to be recognized at the final home game Saturday against rival Michigan. The Buckeyes won, 42-28. Search: Hundreds went in search of Ohio State player Kosta Karageorge, 22, in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday three days after he vanished. His former coach (second left in red hoodie) said he was very scared for him . Desperate: Flyers and maps of Karageorge's last-known steps were printed off and distributed in the town . Around 200 volunteers swarmed the streets in search of Karageorge on Saturday. 'I'm very scared for him,' he told The Columbus Dispatch. 'I'm worried. I'm trying to remain optimistic. We love him, and we want him home.' Webber urged anyone that may have seen him to contact police. 'If you think you saw a 6'5', 250lb man, there aren't many out there. Chances are, it's him,' he said. His appeal came as a group of former Ohio State players tweeted their offer of a $1,000 cash reward for information that leads to Karageorge, who also goes by his middle name Alex. Ohio State University's football stadium went silent Saturday as an announcer called out his name and the missing poster appeared on the scoreboard. The senior was reported missing after he uncharacteristically skipped two practices. His mother, Susan Karageorge, told police he has had several concussions and a few spells of being extremely confused. The team's physician insists the squad would not have let Karageorge play after injury or illness if he weren't ready. Karageorge was last seen at his apartment around 2 am Wednesday, his sister, Sophia Karageorge told The Columbus Dispatch. Community effort: Former Ohio State players offered a $1,000 cash reward to find the 6'5' player . Questions: It is unclear why Karageorge texted his mother to apologize for being an embarrassment . Appeal: His former coach Jeremiah Webber (left) told anyone that sees a 6'5' man to call state police . Uncharacteristic: Roommates say the 250lb defensive tackle left the apartment for a walk at 2am Wednesday . Description: Flyers featuring a picture of Karageorge with his mother describe him as having brown eyes . Roommates said he appeared upset and went for a walk, dressed in a black hat, black sweater, black pants, and black boots. Ohio State coach Urban Meyer described Karageorge as a hard worker and an important player in practice. 'Our thoughts continue to be with the family of Kosta Karageorge, and we pray that he is safe and that he is found soon,' Meyer said in a Friday statement. Karageorge, a former Buckeyes wrestler, joined the football team as a walk-on this season. He has played in one game and is among two dozen seniors slated to be recognized at their final home game Saturday against rival Michigan. Karageorge, a former Buckeyes wrestler, joined the football team as a walk-on this season . Karageorge's sister said he left without his wallet or his motorcycle. He has a history of concussions, including one a month ago, and might have become disoriented, she said. 'We're very concerned that he's not himself and that he maybe doesn't know what's going on,' she told the newspaper. She said after each concussion, he has followed trainers' instructions and received proper care, but 'his repercussions from (concussions) have been long-term or delayed.' The team's physician, Dr Jim Borchers, said Friday that he could not comment on the medical care of student athletes. But, Boarches said, 'We are confident in our medical procedures and policies to return athletes to participation following injury or illness.' The Dispatch reports that about 100 people gathered Friday afternoon in Columbus to post fliers with the player's photo and description.
Body found 2 blocks from Kosta Karageorge's home where he was last seen . Defensive tackle, 22, texted apology to mom after concussion Wednesday . Missing person alert filed after he uncharacteristically missed practice . Last seen leaving his apartment at 2am on Wednesday dressed in black . Around 200 volunteers handed out flyers in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday .
439e13114483ce2e1f5d73bad8a182e095c951fe
A young boy has raised more than £40,000 for 'Movember' - despite being unable to grow facial hair. Each year November heralds the annual challenge as men across the world grow moustaches for charity to raise awareness of male cancers. But determined to honour his granddad who died of cancer, William Heath, from Earls Barton in Northamptonshire, refused to be left out. And so the creative 12-year-old dressed up as a different moustached character each day. From Ron Burgundy of Anchorman fame, to wrestler Hulk Hogan, and comic character, Borat, William stayed in costume for as long as was possible each day. He decided to take on the challenge in memory of his granddad, who died from pancreatic cancer in February. He is now the eighth biggest fundraiser out of more than 135,000 males who've taken on the Movember challenge this year. William Heath, 12, from Northamptonshire has dressed up as famous moustached characters throughout November to raise money for the Movember campaign. He is pictured imitating Will Ferrell's Ron Burgundy character made famous by the Anchorman films . Though as a 12-year-old William is unable to grow facial hair, he was determined to raise money for the campaign in honour of his granddad Robin Wickham, left, who died of pancreatic cancer in February . He is currently the 8th biggest fundraiser out of more than 135,000 men who have taken part in the Movember challenge this year. For one of his challenges he dressed up as the wrestler Hulk Hogan . William's mother, Clare Heath, 43, told MailOnline: 'William and his Pappa were really close and William wanted to do something positive in his memory. 'He's too young to run a marathon or climb Kilimanjaro, so as Movember approached we both knew it might be perfect. 'William and his Pappa loved going to see Northampton Saints play rugby together, which every November has a big 'Front Mo Union' campaign, so there was that angle too.' The obvious problem was that William can't grow facial hair, but one day towards the end of October he and his mother were in a local pound shop where William picked up a stick-on moustache, and the idea was born. As a family they expanded the fake moustache concept to William dressing up as a different famous character each day in November, from Ron Burgundy to Magnum PI to Ali G. William's 12th birthday was on November 1, so he and his mother posted photos of William in his different outfits, asking friends and family to make a donation towards his Movember campaign, rather than buy him a present. 'They were way more popular than we could have ever imagined, and soon we were getting requests from people all over the world for William to dress up as specific characters,' Ms Heath said. 'Dylan Hartley, who captains the Front Mo Union, regularly sends supporting tweets, Keith Lemon is re-tweeting us, not to mention hundreds of complete strangers from around the world who've been so incredibly generous. William's mother, Clare Heath, 43, said: 'William and his Pappa were really close and William wanted to do something positive in his memory.' He is pictured dressed up as Borat, right . William's granddad, Robin Wickham, had previously survived having both testicular and prostate cancer, but was diagnosed with aggressive pancreatic cancer on Christmas Eve. He died on February 7, aged 71 . 'If you'd asked me at the start of the month what we might achieve I'd have said a few smiles and £200 – it's spiralled into such a fantastic success story, and William is so proud. 'We've got pledges to take us over the £5,000 mark now, and by the end of Sunday we could have even more than that.' As well as being eighth overall, William is the number one fundraising student for Movember, the Front Mo Union, the Premiership Rugby Network and the UK Rugby Network. William's granddad, Robin Wickham, had previously survived having both testicular and prostate cancer, but was diagnosed with aggressive pancreatic cancer on Christmas Eve. He died on February 7, aged 71. 'My dad was such a fun-loving man, and all his nine grandchildren loved him to bits,' Ms Heath said. 'He was the embarrassing dad on the dance floor at parties, always poking fun at life, and he'd have loved to been here to help William dress up. There couldn't be a more fitting tribute.' Miss Heath said another obstacle to William taking part in the challenge was his Asperger's. 'He's sensitive to textures and smells, so dressing in different costumes was a particular challenge for him,' Ms Heath said. 'He was often simply overwhelmed and has regularly had to have a word with himself to soldier on, reminding himself what he's doing this for. William told MailOnline: 'My granddad and I were very close. I know he'd giggle if he could see me in all these silly costumes' 'Sometimes he's told me he can't carry on, but every morning he pulls himself together and puts on another outfit.' Every morning William's older sister Isobel, 13, has helped him get changed and takes the photographs, which are then uploaded onto Facebook, Twitter and his 'Mo' space. William told MailOnline: 'My granddad and I were very close. He used to come on holiday with us and was always having fun, cracking jokes and making me laugh. 'I know he'd giggle if he could see me in all these silly costumes – I've made them from things I've found at home and also bits I've picked up from the fancy dress shop near us. 'My favourite so far has been Ali G, but Ned Flanders was hard – I tried painting my face yellow, but it didn't work.' Ms Heath added: 'We needed to fill 30 days. When you try to think of 30 people with moustaches it is harder than you think. 'The overriding thing is that it has been fun, but it has serious implications. We're already trying to come up with something similarly entertaining and engaging for next year's campaign.'
William Heath, 12, has raised £40,000 for a men's health charity this month . He wanted to take on the 'Movember' challenge of growing a moustache . Unable to grow facial hair, he disguised himself as moustached characters . He dressed up as Ron Burgundy from Anchorman, wrestler Hulk Hogan as well as Borat and Magnum PI . He is currently the 8th biggest fundraiser of this year's campaign . His mother Clare Heath said her son was desperate to do something positive in memory of his beloved Pappa . Robin Wickham died of pancreatic cancer on February 7 this year . He had also suffered testicular and prostate cancer . William told MailOnline: 'My granddad and I were really close. I know he'd giggle if he saw me in all these silly costumes' Instead of presents for his birthday on November 1 he asked for donations . To help William raise more money, visit his fundraising page here .
5391afde67214ec99af52aaac843931ede314167
Sam Allardyce believes Manchester United have entered panic mode in the transfer market after failing to deliver signings for David Moyes last season. Moyes was sacked in April having failed to live up to the expectations at Old Trafford, and his permanent successor Louis van Gaal has since spent close to £150million on new players. And Allardyce, speaking exclusively to The Sun, sympathises with Moyes after the Scot wasn't backed with the same amount of money. Louis van Gaal has had a difficult start to his Manchester United reign after seeing his side lose to Leicester . David Moyes was replaced by Van Gaal after Allardyce insists United failed to give him the signings he needed . Angel di Maria and Falcao were marquee signings for Manchester United but they're still struggling . 'There was a complacency by United in not going out and delivering the signings David felt he needed,' the West Ham manager said. 'Now there's a panic on.' Moyes brought in Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata over two transfer windows during his time at the club, while Angel di Maria, Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo and even Radamel Falcao arrived in the summer for Van Gaal. Allardyce added that Moyes wasn't able to sign the players he wanted at United, which may have affected the results on the field. 'He will obviously look at what he might have done better but he should have done better but he should have got the players he wanted and he tells me he didn't get any of them.' Allardyce's side take on United at Old Trafford on Saturday. David Moyes brought in Marouane Fellaini to the club who is close to a return after a spell on the sidelines . Like our Manchester United Facebook page here. VIDEO United can still be successful .
Van Gaal signed Angel di Maria and Falcao in the transfer window . The Dutchman replaced David Moyes as Manchester United boss . Allardyce insists Man United failed to deliver Moyes the signings he needed .
793bf1707fe3c2c74b165e4eac95e5e4f261264f
Major League Baseball umpire Dale Scott says he is gay, the latest such disclosure in sports. Scott has been a member of the big league staff since 1986 - meaning 29 seasons - and is a crew chief. He worked the World Series in 1998, 2001 and 2004. The 55-year-old told the website Outsports.com he married Michael Rausch in November 2013 and that MLB and the other umpires were aware of his sexuality. Scott said he made a deliberate decision to go public in a low-key manner. He had provided Referee magazine a photo of himself with Rausch going to last year's opening series in Sydney for an October story. The caption in the issue stated: 'He and his longtime companion, Michael Rausch, traveled to Australia for the 2014 season opener between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers.' In the game: Dale Scott, seen on June 5 calling out St. Louis Cardinals' Yadier Molina after a play review, says he is gay and that he married his longtime partner in November 2013 . Scott said in a story posted by Outsports on Tuesday that 'My thought process was, is that there's a story about my career and how I got started in umpiring and they're talking to people I have known since junior high and it didn't seem right to have a whole story and pictures without a picture of Mike and I, someone who's been with me through this entire process. We met the October after my first year in the big leagues. 'Obviously, when I sent that picture to Jeff [Stern, Referee magazine's editor], I knew exactly what it meant. In a small way, this was opening that door in a publication that wasn't going to be circulated nationwide. It could be picked up, but it's not Time magazine. I made that decision to go ahead and do it because I felt it was the right thing to do.' He continued, 'I realized that it could open a Pandora's Box, but this is not a surprise to Major League Baseball, the people I work for. It's not a surprise to the umpire staff. Until Mike and I got married last November, he was my same-sex domestic partner and had his own MLB I.D. and was on my insurance policy. 'This is not going to be some huge flashing news to Park Avenue [MLB headquarters], but I also didn't want to be making some coming out story, some banner headline, because that's not how I operate. It's not a shock to MLB management because they're well aware of my situation and it's not a shock to the umpire staff. If it would have been, I don't think I would have done it.' Tough call: Scott is seen in a dispute with Texas Rangers' Ron Washington and Gerald Laird during an August 2008 game . Scott did not hear from anyone regarding the publication of the image showing him and his husband though he received congratulatory comments for the profile, Outsports reported. According to the website, Scott and Rausch first crossed paths when they were both at the same Portland gay bar in 1986. Scott told Outsports 'It's still a headline, look at Michael Sam. People scream at me because I'm an umpire. The last thing I want is people screaming at me because I'm gay. I'm an umpire who happens to be gay. I'm not trying to be some gay person who happens to be an umpire.' Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig praised Scott. 'To his friends and colleagues throughout the game, Dale is universally regarded as a class act,' he said in a statement. 'All of us at Major League Baseball are very proud of him, just as we have always been.' Scott's decision to go public follows that of others in sports. Basketball center Jason Collins became the first openly gay player in one of the major North American professional leagues in April 2013. He announced his retirement last month at age 35. Defensive end Michael Sam, the Southeastern Conference's 2013 co-defensive player of the year, came out in February. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams with the 249th pick in May, cut in August, signed by Dallas for its practice squad, then released by the Cowboys in October. Midfielder Robbie Rogers announced he was gay in February 2013 following his release from Leeds in England. He signed with Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy that May and has revived his career this year with a move to defender. University of Massachusetts junior guard Derrick Gordon became the first openly gay player in Division I men's basketball in April. He made his announcement on ESPN and Outsports. Other out professional players include WNBA stars Brittney Griner and Seimone Augustus and National Women's Soccer League players Abby Wambach and Megan Rapinoe.
Major League Baseball umpire Dale Scott says he is gay, the latest such disclosure in sports . Scott has been a member of the big league staff since 1986 and has worked three World Series . The 55-year-old has said he married Michael Rausch in November 2013 and that MLB and the other umpires were aware of his sexuality .
e85b87ef49f861d922fa8564cf6a21c2285fb667
It has been declared the world's longest pub crawl and two friends have celebrated in the appropriate way - with a pint. Peter Hill, 59, and John Drew, 61, said cheers as they stopped at their 18,000th pub after a 30-year tour and vowed to carry on boozing 'until our livers give out.' The group - who call themselves the Black Country Ale Tairsters - started visiting different watering holes in 1984 after becoming bored of always visiting the same pub. Beer-loving friends raised a toast on the weekend after visiting their 18,000th bar in world's longest pub crawl . Peter Hill is one of the founders of The Black Country Ale Tairsters (left) pictured with his mates (right) Along with friends, they have drunk in a different pub every week since then - beginning back when a pint cost just 64p. Girls are banned from tagging along with them on their trips, which have taken in bars in every county in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The gang always wear homemade uniforms on each night out made of waistcoats fashioned from old beer towels. Peter Hill (second left) and dad Joe Hill (centre in red top) in Railway Train Pub in the West Midlands in 1988 . John Drew, Joe Hill, Karl Bradley and Peter Hill visiting 8000th pub Pavilion in Birmingham in 1998 . They also hold the record for being the first to travel to pubs around the entire coastline of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Last year they completed a seven-year quest to visit every pub in Wales after stopping off at all 3,905 of them. They have also been to every boozer in 11 Midlands counties and have driven over 250,000 miles during their monster trip, during which they've downed at least 36,000 pints. But there will be one notable absentee from the celebrations after Peter's dad Joe, who had been with the pint-supping pair throughout their adventure, died in April at the age of 83. The group visited their 5000th pub in 1993 (left) and marked their landmark 10,000th visit in Birmingham in 2001 (right) The Black Country Ale Tairsters leave their calling card at every pub they visit . Founding member Peter said they came up with the idea after becoming bored with drinking in the same pub each week. Machinist Peter, his retired dad Joe and scaffolder John then decided that the 800 Banks's pubs they visited weren't enough so embarked on the challenge to conquer every pub in Wales. Speaking from the landmark 18,000th pub at The Saxon Penny in Lichfield, Staffs., Peter said: 'It's fabulous that we have made it to here. 'I think we'll stay at this pub for a while yet, but we may squeeze in number 18,001 later on this evening. 'If I had to have a beer of choice I would just ask for any real ale to be honest. It's hard to think of a hobby which is so much fun. 'We are just going to keep going until our livers give out, or at least something gives out. The Black Country Ale Tasters at Powis Arms in Pool Quay, Dorset. The group has drunk in a different boozer every week since 1984 . The world's most epic pub crawl began with this map - and the dream of visiting bars in all counties in Britain . 'Although it may be a big surprise to people, we're not massive drinkers. We just love pubs and everything about them. 'We have our own score cards which we fill in and we write the number of the pub on the card and ask the landlord to sign the book we have which has information in from every bar we go to. 'We also keep a record of the pubs we go to by taking a photo of the pub, inside and out, and make a note of anything special about the place. 'It turned from a bit of fun to a serious hobby. I'll be doing this for as long as I can - I intend to visit every pub I can. 'Although I'll soon be 60 and I wonder where all the years have gone. 'We would never live long enough to have a drink in every pub in England. It's taken us seven years to visit 3,905 pubs in Wales. 'Nowadays, I try to limit myself to 1,500 pints a year. If it's a cider and lager pub we'll just have a swift half. In 2010, The Black Country Ale Tasters marked their 15,000th pub visit at the Watermill in Kidderminster . 'In every pub, we ask for a £1 donation, with the money going to the children's ward at Sandwell Hospital.' Around 20 tipplers were originally in the group but now only two remain including Peter, from West Bromwich, West Mids. Every pub they visit is rated, photos are taken and information is noted down and Black Country Ale Tairsters (BATs) approval is a recognised accolade in the local pub trade. They have also made trips to pubs right across Europe but they say these boozers don't count because they are not in the UK. David Parsons, 67, owner of the Tame Bridge public house in Great Bridge, West Mids., which is one of the team's favourite locals, said: 'These men are incredible, they are such a presence in the pub here. 'They have changed this pub, we used to serve a lot of lager but since they started coming with the knowledge they have of real ales, we sell a lot of the stuff. 'What they don't know about beer, no one does.'
Peter Hill and John Drew marked massive milestone in their epic pub crawl . The group - the Black County Ale Tairsters - began their quest in 1984 . Have visited pubs in every county in Britain, including every pub in Wales . Peter insists that group will continue 'until our livers give out'
ec8a099c03afd9c32630e6ec2ddc4db077e964dd
Mars recently played host to an Oort Cloud comet flyby, providing an unprecedented chance to expand our understanding of the solar system. Sliding Spring passed within 87,000 miles (140,000 km) of Mars, less than half the distance between Earth and its moon, and much closer than any comet has ever come to Earth. Now, Nasa has released data suggesting that the chemistry of Mars' atmosphere could be changed forever from the flyby, which only happens once every eight million years. Scroll down for video . Mars recently played host to an Oort Cloud comet flyby, providing an unprecedented chance to expand understanding of our solar system. Siding Spring passed within 87,000 miles (140,000 km) of Mars (artist's impression pictured in a flyby which only happens once every eight million years . The comet's dust likely produced a meteor shower when particles hit it the upper atmosphere, 'literally changing the chemistry,' said Jim Green, director of Nasa's planetary science division. As well as adding a new layer of ions to the Mars atmosphere, the speeding comet - which travelled at 35 miles per second (56km per second) - produced what was described as a meteor storm. Experts describe the scene, with thousands of shooting stars per hour and the entire sky changing colour as 'mind blowing'. 'It's extremely rare in human history. It would have been truly stunning to the human eye,' said planetary scientist Nick Schneider, with the University of Colorado in Boulder. The comet's dust produced a meteor shower when particles hit it the upper atmosphere, 'literally changed the chemistry,' said Jim Green, director of Nasa's planetary science division (artist's impression pictured) Comet Siding Spring comes from the Oort Cloud, material left over from the formation of the solar system. 'This comet is coming into the solar system straight from the Oort Cloud. It's likely this is its first time this close to the sun,' said space scientist David Humm, of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland. Oort Cloud material, including comets, is scattered through a vast region that begins outside the orbits of Neptune and Pluto and extends a substantial fraction of the distance to Proxima Centauri, the closest neighboring star. Oort Cloud comets can tell scientists about the materials - including water and carbon compounds - that existed during the formation of the solar system some 4.6 billion years ago. The images above show - before and after filtering - comet C/2013 A1, also known as Siding Spring, as captured by Wide Field Camera 3 on NASA's Hubble Space Telescope . Studying this close encounter was the largest fleet of orbiting scientific observatories ever flown to another world, orbiting around (and rolling on the ground of) Mars. These instruments will, for the first time ever, have the chance to make close-up observations of a comet new to the inner solar system. And though it will not be the easiest task, the teams operating these instruments and spacecraft have developed plans to take advantage of this rare opportunity. Siding Spring is small (the nucleus is less than a mile in diameter) and fast (it passed Mars at about 34 miles/55 kilometres per second). The instruments on various spacecraft observed the comet repeatedly for two and a half days as it got closer and closer to Mars before it made its closest approach. The peak density of comet dust at Mars was expected 98 minutes after closest approach of the nucleus. This graphic shows the science observations that was hoped to be captured by Nasa's Mars spacecraft during the close encounter with Comet Siding Spring (C/2013 A1) Although the comet eventually left Mars far behind, its impact could have long-standing effects on the planet, claims Elizabeth Howell in Universe Today. Instruments on Maven detected eight different types of metal ions in the comet dust: sodium, magnesium, potassium, chromium, manganese, iron, nickel, and zinc. Nasa says that eventually these metals will revert to dust in a process known as meteoric smoke. The introduction of all of this new dust into the Mars atmosphere may produce high-altitude clouds above the planet's surface and could affect its interaction with sunlight. These images were taken of comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring by Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on 19 October 2014 during the comet's close flyby of Mars and the spacecraft. It is the highest-resolution image of a comet that heralds from the Oort Cloud at the edge of the solar system ever taken . As well as this, the chemistry of the atmosphere might be permanently altered. The comet was a rare visitor from the Oort Cloud, a spherically shaped reservoir beyond Neptune's orbit containing leftovers from the formation of the solar system some 4.6 billion years ago. The interest in examining the properties of the comet dust doesn't end with its effects on Mars. 'We believe that comets were formed very early, much earlier than the Earth was,' Mr Green said. Studying Siding Spring may offer unique insight into the content of the collapsing cloud that formed the solar system, he said. This image of Comet Siding Spring was taken by astronomers Nick Howes and Ron Wodaski using the Tzec Muan Observatory in Australia. The comet is the blue-ish object towards the middle of the picture, with its tail seen streaking backwards. Mars is the bright sun-like object in the middle, overexposed to reveal the comet .
Mars played host to extremely rare Oort Cloud comet flyby in October . The speeding comet produced a huge meteor storm on the red planet . Nasa says chemistry of Mars may have changed due to comet's dust . Dust may produce high-clouds changing Mars' interaction with the sun . Studying Siding Spring may offer insights into solar system formation .
21961378045f18271de34b8d4c99a87b92530d88
A dangerous strain of E.coli has led to at least two children needing dialysis in hospital – and left angry parents asking why authorities failed to sound the alert early enough. The rare form of the bacteria, apparently originating in Dorset, has struck 11 people, including five children, with seven developing kidney problems which could be permanent. One three-year-old girl, from Blandford in the county, is battling the infection in hospital after being struck down last week. Scroll down for video . Freddy Osborne, one, was rushed to hospital with E. coli after eating at Frankie & Benny's in Castlepoint, Bournemouth - but the restaurant has been given the all clear . Several victims were associated with a children’s nursery. Yet while the outbreak began in July, Public Health England (PHE) only began raising any alarm this week. It is yet to identify the source of the potentially fatal infection of E.coli 055 but has ruled out a Bournemouth branch of restaurant chain Frankie and Benny’s where three victims dined in two separate groups before being struck down. Yesterday, PHE contacted the families of all the victims asking relatives to give blood tests in an attempt to establish the origin of the outbreak. One of those who needed dialysis is Freddy Osborne, now 21 months. Isaac Mortlock, three, also fell ill with E. coli after eating at the same Frankie & Benny's restaurant, which has been cleared of any blame by investigators . Isaac's mother Gabrielle Archer (pictured) also feared her son could die after finding him fitting in the middle of the night . He spent four weeks in Southampton General Hospital, much of it in intensive care, and required multiple blood transfusions. He was at one stage left blind for ten days and had to be put into a coma for six days because it was dangerous for him to try to breathe. Although Freddy survived the ordeal, he was left blind for 10 days and his kidneys may never work properly again . Eventually he was diagnosed with the E.coli 055 strain, although all the diagnoses took a long time because the strain has never been found since records began in 1994. Freddy’s mother Charlotte Fudge, 25, from Bournemouth, said: ‘The whole family thought he was going to die. He was totally traumatised and went through hell. It is ridiculous Public Health England didn’t warn people what was going on and work harder to find the source.’ Gabrielle Archer’s son Isaac, three, was in the same hospital as Freddy, also needing dialysis and spending time in intensive care. He is now home after nine weeks in two hospitals but is still on a nasal drip and has permanently damaged kidneys. The family fear he may be in need of a kidney transplant. Miss Archer, 26, from Bournemouth, said: ‘The day after Isaac’s birthday in July he suddenly got very ill. First he was sick. Then he began passing blood. ‘At first doctors told us it was probably gastroenteritis. It was only when he started leaking blood permanently they said they’d have to admit him to hospital. Then he got violently sick – and an X-ray and scan showed his kidneys were affected and he had to go on dialysis. He had to be switched to another hospital in Southampton and stay there for five weeks. ‘He had fits in the middle of one night as well, his eyes were rolling, I thought he was dying, and I was screaming ‘‘Won’t someone help my baby?” He was unrecognisable.’ Freddy, now two, was the first to pick up the rare strain of E. coli that has hospitalised 11 people in Dorset since July . Isaac’s aunt, Jessica Archer, was then struck down by the same strain of E.coli and was hospitalised. Miss Archer is angry that PHE did not start publicising the outbreak until this week. She said: ‘I’m devastated that other children are now suffering – and feel that had Public Health England taken Isaac’s case more seriously in the first place, and put out more warnings, fewer people could have been affected.’ A spokesman for PHE said that the people affected by the strain had been struck over a lengthy period, and that while all had passed through Dorset, not all were from there, so it took some time to pull the facts together. She said: ‘All those affected and their close contacts are being followed up and further investigations are taking place to determine the likely source.’ Cleared: Three people who have fallen ill with E. coli ate at Frankie & Benny's before they were hospitalised, but the restaurant has been given a clean bill of health . Escherichia coli or E.coli, is a group of bacteria that live in the intestines of animals and humans. Many strains are harmless, but some can cause serious health problems. About 35,000 people are struck down by different forms of E.coli infection every year. Many cases are mild, such as urinary tract infections, but 1,000 a year are hit by E.coli food poisoning which can be very serious, particularly to children and the elderly. The most common serious E.coli strain in Britain is O157. Symptoms include severe diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever. Infections can cause serious complications such as potentially fatal kidney problems or brain damage. The bug releases toxins which can affect blood vessels – leading to fits and attacking the kidneys. It may also harm the heart. Infection is spread by consuming food or water contaminated with the bacteria, or through contact with infected people or farm animals. A severe outbreak at a petting farm in Surrey affected 76 young children in 2009, ten of them suffering long-term effects. The UK’s largest E.coli food poisoning outbreak killed 21 people in Lanarkshire in 1996.
Two children fell ill with E. coli after eating at Frankie & Benny's restaurant . Freddy Osborne's mother thought her son might die after four seizures . 21-month-old is now out of a coma but has lasting kidney damage . Isaac Mortlock, three, also fell ill after eating at the chain in Bournemouth . An investigation by health officials has cleared the restaurant of any blame . Council and Public Health England investigators found no trace of E. coli . 11 people have contracted the killer bacteria in Dorset since July . Investigators' search for the mystery source of E. coli continues .
f7122358f866b093987a4a54083b93e34e160349
It can tell you what you want to eat in the blink of an eye, simply by tracking the movement of your retina. In exactly 2.5 seconds the subconscious menu reads the minds of customers, by using a  mathematical algorithm to identify a customer's perfect pizza. The incredible software was developed for Pizza Hut  by Swedish eye tracking technology pioneers Tobii Technology. Scroll down for video . Pizza Hut's subconscious menu reads the minds of diners by using sophisticated eye tracking technology . Taking six months to build, the menu is completely controlled by the customer's retina. The four-step process starts when the software detects the users retina and gaze by asking customers to randomly look at different circles. Eye movements are tracked against the small marks on the screen. The software then detects the gaze of the user by changing the logos on the interface from big to small. This is then followed by ingredients tracking, where the user is given three seconds to look at 20 ingredients on the screen. The algorithm then kicks in and the menu identifies the perfect pizza based on which ingredients the user has been looking at the longest. The software detects the users retina and gaze by asking customers to randomly look at different circles . The software then detects the gaze of the user by changing the logos on the interface from big to small . Linger over peppers and sweet corn; the customer will be served a vegetarian pizza. If the user is of a more carnivorous persuasion and holds a longer gaze towards pepperoni and chicken then the meat feast is offered as an option. If customers aren't happy with what their subconscious has decided, they can restart the process by gazing at the 'restart' button. Chartered consumer psychologist Dr Simon Moore says our subconscious plays an important role in the foods we decide to eat. Ingredients tracking: The user is given three seconds to look at 20 ingredients on the screen . The menu identifies the perfect pizza based on which ingredients the user has been looking at the longest . 'We have quite an extensive subconscious relationship with our food and it's certainly the case psychologically that 'we eat with our eyes,' he said. 'Quick brain responses are probably hardwired to our evolutionary survival reflex. We are automatically drawn to foods that give us more nutrition– it is a safety mechanism we've inherited from primitive man that still plays a role in our subconscious decision making, even when we might be choosing pizza.' Kathryn Austin Head of Marketing at Pizza Hut Restaurant said: 'We love to excite and innovate. We wanted to try a few ideas on the traditional menu format and we're delighted to have developed the world's first Subconscious Menu, a unique way to reinvent the dining experience.'
Subconscious menu works by using eye tracking software . Four-step mathematical algorithm identifies perfect pizza choices . Innovation developed by pioneering eye tracking team Tobii Technology .
c6095ed5c7fadc613fb988c85af0136ba688f9bf
A British jihadi fighting for the Islamic State in Syria has been showing off his rapping skills on Twitter - urging his followers to stop playing video games and devote their lives to terrorism instead. Peppering his bizarre schoolboy rhymes with UK street slang and references to popular Western culture, Abu Qaqa al-Britani Afro's page is filled with references to life in ISIS' de facto capital Raqqa, where he says 'death is near' but he claims to 'show no fear'. Declaring himself to be a 'poet', al-Britani Afro also hints at a past life as a drug dealer in the UK, saying: 'Not many seen wat I have seen... Used to be on the street like a vending machine [sic]'. It is thought that al-Britani Afro - who has also used the nom de guerre Abu Qaqa al-Afreeki in an apparent nod to his African descent - is in his early 20s and first arrived in Syria earlier this year. Militant: Abu Qaqa al-Britani Afro, whose real identity is not known, regularly posts 'selfies' on Twitter showing him wearing a floppy floppy fisherman hat, a balaclava and glasses in the majority of his pictures . Al-Britani Afro peppers his schoolboy rhymes with UK street slang and references to popular Western culture . Rapper: Each of the militant's simplistic rhymes draws a string of positive comments from the 500 people following him on Twitter - suggesting his bizarre rhymes are held in high regard by ISIS supporters . Al-Britani Afro, whose real identity is not known, regularly posts 'selfies' on Twitter showing him wearing a floppy fisherman hat, a balaclava and glasses in the majority of his pictures. Posing with AK47 assault rifles resting between his arms, the rapping jihadi also dresses in light Western-style rain jackets, rather than the heavy combat gear his fellow militants typically wear. However it is in his bizarre rhymes celebrating ISIS' brutal interpretation of extremist Islam that Al-Britani Afro truly betrays his Western upbringing. 'Call of Duty Drop the Fifa and come give bayeh to the Khalifah,' he writes in one message urging his followers to stop playing popular video games and declare to their allegiance to the leader of the terror group Abu Bakr as-Baghdadi. Another message trumpeted the recent sickening filmed beheading of 16 Syrian soldiers by a band of ISIS killers including the groups British chief executioner 'Jihadi John'. 'That video was epic / Head chopped of no need for the medic / Fake Scholar all apologetic / So pathetic / Remember to kuffar [non-Muslims] we ain't sympathetic,' he wrote . Each of the militant's simplistic rhymes draws a string of positive comments from the 500 people following him on Twitter - suggesting his bizarre rhymes are held in high regard by ISIS supporters. Armed: Abu Qaqa al-Britani Afro first emerged on Twitter in mid-October 2014, using the now suspended twitter handle, @BritaniQaqa. He is understood to have arrived in Syria a short time before . Following the suspension of his first Twitter account, al-Britani Afro created a second profile @AbuQaqaBrit . Self-declared poet: Abu Qaqa al-Britani Afro's page is filled with references to life in ISIS' de facto capital Raqqa, where he says 'death is near' but he claims to 'show no fear' Al-Britani Afro first emerged on Twitter in mid-October 2014, using the now suspended twitter handle, @BritaniQaqa. One of his fellow British ISIS fighters, Abu 3antarr al-Britani, was among the first to raise awareness of Abu Qaqa's account. 'Everybody follow my brother @BritaniQaqa, he is new on Twitter. He is in dawla [ISIS-held areas of Syria and Iraq]. He is radicalised and he is armed.' Following the suspension of his first Twitter account, Abu Qaqa hastily created a second profile. Again, Abu 3antar, was quick to promote the extremists' latest Twitter page, writing that 'his rhymes are affecting the kuffar [non-Muslims], so support him.' The close online relationship between the pair suggests they may well be stationed together in the group's de facto capital city Raqqa. Horror: One Twitter message trumpeted the recent sickening filmed beheading of 16 Syrian soldiers by a band of ISIS killers including the groups British chief executioner 'Jihadi John' Al-Britani Afro, who also uses the name 'Greenbird Express', has recently been tweeting about the airstrikes being carried out on Raqqa by the Assad regime. He urges his followers to pray 'nothing happens to our women and children' in Raqqa but insists his own safety is of little concern. 'This is the life I choose / None can oppose / Trapped in the Dunya [on Earth] trying to perfect my flows / The cursed one, I don't want to be one of those,' he recently wrote. Al-Britani Afro also repeatedly expresses a desire to die fighting for ISIS, continually expressing his warped belief that killing in the name of Islam will somehow lead him to heaven. 'Upgrade your stature / Hijra is the starter/ Die as a martyr/ Green bird that's another chapter,' he writes, going on to say that he hopes to be reincarnated as a green bird in the afterlife. Rapping jihadis: Al-Britani Afro is not the only ISIS militant to express extremist views. Abdel-Majed Abdel Bary (left) - the Londoner once suspected of being Jihadi John - was an aspiring rapper who appeared on Radio One before joining ISIS. German jihadi Denis Cusper (right) - was also once a successful rapper . Dangerous: Performing under the name Deso Dogg, Cusper gave up his music after embracing radical Isla, adopting the nom de guerre Abu Talha al-Almani and travelling to join ISIS in Syria (pictured) Jihadi poetry has a long history in the Islamic world. Details on the lives of militants known as the Mujahideen during the 1979 Afghan war, were often recorded through poems . Many of these rhymes feature elaborate musings on what the fighters expects to be met with in the afterlife. They were typically written during the quieter moments of the conflict with the Soviet Union. Osama bin Laden was well known for his poetry on jihad. His verses described the thrill of battles and the companionship of his fellow fighters. Al-Britani Afro is not the only ISIS militant to use rap as a means to express extremist views. Abdel-Majed Abdel Bary - the Londoner who was once suspected of being Jihadi John until security officials ruled him out - was an aspiring rapper who appeared on Radio One before swapping the microphone for an AK47. Formerly known by his stage name, L Jinny one of Bary's friends was previously quited as saying: 'He had the talent - he could have been as big as Dizzee Rascal.' Likewise German fighter Denis Cusper - who was recently shown beheading an Iraqi tribesmen in another sickening ISIS murder film - was also once a successful hip hop artist. Performing under the name Deso Dogg, Cusper gave up his music after embracing radical Isla, adopting the nom de guerre Abu Talha al-Almani and travelling to join ISIS in Syria.
Militant Abu Qaqa al-Britani Afro uses rap to express his extremist views . Thought to have joined ISIS in de facto capital Raqqa earlier this year . Now posts messages on Twitter urging others to embrace radical Islam . Simplistic raps have been branded 'poetry' by other British jihadis in Syria .
b9c6e52ec8172c0454516c02d3d2d9f5640cb2d2
The are the smartest headphones on the planet - and could mean the end of tangled wires. The Dash headphones are wireless, and can even be worn when swimming. They contain their own MP3 player and fitness trackers to monitor heart rate and oxygen saturation level. Scroll down for video . The headphones communicate with a mobile phone via bluetooth, and also have their own MP3 player and fitness tracking sensors built in. To use them, users simply tap the control earphone, or use a special app on their iPhone. They can even set commands to be triggered simply by tilting their head. Each Dash headphone has its own microcomputer, coupled with biosensors, fitness trackers and microphones. They use Bluetooth to link together and to a mobile phone. Two tiny LEDs emit low intensity red and infrared light into the capillaries in the ear to monitor heart rate and oxygen saturation. They also have 4gb of storage for music. The Dash consists of a pair of discrete and completely wireless stereo earphones, linked togeth with Bluetooth. The entire chassis of The Dash is filled with silicone, making it waterproof - they can even be used while swimming. To use them, users simply tap the control earphone. They will playback music through a Bluetooth connection or use the embedded 4GB/1000 song music player. The Berlin firm behind them says they are: 'The world's first completely wireless, smart headphone system, offering freedom of movement, maximum comfort and amazing sound – all while audibly coaching, tracking movement and capturing key biometric data.' The Dash are two wearable microcomputers, coupled with biosensors, fitness trackers, microphones, a real-time feedback activity coach, and The Dash media player . They will playback music through a Bluetooth connection or use the embedded 4GB/1000 song music player. This week the Dash won the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2015 Innovation Award. 'We are over the moon with the response that we have been receiving' said Nikolaj Hviid of Bragi, the Berlin firm behind them. The headphones contain a plethora of sensors and their own mini computer with 4GB of storage . The headphones are charged when in their case . 'The competition here is very tough but we continue to create a lot of market attention for our groundbreaking product The Dash.' The Dash can also pick up the ambient sound with the ambient microphones, channel the sound through to The Dash and mix it together with the music you already are hearing. Two tiny LEDs emit low intensity red and infrared light into the capillaries in the ear. The optical reflection of the emitted light reveal the relative amount of red and white blood cells more than 50 times every second. A precise heart rate and oxygen saturation level is calculated with the data. The firm has even been tested the headphones with athletes. 'The Dash's ability to tell us how long we have exercised for, or how fast we are moving, while delivering heart rate readings and oxygen saturation level, puts this device as one of the most innovative pieces of audio technology,' said Helle Frederiksen, and Olympic Triathlete . The firm originally launched the headphones as a Kickstarter campaign, which was a record breaking success. Almost 16.000 supporters worldwide pledged more than US$ 3.3 million on kickstarter. This makes The Dash still the most successful European crowdfunding campaign on kickstarter ever. The headphones can also be linked to an app for playback of music on an iPhopne .
Dash headphones include an MP3 player - or can link to an iPhone . Controlled by taps, and waterproof so can even be used while swimming . Can also monitor heart rate and oxygen saturation level . Has built in bone conduction microphone for calls .
3a1e0236921ef075dbf73d49079dca497c6ad363
The families of two babies who spent the first 10 years of their lives with the wrong mothers after they were mistakenly switched at birth are suing the French maternity clinic responsible for nearly £10million. The blunder occurred 20 years ago when Sophie Serrano - now 38 - and another unnamed mother gave birth to daughters at a clinic in the French Riviera resort of Cannes, near Grasse. Mrs Serrano's baby girl Manon suffered from jaundice and doctors put her in an incubator equipped with lights to treat the problem along with another affected newborn girl. Scroll down for video . Sophie Serrano outside court with her non-biological daughter Manon who was mistakenly given to her at birth after a mix-up at a French maternity clinic 20 years ago. She and another unnamed mother who gave birth to Manon and was handed Mrs Serrano's biological daughter in the blunder are suing the clinic for £10m . An auxiliary nurse unwittingly switched them, and although both mothers immediately expressed doubt about the babies, pointing to their different hair lengths, they were sent home anyway. Ten years later, troubled by the fact his daughter bore no resemblance to him with her darker skin, Manon's father did a paternity test that revealed he was not her biological parent. Sophie Serrano then discovered she was not Manon's mother either, prompting a probe to try and find the other family who had been handed their biological daughter. When they were located, it transpired that the daughters had grown up just 18 miles apart. The other family involved in the case also attended Tuesday's closed-doors hearing, but opted to remain anonymous. Emotional: Manon Serrano wipes away tears as she speaks to media outside court after the damages hearing . The investigation revealed that at the time of the births in 1994, three newborns suffered from jaundice - the two girls and a boy - and the clinic only had two incubators with the special lights. The girls were therefore put together in one incubator, according to the lawyer of one of the obstetricians being sued. Another obstetrician, two paediatricians, the clinic and an auxiliary nurse are also being sued. 'If it happened to us, it may have happened to others,' Sophie Serrano said after the hearing, holding the hand of her non-biological daughter Manon. 'There should be exemplary sentences.... we really hope to get this recognition, so as to free us from all this guilt about not having been able to protect your kid, not having insisted when we saw there was a problem.' Manon Serrano (right) and her mother Sophie Serrano embrace a relative as they leave Grasse courthouse . For her part, Manon said she was shocked over accusations levelled in court blaming the mothers for not having recognised their children. 'She protested, she found herself in front of a qualified nurse, she was very young, she had just had a child, so putting the blame on her is absurd, I find that inhuman,' she said. The two sets of parents met their biological daughters for the first time when they were both 10 years old, but did not ask that they be switched back. 'It was a pretty disturbing moment, very bizarre,' said Manon. 'You find yourself in front of a woman who is biologically your mother but who is a stranger.' The two families have distanced themselves from each other since the meeting 10 years ago. It's too difficult, so we each went our separate ways as it's so distressing, it was the only way to find some stability again,' said Sophie Serrano. The court will rule on the case on February 10. The clinic has admitted fault - blaming what happened on the nursing auxiliary whom it claims suffered from alcoholism - but has insisted it will not pay any damages.
Babies born to Sophie Serrano and an unnamed French mother in 1994 . Both daughters placed in same incubator because they were jaundiced . They were unwittingly handed to the wrong mothers by auxiliary nurse . Clinic worker insisted they be sent home despite doubts from mothers . Ten years later, DNA test revealed Manon was not biological daughter . Two babies reunited aged ten, but they asked NOT to be switched back .
1200386b96c876727d37b5c3bad2966e403606fd
A woman has become an internet sensation after appearing in a series of hilarious poses on eBay selling her deliberately 'ugly' Christmas jumpers. Deb Rottum, 45, from Tampa in Florida, spends hours painstakingly turning second-hand sweaters into 'hideous' festive creations by sewing on tinsel, bells and even cuddly toys. And whenever the mother-of-three updates her eBay store 'Deb's Handmade Ugly Tacky Christmas Sweaters' she poses in the new addition. Scroll down for video . Quirky: Ms Rottum's 'ugly' Christmas jumpers have become a huge hit - despite their quirky looks . But while the jumpers have proved a hit, it is the semi-terrified facial expression and wooden pose adopted in all the photos that have turned Ms Rottum's business into a smash-hit success. Indeed, so popular has Ms Rottum become, she is now toying with setting up her own ugly jumper factory in order to meet demand. Ms Rottum, who first hit upon the idea of flogging awful Christmas jumpers last year, said: 'People host 'Tacky Christmas Sweater' parties every Christmas. "I've always been quite creative, so one year I thought I'd give it a go and everybody said mine was the tackiest - it was quite a compliment. 'Some people and businesses even have competitions to find the most tasteless jumpers, which is why I think my creations are so popular. 'I know it's a cheating a bit if someone wins by wearing one of my creations, but I don't mind - I like knowing I'm the best at making something so ugly.' Ms Rottum sells her hideous creations for up to £50, and is struggling to keep up with orders because she can only make two in an evening. Toned down: Not every jumper is festooned with tinsel - this red number is relatively toned down and stylish . 'I go through thrift stores and charity shops, as well as boot sales and craft fairs, just to get as much festive rubbish as possible to sew onto the jumpers,' she explains. "Last year someone saw one of my jumpers and asked where they could buy one. It was a lightbulb moment - I couldn't believe anybody would actually pay for them, so I started making them as fast as I could. 'I sold about 30 for Christmas 2013, but I had supply issues because I didn't really know where to go to get the raw materials.Now I know where to get them from, so I can make a couple every night. 'I've probably made about 200 jumpers this year so far, and I've got another couple of hundred orders to get made before Christmas.' She added: 'Santa has his elves, and I'm seriously considering opening my own factory.' All the trimmings: Ms Rottum scours thrift stores for old bits of tinsel and baubles to use for decoration . Unique: Each jumper is handmade and totally unique. Ms Rottum also takes commissions . Busy: So popular have Ms Rottum's quirky designs proved, she is even contemplating setting up a factory . Massive teddy bears, penguins, moose, polar bears and even a Christmas monkey are among the most popular designs - even if they are, as Ms Rottum admits, in questionable taste. 'I just try and come up with something that's themed, even if the theme is 'ugly,' she explained. 'They're quite clearly not in the best taste, but they certainly serve a purpose, and also nobody can see them and not get in the mood for Christmas.' The budding designer also opened up about her signature pose, which involves wide eyes and a toothy grimace-like smile, while standing with her arms by her sides and clenched fists pointing at the ground. 'I don't pose like that because I have a gun pointed at me, that's for sure,' she revealed. 'I stand like that so people can see the detail on the arms. 'I am purposely smiling big and making my eyes look crazy because these are crazy sweaters. I'm not terrified, I promise.' Ms Rottum, who is willing to ship her incredibly hideous jumpers all over the world, also does commissions, and has even made a sweater for an British girl that is covered in skunks. Signature: All of Ms Rottum's designs are sold on eBay and she models the jumpers on every listing herself . Terrified: Ms Rottum has developed a signature pose, complete with wide-eyes and a rigid stance .
Deb Rottum, 45, from Tampa in Florida, has become an internet sensation . She designs and models 'ugly' Christmas jumpers and sells them on eBay . Designs have proved so popular, she is thinking of opening a factory . Currently, she makes all of the jumpers herself during evenings at home .
ceaf4caefba42c000aaddd7ae26d2c3d0c22e25a
President Barack Obama met with controversial black pastor Rev. Al Sharpton on Monday at the White House, amid word that he would demand $263 million from Congress to put 50,000 body-worn cameras in U.S. police departments and train local cops to better use surplus military equipment. The moves came in response to the police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Sharpton called the get-together 'a historic meeting that the president and vice president sat with all of us and law enforcement to commit to not just another commitment, another study ... but that he would put his full weight behind it.' 'We live in a country that we must support law enforcement but law enforcement must support justice,' he said. In a brief statement to the press, Obama said that the Brown shooting in Ferguson 'laid bare a problem that is not unique to St. Louis ... and that is a simmering distrust that exists between too many police departments and too many communities of color.' 'He cited civil rights leaders' opinion 'that in a country where one of our basic principles, perhaps the most important principle, is equality under the law, that too many individuals – particularly young people of color – do not feel as if they're being treated fairly.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS . President Barack Obama had a full plate on Monday with three separate Ferguson-related meetings, including one with elected officials, community organizers and religious leaders . Rev. Al Sharpton spoke Sunday during a church service in the parking lot at The Flood Christian Church, a house of worship that rioters burned last week in the wake of a grand jury's decision not to indict a white police officer in the shooting death of a black man . ALREADY THERE? Members of the Ferguson, MIssouri Police Department wore body cameras during an August 30 rally . Brown's parents have pushed body-worn cameras as one way to limit distrust between police and criminal suspects following physical encounters. The White House said in August that it agreed with the idea in principle. 'We support the use of cameras and video technology by law enforcement officers, and the Department of Justice continues to research best practices for implementation,' the administration wrote in response to a public petition that attracted more than 154,000 supporters on the White House website. The new initiative will provide 50 per cent of the funding for cameras, but will not pay for them entirely, at a cost of $75 million. It will also provide new training resources and funds to study how to reform police practices. It's unclear why Officer Darren Wilson didn't wear a camera during his fateful encounter with Brown. Members of the Ferguson Police Department were photographed wearing body cameras later that month during an August 30 rally. Obama has a jam-packed day with three separate meetings to discuss the deteriorating situation. He also announced Monday that he wants the Pentagon and Congress to review the program that puts surplus military hardware in the hands of state and local law enforcement. The White House is pushing a new torrent of public messages about the death of Brown, a young black man, at the hands of Wilson, a white officer. Meetings with cabinet officials, with a group of 'young local and national civil rights leaders,' and with top law enforcement officials are on the president's official Monday schedule. Speculation ran rampant on Twitter that Sharpton would attend the civil rights meeting, and his representatives confirmed it just before lunch. Sharpton, a community-organizer-turned-minister-turned-TV-host, is a frequent White House visitor and has appeared in Ferguson. On Sunday he preached at the St. Louis church where Michael Brown's funeral service was held. 'The fight ain't over,' he told a capacity crowd. Alicia Garza, a special projects director at the National Domestic Workers Alliance and a co-founder of the emblematic 'Black Lives Matter' movement, tweeted a cautionary note. 'Obama – meeting with Al Sharpton isn't what's going to change conditions. Those days are LONG GONE,' she wrote. Paramilitary: Police in the war-torn Missouri suburb of Ferguson , like many local forces large and small, participates in a federal program that arms them with surplus battlefield weapons, armor and combat vehicles . Missouri Lt. Gov Peter Kinder said Monday morning on the Fox News Channel that Sharpton 'is an inciter of mobs and he demands mob justice.' The Pentagon program that supplies military equipment to police forces has moved more than $5.1 billion in gear – including guns, tactical vehicles and even aircraft – since its inception. About $500 million in hardware was passed out this year alone. But White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest explained during a briefing Monday that 'the ‘majority of the funds’ spent through those programs ‘has not been used to purchase law enforcement specific equipment’. He characterized it instead as largely a source for office supplies and other materials that can help a police department run smoothly. Earnest told reporters that the program should be tweaked to 'enhance crime prevention while at the same time strengthening the bonds with the communities they are sworn to protect.' He said the president had no plans to visit Ferguson personally but hadn't ruled it out. Black communities, especially in Ferguson, have complained that the federal government is arming their local police to the point where they more resemble paramilitary armies than law enforcement agencies. But on the nights following a grand jury's decision not to indict Officer Wilson, rioters burned buildings and looted stores while shots rang out. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon was criticized later for not deploying the Missouri National Guard, a fully militarized force, in downtown Ferguson. Obama said during an August 18 press conference that it would be 'useful for us to review how the funding was done, how local law enforcement has used grant dollars, to make sure that what they're purchasing is stuff that they actually need.' 'There is a big difference between our military and our local law enforcement, and we don't want those lines blurred. That would be contrary to our tradition,' he said then. Earnest said Monday that the president would appoint a new task force, led by Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey and former assistant Attorney General Laurie Robinson, to study what the White House has called 'best practices' in policing. That task force will have 120 days to report back to the White House. Its work is expected to focus on alleged disparities between the treatment of blacks and whites at the hands of sworn officers. Military weapons and armor have crossed over from Army bases to police barracks tens of thousands of times in the last seven years, including firearms and anti-ambush vehicles . The White House said in a statement that the president's cabinet meeting would concern 'federal programs and funding that provide equipment to state and local law enforcement agencies.' But it did not respond to a request for information about who else, other than Sharpton, would attend its civil rights meeting. The Associated Press reported that Obama's meeting with the civil rights community would focus on challenges posed by 'mistrust between law enforcement and communities of color.' That topic was a major point of emphasis when the president addressed the nation one week ago as Ferguson burned. 'The fact is, in too many parts of this country, a deep distrust exists between law enforcement and communities of color,' Obama said on Nov. 24. 'Some of this is the result of the legacy of racial discrimination in this country. And this is tragic, because nobody needs good policing more than poor communities with higher crime rates.' 'The good news is we know there are things we can do to help,' he added. 'And I've instructed Attorney General [Eric] Holder to work with cities across the country to help build better relations between communities and law enforcement.' Earnest said Monday that it's ‘an unfortunate irony that in those communities where the crime rate is the highest, sometimes the trust is lowest between the members of the community and the police force.’ Michael Brown Sr., left, and his wife, Calvina Brown, right, attended a Flood Christian Church service on Sunday in a tent. The church was torched during riots last week. Sharpton preached at the service. Protests have continued in Ferguson, but have been more muted than the violence sparked last week by a grand jury's decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown after he held up a convenience store. Wilson resigned his post over the weekend. Obama's cabinet meeting concerned 'federal programs and funding that provide equipment to state and local law enforcement agencies,' according to the White House. That has been a front-burner issue since the Ferguson shooting in August, when police showed up in force in military-style vehicles that the Obama and Bush administrations provided through programs that distribute surplus Pentagon equipment.
Slain 18-year-old Michael Brown's parents have demanded the use of more body-cams by police forces to document violent encounters with suspects . President met with 'young ... civil rights leaders' and law enforcement officials after he holds a cabinet meeting about the Ferguson unrest . Civil rights meeting focused on challenges posed by 'mistrust between law enforcement and communities of color' Speculation ran rampant that Al Sharpton would be in the White House Monday, and his representatives confirmed it before lunch . Cabinet meeting concerned the militarization of local law enforcement with equipment provided by the federal government . Task force has four months to make recommendations to Obama about how to change the program that has moved $5.1 billion in gear .
5aba64b9162dd594500fe0219526fb6436b2bc09
David Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the first three Star Wars films, said his dementia would now let him down and would probably forget his lines . Former Darth Vader actor David Prowse has said he would loved to have been involved in the new Star Wars movie, but fears his dementia would let him down. An 88-second sneak preview for the new film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, was released online yesterday and has already been viewed more than 15million times. But Mr Prowse, who played Lord Vader from 1977 to 1983, said he was disappointed he will not be able to play any part in the latest movie. The 79-year-old, who lives in Croydon, South London, told the Daily Mirror: 'It wouldn't have mattered what it was, I would have loved to have done something in it - even if it was just a cameo.' Diagnosed with dementia this summer, he began taking medication in recent weeks. 'Sometimes I can't remember things I did yesterday. That worries me more than not remembering something 20 years ago.' Mr Prowse, who appeared in Star Wars, the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, added: 'Now I would probably forget my lines.' In the films, his voice was over-dubbed by actor James Earl James and the fight scenes were done by British Olympic swordsman Bob Anderson. Mr Prowse in a scene from the hugely popular Star Wars 1977 film - he was voiced over by James Earl Jones . Despite his Star Wars setback, Mr Prowse has come out of retirement to play safety superhero the Green Cross Code Man . In the role, he will reinforce the mantra he drummed through the 1970s and 1980s: 'Stop, look, listen, think.' Mr Prowse, a married father of three who is also celebrated for his role as Darth Vader in Star Wars, was made an MBE by the Queen in 2000 for his contribution to road safety. Deaths and injuries involving children dropped dramatically during the campaign, sponsored by the Department of Transport, which began in 1971. Now it is hoped the online 21st century version, sponsored by MORE TH>N insurance, will have similar benefits for grown-ups. The actor revealed he still owns his trusty Droid, a small robot that helped him underline the original road safety message. Elsewhere he has made a comeback as the Green Cross Man after 40 years for a new safety campaign . He played the safety superhero in the 1970s and 80s - deaths and injuries involving children dropped dramatically during the campaign, sponsored by the Department of Transport . The Force Awakens is the seventh film in the Star Wars franchise and the first of a new trilogy of sequels. The film, which reunites original stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher is scheduled to be released in cinemas on 18 December 2015. The new film is set 30 years after the end of Episode VI, Return of the Jedi. It brings back original Star Wars characters Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia, which is sure to please some life-long fans of the films .
79-year-old actor David Prowse played Darth Vader from 1977 to 1983 . Reveals he wanted to be in new film but fears dementia would let him down . Says he 'can't remember things I did yesterday' after diagnosed in summer . 88-second clip for new Star Wars film was released online yesterday . He has made comeback though as safety hero the Green Cross Code Man .
4e89bd10565d03f28d5ed3d17e6084aab3bb9345
Louis van Gaal is insistent that despite the influx of foreign players at Old Trafford this summer, everyone at the club must speak English. Spanish speakers Ander Herrera, Angel Di Maria, Marcos Rojo and Radamel Falcao have all joined Manchester United, and communicate in their mother tongue with each other and Spaniards David de Gea and Juan Mata. And although Van Gaal can himself speak fluent Spanish from his time at Barcelona, he has ordered his players to be communicating in English by the end of the season. Louis van Gaal has told his Spanish speaking players that they must learn English by the end of the season . Spanish speakers Angel di Maria and Ander Herrera joined Manchester United this summer . Radamel Falcao speaks good English and barely used an interpreter when unveiled as a United player . 'You know already that all the Spanish players have lessons in English so we have started already more than two weeks,' he was quoted as saying in the Manchester Evening News. 'We are only two weeks in this country because we were in the USA and after that we had the international week. But I can speak Spanish so it is better to communicate sometimes on the pitch in Spanish. Van Gaal speaks Spanish himself but is keen for English to be the dressing room's language . 'But they shall learn English within one year, I promise.' United's Spanish speakers could be helped in their quest to learn the new language by Colombian striker Falcao, who speaks good English, and impressed Van Gaal at his unveiling when he spoke the language with barely any need for an interpreter. One player who could look to emulate Falcao is winger Antonio Valencia, who has been ordered by Van Gaal to take English lessons – despite having lived in England for eight years. Like our Manchester United Facebook page. Antonio Valencia has been told to have English lessons by Van Gaal despite living in England since 2006 . The Argentinean defender Marcos Rojo is another new signing whose first language is Spanish .
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says all his players must speak English by the end of the season . The Dutchman speaks fluent Spanish himself from his time at Barcelona . United's native Spanish speakers include Angel di Maria and Marcos Rojo . Some of the foreign players, such as Radamel Falcao speak good English . The Red Devils take on Leicester at the King Power Stadium on Sunday .
5d760bb1e444f294f123207c81f3106577a687b6
The famous 'Naked Gardeners' who created their very own Garden of Eden around a country manor are selling up after 'Eve' filed for divorce on the grounds her husband is a 'womanising alcoholic', it was revealed today. Barbara Pollard walked out on husband Ian after five years of marriage, leading to fears the beautiful garden they created together in Malmesbury, Wiltshire could be closed to the public and become overgrown. Mrs Pollard first suggested a divorce just a few months after she was married to Mr Pollard, he claimed today, but the couple made a go of things until she moved out three months ago and accused him of being a 'womanising alcoholic' in divorce papers. Naked gardeners Ian and Barbara Pollard found fame after taking over Abbey House Gardens in Malmesbury, Wiltshire and transforming the manor's gardens to attract visitors . But the couple are now selling the estate following Mrs Pollard's decision to file for divorce after five years of marriage and 20 years living at the property together . The couple met when she went to work . at his Wiltshire-based property development company 30 years ago, after . his first wife declared their marriage was over. They . bought picturesque Abbey House from a group of nuns in 1994 and spent . four years transforming the home and gardens, before opening the grounds . to the public. They got . married five years ago after Mr Pollard was told he might not survive an . operation to replace a defective aortic valve in his heart. He pulled through but said his new wife . soon spoke of divorce and has now accused him of being a womaniser who . drinks too much, claims he denies. The couple rose to fame in the 1990s when TV programmes were made about the thousands of nudist visitors who flocked to their manor and its beautiful gardens . The couple wrap up in fur while showing off their book - The Naked Gardeners . Speaking today, Mr Pollard said: 'Eleven weeks after we got married Barbara suggested that maybe it would be a good idea if we had a controlled separation and divorce - that was the first suggestion for it. I don't know what brought that thing on.' He said Mrs Pollard soon moved into another area of the house but the marriage continued until last July when she attended a course at Glastonbury on 'family healing'. He added: 'After coming back she walked out on me, the three kids - who are 18, 22, and 27 - and her own mother, who is 89 and lives in a flat upstairs.' According to Mr Pollard, his wife filed for divorce three months ago, but then moved back to the 12-bedroom property ten days ago when the lease on her rented home ran out. When asked the reason for the split, . he said: 'I'm a womanising alcoholic [according to divorce papers]. To . all parties concerned it is "where the hell did she dream that one up". 'To . call me a womaniser is ludicrous. Also an alcoholic - I like drinking . like 80 or 90 per cent of the country. Her idea is that you shouldn't . drink at all, you should abstain from alcohol completely. 'She also said I left the marital bed, but she was the one that moved.' Mr . Pollard said he did not want to sell the home, but could not afford to . buy out her share of the property, which is expected to go for 'quite a . lot' in the coming weeks. Mr Pollard says he feels bound to explain the reasons behind the sale as it will affect the local economy in Malmesbury, Wilstshire . Mr Pollard says his estate has seen visitor numbers soar to the are off the back of the garden's popularity . In a statement, Mrs Pollard said: 'All I can say is that Ian and I are very different people but with common interests. We have brought different skills to the development of Abbey House and its gardens, which it has been a privilege to participate in. 'However I am not getting any younger, I will not last forever and I believe it is time to let someone else create a new chapter here. I wish to continue my interest in gardening, approach it in a different way and grow food among the flowers.' Abbey House Gardens has attracted nearly half a million visitors since it opened its doors in 1998. The building - parts of which date back to Saxon times - became a home for the couple and their three children and made them one of Britain's most famous nudist couples. The couple's fame grew when they later unearthed the skeleton of a 12th century monk in the tulip beds. But . after just five years of marriage, Mrs Pollard recently left and the . home and gardens are now set to go on the market in the coming weeks. The . pending sale is likely to spell the end of the road for the medieval . town's naked tourists and locals fear the treasured garden could be shut . to the public. Mr Pollard . added: 'As well as the personal issues, there is an added impact on the . gardens and the town, so I believe people deserve an explanation. 'We have 20 people here who are either employed or volunteer, and Abbey House Gardens are a big draw for the town. Locals now fear the lovingly looked-after gardens may be closed off to the public or allowed to go back to their former overgrown state . The beautiful tulip borders to the some of the garden's lawns are among the many wonderful features which have attracted so many visitors . 'The house and the gardens will be going on the market in the next few weeks but we have agreed that any sale will not impact on this season, so we will stay open until October as usual. 'But there will obviously be no guarantee that whoever buys Abbey House will want to keep it open. 'We are constantly described by visitors as being much better than Hidcote or Highgrove or Sittinghurst, and some describe us as one of the best gardens in the world. 'It would be lovely if they did see that they could open up the gardens to the public and get an income which covers the expenses of keeping the garden, but who knows?' Malmesbury's mayor Sue Poole appealed for any prospective buyer to keep the gardens open. 'Abbey House Gardens are very important to the town and has brought in a lot of people to Malmesbury. It has put the town on the map,' she said. 'People come to the tourist information centre and the town hall and ask 'where are the Naked Gardeners' and it will be a very sad loss to Malmesbury.'
Ian and Barbara Pollard took over Abbey House Gardens in Wiltshire . Couple then transformed the Malmesbury estate into a nudist attraction . Couple's dream is set to come to an end after Mrs Pollard filed for divorce . Mr Pollard says he will be forced to sell the property, prompting fears the  gardens may be shut .
4ab6f3d113b97f5a60d7f4ed8fe162ce63e07b9a
When Chloe Valentine's teenage mother was punched in the face by a partner while holding her infant daughter, little Chloe didn't cry. By then, she had become used to such violence. As the first phase of an inquest into the Adelaide girl's death drew to a close on Friday, there could be no doubt Chloe's short life was also marred by appalling squalor and neglect. Government agency Families SA considered her to be at risk even before she was born and had received multiple calls about the girl by the time she was six weeks old. After 20 notifications were made to the child protection agency about Chloe's care, she was never removed from her drug-using mother, Ashlee Polkinghorne. Chloe was four years old when she died of massive head injuries in January 2012 after being forced to ride a motorbike and repeatedly crashed over a three-day period in her Adelaide backyard. Scroll down for video . Chloe Valentine was just four when she died of massive head injuries in January 2012 . The inquest has focused on the heavy involvement of Families SA and other child welfare agencies throughout most of Chloe's life and their efforts to protect the girl. Evidence has revealed how Polkinghorne, described by one concerned friend as a very convincing liar, was often given the benefit of the doubt by social workers, who helped clean her house and avoided confronting the teenager about her drug use. One of the squalid residences she and Chloe occupied was reportedly infested with rats, while another was littered with soiled nappies and rotting food. It was alleged Chloe was also left for days on end with Polkinghorne's teenage friends. The reaction of State Coroner Mark Johns and his counsel to the evidence was one of disbelief. Social worker Nicholas Ratsch told the inquest he helped Polkinghorne draft a safety plan in late 2007 to make sure infant Chloe received proper care when her mother was affected by drugs. Polkinghorne, who was 16 at the time, agreed that whenever she and her then-partner were out of it there would be a sober person at home. The strategy replaced a previous agreement, brokered by case workers, in which Polkinghorne pledged to cease all drug-taking. An inquest into Chloe's death heard that social workers knew that her mother, drug user Ashley Polkinghorne, was neglecting her daughter from 18-months-old . The coroner questioned why Mr Ratsch would muddy the waters, saying the new plan had effectively condoned Polkinghorne's drug use. 'It doesn't in any way start with discouragement not to use drugs, does it?' Mr Johns asked. 'It's almost implicit that they will use drugs.' Another social worker, Leanne Stewart, told the inquest Polkinghorne was 'just a teenager' who found it difficult to prioritise tasks such as cleaning her rubbish-strewn house. Chloe died at the hands of her parents after she was repeatedly forced to crash a  motorbike over a three-day period . Counsel assisting the coroner, Naomi Kereru, accused Ms Stewart of defending Polkinghorne's behaviour, saying her obligation was to protect infant Chloe. 'She was a teenager with a baby,' Ms Kereru said. 'You're there to protect the baby, not make excuses for the mother, aren't you?' Social worker Leanne Stewart told the inquest on Wednesday she believed 18-month-old Chloe was receiving 'good enough' care in early 2009, despite substantial evidence of neglect and multiple child abuse notifications, when her mother was 17. Chloe's teenage mother allowed the 18-month-old to be supervised by other teenagers for extended periods, despite being warned by Ms Stewart that this was not acceptable. Family members, including Polkinghorne's father, raised alarms about infant Chloe's safety and told agencies they would be happy to take care of the girl if she was removed from her mother. But Ms Stewart believed some of the allegations may have been malicious or exaggerated because there was 'frequent conflict' in Polkinghorne's family relationships. Polkinghorne was 'just a teenager' and found it difficult to prioritise tasks such as cleaning her often rubbish-strewn house, Ms Stewart said. Polkinghorne, was jailed for at least four years and nine months while the 22-year-old's then-partner, Benjamin McPartland, 28, received four years and two months . Chloe died of 39 different injuries in 2012 . Ms Stewart denied that she was reluctant to act on the child abuse allegations, saying it took time for parents such as Polkinghorne to make sustained changes. Polkinghorne, now 22, and a later partner, Benjamin McPartland, 28, were jailed this year over Chloe's death after pleading guilty to manslaughter through criminal neglect. The inquest will resume for another two weeks on December 1.
Chloe Valentine died at the hands of her neglectful mother Ashley Polkinghorne and her partner Benjamin McPartland in 2012 . Families SA considered Chloe to be at risk even before she was born and had received multiple calls about the girl by the time she was six weeks old . She suffered massive head injuries, black and swollen eyes, a cut to her head and bruises all over her body . Social worker Leanne Stewart told the inquest into Chloe's death that she believed the toddler was receiving 'good enough' care in early 2009 . This is despite substantial evidence of neglect and multiple child abuse notifications against her mother at the time . Counsel assisting the coroner, Naomi Kereru said: 'You're there to protect the baby, not make excuses for the mother' Polkinghorne, 22, and McPartland, 28, pleaded guilty to manslaughter through criminal neglect .
a288b06f21b7469046396415c7a1496d4484e303
Athletic Bilbao have waited 16 long years to get back into the Champions League and when their big moment finally came, they got stage fright. The Basque side had the better of the game against Shakhtar Donetsk but were too worried about their opponents counter-attacking potential to commit as many men forward as they usually do at the San Mames. Perhaps wary of Basque rivals Real Sociedad’s 2-0 defeat by Shakhtar at Anoeta last season, Athletic seemed to play a tighter game than normal, lacking the drive and thrust we have come to see them employ. Athletic Bilbao's Aymeric Laporte attempts to clear as Shakhtar Donetsk's Luiz Adriano is called offside . Shakhtar Donetsk's Taras Stepanenko attempts to bring the ball down in their draw with Athletic Bilbao . Athletic Bilbao: Iraizoz, De Marcos, Laporte, Gurpegi, Balenziaga, Benat (Susaeta 64'), Iturraspe, Ibai Gómez, Mikel Rico, Muniain (Aqueche 75'), Aduriz (Fernandez 77') Subs not used: Herrerin, San Jose, Iraola, Moran. Booked: Aduriz. Shakhtar Donetsk: Pyatov, Srna, Kucher, Rakitskiy, Azevedo, Fernando (Fred 73'), Stepanenko, Costa, Teixeira, Taison (Marlos 80'), Adriano (Gladkiy 90'). Subs not used: Kanibolotsky, Kryvtsov, Bernard, Ilsinho. Booked: Srna, Taison, Kucher. Ref: Tasos Sidiropoulos. Alex Teixeira scored twice that night and had the ball in the back of the net again for Shakhtar here, but Olexandr Kucher was offside in the build-up so it was ruled out. Athletic’s supporters, however, were in no mood to let the evening drift by. Generally considered the most passionate fans in the country, they were in good voice as their team got their first Champions League campaign since 1998 underway. There were also a handful of Scotland flags around the ground, with the Basques, hoping one day for independence from Spain, keenly interested in what happens in the UK. Ibai Gomez came in for Markel Susaeta from the Athletic side that lost 2-0 at Barcelona on Saturday and he had the first chance of the game, with Darijo Srna blocking well after a rapid Mikel Rico breakaway. A Taras Stepanenko long-ranger had Gorka Iraizoz down to his left smartly in response. The goalkeeper again had to be alert to deny Shakhtar, with Srna's cross-shot heading for lurking Teixeira at the back-post. These two sides have vastly different philosophies, with Athletic's Basque-only, youth-team focused policy at direct odds with Shakhtar's blend of a few Ukrainians with some imported Brazilians. Oscar de Marcos controls the ball after slipping clear of Shakhtar's Yaroslav Rakitskiy at San Mames . Rival managers Ernesto Valverde (Athletic) and Mircea Lucescu (Shakhtar) issue orders from the sideline . There were six from Brazil in their starting line-up, with four from Ukraine and just Srna from elsewhere. The Croatian has been at the club since 2003 and is their captain. The likes of Teixeira and Douglas Costa certainly brought some Samba flair to the Basque Country, with plenty of fancy footwork and neat tricks. The latter in particular added some cutting edge to the Shakhtar team. But it was a bending free-kick from Gomez which get the supporters out of their seats, the ball lurching into the side-netting of Andriy Pyatov's goal, with the relieved keeper left standing. Iker Muniain is Athletic's most creative player, but despite showing a few bright sparks, he was unable to link up much with veteran hitman Aritz Aduriz in the first half. He tricked his way past Marcio Azevedo but his cross was straight at Pyatov. Aduriz was screaming for a penalty just before the interval, when Yaroslav Rakitskiy barged into him as he tried to beat Pyatov to a through-ball, but referee Tasos Sidiropoulos was unimpressed. The Greek official was taking charge of his first Champions League game and dipped into his pocket twice in the first 45, to punish Srna for time-wasting and Taison for diving. Olexandr Kucher soon joined them in the book immediately after the break when he hacked down Aymeric Laporte. Athletic striker Aritz Aduriz (left) appealed for a penalty just before half-time but the referee wasn't interested . Athletic’s brilliant young centre-back was on a run forward, which was rudely halted by the Shakhtar defender. Benat Etxebarria’s free-kick squeezed through a crowd and Laporte tried to turn it towards goal, but his effort was easy for Pyatov to handle. It was Laporte again doing great work for Athletic as Shakhtar pushed for the opener, throwing himself heroically in the way of Teixeira’s shot, after the Brazilian came inside from the left. Muniain, who had worked tirelessly, had a great chance to rampage forward on the break but ran out of steam as he neared the box, with Shakhtar tackling back. Ernesto Valverde hauled him off for youngster Ager Aqueche immediately after, but the crowd stood to applaud the playmaker, chanting ‘Iker’. It was the last real opportunity of the game, with Shakhtar the more satisfied of the two sides, having earned a valuable away point. For Athletic this is a base to build on, but they need to rid themselves of any fears before their next Champions League clash, a must-win game against BATE Borisov.
Athletic Bilbao were in control of the match against Shakhtar Donetsk . The Champions League Group H opener ended in a deadlock at San Mames . Basque side Athletic had been 16 years away from the Champions League . The home crowd were in high spirits while some Scotland flags appeared .
6e66fb867fc509b8d6f0f5a9a40fb21cfbbf68be
A former U.S. Marine has joined a growing foreign legion of Western fighters battling ISIS on the frontline just weeks after he starred in a survival reality TV show. Photos have emerged on social media that apparently show Joshua Bell, 28, who appeared in the third season of Naked and Afraid, a reality survival show produced by the Discovery Channel. In 'Nicaragua Nightmare', Bell alongside his fellow contestant, Amanda Leigh, had to survive 21 days in the Central American jungle. The episode was aired in early September 2014 and saw Bell suffering with fever and sickness while helping a female fellow contestant make a bikini out of small strips of duct-tape. Just two months later, on November 10, Bell arrived on the frontline in the besieged city of Kobane . Bell is among the latest foreign volunteers - many of them ex-US, British and Canadian military - to join a group called The Lions Of Rojava, who have been mounting a brave counter attack against Islamic State terrorists in northern Syria over the past few months. The Lions Of Rojava act as a foreign legion for the Kurdish People's Protection Unit (YPG) - a group that has been mounting a brave resistance against ISIS in Kobane for more that two months. Scroll down for video . Brave: Joshua Bell, 28 (second from right) is among the latest foreign volunteers to join a Kurdish anti-ISIS group called The Lions Of Rojava. Here he is pictured with Brits James Hughes (left) and Jamie Read (right) Television: Just weeks ago Joshua Bell (right) appeared in the third season of Naked and Afraid, a reality survival show produced by the Discovery Channel . Bell was a contestant on Naked and Afraid on September 7. In the show, both contestants are strangers and have to work together to survive unassisted in a hostile environment. In each episode, contestants have to strip naked and meet each other in a tough environment, normally in the middle of a thick jungle or a remote island. The two survivalists have to find clean water, food and build a weather proof shelter. Bell is 28-years-old and was born in Florida. At the age of three, he and his family moved to South Carolina before switching to Roxboro, North Carolina, when he was just six years old. He is understood to have served for four years in the US marines, reaching the rank of Corporal and being deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq. Past: The episode was aired in early September 2014 and saw Bell suffering with fever and sickness while helping female fellow contestant Amanda Leigh make a bikini out of small strips of duct-tape (pictured) Suffered: Despite his reputation as a survivalist and all-round tough guy, Joshua Bell surprisingly quit Naked and Afraid after just five days. His short stay in the jungle was dogged by vomiting and dehydration . A message posted on a Facebook page set up to help raise money for Bell's journey to join the Lions of Rojava says he was awarded both the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and a combat action ribbon. On the same page Bell wrote his desire to fight against ISIS: 'I ain't doing it for glory, or praise, or fame, or money. It needs to be done. I am scared s***less. But if you ain't scared you are a liability. 'There is a part of my life I do not share very often. I am absolute hell in a gunfight. I learned early on in the Marine Corps that I had extreme combat proficiency. Skills that I quickly honed, and still continue to sharpen regularly,' he added. 'I never thought I would use these skills again...However, an opportunity to re-enter the fray has presented itself,' he went on to say. A photograph shared on the Lions of Rojava Facebook page this week showed Joshua Matson (bottom left), Jamie Read (top, second from left), Joshua Bell (bottom right) and Jamie Hughes posing alongside an unidentified man (top, second from right), Briton (top left) and American (top centre) Fundraising: Joshua Bell struggled to raise enough money to fund his flight to Syria. As a result a friend set up a website selling yellow T-shirts bearing the slogan 'Project: Give Josh a lift' Despite the Facebook page and a GoFundMe account, it is understood that Bell struggled to make the $3,500 he said he needed to travel to join the Lions of Rojava through donations alone. As a result a friend named Jonathan Whitfield set up a website selling T-shirts bearing the slogan 'Project: Give Josh a lift' to raise money. The T-shirts are yellow and green to match the colours of the Kurdish flag, with the flag itself also appearing on the T-shirts alongside that of the United States. Beneath the two flags is the phrase 'Brothers from another mother against terrorism'. When he was still unable to raise the cash for the journey, Bell was forced to sell his personal Tabuk sniper rifle for $1,400 to pay for his plane tickets. Armed: According to his biography on the show, Bell served with the US Marine Corps and had a gunsmithing business. He is understood to have arrived in northern Syria in late September or early October . According to his biography on Naked and Afraid, Bell now owns gunsmithing business. He enjoys spending 'a lot of time hunting whatever is in season.' It also states 'he loves to cook freshly harvested game, and does so every chance he gets.' Bell's short biography on the Discovery channel website states: 'Survival is his way of life, since Joshua lives pretty far outside of town. Growing up, his family took what they needed from the land, and bought the rest in town. They grew fresh vegetables, hunted, and fished.' Despite his supposed reputation as a survivalist and all-round tough guy, Bell surprisingly quit the show after just five days. His short stay in the jungle was dogged by vomiting and dehydration as Bell struggled in the hot jungle. His fellow survivalist, Amanda Leigh, went on to survive the full 21 days in the jungle. The pair were later dubbed 'the duct tape duo' on social media in honour of 'Country boy' Bell's best achievement on the show, which was to make a bikini out of duct tape for fellow survivalist, Leigh. Volunteers: Among the many Western fighters joining the Lions of Rojava in their campaign to defeat ISIS are Jamie Read from north Lanarkshire, Scotland (left) and James Hughes (right) from Reading in Berkshire . Military background: James Hughes, is understood to originally be from Reading in Berkshire and served three tours of Afghanistan during his five years of service in the British army . When asked if he would want to appear on the show again, Bell later commented on Facebook: 'I hope I get to try again one day.' Bell arrived in Syria on November 10 and joined the Lions of Rojava - a foreign legion within the ranks of the Kurdish YPG force. He is likely to have been inspired by the group's leader Jordan Matson, who made headlines as one of the first American nationals to join the Kurdish militia. Matson has become a poster boy for the Kurds, who have been calling on fighters from around the world to volunteer in their ranks. In recent weeks the number of Western fighters - many of them ex-military - joining the Lions of Rojava in their campaign to defeat the Islamic State has swelled massively. These photographs show an Gill Rosenberg, 31 - an Israeli-Canadian fighting alongside The Lions Of Rojava . Photographs of Ms Rosenberg frequently appear on the group's Facebook page . Among the Westerners who have travelled to fight with The Lions Of Rojava are at least three British nationals. James Hughes, is understood to originally be from Reading in Berkshire and served three tours of Afghanistan during his five years of service in the British army. He has been pictured fighting alongside both Matson and another Briton named Jamie Read. Read is originally from Newmains in north Lanarkshire, Scotland and it is understood he originally trained with the French army. In postings on his Facebook page last week, Read detailed fierce gun battles with ISIS militants in Kobane. Among those replying to his messages was Jordan Matson. Fightback: The Lions Of Rojava act as a foreign legion for the Kurdish People's Protection Unit (YPG) - a group that has been mounting a brave resistance against ISIS in Kobane for more that two months . ISIS first besieged the Syrian city of Kobane in September - raising their flag over a number of areas . A photograph shared on the official Lions of Rojava Facebook page earlier this week showed Bell, Matson, Read and Hughes posing together with assault rifles and wearing full military fatigues in northern Syria. Also in the seven-man photograph is a man described as a third Briton, who has previously been pictured in other images uploaded to the social media accounts affiliated with the YPG. The group of men also includes an as yet unidentified American national who appears a lot older than the other fighters, wears casual clothes and has a hat pulled low over his face. Blast: Thanks to Kurdish resistance fighters on the ground and US-led airstrikes (pictured), ISIS has now been largely pushed out the centre of Kobane . Details of the Lions of Rojava emerged as ISIS reportedly destroyed one of the oldest churches in Iraq with dynamite. According to local activists, St George's Church and a small nunnery were blown up in northern Mosul on Monday. The destruction of the church symbolises a destructive policy of violence against religious sites which are deemed 'unIslamic' by the hardline extremist group. In July, Islamic State blew up a number of Shi'ite mosques and churches as well as the shrine of Jonah and the tomb of Daniel.  Prior to its destruction, the shrine of Jonah had been a popular pilgrim site for many Christians from around the world. Mosul has been held by Islamic State since the group, led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, rapidly seized Iraq's second largest city in June 2014. The following month the terror leader was filmed giving a sermon at the city's historic mosque.
Joshua Bell appeared in third season of Naked and Afraid in September . Ex Marine suffered fever and sickness and left show after just five days . Now 28-year-old has joined group fighting ISIS in Syrian city of Kobane . He is among large number of foreigners fighting with The Lions Of Rojava . Britons Jamie Read and James Hughes are also fighting with pro-Kurds . Group led by Jordan Matson, who made headlines as one of first Americans to join the Kurdish People's Protection Unit (YPG)
df36f78d30d2fd3653f4f12f1a2208ca2430409f
The increasing fashion for young Muslim women in Britain to wear the burka (in contrast to their mothers, who do not) is one of most sinister developments of our times. Supporters of this garment like to pretend that it is a welcome symbol of our society’s multicultural diversity and philosophical tolerance. But such warped thinking is woefully misguided. In reality, the burka is an archaic tribal piece of cloth that is eagerly used by fundamentalist zealots to promote a toxic brand of extremist non-Koranic theology. Everyone in Britain, including Muslims, should oppose the insidious spread of this vile piece of clothing, which imprisons women, threatens social harmony, fuels distrust, has grave health implications and is a potent security risk. Scroll down for video . Dr Taj Hargey is launching a nationwide campaign to impose a ban on face masks, including burkas, in public spaces in Britain . Contrary to the claims of its advocates, it has nothing to do with Islam but is a cultural fad imported from Saudi Arabia and primitive parts of the Islamic world. That is why this week, with the Muslim Educational Centre of Oxford, I am launching a nationwide campaign to impose a ban on face masks in public spaces in Britain. Such a nationwide prohibition would deal with all types of covering, including balaclavas, but there would be no exemption for the burka/niqab on any spurious, politically correct grounds of religious conscience. One of the key purposes of this initiative is to persuade at least 100,000 people to sign a formal petition calling for the ban, thereby obliging Parliament to debate the issue. Despite growing concern from the British public, our pusillanimous politicians have refused to address the burgeoning prevalence of the burka in our midst, as they fear accusations of Islamophobia from the militant fundamentalists and their PC allies. There is no religious requirement on Muslims to don the burka, and no evidence in the Koran to support the wearing of the garment . Well, it is time to put the needs of British society before the manufactured grievances of the hardliners, whose aim is to replace our liberal democracy with a totalitarian theocracy, the burka serving as a weapon in this far-reaching cultural war. In rejecting the ideology of the zealots, mainstream Muslims should be at the forefront of the campaign for a ban, not least because the burka so badly undermines the credibility and reputation of our faith. There have, of course, been previous petitions and calls to outlaw face masks in public, but all came from the political Right and gained little traction. This campaign is different. It is the first one led by Muslims, speaking for the moderate majority whose voice has been unheeded up to now. We invite both Muslims and our other fellow citizens to work together to rid Britain of this alien cultural monstrosity. A key part of the impetus for this move came from the decision of the European Court of Human Rights this month to uphold the ban instituted by the French Government in 2010 on all face coverings in public. Supported by lawyers from Birmingham, a 24-year-old French woman of Pakistani origin took her well-funded case to the ECHR, claiming that the ban was a violation of her  — and note the sequence —  religious, cultural and personal rights. On every level, this questionable appeal relied on distortions and untruths. Thankfully her case was thrown out, but her arguments illustrate the chronic weakness of any suggestion that we must allow the burka to be worn in public. First, there is no religious requirement on Muslims to don the burka; second, the burka is not a feature of Pakistani culture, where 90 per cent of women do not wear it; third, there is no unqualified human right to wear whatever we want in public. In every developed society, personal freedoms have to take account of wider social mores. The French ban has proved to be legally sound as well as sensible. I have long believed that the same measure should be introduced here in the UK to prevent community separatism and social apartheid. And, like the ECHR, I see no basis for the pretence that there is any religious sanction for the burka. The wearing of the face mask is a custom originating in ancient Persia and Byzantium, more than 1,000 years before the birth of Islam. It was upheld by male aristocrats because of social snobbery rather than religion, since they did not want their womenfolk — wives, daughters, sisters or mothers — to be seen by the peasantry. According to Dr Hargey, everyone in Britain, including Muslims, should oppose the insidious spread of the burka, which he says imprisons women, threatens social harmony, fuels distrust, has grave health implications and is a potent security risk . Nor is there any evidence in the Koran to support the wearing of the burka. Indeed, the Holy Book stipulates that men ‘should lower their gaze’ when meeting women to avoid lecherous staring (verse 24, chapter 30). So logically, if women were fully covered up there would be no need for such an instruction. Some Muslim clergy claim that the burka is religiously necessary. They assert this because the Prophet Muhammad’s wives allegedly hid their faces in public. These puritanical clerics do not base their theological misrepresentations on the Koran but on the subsidiary and suspect hadith (a collection of books containing the reputed sayings of Muhammad, written 250 years after his death). 'It is forbidden for Muslim women going on . pilgrimages to Mecca to cover their faces. So if such a pre-Islamic . practice is banned in Islam’s holiest site, why on earth would it be . required on the streets of Britain?' In any case, this is a wilful misreading of scripture. In fact, verse 32 of chapter 33 in the Koran explicitly states that ‘the Prophet’s wives are not like other women’. So  there is no reason to emulate them. Just as revealingly, it is forbidden for Muslim women going on pilgrimages to Mecca to cover their faces. So if such a pre-Islamic practice is banned in Islam’s holiest site, why on earth would it be required on the streets of Britain? The truth is that there is no theological foundation for these separatist face masks, as most non-fundamentalists recognise. Only recently, Al-Azhar, the leading institution of Muslim theology in the Islamic world, declared that the burka has no spiritual authenticity. Theology apart, there are many other compelling arguments against the burka. It badly undermines social cohesion by inhibiting effective interaction between Muslims and non-Muslims in the public realm. There can be no meaningful exchange with people if you cannot even see their faces. Moreover, the burka is an affront to the concept of gender parity in the UK. If I tried to wear a ski-mask on a bus or at a bank, I would quickly be told to remove the item or leave, or be arrested. Why should the same rules not apply to Muslim women? Dr Hargey's proposals for a nationwide prohibition would deal with all types of facial covering, including balaclavas . The demand for equal rights has always been central to the feminist cause, and in this case feminists should be calling for men and women to be treated equally. Either everyone has the right to mask their face or no one has. There are  huge implications for security, after several cases of terrorists and criminals using the burka to evade detection — a particularly worrying development given the explicit, bloody threats of militant extremists. In our troubled world, there can be no absolute right to anonymity in public. 'We cannot continue to accept the creeping . Arabisation of Islam in the UK and consequent destruction of our . cherished British freedoms. A stand must be made now' Another concern is  the health risks, for . full coverings mean a distinct lack of exposure to sunshine. One recent . study of 203 burka-clad women in the United Arab Emirates revealed that . all but four were deficient in Vitamin D. If that can happen in a land of blazing heat, how much worse will be the problems in often damp, dark Britain? Our society is already seeing rises in rickets and other bone-related diseases for the first time since World War II. Supporters of the burka talk about freedom of choice — yet it is not women who are being given that freedom, but men who are imposing their will. That is not empowerment but imprisonment. The burka is just another weapon in the jihadist arsenal of misogyny, like forced marriage, female genital mutilation and sexist discrimination. It should have no part in British society, where women are supposed to be treated as equal citizens. By tolerating it, we are allowing a form of gender apartheid to grow in our midst. All of us, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, have a duty to challenge the religious hardliners who have cynically exploited British traditions of tolerance and individual liberty to pursue their own twisted sectarian agenda imported wholesale from the Arab Middle East. A start could be made by forcing our politicians to debate the issue by gathering sufficient signatures for our historic anti-burka petition. We cannot continue to accept the creeping Arabisation of Islam in the UK and consequent destruction of our cherished British freedoms. A stand must be made now.
Dr Taj Hargey is the Imam of the Oxford Islamic Congregation and the Director of the Muslim Educational Centre of Oxford .
5bc08cd2207a0f3fe019aa5efd790a8d636008d6
For most, Valentine's Day conjures up images of red roses, chocolates and love poems in cute greetings cards. But for Sara X, who is better known as 'Mozart boob twerking girl,' it is a time to upload a new film of her breasts moving in time to music. Sara X Mills, 27, from LA, made waves online by twerking her breasts in time to Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik last year, and now the former stripper is back in a Valentine's themed clip. Sara X Mills is back flexing her voluptuous breasts along to Ludwig van Beethoven's Für Elise . She wears a tutu skirt and angel wings as well as - of course - a skimpy bralet in the video . In the video, she appears holding a Cupid's bow and arrow and wearing a fancy dress style outfit comprising of tutu skirt and angel wings as well as - of course - a skimpy bra. To the sound of Ludwig van Beethoven's Für Elise, Sara flexes her chest muscles one at a time, so her breast tissue moves up and down. The heavily-tattooed model released a festive version of her party trick back in December, moving her boobs along to the tune of Jingle Bells. She first appears in the video dressed in a faux fut coat, but soon strips off the item of clothing to reveal a candy cane striped bikini top. Sara then executes some synchronized chest movements to the rhythm of Jingle Bells. But the initial clip that first made her famous showed Sara X Mills moving her breasts individually and simultaneously to the sound of Mozart. The video went viral and was viewed more than 26 million times in just one week. Sara's popularity was a double-edged sword though, as the short film gave her instant fame and helped to raise money for charity but it also brought death threats. In an interview after the first clip went global, Sara revealed that she was 'bored and uninspired' at the time she recorded the video. And she revealed that she received a barrage of abuse from internet trolls after the clip went global in October. As Sara flexes her pec muscles one at a time her breast tissue moves up and down making, her boobs look like they're jiggling all on their own. Her talent has made her a global sensation online . She told Jezebel at the time: 'I know I've definitely been called a w**** and a s*** and an attention w**** far more times than I ever was when I was actually in an adult industry. 'Mostly the people who have negative things to say about my character, or my presumed profession, past profession, and life decisions don't get that the video is meant to be humorous, and operate under the assumption that I just wanted to show the world my boobs.' Sara said that she had found the attention her trick had brought disconcerting and that she wouldn't feel too sad when her time in the spotlight passed. However, she must have had a change of heart since making those statements as she uploaded the Christmas clip to YouTube afterwards, which received more than one million views in a day. And she has now  presented a Valentine's February treat, which currently has more than 600,000 views. Historians will applaud her choice of theme tune for the love-themed day, as Beethoven reportedly wrote the piece for a woman he proposed to, but who ended up marrying an Austrian nobleman instead. The former stripper first became an internet star by jiggling her breasts to Mozart. She then filmed another clip just in time for Christmas where she moves her chest in time to Jingle Bells . A day after uploading the clip, Sara's video had more than one million views .
Tattooed model first became internet star by jiggling her breasts to Mozart . She filmed clip of performance to Jingle Bells just in time for Christmas . Sara X now returns with video of her boob twerking along to Für Elise .
9324ad579873146c0502ee6cf238d968a3b9380f
Fears were rising today for the crew of a South Korean trawler which sank in the Bering Sea, off the east coast of Russia. More than 50 men were reported missing in appalling conditions with high seas and strong winds. Seven people were rescued from the 1,753-tonne Oryong 501 - including a Russian inspector on board the ship when it got into difficulty. Scroll down for video . More than 50 men are missing and feared dead after their trawler sank in the Bering Sea in bad weather . One man was confirmed dead by the Russian rescue services. The vessel sank off the Chukotka peninsula after being hit by a large wave as the crew hauled in their catch. 'One person, a fishermen from South Korea, died from hypothermia,' said Artur Rets, chief of the Naval Coordination and Rescue Centre in Petropavlosvsk-Kamchatsky, where the temperature is currently -4°C. 'The destiny of 54 other crew members is as yet unknown.' 'The ship tilted slowly after taking in water, forcing crew members to abandon it,' said a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. 'Several vessels from nearby waters were involved in search and rescue efforts, but the operation has been hampered by bad weather.' Other accounts said 52 were missing. A fishing trawler sank off the Chukotka peninsula after being hit by a large wave in bad weather (file picture) 'Seven people were rescued, including a Russian inspector,' said Rets. 'Five were taken on board the Russian 'Karolina-7' fishing trawler, two others to the 'Zaliv Zabiyaka' boat'.' He said that a huge search was underway as night fell. 'The crew of all boats in the area are carrying intense searches right now, looking for 54 others in the water,' he said. However, the weather conditions were difficult. 'The wind is 25-27 m/c, with waves reaching 5-6 metres. 'We received information about the incident at about 5 pm local time, when the emergency buoy of 'Oryong-501' went off. The trawler sank very quickly.' Reports said the crew comprised 11 South Koreans, 13 from the Philippines, 35 from Indonesia, plus one Russian inspector. Other versions said there were 62 on board when it went down in mid-afternoon on Monday. The vessel was operated by South Korea's Sajo Industries. The human body cools 25 times faster in cold water than it does in air. The expected time of survival of a person in 41-degree F (5°C) water is up to three hours.
South Korean trawler has sunk leaving more than 50 men missing . Seven people have been rescued, one man has been confirmed dead . Vessel sank off the Chukotka peninsula after being hit by a large wave .
74dfec60c3ad6191216d7f5117bf940ac335884e
Britain’s oldest person – and the last survivor of the Victorian age – has died at the age of 114. Great-grandmother Ethel Lang lived through six monarchs and 22 prime ministers. Born on May 27, 1900, a year before the end of Queen Victoria’s reign, she was said to be the eighth oldest person in the world. Mrs Lang’s lifetime spanned the Wright Brothers’ first flight in 1903, both world wars, the 1917 Russian Revolution, the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the Moon landings and the invention of the internet. Ethel Lang, pictured with staff at the Water Royd House, Barnsley, on her birthday, died aged 114 yesterday . When the Titanic sank she was 11 – and she was 101 when terrorists flew planes into the Twin Towers, triggering the War on Terror. Mrs Lang died yesterday at the Water Royd House nursing home, in Barnsley. The home confirmed her death but said it could not comment any further. Her daughter Margaret Bates, 91, led tributes to her yesterday, saying: ‘She was such a good mum. I’m so proud of her. ‘She was registered blind in 1988 but it never stemmed her enthusiasm for life, even in her later years. 'I would take her into town and she would ask me to point out to her things like buildings and landmarks. She hated to be stuck indoors.’ She was the youngest daughter of Charles Lancaster, a miner, and his wife Sarah and was born when the Marquess of Salisbury was prime minister. She lived in the Worsbrough area of Barnsley all her life and left school aged 13 to go to work at Sudgen's shirt factory. In 1922, she married William Lang, a young plumber and the only son of Barnsley councillor Thomas Lang, at St Mary's Church, Barnsley. Widowed when her husband died in 1988, aged 92, she lived independently until she was 105, when she moved into a care home. Mrs Lang, pictured left aged 20, and right, aged 27 with husband William and daughter Margaret in 1927 . Her hobby was dancing, which she enjoyed until 107. She was also a keen snooker fan and her favourite player was Jimmy White. Her longevity was perhaps helped by the fact that she never smoked and rarely touched alcohol. She was a good cook, made her own bread and always ate wholesome food, according to her family. Genetics were also on her side. Her mother lived to 91 and, when a relative traced her family tree, many ancestors turned out to have had long lives all the way back to the early 1700s. Mrs Lang, pictured right aged 106, has a daughter Margaret Bates, pictured left, who is now 91 . Mrs Lang became the longest surviving person after Londoner Grace Jones, died aged 113 in 2013. Pictured, celebrating her 112th birthday at Water Royd House, in Barnsley . Last year, Mrs Lang celebrated her 114th birthday with a piece of cake and a cup of tea along with her family and friends. She became the longest surviving person after Londoner Grace Jones, died aged 113 in 2013. Mrs Lang’s death means that Gladys Hooper, of the Isle of Wight, now appears to be Britain’s oldest person. She will be 112 tomorrow. The world’s oldest person is thought to Japan’s Misao Okawa. She is due to turn 117 in March. According to the Isle of Wight County Press, Mrs Hooper was born on January 18, 1903. She was brought up in Rottingdean, Brighton, and was friends with aviation pioneer Amy Johnson. She played the piano to a high standard and became a concert pianist in London and mixed with the likes of band leaders Jack Payne, Debroy Somers and Maurice Winnick.
Ethel Lang was born in the Worsbrough area of Barnsley in May 1900 . Queen Victoria was on the throne and the Marquess of Salisbury was PM . Mrs Lang died yesterday at the Water Royd House nursing home . She lived independently until she was 105 when she moved into the home .
cbd3fb94572a0e1b11b974a3c78ad84e0cd824d3
A Maori Muslim leader who openly supports extremist activity in the Middle East has started his own Islamic State in a New Zealand town. Te Amorangi Kireka-Whaanga, who is the leader of the Aotearoa Maori Muslim Association, announced via social media on Sunday that he had changed the organisation's name to the Islamic State of Aotearoa. Mr Kireka-Whaanga of Hastings, north-east of Wellington, has openly supported the Islamic State militant group in the past on Facebook saying it will cause the end of western civilisation. Scroll down for video . Te Amorangi Kireka-Whaanga has started the Islamic State of Aotearoa in Hastings, north-east of Wellington . He posted on his Facebook page calling on 'Muslim souljahs, warriors and followers of prophet Muhammad' to make their way to Hastings and 'blow everyone away with the beauty and magic of love, truth, wisdom and divine blessings'. 'Out with the old and in with the new, let's radiate the power of truth the magic of it upon the starving souls of mankind.' He proclaims he is 'a peace advocate trying to achieve my goal of winning a Nobel peace prize'. Mr Kireka-Whaanga was named one of the world's 500 most influential Muslims by a group in Jordan in 2010 and was one of just two New Zealanders to make the list, the New Zealand Herald reports. The mayor of the Hastings, Lawrence Yule, said the Facebook posts to Mr Kireka-Whaanga's 900-odd friends were 'very concerning' considering the violent nature of the group in the Middle East. 'I don't think any normal, law-abiding Kiwi would think there's any time or place for this kind of behaviour,' he said. 'When you have our own citizens setting up a terrorist-style cult within New Zealand, then the agencies on behalf of New Zealanders will do anything they can to stamp them out. I don't think there's any place in New Zealand for these Islamic cults.' Last month, Mr Kireka-Whaanga told the Star Times that his family wanted to relocate to Syria but he expected his passport to be cancelled by the New Zealand government. He said the United Nations didn't care that Muslims were being killed across the world and he understood the actions of the Islamic State. 'If you practise your religion then of course you'll be 100 per cent behind Islamic State,' he said .
Te Amorangi Kireka-Whaanga started the Islamic State of Aotearoa in Hastings, north-east of Wellington . He posted on Facebook that he was changing the name of the Aotearoa Maori Muslim Association to represent the Islamic State . Mr Kireka-Whaanga has openly supported the Islamic State in the past . He said last month he wanted to relocate to Syria but feared his passport would be cancelled by the government .
c2059e59a8a027e60d2601c09723444ce866893e
New questions surround the disappearance of an American soldier who was captured by the Taliban after an email that he sent to his parents hints that he was so disappointed with the American mission in Afghanistan that he may have defected. Shortly before he disappeared three years ago, Bowe Bergdahl told his parents he was 'ashamed to even be American' and was disgusted with the Army, according to emails quoted in Rolling Stone magazine. Bergdahl, a 26-year-old Army sergeant from Hailey, Idaho, was taken prisoner on June 30, 2009, in Afghanistan. Captured: Bowe Bergdahl, 26, was an Army sergeant when he was taken prisoner on June 30, 2009, in Afghanistan . The military has never detailed circumstances of his disappearance or capture, and he is not classified as a deserter. He was initially listed as 'duty status unknown' and is now considered 'missing-captured.' He is the only U.S. prisoner of war from the Afghanistan conflict, and U.S. officials say they are actively trying to free him. The White House declined comment on the emails or Bergdahl's possible motivation for leaving his base in eastern Afghanistan in 2009. The Rolling Stone article, to be published Friday, also quotes other soldiers and associates of Bergdahl's as saying that he had talked about walking to Pakistan if his deployment was 'lame' and that shortly before his disappearance he had asked whether he should take his weapon if he left the base. Friends and other soldiers describe a survivalist mentality, and Bergdahl's father, Bob, told the magazine that his son was 'living in a novel.' 'The future is too good to waste on lies,' one email reads. 'And life is way too short to care for the damnation of others, as well as to spend it helping fools with their ideas that are wrong. In custody: The Taliban released a video of Bergdahl after they captured him and a man holds up the soldier's dogtags to prove that it is in fact the 26-year-old . Classification: He was initially listed as 'duty status unknown' and is now considered 'missing-captured' ‘The US army is the biggest joke the world has to laugh at. It is the army of liars, backstabbers, fools, and bullies. ‘The few good (sergeants) are getting out as soon as they can, and they are telling us privates to do the same.’ The emails were provided to the magazine by Bergdahl's family in Idaho, which has gone public with its own discontent with U.S. efforts to free their son. There is no way to authenticate the emails. Some of Bergdahl's reported words read like a suicide note. 'I am sorry for everything,' he wrote. 'The horror that is America is disgusting.' Questionable clues: Reports emerged in 2010 that a Taliban leader told British officials that Bergdahl was teaching Taliban members how to build and detonate bombs, but the U.S. denied it . He mailed home boxes containing his uniform and books. In . 2010, rumors circulated following allegations made by Taliban leader . Haji Nadeem, who said that Bergdahl has been training and helping the Al . Qaeda operatives how to make bombs. Pentagon officials immediately denied the charges, saying that the stories told by Nadeem didn’t ‘hold much water from the get-go’ since he claimed that Bergdahl had weapons and arms on him when he was captured, which is not true. Both official reports and the Rolling Stone article say that Bergdahl left the base with only a bottle of water and a compass. The claims add an element of Hollywood storytelling to the situation, and not surprisingly so: the idea of an American soldier defecting to the Taliban before returning to the U.S. is the basis of Showtime’s hit Homeland. Similar: The story of Bergdahl echoes that of the TV show Homeland, starring Damian Lewis as the soldier with a suspicious past and Claire Danes is the agent who is daring enough to question the returning war hero . Damian Lewis plays the soldier with a suspicious past while Claire Danes is the agent who is daring enough to question the returning war hero. In spite of Pentagon denials, the emails that Bergdahl sent to his parents reveal that he was in a seemingly emotional state at the time of his disappearance, which may lend credence to the theories that he may have ulterior motives behind his imprisonment. U.S. government officials continue to brush off claims of defection, and have continued plans to retrieve the soldier. Bergdahl is the subject of a proposed prisoner swap in which he would be traded for five Taliban adherents imprisoned by the United States at the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Taliban have walked away from the deal and larger negotiations with the United States, but the Obama administration is still pushing a negotiated settlement between the Taliban and the U.S.-backed government in Afghanistan. Continued efforts: U.S. officials are trying to negotiate a prisoner exchange with the Taliban .
Bowe Bergdahl, 26, walked out of U.S. base in Afghanistan in June 2009 and was captured by the Taliban . The day before leaving camp, he emailed his parents about how he had become extremely disillusioned with the Army and American policy .
3e53a8f7d39e6e33f5df0569a1a68ffa8e2991aa
Widnes beat Hull KR to tighten their grip on the final First Utility Super League play-off place in a physical encounter at the Select Security Stadium. Two tries in as many minutes at the beginning of the second half gave the Vikings the confidence to see out the game. First Joe Mellor flew over and then Kevin Brown finished off a brilliant inter-passing move to give the Vikings the edge. The hosts did not have it all their own way though as Hull KR threw everything at them but in the end the visitors did not have the power to deal with the vibrant Vikings, who head into next week’s Tetley’s Challenge Cup semi-final against Castleford in great shape thanks to a 28-10 victory. Clean hitting: Danny Tickle sends a conversion flying over as Widnes comfortably beat Hull KR on Sunday . With only one point separating the two teams beforehand, it was always going to be a tense affair and that was the way the first period played out. The Vikings got their noses in front after ten minutes as Jack Owens latched onto a Brown cross-field kick to put the home side in charge. Hull KR winger Ade Gardner was left in no man’s land as the pinpoint kick caught him napping on the right flank. Owens was on hand to zoom up behind him and over for the first try of the afternoon. Danny Tickle missed the conversion. The Robins thought they had hit back immediately through dangerous Australian stand-off Travis Burns but that effort was ruled out by referee Robert Hicks for an infringement. Rovers were not to be denied, though, as Burns linked up with James Green to send over Kris Keating for a well-worked score. Burns could not add the conversion. Willie Isa then rampaged his way forward and his offload to Rhys Hanbury gave the Vikings full-back some room to manoeuvre and he passed to Danny Galea who sent in Chris Dean for a sweeping Widnes try. Tickle was on target with the conversion to put Widnes 10-4 in front at half-time. It did not stay that way for long after the interval as Widnes stretched their lead to 12 as Mellor finished off a superb break from Dave Allen to romp home under the posts. Tickle added the extras and Denis Betts’ men were well in command. The Vikings came out the traps aggressively and they were in again two minutes later as Dean turned the Robins defence inside out and his timely pass to Owens was enough to create the score for Brown. The Robins put themselves back in it, however, on 50 minutes as powerful back rower Jason Chan burst over to give Burns an easy conversion. The tit-for-tat scoring continued, this time it was Vikings’ centre Stefan Marsh speeding over after good work from Brown and Mellor. Jack Owens was unsuccessful with the touchline conversion. Owens was in action again on the opposite flank after Rhys Hanbury’s terrific solo score. The Robins kept plugging away, with Ben Cockayne going close, but the Vikings held on to extend their cushion in eighth spot to three points.
Widnes look set for a play-off place in the Super League . Jack Owens opened the scoring early on to set them on their way .
87f79a799da95ba40b508bfef7fdccc6192b2276
The QWERTY keyboards on BlackBerry phones may have fallen by the wayside in favour of touchscreens, but many users still prefer the feel of real keys when typing on devices. With this in mind, a Californian firm has developed an iPhone and iPad case that adds tactile keys to touchscreens. And with the slide of a button, the keys disappear so the owner can use the touchscreen for games and other apps. Scroll down for video . Phorm consists of a case, with a slider on the rear, and a screen protector lined with 'microfluidics'. These small amounts of fluid raise up from the screen (pictured) when the slider is moved, and disappear when the slider is returned to its original position . Called Phorm, the case was designed by Tactus Technology which specialises in physical keyboards for mobile devices. Phorm consists of a case, with a slider on the rear, and a screen protector lined with 'microfluidics'. These small amounts of fluid raise up from the screen when the slide is activated, and disappear when the slider is moved back into position. These bumps are called Finger Guides and sit above each individual key on the keyboard, other than the space bar. These bumps (pictured) are called Finger Guides and sit above each individual key on the keyboard, other than the space bar. They are designed to help people touch type, or at least type faster, because as the name suggests they guide users to the best location to press the touchscreen key beneath . They are designed to help people touch type, or at least type faster, because as the name suggests they guide users to the best location to press the touchscreen key beneath. Phorm consists of a case, with a slider on the rear, and a screen protector lined with microfluidics. These small amounts of fluid raise up from the screen when the slide is activated, and disappear when the slider is moved back into position. These bumps are called Finger Guides and sit above each individual key on the keyboard, other than the space bar. They are designed to help people touch type, or at least type faster, because as the name suggests they guide users to the best location to press the touchscreen key below. The case has been designed for the iPad mini and iPhone 6 Plus and works with all native iOS keyboards, as well as downloadable keyboards Swiftkey, Swype and Fleksy. The case is available for pre-order for $99 in the US now, and will go on sale widely in the summer. Tactus said it plans to launch in other regions once the pre-orders are shipped and it is working on cases for other phones. ‘Once installed, Phorm acts as a protective case and screen protector for your device’ said the firm. ‘When you want to type, you can raise up the Finger Guides on the screen protector by sliding the slider on the back. The Finger Guides appear on top of the on-screen keyboard. ‘You type normally as you always do on your device's touch screen - Phorm takes care of the rest.’ The company added that the case does not impact on the battery life of the phone or tablet, and people don’t need to learn a specific typing technique. The $99 case has been designed for the iPad mini and iPhone 6 Plus and works with all native iOS keyboards, as well as downloadable keyboards Swiftkey, Swype and Fleksy. It can be pre-ordered in the US now, and will go on sale in the summer. Tactus said it plans to launch in other regions once the pre-orders are shipped .
Phorm consists of a case and screen protector lined with 'microfluidics' This fluid raises up from the screen when a slide on the case is moved . These bumps are called Finger Guides and help people touch type . Phorm works with iOS keyboards, as well as Swiftkey, Swype and Fleksy . Case can be pre-ordered for $99 in the US and will launch in other regions after Phorm goes on sale in the summer .
fe7ff14e0d3fad53174cba5c2bbc8a33234505e4
Weighing about the same as a three-year-old child and containing 12,000 calories this dinner could feed a whole family at Christmas... but is meant to be for just one person. The seven-kilogramme meal consists of a turkey crown filled with pork and orange stuffing, a whole chicken, whole duck, four Yorkshire puddings and ten each of new potatoes, roast potatoes and pigs in blankets, and equal measures of carrots, sprouts and squash . The £56 challenge is so gargantuan that the restaurant serving it has drawn up a disclaimer warning those with heart conditions or underlying illnesses about the dangers of such a calorific meal - but if diners can get through the entire thing in an hour they get the whole lot free. The 'largest Christmas dinner in the UK': The Real 3-Bird Challenge is the brainchild of Sarah Bird (pictured) who runs The Black Bull restaurant in Wakefield, West Yorkshire . A case for Man vs Food:The seven-kilogramme meal is a turkey crown filled with pork and orange stuffing, a whole chicken, duck, Yorkshire puddings and ten each of new potatoes, roast potatoes and pigs in blankets . The Real 3-Bird Challenge is the brainchild of Sarah Bird who runs The Black Bull restaurant in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The Christmas dinner challenge takes a total of four hours to assemble, prepare and cook, and three chefs to make it. Ms Bird said: 'We have made a meal for four grown men or a Christmas dinner for a whole family but one lucky challenger has got to eat it all in an hour. 'We reckon it adds up to about 12,000 calories. We are making disclaimers because we want to be responsible about this- even if it is a bit of fun in the run up to Christmas. Our disclaimers always state that challenges can only be undertaken by those 18 and above. The Christmas challenge takes a total of four hours to assemble, prepare and cook, and three chefs to make it . The restaurant has had 3,000 likes on Facebook since they posted the picture on their page . The meal, which can feed four grown men, costs £56 but if diners can finish it in an hour they get it free . The restaurant chain also serves an 80oz steak challenge for £54 and a whole cake challenge. ''This is the biggest challenge we have done yet and 12,000 calories is obviously several times the recommended daily intake for just one man. We will have the first aid kit on standby,' Ms Bird continued. Since posting a photo of the gigantic meal, their Facebook page has been inundated with people linking their friends and boasting that they can defeat the platter. Facebook follower Phil Simcox wrote: 'If that's not promoting obesity I don't know what is.' 'I have had a go at it and I didn't even make a dent. We have had 3,000 likes on Facebook since we put it up and have had quite a few people interested or egging their friends on,' Ms Bird continued. Christmas challenge: The restaurant has issued disclaimers warning those with heart conditions or underlying illnesses about the dangers of such a calorific meal . The restaurant chain also serves an 80oz steak challenge for £54 and a whole cake challenge . 'Everyone has been sharing the picture and getting their friends on board. It is really exciting. We are stating that you have to order this 24 hours in advance so we have enough time to make it. 'The meat itself adds up to about 100 ounces -  it is massive. It weighs about the same as a three-year-old.' 'If anyone actually manages it they get the whole thing for free. I really want someone to finish it all but I think it might just be a bit big. It would be great to get a professional eater in and see how they handle it.' 'We just love doing these challenges and we thought it would be great to do a challenge in the run up to Christmas. 'I think we have definitely made the largest Man vs Food Christmas dinner in the UK. I think if anyone manages to finish it they will be put off Christmas dinner for life. '
Real 3-Bird Challenge served at The Black Bull, Wakefield, West Yorkshire . Dinner weighs 7kg and has turkey, chicken and duck plus all the trimmings . Disclaimer warns those with heart conditions about dangers of the meal .
86c3ce42f3b4f07fde9d52b571c7c9170b85ec1c
Boris Johnson wants to take charge of London's courts and prosecutors in a major seizure of powers by the Mayor. As London Mayor, Mr Johnson is already responsible for policing, transport and housing in the capital but wants to wrestle more controls from ministers in Whitehall. The idea emerged as he continues his tour of the Far East, reaching the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur today. London Mayor Boris Johnson, pictured at Epsom College in Kuala Lumpur, wants to take control of courts and prosecutors in the capital . Mr Johnson is a on a six-day trade trip to the Far East, where he met local Malaysian businesses . Mr Johnson will remain as London Mayor until 2016, but is also standing to become an MP in next year's general election. The plan to seize control of justice in London would create a New York-style system with the mayor overseeing the entire process from initial arrest to charging and sentencing. The Mayor already holds the Metropolitan police to account, and is able to hire and fire the chief constable. Stephen Greenhalgh, Mr Johnson's deputy mayor for policing, told The Guardian: 'The criminal justice system should be held to account as the Met is in London, otherwise these are unaccountable agencies not answering to the people of London.' Savings could be found by having the police, courts and prosecutors 'in the same buildings, working off the same IT systems, with the same priorities,' he said. 'It is a 19th-century construct with 19th-century technology which needs to move into the 21st century.' The idea is also being studied by Labour, with the party's police and crime commissioner in Manchester, Tony Lloyd, backing the idea. 'It makes sense to explore the possibility of bringing local Crown Prosecution Service and court services under the oversight of police and crime commissioners, establishing transparency and public accountability throughout the entire criminal justice system,' he said. Mr Johnson crosses the road in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he met the Mayor of the Malaysian capital Ahmad Phesal Talib (left) and was shown a view over the city from his offices . The London Mayor had breakfast at a cafe in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with city mayor Ahmad Phesal Talib . Mr Johnson has previously called for the Mayor to have overall control of schools in London, which is currently held by the capital's boroughs. Today Mr Johnson is to meet the prime minister of Malaysia and the mayor of Kuala Lumpur as he reaches the third country of a high-profile regional tour. He has been repeatedly mobbed by members of the public on his trip, which will continue for the next two days. Ahead of events in Malaysia, Mr Johnson said: 'This fast-developing nation is teaming with new and exciting trade and investment opportunities. From great new feats of transport engineering to cutting-edge design and architectural projects, I urge more British companies to get involved.' As well as senior politicians, Mr Johnson's engagements will involve the unveiling of the architect of the planned Malaysia Square at Battersea. The square will be the 'public realm centrepiece' of the major regeneration project under way at the Thames landmark. The announcement will be made with prime minister Mohammad Najib Abdul Razak. He is also due to meet Tony Fernandes, owner of Queen Park Rangers and Caterham Cars, at Epsom College's Kuala Lumpur campus.
London Mayor already oversees the Metropolitan Police in the capital . But aides want courts and prosecuting services to be controlled by Mayor . Would create a New York-style justice system from offence to sentence . Johnson has reached Malayasia on a six-day tour of the Far East .
621a4058a694cfa16146d9040882676447bda883
London mayor Boris Johnson did little to dispel his city's reputation for excessive consumption when he appeared in Jakarta today. The weighty politician's midriff was all the more noticeable for its contrast to wasp-thin Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who cycled alongside him on a car-free day in Jakarta. With Mr Johnson's 'London Is Great' T-shirt losing the battle to contain his chest fat, it seemed ironic the Tory big beast's itinerary included sharing the experience of running London's Olympic Games with local politicians. London Mayor Boris Johnson in Jakarta today, where he wore a wore a T-shirt that struggled to contain his portly frame, despite being in the city to advise local politicians on the running of a sporting event . Contrasts: Mr Johnson's portly figure was all the more noticeable next to that of the Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, second left, who has enjoyed a meteoric rise to power in just a few years . Globe trotter: Mr Johnson is the first British politician to have a substantial meeting with President Widodo since his inauguration. He is on a week long visit to the Far East taking in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia . Public appearance: Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok, right, talks to Mayor Boris, centre, and British Ambassador to Jakarta Moazzam Malik, left, during a ceremony in Jakarta . But despite their physical disparity, Mr Johnson will be hoping he can share something in common with Mr Widodo: the Indonesian head of state enjoyed a meteoric rise to his country's top job after first becoming governor of Jakarta in 2012. That's a route observers say Mr Johnson, who has been London mayor since 2008, is hoping to emulate, as speculation grows that Tory leader and current PM David Cameron is losing the support of his Conservative Party. Mr Johnson is the first British politician to have a substantial meeting with President Widodo since his inauguration. Ahead of the meeting, Mr Johnson said: 'I'm delighted to be back in Jakarta. I want to try and help cement our strong bilateral relations with Indonesia and further discussion on trade and business opportunities between two great and growing capital cities. 'I'm looking forward to sharing our experience of running the Olympic Games with the president as Indonesia prepares to host the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.' Mass movement: Hundreds of cyclists follow the London Mayor and Indonesian President as they enjoy clear roads on Jakarta's car-free day . Easy rider: Mr Johnson glides along one-handed as he makes his way to a meeting with Mr Widodo . Mr Cameron met Mr Widodo briefly at this month's G20 meeting in Brisbane. The Prime Minister last visited Jakarta in February 2012 when he met Mr Widodo's predecessor. The meeting between the president and Mr Johnson is expected to discuss Mr Widodo's G20 speech on the importance of free and fair trade, the importance of building on the UK's strong bilateral relations with Indonesia and shared engagement on education, trade and defence. Interestingly for Mr Johnson, it will also discuss the president's recent election. Indonesia is forecast to be the fifth biggest economy in the world by the mid-2020s. The country has a a huge and burgeoning middle class consumer market and it is the biggest Muslim country in the world. Mr Johnson will seek to increase business opportunities for Britain. Continuing his involvement in the ongoing UK Trade and Industry mission to the Far East, Mr Johnson will push to attract more British investment in Jakarta and Indonesia after research showed 69 per cent of Indonesians feel open to the UK. The Jakarta visit is the latest stop on a six-day tour of the Far East for Mr Johnson. He was due later in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Hello! Mr Johnson steps off the plane at Kuala Lumpur, wearing the national shirt, on day four of his tour . Riding in style: The London mayor is driven through Kuala Lumpur airport in an electric car . Touch in: A slightly bleary-eyed Mr Johnson walks through the barriers on his way to catch a train to town . Mind the doors: Mr Johnson takes the train from Kuala Lumpur Airport into the centre of the Malaysian capital . Thumbs up: The London Mayor makes an emphatically positive gesture as he sits on the train . Yesterday the London Mayor was in Singapore where, although is used to dealing with some evasive types in the world of politics, a lizard still managed to get the better of him. Mr Johnson playfully grabbed the creature’s tail before it scurried away during a visit to Singapore Botanic Gardens. It was the third day of his Far East tour, where he is meeting world leaders. Boris Johnson attempts to wrangle a lizard during a visit to the Singapore Botanic Gardens yesterday . Mr Johnson looks at the Margaret Thatcher orchid, named after Britain's former Prime Minister . The politician also viewed an orchid garden named after Margaret Thatcher, which was previously visited by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Set up in 1859, the 74-hectare Singapore gardens have been supported by Kew Gardens since 1877. Mr Johnson was joined there by Kew scientists, who hope to help Singapore’s gardens receive world heritage site status. He said: ‘Singapore’s relationship with one of our most quintessentially British brands is testament to the huge appetite there is for London’s expertise overseas.’
London Mayor appeared as a stark contrast to the thinner local politicians . He joined Indonesian president and local governor on bike ride event . Mr Johnson is on a tour of the Far East to drum up business opportunities .
d25be8fbde31b67ba01fd38a312677bd04894a7c
They shot to global fame as the privileged toffs from hit movie The Riot Club - the film based on Old Etonians who go to Oxford University and on towards positions of great power and influence. And it seems that their debauched on-screen activities have worked in their favour because Sam Claflin and Douglas Booth have both landed top modelling jobs. Sam, who also stars alongside Jennifer Lawrence as Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games, is the star of Ciroc Vodka's new campaign, Ciroc On Arrival, and was hand-picked to be photographed by legendary snapper, Mario Testino. Scroll down for video . Photographer Mario Testino picked Hunger Games actor Sam Claflin to star in Ciroc Vodka's new campaign . The campaign is all about hand-picking emerging talents from across the globe and celebrating the latest young stars breaking out in their profession. Sam was chosen by Mario, who regularly works with Cara Delevingne, the Beckhams and Kate Moss, as one to watch in the industry for the London shoot. Speaking about his latest role, 28-year-old Sam said: 'I’ve been lucky enough to have been given some amazing opportunities to be able to do what I love in life. 'Of course, I have had to prove myself in a lot of ways as an actor which puts a lot of pressure on me, so this campaign appealed as it allows me a moment to celebrate.' Sam, who as chosen as an emerging acting talent, regularly works with Cara Delevingne and Kate Moss . Sam prepares for his shoot at The London Edition Hotel. He says the shoot felt like a career 'milestone' The heartthrob describes his wife, Inbetweeners actress Laura Haddock, as his 'female counterpart' Sam has had a lot of acting roles over the years but only shot to prominence in The Hunger Games - he has since become a poster boy within the acting world and a promising thespian. Despite his success, it wasn't always smooth sailing. He explains: 'Being in drama school and all the training you do as an actor, you hope you’re going to make it. 'But there’s a part of you that’s got to be realistic and say: "Look, it might not happen to me", so to play the roles I’m now playing and to be selected by Mario Testino, who is world famous for creating some of the most iconic images of recent decades, definitely feels like a milestone in my career.' Sam beefed up to for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire as Katniss's co-conspirator Finnick Odair last year . Sadly for his female fans, Sam is married to the equally attractive actress, Laura Haddock. Speaking about his wife, who starred as Alison in The Inbetweeners movie, he said: 'She's my female counterpart is the best way to describe her. 'She is my mum. She reminds me of my mum so much which I think - a guy will know, right? It's important. Your mum knows like everything.' Sam and Laura are part of a new London-based group of hot young actors and regularly attend parties with Suki Waterhouse, Cara Delevingne, Jack Whitehall, Gemma Chan, Natalie Dormer and Douglas Booth. Douglas won the heart of the - mostly female - nation in 2013 in Carlo Carlei's film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Douglas Booth, left, starred as Harry and Sam Claflin, right, played Alistair in the hit movie The Riot Club . After starring alongside Sam in The Riot Club, Douglas has become a household name. His latest coup? Becoming the face of Salvatore Ferragamo's latest fashion campaign. The 22-year-old stars in A Man’s Story, a dynamic menswear project by photographer and filmmaker Francesco Carrozzini. He joins ASAP Rocky, Ryan McGinley, Henrik Lundqvist, Alexander Gilkes, Louis-Marie de Castelbajac and Tyrone Wood and reveals a decision that led them to become the men they are today. Speaking in a promotional video as he showcases the label's new sneakers, Douglas speaks of his childhood dreams of finding fame. He said: 'I remember being a kid and having a massive imagination. I would entertain myself just by running around the garden, I wanted to live a thousand lifetimes within my own. Douglas Booth may only be 22 but he is now the star of Salvatore Ferragamo's latest fashion campaign . 'To do that, I had to tell different stories and play different characters. I remember sitting and watching Gladiator 15 to 20 times with my friends, that was inspiring for me. Then to be working with Russell Crowe and him playing my father was a bizarre experience. 'Being driven home from school one day, I said to my friend: "I want to be an actor" and he said: "pfft, it's not going to happen" and I said: "why not?" 'I always just believed that there are people doing things that you dream of doing but you've got to take life by the balls and just do it.' Douglas stars in A Man's Story, a menswear project by photographer and filmmaker Francesco Carrozzini . And he did just that. Douglas, although severely dyslexic who admits to struggling at school, went on to develop a keen interest in drama. By 15, he was a member of the Curtis Brown acting agency and landed his first professional role in 2009's From Time To Time directed by Julian Fellowes. A role as Pip in the BBC One adaptation of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations in 2011 and a role in Darren Aronofsky's Biblical epic Noah alongside friend Emma Watson followed. His good looks have also landed him modelling work with acclaimed British fashion house, Burberry. Douglas has starred in campaigns with fellow Brit beauties Emma Watson, Rosie Huntington Whiteley, and Lily Donaldson. Douglas admitted to his dreams of finding fame: 'I remember being a kid and having a massive imagination' Fashionable face: Douglas (third from right) on the front row alongside (L-R) Poppy Delevigne, Donna Air, Aaron Paul, Alexa Chung, Sarah Jessica Parker and Serena Williams .
Hunger Games hunk Sam, 28, starred with Douglas, 22, in The Riot Club . Now both Brits have landed cool new advertising campaigns . Sam was hand-picked by photographer Mario Testino as 'one to watch' Douglas models Salvatore Ferragamo's latest men's fashion .
030d69a236df621c18b166f3fb64136109988594
As temperatures hovered at around 3C this morning, residents in a north London suburb were waking up to get ready for work. But already gathered in a quiet street in Stanmore, since before the sun had risen and temperatures began to increase, were queues of migrants looking for a day's work. The large groups of men were seen standing in the road in long queues, hopeful to pick up work from passing builders and tradesmen in white vans who would pay them for an extra pair of hands today. So many have started to gather in the leafy London suburb that the queue had spilled out to in front of Selco warehouse in Honeypot Lane, which appeared to have security guards standing outside to ensure the large groups were kept under control. Groups of migrants are queuing outside a north London warehouse in the hope of picking up a day's work . Groups have been gathering at the spot from about 6.30am and there are reports of some approaching local workers directly to ask for work, and others stopping vans to ask if they are needed. They are frequently paid in cash - meaning they often don't pay tax or National Insurance. Just 19, Iusti came to the UK four months ago from Botosani in northern Romania. His father died in August, his mother lives in Italy, his sister in Spain and he has a 16-year-old girlfriend, Valentina, back home. Her father works, earning about £160 a month. He said he came here on his own to earn money. Soon after driving to London in a van with seven other people he found work near Victoria and Pimlico, labouring for three weeks. Work has been sporadic and he now lives with 13 other people in a house on an estate in Queensbury, Harrow, doing occasional jobs in the area as a roofer. Iusti says around 30 or 40 men, Romanians and Romanian gypsies, turn out at around 6am every morning looking for work. Some have been in the UK just a few months and speak little English, and most send money home. In four months he thinks he has been able to find about six weeks' work. But he has not had any for four days. Despite waiting since 7am today, his British boss had not turned up by lunchtime. 'I get about £40, £60 a day, boss takes about £300, £400. Cash, no taxes. Three day work, three day no work. Two day work, five day no work. Dozens of men, dressed for the cold weather, were seen gathering in Stanmore from early this morning . A security guard is photographed outside Selco warehouse, where the groups have recently started to gather . 'In Romania is £100 to £150 a month, £10 for one day. Not work every day in Romania. No money in Romania. Problem. I will send money back to Romania. My girlfriend, Valentina, in Romania, I go to see her for Christmas.' His mother will send him the money so he can drive home, as he cannot afford it. Iusti says he is torn over his situation - between being trapped in his home country where there is no work, and being so far away from home and living alone. 'I like it in England, everything is working, I like. Zero money, no like,' he says. 'It is difficult. Here money, no family. In Romania family, no money. Life here is get food money, smoke money, sleep.' Last week it emerged that up to 200 men from Romania and Bulgaria were gathering every day between a B&Q store on Honeypot Lane and a bar and restaurant named The Honeypot in a bid to find 'off the books' jobs. The latest pictures show the queue spilling over to in front of the nearby Selco warehouse. The men start to arrive at about 6.30am and are hopeful of getting a day's work which will be off the books . Migrants are being picked up by passing builders and tradesmen who need an extra pair of hands for the day . Men standing there are hopeful that passing builders will pick them up for a day's work. They have been seen speaking to builders and other passing tradesmen who travel past in vans. However their presence has not been welcomed in the leafy London suburb, with residents saying they felt intimidated by the large number of people hanging around outside their homes. Groups begin to disperse about 2pm after most vans stop coming past. Suresh Varsani, who runs Dillons estate agents in Honeypot Lane, says Eastern European workers have been touting for work outside his shop six days a week for the last year. Around 50 or 60 people gather at Selco and B&Q every morning from 6am, sometimes staying until noon. Up to 200 migrants were seen queuing up for work outside The Honeypot bar in north London last week . He said: 'It even happens when I am driving. They just come up and say, 'job, job'. It has become a central place for everybody to come for work, and builders are taking them on. I think most of them are cash in hand and it is not right. 'It is an issue and needs to be dealt with. It is not the proper manner for looking for work. I get them hanging around my shop, which I don't really like. It stops other people coming in and it is not a good impression for people outside my shop.' The appearance of large groups of men have led to criticism that Britain is becoming a 'honeypot nation', with endless low pay caused by the constant supply of cheap labour from eastern Europe. Migrant workers from Poland can double their basic pay by coming to the UK, and new arrivals from Bulgaria are able to increase their pay by up to 250 per cent, according to latest figures from the Open Europe think tank.
Large groups of migrant workers seen queuing in north London suburb . Queues of men spotted last week have spilled over to outside warehouse . Security guards have been seen outside Selco warehouse in Stanmore . Dozens of migrants queue up, hoping to be picked up by passing builders . Romanian teenager said he turns up at 7am every day and sees 30-40 men . He said he can earn up to £60 a day in cash, so he doesn't have to pay tax .
7ed229e201eaec34cbfc8a0d5ea552cf1816ff75
Novak Djokovic is the man of the moment down under after securing his fifth Australian Open title in Melbourne. The World No 1 defeated Scot Andy Murray 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-0 on Sunday to secure his eighth Grand Slam crown and has now set his sights on the French Open, the only major to currently elude him. The Serbian posed for photographers with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup on the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne to toast his success with a glass of champagne. Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic kisses the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup by the Yarra River . Novak Djokovic won his fifth Australian Open title on Sunday after beating British No 1 Andy Murray . Djokovic smiles holding the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup on the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne . Novak Djokovic has joined an illustrious list of Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl in winning his eighth grand slam title in the Australian Open. However the World No 1 has already set his sights on becoming just the eighth player to win all four of the game's biggest tournaments by claiming a first French Open in Paris. 'It's incredible to be able to win eight,' said Djokovic. 'I still feel as a 27-year-old I have years to come. Hopefully if I stay healthy and have this disciplined professionalism and commitment to everyday rituals and things I have been doing the last few years, I think I have a fair chance to get myself in another position to win a grand slam or two or three. Djokovic appeared for a photoshoot on Monday having secured his fifth Australian Open crown in Melbourne . Murray congratulates 2015 Australian Open champion Djokovic after their grueling four-set match . 'At this point I am happy with where I am in my life and to be able to join the elite group of players like Agassi and Lendl who won eight grand slams is quite remarkable and I am very proud of it. 'Most of the players will tell you it's important to have the mindset that keeps you in the present moment and once something is done you move on and try to focus on the next one and try not to think too much in advance or in the past, because that allows you to work and reset your ambitions and your goals. 'But I think you have to be honest and say you think about the amount of grand slams you won and tournaments you won and what your place in history is. I definitely have that in the back of my mind and I am very pleased with my accomplishments so far.' The Serbian sprays a celebratory bottle of champagne into the Yarra river having won another Grand Slam . The 27-year-old offered the photographers some of his champagne during a shoot on Monday . Djokovic has lost twice to nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal in the final, last year and 2012, acknowledging the Spaniard will be the clear favourite in May. 'I wasn't too far from winning a title both times when I lost to Rafa but it's a grand slam on the slowest surface that is physically the most demanding one. 'That's something that makes it more difficult in terms of winning against Nadal, he has lost only one match in his entire career which is probably the most impressive record in tennis history of all time. 'It's very important (winning the French Open) but if I don't succeed in doing that in my career it's not the end of the world, but I am definitely going to keep on trying. I have been very very close and that allows me to believe I can make that final step and that's something that keeps me going.' Murray shouts out in frustration after losing a point during the first set tiebreak in Melbourne on Sunday . Andy Murray had plenty of chances but eventually succumbed to a relentless Djokovic, who won his fifth Australian Open in as many finals. Despite appearing to struggle physically, which Murray admitted after the brutal contest that he was distracted by the Serbian's antics, Djokovic prevailed in emphatic fashion by winning 12 of the last 13 games, leaving Murray defeated for a fourth time in the Melbourne show piece. Djokovic has sympathy for his Melbourne final opponent but points to the legendary competition in Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for why they have failed to land more Grand Slam titles . Djokovic lifts his trophy after wining a remarkable fifth title in his fifth final in Australia on Sunday . 'He is there and if he won a couple more matches he would have maybe five grand slams now and it would be a different story,' Djokovic added. 'On the other hand I could as well maybe have won a few more. But this is the generation we are in. There are four players that are incredibly good and very few points decide the winner. 'I believe they (Federer and Nadal) made me a better player and also Andy; they made me understand what I need to do to improve my game to get on the level where they are. 'You can maybe think if I was in another era I would be in double figures already, but everything happens for a reason. I am sure Andy is disappointed not to win a few more grand slams but he is also a better player as a consequence of being a rival of the other three guys.'
Novak Djokovic beat Andy Murray 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-0 on Sunday . World No 1 Djokovic's fifth Australian Open title in his fifth final . The Serbian has now won eight Grand Slam titles in his career .
aa749fa5eb79253cc1055adcf0851bb64db7d7e3
Dean met Emily Goodhand, 28, in Toronto through friends at a vodka bar . He 'slipped her his room card and his room number after flirting' She claims they spent the night together in his luxury hotel room . He allegedly told Emily he never had sex with Tori anymore . She claims he bragged about his sex tape with Tori . Emily now feels it was a mistake and she made a bad decision . They seemed to have a blissful marriage filled with kids, reality TV and happy photo ops. But on Tuesday, UsWeekly reported there's a serious crack in the marriage of Dean McDermott, 47, and Tori Spelling, 40. Emily Goodhand, 28, has alleged the former hunk slept with her after an alcohol-fueled evening in Toronto, Canada on December 6. 'He was romantic and very complimentary. He was telling me, "You're so beautiful,"' Emily told the magazine. 'And he told me he and Tori had a sexless marriage. I believed him.' Reps for Tori and Dean did not return calls to MailOnline. Bombshell: Emily Goodhand, 28, told the January 6 issue of UsWeekly she slept with Tori's husband on December 6 in a Toronto hotel room . The one-night-stand allegedly took place after a group of friends met up at Pravda Vodka House in the Canadian city, where Dean was on a promotional tour for his hosting job on the show Chopped Canada. Emily was a friend of a friend and the two were introduced. Her occupation was not disclosed. The father invited the beauty back to the Fairmont Royal York Hotel where they had sex, according to UsWeekly. Too much stress?: The patriarch, 47, looked frazzled when he took his wife and four kids to Disney On Ice's Rockin' Ever After in LA on December 12, just six days after his alleged tryst . 'He seemed like a cool guy,' Emily said. 'I thought he was handsome.' They became friendly over an eight hour meal at Pravda, sitting side by side. 'We were just having fun and hanging out,' Emily added. When heading toward the bar at his hotel, 'he was flirting,' she added, and she explained she was attracted to him because his personality was 'very charming.' The 5'8" looker explained she felt she could 'trust' him because he opened up to her and was 'talking about his kids and his work.' No smiles here: The Beverly Hills, 90210 beauty running errands on December 21 . She also said they knew a lot of the same people, 'so we had that in common.' During drinks at his Fairmont hotel, the 6'3" former hunk did not openly flirt with Emily as there were other friends with them. But later the two exchanged phone numbers, then he slipped his card key with his room number into her purse. 'We just looked at each other,' Emily said. Oversharing: Dean reportedly didn't like it when his TV star spouse spilled their financial issues in her new book Spelling It Like It Is . After slyly leaving with friends and making it seem as if she was going home, Emily instead went to Dean's hotel room. At first he wasn't there but then she texted him and he showed up within seconds. 'He wanted to make me feel good,' she explained after he flooded her with compliments. 'Then the time for talking was over.' Emily, who insisted they used protection during their encounter, said Dean gushed about his famous wife. 'He said, "I love my wife, I love her so much. But she won't sleep with me,"' Emily recounted. Once a cheater, always a cheater?: He stepped out on his wife of 12 years, Mary Jo Eustace (pictured in 2003), when he made 2005's Mind Over Murder with Tori . She then said she had to go home to get a good night's sleep and he asked that they 'cuddle' first. The next day both worked but texted each other. She told him her legs hurt. The next evening - December 7 - she visited the TV star again at the Fairmont Hotel, but this time he had a male pal there. And instead of taking off his clothes, he took out his computer where he showed off photos of Tori and the kids. At one point he even bragged about the sex tape he made with his author spouse. Emily, who has never seen Tori's hit TV series Beverly Hills, 90210, said she did not want to see the tape. At 3am they shared a club sandwich and fries then fell asleep. This time there was no hanky panky, just cuddling. 'It felt cool that I had this connection,' Emily told the weekly. 'Neither one of us said anything about seeing each other again. It was, "Nice to meet you. Crazy that there was this chemistry. I had a great time,' she added. Emily is now feeling bad about the hook up. 'I f***ed up,' she told UsWeekly. Before the drama: The former actor reportedly told Emily he never had sex with Tori, but in September the married twosome looked happy as they grabbed coffee in Calabasas . Meanwhile, on December 7 Tori - who has sons Liam, aged six, and Finn, 16 months, as well as daughters Stella, aged five, and Hattie, aged two, with Dean - was talking glowingly about Dean. 'We do date night once a week,' the Lifetime favorite said. 'We're into public displays of affection.' The weekly points out that Tori has expressed insecurity about Dean in the past because he left his first wife of 12 years, Mary Jo Eustace (with whom he had a son and a newly adopted girl) during their 2005 affair on the movie Mind Over Murder. In 2012 there were reports he cheated with two women which almost led to a split. Later she admitted they were 'fighting a lot.' Cracks also showed when her book Spelling It Like It Is came out and unveiled their financial troubles. 'Dean felt like it made them look like idiots,' a source told the magazine. The timing couldn't be any worse. They have their new reality show Tori & Dean: Cabin Fever coming out in 2014 on HGTV. She also is starting a new TV series Mystery Girls with 90210 alum Jennie Garth, 41. She also has her lifestyle web site Torispelling.com to plug. 'Tori is the breadwinner,' added the source. Maybe they can work it out?: Tori and Dean are said to be fighting for their marriage amid reports of infidelity on his part .
Dean met Emily Goodhand, 28, in Toronto through friends at a vodka bar . He 'slipped her his room card and his room number after flirting' She claims they spent the night together in his luxury hotel room . He allegedly told Emily he never had sex with Tori anymore . She claims he bragged about his sex tape with Tori . Emily now feels it was a mistake and she made a bad decision .
3fbb889411b1e2e522759845de7834e6b3483481
To underline the quality of the Bayern Munich side, six of their line-up were World Cup winners. Xabi Alonso, a 2010 champion with Spain, supplemented German club-mates Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm, Jerome Boateng, Mario Gotze and Thomas Muller who triumphed in Brazil last summer. City defender Martin Demichelis will remember them, he was part of the Argentine side that lost in the final, as was sub Sergio Aguero. Xabi Alonso was one of six World Cup winners in Bayewrn Munich's starting XI against Manchester City . He may no longer be in situ but this is the sort of week former City Chief Executive Garry Cook dreamed of when he put up provocative 'Welcome to Manchester posters' and claimed they would be the biggest team in the world. While City went toe-to-toe with mighty Bayern, Wayne Rooney and his United team-mates were on a team-bonding night out in a Manchester restaurant this week, jealously looking out at all the Champions League participants. Thomas Muller felt he should have had a penalty after being tripped when facing an open goal . Manchester City have recently signed up all their big-name stars on long-term contracts - except Joe Hart. But England's No1 can't have done his negotiating position any harm with a performance that suggested he's back to his very best. Two saves in particular from Thomas Muller and Mario Gotze were world-class. Quite a difference from a year ago when he was blamed for City's home defeat against the same opposition and dropped soon after. Joe Hart performed admirably against Bayern Munich, pulling off a string of impressive saves . Manuel Pellegrini, serving his last game of a touchline ban, watched on from the posh seats in the Allianz Arena next to Academy Director Brian Marwood, without the help of an abacus. Last season the Chilean suffered his most embarrassing moment as City manager in Munich when he confessed he hadn't realised a 4-2 City win would have left them as group winners to avoid a knockout tie against Barcelona, At 3-2 up, Pellegrini made a defensive substitution by sending on Jack Rodwell for Edin Dzeko. With Manuel Pellegrini serving a touchline ban, his assistant Ruben Cousillas took his place on the bench . City's executives Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano are unabashed Pep Guardiola fans, keeping a close eye on his tactics and dreaming he may one day be lured to The Etihad. It was interesting to see how Guardiola has developed from his Barcelona days. Robert Lewandowski led the line instead of a false number nine and Louis van Gaal would kill for wing-backs like Rafinha and Juan Bernat. City's executives Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano are unabashed fans of Bayern manager Pep Guardiola . For all the quality on show, there was a fair amount of rough-and-tumble too. Thomas Muller was physically fended off by Bacary Sagna in the first minute, Edin Dzeko hurt his back as things got fierce in the trenches. If it sets a Champions League trend, how much will City regret sending their "Beast" Alvaro Negredo out on loan to comply with FPP regulations and an enforced Champions League squad. Manchester City and Bayern Munich are full of quality, but physicality played a significant role in the match .
Xabi Alonso one of six World Cup winners in Bayern Munich starting XI . Manchester City playing in Champions League, unlike rivals United . Joe Hart's performance will help his contract negotiations . Manuel Pellegrini was serving touchline ban . Manchester City might regret selling Alvaro Negredo .
5276fff1335c5fcd098e54a6d2ac7172bc321325
Penny Mordaunt, a Navy reservist, said ‘c**k’ six times and ‘lay’ or ‘laid’ five times in a debate purportedly about the welfare of poultry . A Tory MP was criticised yesterday for making a speech riddled with innuendo in the House of Commons following a dare from friends in the Royal Navy. Penny Mordaunt, a Navy reservist, said ‘c**k’ six times and ‘lay’ or ‘laid’ five times in a debate purportedly about the welfare of poultry. It came during the Easter Adjournment debate, by long tradition a time for more lighthearted and off-beat topics. But while the Portsmouth North MP clearly intended her speech to be humorous, many felt she went too far. Yesterday the Mail on Sunday revealed that she was dared to say the rude words by Royal Marines at a mess dinner. She later contacted them to tell them that she had met the challenge. Miss Mordaunt, a contestant on ITV’s diving show Splash! this year, was accused of trivialising Parliament. Labour MP Kate Hoey said: ‘She should realise that the House of Commons is not a TV reality show. The public expects debates in the Chamber to be on matters of serious concern. It is sad that she has misused it in this way – it sets a bad precedent.’ Thousands criticised her speech online, but Miss Mordaunt’s colleagues rallied around her. George Hollingbery, a neighbouring Tory MP, said: ‘She is an absolutely cracking MP who does a huge amount in her local area. ‘She is a character. The House of Commons is full of characters and it’s a better place for it.’ Hampshire councillor John Wall wrote on Twitter: ‘Good to have a member of Parliament and minister with a sense of humour.’ Scroll down for video . Miss Mordaunt, a contestant on ITV’s diving show Splash! this year, was accused of trivialising Parliament . Miss Mordaunt, pictured above appearing on ITV's Daybreak, freely disclosed the story behind the address at the Spectator Magazine’s awards dinner last week . Miss Mordaunt gave the speech in March 2013, before she was made a communities minister. Other topics in the end-of-term session included e-cigarettes and thanks for Commons staff. She freely disclosed the story behind the address at the Spectator Magazine’s awards dinner last week. She said: ‘Some of my Marine training officers at Dartmouth thought it would be a good idea to break my ladylike persona by getting me to yell rude words during the most gruelling part of our training. They failed, but during our mess dinner at the end of the course, I was fined for a misdemeanour. ‘The fine was to say a particular word, an abbreviation of cockerel, several times in a speech on the floor of the Commons, and mention all the names of the officers present.’ Her speech, which was recorded in Hansard, the official record of the Commons, and broadcast on TV, began: ‘The cause of hen and cock welfare is one raised with me by many constituents. ‘One imagines several hens and a single proud cockerel, but one strutting coxcomb will lead to many chicks and what is to become of the male contingent with not a layer among them? I encourage people to . . . think carefully about a coop for a cockerel.’ It concluded: ‘Let us have no cock-ups on hen welfare.’
Penny Mordaunt said ‘c**k’ six times and ‘lay’ or ‘laid’ five times in a debate . Was speaking about the welfare of poultry in Easter Adjournment debate . Portsmouth North MP had been dared d to say the words by Royal Marines . Thousands criticised speech online, but her colleagues rallied around her .
1672cca6a96be751d3794e8d2542c18f69c9b5aa
Paul Chambers, 28, pictured left with comedian Al Murray, was fined £385 and ordered to pay £600 costs at Doncaster Magistrates’ Court in May 2010 but it has been overturned . Telling jokes about blowing up an airport is not a crime, the Lord Chief Justice ruled yesterday. In a landmark High Court ruling, Lord Judge overturned the conviction of a frustrated airline passenger who tweeted that he meant to blow up the airport. Paul Chambers, 28, had been convicted of sending a menacing message even though he broadcast his joke in his own name and no one at Robin Hood Airport in Doncaster took it seriously. The Crown Prosecution Service took him to court under the 2003 Communications Act, and Doncaster magistrates told him to pay £600 costs, a £385 fine and £15 victim surcharge. The conviction in May 2010 was later upheld by a Crown Court judge. But yesterday the Lord Chief Justice said a joke could not by definition be menacing: ‘If the persons who receive and read it, or may reasonably be expected to receive it, or read it, would brush it aside as a silly joke, or a joke in bad taste... it would be a contradiction in terms to describe it as a message of a menacing character.’ The ruling was hailed as a victory for free speech and a rebuke to over-zealous police and lawyers. Mr Chambers, from Corby, Northamptonshire, lost his job as an administration manager after he was convicted and said he had become unemployable because of the prosecution. He sent his tweet when snow shut the airport in January 2010. It said: ‘Robin Hood Airport is closed. You’ve got a week and a bit to get your s*** together otherwise I am blowing the airport sky high!!’ He said after the ruling: ‘It’s a very big decision for people doing what human beings do – telling a joke sometimes, even if it’s a bad one.’ The judges noted there was no evidence before the Crown Court to suggest any of the followers of the 'tweet', or anyone else who may have seen it posted on Mr Chambers’ timeline, found it to be of a menacing character or, at a time when the threat of terrorism was real, even minimally alarming. In fact, nothing was done about it by anyone until five days later when the duty manager responsible for security at the airport, while off duty at home, found it. Offence: The tweet by Paul Chambers that he was originally convicted over . Frustration: Mr Chambers said he sent the tweet as he was annoyed that Robin Hood Airport in South Yorkshire was closed by snow in January 2010 . Robert Smith QC, for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), had said that, on any view, Mr Chambers, of Corby, Northamptonshire, a man of previous good character who worked as an administration and finance supervisor, was 'very foolish' to do what he did. He said the question was, by whose standards and by what members of society would such a message be viewed as a joke, given that those who had access to it would probably not have any knowledge of the circumstances which led to it being sent? Stephen Fry welcomed the 'complete vindication and victory' for Mr Chambers following today’s ruling. The broadcaster and comedian, who stood alongside Mr Chambers during an earlier appeal hearing, took to Twitter to congratulate him and his legal team. The star, who is taking a break from the social networking site, wrote: 'Pops head up quickly: complete vindication and victory for Paul Chambers in twitterjoketrial. Well done DavidAllenGreen and team. Bye!' Stephen Fry, a prominent Twitter user, tweeted at the time that he would be happy to pay Chambers' fine . Fellow comedian Al Murray, who was in court for the ruling, wrote on Twitter 'He’s won”, before adding: 'Colossal relief here in court. Short and sweet.' In the ruling, Lord Judge said the 2003 Act, which came into force before Twitter was invented, did not create 'some newly-minted interference with the first of President Roosevelt’s essential freedoms - freedom of speech and expression. 'Satirical, or iconoclastic, or rude comment, the expression of unpopular or unfashionable opinion about serious or trivial matters, banter or humour, even if distasteful to some or painful to those subjected to it should and no doubt will continue at their customary level, quite undiminished by this legislation. 'Given the submissions by Mr Cooper, we should perhaps add that for those who have the inclination to use Twitter for the purpose, Shakespeare can be quoted unbowdlerised, and with Edgar, at the end of King Lear, they are free to speak not what they ought to say, but what they feel.' 'The more one reflected on it,' he added, 'the clearer it became that the message did not represent a terrorist threat, or any other form of threat, but was a 'conversation piece' for Mr Chambers’ followers. It was not sent to anyone at the airport or anyone responsible for airport security, or any form of public security. The language and punctuation were inconsistent with the writer intending it to be, or to be taken as, a serious warning. There was no urgent response to it from the airport and police action was 'not exactly hurried'. Celebrity support: Stephen Fry welcomed the 'complete vindication and victory' for Mr Chambers on Twitter . Lord Judge said that, while proper respect must be paid to the Crown Court’s finding, that did not address the unbroken pattern of evidence to be derived from the responses of those who read the message, and no weight appeared to have been given to the lack of urgency which characterised the approach of the authorities. Outside court, Mr Chambers said that as a result of the prosecution he had lost two jobs and become 'unemployable'. 'It’s been two-and-a-half years. At the moment I’m just feeling relieved. The Lord Chief Justice just seemed to get it.' He added: 'It’s an important decision as far as social networks are concerned and as far as Twitter is concerned. It has established that there has to be an action that is menacing and is intended to be menacing. It’s a very big decision for people doing what human beings do - telling a joke sometimes, even if it’s a bad one.' Comedian Murray, who arrived to lend his support, said the case had been 'ridiculous'. 'In 100 years there will be an operetta about this - about how ridiculous we were at the start of the 21st century. I’m a big fan of absurdity but this is taking the biscuit.' He added: 'Paul was doing what we all do sometimes in the heat of the moment.'
Paul Chambers posted the tweet in a moment of frustration after Robin Hood Airport was closed by snow in 2010 . Magistrates fined him £385 saying the tweet was 'clearly menacing' and that airport staff were concerned about it . Today judges said there was no evidence that any followers who saw the tweet found it to be menacing or alarming . Celebrity backers including Stephen Fry welcome the 'complete vindication and victory'
53be720e64b71868bca5faae916d22221c58506f
Beleaguered Labour leader Ed Miliband asked former Home Secretary Alan Johnson to return to the shadow cabinet – but was turned down. Mr Johnson said he was approached by the Labour leader earlier this year but turned down the offer of a new frontline role. ‘Ed said to me a few months ago 'I suppose you're not interested in coming back?' I said 'No'. Former home secretary Alan Johnson has revealed that he was sounded out by Ed Miliband about a possible return to Labour's top team . Mr Johnson has previously ruled himself out as a contender for the Labour leadership, despite pressure from MPs who believe they would stand a much better chance in next year's general election if he replaced Mr Miliband. He insisted the party could win in May, despite Mr Miliband's dismal poll ratings, and said he had told the Labour leader he would be happy ‘to go round the country, campaigning, talking to parties’ during the election. But Mr Johnson, in an interview with Alastair Campbell for GQ magazine, indicated he could even be tempted back to the frontbench if Labour succeeded in regaining power. ‘Disgracefully - and it is disgraceful because I won't have done the heavy lifting - then I would be more interested. But I am not gagging for it,’ he said. Since standing down as shadow chancellor in 2011 after discovering his wife was having an affair with his police protection officer, Mr Johnson has carved out a successful second career as a writer, penning two best-selling volumes of his autobiography. He said he had been surprised when Mr Miliband offered him the post of shadow chancellor after becoming leader in 2010 and admitted that he had not enjoyed the job. ‘I was glad to get out. I took it because I thought, what an extraordinary gesture, that he wants me there. I was not associated with him (Mr Miliband), I'm very much a Blairite, I had not been planning to go on the front bench. But my heart wasn't in it,’ he said. ‘I was not up for it. I did it for seven months but I didn't like the job.’ Ed Miliband, giving a speech in Glasgow last week, was under pressure from MPs concerned about the party's poor polling - many of whom wanted Mr Johnson to replace him as Labour leader . Mr Johnson expressed exasperation that Labour had not been more effective in attacking Chancellor George Osborne over the economy and urged Mr Miliband to make ‘a couple of big speeches ... just taking the whole thing apart’. ‘If I feel frustrated about anything it is about not holding George Osborne to account, because his flagship policy was to clear the deficit in one term. He has totally failed,’ he said.
Labour veteran asked by Mr Miliband this year but turned down the offer . Mr Johnson has ruled himself out as a contender for the Labour leadership . But said he would be prepared to serve in Cabinet if Labour win election .
9fcead3f164d326ae8f8e2a1c22f25ac143c81e0
Meeting Santa Claus is supposed to inspire a joyous time for festivities and present swapping with the family. But judging by the looks on these children's faces they're more likely to have a nightmare before Christmas. He's known as the kindly old man who always puts a smile on kids' faces whether they see him in the chimney, tucking into milk and biscuits, leaving presents under the tree or, as is more likely, down at the shopping mall. But when the parents of these children took their little ones to meet Father Christmas they had the fright of their lives sitting on the knee of ghoulish, gloved and sinister-looking Santas. Judging by the looks on these children's faces they're more likely to have a nightmare before Christmas . A surge of photographs showing frightening Father Christmases throughout the years have emerged on social media. The hilarious pictures have been posted online as parents around the country look for a Santa to take their children to in the run up to Christmas, showing how a wholesome, loveable character can easily look scary and disturb little children. Many of the wailing youngsters were probably wishing Father Christmas really didn't exist, as the one they're sitting with looks better placed in a horror film than meeting and greeting kids at a shopping centre. Some are wearing strange masks while others have wild hair and beards which make them look like they have been pulled through a hedge backwards. The images show how a wholesome, loveable character can easily look scary and disturb little children . The stare or grimace on the faces of some of the St. Nicks are enough to send a shiver down the bravest of spines. Many of the children sitting on their knees look worried, with some even bursting into tears and screaming for their parents. Some of the photographs go as fat back as the early 1900s, proving that Santa has always been a tricky one to pull off. They might make you think twice about taking your little ones down to the local grotto! Ever had a scary Santa moment? Send us your name, location and picture to femail@mailonline.co.uk . One too many? Santa looks hard done by (l) while another St. Nick has a sinister grin (r) The plastic faces are what make many of these Father Christmasses so terrifying . A couple of worries youngsters sit with a wide-awake Santa Claus (l) while another looks weary (r) What appears to be a pair of roller-skating Disney mice shake hands with a Father Christmas in PVC boots . The ghost of Christmas past? A ghoulish Santa from days gone by (l) and a red-faced, windswept St. Nick . Father Christmas' face is almost indistinguishable, as he sits with a nun, a clown and some children . An adult woman seems to be able to keep it together as she sits with a scary Santa (l) and a little one can't see what all the fuss is about . The most terrifying of all? A skinny Santa with dark bags under his eyes and a scraggly beard holds a child on a horse . Past it? An exhausted-looking Santa with a little girl (l) and a sweet Father Christmas is not so scary (r)
From screaming children to petrified faces, the images show how children react to meeting scary Father Christmas . Pictures have been shared online as parents look for the ideal Santa to take their children to meet . Show men dressed up in masks or with wild hair as children are pictured looking horrified .
60a29c2caf1a85e21e2e7b31d3fff925cdac56af
Three men were arrested after their hot tub threesome turned violent during an argument over who gets paid more for escorting. Austin Adams, 18, and Michael Gordon, 33, met 21-year-old Douglas Tench at a gay club in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on Saturday night before inviting him to the home where Gordon was dog-sitting. The trio were 'kissing and touching each other' in the hot tub at 1.30am when Tench stated he earned more from escort services than Adams - prompting Adams to lash out. Violent threesome: Austin Adams, 18, (left) kicked and punched Douglas Tench, 21, (right) after he claimed he earned more than Adams for his escorting services. Tench was forced to run across the street and call 911 . Adams started kicking and punching Tench, who eventually managed to run from the property to another across the street. He called a friend who called 911, The Smoking Gun reported. Police arrested and ticketed Adams for common assault after he admitted he 'lost control'. Also charged: Michael Gordon, 33, and Tench were charged with providing alcohol to a minor . According to the police report, which consistently refers to the hot tub as a 'hot tube', the three men had been drinking at the bar before Tench was invited to join Gordon and Adams. Gordon and Tench were both ticketed for giving alcohol to a minor. They were all taken to the county jail and booked.
Austin Adams and Michael Gordon met Douglas Tench in a South Carolina gay bar, invited him to their hot tub . Adams, 18, lashed out at Tench, 21, for saying he gets paid more to escort . Gordon, 33, tried to separate the pair as Adams punched and kicked Tench . Tench managed to escape from hot tub, ran across the road, called 911 .
cf9aa8602a6f81a51d91c5575f236193137ef1d4
A young woman was so desperate to find the father of her unborn son that she posted an ad on Gumtree with unexpected vitriolic responses from total strangers. Bianca Fazey, 24, had a one night stand with a man in Perth, Western Australia on April 23 this year and surprisingly discovered she was pregnant after being told in 2011 that she was unlikely to ever become a mum when she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome. For five months, Bianca frantically searched for the father but had no luck as she only knew his first name and what suburb he lived in. 'I was at my wits end,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'I tried finding him for months and felt pressured by a friend who was adamant I don't give up despite exhausting all avenues.' Scroll down for video . Bianca Fazey posted a Gumtree ad in an attempt to find her unborn son's father . Bianca's ad received a barrage of hateful remarks from complete strangers . This was when Bianca, who was so stressed that she was losing sleep, decided to post an ad on Gumtree which created a barrage of hateful responses prompting her to take to take it down. 'I stupidly put it up thinking no one would even see it but who knows what will happen, maybe I will get lucky,' she said. 'Unfortunately all I got was lots of judgement and idiots messaging me telling me they would be the father or pretending to be Jeremy.' The most offensive messages were from people saying that Bianca, who is due in mid January, should have opted for a termination. 'When it was shared on the LAD bible page a lot of people made single-minded comments aimed at me, no one mentioned the guy was equally a part of me getting pregnant,' she said. 'Sometimes I want to be like one of those people on Maury Povich screaming back at the audience because they have no clue what they're booing about!' Bianca was forced to take down the post but has no regrets about deciding to have the baby . Bianca (pictured before being pregnant) never thought she could have children as she suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome . Bianca wasn't exactly shocked to be called names like a 'sl**' but it got out of control when one person lashed out saying 'kill it'. 'It was sad to see people saying I should get an abortion, those were the only comments that hurt.' 'Society is still hating on women who choose to keep pregnancy outside of a relationship,' she said. 'I was more mad at the amount of women (mums included) saying I shouldn't go through with it.' But Bianca has risen above the horrendous backlash and can't wait to meet her little man when he enters the world in two months. 'All I can say is I chose to go ahead with the pregnancy because I didn't think I could have children,' she said. 'Even though I knew this guy had disappeared I didn't want to give up my chance and I'm so grateful I didn't.' Bianca is due in mid January and can't wait to meet her little man when he enters the world in two months . Despite the fall-out from the ad - Bianca has the loving support of the people who matter most - her family and friends. 'It has changed my life and made me a happier healthier person,' she said. 'I couldn't be happier, I am looking forward to holding my little guy and raising him in a loving stable environment.' She is also looking forward to getting back into shape . 'Excited to hold him and excited to start getting back in shape!' she said. 'I hate that I'm so limited physically.' Bianca still hopes the father will come forward and become an integral part of his son's life. 'I do hope that I can find him and let him know, he can make his own choice,' she said. 'But more for the sake of the kid, when he asks questions or wants to find him I want to be prepared.' She still hopes the father will come forward and become an integral part of his son's life .
Bianca Fazey had a one night stand with a man in Perth on April 23 . The 24-year-old discovered she was pregnant and tried to find the father . In a desperate attempt, Bianca posted an ad on Gumtree . She only knew his name was Jeremy and lived in the suburb of Morley . Described as '5,7ish', aged in his 20s, with brown hair and brown eyes . She added he was a 'very friendly and lovely gentleman' Bianca deleted the ad after some quite disturbing responses .
1698e36c78bbd15f123d0f11d7965667d77159af
Ray Rice wasted no time celebrating his NFL reinstatement and headed to Manhattan nightclubs just hours after winning his appeal, photographs have revealed. The former Ravens running back was spotted at Bounce Sporting Club on Saturday evening, where he was happy to chat with people and give out autographs, according to TMZ. Sources told the website that he was also joined by his wife Janay, whom he knocked out in an Atlantic City casino in February, but she did not appear in any of the images. TMZ added that people at the club noted that Rice was not drinking. He swore off hard liquor after revealing that the vicious attack unfolded on an alcohol-fueled night. Night out: Ray Rice is pictured left as he enjoys a night of clubbing with friends in Manhattan on Saturday . Rice's one-punch knockout of his then fiancée put his NFL career in jeopardy and thrust the issue of domestic abuse into the national spotlight. The first video of the fight that went viral in February showed Rice calmly pulling an unconscious Palmer from the elevator and he was suspended for two games. But after TMZ obtained a second video taken inside the elevator - which showed Rice knocking her out - he was released by the Ravens and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him indefinitely from the league. However, an independent arbitrator on Friday said that Rice, in essence, was sanctioned twice for the same crime and ruled he was free to sign with any National Football League team. Making friends: Another image shows the football player pictured with a couple on Saturday night . The NFL said it accepted the decision, spokesman Greg Aiello said. 'Ray Rice is a free agent and has been eligible to be signed by an NFL team since he was released by the Ravens,' he said. 'Based on Judge Jones' decision, he will be eligible to play upon signing a new contract.' In a statement, Rice said:  'I would like to thank Judge Barbara Jones, the NFL Players Association, my attorneys, agents, advisers, family, friends and fans - but most importantly, my wife Janay. 'I made an inexcusable mistake and accept full responsibility for my actions. I am thankful that there was a proper appeals process in place to address this issue. I will continue working hard to improve myself and be the best husband, father and friend, while giving back to my community and helping others to learn from my mistakes.' In an interview with the Today show, Janay Rice stood up for her husband and insisted that he had never hit her prior to their fight in the New Jersey casino elevator. Shocking: Rice was suspended by the NFL for only two games following the one-punch knockout of his then-fiancée in an elevator at the New Jersey casino in February. CCTV captured the attack . By his side: Despite the vicious attack, Janay and Ray Rice (pictured in November) married in March . Painful: Janay Rice wipes away a tear on the Today show on Monday as she recounts how angry she was after a video emerged showing her now-husband knocking her out cold in an elevator in February . 'There's no way,' she said in the interview that aired on Monday. 'He knows what he would have to deal with. I'm not going to sit there in silence and let something happen to me and, God forbid, in front of my child.' After the incident, she said that she initially thought she was 'done' with Rice - but her 'heart' told her to stay with him because it was not like him. 'Everybody makes mistakes,' she said. 'You would think that we lived in a country of people who have never made a mistake, who've never sinned ever in their life.' While Rice is now free to join any club, it remains unclear if any team will sign the 27-year-old, three-time Pro Bowl running back.
Ray Rice was pictured partying with friends on Saturday night . On Friday, a judge ruled that Rice was free to sign with any NFL team after he was sanctioned twice for attacking Janay in an elevator in February .
6733505541dc0234e6a6a53234957e16ff58a4c8
The Chancellor insists there will be no political tax breaks because Britain must ‘stay the course to prosperity’ George Osborne has ruled out any traditional pre-election giveaways in this week’s Autumn Statement. The Chancellor insists there will be no political tax breaks because Britain must ‘stay the course to prosperity’. ‘What you’re going to see is me avoiding the mistakes of Labour chancellors before elections with unfunded giveaways that lead to economic problems after the election,’ he said. A report out today warns that the Government will have to borrow £9billion more than expected this year as tax receipts disappoint. This means the Chancellor will not be able to deliver the budget surplus he has promised until 2019-20 – a year late. And it casts doubt on his plans for £7billion of tax cuts for the middle classes after the election. ‘The improvement in the public finances is in danger of not just stalling but going into reverse,’ says Marin Beck in the report for the Ernst & Young Item Club. ‘With the fiscal cupboard bare, the Chancellor will have little room for manoeuvre.’ Mr Osborne can expect a boost from the Office for Budget Responsibility this week with an upward revision of economic growth forecasts. But the Item Club warns ‘that’s where the good news is likely to end’ as subdued wage growth and the big increase in the tax free allowance to £10,500 hits tax receipts. Borrowing hit a record high of £153billion in 2009-10 as the last Labour government lost control of the public finances in the Great Recession. The deficit fell to £97.5billion last year but progress has stalled and the Government borrowed £64.1billion in the first seven months of this fiscal year. That is £3.7billion more than in the equivalent period of 2013-14. The increase in borrowing means the Chancellor will struggle to meet his target of cutting the deficit by another £11billion this year – with the Item Club expecting it to come in at £95.5billion. ‘With just five months to go it appears virtually impossible for the Government to achieve the OBR’s current forecast for borrowing in 2014-15,’ Mr Beck said. Labour leader Ed Miliband will today claim that the Tories’ failure to tackle what he calls a cost-of-living crisis has helped cost the Exchequer £116.5billion since 2010. Labour leader Ed Miliband will today claim that the Tories’ failure to tackle what he calls a cost-of-living crisis has helped cost the Exchequer £116.5billion since 2010 . The price tag – equivalent to almost £4,000 for every taxpayer – is based on new research from the House of Commons Library being published by Labour. Depressed pay combined with soaring housing costs and the failure to tackle the causes of increased welfare bills, means tax receipts have fallen short by £66 billion, national insurance contributions are £25.5billion lower than expected and spending on social security is £25billion higher than planned. ‘For all the Government’s boasts about a belated economic recovery, there are millions of families still caught in the most prolonged cost-of-living crisis for a century. For them this is a joyless and payless recovery,’ Mr Miliband will say. But Mr Osborne told the BBC: ‘We’ve created more jobs in this country under this government than the rest of Europe put together. ‘We’ve had the fastest fall in unemployment in this country’s history. So those are real outcomes for real people. ‘We shouldn’t face this false choice of either bankrupting the country or having decent public services.’
Chancellor says Britain must ‘stay the course to prosperity’ Government warned they will have to borrow £9billion more than expected . Ed Miliband claims Tories’ have failed to tackle 'cost-of-living crisis'
94862f88aa818d0d1e538aff42363abd694a8032
Revolution? Customers can find out about their ancestry by spitting into a tube and paying £125 . A test to tell if you are at risk from Alzheimer’s disease and dozens of other conditions goes on sale in Britain today costing £125. The test uses a saliva sample to provide more than 100 pieces of genetic information including whether users are more likely than normal to suffer Parkinson’s, some cancers or baldness. It can also predict whether they like coffee or hate Brussels sprouts, which type of exercise is likely to suit them best and give information about a person’s ancestry. The test, already available in the US, is being marketed online by 23andMe, a firm part-funded by Google. A customer spits into a tube, seals it and sends it back to 23andMe’s labs for analysis. Four to six weeks later, they receive a detailed report in the post written in everyday language. It will tell them, for instance, whether their risk of Alzheimer’s disease is higher or lower than average. 23andMe – run by Anne Wojcicki, wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin – says its ‘mission is to ensure that individuals can personally access, understand and benefit from the human genome’. It says that armed with the information, people can take better care of their health. For instance, the print-out may give someone the impetus they need to give up smoking or it could mean they undergo regular health checks so that an illness can be caught – and treated early. Genetic tests are already available in Britain but generally provide less information and are more expensive. However, critics say the science behind such analysis is not is not advanced enough to provide worthwhile results. This could lead to some people being falsely reassured, others worrying unnecessarily or facing higher insurance premiums and the NHS being put under added pressure. Genome: Tests on DNA are also available in Britain, but provide less information and are more expensive . The firm has been banned from providing some information from the tests to customers in the US over fears it would lead to people seeking out treatment they do not need. The US health watchdog, the Food and Drug Administration, was particularly concerned about information provided on one gene, BRCA, that raises the odds of breast and ovarian cancer. It said: ‘For instance, if the BRCA-related risk assessment for breast or ovarian cancer reports a false positive, it could lead a patient to undergo prophylactic surgery, chemoprevention, intensive screening, or other morbidity-inducing actions, while a false negative could result in a failure to recognise an actual risk that may exist.’ There are also concerns that someone told they have a higher risk of an incurable condition such as Alzheimer’s may take a fatalistic approach and stop looking after their health. Mark Thomas of UCL said: ‘For better or worse, genetic testing companies are here to stay' Professor Sally Hodgson, an expert in cancer genetics from St George’s Hospital in South London, said DNA analysis is ‘very open to misunderstanding’. She warned that the results could cause ‘undue and inappropriate anxiety’ and said that valuable NHS time could be taken up by people requesting further tests. Mark Thomas, professor of evolutionary genetics at University College London, said: ‘For better or worse, direct-to-the-consumer genetic testing companies are here to stay. 'One could argue the rights and wrongs of such companies existing, but I suspect that ship has sailed. 23andMe have enormous resources and leading scientists on their advisory board. ‘Nonetheless, it is important that independent scientists and government bodies remain vigilant to ensure that such companies produce scientifically accurate, responsibly formatted and non-alarmist reports to their customers.’ 23andMe already has some British users and says most find the information ‘extremely valuable’. Only 4 per cent have made an appointment with their doctor based on the results or asked for further tests. The firm says it has spoken to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to ensure its test complies with UK regulations.
Test is part-funded by Google and is already widely available in the U.S. Customers spit in tube, send it to lab and receive report a month later . It claims to judge what type of exercise is best and give ancestry details . But critics say such analysis is not advanced enough to be worthwhile .
839966b973999d4ca190453f018f366a3e6c3c61
An artisan chocolate shop serving Irn Bru eclairs, Cranachan Truffles and Horlicks Ganache has been named one of the best in Europe. Oban Chocolate Co., based in Corran Esplanade in the Scottish west coast town of Oban, made the list of the 10 most delicious chocolate shops in Europe. The shop's chocolatiers create new flavours every month, inventing unusual and 'weird' chocolates to sit alongside classic choices. Oban Chocolate Co. based in Corran Esplanade in the Scottish west coast town made the list of the 10 most delicious chocolate shops in Europe. The chocolatiers is run by Helen (pictured)  and Stewart Mackechnie . The shop offers unique creations such as an Irn Bru eclairs (pictured) and Cranachan truffles . Berlin-based travel site GoEuro compiled the list with Oban Chocolate Co. the only British shop to gain the honour. The company was founded by husband and wife team Helen and Stewart Mackechnie in 2003. Mrs Mackechnie, 35 said: 'I can't believe it. 'It is a lovely feeling, just because we started from absolutely nothing. It will be our 11th birthday next month. 'We got a really good response on Facebook, we got a lot of congratulations from customers.' A visit to the Margaret River Chocolate Company in Perth, Western Australia inspired the couple to start their own business. Oban Chocolate Co. also sells classics like coffee creams, chocolate lollipops and fresh cream truffles . 1. Oban Chocolate Co, Scotland . 2. Goldhelm, Germany . 3. The Chocolat Line, Belgium . 4. Sweet Sisters, Netherlands . 5. Chocolates Valor, Spain . 6. Guido Gobino, Italy . 7. Francois Pralus, France . 8. Zotter Schokofabrik, Austria . 9. Chocolateria Delícia, Portugal . 10. E.Wedel Chocolate Lounge, Poland . 'It was a case of "that looks like a good idea - that could work in Oban",' Mrs Mackechnie continued. 'It's so nice to create a business that makes people happy. 'The locals are fantastic at supporting us over the winter [when] we close down in January for a month or so.' As well as offering unique creations such as an Irn Bru eclairs, Cranachan truffles and Horlicks ganache the chocolate shops also sells classics like coffee creams, chocolate lollipops and fresh cream truffles. 'We make over 50 kinds of chocolate, inventing a new one every month. There are quite a few we have been making for the 11 years - its good to have a balance of unusual and weird and classic chocolates,' Mrs Mackechnie said. Visitors to the chocolate shop can also watch staff handcraft every single one of their chocolate delights.
Oban Chocolate Co. appeared on travel site GoEuro's top ten list . Owners Helen and Stewart Mackechnie started chocolatiers in 2003 . Artisan creations include Cranachan Truffles and Horlicks Ganache .
44155eb7453fb61bc4c580300b4c14a5603cf925
The inquiry into Establishment child abuse could take up to four years to complete, its new chairman has revealed. Lowell Goddard, a High Court judge in New Zealand, said leading the probe was the 'biggest challenge' she has ever faced as she set out plans to start in April. The inquiry has already lost two potential heads, Baroness Butler-Sloss and Dame Fiona Woolf, who stood aside amid concerns over their establishment links. Lowell Goddard, a High Court judge in New Zealand, said leading the probe could last up to four years . Home Secretary Theresa May was forced to scour the globe to find a chairman for the inquiry, after fears leading figures in the UK would be seen as too close to the Establishment. Giving evidence to MPs, Judge Goddard, the third chair-designate of the Statutory Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, told the Home Affairs Select Committee she was reluctant to set a timescale for the inquiry as this stage. But she said it had been indicated when she took the job that it could take 'three years, possibly into a fourth'. She added: 'Given the breadth of the subject matter and the timespan involved, that does not seem inordinate. 'It is a long time but what will be important, in my view, is to carefully scope the inquiry to see how it should be managed and to inform along the way of the progress of the inquiry and perhaps to set milestones for interim reports.' Mrs May has insisted she is confident that thorough checks have been carried out to ensure there are no conflicts of interest that could undermine her appointment. Mrs Goddard, arriving at Parliament to give evidence to MPs, said the inquiry was her biggest ever challenger . Labour MP Keith Vaz, the committee chairman, asked Judge Goddard: 'Would you regard yourself as being part of the establishment?' She replied: 'We don't have such a thing in my country and I did have to ask carefully what is meant by it so that I did understand what I was being asked to disclose. 'My understanding is do I have any links into any institution or any person relevant to the subject matter of the inquiry? And no, I don't.' Judge Goddard said she arrived in the UK yesterday and had already met the Home Secretary and sex abuse survivor groups. She told the committee she will step down from her full-time job as a judge in New Zealand and relocate to the UK for the duration of the inquiry, although she has yet to be awarded a work permit. Her husband will join her in the UK as often as he can, but her grown up children will remain in New Zealand. 'It is the biggest challenge I have faced yet,' she told MPs. The Home Office received more than 150 nominations from survivors, their representatives, MPs and members of the public, Mrs May said. The Foreign Office was also tasked with combing the Commonwealth to identify any suitable candidates from abroad. It will be a new statutory inquiry, and not a Royal Commission as some victims had hoped. With a legal status set out under the 2005 Inquiries Act, it will have the power to compel witnesses to give evidence. New inquiry chairman Justice Lowell Goddard . Ministers scoured the globe in search of a suitable chairman for the child abuse inquiry, after two previous appointees resigned over links to the British Establishment. The Foreign Office approached all Commonwealth countries, and the decision was made to appoint Justice Lowell Goddard, a serving High Court judge in New Zealand. The 66-year-old helped to establish the HELP Clinic for sexual abuse victims, and helped to change the way New Zealand police dealt with abuse cases. In 2007 she was appointed chairman of the Independent Police Conduct Authority. During her tenure the authority released a report on the outcome of its inquiry into police handling of child abuse cases, which had begun in August 2009. She has also served as an independent expert to the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture. Home Secretary Theresa May said: 'She is an outstanding candidate with experience in challenging authority in this field, having led with distinction an inquiry into police handling of child abuse cases in New Zealand.' Married to QC John Hodson, Miss Goddard has three step-children, and one daughter from her first marriage. She breeds and races horses. Last week Mrs May announced the original inquiry would be axed and replaced with a new panel. She conceded that not every victim would be happy with what she announced today. But she told MPs: 'Let me be clear. I am now more determined than ever to expose the people behind these despicable crimes and the people in institutions that knew about abuse but didn't act, that failed to help when it was their duty, sometimes their very purpose to do so. 'And the people and institutions that in some cases positively covered up evidence of abuse. 'What we have seen so far in Rotherham, Oxford, Greater Manchester and elsewhere is only the tip of the iceberg. 'With every passing day, with every new revelation, it is clear that sexual abuse of child has taken and is taking place on a scale that we still cannot fully comprehend.' She said the authorities had 'let down too many' victims over many years, telling MPs: 'I cannot stand here and say there has been no cover-up.' At the time she said the inquiry will take longer than 12 months, but must not be allow to 'go on endlessly', Mrs May added. She will urge Miss Goddard to set a date to publish a report, to prevent a repeat of the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war which has not been published after six years. The inquiry has been dogged with problems since it was first announced by Mrs May last summer. The panel of experts was created to examine evidence that successive governments, charities, political parties, the NHS, the BBC and the Church failed to protect children from paedophiles. But it has failed to make any significant progress after losing not one but two chairman. The first person appointed to lead the inquiry was Baroness Butler-Sloss, who stood down in July last year amid questions over the role played by her late brother, Lord Havers, who was attorney general in the 1980s. Her replacement Dame Fiona Woolf then resigned following a barrage of criticism over her 'Establishment links', most notably in relation to former home secretary Leon Brittan, who died last month. Before his death, Lord Brittan had been seen as a key witness to give evidence to the inquiry over a dossier he received from MP Geoffrey Dickens in 1983, documenting the alleged involvement of VIP figures in a child sex ring. The Government's inquiry into historical child abuse has been plagued with controversy since it was established last year. Here are the key events: . Monday July 7: Home Secretary Theresa May announces she will establish an independent inquiry under an expert panel to examine the handling of allegations of paedophilia by state institutions as well as bodies such as the BBC, churches and political parties. It will be chaired by 'an appropriately senior and experienced figure', she tells the House of Commons. Tuesday July 8: Baroness Butler-Sloss is named as the chairwoman but questions are raised about the choice as her brother, Sir Michael Havers, was in the Cabinet in the 1980s as attorney general. Leon Brittan, who died last month, had been seen as a key witness likely to be called to give evidence to the inquiry . Saturday July 12: Claims emerge that Baroness Butler-Sloss once refused to go public about a bishop implicated in a scandal. She is reported to have told a victim of alleged abuse she did not want to include their claims in a review of how the Church of England dealt with two paedophile priests because she 'cared about the Church' and 'the press would love a bishop'. Monday July 14: Downing Street announces that Baroness Butler-Sloss has decided to quit. Friday September 5: The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Fiona Woolf, a former president of the Law Society of England and Wales, is named as the new chairman. Sunday September 7: The Mail on Sunday reveals links between Mrs Woolf and Lord Brittan, who was likely to be called to give evidence to the inquiry over a dossier he received from Mr Dickens in 1983, documenting the alleged involvement of VIP figures in a child sex ring. Labour MP Simon Danczuk, who has led the campaign for an inquiry, says Mrs Woolf's position would be 'untenable' if she was close to the Brittans. Monday September 8: Downing Street says Prime Minister David Cameron continues to have 'strong support' for the appointment. Tuesday October 21: Mrs May insists she has confidence in the inquiry chairwoman after Mrs Woolf gives details of her links to Lord Brittan. Mrs Woolf insists there is nothing in the encounters that would stop her chairing the wide-ranging probe. Giving evidence later to the Home Affairs Select Committee, Mrs Woolf insists she has 'gone the extra distance' to declare every possible issue to reassure victims and does not have a 'close association' with the former Cabinet minister. Wednesday October 22: As pressure mounts on Mrs Woolf to stand down, a photograph surfaces showing her chatting to Lady Brittan at a prize-giving in October 2013 - she had previously stated that she had had 'no social contact with Lord and Lady Brittan since April 23 2013'. Friday October 31: Mrs Woolf quits down as head of the inquiry, after victims' representatives issued a unanimous call for her to be replaced. Monday November 3: Mrs May apologies to survivors during a Commons statement and says she will meet survivors before appointing a new chair. Tuesday November 11: A key review into the Home Office's handling of allegations finds there is no evidence of organised attempts to conceal child abuse. It came after it emerged the department 'lost or destroyed' 114 files between 1979 and 1999. Thursday December 4: A number of alleged victims write to Mrs May saying they will withdraw from the inquiry unless the Government makes major changes to it. Sunday December 21: Survivors say they welcome an indication from the Home Secretary that the inquiry will be given statutory powers, including the ability to compel witnesses to give evidence. Wednesday January 21:  Leon Brittan dies as the age of 75. Wednesday February 4: Mrs May is expected to announce the new chair and her possible plans for a new format of the inquiry, which could potentially involve scrapping the existing panel and replacing it with a more powerful body.
Lowell Goddard, a High Court judge in New Zealand, to lead the probe . She said leading inquiry it was the 'biggest challenge' she has ever faced . She tells MPs she hopes work will begin in April, but could last years . Last week Theresa May halted inquiry which was first announced in July . Followed resignation of two previous chairman over Establishment links .
77f04a5ef7e04321db5ab725b31fd0be4c1680ec
For 22 years, police searched for the identity of 'Baby Hope' - the 4-year-old girl sexually assaulted, murdered, then stuffed in a picnic cooler and tossed on the side of a road. In all that time, no one ever came to claim her. She was burned in a grave without a name, paid for by the detectives working her case. But on Monday the girl's mother spoke, saying that she was 'devastated' to learn that her daughter Anjelica Castillo was Baby Hope. She told reporters that no one could understand her pain and that she only wanted justice for little Anjelica. Margarita Castillo, however, would not say why she never reported her daughter missing or why no one from her family ever came forward during the high-profile search for Baby Hope's next-of-kin. Vindicated: . Anjelica Castillo, seen right in an age-progression sketch and left in a . sketch released in 1991. The third photo is of the cooler which the . child was found inside . This is the Queens apartment where Baby Hope's mother, Margarita Castillo, lives. She refused to open her door to speak to reporters about her daughter on Monday . RIP: The tombstone of Anjelica 'Baby Hope' Castillo in the Bronx finally has her real name on it. The grave was visited by dozens of well-wishers on Sunday . Margarita spoke out from her apartment in Elmhurst, Queens, for the first time since being identified by NYPD detectives as Baby Hope's mother. She refused to open the door for reporters, but could be heard sobbing as she described learning that Baby Hope was her missing child. 'We are too emotional to talk right now because of everything we are going through. You wouldn’t understand my pain,' Margarita Castillo said. 'We are just waiting for justice. We are not going to have peace. You can't even describe a punishment.' The mother of ten, who has children by three different men, is an illegal immigrant. Some neighbors say she didn't come forward because she feared deportation. Others don't buy that explanation. 'Killer': Conrado Juarez being walked from the NYPD Cold Case Precinct in Brooklyn, on Saturday. Juarez allegedly confessed to the rape and murder of the long-unidentified 'Baby Hope' In custody: Juarez, 52, was arraigned on Saturday at Manhattan Criminal Court for the alleged murder of 4-year-old Anjelica Castillo, nicknamed 'Baby Hope', in New York . 'I don't believe that. I don't believe that's true. They look like they are very aware. They're educated so I don't believe it,' neighbor Omar Delarosa told WABC-TV. NYPD detectives arrested Conrado Juarez, 52, a cousin of Anjelica, this weekend after a break in the notorious cold case. Juarez confessed to tying the girl to a table then sexually assaulting her and smothering her with a pillow when she wouldn't stop screaming. The attack occurred at his sister's house in the Bronx. When his sister, who died years later, found out, she demanded that Juarez dispose of the body. He confessed to stuffing her in a blue cooler and dumping her along the Henry Hudson Parkway. She was found by construction workers on July 23, 1991. A law enforcement official told NBC 4 . New York that Margarita Castillo claims Anjelica's father took her and several of her daughters to live with family members. He then returned to his native Mexico. Margarita is said to claim she lived in fear of the baby's father . and was afraid to go to police after her daughter disappeared. It was not until she was reunited with all of her children years later that she realized Anjelica was gone, she says.
Baby Hope, whose name has been revealed as Anjelica Castillo, was tortured in the time leading up to her murder . The child had been starved, sexually abused and suffocated to death . Conrado . Juarez, 52, has been arrested for the crime . He told police he killed his 4-year-old cousin Anjelica and dumped her body inside a picnic cooler in the woods . She was never reported missing and no one came forward with any leads as to her identity . Juarez claimed his sister brought the cooler for him to dispose of the girl . On Sunday dozens of people came to her grave to pay homage to the child who was killed in 1991 .
7ecc979d11a8f6dd5663008ea3d69206f9787c6a
She made her name by giving outspoken advice on what not to wear. But now Susannah Constantine is the one being criticised – over some very controversial accessories brandished by her young daughter. Keen hunter Miss Constantine shared a picture of ten-year-old Cece proudly clutching a dead duck and with her face smeared with blood to mark her first kill. The little girl is also shown holding guns and taking part in hunts in a series of photos dating back almost a year and published on her and her mother’s public Instagram profiles. The photographs are accompanied by captions such as ‘First duck’ and ‘No food left after Christmas. Cece off to save the day’. Scroll down for video . Her first kill: With blood smeared across her face, a smiling Cece, 10, poses with the dead duck . Taking aim: Cece, holding a gun with sister Esme, 13, in a picture that was posted recently on Instagram . But Miss Constantine has been condemned by animal rights campaigners, who claimed the pictures call into question her abilities as a mother and branded the decision to let a child hunt ‘depressing’, ‘irresponsible’ and ‘dangerous’. Miss Constantine – who found fame alongside Trinny Woodall as one half of television fashion advisers Trinny and Susannah – began hunting at the age of seven around the Leicestershire village of Knipton where she grew up. The daughter of a Coldstream Guard, Miss Constantine boarded from the age of 11 at the £6,950-a-term St Mary’s School in Oxfordshire and was once labelled a ‘snob’ by Carol Vorderman. She has dated Viscount Linley and Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, and is now married to Danish businessman Sten Bertelsen, with whom she has three children – Joe, 15, Esme, 13, and Cece. But the 52-year-old’s privileged background and lifelong passion for hunting has done little to appease her critics, with a spokesman for Animal Aid saying there is ‘no justification for putting a weapon into the hands of a child’. The sentiment was echoed by a spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who said: ‘Susannah’s mothering skills have to be called into question, as she’s evidently failed to convey the most basic lesson of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.’ Star duo: Trinny and Susannah made their name by giving outspoken advice on what not to wear . Family: Susannah with husband Sten Bertelsen, with whom she has three children – Joe,  Esme and Cece . Michael Stephenson, of the League Against Cruel Sports, added: ‘We believe parents have a responsibility to teach their kids to respect and enjoy wildlife. We don’t believe children should be killing wildlife full stop and have always expressed concern at children being exposed to blood sports.’ Miss Constantine has long been vocal about her love of hunting. In an interview as far back as 1990, she said: ‘I am fit because I hunt every weekend with the Belvoir in Leicestershire, where my parents live and I was brought up … it is relaxing because when you’re in the saddle you have to concentrate entirely on what you are doing’. Miss Constantine declined to comment when contacted about the picture of her daughter, saying: ‘It was a private day.’
Keen hunter Susannah Constantine shared picture of daughter Cece . The 10-year-old has her face smeared with blood to mark first kill . The little girl is also shown holding guns and taking part in hunts . Photos dating back almost a year are published on Instagram .
3dbf6a11b23df8677a0126e8142ef0ef1b48c085
Read the full match report from the Australian Open men's final in Melbourne . Andy Murray allowed himself to be mugged in this Australian Open final. He knows it, and so does Novak Djokovic. The angry cracking of two rackets back at his chair after a cursory handshake at the net spoke more articulately than the Scot’s more measured reflections after a shattering defeat by his long-time rival. The smashing of his implements was a way of expressing what he felt about getting distracted by Djokovic’s Oscar-contending displays of frailty. Andy Murray loses his cool during the 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-0 defeat to Novak Djokovic in Melbourne . The British No 1 won only 34 per cent of points on his weak second serve in the final . Murray looks on as world No 1 Djokovic gives his winner's speech . ‘I play enough matches to be able to handle that situation better,’ he admitted. But while the wildly undulating physical demeanour of the champion is what will be remembered about this encounter, there were more prosaic reasons for the result. A continuing problem for Murray is his second serve, which still requires a protection order to be slapped on it. He may have varied it better at this event but it is still too vulnerable. Djokovic won 62 per cent of his second serves to Murray’s 34 per cent, but it was 15mph faster. More startlingly, the 83mph average of the Murray second delivery in the final was 10mph slower than Serena Williams and 12mph slower than Maria Sharapova managed in the women’s final. Murray seemed distracted by Djokovic's requests for medical attention during the game . Murray's fiancee Kim Sears looks up at the big screen in Melbourne after they notice her choice of top . The former Wimbledon champion takes his frustration out on a pair of rackets . Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash has accused Andy Murray of losing the plot . He lacked the same ruthlessness as Djokovic, particularly in the way he allowed himself to become distracted by the drama at the other end of the court as his opponent went through his physical troughs. You see this kind of thing happening more commonly in junior tennis, one player being befuddled by another’s struggles. More profoundly, you have to take your chances when they present themselves against the best. Murray could have won all three sets, having been 4-2 up in the first tiebreak and 2-0 up in the third set, which was the time when the hammer had to come down. Yet in comparing him with Djokovic, we are judging him by stratospheric standards, and that should not be overlooked. Indeed, it is possible that the unfolding story of this year in men’s tennis will be whether anybody can mount a credible challenge to the 27-year-old, whose game is near impenetrable. Djokovic gives Murray a backwards glance as he holds the Australian Open winner's trophy . The Scot tries not to watch as Djokovic kisses the trophy after his four set victory . Djokovic and his team, including coach Boris Becker (right), celebrate in the locker room . If there is a volunteer for the role it might turn out to be Murray, seeing the improvements that he has come up with since returning from the off-season. Taken as a whole, his form here has been immensely encouraging, a swift turnaround after the shambolic way he ended last year with an embarrassing defeat by Roger Federer and abrupt changes in his coaching team. He played impressively in the lead-up during some competitive exhibitions, and then showed that was no mirage in particularly outstanding performances to beat Grigor Dimitrov and Tomas Berdych. The necessary aggression was there to see. Murray lost his way after winning the second set and going 2-0 up in the third set . Murray screams as he comes up short in the sixth grand slam final of his career . The Scot's coach Amelie Mauresmo accepts that her charge's performance was not good enough . While the 6-0 scoreline in Sunday's final set looks ugly, it was apparent that whoever won the third set could romp away with it. The damage was done then, and that is what will keep Murray awake on the flight back to London. Coach Amelie Mauresmo’s reaction later deserves as much weight as that from scathing BBC commentators such as Pat Cash and John Lloyd. ‘It wasn’t enough, it is not yet enough,’ she said. ‘You can see Novak produced his best play at the important moments. Novak served really well — better than Andy. The two things made the difference. These are two really good weeks compared to the end of last year, but to beat Djokovic, who is superb, it is not yet enough. ‘We have already made important progress — the little things are still to be worked on. There is not a lot of frustration. It is really a step forward. There remains a big one to make and we are going to try to do it. ‘The improvement he has made since the end of last year and then the first month and first Grand Slam is really positive. We will all look back on where he has come from to where he is at now. Still there are a few steps to climb before holding a Grand Slam trophy again, but the gap is closing.’ The new rankings will back up that assertion, with Murray up from No 6 to No 4 in the world. He is in familiar company, with the trinity of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer. But after an Australian Open that always had swirling undercurrents of acrimony, Djokovic is in a group of one right now. A security guard carries away a protestor who ran on court during the men's final . Murray tries to come to terms with defeat in a press conference after the game . Djokovic will take some beating in 2015 after winning the Australian Open for a fifth time .
Andy Murray was defeated by Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final . British No 1 won only 34 per cent of points on his weak second serve . The Scot's second delivery was slower than both women finalists Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova . Former pro Pat Cash accused Murray of having a meltdown in Melbourne .
198bc6da233564c3a47b9db68cfc69039be7e712
A Lithuanian builder has appeared in court accused of the double murder of a married couple who were found stabbed to death at their £750,000 home in Surrey. Viktoras Bruzas, 38, is accused of murdering Patrick Kettyle, 55, and his wife Gillian, 54, who were discovered at the semi-detached property in Fetcham shortly after midnight on Thursday last week. Their deaths sparked a police search for Bruzas, 38, who was arrested 18 hours later in nearby Oxshott. Lithuanian builder Viktoras Bruzas, 38, (left)  has been charged with murder after the bodies of married couple Patrick (right), 55, and Gillian Kettyle, 54, were discovered at their Surrey home on Thursday . Bruzas pictured leaving Guildford Crown Court today after appearing charged with two counts of murder . The self-employed builder, from Walton-on-Thames, appeared at Guildford Crown Court today charged with two counts of murder. He had appeared briefly at South East Surrey Magistrates' Court in Redhill, Surrey, on Saturday, when his case was sent straight to the crown court. With short brown hair and wearing a grey jumper, Bruzas spoke only to confirm his name as he appeared in the dock. Judge Christopher Critchlow, Honorary Recorder of Guildford, transferred the case to the Old Bailey in central London. Bruzas, who was wearing a grey jumper, spoke only to confirm his name during the hearing . Kristina Bruziene, the ex wife of Bruzas, was employed by the couple as a secretary in 2012 . Bruzas, who moved to England in 2008, was remanded in custody. The next hearing will be at the Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey, on December 19. Initial post mortem examinations show the couple died as the result of multiple knife wounds. A weapon was found near their home after detectives began a forensic search of the area. Police say Bruzas and the Kettyle family were known to each. Mr Kettyle had employed Bruzas’s ex-wife, Kristina Bruziene, 37, as a secretary at his million-pound building and property development firm. He ran the company from his home, while his wife worked as a facilities manager at Cargill Plc in Cobham, Surrey. Bruzas grew up in Kaunas, Lithuania, the country’s second biggest city, 65 miles west of the capital, Vilnius. He married his wife in Lithuania before they moved to the UK in their twenties. The couple settled in Forest Gate, East London, and had their son Richard, who was born in September 2007. Relatives described the couple as 'really lovely people' who did not deserve what happened to them. A forensics officer collects a knife in Fetcham, Surrey (right). Forensic officers were in the house (left), where the couple were found . Police said that the deaths had shaken the close community in Fetcham. Above, the house was cordoned off as the police searched the area . Mrs Kettyle's ex-husband, Andrew Farrow, was devastated at her loss, saying: 'My life and Gill's had not crossed paths for some time, but it took me years to get over Gill.' Another man in his 30s who was arrested at a property in Walton-on-Thames in Surrey on Thursday has been released with no further action taken against him, police said. The next hearing will take place on December 19, in front of Mr Justice Sweeney. Police set up at the scene. Initial post-mortem results show the couple died from stab wounds . Fetcham is a leafy commuter village in Surrey, just south of the M25 . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Viktoras Bruzas, 38, charged with murders of Patrick and Gillian Kettyle . Pair, in their 50s, died from stab wounds at home in Fetcham last Thursday . Bruzas, from Walton-on-Thames, appeared today at Guildford Crown Court . No plea entered - he was remanded in custody until Old Bailey appearance .
e6da13b2e06a3e77bdf06c016c0ddd0af8c49d2c
Met Office releases new figures which show no warming in 15 years . The supposed ‘consensus’ on man-made global warming is facing an inconvenient challenge after the release of new temperature data showing the planet has not warmed for the past 15 years. The figures suggest that we could even be heading for a mini ice age to rival the 70-year temperature drop that saw frost fairs held on the Thames in the 17th Century. Based on readings from more than 30,000 measuring stations, the data was issued last week without fanfare by the Met Office and the University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit. It confirms that the rising trend in world temperatures ended in 1997. A painting, dated 1684, by Abraham Hondius depicts one of many frost fairs on the River Thames during the mini ice age . Meanwhile, leading climate scientists yesterday told The Mail on Sunday that, after emitting unusually high levels of energy throughout the 20th Century, the sun is now heading towards a ‘grand minimum’ in its output, threatening cold summers, bitter winters and a shortening of the season available for growing food. Solar output goes through 11-year cycles, with high numbers of sunspots seen at their peak. We are now at what should be the peak of what scientists call ‘Cycle 24’ – which is why last week’s solar storm resulted in sightings of the aurora borealis further south than usual. But sunspot numbers are running at less than half those seen during cycle peaks in the 20th Century. Analysis by experts at NASA and the University of Arizona – derived from magnetic-field measurements 120,000 miles beneath the sun’s surface – suggest that Cycle 25, whose peak is due in 2022, will be a great deal weaker still. According to a paper issued last week by the Met Office, there is a  92 per cent chance that both Cycle 25 and those taking place in the following decades will be as weak as, or weaker than, the ‘Dalton minimum’ of 1790 to 1830. In this period, named after the meteorologist John Dalton, average temperatures in parts of Europe fell by 2C. However, it is also possible that the new solar energy slump could be as deep as the ‘Maunder minimum’ (after astronomer Edward Maunder), between 1645 and 1715 in the coldest part of the ‘Little Ice Age’ when, as well as the Thames frost fairs, the canals of Holland froze solid. Yet, in its paper, the Met Office claimed that the consequences now would be negligible – because the impact of the sun on climate is far less than man-made carbon dioxide. Although the sun’s output is likely to decrease until 2100, ‘This would only cause a reduction in global temperatures of 0.08C.’ Peter Stott, one of the authors, said: ‘Our findings suggest  a reduction of solar activity to levels not seen in hundreds of years would be insufficient to offset the dominant influence of greenhouse gases.’ These findings are fiercely disputed by other solar experts. ‘World temperatures may end up a lot cooler than now for 50 years or more,’ said Henrik Svensmark, director of the Center for Sun-Climate Research at Denmark’s National Space Institute. ‘It will take a long battle to convince some climate scientists that the sun is important. It may well be that the sun is going to demonstrate this on its own, without the need for their help.’ He pointed out that, in claiming the effect of the solar minimum would be small, the Met Office was relying on the same computer models that are being undermined by the current pause in global-warming. CO2 levels have continued to rise without interruption and, in 2007, the Met Office claimed that global warming was about to ‘come roaring back’. It said that between 2004 and 2014 there would be an overall increase of 0.3C. In 2009, it predicted that at least three of the years 2009 to 2014 would break the previous temperature record set in 1998. So far there is no sign of any of this happening. But yesterday a Met Office spokesman insisted its models were still valid. ‘The ten-year projection remains groundbreaking science. The period for the original projection is not over yet,’ he said. Dr Nicola Scafetta, of Duke University in North Carolina, is the author of several papers that argue the Met Office climate models show there should have been ‘steady warming from 2000 until now’. ‘If temperatures continue to stay flat or start to cool again, the divergence between the models and recorded data will eventually become so great that the whole scientific community will question the current theories,’ he said. He believes that as the Met Office model attaches much greater significance to CO2 than to the sun, it was bound to conclude that there would not be cooling. ‘The real issue is whether the model itself is accurate,’ Dr Scafetta said. Meanwhile, one of America’s most eminent climate experts, Professor Judith Curry of the  Georgia Institute of Technology, said she found the Met Office’s confident prediction of a ‘negligible’ impact difficult to understand. ‘The responsible thing to do would be to accept the fact that the models may have severe shortcomings when it comes to the influence of the sun,’ said Professor Curry. As for the warming pause, she said that many scientists ‘are not surprised’. She argued it is becoming evident that factors other than CO2 play an important role in rising or falling warmth, such as the 60-year water temperature cycles in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. ‘They have insufficiently been appreciated in terms of global climate,’ said Prof Curry. When both oceans were cold in the past, such as from 1940 to 1970, the climate cooled. The Pacific cycle ‘flipped’ back from warm to cold mode in 2008 and the Atlantic is also thought likely to flip in the next few years . Pal Brekke, senior adviser at the Norwegian Space Centre, said some scientists found the importance of water cycles difficult to accept, because doing so means admitting that the oceans – not CO2 – caused much of the global warming between 1970 and 1997. The same goes for the impact of the sun – which was highly active for much of the 20th Century. ‘Nature is about to carry out a very interesting experiment,’ he said. ‘Ten or 15 years from now, we will be able to determine much better whether the warming of the late 20th Century really was caused by man-made CO2, or by natural variability.’ Meanwhile, since the end of last year, world temperatures have fallen by more than half a degree, as the cold ‘La Nina’ effect has re-emerged in the South Pacific. ‘We’re now well into the second decade of the pause,’ said Benny Peiser, director of the Global Warming Policy Foundation. ‘If we don’t see convincing evidence of global warming by 2015, it will start to become clear whether the models are bunk. And, if they are, the implications for some scientists could be very serious.’
Met Office releases new figures which show no warming in 15 years .
7cdc349f8f5cc62fa85fdec90036ac1ddc631531
A felon with a long rap sheet testified Tuesday that a woman paid him $5,000 to kill her ex-husband in 2012 during a child custody court case that police said had millions of dollars at stake. The testimony in Hartford Superior Court came on the first day of the trial of 39-year-old Tiffany Stevens, formerly of Bloomfield, who has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder. The felon, John McDaid of Granville, Massachusetts, also testified that Stevens threatened to have him and his children killed if he didn't follow through on the murder-for-hire. First day of her trial: John McDaid told a Connecticut court Tuesday that Tiffany Stevens, 39, offered him $5,000 to kill her ex Eric Stevens in 2012. Stevens is seen walking with her father Edward Khalily (right) on the first day of her trial in Hartford on Tuesday . McDaid, who said he had a criminal record dating back to the 1970s including 22 felony convictions, said he didn't follow through on the plan and instead told Stevens' ex-husband, who reported it to police . The alleged murder-for-hire plot in 2012, which was never carried out, occurred as Stevens and her ex-husband were involved in a child custody court case. Police say whoever got custody of the Stevens' daughter would control a $50 million trust fund . For more than a year, Eric and Tiffany Stevens battled over the rights to the eight-year-old girl, and control of a $50 million fund that is linked to her custody. McDaid, who said he had a criminal record dating back to the 1970s including 22 felony convictions, said he didn't follow through on the plan and instead told Stevens' ex-husband, who reported it to police. McDaid said he spent the $5,000 on a washer, dryer, clothes for his children and other items while leading Tiffany Stevens to believe he was going to carry out the plot. 'Find somebody. I want him killed,' McDaid said Tiffany Stevens told him, adding, 'I honestly almost didn't think it was real.' McDaid said Stevens asked him 'incessantly' over several months when her ex-husband would be killed and accused him of abusing her. In April 2012, while McDaid was working as a maintenance man for a wealthy Simsbury couple, he said Tiffany Stevens, who knew the couple, slapped an envelope containing $5,000 across his chest and said, 'Get it done.' McDaid also testified he used a computer audio program to secretly record Stevens talking about the murder-for-hire plot. Her lawyers, Hubert Santos and Trent LaLima, are trying to prevent the purported audiotape of her and McDaid from being used as evidence during the trial. On Tuesday, they raised the possibility that the recording could have been tampered with. Judge Edward J. Mullarkey has yet to rule on their motion. The trial is scheduled to continue Wednesday afternoon and last until at least next week. The way they were: Tiffany Stevens, who is free on $1 million bail, has custody of her daughter, despite the attempted murder case. Eric Stevens is seeking custody of the girl in family court; he says he doesn't know where his daughter is . Sordid: Simsbury police Sgt. Gregory Samselski testified that Eric Stevens called police in July 2012 to tell them about his ex-wife's plot and to play the audio recording for them. Samselski said he learned later that whoever won custody of the Stevens' daughter would control a trust fund said to be worth $50 million . Simsbury police Sgt. Gregory Samselski testified that Eric Stevens called police in July 2012 to tell them about his ex-wife's plot and to play the audio recording for them. Samselski said he learned later that whoever won custody of the Stevens' daughter would control a trust fund said to be worth $50 million. Tiffany Stevens, who is free on $1 million bail, has custody of her daughter, despite the attempted murder case. Eric Stevens is seeking custody of the girl in family court; he says he doesn't know where his daughter is. Tiffany Stevens had her long black hair in a ponytail and wore a black blazer and black slacks Tuesday. She arrived at court holding hands with her father, Edward Khalily, a principal of WEGO Chemical & Mineral Co. in Great Neck, New York, and she did not comment.
John McDaid told a Connecticut court Tuesday that Tiffany Stevens, 39, offered him $5,000 to kill her ex Eric Stevens in 2012 . While McDaid was worked as a handyman for a wealthy Simsbury couple, he said Tiffany Stevens handed him $5,000 and said, 'Get it done.' McDaid said he spent the money while leading Tiffany Stevens to believe he was going to carry out the plot . He told authorities Stevens threatened to have McDaid and his children killed if he didn't follow through on the murder-for-hire .
613d3689f8e4cd37063b54c67b477f8fc52edeae
A women who frequently complained about her loneliness and ill health in letters to her family shut herself in her own freezer to die, it emerged today. The tragedy took place in the French village of Mee-sur-Seine, south of Paris, where the un-named 57-year-old’s lifeless body was found on Monday night. Emergency workers were called to her flat after she had not been seen for several days by family or neighbours. Scroll down for video . The tragedy took place in the French village of Mee-sur-Seine (pictured) After a number of searches, a fireman eventually opened the freezer, to find her corpse curled up inside. ‘She shut herself in in order to kill herself,’ a police source told AFP news agency, adding that she had been suffering from ‘severe loneliness’. The source said the woman’s daughter ‘had no longer had any news from her mother’, and that five letters to other family members were found. Police sources said that the woman's intention was to kill herself . In them, the woman said she was ‘suffering from several diseases and from severe loneliness’. France has one of the highest suicide rates in Europe, with some 220,000 people attempting to take their own lives every year, and around 10,000 succeeding.
Tragedy took place in the French village of Mee-sur-Seine, south of Paris . Unnamed 57-year-old's lifeless body was found on Monday night . She had not been seen for several days by family or neighbours . For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details .
4dae28ba9f00b8666a23cddcd7c51ae2dd05da20
A teenager from Minneapolis has been charged with supporting the so-called Islamic State after he was arrested while allegedly on his way to join the insurgent group. Abdullahi Yusuf, 18, was stopped at Minneapolis airport before he could board a plane to Turkey, the country which most wannabe jihadists pass through to reach terror group's strongholds in Syria. Agents are still looking for 20-year-old Abdi Nur, a contact of Yusuf's, who left for Istanbul, the Turkish capital, the next day and didn't return. Islamic State fighters: A teenager from Minneapolis has been charged with supporting the terrorist group after he was arrested at an airport allegedly en-route to join their ranks in war-torn Syria . A fighter waves the ISIS flag in Raqqa, Syria:Abdullahi Yusuf, 18, was stopped at Minneapolis airport before he could board a plane to Turkey, but his alleged accomplice Abdi Nur boarded a plane the next day . Both have been charged with 'conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, namely, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL),' said Assistant Attorney General John Carlin. Nur also is charged with providing material support to a foreign terror group. U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said both young men conspired to join the Islamic State 'to engage in a campaign of terror in support of a violent ideology.' Yusuf, a student at Inver Hills Community College who lives in Inver Grove Heights, a suburb of St Paul, appeared in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis yesterday, after he was first arrested in late May. His attorney argued for his release, noting he had been going to school and work despite knowing for months that he was under investigation. But a magistrate judge ordered him held until a detention hearing Wednesday. Both Yusuf and Nur are Americans of Somali descent. The charges come after FBI officials last summer said they had begun tracking a trickle of Somali-Americans from Minneapolis to Islamic State-held areas in Syria. According to a criminal complaint unsealed yesterday, Nur was a Facebook 'friend' of Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan, a man also known as Miski who was indicted in Minneapolis in 2009 on charges of being involved with Al Shabaab. The complaint said Hassan remained a fugitive. It said Yusuf, who came to the attention of the FBI after a tip-off from passport office workers, was an 'associate' of a person identified only as 'H.M.', a former Minnesota resident now believed to be fighting in Syria. According to the complaint, a passport specialist noticed Yusuf didn't have a specific itinerary, the name of a hotel or details about a person he claimed he was going to see in Istanbul. The specialist also noticed Yusuf became nervous. He alerted his supervisor, who went to the FBI. Education: Inver Hills Community College in Inver Grove Heights, where Yusuf was a student . Arrest: Yusuf was picked up by FBI agents as he tried to board a plane at Minneapolis St Paul Airport . Court documents claim that after the passport office tip-off FBI agents watched Yusuf as he opened a bank account and deposited $1,500 that he used to buy a plane ticket to Turkey. On May 28, the FBI watched as Yusuf's father drove him to school. About an hour later, Yusuf walked to a mosque, then was picked up in a Volkswagen Jetta that authorities say Nur had been driving in recent days. It is claimed that during the short car journey Yusuf changed clothes while the driver helped him pack items into a duffel bag and backpack, ABC News reports. The car dropped Yusuf to a light rail station from where he made his way to the airport. Agents arrested Yusuf before he was able to board his flight. When they told him they believed he wanted to travel to Syria to join a terrorist group, Yusuf is alleged to have said: 'I never committed no terrorist crimes that you're accusing me of.' Authorities tried to find Nur after learning he was connected to the car. But the FBI learned on May 29 that Nur had left Minneapolis that day for Istanbul. The criminal complaint said Nur had become 'much more religious' in the two months before his departure and spoke about jihad. After he left for Turkey, a witness went to a mosque that Nur attended in Bloomington, a Minneapolis suburb, and confronted several people, according to court documents. Investigators said Nur also had been communicating on Facebook with another Minneapolis man who authorities believe went to Somalia in 2008 to join al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab. Fightback: Iraqi military armored trucks pass next to a building painted in the colors of the Islamic State flag as they take up position after they retook the town of Sa'adiya, north-east of Baghdad . Assistant Attorney General Carlin said: 'More than 16,000 recruits from over 90 countries traveled to Syria to become foreign terrorist fighters with alarming consequences.' 'This is a global crisis and we will continue our efforts to prevent Americans from joining the fight and to hold accountable those who provide material support to foreign terrorist organizations,' he added. 'With these two defendants, we have now charged more than 15 individuals with offenses related to the foreign fighter threat in Syria.' FBI Director James Comey said this month his agency was tracking close to 150 Americans it believe had traveled to Syria. A federal official said authorities believe around a dozen Americans were fighting there with the Islamic State. Yusuf's parents — who authorities said didn't know about their son's plans — attended Tuesday's court hearing but declined to speak to The Associated Press. The Islamic State organisation emerged in spring 2013 from the warring groups in Syria's civil war. The jihadists proclaimed a 'caliphate' this June after seizing swathes of Iraq and Syria.
Abdullahi Yusuf, 18, was arrested as he tried to board a flight to Turkey . But agents missed his co-accused Abdi Nur, 20, who travelled the next day . Both men are charged with conspiracy to support a terrorist organisation . Nur also is charged with providing material support to a terror group .
42f18b18d0b3651dc4d7e0c2baf900b982965815
It has been a horrible season for Manchester United and not much better for record signing Juan Mata. The diminutive Spanish playmaker went from Champions League winner and back-to-back player of the year awards at Chelsea to losing his place in the team and being sold to a United side spiralling down the league. It is no surprise, then, that Mata has one eye on next season when he believes his new club, without the demands of European football to distract them, will be well placed to make an immediate return to the top of the pile. For both club and player, he believes, it will be a case of ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’. Spanish eyes: Juan Mata sees a way back to top for United . Trophy hunting: Juan Mata presents David de Gea with Manchester United's Players' Player of the Year award but next season wants the duo to get their hands on the Premier League trophy . Take it as Red: Mata scores against Norwich in Ryan Giggs' first match as United's caretaker manager . Hero worship: Mata (right) with Giggs, someone the Spaniard idolised growing up . On his knees: It has been a horrible season for Mata and his new club United . On the scoresheet: Mata has scored five goals since joining United . ‘I went through a situation at Chelsea . that I had not been through before in my career,’ he says. ‘I was not . playing regularly but I really believe that made me stronger. You can . lose faith in yourself in adversity but I never did. I remained . confident and I never lost sight of my objectives.’ He . believes United can emulate Liverpool who, unfettered by European . football, have lit up this season with their energetic football. ‘It . can definitely be an advantage in the league. Of course, I would rather . be playing in the Champions League, but if we take Liverpool as the . example — you have a team who have fought all the way to the finish . without having played in the Champions League.’ Mata . already has his own Champions League winner’s medal, having planted a . corner on Didier Drobga’s head for the Chelsea equaliser in that . dramatic final in Munich. What he can’t be sure about is who will lead . the club’s charge next season to get back into the competition. There . is an obvious bond with Ryan Giggs, whom he worshipped as a boy. The . old saying that you should never meet your idols clearly does not apply . in this case. ‘I told him when I arrived that he had been my hero . growing up. And he said to me, “I’m really happy you’re here. But I’m a . bit sad too because now I’ve only got the second best left foot at the . club.” ‘I told him that was . impossible. He was the player I watched most closely as a kid. I loved . the way he controlled the ball and the touch he had. He was a pure . winger, left-footed, right out on the touchline. He was fast, . unplayable in a one-on-one situation, and he scored goals. Now destiny . has made him my team-mate and my manager.’ Mata . knows Giggs’ reign might not last and is guarded about what the future . might hold. Asked about Louis van Gaal, he says: ‘I’ve never met him. I . know what kind of history he has, the titles he has won and the kind of . football he is playing with Holland. But I don’t think it’s good to talk . about a coach who is not our manager.’ If . the Dutchman does replace the Welshman, he will become Mata’s seventh . coach in three seasons. So much for English patience and trigger-happy . Spanish club presidents. ‘You mean it’s my fault,’ he laughs. Winning smile: Mata beams as he lifts the Europa League trophy in 2013 . Kings of Europe: Mata and Torres lift the Champions League trophy after a penalty shootout in 2012 . How . do the managers compare? ‘ (Andre) Villas-Boas was the person who brought me to . England and who trusted in me. He’s young, he has ambition and he wants . to play attractive, fun and winning football. I will always be grateful . to him. ‘Di Matteo was a . bit like Giggs. He was the ex-player, the assistant coach, who stayed . when Villas-Boas left. And he was a huge success. We won the Champions . League, the FA Cup ... he was fantastic with me and with the whole . group. He got us all together, all committed. ‘Then . we won the Europa League (with Rafa Benitez). It was hard for him at . first because of the history he had but I think he did things well. He . was professional and he won a title — a title that the club hadn’t won . before.’ Then came Jose . Mourinho. Why did it not work out? A lack of communication seems key, . although perhaps it was a symptom and not the cause of the problem. Did . he ask Mourinho why he was left out the side? ‘No. I didn’t consider it . opportune.’ Did Mourinho ever explain to Mata why he didn’t fit? ‘No. Nothing,’ he says. When the talking did begin it was between Chelsea and . United and it culminated in a helicopter flying him to Carrington on . January 25 this year. Season of woe: United have finished outside the top three for the first time in the Premier League era . Season to remember: Luis Suarez and Liverpool have had an excellent season domestically . ‘I . will always be grateful to Chelsea,’ he says. ‘To the directors, the . owner and the fans, because from the first day to the last they were . fantastic. No communication: Jose Mourinho did not explain to Mata why he was out of the side . ‘I wish them the . best, I really do. I have a lot of friends there. Cesar (Azpilicueta), . Fernando (Torres), David (Luiz), Oscar. I talk to Lampard and Terry a . lot too. I was with them for two and a half years and I wish them the . best.’ He is proud of the . open thank you letter he wrote Chelsea fans when he left. ‘I didn’t do . that just for the sake of my image, it was heartfelt. I wanted to . express what I felt about Chelsea, about the fans, who had always . treated me so well.’ Such a . public display of affection towards rival supporters might have . compromised Mata’s relationship with United fans but most see it as a . measure of the man. He is anxious to start wining trophies in a red . shirt and he says the critics should stop getting so hung up on which . position he plays. ‘Obviously, . I don’t consider myself an out-an-out right-winger as such, but it . offers me the chance to come inside on my left foot, and that way I have . a broader field of vision. I have also played on the left with Valencia . and with the national team and I liked it there. The position that I . have played best in is behind the striker. But I think I can play in the . other two as well.’ Mata won international youth honours for Spain with goalkeeper David de Gea and he believes United’s player of the year has the mentality to become an Old Trafford great. ‘He has huge . faith in himself, which is a really important virtue,’ Mata says. ‘He . doesn’t let anything affect him. He knows if he has made a mistake but . it never sinks him. He uses it to make sure that he doesn’t make the . same mistake next time. He’s very calm. Sign of the times: A Chelsea fan holds up a banner praising Mata following his departure to United . ‘I’ve . spoken to friends about this and they say about Leo Messi: “It’s as if . he doesn’t care about anything.” He scores goals and acts as if it’s . normal. But maybe that’s a good thing. There’s so much pressure and . maybe, if you tell yourself that you have to be brilliant all the time, . when you make a mistake you collapse. Maybe you have to treat it all a . bit more ‘normally’. I think that’s a quality great players have.’ So . can De Gea and Mata win together in the red of United as they have in . the red of Spain? ‘There has been a loss of confidence. Thirteen months . ago, you’d be losing 3-0 and you’d win 4-3 at Old Trafford,’ says Mata. ‘Now you’re losing 3-0 and it seems impossible. That mentality, that . confidence, has not always been there this season. But I think the . players and the club still have that attitude. The fans do, too. ‘I . remember, with Chelsea, it was almost impossible to win here. There are . huge demands at this club. If you don’t win the league one year, you . must win it the next year. Next season we have to demonstrate that the . club has not lost its essence; has not lost its mentality; has not lost . its competitiveness; and it has not lost its identity.’
Mata believes United can get back to the top with no European distraction . Says 'I never lost my faith in myself' during tough time at Chelsea . Reveals as a boy he worshipped United caretaker boss Ryan Giggs . Mata will always be grateful to Chelsea and former managers Andre Villas-Boas, Roberto Di Matteo and Rafael Benitez . Spaniard did not communicate with Jose Mourinho . But Mata is proud of open letter he wrote to Chelsea fans after his departure . Says David de Gea is goalkeeping equivalent of Lionel Messi . United have lost their confidence, but must not lose their 'identity'
f253a5913f766cee1e8f10d2306637cc5cb0264b
A spectacular new cable car that rotates to give visitors a panoramic views, has been unveiled at a Swiss mountain resport. The Titlis Rotair gondola rotates its way up towards the snow-covered summit of Mount Titlis from the popular resort town of Engelberg in the Canton of Obwalden in central Switzerland. The vehicle transports tourists from the middle station at Stand up to the top of the 9,926ft high mountain. The Titlis Rotair gondola rotates its way up towards the snow-covered summit of Mount Titlis from the popular resort town of Engelberg in the Canton of Obwalden in central Switzerland . The gondola revolves 360 degrees during the five-minute trip, treating visitors to idyllic panoramic views of steep rock faces, deep crevasses and distant snow-covered mountain peaks. It’s one of only three rotating cable cars in the world, the other two being the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in California and The Table Mountain Cableway in Cape Town, South Africa. The idea for the rotating cable cars for winter and summer tourists at Engelberg was first floated as long ago as 1992, but was initially rejected by the department for transport as being too fanciful. But now, more than 22-years-later, it has finally been made into reality with the first cars heading up the slopes this week. The gondola revolves 360 degrees during the five-minute trip, treating visitors to idyllic panoramic views of steep rock faces, deep crevasses and distant snow-covered mountain peaks . The idea for the rotating cable cars for winter and summer tourists at Engelberg was first floated as long ago as 1992, but was initially rejected by the department for transport as being too fanciful . It allows people to experience different views as the cabin slowly rotates as it travels up the mountain. Tourist Martin Meyer, 45, said: ‘I always seem to get stuck in the pit of the cabin with worst view, but with the cabin slowly rotating sometimes you are looking down into the valley, and sometimes up to the mountain ahead. ‘And with the great panorama windows there is always something to look at wherever you are standing. The vehicle transports tourists to the top of the 9,926ft high mountain near the resort town of Engelberg in the Canton of Obwalden in central Switzerland . It’s one of only three rotating cable cars in the world, the other two being the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in California and The Table Mountain Cableway in Cape Town, South Africa . A cable car now running in the Dachstein mountain region in Styria, Austria has an open air viewing platform.Ten people can fit on the viewing platform where they can enjoy views that include several glaciers and more than a dozen peaks over 8,000ft . ‘It makes the journey to the top of the 3000 metre peak much more pleasant and interesting.’ ‘The pilot project involved installing temporary much smaller cabins where only the floor in the middle rotated, but was such a success that the new extra large circular cabins with wide panorama view windows have now taken their place. This time the whole cabin rotates once through 360 degrees as it goes up the mountain, turning on the axle where it is connected to the cable. The new project is just the latest in a number of innovative attempts to make cable cars more interesting as competition for visitors increases among Alpine regions. A cable car that is now running in the Dachstein mountain region in Styria, Austria has an open air viewing platform. Ten people can fit on the viewing platform where they can enjoy views that include several glaciers and more than a dozen peaks over 8,000ft.
The Titlis Rotair gondola travels to the top of Mount Titlis in Switzerland . The gondola revolves 360 degrees during the five-minute trip to the summit . First conceived in 1992, it is one of only three rotating lifts in the world . It runs from near the town of Engelberg in the Canton of Obwalden, Switzerland .
bdd28e3ab83804eebd5e3a32f726ae8bff102f44
Police described victim Tai Lam, 67, as a ‘defenseless senior citizen’ with disabilities, who weighed less than 100 pounds and stood about 5 feet 5 inches tall . Police have released surveillance footage showing a group of men who they suspect of savagely beating a homeless man to death as he slept in an alley in downtown San Francisco. Tai Lam, 67, was found dead last Monday in an alley behind buildings near the corner of Montgomery and Sutter streets. He was still inside his sleeping bag. Police described Lam as a ‘defenseless senior citizen’ with disabilities, who weighed less than 100 pounds and stood about 5 feet 5 inches tall. He was not robbed, and there was no clear motive in the attack. Police spokesman Albie Esparza has described the incident as 'a vicious, unprovoked attack by these coward suspects.' Video surveillance shows a man kicking Lam’s sleeping bag. Police said the man and two others returned a short time later to beat him again. ‘There was no reason for this,’ said San Francisco Police Lt. Toney Chaplin. ‘As far as provocation goes, I don’t know how much provocation you can give someone sleeping in a sleeping bag with your crutches a few feet away from you.’ The attacks happened between 11pm and midnight on Nov. 23, but Lam's body wasn't discovered until about 7am the next morning. ‘He was unable to defend himself. He died alone after suffering these horrendous attacks,” Chaplin said. Scroll down for video . Police have released surveillance footage showing a group of men who they suspect of savagely beating a homeless man to death as he slept in an alley in downtown San Francisco . The newly released video shows the three persons of interest while they smoked a cigarette on the steps to Crocker Galleria near Montgomery and Post streets, shortly before the assaults. The three young men are wearing hooded sweatshirts and baggy clothing and did not appear to be homeless themselves. They were described as possibly in their late teens to early 20s or 30s. Two of the suspects are believed to be African-American while the third is believed to be Caucasian. One of the African-American males appeared to stand more than 6 feet tall. Police are asking anyone with video surveillance of the area or anyone who may have additional information about the three suspects to contact San Francisco police investigators. The location: The suspects are believed to have found Esparaza sleeping in an alley behind buildings near the corner of Montgomery and Sutter streets in downtown San Francisco .
Tai Lam's body was found dead inside a sleeping bag in downtown San Francisco last Monday . Police have released footage showing the men they suspect of savagely beating the homeless man to death . The three young men are shown wearing hooded sweatshirts and baggy clothing and did not appear to be homeless themselves . Police described Lam as a 'defenseless senior citizen' with disabilities, who weighed less than 100 pounds and stood about 5 feet 5 inches tall .
939ce3e059f9647ee0bccb01e4a4abd58d03146d
A college basketball player battling terminal brain cancer saw her jersey number retired this weekend as she played in one of her final games. Lauren Hill, 19, who plays for the Mount St. Joseph Division III Cincinnati team, told crowds gathered at Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio on Friday night that she was 'speechless' as the retirement ceremony took place. The 5ft 10in freshman was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), last year and her mother reported this month that her condition has worsened with memory loss and vertigo kicking in. Scroll down for videos . Lauren Hill, 19, (pictured this month during her first NCAA college basketball game) saw her jersey number retired this weekend  in honor of her inspirational fight to continue playing in the face of inoperable cancer . But last week Hill appeared in high spirits as she joined teammates on court. The former prom queen even managed to score her third career basket in the match against Bethany College. A message on her Facebook fundraising page read: 'Legs were not working the best but she got the shot on the first try and was super excited. Made her day.' Slam dunk: Last Friday Hill appeared in high spirits as she joined teammates - here she is seen with the ball . Shot: The former prom queen scored her third career basket in the match against Bethany College . Taking a tumble: A message on her Facebook fundraising page read: 'Legs were not working the best but she got the shot on the first try and was super excited. Made her day' A banner with Hill's No. 22 jersey was unveiled at the half-time point and Lawrenceburg's mayor declared there would be a Lauren Hill Week in the southeastern Indiana city. 'All this has been amazing and the continued support from everybody, and all the other teams, and the community,' Hill told the crowd. 'There's really good people out there, that I've learned, and I'm speechless.' Lawrenceburg girls basketball coach Zane White said those at the school will be inspired by Hill wherever they go. 'It's an honor to know Lauren and be able to do this for her,' he said. Struggle: The teenager was a standout backetball player and former prom queen in high school, right . The Layup4Lauren challenge has helped raise more than $350,000 in the last few weeks for cancer research. More than 10,000 people attended Hill's Mount St. Joseph game on November 2 against Hiram College, where she fist fulfilled her dream of playing college basketball and made two layups. Hill wrote on Facebook last Thursday that she is now focused on spending time with her friends and family and limiting the number of interviews she does. She added: 'My body is growing more tired even though I don't sleep well. My brain just has a hard time turning off.'
Lauren Hill, 19, realized her dream of playing college basketball earlier this month for Mount St. Joseph in Ohio . Hill was diagnosed with Diffused Intrinsic Pentene Gleoma, an inoperable brain tumor, and has just weeks to live . More than $350,000 has been donated for cancer research and treatment by fundraising carried out in her name .
5873bd1610352cd0e57aee8a1829a26bdcaf94aa
Louis van Gaal has claimed his Manchester United team is ready to tilt the balance of power back towards Old Trafford when they meet neighbours City in Sunday's derby at the Etihad Stadium. United know that victory against City on Sunday will move them to within a point of their stuttering neighbours and manager Van Gaal claims his team is good enough. Asked to compare the two squads on Friday, the United manager said: 'I am not jealous of the squad of Manchester City. Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal (left) enjoys a joke with midfielder Darren Fletcher on Friday . Juan Mata, Michael Carrick, Wayne Rooney, Ander Herrera and Robin van Persie (left to right) train . Radamel Falcao is still injured after missing the 1-1 draw with Chelsea and will not be in United's squad . Marcos Rojo (left) and Antonio Valencia could be two of many South Americans involved at the Etihad . 2013-14 - United 0-3 City, City 4-1 United . 2012-13 - United 1-2 City, City 2-3 United . 2011-12 - City 1-0 United, City 2-3 United (FA Cup), United 1-6 City . 2010-11 - City 1-0 United (FA Cup), United 2-1 City, City 0-0 United, . 2009-10 - City 0-1 United, United 3-1 City (League Cup), City 2-1 United (League Cup), United 4-3 City . 'I am proud of my players and that is the most important thing and when we play like a team then we have a big chance to win. Our goal is to win this game. It is possible, we are growing, we are developing ourselves, I think. 'What we have seen of Manchester City in the last matches was not so good. But that was also the case last year, Ryan Giggs has warned me. So you never know.' With Wayne Rooney back for United on Sunday and City missing playmaker David Silva for a month after damaging knee ligaments in midweek, the visitors would appear to have a chance against a team who have not won for three games. Manchester United captain Rooney has been suspended since his red card against West Ham . The return of Rooney (left) to the line-up is likely to mean Mata (right) will be dropped to the bench against City . Manuel Pellegrini will be without midfielder David Silva, who was injured against Newcastle in midweek . City defender Pablo Zabaleta said: 'We need to do much better than we have done in the last three games. It is just about three points and winning that game. It means we can get the confidence back and it's something we need at the moment. We cannot drop points because of the race with Chelsea. It's a really important day for both teams.' City manager Manuel Pellegrini revealed that his club were never able to consider buying Angel di Maria from Real Madrid in the summer because of the spending restrictions placed on them by UEFA for breaking Financial Fair Play guidelines. Di Maria was offered to City the week before United paid £60million for him but Pellegrini said: 'We have an important restriction about budget this year. We cannot spend the money that United paid for Di Maria.' Van Gaal urged his players to take the emotion out of the game and avoid red cards. Van Gaal believes his side have a good chance of winning the Manchester derby if they play as a team . Pablo Zabaleta (right), pictured with Angel di Maria and Rojo (left to right) at a Premier League Kicks charity event, says City cannot drop points against rivals United . City boss Pellegrini has admitted that his club were not in a financial position to bid for Di Maria last summer . Di Maria appeared in a relaxed mood during Manchester United's training session on Friday . Carrick (front) is in contention to play his first game of the season for United after an ankle injury . 'That's also a main point in our preparation because you know that this is more than an emotional game,' said United's boss. 'We don't want a red card because when it is 11 versus 10 it shall be very difficult to win.' Meanwhile, Yaya Toure has surprised City fans by not choosing any of their summer recruits as among his five best buys of this season. One he did select has left the club — Alvaro Negredo — while another two have become United players. Toure said: 'I think definitely Di Maria and [James] Rodriguez. 'Rodriguez was a fantastic one, and, as well, United with the move for [Radamel] Falcao, he is a great striker, unbelievable.' Yaya Toure failed to name a single Manchester City signing when asked about last summer's best buys . Toure picked Real Madrid star James Rodriguez (right) as one of his top five summer signings . The Ivorian spoke highly of Negredo, who left for Valencia, adding: 'He's had injury problems, but he was brilliant for us last year and I think he's made a great move. We were sad to see him go because he was one of our top strikers last season. I think we are going to miss him a lot.' Toure gave a special mention for Liverpool's Mario Balotelli. 'The fifth one is one of my great friends, Mario Balotelli, like my brother. I hope he is going to do well with Liverpool because he has been involved in a few problems in the past year. But he is becoming more mature and he can control all of that.' Toure was speaking to Nissan.
Louis van Gaal is looking ahead to his first Manchester derby on Sunday . Wayne Rooney returns from his three-match ban for the clash . Radamel Falcao is injured having missed the draw with Chelsea . The Dutchman admits City have not been good in recent matches . Van Gaal believes his side are capable of winning at the Etihad . United lost the Manchester derby by an aggregate of 7-1 last season .
5c74538fe9a261bf1c45f6ce0f3f765ca6a56a24
Comic-mad couple Dean Williamson and Lorna Foley made their dreams come true at a wacky wedding with a twist. Groom Dean had no excuse for being late as he got to the wedding venue in Liverpool's historic St George's Hall in a DeLorean DMC 12, which was the model used by Michael J Fox in Back To The Future. Then it was back to the reception for a wedding breakfast featuring a Gotham City-themed cake, complete with its own Scalextric racing track and a mini Batmobile. Comic book-obsessed couple, Dean Williamson and Lorna Foley, made their dreams come true at wacky wedding in Liverpool. Pictured: the DeLorean from Back To The Future . Lorna, with the help of her bridesmaids, even made a bouquet and corsages from cut up Batman comics . The pair then entertained their guests racing round the track as Batman and the Joker. Lorna, with the help of her bridesdmaids, even made her floral bouquet and corsages from intricately cut up and folded Batman comics. Lorna, a 33-year-old children's entertainer, said: 'We feel so lucky with how everything came together and it was a mega fun day. Lorna, a 33-year-old children's entertainer, loved their theme: 'It was a mega fun day' The wedding cake was Gotham City-themed, complete with a mini Batmobile and working tiny race track . Lorna insists that the theme was 'a bit of a mish-mash' and that's exactly how the couple wanted it . 'The theme was a bit of a mish-mash and that was the plan...sort of! 'Dean and I opened the cabaret with a comedy western sketch to the music from 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' where he was a sheriff looking for me as a wanted bandit. 'I made my escape on my green walking circus globe. The intricate cake was the reception's centrepiece and the couple raced their guests around the cake track . Lorna's headpiece was as stunning as her bouquet - and even had tiny clocks incorporated into the design . Sealed with a kiss! The couple posed on either side of the iconic vehicle for a wedding shot to remember . 'We had a group of talented friends from the cabaret scene in Liverpool perform at our evening cabaret - we're so grateful to them for their performances.' Dean, 38, who works for an events company, said: 'Everyone on the buses going past the hall was looking at us in the DeLorean. 'It was an amazing day, just fantastic.'
Couple incorporated their love of comic books into their wedding day . Groom Dean Williamson made his entrance in a DeLorean DMC 12 car . Bridal bouquet and corsages were crafted from old Batman comic books . And the pair also had a Gotham City cake, complete with mini Batmobile .
45a219c82fa8004358ecbc7aafaaa0e9ebe87000
Hopes for much-needed moisture but fears of mudflows marked California as a Pacific storm headed toward the drought-dry state. Rain was expected to begin falling Tuesday, although the timing of the heaviest downpours was variable, according to the National Weather Service. Storm watches were posted for a large swath of the Sierra Nevada, where a huge amount of the state's water supply is normally stored as snowpack. Significant accumulations were predicted but not enough to be a drought buster. Weather warning: Denis Carruth collects sand bags to protect his home from possible flooding in Glendora, California, on Monday, December 1, 2014 . Any delight over the prospect of beneficial precipitation was tempered by concerns about the threat of debris flows from the many areas of California where wildfires have burned away vegetation that would keep soil stable. A weak storm Sunday was enough to block Pacific Coast Highway west of Malibu with a flow of mud from a section of the steep Santa Monica Mountains denuded by a 44-square-mile fire last year. The muck was cleared but debris basins that overflowed were still full and will keep the highway from reopening anytime soon. Flooding expected: California is bracing for the arrival of a new, more powerful Pacific storm following a weekend of scattered rain, showers and snow . Next round: More rain is expected to hit the drought-plagued southern California region on Tuesday, with 1-2 inches falling in the coastal and valley areas, and 2-5 inches in the foothills and mountains . 'We're going to have to wait until the next storm passes,' said Patrick Chandler of the California Department of Transportation. Residents placed sandbags to protect properties in foothill cities northeast of Los Angeles, where some communities below steep mountains have long lived with concrete barriers lining streets in hopes of keeping debris flows out of homes. Glendora resident Cory Hansen piled sand bags around his home. The pre-filled bags were stacked on pallets and offered to locals for free with a prove of address. 'Hundreds, hundreds of them,' he told KABC-TV. 'We don't know what's going to happen in the next few days.' Swirling motion: This NOAA satellite image taken Monday, December 1, 2014, at 01:00 AM EST shows a storm that continues to move slowly through the central Pacific . En route: The swirl of clouds is moving eastward toward the coastal western U.S. Voluntary evacuations were also taking place in the city of Glendora with a temporary accommodation center being set up. Rainfall predictions include nearly two inches in Temecula and more than an inch in San Bernardino, Santa Ana, Long Beach, Malibu and downtown Los Angeles. Back-to-back storms are helping some cities in northwest California reach normal rainfall amounts for the year, or even better, but the reservoirs and Sierra snowpack that provide much of the state's water remain far short of what they should be, after three years of intense drought. Closed: A ten-mile stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California was shut down on Sunday after rains caused a rockslide on the highly-trafficked road . Impassable: More than a dozen vehicles became stuck in the debris on the road, but no one was injured . The state Department of Water Resources reported the Sierra snowpack, which counts most for the state's water supply, was at 24 percent of normal for this time of year. Rain so far, at this early point in California's wet season, has yet to make much of an impact on the state's main reservoirs. Lake Shasta and Lake Oroville have less than 50per cent of their usual water level for the start of December, while Folsom Lake stands at 59per cent, said National Weather Service forecaster Eric Kurth. 'The good news is there's more storms on the way,' Kurth said.
Rain was expected to begin falling Tuesday . Storm watches were posted for a large swath of the Sierra Nevada . Residents are concerned about debris flows from areas of California where wildfires have burned away vegetation that would keep soil stable .
bd79a8aa882717ae23fd45916c0ad3dccd1d0967
They are not considered the most likely friends, but this cheeky dog and elephant seem to have found the perfect playmate in each other. Tourists captured the heartwarming scenes while visiting an elephant nature park in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Onlookers can be heard laughing as the dog barks at the baby elephant as if encouraging it to come and play. The young animal then begins to chase the mutt, which keeps looking back to ensure the game is continuing. As the older elephants look on, unperturbed by the dog's presence, the two young friends continue playing their game. The two animals appear o have an unlikely friendship as they chase each other round at the elephant park . The dog keeps barking at the elephant as if encourage it to join in the chasing game . At one point the elephant seems to become frustrated by the game, grabbing some grass and tossing it from side to side. But it soon joins back in, following the dog around as it runs in circles, before eventually returning to the family elders.
Heartwarming video was filmed at elephant park in Chiang Mai, Thailand . Onlookers laugh as dog barks at elephant as if encouraging it to play . Young elephant appears frustrated at one point as it can't catch dog .
a32850d740f3cdaf61c2538640208aaeb9c40757
Doctors surgeries will be upgraded using a new £1 billion fund paid for by bank fines, George Osborne announced today. The Chancellor said the cash would pay for a 'permanent improvement in GP services' and comes on top of an extra £2 billion injection into the NHS budget set to be formally announced on Wednesday. The funding will allow patients to undergo chemotherapy and dialysis closer to home. Scroll down for video . Chancellor George Osborne will announce an extra £3billion is to be spent on healthcare in Wednesday's Autumn statement . The announcement, ahead of Wednesday's Autumn Statement by the Chancellor, is designed to blunt Labour’s electoral advantage on the NHS. But Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls this morning promised to spend an extra £2.5billion on top of the Government's £3 billion cash injection. Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show this morning Mr Osborne insisted that increasing funding for the NHS was only possible because the economy was growing. He said: ‘Because we have a strong economy and we've got the public finances under control, we can afford to put £2 billion into the front-line of the NHS, across the UK.’ He added: ‘Indeed I can tell you we can go further and use those fines that have been paid by the banks for a permanent improvement in GP services. 'This is a down payment on the NHS's own long-term plan.’ The new money for GPs from bank fines amounts to £250 million a year for four years. The other £2 billion comes from £1.3 billion in new cash from the Treasury – with £700 million from Health Department ‘reallocated’ to the frontline NHS. Mr Osborne (right) speaks with nurse Carron Weekes (second left), accompanied by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt (left) and NHS chief Simon Stevens , at the Homerton University Hospital in London today . The Chancellor visited a hospital this morning seeking to counter political attacks on his Conservative party's handling of the health service six months before an election . Mr Balls said a Conservative plan for £3 billion injection into the NHS was “crisis money”. He said: ‘The Conservatives wasted £3bn on their reorganisation of the NHS. So, this is a typical Tory pattern - a winter crisis and then crisis money coming after it. ‘The question is: is this a one off? Or is this going to be actual long-term investment in the nurses and doctors we need. ‘Labour has said we will have a tax on high value properties, £2.5bn over and above Tory spending plans for 20,000 more nurses, doctors, care workers too. We will save the NHS. As you can see the Tories are really putting the NHS in danger.’ No 10 is acutely conscious that despite Ed Miliband’s rock-bottom personal ratings, the NHS remains the only policy area in which Labour consistently polls ahead of the Conservatives. The expected announcement in Wednesday’s speech comes after days of behind-the-scenes jostling between the Tories and Liberal Democrats to claim credit for the NHS funding boost, with Liberal Democrat Health Minister Norman Lamb publicly calling for more resources to prevent a ‘crash’ in services over the winter. It had previously been rumoured that the NHS boost would amount to only £1 billion. The Autumn Statement is also expected to contain a number of big budget infrastructure announcements, with priority given to major new roads. Ministers are under orders from No 10 to be photographed next to the projects for use in ‘puff’ pieces for local papers. Mr Osborne (right) and Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls speak on the BBC's The Andrew Marr Show this morning . Mr Balls told Andrew Marr that Labour would spend £2.5billion more than the Tories over the next Parliament . Mr Osborne will claim in the statement – his last major pre-Election Commons setpiece other than March’s Budget – that his handling of the economy has enabled him to free up extra resources for the health service. ‘You can’t have a strong NHS without a strong economy to pay for it. If you don’t have a long-term plan for the economy, you don’t have a plan for the future of the NHS,’ he is expected to say, adding: ‘We have both. It’s because our economy is growing, and we’ve kept a tight control on the finances, that we can do more for the NHS.’ The Chancellor is also planning to make the political point that extra NHS funding should be allied to the more efficient management which he claims would be ensured by a Conservative administration. ‘This will support the day- to-day work of our incredible nurses, doctors and other NHS staff; but it is also a down- payment on the future of our health service. ‘This new money will be used to buy the new facilities and services that will help transform the NHS so it becomes more efficient for taxpayers and effective for patients.’ Mr Osborne will also claim credit for the fact that ‘the British economy is growing faster than any other major economy in the world’ – but will also repeat David Cameron’s warning earlier this month about the risks of a new global downturn hitting the UK economy. Labour fought back last night, with Chris Leslie, the party’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, saying: ‘This week George Osborne will have to admit that he has broken his promises. ‘He has failed to deliver rising living standards and that failure is why he’s also set to break his promise to balance the books by next year. ‘We need a plan to save and transform our health service too. Labour will raise an additional £2.5 billion a year, on top of Tory spending plans, for an extra 20,000 nurses and 8,000 GPs.’
GP surgeries to be upgraded using a new £1bn fund paid for by bank fines . Extra funding will be spread over four years after general election . Comes on top of £2bn budget boost for NHS to be announced this week . Chancellor found cash from budget surpluses across Whitehall . No 10 aware NHS is only policy area in which Miliband's party tops polls . Expected windfall is part of effort to avert a potential 'crash' in services . Autumn Statement on Wednesday last finance statement before election .
0fe16b50840555f1ff49e7196ec4f2cb174382be
The White House struggled on Tuesday to defend Colleen Bell, President Barack Obama's choice for U.S. ambassador to Hungary. Bell, a top Obama reelection campaign bundler and a producer of the soap opera The Bold And The Beautiful, was confirmed today without a single Republican vote in the last window of opportunity for Democrats to approve such 'patronage' appointments before the GOP takes over the Senate in January. Pressed to explain Bell's qualifications for the diplomatic position, the president's spokesman was unable to speak in specifics this afternoon, eventually citing her experience in the private sector as the reason she was selected. Producer Colleen Bell is pictured here in October attending the fifth annual PSLA Autumn Party, sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue,  in Culver City, California. Bell, an Obama campaign donor, was named U.S. ambassador to Hungary today . Uhhh: White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest was unable to list a single real reason Bell is qualified to represent the country abroad during his daily press briefing at the White House this afternoon . The president is not technically allowed to use government jobs as rewards for his top donors, and when he was first elected, Obama promised to 'limit' his own abuse of the privilege. But like every modern president before him, Obama's frequently engaged in the practice anyway. By the American Foreign Service Association's count, 41 percent of current U.S. ambassadors were picked for their positions as a political courtesy while 58.6 percent were longtime diplomats. Touching on this today, ABC News' Jonathan Karl asked White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, 'what are Colleen Bell's qualifications for ambassador?' 'Was it that she was a soap opera producer, is it that she gave hundreds of thousands of dollars - or helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars - for the Obama reelection campaign? Why was she chosen?' he pondered. Earnest hemmed and hawed before describing Bell as 'somebody who retains the confidence that, well, let me say it this way: Ambassador Bell has the president's confidence that she will do an excellent job representing the U.S. and maintaining the important relationship the U.S. has with the government and the people of Hungary.' Not letting it go, Karl asked him 'where does the president get that confidence from?' 'I mean, in her confirmation hearing she couldn't even name a single strategic interest the U.S. had with Hungary,' he pointed out. 'Well, she certainly is somebody, again, that is, has had her own distinguished private sector career,' Earnest responded, to which Karl again pointed out that her only real business experience was work as a soap opera producer.' Trying again, the White House spokesman she is 'somebody who obviously has succeeded in the business world and she is somebody that the president has confidence will be able to maintain our relationship with the government and the people of Hungary.' Bell has worked on the Bold and the Beautiful off and on since 1991 in a variety of production positions. She left the show for a decade in 2000 and returned in 2012 as as an associate producer. The next year she was promoted to the producer spot. Today she was approved by the Senate 52-42 to serve as the next ambassador to the fellow North Atlantic Treaty Organization member state, despite the strong objections of Arizona Sen. John McCain. 'We're about to vote on a totally unqualified individual to be ambassador to a nation which is very important to our national security interest,' McCain said from the Senate floor. 'Her qualifications are as a producer of the television soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful, contributed 800,000 [dollars] to Obama in the last election and bundled more than $2.1 million for President Obama's re-election effort,' he continued. Political consultant Noah Bryson Mamet was also confirmed as a U.S. ambassador today despite admitting during a confirmation hearing earlier this year that he has never actually been to that country he will now serve as a representative to, Argentina . Arizona Sen. John McCain, pictured here talking to reporters this afternoon after party caucus luncheons at the U.S. Capitol, urged his colleagues today not to confirm Bell. 'Her qualifications are as a producer of the television soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful,' he said on the Senate floor . 'I am not against political appointees…I understand how the game is played,' he said, 'but here we are, a nation [Hungary] that is on the verge of ceding its sovereignty to a neo-fascist dictator getting in bed with Vladimir Putin and we're going to send the producer of The Bold and The Beautiful as the ambassador. Continuing, McCain asked his colleagues to 'put a stop to this foolishness' by voting no. McCain had grilled Bell during her confirmation hearing on what she would do differently from her predecessor to improve relations with the country. She was unable to articulate an answer before he moved on. Also approved by the Senate today was Noah Mamet, who will serve as the U.S. ambassador to Argentina. Senate Democrats gave him the job by a vote of 50-43, even though the Democratic fundraiser admitted during his confirmation hearing that he'd never even been to the South American country. Mamet raised at least half a million dollars for for Obama's reelection campaign in 2012, according to the Center for Public Integrity, and was on his national finance committee. After Mamet's confirmation proceedings earlier this year the American Foreign Service Association, a labor union for career diplomats, trolled both the political operative and Bell by putting out a list of basic skills that all ambassadors should have. 'Now, let’s be clear, someone who is a big donor, but who is also a person with a lot of international experience, that speaks foreign languages – that person can potentially qualify,' the group's president, Robert Silverman, told U.S. News at the time. 'It’s not a disqualifier in and of itself,' he added, 'but if that’s the only reason that person is being nominated for all we could tell, then that person should not be qualified.'
Colleen Bell, a Obama campaign bundler and a producer of the soap opera The Bold And The Beautiful, was confirmed to the post today . Neither she nor the new U.S. ambassador to Argentina received a single Republican vote . Pressed to explain Bell's qualifications for her diplomatic position, the president's spokesman was unable to speak in specifics . All he could say was she 'has the president's confidence that she will do an excellent job'
5905195e95363ab325e8ce3d9097e4ad194d01e6
This is the moment a weatherman gets an unexpected surprise on live TV as an excitable dog jumps up to greet him mid-forecast. Ryan Phillips, a meteorologist for NBC 6 South Florida, was giving a post-Thanksgiving summary on Friday when suddenly a large pooch jumped up on the desk in front of him and rolled around. The one-year-old American bulldog named King was meant to be waiting in the sidelines for the 'Pet of the Week' segment, but had somehow managed to escape. Scroll down for video . Rrreally nice to meet you: This is the moment a weatherman gets an unexpected surprise on live TV as an excitable dog jumps up to greet him mid-forecast . Unplanned: Ryan Phillips, a meteorologist for NBC 6 South Florida, was giving a post-Thanksgiving summary on Friday when suddenly a large pooch jumped up on the desk in front of him and rolled around . TV debut: The one-year-old American bulldog named King was meant to be waiting in the sidelines for the 'Pet of the Week' segment, but had somehow managed to escape . Footage of the incident shows Phillips trying to continue with his report as King demands some affection. 'Hey King. How are you? Whoo! Live TV,' a shocked Phillips says, as he strokes the animal. He continues with a forced grin on his face: 'How are you buddy? It's not your turn yet. 'You have to wait one more segment. Okay, just let me do the weather. You're stoked. So are we.' Give me a rub: Footage shows Phillips trying to continue with his report as King demands some affection . Looking for a new home: The pup is currently up for adoption and temporarily living at the Pooches In Pines animal shelter in Florida . Recovering his composure, he adds: 'Alright, let's just go to the map so we can get him off of here in a graceful fashion. ' The segment then cuts to a screen of text showing the weather headlines. King can be heard whimpering in the background as he's escorted back to his kennel. Phillips then reappears on-screen without his four-legged friend. He jokes that King was probably attracted to him because he's got some steak treats hidden in his jacket pocket. The pup is currently up for adoption and temporarily living at the Pooches In Pines animal shelter in Florida. Since, his television debut, the applications have no doubt been flooding in. 'King is adorable! Hope he gets his forever home really soon!' one viewer mused after watching him in action.
Ryan Phillips, a meteorologist for NBC 6 South Florida, was giving a post-Thanksgiving summary on Friday when suddenly a large pooch jumped up . The one-year-old American bulldog named King was meant to be waiting in the sidelines for the 'Pet of the Week' segment, but had escaped .
f99d5bdf34f33ce436e63e4e66900bc4676e08a5
Gobbledygook: Russell Brand, has been recognised for his public speaking and writing - with an award . Russell Brand has finally been granted the recognition he deserves. Yesterday the comedian and self-styled revolutionary was honoured with an award – for speaking gobbledygook. He won the annual Foot in Mouth prize from the Plain English campiagn, joining the likes of John Prescott and George W Bush. Organisers said Brand – who has carved a career out of using many, often inflammatory, words when one would do – was ‘out on his own’ in the competition. They added: ‘While we admire Russell’s determination to open up a debate about democracy and the dire state of the world, we struggle to make sense of most of his comments.’ The group’s website said that Brand’s ‘seemingly endless stream of gibberish, both written and verbal’ had clinched the award. Brand, 39, who was sacked by MTV for going to work dressed as Osama Bin Laden the day after 9/11, later hosted Channel 4’s Big Brother’s Big Mouth and wrote memoirs My Booky Wook and Booky Wook 2. He is worth around £9million and lives in Shoreditch, East London. This week he backed a protest against rising rents in the city, but got angry with a reporter who asked him what his own home cost. He has taken to railing against the political system – despite admitting he does not vote – and has appeared on Newsnight and published a manifesto, Revolution. The Plain English judges singled out this rant from The Guardian: ‘I felt very connected to activism – particularly activism that feels loaded with potential. Not the oppositional activism that seems like there’s a stasis around it – earnestly sincere, but a monolith.’ Scroll down for video . Confrontation: The award came two days after Brand accused Channel 4 News journalist Paraic O’Brien of being a ‘snide’ as he was interviewed while helping to deliver a petition to 10 Downing Streeet . They also enjoyed this interview, from the Financial Times: ‘I find [capitalism] hard to understand. It obfuscates truth and I think an economic ideology is oppositional to the spiritual ideologies that are what we need to adopt if we’re to save our planet and humankind.’ The Plain English campaign, set up in 1979 to promote clear language, suggested that some of Brand’s ramblings might be ‘due to him being more worried about self-promotion than about making sense.’ London Mayor Boris Johnson was named Plain English Communicator for urging clarity in politics, and Golden Bull prizes for ‘written tripe’ went to Edinburgh Council, Buckinghamshire County Council, HMRC and BT. On the BBC: Over the last year, Brand has taken to railing against the political system - despite admitting he does not bother to vote - with two appearances on Newsnight (one pictured above, in October) Recipients: Brand joined John Prescott (left) and George W Bush (right) in winning the Foot in Mouth award . 'Sticking up for clarity in Westminster': London Mayor Boris Johnson was named Plain English Communicator for his comments on gobbledygook in politics . On Clashing Cultures: ‘This . . . indifference seems like nerdish deference contrasted with the belligerent antipathy of the indigenous farm folk, who regard the hippie-dippie interlopers, the denizens of the shimmering tit temples, as one fey step away from transvestites.’On . On Time: ‘People don’t realise that the future is just now, but later.’ On Capitalism: ‘The economic arm of the individualism and materialism ideologies that keep us framed in a narrow bandwidth of consciousness prevents us from seeing that we’re all connected.’
Brand awarded Plain English Campaign's annual Foot in Mouth award . Self-styled revolutionary, 39, 'out on his own' among contenders for title . Provided 'a seemingly endless stream of gibberish, written and verbal'
937160934a48603d54af4e9adbde56b3f4cbbbba
An Ebola-infected ISIS terrorist could easily motorboat across Lake Erie and reach Ohio from Canada, according to an American conservative filmmaker who videotaped a fictionalized one-jihadi incursion across Lake Erie and released the footage Monday. 'On the eve of the 9/11 anniversary our man, dressed as an ISIS terrorist was able to cross Lake Eris, walk off a boat into Cleveland, Ohio – and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,' guerrilla documentarian James O'Keefe narrates. 'At no point did anyone even question [him] or ask him what he was carrying in his suspicious brown duffel bag.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Video activist James O'Keefe shows in his latest film how ISIS terrorists could motorboat across lake Erie and land in Cleveland, Ohio without any challenge from US Border Patrol . In his footage, O'Keefe's play-acting 'terrorist' brings pretend poison across one of North America's Great Lakes with the intention of pouring it into Cleveland, Ohio's water supply . Clad in black from head to toe, O'Keefe's terrorist character managed to walk off his boat and into downtown Cleveland, and enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a brown duffel bag – and was never challenged . O'Keefe's latest online provocation comes at a time when the world's attention is focused on the self-professed Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and Americans are growing increasingly concerned about the danger the group could pose to the US. His video shows a black-clad jihadi with a British accent being ferried across Lake Erie, which separates Ohio from the Canadian province of Ontario. 'The British government says American journalist James Foley's ISIS assassin was an Englishman,' O'Keefe says in his narration. 'British intelligence believes more than 500 British citizens have joined ISIS. Brits can enter Canada without a visa; it's virtually an open door.' In the short gonzo documentary, O'Keefe meets up with a 'terrorist' who has hired a boat to bring him from Ontario to the middle of Lake Erie. The two exchange pleasantries as the pretend jihadi transfers to O'Keefe's American-piloted craft. 'On August 17 we stole Ebola from a lab in Liberia,' he says in the script. 'We took he bandages and the bedsheets and then we covered ourselves in it and hoped that we'd get infected. 'The incubation period is about 21 days, and it's been about – 21 days.' O'Keefe, a confirmed rabble-rousing video activist, last made national noise in August with a video showing how an Islamist terrorist – dressed as Osama bin Laden, no less – could wade across the Rio Grande River from Mexico to the U.S. without being detected. 'We went to Texas and saw little border security,' he told MailOnline on Monday; 'now we’ve discovered there’s even less border security on the Canadian border.' Charter caption Bob Swinney told O'Keefe that he has never seen US Border Patrol actually patrolling the lake known in Cleveland as 'America's North Coast' In the film, a dressed-up Islamist militant character points to the freshwater supply intake that he plans to use as a ricin delivery vehicle . His jihadi character in this latest video also carries with him a container marked 'ricin.' Playing the part to the hilt, the actor points to a fresh-water intake port that serves the Cleveland, Ohio metropolitan area, and tells O'Keefe, 'The water supply is over there. If we put it in there, it will kill a lot of Americans.' Staring into the camera, O'Keefe clarifies that the terrorist, his ricin and his Ebola-soaked linens are make-believe – but warns that 'anyone can cross this border. You could cross in a Jet-Ski if you wanted to.' 'You could import weapons, you could import whatever you wanted to, because there's no detection on our borders.' O'Keefe told MailOnline that 'the only coast guard vessels we saw were tied up at their docks.' 'One of the boat captains expressed his own concern about border security,' he said, 'and worried that perhaps the Great Lakes are the soft underbelly of America.' According to federal law, boaters who cross from Canada to the US must notify the Customs and Border Protection agency, but it's an open question whether they do -- or even know about the requirement . O'Keefe last made headlines by donning an Osama bin Laden Halloween mask and army fatigues to show how easy it would be for a terrorist to sneak into Texas by wading across the Rio Grande from Mexico .
Conservative filmmaker's latest provocation shows lax security on America's northern border . James O'Keefe filmed a play-acting black-clad jihadi with a British accent carrying fake ricin and pretend Ebola across Lake Erie and into Cleveland . He managed to disembark, walk to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame carrying a duffel bag, and enter the building without anyone challenging him . UK citizens can enter Canada without a visa; James Foley's executioner was believed to be a Brit . 'The only coast guard vessels we saw were tied up at their docks,' O'Keefe told MailOnline; one boat captain said he has never seen Border Patrol on the waters . The right-wing documentarian's latest work follows an August video that showed 'Osama bin Laden' sneaking into Texas from Mexico .
ef28246c0f2a1c9cbd7addff5aed6b3dd8a37f07
Crash: Laura Martin, 28, has apologized for hitting two little girls with her SUV, but promises she was not drunk . A mother has apologized from behind bars for hitting two little girls with her SUV, but is insisting she was not drunk. Laura Martin, 28, crashed into the pair at around 9:45 a.m on Saturday as the girls were walking on the sidewalk in Fort Worth, Dallas. Witnesses told the Fort Worth Fire Department that the female driver of the Ford Expedition hit one or more vehicles on a neighborhood street, then turned on the wrong side of the four-lane, divided road. She knocked down a tree and a school zone signal light as well as hitting the pair before stopping after crashing through a brick wall. One of the girls was airlifted to Cook Children's Medical Center in critical condition with two broken legs, according to authorities. Martin was transported to John Peter Smith Hospital with neck and back injuries and arrested after she was released. The mother-of-three was charged with intoxication assault . 'There's not a good way to say 'I'm sorry enough,'' Martin told NBC 5 from the Mansfield City Jail Monday night. Apology: 'There's not a good way to say 'I'm sorry enough,'' Martin told NBC 5 from the Mansfield City Jail (pictured) 'I can never make it right. I'm just so sorry.' Martin insists she not drunk and had not taken drugs - she says blood samples taken after the accident will prove it. She said the morning of the accident she left her mother's house following an argument. 'I jumped in the car and we were yelling and screaming at each other and I took off,' she said. Scene: Martin was driving an SUV the wrong way down a street in Fort Worth, Texas, when she struck two girls and then crashed into a brick wall near a home . Horror: Witnesses said the SUV had hit at least one vehicle on a neighborhood street, and knocked down a tree and a school zone signal light . 'I was not paying attention like I should have been, I should not have been fighting, and I know I was going too fast.' She said she lost control of her car when she reached for a water bottle and knocked it over. Martin's bond is set at $10,000.
Laura Martin, 28, drove her SUV the wrong way down a Texas street . She struck two girls and then crashed into a brick wall near a home . One of the girls is in a critical condition with two broken legs . Martin insists the blood sample taken after crash will show she wasn't drunk . Martin's bond is set at $10,000.
993c39eb14c63a96e4d035ebbb2935a95e22d4fa
Stuart Kerner, pictured, is accused of having sex with the teenager in empty classrooms and cleaning cupboards all over their school . A pupil who has accused a married RE teacher of having sex with her is a self-confessed 'liar' who pretended she was in a car accident, a court today heard. Stuart Kerner, 44, is accused of having sex with the teenager in empty classrooms and cleaning cupboards all over their school during an 18 month affair. His alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is a former student at Bexleyheath Academy in south east London. She was 15 when the affair is said to have begun. But today teachers at the school said the pupil was a 'proven liar'. Librarian Marion King told Inner London Crown Court: 'As she got older she got very cocky and thought everybody fancied her. 'She went around saying "I can do what I like, I'm special".' Mrs King told jurors the schoolgirl had pretended to be involved in a car accident to get out of PE classes. She turned up to school with a bandage around her chest in the elaborate charade, the court heard. Teachers eventually discovered from her mother that there had been no accident. Mrs King said: 'She said doctors found a problem with her heart. I said "Oh my God are you OK?" 'She said she couldn't do PE anymore. She had bandages all around her chest and said she had a tube put inside. She unwrapped her bandage and had a bloody line around three inches long.' Mrs King said she was moved to tears by the story, but later discovered it was a lie. She said: 'She came into my office and I said "What is going on?". 'She said: "I lie - that's what I do". 'She couldn't seem to grasp what she had done. It was shocking to me.' Mrs King said other pupils joked that the schoolgirl 'stalked' Kerner. She said: 'I thought Mr Kerner ought to be very wary of her. I think she had a crush on him and I said he needed to be careful because I think she has a massive crush on you. Teachers at Bexleyheath Academy (pictured) in south east London told the court the pupil was a 'liar' 'A couple of students commented on it. They said she is stalking him. I think she is very manipulative. She lied to me.' When she was contacted by police, Mrs King said she thought the allegations were 'rubbish' and branded the pupil a 'psychopathic liar'. She said: 'You have got a girl who is a proven liar saying unbelievable lies. 'I think she's a very sick girl. I think there is something wrong with her.' PE teacher Les Ainsworth said the schoolgirl showed 'no remorse' when she was caught out lying. He said: 'She was an attention seeker. Not only from her peers but from her teachers as well.' Religious studies teacher Stuart Kerner, pictured with his wife Katy, denies the charges against him . He added: 'When she came into the office I found her manipulative and quite tactile.' The PE teacher said he was told by two pupils in around May 2012 that the schoolgirl had told people she was having a relationship with Kerner. He chose to have a word with Kerner about the claims, but did not report it higher, jurors heard. Pressed on why he did not take the matter higher, he said: 'My decision at that time was to have a word with Stuart.' Kerner denies the allegations. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Stuart Kerner accused of having sexual relationship with a former pupil . The girl was 15 when affair said to have begun, a court has been told . But teachers at the school have told trial that the pupil was a 'proven liar' Court told she pretended to be involved in a car accident to avoid classes . Kerner denies allegations. Trial continues at Inner London Crown Court .
4f6441713107f6d5ad9eb00f9bc302cb7881502a
Men who are obsessed with porn are to be given the chance to meet the stars of sex films to look at the realities of their lives for a Channel 4 documentary. Three men who are frequent users of pornography will be introduced to women who star in adult movies to see if they are able to distinguish between fantasy and real life. It is part of a new season of programmes for the station looking at the effect that porn is having on the nation and examining a more realistic view of British sex lives. Date My Porn Star will give porn obssessives the chance to date stars of adult movies to look at the realities of their lives. Pictured is a scene from the documentary . The programmes will also include documentaries about the effect on teenagers of being bombarded with sexual imagery and another which will help ordinary women to get more from their own sex lives. In one programme, Date My Porn Star, film-makers will take a trio of sex film fans to look into their views on the stars they meet, and also how the porn industry works. Channel 4 said it wanted to see 'if it is possible for them to relate to the stars as fully-formed people or whether their porn obsession has fundamentally altered their perception of the opposite sex'. In another programme in the Real Sex Season, called The Week the Women Came, a leading psychosexual therapist Trudy Hannington will try to improve sex lives for women who have struggled to orgasm or have lost their libido. Former Loaded editor Martin Daubney will front another film - Porn On The Teenage Brain - to look at how young people are consuming explicit material and what effect it will have on their lives and how they relate to people. Daubney famously resigned from the lads’ mag after an epiphany about the effect he felt that peddling soft porn was having on a generation. Former Loaded editor Martin Daubney (pictured) will front another film to look at how young people are consuming explicit material and what effect it will have on them . And in a documentary called Virgins, young people will discuss the pressures of embarking on a sexual relationship in a world where they are surrounded by images of waxed, enhanced bodies and where porn has become normalised. Ralph Lee, head of factual at Channel 4 said: 'The aim of this season is to get a healthy perspective on sex. 'We live in world where pornography, fantasy and fetish are being considered the norm by many and we want to be very un-British and talk about what really goes on in Britain’s bedrooms.'
Show investigates if obsessives can distinguish between fantasy and real life . Three men who regularly watch porn will be introduced to stars of adult films . Show is part of new Channel 4 season looking at effect of porn on the nation .
63e2324043d38cad5318a6b0e517e79ab1870cff
Sophie Lewis, 28, could be one of the first women in the UK to have a womb transplant . Five women who feared they would never give birth are in  line to receive the first womb transplants in Britain as early as next year. They have been selected by Richard Smith, a London consultant gynaecologist. He is now applying for the relevant ethical approval from the Government and hopes to begin the operations as soon as possible. This follows the news that the first woman in the world to have the transplant is now six weeks pregnant. Derya Sert, 22, who was born without a womb, received the organ from a fatal crash victim in a seven-hour procedure in southern Turkey in 2011. One of the five British women is 28-year-old Sophie Lewis, who was told at 16 that she could not deliver a baby naturally because she had no uterus. Miss Lewis, from Surbiton, Surrey,  suffers from MRKH syndrome – a condition affecting one in 5,000 women – which restricts womb development. 'I'm really, really excited about this,' she said. 'To be given this opportunity is such an amazing thing that I would go through everything and anything just to have the experience. 'If possible I would like three children but I'd be happy even with one. I'd be over the moon.' She said of the moment when her GP warned she would never be a mother: 'Everyone in school was getting periods and my mum was a bit concerned that I was not. I had a laparoscopy which confirmed I was born without a womb. 'At the age of 16, I don't think I really took it in. Obviously I wasn't at a stage of wanting children, so it didn't really affect me. As I have got a lot older, people around me are having children and the feeling is a lot stronger.' Miss Lewis, who works for a credit  ratings agency, has been with her 35-year-old partner Tilden Lamb for three years and they now feel ready to have a child together. She said they were reluctant to try to adopt 'as there is so much red tape'. And although they could have a  baby through surrogacy, they are worried that the surrogate mother might change her mind and want to keep the child. Sophie and partner Tilden Lamb had thought about surrogacy or adoption but were put off by the legal process . 'You are putting your trust in . somebody you possibly don't know for them to carry your child for nine . months and then they finally give birth to the child who they can . legally keep if they want to,' said Miss Lewis. The transplant operation would involve removing the healthy womb from a dead young woman who was a registered organ donor. It would be overseen by Mr Smith, from . Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea hospital and Imperial College. He said . the procedure would take four to five hours. 'There are 60 women who have actually approached us wanting a transplant and fall within our eligibility criteria.' All women wanting a transplant must first undergo IVF to prove their ovaries are capable of producing eggs to make an embryo. There would be no point them . undergoing the major operation only to find they were incapable of . producing a child. Miss Lewis and the other four transplant candidates . will be given immuno-suppressant drugs to stop the body rejecting the . new organ. This will make them more vulnerable to . infections but should not affect the development of the foetus. The . baby will have to be delivered by caesarean section as the new tissue . will not stand up to a natural labour. Doctors also suspect the women will be . at higher risk of complications, including miscarriage or premature . birth. Once the patient has had the desired number of children, the womb . will be removed and the drugs stopped to lessen the risk of infections. Derya Sert was described as a 'medical miracle' when she received the womb transplant almost two years ago. Since then other women have undergone . the procedure, but Mrs Sert is the first to become pregnant after being . given IVF. Doctors at the Akdeniz University hospital in Antalya have . just announced they have heard the healthy heartbeat of a foetus. The medical team waited for 18 months . before implanting an embryo into the transplanted womb, to give the . pregnancy the greatest possible chance of survival. However, Mrs Sert . still faces a high risk of miscarriage and other complications in the . early stages of pregnancy.
Sophie Lewis, 28, has rare disease which prevents uterus developing . MRKH syndrome affects one in 5,000 women . Medical breakthrough means she could be among first to have transplant . Doctors in UK hoping to carry out five operations over next year . Wombs will come from multi-organ donors . 'To be able to carry my own children is huge - it's such a gift,' she said .
db29ad3bee9ea9d9ce9bced6d5c95bde5879d2d5
Clearly not satisfied with the cleaning capability of a normal electric toothbrush, a Japanese teenager has uploaded videos of himself strapping toothbrushes to various weapons. YouTube user tokioFN has uploaded a video showing his attempt to brush his teeth with a toothbrush strapped to an automatic pistol. In other videos uploaded, the boy strapped toothbrushes to a rifle and a gas gun. Goodbye gums: A Japanese teenager who strapped a toothbrush to an automatic pistol nurses his jaw, after testing out his device . Needless to say, no dentistry body will be vouching for the contraption's effectiveness anytime soon. A spokesperson for the Australia Dental Association has warned of the dangers of such inappropriate behaviour. “This is reckless behaviour and could result in serious damage to the teeth, gums and palate which may be permanent." Taking on the task of human testing himself, it’s highly doubtful the product will ever be hitting store shelves either. Preparing for a deep clean: a Japanese teenager pours toothpaste on to a toothbrush attached to a gun . Taking aim against cavities: the teenager positions the toothbrush gun in preparation for taking the feeling of clean to the extreme . Not meant to hurt that much: The toothbrush gun experiment appears to have failed based on the look of pain on the teenager's face .
Japanese teenager straps toothbrush to an automatic pistol . Clearly in pain while attempting to demonstrate effectiveness of invention . Has also strapped toothbrushes to a rifle and a gas gun . Dentists fear reckless behaviour will lead to permanent damage .
abd61079d211df5d5174870fe67c136832eaadd4
A cancer doctor treating five-year-old Ashya King admitted the only treatment available on the NHS would leave him with life-long disabilities, his parents revealed yesterday. Brett and Naghmeh King were told conventional radiotherapy would leave their son with ‘special needs’ which could be avoided if he received pioneering treatment abroad. Despite that admission, NHS doctors insisted they would go ahead with normal radiotherapy and threatened to have the horrified couple’s parental rights removed if they questioned the decision, the family said. Scroll down for video . Anguish: Brett (left) and Naghmeh King (centre) say a cancer doctor treating their five-year-old son Ashya (right) admitted to them that the only treatment available on the NHS would leave him with life-long disabilities . Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Mr and Mrs King said they were forced to take their desperately ill son on the run across Europe to protect him from the devastating side effects of the NHS treatment. The family’s plight shocked the world when the couple were arrested for child cruelty and thrown in jail while Ashya was kept under armed guard, alone in a Spanish hospital. His brothers and sisters were banned from seeing him, and his parents said he was left ‘crying like a wounded animal through the night’ in his single bed ward. Now reunited, the family has secured his treatment in a private clinic and say the proton beam therapy – and their love – has already produced improvements in his health. Agony: Mr and Mrs King said they were forced to take their desperately ill son on the run across Europe to protect him from the devastating side effects of the NHS treatment . Father: Mr King, 51, (pictured with his son) said he asked about proton beam therapy as an alternative several times, but was told it offered no benefits over normal radiotherapy . In a moving and shocking interview serialised this week in the Mail, they tell how: . · Ashya’s initial operation to remove his brain tumour left him ‘like a vegetable with his eyes open’ · His parents had to hold his eyelids shut to allow him to sleep . · His suffering was so shocking his mother questioned if it was right to keep him alive . · Doctors said conventional radiotherapy would cause hearing and growth problems and leave him with special needs . · Medics said the NHS would not fund proton beam therapy despite it offering a better quality of life . · The couple was told the NHS only considered ‘survival’ in cancer funding decisions, not the potentially devastating side effects . Mr and Mrs King faced every parent’s nightmare when Ashya was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour after suffering a series of mystery symptoms. He was admitted to Southampton General Hospital for brain surgery and initially the couple were confident doctors were doing everything possible to save their son. Mrs King, 45, was arrested as she tried to get into an ambulance to accompany her five-year-old son to hospital . But the family’s own research into his condition led them to question the doctors’ insistence that he needed high doses of radiotherapy which would risk massive damage to healthy brain tissue. Mr King, 51, said he asked about proton beam therapy as an alternative several times, but was told it offered no benefits over normal radiotherapy. One doctor was said to have told him: ‘If you continue with these questions your rights to make decisions about Ashya will be taken away from you. ‘We will apply to the family court to have your parental rights removed and then we will give him any treatment we want.’ Mr King, a property developer from Southsea, Hampshire, said he then asked a radiologist at the hospital and was told cancer treatment decisions were taken on the basis of ‘survival rates’, not the patient’s quality of life afterwards. The radiologist told him: ‘If you’re asking me about quality of life, proton is superior. ‘With radiotherapy, your son will get secondary tumours, have hearing problems, growth problems and special needs for the rest of his life. ‘Children pay a heavy price for survival under normal radiotherapy.’ Faced with such a grim forecast for their child’s future, Mr and Mrs King said they felt they had no option but to take Ashya to Prague for treatment. When doctors discovered the boy was gone they contacted police, who issued a European arrest warrant for the couple. Two days later the parents were arrested in Spain as they prepared to sell their holiday home to fund Ashya’s treatment. Mrs King, 45, was arrested as she tried to get into an ambulance to accompany her five-year-old son to hospital and heard police questioning their instructions. Improvements: Now reunited, the family has secured his treatment in a private clinic and say the proton beam therapy – and their love – has already produced improvements in his health . One officer was overheard saying: ‘What sort of world do we live in where you take a sick child away from his mother?’ Mr and Mrs King were arrested and thrown into cells in one of Spain’s most notorious prisons for three nights, while Ashya was kept alone and isolated hundreds of miles away. The outcry over the family’s plight led to criticism that police and prosecutors had been too heavy-handed in issuing the European arrest warrant, which was eventually withdrawn. Public anger also prompted a nationwide fundraising effort as people rallied to help the family. Mr King described the emotional moment he was reunited with Ashya, saying: ‘I was hugging him. I could feel the pain inside him. Desperation: Mr King with his son in a video the family made explaining why they had taken Ashya from hospital . Treatment: Mr and Mrs King, seen leaving a police station in Malaga for an extradition court hearing, were arrested and thrown into cells in one of Spain’s most notorious prisons for three nights . ‘I said, “Ashya I’m here now. I’m never going to leave you. I’m so sorry for what happened but we’re here. We’re going to be together forever. You don’t have to cry any more.’ Ashya has now begun treatment and the NHS has agreed to pay for his proton beam therapy in the Czech Republic, meaning public donations can be used to help other children. Doctors in Prague say his type of brain tumour has a 70 to 80 per cent survival rate and hope he will make a full recovery. While delighted by his progress, his parents said their enforced separation had ‘scarred’ the five-year-old, who now howls in protest if either of them steps away from his bedside. Reunited: Asyha is accompanied by his parents as he arrives at the Motol Hospital in Prague . Treatment: Ashya has now begun treatment and the NHS has agreed to pay for his proton beam therapy in the Czech Republic, meaning public donations can be used to help other children . Southampton General Hospital has denied that its doctors ever threatened to seek a court order to remove the Kings’ rights to make decisions about Ashya’s care. It has defended its decision to recommend standard radiotherapy and chemotherapy and said its treatment plan for Ashya complied with NHS best practice guidelines for cancer care. Despite repeated efforts, nobody at Southampton General Hospital was available for comment last night.
Parents told conventional radiotheraphy would leave son with 'special needs' NHS doctors 'threatened to have couple's parental rights removed' Brett and Naghmeh King say they were forced to take Ashya, 5, on the run . Family has now secured Ashya's treatment in a private clinic . They say proton beam therapy has already improved Ashya's health .
a463c6072baf85de01d9c4c0cb0d504e97ed15db
Richard Horne rolled back the years with a man-of-the-match performance for Hull as they toppled Super League leaders St Helens to gain their first win in seven matches. The 32-year-old half-back looks set to end his 16-year career with the Black and Whites at the end of the season after being told he will not get a new contract but he showed he still has plenty to offer as he masterminded an impressive 19-12 win for his side at the KC Stadium. Horne, who returned to the side in place of the injured Jordan Rankin, scored their first try and was influential throughout as lowly Hull maintained their recent improvement by claiming a notable scalp. Rolling back the years: Richard Horne inspired Hull to an unlikely win against the Super League leaders . St Helens skipper Paul Wellens scored his 1,000th point for his club as they battled throughout with a makeshift half-back pair but they can have no complaints over the outcome. Saints, whose only other defeat in their last seven matches was at neighbouring Hull KR, stay top of the table courtesy of Leeds’ surprise home defeat by Bradford and they also lift the Steve Prescott Cup in memory of the former England full-back who played with distinction for both clubs after topping the aggregate score in the two games this season. Saints were the liveliest team in a nervous opening quarter for both teams and took the lead when right winger Tom Makinson scooped up a wayward pass and wrong-footed the Hull defence to score his 22nd try of the season. Mark Percival added the conversion to make it 6-0 but Hull gradually clawed their way back into the contest, largely through the efforts of Horne. The former Great Britain half-back twisted and turned out of a series of attempted tackles to register his side’s first try on 17 minutes and Joe Westerman levelled the scores. Battle: Hull's Jordan Abdull and Aaron Heremaia get to grips with Jordan Turner at the KC Stadium . That gave the home side just the confidence they needed, while the introduction of heavyweight forward Iafeta Paleaaesina lifted the crowd as he tore into the Saints defence. A clean break by full-back Jamie Shaul came to nothing but Hull maintained the pressure and it paid off six minutes before the break when right winger Tom Lineham forced his way over from dummy half close to the line and Westerman’s second goal made it 12-6. The half-time hooter came at a good time for St Helens, who were a rejuventated side at the start of the second half largely through the efforts of hooker James Roby. Makinson demonstrated his ever-present threat with a 50-metre break out of defence and, although Shaul pulled off a crucial tackle, Hull’s defence was exposed out wide when loose forward Willie Manu slipped out a superb pass to get skipper Wellens over for his side’s second try, which enabled him to reach 1,000 points for the club. Percival’s second conversion tied the scores but that served to inject fresh enthusiasm into the home ranks. Westerman missed a chance to reclaim the lead for Hull when he put a penalty attempt wide of the target but another probing run from Horne created the position from which prop Mickey Paea proved unstoppable from 10 metres out as he claimed his third try of the season. Westerman was again off target with the goal attempt but Hull forced their visitors into a series of handling errors to keep them pinned inside their own half and Westerman clinched the win with a penalty and a drop goal.
Half-back will retire at end of this season but scored the first try in this win . St Helens captain Paul Wellens scored his 1,000th point but it wasn't enough . This was first win in seven for Hull and Saints first defeat in that period . But St Helens stay top as Leeds also lose surprisingly at home to Bradford .
71d1c9e464b5e06aba073ccdd462bff190b3ed55
A close mate of murder victim Jill Meagher has unloaded on the Australian justice system and recalled the horror of losing her 'beautiful friend' in a written tribute nearly eight hundred days after her death. In a White Ribbon blog post, Aoife Lyons, 32, who moved to Melbourne from Dublin to be with her friend, has told of the surreal time that followed Meagher's disappearance in September 2012. An ABC employee, Meagher, 29, was raped and murdered while walking home from a bar in Brunswick, Melbourne. The attack shocked the Australian community, provoking thousands of Melbourne residents to take to the streets to 'Reclaim the Night'. Scroll down for video . Best of friends: Aoife Lyons, left, moved to Melbourne from Dublin to be with her mate, Jill Meagher, right, who vanished from Sydney Road, Brunswick on September 21, 2012 . 'Beautiful friend': ABC employee Jill Meagher's disappearance and death sparked a huge emotional outpouring from the Australian community . Good memories: In her tribute post, Ms Lyons, front, recalled the years the two spent together - 'some hazy and beer-soaked', others 'of laughing at the absurd clicking of her high-heels, worn down to the nail; of her innumerable tales of ludicrous antics... and so much more' 'Her picture was everywhere,' Lyons wrote. 'The story played out on TV like any other story of that sort, but profoundly different, at once distant and intensely personal.' 'It was a waking nightmare; I would drink myself to sleep every night, descend into an eight hour blackness, to emerge tired, confused, and almost manic in search of distractions. 'The anger came later. When someone you love has been designated a ‘victim’ in such horrific circumstances, it is just one aspect of the surreal smorgasbord that is to follow. 'There’s an intense numbness, interspersed with boundless panic and disbelief. Then the anger. I thought I knew what it was to be angry, but I had never even touched its surface.' But it was the judicial and parole systems that allowed Meagher's attacker to walk free prior to the assault that prompted powerful criticism from Lyons. Huge wave of support: Demonstrators took to the streets to mark the first anniversary of Meagher's murder . Forensic police inspect the site where Ms Meagher's body was found . 'It would be comic if it weren't so tragic. 'All that stands between women and violent, recidivist sexual offenders is a paper tiger, a check-the-box 'rehabilitation' and a judicial system and parole structure that is as effective as using a croissant as a toothbrush. 'It doesn't get the job done, and it makes a f***ing mess'. She added 'the only shred of hope for me is that something positive can be wrenched out of this madness', whether that be considered changes to the parole system or 'something worthy of Jill, something creative and joyous' that could be 'eked out from this mess'. Ms Lyons, who spoke at Meagher's funeral along with her husband, Tom, said books, movies and songs often provoked memories of Jill, who she remembered as brassy, self-deprecating, shameless and adventurous. She said the past two years had been a struggle and, 'until quite recently I drank as though I were trying to drown myself, and I was. It is a private, isolating hell'. 'I hope I will eventually be able to remember the remarkable influence her life had on me, without the poisonous recollections of anger and trauma - these are totally out of step with what Jill was for me, and I resent their imposition'. You can read Aoife Lyons' blog post in full here.
Aoife Lyons moved to Melbourne to be with her close mate Jill Meagher . Meagher was raped and murdered in September 2012 . Lyons has opened up about her 'waking nightmare' in a blog post . She took aim at the judicial and parole systems . 'As effective as using a croissant as a toothbrush'
d04281539f9e0cd68f9b0e458a324b386c63319a
Go on Santa, treat yourself. Give the reindeer a break because Mercedes-Benz may have just the perfect present carrying answer — and in festive red to boot. The company's new aerodynamically stylish CLA Shooting Brake, was unveiled at the Los Angeles motor show just in time to make its way onto Christmas wish lists. Over here you'll have to wait for the spring for this sleek mini-estate as UK order books open in January for March deliveries. Scroll down for video . Expect prices from around £25,500 to about £43,000 for the pumped-up CLA45 AMG . Expect prices from around £25,500 to about £43,000 for the pumped-up CLA45 AMG, which will accelerate from rest to 62mph in 4.7 seconds, thanks to its 360 bhp, 2-litre turbo engine — the world's most powerful four-cylinder engine in series production. Mondeo Man is having the last laugh as the latest incarnation of Ford's family car will depreciate less than a BMW, Audi or Volkswagen, say independent motor trade experts at CAP Automotive. According to its Gold Book, a diesel Mondeo 2.0 TDCi ECOnetic Zetec will hold onto 42.7 per cent of its new list price after three years and 30,000 miles. That compares with 38.3 per cent for a diesel Audi A4 2.0 TDIe SE, 36.8 per cent for a BMW 3 Series 318d SE and 41.6 per cent for a VW Passat 2.0 TDI Bluemotion Tech Executive. And at three years, with 60,000 miles on the clock, a petrol Mondeo 1.5 EcoBoost Zetec will be worth 36.1 per cent of its list price, beating an Audi A4 1.8T FSI 170 SE, a BMW 320i SE's and a VW Passat 1.4 TSI 160 Executive. The book also expects the new Mondeo to be worth £1,750 more after three years than the previous model was at the same age. There's a fascinating, if jawdropping and wince-making, TV series at the moment looking at the culture, attitudes and language used on TV in the Seventies. Did they really say and wear things like that? They surely did. I was reminded of this when BMW boss Tim Abbott, president of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), spoke at its annual dinner this week. Explaining how production is now on track for levels not seen since the Seventies, he said: 'Production is — despite the uncertainties — still forecast to rise to around two million by 2017, last achieved in 1972. But it needs a strong European market.' He noted: 'For those of you who, like me, can remember 1972, the transformation of our industry — in products, technology, labour relations and management — has been remarkable. 'In 1972, children used to rattle around in the back of cars like nuts in a can. You couldn't see where you were going because of all the cigarette smoke and your flared trousers would be caught on the brake pedal.' Quite. Remember that infectiously catchy — if slightly irritating — Korean song that dominated the charts a few years back? Gangnam Style, by PSY, took its name from the trendy, upmarket Gangnam district of South Korea's capital, Seoul — its version of Kensington and Chelsea in West London. Gangnam is also the place where car-maker SsangYong — Korean for 'two dragons' — has its headquarters. And in the New Year it's hoping to emulate PSY's success with the launch of a new sports utility vehicle. The five-door Tivoli is pitched to take on the quirky Nissan Juke. It will be launched in Korea in January before a European debut at the Geneva motor show and will arrive here next summer. Expect prices from around £13,500 and the option of either a 1.6 litre petrol or a 1.6 litre diesel engine. As well as offering lots of interior seating and storage space, it aims to offer driver and passengers easy IT connectivity. SssangYong's UK sales and marketing director Steve Gray expects it to double the firm's annual UK sales from 2,000 to 4,000 a year. There's also a five-year unlimited mileage warranty. FACING FORWARD IS A STEP BACKWARD IN CHILD SAFETY . Millions of parents could be risking their child's safety because of confusion over car seats, says new research . Millions of parents could be risking their child's safety because of confusion over car seats, says new research. Seventy-four per cent of parents with children under four said they use a front-facing seat. But this puts them at up to five times greater risk of death or serious injury than if they were seated facing the rear of the car, says a report for Volvo Car UK. It says: 'In the UK, official guidance is to keep children in a rear-facing seat until they are 13kg (around nine months). However, in Sweden the norm is to postpone the change until up to age four. 'In Sweden, not a single child under six died in a car in 2013 and there were just ten serious injuries among child passengers under six. 'Over the same period in the UK, there were 77 deaths and serious injuries among occupants under four — more than one a week.'
It was unveiled at the Los Angeles motor show . You'll have to wait for the spring for this sleek mini-estate . Expect prices from around £25,500 to about £43,000 .
1f813a0d87565755aad1c748b6146e6f755c1986
Putting the kitchen knives away and out of reach of our 11-year-old son for fear he would deliberately hurt himself has been, without doubt, our lowest point as parents. But we had no choice. Two months after starting ‘big school’ last year our lovely boy, Jack, our previously care-free fourth child, had made an attempt to cut his arm with a large chopping knife. Jack had skipped off to secondary school full of excitement. When your child breaks a leg it’s a blue light into A&E. But when you arrive at a GP surgery to seek help on mental problems, the first response was to tell our child to pull himself together (file picture) But within weeks he had descended into a mental health freefall — consumed with worry about being late to school and struggling with his homework, he became severely withdrawn and paranoid. He wasn’t sleeping, and his anxiety was making him physically unwell. My husband and I were not remotely prepared for it. Three months after he tried to cut himself — and by now nearly halfway through his school year — Jack was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), which means you feel anxious about almost everything. Sufferers also start catastrophising, imagining the worst possible outcome for everything that is bothering them. Indeed for Jack, every problem would morph into something far bigger. Our son is now well on his way to a complete recovery, thanks to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). But accessing the specialist help he needed was unbelievably difficult, and if I hadn’t kept battling his corner, there is no doubt in my mind that by now he would be in hospital. When your child breaks a leg it’s a blue light into A&E. When their asthma gets worse, the doctor will write you a new inhaler prescription. But when you arrive at a GP surgery to seek help on mental problems, the first response — at least in our case — was to tell our child to pull himself together. So a crushing report published last month by the Commons Health Select Committee made painfully familiar reading. It is estimated that one in ten children aged five to 16 suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder — including GAD —which equates to three children per class. That’s 290,000 children in Britain. The report concluded there were ‘serious and deeply ingrained problems’ with mental health services for these young people. You’re telling me. At first, I approached the school, two weeks into Jack’s first term. Doctors often feel woefully unprepared when faced with children in mental health crisis, according to the report from the Commons Health Select Committee . I explained he seemed disproportionately stressed. But responses from staff were feeble: ‘Don’t worry, it’s Year Seven, they all feel a bit like this’ and ‘We have children here with real problems, just give him time, he’ll settle’. Although Jack was able to keep it together at school, every day he would come home crying and all the problems would tumble out. ‘I don’t like that school, I don’t like my tutor, I’ve no one to sit with at break,’ the list was endless. As the weeks went by, he started having trouble sleeping. He would regularly still be awake into the early hours, crying and screaming that he hated life. He began to sleepwalk and lost weight. It was a frightening time for all of us. I felt wretched. Every waking minute of every day my thoughts were centred on Jack. After two months, I took him to see the GP. I couldn’t get an appointment with my usual doctor, so we saw another GP in the practice. She didn’t know our family at all, and had no way of gauging if this behaviour was usual for us. Indeed, doctors often feel woefully unprepared when faced with children in mental health crisis, according to the new report. In a poignant comment, GP Jane Roberts, who is the Royal College of General Practitioners’ clinical champion for youth mental health issues, told the Commons Health Select Committee: ‘In a ten-minute consultation it can feel overwhelming to open a Pandora’s box and begin to look at what is troubling a young person . . . especially if the options for referral are limited and difficult to access.’ The report’s authors want GPs to receive better training in young people’s mental health, saying everyone has a right to see a professional with sufficient knowledge. Maureen Baker, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, says it has been campaigning to include mandatory placements in mental health care in GP training. The GP we saw initially advised us to give Jack a few more weeks to see if school became more familiar. But a week later Jack came home with his older brother, who announced he couldn’t cope any more with his sibling’s increasingly erratic behaviour to and from school. He said Jack was constantly checking his bag, checking the time and, on occasions, would try to go back to school at the end of the day to check his homework with the teachers. It's estimated 290,000 children aged five to 16 suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder . It was as he was telling me this that Jack took a large kitchen knife to his arm. It was a half-hearted attempt and thankfully he didn’t actually pierce the skin. My ‘lioness protecting her cubs’ instinct kicked in. Through his tears — and mine — I calmly told him to put down the knife and hugged him, saying whatever I could think of to comfort him. You will do anything to protect your child, but I knew I was woefully out of my depth. As much as I was saying we would help him, I knew ‘the system’ was failing us. That same day, I went to the GP surgery and asked for an appointment then and there. But it was the end of surgery hours and it was only when I quietly refused to leave they agreed to see us. We saw yet another GP, who leaned forward and told Jack all about the patients she had seen that day, who were perhaps more in need of help than him. I told her calmly that our son had dallied with knives and told his brother he wanted to die. The GP — barely out of med-school — stayed completely expressionless, not so much as a raised eyebrow. I asked for a referral to child and adolescent mental health services and at first she suggested we wait and see and come back in the New Year — some four weeks later — if need be. With tears of frustration now rolling down my cheeks, I again indicated my willingness to camp in the surgery until the referral letter was written. She begrudgingly agreed, though our son still wasn’t seen — even as an emergency referral — until January. The psychiatrist we saw was sympathetic but made a shocking suggestion. If we could afford it we should pay privately for CBT — Jack could wait to get it on the NHS, but that could take as long as three months. She could see he needed help urgently, but said there was nothing she could do. Chris Leaman, policy manager at the charity YoungMinds, is not surprised by our story. He says last year 77 per cent of clinical commissioning groups, (the bodies responsible in NHS England for commissioning, planning, agreeing and monitoring health services) had their budgets cut or frozen for such services. In emergency cases, children can end up in police cells as there are no NHS beds available. We are lucky. We have private medical insurance. But still it was a battle — at every stage I had to keep chasing, and it wasn’t until March we had our first appointment with the psychologist who would finally help our son. Jack found it hard — CBT works on changing your thought processes, which is not easy — but he is now well on the road to recovery. He found it difficult returning to school this September but his psychologist helped him with strategies so he could cope. We’ve been warned by Jack’s therapist that he may always be someone who doesn’t react well to big change. But how wrong it is that the help he badly needed was not there for him. Please, health provider decision makers, wake up and make child and adolescent mental health issues a bigger priority. Just last week it was revealed seven mental health patients have killed themselves since 2012 while waiting for a bed on a specialist ward. What more will it take before mental healthcare is taken seriously? It has to be, for all our sakes — but most of all for those young people who need it. For information see youngminds.org.uk and brentcentre.org.uk. Patsy Bennett is a pseudonym. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Jack became severely withdrawn after staring secondary school . He was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) One in ten children aged five to 16 suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder . A Parliamentary report want GPs to receive better training in young people’s mental health .
f31ea113684f1f038106984c8219a4b5a7e73a5e
Potholes on the roads could be a thing of the past if a futuristic plan to produce self-healing concrete comes to fruition. The concrete would produce bacteria to fill the cracks when the concrete gets damaged. It is one of the innovative schemes outlined in a report on the future of highways by engineering company Arup. The 'self-healing' concrete would produce bacteria to fill in the cracks when the highway gets damaged (file picture) The report looks at possible trends up to 2050 and also envisages the replacement of conventional road surfaces with solar panels that could charge electric vehicles and melt snow. Temperature-sensitive paint on the roads could generate giant snowflake-shaped warnings to indicate a drop in temperature and icy conditions. Arup predicts that patterns of ownership will change in the coming years, with commuters more likely to purchase access to a vehicle rather than the vehicle itself. The numbers cycling and walking are likely to increase and electric cars could become commonplace, with developments in science dramatically improving performance. Fully automated navigation systems could enable roads to be populated by driverless cars which could change the design and operation of highways, and provide safety and environmental benefits. The report also suggests that improved communications will make cars more 'intelligent' and 'self-aware' of traffic levels, speed, weather and potential safety hazards. Arup's global highways business leader Tony Marshall said: 'While temperature-sensitive paint and solar surfaces may seem far-fetched, the innovations envisioned in this report are already being tested and piloted around the world. 'They will change the way that we approach mobility and freight transport and will provide safer, more reliable and more environmentally friendly highway infrastructure for generations to come.' He went on: 'Intelligent traffic and control systems will make our roads safer and more sustainable.' The report also envisages the replacement of conventional road surfaces with solar panels that could and melt snow (file picture)
Self fixing potholes outlined in report on future of highways by Arup . Concrete would make a kind of bacteria to fill the cracks in surface . Engineering company study looks at possible trends up to 2050 . Solar panels that could melt snow and charge vehicles also envisaged .
4fac6d65b1e640e358ed3c8bf281a1c13a234fa1
Every morning Sportsmail brings you the biggest gossip and headlines on the continent, giving you your early morning fix from the biggest leagues across Europe. The main focus on the continent on Thursday is on the return of the Champions League and how each nation's teams performed in the opening round of fixtures in Europe's elite competition. First up, Spanish newspaper AS has made an effort to quash the perceived opinion that £60million Real Madrid signing James Rodriguez is somehow lazier than his equally-expensive but departed counterpart Angel di Maria. James Rodriguez covered more ground than all Real Madrid players bar Toni Kroos in the 5-1 win over Basle . The paper's front page headline is 'James works it out' due to the fact that only Toni Kroos (11.4km) covered more ground than the Colombian (11.3km) in the Real side during their 5-1 victory over Basle. James also scored in the win. Marca, meanwhile, leads on 'The 1,000 days that changed Atleti and Spanish football'. This refers to Diego Simeone's 1,000th day in charge of Atletico Madrid and how he has completely changed the face of La Liga. The paper says Simeone has broken the 'duopoly' of Madrid and Barcelona by claiming five trophies in seven finals to return Atleti back to the Spanish elite. Marca celebrates Diego Simeone's 1,000th day in charge of Atletico by saying he 'changed Spanish football' Mundo Deportivo and Sport focus on Barca's laboured 1-0 victory over APOEL Nicosia at the Nou Camp. 'Decisive' is the headline in Mundo as Gerard Pique's goal gave the Catalans top spot in their Champions League group ahead of Paris Saint-Germain and Ajax. Gerard Pique's winner for Barcelona against APOEL Nicosia is described as 'decisive' by Mundo Deportivo . The French newspaper L'Equipe declare Paris Saint-Germain's 1-1 draw against Ajax in Amsterdam as 'sufficient and insufficient' on their front cover. Edinson Cavani's goal had put the Ligue 1 champions in front but the paper bemoans their profligacy in front of goal as they missed numerous chances and allowed the Eredivisie winners to equalise. L'Equipe describes Paris Saint-Germain's 1-1 draw at Ajax in Amsterdam as 'sufficient and insufficient' In Italy, Roma are praised for their brilliant 5-1 victory over CSKA Moscow as they went top of a tricky group group which contains Bayern Munich and Manchester City. Former Arsenal forward Gervinho netted twice for a side described as 'Mega Roma' by Corriere dello Sport. La Gazetta dello Sport also declared: 'How beautiful you are, Roma'. La Gazetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport laud Roma's brilliant 5-1 victory over CSKA Moscow . However, Tuttosport reveals 'A new Tevez', after the Juventus striker scored his first Champions League goal since his Manchester United days on Tuesday. The paper claims that Juve coach Massimo Allegri has 'fallen in love' with Carlos Tevez this season. Tuttosport declare a 'new' Carlos Tevez for Juventus, who coach Massimo Allegri 'has fallen in love with'
James Rodriguez covered second-most ground for Real Madrid vs Basle . Only Toni Kroos (11.4km) ran further than James (11.3km) on Tuesday . Marca lauds Diego Simeone as having 'changed Spanish football' Atletico Madrid boss celebrates his 1,000th day in charge on Thursday . Barcelona's 1-0 victory over APOEL Nicosia puts them top of group . Gerard Pique's winner is described as 'decisive' by Mundo Deportivo . L'Equipe declare PSG's 1-1 draw with Ajax as 'sufficient and insufficient' In Italy, Roma are praised for their brilliant 5-1 victory over CSKA Moscow . Juventus' Carlos Tevez is a 'new' player, according to Tuttosport .
99ae4feb5be8ef78b35ff807d6bd693e771d954f
Thousands of EU migrants who are still on the dole after a lengthy stay in Britain could have their benefits taken away under a crackdown to be unveiled today. Up to 4,000 Europeans living here for a year or more will be assessed on whether they have the genuine prospect of finding work. Those who fail will lose their right to Jobseeker’s Allowance. The measures are in addition to David Cameron’s detailed plans to ban EU migrants from claiming benefits including lucrative tax credits until they have worked in this country for four years. Migrant workers gather outside the Honeypot pub in north-west London looking for cash-in-hand work this week. Selco and the neighbouring B&Q have employed a dog handler to keep them away from customers . Yesterday, the Prime Minister’s prospects of securing agreement for the package of changes were given a boost by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said the proposals needed to be discussed ‘in detail’. Her comments were seen as an indication she will not try to block the main thrust of Mr Cameron’s proposal. Mrs Merkel told a press conference she was ‘pleased’ that Mr Cameron had not attempted to undermine the principle of free movement. ‘We are pleased that this was not put into question by the British prime minister,’ she said. ‘The proposals that were presented now need to be discussed in detail,’ she added, saying that Germany and the European Commission would have a close look at Cameron’s propositions. Ministers are understood to be due to announce the new crackdown on long-term unemployed migrants today. File picture . However, the Polish government made clear it would veto the proposals unless they are watered down. Many of the beneficiaries of Britain’s generous benefits system are Polish. This week it emerged that Britain now has almost as many Poles as live in Krakow. The country’s Europe Minister Rafal Trzaskowski said protecting the EU’s principle of free movement was an ‘absolute red line’ for Poland in any negotiation on a new deal for Britain. Ministers are understood to be due to announce the new crackdown on long-term unemployed migrants today. They believe it can be implemented without EU approval, as it falls within existing law. Living rough: refugees in Calais . A new hostel for migrants hoping to cross the Channel into Britain is to be opened in Calais. The ‘cold weather emergency centre’ will be used once temperatures fall below -5C (23F) in the French port – and could be ready to open within days. Located in a 40,000 sq ft warehouse, it is fitted with beds and hot showers and will be able to house 1,500 of the estimated 2,000 refugees currently living rough in the area. It will be the first large-scale shelter for Calais migrants since the controversial Sangatte Red Cross hostel was bulldozed in 2002. Sangatte was used as a stepping stone to Britain by an estimated 18,000 refugees during its six years of operation. Local government official Denis Robin said the new centre, two miles from the ferry port, would be available for use within the ‘coming days’. He added: ‘The cold weather plan will provide shelter for all those people left outside when temperatures fall. ‘We need a space that can house around 1,500 people, that they can reach on foot, but one that is not in the town centre, because encouraging migrants to remain in the town centre is a sensitive issue in Calais.’ The town is also opening a separate day centre to offer hot food and showers to the most vulnerable migrants, such as women with children and the elderly. The British government has argued that providing beds and showers for migrants will only encourage more to travel to Calais – hoping to stow away aboard ferries to Dover. But Mr Robin insisted the new shelters were ‘humanitarian gestures’, adding: ‘Neither of these centres are in any way new Sangatte-type hostels.’ Tensions have been mounting in the French town due to the influx of migrants fleeing war in the Middle East. Mass brawls between rival gangs left more than 70 people injured during July and August. In October, Home Secretary Theresa May promised to give France £12million to tighten security in Calais, after 250 migrants stormed the ferry terminal trying to reach Britain. Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart recently blamed the UK’s ‘generous’ benefits system for the problems. From January this year EU migrants were given a maximum of six months of JSA claims during which they could look for work. In July, Mr Cameron announced this would be cut to three months. But the rules were not retrospective, meaning some 4,000 EU migrants who have been here since before January do not fall under the six months maximum. Whitehall sources said anyone claiming before the new rules came into force will have their JSA withdrawn unless they have ‘very clear job prospects’. A single market town in the foothills of the Pennines has taken more asylum seekers than all of South East England. New figures show Rochdale houses 680 – one in 41 of all those in Britain. Yet the entire South East region, among the UK’s most affluent, has received just 441. Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk said his seat had become a ‘magnet for the dispossessed’. A genuine prospect of work test, applied to their benefit claims, will attempt to work out whether or not they are likely to get a job in the near future. Currently, Jobseeker’s Allowance is paid out at £72.40 a week for over 25s and £57.35 a week for under 25s. Meanwhile, Eurosceptic Tory MPs will attempt to embarrass Mr Cameron today with a new demand to seize back powers from Europe over borders and immigration. Twelve backbenchers have signed up to a proposal that would hand Parliament an override on all diktats from Brussels – and allow Britain to overrule rulings from European judges. The Bill would provide for an effective veto of any law coming out of the European Union with a majority vote in both Houses of Parliament. Bill Cash, the chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee, will publish the UK Parliament (Sovereignty and Jurisdiction over Borders) Bill in Parliament today. The timing will annoy the party leadership, who are focused on Chancellor George Osborne’s crunch Autumn Statement. The Bill will not be debated in the House of Commons but could distract from the focus on the economy. Mr Cash said: ‘This is absolutely essential, it is needed, it is in the national interest.’ ‘The voters’ right to govern themselves through Parliament has served us over the past generations and it is now absolutely essential to reassert that. ‘We either accept what the EU is doing or we take a stand.’
Cameron also wants to ban EU migrants from benefits for four years . It appears Angela Merckel will not try to block his proposals . But Polish government made clear it would veto them .
a0391cd0f17bbc4847f2381f15b9cc14dfe97adf
While the Duchess of Cambridge oozed glamour as she gave a ceremonial welcome to the president of Singapore, many could be forgiven for thinking the rest of her family might have been enjoying the benefits of her royal lifestyle. But as Kate, who is around 13 weeks pregnant with her second child with Prince William, rubbed shoulders with fellow royalty in London, her parents and sister were mingling with the public at a remote airport hundreds of miles away. Carole, Michael and Pippa Middleton proved they are not too posh to fly economy class as they boarded an easyJet flight from the Scottish Highlands to London Gatwick yesterday. Scroll down for videos . Pippa Middleton, 31, and her parents Carole and Michael (pictured) were spotted boarding an easyJet flight at Inverness Airport in Scotland while the Duchess of Cambridge greeted the Singapore president in west London . Pippa and her mother Carole (circled) could be seen boarding the flight which was destined for London Gatwick. Despite opting to take the budget airliner, the family chose to pay £12 each for priority boarding . However, while the trio - spotted arriving with hand luggage at Inverness Airport - may have opted for the cheap travel option, they did at least fork out up to £12 each for priority boarding. With tickets available for as little as £54 for the 600-mile journey, Pippa, 31, and her parents shocked onlookers as they waited in the terminal before boarding the budget flight. One passenger on the plane, who asked not to be named, said: 'We saw them wandering around the terminal. 'Inverness is a tiny airport, and there was only one plane on the runway, otherwise I might have thought they were flying in a private jet. They're rich enough, I suppose. 'I think they had paid to select their seats, which meant they got to board the plane first, and were all sat in a row when I finally made it on the plane. 'They're practically royalty, but it's nice to know that they're not too posh to fly with normal people.' Onlookers said the Middletons mingled in the terminal before boarding the flight from the Scottish Highlands . It is not the first time Pippa Middleton, 31, (right) and her parents Carole (left) and Michael (right) have chosen to fly with the budget airline. The family (pictured at Wimbledon) flew to Italy on an easyJet plane last September . While the rest of her immediate family were boarding a budget airliner in Scotland, the Duchess of Cambridge attended a ceremonial welcome for the Singapore president in west London with her husband Prince William . The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge greeted the president of Singapore Tony Tan Keng Yam and his wife Mary at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, west London, on the first of a four day state visit to the United Kingdom . After the 80-minute flight, the Middletons got off with their hand luggage and disappeared through the airport. Their journey came while Kate, 32, entertained Singapore president Tony Tan Keng Yam and his wife Mary on their official tour to Britain. The Duchess was joined by her husband Prince William as she greeted the president on behalf of the Queen at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, west London. Following the state visit, the Duchess - who until yesterday had not been seen in public for more than seven weeks after suffering severe morning sickness - attended a glamorous black tie event at London’s Natural History Museum. The royal took some time for herself at Kensington Palace between the two official engagements before stepping out in the evening to present awards to the winners of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition at the museum. The Duchess and Sir David Attenborough both attended the awards ceremony in London in what was Kate's first day of public appearances since Kensington Palace announced she was expecting her second child . The Duchess with Sir David Attenborough and Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year Carlos Perez Naval . The Middletons' outing on the easyJet flight is not the first time they have flown with a budget airline. In September last year, Pippa flew to Bari airport in Italy, with her parents and brother-in-law, Prince Harry, with the same airline. However, she is more accustomed to luxurious trips abroad and has been spotted in the past jetting off to the likes of the private Caribbean island of Mustique, Verbier in Switzerland, the Austrian ski resort of Lech and India. Her mother Carole has also spent many a time in the skies, having been a British Airways stewardess for several years before going into business and founding the family's company Party Pieces in 1987.
Pippa, 31, and parents Carole and Michael spotted boarding easyJet flight from Inverness to London Gatwick . The trio took hand luggage but also paid an additional fee of up to £12 to board ahead of other passengers . Flights from Scottish Highlands to Gatwick Airport are available online for as little as £54 each . On the same day, the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge welcomed Singapore's president alongside Prince William .
2be20661c74c98c9434654ff57c7e3f8f871499b
A mother claims to have proof that fairies do exist -  after catching one on her home CCTV system. Lucia Cordaro, 37, is convinced that her security system, set up outside her home in Chester, has captured a clear image of one of the tiny mythical winged creatures flitting past the lens. She said she was getting in to bed when she heard a noisy motorbike revving outside her house. A mother claims to have proof that fairies do exist - after catching one of the mythical winged creatures on her home CCTV system . Lucia Cordaro, 37, is convinced that her security system, set up outside her home in Chester, has captured a clear image of a tiny fairy flitting past the lens . She later looked at the CCTV footage on her laptop she was shocked to see what she thought was a tiny tinkerbell flying past the camera . After creeping downstairs to investigate the commotion, the mother-of-one heard a bang and thought that somebody had hurled a missile at her window. But when she looked at the CCTV footage on her laptop she was shocked to see what she thought was a tiny tinkerbell flying past the camera. Ms Cordaro, a songwriter, said: 'I'm quite a logical person but I think seeing is believing.' She said she had only woken up to see what the noise outside was about. She said: 'It was just after 11pm and I was getting into bed. I live in the end house on my street and I could hear the motorbike on the corner. Ms Cordaro, a songwriter, said: 'I'm quite a logical person but I think seeing is believing' 'There was this thump on my living room window and I thought someone had chucked something at the window. I thought 'Ha, gotcha' because I knew it would be caught on my CCTV. 'When I looked on the camera I thought 'that's a bit odd'. 'I thought 'if that's a butterfly it looks a lot like a fairy' but I mean, what are the chances? It's very strange. 'I was rewinding and rewinding and rewinding but the more I saw it the more I was convinced.' While some cynics might say the footage could be simply a moth flying past the camera lens,  one person is a confirmed believer - her four- year-old son. He immediately spotted the mystical creature and identified it as one of Santa's little helpers. She said: 'When I showed my four-year-old son he said "Wow. Do you think he's going to go back to Father Christmas and tell him I'm a good boy?" 'There was no doubt in his mind.'
Lucia Cordaro, 37, is convinced her CCTV has footage of a real fairy . The mother checked camera after hearing loud bang outside home . She claims it captured a clear image of tiny mythical creature flitting past . While some could say it looked like a moth - her son, 4, is convinced too .
487130b4c5abb8df303107f37ad1c5ebde39b645
Germany opened the door for Britain to claw back powers from Brussels yesterday as David Cameron received the red carpet treatment from Angela Merkel. Berlin is prepared to negotiate over whether some issues can be decided by member states rather than the EU, one of her allies said. Michael Meister, a leading member of Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union party, said Germany was ‘open for arguments’ about returning some powers. Welcome: Samantha and David Cameron, Mrs Merkel and husband Joachim Sauer . Talks: The leaders exchange kisses on arrival, left, before taking a stroll around the grounds of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's government guesthouse, right . Support: David Cameron is accompanied by his wife, Samantha Cameron and their three children to the guest house in Germany . It was a marked change of tone from the . German government, which in recent weeks has sought to downplay the . prospects of any renegotiation of Britain’s terms of EU membership. It came as Mr Cameron, wife Samantha and their three children spent the night at Schloss Meseberg, the German Chancellor’s official country retreat. Mr Cameron and Mrs Merkel held talks about the future of Europe, with the Prime Minister making the case for more reforms. The invitation was a boost for Mr . Cameron, who has called for Britain to negotiate a new deal with the EU . and then hold an in-out referendum on the package by 2017. Making a case: Cameron is urging Merkel to consider the nuances surrounding Britain's EU membership . Family affair: The partners of both David Cameron and Angela Merkel chuckle as they join in on the official visit . Well received: David Cameron signs the official guest book as Angela Merkel looks on . Mr Meister indicated that Mrs Merkel is prepared to give some ground on British demands for reform because she is keen for the UK to stay in the EU. He also indicated that Berlin could countenance the end of the EU-wide working time directive and the return of working hours laws to Westminster. Mr Meister said Germany acknowledges the need to examine which powers are held in Brussels and which should not be. ‘In some cases we need common . solutions,’ he said. ‘We need intensive discussion and we need to see . what could go on European level and what could stay at the national . level.’ He confirmed that Berlin is keen to keep Britain as a key ally . against the protectionist, anti-capitalist economic policies of some . southern European nations. Procedures: Merkel takes her turn to sign the guestbook as David Cameron looks on, left, before taking a stroll in the guest house's gardens . Walk and talk: Merkel, her husband Joachim Sauer and David Cameron take a stroll inside the guest house's yard which lies 44 miles north of Berlin . Negotiations: Merkel is keen to keep Britain within the EU and is seen here, on the right, talking with David Cameron whilst walking around the gardens of Schloss Meseberg . ‘I think there are a lot of common ideas with the British side and the German side on it,’ he said. Earlier this week, Mr Cameron said . British voters’ support for EU membership was ‘wafer-thin’ and that the . EU ‘sometimes overreached itself with directives and interventions and . interference’. He stressed the need for a ‘more flexible Europe’. Andrea Leadsom, of the Fresh Start . Group which wants to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU, . said Mr Cameron will seek a deal. ‘I don’t think anybody on the . backbenches or the frontbenches of any party thinks laying down the law . is at all possible or plausible or desirable,’ she said. ‘The Foreign Office have not . traditionally been incredibly brave or ambitious in negotiations. I . think David Cameron has been and will continue to be, so I think we are . in a very good place.’ But . Labour foreign affairs spokesman Douglas Alexander said the Prime . Minister’s trip ‘simply confirms that months after his speech on Europe . he remains marooned between what Conservative backbenchers demand and . what European leaders will accept’. Looking forward: David Cameron gestures towards to the skies during his conversation with Angela Merkel, left, whilst on the right is seen to be having a whale of time with his wife, Samantha . Discussions: Angela Merkel looks on as David Cameron goes into some of the details of his plans . Business travel: David and Samantha Cameron walk through the gates of the German Chancellor's guest house .
David and Samantha Cameron, as well as their three children, are staying at Schloss Meseberg - Angela Merkel's official country retreat . The two leaders are expected to tentatively discuss Britain's place within the EU . The invitation is a coup for David Cameron and one more step towards the UK gaining some powers back from Europe .
822b9ee197e53f888fb13a919e8ca88fb27ff706
An anti-Islamic organisation has released a Barossa Valley-grown wine, named Hal & Al's 72 Virgins, to help fund their movement. The Q society, which is selling the sparkling wine in boxes of six for $72, advocates against Islam through various lectures and events which oppose the Muslim faith and Sharia law . Their website claims that Islam is 'a political, legal, financial, social and military doctrine' that leads to violence and segregation and states that: 'since Islam is not a race or ethnicity, being critical of Islam is not racist'. An anti-Islamic organisation the Q Society, has released a Barossa Valley grown wine, named Hal & Al's 72 Virgins as part of a fundraising project . The wine, which references the belief that Muslim martyrs will be rewarded with 72 virgins upon entering paradise, ridicules the Islamic practice of not drinking alcohol. 'Consumption of this Australian wine may prevent you from entering the Islamic Paradise,' the bottle's label states. 'However, both the Jewish and Christian paradises remain open as alternative.' Rather than recognise their beverage as offensive, the group has simply dubbed it a 'conversation starter'. 'I think it's a little bit tongue in cheek … not something that's meant to be taken too seriously,' Debbie Robinson, the Q Society's president told News Limited. The wine, which references the belief that Muslim martyrs will be rewarded with 72 virgins upon entering paradise, ridicules the Islamic practice of not drinking alcohol . 'I don't find it offensive. Everyone's an individual.' Ms Robinson said that the wine had been selling well and that the organisation planned to use the funds raised from the sales to help bring speakers from overseas. These lectures, given by 'non-Muslim scholars of Islam, authors, politicians and civil rights campaigners', address the group's member's 'concern about the growing impact of Islam and Sharia Law on Australian government, businesses and communities'. The group also opposes halal certification schemes, which they claim are 'widely imposed on non-Muslims' through food taxes and employment discrimination in abattoirs. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Q Society for comment.
The wine is being sold by an anti-Islamic group called the Q society . It claims Islam is not a religion, but 'a political, legal, financial, social and military doctrine' that leads to violence and segregation . Referencing the belief that martyrs will be rewarded with 72 virgins in paradise, the wine ridicules the Islamic practice of not drinking alcohol . The society's president denied the bottle's labelling was offensive, saying it's 'not something that's meant to be taken too seriously'
bf2528fbf818d4d192b265131ae5252db0553cff
Programmes such as Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax have reversed a ‘long term decline’ in the relationship between the BBC and the North, says the corporation’s Director of England. But it is perhaps unsurprising Peter Salmon should make these comments, given that his wife Sarah Lancashire is the star of both shows. Salmon, who is in charge of the BBC’s Salford base, has revealed figures showing that ‘for the first time in living memory’ people in the North feel better represented than those in the rest of the UK. Scroll down for video . Peter Salmon, who is in charge of the BBC's Salford base, pictured, claimed the corporation has reconnected with the north of England following the success of Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax . Salmon, right, who earns £375,000-a-year is married to the star of the two shows, Sarah Lancashire, left . In 2011, before 3,000 BBC staff began working in MediaCity UK, in Salford, the corporation gave itself an internal score for the portrayal of people in the north of England of 6.30, compared with 6.48 for the rest of the UK. But numbers released today show the balance has shifted to 6.31 for the north of England and 6.29 for the rest of the UK. The highest score was given to northwest viewers with 6.48. Speaking at a Broadcast Press Guild event in London, Salmon, who earns a salary of £375,000 said: ‘When we did the big change and the big switch, we said this has got to transform the experience of licence fee payers right across the region. ‘So in the last two or three years we’ve halved the gap in consumption between the North and the rest of the UK. It used to be 4 percent because the BBC has been traditionally more southern centric broadcaster in terms of consumption. ITV were the kings and queens outside London but in recent years we’ve reversed that. ‘If we look at things like portrayal approval and things like that, do the people think the BBC reflects their lives, we now see for the first time in living memory people in the north of England feeling on a par to the rest of the UK, if not slightly better represented’. He put this down to the increase in programmes both set and produced in the region, such as drama Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax, both set in Yorkshire, and Inspector George Gently, set in Northumberland and County Durham. A number of formerly London-based departments, such as sport and children’s programming, moved to Salford three years ago and tent-pole shows such as Blue Peter and Match of the Day are also now produced there. He said that shows such as Last Tango in Halifax, pictured,  helped reverse the BBC's decline in the north . Salmon believes this has thawed even the frostiest of the BBC’s regional relationships. He said: ‘In the North East of England, which has always been one of the most chilly places for the BBC, it’s quite remote from London based organisations typically, we’ve really begun to reverse years of having a negative relationship either with the power structure in the North East or audiences. We’ve done it simply by making a lot more programmes in the Northeast.’ Happy Valley is a crime drama following the Yorkshire police sergeant Catherine Cawood, played by Sarah Lancashire, trying to come to terms with the suicide of her daughter. She becomes obsessed with the man who she believes raped her daughter and drove her to suicide. It transpires that the man is also involved in a kidnapping plot. Earlier this year Happy Valley prompted criticism for showing ‘gratuitous’ violence in a string of graphic scenes. The lead character - police sergeant Catherine Cawood, played by Sarah Lancashire - was savagely beaten in a basement during one episode. As the show ended, she collapsed in the road, her face covered in blood, leaving viewers guessing whether she had died. The scenes prompted 15 complaints from viewers. It followed a harrowing incident previously in which another policewoman was murdered on a lonely country road. An average of 5.8million viewers tuned in to Happy Valley’s first four instalments, and most praise its gripping plot and realistic police procedure. But some have expressed concern at its increasingly gruesome twists and graphic depictions of violence against women. Last Tango in Halifax is a romantic comedy series also starring Derek Jacobi and Anne Reid. Alan Buttershaw (Jacobi) and Celia Dawson (Reid) are both widowed and in their 70s. When their grandsons put them on Facebook, they rediscover their feelings for one another are as intense as they were 60 years ago when they were teenagers. Sarah Lancashire plays Anne Reid’s daughter Caroline in the series. Mr Salmon’s relationship with his common law wife collapsed in 2000 and it emerged that he and Miss Lancashire were an item several months later. Mr Salmon the former controller of BBC1, left the mother of his three sons, Penny Watt, after falling for the former Coronation Street star. Mr Salmon and Miss Lancashire got to know each other when he worked at Granada Television in Manchester. They have a son together and live in Twickenham, south-west London.
Peter Salmon said the BBC was improving its northern representation . The £375,000-a-year executive said the BBC had been southern-centric . He said new shows featuring northerners were helping the BBC re-balance . His wife, Sarah Lancashire, stars in two of the hit shows he mentioned .
c997fa86d0b7a4ce465fc783b197a95bf5ee74ff
Dramatic footage has emerged showing a Norwegian air force pilot being forced into an emergency manoeuvre to avoid a mid-air crash with a Russian fighter jet. In the video, released by Norway's military, one of its pilots shouts 'What the hell?!' before veering away sharply as the Russian MiG-31 flashes into view, just 65 feet from the F-16. 'The Russian pilot's behaviour was not quite normal,' said Norwegian armed forces spokesman Brynjar Stordal about the 26-second film clip released on Sunday. Scroll down for video . Near miss: Footage released by the Norwegian military shows one of its fighter pilots being forced to swerve out of the way of a Russian MiG jet (bottom right) which flashes into view just 65 feet from the F-16 . Evasive action: The Norwegian pilot shouts 'What the hell?!' before veering away sharply in the latest incident involving hundreds of other recent near misses with aggressive Russian fighter pilots . The incident has added to mounting tensions between Russia and NATO member states in recent months, underlined by claims of other recent near misses with Russian military jets. 'We don't know if it was a miscalculation or if he deliberately put himself in the path of our F-16,' said Stordal, adding that Norway's armed forces had informed Russia that the incident was 'undesirable'. The close encounter occurred in international airspace 'north of Norway' but the armed forces did not say when. Unlike neighbouring non-aligned Sweden, Norway - a NATO member - has not reported any airspace incursions by Russia in recent years and gauges the level of Russian air force activity in the area as 'pretty normal or a little more' than usual. A Russian MiG fighter plane like the one involved in the near miss with the Norwegian air force jet . Long-standing threat: A picture taken by the Royal Norwegian Airforce in July 2007 shows a Russian strategic bomber Tupolev Tu-95MS being escorted by a Norwegian F-16 while flying in international air space . In the video, released by Norway's military, one of its pilots shouts 'What the hell?!' before veering away sharply as the Russian MiG-31 flashes into view, just 65 feet from the Norwegian F-16. File picture . So far this year, Norway has scrambled its air force 43 times to identify 69 Russian planes, compared to 41 incidents involving 58 planes in 2013. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said last month that the alliance had reported 400 intercepts of Russian military flights so far this year - a 50 per cent increase compared to 2013. He complained that Russian jets flying without sharing their flight plans posed a danger to commercial air traffic. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Douglas Lute also revealed 'multiple incidents' where Russian military aircraft had not filed flight plans nor spoken to civilian air traffic controllers and had turned off transponders that send information about the plane. 'Danger to air traffic': NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (above) said last month that the alliance had reported 400 intercepts of Russian military flights so far this year - a 50 per cent increase compared to 2013 . This made the planes virtually invisible to air traffic controllers, he told a news conference. 'These Russian actions are irresponsible, pose a threat to civilian aviation and demonstrate that Russia is flagrantly violating international norms,' he said. Britain also voiced concern about Russian probing of its air space. In late October, NATO said its aircraft tracked Russian strategic bombers over the Atlantic and Black Sea and sorties of fighters over the Baltic. At sea, too, Russia has been more active, leading one NATO commander to draw comparisons with Cold War behaviour. A squadron of Russian warships entered the English Channel on Friday.
Video shows Russian jet flashing into view just 65ft from Norwegian plane . Norwegian F-16 pilot shouts 'what the hell?!' before veering sharply away . Near miss adds to mounting tensions between NATO states and Moscow . NATO reported 400 intercepts of Russian jets this year - up 50% on 2013 .
ae56b9a70e2b3d5ff5c7747af7fefc17306c895e
Police in Utah arrested an elderly military veteran Tuesday morning following an 11-hour standoff that required the involvement of a SWAT team armed with powdered pepper spray. The suspect, who has not been named, allegedly fired a gun inside a recreational vehicle at around 12.30am in St. George. Police responded to the mobile home after getting a 911 call about shots fired, but the suspect barricaded himself inside the RV. Tense standoff: A St. George Police officer maintains his position surrounding a trailer home after reports of shots fired on Tuesday in St. George, Utah . Peaceful resolution: St. George police officers take a military veteran into custody after an 11-hour standoff . Trick: Cops had to resort to the use of powdered pepper spray in order to coax the man out of his RV . Smoked out: The elderly man came out of the RV on his own after police launched more pepper spray at his home . The veteran surrendered to police at around 11am after a SWAT team fired powdered pepper spray into the camper. The standoff resulted in the closure of nearby businesses, and people in a motel were told to stay in their rooms. According to the St George Police Department, the suspect fired about six shots inside his RV parked on East St. George Boulevard shortly after midnight. A SWAT team accompanied by crisis negotiators converged on the RV, and officers spent the next 10 hours trying to make contact with the man barricaded inside to coax him out, but to no avail. As time passed and police had not heard anything from the man, they decided to fire powdered pepper spray, known as OC powder, into the trailer to draw him out. The man was seen tossing items out the window and screaming at the cops, 'You are hurting me!' reported The Spectrum. How it started: The suspect allegedly fired several shots inside his mobile home, pictured, at around midnight . Closures: Police shut down St George Boulevard and several local businesses during the standoff . At that point, the veteran made contact with the SWAT team outside, but then the communication went silent again, prompting police to launch more pepper spray into the camper. At around 11.15am, the gray-haired veteran walked out of the RV and was taken into custody without incident. There was no one else inside the man's mobile home, and no injuries have been reported. If the suspect qualifies, his case will be heard in the veteran judicial court. St George Boulevard was shut down for several hours during the ordeal, along with a nearby Rite Aid pharmacy and a coffee and juice bar.
The suspect came out of his RV in St George after police repeatedly used powdered pepper spray to coax him out . He is suspected of firing a gun inside the camper at around midnight .
44121a590b1b1ead3178d9aeb3f142295a1ef3b2
Refugees who claim asylum on the grounds that they are homosexual should not have to undergo tests to prove it, the EU's top court has ruled. Three men, including a Ugandan and one from a Muslim country, failed to gain asylum when a Dutch court found they had not proved their sexuality. The European Court of Justice says EU states must respect human dignity. Its rulings apply for all EU member states. Refugees who claim asylum on the grounds that they are homosexual should not have to undergo tests to prove it, the EU's top court has ruled; pictured above Sub-Saharan migrants celebrate as they try to reach a immigrant holding centre after they jumped the border fence in Melilla, the Spanish enclave in northern Africa . The case involving the trio is significant because this year there has been a surge in the number of sub-Saharan Africans seeking asylum in Europe; most African countries treat homosexuality as a crime; desperate migrants are pictured trying to get over a border fence in Morocco . The case involving the trio is significant because this year there has been a surge in the number of sub-Saharan Africans seeking asylum in Europe, the BBC reported. Most African countries treat homosexuality as a crime. In 2011 the UN, EU and human rights activists criticised Czech authorities for using an erection or 'phallometric' test - a practice dating back to communist times - to determine whether certain asylum seekers were gay. In its latest ruling, the court of justice said that determining a refugee's sexuality had to be consistent with EU law while also respecting their private and family life. It said evidence of homosexual acts submitted from tests or on film infringed human dignity, even if it was proposed by the asylum seeker. Allowing such evidence could result in it becoming a requirement, the court said. While authorities can ask questions about asylum seekers sexual orientation, they can't ask about their sexual practices. While authorities can ask questions about asylum seekers sexual orientation, they can't ask about their sexual practices, the court found . In its latest ruling, the court of justice said that determining a refugee's sexuality had to be consistent with EU law while also respecting their private and family life; pictured above, immigrants wait in line at a shelter in Crete after arriving on a cargo shop from Turkey . The judges said an asylum seeker's failure to answer questions about their personal circumstances was not sufficient reason to reject them. Nor was an applicant's failure to declare his homosexuality from the outset. Treatment of gay, lesbian or bisexual refugees has been highlighted in the UK in recent months following revelations one asylum seeker was asked 'shockingly degrading' questions. More than 10 per cent of interviews with asylum seekers involved questions of an 'unsatisfactory nature', a report in October by the UK independent chief inspector of borders and immigration found. Last year the court of justice ruled that gay asylum seekers who had a genuine fear of imprisonment in African countries could claim refugee status.
EU states must respect human dignity, the European Court of Justice says . Ruling follows a surge in sub-Saharan Africans seeking asylum here . Over 10 per cent of asylum seekers are asked 'unsatisfactory' questions .
6928a1857335714cbbe940941665a5548b23a8f4
Manchester United go to the Etihad hunting for three points as they take on Manuel Pellegrini's dishevelled Premier League champions. Here, Sportsmail's Jamie Redknapp gives his take on where the game could be won and lost. ANGEL DI MARIA v PABLO ZABALETA . I’ll be covering the game for Sky and this is the battle I am most looking forward to watching. It’s an all-Argentine affair and whoever comes out on top will probably end up on the winning side. Di Maria has had two quiet games – Branislav Ivanovic and Andre Wisdom were very physical and frustrated him. Zabaleta will offer that but will want to take him the other way - he’s one of the best raiding right backs we’ve seen in the Premier League. This will be a brilliant contest and absolutely key in deciding the game. Pablo Zabaleta (left) and Angel di Maria (right - Marcos Rojo centre) will do battle on Sunday afternoon . Argentina Di Maria has lit up the Premier League since moving to Manchester United from Real Madrid . Fellow countryman Zabaleta (left) is one of the division's toughest customers at full back . ROBIN VAN PERSIE v MARTIN DEMICHELIS/ELIAQUIM MANGALA . That goal against Chelsea will give Van Persie confidence and he got good opportunities against one of the meanest defences in the league. He still has a lot to offer but if he gets involved in a physical battle with Vincent Kompany, there will be only one winner. Van Persie needs to target Demichelis/Mangala instead because that’s where he’ll get his success. Robin van Persie's last-gasp equaliser against Chelsea will give him the confidence to kick on . Eliaquim Mangala has endured a tricky start to life in England after the defender's summer move from Porto . Manuel Pellegrini may opt for Martin Demichelis (right) instead of the struggling Mangala at the back . SERGIO AGUERO v CHRIS SMALLING . Manuel Pellegrini may go with one up front to get more numbers in midfield, but if that one is Sergio Aguero, United are in for a tough afternoon. Aguero played alone at Barcelona last season and as the lone striker against Tottenham two weeks ago he was sensational. United need to get numbers around him because he preys on weak links. Smalling had one of his best ever games for United against Chelsea last week. He’ll need another one on Sunday. Sergio Aguero celebrates scoring for Manchester City as they thumped United at the Etihad last season . Chris Smalling (pictured being fouled by Oscar) could be in for a real examining by Aguero at the Etihad .
Angel di Maria is set to be marked by fellow Argentine Pablo Zabaleta . Robin van Persie will be buoyed by his goal against Chelsea . Sergio Aguero could give Chris Smalling a real examining .
0372936fe5c0b51526eee19f6d02764b9ab8b4f0
It is a view of the Diamond Jubilee concert that you couldn’t see on television. Photos and comments posted on Twitter by those involved in the celebrations give a unique insight into how the events unfolded behind the scenes. Posting a picture of herself standing next to the Queen, pop singer Cheryl Cole wrote: ‘This image will live with me Forever.. I could never have dreamed of this moment.’ Scroll down for video . Royal appointment: Mike Tindall is pictured leaning across his wife Zara Phillips, the Queen's granddaughter in the Royal Box. The former England captain tweeted that 'BP (Buckingham Palace) was looking good' Proud mum: Sarah Ferguson tweeted that she was 'Sooo pround of my girls smiling broadly, celebrating Granny with the Nation and Eugie with her flag.' Minutes later she added that Prince Andrew [picture right] was looking 'very dashing in his naval uniform' Happy days: The Queen waves from the balcony of Buckingham Palace as the Royal family watches on during the final day of the Jubilee Celebrations on The Mall in central London . Dressed to impress: Popstar Will.i.am with soldiers outside Buckingham Palace. The singer posted the photo on Twitter with the caption 'Me and my crew' Starstruck: The Queen meets Aussie pop sensation Kylie Minogue and Lee Thompson from Madness backstage at the Diamond Jubilee concert . One of the more amusing Twitter . exchanges began when Mike Tindall, who is married to the Queen’s . granddaughter Zara Phillips, posted a picture of Buckingham Palace he . took on his phone from the royal box at the concert. His image of the beautifully illuminated palace, posted with the caption ‘BP looking good’, seemed innocent enough. But his England Rugby teammates were . less reserved, with one, Andy Goode, writing: ‘Which one is yours and . z’s bedroom window tonight big lad??!!’ Another friend, seeing that Tindall . was seated just in front of David Cameron, replied: ‘U be careful with . that PM guy behind u, reading all ur tweets & texts and being all . judgemental!!’ Winger Mark Cueto added: ‘Your pearly whites looking good . on my tele kid? Must be the HD??’ American . pop star Will.i.am, who performed at the concert, had clearly been . enjoying his day at the palace. He tweeted a picture of himself with the . royal guards, with the caption: ‘Me and my crew holding down the royal . palace while the people celebrate the #diamondjubilee.’ He then posted a picture of himself wearing one of the guards’ bearskin hats. Stephen Fry, watching the concert from his London home, posted an audio recording of the fireworks, writing that they were ‘rattling his windows’. He was obviously more impressed with the BBC’s TV coverage than he had been on Sunday, when he called it ‘mind-numbingly tedious’. He tweeted: ‘You see BBC? It works so much better with no commentary.’ While the Royal Family, politicians and celebrities enjoyed the concert, Speaker’s wife Sally Bercow was absent from the celebrations. And despite being an ardent anti-monarchist, she took to Twitter to complain that she hadn’t had a VIP invitation. ‘I wish,’ she told one user who asked if she had been invited. ‘We get the stuffy, pompous perks mainly’ – referring to the fact that she and her husband had been invited to join the thanksgiving service yesterday at St Paul’s Cathedral. Later, she said she had reluctantly . agreed to attend because ‘if I hadn’t accompanied Mr B, they’d bang on . about what a disgraceful, unsupportive wife I am’. In . response to her comments, one exasperated Twitter user wrote: ‘Why . don’t you just shove off and let someone who would appreciate it be . speakers wife then?’ Mrs . Bercow had already annoyed fellow Twitter users with her comments about . the jubilee, after calling members of the public who had joined the . celebrations ‘mindless, flag-waving loons’. She told followers she was . ‘underwhelmed’ by the jubilee celebrations – while boasting that she had . ‘the best view in London’ of them. She . also tweeted that she was ‘c**p at pretending to be ardent monarchist’ and that the best thing about the jubilee was the ‘retailer discounts.’ The . Duchess of York wistfully tweeted about the jubilee, which she watched . on TV after not being invited to any of the official celebrations. Sarah, 52, wrote: ‘Sooo proud of my girls smiling broadly, celebrating . Granny with the Nation and Eugie with her flag and both happy smiles.’ Minutes . later, she added: ‘Prince Andrew, The Duke of York looking very dashing . in his naval uniform. 'Would love to see more of my girls and their Papa . on the BBC.’ And when . journalist Matthew D’Ancona tweeted that she should have been included . in the celebrations, she was quick to agree. He wrote: ‘If Robbie and . Gary can make up, surely it’s time to forgive Fergie? Mother of two the . Queen’s grandchildren, after all.’ In reply, she wrote: ‘Friendship and support is honey to the soul. 'We need more kindness and forgiveness in this world.' Rocking royalty: Sir Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell meet the Queen at a Diamond Jubilee arts event two weeks ago . Centre stage: The Queen on the incredible stage around the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace next to Will.i.am, Cheryl Cole and Tom Jones. Behind a fan can't resist recording the moment for posterity . VIDEO: The Queen meets a host of stars backstage following the Diamond Jubilee Concert .
Former England rugby captain Mike Tindall posts image of Buckinham Palace with the caption 'BP looking good' Cheryl Cole writes: 'This image will be with me forever... I could never have dreamed of this moment . Will.i.am tweets: ‘Me and my crew holding down the royal . palace while the people celebrate #diamondjubilee .
e385a86008b2b41df9ef6afa6edc0a1065b981d7