Datasets:

autoevaluate

/

autoeval-staging-eval-project-cnn_dailymail-da2ad07e-10655435

like 0

Barbie is set to make her transition from the toy shelf to the big screen in a new live-action movie. According to Deadline, Mattel and Sony have teamed up on a movie starring the iconic doll, which is expected to go into production by the end of this year. The film will reportedly allow Barbie 'to use her personal and professional . skills to step into the lives of others and improve them, almost like a . modern-day Mary Poppins'. In a Barbie world: Barbie is set to make her transition from the toy shelf to the big screen in a new live-action movie produced by Sony, which is expected to go into production by the end of the year . Mattel and Sony announced on Wednesday that the movie will be written by What a Girl Wants writer Jenny Bicks and produced by Walter F Parkes and Laurie MacDonald, the husband-and-wife team behind Men in Black 3. A big part of the appeal of the film, says studio chief Amy Pascal, is that it will focus on Barbie not only as a plaything for current youngsters, but also as a source of nostalgia for older generations that grew up with the doll. It is also expected to emphasize the doll as a symbol of female empowerment. Tim Kilpin, Mattel’s EVP of Global Brands, said of the project: 'Barbie has entertained children and inspired their imagination and creativity for more than 50 years. 'Now is the right time in Barbie's celebrated history for her to star in a live-action, contemporary comedy that brings her playful personality to life for generations of fans.' 'Now is the right time in Barbie's celebrated history for her to star in a contemporary comedy' A source told the Hollywood Reporter that the plot will 'team Barbie with an overworked bureaucrat looking for an assistant. A contemporary buddy comedy ensues.' This isn't the first collaboration between Mattel and Sony; the companies are also currently developing a film adaptation of Masters of the Universe. Toy-inspired movies are certainly having a moment this year. February saw the release of the Lego Movie, starring Chris Pratt and Elizabeth Banks as the voices of some of the toys. The 3D film was a commercial blockbuster, raking in more than $441million worldwide, which made it the highest-grossing movie of 2014 so far. A sequel is expected to be released in the summer of 2017.

Mattel has joined forced with Sony on the film, which is expected to go into production by the end of the year .

562ef683c1b0ed5c7dc27fd915a8c65e5dd83bc1

By . Margot Peppers . President Barack Obama has two important jobs - leading the country, and being father to two teenage girls. Now he has opened up about the latter and what it takes to raise kids in the White House. In an interview with former first daughter Jenna Bush Hager on the Today show, the President tells her that 15-year-old Malia and 13-year-old Sasha think of him as 'a good, fun dad who teeters on the edge of being embarrassing sometimes. 'As Malia put it, I'm right on the edge,' he said. 'But I usually stay on the right side of the edge of being funny rather than totally humiliating to them.' Scroll down for video . His most important job: President Barack Obama opened up to Jenna Bush Hager about raising two teen girls in the White House in a new episode of the Today show . Despite sometimes embarrassing his girls like any other dad, Obama says they maintain a close relationship and make an effort to be open with each other about their feelings. 'The one thing the girls know about me is I love 'em to death,' he said. 'Younger parents… ask me why it is that Malia and Sasha turned out so well. I say, "Well, first of all, you know - marry somebody who's going to be a great mom," which I did. But second of all, unconditional love sure makes a difference.' As the daughter of former President George W Bush, Jenna - who gave birth to her her first child, a daughter named Mila, in April 2013 - has a unique firsthand perspective on families in the White House. And while she told Obama that she and her twin sister Barbara sometimes struggled with overhearing criticism of their father, it seems Malia and Sasha are relatively indifferent. 'Up until recently they have shown absolutely no interest in what I did,' he confessed, explaining that it helps resolve any issues when they discuss his political decisions during dinnertime. Appreciation: 'It goes by quick,' said the father of 15-year-old Malia and 13-year-old Sasha. 'Understand that there's nothing that's going to be more precious in your life, and you are going to savor every memory' Political families: As the daughter of George W Bush, Jenna - who gave birth to her her first child, a daughter named Mila, in April 2013 - has a firsthand perspective on growing up in the White House . 'I explain to them, "Here's why I made a decision that I made,"' he said. ' And so in some ways, they're getting a sense of how I think through problems.' Balancing fatherhood with presidential duties is undoubtedly a challenge, especially with two teen girls. 'The one thing the girls know is I love 'em to death -unconditional love sure makes a difference' To get his take on it, Jenna asked Obama: 'What is harder, being a protective father of teenagers or President of the United States?' Smiling as he considered his answer, the President joked that living in the White House actually makes fatherhood easier, to an extent. 'Well, as you know, and you may have chafed under this a little bit, they do have a Secret Service detail,' he said. Savor the moments: 'When you're on your death bed, that's the stuff you're going to remember - you holding hands with your daughter,' Obama told Jenna (pictured together in an Instagram snap) 'I've joked that the main reason I ran for reelection was to sustain that all the way through their high school years.' On a more serious note, however, the father-of-two added that the most important part of parenthood is appreciating every moment of it. 'It goes by quick,' he said, advising: 'Don't just . spend time with your kids because it's good for the kids; understand . that there's nothing that's going to be more precious in your life, and you . are going to savor every memory. 'And when you're on your death . bed, that's the stuff you're going to remember - you holding hands with . your daughter and taking them to the park and pushing them on a swing and hearing them laugh… You just want to make sure you don't miss out on that.' Extra protection: President Obama (pictured with his daughters in January) joked that the main reason he ran for reelection was so that the Secret Service detail would keep an eye on the girls . White House living: Although Jenna (middle) and her twin sister Barbara were 20 when their father was sworn in, making them quite a bit older than the Obama girls, they undoubtedly shared some of the same experiences . Jenna and her sister Barbara were 20 when their father was sworn in as President, making them quite a bit older than the Obama girls. 'When you're on your death bed, that's the stuff you're going to remember - you holding hands with your daughter' Still, they undoubtedly shared some of the same experiences growing up with such a prominent father. And in an Instagram post shared yesterday, Jenna wrote that her dad and President Obama have more in common than just the White House. 'One thing I learned from my dear dad is that family is more important than politics,' she said. 'Tune into @todayshow to hear Pres Obama talk about his most important role: fatherhood.'

President Obama joked that the main reason he ran for reelection was to have the Secret Service detail keep an eye on Malia and Sasha 'all the way through their high school years'

98ee46ec5e108a8e1596d2636d0f5d924015c972

(CNN) -- When actor Barkhad Abdi calls his "Captain Phillips" role life-changing, he means it literally. Just a few months ago, he was known only as one of Tom Hanks' co-stars in the film based on the Somali hijacking of the Maersk Alabama in 2009, but today, he's known far and wide as something else. On Thursday, the newcomer was announced as a contender for the Oscar for best actor in a supporting role, a category that includes stars like Jared Leto ("Dallas Buyers Club"), Jonah Hill ("Wolf of Wall Street") and Bradley Cooper ("American Hustle"). "Captain Phillips," by the way, is Abdi's first role. The 28-year-old, who was born in Mogadishu and moved to Minnesota as a teen, stumbled upon the opportunity while watching TV. "I was at my friend's house in Minneapolis, just hanging out, and the local channel said that there was a casting call for a Tom Hanks film, (needing) Somali actors," he's told CNN's Christiane Amanpour. "I always loved acting. It was something that I wanted to do. I would just shoot basic videos, but I wasn't in front of the camera." Undeterred, Abdi went to the casting call at a Minneapolis community center and wound up landing the role of Somali leader Muse. "He had this instinct for expression; he is a very interesting man," "Captain Phillips" director Paul Greengrass told The Hollywood Reporter. "His ability as an actor is rooted in personal experience and a sense of drama." That ability has won over critics left and right and has earned Abdi nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Press and the Screen Actors Guild. The Oscar nom "has been a life-changing experience for me," Abdi said in a statement. "I would like to congratulate all of the nominees this morning, especially the team from 'Captain Phillips' who were recognized. My performance is a testament to the vision of our incredible director Paul Greengrass, and our other Captain -- the generous, amazing, and inspiring Tom Hanks." As for what he plans to do next, Abdi told Entertainment Weekly that he's just trying to let his newest accolade sink in. "It's been a really wild ride," he said. "Every time, it gets bigger and bigger and bigger, and now it's an Oscar nomination. It's just a little too big to comprehend. But that's life. I'm just looking forward to the next adventure."

Barkhad Abdi's life has been changed by his "Captain Phillips" role . Paul Greengrass' film was Abdi's debut . That role has brought in a flood of nominations, including an Oscar nod .

49f709ac651d9762c2285f7ce83a673f2a3233a4

Gus Poyet says his team must handle the pressure of playing in front of a national TV audience at Crystal Palace on Monday night. The Black Cats have slumped into the bottom three following their 8-0 drubbing at Southampton and 2-0 defeat at home to Arsenal. And they now face trial by television at Selhurst Park. John O'Shea trains with his Sunderland team-mates ahead of Monday's game at Crystal Palace . ‘No-one will relax because no-one wants to be on TV doing bad things,’ he said. ‘But if you don’t have the character to go and play on TV at Palace then you shouldn't be in the Premier League. ‘It will be noisy. That is the atmosphere they like to create. But it is 11 v 11. It's a great game for us.' Sunderland manager Gus Poyet talks to his players during training . Poyet, meanwhile, insists he will not shy away from dropping those who have under-performed of late, but will resist radical change. ‘There are decisions to make, which I'm not afraid of,’ he said. ‘That’s why I do the job, I like those big decisions. Poyet has told his players they must show character when they face Palace on Monday night . ‘But I don’t think it’s time to be too clever and change the shape or anything. It is one game, the Southampton game killed us. ‘I’m not going to cry, I’m going to keep trying and keep working. ‘When you’re on a bad run it is difficult to turn it around. But look at Newcastle, everyone was talking about them and now they’ve won three in a row.’

Sunderland have slipped into the bottom three after defeats to Southampton and Arsenal . Gus Poyet says he is prepared to make changes to his side . The Black Cats travel to Crystal Palace on Monday night .

9c70c1d875971bc7cae31fec27ce567965bbf2f1

By . Sadie Whitelocks . PUBLISHED: . 08:15 EST, 19 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:28 EST, 19 June 2012 . Sara Agintas, tipped the scales at a hefty 33 stone, but now is looking forward to a brighter future . A 33st benefits claimant who said she was 'too fat to work' has now secured part-time work after undergoing complimentary weight loss surgery. Sara Agintas, 43, from Milton Keynes, grabbed the headlines after she demanded a £14,000 gastric band op on . the NHS, while refusing to diet or exercise because it was 'too hard'. Despite her public plea health specialists refused to operate, however a private London surgeon came forward and offered to carry out the two-and-a-half hour procedure free of charge. Since undergoing the op at the Bupa Cromwell Hospital in London on May 24, during which 85 per cent of her stomach was removed,  Mrs Agintas has lost 11bs and gone from a size 38 to a 32. And now with a newfound sense of confidence she has also got a job as a part-time Avon representative. While she's happy working for the cosmetics brand, the mother-of-six said she would eventually like a permanent role at Tesco as she moves towards her target weight of 15st. She said: 'When the surgeon offered to operate, it was like a dream come true. I am so lucky. It was my fault I was fat. I did not deserve help, but I needed it. I could hardly move at 33st.' Mrs Agintas who receives £15,000 a year in state benefits, says she binged on junk food for 25 years, admitting to spending up to £200 a week on takeaways and downing 12 'small' cans of lager a day while expecting her sixth child. She is mother to Gemma, 25, Lauren, 21, Thomas, 18, Sam, 13, Hannah, 12, and Zoe, nine. While doctors warned her of the health dangers she insisted that she found it 'too hard to diet' and said exercise hurt. She also complained she was too fat to work. In March, as a final resort she pleaded for taxpayers to shell out for the weight-loss surgery as she could not fit in an office chair or a holiday plane seat. But when a private surgeon in West London heard of her predicament, he felt sorry for her and offered to perform the op for free. Last month Mrs Agintas, who lives with her husband Halbin, 42, who works part-time because of a back injury, had the two-and-a-half-hour operation, which has divided her stomach and left a narrow, sleeve-shaped section. Now limited now to small food portions for life, she has lost 11lb in weight since coming home and gone from a size 38 to a size 32. Instead of gorging on takeaways and junkfood Mrs Agintas has a Weetabix for breakfast, a scrambled egg for lunch, followed by a plate of potatoes and vegetables in the evening. While working towards her target weight of 15st and Mrs Agintas is also determined to help three of her children, who are judged obese, to lose weight - although she does not want them to go through the same risky operation. She told Closer magazine: 'I will never eat McDonald's again. The sleeve is not a miracle cure. I have got a lot of work to do, but it is the best thing I ever did. The sleeve is a dangerous operation. I could have died, but I took the chance because I thought my weight was going to kill me.' Family values: Sarah Agintas, pictured with her husband Halbin, is mother to Gemma, 25, Lauren, 21, Thomas, 18, Sam, 13, Hannah, 12, and Zoe, nine - but says it was her pregnancies which forced her to binge on junk food . She added: 'For the first time, I am excited about my future.' Mrs Agintas first became pregnant aged 17 by her boyfriend of just a few months. She said she was delighted by the pregnancy because she had always looked forward to being a mother, and at 6ft, she was 15st.  But it was then that she developed unhealthy cravings for junk food that saw her weight go up and down, throughout the next five pregnancies. 'I ate a jar of pickled onions a day, . followed by three cakes and three packets of crisps. For dinner, I’d . have two pork chops with veg followed by two Big Mac meals – I ate for . two!,' she told Closer. She moved into a one-bed council flat when she split up with her boyfriend a few months after becoming pregnant. After giving birth to Gemma, Mrs Agintas weighed 16st and claims she applied for 15 jobs, but gave up looking for work and turned to cheap junk food when she was unsuccessful. Her weight crept up to 20st in 1990, when she was aged 21 and she measured a size 24. Then . she met a new partner and moved into his three- bedroom council house, . quickly falling pregnant with her second child, Lauren. She . gained three stone as her eating habits spiralled out of control, and . in one average day she would down three Pot Noodles – at 400 calories a . go – two sausage rolls and four packets of crisps. When she had her third child, Thomas, two years later, she weighed 28st and would think nothing of having four thickly buttered slices of toast for breakfast. She even fell through the stairs in her house, forcing the council to reinforce the floor. Mrs Agintas . admits doctors insisted that she needed to restrict her food intake and . make a drastic change to her diet, but she found it too difficult. Her children have been raised on a diet of junk food and Mrs Agintas . said: 'They ate what I ate – pasties and crisps. I was lazy – it was . easier to phone for a takeaway than cook. I gave them chips four times a . week,' she told the magazine. Pregnancy: Mrs Agintas says she developed a craving for junk food when she was pregnant and her children raised on a diet of junk food and said 'I was lazy - it was easier to phone for a takeaway than cook. I gave them chips four times a week' In 1993, Mrs Agintas split . with her boyfriend, who left her for another, skinnier woman and was . forced to move the family into another three-bed council house. But her broken heart was mended three years later, when she met her current partner bricklayer Halbin. After a whirlwind six month romance, the couple were married, although Mrs Agintas could not afford a big enough wedding dress, so was forced to wear a size 30 trousers and blouse. It was then she began having takeaways meals five nights a week, totalling an eye-watering £200 for the family. In 1998, she ballooned to 38st after . giving birth to fourth child Sam – in the last few months of the . pregnancy she gorged on a 24-pack of chocolate bars every day. She developed high blood pressure due to . her unhealthy lifestyle, although she did not have any complications . during her pregnancies. When Sam was a baby, she joined a gym, but admitted she would only do five minutes of exercise and then would then go home to a fish and chip meal afterwards - although she still lost 6st taking her down to 32st. But, in 1999, she piled 2st of the weight back on by the time she had given birth to her fifth child Hannah. At 34st, Mrs Agintas gave birth to her sixth and final child, Zoe in 2003. She admits to drinking up to 12 small cans of Heineken a day- 50 units a week- for the last few months of her pregnancy - but insists it was safe because she had watered it down with ice. Mrs Agintas, has tried to encourage her family to eat healthier after experiencing arthritis, diabetes and asthma but for her a gastric bypass was her last and only option. Read the full interview in this week's Closer magazine on sale now .

At 33st Sara Agintas, 43, was refused £14,000 NHS gastric bypass . Private London surgeon offered service free of charge . 'I am so lucky. It was my fault I was fat,' she admits .

a99dca4c0f7c05465616a018d4b2b84196a214d3

By . Louise Boyle . and David Martosko, U.s. Political Editor . Barack Obama shook hands with Cuban President Raul Castro today, an unprecedented gesture of friendship which occurred, fittingly, at the memorial service for Nelson Mandela – but left the U.S. president facing backlash that he had warmly greeted a 'murderer'. The handshake between leaders of the two Cold War enemies took place during a ceremony which honored the former South African President's powerful legacy of reconciliation. But members of the U.S. Congress were upset on Tuesday, led by Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican and son of Cuban immigrants. 'If . the president was going to shake his hand, Rubio told MailOnline, 'he should have asked him . about those basic freedoms Mandela was associated with that are denied . in Cuba.' Rubio has . been an outspoken critic of the Castro regime which he said earlier this year 'sponsors . terrorism abroad and against their own people.' 'It is nauseating, Florida GOP congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen told Fox News. 'I was born in Cuba, had to leave the homeland because of oppression... He shook the hand of a murderer, of a thug. And those are bloodied hands. 'If it's just a handshake that's not going to produce any change, I think Raul Castro should have listened to what Obama said' about human rights, she insisted. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS . President Barack Obama shakes hands with Cuban President Raul Castro during the official memorial service for former South African President Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg today . Historic: The handshake between Obama and Fidel Castro's brother Raul came during a ceremony that focused on Mandela's legacy of reconciliation. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff looks on during the historic moment . Obama waves as he arrives to speak to crowds attending the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg . Obama greets Cuban President Raul Castro before giving his speech at the memorial service, an unprecedented gesture between the leaders of two nations which have been at loggerheads for more than half a century . The gesture seemed to show another small step toward rapprochement between the U.S. and Cuba, raising hopes the two nations could be . on the verge of a breakthrough in relations. But Ros-Lehtinen, who represents thousands of Cuban refugees who are now U.S. citizens, was so upset that she laid into Secretary of State John Kerry during an unrelated hearing about Iran. 'When the leader of the free world shakes the bloody hand of . a ruthless dictator like Raul Castro, it becomes a propaganda coup for the . tyrant,' she lectured him before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. 'Raul Castro uses that hand to sign the orders to repress and jail . Democracy advocates. In fact, right now as we speak Cuban opposition leaders . are being detained and they're being beaten while trying to commemorate today, . which is International Human Rights Day.' Kerry deflected the criticism. 'Today is about honoring Nelson Mandela. And the . president is at an international funeral ... he didn't choose who's there,' he said. Ros-Lehtinen asked if Castro is honoring the human rights of . Cubans. 'No, absolutely not,' Kerry replied. Former US president Jimmy Carter (left), pictured with former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and UN and Arab League mediator Lakhdar Brahimi at Mandela's memorial today, said Obama's handshake with Raul Castro was 'significant' and he hoped it would be an omen for the future . Former . president Jimmy Carter, who was part of the U.S. delegation to attend . Mandela's memorial, said that the handshake was 'significant', adding: . 'I hope that will be an omen for the future.' The handshake between Obama and the brother who took over the duties of . longtime Cuban dictator Fidel Castro was seen by millions around the . world on live television. A White House official said it was not 'pre-planned'. The Cuban government hailed it as a . hopeful sign, writing on its website: 'May this... be the beginning of . the end of the US aggressions.' Obama . later used his eulogy to Mandela, a man he considers a personal hero, . to address dictators of the world who pay lip service . to Mandela's legacy while repressing their own people. He said: 'There . are too many of us who happily embrace Madiba's legacy of racial . reconciliation, but passionately resist even modest reforms that would . challenge chronic poverty and growing inequality. 'There . are too many leaders who claim solidarity with Madiba's struggle for . freedom, but do not tolerate dissent from their own people. And there . are too many of us who stand on the sidelines, comfortable in . complacency or cynicism when our voices must be heard.' A group of U.S. lawmakers visited with Castro in February, in a failed . bid to secure the release of U.S. government contractor Alan Gross, who . has been imprisoned there since December 2009. Gross was sentenced to 15 . years in prison for installing Internet networks as part of a secretive . U.S. program that aids dissidents in connecting with the outside world. Small steps: Cuban President Raul Castro Ruz, right, watches President Obama following his speech at the memorial service . Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron pose for a selfie photo with Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt (center) as First Lady Michelle watches the memorial service . Vermont . Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy led the delegation, which also included . Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona; Democratic Senators Debbie . Stabenow of Michigan, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, and Sheldon Whitehouse of . Rhode Island; and Democratic Representatives Jim McGovern of . Massachusetts and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. The . Obama administration has made Gross’ release a condition of any future . thaw in America’s icy relationship with Havana. Under the 1996 . 'Helms-Burton' law, U.S. trade sanctions with Cuba cannot be lifted . until the nation’s one-party Communist political system gives way to . another form of government. At Tuesday's memorial service, Obama greeted a long line of world . leaders and heads of state attending the memorial service in . Johannesburg after flying to South Africa with a U.S. delegation which . included former presidents Bill Clinton, George W Bush and Jimmy Carter . along with their families. Obama also shook hands with Brazilian . President Dilma Rousseff, who has clashed with the U.S. President over . alleged National Security Agency spying. He . was later spotted in the VIP stands posing for a 'selfie' camera phone . picture with British Prime Minister David Cameron and Danish PM Helle . Thorning Schmidt. Obama arrived an hour late to the memorial service on Tuesday after missing the . opening speeches when his motorcade got stuck in traffic. The . President was greeted with a rapturous ovation when he arrived at the FNB Stadium to pay tribute to the former South . African leader. Obama described Mr Mandela as the . 'last great liberator of the 20th century' and compared him to Ghandi . and Martin Luther King in a powerful address to the crowds. President Barrack Obama greets the crowd who stood for hours in torrential rain to say goodbye to their beloved Madiba . Obama opened his speech by thanking . Mandela's family, then continued: 'To the people of South Africa - . people of every race and walk of life - the world thanks you for sharing . Nelson Mandela with us. 'Your dignity and hope found expression in his life, and your freedom, your democracy is his cherished legacy. 'Mandela taught us the power of action, but also ideas; the . importance of reason and arguments; the need to study not only those you . agree with, but those who you don't.' Referring . to the anti-apartheid icon's friendship with his own prison warders, . the President said: 'It took a man like Madiba to free not just the . prisoner, but the gaoler as well.' To the people of South Africa - people of every race and walk of life - the world thanks you for sharing Nelson Mandela with us. His struggle was your struggle. His triumph was your triumph. Born during World War I, far from the corridors of power, a boy raised herding cattle and tutored by elders of his Thembu tribe - Madiba would emerge as the last great liberator of the 20th century. He was not a bust made of marble; he was a man of flesh and blood - a son and husband, a father and a friend. Mandela showed us the power of action; of taking risks on behalf of our ideals. Mandela understood the ties that bind the human spirit. There is a word in South Africa - 'Ubuntu' - that describes his greatest gift: his recognition that we are all bound together in ways that can be invisible to the eye; that there is a oneness to humanity; that we achieve ourselves by sharing ourselves with others, and caring for those around us. It took a man like Madiba to free not just the prisoner, but the gaoler as well; to show that you must trust others so that they may trust you; to teach that reconciliation is not a matter of ignoring a cruel past, but a means of confronting it with inclusion, generosity and truth. He changed laws, but also hearts. There are too many of us who happily embrace Madiba’s legacy of racial reconciliation, but passionately resist even modest reforms that would challenge chronic poverty and growing inequality. There are too many leaders who claim solidarity with Madiba’s struggle for freedom, but do not tolerate dissent from their own people. And there are too many of us who stand on the sidelines, comfortable in complacency or cynicism when our voices must be heard. We will never see the likes of Nelson Mandela again. But let me say to the young people of Africa, and young people around the world - you can make his life’s work your own. Over thirty years ago, while still a student, I learned of Mandela and the struggles in this land. It stirred something in me. It woke me up to my responsibilities - to others, and to myself - and set me on an improbable journey that finds me here today. And while I will always fall short of Madiba’s example, he makes me want to be better.

Obama greeted a long line of world leaders and heads of state in Johannesburg as thousands gathered to remember Mandela at the FNB World Cup stadium . Sen. Marco Rubio, who hails from a Cuban emigre family, said Obama should have asked Castro 'him about those basic freedoms Mandela was associated with that are denied in Cuba' One South Florida congresswoman told a TV audience that the handshake was 'nauseating ... He shook the hand of a murderer, of a thug. And those are bloodied hands' The US President shook hands Cuban leader Raul Castro and then Brazilian . President Dilma Rousseff, who has clashed with Obama over alleged . National Security Agency spying . Obama used his eulogy to criticize dictators who only pay 'lip service' to Mandela's human-rights legacy . The crowd repeatedly booed South African president Jacob Zuma but cheered Obama and dictator Robert Mugabe .

bf1664e88890db022fe9ccd8f4c467659ca86d72

(CNN) -- If you've been in the hospital or had a family member or friend there, you know how lonely and scary it can be. Once visiting hours are over, the levity and the hugs stop. But, if it were up to Taylor Crabtree, the hugs would last all night. Taylor Crabtree hopes to send 30,000 teddy bears to children in hospitals across the U.S. by September. When Taylor was 7 years old she started TayBear. Like many little girls, Taylor and her friends made hairclips to sell for extra money. But instead of spending it on herself, she used that extra money to buy teddy bears for kids hospitalized with cancer and chronic blood diseases. Taylor knew little about starting a business, but understood the heartbreak of cancer from her grandmother's battle with the disease. "I thought, if it's that hard for my grandmother to go through, it must be so much harder for little kids," she said. Taylor's goal was to buy 50 bears for her local hospital. But, she couldn't resist the letters from kids (and kids at heart) asking her for more bears to hug at night. Now 17, Taylor has donated nearly 21,000 teddy bears to Hematology/Oncology departments across the country. Watch Taylor's CNN.com Live interview » . "I've always loved teddy bears," Taylor said. "I thought teddy bears would be the best things to use to help children with cancer be comforted and get through some of the hard times they're going through." E-mail to a friend .

Since she was 7, Taylor Crabtree has given teddy bears to children in hospitals . Check out the YPWR blog to meet Zachary Peskin, founder of SpPho . iReport.com: Do you know someone who rocks? Let us know .

a8c03b02b264e95937eaa2305f7df64c7713709a

By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:19 EST, 20 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:39 EST, 20 March 2013 . A bemused vicar was forced to turn into an amateur sleuth after she rang police to report a theft of lead from her church - and was told to preserve the thieves' footprints in the snow herself. Reverent Heather Murray discovered the wrought iron gates and lead from the porch of St Thomas' Church in Harelaw, Annfield Plain, near Stanley, County Durham, had been prised off. She found a trail of footprints in the snow and rang police, thinking they may help police to catch the thief. Do it yourself: Bemused Reverent Heather Murray, pictured holding part of the broken porch, was told by police to try and preserve thieves footprints in the snow herself when she reported a theft from St Thomas' Church near Stanley, County Durham . But when she called Durham Constabulary she was told officers were unable to attend until later and asked her to preserve the crime scene by herself. Rev Murray said: 'I noticed the footprints in the snow so I followed them and found the lead had been stolen and the metal gates - they are about 4ft high and very heavy. Evidence: The vicar had to point out to police officers that she couldn't preserve the footprints as the snow was already melting . 'The footprints I found were from an adult with big feet. 'I rang police to report it and they asked if I would be to cover the set of footprints and preserve them until the police came out to see me later. 'I said it would not be possible because the snow was melting and also I had a funeral later that day and they might be trampled on. 'The only appointments available were 2pm or 4pm but the earlier one was not convenient, so they were not able to use the footprints. 'I found the phone call quite humorous.' It is the third time St Thomas', a grade II listed building, built in 1840, has been targeted by lead thieves, who have already caused £5,500 worth of damage, this year. Rev Murray said: 'To think of stealing from a church is about as low as you can go.' A Durham Police spokesman said: 'If someone is reporting a crime and there is possible evidence, it would be standard procedure to ask the caller if they could preserve this in any way. 'In this particular case the rain on Monday morning was starting to turn the snow to slush, so it would have been very difficult for a crime scene examiner to take any worthwhile prints even if they had been able to attend within a few hours.' Following procedure: A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said the advice given to Rev Murray was standard procedure if officers could not attend the scene immediately .

Wrought iron gates and lead were prised off the porch of St Thomas' Church . Vicar found footprints in snow around building near Stanley, County Durham . But Durham Constabulary were too busy to attend until later that day . Officers then suggested Rev Heather Murray preserve the footprints herself .

39028e44a33632541716fec08a6c6df6faf27452

By . Gerard Couzens and Mario Ledwith . PUBLISHED: . 03:12 EST, 16 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:37 EST, 16 January 2013 . A British man has been shot dead by muggers who stole his camera in one of central America's most violent cities. The man, named locally as Omer Kaya, 33, collapsed after being shot in the neck during the violent robbery in the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula. Police were last night hunting a woman and two men said to have pursued him when he left a taxi, before attacking Mr Kaya while he was reportedly taking photographs. Murdered: Omer Kaya, from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, was shot during a confrontation with thieves in the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula . Travelling: Mr Kaya is thought to have been travelling across Central America and South America having left at the beginning of January . The businessman, from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, was due to leave the country on Friday, before celebrating his birthday on Sunday. Mr Kaya’s was a director of a property management company based in Leigh-on-Sea. His business partner Fatma Oksuzer said did not know he had traveled to Honduras, adding: 'Omer was a very friendly guy, soft and well-mannered. This is awful.' He is thought to have handed over his camera but refused to give the gang a rucksack containing his valuables. A bag found nearby contained a mobile phone, two more cameras, cash and credit cards, an iPad and a pair of swimming goggles. Pictures in local newspapers showed him lying barefoot on the ground next to a bloodied blanket by a police tape in a pair of white trousers, T-shirt and sunglasses. Detectives also found an air ticket among his personal belongings, while a pair of flipflops was also found nearby. My Kaya, whose family are from Turkey, is understood to have been travelling through South and Central America for a month, having left at the beginning of January. The fatal attack happened around 11am local time on Tuesday in San Pedro Sula's residential Trejo neighbourhood. San Pedro Sula, in the north of the country, is often cited as the country's most dangerous city. Violent: the city is regarded as one of the most dangerous in Honduras, a country with the world's highest murder rate with 87 killings per 100,000 people, according to the United Nations . Honduras, with a a murder rate around 20 times that of the United States, is among the most dangerous countries on earth. Witnesses have told police Mr Kaya, . who is thought to have been alone, was attacked by a woman and two men . spotted following him on foot after getting out of a taxi. A post-mortem showed he died from a bullet wound to his neck. A 32mm spent cartridge found at the scene was being examined by police last night along with CCTV footage taken from a house near to the spot where Mr Kaya was murdered. Police chief Leonel Sauceda said: 'It appears Mr Kaya was shot while putting up a fight.' Violent gangs such as the Mara Salvatrucha, created in the 1980s among central American-born inmates in Californian prisons, operate with impunity. Dangerous: The fatal attack happened around 11am local time on Tuesday in San Pedro Sula's residential Trejo neighbourhood . Home: Omer Kaya's semi-detached house in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex . Drug trafficking is the main source of its violence and local authorities have admitted they lack the infrastructure and resources to cope. Mexican and Colombian drug cartels have expanded their operations the country, which now has the world's highest murder rate with 87 killings per 100,000 people according to the United Nations. Police believe Mr Omer may have been on a day trip to the city because they have found no listing for him at any of the local hotels. Travel guide Lonely Planet says: 'Travellers tend to see San Pedro as a necessary evil. 'Most international flights land here because the city lies right Honduras' top destinations, Copan Ruinas and the Bay Islands. 'You wouldn't be alone in trying to get in and out of San Pedro as quickly as possible.' A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it had been made aware of the death. The spokesman said: 'We are aware of the death of a British national in Honduras and stand ready to provide consular assistance.' Good friend Mahmut Guler, 32, from Leigh-on-Sea, said: 'Omer was a great friend and a true gentleman. He was the nicest guy you could ever meet and would never argue with anyone. 'I am still in shock and can't believe this has happened. He only contacted me on Friday to say happy birthday and he was telling me how beautiful Honduras is. 'He had just finished a sightseeing tour of Britain with friends and headed out to Honduras to visit another friend working out there. I think he was also planning to travel across South America while he was out there.' Mr Guler, who is manager of Celly's hairdressers in Southend, Essex, is now calling for better awareness of the potential dangers of travelling abroad. He added: 'People need to be warned about the dangers of travelling across South America. I have lost a good friend and I don't want anyone else to have to suffer like he did. 'I only wish Omer had known that before he went out there.'

British man named locally as Omer Kaya shot dead while taking pictures . He had been due to leave Honduran city of San Pedro Sula on Friday . Shooting thought to have happened after he refused to hand over bag . Foreign Office has said it has been made aware of the death .

c2478088bf09329d1399925a58294f707116d575

(CNN) -- I cried several times yesterday. This happened as I was reviewing scripts for CNN's upcoming coverage of the one-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. I also cried as I reviewed a script about the bravery of Antoinette Tuff who single-handedly prevented a similar tragedy from occurring in a suburban Atlanta elementary school. I have an almost 8-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son. If I had lived in Newtown, my daughter could have been in one of the first-grade classrooms that was targeted. It is heartbreaking to think of what could have been and whether my children would have survived. My heart goes out to all of those who experienced such unthinkable loss. CNN was not involved in the Associated Press' litigation to gain release of the Newtown 911 calls, but I applaud the court's decision in support of open government and public access to government records. I have read and heard some of the powerful and emotional pleas of families, attorneys and their supporters who felt the 911 calls should have been withheld. Yet I fully believe that access to public records is crucial, even if painful. We can never learn the truth about our society and its ills and inspirations without full access to public documents. No matter how well-meaning public officials may be in withholding records, it should not be left to them to determine what our reality is. As a media lawyer, it is inevitable that I will be faced with advising on painful stories and the disturbing videos, images and sound that go along with them. We filed a lawsuit for access to the Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts, and we have recently gone to court to gain release of all records and data relating to the death of Valdosta, Georgia, teen Kendrick Johnson. Some images I cannot bear to look at -- or sounds to hear -- but I will do so because I know we are committed to shedding light on important stories and issues. And maybe one day those stories will make a difference and prevent future tragedies and suffering of other families. I realize not everybody is going to agree with how CNN handled the 911 calls, but one thing we can all agree on is that we need to hug our kids tighter. I did that as soon as I walked in the door from work yesterday evening. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of Johnita Due.

Johnita Due: As a mother, I understand the pain of events such as Newtown . She says that as a media lawyer, she sees the need for the release of public records . "We can never learn the truth about our society...without full access to public documents"

44fa5c05f6e46af8dd0548db321cf8d587b863cd

By . Lee Moran . Last updated at 5:04 PM on 13th October 2011 . Cheeky: Yonni Barrios now lives with his mistress, but sleeps at wife's home if they argue . The 'cheeky' Chilean miner who faced the wrath of his wife by asking both her and his mistress to greet him on reaching the surface has revealed he is dying. Yonni Barrios said he has developed lung disease silicosis - from dust in his lungs - a year to the day since he was one of 33 trapped miners winched to safety after 69 days underground. But astonishingly the 51-year-old has revealed he is still seeing both women - and now lives with mistress Susana Valenzuela but stays at his wife Marta Salinas' nearby home whenever they argue. He said: 'It's a complicated situation.' Speaking about his illness, he told the Sun: 'I am very sick. My lungs have become clogged and it is difficult for me to breathe. 'The doctors say I have silicosis and there's little they can do to help me. I've become very depressed. My lungs are permanently damaged and I have to accept this disease could kill me.' Millions across the world were glued to their television sets on October 13, 2010, as the 33 trapped men were rescued one by one from the San Jose copper mine through an escape capsule. Mr Barrios, who lives in the poverty-stricken district of Copiapo city, was dubbed the 'doctor' because he treated his colleagues medically. Lovers: Yonni Barrios's mistress Susana Valenzuela (left) and wife Marta Salinas (right) both kept a vigil when he was trapped in the mine . He used knowledge gained from looking after his diabetic mother to work with medical teams on the surface to diagnose and help the men trapped with him. But very soon he became even better known for something rather less noble. His wife and another woman were both holding a vigil for him in Camp Hope. Marta Salinas, 59, whom he married 29 years ago, reportedly almost came to blows with Susana Valenzuela, 51, when they faced off in the mine’s dining area. The pair had to be pulled apart. As his wife began to get involved in his affairs on Camp Hope, he instructed teams on the surface to deal with his lover instead. Relief: Yonni Barrios (left) hugs his mistress Susana Valenzuela (right) after being brought to the surface from the San Jose mine . And as the day of the rescue finally approached, he asked for both of them to wait for him as he emerged from the borehole. In the end he was greeted by his mistress, his wife choosing to stay away. He looked calm as he gingerly walked towards her, who gave him a long hug, crying on his shoulder and occasionally pulling back to look at him as if to make sure the reunion was really happening. After he emerged, his wife, who has three sons from an earlier relationship, said she was over Barrios and did not feel 'anything in particular'. A year on from the rescue and he has moved in with Susana. But he still has a room at his wife's house nearby, to where he runs after rows with his mistress. Mr Barrios, who sees a psychologist three times a week,  said he also suffers flashbacks about the days following the mine collapse in northern Chile. He added: 'Ever since I left the mine, I have been messed up. I cannot sleep at night. I stay up until five in the morning, my mind racing. 'When I finally do get to sleep, I have nightmares that I am back in the mine. My dream is always the same - I am trapped and trying to escape. I wake up screaming, in cold sweats.'

Yonni Barrios now lives with mistress... but sleeps at wife's home if they argue .

a8113f149fc7d92143f6af98367a25639ff614a1

(CNN) -- If you listen to the groupthink echo-chamber know-it-alls in Washington, the Republican Party has been decimated, destroyed, discombobulated and utterly distressed to the point of putting a "going out of business" sign out front and closing up shop for good. Reality says that's ridiculous. On the national level, the GOP controls the U.S. House of Representatives while Democrats control the U.S. Senate and the Oval Office. But the real power for the Republicans is on the state level, and there they are dominating Democrats. Republicans control the governor's mansion in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Folks, that's 30 out of the 50 states in the nation. The Democrats have governors in 19 states. (Rhode Island's governor is an independent.) What about both chambers on the state level? The GOP controls the legislature in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Count 'em up and that's 26. The Democrats control 18 legislatures. Five of the remaining six are split between the two chambers and one has a nonpartisan, one-chamber legislature. So much of the national media attention is always focused on what's happening in Washington, but that is a common mistake that the political bosses keep making. Every Sunday show on broadcast and cable parades the usual suspects from the U.S. Senate and sometimes a few influential U.S. House members, but it would make far more sense to be talking to governors, key state officials and mayors for a real understanding of what's happening in America. The GOP has been doing a lot of soul-searching and head-scratching since Mitt Romney was pummeled by President Barack Obama in November. Republican Party leaders are being told that they must soften their stance on gay and lesbian issues, flip the script on immigration reform, stop dissing women at every turn, and become more "compassionate" -- like George W. Bush when he was selling his candidacy in 2000. On Monday, the Republican National Committee announced its 2012 election postmortem, which called for, among other things, an aggressive new push to reach minorities in the states. Meanwhile, Democrats are giddy, believing they have found a winning formula for the next generation by turning out young folks, gay and lesbian folks, black voters, Latino voters and lots of women. Sure, that coalition worked well for Obama, but there is no guarantee it will be the key to success for the next Democratic presidential candidate. So while Democrats salivate at the prospect of winning the White House in 2016, Republicans continue to lay the groundwork for taking over the state houses and gubernatorial mansions, and building a formidable team of next-generation politicians to dominate there and in the White House. In fact, many Republicans have told me they couldn't care less about Washington, because legislation with real impact is being proposed and passed in the states. That's why you've seen groups quietly backing initiatives on the state level and bypassing the hot lights and screaming media in Washington. The real battles on same-sex marriage, abortion, education, spending, labor unions, and, yes, the Affordable Care Act are happening state by state. And Democrats are being caught flat-footed because they ignored the admonition of former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean to create a 50-state party, and instead, created a party that cared more about Congress and the White House. Think about it: Obama won Ohio, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Nevada, all states with GOP governors. So clearly voters in those states chose the Republican alternative in statewide elections, but when it came to the presidency, said "No thanks." I'm not buying for a second this silly notion that the GOP will have a Damascus Road experience and drastically change. It's not going to happen. There will be some movement on the national level, but Republican grass-roots organizers are very well aware that the message the GOP is selling statewide is a winning formula. Trust me, Republicans are concocting other pieces of legislation to bring change on the state level, regardless of what's happening in Washington. The political adage "All politics is local" has not changed. Maybe more of my brothers and sisters in Washington need to get outside the Beltway, hit the road and discover the far more expansive America that is happening outside Washington, Maryland, Virginia, New York and New Jersey. If they do, they'll find out that the conventional wisdom is pretty much worthless.

Roland Martin: Political echo chamber says GOP doomed by its losses in 2012 election . Don't believe it, he says -- GOP has power where it counts: governors, state legislatures . He says Dems claim minorities, women, but GOP plans big push for those voters . Martin: GOP pushing inroads at state level, not seriously changing policy; Dems, wise up .

a088cb9cf4fd26e3f8295874c7c5503d93eda5d8

Lincolnshire County Council alone reported pay-outs of £358,665 . By . Ray Massey, Transport Editor . PUBLISHED: . 10:16 EST, 10 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:04 EST, 10 October 2013 . Britain has the equivalent of one pothole for every mile of road in the country. A combination of a harsh winter and dry summer has seen a dramatic increase in damaged roads more than 200,000 potholes. Councils received 32,600 compensation claims in 2012/13 from drivers whose cars have ruined wheel rims, punctured tyres and damaged suspension as a result of the holes, a rise of 79 per cent on 2011/12. Road to nowhere: Potholes on Halton Moor Avenue in Leeds, the city named as one of the worst in the country for potholes . Rough ride: Pothole after pothole can be seen in Priory Road, Hull proving a nightmare for drivers . Disgruntled: Around one in ten people say their car has been damaged as a result of poor road surfaces over the past 12 months . 1 Council: Lincolnshire Amount paid out to drivers in 2012/13:£358,664 Number of claims due to potholes 1,412 2 Council: West Sussex Amount paid out: £195,043 Number of claims due to potholes: 454 3 Council: Wandsworth Amount paid out: £148,881 Number of claims due to potholes: 115 4 Council: Surrey Amount paid out: £144,336 Number of claims due to potholes: 2,249 5 Council: Cumbria Amount paid out: £104,654Number of claims due to potholes: 245 6 Council: East Sussex County Council Amount paid out: £99,883.02 Number of claims due to potholes: 1,308 . 7 Council: Hertfordshire County Council Amount paid out: £98,847.89 Number of claims due to potholes: 1,311 8 Council: Hampshire County Council Amount paid out: £70,800.01 Number of claims due to potholes: 845 9 Council: Leeds City Council Amount paid out: £65,509.00 Number of claims due to potholes: 675 10 Council: Warwickshire County Council Amount paid out: £55,561.00 Number of claims due to potholes: 437 . Source: Britannia Rescue . The figures were revealed in a Freedom of Information request by breakdown company Britannia Rescue. They show that councils have paid out a total of £2.5million in compensation to motorists in the past financial year for pothole damage. Lincolnshire County Council alone reported pay-outs totalling more than £358,665. King Lane in Leeds, the B6273 in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, and Holly Lane in Banstead, Surrey, were highlighted by councils as among the worst roads for potholes. John Bilbrough, 79, of King Lane, said: ‘Our street and the neighbouring ones are appalling for potholes. ‘The council resurfaced all of King Lane four years ago, but it’s still in a shocking condition. ‘I reported a pothole that must have been 15 inches long, 12 inches wide and four inches deep. It would leave a biker for dead if one went over it. ‘The council did refill it within two hours of me reporting it but money raised from speeding fines should be pumped back into the council to help them with the cost of doing that.’ Robin Bulmer, 70, experienced a pothole problem on King Lane around 18 months ago. ‘There was a huge hole at the top of the lane and it shattered my car doors,’ Robin said. ‘The council are doing all they can to fill them in but the potholes keep propping up everywhere. ‘Smaller cars are more prone to accidents with potholes. With King Lane now being named as one of the worst, hopefully something will be done about it.’ Britannia’s report described road maintenance as ‘severely under-funded’ with around £16 per driver – less than 10 per cent of the annual road tax bill – spent on road surfaces and fixing potholes. It added: ‘Short-term fixes are often chosen over longer-term solutions, with close to a quarter of councils admitting they usually temporarily fix potholes rather than resurface the area. Unsafe: Potholes on Pinfold Lane in Leeds proving the city's roads are crumbling . Bumpy: Picture shows potholes on Halton Moor Avenue  in Leeds which have been repeatedly patched up . Costly: Councils received 32,600 compensation claims in 2012/13 from drivers whose cars have been damaged by potholes . Crumbling: Potholes on Cross Street in Leeds. One in ten people have had their cars damaged by potholes . ‘The average cost of repairing a . pothole is around £50, meaning the amount paid out by councils in . compensation could have been used to repair more than 50,000 potholes.’ Around . one in ten people say their car has been damaged as a result of poor . road surfaces over the past 12 months with the average repair costing . £140. One in eight motorists say they have had a ‘near miss’, while swerving to avoid a pothole. Problem: Pinfold Lane in Leeds is pictured with more holes. Experts say road maintenance is underfunded . More holes: Halton Moor Avenue in Leeds. Cyclists have been making more and more claims . Mess: Potholes on Halton Moor Avenue in Leeds showing the centre of the road is weak . Driven to despair: Britain has the equivalent of one pothole for every mile of road in the country . Underfunded: A car dodges a pothole on Broomhill Road, Bristol. Breakdown company Britannia Rescue has called for more investment in road repairs . And . the charity Cyclists’ Touring Club said yesterday that there had been a . 20 per cent increase in compensation claims by cyclists injured due to . potholes. Peter . Horton, managing director of Britannia Rescue, said: ‘Britain’s pothole . epidemic has resulted from years of under-investment in our roads and . has been exacerbated by recent harsh winters. 'Motorists should protect . themselves and their vehicles by reducing their speed on potholed roads, . and also reporting damaged roads to their local council.’

A harsh winter and dry summer has left Britain with over 200,000 potholes . Compensation claims due to damage caused have risen 79 per cent . Lincolnshire County Council alone reported pay-outs of £358,665 .

8797f9bb5a6d88f9d5697e5be1fa02dc1c3a2589

Celebrity interior designer Kelly Hoppen has fallen out with her neighbours who claim she is causing 'chaos' while developing her new multi-million pound home in one of London's most exclusive areas. Dragons' Den star Ms Hoppen, given an MBE in 2009 for services to interior design, is spending a huge sum redeveloping a former auction house in west London into her dream new house. The 55-year-old former step-mother of Sienna Miller is known as the Queen of Taupe because of her love of neutral colours and made her fortune from clients including the Beckhams and Hollywood stars. But she is less popular with her new neighbours, who claim eight months of work on her new project has damaged their homes and left some 'unrentable'. Standing empty: Peter Knight, 57, says he has given up trying to market his £1.6m flat, pictured, because of the noise coming from Kelly Hoppen's new development below . Owners who do not live there say that they are losing up to £40,000-a-year and want compensation from Ms Hoppen for loss of earnings. The designer, who has also designed interiors for yachts, European châteaux and British Airways planes, has offered landlord Peter Knight, 57, around £4,500 but he believes it should be around £14,500. He says he has given up trying to market his £1,000-a-week flat, worth around £1.6million, because of the noise. Row: Developer Kelly Hoppen has been given a MBE for services to interior design and is the star of Dragons' Den . He said: 'She is using her power and celebrity to pay us the lowest compensation possible but that is not how things should be done. 'It has put an enormous amount of stress on my partner and made her unwell. It is her only source of income but nobody has wanted to live there because it is a building site. The noise has also been unbearable. 'Ms Hoppen's company has been using pneumatic drills to dig out the basement and it left large cracks in the walls of the flats. 'We have given up on viewings after eight months because people said they can't live with the noise. It is unrentable. 'All we are doing is trying to get Kelly Hoppen to pay a fair compensation for the chaos caused by her works. 'She has told us she wants to be a good neighbour but clearly she doesn't. I have tried over and over again to meet her but have been met with complete prevarication'. Mr Knight believes that Ms Hoppen should pay £14,500 compensation but he broke off negotiations last month when he was offered in the region of £4,500. Other neighbouring landlords are similarly upset about the way they have been treated by the interior designer. Magdalena Gatzinska said at times dozens of people a week had viewed her flat last year but had refused to take it on. She believes she has lost around £40,000 in rental income. She said: 'Kelly Hoppen has the right to develop a property, like anyone else, but I think the way this has been managed has been extremely unethical. 'There is noise from 8am and have no idea when the work will be completed. The shaking from digging the basement cracked the walls and shook things off the shelves. 'All she had to do is come to see us and tell us what is happening. There has been nothing and we have no idea how long the work will go on for. 'My tenant has a child who is crying because of the noise. They can't be there during the day. The site is also unsafe. 'It is not about the money. This is about ethics but she and the builders just don't seem to care.' Ms Gatzinska claims last year a Hollywood actress rented her flat but then asked to leave because of the noise. After months empty a new tenant has moved in at half the market rate but also looks set to leave, she says. MailOnline understands Ms Hoppen has paid for the damage to walls in Mr Knight's flat and others but is yet to agree compensation over rental problems. World renowned: Ms Hoppen has designed homes and interiors for A-listers including the Beckhams and her latest project is under her name, pictured on a board outside her new home . There is also a dispute over who should pay for waterproofing of her ceilings, as it is understood she believes it is the responsibility of the flatowners above her. In 2012 she annoyed neighbours with noise from air conditioning units she fitted at her current £6million home in Notting Hill without prior council approval. One critic said that their 'peace and quiet' was at stake and eventually the dispute ended when Ms Hoppen agreed to turn the units off if they got too noisy. The designer told MailOnline she is 'trying to be neighbourly' and said some residents 'seem to be very happy with the proposed improvement to the building'. She said: 'London is an evolving city and has many developments that are going on all across the capital. Sadly these developments have a relatively short term negative effect on surrounding properties. For London to improve these developments need to happen and in the short-term this affects the local community negatively but in the long term improve London as a whole. Couple: Kelly Hoppen, who is twice divorced, pictured with her current partner, businessman John Gardiner . 'The building contractors, I believe, have worked within all the guidelines set out by the local authority and I made sure the builders undertook the work over as short period of time as possible. 'I have already compensated our neighbours with thousands of pounds. I understand that it is inconvenient for our neighbours to experience these works and have tried to be as neighbourly as possible. I did however ask if the builders were permitted access to a number of our neighbours balcony to stop a water leak coming into our property. Sadly, one neighbour refused access asking for further compensation. Close: Kelly Hoppen remains close to actress step-daughter Sienna Miller, who still calls her 'mum' 'I really do sympathise with the neighbours as there are several other developments going on within this building, the large development behind my space is noisy to this date'. Ms Hoppen said the building's freeholder is carrying out work as well and says 'the majority of noise originates' from that works, a claim denied by neighbours. She added that she has paid for works inside and outside the building and 'I have not asked our neighbours or the freeholder to contribute towards these costs'. The interiors queen is in a relationship with businessman John Gardiner after twice being married and says he's 'the one'. Mr Gardiner is believed to help with her development projects. She first married in 1982, but her marriage to restaurateur Graham Corrett ended seven years later. They have a daughter Natasha, a chef and food writer. She later married Ed Miller, an American investment banker turned art dealer, ended in 2006 after he joined the cult in the United States. Mr Miller had two daughters, actress Sienna Miller and her fashion designer sister Savannah. They still call her 'mum'. She has also been in relationships with former England defender Sol Campbell, DJ Jamie Theakston and hairdresser Nicky Clarke, but spit with him because of his infidelity.

EXCLUSIVE: Ms Hoppen, 55, is redeveloping new home in west London . Multi-millionaire accused of making flats above new home 'unrentable' Properties above designer's development have been damaged by drilling . Owners claim they cannot get tenants and are losing up to £40,000-a-year . Now they're in a tussle with Ms Hoppen over compensation for loss of rent . Neighbour Peter Knight, 57, has given up trying to market his £1.6m flat . He said: ''All we are doing is trying to get Kelly Hoppen to pay a fair compensation for the chaos caused by her works' Another flat owner Magdalena Gatzinska said: 'It is not about the money. This is about ethics but she and the builders just don't seem to care' Ms Hoppen says 'these developments in the short-term affects the local community negatively but in the long term improve London as a whole' She says she is 'trying to be neighbourly' and has paid for improvements inside and outside the block without asking for money from residents .

3ab0269a6eb2c393ea1518f3363a49742aa6320a

By . Geevi Peev . PUBLISHED: . 19:01 EST, 24 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:19 EST, 24 November 2013 . Mothers feel ‘shoved aside’ in the workplace, Nick Clegg has said, as a survey found three quarters thought their careers had stalled since having children. The Deputy Prime Minister warned the whole economy missed out when mothers returning from maternity leave were side-lined. The Liberal Democrats have pushed for the Coalition to adopt a shared parental leave policy, allowing fathers to take some of the later months of leave from the mother to care for children. Feel less employable: Research has revealed that three quarters of mothers found that their careers stalled after having children . But a Mumsnet survey found that 60 per cent of mothers felt less employable since having a child.Three quarters said it was harder to progress in their career. During pregnancy, nearly half (47 per cent) said they were made to feel guilty while one in four (26 per cent) felt their job was under threat. More than one in three (37 per cent) felt ignored when it came to career progression. Mr Clegg said: ‘It is sadly still far too common for women to feel shoved aside at work because they’ve decided to have children. Aside from the obvious unfairness, it’s also bad for our economy, which means everybody ends up losing out.’ He added: ‘Modern families come in every . thinkable shape and size. In many cases mothers want to work and . fathers want to spend more time at home. We need to dramatically update . our working practices to accommodate these realities, helping families . juggle their lives as they see fit. 'Shoved aside': Nick Clegg warned that the whole economy missed out when mothers returning from maternity leave were side-lined . 'That is why from April 2015, the Coalition Government is introducing shared parental leave to ensure career options remain open to women after pregnancy.’ Businesses have warned however that the plans could spark chaos, particularly as the Lib Dems wanted each parent to be able to dip in and out of work throughout the parental leave entitlement. Mr Clegg praised the ‘many employers’ who understood the importance to retain the best staff through a better balance of work and home. Businesses that were regarded as family-friendly included Barclays, McDonald’s, TalkTalk, BT, Pizza Express, Matalan and the National Trust among others. Justine Roberts, Mumsnet CEO, said: ‘While we have legislation designed to protect women against discrimination in the workplace it’s clear that in many cases companies are simply not following the rules. She added: ‘Our survey reveals how important the culture created at work is. As members of our family friendly programme attest supporting women on their return to work improves retention rates and ultimately adds value to a company. ‘But with over half of mums saying they felt less employable and three-quarters saying it was harder to progress in their career since having children, it’s clear there’s still lots of work to be done to ensure family friendly practices are commonplace.’ One survey respondent told Mumsnet: ‘I was told that no-one wanted to see a pregnant woman waddling around the restaurant.’ Another user of the Mumsnet forum said on informing her employer she was pregnant: ‘I was told [by my boss he] was very disappointed in me.’ Best practice: Businesses considered 'family-friendly' who understood the balance between work and home included McDonald's, Barclays and TalkTalk . On returning to work, a quarter of mothers felt their bosses were not supportive. Nearly half (46 per cent) said they were made to feel guilty for leaving work on time to collect their children. Eight out of ten wanted there to be a cultural change to reduce discrimination around maternity leave with over half (56 per cent) saying more legislation was needed. One mother told the survey that she was ‘deliberately pushed towards less financially rewarding role as it was assumed I would not be interested in a more challenging and lucrative role any more.’ Another said: ‘Two weeks after returning to work I was deployed for one month over 100 miles from home. No choice but to stop breast feeding.’ Another said her job was given to someone else when she was on maternity leave and she did not find out until she had a return to work interview. The single most popular policy mothers wanted employers to adopt was flexible working with 28 per cent favouring this. Next most popular was emergency childcare provision, job shares and back to work programmes. The survey was carried out between 1 and 7 November and involved 1029 Mumsnet users.

Nick Clegg warned that the economy missed out when mothers were sidelined after returning from maternity leave . The Lib Dems are pushing for a shared parental leave policy . Sixty per cent of mothers felt less employable after having children .

c2b85e91e455927ac609af5cff9b487c2497a908

Two days ago, an intensely powerful typhoon ripped through the midsection of the Philippines. Internationally known as Haiyan, the weakened but still dangerous storm has plowed into Vietnam. But history will record this as a Filipino disaster. I will call the typhoon by its Filipino name, Yolanda. Yolanda might have been the most powerful land-falling tropical cyclone -- this being the generic scientific term as they are called typhoons, hurricanes or simply cyclones in different parts of the world -- ever recorded by meteorologists. More analysis will be needed to finalize that ruling. But it really doesn't matter now to the millions of people in the rubble of Yolanda's wake. The strongest winds, in the narrow ring of Yolanda's perfectly circular eyewall, passed directly through Tacloban city, a provincial capital with more than 200,000 inhabitants. Photos coming from Tacloban show almost complete devastation. An accurate death toll will take time, but it is nearly impossible to imagine that it won't be in the thousands. Numbers of more than 10,000, as in some early estimates, seem possible. Many, perhaps most, were not killed by the winds but were drowned by deep storm surges. Yolanda may have broken records, and its direct hit on a major city was excruciatingly bad luck. But tropical cyclone death tolls in the thousands or higher are not nearly rare enough in the developing world. In 2008, Cyclone Nargis likely killed more than 100,000 in Myanmar. And the Philippines, right in the world's worst cyclone highway, are hit very often. In December, Typhoon Bopha, nearly as strong as Yolanda, hit the southern island of Mindanao and killed more than a thousand. Does it seem, in fact, that these weather disasters are happening more often? Well, they are. The damage caused by tropical cyclones has risen dramatically in the past century everywhere it has been assessed. But essentially all of that is attributable to development of vulnerable coastlines, rather than changes in the storms themselves. The population of the Philippines, rich in vulnerable coastlines, has roughly doubled in the past 30 years. There as elsewhere, more people are simply exposed to danger. In the U.S., dollar losses from our hurricanes have exploded. Large numbers of American casualties, though, have become rare, despite big increases in the numbers of potential victims along the coasts. (Katrina in 2005 was the exception that proves that rule.) Better forecasts, warnings and evacuation procedures, as well as tougher building codes and other infrastructure measures, have achieved that. Improvements are starting to take hold in the developing world as well. When Cyclone Phailin hit India's west coast last month, there was reason to fear a repeat of the 1999 cyclone that hit nearby Orissa, killing 10,000. Instead, good advance warning and evacuations (with help from a storm weaker than some anticipated) kept Phailin's casualty count low. In the Philippines, many hundreds of thousands were reported to have been evacuated ahead of Yolanda. As awful as the death toll will surely be, it could just as surely have been much higher. But are population growth, development and emergency management the whole story? Or is this disaster also related to global warming? Well, it is. Climate scientists expect that tropical cyclones should become more powerful as the climate warms. There may or may not be more of them; there may well be fewer. But the chance of getting one as strong as Yolanda -- the very worst kind -- may well be increasing. Global warming may already, in fact, have contributed to Yolanda's power. We can't see that in the data; the numbers and intensities of tropical cyclones naturally fluctuate too much from year to year for us to clearly identify a rising trend underneath that would show warming's influence with certainty. But that doesn't mean it's not there. If the time comes that we can detect the warming signal in cyclone activity well enough to make definitive statements, it will be because the storms have intensified to a frightening degree -- and irreversibly so, for all practical purposes. Sea level rise is a much more certain consequence of warming, already easily detectable. That alone will make flooding -- likely Yolanda's deadliest weapon -- a more severe consequence of storms as the sea starts higher before the surge. Today, as the Philippines reels from Yolanda, climate is not the main story. Our thoughts should be with the survivors and those rushing in to help them. The way to save people and property from tropical cyclones, in the near and medium-term, is to get them out of harm's way -- in the days before landfall to the extent that's possible; and, even better, by not putting them there in the first place. But the changes we are making to the climate are not likely to help.

Typhoon caused devastating damage to parts of the Philippines . Higher temperatures are likely to increase power of severe storms, says Adam Sobel . Greater population living along the shore leads to bigger toll when storms strike, he says . Sobel: Higher sea level, a consequence of warming, magnifies flooding .

54a98d64c7229e0ac5abc16e5cc448dcd65f7d13

By . Alexandra Klausner . PUBLISHED: . 09:53 EST, 15 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:45 EST, 15 November 2013 . A father who planned to turn a dilapidated Texas house into a home for his family was left devastated when the property was mistakenly demolished. Julio Soto arrived at the property in Dallas in August to find it had been demolished. It was torn down by city officials after they forgot to remove it from a list of eyesore homes to be flattened following its sale at auction. Mr Soto had only owned the property for three weeks and had just begun to improve its appearance. Scroll Down For Video . Julio Soto shows CBS reporter, Andrea Lucia, the empty lot where his house was demolished at 2007 Fordham Road . Dallas City Hall has been demolishing vacant homes in an effort to clean up the community . He told CBS that he had plans to fix up the dilapidated home--now just a plot of land-- and make it a nice place for he and his family to live. He told them, 'I need a bigger house because my kids are growing.' Soto originally bough the house at a city of Dallas auction. The city completely forgot they sold the house to Soto and they forgot to remove the home from a list of vacant homes to be torn down. Dallas city council member Dwane Carraway owned up to making a mistake and said that the city would reimburse Soto for his loss. Dallas city council member Dwane Carraway holds Soto partially responsible because he hadn't finished bringing the house up to code after purchasing it . The city plans to revisit their demolition process to make sure things don't happen again. He attributed the mishap to, 'a miscommunication between some departments in the city.' Dallas News reports that Assistant City Manager Charles Cato released a similar statement calling the mistake a 'miscommunication between the two city departments, real estate, and Code Compliance.' However, Carraway holds Soto partially responsible for not remodeling the home shortly after purchasing it. 'They have a responsibility to take that eyesore and bring it up to code, so the community doesn’t have to endure that,' said Carraway. Soto bought three homes prior to the one that was demolished, all of which were renovated and brought to code . Soto already began fixing the home that was demolished by buying new windows and cabinets . Soto is a contractor and said that he's helped to change many homes. 'That's what I've been doing all my life,' he said to CBS. According to Soto, he had been remodeling the house, but that it was in such poor condition when he bought it that the changes are taking time to complete. He already bought cabinets and windows for the new home. 'They left a lot of mess inside, so it take three weeks for me to clean it up.' This home is only one of the few homes Soto purchased from Dallas over the past few years. Soto plans to build a home from scratch on the empty lot at Fordham Road . Neighbors of Soto's other properties told CBS on Wednesday that those homes had improved greatly over time. Soto plans to keep his land on 2007 Fordham Road and build a home from scratch. This is not the first time Dallas demolished a house by accident.Two homes in the Dallas, Fort Worth area were mistakenly torn down over the summer, NBC reports. This caused the city to halt demolitions until they could improve the system. They attributed the flaws to 'human error.' City Spokesperson Bill Begly said, 'And what they're trying to do now is put in place more accountability, more documentation, more eyes on the whole process.' 'The whole idea is to take the human error element out of the process and ensure that something like this doesn't happen again,' Begley said.

Julio Soto bought a vacant home from a Dallas auction earlier in the summer and arrived at the property to find the home destroyed . City Council members promised to reimburse Soto and called the mistake 'a miscommunication' Two other homes were accidentally demolished in the Dallas area that same summer .

b6118b3428f2ad3fb551d077b90a6fb5e9ab086a

Mary Berry has discovered that baking is her genes - after learning her great-great-grandfather was a baker at a 19th century workhouse. Unbeknown to the Great British Bake Off judge - who is taking part in the BBC1 programme Who Do You Think You Are? - her ancestor Robert Houghton ran a bakery in Norwich in the 19th century, in an area awash with prostitutes and criminals. He ran the thriving bakery for nearly 40 years, researchers found, and had a contract to supply a workhouse in the city. Scroll down for video . Mary Berry has discovered that baking is her genes - after learning her great-great-grandfather was a baker fora 19th century workhouse . Mr Houghton - a relation on Mrs Berry's mother's side - supplied the workhouse with between 700 and 800 loaves daily, although a local newspaper report from an inspector at the time claimed it was 'so bad that we don't know how to eat it', the Sunday Times reports, although this was later retracted. Mrs Berry, 79, also researched her paternal family and discovered that her great-great-great grandfather Christopher Berry was a printer and bookseller. But after he was hit by bankruptcy in the 1811, his wife Mary and six of their children were sent to the workhouse. Only two of the children - her great, great grandmother, also called Mary, and Chris - were spared the workhouse. A picture of Mary and her brother balanced on their mother on a makeshift see-saw, in 1938. Unbeknown to the Great British Bake Off judge her ancestor Robert Houghton ran a bakery in Norwich in the 19th century, in an area awash with prostitutes and criminals . While her great, great great uncle Chris abandoned his family - who were then also sent to the poorhouse, Mary went on to have four children, although no father is mentioned on the birth documents. The baking supremo, who lost her own son William in a car accident when he was 19, can be seen in tears during the episode when she learns of her great-great-grandmother's death at the age of 70, with her youngest son Edward at her side. She said: 'I know Robert Houghton worked very hard in his bakery, but I think my genes come more from Mary Berry, who survived the workhouse and was very family-oriented - just like me.'

Mary Berry is taking part in BBC1 programme Who Do You Think You Are? Discovered ancestor Robert Houghton ran bakery in Norwich in the 1800s . The thriving bakery had a contract to supply a workhouse in the city .

a920b3759f6067dd87b8ac4308529b741e024ee8

(EW.com) -- American Idol finalists Kree Harrison and Candice Glover wowed the audience at the Nokia Theater at L.A. Live Wednesday evening with three show-stopping ballads each. After the performances, Glover, Harrison and judge Keith Urban came backstage to talk about their night, that coin flip, and singing those soulful songs. "As different as they are, they have a lot of similarities. They have a lot of vulnerability and strength that are both apparent when they perform. They both come from very roots-y, earthy, real families and I think that's what's apparent in what they do. There's no pageantry in either of them," said first-time judge Urban. "They sing because they need to sing. Not because they want to be famous." But as to what he thought of their performances, Urban said: "I was really taken with the original songs, particularly Kree's. Kree's to me was the one that just hit me." Harrison and Glover may not have Urban's luxury of distance, but both offered up insights into their performances as well. EW: Latest 'American Idol' recap . On those emotional songs and staying confident onstage . Harrison may own the stage when she's belting out those ballads now, but she admitted she wasn't always so comfortable going to those dark place. "The truth is before I committed to this competition, I wasn't so good with emotional songs," Harrison said. "I put a wall up because I didn't want to get to that point where I couldn't handle the lyrics and couldn't get it out. But I found that there's a happy medium of connecting and really showing your heart through your lyrics." Glover was no different. Her swagger, she says, is just an act. "I always feel very unconfident, but I don't show it onstage," Glover said. And it was her drive to succeed that prevented her from getting lost in the sadness of her song. "I got emotional in the middle of the song but I couldn't stop because I didn't want to go off-key," Glover said. On that fateful coin flip . Reality television devotees may be surprised to learn that as Ryan Seacrest was flipping that coin last week that would give the winner the choice to go first or second in Wednesdays finals show, Kree was whispering to Candice to ask which position she preferred. "I was very surprised. She asked me while it was spinning. I said 'I don't know? Second?' and she said 'OK, I'll go first,'" said Glover. "That's Kree. Every day. She doesn't think about herself at all. She puts everyone before herself." Harrison said, "I think it comes down to the singing, the connection, the order doesn't matter." Though Glover wasn't in the room to hear her say that, she echoed the sentiment in nearly the same words. EW: Should 'American Idol' lose the results show? On what they're going to do the day after tomorrow . Glover said that she's just relieved that they don't have to go through another round. "We've just been taking it one day at a time and doing our best, but I have to think about [plans] when I go home," she said. Harrison, on the other hand, didn't know exactly what she'd be doing, but knew that she'd have at least something to celebrate. "My birthday is the day after the finale," Harrison said, adding with a laugh: "Vote for me for my birthday!" As many know, Glover was an American Idol contestant before, but despite her success this year, she doesn't feel as though she was robbed before. "Honestly I don't think I would have won," Glover said. "I think everything happens for a reason and I don't think I would have made it as far as I did this year. I was just auditioning because I was a 19-year-old who happened to know how to sing. And this year I think I'm more of an artist and I think I know myself a little bit better." In less than 24 hours the world will know who was voted the Season 12 American Idol and who gets to go home in second place. With that kind of pressure, it's tempting to think that Harrison and Glover are enemies, just playing friendly on stage. But just ask how they spent the night before the big show. "Me and Kree watched some TV together. She fell asleep on me. I made sure she was sleeping and then I went to my room," said Glover. "We just chilled." There are no rivalries here. See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved.

"American Idol" is down to the final contestants . Kree Harrison and Candice Glover wowed the audience . Judge Keith Urban "was really taken with the original songs"

877c6bc4e66209430b398fb284e0c2a5328d319c

Washington (CNN) -- After winning her 13th term to the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday, the last thing Rep. Rosa DeLauro expected from a whirlwind week was an armed break-in at her Capitol Hill home. The 71-year-old Democrat, who represents Connecticut's 3rd Congressional District, was not home at the time of the incident early Friday evening. However her husband, political strategist Stan Greenberg, arrived while the burglar was inside. According to an email sent to the community, police said Greenberg saw the burglar holding a large knife when he stepped into the bedroom. Police were alerted about the break-in by the time Greenberg entered the home and were at the scene moments later. Sara Lonardo, DeLauro's communications director, confirmed the break-in and said that police arrested the burglar at the scene. "[Rep. DeLauro and her husband] thank the Metropolitan Police Department and Capitol Police for their response and are grateful no one was harmed," Lonardo said in a statement on Monday. According to police reports obtained by ABC 7 News, police identified the man as John Chaplin, 55, from Southeast D.C. He reportedly stole a Mickey Mouse pin, costume hat, necklace, laptop, and digital picture frame. It is unknown whether Chaplin targeted DeLauro's Capitol Hill home or if he acted randomly.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro's home in Washington was broken into early Friday evening . Her husband, political strategist Stan Greenberg, entered the home during the break-in . Metropolitan Police Department arrested a suspect at the scene .

177a88e6430bb84446c65f6f154537c6935b84e1

Sydney (CNN) -- When winter hits, Sydney becomes something of a ghost town as its 4 million or so residents retreat indoors to acclimatize to the cold. Yet for the past five years, they've been beckoned outside by Vivid Sydney, an 18-day festival of light, music and ideas that takes over after dark May 24 to June 10. At the core of the carbon-neutral festival is Vivid Light. From 6 p.m. every evening, local and visiting artists use light installations and 3-D projectors to transform the 1,056,000 tiles of the Sydney Opera House, the Museum of Contemporary Art and other category-killing buildings into giant canvases of color and light. Check out this incredible Sydney Opera House timelapse . Headlining Vivid Live, the festival's ticketed live music program, are German electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk. Other acts included Joy Division and Vangelis from the UK and homegrown acts Cloud Control and Empire of the Sun. Bobby Womack called in sick. Vivid Ideas, the festival's third and final arm, comprises more than 100 lectures, workshops and debates. Led by global leaders in the fields of fashion, film, publishing, architecture and design, it underlines Sydney's standing as a global epicenter for creative arts. "Vivid now leads the world in sheer number and size of buildings projections -- no other city lights up its famous landmarks and skyscrapers the way we do," says creative adviser Ignatius Jones, who co-directed the 2000 Sydney Olympics' opening ceremony. "This year we're going to have 60 light sculptures -- nearly twice as many as last year. It's going to be really, really big." A complete list of events and shows, plus ticketing details are accessible here: Vivid Sydney . In sync with the colder clime, Sydneysiders stray from the city's beaches and harbor to find fun in the retail and entertainment precincts of the inner city and beyond. Here are three of the hippest. Insider guide to Sydney . Surry Hills . During the Great Depression, Surry Hills was a Dickensian slum known for brothels and razor-wielding street gangs. But demand for city-fringe housing has seen the suburb embark on a journey of gentrification that transformed it into Sydney's Soho district. Starting at the junctures of Oxford Street, Sydney's celebrated gay district, vintage clothing stores like Grandma Takes a Trip, Wheels & Dollbaby and Strawberry Hills (+612 9380 8809) make Surry Hills Sydney's capital of alternative fashion. For contemporary threads, check out Japanese-Danish boutique Mushu, Via Alley Shop and Gallery and Flight 001, a travel store shaped like the inside of a jumbo jet. New York-style warehouse bars like Toko, The Winery and Shortgrain buzz with life on wintry weekends, while neon green spirits are served with aplomb at The Absinthe Salon. The home of Australia's most innovative theater company, Belvoir Street Theatre is where Hollywood heavyweights Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush cut their teeth. From May 28 to July 14, Belvoir presents "Angles in America," a two-part Pulitzer Prize-winning play featuring Marcus Graham of David Lynch's "Mulholland Dr." To get a sense of Surry Hills's working-class past, order a beer on tap or at The Cricketers Arms, Hollywood Hotel or any of the suburb's un-renovated pubs. Adherents of the if-it-isn't-broken-don't fix-it school of design, they are windows into Surry Hill's indissoluble bohemian heart. The Inner West . When it comes to noisy and unsightly motorways, Parramatta Road, Sydney's major east-west artery, takes the cake. But a select number of its side streets and adjoining suburbs are vibrant hubs for food, fashion and art. At the very start of Parramatta Road, the castle-like buildings of Sydney University were modeled on London's Westminster Abbey. Walk though its neogothic sandstone quadrangle to King Street, Newtown, an eclectic meeting place for students, rockabillies and steampunks. Lined with old pubs, cinemas and multicultural eats like Rowda Ya Habibi (+612 9557 5368), Sydney's best kebab joint, King Street is a people-watchers' paradise and then some. Across from Sydney University is Glebe Point Road, home to Gleebooks, Sydney's most popular independent bookstore. On Saturday mornings, Glebe Markets provides a showcase for emerging artists with recycled fashion and bands on the side. A mile west of here on Parramatta Road is Deus ex Machina's House of Simple Pleasures. A hanger-size oasis of retro style, it combines a custom motorcycle showroom, the Deus boutique and a pseudo-industrial function space that hosts everything from weddings to rock concerts. Continue another mile and a half and you'll find Sydney's Little Italy on Norton Street, Leichhardt. With around 50 restaurants and cafés, the strip stakes a claim as one of Sydney's great ethic culinary hubs. Discover your favorite Leichhardt eatery on a Buon Appetito walking tour. Run by Italian-Australian advocacy group Co.As.It, it visits Leichhardt's best food outlets, teaches the history of Italians in the area and culminates in a cooking demonstration and Sicilian lunch. Woollahra . An Aboriginal word meaning 'camp', Woollahra is one of the eastern Sydney's most affluent suburbs. Its streets are lined with elm trees, grand Victorian terraces and a village-like retail hub home to some of Australia's most prestigious art galleries. The Gallery Walk starts near the corners of Oxford and Queen Street at The Art of Dr Seuss for limited-edition prints by the author of the "Cat in the Hat" series. Continue along Queen Street to Bewoulf Gallery for exotic and ethnographic ceramics. A detour through Hallis Lane leads to the Tim Olsen Gallery and Richard Martin Art on Jersey Road, where Sydney's art cognoscenti attend regular exhibitions. Tucked behind rows of square hedges around the corner on Ocean Street is Chiswick, a glasshouse-inspired eatery with shaded outdoor seating. TV chef Matt Moran sources herbs from Chiswick's own vegetable patch, lamb from his own farm and small goods from Victor Churchill, a Woollahra butcher of distinction established in 1876. Back on Queen Street, across the road from luxury perfumery Jo Malone, is Life.Style -- the boutique-gallery hybrid of global cosmetics tsar Napoleon Perdis. Trading from the heritage-listed original Woollahra Post Office building, it stocks IONIA porcelain dinnerware from Greece, Lucite and Perspex accessories from France plus lithographs and garments from the US. "Woollahra is a micro cosmos that epitomizes the idea of Sydney as a city of villages," Perdis says. "It's not just a tourist attraction, it's the way we live."

Vivid Sydney is in three parts, Vivid Light, Vivid Music and Vivid Ideas . Many iconic Sydney structures are lit up for the festival . Kraftwerk headlined the Vivid Music performances . Around 550,000 people are expected to attend the festival .

8bfcbf14f9e2bdac43c36aec77f572b8f27b0933

Royal course renamed Golden Jubilee Stakes as Diamond Jubilee Stakes in her honour . By . Deborah Arthurs . PUBLISHED: . 06:05 EST, 19 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:50 EST, 20 June 2012 . The Queen arrived for Royal Ascot today amid all the pomp and pageantry expected at the first day of the world-famous race meet. As befits Royal tradition dating back 300 years to when Queen Anne founded the Royal Ascot in 1711, the monarch, accompanied by Prince Philip in the horse-drawn royal carriage, led a procession from from Windsor Castle to the Berkshire race course this afternoon. The Queen, whose choice of hat colour is always the subject of frenzied bets, looked immaculate as ever in a powder blue dress and coat by Stewart Parvin. The colour would have come to no surprise to Royal fashion watchers, who recently found that the Queen last year chose to wear blue on 29 per cent of her public engagements - three times as often as she wore any other colour. Her trimmed hat, by Rachel Trevor-Morgan, matched the fabric of her coat perfectly, and on her lapel she wore an impressive diamond and aquamarine brooch. Prince Philip, who has recovered well . from the nasty bladder infection that saw him admitted to hospital . following the Jubilee weekend celebrations, sat beside his wife for the . short journey. Best . dressed: The Queen looked splendid in a powder blue coat and dress as . she arrived by carriage with Prince Philip for the opening day . Close: The Queen and Camilla chat as they enter the Royal Enclosure - but up until 1955, divorced women were prohibited from entering thanks to stringent rules, meaning Camilla would not have been allowed to join the monarch . In her element: The Queen has seen 63 of her horses win at Ascot over the years. RIGHT, Prince Philip accompanied his wife to the meet today . The Queen was greeted by cheers and applause as she arrived at the course, and shouts of God save the Queen rang out around the parade ground as she entered in the royal carriage. The royal couple waved at the crowds as they made their way down the racecourse, many racegoers giving three cheers for the Queen as the carriage went past. Umbrellas had been stowed away in each carriage, but despite a few clouds in the sky, the sun shone on the royals. The Queen and Philip were joined by the Viscount Ullswater and Lord Vestey. The Duchess of Cornwall, following in the second carriage with the Prince of Wales, wore a stone-coloured dress and coat by Anna Valentine, a Philip Treacy hat and gold Jimmy Choo shoes. One cheeky racegoer shouted out: 'Charlie!' as the carriage went by, causing the Prince of Wales to turn around with a smile and wave. Princess Eugenie, riding in the third carriage, cut a sophisticated figure in a teal dress with black lace shoulder detail and a fishtail skirt, a remake of a vintage dress made for her by Christine Atkinson. Family affair: The Queen was joined by Camilla, in metallic-trimmed beige coat, and Eugenie, in teal dress, for today's meet . Chic: After the success of her cream outfit at yesterday's Order of the Garter ceremony, Camilla once again wore a pale cream outfit. RIGHT, the Queen is traditionally joined by fellow Royals and their guests . Dapper: Prince Charles swapped his feathered hat from yesterday's Garter procession for a smart top hat as he sat beside Camilla for the carriage procession . Picking a winner: The Queen examines the running . order from her vantage point in the royal box, while RIGHT, Princess . Anne cheers as she watches Frankel win the Queen Anne Stakes . Looking mint: Princess Anne (left) wore a pale green dress with matching jacket, trimmed with a wide-brimmed hat . Smart: Princess Eugenie adhered to the dress code in her neat teal outfit with black trim and peplum, a remake of a vintage design specially made for the princess by Christine Atkinson. She paired the dress with LK Bennett suede heels, a Piers Atkinson teal hat and Louboutin bag. RIGHT, Eugenie with the Duchess of Gloucester . Many racegoers chose to wear red, white and blue in celebration of the Jubilee year, others wearing Union Jack hats. The racecourse has been decorated . with four kilometres of bunting to add to the occasion, with a 1950s . style street party taking place in the Silver Ring area. Over the week, . 80,000 Union Jack flags are being handed out to racegoers watching the . royal procession. In the Royal Ascot programme, a . message from the Queen reads: 'I extend a warm welcome to everyone . attending Royal Ascot in my Diamond Jubilee year. 'As I reflect on the last 60 years, . much has changed for our world and of course for Ascot racecourse. However, one constant is that each year the eyes of all those who love . horseracing are upon these beautiful surroundings during this special . week in June. 'The best horses convene here, . trained and ridden by the best in their profession and increasingly we . have competitors and visitors joining from all over the world. 'I would like to thank you for the . welcome my family and I have always received at Royal Ascot and to wish . you all a most enjoyable day.' The Queen, an avid racing fan, moved from the parade ground to the Royal Box to watch the day's action. Royal Ascot has honoured the Queen by re-naming a race to mark the monarch's 60-year reign. The Diamond, formerly Golden, Jubilee Stakes, will be run on Saturday - the last day of the five-day sporting event. The Queen has entered one of her own . thoroughbreds, Carlton House, for the Prince of Wales Stakes being . staged at the meet tomorrow. She has owned 63 Ascot winners so far, 20 of them winning at Royal Ascot. Off to place a bet: Thousands of racegoers are expected to flood through the gates of the Berkshire course today . Little Bridge ridden by Zac Purton wins the Kings Stand Stakes during day one of the 2012 Royal Ascot meeting . For the many visitors, Royal Ascot is . more than a sporting occasion; it is also a social and fashion event . for the 300,000 spectators who will flock to the Berkshire racecourse . this week. This year . organisers have raised the bar in the sartorial stakes by tightening and . clarifying the dress code at the annual summer event, including . imposing a ban on fascinators in the royal enclosure. The move comes amid criticisms of . sartorial standards which have been loosely enforced in recent years, . but help will be on hand from a team of specially trained 'dress code . assistants'. A selection of waistcoats, ties, pashminas and other items will be available at the turnstiles for those who need them. In the royal enclosure, fascinators - which are often favoured by the Duchess of Cambridge - are no longer deemed acceptable. Women . will also be expected to wear skirts or dresses of 'modest length' which fall just above the knee or longer. This clarifies previous . guidance which stated miniskirts were 'considered unsuitable'. Strapless, . off the shoulder, halter neck, spaghetti straps and dresses with a . strap of less than one inch (2.5cm) are not permitted and midriffs must . be covered. For men, black . or grey morning dress with a waistcoat and tie are now compulsory in . this area of the course and cravats will not be allowed. A black or grey . top hat and black shoes must also be worn. In . the grandstand, which is open to the public and subject to less . stringent rules, a hat or fascinator will be compulsory for women. For . men, a suit and tie will now be imperative. Royal Ascot's Ladies' Day, held this year on Thursday, will see outlandish and incredible hats worn by female race goers. The . racecourse is also staging an exhibition titled 60 Years of Royal Ascot . during the Reign of Her Majesty the Queen, which will be on display for . the duration of the meeting. Johnny . Weatherby, the Queen's representative at Ascot, said: 'Royal Ascot has a . long standing and privileged affiliation with the Queen, whose first . winner at the event was in 1953 with Choir Boy who landed the Royal Hunt . Cup. 'The Queen has owned . no fewer than 63 Ascot winners, 20 of them at the royal meeting, and . it's always a great thrill for everyone when the royal colours are . successful. It would be marvellous for that to happen this year and we . wish her every success.'

Queen last year wore blue on 29 per cent of her public engagements - three times as often as she wore any other colour . Royal course renamed Golden Jubilee Stakes as Diamond Jubilee Stakes in her honour .

b0d54dffa45b7312cf5ab2c478a6e3c1dc798a7f

By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 08:02 EST, 5 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:56 EST, 5 September 2012 . Cycling champion Sarah Storey has secured a hat trick of gold medals today after riding to victory in the women's C5 time-trial at Brands Hatch. The 34-year-old from Manchester has already won two Paralympic titles in the velodrome before adding another gold from the 16-kilometre race against the clock today. Storey finished the course, which included all the fabled sections of the motor-racing circuit, in 22 minutes 40 seconds. Golden couple: Sarah Storey in the arms of her husband Barney,whom she credits for her transformation from swimmer to cyclist . Sealed with a kiss: Storey kisses her husband Barney after storming to victory at Brands Hatch . Moment of glory: Sarah Storey has now won three gold medals at the London 2012 Paralympics . She said: 'I'm absolutely delighted. It's just amazing to get around the circuit so quick. 'The first thing I'm going to do is see where I would have placed in the men's race.' She would have been eighth at that split. Crystal Lane was ninth in 27:33. This latest win takes her total tally of Paralympic golds to 10 - and she may even be in with a chance of boosting her medal haul later this week. Storey will ride in the road race on Thursday seeking to level Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson's 11 Paralympic golds. Crowd cheer: Sarah's win made the crown go wild at Brands Hatch, Kent today . Life is golden: Sarah holds up her medal and shows off her Union Flag nailpolish . Sarah Storey looks slightly in awe as she revels in the moment holding her golden medal . Speaking about the possibility of her matching Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson's medal haul after her velodrome wins, she said: 'It is fantastic, a . great feeling. I didn't expect to be able to catch her as quickly. 'I . suppose it did look easy but mentally you have to prepare and make it . happen. I have to respect all my competitors.' She said of her latest success: ‘To compete in a home Games like this with all the crowds is a dream come true and I feel honoured to have been here.’ Flying the flag: Sarah and husband Barney hold the Union Flag high after her win today . Going for gold: Storey will seek to level Tanni Grey-Thompson's medal haul . Twenty years ago, as a shy and . nervous teenager, Sarah Bailey as she was then known, took part in her . first Paralympics in Barcelona as a swimmer. She returned home two weeks . later with six medals, including two golds. She won a total of five gold, eight silver and three bronze Paralympic medals at swimming. She only turned to cycling in 2005 after an ear infection ended her swimming career. After changing sports, Sarah met Barney Storey through cycling in 2004 and the couple married three years later. She credits her husband with playing a major role in her transformation from swimmer to cyclist. Riding to victory: Sarah Story racing round the track at Brands Hatch motor racing circuit near London . On route: Storey completed the route in 22 minutes and 40 seconds - which would have seen her gain eight place in the men's race . Done it: Sarah Storey celebrates winning the women's time trial at Brand's hatch . She said: ‘His expertise in cycling is just phenomenal. ‘Before he was a tandem pilot he was an able-bodied solo cycling sprinter, riding World Cup events, spring grand prix in Europe. ‘Barney’s got an immense knowledge and background in cycling. And when I came along, this big-shouldered raw swimmer, he just taught me everything I know.’ Medal number 20: Storey has now won 21 Paralympic medals across six Games and in two different sports . Golden couple: Sarah and Barney Storey share a kiss and show off the medals they have won at the velodrome . What's the Storey! Sarah Storey celebrates victory in the women's individual time trial . Following two golds in 2008, including in the time-trial, Storey now has a hat-trick on home soil in her sixth Games. Meanwhile, Great Britain's Mark Colbourne had to settle for silver in the men's C1 time-trial. Colbourne, who won individual pursuit gold in the velodrome, clocked 25mins 29secs on the 16km course, but Michael Teuber of Germany pipped him to victory, finishing first in 25:16. It was the 42-year-old Welshman's third medal of his first Games after breaking his back in a paragliding accident three years ago. 'I gave it everything, I'm happy with my silver,' Colbourne said. 'I'm very proud of what I've done today.' Poster girl cyclist Sarah Storey won gold in the C5 individual pursuit . Storey clocked three minutes 32.170 seconds to advance to the gold medal ride-off in front of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge .

The 34-year-old now has a total of ten Paralympic golds to her name . Medal haul could match Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson's 11 Paralympic golds if she wins Thursday's road race . Storey completed the 16 kilometre race in 22 minutes and 40 seconds . Her speed would have seen her gain 8th place in the men's time trial .

66daeb551f20fe4ed816438825514b6aa710bc86

(CNN) -- Some major websites went dark briefly Friday at 9:30 a.m. ET as part of a national moment of silence for the victims of last week's shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Dozens of sites participated, including Aol, The Huffington Post and Digg, and more than 100,000 people and sites have pledged to participate on the Causes.com page for the Web Goes Silent campaign. People and companies are also spreading the word by tweeting their intention to go quiet with the hashtag #momentforSandyHook. High-profile Silicon Valley venture capitalist Ron Conway promoted the online moment of silence, which is part of a larger campaign for federal gun control legislation. Conway is leading the Causes.com campaign along with other big names including Ryan Seacrest, Jack Dorsey, Britney Spears, MC Hammer, Suze Orman and Tyler Florence. Causes.com is a startup that uses social media to raise awareness and funds for charities and causes. Conway is also an investor in the for-profit company. Sites that participated in Friday's moment of silence were invited to do so on their own, or it can embed an official badge with a green ribbon on their sites. Sites using the code appeared grayed out in the background with a white box in the foreground that reads "We are observing a National Moment of Silence for the victims of the Sandy Hook tragedy." Conway joined other tech notables and some celebrities to demand action for stronger gun control in a full-page ad in the Wednesday print edition of the New York Times. The ad was run by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a lobbying group of more than 700 U.S. mayors. It started the Demand A Plan campaign to reform gun laws after the Aurora, Colorado, shootings in July, and it has seen a surge in new support after the Sandy Hook shootings. This is not the first time major sites have banded together to go dark for a cause. This year, major tech names staged an immense and successful online protest against the Stop Online Privacy Act.

Some major websites went dark Friday for Sandy Hook shooting victims . The moment of silence started at 9:30 a.m. ET . Some backers are also part of larger campaign for stronger gun control .

ea0884ad5117773a736a184fabee2f2332374e5c

By . Beth Stebner . PUBLISHED: . 00:26 EST, 26 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:15 EST, 26 September 2012 . Multi-millionaire Ann Romney appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno last night, professing her love for wholesale retailer Costco, gushing, 'we love Costco!' The wife of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney told the NBC host that the pair regularly visits the chain, where customers can buy any number of products in bulk. She also said that the election of her husband, a Mormon, would signal that 'prejudices are left behind' just as the election of President Obama had done. Scroll down for video . Pride and prejudice: Ann Romney, who appeared Tuesday on the Tonight Show with host Jay Leno, said that having a Mormon president would signal that 'prejudices are left behind' Leather have it: Mrs Romney decided on an all-black leather ensemble with peep-toe heels . The mother-of-five took time out of her campaign schedule to speak with the late night talk show host, saying, ‘I love that we have the first African-American president.' Asked . by Leno to reflect on the significance of the first Mormon president, . Mrs Romney said she hoped that if her husband were elected, 'We would . see more of the same, that prejudices are left behind.' She had said at last month’s Republican National Convention that she had recently purchased an $18 three-pack of Costco Kirkland dress shirts, which Mr Romney wears ‘all the time now.’ Speaking at the RNC, she had said: ‘It’s great. You take a sharp right and you go way down to the back of the store and just shop the outside of the aisles, and boom, boom, boom.’ The Romneys have been criticised as elite. Recently released tax returns from 2011 showed that the couple earned $13.7million last year alone, mostly from investments. She first spoke of her harrowing ordeal last Friday, when the aircraft she was on filled with smoke. ‘I was just watching a movie, there was a lot of hustle and bustle,’ she said. Retail love: Mrs Romney told Leno that she and Mitt love shopping at Costco wholesale, a place that many associate with budget shopping . The plane’s pilot declared the electrical issue an emergency, and the plane was forced to land. Leno quipped: ‘Being a swing state, of course you picked Denver.’ He also asked about what her husband meant when he told reporters he didn’t know why plane windows didn’t open, which he said was dangerous, because ‘you can’t find any oxygen from outside the aircraft to get in the aircraft.’ Mrs Romney responded that his comment was a joke, and it was simply ‘his way of dealing with the panic.’ The conversation then inevitably segued into the leaked footage from a fundraising dinner, where Mr Romney said his job ‘is not to worry about’ the 47 per cent of Americans who don’t earn enough to pay income taxes and are likely to support President Obama come November. Emergency: Ann Romney, pictured on the campaign plane in August, had a dramatic landing on Friday after her aircraft caught fire . On the scene: The Romney campaign tweeted their thanks to fire crews who rushed to help them following the emergency landing in Denver . ‘Last week was not a good week,’ she said simply, smiling. ‘You try so hard to get your message out, you don’t like things to get misconceived – we care about the hundred per cent.’ She and Leno also touched on Mrs Romney’s own comments last week, where she told reporters at Radio Iowa, ‘Stop it. This is hard. You want to try it? Get in the ring.’ The grandmother shrugged it off and said, ‘It’s the ups and downs of the campaign.’ The interview took a decidedly more light-hearted feel from there, with Mrs Romney discussing how she and her husband met in high school. ‘We met at this party,’ she said, ‘and I will tell you, my heart was just like, womp-womp, womp-womp. I mean, for me, it was love at first sight. I think for him too.’ Leno inquired whether her husband has become a better dancer, leading into a clip of a man with Mr Romney’s face superimposed dancing Gangnam-style. During the interview, Mrs Romney also talked about her struggles with multiple sclerosis (MS), her love of Costco, and what her causes would be as first lady. Bargain hunter? Mrs Romney said her husband loves shopping at wholesale retail store Costco and always turns off the water heater before leaving the house . High school sweethearts: Mrs Romney told Leno that it was love at first site when the couple met in high school; here, they're pictured in 1964 .

Wife of GOP presidential candidate appeared on Tuesday's show . Professed love of Costco wholesale warehouse . Spoke on recent controversies, including Romney's plane window gaffe and infamous 47% comment last week . Also addressed her MS and plans as a possible first lady .

4c76ce38748f10fc26cf58a1e3d7cf297ee08af1

(CNN) -- Through time the art and architecture of the Islamic world has defined a civilization that once extended from Cordoba in Spain to the Mogul empire in China and India. Today a new cultural landmark in Qatar brings together 14 centuries of that history under one roof at the Doha Museum of Islamic Art. Designed by architect I.M. Pei, best known for his glass pyramids at Paris' Louvre museum, the stunning building houses 3,800 square meters of treasures, spanning three continents. From intricate metal work and calligraphy to ceramics, textiles and precious stones, the collection represents the feverish efforts of the Qatari royal family to assemble an unrivalled collection of Islamic antiquities over the past few years. "One of the enormous achievements is to have built up such a collection of such enormous historic and aesthetic importance in such a short space of time," Museum Director Oliver Watson told CNN. Treasure trove of antiquities . Among the standout pieces in the museum's collection are the earliest surviving pages of the Koran, dating from the late 7th century, the earliest surviving silk carpet from Iran and a 9th century Iraqi porcelain bowl. Such objects bore enormous influence on the Islamic world and beyond. For example, Iraqi pottery such as the museum's white glazed bowl with blue calligraphy was copied by the Chinese, eventually becoming the largest ceramics industry in the world. "The interesting thing is not only that the Islamic world had trade connections out to China, but that this kind of ware, that wasn't used in China [at the time] was commissioned. These were works that were commissioned by merchants in Basra to be made in central China," Watson explained. The Chinese "took the blue color from the Middle East, and the Middle East was the first major customers for Chinese blue and white [porcelain]." In a nearby gallery rests the jade pendant of Shah Jahan. The Mogul Emperor wore it as a necklace in the 17th century to calm the despair in his heart after his wife died during childbirth. Shah Jahan is perhaps better known for the mausoleum he built to his wife -- the Taj Mahal in India. "There is the whole history of a whole culture, a whole civilization embedded in these objects, and we are just beginning to explore that," said Watson. Modern architectural icon . The Doha museum opened in 2008 with extravagant celebrations. In a region known for its glass and steel towers, this structure stands out as a modern icon paying homage to ancient traditions. "This building is very special to me, simply because it helped me to learn something about another world, another religion, another culture," said Pei at one of the opening events. The building's design combines minimalism, cubism and the arabesque. It has wide open spaces, geometric patterns typical of Islamic art, octagons, circles, domes and cubes. Pei found his inspiration for the design in the courtyard of Cairo's Ibn Tulun mosque, specifically the 13th century ablution fountain in the center, the sabil.

Doha Museum houses antiquities spanning 14 centuries and three continents . Earliest surviving Koran, Shah Jahan's jade pendant among treasures . Architect I.M. Pei designed the modern building based on Ibn Tulun mosque in Cairo .

ecd4360a96e3ca5b2feb764940851a9397d3a554

By . William Cook . PUBLISHED: . 07:50 EST, 1 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:09 EST, 3 October 2012 . A former St John Ambulance volunteer who sexually assaulted four young girls has been sentenced to 17 years in jail. Anthony Bint, 51, from Derby, was found guilty of 16 charges, including an attempted rape, that took place between 1978 and 2011. He joined the first-aid organisation during this period. Sentencing Bint on Friday, Judge John Burgess, Recorder of Derby, said the crimes were the type that 'ruined people’s lives'. 'Evil monster': Supporters of Anthony Bint, in the red coat, gesture outside Derby Crown Court . Bint subjected his victims, who described the attacks as 'harrowing' and 'devastating', to a seven-day trial after he denied all charges. His victims released a joint statement following the sentencing at Derby Crown Court. It said: 'Fifteen months have passed since the first revelations of abuse by this evil monster. 'It was a massive relief for the victims and their families to finally see justice done. 'It has been without doubt the most traumatic time we have ever faced and has deeply affected all concerned. 'We are obviously very concerned about the possible long-term effects on all the victims. 'We can only hope that with the right counselling the mental scars will heal as time passes.' Depraved: Bint was found guilty of 16 charges, including attempted rape, and sentenced to 17 years . The victims thanked the police for their 'painstaking efforts' and 'caring support' They also thanked Judge Burgess 'for his wisdom and also for his sensitivity when addressing the victims'. Bint’s crimes only came to light in June last year when one of his victims told her mother about the abuse. Following this, three other victims also reported being abused. Bint will serve at least half his sentence in prison and the rest on licence. He will also be banned from any unsupervised contact with children, will be placed on the sex offenders register for life and will be banned from working with children. Judge Burgess said: 'I have made these orders in order to prevent any sexual offences against children in the future.' After passing sentence Judge Burgess added: 'I thank the members of the public who behaved with dignity. 'I hope the sentence I pass down today provides some comfort and allows the victims to move on as that is the most important thing.' Detective Constable Vandome said: 'It has been a very long and complex investigation. 'It has only been possible as a result of the bravery of those that have come forward and told their stories. Without them, Bint may still be committing these offences. 'I am pleased with the sentence that has been passed today, not only because it reflects the hard work and dedication of the officers involved in the investigation but more importantly because the victims have seen justice done.' A spokesperson for the St John Ambulance said: 'Mr Bint resigned as a volunteer member of St John Ambulance. 'He has had no access to the organisation or its membership activities since.'

Anthony Bint, 51, found guilty of 16 charges including an attempted rape . Jailed for 17 years at Derby Crown Court . Banned from unsupervised contact with children and placed on the sex offenders register for life .

265ccc6ab643b20b3762287142d22557849eb874

(CNN) -- Ratko Mladic, who is on trial on charges he masterminded an army campaign to cleanse Bosnia of Croats and Muslims, was taken to the hospital Thursday as a precautionary measure, a court spokeswoman said. "Proceedings were adjourned because he wasn't feeling well," said Nerma Jelacic, a spokeswoman for International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. She did not release any details about his condition. Mladic, whose trial began at the Hague in May, is accused of orchestrating a campaign of ethnic cleansing during the bloody civil war that ripped apart Yugoslavia. He has been indicted on 11 counts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in the 1992-95 war. Ratko Mladic: Brutal villain to many, hero to others . His trial is taking place in The Hague at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, a court established to try those responsible for atrocities during the war. In May, prosecutor Dermot Groome laid out details of the case against Mladic, saying that ethnic cleansing was not a byproduct of the war, but a specific aim of the Bosnian Serb leadership. He said he would show that Mladic was directly responsible for atrocities carried out by his forces, which were fighting for control of land in ethnically mixed Bosnia. Mladic eluded authorities for nearly 16 years until his capture in May 2011, when police burst into the garden of a small house in northern Serbia. Analysis: In this battle with Mladic, women of Srebrencia hold the edge . Though he was carrying two handguns, he surrendered without a fight and was extradited to the Netherlands. In the three decades leading up to the violent splintering of Yugoslavia, Mladic rose rapidly through the ranks of the Yugoslav army. In 1991, he served as a front-line commander spearheading Serb forces in a yearlong war with Croatia. By the time he took to Bosnia's battlefields, he had become a hero to many Serbs, seen as a defender of their dwindling fortunes. In May 1992, Bosnia's Serbian political leaders picked him to lead the assault on their Muslim enemies who clamored for independence. Mladic wasted no time galvanizing his heavily armed forces in a siege of Sarajevo, cutting the city off from the outside world. Serb forces pounded the city every day from higher ground positions, trapping Sarajevo's ill-prepared residents in the valley below. As the war ended in the fall of 1995, Mladic went on the run. Shortly after Mladic was sent to The Hague last year, authorities nabbed former Croatian Serb rebel leader Goran Hadzic. He was the last Yugoslav war crimes suspect at large. Photos: Years later, Srebrencia's pain is still very alive .

Ratko Mladic is taken to the hospital, a court spokeswoman says . "Proceedings were adjourned because he wasn't feeling well," the spokeswoman says . Mladic is accused of orchestrating a campaign of ethnic cleansing in Yugoslavia . He has been indicted on 11 counts of genocide and war crimes .

dc98675ad40d652b766e7f41af1d35bb972b868c

(CNN) -- This season has been very good to NBC. ABC, CBS and Fox — not so much. This year's television season is only a few weeks old, but there are already signs about how it's shaping up in the ratings. The news is not good. For the first three weeks of the 2012-2013 season, according to Ad Age, ABC, CBS and Fox are all down by double-digits in the key 18-49 demo, which helps sell advertising . Only NBC is up. (Fortunes for The CW, the netlet co-owned by Warner Bros. and CBS, are still unclear.) Is network TV dying? According to Robert Thompson, director of The Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University, it's not that simple. "Network TV is certainly not where it was back in the years of the 'Milton Berle Show,'" he said. But he added that the major networks still have the most money, and can grab the most eyeballs, even if viewers have scrambled their viewing habits. It's not that no one is watching TV — it's just that they're watching it across many different platforms, like laptops and tablets or through streaming services like Hulu. In this "multichannel universe, narrow-casting is the order of the day," Thompson said. With so many options, people tend to seek out what's tailored to their tastes, which helps explain the explosion of cable channels since the 1980s. In 2009, they accounted for more than 40 percent of household viewing, according to Nielsen, while networks made up 25 percent. "The Walking Dead" is one of TV's biggest shows, dominating its time slot and the cultural conversation — and it's on AMC. By comparison, Thompson said, part of the networks' problem has been a lack of "big new things:" the shows that can pull people back to their couches. In 2011, it was "The Voice" on NBC; in 2009, it was ABC's "Modern Family." "It's not that this year they said no to the next 'Modern Family' and chose the wrong thing," Thompson said. "It may be that the next 'Modern Family' didn't present itself." Of the 20 new shows launched by the five major networks this year, only one of them — "Revolution" on NBC — has been an overachiever, by debuting big and staying that way. Season-to-date, its 18-49 rating is almost twice NBC's average, according to TVByTheNumbers.com. It may be no coincidence that this year's success stories are genre shows, like the post-apocalyptic "Revolution" and the post-apocalyptic "Walking Dead," or even The CW's "Arrow," about a brooding, hooded superhero. The success of "The Voice," meanwhile, means viewers remain open to big, splashy reality and competition shows, Thompson said, even if NBC risks overexposing the show. The networks still have the benefit of a lot of marketing and production muscle: their shows can be bigger and their ads can be louder. Some of the buzziest programming however, including ABC's nuclear sub thriller "Last Resort" and its country music soap "Nashville," is also some of the lowest-rated. Thompson suggested that prestige programming is now better left to cable and the smaller, more passionate audiences who flock there. Sitcoms are still bustling, even if several high-profile fall launches (Fox's freshman "The Mindy Project," ABC's pairing of returning comedies "Happy Endings" and "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23") haven't broken through. It doesn't matter, Thompson said: comedy properties are full of potential — not just in primetime, but in syndication, where they can be replayed at hefty prices for years. Ad Age's annual survey of TV commercial prices, released at the end of October and based on pre-season estimates, backs up Thompson's claim: seven of the 10 costliest shows are comedies, including "Modern Family," Fox's "New Girl" and CBS' "The Big Bang Theory." "The first three things on my Top 10 list of things to do would be develop half-hour comedies, develop half-hour comedies, develop half-hour comedies," Thompson said. Meanwhile, the networks are in a "holding pattern," waiting for the next big thing to stop the slide, he said. The trick is finding them. "The content is everything," Thompson said. "In the end whether people are going to watch hits on their laptops or five days later on their DVRs or watch it the old way, if you get a big hit like a 'Survivor' or a 'CSI' when it was at its peak, then you're going to be fine."

This year's fall TV season has been good to NBC . Fox, ABC and CBS are struggling in comparison . Part of the problem is a lack of "big new things" One thing that is working for networks are sitcoms .

bf77b065c8461c16faf5c9b00f783e83770a65b7

(CNN) -- Imagine being alone in your house. It's the middle of the night and suddenly, the lights go on. Without you switching them on. And then they go off. And a minute later, they are back on. The wife of Jeff Hagins, co-founder of SmartThings, gets this magic all the time. Her husband likes to show off how he can remotely control devices in his home -- including the lights. But the idea of smart homes goes beyond showing off. "It's a peace of mind thing, you can check if all the doors are locked or find out about a water leak," Hagins says. He says his company can make homes cheaper and greener to run. The system helps to save energy by cutting down waste -- such as switching lights off when motion sensors suggest nobody is around. Huge market . The future looks promising for the smart industry. A NextMarket report sees the U.S. market growing sixfold from $1.28 billion in 2014 to nearly $7.8 billion in 2019. Smart locks sales alone will grow from $66 million to nearly $1 billion in just five years, the report suggests. Tech giants are jumping on board with their offering. Apple has announced its HomeKit service, which will allow home owners to control all connected devices in their homes. Google bought Nest, the company behind smart termostats that track users habits to heat or cool the house before they even realize they'd like the temperature to change. Home automation company Belkin is foreseeing a world where people control everything with one app in their phones. "Most people already use their smartphones as alarm clocks, so now they can start making their coffee before leaving the bed," says Kieran Hannon from Belkin. The company makes smart light switches, plugs and light bulbs, and has also partnered up with makers of kitchen devices to allow users to put their dinner to cook while on the way home from work. All the data . But with all the magic of connected homes comes a great concern about potential data misuse. Intimate information about people's way of living would be incredibly valuable to companies wanting to target the right people with their products. Tony Fadell, the founder of Nest gets this question a lot -- cespecially since Google didn't hesitate to pay $3.2 billion for his company. Google is already using its users data to make money -- tracking what people search for and using that information to for targeted advertising. But Fadell says his company will never allow customers' data to flow to advertisers. "People are inviting our products to their homes," he says. "The trust is very important." In the case of SmartThings, people have to specifically opt-in to share their data with outside companies. "We don't own the data, our customers do," Hagins says. He says there are situations when users want their data to be shared. If a house gets broken in, a home security app could automatically alert the police. Less scary scenario sees a gardening company tracking the moisture levels in a lawn, making sure the sprinkling system is switched on and off at right time. Hackers, welcome . Loosing a cell phones is annoying. Loosing a cell phone that controls nearly everything in your house can be a disaster -- like leaving your front door wide open to anyone to come in. A research by AVTest recently exposed the main gaps in security, such as the lack of encrypted communication, which leaves the systems vulnerable to viruses and malware. Hagins envisions a future where anyone can buy smart home apps just like they buy mobile phone apps. But that also means anyone can build these apps without any regulation. When Apple announced its vision of hooking up smart home devices with Bluetooth and Wifi in June, it also said it would not make its own smart home products. Instead it will partner up with established makers and equip their product with Apple chips. The company said it will require each partner to follow the same security standards as other Apple products. As it steps up its efforts to become part of the smart home market, Apple announced it will reveal more details on its "Made For i" conference in China. As the AVTest predicts, security is likely to be the trump card in the industry.

The smart industry is making millions, with the U.S. market predicted to reach $7.8 million by 2019 . However potential data misuse is still a concern for many users - Google is already using the data of its users to make money . Smart Home Apps can potentially put users at risk, especially when multiple systems are under the command of a single device .

7c1c3bbd8bc7f743958253302faac1a778c8d949

As a young Phillip Hughes was working his way up in the cricketing world, his father Greg was always right there to support him. And Greg Hughes was there on Thursday when family and cricketing legends gathered around the 25-year-old to say goodbye. The distraught Mr Hughes was seen with his arms around his sobbing wife Virginia as they left St Vincent's Hospital after their son passed away due to the shocking injuries he sustained when he was knocked down by a bouncer at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday afternoon. The father and son, from Macksville in northern New South Wales, shared a special bond and Mr Hughes followed the batsman around the world to watch him play. Scroll down for video . Phillip Hughes enjoys victory in the rooms with his father Greg on day five of the First Test in South Africa in 2009, the first time Hughes represented Australia . The 25-year-old died due to severe head injuries sustained by a bouncer at the Sydney Cricket Ground . As Hughes was working his way up in the cricketing world, his father Greg was always there to support him . 'When he was a kid, I used to cart him everywhere to play,' Mr Hughes said, right before his son was picked to represent Australia for the first time on 2009, Brisbane Times reported. 'I wasn't going to put him on a bus and tell him, "Off you go". I just wanted him to enjoy it, and I wanted to be there with him if he wanted me there.' Shortly after, Hughes was chosen to represent Australia for the first time during the team's South Africa tour. He went on to score two centuries. Mr Hughes, a banana farmer, sounded in awe of his then-20-year-old son when he spoke about the determination and hard work that got him to that point. Parents Greg and Virginia Hughes and sister Megan leave Cricket NSW in Sydney on Thursday . The trio walked arm in arm as the left the cricket ground, where players past and present had gathered . In a statement, the family said 'Cricket was Phillip's life' and they shared that love of the game with him . He said Hughes had moved away from their rural family home to be in Sydney for his final year of high school. 'He just said, "This is what I've got to do". He plotted his path and he's starting to get a few rewards,' Mr Hughes said. 'He's getting what he deserves. When he was younger, most afternoons he'd hit between 120 and 150 balls and then do his fitness stuff on top of it. He did things properly. 'I didn't do much - I just fed the machine for him. Most kids probably went to their Tuesday and Thursday afternoon training sessions and that was it. He couldn't stop. He's one out of the box.' Sister Megan ( head down), father Greg (striped shirt), brother Jason (striped cap) and mother Virginia (vest) The family, pictured leaving St Vincent's hospital, said they were devastated at the loss of much loved Phillip . On Thursday, Australia team captain Michael Clarke choked back tears as he read out a statement from the Hughes family following the death of the 25-year-old. 'We're devastated at the loss of our much loved son and brother, Phillip,' Clarke said. 'Cricket was Phillip's life and we as a family shared that love of the game with him.' The captain when Hughes made his Test debut, Ricky Ponting, was at St Vincent's Hospital and at the SCG as Hughes' family, friends and teammates gathered to say goodbye to the 25-year-old. Hughes' parents Greg and Virginia, his sister Megan and brother Jason – who first got him into the sport – looked devastated as they left the hospital on Thursday evening. Greg, Virginia and Megan walked arm in arm as they entered Cricket NSW headquarters at the SCG, where players past and present met to pay their respects to their fallen teammate. Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke delivers a statement, on behalf of the family of deceased teammate Phillip Hughes, at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney on Thursday . Former Test captain Ricky Ponting (left) along with cricketers James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Aaron Finch leave Cricket NSW in Sydney on Thursday .

Greg Hughes followed his son Phillip around the world to watch him play . The banana farmer, from Macksville in NSW, sounded in awe of his son when he spoke about his determination and hard work . Phillip Hughes died on Thursday after suffering severe head injuries . Family, friends and teammates gathered to say goodbye to the 25-year-old .

e9463348b79a37b4508614d381280b74cc76c668

By . Paul Donnelley . Horrified motorists were forced to swerve as kittens were thrown onto a busy dual carriageway from a speeding car. Drivers were left in shock after witnessing four kittens being thrown from the car window of a mystery vehicle onto the A13 and A132 in Pitsea, Essex. Sadly three kittens died in the sickening incident, although one survived after being rescued by a concerned motorist. Survivor: This beautiful kitten survived being thrown for a speeding car onto the A13 and A132 in Pitsea, Essex . Matthew Tyler, 31, said his wife and four-year-old son were left 'hysterical' after they witnessed the callous act whilst driving at around 5pm on Saturday. He said: 'What I witnessed was absolutely disgusting. 'My wife and son were hysterical. 'I drove on to the main A13 roundabout where I had to swerve quickly to avoid a kitten. 'I then proceeded on to the A132 where kittens were being chucked from a car every 100yds or so. 'Sadly three were killed.' This kitten was treated at Pitsea PDSA and has made a full recovery after being thrown out of a car in Essex . Quick-thinking Mr Tyler, from Bowers Gifford, Essex, returned to the roundabout to retrieve one injured kitten before rushing it to animal charity, PDSA, whose vets administered pain relief. The kitten is now said to be recovering well at the charity's Basildon hospital. Unfortunately - due to the shocking nature of the incident - Mr Tyler was unable to get the number plate of the vehicle and is now appealing to other witnesses to come forward . He added: 'Because I was busy swerving around kittens and my wife was hysterical, we didn't manage to get the details of the car the kittens were being thrown from. 'It was a couple of cars in front of us. 'But I am pleading with anyone who saw this sick act, or knows anything, to contact the police. 'The people who did this need to be found.' In another shocking incident just hours earlier, ten kittens and their mother were found in a taped-up cardboard box. The A13 Coklchester Road in Essex where the kittens were hurled every hundred or so yards . The box had been abandoned at the side of the A127 in Crays Hill, Essex - around five miles from where kittens were seen being thrown from a car later that day. It is not yet known if the two incidents are linked. The abandoned kittens are now available for adoption through Cats Protection on 07986 330239. Anyone who witnessed the kittens being launched from a car at around 5pm on Saturday should call Essex Police on 101. Animal charity PDSA is now caring for the surviving kitten and hope to re-home him after the miracle escape. Maciej Niedbala, a vet at the Basildon PDSA pet hospital, said: "The kitten was rushed in as an emergency case after being brought in by a member of the public who had witnessed this horrific incident. "A full examination was carried out to determine the extent of any injuries and pain relief was administered. Miraculously, despite being in shock and deeply traumatised by his ordeal, the kitten did not sustain any serious injuries. "There is absolutely no justification for anyone to treat an animal in this way and PDSA would urge anyone who witnessed anything to contact police as a matter of urgency." The kitten was kept overnight so that PDSA staff could monitor his condition and he has since gone on to make a full recovery. Arrangements are now being discussed to find a new permanent home for the kitten who has been named Kenny by staff. Police are hunting for the people responsible for the cruel act. Anyone with information should contact Essex Police on 101.

Incident happened on the A13 and A132 in Pitsea, Essex on Saturday . Three were killed but thankfully one made has made a full recovery . Police are appealing for information from anyone who saw the event .

bb5b498a158fac330c9b08ede5bc9b9193951a25

Women are 'hardest hit by dementia': Actress Prunella Scales (pictured) was last year revealed to have been diagnosed with 'mild Alzheimer’s' Women are hardest hit by dementia, say experts. They can spend years caring for loved ones with the illness only to fall victim to it themselves. A report by the charity Alzheimer’s Research UK warns that dementia is leaving women ‘marginalised’ both as carers and later as patients. It states that women are two and a half times more likely to look after someone with dementia, most often their husbands. And they are also more at risk of developing the condition themselves, with around 500,000 women having it compared to 350,000 men. Hilary Evans, director of external affairs at the research charity, said women suffer a ‘triple whammy’ – as carers, living with the effects of dementia and then dying from it. She added: ‘Women are carrying the responsibility of care for their loved ones, only later to be living with the condition. ‘Women are dying from dementia but not before it has taken a considerable toll on minds and bodies. In the UK, dementia hits women the hardest.’ ‘Dementia is a life-shattering condition and represents a triple whammy for women. More women are dying of dementia, more women are having to bear the burden of care. ‘The experiences of these women underlines the urgent need to tackle the diseases that cause this life-shattering condition. 'In recent decades we’ve seen increased investment in areas like cancer have a real impact, and we need to emulate that success for dementia. ‘Only through research can we find ways to treat and prevent dementia, and transform the lives of the hundreds of thousands affected.’ An estimated 830,000 people in Britain have dementia, a syndrome characterised by a gradual loss of brain functions such as memory and mental agility. The numbers with dementia are predicted to rise to 2 million by 2051. The illness is becoming increasingly common as more of us live to an age when it is more prevalent. It is partly thanks to medical advances in the treatment for heart disease and cancer, which had previously claimed more lives earlier on. Women’s life expectancies also are longer than men, meaning they are more likely to get the illness. Dementia is now the leading cause of death in women having overtaken heart disease and stroke. But in men it is third, after heart disease and lung cancer. The report, which will be published next month, warns that women over 60 are twice as likely to get dementia as breast cancer. It will call for far more funding to be put into research to develop effective treatments. Plan: Prime Minister David Cameron (pictured in Derby last Thursday) pledged to make dementia a 'national priority' in 2013 and increase the amount of government funding for research . Despite the increasing prevalence of the illness and its toll on society, there is no cure and there are only a limited number of drugs – which can only temporarily halt its progression. Prime Minister David Cameron pledged to make dementia a ‘national priority’ in 2013 and increase the amount of government funding for research. But charities say it is still too little when compared to the investment into new treatment for cancer. In 2013, £503million from charities and the Government went to research for cancer compared to £73.8million for dementia. The report will conclude that the toll of dementia on society in Britain will get worse unless it is properly addressed by the Government. ‘The UK already has a larger proportion of people over 65 than the EU average, and as the number of older people rises steeply, the need for carers will continue to increase,’ it will conclude.

Alzheimer's charity warns dementia is leaving women 'marginalised' Women are 2.5 times more likely to look after someone with dementia . And about 500,000 women have condition compared to 350,000 men .

d09204bfdf7b00b493182ce2767f365737e53d67

Outspoken: Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson will use a speech to attack a 'corrosive sense of entitlement' among voters . Almost nine in ten Scots receive more from the state than they pay in tax because of a ‘corrosive sense of entitlement’ north of the border, a top Tory said yesterday. Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said it was ‘frightening’ only 283,080 households – 12 per cent of the total – pay more in taxes than they get back in public services. She told the party’s annual conference in Birmingham that Scots are now so reliant on ‘the gangmaster state’ that the public sector accounts for more than half of the nation’s wealth. Miss Davidson said the ‘rotten system’ of state patronage had been fuelled by Labour and the Nationalists. The Scottish National Party, led by Alex Salmond, described her comments as her ‘Mitt Romney moment’. They said she had committed the same gaffe as the Republican presidential candidate, who was taped earlier this year appearing to write off the 47 per cent of Americans who pay no income tax. Miss Davidson said a Tory revival in Scotland was being held back because of the public sector ‘stranglehold’, which means any party that seeks to reduce the size of the state cannot make progress. ‘The rotten system of patronage which denies so many people real choices in their lives has created a corrosive sense of entitlement which suits its political gangmasters,’ she said. ‘It is staggering that public sector expenditure makes up a full 50 per cent of Scotland’s gross domestic product and only 12 per cent of households are net contributors, where the taxes they pay outweigh the benefits they receive through public spending. Policy: Davidson's views came as the Tory leadership announced more cuts to benefits . ‘Only 12 per cent are responsible for generating Scotland’s wealth. There are people with household incomes of £50,000 who are paying tens of thousands of pounds in taxation and even that doesn’t cover the amount of money that government spends in their name.’ Anger: Leading SNP politician Kenny Gibson called it Davidson's 'Mitt Romney' moment and says she will have 'insulted' the whole country . She said it was ‘frightening’ that the average Scottish household consumed £14,151 more in public services every year than it pays in tax, according to the Office for National Statistics. Those in the top 10 per cent pay £17,205 more in tax than they receive in public services. Miss Davidson added: ‘If the gangmaster state is the only provider people can see for their housing, education and employment, it’s no surprise those who seek to break the stranglehold find barriers in their way.’ Separate figures yesterday from the Centre for Policy Studies showed that – in Britain as a whole – 53.4 per cent of homes receive more in state benefits and services than they pay in taxes. In 2001 – before Labour’s spending increase – the figure was less than 44 per cent. State benefits and services include unemployment and child benefits and health and education. Describing Miss Davidson’s speech as her ‘Mitt Romney moment’, Kenny Gibson, an SNP member of the Scottish Parliament, said: ‘At least Mitt Romney only insulted around half of Americans.’

Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson says voters have 'corrosive sense of entitlement' Only 283,000 of its homes give more to the public purse than they receive, she says . Critics say she has offended all of Scotland with comments .

2b5ce3afe8acca249e8022d3179d57458fb3fb63

By . Michael Zennie and Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 23:14 EST, 11 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:01 EST, 12 April 2013 . TechCrunch blog founder Michael Arrington has denied claims he raped and physically abused an ex-girlfriend, insisting she made up the 'impossible' accusations because she was bitter he had taken up with a new lover. Arrington, a Silicon Valley kingmaker, is demanding Jenn Allen unconditionally retract a series of 'false and defamatory' statements she made about him on Facebook in recent weeks and has threatened legal action if she doesn't oblige. He also said he has involved police. Allen, herself a tech entrepreneur, claimed Arrington had physically and emotionally abused her during their eight year relationship, culminating in the alleged rape on March 5, 2012, and said he threatened to kill her if she told anyone. In a subsequent post on a news site, she claimed that Arrington had also sexually assaulted a friend. Contact: Arrington's attorney has made public a series of sexy photos, left and right, Allen sent to her ex after the alleged rape . Arrington hit back at the claims last week, calling them 'completely untrue' and said he had contacted police because of the 'gravity of the accusations.' But yesterday he published a stern and lengthy letter from his attorney Eric George to Allen on his website uncrunched.com where the lawyer insisted his client couldn't have committed the alleged rape because 'On March 5, 2012, Michael was in Washington and you were in California.' 'Your twice-repeated allegation of rape/physical abuse by Michael is not only false, but factually impossible,' George wrote. 'Michael's whereabouts are confirmed by travel records and credit card statements in my possession, and your whereabouts are proven by a photo of you at a San Francisco party at 1:05 a.m. on March 6, 2012.' The lawyer also accuses Allen of lying when she said she only contacted Arrington once after the alleged rape. Instead, he says she sent some 292 lines worth of data to him in the form of phone calls, texts and emails. Soured: Jenn Allen says she dated Michael Arrington, deemed one of the most influential men in Silicon Valley, for eight years. She is accusing him of rape and physical abuse . Accusations: This is the post that started the allegations against Arrington. Three more abuse allegations have surfaced since then . She also sent him three sexually . explicit photographs of herself the day after the alleged rape, one of which had the subject line 'For only you,' while another included a comment 'The other (pictures) are showing too much to email. Maybe if you beg. :).' Other messages Arrington received from Allen included extensive landscaping advice and a request for him to invest in her art start-up. Then, on May 2, 2012, Allen asked Arrington to be her plus-one at a wedding two weeks later in Chicago. 'You stated that he engaged in 'physical abuse' and 'emotional abuse' of you, and 'threaten[ed] to murder you if you told anyone about the physical abuse,' George wrote in Thursday's letter. 'The foregoing statements of yours, as well as those set forth below, paint a starkly different picture; they do not portray you as a victim of abuse or murder threats, but rather as a person who is distraught at a break-up, and angered that her ex-boyfriend entered into a new relationship.' The letter also refers to later communications including a April 21, 2012, message stating '(I) feel betrayed and slighted by you, and wish I wasn't alone since you decided to be with someone else so quickly. Not sure how I'm going to teach myself how to love and trust again.' Proof: The lawyer claims a photo of Allen, pictured center, at a San Francisco party at 1:05 a.m. on March 6, 2012 shows she wasn't with Arrington on the day of the alleged rape . Contact: The lawyer also accuses Allen of lying when she said she only contacted Arrington once after the alleged rape . Emails: Instead, George says Allen sent some 292 lines worth of data to him in the form of phone calls, texts and emails, like that pictured . In August 2012, Allen allegedly tweeted: . 'Mike @arrington last chance to reconcile. I[sic] you're not feeling . what I’m feeling, with the same heart, than [sic] f*** you.' The attorney also mentioned an incident on May 18, 2011, where George claims Allen emailed Arrington to tell him she was pregnant and that she planned to have an abortion the following day. 'You subsequently told Michael that you feigned the pregnancy and abortion in order to get him to communicate with you,' George wrote in the letter. Allen came forward with public accusations of rape and physical abuse late last month on Facebook. After her claims, news sites reported another allegation against Arrington - that he threw an ex-girlfriend against her bed in 1999. Arrington, who has been named one of the . most powerful people in the Internet, denied the allegations on his website on April 7 and said that he had hired lawyers to represent him against the 'offending parties.' Only for you: on March 6, 2012, Allen sent the picture, left, and in August 2012, Allen allegedly tweeted: 'Mike @arrington last chance to reconcile. I[sic] you're not feeling what I'm feeling, with the same heart, than [sic] f*** you' The claims were never reported to police. Friends and witnesses have come forward with contradicting stories . about the incidents in question. One of the alleged victims also appears . to deny that Arrington abused her. Other ex-girlfriends have said Arrington never abused them, reports TechCrunch, the blog Arrington founded in 2005. Arrington sold TechCruch to AOL in 2011 for $25million and is no longer is charge of editorial content. The controversy began on March 29 when Allen posted to her 4,700 followers: 'I loved Michael Arrington for 8+ years starting when i implemented Eurekster search at the time on Techcrunch in 2006 and throughout the years. 'i(sic) didn't know he cheated on me multiple times, then tells people it was me immediately after he did it. 'It hurts when you love someone borderline and they can't feel anything at all for you, and threaten to murder you if you told anyone about the physical abuse - all for keeping his reputation. The emotional abuse was equally bad.' Glamorous: Jenn Allen was voted 2010's 'Sexiest Female Entrepreneur.' She is the founder and CEO of RTist.com, which helps connect artists with buyers . Relationship: Allen claims Arrington threatened to kill her if she told anyone he abused her . Allen is the CEO of RTist.com, a website the connects artists with people buying art. In 2010, she accepted an award from GetBizSavvy.com for the 'Sexiest Female Entrepreneur.' When the news site Gawker reported . on the allegations, a user later confirmed to be Allen commented: . 'His lies, abuse, threats and what he did to a friend of mine 5 months . ago was unforgivable as well. He raped her, and she told me in person he . called her to confirm he did it after the fact. 'I'll leave it up to her if she ever wants to report it or say anything. This madness needs to stop, or he needs to start controlling his rage and rape "disorder."' Allen's accusations led to reports of two other incidents with his ex-girlfriends that span nearly 15 years. TechCrunch wrote: 'Rumors of similar alleged abuse have circulated in previous years amongst our peers. Many tech reporters have investigated them, but no stories had been published until those based on Allen’s posts this week.' Heavy-hitter: Arrington has been called one of the most influential and powerful voices in Silicon Valley . Stress: Allen, pictured, claimed she has PTSD as a result of the mental and physical abuse she suffered at Arrington's hands . One new allegation surfaced in early April from the former human resources manger of RealNames, a start-up company where Arrington worked starting in 1997. Cecile DeSmet Sharp told Gawker she handled a complaint from an employee who said Arrington has attacked her in her hotel room in 1999 while the two were traveling for a conference. 'I believe he threw her onto the bed. And she started kicking and he held her down really hard,' Sharp said. Sharp said the incident was 'swept under the rug' by the company because Arrington was friends and business partners with the CEO. 'I was essentially told to look the other way,' Sharp said. However, Keith Teire, who ran RealNames until it went under, told TechCrunch that he ordered a full investigation of the incident by an outside firm. 'As is normal in these circumstances an outside party was hired to conduct an investigation. This was extensive and I was never directly involved in it as I was not a witness to any events. The investigation concluded that there was no behavior to answer for. Mike was never reprimanded in any way,' he said. Series of women: Allen is only the latest in a string of beautiful and successful women with whom Arrington has been romantically linked .

Jenn Allen, who says she dated Silicon Valley titan Michael Arrington for eight years, made a post on Facebook claiming he had abused her . Allen also wrote that Arrington had raped her friend . Arrington's attorney has denied the claims and sent Allen a stern letter demanding she retract them . Says the pair were in different cities on the night of the alleged rape . Also made public sexy photos Allen sent Arrington the day after she says he raped her . Arrington founded the influential Silicon Valley blog TechCrunch and later sold it for $25million .

53b52cda132fe880d7c99b356c4fbb772c893047

(Mashable) -- New mobile photo apps such as Instagram, Picplz and Path represent the next generation of photo sharing -- where high quality photos are snapped and shared in seconds on your mobile device. Instagram and Picplz focus on the instantaneous point-and-share functionality of smart phones while providing users with filters to fancify and enhance photos and the tools to share them with the world. Path makes the same bet that users will capture important moments in their lives on their mobile devices, but instead assumes that users prefer to share these intimate memories with just friends and family. Each aims to capitalize on the convergence of key mobile and social networking trends with a closed-loop approach: users take, share and view photos entirely on their mobile device. Some history . The online photo sharing movement can be looked at in three distinct product cycles: photo-only sites, social networks and now mobile. In the early and mid 2000s there was a measurable boom in online photo sharing services. That boom brought us Flickr, Picasa, Photobucket, ImageShack and dozens more. It also led to key acquisitions -- Yahoo purchased Flickr, Google bought Picasa and Fox Interactive snatched up Photobucket -- and a widespread user interest in using the web to share photos. The trend was also fueled by the prevalence (and falling prices) of digital cameras. In the late 2000s, social networking has dramatically grown in popularity and photo sharing has become standard fare on Twitter and Facebook. These two services alone served as a catalyst for the second photo sharing boom, which had a slightly narrowed focus on instantaneous sharing to friends and followers. As of July of this year, Facebook now sees more than 100 million photo uploads every day. In 2008, TwitPic kicked off the Twitter photo sharing phenomena and dozens of copycats hurried to pile on in the hopes of a building tools for users to quickly share photos on Twitter. This instant photo sharing trend is still on-going and has mutated to include a vast array of services that have added support for posting to Twitter and Facebook, Posterous and Tumblr included. Now in 2010, mobile photo sharing products from Picplz, Instagram and Path represent the next boom in photo sharing. These startups are strategically focusing on mobile first and aiming to capitalize on both the ever-improving quality of smartphone cameras and users' desire to snap and share with ease. The trend in action . Mobile phone cameras have been around for years, but until recently poor photo quality was a deterrent that prevented device owners from using their mobile phones as their primary cameras. That's no longer the case. Now there is a vast array of smartphones available capable of producing photos that are as good, if not better than, the many digital cameras. As a result, more and more users are opting to use their mobile device to capture, save and share stunning photo memories. The common belief is that mobile users want a friction-free way to capture and post photos, minus the clunkiness and time commitment usually required when transferring photos from mobile device to desktop to web. Entrepreneurs and investors are just now starting to build or invest in mobile-only applications specifically designed with these users in mind. Path, for instance, was generating buzz long before its launch thanks to the pedigree of its founders and its all-star cast of investors, including Ron Conway, Keith Rabois, Paul Buchheit and Ashton Kutcher. It's unclear how well its private approach to mobile photo sharing is catching on, but its existence suggests there may be other unexplored roads entrepreneurs can traverse to capitalize on mobile photos. Picplz founder -- and former Imeem creater -- Dalton Caldwell is making an educated bet that mobile photo sharing will become big business. The startup landed $5 million from investment firm Andreessen Horowitz, which clearly shares the same vision. And then there's Instagram, the two month-old, hit iPhone app that signed on more than 100,000 users in its first week and is now seeing two to three photo uploads per second. Some predictions . As more mobile device owners upgrade to smartphones -- and there's still plenty of room for growth here -- and mobile cameras continue to improve in quality, more startups and businesses will form to cater to the modern conveniences that instant mobile sharing affords users. They will build for mobile first and web second, if at all. Plus, since history tends to repeat itself, we can expect Google and Yahoo to make acquisitions to stay competitive in the mobile frontier. Of course, Facebook -- particularly keen on improving its photos offering -- will also continue to make strategic acquisitions to maintain its place in the photo sharing market. © 2011 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved.

Apps such as Instagram, Picplz and Path represent next generation of photo sharing . High quality photos can be snapped and shared in seconds on your mobile device . Until recently poor photo quality was a deterrent of using mobile devices .

73c810bcbca668294ea06a10fea53cfb8b4e6ec3

By . Jill Reilly . It may still be a bit too chilly for the smell of sizzling sausages to waft over the back garden fence, but this weekend with looks set to sunny and dry for most of Britain. The prediction that temperatures in the south are set to hit a high of 17C this weekend will no doubt be welcome news to the thousands of people set to take part or watch the London Marathon on Sunday in the capital. Experts at the Met Office said the dry and bright weather was expected to continue into early next week, with temperatures up to the mid-teens, but a reminder of winter set to return for the Easter weekend. Archie, aged nine, enjoys the sunshine amongst the rape fields in Billingsley, Shropshire. It may still be a bit too chilly for the smell of sizzling sausages to waft over the back garden fence, but this weekend with looks set to sunny and dry for most of Britain . Deep blue skies and morning sunlight surrounds the many thousands of daffodils at Warkworth Castle in Northumberland on a beautiful spring day this week . The fine weather looks set to continue on Tuesday and Wednesday, with more sun on Tuesday and possible highs of 18C . A Met Office spokesperson told MailOnline today: 'It's fairly typical spring weather for the time of year over the weekend. 'It will be mainly dry with some bright spells, although there will be a bit more cloud and showers in north-west and a few showers across the country as a whole. 'Similarly into Sunday it looks generally like a decent and dry day with a fair bit of cloud, although there could be showers likely in north. He said highs of 16C and 17C will be seen in the south-east - especially London. Mia, five and her brother Leo from Poole enjoy a splash about at Bournemouth Beach, Dorset as temperatures continue to rise . Skye Addley plays in the sand at Bournemouth Beach. Experts at the Met Office said the dry and bright weather was expected to continue into early next week, with temperatures up to the mid-teens . Hollie Butterworth, 11 months, gets stuck into playtime at the Dorset beach. Following the wettest winter on record, our summer is coming earlier than normal with temperatures expected to soar above 20 degrees for the second half of April and May . Friday: A mostly dry day with sunny spells and light winds, although an isolated shower is possible. Stronger winds and outbreaks of rain are expected to reach western Scotland by evening. Outlook for Saturday to Monday: Often windy with rain or showers in northern parts of the UK. Mostly dry and bright weather further south, however, thicker cloud and some light rain is possible at times. 'Going through the week the weather looks fairly settled. 'Looks like high pressure will start to move away at the end of the week and Thursday and Friday will be more unsettled,' he added. 'There will be a chance of showers along with spells of rain early next week, but by the time you get into Saturday and Sunday on Easter weekend there will be a split. 'The north-west will be cloudy and rainy while the south will be sunnier and warmer. Yesterday the Met Office tweeted to warn hayfever sufferers about a 'high' pollen count in the London area, and a 'medium' count for the rest of the country. Wild goats in Llandudno Country park, Wales. Wardens at Llandudno Country park are due to start their annual count of the area's wild goat population this week . The annual kid count will check how many youngsters have been born this year and if any have been born to females who have been given the birth control vaccine . Britain currently has one of the highest rates of hay fever in the world with about 25 per cent of the population suffering. It is believed that the number of sufferers is likely to more than double to 32million by 2030. If you are affected, it can be helpful to avoid going outside when the pollen count is high - normally from early to mid-morning - and to avoid cutting the grass. According to the Met Office's latest report Britain is set for a six-week heatwave, . The report reads: 'Latest predictions for UK-mean temperature favour above-average temperatures for April and April-May as a whole.' Swimmers enjoying the warm Spring sun in the Hathersage outdoor pool in the Peak District . Swimmers took advantage of the warmer weather by jumping in the pool .

Temperatures in the south set to hit a pleasant 17C this Sunday - good news for the London Marathon competitiors . But Bank Holiday weekend will be 'changeable' after week of sunshine . Met Office predict Britain will see 'above-average temperatures for April and April-May-June as a whole' Summer is coming earlier than normal - temperatures expected to soar above 20 degrees for the second half of April .

84f30a1b723b38eb519f5da6a482272ed4892ef9

By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 14:25 EST, 14 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:53 EST, 15 April 2013 . The Queen's cousin The Duke of Kent lay a wreath at a remembrance service today just weeks after suffering a stroke. The 77-year-old was taken ill in March and treated at a London hospital. But today Prince Michael joined his comrades - fellow Scots Guards veterans - for their annual 'Black Sunday' remembrance march from Wellington Barracks, in London, to lay a wreath at the Guards Memorial. Feeling better: The Queen's cousin The Duke of Kent who recently suffered a stroke joins Scots Guards for a memorial service . Last month Buckingham Palace confirmed the duke had suffered a 'mild stroke' but that it was 'not thought to be serious'. The duke is the son of the late Prince George, the fourth son of the Queen's grandfather King George V. He inherited his title following the death of his father in a plane crash in 1942. The duke is president of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club and presents the trophies at the Wimbledon competition every year. He has also been president of the charity Stroke Association for the past 20 years. Recovering: The 77-year-old was taken ill in March and treated at a London hospital but was back on public duties today . The Duke of Kent joined Scots Guards veterans for their annual 'Black Sunday' remembrance service . The Duke of Kent graduated from Sandhurst in 1955 as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Scots Greys. He then served with his regiment at home and overseas in a military career that spanned 21 years. Following a tour in Hong Kong in 1962-63, he attended the Army staff course in 1966 and then served on the staff in Eastern Command. In 1970 he commanded a squadron of his regiment serving in Cyprus as part of the United Nations force. The Duke retired from the Army in 1976 with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He was subsequently promoted to Field Marshal in June 1993. The Duke retains close links to the Army. He holds a number of senior appointments, and visits his regiments on a regular basis, including travelling to Iraq in 2006 to meet members of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and in 2008 to Afghanistan and Iraq to meet members of the Scots Guards.

The 77-year-old suffered a mild stroke in March and was treated in hospital . He joined Scots Guards veterans at Wellington Barracks in London . The duke served as a British army officer for two decades .

1dc8ae83e91e8e93e4ae9daa6068ac66f703fb09

Kazakhstan today issued an official ‘thank you’ to Sacha Baron Cohen for his comedy character Borat who lampooned its people. His 2006 film depicting a mock Kazakh TV journalist led to a huge boost in tourism and helped put the oil-rich former Soviet state on the map, Foreign Minister Yerzhan Kazykhanov admitted in parliament. 'I salute ‘Borat’ for helping attract tourists to Kazakhstan,' he said. Offense: Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat was initially met with outrage by Kazachstan . 'With the release of this film, the number of visas issued by Kazakhstan grew tenfold.' It took six years for the a top Kazakh official to admit anything other than disgust at the portrayal of his country in Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Earlier the movie was banned in Kazakhstan, and tensions were inflamed when the Olympic Committee of Asia accidentally played Borat’s spoof Kazakh national anthem during an awards ceremony for shooting medals in Kuwait. Yet despite the diplomatic blunder, The Kazakh athlete who was the recipient . of the major error, Maria Dmitrienko, refused to be flustered, and . continued to the end of the made-up song. The . rest of her shooting team, for who she has just won the gold medal for, . were less than impressed however, and demanded the ceremony be re-run . as well as a full apology made. Cringewothy: The viewing of the Borta movie was painful for Kazachstan - but the interest in the country is caused led to a tenfold increase in visa requests . Among the lyrics was the verse: 'Kazakhstan’s prostitutes cleanest in the region. 'Except of course Turkmenistan’s' The Kazakh embassy in London was put under 'strict orders' to ensure British officials are aware of the correct anthem to ensure no embarrassing repeat at the London Olympics in July. Kazakh competitors are also being trained in their own anthem so they can immediately protest if the spoof version in played. Many of the country’s Olympic team are ethnic Russians who do not speak Kazakh, so they are being given a crash course in the words.

Foreign Minister reveals visa requests have increased tenfold since 2006 film . He tells Sacha Baron Cohen: 'I salute you'

8bf0962b7530b6424aec99cffe8346af10fc16a0

By . Adam Shergold . PUBLISHED: . 08:16 EST, 23 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:58 EST, 23 November 2012 . Jailed: Ian Poulton, 33, was sentenced to five years after a sex toy he was carrying in his trousers was mistaken for a handgun by terrified residents in the Hadley area of Telford, Shropshire . A thug who sparked an armed police raid when terrified residents mistook a sex toy for a gun has been jailed for five years. Ian Poulton, 33, was arrested when 15 officers armed with machine guns swooped on a quiet street in Telford, Shropshire in May this year. Police were alerted when residents reported seeing a man with a concealed weapon tucked into the waistband of his trousers. But it turned out the suspected handgun was actually a sex toy. Poulton, from Wellington, Shropshire, was jailed for five years after he admitted possessing an item which had the appearance of a handgun with intent to cause fear of violence. He also admitted at Shrewsbury Crown Court to assaulting his neighbour Jose Luis Candelaria, causing him actual bodily harm, on the same day. Jailing Poulton, Judge Robin Onions said: 'It was clearly not a gun, be it imitation or real. 'It was an entirely innocent object. It was the defendant's intention to deceive. 'Witnesses thought is was a firearm so he has to take the consequences.' Poulton also pleased guilty to separate charges of causing criminal damage to a police car and laptop and aggravated vehicle taking. He was also banned from driving for three years and made the subject of three restraining orders. Rhiannon Jones, prosecuting, said shortly after 2pm on May 22, witnesses thought they had seen a man carrying a gun in the Hall Gardens area of Hadley. Armed swoop: Poulton was arrested by machine gun-wielding police in the Hall Gardens part of Hadley, Telford on May 22. He assaulted a neighbour on the same day, the court heard . When armed police arrived minutes later, arrested Poulton and seized the weapon, they discovered it was in fact a 'sex aid'. Speaking at the time of the incident, West Mercia Police said: 'A member of the public reported to us that a man had been seen with a firearm in the Hall Gardens area of Hadley. 'Any reports of firearm incidents are taken seriously and we send resources according to the anticipated threat level.'

Police swooped on Ian Poulton, 33, in an area of Telford after terrified residents mistook a sex toy for a handgun . He was jailed for five years at Shrewsbury Crown Court for intent to cause fear of violence . Poulton also assaulted a neighbour on the same day and had several other convictions .

3abcc31b5e21a8c331a36073013483cac15af951

By . Jenny Hope and Louise Eccles . PUBLISHED: . 16:04 EST, 5 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:33 EST, 5 April 2013 . Smiling through: Lily Cater, 9, with her mother Michala who is living a normal life after doctors said she would never recover from her heart defect . A mother has told how her daughter’s life was saved by heart surgery – despite doctors at Leeds General Infirmary claiming ‘nothing could be done’ for her. Michala Cater, 39, claims she was told that her two-year-old daughter Lily would not recover from her congenital heart defect and that she should ‘go away and enjoy the time she had left’ with her. But after seeking a second opinion, Lily had surgery at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. The nine-year-old is now living a normal life. Mrs Cater, of Bradford, believes Lily would be dead if she had listened to the consultant cardiologist at Leeds seven years ago. At eight months old, Lily was diagnosed with pulmonary atresia, or ‘blue baby syndrome’ – when the pulmonary artery that carries blood to the lungs fails to develop properly. Mrs Cater claims doctors at the heart unit said she would probably not live beyond five years old. Then, when she was two, Lily took a turn for the worst. She was constantly blue and struggled to walk any distance. ‘We waited six months for the doctors to have a clinical meeting to discuss what to do,’ Mrs Cater said. ‘When we finally spoke to the cardiologist, he said he had spoken to a surgeon and there was nothing they could do for her. ‘He said she wouldn’t get on a heart transplant list because they couldn’t say for definite that she only had two months to live, but you could see how ill she was.’ In danger: Mr and Mrs Cater were told that Lily would not recover when she was two years old by Leeds General Infirmary. She was constantly blue and struggling to walk. Mrs Cater and her husband Paul, a window . cleaner, found an American surgeon who had performed operations on . patients similar to Lily. The surgeon asked the couple to send him Lily’s medical notes – which Mrs Cater says the hospital took over one month to send. It was only when Mrs Cater contacted a local newspaper to speak out about Lily’s poor treatment, that she says she received a call from her cardiologist. Happy family: Parents Michala and Paul found out about life saving surgery for Lily when they spoke to an American surgeon who offered to help them . Seriously ill: Lily Cater made a recovery after Birmingham Children's Hospital undertook the intricate surgery . ‘He said “Why do you want to go to America for this operation, it can be done at Birmingham and Newcastle”. ‘I was shocked. We didn’t understand why he hadn’t mentioned this before. ‘He said we could try Birmingham but that they probably wouldn’t be able to do anything. Quality of life: As soon as Lily went to the hospital in Birmingham they promised they could help her . ‘As soon Birmingham saw Lily’s notes, they promised they could help her and at least give her a better quality of life.’ Leeds General Infirmary has strongly denied ‘any suggestion’ that they ‘would act improperly either by restricting referrals or by failing to carry out surgery where either of these actions was the right thing to do’.

Leeds Infirmary told mother to ‘enjoy the time she had left’ with Lily . It was only when Michala Cater had second opinion Lily's life was saved . Mrs Cater thinks Lily would be dead if she had listened to Leeds doctors .

86e261c47aefb81d2a1d4dcff70acec2418929c1

By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 14:11 EST, 7 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:56 EST, 7 January 2013 . Poachers have killed a family of 11 elephants in the biggest mass shooting of the animals on record in Kenya, wildlife officials have said. A gang of about ten attackers hacked off the elephants' tusks in Tsavo East National Park, on Saturday, in the latest sign of a resurgence of demand for ivory jewellery and ornaments, mainly coming from Asia. The Kenya Wildlife Service has now said foot, dog and aerial units were hunting the gang. An elephant forages at the Tsavo East National Park last year, the scene of the latest mass shooting which saw a family of 11 of the animals die . In a statement the service said: 'The entire family of 11 elephants have been confirmed poached and tusks chopped off. All the carcasses had bullet wounds.' Elephant poaching in Kenya declined sharply after 1989 when the government banned trade in ivory. But there has been a rise in the illegal practice in recent years. Kenya Wildlife Service spokesman Paul Udo said the latest killing was the worst single incident of its kind recorded in the East African country. He said: '(It) shows the great lengths these criminal cartels are ready to go to get ivory. It's really tragic.' Demand for ornamental ivory is rising fast in Asia in tandem with growing Chinese influence and investment in Africa. A Kenya Wildlife Service senior warden in 2008 holds one of hundreds of ivory tusks captured by his men from poachers at the park . In May, 359 tusks weighing 1.6 tonnes impounded in Sri Lanka were found to have come from Kenya's Mombasa port. Police found 214 tusks worth $1.32 million hidden in a coffin and fertiliser bags in neighbouring Tanzania in October. The force said smugglers had planned to transport the ivory to Kenya for onward shipment to Asia.

Family of elephants killed and tusks hacked off in Tsavo East National Park . Kenya Wildlife Service has said a hunt is underway for gang of ten poachers . The killings is the biggest mass shooting of the animals seen in Kenya . Wildlife officials blame ivory trade, which has seen recent resurgence .

94d172b410b6d7133b7070b407e32d66ac8d86ef

Determined Kurdish forces have been striking back against advancing ISIS militants in a besieged town on the Syrian-Turkish border. In a dramatic firefight taking place this evening, the forces could be seen advancing onto the ridgeline occupied by ISIS extremists near the Kurdish town of Kobani. Dozens of Kurdish spectators gathered just metres away to cheer on the fighters in a chorus of deafening shouts and applause, as red flares from tracer bullets propelled across the darkening sky. Footage of the live firefight was filmed from the Turkish side of the embattled border, which has been under attack from ISIS extremists for the past ten days. Scroll down for video . Dozens of spectators cheered on the fighters in a chorus of deafening shouts and applause, as bouts of fire were seen shooting across the blackened sky in a live firefight filmed by CNN on the Turkish-Syrian border between ISIS militants and Kurdish forces . A reporter for CNN, which aired the live fight, said this evening's battle had caused a blow to ISIS militants, with injuries reported and several casualties seen being carried away from the bloody scene. ISIS has been making progress in the area for more than a week, advancing a few miles each day and forcing a human tide of Syrians - many of them ethnic Kurds - to flee to Turkey. Today, a baby's cot was among the items left abandoned by fleeing Syrians, as women, children and the elderly escaped their homes amid heavy fighting between ISIS fighters and Kurdish forces. The ongoing clashes around the town - also known as Ayn Arab - have already sent more than 150,000 refugees into the Turkish province of Sanliurfa - the largest single outflow of refugees since Syria's conflict began more than three years ago. Today, Turkish Kurds gathered about 100metres from Turkish ground to see the fighting between ISIS and Kurdish forces in the next village on the Syrian side . The crowd watched as ISIS fighters attempted to advance with heavy weaponry on the strategic Kurdish border town of Kobani, which they have surrounded on three sides . Kurdish supporters spent hours watching the dramatic scenes unfold, sometimes allowing the support to descend into a chorus of applause and cheering . Syrian refugee children cross into Turkey at the Syrian-Turkish border near the province of Sanliurfa, Turkey, today, as ISIS militants advance on a besieged border town . This helpless young child is one of the hundreds of youngsters who have been forced to leave the border town of Kobani, leaving parts of the landscape virtually deserted . A Syrian refugee woman carries a child as she crosses into Turkey. In recent days, Turkey has seen the 'biggest influx' of Syrian refugees - many of them ethnic Kurds - since the start of the war three years ago . Hundreds of children, such as these two young girls pictured left and right, were seen waiting at the border, as their families tried to reach safety . A spokeswoman for the UN agency for refugees (UNHCR) said Turkey had now seen the biggest influx of refugees in the past three years, since ISIS descended on the embattled area . The Turkish government figure includes about 140,000 people who fled Kurdish villages in northern Syria to escape the ongoing attack by ISIS militants . ISIS fighters launched the offensive against Syrian Kurds last week, forcing inhabitants to flee across the border . Islamic State has maintained its grip on territory on three sides of the strategic town, with sporadic clashes continuing today amid the firing of heavy weapons fire heard . The start of attacks in the area appeared to spark a state of panic within the Kurdish community and Turkish soldiers were deployed to stem the relentless flow into their country . A spokesman for the UN agency for refugees (UNHCR) said the number of refugees had dramatically increased since ISIS engulfed the town on three sides and said it represented the largest exodus of refugees from the war-torn country in the past three years. The latest fighting comes after U.S.-led coalition warplanes struck the border town for the first time, sparking a retaliation of shelling from the jihadi fighters. The U.S. Central Command said the air strikes, carried out earlier today, destroyed an ISIS building and two armed vehicles. Nawaf Khalil, a spokesman for Syria's Kurdish Democratic Union Party, or PYD, said the jihadi fighters later shelled the town, wounding a number of civilians. One of the mortars blew a large hole in an empty minibus parked near Tavsanli, a nearby village. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the coalition's strikes came amid heavy fighting between ISIS and members of the Kurdish force, known as the People's Protection Units, or YPK. Dozens of people wounded in the fighting arrived in Turkey for treatment on Saturday, it said. Women and children alike were seen carrying their belongings across the border, joining the mass exodus of Syrian refugees who have already fled to Turkey . The refugees were seen sitting in a truck after crossing the border near the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province, Turkey . The refugees waited behind metal gates before crossing the border into Turkey. The images came as U.S.-led coalition warplanes struck the border town for the first time . The refugees crossed the border in a bus, looking back on the fighting that is now dominating the border town . These refugees - many of them children, women and elderly - are leaving behind their homes in a bid to try and find safety across the border . Most of those seen moving across into Turkey were women and children. Many stopped to rest one they had crossed into safety . Many are forced to wait once they arrived in Turkey, unsure where they are next to go . This baby's cot was left abandoned by fleeing Syrians near the virtually-deserted area near to the border . Authorities in the border province of Sanliurfa have now blocked the main road to the Syrian border as security worsens in the area. Meanwhile, Turkish Kurds living in the region were seen gathered about 100metres from the Turkish ground watching the fighting between the two sides. Hundreds of Kurds broke yesterday through the Turkish border into Syrian territory to join Kurdish forces - known as the Protection of the Kurdish People - battling ISIS militants around the town. The Syrian Kurdish forces have long been one of the most effective fighting units battling ISIS, but the tide has turned in recent weeks as the militants have attacked with heavy weapons, believed to belong to neighboring Iraq. Kobani sits on a road linking north and north-western Syria. Kurdish control of the town has prevented ISIS fighters from consolidating their gains. The United States and five Arab allies launched an aerial campaign against ISIS in Syria early on Tuesday with the aim of crushing the extremist group. Elsewhere, hundreds of Kurdish activists and their supporters have protested in Paris to denounce violence by ISIS and demand greater Western support against the militants. Waving flags and chanting Kurdish songs, as many as 2,000 demonstrators marched to demand greater firepower from the West to help the outgunned Kurds stave off assaults by ISIS. Syrian Kurds, fleeing an onslaught by the jihadist ISIS group, cross the border between Syria and Turkey at the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province . This young child was seen clutching a balloon as his mother carried him across the border . Children rest on a pile of their family belongings after crossing the border . Refugees waited in a short sand storm at the Syrian-Turkish border . A Turkish soldier covered his face as he waited for the short sand storm to pass . In London, Oxford Street was brought to a standstill as Kurdish protesters called on countries to unite against ISIS. Scuffles broke out with police at one point as the demonstrators chanted and waved placards to condemn the militant group's brutal attacks in the Middle East. Akif Rizgar Wan, the UK representative of the Kurdistan National Congress, said he backed British air strikes in Iraq and called on the UK Government to target Isis in Syria as well. 'Kurdish people are being killed, thousands of them. It is inhumane. We are against ISIS killing innocent people, specifically the vulnerable, women and elderly people.' A Turkish soldier guards on the Syrian borderline in the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province of Turkey . A Turkish soldier stands guarded as Kurdish Syrian refugees desperately wait to cross to Turkey in the Turkish-Syrian border . Syrian Kurdish men were seen trying to get water distributed by Turkish Red Crescent as they wait behind the border fences to cross into Turkey . The attacks appeared to spark a state of panic within the Kurdish community and Turkish soldiers were deployed to stem the relentless flow into their country . Turkish soldiers stand guard as the refugees wait behind the gate at the border .

Kurdish forces are fighting back against ISIS militants in Syrian border town, injuring several of jihadist fighters . Dozens of Kurdish spectators lined border to cheer on fighters, as tracer bullets shot across darkened sky . Today, more Syrian refugees streamed across to Turkey in bid to flee advancing militants on Syrian-Turkish border . Some 150,000 people - many of them ethnic Kurds - have fled since ISIS launched offence in Kobani last week . UN agency for refugees say it is the largest single outflow of refugees since Syria's conflict began three years ago . U.S-led coalition airplanes struck area today for first time, amid continued fighting between ISIS and Kurdish forces .

4e0d25a978cd2a35afa72230d787097366884c29

A strip club will open for the first time in an Atlantic City casino . A strip club will open for the first time inside an Atlantic City casino as gambling venues try to halt a decline in revenue worth billions of dollars. Scores, the famous New York strip club, will open a satellite establishment inside the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort next month. Although burlesque nights are regularly held in the resort city, it will be the first strip club to open inside one of the world famous casinos since gambling was legalized 35 years ago. Bob Gans, the Trump Taj Mahal's managing partner, said a strip club is a 'natural' next step. He said: 'We feel this is the third leg of the Atlantic City triangle: gambling, alcohol and adult entertainment.' Atlantic City has suffered from a drop visitor numbers since 2006 when the first casino opened in Pennsylvania. In the past eight years revenue has fallen from $5.2billion to just over $3billion as it has struggled with new competition. Thousands of jobs have been lost in the decline that shows no signs of ending. In addition to family-friendly . attractions like a revamped Steel Pier amusement park, the return of the . Miss America pageant and free outdoor light shows on Boardwalk Hall, . Atlantic City has been looking for other ways to separate people and . their money. The seaside resort has a century-old reputation as an adult . playground, so it's somewhat surprising it took this long for strippers . to make their way inside the gambling halls. Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort will be the first Atlantic City casino to have a strip club when it opens next month . Mr Gans is investing $25million in the . newest Scores, which will open September 12 with five private VIP rooms, 11 . stripper poles and an ultra-VIP room for celebrities and high-rollers. Cover charges will range from $10 to $30. The club's Diamond Dollars, which cash-strapped customers can charge to . their credit cards, come with a steep 20 per cent markup: $100 worth of . club dollars costs $120. New Jersey laws governing casinos prohibit total nudity so strippers at Scores can only undress to G-strings and pasties - small fabric patches that cover nipples. Lap dances are . prohibited, as is any simulation of sexual activity. Mr Gans is confident Scores will succeed, even in a city with four other strip clubs, including one with all-nude dancers. New Jersey laws governing casinos mean strippers must keep at least a G-string and pasties on . 'There . are 30million people who come to Atlantic City every year. 'You have the safety of a hotel casino, and we have the right brand and . the know-how to do something that hasn't been done before. We can be the . Pied Piper here.' While . Las Vegas is known for its racy offerings, there are no strip clubs . inside any Sin City casinos. One . pool venture did not fare as well. The Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino . partnered with a strip club to run a topless pool at the casino, but . the casino shut it down in 2009 after an undercover bust resulted in 11 . arrests for various prostitution charges.

The strip club will open at Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort next month . First strip club in the city's casinos since gambling legalized 35 years ago . Casinos seen $2.2billion drop in revenue since 2006 .

75829f2f3039133c6a59e4dbc3739a011d0eb614

By . Richard Shears . and Leesa Smith for Daily Mail Australia . A leading New Zealand fashion designer has sent critics and fans on the warpath after staging a show featuring American Indian feather headdresses. Dame Trelise Cooper has now issued a grovelling apology for featuring the spectacular headdresses in her show as part of New Zealand fashion week, admitting it was a mistake due to her ignorance. Critics took to social media to pan the headdress feature as culturally obnoxious, one asking if it would now be in order to bind Dame Trelise's feet like the Chinese used to do to women in times gone by. Dame Trelise Cooper's Indian headdresses have caused an uproar on social media . Cooper posted an apology on her Facebook page saying she genuinely respected all cultures . In an apology she posted on Facebook, the fashion guru said today that she genuinely respected and honoured all cultures, races and religions. 'It was never my intention to disrespect another culture. 'It is my hope that through my mistake and ignorance, like me, people now know and are aware of the sacredness of the head dress to Native Americans,' she wrote. 'To those who I have offended, I sincerely apologise.' Cooper's apology received a mixed reaction among the hundreds of comments . The headdresses featured in her show as part of the New Zealand fashion week 2014 . The designer's Facebook page has exploded with comments opposed to the Indian theme. 'This is appallingly offensive cultural appropriation. I see you're deleting comments about this too. 'Would love to see some accountability for this - you put it on the runway, you have to defend your poor choices,' Morgan Ashworth posted after Cooper's apology. While other fashion fans didn't perceive the look as offensive and couldn't see what all of the fuss was about. 'This is getting ridiculous, did anyone ever b***h about the Indian dude from The Village People?? I love going to fancy dress parties as an Indian Chief and am looking forward to doing it again in the near future, just to p*** off the over-sensitive clowns that society seems to spew forth on a more than regular basis,' Paul Silva ranted. Moroni Saseve agreed saying: 'these people need to get over themselves. take a chill pill or a kit kat'. Some of the social media users who aren't criticising the designer's choice of fashion headgear . Cooper she made the mistake through her ignorance of the sacredness of the headdress to Native Americans . However, The New Zealand Herald reported that among Dame Trelise's fiercest critics was Melbourne-based lawyer Di White who told the designer in a social media comment that 'Indian headdresses are not yours to wear. 'This is cultural appropriation and super offensive.' Claiming that the show was an attempt to profit off people's hurt, Ms White delivered a further blow by declaring that she had long believed Dame Trelise to be 'the most boring, unimaginative fashion designer in NZ and cheap shots like this just prove it.' Another critic, Rosie Wong, asked whether 'in protest, can we bind your feet like Chinese women did back in the day? Or is breaking your feet not hipster enough? I get so confused these days about what's hot and what's not.' The Herald reported that Dame Trelise said that she had seen feather headdresses worn as a 'fun thing' on her travels in the US and Ibiza recently. In her defence today, Fashion Week managing director Dame Pieter Stewart said on TV3s Firstline that Dame Trelise meant no offence with the garments. 'It was beautiful, to be honest,' she told the program. 'It's a beautiful culture. 'Designers draw their inspiration from all sorts of things and she drew her inspiration obviously from the Indian culture.' It is not the first time Indian headdresses worn by models have created uproar. The French fashion house Chanel raised controversy in December when it used headdresses and American lingerie company Victoria's Secret was forced to apologise after using the garments in 2012. Many fans hit out at Cooper following her apology on her Facbook page .

Dame Trelise Cooper has caused an uproar by featuring Indian feather headdresses in her show at New Zealand fashion week . The headwear sparked outrage on social media claiming Cooper was being culturally insensitive . While other fashion fans have expressed the design was not a big deal .

8df6e0123937f2ba3e19d0054554f80a0a5a1deb

Brendan Rodgers said this week that Steven Gerrard is 'arguably the best player who's ever played in the Premier League', but the Liverpool captain didn't make his manager's all-time XI in 2012. Rodgers, who dropped Gerrard for Saturday's 1-0 win over Stoke, confirmed that the veteran midfielder has been offered a new contract at Liverpool and told reporters: 'I love working with Steven Gerrard, he's arguably the best player who's ever played in the Premier League.' In April 2012 though, appearing as a guest on Match of the Day 3, Rodgers picked Paul Scholes and Roy Keane as his midfield duo in his all-time Premier League XI, with Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola playing slightly in front of the Manchester United pair. Steven Gerrard prepares to come off the bench against Stoke City on Saturday . Gerrard replaced Lucas Leiva with Liverpool going on to score a late winner through Glen Johnson . Rodgers appears on BBC Match of the Day 3 while Swansea manager back in April 2012 . Brendan Rodgers' all-time Premier League XI . Clarifying his selection, the then-Swansea manager said: 'I went for a sort of triangle in midfield with Scholes, who is one of the best passers of the ball in the duration of the Premier League. 'A wee bit of bite in there with Roy Keane: win it, give it. 'And I guy who invented for me what I call the Zola zone - that space in between the midfield and the front line. (It was a) tough choice between him and Bergkamp.' Gerrard didn't get a mention. Two weeks later, Rodgers brought the subject up again in an interview, heaping more praise on Scholes. He told the Daily Star: 'I’ve loved watching him (Scholes). I’ve got such admiration for his game. He is a wonderful example of a British player. 'I was asked to pick my best Premier League team and he was the first player I picked – I can’t compliment him any higher than that.' Less than a month after that interview Rodgers had left Swansea to take the job on offer at Liverpool. Liverpool finished seventh in his first season in charge and second in May, coming agonisingly close to winning the title before Gerrard's unfortunate slip gifted Chelsea victory in a crucial game at the end of the season. Clearly, Gerrard has done enough in the last two-and-a-half years to convince his manager that he should have been in that original XI. Rodgers was full of praise for former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes .

Liverpool have offered Steven Gerrard a new contract . Gerrard was dropped from starting XI for Saturday's 1-0 win over Stoke . Brendan Rodgers says Gerrard arguably best ever Premier League player . But Gerrard did not make Rodgers' all-time Premier League XI in 2012 .

bfc3762fc65cadb4677771b5066a33a79ee519b5

By . Niamh Walsh And Simon Watkins . Cheryl Cole has mysteriously closed down a £2.5 million Irish company which has apparently helped her avoid paying hundreds of thousands of pounds in UK corporation tax in the last three years. The company, Tara Entertainments Ltd, set up in 2011, was widely seen as a way of paying a lower rate of company tax on her international earnings than would be owed in Britain. But both Tara and its British-based parent company CC Entertainments International were put into voluntary liquidation in the last two months, suggesting that the star is keen to avoid accusations that she is dodging tax. Scroll down for video . Cheryl Cole with Michael Spencer at a charity event. Cole has recently closed an Irish company . The move came just days before Gary Barlow and two other members of Britain’s most successful boy band, Take That, learned that they owed millions in unpaid tax after an investment vehicle they had been using was ruled to be a tax avoidance scheme. While Cole’s actions are perfectly legal, the last accounts for Tara showed assets of £2.5 million at the end of 2012, suggesting earnings of at least this much have been funnelled through the company. If so, the singer would have avoided paying more than £200,000 in tax that would have been owed in Britain. This is the difference between the standard corporation tax rate of 12.5 per cent in the republic – compared to 21 per cent in the UK. Cheryl Cole's company CC Entertainments International Ltd has been wound up . Meanwhile, documents for the  liquidation of the UK company, CC Entertainments – which in 2013 only declared £1 in net assets – now show it has cash of £1.88 million, which is likely to be paid to Cole as the company’s sole owner once liquidation is complete. If the money has been moved from Ireland to the UK, taxes could be liable on that amount. But last night a leading accountant said that Cole could add to her savings by declaring the windfall as a capital gain, liable for 10 per cent tax under business tax relief rules – as opposed to paying up to 45 per cent income tax on declared income. Gary Barlow (left) used a tax avoidance scheme that left him owing millions; Olly Murs (right) channelled more than £400,000 through his Irish company in 2012 . ‘[Irish companies] are a very popular way of lowering the amount of corporation tax owed compared to that in the UK,’ he said. ‘When you bring your money back into Britain, if you liquidate your company, the money can be drawn out as a capital gain which means you only pay 10 per cent tax.’ Neither Cole’s Irish accountant nor her spokesman would comment last night, but company filings seen by The Mail on Sunday confirm Cole’s role in the company: ‘Tara Entertainments was 100 per cent owned by CC Entertainments International Ltd a company registered in the UK. The directors consider the ultimate parent undertaking and controlling party of the company to be Cheryl Cole.’ Tara and CC Entertainments International were set up with the help of Irish music industry accountant Alan McEvoy, who is the accountant for some of the UK and Ireland’s biggest names in music. He lists money-making machine One Direction, JLS and a host of other stars among his clients. Last year it was reported that another client, former X Factor star Olly Murs, incurred an Irish tax bill of €61,735 (£49,067) on earnings of €516,816 (£410,765) through his Irish company in 2012 – much less than he would have paid in the UK. McEvoy also acts for Ronan Keating and his estranged wife Yvonne, and has also looked after Boyzone and Girls Aloud. Just this month, McEvoy set up a company with One Direction member Harry Styles called HSA Publishing Ltd – adding to suggestions that the heart-throb star may be about to launch a solo career. A statement on McEvoy’s website reads: ‘Our strength lies in bespoke financial and accounting packages to suit the client. Our services can range from dealing with a client once a year regarding tax compliance to dealing with a client on a week to week basis on their financial and accounting management.’ Cole’s rearrangement of her financial affairs comes amid growing condemnation of all forms of tax avoidance in the UK. In the last two years companies such as Amazon, Apple, Starbucks and Google have been heavily criticised for declaring their profits in Ireland and other low tax jurisdictions, while celebrities have also come under the HMRC spotlight. HM Revenue & Customs always refuses to comment on individual cases but has previously emphasised it will not ‘tolerate abuse of the system’.

Geordie singer wound up company that apparently helped her avoid hundreds of thousands of pounds in UK corporation tax . Cole’s actions are legal; last accounts for Tara showed assets of £2.5 million at the end of 2012 . Corporation tax rate is 12.5% in republic – compared to 21% in UK .

5fca80f5d24225a9391643e3e7a54713cf0a4699

It was business as usual for Andy Murray on the opening day of Wimbledon, as the British No1 began the defence of his men's singles title with a straight-forward victory over David Goffin. The British No 1 admitted he had been nervous about returning to the court where he so memorably won Olympic gold and became Wimbledon champion, but he showed no signs of anxiety as he brushed aside his diminutive opponent 6-1, 6-4, 7-5 in just over two hours. Murray said: 'I thought it was a very high standard of match. He was maybe a little bit nervous at the beginning, but the level was very high in the second and third sets. I was glad to finish it in three because he was playing very well. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Sportsmail's Williamson and Whitwell's update from day one . Game on: Andy Murray cruised through to the second round on Centre Court . Stretching: Murray plays an overhead shot on his way to victory on the opening Monday . Stretch: Murray was never troubled by David Goffin as he made a good start to the defence of his title . He's back: Murray was on Centre Court for the first time since he won the title last year . 'Sometimes you can win in three sets and not play well, but I struck the ball well today and it was a good start. 'It . was nice (to be announced as the defending champion). I was nervous . this morning and on Sunday and walking to the court brings back lots of . good memories. 'I got a nice round of applause but now it's time to move onto this year and try to play my best.' The . Centre Court crowd's warm, appreciative roar to greet their men's . champion when he walked out at 1pm provided a moment to savour from a . British perspective. We have waiting a long time for such a moment, . after all. Yet it also . seemed to overwhelm Goffin, who won the toss but elected to receive and, . despite earning a break point in the Scot's opening service game, was . quickly 3-0 down and floundering. VIDEO Wimbledon Day One - Review . Defending champion: Murray is looking to win the Wimbledon title for the second successive year . Breather: Murray wipes sweat off his forehead in between games . Overwhelmed: Goffin was outclassed by Murray on Centre Court . Andy's girls: Murray was watched by his girlfriend Kim Sears (left) and new coach Amelie Mauresmo (right) The . first set was little more than a procession for Murray, who pounced on . the Goffin serve without relinquishing anything on his own. The Scot has . never lost to a Belgian or a player ranked outside the top 100 at a . Grand Slam and apparently had no intention of seeing either record on . Monday. Goffin recovered . his composure slightly in the second set, showing more of the graceful . elegance that should help him on the grass, but a similar pattern . continued. Murray raced through his service games and Goffin struggled . to win his, giving the 23-year-old little chance to recover from going a . break down early in the set. By . the third, however, Goffin had grown in confidence and began to change . things up, coming into the net and competing more strongly with Murray . on his own serve. He still made little impact on the British No1's . serve, but took the set to 5-5 before squandering a 40-15 lead to . finally give Murray that precious break of serve. The Scot wrapped up a comprehensive victory with an ace and then a pump of the fist. Now onto the next one. Hello mum: Judy Murray was in her customary seat to watch her soon charge through .

British No 1 wins 6-1, 6-4, 7-5 in just over two hours . Murray wrapped up victory in the third set with an ace . Murray admitted to nerves before returning to centre court .

055d0a178341eb849c9f99a6e801b660b44ff784

(CNN) -- A roadside bomb attack Thursday in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, injured the nation's interior minister and killed one of his secretaries, according to a source close to the minister. The Bakaraha market in Somalia's capital is one of the most dangerous areas of the city. The mid-day attack on Abdukadir Ali Omar, a member of the transitional government, left him with shrapnel wounds to his leg. The extent of his injuries was unclear, said the source, who requested anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the media. The explosion occurred about noon at the Bakaraha market, in one of the most dangerous areas of the city. The interior minister is a popular moderate who led assaults against Ethiopian forces during their invasion of Somalia. Ethiopian troops invaded the country at its request in December 2006. The Ethiopian invasion ousted the Islamic Courts Union, an Islamic movement that had claimed control of Mogadishu earlier that year. Thursday's attack on Ali Omar fueled concerns that moderate Islamists would strike out against the hardline Al-Shabab, which is suspected in the explosion. Al-Shabab -- which the United States has designated a terror organization -- warmly welcomed a recent call for the overthrow of Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Somalia's new president. The call, delivered via an audio recording, purportedly came from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. -- Journalist Mohamed Amin Adow contributed to this report.

Attack on Abdukadir Ali Omar left him with shrapnel wounds to his leg . Explosion occurred about noon at the Bakaraha market in Mogadishu . Interior minister is a popular moderate in Somalia . Fueled concerns moderate Islamists would strike against hardline Al-Shabab .

d6a8e5853376e5bd234342206469be72f29b98da

Daniel Sturridge shared a selfie with Steven Gerrard on Monday, labelling the Liverpool captain 'a legend'. The 25-year-old, who hasn't played for the Reds since August after suffering with thigh and calf problems, uploaded the picture onto Instagram with the pair all smiles at Melwood training ground. Alongside the picture Sturridge said: 'The G @stevengerrard. This guy is a legend man... Real talk...' Daniel Sturridge (left) and Steven Gerrard (right) share a selfie at Melwood on Monday . Sturridge, who has been out of action since August, posted a photo with his boots on as he closes in on a first-team return for Liverpool . The 25-year-old initially picked up a thigh injury at the start of September during an England training session . Sturridge wheels away in celebration after scoring on the opening day of the season against Southampton . Daniel Sturridge (left) outdoes team-mate Philippe Coutinho in their so-called 'six-pack off' While Gerrard's career lies away from Liverpool, Sturridge's long-term future lies firmly in Merseyside after signing a new five-year deal in October. And the sooner the England striker returns to the first-team fold for the Reds the better, as they currently lie eighth in the Premier League - five points off fourth-placed Manchester United. The former Chelsea forward also posted a picture of him with his boots on saying 'let's get it', with him eagerly awaiting his first-team return which is anticipated to be at some stage this month. Sturridge has been working hard to get himself back to full fitness - spending the Christmas period in America - and it has certainly paid off with him and team-mate Philippe Coutinho showing off their physiques in a six-pack selfie on Instagram last week.

Daniel Sturridge is expected to return to action for Liverpool this month . The 25-year-old hasn't played since August after suffering from thigh and calf problems . The England forward uploaded a selfie of Reds skipper Steven Gerrard and him onto Instagram on Monday . Sturridge labelled the long-serving midfielder as a 'legend' He also posted a picture of him with his boots on as he closes in on a first-team return .

6cad26be68cd2c85615ea522976ab3cd5b102e9c

(CNN) -- Just about six years after his career seemed to come to a crashing halt, when Barack Obama defeated him in the presidential election of 2008, Arizona Sen. John McCain is poised to re-emerge as a major player in the next two years. As the new chairman of the influential Armed Services Committee, McCain will be able to use this perch of power to loudly challenge the President's foreign policy agenda. Call it McCain's revenge. For several years, it seemed as if McCain was finished. The 2008 election delivered a huge blow to his political standing. Once considered the exciting maverick of Washington who could attract supporters from both parties, as a result of his pursuit of campaign finance reform and willingness to enter into bipartisan alliances, McCain won the award from many observers for running one of the worst campaigns ever. His attempt to cater to the right wing of the GOP and his selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate led many to question his political future. During much of Obama's presidency he seemed to struggle. He has often been at odds with members of his own party, including tea party Republicans who have pushed for a sharply rightward shift in domestic policy (and challenged him in the primary in 2010 when J.D. Hayworth ran again him), as well as anti-interventionists, such as Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul who have given strength to GOP rhetoric about limiting the scale and scope of the nation's national security operations. McCain has regained some of his footing by becoming the voice of the neoconservative Republicans, a group that many wrote off as a lost voice after the fiasco in Iraq. These members of GOP still believe the United States needs to maintain a muscular foreign policy and cannot afford to constrain national security operations. McCain has blasted Obama for not doing enough to combat the threat of ISIS. He has been a consistent critic of the decision to withdraw troops from Iraq. Of ISIS, he said in September, "It was like watching a train wreck and warning every step of the way that this was happening." Now that Republicans have retaken control of the Senate, McCain will be the chairman of the Armed Services Committee. This is an important post where he will have a chance to play a big role in debates over foreign policy. McCain made his intentions clear. He recently explained that, "I want the committee to be very active. That's the beauty of the majority, as you know. Of course we can allocate and authorize certain programs, and we can cut others. The President proposes, and Congress disposes." The resignation of Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has already offered him a chance to start saying what is on his mind. McCain has praised his former Senate colleague for his work at the Pentagon and said that Hagel was a victim of Obama's failed foreign policies. Hagel, McCain argued, was "very, very frustrated with the administration." When the nomination hearings begin to replace him, McCain will have an even greater opportunity to stand on his soap box and outline to the public everything that has gone wrong in the past six years. There will be other opportunities as well. As new crises flair in Syria and Iraq, the White House must make decisions about troop levels. McCain will have a chance to reiterate his claims about how a passive White House has endangered the national security interest and created too much space for radical elements overseas to gain a stronger foothold in the Middle East. In the debates over the budget, McCain will try to reverse the military spending cuts that the president has put into place. Next summer, when Congress has to reauthorize a key part of the Patriot Act dealing with surveillance, the senator will be able to push back against members of his own party as well as Democrats who think that the answer to the problems is to weaken the ability of the government to spy on potential threats with phone and email surveillance. McCain, who is expecting a tea party challenge for his re-election bid in 2016, is going to have a huge incentive to be aggressive in promoting himself as a major player in the GOP and crafting a conservative agenda that he can feel comfortable with (unlike when he did this in 2008 on domestic issues and looked as fake as a bad Hollywood actor). McCain's new platform will create a challenge, not only for the President, but for Hillary Clinton, assuming she runs for the presidency in 2016. Given Clinton's service as Secretary of State, she won't be able to escape her connections to the President's record. Clinton will surely try to make distinctions, as she did in her book "Hard Choices" when she reminded Americans she wanted a more aggressive stand in Syria, but ultimately she will be judged on Obama's record because she was a key player in this administration. The more aggressive that McCain is during the coming years, the more Clinton will have to respond to his agenda. Reports of McCain's political death were greatly exaggerated, to paraphrase Mark Twain. McCain is back. And Democrats had better watch out.

Julian Zelizer: Sen. John McCain is poised to re-emerge as a major player in the next two years . Zelizer: As the new chairman of the influential Armed Services Committee, he will have much to say . He says McCain will be able to use new power to challenge Obama's foreign policy agenda . Zelizer: Reports of McCain's political death were greatly exaggerated, despite his setbacks .

a84dbb5502da3417c3ad3be833bb02aae93084ce

She's rocked a tuxedo on the red carpet and her best friends dub her a 'complete tomboy' so it made perfect sense for DKNY to tap Cara Delevingne for their menswear campaign. The supermodel looks stylish in an androgynous suit teamed with her signature sneakers as she poses in the high-fashion shoot alongside male models Ben Nordberg, Jackson Hale and Sang Woo Kim. The dapper foursome star in the Spring campaign shot by Gregory Harris at Coleman Skate Park under the Williamsburg Bridge in New York. Scroll down for video . Cara Delevingne proves she can cut it with the boys as she sports a stylish androgynous suit teamed with her signature trainers in DKNY's SS15 menswear campaign . DKNY Jansen platform sneakers . Buy this version in the sale for $128.99 . Visit site . Cara Delevingne may have a list of girlfriends that includes Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Suki Waterhouse, Taylor Swift and Georgia-May Jagger but in this new campaign for DKNY she's proving she's just one of the boys. We love an androgynous suit on a pretty girl and Cara is really showing that a masculine look can be just as sexy as a tight little black dress. And if you ever wondered what to wear with a tailored trouser suit then take a leaf out of the Brit supermodel's style notebook and ditch heels or brogues for a pair of platform trainers. These sky high sneakers are of course by DKNY and are the perfect foil for an otherwise serious look. And if you fancy giving them a go then click the link (right) to buy an all-black version straight from the DKNY online store now. You'll be taller with supermodel-esque legs but still be comfortable... really, what's not to love? And they're in the sale so it's a win-win-win situation. Pull & Bear platform trainers at Asos (now reduced to $43.59) Visit site . Marc by Marc Jacobs platform sneakers at Stylebop . Visit site . YRU platform trainers at Asos (now reduced to $77.70) Visit site . Alexander McQueen leather platfrom sneakers at Saks Fifth Avenue . Visit site . Proving her worth, Cara also lends her good looks to the womenswear campaign. The 22-year-old leads the female pack alongside Binx Walton, Xiao Wen Ju, and Sam Rollinson. The fun-loving model wears kooky plaits and wispy baby hairs gelled to her head. The stellar cast showcase the brand's sporty and striped collection, cool flatform sneakers and structured totes. Cara also stars in the womenswear campaign and rocks pigtails and wispy hair gelled to her face . Cara leads the female pack alongside Binx Walton, Xiao Wen Ju, and Sam Rollinson in the campaign imagery . Cara and her girls showcase the sporty and striped collection, cool flatform sneakers and structured totes . This isn't Cara's first campaign for the brand. Just last week she was unveiled as the solo star of the DKNY Spring 2015 intimates campaign. The model and actress, who collaborated with the high-end brand to design a capsule range containing 15 pieces last year, showed off her toned body in the images. Talking about her input into her DKNY range, the model told WWD at the time: 'They always encouraged my design input, my personal style and my ideas from the very beginning of our working relationship. 'DKNY is urban and edgy, but, most of all, it's individual. They truly embrace the weirdness in all of us, so you can really be yourself.' Cara has been keeping busy and recently attended a string of glitzy showbiz parties over in Los Angeles, where she's been hanging out with her best friend Kendall Jenner. Behind the scenes Cara chats to her fellow female models, many of whom she's grown up in the industry with . Kooky Cara larks around behind the scenes on the high fashion shoot in New York .

Cara, 22, stars in both women's and men's campaigns for New York brand . Wears a stylish suit in men's and cool sporty styles in womenswear shoot . Joined by Sam Rollinson and Binx Walton in campaign images . Last week, Cara was unveiled as face of DKNY's intimates range .

e3b3a9313b84444094c9fdffa8584c2e5e1d29c6

As millions make their way to Mecca for the annual hajj - a religious journey that is viewed as one of the Muslim faith's greatest acts of worship - there are fears that a deadly virus could break out. With so many people gathering at the Grand Mosque, it is claimed that it could become a breeding ground for the debilitating Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The potentially lethal disease has been linked to camels, which can be slaughtered as part of a sacrifice for Hajj. The Grand Mosque, the focal point of Islam, is already teeming with visitors wearing the simple white folds of cloth prescribed for Hajj . There are fears that the combination of so many people combined with the slaughtering of camels, which have been linked to the disease, could increase chances of an outbreak. Since April 2012 cases and outbreaks of the respiratory disease syndrome have been reported in people who live in or travelled from countries in the Middle East, the World Heath Organisation said. The fatality rate has been high, at about 60 per cent, the WHO reported. A study into the link between camels and Mers was published in The Lancet after scientists found traces of antibodies against the Mers virus in dromedary camels, but not the virus itself, The National reported. The Grand Mosque, the focal point of Islam, is already teeming with visitors wearing the simple white folds of cloth prescribed for Hajj. There are fears that the combination of so many people combined with the slaughtering of camels, which have been linked to the disease, could increase chances of an outbreak . Almost two million people have so far arrived at the site in Saudi Arabia for the rites and another million are expected. Hajj must be performed at least once in their lifetime by all Muslims capable of making the expensive, difficult journey - a duty that applies equally to Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims at a time of tension between Islam's main sects. Health authorities around the world have warned unwell people to avoid the trip to Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Public Health England (PHE) and the National Travel Health Network and Centre said those wishing to travel should check the latest health advice following cases of respiratory illness caused by MERS-CoV. In July, elderly Muslims were told not to take part in the annual pilgrimage to Mecca because of the Sars-like virus. Pregnant . women, children under the age of 12, or people who suffer from chronic . illnesses should also abstain, according to advice from the Ministry of . Health in Saudi Arabia. Almost two million people have so far arrived at the site in Saudi Arabia for the rites and another million are expected . Dr Brian McCloskey, director of global health at PHE, said today: 'The potential for spread of infectious diseases associated with mass gatherings is well recognised. 'Hajj, the annual mass gathering of over three million Muslims from all over the world, presents challenges every year, but particularly this year as we are continuing to receive reports of cases of MERS in the region.' Dr Shuja Shafi, deputy secretary general at the Muslim Council of Britain, said thousands from the UK were expected to make the journey. He said: 'Advice issued by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health recommended that the elderly, those with chronic diseases, pregnant women and children postpone the performance of the Hajj for their own health and safety. 'People who have decided to go on Hajj this year and are unwell before travelling are being advised not to travel.' Dr Dipti Patel, joint director of the National Travel Health Network and Centre, said: 'While there are no travel restrictions to the Middle East and the risk to travellers remains very low, the Saudi Arabian ministry of health has advised vulnerable people and children who may have been planning to travel to the Middle East to perform the Hajj to postpone their pilgrimage for their own health and safety. 'Other people should continue with their plans but follow the specific guidance on the Hajj and other general advice about staying safe and healthy when travelling, including practising good personal hygiene. 'It's very important that anyone who does become ill while making the pilgrimage urgently reports to the health authorities, so they can receive appropriate treatment and avoid spreading illness to others.' In May, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said MERS-CoV is a 'threat to the entire world' and the disease is 'emerging faster than our understanding'. Three people have died in the UK as a result of the infection - including one man who died at the end of June.

Millions have made their way to Mecca for the annual Hajj pilgrimage . Fears the amount of people could spread deadly Mers virus . Camels, which have been lined to virus, can be slaughtered as a sacrifice . Concerns that the slaughters and amount of people could prompt outbreak .

27410460fabe24d2102b9d58f839da74f47059f6

(CNN) -- U.N. inspectors returned to Syria on Wednesday to look into at least a half-dozen claims of chemical weapons use -- some allegedly by the regime, others allegedly by rebels. The team has already confirmed the August 21 use of chemical warfare near Damascus but did not explicitly say who was responsible. According to U.S. estimates, that attack left more than 1,400 people dead. The move came the same day a U.N. diplomat told CNN that three basic premises have been agreed upon for a U.N. Security Council resolution on Syria's chemical weapons disarmament. Russia has basically agreed to the points, but "small issues" remain to be decided, the source said. The deal could still fall apart. According to the source, the three premises are: 1. Accountability for attacks on August 21; 2. Binding and enforceable language for measures against Syria in case of violations in the disarmament regime or the use of chemical weapons; 3. The council will remain seized of the matter, meaning that further discussion will be expedited. The resolution would not authorize automatic use of force if Syria is said to be in violation, as was previously sought by the United States, the source said. Among their tasks, investigators will try to figure out if chemical weapons were used in the northern city of Khan al-Asal in March. State-run media blamed rebels for the attack, which it said killed 25 people and injured more than 110 others. Syrian rebels, meanwhile, accused government forces of a chemical weapons attack on the rural Damascus suburb of Ateibeh. Syrian rebels reject interim government, embrace Sharia . But the inspectors face a litany of challenges, like trying to find physical and forensic evidence from more than six months ago. Then there's the security situation. During the inspectors' last visit, mortar shells landed near their hotel in Damascus, and their convoy came under fire while en route to a scene. And just like their investigation into the August 21 attack, the inspectors will only try to determine whether chemical weapons were used during this trip, not who was responsible. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh, Holly Yan, Nick Thompson and Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report.

Three premises have been agreed upon for a Security Council resolution, source says . The team will try to determine if a chemical weapons attack took place in Khan al-Asal . Syria says 25 people were killed there in March . The U.N. has already confirmed a chemical weapons attack near Damascus .

dd360e221480484a878d8f57521354d37a28fdf1

(CNN) -- A Colorado convict serving time for attempted murder was recaptured Wednesday after breaking out of prison over the weekend, and a female hostage with him was released unharmed, prison officials said. Douglas Alward was caught near Yuma, Colorado, about 145 miles east of Denver and about 50 miles south of the Sterling Correctional Facility he broke out of Sunday, prison spokeswoman Katherine Sanguinetti told HLN's "Prime News." Alward, 48, was serving a 20- to 40-year term for attempted murder, assault and kidnapping and had broken out of prison three times before, Sanguinetti said. He was up for parole in October, according to prison records. Investigators found him in a trailer near Yuma about noon Wednesday. He surrendered once confronted, releasing the woman with him without injury, said Ari Zavaras, executive director of the Colorado Department of Corrections. Zavaras said searchers tracked Alward to a 4-square-mile patch of cornfields outside Yuma on Wednesday morning. "He didn't offer any resistance, let alone armed resistance," Zavaras said. Zavaras released few details of the escape, but said an investigation into how Alward broke out of the maximum-security facility was under way. He promised a "top to bottom" review was in the works. He said Alward "breached" the fence around the facility somehow, and some tools used in the breakout were found nearby. The fence was not cut, he said. Prison officials are looking at how Alward obtained the tools, but don't believe he had outside help, Zavaras said. Kevin Milyard, the prison's warden, said a guard noticed something wrong within an hour of the breakout, and an emergency head count quickly confirmed Alward was missing. Alward is facing a likely charge of escape and other charges that remain to be determined, Zavaras said.

Douglas Alward broke out of an eastern Colorado prison Sunday . He was recaptured Wednesday about 50 miles away . A hostage with him was released unharmed, prison officials said .

642ba6a87d48e5b83a2acbc1ea0a4665d5443459

Ever wondered if you're akin to the rest of the fans who support your team? Well thanks to a survey from YouGov you can discover if you like the same food, hobbies as well as a lot more. Based on a sample size of 608 fans, below Sportsmail have picked out 12 of the most eye-catching responses from West Ham supporters. Over 600 West Ham fans were surveyed as part of the YouGov questionnaire . What are their favourite foods? Bizarrely, the survey found that West Ham fans enjoy roast pigeon as their favourite dish, followed by a good curry. What are their favourite hobbies? Hammers supporters spend their spare time painting, gardening and reading non-fiction books. What pet are they most likely to own? They are most likely to own fish. What are their political views? West Ham fans would tend to vote for right-leaning parties. Personality-wise what are they like? West Ham fans are caring about the environment, easy-going and pretty thoughtful but on occasion their mind can wander back to the good old days. What car are they most likely to drive? West Ham fans are most likely to be seen driving around in a Ford. What are their top five favourite movies? Among a West Ham fan's DVD collection would be the Japanese Manga film Akira, Looper, The Incredible Hulk, Gone Girl and, intriguingly, the Muppets Most Wanted. What are their top five favourite TV shows? A real mixed bag on the box with BBC quiz show Only Connect, gorge-fest Man V. Food, Twin Peaks, The Sweeney and Big Brother. What are their top five favourite music artists? A nice retro twist on the iPod (or tape deck) with Adam Ant, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Dandy Warhols, Neil Diamond and Caro Emerald featuring. Who are their top five favourite celebrities? Hammers fan and rabble-rouser Russell Brand, Sky Sports presenter Georgie Thompson, East End hard man Ray Winstone, BBC weatherman Tomasz Schafernaker and American actor Vincent Price. Who are the top people they follow on Twitter? The Gavin and Stacy and Two Pints actress Sheridan Smith, Aussie comedian Adam Hills, political commentator Iain Dale and former Really Wild Show presenter Chris Packham. What newspapers and magazines do they prefer to read? West Ham fans generally read The Sun and, apparently, Metal Hammer magazine.

Results based on a survey from YouGov who asked 608 West Ham fans . They enjoy watching quiz show Only Connect, painting and gardening . Adam Ant, Dandy Warhols and Echo & The Bunnymen are fave musicians .

efc17be2facc256d10adde925ec1ef3990108f79

By . Jack Doyle . PUBLISHED: . 16:48 EST, 14 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:20 EST, 15 May 2012 . Air passengers caught entering Britain with cannabis in their luggage are being let off with just a ‘slap on the wrist’. Customs staff were found to have handed out nothing more than a warning to passengers arriving at Britain’s second biggest airport. Home Office officials insist that anyone caught with the illegal Class B drug in their luggage should be arrested on the spot. They can face a jail term of up to 14 years. But inspectors found that at Gatwick, where small amounts of cannabis were discovered, passengers were not even detained by officials. No punishment: Critics fear Britain is now an 'open door' for drug smugglers . Instead they were given an oral warning, had the drug confiscated and then were allowed to continue their journey. The revelations have prompted fears that cannabis laws are being widely ignored across Britain’s airports, leading to a virtual ‘open door’ situation for drug smugglers who know they have every chance of escaping any punishment even if caught. Details of the practice at Gatwick emerged in a report by the chief inspector of the UK Border Agency, John Vine. Airport records for April and May 2011 showed that a total of four passengers were found with small quantities of cannabis after luggage searches at Gatwick North Terminal. Four passengers caught smuggling cannabis were let off with a slap on the wrist in April and May 2011 . Under . the rules, they should have been arrested and their case passed to an . investigation team. But instead, inspectors said, all four ‘were allowed . to proceed with a warning’. Inspectors . are allowed to let low-level drugs offenders pay a fine known as a . compound settlement, but this must be done with the approval of a senior . officer. In none of the four cases was the passenger even given a . financial penalty. The passengers’ personal details were recorded on an internal UK Border Agency computer system, but were not passed to the police or placed on the Police National Computer. In effect, they have nothing against their name unless they commit the same crime again. One former Customs officer said: ‘The police are now giving out warnings for bringing in cannabis... It would not surprise me in the least if this was more widespread.’ Last night Mary Brett, of campaign group Europe Against Drugs, said: ‘This is ridiculous. It sends the message, “Bring your cannabis here to Britain and if we catch you it doesn’t matter”. ‘This is simply an extension of the police’s lax attitude on the streets towards cannabis into the airport. They do not consider it a crime and they are happy to turn a blind eye. ‘Those who are caught should be dealt with properly and arrested. ‘If the authorities did prosecute a few it would send a message that we take cannabis seriously, which we obviously do not at the moment.’ Garry Cullen, assistant chief inspector of the UK Border Agency, said that what the inspectors found was ‘worrying’ and officials were acting outside the law. ‘Clearly we were concerned with what we found,’ he said. ‘They should comply with the rules that are set out and they did not.' Under the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act the maximum penalty for bringing a class B drug such as cannabis into Britain is 14 years in jail and an unlimited fine. But in practice, penalties for cannabis possession on Britain’s streets have been steadily eroded in recent years. The drug was downgraded to Class C by the then Home Secretary, Labour’s David Blunkett, in 2004. Decriminalised: Cannabis was downgraded to Class C by the then Home Secretary, Labour's David Blunkett, in 2004 . Since then, users have no longer faced automatic arrest. Instead, police give a formal warning for cannabis possession on the street. Even after it was restored to Class B in 2008 police were allowed to give out cannabis warnings, which were handed to nearly 19,000 offenders in 2010 and do not go on offenders’ formal record. Experts warned that ignoring penalties would encourage more people to bring in drugs. Criminologist Dr David Green, director of the Civitas think tank, said: ‘If you allow it to be known that the law is not enforced, people will break it more frequently. ‘Word will spread that you can get cannabis in at Gatwick and more people will try to bring it in.’ The report said staff had been moved away from Customs checks to staff immigration controls. Lucy Moreton, deputy general secretary of the Immigration Services Union, said: ‘I can’t say I’m surprised. Like everything, the customs side of the operation is limited and there’s a lot of pressure to put people on to immigration checks. ‘Given the pressure on staff I can understand if the view was to confiscate the drugs and let the individual go.’ A Border Force spokesman said: ‘Our message is clear: Importing cannabis is illegal and our officers will seize it and other illegal drugs if smugglers try to bring it into the UK. ‘In recent weeks we have seized 100 kilos [220lb] of cannabis alone, and we are continuing to tackle the drug trade and prosecute smugglers.’

Passengers caught with small amount of drug are escaping with a warning . Critics fear smugglers will flock to Britain, without fear of prosecution .

2ac7d114bd632e7f43845ed6b4afd7d1ab0b4b0b

(CNN)It was 3:30 in the morning when Robert Alan Black was escorted into Khalifa jail. An American in Abu Dhabi, he found himself frightened even though the other prisoners were sleeping. Movie scenes from "Midnight Express" and "Brubaker" swirled through his head. He sat at a table in the common area, waiting for the others to wake, not knowing what the reaction would be to his presence. Black, who has a degree in architecture, three master's degrees and a doctorate in educational psychology, was in Abu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates, for October's Creative Thinkers Conference. He was to present a workshop and emcee the event. On a Tuesday morning, the 70-year-old got up early to take a walk in the neighborhoods near his hotel. An avid photographer, Black took his camera to snap photos of houses and a couple of the mosques he passed. When he left the second mosque, he was approached by a man in uniform. He motioned Black to get into a camouflaged truck. "I had no idea what he wanted," Black said, "but never felt threatened so I got in." He was driven a short distance to a building with a sign out front that read "Reception." He waited about an hour before he was guided back outside and told, "Do not photograph security areas." Black asked for clarification, but he was waved away with no further explanation, he said. He decided to continue his walk. A few blocks away, he came upon a sign on a lamppost that said in English, "Photography Forbidden." Thinking a photo of the sign would make for a novel Facebook post, he snapped an image. After crossing the road, he was approached by two other uniformed men in a second camouflaged truck and waved into the backseat. He was driven back to "Reception," which Black believes was a police station, where his passport, camera and cell phone were seized. Black tried to keep his composure. He was questioned and moved to different rooms, waiting for hours at a time, but the process was civil, he said. No one harmed him in any way. After eight or nine hours at the police station, a man came in and asked him to stand. His hands and feet were shackled and a hood was put over his head. He was escorted to an SUV where his wrists were chained to the floor. After hours more of interrogation, he was driven to the Khalifa jail. When the sun rose that morning, Black was relieved to be greeted with smiles from the other inmates. A few prisoners from the Philippines spoke English. Their conversation revolved around why Black was there and the daily routine at the jail. Later in the day, police took him back to his hotel and allowed him to retrieve his belongings and check out of the hotel. Concerned friends and family called the hotel but couldn't obtain any information on his whereabouts. After Black spent about a week in jail, a translator for the prosecutor's office felt bad about his plight and Googled his name, Black later learned. The translator contacted some of his associates, which is how friends and family members learned what had happened to him. He was quickly transferred to al-Wathba prison, where he met a Syrian in his mid-30s named Kousai. "All of those who could speak any English were very supportive and helpful" in both the prison and the jail, Black recalled, but Kousai made the most concerted effort. Well-educated, he had a master's degree in business administration from Florida State University and spoke fluent English. Black called him the cell blocks's "den mother." He was always trying to help and facilitate the needs of the prisoners who came from countries such as Oman, Yemen, Nigeria and Egypt -- all of them foreign workers. Kousai himself had been in prison for six months on an immigration violation. When Black first walked in, Kousai and his roommate, a massive man everyone called "The Foreman," offered him an orange drink and crackers. "The Foreman" didn't speak much English, Black said, but seemed to be in charge of the cell block. Kousai helped Black settle into the facility, making sure he had snacks and arranging for Black to have his prison clothes laundered. In one act of kindness, Kousai was chatting with his wife on the prison phone and asked Black if there was anyone he wanted to contact. Kousai's wife called Black's daughter on her cell phone and connected the two on the same phone line. It was the first time that Black had been able to talk to someone outside of the prison or jail. His family finally knew first-hand where he was and what had happened to him. As the weeks dragged on, Black became immersed in prison life. He walked the cell block halls to pass time, often recalling humorous episodes of "M*A*S*H" and "Frasier" to buoy his spirits. He and the other prisoners told jokes or talked about funny movies to help inject humor in their otherwise serious world. When he got down about his situation, many of the prisoners would ask him to join their conversations, share cookies and boxed drinks they had bought from the canteen or offer food they had cooked in their cells. If the prisoner didn't speak English, a simple smile or thumbs up was offered. Black was grateful for the acts of friendship, and he made an effort to reciprocate, he said. Meanwhile, Black's family, friends and colleagues were raising money to hire an Abu Dhabi attorney and working official channels to get Black released. They called themselves FAB, Friends of Alan Black. The U.S. Embassy sent representatives to meet with Black several times while he was at al-Wathba. Many of the prisoners and guards told him he would be out soon, but the days dragged on. He continued to endure the daily routines of incarceration while waiting for his case to go before a judge. Black was the only Westerner in his cell block, though he believes he saw a few others in the prison, he said. Besides a Nigerian man, he was the only Christian. The rest, if they had religious beliefs, were Muslim. Five times a day, the devout would roll out their prayer mats. Black never spoke much about religion with the other inmates, he said, and he never felt any animosity aimed toward him for being a Christian. He had no biases against Muslims, and they had no predispositions about him. In fact, many of the inmates told Black they prayed he would be released soon, he said. On November 17, almost a month after his arrest, a lawyer pleaded Black's case before the superior court's three-judge panel. "He was very passionate and forceful," Black said. "He told the judges that he thought the case was an embarrassment and that I should have been fined and released the first day." The judges agreed and ruled Black "not guilty, no intent to do harm." He was fined 500 dirham, around $135 dollars, the minimum fine allowed by the court system. It was later waived because of time served. It took about 28 hours to get fully processed, and Black immediately made his way to the airport and flew back home to Athens, Georgia. Black was grateful about how quickly his case was ultimately resolved, he said. Some of the prisoners he met had been in prison for years, and many still hadn't seen their case presented in court. The support of his family and friends was important, Black said, but he considered prisoners such as Kousai his "angels." It was their generosity of spirit, humor and kindness that made a bad situation tolerable. The episode reinforced Black's belief that while differences exist among cultures, in the end "we are all human beings." "Sometimes it takes something like this to show you people will reach out when you need it," he said. "It's important to be open to your emotions and know people care." Black plans to keep in touch with some of the men he met in prison, he said, and has already Skyped with Kousai, who was recently released and is back in Damascus.

Robert Alan Black was imprisoned in October for taking a photograph in Abu Dhabi . At first, he was frightened, but prisoners, most of them Muslim, made him feel welcome . One prisoner had his wife call Black's daughter, so Black could speak to her from prison .

c79a63c923df380c24bb99ebf909ba2e108a2f6a

Nikola Zigic has rejoined Birmingham City five months after leaving the club. The 6ft 8in striker has been granted a work permit and has signed until the end of the season to provide Gary Rowett with another attacking option. Zigic, whose contract worth £65,000 per week was a burden as Birmingham struggled last season, left in July but remains popular with club staff and is now on vastly reduced terms. Nikola Zigic, pictured scoring against Stoke City, has resigned for Birmingham City . The Serbian striker left Birmingham at the end of last season after his contract expired at the club . Zigic cost £6million when he signed from Valencia in 2010 and was on wages of £65,000 a week . Age: 34 . Clubs: AIK Backa Topola (1998-2002), Mornar (2001-02), FK Kolubara (2002-03), Spartak Subotica (2003), Red Star Belgrade (2003-07), Racing Santander (2006-07), Valencia (2007-10), Birmingham City (2010-14, 2014-) Club appearances: 470 . Club goals: 241 . Birmingham appearances: 148 . Birmingham goals: 36 . Serbia caps: 57 . International goals: 20 . The 34-year-old, originally signed for £6million from Valencia in 2010, will not be available for Saturday’s Championship match at Blackpool, however, as he needs to attain a working visa. He will fly to his native Serbia on Thursday to have his application processed in Belgrade. This can take up to a week. It is hoped he will be available for the Championship match against Reading at St Andrew's on December 13. Zigic, part of the 2011 League Cup-winning side, had been training with Birmingham since November and the club are delighted he has re-signed. Director Panos Pavlakis said: 'We welcome him back home. We know how happy he is to be here again and enthusiastic about making a contribution.' Rowett had said previously: 'I think he will bring something different to us, that’s what we are looking at - we want different players in the building and not similar players to what we have got.' Zigic, scoring against Ipswich Town, has returned to his native Serbia in order to get a work permit .

Nikola Zigic has scored 36 goals in 148 appearances for Birmingham City . The Serbian striker has resigned for the club until the end of season . He was released in July but will return to squad once he gets work permit .

af7a62f1f31790cbe5efcc5beff82d8ce2713ff1

By . Chris Brooke . A tunnel long enough to span the English Channel could be built beneath some of Britain’s most beautiful countryside following environmental concerns about a £1billion potash mine scheme. The ambitious engineering project would see a 22-mile tunnel constructed up to 1,100ft under the North York Moors national park. The company behind the mine, Sirius Minerals, wants to dig two mine shafts to a depth of 1,500 metres and extract the mineral polyhalite – a type of potash used as a fertiliser. Countryside: The tunnel, 1,500 metres under ground, was designed in response to environmental concerns . Originally the company wanted to move the mineral in slurry form via a pipeline near the surface. But objectors were concerned that the pipeline would scar and damage the countryside. The proposed solution, which will be submitted to planning authorities later this year, would see the rock transported from the mine to a six metre-wide underground tunnel. It could then be transported on a conveyor belt from the mine near Sneaton to the processing plant – adding £170million to the cost of the scheme, but reducing its total footprint by 70 per cent. The tunnel would be as long as the section of Channel Tunnel below the sea and its construction would bring more than a million cubic metres of rock to the surface – enough to fill Wembley Stadium. The firm in charge of the mine has claimed it would create up to 6,000 jobs, boost the economy by up to £1billion a year and provide the Government with £300million annually in tax payments. Picturesque: The view of the North York Moors . More than 400 landowners are also keeping their fingers crossed that the tunnel wins over objectors in the green lobby. Many of them are struggling farmers, but would become millionaires if the mineral is mined below their fields, as they stand to receive a share of the mine’s total annual revenue. Chris Fraser, the chief executive of Sirius Minerals, said: ‘This  would minimise our impact at the surface, removing the need for any construction in protected habitats.’ However Tom Chadwick, from the North Yorkshire Moors Association, said: ‘The tunnel is absolutely enormous, there’s no doubt about that. But we reserve judgment as to whether this new scheme will be any better than the last one.’

Plans would see ambitious tunnel built under North York Moors . Company proposes to dig 1,100ft route to move polyhalite - a fertiliser . They originally planned a tunnel for mineral slurry near the surface . But objectors were concerned it would damage and scar the countryside .

6defcef4d5321c4511891860b991d33618f7621e

(CNN) -- A top American envoy was summoned by Pakistan's new government to protest a U.S. drone strike that killed at least six militants in the volatile North Waziristan province, the Pakistan government said Saturday. U.S. charge d'affaires Richard Hoagland was summoned Friday at the order of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and given a letter of protest, the government said. "Pakistan strongly condemns the drone strikes which are a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The importance of bringing an immediate end to drone strikes was emphasized," it said in a written statement. Sharif completes long journey back to power . Drone strikes in the tribal regions bordering Afghanistan have drawn heated opposition in Pakistan because of civilian casualties. "Obviously this is an issue that will be taken up at a higher political level with the American authorities," Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan's national security adviser, told reporters Saturday. The issue of drone strikes is expected to be on the top of the agenda when U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visits Pakistan later this month, he said. The summoning of Hoagland came just two days after Sharif demanded in his inaugural address the U.S. stop its drone strikes. He reiterated the demand Saturday. "We have protested many a time. This is simply unacceptable," Sharif said during a meeting with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, according to Pakistan state news. Sources: Top militant killed in drone strike . But U.S. President Barack Obama defended the use of drone strikes last month, stopping short of directly commenting on the strikes in Pakistan. Drone strikes were legal, Obama said, because the United States "is at war with al Qaeda, the Taliban and their associated forces." Friday's drone strike follows a similar strike nearly two weeks ago that killed the Pakistan Taliban's second-in-command, Wali-Ur Rehman Mehsud. Rehman was wanted by the United States on suspicion of being involved in the December 2009 suicide bomb attack that killed seven CIA employees at Forward Operating Base Chapman in Khost, Afghanistan, according to a publication by the U.S. National Counterrorism Center. The drone strikes have only served to further roil U.S.-Pakistan relations, which flared following a 2011 raid by U.S. commandos on a compound in Abbottabad that ended with the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

U.S. charge d'affaires Richard Hoagland is summoned, Pakistan government says . Hoagland was given a letter of protest, it said. "This is simply unacceptable," Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said of the drone strikes .

76b824860bd1059366fad74b4d6d19b576d82ce6

By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 05:46 EST, 19 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:46 EST, 19 April 2013 . A baby elephant who was almost hacked to death by ivory poachers is walking again thanks to an ingenious new boot and lots of TLC. The 17-month-old calf called Suni was found in Zambia almost a year ago dragging herself along by her front legs, weak and dehydrated, after suffering severe axe wounds. Elephant poaching across Africa is . now at its highest level for more than 20 years, which campaigners say . is due to increased demand for ivory from newly affluent Chinese . consumers. Scroll down for video . Back on her feet: Orphaned elephant calf Suni tests her . new leg cast at the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation supported . Elephant Orphanage Project near Lusaka, Zambia . Left for dead: Suni was found in Zambia almost a year ago dragging herself along by her front legs, weak and dehydrated, after suffering severe axe wounds. Her mother had been killed and stripped of her tusks . Suni's mother had been killed and stripped of her tusks, while a deep wound to Suni's spine had paralysed the new-born calf's right leg. But staff at the Elephant Orphanage Project near Lusaka, the Zambian capital, came to Suni's aid and nursed her back to health. They flew in a team of specialists from Norway and the U.S. to operate on the orphaned youngster and fit her with an aluminium leg support which has put her back on her feet. 'It was touch and go at first. But as the swelling decreased in her back she demonstrated increasing feeling in her leg,' said Rachel Murton, manager of the Elephant Orphanage. 'With a combination of physiotherapy, massage and intense nursing we kept our fingers crossed for this little fighter.' Frolicking: With her regained mobility Suni is now able to charge around with her friends at the orphanage, but she still needs constant care, medical support and milk feeds every three hours . The unique leg support which was designed and built specifically for Suni is made of aluminium, PVC and leather. With her regained mobility Suni is able to charge around with her friends at the orphanage, but she still needs constant care, medical support and milk feeds every three hours. She is on the road to recovery, however. Kelvin Chanda, head keeper at the orphanage, said: 'You cannot imagine the excitement from all involved when Suni finally walked normally for the first time.' A worldwide moratorium on trading in ivory has been in place since 1989 but since 1997 there have been sustained attempts by certain countries to overturn the ban, according to campaign group Bloody Ivory. Injuries: When she was found nearly a year ago, a deep wound to Suni's spine had paralysed her right leg . Vets preparing Suni for her operation: Specialist flew in from Norway and the U.S. operate on the orphaned youngster and fit her with the aluminium leg support which has put her back on her feet . Vets prepare to work on Suni's damaged leg and spine: The unique leg support, which was designed and built specifically for Suni, is made of aluminium, PVC and leather . Rachel Murton, manager of the Elephant Orphanage, said: 'It was touch and go at first. But as the swelling decreased in her back she demonstrated increasing feeling in her leg' 'With a combination of physiotherapy, massage and intense nursing we kept our fingers crossed for this little fighter,' Ms Murton added . A bloody trade: Across Africa, elephant poaching is now at its highest level for more than 20 years, which campaigners say is due to increased demand for ivory from newly affluent Chinese consumers . Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe were in 1999 allowed an 'experimental one-off sale' of over 49,000kg of ivory to Japan. A further one off-sale was approved in 2002 and finally took place in 2008, resulting in 105,000kg of ivory being shipped to China and Japan. In 2009, over 20,000kg of ivory was seized by police and customs authorities worldwide and in 2011, just thirteen of the largest seizures amounted to over 23,000kg, breaking all records since the ivory ban. Suni bonding with another orphan: A worldwide moratorium on trading in ivory has been in place since 1989 but since 1997 there have been sustained attempts by certain countries to overturn the ban . Where it goes: Ivory items on sale in Hongqiao Market, Beijing. In 2011, just thirteen of the largest seizures of illegal ivory amounted to over 23,000kg, breaking all records since the ban on its trade . The United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna organisation last summer recognised that elephant  poaching had reached 'unsustainable' levels. Cynthia Moss, of the Amboseli Elephant Research Project in Kenya, where elephants are protected in a national park, said: 'It is very discouraging having to fight the battle to save elephants once again. 'The 1989 ban helped elephants to recover in most parts of Africa. Now even in Amboseli we're losing elephants to ivory poachers for the first time in many years. 'The sale of any ivory - legal or not - is creating demand. No one needs ivory. It is a beautiful substance, but the only ones who need it are elephants.'

Elephant calf Suni was found last year dragging herself along by her front legs after suffering severe axe wounds . Her mother had been killed and stripped of her tusks, while a deep wound to Suni's spine had left her right leg paralysed . Across Africa elephant poaching is at its highest level in more than 20 years due to demand for ivory from the Far East . Click for more information on the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation Elephant Orphanage .

296a1bddfefed962344231f183bc601b42efdd2e

By . Simon Tomlinson . A report on the corrupt use of British aid money in developing countries has been watered down to remove nearly all of the allegations, an investigation found today. The alleged misappropriation of tens of thousands of pounds was discovered by investigators working for the Global Fund, into which the UK government recently pledged £1billion. However, a leaked internal document has reportedly revealed how all but one of the original accusations had been removed from the official report. Global Fund said only 'evidence that can be confirmed as fact' was included in the final version. Cover-up? An official report looking at corruption in projects funded by the Global Fund in Cambodia (above, file picture) had erased all but one of the original allegations against a non-profit organisation . They include claims relating to money sent by a British charity working on behalf of the UK government to a non-profit group accused of double billing for staff and computers. Medicam was also accused of charging more than £61,000 for consultants who were never employed, submitting bills for hotels that were never used and falsifying documents on the office computer of its director, Dr Sin Sumony. The allegations were reportedly contained in an earlier draft from within the fund, seen by the BBC's Panorama programme. But the final report looking at corruption in Cambodia contained just one of the four allegations when it was published two weeks ago. Bea Edwards, from the Government . Accountability Project in Washington, told the BBC: 'The fact that a . report is suppressed for almost a year and then is somewhat less . detailed than the original version, that is a cover-up. Saving lives: The Geneva-based Global Fund is backed by governments and private donors such as rock star Bono (left) and Microsoft founder Bill Gates . The Global Fund says it is 'transparent and has zero tolerance of corruption' and that only 'evidence that can be confirmed as fact is included in the final version'. Dr Sumony, who sits on the Global Fund committee that oversees its projects in Cambodia, said: 'Number one, we did not commit that corruption. 'Number two, through the Global Fund support, their financial management system has improved.' He confirmed the group was due to receive more than $720,000 (£440,000) from the fund this year. Panorama also claims to have uncovered a separate unpublished report by Global Fund into an alleged scam in Burkina Faso involving an £8.3million contract that possibly left two million people more at risk of contracting malaria. The leaked document, which was completed a year ago but has still not been published, reportedly shows that a company took the money and then bought cheaper mosquito nets from China that had not been properly treated with insecticide. The Global Fund said the nets did give protection, but had distributed replacements. Over the last ten years, the Geneva-based body, which is backed by governments and private donors such as Microsoft founder Bill Gates and rock star Bono, has spent £13.5billion fighting malaria, Aids and tuberculosis around the world.

Allegations involving British cash uncovered by Global Fund investigators . Money sent by charity to non-profit group on behalf of UK government . Medicam accused of charging £61,000 for consultants never employed . Claimed firm also double billed for staff and billed for hotels never used . But leaked paper 'shows all but one accusation removed from final report'

a41297010612611a48a63e499ea8d099a1f34eb2

(CNN) -- One of Germany's most famous footballers has been banned by soccer's ruling body for failing to cooperate with an investigation into corruption within the game. Franz Beckenbauer, the only man to win the World Cup as captain and coach, has been provisionally suspended from any football-related activity for 90 days. FIFA said in a statement Friday that the 68-year-old had been asked to help with its Ethics Committee's probe into allegations against Qatar 2022 and the World Cup bidding process. "The apparent breach relates to Mr. Beckenbauer's failure to cooperate despite repeated requests for his assistance, including requests that he provide information during an in-person interview or in response to written questions provided in both English and German," FIFA said. "The case is now the subject of formal investigation proceedings being conducted by investigatory chamber member Vanessa Allard as chief of the investigation." The chairman of the committee's investigatory body, New York lawyer Michael Garcia, is expected to announce his findings by the end of July after a long-running examination of the circumstances that saw Russia and Qatar awarded the 2018 and 2022 World Cups respectively. The December 2010 vote by FIFA's executive committee members to take the sport's showpiece tournament to the Middle East for the first time has been mired in controversy. Before it even took place, two high-ranking FIFA officials -- Nigeria's Amos Adamu and Oceania representative Reynald Temarii -- were banned after allegations of bribery. FIFA vice-president Jack Warner chose to quit the following year after being implicated in another bribery scandal involving Mohamed bin Hammam, then head of the Asian Football Confederation. Bin Hammam, who had hoped to be Sepp Blatter's sole challenger at that year's FIFA presidential elections, was banned for life. The Qatari has this year been involved in new allegations by Britain's Sunday Times newspaper, which claimed he had been offering bribes to FIFA delegates for support of his country's 2022 bid. The 65-year-old -- a former FIFA ExCO member -- has denied all accusations, while the Qatar 2022 Organizing Committee insisted that Bin Hammam had not been working for them. Garcia told FIFA's Congress of its 209 member nations this month that he had been aware of most of the evidence published by the Sunday Times ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, which kicked off on Thursday. Blatter used the Congress in Sao Paulo to indicate that he wants to stand for a fifth term in charge, breaking the promise he made when winning unopposed in 2011 that it would be his last. The 78-year-old, who has been in office since 1998, said his mission "is not finished." It sparked anger among FIFA's European member nations, with UEFA president Michel Platini withdrawing his support for Blatter. The former France international has indicated he is unlikely to run against the Swiss in next year's elections, but compatriot and former FIFA official Jerome Champagne will stand against his old boss Blatter. Beckenbauer led West Germany to World Cup success as a player in 1974 and as coach in 1990. He played a leading role in a united Germany hosting the 2006 tournament, and was one of the 22 FIFA EXCo members who voted on the 2018 and 2022 events. The Sunday Times alleged that he visited Qatar before and after the 2010 vote after being invited by Bin Hammam. Last week Beckenbauer told German media that he did not respond to Garcia's questions because they were in English and he did not understand them. Although he is no longer an ExCo member, Beckenbauer is still listed on the ruling body's website as a special adviser to the FIFA Football Committee. He is also an honorary president at Bayern Munich, the club where he spent most of his playing career and won three successive European Cups from 1974-76 and four German Bundesliga titles. Meanwhile, Interpol has sent a team to Brazil and to key areas around the world due to serious concerns about match-fixing and illegal betting at the World Cup. "There are organized crime groups engaged in illegal betting, and with illegal betting there's a greater likelihood that there could be an influence on the outcome of the match or an influence on what happens on the pitch based on a bribe or some kind of corrupt act," the international crime agency's Secretary General Ron Noble told CNN Friday.

FIFA bans German great Franz Beckenbauer from football-related activities for 90 days . Football's ruling body says 68-year-old did not help with investigation into World Cup bids . Beckenbauer had been one of FIFA members to vote on 2018 and 2022 host nations . FIFA's ethics committee is expected to release its findings at the end of July .

33ea8817b35b6a200d3d13dfff74b2da5b2e34c1

From the iridescence of butterfly wings to the intricacies of plankton, studying nature on a nanoscale could help scientists create machines as small as those inside a living cell. Now a new book, the 'Nanoscience: Giants of the Infinitesimal', has selected some of the best images from the field to reveal how nature's hidden beauty could be replicated by humans. The images chart how nanoscience has progressed over the past 50 years showing iconic research such as the smiley faces made from DNA and muscle cells of beef developed from stem cells. A new book, called the 'Nanoscience: Giants of the Infinitesimal', has selected some of the best images from the field of nanotechnology to reveal how nature's hidden beauty could be replicated by humans. Pictured is a nanoscale image of ice crystals . In 1959, Richard Feynman, a physicist at California Institute of Technology, described how scientists would be able to manipulate individual atoms and molecules to make electronic circuits smaller. The authors of Nanoscience, science writer Peter Forbes and artist Tom Grimsey, suggest that copying nanoscale processes in nature could have more significant consequences. From clean harvesting solar energy and finding cost-effective methods to desalinate sea water, nanotechnology, they claim, can revolutionise human processes. For a sense of scale, sheet of paper is about 100,000 nanometers thick while a human hair is about 80,000 to 100,000 nanometers wide. Pictured here are nanoflowers created using carbon. They were created by a Harvard University team who realised the ancient dream of creating complex 3D structures simply by mixing chemicals. These flowers were creating by passing carbon dioxide through barium carbonate and silica microstructures to produce stems, vases, corals and other structures. False colour has been added to the image . In 1959, Richard Feynman, a physicist at California Institute of Technology, described how scientists would be able to manipulate individual atoms and molecules to make electronic circuits smaller. Shown here is a nanoscale view of plankton. These specimens were living between crystals of annual sea ice in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica . The ideas and concepts behind nanoscience started with a talk entitled 'There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom' by physicist Richard Feynman in 1959. He described how scientists would be able to manipulate individual atoms and molecules to make electronic circuits smaller. He also suggested that it should be possible, in principle, to make nanoscale machines that 'arrange the atoms the way we want', and do chemical synthesis by mechanical manipulation. One of the images highlighted in the book are the muscle cells of beef developing from stem cells. Last year, cells such as these were used to create the world's first stem cell burger. It was made of 20,000 small strands of meat grown from a cow's muscle cells and took three months to create. Another image show a pollen grain from the mouse-ear hawkweed magnified 2000 times. Such natural nanostructures have been used to template material such as titanium dioxide that is used in sun cream and food colourings. Chloroplasts inside plant cells are also revealed. These are the photosynthetic factories of plant cells, where the energy of sunlight is converted into energy-rich biomass - a process scientists are emulating to create 'green' energy. The writers claim that nanoscience is about 'bringing us to the point where life starts: the point where precisely nanostructured chemicals take on the properties of life'. By peering into the tiny structures that make up the world around us, the authors believe we could be on the way to establishing a 'nanotechnology revolution.' Paul Rothemund's famous DNA smileys that adorned the cover of Nature magazine in 2006. Rothemund's work led to a boom in DNA nanotechnology. Dr Rothemund  used these smileys to show a simpler way to rearrange DNA. He showed that  long, single strands of DNA can be folded back and forth to form a basic scaffold. The basic structure is then supplemented by around 200 shorter strands, providing a shape that can bear a complex pattern, such as this smiley face . A false-coloured image of a complex nano-structured 'flower' grown from a chemical solution. This image, under the title 'Emeraldine buds and flowers bloom atop a microstructured landscape', was submitted by the Aizenberg Lab as an entry to a 'Science as Art' competition in 2010 . A pollen grain from the mouse-ear hawkweed magnified 2000 times. Such natural nanostructures have been used to template material such as titanium dioxide that is used in suncream and food colourings . The individual scales of a butterfly's wing can be seen here. Butterfly wings don't possess pigmented colour. Instead they create their brilliant displays using a trick of the light. Something known as 'photonic crystals' create geometric patterns at microscopic scales. The paterens are spaced very close to the wavelengths of light in ways that intensify the reflected light of certain colors and absorb others . Shown here are chloroplasts inside plant cells. These are the factories of plant cells, where the energy of sunlight is converted into energy-rich biomass, a process scientists hope to emulate to create 'green' energy .

Images selected for book, 'Nanoscience: Giants of the Infinitesimal', that charts the progress of nanotechnology . Highlights include close up images showing the iridescence of butterfly wings and smiley faces made from DNA . The authors, science writer Peter Forbes and artist Tom Grimsey, suggest that copying nanoscale processes in nature could have far reaching consequences .

cc8a853f9f004785407f838432e22ed2390f68a5

By . Associated Press . and MailOnline Reporter . Authorities have identified the four people pulled from a popular Oregon reservoir as a grandmother, her two children and her 3-year-old grandson. The bodies of two women and a 13-year-old boy were discovered on Tuesday, just a day after a 3-year-old boy was found and pronounced dead at Henry Hagg Lake, about 35 miles west of Portland. Deputies identified the three bodies as Jova Ixtacua-Castano, 42, her daughter Gabriela Garcia-Ixtacua, 25, and son Michael Garcia-Ixtacua, 13. The 3-year-old boy found Monday night was identified as Gabriela's son, Jeremy Scholl. The family lived in nearby Hillsboro, where Michael was an eighth-grade student at Evergreen Middle School. They had gone to the lake for a picnic on Monday. Scroll down for video . Tragic: A family of four drowned at Oregon's Henry Hagg Lake, west of Portland. They were identified as grandmother Jova Ixtacua-Castano, 42 (right), her daughter Gabriela Garcia-Ixtacua, 25, and son Michael Garcia-Ixtacua (left). Gabriela's son, Jeremy Scholl  (right), 3, was found dead a day earlier. The Washington County Sheriff searches for two adults and one child who may have drowned in Oregon . Deputies . were called to Henry Hagg Lake, located outside of Gaston, Oregon, at . around 6 pm on Monday evening, after two men who were out fishing . spotted the body of a boy near the shoreline. It was not clear exactly what happened to the family, but law enforcement officials said they found no sign of foul play. 'We're just considering this a tragic accident,' said Sgt. Bob Ray of the Washington County sheriff's office. Because . of its size of nearly 2 square miles, the lake has no lifeguards, but . the sheriff's office uses a vessel on weekends for patrols. The . three bodies were discovered about 40 feet offshore in 8 feet of water, . and about 50 yards from the spot where the 3-year-old was found. Authorities . worried about the rest of the family after they recovered the boy's . body at the site Monday evening and found personal items nearby, . including a beach towel, cooler, shoes, identification, as well as a . small dog on a leash. They . also discovered that a vehicle left at the parking lot near the lake . was owned by a family member. The family's neighbors and relatives told . officials the four had gone to the lake and had not been heard from . since. A search party on Henry Hagg Lake late Monday evening, where Jeremy Scholl, 3, was pronounced dead earlier . This is the parking lot at the Henry Hagg Lake picnic area, where authorities discovered the family's car . The . lake is a busy recreation site, drawing 800,000 visitors a year — 6,000 . a day on busy summer weekends, officials said. It also provides . drinking water for Portland suburbs. There . have been previous drownings and near-drownings at Henry Hagg Lake, . near the same area where the four family members were found. That . side of the lake can be dangerous because it has a steep drop-off . formed by the channel of a former river bed running beneath the . reservoir. In . 2012, eight children nearly drowned after wading into the lake and . stepping from that underwater drop-off. They were saved by six people at . a family reunion who heard the children yelling and formed a human . chain to pull them to shore.

The family members drowned in Henry Hagg Lake near Gaston, Oregon . They are identified as Jova Ixtacua-Castano, 42, Gabriela Garcia-ixtacua, 25, Michael Garcia-Ixtacua, 13, and Jeremy Scholl, 3 . Jova was the mother of Michael and Gabriela, who was Jeremy's mother .

9011f0b4e62714a4ade6009ccfb1e86995484ceb

By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 11:10 EST, 6 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:59 EST, 6 September 2013 . Scott Beecham had claimed he could not attend probation service appointments because he was unable to get out of bed after suffering a compressed disc in his spine . A thief who claimed to be bedridden with a bad back when he was in fact carrying out a seven month crime spree was caught out when he was seen swinging from a CCTV camera, a judge heard. Scott Beecham had claimed he could not attend probation service appointments because he was unable to get out of bed after suffering a compressed disc in his spine. But a court heard how at the same time, the 36-year-old was stealing thousands of pounds of stock from supermarkets. The defendant, who appeared at Guildford Crown Court using crutches, was also fit enough to swing from a CCTV camera before punching it, the court heard. Judge Peter Moss said he was left perplexed as to how Beecham could have carried out the offences after suffering such an injury. During the spree the defendant, from Leatherhead, Surrey, targeted supermarkets and the DIY chain B&Q stealing or attempting to steal more than £2,000 worth of goods. At the time he was in breach of a four week prison sentence, which had previously been suspended for two years. Judge Moss heard Beecham had doctor’s notes stating he was unable to attend probation appointments because his ongoing health problems had left him bedridden. The offences started on November 20 last year when he told a security guard in Sainsbury’s that he 'could have him with one punch'. The intimidated guard, who knew the defendant was already banned from the store in Leatherhead, Surrey, called the police. One month later Beecham approached the same security guard outside the supermarket and verbally threatened him. On February 7 he threatened a store detective as he tried to steal £270 worth of video games from a Tesco store in Reigate, Surrey. Beecham was then spotted attempting to steal eight X-Box consoles from Tesco in Weybridge, Surrey in March. In April he stole three television sets from Asda, worth £970 pounds. Scott Beecham admitted two offences under Section 4 of the Public Order Act, two counts of theft, criminal damage, common assault and breaching his suspended sentence at Guildford Crown Court (pictured) Just weeks later the former painter and decorator targeted a Tesco store in Worthing, fleeing with £278 pounds worth of video games. In June Beecham was witnessed jumping up and swinging off a CCTV camera at Tesco in Redhill before punching it. Also in June, he stole three power drills worth £449 pounds from B&Q. Beecham admitted two offences under Section 4 of the Public Order Act, two counts of theft, criminal damage, common assault and breaching his suspended sentence. Saul Herman, defending, claimed that Beecham had spiralled out of control after his ex-partner moved away with their children. 'At the time he was taking hard drugs that numbed the pain and made him more mobile,' he said. On sentencing Beecham to 14 months and two weeks in prison, Judge Moss said: 'You were seen jumping up at a CCTV camera outside Tesco and hanging from it before punching it. That showed considerable agility for one suffering with a bad back.'

Scott Beecham claimed he could not attend probation appointments . He said he was unable to get out of bed because of bad back . But at the same time he was targetting supermarkets on crime spree . He has been jailed to 14 months and two weeks after admitting offences .

257b65c5650b8e705a729beb461548904751e13c

Paul Lambert has urged Fabian Delph to provide a huge boost to beleaguered Aston Villa by signing a new deal and becoming the club’s Steven Gerrard. Delph is out of contract in the summer and could leave Villa Park on a free, with Liverpool said to be interested in replacing outgoing Gerrard with the 25-year-old. The possibility of seeing Delph stay had seemed remote, as he looks to explore his options, but Lambert struck a more confident tone than in previous weeks. When asked if Villa could realistically keep Delph, the Villa manager said: ‘Yes. With Fabian it will not be about money. He’s not a money-orientated guy. He just wants to play football. Paul Lambert has urged Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph (right) to sign a new deal with the club . Delph, pictured training on Thursday, is out of contract in the summer and has been linked with Liverpool . Villans manager Lambert hopes Delph will stay at Villa Park and become the club's Steven Gerrard . 'It would be a major boost if we can get him to stay. It would send out a great message. Him turning around and staying would be a massive statement. 'We’re still talking to Fabian. Hopefully we can get something done. The contract would happen if your club is flying and doing well. When you’re out of contract you have the obligation to see it through and then move.’ Delph is back after a three-match suspension to face Liverpool and Gerrard, the player he has taken over from in England’s midfield. ‘Fabian is ready, he’s energetic. He’ll be a major boost,’ said Lambert. 'If he keeps progressing and doing what he’s doing he’s in for a big career. 'Steven Gerrard leaving Liverpool is going to be a really hard player to replace. How do you replace that? He’ll be a massive loss on the pitch. Maybe off it will be even harder.’ Delph, pictured against Switzerland in September, has taken over from Gerrard in England's midfield .

Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph could leave on a free this summer . England international has been linked with a move to Liverpool . Delph returns to Villa squad to face Reds after a three-match suspension .

5553642d5197ea34b340d5c107fcb134f14d9b33

(CNN) -- This week Virginia Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, called Anita Hill and left a message on her answering machine inviting her to apologize for testifying during Clarence Thomas' confirmation hearings. The call brought back, with surprising immediacy, those 1991 hearings. For those too young to remember, the hearings may be little more than a paragraph in a history text. But it's hard to overstate their importance. For women at the time, Professor Hill's testimony was riveting and unforgettable. The country watched on TV as Hill related her personal story -- describing the sexual harassment she said she endured while working for Thomas as a federal government employee -- before a Judiciary Committee composed entirely of men. Not a single woman senator. (Thomas denied the allegations.) The issue of sexual harassment was out of the shadows. Before Hill's testimony, sexual harassment was viewed as a problem for victims, predominantly women, to solve on their own. Most women suffered in silence rather than jeopardize their careers by complaining, even though sexual harassment had been defined as a form of sex discrimination that could be illegal more than a decade earlier by the courts and the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (or EEOC). When it first appeared that Professor Hill's allegations might not even be aired, outraged women jammed congressional switchboards with phone calls, and seven women members of the House of Representatives, including Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Rep. Louise Slaughter and then-Rep. Barbara Boxer (who was elected to the Senate the following year) marched to the Senate to demand a serious and respectful hearing. Professor Hill was berated and personally attacked during the hearing. Former Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson waited until Anita Hill's testimony was concluded to announce, for example, that "I really am getting stuff over the transom about Professor Hill," without providing any details or substantiation about what he was referring to. Such treatment became the subject of dinner table conversations around the country, as did the problem of sexual harassment itself. And those conversations continued wherever women met. Pundits speculated that the Anita Hill testimony would forever intimidate women from ever coming forward again, but the opposite happened. After the hearings, the number of claims of sexual harassment filed with the federal EEOC (the very agency headed by Clarence Thomas where Anita Hill said he had sexually harassed her) more than doubled between 1991 and 1998 (from 6,883 to 15,618). And women demanded better legal protection. Congress strengthened remedies for victims of sexual harassment at work by passing the Civil Rights Act of 1991, providing damages for the full range of injuries that victims might suffer and giving victims the right to trial by a jury of her peers. Major victories in the courts struck blows against widespread sexual harassment that women suffered in the workplace, from the mines to Wall Street. Employers took notice, so that now anti-harassment policies are more robust and company training programs are commonplace. In the aftermath of Anita Hill's testimony, Justice Thomas was narrowly confirmed to the Supreme Court by a vote of 52 to 48. In what became known as "the Year of the Woman," record numbers of women were elected to Congress: 28 women were elected to the House of Representatives, more than doubling the total number of female representatives to 47, and four new women joined the only two women then serving in the Senate. One of those new female senators from the class of 1992, Dianne Feinstein of California, now sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Anita Hill dedicated her career to combating discrimination, including sexual harassment, and opening equal opportunity to all in the workplace and beyond. The voicemail message from Justice Thomas's wife is a reminder of a moment in time that put a spotlight on sexual harassment. But our country still needs more discussion about the serious harm it causes. Sexual harassment has certainly not gone away. The National Women's Law Center, for example, recently filed an amicus brief in a lawsuit where a female electrical maintenance technician in a male-dominated workplace says she was constantly harassed -- with supervisors and co-workers routinely referring to women with demeaning and derogatory words, displaying provocative photos of naked and partially clothed women in common areas throughout the workplace (and not responding to her repeated requests that the photos be taken down), and excluding her from key daily meetings. Whether bullying and harassment in schools or making women's lives miserable in the workplace, it's time to make sure our laws are strong enough, our institutions committed enough, and our public debate serious enough to give women and girls the protections they need and deserve. There's still work to be done. For example, Congress needs to eliminate arbitrary limits on damages for sexual harassment victims and to change current legal standards that make it more difficult for students to prove sexual harassment than other claims of discrimination in schools. Any less not only does an injustice to women and girls, but to our country as well, which needs the talents and skills of us all to thrive. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Marcia Greenberger.

Marcia Greenberger says Virginia Thomas' call for Anita Hill apology recalls 1991 hearings . Back then, she says, women kept sexual harassment to themselves . Hill's testimony, before an all-male Senate panel, pulled back the curtain on the issue . Writer: Thomas was confirmed, and the "Year of the Woman" ensued .

79519ceaeab47826689c704aba7fad8ec25b03e2

It's arguably Paris's most iconic landmarks. However one couple got more than they bargained for when seeing the Eiffel Tower all lit up at night. A creepy face at the top of the 988ft structure was caught on camera by holidaymaker Lisa Dingley, who travelled across the channel to celebrate her 32nd birthday. She noticed the 'skull' while sitting on a wall with her boyfriend Philip Morgan at the entrance of Jardin des Tuileries - two miles from the famous landmark. What an Eiffel! The top of the tower looks like a skull, or a 'creepy face' in Lisa's photo . Miss Dingley, of Birmingham, West Midlands, spotted the face straight away and thought it was a giant skull looking back at her. She said: 'The face on top of the tower reminds me of a skull. 'I noticed that it looked like a face immediately and showed it to my partner, Philip. Lisa Dingley took the amusing photo while travelling to Paris with Philip Morgan . 'We were both amazed and had to look at it several times - it was clearly a face. 'I thought it looked creepy and I am sure some people will agree with me. 'Philip also thought it was a very strange photograph. Everyone who has seen it exclaims "there is a face!"' The photograph was taken at 10pm, during the tower's first light show of the evening.

Lisa Dingley was on holiday with boyfriend Philip Morgan when she took pic . They were sitting on a wall at Jardin des Tuileries two miles from landmark . Thought top of tower looked like a skull or creepy face .

29d1460c75cb9bca6c50ee90688b924887013d58

Ride sharing firm Uber has been forced to suspend its services in the U.S. state of Nevada after a judge issued the firm with an injunction. The judge from a Washoe County District Court issued a preliminary injunction preventing the company from operating statewide on Tuesday. It issued the legal ban on behalf of the state saying Uber refused to comply with state laws regulating commercial motor carriers which could put the public's safety at risk. Ban: A judge from a Washoe County District Court issued the company with a preliminary injunction . Authorities have long held many concerns over the popular ride-sharing firm; passenger safety is just one of them along with their ability to muscle in on licensed  taxi drivers' revenue. Companies such as Uber allow passengers to summon cars using apps on their smartphones, rather than calling a taxi company. They have gained popularity in dozens of U.S. cities and international countries over the past few years. But in Nevada, the attorney general filed a lawsuit last month arguing that the Internet application infringes on the franchise rights of taxi companies and cabdrivers. The law suit could lead to a trial in the future. A spokesperson for Uber said that the ban in Nevada could cost 1,000 jobs. 'It's unfortunate that Nevada is the first state in the nation to temporarily suspend Uber,' spokeswoman Eva Behrend said in a statement. Yet critics of the Delaware-based company continue to grow. In September, taxi drivers in London staged a mass demonstration over the ride-sharing app in September. Up to 5,000 black cab drivers blockaded London's city center yesterday in protest against a boom in unlicensed minicabs and rickshaws as well as the hugely popular Uber smartphone app. Big Ben rises in the background over the Houses of Parliament as black cab drivers blockade Parliament Square in protest against the boom in unlicensed minicabs and rickshaw drivers on the streets of London . Protest: Taxi drivers gather next to the Olympia Stadium in Berlin, Germany, to protest the app in June . Drivers in San Francisco have also expressed their dismay over the app suggesting it has led to soaring competition from unlicensed drivers. In Germany, a regional German court issued a temporary injunction against Uber in September, saying its drivers lacked necessary commercial permits. Meanwhile, Singapore recently announced new rules for mobile taxi booking apps, like Uber, in the latest move by governments around the world to regulate the services. Singapore's Land Transport Authority said the apps will soon have to apply for a three-yearly 'certificate of registration' starting from the second quarter of next year. The firm faced even more problems recently after reports emerged that executive Emil Michael wanted to hire ‘opposition researchers’ to dig up dirt on journalists who were critical of the company. The company has come under such fire recently that its CEO Travis Kalanick raised gasps at a conference by comparing his firm's problems to the repression faced by demonstrators in Ferguson. 'Weird analogy: Uber CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick, who compared his company's problems with Las Vegas taxi regulators to the problems faced by people demonstrating against police brutality in Ferguson . Travis Kalanick was speaking at a tech conference hosted by investment bank Goldman Sachs. He said his problems in Las Vegas were similar to those faced by anti-police brutality demonstrators in Ferguson, Pando Daily reports. But he insists that his company is a technology business and not a taxi firm. Yet, despite its myriad of issues, the young upstart company is proving to be popular and is close to raising between $35 billion and $40 billion in their latest round of funding insiders told Bloomberg. Behrend said: 'We will continue to work with regulators and state leaders as we evaluate this development.’ ‘We remain committed to working with Nevada's leaders to create a permanent regulatory framework that affords Nevadans the flexibility and innovation offered by Uber,’ she added.

The judge issued the injunction to stop the firm operating in the state . He argued that Uber refuses to comply with state laws which is unsafe . The firm has faced stiff opposition to its app from all around the world . A spokesman said the ban in Nevada will cost them over 1,000 jobs . But Uber insists it is a technology firm and not a taxi company .

b08825d898781675dd70e6a12858ea713f4275db

By . Ruth Dudley Edwards . In custody: The arrest of Gerry Adams in connection with the murder of Jean McConville provoked a wide range of responses . The arrest of Gerry Adams in connection with the murder of Jean McConville provoked a wide range of responses. There was rejoicing among those who have longed to see justice meted out to this terrible man. There was fury from his supporters, who claimed there was ‘a political agenda’ behind the arrest designed to damage Sinn Fein on the eve of the EU parliamentary elections. And from veteran Northern Ireland watchers, gloomy predictions that this was a false dawn, that yet again nothing would stick to Teflon Gerry, a man who was a leader of the IRA for more than three decades, who still insists he wasn’t even a member of the terrorist organisation and who polls say is the most popular party leader in the Republic of Ireland. Many people in Britain and Ireland are mystified and shocked that anyone votes for Adams, who won a seat in the Irish parliament in 2011 and took over as Sinn Fein party leader. The IRA which he defends murdered 2,000 men, women and children, ruined the lives of tens of thousands more who were injured, bereaved or traumatised, and wrecked Northern Ireland. Yet unrepentant terrorists and their apologists are elected both north and south of the border. Tribal loyalty and generations of brainwashing account for much of their support, but there is also ignorance and gullibility. Close on a quarter of the population in the Republic weren’t even born when in 1998 the Good Friday Agreement signalled that the IRA were going out of business. They simply don’t know of the stench that surrounds Gerry Adams and his organisation. Killed: Jean McConville (pictured with three of her children) was abducted, murdered and buried by an IRA mob . Adams is an accomplished liar who spouts the language of peace, social justice and equality and steadfastly insists that vested interests are behind all the allegations about his past. All he has ever been is a peace-maker, he says, and people who don’t know much about politics believe him. He has adopted a cuddly, folksy persona and tweets whimsically (and often weirdly) about his teddy bears, his dogs and his love of music and poetry. Far from damaging their support, Sinn Fein hope that Adams’ arrest will actually earn their candidates sympathy votes, and that is entirely possible if their skilful propaganda succeeds. Yet having the awful tragedy of Jean McConville once again reported in all its horrific detail all over the media is a potent reminder of the sheer brutality of the organisation Adams refuses to disassociate himself from. Search: Irish police excavate the beach in Louth, Ireland, where the body of Jean McConville was found in 2003 . Removing her body: The mother of ten's body is removed from an area near Templetown beach in County Louth . Only . the hardest heart could have been unmoved by hearing Michael McConville . on Radio 4’s Today programme yesterday morning, describing what . happened to him after his mother was dragged from her screaming children . by an IRA mob to be shot dead. Aged 11, he was kidnapped, beaten and threatened with terrible consequences if he identified the neighbours who did it. Those . threats were made more than 40 years ago, yet he fears his children . might be killed if even now he breaches the IRA’s code of silence by . naming names. Still, ever since the IRA’s evil grip on republican areas . began to loosen in the 1990s, he and some of his siblings have at least . been prepared to tell his story and demand justice. Son: Michael McConville described yesterday what happened to him after his mother was dragged from her children by an IRA mob to be shot dead. He was threatened with terrible consequences if he revealed who did it . Jean . McConville may have been secretly buried and her reputation trashed, . just as several other IRA victims were. But the McConvilles and other . families of those known as the Disappeared were not prepared to remain . quiet. They doggedly waged a campaign that forced the IRA to co-operate with the search for bodies. After Jean’s was found in 2003, an inquest ruled she had been unlawfully killed, the Police Ombudsman declared categorically that she had never been a British agent – as the IRA had claimed after she comforted a British soldier wounded outside her home – and the police are pursuing her murderers. Liar: Adams is an accomplished liar who spouts the language of peace, social justice and equality . But Jean McConville’s case is not the only one. To the horror of ex-paramilitaries, more and more ordinary people are demanding justice for their loved ones. With the help of Daily Mail readers, for instance, families of Omagh bomb victims took and won a civil case against four of the perpetrators. The sisters of Robert McCartney – stabbed to death in 2005 outside a bar by people associated with Sinn Fein – are keeping their brother’s murder in the public eye despite the fact they have been intimidated by IRA thugs out of their jobs and home. Ann Travers, whose sister Mary was shot dead by gunmen trying to murder their magistrate father, refused to remain silent after a woman who had served time for her role in the murder was appointed as a special adviser to a Sinn Fein minister. In the teeth of vociferous Sinn Fein opposition, the Northern Irish assembly has now blocked the appointment to such jobs of anyone with a serious conviction. Sinn Fein have always made a point of supporting families who protest against killings by loyalists or state forces – think of Bloody Sunday, or Adams’ campaign for an inquiry into several killings in 1971 in Belfast’s Ballymurphy by members of the Parachute Regiment. Yet when the boot is on the other foot, when there are calls for justice for those murdered by the IRA, Sinn Fein’s response is to howl with complaint and utter dark threats about the unravelling of the peace. In the past, this has made the police nervous about pursuing high-profile republicans. It is widely believed, for instance, that political interference prevented the charging of Martin McGuinness in 1993 after Central TV’s The Cook Report had produced a two-part documentary accusing him of being ‘Britain’s No 1 terrorist’, and featuring witnesses who claimed he had enticed an informer called Frank Hegarty back to Londonderry where he was murdered. Determined: The sisters (right) of Robert McCartney (left), who was stabbed to death outside a bar in 2005 by people associated with Sinn Fein, are keeping their brother’s murder in the public eye despite being intimidated . But this kid-gloves approach is changing. The IRA’s victims are bolder today and have been putting pressure on the police to pursue anyone against whom there is evidence. This has rattled the Sinn Fein leadership which has been seeking some kind of amnesty for those found guilty. In a deal negotiated by representatives of loyalist and republican paramilitaries, no one convicted of any pre-1998 Troubles-related crime has to serve more than two years in jail – and, ironically, this would apply to Adams if he were found guilty. But although there are politicians such as Peter Hain who support the amnesty, victims and those who believe in the rule of law are fighting it. The bereaved don’t want deals and trade-offs. They want justice. Jean McConville’s children will never get over their mother’s cruel death. Yet they have been given heart to see the police are taking her murder so seriously they are prepared to interrogate even that celebrity terrorist-turned-peacemaker, Gerry Adams. Because whatever happens to him, his arrest is a victory for ordinary people which sends out a signal that no one is above the law. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Gerry Adams's arrest on Wednesday provoked wide range of responses . Some rejoined, while others predicted that nothing would stick to Adams . Meanwhile, his supporters said there was 'political agenda' behind arrest . Jean McConville was abducted, murdered and secretly buried by IRA mob . The mother-of-ten's body was found near a beach in County Louth in 2003 .

5b3452e2d8e7e414653377763cfe7f5a16f8ea7f

By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 14:11 EST, 28 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:12 EST, 28 May 2013 . Shaun Akanbi was stabbed to death and found dead in his flat in Kilburn in December . A fashion designer was stabbed through the heart by a man he befriended and asked round to his north London flat, the Old Bailey has heard. The body of Shaun Akanbi, 26, who dressed the likes of Ms.Dynamite and Tinie Tempah, was found in his locked bedroom at the flat he shared with others in Exeter Road, Kilburn, in December. Police broke down the door after police and family said they were concerned no-one had seen him for three days. He had been stabbed five times. Achraf Jandara, 20, is accused of murdering Mr Akanbi before ransacking his flat and fleeing wearing clothes from the victim's label Billy Boyce. The Moroccan was captured on CCTV walking . off with a rucksack and trolley bag and dressed in a jacket bearing the . Billy Boyce logo. The court was told that Mr Akanbi and . Jandara had previously swapped messages over Facebook and Mr Finnigan . said the 'apparent purpose of the meeting was connected to proposed or . actual sexual activity.' Peter Finnigan, QC, prosecuting told the court: 'The motive for the killing was very probably robbery. Items were stolen from the flat. '[Mr Akanbi] had already attained a fair amount of success. He was talented. He was reasonably well-off. He was also sociable and well-loved.' Jandara, 20, of Camberwell, south London, denies murder. The jurors were told Jandara was claiming someone else murdered Mr Akanbi and that he was the first to come across the body. Fans of the Billy Boyce brand, named after Mr Akanbi’s father, include Brit award winner Miss Dynamite and Fazer from grime trio N-Dubz. Mr Akanbi founded the label while studying at the London College of Fashion in 2009. Shaun Akanbi founded the Billy Boyce label in 2009 when he was still a fashion student . He was last seen alive by a pizza delivery driver who dropped off food at the victim's flat at about 10.40pm on the night he died. The driver later told police he saw the . victim with a white man with a distinctive long face and long skinny . nose, although he was unable to identify Jandara. Mr Finnigan told the court that Jandara's footprint was found in Mr Akanbi's flat and his DNA was on a mug in the bedroom. He said he stumbled across the body of Mr Akanbi. Mr Finnigan said: ‘The new defence is . the murderer slipped in and out of the building unobserved by CCTV, . conveniently leaving the door open for the defendant to find the body. Musicians such as Tinie Tempah, left, Ms. Dynamite, right, and Fazer from N-Dubz are known to be fans . 'You will have to consider why he did not call the police or emergency services. Instead he stripped the flat of as many of Shaun Akanbi’s possessions as he could bodily carry out of the flat. ‘He even had on Shaun’s clothes which he got from a rack on the flat. ‘Shaun had his own special unique line of clothes with his own logo - you can see it on the CCTV.’ Mr Akanbi’s Macbook laptop was sold by Jandara’s cousin two days after the murder for £160, the court heard. Jurors heard the murder weapon has not been found. The trial has been adjourned until tomorrow.

Shaun Akanbi was discovered with stab wounds at his bedroom in Kilburn . Old Bailey told Achraf Jandara left with bags of Mr Akanbi's clothes . Moroccan Jandara, 20, denies murdering the 26-year-old fashion designer . Victim founded Billy Boyce label which dressed likes of N-Dubz's Fazer .

393160bb9920ffeee291e8e89c6521afa7b74f72

By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 08:27 EST, 29 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:27 EST, 29 May 2013 . A dog owner hit with a £7,500 bill to save his sick pet turned to drug smuggling to raise money to clear his debts, a court heard. Newly-married Ceri Morgan, 38, was forced to cancel his Las Vegas honeymoon last year to help pay to treat his bulldog Teeto who had cancer. He then tried to import £25,000 of the drug 'meow meow' to fund his dog's expensive treatment, Swansea Crown Court heard. Beloved dog: Ceri Morgan, 38, turned to drug dealing to help clear his debts after spending £7,500 to treat his bulldog Teeto who had cancer . But Morgan, from Morriston, South Wales, who married his wife Claire, 26, last year, was caught and was jailed for 18 months for importing the illegal substance. He was tracked down after a one kilogram package of drugs was stopped by customs officials in East Midlands Airport on August 2. Cancer: The dog had to have its front right leg removed after undergoing chemotherapy treatment . It had been sent from a company called 'Shanghai Trading Company' to a made-up recipient called Dean Cook. The Class B drugs package would have cost around £2,500 to buy but had a street value of up to £25,000. Prosecutor Frank Phillips said: 'The package was addressed to a house in Morriston in Swansea but police found Morgan's phone number on a invoice inside.' Police raided Morgan's home at Clase, Swansea, and found his iPhone and computer hard drive had been used to try track the package and to search for the Shanghai Trading Company. Mr Phillips said: 'A text message was also found where police believed Morgan had referenced that he had "only gone and got" a kilo of the drug.' Before his arrest for drug smuggling, garage worker Ceri, 36, said he had no hesitation in cancelling his honeymoon to pay his vet bills. He said: 'We were looking forward to our dream honeymoon but Teeto had to come first. 'He's such a special dog, we had no hesitation. We had to use the money for his vets bills.' Poorly Teeto had his right leg amputated and underwent a course of chemotherapy to fight the cancer in his right shoulder. Bride Clare, 26, said at the time: 'We told the vet that it didn't matter about the money, just do whatever it takes to make him better.' Dog lovers: Ceri with his new wife Clare Morgan at home in Swansea. They cancelled their Las Vegas' honeymoon to pay for the dog's treatment. Now he has been jailed for 18 months for importing drugs . Morgan admitted importing the drug and a second charge of attempting to supply it. He had no previous convictions for drugs offences. Robin Rouch, for Morgan, said his client was working with someone else and said it was 'not difficult' to import drugs from the Far East. He said he had been driven to commit the offence because of financial problems which stemmed from the illness of the family pet. Judge Peter Heywood said: 'Meow meow use in Swansea was becoming an acute problem and was reaching epidemic proportions. 'It's become very much the drug of choice in this city, hardly a week goes by when reference to meow meow isn't appearing in these courts.'

Ceri Morgan, 38, cancelled his Las Vegas honeymoon to pay his vet bills . His dog Teeto, which had cancer, had its leg amputated . He tried to import £20,000 of meow meow to pay his debts . Dog owner is jailed for 18 months for illegally importing the Class B drug .

d94cb76a2dad988416ace9cba78052c8d66f4a13

By . Steve Doughty, Social Affairs Correspondent . PUBLISHED: . 19:17 EST, 12 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:09 EST, 13 May 2013 . Twenty thousand migrants a year are being let into Britain under a loophole that could be exploited by sham-marriage racketeers, a report warns today. Under European law, EU nationals living in this country are allowed to bring in spouses or partners and their families from anywhere in the world with no checks or qualifications. But British citizens who want to bring in a wife, husband or partner and family from abroad must first show they have an income of £18,600 or more to guarantee their dependants will not become a burden on the taxpayer. Think-tank MigrationWatch UK warns 20,000 people are entering Britain through a migration loophole . The report by the MigrationWatch UK think-tank warns that 20,000 people a year are now coming to live in Britain as partners of a citizen of another EU country. The loophole means the system is wide open to abuse by racketeers who can charge vast sums of money to set up a sham marriage, it said. Sir Andrew Green of MigrationWatch said: ‘This is a loophole that must be closed and soon. 'It is absurd that EU citizens should be in a more favourable position than our own citizens. 'Furthermore, 20,000 per year is a very large number to admit unconditionally, especially compared to the government’s target of tens of thousands for annual net migration.’ Under the rules, a member of the family of an EU citizen - who has the right to travel to and work freely in Britain - can bring in their family under a ‘European Economic Area family permit’. The permit is issued to any national of another EU country who is living in Britain and applies for it. Under EU law, EU nationals living in the UK can bring their spouse or partner with no checks . The report said: ‘A Polish or French person can marry someone from outside the EU, say Kenya or Vietnam, and can bring their spouse into the UK, even if they do not have a job earning £18,600 or indeed any job. ‘The couple would be entitled to full access to the welfare state. A British or non-EU settled resident would not be allowed to bring in a spouse without this minimum income.’ A number of Indian nationals from the former Portuguese territory of Goa are thought to have taken advantage of the loophole. Indians living in Goa can claim they have Portuguese heritage and so claim Portuguese citizenship. They can then move directly to Britain – without ever having to visit Portugal – and bring a family without meeting any qualification test. A spokesman for the Home Office said: 'EU citizens do not have unrestricted access to the UK - they must be exercising their treaty rights by working, studying or being self-sufficient. 'The Prime Minister has recently announced a number of changes including strengthening residence testing and limiting the amount of time migrants can claim benefits.'

Think-tank MigrationWatch UK said loophole can be exploited by racketeers . EU nationals are allowed to bring in spouses or partners without checks . Sir Andrew Green from think-tank said loophole 'must be closed and soon'

13b82b93f90468c109b3a31d44ad9fb6fbf1e51a

Congress took up one of the most divisive issues in politics Thursday as the House of Representatives rejected a controversial measure banning abortions based on the sex of a fetus. In the House, 246 representatives backed the bill while 168 voted against it, leaving the proposal short of the two-thirds total necessary for passage. Most Republicans supported the measure; the majority of Democrats opposed it. Supporters characterized the proposal as a necessary defense of the civil rights of unborn children; opponents called it part of a broader so-called war on women and an ongoing assault on legalized abortion. The Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act would have imposed possible fines and prison sentences of up to five years on doctors who knowingly perform abortions chosen on grounds based on sex. Abortion providers could also have been subjected to civil penalties, including punitive monetary damages, under certain circumstances. Gallup poll: 'Pro-choice' at a record low . The issue is about "whether or not in the land of the free and the home of the brave that we are going to allow little girls to be killed before they're born simply because they are little girls," Rep. Trent Franks, R-Arizona, said Thursday morning. Franks was the bill's main sponsor. "I would suggest to you that if that should become the accepted practice in America -- that we are no longer going to care about that -- then maybe it's time to board (Congress up) and go home and say we did our best but we just didn't quite make it." Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, said that "most people in government are unaware" that abortion based on the sex of a fetus "is part of a deliberate plan of population control that has now boomeranged and come to our own country." "This is the real war on women," he insisted. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, argued Wednesday that it's "hypocrisy to say that one is pro-woman and that it's OK to end the life of an unborn child just because of its gender." "Since when did America subscribe to the idea that males are worth more than females?" she asked. "It's sick, it's discriminatory, it's sexist and it is blatantly anti-woman and anti-human." Women's rights: Nuns' fight with Vatican highlights Catholicism's global struggle . Supporters of the measure cited multiple studies to back claims of a growing pattern of abortions based on the sex of the fetus. Opponents, however, took issue with certain interpretations of the studies, and warned of negative ramifications for women's health if the bill becomes law. Michigan Rep. John Conyers, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, asserted Wednesday that the bill "tramples (on) the rights of women under the guise of nondiscrimination, while doing absolutely nothing to provide women with needed resources for their babies, female and male." Citing opposition to the bill from groups such as the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, he said, "If this measure is passed into law, we will then require that medical and mental health professionals violate ... doctor-patient confidentiality" and report suspected violations to law enforcement authorities. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-California, said the bill's backers were "exploiting serious issues like racism and sexism in a backdoor attempt to make abortion illegal." "Attempts to restrict or deny access to safe abortions is harmful to women's health and would ultimately take us back to the days of back-alley abortions," she said. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, said nobody he has talked to favors abortion based on sex preferences, and the proposal was brought up simply "because somebody decided politically it was a difficult place to put people in." Drew Hammill, a spokesman for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, called the debate over the bill "yet another distraction and yet another day that this Republican majority fails to act on job creation." But Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Thursday that banning abortion based on the sex of a fetus is an "important issue to the American people." "This type of sex selection ... most Americans find pretty repulsive," Boehner said. "Our (Republican) members feel strongly about it. That's why it's being brought" to a vote. Asked why the Republican-controlled House took up an abortion bill at a time when GOP leaders have called economic recovery their top concern, a spokesman for Boehner insisted Wednesday that the party's priorities had not changed. Planned Parenthood's new ad zeroes in on Romney . "House Republicans are focused on the American people's top priorities: jobs and the economy," spokesman Michael Steel said. "Dealing with a bill to prevent sex-selective abortion ... doesn't change that." While Republican leaders wouldn't say why they brought up the bill under an expedited legislative process requiring a two-thirds vote for House approval, the maneuver avoided an extended argument over a divisive social issue with the potential to sidetrack the economic debate. Franks' bill came to a vote at a time when abortion, a perennial hot-button topic, has re-emerged as a political focal point. The anti-abortion rights group Live Action released two videos this week that is says shows Planned Parenthood staffers offering advice to a pair of women involved in a sting on how best to proceed with an abortion based on the sex of a fetus. Planned Parenthood, which provides a range of medical services for women, responded to the release of the videos by noting that one of the staff members in question -- a woman in Austin, Texas -- had lost her job because she failed to follow proper procedures for the organization. The organization insisted Thursday in a written statement, however, that the second staffer, based in New York, had provided "nonjudgmental, informative services that are in accordance with social work standards for patient interaction." The statement noted that Planned Parenthood "opposes sex selection abortion and insists on the highest quality care. ... If any Planned Parenthood organization learns of an instance where a staff member has not fully followed policies or procedures, they take swift action and remedy the situation." At the same time, the statement blasted Live Action's promotion of "a series of hoax patient videotapes related to sex selection." "Edited videos of hoax patient visits are part of a coordinated campaign over the last several years to distort Planned Parenthood's services, mission and values," the statement said. Planned Parenthood's leadership jumped into the presidential contest Wednesday, unveiling a roughly $1.5 million ad campaign targeting Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. The ad, which says Romney would deny women critical medical services, is set to run in the battleground states of Florida, Iowa and Virginia.

246 backed bill, 168 voted against it, leaving it short of the two-thirds needed for passage . Under the bill, doctors who perform such abortions could face up to five years in prison . Democrats call the bill an unneeded distraction from the economic debate . The support of two-thirds of House members was necessary for the bill for it to pass .

4e59d95e490544c261cbf13805c7b0d6c5f4f56e

A patriotic parrot has learned to whistle a famous football anthem to cheer on the England team during the World Cup in Brazil. The African grey parrot named Slipmatt has spent a month learning a rendition of The Great Escape in preparation for the World Cup. The tune, the soundtrack to the famous war film, is a favourite of the England supporters band, who follow the team around the world. Scroll down for video . England fan Fran Sheridan taught his parrot Slipmatt to whistle The Great Escape, the song often played at England games, so his pet can support the national team during the World Cup in Brazil . Owner Fran Sheridan, from Worcester, also taught his pet to shout 'England' and cheer on his favourite player with shouts of 'Come on Rooney'. Mr Sheridan, 42, decided to teach the bird the tune after his football-mad six-year-old son, Reilly, suggested the bird learn a football song to chant along to the matches. Mr Sheridan said: 'Reilly is obsessed with the World Cup and asked if we could teach Slipmatt a football anthem. 'It's taken us about a month to get him to do it - and now he sings it all the time. 'He sat on his perch to watch the Three Lions' game against Italy on Saturday night and sang the anthem to the football - he sounds just like a rowdy football fan.' The nine-year-old exotic bird also makes noises like the football whistles used on the pitch. Slipmatt, an African Grey parrot, has also learned to shout 'England' and 'Come on Rooney' during games . After a week of his parrot's England chanting, Mr Sheridan says the trick is beginning to wear a little thin . Mr Sheridan says he plans to watch all of England's World Cup games with his talented pet. He added: 'He is a very clever parrot - when I bought him as a baby the breeder said he wouldn't start talking until her was eight or nine months old. 'Three months later he was already chattering away - it was just amazing.' But Mr Sheridan has admitted that since England's opening 2-1 loss to Italy, Slipmatt's repertoire has become a little tiring. He said: 'Now he sings it from the moment I take the cover off his cage in the morning until late at night. 'I can't get him to stop singing it - I have to admit it gets a bit annoying. It didn't really help when he was squawking The Great Escape all day after we lost.' Over 200 people have seen a clip of the parrot singing which Mr Sheridan has posted on You Tube. Slipmatt can also whistle Mr Bojangles and the themes to Superman, The A Team and Star Wars. Mr Sheridan chose the Great Escape tune due to it being a favourite of the England supporters band (above) and taught Slipmatt the Rooney chant due to the forward (below) being his favourite player .

Slipmatt the African grey parrot has learned England chants and songs . Owner Fran Sheridan spent weeks teaching bird ahead of World Cup . The pet can chant 'England' and 'Come on Rooney' during matches . Slipmatt has also learned to whistle national team anthem The Great Escape . But Mr Sheridan admits he's beginning to grow tired of chants after a week .

e76e3e5ce7c044ba573b3a6d81c265b224c11ff8

(CNN) -- Anthony Sullivan was a young Australian with Robert Redford looks. Richard Adams emigrated from the Philippines as a child and became an American citizen. The two met in Los Angeles, fell in love and got married in Boulder, Colorado -- long before any state legalized same-sex marriage. County Clerk Clela Rorex issued the gay couple a marriage license at 11 a.m., April 21, 1975. Nothing in the Colorado marriage code mentioned same-sex marriage, and Rorex signed licenses for six couples before the district attorney advised her to end to them. But the licenses were never rescinded. Sullivan and Adams believed their marriage was legal and embarked on a decades-long struggle to attain permanent resident status for Sullivan. They became the first gay couple to sue the federal government for recognition of their marriage, effectively launching a movement that helped lead to the Supreme Court's ruling a year ago that struck down the Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as between a man and a woman. But even now, a year after that historic ruling, Sullivan, 72, remains in America, undocumented. In April, he filed a motion for the government to reopen his case and grant him a green card. Federal immigration law says a U.S. citizen or green card holder can sponsor a spouse so that they can remain together in America. But because of DOMA, the law did not afford that right to binational gay couples. After DOMA's demise, about 40,000 such couples became eligible for immigration rights. Previously, they were forced to choose between love and country -- and many of them lived in exile to be together. "The DOMA ruling completely changed the landscape," said Michael Sisitzky, an attorney with Immigration Equality, an organization that has been working with same-sex binational couples for two decades. It was a watershed moment, and within one week of the ruling, Immigration Equality heard from 1,500 couples seeking help. That's more than the total number of inquiries the group got the year before, Sisitzky said. "It was as if a light switch had gone off," he said. "LGBT couples go through the same process now as straight couples." A year after DOMA, these couples choose both love and country . However, some people, like Sullivan, have been left behind, said his attorney, Lavi Soloway, a gay rights lawyer who helped found Immigration Equality. Six months before the DOMA ruling, Sullivan's spouse died. Soloway said gay and lesbian widows and widowers are fighting to get their marriages recognized even though they no longer have a spouse who can sponsor them for a visa. Sullivan hopes that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service will allow him to live in the United States, as he has done for the past 40 years, legally. "Common sense says that my petition should be accepted. Decency also says it should be accepted," Sullivan said. "At the moment, I am just living my life day to day. " A license and a letter . At 29, Sullivan left home in Sydney, Australia, and was in the middle of an around-the-world trip when he stumbled upon Adams at a gay bar called The Closet in Los Angeles. It was Cinco de Mayo, 1971. The two agreed to meet for a date the next day at Greta Garbo's star on Hollywood Boulevard. Soon after, they knew they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. But Sullivan was on a tourist visa in the United States. He was not permitted to work. He would have to leave the country when his visa expired. They began to think about ways they could stay together. There was no country in the world then that allowed immigration rights for same-sex partners, nowhere they could go. Sullivan remained in the country -- illegally. Then, on television one day, they heard the most incredible news: a Colorado clerk had issued a marriage license to two men. Sullivan and Adams immediately made plans to fly to Boulder. Rorex, the Boulder County clerk, was 31, wore her skirts short and her hair long. She'd joined the National Organization for Women and was swept up in the movement for equal rights. She surprised even herself by winning the clerk's race. She'd been on the job only three months when a couple from Colorado Springs -- David McCord and David Zamora -- showed up wanting to get married. After she learned from the district attorney that nothing in the marriage code referred to gay marriages as illegal, Rorex granted the two men their wish. She did not know any gay people; she'd grown up in the small town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, before it became a skiing haven. Her world was pretty insular. But she felt in her gut it was the right thing to do. Sullivan and Adams showed up in Boulder, got a license and then were married in a church that supported gay rights. The first thing Adams did when they returned to Los Angeles was to petition what was then the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) for permanent residency or a green card for Sullivan. They could finally envision a future together in the United States. But suddenly, after their marriage made headlines, their private lives had become very public. Newspapers ran stories about them. Phil Donahue invited them on his daytime TV talk show. Soon, they began to feel the sting of homophobia. Sullivan's mother wrote him a letter disowning him. "Perversion is bad enough," she wrote, "but public display, never. ... I can endure no more." A woman in the audience of "Donahue" told Sullivan: "I think we should give you a lottery ticket and send you back to where you came from." Worst of all was a letter from the Department of Justice that arrived in the mail in November 1975. It contained only one sentence explaining a denial of a green card: "You have failed to establish that a bona fide marital relationship can exist between two faggots." The INS followed up with a second letter that said the green card petition was denied on the grounds that neither party was able to perform female functions in a marriage. It was inconceivable to Sullivan and Adams that anyone in government would use such language, especially that other "f" word. They filed the first lawsuit in America that sought recognition from the federal government for a same-sex marriage. But after years of legal wrangling, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the couple in 1985. The opinion, written by future Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, affirmed that marriage was between a man and a woman. Sullivan and Adams had lost. They tried to appeal to the Supreme Court but the justices refused to hear their case. Sullivan had exhausted every avenue available to him. He had a limited number of days left to voluntarily leave America before authorities would deport him to Australia. If he and Adams wanted to remain together, they had no choice but to leave the country. They felt like refugees because of their sexual orientation. There still wasn't any nation that recognized same-sex marriages, so Sullivan and Adams headed for Europe, where they had friends. They boarded TWA Flight 760 for London, leaving everything behind. For Adams, it was especially painful to separate from his mother and sisters. The couple floated around Europe like paupers for 11 months and eventually got fed up and returned to the United States by way of Mexico. Back then, crossing the border was easier, and Sullivan got through by passing as an American. Sullivan resumed life in Los Angeles under the radar of immigration authorities. In a way, it was a relief to live in hiding, away from the spotlight. In other ways it was painful. Sullivan's mother and brother died. Without documents, he could not travel and attend their funerals in Australia. The couple also had returned to an America reeling from the AIDS epidemic. They watched their friends get sick and die. They lived quietly, all the time fearing that Sullivan could, at any moment, get picked up by immigration agents. Bittersweet victory . In 2010, Adams was diagnosed with lung cancer. By then the gay rights movement had gained momentum and it seemed as though states were falling like dominoes on the question of same-sex marriage. Soloway, the couple's lawyer, knew there was a chance the Supreme Court would strike down DOMA. That's what he told Sullivan and Adams when he visited them on December 15 and encouraged them to go to Washington state and get married there -- just in case the government refused to recognize their Colorado license. They decided to marry again, except they would see it as an affirmation ceremony. Instead of "death do us part," they planned to say, "as long as there is love." They never made it to Washington. Adams died the next day. He was 65. Several newspapers ran his obituary. He and Sullivan were, after all, pioneers in the struggle for gay rights in America. When DOMA was struck down a year ago on June 26, Sullivan watched the news with his dog Jasper. He thought it ironic that Kennedy was the swing vote. In Sullivan's eyes, the justice had redeemed himself for the decision he'd handed down all those years ago. The ruling was a victory for gay couples but bittersweet for Sullivan. He wished Adams were there by his side to witness history. "It was a grave injustice he didn't live to see that day," Sullivan said. When Adams died, Sullivan's first inclination was to walk away from it all, to return to Australia. But he realized that America was home now. That's why he has asked immigration authorities to reconsider his petition for permanent residency. "I should be allowed to continue my life here," he said, "even though it's in a state of widowerhood." Recently, he attended the premier of a new documentary, "Limited Partnership," which chronicles his relationship with Adams and his battle to gain permanent residency. It will be shown in San Francisco on the first anniversary of the DOMA ruling. It was tough for Sullivan to sit through the film and see himself on the big screen. But he has no regrets. The U.S. government may not have recognized his marriage as legitimate, but for 41 years, he was a participant in a love story. It was the kind of love that many never experience. A love like Romeo and Juliet's. "They never managed to separate us," he said. Love had won. Follow CNN's Moni Basu on Twitter .

Australian Tony Sullivan married Richard Adams, a U.S. citizen, in 1975 . No country in the world recognized same-sex marriage then . Sullivan overstayed his tourist visa and lived under the radar in order to be with his love . One year after DOMA was struck down, Sullivan is trying again for permanent residence .

2d77b5e3df33eb8816325f40eafb116ef94ce45c

Actor Paul Walker was laid to rest Saturday at Forest Lawn Memorial Park following a brief non-denominational ceremony attended by his family and close friends. The Fast & The Furious star, 40, whose remains were cremated Thursday, was interred at the iconic Hollywood cemetery, . According to the website, the ceremony took place at the Court Of Liberty, one of the cemetery's historical sites. Scroll down for video . Final farewell: Several dozen mourners clad in black arrived at Hollywood's Forest Lawn Cemetery to say goodbye . Paul Walker Sr was seen leaving his house with a woman and heading to the Forest Lawn Memorial Park for his son Paul Jr's burial . An American flag was allegedly folded in a triangle and displayed during the ceremony, and then given to the star's family. Laid to rest: Paul Walker's ashes will be buried at the famed Forest Memorial Park in Hollywood on Saturday . More than three dozen people dressed in black and grey arrived at the landmark cemetery, where Walker's framed portrait has been set on an easel. A pair of guards in white short-sleeve shirts, black berets and white cloves stood watch during the ceremony. A green tent has been set up to shield the guests from the afternoon sun - and from the eyes of curious passersby. The family reportedly were hoping to keep the event private and is said to have asked those in attendance to arrive and leave together so they can be accompanied by a security escort. Ahead of the somber ceremony, Paul Walker's father, Walker Sr., was photographed driving his white KIA SUV towards the site of the burial. A slew of celebrities are buried at the iconic Hollywood Hills cemetery, most notably Michael Jackson's tomb at Forest Lawn's Great Mausoleum. Other stars laid to rest there include Liberace, Lucille Ball, John Ritter and Brittany Murphy. According to RadarOnline, . the Fast & The Furious star was transferred from the mortuary at . Los Angeles cemetery Forest Lawn Memorial Park to a crematory in . Glendale, California on Thursday. Famed spot: A slew of celebrities are buried at the iconic Hollywood Hills cemetery, including Liberace, Lucille Ball, John Ritter and Brittany Murphy . A source told the website the family 'intends on dividing Paul's ashes between an urn and keepsakes.' Walker was killed last month when the Porsche he was traveling in crashed and burned in Santa Clarita. On Wednesday, Walker's father, Paul Walker Sr., brother, Cody Walker, 25, and other family members finalised plans for the actor's funeral service. They also walked around the grounds of the cemetery, choosing a grave site plot. His family will mourn the star in a very private service, though TMZ reported certain cast and crew from the 'Fast & Furious' movies will be invited because he considered them kin. The . Walkers are keen, however, to avoid throngs of media and fans, to . protect the actor's daughter Meadow, 15, who is 'broken up' over her . dad's death. Funeral plans: Paul Walker Sr., right, and Cody Walker, center, were at Forest Lawn Cemetery on Wednesday arranging last details for Paul Walker's Funeral . Earlier . this week, the family claimed plastic road markers may have been . responsible for the crash that killed the star after stunt experts . claimed the 2005 Porsche Carrera GT driven by Walker's friend hit the . markers, called Bott's Dots, and careered out of control. According to TMZ, . sources close to his family said that having visited the site, the . experts claimed the bumps may have caused the car to hydroplane, . resulting in the driver losing control. Happier times: Paul Walker pictured enjoying a day off filming for Brick Mansions in Montreal with his daughter, Meadow . Walker and driver Roger Rodas died on November 30 when their car hit a pole and tree and caught fire in the Los Angeles suburb. The . experts told the family that the car could have lost traction after . hitting the bumps, which are used to separate lanes of traffic, and . skidded off the road. The claims come after question marks were raised over the safety of the car itself following the crash. The Porsche was being driven by the Hollywood star's friend and business partner Rodas. It . has since emerged that car experts have long expressed concern about . the souped-up model's suitability for the road, due to its ultra light . carbon-fiber frame and 5.7 liter race-derived V10 engine. It has a flat out speed of 205 miles per hour and its design is derived from earlier Porsche Le Mans models. Porsche knew of the car's sensitivity . when they launched the model in 2004. According to TMZ, a memo . circulated to sales staff said of the GT Carrera: 'This vehicle cannot . drive over a Foster Beer can that is lying on its side.' 'You need to be aware of what type of road surface you are on (dips; pot holes, seam heights, etc.) 'The Carrera GT is as close to a racecar as we will ever get, this car has all the disadvantages of a racecar. His final moments: The heartthrob is pictured in the 2005 Porsche Carrera GT just moments before it careered off the road and hit a tree and a pole, killing him and driver Roger Rodas in a fiery explosion . Police have revealed that a second man . has been charged with stealing a piece of the wreckage of the Porsche . that Walker was a passenger in when he was killed. Anthony Janow, 25, was released on $60,000 bail following the charges. Prosecutors say that Janow and 18-year-old Jameson Witty stole a roof panel from the wreck as it was being towed away from the site. The pair could face up to four-and-a-half years in prison for the offense. Witty, who is also free on bail, was caught on video stealing the T-top roof of the Porsche right off the tow truck and afterwards he even bragged about the heist by posting pics of the stolen wreckage on Instagram. The wrecked Porsche Carrera GT was being hauled by a flat-bed tow truck hours after the wreck that claimed the movie star and friend Roger Rodas, who was driving the vehicle when it crashed. The tow truck stopped at a red light and a male jumped out of a car following it to grab a piece of the car – he then hopped back into his car and sped away, according to police. The tow truck driver immediately reported the theft. A search warrant was executed on Thursday, and police found the stolen car panel - a part from the sports car's roof. Witty has since taken to Instagram to apologize for his actions. 'I wanted to say my intentions for the piece I took off the two truck were to make a memorial out of it. Paul was a childhood idol to me and many. The investigation into the crash that killed both Walker and Rodas is still ongoing.

Ceremony involved just the actor's family and close friends . An American flag was allegedly folded in a triangle and displayed during the ceremony . Slew of Hollywood stars are buried at cemetery including Michael Jackson .

ca3c07c6500b49036a814cd6184ec1e53c69651e

By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 08:58 EST, 17 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:41 EST, 18 September 2013 . A health and safety expert knocked a teenage girl off her moped before speeding off, leaving her in the road to be run over and killed by an oncoming minibus, a court heard today. Jade Clark's scooter was 'swallowed up and fragmented into hundreds of pieces' by Brian Hampton's Volvo 4X4 after he ploughed into the back of it. The executive swerved around the 16-year-old after she was flung into a Hampshire dual carriageway, before she was hit by a Volkswagen minibus whose driver had no time to react. Hampton, 58, an engineer who checks the safety of signals on Britain's railways, fled the scene and then tried to cover up his part in the teenager's death, the prosecution say. Road death: Jade Clark. 16, was killed after Brian Hampton, sketched in court, hit her with his 4X4 before she was run over and killed by a minibus, a court heard . Debris: The shattered remains of Jade's moped after a crash the prosecution say was caused by Hampton who then fled . Bournemouth Crown Court heard Hampton, who was already banned from driving, told his wife, his employers, a car garage and the police his £40,000 Volvo had struck a deer. Hampton paid £4,300 for the damage to the front of his vehicle to be hastily repaired, a jury was told. The court heard Hampton struck Jade's scooter as he drove along the A31 in Ringwood, Hampshire, on February 24. Crash scene: Police investigators look at the duel carriageway near Ringwood, Hampshire, after a smash that claimed the like of 16-year-old Jade . Chain of events: Jade was knocked into the road and died instantly from severe head injuries when a minibus followed . Simon Jones, prosecuting, said: 'Jade fell into the middle of the carriageway and the defendant swerved around her. That left her exposed to the fast moving traffic. 'Her moped was swallowed up and pushed along the carriageway.' Mr Jones said motorist John Ward was driving a VW minibus and had no time to react before hitting Jade, a trainee hairdresser from Ringwood in the New Forest. He added: 'He drove over what he initially believed to be debris and caused catastrophic head injuries and instant death. 'The moped was fragmented into hundreds of pieces. 'Brian Hampton had already driven off effectively leaving Jade and the scene of a fatal road collision. 'It was his duty to stop. 'What the defendant did was to seek to evade justice and pervert the course of justice by arranging for the damage to his vehicle to be subsequently repaired. 'He did this with one purpose in mind - that being to ensure there could be no link between him, his vehicle and the collision that occurred on the A31 that day.' Case: Brian Hampton is on trial for perverting the course of justice after allegedly lying to cover up his part in the crash . Hampton drove his damaged vehicle to the Premier Inn in Poole where he had been booked in by his employers, railway company Signalling Solutions, the court heard. He emailed his manager at 4am the following day saying he couldn't attend work because he had swollen feet. He then told his wife Maureen that his car had broken down and he had to wait several days for a recovery truck to tow it back to his home in Kent, it is alleged. But later that day he secretly drove to Ashford near his home town of Shadoxhurst where he took his car to a garage then stayed in a nearby Holiday Inn for two nights, the jury heard. Hampton is said to have told the body shop he had hit a deer, then spent £4,300 getting the Volvo fixed. Tributes: The flowers left for Jade Clark at Ringwood Fire station, close to the scene of the crash . Terrible: Trainee hairdresser jade was sent flying into the middle of the dual carriageway, where she was killed . Grief: Jade Clark's mother Sharon Clark is comforted by her husband Daniel Clark during a press conference at the time of her death . Mechanics replaced the car's bonnet, grill, radiator, sump shield, bumper and number plate but raised concerns because there had been no blood or fur on the car. When officers swooped on his home on March 21, Hampton told them he had no idea why he was being arrested. He told police that on the night Jade died he had been visiting his daughter in Poole but had arrived too late so had bought fish and chips then booked into a hotel. He said no incidents had taken place and he had not had any repair work done to his car. In a second interview he conceded the car had been repaired but said he had no clue as to how the damage had occurred. Mr Jones said a series of CCTV images of Hampton's car prior to the incident showed the grill trim in tact, while photos taken after showed it damaged. Incident: Hampton drove a Silver Volvo XC 90 like this one, and then paid £4,300 to get it repaired, jury hears . Hampton was also caught on camera checking the front of his vehicle at the Premier Inn in Poole, and told staff when he left that he couldn't get the bonnet open. Mr Jones said: 'There can be no other credible explanation for the repair other than for this defendant to distance himself from the collision and subsequent detection of his involvement.' Hampton previously pleaded guilty to separate charges of causing death by careless driving, driving while disqualified and without insurance on February 24 and 25, the jury was told. He denies the charge of perverting the course of justice by arranging for the repair of the collision damage, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to report an accident. The trial at Bournemouth Crown Court continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.

Jade Clark was hit by Brian Hampton's 4X4 before he fled, court told . 16-year-old flung into dual carriageway before oncoming driver crushed her . Jury hears Hampton told wife and police he had hit a deer on business trip . Allegedly paid £4,300 for damage to the front of vehicle to be repaired . Suspect denies perverting course of justice at Bournemouth Crown Court .

ed84b309c3bcd7f51679d9337b602061911174f6

By . Tara Brady . A mother has spoken of her devastation following the death of her baby boy who died of whooping cough despite doctors sending him home three times. Cavani-Cruz was born a healthy 6lb 13oz on February 4 at King's College Hospital but nine days later his mother Semray Mentes was forced to bring him back because he was vomiting and had a runny nose and cough. Semray says she was treated like a 'silly 18-year-old' by medics. Cavani-Cruz was born a healthy 6lb 13oz on February 4 at King's College Hospital but within a month died . When doctors finally put him on a life support machine they misdiagnosed his illness as bronchiolitus, Semray claims. In total she was sent home three times by doctors she says. During one occasion Semray says she was advised to give Cavani-Cruz Gaviscon infant powder to mix into his bottles. The child was finally admitted on his fourth visit but Cavani-Cruz died at midnight on March 14 with his parents and family by his bedside. Semray says she was treated like a 'silly 18-year-old' by medics when she took her son back to hospital . In April a post mortem examination concluded that the little boy had been suffering from untreated whooping cough which led to organ failure. Semray told The Sunday Mirror: 'If my baby had been diagnosed correctly he would still be here. I want to do everything in my power to get justice for my son and to stop this from happening to other families.' Semray is also taking action against the midwife service because she claims she was not offered a whooping cough vaccine during pregnancy. Semray and her partner Ben Pell, 24, have made a formal complaint against King's College Hospital in London . Semray and her partner Ben Pell, 24, have made a formal complaint against King's College Hospital in London. A King's College Hospital spokesman said: 'We have explained to Ms Mentes that Cavani was seen by specialist paediatric doctors on each visit to King's. Having looked in detail at the case, we consider the correct clinical treatment and advice was provided on each occasion.'

Cavani-Cruz born a healthy 6lb 13oz on Feb 4 at King's College Hospital . Mother Semray Mentes forced to bring him back nine days later . The boy was suffering from vomiting and had a running nose and cough . Semray says she was treated like a 'silly 18-year-old' by medics . A month later the boy Cavani-Cruz died in hospital after his fourth visit . A post-mortem concluded he had whooping cough which led to organ failure .

547f9f8190faedaf9a7ea59ff792b307e0b7d370

When Angela Carnegie made the disastrous decision to smuggle heroin from Thailand, she had no idea how much worse her life could get. After being caught at Bangkok airport, she was sentenced to life in a Thai prison in 1993 - where she was forced to eat rotting food teeming with maggots, sleep next to prisoners with leprosy and survive without running water. Carnegie, from Livingston, Texas, was in her twenties and had just broken up with a . serious boyfriend. Feeling vulnerable, she decided to take up a . friend's offer for some quick cash by bringing a suitcase lined with drugs back to the U.S. Scroll down for video . Freedom beckons: Angela Carnegie, pictured in 2002, shortly before her release after nine years in the infamous Bangkok Hilton prison for smuggling heroin . Hungry? Stopped straight away at the airport, Carnegie was sentenced to life in a Thai prison - where she was forced to eat rotting, bug infested food and survive without running water . Thai officials spotted her immediately at the airport and she was arrested. She sentenced to life at the infamous 'Bangkok Hilton' prison. Her experiences have been chronicled on National Geographic show 'Locked Up Abroad,' a series about inmates who have endured the hardships of foreign prisons. 'The conditions were very crowded, dirty, and unsanitary,' Ms Carnegie said of her experience on her Facebook page. 'We showered outside rain or shine, often times standing in floating sewage which overflowed from the sewage canal that ran all around the edge of the prison.' Snap: 'Some of the years we were allowed to take a photo to send home to our families. So you put on your best smile and they stand you in front of a pretty tree and viola it doesn't look so bad...Don't be fooled by the background,' Carnegie said of this image, which was taken in 2001 . 1994: Angela Carnegie after spending one year inside the hellish Bangkok prison where the food was riddled with maggots . 1996: Carnegie said some years prisoners were allowed to send photos home to relatives... so tried to put on a brave face . 2000: At this stage, Carnegie had served seven years inside the Thai jail for attempting to smuggle heroin . She said that after she was sentenced, she contemplated suicide. 'The government food that was provided was barely edible and often had rocks or bugs in it. Bang Kwang Central Prison is located on the Chao Phraya Prison in the north of the Thai capital, Bangkok. Most foreign prisoners are kept here among 7,000 other inmates - 10 per cent of whom are facing death. Up to 50 people can be kept in cells measuring 26ft by 16ft. Sanitary conditions are shocking and the meager diet consists of one bowl of rice per day - which is often rotting. The prison is called the 'Big Tiger' by Thais because 'it eats those on the inside'. The actual Millennium Bangkok Hilton Hotel stands on the banks of the same river. 'After it was “served” onto metal trays it often sat on the table for more than an hour before the prisoners actually got to it. 'During that time birds would sit and eat off the side of the tray…' she said. During her decade at the prison, she would often sleep next to prisoners with tuberculosis, leprosy, pink eye and various other rashes and infections. 'There were times of water shortage, exposure to extreme heat almost constantly, power outages at night while in the room with 200+ other people so no fans or running water even for toilets,' she said. 'It is nothing that someone who hasn’t experienced can really imagine… ever.' But . her story does have a happy ending. After she was extradited to the . United States on December 6, 2002, she gave that same boyfriend a call. He was the one . person who told her not to go to Thailand. An eight-hour phone call lead to a nine-year marriage. 'The . funny thing is, NOW I feel as though I have finally arrived...the past . though hard and harsh has brought me to the place I'm today,' she said. 'I live for the happiness and success of my family.' Harsh: Women line up inside Bang Kwang Central Prison in Bangkok where there is squalid conditions and only one meal a day . Reunited: After she was extradited to the United States, she gave her ex-boyfriend a call. An eight-hour phone call lead to a nine-year marriage .

Angela Carnegie, from Livingston, Texas, agreed to carry suitcase lined with drugs . Sentenced to life in prison in 1993 at the infamous 'Bangkok Hilton' jail .

014cafd3a5527fe7bb096a72eb8029ec805831c7

Parents are risking their children’s development by putting their entire families on restrictive diets, a new study has claimed. The Healthy Diet Study 2014, by Galaxy Research, has exposed the dangers of low carbohydrate and bread diets, which can restrict nutrients and vitamins needed for ideal psychological development. The study found that 82 per cent of parents give their children the same meals when they are on diets themselves, largely because it was more convenient than making separate meals. Scroll down for video . The Healthy Diet Study 2014 , led Galaxy Research, exposes the dangers of low carbohydrate and bread diets for children . The research found that a further 45 per cent of these parents limited the bread their children ate, and 17 per cent cut carbs from their children’s diet altogether. Popular diets such as paleo and clean-eating have seen a marked drop in carbohydrate intake among Australians, which can lead to a deficient intake of fibre, grains and protein. Sydney based paediatric dietician Hanan Salah told Daily Mail Australia she condemns restrictive low carbohydrate diets for children. ‘There are often overweight or obese parents who try to cut out food groups. In doing so, they put their children on these restrictive diets,’ she said. ‘Carbohydrates are essential to the brain function of children at school, as well as maintainingenergy levels. Carbohydrates also release serotonin, so restricting this can result in a drop in mood, and even the potential for depression in the long term.’ Ms Salah said that while the diets can lead to weight loss in overweight children, they will miss out on essential nutrients such as fibre and other vitamins. Dietician Hanan Salah said low carbohydrate diets can lead to a drop in serotonin and even the potential for depression in the long term . She recommends parents make smarter choices with regards to the portion and quality of food. ‘Rather than cutting out food groups, we recommend reducing portions for overweight families. Don’t worry about spending hours cooking complex meals. Opt for low GI carbohydrates such as brown rice and dark breads,' she said. ‘Ultimately carbohydrates are essential for children to thrive and be happy.’

The Healthy Diet Study 2014 exposes the risks of low carb diets for children . 82 per cent of parents give their children the same meals when they were going on diets themselves . 45 per cent of these parents limited the bread their children ate, and 17 per cent cut carbs from their children’s diet altogether . This can hinder optimum brain development and lead to depression in children .

bab2d9d1c934c6be09ad34050569dc5153563b18

By . Lucy Waterlow . PUBLISHED: . 12:07 EST, 18 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:30 EST, 18 December 2013 . A single mother was devastated to discover the man she planned to marry was actually a con artist who stole from her to pay for his wedding to another woman. Stephen Sutton, 48, swept Dawn Rothwell, 46, from Swadlincote, Derbyshire, off her feet after they met online in May 2011 and they soon became engaged. But she told The Mirror she was stunned when she found out their relationship was based on a 'pack of lies' and he actually had three other fiancees. Conned: Dawn Rothwell believed her fiance had a brain tumour but his 'hospital visits' gave him an excuse to see another woman . One of his shocking betrayals involved telling Dawn he had a brain tumour so he wouldn't be able to spend Christmas with her. She explains: 'I was horrified. He told . me his only hope was Proton therapy in the States straight away. Christmas disappeared. All I wanted was for him to get better.' But while Dawn spent Christmas 2011 praying Stephen would survive his treatment, he was actually 20 miles away enjoying dinner with his other fiancee - Beverley Wright, 59. Jailed: Stephen Sutton stole from Dawn to pay for his wedding to Beverley Wright . Beverley and Dawn had no idea they were both engaged to the father-of-two, who they later discovered also had another two fiancees. When Dawn saw Sutton after Christmas he lied that the treatment in the U.S. hadn't worked and he now needed chemotherapy. She believes he even shaved his head to make it appear he was losing his hair. He also convinced Dawn she would need to care for his sons, aged six and 12, after his death. She said: 'He seemed to be in hospital . for weeks, texting most days, saying how much he loved me. But even . after he was supposedly discharged he claimed he didn't feel ready to . see me.' All the time she thought Sutton was getting life-saving treatment, he was actually with his other women. He married Beverley in March 2012 and in another blow to Dawn, paid for the wedding using money he had stolen from her. Dawn, who has two children from a previous relationship, had given Sutton valuable family heirlooms to look after. He used her £30,000 jewellery collection to fund his nuptials, telling his other bride that he had found the bag of gold in his father's attic. Dawn said: 'It was mainly family heirlooms - . hundreds of pieces, including solid gold necklaces, earrings and diamond . rings. He warned me I shouldn't leave it lying around in case I got . burgled. I knew he was right. It had a lot of sentimental value too. Most of it could never be replaced. So when he offered to store it in . his safe, I let him.' Around the time Sutton married Beverley, Dawn finally suspected he was up to no good but still believed his tumour was the reason they were 'drifting apart'. She arranged to meet him to end their relationship and get her valuables back but the jewellery boxes he returned were virtually empty. Betrayed: Dawn had no idea Stephen and Beverley, pictured, had married - or that he used her family heirlooms to pay for it . She recalled: 'There were only a few cheap brooches left. All my family heirlooms had gone. Even the 'I Love Nanny' necklace my grandson had given me had vanished. Stephen had taken the lot. I went straight to the police.' Sutton was arrested and charged with theft. He pleaded guilty at Leicester Crown Court last April and jailed for two years. The judge told him he had carried out a 'cruel and persistent deception' adding he had played with Dawn's emotions 'to deflect her attention from the theft.' Equally shocked: Beverley didn't know about Dawn and said she's angry Stephen 'pulled the wool over my eyes' Dawn said she's glad Sutton is now behind bars so he 'can't con anyone else'. It was only in court that she discovered he had never been ill and had three other women. His wife, care assistant Beverley, was equally stunned to discover she was not Sutton's one and only and they are now getting divorced. She told the Mirror: 'I felt completely humiliated. I was disgusted in him but I more angry with myself. I'd let him pull the wool over my eyes and the more I thought about it, the more clues I’d ignored.'

Stephen Sutton swept Dawn Rothwell off her feet after they met online . They soon became engaged and she thought he was perfect man . Then he told her he was dying from a brain tumour . She didn't see him for long periods thinking he was having treatment . But he was spending time with other fiancee, Beverley Wright . He then married Beverley using money he stole from Dawn . Eventually caught out and jailed for theft . In court, Dawn and Beverley discovered he had another TWO fiancees .

ba48a82496cb87e74d2512e750abbc60f38ea601

He’s the squeaky clean star of Disney’s High School Musical, so Zac Efron’s fans will be shocked to hear how he secretly completed a stint in rehab five months ago. According to TMZ, the 25-year-old actor quietly checked into a treatment facility to deal with a cocaine problem, and a source adds that he also experimented with MDMA - the active ingredient in Ecstasy tablets, which is known as 'Molly' on the street. Zac is now said to be healthy and happy and is focusing on his movie career as he attempts to move on with his life. Scroll down for video . Squeaky clean: Fans of former High School Musical star Zac Efron, pictured at the Toronto Film Festival earlier this month,  will be surprised to hear the actor completed a rehab stint five months ago . Keeping his head down: Zac pictured in April - at around the same time he is believed to have entered rehab for the second time . A source told E! News: ‘He's healthy, happy and not drinking. He's taking time to focus on working.’ An insider also told People: ‘He’s doing great. He's taking care of himself and it shows.’ However, it has been reported that prior to entering rehab, Zac's addiction had been causing issues in his movie career. According to TMZ, Zac allegedly missed several days of filming while shooting Seth Rogen's new fraternity comedy Neighbors back in April. A film source told the site: 'It was common knowledge he was struggling with cocaine.' TMZ also claimed that Zac and a group of friends caused around $50,000 of damage in their room at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas during a cocaine-fulled party. While Zac hasn’t commented on the rehab . reports, he told reporters at the Toronto International Film Festival . recently: 'I'm good, real good.' The news of the stint in the treatment facility will come as a shock to Zac’s fans as the actor has mainly stayed away from the party scene, apart from one well publicised visit to a strip club back in 2010. While Zac admitted that he went to Flash Dancers Gentlemen's Club in New York with High School Musical co-star Corbin Bleu, he insisted he had received permission from his then-girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens before the boys’ night out. ‘The hardest part is calling your girlfriend before,' he said on US late-night chat show Jimmy Kimmel Live! 'It's like, how do you even start that conversation without feeling like an a**hole?' When Kimmel asked how Vanessa responded, Zac hesitated for a while before saying: 'She was fine with it.' He went on to say that it wasn't exactly what he expected, telling the host: 'I had this image of what it'd be like. Clean cut: Zac shot to fame in Disney's High School Musical franchise . 'Healthy, happy and not drinking': Sources say Zac is concentrating on his career after rehab . 'I've heard a lot about these places, mostly from rap music - they're supposed to be pretty reputable!' He added: 'So I envisioned myself in a . nice couch with stunner shades with T-Pain and Usher making it rain . money! And it just wasn't like that.' Otherwise, Zac has maintained a low profile and is not usually spotted out partying like his young Hollywood contemporaries. Zac will next appear on the big screen in Parkland, about the days surrounding President Kennedy's death in Dallas in 1963. Relapse: Zac Efron is said to sought help for his cocaine addiction a second time after suffering a relapse while shooting new comedy Neighbors back in April . Efron plays Jim Carrico, the real-life doctor who battled to save JFK at Parkland Memorial Hospital after he was shot. He also recently shot Are We Officially Dating? alongside Imogen Poots, and Neighbors with Dave Franco. MailOnline has contacted Efron's representatives for comment.

Actor, 25, secretly checked into a treatment facility five months ago . He is believed to have sought help for cocaine addition . Also reported to have 'experimented with MDMA' Ex High School Musical star is now 'healthy, happy and focusing on his career'

adc9af9cff999bf66a041fa0874d3423201cab9e

A Las Vegas woman is outraged after a police officer allegedly ran over her beloved dog, Freckles, with his two-ton cruiser on purpose then cited the family for having him unrestrained. Sarah Hecht, 22, said the cop told her he intentionally ran over the animal after it escaped from her backyard on May 21 and was running toward a group of children playing. She rushed the wounded pet to the vet but had to put down the 45-pound Australian shepherd hybrid because of the injuries he suffered. Scroll down for video . Angry: Sarah Hecht, 22, pictured, is furious after she claims police ran over her dog Freckles, pictured, killing it . FOX Carolina 21 . Freckles was a birthday gift Hecht received after getting straight As in high school. Devastated, the woman staged a rally at the Regional Justice Center on Thursday protesting canine killings by Las Vegas police. Around a dozen people showed up and shouted 'Justice for Freckles' as they called for enhanced training for officers dealing with animals. Hecht was overcome with emotion while speaking of Freckles who she claims was like a child to her. 'I don't have children. He was my son,' she said. Heartbroken: Hecht, pictured left and right with Freckles, said the dog was like her son . According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, an officer told Hecht he purposefully ran over the dog after he noticed it running towards the play area. The dog was dragged along the street by the police car, but survived. However, once at the vet, Hecht made the difficult decision to euthanize the animal. While she was there, her father was cited for having an unrestrained dog. Hecht claims Freckles escaped her backyard after he was taunted by neighborhood children and she insists the dog would never hurt anyone and had no history of biting humans. Rally: Hecht and about a dozen others held a protest on Thursday calling for police to be better trained in their handling of animals . Justice: The group held placards calling for 'Justice for Freckles' Following the protest on Thursday, Hecht wept before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Karen Bennett-Haron. She explained what had happened to the dog and said she was broke after forking out $1,000 to try and save her 'son's' life. Bennett-Haron and prosecutors quickly agreed to dismiss the charges, the Review Journal reported. The citation wasn't the first for the Hecht family regarding Freckles. The 22-year-old has been cited twice in the past for animal code violations, including not obtaining a permit or sterilizing her dogs. Court records show both matters were also dismissed. The police department refused to comment to the Review Journal on the matter because an investigation is still ongoing. Run over: Poor Freckles, pictured left and right, was put down after he was hit by the two-ton cruiser . Let off: The judge dismissed the charges against Hecht, pictured .

Las Vegas woman Sarah Hecht, 22, claims a police officer intentionally ran over her dog, Freckles, after it escaped from her backyard on May 21 . She rushed to the vet but had to put down the 45-pound Australian shepherd hybrid because of his injuries . She was cited for having an unrestrained dog . Hecht held a rally on Thursday protesting against the police department's treatment of animals before she was dismissed her charge .

0ce08484f17d6d3b3a930c5dbb8f5b06b9ef2d7a

They came to pay homage to Fergus McCann but, by time up, it was bunnets doffed to Ronny Deila. All the new manager’s rhetoric on energy, tempo and speed manifested itself in the Norwegian’s first outing at Celtic Park as a much-praised Dundee United side were blown away by a performance worthy of champions. The cheers that greeted Deila’s team at the interval and the final whistle were palpably louder than experienced at a domestic fixture here in some time — and McCann has to take his share of the credit for helping to shape the mood. Instant impact: Jason Denayer scored in his first game for Celtic after just four minutes . Double trouble: Kris Commons celebrates doubling Celtic's lead as the Bhoys thrashed Dundee United . Celtic: Gordon, Ambrose Emuobo, Izaguirre, Mulgrew, Van Dijk, Denayer, McGregor (Forrest 69), Johansen (Kayal 45), Stokes (Griffiths 70), Commons, Berget . Subs not used: Biton, Boerrigter, Zaluska . Dundee United: Cierzniak, Watson, Townsend, Rankin,  Morris, Fojut, Mackay-Steven (Spittal 75), Paton, Ciftci, Armstrong (Bilate 40), Dow (Erskine 57) Subs not used: Graham, McCallum, Telfer, Smith . Ref: Craig Thomson . Att:44,484 . Once booed in the act of raising a championship flag at Celtic Park, history has been kind to the club’s returning saviour and he was suitably cheered to the rafters. He responded with a raised thumb before addressing the crowd thus: ‘What an honour it is to be here — just to be here at Celtic Park with you. Things can go up, and things can go down. ‘Celtic, I hope, will go on forever. Three years as champions is something to celebrate.’ After unfurling the flag, he conducted the crowd in a rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone while making his way across the pitch to his seat in the North Stand, the first section of the ground restructured under his revolutionary stewardship. They were selling McCann’s trademark headgear in the club store and, as the crowd revelled in their tribute, the current chief executive, Peter Lawwell, could put away his tin hat as the supporters’ protestation at his own frugal stewardship was put on ice. It helps, of course, when the team is functioning so well. Yes, United were abject and never came close to delivering on the promise of the back-to-back victories claimed at the start of this season. That'll do nicely: Stefan Johansen makes it 3-0 wiith a well-taken finish before half-time . With five different players on the scoresheet including home debut goals for Jason Denayer and Jo Inge Berget, Deila’s team were a delight. In Anthony Stokes, they had the game’s best performer, even if the Irishman would have been disappointed to depart the fray without netting a goal. Now in his seventies, McCann looks frailer than the figure who rescued the club from bankruptcy 20 years ago, but he also seemed relaxed and having more fun as he enjoyed a rare trip from Canada. He was still posing for photographs as both teams came within inches of opening the scoring. Callum McGregor tried first, striking the post from distance and then Efe Ambrose, included at right-back after Adam Matthews sustained a calf injury in the warm-up, was shrugged off by Stuart Armstrong, who found Gary Mackay-Steven with an exquisite pass marginally more precise than the finish, which crept wide. Captain fantastic: Charlie Mulgrew wheels away after making it 4-0 in the second half . United clearly fancied their chances of maintaining their 100-per-cent start to the season but, sprightly as they were, their inability to defend a corner-kick made the result certain before half an hour had passed. Denayer printed his name on the scoresheet when Callum Morris headed Kris Commons’ corner straight into the on-loan debutant’s path. Denayer has been recruited from Manchester City to stop goals but he conjured an instinctive finish that arrowed into the top corner. The second goal was even more straightforward, Stokes providing the set-piece cross and Commons enjoying the novelty of a headed goal to open his account this season. No 3 came from open play but featured the same level of United ineptitude. Morris again contributed with a slack pass to Paul Paton, who delayed too long on the ball, allowing Stefan Johansen to nip in and shoot past Radoslaw Cierzniak. Brace: Jo Inge Berget scored twice after the interval to add further gloss to the scoreline . United were actually lucky to go in three behind. Stokes could have bagged a hat-trick as he peppered Cierzniak’s goal, while Berget shook the goal-frame to its foundations with a powerful drive. Craig Gordon started his first competitive game in over two years at St Johnstone in midweek and continued with the same calm authority, saving at the feet of Nadir Ciftci early on and then turning the same player’s shot wide following Charlie Mulgrew’s lapse after the break. The stand-in captain made amends as he glanced home Stokes’s free-kick for the fourth and then Berget got in on the act, nodding in from close range after Stokes’ corner was headed across goal by Ambrose. John Rankin pulled a goal back with a deflected shot but a rapid counter-attack saw Celtic restore the five-goal advantage. Substitutes James Forrest and Beram Kayal were the creators, the Israeli’s overlap resulting in a cross to the back post where Berget squeezed home his finish. After the trauma of Legia Warsaw, Deila no longer need cringe at the mention of a 6-1 scoreline.

Debutant Jason Denayer put the hosts in front after just four minutes . Kris Commons, Stefan Johansen and Charlie Mulgrew all netted . Jo Inge Berget scored two late goals to add gloss to the final score . John Rankin registered a consolation goal for Dundee United .

48d40844561aa36d6d2836447cc124235ac4fca1

Recruitment agencies are being inundated with requests from Romanians about how they can receive benefits. File photo . Recruitment firms are being inundated with requests from Romanians about how they can claim benefits in Britain. From January, residents of Romania and Bulgaria – two of Europe’s poorest countries – will be entitled to travel to the UK. They will be able to claim the same benefits and NHS care as other EU citizens. As a result, job agencies say they are being bombarded with requests from many who want to know how they can make claims. One consultancy, based in Birmingham, said it had turned away dozens who wanted to know which of the UK’s generous state hand-outs they were eligible for. Adrian Pop, the firm’s managing director, said: ‘People are calling me asking “how do I claim benefits?”.’ Mr Pop, who is Romanian-born, warned many would be attracted to Britain by the benefits alone. He said some agencies were offering to help Romanians claim benefits in return for a slice of the money. ‘Some Roma families will come to the UK with seven or eight children and claim £3,000 a month,’ he said. ‘But this is the system that Britain has created.’ He added many would claim to be self employed so they can get a National Insurance number, before simply claiming benefits. ‘There are forums where people talk about it. There are also adverts for companies which help them claim benefits,’ he said. ‘It is giving all Romanians a bad name in England.’ Other companies have set up lucrative hotlines offering migrants information on how they can claim benefits. The Mail found several such ‘immigration specialists’ openly advertising their services. One Middlesex firm is currently . advertising on a host of Romanian websites under the banner ‘find out if . you are entitled to claim benefits in the UK – call now’. Romanian migrants such as those who congregate in Marble Arch, London, will soon have access to the same benefits and NHS facilities as other EU members . Eurolutions boasts it has a 100 per cent success rate for helping clients obtain child benefit. And a London-based company is claiming to offer ‘assistance for getting benefits in the UK (maternity allowance, child benefit, child tax credit, working tax credit, housing benefit & council, Sure Start maternity grant etc)’. MPs said that until Britain left the EU there was no way of stopping large numbers from Romania and Bulgaria coming to the UK in January. Douglas Carswell, Tory MP for Clacton, said: ‘It’s happening – everything the experts said wouldn’t happen is happening, and everything the Mail and others said would happen is coming to pass. 'Until we leave the EU, there is nothing we can do about it.’ Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has pushed for a change in EU law that would delay migrants' access to benefits . At a UK jobs fair in Bucharest on Saturday, hosted by Mr Pop and recruitment firm US Travel, dozens had travelled for up to four hours to hear about vacancies for housekeepers, waiters and bartenders. But others were more interested in the benefits on offer in Britain. Dorin Zamfirescu told the Mail: ‘The benefits are much more in England than here. ‘People in England get benefits, so what is the difference if I do? ‘Just because I wasn’t born in England, what does that mean? That’s prejudiced.’ A study by the European Commission last month revealed the number of EU migrants without a job living in Britain had risen to more than 600,000, the equivalent of a city the size of Glasgow. There were also calls by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson for the Government to push for a change in EU laws to delay migrants’ access to benefits. Paul Nuttall MEP, deputy leader of UKIP, said: ‘The Government’s Euro chickens are coming home to roost. ‘UKIP have warned that this would be the result until we were hoarse, but the legacy parties have refused to listen. 'Now the taxpayer will suffer and our welfare system will be looted. What is tragic is that this is avoidable.’

Romanians and Bulgarians will be entitled to certain UK benefits from January . Job agencies are said to be bombarded with people asking how to claim . British companies are advertising on Romanian websites saying 'find out if you are entitled' More than 6,000 unemployed EU migrants currently live in Britain .

d93d01930988827a65232108e8294afa8bd096e6

By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 07:48 EST, 10 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:46 EST, 11 January 2013 . Trial: Dappy arrives at court yesterday clutching some Lucozade and allegedly sparked a mass brawl after a girl called him 'boring' A teenage witness at the trial of N-Dubz rapper Dappy agreed to 'send the c*** down', a court was told. Grace Cochran and Serena Burton, both 19, were allegedly spat at by Dappy after he tried to chat them up moments before a mass brawl on a petrol station forecourt. Miss Cochran said she told the star to leave them alone after he allegedly called them 'sluts'  and claims he then flew into a rage, which sparked a 'mob attack' on bystander David Jenkins and his friend. The court heard the two women later planned to sell the story in a series of BBM (Blackberry Messenger) messages. In one Twitter posting an unidentified . user sent a tweet to Miss Cochran about Dappy, including the message: . 'Send the c*** down.' Miss Cochran replied: 'Hahaha in the process.' In a BBM message, sent on Monday evening, Miss Burton said to Miss Cochran: 'hahaha oh my f***. Someone's dad works in media. 'He told her that apparently we can get like a grand for that kind of story from The Sun or something.' She added: 'Let's ring them tomorrow when we leave court to be fair.' In another message read to the court, Miss Burton said: 'Didn't they say we can do what we want when the trial is over? 'Let's literally ring Heat and stuff and get rich and sell our story.' Asked at at the hearing yesterday at Guildford Crown Court why she had said that, Miss Cochran replied: 'I think we are . both 19-year-old girls. Any attention is good attention.' Witnesses: It is alleged that Dappy spat at Grace Cochran, right, and Serena Burton, left, after they rejected his advances . Dappy, real name Costadinos Contostavlos, who is a former bandmate of his cousin X . Factor judge Tulisa, denies two counts of common assault on the two . women, one of assault by beating, of Mr Jenkins, and one of affray. Miss . Cochran said she told the star to leave them alone and claims he then . flew into a rage, which sparked a 'mob attack' on bystander David . Jenkins and his friend. Mr . Jenkins had walked over to protect them, Guildford Crown Court heard, . and he and another man were then attacked, leaving Jenkins with nine . smashed teeth and the other with a broken nose. However, Dappy claims three men attacked him and his friends after he approached the women to tell them about his next single. The incident - captured on eight CCTV . cameras from various angles - was at a Shell garage, in Guildford, . Surrey, at 3.30am on February 28 last year. Giving . evidence about the incident, Miss Cochran said she and college friend . Miss Burton called at the petrol station to get food following a night . out. Hearing: Serena Burton (left) and Grace Cochran (right) leave Guildford Crown Court during lunch at the trial . As they sat on the kerb . outside the petrol station and chatted to a group of men, two other . men, including Dappy, approached them, said Miss Cochran. 'Their manner was chatting us up, saying "All right girls" and "All right sexy girls" - something like that.' Prosecutor Brian Stork asked: 'Were you interested in these two men?' Miss Cochran replied: 'No, we didn't know who they were. 'We told them to leave us alone.' At this point, Miss Cochran claimed Dappy described them as 'sluts'. Mr Stork then asked: 'Did you say anything back to that?' Miss Cochran said: 'I said "You're boring".' When asked if that prompted a reaction, Miss Cochran said: 'Yes, he then spat at me - on to the floor, it didn't land on me.' Miss Cochran said her friend Miss Burton then told the rapper: 'That's disgusting.' Describing the events which then unfolded, she added: 'One of the boys who we were talking to previously at the cash point came to stand in and stuck up for us. 'He said "Just leave them" or something along those lines. 'I remember they were head to head, they had their heads against each other. Accused: Dappy and three other men are charged with affray after an attack on a man at a petrol station in February 2012 . 'People came out from cars which were parked up on the forecourt. 'Serena ran inside. She was calling my name but I just stayed sitting down. 'I can't really remember seeing much of the fight. 'I remember looking at my feet and seeing someone laying on the floor and they were being kicked as they were laying there.' In the aftermath Miss Cochran said she saw the group of three men she and her friend had been chatting to before the fight erupted. 'One of them had a lot of chipped teeth on his bottom jaw. 'One had a broken nose or a bleeding nose and one had a swollen-up eye.' Violent: Dappy is alleged to have sparked a mass brawl at this Shell Garage, in Guildford Surrey . Vassell and Stewart all deny a charge of affray. Co-accused Alfred James Miller pleaded guilty to a single charge of affray at Guildford Crown Court ahead of the start of the trial of the remaining three defendants. The tattooed performer was sporting a . pair of dark glasses and carrying a bottle of Lucozade as he arrived at . court. He removed the sunglasses before entering the dock, where he wore . a white shirt and dark blue tie as he listened to the evidence. Under cross-examination from Paul Greaney QC, representing Dappy, Miss Cochran denied using the case to gain fame. Mr Greaney asked about the messages posted on Twitter by Miss Cochran and Miss Burton this week. In one, on Monday evening, Serena wrote: 'Ha ha ha love life now we're famous', to which Miss Cochran replied: 'Buzzing to be papped'. Mr Greaney asked: 'Did that message mean you were excited to be photographed coming in to court?' Miss Cochran answered: 'Yes, I suppose, in a way.' Assaulted: David Jenkins says he lost or broke teeth after being hit in the mouth during the fight . As he listened to the answers from the dock, Dappy was seen to shake his head and also place his head in his hands. Mr Greaney then asked whether Miss Cochran intended to sell her story following the conclusion of the trial, to which she replied: 'Me and Serena have discussed it, yes.' Police seized both Miss Cochran and Miss Burton's BlackBerry smartphones this week following the Twitter postings. The court heard that Dappy had previously pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court to two offences of battery in an earlier and unconnected incident. These charges related to an incident on November 18, 2008, where he spat at a woman and the spittle hit her in the face as well as another woman, the court heard. Detective Constable Alex Boxall, of . Surrey Police, said that when he arrested Dappy at his recording studio . after the Guildford incident, the singer said to him: 'I was the one who . was assaulted.' When interviewed by police, Dappy denied spitting at anyone and said he had only spoken to the girls about his new single. Old times: Dino 'Dappy' Contostavlos with his N-Dubz bandmates, cousin Tulisa and Richard 'Fazer' Rawson . He said he has been 'victimised' and was the 'happiest man on earth' on the night of the incident as he was out to celebrate the release of his impending album. He said: 'I walked over to the girls and said my new single Rockstar with Brian May is out on Monday, go and buy it.' He added: 'They were just being rude to me, I just said hello, promoting my single, I said 'Hi, my single (with) Brian May is coming out. 'Two guys coming out, being put in a headlock, bam, that's all I remember.' He continued: 'Someone put me on the ground, in a headlock straight away. 'One of my security tried to get him off me, we all fell on the ground and I get put in a car after that.' Speaking to Mr Boxall in the interview, Dappy denied starting the violence or hitting anyone and said: 'Come on officer-man, who attacked who?' Dappy said during the interview that he was drunk on that night having had six or seven shots of Jack Daniel's and sambuca in a local nightclub called Casino. He said: 'We just went there to celebrate because my second single had just been released.' Denying spitting at the two women and the man, he said: 'No way would I spit, I don't spit. I have two kids, my mum didn't bring me up that way.' The trial, before a jury of eight men and four women, continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.

Messages read in court sent by two teenage women witnesses this week . The pair at centre of case admit they planned to sell their story after trial . One message said: 'Let's get rich and sell our story', court heard . Court told Dappy approached teenagers and said: 'All right sexy girls' Women allegedly called him 'boring' so he spat and called them 'sluts' Brawl that followed left two men with broken teeth and a broken nose . Dappy denies two counts of common assault on the . two women, one of assault by beating and one of affray .

b66ff6f9e3003204cd06edb9e7899554a916b76d

By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 09:06 EST, 18 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:39 EST, 18 November 2013 . A nurse who was so drunk on duty she had to be treated by her own accident and emergency department has been struck off. Sheila Fletcher had taken a wine box on to her ward and did not notice she had cut herself when she smashed a bottle of medicine before colleagues intervened, a disciplinary hearing was told. She was stopped administering drugs at eight in the morning to unsuspecting patients after a colleague noticed she was behaving unusually. On duty: Nurse Sheila Fletcher has been struck off after bringing a box of wine with her to work and was drunk while treating patients at Hull Royal Infirmary (pictured) Fletcher was employed at the Hull Royal Infirmary and went to work on May 15 2011 after drinking at home. She told the ward sister that her arm felt tingly and that he head was 'not right', the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard. An auxiliary nurse then reported that Fletcher has been seen in the toilet on her hands and knees clearing up 'pink fluid and broken glass on the floor'. The panel heard that she was so drunk, she had not noticed that her finger was bleeding where she had cut it. It was only noticed later that a nurse noticed that a diabetic man had not received any insulin and was suffering from high blood sugar levels. On another occasion she had failed to give drugs to a patient and doctored records to show that she had. When Fletcher's husband visited her later in A&E he confirmed she had been drinking at home. At a disciplinary hearing on February 7 2012, Fletcher admitted that she had taken a box of wine to work. 'It is the first time I recollect taking the bottle and the box (of wine) to the ward,' she said. 'I remember covering up the box of wine I had in my bag with my cardigan when I was in the lift. 'I had a box of wine, a bottle of wine in my locker,' she confessed. Case: The Nursing and Midwifery Council's offices in Portland Place, London, which heard how the inebriated nurse was taken to her own A&E . Rachel O'Connell, chair of the NMC panel, said: 'Having no information in relation to Mrs Fletcher's current employment or any information about her current personal circumstances, the panel could not be satisfied that she is no longer liable to put patients at unwarranted risk of harm or unlikely to act dishonestly in the future. 'Mrs Fletcher's actions and omissions represent a serious departure from the standards expected of a registered nurse. 'Her actions caused actual harm to her patients. 'She chose to cover up her omissions by falsifying patient records. 'Mrs Fletcher's health issues, which she had not properly addressed at the time of the allegations, also resulted in personal harm which saw her admitted to A&E. She concluded that nothing short of a striking-off order in these circumstances would maintain public confidence in the profession. The panel found allegations that Fletcher she attended work under the influence of alcohol and that she brought alcohol to work with her proved. They also found the nurse guilty of failing to test the blood sugar levels of patient failing to provide him with insulin and failing to document her errors. Allegations that she dishonestly forged the medication card for the patient were found not proved. Fletcher faced further allegations relating to her conduct in November 2010 when she was accused of failing to prescribe drugs to a patient and then falsifying records on the following day. The panel also found these allegations against her proved. Fletcher, who was not present or represented at the hearing in central London, was struck off the register.

Sheila Fletcher was treating patients in Hull while inebriated, hearing told . Staff forced to intervene after she cut herself but had failed to notice . Patients waiting for medicine were forgotten, including a severe diabetic . The Nursing and Midwifery Council have now struck Fletcher off .

b3c8cf6eae65a54393551e248f8a2757a8476e4d

(CNN) -- A police search at a Cleveland, Ohio, property where the remains of 11 women were found, as well as an adjoining property, turned up no additional human remains, authorities said Wednesday. Six members of the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office's office were on standby Wednesday as investigators returned to the home to dig by hand, according to a coroner's spokesman. The digging focused on areas on the property of Anthony Sowell, a registered sex offender who served 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted rape, as well as a property next door. "Investigators removed various items that will be examined for investigative value," Cleveland police Lt. Thomas Stacho said in a statement. No more remains were found, he said, and no further search of either home or yard is planned. Federal agents, meanwhile, have nearly completed a timeline tracing Sowell's whereabouts from his days in the military and beyond, Scott Wilson, spokesman for the FBI's Cleveland office, told CNN. Cleveland homicide detectives asked the FBI to trace Sowell's life from the time he joined the Marines at age 18 to his life in Ohio. In the military, Sowell was based in California, North Carolina and even Japan before moving back to Ohio after spending eight years in the Marines. "We're looking for any unsolved crimes to match what happened here," Wilson said. Given the number of bodies found at Sowell's home, crime experts have told CNN, it wouldn't be uncommon for authorities to look for links to other unsolved cases. Police and the FBI have said they're looking at the unsolved murders of three women in East Cleveland to determine if they share any similarities with the remains of 11 women found at Sowell's home between October 29 and November 3. Sowell faces five counts of aggravated murder, rape, felonious assault and kidnapping in connection with the deaths. In addition, police in Coronado, California, are attempting to determine if Sowell is linked to a 1979 rape there. Sowell's DNA will be entered into a national database to see whether it can be linked to any unsolved crimes. The timeline is just a start, Wilson said. "We'll take several weeks to a month before we get all these leads out to our other offices for them to take a look at." Investigators returned to Sowell's home to search it and the adjacent property on Friday and Saturday. They used thermal-imaging equipment and ground-penetrating radar and marked several areas outside the home with spray paint. The search Wednesday focused on areas identified during the recent use of thermal imaging equipment and radar technology, Stacho said. Wednesday's search was conducted by Cleveland police and the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office, the FBI and Cleveland's Department of Building and Housing.

NEW: Search at home and adjoining property turns up no additional bodies, police say . NEW: Investigators took items to be "examined for investigative value," police lieutenant says . Thermal imaging and radar were used during the search Wednesday . Bodies of 11 women were found at the property where Anthony Sowell, 50, lived .

efd94b3c4916bb0d8800fa379f49cbb7548aa0b9

MADRID, Spain -- Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta has died after collapsing during a Primera Liga match on Saturday, Spanish media reported on Tuesday. Sevilla midfielder Puerta was able to walk from the pitch but collapsed again in the dressing room. He died on Tuesday. The 22-year-old Spanish international collapsed after jogging back towards his own goal 35 minutes into the Primera Liga match against Getafe. Team-mates and medical staff rushed to his side and were seen preventing him from swallowing his tongue as he lost consciousness. He was able to walk from the pitch but doctors said that he collapsed again in the changing rooms and had to be given cardiac resuscitation before being taken to hospital where he remained on a life support system. Earlier on Tuesday, a statement from Seville's Virgen del Rocio hospital had indicated that Puerta's condition was worsening. Puerta is the third high-profile footballer to die after collapsing on the field in recent years. In January 2004 Benfica's Hungarian international striker Miklos Feher died during a Portuguese league match from a heart attack just seven months after Cameroon international Marc-Vivien Foe collapsed and died while playing in the Confederations Cup tournament in France. His Sevilla squad are due to play a Champions League qualifer against AEK Athens in Greece later on Tuesday. E-mail to a friend .

Sevilla's Spanish international Antonio Puerta has died aged 22 . Puerta suffered prolonged cardiac arrest in Saturday's 4-1 victory over Getafe . He was able to walk from the pitch but collapsed again in the changing room .

0e0c9d6f540659d8c0a1d0004d6b565549def2af

By . Ryan Gorman . MLB Network analyst Mitch Williams was tossed from a youth baseball game for profanely berating an umpire in front of horrified children and parents, witnesses said. The former Major League Baseball pitcher known as ‘Wild Thing’ during his time with the Philadelphia Phillies reportedly called the umpire a ‘motherf****r’ during his furious ranting in front of children only 10-years-old. Multiple witnesses told Deadspin Williams was coaching his son’s Cal Ripken youth team Saturday during a tournament in Maryland when things went south. Tossed: Former Phillies pitcher Mitch Williams (pictured throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before a 2008 playoff game) was ejected from a youth baseball game for swearing at an umpire . Wild Thing was said to have been griping about balls and strikes the whole game – from his perch behind first base. His complaints led to several arguments on the field that eventually culminated in his profanity-laced blowout after he ‘shouted something to a parent in the stands about getting that umpire fired,’ sources told the site. Another parent in attendance said the confrontation was ‘a train wreck,’ and that Williams had to be physically separated from the unnamed umpire. ‘He went nuts. He got into the umpire’s face like it was the Major Leagues.’ He then refused to leave the field and caused a 10 minute delay that led to him being banned from the entirety of the tournament, said the site. Williams eventually left the field but remained behind home plate to watch the rest of the game, said another witness. There were no further incidents. He lives in infamy: Williams famously gave up the World Series-winning bottom of the ninth inning Game 7 home run to outfielder Joe Carter #29 of the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993 . The Phillies ace then took to Twitter to defend his actions after being taunted by a fan. ‘To set the record straight. I was thrown out for laughing at a call. Then the [umpire] threatened to fight me. Said pick a time and place,’ Williams tweeted. ‘For those that think I'm making this up. It is on film... and when he threatened me [one] of my coaches came out and put his hands on him,’ continued Williams. Williams also swore that archived video would vindicate him, but that footage was nowhere to be found – it is curiously the only game in the entire tournament not able to be viewed online. ‘It started in the 1st [inning], the ump yelled at the opposing coach, then yelled at me. I asked why r u [sic] yelling at me I haven't even met u [sic] yet,’ he continued. Cal Ripken baseball has not yet publicly commented on the incident, and league officials were not immediately able to be reached by MailOnline. The MLB Network has also remained silent about the incident. Williams’ ban was lifted, but his son’s team did not win the tournament.

Mitch Williams reportedly argued balls and strikes with the umpires the whole game before the epic blowout . He refused to leave the field for nearly 10 minutes after being tossed .

a257f88a1650fe9f5debef05d9e3fac5499ad075

(CNN) -- After two years of a virtual stalemate of progress in Washington, members of Congress are headed home for five weeks during August. The pressure is on for both parties to tell two very different stories to voters with only a short time before the election. So who will have the better narrative? And will Americans listen? Voters are unhappy with everyone, which includes President Barack Obama, Democrats and Republicans. According to Real Clear Politics polling average, President Obama's approval rating stands at 41.6% while Congressional approval is in the tank at 12.3%. Partisan warfare is a clear culprit to these low ratings. During August, voters should be prepared to take plenty of Advil, because their headaches are about to get worse. Expect to hear Democrats complain loudly that Republicans are going to try to impeach Obama, that an attempt to sue the President is a useless partisan exercise designed to fundraise from conservatives across the country and that women should be very afraid of the Supreme Court decision on contraceptives. Republicans will shout that Democrats are driving the impeachment story to fundraise off their liberal base, that the Senate is obstructing progress to protect their vulnerable members in red states from having to take tough votes and that suing Obama is necessary because he isn't doing his real job of working with Congress. The polarization merry-go-round in Washington can be very attractive for a member of Congress to fall into selling a partisan only message to their constituents. But, when Americans run into a TV show they don't like, they turn the channel. Voters are desperate to know about what can be accomplished to help them. Climate change isn't going to cut it for Democrats and abortion isn't going to work for Republicans. They simply don't connect to the average voter concerns. The issues that matter are front and center in everyday American life. Both sides are going to have to address the border crisis and their solutions to the problem. We are dealing with innocent children who are caught up in this mess. The news has saturated America and is a common topic around dinner tables and water coolers across the country. People are concerned and frustrated that Washington has spent too much time finger-pointing at each other. How do our elected officials plan to help create the conditions for more jobs, more money in their wallets and more food on the table? How can their lives be made better for themselves and their children? The Democrats will likely point to some positive economic indicators and rising consumer confidence to show that it is turning around. But they lack an overall agenda to demonstrate there is a future method toward achieving economic stability. Republicans can show they have a plan to turn around the economy faster, but rightfully point out the inaction by the Senate Democrats to address Republican plans. The House of Representatives, run by Republicans, has passed myriad bills dealing with job creation, gas prices and small business issues. These bills can be used as basis for a forward-looking agenda. The battle over the female voter will continue through August, with Democrats pointing to the Supreme Court Hobby Lobby decision on female contraception coverage as a threat to women's rights. The Democrats have also tried to push through votes appealing to the middle class on the minimum wage and the gender gap in pay. House Republicans finally wised up and recently offered a female agenda of their own right before the August break that would increase job training, incentivize flexible work schedules, provide tax breaks for children and families, and strengthens charter schools. The package also includes new legislation to prevent retaliation when women ask about equal pay. Beyond this rhetoric, there is a better opportunity for Republicans in this election cycle to sell a positive message to voters because Democrats are being forced to defend the White House and its handling of the crises at home and abroad. It's more difficult for a Democrat to have to answer questions about the missing e-mail scandal at the Internal Revenue Service or President Obama's handling of Israel or the Ukraine and then pivot to a positive message on female gender pay. Mad people vote. And people are mad at Washington. Republicans can blame the President for his failure of leadership, but the bulk of their arguments must be centered on positive solutions that connect with people who are tired of the finger pointing. This means that Americans could lean toward the GOP when they vote this November, if the focus is kept on what people are demanding to know, which is, "How we get out of this mess?" Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion.

Ron Bonjean: As Congress leaves for recess, members face an angry electorate . The approval ratings for Congress are at a dismal 12.3% . Bonjean: Voters will be looking for solutions, not just spin .

0fa72cb866701504522d9fc00bdfb5e187d5a966

This pair of pole-dancing droids bring a whole new meaning to 'Robot moves' as they prepare to strut their stuff for visitors at a computer exhibition. The life-size white robots are set to be . among the most popular attractions at the international CeBIT expo in . Hannover, Germany when it opens to the public tomorrow. With surveillance camera-shaped lights for heads the humanoids shimmied around a pair of poles to music provided by another robot acting as DJ. Modern dance: A staff member gives a pair of pole dancing robots a quick polish as the models perform for visitors to the CeBIT computer expo in Hanover . And an engineer was on hand to make sure the robots looked their best as they performed, giving one of the pair a quick clean with some police. The robots first appeared at the expo in 2012, but proved so popular that they have returned this year among visitors to the trade fair that they were brought back for this year's four-day event, which will be formally opened tonight by German chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron. The dancers, which cost around £2,500 to hire, were made out of old car parts and were designed by British artist Giles Walker, with their sultry moves controlled by a computer. Other exhibitors preparing for the event included Cornish company RoboThespian, which was also showing off their humanoid robots. Great Britian is the partner nation for this year's CeBIT, which is the world's largest technology fair, attracting exhibitors and visitors from across the globe. Technology: Will Jackson interacts with an humanoid robot at the booth of British company RoboThespian, during preparations for the trade fair . Finishing touches: A worker makes sure the Robothespian robot is working perfectly prior to the show's opening . State of the art: The interactive and multilingual Robothespian robot is designed for human interaction in a public environment . Testing: Two woman check the motion control of the life-sized robot . Prestige: The four-day event will be formally opened tonight by German chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron . Joining forces: CeBIT is the world's largest technology fair and this year's partner nation is Great Britain .

Life-size white robots will perform at the international CeBIT exhibition . Humanoids are made out of old car parts and controlled by computer . Expo in Hannover, Germany is the world's biggest technology fair . Four-day event will be opened by David Cameron and Angela Merkel .

a28179bc7fc646d9df981f7d26f7b9485e3fe564

By . Ruth Styles . PUBLISHED: . 04:48 EST, 23 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:21 EST, 23 August 2013 . From elegant chignons to elaborate curls, there's no shortage of hairstyles for women to try. But for long-haired men, the options have been few - until now. Bored with seeing the same styles, blogger Jessica Saia decided to give men the chance to try the looks loved by the ladies - with entertaining results. She explains: 'One of my co-workers . was talking about men with top-knots, and I said "Wouldn’t it be funny . if they got, like, prom-style up-do’s instead?" We agreed that it would . be funny, and so [the project] began. Glamorous: Volunteer Borden Ornelaz ups his style game with the pretty Brigitte Bardot style . Looking good: Ornelaz does his best French film star pout and hair swish for the camera . 'I found eight guys with long hair and [asked] them [to] meet me at Salon Miel in downtown San Francisco to get their . hair styled in to formal up-do’s - until now reserved for women on . their way to a wedding or a prom. 'The stylists came up with a "story" for each guy, and the photographer took before and after photos. The . after photos were a bit of a struggle because no one could stop . laughing.' Among the styles given to her eight brave volunteers were the 'Brigitte Bardot' (tumbling glossy waves), the 'Junior Prom' (an elaborate up-do) and the 'Mother of the Bride' (a backcombed chignon). Although the project was originally conceived as an amusing photo essay, the reaction to the photos has surprised Jessica. Pretty: 'Blushing bohemian' Mat Dunlop had his hair braided into plaits for the Hippie Wedding look . Creative: Not content with his romantic up-do, Dunlop accessorised with flowers in both hair and beard . OMG! Andres Ruiz works a pretty up-do perfectly suited to Junior Prom - even with neck hair . Cute: With a delicate sprig of flowers to complete the look, all Ruiz needs now is a date and a tuxedo . 'Honestly, I just thought it would be a funny photo essay,' she reveals. '[But] when I told my roommate about it she was like "Ohhh, I just love how you’re challenging gender norms!" and at the time I was like "No! You’re thinking too hard! It’s just guys with fancy hair, that’s it." 'But, looking at it now, it can’t help but at least nod in that direction. More than that though, if we’re going to look at it seriously, I think it speaks to the fact that men are cheated when it comes to style. Ageless: As Eric Theise proves, it's not just twenty-something men who look good with fancy lady hair . Schoolmarm? Eric looks a touch severe with his matronly chiignon but gets a manly touch from the quiff . 'Both men and women can grow their . hair out but women have an insane number of websites and magazines . dedicated to all their styling options, whereas what’s "acceptable" for . men is basically a lackluster low ponytail or maybe a bun. 'This . could have so easily gone in the direction of drag, but I think by . staying away from makeup and having them wear whatever they came in . with, it instead asks the question, "Yeah, why don’t men get to do more . fun things with their hair?" 'Many people have commented that the after's look even better than the before's.' The photoshoot took longer than anticipated as many of the subjects got the giggles as they were being made over .

Hair project began as a photo essay by blogger Jessica Saia . Men given elaborate up-dos including a chignon and plaits . One man given Brigitte Bardot style glamorous waves .

6b4a70c6f08d61de53f6261cf3815b2f7ed05b5b

A woman found dead in her Malaga home was allegedly beheaded by her brother. The 22-year-old was found dead today in Fuengirola, a popular Costa del Sol tourist hotspot. While some reports say the woman may have been beheaded, other local reports say she was stabbed. Spanish news website El Pais reported police were called to the address near the sea front at 9.15am after neighbours raised the alarm. Police arrived at the property in Fuengirola and found a woman dead and arrested a man, 19, in connection. Pictured, a view of the main beach in the Costa del Sol town . Emergency services arrived at the scene where medics declared the woman dead. Shortly after, officers arrested an Ecuadorian man, aged 19, who is thought to be the victim's brother. Some reports have said the man admitted he had been arguing with the victim before the attack and called the police himself. Fuengirola is a large town in the province of Malaga on the southern coast of Spain and home to around 71,000 people. It is popular with tourists as it boasts more than 8km of beaches. The woman, 22, was found dead in a property by the sea in Fuengirola. The town is popular with tourists and boasts more than 8km of beaches, pictured .

A 22-year-old woman was found dead at a sea front property in Fuengirola . Police arrested an Ecuadorian man, aged 19, thought to be her brother . Some local reports say she was beheaded, others say she was stabbed . Also been reported that the man admitted he had been arguing with victim .

9f4ecc601aaa64e85e6af04a612916da78d86836

Manchester City booked their place in the knockout phase of the UEFA Youth League with a 4-2 victory over CSKA Moscow on Wednesday afternoon. A double from Brandon Barker, plus goals from Jack Byrne and Thierry Ambrose, ensured City preserved their 100 per cent record at Hyde and progressed to the round of 16. Patrick Vieira's men sit six points clear of closest challengers Roma and can guarantee top spot in Group E with a point in their next fixture, at home to Bayern Munich on November 25. Manchester City celebrate one of their goals in the 4-2 UEFA Youth League win over CSKA Moscow . Manchester City: Gunn, Smith-Brown, Maffeo, Adarabioyo, Angelino, Bryan, Ambrose, Ntcham, Byrne (Kongolo 87), Pozo (Buckley 84), Barker (Dilrosun 75) Substitutes not used: Albinson (GK), Bossaerts, Tattum, Oliver . Scorers: Byrne 7; Barker 32, 74; Ambrose 90+2 . Booked: Smith-Brown, Tasende . CSKA Moscow: Zlobin, Nikolaesh, Alibekov, Glukhov (Sokolov 33), Makarov (Drykov 88), Gordyushenko, Zhamaletdinov, Golovin (Zhuravlev 78), Chernov, Knyazev, Titov . Substitutes not used: Pomazun, Freapontov, Saraev . Scorers: Golovin 30; Zhamaletdinov 50 . Booked: Glukhov . Referee: Jens Maae (Denmark) City won 2-0 in freezing cold Moscow a fortnight ago, courtesy of two Jose Angel Pozo goals, and it was no surprise to see Vieira field pretty much the same team at Ewen Fields. With qualification at stake, City seized the initiative from the first whistle and gained the lead after just seven minutes. Barker saw his shot saved by CSKA goalkeeper Ivan Zlobin after cutting in from the left-hand side and Pozo set up Byrne for the simplest of far post finishes. Cheered on by a sizeable Wednesday afternoon crowd in the Manchester sunshine, City continued to surge forward with Angelino firing over the bar and Olivier Ntcham striking the crossbar with a long-range shot. City squandered two or three other presentable openings and paid the price when Alexander Golovin tucked away the rebound after his initial effort had been saved at point-blank range by City goalkeeper Angus Gunn. The Russian weren't on level terms for long, however, as Barker pounced on a loose ball and sprinted into the box to fire across the keeper and into the far corner. Zlobin was helpess to keep that one out but he saved at the feet of both Barker and Ntcham before half-time to keep the contest in the balance. Patrick Vieira's men have a 100 per cent record in the UEFA Youth League this season . CSKA started the second half brightly and levelled the game at 2-2 five minutes after the break. Timur Zhamaletdinov capitalised on a defensive slip by Gunn and Kean Bryan to score. City gradually reasserted their authority and retook the lead when Barker tapped home the rebound after Smith-Brown's effort was blocked by a defender. This time there would be no CSKA fightback and City made sure of the three points - and their passage to the next round - when Ambrose headed in a Javairo Dilrosun cross in stoppage time.

Manchester City beat CSKA Moscow to reach last 16 . Brandon Barker scored twice, with Jack Byrne and Thierry Ambrose also finding the net at Hyde . The result maintains City's 100 per cent group stage record .

8b6575629e5db6377d91f7200ce4372465eae8ea

By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 12:32 EST, 17 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:21 EST, 17 July 2013 . When Margaret Pabst Battin's husband Brooke Hopkins broke his neck in a cycling accident and became almost completely paralyzed, she had to face her ideas about a person's right to die in a devastatingly personal way. As an international leader in the euthanasia movement, the Professor of philosophy and bioethics at the University of Utah has written 'wheelbarrows full' about the right to death for terminally . ill and seriously injured people. Battin's husband, Brooke Hopkins, was 66 at the time of his accident . in 2008. He was cycling down a hill in City Creek Canyon in Utah when . he collided with another bicycle and somersaulted in the air, severing . his spinal cord when he landed on his neck. A question of life or death: Brooke Hopkins is prepped for surgery in 2010 as Peggy Battin and son Mike look on . Expert: An authority on the ethics surrounding death, Battin is now facing her own husband's choice to die . One year earlier, he . had updated his living will to include the clause that should he suffer . an illness or injury that left him in a vegetative state, he didn't want . any treatment that 'would serve only to unnaturally prolong the moment . of my death and to unnaturally postpone or prolong the dying process.' But . emergency services didn't know about this will, and Brooke Hopkins was . kept alive until he reached the hospital where he was placed on a . ventilator, thus saving his life and creating for himself and his wife . the ultimate quandary: life or death. Battin, 72, who is known as Peggy, traces her interest in assisted suicide, euthanasia and the right to a dignified death back to her mother's painful and difficult death of liver cancer when Battin was 21. 'A person should be accorded the right to live his or her life as they see fit (provided, of course, that this does not significantly harm others), and that includes the very end of their life,' she has written in one of her nearly 40 journal articles on this subject. The terrible injury of her husband of 30 years hasn't changed Battin's core belief in self-determination, but it's revealed complexities in the issue she wasn't prepared for, not least her own unwillingness to let go of her beloved husband and his reluctance to leave her when he knows she doesn't want him to. Beloved: Brooke Hopkins has continued to teach, read and write prodigiously after his devastating accident . There's also decoding what Hopkins really does want. Before his accident, Hopkins was a gregarious, fit, adventurous outdoorsman with a passion for the English romantic poets. He has a doctorate from Harvard and worked at the University of Utah as an English professor. 'At parties he was the one who ate the most, drank the most, talked the loudest, danced the longest,' a friend told The New York Times. Now, Hopkins has good days and bad days. One bad day in 2012 resulted in the drafting of his 'Final Letter' when his pain became unbearable. 'Pain eats away at your soul,' The New York Times reports he wrote on July 28, 2012, using his voice-recognition software to dictate the letter to his loved ones. 'For many years since the accident I have been motivated by a deep will to live and to contribute to the benefit of others in my small way. I think I have done that. And I am proud of it. But as I have told Peggy over the past few months, I knew that I would reach a limit to what I could do. And I have arrived at the limit over the past couple of weeks.' Advocate: Two of the books Margaret 'Peggy' Battin has written on the subject of assisted suicide . For Peggy Battin, helping her husband . to hasten his death when there's a chance that he might have changed his mind later is a fear that often overrides what . Hopkins tells her at any given moment. Making a decision that cannot . be undone must be weighed with her own intuition of what Hopkins may . feel in the future. Death and dying: Peggy Battin has had to face the realities of her scholarly explorations since her husband's accident . Battin . told The New York Times that there have been times she's taken Hopkins . to the hospital when he became ill and he later told her she did the . right thing, despite indicating on other occasions he wants no medical . intervention. She doesn't . believe her husband has yet made the decision to die, but rather his . occasional desire to end it all is dependent on pain he might be . feeling, or influenced by medications he's taking. In . 2012, following his Final Letter, Hopkins became seriously ill with . pleural effusion, or liquid in the chest cavity, and had trouble . breathing. Despite his indication prior that he was ready to die, Battin . rushed him to the ER. Battin told The New York Times that she'd discussed with her husband the kind of death he wanted, and this delirious, uncomfortable state was not how he wished to go. New pain management medications were administered, and now Hopkins says he thinks of his hospitalization with pleural effusion as having a 'happy ending.' On good days, Hopkins can do the things that give his life meaning: teaching, writing, reading and interacting with his loved ones. His living will states that he was not to be assisted with sustenance and hydration, but Hopkins can no longer eat and is fed through a tube, and the once-active professor is trapped in his wheelchair, with an army of helpers to attend to his physical needs. Battin still believes in people's right to choose when and how we die, but her experiences with her husband have shown her is that each individual case is rife with diverse and conflicting issues. 'What has changed,' she told The New York Times, 'is my sense of how extremely complex, how extremely textured, any particular case is.' According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Hopkins and Battin are writing a book about their experiences in the wake of Brooke Hopkins' accident. Peggy Battin has continued to advocate for people who want to die and for legislation for doctors to be able to 'hasten death' in the terminally ill (for which there is provision in Oregon, Washington, Montana and Vermont so far). Brooke Hopkins, now 71, has again expressed a wish to die, according to The New York Times. He has planned his death for the spring of 2014, when he will be finished teaching his latest course, on Don Quixote. Only time will tell whether he, and his wife Peggy, will make that choice. Peggy Battin and Brooke Hopkins wrote in their last blog entry to date: . 'This story doesn’t end, and it . doesn’t need to be a tragedy. It’s . still a story of love, even if it’s love under trial. It doesn’t end as long as we’re here to . write it, and it isn’t a tragedy if we can keep from letting ourselves think . so.  But we’re also aware of the . knife-edge we walk all the time, when the story could end not because we didn’t . have anything more to say, but because we weren’t here anymore to say it.'

Margaret Battin is a bioethicist and leader in the right-to-die movement . Her husband Brooke Hopkins suffered a broken neck and became paralyzed in 2008 . Since then, the couple has personally faced the issues Battin has long hypothesized about . Hopkins has said he would like to die in the spring of 2014 .

74d813ee6e6ee60b202a0da578d0fd9e67c4c53f

Nathaniel Clyne and Jonjo Shelvey are the surprise call-ups by Hodgson for his England squad. The Southampton right-back has not won a cap for England, but his strong displays this season have earned him a place. On his inclusion, Hodgson said: 'He's impressed us for a while. Even before the World Cup he was a name we were constantly considering, but there were others in front of him then. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Roy Hodgson discusses Daniel Sturridge club v country row . Southampton right-back Nathaniel Clyne has been named in Roy Hodgson's England squad . Jonjo Shelvey, who won his first England cap in 2012, has also been called up to Roy Hodgson's squad . 'Now we've lost Glen Johnson and Kyle Walker. John Stones played there but we're looking for someone else who would be an interesting candidate for the right-back post. He was considered even before the last two matches, this time he's asked to come.' Hodgson revealed that Swansea midfielder Shelvey was in a similar position. 'He's another player like Clyne who's constantly in our thoughts and discussions. 'The way we're looking to play could suit him. He's had an excellent start to the season and he's there on merit because of his form and qualities he possesses.' Shelvey revealed the call-up is a proud moment and that his family are delighted by the news. England manager Hodgson claimed Clyne and Shelvey have constantly been in his thoughts . 'It’s fantastic to be called up by England at any level, but to be called up to the senior side is a very proud moment for me, said the midfielder. 'I’ve just spoken to my family and they’re all over the moon. 'It’s nice to be recognised for my performances in recent weeks. Hopefully I can show everyone what I can do in the upcoming international matches. My main focus is on the game against Newcastle this Saturday, but I am looking forward to training with England on Monday. 'It’s a big thing for me and my family. There will be a lot of my relatives in the crowd supporting me. A lot of it is down to Garry Monk and the coaching staff here with the way they have got us playing. We have earned a lot of praise for that. During the last international break there was only about eight of us here training, so it’s a credit to everyone at Swansea for earning international recognition.' Sportsmail columnist Jamie Carragher tweeted after the squad was announced: 'Delighted for Shelvey call up to the England squad didn't quite happen at Lfc but shows how regular football can help players development.' The former Liverpool defender later added: 'Thought there may have been an outside chance for Downing as he's doing well in a diamond system at West Ham, which England will use.' Arsenal left-back Kieran Gibbs has also been named in Hodgson's squad along with Gunners team-mates Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs has also been called up for the Euro qualifiers against San Marino and Estonia . Goalkeepers . Fraser Forster (Southampton), Ben Foster (West Brom), Joe Hart (Manchester City) Defenders . Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), John Stones (Everton) Midfielders . Fabian Delph (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Jonjo Shelvey (Swansea), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Andros Townsend (Tottenham), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal) Strikers . Rickie Lambert (Liverpool), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal).

Nathaniel Clyne and Jonjo Shelvey earn call-ups to England squad . Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs also named in Roy Hodgson's team . Southampton's Clyne has impressed for the Saints this season . Shelvey's one and only England cap came in 2012 .

3c4f00ec3bbaae784716c0721ab3b49f370cef3b