Datasets:

autoevaluate

/

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

like 0

By . Michael Zennie . A Connecticut father-of-four is accused of murdering his estranged wife and wounding her mother today - one month after posting a heartbroken message on Facebook about the breakup of their marriage when he caught her in bed with another man. Lori Gellatly, 32, had fled the home she shared with husband Scott Gellatly, 46, and moved into her mother's house in Oxford, Connecticut, taking the couple's 18-month-old twins with her. About 5.45am Wednesday, Gellatly broke into the house, seeking revenge, police say. He shot his estranged wife and her mother, Merry Jackson. The twins, who were home at the time, were not injured. Broken: Scott Gellatly, 46, allegedly killed his wife Lori, 32, after the couple's marriage fell apart. The family is pictured in happier times, including their twins and Scott's two sons from a previous marriage . Tragic: Merry Jackson, 63, (left) was wounded and is in serious condition. Lori's injuries were fatal. She died at a local hospital . Lori was taken to a nearby hospital, where she died from her wounds. Mrs Jackson, 63, is in serious condition. The shooting in quiet suburban Connecticut sparked a massive police manhunt that led to schools being closed and the state troopers using helicopters and thermal scanners to track down Gellatly, who was considered armed and dangerous. The found in him in a truck in the parking lot of an abandoned Kentucky Fried Chicken store about 11.30am Wednesday with a house pumping exhaust into the cab in an attempt to kill himself, the Hartford Courant reports. On April 6, Gellatly posted a rambling message on his Facebook page detailing the breakup of his marriage. It began, he claimed, at a Fourth of July party when he went to check on his wife, who had gone inside. 'I go in the front door and around the corner and there is Lori and (a neighbor) that is married also,' he writes.  'He is doing her from behind.' Scott Gellatly claimed he caught his wife having sex with another man in a Facebook post last month - which led to the breakup of his marriage . Happier times: Gellatly had dozes of pictures of his wife Lori and their family on his Facebook page. Police said he shot her dead on Wednesday morning . Lori was Gellatly's second wife. He has two sons from a previous marriage. He and Lori had 18-month-old twins together . 'I hear (the neighbor) say I miss doing this with you,' Gellatly writes. 'He said we have to get to get together.' Gellatly said he waited for his wife to confess her affair, but she never did. So he confronted her. They went to marriage counseling, where Lori said he never would have told her husband about the affair, according tot he Facebook message. She also said that she was sleeping with another friend of theirs when she first started dating Gellatly, he claimed. In his rambling post he wrote: 'I don't get y some that believe s that they have a great family and would jeperdise something so sweet and betufle.' (sic) Lori worked at the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection . Scott Gellatly was found in a truck trying to asphyxiate himself about 11.30am on Wednesday, police say . He signed the public post 'God my one and only true love.' On April 24, Lori filed a restraining order against her husband, saying he grabbed her and screamed at her for hours after a fight weeks earlier. 'He acts out very violently and I am afraid for my kids and myself,' she wrote. Scott Gellatly has four children - including two sons from a previous marriage. He worked as a fire systems safety specialist at Red Hawk Fire & Security in Orange, Connecticut, until he quit the job last month. Lori worked at the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Scott Gellatly, 46, allegedly broke into the home where estranged wife Lori Gellatly, 32, was living Wednesday morning and shot Lori and her mother Merry Jackson . Lori died at a local hospital; Mrs Jackson is listed in serious condition . He posted a rant on Facebook last month about the breakup of his marriage and claimed his wife had cheated on him . The couple had 18-month old twins together who were in the home when Lori was shot. They were not hurt . The shooting in quiet Oxford, Connecticut, prompted a massive manhunt . Gellatly was found trying to asphyxiate himself about 11.30am .

6798e371236bf5d21c1e1a60befd13be0c970a0d

A man in an inflatable bubble was rescued by the coast guard 70 nautical miles East of St. Augustine on Saturday morning in a bizarre attempt to run to Bermuda from Florida. Reza Baluchi was found in an inflatable hydro bubble on Wednesday, but waved coast guard officers off, saying he was determined to make the 1,033-mile journey himself. But three days later he was too exhausted to carry on - so had to be rescued. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Strange traveler: The Coast Guard rescued Reza Baluchi from his Hydro Bubble 70 miles away from St. Augustine, Florida on Saturday . Helicopter rescue: Once all of the aircrew arrived, a rescue swimmer got Baluchi from his inflatable raft and into a helicopter where he was later evaluated by medical crews and found to be uninjured . Philanthropist: Reza Baluchi is both a daredevil and philanthropist dedicated to achieving great feats and  raising money and awareness for impoverished children in the process . When rescuers first discovered him on Wednesday, he was disoriented and asking for directions to Bermuda. His bubble contraption was filled with protein bars and bottled water - though he had claimed before leaving he would mostly survive by fishing. The Coast Guard were worried straight away by Baluchi's state of exhaustion and lack of supplies, so asked him to end his mission. He refused, so they continued to monitor him until he activated his Personal Locating Beacon on Saturday morning. When the call came, an HC-130 airplane and a MH-60 helicopter were dispatched to his rescue along with a rescue ship. Once all of the aircrew arrived, a rescue swimmer got Baluchi from his inflatable raft and into a helicopter where he was later evaluated by medical crews. He was not injured. According to Baluchi's website Runwithreza.org, he was on a mission to travel from Florida to Bermuda to prove that the Bermuda Triangle is not dangerous. On the site he says: 'Everyone wants to know how Reza Baluchi will be successful in his travel to through the Bermuda triangle. Reza is so confident that he will succeed in this trip because he has carefully articulated every detail it takes to survive.' Avid runner: Reza Baluchi once ran 135 miles nonstop from Death Valley, California to Mt. Whitney,California . Long Journey: Reza Baluchi was attempting to travel 1,033 miles from Florida to Bermuda . Baluchi claims he designed his Hydro Pod specifically to take him on his journey across the ocean - though it was never going to be a walk in the park. He said: 'Being inside the Hydro Pod is not going to be a walk in the park; it will be very hot and humid. One can easily dehydrate quickly and lose breath. 'Reza has devised this Hydro Pod to prevent physical difficulties. But not anyone can use without being mentally and physically fit. Being mentally fit is the main component to be able to survive a long journey in the Hydro Pod.' In 2013, Reza tested his Hydro Pod by taking it out from Newport Beach to Catalina Island with apparently great success. Reza next wanted cross the Bermuda Triangle because of the stories of shipwrecks and plane crashed linked to the area. The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil's Triangle, is a region in the western part of the Atlantic in which an imaginary line is drawn from Miami to Bermuda to Puerto Rico. Vessels have mysteriously disappeared on the journey but mostly in the journey from Florida to Puerto Rico. On his website, Baluchi describes how the avenger plane Flight 19 took off from the Florida Naval Base in 1945 and never returned after crossing that threshold. 'Reza is aware of the accidents that could happen to him including death. The Bermuda Triangle is one of the deadliest stretches of ocean on Earth. Call him "crazy" but likes to roll the dice,' he says on his site. Reza Baluchi is still alive and unharmed but whether or not he will attempt his journey once again across the Devil's Triangle is a mystery. 1.The distance between Miami, Fl to Bermuda is approximately 1,033 miles one way. 2. The Hydro Pod is made of 3mm thick of plastic. 3. Inside the Hydro Pod it will reach up 120 degrees Fahrenheit. 4. Reza is an excellent fisherman and he will be catching his food on a daily basis. There be will some days that he will not be able to catch fish. So he will he survive on his own made up protein bars. 5  He will need to manually pump his Hydro Pod for one hour to ensure that it will stay afloat. 6. At night the Hydro Pod will have a light emitting from the bottom to help with the travel. 7. Reza will rest in the early hours of the morning when the sea is calmest . 8. On a daily basis 400,000 ships sail through the Bermuda without harm or loss . 9.The frame is designed by Mr. Reza Baluchi. 10. A typical day will be, Reza will be sleeping from 6am-9am, will wake up to start running until his body becomes too hot, he will then jump into the sea to cool himself off with a leash strapped to his leg connected to the bubble. 11.He will sleep on a hammock that will be inside the bubble. 12. He will have tracking device on him so that his team is aware of his position at all times. 13. Reza is doing this dangerous journey to raise money for children in need and to give inspire     those that have lost hope for a better future. Also to raise awareness for his Non-Profit Organization called Plant Unity. Plant Unity is a charity devoted to kids that are in need of basic living necessities. For example, clothes, medical and financial help and also to teach them healthy living skills. Plant Unity slogan is 'Children are like roots of a tree – I like to nourish the roots and help them grow.' Text quoted from source: http://runwithreza.org/bermuda.php .

U.S. Citizen Reza Baluchi was saved by the coast guard from an inflatable bubble on Saturday 70 miles from St. Augustine Florida . When first discovered on Wednesday, he was disoriented and asking for directions to Bermuda but he refused to end his journey . His bubble was stocked with water bottles and protein bars . He was uninjured . According to Baluchi's website Runwithreza.org, he was on a mission to travel from Florida to Bermuda to raise money for charity . He previously ran 135 miles nonstop from Death Valley, California to Mt. Whitney,California . Baluchi built a plastic Hydro Pod to help him travel across the Bermuda Triangle where ships have been known to disappear mysteriously . 'The Bermuda Triangle is one of the deadliest stretches of ocean on Earth. Call him "crazy" but likes to roll the dice,' the adventurer writes on his site . Baluchi said he his attempting his travels to raise money for impoverished children .

ff7d8fbec590a1115668418d2601558ee336c131

Every Sunday Reverend Martyn Pinnock offers communion to the congregation at his parish church in Cornwall. But the cash-strapped vicar was forced to take up delivering a different kind of bread - by becoming a Sainsbury's delivery driver. The 66-year-old combines work for the church with two days a week behind the wheel for the supermarket giants. Reverend Martyn Pinnock has taken a job as a Sainsbury's delivery driver because he is short of cash . He started working for Sainsbury’s five years ago but only regained his religious licence last November after marrying for the second time. Rev Pinnock took charge of the Parish of Tregony and St Cuby with Cornelly near Truro in Cornwall. The grandfather said: 'I’m doing both jobs because I need the money. 'The biggest problem is that having been made the vicar of the parish the church is paying me for half of the time but it’s impossible to be a parish priest for half of the time. Rev Pinnock works for Sainsbury's for 10 hours on Mondays and nine hours on Tuesdays each week . He took over as vicar in charge of the Parish of Tregony and St Cuby with Cornelly near Truro in Cornwall . 'People ring me up when I’m driving. I have to sit down after a day’s driving and then work out what I’m going to say in the pulpit.' Rev Pinnock works for Sainsbury’s for 10 hours on Mondays and nine hours on Tuesdays each week. He returned to the UK in 2008 after a three-year spell in the United States where he worked for electronic company Plessey. The vicar started working for Sainsbury's five years ago but regained his religious licence last year . At that stage he was still in the process of going through a divorce and was not allowed to hold a ministerial licence until he re-married. He said ‘hefty legal fees’ from his divorce were reasons he was short of money. 'It is difficult to juggle two jobs,' said the vicar. 'If you’re a priest and particularly a parish priest, you are considering issues about parish life and everything becomes a bit of a juggling exercise. 'I did reduce my hours at Sainsbury’s, although due to the ten hour and nine hour shift, I am still quite busy and I do cover a big area. 'I’m not sure how long I plan on being at Sainsbury’s - a lot depends on what happens in the church and whether my role in the diocese changes from part-time to full-time. 'However, the idea of not working never appeals to me, I will carry on driving for Sainsbury’s for as long as they let me.' He added: 'I’m thinking about the church all the time. I’m thinking about it but I don’t wear the collar when I’m driving. 'Church for me is about a style of life rather than banner-waving. It most certainly is about seven days a week and not just Sunday. 'I’ve always found that my instinct to be pastorally caring comes out. 'You get elderly folk who are trying to be independent and you try and do as much as you can for them. 'We certainly go to more trouble for people in need.'

The 66-year-old combines work for the church with delivering shopping . While going through a divorce he was not allowed to hold a ministerial licence and so took the job at Sainsbury's . He is now the vicar of a church near Truro in Cornwall . Rev Pinnock said ‘hefty legal fees’ were why he was short of cash .

cb4c5c4824872a1699ac5ff2b143015be2700bae

By . Mark Prigg . It is set to be one of the best summers in history for sun watchers. Tonight will see the first of three 'supermoons', where the sun appears far bigger and brighter than normal. July 12th, August 10th, and Sept. 9th will all be supermoons, Nasa said, with August's being 'extra super'. Scroll down for video . A supermoon rises over the temple of Poseidon, the ancient Greek god of the seas, in Cape Sounion some 60 km (37 miles) east of Athens June 23, 2013. On Saturday a perigee moon coincides with a full moon creating a super moon when it will pass by the earth at its closest point . The supermoon is not the technical term for the full Moon. Astronomers call this phenomenon a 'perigee moon,' which describes the full moon that occurs when the moon is at its closest point to Earth each year. Perigee marks the closest point of a body as it orbits around Earth, while apogee marks the farthest point from Earth. Full Moons vary in size because of the oval shape of the Moon's orbit. The Moon follows an elliptical path around Earth with one side ('perigee') about 50,000 km closer than the other ('apogee'). Full Moons that occur on the perigee side of the Moon's orbit seem extra big and bright. This coincidence happens three times in 2014. On July 12th and Sept 9th the Moon becomes full on the same day as perigee. On August 10th it becomes full during the same hour as perigee - arguably making it an extra-super Moon. However, Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory say the phenomenon is not actually that rare - it's just that we normally miss it. 'Generally speaking, full Moons occur near perigee every 13 months and 18 days, so it's not all that unusual,' he says. 'In fact, just last year there were three perigee Moons in a row, but only one was widely reported.' He believes the 'hanging moon' is likely to be the thing most people remember. Supermoon over New York: For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, low-hanging Moons look unnaturally large when they beam through trees, buildings and other foreground objects. A silhouetted airplane flies past a 'super moon' over New York on June 23, 2013. 'The ‘Moon Illusion’  is probably what will make people remember this coming set of Full Moons, more than the actual view of the Moon itself,' he said. The illusion occurs when the Moon is near the horizon. For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, low-hanging Moons look unnaturally large when they beam through trees, buildings and other foreground objects. When the Moon illusion amplifies a perigee Moon, the swollen orb rising in the east at sunset can seem super indeed. 'I guarantee that some folks will think it's the biggest Moon they've ever seen if they catch it rising over a distant horizon, because the media will have told them to pay attention to this particular one,' says Chester. 'There's a part of me that wishes that this 'super-Moon' moniker would just dry up and blow away, like the 'Blood-Moon' that accompanied the most recent lunar eclipse, because it tends to promulgate a lot of mis-information,' admits Chester. 'However, if it gets people out and looking at the night sky and maybe hooks them into astronomy, then it's a good thing.'

July 12th, August 10th, and Sept. 9th will all be supermoons . Full Moons that occur on the perigee side of the Moon's orbit seem extra big and bright .

26c8b09f547019f041e6ad97883b49b8034d155a

By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 14:43 EST, 12 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:13 EST, 12 April 2013 . The Central Bank of Ireland has said it will keep selling a specially-minted coin commemorating author James Joyce, despite misquoting his masterpiece. Officials have offered refunds to anyone who bought the 10 euro coin if they are not happy that a line from episode three of Ulysses is wrong. The Central Bank has blamed human error of a member of staff copying a quote, but added the coin is an 'artistic representation' of Joyce. The Central Bank of Ireland is to continue selling the specially-minted coin (right) commemorating James Joyce (left), despite misquoting his masterpiece . The mistake can be seen in a depiction of Joyce's stream of consciousness. The coin features a portrait of the author's face and a quotation, with an extra word . The embarrassing blunder can be seen in the depiction of Joyce's stream of consciousness with the coin featuring a portrait of the author's face and a quotation - albeit with an extra word - flowing from the mind. Mark Traynor, manager at the James Joyce Centre in Dublin, said in time it will be seen as funny. 'Even a year after the cessation of copyright on Joyce's work, people still find it difficult to avoid getting into trouble,' he said. Joyce's words should have read: 'Ineluctable modality of the visible: at least that if no more, thought through my eyes. Signatures of all things I am here to read.' The coin however includes an extra 'that' in the second sentence . 'I always try to avoid speaking on behalf of a dead man but it is unfortunate. And there's a good quote from Stephen Dedalus in Ulysses - "A man of genius makes no mistakes. His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery" - It's also frequently misquoted.' Ten thousand of the coins went on sale at the Central Bank yesterday for 46 euros each. Joyce's words on the coin should have read: 'Ineluctable modality of the visible: at least that if no more, thought through my eyes. Signatures of all things I am here to read.' The quote comes from a scene when Dedalus is walking along Sandymount Strand in the writer's native Dublin. The coin, minted in Germany, included the word 'that' in the second sentence, which the bank said was a genuine mistake. 'The Central Bank acknowledges that the text on the Joyce coin does not correspond to the precise text as it appears in Ulysses (an additional word 'that' has been added to the second sentence),' it said in a statement. 'While the error is regretted, it should be noted that the coin is an artistic representation of the author and text and not intended as a literal representation. 'The coin will continue to be available for purchase. Anyone purchasing the coin will be informed as to the error in the text. Anyone who may already have purchased the coin and wishes to return it will be facilitated with a full refund.'

Officials have offered refunds to anyone who bought the 10 euro coin . Specially-minted coin included extra 'that' in quote taken from Ulysses . Central Bank blamed 'human error' and said coin is 'artistic representation'

f40c9d71bc80069c32188c0d0c58b951202aa504

By . Hayley O'keeffe . PUBLISHED: . 06:58 EST, 28 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:16 EST, 28 December 2013 . J.K Rowling's Harry Potter books could be losing their appeal with today's children according to the latest library borrowing figures. The adventures of the boy wizard do not even feature in a list of the top ten authors borrowed by children. Children this year preferred to borrow books by Daisy Meadows who came in at number one with her Rainbow Magic series. The launch of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in 2007: However a list of most borrowed children's books has not included the series for the first time since its launch . Number two was Julia Donaldson whose best-known book is The Gruffalo. Her work is popular the world over and has been turned into animated films and a stage production. Also popular was the Horrid Henry stories by Francesca Simon, Horrible Histories by Terry Deary and books by Tracey Beaker author Jacqueline Wilson. This is the first year that books by J.K Rowling have not made it into the top ten. Popular choice: The Rainbow Magic series of books by Daisy Meadows (left) came top of list while works by Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson (right) came in at number two . The Harry Potter series has dominated the chart since the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was published in 1997. 1. Daisy Meadows - Rainbow Magic series . 2. Julia Donaldson - The Gruffalo . 3. Francesca Simon - Horrid Henry . 4. Jacqueline Wilson - The Story of Tracey Beaker . 5. Mick Inkpen - Kipper the Dog and Wibbly Pig . 6. Adam Blade - Beast Quest and Sea Quest series . 7. Terry Deary - Horrible Histories series . 8. Fiona Watt - That's Not My... 9. Roald Dahl - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and numerous other titles . 10. Ian Whybrow - Harry and the Dinosaurs and others . Stories by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory author Roald Dahl, another surefire hit of the past, barely make it into the top ten coming in at number nine. While Enid Blyton, who wrote the Noddy series of books as well as hits including, The Famous Five and The Faraway Tree only made the long list coming in at number 14. But the classic authors still have staying power in other charts. Both Dahl placed first, and Blyton . placed second in the list of most borrowed classic author ahead of . Agatha Christie and Jane Austen. The list was compiled by Public Lending Right (PLR), part of the British Library. PLR is responsible for collecting payments for registered authors who have their books in libraries around the UK. Jim Parker, head of PLR, told The Telegraph: 'Some of the works that have endured are those that seem timeless. 'There . are books which could have been written in the 1970s or yesterday and . you cannot tell. You can’t say that for all the books.' Books by Roald Dahl, which include the BFG, Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory reached number 9 in the list .

Children preferred to borrow Rainbow Magic series and The Gruffalo . This is the first year since publication that Harry Potter is not in top ten . Classics by Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl also failed to make top five .

625e6024b9f3eb06072ce1f82fc91be755a67d0b

By . Inderdeep Bains . PUBLISHED: . 10:35 EST, 4 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:25 EST, 5 July 2013 . Guilty: Samantha Kidd changed her plea and admitted four counts of assault against her estranged husband . The estranged wife of former motorcycle stunt rider Eddie Kidd has admitted hitting the severely disabled star. Samantha Kidd, 44, pleaded guilty to four counts of assaulting her wheelchair-bound husband yesterday, including slapping him across the face and calling him a ‘complete spastic’. The former James Bond stuntman, 54, was left in a coma for three months in 1996 after suffering brain damage when a jump went wrong. He also broke his neck and pelvis. Since the accident, Mr Kidd, who has three children from previous marriages, has been confined to a wheelchair, is unable to talk or walk unaided and requires full-time care. Mrs Kidd was arrested for domestic violence in December after her husband’s family reported her to police days after the couple split up. Wearing flared jeans, a tweed blazer and her dyed red hair in curls, Mrs Kidd looked tearful as she stood in the dock and admitted the charges at Brighton Magistrates’ Court. Mr Kidd, who was previously married to Hot Gossip dancer Debbie Ash and ex-Stringfellows nightclub waitress Sarah Carr, first met his wife in 1988. They met again at a party in Mayfair in 2004, and have been  married for five years. The court heard that the former actress, who once appeared in children’s TV series Byker Grove,  assaulted her husband three times at their home in Seaford, East Sussex, and once in Southampton between July and October last year. Estranged: Samantha Kidd with husband Eddie in 2011. Mrs Kidd was arrested for domestic violence in December after her husband's family reported her to police days after the couple split up . Eddie Kidd's estranged wife was shielded by supporters as she left Brighton Magistrates' Court at an earlier hearing . Prosecutor Suzanne Soros told magistrates it was a case of ‘domestic violence’. She added: ‘The circumstances surrounding the assault in count three are that she called the victim a complete spastic. ‘She says that is because he referred to himself in that way. Although others may not be able to accept that because of his limited speech.’ She added: ‘In relation to count four, Mr Kidd was trying to reach out for the support to lift himself into bed. He brushed her [Mrs Kidd’s] face as he reached for the support. Happier times: Samantha and Eddie Kidd before it emerged they had split in December . ‘She believed at the time that he had hit her. The assault is her slapping him in retaliation. She accepts her actions were disproportionate.’ Mrs Kidd had initially denied the charges before changing her plea to guilty. She had been due to face a trial next week. Chairman of the bench Martin Reed released Mrs Kidd on bail until  sentencing next month. Marjorie Kidd, the former stuntman’s mother, said his family were relieved to learn of the last-minute guilty plea. The 76-year-old widow added: ‘I knew for a while something was wrong but I didn’t have any proof. Support: Marjorie Kidd, the mother of former stuntman Eddie Kidd, arrives at Brighton Magistrates' Court for an earlier hearing of the case . Well-known figure: Eddie Kidd raised more than £100,00 for charity when he walked the London Marathon in 2011, left with his wife Samantha and right, with a carer after they split . ‘We as a family thank God that he is . now out of this abusive relationship and away from her. She took . advantage of him and she wrecked him. ‘It was heart-breaking to watch. Our main aim now is to get him through this and back on track.’ In 2011, Mr Kidd completed the London Marathon nearly two months after setting out, and was awarded the OBE last year. The former daredevil is said to be consulting lawyers about a divorce. Brave: Stunt motorcycle rider Eddie Kidd jumping five cars in his heyday before he was left paralysed . Action man: In his prime Eddie Kidd was one of the most famous stunt riders in the world until he suffered serious head and pelvic injuries after a failed stunt jump in 1996 which left him unable to walk .

Samantha Kidd, 44, admits assaulting wheelchair-bound star last year . Had pleaded not guilty in January but dramatically changed her plea yesterday . Released on bail and will return for sentence on August 1 . Eddie Kidd, 54, left paralysed when motorcycle jump went wrong in 1996 .

923ab9baa96b557e29de3e9d361bd44642c5f2ee

By . Pat Hagan . Your shopping list doesn’t just save time at the supermarket – it also helps keep you slim. Writing a detailed list of groceries needed can contribute to weight loss by steering shoppers away from fattening temptations, researchers have found. Their study concluded those who wrote a list were more likely to lose weight than those who didn’t. Study leader Dr Nicole Au of Monash University in Melbourne, Australia said: ‘Many consumers know all too well . that over-eating and under-exercising will lead to weight gain and . increased risk of chronic illness. People who write a shopping list are more likely to lose weight than those who don't, according to a new study in Melbourne, Australia . ‘But impulsiveness or poor self-control leads people to behave in a manner that departs from their good intentions. ‘Our . findings provide evidence that shopping to a list is likely to be a . cost-effective means through which the NHS could reduce obesity and its . related illnesses.’ Obesity has emerged as a major burden on the NHS and the ready availability of fattening foods makes it hard to resist hunger pangs when they strike during the day. Writing a detailed list of groceries can contribute to weight loss by steering shoppers away from fattening temptations, it is claimed . Recent figures showed the number of people admitted to hospital for obesity-related illnesses has shot up by more than 10 times in the past decade. Health experts predict Britain’s obesity epidemic will cost the NHS and the economy £60bn annually by 2050. Yet two out of five dieters quit within the first seven days and nearly 65 per cent return to their pre-weight diet within three years of starting to watch what they eat. The new study, published in the journal Nutrition and Diabetes, looked at 163 overweight women. All the women were given standard advice on diet and exercise but half were also provided with detailed meal plans and shopping lists that they had to stick to. Over the next six months, the women with shopping lists lost an average of around 12 kilogrammes – or just under two stones. The rest lost an average of just eight kilos – or one stone three pounds. However, buying groceries online – rather than browsing in supermarkets – did not have the same positive effect. Shoppers were still likely to impulse buy from their home computer. British experts said last night writing a shopping list signifies a degree of commitment that can help to ward off impulse buying. ‘It means you have already put in the mental effort before you even leave the house,’ said psychologist Paul Buckley, from Cardiff Metropolitan University. ‘Supermarkets would much prefer that you did all your thinking once you get there so that you’re more open to persuasion and end up spending more.’

People who write a shopping list are more likely to lose weight than those who don't, according to a new study in Melbourne, Australia . Health experts predict Britain's obesity epidemic will cost the NHS and the economy £60billion a year by 2050 .

a94ebd4c6e0ebf33b67e4427f7cf2bb19150ec14

There wasn't room for the two of them. In the fall of 2012, with the presidential race in full swing, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, two prominent Republican governors with well-known national ambitions, were engaged in a different kind of campaign. Behind the scenes, both men were aggressively jockeying for a plum political gig: The chairmanship of the Republican Governors Association, a coveted post for any aspiring presidential candidate. The high-profile job would allow one of them to travel the country, gain a foothold in key states, and mingle with some of the GOP's leading financial backers -- all while controlling a nearly $150 million midterm political budget. Previous RGA chairmen have used the post as a national launch pad: Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney led the RGA in 2006 before his first presidential campaign, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry steered the committee in 2011 before embarking on his own White House bid. Christie won't commit to serving full term in New Jersey . Ultimately, both Jindal and Christie would each have a shot at running the RGA, Jindal in 2013 and Christie in 2014. Christie, fresh off his re-election in New Jersey, formally took over the reins of the organization on Thursday afternoon at its annual meeting in Arizona. Jindal is transitioning to the role of vice-chairman. But before that line of succession was arranged, the tightly knit universe of GOP governors who comprise the RGA had to wrestle with an uncomfortable dilemma: Jindal and Christie were both gunning for the committee's top job in the same year -- 2014. And with good reason. Next year's midterm elections feature 36 gubernatorial contests, including three potentially competitive races in the early presidential caucus and primary states of Iowa, South Carolina and Florida. The RGA chairman will be a familiar face on television screens across the country and a constant point of contact for major donors. A successful 2014 cycle would be a gleaming resume point heading into the 2016 presidential cycle, which begins in earnest the moment polls close next November. GOP civil war could be brutal in 2014 . The question of who would run the show in 2014, Jindal or Christie, was complicated by the organization's lack of formal succession rules and Perry's unexpected resignation in late 2011 to run for president. When Perry stepped aside, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell was suddenly thrust into the RGA's top job. Christie was elected vice-chairman, putting him in line to take over the RGA in 2013. Jindal, a veteran member of the RGA's executive committee, was hoping to follow him in 2014. But that scenario did not sit well with Christie and his team of advisers for one glaring reason: He was up for re-election in 2013, making it next to impossible to run the party committee while also campaigning for his own job in New Jersey. The Garden State's strict laws governing coordination between party committees made the prospect even more forbidding. Where does Christie go next? So with a flurry of phone calls and e-mails to his fellow governors, Christie charged ahead and launched a behind-the-scenes campaign to shake up the planned order of succession and take over the RGA in 2014, multiple Republican sources told CNN. Jindal started whipping up his own votes. Most of the Republicans familiar with their efforts insisted that the brief but intense campaign for the 2014 job, which unfolded in September and October of last year, was collegial and far from rancorous. "The leadership teams for 2013-2014 were decided last year," said Phil Cox, the RGA's executive director. "Continuity is a hallmark of RGA and Governor Christie -- one of our party's strongest national leaders -- will continue the strong stewardship of Governor Jindal and prior chairmen." One senior Republican told CNN that the bout of campaigning was nothing more than "friendly competition" between the two governors. Said another Republican, with a nod to the ambitions of both men: "There was a little back and forth. You know the personalities involved." Will Christie's moment last? One GOP operative familiar with the jockeying, however, said Jindal and his team were "a little frustrated" by Christie's attempt to pry away a job that the Louisiana governor thought was rightfully his. "It just kind of took people by surprise," said the operative, who, like most of the people who spoke about the maneuvering, declined to go on the record discussing internal committee business. "It came out of left field. It's not how the organization was structured, really. The RGA had become a very congenial organization without a lot of internal politics. You don't really shift things that are going well. Bobby had paid his dues. Was it a good move by Christie? Absolutely. It just rubbed some people the wrong way." The campaigning grew intense enough that McDonnell fired off an a internal note to his fellow governors urging them to keep their eyes on a more pressing challenge -- the presidential election, then little more than a few weeks away. Christie to GOP: 'If being me isn't good enough, then fine, I will go home' It soon became clear, though, that "Christie had the votes," one person familiar with the whip effort told CNN, citing Christie's argument that it would be best for him to run the committee after securing re-election in New Jersey. "It just made sense," one neutral GOP source said. Other Christie backers on the committee pointed to his ever-growing star power, arguing that his media profile and impressive fundraising acumen would be serious boons for the committee in a busy election year. As the dust began to settle in early October, McDonnell managed to broker a deal in which Jindal would run the committee in 2013, with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker as his vice-chairman. Christie would take over the following year, with Jindal as vice-chair. "The process worked itself out in a quick way and collegial way," said one Republican with knowledge of the process. "It was a win-win, though it was probably a little more of a win for Christie." If there was any tension between Jindal and Christie, it wasn't apparent at a news conference Wednesday in which Jindal patted his successor on the back. "Next year is a very important year for the RGA," Jindal told reporters in Arizona. "I think Chris is going to a great job. He's going to do a great job raising money for the RGA. I think he is going to a great job campaigning across the country for our incumbents and our challengers as well."

High-profile job allows Christie to gain foothold in key states, mingle with GOP's big financial backers . Previous RGA chairmen have used the job as a national launching pad . Christie launched behind the scenes phone and email campaign to shake up order of succession . Christie backers say his ever-growing star power will be boon for RGA in a busy election year.

144b4862e5a37409d9fedd11592fb26344f1e6f2

By . Julian Robinson . They have proved to be the fashion hit of the summer, establishing themselves on the high street after being snapped up by thousands of sunseekers and festival-goers. Now it has been revealed that New Look has been selling 40,000 kimonos a week - helping the high street chain to a 'terrific' set of results. With high temperatures this summer, the light and loose-fitting jackets have been flying off the shelves at clothes stores with sales boosted by the appearance of a number of celebrities dressed in the Japanese-style garment. Scroll down for video . Former Coronation Street actress Michelle Keegan, pictured, is among those to have been seen wearing a kimono from her own Lipsy Love collection . Former Coronation Street actress Michelle Keegan recently stepped out in a kimono from her own Lipsy Love collection. The style has been around for a while, but it has taken off this summer, proving especially popular with holiday-makers, beach goers and festival revellers this summer. Francesca Muston, head of retail and product analysis at the trends agency WGSN told The Guardian: 'Kimonos are very versatile, working as a spring jacket, a lightweight cover up, or, with a belt, as a dress. New Look has been selling 40,000 kimonos a week - helping the high street chain to a 'terrific' set of results . 'It doesn't matter what size or shape you are, you can wear it. Every now and then an item comes along that makes sense for quite a lot of people and everybody buys it.' Fashion retailer Asos has even created a new website category for kimonos, stocking more than 40 styles, the newspaper reports. New Look said it had capitalised on the summer's key trends, having sold 40,000 kimonos a week across its 1,100-strong store estate during the 13 week period to June 28. The fashion chain reported a jump in quarterly like-for-like sales of 11.6 per cent in the UK, where it has 576 stores, and a rise of 8.9 per cent across the group. New Look chief executive Anders Kristiansen said: 'These are terrific results which have exceeded our expectations, driven by the fact that we hit key trends effectively.' He added that the positive customer reaction to its ranges meant it was able to maximise full price sales. Operating profits for the quarter were 18.8 per cent higher at £59.4 million, while revenues rose 8.1 per cent to £392.5 million. New Look is owned by private equity groups Apax and Permira, as well as founder Tom Singh.

Kimonos have proved a hit with festival goers and sunseekers this summer . New Look reveals it is selling 40,000 of the loose-fitting garments a week . Other big brands report popularity of the light jackets as sales rocket . Former Coronation Street star Michelle Keegan among those spotted wearing a kimono this summer .

09cd1beaab706714375cd9426910515013c4c1f4

By . James Chapman . PUBLISHED: . 19:10 EST, 19 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:03 EST, 20 March 2013 . Newspapers were on collision course . with the three party leaders last night as industry backing for their . royal charter for new rules governing the 300-year-old free Press . crumbled. Fraser Nelson, editor of the . Spectator, the oldest continuously published magazine in the English . language, would not recognise the proposed regulator, irrespective of . the consequences. He published a dramatic front page with the single word ‘No’. Lionel Barber, editor of the . Financial Times, a newspaper that had been supportive of the charter, . expressed concerns it would lead to ‘vexatious complaints’ and ‘tie us . in knots’. Spectator editor Fraser Nelson, left, today released a front cover, right, formally refusing to sign up to the deal . Spectator editor Fraser Nelson reveals he will be formally rejecting the regulatory scheme . The Newspaper Society warned the plans . could place ‘a crippling burden on the UK’s 1,100 local newspapers, . inhibiting freedom of speech and the freedom to publish’. Its president Adrian Jeakings said: ‘A . free Press cannot be free if it is dependent on and accountable to a . regulatory body recognised by the state.’ The cross-party agreement struck in . late night three-party talks was also attacked yesterday by the . Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the international . body that polices human rights. And, in a particularly humiliating . blow, the Kremlin-funded broadcaster Russia Today described the . guidelines as a ‘threat to Press freedom’. Opposed: Ian Hislop, editor of Private Eye, which is not part of the existing watchdog system, suggested he had no intention of joining the new regulator . Ian Hislop, editor of Private Eye, . which is not part of the existing watchdog system, suggested he had no . intention of joining the new regulator: ‘You can’t really say this is a . considered and thoughtful process when, in the middle of the night, bits . are added to two different bills.’ Rupert Murdoch, whose companies own . The Times, the Sunday Times and The Sun, suggested even the Queen would . not approve the royal charter. ‘UK royal charter requires Queen’s . signature. Unlikely without full all party support. Queen doesn’t do . politics,’ he wrote on Twitter. Mr Barber told the BBC the FT had not . yet determined whether to join the regulatory body. But he added: ‘This . has not been a  satisfactory process. 'We will be looking at the practical implications and, above all, what has  been completely lost in this process, the cost. ‘I am worried about the practical . costs of, for example, allowing free access to arbitration, I am worried . about claims-farming, vexatious complaints from readers and others who . will tie us up in knots. This is a real problem.’ But Max Mosley, one of the leading . campaigners for new controls insisted yesterday that if newspapers . refused to sign up then Parliament should ‘intervene’ – raising the . prospect of a full-blown Press law. The former Formula 1 boss, who became a . privacy campaigner after winning a court case against the News of the . World for publishing pictures of him at an orgy with prostitutes, told . MPs he believed all publishers would eventually submit to the new . regulator. He told MPs on the Commons culture, . media and sport select committee, newspaper proprietors will put aside . ‘emotional’ concerns about statutory regulation and be persuaded by . financial incentives. Max Mosley, one of the leading campaigners for new controls insisted yesterday that if newspapers refused to sign up then Parliament should ¿intervene' Newspapers that decline to participate . in the regulator, which will have the power to dictate the nature and . prominence of corrections and issue £1million fines, are being . threatened with ‘exemplary’ damages in libel or privacy cases. Editor-in-chief of Guardian News and Media Alan Rusbridger retained ¿grave reservations¿ about the proposed legislation on exemplary damages . Mr Mosley sparked anger when he went . on to suggest that websites based overseas that ignore the instructions . of the new regulator could be shut down. But Tory backbencher Mark Reckless said that he hoped that the press would not co-operate with the regulator. He referred to the way the unions in the 1970s refused to recognise the Heath Government's industrial relations court. Kirsty Hughes, spokesman for Campaign . group Index on Censorship, said: ‘Closing down websites is the kind of . behaviour expected of totalitarian regimes like Iran and China, not the . UK.’ Alan Rusbridger, editor-in-chief of . Guardian News & Media, said: ‘We welcome the fact there has been . cross-party agreement. The regulatory settlement is by and large a fair . one, with compromises on all sides.’ But he said he retained ‘grave reservations’ about the proposed legislation on exemplary damages. Amid confusion about which websites . would be covered by the new system, a spokesman for the Department for . Culture, Media and Sport said: ‘Bloggers are covered by the . self-regulatory model if they are the relevant publisher with multiple . authors writing in the course of their business.’ The Association of Online Publishers . issued a statement to say it had ‘major concerns’, particularly over the . threat of punitive awards in the libel courts for those who do not join . the regulatory system. Camilla Wright, who founded the . entertainment website Popbitch, said she would move it to America to . avoid being subject to a regulator with power over websites that produce . celebrity gossip. Communities Secretary Eric Pickles illustrated the low opinion of the celebrity wing of the Hacked Off pressure group among cabinet circles when he described Hugh Grant as 'the leader of the opposition Lord Grant of Rodeo Drive.'

The Spectator published a dramatic front page with the single word 'No' Editors expressed their concerns over the royal charter . The Newspaper Society warned it would place 'crippling burden' on local papers .

d5cee09c5125b153c5cb3285c5346bdd469b4446

The bad news for our supermarkets just keeps coming. They have been lining up in recent days to report sales figures ranging from disappointing to near disastrous. Yesterday, it was Morrisons' turn to feel the pain, when it announced that its sales in the six weeks to January 4 fell by 3.1 per cent. As an indication of just how serious this is for the chain, Morrisons announced 400 job losses and that it will shut ten loss-making stores this year. It represents a crippling psychological setback for Morrisons, and underlines how only drastic action can halt, or at least slow, the haemorrhage of shoppers from its stores. Scroll down for video . Morrisons CEO Dalton Philips is to step down after five years at the helm of the struggling supermarket business after it announced that its sales in the six weeks to January 4 fell by 3.1 per cent . Morrisons' chief executive, Dalton Philips, the man who set out optimistically only five years ago to refresh the already ailing business with novel strategies such as 'misting' vegetables (spraying them with water so they seem more appealing), has stepped down. Other big chains dare not gloat, for they aren't much better off. Last week Sainsbury's reported its worst Christmas for more than a decade with like-for-like sales down 1.7 per cent. Now, they're cutting 500 jobs, too. This came hot on the heels of an unprecedented poor performance from beleaguered Tesco. Already reeling from a succession of profit warnings and the discovery of a huge and mysterious black hole in its accounts, it recently reported a sales drop of 2.9 per cent. This decline is so significant Tesco has decided to close 43 loss-making stores this year and shelve plans to open 49 huge Tesco Extra superstores. How are the mighty fallen! And how rapidly. Until September 2013, when Tesco backtracked on its plans to open a store in Sherborne, Dorset, after residents' effective 'No Thanks Tesco' campaign, the brand was synonymous with aggressive expansion and never-ending, seemingly unstoppable store openings. The Big Four supermarkets have all been struggling with Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury's posting dramatic falls in Christmas sales . Tesco, already reeling from the discovery of a huge and mysterious black hole in its accounts, recently reported a sales drop of 2.9 per cent which has led to a decision by the supermarket to close 43 loss-making stores this year and shelve plans to open 49 huge Tesco Extra superstores . We await results from Asda, but given that Marks & Spencer is reporting its spindly 0.1 per cent food sales increase as 'strongly outperforming the market', it seems unlikely that Asda will have much to raise the prevailing gloom that hangs over the supermarket sector. So why do things look so bad? Quite simply, we don't automatically want to shop in big supermarkets any longer. Sick of being ripped off by their outrageous prices, we're abandoning the knee-jerk, one-stop weekly shopping expedition supposed to get us through the week, but which often left us with half a fridge of uneaten food. We have become promiscuous customers, shopping around more frequently, buying less at a time, and cherry-picking from various outlets. In these straitened economic times we are intently focused, more suspicious than ever, about what we are being asked to pay for food. The nation's supermarket shopping habit has been irretrievably broken by the arrival of the German-owned discount chains, Aldi and Lidl. It took them more than 20 years (Aldi arrived in this country in 1990 and Lidl in 1994) to get their cheaper price message through to us, but we've definitely got it now. Loud and clear. Budget chains Aldi (pictured) and Lidl have been blamed for irretrievably changing the nation's supermarket shopping habits . We realise the 'Big Four' have been charging us way too much — behaving particularly rapaciously when it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables — earning excessive margins and profiteering at our expense. Last week, for example, I could have paid £2.99 per kilogram for cherry tomatoes in Sainsbury's, but at Lidl I'd have paid only £1.78. The celery Morrisons wanted 79p for cost 39p at Aldi. And this isn't the discounters playing silly, short-term games with prices — unlike their higher-profile rivals. It's these discount chains simply showing what can be done with a different business model and less greedy pricing. Such spectacular price differences couldn't be ignored for ever. Britain's shoppers have finally woken up and voted with their feet, and their wallets. Given the hundreds of millions the big supermarket chains have spent on building our trust — through advertising, loyalty cards, phony price wars and deliberately bamboozling promotions — the discovery that, surprise, surprise, they're not actually on our side has been shattering, and has changed consumers' habits dramatically. These chains all kept telling us how cheap they were, and we believed them. What they forgot to tell us was what obscene profits they were making. 'Every little helps,' said Tesco, and we never paused to ask: 'Helps whom?' Well, no more. Any trust we had in them has been lost and may never be restored. Sainsbury's (pictured) reported its worst Christmas for more than a decade with like-for-like sales down 1.7 per cent . It's not many years since the supermarket each of us so loyally used almost defined who we were — an aspirational Sainsbury's family, perhaps, or maybe down-to-earth Morrisons customers. It still does, to some extent — in the case of Waitrose. But by and large, the ties that bound us so tightly to one particular chain have been broken. There is more genuine choice and better value to be had elsewhere. These days, we shop where we want — at Aldi one day, at a local butcher or grocer the next and, on those days when we're simply too tired to care, at whichever chain-owned convenience store we pass on the way home, when we'll decide what's for dinner that night. Mainstream chains still get some of what we spend on food — but not as much. Many people will be overjoyed by supermarkets finally getting their comeuppance — their aggressive expansion policies, in the High Street and out of town, made them bitterly resented. On Twitter, news that Tesco would shut 43 of its smaller stores was celebrated by those delighted that the destroyer of so many local, independent shops was beginning to suffer itself. Add the cancelled plans for 49 superstores — the white elephants of today's food retail world, according to analysts — and what many saw as the 'Tesco-isation' of Britain finally seems to have gone into reverse. They have also announced they are cutting 500 jobs to tackle the poor sales as shoppers turn to cheaper alternatives such as budget chains Aldi and Lidl . I'm sure other chains will quietly follow suit, mothballing plans for future store openings. And, as with Tesco and Morrisons, I wouldn't be surprised to see existing stores shut, too. Britain's supermarkets may have peaked in their hold over us, but they certainly won't vanish altogether, though it would be encouraging to see signs of them learning from past mistakes. Instead, Sainsbury's has done what big chains always do when faced with adversity — announced yet another 'price war' to try to persuade customers they are getting brilliant deals (when often they could still buy cheaper elsewhere), and place even more economic pressure on its suppliers. So what will the future of food shopping in Britain look like? Now, the supermarket enchantment spell has been broken, consumers are back in charge. If we want to shop at a discounter we will, a trend that may result in a modest expansion of the Aldi or Lidl chains: their circumspect German owners are too canny and conservative for grandiose plans. They'll have seen what over-ambition has done to Tesco, and learned a lesson. Other winners will be the assortment of retailers that have emerged in the past few years to meet the demand from consumers for a better shopping experience. I'm talking about traditional street markets, small independent shops, Asian and Middle Eastern grocers, farmers' markets, vegetable box schemes, farm shops, food co-operatives and a range of online enterprises that have successfully carved out their own niches. It's not nostalgia for times long past. But some traditional street markets offer better value than even the discount chains. No, I look at today's food shopping experience and see what works and what doesn't. And what certainly doesn't work as well as it used to is shopping at supermarkets. Our 40-year love affair with them is over. Now, they must pay the price.

Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury's all posted big falls in Christmas sales . A total of 900 jobs will be be axed from Morrisons and Sainsbury's . Tesco will close 43 loss-making shops and shelve plans for 49 superstores . Thanks to Aldi and Lidl shoppers are now turning to cheaper alternatives .

b39a1d6335b50b8e6178bd0de585b99ce913c53c

One of Hallmark's ornaments for the holiday season is snowballing into some controversy following the replacement of the word "gay" while quoting "Deck the Halls." The red "Holiday Sweater" ornament is decorated with the lyric, "Don we now our fun apparel." The traditional line from the famous Christmas song is "Don we now our gay apparel." The change caused one Facebook user to comment on Hallmark's official page, "It's OK to be GAY!! Fix your dumb ornament!" "You can be sure that myself and many others won't be buying your cards anymore," another Facebook user complained. Hallmark defended the change in lyrics. "When the lyrics to 'Deck the Halls' were translated from Gaelic and published in English back in the 1800's, the word 'gay' meant festive or merry," according to a statement released Wednesday. "Today it has multiple meanings, which we thought could leave our intent open to misinterpretation." The Hallmark statement went on to explain that the ornament was created in the spirit of "fun." "The trend of wearing festively decorated Christmas sweaters to parties is all about fun, and this ornament is intended to play into that," the statement said. "So the planning team decided to say what we meant: fun." It added: "That's the spirit we intended and the spirit in which we hope ornament buyers will take it." The ornament is for sale on the company's website as part of the Keepsake collection for the price of $12.95. Hallmark was founded in 1910 and is now a $4 billion business with greeting cards and other products sold in 39,000 retail stores across the United States and in 100 countries worldwide, according to its website.

Festive sweater ornament features "fun apparel" line . Complaints posted on Hallmark's Facebook page . Company says "gay" has multiple meanings today . Christmas sweaters are all about fun, it states .

042fb8b4fa07ff30fef7026618173ce6429c953e

By . Ryan Gorman . and Associated Press Reporter . A teenage boy was killed and a teen girl is in critical condition after they were hit by a freight train while walking to a high school dance, authorities said. The pair were on their way to the Sadie Hawkins dance Friday night while crossing train tracks only steps from a game on a packed Little League field. The engineer reportedly told police they did not get out of the way in time. The boy died at the scene and the girl was airlifted to hospital with traumatic injuries, a fire department spokesperson said, neither of their identities has been released. Horrifying: Emergency personnel work at the scene of a train accident where two pedestrians where one teen was killed and nother critically injured after being hit by a train . The accident happened around 7.00 p.m., and in front of dozens of horrified onlookers scrambling to shield their children from the traumatizing scene, according to the Appeal-Democrat. Parents attending the game raced towards the tracks fearing one of their own had been hit, Marysville Little League Secretary Diane Washburn told the paper. 'It wasn't one of our kids, just get back,' she recalled telling the swelling crowd, adding that her next priority was keeping children from seeing what had happened. 'Once they see that, that can't be unseen.' People who were at the game told the Marysville Appeal-Democrat they heard a long blowing of the train's horn, much longer than usual. Critical: A medivac helicopter arrives at the scene to whisk the critically injured female to a nearby hospital . Every parent's worst nightmare: Police on the scene of the terible accident . 'He honked from so far back there,' a concession stand volunteer told the paper. Another said the engineer honked 'a bunch and a bunch and a bunch.' Investigators were combing the scene for evidence well after dark, according to the paper. The small town of about 12,000 was rocked by the incident. 'Marysville is a small but busy city,' said the fire department spokesperson. 'Everybody knows everybody so it was pretty traumatic.' The Sadie Hawkins Day dance is a role-reversal that has girls asking boys on a date, and the teen girl walking with the deceased boy knew him well. Into the night: police worked the scene well after sunset . He said he knew the teenage girl, and said she had a close relationship to the boy. 'She's a sweetheart,' he added. Washburn said that, despite the tragedy, Saturday's Little League games will still be played as scheduled.

The teen boy was pronounced dead at the scene and the girl airlifted to a local hospital . The accident happened steps from a packed Little League field . Their identities have not yet been released .

2133e70d063c9dcf30be570ab98f5e22a1b3c94f

In a lush field outside Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar, the face of a little girl stares up at the clouds, her eyes searching for the whirring machines that destroyed her family. Her face -- a picture of innocence -- adorns a giant poster that has been printed out by a group of artist-activists in Pakistan as part of a project, known as #NotABugSplat, to humanize victims of the controversial U.S. drone program in Pakistan's restive tribal region. According to one artist, who identified himself as R, the project is a reaction to the dehumanizing nature of drone warfare, where operators preside over deadly missile attacks from thousands of miles away, coining terms such as "bug splat" to describe victims of these strikes because "viewing the (dead) body through a grainy video image gives the sense of an insect being crushed." "We want to shame drone operators and make them realize the human cost of their actions," said R. Sharing untold stories . The artists' work is inspired by "Inside Out," a global art project by renowned French photographer JR that uses photographic portraits to share the untold stories and images of people in their communities. Six months ago, the team behind #NotABugSplat contacted UK-based legal charity Reprive, which has been working with prominent lawyer Shehzad Akbar to investigate the human cost of drone strikes in Pakistan. It was Akbar who gave the #NotABugSplat team the image of a girl who had lost her parents to a drone strike in 2010 in the North Waziristan village of Dande Darpa Khel. According to Akbar, the strike led to the destruction of several mud homes housing Afghan refugees, and the victims had been mainly women and children. The photograph was taken by Noor Behram, a photojournalist based in North Waziristan. The name of the child and her actual location is unknown, lost in the nameless surge of refugees that populate this conflict-torn region of Pakistan. Permanent part of landscape . #NotABugSplat said they laid out her image in the field long enough for it to be "captured by satellites in order to make it a permanent part of the landscape on online mapping sites." They had originally wanted to take the poster to Waziristan, where most drone strikes actually take place. But a lack of access due to ongoing operations by security forces meant the poster was laid out in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa instead. Though there has not been a confirmed drone strike in Pakistan since December 2013, #NotABugSplat wants to continue to put up more posters of children to instigate further dialogue and awareness, because as R puts it, "it is only the loss of a child that can show the impact that drone strikes have on the residents of these regions." Drone strikes in the tribal regions bordering Afghanistan have drawn heated opposition in Pakistan because of civilian casualties. The drone strikes have further roiled relations between the two nations, which flared following a 2011 raid by U.S. commandos on a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. According to The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, 383 U.S. drone strikes have been reported in Pakistan since 2004 with the death toll estimated to be between 2,296 and 3,718.

#NotABugSplat project set up to humanize victims of drone warfare in Pakistan . The project uses a giant photograph of a girl who lost her family in a strike . Drone strikes have drawn heated opposition in Pakistan because of civilian casualties . Thousands of people, including women and children, have died since 2004 .

b3358c6fe51933dc1f524832ba5879c8d90d22ba

A 29-year-old English teacher who allegedly had a four-month affair with her underage student and aborted his child, has been charged. Jennifer Christine Fichter was arrested yesterday after allegedly confessing to the 17-year-old boy's mother that she'd had sex with the teen up to 30 times, loved him and had no regrets. The Central Florida Aerospace Academy teacher was arrested about 11.40pm last night and charged with six counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor. The teen has not been identified. Scroll down for video . Charged: Jennifer Christine Fichter, 29 (pictured), allegedly confessed to having sex with her 17-year-old student for four months, falling in love with him and having an abortion . According to The Tampa Tribune, police said the abuse began in November when the pair had sex in the early . morning hours in Fichter's Toyota pickup truck. The teen told detectives he and Fichter met for sex three times in the parking lot of a Lakeland apartment complex and three times near New Tampa Highway. He also said they had sex four times outside the city in Polk and Hillsborough. Lakeland police said those counties are investigating those incidents. The illegal meetings were discovered by the teen's suspicious mother on January 27. When she noticed her son was not home at 5am and lied about his whereabouts, she looked through his cell phone and found texts from two names. One discussed an 'age difference'. Police said the mum confronted her son, who admitted both names were used by Fichter. The mother reported Fichter to police yesterday, however it is not clear why she waited so long. Scene: Jennifer Christine Fichter, 29, was an English teacher at Central Florida Aerospace Academy in Lakeland, Florida (pictured) and the teen was her student . Last night, the mother agreed to speak to Fichter and record the conversation for investigators. During the call, Fichter allegedly admitted she became pregnant with the teen’s child and had an abortion. Fichter also said she was in love with the student and wanted to continue seeing him. 'The victim's mother discovered this relationship after reviewing text messages from her son and she asked that Fichter respond to her residence to talk,' a Lakeland police statement said, according to Orlando Sentinel. 'According to the victim's mother, Fichter admitted to the sexual encounters and professed her love for him.' Fichter was arrested at her Davenport home soon after the conversation, and booked at the Polk County Jail. Central Florida Aerospace Academy prepares students for the aviation and aeronautics industries.

Jennifer Christine Fichter has been charged with unlawful sexual activity with a minor . The Central Florida Aerospace Academy teacher allegedly had a four-month affair with the teen . The teen's mom became suspicious in January and discovered text messages from Fichter in her son's phone . The teen's mother reported the abuse to police yesterday . In a recorded conversation, Fichter allegedly confessed she wanted to maintain the 'relationship' and had no regrets .

6fc61de716cd5a3d154b415f4608e8fbcf7f5c88

By . Ryan Gorman . Millions of dollars in heroin labeled ‘NFL’ was recovered and two people were arrested this week when authorities busted a dope ring only miles from the site of this Sunday's Super Bowl. Federal, state and city agencies converged on the Bronx ‘heroin mill’ Thursday night and found 33 pounds of dope with a street value of $8million and hundreds of thousands of baggies stamped with various brand names including the NFL monicker. Scales, 18 coffee grinders, baking soda, face masks and rubber bands from the apartment just a short drive from MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the DEA announced. Not league approved: This NFL stamp was used to brand millions of dollars worth of heroin flowing from a Bronx apartment building . Stacks: Bundles of tiny baggies called 'decks' filled garbage bags hauled out of the fifth-floor apartment . Law enforcement had been surveilling the location for some time and moved in after seeing Cristino Then, 25, delivering a package to the building. Both he and Augustin Rivera, who was caught trying to flee down the fire escape, were arrested and face multiple drug distribution charges. ‘Agents and officers seized approximately 13 kilograms of heroin (33 pounds) and hundreds of thousands of individual ‘glassine’ bags stamped with numerous brand names, including ‘NFL,’ ‘government shutdown,’ ‘iPhone,’ and ‘Olympics 2012,’ an agency statement said. ‘The brand names used are tied to upcoming events, indicating the savvy and sophistication of the heroin distribution ring,’ special narcotics prosecutor Bridget Brennan added. 'Heroin mill': Authorities referred to the location as a heroin mill while announcing the massive bust . Brand names: NFL was one of many brand names stamped onto the heroin distributed from the location, other names found in the bag of stamps pictured here included 'iPhone,' 'income tax' and 'McDonalds' Sophisticated: Authorities say the use of relevant brand names shows the sophistication of the drug ring . The agency further explained that ‘coffee grinders are often used to cut pure heroin with a dilutant, such as baking soda.’ Each of the two men arrested faces felony charges of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and criminally using drug paraphernalia in the second degree. The bust was made as heroin addiction rates across the country are soaring and an epidemic of killer dope has been ravaging the Northeast since the beginning of the year. ‘A seizure of this size should open everyone’s eyes to the magnitude of the heroin problem confronting us,’ said Ms Brennan. Large scale: Authorities also said they believe the apartment was the center of a regional distribution chain feeding into the alarming growth of heroin use throughout the Northeast . Uncut: Pure yellow heroin can be seen sitting in a separate bag on top of baking soda, which is used to what drug dealers call 'cut' the product in order to maximize profits . Ready to go: Cases of already packaged heroin - bagged, stamped and neatly packed - filled this oven in the apartment . This latest bust does not appear tied to the fentanyl-laced heroin blamed for at least 100 deaths in the past few months from New Hampshire to Washington State and down to Louisiana. Those batches of heroin have been labeled 'bud ice,' 'income tax' and 'theraflu.' This past week, in nearby Nassau County, on Long Island, authorities linked multiple deaths to the heroin-fentanyl blend. The drugs used by to those victims were branded ‘24K,’ authorities said.

Authorities seized 33 pounds of heroin worth about $8million on the street . The dope slingers set up shop in the Bronx, a short drive from Sunday's Super Bowl in New Jersey . Drugs were labeled 'NFL,' 'income tax' and other names associated with upcoming events .

04b79f41d25b13b0f2f9386a223c44e18b7e6f88

He may be having a difficult season on the pitch, but on the table Robin van Persie is the master of Manchester United - or at the very least he's better than Antonio Valencia. The Red Devils teams were in Table Football action against each other during some downtime after training, and it was the Dutchman who came out on top. Van Persie netted for 'match point', before finishing off his Ecuadorian counterpart just moments later. It was a clinical showing from the 31-year-old, who displayed a level of finishing prowess that's been sorely missing at times this season in the human-sized version of his game. Van Persie has managed 10 goals in 25 appearances in all competitions so far this campaign, a creditable tally, but one that doesn't quite live up to his recent excellent standards. His opponent Valencia, meanwhile, has failed to find the back of the net in 21 games this season, and hasn't scored for United since they beat Swansea in the Premier League last January. Van Persie missed out through injury as Louis van Gaal's side came from behind to beat Preston 3-1 in the FA Cup on Monday night, but is expected to return for their trip to the Swans on Saturday. It will be a game where United's boss will want revenge, after Garry Monk's side soured his first competitive game in charge at Old Trafford by winning 2-1 on the opening day of the season. Wayne Rooney cancelled out a Ki Sung-yueng leveler on that day before Gylfi Sigurdsson scored a second half winner. Manchester United currently sit third in the Premier League as they continue their battle with the likes of Southampton and Arsenal to finish in the Champions League places with 13 games to go. Robin van Persie celebrates after Manchester United beat Burnley in the Premier League last Wednesday . Antonia Valencia in action during Manchester United's victory over Preston in the FA Cup on Monday . Gylfi Sigurdsson celebrates scoring the winner for Swansea at Old Trafford in August .

Robin van Persie beats Antonio Valencia in a game of Table Football . Manchester United team-mates enjoy some downtime after training . Louis van Gaal's side face Swansea on Saturday in Premier League . CLICK HERE for all the latest Manchester United news .

d63665702b181c54f64c9eb6dddee8470e533faf

By . Alexandra Williams . PUBLISHED: . 06:14 EST, 28 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 08:22 EST, 28 February 2014 . Skier Dave Tapsfield smiled for a picture in the sunshine after summiting an Alpine mountain this week – but less than one hour after it was taken he was tragically swept to his death in a huge avalanche. The Scotsman who mounted a courageous rescue effort to rescue Mr Tapsfield has spoken movingly of the tragedy. Lorne Cameron, 29, has told how he desperately battled in vain to save his friend after he was flung down the mountain. Tragedy: This picture of Dave Tapsfield was taken less than an hour before he was swept to his death in an avalanche . Fall: The red line shows the path of the avalanche that Mr Tapsfield was swept along by . The experienced mountaineers were skiing on Mont Buet, near Chamonix in France, when a snow cornice, an overhanging edge of snow on a ridge, suddenly collapsed from under Mr Tapsfield. Lorne watched in horror as Mr Tapsfield, 28, from Whitley Bay, was engulfed by snow. He skied over the avalanche debris and managed to locate him after 20 minutes by using his avalanche transceiver. Mr Lorne, originally from Glasgow, saw one of Mr Tapsfield’s hands protruding from the snow and frantically dug him out. But he was dead. Local rescue workers have praised Mr Lorne’s efforts, describing him as ‘undeniably very, very courageous’. The tragedy happened at about 1pm on Tuesday on Mont Buet. The men had summitted at 11.30am and were descending. Courageous: Lorne Cameron (left) has told how he desperately tried to save Mr Tapsfield (right), skiing down treacherous terrain to reach him . Speaking from Chamonix, Mr Lorne, who has attended training courses with the Avalanche Academy in Chamonix, said: ‘We were on our way down after a five-hour hike up. Dave was in a great mood. It was a beautiful day. ‘I was in the front. Dave was behind and slightly to the right. ‘We knew there were cornices. We were skiing parallel to the ridge about five to six metres from the edge. ‘Suddenly, without warning, I fell to the ground. There was a crash, a boom sound. It was loud. I fell away from the ridge edge. ‘I looked up and saw Dave. He had fallen too but then I saw him literally bouncing over the precipice. ‘We had skied over a cornice and it had broken off. Dave was just a step closer and he bounced over with the broken edge of cornice. ‘It was four to five metres in depth. It was a huge mass that collapsed off the ridge on to the slope below. ‘This triggered an avalanche. The avalanche was massive. I could see Dave. Maybe for one second I could see him being carried off in the avalanche. I lost sight of him about 100 metres into the avalanche. He was completely engulfed in it. I had no idea of the terrain. Dave had been taken down terrain we had no plans of going into. It was steep. At least 40 to 45 degrees in gradient. Location: The accident took place on Mont Buet in the French Alps, near the ski resort of Chamonix . ‘The avalanche kept going and going. There were clouds of snow billowing into the air. It was a massive cloud. There was no mistaking that it was a huge avalanche. ‘I stood up. I was less than a metre from the edge of the ridge. I was on the new edge, where the cornice had broken off. ‘I desperately wanted to get to Dave as quickly as I possibly could.  I knew I had to ski down the avalanche debris. ‘It was a 10 metre drop down off the edge so I had to hike back up and find a way around. ‘I found a way to get on to the avalanche path. The avalanched snow grabbed at my skis. ‘It was now about five minutes since I had seen Dave. I switched my transceiver to search mode and swept it from side to side, desperate to pick up a signal from Dave’s transceiver. ‘The avalanche terrain was tough. There was a huge swathe of bare ice. The avalanche had stripped all the snow away. There were exposed rocks. ‘I suddenly picked up Dave’s signal quite a bit further down. I honed in on the area and then I saw one of Dave’s hands on the surface of the snow. ‘I grabbed it. I shouted his name. I kept shouting. His hand was bare. The glove had been ripped off. It was cold and it was limp. Accident: David Tapsfield fell when a snow cornice, an overhanging edge of snow on a ridge, collapsed from under him . ‘I started digging. Digging, digging, digging. I uncovered his face first, then freed his chest. I knew in my heart there was no hope but I couldn’t give up. ‘It must have been after about 15 minutes between turning on my transceiver to search mode and finding him. ‘I pulled my phone out. There was no signal. I started giving Dave CPR. I remember thinking if I could get oxygen into him there might be hope, however slim. My phone still had no signal. ‘Between every set of two breaths and two chest compressions I checked the signal on my phone. ‘Suddenly that bar of signal was there. I called a friend of Dave’s and mine, Angus Paterson. I thought it was better to get a quick message to him in case my phone cut out. I just shouted down the phone to him that we needed a heli on the north east face of Mt Buet and that there had been a big avalanche. ‘I got back to the CPR. It was all I could do. It was traumatic. So traumatic. Trying to resuscitate Dave was so nasty. It was horrible. I tried and I tried but he was dead. The reality was, he was dead when I found him.’ Mr Lorne was helicoptered off the mountain. Popular: Chamonix, famed for its challenging terrain, is visited by thousands of skiers and snowboarders every year . A Chamonix police spokesman said: ‘Lorne saw the avalanche and he was first on the scene to rescue his friend. ‘It meant skiing over the avalanche debris and then searching for him with his Arva (avalanche transceiver). He administered first aid at the scene until the mountain rescue arrived. ‘He was undeniably very, very courageous. ‘A cornice had ruptured and the victim had fallen 600 metres. ‘The fall triggered the slide of a huge mass of snow or an avalanche.’ A snow cornice is formed by wind blowing snow over a sharp terrain break, such as the crest of a mountain or along the sides of gullies, where it attaches and builds out horizontally. It is extremely dangerous to ski or hike on them or underneath them. The vulnerability of the structure poses a high risk of triggering avalanches. They are particularly dangerous during sunny weather. The area has experienced warm weather during the past week. On Thursday Mr Tapsfield’s parents and two of his sisters arrived in Chamonix to identify his body and collect his possessions. Mr Tapsfield had moved to Chamonix a few years ago to pursue his love of the mountains and set up a successful sausage-making business selling his wares to local restaurants and pubs. As a teenager he was part of the Football Development Scheme for 16 to 19-year-olds at Tyne Metropolitan College in North Tyneside. In 2005 he won a scholarship at Lafeyatte College in New Jersey, USA, one of the top six colleges in the country, to study and play the game.

David Tapsfield, 28, was ski touring when he was killed in the French Alps . The experienced mountaineer fell nearly 2,000ft in a huge avalanche . He was accompanied by a friend during tour of Mont Buet, near Chamonix .

84be98c5e3a706b09434eb17ac72d92a9d1c07e0

A grandmother has finally reached her ideal weight at the age of 77 - after a diet lasting 50 years. Brenda Boxall started slimming in her late 20s after her weight ballooned to 20 stone. She vowed to shed the pounds after seeing a picture of herself in the early 1960s and thinking she looked like a 'big blob'. Super slim: Brenda Boxall (pictured left in 1997 when she weighed 16 stone and right, today) has finally reached her weight loss target at the age of 77 - after a diet lasting a staggering 50 years . Now, after more than . half a century of dieting and exercising, she has finally shifted the . excess fat and is now her target weight of 9st 9lbs. Over 50 years she has also shrunk from a dress size 30 to just a size 10. Mrs Boxall, a retired teacher from Newquay, Cornwall, says she is finally happy with her body shape. Mrs Boxall, a retired teacher from Newquay, Cornwall, says she is finally happy with her body shape. She said: 'I've wanted to get to this weight since my 20s' She said: 'I’ve wanted to get to this . weight since my 20s. The diet went well over the first few years but for . the past 40 I’ve been struggling to lose the last three stone. 'Now I’ve finally got there it feels lovely. I feel like a different person. I have more confidence and feel a lot healthier.' Her weight battle began in the late 1950s after the breakdown of her first marriage. Heartbroken, she says she turned to bread, pastries and cakes and consumed more than 7,000 calories a day. Mrs Boxall said: 'I would eat anything that would come my way - lots of carbohydrates including a lot of bread and crisps. 'When . I was at my biggest I wore clothes which were like tents. There was no . fashion in those days for people as large as I was.' She vowed to get her size . under control after recoiling at photos of her size-30 body - and set . herself a target of losing ten stone. She said: 'At one point I saw a picture of myself in the local paper I looked like a big green blob. 'From . that point on I was determined to lose weight. I threw those clothes . away and vowed to reach my target - no matter how long it took.' Mrs Boxall cut out cakes and stuck to a strict diet but could never quite achieve her ideal weight loss of ten stone. Bigger times: Brenda in Bournemouth in 1985, when she weighed 15 stone (left) and in 1995 with her grandchildren and daughter, when she weighed 16 stone . Slimming down: Brenda in 2008 when she weighed 14 stone and today. She said: 'Now I’ve finally got to my target weight it feels lovely. I feel like a different person. I have more confidence and feel a lot healthier' She shed seven stone . over the next decade but no matter how hard she tried, could never . shift the remaining three. But she refused to give in and maintained her diet and exercise regime for the next 50 years. Finally, she turned to WeightWatchers in 2010 and slowly crept towards her target weight in October of that year. Brenda with her husband Victor on her wedding day in 1981, when she weighed 13 stone . Since then she has not only maintained her petite size 10 frame, she’s lost a further five pounds. Mrs Boxall, who lives with her second husband Victor Boxall, 84, maintains her new figure with long walks and exercises programmes she does at home. She still attends the WeightWatchers class in Newquay where she was presented with the gold celebratory cake to mark her marathon achievement. Her WeightWatchers leader, Dawn McKenna, said: 'She has certainly been an inspiration in losing weight healthily and keeping it off.'

Brenda Boxall started slimming in her late 20s after ballooning to 20st . Now, after more than . half a century of dieting and exercising, she has finally shifted the . excess fat and shrunk from a dress size 30 to just a size 10 . Said: 'I feel like a different person, with more confidence and a lot healthier'

47b187822552dd7a3e9afe8d38e99a8b683085fd

By . Scarlett Russell . As any singleton knows, free dating services make it easy to meet men - but how do you weed out the creeps? You know, the ones who immediately send you naked selfies and expect you to reciprocate. Well, a new dating app has been created which just might help. Men are only allowed to join new dating site Wyldfire - which launches in the UK next month - if they are recommended and invited by a female member, through Facebook or by email. Scroll down for video . Going Wyld: New dating app Wyldfire allows users to invite men anonymously, through Facebook or by email . New way to date: The app works in a similar way to Tinder, where you swipe those you like and equal matches can start talking to each other . The idea is that this will create a database of eligible men, with fewer weirdos and perverts than your average dating site. The app then works in a similar way to Tinder, where you swipe those you like and equal matches can start talking to each other. True love online? Wyldfire is just one of dozens of dating apps available in the UK and US, joining the likes of Tinder, Grouper and Hinge . The app launches next month, but early access is available through the website. Wyldfire has incorporated features similar to Twitter and Instagram, to enhance your social dating network experience. For example, you can see who is trending in your area and which style of profile photo is getting the most hits. Sarah . Cardey, director of operations and marketing for Wyldfire told Ask Men: . ‘When it comes to dating apps, men will go anywhere women go, but women . won’t go unless it’s worth their time. ‘If . women are the ones creating the community and are accountable for the . type of people they let in, we feel like we could make a dating app . women can be proud of. ‘Everyone . has that one friend who they think is a great quality guy, but they . either don’t want to date themselves or want someone else they know to . date them.’

New Wyldfire dating app promises to weed out creeps . Launches in the UK next month . Men can only join when recommended by female friends .

26241d3d0b2ea9160ae576083a6f0c1cd677716b

By . Daily Mail Reporter . and Ap Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 22:34 EST, 27 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:12 EST, 28 May 2013 . A California man shot his two adult daughters, before apparently committing suicide while his three young grandchildren were in the home. An 8-year old girl called 911 to report gunfire at 4:30 AM, and deputies arrived to find 63-year old Anthony Alvarez dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Tulare County Sheriff's Department said in a statement. Jennifer Kimble, 37, the mother of the young girl and two teenage boys present at the time of shootings was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Scroll down for video. Anthony Alvarez (left), a 63-year old Vietnam vet, shot his two daughters, Valerie Alvarez (right) and Jennifer Kimble, while Kimble's three young children were asleep in the house, before fatally turning the gun on himself . Alvarez's other daughter Valerie Alvarez, 33, who is disabled, was critically wounded. She was air lifted to a local hospital and is reported to be in critical condition. Police are now looking to the 8-year old girl and her 11 and 13 year-old brothers for answers. The 8-year old girl woke up to find her mother and grandfather dead, and her aunt seriously wounded. The children, who were unharmed by their grandfather, were reunited with their father by police. He had been at work at the time of the shootings. 'It's going to be complicated for our detectives because we can't ask Jennifer what happened and we can't ask Anthony what happened,' Sergeant Chris Douglass told ABC Action News 30. The police will also question Valerie, who is reported to be stable after undergoing surgery. Anthony Alvarez shot his two daughters, killing one and critically injuring the other, while his three grandchildren slept inside his California home (seen here) Though they don't have definite answers yet, Douglass had not doubt that Anthony Alvarez had shot his daughters and turned the gun on himself. Authorities believe that Alvarez got in to a fight with Kimble, which quickly turned violent. 'It's a very cut-and-dried case,' Douglass said. Neighbors speculated that Alvarez's motive had to do with his late wife's death last year. "It's a big surprise. I just . can't believe it. Poor kids," neighbor Felicia Marroquin told the local news station. According to neighbors the family, who all live together in one home, were planning to take the children to Disneyland later this week. Watch video here: .

Anthony Alvarez, a 63-year old Vietnam vet shot his two adult daughters while his grandchildren were asleep in the house . After killing his elder daughter and critically injuring the younger one, Alvarez fatally turned the gun on himself . His 8-year old granddaughter called police after waking up to the gruesome scene .

55e8ede5379cf4aa3e83b3fe1ec40115ff3f4175

By . Andrew Levy . PUBLISHED: . 04:31 EST, 5 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:09 EST, 5 September 2012 . The saying goes that revenge is a dish best served cold. Millionaire Anthony Mead,  however, opted for the opposite when he suspected his wife was having an affair. The businessman gathered up her favourite designer dresses and tops worth £15,000 from her wardrobe, dumped them outside and doused them with petrol. Up in smoke: Sutheera Ashley-Mead had her clothes piled up and set on fire . Then, as their three children looked on, he set the clothes alight before sitting on a bench at their £945,000 home to watch as they burned to ash. Mead and his Thai-born wife, Sutheera Ashley-Mead, 50, have since separated and are heading for divorce after seven years of marriage. Suspicious: Anthony Mead sat on a bench and watched his wife's clothes burn . He also ended up in court, where he admitted arson at the house in Peldon, Essex, and was given a 12-month  suspended prison sentence. Yesterday, the nightclub owner was unavailable for comment. But a friend, who declined to be named, suggested he had no regrets, saying: ‘All in all, he thinks it was worth it.’ Mead’s relationship collapsed when he discovered his wife’s infidelity, magistrates were told. Paul Torn, defending, said: ‘The family had a day out and during the day, Mrs Ashley-Mead had been on her phone texting quite a lot. ‘It raised suspicion. It appeared  there was another person in the relationship.’ Describing the bonfire on July 18, he added: ‘Mr Mead saw the petrol canister, which had been left by a bench, and it demonstrates how very hurt he was that he did what he did. ‘He had been under a great amount of distress.’ When Mrs Ashley-Mead discovered what had happened, she called police and her husband was arrested. Yesterday, she denied having an affair when she answered the intercom of the couple’s gated two-acre estate, which is now on the market. ‘People can believe what they want to believe,’ insisted Mrs Ashley-Mead. ‘He saw some texts and he assumed that is what it was but there was no affair.’ She added that the destruction of her clothes was ‘a bit of a blur now’ and confirmed her husband had moved out. He is now living at his club, Robert’s, in Colchester. ‘We did have a lovely life together,’  she said. ‘He drives round in a Ferrari worth £200,000 and we have three children. ‘I am being strong for the children but there is no way we are getting back together. It’s going to be a divorce.’ Sutheera Ashley-Mead's wardrobe went up in smoke outside the couple's Essex home . The nightclub boss exacted revenge after becoming suspicious about his wife's constant texting . An estate agent is handling the sale of the former marital home. It is a modern five-bedroom property with views of the River Colne, an outdoor swimming pool and water feature with a bridge in the garden. Despite the separation, magistrates were told that Mrs Ashley-Mead did not want her husband to be punished and she had not sought any compensation from him. But District Judge John Woollard said it was right the prosecution had gone ahead because the arson happened in front of the couple’s children and had been reported to police. He ordered Mead to pay £85 costs but did not make a compensation order.Essex Police spokesman said: ‘We were called by the wife at 6.45am on July 18. The husband was arrested later that day.’

Suspicious husband convicted of arson after dousing wife's designer wardrobe in petrol and setting it ablaze . Sat on a bench and watched as £15,000 worth of clothes went up in flames . Thai-born Sutheera Ashley-Mead insists: 'There was no affair.'

e07abd66ddddeca1dbfd6983e35313c8cba7f23e

By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 06:09 EST, 27 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:40 EST, 28 June 2013 . Dr Ravi Sondhi is facing a fitness to practise tribunal in Manchester over his role as a director of an out-of-hours service . A £230,000-a-year GP ran a Croydon out-of-hours service for nearly a million patients from his Norfolk home 125 miles away, a tribunal heard. Dr Ravi Sondhi, 52, also took £100,000 from Croydoc, an NHS-funded out-of-hours service and took up to three hours to answer urgent calls, it is claimed. Sondhi was often uncontactable at his home in Fakenham, Norfolk, when he was supposed to be on duty, forcing patients to go to accident and emergency instead, a Medical Practitioners Service Tribunal heard. Sondhi, who also owned a string of care homes, also allegedly made a series of racist comments in emails. In one message he asked: ‘Did you know Jamaicans are immune to swine flu as they are swines anyway?’ He told a colleague: ‘My computer has inherited a black virus. It does not want to work’, it is claimed. One said: ‘Of course we are on a permanent holiday. We learnt it when we went to Africa,' while another read: ‘Bloody foreigner. She probably wants Jamaican ginger cakes, Jaffa cakes and black and white Hobnobs.’ Sondhi, who was suspended by the service in 2009, had taken unauthorised cash advances of up to £80,000 for himself and his wife, Dr Salma Uddin, who also worked for the service, by November 2008 the tribunal heard. By 2009, this had risen to £100,000 more than the couple were entitled to from Croydoc. A damning report by NHS Croydon last . year found that Sondhi consistently failed to answer the telephone when . on call, with 144 answered calls logged in only one evening. He took as long as three hours to . respond to urgent calls instead of the 20 minute target and repeatedly . cancelled shifts without warning. The panel heard that up to three quarters of patients phoning the service were referred to A&E during some of his overnight shifts. On one occasion a three-year-old girl . with breathing difficulties had to be taken to hospital after three . failed attempts to contact Sondhi. Paul Ozin QC, for the General Medical Council, told the Manchester hearing: ‘It was obvious the taking of advances without authority from the board was wrong. ‘It was not a one-off, although it was perhaps presented as one by Dr Sondhi when he purported to tell the board when it became inescapable. ‘Dr Sondhi had plenty of time to bring it to the attention of the board.' In 2007 Sondhi approached Croydoc's chief executive Sue Ballon, who was also suspended, saying he ‘urgently needed’ an advance against his salary and said he would take responsibility for it. On one occasion he went over Ms Ballon's head to get the money when she told him there were insufficient funds. Sondhi was described as a ‘dominant figure’ who was able to ‘do as he wanted’ and was not kept in check by a ‘weak’ board of directors. Croydoc’s auditor, Anthony Brand, discovered the irregularities in July 2009. But Sondhi continued to lie, telling Mr Brand he had informed the board and they were happy with what he was doing, the tribunal heard. In August 2009, Mr Brand sent a 'bombshell' letter to Croydoc's directors about the payments, which were then branded as a 'fraudulent act' and 'serious abuse of his position' in a directors' meeting. The debt was to be paid back by Sondi and Uddin by working shifts for the company. But £41,910 was written off at the end of 2010 with 'no realistic prospect of recovery,' said Mr Ozin. Croydoc, founded in 1995, won . lucrative NHS contracts from Croydon, Kingston, and Sutton and Merton . primary care trusts to provide out-of-hours care for nearly a million . patients. Under Sondhi’s leadership the company introduced ‘segmenting’, where only one doctor would be on hand to cover all three areas. Sondhi is also said to have been verbally aggressive, intimidating, and abusive towards colleagues and sent to have sent racist messages . Mr Odin said the arrangement was 'manifestly inadequate'. The GMC alleges that Sondhi lied to fellow directors in order to mislead them over how much cover was provided. Croydoc has since been replaced as the out-of-hours service provider. Sondhi could be struck off from the medical register or suspended if his fitness to practise is found to be impaired by misconduct. He is accused of failing to provide good clinical care to patients and failing to ensure that an adequate level of doctor cover was available. It is also claimed that he was unavailable to make home visits or to see patients while on duty. He is accused of failing to act 'with probity' and misleading his fellow Croydoc directors over the financial advances he took from the service. Sondi is also alleged to have been verbally aggressive, intimidating, and abusive towards colleagues and to have sent racist messages. The hearing continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.

Dr Ravi Sondhi, 52, was uncontactable at his home in Fakenham, Norfolk . He was meant to provide cover for nearly a million in London and Surrey . Sondhi's fitness to practise tribunal started in Manchester yesterday .

01f26a78927a16e61a68f511639dfec7dbc90e9e

(CNN) -- Cleanup efforts unfolded Monday in Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, after torrential monsoon rain over the weekend killed dozens, cut power to 15 million and broke a 32-year record. Pakistanis push a stranded auto-rickshaw along a flooded street in Karachi on Sunday. Officials combed the city looking for bodies. The health department confirmed 32 deaths and said it received reports of more. "Most of them are either from drowning or they were deaths when the walls or roofs of their houses collapses," said Dr. A.D. Sajnani of the health department. "The entire city is disrupted," said Muhammad Aly Balagamwala, a Karachi businessman. "Most places lost power for 28 to 30 hours, and some are still without power. The rain flooded offices. We lost water. Everything is shut down." Many residents took to the streets to protest the massive power outage in the southern city. They threw rocks at the offices of the power company and burned tires. "I guess there comes a point you just snap and you can't take it anymore," Balagamwala said. "To the credit of the government, a lot of cleanup work has been done since last night." The rain began Friday night, and by Sunday the city had received almost 9 inches (22.9 cm), the most since 1977, said Mayor Syed Mustafa Kamal. Storm drains overflowed, water-logging streets and alleyways. Monsoon rains sweep across the subcontinent from June to September. While they bring much-needed relief to often-parched farmlands, they also leave a trail of landslides, home collapses and floods that sometimes claim dozens of lives.

By Sunday, Karachi had received almost 9 inches (22.9 cm) of rain, mayor says . Last time city received as much rainfall was in 1977, mayor adds . Deaths mostly from drowning, wall or roof collapses, health department official says .

5026be591c312ee350f57726793cc9ccb983372a

A cash-strapped disabled Spanish woman is auctioning off her non-vital organs in a bid to keep financially afloat. The 44-year-old mother-of-one, who has not been named, said she was selling off one of her kidneys, corneas, a lung and a piece of her liver because she cannot afford her monthly rent and is facing eviction. She told El Mundo newspaper in an interview: 'All I want is a home, a job I can do, and enough money to support my daughter through her studies. An unnamed disabled Spanish woman is auctioning off her non-vital organs in a bid to keep financially afloat. She was interviewed on camera but kept her identity hidden . 'I just need to do what I can for my daughter - her life is what's most important. I don't care about my own any more. 'I started off trying to sell a kidney, but now I'm not just selling that, I'm also selling my corneas, one of my lungs and a piece of my liver. 'I will sell whatever piece of my body that someone wants to buy and I am selling it out of desperation.' The Valencia resident, who faces 12 years in jail for 'illegal organ trafficking' if caught, said she only received 426 Euros in dole money per month. The Spanish woman cannot afford rent despite being offered a low rate by Valencia City Hall, pictured . And because she is certified 66 per cent disabled due to a severe back problem, it means she is severely restricted in the type of jobs she can do. So, despite being offered a low rent by Valencia City Hall which would come to just 400 Euros per month, she can only really afford a fraction of that amount. She told the newspaper she had spoken to a woman doctor in Melilla, one of the two Spanish-owned cities on the north Moroccan coast, about selling her non-vital organs. It resulted in posting an advert online, but so far it has not produced a response. This is because, in reality, it is nearly impossible to sell organs, and is illegal in most countries. It has not been revealed on exactly which site the announcement has been placed. But the woman said her body parts are 'all she has' and 'the only thing she can raise money from'. The newspaper reported that her 22-year-old student daughter receives a small orphan's pension after her natural father died some years ago. They both live in a house owned by the woman's ex-boyfriend, from whom she separated after he regularly beat her up during their 15-year relationship. She reported him on several occasions, but when the case went to court, a judge found the woman's former partner not guilty. She said that, in the three years since they split up, things 'had gone from bad to worse' and that he was now trying to evict her as she could not pay the rent. The Spanish woman will go under the knife to help pay her rent (file picture)

The 44-year-old is to sell her kidneys, cornea, a lung and a piece of her liver . She says that she cannot afford her rent and faces eviction from her Valencia home .

f97f76d405a248a4b90ab4b3c1fb0bcbdc9e43ae

A 35-year-old man was shot and killed by authorities in Northern California after he struck a police dog with a claw hammer and then swung it at an officer. Police were responding to a family disturbance call that an intoxicated man was destroying the residence with a hammer when they found Matautu Nuu outside wielding the tool. After Nuu refused officers requests to drop the weapon, shouting 'shoot me, shoot me', they deployed a Stockton police K9 named Nitro to take him down. Nuu then struck the canine's nose and cut him on the snout, said police spokesman Joe Silva. Matautu Nu, 35, was shot by two Stockton police officers after hitting police K9 dog Nitro (pictured) on the nose with a hammer . Officers John Griffin and Jason Schaffer fired their tasers at Nuu but it had no effect, Mr Silva told News10 ABC. Nuu was about to strike Nitro's handler, who had rushed in to save the dog, when the officers shot him down. First aid was immediately administered on the scene before Nuu was taken to a hospital where he later died of his wounds, Mr Silva said. The three-year-old Dutch Shepherd was taken to an emergency veterinarian and has been reunited with his owner. Nuu's family witnessed the incident and said the shooting was unnecessary, they told Fox40. They said the outcome would have been different if the police had let them talk to Nuu. 'What do we do right now? We lost a loved one, you know?' Karisamasi Nuu, Matautu's sister, said. She said Nuu's brother wanted to speak to him because 'he's the only one who could calm him down,' but the officers refused. 'Why did they not give us that choice?' she asked. As Nuu was about to strike the dog's handlers the officers shot him down outside his family's home on Martinique Court in Stockton, California (pictured) One witness who asked to remain unidentified told Fox40 the family was screaming at police that 'he just has a hammer' and was begging Nuu to put the tool down. Mr Silva described the incident as dangerous because Nuu was 'vandalizing a house, which actually elevates the danger even a little bit more for people inside the residence'. He said things turned 'real violent' after Nuu attacked Nitro and 'got ready to attack' his handler. The officers have been placed on three-day administrative leave and there will be a multiagency investigation of the incident. Mr Silva said both actions are standard procedure for any shooting that involves officers. Nuu had been arrested twice for public intoxication in 2014, as well as for battery on an officer and resisting arrest in 2008. This week protesters called for the resignation of the chief of the Stockton Police Department after a number of recent officer-involved shootings.

Matautu Nuu was 'destroying' his family's home in Stockton, California when police were called . Officers found Nuu outside and asked him to drop hammer but he refused . Released K9 police dog to take him down but he cut it on the snout .

485c7afff53fcb4f694a5b3cfdc09c372cf73e18

By . Katy Winter . Many little girls dream of owning their very own doll's house, complete with tiny rooms and quaint model furniture. But when one little girl asked her father for a doll's house, she was in for a long wait as the elaborate home created by her father took him more than three decades to complete. Geoffrey Walkley, 69, from Hornchurch in Essex, took 35 years to finish the project, which is a replica of the National Trust's 18th century Rainham Hall. Labour of love: Geoffrey Walkley and his daughter Sarah with the incredible doll's house that took 35 years to build . Weighing a whopping 200 pounds and costing more than £13,000 , it has 13 rooms over three storeys including five bedrooms, library, kitchen, dining room, marble hall and a utility room. A remote controls the individually wired light switches, six of the 14 chimneys are linked to a smoke generator, both front and back doors have a doorbell, while in a modern twist, the home includes an iPad Nano which powers the speaker in the music room. Sarah Walkley, now aged 40, was five years old when she asked her father for the doll's house on Christmas Eve 1978. 'My mum was tucking me in and I said I wanted a doll's house from Father Christmas,' explains Sarah. 'She said he had packed his sleigh and left the Arctic but she went downstairs and mentioned it to my dad and he said he was going to build one.' Devoted father Geoffrey agreed but came up with a blueprint so ambitious, Sarah says she began to lose hope of ever seeing it finished. Proud: Geoffrey based his blueprint for the impressive doll's house on a stately home six miles from his house . Sarah, now 40, with her longed for dollhouse which she though her father might never get around to completing and right, at around five years old when she first asked for one . Detailed: The drawing room contains real electric lights and a fire powered by a mini smoke generator . 'I thought it would take a few years,' says Sarah. 'Once he started it became very clear that was not going to be the case. 'By the time I got to my teenage years, it had become a bit of a running joke - I used to say, "Will it ever get finished?" 'As an adult I could see there was progress. My dad always said I was incredibly patient.' But the years of slow progress were about to come to an end when Geoffrey retired from his job as a city lawyer in the city in 2004. With a new role as a part-time consultant, the loving father was able to devote at least 35 hours a week to the project. Sarah, who . lives with her husband Mark, 38, an electric engineer, in their . five-bedroom home in Bromley, Kent, joked: 'Once he retired he swapped . one full time job for another full time job. He would spend every day from 10am to 4pm in his workshop' Clever: The library is decked out in dark wood and has shelves filled with books as well as a globe . Intricate: The attic contains two servant's bedrooms complete with jugs and bowls for washing . Imposing: A tiny cat sits in the main hallway of the house, which comes complete with a tiled floor . Despite the progress he was making, Sarah says there were moments when her father's temper almost got the better of him. 'There was certainly lots of times he wanted to take a hammer to it because he was annoying him,' she revealed. 'He had to stop what he was doing and come back later. 'By . the time he finished it he was probably sick of the sight of it. He did . not really appreciate it until a few weeks later when he saw it again.' The finished result, however, proved a stunning surprise. 'It's indescribable really, to spend that much of your life on one project, it's a real token of love and dedication.' Describing her friends' reactions, she added: 'They think it's absolutely amazing and a little bit eccentric. 'They . have never really seen a doll's house like it. Most people's . perceptions of a dolls house is a basic wooden Sylvanian Families house. This is a real work of art.' All there: The dining room has crystal port and wine decanters and a case of silverware waiting on the sideboard . Play: The nursery is packed with handmade toys, among them a rocking horse and a tiny Ark . She added: 'I've spent a couple of Friday nights sitting with a glass of wine and just marvelling at it.' The 42 x 39 inch house now has pride of place in her home, although she did have to hire a van to bring it home from her father's workshop. 'It took four grown adults to lift it,' explains Sarah. 'My dad was sat in the back [directing operations] with a walkie talkie.' After getting it home, the family threw a party to celebrate its arrival and give Geoffrey a chance to reflect on his achievement. 'I was desperately proud of it,' he revealed. 'I thought, "Wow, how stunning!"' But while Geoffrey's doll's house has proved a hit with his daughter, it might be the last one built by a family member. 'My sister in law's husband said he started building one,' adds Sarah, 'but he said he may as well give up now.' Ensuite:The master bedroom has its own bathroom which comes complete with 18th century fittings . Pride of place: The house is now the centrepiece of Sarah's own home and has proved a hit with the whole family .

Geoffrey Walkley, 69, from Essex, spent 35 years building the house . Has 13 rooms over three storeys, working lights and smoking chimneys . Daughter Sarah, now 40, keeps the house in pride of place in her home . The mammoth home was based on the 18th century Rainham Hall .

f9ba7347e7858d1ec210cf0466e2ee6c8b458b6f

By . Tim Shipman, Deputy Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 18:41 EST, 4 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:09 EST, 4 November 2013 . Ed Miliband’s plan to encourage businesses to pay a ‘living wage’ would put 300,000 young people out of work, a former aide to Tony Blair warned yesterday. The Labour leader will today announce that he would offer tax breaks to firms who pay their employees £8.80 an hour in London and £7.65 in the rest of the UK – far higher than the minimum wage, which is £6.31 an hour. But John McTernan, who helped Mr Blair introduce the minimum wage in 1999, warned yesterday that the policy would be a disaster for jobs and hit young people particularly hard. Political adviser John McTernan who helped Tony Blair roll out the minimum wage in 1999 has warned new living wage estimates will be dangerous to jobs . ‘The national minimum wage was subject to intense economic scrutiny to make sure you set the level at a level which would not destroy jobs,’ he said. ‘The London Living Wage is £8.80 an hour, which is a 40 per cent increase or more on the minimum wage. ‘I don’t think you can increase wages that much without destroying jobs. ‘A study says that if you implement it across the country it would lead to 300,000 young people losing their jobs and I don’t think we can afford that at a time of high unemployment. ‘Many decent people support this campaign. But they are wrong.’ The Labour leader is expected to suggest people are 'working for poverty' in a speech today . Mr Miliband will use his speech today to say that there is a ‘low-pay emergency’ in Britain, with people ‘working for their poverty’. ‘More than five million people are now paid less than the living wage – up 1.4 million in just the last four years to one in five of all employed workers,’ he will say. ‘And low wages aren’t just bad for working people, they cost money in benefits too as the country has to subsidise more and more low-paid jobs with higher and higher tax credits and benefits. ‘Many businesses now recognise that a low-pay economy is bad for them, too. Better pay means lower turnover of staff, higher productivity.’ Attempting to make the cost of living the major battle line before the general election, Mr Miliband will again press his calls for state controls on energy prices. Labour figures – audited by the House of Commons Library, – show how the wholesale cost of energy has risen at an average rate of 1.6 per cent a year since 2011, while the Big Six energy firms have increased retail prices by an average of 10.4 per cent a year. Labour will force a vote in the Commons tomorrow on Mr Miliband’s plan for an energy price freeze for 20 months after the next election. The Labour leader challenged the Tories and Lib Dems to back the plan.

John McTernan warned the policy will hit young people particularly hard . Political adviser helped Tony Blair introduce minimum wage in 1999 . Ed Miliband will suggest people are 'working for their poverty' in speech .

74e3c4f74835307195aae9947f9c952c331dfd9f

By . Sam Greenhill . Max Clifford's QC has told Southwark Crown Court his trial is 'haunted by the spectre of Jimmy Saville' Max Clifford's trial has been 'haunted by the spectre of Jimmy Savile', jurors were told yesterday. The Top of the Pops presenter's exposure as a paedophile after his 2011 death led to a succession of celebrities being arrested under the police's Operation Yewtree. Clifford's QC, Richard Horwell, told Southwark Crown Court his client's trial must be seen in this context. He said: 'What a time we live in. This trial has been haunted by the spectre of Jimmy Savile. 'The Jimmy Savile effect cannot be ignored. Why are wealthy celebrities the subject of these accusations?' Clifford himself has branded his accusers compensation-seekers and attention-hunters. The 71-year-old PR agent - who claims he never met Savile - has also said Operation Yewtree was set up 'to try and cover up the embarrassment Savile caused the Met police'. In his closing remarks to the jury yesterday, Mr Horwell rubbished suggestions the publicist was a 'sexual predator'. He said Suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst would be spinning in her grave at the prosecution portraying women of the Sixties and Seventies as 'as lacking in all resolve'. Mr Howell accused Clifford's accusers of making up the allegations and telling their family and friends about them. The QC said: 'It doesn't matter if a complainant has reported the complaint to the Archbishop of Canterbury - an unreliable complaint remains an unreliable complaint, no matter how many times it is repeated.' He said the women would have felt 'substantial pressure' to tell police when Operation Yewtree was launched so they did not 'lose face' with the family and friends they had already told their stories to. Mr Horwell accused prosecutors of being 'obsessed with Mr Clifford's sex life' and portraying the PR agent as an 'Olympic-standard sexual athlete'. But he branded the prosecution case 'grubby voyeurism' that was a 'fifth-rate fiction of a standard not even Mills and Boon would countenance.' In his closing remarks to the jury yesterday, Mr Horwell rubbished suggestions the publicist, pictured outside Southwark Crown Court with his daughter Louise, was a 'sexual predator' He said: 'Yes, his sex life was not . conventional, whatever that may be. His sex life and adulterous . relationships are not on trial here. He liked sex. He had a number of . sexual partners. He worked in an environment in which most people were . having affairs. 'But . he told you the sex he had was consensual.' The publicist had earlier . confessed to having four long-term affairs with women while married to . his first wife Elizabeth. 'It doesn't matter if a complainant has . reported the complaint to the Archbishop of Canterbury - an unreliable . complaint remains an unreliable complaint' - Richard Horwell QC . The . court heard that while his accusers have been shielded by their legal . right to anonymity, Clifford's life had been plunged into turmoil since . his arrest in December 2012. Mr Horwell said their claims 'come not from a different time but quite literally from a different age - imagine having to deal with events going back up to 48 years, a time when many people in this court were not even born. Stories made up for whatever reason eventually become fixed in the minds of those who have concocted them.' But Rosina Cottage QC, prosecuting, urged the jury not to be fooled by the kiss and tell agent. She branded him a 'risk taker prepared for some danger' who indecently assaulted a string of teenagers over 20 years. She asked them why so many women - who do not know each other - would make complaints of such 'similarity', and why they would have confided in friends many years ago, unless they were telling the truth. The PR guru, pictured outside court yesterday, denies 11 counts of indecent assault on seven teenage girls and women from 1966 to 1984 . Miss Cottage said Clifford used the same 'pattern again and again' of bragging about the celebrities he knew and the Hollywood careers he could forge before attacking his young victims. She said: 'He is a master in the art of intimidation and manipulation. No one would believe a silly girl. It was an elaborate art.' She added: 'These girls don't know each other but we have this pattern.' Wearing a sky blue blazer, white shirt and dark blue trousers, Clifford shook his head furiously in the dock as Miss Cottage spoke. He denies 11 counts of indecent assault on seven teenage girls and women from 1966 to 1984. The case continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Richard Horwell QC said his client's trial must be seen in context of Savile . In closing speech he said 'the Savile effect cannot be ignored' Rubbished suggestions that Max Clifford was a 'sexual predator' Accused Clifford's accusers of making up the allegations . Said prosecutors portrayed PR guru as 'Olympic-standard sexual athlete' Clifford denies 11 counts of indecent assault on seven teenage girls and women from 1966 to 1984 .

48586438205b91c0a9c6c3dd096cb33612303754

It’s widely acknowledged that Australia has some of the steepest living costs in the world. However a new study shows that we’re amongst the most expensive in another classification: taxi rides from the airport. The research, which comes from Hotels.com, reveals that passengers arriving to Sydney airport face the second most exorbitant cab prices in the world, reports News.com. Scroll down for video . The research, which comes from Hotels.com, reveals that passengers arriving to Sydney airport face the second most exorbitant cab prices in the world, at $5.00 a kilometre . Bangkok had the cheapest rates on the study, at a mere 33 cents a km . 1. London:    $5.21 . 2. Sydney:    $5.00 . 3. Tokyo:      $3.00 . 4. Berlin:      $2.92 . 5. Paris:       $2.90 . 6. Tapai, Beijing, Seoul:   $1.00 . 7. Bogota:     0.53c . 8. Bangkok:   0.33c . London topped the list, with an average of $5.21 a kilometre, just ahead of Sydney, at $5 flat. Next most expensive was Tokyo, which was $3.0, Berlin at $2.92 and Paris at $2.90. Taipei, Beijing and Seoul were all under $1 a km, while the cheapest on the list was Bangkok, at a mere 33 cents a km. While the rate of the taxi is one factor, the relative distance of the airport to the CBD can be another decisive aspect. Sydney fared much better in this field, with a mere 8km distance to the city centre. Narita Airport in Japan was the furthest from the city centre, with a 71 km distance from the heart of Tokyo. Last year, a study from exchange company Moneycorp found that the most expensive taxi-ride from an airport to the city was Tokyo, with an average $360 a journey. London topped the list, with an average of $5.21 a kilometre .

A new study compares the relative costs of taxis from major airports . London was the most expensive at $5.21 a kilometre, with Sydney a close second at $5.00 . Bangkok was the cheapest at a mere 33c a kilometre . The distance of the airport to the CBD is another decisive aspect .

4d08c7349790209d674d51c1c08a4cd68728fe26

Washington (CNN) -- President James K. Polk holds a distinction among those who have sought the nation's top job: He's the only major candidate to win the White House despite losing the vote in the state where he was born and the state where he lived. It happened in 1844, and now 168 years later, Republican nominee Mitt Romney may need to duplicate Polk's feat if he wants to defeat President Barack Obama in Tuesday's election. According to polls, Romney faces the prospect of losing both the state of his birth, Michigan, and the state where he lives and served as governor, Massachusetts. CNN Polling Center . Obama holds a double digit lead in Massachusetts, but the race is closer in Michigan, with the polls tightening, though the president remains in front. Under the Electoral College system, each state is worth a certain number of electoral votes based on population. There are a total of 538 electoral votes available, meaning 270 are required to win. Romney has many plausible paths to victory on Tuesday without winning Michigan or Massachusetts. Yet the prospect that he might lose either or both raises the question of how many other presidential candidates in U.S. history also were unable to win their birth or home states? Winners who overcame the loss of a state with strong personal ties included Abraham Lincoln, Richard Nixon and both George H.W. Bush and his son, George W. Bush. New national poll shows Obama, Romney virtually tied . Honest Abe won his home state of Illinois, but lost his birth state of Kentucky in both of his presidential runs in 1860 and 1864. In 1968, Nixon won his birth state of California, where he also ran unsuccessfully as governor, but lost his home state of New York, where he had been working as a lawyer for a few years. Both of the Bushes won the state where they lived -- Texas -- in their three successful presidential campaigns, but lost their birth states -- Massachusetts for the father and Connecticut for the son. Many more candidates who lost either their birth or home states also lost the election. Al Gore would have defeated George W. Bush in 2000 if the Democratic vice president carried his home state of Tennessee. Democratic President Grover Cleveland won a larger share of the popular vote than Benjamin Harrison in 1888, but he lost his home state of New York and the electoral vote to his Republican foe. Here's a look at some of the presidential candidates who lost their home or birth states: . Two candidates, two journeys, one race of lost dreams . 1844 -- Democrat James K. Polk lost both his birth state of North Carolina and home state of Tennessee, but still managed to defeat Henry Clay. 1860 -- Republican Abraham Lincoln lost his birth state of Kentucky, but won his home state of Illinois in defeating Stephen Douglas. The same dynamic occurred four years later when Lincoln defeated George McCLellan. 1888 -- Incumbent Democratic President Grover Cleveland won his birth state of New Jersey, but lost his home state of New York in falling to Benjamin Harrison. In this race, Cleveland won a slightly larger share of the popular vote than Harrison, but lost in the Electoral College. 1916 -- Incumbent Democratic President Woodrow Wilson won his birth state of Virginia, but lost his home state of New Jersey in defeating Charles Evans Hughes. 1932 -- Republican President Herbert Hoover lost his birth state of Iowa in falling to Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt. As the incumbent and a former cabinet secretary, Hoover had been living in Washington for years before the election, and he also lost the District vote. 1944 -- Republican Thomas Dewey lost both his birth state of Michigan and his home state of New York, where he was governor, in falling to incumbent President Franklin Roosevelt. 1952 -- Democrat Adlai Stevenson lost his birth state of California and his home state of Illinois, where he was governor, in falling to Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. The same thing happened four years later, when the incumbent President Eisenhower also won California and Illinois in defeating Stevenson. 1968 -- Former Republican Vice President Richard Nixon won his birth state of California, but lost his home state of New York in defeating Democrat Hubert Humphrey, who lost his birth state of South Dakota, but won his home state of Minnesota, which he had represented in the U.S. Senate. 1972 - Democratic Sen. George McGovern lost South Dakota, both his birth and home state, in getting swamped by incumbent President Nixon. 1992 - Incumbent President George H.W. Bush lost his birth state of Massachusetts, but won his home state of Texas in falling to Democratic Gov. Bill Clinton. 2000 -- Texas Gov. George W. Bush won his home state, but lost his birth state of Connecticut in defeating Democratic Vice President Al Gore, who won his birthplace of Washington, D.C., but lost his home state of Tennessee, which he had represented in the U.S. Senate. 2004 -- Incumbent President George W. Bush again won his home state of Texas, but lost his birth state of Connecticut in defeating Democrat John Kerry, who lost his birth state of Colorado, but won his home state of Massachusetts, which he represented in the U.S. Senate. CNN's Keating Holland contributed to this report.

Mitt Romney might not win Michigan, where he was born . He is well behind in Massachusetts, where he served as governor . Romney has many plausible paths to victory without those states . James K. Polk in 1844 lost his birth and home states but won the presidency .

825d6c9ebbd8b868669e03dec3d275d474e88213

By . Chris Waugh . Barcelona have had their appeal against a two-window transfer ban rejected by FIFA following a hearing on Wednesday. The Spanish giants will be barred from signing players in the next two transfer windows - taking them through until January 2016 - after breaching transfer conditions to do with 'the protection of minors'. But the club have confirmed that they will now take their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in order to have the ban overturned. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Luis Suarez officially unveiled at the Nou Camp . Unveliing: Luis Suarez was presented as a Barcelona player on Tuesday but the Catalans have now failed with their bid to have his appeal for biting overturned and have their two-window transfer embargo lifted . New man: Thomas Vermaelen is one of five players to have moved to the Nou Camp this summer . Just days after hearing that Luis Suarez would not have his ban for biting reduced - though the forward is now allowed to train with the club and made his debut in a friendly on Monday - the Catalans once again attempted to plead their case for leniency. A club statement read: 'Regarding the resolution handed today by FIFA's appeal committee with regards to the transfer and registrations of players under 18, FC Barcelona announces that it will continue to defend its interests to the highest sporting legal court, in this case the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). 'FC Barcelona cannot agree in any way with the resolution that goes against the spirit of our Masia (Barcelona's youth academy), an example of academic, human and sporting development, recognised worldwide.' FIFA announced in April that Barca would be unable to sign any players for two transfer windows due to the 'international transfer of minors', but the Spanish giants immediately appealed the decision. That caused their embargo being indefinitely postponed - leading to the signing of five players this summer. The most notable arrival was the £75million acquisition of Suarez from Liverpool. Thomas Vermaelen, Jeremy Mathieu, Claudio Bravo and Ivan Rakitic also joined the Catalans this summer. Lionel Messi and Co host Elche on Saturday in their La Liga opener on Sunday. VIDEO Barcelona transfer ban upheld . Postponement: Ivan Rakitic has also moved to Barcelona after their ban was delayed for the appeal process . Introduction: Luis Suarez is announced onto the pitch before kick off on Monday night as he made his . FIFA's statement on Wednesday morning read: 'Barcelona is to serve a transfer ban which will see the club prevented from registering any players at both national and international level for two complete and consecutive transfer periods, starting with the next registration period (January 2015) given that the appeal of the club had been granted suspensive effect by the chairman of the FIFA appeal committee. 'FC Barcelona has also been ordered to pay a fine of CHF 450,000 (£295,000) and been given a period of 90 days from today in which to regularise the situation of all minor players concerned.'

Barcelona appeared in front of FIFA and pleaded their case for leniency . They are banned from signing players for the next two transfer windows . Barcelona will now go to Court of Arbitration for Sport to appeal ban . The ban was handed out in April for the 'international transfer of minors' Barca immediately appealed the decision and have signed five players since . The ban was postponed indefinitely following Barca's immediate appeal . New arrival Luis Suarez failed to have his ban reduced last week for biting . The striker is now allowed to train with club and made debut on Monday .

6166374dc92986360997c9fea687eef1ed239114

Gough Whitlam once famously said of John Faulkner that he was 'the best Prime Minister Australia never had' but after 25 years serving Labor in the Upper House the senator will officially retire next month. He has also made clear his intention to never reveal, in a conversation or a book, the intimate details of his meetings with Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd during the 2010 leadership battle that ultimately crippled the Labor government. 'It's true that I joined them then and I spoke to them both individually and of course when we met together one of the things that occurred is I gave a commitment to them I would not breach the confidence of that meeting,' Senator Faulkner said. Scroll down for video . Senator John Faulkner has announced his intention to leave politics next month after 25 years in the Upper House . The Senator said his discussions with Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd during their bitter 2010 leadership battle will remain secret . Senator Faulkner said he will remain loyal to both Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard insisting 'I gave a commitment to them I would not breach the confidence of that meeting' Former Labor PM, the late Gough Whitlam, once famously told ALP colleagues that Senator John Faulkner was 'the best Prime Minister Australia never had' 'I hope over my very long parliamentary career that I at least have the reputation of not breaching confidences and I don't intend to start now when announcing my retirement, I gave my word and intend to keep it.' With this decision goes the last minister to have served in the Hawke and Keating Labor governments. Senator Faulkner, a former Defence Minister, will bow out after Australia Day. 'I have been extremely lucky to have such a long and fulfilling career in parliament. It's over and it's time to go,' he stated. 'I owe the Labor Party everything but it's a good time for the Labor Party for a new generation to step up.' The outgoing Senator insisted he will remain an active member at branch meetings and supporting candidates in 'local, state and federal elections'. His position is expected to be filled by Jenny McAllister, who was pre-selected in July to run in his place on the NSW Labor Senate ticket for the 2016 election. Senator Faulkner vowed not to write an autobiography in his retirement as 'there are enough of those sort of books out there'. 'I remain an absolute Labor loyalist. 'I don't have any plans at the moment, I don't have any job offers, I won't be a lobbyist, I won't be a consultant, I won't be a regular media commentator.' The outgoing Senator recalled how he first began working as a fully fledged Labor official in 1980 and was first elected for New South Wales in 1989. He was a minister in three Labor governments and Senate opposition leader for eight years. Senator Faulkner vowed not to write an autobiography in his retirement as 'there are enough of those sort of books out there'. The 60-year-old started out as a teacher and party official before entering politics. His likely replacement, Ms McAllister, has been ALP national president since 2011. She has worked for infrastructure advisory firm AECOM and has previously worked as a public servant and adviser to Labor politicians. And for a politician who won respect from both sides, he remained loyal to the end insisting that he would not reveal the details of the discussions he had during the bitter leadership battles, which beset the Labor Party when it was last in government. However, Senator Faulkner said the ALP should be confident of its chances going forward. 'It has effectively rebuilt its fortune since the last election, it's working hard'. He recalled with fondness his involvement in major national issues including Mabo, Telstra's privatisation, the GST and public service reform. 'Public service may be a favourite whipping boy for some, but in my experience, the men and women of the public service, from top to bottom are committed to the public and the national interest in everything they do,' he added.

Senator John Faulkner will retire after Australia Day 2015 . He's refused to reveal details of discussions he had with warring former PM's Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd during their infamous leadership battle . He was called 'the best PM Australia never had' by Gough Whitlam .

9189d6ff41dd0c6cf543f0f310b56d4bc9ed9a3e

By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:16 EST, 29 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:49 EST, 30 October 2013 . The heart-warming story of a Pennsylvania woman whose boyfriend suffered a debilitating brain injury has gone viral since the still-loving couple decided to get married despite his continued disability. The Story of Ian & Larissa Murphy is about as atypical as a love story can be, but it begins and ends the way all the best ones do—with young lovebirds beating the odds to finally tie the knot. But after a 10-month courtship came to an abrupt halt when Ian got into a horrific car accident, there was a time when nothing in their young lives seemed certain. Scroll down for video... Weathering the storm: Larissa and Ian Murphy were happily married, but not before the young couple was able to weather incredible hardships . The way they were: Larissa and Ian met in college in 2005 and 10 months later already had plans to get engaged. But their plans came to an abrupt halt when Ian suffered a debilitating brain injury . Shattered: Ian was left unable to communicate and it became doubtful that his and Larissa's dreams would ever come true . ‘Ian and I first met in 2005 at college and had a blast for 10 months getting to know each other,’ Larissa says in a video documenting their story that has been making the internet rounds recently. Larissa says she and Ian were ‘dating very intentionally’ and that they planned to get married soon after they were slated to finish college in December 2006. But before that could happen, tragedy intervened. On September 30 of that year, Ian was on his way to work near Pittsburgh when he was in a serious car crash. Memories: Larissa says Ian was shopping for engagement rings when he suffered his injury near Pittsburgh just months before they were to graduate from college in 2006 . Hopeful: Larissa moved into Ian's family's home to help take care of him and waited for him to improve. If he could communicate, she said, then they could make a marriage work . ‘We got a phone call that he had been in an accident,’ Larissa says. ‘ [He] had suffered a traumatic brain injury.’ Suddenly, what had seemed so certain to Larissa, became frighteningly out of reach. 'We watched our future crash with him in that white station wagon,' she writes on desiringgod.org. But instead of moving on to another man and future husband, Larissa moved into Ian family’s home to help take care of him. Though Ian was unable to communicate, she continued to date him. ‘I knew where he was so after he couldn’t talk, that helped me so much. I knew that he loved me,’ she says. ‘Looking back, it’s weird because he couldn’t talk and he couldn’t eat, so we probably looked like complete weirdos when we went on dates. But we had a blast and I just talked to him all the time.’ True love: 'I still don't think that Ian would have ever left me if the role had been reversed. And walking away from my best friend was never truly an option,' says Larissa . Larissa says she and Ian were dating 'very intentionally' by 2006 and - despite Ian's subsequent debilitating injuries that keep him from communicating even remotely normally - they were married . Finally: Once Ian could communicate, the couple had to ask a judge if they could marry. He said the marriage could proceed . 'You two exemplify what love is all about. I believe that marriage will not only benefit you both but our community and hope that everyone in this city could see your love for one another,' said the judge who determined if they could marry . 'And even though we chose marriage, we chose it sadly': Larissa and Ian live in western Pennsylvania. Larissa looks to God for inspiration as she continue to struggle with the loss of the man she once knew . As Ian’s condition slowly improved, the possibility of marriage became stronger. ‘If he could communicate with me,’ she said. ‘Then we could have a marriage knowing it would be really different but as long as Ian could talk to me we could make it work.’ While Ian became incrementally healthier, his father became sick. He was diagnosed with brain cancer during his son’s recovery. Ian’s father’s sickness became a catalyst for Larissa, who knew how much he wanted them to marry. When Ian was well enough, Larissa took him to a judge in order to get their marriage approved since he remains unable to make that sort of decision on his own. According to Larissa, the judge told her: ‘You two exemplify what love is all about. I believe that marriage will not only benefit you both but our community and hope that everyone in this city could see your love for one another.’ Bittersweet: 'We've watched all of our friends get married and have health. I've watched as my girlfriends and sisters found husbands who could dance with them at their weddings and drive them to church on Sunday morning,' says Larissa . Bittersweet: 'Sorrow has been a permanent resident in our 20s. It feels like the rest of the world uses these years for really fun things. But in our 20s, we have watched our future crash with him in that white station wagon' 'It was so very simple: we love each other': While Larissa never expected to have to provide so much for her husband's needs, she says the choice to marry was an easy one . Touching: Larissa keeps a board in their home on which she and Ian and their visitors post what their thankful for. Larissa says half of Ian's say 'my wifey' They would soon be married, though the new would come too late to share with Ian’s father, who died before their engagement. Their video documents their touching, family and friend-filled wedding. Instead of standing, Larissa sits at the altar to be alongside the still seriously disabled Ian. She must even help him stand as they complete their vows, just as she must now help him with everyday tasks. Dedicated: Larissa spends her days working in marketing at a western Pennsylvania bank to help support Ian, who is unable to work . Faithful: 'This church, and this marriage, are hemmed in by Jesus and eagerly long for heaven. He is their author and sustainer,' says Larissa . 'But in light of all the practicals, and emotionals,' says Larissa, 'it was so very simple: we love each other. And we love God. And we believe He is a sovereign and loving God who rules all things.' Difficult: 'Marrying Ian meant that I was signing on to things that I don¿t think I ever would've chosen for myself,' says Larissa, who supports Ian and manages his care. 'The practical costs felt huge' 'Though we chose marriage,' says Larissa, 'we chose it sadly. Sorrow has been a permanent resident in our 20s. It feels like the rest of the world uses these years for really fun things. But in our 20s, we have watched our future crash with him in that white station wagon and we now live with two versions of Ian. 'Weʼve watched all of our friends get married and have health. Iʼve watched as my girlfriends and sisters found husbands who could dance with them at their weddings and drive them to church on Sunday morning. 'Weʼve watched our dad fight and be taken by brain cancer, only to see life keep marching on.' Despite it all, Larissa says it is worth it to be married to the love of her life. ‘But in light of all the practicals, and emotionals,’ she writes on desiringgod.org, ‘it was so very simple: we love each other.’ Larissa admits she's been close to losing her happiness as she struggles with 'our lot' - a struggle she says is a common one - but she manages to keep the faith thanks to her religion . Still smiling: Alongside Ian, Larissa is still able top enjoy herself at celebrations like weddings and births despite her own personal losses . Here, Larissa gleefully holds a baby despite her longing to have one of her own, which may never happen because of her choice to stay with Ian . Inseparable: Despite his need for 24-hour care and inability to communicate as he once could, Ian still manages to have fun with Larissa . Contentment through suffering: 'I didn't know contentment in my prosperity,' writes Larissa. She says the trials and tribulations she suffered with Ian have strengthened her faith and spirit .

Larissa Murphy feared she'd never marry Ian after he suffered a horrific brain injury while driving to work near Pittsburgh . Larissa moved in with Ian and his family and vowed they would marry if he ever learned to communicate again . Eventually they sought and won permission from a judge to marry and have told their amazing story in a video so incredible it has received over 800,000 views . 'Though we chose marriage, we chose it sadly': Larissa must now be the breadwinner and caretaker in her new family as she watches her friends live the life she thought she's one day have with Ian .

5e0f057dcb8b6c21806b379cd349d85598f5bf39

(CNN) -- Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo both scored hat-tricks as Real Madrid thrashed Levante 8-0 in the first leg of their Spanish Copa del Rey last-16 tie on Wednesday. Jose Mourinho's side, who have not won this cup competition since 1993, scored four goals in each half to make the second leg in January a formality. Mezut Ozil and Pedro Leon, who added the final goal in the 90th minute, were also on target as Mourinho's near full-strength side ouclassed their opponents. Real could face Atletico Madrid in the quarterfinals after their city rivals took a narrow 1-0 first-leg lead into the second leg against Espanyol, despite the first-half dismissal of former Spain international Jose Antonio Reyes. Rafa Benitez's old tricks backfire in Italy . Atletico secured the win courtesy of a 33rd-minute penalty from Portuguese midfielder Simao Sabrosa, who is expected to join Turkish club Besiktas in the January transfer window. However, the capital club had to play most of the match with just 10 men after Reyes was sent off three minutes before the interval for a head-butt. Battling Bilbao hold Barcelona to draw . On a night of plenty of goals, Romaric scored twice as Sevilla beat Malaga 5-3 in their first-leg match, while a hat-trick from Argentine striker Leonardo Ulloa helped Almeria edge Real Mallorca 4-3 in another thiller. Getafe take a 2-1 advantage into the home leg of the La Liga club's tie against second division Real Betis.

Real Madrid effectively book a place in Spanish Cup last eight after crushing Levante 8-0 . Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo both score hat-tricks in a one- sided first leg . Real could meet Atletico Madrid in quarters after their neighbors beat Espanyol 1-0 .

fc67771b46a60389396c5deab298fc7260385931

With his arms around the shoulders of two vicious gangsters, it is not a portrait of the ideal family man. This picture unearthed by the Mail of Mark Duggan – whose death sparked the 2011 riots – suggests his links with the criminal underworld are deeper than first thought. Following his death his supporters claimed he was an innocent father assassinated by police. All three pictured were members of the notorious Man Dem gang which had links to Jamaica's ruthless Yardies . But to Duggan’s right in the picture is Junior Cameron, a career criminal serving a life sentence for shooting a man after a minor prang between their cars. Cameron pulled a semi-automatic pistol on Gary Guthrie in Streatham, South London, and shot him in the back as he tried to escape. The 39-year-old died in hospital. Cameron committed the murder in October 2007 – six months after being freed early from prison. The man to Duggan’s left is Darrell Albert, who was in the same car as Cameron that night. During the confrontation he shot Mr Guthrie’s friend Rowan Williams with a Baikal 9mm pistol – now the weapon of choice for gangsters. Duggan was known by his gangster name Starrish Mark and was considered to be a 'major player' in the gang . The death of Mark Duggan sparked the 2011 riots which began in Tottenham in London . Violence erupted across London as rioters set fire to cars, bins and buildings and hurled missiles at police following the death of Mark Duggan . Rampage: This building in Tottenham was destroyed by fire started by rioters . Mr Williams, 37, took a bullet in the neck but it was removed by surgeons and he survived. Cameron, Albert and Duggan were all members of the notorious Tottenham Man Dem gang, which has links to Jamaica’s ruthless Yardies. Duggan was known by his gangster name of Starrish Mark and was considered by police to be a ‘major player’ in the gang. Others said Duggan ‘lived by the gun’. One source said: ‘I was told he was a major player and well known to the police in Tottenham. He was certainly not a sideshow.’ Duggan was shot after he had been placed under surveillance by police on August 4, 2011. An officer said he opened fire because Duggan had a gun and appeared to be preparing to use it. Procession: Funeral cortege of Mark Duggan passes through Tottenham on September 9, 2011 . Respect: Row of men give one-armed salute as funeral procession passes through Broadwater farm . Criminal links: Duggan was shot after he had been placed under surveillance by police on August 4, 2011 . The account was given at the trial of Kevin Hutchinson-Foster, 30, who was yesterday found guilty of supplying a gun to Duggan after a retrial at the Old Bailey. The prosecution told the court Duggan and Hutchinson-Foster exchanged phone calls in the hour before the weapon was collected. The handover took place 15  minutes before he was shot. Despite Duggan’s criminal links, his family still insist he was assassinated by police. They want to know why the gun he was supposed to be holding when he was shot was found some 16ft from his body in nearby bushes. Duggan’s elder brother Shaun Hall said: ‘As much as this police officer is 100 per cent sure that his life was in danger, I will go on record and say I’m 100 per cent sure that his life was not in danger or any of his colleagues.’ An inquest into Duggan’s death, which was supposed to start this week, is expected to begin in September. Hutchinson-Foster will be sentenced on February 26.

Duggan pictured with Junior Cameron who is serving a life sentence for murder and Darrell Albert who is serving life for attempted murder . All three were members of the notorious Tottenham Man Dem gang . Duggan was known by his gangster name of Starrish Mark and was considered by police to be a 'major player' in the gang .

1f079662d9ba0ea6551e3661c6561d31202e8336

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Protesters threw bricks and bottles Friday at police outside a mosque in London after about 1,000 people showed up to counter a planned a right-wing demonstration there, police said. Police arrest a protestor in Harrow, London, after fighting broke out at a planned right-wing demonstration. One person was arrested "to prevent a breach of the peace," police said in a statement. The right-wing demonstration's organizer, Stop Islamisation of Europe (SIOE), said on its Web site one of the demonstration's planners had been arrested. Seven other people were arrested during the melee for possession of "offensive weapons" -- including bottles of bleach, a hammer and a chisel, police said. Police said incidents at the scene began when the crowd -- believed to be either members of an anti-fascism group or there to provide support to the Harrow Central Mosque -- went after three youths, "caught up with them, and assaulted them," police said. "Police had to intervene to prevent the crowd from continuing with their attack." It was not immediately known if the youths were affiliated with any political group. Police said they had identified and stopped a number of people believed to be heading to the right-wing protest prior to the demonstration's start time, preventing them from reaching the area. It was not immediately known how many, if any, of the group's supporters had successfully arrived outside the mosque. "One person was arrested to prevent a breach of the peace as police believed if the SIOE demonstration started it would have resulted in serious disorder," police said. The group said on its Web site that the demonstration had been called off and that Stephen Gash, listed as one of the group's contacts, had been arrested "to prevent a breach of the peace." "If you are on your way to the demo, don't go, it's being called off right now," the post read. "The police can't handle the muslim counter demonstrators [sic]." The group describes itself on its Web site as an alliance of people "with the single aim of preventing Islam becoming a dominant political force in Europe." CNN's Phil Black contributed to this report.

Seven people arrested for having weapons like bleach, a hammer, chisel . Organizer of planned protest was arrested "to prevent a breach of the peace" 1,000 people showed up to counter a planned a right-wing demonstration . Web site says group doesn't want Islam to be "dominant political force in Europe"

c0c48a3496cc5b5241e9397f567620d818098a8b

It's the dream of every internet startup founder to sell their company for millions of dollars. But not everyone can make a quick buck like Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg or the investors of Instagram who recouped enormous amounts of money on their original investments. In the case of one startup, Bloodhound . Technologies, the five founders were left with comparatively little even . though their company sold for tens of millions of dollars, according to the New York Times. Disappointment: Bloodhound Technologies founder Joseph A. Carsanaro (left) and four co-founders including Aaron Seib (right) were left to split $36,000 after their company sold $82 million . Bloodhound was formed in the mid-1990s to create software for health care providers to monitor claims for fraud. Mr Carsanaro began the company with four colleagues -  Samir Abed, Aaron Seib, Aldo Kiamtia, and Barry . Taylor - and raised $1.9 million from venture capitalists in . 1999. The following year he raised another $3.1 million. When Bloodhound Technologies was sold for $82.5 million in 2011, the five founders were paid a collective $36,000. Here's what each founder received: . The timing was not in Mr Carsanaro's favor, however. Within just a few years the internet bubble burst and the company began to struggle. That's when investors took over the company and pushed out Carsonaro as CEO. According to court proceedings, the investors convinced Bloodhound's board that replacing Carsonaro with a new CEO would make the company more marketable to potential buyers. Carsonaro was asked to resign in December 2000. The move upset co-founder Abed, who was then also asked to resign, along with the three other founding employees of the company. A new CEO was hired and over the next ten years and several more rounds of financing, the company recovered and began to expand. Then . in April 2011 the company sold for $82.5 million to Verisk Health Inc. Mr Carsanaro thought . his payday had arrived and that he would become an instant millionaire. Mark Zuckerberg: The Facebook founder made $2.3bn in a year thanks to various stock options in the company . Instant millionaire: Instagram co-founder and CEO Kevin Systrom sold his firm to Facebook for $300m and 23 million shares . Cheated: Despite the company selling for $84m, the five founders of Bloodhound Technologies split $36,000 between them. One founder of the company received just $99 . But investors were paid first - before any of the founders and employees. Eventually there was just $36,000 left in the pot to split between the five founders. One received just $99. Bloodhound, formed in the mid-1990s, provides companies with fraud-monitoring software for health care claims . The founders filed suit, claiming that during several rounds of financing following their departure from the company, investors had schemed to dilute their collective holdings to less than 1 percent - without their knowledge - before selling the company. In the end, Carsonaro received $29,266, Kiamtia received $4,967, Taylor received $993, Abed got $397 and Seib was left with $99. The story is typical of the world of venture capital which can be a difficult and murky one to grasp. Founders . and employees can be hit in a brutal manner with majority of the cash . from any sale going to venture capitalists and holders of preferred . shares. A recent study, by . Profs. Brian J. Broughman and Jesse M. Fried, concluded in almost 50 . per cent of cases, investors were entitled to nothing - even when the . company was sold for tens of millions of dollars. Good negotiator: Naveen Selvadurai, co-founder of foursquare and has an estimated net worth of $80 million dollars . Lessons: A word of warning to budding entrepreneurs - negotiate your rights and payoff from the company at the very start . Some 20 per cent to 30 per cent of companies fail, returning nothing to any investor, so when venture capitalists risk supporting a startup they take their share before anyone else. There is one trick to bare in mind, and that is to negotiate greater control rights. Before being blinded by dollar signs, the crucial element is to ensure seats on the board or to insist in having a say in decisions such as if and when the company is sold in the years to come. Professors Broughman and Fried found in . their study that on average, such foresight saw founders receiving . around $3.7 million more during any sale or takeover. Whatta deal: Sacked Groupon CEO Andrew Mason was sacked and received $376.36 in severance pay, but he still owns $213 million in company shares . Tweeter: Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter, Jack Dorsey has a net worth of $1 billion . For Bloodhound Technologies, eight years had passed since the original founders had been in the chair. It meant all new negotiations for cash investment had been carried out on the terms of the venture capitalists. The five former colleagues are now suing in a Delaware court which, if a jury rules in their favor, the Times points out that it could change the way companies operate in future when it comes to balancing the payouts of founders and employees to the rewards that venture capitalists expect.

Bloodhound technologies formed in the mid-1990s . Founders eventually left the company and venture capitalists invested . Company grew for a decade before being bought out . Investors received huge windfall while founders received virtually nothing . Founders now suing in a Delaware court . Story is typical of entrepreneurs who fail to secure future 'rights'

e4e2a85bb9faedc7ab510576208fa39139a8d094

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- In a letter to a Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head on her way home from school, a senior Taliban commander purportedly tells her that she was targeted not because she advocated education for all girls, but rather for her criticism of the militant group. The letter attributed to Adnan Rashid was released just days after 16-year-old Malala Yousafzai took the stage at the United Nations, where she delivered an emotional plea for the right to go to school on behalf of all children. Malala was 15 when gunmen jumped on her school bus and shouted her name, scaring other girls into identifying her, in the Swat Valley on October 9, 2012. The attack sparked massive protests in Pakistan and condemnation worldwide. "The Taliban believe you were intentionally writing against them and running a smear campaign to malign their effort to establish an Islamic system in (the) Swat Valley, and your writings were provocative," according to the letter, which was dated Monday and released to CNN by a Pakistan intelligence source. "You have said in your speech ... that the pen is mightier than the sword. So they attacked you for your sword not your books or school." Malala at U.N.: The Taliban failed to silence us . CNN cannot confirm the authenticity of the letter, but its validity has been generally accepted by Pakistan intelligence officials. Rashid made headlines last year after the Taliban broke him out of a Bannu prison, where he was serving a life sentence following his 2003 conviction for his role in the attempted murder of former President Pervez Musharraf. Nearly 400 prisoners were freed in the jailbreak, which authorities believe was staged to get Rashid out, a former Pakistani Air Force officer. Read more: The world's other Malalas . In the letter, Rashid said he was writing -- not as a Taliban leader -- to say he was shocked by the shooting, and to express his regret that he did not warn Malala ahead of time of the attack. The letter went on to say that the Taliban supports the education of women, as long as it adheres to Islamic law. He urged her, according to the letter, to return to Pakistan and "use your pen for Islam and the plight of the Muslim community." Gordon Brown, the U.N. special envoy on global education, blasted Rashid's letter. "Nobody will believe a word the Taliban say about the right of girls like Malala to go to school until they stop burning down schools and stop massacring pupils," he said in a statement released Wednesday. Gordon Brown: Malala's U.N. speech is just the beginning . This summer in Pakistan, a teacher was gunned down in front of her son as she drove into her all-girl school. A school principal was killed and his students severely injured when a bomb was tossed onto a school playground at an all-girl school in Karachi in March. In January, five teachers were killed near the town of Swabi in the volatile northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the United Nations says. And, in June, a suicide bomber blew up a bus carrying 40 schoolgirls as it made its way to an all-girl campus in Quetta. Fourteen female students were killed.

A letter purportedly from Adnan Rashid was made public this week . The letter blames Malala Yousafzai's actions for the attack on her . In the letter, Rashid says he was shocked by the attack . He urges her to return to Pakistan .

5ab9d4c2be3922841ed02baff6f4622e0f0756e3

(CNN) -- Read this article in Spanish on CNN en Español . Hispanic teens are more likely to use illicit drugs such as marijuana, ecstasy and cocaine, compared with their African-American and Caucasian counterparts, according to a new study. The study was released this month by the Partnership at Drug Free organization. It says that 54% of Hispanic teens reported having used an illicit drug, followed by African-American teens at 45%. Caucasians came third at 43%. Why? There is no definitive answer, but there are contributing factors involved, according to William Raikes, assistant director of consumer research at The Partnership at Drugfree.org. A larger percentage -- 62% of Hispanic teens -- have been offered drugs such as ecstasy, crack/cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine at least once, compared with 53% of Caucasian teens and 46% of African-Americans. When it came to Hispanic parents, 21% said they were OK if their teen "smoked marijuana sometimes," compared with 11% of African-American parents and 6% of Caucasian parents. "Parental permissiveness is another factor we document as being linked to teen substance abuse. Hispanic parents appear to have some misconceptions regarding prescription drug misuse and abuse," Raikes said. "Both of these factors could have an influence on a child's substance abuse." Some of these factors are well-documented predictors of substance abuse, such as a teen's perceived risks and social disapproval, according to the study. "Perceived risks" weigh how risky a certain behavior -- such as substance abuse -- appears to a teen. "Social disapproval" measures a teen's approval of his or her peers' substance abuse. Both of these measures have been shown to precipitate actual substance abuse. Hispanic parents reported the highest rates of problems establishing rules that prohibit drug use. However, Hispanics adolescents received less punishment for their drug use, the report states. Hispanic parents are just as likely as others to have conversations with their children about the risks of addiction. The disparity between drug use and warnings are because the talks are focused on trying to prevent the abuse of these substances by their children and not on prevention, according to the study. Hispanic teens are more likely to encounter substance abuse in their daily lives. Specifically, having access to substances, to have friends who abuse substances, and to have been offered substances. This could influence a teen to perceive substance abuse as a normal behavior, increasing their chances to engage in the dangerous activity. This trend is occurring throughout the country, not one geographic area that is more susceptible to substance abuse than others. Although certain drugs have a tendency to be more prevalent in certain areas -- for instance marijuana is more prevalent on the West coast than in the Midwest. "Hispanic teen substance abuse however, is a national trend and Hispanic parents throughout the country should heed the call and talk to their kids," Raikes said.

Hispanic teens are more likely than African-Americans, Caucasians to use illicit drugs . Report: 54% of Hispanic teens reported having used an illicit drug . African-American teens came second at 45% and Caucasians at 43%. 21% of Hispanic parents said they were OK with teen smoking marijuana .

c845074a938780033defd8a163cfcb2a925485dc

(CNN) -- Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar will retire from football at the end of the season, he announced Thursday. The 40-year-old former Dutch international has been at Old Trafford since 2005, winning three English Premier League titles and helping them to their Champions League triumph in 2008. Van der Sar began his professional career with Ajax Amsterdam, helping them to the Champions League in 1995. He subsequently had a spell in Italy with Juventus before joining United's fellow Premier League side Fulham. "It's been coming for a while," van der Sar told the official Manchester United website. "After playing for so many years, you reach a point where you have to make a decision. "There are a couple of things to consider -- whether you still have an appetite for it, your family. Van der Sar's wife Annemarie collapsed with a brain haemorrhage in December 2009 and he admitted that retirement had been "playing on my mind" since that health scare. Van der Sar, whose brilliant save from Nicolas Anelka clinched their penalty shootout win over Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final in Moscow, has remained in fine form during United's unbeaten start to the season. But he said he wanted to out out at the top. "You can't play Superman into your 40s," he added. "It's a mutual decision (with manager Alex Ferguson) that this season was the last. When I first came here I was just happy to sign a two-year contract. "I wanted to win the league before I retired. I was lucky to achieve a little bit more than that." Van der Sar won a record 130 Dutch caps before announcing his international retirement at the end of the 2008 season.

Edwin van der Sar to retire from football at the end of the current season . Van der Sar has helped Manchester United win three English Premier League titles . He claimed the Champions League with first club Ajax and with United in 2008 . Van der Sar won a record 130 Dutch caps .

fd40a5ccbdd9d3deb6ededde36ea421289c9019e

By . Claire Bates . UPDATED: . 03:05 EST, 5 March 2012 . Around seven million adults in the UK take statins . Taking statins can raise blood sugar levels and increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has revealed. The FDA said they will add a warning to statin labels that they may raise levels of blood sugar. FDA spokeswoman Amy Egan, said: 'Their benefit is indisputable, but they need to be . taken with care and knowledge of their side effects.' Seven million people in the UK now take the drugs to lower their cholesterol - the fatty substance in the blood that clogs up arteries. They are proven to prevent heart attacks and strokes  and are taken by as many as one in three adults over the age of 40. The pills cost around 40p a day and make up nearly a fifth of all medicines prescribed for heart and circulatory disease. However, in the UK the labels are still 'in the process of being updated to include these warnings.' So while popular brands including Pfizer Inc's . Lipitor and AstraZeneca's Crestor will need . to include a new warning on their labels in the U.S., they will not have to on the same products in the UK. This is despite the Medicines and healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) publishing a safety alert on its website in January, saying there is 'sufficient evidence' to support a link between statin use and diabetes. The MHRA points out that the risk appears to be mainly in patients already at increased risk of developing diabetes. It added in a statement that the 'benefits of statins strongly outweigh any risks.' However, it's not the first time that statin labeling has hit controversy. In February 2008, the MHRA found that memory loss was another rare side effect of taking statins. The regulator said product information would be updated to reflect this, however labels were not updated until November 2009. High doses of cholesterol-lowering pills can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, researchers warn . According to a commentary piece in the Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin, published in the British Medical Journal, the delay was caused by a drug company who stalled the process by quibbling over the precise 'wording' on the labels. 'A drug company has been . able to stall the . inclusion of key safety warnings. In our . view, this situation is unacceptable and should be rectified quickly,' it said. In the U.S, the FDA said that statins labels will also hold a warning about the increased risk of confusion and memory loss. It also announced it is removing the requirement that doctors should monitor a patient's liver enzymes for organ damage, saying 'such serious damage is rare, and regular testing for all users isn't necessary.' However, regular liver enzyme tests are still advised by the NHS and are set to continue. The Cochrane Library recently said there . was little evidence statins had a protective effect unless a person’s risk of a heart . attack was already high. Warnings . about side effects such as fatigue, muscle pain, sexual dysfunction and . weakness, continue to emerge, with estimates ranging from one to 20 per . cent of patients affected. However, a daily dose of statins has also been linked with preventing cancer. It could slash the risk of breast cancer recurring, according to a study from Harvard Medical School published in December 2011. They found that women who had . developed a breast tumour were nearly 30 per cent less likely to suffer a . relapse if they took a type of statin called simvastatin. Meanwhile a team at the Cleveland Clinic, in . Ohio, found it cut the risk of prostate cancer. They looked at tissue samples from more than 4,000 men who underwent . biopsies because doctors suspected they had prostate cancer. Those . taking statins for high cholesterol were nearly 10 per cent less likely . to be diagnosed with a tumour and 24 per cent less likely to have an . aggressive cancer than men who were not.

Statin benefit it indisputable but need to be taken with 'knowledge of side effects', says FDA .

920ff20950c94e4504afaae48255f9faa739d30d

(CNN) -- Why the hell would anyone drink two liters of beer at 6 in the morning before running with wild animals through the streets of a strange city? This was the first of many questions I posed to myself upon dusting off a journal from 1997, the year I (kind of) ran with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. I went looking for the journal after photographer Clint Alwahab and I were assigned to cover a rendition of Pamplona's famed Festival de San Fermin in Conyers, Georgia. This wasn't Pamplona. That was apparent as soon as we arrived at Conyers' Georgia International Horse Park, a far cry from Pamplona, where the "encierro" is run on a half-mile of cobblestone streets through town. There's a good deal more pageantry in Pamplona, as you might expect, with the rockets, or txupinazo, counting down to the running, the Giants and Big Heads Parade and afternoon bullfights. Conyers had free beef jerky. But was it ever going to measure up? Relying on a journal from a seemingly constantly inebriated 22-year-old, I realized that outside of bulls and beer, the events are nothing alike. (Author's note: Many of the revelations in the aforementioned journal were long forgotten by the writer until it was discovered in his home office last week. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes are from the journal.) The purpose . The Great Bull Run is nakedly a for-profit event. It will visit nine more cities between now and August before returning to the Atlanta area in October 2014. Upcoming locations . To merely spectate cost $10, while running alongside the bovine herd cost anywhere between $45 and $75. Those enchanted by the experience could run again for $25. This isn't to say Pamplona isn't a moneymaker. There just isn't a fee for anyone bold/dumb enough to get in the street with bulls, but the encierro is still a major cash cow for Pamplona (terrible pun intended). Pamplona's infrastructure is so unequipped to handle its San Fermin visitors, which can quadruple the city's population, that makeshift shops and beer stands pop up all over town. The hotels are booked far in advance, so my cohorts and I "walked down to the park (Vuelta del Castillo) and found a nice corner under a tree where we'd reside for the weekend." The park was packed with revelers, most of them charming, but one who "was sniffing cocaine off of a paper plate" and another "bastard who tried to pick (my pal's) pocket while we were sleeping." Taking in all the revelry was great fun, but sleeping in the park took its toll, as washing up in a plaza fountain over a long weekend left me feeling "like I'd been dipped in mayonnaise." But I digress. The purpose, as it were, for the festival is to honor the patron Saint Fermin. It dates back to the Middle Ages, as opposed to 2013 for Conyers, and many locals told us at the time that Fermin was killed and dragged through the streets of Pamplona by bulls. It appears he was actually beheaded. Which also sucks. Getting there . Traveling to Conyers involved driving 25 miles east of the city in a Saturn. Done and done. Pamplona, however, required a hellish trek after a language barrier resulted in us showing up two hours late for the express train. The slow train took 10 hours to make the 250-mile trip from Salamanca, where I was attending school. Fortunately, it had a bar car where we imbibed Cruzcampos and Carlsbergs before returning to our train car for a siesta. We continued our naps in the Castejon train station, where during a two-hour layover, I awoke to find "a guy with a Mohawk and a safety pin through his cheek who had decided to micturate on the floor of the train station." On the last leg, we hopped a "train full of ... Spaniards who sang all the way to Pamplona," then caught a bus downtown to find "(expletives) partying like it was Dec. 31, 1999." The bulls . The Conyers bulls were pansies. This isn't merely my observation. Not only did they have the ends of their horns shorn off (the tips of a Pamplonan bull's horns resemble pitchforks), but they're also a good deal smaller than the Spanish species. "More like running with goats," said a man named Frankie, laughing and beer in hand. "I think if a bull hits me, I might do more damage to him." Glenn Gentle, 72, a retired Navy diver who has been to Pamplona eight times since 2000, told me a bull broke three of his ribs in 2004. "I just was in the way, I guess," he said. "It's hard to escape over there." After the Conyers run, Gentle seemed unfazed that the bridge of his nose was bloody and most of the skin was missing from one of his elbows. He said he didn't know whether a bull or the crowd ran him over -- "it was awful hard" -- but he expressed relief he'd taken a tumble on a horse track rather than Pamplona's cobblestone streets. Still, the "adrenaline junkie" was unimpressed with the Conyers bulls' ferocity. "In Pamplona, those bulls are bred at a special place in the south of Spain to be mean and aggressive. The bulls there will look for you and run you down," he said. The actual running . As the bulls and their white-and-red-clad entourage galloped toward Pamplona's Plaza del Toros, the streets trembled. Wooden fences separated the bulls from spectators, and Red Cross paramedics were stationed along them to tend to injured runners. As the bulls neared -- and I saw how big these beasts actually were -- I chickened out and sought refuge behind the fence, the crowd erupting in glee as they thundered past. Once the bulls and runners blew by the clock tower where I was catching my breath, "I jumped the fence to find my amigos. All of a sudden, everyone screamed and darted for the fence. A wee bit dazed, I turned around to see a million-pound bull standing 20 feet from me." The sight apparently conjured my Catholic upbringing as "I hit the wall of people like a battering ram, asking God's forgiveness for all my sins, as I desperately tried to swim over the people and the Red Cross fence." Where Pamplona's streets were narrower, offering few options for escape, the Conyers event was run on a wide, dirt track with several nooks in the steel gating. I jogged on the fringe of the Conyers running, experiencing virtually none of the raw fear that had possessed me 16 years before. As the bulls neared, I dipped into one of the nooks and watched, amused, as the cattle passed. The grand finale . The Conyers running was capped by an enormous tomato fight, which is reminiscent of another Spanish festival, La Tomatina in Buñol. I've never been. They basically dumped 50,000 pounds of tomatoes in a parking lot and let attendees have at it. It was hilarious watching participants emerge, covered in seeds and red tomato excrement. The Pamplona running happens every morning for eight days and culminates in a series of bullfights. The runners and bulls spill from Calle Estafeta into the stadium, where the bulls are corralled. Runners scramble around the bullfighting ground tussling with smaller bulls, which were described to me as babies. "These were NOT babies. The baby had a three-foot rack and was flipping full-grown humans through the air with ease." After watching the spectacle for about 20 minutes or so, we left the stadium and "found a nice plot of grass in front of the stadium to take a nap. When we woke up, we made our way to one of the makeshift bars and drank Aguila." Conversely, in Conyers, Clint and I hopped in the Saturn and drove back to Atlanta. I made it home just in time for the Auburn game. Sober. Follow Eliott C. McLaughlin on Twitter: @CNNWriters .

Conyers, Georgia, holds first in series of bull runs, kicking off nationwide tour . Event is quite unlike the Pamplona, Spain's Festival de San Fermin . Pamplona has pageantry, parades, bullfights; Conyers has free beef jerky . Pamplona vets attending the Conyers running complain bulls are pansies .

5ace69de81e168c901a1d2bbcac166a5a9d3a2be

By . James Gordon . PUBLISHED: . 17:55 EST, 15 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:30 EST, 30 November 2013 . You can tell a lot by looking at someones possessions - personality, interests, likes and passions. One Italian photographer has decided to paint a portrait of her family, but instead of using actual photographs of her relatives, we are left to imagine how they might appear based on what they own. From leather satchels and handkerchiefs to blocks of cheese and cookware, Florence-based artist Camilla Catrambone's family album is curiously captivating. Nanny Renata: A life lived and a tasty one at that with delicious breads, cheeses and salami . The series is simply titled 'Portraits of my Family,' and displays a whole host of everyday treasures. 'I‘ve always been fascinated by objects, and I think somehow every person is represented by their personal objects, the objects they choose, the ones they are attached to, and the way they use them tells you a story,' Ms Catrambone states on her website. 'When I started doing this project, I felt that the objects belonged to my relatives, starting from the ones of my beloved grandparents, were still full of energy and were capable of reminding me moments I shared with them. I started to feel the need to use them to go back to a precise memory. In order to do that I started to reorganize these objects, to recall a specific image I had of that person. Grandpa Mario: Catrambone reveals an old telephone, eyeglasses, cigarette papers, a stapler, and more to represent her memory of this particular family member . Grandma Ilva: The tea at Grandma Ilva's house must have been legendary . Grandpa Antonio: If something needed fixing, Grandpa Antonio would be the one to do it . If I look for example at the image of my grandpa Mario, I can go back in time when we sat at his writing table and fully feel the mood of that moment. The objects represented in every picture don’t talk about the entire life of my grandpa, but the portray deeply describes a moment I shared with him. My mom: Camilla Catrambone's project 'Portraits of My Family' builds a family tree using the objects owned by people she grew up with . Grandma Ilva - Mario's wife: While some of the shots signal traditional gender roles in a family, other items present unique interests and personal memories . My mom no.2: It might be something of an Italian stereotype but one gets the feeling from these portraits that this is a family who loves their food and are pretty cook and cooking it too... The aim of the project is to portray the people I’ve grown up with to build my family tree using the objects owned by them, giving the portray a very deep and intimate touch.' The series explores how people are remembered and what we can tell of a person through their possessions.

How much can one tell about a person by the things they own? Camilla Catrambone's project 'Portraits of My Family' builds a family tree using the objects owned by people she grew up with . Through their belongings we receive an image of who these people are .

46aa0ca6e3eeafbb3093bac0c80b33d81f666eb0

Victim: Reema Ramzan was killed by her boyfriend Aras Hussein in June last year, a court heard . A man decapitated his teenage girlfriend while she was still alive then stabbed himself in the chest, a court heard today. Aras Hussein, 21, had allegedly blackmailed 18-year-old Reema Ramzan by taking sexual photographs of her and threatening to share them with her family if she broke up with him. Sheffield Crown Court was told that on June 4 last year, he killed her by cutting off her head with a knife before inflicting stab wounds on himself. Prosecutor Graham Reeds QC outlined the case against Iraqi-born Hussein, who denies murder and actual bodily harm. 'Bruising into tissue wounds suggest that Reema was still alive as the defendant started to remove her head,' the lawyer said. 'The process of decapitation would require considerable motion with corresponding considerable force which needed to be sustained until all the tissues had been cut through. 'Force would also be needed to restrain the victim who is likely to have been struggling. Severe force would have been needed to cut through the spinal vertebrae with a knife in order to remove the head.' Mr Reeds told the jury that Hussein was seen naked outside his flat in Sheffield with blood pouring out of his chest, and told emergency workers: 'I don't know why I did it. 'She like me but I raped her. What I did was wrong. I need punishing for it.' He also allegedly asked the paramedics: 'Why are you helping me? I've murdered someone.' The lawyer said Hussein was likely to claim he was suffering from diminished responsibility due to schizophrenia at the time of the attack. Home: The alleged attack took place at Hussein's flat in Sheffield, pictured, on June 4 last year . Investigation: Forensic officers pictures scouring the block of flats at the time of the incident . Mr Reeds said that Miss Ramzan's family disapproved of her relationship with Hussein, who repeatedly came into conflict with her relatives. On one occasion, the QC said, the defendant was warned by police for taking sexually explicit pictures of his girlfriend and threatening to show them to her family if she ever left him. In another incident, Miss Ramzan's brother Sohail argued with the defendant after seeing red marks on her neck, but Hussein told him 'he'd do what he liked'. Mr Reeds said it was known that on the day she died, Miss Ramzan went to Hussein's flat with her passport and a large amount of money. 'She did not tell anyone from her family she was going there,' he said. 'She did not tell anyone why she had her passport and this money with her.' A neighbour of Hussein's later heard a woman 'screaming for dear life', the prosecutor said. Horror: Neighbours reported seeing Hussein naked and covered in blood after stabbing himself, jurors heard . The defendant stabbed himself in the chest with a large kitchen knife, removed his blood-stained clothes and went outside, the court heard. One neighbour who saw him in the car park holding his passport and a wad of money thought he had been shot. Hussein was calm when he was first arrested, but after he was taken to the nearby Northern General Hospital for treatment he attacked staff trying to help him, Mr Reeds said. He allegedly assaulted a cardiothoracic surgeon and an anaesthetist as well as police officers who tried to restrain him, biting one of them, before he was injected with a sedative. Mr Reeds said the prosecution rejected Hussein's likely defence of diminished responsibility. He said he had 'no history of mental illness', adding: 'He was able to function perfectly well - he held down a job, he lived on his own, he had his own flat and, it's a self-evident truth, he had a girlfriend.' The lawyer continued: 'The prosecution case is that his behaviour right up until the time of the killing was entirely ordinary. Of course the killing itself was anything but ordinary. 'The prosecution say that his behaviour at the time of the killing is much more likely to be explained by the fact he had a propensity towards violence and his controlling behaviour towards Reema.' The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Aras Hussein, 21, allegedly decapitated Reema Ramzan, 18, at his flat in Sheffield then stabbed himself in the chest . He was seen by neighbours naked and covered in blood, court hears . Hussein 'had previously blackmailed girlfriend with sexual photographs'

90663274319ac1f342a903b6ecf15de53caa8e81

(CNN) -- During the civil rights era, Alabama Gov. George Wallace was asked by a supporter why he was fixated on the politics of race. Wallace replied, "You know, I tried to talk about good roads and good schools and all these things that have been part of my career, and nobody listened. And then I began talking about n*ggers, and they stomped the floor." In the 1980s, during the rise of the gay rights movement, North Carolina Sen. Jesse Helms accused a political opponent for supporting "f*ggots, perverts [and] sexual deviates of this nation." Today, opponents of immigration reform attack undocumented immigrants as "illegal immigrants." Even worse, like anti-immigration extremists, some prominent elected officials use the term "illegals." Maine Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican, said, "I urge all Mainers to tell your city councilors and selectmen to stop handing out your money to illegals." Not the same thing? Of course it is. Once upon a time, the n-word and f-word were utterly acceptable terminology in undermining not only the basic rights but basic humanity of black people and gay people. That those terms seem radically inappropriate and out of step with mainstream culture now is only because social movements and legal and political changes have shifted the landscape. But make no mistake about it, words matter, not only in reflecting certain dehumanizing attitudes toward historically marginalized groups but in actively perpetuating and rationalizing that dehumanization. Even now, as some people go to courts to suppress the ability of women to make decisions about their own bodies and contraceptive choices, women who stand up for reproductive freedom are being called "sluts" and "whores." Recently, I watched the stunning film, "Documented," on CNN and posted my reactions on Twitter. The responses I got were mostly positive but some conservatives took issue with me. For instance, someone tweeted at me: "How about you donate 100% of your $ to help poor American children & not illegals" -- as though American kids are worthy and deserving and undocumented immigrant kids are not. 'I didn't know I was undocumented' Another tweeted: "Stop disease from coming into the US. Build the wall!" -- again, not a humane reaction but an us-versus-them mindset that reduces immigrants to a public health threat. When I tweeted that I was "consistently troubled by [the] number of people who seem to feel more compassion toward puppies on the Internet than undocumented humans," among the many blistering replies I received was, "Do the internet puppies have scabies...?" Other responses compared undocumented immigrants to "invaders" and "child abusers." Come on, people. Is it not possible to oppose immigrant rights without resorting to attacking immigrants as human beings? The intensity of the anti-immigrant rhetoric is stunning. Even if you don't support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, can't you find some compassion for them as human beings who live on the same planet? After all, whether you think our immigration laws are properly functioning or not, the forces of economic hardship and violence that push people to leave their home countries and the promise of a better future in America that pulls people here are the same forces that pushed and pulled on many of our ancestors. Protesters block buses carrying undocumented immigrants in California . Plus we know that American industries that rely on low-wage workers and actively lure undocumented immigrants to our country sometimes offer promises of official paperwork that never materialize. The organization Race Forward has a campaign to get media organizations to "Drop The I-Word" in their reporting about immigration. So far, the campaign has succeeded in getting the Associated Press, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times and many other outlets to stop using the word. But the pressure continues on The New York Times, The Washington Post and radio and television outlets. And the campaign around media usage is just one step toward influencing and ultimately ending the use of the word "illegal" by everyone in America. Vargas: Undocumented and hiding in plain sight . As the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." The history of the United States that anti-immigration activists profess to defend is one perpetually defined by inclusion rather than exclusion. Our notion of our nation expanded over time to include black people and women and gay people and others who were most marginalized previously. As we celebrate the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act 50 years ago this month, we're reminded of protests in the lead up to that moment in which black men carried signs that simply read, "I AM A MAN." And as we look back on the 45th anniversary of the landmark gay liberation protests set off at the Stonewall Bar in New York, we remember protests where gay men and lesbians carried signs that simply said, "GAY IS GOOD." Today, most people find the n-word and the f-word incredibly offensive. Let's hope that most if not all people will feel the same way about the words "illegals" and "illegal immigrants" in the not too distant future.

The film "Documented" airs 9 p.m. ET Saturday, July 5, on CNN . Sally Kohn: The n-word and f-word are considered bad, but what about "illegals?" Kohn: Some words reflect our dehumanizing attitude toward marginalized people . She says despite heated debates over immigration, people should have compassion .

bd675d8d941088103b1ef8b9cab1efa38fa67b96

By . Oliver Pickup . Last updated at 10:02 AM on 26th August 2011 . Fifty-three people have been killed in a horror casino attack, which saw gunmen burst in and douse the building with petrol before setting alight to it, causing an inferno which sent black smoke belching into the sky. In one of the deadliest single attacks since Mexican President Felipe Calderon launched his offensive against the drug cartels in 2006, Casino Royale in Monterrey lay in ruins after the blaze. The fire at the two-storey building trapped gamblers, croupiers and other casino workers, who died of either smoke inhalation or burning. Scroll down to watch a video of the blaze . Firefighters battle with the blaze which was started by gunmen at the Casino Royale in Monterrey . Crime scene investigators stand in front of two body bags containing the remains of two victims (left) while paramedics carry the body of a woman out of the Casino Royale in Monterrey (right) The fire was believed to have been started by gunmen working for a drug cartel . Emergency servicemen were continuing to pull bodies from the ruins this morning as mourners gathered outside the police cordon in the northern city, which has recently seen an upsurge in drug cartel activity. State police officials initially said . witnesses reported hearing three explosions before the fire . started, but later said a flammable material was used. The reports of explosions may have been the sound of the ignition of the liquid. Smoke billows from the Casino Royale as relatives of the dead huddle together outside the police cordon . Firefighters work to extinguish the fire, which led to the death of 53 people, including gamblers and casino workers . A fire engine powers water at the blaze as smoke billows out of the building . Monterrey has seen bloody turf battles between the Zetas and Gulf cartels in recent months. Once . Mexico's symbol of development and prosperity, the city is seeing this . year's drug-related murders on a pace to double last year's and triple . those of the year before. Last . month, gunmen killed 20 people at a bar in Monterrey - the attackers . sprayed the bar with rounds from assault rifles, and police later found . bags of drugs at the bar. Firefighters covered in dust and smoke struggle to contain the blaze . Two people embrace in the parking lot outside the casino (left) while paramedics help a woman who survived an attack on the Casino Royale (right) The fire was started at about 4pm on Thursday, according to local police . Survivors said the attackers were shouting profanities when they ordered the customers and employees to rush out of the casino, . but many fled further inside the . building. As a result they died trapped amid the flames and thick smoke that soon billowed out of the building. The fire in the casino was reported . just before 4pm yesterday - a relevantly quite period of the day when . normally about 80 people played the tables and slots, according to . former security guard Alberto Martinez Alvarado, 30. Mr Martinez, who on his way home from work when he saw the fire, said the casino could hold hundreds, perhaps a thousand people. 'We're lucky we weren't there,' he said. 'Why couldn't the people who did this do some honest work instead?' Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who launched his war on drug cartels in 2006 when he came to power, condemned the attack . The dead who were recovered were . identified by their relatives at the morgue, though thanks to the blaze . it is proving to be an arduous process. Francisco . Tamayo, who lives in Monterrey, said he and family members looked at . some 40 bodies in search of his mother, Sonia de la Pena, 47, who loved . to gamble at the casino and was there on average four days a week. They have yet to find her, the 28-year-old said, after they rushed to the scene having learned of the fire on the television. Last night president Calderon, 49, used micro blogging site Twitter to condemn the attack and tweeted that it was 'an abhorrent act of terror and barbarism' that requires 'all of us to persevere in the fight against these unscrupulous criminal bands'. Attorney General Leon Adrian de la Garza said a drug cartel appeared to be responsible for the attack, though he didn't not identify exactly which one. Monterrey Mayor Fernando Larrazabal . said many of the bodies were found inside the casino's bathrooms, where . employees and customers had locked themselves to escape the gunmen. Maria Tomas Navarro, 42, stood weeping at the edge of the police tape stretched in front of the smoke-stained casino building. She was hoping for word of her brother, 25-year-old Genaro Navarro Vega, who had worked in the casino's bingo area. Mrs Navarro said she tried calling . her brother's mobile phone, 'but he doesn't answer,' she said. 'I don't . know what is happening. There is nobody to ask.' Cartels often extort casinos and other businesses, threatening to attack them or burn them to the ground if they refuse to pay. It was the second time in only three months that the Casino Royale was targeted. Gunmen struck it and three other casinos on May 25, spraying the building with bullets, but no was reported injured in that attack.

Drug cartel blamed for the attack - though which one has not been revealed . President Calderon condemned the 'abhorrent act of terror' Second time in only three months that the casino was targeted .

f75cdd6f3b886d5262d934097cdbfdbe4cabcc60

Conrad Hilton was driving at 200mph when he hit two cars and crashed on a highway near Palm Springs last month, witnesses claim. Paris Hilton's 19-year-old brother had to be pulled from his wrecked BMW by the jaws of life after changing lanes, hitting a Volkswagen, and colliding with a tractor trailer on Saturday August 23. Incredibly, the teenager escaped without a major injury. 'Speeding': Police are investigating claims that Paris Hilton's 18-year-old brother Conrad, pictured in May at LAX, was driving at 200mph when he was involved in a major car crash in Palm Springs last month . Today, it has emerged numerous motorists pulled over to call 911 with reports that Hilton was driving at 200mph, according to TMZ. Police confirmed they received multiple reports of a reckless driver at the time of the incident, which was also witnessed by a California Highway Patrol helicopter. Firefighters then used the jaws of life to pull Hilton from his vehicle before he was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center. According to TMZ, Hilton reportedly skimmed the back of another car when he tried to change lanes, which caused him to hit the back of a tractor trailer before he came to a stop at the side of the road. Police determined that alcohol or drugs were not factors in the collision. Conrad and socialite Paris, pictured in LA in 2009, and the great-grandchildren of hotel baron Conrad Hilton . MailOnline has contacted Hilton's representative for comment. This isn't Hilton's first brush with the law. In 2011, he crashed into two parked cars in Los Angeles after a night out in West Hollywood. The following year, he was arrested after testing positive for marijuana, which was reportedly a violation of the terms of his probation for a previous marijuana arrest.

Paris Hilton's 19-year-old brother tried to change lanes in his BMW . Multiple witnesses claimed he was driving at around 200mph, police said . He hit a Volkswagen, lost control of his car, crashed into a tractor trailer . Police determined that alcohol or drugs were not factors in the collision . Highway Patrol received reports about a reckless driver before the crash occurred but officers were not in pursuit at the time on August 23 .

605d802aff0693e338d8185927877fdff710a010

By . Jennifer Newton . Hawwa Khan, who suffered horrific burns, when she fell on to a gas fire at her home in Bradford . A toddler died when she fell into a gas fire after the fireguard fitted in her home 'wasn't suitable', an inquest heard. Hawwa Khan was just 23 months old when she died from multiple organ failure after suffering 60 per cent burns when she climbed on to the guard from a footstool and lost her balance at her home in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The infant had been left unattended for a few seconds when the accident happened in December 2011 and the hearing heard how her clothes ignited as her parents desperately tried to douse the flames. Hawwa was then rushed to hospital in Bradford before being transferred to a specialist burns unit at Manchester Royal Infirmary, where she later died. At an inquest, Hawaa's mother Bushra Kauser said it was obvious the fireguard, provided by a council-run home safety scheme, didn't fit the large raised fireplace in their living room. She said: 'A man came to fit the fireguard about a year before the accident. It was obvious that it wasn't suitable. 'We had been told by the council we were eligible for free home safety measures. Two people came round to inspect our home and sent a man round to fit the fireguard, along with a safety gate, in our home. 'He said the fireplace wasn't completely covered, but that it would do the job. I don't remember being given any documents with instructions on how to use it. 'He just showed me how to hook it to the wall and remove it.' Ms Kauser also recalled how she had popped out of the room at the time of the incident and then ran back in after she heard her daughter screaming. The fireguard was made by the Royal Society of Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) and fitted by firm Crestra Ltd as part of a family safety measures scheme with the local safeguarding children's board. Glynn Heeney, who fitted the safety device in the house, told the inquest he couldn't recall fitting it in the main living room. He said: 'I vaguely recall suggesting the guard should go in the upstairs bedroom as the fire in the living room was raised off the ground. 'I remember having some sort of disagreement with the father over where the guard should go. Hawaa was taken to hospital in Bradford and was then transferred to a specialist burns unit at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, where she later died . 'If I thought something was unsafe I would always ring my manager, the man who trained me or the office. I would never be persuaded by a persistent customer.' He added: 'I always leave an instruction manual with the client and go through it with them if needs be. This explains that fireguards shouldn't be climbed on and should be used with parental supervision.' The inquest also heard from Trading Standards officer Clare Forbes, who said: 'There are are some Trading Standards diagrams which show fireguards which may fit over larger fires such as this one. This particular guard was the only one available through the Safe at Home scheme. 'It was this fireguard or no fireguard at all. 'If the manner in which it is fitted was found to be in breach, the remedy arising from that could be that we take over criminal prosecution with the distributor for causing the fireguard to be unsafe. 'That wasn't done in this case.' Summing up assistant coroner Oliver Longstaff gave an accidental ruling. He said: 'These events are events from which no one ever truly recovers. It's only human to cast around to think what could have been done differently. 'There is an irony in the likelihood with how Hawwa came to contact with the fire by the fireguard that was there to protect her. The fireplace where the incident happened with a fireguard, similar to the one which was fitted . 'Various hypotheses have been brought forward. It's unlikely that Hawwa fell directly into the fire, if so she would not have got out and onto the other side of the fireguard. 'It's also unlikely she climbed over the guard, it was 60cm and she was only a metre tall.' He said Hawwa's death, on the balance of probabilities, was more to do with the placing of the footstool she used to climb onto the fireguard. 'My conclusion is that wherever [the fireguard] was fitted, the crucial thing was not its presence but the presence next to it of the adjacent piece of furniture,' the assistant coroner added. 'I find it impossible to resolve disputes about whether the fireguard was fitted in the lounge or elsewhere. Both have been given support in the evidence given by people all trying to do their best to prevent any tragedy. 'It is every parent's nightmare to turn away for a few seconds and to have a disaster occur. This was a tragic accident and it is impossible to think of words to say.' Speaking after the inquest, Hawwa's father Saeed Khan said: 'We have since had two more children and this has given us solace and helped us move on a bit. We've put everything behind us now.'

Hawwa Khan died after suffering 60 per cent burns at her home in Bradford . Mother Bushra Kauser says guard fitted by council didn't fit fireplace in living room . Engineer who fitted the guard says he doesn't recall fitting it in the main room . Coroner gives an accidental death ruling at 23-month-old's inquest .

30faf8df00331e2df72d6cac892a3da965dff3ea

Sydney Swans veteran Adam Goodes has revealed that he is considering entering politics when he playing days with Australian Football are over. The Australian of the Year recipient has been vocal in the past about his desire to be remembered as more than a football player, and to use his career in AFL as a way to create history on and off the field. 'I don’t simply want to be remembered for just kicking around a footy. I want to be remembered for making a difference,' Goodes said. Scroll down for video . Adam Goodes has expressed interest in a career in politics when he hangs up his Sydney Swans jersey . Goodes was the 2014 Australian Of The Year . The premiership-winning captain, who is an anti-racism activist, said that a career in politics after he retires from AFL is an option. 'I wouldn’t say yes or no to politics but it is a real option. It allows you to do something positive for a large amount of people,' Goodes said. Goodes said that he was passionate about addressing issues such as domestic violence, and throwing his energy into campaigns such as Say No to Racism, and the Recognise campaign to include indigenous Australians in the constitution. He said that he knew politicians in sympathy with the causes would be needed to make a real impact. Goodes, an ambassador for Indigenous Australians, said that a decade ago he had suffered mental health issues in the past which had made him passionate about seeing others reach out for help. 'Only about 10 years ago I fell in a pretty dark hole. I was pretty upset. I didn’t want to be in Sydney any more and I had to go and see someone – I was constantly down. I had to ask for help because I didn’t know how to help myself,' he told news.com.au. Speaking about the high pressure environment of football, Goodes said that the spotlight was always on during game time, which made reaching out even more vital. At 34, Goodes has played more than 300 AFL matches for Sydney and was twice named the best player of the year. He was crowned the Brownlow Medalist in 2003 and 2006 and was this year given the country's top honour when named Australian Of The Year. 'Very proud' Australian Of The Year Adam Goodes said his indigenous heritage is a very important part of his life. On receiving his award he said he was a 'very proud indigenous man' who was keen to fight racism in Australia. He said it was a different accolade altogether to the one's he was used to receiving in AFL. 'I’m a little bit overwhelmed, to be honest. It’s not like winning a premiership or winning a Brownlow medal for the skills that you show on the football field, it’s quite amazing.' Earlier in the year during an interview with the BBC, the AFL star said some Australian policies had resulted in the suppression of indigenous people and other minorities and called for better education about the country's history. 'The history of our country is built on so much lies and racial policies, and things that have suppressed my people and lots of minorities in this country, so you can't blame people for having the views that they have,' he said. Racist: Adam Goodes points to the 13-year-old girl after she shouted 'Ape' at him . Challenge: Goodes (right) and Marley Williams of Collingwood battle for the ball . He also said children needed to be taught that Australia wasn't founded by Captain James Cook. 'I can use my position to help educate people to see through the things that they've been taught growing up,' he said. Goodes stepped up his work as an anti-racism campaigner last year after being subjected to abuse by a 13-year-old girl during a Sydney Swans game, and later became the subject of a joke made by Collingwood President Eddie McGuire in relation to King Kong the musical. On Shane Warne and the controversial Twitter admission he made during an AFL match where the leg spinner said he was 'shocked' he won the Australian Of The Year honour, Goodes said: . Adam Goodes of the Sydney Swans speaks to the media during an AFL press conference on May 25, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia - to address the racial abuse sent his way the previous evening . 'My argument has always been, 'I didn't nominate me...I don't have a vote on the Australia Day council, it's their choice.' Former test Cricketer Adam Gilchrist who is a member of the Australian Day council said Shane Warne is entitled to his opinion on both the AFL player and the Australian of The Year winner, but stopped at saying Warne was 'racist'. 'Some have misconstrued Warnie's comments as racist. People have got wildly out of control if they think that.'

Sydney Swans veteran Adam Goodes said that he wants to be remembered 'for making a difference' The Australian of the Year and Indigenous Australian activist said that politics is an option when he finishes playing AFL . The football player has been vocal in the past about creating history on and off the field . Goodes made controversial statements earlier in the year about Australian policies suppressing Indigenous history .

d762b17f0966b6fea66b3164dfdf13d35c823aa6

You may be admiring your tan after a glorious weekend – but don’t get too attached to it. For we have just a 25 per cent chance of enjoying a sizzling summer, the Met Office claimed last night. Forecasters made a series of predictions based on weather models. Don't get used to it: Londoners were enjoying the sun near to Tower Bridge on Monday, but the hot weather is not likely to last, says Met Office . They said there is just a one in four chance of temperatures being above average from this month to August. Above average is defined as any temperature higher than 15C (59F). And the odds of a particularly dry summer, with less than 175mm of rain, were just 15 per cent, making drizzly weather more likely. The said average temperatures for the summer months were likely to range from lows of 10C / 50F to highs of 18C / 64F. The average rainfall from June to August is set to be 241mm.Thankfully the odds of a particularly cold summer, below 13.75C / 55F, are low at 10 per cent. Go while you can: Forecasters at the Met Office say there is just a one in four chance of temperatures being above average from this month to August . Tan up: Two friends sunbathe on Southsea Common, Portsmouth on Monday to make the most of the sunny weather . But the chances of it being wetter than usual, with up to 450mm of rainfall, are higher at one in five. The Met Office makes longer term forecasts to enable emergency services and other bodies to make contingency plans for extreme weather conditions. But these are harder to make with absolute accuracy. The Met Office’s 30 day outlook last night stated: ‘The weather is expected to settle down with many areas having some warm sunshine, although showers are still likely in the northwest. ‘From mid-June to early July, the indications are that the weather will be close to what is climatologically normal for this time of year – giving us a tendency for occasional spells of unsettled weather interspersed with fine and warm spells, much as we have seen recently.’ In the shorter term warm, changeable conditions are expected today and tomorrow, but will give way to sunnier weather on Thursday. Andy Ratcliffe, forecaster for Meteogroup, said: ‘These next few days will see showers with warm temperatures and breezy conditions. Later in the week will be dry and sunny as a high pressure system moves across England. ‘By the weekend the high pressure system will move south west leaving the north susceptible to more showers.’ The warmest place in the UK today is expected to be London where temperatures will reach 22C / 71F, and the coldest place will be the coast of Cumbria where temperatures will be around 15C / 59F. The wettest area today will be Powys, where 15 mm of rainfall is expected.

The summer weather is not here to stay, says Met Office forecasters . Just a one in four chance of temperatures being above average .

71d48a7c7dc92062658c77518a402321bd48d728

By . John Hall . A young British nightclub photographer has been killed and his fiance is fighting for her life following a moped crash in Cyprus. James Haggerty, who had only just turned 20, died when the moped he was riding collided with a bus in the popular tourist resort Ayia Napa. His pillion passenger and wife-to-be Mariel Alejandra, also 20, is now fighting for her life after being rushed to Nicosia General Hospital for treatment. Accident: James Haggerty (right) died when the moped he was riding collided with a bus in the popular tourist resort Ayia Napa. His fiance Mariel Alejandra (left) is fighting for her life . Couple: Mariel Alejandra (right), who is originally from Sweden, was a passenger on the moped driven by her fiance James Haggerty (left). She was rushed to Nicosia General Hospital with life threatening injuries . Tragic: James Haggerty (pictured left and right), who had only just turned 20, died when the moped he was riding collided with a bus in Ayia Napa. He had working been in the popular tourist resort since May . Talent: James Haggerty was working on the island as a nightclub photographer. He was already well known for his camera work on the Manchester nightclub scene . Mr Haggerty, a student at Salford University, is understood to have been working as a photographer on the island since May, but was already well known for his work on the Manchester nightclub scene. The moped is believed to have collided with the bus at a junction in the centre of the resort, with the 56-year-old bus driver treated for shock at  the scene. Miss Alejandra, who originally from Sweden, was a passenger on the moped when it . crashed and was rushed to Nicosia General Hospital for treatment. She moved to Manchester where she met and got engaged to James, with friends describing the pair as 'inseparable'. Mr Haggerty, from Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester, worked across several venues in the party resort and friends and colleagues paid tribute to the 'fun-loving' student. A spokesman from the Kandi Beach Party club said: 'He was a really hard-working, fun-loving guy who loved his work and was very popular in Ayia Napa. Everyone knew him.' Relationship: Mariel Alejandra, 20, recently moved to Manchester where she met and got engaged to James Haggerty, also 20. Friends described the young couple as 'inseparable' Tribute: Mr Haggerty (left), from Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester, worked across several venues in the party resort. Friends and colleagues have now paid their respects to the 'fun-loving' student . Sad: Maria Alejandra (right in both images) is believed to have been riding pillion on the moped at the time of the crash which killed her fiance James Haggerty (left in both images). The pair were only recently engaged . 'Everyone's in complete shock, it's such an awful thing to have happened. He was a great guy and people are just struggling to take it in.' Friends from the nightclub resort took to Twitter to pay tribute to Mr Haggerty. Paige Thompson said: 'I'm in shock, worst news ever just speaking with you yesterday! Life's to short R.I.P.' The rapper-turned-DJ Wiley - who headlined at the Kandi Beach Party club last week - also tweeted: 'RIP James #photographer'. Local police reports say a woman riding as a passenger on the moped behind James Haggarty (pictured left and right) was taken to Nicosia General Hospital with serious injuries. The bus driver was treated for shock . Victim: A spokesman from the Kandi Beach Party club said James Haggarty was 'a really hard-working, fun-loving guy who loved his work and was very popular in Ayia Napa. Everyone knew him' Mr Haggerty previously worked as a cameraman at The Milton Club and Suede nightclub in Manchester while studying at university. He was a former TV and film student at Ashton Sixth Form College and went on to study at Salford University last year. A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'We can confirm the death of a British national in a traffic accident in Cyprus on June 24.' He added that the man's family had been informed.

James Heggarty, 20, died after crashing his moped while in Ayia Napa . Had been working as a nightclub photographer in the resort since May . Female passenger, 20, also taken to Nicosia hospital with serious injuries . She has now been identified as Mr Heggarty's fiance Mariel Alejandra . Friends pay tribute to Mr Heggarty, who lived in Greater Manchester . Described as 'fun loving' and 'great' by fellow Salford University students .

eae4169300d04b9219204e2815e4b3a2b77b122f

Next month, U.S. President Barack Obama will become the first sitting American president to visit Myanmar, the strongest endorsement yet of the country's efforts to tread a path to democracy. Much has changed in a year since U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a historic visit to the country in December 2011. CNN was also invited to enter Myanmar, also known as Burma, for the first time in years. With an official journalist visa stamped in our passport, we and other media invited for Clinton's visit, knew this was a big change for a country that has repelled any kind of scrutiny for half a century. Q&A: What's behind sectarian violence in Myanmar? Obama's visit will come at a time when Myanmar is in the news again but not for the right reasons. Violence between Rohingya Muslims and local Buddhists continues in Rakhine state in the west of the country. The United Nations says at least 89 people have been killed in the past two weeks and 110,000 are displaced. Some aid organizations are questioning whether now is the right time for Obama to add legitimacy to the government of President Thein Sein. But there's no denying a lot has changed in the past year and a half. Read more: Aung San Suu Kyi has "soft spot" for the military generals . So far, a quasi-civilian government has been sworn in, although the military still holds great sway. Hundreds of political prisoners have been released, ceasefires have been signed between the government and some but not all ethnic groups. Political and economic reform is well underway. Another change that didn't make headlines but has been clear to us during numerous trips over that 12-month period is the attitude of the Burmese people. Last year, very few people would speak to us on camera or in some cases even off-camera for fear of retribution. Decades of brutal military rule turned freedom of speech into a luxury most could not afford. Aung San Suu Kyi: Peaceful freedom fighter . But just four months later, during a bi-election in which the freed opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her party won almost all seats, caution was thrown to the wind and celebrations were passionate and unrestrained. Thousands of jubilant Suu Kyi supporters spilled into the street, holding posters of the woman who had spent much of the past two decades under house arrest -- these were scenes which just a couple of years earlier would have ended in arrest and imprisonment. U Myint Maung, a man from Yangon, had a simple explanation of the election. "The people were living in prison. Aung San Suu Kyi held the key to open the door," he said. We, as journalists, were welcomed and thanked on the streets as if the fact we were there documenting these changes meant they could never be reversed. Read more: Myanmar eases restrictions on news organizations . But not one person we spoke to over many months said their lives had physically improved. They were more hopeful and believed democracy was now possible but they were still struggling to survive. Daily life is hard for many Burmese. A country that was one of the richest in Asia 50 years ago is now one of the poorest. Authorities are struggling to shore up institutions and update laws to protect people and resources from hungry international investors snapping at Myanmar's heels. The ethnic unrest in Rahkine state has tested the efforts of President Thein Sein's administration to seek reconciliation with Myanmar's different ethnic groups. There's no doubt that some changes in Myanmar have been swift and Sein deserves the international praise he is receiving. But the transformation from pariah to ally is not complete and the skeptics among us worry it could yet stumble.

President Obama will become first sitting U.S. president to visit Myanmar . U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited country in December 2011 . Uncertainty remains for Myanmar as ethnic violence continues in Rakhine state .

f7e3b533b8f0d0e0b591e3a1a9aa37e7ba418a12

PUBLISHED: . 05:28 EST, 22 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:29 EST, 22 January 2014 . Families face being 'clobbered' by a rise in interest rates, it was warned today as unemployment fell to within a whisker of the target set by the Bank of England. A record number of people found work in the three months to November, as the economic recovery builds a head of steam. It means the unemployment rate fell sharply to 7.1 per cent, just above the 7 per cent target set by Bank governor Mark Carney when he could consider putting up interest rates. The unemployment rate fell sharply to 7.1%, putting it within a whisker of the 7% target set by the Bank of England when it could consider putting up interest rates . Surprise figures today show an extra . 280,000 people had a job in the last three months - the largest . quarterly increase since records began in the 1970s. In a huge boost for George Osborne's economic plan, there is now a record 30.15 million people in work. It comes after the International Monetary Fund said Britain would grow faster than any other European country. Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter: 'The biggest quarterly increase in employment on record. More jobs means more security, peace of mind and opportunity for the British people.' In the Commons today he said cuts in public . spending meant the Government was able to offer voters tax cuts, which . when they were taken in to account meant people were better off than in . 2010. Mr Cameron told Labour leader Ed Miliband: 'We are cutting taxes for everyone in this country and we are only able to do that because we have controlled spending. What you cannot face is the fact that the economy is improving. 'The fact is today our plan is working. There are 1.3 million more people in work in our country. That is 1.3 million more people with the security of a pay packet. We are securing Britain's future and it would be put at risk by Labour.' But Mr Miliband claimed many voters were facing a cost of living crisis as inflation continued to rise at a faster rate than wages. A delighted David Cameron said the record number of new jobs was proof the government's economic plan is working . Of the 280,000 new jobs created from September to November, 220,000 were full-time - reversing a trend where many people were forced to take part-time work. There was a fall in the number of people working part-time because they could not find full-time jobs - down by 12,000 to 1.4 million. The number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance in December fell by 24,000 to 1.25 million, the lowest figure for almost five years. However the biggest shock was the fall in the unemployment rate, down from 7.4 per cent in August-October to 7.1 per cent. An extra 280,000 jobs were created in September-November, the largest quarterly increase since records began in the 1970s . Young people should be prepared to . take lowly jobs in coffee shops if they want to get on in life, the . employment minister has said. Esther . McVey said jobseekers need reminding that they have to start at the . bottom and work their way up, rather than expecting to walk into their . dream job. In an interview . with the Mail, she admitted that young Britons are less prepared for the . world of work than foreign migrants and need to learn the basics, such . as turning up on time. But she insisted that those who want . to work hard can succeed if they are prepared to learn the ropes and ‘be . realistic’ about their abilities. Asked . if they should be prepared to take ‘entry-level jobs’, she said: . ‘Absolutely. You could be working at Costa. But in a couple of years’ time you might say, “I’d like to manage the area” or might even want to . run a hotel in Dubai.’ Bank of England governor Mark Carney had said that unemployment would have to reach 7 per cent before he would consider putting up interest rates. It had been expected by the end of 2016 but it now seems almost certain to happen in the first half of this year. TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady . said: 'It's encouraging to see another big fall in unemployment, . particularly amongst young people who until now haven't benefited from . rising job levels. 'But . while headline unemployment is within a whisker of the Bank's forward . guidance threshold, an early interest rate rise would clobber . mortgage-holders and businesses - jeopardising our economic recovery.' Mr Carney has in recent weeks rowed back from the idea of a sudden increase in interest rates, which could trigger a sharp rise in mortgage bills for families still not enjoying the benefits of the recovery. In an attempt to quell fears of a sudden . rate rise, minutes of the Bank’s meeting released today showed members of the nine-strong monetary policy committee (MPC) 'see no . immediate need to raise rates' regardless of the plunging unemployment rate. New figures today also show wages are up just 0.9 per cent, while the CPI rate of inflation tracking the rise in living costs is at 2.1 per cent. Employment minister Esther McVey said: 'Creating jobs and getting people into employment are central to our economic plan to build a stronger, more competitive economy, so it is very encouraging news that we’ve seen a record-breaking rise in employment over the last three months – the largest ever. 'With the highest quarterly fall in unemployment since 1997, it’s clear that the Government’s long-term economic plan to get people off benefits and into work so they can secure their future is proving successful.' Labour's shadow work and pensions . secretary Rachel Reeves said: 'Today’s fall in overall unemployment is . welcome. The Government should use this opportunity to tackle the . unacceptably high levels of long-term unemployment and youth . unemployment. 'More than 900,000 young people are unemployed and over 250,000 young people are long-term unemployed. The . Bank of England's monetary policy committee (MPC) has said it will not . lift interest rates above their historically-low level of 0.5 per cent . until the unemployment rate drops to 7 per cent. Bank of England governor Mark Carney will come under pressure to make clear if interest rights will rise this year as TUC leader Frances O'Grady warned a rise would 'clobber' families . Analysts had not expected the threshold to be reached until later in the year, although the Bank has since stressed a figure of  7 per cent will not automatically trigger an interest rate rise. Dr John Philpott, director of The Jobs Economist, said: 'It's now inevitable that unemployment will soon fall below the Bank of England's forward guidance rate of 7 per cent. 'However, the weakness of pay growth suggests there is still a considerable amount of slack in the labour market which for the time being remains an inflation free zone. Better news on jobs is no reason for an early rise in UK interest rates.'

Extra 280,000 jobs in three months to November, biggest rise on record . Biggest shock was the unemployment rate falling to just 7.1% . Bank of England will consider interest rate rise when it hits 7% . Warnings any rate rise will 'clobber' familiesstill squeezed by low wages . By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor .

c2a6548c3ffc50d64cbe2304891bee6afd22cfaa

A boy of three went into toxic shock after a holiday henna tattoo left him struggling to breathe in a hospital burns unit. Ellis Burke's arm started reacting to the black henna Spiderman tattoo almost immediately after having it done while in Marbella, Spain. Days later back in Oldham, Greater Manchester, he began struggling to breathe, had a high temperature and started vomiting so his worried parents called an ambulance. Ellis Burke had a Spiderman black henna tattoo while on holiday in Marbella, Spain. His arm started reacting almost immediately . He was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital and later discharged. But the next day when he was no better his mum took him to the Oldham Integrated Care Centre where they diagnosed severe toxic shock and immediately sent him to the children's burns unit at Manchester Royal Infirmary. Ellis was forced to spend the night there while they stabilised his condition and cleaned up his wounds. His mother Shabana Murray says Ellis has had a terrible ordeal and she warned against anyone having the black henna tattoo which contains a chemical called para-phenylenediamine (PPD) and sometimes even kerosene or petrol. 'As soon as he had it done it started to react so we washed his arm in the sea but it made no difference,' said Shabana, from Middleton Road, Chadderton. 'The next day it started to blister so we went to the pharmacy and got some anti-allergy medication but it just got worse and worse. Ellis Murray, three, was scarred by a henna tattoo after an allergic reaction. He is pictured here with his mother Shabana Murray, from Oldham . 'As soon as we got home we went to A&E where they just prescribed antibiotics and more Piriton but they didn't clean it they just put the dressing back on. 'A few days later he just suddenly went down hill and woke up struggling to breathe and vomiting, his temperature was 39.4C when the ambulance arrived. 'But it was only at the walk-in centre they finally diagnosed toxic shock and sent him to Manchester Royal where they said they've never seen such a bad reaction. In fact they said they were going to use his case to inform other doctors of the effects of PPD.' Mrs Murray says she could never had imagined something so terrible and dangerous would have come from a temporary tattoo. 'We've been going to the same resort for the last four years and my eldest son has had it done several times at the same place by the same guy,' she said. 'In fact Ellis had one done the week before and was fine. 'People need to know about this and basically avoid having one because the consequences are serious and can be life-threatening. 'I knew nothing about this PPD until I came back and read about it online. As far as I know its use in henna tattoos is banned in this country. 'I now have to clean and dress his arm three times a day and it's likely there will be permanent scarring. 'He'll also be sensitive to anything with PPD in like hair dye so will have to be careful for the rest of his life.'

Ellis Burke's arm started reacting to the tattoo almost immediately . The three-year-old had it done while on a family holiday in Marbella . Days later back in Oldham he struggled to breathe and was vomiting .

decf3ea0021055ca2eed5bf044407679b267be74

Tokyo (CNN) -- Radiation readings near tanks holding toxic water at Japan's crippled nuclear power plant have jumped to a new high, the plant operator said Wednesday. Tokyo Electric Power Company, which has been struggling to deal with a series of leaks at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, said it detected a radiation level of 2,200 millisieverts near the tanks on Tuesday. That's up from a previous high of 1,800 millisieverts on Saturday. Those levels, detected around the same tank, are strong enough to kill an unprotected person within hours. But TEPCO said the type of radiation is easy to shield against. How did we get to this point? The announcement of the increased reading came a day after the Japanese government officially stepped into the effort to deal with the contaminated water crisis at the Fukushima plant, which was severely damaged by the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck northeast Japan in March 2011. The government said Tuesday that it would spend the equivalent of $470 million on measures that included an ambitious plan to freeze the ground surrounding the plant's stricken reactors to prevent the contamination of groundwater at the site. TEPCO has accumulated a vast volume of tainted water in roughly 1,000 huge storage tanks at the site, some of them hastily assembled in the aftermath of the tsunami. More leaks feared at Fukushima . And the amount of radioactive water at the plant keeps growing day by day, as groundwater seeps in and the company pumps liquid around the damaged reactors to keep them cool. Last month, TEPCO said one of the tanks at the site had leaked 300 tons of toxic water, prompting Japan's nuclear regulator to declare the situation a Level 3 serious incident, its gravest assessment since the reactor meltdowns at the plant in 2011. TEPCO looks for outside help to stabilize crippled Fukushima nuclear plant . The nuclear watchdog, the Nuclear Regulation Authority, said this week that the recent high radiation readings have raised suspicions of more leaks from other water containers. TEPCO said Wednesday that it hadn't found any leaks from this tank and that the cause of the high radiation reading was under investigation. Japan fed up with 'whack-a-mole' approach to Fukushima .

TEPCO says it measured radiation of 2,200 millisieverts at the plant . The reading came from near a tank holding contaminated water . The previous highest reading around that tank was 1,800 millisieverts on Saturday . Those levels are strong enough to kill an unprotected person within hours .

92281f3c2ecf92b445c516c43fc52ed5e3c4f82d

There are all sorts of games to play in New York. One of my favourites is anticipating people's reactions. Ask for a cup of coffee and chances are that 'Comin' up!' or 'You got it!' will be barked back at you. Once the coffee has arrived and you've said thank you, take your pick from 'You bet!' or simply 'Sure!' Such rapid-fire responses fit perfectly with this pulsating, absorbing city — overtly positive, unambiguous, energetic. It's the energy that's so addictive. Even the seconds counting down at traffic lights to help pedestrians cross the road safely seem speeded up. The police sirens are noisier, the fast food faster, the portions bigger (never order two Caesar salads, and remember that a 'side' of chips will feed a family of four), the beer colder, the teeth whiter, the seasons starker. The real deal: You'll feel like you're on a movie set when you visit New York City . 'New York keeps you going,' is how a stranger puts it after we take our seats at Carbone, a terrific - and currently fashionable - restaurant in Greenwich Village which might be seen as passé in three weeks' time. Talking to strangers is perfectly normal in the Big Bagel. It's as if everyone has just got off the plane and wants to introduce themselves. 'Where you from?' is the enduring refrain. 'A little-known planet due south of Saturn, actually. You?' 'Not sure, but I'm living in the present now.' Living In The Present might be a good slogan to replace the whiskery The City That Never Sleeps. The taxi driver bringing you into town from JFK airport might have arrived here himself only two days earlier, but you would never know it. Or, as Tom Wolfe, author of that masterpiece about Manhattan, The Bonfire Of The Vanities, put it more eloquently: 'One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years.' Star rating: Sex And The City's Sarah Jessica Parker (right)  loves The Mark hotel's restaurant . Discreet and restful: The Mark hotel is located near Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum . Where to stay? The area is perhaps more important than the hotel, but get both right — as we do — and you'll be richly rewarded. We opt for The Mark on the Upper East Side between Fifth and Madison because we are neither cool nor in our 20s or 30s (or even 40s if you must know) and want to be near Central Park (to run or walk round the Jackie Onassis reservoir before breakfast is the urban equivalent of picking wild mushrooms on a dewy Scottish morning), the Metropolitan Museum and the stupendous Frick Collection. The Mark is privately owned, discreet, restful. Beautiful people glide by in pressed linen and expensive shoes - and that's just the staff. Its restaurant is overseen by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and attracts a blue-chip crowd. Sex And The City's Sarah Jessica Parker loves the place. She lives nearby, but still checks in from time to time. Glorious: Take an afternoon walk on the High Line, which was once an elevated railway line from the Thirties . Seasoned New Yorkers will tell you the trendy Meatpacking District on the Lower West Side is already overcooked. But it seems juicy enough to us. On Sunday afternoon, after walking the glorious High Line (the last section of the route, once an elevated railway line from the Thirties, opens next Sunday), a queue forms outside the Gansevolt Hotel and we join it. When at the front, a man wearing dark glasses, an earpiece and holding a clipboard gives us the once over. 'Is there a party going on?' I ask him. 'You bet!' he says. 'Well, we've not been invited, I'm afraid.' You have now, brother. Head up to the roof terrace and have yourself a great time.' One place - perhaps the only place - where New York retreats in on itself is at the National September 11 Memorial. Here, two vast pools with the largest man-made waterfalls in the U.S. are sunk into the ground within the footprints of the Twin Towers. The names of all those who died in the terror attacks of 2001 are etched into the supporting walls. Poignant: One place where New York retreats in on itself is at the National September 11 Memorial . Culture: Mark's visit to the Met opera house coincided with the American Ballet's production of Don Quixote . The September 11 Museum is now open, but has attracted criticism for selling T-shirts, toy rescue dogs and such like. 'Vulgarity with the noblest intentions,' is how a relative of a man killed that day has put it. What's certain is that no visit to New York feels right without making the pilgrimage to this extraordinary spot. Our visit to the Met at the Lincoln Centre coincides with the American Ballet's production of Don Quixote. First, we eat spectacularly well just across the road from the opera house at Bar Boulud. After the show we walk to Columbus Circle and make for the Lobby Lounge on the 37th floor of the Mandarin Oriental, with sensational views. Across the way is a new high-rise where, our waiter says, the penthouse has just sold for $200 million. Fact or fantasy? The two blur beautifully in America's greatest city. A couple of decades ago, I spent three years working here. A fellow journalist welcomed me by saying: 'Whereas in some towns you feel like you're watching a movie, here in New York City you're in the damn movie.' Doubles at The Mark (themarkhotel.com, 001 212 744 4300) start at £270. Virgin Atlantic (virginatlantic.com, 0844 2092 770) flies six times daily from Heathrow to New York, with return fares from £439. For more information, visit nycgo.com .

The Big Apple is overtly positive, unambiguous and addictively energetic . Writer stayed at the discreet The Mark hotel near the Metropolitan Museum . SATC's Sarah Jessica Parker lives nearby the hotel and is a big fan . Trip wouldn't be complete without a visit to National September 11 Memorial . Another must is the Mandarin Oriental's 37th floor for sensational views .

51fe13b35c5a647ae5064840f59280984e3129dd

By . Abul Taher . PUBLISHED: . 17:22 EST, 2 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:33 EST, 2 February 2013 . The father of murdered toddler James Bulger has revealed that he blamed his ex-wife in the immediate aftermath of their son’s death. Ralph Bulger, 46, says he now feels ‘ashamed’ of holding Denise, 45, responsible for the fateful day in 1993 when James was led away from a shopping centre by two ten-year-old boys who committed a crime that shocked the nation. In extracts from his new book, My James, published in The Mail on Sunday’s Review section today to mark the 20th anniversary of his son’s death, Mr Bulger says: ‘There would be times when – quite unfairly – I blamed Denise. Held her responsible: Ralph Bulger (right) has revealed that he blamed his ex-wife Denise (left) in the immediate aftermath of their son's death and says he feels 'ashamed' of doing so . ‘I was wrong. Very, very wrong. It was just part of my raging grief. 'I wanted to scream: “Why did you let go of his hand? Why did you let him out of your sight? He would still be here if it wasn’t for you.” ’ Picture of innocence: James Bulger was murdered in 1993 when he was led away from a shopping centre by two ten-year-old boys . He adds: ‘I am deeply ashamed of blaming Denise. 'She loved James with her heart and soul, and what happened that day was not her fault.’ On February 12, 1993, James vanished during a trip with his mother – who divorced Ralph in 1995 – to the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, near Liverpool. CCTV images show James being led away by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. Mr Bulger writes of the terrible torture James endured at their hands. 'His son’s dismembered body was found on railway tracks two days later. Venables and Thompson became the youngest convicted murderers in modern British history. Mr Bulger say they never ‘showed an ounce of compassion’, writing: ‘It may over-simplify the arguments, but that to my mind makes them evil beyond belief.’ The youngest convicted murderers: CCTV footage shows the toddler holding the hand of Jon Venables, one of the boys who was convicted of his murder . Crime that shocked the nation: Mr Bulger has written in his new book of the terrible torture James endured at the hands of 10-year-olds Jon Venables (left) and Robert Thompson (right)

Father Ralph Bulger has published a new book to mark the 20th anniversary . His son, 2, was tortured and murdered by two 10-year-olds in 1993 . He feels 'ashamed' for holding ex-wife Denise responsible for the fateful day .

58862557ae6f50d6ebd04bb297c76019abdbc900

By . Alex Greig . and Associated Press . When David Good was a child and people asked about his mother, he'd give them an answer he knew would preclude any further questions: she died in a car crash. In fact, his mother was alive and well, only instead of baking cookies and helping with homework, she was barefoot and mostly naked, with sticks coming out of piercings in her face, gathering grubworms and roasting boa constrictors deep in the Amazon jungle. Good's mother was never the suburban mom she tried to be. Her name is Yarima, and she is part of the Yanomami tribe from Venezuela. Scroll down for video . Worlds apart: David Good greets his mother Yarima of the Yanomami tribe after an absence of 19 years . 'I didn’t want my friends to know that my mom’s a naked jungle woman eating tarantulas,' Good told the New York Post. 'I didn’t want to be known as a half-breed. And it was my revenge; I was angry that she left me. So I just wanted to stick with the story that she was dead.' Good is one of three children born to Yarima and Kenneth Good, an anthropology professor who encountered the Yanomami more than 30 years ago as a student and returned so frequently that he was regarded as a part of the tribe. Kenneth Good was supposed to be there for 15 months, but instead became enamored of the culture and spent 12 years there, on and off. Along with his acceptance into the tribe, Kenneth Good was offered a wife. Although she was only in her early teens, Yarima was promised to Kenneth Good and the two were married. Kenneth Good eventually returned to the United States, bringing Yarima with him, but it wasn't easy. Everything . was alien to the young woman, who had to learn to count because the . entire Yanomami numerical system consisted one 'one,' 'two,' and 'many.' Having . never experienced any type of technology, she was confused and at times . frightened, believing cars to be ferocious animals and struggling . through English lessons. There . were discoveries too: Yarima loved traffic jams, gold chains, country . fairs and action films. Kenneth Good once had to cancel the family's . pay-per-view when he received a sizeable bill because Yarima had watched . Rocky V seven times. But . Yarima felt isolated, spending most of her time in the couple's . Rutherford, New Jersey, home watching TV, unable to communicate with . anyone but her husband. In . 1991, Kenneth Good made a deal with National Geographic to film a . documentary of the entire family returning to Venezuela, including David . and his younger siblings Vanessa and Daniel. Nuclear family: Yarima and Kenneth Good with two of their children David (left) and Vanessa (right) Adjustment: Yarima had to adjust to a Western way of life when she moved to New Jersey with Kenneth Good, a task that eventually proved too difficult . While they were there, Yarima made the painful decision not to return to the United States. David was just six. 'After two or three years, I began internalizing it as abandonment,' David Good told the New York Post. 'Sometimes I would bring Yarima up,' Kenneth said. 'And when I did - dead silence. I thought, "Well, that’s strange."' Once, when David was about 10 years old, his class took a field trip to the Museum of Natural History where he saw a blown-up photo of his mom, taken by his dad on the wall as part of a tribal exhibit. 'I just froze,' David Good told the New York Post. 'All the blood drained out of me. I ran to a dark corner and hid for 10 minutes.' Finally, after a tumultuous adolescence where he self-medicated with drugs and alcohol and internalized his pain over his mother, David Good read a book his father had written about his experiences with Yarima and the Yanomami tribe called Into the Heart. He was 20 and finally ready to hear his mother's side of the story. In 2011, he left to U.S. to visit the Yanomami. It had been 19 years since Good had seen Yarima. The East Stroudsburg University graduate student didn't know what to expect. Home: When David Good went to visit his mother, he didn't even know if she was alive and well, because the Yanomami don't have any contact with the world outside their tribe . Prior to that summer trip, it had been years since Good left the United States — the last time as a small child on the fateful trip in which he would lose his mother to her tribe. The trip to Venezuela involved two years of coordination. Once there, Good had to navigate the Orinoco River with a tour guide and translator, deep into the Amazonian rainforest, where few outsiders venture. Living so remotely, Yarima was cut off from all forms of modern communication, and therefore Good had no way of knowing if she was even alive. The trip changed Good's life. 'That trip was all about uncertainty,' David told the New York Post. 'I didn’t know if she would like me, or if I would like her, or if she would reject me.' When she emerged from the jungle, David recognized his mother's face immediately. He didn't hug or kiss her - it's not the Yanomami way - but he told her something he'd wanted to say for years. 'I said, "Mama, I made it, I’m home. It took so long, but I made it."' They both cried. Good, then 27, was exposed to a way of life he never experienced in the United States. He was struck by the bare-bones nature of the tribe. Everything in their lives — food, shelter, the baskets they weave and arrows they make — comes from the land. In the middle of the rainforest, without the distractions of technology and demands of a global society, there was only the 'simple essence of human communication,' Good explained. Good has since made it his mission to address the needs of indigenous groups like the Yanomami, and to educate the world about their way of life. 'I want to rectify the world's image of them. You still hear so many stereotypes, like they are "primitive,"' Good said. Embracing heritage: Since he first revisited his mother, Good has become more and more enamored of the Yanomami way of life . Bridging the gap: In his unique position as a Western Yanomami, Good is helping to preserve the culture while bringing in necessities such as medicine . In August, he started The Good Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to these goals. The organization is part of ESU's Business Accelerator. In December, the group registered as a nonprofit in Pennsylvania, and it is applying for its 501(c)(3) status. In November, Good did make another return trip to the Amazon, staying in his mother's village, Irokai-Teri, for more than a month. He also took a weeklong trip to Costa Rica to study and visit with the Cabecar tribe, one of the most remote groups in Costa Rica. On May 24, he left for his first official trip with The Good Project, returning to the Cabecar village along with four ESU students to continue his outreach there. Right now, he plans to focus The Good Project's mission specifically on these two tribes. It's really difficult for remote populations such as the Cabecar and Yanomami to receive basic necessities like clothing and medicine. Good hopes to bring supplies to these groups, but also wants to help preserve the Cabecar and Yanomami way of life and find out exactly what the tribes' people need. He is interested in ethnography — staying with the tribes for an extended period of time to 'walk in their shoes' and learn about their daily struggles. While Good doesn't plan to spend as much time in the villages as his father did with the Yanomami, he would like to take extended trips between three to six months. Mother and son: The Yanomami have no word for love, but as Yarima gives her son David Good a haircut it's clear the pair are family . New beginnings: After a long separation, David Good (carried by father Kenneth Good) and his mother Yarima (left) are building a relationship . He also hopes to bring others with him, particularly people in the Poconos. The group of ESU students traveling to Costa Rica in May is a diverse one, 'which is exactly what I wanted,' Good said. The group consists of a nursing major, biology major, math major and computer science major. For an outsider, experiencing a third world culture for the first time is shocking, he said. 'As Americans, we just want to figure out how to go at them and solve them, but they aren't really poor in spirit,' Good said of the remote tribes. The tribes are free from many problems faced by modern society, such as depression, suicide and even diseases like cancer. In fact, Good says he feels happiest at home in the Amazon rainforest. 'I never felt any happier than being alone in my hammock, rocking next to the fire at the end of a hard day's work in the garden,' he said. 'They are self-sufficient, they just live with less.' When he's with his mother, he lives just as she does. 'My dad tells me not to walk around barefoot in my underwear, but I want to,' David says. He eats grub worms, termites, boa constrictors, monkeys, armadillo. 'I really want to be Yanomami,' David says. 'I want to trek through the jungle like they do.' He and Yarima are slowly building a relationship after so many years and a culture apart. 'It’s not like there’s closure,' David said. 'We’re at the beginning of our story, in so many ways.'

David Good saw his mother Yarima for the first time since he was six in 2011 . She is part of the Yanomami tribe of Venezuela . Good's father Kenneth Good met Yarima while an anthropology student studying her tribe . Yarima lived in suburban New Jersey with Kenneth and their three children . On a trip back home, she decided not to return to the United States . David Good saw a picture of her in the Natural History Museum when he was 10 . He used to tell people she was dead because he was embarrassed, but is now embracing his Yanomami culture .

38d885190a1c15e062b3e57c10fc0efbf5a670e5

A man has been arrested after he allegedly tried to hire a teenager for $600 a week and an iPhone. 'Sugar babies' are women who date rich older men and receive money and gifts in exchange, something the Miami New Times has reported on. But this girl was only 15 and a Miami man was arrested after he traveled to a park in Pembroke Pines to meet the teenager with an iPhone, some gift cards and cannabis. Scroll down for video . Accused: Raul Torres (right) is accused of arranging to meet the fictitious 15-year-old girl after they chatted on the internet . Instead of meeting the schoolgirl, he was caught by police after they arranged a sting operation. Raul Alejandro Torres, 34, allegedly posted an online ad called 'Sugahdaddi 4Sugahbaybe 34(FLL).' Though its not clear that that Torres was specifically looking for an underaged girl, a Pembroke Pines detective responded to the ad in the guise of a 15-year-old girl. Police say that Torres was made well aware that his imaginary chat partner was underage. 'Age is just a number,' he reportedly told the undercover detective. The detective made arrangements with Torres to meet at a park. iPhone: Torres allegedly agreed to buy an iPhone for the girl as well as give her hundreds of dollars . Torres agreed to buy an iPhone 5 for the girl and give her $400 up front, and then paying her an allowance of $600 a week for her continued services and companionship. He also promised to bring cannabis to the meeting. When Torres arrived he was met by police. They found the phone, four gift cards worth $100, and a small amount of pot. He was charged with using a computer and traveling to meet a minor for unlawful sexual conduct, possession of cannabis under 20 grams and violation of probation. He was not offered bond due to his probation violation. Snared: Police posed as a 15-year-old girl to respond to the advert (file picture)

Police posed as 15-year-old to snare suspect . Raul Alejandro Torres arrested in Miami park . Reportedly told undercover detective 'age is just a number'

3124c329be05829907560b8d87591c82134500b0

By . Lucy Waterlow . PUBLISHED: . 10:44 EST, 19 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:52 EST, 19 April 2013 . One of the world's greatest sporting spectacles returns to the capital this weekend as elite to fun runners take part in the London Marathon. Double Olympic champion Mo Farah, who . will run half of the race in preparation for doing the full 26.2 mile . distance next year, said he hopes lots of people will come and enjoy the . marathon atmosphere. So where is the best place to go to catch the action? And where should you go to wind down afterwards... Read our guide to finding your London Marathon hot spot... The marathon starts at Greenwich Park, Blackheath. The elite women, including Brits Amy . Whitehead and Susan Partridge - who are aiming for World Championship . selection - start at 9am, followed by the wheelchair athletes at 9.20am, . where British paralympic hero David Weir is aiming for his seventh . victory. Sporting spectacle: Thousands of runners will take part in this Sunday's London Marathon . The elite men and the masses will then start at 10am. Greenwich park is a great place to soak up the anticipation and atmosphere but certain areas will be restricted to the runners. BEST FOR STAR SPOTTERS . Star spotters hoping to see the . celebrities taking part this year - including Katherine Jenkins, Amy . Childs and Andrew Strauss - should head to the 'green' start where the . celebs will begin. Their first mile is on a separate route along St . John's Park road which then links up with the 'blue' start for elite and . club runners on Shooters Hill Road. TO WATCH THE MASSES . Meanwhile the 'red' start for the . masses begins along Charlton Way before linking up with the other . runners at the three mile point. TO SPOT MO FARAH . Fans of Farah should head south of the river for the best place to spot him as he takes part in the first half of the race. Best foot forward: Celeb entrants, from left: Amanda Mealing, Kelly Sotherton, Iwan Thomas, Amy Childs, Andrew Strauss, James Toseland and Mike Bushell . CUTTY SARK LANDMARK . The Cutty Sark, just after the six mile point, is a popular vantage point and the London Marathon website advises 'there will be good spectator viewing points in Cutty Sark Gardens . although access will be restricted on the east side. Please follow the . directions of the event marshals.' The . advantage of this spot is that if you are tracking a certain runner, . once you have cheered them through, you can then take the The Greenwich . Foot Tunnel to the Isle of Dogs, where you will then see the runners . again as the approach the 17 mile point. Atmosphere: The Cutty Sark is a great place for spectating . The . London Marathon website confirms that the tunnel 'will be open and the . Tunnel will have a one way (south to north) flow for two hours between . 10:30 am and 12:30 pm to allow Marathon spectators to cross to the north . side of the route. A queuing system will operate at the Tunnel entrance . on the Greenwich side.' BEAT THE CROWDS NEAR CUTTY SARK . Anyone . trying to beat the crowds at Cutty Sark should head further along the . course where the route circles Canada Water. The streets between the 9 - . 11 miles are often less congested providing a better view of the . runners. Flying the flag: Double Olympic champion Mo Farah will run to half way as practise for next year's race while Scott Overall and Amy Whitehead are leading British entrants . Spectating can be thirsty work, here's where you can watch the runners while enjoying some food and drink... AT SIX MILES: The Mitre Hotel, a stone's throw from the Cutty Sark on Greenwich High Road, will have a barbeque from 11am and beer tasting . AT 12 MILES: Runners will pass The Kings Arms on Tooley Street just before crossing Tower Bridge. The pub will hold a champagne breakfast from 9am and have live music throughout the day . AT 17 MILES: As athletes make their way round the Isle of Dogs, The Lord Nelson pub on Manchester Road, will have a party atmosphere where spectators can cheer the runners on while enjoying a burger . AT THE FINISH: One of the closest pubs to the finish for weary runners to have a pint and toast their achievement is the Red Lion on Parliament Street . The iconic landmark of Tower Bridge is a welcome sight for runners as it means they are nearly at the halfway mark. Arrive early to grab a space to watch the action here as it is often one of the most popular spots on the course. As the route heads out to Canary Wharf and then turns back on itself, people in pole position near the Tower of London will be able to watch athletes coming over Tower Bridge and then see them again as they pass on East Smithfield at the 22 mile mark and then on to Lower Thames Street. TWO BITES OF THE CHERRY . Spectators positioned along the Highway between miles 13 and 14 will also see the runners running out and then back again. TO SPOT MO FARAH FINISH HIS HALF MARATHON . Position yourself at the 13.1 mile mark if you want to see Farah finishing his half. FOR ENTERTAINMENT . Canary Wharf is another of the best places to soak up the atmosphere as bands line the route by the landmark. As the runners enter the Isle of Dogs at mile 15 and then snake their way round the base of Canary Wharf, there are multiple options to cheer your friend or family member at more than one spot without having to travel far yourself. AVOID THE CROWDS . For those who want a spot with less . crowds, take the Docklands to Blackwall or Limehouse stations as the . runners pass at 20 to 21 miles. Extra loud cheers will be needed here to . raise the spirits of the runners as they dig deep for the last third of . the race. Victory in sight: David Weir hopes to win the wheelchair race again . Following the horrific events at the . Boston Marathon earlier this week, where bombs were detonated at the . finishing line, athletes and organisers hope the atrocity won't put . spectators off attending Sunday's event. Chief superintendent Julia Pendry from Scotland Yard confirmed the number of officers on the streets will be increased by 40 per cent 'for reassurance' and so 'people who come to London on Sunday feel safe when they are in the city'. The police are urging spectators to be extra vigilant and not to leave their bags unattended. Mo Farah said he has no worries about taking part despite Monday's events. 'This . is home for me. This is where I grew up and there's no reason not to do . this,' he said. Stand out in the crowd: A number will take part in fancy dress to raise money for charity . Safety concerns: An extra police presence has been promised to 'reassure' people after Monday's events in Boston . The last three miles of the race passes along the Embankment, turning right at Big Ben into Birdcage Walk and then past Buckingham Palace into The Mall to finish. Arrive early to get a good spot on these stretches as the crowds can often become three deep. Blackfriars and Waterloo Bridges are places to get an elevated view of the action. The grand stand seating on The Mall is restricted to those with tickets - usually given to those supporting charity runners and places are allocated in advance. Those who can't make it into London or want to watch from the comfort of their sofa can follow the BBC's five-and-a-half hour coverage starting at 8.30am. They will also have live streaming on their website. The London Marathon website will also have live updates on the day and on their Twitter feed. You can also track individual runners via the website on Sunday. Welcome sight: After passing Big Ben, the runners are into the last mile .

Race takes place this Sunday . Police confirm extra officers on the streets 'for reassurance' Double Olympic champion Mo Farah will run half of the 26.2m course .

e60eccdacf01bfa4a6ac5cfd0ed47e191a5d3bf8

By . Chris Hastings and Ruth Bloomfield . PUBLISHED: . 16:00 EST, 14 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:00 EST, 14 September 2013 . Former Crimewatch presenter Nick Ross is at loggerheads with  his neighbours over plans to ‘substantially demolish’ his £17 million Grade II listed house. The veteran broadcaster, 66, wants to rip out much of the building behind the historic facade and replace it with a new six-storey designer home, which would include five bedrooms, a garage, a two- storey basement, a gymnasium, projection room, staff quarters and a wine cellar. Ross and his wife Sarah Caplin also intend to transform the exterior by adding a series of pergolas to the garden and a set of balconies to the house itself, giving views over their West London square. Nick Ross intends to develop this Grade II listed Georgian Villa to the dismay of his neighbours who say the plans are 'out of character' for the area . But local residents claim the  couple’s plans for the Georgian villa, which dates back from 1826, are out of character with the area and would impinge on their privacy. Ross’s ambitious plans for the house, which will be considered by Westminster Council’s planning committee on Tuesday, could cost more than £10 million to implement. But local property experts say the alterations could more than double the current value of the house to an asking price of about £40 million. The former Crimewatch presenter and his wife, Sarah Caplin, plan to update the historic property by installing features like a two-storey basement and gym . Last year it emerged that Ross and Caplin had sold another luxury property for £35 million – more than 40 times what they paid for it in 1993. The value of that house, which was bought by Saudi businessman Wafic Said, had been significantly raised by extensive renovations. But Ross’s plans for the new house, which he does not currently live in, could be rejected by Westminster councillors. The council’s officials have already recommended that the scheme be turned down. Their recommendation follows complaints from residents who worry the pergolas are ‘too brutal’ and that the basement development would set a damaging precedent for the area. Three neighbours have also warned that the balconies would give intrusive views of their properties. Christopher Wright, secretary of Bayswater Residents Association, accepts that the existing building is in need of renovation, but believes that the current design would be overbearing. In a letter to the council sent last month, he wrote: ‘We do not consider that introducing a  modern style of design needs to be out of keeping with the architectural style of the houses in the square, but the scale of the extension is very large and we feel will be obtrusive.’ Local Tory council member Andrew Smith said: ‘There are concerns about both the design of the proposed building and the implications for privacy.’ Ross last night insisted he was doing his best to address the concerns and that the plans would transform a building that was currently ‘unloved and unlived-in’. He said: ‘It’s always hard to reconcile different views on architecture, and most planning applications in central London meet resistance, which is why we’ve put this out to extensive consultation and made many changes as a result.’

Veteran broadcaster plans to renovate West London Georgian Villa . Neighbours complain plans are 'out of character' with the area . Westminster Council officials have recommended plans be turned down .

f269ae5a1ed568064c1a10563248be02643daff9

By . Pa Reporter . Blackburn have told Hull they have no intention of selling striker Jordan Rhodes after rejecting two offers from the Premier League club. The Tigers' initial bid, believed to be around £8million, for Scotland international Rhodes was instantly turned down on Thursday and their follow-up enquiry has also met a dead end. And Rovers released a statement on their official website on Saturday morning which read: 'We have recently received two official bids for the services of Jordan Rhodes from Hull City FC, both have been respectfully and categorically rejected. Transfer: Jordan Rhodes has been the subject of two separate bids from Premier League side Hull City . 'The owners of Blackburn Rovers wish to reassure fans that their intention is not to sell Jordan Rhodes as they, along with the manager and board of directors, feel that he is integral to our bid to gain promotion back to the Premier League.' The news will come as a blow to Tigers manager Steve Bruce, who said on Saturday morning that the two clubs remained in negotiations for the 24-year-old. 'I knew last night that there were conversations going on between the two clubs; that's as far as I know really so far,' Bruce told Sky Sports News. 'It's something that we're trying to progress, if that's possible. It's always difficult when you're talking about other people's players but there has been a bid lodged. 'I believe the first bid was refused but I do believe the two clubs are still talking.' FFP: Blackburn were worried they would have to sell Rhodes to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations . However, the subsequent statement from Rovers suggests Bruce will have to search elsewhere as he looks to replace Shane Long following his sale to Southampton. Blackburn paid a club-record fee of £8million to sign Rhodes from Huddersfield in 2012 and he only signed a new contract last month to takes his deal at Ewood Park up until the summer of 2019. Rovers fans feared the need to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations could see Rhodes jettisoned, though, with the east Lancashire club having posted pre-tax losses of £36.5m for the 2012-13 season. But Saturday's statement from the club stressed that Rhodes, who has scored 53 goals in 99 appearances, remains an integral part of Gary Bowyer's team. Tally: The Scotland international has scored 53 goals in 99 appearances for Championship side Blackburn . The statement continued: 'Despite the necessity to comply with and address the pending restrictions of FFP regulations, the owners feel it would be a detrimental step to lose our top goalscorer and such an icon of this football club. 'We made our intentions clear this summer when we rewarded Jordan with a new-and-improved contract and we stand by that. 'We want to give Gary Bowyer and the team the best possible opportunity to get back to the top flight and Jordan has been and remains a significant part of that aim. 'It is also important to acknowledge that Jordan has acted, unsurprisingly, in a totally professional manner during this period of speculation.' Rhodes is set to make his 100th appearance at Ewood Park later on Saturday when Rovers host Bournemouth. It’s not too late to play MailOnline Fantasy Football… There’s £1,000 to be won EVERY WEEK by the highest scoring manager .

Blackburn say striker Jordan Rhodes is not for sale . Hull City have two bids for him rejected . Steve Bruce keen to replace Shane Long, who moved to Southampton . Gary Bowyer sees Rhodes as key to winning promotion to Premier League .

a38aa7380e0337ac5ab445af9d17f73a935fd1fd

By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 14:50 EST, 3 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:53 EST, 3 July 2013 . Groupon's quirky former CEO, Andrew Mason, has been working hard on a new music album since he was ousted from the online deals company in February. The seven-song album, Hardly Workin’, released this week drops business knowledge on listeners with tracks such as The Way to Work, My Door is Always Open and the hip-hop influenced Stretch. The latter begins ‘we all know that you gotta have goals every quarter’. Groupon's failure to meet such goals was part of the reason the 32-year-old Mason was fired. CEO to musician: Groupon founder Andrew Mason has released a new album, Hardly Workin' Fired: Mason was dismissed as CEO from Groupon in February this year . His ouster had been expected for months given investor concerns about the troubled company's declining stock price and financial problems. Although Groupon pioneered the daily deals business, it spawned many copycats and faced worries that people are tiring of the restaurant, spa and Botox deals that Groupon built its business on. Mason, a former punk band keyboardist, calls the album ‘motivational business music’. It is available for $9.99 on iTunes and is also streamed on Spotify. Reviews of the album have been mixed, with one comment on iTunes calling it 'hilarious'. Another user says: 'Andrew Mason is famous for being a prankster. And I'm pretty sure no self-respecting man would put out this kind of music seriously.' 'I'm debating whether or not this is great or terrible. I find it a little ironic, some of the lyrics. I think I like it but dude...at least become CEO of the record label,' reads another comment. Musician: Andrew Mason used to be a keyboardist in a punk band . Musical couple: Andrew Mason is married to folk musician Jenny Gillespie . Andrew Mason founded Groupon in 2008 with the concept of selling deals to local businesses. In late 2010 it was reported that Groupon’s annual revenue was $800 million. In December that year Groupon turned down a $6 billion acquisition bid from Google. In 2012 Mason was named ‘Worst CEO of the Year’ by CNBC due to his ‘goofball antics’. Mason was fired as Groupon's CEO on February 28, 2013 after the company fell far short of the profit mark. In a letter to Groupon employees on the day of his dismissal, Mason wrote, ‘As CEO, I am accountable’ In the months after his dismissal, Mason started work on his album, Hardly Workin’, which he released this week. The seven-song album is available on iTunes and Spotify. ‘This album pulls some of the most . important learnings from my years at the helm of one of the fastest . growing businesses in history, and packages them as music,’ Mason wrote . on his blog. ‘Executives, mid-level management and front-line employees are all sure to find valuable takeaways.’ Here's the opening line: ‘If you're . seeking business wisdom, you don't need no MBA, look no further than the . beauty that surrounds us every day.’ And it goes on from there. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were no music videos available on YouTube. Mason, who studied music at Northwestern University, is married to folk singer, Jenny Gillespie. He founded Groupon Inc in 2008. To diversify its business, Groupon has expanded into product sales, payments services, restaurant reservations and other areas. The Chicago-based company's stock price is has nearly doubled since Mason's firing.

Andrew Mason has a university degree in music . The internet start-up exec was fired from Groupon Inc in February . Reviews are mixed with some calling it 'hilarious' and a prank .

f935e2dd7b3c5778f87dbac424ad0b304c33edbb

By . Tom Leonard . PUBLISHED: . 18:04 EST, 30 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:04 EST, 30 August 2013 . There are historical allies and there are strong allies, and John Kerry may have confused the two yesterday when he hailed France as America’s oldest friend. It was supposed to be a calculated snub to Britain, of course. With a few exceptions, in the past 100 years it’s become a rule of thumb that America no longer goes to war without Britain at its side. Francophile: Secretary of State John Kerry was mocked for his Francophilia during the 2004 presidential race. Yesterday he called them America's 'oldest ally' as he hailed the government for supporting Syria strikes . So the UK’s failure to follow the US into action over Syria inevitably stung in Washington, prompting Mr Kerry to cosy up to France. But in reality Americans tend to mistrust the French even more than the British do. Famously, Americans refer to them as ‘cheese-eating surrender monkeys’. And French-speaking Mr Kerry was mocked for his Francophilia during the 2004 presidential race. The relationship had started well. French troops and ships under the Marquis de Lafayette provided crucial . help during America’s war of independence from Britain. Links were strengthened by Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, who lived in Paris as US ambassador. A good start: French forces helped Americans secede from Britain and Founding Father Thomas Jefferson (pictured) lived for a while in Paris... But the friendship crumpled when Napoleon took power and resented America’s treaty-making with Britain. By 1798 a state of undeclared war existed between the two former allies. In the 1840s, France supported Texas’s moves for independence from the US and blocked American moves to gain control of California. The situation became even worse during . the American Civil War. While France was technically neutral, Napoleon . III favoured the Confederates. It managed to antagonise the US further by installing the Austrian archduke Maximilian of Hapsburg on the throne of Mexico. America, which wanted French troops out of Mexico, refused to recognise the government. In the 20th century France and the . United States got on a little better, but relations were strained . between Franklin D Roosevelt and Charles de Gaulle during the Second . World War. De Gaulle and his . Free French refused to take part in the Normandy landings but the . Allies still generously allowed French troops to be the first to . liberate Paris. After De Gaulle became president, he clashed with the US over France’s decision to build its own nuclear weapons. ... but Napoleon, left, resented America's treaty-making with Britain in the 18th century, while in the 20th, President Charles de Gaulle, right, clashed with the U.S. over nuclear weapons and took his country out of Nato . In 1966, France pulled its forces out of Nato and kicked the US-led organisation out of its HQ at Fontainebleau. France earned its ‘surrender monkey’ moniker during the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. The French opposed a UN resolution authorising the invasion and, in retaliation, anti-French feeling swept across the US with public campaigns to boycott French goods.

History of French relations with U.S. hardly one of unwavering support .

793571bb8dfe57e7ca0ac685cd68df45c9186512

By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:45 EST, 13 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:45 EST, 13 March 2014 . Bill Gates sat for an interview Thursday in which he revealed his distaste for hacker-turned-whistleblower Edward Snowden. The world's richest man may have gotten to where he is by sharing in the hacker's ethos of getting things done and making things better, but the 58-year-old told Rolling Stone that there's a right way and a wrong way to go about changing the world. 'I think he broke the law,' Gates said. 'So I certainly wouldn't characterize him as a hero.' 'You won't find any admiration from me': The world's richest man is not a big Edward Snowden fan, even if they've both set out to fix things in the world that they believe are broken . But that doesn't mean the man whose $76 billion worth dwarfs the GDP of many countries cares much for the U.S. government, either. The conversation, printed in the latest issue of Rolling Stone, reveals he takes issue with both sides of the debate. 'If he wanted to raise the issues and stay in the country and engage in civil disobedience or something of that kind, or if he had been careful in terms of what he had released,' said Gates, 'then it would fit more of the model of "OK, I'm really trying to improve things."' There has to be a debate. But the specific techniques they use become unavailable if they're discussed in detail. So the debate needs to be about the general notion of under what circumstances should they be allowed to do things. In addition to being illegal, Gates suggests that the tactics used by Snowden--who dumped reems of files that incriminate the federal government for, among other things, its domestic spying program--don't really accomplish much good. Instead, Snowden has put both the public and the government on the defensive. 'You . won't find any admiration from me,' he said. 'There has to be a debate. But the specific techniques they use become unavailable if they're . discussed in detail. So the debate needs to be about the general notion . of under what circumstances should they be allowed to do things.' Gates says that Snowden, seen here via videoconference at the 2014 SXSW Festival, used tactics that inevitably left everyone on the defensive, improving nothing. But the billionaire says he's one of a group of 'highly qualified people' who have the right tools to fix the world's problems . But the same could be said for Gates' view of the federal government, which he calls one of the world's best while also pointing out it's weak spots. 'You have to have a certain realism that government is a pretty blunt instrument,' he said. 'And without the constant attention of highly qualified people with the right metrics, it will fall into not doing things very well.' And who better to be one of those 'highly qualified people' than Gates' himself, whose Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation puts its $36 billion endowment toward improving civilization as a whole, from the bottom up. The charity has task forces for wiping out polio and other disease, turning the tide of climate change, and ending world hunger among other admirable if lofty goals. And in light of all that, the likes of Edward Snowden tucked away in Russia seems trivial. 'I see governments in very poor countries that can't even get teachers to show up. So in countries like that, how can you get very basic things to work? That's something I spend a lot of time on. And these things are all solvable,' he said.

The world's richest man revealed his opinion of the American whistleblower in a sit-down with Rolling Stone . Gates said the authorities must not reveal all their secrets in order to protect America from 'crazy guys' But the 58-year-old also criticized the U.S. government as a 'blunt instrument' and that he has the tools to help sharpen it .

d9adc75498c6dd8ebd8c852acc74e323beb586bc

By . Reuters . California blue whales, the . largest animals on Earth once driven to near extinction by . whaling, have made a remarkable comeback to near historic, . 19th-century levels, according to a University of Washington . study released on Friday. The recovery makes California blue whales - which study . authors say now number about 2,200, or 97 per cent of historical . levels - the only population of blue whales known to have . recovered from whaling. 'The recovery of California blue whales from whaling . demonstrates the ability of blue whale populations to rebuild . under careful management and conservation measures,' said Cole . Monnahan, a University of Washington doctoral student and lead . author of the study. California blue whales, the largest animals on Earth once driven to near extinction by whaling, have made a comeback to near historic, 19th-century levels . Despite the comeback, the whales - which as adults can reach . nearly 100 feet in length and weigh 190 tons, twice as much as the largest known dinosaur - are still . being struck by ships off the California coast at numbers above . allowable U.S. limits, according to the study's authors . Conservation groups say at least 11 blue whales are struck . each year along the U.S. West Coast, nearly four times the . 'potential biological removal' level of 3.1 permitted under the . U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act. 'Even accepting our results that the current level of ship . strikes is not going to cause overall population declines, there . is still going to be ongoing concern that we don't want these . whales killed by ships,' University of Washington assistant . professor of aquatic and fishery sciences Tim Branch said. Though their numbers have replenished, whales are still being struck by ships off the California coast at numbers above allowable U.S. limits . According to the University of Washington paper and a . separate paper published earlier this year, some 3,400 blue . whales were caught between 1905 and 1971, a number determined in . part by examining once-secret Russian whaling archives. The study's authors say that the population of California . blue whales is now growing more slowly, partly due to ship . strikes and also because numbers are reaching the habitat limit. California blue whales are now the only population of blue whales known to have recovered from whaling . 'Our findings aren't meant to deprive California blue whales . of protections that they need going forward,' Monnahan said. 'California blue whales are recovering because we took . actions to stop catches and start monitoring. If we hadn't, the . population might have been pushed to near extinction - an . unfortunate fate suffered by other blue whale populations,' he . said. 'It's a conservation success story.'

Whales still being struck by boats at double the level's allowed by U.S. limits . Study authors at University of Washington say population is now slowing in growth as it reaches the limits of what habitat will support . An estimated 3,400 blue . whales were caught between 1905 and 1971 . Adult blue whales can reach . nearly 100 feet in length and weigh 190 tons .

60eda442e7a1cbfecc7c694e56ef8cad31a72605

By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 05:49 EST, 9 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:31 EST, 9 March 2012 . In the run up to the Olympics, it is not just sport gripping the Britain - it is also expected to be a bumper year for art, with several London galleries planning blockbuster shows. The National Portrait . Gallery announced yesterday it had made 7,000 extra tickets available for Lucian . Freud Portraits, to keep up with the massive public demand. The exhibition has proved to be a crowd puller and 50,000 visitors have already passed through since it opened at the . beginning of February. Popular demand: The National Portrait Gallery have announced it has made 7,000 extra tickets available for Lucian Freud Portraits, to keep up with public demand . Royal seal of approval: The exhibition even received a royal visit from the Duchess of Cambridge, who is said to have dwelled for a moment on 'Pregnant Girl', an oil on canvas from 1961 . With more than 100 paintings and works . on paper loaned from museums and private collections throughout the . world, Lucian Freud Portraits is the result of many years planning by . the gallery in close partnership with the late artist himself. It has already extended its . Saturday opening hours as well as late staying open later on Thursday and Friday. The exhibition even received a royal visit from the Duchess of Cambridge, who is said to . have dwelled for a moment on 'Pregnant Girl', an oil on canvas from . 1961. It also includes Freud's . famous 1995 nude portrait of Sue Tilley ‘Benefits Supervisor’, which . sold in 2008 for a record-breaking £17.2m - making it the most valuable . painting ever to be sold by a living artist. Denise Vogelsang, the National Portrait . Gallery's head of marketing, said to The Independent: 'This year is such . an incredible year for art in London. Galleries are increasingly . looking to opening longer because there are so many blockbuster shows.' Among the most anticipated . exhibitions this year, is a Damien Hirst retrospective at the Tate . Modern, which the organisers have billed as 'the first substantial . survey of Damien Hirst’s work ever held in the UK.' Running from April to September, it will be part of the London 2012 Festival, the culmination of the Cultural Olympiad. Among the most anticipated exhibitions . this year, is a Damien Hirst retrospective at the Tate Modern, left, which the . organisers have billed as 'the first substantial survey of Damien . Hirst’s work ever held in the UK' Earlier this year, The National Gallery . extended its opening times for the highly successful Leonardo da Vinci exhibition which had a resounding public reponse. Demand for tickets to Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan, rocketed after critics hailed the exhibition as a ‘once in a . lifetime show’ - it was the fastest selling exhibition in the gallery's . history, according to a spokeswoman. Touted . as the most complete display of Leonardo’s paintings ever held, to . avoid overcrowding, the numbers of visitors were limited to 180 every 30 . minutes, down from the usual 230. Hot tickets: The National Gallery extended its opening times for the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition and there were three-hour queues for the 500 tickets which went on sale each morning . There were three-hour queues for the 500 tickets which went on sale each morning. Many art lovers were so desperate to see the . show, they paid up to £250 to unauthorised online touts after official . advance tickets, priced at £16, sold out. The final attendance figures hit almost 324,000, the most popular and fastest-selling show for a National Gallery exhibition of that size and in the final week, the gallery extended opening hours until midnight for two days 'to mop up the queue'. The Royal Academy, left, has extended its opening times until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and The Institute of Contemporary Arts, has decided to go open six days a week, instead of five . Jill Preston, the gallery's head of communications, said: 'Throughout the exhibition, there was a lot of pressure to open later. Even when we did, there was pressure to open later, even for 24 hours,' reported the Independent. Although the idea of staying open 24 hours a day was proposed, it was not possible after it emerged that the delicate Leonardo paintings could not be exposed to the light for that amount of time. The Royal Academy has also seen queues for A Bigger Picture, its exhibition of works by David Hockney. It is almost completely sold-out until April and the gallery has extended its opening times until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The Institute of Contemporary Arts, has decided to go open six days a week, instead of five. When its new exhibition 'Remote Control' opens next month, it will open at 11am instead of noon. ICA managing director Karen Turner told the newspaper it was a 'reflection of the increasing demand from the public'.

National Portrait . Gallery has announced it has made 7,000 extra tickets available for Lucian . Freud show to keep up with public demand . Damien Hirst retrospective is among the most anticipated . exhibitions of 2012 . 'Galleries are increasingly . looking to opening longer because there are so many blockbuster shows,' said National Portrait . Gallery .

9afb29462099f7afcbb34872dc42c1f622d2541d

By . Eleanor Harding . PUBLISHED: . 06:21 EST, 25 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:25 EST, 25 May 2013 . Emily Davison (1872 - 1913), a few days before her fatal attempt to stop the King's horse 'Amner' on Derby Day to draw attention to the Women's Suffragette movement . She is remembered as the suffragette who died under the King’s horse. But it has always been unclear as to whether Emily Davison really did intend to kill herself at the Epsom Derby in 1913 – or whether she simply wanted to make a public stand. Now new evidence has emerged to suggest the latter, after local historian Maureen Howes spent ten years working with the activist’s family to discover the truth. Both she and Davison’s surviving . relatives are convinced that it was nothing more than a tragic accident, . and are determined to set the record straight. Davison died in hospital four days after being knocked down by George V’s horse, Anmer, at Tattenham Corner. It . is a common theory that rather than seeking martyrdom, she had merely . attempted to tie the Suffragette’s colours to the horse. Mrs . Howes’ research suggests that it was only by coincidence that Davison . had decided to do this – as earlier, safer, protest plans had been . scuppered. Her conclusions . have been drawn after trawling through previously unseen mementoes, . photographs and documents from family members, and listening to . anecdotes. She said: ‘At the . time of Emily’s death, the family found all the publicity too much. It . was very unpleasant. They were reluctant to speak out. ‘The . story is so well-known but no-one has found out the truth. I’m happy . with what I have written but I know it will upset a few apple carts. The suffragette throws herself under the horse in the 1913 Derby . Davison slipped under the rails and walked straight into the colt's path . The militant suffragette and martyr to the cause of the political advancement of women, had a favourite quotation: 'Rebellion against tyrants is obedience to God.' ‘People want to declare Emily as a suicidal fanatic but I have a very different version of the Epsom Derby. ‘She doesn’t deserve the legacy which has been given to her.’ According . to Mrs Howes, Davison resorted to running onto the track as a ‘plan B’ after an attempt to pin the colours to a horse in the paddock failed. Maurren Howes has produced a new book on the subject . She said ‘plan A’, the safer option, was scuppered when Davison was recognised and barred from entering the pen. She said: ‘She didn’t commit suicide. There’s no chance of it. It was just a tragic accident. ‘She put herself in a risky position, but it was a plan B. ‘She was meant to pin her colours to the horse in the paddock but they didn’t let her in. ‘It . was then decided to go for went for plan B - she probably thought, if . we can’t do it in the paddock, let’s do it at Tattenham Corner where the . news reel is.’ Mrs Howes . said it was well-known within the family, based in Morpeth, . Northumberland, that Davison had practised pinning colours on horses in . local fields before the event. In . addition, it was only by chance that she was the person given the job . of pinning the suffragette colours to the King’s horse on the fateful . day. Mrs Howes said the . Morpeth Suffragettes drew straws during practice on Morpeth Common to . decide who would pin the suffragette colours to the King’s horse, and . Davison drew the short straw. Davison . had also let it be known that she was intending to travel to Paris . after the Epsom protest to help her sister, Letitia, care for her . three-month-old baby son Josse. Sylvia Pankhurst, campaigner in the suffragette movement is pictured second left in a suffragette procession in 1910 with Davison, left, Christabel Pankhurst, second right, and Mrs Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence, right . A suffragette is arrested in the early 1900s . And . it is already well-known that she had bought a return ticket to the . Epsom Derby – with the stub still in her bag when she died. A suffragette is force fed through a nasal tube . Mrs . Howes, 74, a grandmother and widow, is publishing her first book on the . subject this week, titled Emily Wilding Davison: A Suffragette’s Family . Album. It has been published to help mark the 100th anniversary of Davison’s death in June 1913. She tracked down family members by using her genealogy skills and posting adverts in the local paper. She said: ‘The family took me in as one of their own. They wanted to get their stories out before they get too old. ‘They wouldn’t trust anyone before they met me. I’m not political or academic, I just want to get the truth out.’ After . Davison’s death, the coroner recorded death by misadventure rather than . suicide – but it was widely thought that she had acted intentionally. Many . openly criticised her in the media, with Queen Mary calling her a . ‘brutal lunatic woman’, while the Suffragettes proclaimed her a martyr . to their cause. The funeral of Emily Davidson in 1913 at Victoria Station .

Researcher Maureen Howes believes Emily Davison has been unfairly labelled as a 'suicidal fanatic' Trawl through old mementoes suggests death was tragic accident . Hundredth anniversary Derby coming up next weekend .

e226ba32aac6e606e10e37d9d43fbcdc7424047f

By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 00:51 EST, 4 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:52 EST, 5 October 2013 . President Barack Obama has canceled a long-planned trip to Asia next week because of the government shutdown. The President had already shortened the trip from four countries to two but then on Thursday the called the trip off all together. The White House announced earlier in the week that Obama would be unable to visit Malaysia and the Philippines because the partial shutdown of the federal government was impacting personnel needed to set up the stops. Calling it off: President Obama and his advisers decided that they had to cancel his planned trip to Asia due to the ongoing government shutdown . The White House had held out hope that the president could attend to economic summits in Indonesia and Brunei. But he decided to skip the entire trip to stay in Washington to continue pressing for a budget bill that would reopen the government. He reportedly told the leaders of Malaysia and the Philippines that he will be making visits to their countries later in his term but there has been no such public declaration for Indonesia- where he lived as a young boy- or Brunei. 'The cancellation of this trip is another consequence of the House Republicans forcing a shutdown of the government,' White House press secretary Jay Carney said in a statement. Disappointment: Dancers in Bali, Indonesia were performing at the welcome reception for the APEC conference on Friday when it became clear that President Obama would not be attending. He was due to arrive Sunday . Celebrating far away: Secretary of State John Kerry will visit the four countries in the place of the President. He was already in Asia, seen here on Thursday with Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel in Japan (it was Hagel's birthday) 'This completely avoidable shutdown is setting back our ability to create jobs through promotion of U.S. exports and advance U.S. leadership and interests in the largest emerging region in the world.' Obama had been due to depart Washington late Saturday night, and it is still unclear whether or not the shutdown will carry on until that point. Even if Congress and the Senate are able to agree on a budget by that point, the President's advance teams will not have enough time to prepare. A New York Times article about the effects of the shutdown on the White House revealed that all but one of the members of the President’s advance team have been furloughed. After the first stops on the trip were canceled, deputy press secretary Josh Earnest was tasked with cancelling the private planes that had been booked for the flight, and now he will surely be making some more calls. Continued confusion: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid defended the Democrats stance against Republican attempts to gut the Affordable Care Act as part of the budget approval process . Secretary of State John Kerry, already on a trip to Asia, is visiting all four countries in place of the president. The White House said Obama called the Sultan of Brunei and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday night to express his regret. Prior to their announcement, some thought that there would be some benefits for the President to be seen as global leader. 'Timing is everything, and if the moment is right to contrast leading on the world scene to being stuck in Washington gridlock, going on the road makes some sense,' said Mike McCurry, who served as former President Clinton's press secretary during the last federal shutdown.

President was originally scheduled to visit Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Brunei . Malaysia and the Philippines were canceled earlier this week but then on Thursday night the White House announced all four were off . Furloughs from the government shutdown meant that the President's advance team was reduced to just one person .

9adbd2e0f1da98295f71ee6f2a31721754980232

By . Emma Reynolds . Last updated at 9:21 PM on 1st March 2012 . A Scotland Yard chief bought champagne for a News of the World journalist and lunch for colleagues during a £600 one-day spree on his force credit card. Andy Hayman, a former assistant commissioner in charge of counter-terror duties, said he took his 'top team' for a £566 meal at London restaurant Shepherd’s in February 2007. The alcohol bill for the meal alone came to £188.50. Champagne socialite: Ex-assistant commissioner Andy Hayman wined and dined journalists on regular occasions, the inquiry heard . Later that same day he spent £47 on champagne during a drink with a female journalist at the Oriel wine bar, in Chelsea. Both bills were paid for on his American Express company card, the Leveson Inquiry into press standards heard. Mr Hayman said the restaurant payment was paid for on his expenses as a colleague was joining another force. He said he could not remember which NotW journalist he was drinking with at Oriel. The police officer also had dinner at Soho House a year earlier with editor NotW editor Andy Coulson and deputy editor Neil Wallis. Giving evidence, Mr Hayman said he would rather be facing questions over phone-hacking than terror atrocities. He said: 'I feel terrible for the victims of phone-hacking and I would not minimise that. Close relationships: Mr Hayman said he could not recall the purpose of a lunch with NoW journalists, but that it would have been related to the 'ongoing support that paper was giving to anti-terror' 'But at the same time, I’d rather be . facing questions around that than I would be about more loss of life . which, 7/7, was awful.' The Met chief quit his job a month after an investigation into his expenses was launched. But he became a columnist for News International paper The Times after retiring from Scotland Yard, for which he was paid a £10,000 per year retainer. Robert Jay, QC, said: 'When asked about it, you stated that you recall that this was a Crime Reporters' Association representative, possibly from the News of the World. It could have been a female whose name you did not know.' He was asked whether this might have been Lucy Panton or Rebekah, who took over from Panton, but said he could not recall. Mr Jay suggested the champagne incident was evidence that the police had gone 'too far' with socialising. He was criticised by MPs last July for . having dinners with News International journalists while inquiries were . ongoing - with one Tory MP on the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee . suggesting he would have appeared a 'dodgy geezer'. Mr Hayman then dismissed as rubbish the suggestion they were 'cosy candlelit dinners'. The police watchdog cleared him and fellow police chiefs of misconduct over his roles in the original phone hacking investigation.

Andy Hayman quit job when bosses launched expenses probe . ...And was given £10,000-a-year retainer by News International paper The Times to write a column .

4f9e1f4a899af8cb7d91faddaf9dd0594d256d33

By . Travelmail Reporter . Virgin tycoon Sir Richard Branson has backed a £2.6m fundraising drive to keep his favourite childhood beach from falling into the hands of developers. The National Trust is trying to buy 'magical' Bantham Beach in south Devon after its owners put it up for sale earlier this month. The seaside idyll inspired Agatha Christie and is a favourite holiday spot of tycoon Sir Richard who says the British coastline is at risk of being overdeveloped and spoiled for future generations. Speaking up: Sir Richard Branson could be set to finance the safe-keeping of Bantham Beach . Scenic: Bantham has described the beach as his favourite place . Bantham: Sir Richard who says the British coastline is at risk of being overdeveloped and spoiled for future generations . His comments prompted speculation that the billionaire businessman will make a sizeable contribution to the fund - or even buy the beach for himself. Sir Richard said: 'I have a strong connection to Bantham, having holidayed there as a child. 'My dad used to take me down there in a little bumpyed-bump (corr) car and we would catch sand eels to use as bait to go fishing for bass. 'My daughter, Holly has a number of good friends that live there. 'A lot of the UK's coastline is being overdeveloped and spoiled for future generations. 'We therefore need to get behind the National Trust in their campaign to save one of England's most beautiful and untouched beaches at Bantham.' Fancy it? Family-owned Evans Estates put the entire hamlet of Bantham up for sale, including 728 acres of land, 21 homes, a golf course a shop for £11.5 million . Memories: Sir Richard said: "I have a strong connection to Bantham, having holidayed there as a child . The National Trust decided to act after family-owned Evans Estates put the entire hamlet of Bantham up for sale, including 728 acres of land, 21 homes, a golf course a shop for £11.5 million. Trust officials decided against buying the homes but hope to secure the beach and the surrounding Avon estuary for £7.2million. The initial £4.6 million will come from the Trust's Neptune Coastline Campaign pot, set up to save and care for some of the UK's most vulnerable stretches of coastline. A further £2.6m will need to come from public donations but only £36,000 has been raised so far. Memories: Sir Richard said: "I have a strong connection to Bantham, having holidayed there as a child .

The tycoon used to holiday at Bantham as a child . Branson supporting £2.6m fundraiser to 'save' the beach . Evans Estates has put the entire hamlet of Bantham up for sale .

b5ff6044e89b1a745277c89d11567e3e3adc5f79

An American artist has created stunning colourful representations showing what Wi-Fi waves, peaks and pulses would look like if we could see them. Nickolay Lamm worked with former Nasa astrobiologist M. Browning Vogel to learn how the networks move and based the designs on coverage data taken from around the U.S Congress and The National Mall in Washington. The images show the shape of the Wi-Fi signal's and different colours were used to distinguish the different sub channels. The project was a follow-up to Lamm's Wi-fi visualisations released last year which depicted the shape of the Wi-Fi signals. The Wi-Fi pulses are shown here as spheres. Lamm used red, orange, yellow and other colours to represent these invisible channels that make up the overall Wi-Fi signal . Wi-Fi routers on buildings and lamp posts create a circular omnidirectional data fields around them, pictured. Wi-Fi broadcasts at a frequency between radio and microwaves, meaning that the waves or pulses are about six inches apart, as shown by these coloured bands in front of Congress . Wi-fi is an energy field that is transmitted as waves and pulses. Each wave has a certain height, are different distances from each other, and each travel at a certain speed. The . distance between Wi-Fi waves is shorter than radio waves but longer . than microwaves. As well as looking great, the illustrations were also designed to teach people about how Wi-Fi signals work. Lamm, from website MyDeals.com, said: 'Although we use it often, we rarely think about how it works. 'A lot of us take technology for granted and use it without appreciating the science that makes it work.' To approximate the size of the Wi-Fi coverage around The National Mall - an open-area national park in Washington DC - Lamm used the 3D Wi-Fi shapes and data from the District of Columbia Government coverage maps. The captions were written by Browning Vogel, a Ph.D. in astrobiology who previously worked at Nasa Ames . for five years and now teaches science. Each picture shows a familiar Washington landmark surrounded by Wi-Fi channels represented as different colours, as 'interlocking bubbles'. Lamm then added a hazy effect to areas of the signal broken by a tree, landmark or other obstacle. Wi-Fi uses the radio frequency band of the electromagnetic spectrum between radio waves and microwaves. According to Ofcom, the UK will have a severe shortage of airwaves used for WiFi by 2020 . A typical outdoor router can project its Wi-Fi signal 300ft or more from its location. Objects such as trees can obstruct this signal and the waves are often boosted by using multiple routers. This kind of set up creates a field that extends all the way across Washington DC's National Mall, pictured . Wi-fi waves travel as rapid, data encoded pulses or waves. A freezeframe of these pulses are shown by the lightly coloured bands in this image . In another of his images, multiple . Wi-Fi pulse frequencies are represented as blue, green, yellow, and red . that pervade the space around the mall. In a third, Lamm showed the range of multiple Wi-Fi signals across The National Mall in Washington. Writing on his MyDeals.com blog, Lamm said: 'We use red, orange, yellow and other colors [sic] to show the . invisible Wi-Fi channels that make up the overall signal. 'Wi-Fi . fields are usually spherical or ellipsoidal and . extend about 20-30 meters [sic], assuming a typical off the shelf box.' Wi-fi is an energy field that is transmitted as waves. Each wave has a certain height, distance from other waves, and they each travel at a certain speed. The . distance between Wi-Fi waves is shorter than radio waves but longer than microwaves. Lamm claims this gives Wi-Fi a unique transmission band . that can't be interrupted by other signals.

Artist used Wi-Fi coverage data taken from networks in Washington DC . He created colourful representations showing waves, peaks and pulses . The work was carried out with help from a Nasa astrobiologist .

84b21b01c1ec48ec070a80d17c5b4a2fc9f978d9

(CNN) -- An Australian man and his daughter have created a furor after going on television to admit an incestuous relationship which has produced two children. John Deaves and his daughter Jenny pictured in the 60 Minutes interview. John Deaves, 61, appeared on the 60 Minutes show with daughter Jenny, 39, and their child -- nine-month-old Celeste, Melbourne's The Age newspaper reported. Last month Judge Steven Millsteed banned the couple from having sex with each other, but released them on a three-year, $460 good behavior bond. Court transcripts also revealed their first child died in 2001 from a congenital heart disorder. The couple told 60 Minutes that they fell in love in 2000 when they "discovered each other later in life." Deaves had left the family home when Jenny was a baby, and did not see her again for 30 years. What do you think of the couple's relationship? However, the Age reported Deaves' former wife, Dorothy, disputed their claim that they were virtual strangers when they fell in love. "They were in contact all the time," she said. "His youngest daughter [from his second marriage] didn't even know they were together and she is really traumatized -- she is hurting terrible." Deaves' first wife and Jennifer's mother, Joan, said children deserved a better chance in life than one that originated from incest. Watch video report on incest couple. » . "I just think that the whole relationship is dreadful," she told News Ltd. "These incestual [sic] relationships produce children and the children have problems and it's not fair to kids." Professor Freda Briggs, of the University of South Australia, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that a good behavior bond would not stop the pair from having more children. "My controversial suggestion was that in these sorts of circumstances judges should be able to persuade them one way or another," she said. "For the mother for example to have her tubes tied or the father-cum-grandfather to be sterilized." E-mail to a friend .

Father and daughter reveal incest on Australian television show . Couple have had two children, with one dying soon after birth . Judge bans couple from having sex to prevent another pregnancy .

e878909ace599352d3d578796968bbd52cb299bd

Karim Benzema snubbed a move to Manchester United in 2009, according to Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas. The France striker left his boyhood club for Real Madrid that summer, but Aulas claims an offer to move to Old Trafford was also on the table. United sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid the same summer, with Benzema now linking up with the Portugal superstar and Gareth Bale to forge the Spanish giants' 'BBC' attack. Karim Benzema celebrates scoring for Real Madrid against Athletic Bilbao earlier this month . Benzema (top centre) centre scores for Real Madrid against Athletic with a header . Benzema was in action over the weekend as France beat Portugal 2-1 in a friendly . Nationality: French                           Age: 26 . Clubs: . Lyon (2004-2009): 122 games, 43 goals . Real Madrid (2009 -) 165 games, 75 goals . Now Aulas has revealed that Benzema spurned United's advances to fulfill a long-term dream of playing at the Bernabeu. 'For a long time he wanted to play one day at Real Madrid and when operations began to fall into place, we did not object,' Aulas told Canal+. 'The proposal was superior to Manchester United's but he was given the opportunity to go where he wanted. Michael Owen celebrates scoring for Manchester United against Aldershot in 2011 . Manchester United sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for £80m and signed: . Antonio Valencia (Wigan) - £16m . Michael Owen - free transfer . Gabrial Obertan (Bordeaux) - £3m . Mame Biram Diouf (Molde) - undisclosed . Chris Smalling (Fulham) - £10m . 'I am very happy for him. This is the best striker in La Liga and one of the best in the world. 'The criticism he has received are part of the life of a professional football player, but we had to be above it all.' United ended up signing Michael Owen on a free transfer that season and Mame Biram Diouf from Molde. Sir Alex Ferguson's side finished second in the Premier League behind Chelsea, who went on to also win the FA Cup.

Manchester United sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid in 2009 . Lyon president claims that Man Utd wanted Karim Benzema that summer . However Jean-Michel Aulas says striker always wanted Bernabeu transfer . Benzema completed a €35million (£28million) move to Real in 2009 . United instead signed Michael Owen on a free transfer the same window .

cc376fc856c7d55fddb32986b8e5e6551a20fefc

By . Ray Massey, Transport Editor . If the hectic pace of life and international travel is getting too much – British Airways believes it has the answer to calm you down – ‘Slow TV’. Forget the action packed shoot ‘em up ’ Hollywood blockbusters, the Star Wars-style space epics or break-neck speed car chases. BA bosses reckon many passengers while cruising at 600mph and 35,000ft would rather unwind and de-stress on a lengthy flight to the on-screen equivalent of watching paint dry. Scroll down for video . A screenshot taken from the new 'slow' movie. From next week British Airways are to screen an entire seven-hour-long silent snow-covered train journey from Bergen to Oslo in Norway . So from next week they are to screen an entire seven-hour-long silent snow-covered train journey from Bergen to Oslo in Norway and believe  passengers will appreciate the   calming, hypnotic and  ‘mesmerising’ qualities of the quiet meandering programme that is void of commentary to liven things up. BA will be the first  airline to  air such languid ‘Slow TV’ alternative to the usual fare of 130 movies, 650 TV shows, 550 music albums and 228 radio shows. They were inspired in part by the popularity of the highly addictive slow-moving in-flight screens which show the aeroplane’s progress across a  map  as well as key statistics such as temperature, speed and time. The journey-within-a-journey was also inspired by a wider trend for ‘slow TV’ which is already popular in Scandinavia for its relaxing, undemanding qualities. The programmes also feature gentle, everyday events such as knitting, walking and bird feeding. For those of a certain  vintage,  the idea will bring back memories of the highly popular and equally hypnotic  spinning  ‘potters’ wheel’ – used in the early days of black and white television for the ‘interlude’ used between programmes -  showing a pair of hands fashioning a clay  pot. Next in line will be an eight hour epic taking the passenger on a journey to see the entire process of knitting a jumper - from the shearing of sheep to the finished product . British Airways said staff would trial the train journey before expanding to other ‘slow’ programmes. Next in line will be an eight hour epic taking  the passenger on a journey to see the entire process of knitting a jumper - from the shearing of sheep to the finished product. The genre has already become a cult hit in Norway, with more than a million people tuning in to the programme called ‘The Seven Hour Train Journey to Oslo’ when it ran on Norwegian TV station NRK. BA’s  in-flight entertainment manager Richard D’Cruze  said one of the team at their  agency Spafax read about this unusual documentary that had become a cult hit in Norway and tracked it down: ‘It fits perfectly with the ‘wallpaper’ style footage people find mesmerising in-flight, such as our moving maps which customers watch for endless hours. Highlights include children waving from stations, the changing weather, and stretches of total darkness as the train passes through long tunnels . ‘There’s definitely a hypnotic, calming and entertaining quality to ‘Slow TV’ that is perfect for in-flight entertainment.’ The quiet film uses a camera mounted on the front of an ordinary train, and shows its journey through stations, countryside, past picturesque lakes and underneath snow-capped mountains. Highlights include children waving from stations, the changing weather, and stretches of total darkness as the train passes through long tunnels. Last year, NRK found itself with an unexpected hit after broadcasting the show to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the train route. The quiet film uses a camera mounted on the front of an ordinary train, and shows its journey through stations, countryside, past picturesque lakes and underneath snow-capped mountains . Head of programming at the public service broadcaster Rune Møklebust said he had commissioned it after a colleague suggested filming the whole trip: ‘We thought it would be something completely new… and cheap,’ he said after putting it up against more popular  fare such as the ‘X Factor’ and ‘Have I Got News For You’. He revealed: ‘Miraculously, we got more viewers. All these people wrote in to say, 'I only meant to tune in for a minute but I watched for hours.'’ The channel went on to mount 11 cameras on the side of a cruise ship and broadcast the views from a five-and-a-half day journey along the Norwegian coast, attracting 3.2million viewers. Other hits have included a 24-hour salmon fishing special, a 12-hour show about a fire being built and lit, a boat trip spanning 379 hours and the  eight-hour-long documentary about knitting. Arve Hjelseth, a sociologist from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, attributed the success of the shows to a renewed appreciation for nature in modern society, adding: ‘We're more stressed these days, too, so it's a time to relax as well as an antidote to modern TV, where camera angles shift every second. So called 'slow-TV' is strangely calming.’

Passengers will de-stress to on-screen equivalent of watching paint dry . Will be added to the usual 130 movies and 650 TV shows on board . Staff will trial the train journey before expanding to other ‘slow’ shows . 'Slow TV’ is already popular in Scandinavia for its relaxing quality . Others feature gentle tasks such as knitting, walking and bird feeding .

0d1fd3f1713e4469ff8180f25ae869dff14bd0bd

(WIRED) -- Say hello to your latest personal navigation device: a netbook. Dell plans to introduce a GPS and Wi-Fi card that can be integrated into the company's netbooks to turn them into gizmos that can offer turn-by-turn direction as well as any Garmin or TomTom. Dell will introduce a GPS and Wi-Fi card that can be added to its netbooks to offer turn-by-turn direction. "Smartphones already have GPS capabilities," says Alan Sicher, senior wireless product manager at Dell. "We are now bringing it to netbooks so the devices know where you are and can help you where you want to go." Customers will have the option to buy the $69 card called the Wireless 700 when ordering their Dell Mini 10 netbook. Dell's move comes at a time when navigation devices makers are looking beyond the traditional standalone GPS gadget and are offering their software on other devices. Last month, TomTom announced that its turn-by-turn directions app would be available on the iPhone. TomTom will also offer accessories such as a car mounting dock and power charger. Meanwhile, Dell is hoping to capitalize on the explosive sales of netbooks. Dell netbooks with the integrated GPS cards will allow consumers to pop open a netbook and get directions and also also make their netbook location aware. For instance, buyers can geo-tag photos on Flickr or check weather information customized to their current location. The Wireless 700 card combines Broadcom's GPS technology and Skyhook Wireless' Wi-Fi positioning solutions. As for the navigation software, it offers 2D and 3D map views, save addresses for a trip and route optimization-- pretty much all the things that a standard GPS devices does. Netbooks are petite devices. Still, it is difficult to imagine consumers carrying it around as a GPS navigation device or using it their car to find their way around--especially when smaller-sized cellphones could do the job. Sicher says Dell's GPS-capable netbooks will come in handy for international travelers. "If you are traveling to Europe roaming costs can be pretty pricey for your cellphone," he says. The GPS netbooks could also be handy in areas where cellphone coverage is weak, says Sicher. But there's fine print to the turn-by-turn directions navigation software on the netbook. Though it will be free for buyers of the card and the netbook, the maps will be updated yearly and customers could be charged for the updates. Dell plans to offer accessories such as car charger and a dock for the netbooks, but they won't be available until later this month. The GPS cards will be available starting July 7. Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! Copyright 2009 Wired.com.

Dell will introduce a GPS and Wi-Fi card that can be added to its netbooks . The company's netbooks will be able to offer turn-by-turn directions . Makers are looking beyond traditional GPS gadgets to offer software on other devices . Users will be able to geo-tag photos on Flickr or check customized weather info .

bce9584e035022c0de87d39f5551632bf42cf591

Comedian Chris Rock made a memorable appearance on NBC’s Today show on Monday as he jokingly suggested introducing a rather desperate measure to improve ratings. Once promotional duties for his latest movie, Top Five, were out of the way Rock couldn't resist cracking a couple of jokes about the show’s on-going battle for supremacy with Good Morning America. The funny man started by offering his congratulations on securing an exclusive interview with Janay Rice, the wife of disgraced running back Ray Rice who had his NFL ban lifted on Saturday. Scroll down for video . Comedian Chris Rock made a memorable appearance on NBC’s Today show on Monday as he jokingly suggested to Matt Lauer that he get sick like GMA's Robin Roberts to help boost ratings . Lauer covered his face with his hand as comedian Rock joked about him getting sick to improve viewing figures . ‘Today show, you guys are doing good,’ Rock said. ‘You got Ray Rice's wife on, man. You'll show Good Morning America. We got the wife on!’ ‘This is one of those times I should have gone to the commercial about thirty seconds ago too late, my bad,’ joked host Matt Lauer, to laughs from the crew off camera. ‘We'll show you Robin Roberts,’ Rock continued. ‘Matt Lauer is going to get sick next,’ he joked as the host covered his face with his hand and shook his head. Good Morning America host Roberts is fighting fit now following a breast cancer scare in 2012. GMA was accused by critics of exploiting Roberts' illness for ratings after featuring countless updates on her condition including filming her undergoing a bone marrow transplant in September 2012 . The show was accused by critics of exploiting her illness for ratings after featuring countless updates on her condition including filming her undergoing a bone marrow transplant in September 2012. That particular update included her colleagues Diane Sawyer and Sam Champion wearing surgical masks and singing songs of encouragement. 'It's a fine line between educating the audience and bringing them up to date, and crossing over and turning that into a ratings booster or an audience grabber,' said Arthur Caplan, director of medical ethics at the New York University Langone Medical Center at the time. While TV critic Tom Shales accused GMA of using Roberts’ serious illness as a 'promotional opportunity'. 'ABC has managed to turn the very serious illness of co-anchor Roberts into a huge promotional opportunity for GMA,’ he said. In Top Five Rock plays a stand-up comedian who hit the big-time and is forced to spend the day with a New York Times' journalist played by Rosario Dawson, right . However Roberts, who returned to GMA in February 2013, received a 2012 Peabody Award for the program. The Peabody credited her for ‘allowing her network to document and build a public service campaign around her battle with rare disease’ and ‘inspiring hundreds of potential bone marrow donors to register and heightening awareness of the need for even more donors.’ Rock’s remarks were edited out of a version of his interview that was posted on the Today website on Monday. Rock has written, directed and stars in Top Five which hits cinemas this week. In it he plays a stand-up comedian who hit the big-time and is forced to spend the day with a New York Times' journalist played by Rosario Dawson. Rock has described his character as an 'amalgamation of a bunch of comedians,' including himself, Martin Lawrence, Dave Chappelle, Chris Tucker and Eddie Murphy.

Funny man couldn't resist cracking a couple of jokes about the show's on-going battle for supremacy with Good Morning America . Jokingly suggested that Matt Lauer should get sick like GMA's Robin Roberts in a deliberate move to boost ratings . Lauer covered his face with his hand as the comedian joked and it was edited out of footage posted on Today's website . Roberts is fighting fit again following a bone marrow operation in 2012, months after being diagnosed with breast cancer . At the time GMA was accused of using Roberts' serious illness as a 'promotional opportunity'

f95cbc44206f86aa181ad95eaa41a80089adc3eb

By . Jill Reilly . Hundreds of Albanian police, backed by armoured vehicles, stormed a lawless southern village after suspected marijuana growers allegedly fired rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and machine guns at officers during a drug raid. Four people - a policeman and three villagers - have been hurt so far, suffering light gunshot injuries in the hostilities in and around Lazarat, a major marijuana-producing centre 230 kilometres (140 miles) south of the capital, Tirana, on Monday and Tuesday. Gangs based in Lazarat are believed to produce about 900 metric tons of cannabis a year, worth about 4.5 billion euros (£3.5 billion/ $6.1 billion) - roughly half of the small Balkan country's GDP. Scroll down for video . Hundreds of Albanian police, backed by armoured vehicles, stormed a lawless southern village after suspected marijuana growers allegedly fired rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and machine guns at officers during a drug raid . Smoke rises from Lazarat village as villagers burn their cannabis ahead of the police raid earlier this week . Police said no-one was hurt in the hostilities in and around Lazarat, a major marijuana-producing center 230 kilometres (140 miles) south of the capital, Tirana, on Monday . Gangs based in Lazarat are believed to produce about 900 metric tons of cannabis a year, worth about 4.5 billion euros (£3.5 billion/ $6.1 billion) ¿ roughly half of the small Balkan country's GDP . Over the past few weeks, Albanian authorities have launched a nationwide operation to uproot the cannabis plantations. A police spokeswoman said officers took control of the village Monday after exchanging fire with nearly 30 armed men hiding in a four-story building complex. Spokeswoman Laura Totraku said the gunmen fled Lazarat and headed for a nearby mountain, pursued by police. But more than three hours later, sporadic gunfire was still heard in the village. Over the past few weeks, Albanian authorities have launched a nationwide operation to uproot the cannabis plantations . Authorities advised residents to stay indoors, while scores of police in body armor guarded the entrances to Lazarat . Authorities advised residents to stay indoors, while scores of police in body armour guarded the entrances to Lazarat. Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri urged the gunmen to disarm and surrender. Police destroyed seven plots with some 10,000 cannabis plants and 1,000 young trees ready to be planted. They also found six burnt barrels believed to have stored previously collected drugs and 'other considerable amounts of unpacked narcotics.' Albania's private A1 channel said its TV crew covering the Lazarat operation was robbed at gunpoint by masked men who also burnt their vehicle. On the second day of operations Tuesday, . police numbers were reinforced to 800 and officers took control of about . a quarter of the village, seizing 'considerable quantities' of . marijuana and ammunition, as well as drug-processing machinery. Amid . near-continuous gunfire, they also destroyed 11,000 cannabis plants, and . were planning to gingerly advance into gang-defended areas. Marijuana-growing . gangs in the village have long seen themselves as beyond the reach of . the law. In 2004, shots from the village forced an Italian drug-spotting . helicopter to make a hasty retreat. Until ten years ago, Lazarat was a . regular farming community. Now the village in southern Albania is . Europe's biggest illegal marijuana producer, raking in billions of euros . every year from the plants openly cultivated in fields and house . gardens. On the second day of operations Tuesday, police numbers were reinforced to 800 and officers took control of about a quarter of the village, seizing 'considerable quantities' of marijuana and ammunition, as well as drug-processing machinery . Police chief Artan Didi told reporters in Tirana that police were targeting a 'very well-structured and organized criminal group that is keeping the village in its claws.' Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri vowed to persist until 'every square centimetre in Lazarat is under state control.' According . to the Socialists, Lazarat — a stronghold of the former ruling . Democratic party — previously benefited from links with the political . elite. 'Time is over for the . links of the world of crime in Lazarat with parliament, with politics, . with those they exploited until yesterday,' Tahiri said. 'What you are . seeing today is the best example of our determination to install the . rule of law in every corner of Albania.' Police chief Artan Didi told reporters in Tirana that police were targeting a 'very well-structured and organized criminal group that is keeping the village in its claws' Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri vowed to persist until 'every square centimetre in Lazarat is under state control' Change has come with the new Socialist government, which came into power last year with a clear aim to stamp out the marijuana economy and persist with efforts to seek Albanian membership in European Union . Previously, authorities left the drug gangs pretty much to their own devices, as police visits tended to be met with gunfire . The . Democrats issued a statement saying that, while they support anti-drugs . operations, the government's response was too heavy-handed and 'exerts . psychological terror on the civilian population.' Albania, a small mountainous country . on the Adriatic coast opposite Italy, has just over 3 million people. It . was for decades Europe's most isolated country until a student uprising . toppled the communist regime in 1990 and Albanians emigrated en masse . to Greece, Italy and other western countries. Another . uprising in 1997 led to the extensive looting of military . installations, flooding Albania with weaponry, most of which is still . unaccounted for. Lazarat's access to the underground depots dates to . that period. 'We are afraid . that if we enter (the village) and respond to the shooting, we may cause . casualties,' a special police officer dressed in camouflage and wearing . a bulletproof vest told an Associated Press photographer at the scene. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not officially . authorized to speak to the media. 'Moreover, (they) have all the weapons and equipment we have,' he said. Marijuana-growing gangs in the village have long seen themselves as beyond the reach of the law. In 2004, shots from the village forced an Italian drug-spotting helicopter to make a hasty retreat . The Democrats issued a statement saying that, while they support anti-drugs operations, the government's response was too heavy-handed and 'exerts psychological terror on the civilian population' Albania, a small mountainous country on the Adriatic coast opposite Italy, has just over 3 million people. It was for decades Europe's most isolated country until a student uprising toppled the communist regime in 1990 and Albanians emigrated en masse to Greece, Italy and other western countries . Another uprising in 1997 led to the extensive looting of military installations, flooding Albania with weaponry, most of which is still unaccounted for. Lazarat's access to the underground depots dates to that period . Police destroyed seven plots with some 10,000 cannabis plants and 1,000 young trees ready to be planted . A police spokeswoman said officers took control of the village Monday after exchanging fire with nearly 30 armed men hiding in a four-story building complex . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Hundreds of Albanian police, backed by armored vehicles, stormed lawless southern village of Lazrat . marijuana growers allegedly fired rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and machine guns at officers during a drug raid . Gangs based in Lazarat are believed to produce about 900 metric tons of cannabis a year .

9af56cb82b321527ad83f1cd6452ee67a65287f6

By . Mark Prigg . America really is run by the smart, a researcher has claimed. Fortune 500 CEOs, billionaires, federal judges, Senators, and House members were all found to be largely comprised of those in the top 1% of intelligence. The researchers concluded 'America's elite are largely drawn from the intellectually gifted, with many in the top 1% of ability.' Researchers concluded 'America's elite are largely drawn from the intellectually gifted, with many in the top 1% of ability.' Individuals were deemed to be in the top 1% of ability if they attended an undergraduate or graduate school that had extremely high average standardized test scores that put the typical person well within the top 1%. Researchers have determined that standardized tests, such as the SAT and ACT, give a reasonably good — yet of course imperfect — measure of a person's general reasoning capacity. Five groups of America's elite were examined by Duke University's Jonathan Wai: Fortune 500 CEOs, federal judges, billionaires, Senators, and members of the House of Representatives. 'Within each of these groups, nearly all had attended college with the majority having attended either a highly selective undergraduate institution or graduate school of some kind,' Jonathan Wai wrote in the journal Intelligence. 'High average test scores required for admission to these institutions indicated those who rise to or are selected for these positions are highly filtered for ability.' Individuals were deemed to be in the top 1% of ability if they attended an undergraduate or graduate school that had extremely high average standardized test scores that put the typical person well within the top 1%. Researchers have determined that standardized tests, such as the SAT and ACT, give a reasonably good measure of a person's general reasoning capacity. The team also looked at differences between sectors in which billionaires made their money. 'Ability and education level differences were found across various sectors in which the billionaires earned their wealth (e.g., technology vs. fashion and retail); even within billionaires and CEOs wealth was found to be connected to ability and education. Five groups of America's elite were examined by Duke University's Jonathan Wai: Fortune 500 CEOs, federal judges, billionaires, Senators, . and members of the House of Representatives. The researchers concluded 'America's elite are largely drawn from the intellectually gifted, with many in the top 1% of ability.' Wai said today's elites are increasingly coming from the high end of the IQ distribution. 'That's especially true in highly complex fields like finance and tech,' Wai wrote in Business Insider. 'Billionaires in the investments and technology sectors had the largest fraction of people who were also in the top 1% of cognitive ability. 'Think Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Larry Page, and Mark Zuckerberg.' Billionaires in the investments and technology sectors had the largest fraction of people who were also in the top 1% of cognitive ability. 'Think Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Larry Page, and Mark Zuckerberg,' said Wai. He also examined the mix in the US political system. 'Within the Senate and House, Democrats had a higher level of ability and education than Republicans. 'Females were underrepresented among all groups, but to a lesser degree among federal judges and Democrats and to a larger degree among Republicans and CEOs. Billionaire ability and education level by sector: Billionaires in the investments and technology sectors had the largest fraction of people who were also in the top 1% of cognitive ability. However, Wai wrote in Business Insider that the work did not prove that America's top performers still had their limits. 'This does not mean they are geniuses (I would reserve that term for someone who does mind-bending work like Albert Einstein); but they are really smart.' Researchers also analysed the male top female ratio in each group . In general the research found women were largely underrepresented. Notably, female Fortune 500 CEOs were underrepresented by a factor of 28.3 to 1, Wai said. 'But among those women who had climbed the ranks, they had to be smarter and more select, on average, than their male counterparts,' he said. Roughly 60% of female CEOs but only 40% of male CEOs were in the top 1% of cognitive ability. The connection between attending Harvard University and being a part of America's elite was also investigated. Roughly 11% to 13% of CEOs, judges, billionaires, and Senators had attended Harvard in some capacity, but only 6.6% of the House did so.

Five groups of America's elite were examined: Fortune 500 CEOs, federal judges, billionaires, Senators, and members of the House of Representatives . Individuals were deemed to be in the top 1% of ability if they attended an undergraduate or graduate school that had extremely high average standardized test scores . Females were underrepresented among all groups, but to a lesser degree among federal judges and Democrats . Billionaires in the investments and technology sectors had the largest fraction of people who were also in the top 1% of cognitive ability .

449ec9b794e8340676ad7dc30418b554164b86e1

By . Craig Mackenzie . Last updated at 6:49 PM on 4th November 2011 . Three-year-old Shylah Silbery had to fend for herself for two days after her mother died unexpectedly in their home in New Zealand . A three-year-old girl survived for two days on eating cheese and leftover lasagne after her mother died suddenly leaving her locked in her home. Shylah Silbery, from Wellington, New Zealand, also hugged her favourite toy - a teddy bear named Possum - as she waited alone in the house near her mother's body. She was rescued when 28-year-old Lauren Silbery's relatives alerted the authorities when they had not heard from her for two days. Police who went to the property managed to coax Shylah to drag a coffee table to the door so she could climb up and unlock it. She told them: 'Mummy won't wake up.' Lauren was found face down next to her bed. Her daughter had been able to drink milk and feed herself with whatever she could find in the fridge. Shylah spent several days in hospital recovering from dehydration and urine burns before attending her mother's funeral. The child's uncle Pete Silbery, 24, said: 'I can only imagine her in there for that long, trying to wake Mum up.' 'She's doing okay now. She's still bubbly. When we lowered the coffin into the grave at the cemetery, though, she pointed at it and said, "Mummy's in there". It was pretty heartbreaking.' Mr Silbery spoke every night to his sister, but he nad his mother grew so concerned after failing to reach her for two days they rang a friend who lived nearby. The friend went to the house and saw Shylah inside but no sign of her mother. The dead woman's mother, Heather, said: 'Lauren and I were very close - she would ring me every morning. 'One day I was in the garden and that afternoon at about four o'clock... her brother Peter and I said, 'Well, we haven't heard from Lauren'. Tragic: Lauren Silbery collapsed and died in her home. Police have said they do not think her death was suspicious . 'So we got a friend to go around there and [the grandchild] had come to the cat door, but Lauren hadn't, so I dialled 111.' But she said she knew her daughter was dead the instant she heard that neighbours couldn;t contact her. 'Lauren wouldn't have done anything silly,' she said. 'She loved Shylah so much and was a devoted mum. But I knew exactly what had happened. It's a mother's instinct.' She added: 'Her daughter was everything to her. She was the type of person who has a nice way of bringing people together.' Officers saw the three-year-old inside the house and taught her how to open the door by getting her to stand on a coffee table. The child's grandmother said: '[She] is still a bit quiet, but she still smiles and she's one of those kids that makes you laugh and you love to have her around. 'When we started cleaning and taking Lauren's stuff out of the flat, she did say "Mummy won't wake up" and when we went back in, she had shut her mother's bedroom door. 'She goes all around the flat happy, but she would not go in that room.'Mrs Silbery praised Shylah for coping so well with the traumatic experience. She said: 'Shylah doesn't quite have the spark she used to have but that will come back with time. But she still has her little sense of humour. 'We took her out for lunch and as her uncle David picked up a chip to put it in his mouth she'd grab it and eat it - then she'd laugh her little head off.' She said the fact her grand-daughter was left alone 'is what really rips into me the most ... just how resourceful my little granddaughter was. She was brilliant'. The road in Wellington, New Zealand, where the toddler was found alone but alive . The death of Ms Silbery at her house in the Upper Hutt area of the city is as yet unexplained. Police and the family believe that she died of natural causes but an investigation on behalf of the coroner has now been started. They said the fact Lauren was face down next to her bed was consistent with her having a heart attack or stroke and falling out of bed, but they said they need to wait for the results of an autopsy. They don't believe Lauren's death was suspicious. The toddler is now awaiting a Child, Youth and Family decision about whether she will be returned to her family. Shylah . was placed in CYF care after the discovery. But yesterday, central . regional director Karen Petrie said she hoped to place Shylah back with . her family. She said: . 'This is an absolutely tragic event and our sympathy goes out to this . family. Child, Youth and Family's preference in these situations is to . place children in the care of extended family members as long as this is . in the best interests of the child, and circumstances permit.' Shylah . was in regular contact with her family, and the agency was working with . them to care for Shylah's immediate needs, Ms Petrie said. Heather Silbery said her daughter had not written a will, . and confirmed her family was applying for custody of Shylah. Meanwhile, . a neighbour at the flats in Whakatiki Street, Upper Hutt, said yesterday . that in the days before the discovery silence had descended on the flat . where Shylah and her mother lived. 'Everything . had gone pretty quiet because they were normally quite a loud family, . going up and down the stairs. All of a sudden it got really quiet,' Dominic Curry, 23, said. They had recently moved into the flat, which another tenant described as having 'not that good' a community spirit.

Police alerted by Lauren Silbery's brother when he hadn't been able to contact her . 'Mummy won't wake up,' Shylah Silbery told officers when they arrived .

0f18c2f8b9d020ca4a618fd5d3d8c4887fb0de25

(CNN) -- Four years ago today, President Barack Obama signed Obamacare into law, pledging that Americans could keep their health care plans and their doctors and that their coverage would be "more secure and stable" than before. As the horror stories continue to roll in, however, the emptiness of those promises and the human toll of this deeply misguided experiment have become increasingly difficult for Democrats to ignore. Consider Angela Strobel, a mother of five girls from Owensboro, Kentucky. Angela was perfectly happy with the insurance and the doctor she had before Obamacare. She also had an ironclad assurance from the President that she wouldn't have to sacrifice either one if his health care plan became law. Now she finds herself among the growing group of Americans who've been shell-shocked by the reality. The fact-checkers may have declared the President's "you can keep your plan" pledge last year's "lie of the year." But Angela and millions like her will be reeling from that broken promise for years. It won't be easy. Angela not only lost her insurance, she also lost a trusted family doctor to Obamacare. In a perfect summary of modern liberalism, one of the billing clerks for Kentucky's Obamacare exchange told Angela that since she now qualifies for Medicaid, she'd be breaking the law if she tried to pay more out of her own pocket just to keep her old doctor. Medicaid rules forbid it. The upshot: for Angela and her family, it's either Medicaid or a monthly premium increase of nearly $1,000. Tragically, stories likes Angela's are playing out in households all across the country. And the promises that were made to sell Obamacare — that it wouldn't disrupt people's previous health care arrangements and that premiums would go down — are now being exposed for the cheap and deceptive sales pitch they were. It may be tempting for some to brush all this aside as standard politics. But it's hard to think of anything even comparable to the scope of the deception involved in selling this law. The President made repeated, explicit pledges that no one would lose their doctor or their plans as a result of this law. For two years, he did everything he could to assure Americans that they had nothing to worry about. Yet now, as millions of Americans speak out about their frustrations and heartbreak, he's not even listening. Instead, leading Democrats have engaged in a despicable campaign to discredit the victims. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid labeled people like Angela liars, while other Democrats have downplayed statistics that cast it in an unfavorable light. As for the President, he seems more interested in promoting his NCAA bracket and talking up Obamacare's elusive virtues on satirical talk shows like "Between the Ferns." For the Washington Democrats who gave us Obamacare, in other words, these stories about lost care, lost doctors, and higher costs aren't problems to be resolved, but political obstacles to be deflected. But there's only so much they can do to tune out or brush aside the cascading impact of Obamacare. In recent weeks, we've heard calamitous reports of Obamacare patients being denied access to doctors, hospitals and premium cancer care centers. A recent analysis by the management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. found that only a fraction of the biggest local hospitals in a given coverage area will accept Obamacare patients. An Associated Press study found that only four of the 19 cancer centers it surveyed would give Obamacare patients access to its cancer care through the new Obamacare exchanges in their states. This is progress? Don't tell that to Terri Durheim of Enid, Oklahoma. She's another mom who's been blindsided by the realities of Obamacare. Terri told CNN that her son has a serious heart condition, but will now have to travel more than an hour to find a pediatric cardiologist who's covered under her new plan. She doesn't even want to think about what she'll have to do in case of an emergency. "Obviously we'd have to pay out of pocket and go here in town," she said, "but that defeats the purpose of insurance." Terri's story raises a key question: what was the point of all this? Those who voted for Obamacare cling to the claim that they've increased access. But as report after report has shown, increasing the ranks of the insured doesn't necessarily guarantee access. It certainly didn't for Angela and Terri. For many, the answer to all this is obvious: Admit that Obamacare is a failure, repeal it, and work together on bipartisan, patient-centered solutions that correct the deficiencies in our previous system. But clearly, those who supported this law still need convincing. Four years after Obamacare was signed into law, they still can't bring themselves to admit the reality all around us. That needs to change. Obamacare's human toll is getting worse every day. We can do better. For the sake of people like Angela Strobel and Terri Durheim, we must. Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Sen. Mitch McConnell.

Sen. Mitch McConnell says that four years after the Affordable Care Act was signed, many Americans still struggle . McConnell points to President's repeated claims that it wouldn't disrupt people's existing health care plans . He tells of several constituents who are "reeling from that broken promise"

d09405dbf9ae4bcc8e886270c4c5fe794f9d6965

(CNN) -- It's becoming an annual tradition: Samsung will unveil the next generation of its Galaxy Note smartphone in advance of the IFA technology conference in Berlin. The company sent invitations to the press on Monday for an event on Sept. 4, two days before the first day of the conference. Like previous device unveilings, Samsung is calling the event "Samsung Unpacked 2013." The event will be live streamed via the web, and Samsung will host a press event at the same time in New York City's Times Square for people to watch and get hands-on time with the devices. SEE ALSO: 10 Free Android Apps You'll Use Every Day . Samsung isn't officially revealing information about the devices. However, the invitation and subsequent tweet include the phrase, "Note the Date" (emphasis added). Plus, at the two previous IFA events, Samsung released the first and second generations of its Galaxy Note smartphone, which have extremely large screens relative to other phones. Thus, it's a foregone conclusion that Samsung will unveil the Galaxy Note 3 (or III) at its September event. It's been almost a year since the company released the Galaxy Note 10.1. The question on everyone's mind this time: Just how big will Samsung go? Competitors have responded to the Galaxy Note's success (now at 5.6 inches with the Note II) with large screen sizes as well, including the 5.5-inch LG Optimus G Pro and 5-inch Droid Ultra. Samsung itself debuted the 6.3-inch Galaxy Mega earlier this year. Samsung's other plans for Sept. 4 also remain unknown. Last year, it took the wraps off several new devices, including its ATIV line of Windows 8 PCs, the first phone to run Windows Phone 8, and the Android-powered Galaxy Camera point-and-shoot. We'll likely see more focus this year, but Samsung could still surprise — perhaps with an entry into wearable computing. Its rumored smart watch is called "Gear." What do you think Samsung has in store for Sept. 4? Let us know in the comments. This article originally appeared on Mashable. © 2013 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved.

Samsung expected to unveil new Galaxy Note on Sept. 4 . Invitation to Berlin event says to "note" the date . The company's Note line leads a bigger-screen category .

a9e8a6bc3517e801bf6cadbfb4df43a259120efc

A quarter of Britons would fall out with their friends if they discovered they were Ukip supporters, a poll has revealed. Despite a surge in support Ukip remains by the far the most toxic of the all the main political parties. Three times as many people said they would ‘find it harder to stay close with a good friend’ if they voted Ukip than if they supported the Tories. Scroll down for video . Just under one in four voters would fall out with their friends if they revealed that they were Ukip supporters . Just one in 14 Britons said they would struggle to stay friends with a Conservative supporter – compared to one in four who admitted they would not be able to remain close to a Ukip voter. Labour is the least ‘toxic’ of all the main Westminster parties – with just three per cent of the public admitting that they would stop being friends with someone who backed Ed Miliband. Five per cent of voters would stop being friends with Lib Dem supporters, according to YouGov. Pollsters asked 1,970 adults 'if a good friend became a supporter’ of Ukip would you ‘disagree AND find it harder to be friends with them'. Labour and Lib Dem supporters are the most prejudiced – with four in 10 of Mr Miliband’s backers admitting that they would fall out with their friends for backing Ukip. Some 42 per cent of Lib Dem supporters would ‘find it harder’ to be friends with anyone who backed Mr Farage. Ukip also provokes stronger feelings among youngsters, with more than a third of 18-24 olds admitting that they would fall out with a friend for voting for the Eurosceptic party. Just 16 per cent of over 60s, meanwhile, admitted that they would struggle to remain close to a Ukip backer. Supporting Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg and David Cameron is less likely to end friendships than supporting Nigel Farage . Respondents were allowed to say whether they would ‘agree’ or ‘disagree’ with their friend, but also whether it would affect their friendship either positively or negatively. While most Labour voters would ‘disagree’ with their friend if they began supporting the Conservatives, only 14 per cent would find it harder to stay friends. Overall, only 3 per cent of voters would find it difficult to be friends with a Labour supporter, 3 per cent would find it difficult with a Green supporter, 5 per cent for a Lib Dem and 7 per cent for a Conservative.

Ukip remains by the far the most toxic of the all the main political parties . One in 14 Britons said they would struggle to stay friends with a Tory . Labour is the least 'toxic' of all the main Westminster parties .

5f270d12839ca6f6703b7b89aa0d9e56594dc120

Game of Thrones fans were promised cheaper access to the show by Foxtel but the hit drama is not included in the new subscription deal to win over more customers and reduce illegal downloads. Connecting to Pay TV network now starts at $25 per month, which includes more than 40 channels. however - there is an additional cost to gain access to sports, dramas and movies. The subscription giant has also set up a new channel, Box Sets, which screens entire seasons, back-to-back, of some of the most popular TV series including the blockbuster. Scroll down for video . Game of Thrones fans were promised cheaper access to the show by Foxtel but the hit drama is not included in the new subscription deal to win over more customers and reduce illegal downloads . Foxtel customers now pay $45 instead of $74 to access drama, sport and movies . However, the minimum cost to buy into a pay-TV package which will deliver Game Of Thrones at the same time as it airs in the US along with a host of HBO quality shows is $45. Previously it would have cost viewers a minimum of $74 to access the series. However, considering Australians set a world record for file sharing downloads - with more than one million accessing the show last season - the question begs is the reduced subscription enough to stop fans from illegally downloading? According to file sharing monitor TorrentFreak, Australia is the only country in the world to reach double digit downloads of the show with 11.6 per cent of GoT downloads originating here. Despite the show being a massive success - Foxtel only managed to hit the 115,000-175,000 viewers range - technically fewer viewers than for Peppa Pig on Sunday mornings. Making Game Of Thrones cheaper to watch is not the sole reason behind Foxtel's revised pricing structure but it is the reference point for comparing the old subscription scale to the new one. Foxtel CEO Richard Freudenstein said there has already been a positive response to their new pay structure. There will also be more HD channels and the launch of an upgraded IQ box to allow viewers to watch shows that have been screened in the previous 24 hours. More than one million Australians downloaded the last season of GoT - more than any other country .

Foxtel promised Game of Thrones fans cheaper access to the show . But the reduced monthly subscription of $25 doesn't include the drama . Additional $20 fee is charged to gain access to sports, dramas and movies . Previously it cost fans a minimum of $74 to access the series on Foxtel . More than one million Australians downloaded the last season of GoT . The only country in the world to reach those massive figures .

34977ef982b9ce0789e64e48a1fd65f4ddba14d2

It was long time waiting on standby but both the United Arab Emirates and Qatar did get what they were looking for; an upgrade to emerging market status from the more risky rating of frontier market. Investors cheered the news from the emerging markets index MSCI. On yet another dismal day for emerging markets, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha rallied again. They have been stellar performers for the past year. Qatar: Tiny country making big power plays . At the same time, MSCI announced that a developed nation is being downgraded for the first time. Greece's fate was sealed by the 90% plunge of its stockmarket since the start of the financial crisis. It also failed to meet a number of criteria set out during a review which started a year ago. The UAE has been lobbying since 2008, so one could say the fifth year is a charm. This process however required some fundamental changes to operations within the Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha financial markets. Read more: Qatar's inherent luxury . These changes included technical delivery and payment systems, liquidity requirements, sector diversification and a higher level of foreign ownership in listed companies. "They have actually ticked a lot of boxes that previously were stopping the UAE and Qatar," according to Saleem Khokhar of National Bank of Abu Dhabi Asset Management. These are still small volume markets with turnover around $350 million a day, but that is a five-fold increase from where they were when applications came in. I have visited all three of the trading floors and it is not unusual to find a dozen traders on high quality, leather lounge chairs with their traditional white khanduras sipping tea while placing trades. It is an altogether different look and feel from New York, London or Tokyo, but money is being made. Dubai is up 70% in the past 12 months, Abu Dhabi 54% and Doha around 20%. Is Dubai the center of the world (again)? However this "is absolutely not about the MSCI emerging market upgrade," Khokhar said. "I would say it is more about the fundamentals." But now that all three are part of this club, strategists say one should expect a knock on effect. HSBC has conducted an investment review predicting that the UAE could see capital flows increase by $370 million per year after the decision comes into place in 2014; Qatar rising by $430 million. According to MSCI, $1.5 trillion is earmarked by fund managers into emerging market assets. "The move is a major sign of approval from institutional investors for the countries' stock markets, and is expected to attract more stable sources of capital to local equities," Kuwait's Global Investment House said in a note to investors after the decision. The UAE and Qatar seem far removed from the post-Arab spring countries, which are trying to find their economic footing, or Syria where a civil war prevails. Both are seeing capital flows coming into their countries in the form of tourism, trade and financial services. These are safe havens of the Middle East. In addition, there continues to be a substantial development spending. In Abu Dhabi's case, $70 billion have been earmarked for the next five years alone.

UAE and Qatar got upgraded to emerging market status from the more risky frontier market rating . MSCI announced that a developed nation is being downgraded for the first time . Greece's fate was sealed by the 90% plunge of its stock market since the start of the crisis .

a18055bd2ebbae6c8c23d222ac59f0c1634b71ef

By . Daily Mail Reporter . The Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, has released an additional 400 pages of once-secret security documents in response to changes laid out by President Obama on Friday relating to the nation's polarizing surveillance practices. The declassification of the spy documents is part of a move by Obama to make public as much information as possible concerning the controversial bulk telephone-data-collection program that has angered many Americans over the six months. The documents were posted on the DNI's website. Going public: James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, has declassified a raft of documents, at the request of President Obama, relating to the nation's controversial cell phone surveillance program . In a speech about the National Security Agency (NSA) on Friday, President Obama trimmed the powers of the secretive US eavesdropping agency . Furor: Protests erupted after the extent of the US cellphone surveillance program were exposed by Edward Snowden last year . Obama issued the order in response to an international firestorm over the sweeping nature of the nation's spying that kicked up last summer when former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden began disclosing details of the surveillance programs, according to Fox News. In his speech Friday, Obama said the NSA will need approval from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court each time it searches the trove of phone data. Under the current system, cleared NSA analysts have had ready access to the phone records in an online archive since 2006 when the court first approved the FBI's request to begin the bulk phone records collection. One of the newly-released documents, dated Aug. 18, 2006, details how the FISC court approved a request from then-FBI Director Robert Mueller for 'all call-detail records' or 'telephony meta data'. In the document approving the metadata collection program, the court said the data requested includes 'comprehensive routing information, including but not limited to session identifying information (e.g., originating and terminating telephone number, communications device identifier, etc.), trunk identifier, telephone calling card numbers and time and duration of call'. It also specifies that the data will not include 'substantive content of any communication' or the name, address or financial information of a subscriber or customer. In brief, phone numbers and call durations are stored, but the conversation and communication itself is not. Former CIA technical assistant Edward Snowden revealed details of top-secret surveillance conducted by the NSA regarding telecom data . A protester in a mask depicting U.S. President Barack Obama calls for the U.S. eavesdropping on the leaders of close friends and allies to be stopped . The latest declassification and release of intelligence agency records brings the total of documents made public to 2,300 pages, including orders and opinions of the FISC and pleadings before it, documents the intelligence community provided to Congress, training slides and other internal memos describing the legal basis for the programs and how they operate. Obama has been under pressure since Snowden took an estimated 1.7 million documents from the NSA and gave them to journalists around the world. The U.S. public, Congress and allies overseas were shocked to learn the extent of the NSA’s post-9/11 surveillance. Soon after Snowden’s disclosure in June, Obama promised to review the system that has changed rapidly as technology improved. On Friday, Obama defended the work of the U.S. spying apparatus as necessary to protect Americans and international allies. He left the programs mostly intact, but added restrictions .

In a speech about the National Security Agency (NSA) on Friday, President . Barack Obama trimmed the powers of the secretive US eavesdropping agency . As a result, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper released more previously-secret documents about the controversial cell phone surveillance program . Among the 400 pages released on the DNI website is information showing the 'telephony meta data' was approved in April 2006 . The documents say the program stored cell phone numbers and call durations but not 'communications data', i.e. conversations .

24c8fae1ba1d98aef4e8b7c38d5e6a6582fdae93

(CNN) -- One St. Louis-area police officer resigned and another retired in the continued fallout from questionable police actions in the days after the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri. The moves bring to three the number of police officers whose conduct was called into question after the August 9 fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an African-American teen shot multiple times by a white police officer. The three officers are: Lt. Ray Albers, who threatened and pointed an assault rifle at protesters; Dan Page, an officer caught on camera pushing a CNN correspondent before a video surfaced of him ranting about the Supreme Court and Muslims; and Matthew Pappert, an officer fired after making what his chief called "very ... inappropriate" Facebook comments about the protests in Ferguson. Albers, a 20-year veteran of the St. Ann, Missouri, police department, resigned Thursday, according to City Administrator Matt Conley. Albers stepped down after the city's board of police commissioners recommended to the board of aldermen that he be fired or resign, St. Ann Police Chief Aaron Jimenez told CNN on Saturday. "He's one of my best friends but we have to do what's best for the city," Jimenez said. "It doesn't mean he's a bad guy, but he made a mistake after 20 years of solving crimes." Albers was the officer who pointed a semiautomatic rifle at a Ferguson protester and threatened to kill him on August 19 -- a tense moment caught on video and posted online. A day after the incident, police officials announced that the officer had been "relieved of duty and suspended indefinitely." In the video, Albers can be seen walking around with his assault rifle raised, then pointing it in the direction of protesters. "I'm going to f---ing kill you," he says. "Get back. Get back." Police said the protester involved in what it deemed "a verbal exchange" was "peaceful." Another man in the crowd said out loud, "Did you threaten to kill him?" When the officer was asked for his name, he responded: "Go f--- yourself." Protesters mocked the officer before he was led away by another member of law enforcement. A CNN crew also saw the officer point his weapon at those around him as he cursed, shouted and threatened people by saying he'd kill them unless they stayed away. Jimenez said of Albers: "He's not doing well, but he's trying to stay positive. He knows over his 20 years, he's done a lot of good work. You do one thing and it can ruin your career. He recognized what he did was wrong. That's his first step in moving on. He feels remorse. He said he was scared and wasn't thinking." Page, an officer with the St. Louis County Police Department, retired effective August 25, according to St. Louis County police spokesman Brian Schellman. Page was caught on camera pushing CNN's Don Lemon. He was placed on administrative leave after a video surfaced of him ranting about the Supreme Court and Muslims, among other things. He also refers on the video to Barack Obama as "that illegal alien who claims to be our President." This week, officials in the city of Glendale, Missouri, confirmed that Pappert was fired after making what his chief called "very ... inappropriate" Facebook comments, according to a city official. "These protesters should be put down like a rabid dog the first night," Pappert wrote in one post, according to CNN affiliate KMOV. There were reportedly five inappropriate posts, KMOV said. Pappert, a six-year veteran of the Glendale force, was originally suspended on August 22 after the comments came to light. An inquiry was initiated that day. "Officer Pappert was dismissed following the conclusion of the investigation," City Administrator Jaysen Christensen said. "Our focus at this point is to move past this, and turn the focus back to healing in ... Ferguson." Glendale, like Ferguson, is a municipality in St. Louis County. The two suburbs are about 15 miles apart. A week ago, Glendale Police Chief Jeffrey Beaton suspended Pappert and cited what he called the "inappropriate posts on his personal Facebook page," according to the Webster-Kirkwood Times, an online news outlet in the area. Police in the area have come under fire for their heavy-handed response to the Ferguson protests following Brown's death. An attorney for Pappert said his client was sorry for his online comments. "Officer Pappert is deeply remorseful about what he posted on social media," lawyer William Goldstein said. "We ask for (the) same spirit of forgiveness and the opportunity for redemption." Complete coverage of Ferguson shooting and protests . CNN's Greg Botelho, Joe Sutton, AnneClaire Stapleton and Joshua Berlinger contributed to this report.

Two St. Louis-area cops resign or retire following questionable actions related to Ferguson protests . Three officers have either been fired, resigned or retired because of their conduct, officials say . One officer threatened and pointed rifle at protesters; another retired after video rant about Supreme Court, Muslims . Third officer was fired for making inappropriate Facebook posts .

f946612831c7b8aa3f06820b42cc3b86a23222ad

Leo Santa Cruz, the vaunted US-based Mexican who defends his WBC world super-bantamweight title on the Floyd Mayweather-Marcos Maidana undercard in Las Vegas, is offering to fight Belfast’s new folk hero Carl Frampton next. As he prepared to enter the Las Vegas ring against long-time friend and fellow Mexican Manuel Roman, Santa Cruz passed appreciative judgement on Frampton’s brilliant winning of the IBF title from Kiko Martinez last Saturday night. Santa Cruz said: ‘I am really hoping for a unification fight against Frampton next. I was impressed by his win over Martinez and he is a very good boxer but I am confident I can beat him.’ VIDEO Scroll down to watch Mayweather ready for title defence . Leo Santa Cruz, pictured here fighting Cristian Mjares in Las Vegas back in March, has been impressed by Belfast fighter Carl Frampton and hinted they could meet in his next contest . Santa Cruz was impressed by the manner in which Frampton beat Kiko Martinez in Belfast last weekend . So confident that he adds: ‘Yes, I am willing to fight in Belfast even though Frampton has all that home support there.’ Santa Cruz then sees himself going on to England to relieve Scott Quigg of the WBA ‘regular’ belt he defends against Belgium’s Stephane Jamoye in Manchester this Saturday night. All that would be by way of preparation for a duel for the undisputed super-bantam crown against Cuban maestro Guillermo Rigondeaux. The WBO champion’s brilliant defensive style has been criticised as unexciting in the US and Santa Cruz says: ‘We need to build a meeting between me and Rigondeaux into a super-fight because on his own he does not attract a big audience.’ Santa Cruz has also set his sights on fighting England's Scott Quigg (left), seen here against Tshifhiwa Munyai . Santa Cruz is fighting on the undercard of the Mayweather-Maidana rematch in Las Vegas on Saturday night . Wins over Frampton and Quigg would help him in that enterprise but there may be a delay if the Belfast Jackal is forced first to make a mandatory IBF defence against America’s little-known Chris Avalos. Meanwhile, Golden Boy promotions are willing to offer David Haye a comeback route to boxing if he wants to fight again. Oscar De La Hoya’s matchmaker Eric Gomez, who is leading Golden Boy’s participation in Floyd Mayweather’s Saturday night with Marcos Maidana, noted Haye’s presence in Vegas and said: ‘We’ve worked with David before and we would be interested in doing so again. We would find him a place on an undercard. ‘He just have to start boxing again. He keeps fit.’ Golden Boy promotions are offering David Haye, seen here in his heavyweight fight with Wladimir Klitschko back in 2011, the chance of a return to the ring . Haye has not fought in the two years since beating Dereck Chisora at West Ham’s Upton Park football ground, since when he has twice pulled out injured from scheduled heavyweight fights with Tyson Fury. London’s former cruiserweight and heavyweight world champion has just split from his long-time trainer Adam Booth and entered into talks with US boxing facilitator Al Haymon.

Leo Santa Cruz has offered to fight Belfast's Carl Frampton next . The WBC world super-bantamweight title holder takes on fellow Mexican Manuel Roman on undercard to Saturday's Floyd Mayweather fight . Santa Cruz was impressed by Frampton's win over Kiko Martinez . He also has his sights set on WBA champ Scott Quigg .

34fdb88cd8feaa85d482f8bbd79f496197068c02

"You! You have moto, yes?" An elderly woman, her craggy face peering out from the folds of her voluminous black chador, demands my attention. I'm in the immigration line at the Turkey-Iran border and my heart is pounding as I wait to be stamped into the Islamic Republic. I nod warily, confirming that yes, that is me -- a solo female with a British passport and a motorcycle. I adjust my headscarf, fearing that my interrogator is a member of Iran's infamous "morality police," the hardliners instructed to arrest women for "immodest" behavior. She jabs me in the chest. "You come with moto?" she asks again, twisting an imaginary throttle and even adding a few "vroom vroom" sound effects. I'm still not sure if I'm in trouble but her opinion becomes clear when she grabs my face and gives it an enthusiastic slap, before pulling me in for a rib-crushing hug. "Very good! Very good!" she shouts while I gasp for breath among the folds of her chador. "I am wishing you all the luck in the world!" Finding the 'real' Iran . This enthusiastic welcome sets the scene for my entire journey -- motorcycling 3,000 miles around Iran solo and female, from the rugged northwest of the country to the Caspian Sea and over the remote Alborz Mountains to the fume-choked streets of Tehran. My motivation? Curiosity about the huge gulf between how Iran is perceived in the West and what I hear about it from the few people I know who have been there. Often painted in the media as a terrifying place full of extremists, travelers who return from Iran invariably rave about how wonderful and welcoming they found the Iranian people. I wanted to discover the place for myself. Following some wild times in the capital, where it turns out you can get everything from contraband bacon to booze, I continue through the peaceful Zagros Mountains to the ancient cities of Esfehan, Shiraz and the deserts of the south. Reports of tourists being arrested for espionage are in the front of my mind when, at one border post, I'm frogmarched to the police station to be fingerprinted. But, of course, a people and its government are two separate entities. Persian hospitality is legendary and I find myself overwhelmed with generosity and kindness from Iranians keen to distance themselves from the negative image of their homeland -- from truckers stuffing pomegranates into my panniers to complete strangers insisting on paying for my hotel room and an endless stream of tea. Challenging too . Of course, there are a couple of challenging moments, most often involving the police. There are different kinds of police in Iran and on one occasion in Tehran a car full of plainclothes revolutionary guards deliberately drives into me. On another occasion I'm assaulted at a remote desert gas station by a pump attendant who is probably on meth (quite common in the rural areas, I'm told). Shouting, he lunges at me. Luckily I'm still sitting on the bike, and after a kick in the right place I ride off as fast as possible. But then I'm out in the desert with very little fuel ... a pretty scary scenario, too. In fact, the very act of riding a motorcycle can be daunting in Iran as the driving can be insane. Iran reportedly has the highest rate of road deaths and traffic related accidents in the world, so every morning I feel like I'm going into battle. But the welcome from the people makes up for it manifold. Curious and curiouser . I'm also a source of intense curiosity myself, especially as Iranian women are forbidden from riding motorcycles in public. Foreign travelers are rare in Iran and the sight of a UK-registered motorcycle caused much excitement among drivers who would pass me with an inch to spare, blasting their horns while hanging out the window and filming me on their phones. As I travel around I'm passed from stranger to stranger, who quickly become friends, and as a result, find myself mingling with a range of Iranian society. My hosts range from underground filmmakers and the designer-clad elite of Tehran to a rebel-rousing schoolgirl and Iran's celebrated explorer, Issa Omidvar, who motorcycled around the world in the 1950s. Iranians remain warm and fun-loving people. Some areas off limits . Riding isn't an entirely free affair though -- travelers must take care not to stray into military areas or near nuclear plants and taking pictures of military or official buildings is a no-no. For my project, I'd snap them quickly and then be on my way, reminded that the authoritarian streak is never far away. Vast murals of the Supreme Leader (Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei) loom over every street corner and everyone I meet has a story of police intimidation, arrests and the oppressive reality of life under the regime. In the desert city of Yazd I'm invited to stay with an ex-army general and his family. He fought in the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s and lost his legs in the conflict. I'm wary of this invitation, wondering what I'll have in common with an Iranian veteran, but my concerns are unfounded. He's far from the grizzled war-monger I fear and within moments of meeting he's cracking jokes and teaching me Farsi slang. The highlight of the trip comes, unexpectedly, as we take the elevator in his apartment block to go out for dinner. I'm learning the Persian numbers as we descend each floor and as we count "three, two, one" he announces in English, "It's the final countdown!" We don't have to say anything. The two of us look at each other, laugh and burst into song. "Da-da daa daa, da-da da da daa!" This is the moment I know I'd been right to ignore the naysayers and to come and seek out the real Iran. Neither East nor West . Iran has always prided itself on being "neither East nor West." Geographically it stands between the two cultures, never aligning itself with either, making for the strong sense of Persian identity. Sadly, the popular image of Iran today, fueled by the rhetoric of politicians means that the Iranian people are lumped in with Islamic extremists and terrorism. This couldn't be further from the truth. My travels unveiled a nation of sophisticated, kindhearted people eager to engage with the wider world. If only their government would follow their example.

British travel writer Lois Pryce motorcycled 3,000 miles through Iran on her own . Her travels revealed a nation divided between an authoritarian regime and a friendly, welcoming people . Breaking into 1980s song "The Final Countdown" with an ex-army general was one of her highlights .

f63c67c039b3bfb83b3d46f4250e3509c2e9394a

Atlanta (CNN) -- Hussein Shafei prepared Saturday for a journey back to a place of darkness in Libya. Soon, he plans to stand again in Cell 14, Block 2 at the Abu Salim prison in Tripoli. Only this time, the metal door will not slam behind him, caging him in a bathroom-size cell. He will be a free man within the confines of what became a potent symbol of Moammar Gadhafi's repression -- Libya's Abu Ghraib. Shafei wants to return to the place where he witnessed a massacre that fuels his nightmares. Sometimes, he said, his wife would wake him up in the middle of the night, saying, "Hussein. You are screaming. You are scaring the kids." As many as 1,200 prisoners were killed at Abu Salim in the summer of 1996, according to Human Rights Watch. Without justice, the infamous event festered in Libya's national psyche and eventually acted as tinder to spark the flame of revolt in February of this year. Rebels stormed the prison a few days ago, freeing those held inside, including an American journalist. "I am so excited about Tripoli," Shafei said of the distinct possibility of the capital falling under rebel control. "This is the moment I have been waiting for for so many years." Since his release in 2000, Shafei had thought about Abu Salim's dead. Where were their bodies? What was it like for their children to grow up without their fathers? For a wife to not know what happened to her husband? He vowed to expose the carnage of that June day. Then this week in Benghazi, he watched a video posted on YouTube that purportedly showed the storming of Abu Salim. Shafei, now working with the opposition in Benghazi, knew he had to return there. He was waiting to board a plane to Tripoli. Or perhaps, with the fighting still raging in places like Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte, he will have to go by boat. With the Libyan regime on the brink of collapse, Shafei hopes the truth about Abu Salim will finally be known. He is hardly alone in his wish. The shooting went on for almost three hours . Shafei was a teenage college student when he was arrested for offending the regime. Inspired by perestroika reforms in the Soviet Union in the late 1980s, he spoke out in favor of greater freedoms in his own country. Shafei's mother, Najia, clearly remembers that day in 1988 when she returned to her home in Benghazi to find her daughters wailing. Her son was gone. "We had no idea where he was," she said from her home in Atlanta. "Whether he was alive or dead." Nineteen months passed before Najia Shafei learned, through contacts, her son's whereabouts. After that, she occasionally made the long trek west from Benghazi to the prison in Tripoli. The guards would drag her son out of his cell and into a warehouse at the entrance of the jail, where mother and son met. If she was lucky, she got 20 minutes with him, she said. She could never ask him about his situation. There were always guards listening in. He could never tell her about what he knew was going on in that jail -- beatings, torture, deaths. Shafei spent eight years that way, in a cramped cell, without his family or the education he should have finished. His father died in 1994 and he was released for three days to attend the funeral. That was the extent of his freedom. Then, on June 28, 1996, prisoners rioting over poor conditions and restricted family visits seized a guard and escaped from their cells. "Five or seven minutes after it started, the guards on the roofs shot at the prisoners who were in the open areas," Shafei said in an interview with Human Rights Watch many years later. Security officials ordered the shooting to stop and feigned negotiations. But Shafei told Human Rights Watch that the officials instead called in firing squads to gun down about 1,200 people. He said a grenade was thrown into the courtyards where the prisoners were gathered. "I heard an explosion, and right after, a constant shooting started from heavy weapons and Kalashnikovs from the top of the roofs," he said. "The shooting continued from 11 until 1:35." Much later, while buying lamb at a slaughterhouse in the United States, Shafei commented to his brother Nabil: Not even here can they kill at the rate Gadhafi's men did that day. "I could not see the dead prisoners who were shot, but I could see those who were shooting," Shafei told Human Rights Watch. "They were a special unit and wearing khaki military hats. Six were using Kalashnikovs. I saw them -- at least six men -- on the roofs of the cellblocks." The next day, Shafei was ordered to clean the blood-smeared watches taken off the wrists of the dead. Human Rights Watch said it had no way to verify Shafei's story but another description of the incident from a report by the opposition National Front for the Salvation of Libya corroborated Shafei's account. Gadhafi's government did not acknowledge the killings and denied any crime had taken place. More than a decade after the Abu Salim incident, the United Nations Human Rights Council noted that the Libyan government was unable to provide any information on its investigation of the allegations. But the families, mostly from Benghazi, now the de facto rebel capital, did not abandon their longing for answers. Some of them filed a complaint in a Libyan court in 2007. The Gadhafi regime offered them compensation in exchange for their silence, according to Human Rights Watch. But the families refused the money, considering it a bribe. Instead, they boldly began to protest each Saturday in Benghazi, an action unprecedented in Gadhafi's four decades of rule. "It was radical," said Sarah Leah Whitson, director of the Middle East and Africa division at Human Rights Watch. The government began informing some of the families that their loved ones were dead. But no bodies was ever returned nor a cause of death given. Among those waiting to find out more are three brothers in Atlanta whose father, opposition activist Izzat Almegaryaf, was plucked from his home 20 years ago. The Almegaryaf brothers know their father was detained at Abu Salim -- they received letters from him in the early 1990s. But the letters stopped a few years into Izzat Almegaryaf's imprisonment. His sons do not know whether their father was among the massacre victims. Tasbeeh Herwees, a Libyan-American journalism student in California, recalled in a blog post the funerals for the Abu Salim victims held in the summer of 2009 when she visited Benghazi. "Inna lillahi wa ilayhi rajioon," each family said. Verily, we belong to God, and to God we return. Herwees tripped over the words in Arabic, but by the end of her stay she had repeated the phrase so many times that she was fluent. "I spent more time in tents that summer than in my own home, the cloth of my black abaya sticking irritatingly to my skin from the Saharan humidity," she wrote. "In the faces of the family of the dead, I detected relief in the sea of sadness. 'At least now we know,' they said." Then in February of this year, the regime arrested Fathi Terbil, a human rights lawyer who represented some of the Abu Salim families. Hundreds of people jammed the streets of Benghazi to protest. Terbil was released but the demonstrations did not stop. A revolution took root. "The memories of that summer come rushing back as I watch the present events in Libya unfold from my home in Cypress, California," Herwees wrote. "It was, after all, the Abu Salim families who kick-started this revolution. It was they who initiated protests in Benghazi in front of police headquarters when their lawyer, Fathi Terbil, was mysteriously detained by security officials." Exposing the carnage . After 12 years at Abu Salim, Shafei was released in 2000. He often cried openly, with flashbacks triggered by something as small as macaroni reminiscent of Abu Salim chow, said his older brother, Nabil Shafei. He eventually made his way to the United States, where Nabil lived. "Hussein came here and had a mission," Nabil Shafei said. "He wanted to expose the massacre of Abu Salim." Hussein Shafei told Human Rights Watch about the carnage he witnessed. He even approached the State Department, which includes the Abu Salim massacre in its statements on human rights abuses in Libya. As the civil war raged this year and Benghazi blossomed as a city free of Gadhafi's grip, Shafei, now 42, returned there from Charlotte, North Carolina. He took his wife and three children with him. He has been working with the opposition television station and telling the world about the dark secrets of Abu Salim. Now, as the newly freed prisoners began returning home to Benghazi, Shafei knew the time had come for him to go back to the prison. It is part of his own healing. The nation must heal, too, he believes. The first step will be to hold Libyan leaders accountable for what happened at the prison. Najia Shafei is wary of her son's trip to Tripoli. She remains fearful about what might happen to him as long as Gadhafi is still alive. But Hussein Shafei is determined to complete his mission. He owes it to all those who survived Abu Salim. But mostly, he owes it to the souls of the dead.

Hussein Shafei says he witnessed the 1996 killings of 1,200 prisoners at Abu Salim . The Libyan government has never acknowledged a crime . After his release, Shafei spoke to Human Rights Watch about the carnage . The incident served as a trigger for the revolt against Moammar Gadhafi .

0b8f5d2952c58fb39d11081ac24e65c1bde6c75b

By . John Hall . Susanna Reid's move to ITV appears to have gone from bad to worse after the audience for Good Morning Britain slumped to just 328,700, with viewers continuing to tune in to rival BBC Breakfast. The programme drew about a quarter of the viewers that Reid's former show attracted yesterday morning, with 1.06million tuning in for the BBC's Bank Holiday Monday breakfast broadcast. The result signals something of a ratings disaster for Good Morning Britain - which only launched last week - as the ITV show attracting just 11.9 per cent of the UK audience share, compared to BBC Breakfast's 31.5 per cent. Slump: Good Morning Britain drew about a quarter of the viewers that Susanna Reid's former show, BBC Breakfast, attracted yesterday morning. Only 330,000 watched the ITV morning programme . Solid: While all channels suffered a slight Bank Holiday Monday blip, the audience slump hit Good Morning Britain far worse than it did BBC Breakfast (pictured) While all channels suffered a slight Bank Holiday Monday blip, the slump hit Good Morning Britain far worse than it did the BBC, according to official BARB audience figures. During Good Morning Britain's launch week, the ITV show had an average of about 690,000 viewers, while BBC Breakfast maintained a steady 1.5million. During the launch show, Good Morning Britain had a disappointing 800,000 viewers, but that fell to 735,000 on Tuesday, 636,000 on Wednesday, 671,000 on Thursday and just 611,000 on Friday. The fall was reflected in a declining . audience share for ITV, peaking at 18 per cent on Monday - compared to . the BBC's 35 per cent - and falling to 15.7 per cent on Friday. BBC . Breakfast's enduring popularity was compounded by an additional 200,000 . viewers tuning in for the last half hour at 8.30 - when Good Morning . Britain ended. Not a good start: ITV chiefs will no doubt be concerned as the high profile launch of Good Morning Britain came after its predecessor, Daybreak, was dropped for low audience ratings . Fresh beginnings: Susanna Reid was Good Morning Britain's big signing to launch the new show after being lured from the BBC, where she had proven to be a popular figure . Stars: Susanna Reid has been joined on the weekday show by Ben Shephard (right) - a familiar ITV face from his GMTV days - and Charlotte Hawkins (centre) who was poached from Sky . ITV chiefs will no doubt be concerned as the high profile launch of Good Morning Britain came after its predecessor Daybreak was dropped for low audience figures. Daybreak was attracting an average of around 600,000 viewers in the months before it was axed. Reid was Good Morning Britain's big signing to launch the new show after being lured from the BBC, where she had proved to be a popular figure. Her profile increased hugely late last year in the wake of her appearances on last year’s Strictly Come Dancing. Reid has been joined on the weekday ITV . show by Ben Shephard - a familiar face for ITV breakfast viewers from . his GMTV days, and Charlotte Hawkins and Sean Fletcher - who were both . poached from Sky. Teamwork: Reid with co-presenters Sean Fletcher, Ben Shephard and Charlotte Hawkins . Twitter storm: Many people took to social media sites to voice their discontent about Good Morning Britain looking similar to Good Morning America . For viewers, one of the biggest changes to predecessor Daybreak - along with the presenting team - was the introduction of a glass desk at which the hosts were seated for much of the show, although they moved to sofas later in the show. Many observers have interpreted the discussions around the desk as more of a US-style approach, taking its cue from ABC’s popular Good Morning America. Viewers were divided on the show, with some lamenting the passing of its predecessor while others praised its fast pace and gloss. Ms Reid’s ITV debut initially drew mixed . reactions, with criticism that the show looked too similar to its U.S . counterpart and that Ms Reid’s figure was obscured by a desk. The big reveal: Several launch show viewers complained on Twitter about Susanna Reid hiding her figure behind a desk. Later in the programme she moved to an armchair . During Good Morning Britain's launch week, the ITV show had an average of about 690,000 viewers, while BBC Breakfast maintained a steady 1.5million. Pictured is Charlotte Hawkins, a Good Morning Britain presenter . As the show began viewers took to Twitter to complain that the legs of the 43-year-old - whose pay for the role has been reported as £400,000 and as much as £1million a year - were hidden from view. One viewer commented: 'Why has ITV paid so much for @susannareid100 only to put her behind a desk? Its like buying a Ferrari and keeping it in the garage #gmb.' Another wrote: 'You don't hire Susanna Reid and then stick her behind a desk #getyourpinsout #GoodMorningBritain.'

ITV breakfast show attracted just 11.9% of yesterday's audience share . Only 328,700 tuned in for the sixth episode of Good Morning Britain . Meanwhile BBC Breakfast remained solid, attracting 31.5% of audience . Translates to a respectable Bank Holiday Monday audience of 1.06million . ITV audience slump likely to concern chiefs who axed show's predecessor . Daybreak was dumped with an average audience of 600,000 in final months .

d19447b90b2485888e3155f1a5690eb412b8b31a

By . Ian Drury . PUBLISHED: . 19:32 EST, 31 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:36 EST, 31 July 2013 . Corporal Russell Aston was killed in action in southern Iraq in 2003. His family are suing the Ministry of Defence for negligence . The family of one of six Red Caps murdered by a mob in Iraq is suing the Ministry of Defence for up to £250,000. It follows a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court last month that UK soldiers in war zones are covered by human rights laws. Corporal Russell Aston was one of the Royal Military Policemen cornered and slaughtered by hundreds of locals at a police station in Majar al Kabir, near Basra, in June 2003. The killers have never been brought to justice. Legal papers lodged on behalf of Cpl Aston’s family allege commanders failed to take ‘reasonable’ measures to keep the Red Caps safe when they were deployed to the hostile town. The families of all six soldiers have long maintained the soldiers’ deaths were preventable. They claim commanders failed to give the Red Caps sufficient ammunition to defend themselves as well as roadworthy vehicles and effective communications to call in support. An inquest into their deaths in 2006 recorded a verdict of  unlawful killing and heard evidence the soldiers had too little ammunition, old radios and  no satellite phone when they were ambushed. If the Aston family claim is successful, it could lead to yet more legal action against the MoD. John Miller, father of Corporal Simon Miller who was also killed in the attack, said he too will sue. ‘It could be classed as a blunt . sword, but all I’ve wanted is to get these people into court and for the . MoD to accept the failings that were identified by the board of . enquiry. ‘Nothing else would give me greater . satisfaction, and I know nothing will bring my amazing son back, but if . we could get that justice and admission . Russel Aston (back row, second from left) and his comrades were killed when an angry mob of 500 stormed a police station where they were training local police in Iraq . of guilt, my wife and I could . turn the chapter and pick up the threads of the life we once had.’ ‘If we could get that justice and admission of guilt, my wife and I could turn the chapter and pick up the threads of the life we once had,’ he added. An MoD spokesman said: ‘Our thoughts remain with the families of those who lost their lives. However, it would be inappropriate to comment on any forthcoming legal proceedings. The five men who died alongside Cpl Aston, from Swadlincote, Derbyshire, were Lance Corporal Thomas Keys, Sergeant Simon Hamilton-Jewell, Corporal Simon Miller, Lance Corporal Ben Hyde and Corporal Paul Long. An inquest into their deaths in 2006 recorded a verdict of unlawful killing and heard evidence the soldiers had too little ammunition, old radios and no satellite phone when they were ambushed. John Miller, whose son Simon was killed in the attack, said he too will sue the Ministry of Defence.He said: ‘Simon’s patrol should have had a satellite phone and 150 rounds of ammunition; they were denied both, they couldn’t call for help, they couldn’t initiate a firefight because they didn’t have enough ammunition against a mob of 500 firing rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47s assault rifles. ‘Can anyone imagine that situation and be totally useless under it? All we want is an admission of guilt from the MoD. I’m so angry and very, very hurt.

Supreme court made landmark ruling, opening way for court case . Corporal Russell Aston was cornered and killed by Iraqi mob . His parents are now suing the Ministry of Defence .

b111a38ea98e24dbbabba1b4486fece528780112

By . Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 06:54 EST, 12 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:36 EST, 12 April 2013 . A genealogist who tracked down her long-lost father and turned the reunion into a television show on Oprah is being sued by the man she now calls 'dad' after he claimed the story is not true. Pamela Slaton first claimed retired mortician Vincent Oleniak was her estranged father in a book after tracing him to New York. Her story was then picked up by Oprah Winfrey's cable channel OWN. In the tome, entitled Reunited: An Investigative Genealogist Unlocks Some of Life’s Greatest Family Mysteries, Slaton writes: 'We may not be living out the father-daughter fairy tale, but it matters to me that he exists.' Claims: Pamela Slaton first claimed retired mortician Vincent Oleniak was her estranged father in a book called Reunited: An Investigative Genealogist Unlocks Some of Life’s Greatest Family Mysteries . She goes on to attack Oleniak . claiming he is a Mob-linked lothario who abandoned his child because of his misogyny, the New York Post reported. The . book was later turned into a documentary that ran for three months in . 2011 on Oprah's channel before it was cancelled due to low ratings. Now, . a lawsuit filed at Manhattan Supreme Court says that Oleniak 'never . acknowledged paternity' and that the author 'has knowingly, . intentionally and falsely identified [him] as her biological father in . the book'. Plugged on Oprah: The book was later turned into a documentary that ran for three months in 2011 on Oprah Winfrey's channel OWN. Here Winfrey is pictured with (L-R) Simon Cowell, herself, Usher, Will Smith, Michael Jordon, Tom Cruise and Rosie O'Donnell during the taping of 'Oprah's Surprise Spectacular' in 2011 . He claims he knew Slaton when she was young but that he only began a relationship with her mother when she was already pregnant. The . suit also names Slaton’s publisher, Macmillan, and her ghost writer, . Samantha Marshall, while Winfrey and her channel are not named. Oleniak, who hails from The Bronx, is seeking undisclosed compensatory and punitive damages. He refused to comment. Slaton also declined to comment.

Pamela Slaton first claimed Vincent Oleniak was her estranged father in book . It was later picked up by Oprah's channel OWN and ran for three months . She claimed he is Mob-linked lothario who left his child because he . is sexist . But Oleniak claims he 'never acknowledged paternity' in New York lawsuit . He is now seeking unspecified punitive and compensatory damages .

e8d36d5cd234fc2b7be1023b19dbc1a72852c93e

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 likely flew into the southern Indian Ocean on autopilot with an unresponsive crew, Australian authorities said Thursday, divulging new details about what they believe happened during the missing plane's final hours. The information emerged as officials announced a southward shift, as expected, in the underwater search for the Boeing 777, which disappeared March 8 with 239 people on board. Searchers have found no trace of the jetliner or its passengers, making the case probably the biggest mystery in aviation history and leaving the families of those on board bereft of answers. The Australian officials said they believe the plane was on autopilot throughout its journey over the Indian Ocean until it ran out of fuel. They cited the straight track on which the aircraft flew, according to electronic "handshakes" it periodically exchanged with satellites. "It is highly, highly likely that the aircraft was on autopilot, otherwise it could not have followed the orderly path that has been identified through the satellite sightings," Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss told reporters in Canberra. Unresponsive crew? In a report explaining the change in search area, Australian authorities suggested that Flight 370's crew may have been in an "unresponsive" state, possibly caused by a lack of oxygen. That scenario "appeared to best fit the available evidence for the final period of MH370's flight," the report said, citing previous air accidents in which crews had been rendered unresponsive by a lack of oxygen, also known as hypoxia. But it cautioned that the assumption was "made for the purposes of defining a search area and there is no suggestion that the investigation authority will make similar assumptions." The Australian officials declined to talk about the causes behind Flight 370's errant flight path, saying those are questions for the Malaysian authorities in charge of the overall investigation. And they said they weren't sure exactly when the autopilot had been turned on. 'Most likely place' Their disclosure that a computer rather than a human was most likely steering the plane during its final hours adds a little more detail to the largely obscured picture of what took place that March night. But the key questions of why the passenger jet flew dramatically off its intended route -- from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing -- and where exactly it ended up remain unanswered. The next phase of the underwater search aims to resolve at least one of those issues. Truss said an international team of experts had chosen the 60,000-square-kilometer zone, an area roughly the size of West Virginia, after going over all the available data. "This site is the best available and most likely place where the aircraft is resting," he said. He warned, though, that the operation to comb the sea floor in the area, which has never been fully mapped, would be "very challenging and complex." "We could be fortunate and find it in the first hour, or the first day," he said. "But it could take another twelve months." Biggest search in history . The hunt for the plane has already become "biggest search operation in history, covering 4.5 million square kilometers of ocean surface," Truss said. During the early phase of the search, aircraft and ships scoured vast stretches of the surface of the southern Indian Ocean but found no debris from Flight 370. Pings initially thought to be from the missing plane's flight recorders led to a concentrated underwater search that turned up nothing. Last week, a group of independent experts -- using satellite data publicly released in May -- said it thought the missing aircraft was hundreds of miles southwest of the previous underwater search site. Doubts among families . "It is encouraging that the Australian leadership has taken a very methodical and rigorous approach to redefining the search area, but is it still different than some of the other outside experts had defined," said Sarah Bajc, whose partner, Philip Wood, was on board the missing plane. She said she couldn't reconcile the differences between the analyses. "We don't trust that the officials are being forthright with the information," she said. The next underwater search will be broadly in an area where planes and vessels had already looked for debris on the surface of the water, Truss said. It's roughly 1,800 kilometers off the coast of Western Australia. Two ships have already started mapping the ocean floor of the area, a process that will take about three months. The underwater search, which will rely on the ships' maps, is expected to begin in August. It will be led by a private contractor that Australian authorities will appoint. Malaysia will contribute equipment to the search effort, including vessels and towed sonar systems, Truss said. For families of the missing, a hole in the clouds, an empty space on earth .

Crew may have been in an "unresponsive" state, Australian authorities say . Plane was likely on autopilot when it flew into the Indian Ocean, officials say . The next phase of the search will move to an area farther south in the Indian Ocean . The area is the "most likely place where the aircraft is resting," an Australian official says .

81dc7600b4960dcd419b4fcc94d57e863d780c74

By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 07:29 EST, 7 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:53 EST, 7 November 2012 . A toy aeroplane was bought for a child during World War Two, but was never unwrapped and played with because he was killed in the Blitz . The tin monoplane was given to a youngster in 1941, but recently found wrapped in newspaper in a loft in Bristol where it had sat untouched for 70 years. The newspaper included a story about how . Bristol had been bombed heavily two nights before - the first time the . city was hit by the Blitz. Tragic: The tin monoplane was given to a youngster in 1941 - but it is thought he never got to play with his new toy . Loss: The plane was purchased as a Christmas present in 1940 but its pristine condition suggests it was a gift that was never given . Bristol was the fifth most heavily bombed British city of World War II. The presence of Bristol Harbour and the Bristol Aeroplane Company made it a target for bombing by the Nazi German Luftwaffe who were able to trace a course up the River Avon from Avonmouth. At 6pm on 24th November 1940 Bristol experienced its first Blitz lasting six hours. Coventry had been badly bombed just 10 days before the Bristol Blitz. This raid had been widely reported in the newspapers. The government did not want to lower public morale. Between 24 November 1940 and 11 April 1941 there were six major bombing raids. In total 1299 people were killed, 1303 seriously injured, and 697 were rescued from debris . 89,080 buildings  were damaged including 81,830 houses destroyed. On 3rd January 1941 Bristol was hit by bombing yet again with the raid lasting nearly 12 hours and during it a 4,000lb bomb was dropped on Knowle. This bomb did not explode and the people of Bristol called it Satan. It was made safe and was included in the 1945 London victory parade. Bristol was the fifth most heavily bombed British city of World War Two. Experts believe the plane was bought for a youngster who was never able to play with it and died during the bombing. The camouflaged monoplane is one of only three made by iconic British toy manufacturers W. Britain. William Britain Senior turned his hand from brass maker to toymaker in 1893, and pioneered the use of lead-casting toy soldiers. His firm began making . camouflage-painted toys after war broke out in 1939, but by 1941 had . switched their manufacturing tools to help the war effort. The mint condition plane was bought for £10,000 by an American collector at auctioneers Vectis in Thornaby, Yorkshire. Winning bid: The mint condition plane was bought for £10,000 by an American collector at auctioneers Vectis in Thornaby, Yorkshire . Rare: The small metal toy is one of three known to exist shows a WW1 propeller driven plane with US Air Force badges . Spokesman Simon Clarke, said . 'Although they produced thousands of aircraft, W. Britain only produced a . very small number just prior to ceasing production during the war with a . camouflage finish. 'It . was quite a good price - I was over the moon. It’s not unusual to . achieve those types of prices for W. Britain toys - they’re sought after . all over the world. 'In that period from the outbreak of . war to when they stopped making toys the next year, they made a lot of . crazy toys related to war. Under attack: Bristol was the fifth most heavily bombed British city of World War Two . 'They . made them only for a matter of months, then they went over to war . productions. From 1941 they stopped making toys and started making hand . grenades.' The plane was originally bought for 9s 6d - or £18.30 in today’s money - from Gyles Brothers of Bristol. It still packaged in its original box which could be turned into a ‘hangar’ by following instructions.

The tin monoplane was given to a youngster in 1941 - but it is thought he never got to play with his new toy . It was recently found wrapped in newspaper in a loft in Bristol .

eb125d8212cabd1f2350c9bbc002285e08174a79

It's not your usual selfie. "The sensation is happening again," Stacey Yepes tells the camera. "It's all tingling on left side." "I don't know why this is happening to me." The Toronto-area woman was having her third stroke in three days. And this time, she refused to suffer in private. Yepes recorded a selfie video of her symptoms after pulling over while driving. The next day, the video would help doctors at Toronto Western Hospital correctly diagnose her with transient ischemic attacks, or "mini-strokes," due to plaque buildup in her arteries. Now, according to Yepes, she is on cholesterol-lowering medication and blood thinners, and hasn't had any more strokes. The video may have saved her life. No two strokes are alike: My story . Two days before the recording, doctors at a local emergency room in Toronto dismissed her face numbness and slurred speech as stress-related. They told her stroke tests had come back negative and counseled the 49-year-old legal secretary on breathing techniques. Those were ineffective, and Yepes suffered two additional mini-strokes in consecutive days -- the first leaving the hospital parking lot on April 1. She knew something had to be done. "I think it was just to show somebody, because I knew it was not stress-related," she said in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. "And I thought if I could show somebody what was happening, they would have a better understanding." That was exactly what happened. Yepes filmed the third "mini-stroke" the next day en route to work. After arriving, she showed the video to co-workers, who immediately suggested she go to a different hospital. Still, Dr. Markku Kaste with the World Stroke Organization said he believes Yepes was lucky. His advice: "Don't waste time on a video, just call 911." He said, "It's the same thing for everyone. If you're having a stroke, think you're having a stroke or see someone having one -- just call 911." Kaste and his organization are working on an upcoming campaign targeting women and their likelihood for strokes. According to the National Stroke Organization, 55,000 women have strokes each year. As in Yepes' case, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said signs of stroke generally include sudden numbness, confusion and difficulty walking. The American Stroke Association uses the acronym F.A.S.T -- meaning face dropping, arm weakness and speech difficulty are all signs that it's time to call 911. Usually, paramedics, emergency responders and doctors correctly identify the situation and will get individuals the help they need. "It's hard to say why there was an incorrect diagnosis (initially), but things like that can happen," Kaste said. "Still, the quicker you are to the hospital, the higher the likelihood of a good outcome." Related: Recovering from a stroke . What happens during a stroke .

Toronto-area woman documents stroke with a selfie video . Video helped her receive treatment after she was initially misdiagnosed . Doctor's advice: "Don't waste time on a video, just call 911"

f7ae202418d16b917415c944e9f2adde5d11cbd9

A family fear they could be torn apart after the Panamanian wife of a British man was denied a permanent visa. John Dennis moved back to the UK last year after marrying his wife Ana Maria in Panama and the couple's four-year-old daughter, Victoria, has now started school near their new home in South Shields, Tyne and Wear. But their hopes of settling down in Britain have been left hanging in the balance after the self-employed business consultant says he was told he did not earn enough for his wife to get a permanent visa. John Dennis fears his wife Ana Maria, the mother of his daughter Victoria, could be sent back to Panama . Mr Dennis, 50, insists he earns £36,000-a-year from his company, Lean Six Sigma Training, which advises small firms. But the Home Office say the couple did not provide enough 'evidence' to support their application. Mr Dennis met his wife while he was working in Panama as a consultant in 2009. Their daughter Victoria was born in Panama in 2010 and they married in 2012. The family decided England would provide a better life for them and also meant John could be closer to his widowed 80-year-old mother, Audrey. After moving in April last year, Victoria, who also has a British passport, settled at school, and Ana began the process of applying for a permanent visa. But they have been left shocked after their application was refused, meaning Ms Ramos de Dennis faces having to return to her home country. The couple met in the Central American country (pictured) while Mr Dennis was working there and they married in 2012 before moving back to Mr Dennis's native North East England . Mr Dennis said: 'Our family is going to be broken up for an indefinite period of time because of faceless bureaucrats. 'Victoria is the one who is going to suffer the most. She will either have to leave the school she loves and leave her dad to go back to Panama or stay here with me and be without her mother.' Since July 2012, the Immigration Rules have contained a financial requirement to be met by a person applying for entry clearance to remain in the UK. The minimum income threshold for a couple is £18,600 - which rises to £22,400 where the application includes sponsorship of a non-EU child. However, the financial requirement does not apply to a child who is a British citizen. Acceptable 'evidence' includes bank statements on official bank stationery, electronic bank statements, building society statements or a letter from a financial institution regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for money in overseas accounts. Source: Home Office . 'I can't sleep. I lie awake every night thinking about it and worrying.' He added: 'The relationship requirements and everything like that were met, but they refused the visa, saying that I don't meet the financial requirements. 'You have to earn £18,600 a year as a minimum. I'm self-employed and earn about £3,000 a month and I gave them bank statements and everything I could think of to prove it. 'But they refused the visa, saying that I don't meet the financial requirements. They said I didnt give the necessary evidence, but didn't say what that was supposed to be. 'She had 28 days to appeal but you have to be in your home country to do that, so she would have had to go back to Panama so we could appeal it. 'If we cant get this decision turned around, we will all have to go back to Panama and start the process of applying again. 'When we went to Panama to hand in the forms and evidence, I was there to answer any questions they wanted to ask, but they didn't ask me anything. 'It's not the refusal that I think is unfair, but it does indicate incompetence and a broken system.' The Home Office has claimed they have not supplied enough evidence to support their visa application . The family are now pinning their hopes of staying in Britain on an appeal they plan to make against the decision. A Home Office spokesman said: 'We welcome those who wish to make a life in the UK with their family, work hard and make a contribution. 'Our family rules are designed to make sure that those coming to the UK to join their spouse or partner will not become a burden on the taxpayer and will be well enough supported to integrate effectively. 'Ms Ramos' application was refused because she did not submit the necessary evidence to support her application.'

Business consultant met his wife while working in Panama in 2009 . After having daughter, they decided to move back to the UK last year . But they've been left in limbo after the wife was refused a permanent visa . Father says he's been told he doesn't earn enough - despite £36,000 salary . Home Office says the family have not supplied enough evidence for visa . Mother fears she'll have to leave UK in April unless decision is reversed .

eec805f63b5a534ff71ba9c5d33c2441c7de3ef7

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has become the first player in Barclays Premier League history to get at least 15 assists in two seasons. The former Arsenal star picked up his 15th assist since joining Chelsea from Barcelona during the summer against Swansea City in a 5-0 win at the Liberty Stadium. Fabregas started the record at Arsenal in the 2007-08 season with 17 assists, though Arsene Wenger's men could only finish third behind Chelsea and champions Manchester United that year. VIDEO Scroll down for Cesc Fabregas' Arsenal 07/08 vs Chelsea 14/15 stats . Cesc Fabregas has become the first player in Premier League history to get 15 assists in two seasons . The former Arsenal star picked up his 15th assist since joining Chelsea from Barcelona during the summer . This is how Fabregas set up Diego Costa for his goal in the 5-0 win over Swansea. CLICK HERE FOR MORE . 21 appearances (1,851 minutes) 2 goals (18 shots) 15 assists . 67 chances created . 1,807 passes (87% completion) 36 dribbles (61% completion) This time, starting a move and finishing it by setting up Diego Costa against Swansea, Fabregas moved within five of Thierry Henry's all-time record of 20, which was set 12 seasons ago. The Spain international could and should have had his 16th, too, when a sublime half-volley from deep in his own half gave Costa a one-on-one, but the Chelsea striker could not finish. Yet still Fabregas looks a shoo-in to break Henry's record this year as he helps Chelsea close in on the Premier League title ahead of reigning champions Manchester City. Fabregas moved within five of Thierry Henry's all-time record of 20, which was set 12 seasons ago . Fabregas' heat map against Swansea as he ran riot over the Welsh club in Chelsea's Premier League win . Arsenal legend Henry holds the current record (20) 20 - Thierry Henry (2002-03) 18 - Frank Lampard (2004-05) 17 - Cesc Fabregas (2007-08) 16 - Eric Cantona (1992-93) 15 - David Silva (2011-12) 15 - Steve McManaman (1995-96) 15 - Matt Le Tissier (1994-95) 15 - Robert Pires (2001-02) 15 - David Beckham (1999-00) 15 - Cesc Fabregas (2014-15) 15 - Nobby Solano (1999-00) Fabregas moved within five of Henry's all-time record of 20, which was set 12 seasons ago (pictured)

Cesc Fabregas got his 15th assist on Saturday against Swansea City . He's the first Premier League player to get at least 15 in two seasons . Fabregas got 17 with former club Arsenal in the 2007-08 campaign . Click here for Chelsea transfer news .

4c666aec93c33115593157d89b60be13e0a51618