Datasets:

autoevaluate

/

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

like 0

By . Fred Redwood . PUBLISHED: . 16:00 EST, 10 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:08 EST, 10 August 2013 . Doctor Roger Mugford has the best burglar alarm system in the world – his reputation. Known from television and radio . appearances as the ‘dog whisperer’, Mugford spends his life surrounded . by vicious canines, as  he tames them for their wealthy owners, . including royalty. You imagine a pack of slavering hounds patrolling his grounds. Alpha dog: Animal psychologist Roger Mugford and his dogs have made the 19th century mansion in Chertsey, Surrey their home . So it’s a surprise when I arrive at . his country house outside Chertsey, Surrey, to find dog behaviourist . Mugford with only a deaf, cuddly 16-year-old ‘Battersea mutt’ called PC . (named after Prince Charles, whose distant demeanour he is said to . share) and Bounce, a labrador with impeccable manners. In the conservatory I confess to being . relieved at the reception. ‘Hmm, wait until you meet the other two,’ says Roger, 67, with a twinkle in his eye, before making a quick call on . his mobile. Within minutes his son, James, 24, . appears clutching leads on which are tethered Jason, a German shepherd . whose darting eyes give the distinct impression he is not to be messed . with, and Humphrey, a Staffordshire mastiff cross who makes an immediate . lunge at parts of my body I’d prefer to keep. ‘I got them both from the courts where they were about to be put down,’ says Mugford, patting and calming both dogs. ‘In the case of Humphrey, a very . funny Crown Court judge announced, “Humphrey Mugford, I sentence you to . live with Roger Mugford for the rest of your life.” He is no problem, . living here. Sadly, Staffies are one of the nicest breeds of dogs owned . by some of the nastiest people.’ Worth taking the plunge: After restoring the four-bedroom mansion, Roger has put it on the market for £1.25million . Roger finds a story behind most . things, including his house – one half of a 19th Century mansion. ‘I . found details of its history with the deeds,’ he says. It was built in 1870 for Mary Augusta . Holland, of Holland Park in London fame, by her husband, Charles Fox, . whose father was a notable Whig politician, because she was scandalising . polite London society. So she was sent here to the country and it . seems she scandalised Surrey too, although we aren’t sure how.’ Roger bought the house three years ago . for £765,000 as a renovation project because he ‘felt sorry for it’. Lady of the manor: The mansion was built for Mary Augusta Holland in 1870 . The heating didn’t work; the roof needed mending; the wiring was . dangerous; the colour scheme was out of Footballers’ Wives; and as it . had been empty for some time, thieves had stolen stone from the terrace. At a cost of £200,000, the house is . now beautifully restored. Roger proudly shows off the large, modern . kitchen leading to the elegant hall with black-and-white tiled floor, . then two beautifully proportioned living rooms. Upstairs, a grand landing has arches . leading to four bedrooms. The colour scheme – muted pastels and light . green shades – is soothing and the views, over farmland to the Surrey . Hills, are to die for. Curiously, Roger spends most of his . time in his large, untidy conservatory. Here, over tea, he regales me . with tales of his royal clients. ‘ . The Queen is very knowledgeable and . very authoritative, which is good because democracy doesn’t work with . animals,’ he says of the time he was summoned to correct the Royal . corgis after they attacked Princess Beatrice’s terrier. He was even more impressed by Princess . Anne, for whom he appeared in court when she was convicted under the . Dangerous Dog Act in 2002 after her bull terrier, Dotty, attacked two . children. ‘Before we went into court, she whispered, “If I go down, just . remember one thing – St Helena  is a long way away” – referring to the . days when people would be banished there.’ The gardens, which Roger has also . rescued, are a mixture of formality, in the rebuilt terrace and elegant . swimming pool, and the unruly, in an area of wild garden. The house, admittedly, suffers road . noise from the M25, but it is an easy commute to London and it isn’t on . the flight paths. It would suit a family, perhaps with a horse-loving . child, as Roger owns adjoining land and would sell or rent a field to a . future owner. As for Roger, he already owns a bungalow nearby and intends replacing it with an  eco-house that he will design himself. Dr Roger Mugford’s house in St Ann’s . Hill Road, Chertsey, is for sale at £1.25 million with bartonwyatt.co.uk . (01344 843000). The Perfect Dog, by Dr Roger Mugford, is  out now, . published by Hamlyn.

'Dog whisperer' bought property as a 'renovation project' for £765,000 . After years of restoration, the four-bedroom home is on sale for £1.25million . Surrey mansion built in 1870 for woman who named Holland Park .

ae45508a79cbda18a05e52a3587216b78ad0a5ad

By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 08:37 EST, 21 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:41 EST, 21 June 2012 . A teenager is suing for $16 million after he claimed he was blinded by a group of boys who attacked him at school. Kardin Ulysse, 14, said he was attacked in the cafeteria of Roy Mann Junior High School in Brooklyn, New York on June 5. The boy has already had two surgeries to repair his sight but both have failed. He is now facing a cornea transplant to restore his vision. Scroll down for video . Blinded: Kardin Ulysse, 14, lost sight in his right eye after being punched in the eye while wearing his glasses at Roy Mann High School in New York . It is unclear if Kardin was blinded after being repeatedly punched or by shards of lens from the glasses he was wearing at the time. He must now wear a patch to protect the damaged eye. Kardin's father Pierre said that his son had been tormented for a long time and in the past had been punched in the face and beaten. Mr Ulysse told CBS New York: 'They called him a whole lot of names, transvestite, homo - all kinds of stuff.' The lawsuit, brought against the city, said the school failed to protect Kardin from his attackers, according to the family's lawyer Sanford Rubenstein. The attackers, who have not been identified, have been arrested and will face disciplinary action from the Department of Education. Charges have not yet been brought against the middle school students. Vicious: Kardin said fellow students called him a 'transvestite' and have beaten him up on other occasions .

Kardin Ulysse had 2 unsuccessful surgeries and faces cornea transplant . Teenager attacked by pupils at Roy Mann Jr High in Brooklyn, New York .

8ce3ac46b398e9f77e078c359021270a2b05e8b4

By . Snejana Farberov . PUBLISHED: . 00:15 EST, 25 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:04 EST, 25 August 2012 . New hire: Kim Stolz, 29, is Citigroup's newest vice president of equaty-derivative sales . Citigroup, one of America’s largest banking institutions, has hired former America’s Next Top Model contestant and MTV host Kim Stolz as its newest equity-derivative sales vice president, according to two unnamed sources familiar with the matter. Stolz, 29, worked in the equity-derivatives field for the global equity trading firm BTIG before taking the job with Citigroup, according to the sources cited by Bloomberg. Equity derivatives are contracts whose values are based on underlying securities, such as common stock. Before her career in high finance got off the ground, Stolz took a crack at high fashion, finishing fifth in cycle five of the popular reality show hosted by supermodel Tyra Banks that aired in 2005. Stolz is best remembered for being one of the first openly game women on the show, and she went on to co-create a lesbian blog called OutNYLez. Her stint on America’s Next Top Model propelled her to MTV stardom, where she worked as an anchor from June 2006 to June 2010. She has also worked for Ford Models and has contributed The Huffington Post. As a fashion model, Stolz appeared in ads for American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch and Nordstrom, and was featured on the cover of Women's Wear Daily. Fashion maven: Stolz finished fifth in cycle five of the popular reality show hosted by supermodel Tyra Banks that aired in 2005 . Out and proud: Stolz became on of the first openly gay contestants on the reality show and co-created a lesbian blog . According to her LinkedIn profile, Stolz switched gears and returned to finance in June of 2010, when she took a job with BTIG. In 2004, Stolz interned at Goldman Sachs, according to Finra records and her LinkedIn page. The following year, she graduated from the prestigious Wesleyan University with a bachelor’s degree in government and international politics. Celebrity VJ: Stolz worked as an anchor on MTV from 2006 until 2010, when she went to work for the equity firm BTIG . She wrote a senior thesis titled ‘The Impact of Exit Strategies of United States Intervention in the Post-Cold War Era,’ for which she received honors, according to the her LinkedIn page. Stolz also is the author of the upcoming book Can’t Stop: Why We’re Obsessed with Social Media -- And What to Do About It,’ which is scheduled to be published in February. In her new position, Stolz will likely be called upon to help bolster Citigroup’s slumping equities business after it lost 40 per cent in revenue in the 12 months ended June 30. Troubled times: The Citigroup unit that Stolz will be soon joining lost 40 per cent in revenue in 12 months .

Kim Stolz finished fifth on cycle five of America's Next Top Model that aired in 2005 . Stolz was one of first openly lesbian contestants on the show . Worked as MTV host, and modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle . Graduated from Wesleyan University with bachelor’s degree in government and international politics . Interned for Goldman Sachs in 2004 and worked in derivative sales for BTIG .

ea6a4ee1573c6a13920b7b5ca13d9aea2263ad29

A 19-year-old girl who is suffering from terminal brain cancer has spoken of her daily battle with the disease - weeks after achieving her dream to play college basketball. Lauren Hill, from Lawrenceburg, Indiana, was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) - a rare and inoperable tumor in the brain stem - 14 months ago. In recent months, her condition has worsened: she now frequently suffers from severe headaches, dizziness and numbness in her body, leaving her dependent on her family and friends. Speaking of her life with the disease, she said candidly:  'My body is shutting down, and there's nothing I can do. It's like losing your independence a bit. Being dependent is kind of hard.' Scroll down for video . Brave: Lauren Hill, 19, has spoken of her daily battle with terminal cancer- weeks after achieving her dream to play college basketball. Above, the teen plays basketball for Mount St Joseph's University on November 2 . Tragic: The teenager (pictured, left, before her diagnosis and right, after), from Lawrenceburg, was diagnosed with an inoperable form of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) - a rare brain tumor - 14 months ago . The teenager, who last month fulfilled her wish to play basketball for Mount St. Joseph University's Division III team in Cincinnati, said she has 'good hours' and 'bad hours' every day. 'I have hour spurts when I feel fine and I can walk normal and stuff. Other hours, I'm wobbling. I feel like there's somebody behind me kicking my legs out from under me,' she told USA Today Sports. She added that dying makes her feel like she is in a rush to complete everything she wants to do, including her brave, ongoing campaign to raise awareness and fund research into DIPG. 'What is it like to know you're dying? It's like I want to get stuff done. Like I'm in a rush. People are told they have five weeks to live, and they live five years. I don't know,' she said. 'I want everybody to know I never give up, even though I have my low moments and I feel like giving up, because they're awful. My family gets me back on track to my never-give-up.' She said her main concern was not for herself, but for 'my family and friends after I've gone'. Her passion: In recent months, Lauren's condition has worsened: she now suffers from severe headaches, dizziness and numbness in her body. But she looked on great form as she played basketball last month . Opening up: Speaking of her life with the disease, the teenager (right) said candidly: 'My body is shutting down, and there's nothing I can do. It's like losing your independence a bit. Being dependent is kind of hard' Award: 'I have hour spurts when I feel fine and I can walk normal and stuff. Other hours, I'm wobbling,' she added. Above, Lauren receives the Pat Summitt award during the basketball game - her first of three games . Indeed, Lauren has not let her terminal illness stop her from fundraising for research into DIPG, which claims the lives of more than 90 per cent of its child victims within 18 months of diagnosis. She has already raised more than $500,000 - and aims to increase this figure to $1million by the end of the year, despite being previously told by doctors she would likely die by December. A Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a rare an inoperable type of brain tumor. It mostly affects children, with most diagnoses occurring between five and seven years of age. More than 90 per cent of its victims will die within 18 months of diagnosis. Each year, there are around 100-150 new diagnoses in the United States. The cause of the tumor remains unknown. Symptoms include lack of facial control, double vision, headaches, vomiting, weakness, seizures and balance problems. She has been spurred on in her fundraising efforts by her knowledge that medics have not made any progress for 30 years toward finding a cure for the deadly cancer, she said. DIPG, which is usually diagnosed between the ages of five and seven, affects around 100 to 150 children in the U.S. every year. Since her first game for Mount St. Joseph in early November, 5ft 10ins Lauren, who wants to be 'a voice for children with this cancer' has played two more basketball games for the university. Due to her devastating prognosis, the NCAA approved a waiver for Mount St Joseph to start its season two weeks earlier, and the team tipped off against Hiram College with Lauren on court. On November 6, the talented university freshman joined a number of top athletes who have had their photos printed on a box of Wheaties, the Breakfast of Champions. In Lauren's picture, she could seen playing in the first of the three basketball games, during which she scored the first points of the winning match. Up there with the best: On November 6, the talented university freshman joined a number of top athletes who have had their photos printed on a box of Wheaties, the Breakfast of Champions (pictured) Ill: Due to her devastating prognosis, the NCAA approved a waiver for Mount St Joseph to start its season two weeks earlier. Above, Lauren is pictured revealing her hair loss (left) and in hospital during treatment (right) She even recently received a pair of Beats headphones from LeBron James, as well as one of his size-17 sneakers. She has also received a number of gifts from members of the public. Comparing her life with basketball, Lauren said she was 'playing to the final buzzer, not worrying about the last play or the play that's coming... All we have is the moment we have right now.' However, she said she is looking forward to one event - spending Christmas with her family. But she has not asked for any gifts. 'No material item matters to me. I just want to spend time with my family,' she said.  To donate to The Lauren Hill Tribute Foundation, visit layups4Lauren.org. Friends: Lauren (pictured with her basketball teammates) recently received a pair of Beats headphones from LeBron James, as well as one of his size-17 sneakers. She has also received numerous gifts from the public . Struggle: The teenager was a standout backetball player (left) and former prom queen in high school (right)

Lauren Hill, 19, diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer 14 months ago . She is now dependent on others, with severe headaches and dizziness . 'My body is shutting down - there's nothing I can do,' she said candidly . Added she has 'good and 'bad hours' every day and is always in a rush . Last month, brave teen achieved her dream to play college basketball . Scored first points for Mount St. Joseph University's Division III team . Now hopes to raise $1million to fund cancer research by end of year .

48ad9900af97f76a5fcf2e563a3952c787ba108c

With just minutes to go before the eleventh hour of the eleventh day, the most celebrated public artwork of modern times was finally completed yesterday – by a 13-year-old Berkshire cadet. The Tower of London poppies have been a triumph of unusual teamwork. And the consortium of free-thinking creatives and old soldiers who have made it happen were all standing proudly in their blood-red moat to see it finished. The very first of these ceramic poppies – one for every British and colonial serviceman killed in the Great War – had been planted in July by the Tower’s longest-serving Yeoman Warder. Yesterday morning, the honour of adding the last went to the younger generation. Honour: Cadet Harry Hayes, 13, gives a fine salute after adding the very last ceramic poppy to the Tower of London moat yesterday in front of a line-up of Forces VIPs . The young cadet wore his full military attire including a poppy-embellished beret while undertaking the honour of planting the poppy . The military cadet (centre) walked with Mr Cummins to the spot where the final poppy - the 888,246th - would be planted in the ground . 13-year-old cadet Harry Hayes planted the final ceramic poppy at the Tower of London this morning to mark Armistice Day . Harry, a new recruit to the Combined Cadet Force at Reading’s Blue Coat School, stepped smartly forward and pressed poppy number 888,246 into the damp soil . Harry Hayes, a new recruit to the Combined Cadet Force at Reading’s Blue Coat School, stepped smartly forward and pressed poppy number 888,246 into the damp soil. His own great, great, great uncle, Private Patrick Kelly of the Irish Guards, was killed in 1918. After a salute worthy of a Sandhurst drill sergeant (‘I have been practising,’ he admitted), Harry rejoined the line-up of VIPs for the two-minute silence. It was observed by millions all over Britain, including the Queen and the Prime Minister. Even in this 16-acre panorama of sacrifice, we could still put a name to this final poppy. Harry Hayes (right) walks to the service with his father Des (left), who served in the British Army for 11 years and now works as the Operations and Safety Manager at the Tower of London . Harry Hayes's great-great-great uncle Private Patrick Kelly (pictured left and right with two friends, Jim Foy and unknown) was killed in action on September 27 1918, weeks before the war ended . For, we know that shortly before the 11am Armistice in 1918, Private George Ellison, from Leeds, was the last British soldier to be killed in the Great War. A 40-year-old father of two, he had fought through the entire conflict with the 5th Royal Irish Lancers, only to be shot on the last morning near Mons, the scene of his first battle in 1914. George Ellison’s poppy, like everyone else’s, will be uprooted today and sent to those who bought them before they sold out weeks ago. Once all outstanding bills are paid, £10million will be shared between six Forces charities. Some of the beneficiaries were at the Tower yesterday. Capt Tony Harris, 33, late of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, lost a leg in Afghanistan, won a gold medal at the Invictus Games and is now an ambassador for Help for Heroes. ‘Our regimental headquarters are at the Tower, my children were baptised here and I feel a bond with every one of those men represented here,’ he said. Bryn Parry, ex-soldier and co-founder of Help for Heroes, had brought along the cigarette case which great uncle George had been carrying when he was shot in Flanders. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg shares a moment with the young cadet before he plants the final poppy in the memorial . Harry  (fifth from right) lined up with other dignitaries at the art installation at the Tower of London for the commemoration . Servicemen walk through each of the 888,245 blooms, which represents a British or Colonial military death during the First World War . ‘This has been a beautiful, tranquil reminder of the horrific, bloody chaos of war,’ said Mr Parry. Yesterday’s proceedings began with a Roll Call by the Constable of the Tower, General Lord Dannatt. In full, plumed ceremonial rig, he recited 200 names, ten at a time in between each round of a 21-gun salute. Last on the list was Lt Maurice Dease, the first VC of the First World War. Looking on was a distinguished veteran of the Second, his scarlet Chelsea Pensioner’s uniform offering perfect camouflage in the moat. Lieutenant-Colonel John Humphreys was captured in North Africa, escaped in Italy, rejoined his unit, was captured again in 1944 as he fought on the bridge at Arnhem and escaped once more. ‘Every one of those poppies is a mother’s son,’ he said softly. A huge crowd gathered to watch as the final poppy was planted in the moat at the Tower of London during this morning's ceremony . The General led the ceremony, pictured, in which the last poppy was placed in the moat at the Tower and the Last Post was played . The General led the ceremony, pictured, in which the last poppy was placed in the moat at the Tower and the Last Post was played . Smoke from a gun salute was seen behind crowds at the service this morning at the completed Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red . Four Beefeaters led out the small VIP party representing every strand of this installation, officially known as Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red. They included the two visionaries behind it. There was Paul Cummins, the ceramic artist who came up with the idea of the poppies, borrowed £1million to get them started and lost a finger producing them. He was accompanied by Tom Piper, the theatre designer who brought them to life and devised dramatic flourishes such as ‘The Wave’, a surge of poppies over the drawbridge, and ‘The Weeping Window’, the torrent of red gushing from the ramparts. A yeoman warder looked across the poppies before the ceremony took place, attended by tens of thousands from around the world . All 888,246 poppies have now been planted in the dry 16-acre moat, heralding the completion of the poignant memorial . Both are thrilled that these separate structures have now been bought by the Government and will tour the country before enjoying a permanent home at the Imperial War Museums. ‘The best thing has been all the camaraderie,’ said Mr Cummins. For Mr Piper, the most moving moment was being asked to read the names at a twilight Roll Call and learning of a great uncle killed in 1918. He has already moved on to new projects, but he will never forget what he admits is ‘probably the triumph of my life’ at the Tower. On the walkways overlooking the ‘Seas of Red’, there was still no end to the sea of humanity wanting a look last night, by which the official number of spectators had exceeded five million. Wherever these poppies end up, every single one will not only be a reminder of a life lost – but also of the stunning way in which, a century later, they were all commemorated.

The final poppy - the 888,246th - was planted at the Tower of London by cadet Harry Hayes, 13, yesterday . He collected the flower from memorial artist Paul Cummins before marching through the crimson carpet of poppies . Teenager's relative was killed in conflict in 1918; his father served in British Army for 11 years and works at the Tower . Tens of thousands flocked to the memorial this morning to pay respects to the nation's war dead on Armistice Day . There was a 21-gun salute by the Honourable Artillery Company on the Tower's wharf and the final roll of honour . General the Lord Dannatt, Constable of the Tower of London, read the famous poem For The Fallen to the crowd . Blood Swept Lands And Seas of Red was created to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War .

a1a725a0ef19a557eeffa7c43f56f03213bfdffb

By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 06:38 EST, 14 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:05 EST, 14 November 2013 . From skewered politicians to corpsing presenters, Radio 4 listeners probably thought they had heard it all. Nothing, however, could have prepared them for an episode which will surely go down as one of the most bizarre in broadcasting history - an interview with the ghost of Hercule Poirot. Just hours after he had breathed his last, the great Belgian detective - played by David Suchet - was back from the dead to be grilled by Today presenter Jim Naughtie. Confused listeners tuned in to hear the actor, still in character as Poirot, meditate on life, death and how he had died by his own hand after committing a murder. 'I died with a feeling of great guilt, . because of what I have done', he told Naughtie. 'And I died asking my mon Dieu for . forgiveness because I had committed the ultimate crime of all.' SCROLL DOWN TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW . 'Bizarre interview': David Suchet and Radio 4's Jim Naughtie after an interview where the ghost of Hercule Poirot spoke about his life and death . Poirot admitted he never fell in love and said he hoped his fans believed he had 'rid it (the world) of a certain amount of disharmony and evil and made it perhaps, humbly, a much better place'. Unsurprisingly, people flocked to Twitter . to express their confusion with some admitting they were unsure if they . were 'still dreaming'. David Suchet made his final appearance as Poirot last night after starring in the ITV series for 25 years. In a virtuoso swansong, he shocked viewers by murdering a psychopath who was planning to kill again before committing suicide. Suchet has now performed every one of the stories Agatha Christie wrote about the quirky supersleuth. But it was a very different Hercule Poirot that viewers bid 'adieu' to on Wednesday evening. In shock: In Agatha Christie's 'Curtain', Poirot was seen shooting a man in the head in ITV's last ever episode of the detective drama . The end: Poirot lies dead in his bed, and he told Radio 4 today that he hoped that fans believed he made the world a better place . October 31: Not content with a simple ‘goodbye’, BBC presenter Kirsty Wark instead ended an edition of Newsnight with a dance – because it was Halloween. Miss Wark, 58, surprised viewers by joining ten dancers to perform part of the routine to Michael Jackson’s hit Thriller. November 12: Question Time presenter David Dimbleby throws convention to the wind at the ripe old age of 75 by having a scorpion inked onto his shoulder. The veteran presenter said he decided to ‘man up’ and visit an east London tattoo parlour while filming his latest TV series Britain And The Sea for BBC1. November 13: Jeremy Paxman found a new way of signing off... with a tattoo tribute to Mr Dimbleby. Paxman displayed his knuckles to reveal the words ‘Good Nite’ in gothic black letters. November 14: Poirot's ghost speaks to fans on Radio 4 after his death . Old . and ill, he was not the dapper and confident little fellow who strutted . about with his cane  wearing his gleaming patent leather shoes. Instead, viewers saw him hunched in a wheelchair, being carried up and downstairs. It was eventually revealed he had killed a murderer and then himself. In the 'strange' Today interview, asked to reflect on his life Poirot said: 'I think for me it's been the most extraordinary time when I think of my life, to which you refer. 'I think it has been a wonderful life given to me by the mon Dieu (God) and I have hopefully been successful always'. When asked 'Did you die with a feeling of humility?'', he replied: ' I died with a feeling of . great guilt, because of what I have done.And I died asking my mon Dieu . for forgiveness because I had committed the ultimate crime of all. Murder.' When asked: 'Now you are gone, what do you want them to think of you?'. He said: 'I would hope that when people, when thinking about me, Hercule Poirot, they will think that by having me in this . world together with them, I have rid it of a certain amount of . disharmony and evil and made it perhaps, humbly yet forcefully a much . better place. Finally he was asked: 'Did you die a contented man?', he replied: 'I don't think in death anyone can be content, not even Hercule Poirot'. Presenter Jim Naughtie's questioning was considered so strange . co-presenter Sarah Montagu stifled giggles as she said afterwards: 'Jim speaking to . Hercule Poirot there, a truly bizarre interview.' While another Today presenter, Justin Webb, joked that his colleague Mr Naughtie should try an interview with the ghost of Jimi Hendrix next. Twitter user Tom freeman said: 'I just caught the end of Jim Naughtie interviewing David Suchet as Poirot's ghost. Not sure if I've actually woken up yet'. Support: Fellow Today presenter Justin Webb joked that Jim Naughtie should try an interview with the ghost of Jimi Hendrix next . Annie Scott asked: 'Is @BBCr4today really airing an interview with Poirot's ghost.... or have I just not had enough sleep?' Elizabeth Cairns ‏said: Incredibly, Naughtie is actually interviewing Poirot's GHOST. It is a post-mortem interview of a fictional character'. To hear the who Today programme click HERE . Hercule Poirot (HP): I think for me it's been the most extraordinary time when I think of my life, to which you refer. I think it has been a wonderful life given to me by the mon Dieu and I have hopefully been successful always. Jim Naughtie (JN): Did you die with a feeling of humility? HP: 'I died with a feeling of great guilt, because of what I have done.And I died asking my mon Dieu for forgiveness because I had committed the ultimate crime of all. JN: Which is? HP: Murder. JN: And you took the secret to your grave? HP: Naturellement but if you are a man with faith nothing you do is secret. JN: When people think of you now you are gone, what do you want them to think of you? HP: It is an interesting question that you pose.Let me consider it well. I would hope that when people, when thinking about me, Hercule Poirot, they will think that by having me in thios world together with them, I have rid it of a certain amount of disharmony and evil and made it perhaps, humbly yet forcefully a much better place. JN: What could you have done that you haven't done. You never found love did you? HP: No, it was not given to me so. But to do I wish, of course I wish in my heart it had not been so but it would not have been possible for either a partner of mine to survive me or indeed for me to survive them. But it's, I have to admit, a great loss. JN: So despite you knowledge of sin, did you die a contented man? HP: I don't think in death anyone can be content, not even Hercule Poirot.

Radio 4 listeners confused as Belgian sleuth speaks from beyond the grave . David Suchet, in character, says he did 'ultimate crime' and failed to find love . Told Today's Jim Naughtie: 'I died with . great guilt, because of what I've done' Twitter users confused about 'post-mortem interview' and ask 'am I awake?'

6f30c7930f2e1b26875fae6799bc6d250e1bfb86

By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 12:39 EST, 29 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:29 EST, 29 October 2013 . If you've ever been told that someone laughing behind your back is only jealous of you, they may well have been wise words. A study has found that some of us take pleasure in other people's misfortune because it is a natural human response to envy. By monitoring people's cheek muscles, scientists at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School found that people tend to smile more when someone they envy encounters difficulties - an emotion known as 'Schadenfreude'. Pleasure or pity: We'd be more likely to take pleasure in someone falling off their bike if we knew they were successful and we envied them . Delight at others' misfortune: Scientists monitored participants cheek muscles to see if they smiled at certain scenarios . The study was inspired by intense sports rivalries, with researchers wanting to find out more about why we revel so much in the failures of our rival teams. Susan FIske, co-author of the study, said: 'Jealousy and envy are highly correlated. When we ask people on surveys who is envied in American society, they report the same groups: objects of jealousy. 'This is all very much based on stereotypes. And so, in this study, we sought to better understand who is among these envied groups and whether that envy and jealousy elicits a harmful response.' Participants were shown photographs of individuals associated with different stereotypes: the elderly (pity), students or Americans (pride), drug addicts (disgust) and rich professionals (envy). These images were then paired with everyday events such as: 'Won five dollars' (positive) or 'Got soaked by a taxi' (negative) or 'Went to the bathroom' (neutral). Participants were asked how this would make them feel, and their facial movements were recorded. Ms Fiske said: 'Because people don't like to report envy of Schadenfreude, this was the best method for gathering such responses. Envy: The study found that people took pleasure when they were shown pictures of a rich business enduring difficult times . 'And, in this experiment, we were able to viscerally capture malicious glee. 'We found that people did smile more in response to negative than positive events, but only for groups they envied.' A second experiment, monitored the brain to see if participants were willing to harm certain groups and shown the same photographs. Participants tended to feel most positive when bad things happened to the rich professional. A follow up test to see if they would be willing to inflict harm on another person found that people were willing to hurt an 'envy target'. Finally, researchers used various scenarios regarding an investment banker as an example, to gain a response. The researchers threw information that betrayed steroetypes at participants. For example, in one article, the banker was himself, employed and status quo. In another, he was advising clients pro-bono (eliciting pride). In the next, he was using his work bonuses to buy drugs (disgust) and, finally, he was unemployed but still dressing to go to work (pity). Again, the findings matched earlier experiments – participants rated the articles associated with disgust and envy with less warmth than the pride or pity scenarios. Ms Fiske said: 'This experiment shows that the dimensions predicting envy are high status and competition, and, when you move those around, the envy goes away. 'This is consistent with the story about who gets envied and why. A lot of it is tied into money because that's an easy thing to look at.' Rivalry: The study examined how fans of Boston Red Sox (pictured) and New York Yankees felt about the successes and misfortunes of their rival teams . The researchers then applied their experiment to sports rivalry, taken fans from Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees and showing them a game between the two. Naturally, fans took most pleasure when seeing their own team do well. When a third neutral team was introduced into the equation, fans showed little reaction whatsoever to their fortunes. But they were happy when their rival team lost to the neutral team - showing pure Schadenfreude, according to researchers.

Princeton University studied the emotion known as 'Schadenfreude' The study was inspired by sports fans reveling in rivals' misfortunes .

c4367d65cb6708fe000d4af7c10ff4343da972b4

By . Tom Kelly . PUBLISHED: . 06:05 EST, 19 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:29 EST, 19 June 2013 . Runaway schoolteacher Jeremy Forrest could be considered a paedophile who groomed his vulnerable young victim to satisfy his ‘carnal lust,’ a court heard today. The married maths master betrayed the trust of the 15-year-old schoolgirl and her family when he fled to France with the pupil for eight days,  it was claimed. Forrest, who appeared to have a black eye as he sat in the dock at Lewes Crown Court, was accused of taking the teenager on the ‘oddest school trip’. Scroll down for video . Artist drawing of runaway schoolteacher Jeremy Forrest as he sat in . Lewes Crown Court, charged with abduction of a 15-year-old . schoolgirl. His wife Emily is shown giving evidence from behind a curtain . Prosecutor Richard Barton said in his closing speech: ‘You do not have to decide whether he was a paedophile. Arriving: Teacher Jeremy Forrest is taken into Lewes Crown Court where it was revealed he would not give evidence and cried when his sister gave a statement in his defence . ‘You may consider, in the context of what he did, that is not an inappropriate label for him. ‘It is about his desires to have that young sexual flesh, to satisfy his own carnal lusts.’ ‘You may feel it had nothing to do with her, it was to do with him, with his desires. ‘You may feel he is a man who is flattered by the attention of very young, vulnerable girls.’ The prosecutor said it was interesting that his wife, Emily Forrest, was a ‘very young-looking, petite woman with her own vulnerabilities.’ ‘There is a word for it. It's called grooming - being caring, being kind, being close, gaining confidence, gaining the trust of that person and then you can do what you want to do with them.’ He said it was not a case of Romeo and Juliet as they would have to have been ‘equal’ partners in what happened, whereas Forrest’s role in absconding was ‘absolutely central.’ ‘He was there running it.’ ‘A teenager isn't going to get out of Eastbourne, let alone out of the country.’ He . went on: ‘You may well feel he is self-centred, mainly concerned with . his self, his needs and desires and not others, you may also feel he is a . coward.’ Referring . to the eight days they spent on the run in Bordeaux, in which they used . fake names to apply for jobs, he added: ‘You may feel it is the oddest . school trip in which one teacher goes away with one pupil and school . activities include having sex with a 15-year-old and changing . identities.’ The schoolgirl’s mother wept in the public gallery as Mr Barton said that the worst  ‘betrayal’ had been of her daughter. Family: Jim and Julie Forrest (centre and right) arrive with their daughter Carrie (left), who defended her brother as a devoted uncle and godfather today . In court: Emily Forrest, pictured, fled Lewes Crown Court in tears yesterday after giving evidence at the trial of her husband Jeremy who absconded to France with his 15-year-old pupil . Married: Jeremy and Emily Forrest together before he allegedly ran off to France with a pupil . He said: ‘She trusted him with all her vulnerabilities and he was the figure of authority and he won't be the first figure of authority who someone gets a crush on him and he won't be the last, but part of the role of a figure of authority is that you do not take advantage of it. ‘You do not expect your school to invite people to have sex with your under-age daughter and you do not expect it to be the teacher.’ Mr Barton reminded the jury that Forrest had decided not to give evidence and had not filed a statement of his defence. He continued: ‘Mr Forrest, what is your defence? ‘You may feel this is the question he fears the most because, during his experience as a teacher, he may have heard some pretty lame excuses for homework not being done on time. Upset: Emily Forrest, the wife of Jeremy Forrest, his as she left Lewes Crown Court in East Sussex yesterday . Claims: Forrest, pictured today, heard how friends had called him an outstanding teacher who had improved students' grades . ‘And he may think 'Please, sir, I don't . have a defence - my dog ate it' isn't going to cut the mustard, isn't . going to stand up to scrutiny and that he had no defence at all. ‘You may feel he is a maths teacher whose story doesn't add up. I invite you to find him guilty as charged.’ Forrest, who denies one charge of child abduction, declined to testify in his defence. Judge Michael Lawson QC said the jury was ‘open to draw inferences’ from this decision. The teacher wept as six character witnesses were read to the court from his behalf. His sister, Carrie Hanspaul, a mother-of-three from Kent, described her brother as a doting uncle and godfather. She said: 'He's very good-natured and extremely mild-mannered,' adding that depression may have contributed to his recent actions. She said: 'Jeremy had been in a very difficult relationship for the last six years but didn't want to worry anybody, especially our parents, with his problems. 'Instead he withdrew more and more and I believe he became more and more depressed.' Ronald Jaffa, defending, told the jury that Forrest had gone with the girl to France because he feared she was suicidal. He said that this was a 'realistic situation' and the defendant had acted to ensure her well-being. He said that it was not a case of Romeo and Juliet. The schoolgirl's mother told Lewes Crown Court she 'went mad' at her daughter when she confronted her about Forrest . He said: 'In that play the lovers died in the end, a pair of star-crossed lovers is the way Shakespeare put it. 'Fortunately Jeremy chose to go to see her and go with her, what could have happened if he had not? What would it matter if she had money or not, she could have hitch-hiked, she could have ended up in a city alone, desperate, suicidal.' He added: 'She was very desperate, she had suicidal thoughts and she was assertive. If he had not taken her, the alternative consequences were likely to be much worse. 'If he had taken her back to her mother or the police, no-one would be able to stop her, it may indeed have been the catalyst for worse consequences.' Judge Lawson adjourned the case until tomorrow when he will sum up the case before sending the jury out to consider its verdict. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.

Jeremy Forrest relying on character witnesses rather than speaking himself . He appeared to have a black eye as he sat in court . The prosecutor said it was not a case of 'Romeo and Juliet' as they were not ‘equal’ partners in what happened . Forrest's defence said the girl was suicidal and if he had not taken her, the alternative consequences were likely to be much worse . Mrs Forrest warned Forrest to end contact with pupil before they fled .

efac0bf7d2dcba4a2c001031c78a3df175e73ce9

(CNN) -- A Kentucky census worker who was found dead in September committed suicide and staged the scene to look like a homicide, authorities said Tuesday. The body of William E. Sparkman Jr., 51, was found September 12 near a cemetery in southeastern Kentucky's Clay County. He was wearing only socks. "A thorough examination of evidence from the scene, to include DNA testing, as well as examination of his vehicle and his residence, resulted in the determination that Mr. Sparkman, alone, handled the key pieces of evidence with no indications of any other persons involved," Kentucky State Police said. Sparkman's wrists were bound with duct tape, and a rope around his neck was tied to a tree, but his body was touching the ground, authorities said. He had "Fed" written on his chest in black ink. However, Sparkman's wrists were loosely bound in front of his body at shoulder width apart, allowing for "considerable mobility," said Kentucky State Police Capt. Lisa Rudzinski. He was also in contact with the ground, "almost on his knees," she said. "To survive, all Mr. Sparkman had to do was stand up." Lividity on the body -- marks made as blood stops pumping and settles in areas of the body -- showed that Sparkman died in the same position, Rudzinski said. His glasses were taped to his head, and that tape was underneath tape that held a rag in his mouth, she said. "Mr. Sparkman had extremely poor eyesight" and so would have needed his glasses secured, Rudzinski said. But the most compelling evidence came from the fact that Sparkman had obtained $600,000 in accidental-death insurance, which would not have paid in the event of a suicide, as late as May, she said. In addition, he told a "credible witness" of his plans to commit suicide and stage the scene to make it look like he was slain because he worked for the federal government. The details were consistent with how Sparkman died and was found, Rudzinski said. The witness did not take action after Sparkman shared his plans out of a belief that he would not follow through, authorities said. "It was learned that Mr. Sparkman had discussed recent federal investigations and the perceived negative attitudes toward federal entities by some residents of Clay County," Kentucky state police said in a statement. Police believe that Sparkman's primary motive in staging the scene was to ensure that the insurance would be paid, Rudzinski said. His motive for committing suicide or any secondary motives might never be known, she said, as Sparkman left no note. "We don't know what Mr. Sparkman was thinking or why he ultimately committed this act," she said. Autopsy results showed no evidence of any cancer or terminal illness, officials said, although it was reported that Sparkman had previously had lymphoma. Police would not say who the beneficiary of the insurance was. Forensic analysis of the writing on Sparkman's chest showed that he had written it himself, Rudzinski said. Analysts found ink dots, made by writers on completing a letter, at the top of the letters, rather than at the bottom -- as would be expected if someone had made the writing on Sparkman. Despite a search by authorities, the black felt pen used for the writing has not been found. Police do not believe that anyone assisted Sparkman, she said. Sparkman had told the witness, whom police declined to name, that he intended to dispose of some of his personal effects, including his laptop computer and other items. Police have not found those items, Rudzinski said. Toxicology tests showed that Sparkman was not drugged or under the influence of any substance, she said. The red rag removed from his mouth was similar to those found in his pocket and at the scene. DNA testing of the rags and the rope used in creating a ligature on Sparkman's neck, as well as 7 feet of discarded rope discarded near his body, found only Sparkman's DNA, she said. The police investigation is still open, and additional test results are expected in the next two to three weeks, authorities said. Authorities met with Sparkman's son and told him of their findings before publicly releasing them. "Our hearts go out to him," Rudzinski said. "He still lost his father at the end of the day." She would not say whether his son accepted the findings, saying she did not want to speak for the family.

Census worker staged scene to ensure insurance policy would be paid, police say . Police: William Sparkman told "credible witness" of plans to stage suicide . Sparkman, 51, was found dead in September with rope around neck but body touching ground . Sparkman had "Fed" written on his chest; police say he wrote it himself .

eeaf858010684f938de981e06055047bc7bfdb02

(CNN) -- When out on the playground, there arose such a clatter -- because little Tommy told all his classmates there was no such thing as Santa Claus. It's an uncomfortable scenario both the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny know all too well, and has the potential to leave parents caught like reindeer in headlights. It typically involves distraught kids cornering their parents after school with widened eyes, blurting out: "Tommy told me there isn't a Santa Claus!" (or Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or Babbo Natale, respectively). Heather Barranco knows the awkward affair all too well; her own child recently told a number of the kids in kindergarten that Santa didn't exist. For spiritual reasons, Barranco's family forgoes the Santa tradition. "One parent, whom I was friendly with, told me that her daughter was not allowed to play with my daughter anymore," says Barranco. "She questioned my parenting skills and said in a very angry voice, 'I do not know what you are teaching your children in your house. But, we believe in Santa and fairies. Your daughter took away something very special from my family.'" Barranco, a Catholic school teacher, has since advised her children not to "out" the jolly bearded man; to let others believe if they're so inclined. "Note that the kid is not trying to be mean, but just ahead of the others in development of this concept," says Tina Feigal, parenting coach, former school psychologist and author of "The Pocket Coach for Parents." "Kids talk about what's going on inside, which is natural for them," Feigal said. "No blame is needed." When the situation arises, it is up to each individual parent to decide the best way to answer the question, says Fran Walfish, child and family psychotherapist and author of "The Self-Aware Parent." While the ages of belief vary greatly from individual to individual, Walfish says children under the age of 7 years old -- as evidenced in Barranco's kindergarten class -- are likely to believe what their parents tell them. Between second and fourth grade is the peak of what Walfish refers to as the latency phase of child development, and is also the period during which parents can expect the question. (Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon, who wrote the famous letter to the editor of New York's Sun in 1891, was right on schedule.) "The goal of adolescence is to resolve one's separation from parents and emerge embracing his/her own ideas, opinions, and beliefs," says Walfish. During this phase, parents can expect to see a spike in doubt: whether it's the child insisting to go to the post office to hand-deliver his or her letter to the North Pole; staying up late to guard the fireplace; comparing handwritten gift tags with Dad's chicken scratches to even questioning the logistics of the sleigh travel. For the last, former math teacher Benjamin John Coleman urged his students to think about the four dimensions of length, area, volume and time. "We're able to easily manipulate length, area and volume. For length, think about cutting a piece of string; for area, think about cutting out a square from a piece of paper; and for volume, think about filling a water balloon. The problem is we humans can't manipulate time like we can length, area and volume." "But what if Santa Claus could?" he asks. "He could make Christmas Eve 100, 1,000, or even 1,000,000 hours long -- just like we can cut a piece of string to any length. He'd have plenty of time to deliver all those presents." Wary children can follow Santa's journey around the world by satellite on Christmas Eve, thanks to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which started its holiday tradition in 1955. NORAD, like Coleman, also suggests that "the only logical conclusion is that Santa somehow functions within his own time-space continuum." Tracking or not, ultimately any curiosity about the folklore is an opportunity to teach children about the importance of finding their own voice and truths in the world, says Paul Hokemeyer, a marriage and family therapist. "Explain to them that the world is a diverse and large place where people hold different views on the same topic," he says. "And further explain that what's important is to believe in what feels true at a particular moment in time and to hold on to it for however long as it feels honest and true." Feigal also advocates letting your child come to his or her own conclusions, and that questioning things is a healthy sign of maturity. "Adults need to take more of a 'curious stance' than a 'fixing stance' with this issue. Ask questions, and don't be so quick to 'make it all better' for your child," recommends Feigal. "Superman is a symbol of generosity, too, and we all 'believe in' him. If Santa is in your heart, he's real." And as confusing as it may be for the child who still believes, it's also confusing for the kids who know the truth, such as older siblings, says Walfish. Being told not to tell a younger brother or sister can be a burden for the elder secret-holder, so Walfish recommends advising them to reflect instead. "Say, 'As you get older your ideas and belief may change. When we're younger, it's fun to believe in Santa Claus." Most importantly for parents, 'tis not the season to feel guilty about the Santa tradition -- should they choose to participate -- when the folklore is let out of the sleigh bag. "Moms and dads need to relax and cut themselves some slack," she says. "You are not changing the truth for personal gain or deceit. Santa is part of our folklore. The celebration of Christmas has included Santa Claus for almost all young children. You are passing down the folklore, keeping up the tradition and allowing your child to fully enjoy the magic."

What should a parent do when children corner them, asking about Santa? Children younger than 7 are likely to believe what their parents tell them . One answer: A lot of people believe different things about Santa .

ae0dbee827927664773f58fd50b631c9b2dcd199

While the rest of Europe keeps its toes dry, elevated and toasty by the nearest fire place, the football season goes on in the Premier League with the traditional Boxing Day fixtures. It's the start of a typically and traditionally packed fixture list for teams up and down the land but it is also a time for Christmas crackers as Sportsmail looks at the finest top flight clashes from December 26 over the years. 10. Sheffield Wednesday 3-3 Manchester United, 1992 . It wasn’t just at Old Trafford where Sheffield Wednesday could implode while leading against Manchester United (see 1993) – they could do it at Hillsborough too. David Hirst, Mark Bright and John Sheridan had the Owls cruising just after the hour mark, before Brian McCLair scored twice in 13 minutes to set up a tense finale for the final 10. A combination of comical Wednesday defending and fine attacking instinct ensured United an equaliser with six minutes left, as former Wednesday trialist Eric Cantona bundled home from close range. Arguably the first of many amazing United comebacks in the Premier League era. 9. Aston Villa 2-2 Arsenal, 2008 . This Villa Park clash was crucial at the top of the table with Arsenal having eyes on the league title, while Aston Villa were well in the hunt for Champions League football. The Gunners took control with goals before and after half-time from Denilson and Abou Diaby but Martin O’Neill’s side were far from finished. Gareth Barry netted a 65th minute penalty following William Gallas’s foul on Gabriel Agbonlahor, before Zat Knight clinched a dramatic draw after turning home Stiliyan Petrov’s cross in stoppage time. Gareth Barry fires home a 65th minute penalty to send Aston Villa on their way to a 2-2 draw against Arsenal . Zat Knight clinched a dramatic draw after turning home Stiliyan Petrov’s cross in stoppage time . 8. Manchester City 5-1 Hull, 2008 . While Villa were rescuing draws against Arsenal, Hull boss Phil Brown was busy giving one of the more unorthodox team-talks seen in recent times. With the Tigers 4-0 down at City thanks to doubles from Felipe Caicedo and Robinho, Brown held a three-minute team-talk at the break in front of the Hull supporters as he publicly gave his team a verbal lashing at the Etihad Stadium. It brought his team a consolation strike in the second half through Craig Fagan, only for Stephen Ireland to restore City’s four-goal advantage just two minutes later in the 82nd minute. Phil Brown berates his Hull City team during at half-time after they went 4-0 down by half-time . 7. Bolton 4-3 Newcastle, 2002 . It was the year in which defensive coaches were given Christmas off at Bolton and Newcastle with this game seeing three goals inside the first 10 minutes, with an Alan Shearer equaliser sandwiched between Jay-Jay Okocha and Ricardo Gardner goals for Bolton. The real shock here though wasn’t that Bolton would go on to win just their second home game of the season, but that Michael Ricketts (post England debut) would find the back of the net twice in the victory. His final league goals for the Trotters were enough to seal the points despite 71st and 79th minute strikes from Shola Ameobi and Shearer to set up a close finish. Michael Ricketts found the net twice as Bolton enjoyed a 4-3 win against Newcastle in 2002 . 6. Everton 2-6 Manchester United, 1977 . Back in 1977, Everton were the team going for the title and they were huge favourites at home to a United side languishing in 14th place in the old First Division table. Martin Dobson and Bob Latchford scored for Gordon Lee’s side. But goals from Lou Macari (2), Steve Coppell, Jimmy Greenhoff, Gordon Hill and Sammy McIlroy gave United a stunning win in front of nearly 50,000 at Goodison Park. Everton would go on to finish a distant third behind title winners Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, while United wound up in tenth at the end of the season. 5. Coventry 3-2 Arsenal, 1999 . The football world would be stunned if Coventry defeated Arsenal on home turf today, but even back in 1999 it was a big surprise when Gordon Strachan’s team turned over the Premier League title challengers on Boxing Day. Goals from Gary McAllister and Mustapha Hadji had given the Sky Blues a 2-0 lead at the break, and while Freddie Ljungberg pulled a goal back in the 67th minute for Arsenal, Robbie Keane restored the two-goal advantage five minutes later. A rare league strike away from home for Davor Suker set up a tense final four minutes but Coventry held on for what is to date their last win against the Gunners. Former Coventry striker Robbie Keane helped his side to a 3-2 festive period victory against Arsenal . 4. Oldham 3-6 Manchester United, 1991 . Remember when players would celebrate after scoring against former clubs? Well Dennis Irwin didn’t just do it once, he did it twice, after netting a brace on first return to Boundary Park since leaving Oldham for Manchester United – and gesturing wildly with his arms on both occasions. United gave youth a chance in this clash, and Oldham fans should have known better than to chant ‘donkey’ at Bryan Robson’s half-time replacement, as Ryan Giggs soon silenced his critics with a fine burst of pace on the way to scoring United’s sixth goal. 3. Charlton 4-2 Chelsea, 2003 . It was the first year of Chelsea under Roman Abramovich but it would be a miserable first Christmas under the Russian owner as it took Charlton just 42 seconds to get stuck into Claudio Ranieri’s turkeys. John Terry had levelled following Hermann Hreidarsson’s first minute opener, but Matt Holland nodded the Addicks back in front 11 minutes before the break. Charlton extended their lead to in incredible 4-1 margin after half-time through Jonatan Johansson and Jason Euell, with Eidur Gudjohnsen’s 72nd minute reply for the big spending Blues nothing more than scant consolation at the Valley. Matt Holland celebrates putting Charlton into a 2-1 lead against Chelsea in 2003 . Claudio Ranieri (left) and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink look dejected during the defeat . 2. Chelsea 4-4 Aston Villa, 2007 . A year before rescuing a draw against Arsenal, Villa were involved in another Christmas cracker as they severely dented Chelsea’s title aspirations at Stamford Bridge. A Shaun Maloney double gave Villa a 2-0 lead, only for Zat Knight to receive a red card which paved the way for Andriy Shevchenko to grab a rare brace and equalise in the 50th minute for Chelsea. Villa looked finished when Alex put the Blues ahead, only for Martin Laursen to equalise at 3-3 with 18 minutes left. Chelsea 4-4 Aston Villa saw eight goals, two penalties and three red cards . Michael Ballack wheels away in celebration of his second half free-kick at Stamford Bridge . Ricardo Carvalho was one of two Chelsea players to be sent off by referee Phil Dowd . Ricardo Carvalho’s red card evened up the numbers, but Chelsea seemed to have stolen victory two minutes from time through Michael Ballack’s free-kick. But Ashley Cole saw red having handled the ball to deny Villa a goal in the final minute, allowing Gareth Barry to rescue a point for O’Neill’s outfit from the penalty spot. 1. Derby 4-4 Manchester United, 1970 . A relic from a bygone era in football. The legends read off like any other big clash, Denis Law, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Dave Mackay and Archie Gemmill among the big hitters. The game was pretty decent too, with Law scoring twice along with Best to help United come from 2-0 down to lead 3-2 at Derby. The Rams hit back to lead 4-3 only for Brian Kidd to equalise for United. But there is an old school winter feel to this game which will never be seen again. Snow covered pitches added a different challenge to players rather than a cause for complaint at the nearest snowflake. Check out the packed out Baseball Ground too. They sure don’t make stadiums like that any more. It is games like this which prove you don't need perfect under-soil heated stadiums or tika-taka passing to have a superb game of football or a Boxing Day classic.

Sportsmail reveals the top 10 Boxing Day clashes . Top 10 list features festive clash between Coventry and Arsenal in 1999 . Aston Villa's 4-4 draw with Chelsea saw three red cards and two penalties . Manchester United, Bolton and Charlton all feature .

6bcd731d908637c8ed43730dbd6ff82edd6ab65b

"Brothers, what we do in life echoes in eternity" (line from the film Gladiator) Gladiators, ready? From the ancient ruins of Rome, a new empire rises. But with a nod to the past, the city's newest gladiator James Pallotta's eyes light up when his thoughts turn to historic sites like the Colosseum. For if all roads lead to Rome, the AS Roma president is leaving no stone unturned in his intention to marry the Eternal City's historic past with Italian football's new emerging force. "I have one big goal," Pallotta tells CNN, with an infectious smile. "I want to get the city to let us play somebody like Barcelona or Bayern Munich or someone like that at the Colosseum." While the idea might have the marketing department rubbing their hands with glee, Pallotta could have his work cut out, persuading those maintaining these sites to allow Francesco Totti and Daniel de Rossi to put on an altogether different kind of gladiatorial show. Commissioned by Emperor Vespasian, the Colosseum remains Rome's most iconic monument and while others may not have ever considered bring the modern day Roman legion to entertain the masses, Pallotta is not like any other owner. "We'll do a pay-per-view on it, $25 around the world," adds the Bostonia, elaborating on the idea. "We could get 300 million people wanting to watch that around the world -- a game in the Colosseum which they'll never see again. "We take that money, which could be billions of dollars, and then set up a foundation in Rome to fix up the antiquities even faster and put the rest towards inner city programs in Rome." Vespasian died before he could see the Colosseum completed by his son, Titus, in AD 80, with the 55,000 arena becoming an integral part of Rome's history. Pallotta jokes he wouldn't mind seeing a few lions let out of the traps to speed up the match tempo, and the 56-year-old American-born investor, who took over the job of rebuilding Roma in 2012 , is clearly a man in a hurry. While millions flock to the Italian capital to gaze upon the likes of St Peter's Basilica, the Pantheon and the Sistine Chapel, Pallotta wants future visitors to embrace a new modern Roma. "When you walk around the city, you cannot keep your head down," he said. "You have to look up because of the architecture and every step you take is amazing. "For us not to have Rome be a significant part of what we are doing with the team would be foolish." A fixture between Roma against world class opposition at the Colosseum or perhaps more realistically, at the Circus Maximus given rock concerts have been staged there, is just one of Pallotta's many ideas. Neither Barca nor Bayern responded to CNN's request to see if they would consider playing against Roma in one of these venues in a friendly. However, more tangible is Pallotta's intention to provide Rome with a new stadium which the club hopes will be ready for the 2016-17 season. Able to accommodate up to 60,000 people, the arena is intended to become the focal point for a new chapter in the club's history. A "Peak Performance Center" will be built adjacent to the stadium providing facilities for the club's first and youth teams to train, while a deal has been struck with local authorities to extend the metro line allowing easier access for supporters. A new club village, which will host restaurants, bars and shops will also be built with the 13,500 square meter fanzone helping to create thousands of jobs. Given that Rome was not built in a day, Pallotta has big plans for Roma's youth academy and the city's youngsters. "In the past year, we had Roma kids on our shirts which is the foundation we set up for inner city programs in Rome," explained the American. "In terms of the youth side of things, we've got good programs but what we've instituted is a new educational framework. "I didn't think we were doing enough. We know only three or four kids are going to make it to Serie A or the Premier League, so what are they going to do when they're 18 or 19? "Are they going to be a clerk somewhere? Or get a menial job with no education? "So we instituted a 9th-12th grade formal program which is online and this will help them get into college. "They'll get accredited if they can't make it in football and we'll help them." A fan of NBA franchise Boston Celtics, Pallotta is well aware of the role that history can have in promoting a brand and he has used some of the NBA's ideas to help reinvigorate Roma. A Hall of Fame was set up following a vote by supporters, while the club's logo was changed and the name 'AS Roma' registered as a trademark. He is hoping that the likes of inspirational captain Totti, known as 'el Capitano,' will remain at the club when he retires in an ambassadorial role. Pallotta talks about how each of the players is like a son to him, while he insists that those who work in the kitchens or security department equally command his respect. "Francesco is going to be with us forever," says Pallotta with that trademark smile as he talks about the 38-year-old player, who made his debut for Roma at the age of 16. "Part of the role will be defined by him on what he wants to do. "We would like him to be around the pitch, talking to people who are coming into the club and telling them, 'I've been here 20 years, this is what Roma's all about.' "You would love to have him with the youth team and once in a while actually going out there and having a drill with them. "And the other thing you'd love is for him to be an ambassador for us. If I'm a nine-year-old and Totti walks in and sits down with you and your parents and says 'I was here and this is what is going on at Roma' then the kids will be thinking 'OK, wow.'" While the past and future are being taken care of, the present is very much up to those on the field of play. Roma, which faces Bayern Munich in the Champions League Tuesday, has made an encouraging start to the domestic and European season. Under head coach Rudi Garcia, the team has impressed with the likes of Totti, Miralem Pjanic, and Mattia Destro all catching the eye. All three men played a vital role in Roma's 3-0 win over Chievo last weekend -- a result which leaves the team in second place and just one point behind leaders Juventus. Bayern represents the biggest test faced by Roma at the Stadio Olimpico so far this season but for Pallotta, it is these kind of challenges which has put his club back in the big time. "People are starting to talk more about what is going on at Roma," Pallotta says with a smile. "It's a long-term thing. You can do it in one or two years and people will think it's a fluke, but the objective is to do it over 20 years and have that stability. "We want to be in the Champions League, compete for the title which I feel we can do this year." Bayern Munich -- the gladiator awaits.

AS Roma President James Pallotta outlines new strategy for Italian club . Pallotta wants to see his team play at Rome's Colosseum or Circus Maximus . Club's new stadium set to open in time for 2016-17 season . Roma faces Bayern Munich in Champions League on Tuesday .

c95a1820ac62e145bfd1d6fc87dcffbe1df0472c

Click here to read Adam Shergold's match report from Craven Cottage . Gordon Strachan blamed end-of-season rust for the 90th-minute goal which sealed a nightmare evening for Grant Hanley and denied Scotland the scalp of World Cup qualifiers Nigeria. Leading 2-1 with seconds to play, his team looked certain to make it six wins in their last nine games after an outrageous goal from Charlie Mulgrew and a second-half own goal from Azubuike Egwuekwe. On a night to forget for Hanley at Fulham’s Craven Cottage, however, Michael Uchebo’s first-half equaliser took a wicked deflection off the centre-half – before he failed to clear his lines as substitute Uche Nwofor levelled in injury time. Bullish mood: Gordon Strachan was pleased with Scotland's attacking display against Nigeria . Joy: Scotland players celebrate Charlie Mulgrew's opening goal . ‘I liked a lot of things I saw there, the only thing we had a problem with was the fact some of the lads had not trained for three weeks,’ said Strachan, indicating that weariness was the only difference between a win and a draw. ‘Most of them had been on holiday somewhere. I’m not saying they weren’t looking after themselves, and the way they tried to switch on again at training was terrific. But we lost a wee bit of fitness in the last 15 minutes. 'During the game, we were one pass away from a really great move. We could have had four or five goals.  That’s the first time I’ve said that after a game - we had a lot of chances. ‘I’d put the fact we didn’t finish them off down to rustiness. In terms of what I saw and what we are trying do, in terms of movement and trying to get closer to the striker, I liked that. Tussle: Nigeria's Elderson Echiejile keeps Steven Naismith at arms length . 'The shape we had when we didn’t have the ball was good as well.’ Scotland . took the lead through an outrageous and audacious Mulgrew effort, the . Celtic star flicking out a heel to deflect a James Morrison shot into . the net. ‘Charlie’s . goal was terrific. It was luck in terms of the shot but he had to know . where to send it,’ said Strachan. ‘There is a lot to be proud of, I’m . just disappointed we didn’t get the win.’ Strachan admitted Hanley was disappointed with his failure to clear his lines for the last-gasp equaliser. Leveller: Michael Uchebo watches on as his strike finds the back of the net . Adamant the Scots had no failures, however, the Scotland boss also blooded Derby’s Chris Martin for the first time as a second half substitute. ‘The first Nigeria goal was unlucky for us. The ricochet might go in itself. But I thought Grant was terrific,’ he said. ‘Nobody has disappointed me. Chris Martin gave us a new dimension. Midfielders like it when the ball goes up to someone like that. It’s a new thing in football - the strikers are not scoring 40 or 50 goals a season. They score 20 or so but have to link up and let others score, too. He is good that way. Dejected: Grant Hanley struggles to hide his disappointment . Comeback kids: Nigeria celebrate snatching a draw late on to deny Scotland . ‘In terms of positive play, that’s as good as it gets. We have been terrific as a unit before and had a few chances, but overall there was a bit of flair and imagination against a really top side. ‘Andrew Robertson and Kech (Ikechi Anya) were terrific down that left side. With hardly any caps between them, they’re not physically big but they stood up and played the game. They didn’t let them get close to them. ‘Anya is terrific, a breath of fresh air. He radiates on the pitch and in the dressing room. That’s all you can ask for.’ Speaking out: A Nigeria fan hits back at claims of match-fixing prior to Wednesday's friendly .

Strachan says end-of season rust was to blame for conceding late on . Boss takes positives after draw against World Cup finalists .

78e658f397adfd8b2b8ed1366a95bae155f87c47

By . Jack Doyle . Tony Blair is a narcissist with a messiah complex who is passionate about making money and lives a ‘strange life’ among the super-rich, according to a former close friend. Best-selling author Robert Harris, once a confidant of the former prime minister, said Mr Blair now cuts a ‘tragic figure’. In a savage attack, Mr Harris said Mr Blair was ‘quite disconnected from reality’ and hinted that his time in office had made him ‘mad’. He also claimed that Mr Blair, 61, had delivered a ‘slap in the face’ to the British people by walking away from Parliament. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair intervened in the growing debate over Europe this week, with a speech to the CBI business conference attacking UKIP for blaming foreigners for Britain's problems . Robert Harris (left) with the then Labour Party leader Tony Blair pictured together in 1997. Alastair Campbell, Mr Blair's then spin chief, can be seen in the background . Robert Harris fell out with Tony Blair after the former Prime Minister sacked Peter Mandelson for the second time in 2001. The novelist had been a close confident of the Labour leader and was even with him on the night of Mr Blair's 1997 landslide election victory. But he was furious with the way Mr Blair had treated his close friend Lord Mandelson - the godfather to one of Mr Harris's children. Mr Blair sacked Lord Mandelson - then Northern Ireland Secretary - in 2001 over the Hinduja affair in which he was accused of using his position to influence a passport application. Mandelson insisted he had done nothing wrong and was later exonerated. The former premier would never be  forgiven for leaving British politics to go and ‘hang out with a lot of rich people in America’, the writer added. The two men met in the early 1990s and Mr Harris became a close friend of the Blair family, remaining a supporter of the rising Labour star as he became party leader in 1994 and then Prime Minister. He was by Mr Blair’s side when the 1997 election results came in. But the pair fell out over Mr Blair’s sacking of Peter Mandelson, who is godfather to one of Mr  Harris’s children. A former political journalist, he wrote a novel, The Ghost, clearly based on Mr Blair – in which a  fictional ex-premier faces being hauled to court for alleged war crimes. Mr Harris described the book as being somewhere ‘between reality and fiction’. But his latest comments, in an interview with Total Politics, are the most devastating character assassination of the New Labour leader by a former member of his inner circle. He said: ‘I find with Tony Blair it’s impossible to see the man he is now in the man that I knew. I met him first in 1992 I think. ‘Who knew that he would become a great friend of George Bush and would want to keep bombing  people and would be so passionately interested in making money and live this strange life with the billionaire super-rich on yachts and private jets? ‘I mean, maybe someone more perceptive than I would have seen it, but I never saw that at the time, nor – knowing a lot of the people who know him very well – did they. ‘It’s a cliche to say that most  politicians go mad if they are in office for more than about six or seven years and they become a member of a club and you become quite disconnected from reality, and I think there were in Tony things we perhaps didn’t realise  at the time – of narcissism, a  messiah complex, that had merely accelerated this impulse in him.’ Robert Harris (left) and Lord Mandelson attended the VIP screening of 'The Ghost' in 2010. The novel centres around a former British Prime Minister who is wanted by the International Criminal Court . He said Lord Mandelson – who has been criticised for mixing with some of the world’s super-rich – is ‘the soul of plain living’ compared with the former PM. Mr Harris, 57, pointed to the way Mr Blair walked away from parliament after resigning as prime minister and as an MP in the summer of 2007. He said: ‘I can’t believe there isn’t an element of tragedy that he himself feels, that a relatively young man in political terms should cut himself off from British democracy in the way that he has. ‘Because he could have had one of those 19th century careers and come back, as foreign secretary or maybe even as party leader, but he turned his back on it and walked out of the place. ‘I think it’s clear he felt that he had outgrown Westminster and the British, and you will never be  forgiven for that.’ Robert Harris is a former friend of Tony Blair and remains close to the Labour peer Lord Mandelson. He said he could never have guessed how Mr Blair would change and attacked his close relationship to George Bush . Mr Harris referred to Sir Winston Churchill whose last spell as prime minister ended in 1955, but was still attending Prime Minister’s Questions as an MP in 1964. He added: ‘Politicians love the House of Commons, they never wanted to leave it. ‘Blair seemed to have suited his purposes and then he walked out and that was a slap in the face, I think, for parliament and the British people. ‘I think people would have been perfectly prepared to accept the mistakes he made over Iraq or whatever if he’d hung around and fought his corner but to just simply remove yourself and hang out with a lot of rich people in America, that will never be forgiven.’ A spokesman for the office of Tony Blair did not respond to requests for a comment.

Novelist accuses former PM of abandoned Labour and Parliament for money . Says Blair believed he had 'outgrown' Britain after stepping down as PM . Claims the former Labour leader of leading a 'tragic' life obsessed by rich . Harris is author of The Ghost - a novel about a PM accused of war crimes .

89b9cfc7600e6f7b3d8764a1024df8af6db46726

A former well-respected University of Pittsburgh Medical Center researcher on Wednesday was sentenced to a mandatory life term without possibility of parole in the cyanide killing of his neurologist wife. Robert Ferrante, 66, was convicted in November of first-degree murder in the April 2013 death of 41-year-old Dr. Autumn Klein. Prosecutors said he laced her energy drink with deadly poison. The victim's mother, Lois Klein, said in a statement read in court during sentencing by an assistant prosecutor that the murder had robbed her and her husband of their only child. Scroll down for video . Locked away: Dr Robert Ferrante, 66, on Wednesday was sentenced to a mandatory life term without possibility of parole in the cyanide killing of his neurologist wife . Guilty: Ferrante (left) was convicted in November of first-degree murder in the April 2013 death of 41-year-old Dr. Autumn Klein (right) She said, 'The light of our lives has now been extinguished.' The statement went on to say: 'I certainly don't want to give him any credit but he has certainly ruined our lives. All she ever wanted to do was to be able to help people. People all over the world are now losers.' The station WPXI reported Lois Klein and her husband, William, are now caring for their 8-year-old granddaughter, Cianna, in Maryland. Ferrante, who has steadfastly denied poisoning his wife, is expected to file an appeal asking for a new trial. He declined an opportunity to speak in court after learning his fate. Heartbroken: Klein's mother, Lois (pictured in court February 4) said in a statement read during sentencing the murder had robbed her and her husband of their only child . Claims of innocence: Ferrante has steadfastly denied poisoning Klein and disputed whether that cyanide caused her death at all . On November 7, 2013, it took jurors 15 hours of deliberations spread over the course of two days to find the medical researcher guilty of first-degree murder. Klein and Ferrante's 8-year-old daughter is now being raised by her maternal grandparents . Allegheny County prosecutors successfully argued during Ferrante's high-profile trial that he deliberately laced his wife's creatine energy drink with cyanide he bought through his lab using a university-issued charge card two days before she fell suddenly ill in late April 2013. Dr Klein died three days later at University of Pittsburg Medical Center, despite doctors' efforts to save her. His lawyers made the case that she might not have been poisoned at all, citing three defense experts who said that couldn't be conclusively proved. Ferrante said the cyanide he bought was for stem cell experiments he was conducting on Lou Gehrig's disease, because the toxin can be used to kill of neurological cells and thus simulate the disease in the lab. But prosecutors said Ferrante was a "master manipulator" who concocted the plan to kill his wife after she pressured him to have a second child and because he may have feared she was having an affair or planned to divorce him. Ferrante did online searches on cyanide poisoning and how it might be removed by the medical treatments Klein received or detected by a coroner after her death.

A jury in November found former University of Pittsburgh researcher Robert Ferrante, 66, guilty of killing his wife, Autumn Klein . 'The light of our lives has now been extinguished,' Klein's mother said in a statement read in court during sentencing . Ferrante, who has steadfastly denied poisoning his wife, is expected to appeal ruling .

3eb074979307e30fc65bb6a5ba07c91c3912415c

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- It was a night for neon pink bow ties and words like "disaster" and "monstrosity." It was not the night, however, to be Paris Hilton, Mike Myers or Uwe Boll. Paula Einstein, Rebecca Marcotte and Kelie McIver do a parody of "Dancing Queen" to open the show. The 29th Annual Golden Raspberry Awards honored the worst film achievements of the year in a small theater in Hollywood on February 21. The night opened with a parody of the "Mamma Mia" song, "Dancing Queen," and ended with "Love Guru" being named worst picture. "It wasn't just the economy that tanked, so did the qualities of the movies being offered," Razzie founder John Wilson told CNN several weeks before the show. "I would suggest putting away all sharp [instruments] before putting the DVDs in your machine." Paris Hilton and Mike Myers came out on top -- or bottom -- for the awards. Hilton earned both the worst actress and worst supporting actress awards for her roles in "Hottie & the Nottie" and "Repo: The Genetic Opera." She was also awarded worst screen couple for her on-screen time with her co-stars Christine Lakin and Joel David Moore. Razzie host Gretchen Enders said that "Hottie & the Nottie" was "a vanity production in the worst sense... Hilton, who served as executive producer, has no one to blame but herself." Hilton's film had a budget of $2 million but only earned about $27,000 at the box office. "Under Obama's new plan, they wouldn't even have to pay taxes," Wilson deadpanned. Myers added worst actor to the "Love Guru" worst picture and worst screenplay Razzies. To save anyone else from having to watch it, Wilson shredded a DVD copy of the film on stage. Parody films "Disaster Movie" and "Meet the Spartans," each nominated in five categories, came away empty-handed. However, that doesn't mean the Razzie foundation thinks they were worthwhile. "When you invest the kind of money that a mainstream, big-budget star film requires, you want some insurance that your investment is going to come back to you. So... you're going to do what worked before," Wilson said. "Financially that may make sense, but in terms of the audience's enjoyment, surprise or appreciation of what you're doing, it doesn't work." Enter "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," this year's winner of the worst prequel, remake, rip-off or sequel award. "A fourth installment of a beloved franchise, but this one found itself loved by almost no one," hosts Katsy Chappell and Josh Thoemke said. The approximately 740 voting members of the Raspberry Foundation also found Pierce Brosnan's singing voice sorely lacking. His role in "Mama Mia" earned him the worst supporting actor award. "An actor who could not sing, should not sing and arguably did not sing, in a role he should not have accepted," Razzie hosts Chip Dornell and Kelie McIver said about the former James Bond. But perhaps the biggest "winner" of the night was Uwe Boll. Recipient of the worst director award, the foundation also recognized his lifetime work with the worst career achievement award. Boll is the "worst living director on Earth," Wilson told CNN. Boll had a sense of humor about his Razzie success. He sent in a video rejection speech from a fake set of Darfur, Sudan, saying the Razzies had ruined his life and he would never be back. The Razzie team is already predicting next year's nominees. A few to watch out for: "Hannah Montana," "Friday the 13th" and "Bride Wars," -- the last of which has already grossed more than $50 million. "It's kind of like watching a train wreck, isn't it?" Wilson said.

Razzies honor worst film achievements of the past year . Mike Myers, Paris Hilton each won three Razzies . "Indiana Jones" won worst prequel, remake, rip-off or sequel award .

7650417c7eb49c274436c0b1736b27e33df183d4

By . Chris Waugh . Follow @@ChrisDHWaugh . Newcastle have agreed a fee with Montpellier for midfielder Remy Cabella - with the Ligue 1's club president confirming 'we have a deal'. The Magpies made an improved £9million offer for the French midfielder on Wednesday and an agreement has finally been struck, although finer details of the deal are still to be ironed out. Le . Parisien carried quotes from Montpellier chief executive officer Laurent . Nicollin, son of outspoken president Louis Nicollin, where he said that . 'we have a deal' with Newcastle for the transfer of Cabella. Tyneside-bound: Newcastle have agreed a fee for Montpellier's Remy Cabella, says French club's CEO . International: Cabella was in Brazil with the French squad but didn't play any part in the tournament . The 24-year-old, who was called into the France World Cup squad for Brazil following Clement Grenier and Franck Ribery's injuries but did not feature in the tournament, has been linked with a move to the North East since the January window. He has been talked about as a potential replacement for Yohan Cabaye, who left for Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the year, although he is more of an out-and-out wideman. Newcastle had a bid rejected for the player in January and personal terms must still be agreed, along with the player completing a medical, before he can be confirmed. If Cabella completes his long-awaited move to Tyneside then he will become manager Alan Pardew's fourth summer signing. Fourth signing? Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has already brought three players to the club this summer . New arrival: Jack Colback (right) signed from rivals Sunderland on a free transfer . Newcastle have already signed midfielder Jack Colback on a free transfer from rivals Sunderland, young striker Ayoze Perez for £1.5m from Tenerife, and attacking midfielder Siem de Jong from Ajax for £6m. They are also in discussions with Feyenoord over a move for Dutch full-back Daryl Janmaat, with Mathieu Debuchy likely to complete a move to Arsenal imminently. Interest: Newcastle are also in discussions with Feyenoord for Dutch full-back Daryl Janmaat (left)

Magpies made an improved £9million offer for Cabella on Wednesday . Montpellier chief operating officer says 'we have a deal' with Magpies . Cabella was in France's World Cup squad but did not feature in tournament . The 24-year-old has been linked to Newcastle since January window . He would be Newcastle fourth summer signing if he completes his move . Newcastle also interested in Feyenoord full-back Daryl Janmaat .

4da8a8cfd25ac4f978a9e75c9d44a56616a0511c

By . Associated Press . and MailOnline Reporter . A 24-year-old man has been arrested and charged for shooting dead the police chief of a small Texas town. Joshua Manuel Lopez faces charges of capital murder in the death of Elmford Police Chief Michael Pimental, who pulled Lopez over on Saturday on an active warrant for graffiti. Pimentel was shot twice - once in the shoulder and once in the abdomen - and was pronounced dead at the hospital. Joshua Manuel Lopez (left) has been charged with capital murder in the shooting death of Elmford, Texas Police Chief Michael Pimental (right) Pimental - who was in his 60s and has served as police chief in Elmendorf for more than a year - is believed to have been killed in the street of the small town of 1,500 people, located about 25 miles southeast of San Antonio. Exact details of the shooting have not been released. The incident happened near East 9th Street and South 1st Avenue at around 11:40am. Pimentel was flown to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Elmendorf Mayor Evelyn Lykins said in a news release that the person who was the subject of the arrest warrant that Pimentel was serving opened fire on the chief. 'He embraced the community of Elmendorf not only as its head of law enforcement officer but also as a resident. We will miss him,' the mayor said. Steve McCraw, head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said Pimentel is the fifth law enforcement officer to die in Texas this year. Pimental, who was in his 60s, had served as the police chief of small Texas town Elmendorf for about a year . Pimental was following up on an active warrant for graffiti when he was fatally shot by Lopez on this road . Investigators are currently looking into Lopez's background as he remains in jail on $1million bond . Three of the five were killed by gunfire. Some 13 officers died in the line of duty last year. 'Every day police officers throughout the state risk their lives to protect their communities, and tragically sometimes they make the ultimate sacrifice,' McCraw said. Investigators are looking into Lopez's background. Lopez remained in the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on a $1 million bond Sunday. Information about whether he has an attorney was unavailable. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Elmford, Texas Police Chief Michael Pimental died Saturday morning while trying to make an arrest for an outstanding graffiti warrant . Joshua Manuel Lopez, 24, was arrested and charged with capital murder .

abac445aecf06a901e112c75fd54d0732ad59fed

By . Victoria Woollaston . More than 7.5 million children aged under 13 lie to get around Facebook’s age restrictions. In 2012, the social network filed a patent that would make this process more legitimate, by seeking approval from, and handing the controls of the account to, the child’s parent. But this application was only made public last week, and has caused uproar among children's rights campaigners. Scroll down for video . In 2012, Facebook filed a patent that would make it possible for children under 13 to set up an account, as long as they had parental approval. The application went public this week. Facebook told MailOnline 'a patent is not a predicator for future work' and denied the age limit was changing. Stock image pictured . James Steyer, chief executive of child-advocacy group Common Sense Media said: 'We don't have the proper science and social research to evaluate the potential pros and cons that social-media platforms are doing to teenagers. According to the files (pictured), if an underage user tried to access the site, Facebook would ask for 'parental authorisation' via an existing account . 'The idea that you would go after this segment of the audience when there are concerns about the current audience is mind boggling.' According to the patent, when an underage user tries to access the site, or ‘perform actions’ on it, Facebook will ask for ‘parental authorisation from an additional user having a parental relationship to the user’. The child would tell Facebook who their parents are before the site runs a validity check on the parent’s account to confirm the relationship, and the age of the user. ‘The online service may make these verifications based in part social and transactional information associated with the identified user's account,’ explained the files. ‘Upon successful verification, the online service allows the identified user to authorise account creation for the child user, and/or manage the account and actions of the child user.’ This means that once an underage account had been linked to a parental one, the adults would be able to limit and monitor their child’s behaviour. They would also have complete control of the child's privacy and applications on the site. Facebook has denied it is planning to . launch the service, and told the MailOnline: ‘Child safety advocates, . policymakers and companies have discussed how best to help parents keep . their kids safe online. The original age limit was set to comply with the 1998 Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Any changes would need to be approved by governing body, the Federal Trade Commission. The site was criticised in October for allowing teenagers to make public posts (pictured) Facebook was criticised in October for letting teenagers make their posts public. Before the update Facebook prevented under 18s making posts public; the widest audience they could reach was Friends of Friends. In . a blog post, Facebook said: 'Teens are among the savviest people using . social media, and whether it comes to civic engagement, activism, or . their thoughts on a new movie, they want to be heard. 'So, starting today, people aged 13 through 17 will also have the choice to post publicly on Facebook.' ‘Like any responsible company, we looked at ways to tackle this issue, but a patent application based on two-year-old research is not a predictor of future work in this area.’ The patent was filed in 2012, at the same time Facebook was researching how many underage children access the site. This research was carried out after a number of child safety advocates voiced concerns about the number of children using the site. A Consumer Reports at the time found more than 5 million children under the age of 10 were accessing Facebook and its apps and this figure is said to have held steady ever since. The original under-13 age limit was set to comply with the 1998 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). This act requires any companies that handle data of young children to get explicit parental consent. Any changes to this element of Facebook’s terms and conditions would need to be approved by governing body, the Federal Trade Commission.

Facebook filed the patent in 2012, but it was made public on Thursday . The current age threshold on the social network is 13 years old . Files detail how an underage child could open an account with their parent’s approval . This involves authenticating and linking accounts held by the parents . Parents would then be able to limit and monitor their child’s behaviour . They would also have complete control over privacy and applications . Facebook said a patent application is 'not a predicator of future work'

b90ed6756be9fc202bcb5775b0606be77699d36d

By . Leslie Larson . PUBLISHED: . 09:02 EST, 19 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:41 EST, 20 December 2012 . President Barack Obama announced on Wednesday that Vice President Joe Biden will lead an effort to come up with policies to address gun violence amid calls for action following the massacre of 26 people, including 20 children, in a Connecticut elementary school last week. The president affirmed the constitutional right for Americans to bear arms but clarified when it comes to the epidemic of gun violence 'if there is even one thing we can do to prevent any of these events, we have a deep obligation – all of us – to try,' at a White House press conference. Mr Obama said that Mr Biden will work with members of his cabinet and other officials to come up with proposals by January - assuring the American public this is not merely a Washington commission to study the issue but promised real reforms in a timely manner. 'If we are not getting right keeping our children safe then nothing else matters,' the president said about the need for action and bi-partisan compromise. Scroll down for video. Announcement: U.S. President Barack Obama (right) announces the creation of an interagency task force for guns as as Vice President Joseph Biden listens at the White House on Wednesday . The president praised Vice President Biden, who as a former Senator from Delaware led the effort for the 1994 crime bill. Biden will work with key cabinet members, reach out to stakeholders and members of Congress to create a list of recommendations for reforms in gun laws, access to mental health care and school safety. Mr Obama reiterated several times in his comments on Wednesday that Biden's task is not to review or study the issue but to provide action items to the president. Based on their recommendations, Mr Obama said he will present concrete proposals, as soon as his State of the Union address on January 29 - just 41 days from today. Mr Obama referenced the increased push for tighter controls . on gun ownership in the aftermath of the tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary . school in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14. A 20-year-old gunman, Adam . Lanza, entered the school and killed 20 children and 6 adults. The Connecticut massacre was the fourth shooting rampage to claim multiple lives in the United States this year. The American public seemed numb after the school shooting and even Republican and Southern politicians, typically aligned with the powerful gun lobby, have said that something needed to be done to prevent future tragedies. One such lawmaker is Democratic Senator . Joe Manchin of West Virginia. The gun rights advocate said he would now . be open to more regulation of military-style rifles like the one used in . Newtown. Obama spoke with him on Tuesday, the White House said. Mr Obama said he found it 'encouraging that people of all different background and beliefs and  political persuasions' are willing to challenge past assumptions and address the issue of gun violence. He noted the 'strong tradition of gun ownership that has been handed down . from generation to generation in the U.S.' and recognized the responsible, law-abiding gun owners in the U.S. but said more must be done to prevent guns from being illegally obtained and reaching the hands of the wrong people. Policy: President Barack Obama (on Sunday, at a memorial service for the victims and relatives of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting) will review gun policy in the aftermath of the horrific massacre . Tragedy: President Barack Obama (reflecting during the vigil for the Sandy Hook Elementary School victims on Sunday) has signaled his commitment to prevent the horror that unfolded at the school on December 14 . Gun control has been a relatively low priority for most U.S. politicians due to . the widespread popularity of guns in America and the clout of the . National Rifle Association (NRA), the powerful gun industry lobby. The constitutional right to bear arms, listed in the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, has continued to be upheld even after mass shootings. The president said he is hopeful that the NRA will 'do some self-reflection' after the horror of seeing 6- and 7-year-old children and their teachers being killed at the school in Connecticut. White House spokesman Jay Carney had earlier said that Obama was 'actively supportive' of legislation to reinstate a ban on assault-style weapons but despite the support, the president was perceived to exert minimal effort to ensure the legislation was passed during his first presidential term. The ban had passed under a Democrat-controlled Congress in 1994 but expired in 2004. Carney said . Obama would back U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein's effort to reinstate an . assault weapons ban. When asked about his inaction on Wednesday, the president defended himself and assured the American public that he hasn't been on vacation, adding that the events of last week has put everything in perspective. 'If we are not getting right keeping our children safe then nothing else matters,' he said. Obama said that the assault-style weapons ban would be one of the many issues Biden would be reviewing and also pressed for Congress to finally confirm a director of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms (ATF). There has not been an official head of the federal agency in six years. Unnamed former and current ATF officials have alleged the influential gun lobby has worked to limit . the resources available to ATF and to prevent leadership at the agency. No more: Tasha Devoe, left, joins a Washington, DC area march on Monday to protest the influence of the National Rifle Association in the aftermath of the tragedy at Sandy Hook . Obama has also signaled that he would support closing a gun . show loophole allowing people to buy arms from private dealers without . background checks and would be interested in legislation limiting . high-capacity ammunition magazines, according to Carney. During the second presidential debate in October, Obama had said he believed that 'weapons that were designed for soldiers in war theaters don't belong on our streets.' 'What I want is a comprehensive strategy, part of it is seeing if we get automatic weapons that kill folks in amazing numbers out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill,' he added. Many pro-gun lawmakers have been calling for a greater focus on mental health issues and the impact of violent . entertainment, a position Mr Obama said he also supported. He said that 'no single gun law can't solve all these problems,' in his announcement, made in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House. The room is named for President . Ronald Reagan's press secretary, James Brady, who was shot and permanently . disabled during an assassination attempt on President Reagan in 1981. Brady has since become a gun control advocate and had a piece of legislation, the Brady Handgun . Violence Prevention Act of 1994, named in his honor.

Vice President Joe Biden will spearhead effort to address gun violence, coordinating with government agencies . Biden is a longtime gun control advocate . President Obama said Biden's task force will not be a Washington committee that studies the issue but will recommend real reforms by January . 'If we are not getting right keeping our children safe then nothing else matters,' the president said . Obama said he would present concrete proposals 41 days from now in the State of the Union address on January 29 . Expected to push for renewal of the assault-style weapons ban and confirmation of a director for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives . The president asked the National Rifle Association (NRA) to 'do some self-reflection' in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook school tragedy .

19aa0dd6d2b484ebdd4a6d333df07013ff46d15e

An inquiry into the death of Alexander Litvinenko has been shown photographs of the Russian spy walking around the hotel where he was given a fatal dose of polonium. The 43-year-old had been called to the Millenium Hotel in Mayfair on November 1 2006 to meet murder suspects Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun, the inquiry heard. He died three weeks later having drunk a cup of poison-laced tea at the meeting which was moved at the last minute by one of the Russian businessmen. Lugovoi and Kovtun deny any involvement in the former KGB agent's death and have failed to return to the UK to face questioning. Scroll down for video . An inquiry into Alexander Litvinenko's death was shown these images of the former spy arriving at the London hotel where two Russian businessman are accused of giving him a lethal dose of polonium . Today the London inquiry, led by Sir Robert Owen, was shown CCTV footage of the three men in the hotel in the hours leading up the meeting. It shows Lugovoi checking into the hotel on Halloween in 2006 before Kovtun arrives the following morning. The pair are seen making separate trips to the toilets some ten minutes apart shortly before Mr Litvinenko arrives in the lobby. 'Extremely high' traces of the radioactive substance found on the spy's jacket after his death were also discovered in the toilets which the men visited separately. The inquiry heard how before travelling to London, Kovtun told a friend he planned to 'lure' Mr Litvinenko to the hotel to poison him. Andrei Lugovoi speaks to staff in the hotel where Mr Litvinenko is thought to have been given a fatal dose of polonium . Dmitri Kovtun speaks to staff at the hotel just moments before making his way to the toilets through the lobby . Andrei Lugovoi (left) is seen making his way to the bathroom of the Millenium Hotel in Mayfair just moments before Dmitri Kovtun. Investigators discovered 'extremely high' amounts of radioactive substances in the hotel toilets . 2000: Alexander Litvinenko arrives in the UK pleading political asylum . 2003: He is granted asylum with his family in London . October 2006: Mr Litvinenko and his friend receive 'death threats' November 1: Mr Litvinenko meets Russian businessmen Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun at Millenium Hotel . November 4: The 43-year-old is admitted to Barnet General Hospital with severe sickness and stomach pains . November 11: The former spy describes being 'poisoned' on BBC Russian service . November 17:  Transferred to University College Hospital . November 20:  Mr Litvinenko is transferred to intensive care, photographs of his deteriorating condition released . November 23: Mr Litvinenko dies in intensive care . November 24: A family statement read after the former spy's death incriminates Vladimir Putin in his death . November 27: Police confirm traces of radioactive polonium-210 . December 6: British police say death is now being treated as murder . July 5 2007: Russia refuses extradition request for Lugovoi . July 2013: Ministers rule out public inquiry into death of spy . January 2014: Marina Litvinenko, Mr Litvinenko's widow, appeals to the High Court for Government inquiry to be held . 22 July 2014: Public inquiry is announced by Home Secretary . 27 January 2015: Inquiry begins, it is ongoing . 'While he had been in Hamburg, Mr Kovtun had made touch with one particular of his old friends from a restaurant where he used to work, and asked that person if he was aware of anybody working in in a restaurant in London,' said Andrew O’Connor, counsel to the inquiry. 'As part of that conversation he said he wanted to poison Mr Litvinenko.' Detective Inspector Craig Mascall replied: 'I think Mr Kovtun, his words were that he wanted to lure Mr Litvinenko out to a meeting in order to poison him.' On November 1, Lugovoi and Kovtun visited the late Russian businessman Boris Berezovsky to collect football tickets for a match that evening. They then appeared at the hotel to meet with Mr Litvinenko at around 4pm. Three weeks later he died in hospital of radioactive poisoning. A post mortem examination into his death was described as one of the most dangerous to have ever been carried out in the UK. The day before he died Mr Litvinenko insisted photographs be taken of him to 'prove he had been killed by Putin and by the Kremlin' Mr Litvinenko fell ill in a matter of days after the meeting. He was admitted to hospital where he died three weeks later from radioactive poisoning . Mr Litvinenko had travelled to the UK in 2000 after becoming disillusioned with Putin's Russia where he had worked in the Federal Security Service, formerly the KGB. He was granted political asylum after arriving in London with his family and later began working on a consultant basis for MI5 and MI6 according to his wife. But having alleged criminal activity in the Kremlin, he became fearful for his life and in the days after the meeting became convinced he was the target of a murder attempt. His health rapidly deteriorated, with Metropolitan Police discovering traces of the highly toxic chemical polonium-210 in addresses across London. Earlier this week the inquiry heard how he had been warned of threats against his life but 'ignored' them. Mario Scaramella told of how the pair received an email in the days before Mr Litvinenko's meeting, but that he was 'more interested in his food' than any threats. 'We started to talk about general issues and then I said "let's talk seriously,"' Mr Scaramella said. 'He was more focused about his food than the email. 'I was saying "This is a serious issue". He said "I have to check"'. Kovtun and Lugovoi deny having any part in the former spy's death. The pair have refused to return to the UK to face police questioning .

Alexander Litvinenko died in 2006 after fatal dose of tea laced with poison . Former KGB agent met with Russian businessman weeks before death . Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun deny having any involvement in death . High traces of radioactive substance found in hotel toilets where they met . CCTV shows each man visiting the toilets before Litvinenko arrived later . Traces of the same substance were found on 43-year-old's denim jacket . A London inquiry into Mr Litvinenko's mysterious death continues .

82a58a8254f1857a8c6dfc534501a92538051465

The son of a well-known Chinese general has been charged with taking part in a gang rape. Li Tianyi, 17, and four other men will face trial over the attack, which allegedly took place at a Beijing hotel in February. Li is the son of Li Shuangjiang, 74, one of China’s most famous military leaders, who has reportedly fallen ill as a result of his son’s arrest. Baby-faced: Li Tianyi, 17, and four other men will face trial over the attack in Beijing . If convicted, the baby-faced teenager could serve from three to 10 years, although the law allows for harsher punishment if the case is considered especially serious. His father Li Shuangjiang is a general famed for singing patriotic anthems for the People's Liberation Army and often stars in television galas. He was reportedly taken ill after his son was arrested, and was further shamed when evidence emerged that he may have lied about his son’s age to give him a lenient sentence. Father and son: Li Tianyi (right) is son of Li Shuangjiang (left), a general in the Chinese army who is famed for singing Chinese patriotic anthems . The rape charges aren't the younger Li's first brush with the law. He was sentenced to a year in detention in 2011 as a 15-year-old for attacking a couple over a minor traffic dispute and threatening onlookers, in a case that attracted widespread condemnation online. Spoiled: Li Shuangjiang, was forced to make a public apology for failing to check his son's bad behavior . He sent to a detention centre for a year after being convicted of assaulting a couple in the street who blocked the path of the BMW he was driving. Li was ridiculed in the media as a spoiled brat and his father was forced to make a public apology for failing to check his son's bad behavior. Now a video has emerged, published by South China Morning Post, showing General Li referring to his 12 year old son in 2006, meaning his son is now 19 and should then possibly have been tried as an adult in the 2010 incident. It appears he will be tried as an adult in the gang rape case, but the prosecutor’s office in Beijing's Haidian district could not confirm this. Amid anger over corruption and a widening wealth gap, many Chinese have become increasingly impatient with the antics of the ‘wealthy second generation’ seen as using their parents' money and connections to avoid repercussions for illegal or outrageous behavior.

Li Tianyi, 17, and four others stand accused of rape . Incident allegedly took place at a Beijing hotel in February . His father is a general in China's People's Liberation Army .

efda54f9593f71b4fb5e60fa36a4528094b7f76d

(CNN) -- Snooki gives birth to a little bambina! Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi delivered a baby girl early Friday morning. The former "Jersey Shore" star and fiancée Jionni LaValle welcomed Giovanna Marie LaValle, who weighed in at 6 pounds and 7 ounces. Polizzi took to Twitter to announce the news, letting fans know Giovanna has a full head of black hair and is, quote, "perfect." This is the second child for the couple, who welcomed son Lorenzo in August 2012.

Snooki now has a daughter . Giovanna Marie LaValle weighed 6.7 pounds . Snooki and fiancée Jionni LaValle already have a son .

d0472c90dd1712d6f9431d0a0b8f932d30027d8b

By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 11:15 EST, 23 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:30 EST, 23 April 2013 . Some are old enough to remember the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, while others are old enough to hold memories of bombing raids destroying much of the same city in 1945. Others are of an age to remember the catastrophic Kanto earthquake and tsunami in 1923 which wiped out up to 135,000 Tokyo residents. There are even some that were born before the city's main railway station opened. But some are not old enough to have explored Tokyo's vast urban sprawl at all yet. A fascinating new collection of pictures . from a Finnish photographer features Tokyo residents from the cradle . (almost) to the grave featuring 101 photos of different people of every . age from newborn babies to 100 year olds. Toddlers: These two pictures featured in 100 Years in Tokyo show two of the city's youngest residents - they are both aged two . Teenagers: This pair are both aged 16. The are among 2,500 strangers approached to have their picture taken by Petri Artturi Asikainen . Growing up: This pair, pictured in Tokyo city's bustling urban sprawl, are both aged 27 . Petri Artturi Asikainen, armed with his camera, spent three years approaching complete strangers in the Japanese capital city and asking if he could take their photo to complete his 100 Years in Tokyo project. When a resident wasn't too shy to say no to Petri - many refused - he would ask them their age and collected a photo of a male and a female Tokyoite for each year up to his oldest subjects, a pair of centenarians. Petri estimates that he approached around 2,500 people and amassed a collection of 500 pictures during his time on the project. Life begins at 40: These two are about to enter their fifth decade - they are both aged 39 . Not shy: Of the 2,500 approached by Petri, just 500 people agreed to have their picture taken for the book, including these two aged 48 . Good eye for an age: Petri says that when he became adept at guessing people's ages despite Japanese people looking younger than their years. He guessed that these two were both aged 60 . But he admitted that when he set out on his mission to collect such a vast range of ages, he wasn't sure if it'd be possible. A freelance photographer, working mainly for magazines and businesses, 100 Years in Tokyo is Petri's first personal project. His collection manages not only to capture the entire spectrum of Tokyoites in terms of age, the images he shot depict the city's diversity, not only in terms of location - he took pictures all other Tokyo - but of the different types of people who live there. The images feature people from all manor of backgrounds, from students to labourers and one shot even features a homeless man. Diverse: His pictures don't only capture a spectrum of ages - these two are both 74 - they also capture the city's diversity . All ages: The group of pictures features all manor of subjects, from babies to labourers to people in residential care. These two were 94 when the shots were taken . Centenarians: This man and woman were among the oldest people photographed by Petri - they were both aged 100 . Petri told the Japan Times that he became an expert at guessing people's ages while collecting the pictures. He said: 'The funny thing is, for western people it's difficult to tell some people's ages here because Japanese people look much younger than they are. 'But when I was doing it, I got very good at it. 'When I needed, say, someone aged 56, I very seldomly missed by more than two years.' > A flip-through video of the book can be viewed at pa.artturi.com/books. For more information, contact books@artturi.com.

Petri Artturi Asikainen approached 2,500 strangers in the Japanese capital over three years . His pictures capture Tokyoites from all walks of life and in various locations across the city . The Finnish photographer says that he became an expert at guessing people's ages .

97e580e4172fe7e67485b67111a7a207a4a589ec

Companies should be able to ask their employees about whether they hope to have children, Sheryl Sandberg, one of the most senior women in Silicon Valley, said. Ms Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook, said that women are held back at work . by stereotypes firms are unwilling to talk about. She said employees faced both open and covert  discrimination, as well as a lack of flexibility. The 43-year-old mother-of-two called for a much . more open dialogue about gender, which included discussing with . female employees whether they plan to have children, The Telegraph reported her as saying. Achiever: Sandberg urges women not to stop prioritising their career . 'Every HR department tells you not to do that … but we need to have a much more open conversation,' she said. Ms Sandberg, who earned US$30.87m . (£19.5m) from Facebook in 2011 was speaking to business leaders at the . World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, at a . session on how boost women’s role in economic decision making. Ms Sandberg at one point asked men in the session to raise their hands if they had ever been asked whether they should be working, given that they have children. None put their hands up, in contrast to the several women who did when the same question was asked of them. U.S. law essentially prohibits employers from asking female job applicants if they are planning to have children in the future. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which makes it illegal to discriminate in employment on the bases of race, color, sex, national origin, and religion, was amended in 1978 to include the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. The federal law prohibits an employer from refusing to hire a pregnant woman because of her pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition. Under UK law, recruiters may not ask . female job candidates whether they have children or are planning to have . any. However anecdotally, it is thought that many avoid women of . child-bearing age and advise women who are not planning to have children . or who have had a family already to make this clear at interview to . increase their chances of getting a job offer. Ms Sandberg . cited a conversation she had had with her lawyer, who had told her not . to publish an article urging women to 'lean in' to their careers – as . opposed to pulling back from them – before starting a family. 'Then . I thought, he works for me ... If someone wants to sue me because I’m . talking about gender discrimination, go ahead,' she said. Stereotypes: messages about gender that hold women back in the workplace are reinforced from an early age, says Sandberg . Her book Lean In, which encourages women to get further in the workplace, is due out in March. Ms Sandberg also attacked gender stereotypes that she said were still stacked heavily against women. She highlighted T-shirts currently sold in the US, where a boys' version bears the words 'Smart Like Daddy', while the girls' version says 'Pretty like Mummy'.'I would love to say that was 1951, but it was last year,' she said. She said the attitudes enshrined in those slogans led to the paradox that as a woman becomes more successful, she becomes less popular, whereas when a man becomes more successful, he becomes more popular. She also said women received less . encouragement to excel at work, saying: 'Think of it like a marathon. Everyone’s cheering the men on. The messages for women are different: . are you sure you want to run, don’t you want to run, don’t you have kids . at home?' Guilt: Mums at the session were more likely than dads to have been asked whether they ought to be working given that they had children . Sandberg also criticized the fact that it is still assumed women will take on the majority of the caring responsibilities at home, even when both parents work. Unusually for Davos events, five of six speakers on the panel at the discussion were female. Only one in six delegates at the high-powered event are women, though organisers have been trying to redress the balance. Top 100 'strategic partner' companies that attend and which can send five delegates have been told they must include one women. Many, however, choose to send only four rather than include a female executive.

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg is a married mother of two who earned $30.9million in 2011 . Title VII of the Civil Rights Act includes a clause that prohibits employers from refusing to hire pregnant women . Sandberg called for open dialogue about discrimination that women are facing at  work . Her new book titled Lean In that urges women to further their careers is due in March .

8d10146b8a8f2fa73650e06ca04a9e2111555626

A Facebook campaign set up for an Arizona teenager with leukemia encourages people to submit photos of dogs as a way to make him feel better. More than 620,000 Facebook users hoping to cheer up 16-year-old Anthony Lyons have signed up to 'Photo Doggies for Anthony.' Kristen Lyons wrote in a message on the event's page that the photo campaign was started on behalf of her son Anthony by her friend, Roberta Lucero-Koron. Lucero-Koron originally wrote on the page 'Hi all, my friend Kristen Lyons has her son Anthony at Phoenix Childrens hospital. Some days he gets doggy visits [in pet therapy sessions] and some he does not. Scroll down for video . Patient: 16-year-old Anthony Lyons was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukeumia last year after falling ill during a summer trip with his grandparents . Smile! Dog owners have submitted thousands of photos on the page 'Photo Doggies for Anthony' as a way to make Anthony feel better . Max, left is pooch living in Park City, Utah, who has appeared on 'Photo Doggies for Anthony.' Bandit, right, is a beagle whose snap was also uploaded . 'They make him smile. I thought if I create this event, you can post a picture of your dog to help make him smile. His mom shows them to him and he smiles.' She also asked that 'attendees' say where the photos and dogs are from. Thousands of photographs have been posted to the event page. They often show dogs making silly faces, in costume or just hanging out. Many of the photographs have been accompanied by messages from the dogs' owners, offering Anthony well-wishes. Anthony Lyons told KSAZ of his in-person therapy sessions with animals 'It really helps, the pet therapy. Like I can be in here having a really bad day and then one of the dogs will show up and it will be the highlight of the day.' The affiliate station reported that the 16-year-old was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukeumia last year after falling ill during a summer trip with his grandparents. Thousands of photographs have been posted to the event page, many of which show dogs making silly faces, in costume or just hanging out . Greetings: Over 600,000 Facebook users have said they are 'attending' the digital event, called ' Photo Doggies for Anthony' He told KSAZ of the Facebook event 'When I'm in the hospital bed all day my mom goes through all the pictures, she sees them all. She'll show me them all, doesn't matter, but the special ones are the funniest ones.' Kristen Lyons wrote online that her son had to return to the hospital January 2 for inpatient chemotherapy. She also thanked Lucero-Koron for starting 'Photo Doggies for Anthony' and thanked Facebook users for their submissions. She wrote 'I am amazed at how quickly this event has blown up and it makes me so happy to know how many people enjoy their pets as much as Anthony and I do. Your pets have brightened our days so much and it just shows you the power of pet thearapy and animal healing. 'This just shows what great people animal lovers are and we are really feeling the love from you and your pets in this difficult time. Thank you all so much from the bottom of our hearts.' Friendly faces: Yoda, left, is a Los Angeles pug who is one of the many dogs seen on the Facebook page. Harry, right, is a corgi from Huntsville, Alabama . Get well soon: Many of the photographs have been accompanied by messages from the dogs' owners, offering Anthony well-wishes . Treatment: Anthony Lyons has lymphoblastic leukeumia is currently a patient at a Phoenix hospital . In a Sunday update, Lucero-Koron wrote on the page 'Anthony is smiling joyfully because of YOU..This has gotten so viral that it is making local and soon National News....One thing I have to say is, make yourself smile too by looking at these beautiful animals that God gave us. I can't stop crying from tears of happiness.' Messages and photos of dogs can be posted to the Facebook page 'Photo Doggies for Anthony.'

620,000 Facebook users have said they are 'attending' the digital event, called 'Photo Doggies for Anthony' The event was started on behalf of 16-year-old Anthony Lyons . He was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukeumia last year after falling ill during a summer trip with his grandparents . Anthony is currently receiving chemotherapy at a Phoenix hospital .

71f1fc7c2e7879198542af13fe0b871e905008e3

By . Daily Mail Reporter . and Ap Reporter . A former Halliburton manager who destroyed evidence in the aftermath of BP's record 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has been sentenced to just 12 months probation for his crime. Anthony Badalamenti, of Katy, Texas, had faced a maximum of one year in prison at his sentencing on Tuesday, after pleading guilty to one misdemeanor count of destruction of evidence in October. However U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey said the 62-year-old had 'learned from his mistake' and was 'an honorable man' when he gave Badalamenti the probabation time plus 100 hours of community, and ordered that he pay a $1,000 fine. Badalamenti was the cementing technology director for Halliburton Energy Services Inc., BP's cement contractor on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. Anthony Badalamenti leaves Federal Court in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014. The former Halliburton manager was sentenced to one year of probation for destroying evidence in the aftermath of BP's massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico . Anthony Badalamenti was referred to as an 'honorable man' during his sentencing hearing on Tuesday despite his role in destroying evidence in the aftermath of the BP oil spill . Anthony Badalamentii (right) leaves Federal Court in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014. The former Halliburton manager was sentenced Tuesday to one year of probation for destroying evidence in the aftermath of BP's massive 2010 oil spill . Prosecutors said he instructed two Halliburton employees to delete data during a post-spill review of the cement job on BP's blown-out Macondo well. The data was from separate runs of computer simulations on centralizers, which are used to keep the casing centered in the wellbore. It could have supported BP's decision to use six centralizers instead . of 21 on the Macondo project, but prosecutors said the number of . centralizers had little effect on the outcome of the simulations. Halliburton notified the Justice Department about the deletion of the data, which couldn't be recovered. The judge said that Badalamenti's sentence of probation was 'very reasonable in this case'. Disaster: Fire boats battle the blazing remnants of the offshore oil rig Deepwater Horizon, off Louisiana, on April 21, 2010 . A combination photo taken from live video shows the underwater BP oil leak. Seen in May 2010 (top left), then June 1 (top right), July 13 (bottom left) and after the leak was contained was contained on July 15 (bottom right) Pelicans and other birds fly near a boom protecting against oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill off Racoon Island near Cocodrie, Louisiana, on July 15, 2010. Some 8000 animals were reported dead in the six months that followed the spill . 'I still feel that you're a very honorable man,' he told Badalamenti. 'I have no doubt that you've learned from this mistake.' Badalamenti apologized to his family and friends for causing them 'undue stress'. 'I am truly sorry for what I did,' he said. Halliburton cut its own deal with the Justice Department and pleaded guilty in September to a misdemeanor charge related to Badalamenti's conduct. The company agreed to pay a $200,000 fine and make a $55 million contribution to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, but the latter payment wasn't a condition of the deal. Tai Park, one of Badalamenti's lawyers, said in October that guidelines calculated by prosecutors call for Badalamenti to receive a sentence ranging from probation to six months in prison. Zainey, however, isn't bound by the sentencing guidelines. Four current or former BP employees also have been charged in federal court with spill-related crimes. On December 18, a jury convicted former BP drilling engineer Kurt Mix of trying to obstruct a federal probe of the spill. Prosecutors said Mix was trying to destroy evidence when he deleted a string of text messages to and from a BP supervisor. Mix faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. His sentencing is set for March 26. BP well site leaders Robert Kaluza and Donald Vidrine pleaded not guilty to manslaughter charges stemming from the deaths of 11 workers on the Deepwater Horizon. Prosecutors claim Kaluza and Vidrine botched a key safety test and disregarded abnormally high pressure readings that were glaring signs of trouble before the April 2010 blowout of BP's Macondo well triggered a deadly explosion. Former BP executive David Rainey was charged with concealing information from Congress about the amount of oil that was gushing from BP's well before the company sealed it.

Anthony Badalamenti, 62, of Katy, Texas, was the cementing technology for Haliburton Energy Services Inc. - BP's cement contractor - at the time of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 . He pleaded guilty to ordering two employees to delete data concerning on the cement job on BP's blown-out Macondo well following the spill . The data concerned the centralizers that are used to keep the casing of the wellbore centered . BP had used six centralizers on Macondo when experts said there should have been 21 . On Tuesday Badalamenti was sentenced to 12 months probation, 100 hours community service and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine . Judge Jay Zainey said it was a 'reasonable sentence' for the case .

5fc44d45d6ea84f1a07c46b9c14ca5d0e527034b

By . Emma Glanfield . A devoted couple who died just two hours apart have been cremated together in a double casket in what is thought to be the first funeral of its kind in Britain. Kevin and Christine Shearson, both 64, from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, passed away just a week before they planned to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. Mr Shearson had been left with a string of health problems after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and he had made frequent visits to hospital since the beginning of the year. Together forever: Kevin and Christine Shearson, both 64, were cremated in this double casket after dying within two hours of each other - just a week before their 40th wedding anniversary . Mr Shearson had been left with a string of health problems after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and his wife was struck down with a chest infection after becoming anxious about her husband's health . Last month his condition worsened and he was admitted to the intensive care unit of Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Buckinghamshire. His . wife kept a vigil at his bedside but came down with a chest infection . after becoming stressed and anxious about her husband’s health. She . was given a bed directly next to her husband’s but tragically died on . May 18 after telling her family that ‘deep down’ she knew her husband . wouldn’t survive. Kevin and Christine Shearson, both 64, died two hours apart on May 18 on hospital bed's next to each other at Mandeville Hospital, Buckinghamshire . The couple pictured on their wedding day, left 40 years ago. The couple were laid to rest in the same casket . Around 150 people attended the funeral at West Hertfordshire Crematorium in Watford on Wednesday . Two hours later her husband, a retired driving instructor, passed away from pneumonia. Yesterday, the couple were finally laid to rest alongside each other in the same casket - so they remain together beyond the grave. Daughter Kelly, 38, attended the service at West Hertfordshire Crematorium in Watford and said it was the ‘perfect send-off’. She said: ‘It all went really well. The casket was taken to the crematorium in a horse-drawn carriage. The couple first met in 1971 when they worked at the same stapling factory. They had been planning to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary on May 25 but died a week before in neigbouring hospital beds . Daughter Kelly, 38, (pictured with her parents on her wedding day) said the service at West Hertfordshire Crematorium in Watford was the 'perfect send-off' ‘It was definitely nice to know they were together right until the end. That gave us a sense of comfort. ‘There was about 150 people there but I wasn’t surprised. They were well loved people. ‘It was a nice sense of closure knowing that they have been laid to rest.’ The couple first met in 1971 when they worked at the same stapling factory. They had been planning to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary on May 25. But instead their grieving family travelled to a beauty spot near to their home and released 40 ruby balloons in their memory. The couple's daughter Kelly Shearson said: 'It all went really well. The casket was taken to the crematorium in a horse-drawn carriage' The pair died just two hours apart and were cremated together yesterday in a double casket in what is thought to be the first funeral of its kind in Britain . The couple's daughter Kelly Shearson said: 'It was definitely nice to know they were together right until the end. That gave us a sense of comfort' Daughter Kelly Shearson (pictured with a friend at the funeral) said her parent's were 'well-loved people' Tim Morris, from the Institution of Cemetery and Crematorium Management, said he has never heard of a married couple being laid to rest in the same casket. He said it is something normally only reserved for mothers and their babies or a set of twins. He said: ‘Personally I haven’t heard of this happening before but this is what the family wants and there is nothing in the law to say they can’t do it. ‘It gives them some comfort and I would like to say congratulations to the crematorium for giving them the service they wanted.’

Kevin and Christine Shearson died within two hours of each other on May 18 . Mr Shearson had health issues after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis . His wife was struck with chest infection after worrying about her partner . The pair, both 64, passed away in hospital a week before 40th anniversary . The 'well-loved' couple were laid to rest at funeral attended by 150 people . Their daughter Kelly, 38, described double casket as the 'perfect send-off'

aa648939440a342ac22799ee8241a30afae63b9c

By . Topper Toussaint . Sherri and Jenny are out. Rosie and Whoopi are in. But who's going to fill the remaining three hot seats when The View returns to the air this fall? MailOnline has compiled a list of ABC's top contenders to replace the exiting Sherri Shepherd and Jenny McCarthy on the show that Barbara Walters built - and left 'kicking and screaming,' according to a network source. In a desperate search to fill at least two of the three vacancies in time for the show's return in September - right now ABC is only planning to fill two spots - the network has been holding casting meetings with talent, even conducting one pivotal meeting on the July 4th holiday. Scroll down for video . No love lost: Controversial talk show host Rosie O'Donnell is calling the shots on The View now, and veteran newscaster and the show's founder Barbara Walters left 'kicking and screaming,' says a network insider . A source close to the network has revealed to MailOnline the five  top contenders to join Rosie O'Donnell, 52,  and Whoopi Goldberg, 58,  when the chat show returns in September. The finalists include a Republican presidential candidate's daughter, a local New York anchor, the wife of a Republican Congressman,  a CNN legal analyst and a pregnant, previously ousted former moderator on The View. Despite reports that Barbara Walters is . helping to determine the new co-hosts, a source reveals that Walters has . no involvement in the show any more. Although the TV legend is still credited as an executive . producer, it’s in name only, claims the source. Additionally, Walters herself has been . taking meetings with various news organizations in New York looking for a new gig. At 84-years-old, she's been telling anyone who will listen that . she was 'not ready to retire.' According to Walters' rep, 'She is under contract with ABC News and is not looking or meeting with other news outlets. 'Additionally, Ms. Walters remains creator and Executive Producer of The View. But insiders says outspoken Rosie holds the power now. Rosie, who joined the show in 2006 only to leave the following year after a famously heated on-air exchange with conservative Elizabeth Hasselbeck over the Bush administration's stance on the Iraq war, among other controversies. Now Rosie will help choose her new conservative counterpart as well as a more liberal voice on the panel. The top contenders are: . The youth vote: At 28, she's the youngest of the candidates and she's had gigs at both ABC News and GMA . Abby, 28, is a . conservative anchor on MSNBC's The Cycle who has guest-hosted on The . View several times in recent months. The daughter of former Utah . Governor and 2012 Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman, she's . in the running because she could reach a younger demographic for the . show. Despite being a Republican, she appeared in a 2013 campaign in . support of gay marriage. Abby was criticized by the Los Angeles Times this past March when she tried to discuss Social Security on 'The Cycle'. Her discussion 'bristled with rank misconceptions and bogus statistics,' it said. Less kind critics called her an 'airhead' and a Bush boot licker. But maybe she can warm up viewers by talking about her love of chocolate, golden retrievers, music and running. Abby was the first one of six siblings to marry outside of the Mormon Church when she married her college sweetheart, Jeffrey Bruce Livington, in an Episcopal ceremony. Safe BET: Jacque was the lead news anchor of BET Nightly News for four years and has been a guest co-host on The View . An anchor on New . York's local NBC affiliate show New York Live and on-air contributor to . the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show, Reid, 29, starred on VH1's Let's Talk . About Pep. She almost landed the co-host job at The View in 2007, but . was ultimately beat out by Sherri Shepherd. With more than fifteen years of media experience, Reid decided in early 2014 to launch her own website,SingleAndLivingFab.com, about her views on being single and loving it as well as interracial dating as a southern gal from Atlanta, GA. Just go for it, she advises, celebrate life and live your best single life wherever you are. 'I love all people, but I especially love black people'. If a fabulous man doesn't come along, plan something fabulous for your own life, she advises. She does love to show deep cleavage and bare shoulders on TV, and wears short skirts and high heels. Get real: Mom of six Rachel first claim to fame was as a castmate on The Real World: San Francisco . The third . time could be the charm for Duffy, a conservative Latina who has been up . for the gig at The View twice before. Despite losing out to both Lisa . Ling and Elizabeth Hasselbeck, the 42-year-old mother of six - pregnant with her seventh - has come . back to co-host multiple times this spring. She's married to Republican . Congressman Sean Duffy. She wrote a book in 2009 entitled, Stay Home, Stay Happy: 10 Secrets to Loving At-home Motherhood, but the intoxication of motherhood must have worn off for the parenting expert who's aiming to live in New York if she gets on The View and feels the urgency to enter the 'lion's den' in the era of Kim Kardashian to challenge political opponents on their liberal policies. But Duffy's claim to fame has more to do with her 'real' life before family. As a housemate on The Real Life: San Francisco in 1994 she caused a stir when she had initial concerns about a housemate who was HIV-positive and had a tumultuous fling with David 'Puck' Rainey. Laying down the law: She's a former US Attorney and has appeared on Fox News as well as CNN . CNN's resident legal eagle just finished a one week guest-hosting stint . where she was quick to remind viewers that she's a Latina. Hostin, 45, . would be the first attorney to join the show since Star Jones was fired . in 2006. But The View is seriously interested in appealing to the . Latin market and feel she's a good fit. She joined CNN from the Fox News Channel, where she appeared regularly on The O'Reilly Factor's Is It Legal segment. The outspoken New York native of Puerto Rican and African-American decent has jumped on headline grabbing trials and legal issues in her on-air jobs. She has been married to Dr. Emmanuel Hostin, an Orthopedic Surgeon since 1998 and has two young children but two nannies and a housekeeper to help out at home as well as her mother who lives in the Hostins' carriage house. It was her mother, an indomitable Latin matriarch, who convinced her not to go into TV news but to go to law school which would be far more lucrative and match her drive and ambition. Fired: The mom-to-be was one of the original five on the show until she was let go by Walters. Rosie likes her . One of the . original five co-hosts, Matenopoulos was fired in 1999 after the first season . because Barbara Walters said she didn't have the TV experience they . thought she did. She was ruthlessly parodied on Saturday . Night Live an an uninformed ditz. Her first marriage to Jay Faires, an . LA music executive ended in divorce in 2008 when he charged they . continuously lived beyond their means. He took her to court to pay the . bills. Matenpoulos didn't find love again until 2012 when she met . photographer Jon Falcon, and she announced this spring that they secretly eloped last summer and have a baby due in the fall. An on air birth? That's good for ratings! Men need not apply for one of the open seats. In spite of reports that Bill Rancic, Ross Matthews and Jesse Palmer are in the running, the network insider says that's not so.  Both Rosie and Whoopi only want women on the permanent panel. Sources close to 'The View' reveal that O'Donnell is upset about not being able to work alongside Shepherd. It was O'Donnell who really championed for Shepherd to join the show back during the 2006/2007 season and she always appreciated how Shepherd was able to tell a joke during O'Donnell's infamous altercation with Elizabeth Hasselbeck to diffuse the situation. Shepherd announced she was leaving the show several weeks ago after failing to come to terms with ABC. The source tells MailOnline that Shepherd only wanted to return to the show for a year and wanted to receive a substantial raise, as she's been carrying the show for a year and a half. ABC wanted to lock the comedienne into a four-year contract and wouldn't budge. She decided not to stay. No boys allowed: Rumors that guys like former Bachelor Jesse Palmer or reality star Bill Rancic are being considered are just that, says the network source. Neither Rosie nor Whoopi want men on the show . Rear view: Show execs wanted Sherri to stay - for four years. She wanted one year. And after moving to New York from Chicago with her son, Jenny was given the heave-ho . Her colleague McCarthy on the other hand was misled by the network. Having been told that ABC intended to renew her deal, McCarthy moved her special needs son Evan to New York from Chicago.  Three weeks later, ABC changed its mind and decided to let her go. She was so furious she vowed never to return to the show initially, but Goldberg convinced her to work through the rest of the summer. Also departing the scene are two producers and a director who were not particularly in Rosie's favor. Executive Producer Bill Geddie will produce the show until the end of the summer. Another senior producer was terminated and made to leave the building that day. When The View returns in September, the show will have moved from its current studio of 17 years and will broadcast from a smaller studio that recently housed The Katie Couric Show.

ABC is getting closer to replacing Sherri Shepherd and Jenny McCarthy and five candidates have made the short list . Rosie O'Donnell will be in the driver's seat when it comes to choosing her co-hosts . Barbara Walters left the show 'kicking and screaming' and has made it known she's looking for a new gig . Sherri Shepherd was willing to do it for a year with a raise. Network brass wanted to lock her in for four years . Men need not apply. Reports of Bill Rancic and Jesse Palmer in the running not true .

6e0d68f56579a91df5d8124c7d90beff3fb692bd

Britons are 'pre-toxing' in the run-up to Christmas so that they can indulge more come December, with people hoping to lose an average of half a stone in the festive run-up. A new study also shows Brits rate looking good at the office Christmas party more important than a first date or a new job. However, post Christmas, we don't show the commitment needed to follow through with their regime. People in UK are hoping to lose an average of half a stone in festive run-up, with 47 per cent are starting their healthy 'pre-tox' fitness regime in next week in preparation for extra-eating over Christmas . In a poll conducted on 2,000 UK adults, half questioned revealed that they are 'pre-toxing', but only a third admitted they expect to see their diet and fitness regime through to the New Year. 47 per cent of us are starting our healthy 'pre-tox' fitness regime in the next week, with almost a quarter revealing the motivation was looking good at their office Christmas party. Instead of just relying on some old-fashioned jogging and calorie-counting, thousands have turned to new technology in an effort to beat the bulge. Nearly a fifth of those questioned admitted to using wearable technology or juicing machines to stay on track. Almost a quarter said motivation is looking good at their Christmas party . Data from Currys PC World supports the pre-tox trend and shows a 20% increase in sales of its juicers and 27% increase in its wearable products per week. The survey showed that women take pre-Christmas slimming down more seriously, with men only thinking about shaping up for Christmas towards the end of November, two weeks after women begin their weight loss effort. 80 per cent of people believe that they put on weight during the Christmas period, with some putting on as much as 8lb from over-eating. 80 per cent of people believe that they put on weight during the Christmas period, with some putting on as much as 8lb from over-eating . Celebrity fitness and nutrition expert, Lucy Wyndham-Read, said: 'It's always hard to think healthy at Christmas. 'As the work life balance gets harder for many of us, some of the latest health and fitness gadgets can give us a helping hand. 'My clients regularly turn to their Philips Avances or Tom Tom Runners to make exercise and healthy living a little more exciting.' 1. Walking a little faster is a great way to burn off some extra calories. Aim to walk at a speed of 4 miles per hour, as this helps you burn fat. 2. In the office, set a timer on a watch or your phone and every 20 minutes, simply stand up and move if even for a few seconds. After 20 minutes of sitting the body starts to slow down the amount of calories you burn, so just move every 20 minutes to keep it fully active. 3. Ditch the biscuit tin and swap for a smoothie and save calories and get your vitamins at the same time. 4. Every day, challenge yourself to burn off an extra 100 calories over the build up to Christmas, this way you can have banked and be in credit by at least 2,400 calories. 5. Skipping for 10 minutes can burn up to 135 calories and at the same time sculpts and tones your lower body. 6. Keep your body fuller for longer by adding in some oats to your smoothies, throwing these into your blender will help stabilise your blood sugar levels so you will be less tempted to snack on the mince pies in the office. 7. Taking the stairs take two at a time, this works your thighs and butt harder and avoid using the hand rail as then you contract your abs more for balance. 8. Music is a great motivator, so create a new playlist and name it 'My Pre-tox Christmas Playlist' then listen to this when you work out. 9. Keep your workout gear on the radiator as this way you are more likely to slip into it and head out in the winter for a quick workout. 10. Apply the two D's which are simply 'determination' and 'discipline' and you will get you the desired results. Just make sure you stay on track with your pre-tox of smoothies and exercise. Ben Lovett, Currys PC World spokesperson, added: 'Brits are becoming more health conscious than ever and the beauty of juicers and wearable products is that they are easy to use on a daily basis. 'The 'Jawbone Up' for example provides new and immediate insights into how you sleep, move and eat, which will help you make smarter choices. 'Then the NutriBullet comes with a single-serve cup so you can drink your juice on the go.'

People in UK are hoping to lose an average of half a stone in festive run-up . 47 per cent are starting their healthy 'pre-tox' fitness regime in next week . Almost a quarter said motivation is looking good at office Christmas party .

577f134eab80a0bf6f046d733ac6e3c3af16bd59

By . Richard Spillett . Freddie Starr has spoken of his 19 months in legal limbo after an investigation into claims he molested a string of women was finally dropped this week. The entertainer said the more than a year he spent on bail has been 'mental torture' which left him considering suicide and turned him into a physical wreck. Starr, 71, was first arrested in November 2012, then rearrested three further times in April last year and January and February this year. Scroll down for video . Freddie Starr outside his home in Warwickshire earlier this week after the CPS confirmed that he will not be charged as part of Operation Yewtree due to insufficient evidence . Starr (right), 71, and his lawyer Dean Dunham (left), both said he would mount a legal case against police . Starr, pictured at his home after his first arrest in 2012, says his months on bail have been 'mental torture' But the case against him was dropped this week when prosecutors said there was insufficient evidence to support the claims of 13 women that he molested them up to 40 years ago, which he has always denied. After looking frail in a press conference outside his home in Studley, Warwickshire earlier this week, Starr has now told how the months spent with the case hanging over him have taken a devastating toll on his health. He told The Sun's Michael Hamilton: 'This has been like a dark cloak that I have had to wear all the time. It's been mental torture.' He said the worst thing about his situation was that he could not be left unsupervised with his daughter Ebony, seven, after a 'heart-wrenching' visit from social services. Starr, who says he has suffered four heart attacks in the past, said the sleepless nights and stress hit his health and left him considering suicide. His wife Sophie Lea, 33, has been looking after him and, at one point, had to check on him regularly to ensure he didn't try to take his own life, the paper reported. Starr leaving his home in Studley, Warwickshire earlier this week. He said he considered suicide . Starr, . whose health has deteriorated so much he has needed a wheelchair during . the investigation, has criticised the authorities after the decision. Speaking at his Warwickshire village mansion earlier this week, his lawyer Dean Dunham . said: ‘This will not be the end of this matter. I’ll . tell you this, we will not be sitting down and letting this go as it is . now. The police have some questions to answer and they will be . answering them.' Long battle: Starr pictured in November 2012 . Despite his ailing health, Starr has now vowed to get back to work and says he is considering featuring in a reality TV show. Starr . was the second celebrity to be arrested by Scotland Yard’s Operation . Yewtree when he was held on November 1, 2012. He was re-bailed nine times as the controversial investigation . engulfed a series of celebrities. The . comedian accused police and prosecutors of ‘playing dirty’ by . associating him with known paedophiles Jimmy Savile and Gary Glitter. He suspects the announcement of charges being dropped was delayed by the Clifford case, because his . notorious front page story – ‘Freddie Starr ate my hamster’ – featured . in the evidence. But prosecutors insist they only made their final . decision at the end of last week and did not receive a full case file from police . until March. A Crown . Prosecution Service spokesman told MailOnline today: 'The decision not . to prosecute was only formalised on the Friday last week.' 'The CPS received initial material from the Metropolitan Police Service regarding these allegations in December 2012. 'Investigative advice was provided to the police throughout 2013 and the final evidence was submitted to the CPS in March 2014. 'The decision to re-bail that month was made for legal reasons.' After the case was dropped, Starr's lawyer aimed a strongly-worded volley of . criticism at the authorities whom he accused of orchestrating a . ‘harrowing’ ordeal. Mr . Dunham said: ‘It has taken too long; it has not been done properly. We . presented evidence right at the start of this matter  that we say was . conclusive to show  that he was not guilty of these allegations.’ Freddie Starr and his wife Sophie in 2011. Starr will not be prosecuted after spending 18 months on bail . Comedian Starr at the height of his fame, pictured two decades ago in 1997 (left) and 1995 (right) Starr . was one of the most high-profile and outspoken Yewtree suspects and the . decision to release him is a blow for an inquiry which some have . branded a ‘witch-hunt’ It came just days after detectives secured . their first conviction when publicist Max Clifford was found guilty of a . string of sex attacks. The . claims against Starr first came to light just weeks after the Savile . scandal first emerged in October 2012. Starr made a failed attempt to . secure a High Court injunction to restrict media reporting of the claim . and hired private investigators to examine it. This week's decision leaves only a handful of Yewtree suspects on bail, including Glitter, who was arrested five days before Starr. Others . include BBC DJ Paul Gambaccini, and former Radio 1 DJ Chris Denning. Comic Jimmy Tarbuck was arrested and spent nearly a year on bail before . being told he would not face charges, while Jim Davidson was recently . told he faced no further action. GUILTY . Max Clifford: The public relations expert was arrested on December 6, 2012. Following . a trial, he was found guilty last month of eight counts of indecent . assault stemming from attacks on teenagers dating back more than 40 . years. He was jailed for eight years last week. NO FURTHER ACTION . Wilfred De’ath: . The former BBC producer was arrested on November 11, 2012 on suspicion . of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, but was released without . charge after a woman withdrew a complaint against him. The . 76-year-old has blasted police for being ‘overzealous’, pursuing . ‘spurious’ claims, and failing ‘lamentably’ to stop Savile’s reign . of terror while he was still alive. Jim Davidson: . The comedian was arrested on January 2, last year on suspicion of . sexual offences, but the 60-year-old Big Brother winner was later told . he would not face further action. Mike Osman: . The 54-year-old radio DJ was arrested in January last year on . suspicion of sex offences. But he was told he will not face any charges last . August. Ted Beston: The former BBC radio producer was arrested on December 19, 2012. In May last year it was announced that the 77-year-old would not face any further action. Jimmy Tarbuck: The . 74-year-old comedian was arrested in April last year over allegations of . child sex abuse in the 1970s, but released without charge two months . ago. David Smith: . The former driver who worked for the BBC was found dead at his home on . the first day of his trial in October last year. The 67-year-old was . arrested in December 2012 and charged in April last year with abusing a . 12-year-old boy in 1984. ONGOING . Dave Lee Travis: The former Radio 1 star – dubbed the 'Hairy Cornflake' – was acquitted on . 12 of 14 sex assault . charges made against him. He will be retried over two allegations on . which a jury failed to agree verdicts. And last month he pleaded not . guilty to a fresh charge of indecently assaulting a woman. Gary Glitter: . The former pop star was arrested on October 28, 2012, on sex abuse . allegations. The 69-year-old has now been on bail . for a year and a half. Rolf Harris: . The 84-year-old Australian entertainer was questioned under caution on . November 29, 2012 and then arrested on March 28 last year. He has been . charged with 12 indecent assaults of young girls and four counts of . making indecent images of children. The jury in his trial is expected to be sworn in today. Paul Gambaccini: . The radio presenter was arrested on October 29 last year on suspicion . of sexual offences. He has been bailed by police, and denies the allegations. Chris Denning: . The Radio 1 DJ was first arrested on Monday, June 3. He has since been . re-arrested twice over alleged sexual offences. He has been . bailed, and denies the allegations. PUBLIC FIGURES CLEARED AFTER OTHER INVESTIGATIONS (NOT OPERATION YEWTREE) Michael Le Vell: The . Coronation Street actor was cleared last September of various child sex . abuse charges, including rape. He had denied 12 charges in total at . Manchester Crown Court . William Roache: The Coronation Street actor was cleared in February of sex charges . dating back to the 1960s. The 81-year-old always maintained his . innocence and blamed hysteria after the Jimmy Savile scandal for . 'money-grabbing' women who falsely accused him of sex offences. Nigel Evans: The . former deputy speaker, a Conservative first elected to Parliament in . 1992, was cleared of rape and sexual assault last month following a . trial. A jury at Preston Crown Court cleared him of nine counts of rape, sexual assault and indecent assault.

71-year-old Starr from Warwickshire was first arrested in November 2012 . He says months on bail ruined his health before charges were dropped . The former TV personality was banned from being alone with his daughter . Having threatening to sue the police, he has now vowed to return to work .

d1ffe4477a1b96cca98cb550bf00e0f46b3119d7

By . Lizzie Edmonds . PUBLISHED: . 07:03 EST, 24 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:06 EST, 24 December 2013 . A Labrador rescued from wild seas and certain death by lifeboat crews has been reunited with its owners. Mike and Caroline Jenner feared their pet Quila had drowned after she was swept out to sea by the tide at Sea Palling, Norfolk. And the couple were thrilled when the eight-year-old animal was dramatically saved by Happisburgh, Norfolk Lifeboat crew - who found her cowering on a reef. Scroll down for video . Saved: Mike and Caroline Jenner thought their pet Quila had drowned after she was swept out to sea off the Norfolk coast . Mr Jenner, 71, of Stalham, said: 'It was going to be a terrible, miserable Christmas - but that was swept away and everything is wonderful now.' Mr Jenner had taken Quila for her regular stroll on Sea Palling beach with the dog's daughter Sunni early on Sunday morning. The two dogs got excited after spotting a seal pup in the water and leapt in after it. To the rescue: RNLI staff managed to save this terrified animal after it was swept away off the coast of Norfolk . Approach: The female's owner was walking along Sea Palling beach when the animal disappeared. RNLI staff then began a search for the dog, finding her on these rocks after hearing barking . SOS: Happisburgh, Norfolk, RNLI spotted the animal half a mile out to sea standing on some rocks, pictured . Despite frantically whistling and shouting, the dog owner could not get them back. 'I managed to get Sunni back, I was waist high in water by then,' he said. 'I tied her up and then tried to get Quila, who was getting further and further out and totally ignoring me.' Mr Jenner managed to get two kayakers to try to bring the stricken dog in. Lucky: The animal's owner had already searched for the dog with two kayakers before the RNLI were called . Attached: Staff aboard the boat secured the shivering animal, latching a rope onto her collar . All aboard: Staff then gently pulled the animal - who was soaked through - on to their lifeboat . But terrified Quila was dragged out to sea - and quickly vanished out of sight. The coastguard was alerted and lifeboats sent out a search party. But Mr Jenner admitted he had 'given up hope' as he returned home to tell his wife Caroline the heartbreaking news. 'I told her I'd lost Quila at sea and feared she was drowned,' said Mr Jenner. 'There was no easy way of saying it - it was horrible.' But then a neighbour spotted a sign on the beach saying a golden Labrador had been rescued. Easy does it: The female is lifted to the warmth of the boat by a team member . Good girl! The animal looks a little relieved to be off the rocks and with a staff member . Mike contacted the coastguard and was put in touch with Sea Palling lifeboat. A . crew member had taken frozen Quila - who had lost her name tag with her . owners' phone number on during her nightmare ordeal - home to get her . warm after she suffered hypothermia. 'I didn't think I'd ever see our Quila again,' said Mr Jenner . 'It ended happily ever after.' Mrs . Jenner, 61, added: 'We're over the moon. We really can't thank . Happisburgh and Sea Palling rescue enough, they were absolutely . fantastic.' Happy to be home: Quila, left, and her daughter Sunni, take a well-earned rest .

Golden Lab Quilla disappeared after walking along Sea Palling beach, Norfolk . Lifeboat staff from Happisburgh, Norfolk, started search for dog . Terrified animal was found on rocks half-a-mile out to sea . 'It was going to be a terrible, miserable Christmas - but everything is wonderful now,' owner said today .

ff3923936c4452e993e0bf50d5675e0743eb0601

By . David Kent . Ashley Cole may not have been selected for Roy Hodgson's England squad but the former Chelsea left-back doesn't seem too bothered. Living it up in Beverly Hills is hardly a bad consolation as the 33-year-old puts his World Cup snub behind him. Cole, a free agent after seeing out his contract at Stamford Bridge, met pals at a restaurant while his ex-England team-mates train ahead of their friendly clash with Ecuador in Miami. Hanging out: Ashley Cole chats to a girl in Los Angeles after being dropped from the England squad . Spotted: Cole meets friends at a restaurant in Beverly Hills after being left out of England's squad . Out and about: Cole lost his left-back place for England at the World Cup to Southampton's Luke Shaw . In the cold: Cole announced his retirement at the beginning of May via Twitter after being left out . Cole is looking for a new club after . leaving Chelsea and being dropped from England's World Cup squad. It prompted Cole to take to Twitter to announce his international retirement, shortly after the news broke. The ex-Arsenal player earned 107 caps for his country in a 13-year international career. Chase: Cole hot on the heels of Cristiano Ronaldo during the Euro 2004 quarter-final . Former England team-mates: Cole will not be in Brazil with Wayne Rooney . Century: Cole played 107 times for England during a 13-year career that ended less than a month ago .

Ashley Cole was not picked by Roy Hodgson for the World Cup . Southampton's Luke Shaw took his England left-back spot . Cole has left Chelsea and is now looking for a new club . Defender spotted on holiday in America .

bc4c04f0109c5ca364c6eb409056e4b3e3e1bdce

(CNN) -- "Birdman" flew high at the nominations for the 72nd Golden Globes. The film, starring Michael Keaton as a former superhero-playing actor trying to recharge his career with a Broadway play, was nominated for seven Golden Globes on Thursday morning, leading all films. "Birdman" was nominated for best comedy or musical, best actor in a comedy or musical (Keaton), best supporting actor (Edward Norton), best supporting actress (Emma Stone), best director (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu), screenplay and score. Two films earned five Globe nominations: "Boyhood" and "The Imitation Game." Full list of nominations . The best drama nominees are "Boyhood," "Foxcatcher," "The Imitation Game," "Selma" and "The Theory of Everything." The best comedy or musical nominees are "Birdman," "Into the Woods," "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "St. Vincent" and "Pride." The Globes, put on by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, are one of the many tea leaves awards-season watchers examine in order to determine which way the wind is blowing for the big prize, the Oscars. It also makes for a dandy TV show, as the alcohol flows freely and the winners are usually fairly loose (and sometimes loose-lipped). Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who have been highly praised for their sharp hosting of the show in recent years, will return again for the 2015 edition. Aniston looking strong . Some films were boosted by the Globes' division of films into dramas and comedy/musicals. "The Grand Budapest Hotel," director Wes Anderson's movie about a high-class European lodge between the world wars, was nominated for four Globes, including nods for best comedy or musical, director, star Ralph Fiennes and screenplay. "St. Vincent," starring Bill Murray as a curmudgeonly old man who takes charge of a 12-year-old boy, earned two nominations, for best comedy or musical and Murray's performance. And there were surprises. Jennifer Aniston is now looking like an Oscar contender, thanks to a nomination for best actress in a drama for "Cake." She was also nominated for a SAG Award on Wednesday. Julianne Moore picked up two nominations: one for her performance in the drama "Still Alice" and the other for best supporting actress in "Maps to the Stars." The latter, the new David Cronenberg movie, also earned Moore an honor at the Cannes Film Festival this year. "Selma" received nominations for best drama, actor (David Oyelowo), director (Ana DuVernay) and song ("Glory"). "Glory's" songwriters, Common and John Legend, were pleased with the attention. "We're Golden Globe nominated! @Common and I wrote 'Glory' for @AVAETC's beautiful @SelmaMovie. Now we're nominated for Best Original Song!" Legend exulted on Twitter. Other films fell short. "Interstellar," Christopher Nolan's polarizing film about a trip to the far reaches of the universe, received just one nomination, for Hans Zimmer's score. "Inherent Vice," the new film by much-lauded director Paul Thomas Anderson, also got just one nomination, for Joaquin Phoenix's lead performance. And "American Sniper," a Clint Eastwood film starring Bradley Cooper, came up with nothing, as did Angelina Jolie's "Unbroken." Several directors also found themselves squeezed off the list, including "Foxcatcher's" Bennett Miller, "The Imitation Game's" Morten Tyldum and "The Theory of Everything's" James Marsh. 'Fargo' tops TV shows . The Globes also go out to television shows. "Fargo" led all nominees with five nominations, followed by "True Detective" with four. "Jane the Virgin" received two. "Wow! Normally when your phone starts ringing that early in the morning, something bad happened. Honored," tweeted "Fargo's" Colin Hanks. With "Breaking Bad" now off the air, the drama race seemed open to some new candidates -- but only "The Affair," the Showtime series about a troubled extramarital relationship, squeaked in. The other nominees -- "Game of Thrones," "Downton Abbey," "The Good Wife" and "House of Cards" -- are familiar, though "Game of Thrones" hadn't made the cut since 2012. That was "Thrones' " only nomination, however. The comedy series nominations went to "Girls," "Orange Is the New Black," "Jane the Virgin," "Silicon Valley" and "Transparent." The latter marks Amazon's first Golden Globe nomination. Perhaps more surprising were the shows that came up empty. "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," last year's best comedy series winner, didn't get a single nomination. Neither did "Modern Family" or "The Big Bang Theory." "Scandal" was also left out entirely; not even its star, Kerry Washington, who received a nomination last year, nabbed a nomination. However, producer Shonda Rhimes' new show, "How to Get Away With Murder," earned a nomination for star Viola Davis. Not that "Scandal" star Joshua Malina minded. He puckishly thanked the Foreign Press Association for a nomination he didn't receive. "Thrilled to have been nominated for my first Golden Globe! Thanks, foreigners! #Scandal #Humbled #WhyArePeopleHumbledByAwards," he tweeted. The 72nd Golden Globes will air January 11 on NBC.

"Birdman" picks up seven Golden Globe nominations . "Boyhood," "Imitation Game" earn five . Jennifer Aniston receives a nod . The Globes will be hosted by Tina Fey, Amy Poehler .

79ab3720dd865b2ae7f27e59caf82a15bceca019

(CNN) -- President Obama is not shy about showing off his jump shot on the basketball court, but on Tuesday night, it was his baseball skills that were put to the test. President Obama throws out the first pitch at the 2009 All-Star Game onTuesday in St Louis, Missouri. Obama, clad in a Chicago White Sox jacket and blue jeans, threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in St. Louis, Missouri. His low pitch barely reached home plate and the mitt of St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols. Obama became the fifth president to throw out the first pitch at an All-Star Game, but the first in 33 years. He is following in the footsteps of Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Gerald Ford. Asked about plans to practice before the game, Obama said Tuesday, "I want to loosen up my arm a little bit." "The last time I threw a pitch was at the American League championship series, and I just wanted to keep it high," the president said of his opening pitch at the 2005 Chicago White Sox-Anaheim Angels game. Aiming high is a good strategy, says St. Louis Cardinals scout Matt Blood, but it takes more than on-point aim to make the perfect pitch. "Throw it with some force, don't lob it in there. Try to get a good downhill plane. Try to keep it in the strike zone," said Blood, who will be at the game Tuesday. HLN sports anchor Larry Smith, who has thrown out a few first pitches, says Obama has to be careful to "not try to overpower it." "There's no speed gun on this. Just make it a nice solid throw to the catcher," Smith said. "The one thing he doesn't want to do is bounce it home. Mr. Obama is pretty athletic, so I think he'll ace this." Overpowering it shouldn't be an issue for the president, who joked Tuesday that he'd be surprised if his 2005 pitch exceeded 30 miles per hour. The president also needs to make sure he uses his whole arm, Blood said. "You'll see a lot of people throw kind of out front. Their elbow will start out front and they'll never get their arm back behind their body, and won't get a full arm swing. It will be real short, and not very rhythmic," he said. Former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Bouton said Obama's at the top of his game, and he can "afford to take a few chances." "He should toss it a little further to the left. The righties are down by 15 runs in the ninth, they've got no team leadership. They're fighting with each other in the opposing dugout," he joked. All kidding aside, Obama should "just go with his instincts, like any good athlete," Bouton said. "You don't want to throw the ball into the ground or behind you, that's for sure." Obama also doesn't want to do what Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory did in his opening pitch for the Reds 2007 season. He missed home plate by 30 feet. Video of the Democratic mayor's embarrassing throw has been viewed nearly 2 million times on YouTube. But the opening pitch isn't always a light-hearted moment. President Bush described his opening pitch at Yankees stadium during the 2001 World Series as "the most nervous moment" of his presidency so far. The game came less than two months after the September 11 terrorists attacks. Bush wore an FDNY jacket to pay tribute to the New York City Fire Department. He stepped onto the pitchers mound, and before a cheering crowd of nearly 60,000, he threw a strike. The crowded erupted in chants of "U-S-A, U-S-A." Before the game Tuesday night, Obama and all of the living former presidents will appear in a community service video. After the video is shown, Obama will take the field at Busch Stadium and greet the six St. Louis Cardinal Hall of Fame players. He then will throw his pitch to Cardinals' all-star first baseman Albert Pujols. Major League Baseball said the president will wear a specially made glove for his appearance, with a script Obama 44 and an American flag on it. The glove will then be sent to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. If Obama has butterflies about his pitch, Blood says the president should use the nervous energy to his advantage. "For Obama, I'm sure he's dealt with much more pressure than throwing out the first pitch at a baseball game, but I would -- instead of seeing it as pressure -- I would think of it as an exciting opportunity and turn the nervousness into positive adrenaline," he said. CNN's Steve Brusk contributed to this report.

President Obama throws opening pitch at All-Stars game Tuesday . Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory got lots of attention for his embarrassing throw . Obama should "turn the nervousness into positive adrenaline," scout advises .

d918b193e6154a446bd1dcf50368ec476ae57d8d

By . David Martosko, U.s. Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 01:30 EST, 1 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:05 EST, 1 November 2013 . Just six people successfully enrolled in health insurance plans through healthcare.gov during the first day of the Obamacare system's operation, according to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services meeting notes released Thursday night by a congressional committee. By the end of the second day, a total of 248 people nationwide had bought insurance policies through the federal government's online portal, whose disastrous launch has become the stuff of late-night TV jokes and a Saturday Night Live skit. The bombshell documents reflect summaries of 'war room' meetings held at least twice a day during the system's chaotic start by a technology working group inside the Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight, a CMS division tasked with putting the website's plan into action. Turned over by a private Obamacare contractor at the request of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, . not by the Obama administration, the four pages paint a picture of a . multidisciplinary team trying to right a sinking ship, and collecting . statistics as it takes on water. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . We signed up how many? President Obama will have a new round of explaining to do, now that enrollment numbers have leaked out of a 'war room' set up to solve the healthcare.gov website's countless tech problems . On the morning following the first full day of the healthcare.gov website's operation, troubleshooters learned that just 6 people had successfully signed up for new health insurance plans . 'Six': Fox News host Megyn Kelly shows that she can count the Obamacare website¿s first-day success stories on two hands . The committee issued a subpoena for . similar documents from the Department of Health and Human Services after . the agency stalled for three weeks on requests from chairman Rep. Darrell Issa. Committee staff provided the documents to reporters on Thursday . evening while the White House was in the middle of a trick-or-treating . event for children of military families. The Obama administration has said publicly that 4.7 million unique website visitors came to healthcare.gov in its first 24 hours beginning at midnight on Tuesday, October 1. But war room meeting notes from the following morning showed that 'six enrollments have occurred so far with 5 different [insurance] issuers.' The lucky few chose insurance policies with BlueCross BlueShield North Carolina; BlueCross BlueShield Kansas City; the Ohio-headquartered CareSource; and Healthcare Service Corporation, a Chicago-based company that sells BlueCross BlueShield plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, . By the afternoon of Oct. 2, war room meeting notes reflected 'approximately 100' successful enrollments. That number grew, modestly, to a total of 248 by day's end, according to notes from the morning meeting on Oct. 3. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner refused to provide hard numbers to the House Ways and Means Committee on October 29, saying only that 'We'll have that information available until mid-November' Kiss of death: A website that wasn't adequately tested, and was built for a relatively small traffic load, had no chance on day one, and the enrollment figures are proof . Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Joanne Peters told the Fox News Channel on Thursday evening that the documents 'appear to be notes' and don't reflect official totals, which the agency has repeatedly said it plans to withhold until mid-November. 'We are focused on providing reliable and accurate information and we do not have that at this time. ... We have always anticipated that the pace of enrollment will increase throughout the enrollment period,' she said. Hedging his bets? On Oct. 21, Obama said 'the number of people who have visited the site has been overwhelming ... [and] thousands of people are signing up' The full open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act will last for six months, ending March 31. By then, the administration hopes 7 million Americans will enroll in medical insurance plans through healthcare.gov and the similar websites run by 14 states and the District of Columbia. At that rate, the government needs to find about 38,500 new paid enrollees every day, on average. some of the state-run programs have faced their own challenges. Halfway through October, Delaware's exchange reported signing up just one person, Alaska had enrolled seven, and Wisconsin's total was less than 50. By October 18, Oregon conceded that it hadn't yet processed any applications for private insurance through its exchange. Sources inside HHS told MailOnline in mid-October that 52,000 people nationwide had completed applications for coverage by the end of the first week of October. That number likely included consumers whose applications weren't processed immediately, but also a much larger number who elected to sign up for Medicaid coverage instead of enrolling in plans they will pay for themselves. Those Medicaid enrollments will add only to the overall cost of the Affordable Care Act – unlike private insurance policies, whose premiums will subsidize the expense of medical care provided to others in the system. Pants on fire? 'We do not have any reliable data around enrollment,' insisted HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on October 30 during a congressional hearing. 'The system isn't functioning, so we're not getting reliable data' House oversight committee chairman Rep. Darrell Issa, an anti-Obamacare partisan, released the documents on Thursday night, which his committee got from a private contractor doing work on the Obamacare website . Obama spoke to adoring throngs in Boston this week, including one fan whose 'I (heart) Obamacare' cast he gladly signed . Numbers from the war room meetings include only the successful sign-ups completed through healthcare.gov, not through any of the state-based insurance exchanges. They also, according to an HHS spokesperson who talked to CBS News, do not include applications from people who chose to fill out paper applications or register by telephone. But those other methods, along with assistance from 'navigator' program helpers, also rely on the website. Cal center operators and navigators enter consumers' information into the website in real-time, and a contractor enters handwritten information into the website days or weeks after ink hits paper. Given the tech woes that plagued healthcare.gov early on – and continue to knock it offline on a regular basis – it's unlikely anyone had significantly greater success. Medical insurance industry consultant Robert Laszewski told Fox News that 'the White House does not want insurance companies talking about what's going on here.' 'If four weeks ago the enrollment numbers were public,' he said, 'it would look very bad. I can tell you based upon the information that I continue to get, this trickle of enrollment ... for the first three days has really continued for the first month.' HealthCare-Gov.pdf .

Documents a government contractor gave to a congressional committee show tiny enrollment numbers in Obamacare's bleak early days . Numbers come from notes taken during twice-daily 'war room' meetings begun after the healthcare.gov website sputtered and crashed on Oct. 1 . President Obama said on Oct. 21 that 'thousands' – not tens or hundreds of thousands – were signing up . The White House has lowered expectations by saying it expected a slow start . In order to stay financially above water, the Affordable Care Act must attract 38,500 new paid enrollees every day from October through March .

c10ec33a0d0328c84ca32e391ffc971f274b25a5

As she lay drenched in blood and . dying on the sidewalk after being stabbed 32 times by her boyfriend, . little did she know it was to be the beginning of her fairytale. Melissa Dohme, from Clearwater, Florida, was just 20-years-old when Robert Lee Burton Jr slashed her hands, arms, face and head outside her home, the attack only stopped by a passing couple. Clearwater firefighter-paramedic . Cameron Hill, 38, responded to the 911 call, which he said was the . goriest of his 17-year career. Scroll down for video . Fate: Melissa Dohme and Cameron Hill were brought together after he was the paramedic on the scene when she was stabbed 32 times by her ex-boyfriend . Melissa was in the hospital for three weeks: She flat lined four times, received 12 units of blood, suffered a stroke that affected her balance and the left side of her face was paralysed . Head over heels: Cameron did not know what to do but . could not get the young woman he rescued out of his head. He . eventually asked her out and ever since their first date the pair have . been inseparable . Love: Melissa Dohme was saved by Cameron Hill, second left, who said he instantly connected with her, even though he couldn't see her face, couldn't tell if she was blond because of the blood and didn't know her name . Though he couldn't see her face, . couldn't tell if she was blond because of the blood and didn't know her . name, a strange feeling came over him and he said he knew in his heart . he was going to see her again. Melissa ended up being in the hospital for three weeks. She flat lined four times, received 12 units of blood and suffered a stroke that affected her balance, according to The Tampa Bay Times. A severed nerve partly paralyzed the left side of her face. Guilty plea: Robert Burton was in court on Tuesday . Though doctors did not know if she . would speak smile or walk again, she made a remarkable recovery and left . rehab without a cane. She became determined to reach out to all those who helped save her and to tell her story to others. After a trip to Europe with her girlfriends, she returned determined to become a nurse. For a time, she spoke to everyone - except the firefighter-paramedics from Clearwater Station 47. In October last year when Melissa was speaking at a Clearwater church, two of her first responders surprised her - one of whom was Cameron. After hugging and crying and exchanging numbers, Melissa said: 'I was weirdly giddy. I had this feeling about him.' When they met up again, she said she . felt she was in the grasp of a full-blown crush, according to Tampa Bay . Times as they talked easily and naturally. Cameron did not know what to do but . could not get the young woman he rescued out of his head. But he . eventually asked her out and ever since their first date the pair have . been inseparable. Last week, the couple attended the pretrial hearing in the first-degree attempted murder case against her ex-boyfriend Robert Burton. She testified that he would hit and shove her before allegedly stabbing her in January last year. Though she almost lost her life and it was a traumatic and life-changing experience, Melissa would not change it. Survivor: Melissa Dohme was stabbed in the face and neck more than 32 times, but her scars are quickly fading; the picture on the right shows how her scars have healed in a two-month span . Emotional: Cameron Hill breaks down in tears as he recalls the sight of his girlfriend lying on the sidewalk drenched in blood . Support: Melissa pictured with her mother Joann at church in Clearwater . 'When . I look back on that night, I can't think of it as all bad anymore . because I met Cameron,' she said. 'He's the one I've been waiting for. My fairy tale.' On the night of the attack, Burton . had been calling and texting Melissa requesting a hug - however, when . she met him to talk, she said she heard a click, and then sharp pain in . her neck, where he allegedly embedded his knife. Ms Dohme met Burton at Clearwater High School, and the couple dated for nearly two years. However, things took a violent turn when Burton allegedly attacked her outside Ms Dohme’s house last October. Court documents allege that he pulled her hair and punched her repeatedly. The couple broke up soon after. But Burton called and texted the petite blonde over and over on January 24, saying he needed to see her, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Ms Dohme told the Times that she initially ignored him and told Burton that she had class early the next day – it was, after all, around 2:30am. She agreed to see him when he said he was near her house, around 3am. He said he only needed a hug. Even so, Ms Dohme took pepper spray with her. According to court documents, Burton asked for a hug, and then began stabbing her in the face and neck. During the attack, she was screaming as loud as she could, hoping someone would hear. A young couple who did not want to be publicly identified happened to be in Crest Lake Park. Recovery: She suffered a slash to the right side . of her face that severed a nerve. The knife also grazed her carotid . artery, which meant she was in serious danger of bleeding out . Roving: Ms Dohme, pictured before the attack, still has a long road ahead of her . Law and order: Ms Dohme wrote: 'Ran into these two great men tonight, detectives Ruhlin and Sena! These are the ones working on my case and were able to get the jerk (putting it nicely) to confess his guilt' According to a police report, the couple – who are both in their late teens – yelled at Burton to stop and said he was going to kill her. The man attempted to push the 245-pound Burton off of Ms Dohme, but was unable to. Meanwhile, the young woman tried to help Ms Dohme escape to safety and called 911. Ms Dohme told the Tampa Bay Times that the couple’s intervention likely saved her live. '(Burton) would have stabbed me 'til I was dead', she told the Times. 'I know it's a miracle that I am still here. Even the trauma doctor in his notes wrote, nothing short of miraculous.' The couple left, and Burton had allegedly gone back to his truck to retrieve a bigger knife. Ms Dohme had lost pints of blood already, and was fading. Burton was later found after he crashed his car some distance away. He was believed to have overdosed on sleeping pills. Doctors rushed her to Bayfront, where she underwent several surgeries, and was given 12 units of blood. She suffered a slash to the right side of her face that severed a nerve. The knife also grazed her carotid artery, which meant she was in serious danger of bleeding out. Ms Dohme later counted 32 stab wounds, 18 of which were deep. ‘I know it’s a miracle that I am still here,’ she told Bay News 9 in an interview earlier this month. ‘Even the trauma doctor in his notes wrote, nothing short of miraculous.’ But her fighting spirit, as well as her faith helped her persevere. ‘He didn’t win and I won,’ she told the Times. Within days of the near-lethal attack, . Ms Dohme was able to breathe on her own, could grasp a pencil, and could . walk down the hallways of the ICU . She had to regularly attend speech therapy and get check-ups with other specialists. Remarkably, she went home three weeks later, and finished out her classes at St Petersburg College, earning A’s in her Humanities and Sociology classes. Burton faces assault charges in addition to first-degree attempted murder charges. Ms Dohme hasn’t let the injury slow her down. Though she completes seven hours of rehab weekly, she continues to be the bright, smiling young woman she was before the attack. She is currently backpacking through Europe with a few girlfriends, and has received an outpouring of support from friends and family. Her brush with death hasn’t stopped her from pursuing her dream – becoming a neo-natal nurse. And more than anything, nearly losing everything has shown her a new appreciation for the small tings. ‘I’ve never loved life so much, I’ve never been so appreciative, I really appreciate every day,’ she told Bay News 9.

Melissa Dohme was allegedly stabbed more than 30 times in her face and neck in January by her ex-boyfriend . Dohme stands just over 5ft; her ex-boyfriend is 6ft4in and 245 lbs . Flat lined four times and had 12 pints of blood transfused . Said meeting her paramedic boyfriend was her fairytale .

251a92eb457542550e1ad023bb65b7bd56269f4e

(CNN)Lassana Bathily risked his own life to help save others, a Muslim who protected Jews in the face of an armed terrorist. Now the French government is helping out Bathily -- by making him a citizen. The Malian native's citizenship application, which he filed in July, will be expedited, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve announced Thursday. Cazeneuve will conduct Bathily's citizenship ceremony himself Tuesday. This event will add to what has been an emotional few weeks for Bathily, starting with his heroic actions Friday, after a gunman burst in while he was working at the kosher Hyper Cacher grocery store near Paris' Porte de Vincennes. The man took several people hostage but not the 15 whom Bathily led downstairs into a walk-in freezer. Bathily, who describes himself as a "practicing Muslim," told CNN affiliate BFMTV he switched off the freezer, turned off the lights and told everyone to stay calm. "I'm the one (who) is going to go out," the 24-year-old reportedly told the customers. "I took the elevator and went upstairs." Bathily told BFMTV that he went up after the hostage-taker -- whom authorities have identified as Amedy Coulibaly -- "asked us to all come upstairs." If they didn't? "Otherwise, he would kill everyone who was downstairs," the young man said. So Bathily did go upstairs, taking a freight elevator. But he didn't go toward Coulibaly. Instead, he ran outside. Police apprehended Bathily there, and he told them the location of the freezer and gave details about those inside. "When (the hostages) came out, they congratulated me," Bathily told BFMTV. That's because his actions might have saved their lives. Four people, plus the gunman, ended up being killed by the time the hostage situation ended. French media quickly ran with the story of Bathily, with L'Express newspaper proclaiming "Lassana Bathily, Malian Muslim, hero of the hostage situation in Vincennes." People around the world also cheered Bathily, with about 300,000 signing a Change.org petition asking that he be given the Legion d'Honneur, a highly prestigious award given to those who done exceptional things for France. "Even in darkness and desolation, there's always a ray of light somewhere," wrote the petition's creator, Thiaba Bruni. "Such is the case with Lassana Bathily." Such positive recognition was also all over Facebook, where a man who claimed to be Bathily's cousin, Abdoul Bathily, posted, "Lass Bathily, you showed courage yesterday. The rest of the world would not have done it." Another person wrote, "I have no words to express my pride in you. You put your life in danger to save others. God saw all of it, and his mercy will be without fault. You are blessed in the eyes of humanity." Gunman tried to justify market raid to hostages, recording apparently shows . CNN's Alanne Orjoux contributed to this report.

Lassana Bathily will become a French citizen next week, government says . The Muslim hid customers of a Paris kosher market in a walk-in freezer . His actions spurred adoring headlines in France, petitions to have him honored .

7115883e5d3ba14595b0fb036082ab59dde3b722

Had this been the Premier League, everyone would have packed up at 0-0 with Tim Howard deservedly hailed a hero. But the American’s impassable effort had merely granted his Belgian opponents an additional 30 minutes to breach his target – and that they did, twice. Howard, though, was above criticism, and his numbers told their own story. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Obama get stuck in and start chanting during World Cup match . No way past: Tim Howard denies Everton team-mate Kevin Mirallas with his left foot late in the second half . On fire: Howard's heat map serves to highlight his involvement . Busy boy: Howard was kept very busy in comparison to Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois . Red alert: Howard gets down well and stretches to deny Belgium as Vincent Kompany watches on . For in making 15 saves, the Everton man had set a new World Cup record since such statistics were first collected in 1966. Peru's Ramon Quiroga held the previous best with 13 against Holland in 1978. It was the best performance from an American goalkeeper since Sylvester Stallone’s exploits in the 1981 film Escape to Victory. And Howard’s display belonged on the big screen. Only there was to be no fairytale ending, Belgium emerging 2-1 victors after another pulsating affair at these finals. But it mattered not, the 35-year-old had etched his name in the history books. Seventeen of Belgium’s 39 shots had found the target, only the extra-time efforts of Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku managing to evade Howard; by this juncture, however, his rearguard had tired and the netminder was exposed. Divock Origi had been thwarted three times, Eden Hazard twice, even defender Jan Vertonghen had been denied on a couple of occasions. He had improvised to use his feet, chest and knees. Howard’s heat map serves to highlight his red-hot display. He even swept up on the edge of his penalty area – Manuel Neuer style – when called upon. Ultimately, the only thing Howard couldn't save was the day. In vain: But Howard's heroics were to no avail as Belgium emerged 2-1 victors . Leap of faith: Howard denies Marouane Fellaini who had climbed above two defenders to head on goal . VIDEO Belgium leave it late again .

Everton goalkeeper was impassable as second-round match finished goalless after 90 minutes . But USMNT keeper Howard was helpless as extra-time goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku were enough to see Belgium through to the quarter-finals . Julian Green gave the USA hope when he made it 2-1 but the Belgians held on to set up a last-eight tie against Argentina .

9c7eb4acf81e8370f7ac12d32348b2940ce5d8f5

By . Louise Eccles . The South American rhea on the loose in the Home Counties was captured by the Daily Mail yesterday – but only on camera. Mail photographer Mark Richards spotted the 6ft tall flightless bird running through fields in Hertfordshire and tracked the six-year-old female for more than an hour. He said: ‘I was able to follow it for quite a while but, much like the Road Runner, it was too fast for me.’ The giant Rhea ran amok for more than an hour running through Barkway Park Golf Club in Nuthampstead . Robert Hardman of the Daily Mail spent the morning trying to track down the bird . The giant bird sped-off at more than 40mph to escape into a field . The Giant Rhea  can move at 45mph and is said to be capable of disembowelling a human with its six-inch claws. The RSPCA has warned against approaching it. But Richards said: ‘It was extremely timid and I was never able to get closer than 250 yards.’ The ostrich-cum-emu – nicknamed Chris after singer . Chris Rea – has previously been seen at the Barkway Park Golf Club in Nuthampstead, next to where it was spotted yesterday. It escaped a month ago from Jo Clark’s smallholding in Brent Pelham on the Essex and Hertfordshire border. Miss Clark, 60, who keeps four of the birds, believes it may have become spooked when the local hunt passed nearby.

The 6ft bird can run at 40mph to escape the attentions of predators . Wildlife experts warn that the rhea could inflict serious injuries if cornered . The Daily Mail spent more than an hour trying to catch the bird .

36d883558f741cab1886d366ecc3075ab4f21ee1

Ukip has accused Channel 4 of peddling 'liberal-Left poppycock' over an apocalyptic portrayal of what British life would be like if Nigel Farage became Prime Minister. The row has blown up over a drama-documentary to be screened at tomorrow which imagines life under a Farage government. In Ukip: The First Hundred Days – which mixes acted scenes with real news footage – border guards are seen forcibly repatriating illegal immigrants amid race riots, as the UK prepares to pull out of the European Union. The film shows Ukip winning a slim majority in May's Election, but within three months, society is on the brink of collapse under Mr Farage's Right-wing policies. Scroll down for video . Panic: Ukip has hit back at Channel 4's new drama-documentary which shows British society on the brink of collapse, three months after Ukip (leader Nigel Farage pictured) wins the 2015 general election . Weaved into the plot are references to some of the many racism and sexism scandals which have hit the party in recent years. Last night, one aide close to the Ukip leader hit back, telling The Mail on Sunday: 'This is typical of the poppycock peddled by the public-school educated Lefties who run Channel 4 and large chunks of the media. 'The idea that this is what would happen is simply preposterous, but it shows that we have got the liberal establishment quaking. 'Bring it on, we say, because this sort of thing simply serves to boost our ratings.' The film is seen from the perspective of a fictional Ukip MP, Deepa Kaur, the only female Asian in the Parliamentary Party, who is asked to defend policies such as raids on businesses suspected of harbouring immigrants. Kaur, played by Priyanga Burford, is tipped for a Cabinet post but faces furious demonstrations when the largest employer in her constituency is put out of business by Farage's decision to pull Britain out of the EU. She then decides she has been 'used' by Farage, and condemns the raids as 'aggressive and un-British'. Disaster: A scene from new docu-drama 'Ukip: The First 100 Days' (pictured) suggests a UKIP government would lead to riots in the streets and the loss of millions of jobs after the UK leaves the EU . Fantasy: A scene from the drama. Many scenes play out in a post-cigarette-ban world of smoky pubs . The provocative scenes play out against the backdrop of smoky pubs because Farage has lifted the smoking ban. Archive footage is used to portray Mr Farage, his Deputy Prime Minister – former Tory MP Neil Hamilton – and Ukip MEP Godfrey Bloom, who is seen repeating his infamous remark about Africa being 'bongo bongo land'. Mr Farage was initially invited to discuss the scenario in a Channel 4 interview with Jeremy Paxman, but negotiations broke down. Nick Mirsky, Channel 4's head of documentaries, denied that the film, which airs ay 9pm, was 'anti-Ukip', but admitted that it did not have to be 'politically balanced' because was being shown outside of the official Election campaign period, which starts on March 30. He said: 'Our job is to reflect and explore contemporary British life. Nothing represents what's different and unique in British political life now more than the rise of Ukip. 'This might be what you wake up to after May 7.'

Row over Channel 4's drama-documentary, 'Ukip: The First Hundred Days' Show airs tomorrow and portrays British life if party wins general election . Film shows society on the brink of collapse, three months after their win . Aide close to Ukip leader Nigel Farage said idea is 'simply preposterous .

fbd592b3f038f2593f28facc10657f54c0f34eaf

(CNN) -- Next time you host a soiree, you can collect photos of the event from your guests in one album on Facebook. The social network has added shared photo albums so people can throw photos from an event or of a common subject into a single spot. The new shared album feature, first reported by Mashable, is rolling out to English-speaking users of the social network but will eventually be available around the world. When you create a new photo album, there will be a new button that says "Make Shared Album." Click and add up to 50 other people you want contributing to the album. Each person can upload 200 photos for a maximum of 10,000 images in a single shared album. Every contributor can tag, edit and give captions to the photos they add. The album's creator can decide who sees the photos by setting the privacy settings to just contributors, friends of contributors or public. You can only add individual contributors. There's no option to open an album to your entire network or base one on a specific shared gathering such as a concert or sporting event. You can open up the floodgates a bit by allowing your friends to add anyone else they like to an album. "Hundreds of millions of photos are uploaded onto Facebook each day and today, we're making it even easier for friends to share photos with the rollout of Shared Photo Albums," the company said in a statement . Creating a single bucket for all the photos from an event is going to be a hit with wedding or other party guests, though the 50-person limit could be tricky if you throw proper ragers. The 68,000 people returning from the Burning Man festival next week can share their dusty photos memories in groups on Facebook instead of each posting them individually. A family vacation to Disney World can be immortalized in one spot. Birthday party guests can share their photos of the guest of honor blowing out candles from every possible angle. The shared photo album is not an original idea. Various startups such as Keepsy, Hipstamatic and Albumatic have tried to make sharing albums easy, but many require everyone downloading the same app or signing up for a service. It makes much more sense as an additional feature on a site that is already a popular place for photo-sharing. More than a billion people are on Facebook, and they're sharing hundreds of millions of photos every day on the service, according to Facebook. It's surprising it took the company this long to add this simple, helpful feature.

Facebook is adding shared photo albums for up to 50 people . Groups will be able to upload photos after social gatherings to the same album . Hundreds of millions of photos are shared on Facebook each day .

6d848e5cd957ef807cf2cc6e77bc626ec47b5034

By . Daniel Piotrowski for Daily Mail Australia . and Louise Cheer for Daily Mail Australia . Pictures have emerged of those injured in a horror tour bus crash in Kenya which claimed the lives of two Australians and injured at least 14. The Intrepid Travel tour bus, which was ferrying 25 people, overturned and plunged into a river on a notorious stretch of road west of Nairobi, the country's capital, on Sunday. Local police identified the dead as a man and a woman in their 60s. One victim died on the spot, Kenyan media said. The crash happened just outside the city of Nairobi in the East African country of Kenya . Narok County Governor Samuel ole Tunai (arms outstretched) visited the injured tourists in hospital. An unidentified injured woman speaks to a nurse and the county governor, Samuel ole Tunai, in an image released by the local government. The government said the spouses of the dead Australians were among those admitted to hospital. They suffered injuries and 'deep shock', a statement said. The county government released images of local officials visiting the wounded at Narok County Referral Hospital on its Facebook page overnight. Eighteen of the injured and all Intrepid Tours staff have now been flown to Nairobi for treatment. In a statement released to Daily Mail Australia, James Thornton, the managing director of the Melbourne-based Intrepid Tours said: . 'Our first concern is with those affected and their friends and families. 'Senior managers from our operations team in Kenya are assisting passengers and staff involved.' County police commander Paul Kerich told local newspaper The Standard that the bus, which was carrying three staff and 22 tourists, was en route to Tanzania. He described the crash zone was a renowned black spot. 'There are a lot of sharp bends and steep depressions a long this road. 'We want to appeal to drivers especially those who are new to exercise caution so as to avoid unnecessary deaths.' The tourists on board were from the United Kingdom, the U.S., Germany, Switzerland and Australia. Kenyan roads have a poor reputation. Just last August, 41 people were killed in a bus crash in Narok. Prime Minister Tony Abbott told reporters the crash was tragic. 'It's awful beyond belief for the families of those involved,' he said on Monday morning. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular support to the families of those affected.

Two Australians confirmed dead as Kenyan tour bus overturns and plunges into a creek . Photo from the site shows baggage was thrown from the bus and strewn across the ground . Fatal crash occurred in notorious black spot, local police said . Authorities release images of crash victims recovering in hospital .

1737468d830be5c541d79d6e3060e7627caaecd3

A hiker has been killed by a black bear after it confronted his group of friends - forcing them to scatter in different directions. Police identified the body as that of Darsh Patel, who had been hiking with four friends on Sunday when the bear began following them in the 526-acre wooded Apshawa Preserve. The 300-pound animal, which authorities say was likely looking for food, continued to stalk them through the woods, causing them to become frightened and run off in separate directions. When four of them regrouped around 3.45pm, they realized 22-year-old Patel was not with them and they called police. Scroll down for video . Wild: A New Jersey hiker has been killed by a black bear (file photo) after walking through a wooded preserve on Sunday. Officials have suggested that the animal was looking for food when he followed the group . Patel's body was found two hours later. 'Evidence at the scene indicated that the victim had been attacked by a bear,' West Milford Police Chief Timothy C. Storbeck said. Police say that a bear was found circling the body and wouldn't leave even after officers tried to scare it away by making loud noises and throwing sticks and stones. It was killed with two rifle blasts. The bear's body is being examined at a state lab for more clues as to why it may have pursued the group, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection said. Kelcey Burguess, principal biologist and leader of the state Division of Fish and Wildlife's black bear project, said the bear could have been predisposed to attack but more likely was looking for food. Preserve: This photo from NJUrbanForest.com shows the Apshawa Preserve, a 526-acre park with hiking trails . Wildlife officials believe there is a current shortage of the acorns and berries that bears eat. The hikers had granola bars and water with them, Storbeck said. Officials don't believe the hikers provoked the bear but they may have showed their inexperience when they decided to run. The safest way to handle a bear encounter is to move slowly and not look the bear in the eye, DEP spokesman Larry Ragonese said. New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife guidelines direct law enforcement to euthanize 'Category I' bears, which are deemed an 'immediate threat to human safety.' NJ Advance Media reports that the New Jersey State Medical Examiner, the Fish and Wildlife Division of the state Department of Environmental Protection and the West Milford Police Department are looking into the circumstances of Patel's death. Idyllic: The wooded preserve provides hiking trails and a peaceful setting for visitors to the northern New Jersey site . 'Bear sightings are not unusual by any stretch in New Jersey,' said Bob Considine, spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Protection. 'They have been seen in all 21 counties, although they’re obviously most common in the northwest part of the state.' Black bears rarely pose a threat to humans and often retreat when confronted. In 2006, a tabby cat scared a black bear up a tree in West Milford. The bear only climbed down and left after the cat's owner had called it back into the house.

Darsh Patel, 22, was hiking with friends in the Apshawa Preserve in West Milford on Sunday when a bear started following them . The group fled in different directions and when the four other hikers could not find Patel, they called cops, who found his body two hours later . The 300-pound bear was circling the body and could not be scared away; it was shot dead in accordance with Division of Fish and Wildlife guidelines .

b145e54f610b43196331e0f04bc4dfab4899eeda

By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 05:34 EST, 28 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:51 EST, 28 October 2013 . 'Take responsibility': Brandon Lewis MP, pictured, said that it was not the Government's place to ban fast food . Britain’s struggling high streets need fast food restaurants which are ‘massively important’ to millions of shoppers, a Tory minister has claimed. Brandon Lewis, the new high streets minister, said it would be ‘wholly wrong’ for the Government to try to ban junk food from town centres. Instead people had to take responsibility for their own diet, and not eat junk food ‘three times a day’. The coalition has faced repeated criticism for opting to strike voluntary ‘responsibility deals’ with food and drink firms instead of imposing bans or levies. Three years ago David Cameron suggested he could enforce a ‘fat tax’ on products like pizza and processed food to limit the impact on the nation’s health. But Mr Lewis warned it would be ‘socialist’ to force the fast food chains off Britain’s high streets. The likes of McDonald's and Burger King are big employers and have come to dominate high streets because people choose to eat there, he added. ‘Labour kept having a go at fast food places when actually McDonald's, Burger King… those kind of places, whichever your fast food place of choice is, are massively important,’ he told the Daily Telegraph. ‘They are massive employers, they are not coming to the high streets to annoy us. They are coming to the high streets because we all go to McDonalds, or whatever our personal taste is.’ Individuals had to be ‘responsible’ for what they eat, he added. ‘I’ve got to take responsibility for . me and my family and actually McDonalds or Burger King is fine now and . again but we shouldn’t be eating it three times a day.’ ‘If we want to get people eating more healthily then we have to educate people around that and the obesity issue.’ 'Massively important: Brandon Lewis said fast-food chains like McDonald's and Burger King are good for Britain . It would be ‘wholly wrong’ for ministers in Whitehall to ‘to try and dictate’ where people eat. ‘They are employers. They are valuable businesses,’ he said. Last week the government faced criticism over a ‘responsibility deal’ to cut saturated fat levels in food. Morrisons, Subway and Nestle were among the firms to sign up to the commitment. But Professor John Ashton, president of the Faculty of Public Health, said the approach ‘lacked credibility’.

Brandon Lewis says it would be ‘socialist’ to dictate firms opening in town centres . Insists people should take responsibility themselves for what they eat . Backs McDonald’s and Burger King as major employers providing a service .

e0407dd5b4adece33801b6f0bd285edfe59c1e49

(CNN) -- Watching the premiere of "The Informant!" -- the Matt Damon movie about a high-level FBI mole at a large multinational company -- was the mole himself, Mark Whitacre. Mark Whitacre, right, at the premiere of 'The Informant' with Matt Damon. The movie is a dark comic take on the three years Whitacre -- a former divisional president of Archer Daniels Midland, the US-based food additive giant -- spent working undercover to break a global price-fixing conspiracy. Whitacre recognized real episodes in his life on the big screen, such as trying to fix a hidden tape player during a meeting and his delusional belief he would be made CEO of the company as a reward for his undercover work. But what you won't see in the movie are the events of August 9, 1995, six weeks after an FBI raid blew the case into public attention. It was two days after ADM fired Whitacre and accused him of embezzling millions from the company. His FBI partners for the previous three years would no longer speak with him. On that day, Whitacre sat alone in his car with its engine running inside a closed garage and slowly lost consciousness. He was hoping to end his life as surely as he had ended his career. A gardener found him unconscious. Some scenes just can't be played for laughs. "There was nothing comical in the reality of the story," said Whitacre, who eventually spent nearly nine years in prison for his role in the price-fixing scheme and revelations he siphoned off $9 million from the company while he was working for the FBI. For Whitacre, 'The Informant!' is a study in his own mental illness, as he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after hospitalization for his suicide attempt. His meeting with Damon at the premiere was the first time the pair met. Damon told him he hoped they portrayed his illness in a sensitive way, Whitacre said. "He didn't want to talk to a 52-year-old Mark Whitacre while preparing for the role, the Mark Whitacre who went to prison, who has been treated for bipolar disorder, who is now COO of a company," said Whitacre, who is now an executive for a small food supplement maker. "He wanted to portray the 35-year-old Mark Whitacre, otherwise it would make it difficult to portray the delusions I had at that time." The fix is in . For companies and regulators, the 1997 conviction of ADM was a landmark event, the first antitrust action in the United States since World War II and a case that has spurred price-fixing investigations around the world. "As a result of this case, the Department of Justice and the FBI started looking around to see if they could find any other cases like this," said Dean Paisley, a retired FBI agent who supervised the undercover ADM work. "This used to be relatively unusual until the (ADM) case came to light," said John Connor, a Purdue University researcher on cartel activity, who was an expert witness in the government's case against ADM. "Back in 1993 you'd see maybe one or two global (price-fixing schemes) being discovered ... in the past three years or so, there are about 50 a year." Price-fixing schemes -- where a cartel of manufacturers inflate prices against market demand -- cost consumers untold millions each year. In the ADM case, it was found that in the three-year period of investigation the company's cartel activity with manufacturers in Japan and Korea inflated prices by at least $200 million. The ADM case resulted in a record $100 million fine in 1997 -- a figure long since dwarfed. Last month Japanese company Epson agreed to pay $26 million for its role in price-fixing LCD panels used in mobile phones in the U.S. Several other companies, including Sharp, LG and Hitachi, have already pleaded guilty in the case and paid fines of more than $600 million. Just last week, the Hungarian government fined Visa Europe, MasterCard and seven commercial banks a total of $10.4 million for price fixing bank fees (Visa and MasterCard are appealing that decision). Flawed heroes . A sign of cartel activity is usually a sharp and uniform increase in price with a contraction in demand. "But, in fact, in the last 15 or 20 years (governments) have relied almost exclusively on whistle-blowers to make their cases," Connor said. And as Whitacre showed, whistle blowers often don't have noble motives. "The movie should be taken very, very seriously," said Sam Antar, a CPA who turned government witness against his employer in the 1980's. "In white-collar cases, the governments have to rely on informants ... in effect, relying on unsavory characters to make their case," said Antar, who now advises government agencies on white-collar crime. "What happened in 'The Informant,' is he had an agenda to become head honcho of the company," Antar said. "The mistake the FBI agents made in the movie is they fell in love with their witness. It turned out there was a dark side they didn't know about." Whitacre said he began stealing millions from the company while working for the FBI, in part, as a financial backstop in case things went wrong. "I had this sense of false entitlement, like they owe me this ... after all, the company was stealing hundreds of millions." The stress of his double-life undoubtedly added to his mental woes, said Paisley, the original FBI supervisor in the case. He points out that undercover FBI agents receive surveillance training and are pulled for psychological evaluation once a year -- Whitacre received none of that. "There were no provisions for similar checks and balances with Whitacre," Paisley said. "He had no ideas what he was getting into when he agreed to cooperate ... we had no idea it would last three years." Although Whitacre has served his time, Paisley and other agents involved in his case are seeking a presidential pardon. "He really screwed up by stealing," Paisley said. "Be that as it may, how many hundreds of millions would have been stolen if (ADM) wasn't stopped by Mark Whitacre? He is a national hero, in my eyes."

The ADM price-fixing case was a landmark in global antitrust prosecution . Global price-fixing investigations have skyrocketed since the ADM scam . These investigations depend on whistle-blowers who often have dark motives .

b19e549aba496d1478d8473d7104280ee709eace

New York Knicks point guard Raymond Felton, who was arrested on felony weapons charges, posted $25,000 bail Tuesday. Felton's wife, Ariane, accompanied by her attorney, turned his high-powered FNH 5.7 x 28mm semi-automatic handgun over to police Monday, claiming she didn't want the weapon in the couple's Upper West Side Manhattan apartment, a law enforcement official said. The weapon, similar to the one Maj. Nidal Hasan used in the Fort Hood shooting rampage in 2009, was loaded with 18 high-velocity bullets, the official said. The Feltons are in the process of divorcing, the official said. Though Felton's wife said he never threatened her with the gun, she told police that he held the gun during arguments in their apartment. She also told police that he owns other guns in North Carolina. A judge Tuesday issued a temporary restraining order against Felton, who is to appear in court June 2. Felton, accompanied by his attorney, left court without comment. According to LinkedIn, Ariane Felton is a Cornell University graduate now studying law at Fordham University. The point guard was arrested a couple of hours after the Knicks lost to the Dallas Mavericks at New York's Madison Square Garden. The Knicks have not commented on the arrest. Felton, 29, who was arrested at 12:50 a.m. Tuesday, had been held on charges of criminal possession of a weapon in the second, third and fourth degrees, New York Police Sgt. John Buthorn said. Those counts relate to allegations that Felton illegally had a firearm and a loaded ammunition magazine, police said. Felton played 33 minutes, scoring 8 points, in the Knicks' 110-108 loss to the Mavericks on Monday night. Felton returned to the Knicks in July 2012 as a replacement for popular point guard Jeremy Lin. New York has some of the strictest gun laws in the country. Former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress was sentenced to two years in prison after a plea deal on a firearm charge in 2009. Burress was shot in his thigh when his gun accidentally went off in a club.

Raymond Felton arrested on initial charges of criminal possession of a weapon . Police: Felton illegally had firearm, loaded ammunition magazine . Arrest came hours after Knicks' loss to Mavericks at Madison Square Garden .

7162da82c6c095edcbc70148a56a34ee9927e12f

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has some unexpected roots, it has been revealed - his ancestors were carpenters in Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria. The family of the former Massachusetts governor lived in England's industrial northwest for generations before converting to Mormonism and heading for the New World. Romney is one of the wealthiest . Americans ever to run for the White House and has estimated his fortune . at between $190million and $250m. Scroll down for video . British connections: Mitt Romney, left, has family in the north of England while President Barack Obama, right, last year visited an Irish village where one of his forebears once lived . Before we were Mormons: Romney's ancestors lived in Dalton-in-Furness before moving to the US in 1837 . Many of his remaining family in Britain's rainy north, however, are factory workers or unemployed. Jennie Iveson, a 69-year-old widow who lives in a modest home in Barrow-in-Furness, the shipyard town once at the heart of Britain's industrial revolution, said: 'It's all come out of the blue. 'It's a surprise really. Big surprise.' Her link to Romney came to light when her grandson-in-law began tracing their family history by . delving into archives in their home county of Lancashire two weeks ago. Records show that Mrs Iveson is Mitt Romney's fourth cousin - they share a . great-great-great grandfather, George Romney, who died in 1859. Now . she can't help but notice that her distant American relative bears a . striking family resemblance. 'I saw him on the telly twice the other day, last week I think. He looks . a bit like my brother,' said Mrs Iveson, a retired factory worker, most of . whose children have no jobs. '[My brother] looks quite like him. He had dark hair like him. It's all . grey now. He (Romney) looks like our Mike. Same sort of face and . everything.' Distant cousins: Jennie Iveson, a former factory worker, said she believes the wealthy American looks like her brother . Cuppa and a catch-up, Mitt? Simon Nash, his wife Maria and their 12-year-old daughter Sarah at their home in Preston, northern England. Mrs Nash is Romney's fourth cousin, twice removed . She shrugs and smiles when asked about Romney's privileged status in the US, where he is sometimes accused by . critics of being out of touch with poor people. 'I wish him luck and . everything else,' she said. For Romney, his faith and English roots remain a sensitive issue, partly because his Mormon religion is still regarded with suspicion by some American voters. When he came to Britain in July this year, Romney did not visit the area where his family have their roots - unusual since emphasising a European heritage is often seen as an electoral plus in U.S. politics. Barack Obama, who faces Romney in the November 6 presidential election, went down well last year when he toured an Irish village where one of his forebears once lived - despite being born in Hawaii himself. Romney's campaign spokeswoman made no comment when asked how the Republican challenger felt about his English origins. In Lancashire, the county the candidate's ancestors left behind, Romney enthusiasts offered their own explanation. 'He is Mormon and this is Mormon central,' said Christopher Nelson, a local vicar with an interest in Romney's heritage. 'Perhaps he would perceive (coming here) as highlighting his Mormonism more than highlighting his roots.' Amateur genealogist Simon Nash was astonished to discover while digging into regional records recently that his wife Maria - Mrs Iveson's granddaughter - was Romney's fourth cousin twice removed. Humble origins: A sign for Romney Road in Dalton-in-Furness, where relatives of the Republican candidate were born and bred in the 18th and 19th century . Poring over archival material at his home in the industrial city of Preston, Mr Nash, whose day job involves dressing in a duck outfit and posing as a mascot for a local football team, more interested in US politics. 'If he got in, America would be a completely different place in three years time to what it is now,' he said. 'I don't know if it will be for the better.' Mrs Nash, 32, was equally astounded by his research. 'I was very much shocked ... It still feels like... it's not quite happening to (me),' she said. 'It's quite an unreal feeling.' She said meeting Romney in the White House would be 'surreal', but she 'would like to go there for a brew if he ever got in there.' The village of Dalton-in-Furness, a picturesque scattering of mediaeval cottages, is where the Romney clan began. Hidden past: Romney did not visit the area his family are from when he came to Britain in July . One of his ancestors was carpenter William Romney, who gained notoriety for making his own coffin and putting it on display in his workshop before he died in 1915. 'I get the impression that quite a few Romneys were carpenters. It seems to be a family trait,' said Jim Walton, a Dalton historian, outside a canary-yellow cottage where William Romney used to live and work. 'Should Mitt Romney succeed and become the next president of the United States, he would be able to look around in pride and say: "My great-great-granddad came from Dalton-in-Furness". Well, I hope he can say that in pride.' Another famous son in the family was George Romney, who went to London and became one of the most celebrated portrait painters of the 18th century. Who do you think you are? An original baptism record shows details of some of the presidential candidate's relatives in what was then Lancashire . Two streets and a park are named after the artist, who is said to have had a secret affair with the mistress of Lord Nelson, the naval hero who defeated the French at Trafalgar. George was buried in the churchyard of St Mary's parish church - where Mitt Romney's great-great grandparents, Elizabeth and Miles, were baptised and married before converting to the Mormon faith in 1837 and moving to the United States. Their daughter Sarah's baptism record from the year before is still in the archives in Preston, with her father's vocation - joiner - scribbled in an old parish book. 'It's a fascinating story that Dalton holds,' said Reverend Alan Mitchell, gazing over the town's skyline from the top of a church tower - a view that has changed little since Romneys lived here. Pointing at a couple of old communion cups, he added: 'The Romneys could have touched these.' At the time, Lancashire was a tough, polluted and chaotic place to live, and disease and drunkenness were rife. Mormon promises of a better and more orderly life fell on fertile ground. 'It was a grimy, mucky hell on earth,' said Nelson, the vicar. 'Why on earth you would want to stay here, if somebody tells you there is milk and honey elsewhere? It was a horrible place.'

Romney did not visit his family when he came to Britain in July . His distant cousins live in terraced houses and some are unemployed . Romney is one of the wealthiest Americans to enter the presidential race . His English relatives say they would love to meet for a cup of tea . His great-great grandparents converted to Mormonism and moved to the US in 1837 .

26ff43ff227f9e5d65ff4fd58191f5643ddb5238

The rat-a-tat of a hundred green sewing machines. The hypnotic hum of spools spinning brightly colored threads. The hiss of a thousand clothing irons. Set aside for a moment what you think you know about the garment factories in Bangladesh: grimy, sweaty, children sitting in dimly lit, sweltering rooms sewing shirts you buy at your box store for $12. Here at Lakhsmi Sweaters, the only children are in its in-house day care. At this factory in Gazipur, on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka, workers sit in long, orderly rows, under bright neon lights, with fans blasting full speed. They get hourlong lunch breaks and free medicine. Medical checkups are mandatory, and the factory employs a full-time doctor. New mothers receive maternity leave -- and pay. "The atmosphere should always be healthy, friendly and livable. We don't need buyers to tell us that," said Safina Rahman, director of Lakhsmi and one of just a handful of female owners in what is predominantly a male-run industry. "This is my duty. This is how I'd want my children to grow." But in the wake of the Rana Plaza disaster when Bangladesh's extremely lucrative garment business has come under increased international scrutiny, Rahman and her workers worry about the effect the backlash will have on them. Retailers in the West are rethinking their partnerships as customers threaten to shop elsewhere. United Students Against Sweatshops, a labor rights group, is planning protests against clothiers it believes aren't committed to strict standards in Bangladesh. And the Obama administration may take away the tax breaks Bangladesh get for goods that the United States imports. The seamstress in the rubble . All of which would have devastating consequences for Bangladesh. The garment industry has been a boon for this South Asian nation of 160 million. It pumps $20 billion a year into the economy. In a country where 31% of the population lives below the poverty line, the industry has been a salvation for 4 million people working in more than 4,500 factories. "More than 2 million people are working in this trade; maybe more," Rahman said. "If one (worker) has four people to look after in the family, that's almost 8 million people who are living off this trade." "If we are bloodsuckers, who is contributing to this economy?" she added. "It's become a big-time challenge for us. People like us." Contented workers . Poppy Begum is a stitcher here, one of 2,000 workers spread across four floors. She works nine-hour days, six days a week, helping create sweaters and other knitwear bound for Europe, Canada and Australia. In an industry where the turnover is extremely high, many of the workers such as Begum have been here for almost a decade. It's easy to see why: The starting wage is $51 a month -- higher than the industry average of $35. They are trained in first aid. And they appoint a representative who airs their grievances to management. In other words, the accusations that bedevil the industry now -- safety issues, workers rights, low pay -- are addressed here. "We get paid on time. If Friday is a holiday, we get paid a day earlier," Begum said. We spoke to several workers at Lakhsmi and asked them to speak freely about their conditions. They seemed content. It turns out that medium-sized factories such as this aren't the ones creating the headlines. They are tailored for the task, they meet safety standards and they pass inspections. The problem children are the many, many factories that have mushroomed in and around Dhaka that rent space in facilities where they have no business being: shopping malls or office buildings that aren't equipped to handle the heavy machinery the trade requires. Opinion: Stop cashing in on Bangladeshi workers . Fly-by-night operations . Until now, the government has turned a blind eye to the problem. After all, the factories were boosting employment -- even if they were doing so in spaces crammed to the hilt with workers with zero safety regulations. Since 2005, almost 2,000 garment workers have been killed in factory fires and structure collapse. And all of them have been at such small, unregulated factories. These facilities don't directly deal with Western clothiers. When a company in the United States places an order, it does so with a large or a medium-sized factory that most likely lives up to the company's standards for a decent wage and working conditions. But, just like a contractor working on your home will farm out parts of the job to others, these factories sometimes do the same -- to smaller, fly-by-night operations. And with business booming, with a greater demand for goods and with the need to keep costs down so the consumers in the West can continue to purchase cheap shirts, such passing-of-the-buck has become more commonplace. Changes afoot? But the Rana Plaza disaster may change all that. The shopping mall in the Dhaka suburb of Savar was built on swampland, with the owner adding four more floors to what was once a five-story structure, officials said. It housed five garment factories and generators on the fourth floor to keep them buzzing. It collapsed April 24, killing more than 1,100 and ranking as the deadliest industrial disaster in the country. The outrage over the disaster reached such a fever pitch that the government said it will form a committee to raise the minimum wage of garment workers. The Cabinet also approved the draft of a law that will allow workers to unionize and force factories to offer life insurance. For its part, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturing and Export Association said it too is taking additional steps. Until now, it had standards for workplace safety but not for the structural safety of a building. "Before this Rana Plaza incident, BGMEA did not have the technical know-how people to check the structural design. We didn't have any civil engineers," said Reza Bin Mahmood, vice president with the association. Those inspections have now begun. But with more than 4,500 factories, the task is daunting. "It's not an easy job. And we cannot finish it by overnight," he said, urging that the factories be improved and updated with money from retailers. Bangladesh vs. U.S.: How much does it cost to make a denim shirt? Spurred to action . Some international retailers are doing just that. More than a dozen European clothiers signed on to a plan to help prevent fire and building collapses in Bangladesh. The five-year plan calls for independent safety inspections and for companies to publicly report the findings. It also requires retailers to help finance fire safety and building improvements in factories with which they work. Companies who sign on will have to terminate business with any factory that refuses to make necessary safety upgrades. But many U.S. retailers, including Wal-Mart, have not signed on. Wal-Mart said it will perform its own inspections and provide every worker with fire safety. Over at Lakhsmi, the changes for the industry are welcome ones. Here, workers are assigned as fire wardens and extinguishers hang on the walls on each floor. "At times, I feel ashamed to be in this trade," Rahman, the factory owner, said. "Not for me but (because) somebody from this trade has done this irresponsible thing and took so many lives. "This is just not done. It should not be repeated again." Bangladesh, Myanmar prepare for cyclone . Hong Kong calls on Bangladesh to fill worker shortage .

Factories that follow the rules worry about an unfair backlash from the Rana Plaza disaster . Since 2005, almost 2,000 garment workers have been killed in accidents . All of them have occurred at factories with little oversight . The Savar disaster has spurred retailers, the industry and the government into action .

873d8871f2d3f17f0c1c9373e0969007e2473645

It has become a craze with humans, and even pets have been getting in on the act. And now, it seems, even wild fish have been infected with photobombing, judging from these pictures of Gavin, who has become the main attraction for divers near Green Island, off Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The bright yellow and blue parrotfish loves nothing better than getting his toothy grin in people's pictures as tourists pose with him in his underwater world. Scroll down for video . Poser: Gavin, a parrot fish, loves nothing more than sidling up to divers for pictures in the Great Barrier Reef . Smiiiiile: Gavin proves that photobombing isn't the preserve of humans as he swims up for another underwater picture . Too close for comfort? This girl looks slightly unnerved as Gavin flashes his big white teeth but he is harmless . Say cheese: Gavin strikes again and poses for another photo. The brightly-coloured fish spends about six hours a day making mischief with tour parties . Photobombing is genuinely considered to ruin people's pictures but, as these snaps reveal, tourists are delighted when he becomes part of their holiday memories. Karl Kuhle, general manager for Seawalker Australia, said grinning Gavin had become something of a celebrity. He said: 'Gavin's been around for a couple of years now, and he looks forward to coming over and grinning his lovely little head off at all our guests. 'He does seem to actually swim up for his photo, and with a free feed on offer and gorgeous females for company, who wouldn't be smiling? 'Seriously though, in some photos he seems to have less of a grin than others, but I reckon he's still having a ball.' Centre of attention: Gavin loves stealing the limelight but is equally happy playing with his mates once the tours have packed up for the day . Pucker: Some might say Gavin has a bit of a narcissistic streak as he sidles up for another snap . Karl said the diving tours operate within the guidelines of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to ensure conservation. Bluebarred parrotfish like Gavin grow up to 1m-long and to 6.5kg in weight. Their teeth in both jaws are fused into a parrot-like peak. Adults normally swim alone and feed by scraping algae from the reef and coral. Gavin and his species are vital to the reef-building process because they crush rubble and dead coral into sand as they feed. He said: 'We feed less than 1kg of approved fish food per day to the hundreds of fish that like Gavin, enjoy meeting Seawalker guests. 'Our staff do the feeding, not the guests, but they get to enjoy watching him come up and grin into their faces as he swipes a little feed. 'I would realistically expect that from a conservation viewpoint there is little difference , regulations help ensure this, by our presence in the water. 'We operate for less than six hours a day, so Gav and his mates are off elsewhere or just hanging around for the other 18 or so hours.'

Fish can't resist hijacking divers' photographs by the Great Barrier Reef .

64a717ceccf8da58969caf3248e4b0845137b359

Coasting schools in middle-class areas will be targeted by government hit squads if they fail to improve, David Cameron warned last night. The Prime Minister said former head teachers could be sent in to turn round schools in affluent areas which inspectors believe should be doing far better. He made his pledge ahead of an announcement today of a rescue package for 500 of England’s worst schools. Scroll down for video . David Cameron, on a visit to Ark Charter Academy in Portsmouth today, vowed to target schools in middle-class areas for whom there is no excuse for poor performance, as well as institutions tackling poverty . Local experts, including ex-heads, will be sent in to get rid of poor teachers, beef up curriculums and implement tough disciplinary regimes. Mr Cameron will also announce a central pool of the best teachers, who would be sent into failing schools. He wants 1,500 such ‘crack teachers’ in a National Teacher Service by 2020. In an article for the Daily Mail the Prime Minister warns that the powers would not only be used for failing schools contending with poverty, violence and lack of aspiration in the poorest communities, but also in middle-class areas where schools have no excuses for poor performance. He said: ‘We will look at what they can do for … what I call coasting schools … Every day a school fails is a day too long. So these measures will happen fast.’ The intervention follows a damning Ofsted report warning of a culture of low-level disruption and disrespect in schools. The education watchdog said last month that misbehaviour was part of ‘everyday life’ in the classroom, with teachers estimating they lose up to an hour a day to indiscipline – equivalent to 38 days’ teaching a year. Mr Cameron said he wanted all parents to have access to schools as good as the state primary his daughter Florence attends. ‘We all know the difference good teaching makes,’ he said. ‘The moment when an interest was sparked, a subject was mastered, or a career was inspired – these turning points can so often be traced back to one special teacher. 'So I want every child in Britain to have access to great teaching. ‘It will remain my mission to give every parent that sense of security – the knowledge that their child’s education really is helping them to reach their potential and succeed in life.’ Mr Cameron will unveil the rescue package alongside Education Secretary Nicky Morgan today. The plans –not signed off by the Liberal Democrats – will be part of the Tory manifesto. There are already eight ‘regional schools commissioners’ including ex-heads, who oversee free schools and academies. Regional schools commissioners can be sent into coasting schools, and will be given sweeping powers to implement new discipline codes, being in behaviour specialists, and dispose of failing staff . Mr Cameron and Education Secretary Nicky Morgan (centred) later posed for a group photograph with almost 200 head teachers from 300 free schools from across the country, at a reception held in London . Teachers should take an oath to commit themselves to the values of their profession, says Labour’s Tristram Hunt. The party’s education spokesman said it would be like the Hippocratic oath taken by doctors and would ‘elevate’ teachers’ status. But last night a Conservative spokesman dismissed the idea as a ‘patronising gimmick’. Mr Hunt believes the practice would emphasise teachers’ responsibility ‘to provide a sense of moral purpose and virtue’ to pupils. He was inspired by an oath taken by teachers in Singapore. Mr Cameron wants to expand their reach to immediate intervention in any state school deemed ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted. The RSCs will be able to instruct schools to implement new policies on standards, discipline and leadership. Their new powers, which will cover 500 schools with 100,000 pupils, will be developed after consultation with teachers. They may include allowing RSCs to recommend a tariff of punishments for bad behaviour. Other ideas include bringing in behaviour specialists. The experts could make immediate personnel changes to the governing body to improve the calibre of leadership and ensure it has the necessary skills to improve. Mr Cameron will also announce that a Tory government will set up a National Teaching Service, a central pool of high-quality teachers who can be seconded to poor- performing schools. Mrs Morgan said: ‘Labour failed an entire generation, breaking our education system … Our plan for education is clearing up Labour’s mess … targeting the schools where failure has become ingrained. 'We will not tolerate failure, and where we find it we will use tried and trusted interventions to turn things around in the interests of young people everywhere.’ Mr Cameron added: ‘We want to build a Britain with an education system that helps our children reach their potential … That’s why we’re going to rescue 500 schools and help 100,000 children get new opportunities.’ Tristram Hunt, Labour’s education spokesman, said it was ‘this government’s damaging schools policy that has failed pupils’, adding that ministers were ‘trying to play catch-up’. 'I want your children to have what Florence has, a top rate education in a brilliant state school' Taking my four-year-old daughter Florence to school for the first time is something I won’t forget. All parents know that feeling – the apprehension as you let go of your child’s hand and watch them run across the playground towards their new friends. But what gave me peace of mind, what made it a little easier to walk away, was knowing that Florence is being taught at a brilliant state primary school. I want for your children what I have for my own, because no child in Britain should be born to have a second-rate education. We have made good progress, with rigour in the curriculum, discipline in the classroom, and well-respected qualifications on exam certificates. Because these aren’t just letters on a piece of paper – they’re our children’s ticket to a better, brighter future. Labour failed to do these things. Subjects like maths and English were dumbed down. The number of teenagers studying academic GCSEs, like science, halved. Businesses wouldn’t employ school leavers because they lacked basic skills. And as countries like Singapore and Poland were raising the bar in education, Labour just moved the goalposts, making it twice as easy to get an A* or A – with nearly a quarter of all pupils achieving the top grades. We are creating more good schools, freeing teachers from the constraints imposed by local councils and establishing 4,200 Academies. We have helped 250 groups of parents, teachers, charities and businesses set up their own schools – Free Schools. We have toughened up the National Curriculum to make it truly rigorous. And our plan is working: 800,000 more children are in good or outstanding schools; nearly 250,000 fewer are in failing schools. There are Free Schools that are sending as many pupils to Oxbridge as independent schools. There are former failing schools which, as Academies, have become beacons of achievement. One is St Luke’s in Portsmouth. Fourteen years ago, not a single pupil achieved five A* to C grades at GCSE, including maths and English. Today, as an Academy, it boasts 68 per cent A* to C grades. We know the ingredients of a great state school: great teachers, great leadership and an intolerance of failure – and freedom for those great teachers. Now we want to go further. First, we will get more brilliant teachers into the schools that need them most. With programmes like Teach First, more top graduates are training to be teachers than ever before. But we will go further. A National Teaching Fellowship will pay the best of the best to work in failing or inadequate schools. I want to see 1,500 of these top teachers signed up and in post by 2020. That means two in every school; every child within reach of first-class teaching. We all know the difference good teaching makes. The moment when an interest was sparked, a subject was mastered, or a career was inspired – these turning points can so often be traced back to one special teacher. 'The moment when an interest was sparked, a subject was mastered, or a career was inspired - these turning points can so often be traced back to one special teacher' Second, we will get to grips with failing schools. There are still too many in our country – 500 of them teaching 100,000 of our children. Currently there are eight regional school commissioners overseeing all Free Schools and Academies. We will give these experts, who include former teachers, a wider remit: unprecedented powers to overhaul failing schools. If it’s the leadership that’s not working, they can make them remove it – reappointing the whole governing body if they have to. If the curriculum isn’t up to scratch, they can change it. They can issue new disciplinary measures for bad behaviour. They can pair up failing schools with good local schools. And if they succeed, we will look at what they can do for schools that are said to ‘require improvement’ – what I call coasting schools. When it comes to our children’s education, we don’t have a year to waste. Every day a school fails is a day too long. So these measures will happen fast. After her first month at school, Florence is coming home every day repeating things she has heard her teacher say, excited to learn more. It will remain my mission to give every parent that sense of security – the knowledge that their child’s education really is helping them to reach their potential and succeed in life.

Cameron takes on schools in affluent areas who should be doing better . Plans include talent pool of 1,500 'crack teachers' to send into failing schools . Staff would beef up discipline, sack failing staff and improve behaviour . Made pledge ahead of package to turn around England's worst institutions .

3a0c9a8efd011f0fc4cdd65a652cf250b2964abb

He denies having an affair with another woman while his wife Elizabeth Vargas was in rehab for alcohol abuse. But now Marc Cohn is admitting the married couple of 12 years are dealing with their fair share of difficulties. In a statement to People, the Grammy-winning songwriter reveals 'long-standing issues' exist in his relationship with the 20/20 anchor. Issues: Marc Cohn revealed there are 'long-standing issues' with his marriage to 20/20 anchor Elizabeth Vargas, pictured here together in 2012 . 'I will not comment on what is an extremely sensitive and private family matter – addiction and recovery are serious challenges and it's been a tough road for all of us,' Cohn told the magazine. 'I have been supportive of Elizabeth in the past – and will continue to be – regardless of the long-standing issues in our relationship.' While he does not go into further detail regarding those issues, Marc is making reference to reports that he had an affair with another woman- the couple's mutual friend Ruth Zuckerman- after he was spotted having dinner with her shortly after Vargas returned to Manhattan from rehab. Rumours: With the cheating allegations and his wife's stint in rehab, Cohn said 'it's been a tough road for all of us', pictured here in December 2012 . A source close to the magazine said Cohn 'has a strong emotional investment in how the story is told because his primary concern are his kids and he doesn't want to look like a bad guy when he's not.' The source further added, 'It's a complicated situation since what seems new in the public is a longstanding challenge for them over the years.' Despite the cheating allegations, the Walking In Memphis songwriter has tried to remain tight-lipped. 'I have no comment regarding vicious rumors about a so-called “affair,”' he told MailOnline through a spokesperson. Friend or foe: The affair was reported when a friend spotted Cohn having dinner with he and Elizabeths' mutual friend Ruth Zuckerman, one of the founders of Flywheel Sports spin studios . 'I have encouraged and supported Elizabeth's recovery as her years of struggle have been hard on everyone. Out of deference to my family's privacy, I will not comment further.' Sources have confirmed to MailOnline that Vargas and Cohn are still living together and have not separated, but his side suggested that it is because he wants to remain as 'a stabilizing force for both Elizabeth and the children'. Adding to the love triangle is the fact that both Vargas and Cohn were friends with Zuckerman, the divorced head of Flywheel Sports, ahead of the alleged affair. They met her by taking spinning classes at her workout chain. Unidentified sources told MailOnline that in spite of the allegations, Cohn and Vargas are still living together and have not separated. Opening up: Vargas spoke on The View in February about her recovery and how her husband was the one to alert her to a dependency problem . The source also said that they never separated and were still a couple both during and after Vargas' treatment in spite of the reports that a friend spotted Cohn having dinner with Zuckerman near the Flywheel outpost in Manhattan's Flatiron district at some point after her treatment ended. Vargas left the treatment program in mid-November and then gave several interviews when she returned to work in January. A different friend told The New York Post said that Cohn and Zuckerman had been more than friends for more than just one meal. 'It was disgusting that he was with Ruth while Elizabeth was in rehab,' the source told The Post. Legal definitions: Friends of Cohn, known best for his hit 'Walking in Memphis', said that he has not moved out or ended his relationship with Vargas. Zuckerman, right, is divorced . Friends of the 'Walking in Memphis' singer denied that anything untoward happened in the first place and said that Cohn and Vargas had separated but MailOnline's sources denied that any a split had ever happened. Cohn, 54, and Vargas, 51, were introduced by Andre Agassi at the U.S. Open in 1999. They dated for three years before getting married in 2002 and Vargas gave birth to their first son Zachary six months later. Their second son Sam was born in 2006. During her post-treatment interviews, Vargas said that her husband was the one who encouraged her to get help for her alcohol dependency. 'Mark has been extremely supportive of Elizabeth over the years and its been a long haul,' a friend close to the family told MailOnline.

Marc Cohn has issued a statement admitting 'long-standing issues' in his marriage to Elizabeth Vargas . Cohn has denied having 'a so-called "affair"' with Flywheel Sports co-founder Ruth Zuckerman . He said the private family matter has been 'a tough road for all of us' Vargas went to rehab for alcoholism last fall and a friend reportedly spotted Cohn having dinner with Zuckerman after Vargas was back . Sources told MailOnline that Cohn and Vargas are still living together and have never separated .

c659a100f37513d37e08d4bbd55790b77eb999c0

By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 23:19 EST, 18 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:35 EST, 19 December 2012 . Three State Department officials, including two who oversaw security decisions at the diplomatic embassy in Benghazi, resigned under pressure Wednesday, less than a day after a damning report blamed management failures for a lack of security at the U.S. building in Libya where militants killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans on Sept. 11. Eric Boswell, the assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security, and Charlene Lamb, the deputy assistant secretary responsible for embassy security, have stepped down. A third official, who works for the Bureau of Near East Affairs, has also stepped down but hasn't yet been identified. The independent investigation of the Benghazi attack said poor leadership in both bureaus left the Benghazi mission underprotected. It concluded that management . and leadership failures in the State Department led to 'grossly' poor security at the U.S. consulate. Scroll down for video . Resignations: Eric Boswell was responsible for diplomats security and Charlene Lamb was in charge of security for the embassy in Benghazi . Attack: A U.S. ambassador and three other Americans were killed in the terror strike that occurred on the eleventh anniversary of 9/11 . 'Systematic . failures and leadership and management deficiencies at senior levels . within two bureaus of the State Department resulted in a Special Mission . security posture that was inadequate for Benghazi and grossly . inadequate to deal with the attack that took place,' the panel said. The report singled out the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Bureau of Near East Affairs for criticism, saying there appeared to be a lack of cooperation and confusion over protection at the mission in Benghazi, a city in Eastern Libya that was relatively lawless after the revolution that toppled Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi. Despite those failures, the Accountability Review Board determined that no individual officials ignored or violated their duties and recommended no disciplinary action now. But it also said poor performance by senior managers should be grounds for disciplinary recommendations in the future. The report appeared to break little new ground about the timeline of the Benghazi attack during which Libyan Ambassador Chris Stevens, information specialist Sean Smith and former Navy SEALs Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods - who were contractors working for the CIA - were killed. Burning issue: Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed in a six-hour, commando-style attack on the consulate in Benghazi . Stevens' slaying was the first of a U.S. ambassador since 1988. But it confirmed that contrary to initial accounts, there was no protest outside the consulate and said responsibility for the incident rested entirely with the terrorists who attacked the mission. In the immediate aftermath of the attack, administration officials linked the attack to the spreading protests over an American-made, anti-Islamic film that had begun in Cairo earlier that day. Those comments came after evidence already pointed to a distinct militant attack. U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice appeared on numerous TV talk shows the Sunday after the attack and used the administration talking points linking it to the film. Derailed: Susan Rice appeared on numerous talk shows after the attack and used talking points linking it to the anti-Islam film . An ensuing brouhaha in the heat of the presidential campaign eventually led her to withdraw her name from consideration to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state in President Obama's second term. The review board determined that there had been no immediate, specific tactical warning of a potential attack on the 11th anniversary of 9/11. However, the report said there had been several worrisome incidents in the run-up to the attack that should have set off warning bells. While criticizing State Department management in Washington along with the local militia force and contract guards that the mission depended on for protection, the report said U.S. personnel on the ground in Benghazi 'performed with courage and readiness to risk their lives to protect their colleagues in a near-impossible situation.' It said the response by Diplomatic Security agents on the scene and CIA operatives at a nearby compound that later came under attack itself had been 'timely and appropriate' but absolved the military from any blame. 'There was simply not enough time for armed U.S. military assets to have made a difference.' The State Department sent a classified version of the report to lawmakers on Tuesday and shortly thereafter released an unclassified version. The report made 29 recommendations to improve embassy security, particularly at high threat posts. In an accompanying letter to Congress, Clinton thanked the board for its 'clear-eyed, serious look at serious systemic challenges' and said she accepted all the recommendations. Killed: Ambassador Christopher Stevens (left) died of smoke inhalation, while agent Sean Smith (right) died in a . desperate battle with insurgents . Heroic: Former Navy SEALs Glen Doherty (left) and Tyrone Woods (right) were killed in a mortar attack . Some of those challenges were revealed in earlier congressional hearings when several State Department officials discussed competing demands for security and cost prohibitions. Clinton said the department had already begun to implement some of the recommendations. They include increasing by several hundred the number of Marine guards stationed at diplomatic missions throughout the world, relying less on local security forces for protection at embassies, consulates and other offices, and increasing hiring and deployment of highly trained Diplomatic Security agents at at-risk posts. Members of local Libyan militias provided some security around the consulate, but in the attack it became unclear whose side they were on. The report also called on Congress to . fully fund the State Department's security initiative, noting that . budget constraints in the past had led some management officials to . emphasize savings over security despite numerous requests from the . Benghazi mission and embassy in Tripoli for enhanced protection. Inferno: Armed attackers dumped cans of diesel fuel and set ablaze the consulate's exterior . Siege: The compound came under heavy mortar and gunfire during the attack, which lasted several hours . 'For many years the State Department has been engaged in a struggle to obtain the resources necessary to carry out its work with varying degrees of success,' it said. This has led to efficiencies but also 'had the effect of conditioning a few State Department managers to favor restricting the use of resources as a general orientation.' It said the number of Diplomatic Security staff in Benghazi before and on the day of the attack 'was inadequate despite repeated requests ... for additional staffing.' 'The solution requires a more serious and sustained commitment from Congress to support State Department needs, which, in total, constitute a small percentage of the full national budget and that spent for national security,' it said. 'Congress must do its part to meet this challenge and provide necessary resources.' On her way out: In a letter to lawmakers, Clinton urged Congress to support the State Department's security requests . Congress has denied some funding requests from the State Department for more security. In her letter to lawmakers, Clinton urged Congress to support the department's security requests, noting that 'all of us ... have a responsibility to provide the men and women serving this country with the best possible security and support.' Retired Ambassador Thomas Pickering and a former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, Adm Mike Mullen, led the independent review, studying thousands of pages of cables and other documents, hours of video and intelligence and interviewing more than 100 people, including survivors. They will testify before the House and Senate foreign affairs committees behind closed doors on Wednesday. On Thursday, the State Department's two deputy secretaries, William Burns and Thomas Nides, will testify in open sessions before the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Clinton was to have appeared at Thursday's hearing but canceled after fainting and sustaining a concussion last week while recovering from a stomach virus that dehydrated her. She is under doctors' orders to rest. The Benghazi attack has highlighted the larger question of how U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers can do their jobs in unstable environments, as al-Qaeda spreads across Africa, without also expanding their security. Diplomats have said that overreacting to the attack could produce what some are calling a 'Benghazi effect' that would wall them off from the people they are supposed to be engaging. In her letter to lawmakers, Clinton said, 'We will never prevent every act of terrorism or achieve perfect security' but she stressed that 'our diplomats cannot work in bunkers.' 'We must accept a level of risk to protect this country we love and to advance our interests and values around the world,' she said.

State Department officials Eric Boswell, responsible for diplomats security, and Charlene Lamb, embassy security, have resigned . Their decisions follow an independent panel's finding that leadership and management were 'grossly' inadequate at the time of the Benghazi strike . A third, as yet unnamed official, who works for the Bureau of Near East Affairs has also resigned . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she accepts 29 recommendations by independent panel .

d1cbaa6d3f5bb29ff64c071b31f86996ada859a3

By . Pete Jenson . Gareth Bale was predictably made to carry the can for Real Madrid’s defeat last night with the image of him doing up his laces as Sevilla scored the winner plastered over every single sports page. Diario AS detailed the minute-by-minute of his decision to change his boots midway through the second half as Sevilla attacked down his right flank and scored the goal that could end up losing Real Madrid the title. On 70 minutes 34 seconds Bale took advantage of a Sevilla substitution to change footwear but he was still on the sidelines on 71 minutes 53 seconds when Carlos Bacca scored. The ill-timed pit-stop did not finish until 72 minutes 30 seconds when Bales came back on with the game out of Real Madrid’s control. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Marcelo: We ask the Real Madrid fans to forgive us . What? Gareth Bale is left confused during Real Madrid's title-damaging defeat to Sevilla on Wednesday night . Down: Cristiano Ronaldo (left) holds his heads in his hands as another chance goes begging against Sevilla . Painful: Xabi Alonso (left) and Luka Modric struggle to come to terms with the game slipping away . The rollicking Bale received from Cristiano Ronaldo was also covered in detail as the Madrid press carried out the inquest on the first time in five years that they had lost two consecutive matches in the league. Xabi Alsono tried to play down the incident saying: 'All the players were upset with themselves for the defeat.' But Ronaldo’s anger is clearly directed at Bale as he blasts a late free-kick off target with Ronaldo feeling he should have taken the kick. 'He comes from the cradle of rugby - perhaps that is why he puts so many over the bar,” sniped Diario AS’ resident critic Tomas Roncero. Are you serious? Real Madrid's Marcelo (right) and Daniel Carvajal query a decision from the referee . Heads down: Ronaldo can't hide his disappointment as he trudges off as the Sevilla players appeal for a decision . on the floor: Ronaldo takes a tumble after another attempt to get Real back in the game comes to nothing . Joy: Ronaldo celebrates scoring a deflected free kick earlier in the match - but Real still ended up losing . It is customary for Bale and Ronaldo to share free-kick taking duties and on the night both had been woefully off target. Ronaldo had scored from a first half set-piece but only because the ball hit Sevilla’s Carlos Bacca on the arm to divert it past Beto in the Sevilla goal. Diaro AS rounded off its savage criticism of Bale saying: 'He did not respond to the importance of the game. He made the wrong decisions even upsetting Ronaldo.' Marca went slightly easier on Bale saying he had not been the only player out of position when Sevilla scored. But elsewhere he was slated and given a five out of 10 rating alongside the comment: 'It seems he plays better when he has injury problems.' Madrid’s embarrassment was made complete by the fact that their misfiring 250m euros forward line, had been outdone by Carlos Bacca, a former bus conductor who cost 8m in the summer.

Real Madrid lost 2-1 at Sevilla, leaving them three points behind Atletico Madrid and two points behind Barcelona in the La Liga title race . Gareth Bale was off the pitch changing his boots as Sevilla's Carlos Bacca scored the winning goal . The Spanish media has made Bale out to be the scapegoat for this title-damaging defeat after a mediocre performance . Cristiano Ronaldo was also seen to remonstrate with Bale after the Welshman blazed a free kick off target . Last night was the first time Real have lost two straight league for five years .

86bc5ac996ae57fe112354c9330a55a40bf76b15

A woman who found a brown snake under her caravan tried to smoke the deadly reptile out - with disastrous consequences. Police were called to the woman's Berry Springs home, 40 minutes drive south of Darwin in the Northern Territory, on Wednesday night after snake wranglers failed to remove the deadly snake from the premises. After hatching a plan over a few 'cold drinks', the woman lit a fire underneath her caravan. The result: the caravan, and the shed it was in, burned to the ground. A woman burned down her caravan and the shed it was in after she found a brown snake slithering underneath . A Northern Territory Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia there were no injuries but the woman's caravan was destroyed. 'She decided to light a fire to try and flush it out and instead she burnt down her caravan,' she said. 'Emergency services were called. They extinguished the blaze however the caravan is pretty much destroyed completely.' Emergency services were called to the scene after the blaze got out of control . Fire and emergency crews were called to the woman's home at about 8:30pm on Wednesday after she saw a brown snake underneath her caravan and set it alight . Fire crews from nearby Humpty Doo were called to the woman's house about 8:30pm and managed to extinguish the blaze. 'She appears to have had a bit of a think about it and few cold drinks and decided that setting a fire under the caravan might be a way to get rid of this snake,' Police Duty Superintendent Del Jones told ABC. 'However, it just resulted in the caravan being incinerated.' The caravan was left in a pile of ashes and was completely destroyed . After hatching up a plan over a few 'cold drinks', the woman set a fire underneath her caravan, leaving it, and the shed it was in, in a pile of ashes . Police were not able to confirm whether or not the woman was successful in eradicating the snake from her property. 'Well, we don't know what happened to the snake,' Supt Jones said. Speaking to Northern Territory News, Constable Gary Palmer said the woman does not own any other properties in the area. 'The snake remains at large and the caravan has been eradicated.' 'Good news though, she does not own further caravans at this location.' Police, were called to the woman's Berry Springs, Northern Territory, home on Wednesday night after snake wranglers failed to remove the snake from the woman's premises . Police were not able to confirm whether or not the woman was successful in eradicating the snake from her property .

Northern Territory woman burned caravan to ground trying to scare snake . Was trying to 'smoke out' the snake underneath caravan . Over a few 'cold drinks' she lit the fire . The whole caravan and the shed it was in were incinerated . Snake's whereabouts are unknown .

c51269b8c0c9630c040e0036bcc99f3591701999

Daniel Sturridge gave Liverpool fans a boost as he took to social media to reveal he was on his way back to England following specialist rehabilitation in the United States. Sturridge posted a picture of himself on his official Instagram account with the lyrics to Kanye West and Chris Martin's track 'Homecoming'. The Liverpool ace also stated the obvious, England is cold in January! But the striker will soon be able to warm up properly as he edges closer to a return to full training. Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge reveals to fans that he is on his way back to Liverpool to continue his recovery . England international Sturridge has been sidelined since September with a long list of thigh and calf problems, but hopes to join his fellow team mates in full training this month . The striker has only played three games for Liverpool this season and hasn't featured since England's 1-0 win over Norway in September. However, manager Brendan Rodgers is hopeful that Sturridge will be fit to face former employers Chelsea in the League Cup later this month. Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson battle for the ball in training ahead of Saturday's Sunderland game . Rodgers will have his fingers crossed that the return of his star striker will help his stuttering side find form after a dismal first half of the season. In his absence,and with summer signings Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert struggling to hit form, Liverpool have lacked a cutting edge in front of goal; and find themselves eighth in the Premier League table, seven points adrift of the top four. Sturridge shouldn't have too many problems winning his place back from Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert . On Saturday Liverpool face a trip to Sunderlandas they look to secure back-to-back away wins for the first time this season. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will hope that his main striker returns sooner rather than later .

Daniel Sturridge is nearing full training after five months out . He used Instagram to tell fans he was on his way back to England . The striker has been undergoing specialist treatment in the United States . He is expected to make the League Cup tie with Chelsea on January 20 .

cca83e321b78cc95ebfaf60b28f63709f09a952a

By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 12:06 PM on 24th June 2011 . A burglar stabbed to death after an attempted break-in was on police bail for another burglary, it has emerged. Earlier this month, John Leonard Bennell, 27, from Hyde, Greater Manchester was arrested in Tamworth, by Staffordshire police on suspicion of burglary. The development comes after Peter Flanagan, 59, was arrested on suspicion of murder yesterday following the incident in Ethel Avenue, Salford. He remains in police custody this morning. Scene: A police officer stands outside the Flanagans' home in Salford . Evidence: Police surround a tent that covers the spot where the man who was stabbed was found . Two other people were also arrested, Neil Flanagan, 27, son of Peter Flanagan, and a woman, 21, but both have been released without charge today. Mr Bennell died from a stab wound to the chest following a 'disturbance' at the house. Four . men, wearing dark clothing and balaclavas, apparently tried to smash their way . through the back door of the terraced house just before midnight on Wednesday. Released: Neil Flanagan was taken into custody by police along with his girlfriend but the pair have been released without charge . The 21-year-old woman made a frantic 999 call for police to come to the property. The victim was then carried away by accomplices as they fled, it is believed. Neil Flanagan was held by police yesterday following the incident but has been released without charge . A . second call alerted officers to the victim a short distance from the . property and he was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police have made an appeal to the public to try to trace his three accomplices. The incident comes after David Cameron promised stronger support for people protecting their property from burglars. We . will put beyond doubt that homeowners and small shopkeepers who use . reasonable force to defend themselves or their properties will not be . prosecuted,' the Prime Minister said. Sylvia . Sharp-Cadigan, Mr Flanagan's next-door neighbour, said: 'I went to bed . at 10 o'clock and about 12 heard all this commotion, all voices. 'There were four police cars outside. 'I came down and said to the police 'What's going on?'. 'He said 'There's been a break-in'. 'I said 'Is anybody hurt?' and he said 'I can't say any more'.' Mrs Sharp-Cadigan, 67, said Mr Flanagan senior lived at the house with his son. Investigation: The house, which has been sealed off, backs on to scrubland. It is believed that the dead man was among a balaclava-clad gang trying to break in . Neighbour Sylvia Sharp-Cadiga revealed she was woken up by the 'commotion' She . described Mr Flanagan as a 'worker' who left early in the mornings and . his son as a 'lad' who had a lot of visitors to the house. She . added: 'We are all upset because it is a quiet little street, we never . have any bother. You don't like it on your own doorstep.' Mr Flanagan’s wife Valerie, who moved out of the home in 2000, was not at the property at the time. She said: ‘It’s such a terrible . incident. How anything like this  can happen to anyone I don’t know. My . husband is a great man and a great father – it’s such a shock.’ Mr Flanagan helped Neil run a construction company in Manchester until it was dissolved in 2007. One . neighbour said: ‘They’re just a normal family and I would never have . expected in a million years that they would have been caught up in . anything like this. ‘I’ve known the young lad Neil since he was born and I’ve known the family for years.' Probe: Chief Superintendent Kevin Mulligan outside Swinton police station . Another neighbour said: ‘We’re such a close community around here. 'It’s just so upsetting. Everyone is really surprised and shocked. We all try to support each other. 'Neil is my mate and he’s a hard-working normal young guy. His dad is an honest bloke that has lived in the area all his life.' The . house, part of a cul-de-sac, is next to an open area of scrubland close . to a council recycling centre in the Pendlebury area of Salford. A large area around the house was cordoned off by police tape as detectives continued their investigation. Forensic officers in white boiler suits could be seen entering the property and taking scene-of-crime photographs. Chief . Superintendent Kevin Mulligan, Salford divisional commander for Greater . Manchester Police, said yesterday: 'Clearly this is a shocking incident . and a man has lost his life. 'However, . I can reassure the community that we will thoroughly investigate what . happened last night and do not believe that members of the public are at . risk. 'I would urge anyone . who knows something to speak to officers from the major incident team . and anyone else who has other concerns can speak to my officers, who . will be providing an increased presence to provide the community with . reassurance.' Asked whether . the case raised issues over how far residents can go to protect . themselves, he said: 'We are investigating this matter within the legal . framework as it stands and I don't want to speculate on political . matters at this stage. 'If . somebody was confronted by a burglar tonight, I would tell them to ring . the police and use reasonable force to protect themselves.' Shami Chakrabarti, director of civil . rights group Liberty, said: ‘This is a problem not of law but the public . understanding of it. ‘Of course people facing intruders can use reasonable force to defend themselves. ‘But . saying that “burglars leave their rights at the threshold” is a recipe . for vigilante execution and mistaken killings of family members . returning home after dark.’ Briefing: Mr Mulligan talks to the media outside Swinton Police station, said: 'We are investigating this matter within the legal framework as it stands and I don't want to speculate on political matters at this stage' Patrol: Police had been at the scene since midnight when the 999 call was made . Debate: Civil rights campaigner . Shami Chakrabarti, left, said David Cameron's vow to enshrine homeowners' rights to defend themselves could end up being 'a recipe for vigilante execution and mistaken killings'

Officers found stabbed man after 'gang' dragged him away following 999 call . Police say case will be investigated 'within legal framework as it stands' Civil rights campaigner Shami Chakrabarti: Cameron law could be 'recipe for vigilante executions'

f544cf7f7fe64462c7bbe665b78e7c2df63b5717

By . James Chapman . Last updated at 11:59 PM on 5th January 2012 . Whitehall officials . are continuing to waste taxpayers’ money on everything from exotic pet . food, trips on the London Eye, exorbitant Eurostar tickets and fine . dining. Government . departments have to reveal any item that costs more than £500 as part of . a crackdown on public sector profligacy launched by the Coalition. Unfortunately, it seems mandarins are finding it hard to curb their expensive habits. At the Ministry of Justice, . more than £500 was spent at a pet food supplier which sells ‘high . quality food and supplements for the more exotic animals and birds to be . found in zoos, pet shops and homes.’ Officials there also spent £694 at . a website which provides ‘a catalogue service to record collectors in . the UK and overseas’. The . Department for Transport – which should know a thing or two about the . railways – spent £616 on one Eurostar ticket, which could have been . bought online for £69. ‘Speechwriting’ and ‘public speaking training’ cost the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs £2,870.63. Its staff also charged taxpayers £1,007.40 for canapes served at the . Darwin Lecture, an event hosted by environment minister Richard Benyon . in London. Defra officials . also enjoyed the Indian food at the upmarket Cinnamon Club in . Westminster, spending £777 entertaining guests from the Organisation for . Economic Co-operation and Development. From June 2010 until June 2011, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, meanwhile, spent £297,395.43 flying flags. Extravagance: Officials in the Department for Transport spent £616 on one Eurostar ticket which could have been bought online for £69 . The Home Office charged . taxpayers £1,934 on corporate hospitality from the ‘watchfromabox’ website and £1,695 for trips on the London Eye. Large bills have also been run up by other Government departments at top London restaurants. Shadow . Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Rachel Reeves, said: ‘Before the . election David Cameron promised to act immediately to cut waste, and . said Conservatives loathe waste. Crackdown: David Cameron has pledged to crackdown on Government profligacy . ‘But we now know that 710,000 public . servants are losing their jobs, including 16,000 police officers. At the . same time as they are cutting front line services, families are facing . the biggest squeeze in their incomes in a generation. ‘It is unacceptable for the Government to waste money while schools, hospital and transport budgets are all being hit hard. ‘Has . the Prime Minister challenged his ministers on their spending on exotic . pet food, extortionate Eurostar tickets and canapes? ‘People . will rightly want to see a full explanation for spending on these . items.’ Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude, however, stressed that . billions of pounds have been saved on public spending thanks to the . Coalition’s decision to make Britain ‘the world leader in transparency’. ‘This lets the public hold us to account: it is not always comfortable but always salutary,’ he said. The . Government is also clamping down on the ‘abuse’ of government credit . cards, making public bodies open their spending up to public scrutiny. Freedom of information requests revealed that under Labour, staff at the . Government Offices for the Regions – a collection of regional quangos – . used the cards to buy yoga equipment, American holidays and even video . games. House of Commons . officials also ran up a bill of £1.5million on their own procurement . cards on items including French lessons, iTunes and ceremonial shoes for . the Speaker. Last night a Ministry of Justice source said the exotic pet food it bought would have been for specially trained prison dogs. ‘The . Government procurement card is only used for essential departmental . business and we have a zero tolerance policy on abuse of the system,’ he . added. ‘Disciplinary . action will be taken against staff where there is evidence of . wrongdoing. The MoJ is committed to transparency and public . accountability.’

Department for Transport spent £616 on ONE Eurostar ticket... which could be bought for £69 online . House of Commons spends £1.5million on procurement cards including money spent with iTunes and ceremonial shoes for the speaker . Ministry of Justice spent £500 with pet food supplier .

5b58ec4d6f8413a6ed1c9945fbe990c1c406b578

The cost to taxpayers of refurbishing the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Kensington  Palace apartment has quadrupled – to £4million. Building work on the 22-plus room home has soared by £3million in the last year and includes the bill for William and Kate’s new kitchen and several bathrooms, the Mail can reveal. The vast project has seen Apartment 1A, which had been used as office space since the death of Princess Margaret, transformed into a ‘family home’. Scroll down for video . Fantastic: The Cupola room - part of the King's State apartments at Kensington Palace. Renovations of the couple's Palace flat have now reached £4million . Spectacular: The impressive King's Gallery - also part of the State Apartments. The royals will enjoy a new kitchen, several bathrooms and a new nursery for Prince George thanks to the taxpayer . Nation's treasure: London's Kensington Palace and its formal gardens. The royals will move in to Apartment 1A - which has been empty following the death of Princess Margaret . Although the couple are personally paying for all fixtures and fittings like curtains, carpets and furniture, the cost of building their new bedroom and even Prince George’s nursery has come from the public purse. One courtier last night insisted that the Kensington Palace project actually offered taxpayers ‘great value’ given the state of the crumbling apartment. But questions will be asked as to whether Buckingham Palace, which has forked out for the refurbishment, is spending public money wisely. Cuts to the Queen’s funding led to a dramatic battle between courtiers and the previous Government. Senior officials – who admitted at one point that the monarch was down to her last £1million in the bank – accused ministers of leaving them with a £40million backlog of essential work to royal residences. Just a few years ago Princess Anne was almost hit by a piece of falling masonry in the crumbling courtyard at Buckingham Palace, while staff are regularly forced to use buckets to catch the rain from its leaky roof. Not extravagant: The Duke and Duchess with Prince George and dog Lupo at their apartment window . From above: The royal residence - with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's apartment pictured in the foreground. A courtier insisted the renovations were 'great value' given the scale of the project . Move: The royal couple, who used to live in Notthingham Cottage where Prince Harry now resides, have spent millions transforming Princess Margaret's apartment . Following a comprehensive review of royal finances, the Queen now receives a Sovereign Grant to spend as she wishes on her residences and official duties. The sum was £37.9million in 2014-15. The Mail understands that a ‘significant proportion’ of the money set aside for essential repairs and maintenance has been spent on William and Kate’s new home. MPs have already questioned the use of money on private accommodation after discovering that £1million had been spent in 2012/2013. They were due to be told that the bill for Apartment 1A has spiralled to £4million, including VAT, when the Queen’s accounts are laid before Parliament on Wednesday. But after being contacted by the Mail with the figures, Buckingham Palace was forced to reveal details of the full cost. A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess said the Palace is their ‘one and only official residence’, where they will live for ‘many years to come’. But it was last refurbished in 1963 and needed a ‘significant amount of work’ to make it habitable again. He added: ‘The work included significant costs for the removal of asbestos, the installation of a new roof, the complete overhaul of electrics and plumbing and a significant amount of internal building work to return the residence to function as a living space. Facelift: Renovation work is started on the central London building. Following a comprehensive review of royal finances, the Queen now receives a Sovereign Grant to spend as she wishes on her residences and official duties . External work: More renovations are made on the building. A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess said the Palace is their 'one and only official residence', where they will live for 'many years to come' ‘To put it in perspective, there wasn’t even any running water.’ Because the palace is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, the refurbishment had to be of a high standard to meet English Heritage guidelines. In 2012/13 initial internal refurbishments cost £600,000 and the renewal of the apartment’s roof a further £400,000. It was indicated that further costs were to come, but nothing approaching the final bill revealed today. The couple, who also own Anmer Hall, a Norfolk country mansion given to them by the Queen, finally moved into the palace apartment last autumn after more than a year of building work. Margaret Hodge, chairman of the Commons public accounts committee, last night said the bill would not go down well with either Parliament or the public. She said: ‘This is money coming out of the public purse at a time of great austerity and I am doubtful whether this is something the public would endorse. Former home: Princess Margaret in her drawing room - which William and Kate will now call home . 'And with so many people of the same age struggling to get on the property ladder, trying to scrape together a minimal deposit, then you would have thought they would show more sensitivity.’ But the spokesman for the couple insisted that they had done everything possible to keep the costs down, adding: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge paid privately for all the internal furnishing, including carpets and curtains. They were also at pains to ensure that the specification is not extravagant.’ A Buckingham Palace spokesman added: ‘This is a major Royal Household project that is specifically being created, driven and owned by us, not them. It is essential they have a home and this needed to be made into one. ‘The vast majority of these costs have gone on simply trying to make it habitable again.’

Cost of Kensington Palace refurbishment soared by £3million in past year . Vast project has seen Princess Margaret's former home transformed . Includes new kitchen, bathrooms and nursery for Prince George . Royal couple will be paying for all fixtures and fittings, carpets and furniture . One courtier insisted project was 'great value' given former state of flat .

3965623397df8906026a3208d7b4de99f7f98aa4

(CNN) -- Ask a small farmer in Indonesia about the impact of the global financial crisis on his daily life and he will answer, "Crisis? What crisis?" As farmers, we know what a big crisis is. In 1997, we saw the collapse of the whole economy, driving thousands of unemployed construction and industry workers back to the villages, where their families already had difficulties making ends meet. But the current situation is different and raises some worrying alarm bells. Although national industry keeps hiring workers and new infrastructure projects continue to pop up, our daily life has worsened on several fronts. The most noticeable change is the increased pressure on agricultural land. Thousands of small farmers have been evicted from the fields they have cultivated for generations, because local or national authorities are giving concessions to large companies to exploit the land. Many Indonesian farmers do not have any clear land titles, as it is estimated that only 40% of ownership can be proven by formal certificates. Moreover, some territories on the national mapping appear as "empty", even if they have been inhabited for generations. In principle, most of the farmers' communities are covered by customary laws that are also recognized by the state. However, land deals are extremely profitable both for the authorities and for the companies who negotiate them. The lack of respect for people's rights to land makes it extremely easy for companies to brutally evict farmers. They are replaced by large plantations, including palm oil and rubber plantations, food estates, mines, roads and other infrastructure projects. This results in increasingly violent land conflicts as local communities resist eviction. The Indonesian Peasant Union (SPI) calculated that the number of land conflicts increased five-fold, from 22 in 2010 to 120 in 2011. A case involving the alleged killing of nine farmers in South Sumatra and Lampung Provinces is now being investigated by the Indonesian Parliament. Similar human rights violations are taking place on a daily basis in the archipelago. In 2011 alone, the farmer's union counted 20 deaths due to land conflicts in Indonesia. The government routinely prioritizes large-scale, export-oriented production over the needs of local growers and consumers. The financial crisis has accelerated this dramatic land grab as farmland is now seen by the finance industry as a considerable source of returns. Indonesia's fast rate of deforestation . Instead of protecting local farmers from massive evictions, the Indonesian government is further opening the doors to foreign investors. In the framework of the East Asia World Economic Forum that took place in 2011 in Jakarta, the chairman of the Indonesian chamber of commerce Suryo Bambang Sulisto announced that 14 transnational companies including Cargill, Monsanto, Syngenta, Bunge and ADM, had signed a partnership agreement with the government to increase food productivity in Indonesia. We are facing other problems. Uncertainty about commodity prices has increased tremendously since 2007. Whether we are producing for export or for the local market, prices have become unpredictable. Prices of inputs -- such as seeds, fertilizers and energy -- have become very volatile, making it impossible for us to assess our production costs. For farmers, price instability and volatility are worse than simply low prices: It makes it virtually impossible to plan what to grow in the coming season, what products we can buy, and so forth. There are a number of causes of this volatility, including a lack of food reserves and the arrival of global financial speculators in agricultural markets following the sub-prime crisis. We are also dealing with a surge of cheap imported products into the domestic market. In village markets on Java island, we now see potatoes and chillies imported from China at a very low price. The minimum production cost of potatoes in those villages is 7,000 rupiah a kilo, but Chinese potatoes are sold at 2,500 rupiah. This discourages farmers from producing, ultimately raising unemployment, encouraging more people to migrate away from rural areas and putting pressure elsewhere in the system, especially in our already stressed urban areas. For these reasons, we feel that even though farmers constitute almost half the Indonesian workforce, our economic sector is the most neglected in the country. We have the capacity and natural resources to feed the whole country yet we are deprived of our land, and our government has failed to pursue agricultural policies to enable us to continue our vital role. According to the Indonesian government's own figures, 2.16 million farmers had to leave farming in 2011 due to a lack of land and incentives. In our Indonesian villages, we don't currently talk about any particular "world crisis." We talk about the continuing daily struggle to make a living in extremely harsh conditions. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Henry Saragih .

In 1997 Indonesia farmers witnessed the collapse of the whole economy . But the current "crisis" is worrying and a farmer's daily life is getting worse . Farmers face issues including pressure on land and cheap imported goods . Indonsian farmers don't talk of "crisis," but of life's continuing daily struggle .

1ce662db10fe8b2ef3761a43fd1b618be796e37f

By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 15:21 EST, 29 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:29 EST, 29 May 2013 . Italy's new government vowed to make protecting women from violence a priority on the same day as the funeral of a 16-year-old girl allegedly killed by her boyfriend took place. MPs in the country's chamber of deputies unanimously voted to pass the Council of Europe's convention on violence against women as Fabiana Luzzi, whose death caused national outrage, was mourned by residents of Corigliano Calbro in southern Italy. The teenager was allegedly stabbed to death by her 17-year-old boyfriend last week then doused in petrol and set alight while she is thought to have still been alive. Victim: Fabiana Luzzi was allegedly stabbed to death by her boyfriend in Italy last week. Her death added urgency to a parliamentary vote which saw Italian MPs prioritise action against gender-based violence . The schoolgirl's death gave the parliamentary vote an increased urgency and followed a lengthy MPs debate, according to The Guardian. Equal opportunities minister Josefa Idem said that the convention is a positive step in trying to curb violence against women. According to The Guardian, she said on a visit to Corigliano: 'Faced with Fabiana's death, I reaffirm the commitment of all the government and my ministry to make the fight against gender-based violence a key point of this legislature. 'I feel the need to ask forgiveness from her and all the women killed by the hand of those who abuse the word love. Poignant: Mourners gathered to remember murdered Fabiana Luzzi in Italy on the same day that politicians debated violence against women . 'The state must be more effective in this commitment (and) be even closer to the victims.' Widespread problem: According to figures released in 2011, as many as one in three women in Italy are subjected to domestic violence . Women's campaign group Casa della Donne claims that at least 51 women have been murdered in Italy so far this year, but with no official statistics, they believe the figure could actually be three times that. The group praised the Italian government for ratifying the convention - known as the Istanbul Convention - but added that it must ensure that its measures are thoroughly followed through. According to statistics from Istat published in 2011, around one in three Italian women are victims of domestic violence. The UN urged the country to tackle the problem after a visit from a special rapporteur last year. As well as Fabiana's murder last week, a 50-year-old woman, Silvana Cassol, was shot by her husband, who then shot himself, in Padua, and a 35-year-old Romanian woman, Angelica Timis, was allegedly stabbed and killed by her former partner near Milan. Although 25 countries, including Britain, have signed the Istanbul Convention, the convention needs the ratification of ten including eight Council of Europe member states. But so far Italy is just the fifth to pass it through its parliament. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.

Italian MPs ratified the Istanbul Convention in a parliamentary vote . The vote follows the death of Fabiana Luzzi in southern Italy last week . The debate came on the same day as hundreds gathered for her funeral . 25 countries have signed the Council of Europe convention . But it has only been ratified by parliaments in five of those countries . It needs to be passed in ten countries to take effect .

df9e8502cbfb22cca980b6f211c00af102bb6143

By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 05:59 EST, 18 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:33 EST, 18 April 2013 . He's back: BBC series Bergerac, starring John Nettles could be brought back, but Mr Nettles is very unlikely to return . The BBC could remake classic Jersey-based crime drama Bergerac, but its original star John Nettles is unlikely to be playing the role that made him so famous, it emerged today. It is more than 20 years since the original ratings hit was axed but the Corporation says a new version is in development, but with a younger Jim Bergerac. BBC bosses are eager to copy the success of ITV's Endeavour, which follows the career of the young Inspector Morse. A spokesman told MailOnline the new show is in development, but has not yet been commissioned. Insiders say it wants to make the drama more appealing to a younger audience rather than the more middle-aged market who watched it decades ago . The original Bergerac starred John Nettles as the title character, a casually dressed detective with a vintage sports car solving crimes against the sunny backdrop of the Channel Islands. It ran for a decade on the BBC from 1981 to 1991. After it ended, Nettles went on to star in the highly successful Midsomer Murder series on ITV. It is developing what the makers call a 'reboot' of Bergerac with BBC's in house drama team and with the blessing of the original series creator Robert Banks Stewart. He told industry journal Broadcast: 'The team involved has full artistic freedom to recreate Bergerac the way they see it in the 21st century. 'Obviously the unique atmosphere of Jersey and the island's involvement will count for a lot.' Iconic: John Nettles in the 1949 Triumph Roadster that became so famous in the TV show based on Jersey . After losing out to ITV successes like Downton Abbey and Mr Selfridge in recent drama ratings battles, the show could help revive the BBC's fortunes. And it may also restore some of Jersey's reputation beyond that of a tax-dodging haven for celebrities like Jimmy Carr who had a reported £3.3 million stashed in an account there.

Midsomer Murders star Mr Nettles would be replaced with younger actor . BBC want to ape ITV's Endeavour - based on a young Inspector Morse . Having a younger star may attract more than just the middle-aged market .

4139d355025e07ff344a8c15874da36db2e3742f

By . Michael Seamark and James Slack . PUBLISHED: . 19:51 EST, 17 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:29 EST, 18 October 2012 . Gary McKinnon is ready and willing to stand trial in Britain, his family said yesterday. After the dramatic decision by Home Secretary Theresa May to block the computer hacker’s extradition to the US, the spotlight falls on Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer. Mr Starmer must now decide whether Mr McKinnon can be charged in this country. Prosecutors are being encouraged by the US to bring the 46-year-old to justice in the UK. Ready: Computer hacker Gary Mckinnon, pictured, with his mother Janis Sharp, is willing to stand trial in Britain, his family has said . Some supporters claim he has suffered enough already, by having spent ten years on bail, living under the shadow of extradition. But his mother, Janis Sharp, said: ‘Our ten-year battle was to stop Gary being sent to stand trial in the United States. We have always said we wanted him to face justice in a British court. If he is charged, so be it. ‘After what Gary and my family have been through this is almost the least of our worries. We will deal with it. We are just delighted and overjoyed that Mrs May blocked his extradition.’ Asperger’s sufferer Mr McKinnon – who faced up to 60 years in a US prison for hacking into Nasa and Pentagon computers looking for evidence of the existence of alien life – was yesterday coming to terms with his reprieve alongside his family and girlfriend Lucy Clarke. Mrs May stopped Mr McKinnon’s extradition on human rights grounds after medical reports showed he was very likely to try to kill himself if extradited. In the spotlight: Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer must now decide whether Mr McKinnon can be charged in this country . The decision – a huge victory for the Mail’s Affront to British Justice campaign – was applauded by MPs and civil liberties groups. It is the first time a Home Secretary has blocked an extradition to the US under the hugely controversial Extradition Act 2003. Mrs Sharp said yesterday: ‘This was the first morning we could wake up without this awful fear hanging over my family. Gary says he had forgotten what it feels like to be happy. ‘He’s still tense and it will take time but we now want to concentrate on helping Gary get his life back on to an even keel.’ The DPP provoked fury when he ruled in 2009 that there was ‘insufficient evidence’ for Mr McKinnon to be tried in Britain, even though Mr McKinnon admitted hacking into the US computers from the bedroom of his North London flat. If a UK prosecution does proceed, it would probably be under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, with a maximum sentence of five years. The US expressed anger at Mrs May’s unilateral decision to halt extradition. It raised questions about whether the Americans – who hold the bulk of the evidence against Mr McKinnon – would co-operate in the legal process. However, officials say the diplomatic fall-out has been limited. The US Department of Justice stressed: ‘Our extradition relationship with the United Kingdom remains strong, as is demonstrated by the extradition of five alleged terrorists from the United Kingdom just last week.’ David Cameron’s spokesman said the Prime Minister had not been in touch with the US authorities to discuss the McKinnon case. Mr McKinnon’s lawyer Karen Todner said last night of Tuesday’s decision: ‘I believe the decision was a courageous one but it was also both legally and morally correct. ‘The medical evidence that I supplied to the Home Secretary was overwhelming and extremely powerful. It would have been astounding for her to ignore it. ‘I do not believe that this case sets any precedents. The medical evidence in Mr McKinnon’s case was, in my view, unique. ‘I hope that Mr McKinnon and his family will now be able to enjoy a modicum of normal life after enduring ten very difficult years.’ Decision: Home Secretary Theresa May blocked the computer hacker's extradition to the US .

Computer hacker's extradition to the US was blocked by Theresa May . Director of Public Prosecutions to decide whether he can be charged here .

ce58734c4140b6b5581e330628989cd9a40fee20

(Parenting.com) -- I was so anxious about the idea of circumcision that I actually hoped for a girl. I didn't get a girl. I got two beautiful boys instead, and therefore had to make the decision twice. Though our sons were born four years apart, my partner Abbie and I gave equal consideration to the question of whether of not to circumcise with each one. With our first son, Tommy, I had nightmares that if we chose circumcision, the doctor would make a mistake. I knew the statistics were low, but that rarely soothes an anxious mom-to-be. I worried the procedure was obsolete. When I looked around the room at my friends' sons, many if not most were uncircumcised. About a month before Abbie was due to give birth to Tommy, we visited my parents out on Long Island. At dinner, we talked about interviewing pediatricians in our Brooklyn neighborhood of Cobble Hill. We were looking for a doctor who struck a balance between holistic and traditional Western approaches to medicine and childcare. We had a few things down. Abbie planned to breastfeed -- or at least to try. We understood that antibiotics were at times necessary to treat ear infections. We believed in and felt adamant about vaccinating our child. Parenting: Mom confession: I wanted a girl . But the one place where we were both still unsure was on the topic of circumcision. Abbie and I didn't yet know the sex of our child, but admitting that we were even questioning whether or not to circumcise our son set off a slew of opinions at the table that evening. "You have to circumcise him!" said my sister Melanie, an emergency room doctor who has seen her fair share of infected uncircumcised penises and urinary tract infections, and whom I trust immensely. My other sister, Meredith, an amazing mother of three boys who were all circumcised, agreed. "It's unsanitary," she said. "I can barely get my kids to brush their teeth at night. And imagine him in the locker room when he's a teenager." Our best friend and sperm donor, Tim, who is circumcised, was more aligned with Abbie and me. He questioned, like me, if the procedure was outdated and based more on social customs than medical necessity. And, like Abbie, he wondered whether the benefits outweighed the trauma. Health! Melanie reinforced. Hygiene! Meredith repeated. Is it really necessary? Tim asked honestly. Decline in circumcisions could cost billions . All of the impassioned arguments and questions raised during this discussion gave us plenty to consider. To be honest, as lesbians, neither Abbie nor I had spent a tremendous amount of time thinking about circumcision in the first place. But it was clear that as soon-to-be parents, we had a lot to learn. And so we began our research. Prior to this conversation, we'd been leaning toward not circumcising our child if he was a boy. We trusted that Tim could teach him how to be sanitary and avoid infections. We didn't care about the aesthetics. As two women and a gay man raising children together, we did not feel particularly bound to social custom or tradition. We researched the varied perspectives and we considered the ethics and our child's individual rights over his body. We knew that this was a big decision -- one of many -- and we took our responsibility seriously. Parenting: 'I figure nature can make a better penis than I can' We respected both sides of the argument, but the medical evidence supporting the use of circumcision to prevent STDs and penile cancer, and to reduce UTIs, compelled us. We were finally persuaded when the World Health Organization and UNAIDS issued a joint statement in 2007 supporting the link between male circumcision and HIV prevention. Suddenly we felt that we were making a decision that could not only protect the health of our child, but could save his life. We spoke with the pediatrician we'd chosen and our OB/GYN, who would be performing the surgery, and both agreed with our position. That said, when our OB/GYN first held up our newborn and announced that it was a boy, I soon returned to my earlier fear that something would go wrong during the circumcision procedure. I felt confident in our decision, but I was more terrified that our doctor would make a mistake during this operation than I was when she performed Abbie's C-section. The next day, I decided to go with Tommy for the operation. I didn't want to send him alone. He was given anesthesia and I pressed my face to his and I held his hand. All in all, the procedure did not take more than five minutes and was a success. Was it an easy decision to make? No. Do I think we made the right decision? Yes. Do I know that Abbie and I investigated, explored and considered all of our options and with the help of professionals and our own reflection decided on what was best for our child? Absolutely. Hearing that the American Academy of Pediatrics now also feels the benefits outweigh the risk only reinforces our decision. Parenting: Eight times you should absolutely call your kid's doctor . Before our second son, Teo, was born, we continued to educate ourselves on the procedure. Both Abbie and I were open to the idea that the evidence may have changed. We did not just assume that we'd follow the same path with our second child to make sure he shared this trait with his older brother. We approached the decision in much the same way and, again, in the end, we found the medical evidence to be the most persuasive factor. Just as I had with Tommy, I stayed with Teo during his procedure. I pressed my face to his face. I held his hand. I knew I'd made this decision with care and thought and I felt, and still feel, that it is one that will benefit him. I don't expect everyone to understand or agree with the choice that Abbie and I made for our sons. When Tommy and Teo are naked at the beach with friends, often they are in the minority because they are circumcised. And that's okay. For us it was never about fitting in or following customs. We made our decision based on the information that we had and trusted, and our own expectations and fears and hopes for our children's future. Parenting: Complete guide to circumcision . This story was originally published on Parenting.com . Why I decided to circumcise my sons . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Heather Aimee O'Neill. Get 2 FREE YEARS of Parenting magazine - Subscribe Now!! Copyright 2011 The Parenting Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

Heather Aimee O'Neill and her partner thoroughly researched circumcision . In the end, she says, the medical research helped her make the decision . They repeated their consideration with the birth of their second son . O'Neill believes circumcising their sons was the right decision .

d419ba1bb5fdfca252d5e62b6ffcfbfb29f5604d

By . Eddie Wrenn . PUBLISHED: . 03:03 EST, 22 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:04 EST, 22 October 2012 . An Arby's restaurant assistant manager has been fired less than 24 hours after being threatened by an armed robber because she was alone on duty. Mary Archer, who worked at the restaurant chain in East Dayton, Ohio, had to climb through a drive-thru window to escape the robber, who rang the doorbell armed with a knife just as she was closing up for the night. The 56-year-old said she was cornered in the fast food chain's office by the man, who repeatedly shouted 'give me the money'. Fearing for her life, she made her escape - only to be fired the next day for being alone in the restaurant at the time. Fired: Mary Archer, 56, had worked for Arby's for 23 years before the attempted robbery on Friday night . Late night attack: The Arby's fast food restaurant in East Dayton was attacked on Friday night . The attempted robbery happened in the early hours of Saturday morning as Archer closed up following a busy night. Her co-worker had just left at about 12.45am when, a few minutes later, the doorbell rang. Ms Archer, who has worked at Arby's for 23 years, said her first thoughts were that her co-worker had left her belongings behind - but instead the man burst in demanding money. She told News Center 7 how she was cornered in the office, before shoving the man backwards and escaping through the window, where she screamed for help. She said: “He held up a knife and kept saying "give me the money". 'I had pushed him away…because I’m like, ‘I’m not going to die in Arby’s tonight…I’m just not.' A customer at a nearby shop heard her calls for help and called the police. Vulnerable: Archer said the fast food chain has been targeted three times in the last six months . But although the thief fled empty-handed, the event ended up costing Archer her job. The following day she was told she had broken Arby's safety and security policy by being alone in the fast food business when it was robbed. For this, she was fired less than 24 hours after the armed robbery - which Archer said was the third attempted robbery within six months. The thief was described as about 5-foot-10, 150 pounds and wore a dark colored hoodie, dark pants and a dark wool stocking cap. Arby's told New Center 7 that violations of its safety and security policy mean termination of employment without exception. A vice-president of Arby’s Human Resources told WHIO TV that 'he feels bad that Ms. Archer had to go through this' - but that she knowingly violated the company’s safety and security policy, and had been warned before. Ms Archer added: 'I don’t want my job back.'

Mary Archer was locking up after a busy Friday night when robber struck . Assistant manager, 56, had worked for Arby's for 23 years . Fast food chain fired her 'for being alone in the restaurant'

973600fa6f48fb2478a5d463e19d7053a9e3d2c4

Rail union firebrand Bob Crow has thanked his movement's nemesis Margaret Thatcher for helping him get his job. The RMT boss revealed if it wasn't for the former Tory Prime Minister he would never have been elected because she changed the rules on trade union ballots. Crow has attracted criticism after it was revealed he jetted off on a luxury holiday to Brazil before last week's London Underground strike. Under fire: Union leader Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT union, stands outside City Hall, London . In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, Crow said: 'I suppose I've got Margaret Thatcher to thank for my career. The truth is I'd never have been elected if it wasn't for her. 'Our rulebook used to say you couldn't stand as general secretary unless you were a member of the Labour Party. I wasn't But Maggie did away with that rule because she thought people from the business community would take up union jobs.' Speaking about his £10,000 holiday, Crow said it was booked a year ago for his girlfriend Nicola Hoarau's 50th birthday. The union chief was seen sipping contentedly from a coconut and baking on a golden beach in his Bermuda shorts as officials in rain-lashed Britain tried to halt the 48-hour strike in London. Controversial: Bob Crow sunning himself on Copacabana beach in Rio De Janeiro . Crow was seen baking on a golden beach in his Bermuda shorts as officials in rain-lashed Britain tried to halt the 48-hour strike in London . Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher acknowledging applaud on at the end of the Conservative Party conference in Blackpool . Speaking in The Sun today, Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps said Bob Crow is hypocrite who is depriving a poor family of a council house. He said: 'Taxpayer-funded homes are there to help Brits on lower wages. We have a duty to help our neighbours if they genuinely need support. 'Britain is a caring society, with a safety net to be proud of. But Bob Crow is taking the mick. He thinks this safety net should be a hammock.' Crow, who takes home a £145,000-a-year pay package, has . also faced criticism for living in a housing association home in . Woodford Green, east London, intended for less well off people at a . subsidised rate. Crow recently said he had 'no moral duty' to move out of his home: 'I was born in a council house; as far as I'm concerned, I will die in one.' However, . today it was revealed he is facing the prospect of having his rent . doubled to the market rate under new government rules on wealthy . tenants. The Sunday Times revealed from next year Crow and his family could see their rent increase by about £175 a week following new rules affecting an estimated 21,000 households in social or council accommodation who earn £60,000 or more. The house, understood to be in Hoarau's name, is owned by London & Quadrant housing association, which charges other families on the street £150 a week. Crow and Hoarau are believed to pay £175 because their home is an end of terrace property. Housing minister Kris Hopkins said: 'We intend to give landlords the option to charge very high-earning social tenants want to continue using this precious national resource, they will pay for the privilege.'

The RMT boss revealed Thatcher's union reforms benefited him . It follows last week's controversial 48-hour tube strike in London . Crow has attracted criticism after it was revealed he jetted off to Brazil . Speaking about his £10,000 holiday, Crow said it was booked a year ago .

6b14fa6df218352ee7c9981d2daddd4dbb4a9b20

A pastor at a catholic church in Springfield, Illinois is currently on a leave of absence after he was forced to call 911 to request help getting out of handcuffs. The bizarre incident happened to Father Tom Donovan of St. Aloysius church last November. On a copy of the 911 call released by the Sangamon County Emergency Telephone System Department, the priest’s muffled voice can be heard asking for help. When police arrived they discovered some sort of gag covering the priest’s mouth. Scroll down to listen . Embarrassing emergency: Father Tom Donovan was found in handcuffs and a gag at the rectory of St. Aloysius in Springfield . ‘I’m going to need help getting out before this becomes a medical emergency,’ Father Tom Donovan can be heard telling an incredulous sounding dispatcher during the Nov. 28 call. ‘You’re stuck in a pair of handcuffs?’ the dispatcher asks. ‘(I was) playing with them and I need help getting out,’ Donovan responds. It’s not clear exactly how he ended up in handcuffs or why he feared a medical emergency. Father Donovan was alone in the front room of the rectory. A spokeswoman for the Diocese of Springfield, Kathie Sass, told the Illinois Times that Donovan’s  request for a leave of absence was accepted by Bishop Thomas Paprocki not long after the incident. However she refused to disclose if Donovan was staying at a church-affiliated location or to offer up an explanation for how Father Donovan came to find himself incapacitated in such an unusual manner. Donovan's request for a leave of absence was accepted by Bishop Thomas Paprocki, pictured, not long after the incident occurred .

Father Tom Donovan of St. Aloysius in Springfield, Illinois is on leave after the embarrassing incident . The diocese is refusing to offer up an explanation for what exactly happened .

9e11d3fa8d040dcf1aa197df35354b0797685c11

By . Lucy Crossley . Enhancements: Josie Cunningham, 24, had a £5,000 breast enlargement on the NHS and is now in line for £2,500 of dentistry work paid for by the taxpayer . An aspiring glamour model who had a £5,000 breast enlargement on the NHS is now in line for £2,500 of dentistry work paid for by the taxpayer. Josie Cunningham, 24, who sparked outrage when she had the operation to enhance her bust, is now pregnant after falling into a life of prostitution. All mothers-to-be are entitled to receive free NHS dental care, and Miss Cunningham is reportedly set to make the most of the treatment on offer by having root canal surgery, a dental implant, a filling and her wisdom teeth removed. The unmarried mother-of-two, who revealed last week that she was three-months pregnant and did not know who the father is, said she was pleased the NHS would be footing the bill for her dentistry. 'I didn't get pregnant to have my teeth sorted, but it's a massive bonus,' she told The Sun. 'I'm sure people will be annoyed that I'm accepting this freebie but I couldn't care less.' She said that she was annoyed the free dental care would only cover a silver filling, but added: 'I guess beggars can't be choosers'. Miss Cunningham, from Leeds, said that she was no longer working as an escort, but has admitted that she does not know who the father of her baby is. He could either be a surgeon who paid her £1,000 for a night of passion or a friend she has casual sex with. Miss Cunningham hit the headlines last year when she underwent cosmetic . surgery to increase her bust from 32A to a 36DD at St James’s Hospital . in Leeds. The operation caused outrage, heightened further by the same NHS trust refusing to fund surgery that would enable a two-year-old girl with a form of cerebral palsy to walk. Scroll down for video . Aspiring model: Miss Cunningham hit the headlines last year when she underwent cosmetic surgery to increase her bust from 32A to a 36DD at St James's Hospital in Leeds . Before: Miss Cunningham before her breast enlargement. She says she was bullied about her flat chest from the age of 14 . Daily Mail readers donated thousands of pounds to help fund an operation on Sophie Thomlinson's spinal cord after health chiefs decided that the £25,000 surgery was too expensive. Oliver Dockerty, three, was also refused funding for the pioneering procedure, called selective dorsal rhizotomy. Miss Cunningham has vowed to work to pay back the £4,800 cost of her operation, but has said that the £1,000 she had set aside to reimburse the Health Service has now been spent on clothes for her new baby. Josie has previously flaunted her new breasts and even used this outfit to offer a tribute to the NHS for paying for her implants . Contrast: Sophie Thomlinson, two, was denied a life changing operation at Leeds General Infirmary and Oliver Dockerty, three, was also refused funding for the pioneering procedure . Last week she told how she had turned to escort work at the suggestion of a friend and had slept with her fourth client, an unmarried surgeon in his mid-30s, charging him £450 for dinner and £1,000 for a night of sex. ‘I’m ashamed to say I don’t know who the father is,’ Miss Cunningham told Closer . magazine. ‘I’ve only slept with one client, but I’ve also been having . casual sex with a friend.’ She was still seeing two clients a week until discovering that she was expecting a baby, and has since worked on adult phone lines. New start: Miss Cunningham said that she was no longer involved with prostitution, but has admitted that she does not know who the father of her baby is . Miss Cunningham has a congenital medical condition which means she has no breast tissue. She says she was bullied about her flat chest from the age of 14. Recently she decided she wants her breast implants removed - again paid for by the NHS.

Josie Cunningham, 24, had a £5,000 breast enlargement on the NHS . Mother-of-two is now pregnant after falling into prostitution . All expectant mothers are entitled to free NHS dental care . Miss Cunningham reportedly to have root canal surgery, a filling, a dental implant and her wisdom teeth removed . 'I'm sure people will be annoyed that I'm accepting this freebie but I couldn't care less.'

6f3aec586f7495b0ba4abb520611ba247366792c

(CNN) -- Jean Jennings Bartik, the last of six women programmers who debugged and operated the earliest general-purpose computer, has died. Bartik, 86, died Wednesday in New York, said Jon Rickman, vice president of information systems at Bartik's alma mater, Northwest Missouri State University, and director of the Jean Jennings Bartik Computer Museum. Bartik was profiled in a CNN.com story last month about women mathematicians who were recruited by the U.S. military to do ballistics research during World War II. Bartik and five of her fellow "computers" went on to program the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer, but they didn't receive recognition for their work until years later. "Jean is probably one of the most significant pioneers in computing," Rickman said. "Jean worked hard and, as a woman in a man's world at that time, especially in the business world, it's amazing what she was able to accomplish." Bartik graduated from Northwest Missouri State Teachers College in 1945 as the school's one math major. She recalled living on her parents' farm, refusing the teaching jobs her father suggested and avoiding all talk of marrying a farmer and having babies. Instead, she took a train to Philadelphia to work for the military. There, she learned ballistics calculations and was quickly hired to work on the ENIAC, created during the war by University of Pennsylvania scientists John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert Jr. Bartik and her colleagues debugged the computer, which weighed 30 tons, contained about 18,000 vacuum tubes and completed the same work the women "computers" did but in a fraction of the time. Bartik went on to work on the BINAC and UNIVAC computers and to work in the fledging high-tech publishing field. Her children and grandchildren all grew up to be good with numbers, she said in February. Bartik and the other ENIAC programmers didn't receive much attention for their work after WWII, but their story was recently featured in the documentary "Top Secret Rosies: The Female Computers of World War II." Bartik wrote an autobiography that is being edited; Rickman said he hopes it will be published this year. In 1997, Bartik was inducted into the Women in Technology Hall of Fame, along with her fellow ENIAC programmers, Kathleen McNulty Mauchly Antonelli, Frances Snyder Holberton, Marlyn Wescoff Meltzer, Frances Bilas Spence and Ruth Lichterman Teitelbaum. In 2008, Bartik was one of the Fellow Award honorees at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, along with Robert Metcalfe, an inventor of Ethernet, and Linus Torvalds, who began the development of the Linux kernel, or operating system. Northwest Missouri State University opened the Jean Jennings Bartik Computing Museum in her honor. "I'm going to miss her terribly. It's such an end of an era," said Bill Mauchly, the son of ENIAC pioneers John and Kay Mauchly. After John Mauchly's death in 1980, Bartik and Kay Mauchly renewed their friendship and gave talks about their experience in the early days of computing. Both women wrote autobiographies, Bill Mauchly said, and remained close until Kay's death in 2006. "(Bartik) was such a ball of fire and so much fun," Bill Mauchly said. "They made a great team, because my mother was more demure. That's the part I remember, them traveling around like a traveling band, the Jean and Kay Show. They finally got to have their own little audience." "They're going to continue to be an example of women in technology from the very beginning. I think (Bartik) gave us what we needed to remember her by." In February, Bartik said women hadn't gotten far enough in technology, but she saw a promising future. "Women are busily working on it," she said. "I have high hopes for them."

Jean Bartik was among the women recruited to do ballistics calculations during WWII . Bartik went on to work on the ENIAC, BINAC and UNIVAC machines . Half a century later, their work is only beginning to get recognition . Bartik wrote an autobiography, which editors hope will publish this year .

59d12252a95effacc1022e2399a4ab1516c83957

By . Michael Zennie . PUBLISHED: . 09:44 EST, 18 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:25 EST, 18 December 2013 . A crane operator who was trapped high above a burning building has been saved by a brave rescuer who dangled from a Royal Canadian Air Force helicopter and pulled the man to safety. Tuesday's fire at a partially-constructed apartment complex in Kingston, Ontario, quickly engulfed the cab of the crane that was perched above the building, forcing the operator to crawl out on the exposed boom. A daring RCAF sergeant attached to hoist was lowered onto the crane. He grabbed hold of the frightened crane operator and lifted him to safety as dozens of onlookers held their breath on the ground. Photographers captured images of the harrowing rescue, including the moment the crane operator was lifted into the air and safely pulled into the safety of the CH-146 Griffon helicopter. Scroll down for video . Harrowing: A Royal Canadian Air Force rescue shopper was sent in to save a crane operator who was stranded high above a burning building Tuesday . Harrowing: Sergeant Cory Cisyk put on a harness on the stranded man and hoisted him up to the relative safety of the air force helicopter . Inferno: The crane caught when a partially-constructed apartment complex that it was working on burst into flames . 'For us, this was extremely unusual. But even discussing with the crew afterwards, we really figured that the training we do every day really came into it and played a big factor in the way things ran,' Sergeant Cory Cisyk told the CBC. The man was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries, but we later released. The crane is still standing, though officials say it could collapse and fall down at any time after the flames severely damaged the metal frame. Neighboring homes have been evacuated because engineers have no idea when or where the crane will come down. Sgt Cisyk and his crew flew from Canadian Forces Base, Trenton about 65 miles away from Kingston after it became clear that the crane operator would require aerial acrobatics to rescue. Trapped: The crane operator hunkered down at the end of the boom as he waited for rescuers to arrive. Witnesses on the ground prayed the crane wouldn't collapse before the chopper got to him . Success: The man was treated at a local hospital, but escaped the harrowing ordeal without major injuries . Burned out: The carriage of the crane was engulfed in flames from the building burning below it . Sergeant Cory Cisyk performed the daring rescue . The Kingston Whig-Standard reports that witnesses on the ground shouted encouragement at the trapped crane operator, as they waited for the chopper to arrive. Witness John Ashie told the CBC that onlookers could scarcely believe their eyes. 'Especially when the helicopter guy was rescuing him from the crane, everyone was like, "Oh my god! I can't believe this is happening, it's just so surreal,"' he said. Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the fire. Sgt Cisyk said the rescue in the middle of a city was rare for the air force crew. RCAF search and rescue choppers are used to plucking stranded hikers out in the mountains or retrieving sailors in distress on the Great Lakes. High-flying: Spectators applauded when the chopper crew rescued the man trapped on the crane .

Crane operator was working on apartment complex that caught fire in Kingston, Ontario . He was forced to crawl to the end of the crane after the cab caught fire . It took 90 minutes before a Royal Canadian Air Force helicopter could arrive and rescue him .

ce17f62293905ef92cf21aa03db6d7e4723fbb1d

By . Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 12:12 EST, 22 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:53 EST, 22 November 2013 . Named 'little armoured one' by the Aztecs, armadillos are notoriously guarded characters. And this new-born creature is no different. Greeting the world for the first time since his birth on September 26 in Bergzoo, near Halle, Germany, Eddy took some coaxing to come out of his shell. Curled up: Three-banded baby armadillo Eddy could be a wooden ball as far as onlookers are concerned . Greeting? He was born in Bergzoo, Halle, on September 26 but this was to be the moment he met the world . Nudge: Thankfully, his father, Tattoo, is there to give Eddy a nudge and he starts to gradually unravel . Zoo keepers were eager to display the infant - a rarity in Europe. But for a few minutes, they could easily have been staring at a static, wooden ball. With the help of his father, Tattoo, Eddy eventually satisfied the crowds by peeking his nose out to see what the fuss was about. Like anteaters and sloths, armadillos were originally confined to South America. Slowly but surely: Bit by bit Eddy satisfies the eager zoo keepers, who want to display their rare new creature . Armoured: Armadillos got their name from the Spanish-speaking Aztecs, meaning 'little armoured one' Recoil: He soon slipped back into his shell. There are many kinds, but this is the only one that can curl into a ball . Over time a small number migrated to North America, but it wasn't until the advent of zoos that Europe became acquainted with the hard-shelled animals. Eddy and Tattoo are members of Europe's most common form of armadillo: three-banded, meaning their shell is formed of three segments. Central America is home to its cousins with more complex shells, including the nine-banded armadillo and the northern-naked tailed armadillo. But three-banded is the only kind that can curl into a ball to hide from predators.

Eddy was born in Bergzoo in Halle, Germany, on September 26 . When he was unveiled to the world on Thursday, he curled into his shell . The name 'armadillo' translates as 'little armoured one' in Spanish .

439a015561787ff1c381305b43f3afb21bf28555

(CNN) -- What's an atheist scientist like me doing writing good things about religion? I didn't start out this way. As a teenager, I had contempt for religion. I was raised Jewish, but when I read the Bible, I was shocked. It hardly seemed to me like a good guide for ethical behavior in modern times, what with all the smiting and stoning and genocide, some of it ordered by God. In college, I read other holy books, and they didn't make me any more positive toward religion. In my 20s, I obtained a Ph.D. in social psychology and began to study morality. I ignored religion in my studies. We don't need religion to be ethical, I thought. And yet, in almost every human society, religion has been intimately tied to ethics. Was that just a coincidence? Watch Jonathan Haidt's TED Talk . In my 30s, I began to study the emotion of "moral elevation." That's the warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you see acts of moral beauty. When you see someone do something kind, loyal, or heroic, you feel uplifted. You can feel yourself becoming a better person -- at least for a few minutes. Everyone who has watched an episode of Oprah knows the feeling, but there was absolutely no scientific research on this emotion. Studying moral elevation led me to study feelings of awe more generally, and before I knew it, I was trying to understand a whole class of positive emotions in which people feel as though they have somehow escaped from or "transcended" their normal, everyday, often petty self. TED.com: Jonathan Haidt on the moral roots of liberals and conservatives . I was beginning to see connections between experiences as varied as falling in love, watching a sunset from a hilltop, singing in a church choir, and reading about a virtuous person. In all cases there's a change to the self -- a kind of opening to our higher, nobler possibilities. As I tried to make sense of the psychology of these "self-transcendent emotions," I began to realize that religions are often quite skilled at producing such feelings. Some use meditation, some use repetitive bowing or circling, some have people sing uplifting songs in unison. Some religions build awe-inspiring buildings; most tell morally elevating stories. Some traditional shamanic rites even use natural drugs. But every known religion has some sort of rite or procedure for taking people out of their ordinary lives and opening them up to something larger than themselves. It was almost as if there was an "off" switch for the self, buried deep in our minds, and the world's religions were a thousand different ways of pressing the switch. TED.com: Robert Wright on optimism . In my TED talk, I wanted to illustrate some of these experiences visually. Many scientists who write disparagingly about religion focus on the conscious, explicit beliefs in God and the supernatural. I wanted to shift attention away from that aspect of religion onto the more emotional and social aspects. Whether or not you believe in God, religions accomplish something miraculous: They turn large numbers of people who are not kin into a group that is able to work together, trust each other, and help each other. They are living embodiments of e pluribus unum (From many, one). No other species on the planet has ever accomplished that. Bees and ants are great at it, but they can only do it because they are all sisters. And this brings us to the most contentious question in the scientific study of religion: Is religiosity -- including our tendency to believe in supernatural entities as well as our ability to lose ourselves in religious rites -- an adaptation? Did we evolve to be religious? TED.com: Billy Collins on everyday moments . Some biologists, such as Richard Dawkins (author of "The God Delusion"), argue that we did not. They say that religions are cultural inventions which are costly and destructive for individual believers. They say that religions only persist and spread because they get into our minds the way that a virus gets into our bodies. Once someone believes that he'll be rewarded for recruiting converts and punished forever in hell for leaving the church, he tends to do things that help the church, even if they hurt him. But I find another perspective much more compelling: Our minds evolved to be religious in tandem with our cultures. Cultures evolve in ways that are somewhat analogous to organisms: as long as groups are competing with each other, then features that foster survival and growth tend to spread; features that are self-destructive become less frequent. What atheists can learn from religion . Cultural groups that found effective ways to bind non-kin together out-competed groups that were less cohesive. This is a view put forward originally by Charles Darwin, but revived in modern times by the biologists David Sloan Wilson, at Bimghamton University, and Edward O. Wilson, at Harvard. This is a view called "group selection," because it argues that our genes came down to us today not just because some individuals were more fit than their neighbors, but because some groups were more fit (more cohesive and cooperative) than their neighboring groups. I've spent my whole career trying to figure out what morality is and how human beings came to be moral creatures. Religion, I believe, is an essential piece of the puzzle. I'm still an atheist, but nowadays I'm one who finds a lot to admire in religion and in religious communities. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jonathan Haidt.

Jonathan Haidt: Religion, like love and ethical action, offers a way to transcend the self . He says whether you believe or not, religion accomplishes the miracle of group inspiration . Haidt says religion's ability to move people makes it an evolutionary advantage for groups . He says our minds evolved to be more religious in tandem with our cultures .

a4a6e51c99a793107c077c444732559b10b88492

Could the brutal murders attributed to Jack the Ripper have been committed by a woman charity worker in a perverse bid to bring the harrowing conditions in the East End into the light? This is the theory put forward in a new novel about the Victorian serial killer, whose elusive identity has occupied criminologists for more than a century. During the 1888 murder spree in east London's Whitechapel, the Ripper killed women and removed their sexual and internal organs with such surgical precision that many believed he had to be a doctor. Killer queen? An author has put forward the theory that Victorian serial killer Jack the Ripper was a woman . The Seduction Of Mary Kelly, by William J Perring. The author wrote the book over five years . Now author William J Perring has raised the possibility in The Seduction Of Mary Kelly, his novel about the life and times of the final victim, that it was perhaps not 'Jack' the Ripper, but 'Julia' - a Salvation Army soldier. Mr Perring, 63, who was born in east London, has been fascinated by the murders for nearly three decades and is sceptical about some of the suspects put forward by 'ripperologists' over the past century. He said: 'The majority of "factual" books have unlikely suspects, and I don't think in the history of serial killers there has ever been one who was famous beforehand. 'The most likely thing is it was somebody we've never heard of and certainly a woman would be ideal for this. 'My theory is more likely than many of the others. This is not just a novel but a possible solution to the Ripper mystery.' The book outlines an intriguing and unexpected motive for the female Salvation Army volunteer behind the savage killings - helping the desperate residents of Whitechapel. The five murders committed by Jack the Ripper in Whitechapel. An investigation by criminologists concluded that he lived on Flower and Dean Street . Mr Perring says the murders had an unexpected outcome - they drew the attention of the wider world to the appalling conditions endured by those living in the capital's slums. 'The Ripper murders surprisingly did a lot of good for the East End,' he said. 'Someone had shone a light on how awful the conditions were. There were all manner of social works and good deeds afterwards.' Jack the Ripper murdered five victims in 1888. Mary Ann Nichols was disembowled on Buck's Row. Annie Chapman's uterus was removed at 29 Hanbury St. Elizabeth Stride's throat was cut at Duffield's Yard, Berner St. Catherine Eddowes's uterus and kidney were removed and her cheeks torn on Mitre Square. Mary Jane Kelly was completely mutilated and her heart was removed at 13 Miller's Court. The . book follows the life of Mary Jane Kelly, who was approximately 25 at . the time of her death. She had blonde hair, blue eyes, a fair complexion . and was said to be very beautiful. Originally . from Cardiff, she arrived in London in 1884 and was believed to have . worked in a high class brothel in the West End, but through misfortune, . perhaps related to drink, she found herself in the East End. She was discovered dead in a home in Miller's Court on November 9, 1888, mutilated beyond recognition. No family member could be found to attend the funeral. The . notion that Jack the Ripper might not in fact be a man at all was first posited . by Chief Inspector Frederick Abberline, a key figure in the . investigation at the time. According . to Donald McCormick, author of the 1959 book The Identity of Jack the . Ripper, the officer raised the theory in a conversation with his mentor, . Dr Thomas Dutton after the murder of Mary Kelly. He . theorised the fact a female culprit made sense as they could stalk the . streets of Whitechapel with ease because the whole of London was looking . for a man. Mary Jane Kelly claims to have been born in Ireland – yet no record of her exists there. Her childhood was spent in Wales, where she married a miner – and yet by her early twenties, and without any known explanation, she was in London. She lived in Knightsbridge and lived a life of luxury, buying expensive dresses, riding in carriages, and visiting Paris on at least one occasion. But even more intriguing is how, from such lofty heights, she fell so low as to be living in a single room in Whitechapel, in a squalid little court off Dorset Street, then known as the worst street in London. Jack the Ripper victim Mary Nichols (left). Her injuries were many and savage. Right, victim Elizabeth Stride . A poster distributed to help with the capture of nineteenth-century serial killer Jack The Ripper . Numerous individuals have been accused of being the serial killer. At the time, police suspected the Ripper must have been a butcher, due to the way his victims were killed and the fact they were discovered near to the dockyards, where meat was brought into the city. There are several alleged links between the killer and royals. First is Sir William Gull, the royal physician. Many have accused him of helping get rid of the prostitutes' bodies, while others claim he was the Ripper himself. Another book named Queen Victoria's surgeon Sir John Williams as the infamous killer. He had a surgery in Whitechapel at the time. Another theory links the murders with Queen Victoria's grandson, Prince Albert Victor,  the Duke of Clarence. At one point, cotton merchant James Maybrick was the number one suspect, following the publication of some of his diary which appeared to suggest he was the killer. However some believe the diary to be a forgery although no one has been able to suggest who forged it. Other suspects include Montague John Druitt, a Dorset-born barrister. He committed suicide in the Thames seven weeks after the last murder. George Chapman, otherwise known as Severyn Kłosowski, poisoned three of his wives and was hanged in 1903. Another suspected by polive was Aaron Kosminski. He was admitted to Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum and died there. Dr Thomas Neill Cream, poisoned four London prostitutes with strychnine and was hanged. Some of the more bizarre links include Lewis Carroll, author of the Alice in Wonderland books, who taught at Christ Church until 1881 - which was at the forefront of the Ripper murder scenery. Winston Churchill's father - Lord Randolph Churchill - has also been named as a potential suspect. Crime writer Patricia Cornwell  believes she has 'cracked' the case by unearthing evidence that confirms Walter Sickert, an influential artist, as the prime suspect. Her theories have not been generally accepted. To buy The Seduction Of Mary Kelly click here.

Book about the Ripper's final victim puts forward intriguing theory . Author William J Perring outlines the killer and her motive for the slayings . He said: 'This is not just a novel but a solution to the Ripper mystery'

89bd3acb6814cef5519aada62f7c9d1350372d37

Daley Blind will join Manchester United for £14million as Louis van Gaal makes his final moves to improve a desperately poor Manchester United side, who were held to a 0-0 draw at Burnley on Saturday and have yet to win this season. The Ajax left-sided defender will have a medical in Manchester with personal terms and the fee between the clubs agreed. Van Gaal has now spent £160 million this summer — with no immediate improvement in the team — almost as much as the club have spent in total over the previous five years. Blind, the son of former Ajax captain Danny, was a key player in Holland’s run to the World Cup semi-finals under Van Gaal and understands the back-three system with which the team are struggling. VIDEO Scroll down to watch soon-to-be Manchester United's Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo . On the brink: Daley Blind at the Bridgewater Hospital in Manchester on Saturday to undergo a medical . Tough tackling: The Dutch international Blind is set to join Manchester United for £13.8m . World Cup star: Blind impressed in Brazil with his passing range and ability to play in midfield and defence . Van Gaal, who also managed the player’s father at Ajax, said: ‘Daley will come to Manchester to have his medical and maybe we will have a new player.’ With the transfer deadline on Monday, United appear to have cooled in their pursuit of Sporting Lisbon’s £20m-rated midfielder William Carvalho, for whom Arsenal are ready to bid again. United are expecting to move players out in the next 48 hours. Tottenham are ready to push United to sell Danny Welbeck for £12m but have been told that United are loathe to help out a likely rival for Champions League qualification. Everton and Aston Villa are interested in signing Tom Cleverley, though with only one year left on his deal, the player may prefer a loan. Shinji Kagawa is likely to make an £8m move to Borussia Dortmund but Van Gaal insists: ‘We have to wait and to see because the players are deciding, not the manager.’ Problems: Manchester United are confident that paperwork issues over Marcos Rojo's signing will be resolved . Exit? Tottenham are pursuing a £12m deal for England striker Danny Welbeck . Leaving: Shinji Kagawa is set to complete a return to Borussia Dortmund and leave Manchester United . He claimed that the problems over paperwork with £15m signing Marcos Rojo, 24, would be resolved during the international break. The player has a permit but also needs a visa and the Home Office has insisted Rojo must be interviewed by the Madrid consulate because of an altercation with a neighbour in Argentina in 2010. He was never prosecuted but the case was reopened in May. Rojo does not have a criminal record but it is likely that embassy officials are checking the details before processing the visa. Van Gaal said: ‘I expect by the time we play QPR, he will be playing.’

Manchester United and Ajax have agreed a fee of £13.8million . Blind pictured having a medical in Manchester on Saturday . 24-year-old not included in Ajax squad for Groningen game on Sunday . Blind's arrival follows the signings of Angel di Maria, Marcos Rojo, Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw this summer .

70ca39cb1804a201f5ecf989d4e535879473538e

By . Gerri Peev . PUBLISHED: . 20:11 EST, 5 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:54 EST, 6 December 2013 . John Bercow has criticised BBC chairman Lord Patten for refusing to be grilled by MPs about the broadcaster’s coverage of Europe. The Commons Speaker insisted no one should consider themselves above parliamentary inspection, as he attacked Lord Patten’s refusal to answer questions from the European Scrutiny Committee. MPs are furious that the Tory peer – and former European Commissioner – has three times turned down their request to discuss the subject of bias in the BBC’s coverage of the EU. Because he is a peer, Lord Patten cannot be forced to attend. Criticism: John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, insisted no one should consider themselves above parliamentary inspection . Labour MP Kate Hoey called for a debate on how Parliament could ensure Lord Patten is ‘not abusing his position as a Lord to avoid appearing before the committee’. Mr Bercow waded in, saying: ‘Anybody who’s invited to appear before a committee of this House should do so. No one, however senior, should imagine him or herself above such scrutiny.’ Lord Patten, who earns £110,000 ‘base’ salary for a three to four day week, told MPs he would not discuss editorial decisions with them because this ‘is not consistent with the ideal of an independent Trust protecting the BBC from undue political interference’. Bill Cash, the chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee, said that with the looming European elections and the upcoming in or out referendum on EU membership, it was vital that the BBC’s output was ‘impartial’. Refusal: BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten has three times turned down their request to discuss the subject of bias in the BBC's coverage of the EU . ‘I entirely endorse what the Speaker said. We are dealing with the fact that it is not possible to summon a member of the House of Lords to our committees but it is being proposed that this rule is modified,’ he told the Mail. ‘There are many situations in which a member of the House of Lords holds positions which involve taxpayers’ money and they are paid out of the public purse.’ A spokesman for the BBC Trust said BBC staff had appeared before the committee to deal with points on coverage. He said: ‘In a letter to Bill Cash, Lord Patten set out why Trustees felt it would be inconsistent with the Trust’s role in protecting the BBC’s editorial independence for him to answer to the Committee for specific items and areas of BBC news coverage. BBC staff appeared before the committee to deal with these points.’

John Bercow has criticised BBC chairman Lord Patten . Speaker said no one should consider themselves above inspection . BBC Trust say staff appeared before committee to deal with points .

1cea87454067910d7c66c831a586bc57a78599c8

David Cameron and George Osborne are set to break a promise to publish their tax returns before the election. The Prime Minister had insisted he was 'relaxed' about the idea, insisting it was 'legitimate' for voters to ask if politicians paid the right tax. Mr Osborne, who first floated the idea in the Cabinet, has now admitted there are 'no plans' for it to go ahead. David Cameron had insisted he was 'relaxed' about the idea of publishing his tax returns but Chancellor George Osborne now says there are 'no plans' to do so. Mr Cameron and other members of the coalition have faced intense pressure to say whether they benefited from a decision in the 2012 Budget to reduce the top rate of tax from 50p to 45p. Two years ago Downing Street said senior Tories were willing to publish their tax returns, but stressed the election was a long way off. Now, with four months until polling day, the plan has been shelved. But last night Mr Osborne told the Sunday Times: 'There are genuine issues around taxpayer confidentiality and how it would work in practice. 'You see it as a feature of some American campaigns but I think there would be quite a lot of practical difficulties. There are no plans at this point. The income I receive is publicly declared.' In 2012 Mr Cameron, who earns £142,500 a year, was said to be 'very happy' for the information to be released but the move would be unprecedented for a sitting prime minister. In April 2013 government ministers in France began releasing details of their financial records in the wake of a tax fraud scandal involving a close ally of President Francois Hollande. Two years ago Downing Street said senior Tories were willing to publish their tax returns, but stressed the election was a long way off . Aides to Mr Cameron insisted again that he remained 'relaxed' about the idea but were unable to give any information on progress made in putting his tax records into the public domain. They insisted the idea had not been shelved, but there were still two years until the general election in May 2015. Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats said in 2012 they would not be opposed to publishing tax details. Andy Silvester of the Taxpayers' Alliance, told the paper: 'Politicians must keep their word if they are to be trusted, so having said they would publish their returns, those in the highest offices should do just that.' Margaret Hodge, Labour chairman of the Commons public accounts committee, said: 'My view is that they should stick to what they said they would do.'

The PM has said he was 'relaxed' about the idea of publishing tax returns . He said it was 'legitimate' for voters to ask if politicians paid the right tax . UK was expected to copy US where records are released before elections . Now the Chancellor says there are 'no plans' to release the information . Critics say they should 'stick to what they said they would do'

fc73313cef5f00de2d0e765b9d20f29852cebc79

These remarkable images show the moment a young pelican chick's head almost disappears into the mouth of its mother as it hungrily takes advantage of feeding time. The adult pelican can be seen to withstand what appears to be a rather uncomfortable feeding session to comfort her hungry youngster. The chicks - aged just two to three months old - are reliant on their mother for food. The head of a young pelican chick almost disappears into its mother's mouth during feeding time at a zoo in Indonesia . Photorapher Dikky Oesin, 38, took the images of the birds' feeding time at a zoo near his hometown of Jakarta, Indonesia. The father of three takes his son there almost every week and seizes the opportunity to practice his photography. Mr Oesin said: 'Strangely, this happened at a time when I just wanted to go home. 'But when I heard the noisy sounds of the birds crowded together, I decided to go and take a look. 'My son was very surprised when he saw the chick's head disappear into the mother's mouth - but for me, I was rather concerned about the mother. 'The beak of its chick is almost at the entrance to the stomach.' Dikky Oesin, 38, took the images at a zoo near his hometown of Jakarta, Indonesia . Mr Oesin said: 'My son was very surprised when he saw the chick's head disappear into the mother's mouth - but for me, I was rather concerned about the mother' The feeding process continued for around half an hour during which time Mr Oesin crept closer and closer to the pelicans - despite their intimidating size. An average adult pelican stands at about one and a half metres tall. Mr Oesin said: 'I went from being 15-20 metres away to taking photos just three metres from the birds. 'They didn't mind our presence - especially as we were by the zoo keeper who was feeding them fresh fish.'

Dikky Oesin took the images at zoo near his home in Jakarta, Indonesia . Adult pelican withstands uncomfortable looking feeding session at the zoo . Mr Oesin said he was concerned for pelican mother as he watched chick feeding .

b2b62a7dda2d747c5f6fbb71d8c3aa580b4e49b0

By . Bianca London . She's married to a footballer and is preparing to slip into a wedding dress this year, so a healthy fitness regime is, perhaps unsurprisingly, high on Christine Bleakley's priority list. And now, the TV presenter has revealed how she stays in shape and has shared her top fitness tips for busy women who want to keep active. The svelte 35-year-old, who is the perfect advert for a healthy lifestyle, said: 'Fitness and keeping fit is very important to me and it’s very much a part of my life but with family life I know that finding the time in the week to exercise can be difficult. But there are lots of ways that you can combine the two and get you and your family active and healthy.' Now we can all look like her! Christine Bleakley, who turned PE teacher for the day to help children prepare for the Sainsbury's anniversary games this Sunday, shared her favourite ways of getting fit . Christine, who is the ambassador for Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games, suggests raiding your children's sports bag and seeing what 'goodies' are in there. 'You may not have picked up a skipping rope since you were 10 years old but just a few minutes a day is great cardio exercise and doesn’t require a gym membership. Get your kids involved and see who can do the most skips in a minute,' she advises. Christine also revealed that one of her favourite ways to stay in shape is by hula hooping. 'I was playing with them (Frank's daughters) recently and it was amazing how out of breath I got,' she added. Christine, who acts as a stepmother to Frank Lampard's young daughters with Elen Rivas, said: 'Sometimes you feel like you have to make a choice between spending time with the family and working out but this doesn’t always have to be the case. Get the glow: Christine revealed that she loves skipping, cardio blast workouts and replacing pasta with courgette to stay healthy . Football fans: Speaking about her favourite sports, Christine, who is set to tie the knot with Chelsea and England star Frank Lampard this year, said that obviously they love watching football but she's a fan of all sports . 'Why not combine the two and head down to your local park with the family. It’s a great place to be for a run around in the fresh air, get a group together and have a game of rounders – fun for kids and adults alike. Watch out, in my experience the adults always get competitive!' She believes that just five minutes a day can help to whip you into shape revealing that her 'intensive workout' is a mini circuit challenge, which consists of one minute plank, one minute of squats, one minute of sit-ups, one minute of press ups and one minute of burpees. 'It doesn’t sound a lot but I can guarantee you’ll feel like you’ve had a work out once you’ve finished and if you do it every day you’ll see real differences. 'The beauty of these exercises is that they all rely on body weight alone and don’t require any equipment, and even better, you can easily do them in your living room or back garden,' she said. Get the look: Christine reveals that she stays svelte by doing her 'intensive workout' and mini circuit challenge, which consists of one minute plank, one minute of squats, one minute of sit ups, one minute of press ups and one minute of burpees . Speaking about her favourite sports, Christine, who is set to tie the knot with Chelsea and England star Frank Lampard this year, said: 'Obviously in our household we love watching football but I’m a fan of all sports and sporting events are a great way to get the family together and inspire kids to enjoy sport and be active from an early age. 'I always find exercise so much easier when I have a friend to do it with me. Team up with some of the other mums you know and enter a local sporting challenge like a 5k run, cycle ride or swimathon. Having a goal to train for keeps you so much more motivated and on track. 'Plus committing to regular training sessions with friends will ensure you don’t let your training slip. If you have older kids - get them involved in your training too.' Fitness fan: Christine may find it hard to fit an exercise regime into her working day soon as she prepares to fill in for Holly Willoughby on some of her shows whilst she's on maternity leave . And it isn't just her fitness regime that Christine takes seriously, adding: 'Let’s not forget healthy eating, which will really complement your fitness drive. I find that doing a weekly shop means that I plan ahead and there is always healthy food in the house. 'I love cooking and always try to make nutritious meals that the whole family will enjoy. Simple things like replacing the middle layer of pasta in a lasagne with courgettes make the family favourite that bit more nutritious.' Christine may find it hard to fit an exercise regime into her working day soon as she prepares to fill in for Holly Willoughby on some of her shows while she's on maternity leave. While Amanda Holden was announced as the official replacement for Holly, Christine will also present some of the shows missed by Holly while she is on leave.

Christine, 35, shared tips for incorporating exercise into your life . Revealed she loves going running with a friend to stay motivated . Loves hula hooping and intense circuit sessions . Will fill in some slots for Holly Willoughby on This Morning .

7bb0d50192e44a9540cdb335179d762e8ac271b9

By . Daniel Piotrowski For Daily Mail Australia . The Muslim doctor who spoke out against Australian terrorists Khaled Sharrouf and Mohamed Elomar has this morning been the target of threatening tweets from a Twitter account believed associated with Elomar. Twitter account 'Abu Hafs ozzie', which shares a similar username to ones previously used by the terrorist, this morning tweeted: 'Anyone in Sydney who can give me the details of Habashi dog Dr Jamal Rifi, anything, house details, wat (sic) area am willing to pay $1000'. 'Any details were he works or knows if his got kids which school they attend. Like I said I am willing to pay $1000 just for details'. Scroll down for video . The profile picture of the Twitter account which shares a similar name to those used by Australian terrorist Mohamed Elomar. Brave stand: Dr Jamal Rifi has denounced the actions of Khaled Sharrouf and Mohamed Elomar. Khaled Sharrouf's son, pictured holding a decapitated head (left), and another image of Sharrouf and young children (right). Pictured: Australian jihadist Mohamed Elomar posed holding two decapitated heads in a disgusting display posted on social media in July. But Dr Rifi told Daily Mail Australia this morning he would not be afraid. 'Their actions shouldn't instil fear among us to the point where that fear will paralyse us,' he said. 'And that's why I would refuse to be fearful of their threats'. Dr Rifi made a number of public statements yesterday where he denounced the actions of the Australian terrorists. His condemnation followed Khaled Sharrouf releasing an image of his seven-year-old son holding a decapitated head in the Syrian city of Raqqa at the weekend. Fighting in Syria: Mohamed Elomar (pictured) is believed to have left Australia last year to fight in Syria. Another Twitter image posted by Khaled Sharrouf. 'What we saw to be honest, (is) very disturbing, especially when it's done in the name of Islam,' Dr Rifi said. 'And it can only be done by a very sick person'. Sharrouf fled Australia on his brother's passport to Syria last year to fight for ISIS. Dr Rifi, a prominent member of Sydney's Islamic community, was a finalist in the 2009 Australian Local Hero awards. Dr Rifi said he was familiar with Khaled Sharrouf's father, but had never met the younger Sharrouf who has turned to terrorism. He has played an instrumental part in forging positive relationships between the Muslim and wider Australian communities. He was a founding member of Muslim Doctors Against Violence and the Christian Muslim Friendship Society. He helped recruit and train Muslim youth as surf lifesavers at Cronulla beach following riots in the Sydney Shire suburb in 2005. Daily Mail Australia approached NSW Police for comment.

Twitter account associated with terrorist Mohamed Elomar offers $1000 for details on prominent Australian Muslim doctor . Australian terrorist Khaled Sharrouf, an associate of Elomar, posted a picture of his son holding a decapitated head at the weekend . 'Anyone in Sydney who can give me the details of Habashi dog Dr Jamal Rifi... am willing to pay $1000,' one tweet said . Dr Jamal Rifi says he will not be afraid: 'I would refuse to be fearful of their threats'

0ea63326dd11886286b7e54cc393f37fa8ac8063

By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 10:03 EST, 4 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:47 EST, 4 June 2013 . The dancer who claims a former Coronation Street actor sexually abused him when he was a schoolboy broke down in tears in court today after he was accused of making up a 'malicious lie'. Andrew Lancel, 42, was charged last November under his real name Andrew Watkinson. The actor, from Gateacre in Liverpool, is best known for his role as Frank Foster in the ITV soap. Former Coronation Street actor Andrew Lancel arrives at Liverpool Crown Court with his wife Louise today . Lancel has pleaded not guilty to six counts of indecent assault of a child under the age of 16 and is on trial at Liverpool Crown Court. The charges relate to one male victim and the offending allegedly took place between 1993 and 1994 when he was aged 14 and 15. Today his accuser, now aged 34, was cross examined by Andrew Menary QC, defending. In a tense morning of questioning Mr Menary challenged various aspects of the accuser's account of what happened. Lancel (pictured with his wife) has pleaded not guilty to six counts of indecent assault of a child . The man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, claims he was aged just 14 and was 'star struck' by Lancel when the abuse began. He says the actor targeted him when he was performing in a production at a theatre group in Southport and would take him out for coffees before indecently assaulting him on numerous occasions over the next three years. But Mr Menary said the fact was that the defendant simply befriended him. He said: 'You understand that Andrew Lancel denies that there was ever any abuse. You understand that don't you?' The man, now a professional dancer, responded: 'I understand that he is denying it.' Mr Menary said: 'There was never any abuse at any time was there?' 'That's not true,' the man responded. Mr Menary went on to say there was 'never any intimacy or inappropriate contact' between them 'at any age'. The man replied: 'That's completely not true.' Mr Menary added: 'For whatever reason you have made up what is a malicious lie about him.' The man repeated: 'That's completely not true.' Soap star: Andrew Lancel, left, playing Frank Foster in Coronation Street with Sally Dynevor as Sally Webster . Actor: Liverpool-born star Andrew Lancel, is most famous for appearing in Coronation Street as Frank Foster. He is pictured here with Alison King as Carla Connor . The barrister then went on to point out inconsistencies in the accounts the man had given to the police and to his counsellors. The man said it had been hard for him to talk about it and that he had been 'embarrassed' to admit that he had continued to have sexual contact with the defendant into his early 20s when they were living in London. At certain points throughout the evidence Lancel, dressed in a black suit and striped tie and wearing thick rimmed black glasses, shook his head and folded his arms. Mr Menary went on to accuse the man of telling some people the abuse happened when he was 13, and not 14. Other role: Lancel plays Detective Inspector Neil Manson in The Bill . 'I might have said to somebody in the past it began when I was 13,' he said. He said it had taken him a long time to "come to terms with" and began to cry. Mr Menary asked if he need a break. The man, who told the court he was straight, replied: 'No, I want to answer this question.' He repeated he was 'embarrassed' by what he claims happened. Judge Clement Goldstone QC, the Recorder of Liverpool, then interjected and asked the man if it was true that he told people he was 13 and not 14 because he was embarrassed that he had not done anything about the alleged abuse and that he could 'justify' it more if he told people he was 13. The man nodded and then broke down, covering his face and looking away from the dock. The judge then adjourned the hearing for a short break. The prosecution claim the defendant, who is married with a son, used his 'status' as an actor to flatter and gain the trust of the boy, whom he knew he was under the age of consent. The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.

Andrew Lancel charged last year under his real name Andrew Watkinson . The actor is best known for his role as Frank Foster in the ITV soap . Lancel has pleaded not guilty to six counts of indecent assault of a child .

563010142f4f23bd7aa9a88937375f2bceb53b0a

A British woman locked in a notorious Iranian jail for trying to watch a men's volleyball match has been charged with 'propaganda against the regime' - three months after being taken prisoner . Ghoncheh Ghavami, 25, was arrested and taken to Tehran's notorious Evin jail a few days after attempting to watch a volleyball match between Iran and Italy on June 20. She was part of a group of women protesting Iranian stricture which bans females from attending men's sporting events. Scroll down for video . Charged: Three months after being jailed in Iran for attending a men's volleyball match, Ghoncheh Ghavami, 25, has been charged with 'propaganda against the regime' Detained: Ms Ghavami was arrested after trying to watch a men's volleyball match at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran (pictured) According to her family, Miss Ghavami has spent 41 days in solitary confinement and been subjected to threats of being moved to a more dangerous prison. An Amnesty International spokesman said: 'She is a prisoner of conscience, arrested solely for taking part in a peaceful protest against the ban on women attending Volleyball World League matches in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.' At first Ms Ghavami, who previously studied law in London, was arrested then released, but when she went back to fetch her belongings, she was re-arrested and jailed. Several others involved in the demonstration were also detained. Miss Ghavami is of joint British-Iranian heritage, but Iran refuses to acknowledge jointnationality and the fact that she has a British passport is seen as irrelevant. Her brother, 28-year-old Iman Ghavami, previously told ITV News: '[The family] can barely hold themselves together. 'They are torn apart – not just my parents but my grandparents, my uncles, everybody.' Iran's head of police, Esmail Ahmadi Moghadam, told the Fars news agency: 'In the current conditions, the mixing of men and women in stadiums is not in the public interest. Protest: Social media campaigns have sprung up in a bid to pressurise Iran into releasing Ms Ghavami . Notorious: Ms Ghavami has spent 41 days in solitary confinement in Tehran's Evin prison (pictured) 'The stance taken by religious scholars and the supreme leader remains unchanged, and as the enforcer of law, we cannot allow women to enter stadiums.' Social media campaigns have sprung up in a bid to pressurise Iran into releasing Ms Ghavami. There's a Facebook group dedicated to helping her and the hashtag #FreeGhonchehGhavami is being appended to Twitter posts about her plight. The Foreign Office said it was aware of the situation, but has little sway over Iran as it does not have official diplomatic ties with it, so it's unlikely to be able to help Ms Ghavami. Iran's rigid enforcement of Islamic code is down to the influence of its top authority, the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Ghoncheh Ghavami, 25, was arrested after attending men's volleyball game . Taken to Evin jail where family say she was put in solitary confinement . She has now been officially charged with 'propaganda against the regime' Studied law at University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies .

fd8aaf16e975e560f2667056d822d453decbc9e8

Hospitals have been accused of 'secretly closing their doors' by turning away thousands of patients for surgery unless they live nearby. At least four major NHS trusts have stopped accepting patients for routine procedures because they cannot deal with soaring numbers of referrals. The move appears to breach the legally-binding NHS Constitution, which gives patients the right to be treated wherever they want, however far they have to travel. Many patients choose to bypass their local district hospital in favour of a larger teaching trust that specialises in an area of medicine. Hospitals have been accused of 'secretly closing their doors' by turning away thousands of patients for surgery unless they live nearby . Yet bosses say they have no choice but to prioritise people from the catchment area to cope with rising referrals. One critic last night said: 'The idea was patients could choose their hospital, now it's changed to hospitals choosing their patients.' Salford Royal Hospitals in Greater Manchester, Oxford University Hospital Trust, University Hospitals Birmingham and Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals have all admitted restricting surgery for patients living outside their catchment area in the last few months. Other struggling trusts are likely to follow suit to reduce patient numbers and meet waiting-time targets. Many patients choose to bypass their local district hospital in favour of a larger teaching trust that specialises in an area of medicine . Last night, Roy Lilley, a health policy analyst and former chairman of an NHS trust, accused hospitals of 'turning off the tap'. 'I'm sure patients will be horrified to learn if they live in the wrong place they won't get treated. 'Because hospitals are more worried about breaching targets and regulators than patients and relatives they are secretly closing their doors to avoid over-running and breaching targets and getting described as failing and being put in special measures.' Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham said: 'Hospitals are turning people away and cancelling operations to cope with the unfolding chaos. The NHS Constitution gives patients clear rights and they are in danger of being breached.' University Hospitals Birmingham imposed restrictions in September covering non-urgent operations including orthopaedic and general surgery such as slipped discs. It will only accept patients from within two so-called clinical commissioning groups – local NHS bodies – in the city centre rather than from the suburbs and surrounding counties. The trust said the 'unprecedented rise' in patients had led to longer waiting times which posed a risk to those needing more urgent heart or liver surgery. Salford Royal stopped accepting patients for hip and knee replacements and skin cancer procedures if they live closer to another hospital. Oxford University Hospitals Trust is turning away patients who need spinal operations, while Hull and East Yorkshire is doing the same for neurosurgery. The restrictions were uncovered by the Health Service Journal using Freedom of Information requests. All four trusts said demand had 'increased significantly' in the past few years and that the restrictions were a temporary measure while they cleared a backlog. But Katherine Murphy, of the Patients Association, said: 'The NHS must abide by its own rules and provide the services to patients which they are legally obliged to provide.' The restrictions are further evidence that the NHS is struggling to meet the needs of the rising and ageing population. Waiting times for operations are at their highest for more than six years and hospitals will come under further pressure over the winter, when health bosses are braced for an expected surge in cases of chest infections, flu and norovirus. The NHS's medical director Professor Bruce Keogh also urged the public to go to their pharmacy instead of A&E wherever possible to prevent overcrowding. The chief executive of an NHS trust in the West Midlands warned of severe overcrowding as he suddenly resigned this week. A Department of Health spokesman said: 'While we understand the pressures that the NHS is under, all patients have the right to choose where they are treated and we expect all trusts to respect these decisions.'

Four major NHS trusts have stopped accepting patients for routine surgery . Others have admitted restricting surgery for patients living outside area . Patients say the move breaches the legally-binding NHS Constitution . This gives patients the right to receive treatment wherever they choose .

cc79ee47c50abde0f77a6d84d36e19de5d9f3551

Coleen Rooney has claimed her designer luggage was 'ransacked' after arriving two days late in Las Vegas from Heathrow, as British Airways admits thousands of passengers have been caught up in baggage chaos. The 28-year-old wife of England striker Wayne Rooney flew with BA to Sin City on Saturday for a family holiday. But after her luggage arrived two days late, she tweeted: 'Feel sick..... just received my 4 cases 2 . days late from BA Heathrow to Las Vegas. Opened them all and they have . been completely ransacked.' Mrs Rooney is not the only passenger out of Heathrow to experience problems with baggage over the last week. Scroll down for video . Coleen Rooney has claimed her designer luggage was 'ransacked' after arriving two days late in Las Vegas from Heathrow, as British Airways admits thousands of passengers have been caught up in baggage chaos . The 28-year-old wife of England striker Wayne Rooney flew with BA to Sin City on Saturday for a family holiday . Poolside: Coleen Rooney still managed to find a bikini to wear despite her luggage drama . VIP: The Manchester United striker and his beau were seen partying with a group of friends . Twitter rant: Coleen took to social media to vent her rage after her bags were ransacked en route to Las Vegas . A . fault with the system in Terminal Five means thousands of bags have . been left grounded while their owners continued to their destinations. Euan Fordyce, a spokesman for British Airways, told Yahoo Travel that the baggage had not been 'lost' but merely 'missed its flight.' He said: 'I do not have a total figure, but it has been in the thousands, as the problem happened across a number of days.' The . problem hit the airport on Thursday when a computer glitch caused the . conveyor belts that loads bags onto planes to shut down. Baggage handlers tried to put the cases onto the aircraft manually but . were unable to keep pace with the flight schedule, meaning many left . without being fully loaded. Heathrow declined to comment on Mrs Rooney’s situation but British Airways said they had contacted Mrs Rooney to begin an investigation into the incident.  And a spokesman told MailOnline the wider baggage problem should be sorted by the end of today, by which time they believed the last of the remaining bags would have been shipped on from Heathrow. Mrs Rooney faced a . string of sarcastic comments from some of her followers who commented that she could probably afford to replace the items. But . she angrily replied that the money wasn't the issue, tweeting: ‘And you . can stick all the sarcastic comments about money. It’s not all about . money it’s about people going through my personal stuff and taking stuff . that I need for my holiday’. She has also received messages of . support from fans, retweeting a post from one, who wrote: ‘That is . disgraceful, complete invasion of your privacy!! You’re a paying . customer so should be treated the same as any other.’ Heavy load: The Rooneys brought a large number of bags with them - but they went missing at Heathrow . She responded fiercely to criticism on Twitter, posting: 'It's not all about money it's about people going through my personal stuff and taking stuff that I need for my holiday' Missing: Despite arriving with a large selection of suitcases, Coleen tweeted that not all of them made it . Angry: Coleen took to Twitter to complain about the state of her luggage . A fault with the system in Terminal Five means thousands of bags have been left grounded while their owners continued to their destinations . The problem hit the airport on Thursday when a computer glitch caused the conveyor belts that loads bags onto planes to shut down . The couple are staying at the luxurious Encore Beach Club while the footballer enjoys a break before heading back to training with Manchester United. Rooney was heavily criticised for his performances at the World Cup in Brazil but at least managed to assist in both of the goals England achieved at the tournament. It is set to be another big season for the striker as he starts to work under Manchester United's new manager, Louis van Gaal. BA told MailOnline: 'We are very sorry. We are contacting Mrs Rooney to apologise and have begun a full investigation.' Despite her woes, Coleen has been seen wearing a classic black bikini by the pool, accessorised with a delicate necklace and tortoiseshell sunglasses. The mother-of-two seemed to constantly have a drink in hand as the group topped up their tans in the glorious sunshine.

Wayne Rooney's wife unleashes a furious rant on Twitter about luggage . After her suitcases arrived in Sin City she found they had been 'ransacked' Couple are taking a holiday after Wayne returned from his World Cup duties . Thousands of Heathrow passengers have been caught in baggage chaos . Fault with system in Terminal Five means bags have been left grounded .

551a45da7a02b9930e54e1db3ec8b63826b6e3bc

By . Margaret Davis, Press Association and David Wilcock . PUBLISHED: . 16:57 EST, 12 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:46 EST, 13 February 2013 . A 53-year-old man has been charged with a racially aggravated public order offence after Millwall fans appeared to hurl racist abuse at a Leeds striker. Gerrard Scanlon, 53, from Enfield, north London, is accused of using threatening, abusive or insulting words likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. The delivery driver was released on police bail and is due to appear at Bromley Magistrates' Court on February 27. Scroll down to watch the video from the Sky Sports documentary... Caught on camera: A fan is filmed making racist remarks during a Millwall game by Sky Sports News . He was arrested after Sky Sports News . broadcast footage that appeared to show some Millwall fans . hurling insults at Senegal forward El-Hadji Diouf during a game at The Den, in south-east London, on November 18. Millwall said they were 'appalled' by . the footage and vowed to reopen an investigation into allegations of . racial abuse, which initially emerged online. Club captain Danny Shittu said he was 'deeply saddened' by what he had seen in the documentary. Millwall have promised to ban any individuals for life if they are found guilty. Abuse: Sky Sports News picked up another fan making racist remarks . Millwall chief executive Andy Ambler . said that an initial investigation by the club was closed after Diouf said he heard . no racist abuse aimed at him. 'Like all Millwall fans and football fans generally, we're appalled by the footage we've seen,' Ambler said. 'Sadly racism exists in our society and certain individuals want to bring it into football grounds. It's down to us in football do to more. Shittu later released a statement on the club website which read: 'I am deeply saddened by the documentary on Sky Sports showing racism by the minority at matches including at Millwall FC. Anger: Leeds forward El-Hadji Diouf was believed to be the target of racist abuse . 'As the current Millwall captain, racism is something I do not stand for or condone. 'I am currently in talks with the club about any further measures we can take in dealing with and eradicating racism at matches. 'I do not want the events shown yesterday to tarnish the hard work done by the club thus far and their efforts in tackling this issue. 'Every player at all levels has the right to represent their club without being subjected to homophobic or racial taunts. I will do all I can to help eradicate racism at my club and in football.' Bolton forward Marvin Sordell has previously made allegations of racial abuse towards Millwall's fans. A banner stating 'Sordell is a c***' was unfurled at a later game which came in the wake of his claims, while a 13-year-old boy was banned from the ground. VIDEO: Watch the Sky Sports undercover report . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.

Man charged with racist abuse named as 53-year-old Gerrard Scanlon . Sky Sports News report identified 56 examples of racist abuse at Millwall . Sustained abuse heard from Block 28 at The Den . Millwall 'appalled' by footage and captain Danny Shittu 'deeply saddened'

0b9d15b6b50abdfc138c1a02e4230fe4f1ffed75

By . Associated Press . and Daily Mail Repoter . Amazon is teaming up with HBO, the first streaming arrangement agreed to by the cable network, in a deal that will make available to Amazon prime members some classic TV like 'The Sopranos' and 'The Wire.' Financial terms were not disclosed Wednesday. The first batch of shows will appear on Prime Instant Video starting on May 21 - but will only be available in the U.S. A new deal with Amazon will make seminal HBO shows like 'The Sopranos' available to Amazon Prime members . That date will see the release of full runs of 'The Sopranos,' 'Six Feet Under',' 'The Wire,' 'Big Love,' 'Deadwood,' 'Eastbound and Down,' 'Family Tree,' 'Enlightened,' and 'Treme.' Early seasons of 'Boardwalk Empire' and 'True Blood' will also be available, as will the miniseries, 'Band of Brothers' and 'John Adams.' Over time seasons of 'Girls,' 'The Newsroom,' and 'Veep' will also become available. The companies also say that HBO's streaming service Go will likely being offered on Amazon's Fire TV by year's end. Allowing access to HBO content without a cable subscription has been the subject of much speculation since the company launched Go for subscribers only. In a February story, Flavorwire noted that the rapid expansion of streaming services like Netflix, which was successfully developing its own original content, had forced HBO into a position where it needed to provide a stand-alone streaming option. This is the first time the channel's programming has been licensed to a subscription streaming service. Full runs of series like 'The Wire' will be immediately available while other shows will receive staggered releases depending on the time elapsed since their original air dates . 'HBO . has produced some of the most groundbreaking, beloved and award-winning . shows in television history, with more than 115 Emmys amongst the . assortment of shows coming to Prime members next month,' Brad . Beale, director of content acquisition for Amazon, told The Wrap. 'HBO original content . is some of the most-popular across Amazon Instant Video — our customers . love watching these shows. Now Prime members can enjoy a collection of . great HBO shows on an unlimited basis, at no additional cost to their . Prime membership.'

Deal secures Amazon Prime members full runs of classics like 'The Wire' and 'Sopranos' 'Sex and the City' not named in new streaming library content . Deal pushes back against rivals like Netflix who are developing their own critically acclaimed originals .

76d6ecceafc41e7191bc02c482f062d804f0fe6c

By . James Rush . Traffic police in China stopped a motorist after he was spotted driving along a highway with a medical drip hanging out of the car. Businessman Gang Fang, 38, was seen at the wheel of his car in China’s Jiangsu province with a bag of fluid suspended above his head and a tube leading into his arm. Witness Li Lung watched the scene as the driver was pulled over by police. Police in China stopped a motorist after he was spotted with a medical drip hanging out of the car . He told local media: 'The man was pulled over by police. He said he had been suffering a lot of stress at work recently. 'He went to the hospital and they'd told him to take time off work and lie down. But he said he didn't have the time. 'So they apparently gave him medicine to give him energy in the form of a drip. 'I heard him say: "I didn't know I was doing anything wrong".' A police spokesman said: 'This is incredibly dangerous. 'Not only was he taking medicines that could have affected his driving directly into a vein, he was unable to move his arm to steer properly because he would have ripped the tube out.' The bag was placed on a stand behind his seat as he drove along and was poking out of the sunroof . Drip-driver: The medicated motorist is also using the phone . The bag was placed on a stand behind his seat as he drove along and was poking out of the sunroof. The police spokesman added: 'He was risking his own life as well as those of others.' The man now faces a driving ban and a summons for dangerous driving. He complained that he had not had the time to wait in the hospital.

Businessman Gang Fang was seen at wheel of his car attached to drip . Bag was placed on a stand behind his seat and was poking out of sunroof . The 38-year-old faces a driving ban and a summons for dangerous driving .

21c5bd13dd8762de132bf3568fc27cecedf62d93

By . Kieran Corcoran . Vladimir Putin has insisted he is 'not prejudiced in any way', and that he has some gay friends, amid an outcry against Russia's laws against gay 'propaganda'. He also made efforts to praise the 'personal achievements' of gay celebrities such as Elton John, whom he called 'extraordinary'. But the Russian leader also linked gay people to paedophiles, who are covered jointly in the controversial propaganda law, ahead of the Sochi Winter Olympics, which start next month. 'Not prejudiced': Russian president Vladimir Putin, left, said that he was uninterested in a person's sexuality in an interview today. He made efforts to praise gay celebrities, such as the 'extraordinary' Elton John, right . Despite reassuring visitors the laws present 'no danger' to them, the Russian leader still suggested there was a need . to 'clean up' homosexuality in Russian order to drive up the country's . birth rate, and defended the country's right to pass such a law. In an interview broadcast amid international outrage ahead of the Sochi Winter Olympics, he said: 'Read our law carefully – it’s called "a . ban on the propaganda of paedophilia and homosexuality". But this is nothing to do with persecuting . invididuals for their sexual orientation.' 'It seems to me that the law we adopted doesn’t . harm anybody. What’s more, homosexual people can’t feel inferior here . because there is no professional career or social discrimination against . them. 'When they achieve great success [they are honoured] – for example Elton John is a . extraordinary person, a distinguished musician, and millions of our . people sincerely love him, regardless of his sexual orientation.' In a segment later broadcast on the BBC's Andrew Marr show, the president dodged a question on whether gay people are born or made. But he did tell Andrew Marr: 'If you want my personal attitude, I would tell you that I don’t care about a person’s sexual orientation. Protests: Gay rights activists march through Moscow condemning homophobia and 'fascism' Authorities: A protestor wrapped in a rainbow flag walks past a police line . 'I myself know some people who are gay – we are on friendly terms. I am not prejudiced in any way.' Mr Putin also made efforts to assure athletes and sports fans visiting the Sochi Winter Olympics that the new propaganda laws present 'no danger' to them. The games, which start on 7 February, have cost more than £30billion, making them the most expensive in Olympic history. The Russian government hopes to show the world a modern face of Russia, which has faced increased criticism from the West over human rights. Mr Putin's comments come as gay rights activists marched through Moscow with placards reading 'Down with all Kinds of Fascism', ' Homophobia in to the Fire!', ' For Peace without Racism ! ',  and 'Bisexuals Against Fascism'.

Russian President gave interviews ahead of Sochi Olympics next month . Said 'I don't care' about sexuality, and told visitors they were in 'no danger' He  also went out of his way to mention praise the 'extraordinary' Elton John . His comments came as gay rights activists protested in Moscow .

23493308637747aae5a34207c53e08bcb805c4dc

By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 05:32 EST, 5 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:46 EST, 5 October 2012 . An 11-year-old was banned from trying-out for his school basketball team after he shaved his hair into a mohawk and dyed it pink to support his mom with breast cancer. Trevor Foster was told by his principal at Clifty Creek Elementary in Columbus he could not participate until he changed his hair style. But after a major public backlash with his father organsing a social networking campaign, the school backtracked and apologized. The news follows a story last month when . a 12-year-old New Jersey boy took a stand by quitting his football team . after he said his coach banned him from wearing pink gloves on the . field in honor of his mother, who is also battling breast cancer. Making a stand: Trevor Foster and his older brother Caleb both shaved their heads, leaving behind a thin strip of hair on top and a breast cancer ribbon design . Banned: 11-year-old Trevor Foster . Trevor's mother, Stacy Foster, was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and Trevor dyed his hair with his older brother Caleb. Mrs Foster underwent surgery earlier this week and the pair decided to change their hairstyle to support her. 'I was walking out to my bus and she stopped me and told me that I couldn't try out for basketball with my mohawk,' Trevor told RTV6. He said he went home and told his . father Tamage who took to Facebook, posting pictures of his sons' haircuts and soliciting support from the community. He also called the school and contacted school board members about the incident. The father and son organised a meeting with Principal Cynthia Frost, who backtracked and told him he could try-out the team. According to Trevor, she was even wearing a pink suit which she told him was to support his cause. Trevor Foster was told by his principal at Clifty Creek Elementary in Columbus he could not participate until he changed his hair style . 'She apologized but it didn't help much,' he said. 'I'm still disappointed that she said what she said. It was just wrong to say that,' he told ABC News. Principal Frost even . suggested that Trevor become one of the leaders of a new student . council geared toward raising funds for breast cancer research. After the meeting Mr Foster wrote on his Facebook page: . 'Met . with the principal this morning - she was very apologetic, that she was . thinking ahead after Trevor made the team cause there is no reason that . he shouldnt make the team, and that next 9 weeks they are going to . start up a student council which Clifty Creek has never had before. 'Said Trevor is one of the leaders in his grade, she felt so bad that she wore pink today to show support for Trevor.' The boys' mother, Stacy Foster, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year right and their father Tamage . Success: Mr Foster's victorious tweet . His mother, Stacey, who is being released from the hospital today after recovering from surgery on Monday, told ABC News she was 'disappointed and angry' at the original decision. 'This was one way he thought he could support me through this surgery,' she said. 'When parents have cancer we don't really understand what our children go through. For him, it was his way of showing support for me all the way.' Supportive son: In this photo taken Monday, Sept. 10, 2012, Julian Connerton wears his pink football gloves that he bought in honor of his mom Mayra Cruz-Connerton, who has breast cancer . Last month when . a 12-year-old New Jersey boy took a stand by quitting his football team . after he said his coach banned him from wearing pink gloves on the . field in honor of his mother, who is battling breast cancer. Julian Connerton, of Egg Harbor, left the opening game of the Egg Harbor City Crusaders seventh- and eighth-grade youth football team in Ocean City when coach Paul Burgan informed him that he could not take the field sporting his brightly-hued football gloves. At halftime, the 12-year-old said he decided to quit the game and the team. ‘I love my mom more than I love football,’ the boy told WCSH. The coach later admitted he forgot the reason Julian was wearing pink gloves and apologized, with Julian rejoining the team.

Trevor Foster, 11, of Columbus, was told by his headteacher he could not participate until he changed his hair style . After a major public backlash school was forced to backtrack .

542da79d37b8c6a2c757e4c2886424f6a199be82

The flu season only kicked off in late December but there are already signs that the UK could be heading for an epidemic, with the number affected at its highest level for three years. Last week, doctors reported a 'significant rise' in the number of hospital admissions, while Flusurvey, a European-wide monitoring system, says reported cases across all age groups has doubled in seven days - a much bigger leap compared with the same time last year. With the flu season not set to peak for six weeks, many more people could be affected, so what's going on? Around 20 per cent of samples taken from people with flu and tested by Public Health England have been found to be 'drifted' strains - or mutations - of H3N2 . The problem is being blamed on the nature of this particular flu virus and the fact it has mutated. The jab is designed to prevent the most widespread flu virus, known as H3N2. However, the mutations of the virus appear resistant to it. In hospitals, around 20 per cent of samples taken from people with flu and tested by Public Health England have been found to be 'drifted' strains - or mutations - of H3N2. This rate of mutation is ten times higher than normal. Meanwhile, the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have announced that half of their samples are mutations. What does all this mean for you and your family? We ask the country's top experts for their advice. AM I SAFE IF I'VE HAD THE JAB? Every year the flu jab is different, protecting against the three flu types scientists have identified as being those likely to cause the most problems in the flu season. The scientists gather each February at the HQ of the World Health Organisation in Geneva and base their decision on what happened the previous winter in the southern hemisphere (when it was our summer); this gives an early indication of which flu viruses are likely to affect us next. The vaccines are developed and given in October or November, before the flu season starts in the northern hemisphere. Every year the flu jab is different, protecting against the three flu types . This year, scientists pinpointed one strain as the major cause of flu in 2015 - Influenza A type H3N2. Although H3N2 is not as virulent as some other strains, it mutates very easily, so the vaccine is not as protective against it. 'Around 20 per cent of patients are infected with mutated strains which is higher than we expect - this figure would usually be around 2 per cent,' says John Oxford, professor of virology at Barts and the School of Medicine and Dentistry at Queen Mary University of London. 'For some reason, this year's strain mutates quickly - it's impossible to say why this virus behaves differently.' IS THIS 'MUTANT' FLU MORE RISKY? The short answer is no. 'It won't make any difference to healthy adults who have strong immune systems - and there's no reason to believe a mutated form of H3N2 will give you a worse dose of flu,' explains Professor Oxford. Nor are the new mutations more infectious. However, importantly, vulnerable people who've had the flu jab may not be as well protected and may develop flu symptoms. People considered at risk of flu are offered a free jab every year. They include: the over-65s; pregnant women; patients with certain medical conditions including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (including emphysema) and diabetes; those living in a care home; carers and healthcare workers. Children aged two to four are also offered vaccination (as a nasal spray). Last week, Dr Ben Marshall, a specialist in respiratory medicine at Southampton General Hospital, said they had admitted many more patients in the at-risk groups who should have been protected by their annual flu jab. 'We have seen the number of patients, mainly those with respiratory conditions such as asthma or COPD, being admitted as emergencies increase from 25-30 a day to more than 50.' Around half have the H3N2 virus. 'The numbers have been far higher and there is no sign of that letting up any time soon.' WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO GET IT? This year's 'top' flu bug is more likely to a problem for older people and very young children, not because they are more likely to be infected but because their symptoms would be worse. 'Older people tend to have lowered immunity and other health issues, such as COPD or diabetes, which may make them more vulnerable to serious complications,' explains Professor Oxford. Flu can lead to pneumonia, which can be deadly. 'Small children are at a mechanical disadvantage because they have smaller airways, so inflammation can have a more serious effect and lead to dangerous breathing difficulties,' he adds. This year's 'top' flu bug is more likely to a problem for older people and very young children . IS FLU CAUSING THE A&E CRISIS? While Dr Marshall says the number of patients admitted with respiratory illnesses as an emergency has doubled, Professor Oxford says there is no evidence the mutant H3N2 viruses have been behind overcrowding in crisis-hit A&E departments. Instead, other respiratory infections and the norovirus have been mainly responsible. Figures from Public Health England revealed the winter norovirus season started early when there were 18 outbreaks of norovirus in hospitals across England in October - 17 led to ward closures. Three wards at Southampton General Hospital closed to new admissions due to outbreaks of diarrhoea and vomiting. Hugh Pennington, emeritus professor of bacteriology at the University of Aberdeen, explains: 'Norovirus does happen all year round but the main season does seem to have started off a bit earlier this year. 'An earlier start will be having an impact.' Wearing a face mask, a popular preventative measure in the Far East, won't make a huge difference to whether you catch the virus, says Professor Oxford. 'These masks can stop transmission via large droplets, but the virus can still go straight through in an aerosol form, i.e. as a mist of tiny liquid particles. Masks should not be considered an alternative to having the jab.' There's no hard evidence that vitamin C can boost your immune system, although a healthy diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables is good for general health. 'Wash your hands thoroughly, particularly before eating, and use an anti-viral gel regularly and often,' says Professor Oxford. For those worried about loved ones in care homes, the key is good hygiene practices, says Professor Oxford. 'And people should not visit a care home if they suspect they have the flu.' IS THE FLU JAB A WASTE OF TIME? No, says Professor Oxford, who points out that it protects against two other kinds of flu strains as well as H3N2. 'It also protects against the serious H1N1 strain (swine flu) which caused the pandemic in 2009, and B/Massachusetts/2, a strain which was active in 2012.' Also, while he can't say for sure, he believes that even mutated versions of H3N2 will be weakened by the antibodies in the jab. 'It may mean people get a less serious version of the flu virus with milder symptoms. I would be very surprised if the jab offered no protection at all.' Dr Richard Pebody, head of seasonal flu surveillance at Public Health England, adds: 'Existing vaccine is likely to still provide some protection and getting vaccinated remains the best way to protect yourself from flu.' Clare Wenham, research fellow in Public Health Engagement at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who runs Flusurvey in the UK, says that no one should be put off having a jab because H3N2 mutations have been found. 'We want to encourage all vulnerable people to have the vaccine if they haven't already done so.' The best time is the autumn before the season starts, but it is possible to have the jab later, as long as stocks are left. Ask your GP. If you are not eligible for a free jab, you can pay for one at many pharmacists. WHAT ABOUT CHILDREN? From September 2013, flu vaccinations were added to the childhood immunisation schedule and children aged two, three and four are now automatically offered vaccination, although many are still to take it up. Older children with asthma may be eligible for a free jab - talk to your GP or practice nurse. Uptake among children is around 40 per cent. 'Not only is it important for the child's protection, but children are known to be virus spreaders and can easily transmit infection to grand-parents and other vulnerable family members,' says Professor Oxford.

The jab is designed to prevent the most widespread flu virus, H3N2 . However, the mutations of the virus appear resistant to it . The rate of mutation is ten times higher than normal .

48d5fd68f9618a2c6e6e586265c5091194a6791f

By . Richard Gibson . PUBLISHED: . 17:48 EST, 15 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 17:48 EST, 15 February 2014 . James Anderson felt this winter’s Ashes pain more keenly than his England team-mates — because he played the majority of the 5-0 whitewash with a broken rib. Although the injury was kept quiet, it has prevented him bowling a ball in the six weeks since returning from Australia. The Lancashire fast bowler, second on England’s Test all-time wickettakers’ list behind Sir Ian Botham, was struck while attempting to pull a Peter Siddle short ball in the second Test at Adelaide. Ouch: James Anderson is hit by a short delivery from Australia's Peter Siddle in the second Ashes Test, which broke his rib . Painful memory: Anderson looks dejected after having 28 runs hit off his over by Australia's George Bailey in the third Ashes Test . ‘It was suspected that it was broken straight away but it wasn’t confirmed until ahead of the fourth Test in Melbourne when it was decided to get an X-ray done,’ said an England source. ‘There’s nothing you can do to treat broken ribs anyway, so it was a case of just getting on with things.’ The medical staff got the damaged area scanned after Anderson reported increased discomfort ahead of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. The 31-year-old played through the discomfort on a concoction of painkillers and adrenalin but failed to reach the heights of the 2010-11 series, when he finished as the most prolific bowler on either side, claiming 23 victims in England’s 3-1 win. Familiar sight: Anderson walks back to his mark during the troubled Ashes series in Australia . Rare moment: Anderson celebrates taking the scalp of Shane Watson but wickets were hard to come by during the Ashes series . That tour also featured Anderson nursing a sore rib after Chris Tremlett inflicted a hairline crack while boxing at the German boot camp, although he had fully recovered by the first Test in Brisbane. The injury revelation helps to explain why a man widely regarded as the most skilful new-ball operator in world cricket claimed a modest 14 wickets at 43.94 runs apiece. While Anderson decided to play on through the pain barrier, other members of the shamed England squad did not see out the tour. Early return from Down Under: Anderson, right, could only watch on as fellow bowler Graeme Swann retired from cricket after the third Ashes Test . Jonathan Trott flew home with a stress-related illness after a torrid working over by the Australian pace attack in the first Test in Brisbane, . Graeme Swann announced his retirement after the third Test and paceman Steven Finn was then sent home to ‘work on technical aspects of his game’. When England were looking for someone to step forward during the final test in Sydney, Boyd Rankin twice left the pitch suffering from back spasms and cramp and sent down only 20 overs in the humiliating 281-run loss. Although Anderson has been reporting for pre-season county duty at Old Trafford, his participation has been restricted to working on a batting technique remodelled by former international colleague Kevin Pietersen over the winter. Clean bowled: Anderson endured a horrific time with the ball and bat during the Ashes tour in Australia . However, it is anticipated he will begin bowling in the indoor nets within a fortnight and will be fit for newly promoted Lancashire’s opening County Championship fixture against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on April 6. National selector James Whitaker has urged players to show their worth post-Ashes with strong domestic performances ahead of May’s one-day series against Sri Lanka. All England hopefuls will be free to play at the start of the domestic season following a blanket snub from the Indian Premier League. Stake a claim: England selector James Whitaker, right, has urged the team to show domestic form ahead upcoming one-day international matches . Meanwhile, England’s abject effort Down Under was put into a slightly kinder perspective yesterday as South Africa, the world’s No 1 Test playing nation, were also humbled by the rampant Australians. Mitchell Johnson, the scourge of Anderson and the England team, followed up his 37-wicket Ashes haul by returning match figures of 12-127 as the Aussies crushed South Africa by 281 runs in the first Test at Centurion. ‘You never play a perfect game but it felt really good out there,’ said Johnson. Match-winner: Mitchell Johnson claimed match figures 12-127 as Australia beat South Africa in the first Test at Centurion . The South Africans were skittled for 200 on the fourth day as Australia made it six Test wins in a row. Skipper Michael Clarke said: ‘We worked exceptionally hard and, wh e n I look i n my teammates’ eyes at the moment, they are so hungry to continue their success.’ South Africa will be determined to make amends in the second Test, which starts in Port Elizabeth on Thursday. Captain Graeme Smith said: ‘We did not meet expectations and we deserve every bit of abuse that comes our way. It is one of the most disappointing four days we’ve had as a team.’

Fast bowler broke rib in second Ashes Test at Adelaide . Injury occurred when Anderson tried to pull a Peter Siddle short ball . Played through pain on a concoction of painkillers and adrenaline . Has not bowled a ball in the six weeks since returning from Australia .

3785559ddd61a846168029eb6939078634ea2929

Scientists have created a technique which can cause cancer cells to self-destruct by injecting them with salt. Researchers from the University of Southampton are part of an international team that has helped to create a molecule that can kill the disease by carrying sodium and chloride ions into the cells. Synthetic ion transporters have been created before but this is the first time researchers have demonstrated how an influx of salt into a cell triggers cell death. These synthetic ion transporters, . described this week in the journal Nature Chemistry, could point the way . to new anti-cancer drugs while also benefiting patients with cystic . fibrosis. Scientists at the University of Southampton have created a new technique, which can cause cancer cells to self destruct, by injecting them with salt . Researchers have found a molecule can kill the disease, by carrying sodium and chloride ions into the cells . Study co-author Professor Philip Gale, of the University of Southampton, said: 'This work shows how chloride transporters can work with sodium channels in cell membranes to cause an influx of salt into a cell. 'We found we can trigger cell death with salt.' Cells in the human body work hard to maintain a stable concentration of ions inside their cell membranes. Disruption of this delicate balance can trigger cells to go through apoptosis, known as programmed cell death, a mechanism the body uses to rid itself of damaged or dangerous cells. One way of destroying cancer cells is to trigger this self-destruct sequence by changing the ion balance in cells. Unfortunately, when a cell becomes cancerous, it changes the way it transports ions across its cell membrane in a way that blocks apoptosis. It is hoped the breakthrough will help pave the way for new anti-cancer drugs. Pictured are cancer cells under the microscope . The researchers have overcome this by developing the synthetic way for transporting the ions but unfortunately this also destroys healthy cells which would have to be overcome for it to be useful in treating cancer. Prof Jonathan Sessler, at Austin's College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas, said: 'We have thus closed the loop and shown that this mechanism of chloride influx into the cell by a synthetic transporter does indeed trigger apoptosis. 'This is exciting because it points the way towards a new approach to anti-cancer drug development.'

Scientists at the University of Southampton have helped create a technique that can cause cancer cells to self-destruct . International team developed a molecule that kill the disease by carrying sodium and chloride ions into the cells . It is hoped the breakthrough could pave the way for new anti-cancer drugs .

bd66adddb9eaa6ec4a4d6e3571f35107f930443b

A week after restrictions on Romanian and Bulgarian migrants arriving in the UK were lifted, a new survey has revealed that more than three-quarters of British people want to see a cut in immigration. A British Social Attitudes survey found that 56 per cent of the population believe the number of migrants allowed into Britain should be cut by 'a lot', and a further 21 per cent feel it should be reduced 'a little'. However, NatCen Social Research has found that fewer people now than in 2011 think immigration is bad for the economy - 47 per cent in 2013 compared with 52 per cent two years previously. Findings: A survey has revealed three-quarters of British people want a cut in immigration, just a week after restrictions on Romanian and Bulgarian migrants were lifted. Pictured are Romanians passing through airport security for a flight to Heathrow . Journey: People put their luggage in a bus departing from Sofia's central bus station in Bulgaria to London via Austria, Germany and France . The latest results of the survey, which are to be revealed in a BBC Two documentary The Truth About Immigration tonight at 9.30pm, come nearly a week after access restrictions to the UK labour market were lifted for Romanians and Bulgarians. Penny Young, chief executive at NatCen Social Research, said: 'British Social Attitudes shows that public desire for a cut in immigration to the UK had begun to rise even before the restrictions on migrants from Romania or Bulgaria were lifted at the start of the year. 'Moreover, a majority of people who think immigration is good, economically or culturally, for the UK still want to see it cut. 'These findings highlight the complexity of this issue for politicians facing two elections in 18 months and with limited options if they want to attempt to reduce migration from Europe. 'The public broadly agrees that immigration is too high, but there are stark social divisions over the economic and cultural benefits of immigration.' Welcome: Home Affairs Select Committee Chairman Keith Vaz (left) greets arrivals at Luton Airport, including Victor Spiresau (right) The research shows 54 per cent of . respondents see immigration as good for the economy and 55per cent of . those who see it is as culturally beneficial also want to see . immigration reduced. The survey also reveals divisions among political party supporters. Some . 40 per cent of Labour party supporters think immigration is bad for the . economy but 36per cent believe it is good for the economy, the research . shows, while 40 per cent think immigration is bad for British culture and . 41per cent see it as good for British culture. Meanwhile, some 52 per cent of . Conservatives believe Britain's cultural life is undermined by . immigration into the UK, compared with 20 per cent of Liberal Democrats. Immigration is least popular among people with few or no qualifications, NatCen said. Regrets: Jack Straw (left) said predictions over the number of eastern Europeans entering the country in 2004 were 'catastrophic', although former home secretary David Blunkett (right) said he did not regret the decision . A . total of 85 per cent of those with few or no qualifications want to see a . decrease in immigration, while 88 per cent of people in higher grade manual jobs want a . reduction. In the documentary, presented by . political editor Nick Robinson, former Labour ministers reflect on their . decision to open the doors to workers from Eastern Europe in 2004, when . Poland and seven other countries joined the EU. Jack . Straw, foreign secretary from 2001 to 2006, said: 'The predications . were completely catastrophic. I mean they were wrong by a factor of ten. On immigration, it was bluntly a nightmare and it got more and more . difficult." 'We did get it . wrong and I deeply regret it,' said Mr Straw. 'I regret it because it . undermines trust in government, if you're that wrong.' Assumption: Theresa May, shown visiting Border Agency staff with David Cameron in 2010 said there had been an assumption that immigration was good for the economy . However, David Blunkett, home secretary from 2001 to 2004, told the programme he did not regret the decision. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: 'I think there should have been more debate about immigration, I think we should have had a more calm, measured debate and sensible response to people's concerns. 'But also listening to what those concerns were, listening to people who were worried about jobs or wages or worried about the pace of change. 'And to have that debate about it rather than simply thinking you can't talk about it for fear that that might be the politics of the Right.' UKIP leader Nigel Farage told the programme that he believed that fear of being labelled as a racist has stifled the debate on immigration. Contrast: Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper (left) said there should be more debate about immigration, although Nigel Farage (right) told the programme he felt fear of being labelled racist had stifled discussion . He said: 'They tried to rubbish us, . they tried to say that anybody that dared to talk about this subject was . necessarily a bad person and racist, that was what they tried to do and . actually this has been going on ever since (Enoch) Powell's speech.' He said: 'I'm unapologetic because if . you don't have legal managed migration and people don't sign up so they . pay national insurance and tax, they'll work illegally.' Theresa . May, Home Secretary, told the programme: 'I think the problem in the . past has been that there's been this general assumption that immigration . was always good for the economy. 'I don't think people have looked at it . sufficiently closely to be able to recognise the impact it has on . members of the public.'

British Social Attitudes survey shows 56% believe number of migrants should be cut by 'a lot', and 21% say it should be reduced 'a little' Findings to be revealed in BBC documentary screened tonight . Former foreign secretary Jack Straw told programme he regretted decision to open the door to workers from Eastern Europe in 2004 .

5ca0486c28f74ff25dd7eea3d5fe188a1b00f947

A primary school headmaster has quit his post suddenly, claiming the bureaucracy of a 'faceless government' has left him unable to focus on his job. Neil Jackson, 52, head of Hadleigh Community Primary School, Suffolk, said he could not continue because he was constantly 'frustrated by having to tick boxes and jump through hoops'. The headteacher, who has held his post for four years, made the announcement in a letter to parents on Friday. Resigned: Mr Jackson, pictured outside Hadleigh Community Primary School, Suffolk, announced his move in a letter sent home to parents on Friday. He blamed 'faceless government' bureaucracy for the move . Mr Jackson said that, irrespective of which party is in government, headteachers were being 'constrained' to what they 'can and can't do'. He added that government rules meant members of staff were left 'constantly stressed and exhausted by the huge amount of paperwork which they are required to complete'. It comes nearly a year after his school, which has 584 boys and girls aged from 3-11, was handed a 'requires improvement' Ofsted grade. The report found that teaching 'was not consistently good across the school' and that pupils' 'achievement is not good'. It added that targets set by the school's leadership team are 'not focused', leading to confusion as to whether improvements are helping pupils. A monitoring inspection, carried out since then found that some improvements were being made. Quit: Mr Jackson said there was no definitive date for when he would be leaving the school, pictured above . Mr Jackson said that while the result was 'not the only reason' for his decision, it had 'made him realise' that schools are 'solely judged on children's progress'. Last year three headteachers left Suffolk primary schools because of 'significant challenges' posed by changes to Ofsted inspections - which are now conducted as more frequent, but shorter visits. In the letter, which was also published on the school's website, Mr Jackson wrote: 'The role of a headteacher in modern Britain is completely different to what it was and I constantly find myself frustrated by having to tick boxes and jump through hoops for a faceless government who do not understand what providing wonderful, creative learning opportunities for children is all about. New head: Suffolk County Council is working with school governors to find a 'suitably experienced replacement' for Mr Jackson in a 'timely fashion' 'I therefore feel that I cannot continue in the role of a headteacher. 'Whilst our Ofsted inspection was not the only reason for my decision, it certainly made me realise that irrespective of which government is in power, schools are solely judged by children's progress and that headteachers in particular will be constrained with regard to what they can and can't do.' Mr Jackson, a former headteacher of Bucklesham Primary School, said no definite date had been set for when he would leave but he has requested it is before the end of the academic year. He said he 'could not continue' in the role of headteacher but is due to stay in education. Geoff Barton, headteacher of nearby King Edward VI School in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, said Mr Jackson's letter gave a 'bleak picture' of leading a school which he said can be a 'very lonely' job. Mr Barton said: 'It fits with the national picture that both at primary and secondaries more headteachers are thinking about stepping down and it can be incredibly difficult to recruit people.' He said work was under way to strengthen the support network which is in place through the Suffolk Association of Secondary Headteachers. No one was available to comment from the Suffolk Primary Headteachers' Association. Inspection: Mr Jackson's resignation comes a year after his school, which has 584 boys and girls aged from 3-11, was handed a 'requires improvement' Ofsted grade last year. Above, an extract of the report . Vicky Neale, headteacher at County Upper School in Bury St Edmunds, said being a headteacher carried a large responsibility. She said: 'Teaching and being a headteacher has a heavy workload. It's also a very important job and it's right that there is strong accountability. 'I would not say there's more work now than there was five years ago.' She added that, while staff worked hard, she would not say they are 'stressed and exhausted'. Mr Jackson's resignation comes after three headteachers left Suffolk primary schools because of 'significant challenges' posed by changes to Ofsted inspections. Lisa Chambers, Suffolk County Council's cabinet member for education and skills, said: 'We wish Mr Jackson the best in his future endeavours. 'Following his decision to resign, our priority is to work with the school's governors to ensure that Hadleigh Community Primary School receives the support it needs to find a suitably experienced replacement head teacher in a timely fashion.' The Department for Education said in a statement: 'We want to support the profession to tackle the issue of unnecessary and unproductive workload, which many teachers are concerned about and is stopping them from giving time to what really matters - inspiring young people to achieve their potential. 'That is why we launched the Workload Challenge. 'We received over 44,000 responses and are now acting on those to ensure teachers are able to carry on with their fantastic work and prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.' Mr Jackson's letter to parents: 'To all Parents, carers and children at Hadleigh Community Primary School, . 'I am writing to you today to tell you that after a great deal of soul searching, I have decided to resign from my position as headteacher here at Hadleigh Community Primary School. 'It is not a decision I have made lightly; this is a fantastic school, with wonderful, talented children, inspirational staff, supportive parents and proactive, challenging governors. 'I would like to take this opportunity to explain to you why I am leaving the school; please do understand that I am not leaving to take up another headship elsewhere, I am leaving headship completely. 'The role of a headteacher in modern Britain is completely different to what it was and I constantly find myself frustrated by having to tick boxes and jump through hoops for a faceless government who do not understand what providing wonderful, creative learning opportunities for children is all about. 'I therefore feel that I cannot continue in the role of a headteacher. 'Whilst our Ofsted inspection was not the only reason for my decision, it certainly made me realise that irrespective of which government is in power, schools are solely judged by children's progress and that headteachers in particular will be constrained with regard to what they can and can't do. 'Hadleigh Community Primary School has many wonderful, talented staff; good, conscientious people who are constantly stressed and exhausted by the huge amount of paperwork which they are required to complete. 'I consider myself to be a very approachable, honest headteacher and when staff ask me how to achieve a better work/life balance, I can no longer give them an answer. 'After much soul searching, I am going to put my family and myself first. 'Please do be assured that I will work hard to lead the school as effectively as possible in the coming months, until I leave. 'I was offered a new job on Wednesday February 4 and telephoned David Smyth (chair of governors) straight away in order to allow governors and senior leaders the time and opportunity to ensure that the children's education would not be jeopardised in any way at all. 'However, in light of the change in circumstances, a deputy headteacher was not appointed yesterday. 'As I write this letter, I am aware that David Smyth is meeting senior leaders at Suffolk County Council in order to ensure that the school does not suffer in any way at all. 'Please do be assured that the school governors are incredibly astute and aware of their responsibilities with regard to your children and that they will now work tirelessly to advertise for and appoint my successor. 'The senior leadership team have already met to draw up an action plan with regard to the future of the school and I would ask you to trust them as they ensure that "life at Hadleigh carries on as normal". 'I have enjoyed four years here at this fabulous school and am so proud of everything and everyone connected to it. 'I appreciate that some of you will be shocked, surprised and disappointed by my letter and I hope that you will discuss my leaving with your super children explaining that they have not done anything to warrant this, but, Mr Jackson has decided that headship is no longer the job for him. 'I hope that in the coming weeks and months many of you will take the time to chat to me and please do feel free to discuss the contents of this letter with me. '(As I write this letter, I am not exactly sure when I will be leaving as the governors will need to ensure they have a competent, experienced headteacher in place first before they can consider my request to leave before the end of the academic year). 'I hope and trust that this letter has begun to explain the reasons why I have decided to leave headship; as mentioned previously, it has not been an easy decision to make and I have made it with a heavy heart and have suffered many, many dark nights. 'Thank you all so much for your fantastic support during the last four years and thank you for allowing me, as headteacher to lead a school where we have almost 600 wonderful, fabulous children.'

Neil Jackson quit post at Hadleigh Community Primary School, Suffolk . Said he was 'frustrated by having to tick boxes and jump through hoops' Added staff was left 'stressed and exhausted' by government paperwork . Made announcement in letter sent home to parents and pupils on Friday . Last year school was handed 'requires improvement' grade by Ofsted .

32e64e330496b9d9c5d5153d38ad69ed75b05f84

A new batch of emails released by the Clinton Library has revealed a White House official ridiculously suggested citing an old Jewish law as an excuse for the Monica Lewinsky affair. According to The New York Post, a senior aide to then-first lady Hillary Clinton forwarded a Talmudic definition that stated Bill Clinton had not officially cheated on his wife. Lewinsky alleged that she had nine sexual encounters with the President between 1995 and 1997. 'According to classical Jewish law, President Clinton did not commit adultery; adultery is defined as a married man having intercourse with a married woman, and Monica Lewinsky is single,' the email said. Outlandish: An Lewinsky affair-era email released from the Clinton library in Arkansas on Friday details a Talmudic interpretation of the word 'adultery' as 'a married man having intercourse with a married woman' Excuse: The email, which was forwarded by a senior White House official, suggests to use the Jewish definition as an excuse for the years-long affair between President Bill . Damage control: US First Lady Hillary Clinton delivers a speech promoting education right after news broke of the then-President's alleged affair with an intern in 1998 . 'At worst, President Clinton is guilty of the common sin of onanism [masturbation], a sin that probably afflicts the consciences of most Jewish men at one time or another.' The email was sent on January 27, 1999. News of the Clinton-Lewinsky affair broke in January 1998. Semantics played a big part in Clinton's denials at the time. He originally said: 'There is not a sexual relationship, an improper sexual relationship or any other kind of improper relationship.' After he was exposed, Clinton famously argued his lie would 'depends on what the meaning of the word ''is'' is'. He was trying to say he was not involved with Lewinsky at the time he made the statement. Close encounter: A famous photograph showing former White House intern Monica Lewinsky meeting President Bill Clinton at a White House function . The Talmudic excuse was thought up by Susannah Heschel, a professor of Jewish studies at Dartmouth, The Post reported. It was sent to Hillary Clinton's domestic-policy adviser, Ruby Shamir, and eventually ended up White House adviser and damage control expert, Sidney Blumenthal. Blumenthal must have decided not to use it. The email was one of about 10,000 documents released on Friday by the Clinton presidential library in Little Rock, Arkansas. It is the final release of files from Bill Clinton's administration. Still together: A 1992 photo shows then-Governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton . In a different email it was revealed senior officials got rid of Lewinsky, an intern, in 1996 as her affair with the president heated up, shuffling her off to the Pentagon in a move that ultimately backfired. By 1996 West Wing staffers had started to refer to Lewinsky as 'the stalker' since she was around the Oval Office more than any intern would normally be. Top administration officials were instructed to find her a federal government job outside the White House, according to a document made public Friday by the Clinton Presidential Library. Lewinsky would get her transfer, meeting civil servant Linda Tripp at the Defense Department and launching the friendship that would lead to recorded phone calls, leaks, and a presidential impeachment.

About 10,000 records released by the Clinton library in Arkansas on Friday . One of them details a Talmudic definition of the word 'adultery' 'Adultery is defined as a married man having intercourse with a married woman, and Monica Lewinsky is single,' the email said . Interpretation came from a Jewish professor and was circulated among White House officials . A separate email revealed how officials got rid of 'stalker' Lewinsky by transferring her to the Pentagon .

af4cb4f478fd2cdfe26180efc2350b6430726319

Tony Colston-Hayter, pictured in 1989, has this week admitted his role in a £1.3million bank heist . He made a name for himself as the ‘Acid House King’ organising Britain’s biggest raves where children as young as 12 were plied with drugs. But today detectives know Tony Colston-Hayter by a different guise- Mr Big. This week he admitted masterminding a million pound cyber bank heist from one of Britain’s biggest high street banks. The 48-year-old led a gang who hijacked bank computers to siphon off £1.3million from Barclays in a sophisticated scam. The computer genius also stole the bank cards of 24,000 customers to pay for shopping sprees at Harrods and Selfridges splashing out on £35,000 Rolex watches. Police believe the fraudster, who once famously handcuffed himself to Jonathan Ross to promote his parties, also targeted celebrities. Amongst the vast array of 400,000 pages of personal data and stolen banking documentation found at his flat in Marylebone, police found the emails of comedian Stephen Merchant, although he denied hacking into them with the intention of stealing from the TV writer. Now after he pleaded guilty to one of Britain’s biggest cyber bank robberies at Southwark Crown Court this week, Colston-Hayter’s extraordinary downfall from millionaire entrepreneur and party organiser to cyber crime’s ‘Mr Big’ can be revealed. Colston-Hayter’s name was once synonymous with the all night Acid House raves held in the Home Counties which caused outrage in 1989. The Sunrise events run by Colston-Hayter and promoted by his friend Paul Staines, the political commentator known as Guido Fawkes, attracted thousands of schoolchildren and drug dealers who openly sold drugs such as ecstasy and LSD to revellers. When the parties were banned on the orders the then Home Secretary Douglas Hurd, Colston-Hayter went on the Jonathan Ross chat show and famously handcuffed himself to the presenter before throwing a glass of water over music journalist Paul Morley. During a heated exchange, a fuming Ross told the cocky 23-year-old: ‘If you do that again I’ll thump you- and I mean it.’ The wealthy son of a university lecturer and a solicitor, Colston-Hayter enjoyed a privileged upbringing growing up in the plush suburb of Hampstead with his sisters Millie and Charlotte, now a TV producer whose credits include Celebrity Detox, TFI Friday and Celebrity Wife Swap. Fixated on earning money, his father Anthony, a lecturer in modern history at the University of Buckingham, was said to have paid his ‘genius’ son by the page to read the Bible. At the age of 16, he astonished his teachers by passing a special O-level in fruit machine technology after persuading the headmaster of the highly liberal Stantonbury Campus comprehensive school to let him set up a clubroom at school with a coin-operated video game he profited from. On leaving school a few months later, he persuaded a bank manager to loan him £500 to set up a video game business which enjoyed a million-pound turnover by the time he was 19 before crashing with debts of £108,000. Acid House King: At the age of 22, Colston-Hayter helped relocate acid house music from underground clubs to massive open-air raves . Colston-Hayter then spent six months . learning to play Blackjack in Monte Carlo before becoming a highly . successful professional gambler. He once raked in £23,000 a day before banned from every casino in Britain after winning more than £100,000 in a year. Colston-Hayter . later travelled to Hong Kong where he set up an engineering company . which produced a component for a Formula One car. But when he moved back to Britain to marry and start a young family, police believe he became an accomplished fraudster. The father of two amassed 24,000 credit cards and financial records which had been diverted in the post to his address. He used a 24 SIM phone exchange, a sophisticated telecoms machine which allowed him to impersonate High Street banks in order to solicit account details from hapless customers. Southwark Crown Court heard on Monday that he led a gang who stole £1.3million from a bank branch in Swiss Cottage in North London by taking control of its computer system. Fraudsters used a keyboard video mouse to take control of the bank’s computers remotely and siphon off the cash. The gadget, which can be purchased for as little as £10, enables thieves to take control of multiple computers and to transmit information from them to a remote location. Around £1.3m was stolen from accounts at the branch, although a significant amount of cash has since been recovered. Police were alerted when stolen credit cards were used to buy a number of Rolex watches in Harrods and Selfridges. This week Colston-Hayter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal credit balances from Barclays Bank. He also admitted conspiring with others to commit fraud using credit cards, conspiracy to steal and two counts of possession of articles for use in fraud. Southwark Crown Court heard that Colston-Hayter led a gang who stole £1.25million from a bank branch in Swiss Cottage in North London by taking control of its computer system. They will be sentenced next month . In an earlier hearing, he denied interfering with emails of the comedian Stephen Merchant with the intention of committing fraud or theft. The charge will now lay on file. Judge Alistair McCreath remanded him in custody ahead of sentencing which is due to take place later this year. Co-conspirators Darius Bolder, 34, and Michael Harper, 26, pleaded guilty to using a stolen credit card to buy three Rolex watches at Selfridges. Bolder also admitted stealing credit balances from Barclays. Segun Ogunfidodo, 26, and Leroy Odunusi, 24, also pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit fraud using credit cards. Five other alleged conspirators face a trial later this year. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Tony Colston-Hayter admitted role in £1.3million heist this week . The 48-year-old is known for organising Britain's biggest raves where children took drugs . Colston-Hayter stole bank cards of 24,000 people to pay for shopping sprees .

71f603dfef4ebe38e54da5f0f31b64b5626d0e02

By . Lizzie Edmonds . PUBLISHED: . 04:55 EST, 22 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 07:19 EST, 22 February 2014 . A British tourist who allegedly swallowed a rare pink diamond worth £135,000 in an Australian jewellery store has been charged with theft, police confirmed today. Matthew Osborne, 29, appeared at Cairns Magistrates' Court accused of snatching the Argyle stone, mined in Western Australia, from a shop in the northern Australian city last Saturday. Australian police hunting for the missing diamond arrested Osborne at Melbourne airport as he prepare to board a flight to New Zealand. Scroll down for video . This is the scene in a Cairns diamond jeweller seconds before the man in the baseball cap, identified as 29-year-old Briton Matthew Osborne allegedly stole a rare pink diamond worth £135,000 . Detectives carried out a X-ray on Osborne after they suspected him of swallowing the stone but the results were inconclusive. He was flown to Cairns with a police escort ahead of his court appearance and marched through the airport in handcuffs. CCTV of the incident shows a customer fleeing the shop with the diamond moments after it was shown to them a by shop assistant. Police said the thief escaped on a bicycle. CCTV shows the tourist running from the shop in Cairns, Queensland after it is claimed he stole a rare diamond . The man runs to the door of a diamond shop in Cairns, Queensland. He reportedly then fled on bicycle . Keith Bird, the owner of Diamond Gallery, a jeweller in Cairns, Queenslan, chases the man out the shop . Despite the 250,000 Australian dollar (£135,000) price tag, the diamond is only 0.31 carat with a diameter of 4.3 millimeters, instead earning its value because of its colour. Queensland Police earlier said in a statement that the stolen diamond is still outstanding and investigations are continuing. A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'We are aware of reports that a British national was arrested at Melbourne airport on Thursday. 'We have been in contact with the local authorities and offered to provide consular assistance.' The man allegedly stole the gem from The Diamond Gallery (pictured) in Cairns, Queensland . The diamond's owner, Keith Bird, told the Brisbane Times that he has run the jewellery shop for 36 years and estimates that his chances of seeing the 'rare as hen's teeth' diamond again at 'better than 50 per cent.' 'We had a lady in tears a few days ago because she said she'd always wanted to buy the stone,' he told the newspaper. 'It's quite notorious now. He also told reporters that the piece had been on display in the store for nine years.

Matthew Osborne charged with swallowing precious gem from a shop . Allegedly stole £135,000 stone from Diamond Gallery in Cairns . Then made his escape by bicycle from specialist store, police believe . Arrested at Melbourne airport by officers as he tried to leave the country . Man X-rayed, but results were inconclusive and gem is yet to be recovered .

b5bf697cc578854938e6aef84421c679b264433e

A former Oklahoma teacher has been charged with rape for allegedly having sex with at least two of her students last year. Laura Cowan, 35, of Frederick, was charged last Wednesday with three counts of second degree rape. The same charges were filed against the former Tipton Public Schools educator last July, but in early December a judge threw out the case against Cowan after key witnesses could not be found by the prosecution. Bad teacher: Laura Cowan, 35, a former Oklahoma high school teacher and mother of one, has been charged with three counts of rape for allegedly having sex with two students . Cowan, who has a Master's degree in education from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, started her teaching career in 2010 at Davidson Public Schools. In 2012, she was hired by Tipton Public Schools, where she remained for two years until her resignation last April, reported NewsOK. Investigators say Cowan, the mother of a college-age daughter, admitted to repeatedly having sex with two of her students in various locations, including in her classroom at Tipton High School. Law enforcement officials first learned of the rape allegations against Laura Cowan in April when Tipton Public Schools Superintendent Shane Boothe contacted police and the Tillman County Sheriff's Office about a possible 'inappropriate relationship' between the teacher and one of her students. Workplace tryst: The education allegedly admitted to repeatedly having sex with minors in various locations, including in her classroom at Tipton High School . According to an affidavit prepared in July and obtained by the Frederick Press-Leader, during an interview with police Cowan described having sex with a student in her car during Spring Break 2014. The court document stated that the former teacher also admitted to sleeping with another teenager last January in a Frederick hotel and in her vehicle. She turned herself in to the sheriff's office July 23, 2014, and immediately posted $150,000 bond. During a preliminary hearing in December, key witnesses failed to show up in court to testify against Cowan, prompting the presiding judge to dismiss the case. However, prosecutors were given the option to refile the charges against the ex-teacher, which they chose to exercise last week.

Laura Cowan, 35, charged with three counts of rape . Former teacher at Tipton Public Schools in Oklahoma admitted to having sex with two students in various locations . Case against her was dropped in December, but a judge allowed prosecutors to refile charges .

0e02b1e64a813f1c995bbabaf27b279d0fd46bed

By . Rob Cooper . UPDATED: . 05:34 EST, 6 March 2012 . A former international cricket captain launched the first claim for libel on Twitter yesterday after being accused of match-fixing. Chris Cairns, 41, told the High Court his cricketing achievements had been turned to 'dust' by the allegation. He is suing Lalit Modi, ex-chairman of Twenty20 franchise the Indian Premier League over the Tweet. However, the case, brought by a New Zealand cricketer against an Indian businessman in British courts, has been slammed as a case of 'libel tourism'. Twitter libel claim: Former New Zealand cricket captain Chris Cairns, left, launched his libel claim against Lalit Modi, yesterday . The Tweet about domestic Indian cricket was read by just 95 people in Britain, Mr Justice Bean, who is hearing the case in the High Court without a jury, was told. However, Andrew Caldecott QC, representing Cairns said the Tweet in January 2010 was picked up by cricket website Cricinfo. When Cairns complained, Cricinfo withdrew . their report, paid damages and apologised - but Modi declined to . apologise and pleaded justification, maintaining that the charge was . true. Cairns’s case was that the allegation was . 'wholly untrue' and a very grave libel which would - if uncorrected - . destroy all he had achieved over a distinguished 20-year career. Cairns, 41, the former New Zealand captain, notched up the rare double of 200 wickets and 3,000 runs in his 62 Tests. In evidence, he said: 'The defendant’s allegations have also had a profound effect on my personal and private life. 'It put a strain on my marriage. It hurts that my wife may think that I am not the man she thought I was. 'It hurts me too that friends, many of whom are former cricketing foes, will question my integrity as a man and a sportsman and that all I achieved in the great game of cricket is dust.' Cricket star: Chris Cairns of New Zealand in action during the Twenty20 International match between New Zealand and the West Indies in 2006 . Mr Caldecott said that all-rounder Cairns, who lived in England as a child when his father Lance played here, had considerable affection for the UK and minded about his reputation here. At the time of the tweet, Modi was one of the most powerful men in the cricketing world and any statement of his was likely to be treated as soundly-based. Cricket star: Chris Cairns hits 84 runs against England at Lords and sets a world record for sixes in test match cricket in 2004 . Counsel said that, in 2007 and 2008, Cairns captained the Chandigarh Lions in three competitions in the Indian Cricket League (ICL). The allegation made by Modi related to the second and third of these competitions, between March and April 2008 and October and November that year. Mr Caldecott said that, in October 2008, Cairns was called to an ICL directors meeting in a hotel room where, according to the cricketer, his denial of rumours of his alleged involvement in match-fixing appeared to be accepted. 'No specific charges of match-fixing were ever put to Mr Cairns. No names of any accusers were mentioned,' said Mr Caldecott. 'He was never informed after his departure that statements had been taken - mainly later - from Indian players alleging corrupt activity by various players including him.' Counsel said that Cairns was then effectively suspended for not declaring an ankle injury which had been exacerbated by a 1,000-kilometre charity walk completed in memory of his late sister. Mr Caldecott said that the initial publication of Modi’s tweet in the jurisdiction was up to 95 people while the initial publication of the Cricinfo article was between 450 and 1,500. 'Of course these receivers are bound to be cricket fans - it’s the classic kind of allegation which runs and runs - one fan to another to another - match-fixing is a subject which is always topical. 'Be in no doubt that to everyone who hears it - Mr Cairns’s entire career is tainted.' He told the judge: 'Preserving the integrity of any sport depends as much on vindicating the falsely accused as it does on convicting the guilty.' The hearing, which is estimated to last two weeks, continues.

Former New Zealand cricket captain Chris Cairns said Tweet 'turned his reputation to dust' The 24-word message was read by just 95 PEOPLE in Britain .

cb4db1898e95bbc793f7a80d524f3ffea5337068

The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a Class I recall for 40,000 pounds of ground beef products intended for Georgia school lunches, due to possible E. coli contamination. The beef was produced by Palo Duro Meat in Amarillo, Texas, by September 9, according to a statement released by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service Friday. It was shipped to two Georgia warehouses, where it was to be distributed to a variety of institutions, including six school districts associated with the National School Lunch Program. However, USDA authorities say they are not aware of the beef having been served as part of any school lunches, adding that the bulk of the beef products have not left the warehouses. The beef was shipped in 40-pound boxes. Each case contains the mark "Est. 7282" and a production code of 19110. The contaminated products may have gotten mixed in with commercial products due to a sample tracking error, according to the USDA statement. Neither the company nor the USDA has received any reports of illnesses related to consumption of the beef. E. coli bacteria can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and, in severe cases, kidney failure, according to the USDA statement. Babies and toddlers, seniors, and persons with weakened immune systems are the most susceptible to food-borne illnesses, the statement says.

U.S. Department of Agriculture issues recall for 40,000 pounds of beef products . Recall is due to possible E. coli contamination . Beef products were shipped to two warehouses in Georgia . Beef products were intended for six school systems in Georgia .

c7c3f0176c38731711fbe1c211cae77bf3150e3f

(CNN) -- A unified lawsuit on behalf of more than 2,000 National Football League players has been filed against the league in federal court, alleging that the NFL failed to acknowledge and address neurological risks associated with the sport and then deliberately failed to tell players about the risks they faced, according to attorneys representing former players. The complaint, filed in federal court in Philadelphia, unites the more than 80 pending lawsuits filed against the NFL. "I firmly believe the NFL could have and should have done more to protect Ray. That's why I am seeking to hold the NFL accountable," said Mary Ann Easterling, widow of former Atlanta Falcons safety Ray Easterling, who committed suicide in April after years with dementia. "Having lived through Ray's struggle, I desperately hope and pray others can be spared the pain and suffering we have endured -- and still endure every day." NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy acknowledged the filing but added that there was nothing new to the claim other than that it merges them all. "Our legal team will review today's filing that is intended to consolidate plaintiffs' existing claims into one 'master' complaint," he said. "The NFL has long made player safety a priority and continues to do so. Any allegation that the NFL sought to mislead players has no merit. It stands in contrast to the league's many actions to better protect players and advance the science and medical understanding of the management and treatment of concussions." However, many NFL players have claimed that they suffer from a variety of injuries because of concussions without really knowing the severity of how badly they could be hurt playing the game. "The NFL must open its eyes to the consequences of its actions," said Kevin Turner, a former running back for the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles who has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. "The NFL has the power not only to give former players the care they deserve, but also to ensure that future generations of football players do not suffer the way that many in my generation have." Lawyers representing the players cited "dementia, depression, reduced cognitive ability, sleeplessness, early-onset Alzheimer's, and a debilitating and latent disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy" as some of the specific injuries caused by head trauma in the NFL. "Instead of protecting the health of its players, the NFL's response to this epidemic of brain injuries was to engage in a campaign of deceit and deception, actively concealing the risks players faced from repetitive impacts," said Christopher Seeger and Sol Weiss, co-lead counsels for the former players. "This case is about providing security and care to former NFL players who have suffered these devastating neurologic injuries, and making the game safer for generations to come."

The lawsuit claims the NFL failed to deal with neurological risks . The complaint has been filed in Philadelphia . It unites dozens of pending suits against the NFL .

c6cfa516f294d92a2149eae65fd4983fcacaeebd