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(CNN) -- The stepmother of a missing 10-year-old North Carolina girl joined police as they searched for the girl's body Monday, the same day the girl's father landed behind bars. Elisa Baker, who police said last week admitted to writing a fake ransom note a day after the girl's disappearance was reported, was taken by police to a search site near a home she lived in three years ago, according to CNN affiliate WSOC. Earlier on Monday, shortly after 3 a.m., Adam Troy Baker was arrested in Catawba County on eight charges, including five counts of submitting worthless checks and three counts of failing to appear in court. Police earlier acknowledged that Adam Baker faced bad-check charges, which are unrelated to the disappearance of his daughter, Zahra Clare Baker. But they did not initially arrest him, as he had been helping authorities in their search. Zahra was reported missing October 9. But no one other than a family member has reported seeing her since September 25, when a woman saw her at a furniture store. Elisa Baker was arrested on October 10, initially on several charged unrelated charges, including writing worthless checks. Last week, she was additionally charged with obstruction of justice -- a felony -- after leaving the ransom note at the family's home. Authorities on Friday ended an unsuccessful search at a North Carolina landfill for a mattress connected to Zahra's disappearance, said police in Hickory. The adolescent's disappearance is being investigated as a homicide, police said. Local, state and federal authorities, along with cadaver dogs, are continuing to search Caldwell County and thereabouts for signs of Zahra. Zahra's father, Adam Troy Baker, was at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport picking up a family member Sunday before he voluntarily went to the police department in Hickory, about 60 miles northwest of Charlotte, to talk to authorities. At the request of Adam Baker -- an Australian citizen -- the closest Australian consulate, in Atlanta, Georgia, was notified of his arrest. The disappearance of Zahra, a freckle-faced youngster who wears a prosthetic leg and hearing aids, has made international news. The girl lost her leg to bone cancer, according to CNN affiliate WCNC-TV in Charlotte. Family members and neighbors have told reporters that Zahra's stepmother abused her -- an allegation her attorney has denied. Police also have said they had been in contact with Zahra's biological mother in Australia and asked for the girl's medical records. | NEW: The arrested stepmother of a missing 10-year-old joins police on search .
Police said that Elisa Baker had earlier admitted to writing a fake ransom note .
The missing girl's father was arrested before dawn Monday on unrelated charges .
As they look for Zahra Baker, authorities have launched a homicide investigation . | d29c9a51641558e05d8a4b7ffb0e86db5f4cc73d | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- The stepmother of a missing 10-year-old North Carolina girl joined police as they searched for the girl's body Monday, the same day the girl's father landed behind bars. Elisa Baker, who police said last week admitted to writing a fake ransom note a day after the girl's disappearance was reported, was taken by police to a search site near a home she lived in three years ago, according to CNN affiliate WSOC. Earlier on Monday, shortly after 3 a.m., Adam Troy Baker was arrested in Catawba County on eight charges, including five counts of submitting worthless checks and three counts of failing to appear in court. Police earlier acknowledged that Adam Baker faced bad-check charges, which are unrelated to the disappearance of his daughter, Zahra Clare Baker. But they did not initially arrest him, as he had been helping authorities in their search. Zahra was reported missing October 9. But no one other than a family member has reported seeing her since September 25, when a woman saw her at a furniture store. Elisa Baker was arrested on October 10, initially on several charged unrelated charges, including writing worthless checks. Last week, she was additionally charged with obstruction of justice -- a felony -- after leaving the ransom note at the family's home. Authorities on Friday ended an unsuccessful search at a North Carolina landfill for a mattress connected to Zahra's disappearance, said police in Hickory. The adolescent's disappearance is being investigated as a homicide, police said. Local, state and federal authorities, along with cadaver dogs, are continuing to search Caldwell County and thereabouts for signs of Zahra. Zahra's father, Adam Troy Baker, was at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport picking up a family member Sunday before he voluntarily went to the police department in Hickory, about 60 miles northwest of Charlotte, to talk to authorities. At the request of Adam Baker -- an Australian citizen -- the closest Australian consulate, in Atlanta, Georgia, was notified of his arrest. The disappearance of Zahra, a freckle-faced youngster who wears a prosthetic leg and hearing aids, has made international news. The girl lost her leg to bone cancer, according to CNN affiliate WCNC-TV in Charlotte. Family members and neighbors have told reporters that Zahra's stepmother abused her -- an allegation her attorney has denied. Police also have said they had been in contact with Zahra's biological mother in Australia and asked for the girl's medical records. [/INST] NEW: The arrested stepmother of a missing 10-year-old joins police on search .
Police said that Elisa Baker had earlier admitted to writing a fake ransom note .
The missing girl's father was arrested before dawn Monday on unrelated charges .
As they look for Zahra Baker, authorities have launched a homicide investigation . </s> |
(CNN)Rising wages, sagging property prices, inflation: all of China's indicators point to a slowdown of its powerhouse economy in 2015. After decades of double-digit growth, China slumped back into single digits in 2012 as stimulus money from the global financial crisis began to dry up. With the latest GDP figures showing growth of just 7.3% (GDP growth regularly stood around 11% in the lead up to 2008) the September quarter of 2014 was one of the slowest since the crisis. Analysts said China may even fail to hit its targets for the first time. While these problems may be giving Beijing pause for thought, for China's regional neighbors in Cambodia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Laos and beyond, a China slump is good news. Cheaper labor . Not only is the rising cost of the Chinese workforce pushing many manufacturers to seek cheaper labor offshore, but China's slackening demand for some natural resources has been a boon for the rest of South East Asia. Brent crude has fallen more than a third over the year, hitting a four-year low of US$76.76 a barrel this month. For countries in South East Asia that heavily subsidize energy to fuel their economies, the China slowdown is a welcome respite. "Chinese garment manufacturers have been pouring into Asia's low-wage countries such as Cambodia, Vietnam and Bangladesh, accelerating these countries' industrialization and urbanization, and creating millions of new jobs," Doug Clayton of frontier investor Leopard Capital told CNN. It's a drift that is likely to benefit China's neighbors for some time to come, he said. "This trend will continue until the surplus rural labor pool is mopped up and the wage gap narrows," continued Clayton. "If China's wage inflation continues, (this situation) could last another 5-10 years at least." Bright prospects . While the exporting economies in the region may take a hit in the short-term, he said the long-term picture is encouraging. "Frontier markets tend to export commodities to China, so the falling resource prices hurt their rural economies," he said. "On a macro level, however, lower oil prices help offset the pain, since most frontier economies are oil importers." China's planned economy, too, also means that Beijing looks at its economic prospects in terms of decades rather than financial quarters. "China's appetite for financing and building infrastructure projects across its borders seems undiminished by its economic slowdown," Clayton said. "The country's leaders have a long-term viewpoint and see strategic benefits in opening new markets and expanding prosperity in countries within its sphere of influence. "These mega-projects also help employ surplus Chinese workers and showcase China's engineering capabilities." China still growing . For many analysts, however, China's economy is still on an upward trajectory despite concerns over credit bubbles, property slumps and general slowdowns. "China's economy is slowing but it's still growing," Ben Simpfendorfer, founder and manager of Silk Road Associates, told CNN. "It's larger than the combined value of Brazil, Russia or India's own GDPs. "We spent the last few months speaking with regional CEOs from some of the world's biggest multinationals and they all say the same thing; yes the country is growing but it's growing in complexity." He said it is important for investors to now segment their markets to make sure that a product or service is reaching the right people and the right geographies. "If you're a bit more sophisticated in your approach, you can make good money in China." Crucial reforms . Analysts say much will hinge on whether the government of Xi Jinping can institute bold and scheduled reforms to its highly regulated domestic capital markets and to interest rates. In the meantime, however, the landscape for the other emerging economies in the region has never been better, said Thomas Hugger CEO and Fund Manager for Asia Frontier Capital. "Frontier markets have lower income and labor costs so countries in Asia like Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Pakistan, will benefit and it will have a dramatic impact in those societies or economies. "More and more people go from the rural areas to the big cities they start earning salaries, start consuming, start using medical services and healthcare and that's where we have a major focus when we invest." He said the pendulum was now swinging in favor of other emerging markets in the Asia regions as they gained market share from China. "The cycle started 40 or 50 years ago in Hong Kong, moved to Taiwan and then to China and now it's time to move to other places," he said. Read this: Asia's love affair with cosmetics . Watch panel debate: The rise of the Chinese middle-class . Read this: The rise of the Chinese middle-class . | All of China's economic indicators point to a slowdown in 2015 as wages rise and inflation takes holds .
The slowdown presents a good opportunity for emerging markets to take some of China's market share .
Chinese companies are already seeking out lower labor costs in countries across the Asia region .
Experts say the prospects for countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Pakistan have never been better . | 5882e8f998e22a4f59ea2249a04265f40579a26f | <s>[INST] (CNN)Rising wages, sagging property prices, inflation: all of China's indicators point to a slowdown of its powerhouse economy in 2015. After decades of double-digit growth, China slumped back into single digits in 2012 as stimulus money from the global financial crisis began to dry up. With the latest GDP figures showing growth of just 7.3% (GDP growth regularly stood around 11% in the lead up to 2008) the September quarter of 2014 was one of the slowest since the crisis. Analysts said China may even fail to hit its targets for the first time. While these problems may be giving Beijing pause for thought, for China's regional neighbors in Cambodia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Laos and beyond, a China slump is good news. Cheaper labor . Not only is the rising cost of the Chinese workforce pushing many manufacturers to seek cheaper labor offshore, but China's slackening demand for some natural resources has been a boon for the rest of South East Asia. Brent crude has fallen more than a third over the year, hitting a four-year low of US$76.76 a barrel this month. For countries in South East Asia that heavily subsidize energy to fuel their economies, the China slowdown is a welcome respite. "Chinese garment manufacturers have been pouring into Asia's low-wage countries such as Cambodia, Vietnam and Bangladesh, accelerating these countries' industrialization and urbanization, and creating millions of new jobs," Doug Clayton of frontier investor Leopard Capital told CNN. It's a drift that is likely to benefit China's neighbors for some time to come, he said. "This trend will continue until the surplus rural labor pool is mopped up and the wage gap narrows," continued Clayton. "If China's wage inflation continues, (this situation) could last another 5-10 years at least." Bright prospects . While the exporting economies in the region may take a hit in the short-term, he said the long-term picture is encouraging. "Frontier markets tend to export commodities to China, so the falling resource prices hurt their rural economies," he said. "On a macro level, however, lower oil prices help offset the pain, since most frontier economies are oil importers." China's planned economy, too, also means that Beijing looks at its economic prospects in terms of decades rather than financial quarters. "China's appetite for financing and building infrastructure projects across its borders seems undiminished by its economic slowdown," Clayton said. "The country's leaders have a long-term viewpoint and see strategic benefits in opening new markets and expanding prosperity in countries within its sphere of influence. "These mega-projects also help employ surplus Chinese workers and showcase China's engineering capabilities." China still growing . For many analysts, however, China's economy is still on an upward trajectory despite concerns over credit bubbles, property slumps and general slowdowns. "China's economy is slowing but it's still growing," Ben Simpfendorfer, founder and manager of Silk Road Associates, told CNN. "It's larger than the combined value of Brazil, Russia or India's own GDPs. "We spent the last few months speaking with regional CEOs from some of the world's biggest multinationals and they all say the same thing; yes the country is growing but it's growing in complexity." He said it is important for investors to now segment their markets to make sure that a product or service is reaching the right people and the right geographies. "If you're a bit more sophisticated in your approach, you can make good money in China." Crucial reforms . Analysts say much will hinge on whether the government of Xi Jinping can institute bold and scheduled reforms to its highly regulated domestic capital markets and to interest rates. In the meantime, however, the landscape for the other emerging economies in the region has never been better, said Thomas Hugger CEO and Fund Manager for Asia Frontier Capital. "Frontier markets have lower income and labor costs so countries in Asia like Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Pakistan, will benefit and it will have a dramatic impact in those societies or economies. "More and more people go from the rural areas to the big cities they start earning salaries, start consuming, start using medical services and healthcare and that's where we have a major focus when we invest." He said the pendulum was now swinging in favor of other emerging markets in the Asia regions as they gained market share from China. "The cycle started 40 or 50 years ago in Hong Kong, moved to Taiwan and then to China and now it's time to move to other places," he said. Read this: Asia's love affair with cosmetics . Watch panel debate: The rise of the Chinese middle-class . Read this: The rise of the Chinese middle-class . [/INST] All of China's economic indicators point to a slowdown in 2015 as wages rise and inflation takes holds .
The slowdown presents a good opportunity for emerging markets to take some of China's market share .
Chinese companies are already seeking out lower labor costs in countries across the Asia region .
Experts say the prospects for countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Pakistan have never been better . </s> |
By . Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 06:52 EST, 15 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:54 EST, 16 October 2012 . Protests over the American anti-Islam film that has sparked chaos across the Muslim world continued in London yesterday as thousands of demonstrators marched on the offices of Google. More than 3,500 British Muslims, some from as far afield as Glasgow, waved banners and chanted slogans outside the search engine's UK headquarters to demand the company removes the film from the internet. The low-budget movie, entitled The Innocence of Muslims, portrays the Prophet Muhammad as a . fool and a sexual deviant, and has sparked a torrent of anti-American unrest . in Arab and Muslim countries since its release on YouTube last month. Anger: Barricades were erected as thousands of Muslims marched with banners bearing an array of slogans . But Google, who own the video-sharing website, remained defiant today claiming the film is 'clearly within our guidelines and so will stay on YouTube'. A spokesman for the company said: 'We work hard to create a community . everyone can enjoy and which also enables people to express different . opinions. 'This can be a challenge because what's OK in one country can be offensive elsewhere.' The protest had been billed as a precursor to a million-strong march planned in Hyde Park in the coming weeks. 'Global civility': Women grouped together in the protest which stretched from Google's offices on Buckingham Palace Road . Slogans: Muslims from all backgrounds waved placards bearing slogans such as 'We love our prophet more than our lives' and 'Prophet Muhammad is the founder of freedom of speech' as well as these above . Organiser Masoud Alam told the Daily Telegraph: 'Our next protest will be at the offices of Google and YouTube across the world. We are looking to ban this film. 'This is not freedom of expression, there is a limit for that. This insult of the Prophet will not be allowed.' Muslims from all backgrounds chanted and waved placards bearing slogans such as 'We love our prophet more than our lives' and 'Prophet Muhammad is the founder of freedom of speech'. They also listened to speeches from imams in English, Urdu and Arabic. 'Insult to the Prophet will not be allowed': They also listened to speeches from imams in English, Urdu and Arabic . One of the speakers, Sheikh Faiz Al-Aqtab Siddiqui, told The Daily Telegraph: 'Terrorism . is not just people who kill human bodies, but who kill human feelings as . well. The makers of this film have terrorised 1.6 billion people.' The march, during which no arrests were made, was in stark contrast to the wave of violent riots that spread across the Muslim world in the wake of the 14-minute film a month ago. It first erupted a day after a . separate attack on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi that killed . four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador to Libya on September 11. Ayman al-Zawahri the leader of Al Qaeda has urged Muslims to wage holy war against the United States and Israel over a film that insulted Islam's Prophet Muhammad . Attack: The violence at the U.S. embassy on . September 11 caused the deaths of the American ambassador Chris Stevens . and three other American personnel . The most violent protests came over four days of demonstrations across the Arab world, stretching . from Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Lebanon, Palestinian territories, Israel, . Sudan, Nigeria, Tunisia and Pakistan, and even Australia. YouTube has already blocked access to the video in some countries such as Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and India. Last month: The anti-Islam film sparked chaos across the Muslim world after its release. Here, Sudanese policemen stand guard before demonstrators overran the German embassy in Khartoum . Clashes: A protester throws a tear gas canister, which was earlier thrown by riot police, during clashes along a road which leads to the U.S. embassy, near Tahrir Square in Cairo on September 13 . Stand off: A defiant protester taunts the police phalanx from the top of an upturned and burned-out car in Cairo . But anti-American sentiment fostered by the film's release has shown little sign of abating. On Friday, Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri said the film . showed Washington was waging a 'crusader Zionist war' against Muslims . and he called for a Holy War against America. Like . in other messages released by al Qaeda's Yemeni and North African . branches last month, Zawahiri praised last month's assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that killed four diplomats but stopped short of . claiming responsibility. Torched: A Hardee's and a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) fast food outlet burns after protesters set the building on fire in Tripoli, northern Lebanon on September 14 . Angry: Kashmiri Muslim students shout anti-American and . anti-Israeli slogans during a protest against a low-budget US film that . depicts the Prophet Mohammed in Srinagar in September . Fury: Indian Muslim women shout slogans against America because of the film made in US called 'Innocence of . Muslims' which ridicules Islam's Prophet Muhammad, in Chennai, India . In . the recording, posted on Islamist websites on Friday, he called on . 'free and distinguished zealots for Islam' who attacked the consulate . and protested outside other American embassies to 'continue their . opposition to American crusader Zionist aggression against Islam and . Muslims'. The offending 14-minute video behind the . unrest was made privately and amateurishly by an American company and spoofs the life and times of . the Prophet Muhammad. Washington, however, has condemned the film and said it does not condone any insult to any religion. In hiding: Last week, the man behind the video emerged from hiding to appear in court in Los Angeles to deny he had violated his probation for a previous check fraud conviction . And last week, the man behind the video . emerged from hiding to appear in court in Los Angeles to . deny he had violated his probation for a previous check fraud . conviction. The Egyptian born filmmaker, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, . fled his California home on September 11, in the aftermath of the . release of his controversial video. He denied in court that he committed eight probation violations, . including lying to officials over the scope his role in the film and . using aliases. | More than 3,500 British Muslims, some from as far afield as Glasgow, gathered at the search engine's UK headquarters demanding the film is removed from YouTube .
But Google remained defiant claiming the film is 'clearly within our guidelines and so will stay on YouTube'
Organiser: 'Our next protest will be at the offices of Google and YouTube across the world. We are looking to ban this film'
Placards bearing slogans such as 'We love our prophet more than our lives'
and 'Prophet Muhammad is the founder of freedom of speech' waved . | 0f581f1f41b6b4101a8132ca443b95babc3151a8 | <s>[INST] By . Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 06:52 EST, 15 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:54 EST, 16 October 2012 . Protests over the American anti-Islam film that has sparked chaos across the Muslim world continued in London yesterday as thousands of demonstrators marched on the offices of Google. More than 3,500 British Muslims, some from as far afield as Glasgow, waved banners and chanted slogans outside the search engine's UK headquarters to demand the company removes the film from the internet. The low-budget movie, entitled The Innocence of Muslims, portrays the Prophet Muhammad as a . fool and a sexual deviant, and has sparked a torrent of anti-American unrest . in Arab and Muslim countries since its release on YouTube last month. Anger: Barricades were erected as thousands of Muslims marched with banners bearing an array of slogans . But Google, who own the video-sharing website, remained defiant today claiming the film is 'clearly within our guidelines and so will stay on YouTube'. A spokesman for the company said: 'We work hard to create a community . everyone can enjoy and which also enables people to express different . opinions. 'This can be a challenge because what's OK in one country can be offensive elsewhere.' The protest had been billed as a precursor to a million-strong march planned in Hyde Park in the coming weeks. 'Global civility': Women grouped together in the protest which stretched from Google's offices on Buckingham Palace Road . Slogans: Muslims from all backgrounds waved placards bearing slogans such as 'We love our prophet more than our lives' and 'Prophet Muhammad is the founder of freedom of speech' as well as these above . Organiser Masoud Alam told the Daily Telegraph: 'Our next protest will be at the offices of Google and YouTube across the world. We are looking to ban this film. 'This is not freedom of expression, there is a limit for that. This insult of the Prophet will not be allowed.' Muslims from all backgrounds chanted and waved placards bearing slogans such as 'We love our prophet more than our lives' and 'Prophet Muhammad is the founder of freedom of speech'. They also listened to speeches from imams in English, Urdu and Arabic. 'Insult to the Prophet will not be allowed': They also listened to speeches from imams in English, Urdu and Arabic . One of the speakers, Sheikh Faiz Al-Aqtab Siddiqui, told The Daily Telegraph: 'Terrorism . is not just people who kill human bodies, but who kill human feelings as . well. The makers of this film have terrorised 1.6 billion people.' The march, during which no arrests were made, was in stark contrast to the wave of violent riots that spread across the Muslim world in the wake of the 14-minute film a month ago. It first erupted a day after a . separate attack on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi that killed . four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador to Libya on September 11. Ayman al-Zawahri the leader of Al Qaeda has urged Muslims to wage holy war against the United States and Israel over a film that insulted Islam's Prophet Muhammad . Attack: The violence at the U.S. embassy on . September 11 caused the deaths of the American ambassador Chris Stevens . and three other American personnel . The most violent protests came over four days of demonstrations across the Arab world, stretching . from Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Lebanon, Palestinian territories, Israel, . Sudan, Nigeria, Tunisia and Pakistan, and even Australia. YouTube has already blocked access to the video in some countries such as Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and India. Last month: The anti-Islam film sparked chaos across the Muslim world after its release. Here, Sudanese policemen stand guard before demonstrators overran the German embassy in Khartoum . Clashes: A protester throws a tear gas canister, which was earlier thrown by riot police, during clashes along a road which leads to the U.S. embassy, near Tahrir Square in Cairo on September 13 . Stand off: A defiant protester taunts the police phalanx from the top of an upturned and burned-out car in Cairo . But anti-American sentiment fostered by the film's release has shown little sign of abating. On Friday, Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri said the film . showed Washington was waging a 'crusader Zionist war' against Muslims . and he called for a Holy War against America. Like . in other messages released by al Qaeda's Yemeni and North African . branches last month, Zawahiri praised last month's assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that killed four diplomats but stopped short of . claiming responsibility. Torched: A Hardee's and a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) fast food outlet burns after protesters set the building on fire in Tripoli, northern Lebanon on September 14 . Angry: Kashmiri Muslim students shout anti-American and . anti-Israeli slogans during a protest against a low-budget US film that . depicts the Prophet Mohammed in Srinagar in September . Fury: Indian Muslim women shout slogans against America because of the film made in US called 'Innocence of . Muslims' which ridicules Islam's Prophet Muhammad, in Chennai, India . In . the recording, posted on Islamist websites on Friday, he called on . 'free and distinguished zealots for Islam' who attacked the consulate . and protested outside other American embassies to 'continue their . opposition to American crusader Zionist aggression against Islam and . Muslims'. The offending 14-minute video behind the . unrest was made privately and amateurishly by an American company and spoofs the life and times of . the Prophet Muhammad. Washington, however, has condemned the film and said it does not condone any insult to any religion. In hiding: Last week, the man behind the video emerged from hiding to appear in court in Los Angeles to deny he had violated his probation for a previous check fraud conviction . And last week, the man behind the video . emerged from hiding to appear in court in Los Angeles to . deny he had violated his probation for a previous check fraud . conviction. The Egyptian born filmmaker, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, . fled his California home on September 11, in the aftermath of the . release of his controversial video. He denied in court that he committed eight probation violations, . including lying to officials over the scope his role in the film and . using aliases. [/INST] More than 3,500 British Muslims, some from as far afield as Glasgow, gathered at the search engine's UK headquarters demanding the film is removed from YouTube .
But Google remained defiant claiming the film is 'clearly within our guidelines and so will stay on YouTube'
Organiser: 'Our next protest will be at the offices of Google and YouTube across the world. We are looking to ban this film'
Placards bearing slogans such as 'We love our prophet more than our lives'
and 'Prophet Muhammad is the founder of freedom of speech' waved . </s> |
(CNN) -- The U.S. government pleaded Saturday for North Korean authorities to release 85-year-old Merrill Newman, with a spokeswoman saying officials are "deeply concerned" about him and another American being held in the isolated East Asian nation. "Given Mr. Newman's advanced age and health conditions, we urge (North Korea) to release Mr. Newman so he may return home and reunite with his family," said National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden. Washington's plea came on the day North Korean state media released print stories and video showing what they called Newman's "apology." University of California, Berkeley professor Steven Weber characterized it as "highly scripted political theater." So how did an elderly retired financial consultant and Korean War veteran become the central figure in an international dispute? Why is there such animosity still tied to a conflict, the Korean War, that ended six decades ago? And why is this all unfolding now? Weber, a former consultant to the U.S. Commission on National Security, has a theory: "They are trying to get the Western media to pay attention." With the notable exception of its longtime ally China, North Korea is in many ways a pariah state bogged down by what many view as decades of repressive leadership. At the same time, the communist nation has had difficulties getting enough energy to power their country and food for their people. Largely shut off from the rest of the world, its leaders and state media often use saber-rattling rhetoric to unite citizens against what Weber described as "nasty outsiders" -- which, not coincidentally, are chiefly South Korea and the United States, just as during the Korean War. The discord in recent years has centered mostly on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, with the international community taking punitive measures such as economic sanctions to hold Pyongyang in check. North Korea hasn't been alone. Iran, too, has long been an international target because of its nuclear program, though that landscape has changed with the recent diplomatic accord. That fact may not be lost on Pyongyang, said Weber, who surmised North Korea may be particularly eager to get the world's focus and, ideally, concessions in the process. Added Weber: "If the Iran thing gets settled peacefully, then guess who's left?" Wife, son beg for his release . Elderly man not only American detained . Newman is not the only American being detained in North Korea. In her statement, Hayden also asked for the release of Kenneth Bae, who was arrested in November 2012 in North Korea. Last May, Bae was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor after North Korea's government found him guilty of "hostile acts" and attempts to topple the government. "We are thankful that the White House has advocated for the release of both Mr. Newman and my brother, Kenneth Bae," said Terri Chung, Bae's sister. "It has been a devastating experience for my brother and my family, so we pray every day for his release. Now we're including Mr. Newman in our prayers. We cannot forget about these two men. For every action that the US government takes toward his release, we are thankful." Chung has said Bae suffers from chronic health conditions that require doctors' care, including hypertension, diabetes and an enlarged heart. On Monday, Chung said ailments her brother suffered before his detainment -- back problems and radiating leg pain -- worsened while he was forced to work long hours daily in a labor camp. He has lost 50 pounds since he was detained, she added. The Bae family has been in "sheer pain and agony" since his detainment, Chung said. Other detained Americans . Unique case . Newman's age, and the circumstances surrounding his detention, are unique. According to his family, the Palo Alto, California, resident had gone on a 10-day organized private tour of North Korea in October. From phone calls and postcards he sent, the trip was going well and there was no indication of any kind of problem, son Jeff Newman said. The day before he was to leave, "one or two Korean authorities" met with Newman and his tour guide, the son added. They talked about Newman's service record, which left "my dad ... a bit bothered," according to Jeff Newman. Then, just minutes before his Beijing-bound plane was set to depart Pyongyang in late October, he was taken off the aircraft by North Korean authorities. Newman's weeks-long detention is complicated by the fact that, according to his son Jeff, he suffers from a heart condition. Sweden's ambassador to North Korea visited Newman on Saturday where he is being held at Pyongyang's Yanggakdo Hotel and delivered his medication, his family said. "As a result of the visit, we know that Merrill is in good health," the family added. "Merrill reports that he is being well treated and that the food is good." The Newmans went on to thank the ambassador and "express appreciation for the cooperation of the DPRK government in allowing the visit to take place." "We are asking that the DPRK authorities take into account his health and his age and, as an act of humanitarian compassion, allow him to depart immediately for home," the family said. "All of us want this ordeal to end and for the 85-year-old head of our extended family to be with us once more." Reported apology: 'I have been guilty of big crimes' Until Saturday, the North Korean government hadn't said why it held Newman. American accused of spying issues 'apology' The explanation came in the form of a published apology from Newman, as well as accompanying images of him thumbprinting his handwritten note and talking about his experiences. Atop the first of the four pages is the word "apology," according to video released by North Korea. The end of the last page is dated November 9 -- indicating Newman made his reported admission more than 20 days ago. Why might Pyongyang have waited 21 days, then, to make the admission public? That's another one of the mysteries surrounding this case. In the note, Newman talked about his having advised the Kuwol Unit, part of the "intelligence bureau" fighting against Pyongyang in the Korean War. He detailed how he commanded troops to collect "information" and wage various deadly attacks. "After I killed so many civilians and (North Korean) soldiers and destroyed strategic objects in the DPRK during the Korean War, I committed indelible offensive acts against the DPRK government and Korean people," Newman said, according to the "apology" reported by KCNA. The reported message also touches on his return 60 years later to North Korea, admitting that he "shamelessly ... had a plan to meet any surviving soldiers and pray for the souls of the dead soldiers." "I have been guilty of big crimes against the DPRK government and the Korean people again," Newman adds in the "apology." His statement ends: "If I go back to (the) USA, I will tell the true features of the DPRK and the life the Korean people are leading." In addition to this statement, KCNA ran a story alleging Newman came to North Korea with a tourist group in October and afterward "perpetrated acts of infringing upon the dignity and sovereignty of the DPRK and slandering its socialist system." This story claimed that Newman tried to "look for spies and terrorists who conducted espionage and subversive activities against the DPRK." Investigators determined that, as a member of the U.S. military, he "masterminded espionage and subversive activities ... and, in this course, he was involved in the killings of service personnel of the Korean People's Army and innocent civilians." "The investigation clearly proved Newman's hostile acts against the DPRK, and they were backed by evidence," the KCNA story added. "He admitted all his crimes." Is American man a bargaining chip? Newman's fate, North Korea's thinking unclear . Just five days ago, his wife, Lee, said she hoped he would be home for Thanksgiving. "We need to have Merrill back at the head of the table for the holidays," Lee Newman told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "And we ask -- respectfully -- for them to release him and let him come home." One day before Thanksgiving, Rep. Charlie Rangel -- who himself was wounded fighting in the Korean War -- released a letter urging North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "to release him immediately." Noting Newman's medical issues, the New York Democrat implored Kim to "have the heart to reunite him with his loved ones and those who can provide proper care." Rangel also reflected on the 1950s war, as well as the current state of affairs between the key players. "I believe that Mr. Newman, like myself and others who have fought during the Korean War six decades ago, wants to see a united Korea in our lifetime," wrote the congressman. "While progress has been slow on the political front, I am confident it can be advanced on humanitarian grounds." So will there be fresh movement in Newman's case? Will his reported apology pave the way for his release or will it be followed, like Bae, with a lengthy prison sentence? As of Saturday, nobody -- at least nobody outside of North Korea -- seems to know. As Weber, the Berkeley professor said: "When it comes to North Korea, nobody knows very much." CNN's Chelsea J. Carter, Ashley Killough and Nancy Baker contributed to this report. | Merrill Newman was detained in North Korea in October, after a trip to the Asian nation .
State news said he "apologized" for crimes, including killings during Korean War .
Family of another detained American thanks the White House for seeking their release .
An expert says that North Korea is trying to get the world's attention . | 687d370750e2f419c551aeea04c83408eb1beb65 | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- The U.S. government pleaded Saturday for North Korean authorities to release 85-year-old Merrill Newman, with a spokeswoman saying officials are "deeply concerned" about him and another American being held in the isolated East Asian nation. "Given Mr. Newman's advanced age and health conditions, we urge (North Korea) to release Mr. Newman so he may return home and reunite with his family," said National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden. Washington's plea came on the day North Korean state media released print stories and video showing what they called Newman's "apology." University of California, Berkeley professor Steven Weber characterized it as "highly scripted political theater." So how did an elderly retired financial consultant and Korean War veteran become the central figure in an international dispute? Why is there such animosity still tied to a conflict, the Korean War, that ended six decades ago? And why is this all unfolding now? Weber, a former consultant to the U.S. Commission on National Security, has a theory: "They are trying to get the Western media to pay attention." With the notable exception of its longtime ally China, North Korea is in many ways a pariah state bogged down by what many view as decades of repressive leadership. At the same time, the communist nation has had difficulties getting enough energy to power their country and food for their people. Largely shut off from the rest of the world, its leaders and state media often use saber-rattling rhetoric to unite citizens against what Weber described as "nasty outsiders" -- which, not coincidentally, are chiefly South Korea and the United States, just as during the Korean War. The discord in recent years has centered mostly on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, with the international community taking punitive measures such as economic sanctions to hold Pyongyang in check. North Korea hasn't been alone. Iran, too, has long been an international target because of its nuclear program, though that landscape has changed with the recent diplomatic accord. That fact may not be lost on Pyongyang, said Weber, who surmised North Korea may be particularly eager to get the world's focus and, ideally, concessions in the process. Added Weber: "If the Iran thing gets settled peacefully, then guess who's left?" Wife, son beg for his release . Elderly man not only American detained . Newman is not the only American being detained in North Korea. In her statement, Hayden also asked for the release of Kenneth Bae, who was arrested in November 2012 in North Korea. Last May, Bae was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor after North Korea's government found him guilty of "hostile acts" and attempts to topple the government. "We are thankful that the White House has advocated for the release of both Mr. Newman and my brother, Kenneth Bae," said Terri Chung, Bae's sister. "It has been a devastating experience for my brother and my family, so we pray every day for his release. Now we're including Mr. Newman in our prayers. We cannot forget about these two men. For every action that the US government takes toward his release, we are thankful." Chung has said Bae suffers from chronic health conditions that require doctors' care, including hypertension, diabetes and an enlarged heart. On Monday, Chung said ailments her brother suffered before his detainment -- back problems and radiating leg pain -- worsened while he was forced to work long hours daily in a labor camp. He has lost 50 pounds since he was detained, she added. The Bae family has been in "sheer pain and agony" since his detainment, Chung said. Other detained Americans . Unique case . Newman's age, and the circumstances surrounding his detention, are unique. According to his family, the Palo Alto, California, resident had gone on a 10-day organized private tour of North Korea in October. From phone calls and postcards he sent, the trip was going well and there was no indication of any kind of problem, son Jeff Newman said. The day before he was to leave, "one or two Korean authorities" met with Newman and his tour guide, the son added. They talked about Newman's service record, which left "my dad ... a bit bothered," according to Jeff Newman. Then, just minutes before his Beijing-bound plane was set to depart Pyongyang in late October, he was taken off the aircraft by North Korean authorities. Newman's weeks-long detention is complicated by the fact that, according to his son Jeff, he suffers from a heart condition. Sweden's ambassador to North Korea visited Newman on Saturday where he is being held at Pyongyang's Yanggakdo Hotel and delivered his medication, his family said. "As a result of the visit, we know that Merrill is in good health," the family added. "Merrill reports that he is being well treated and that the food is good." The Newmans went on to thank the ambassador and "express appreciation for the cooperation of the DPRK government in allowing the visit to take place." "We are asking that the DPRK authorities take into account his health and his age and, as an act of humanitarian compassion, allow him to depart immediately for home," the family said. "All of us want this ordeal to end and for the 85-year-old head of our extended family to be with us once more." Reported apology: 'I have been guilty of big crimes' Until Saturday, the North Korean government hadn't said why it held Newman. American accused of spying issues 'apology' The explanation came in the form of a published apology from Newman, as well as accompanying images of him thumbprinting his handwritten note and talking about his experiences. Atop the first of the four pages is the word "apology," according to video released by North Korea. The end of the last page is dated November 9 -- indicating Newman made his reported admission more than 20 days ago. Why might Pyongyang have waited 21 days, then, to make the admission public? That's another one of the mysteries surrounding this case. In the note, Newman talked about his having advised the Kuwol Unit, part of the "intelligence bureau" fighting against Pyongyang in the Korean War. He detailed how he commanded troops to collect "information" and wage various deadly attacks. "After I killed so many civilians and (North Korean) soldiers and destroyed strategic objects in the DPRK during the Korean War, I committed indelible offensive acts against the DPRK government and Korean people," Newman said, according to the "apology" reported by KCNA. The reported message also touches on his return 60 years later to North Korea, admitting that he "shamelessly ... had a plan to meet any surviving soldiers and pray for the souls of the dead soldiers." "I have been guilty of big crimes against the DPRK government and the Korean people again," Newman adds in the "apology." His statement ends: "If I go back to (the) USA, I will tell the true features of the DPRK and the life the Korean people are leading." In addition to this statement, KCNA ran a story alleging Newman came to North Korea with a tourist group in October and afterward "perpetrated acts of infringing upon the dignity and sovereignty of the DPRK and slandering its socialist system." This story claimed that Newman tried to "look for spies and terrorists who conducted espionage and subversive activities against the DPRK." Investigators determined that, as a member of the U.S. military, he "masterminded espionage and subversive activities ... and, in this course, he was involved in the killings of service personnel of the Korean People's Army and innocent civilians." "The investigation clearly proved Newman's hostile acts against the DPRK, and they were backed by evidence," the KCNA story added. "He admitted all his crimes." Is American man a bargaining chip? Newman's fate, North Korea's thinking unclear . Just five days ago, his wife, Lee, said she hoped he would be home for Thanksgiving. "We need to have Merrill back at the head of the table for the holidays," Lee Newman told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "And we ask -- respectfully -- for them to release him and let him come home." One day before Thanksgiving, Rep. Charlie Rangel -- who himself was wounded fighting in the Korean War -- released a letter urging North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "to release him immediately." Noting Newman's medical issues, the New York Democrat implored Kim to "have the heart to reunite him with his loved ones and those who can provide proper care." Rangel also reflected on the 1950s war, as well as the current state of affairs between the key players. "I believe that Mr. Newman, like myself and others who have fought during the Korean War six decades ago, wants to see a united Korea in our lifetime," wrote the congressman. "While progress has been slow on the political front, I am confident it can be advanced on humanitarian grounds." So will there be fresh movement in Newman's case? Will his reported apology pave the way for his release or will it be followed, like Bae, with a lengthy prison sentence? As of Saturday, nobody -- at least nobody outside of North Korea -- seems to know. As Weber, the Berkeley professor said: "When it comes to North Korea, nobody knows very much." CNN's Chelsea J. Carter, Ashley Killough and Nancy Baker contributed to this report. [/INST] Merrill Newman was detained in North Korea in October, after a trip to the Asian nation .
State news said he "apologized" for crimes, including killings during Korean War .
Family of another detained American thanks the White House for seeking their release .
An expert says that North Korea is trying to get the world's attention . </s> |
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Andy Murray has criticised Alex Salmond’s decision to ‘photobomb’ David Cameron with a Saltire after he won last year’s Wimbledon finals. Stressing he always plays as a Brit, yhe tennis ace said he ‘didn’t like it’ when the First Minister unfurled the flag in the Royal Box, moments after his dramatic win over Novak Djokovic. Mr Salmond was widely criticised at the time for trying to hijack the sporting triumph to push his case for Scottish independence, with critics telling him to ‘put it away dear’. Scroll down for video . Scottish Nationalist leader Alex Salmond waved the Scottish flag after Andy Murray won the 2013 Wimbledon Men's Singles final . Murray has revealed he 'didn't like it' but was nervous about expressing a view on Scottish independence . Mr Salmond smuggled the blue and white flag into Centre Court in the handbag of his wife, Moira. As the crowd stood to applaud Murray’s win in straight sets, he pulled the Saltire out and waved it around directly behind Mr Cameron’s head. The move was seen as a crass attempt to politicise one of the crown jewels in the sporting calendar. Now, almost a year later, Murray himself has admitted he was not happy with the stunt. In an interview with the Sunday Times he said had met Mr Salmond after winning the US Open in 2012. ‘He seemed perfectly nice to me but I didn’t like it when he [Salmond] got the Scottish flag up at Wimbledon,’ Murray said. Mr Salmond defended his behaviour last year, insisting it had been a long time coming. Barack Obama spoke out against independence . Alex Salmond today expressed surprise at US President Barack Obama issuing a public warning against independence. Mr Obama last week said the US wanted Britain to remain ‘strong, robust, united and effective’, adding: ‘From the . outside, at least, it looks like things have worked pretty well.' In response, Mr Salmond told BBC One's Mar Show: ;It was certainly surprising, because the American government had made it very clear they were staying studiously neutral in the democratic referendum that is taking place in Scotland. 'But then of course, David Cameron has been begging everybody internationally to say anything to help with his travails at the moment. He’s right to be worried, incidentally – the latest yes poll’s at 46 per cent. 'So perhaps on the Richter scale of presidential interventions, this was pretty mild. It’s a matter for the folks of Scotland; he hopes that the UK will be strong and united as an ally. Well, if Scotland becomes independent, America will have two allies in these islands, not one.' 'It’s the first Scot since Harold Mahony in 1896 – it’s not something that happens very often, so I think a few saltires hoisted over Wimbledon doesn’t really harm at all, the SNP leader said. 'This was after the match was finished, incidentally. This was part of the celebration. 'And the answer is no, I am not responsible for the seating arrangements in the royal box. 'I had the flag last year, actually – I just didn’t get the chance to wave it.' But Tory Education Secretary Michael Gove said at the time: 'I think it was a wee bit of a stunt... my advice to Alex would just be "Put it away dear".' Murray remains cautious about being seen to express a view on the prospect of Scotland breaking away from the UK, but he insisted he had always played as a Brit. He added: ‘I started competing for Great Britain when I was 11. ‘I’m 27 now and I’ve been competing for Great Britain for 16 years.’ A year before winning the Wimbledon championships in 2013, Murray won gold on the same court in the London 2012 Olympic Games. But he said he did not know who he would play for if Scotland does go it alone. Voters in Scotland will decide whether to back independence in a referendum on September 18. While recent polls have suggested support for independence is growing, an IpsosMORI last week put Yes on 36 per cent and No on 54 per cent. Politicians on both sides of the debate have locked horns on the merits and dangers of breaking up the UK, but few Scottish celebrities have spoken out in fear of alienating half of the country. Actor Sean Connery is backing the Yes campaign, while singer Rod Stewart, comedian Billy Connolly and cyclist Sir Chris Hoy have voiced doubts about independence. Those who have urged Scotland to stay in the UK – including singer David Bowie – have been viciously criticised online by the so-called CyberNats. Mr Salmond insisted that there was nothing wrong with celebrating the first Scot winning Wimbledon since 1896 . Murray suggested this was playing a part in his decision not to express a view either way. 'I don’t know even when I was younger whether that is something I would have talked about,’ he added. ‘It’s very difficult to have an opinion these days because half the people will agree with you and half of the people will think you’re an absolute idiot,’ he said. A spokesman for Mr Salmond said: 'Andy is reigning Wimbledon Champion and a great Scottish tennis player. He has made it clear a number of times that he doesn't want to comment on Scottish politics. 'Everyone should just accept that and let him get on with playing tennis, rather than attempt to put him on the spot about who he would play for in a future Olympics.' | First Minister criticised for stunt ahead of independence referendum .
Accused of photo-bombing David Cameron to victory for Scotland .
Murray says he did not like it, but reluctant to enter independence debate .
Salmond reveals his surprise after Obama spoke out against independence . | e2d6ce4a5001d40d6c29056a832a618206017f45 | <s>[INST] By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Andy Murray has criticised Alex Salmond’s decision to ‘photobomb’ David Cameron with a Saltire after he won last year’s Wimbledon finals. Stressing he always plays as a Brit, yhe tennis ace said he ‘didn’t like it’ when the First Minister unfurled the flag in the Royal Box, moments after his dramatic win over Novak Djokovic. Mr Salmond was widely criticised at the time for trying to hijack the sporting triumph to push his case for Scottish independence, with critics telling him to ‘put it away dear’. Scroll down for video . Scottish Nationalist leader Alex Salmond waved the Scottish flag after Andy Murray won the 2013 Wimbledon Men's Singles final . Murray has revealed he 'didn't like it' but was nervous about expressing a view on Scottish independence . Mr Salmond smuggled the blue and white flag into Centre Court in the handbag of his wife, Moira. As the crowd stood to applaud Murray’s win in straight sets, he pulled the Saltire out and waved it around directly behind Mr Cameron’s head. The move was seen as a crass attempt to politicise one of the crown jewels in the sporting calendar. Now, almost a year later, Murray himself has admitted he was not happy with the stunt. In an interview with the Sunday Times he said had met Mr Salmond after winning the US Open in 2012. ‘He seemed perfectly nice to me but I didn’t like it when he [Salmond] got the Scottish flag up at Wimbledon,’ Murray said. Mr Salmond defended his behaviour last year, insisting it had been a long time coming. Barack Obama spoke out against independence . Alex Salmond today expressed surprise at US President Barack Obama issuing a public warning against independence. Mr Obama last week said the US wanted Britain to remain ‘strong, robust, united and effective’, adding: ‘From the . outside, at least, it looks like things have worked pretty well.' In response, Mr Salmond told BBC One's Mar Show: ;It was certainly surprising, because the American government had made it very clear they were staying studiously neutral in the democratic referendum that is taking place in Scotland. 'But then of course, David Cameron has been begging everybody internationally to say anything to help with his travails at the moment. He’s right to be worried, incidentally – the latest yes poll’s at 46 per cent. 'So perhaps on the Richter scale of presidential interventions, this was pretty mild. It’s a matter for the folks of Scotland; he hopes that the UK will be strong and united as an ally. Well, if Scotland becomes independent, America will have two allies in these islands, not one.' 'It’s the first Scot since Harold Mahony in 1896 – it’s not something that happens very often, so I think a few saltires hoisted over Wimbledon doesn’t really harm at all, the SNP leader said. 'This was after the match was finished, incidentally. This was part of the celebration. 'And the answer is no, I am not responsible for the seating arrangements in the royal box. 'I had the flag last year, actually – I just didn’t get the chance to wave it.' But Tory Education Secretary Michael Gove said at the time: 'I think it was a wee bit of a stunt... my advice to Alex would just be "Put it away dear".' Murray remains cautious about being seen to express a view on the prospect of Scotland breaking away from the UK, but he insisted he had always played as a Brit. He added: ‘I started competing for Great Britain when I was 11. ‘I’m 27 now and I’ve been competing for Great Britain for 16 years.’ A year before winning the Wimbledon championships in 2013, Murray won gold on the same court in the London 2012 Olympic Games. But he said he did not know who he would play for if Scotland does go it alone. Voters in Scotland will decide whether to back independence in a referendum on September 18. While recent polls have suggested support for independence is growing, an IpsosMORI last week put Yes on 36 per cent and No on 54 per cent. Politicians on both sides of the debate have locked horns on the merits and dangers of breaking up the UK, but few Scottish celebrities have spoken out in fear of alienating half of the country. Actor Sean Connery is backing the Yes campaign, while singer Rod Stewart, comedian Billy Connolly and cyclist Sir Chris Hoy have voiced doubts about independence. Those who have urged Scotland to stay in the UK – including singer David Bowie – have been viciously criticised online by the so-called CyberNats. Mr Salmond insisted that there was nothing wrong with celebrating the first Scot winning Wimbledon since 1896 . Murray suggested this was playing a part in his decision not to express a view either way. 'I don’t know even when I was younger whether that is something I would have talked about,’ he added. ‘It’s very difficult to have an opinion these days because half the people will agree with you and half of the people will think you’re an absolute idiot,’ he said. A spokesman for Mr Salmond said: 'Andy is reigning Wimbledon Champion and a great Scottish tennis player. He has made it clear a number of times that he doesn't want to comment on Scottish politics. 'Everyone should just accept that and let him get on with playing tennis, rather than attempt to put him on the spot about who he would play for in a future Olympics.' [/INST] First Minister criticised for stunt ahead of independence referendum .
Accused of photo-bombing David Cameron to victory for Scotland .
Murray says he did not like it, but reluctant to enter independence debate .
Salmond reveals his surprise after Obama spoke out against independence . </s> |
Google has been attacked by a prominent US attorney general who claimed the internet giant has 'no conscience'. Jim Hood, the attorney general of Mississippi, said that Google does not care about the online safety of its customers, has no regard for the damage it does and is the worst of any company he has dealt with in his 10 years in the job. Mr Hood's attack is the latest salvo fired from a growing alliance of organisations targeting an adversary they have codenamed 'Goliath'. The office of Jim Hood, the attorney general of Mississippi (pictured), vowed to continue fighting Google and claimed it put its profits ahead of its customers' safety . The attack by Mr Hood was part of a report in the New York Times which revealed the alliance of opponents who are lining up against Google. The Motion Picture Association of America has supposedly been lobbying lawmakers because they claim Google is not doing enough to take down copyrighted material. Travel website Expedia and computer systems giant Oracle have also attacked Google for its sharp business practices. Google's opponents have also claimed that it is failing to censor illegal sites from search results. Mr Hood has aggressively pursued Google and in October issued a subpoena asking for records related to stolen credit card numbers and controlled substances. But a letter he wrote to the company in November last year, released by an open records request, made clear he feels very strongly about the company. The internet giant, which is headquartered in Mountain View, California (pictured), is coming under pressure from an alliance of groups with varying motives . Mr Hood said: 'In my 10 years as attorney general, I have dealt with a lot of large corporate wrongdoers. 'I must say that yours is the first I have encountered to have no corporate conscience for the safety of its customers, the viability of its fellow corporates or the negative economic impact on the nation which has allowed your company to flourish.' In a statement Mr Hood's office said: 'Google has put their profits ahead of the safety of children and families and this office will continue to fight them with all the expertise at our disposal'. The MPAA, which is Hollywood's trade group, said that it was lobbying against Google to 'protect our members and their creative works'. Spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield said: 'When wrongdoing is taking place online, we work with and support appropriate law enforcement officials, including the attorneys general, as do many other industries.' | Attorney general blasts internet giant for having 'no conscience' in letter .
Jim Hood stated the company 'put its profits ahead of children's safety'
Motion Picture Association of America has also begun lobbying against it .
MPAA claims Google is not doing enough to remove copyright material . | 3b41ad69cf73c7af04b4e4170240b096ea058203 | <s>[INST] Google has been attacked by a prominent US attorney general who claimed the internet giant has 'no conscience'. Jim Hood, the attorney general of Mississippi, said that Google does not care about the online safety of its customers, has no regard for the damage it does and is the worst of any company he has dealt with in his 10 years in the job. Mr Hood's attack is the latest salvo fired from a growing alliance of organisations targeting an adversary they have codenamed 'Goliath'. The office of Jim Hood, the attorney general of Mississippi (pictured), vowed to continue fighting Google and claimed it put its profits ahead of its customers' safety . The attack by Mr Hood was part of a report in the New York Times which revealed the alliance of opponents who are lining up against Google. The Motion Picture Association of America has supposedly been lobbying lawmakers because they claim Google is not doing enough to take down copyrighted material. Travel website Expedia and computer systems giant Oracle have also attacked Google for its sharp business practices. Google's opponents have also claimed that it is failing to censor illegal sites from search results. Mr Hood has aggressively pursued Google and in October issued a subpoena asking for records related to stolen credit card numbers and controlled substances. But a letter he wrote to the company in November last year, released by an open records request, made clear he feels very strongly about the company. The internet giant, which is headquartered in Mountain View, California (pictured), is coming under pressure from an alliance of groups with varying motives . Mr Hood said: 'In my 10 years as attorney general, I have dealt with a lot of large corporate wrongdoers. 'I must say that yours is the first I have encountered to have no corporate conscience for the safety of its customers, the viability of its fellow corporates or the negative economic impact on the nation which has allowed your company to flourish.' In a statement Mr Hood's office said: 'Google has put their profits ahead of the safety of children and families and this office will continue to fight them with all the expertise at our disposal'. The MPAA, which is Hollywood's trade group, said that it was lobbying against Google to 'protect our members and their creative works'. Spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield said: 'When wrongdoing is taking place online, we work with and support appropriate law enforcement officials, including the attorneys general, as do many other industries.' [/INST] Attorney general blasts internet giant for having 'no conscience' in letter .
Jim Hood stated the company 'put its profits ahead of children's safety'
Motion Picture Association of America has also begun lobbying against it .
MPAA claims Google is not doing enough to remove copyright material . </s> |
By . Ruth Styles . A young couple who receive more than £17,000 a year in benefits appeared on ITV's This Morning to defend their taxpayer-funded lifestyle. Danny Creamer, 21, and Gina Allan, 18, who live in a comfortable two-bedroom flat in Portsmouth with their four month old daughter, Talulah Rose, say they are better off on £17k benefits and argue that unless they are able to find jobs that pay £18,000 a year or more, there's no point in working. The couple also hit back at those who describe them as scroungers, arguing that because their hard-working parents have paid tax all their lives, they are entitled to claim some of the money back. Scroll down for video . Entitlement: Gina Allan and Danny Creamer say they are entitled to benefits because the Government wouldn't provide them if they didn't need them . Gina, who has worked for Sainsburys in the past said: 'I don’t see that we’re living off the taxpayers, we’re entitled to the money our parents paid all their lives.' She also claimed that because the pair have paid tax in the past, their daughter should also be entitled to claim benefits in future. 'We have paid into the system as well . and you know, if our daughter wants to claim when she's older, she can. We're not . going to claim benefits forever so we are going to pay into the system at some point.' The pair receive £1,473 per month in benefits or £17,680 per year. This works out at £340 per week, which includes £140 housing benefit, £60 child tax credit, £20 child benefit and £110 Jobseekers Allowance. Weekly outgoings include £60 on food, £22.50 on TV, £3.50 on their TV licence plus utility bills, which the pair say they receive no help with. According to Gina, their 47" flat screen TV is their only luxury, although Danny also admits to smoking roll-up cigarettes which are also paid for by tax payers. Shocked: Hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby appeared shocked by the couples' comments . Angry: Radio presenter Nick Ferarri said he was angry with the system but felt some sympathy for the pair . Although neither have any . qualifications, Danny, who has also worked as a shelf stacker in the . past, says he is now looking for a job - although says he won't accept . any old role. 'What is the point [of a minimum wage job]? You know, I'm not going to go to work to be worse off.' he argued. Gina added: 'The main problem is is that the cost of living is going up so much but the wages are just the same. But people still expect you to live on the minimum wage - I don't think that's right.' Although Danny says he does intend to get a job, the pair say they will carry on living on benefits until Danny gets a job that pays enough or 'the system changes'. 'We'll carry on until the system changes if Danny doesn't get a job,' says Gina. Danny added: 'We can't be scroungers because the Government wouldn't give us the money or pay towards our living expenses . if we didn't need it.' Taxes: The duo say they are right to claim benefits because their parents have paid taxes all their lives . Unfortunately for Danny and Gina, the change in the system they so dread isn't far away. In a statement read out on This Morning, the Department for Work and Pensions said: 'We have to end the absurdity in the . welfare system where people are better off claiming benefits than they . are in work. 'Universal Credit will ensure that work will always pay and . people who can work will no longer be able to count on the state to fund . a life on benefits.' Asked what they intend to do when the new system is introduced, Gina quickly replied: 'He'd have to get a job I suppose.' LBC radio presenter and Sunday Express columnist, Nick Ferrari, who was present during the couple's appearance told them: 'What you two have done is a great shame. You've seen it as a lifestyle choice and it's something you choose to do. You shouldn't.' | Danny Creamer, 21, and Gina Allan, 18, receive £17,680 per year .
The money includes housing benefit, child benefit and Jobseekers Allowance .
According to Gina, their only luxury is their 47" flat screen TV .
Creamer says working for less than £18k just isn't worth it . | 1d40852b6e3dc1ee29f39949cb38747db889888e | <s>[INST] By . Ruth Styles . A young couple who receive more than £17,000 a year in benefits appeared on ITV's This Morning to defend their taxpayer-funded lifestyle. Danny Creamer, 21, and Gina Allan, 18, who live in a comfortable two-bedroom flat in Portsmouth with their four month old daughter, Talulah Rose, say they are better off on £17k benefits and argue that unless they are able to find jobs that pay £18,000 a year or more, there's no point in working. The couple also hit back at those who describe them as scroungers, arguing that because their hard-working parents have paid tax all their lives, they are entitled to claim some of the money back. Scroll down for video . Entitlement: Gina Allan and Danny Creamer say they are entitled to benefits because the Government wouldn't provide them if they didn't need them . Gina, who has worked for Sainsburys in the past said: 'I don’t see that we’re living off the taxpayers, we’re entitled to the money our parents paid all their lives.' She also claimed that because the pair have paid tax in the past, their daughter should also be entitled to claim benefits in future. 'We have paid into the system as well . and you know, if our daughter wants to claim when she's older, she can. We're not . going to claim benefits forever so we are going to pay into the system at some point.' The pair receive £1,473 per month in benefits or £17,680 per year. This works out at £340 per week, which includes £140 housing benefit, £60 child tax credit, £20 child benefit and £110 Jobseekers Allowance. Weekly outgoings include £60 on food, £22.50 on TV, £3.50 on their TV licence plus utility bills, which the pair say they receive no help with. According to Gina, their 47" flat screen TV is their only luxury, although Danny also admits to smoking roll-up cigarettes which are also paid for by tax payers. Shocked: Hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby appeared shocked by the couples' comments . Angry: Radio presenter Nick Ferarri said he was angry with the system but felt some sympathy for the pair . Although neither have any . qualifications, Danny, who has also worked as a shelf stacker in the . past, says he is now looking for a job - although says he won't accept . any old role. 'What is the point [of a minimum wage job]? You know, I'm not going to go to work to be worse off.' he argued. Gina added: 'The main problem is is that the cost of living is going up so much but the wages are just the same. But people still expect you to live on the minimum wage - I don't think that's right.' Although Danny says he does intend to get a job, the pair say they will carry on living on benefits until Danny gets a job that pays enough or 'the system changes'. 'We'll carry on until the system changes if Danny doesn't get a job,' says Gina. Danny added: 'We can't be scroungers because the Government wouldn't give us the money or pay towards our living expenses . if we didn't need it.' Taxes: The duo say they are right to claim benefits because their parents have paid taxes all their lives . Unfortunately for Danny and Gina, the change in the system they so dread isn't far away. In a statement read out on This Morning, the Department for Work and Pensions said: 'We have to end the absurdity in the . welfare system where people are better off claiming benefits than they . are in work. 'Universal Credit will ensure that work will always pay and . people who can work will no longer be able to count on the state to fund . a life on benefits.' Asked what they intend to do when the new system is introduced, Gina quickly replied: 'He'd have to get a job I suppose.' LBC radio presenter and Sunday Express columnist, Nick Ferrari, who was present during the couple's appearance told them: 'What you two have done is a great shame. You've seen it as a lifestyle choice and it's something you choose to do. You shouldn't.' [/INST] Danny Creamer, 21, and Gina Allan, 18, receive £17,680 per year .
The money includes housing benefit, child benefit and Jobseekers Allowance .
According to Gina, their only luxury is their 47" flat screen TV .
Creamer says working for less than £18k just isn't worth it . </s> |
By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 15:16 EST, 2 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:47 EST, 2 May 2013 . The trail of photos left online by the friends of the Boston Marathon bomber shows that they went on a trip from Massachusetts to New York City in recent months. There is an eerie shadow over the photos as it was revealed that suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his now-dead brother Tamerlan were plotting to continue their terror streak in Manhattan after killing three and injuring more than 200 in the marathon bombing. Dias Kadyrbayev and Azamat Tazhayakov, both Kazakh nationals, and an American friend Robel Phillipos were all arrest on Wednesday for various charges relating to helping their friend 'Jahar' cover up his tracks after the bombing. Blocks away: Azamat Tazhayakov posted this picture of himself in front of The New York Times headquarters, just blocks from Times Square, on his profile for a Russian social media site . Seeing the sights: Tazhayakov is seen posing in front of the Statue of Liberty with two unidentified friends during the same trip to New York . Boys trip: Azamat Tazhayakov (left) and Dias Kadyrbayev (center) pose with suspected bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (right) in the middle of Times Square in Manhattan during a trip thought to have taken place in April 2012 . Kadyrbayev, 19, and Tazhayakov, 20, have profiles on Russian social media site VKontakte that show pictures of themselves touring Manhattan, though it does not appear that Phillipos was on the trip. At one point during the trip, which appears to have taken place in April 2012, the group stopped to take the typical tourist shot in front of the Statue of Liberty. Another stop on their tour was Times Square, where five young men- including Tsarnaev, Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov- posed happily. Different view: Because the charges against the friends, including Tazhayakov on the left, focus on their involvement after the bombings, it does not imply that they had any prior knowledge about the attack- or the Tsarnaev's plot to drive down to Manhattan on the same day and continue their attack . No red flags: Tazahayakov's social media profile does not seem unlike that of many other college-age boys . Tazhayakov also had his picture taken outside of the office of The New York Times, just blocks away from Times Square. The bustling New York tourist attraction clearly stuck with Tsarnaev, as he and his brother reportedly considered it as a second bombing location. Following Tamerlan's death during an altercation with police and Dzhokar's arrest, the FBI reported that the pair initially planned on driving the BMW that they hijacked and driving it to New York from Boston but were thwarted by a lack of gas. Enjoying life: Azamat Tazhayakov posted pictures of himself smoking a hookah pipe (left) and relaxing . Pals: Kadyrbayev (center) and Tazhayakov (right) lived together in an apartment off of the UMASS-Dartmouth campus in New Bedford, though it is unclear where this picture was taken . Connection: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is seen here with Dias Kadyrbayev, and the two reportedly joked about him being the Boston Marathon bomber via text in the days after the attack . Joking: Kadyrbayev, seen with two different friends, told investigators that he thought Tsarnaev was playing around when he sent texts brushing off similarities between himself and the suspected bomber . 'Questioning of Dzhokhar revealed that he and his brother decided spontaneously on Times Square as a target,' New York police commissioner Ray Kelly said a news conference with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. 'They would drive to Times Square that same night. That plan, however, fell apart when they realized that the vehicle that they hijacked was low on gas and ordered the driver to stop at a nearby gas station.' Apparently the city left an impression on Tazhayakov as well, as he highlights their group trip. In addition to pictures from their trip, Tazhayakov posts about songs that he likes- including Green Day's 'When September Ends' and more recently Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' 'Can Not Hold Us', which he added on April 18, just days after the bombing. Waiting: Dias Kadyrbayev (pictured) is now being held without bail until the May 14 hearing, along with his friends Tazhayakov and Phillipos . Flashy: Kadyrbayev's affinity for nice cars prompted the investigation as he was first questioned by police about his 'humorous' vanity license plates that read 'TERRORISTA#1' Red flag: Police initially investigated the pair after the discovery of their license plates (pictured) but then held them on immigration charges since they are Kazakh nationals in the country on expired academic visas . On his profile, fellow arrestee Dias Kadyrbayev posted the Times Square group shot, along with another undated picture of himself with Tsarnaev and other friends. Kadyrbayev also features pictures of himself on a sunny beach, goofing around with a friend while climing in a tree, and posing in a luxury car. Kadyrbayev's affinity for flashy cars is what got them into trouble in the first place with police, as they were initially questioned when it was revealed that the BMW that had a vanity license plate that read 'TERRORISTA#1'. His lawyer argued that the plate was a gag gift, police became suspicious and then held both he and Tazhayakov in custody because of immigration issues, as their student visas had expired. On Wednesday, they both were charged with conspiring to obstruct justice by destroying evidence. The criminal complaint lists that they removed Dzhokhar's backpack from his room and 'agreed to get rid of it after concluding from news reports that Tsarnaev was one of the Boston Marathon bombers.' Girlfriend: Though a girl who had a brief romantic relationship with Tsarnaev has come forward, the girl in this picture seen being kissed by Kadyrbayev has not been identified . Mystery woman: The girl seen with Tazhayakov in this picture has not been identified either . The three friends- Kadyrbayev, Tazhayakov and Phillipos- went over to Tsarnaev's on-campus dormitory after seeing the news reports. When the group arrived at the dorm, Kadyrbayev showed Tazhayakov a text from the bomber that said 'I'm about to leave if you need something in my room take it.' He did not specify where he was going, but Tazhayakov told investigators that he felt that this meant he would never see Tsarnaev alive again. They were let in the room by Dzhokhar's roommate, who said that Dzhokhar had been there just a few hours earlier. The criminal complaint says that when there, the three friends watched a movie. Kadyrbayev 'knew' that Tsarnaev was involved in the fatal attack when he saw the empty fireworks in the dorm room. | Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev traveled to New York in 2012 .
Two on the trip were Azamat Tazhayakov and Dias Kadyrbayev- two of the three friends arrest on Wednesday for helping him cover his tracks .
Kadyrbayev's lawyer announced that his client gave Tsarnaev's laptop to police and they are now investigating it .
Tsarnaev and his brother planned to drive from Boston to New York on the day of the bombing and set off another explosion in Times Square . | c68d10450e7c01e9c560ed12506edb5f3fc9bea5 | <s>[INST] By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 15:16 EST, 2 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:47 EST, 2 May 2013 . The trail of photos left online by the friends of the Boston Marathon bomber shows that they went on a trip from Massachusetts to New York City in recent months. There is an eerie shadow over the photos as it was revealed that suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his now-dead brother Tamerlan were plotting to continue their terror streak in Manhattan after killing three and injuring more than 200 in the marathon bombing. Dias Kadyrbayev and Azamat Tazhayakov, both Kazakh nationals, and an American friend Robel Phillipos were all arrest on Wednesday for various charges relating to helping their friend 'Jahar' cover up his tracks after the bombing. Blocks away: Azamat Tazhayakov posted this picture of himself in front of The New York Times headquarters, just blocks from Times Square, on his profile for a Russian social media site . Seeing the sights: Tazhayakov is seen posing in front of the Statue of Liberty with two unidentified friends during the same trip to New York . Boys trip: Azamat Tazhayakov (left) and Dias Kadyrbayev (center) pose with suspected bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (right) in the middle of Times Square in Manhattan during a trip thought to have taken place in April 2012 . Kadyrbayev, 19, and Tazhayakov, 20, have profiles on Russian social media site VKontakte that show pictures of themselves touring Manhattan, though it does not appear that Phillipos was on the trip. At one point during the trip, which appears to have taken place in April 2012, the group stopped to take the typical tourist shot in front of the Statue of Liberty. Another stop on their tour was Times Square, where five young men- including Tsarnaev, Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov- posed happily. Different view: Because the charges against the friends, including Tazhayakov on the left, focus on their involvement after the bombings, it does not imply that they had any prior knowledge about the attack- or the Tsarnaev's plot to drive down to Manhattan on the same day and continue their attack . No red flags: Tazahayakov's social media profile does not seem unlike that of many other college-age boys . Tazhayakov also had his picture taken outside of the office of The New York Times, just blocks away from Times Square. The bustling New York tourist attraction clearly stuck with Tsarnaev, as he and his brother reportedly considered it as a second bombing location. Following Tamerlan's death during an altercation with police and Dzhokar's arrest, the FBI reported that the pair initially planned on driving the BMW that they hijacked and driving it to New York from Boston but were thwarted by a lack of gas. Enjoying life: Azamat Tazhayakov posted pictures of himself smoking a hookah pipe (left) and relaxing . Pals: Kadyrbayev (center) and Tazhayakov (right) lived together in an apartment off of the UMASS-Dartmouth campus in New Bedford, though it is unclear where this picture was taken . Connection: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is seen here with Dias Kadyrbayev, and the two reportedly joked about him being the Boston Marathon bomber via text in the days after the attack . Joking: Kadyrbayev, seen with two different friends, told investigators that he thought Tsarnaev was playing around when he sent texts brushing off similarities between himself and the suspected bomber . 'Questioning of Dzhokhar revealed that he and his brother decided spontaneously on Times Square as a target,' New York police commissioner Ray Kelly said a news conference with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. 'They would drive to Times Square that same night. That plan, however, fell apart when they realized that the vehicle that they hijacked was low on gas and ordered the driver to stop at a nearby gas station.' Apparently the city left an impression on Tazhayakov as well, as he highlights their group trip. In addition to pictures from their trip, Tazhayakov posts about songs that he likes- including Green Day's 'When September Ends' and more recently Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' 'Can Not Hold Us', which he added on April 18, just days after the bombing. Waiting: Dias Kadyrbayev (pictured) is now being held without bail until the May 14 hearing, along with his friends Tazhayakov and Phillipos . Flashy: Kadyrbayev's affinity for nice cars prompted the investigation as he was first questioned by police about his 'humorous' vanity license plates that read 'TERRORISTA#1' Red flag: Police initially investigated the pair after the discovery of their license plates (pictured) but then held them on immigration charges since they are Kazakh nationals in the country on expired academic visas . On his profile, fellow arrestee Dias Kadyrbayev posted the Times Square group shot, along with another undated picture of himself with Tsarnaev and other friends. Kadyrbayev also features pictures of himself on a sunny beach, goofing around with a friend while climing in a tree, and posing in a luxury car. Kadyrbayev's affinity for flashy cars is what got them into trouble in the first place with police, as they were initially questioned when it was revealed that the BMW that had a vanity license plate that read 'TERRORISTA#1'. His lawyer argued that the plate was a gag gift, police became suspicious and then held both he and Tazhayakov in custody because of immigration issues, as their student visas had expired. On Wednesday, they both were charged with conspiring to obstruct justice by destroying evidence. The criminal complaint lists that they removed Dzhokhar's backpack from his room and 'agreed to get rid of it after concluding from news reports that Tsarnaev was one of the Boston Marathon bombers.' Girlfriend: Though a girl who had a brief romantic relationship with Tsarnaev has come forward, the girl in this picture seen being kissed by Kadyrbayev has not been identified . Mystery woman: The girl seen with Tazhayakov in this picture has not been identified either . The three friends- Kadyrbayev, Tazhayakov and Phillipos- went over to Tsarnaev's on-campus dormitory after seeing the news reports. When the group arrived at the dorm, Kadyrbayev showed Tazhayakov a text from the bomber that said 'I'm about to leave if you need something in my room take it.' He did not specify where he was going, but Tazhayakov told investigators that he felt that this meant he would never see Tsarnaev alive again. They were let in the room by Dzhokhar's roommate, who said that Dzhokhar had been there just a few hours earlier. The criminal complaint says that when there, the three friends watched a movie. Kadyrbayev 'knew' that Tsarnaev was involved in the fatal attack when he saw the empty fireworks in the dorm room. [/INST] Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev traveled to New York in 2012 .
Two on the trip were Azamat Tazhayakov and Dias Kadyrbayev- two of the three friends arrest on Wednesday for helping him cover his tracks .
Kadyrbayev's lawyer announced that his client gave Tsarnaev's laptop to police and they are now investigating it .
Tsarnaev and his brother planned to drive from Boston to New York on the day of the bombing and set off another explosion in Times Square . </s> |
George Clooney's mom today confirmed her son's engagement to Amal Alamuddin, saying: 'You can say I'm extremely happy, Amal's a lovely girl.' Nina Clooney has met British barrister Amal, 36, on various occasions and told MailOnline: 'I like her very much', agreeing the striking brunette has both 'brains and beauty'. Speaking from her home in the tiny . village of Augusta, Kentucky, Mrs Clooney said her son first introduced . Miss Alamuddin to his parents about a year ago - and said the clan . bonded over their mutual interest in international affairs. Mrs Clooney, 74, and her veteran broadcaster husband Nick, 80, . also accompanied the Oscar winning actor, 52, and his new fiancée to a . private White House screening of The Monuments Men with President Obama . in February. Scroll down for video . So in love: Actor George Clooney with Amal Almuddin, 36, on safari in Africa . Perfect pair: George Clooney and his new fiancée Amal Alamuddin take a ride on his motorbike on Sunday following their engagement . Close: Oscar winner George Clooney and his love, British barrister Amal Alamuddin take to the road after their engagement is announced . It was that date, revealed . exclusively by MailOnline, that showed the world just how serious . Clooney was about Miss Alamuddin, a human rights lawyer of high standing . who is currently representing Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Miss . Alamuddin is also an adviser to Kofi Annan, the special envoy to Syria, . while Clooney and his activist father are known for their work trying . to resolve the Darfur conflict . And Mrs Clooney said: 'We weren’t at all surprised when they told us they were engaged, and we couldn’t be happier for them. 'On . an intellectual level, they are equals. That is very important to him. Amal’s world couldn’t be more different from the Hollywood lifestyle.' Asked . if Amal is anything like the other women who have swarmed over her son . in the past, Mrs Clooney said, 'Heavens, no! She’s a lawyer, she is . brilliant, she is a very bright woman and at the very top of her career. 'They also share a sense of fun, a sense of humour and they are both very caring people.' Clooney . is understood to have proposed recently after the couple enjoyed a . series of exotic holidays around the world during a seven-month romance. The pair were pictured yesterday enjoying a ride on the star's motorbike, with Miss Alamuddin in plum position behind him. Today, Nick Clooney echoed his wife's sentiments, telling TMZ: 'We are thrilled...my wife and I are absolutely thrilled...we are excited for both of them. Amal is a very lovely girl.' Miss Alamudin's law firm also congratulated her on her engagement. A . statement released to Reuters read: 'The barristers and staff of . Doughty Street Chambers offer their best wishes and congratulations to . Ms. Amal Alamuddin, a member of Chambers, and Mr. George Clooney on . their engagement to be married.' Cosy: George Clooney stands next to British . barrister Amal Alamuddin at the Willard Hotel's exclusive Round Robin . and Scotch Bar in Washington D.C. after they both attended a private . screening of his latest movie, Monuments Men, with President Obama at . the White House on Tuesday, February 18. His friend and co-producer . Grant Heslov is seen sitting down . Meet my friends: George Clooney and Amal . Alamuddin have a late-night drink with, from left, Matt Damon, his wife . Luciana (sitting down), actor Bill Murray, and producer Grant Heslov . Barrister Geoffrey Robertson added, too, that Miss Alamuddin is a 'brilliant and passionate defender of human rights' who is respected by her colleagues. And Robin Jackson, chief executive of her law firm, told Reuters: 'She brings a bright light to everything she is involved in, and I am so delighted at her happy news.' Clooney's relationship with Miss Alamuddin is a departure from the long list of actresses and models he has dated in the past. Rumours of their engagement began to circulate after she was spotted several times in the last week sporting a 'huge ring'. Entertainment Tonight reported that on Thursday, the lovers were spotted at celebrity restaurant Nobu in Malibu, California, with Clooney's friends Cindy Crawford and her husband Rande Gerber. At the dinner, Miss Alamuddin had a conspicuous ring on her left ring finger, according to an onlooker. The same ring was seen by another diner at another LA restaurant, Craig's, on Wednesday, when the pair were understood to be celebrating their engagement. A friend told People: 'George and Amal are trying to keep things very low-key but they also aren't really trying to hide this, it doesn't seem. Thrilled: Nina and Nick Clooney are pictured at the February premiere of The Monuments Men in New York. Mrs Clooney said she was 'extremely happy' at her son's engagement . Big news? George Clooney's girlfriend Amal Alamuddin, pictured here in October, was reportedly seen by multiple people showing off a ring at Nobu in Malibu, California, on Thursday. 'I think it's like they want the people they love to know that this is real, that they plan on being together for ever.' Clooney was first photographed with Miss Alamuddin last October in London. And just hours after the small screening at the White House on Tuesday, February 18, Clooney and Miss Alamuddin were pictured standing intimately together at the Round Robin and Scotch Bar at the Willard Hotel in Washington D.C. in a group that included Clooney’s pal and co-star Matt Damon and his wife Luciana, and fellow actor and co-star Bill Murray. An onlooker at the bar revealed: 'They looked very much together, George had his arm around her and she appeared to be a girlfriend . In March, they went to Tanzania, where they were photographed on safari, and they also visited the Seychelles. History repeating? While known as a diehard bachelor, George has been married before briefly to actress Talia Balsam from 1989 to 1993, pictured here in 1990 . Miss Alamuddin was once voted the 'hottest barrister in London' by a law blog, but her life could not be more removed from the celebrity world which Clooney inhabits. She comes from a prominent intellectual Lebanese family who fled war-torn Beirut when she was a child and settled in a large modern house in Buckinghamshire. Her mother, Baria, was a noted beauty when she was younger – a Liz Taylor of Lebanon, by all accounts. Her father, Ramzi, is a retired professor of business studies at the American University of Beirut. The family are believed to belong to the Druze religious sect, an offshoot of Islam. After leaving Oxford, where she gained a 2:1 in law, Miss Alamuddin studied at the New York University School of Law. Now working out of London's Doughty Street Chambers, she specialises in international law, human rights, extradition and criminal law. Asked about the engagement news yesterday, her parents' housekeeper beamed a large smile and said: 'I don't know.' But a neighbour said: 'I'm really happy for her – who wouldn't be happy with George Clooney as their husband?' Yesterday, Clooney's spokesman Stan Rosenfield did not deny the engagement rumours but just said: 'I do not comment on his personal life.' Clooney was married to actress Talia Balsam from 1989 to 1993. Since then he has said that although he is not completely closed off to the idea of another wedding, he is not the marrying type. Last December he told Esquire: 'I haven't had aspirations in that way, ever. I was married in 1989. I wasn't very good at it.' His previous girlfriends include British model Lisa Snowdon, former wrestler Stacy Keibler, cocktail waitress Sarah Larson, Italian actress Elisabetta Canalis and Baywatch star Krista Allen. | Bride-to-be is Amal Alamuddin, a humanitarian lawyer who represents Wikileaks founder Julian Assange .
Amal, 36, has been flaunting a huge diamond engagement ring .
She has already met her parents-in-law-to be at a private screening of The Monuments Men at the White House .
Nina Clooney says: 'They share a sense of fun, a sense of humour and they are both very caring people' | 46517f61595a44cf2b3580a38d5a87f110b9ce64 | <s>[INST] George Clooney's mom today confirmed her son's engagement to Amal Alamuddin, saying: 'You can say I'm extremely happy, Amal's a lovely girl.' Nina Clooney has met British barrister Amal, 36, on various occasions and told MailOnline: 'I like her very much', agreeing the striking brunette has both 'brains and beauty'. Speaking from her home in the tiny . village of Augusta, Kentucky, Mrs Clooney said her son first introduced . Miss Alamuddin to his parents about a year ago - and said the clan . bonded over their mutual interest in international affairs. Mrs Clooney, 74, and her veteran broadcaster husband Nick, 80, . also accompanied the Oscar winning actor, 52, and his new fiancée to a . private White House screening of The Monuments Men with President Obama . in February. Scroll down for video . So in love: Actor George Clooney with Amal Almuddin, 36, on safari in Africa . Perfect pair: George Clooney and his new fiancée Amal Alamuddin take a ride on his motorbike on Sunday following their engagement . Close: Oscar winner George Clooney and his love, British barrister Amal Alamuddin take to the road after their engagement is announced . It was that date, revealed . exclusively by MailOnline, that showed the world just how serious . Clooney was about Miss Alamuddin, a human rights lawyer of high standing . who is currently representing Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Miss . Alamuddin is also an adviser to Kofi Annan, the special envoy to Syria, . while Clooney and his activist father are known for their work trying . to resolve the Darfur conflict . And Mrs Clooney said: 'We weren’t at all surprised when they told us they were engaged, and we couldn’t be happier for them. 'On . an intellectual level, they are equals. That is very important to him. Amal’s world couldn’t be more different from the Hollywood lifestyle.' Asked . if Amal is anything like the other women who have swarmed over her son . in the past, Mrs Clooney said, 'Heavens, no! She’s a lawyer, she is . brilliant, she is a very bright woman and at the very top of her career. 'They also share a sense of fun, a sense of humour and they are both very caring people.' Clooney . is understood to have proposed recently after the couple enjoyed a . series of exotic holidays around the world during a seven-month romance. The pair were pictured yesterday enjoying a ride on the star's motorbike, with Miss Alamuddin in plum position behind him. Today, Nick Clooney echoed his wife's sentiments, telling TMZ: 'We are thrilled...my wife and I are absolutely thrilled...we are excited for both of them. Amal is a very lovely girl.' Miss Alamudin's law firm also congratulated her on her engagement. A . statement released to Reuters read: 'The barristers and staff of . Doughty Street Chambers offer their best wishes and congratulations to . Ms. Amal Alamuddin, a member of Chambers, and Mr. George Clooney on . their engagement to be married.' Cosy: George Clooney stands next to British . barrister Amal Alamuddin at the Willard Hotel's exclusive Round Robin . and Scotch Bar in Washington D.C. after they both attended a private . screening of his latest movie, Monuments Men, with President Obama at . the White House on Tuesday, February 18. His friend and co-producer . Grant Heslov is seen sitting down . Meet my friends: George Clooney and Amal . Alamuddin have a late-night drink with, from left, Matt Damon, his wife . Luciana (sitting down), actor Bill Murray, and producer Grant Heslov . Barrister Geoffrey Robertson added, too, that Miss Alamuddin is a 'brilliant and passionate defender of human rights' who is respected by her colleagues. And Robin Jackson, chief executive of her law firm, told Reuters: 'She brings a bright light to everything she is involved in, and I am so delighted at her happy news.' Clooney's relationship with Miss Alamuddin is a departure from the long list of actresses and models he has dated in the past. Rumours of their engagement began to circulate after she was spotted several times in the last week sporting a 'huge ring'. Entertainment Tonight reported that on Thursday, the lovers were spotted at celebrity restaurant Nobu in Malibu, California, with Clooney's friends Cindy Crawford and her husband Rande Gerber. At the dinner, Miss Alamuddin had a conspicuous ring on her left ring finger, according to an onlooker. The same ring was seen by another diner at another LA restaurant, Craig's, on Wednesday, when the pair were understood to be celebrating their engagement. A friend told People: 'George and Amal are trying to keep things very low-key but they also aren't really trying to hide this, it doesn't seem. Thrilled: Nina and Nick Clooney are pictured at the February premiere of The Monuments Men in New York. Mrs Clooney said she was 'extremely happy' at her son's engagement . Big news? George Clooney's girlfriend Amal Alamuddin, pictured here in October, was reportedly seen by multiple people showing off a ring at Nobu in Malibu, California, on Thursday. 'I think it's like they want the people they love to know that this is real, that they plan on being together for ever.' Clooney was first photographed with Miss Alamuddin last October in London. And just hours after the small screening at the White House on Tuesday, February 18, Clooney and Miss Alamuddin were pictured standing intimately together at the Round Robin and Scotch Bar at the Willard Hotel in Washington D.C. in a group that included Clooney’s pal and co-star Matt Damon and his wife Luciana, and fellow actor and co-star Bill Murray. An onlooker at the bar revealed: 'They looked very much together, George had his arm around her and she appeared to be a girlfriend . In March, they went to Tanzania, where they were photographed on safari, and they also visited the Seychelles. History repeating? While known as a diehard bachelor, George has been married before briefly to actress Talia Balsam from 1989 to 1993, pictured here in 1990 . Miss Alamuddin was once voted the 'hottest barrister in London' by a law blog, but her life could not be more removed from the celebrity world which Clooney inhabits. She comes from a prominent intellectual Lebanese family who fled war-torn Beirut when she was a child and settled in a large modern house in Buckinghamshire. Her mother, Baria, was a noted beauty when she was younger – a Liz Taylor of Lebanon, by all accounts. Her father, Ramzi, is a retired professor of business studies at the American University of Beirut. The family are believed to belong to the Druze religious sect, an offshoot of Islam. After leaving Oxford, where she gained a 2:1 in law, Miss Alamuddin studied at the New York University School of Law. Now working out of London's Doughty Street Chambers, she specialises in international law, human rights, extradition and criminal law. Asked about the engagement news yesterday, her parents' housekeeper beamed a large smile and said: 'I don't know.' But a neighbour said: 'I'm really happy for her – who wouldn't be happy with George Clooney as their husband?' Yesterday, Clooney's spokesman Stan Rosenfield did not deny the engagement rumours but just said: 'I do not comment on his personal life.' Clooney was married to actress Talia Balsam from 1989 to 1993. Since then he has said that although he is not completely closed off to the idea of another wedding, he is not the marrying type. Last December he told Esquire: 'I haven't had aspirations in that way, ever. I was married in 1989. I wasn't very good at it.' His previous girlfriends include British model Lisa Snowdon, former wrestler Stacy Keibler, cocktail waitress Sarah Larson, Italian actress Elisabetta Canalis and Baywatch star Krista Allen. [/INST] Bride-to-be is Amal Alamuddin, a humanitarian lawyer who represents Wikileaks founder Julian Assange .
Amal, 36, has been flaunting a huge diamond engagement ring .
She has already met her parents-in-law-to be at a private screening of The Monuments Men at the White House .
Nina Clooney says: 'They share a sense of fun, a sense of humour and they are both very caring people' </s> |
(CNN) -- The new video released by Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau makes a simple demand: He won't release the more than 200 schoolgirls his group abducted from a school northern Nigeria "until after you release our brethren." The "brethren" he refers to include several hundred Boko Haram fighters, including key commanders, currently held in jails in Nigeria, as well as in Niger and Cameroon. It is a demand that he has made before, and a demand that, crucially, the Nigerian government has at least once conceded. Almost exactly a year ago, fighters from Boko Haram entered a dusty town close to the border with Cameroon. They headed for the police station, army barracks and prison buildings. The dawn raid on May 7, 2013, on the town of Bama left more than 100 people dead, including many civilians. The Boko Haram fighters freed about 100 inmates from the prison. But -- little reported at the time -- they also abducted about a dozen women and children to use as bargaining chips, according to Jacob Zenn, an analyst with the Jamestown Foundation and long-time observer of Boko Haram. Days after the Bama raid, Boko Haram's Shekau appeared in a video that showed the hostages. He warned that if Nigerian security forces "do not release our wives and children, we will not release theirs," and the hostages would become his "servants," according to Zenn, who provided CNN a link to the video. According to Zenn, among the women and children allegedly held by Nigerian authorities were Shekau's wife and three children, the wife of Boko Haram's commander in the town of Kano and his children, and the wife of the group's commander in the town of Sokoto. The tactic appears to have worked. Two weeks later, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan directed that women and children "in detention on suspicion of involvement" with Boko Haram would be freed from prison. The hostages held by Boko Haram were released or, according to the official version, "rescued" by security forces. Zenn told CNN that altogether nearly 100 Boko Haram members and their relatives were set free -- and that Nigerian security sources told him there was a financial payoff by the government to the group to close the deal. It's now clear that in conceding to a key Boko Haram demand, the Nigerian government was inviting more such abductions. And as Nigeria detained more of the group's members and sympathizers, Boko Haram's determination to secure their freedom increased. The video that Shekau recorded after the Bama attack last year has striking similarities to the one obtained by Agence France Presse on Monday -- in which he demands the release of all Boko Haram members in jail in return for the freedom of more than 200 girls kidnapped last month. Zenn said "Shekau wants all Boko Haram prisoners freed because they because they will have renewed loyalty to him, and him alone" after internal rifts in 2012 and 2013. "And the militants freed from prison will allow Boko Haram to benefit from their bomb-making and kidnapping skills to launch new and fiercer attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon and the border region," he said. A behind-the-scenes payment could help the group recruit members and purchase weapons, as well as buy "loyalty from tribal elders in the Nigeria-Cameroon border area," Zenn said. Boko Haram has additional reasons to believe kidnapping can be lucrative. Early last year, a group of its fighters crossed into Cameroon and abducted a French family on safari. Shekau showed off the family -- just like he has shown off other hostages -- in video obtained by AFP in March 2013. "We are holding them hostage because the leaders of Cameroon and Nigeria detained our women and children under inhumane conditions," he said. After secret negotiations between Shekau and the Cameroonian government (through intermediaries), Boko Haram released the family near the Nigerian-Cameroon border -- reportedly in exchange for a $3 million ransom and the release of 16 Boko Haram prisoners held in Cameroon. By resolving the current crisis and securing the girls' freedom, the government would likely be sowing the seeds of another. But by pursuing the military option, it could endanger the lives of many of the girls, who are thought to have been split into groups and possibly smuggled across the border into Cameroon and Chad. Even if the Nigerian military tracks down and frees one group, Boko Haram might take revenge by killing others. As for its longer-term goals, Shekau said Boko Haram will not negotiate a cease-fire until it "brings the Nigerian government to its knees." In terms of a political settlement in return for an end to violence, Boko Haram has not outlined its goals. Zenn believes the group "would likely demand a de-facto Taliban-like Islamic State in some portion of northeastern Nigeria and the border region," a demand that would be unpalatable to the federal government because it would damage the already shaky integrity of Africa's most populous nation. But Zenn said it's notable that in the latest video, the girls (at least some of whom are likely Christians) are forced to wear the hijab and that a flag behind them is typical of al Qaeda affiliates. "The appearance of them 'unharmed' makes it look like Boko Haram is doing this for legitimate Islamic purposes to win a prisoner exchange -- as opposed to sex slavery." In the video, Shekau states: "Everything that we are doing is in the Quran and in the Hadith (sayings attributed to the Prophet Mohammed.)" Many have objected to that assessment and last year a group called Civilian Joint Task Force -- set up to counter Boko Haram in northern Nigeria -- said they rescued 26 abducted women and girls, some of whom were pregnant, or had given birth, according to Human Rights Watch. "Many girls who were rescued or had escaped were sent off by their families to distant cities like Abuja and Lagos to avoid the stigma of rape or pregnancy outside of marriage," activists said, according to a report from Human Rights Watch. According to the Human Rights Watch report, residents of Maiduguri said that on several occasions, members of Boko Haram forcefully abducted several teenage girls. HRW quoted one man who had documented such cases: "After storming into the homes and throwing sums of money at their parents, with a declaration that it was the dowry for their teenage daughter, they would take the girls away." Another said: When we made Maiduguri "too hot" for Boko Haram, they ran away without their wives. "Now they are picking up women anywhere and using them to satisfy themselves." | Boko Haram demands release of its fighters for return of abducted Nigerian schoolgirls .
Boko Haram has kidnapped before and Nigeria has conceded at least once .
A raid on a town last year freed inmates, and Boko Haram took about a dozen hostages .
Nigeria freed wives and children of Boko Haram members in return for the hostages . | 036cd650c6dfeb4f88fbcbb1a41726d3807ab55e | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- The new video released by Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau makes a simple demand: He won't release the more than 200 schoolgirls his group abducted from a school northern Nigeria "until after you release our brethren." The "brethren" he refers to include several hundred Boko Haram fighters, including key commanders, currently held in jails in Nigeria, as well as in Niger and Cameroon. It is a demand that he has made before, and a demand that, crucially, the Nigerian government has at least once conceded. Almost exactly a year ago, fighters from Boko Haram entered a dusty town close to the border with Cameroon. They headed for the police station, army barracks and prison buildings. The dawn raid on May 7, 2013, on the town of Bama left more than 100 people dead, including many civilians. The Boko Haram fighters freed about 100 inmates from the prison. But -- little reported at the time -- they also abducted about a dozen women and children to use as bargaining chips, according to Jacob Zenn, an analyst with the Jamestown Foundation and long-time observer of Boko Haram. Days after the Bama raid, Boko Haram's Shekau appeared in a video that showed the hostages. He warned that if Nigerian security forces "do not release our wives and children, we will not release theirs," and the hostages would become his "servants," according to Zenn, who provided CNN a link to the video. According to Zenn, among the women and children allegedly held by Nigerian authorities were Shekau's wife and three children, the wife of Boko Haram's commander in the town of Kano and his children, and the wife of the group's commander in the town of Sokoto. The tactic appears to have worked. Two weeks later, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan directed that women and children "in detention on suspicion of involvement" with Boko Haram would be freed from prison. The hostages held by Boko Haram were released or, according to the official version, "rescued" by security forces. Zenn told CNN that altogether nearly 100 Boko Haram members and their relatives were set free -- and that Nigerian security sources told him there was a financial payoff by the government to the group to close the deal. It's now clear that in conceding to a key Boko Haram demand, the Nigerian government was inviting more such abductions. And as Nigeria detained more of the group's members and sympathizers, Boko Haram's determination to secure their freedom increased. The video that Shekau recorded after the Bama attack last year has striking similarities to the one obtained by Agence France Presse on Monday -- in which he demands the release of all Boko Haram members in jail in return for the freedom of more than 200 girls kidnapped last month. Zenn said "Shekau wants all Boko Haram prisoners freed because they because they will have renewed loyalty to him, and him alone" after internal rifts in 2012 and 2013. "And the militants freed from prison will allow Boko Haram to benefit from their bomb-making and kidnapping skills to launch new and fiercer attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon and the border region," he said. A behind-the-scenes payment could help the group recruit members and purchase weapons, as well as buy "loyalty from tribal elders in the Nigeria-Cameroon border area," Zenn said. Boko Haram has additional reasons to believe kidnapping can be lucrative. Early last year, a group of its fighters crossed into Cameroon and abducted a French family on safari. Shekau showed off the family -- just like he has shown off other hostages -- in video obtained by AFP in March 2013. "We are holding them hostage because the leaders of Cameroon and Nigeria detained our women and children under inhumane conditions," he said. After secret negotiations between Shekau and the Cameroonian government (through intermediaries), Boko Haram released the family near the Nigerian-Cameroon border -- reportedly in exchange for a $3 million ransom and the release of 16 Boko Haram prisoners held in Cameroon. By resolving the current crisis and securing the girls' freedom, the government would likely be sowing the seeds of another. But by pursuing the military option, it could endanger the lives of many of the girls, who are thought to have been split into groups and possibly smuggled across the border into Cameroon and Chad. Even if the Nigerian military tracks down and frees one group, Boko Haram might take revenge by killing others. As for its longer-term goals, Shekau said Boko Haram will not negotiate a cease-fire until it "brings the Nigerian government to its knees." In terms of a political settlement in return for an end to violence, Boko Haram has not outlined its goals. Zenn believes the group "would likely demand a de-facto Taliban-like Islamic State in some portion of northeastern Nigeria and the border region," a demand that would be unpalatable to the federal government because it would damage the already shaky integrity of Africa's most populous nation. But Zenn said it's notable that in the latest video, the girls (at least some of whom are likely Christians) are forced to wear the hijab and that a flag behind them is typical of al Qaeda affiliates. "The appearance of them 'unharmed' makes it look like Boko Haram is doing this for legitimate Islamic purposes to win a prisoner exchange -- as opposed to sex slavery." In the video, Shekau states: "Everything that we are doing is in the Quran and in the Hadith (sayings attributed to the Prophet Mohammed.)" Many have objected to that assessment and last year a group called Civilian Joint Task Force -- set up to counter Boko Haram in northern Nigeria -- said they rescued 26 abducted women and girls, some of whom were pregnant, or had given birth, according to Human Rights Watch. "Many girls who were rescued or had escaped were sent off by their families to distant cities like Abuja and Lagos to avoid the stigma of rape or pregnancy outside of marriage," activists said, according to a report from Human Rights Watch. According to the Human Rights Watch report, residents of Maiduguri said that on several occasions, members of Boko Haram forcefully abducted several teenage girls. HRW quoted one man who had documented such cases: "After storming into the homes and throwing sums of money at their parents, with a declaration that it was the dowry for their teenage daughter, they would take the girls away." Another said: When we made Maiduguri "too hot" for Boko Haram, they ran away without their wives. "Now they are picking up women anywhere and using them to satisfy themselves." [/INST] Boko Haram demands release of its fighters for return of abducted Nigerian schoolgirls .
Boko Haram has kidnapped before and Nigeria has conceded at least once .
A raid on a town last year freed inmates, and Boko Haram took about a dozen hostages .
Nigeria freed wives and children of Boko Haram members in return for the hostages . </s> |
Russian Tennis Federation president Shamil Tarpischev has been forced to publicly apologise for his slur against the Williams sisters, Serena and Venus. The International Tennis Federation came under fire from Martina Navratilova on Monday for failing to act after Tarpischev described the Williams' as 'brothers'. The Womens' Tennis Association responded swiftly to Tarpischev's remarks by banning him for a year and issuing a fine of 25,000 US dollars (£15,500). Russian Tennis Federation president Shamil Tarpischev has apologised to Serena and Venus Williams . Tarpischev faced a backlash after making the offensive remarks about Serena (left) and Venus (right) Tennis legend Martina Navratilova believes Tarpischev's comments were a form of bullying . Navratilova, however, claimed the ITF's silence on the matter was 'pretty deafening'. The 59-times Grand Slam champion added: 'Certainly this kind of bullying comment cannot be tolerated from anyone, but particularly from a high-up official in the tennis world.' ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti, however, has now responded and made it clear to Tarpischev such comments will not be tolerated. Ricci Bitti believes Tarpischev's apology and the WTA's actions are a sufficient punishment. Bitti said: 'The ITF was very disappointed when it learned that Shamil Tarpischev, long-time President of the Russian Tennis Federation, made derogatory remarks about the gender of Serena and Venus Williams. 'What Mr Tarpischev said was wholly unacceptable to the ITF and, when we learned of the issue, we encouraged him to apologise immediately. Serena Williams, pictured with with the US Open trophy, described Tarpischev's remarks as sexist and racist . Venus Williams, pictured in action during the US Open, has been sent an apology by Tarpischev . 'Mr Tarpischev has taken an important step by sending his apology to the ITF, the WTA and to the Williams sisters. 'Although Mr. Tarpischev assured us his comment was meant as a joke, we made it clear to him what he said is inappropriate in any context. 'We were especially disappointed as Mr Tarpischev has a long and distinguished career in tennis, serving as Davis Cup and Fed Cup captain, and fostering the growth of tennis in Russia, including the development of many successful men and women players. 'We hope his acceptance of fault in this matter, which includes the penalty assessed by the WTA Tour, will allow all of us to move forward.' | Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpischev has issued an apology to the ITF, WTA and the Williams sisters .
He called Serena and Venus 'brothers' in a TV interview .
Tarpischev has been banned for a year and fined £15,500 . | 1d248402d868f2d115b217727645e058ff47e162 | <s>[INST] Russian Tennis Federation president Shamil Tarpischev has been forced to publicly apologise for his slur against the Williams sisters, Serena and Venus. The International Tennis Federation came under fire from Martina Navratilova on Monday for failing to act after Tarpischev described the Williams' as 'brothers'. The Womens' Tennis Association responded swiftly to Tarpischev's remarks by banning him for a year and issuing a fine of 25,000 US dollars (£15,500). Russian Tennis Federation president Shamil Tarpischev has apologised to Serena and Venus Williams . Tarpischev faced a backlash after making the offensive remarks about Serena (left) and Venus (right) Tennis legend Martina Navratilova believes Tarpischev's comments were a form of bullying . Navratilova, however, claimed the ITF's silence on the matter was 'pretty deafening'. The 59-times Grand Slam champion added: 'Certainly this kind of bullying comment cannot be tolerated from anyone, but particularly from a high-up official in the tennis world.' ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti, however, has now responded and made it clear to Tarpischev such comments will not be tolerated. Ricci Bitti believes Tarpischev's apology and the WTA's actions are a sufficient punishment. Bitti said: 'The ITF was very disappointed when it learned that Shamil Tarpischev, long-time President of the Russian Tennis Federation, made derogatory remarks about the gender of Serena and Venus Williams. 'What Mr Tarpischev said was wholly unacceptable to the ITF and, when we learned of the issue, we encouraged him to apologise immediately. Serena Williams, pictured with with the US Open trophy, described Tarpischev's remarks as sexist and racist . Venus Williams, pictured in action during the US Open, has been sent an apology by Tarpischev . 'Mr Tarpischev has taken an important step by sending his apology to the ITF, the WTA and to the Williams sisters. 'Although Mr. Tarpischev assured us his comment was meant as a joke, we made it clear to him what he said is inappropriate in any context. 'We were especially disappointed as Mr Tarpischev has a long and distinguished career in tennis, serving as Davis Cup and Fed Cup captain, and fostering the growth of tennis in Russia, including the development of many successful men and women players. 'We hope his acceptance of fault in this matter, which includes the penalty assessed by the WTA Tour, will allow all of us to move forward.' [/INST] Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpischev has issued an apology to the ITF, WTA and the Williams sisters .
He called Serena and Venus 'brothers' in a TV interview .
Tarpischev has been banned for a year and fined £15,500 . </s> |
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 12:13 EST, 17 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:26 EST, 17 January 2013 . Half of people would vote to stay in the European Union if David Cameron succeeds in negotiating a new relationship, a survey revealed on the eve of the Prime Minister’s long-awaited speech on Europe. Support for leaving the EU altogether is at its lowest level since December 2011, with 42 per cent of people saying they would vote to exit in a straight in/out referendum. With Mr Cameron vowing to press ahead with his landmark speech in Amsterdam tomorrow morning, he will bolstered by the findings which show 50 per cent of people would vote to stay in the EU if he renegotiated the UK’s relationship with Europe and said that Britain's interests were now protected. David Cameron, who will deliver his long-awaited speech in Amsterdam tomorrow, will be bolstered by the dwindling public support to leave the EU together . The PM tonight briefed US President Barack Obama on the content of the speech in an attempt to reassure the White House, after warnings from the administration that referendums could turn countries ‘inward’. He also spoke to French President Francois Hollande today, after briefing Dutch PM Mark Rutte and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the weekend. The PM’s official spokesman said: ‘There’s a debate in Europe across the European Union, significantly driven by the events in the Eurozone. There is a debate in Britain as well. The Prime Minister wants to play a leading part in that debate, changing the relationship with the EU and then seeking consent. ‘In all the calls that the Prime Minister has been make there is an acknowledgment that there is this debate going on throughout the European Union.’ Mr Cameron is expected to use the speech, first mooted in July last year, to set out a raft of powers he wants to claw back from Brussels. Mr Cameron tonight spoke to US President Barack Obama and French President Francois Hollande to brief them on this speech in the hope of avoiding a diplomatic row tomorrow . He will argue that major change in the EU, with Eurozone countries moving closer together, presents an opportunity for Britain to seek concessions. If he secures a better deal for Britain, he would hold a referendum and urge the public to support continued membership of the EU based on the ‘fresh settlement’. But today Business Secretary Vince Cable warned there was a risk that Mr Cameron could end up taking Britain out of the EU 'by accident'. 'Once you talk about renegotiation you are opening up the possibility that if you don't get what you want, you leave - by accident or design,' he told BBC Radio 4's The World At One. In a new YouGov poll published today, people were asked to ‘imagine if David Cameron renegotiated the UK’s relationship with Europe and said that Britain's interests were now protected, and recommended that Britain remain a member of the European Union on new terms’. Among respondents 50 per cent said they would vote to stay in the EU, while only 25 per cent said they would still vote to leave. Five per cent would not vote and 20 per cent were unsure. Asked how they would vote in a straight in/out referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU, 42 per cent said they would vote to leave, down from a high of 51 per cent in November and the lowest level since dropping to 41 per cent in December 2011. Some 36 per cent now say they would vote to stay in the EU, up from 28 per cent in October. The rest are either unsure or wouldn’t vote. Mr Cameron spoke to Dutch PM Mark Rutte and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the weekend . Joe Twyman, YouGov director of political and social research, said: 'The key finding from all YouGov’s recent polls is that when it comes to our relationship with Europe, the British electorate does not support the status quo. 'What most people want is for Britain to stay part of the EU, but on what they regard as more favourable, renegotiated terms.' Mr Cameron is under pressure from all sides, with Eurosceptic Tory MPs and the resurgent UK Independence Party demanding a tougher line towards exiting the EU. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats and Labour are warning that raising the prospect of withdrawal but delaying a referendum until 2018 will damage business confidence in investing in Britain. Labour leader Ed Miliband said said he backed the idea of clawing some powers back from Brussels . Labour leader Ed Miliband today . backed Mr Cameron's call for powers to be clawed back . from Brussels, but refused to give voters a say in a referendum. As . the war of words escalated ahead of the Prime Minister's long-awaited . Europe speech tomorrow, Mr Miliband warned talk of giving voters a say . on a new deal with the European Union risked taking Britain to the edge . of the 'economic cliff'. But he said negotiations should start now on returning key powers on regional funding and industrial strategy to Westminster. His . intervention came as senior City allies of Chancellor George Osborne . clashed with Vince Cable today over the idea of staging a referendum on . Britain’s place in the EU. In . a provocative intervention the day before Mr Cameron’s key speech, . Business Secretary Mr Cable warns it is a ‘terrible time’ for the . ‘diversion and uncertainty’ that will be caused to businesses by a . referendum pledge. ‘Any . reopening the question of British membership creates additional . uncertainty when there is already fragile economic confidence in the . wake of the financial crisis,’ the Lib Dem minister said. 'Any . reopening the whole question of British membership creates additional . uncertainty at a time when there is already fragile economic confidence . in the wake of the financial crisis. This uncertainty is potentially . driving away investors and the jobs they create.' However the warnings of a chilling effect . on investment are today rejected by a group of City heavyweights, who are . launching what is expected to be a concerted campaign to demonstrate . business support for Mr Cameron’s stance. In an open letter, they insist voters . must be trusted to decide whether to sever ties with Brussels, saying: . ‘Pressure is growing from all sides for a referendum.’ | David Cameron to press ahead with long-awaited speech in Amsterdam despite Algerian hostage crisis involving British citizens .
He phoned Barack Obama and Francois Holland to brief them on his plans .
Poll shows 50% would vote to stay in EU if he can get a better deal .
Support to exit at its lowest level since December 2011 .
Under pressure from Tory Eurosceptics and UKIP on one side and Labour and Lib Dems on the other .
Business Secretary Vince Cable warns PM could end up taking Britain out of the EU 'by accident' | eba82f325d14894eb38d9270e3a4c331522d28d7 | <s>[INST] By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 12:13 EST, 17 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:26 EST, 17 January 2013 . Half of people would vote to stay in the European Union if David Cameron succeeds in negotiating a new relationship, a survey revealed on the eve of the Prime Minister’s long-awaited speech on Europe. Support for leaving the EU altogether is at its lowest level since December 2011, with 42 per cent of people saying they would vote to exit in a straight in/out referendum. With Mr Cameron vowing to press ahead with his landmark speech in Amsterdam tomorrow morning, he will bolstered by the findings which show 50 per cent of people would vote to stay in the EU if he renegotiated the UK’s relationship with Europe and said that Britain's interests were now protected. David Cameron, who will deliver his long-awaited speech in Amsterdam tomorrow, will be bolstered by the dwindling public support to leave the EU together . The PM tonight briefed US President Barack Obama on the content of the speech in an attempt to reassure the White House, after warnings from the administration that referendums could turn countries ‘inward’. He also spoke to French President Francois Hollande today, after briefing Dutch PM Mark Rutte and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the weekend. The PM’s official spokesman said: ‘There’s a debate in Europe across the European Union, significantly driven by the events in the Eurozone. There is a debate in Britain as well. The Prime Minister wants to play a leading part in that debate, changing the relationship with the EU and then seeking consent. ‘In all the calls that the Prime Minister has been make there is an acknowledgment that there is this debate going on throughout the European Union.’ Mr Cameron is expected to use the speech, first mooted in July last year, to set out a raft of powers he wants to claw back from Brussels. Mr Cameron tonight spoke to US President Barack Obama and French President Francois Hollande to brief them on this speech in the hope of avoiding a diplomatic row tomorrow . He will argue that major change in the EU, with Eurozone countries moving closer together, presents an opportunity for Britain to seek concessions. If he secures a better deal for Britain, he would hold a referendum and urge the public to support continued membership of the EU based on the ‘fresh settlement’. But today Business Secretary Vince Cable warned there was a risk that Mr Cameron could end up taking Britain out of the EU 'by accident'. 'Once you talk about renegotiation you are opening up the possibility that if you don't get what you want, you leave - by accident or design,' he told BBC Radio 4's The World At One. In a new YouGov poll published today, people were asked to ‘imagine if David Cameron renegotiated the UK’s relationship with Europe and said that Britain's interests were now protected, and recommended that Britain remain a member of the European Union on new terms’. Among respondents 50 per cent said they would vote to stay in the EU, while only 25 per cent said they would still vote to leave. Five per cent would not vote and 20 per cent were unsure. Asked how they would vote in a straight in/out referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU, 42 per cent said they would vote to leave, down from a high of 51 per cent in November and the lowest level since dropping to 41 per cent in December 2011. Some 36 per cent now say they would vote to stay in the EU, up from 28 per cent in October. The rest are either unsure or wouldn’t vote. Mr Cameron spoke to Dutch PM Mark Rutte and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the weekend . Joe Twyman, YouGov director of political and social research, said: 'The key finding from all YouGov’s recent polls is that when it comes to our relationship with Europe, the British electorate does not support the status quo. 'What most people want is for Britain to stay part of the EU, but on what they regard as more favourable, renegotiated terms.' Mr Cameron is under pressure from all sides, with Eurosceptic Tory MPs and the resurgent UK Independence Party demanding a tougher line towards exiting the EU. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats and Labour are warning that raising the prospect of withdrawal but delaying a referendum until 2018 will damage business confidence in investing in Britain. Labour leader Ed Miliband said said he backed the idea of clawing some powers back from Brussels . Labour leader Ed Miliband today . backed Mr Cameron's call for powers to be clawed back . from Brussels, but refused to give voters a say in a referendum. As . the war of words escalated ahead of the Prime Minister's long-awaited . Europe speech tomorrow, Mr Miliband warned talk of giving voters a say . on a new deal with the European Union risked taking Britain to the edge . of the 'economic cliff'. But he said negotiations should start now on returning key powers on regional funding and industrial strategy to Westminster. His . intervention came as senior City allies of Chancellor George Osborne . clashed with Vince Cable today over the idea of staging a referendum on . Britain’s place in the EU. In . a provocative intervention the day before Mr Cameron’s key speech, . Business Secretary Mr Cable warns it is a ‘terrible time’ for the . ‘diversion and uncertainty’ that will be caused to businesses by a . referendum pledge. ‘Any . reopening the question of British membership creates additional . uncertainty when there is already fragile economic confidence in the . wake of the financial crisis,’ the Lib Dem minister said. 'Any . reopening the whole question of British membership creates additional . uncertainty at a time when there is already fragile economic confidence . in the wake of the financial crisis. This uncertainty is potentially . driving away investors and the jobs they create.' However the warnings of a chilling effect . on investment are today rejected by a group of City heavyweights, who are . launching what is expected to be a concerted campaign to demonstrate . business support for Mr Cameron’s stance. In an open letter, they insist voters . must be trusted to decide whether to sever ties with Brussels, saying: . ‘Pressure is growing from all sides for a referendum.’ [/INST] David Cameron to press ahead with long-awaited speech in Amsterdam despite Algerian hostage crisis involving British citizens .
He phoned Barack Obama and Francois Holland to brief them on his plans .
Poll shows 50% would vote to stay in EU if he can get a better deal .
Support to exit at its lowest level since December 2011 .
Under pressure from Tory Eurosceptics and UKIP on one side and Labour and Lib Dems on the other .
Business Secretary Vince Cable warns PM could end up taking Britain out of the EU 'by accident' </s> |
Writhing and snorting in a demonic rage, a burning bull charges out of the darkness as if sent straight from the depths of Hell. This is not some apocalyptic vision from medieval folklore, but the Spanish festival where live bulls are set on fire and let loose about a village's streets for entertainment. Disturbing new images have emerged of this annual Spanish bull burning festival which animal rights campaigners are demanding be banned. There were some ugly scenes too among the crowds as animal rights activists clashed with police in a desperate bid to bring a halt to the perceived barbarity. Scroll down for video . From Hell: Writhing and snorting in a demonic rage, a burning bull charges from the darkness as if sent from the depths of Hell . Entertainment: This is not some apocalyptic vision of medieval folklore, but the Spanish festival where live bulls are set on fire and sent to charge about a village's streets for entertainment . Disturbing: New images have emerged of this annual Spanish bull burning festival which animal rights campaigners are demanding be banned . 'Cultural': The Joy of the Bull - or Toro Jubilo festival - is one of the 'cultural' highlights of the entertainment calendar for residents in the Medieval village of Medinaceli, in the province of Soria, north east of Madrid . The Joy of the Bull - or Toro Jubilo festival - is one of the 'cultural' highlights of the entertainment calendar for residents in the Medieval village of Medinaceli, in the province of Soria, north east of Madrid. Every year, from around four centuries, people flock to watch a young bull be dragged into a makeshift ring before its body is covered with mud to protect it from burns. Dragged in: Every year, from around four centuries, people flock to watch a young bull be dragged into a makeshift ring before its body is covered with mud to protect it from burns . Fear in his eyes: It is soon dragged out the ring by villagers to be butchered . On fire: Then it is pinned to the floor, while men strap wooden stakes doused in flammable chemicals to its horns, and set it on fire . Brave? Then local men show their bravery by tormenting the animal . Light show: Fireworks explode around a bull after its horns of fire have been consumed during the 'Toro de Jubilo' fire bull festival . Popular: More than 1,500 people crowded behind barriers and strained for a view of the cruel spectacle . Preparation: A bullring is constructed in the main square and sand scattered on the floor before several bonfires are built in preparation for the arrival of the bull . Then it is pinned to the floor, while men strap wooden stakes doused in flammable chemicals to its horns, and set it on fire. Then local men show their bravery by tormenting the animal. More than 1,500 people crowded behind barriers and strained for a view of the cruel spectacle. A bullring is constructed in the main square and sand scattered on the floor before several bonfires are built in preparation for the arrival of the bull. Clashes: An animal rights activist is dragged away by riot police as crowds eager for bloodshed . Ugly: There were some ugly scenes too among the crowds as animal rights activists clashed with police in a desperate bid to bring a halt to the perceived barbarity . Boycott: Police officers move to take away animal rights activists tied themselves with a chain in middle of the bull ring, to boycott 'Toro de Jubilo' Main event: After nightfall, the fires are lit using paraffin and the three-year-old bull was dragged in on a rope held by many men dressed in grey uniforms . Engulfed: The confused bull charges out of the darkness, its horns engulfed in flame . Combustible: It is tied to a post by its horns and a plank of wood attached to a metal bar doused in pitch - a highly combustible mixture of turpentine and sulphur . Bewildered: Fiercely hot sparks and embers drip from the burning torches onto the bewildered animal . Distressed: The distressed bull is then released, thrashing around the ring to the cheers of the crowds . Fear and confusion: Members of the public are seen jumping into the ring and taunting the bull - adding to its terror and confusion . Torment: Gasping for air, the bull finally reaches a state of exhaustion after nearly 45 minutes of torment . After nightfall, the fires were lit using paraffin and the three-year-old bull was dragged in on a rope held by many men dressed in grey uniforms. It is tied to a post by its horns and a plank of wood attached to a metal bar doused in pitch - a highly combustible mixture of turpentine and sulphur. Fiercely hot sparks and embers drip from the burning torches onto the bewildered animal. The distressed bull is then released, thrashing around the ring to the cheers of the crowds. Bravery: The men in the grey uniforms are awarded pieces of meat from the animal for their 'bravery' Bid for freedom: A bull tries to escape as revellers set fire to flammable balls attached to the it's horns . Cultural status: Authorities in the Spanish regions of Leon and Castile have designated the festival a special cultural status . Members of the public are seen jumping into the ring and taunting the bull - adding to its terror and confusion. Gasping for air, the bull finally reaches a state of exhaustion after nearly 45 minutes of torment and is soon dragged out the ring by villagers to be butchered. The men in the grey uniforms are awarded pieces of meat from the animal for their 'bravery'. Authorities in the Spanish regions of Leon and Castile have designated the festival a special cultural status. | The Joy of the Bull - or Toro de Jubilo - is one of the 'cultural' highlights of Medinaceli village, northeast of Madrid .
Every year a young bull is dragged into a ring before its body is covered with mud to protect it from burns .
Participants then strap wooden stakes doused in flammable chemicals to its horns, and set it on fire .
Fiercely hot sparks and embers drip from the burning torches onto the animal as men torment it to prove bravery . | a1a8d16c3d32cb09898c04147f4f739c9f141cda | <s>[INST] Writhing and snorting in a demonic rage, a burning bull charges out of the darkness as if sent straight from the depths of Hell. This is not some apocalyptic vision from medieval folklore, but the Spanish festival where live bulls are set on fire and let loose about a village's streets for entertainment. Disturbing new images have emerged of this annual Spanish bull burning festival which animal rights campaigners are demanding be banned. There were some ugly scenes too among the crowds as animal rights activists clashed with police in a desperate bid to bring a halt to the perceived barbarity. Scroll down for video . From Hell: Writhing and snorting in a demonic rage, a burning bull charges from the darkness as if sent from the depths of Hell . Entertainment: This is not some apocalyptic vision of medieval folklore, but the Spanish festival where live bulls are set on fire and sent to charge about a village's streets for entertainment . Disturbing: New images have emerged of this annual Spanish bull burning festival which animal rights campaigners are demanding be banned . 'Cultural': The Joy of the Bull - or Toro Jubilo festival - is one of the 'cultural' highlights of the entertainment calendar for residents in the Medieval village of Medinaceli, in the province of Soria, north east of Madrid . The Joy of the Bull - or Toro Jubilo festival - is one of the 'cultural' highlights of the entertainment calendar for residents in the Medieval village of Medinaceli, in the province of Soria, north east of Madrid. Every year, from around four centuries, people flock to watch a young bull be dragged into a makeshift ring before its body is covered with mud to protect it from burns. Dragged in: Every year, from around four centuries, people flock to watch a young bull be dragged into a makeshift ring before its body is covered with mud to protect it from burns . Fear in his eyes: It is soon dragged out the ring by villagers to be butchered . On fire: Then it is pinned to the floor, while men strap wooden stakes doused in flammable chemicals to its horns, and set it on fire . Brave? Then local men show their bravery by tormenting the animal . Light show: Fireworks explode around a bull after its horns of fire have been consumed during the 'Toro de Jubilo' fire bull festival . Popular: More than 1,500 people crowded behind barriers and strained for a view of the cruel spectacle . Preparation: A bullring is constructed in the main square and sand scattered on the floor before several bonfires are built in preparation for the arrival of the bull . Then it is pinned to the floor, while men strap wooden stakes doused in flammable chemicals to its horns, and set it on fire. Then local men show their bravery by tormenting the animal. More than 1,500 people crowded behind barriers and strained for a view of the cruel spectacle. A bullring is constructed in the main square and sand scattered on the floor before several bonfires are built in preparation for the arrival of the bull. Clashes: An animal rights activist is dragged away by riot police as crowds eager for bloodshed . Ugly: There were some ugly scenes too among the crowds as animal rights activists clashed with police in a desperate bid to bring a halt to the perceived barbarity . Boycott: Police officers move to take away animal rights activists tied themselves with a chain in middle of the bull ring, to boycott 'Toro de Jubilo' Main event: After nightfall, the fires are lit using paraffin and the three-year-old bull was dragged in on a rope held by many men dressed in grey uniforms . Engulfed: The confused bull charges out of the darkness, its horns engulfed in flame . Combustible: It is tied to a post by its horns and a plank of wood attached to a metal bar doused in pitch - a highly combustible mixture of turpentine and sulphur . Bewildered: Fiercely hot sparks and embers drip from the burning torches onto the bewildered animal . Distressed: The distressed bull is then released, thrashing around the ring to the cheers of the crowds . Fear and confusion: Members of the public are seen jumping into the ring and taunting the bull - adding to its terror and confusion . Torment: Gasping for air, the bull finally reaches a state of exhaustion after nearly 45 minutes of torment . After nightfall, the fires were lit using paraffin and the three-year-old bull was dragged in on a rope held by many men dressed in grey uniforms. It is tied to a post by its horns and a plank of wood attached to a metal bar doused in pitch - a highly combustible mixture of turpentine and sulphur. Fiercely hot sparks and embers drip from the burning torches onto the bewildered animal. The distressed bull is then released, thrashing around the ring to the cheers of the crowds. Bravery: The men in the grey uniforms are awarded pieces of meat from the animal for their 'bravery' Bid for freedom: A bull tries to escape as revellers set fire to flammable balls attached to the it's horns . Cultural status: Authorities in the Spanish regions of Leon and Castile have designated the festival a special cultural status . Members of the public are seen jumping into the ring and taunting the bull - adding to its terror and confusion. Gasping for air, the bull finally reaches a state of exhaustion after nearly 45 minutes of torment and is soon dragged out the ring by villagers to be butchered. The men in the grey uniforms are awarded pieces of meat from the animal for their 'bravery'. Authorities in the Spanish regions of Leon and Castile have designated the festival a special cultural status. [/INST] The Joy of the Bull - or Toro de Jubilo - is one of the 'cultural' highlights of Medinaceli village, northeast of Madrid .
Every year a young bull is dragged into a ring before its body is covered with mud to protect it from burns .
Participants then strap wooden stakes doused in flammable chemicals to its horns, and set it on fire .
Fiercely hot sparks and embers drip from the burning torches onto the animal as men torment it to prove bravery . </s> |
(CNN) -- If a Facebook picture is worth a thousand words, we're pretty sure there's one word in the lexicon you'd be loath to have associated with you: tool. (Unless you're a handyman, in which case, carry on.) Yes, Facebook started off as a gated community for college kids awkwardly trolling for chicks in their rooms because the outside world was just too bright ... too bright. But now, as Mark Zuckerberg sallies forth with his plan to consume all of society, it has become kind of legit. Last week, Zuckerberg unveiled a messaging system for the book of faces that will consolidate e-mail, texts, chat and Facebook messages. While we (unlike myriad reactionary news outlets) won't be calling Z's new baby a "Gmail killer" any time soon (dude, eradicate all those FB phishing scams and then we'll talk), the fact that Facebook would take such a step got us thinking. Every day, 4 billion messages are shot off via Facebook, and next to those 4 billion messages is something that could make or break the legitimacy of your missive -- or, at the very least, amuse or horrify your friends: your profile picture. This is your calling card, your public face. So why do so many of you contort it into that of a duck? Read on for five common types of Facebook photos that make your friends want to block you, potential employers take pause and future suitors weep with frustration at the state of the human race. The "MySpace shot" Oh, the "MySpace shot" -- in which men pose shirtless in front of their bathroom mirrors and women pout into their boobs. You think it makes you look sexy, but, truth be told, it makes you look like you have no friends. Which makes sense, considering the dudes are always hanging out shirtless in the bathroom and the chicks always look so freaking depressed. Fun fact: Research from OK Cupid shows the "MySpace shot" is the most effective snap for women when it comes to racking up messages. Still, that same research shows that shots of a chick doing something interesting, as opposed to looking sexy, garnered more meaningful communication. Yes, Facebook is not OK Cupid, but the research holds true: A cell phone pic may get you some attention, but, well, so will drunkenly passing out at a party and flashing your underwear. And for those among you who are too deeply entrenched in the morass of narcissism to pry iPhone from hand, might we suggest getting an account on DailyBooth? This service lets you take a photo of yourself every day in order to track how your appearance changes over time. At least then you can call it art ... or something. Subbing in an inanimate object/pet/baby . "Hey Tim... so, I've known you for about five years now and I'm pretty sure you are not a crude drawing of a dinosaur, a cat with lasers for eyes or a green square. No, I'm pretty sure you're a skinny dude with an only slightly unfortunate haircut." So thinketh your friends when nary a picture on your Facebook profile is actually of you. Also, people will start to wonder if you have been disfigured in some horrifying accident and -- Phantom of the Opera-like -- are masking your hideous face with that of Conan's. If you insist on getting creative with your profile pic, check out Twibbons, which lets you create profile images that promote a cause. Liquoring up . A couple of party pictures in which you're holding a glass of wine or a beer are fine, but a parade of profile pics that could pass for Budweiser ads -- or, for that matter, the photo above -- are probably not the best choice when it comes to looking like a professional/not an alcoholic. Yeah, that pic of you in the pool doing Edward 40-Hands might be hilarious to your poker pals and fellow former frat bros, but the kids you teach fourth grade math to (and their parents) will probably be less than amused. Group shots . Let's say you meet a new dude at a dark party. The guy seems nice, and looks to be cute from what you can tell through the haze of the smoke machine and Four Loko (it hasn't been banned everywhere yet, folks), but you can't quite tell because of the crudely markered-on Castro beard (oh, forgot to mention it's Halloween). The next day, you eagerly seek out homeboy on Facebook, only to find a profile picture that features not one, but five similar-looking dudes lying in the grass -- wearing Wayfarers and fedoras. How are you supposed to tell which is which, and whether you should click "friend"? Yeah, Facebook is not technically a dating site, but let's face it, the first thing you do after meeting a new romantic interest is stalk the hell outta him or her. According to a survey from Seventeen magazine, within one week of meeting someone, 79 percent of 16-21 year-olds add that person to their Facebook circle. And, as shallow as it is, folks will judge you based on your profile -- that same research shows that 43 percent of girls would decide not to date someone if his profile was a bust. So don't hide behind your friends in the shot that's supposed to show who you are. Save that for after the breakup, when you run into her at your local watering hole. Holiday or wedding pics ... months after the wedding . Yes, it was totally awesome that that Halloween party you went to featured not one, not two, but three Fidel Castros (you are the dude mentioned above, btw), but it's not so awesome that you should still keep a picture documenting this phenom front and center in late November. A week or two tops, friends, and then it's back to that lovely shot of you wearing pleated pants and a polo (we'll tackle that problem at a later date). The same goes for wedding photos. It's really nice that you got married, and we all pored through every shot from the ceremony, but leaving up a portrait of you in full bridal garb for several months is akin to shoving your ring in your friends' faces daily. We are no longer happy for you. You are now just gloating. We fear the day when you produce offspring. | The self-taken "MySpace shot" makes you look like you have no friends .
Don't hide behind your friends in the shot that's supposed to show who you are .
Halloween party photos are awesome -- but not so awesome in late-November . | 8df29408cf5fbf40bcdb5a73d9eff3e30b928638 | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- If a Facebook picture is worth a thousand words, we're pretty sure there's one word in the lexicon you'd be loath to have associated with you: tool. (Unless you're a handyman, in which case, carry on.) Yes, Facebook started off as a gated community for college kids awkwardly trolling for chicks in their rooms because the outside world was just too bright ... too bright. But now, as Mark Zuckerberg sallies forth with his plan to consume all of society, it has become kind of legit. Last week, Zuckerberg unveiled a messaging system for the book of faces that will consolidate e-mail, texts, chat and Facebook messages. While we (unlike myriad reactionary news outlets) won't be calling Z's new baby a "Gmail killer" any time soon (dude, eradicate all those FB phishing scams and then we'll talk), the fact that Facebook would take such a step got us thinking. Every day, 4 billion messages are shot off via Facebook, and next to those 4 billion messages is something that could make or break the legitimacy of your missive -- or, at the very least, amuse or horrify your friends: your profile picture. This is your calling card, your public face. So why do so many of you contort it into that of a duck? Read on for five common types of Facebook photos that make your friends want to block you, potential employers take pause and future suitors weep with frustration at the state of the human race. The "MySpace shot" Oh, the "MySpace shot" -- in which men pose shirtless in front of their bathroom mirrors and women pout into their boobs. You think it makes you look sexy, but, truth be told, it makes you look like you have no friends. Which makes sense, considering the dudes are always hanging out shirtless in the bathroom and the chicks always look so freaking depressed. Fun fact: Research from OK Cupid shows the "MySpace shot" is the most effective snap for women when it comes to racking up messages. Still, that same research shows that shots of a chick doing something interesting, as opposed to looking sexy, garnered more meaningful communication. Yes, Facebook is not OK Cupid, but the research holds true: A cell phone pic may get you some attention, but, well, so will drunkenly passing out at a party and flashing your underwear. And for those among you who are too deeply entrenched in the morass of narcissism to pry iPhone from hand, might we suggest getting an account on DailyBooth? This service lets you take a photo of yourself every day in order to track how your appearance changes over time. At least then you can call it art ... or something. Subbing in an inanimate object/pet/baby . "Hey Tim... so, I've known you for about five years now and I'm pretty sure you are not a crude drawing of a dinosaur, a cat with lasers for eyes or a green square. No, I'm pretty sure you're a skinny dude with an only slightly unfortunate haircut." So thinketh your friends when nary a picture on your Facebook profile is actually of you. Also, people will start to wonder if you have been disfigured in some horrifying accident and -- Phantom of the Opera-like -- are masking your hideous face with that of Conan's. If you insist on getting creative with your profile pic, check out Twibbons, which lets you create profile images that promote a cause. Liquoring up . A couple of party pictures in which you're holding a glass of wine or a beer are fine, but a parade of profile pics that could pass for Budweiser ads -- or, for that matter, the photo above -- are probably not the best choice when it comes to looking like a professional/not an alcoholic. Yeah, that pic of you in the pool doing Edward 40-Hands might be hilarious to your poker pals and fellow former frat bros, but the kids you teach fourth grade math to (and their parents) will probably be less than amused. Group shots . Let's say you meet a new dude at a dark party. The guy seems nice, and looks to be cute from what you can tell through the haze of the smoke machine and Four Loko (it hasn't been banned everywhere yet, folks), but you can't quite tell because of the crudely markered-on Castro beard (oh, forgot to mention it's Halloween). The next day, you eagerly seek out homeboy on Facebook, only to find a profile picture that features not one, but five similar-looking dudes lying in the grass -- wearing Wayfarers and fedoras. How are you supposed to tell which is which, and whether you should click "friend"? Yeah, Facebook is not technically a dating site, but let's face it, the first thing you do after meeting a new romantic interest is stalk the hell outta him or her. According to a survey from Seventeen magazine, within one week of meeting someone, 79 percent of 16-21 year-olds add that person to their Facebook circle. And, as shallow as it is, folks will judge you based on your profile -- that same research shows that 43 percent of girls would decide not to date someone if his profile was a bust. So don't hide behind your friends in the shot that's supposed to show who you are. Save that for after the breakup, when you run into her at your local watering hole. Holiday or wedding pics ... months after the wedding . Yes, it was totally awesome that that Halloween party you went to featured not one, not two, but three Fidel Castros (you are the dude mentioned above, btw), but it's not so awesome that you should still keep a picture documenting this phenom front and center in late November. A week or two tops, friends, and then it's back to that lovely shot of you wearing pleated pants and a polo (we'll tackle that problem at a later date). The same goes for wedding photos. It's really nice that you got married, and we all pored through every shot from the ceremony, but leaving up a portrait of you in full bridal garb for several months is akin to shoving your ring in your friends' faces daily. We are no longer happy for you. You are now just gloating. We fear the day when you produce offspring. [/INST] The self-taken "MySpace shot" makes you look like you have no friends .
Don't hide behind your friends in the shot that's supposed to show who you are .
Halloween party photos are awesome -- but not so awesome in late-November . </s> |
A white teenage mother was stabbed to death and her body dumped in a canal after her married Asian lover rejected her child, a court heard yesterday. Student Laura Wilson, 17, was killed by 18-year-old Ashtiaq Asghar, having allegedly been lured alone to the canal by his friend and her former lover Ishaq Hussain, Sheffield Crown Court heard. Laura had a brief fling with near neighbour Hussain, 22, and gave birth to their daughter in June last year but he refused to accept the child was his, the court was told. Laura Wilson had a brief fling with near neighbour Ishaq Hussain, 22, and gave birth to their daughter in June last year but he refused to accept the child was his, the court was told . Laura was killed last October only three days after she revealed to the families of Hussain and Asghar that she had had affairs with both men who were trying to keep it secret. Prosecutor Nicholas Campbell QC said the men mounted a 'mission to kill Laura Wilson' and even adopted the language of the cult British film 'Four Lions' about Islamic terrorists in the UK. Ashtiaq Asghar (pictured) admitted killing Laura Wilson in May this year and will be sentenced after the end of the trial of Hussain, who denies murder . Asghar admitted Laura's murder in May this year and will be sentenced after the end of the trial of Hussain, who denies murder. Mr Campbell told the jury that Hussain was 'jointly responsible' for Laura's murder. The court heard he failed to acknowledge Laura's baby and Asghar was equally keen that his family did not know about his affair with a white girl. Laura, fed up with all the secrecy, went to tell the families of both men of her affairs with their sons. Afterwards Hussain and Asghar allegedly sent a flurry of texts to one another. In the language used by terrorists in the 'Four Lions' film Asghar is said to have sent a text to Hussain the day before Laura died which read: 'I'm gonna send that kaffir b**** straight to hell.' They even talked about buying a 9.6mm 'shooter' for £400 and Asghar boasted about bringing his 'hit list' out. In fact, said Mr Campbell, the murder weapon of choice turned out to be a knife, with Asghar texting Hussain: 'I need to do a mission.' In more language from the film Asghar allegedly said he was going to 'make beans on toast', a reference to the carnage after a terrorist bomb blast. Mr Campbell said the comment meant the 'spilling of blood' and when the pair talked about 'unbelieving kaffir bastards' - non Muslims - they were clearly referring to the 'mission' to kill Laura. Mr Campbell said Hussain and Asghar were angry that Laura had brought trouble to the door of their families. He said: 'She was a loose cannon and they had decided to get rid of her.' The teenager's body was found in this canal in Rotherham, Yorkshire . The teenager went missing from her home in Holmes, Rotherham in October last year and her body, which had been stabbed repeatedly, was found in the Sheffield and Keadby Canal near Rotherham. The prosecution say it is likely Asghar killed her when he had a 'golden opportunity' while she was alone, after Hussain lured her friend away. Before the affair with Hussain, Laura had fallen in love with Asghar and they resumed the affair after Laura had the baby. Mr Campbell described Laura as 'embracing life with gusto and she was an attractive and popular girl'. She became friendly with Faye William who also had a baby daughter with Hussain. They both realised Hussain would never marry them but Laura was only really interested in Asghar, Mr Campbell said. After Hussain refused to acknowledge and support Laura's baby she became more angry as he tried to keep the lovechild a secret and she believed Asghar was seeing another girl. Laura eventually took matters into her own hands and went to see the Asghar and Hussain families. Laura told Asghar's mother she loved her son and 'wanted to have babies' by him but the mother became angry, called her a 'dirty white bitch' and hit Laura with a shoe. She then saw Hussain's family and told them she had given birth to his baby but they were dismissive. 'Her actions that night brought the truth to both of their front doors and they had some explaining to do to their families,' said Mr Campbell. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Laura Wilson, 17, killed three days after she revealed to the families of Ishaq Hussain, 22, and Ashtiaq Asghar, 18, that she had had affairs with both men .
Asghar 'sent text to Hussain day before she died which read: "I'm gonna send that kaffir b**** straight to hell" ' | 355c66308001e2b93e842fa8a9ac14d4252b7fd8 | <s>[INST] A white teenage mother was stabbed to death and her body dumped in a canal after her married Asian lover rejected her child, a court heard yesterday. Student Laura Wilson, 17, was killed by 18-year-old Ashtiaq Asghar, having allegedly been lured alone to the canal by his friend and her former lover Ishaq Hussain, Sheffield Crown Court heard. Laura had a brief fling with near neighbour Hussain, 22, and gave birth to their daughter in June last year but he refused to accept the child was his, the court was told. Laura Wilson had a brief fling with near neighbour Ishaq Hussain, 22, and gave birth to their daughter in June last year but he refused to accept the child was his, the court was told . Laura was killed last October only three days after she revealed to the families of Hussain and Asghar that she had had affairs with both men who were trying to keep it secret. Prosecutor Nicholas Campbell QC said the men mounted a 'mission to kill Laura Wilson' and even adopted the language of the cult British film 'Four Lions' about Islamic terrorists in the UK. Ashtiaq Asghar (pictured) admitted killing Laura Wilson in May this year and will be sentenced after the end of the trial of Hussain, who denies murder . Asghar admitted Laura's murder in May this year and will be sentenced after the end of the trial of Hussain, who denies murder. Mr Campbell told the jury that Hussain was 'jointly responsible' for Laura's murder. The court heard he failed to acknowledge Laura's baby and Asghar was equally keen that his family did not know about his affair with a white girl. Laura, fed up with all the secrecy, went to tell the families of both men of her affairs with their sons. Afterwards Hussain and Asghar allegedly sent a flurry of texts to one another. In the language used by terrorists in the 'Four Lions' film Asghar is said to have sent a text to Hussain the day before Laura died which read: 'I'm gonna send that kaffir b**** straight to hell.' They even talked about buying a 9.6mm 'shooter' for £400 and Asghar boasted about bringing his 'hit list' out. In fact, said Mr Campbell, the murder weapon of choice turned out to be a knife, with Asghar texting Hussain: 'I need to do a mission.' In more language from the film Asghar allegedly said he was going to 'make beans on toast', a reference to the carnage after a terrorist bomb blast. Mr Campbell said the comment meant the 'spilling of blood' and when the pair talked about 'unbelieving kaffir bastards' - non Muslims - they were clearly referring to the 'mission' to kill Laura. Mr Campbell said Hussain and Asghar were angry that Laura had brought trouble to the door of their families. He said: 'She was a loose cannon and they had decided to get rid of her.' The teenager's body was found in this canal in Rotherham, Yorkshire . The teenager went missing from her home in Holmes, Rotherham in October last year and her body, which had been stabbed repeatedly, was found in the Sheffield and Keadby Canal near Rotherham. The prosecution say it is likely Asghar killed her when he had a 'golden opportunity' while she was alone, after Hussain lured her friend away. Before the affair with Hussain, Laura had fallen in love with Asghar and they resumed the affair after Laura had the baby. Mr Campbell described Laura as 'embracing life with gusto and she was an attractive and popular girl'. She became friendly with Faye William who also had a baby daughter with Hussain. They both realised Hussain would never marry them but Laura was only really interested in Asghar, Mr Campbell said. After Hussain refused to acknowledge and support Laura's baby she became more angry as he tried to keep the lovechild a secret and she believed Asghar was seeing another girl. Laura eventually took matters into her own hands and went to see the Asghar and Hussain families. Laura told Asghar's mother she loved her son and 'wanted to have babies' by him but the mother became angry, called her a 'dirty white bitch' and hit Laura with a shoe. She then saw Hussain's family and told them she had given birth to his baby but they were dismissive. 'Her actions that night brought the truth to both of their front doors and they had some explaining to do to their families,' said Mr Campbell. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. [/INST] Laura Wilson, 17, killed three days after she revealed to the families of Ishaq Hussain, 22, and Ashtiaq Asghar, 18, that she had had affairs with both men .
Asghar 'sent text to Hussain day before she died which read: "I'm gonna send that kaffir b**** straight to hell" ' </s> |
By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 11:45 EST, 9 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:45 EST, 9 April 2013 . A grandmother and her granddaughter were showered in glass after an explosion sent a gas canister flying through her living room window. Joan Roberts, 85, was watching the news when the butane canister flew 20ft from a van outside into her home. The force of the blast caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to the property in Knutton, Staffordshire. Explosion: The gas canister flew through the window of this living room as Joan Roberts, 85, was watching television with her granddaughter Rebecca . The woman and her granddaughter Rebecca were able to escape before a neighbour dialled 999. Emergency services were called to the scene but the grandmother escaped serious injury because the canister missed her head by 'a matter of inches' and landed in the kitchen. Two men, aged 27 and 29, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs., were arrested on suspicion of causing an explosion. Damage: The smashed window in the property in Knutton, Staffordshire. The bill for internal damage is estimated to run into thousands of pounds . Staffordshire Police are trying to establish what caused the canister to explode in the back of a van which was parked outside the retirement housing complex. A force spokesman said: 'Fortunately, no-one was seriously injured in this extremely unusual incident but extensive damage has been caused to the property. 'We have carried out initial inquiries including a forensic examination of the inside of the flat and the canister itself. 'We will also need to examine the van and will be speaking to a number of witnesses.' The grandmother is now staying with relatives while repairs to her home are carried out. Resident Joyce Evans, 56, said: 'It was like a bomb going off. 'Apparently the lady was watching the evening news with her granddaughter and had just sat down when the canister flew past her head by a matter of inches. 'A second earlier and she would have been it's path and it could have taken her head off. 'It's a miracle she was okay.' Neighbour Mark Crutchey, 50, added that the explosion could have killed someone. 'I just heard a loud bang and glass shattering,' he said. 'It looks like the canister didn't just go through the glass, it managed to smash through the actual frame of the window, so it just goes to show the force. Probe: Police are investigating the incident and have arrested two men on suspicion of causing an explosion . Surprise: Pensioner Joan Roberts, 85, was playing bingo with friends just a few hours after the gas canister flew through her window . 'It's a miracle that no-one was badly hurt, it easily could have killed someone.' After narrowly escaping injury, Mrs Roberts was playing bingo with friends just a few hours later. A friend said yesterday: 'Joan maybe old but she's a character and she was playing bingo and laughing just after the explosion. 'She was obviously shaken by what had happened but was just relieved her granddaughter Rebecca wasn't hurt. 'I think it all happened so fast she didn't know how close she had come to being hit by the canister. 'It's such a strange thing to happen but knowing her she'll probably be laughing about it in a few weeks.' | Joan Roberts, 85, was watching the news when the canister crashed into her home in Knutton, Staffordshire .
Two men held on suspicion of causing an explosion .
Canister missed the grandmother's head by just a few inches . | ccc8602228949ec297a06b226165c6bb37e6c991 | <s>[INST] By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 11:45 EST, 9 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:45 EST, 9 April 2013 . A grandmother and her granddaughter were showered in glass after an explosion sent a gas canister flying through her living room window. Joan Roberts, 85, was watching the news when the butane canister flew 20ft from a van outside into her home. The force of the blast caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to the property in Knutton, Staffordshire. Explosion: The gas canister flew through the window of this living room as Joan Roberts, 85, was watching television with her granddaughter Rebecca . The woman and her granddaughter Rebecca were able to escape before a neighbour dialled 999. Emergency services were called to the scene but the grandmother escaped serious injury because the canister missed her head by 'a matter of inches' and landed in the kitchen. Two men, aged 27 and 29, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs., were arrested on suspicion of causing an explosion. Damage: The smashed window in the property in Knutton, Staffordshire. The bill for internal damage is estimated to run into thousands of pounds . Staffordshire Police are trying to establish what caused the canister to explode in the back of a van which was parked outside the retirement housing complex. A force spokesman said: 'Fortunately, no-one was seriously injured in this extremely unusual incident but extensive damage has been caused to the property. 'We have carried out initial inquiries including a forensic examination of the inside of the flat and the canister itself. 'We will also need to examine the van and will be speaking to a number of witnesses.' The grandmother is now staying with relatives while repairs to her home are carried out. Resident Joyce Evans, 56, said: 'It was like a bomb going off. 'Apparently the lady was watching the evening news with her granddaughter and had just sat down when the canister flew past her head by a matter of inches. 'A second earlier and she would have been it's path and it could have taken her head off. 'It's a miracle she was okay.' Neighbour Mark Crutchey, 50, added that the explosion could have killed someone. 'I just heard a loud bang and glass shattering,' he said. 'It looks like the canister didn't just go through the glass, it managed to smash through the actual frame of the window, so it just goes to show the force. Probe: Police are investigating the incident and have arrested two men on suspicion of causing an explosion . Surprise: Pensioner Joan Roberts, 85, was playing bingo with friends just a few hours after the gas canister flew through her window . 'It's a miracle that no-one was badly hurt, it easily could have killed someone.' After narrowly escaping injury, Mrs Roberts was playing bingo with friends just a few hours later. A friend said yesterday: 'Joan maybe old but she's a character and she was playing bingo and laughing just after the explosion. 'She was obviously shaken by what had happened but was just relieved her granddaughter Rebecca wasn't hurt. 'I think it all happened so fast she didn't know how close she had come to being hit by the canister. 'It's such a strange thing to happen but knowing her she'll probably be laughing about it in a few weeks.' [/INST] Joan Roberts, 85, was watching the news when the canister crashed into her home in Knutton, Staffordshire .
Two men held on suspicion of causing an explosion .
Canister missed the grandmother's head by just a few inches . </s> |
(CNN) -- Pope Francis arrived in Seoul Thursday, marking the first papal visit to the country in 25 years. The historic visit is also a nod to Catholicism's shifting demographics as an increasing number of believers come from Latin America, Africa and Asia instead of its historic stronghold in Europe. "The Pope's visit to South Korea is the first part of a very intelligent opening to Asia," said Lionel Jensen, associate professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Notre Dame. "The Pope's presence is a powerful symbol of the Vatican's recognition that it is in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa that the church is growing most prominently." During his packed, five-day visit to South Korea, the Pope will beatify 124 Korean martyrs, help celebrate the 6th Asian Youth Day, which is a gathering of Asian Catholic youth, and hold Holy Mass for Peace and Reconciliation, expected to be aimed at prayers for peace, including South and North Korean relations. North Korea fired five short-range projectiles into the sea east of the Korean peninsula, beginning about an hour before the Pope's landing in Seoul, the South Korean Defense Ministry said. The Korean peninsula remains a divided one. One of the Pope's missions is to "go to Korea and pray for the reconciliation and peace," said Vatican spokesman, Padre Federico Lombardi. Pope Francis is expected to meet South Korean president, Park Geun-hye, as well as hold Mass with family members of the victims of the sunken Sewol ferry and comfort women, who were forced to sexual slavery by the Japanese in World War II, in attendance. A message of simplicity . Catholicism's growth in South Korea has been incremental, rising from 5.2 million Catholics in 2005 to 5.4 million in 2013. That represents a significant slowdown from the growth rate of 70% seen in the 10 years to 2005. Just 10.4% of South Koreans are Catholic; most are Buddhist or Protestant. In a country that is entrenched in the latest technologies and also home to one of the biggest average household debts, Pope Francis is expected to bring his usual message of simplicity and humility. The Pope had requested the smallest car possible for his trip. "Korea has experienced rapid economic and social development, and now is struggling with the conflicts surfacing from increased social polarization," wrote Rev. Peter Kang U-il, the President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea. The Korean Church must try to follow spiritual growth, rather than pursue material growth, he wrote. Thursday - August 14 (Greetings with officials) After his morning arrival, the Pope is expected to attend a private Mass and then proceed to the Blue House, which is the South Korean president's residence, where he is to meet with Park and other South Korean officials. He meets with Korean bishops at the Korean Episcopal Conference. Friday - August 15 (Interaction with youth) Pope Francis will lead a Mass at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium. The stadium, built for the 2002 World Cup games, can accommodate up to 42,000 people. As part of efforts of Asian Youth Day, he will lunch with young people at a seminary and meet with more youth at a shrine for Catholic martyrs. Saturday - August 16 (Beatification) The Pope will beatify 124 martyrs, many of whom were persecuted from 1791 to 1888. South Korea's early Catholic history is marked by fierce persecution by the government. Catholicism was viewed as a foreign influence and also a threat to Confucianism, which was the governing social order. The Catholic Church estimates about 10,000 believers died in the persecutions beginning in late 18th century. Those who refused to denounce their faith were executed. Many of them were tortured and beheaded. One of the most infamous execution sites is Seo So Mun, now located in Seoul. With his message of embracing the marginalized, the Pope is scheduled to visit Kkottongne, which means flower village. The biggest welfare facility run by the Korean Catholic Church, the program works with homeless, disabled people and substance addicts. The facility includes an adoption center for abandoned disabled infants. Sunday -- August 17 (Closes Asian Youth Day) After meeting with Asian bishops from the region, Pope Francis is expected to hold the closing Mass for Asian Youth Day, which is expected to be attended by 2,000 young people. Monday - August 18 (Mass for Peace and Reconciliation) After meeting with religious leaders, Pope Francis holds a final Mass for Peace and Reconciliation at Seoul's oldest cathedral, Myeong-dong Cathedral, in Seoul. Pope Francis is expected to hold a brief farewell ceremony before boarding a flight back to Rome. CNN's KJ Kwon contributed to this report. | North Korea fires projectiles into the sea before the Pope's arrival .
Pope Francis is making his first visit to Asia .
His Asia trip is a nod to growing Catholicism outside Europe .
Pope is expected to hold Mass with Sewol ferry victims, North Korean escapees and former comfort women . | 82bf00215820a1649db4377d277af59080799aae | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- Pope Francis arrived in Seoul Thursday, marking the first papal visit to the country in 25 years. The historic visit is also a nod to Catholicism's shifting demographics as an increasing number of believers come from Latin America, Africa and Asia instead of its historic stronghold in Europe. "The Pope's visit to South Korea is the first part of a very intelligent opening to Asia," said Lionel Jensen, associate professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Notre Dame. "The Pope's presence is a powerful symbol of the Vatican's recognition that it is in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa that the church is growing most prominently." During his packed, five-day visit to South Korea, the Pope will beatify 124 Korean martyrs, help celebrate the 6th Asian Youth Day, which is a gathering of Asian Catholic youth, and hold Holy Mass for Peace and Reconciliation, expected to be aimed at prayers for peace, including South and North Korean relations. North Korea fired five short-range projectiles into the sea east of the Korean peninsula, beginning about an hour before the Pope's landing in Seoul, the South Korean Defense Ministry said. The Korean peninsula remains a divided one. One of the Pope's missions is to "go to Korea and pray for the reconciliation and peace," said Vatican spokesman, Padre Federico Lombardi. Pope Francis is expected to meet South Korean president, Park Geun-hye, as well as hold Mass with family members of the victims of the sunken Sewol ferry and comfort women, who were forced to sexual slavery by the Japanese in World War II, in attendance. A message of simplicity . Catholicism's growth in South Korea has been incremental, rising from 5.2 million Catholics in 2005 to 5.4 million in 2013. That represents a significant slowdown from the growth rate of 70% seen in the 10 years to 2005. Just 10.4% of South Koreans are Catholic; most are Buddhist or Protestant. In a country that is entrenched in the latest technologies and also home to one of the biggest average household debts, Pope Francis is expected to bring his usual message of simplicity and humility. The Pope had requested the smallest car possible for his trip. "Korea has experienced rapid economic and social development, and now is struggling with the conflicts surfacing from increased social polarization," wrote Rev. Peter Kang U-il, the President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea. The Korean Church must try to follow spiritual growth, rather than pursue material growth, he wrote. Thursday - August 14 (Greetings with officials) After his morning arrival, the Pope is expected to attend a private Mass and then proceed to the Blue House, which is the South Korean president's residence, where he is to meet with Park and other South Korean officials. He meets with Korean bishops at the Korean Episcopal Conference. Friday - August 15 (Interaction with youth) Pope Francis will lead a Mass at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium. The stadium, built for the 2002 World Cup games, can accommodate up to 42,000 people. As part of efforts of Asian Youth Day, he will lunch with young people at a seminary and meet with more youth at a shrine for Catholic martyrs. Saturday - August 16 (Beatification) The Pope will beatify 124 martyrs, many of whom were persecuted from 1791 to 1888. South Korea's early Catholic history is marked by fierce persecution by the government. Catholicism was viewed as a foreign influence and also a threat to Confucianism, which was the governing social order. The Catholic Church estimates about 10,000 believers died in the persecutions beginning in late 18th century. Those who refused to denounce their faith were executed. Many of them were tortured and beheaded. One of the most infamous execution sites is Seo So Mun, now located in Seoul. With his message of embracing the marginalized, the Pope is scheduled to visit Kkottongne, which means flower village. The biggest welfare facility run by the Korean Catholic Church, the program works with homeless, disabled people and substance addicts. The facility includes an adoption center for abandoned disabled infants. Sunday -- August 17 (Closes Asian Youth Day) After meeting with Asian bishops from the region, Pope Francis is expected to hold the closing Mass for Asian Youth Day, which is expected to be attended by 2,000 young people. Monday - August 18 (Mass for Peace and Reconciliation) After meeting with religious leaders, Pope Francis holds a final Mass for Peace and Reconciliation at Seoul's oldest cathedral, Myeong-dong Cathedral, in Seoul. Pope Francis is expected to hold a brief farewell ceremony before boarding a flight back to Rome. CNN's KJ Kwon contributed to this report. [/INST] North Korea fires projectiles into the sea before the Pope's arrival .
Pope Francis is making his first visit to Asia .
His Asia trip is a nod to growing Catholicism outside Europe .
Pope is expected to hold Mass with Sewol ferry victims, North Korean escapees and former comfort women . </s> |
By . Graham Smith . PUBLISHED: . 09:34 EST, 14 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:40 EST, 15 June 2012 . A giant asteroid that astronomers have compared to the size of a city block flew past Earth in the early hours of this morning. The chunk of space rock - dubbed 2012 LZ1 - is up to 700metres wide and passed our planet at 2am GMT. It was 3.35million miles away, roughly 14 times the distance between Earth and the moon. Scroll down for video . Fly-by: A giant asteroid that astronomers have compared to the size of a city block hurtled past Earth at 2am GMT . While there was no danger of a collision, it was still close enough to be filmed. But as it was less than 4.65million miles away and more than 150metres wide, the asteroid was still classified as potentially hazardous. It was spotted four days ago by astronomer Rob McNaught when he was looking through the Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding Spring Observatory in Autralia. Scientists have now been able to calculate its orbit and claim it will again pass through Earth's orbit in 2016. Two weeks ago, a 16ft-wide asteroid narrowly missed Earth by a mere 8,900 miles when it hurtled past our mortal coil at 38,000 miles per hour. At its closest, that fly-by was about the same distance as a flight from New York City to New Zealand. Scientists weren't worried, though. Asteroid 2012 KT42, as astronomers dubbed it, likely would have burned up in the planet's atmosphere before ever getting a chance to wreak havoc on the surface. But Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said the asteroid was the 6th-closest miss on record. It was the second hunt of hurtling space rock to come near the planet in two days. The day before, a 64-foot asteroid flew past Earth about 32,000 miles away. Watch a time-lapse video of the fly-by as captured at the Slooh Canary Islands Observatory: . | Space rock dubbed 2012 LZ1 is up to 700metres wide . | 04cea3019624577302c401796046b14c4cc2d6bc | <s>[INST] By . Graham Smith . PUBLISHED: . 09:34 EST, 14 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:40 EST, 15 June 2012 . A giant asteroid that astronomers have compared to the size of a city block flew past Earth in the early hours of this morning. The chunk of space rock - dubbed 2012 LZ1 - is up to 700metres wide and passed our planet at 2am GMT. It was 3.35million miles away, roughly 14 times the distance between Earth and the moon. Scroll down for video . Fly-by: A giant asteroid that astronomers have compared to the size of a city block hurtled past Earth at 2am GMT . While there was no danger of a collision, it was still close enough to be filmed. But as it was less than 4.65million miles away and more than 150metres wide, the asteroid was still classified as potentially hazardous. It was spotted four days ago by astronomer Rob McNaught when he was looking through the Uppsala Schmidt telescope at Siding Spring Observatory in Autralia. Scientists have now been able to calculate its orbit and claim it will again pass through Earth's orbit in 2016. Two weeks ago, a 16ft-wide asteroid narrowly missed Earth by a mere 8,900 miles when it hurtled past our mortal coil at 38,000 miles per hour. At its closest, that fly-by was about the same distance as a flight from New York City to New Zealand. Scientists weren't worried, though. Asteroid 2012 KT42, as astronomers dubbed it, likely would have burned up in the planet's atmosphere before ever getting a chance to wreak havoc on the surface. But Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said the asteroid was the 6th-closest miss on record. It was the second hunt of hurtling space rock to come near the planet in two days. The day before, a 64-foot asteroid flew past Earth about 32,000 miles away. Watch a time-lapse video of the fly-by as captured at the Slooh Canary Islands Observatory: . [/INST] Space rock dubbed 2012 LZ1 is up to 700metres wide . </s> |
The massive horns of Triceratops evolved over more than a million years, a study shows. A study of 50 skulls dug up at the Hell Creek Formation - a famous fossil site in Montana - found the beast underwent change over a very long period of time. Older fossils lying deeper in the rock had shorter horns than the younger specimens nearer the surface, say scientists. This Triceratops fossil came from the middle of the Hell Creek Formation. It is displayed at MSU's Museum of the Rockies. Older fossils lying deeper in the rock had shorter horns than the younger specimens nearer the surface, say scientists. By recording precise stratigraphic information for each Triceratops, and analyzing the morphological details of the skull, it appears possible to see evolutionary trends in Triceratops, the researchers said. Over one to two million years at the end of the Cretaceous Period, Triceratops went from having a small nasal horn and long beak to having a long nasal horn and shorter beak. The dinosaur with a small nasal horn and long beak is a Triceratops horridus. It was only found lower in the Hell Creek Formation. The dinosaur with a long nasal horn and shorter beak is a Triceratops prorsus. It was only found near the top of the Hell Creek Formation. Skulls found in the middle of the Hell Creek Formation showed characteristics of both Triceratops horridus and Triceratops prorsus. The findings published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggest Triceratops horridus took between one and two million years to evolve into Triceratops prorsus. In the past it was believed the two species might have existed at the same time. Triceratops, which lived 65 million years ago, was a giant plant-eating creature best known for its great bony head frill and three horns - one above each eye and a small stubby one above its beak-like mouth. An adult could grow to about 30ft long and weigh five tons. Dr John Scanella, of the Museum of the Rockies, and colleagues said: 'The placement of over 50 skulls of the well-known horned dinosaur Triceraptops within a stratigraphic framework for the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation reveals the evolutionary transformation of this genus.' Triceratops - Greek for 3-horned face - has been described as a reptilian knight that carried two lances and a shield on top of its enormous head. A Triceratopcs prorsus fossil came from the top of the Hell Creek Formation. It has a long nasal horn and shorter beak is a Triceratops prorsus. The horns grew up to 3 feet long and the forward curvature marked their owners as sexually mature. The bony frill changed with age as well. In juveniles the edge was adorned with triangular bones resembling arrowheads. These flattened as the animal got older and were barely visible in adults. It had a huge, barrel-like body and short tail. It’s believed Triceratops used its horns as weapons against predators like T rex and also for mate attraction - much like colourful feathers in birds. Some Triceratops specimens show healed wounds in their skull or frill - showing they fought among themselves. They may have fought over females, territory or leadership. This image shows the evolution of the Triceratops in the Hell Creek Formation of Eastern Montana . It had a very long and powerful beak. Each jaw had closely packed teeth with a broad grinding surface. With its scissor-like beak and grinding teeth Triceratops was able to bite off and chew even the toughest plants. Dr Scanella said: 'Our research indicates the currently recognised species of Triceraptops - T horridus and T prorsus - are stratigraphically separated and the evolution of this genus likely incorporated transformational change. 'These findings impact interpretations of dinosaur diversity at the end of the Cretaceous and illuminate potential modes of evolution in the Dinosauria.' Over the course of the project, the researchers found that Triceratops is the most common dinosaur in the Hell Creek Formation. The Museum of the Rockies now houses one of the largest collections of Triceratops in the world. 'Most dinosaurs are only known from one or a handful of specimens,' Scannella said. 'Some dinosaurs are known from a large number of specimens, but they’re often found all in one place – on a single stratigraphic horizon. 'The great thing about Triceratops is that there are a lot of them, and they were found at different levels of the Hell Creek Formation. 'The new study finds evidence that not only did Triceratops change shape over the lifetime of an individual, but that the genus transformed over the course of the end of the age of dinosaurs.' | Study of 50 skulls were dug up at the Hell Creek Formation in Montana .
Older fossils lying deeper in the rock had shorter horns than the younger specimens . | 3184869f95adbce039940758a57f9cbfbe8a3727 | <s>[INST] The massive horns of Triceratops evolved over more than a million years, a study shows. A study of 50 skulls dug up at the Hell Creek Formation - a famous fossil site in Montana - found the beast underwent change over a very long period of time. Older fossils lying deeper in the rock had shorter horns than the younger specimens nearer the surface, say scientists. This Triceratops fossil came from the middle of the Hell Creek Formation. It is displayed at MSU's Museum of the Rockies. Older fossils lying deeper in the rock had shorter horns than the younger specimens nearer the surface, say scientists. By recording precise stratigraphic information for each Triceratops, and analyzing the morphological details of the skull, it appears possible to see evolutionary trends in Triceratops, the researchers said. Over one to two million years at the end of the Cretaceous Period, Triceratops went from having a small nasal horn and long beak to having a long nasal horn and shorter beak. The dinosaur with a small nasal horn and long beak is a Triceratops horridus. It was only found lower in the Hell Creek Formation. The dinosaur with a long nasal horn and shorter beak is a Triceratops prorsus. It was only found near the top of the Hell Creek Formation. Skulls found in the middle of the Hell Creek Formation showed characteristics of both Triceratops horridus and Triceratops prorsus. The findings published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggest Triceratops horridus took between one and two million years to evolve into Triceratops prorsus. In the past it was believed the two species might have existed at the same time. Triceratops, which lived 65 million years ago, was a giant plant-eating creature best known for its great bony head frill and three horns - one above each eye and a small stubby one above its beak-like mouth. An adult could grow to about 30ft long and weigh five tons. Dr John Scanella, of the Museum of the Rockies, and colleagues said: 'The placement of over 50 skulls of the well-known horned dinosaur Triceraptops within a stratigraphic framework for the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation reveals the evolutionary transformation of this genus.' Triceratops - Greek for 3-horned face - has been described as a reptilian knight that carried two lances and a shield on top of its enormous head. A Triceratopcs prorsus fossil came from the top of the Hell Creek Formation. It has a long nasal horn and shorter beak is a Triceratops prorsus. The horns grew up to 3 feet long and the forward curvature marked their owners as sexually mature. The bony frill changed with age as well. In juveniles the edge was adorned with triangular bones resembling arrowheads. These flattened as the animal got older and were barely visible in adults. It had a huge, barrel-like body and short tail. It’s believed Triceratops used its horns as weapons against predators like T rex and also for mate attraction - much like colourful feathers in birds. Some Triceratops specimens show healed wounds in their skull or frill - showing they fought among themselves. They may have fought over females, territory or leadership. This image shows the evolution of the Triceratops in the Hell Creek Formation of Eastern Montana . It had a very long and powerful beak. Each jaw had closely packed teeth with a broad grinding surface. With its scissor-like beak and grinding teeth Triceratops was able to bite off and chew even the toughest plants. Dr Scanella said: 'Our research indicates the currently recognised species of Triceraptops - T horridus and T prorsus - are stratigraphically separated and the evolution of this genus likely incorporated transformational change. 'These findings impact interpretations of dinosaur diversity at the end of the Cretaceous and illuminate potential modes of evolution in the Dinosauria.' Over the course of the project, the researchers found that Triceratops is the most common dinosaur in the Hell Creek Formation. The Museum of the Rockies now houses one of the largest collections of Triceratops in the world. 'Most dinosaurs are only known from one or a handful of specimens,' Scannella said. 'Some dinosaurs are known from a large number of specimens, but they’re often found all in one place – on a single stratigraphic horizon. 'The great thing about Triceratops is that there are a lot of them, and they were found at different levels of the Hell Creek Formation. 'The new study finds evidence that not only did Triceratops change shape over the lifetime of an individual, but that the genus transformed over the course of the end of the age of dinosaurs.' [/INST] Study of 50 skulls were dug up at the Hell Creek Formation in Montana .
Older fossils lying deeper in the rock had shorter horns than the younger specimens . </s> |
(CNN) -- In recent days, with the tiniest poke of a toe in the political waters -- a few comments to news organizations about the recent Supreme Court ruling on President Barack Obama's health care law -- former Rep. Anthony Weiner has set off a frenzy of speculation that he may be planning to run for mayor of New York in 2013. At first glance, a second political act for Weiner might seem impossible. It was a little more than a year ago that the liberal Democrat crashed and burned on national television, tearfully resigning after right-wing bloggers exposed his bizarre habit of sending raunchy photos and messages to strangers. But he's being taken seriously in New York political circles -- an acknowledgment of his considerable energy and talent for championing middle-class values, and a testament to the city's habit of tolerating and rehabilitating fallen pols. On Wednesday night, when asked in an interview with People magazine whether he is considering a bid for mayor, Weiner said he is not planning a campaign -- but he didn't rule out a run for political office in the future. It was June 2011 when comedians of late-night TV were feasting on Weiner's misery. Conservatives crowed over the scalp they'd claimed -- and were ecstatic when a Republican won the special election to replace Weiner. A few months later, with no longtime incumbent to protect the seat, Weiner's district was eliminated altogether when population changes required New York state to reduce the size of its congressional delegation. That appeared to be the final chapter in Weiner's political career. He claims to have no plans beyond caring for his newborn son and insists that recent news stories are simply wrong. But that's not the end of the story to those of us who have been watching Weiner since the days when, at age 27, he became the youngest member of the New York City Council. Although known across the nation as a left-wing firebrand, Weiner has had a profile in New York as a pragmatic, centrist Democrat willing to break from the city's liberal orthodoxy. In 2005, when Weiner made a first run for mayor, he publicly castigated the eventual Democratic nominee for proposing the re-imposition of a local tax on every stock trade to raise money from Wall Street (a favorite but unworkable liberal plan). Weiner often railed against the rising cost of living for his financially squeezed constituents (45% of whom voted for John McCain in 2008) and co-founded a bipartisan Middle Class Caucus in Congress. As the third and final term of Mayor Michael Bloomberg winds down, the field of Democrats running to succeed him lacks a candidate with Weiner's loud, laserlike focus on middle-class issues. That absence has political insiders wondering if there might be room at the table for Weiner. Even more tantalizing is Weiner's $4.5 million political war chest that would, if activated, qualify him for $1.5 million in public matching funds and land him near the city's $6.7 million campaign spending cap. That makes him one of the best-funded mayoral candidates in New York, and more than just the punch line of a joke. As for the ick factor -- the creepy cause of Weiner's resignation -- he might end up benefiting from the wide latitude New Yorkers tend to allow public figures when it comes to their personal lives. Back in the 1920s, one of New York's most flamboyant and corrupt mayors, Jimmy Walker was married but carried on affairs with women who frequented the speak-easies that flourished in the city during his tenure. Walker eventually left his wife to run off with a "chorus girl" he later married, but the carousing didn't stop him from getting re-elected in 1929 (when he defeated none other than Fiorello LaGuardia). Fast-forward to modern times when Mayor Rudy Giuliani used a press conference to announce plans to separate from his second wife -- who apparently learned of his intentions from news reports -- and tried to have her kicked out of Gracie Mansion, the official mayoral residence, so that his new girlfriend could move in. Giuliani eventually straightened out his personal life: He got a divorce and girlfriend Judith Nathan became wife No. 3. New Yorkers more or less shrugged. Even ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who resigned after admitting to hiring prostitutes, has returned to public life, hosting a nightly show on Current TV and recently offering weekly commentary alongside other ex-officials on the New York political TV show "Inside City Hall." As host of the show, I have received exactly one complaint to date. Many New Yorkers -- admittedly, not all -- treat politicians the way they would a plumber or auto repairman: If you've hired the guy to unclog your sink or fix the brakes, he should be judged on that performance, and what goes on in his personal life should remain between him and his wife. In fact, according to a NY1/Marist College poll, a majority of Weiner's congressional constituents thought he should not have resigned after the sexting scandal. The biggest hurdle Weiner has to clear is the dishonest way he handled the early stages of the scandal. As the salacious photos emerged and the blogosphere exploded, Weiner unwisely had his office ring up various press outlets and went from one show to another, offering blatant lies and denials about how photos of his privates ended up on Facebook and Twitter. That left a bad taste in the mouths of reporters, producers and editors. As the New York Daily News editorial board notes: "Weiner's sexual escapades were, in fact, the least of his sins. He proved to be a stone-cold liar as he tried to save his skin." If it's true that, as Weiner insists, he had no physical contact with the women to whom he sent raunchy messages, he will likely get as least as much latitude as Giuliani and Spitzer. And if Weiner has the support of his family -- and is prepared to make a full apology for the lying -- he can eventually expect to find his way back into some form of public service. Your move, Mr. Weiner. Join us at Facebook/CNNOpinion. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Errol Louis. | Ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner sets off frenzy of speculation about running for New York mayor .
Errol Louis: Despite his fall over raunchy texts, Weiner taken seriously by New York politicos .
Louis: New Yorkers tolerate politicians' bad behavior and see Weiner as a pragmatic centrist .
His worst sin was lying, Louis says, and if he can apologize, he'll likely make a comeback . | 846d967933d1973e3534e70ae55641e82c0dc266 | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- In recent days, with the tiniest poke of a toe in the political waters -- a few comments to news organizations about the recent Supreme Court ruling on President Barack Obama's health care law -- former Rep. Anthony Weiner has set off a frenzy of speculation that he may be planning to run for mayor of New York in 2013. At first glance, a second political act for Weiner might seem impossible. It was a little more than a year ago that the liberal Democrat crashed and burned on national television, tearfully resigning after right-wing bloggers exposed his bizarre habit of sending raunchy photos and messages to strangers. But he's being taken seriously in New York political circles -- an acknowledgment of his considerable energy and talent for championing middle-class values, and a testament to the city's habit of tolerating and rehabilitating fallen pols. On Wednesday night, when asked in an interview with People magazine whether he is considering a bid for mayor, Weiner said he is not planning a campaign -- but he didn't rule out a run for political office in the future. It was June 2011 when comedians of late-night TV were feasting on Weiner's misery. Conservatives crowed over the scalp they'd claimed -- and were ecstatic when a Republican won the special election to replace Weiner. A few months later, with no longtime incumbent to protect the seat, Weiner's district was eliminated altogether when population changes required New York state to reduce the size of its congressional delegation. That appeared to be the final chapter in Weiner's political career. He claims to have no plans beyond caring for his newborn son and insists that recent news stories are simply wrong. But that's not the end of the story to those of us who have been watching Weiner since the days when, at age 27, he became the youngest member of the New York City Council. Although known across the nation as a left-wing firebrand, Weiner has had a profile in New York as a pragmatic, centrist Democrat willing to break from the city's liberal orthodoxy. In 2005, when Weiner made a first run for mayor, he publicly castigated the eventual Democratic nominee for proposing the re-imposition of a local tax on every stock trade to raise money from Wall Street (a favorite but unworkable liberal plan). Weiner often railed against the rising cost of living for his financially squeezed constituents (45% of whom voted for John McCain in 2008) and co-founded a bipartisan Middle Class Caucus in Congress. As the third and final term of Mayor Michael Bloomberg winds down, the field of Democrats running to succeed him lacks a candidate with Weiner's loud, laserlike focus on middle-class issues. That absence has political insiders wondering if there might be room at the table for Weiner. Even more tantalizing is Weiner's $4.5 million political war chest that would, if activated, qualify him for $1.5 million in public matching funds and land him near the city's $6.7 million campaign spending cap. That makes him one of the best-funded mayoral candidates in New York, and more than just the punch line of a joke. As for the ick factor -- the creepy cause of Weiner's resignation -- he might end up benefiting from the wide latitude New Yorkers tend to allow public figures when it comes to their personal lives. Back in the 1920s, one of New York's most flamboyant and corrupt mayors, Jimmy Walker was married but carried on affairs with women who frequented the speak-easies that flourished in the city during his tenure. Walker eventually left his wife to run off with a "chorus girl" he later married, but the carousing didn't stop him from getting re-elected in 1929 (when he defeated none other than Fiorello LaGuardia). Fast-forward to modern times when Mayor Rudy Giuliani used a press conference to announce plans to separate from his second wife -- who apparently learned of his intentions from news reports -- and tried to have her kicked out of Gracie Mansion, the official mayoral residence, so that his new girlfriend could move in. Giuliani eventually straightened out his personal life: He got a divorce and girlfriend Judith Nathan became wife No. 3. New Yorkers more or less shrugged. Even ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who resigned after admitting to hiring prostitutes, has returned to public life, hosting a nightly show on Current TV and recently offering weekly commentary alongside other ex-officials on the New York political TV show "Inside City Hall." As host of the show, I have received exactly one complaint to date. Many New Yorkers -- admittedly, not all -- treat politicians the way they would a plumber or auto repairman: If you've hired the guy to unclog your sink or fix the brakes, he should be judged on that performance, and what goes on in his personal life should remain between him and his wife. In fact, according to a NY1/Marist College poll, a majority of Weiner's congressional constituents thought he should not have resigned after the sexting scandal. The biggest hurdle Weiner has to clear is the dishonest way he handled the early stages of the scandal. As the salacious photos emerged and the blogosphere exploded, Weiner unwisely had his office ring up various press outlets and went from one show to another, offering blatant lies and denials about how photos of his privates ended up on Facebook and Twitter. That left a bad taste in the mouths of reporters, producers and editors. As the New York Daily News editorial board notes: "Weiner's sexual escapades were, in fact, the least of his sins. He proved to be a stone-cold liar as he tried to save his skin." If it's true that, as Weiner insists, he had no physical contact with the women to whom he sent raunchy messages, he will likely get as least as much latitude as Giuliani and Spitzer. And if Weiner has the support of his family -- and is prepared to make a full apology for the lying -- he can eventually expect to find his way back into some form of public service. Your move, Mr. Weiner. Join us at Facebook/CNNOpinion. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Errol Louis. [/INST] Ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner sets off frenzy of speculation about running for New York mayor .
Errol Louis: Despite his fall over raunchy texts, Weiner taken seriously by New York politicos .
Louis: New Yorkers tolerate politicians' bad behavior and see Weiner as a pragmatic centrist .
His worst sin was lying, Louis says, and if he can apologize, he'll likely make a comeback . </s> |
By . Rob Waugh . PUBLISHED: . 12:40 EST, 20 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:40 EST, 20 March 2012 . It looks like the unlikeliest collection of holiday snaps, but this gnome is not on holiday - the trip is all in the name of science. Gravity changes around the world, partly due to bulges in our planet's shape. To prove it, a German scale manufacturer has sent a plastic figure on a journey around the planet. Kern the gnome is weighed wherever he goes. Kern was at his heaviest at the south pole, where the slower spin of the Earth adds 0.5 per cent to everyone's weight. Write caption here . Write caption here . So far he has visited a string of cities including Lima, Mumbai, Mexico City, San Francisco, Sydney and New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific ocean. Kern travels in a reinforced case containing himself and a Kern EWB 2.4 Scale calibrated according to local gravity in Balingen, Germany, to ensure any weight change he encounters on his travels shows up. The journey has been organised by scale makers Kern & Sohn as a fun way to demonstrate the little known quirk about Earth, that gravity varies depending on where you are. Each place he visits is accompanied by pictures of Kern taken by scientists friends who are ‘putting him up’ and a blog he has supposedly written. When Kern was in Antarctica he was weighed at 309.82g, the heaviest out of all his visits. On his blog he writes: ‘I am a gnome celebrity today. But I won’t let this fame make me big headed. The change in weight could throw out all of my future results.’ Gnome south pole . Paris gnome . Moving further towards the equator, Kern weighed 307.8g in Sydney and 307.82g in Durbane, South Africa, which is roughly the same latitude. In India he writes: ‘I’ve lost weight. Who else can say that after Christmas? I’m in India and I weigh 307.56g. ‘Thanks to my hosts for helping me with this pleasantly surprising measurement. Now I’m leaving the amazing sights, sounds and smells of India and hopping on a long haul flight to Mexico. Roll me an enchilada, I’ll see you all in 19.5 hours time!’ By the time he arrived in Mexico, however, the weight seemed to have gone back on and he weighed some 307.62g. Gravity does indeed differ around Earth, partly because it is not a sphere and is actually shaped more like a potato. Gravity is affected by two main factors - latitude and altitude. If you were to stand on one of the two poles on Earth then you would weigh 0.5 per cent more than if you were on the equator. This is because at the poles there is less rotation which reduces your weight. Differences in local geology may also play a part, but on a far smaller scale. Having large rocks near to you may change your weight by 0.01 per cent. If you would like Kern the gnome to visit you then go to the websitehttp://www.gnomeexperiment.com/ . | Gnome is weighed in locations around the world to check how changes in gravity affect his weight .
Plastic ornament was heaviest at South Pole .
Earth's 'potato-like' shape means gravity is not the same everywhere . | fe005ed2c582140a8e5532b6415c3b37c748806d | <s>[INST] By . Rob Waugh . PUBLISHED: . 12:40 EST, 20 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:40 EST, 20 March 2012 . It looks like the unlikeliest collection of holiday snaps, but this gnome is not on holiday - the trip is all in the name of science. Gravity changes around the world, partly due to bulges in our planet's shape. To prove it, a German scale manufacturer has sent a plastic figure on a journey around the planet. Kern the gnome is weighed wherever he goes. Kern was at his heaviest at the south pole, where the slower spin of the Earth adds 0.5 per cent to everyone's weight. Write caption here . Write caption here . So far he has visited a string of cities including Lima, Mumbai, Mexico City, San Francisco, Sydney and New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific ocean. Kern travels in a reinforced case containing himself and a Kern EWB 2.4 Scale calibrated according to local gravity in Balingen, Germany, to ensure any weight change he encounters on his travels shows up. The journey has been organised by scale makers Kern & Sohn as a fun way to demonstrate the little known quirk about Earth, that gravity varies depending on where you are. Each place he visits is accompanied by pictures of Kern taken by scientists friends who are ‘putting him up’ and a blog he has supposedly written. When Kern was in Antarctica he was weighed at 309.82g, the heaviest out of all his visits. On his blog he writes: ‘I am a gnome celebrity today. But I won’t let this fame make me big headed. The change in weight could throw out all of my future results.’ Gnome south pole . Paris gnome . Moving further towards the equator, Kern weighed 307.8g in Sydney and 307.82g in Durbane, South Africa, which is roughly the same latitude. In India he writes: ‘I’ve lost weight. Who else can say that after Christmas? I’m in India and I weigh 307.56g. ‘Thanks to my hosts for helping me with this pleasantly surprising measurement. Now I’m leaving the amazing sights, sounds and smells of India and hopping on a long haul flight to Mexico. Roll me an enchilada, I’ll see you all in 19.5 hours time!’ By the time he arrived in Mexico, however, the weight seemed to have gone back on and he weighed some 307.62g. Gravity does indeed differ around Earth, partly because it is not a sphere and is actually shaped more like a potato. Gravity is affected by two main factors - latitude and altitude. If you were to stand on one of the two poles on Earth then you would weigh 0.5 per cent more than if you were on the equator. This is because at the poles there is less rotation which reduces your weight. Differences in local geology may also play a part, but on a far smaller scale. Having large rocks near to you may change your weight by 0.01 per cent. If you would like Kern the gnome to visit you then go to the websitehttp://www.gnomeexperiment.com/ . [/INST] Gnome is weighed in locations around the world to check how changes in gravity affect his weight .
Plastic ornament was heaviest at South Pole .
Earth's 'potato-like' shape means gravity is not the same everywhere . </s> |
By . Robert Hardman . PUBLISHED: . 18:27 EST, 6 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:29 EST, 7 June 2013 . Smiling: The Queen presents the Duke of Edinburgh with the Order of New Zealand award at Buckingham Palace in central London yesterday . Most people heading for hospital – be they 19 or 91 – would probably prefer not to have tea with 8,000 people en route. But yesterday afternoon, the Duke of Edinburgh was at the Queen’s side as they plunged into a traditional Buckingham Palace garden party with a cross-section of British life, from actor Benedict Cumberbatch to a group of Scottish Girl Guides. In perfect sunshine, to the clink of teacups and the gentle airs of the Band of the Coldstream Guards, it was very much business as usual. Certainly none of the guests – myself included – had the faintest idea the Duke might be en route to the London Clinic for up to a fortnight. Garden parties follow a time-honoured format and yesterday’s was no different. On the stroke of 4pm, the Queen and the Duke appeared through the doors on to the West Terrace with the Earl and Countess of Wessex. The tea tent emptied, the crowds ground to a standstill and all 8,000 of us stood to attention for the national anthem. Then the royal team divided into different ‘lanes’ through the crowds, each one staked out by the Yeomen of the Guard in full Tudor rig. For a full sun-baked hour, the Queen, the duke and the Wessexes made snail-like progress through the throng – five deep in places and all eager for a handshake and a chat. It is a well-oiled machine. The Gentlemen Ushers, retired gents from the Forces, pluck out a varied selection of guests and senior royal officials do the introductions. See video below . Arrival: On the stroke of 4pm, the Queen and the Duke appeared through the doors on to the West Terrace . Yesterday, as usual, the duke was accompanied by his private secretary, Brigadier Archie Miller-Bakewell, as he chatted to dozens of guests, among them a little group from the British Association of Dairy Farmers and a couple of alumni from his old Scottish school, Gordonstoun. It’s always a broad church in the Duke’s lane. Yesterday’s assembly included the British Gliding Association, the Burma Star Association, the Canada Club and the Surf Lifesaving Association of Great Britain. Also presented were a small contingent from Trinity House, which looks after every lighthouse in England and Wales. An assiduous past patron, the Duke was at one of their dinners just two nights earlier. As chatty and boisterous as ever, the Duke worked his way down the entire lane but even then there was no respite. While many of us had long since sought a chair, a bit of shade, a plate of cucumber sandwiches (sans crust), a raspberry tartlet and a bit of Dundee cake – plus a cup of tea or a glass of the Palace’s famous iced coffee – the Queen and the Duke were then ushered into the Royal Tent. Gathering: For a full sun-baked hour, the Queen, the duke and the Wessexes made snail-like progress through the throng - five deep in places and all eager for a handshake and a chat . Here, they remained on their feet for another 40 minutes, working their way through a VIP crowd. Among those invited yesterday were the new Archbishop of Canterbury and his wife plus Cabinet ministers Danny Alexander, Justine Greening and Eric Pickles (with ‘Two Teas Pickles’ on the list, let’s hope they’d ordered in extra chocolate eclairs and scones). As chatty and boisterous as ever, the Duke worked his way down the entire lane but even then there was no respite . Next door, in the Diplomatic Tent, a cross-section of High Commissioners and ambassadors swapped gossip and looked on while the Coldstream Guards moved on to Star Wars and Phantom of the Opera. Finally, at 5.45, the duke escorted the Queen back through the gardens. As always, they paused to chat to the guests in wheelchairs who are always offered pride of place alongside the homeward path by the Palace swimming pool. And then the crowds slowly enjoyed one last meander round the gardens in the evening breeze. It might be a charming Edwardian idyll for the 8,000 guests but it is always hard work for the hosts. And the largest garden party of the season is yet to come next month – for up to 10,000 at Holyroodhouse. Let’s hope the duke is back on his feet in time for that. By then he will be 92. Would it be impertinent to offer him a chair? | Duke of Edinburgh was with Queen at Buckingham Palace garden party .
No guests - myself included - knew the Duke was en route to hospital .
Philip will be in hospital for two weeks after suffering abdominal pain . | 1978f686eeaaee5b86eaf5aa4377d5e8c758903d | <s>[INST] By . Robert Hardman . PUBLISHED: . 18:27 EST, 6 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:29 EST, 7 June 2013 . Smiling: The Queen presents the Duke of Edinburgh with the Order of New Zealand award at Buckingham Palace in central London yesterday . Most people heading for hospital – be they 19 or 91 – would probably prefer not to have tea with 8,000 people en route. But yesterday afternoon, the Duke of Edinburgh was at the Queen’s side as they plunged into a traditional Buckingham Palace garden party with a cross-section of British life, from actor Benedict Cumberbatch to a group of Scottish Girl Guides. In perfect sunshine, to the clink of teacups and the gentle airs of the Band of the Coldstream Guards, it was very much business as usual. Certainly none of the guests – myself included – had the faintest idea the Duke might be en route to the London Clinic for up to a fortnight. Garden parties follow a time-honoured format and yesterday’s was no different. On the stroke of 4pm, the Queen and the Duke appeared through the doors on to the West Terrace with the Earl and Countess of Wessex. The tea tent emptied, the crowds ground to a standstill and all 8,000 of us stood to attention for the national anthem. Then the royal team divided into different ‘lanes’ through the crowds, each one staked out by the Yeomen of the Guard in full Tudor rig. For a full sun-baked hour, the Queen, the duke and the Wessexes made snail-like progress through the throng – five deep in places and all eager for a handshake and a chat. It is a well-oiled machine. The Gentlemen Ushers, retired gents from the Forces, pluck out a varied selection of guests and senior royal officials do the introductions. See video below . Arrival: On the stroke of 4pm, the Queen and the Duke appeared through the doors on to the West Terrace . Yesterday, as usual, the duke was accompanied by his private secretary, Brigadier Archie Miller-Bakewell, as he chatted to dozens of guests, among them a little group from the British Association of Dairy Farmers and a couple of alumni from his old Scottish school, Gordonstoun. It’s always a broad church in the Duke’s lane. Yesterday’s assembly included the British Gliding Association, the Burma Star Association, the Canada Club and the Surf Lifesaving Association of Great Britain. Also presented were a small contingent from Trinity House, which looks after every lighthouse in England and Wales. An assiduous past patron, the Duke was at one of their dinners just two nights earlier. As chatty and boisterous as ever, the Duke worked his way down the entire lane but even then there was no respite. While many of us had long since sought a chair, a bit of shade, a plate of cucumber sandwiches (sans crust), a raspberry tartlet and a bit of Dundee cake – plus a cup of tea or a glass of the Palace’s famous iced coffee – the Queen and the Duke were then ushered into the Royal Tent. Gathering: For a full sun-baked hour, the Queen, the duke and the Wessexes made snail-like progress through the throng - five deep in places and all eager for a handshake and a chat . Here, they remained on their feet for another 40 minutes, working their way through a VIP crowd. Among those invited yesterday were the new Archbishop of Canterbury and his wife plus Cabinet ministers Danny Alexander, Justine Greening and Eric Pickles (with ‘Two Teas Pickles’ on the list, let’s hope they’d ordered in extra chocolate eclairs and scones). As chatty and boisterous as ever, the Duke worked his way down the entire lane but even then there was no respite . Next door, in the Diplomatic Tent, a cross-section of High Commissioners and ambassadors swapped gossip and looked on while the Coldstream Guards moved on to Star Wars and Phantom of the Opera. Finally, at 5.45, the duke escorted the Queen back through the gardens. As always, they paused to chat to the guests in wheelchairs who are always offered pride of place alongside the homeward path by the Palace swimming pool. And then the crowds slowly enjoyed one last meander round the gardens in the evening breeze. It might be a charming Edwardian idyll for the 8,000 guests but it is always hard work for the hosts. And the largest garden party of the season is yet to come next month – for up to 10,000 at Holyroodhouse. Let’s hope the duke is back on his feet in time for that. By then he will be 92. Would it be impertinent to offer him a chair? [/INST] Duke of Edinburgh was with Queen at Buckingham Palace garden party .
No guests - myself included - knew the Duke was en route to hospital .
Philip will be in hospital for two weeks after suffering abdominal pain . </s> |
By . Fiona Macrae . PUBLISHED: . 19:41 EST, 26 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:00 EST, 27 February 2014 . Severely brain-damaged patients have been brought 'back to life' by zapping their brain with an electrical current . Severely brain damaged patients have been brought briefly ‘back to life’ by zapping their brain with an electrical current. Awoken from their near-coma state, some were able to move their hands or follow instructions – others were able to answer simple questions. The remarkable discovery could lead to new treatments for people left minimally conscious by car accidents or blows to the head. It also raises the possibility that such patients will be able to tell doctors whether they want to live or die. They could also be asked whether they feel pain. Researcher Steven Laureys, a coma scientist, said: ‘In some cases, members of your family can be left with difficult decisions about whether to remove life support. ‘And we can’t make any decisions ethically if we’re not sure about the diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic options.’ Dr Laureys, of the University of Liege in Belgium, treated 55 people with severe brain injuries. Some were in a vegetative state, which meant they appeared awake but were unresponsive to the world around them. Others were in a minimally conscious state, in which patients show fleeting signs of alertness but recovery is not guaranteed. Some had been in the near coma-like conditions for years. However, almost a third temporarily showed signs of consciousness after their brains were stimulated with a mild electric current for 20 minutes. Dr Laureys told New Scientist magazine: ‘Two patients emerged from a minimally conscious state all together.’ When asked questions such as ‘Am I touching my nose?’, they were able to answer by nodding their head or making specific eye movements. Others were able to follow instructions to nod or squeeze their hand. Researchers at the University of Liege in Belgium studied the effect electrical currents had on 55 brain-injury patients . All of the effects wore off after about two hours but Dr Laureys is now investigating the effect of stimulating the brain for longer. It is not entirely clear how the current helps but it may boost brain activity that underlies conscious tasks but has been suppressed. Joseph Fins, a professor of medical ethics in the US, said: ‘It is like we are opening and shutting a window for a few hours and that could be perceived as cruel. ‘But we didn’t give these people brain damage, we are trying to make it better. ‘These kind of experiments show that a window exists and now you that that you might be able to use other interventions to enhance that window.’ New Scientist says: ‘This discovery has clear medical benefits: it should help doctors make better assessments of patients’ conditions. ‘The hope is that researchers will be able to extend the stimulation, resulting in more significant brain activity and even, perhaps, a return to something resembling an acceptable quality of life. ‘Before then, there is a host of ethical issues. ‘No one has yet asked the obvious ethical questions: are you suffering? Do you want to live, or die?' | Some patients treated by electrical current were able to move their hands, others could answer simple questions .
Remarkable discovery could lead to new treatments for car crash victims .
Expert at University of Liege in Belgium studied 55 brain injury patients . | b42b7fbecf0667062e5a08341ab9d5764c7a1f9d | <s>[INST] By . Fiona Macrae . PUBLISHED: . 19:41 EST, 26 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:00 EST, 27 February 2014 . Severely brain-damaged patients have been brought 'back to life' by zapping their brain with an electrical current . Severely brain damaged patients have been brought briefly ‘back to life’ by zapping their brain with an electrical current. Awoken from their near-coma state, some were able to move their hands or follow instructions – others were able to answer simple questions. The remarkable discovery could lead to new treatments for people left minimally conscious by car accidents or blows to the head. It also raises the possibility that such patients will be able to tell doctors whether they want to live or die. They could also be asked whether they feel pain. Researcher Steven Laureys, a coma scientist, said: ‘In some cases, members of your family can be left with difficult decisions about whether to remove life support. ‘And we can’t make any decisions ethically if we’re not sure about the diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic options.’ Dr Laureys, of the University of Liege in Belgium, treated 55 people with severe brain injuries. Some were in a vegetative state, which meant they appeared awake but were unresponsive to the world around them. Others were in a minimally conscious state, in which patients show fleeting signs of alertness but recovery is not guaranteed. Some had been in the near coma-like conditions for years. However, almost a third temporarily showed signs of consciousness after their brains were stimulated with a mild electric current for 20 minutes. Dr Laureys told New Scientist magazine: ‘Two patients emerged from a minimally conscious state all together.’ When asked questions such as ‘Am I touching my nose?’, they were able to answer by nodding their head or making specific eye movements. Others were able to follow instructions to nod or squeeze their hand. Researchers at the University of Liege in Belgium studied the effect electrical currents had on 55 brain-injury patients . All of the effects wore off after about two hours but Dr Laureys is now investigating the effect of stimulating the brain for longer. It is not entirely clear how the current helps but it may boost brain activity that underlies conscious tasks but has been suppressed. Joseph Fins, a professor of medical ethics in the US, said: ‘It is like we are opening and shutting a window for a few hours and that could be perceived as cruel. ‘But we didn’t give these people brain damage, we are trying to make it better. ‘These kind of experiments show that a window exists and now you that that you might be able to use other interventions to enhance that window.’ New Scientist says: ‘This discovery has clear medical benefits: it should help doctors make better assessments of patients’ conditions. ‘The hope is that researchers will be able to extend the stimulation, resulting in more significant brain activity and even, perhaps, a return to something resembling an acceptable quality of life. ‘Before then, there is a host of ethical issues. ‘No one has yet asked the obvious ethical questions: are you suffering? Do you want to live, or die?' [/INST] Some patients treated by electrical current were able to move their hands, others could answer simple questions .
Remarkable discovery could lead to new treatments for car crash victims .
Expert at University of Liege in Belgium studied 55 brain injury patients . </s> |
Washington (CNN) -- American-born al Qaeda spokesman Adam Gadahn is calling for attacks on U.S. ambassadors around the world. In a 39-minute video, Gadahn praised the death of Libya's U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens on September 11 last year -- and urged wealthy Muslims to offer militants rewards so they can kill others, according to SITE, a jihadist monitoring group. Specifically, he referenced a bounty set for the death of U.S. Ambassador to Yemen, Gerald Feierstein. "These prizes have a great effect in instilling fear in the hearts of our cowardly enemies," Gadahn who has a $1 million dollar bounty on his head, says in the video. "They also encourage hesitant individuals to carry out important and great deeds in the path of Allah." The California-raised Islamic convert, also known as Azzam the American, spoke entirely in Arabic throughout the video, "The Exploits of Muslims and Infamies of the Criminals." It was produced by al-Qaeda's as-Sahab Media Foundation and posted to jihadi websites. "The dead American ambassador Christopher Stevens wasn't a friend of Libya" Gadahn asserts, saying instead he was "representative of the empire of evil and corruption, America". Multiple American embassies across North Africa and the Middle East were closed earlier this month in light of intelligence information suggesting a possible attack. All have reopened. But an administration official, asked whether the closures were linked to the Gadahn video, told CNN that while al Qaeda's general intentions were a factor in the closures, "this video was not specifically a factor." Gadahn has made similar videos in the past. In 2007, he also called for attacks on U.S. diplomats, vowing that al Qaeda would target American diplomats and embassies in retaliation for the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. CNN's Brian Todd contricuted to this report. | He urges wealthy Muslims to offer militants rewards .
He posted his statement on jihadist websites .
He has a $1 million bounty on his head . | 970f2a813df4a243e7f4516cf533a4de2c688adc | <s>[INST] Washington (CNN) -- American-born al Qaeda spokesman Adam Gadahn is calling for attacks on U.S. ambassadors around the world. In a 39-minute video, Gadahn praised the death of Libya's U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens on September 11 last year -- and urged wealthy Muslims to offer militants rewards so they can kill others, according to SITE, a jihadist monitoring group. Specifically, he referenced a bounty set for the death of U.S. Ambassador to Yemen, Gerald Feierstein. "These prizes have a great effect in instilling fear in the hearts of our cowardly enemies," Gadahn who has a $1 million dollar bounty on his head, says in the video. "They also encourage hesitant individuals to carry out important and great deeds in the path of Allah." The California-raised Islamic convert, also known as Azzam the American, spoke entirely in Arabic throughout the video, "The Exploits of Muslims and Infamies of the Criminals." It was produced by al-Qaeda's as-Sahab Media Foundation and posted to jihadi websites. "The dead American ambassador Christopher Stevens wasn't a friend of Libya" Gadahn asserts, saying instead he was "representative of the empire of evil and corruption, America". Multiple American embassies across North Africa and the Middle East were closed earlier this month in light of intelligence information suggesting a possible attack. All have reopened. But an administration official, asked whether the closures were linked to the Gadahn video, told CNN that while al Qaeda's general intentions were a factor in the closures, "this video was not specifically a factor." Gadahn has made similar videos in the past. In 2007, he also called for attacks on U.S. diplomats, vowing that al Qaeda would target American diplomats and embassies in retaliation for the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. CNN's Brian Todd contricuted to this report. [/INST] He urges wealthy Muslims to offer militants rewards .
He posted his statement on jihadist websites .
He has a $1 million bounty on his head . </s> |
By . Agence France Presse . A 33-year-old Australian man has plunged to his death in south-east France while attempting to parachute off a cliff. Police said the man had thrown himself off the 2,600-metre peak of Brevent in the French Alps. Rescue workers said he likely died on impact. He was found 'several hundred metres lower in a wooded area below the site,' they said. The Australian was found several hundred metres below the peak . The base jumper had leapt from the 2,600-metre peak in Brevent, south-east France . Two hours later a French base jumper was also killed after hitting a rock face on his descent from Mont Granier in the neighbouring Isere region of southeastern France. The man, aged 52, and described as 'extremely experienced', was found 200 metres below the ledge from which he had jumped. 'He managed get over the first rock face, but not the second,' one of the rescuers said. Investigations have been launched into both accidents. An investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the accident. On August 6, two base-jumpers, one from Switzerland, the other from France, died in similar accidents in the Alps. A base-jump is defined as a leap off a fixed high point -- the name being an acronym for Building, Antenna, Span (such as bridges) and Earth (natural settings). Unlike skydiving which involves leaping from an aircraft, base jumpers take off with a parachute from a fixed point, usually a cliff or a bridge. The sport carries high risks. A Norwegian study published in 2007 concluded that base-jumping is five to eight times more likely than skydiving to result in injury or death. | Man, 33, had attempted leap off Brevent in south-east France .
Rescue workers say he likely died on impact .
Two hours later a French base jumper also died in Mont Granier . | a74a2cf499fdf455f8277f0154d6a9250a7deb62 | <s>[INST] By . Agence France Presse . A 33-year-old Australian man has plunged to his death in south-east France while attempting to parachute off a cliff. Police said the man had thrown himself off the 2,600-metre peak of Brevent in the French Alps. Rescue workers said he likely died on impact. He was found 'several hundred metres lower in a wooded area below the site,' they said. The Australian was found several hundred metres below the peak . The base jumper had leapt from the 2,600-metre peak in Brevent, south-east France . Two hours later a French base jumper was also killed after hitting a rock face on his descent from Mont Granier in the neighbouring Isere region of southeastern France. The man, aged 52, and described as 'extremely experienced', was found 200 metres below the ledge from which he had jumped. 'He managed get over the first rock face, but not the second,' one of the rescuers said. Investigations have been launched into both accidents. An investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the accident. On August 6, two base-jumpers, one from Switzerland, the other from France, died in similar accidents in the Alps. A base-jump is defined as a leap off a fixed high point -- the name being an acronym for Building, Antenna, Span (such as bridges) and Earth (natural settings). Unlike skydiving which involves leaping from an aircraft, base jumpers take off with a parachute from a fixed point, usually a cliff or a bridge. The sport carries high risks. A Norwegian study published in 2007 concluded that base-jumping is five to eight times more likely than skydiving to result in injury or death. [/INST] Man, 33, had attempted leap off Brevent in south-east France .
Rescue workers say he likely died on impact .
Two hours later a French base jumper also died in Mont Granier . </s> |
(CNN) -- Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher will reach the 300-race milestone when he competes in this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix at Spa Francorchamps. The 43-year-old German is the second driver in F1 history, after Brazil's Rubens Barrichello, to achieve the feat and will be hoping for an upturn in his fortunes in his Mercedes. A superb podium finish at the European Grand Prix has been mixed with retirements in six of 10 races this season and Schumacher is confident he can turn it around on his favorite circuit. "Spa is like my living room; for me, it's clearly the number one race track in the world," Schumacher told the official F1 website. "It's uncanny how I always seem to have special moments there -- my debut, my first win, a world championship victory and many great races. "We delivered a good performance in Spa last year; I'll be doing everything possible to drive a strong race," he added. Schumacher's first appearance in F1 came at Spa in 1991 for Jordan before he moved to Benetton to win successive titles in 1994 and 1995. He switched to Ferrari the next year and won five further titles with the famous marque before retiring in 2006. His return in 2010 with Mercedes has not seen him add to his 91 GP wins, but he remains determined to carry on competing. "I'm proud to be just the second driver in the history of the sport to reach this milestone," he said. Barrichello made 326 Grand Prix appearances before retiring at the end of 2011. The Belgian Grand Prix sees the main contenders for the title lock horns again after the mid season break with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso leading the way with nine races remaining. | Michael Schumacher racing in his 300th Grand Prix this weekend .
Schumacher hoping for good performance in Belgian GP at Spa .
Seven-time champion says circuit is the "number one" in the world .
He made the podium for Mercedes at this year's European Grand Prix . | 298686a77987dcbb2bb6decc018e412105d2c253 | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher will reach the 300-race milestone when he competes in this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix at Spa Francorchamps. The 43-year-old German is the second driver in F1 history, after Brazil's Rubens Barrichello, to achieve the feat and will be hoping for an upturn in his fortunes in his Mercedes. A superb podium finish at the European Grand Prix has been mixed with retirements in six of 10 races this season and Schumacher is confident he can turn it around on his favorite circuit. "Spa is like my living room; for me, it's clearly the number one race track in the world," Schumacher told the official F1 website. "It's uncanny how I always seem to have special moments there -- my debut, my first win, a world championship victory and many great races. "We delivered a good performance in Spa last year; I'll be doing everything possible to drive a strong race," he added. Schumacher's first appearance in F1 came at Spa in 1991 for Jordan before he moved to Benetton to win successive titles in 1994 and 1995. He switched to Ferrari the next year and won five further titles with the famous marque before retiring in 2006. His return in 2010 with Mercedes has not seen him add to his 91 GP wins, but he remains determined to carry on competing. "I'm proud to be just the second driver in the history of the sport to reach this milestone," he said. Barrichello made 326 Grand Prix appearances before retiring at the end of 2011. The Belgian Grand Prix sees the main contenders for the title lock horns again after the mid season break with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso leading the way with nine races remaining. [/INST] Michael Schumacher racing in his 300th Grand Prix this weekend .
Schumacher hoping for good performance in Belgian GP at Spa .
Seven-time champion says circuit is the "number one" in the world .
He made the podium for Mercedes at this year's European Grand Prix . </s> |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:28 EST, 19 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:13 EST, 19 March 2014 . Accused: Donna Perry says she underwent a sex change in 2000 to stop being violent . A transgender woman accused of shooting dead three prostitutes in 1990 has blamed the killings on her violent male persona. Donna Perry, 62, appeared in court in Spokane, Washington on Tuesday - 24 years after she allegedly murdered the women and dumped their bodies on the banks of the Spokane River. When Perry was arrested in connection with the crimes in 2012, she claimed that she had transitioned into a female in 2000 to stop her male persona - Doug Perry - from being violent. 'Douglas didn't stop, . Donna stopped it,' Perry told police about the killings, according to an affidavit filed in January. 'I'm not going to admit I killed anybody, I didn't. Donna has killed nobody.' When asked if Doug was responsible, she responded: 'I don't know if . Doug did or not, it was 20 years ago and I have no idea whether he did . or did not,' according to ABC News. In claims that experts say will only fuel misunderstandings about transgender people, Perry claimed she had the sex-change operation in Thailand - which involves removing the testicles and therefore affecting testosterone production - 'as a . permanent way to control violence'. She claimed when a person transitions from male to female, 'there's a great downturn in violence' - which experts deny. She is accused of killing Yolanda . Sapp, Kathleen Brisbois and Nicki Lowe, whom police say were . prostitutes, and dumping their naked bodies on the river banks. Scroll down for video . In court: Perry appeared at a hearing in Spokane on Tuesday after initially refusing to go to court . Denial: The 62-year-old kept quiet in court apart from to say her name and birth date . Video Source KHQ . After . the case ran cold for more than two decades, Perry was linked to the . crimes through DNA and fingerprint evidence allegedly left at the murder . scenes. According to the affidavit, detectives also interviewed a woman who had shared a cell with Perry during a stint in an Oregon prison in 1998. She claimed that Perry said she had killed nine prostitutes 'because she couldn't breed and the women had the ability to have children and they were wasting it being "pond scum".' Perry is being held on $1 million bond in . a Spokane County jail and initially refused to appear in court on . Monday. On Tuesday, the judge issued a drag order and she was forced to . appear, KHQ reported. Victim: Nicki Lowe . Shot: Kathleen Brisbois . Loss: Yolanda Sapp . But experts have hit out at Perry's claim that her former identity was to blame, ABC reported. 'For some people, it's a metaphor: "I was a different person before I came out",' said Dr. Jack Drescher, a New York City psychiatrist. 'It's a certain way that they use the metaphor when transitioning for those who were very unhappy before and now are happy. But it's different when a person makes a claim that somehow they have no linkage to the person they used to be - that would be more of a disturbed presentation.' Experts also say there is no evidence that hormone therapy in gender treatments helps reduce aggression or violence. Scene: The women were shot and their naked bodies were dumped on the banks of the Spokane River . Mystery: The case was cold for more than two decades until Perry was linked to it through DNA evidence . Jack Halberstam, a transgender professor of American and gender studies at University of Southern California, said that Perry's publicized statements are a 'weak defense'. 'Even if we as a person are less aggressive once we resolved a gender disorder, it does not absolve the responsibility of killing three women,' he said. 'As a legal defense, putting away the science, it's absolute nonsense.' He added: 'Making being transgender into a motivating factor for murder is almost like the horror film, "Dressed to Kill". It feeds directly into the horror stories about gender identity disorder.' | Donna Perry is accused of killing Yolanda .
Sapp, Kathleen Brisbois and Nickie Lowe and dumping their naked bodies in Spokane, Washington .
Case fell cold for 20 years until DNA from Perry, who had a long rap sheet, 'matched samples found at the crime scenes'
Perry told detectives she underwent a sex change operation in 2000 in order to stop the violence she committed as a man, Doug Perry .
'Douglas didn't stop it, Donna stopped it,' she told detectives . | 9202078dc7a622839fe509591253fe6c64511d22 | <s>[INST] By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:28 EST, 19 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:13 EST, 19 March 2014 . Accused: Donna Perry says she underwent a sex change in 2000 to stop being violent . A transgender woman accused of shooting dead three prostitutes in 1990 has blamed the killings on her violent male persona. Donna Perry, 62, appeared in court in Spokane, Washington on Tuesday - 24 years after she allegedly murdered the women and dumped their bodies on the banks of the Spokane River. When Perry was arrested in connection with the crimes in 2012, she claimed that she had transitioned into a female in 2000 to stop her male persona - Doug Perry - from being violent. 'Douglas didn't stop, . Donna stopped it,' Perry told police about the killings, according to an affidavit filed in January. 'I'm not going to admit I killed anybody, I didn't. Donna has killed nobody.' When asked if Doug was responsible, she responded: 'I don't know if . Doug did or not, it was 20 years ago and I have no idea whether he did . or did not,' according to ABC News. In claims that experts say will only fuel misunderstandings about transgender people, Perry claimed she had the sex-change operation in Thailand - which involves removing the testicles and therefore affecting testosterone production - 'as a . permanent way to control violence'. She claimed when a person transitions from male to female, 'there's a great downturn in violence' - which experts deny. She is accused of killing Yolanda . Sapp, Kathleen Brisbois and Nicki Lowe, whom police say were . prostitutes, and dumping their naked bodies on the river banks. Scroll down for video . In court: Perry appeared at a hearing in Spokane on Tuesday after initially refusing to go to court . Denial: The 62-year-old kept quiet in court apart from to say her name and birth date . Video Source KHQ . After . the case ran cold for more than two decades, Perry was linked to the . crimes through DNA and fingerprint evidence allegedly left at the murder . scenes. According to the affidavit, detectives also interviewed a woman who had shared a cell with Perry during a stint in an Oregon prison in 1998. She claimed that Perry said she had killed nine prostitutes 'because she couldn't breed and the women had the ability to have children and they were wasting it being "pond scum".' Perry is being held on $1 million bond in . a Spokane County jail and initially refused to appear in court on . Monday. On Tuesday, the judge issued a drag order and she was forced to . appear, KHQ reported. Victim: Nicki Lowe . Shot: Kathleen Brisbois . Loss: Yolanda Sapp . But experts have hit out at Perry's claim that her former identity was to blame, ABC reported. 'For some people, it's a metaphor: "I was a different person before I came out",' said Dr. Jack Drescher, a New York City psychiatrist. 'It's a certain way that they use the metaphor when transitioning for those who were very unhappy before and now are happy. But it's different when a person makes a claim that somehow they have no linkage to the person they used to be - that would be more of a disturbed presentation.' Experts also say there is no evidence that hormone therapy in gender treatments helps reduce aggression or violence. Scene: The women were shot and their naked bodies were dumped on the banks of the Spokane River . Mystery: The case was cold for more than two decades until Perry was linked to it through DNA evidence . Jack Halberstam, a transgender professor of American and gender studies at University of Southern California, said that Perry's publicized statements are a 'weak defense'. 'Even if we as a person are less aggressive once we resolved a gender disorder, it does not absolve the responsibility of killing three women,' he said. 'As a legal defense, putting away the science, it's absolute nonsense.' He added: 'Making being transgender into a motivating factor for murder is almost like the horror film, "Dressed to Kill". It feeds directly into the horror stories about gender identity disorder.' [/INST] Donna Perry is accused of killing Yolanda .
Sapp, Kathleen Brisbois and Nickie Lowe and dumping their naked bodies in Spokane, Washington .
Case fell cold for 20 years until DNA from Perry, who had a long rap sheet, 'matched samples found at the crime scenes'
Perry told detectives she underwent a sex change operation in 2000 in order to stop the violence she committed as a man, Doug Perry .
'Douglas didn't stop it, Donna stopped it,' she told detectives . </s> |
(CNN) -- Coaching the Mexican national team is proving to be a difficult assignment. When Mexico parted company with Victor Manuel Vucetich and replaced him with Miguel Herrera on Friday, it marked the third time in a month El Tri changed their football manager. Vucetich didn't have much time to mold the side, as he was only brought in when interim boss Luis Fernando Tena got the boot. Tena himself inherited the position after Jose Manuel de la Torre received his marching orders earlier in September. Vucetich won his first game 2-1 against Panama, needing a late goal to earn all three points, but lost his second 2-1 at Costa Rica. Mexico, a proud footballing nation that has appeared in the last five World Cups, won men's Olympic gold in 2012 by topping Neymar's Brazil and captured the under-17 World Cup in 2011, only scraped into a World Cup playoff when fiercest rival the U.S. scored two goals in injury time to beat the Panamanians 3-2 on the road. Had Panama hung on for the victory, it, not Mexico, would have faced New Zealand next month in the two-leg shootout to reach Brazil. Vucetich, who has 25 years of coaching experience, likely didn't help his cause ahead of the game against Costa Rica when he labeled his team "arrogant." "In our game, sometimes we exaggerate, we become arrogant," he told reporters. "I think this is the moment that we should reflect and show, above all, on the pitch that we need to win." Vucetich revealed Thursday that he had been axed, with Mexico's football federation officially announcing the coaching shuffle Friday. Mexico's struggles in qualifying came as the U.S. topped the group, Costa Rica finished second and Honduras claimed the third and final automatic World Cup spot. While Mexico reached the second round in South Africa three years ago, Honduras was last in its group and Costa Rica didn't qualify for the tournament. On paper Herrera, a former defender for the national team, should lead Mexico to Brazil since New Zealand is ranked 79th by FIFA and Mexico stands 24th but the recent disarray won't hurt the Kiwis' chances of playing at a second straight World Cup. Herrera guided Club America to the Mexican Clausura title in May. Vucetich not the only manager to go . Vucetich hasn't been the only manager to lose his job despite his team making the playoffs -- Croatia fired former national team defender Igor Stimac after a 2-1 loss at Scotland. He was replaced by Niko Kovac, the former hard-nosed captain of Croatia. Australia sacked Holger Osieck following back-to-back 6-0 defeats against Brazil and France despite the Socceroos being one of the first nations to book a spot in Brazil. | Mexico fires manager Victor Manuel Vucetich after only two games in charge .
Vucetich won one of his games and led Mexico to a playoff against New Zealand .
Mexico has played in the last five World Cups and won men's gold at London 2012 .
Mexico squeaked into the playoffs after rival the U.S. rallied to beat Panama . | 5248aa11992b67f2c1075a04ddeb4ee1f0362899 | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- Coaching the Mexican national team is proving to be a difficult assignment. When Mexico parted company with Victor Manuel Vucetich and replaced him with Miguel Herrera on Friday, it marked the third time in a month El Tri changed their football manager. Vucetich didn't have much time to mold the side, as he was only brought in when interim boss Luis Fernando Tena got the boot. Tena himself inherited the position after Jose Manuel de la Torre received his marching orders earlier in September. Vucetich won his first game 2-1 against Panama, needing a late goal to earn all three points, but lost his second 2-1 at Costa Rica. Mexico, a proud footballing nation that has appeared in the last five World Cups, won men's Olympic gold in 2012 by topping Neymar's Brazil and captured the under-17 World Cup in 2011, only scraped into a World Cup playoff when fiercest rival the U.S. scored two goals in injury time to beat the Panamanians 3-2 on the road. Had Panama hung on for the victory, it, not Mexico, would have faced New Zealand next month in the two-leg shootout to reach Brazil. Vucetich, who has 25 years of coaching experience, likely didn't help his cause ahead of the game against Costa Rica when he labeled his team "arrogant." "In our game, sometimes we exaggerate, we become arrogant," he told reporters. "I think this is the moment that we should reflect and show, above all, on the pitch that we need to win." Vucetich revealed Thursday that he had been axed, with Mexico's football federation officially announcing the coaching shuffle Friday. Mexico's struggles in qualifying came as the U.S. topped the group, Costa Rica finished second and Honduras claimed the third and final automatic World Cup spot. While Mexico reached the second round in South Africa three years ago, Honduras was last in its group and Costa Rica didn't qualify for the tournament. On paper Herrera, a former defender for the national team, should lead Mexico to Brazil since New Zealand is ranked 79th by FIFA and Mexico stands 24th but the recent disarray won't hurt the Kiwis' chances of playing at a second straight World Cup. Herrera guided Club America to the Mexican Clausura title in May. Vucetich not the only manager to go . Vucetich hasn't been the only manager to lose his job despite his team making the playoffs -- Croatia fired former national team defender Igor Stimac after a 2-1 loss at Scotland. He was replaced by Niko Kovac, the former hard-nosed captain of Croatia. Australia sacked Holger Osieck following back-to-back 6-0 defeats against Brazil and France despite the Socceroos being one of the first nations to book a spot in Brazil. [/INST] Mexico fires manager Victor Manuel Vucetich after only two games in charge .
Vucetich won one of his games and led Mexico to a playoff against New Zealand .
Mexico has played in the last five World Cups and won men's gold at London 2012 .
Mexico squeaked into the playoffs after rival the U.S. rallied to beat Panama . </s> |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:37 EST, 1 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:38 EST, 1 October 2012 . The larger-than-life family that features on Here Comes Honey Boo Boo was apparently given a huge raise after the second episode aired. Matriarch June Shannon and her brood had been due to get between $5,00 and $7,000 an episode, however that figure was boosted to between $15,000 and $20,000 once TLC realised how popular the show was, reports today claim. And it seems the family did not even expect or demand the pay increase. Cashing in? The family behind Here Comes Honey Boo Boo was apparently given a huge raise by TLC, to around $15,000-$20,000 an episode . According to TMZ, 'network honchos approached the family and . told them they were boosting their salary.' It added that TLC also offered to cover a number of additional expenses for the family, including a driver and bodyguard figure for Ms Shannon's partner Sugar Bear who was hospitalized recently after a 'mud-boggin' crash. The site also reports that the network wanted to help the clan relocate to a larger and more secure home, but Ms Shannon declined the offer as she likes to decorate the property over the holidays for the local community. Ms Shannon has also refused to sign with an agent, despite numerous offers, TMZ says, for fear that a publicity schedule would keep her away from Sugar Bear and her girls. The subject of the Shannon-Thompson family's salaries came to light last month, when The Hollywood Reporter claimed the family were being paid just $2,000 an episode - a small figure compared with how much TLC would profit from their antics. Ms Shannon scoffed at the suggestion, however, insisting to TMZ that the family is paid 'a good deal more'. She refused to divulge the exact amount TLC are giving - vaguely adding 'we're making memories to last a lifetime'. TV gold: The star of the show is seven-year-old Alana. Her appearance on Toddlers & Tiaras inspired TLC bosses to give her a spin-off series . However other reality TV stars such as NeNe Leakes of Atlanta Housewives and Jersey . Shore's Snooki are known to score six-figure salaries for their on-screen exploits. TLC offered seven-year-old beauty queen Alana Thompson, aka Honey Boo Boo and her self-proclaimed redneck family their own spin-off series this year after she appeared on Toddlers & Tiaras. She and her mother sparked concern and outrage from viewers after it emerged that she was drinking caffeinated soft drinks to give her energy before pageants. The debut season of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo enjoyed an average of 2.4 million viewers er episode. In response to the show’s success, TLC . has ordered three HOLLAday specials (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas) and additional episodes of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. 'Here Comes Honey Boo Boo has become a . pop culture phenomenon,' said Amy Winter, general manager of TLC. 'What . you see is what you get and we are excited to share even more of Alana . and her family's unbridled hilarity, sincerity and love with our . viewers.' | The redneck clan had apparently been getting $5,000-$7,000 an episode, but was given a salary boost by TLC after episode two . | 3f5b21fc2e877234b0c9f8c177917c2fe81f02ba | <s>[INST] By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:37 EST, 1 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:38 EST, 1 October 2012 . The larger-than-life family that features on Here Comes Honey Boo Boo was apparently given a huge raise after the second episode aired. Matriarch June Shannon and her brood had been due to get between $5,00 and $7,000 an episode, however that figure was boosted to between $15,000 and $20,000 once TLC realised how popular the show was, reports today claim. And it seems the family did not even expect or demand the pay increase. Cashing in? The family behind Here Comes Honey Boo Boo was apparently given a huge raise by TLC, to around $15,000-$20,000 an episode . According to TMZ, 'network honchos approached the family and . told them they were boosting their salary.' It added that TLC also offered to cover a number of additional expenses for the family, including a driver and bodyguard figure for Ms Shannon's partner Sugar Bear who was hospitalized recently after a 'mud-boggin' crash. The site also reports that the network wanted to help the clan relocate to a larger and more secure home, but Ms Shannon declined the offer as she likes to decorate the property over the holidays for the local community. Ms Shannon has also refused to sign with an agent, despite numerous offers, TMZ says, for fear that a publicity schedule would keep her away from Sugar Bear and her girls. The subject of the Shannon-Thompson family's salaries came to light last month, when The Hollywood Reporter claimed the family were being paid just $2,000 an episode - a small figure compared with how much TLC would profit from their antics. Ms Shannon scoffed at the suggestion, however, insisting to TMZ that the family is paid 'a good deal more'. She refused to divulge the exact amount TLC are giving - vaguely adding 'we're making memories to last a lifetime'. TV gold: The star of the show is seven-year-old Alana. Her appearance on Toddlers & Tiaras inspired TLC bosses to give her a spin-off series . However other reality TV stars such as NeNe Leakes of Atlanta Housewives and Jersey . Shore's Snooki are known to score six-figure salaries for their on-screen exploits. TLC offered seven-year-old beauty queen Alana Thompson, aka Honey Boo Boo and her self-proclaimed redneck family their own spin-off series this year after she appeared on Toddlers & Tiaras. She and her mother sparked concern and outrage from viewers after it emerged that she was drinking caffeinated soft drinks to give her energy before pageants. The debut season of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo enjoyed an average of 2.4 million viewers er episode. In response to the show’s success, TLC . has ordered three HOLLAday specials (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas) and additional episodes of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. 'Here Comes Honey Boo Boo has become a . pop culture phenomenon,' said Amy Winter, general manager of TLC. 'What . you see is what you get and we are excited to share even more of Alana . and her family's unbridled hilarity, sincerity and love with our . viewers.' [/INST] The redneck clan had apparently been getting $5,000-$7,000 an episode, but was given a salary boost by TLC after episode two . </s> |
Barcelona (CNN) -- The world must act now to prevent a new digital caste system from emerging, Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt told the world's largest mobile phone gathering in Barcelona, Spain. In his keynote address at the Mobile World Congress, Schmidt said for the "aspiring majority" of five out of seven billion global citizens, "the web is still a scarce resource." "The first future belongs to the early adopters, the lucky few. For this group the future offers only the limits of science and ethics," he said. "For most people the digital revolution has not arrived yet. Every revolution begins with a small group of people. Imagine how much better it would be with another five billion people online," he said. Schmidt predicted that in the next decade there would be many improvements to connectivity; but there is a limit to the amount of new infrastructure that would be laid by 2020, he said. "Smartphones are part of the solution, but having a smartphone is not enough to get you online." He suggested that isolated communities could share data in peer-to-peer or "mesh networks," describing them as a "digital watering hole." Anyone with solar equipment can set up a network, he said. "Even modest amounts of connectivity changes lives." In this new world it will be easier for people to mobilize against dictators, as the uprisings in the Arab World had shown, he said. Some governments would try to control access to the web and new technology, but he said he believed they were going to fail. "Citizens will demand a more ethical deal. There will still be elites, but technology is a leveler, and those with nothing will have something." "Everyone is blessed with creativity and imagination and the capacity for innovation. In every person there's an even better company waiting to get out. Let us commit ourselves to building a world where everyone has a chance to be connected," he said. In his 2010 keynote at the MWC, Schmidt proclaimed Google's new strategy of "putting mobile first." The following year he gave an update on the rise of Android and emphasized the importance of cloud computing to the future of new mobile services. | Google's Eric Schmidt says web "still a scarce resource" for majority of world's citizens .
Schmidt: "For most people the digital revolution has not arrived yet"
Isolated communities need peer-to-peer data-sharing networks, he says .
Schmidt: "Technology is a leveler, and those with nothing will have something" | 064396600b73dc4418ef783fc82f4fe1ff038f6d | <s>[INST] Barcelona (CNN) -- The world must act now to prevent a new digital caste system from emerging, Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt told the world's largest mobile phone gathering in Barcelona, Spain. In his keynote address at the Mobile World Congress, Schmidt said for the "aspiring majority" of five out of seven billion global citizens, "the web is still a scarce resource." "The first future belongs to the early adopters, the lucky few. For this group the future offers only the limits of science and ethics," he said. "For most people the digital revolution has not arrived yet. Every revolution begins with a small group of people. Imagine how much better it would be with another five billion people online," he said. Schmidt predicted that in the next decade there would be many improvements to connectivity; but there is a limit to the amount of new infrastructure that would be laid by 2020, he said. "Smartphones are part of the solution, but having a smartphone is not enough to get you online." He suggested that isolated communities could share data in peer-to-peer or "mesh networks," describing them as a "digital watering hole." Anyone with solar equipment can set up a network, he said. "Even modest amounts of connectivity changes lives." In this new world it will be easier for people to mobilize against dictators, as the uprisings in the Arab World had shown, he said. Some governments would try to control access to the web and new technology, but he said he believed they were going to fail. "Citizens will demand a more ethical deal. There will still be elites, but technology is a leveler, and those with nothing will have something." "Everyone is blessed with creativity and imagination and the capacity for innovation. In every person there's an even better company waiting to get out. Let us commit ourselves to building a world where everyone has a chance to be connected," he said. In his 2010 keynote at the MWC, Schmidt proclaimed Google's new strategy of "putting mobile first." The following year he gave an update on the rise of Android and emphasized the importance of cloud computing to the future of new mobile services. [/INST] Google's Eric Schmidt says web "still a scarce resource" for majority of world's citizens .
Schmidt: "For most people the digital revolution has not arrived yet"
Isolated communities need peer-to-peer data-sharing networks, he says .
Schmidt: "Technology is a leveler, and those with nothing will have something" </s> |
Two Subway employees have been fired after getting fresh -- not in the way the restaurant chain intended -- including one who put his genitals on a loaf of bread, took a picture, then shared the image online. The incident came to light over the past few days at a Subway franchise abutting a gas station in Dublin, Ohio. Specifically, the uproar centers around two images that were posted to a social networking site and eventually picked up by other sites, including Gawker. One shows a male putting his genitals on what appears to be a loaf of Subway bread. In the other, a hand is shown holding what used to be a water bottle that's half-filled with a cream-colored substance. Under it is the caption: "Today at work I froze my pee." Using the slogan "Eat Fresh," Subway boasts being the world's largest restaurant chain, with about 38,000 locations in 100 countries. The company released a statement Tuesday about what it called an "isolated incident (that) is not representative of Subway sandwich artists," the latter term being what Subway calls those who make sandwiches at its restaurants. "These actions are not tolerated and the franchisee took immediate action to terminate the two employees involved," Subway said. Gilligan Oil, the company that owns and operates the Subway franchise in question, did not respond immediately Tuesday to CNN's request for comment. But its director of operations, Bob Gierhart, did tell CNN affiliate WBNS that the restaurant was closed Monday so all its bread could be thrown out and all its surfaces could be sanitized. "We do our best to hire properly," Gierhart said. "We had a couple of kids who don't understand the ramifications of what they do and what they post." According to Columbus Public Health, whose inspectors routinely check on restaurants in the area, the Subway franchise did not have any critical violations in its last two inspections that took place this past March and in October 2012. The restaurant did have violations before then, according to information posted online, though all of these were corrected at the time of the inspections. The violations included things like problems with temperatures at which foods were being held, unsafe food not being properly discarded and employees failing to properly wash their hands. Prospective customers, meanwhile, expressed disgust after hearing of the employees' behavior. "I think I want to go home and consider puking," Jason South told WBNS. "... Sometimes these things kind of go on in fast-food restaurants, and most of us just really don't want to know about it." Patrick Gibson told the same station that he used to go to that Subway franchise because his co-workers told him it was "the cleanest one around." But that's hard for him to swallow now, nor does he understand why the offending employees did what they did. "I don't get what the joke is," Gibson said. "I don't get that it's funny." Read more: 10 people who learned social media can get you fired . | Two employees at a Subway in central Ohio have been fired after posting photos online .
One showed genitals on a loaf of bread; the other a bottle allegedly filled with frozen urine .
"These actions are not tolerated," Subway says in a statement .
After hearing what happened, a customer says, "I think I want to go home and consider puking" | c127780519f855dd08561518b325867cf6f5a250 | <s>[INST] Two Subway employees have been fired after getting fresh -- not in the way the restaurant chain intended -- including one who put his genitals on a loaf of bread, took a picture, then shared the image online. The incident came to light over the past few days at a Subway franchise abutting a gas station in Dublin, Ohio. Specifically, the uproar centers around two images that were posted to a social networking site and eventually picked up by other sites, including Gawker. One shows a male putting his genitals on what appears to be a loaf of Subway bread. In the other, a hand is shown holding what used to be a water bottle that's half-filled with a cream-colored substance. Under it is the caption: "Today at work I froze my pee." Using the slogan "Eat Fresh," Subway boasts being the world's largest restaurant chain, with about 38,000 locations in 100 countries. The company released a statement Tuesday about what it called an "isolated incident (that) is not representative of Subway sandwich artists," the latter term being what Subway calls those who make sandwiches at its restaurants. "These actions are not tolerated and the franchisee took immediate action to terminate the two employees involved," Subway said. Gilligan Oil, the company that owns and operates the Subway franchise in question, did not respond immediately Tuesday to CNN's request for comment. But its director of operations, Bob Gierhart, did tell CNN affiliate WBNS that the restaurant was closed Monday so all its bread could be thrown out and all its surfaces could be sanitized. "We do our best to hire properly," Gierhart said. "We had a couple of kids who don't understand the ramifications of what they do and what they post." According to Columbus Public Health, whose inspectors routinely check on restaurants in the area, the Subway franchise did not have any critical violations in its last two inspections that took place this past March and in October 2012. The restaurant did have violations before then, according to information posted online, though all of these were corrected at the time of the inspections. The violations included things like problems with temperatures at which foods were being held, unsafe food not being properly discarded and employees failing to properly wash their hands. Prospective customers, meanwhile, expressed disgust after hearing of the employees' behavior. "I think I want to go home and consider puking," Jason South told WBNS. "... Sometimes these things kind of go on in fast-food restaurants, and most of us just really don't want to know about it." Patrick Gibson told the same station that he used to go to that Subway franchise because his co-workers told him it was "the cleanest one around." But that's hard for him to swallow now, nor does he understand why the offending employees did what they did. "I don't get what the joke is," Gibson said. "I don't get that it's funny." Read more: 10 people who learned social media can get you fired . [/INST] Two employees at a Subway in central Ohio have been fired after posting photos online .
One showed genitals on a loaf of bread; the other a bottle allegedly filled with frozen urine .
"These actions are not tolerated," Subway says in a statement .
After hearing what happened, a customer says, "I think I want to go home and consider puking" </s> |
Art fans better be sure to turn the thermostat down as this sculptor can't take the heat. Nick Elphick, 35, creates his incredibly accurate sculptures using chocolate as his main medium. Nick's cocoa creations include a six foot tall sculpture of the Queen's head and a 15kg carving of Motorhead lead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister. Nick Elphick sculpted images of the Queen using chocolate for the Diamond Jubilee . The full-time sculptor, from Llandudno, north Wales, has even created a number of animal sculptures using the tasty treat. Nick's sweet sculptures have been earning him quite the name for himself, so much so that the artist has even been approached by his celebrity subjects. 'Lemmy heard that I was doing the sculpture of him and I was told he was interested in it. Nick's sculptures can take him up to five months to complete in full . Nick works with chocolate in a similar way sculptors work with clay . 'I invited him down and presented it to him - it was an incredible moment. I've never felt to starstruck before - he's a really genuine guy. 'I was always a fan of his music growing up and he used to live and work in north Wales so it was a great thing to do for him.' Nick's devotion to his idol was second to none with the piece taking him almost half a year to complete in full. 'It took around five months to complete - around the same amount of time it took to make the bronze head of the Queen. One the projects that Nick is most proud of is his sculptures of Lemmy Kilmister from Motorhead . Lemmy heard about Nick's project and was so interested in his work that he came to see the piece himself . 'I did that one especially for the Jubilee in 2012 so it was a very special sculpture.' As well as his celebrity tributes Nick has also created an impressive range of animal sculptures include a giant-sized dog head, a lion and a deer carving. The vast scale of his work means that Nick has to dedicate an ample amount of time and money to his craft. 'I have to sacrifice a lot to be able to commit to being an artist and sculptor. 'It's not cheap at all - I've been sculpting things for 20 years and there are always new challenges.' Nick says that his sculptures are edible and you could potentially nibble on them . 'They take a lot of time and effort to make - I sometime find that I lose myself in the work. 'But I'm a real perfectionist to I've taken between two and six months on some pieces of work - it's vital that they're done to the highest standard possible.' Nick has created several successful models now but says it is hard to choose which one he likes the best. 'It's hard to say which ones are my favourite because I've done so many. 'But the punks ones are definitely fun to look at because they're so quirky.' Nick has began to experiment more and more with the cocoa treat and says that technically his sculptures are edible. 'More and more of my pieces are being made from chocolate so in theory you could actually nibble on them.' | Nick Elphick uses chocolate to create giant sculptures of celebrities .
His subjects include the Queen and Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister .
Lemmy was so impressed with Nick's work that he came to visit it himself .
Nick's sculptures can take him up to five months to complete . | 7f4826798f5c43fb93216a5ea4c5da5ab0b11c31 | <s>[INST] Art fans better be sure to turn the thermostat down as this sculptor can't take the heat. Nick Elphick, 35, creates his incredibly accurate sculptures using chocolate as his main medium. Nick's cocoa creations include a six foot tall sculpture of the Queen's head and a 15kg carving of Motorhead lead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister. Nick Elphick sculpted images of the Queen using chocolate for the Diamond Jubilee . The full-time sculptor, from Llandudno, north Wales, has even created a number of animal sculptures using the tasty treat. Nick's sweet sculptures have been earning him quite the name for himself, so much so that the artist has even been approached by his celebrity subjects. 'Lemmy heard that I was doing the sculpture of him and I was told he was interested in it. Nick's sculptures can take him up to five months to complete in full . Nick works with chocolate in a similar way sculptors work with clay . 'I invited him down and presented it to him - it was an incredible moment. I've never felt to starstruck before - he's a really genuine guy. 'I was always a fan of his music growing up and he used to live and work in north Wales so it was a great thing to do for him.' Nick's devotion to his idol was second to none with the piece taking him almost half a year to complete in full. 'It took around five months to complete - around the same amount of time it took to make the bronze head of the Queen. One the projects that Nick is most proud of is his sculptures of Lemmy Kilmister from Motorhead . Lemmy heard about Nick's project and was so interested in his work that he came to see the piece himself . 'I did that one especially for the Jubilee in 2012 so it was a very special sculpture.' As well as his celebrity tributes Nick has also created an impressive range of animal sculptures include a giant-sized dog head, a lion and a deer carving. The vast scale of his work means that Nick has to dedicate an ample amount of time and money to his craft. 'I have to sacrifice a lot to be able to commit to being an artist and sculptor. 'It's not cheap at all - I've been sculpting things for 20 years and there are always new challenges.' Nick says that his sculptures are edible and you could potentially nibble on them . 'They take a lot of time and effort to make - I sometime find that I lose myself in the work. 'But I'm a real perfectionist to I've taken between two and six months on some pieces of work - it's vital that they're done to the highest standard possible.' Nick has created several successful models now but says it is hard to choose which one he likes the best. 'It's hard to say which ones are my favourite because I've done so many. 'But the punks ones are definitely fun to look at because they're so quirky.' Nick has began to experiment more and more with the cocoa treat and says that technically his sculptures are edible. 'More and more of my pieces are being made from chocolate so in theory you could actually nibble on them.' [/INST] Nick Elphick uses chocolate to create giant sculptures of celebrities .
His subjects include the Queen and Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister .
Lemmy was so impressed with Nick's work that he came to visit it himself .
Nick's sculptures can take him up to five months to complete . </s> |
Allegations: Bo Xilai, who hoped to join the Chinese Communist Party's politburo in Beijing, has been accused of being involved in the death of Mr Heywood . The Chinese politician whose wife is accused of the alleged murder of British businessman Neil Heywood drew up three different cover stories for the planned killing of his own police chief, it has been claimed. Bo Xilai, then a rising star of the Chinese Communist Party who hoped to join its powerful politburo in Beijing, was apparently trying to prevent the police chief, Wang Lijun, from revealing that Mr Heywood had been murdered. Mr Wang took shelter at the US consulate in Chengdu in February, where he told diplomats that Mr Heywood was poisoned by Mr Bo's wife, Gu Kailai. The police chief reportedly told them Ms Gu had confessed to the killing. The . latest allegations against Mr Bo suggest that he was much more deeply . involved in silencing Mr Wang than was previously thought. Hong . Kong magazine New Way has claimed in an investigation that Mr Bo drew . up three false explanations to hide the planned killing of Mr Wang, . having already allegedly arrested and tortured several members of the . police chief's inner circle. Jiang . Weiping, a Chinese journalist now living in exile in Canada after being . jailed for reporting on Mr Bo, said details of the plot had been . confirmed to him by sources in Chongqing, the city where Mr Heywood was . allegedly murdered. Mr . Jiang told the Sunday Telegraph that Mr Bo invented scenarios to explain . Mr Wang's death and to play down any suggestions that he was involved. The first story was to blame the killing on the local mafia as revenge for police efforts to fight crime in the city. The second was to pretend Mr Wang had committed suicide to escape being punished for corruption. The third fake explanation was suicide caused by Mr Wang's depression. Accused: Bo Xilai's wife Gu Kailai (left) is said to have confessed to being present when British businessman Neil Heywood (right) was poisoned. The pair had allegedly had an affair . Questions: Chinese officials are investigating . whether Mr Heywood was poisoned with cyanide after falling out with Mr . Bo (right) and his wife Gu Kailai (left) Mr Bo opted for the third . explanation, the magazine claimed, because the first was too difficult . and the second would undermine his push for national power. His aides are said to have forged Mr Wang's medical history to suggest the police chief suffered from depression. They . are also believed to have leaked a supposed hospital certificate on the . internet in an attempt to spread the word that Mr Wang was mentally . unstable. The magazine . claimed that five members of Mr Wang's circle were interrogated - with . two of them dying under torture - and others were put under . surveillance. Mr Wang became aware that his life was in danger and went to the US consulate, the report continued. Chris . Johnson, the former chief analyst of the CIA, said: 'It does seem that . his intention was not to defect but to find a safe haven because he . realised that the gig was up in Chongqing and he needed to get out of . there as quickly as possible. 'For Bo's enemies, Wang is golden. It certainly won't just be Neil Heywood's death that he is telling them about.' The new allegations are the latest of many to emerge since Mr Heywood, 41, died in suspicious circumstances six months ago. The body of the Old Harrovian business ‘fixer’, who had known the Bo family for a decade, was found in a hotel in Chongqing last November. It has been alleged that he was murdered apparently to stop him disclosing secrets of Mr Bo's wealth transferred out of China. Suspicious: The reception area of the Nanshan . Lijing Holiday Hotel in Chongqing, China, where British businessman Neil . Heywood was found dead . Ms . Gu, who had allegedly had an affair with Mr Heywood, is said to have . told Mr Wang that she was in the hotel room during the ‘gruesome’ poisoning. Mr Wang reportedly told U.S. diplomats . that Mr Heywood was held down in a Chongqing hotel room in November and . forced to drink cyanide. Mr Heywood had, before his death, been raising cash to build an £80million shopping centre dedicated to British goods. Mrs . Gu is alleged to have started an affair with him after she was denied . ‘any normal passion’ from her husband, said Wang Kang, a Chongqing scholar . with contacts inside Mr Bo's circle. They . are even said to have visited Britain together and occasionally shared . an apartment in the seaside resort of Bournemouth, which was registered . to Mrs Gu. Target: Bo Xilai is said to have drawn up three cover stories for the planned killing of police chief Wang Lijun, pictured . Mr Heywood's death ended the political . career of Mr Bo, who was sacked from his post after it was claimed he . had wire-tapped senior Communist Party leaders. The wire-tapping network was reportedly discovered when anti-corruption . officials detected a phone call made to Chinese President Hu Jintao was . being bugged. Mr Bo's son Guagua read Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford's Balliol College. He later studied at Harvard University in the U.S. but is now believed to be in hiding. Bo Guagua has tried to play down reports that he enjoyed a playboy lifestyle at Oxford. He said his academic record was ‘solid’ and he had earned a string of top grades. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Bo Xilai came up with three different cover stories for the planned killing of Wang Lijun, report claims .
Mr Bo is alleged to have tried to prevent the police chief reporting that Briton Neil Heywood had been murdered .
Mr Bo's wife Gu Kailai is accused of poisoning Mr Heywood . | 4eba0b2c4a6a44e9b1ab98d790581bcadb805fe5 | <s>[INST] Allegations: Bo Xilai, who hoped to join the Chinese Communist Party's politburo in Beijing, has been accused of being involved in the death of Mr Heywood . The Chinese politician whose wife is accused of the alleged murder of British businessman Neil Heywood drew up three different cover stories for the planned killing of his own police chief, it has been claimed. Bo Xilai, then a rising star of the Chinese Communist Party who hoped to join its powerful politburo in Beijing, was apparently trying to prevent the police chief, Wang Lijun, from revealing that Mr Heywood had been murdered. Mr Wang took shelter at the US consulate in Chengdu in February, where he told diplomats that Mr Heywood was poisoned by Mr Bo's wife, Gu Kailai. The police chief reportedly told them Ms Gu had confessed to the killing. The . latest allegations against Mr Bo suggest that he was much more deeply . involved in silencing Mr Wang than was previously thought. Hong . Kong magazine New Way has claimed in an investigation that Mr Bo drew . up three false explanations to hide the planned killing of Mr Wang, . having already allegedly arrested and tortured several members of the . police chief's inner circle. Jiang . Weiping, a Chinese journalist now living in exile in Canada after being . jailed for reporting on Mr Bo, said details of the plot had been . confirmed to him by sources in Chongqing, the city where Mr Heywood was . allegedly murdered. Mr . Jiang told the Sunday Telegraph that Mr Bo invented scenarios to explain . Mr Wang's death and to play down any suggestions that he was involved. The first story was to blame the killing on the local mafia as revenge for police efforts to fight crime in the city. The second was to pretend Mr Wang had committed suicide to escape being punished for corruption. The third fake explanation was suicide caused by Mr Wang's depression. Accused: Bo Xilai's wife Gu Kailai (left) is said to have confessed to being present when British businessman Neil Heywood (right) was poisoned. The pair had allegedly had an affair . Questions: Chinese officials are investigating . whether Mr Heywood was poisoned with cyanide after falling out with Mr . Bo (right) and his wife Gu Kailai (left) Mr Bo opted for the third . explanation, the magazine claimed, because the first was too difficult . and the second would undermine his push for national power. His aides are said to have forged Mr Wang's medical history to suggest the police chief suffered from depression. They . are also believed to have leaked a supposed hospital certificate on the . internet in an attempt to spread the word that Mr Wang was mentally . unstable. The magazine . claimed that five members of Mr Wang's circle were interrogated - with . two of them dying under torture - and others were put under . surveillance. Mr Wang became aware that his life was in danger and went to the US consulate, the report continued. Chris . Johnson, the former chief analyst of the CIA, said: 'It does seem that . his intention was not to defect but to find a safe haven because he . realised that the gig was up in Chongqing and he needed to get out of . there as quickly as possible. 'For Bo's enemies, Wang is golden. It certainly won't just be Neil Heywood's death that he is telling them about.' The new allegations are the latest of many to emerge since Mr Heywood, 41, died in suspicious circumstances six months ago. The body of the Old Harrovian business ‘fixer’, who had known the Bo family for a decade, was found in a hotel in Chongqing last November. It has been alleged that he was murdered apparently to stop him disclosing secrets of Mr Bo's wealth transferred out of China. Suspicious: The reception area of the Nanshan . Lijing Holiday Hotel in Chongqing, China, where British businessman Neil . Heywood was found dead . Ms . Gu, who had allegedly had an affair with Mr Heywood, is said to have . told Mr Wang that she was in the hotel room during the ‘gruesome’ poisoning. Mr Wang reportedly told U.S. diplomats . that Mr Heywood was held down in a Chongqing hotel room in November and . forced to drink cyanide. Mr Heywood had, before his death, been raising cash to build an £80million shopping centre dedicated to British goods. Mrs . Gu is alleged to have started an affair with him after she was denied . ‘any normal passion’ from her husband, said Wang Kang, a Chongqing scholar . with contacts inside Mr Bo's circle. They . are even said to have visited Britain together and occasionally shared . an apartment in the seaside resort of Bournemouth, which was registered . to Mrs Gu. Target: Bo Xilai is said to have drawn up three cover stories for the planned killing of police chief Wang Lijun, pictured . Mr Heywood's death ended the political . career of Mr Bo, who was sacked from his post after it was claimed he . had wire-tapped senior Communist Party leaders. The wire-tapping network was reportedly discovered when anti-corruption . officials detected a phone call made to Chinese President Hu Jintao was . being bugged. Mr Bo's son Guagua read Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford's Balliol College. He later studied at Harvard University in the U.S. but is now believed to be in hiding. Bo Guagua has tried to play down reports that he enjoyed a playboy lifestyle at Oxford. He said his academic record was ‘solid’ and he had earned a string of top grades. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. [/INST] Bo Xilai came up with three different cover stories for the planned killing of Wang Lijun, report claims .
Mr Bo is alleged to have tried to prevent the police chief reporting that Briton Neil Heywood had been murdered .
Mr Bo's wife Gu Kailai is accused of poisoning Mr Heywood . </s> |
(CNN) -- The terrorist group al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has confirmed the death of U.S.-born militant cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, calling him a martyr, according to a statement posted Sunday on jihadi internet forums. Al-Awlaki was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Yemen on September 30, but American officials said internet postings following his death indicated many who share his ideas did not believe he had been killed and were seeking confirmation. Another American named Samir Khan and two other people also died, officials said. Khan was the co-editor of the terrorist network's English-language online propaganda and recruiting magazine, Inspire. Computer virus infects U.S. drone operation program . The AQAP "eulogy" states that while the United States killed al-Awlaki, it "cannot kill his ideas," according to an English translation provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadi forums. The statement also picks up on a theme being discussed in the United States: whether the United States had the right to target and kill al-Awlaki without a legal trial and guilty verdict. The controversy is complicated by the fact al-Awlaki was a U.S. citizen. The message said the United States killed al-Awlaki and Khan but "did not prove the accusation against them, and did not present evidence against them." The statement claims such actions go against the values the U.S. espouses. The New York Times reported Sunday that the Justice Department prepared legal guidance in the summer of 2010 which said the United States could kill al-Awlaki if it was not possible to capture him. In Sunday's message, AQAP also promised to "retaliate soon" for the deaths of al-Awlaki and the three others. The U.S. issued a worldwide alert earlier this month warning of "the potential for retaliation against U.S. citizens and interests" following al-Awlaki's killing. Born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, al-Awlaki lived in the United States until the age of 7, when his family returned to Yemen. He returned to the United States in 1991 for college and remained until 2002. During his stay in the United States, he served as an imam in California and Virginia, and interacted with three of the men who went on to become September 11, 2001, hijackers, according to the 9/11 Commission report. He publicly condemned the attack afterward. U.S. officials say he recruited Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, the Nigerian man known as the underwear bomber, who was charged with trying to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight as it landed in Detroit on December 25, 2009. The militant cleric is also said to have exchanged e-mails with accused Fort Hood shooter Maj. Nidal Hasan, who is accused of killing a dozen fellow soldiers in Texas. | Terrorist group confirms militant cleric's death in online "eulogy"
Anwar al-Awlaki was killed in a U.S. drone strike September 30 .
The group says that though the U.S. killed him, it "cannot kill his ideas" | 20698bded669404fee318aaa5dff22c1eb97c0b9 | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- The terrorist group al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has confirmed the death of U.S.-born militant cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, calling him a martyr, according to a statement posted Sunday on jihadi internet forums. Al-Awlaki was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Yemen on September 30, but American officials said internet postings following his death indicated many who share his ideas did not believe he had been killed and were seeking confirmation. Another American named Samir Khan and two other people also died, officials said. Khan was the co-editor of the terrorist network's English-language online propaganda and recruiting magazine, Inspire. Computer virus infects U.S. drone operation program . The AQAP "eulogy" states that while the United States killed al-Awlaki, it "cannot kill his ideas," according to an English translation provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadi forums. The statement also picks up on a theme being discussed in the United States: whether the United States had the right to target and kill al-Awlaki without a legal trial and guilty verdict. The controversy is complicated by the fact al-Awlaki was a U.S. citizen. The message said the United States killed al-Awlaki and Khan but "did not prove the accusation against them, and did not present evidence against them." The statement claims such actions go against the values the U.S. espouses. The New York Times reported Sunday that the Justice Department prepared legal guidance in the summer of 2010 which said the United States could kill al-Awlaki if it was not possible to capture him. In Sunday's message, AQAP also promised to "retaliate soon" for the deaths of al-Awlaki and the three others. The U.S. issued a worldwide alert earlier this month warning of "the potential for retaliation against U.S. citizens and interests" following al-Awlaki's killing. Born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, al-Awlaki lived in the United States until the age of 7, when his family returned to Yemen. He returned to the United States in 1991 for college and remained until 2002. During his stay in the United States, he served as an imam in California and Virginia, and interacted with three of the men who went on to become September 11, 2001, hijackers, according to the 9/11 Commission report. He publicly condemned the attack afterward. U.S. officials say he recruited Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, the Nigerian man known as the underwear bomber, who was charged with trying to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight as it landed in Detroit on December 25, 2009. The militant cleric is also said to have exchanged e-mails with accused Fort Hood shooter Maj. Nidal Hasan, who is accused of killing a dozen fellow soldiers in Texas. [/INST] Terrorist group confirms militant cleric's death in online "eulogy"
Anwar al-Awlaki was killed in a U.S. drone strike September 30 .
The group says that though the U.S. killed him, it "cannot kill his ideas" </s> |
The Duchess of Cornwall has visited a Fleet Street chapel honouring newspaper staff who gave their lives serving in the two World Wars . The Duchess of Cornwall has visited a Fleet Street chapel honouring newspaper staff who gave their lives serving in the two World Wars. Camilla was greeted at St Bride’s – the journalists’ church – by its rector, Canon Alison Joyce. The duchess was attending in her capacity as Patron of the Guild of St Bride’s, which was formed in 1375. During the visit, Viscount Rothermere, chairman of the Daily Mail and General Trust, and his wife, Lady Rothermere, gave her a tour of the Rothermere Memorial Chapel for Associated Newspapers War Dead. The medieval crypt was uncovered during the restoration of St Bride’s after wartime bombing, and was later reconstructed with money from the Rothermere family. Engraved glass in the chapel records the names of the Associated Newspapers employees who fell in the First and Second World War, including Lord Rothermere’s great grandfather’s two sons, Vyvyan and Vere. The Duchess was pictured in front of the Welsh slate cross which hangs in the chapel. She also met some of the Guildsmen of St Bride’s and saw the Journalists’ Altar in the church which serves as a memorial table to the many journalists and support staff who have died while reporting on the conflicts of the 21st century. For details on how to donate to St Bride’s please log on to http://www.stbrides.com/inspire/ . The medieval crypt was uncovered during the restoration of St Bride’s after wartime bombing . | Duchess visited chapel honouring newspaper staff killed in World Wars .
Camilla was greeted at St Bride's, on Fleet Street, by Canon Alison Joyce .
Viscount Rothermere and his wife, Lady Rothermere, gave duchess a tour . | 65eb10e49147633f78d6c262d4e4a0ed7fa7b765 | <s>[INST] The Duchess of Cornwall has visited a Fleet Street chapel honouring newspaper staff who gave their lives serving in the two World Wars . The Duchess of Cornwall has visited a Fleet Street chapel honouring newspaper staff who gave their lives serving in the two World Wars. Camilla was greeted at St Bride’s – the journalists’ church – by its rector, Canon Alison Joyce. The duchess was attending in her capacity as Patron of the Guild of St Bride’s, which was formed in 1375. During the visit, Viscount Rothermere, chairman of the Daily Mail and General Trust, and his wife, Lady Rothermere, gave her a tour of the Rothermere Memorial Chapel for Associated Newspapers War Dead. The medieval crypt was uncovered during the restoration of St Bride’s after wartime bombing, and was later reconstructed with money from the Rothermere family. Engraved glass in the chapel records the names of the Associated Newspapers employees who fell in the First and Second World War, including Lord Rothermere’s great grandfather’s two sons, Vyvyan and Vere. The Duchess was pictured in front of the Welsh slate cross which hangs in the chapel. She also met some of the Guildsmen of St Bride’s and saw the Journalists’ Altar in the church which serves as a memorial table to the many journalists and support staff who have died while reporting on the conflicts of the 21st century. For details on how to donate to St Bride’s please log on to http://www.stbrides.com/inspire/ . The medieval crypt was uncovered during the restoration of St Bride’s after wartime bombing . [/INST] Duchess visited chapel honouring newspaper staff killed in World Wars .
Camilla was greeted at St Bride's, on Fleet Street, by Canon Alison Joyce .
Viscount Rothermere and his wife, Lady Rothermere, gave duchess a tour . </s> |
London, England (CNN) -- David Cameron spent more than four years tipped as a British prime minister-in-waiting -- a period he has called "the longest job interview in the world." Now the Conservative party leader finds himself the occupant of No. 10 Downing Street, the historic central London residence of UK prime ministers, after three successive election defeats for his party and more than 13 years of rule by the rival Labour Party. The Tories, as the Conservatives are also known, only took 306 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons at last week's election, falling short of the necessary majority through which to govern. Ironically Cameron -- the youngest prime minister since 1812 -- has been handed power through the formation of a coalition with Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats, the UK's third-biggest party, who made a strong challenge during the election campaign following the first ever televised election debates between the main party leaders. For the previous year Cameron had commanded a strong showing in the opinion polls. But who is David Cameron? His background is far from ordinary. He was educated at Eton, the UK's most exclusive fee-paying school, before joining Conservative ranks as a policy researcher after graduating from Oxford University in 1988. At Oxford he became a member of the Bullingdon Club, an elite and sometimes rowdy student dining club, whose fellow members at the time included London mayor Boris Johnson. After a foray into the world of PR -- skills some say have been put to good use in re-branding his party -- and time as a political adviser Cameron's political career really took hold in 2001 with his election as lawmaker for the Oxfordshire town of Witney in southern England. Cameron and his wife Samantha, who is creative director at luxury brand Smythson, have two young children and recently announced they are expecting another in September. But he credits the short life of his severely disabled son Ivan, who died aged six in 2009, with sharpening his political focus and making him a passionate advocate for the state-run National Health Service. "Tony Blair once explained his priority in three words: Education, education, education. I can do it in three letters: NHS," Cameron said at the Conservative Party Conference in 2006. Recently on the party's Web site Cameron wrote: "Millions of people are grateful for the care they have received from the NHS -- including my own family," he said. "One of the wonderful things about living in this country is that the moment you're injured or fall ill -- no matter who you are, where you are from, or how much money you've got -- you know that the NHS will look after you." Cameron's words were reinforced by the party's election manifesto, in which it calls itself "the party of the NHS" and pledges "never to change at the idea at its heart that healthcare in this country is free at the point of use and available to everyone based on need and not ability to pay." This attitude marks a major shift from some previous Conservative leaders. Margaret Thatcher, UK prime minister from 1979 till 1990, encouraged people to use private medical services and proposed tax breaks for private health insurance. Cameron's appeal to the Tory faithful has mostly rested in the promise that he would deliver an election victory for a party which dominated 20th century British politics but has been out of power for more than a decade. But rather than present himself as a reincarnation of Thatcher, Cameron has styled himself as a new kind of compassionate Conservative who has modernized his party -- historically a bastion of privilege, wealth and establishment values -- by softening its stance on social issues and broadening its appeal by recruiting more female and ethnic minority candidates. "I want to tell you what I am fighting this election for -- it is the people I call the Great Ignored," he told supporters at one rally earlier this year. "They may be black or white. They may be rich or poor... They are the honest, hard-working people of our country and they are desperate to know that in this great country we can still achieve great things." Last year at a Gay Pride function, Cameron praised the then Labour government for equalizing the age of consent, introducing civil partnerships and allowing gays and lesbians to serve in the military openly. But while Cameron has played down his privileged background, he has often been attacked because of his social class. An attempt to make him the focus of the Conservatives' campaign backfired in January when billboards featuring his image were defaced and became the subject of a spoof anti-Cameron viral campaign. The Tory Party leader has also come under fire for sometimes appearing muddled and vague on his party's policies. In January he admitted that he had "messed up" over the party's promise to introduce tax breaks for married couples when he appeared to retreat from that pledge in an interview, forcing his press office to issue a statement reaffirming his commitment to the policy. In policy terms, Cameron has pledged to "break up big government" and "take tough and difficult decisions" -- including over the UK's $272-billion deficit. But Cameron has often sought to distance himself from those in his party who have proposed more severe cuts, saying: "We're not talking about swinging cuts. We're talking about making a start in reducing our deficit." Cameron angered many in his own party last year by abandoning a "cast-iron guarantee" to hold a referendum, if elected, on the Lisbon Treaty -- an agreement seen by opponents of closer European Union integration as a step toward a federal super-state. That put him on a collision course with the Conservatives' notorious Euroskeptic faction which split the party the last time it was in power under John Major. In a move aimed at appeasing those critics, Cameron withdrew the Conservatives from the main center-right European People's Party, forming a controversial alliance in the European Parliament with nationalist parties from eastern Europe instead. But that seemed to risk isolating a Cameron administration from natural center-right allies in Europe such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Many political observers see parallels in Cameron's youthful vigor, polished presentation skills and evasion of easy ideological pigeon-holing with Brown's Labour predecessor, Tony Blair. Cameron and Blair, writes former Labour lawmaker David Marquand in his history of modern British politics, "share the same winsome grace, the same ability to shift affably over the rifts of interest and the same acute nose for public moods." But Blair was swept to power on a landslide in 1997 in his first election as leader. He went on to win two further elections, seeing off four of Cameron's predecessors as Conservative leaders, although he was ultimately undermined by the Iraq war and the perception among his critics that spin doctors were exerting too much influence Cameron's journey to 10 Downing Street has taken several detours during the past few days. As the senior partner in the UK's new coalition government, he can expect plenty more in the weeks and months ahead. Simon Hooper and Paul Armstrong contributed to this story . | David Cameron is credited with reviving the center-right opposition Conservatives .
He is UK's new prime minister after the closest election in more than three decades .
Cameron attended top school Eton and Oxford University, previously worked in PR .
Commentators see comparisons with Tony Blair in Cameron's leadership style . | 8c970c01835d92c1bfa0c169fe5b4e77626f6fa1 | <s>[INST] London, England (CNN) -- David Cameron spent more than four years tipped as a British prime minister-in-waiting -- a period he has called "the longest job interview in the world." Now the Conservative party leader finds himself the occupant of No. 10 Downing Street, the historic central London residence of UK prime ministers, after three successive election defeats for his party and more than 13 years of rule by the rival Labour Party. The Tories, as the Conservatives are also known, only took 306 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons at last week's election, falling short of the necessary majority through which to govern. Ironically Cameron -- the youngest prime minister since 1812 -- has been handed power through the formation of a coalition with Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats, the UK's third-biggest party, who made a strong challenge during the election campaign following the first ever televised election debates between the main party leaders. For the previous year Cameron had commanded a strong showing in the opinion polls. But who is David Cameron? His background is far from ordinary. He was educated at Eton, the UK's most exclusive fee-paying school, before joining Conservative ranks as a policy researcher after graduating from Oxford University in 1988. At Oxford he became a member of the Bullingdon Club, an elite and sometimes rowdy student dining club, whose fellow members at the time included London mayor Boris Johnson. After a foray into the world of PR -- skills some say have been put to good use in re-branding his party -- and time as a political adviser Cameron's political career really took hold in 2001 with his election as lawmaker for the Oxfordshire town of Witney in southern England. Cameron and his wife Samantha, who is creative director at luxury brand Smythson, have two young children and recently announced they are expecting another in September. But he credits the short life of his severely disabled son Ivan, who died aged six in 2009, with sharpening his political focus and making him a passionate advocate for the state-run National Health Service. "Tony Blair once explained his priority in three words: Education, education, education. I can do it in three letters: NHS," Cameron said at the Conservative Party Conference in 2006. Recently on the party's Web site Cameron wrote: "Millions of people are grateful for the care they have received from the NHS -- including my own family," he said. "One of the wonderful things about living in this country is that the moment you're injured or fall ill -- no matter who you are, where you are from, or how much money you've got -- you know that the NHS will look after you." Cameron's words were reinforced by the party's election manifesto, in which it calls itself "the party of the NHS" and pledges "never to change at the idea at its heart that healthcare in this country is free at the point of use and available to everyone based on need and not ability to pay." This attitude marks a major shift from some previous Conservative leaders. Margaret Thatcher, UK prime minister from 1979 till 1990, encouraged people to use private medical services and proposed tax breaks for private health insurance. Cameron's appeal to the Tory faithful has mostly rested in the promise that he would deliver an election victory for a party which dominated 20th century British politics but has been out of power for more than a decade. But rather than present himself as a reincarnation of Thatcher, Cameron has styled himself as a new kind of compassionate Conservative who has modernized his party -- historically a bastion of privilege, wealth and establishment values -- by softening its stance on social issues and broadening its appeal by recruiting more female and ethnic minority candidates. "I want to tell you what I am fighting this election for -- it is the people I call the Great Ignored," he told supporters at one rally earlier this year. "They may be black or white. They may be rich or poor... They are the honest, hard-working people of our country and they are desperate to know that in this great country we can still achieve great things." Last year at a Gay Pride function, Cameron praised the then Labour government for equalizing the age of consent, introducing civil partnerships and allowing gays and lesbians to serve in the military openly. But while Cameron has played down his privileged background, he has often been attacked because of his social class. An attempt to make him the focus of the Conservatives' campaign backfired in January when billboards featuring his image were defaced and became the subject of a spoof anti-Cameron viral campaign. The Tory Party leader has also come under fire for sometimes appearing muddled and vague on his party's policies. In January he admitted that he had "messed up" over the party's promise to introduce tax breaks for married couples when he appeared to retreat from that pledge in an interview, forcing his press office to issue a statement reaffirming his commitment to the policy. In policy terms, Cameron has pledged to "break up big government" and "take tough and difficult decisions" -- including over the UK's $272-billion deficit. But Cameron has often sought to distance himself from those in his party who have proposed more severe cuts, saying: "We're not talking about swinging cuts. We're talking about making a start in reducing our deficit." Cameron angered many in his own party last year by abandoning a "cast-iron guarantee" to hold a referendum, if elected, on the Lisbon Treaty -- an agreement seen by opponents of closer European Union integration as a step toward a federal super-state. That put him on a collision course with the Conservatives' notorious Euroskeptic faction which split the party the last time it was in power under John Major. In a move aimed at appeasing those critics, Cameron withdrew the Conservatives from the main center-right European People's Party, forming a controversial alliance in the European Parliament with nationalist parties from eastern Europe instead. But that seemed to risk isolating a Cameron administration from natural center-right allies in Europe such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Many political observers see parallels in Cameron's youthful vigor, polished presentation skills and evasion of easy ideological pigeon-holing with Brown's Labour predecessor, Tony Blair. Cameron and Blair, writes former Labour lawmaker David Marquand in his history of modern British politics, "share the same winsome grace, the same ability to shift affably over the rifts of interest and the same acute nose for public moods." But Blair was swept to power on a landslide in 1997 in his first election as leader. He went on to win two further elections, seeing off four of Cameron's predecessors as Conservative leaders, although he was ultimately undermined by the Iraq war and the perception among his critics that spin doctors were exerting too much influence Cameron's journey to 10 Downing Street has taken several detours during the past few days. As the senior partner in the UK's new coalition government, he can expect plenty more in the weeks and months ahead. Simon Hooper and Paul Armstrong contributed to this story . [/INST] David Cameron is credited with reviving the center-right opposition Conservatives .
He is UK's new prime minister after the closest election in more than three decades .
Cameron attended top school Eton and Oxford University, previously worked in PR .
Commentators see comparisons with Tony Blair in Cameron's leadership style . </s> |
ARLINGTON, Virginia (CNN) -- Daniel Buruca had a bad experience the first time he took drugs. One young recovering addict said "there would always be something" in the medicine cabinet at a friend's house. "I was shivering and I was seeing things, and my mom was playing a video game and it was just 10 times louder than it was. "I could feel the monsters in the video game coming towards me... and I got so scared at one point that I threw up," the 17-year-old said from the Virginia drug treatment center where he lives. He had taken LSD at age 9, and his appetite for drugs had just begun. He and millions of youngsters in the United States have an easy time finding drugs, according to a survey The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse released Wednesday. Forty percent of teens -- about 10 million -- say they can get marijuana within a day while about 25 percent -- 5.7 million teens -- say they can find marijuana within an hour, the survey says. A lot more teens -- 37 percent more since 2007 -- also said that pot was easier to buy than cigarettes or beer. The survey also says that two-thirds of high school students say drugs are used, kept or sold at their school. "Parents are the key to raising drug-free kids, and they have the power to do it if they send their children the clear message to choose not to use and demand that the schools their children attend be drug-free," the center's chairman and founder, Joseph A. Califano, said in a statement. The 14th annual report also says teens are more likely to get drunk and use marijuana if they see their parents drunk. For the first time, the survey asked teens about the ease of getting prescription drugs to use for getting high. The survey found that one in five teens could get the drugs within an hour and that their own homes and friends are the most common sources. The kind of drug use outlined in the survey can take a toll on people like Devon Kennedy, who says she started using drugs in the ninth grade. "The first drug I did was speed," the 18-year-old said. "As soon as I tried it, it was perfect to me so I just tried everything I could after that." Kennedy says she moved on to harder drugs like cocaine and heroin. Jessi Danner, also 18, recalls looking for Pop Tarts at a friend's house and finding something else in the drawer. "There's this little baggie and she's like, 'I have seen this in movies. You shove it up your nose' -- and so that's what we did. The bag was filled with cocaine. She was 10. Cocaine would rule Danner's life for the next five years. Buruca, Danner and Kennedy share a common bond -- all are recovering drug addicts hoping to get their young lives back on track. The National Institute of Drug Abuse estimated in 2007 that 19.9 million Americans age 12 or older -- around 8 percent of the population -- had used illegal drugs. Debbie Taylor sees the results of that drug use as president and CEO of Vanguard Services, a substance-abuse treatment center in Arlington. "A child can get -- in any neighborhood, in any school -- almost any drug that they would want in a relatively short period of time. I don't think that was the case 20 years ago," she said. Buruca, a patient at Vanguard, has been drug-free for almost four months. But for the previous five years, LSD, a mood-changing drug that can cause delusions and visual hallucinations, was his drug of choice. "It's like I felt everything was dull. It wasn't what it should be and there's this whole other world I can go into that's just so much better and wider. Why stay in this one?" Buruca said, with his mother, Christina Tellez, sitting next to him. Tellez had no idea her 9-year-old son was taking drugs. "He had such a great family support system around him. We were with him all the time," she said. By the time Buruca was in the eighth grade, he says, he was using drugs daily and often had hallucinations as he entered school. "I walked in, the walls started collapsing, hallways started to shrink and I walked right back out," he said. Tellez just thought her son had severe behavioral issues . She says no one ever warned her that Buruca could be a drug addict. By the time Kennedy was in 10th grade, her life was spinning out of control. "I was completely strung out," she said. She says she was expelled from high school for drug possession. Kennedy's experimentation with drugs became an addiction very quickly. "As soon as I tried it, it was done -- like, I just knew," she said. Living in a quiet suburb of Washington made matters worse. "You live in a neighborhood where nothing dangerous is going on. You start getting bored with this mediocre life, you want something special," she said. Kennedy knows this firsthand. "Every time I went to someone's house, the first thing I said was I had to go to the bathroom and I went to the bathroom cabinets and there would always be something in there. Everywhere you went, somebody had a parent who had something," she said. Kennedy has completed her treatment at Vanguard and has been drug free for 19 months. She attends community college. Danner says she missed out on a lot of happy memories. "Instead of hanging out with friends, I would be locked up in my room doing lines, and that's no way to live," she said. She is in the final phase of treatment, is attending community college and wants to be an actress one day. Buruca said he hopes he can leave treatment soon and start his senior year of high school. The music and football fanatic offers some advice for teens curious about drugs. "It's so detrimental to your future for a few hours of being high. And a lot of times you will get to those hard drugs like meth and heroin that will get you addicted, physically addicted, and it will just ruin your life completely," he said. Taylor suggested parents have their pediatrician do a drug test during a normal annual physical so any problems can be caught early on. "Children go so quickly into an adaptive and addictive phase that it's very difficult to reel them back at that point," Taylor said. | Recovering teen drug addicts share harrowing stories with CNN .
Millions of teens say they can easily find drugs, newly released study says .
25 percent of teens say they can find marijuana within an hour, study reveals .
Treatment center CEO recommends drug testing during routine physicals . | 6d5595f119102e43dc7663dd61e029dee712a21b | <s>[INST] ARLINGTON, Virginia (CNN) -- Daniel Buruca had a bad experience the first time he took drugs. One young recovering addict said "there would always be something" in the medicine cabinet at a friend's house. "I was shivering and I was seeing things, and my mom was playing a video game and it was just 10 times louder than it was. "I could feel the monsters in the video game coming towards me... and I got so scared at one point that I threw up," the 17-year-old said from the Virginia drug treatment center where he lives. He had taken LSD at age 9, and his appetite for drugs had just begun. He and millions of youngsters in the United States have an easy time finding drugs, according to a survey The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse released Wednesday. Forty percent of teens -- about 10 million -- say they can get marijuana within a day while about 25 percent -- 5.7 million teens -- say they can find marijuana within an hour, the survey says. A lot more teens -- 37 percent more since 2007 -- also said that pot was easier to buy than cigarettes or beer. The survey also says that two-thirds of high school students say drugs are used, kept or sold at their school. "Parents are the key to raising drug-free kids, and they have the power to do it if they send their children the clear message to choose not to use and demand that the schools their children attend be drug-free," the center's chairman and founder, Joseph A. Califano, said in a statement. The 14th annual report also says teens are more likely to get drunk and use marijuana if they see their parents drunk. For the first time, the survey asked teens about the ease of getting prescription drugs to use for getting high. The survey found that one in five teens could get the drugs within an hour and that their own homes and friends are the most common sources. The kind of drug use outlined in the survey can take a toll on people like Devon Kennedy, who says she started using drugs in the ninth grade. "The first drug I did was speed," the 18-year-old said. "As soon as I tried it, it was perfect to me so I just tried everything I could after that." Kennedy says she moved on to harder drugs like cocaine and heroin. Jessi Danner, also 18, recalls looking for Pop Tarts at a friend's house and finding something else in the drawer. "There's this little baggie and she's like, 'I have seen this in movies. You shove it up your nose' -- and so that's what we did. The bag was filled with cocaine. She was 10. Cocaine would rule Danner's life for the next five years. Buruca, Danner and Kennedy share a common bond -- all are recovering drug addicts hoping to get their young lives back on track. The National Institute of Drug Abuse estimated in 2007 that 19.9 million Americans age 12 or older -- around 8 percent of the population -- had used illegal drugs. Debbie Taylor sees the results of that drug use as president and CEO of Vanguard Services, a substance-abuse treatment center in Arlington. "A child can get -- in any neighborhood, in any school -- almost any drug that they would want in a relatively short period of time. I don't think that was the case 20 years ago," she said. Buruca, a patient at Vanguard, has been drug-free for almost four months. But for the previous five years, LSD, a mood-changing drug that can cause delusions and visual hallucinations, was his drug of choice. "It's like I felt everything was dull. It wasn't what it should be and there's this whole other world I can go into that's just so much better and wider. Why stay in this one?" Buruca said, with his mother, Christina Tellez, sitting next to him. Tellez had no idea her 9-year-old son was taking drugs. "He had such a great family support system around him. We were with him all the time," she said. By the time Buruca was in the eighth grade, he says, he was using drugs daily and often had hallucinations as he entered school. "I walked in, the walls started collapsing, hallways started to shrink and I walked right back out," he said. Tellez just thought her son had severe behavioral issues . She says no one ever warned her that Buruca could be a drug addict. By the time Kennedy was in 10th grade, her life was spinning out of control. "I was completely strung out," she said. She says she was expelled from high school for drug possession. Kennedy's experimentation with drugs became an addiction very quickly. "As soon as I tried it, it was done -- like, I just knew," she said. Living in a quiet suburb of Washington made matters worse. "You live in a neighborhood where nothing dangerous is going on. You start getting bored with this mediocre life, you want something special," she said. Kennedy knows this firsthand. "Every time I went to someone's house, the first thing I said was I had to go to the bathroom and I went to the bathroom cabinets and there would always be something in there. Everywhere you went, somebody had a parent who had something," she said. Kennedy has completed her treatment at Vanguard and has been drug free for 19 months. She attends community college. Danner says she missed out on a lot of happy memories. "Instead of hanging out with friends, I would be locked up in my room doing lines, and that's no way to live," she said. She is in the final phase of treatment, is attending community college and wants to be an actress one day. Buruca said he hopes he can leave treatment soon and start his senior year of high school. The music and football fanatic offers some advice for teens curious about drugs. "It's so detrimental to your future for a few hours of being high. And a lot of times you will get to those hard drugs like meth and heroin that will get you addicted, physically addicted, and it will just ruin your life completely," he said. Taylor suggested parents have their pediatrician do a drug test during a normal annual physical so any problems can be caught early on. "Children go so quickly into an adaptive and addictive phase that it's very difficult to reel them back at that point," Taylor said. [/INST] Recovering teen drug addicts share harrowing stories with CNN .
Millions of teens say they can easily find drugs, newly released study says .
25 percent of teens say they can find marijuana within an hour, study reveals .
Treatment center CEO recommends drug testing during routine physicals . </s> |
By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 14:32 EST, 27 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:37 EST, 27 January 2014 . Sentenced: Lian Enqing, 33, has been sentenced to death for killing a doctor after he was unhappy with his nasal surgery . A Chinese patient who fatally stabbed a doctor after he was left unhappy with his nasal surgery has been sentenced to death. Lian Enqing, 33, was convicted of killing chief physician Wang Yunjie, 46, and injuring two others in the bloody spree at the ear, nose and throat department of the First People's Hospital of Wenling, Zhejiang Province. Lian had not been a patient of Dr Wang, but after his requests for further surgery were turned down he burst into the doctor's consulting room armed with a hammer and knife, hitting him over the head and stabbing him several times. Lian's sister, Lian Qiao, reportedly said her brother . had frequently complained about his nose, and was having respiratory problems . and discomfort following his surgery for rhinitis and other nasal problems in March 2012. Although . doctors believed that his surgery had been a success, he felt 'cheated' at the outcome and reported being in extreme pain. 'While the . hospital confirmed that the surgery was successful, Lian felt he was . being cheated by the doctors,' said the sister, according to Chinese news agency Xinhua. Prior to the killing on October 25 last year, Lian had received treatment for a persistent delusional disorder at Shanghai Mental Health Center, where he was a patient between August and October 15. However, the court in Zhejiang Province said that medical examinations had shown that Lian was not suffering from the disorder at the time of the killing, and could be held criminally responsible. He agreed at his trial last week that he was not suffering from mental health problems, but maintained that his surgery had been unsuccessful. The court ruled that he had committed intentional . homicide, and sentenced him to death. Wang Weijie, another doctor who was injured as he tried to restrain Lian, said that the sentence would comfort Dr Wang and the other doctors at the hospital, according to Global Times. Following the attack hospital staff had staged protests outside the medical centre to call for stronger safety measures to protect against violent patients. | Lian Enqing, 33, convicted of killing chief physician Wang Yunjie, 46 .
Lian also injured two other doctors in attack at First People's Hospital .
He burst into consulting room in hospital in Zhejiang Province and attacked Dr Wang with a knife and a hammer .
Sister said he had complained of respiratory problems after having surgery for rhinitis and other nasal issues .
Lian had undergone treatment for a mental health disorder prior to attack . | 3bfb920f59b4edcf68312435ac20aa60a251e6b2 | <s>[INST] By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 14:32 EST, 27 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:37 EST, 27 January 2014 . Sentenced: Lian Enqing, 33, has been sentenced to death for killing a doctor after he was unhappy with his nasal surgery . A Chinese patient who fatally stabbed a doctor after he was left unhappy with his nasal surgery has been sentenced to death. Lian Enqing, 33, was convicted of killing chief physician Wang Yunjie, 46, and injuring two others in the bloody spree at the ear, nose and throat department of the First People's Hospital of Wenling, Zhejiang Province. Lian had not been a patient of Dr Wang, but after his requests for further surgery were turned down he burst into the doctor's consulting room armed with a hammer and knife, hitting him over the head and stabbing him several times. Lian's sister, Lian Qiao, reportedly said her brother . had frequently complained about his nose, and was having respiratory problems . and discomfort following his surgery for rhinitis and other nasal problems in March 2012. Although . doctors believed that his surgery had been a success, he felt 'cheated' at the outcome and reported being in extreme pain. 'While the . hospital confirmed that the surgery was successful, Lian felt he was . being cheated by the doctors,' said the sister, according to Chinese news agency Xinhua. Prior to the killing on October 25 last year, Lian had received treatment for a persistent delusional disorder at Shanghai Mental Health Center, where he was a patient between August and October 15. However, the court in Zhejiang Province said that medical examinations had shown that Lian was not suffering from the disorder at the time of the killing, and could be held criminally responsible. He agreed at his trial last week that he was not suffering from mental health problems, but maintained that his surgery had been unsuccessful. The court ruled that he had committed intentional . homicide, and sentenced him to death. Wang Weijie, another doctor who was injured as he tried to restrain Lian, said that the sentence would comfort Dr Wang and the other doctors at the hospital, according to Global Times. Following the attack hospital staff had staged protests outside the medical centre to call for stronger safety measures to protect against violent patients. [/INST] Lian Enqing, 33, convicted of killing chief physician Wang Yunjie, 46 .
Lian also injured two other doctors in attack at First People's Hospital .
He burst into consulting room in hospital in Zhejiang Province and attacked Dr Wang with a knife and a hammer .
Sister said he had complained of respiratory problems after having surgery for rhinitis and other nasal issues .
Lian had undergone treatment for a mental health disorder prior to attack . </s> |
PUBLISHED: . 11:34 EST, 26 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:15 EST, 26 December 2013 . At Christmas, a little bit of effort goes a long way when it comes to giving presents. But great-grandmother Doreen Gover went the extra mile this year - by knitting 28 matching festive jumpers for three generations of her family, including her dog. Mrs Doreen, 78, spent up to eight hours a day and used 250 miles of wool making the red sweaters for her four children, nine grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Festive: The Gover family wearing their specially-knitted Christmas jumpers . She made the jumpers for three generations of her family - and even knitted one for her springer spaniel called Cookie. She told The Daily Mirror: 'It was just for fun. It was something fun for me to do to pass the time, and it put a big smile on everybody's face. 'I love my family, and I really enjoyed doing something that has made them so happy. The girls got snowmen and the boys got reindeer, but some of the girls wanted reindeer.' At first she knitted a 'couple of jumpers' but then began receiving requests. Hard at work: Doreen Gover, 78, knits one of the 28 jumpers she made for members of her family . Son-in-law James Spoors, 48, told the paper: 'It's a lot of time and effort. She's doing really well. You'd just hear the clicking of her needles when she was doing them. Mrs Gover took up knitting when her husband Roy died 14 years ago. She said she is already planning on what to create for next Christmas, but regretted starting with jumpers as she is 'not sure what I can knit for everyone now.' | Doreen Gover, 78, spent eight hours a day knitting the jumpers .
She used 250 miles of wool to create the festive-themed sweaters .
The retired shop-worker took up the hobby when her husband died . | c62d3970b582e89a00216ded63f82a6865a1e37f | <s>[INST] PUBLISHED: . 11:34 EST, 26 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:15 EST, 26 December 2013 . At Christmas, a little bit of effort goes a long way when it comes to giving presents. But great-grandmother Doreen Gover went the extra mile this year - by knitting 28 matching festive jumpers for three generations of her family, including her dog. Mrs Doreen, 78, spent up to eight hours a day and used 250 miles of wool making the red sweaters for her four children, nine grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Festive: The Gover family wearing their specially-knitted Christmas jumpers . She made the jumpers for three generations of her family - and even knitted one for her springer spaniel called Cookie. She told The Daily Mirror: 'It was just for fun. It was something fun for me to do to pass the time, and it put a big smile on everybody's face. 'I love my family, and I really enjoyed doing something that has made them so happy. The girls got snowmen and the boys got reindeer, but some of the girls wanted reindeer.' At first she knitted a 'couple of jumpers' but then began receiving requests. Hard at work: Doreen Gover, 78, knits one of the 28 jumpers she made for members of her family . Son-in-law James Spoors, 48, told the paper: 'It's a lot of time and effort. She's doing really well. You'd just hear the clicking of her needles when she was doing them. Mrs Gover took up knitting when her husband Roy died 14 years ago. She said she is already planning on what to create for next Christmas, but regretted starting with jumpers as she is 'not sure what I can knit for everyone now.' [/INST] Doreen Gover, 78, spent eight hours a day knitting the jumpers .
She used 250 miles of wool to create the festive-themed sweaters .
The retired shop-worker took up the hobby when her husband died . </s> |
By . Glen Owen . Last updated at 12:56 AM on 11th December 2011 . Problem families are each costing the taxpayer an astonishing £75,000 every year, new figures reveal today. Ministers have been horrified by research showing that on average £9billion is spent each year on 120,000 families blighted by jobless parents and truanting children. More than two-thirds of this is devoted to protecting children – via social care and child support – and tackling the crime and anti-social behaviour such families often generate. Costly: Police say it is sometimes cheaper to permanently station a police officer at a troublesome family's home than to continually respond to call-outs . Police have said that in some cases . it would be cheaper to have an officer permanently stationed at a . family’s home than respond to constant call-outs. The . findings come ahead of a major speech later this week by David Cameron . in which he is expected to announce new sanctions against such families . – combined with what sources describe as ‘targeted resources’ – as part . of his mission to tackle ‘broken Britain’. Researchers . devised a seven-point checklist of factors, with families that . fulfilled five or more being designated as ‘problem’. Worrying trend: Researchers found that 63per cent of boys whose fathers are jailed will eventually be convicted themselves . Led astray: Teenagers raised in difficult home environments are 36 times more likely to be excluded from school than those from good families (posed by models) The . criteria include no one in the family being employed, neither parent . having any qualifications and being unable to afford certain basic food . or clothing items. The research reveals that teenagers raised in such families are 36 times more likely to be excluded from school than children in families with no problems. They are also six times more likely to have been in care, while 63per cent of boys whose fathers are jailed will eventually be convicted themselves. Downing Street’s determination to deal with problem families has been strengthened by the need to make deep cuts to local authority budgets. Mission: PM David Cameron is set to announce new sanctions against unruly families as part of his bid to tackle 'broken Britain', while Communities Secretary Eric Pickles (right) said homes had been caught in a cycle of state dependency . One Whitehall source said: ‘We simply don’t have the money to spare. These families are a drain on local services, which could be much better directed elsewhere. ‘One local police force told us that it would actually be cheaper to have an officer permanently stationed on the family’s sofa than have to respond to the constant call-outs to the house. ‘We need to get kids back in the classroom, and to get parents off drugs and on to a work programme to stop them committing crime.’ Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: ‘For too long, these families have been locked in a cycle of state dependency. Worklessness has been passed down from generation to generation. 'Over the years, millions of pounds have been squandered on fruitless, unco-ordinated investment and we can no longer afford to foot the bill.’ | Two-thirds spent protecting children and tackling crime .
Over half of kids with jailed dads will end up convicted .
Research comes as David Cameron prepares to announce new sanctions against unruly families . | ffd2582e8fdd3896be0fee81b65b7f55be217b35 | <s>[INST] By . Glen Owen . Last updated at 12:56 AM on 11th December 2011 . Problem families are each costing the taxpayer an astonishing £75,000 every year, new figures reveal today. Ministers have been horrified by research showing that on average £9billion is spent each year on 120,000 families blighted by jobless parents and truanting children. More than two-thirds of this is devoted to protecting children – via social care and child support – and tackling the crime and anti-social behaviour such families often generate. Costly: Police say it is sometimes cheaper to permanently station a police officer at a troublesome family's home than to continually respond to call-outs . Police have said that in some cases . it would be cheaper to have an officer permanently stationed at a . family’s home than respond to constant call-outs. The . findings come ahead of a major speech later this week by David Cameron . in which he is expected to announce new sanctions against such families . – combined with what sources describe as ‘targeted resources’ – as part . of his mission to tackle ‘broken Britain’. Researchers . devised a seven-point checklist of factors, with families that . fulfilled five or more being designated as ‘problem’. Worrying trend: Researchers found that 63per cent of boys whose fathers are jailed will eventually be convicted themselves . Led astray: Teenagers raised in difficult home environments are 36 times more likely to be excluded from school than those from good families (posed by models) The . criteria include no one in the family being employed, neither parent . having any qualifications and being unable to afford certain basic food . or clothing items. The research reveals that teenagers raised in such families are 36 times more likely to be excluded from school than children in families with no problems. They are also six times more likely to have been in care, while 63per cent of boys whose fathers are jailed will eventually be convicted themselves. Downing Street’s determination to deal with problem families has been strengthened by the need to make deep cuts to local authority budgets. Mission: PM David Cameron is set to announce new sanctions against unruly families as part of his bid to tackle 'broken Britain', while Communities Secretary Eric Pickles (right) said homes had been caught in a cycle of state dependency . One Whitehall source said: ‘We simply don’t have the money to spare. These families are a drain on local services, which could be much better directed elsewhere. ‘One local police force told us that it would actually be cheaper to have an officer permanently stationed on the family’s sofa than have to respond to the constant call-outs to the house. ‘We need to get kids back in the classroom, and to get parents off drugs and on to a work programme to stop them committing crime.’ Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: ‘For too long, these families have been locked in a cycle of state dependency. Worklessness has been passed down from generation to generation. 'Over the years, millions of pounds have been squandered on fruitless, unco-ordinated investment and we can no longer afford to foot the bill.’ [/INST] Two-thirds spent protecting children and tackling crime .
Over half of kids with jailed dads will end up convicted .
Research comes as David Cameron prepares to announce new sanctions against unruly families . </s> |
Researchers found that susceptibility to bowel cancer was strongly influenced both by iron and a gene called APC . Scientists claim high levels of iron may be one reason why eating red meat raises the risk of bowel cancer. Iron may switch on the disease process via a faulty gene in the gut which would normally resist the disease. Red meat contains large amounts of iron and is also known to increase the likelihood of bowel cancer. The discovery could lead to new treatments that can ‘mop up’ iron in the bowel in people who develop cells affected by the defective gene. In studies of mice, researchers found that susceptibility to bowel cancer was strongly influenced both by iron and a gene called APC. When the APC gene was faulty, mice with a high iron intake were two to three times more likely to develop the disease. Mice fed a low iron diet remained cancer free even if the gene was defective, but when it functioned normally, high iron levels did no harm. Lead scientist Professor Owen Sansom, deputy director of the Cancer Research UK Institute in Glasgow, said ‘We’ve made a huge step in understanding how bowel cancer develops. ‘The APC gene is faulty in around eight out of 10 bowel cancers but until now we haven’t known how this causes the disease. ‘It’s clear that iron is playing a critical role in controlling the development of bowel cancer in people with a faulty APC gene. ‘And, intriguingly, our study shows that even very high levels of iron in the diet don’t cause cancer by itself, but rely on the APC gene.’ Each year, more than 41,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with bowel cancer and around 16,000 die from the disease. Previously, researchers have estimated that red meat contributes to around 17,000 cases of bowel cancer a year. But this estimate was based on two different dietary factors thought to play a part in promoting bowel cancer because a substance called haem, which gives red meat its colour, can damage the lining of the colon, while burning meat produces cancer-causing compounds. The latest laboratory study proposes another mechanism that, if confirmed in people, might help explain why people’s risk of bowel cancer increases with age. Over time, cells in the bowel would be increasingly likely to develop APC gene faults and thus react to iron in the diet. Researchers say that when the APC gene doesn’t work, iron is allowed to build up in the cells lining the gut. This activates a genetic cancer ‘switch’ called wnt that causes cells to multiply out of control. But consumption of iron also aids the growth of cells with defective APC over time, says the study published in the journal Cell reports. In mice fed a diet with no iron, cells with a faulty APC gene were killed off and bowel cancer did not develop. Mice with a fully functioning APC gene did not grow tumours even when fed high amounts of iron in their diet. In these animals, the wnt signalling pathway remained switched ‘off’. Co-author Dr Chris Tselepis, a Cancer Research UK scientist at the University of Birmingham, said ‘Our results also suggest that iron could be raising the risk of bowel cancer by increasing the number of cells in the bowel with APC faults. ‘The more of these cells in the bowel, the greater the chance that one of these will become a starting point for cancer. ‘We’re now planning to develop treatments that reduce the amount of iron in the bowel and so could lower the risk of developing bowel cancer. ‘We hope to start using these in trials in the next few years in people who are at a greater risk.’ Dr Julie Sharp, senior science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said ‘Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK. ‘These findings suggest a potentially effective way of reducing the chances of bowel cancer developing in people who are at high risk. ‘Finding ways of ‘mopping up’ the iron that is in the bowel could have a real impact on the number of people who develop the disease.’ | Scientists found when a gene called APC doesn’t work, it allows a build up of iron in the cells lining the gut . | 4233f35499b9c0d6f9763cf85ce6b9fa4bf9cc4a | <s>[INST] Researchers found that susceptibility to bowel cancer was strongly influenced both by iron and a gene called APC . Scientists claim high levels of iron may be one reason why eating red meat raises the risk of bowel cancer. Iron may switch on the disease process via a faulty gene in the gut which would normally resist the disease. Red meat contains large amounts of iron and is also known to increase the likelihood of bowel cancer. The discovery could lead to new treatments that can ‘mop up’ iron in the bowel in people who develop cells affected by the defective gene. In studies of mice, researchers found that susceptibility to bowel cancer was strongly influenced both by iron and a gene called APC. When the APC gene was faulty, mice with a high iron intake were two to three times more likely to develop the disease. Mice fed a low iron diet remained cancer free even if the gene was defective, but when it functioned normally, high iron levels did no harm. Lead scientist Professor Owen Sansom, deputy director of the Cancer Research UK Institute in Glasgow, said ‘We’ve made a huge step in understanding how bowel cancer develops. ‘The APC gene is faulty in around eight out of 10 bowel cancers but until now we haven’t known how this causes the disease. ‘It’s clear that iron is playing a critical role in controlling the development of bowel cancer in people with a faulty APC gene. ‘And, intriguingly, our study shows that even very high levels of iron in the diet don’t cause cancer by itself, but rely on the APC gene.’ Each year, more than 41,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with bowel cancer and around 16,000 die from the disease. Previously, researchers have estimated that red meat contributes to around 17,000 cases of bowel cancer a year. But this estimate was based on two different dietary factors thought to play a part in promoting bowel cancer because a substance called haem, which gives red meat its colour, can damage the lining of the colon, while burning meat produces cancer-causing compounds. The latest laboratory study proposes another mechanism that, if confirmed in people, might help explain why people’s risk of bowel cancer increases with age. Over time, cells in the bowel would be increasingly likely to develop APC gene faults and thus react to iron in the diet. Researchers say that when the APC gene doesn’t work, iron is allowed to build up in the cells lining the gut. This activates a genetic cancer ‘switch’ called wnt that causes cells to multiply out of control. But consumption of iron also aids the growth of cells with defective APC over time, says the study published in the journal Cell reports. In mice fed a diet with no iron, cells with a faulty APC gene were killed off and bowel cancer did not develop. Mice with a fully functioning APC gene did not grow tumours even when fed high amounts of iron in their diet. In these animals, the wnt signalling pathway remained switched ‘off’. Co-author Dr Chris Tselepis, a Cancer Research UK scientist at the University of Birmingham, said ‘Our results also suggest that iron could be raising the risk of bowel cancer by increasing the number of cells in the bowel with APC faults. ‘The more of these cells in the bowel, the greater the chance that one of these will become a starting point for cancer. ‘We’re now planning to develop treatments that reduce the amount of iron in the bowel and so could lower the risk of developing bowel cancer. ‘We hope to start using these in trials in the next few years in people who are at a greater risk.’ Dr Julie Sharp, senior science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said ‘Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK. ‘These findings suggest a potentially effective way of reducing the chances of bowel cancer developing in people who are at high risk. ‘Finding ways of ‘mopping up’ the iron that is in the bowel could have a real impact on the number of people who develop the disease.’ [/INST] Scientists found when a gene called APC doesn’t work, it allows a build up of iron in the cells lining the gut . </s> |
"Do the Republican and Democratic parties do an adequate job of representing the American people, or do they do such a poor job that a third major party is required?" A record 60% of Americans now yearn for a third major party, according to Gallup. Independents, unsurprisingly, are most likely to favor a third party, but a majority of self-described Republicans say yes, too. But what do they mean by that "yes"? Obviously, they mean many different things. Some yearn for a third party representing the Michael Bloomberg center: fiscally conservative and socially liberal like the New York City mayor. But here's a caution about third parties in American history: They are much more likely to arise on the fringes of the political system, not the center. America has seen third-party efforts by socialists and segregationists; by right-to-lifers and libertarians. This is why you now hear so much "third party" talk coming from tea party Republicans rather than (as you might expect) the party's subordinated pragmatists. The sensible center is much more likely to exert itself inside existing parties, as Dwight Eisenhower did for Republicans in the 1950s and as Bill Clinton did for the Democrats in the 1990s. Pragmatists want to change the GOP so that it can win elections and govern effectively. Tea party Republicans prefer to express their principles regardless of consequences, which is why the Pew survey in September found that 71% of them favored a government shutdown even though nearly 40% of them expected that shutdown to have a "major" impact on the economy. Third-party threats frighten Republican leaders. They remember that Ross Perot's independent challenge badly hurt George H.W. Bush's re-election campaign in 1992. Canadian conservatives were locked out of power for nearly 15 years by a party split in the 1990s. British Conservatives fear that a rise in support for the United Kingdom Independence Party could drain support from Britain's Conservative-Liberal governing coalition. Yet politics is a complicated business, and it's not always true that a party is weakened by the departure of its most extreme supporters. Consider, for example, the case of the Democratic Party in the election of 1948. That year, the Democrats faced two groups that bolted. To protest President Harry Truman's turn to support civil rights, southern Democrats coalesced as a "States' Rights" party and nominated South Carolina Gov. Strom Thurmond for president. Left-liberal Democrats angered by Truman's tough Cold War foreign policy created an "American Labor" party and nominated former vice president Henry Wallace. Together, Thurmond and Wallace took almost 5% of the vote in 1948. Thurmond carried four Deep South states and 7% of the Electoral College. Yet Truman survived. In fact, there's a reasonable argument that Truman was actually helped by these third- and fourth-party challenges. In 1948, African-Americans remained very much a swing constituency. Hundreds of thousands of black Americans had moved north and gained voting rights in the 30 years between 1917 and 1948. As a group, they tended to prefer the New Deal policies of the Democratic Party, but they deeply distrusted that party's Southern white supremacist wing. Truman was a card-carrying member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans who had adopted the civil rights cause late in his career. Could he really be trusted? Truman's willingness to face down Thurmond convinced many Northern blacks that he could be. He carried an estimated 77% of the black vote in the North, and those votes provided the margin of victory in the three crucial states of California, Illinois and Ohio. Those three states provided 73 electoral votes in total, and they were each won by Truman with a margin of less than 1%. Meanwhile, the Wallace challenge helped Truman with more conservative voters. Truman had initiated the Marshall Plan and the Berlin Airlift, yet some questioned whether the Democrats were tough enough on communism -- an important question among voters of eastern European origin in states like Wisconsin and Michigan. With Wallace vehemently denouncing Truman as too tough on the Soviet Union -- sometimes in speeches that echoed the editorials of the newspaper of the American Communist Party -- Truman gained the same kind of political cover on his right flank that Thurmond had provided him on his left. The result, everybody knows. Right now, tea party extremism contaminates the whole Republican brand. It's a very interesting question whether a tea party bolt from the GOP might not just liberate the party to slide back to the political center -- and liberate Republicans from identification with the Sarah Palins and the Ted Cruzes who have done so much harm to their hopes over the past three election cycles. It's worth repeating over and over again. Add Todd Akin in Missouri and Richard Mourdock in Indiana, Sharron Angle in Nevada and Ken Buck in Colorado, Christine O'Donnell in Delaware and Joe Miller in Alaska -- and you have half a dozen Senate races lost to the GOP by extremist nominations. Maybe the right answer to the threat, "Shut down the government or we quit" is: "So sad you feel that way. Don't let the door hit you on the way out." | David Frum: Tea party extremism contaminates the Republican brand .
He cites a Gallup poll saying that 60% of Americans favor creation of a third party .
Most of the time, third parties are formed by the extreme wings of the parties, he says .
Frum: If the tea party bolts the GOP, it would be a positive sign for Republicans . | 2bad58365fcbfea80807aee0352127ec3b6dc0ac | <s>[INST] "Do the Republican and Democratic parties do an adequate job of representing the American people, or do they do such a poor job that a third major party is required?" A record 60% of Americans now yearn for a third major party, according to Gallup. Independents, unsurprisingly, are most likely to favor a third party, but a majority of self-described Republicans say yes, too. But what do they mean by that "yes"? Obviously, they mean many different things. Some yearn for a third party representing the Michael Bloomberg center: fiscally conservative and socially liberal like the New York City mayor. But here's a caution about third parties in American history: They are much more likely to arise on the fringes of the political system, not the center. America has seen third-party efforts by socialists and segregationists; by right-to-lifers and libertarians. This is why you now hear so much "third party" talk coming from tea party Republicans rather than (as you might expect) the party's subordinated pragmatists. The sensible center is much more likely to exert itself inside existing parties, as Dwight Eisenhower did for Republicans in the 1950s and as Bill Clinton did for the Democrats in the 1990s. Pragmatists want to change the GOP so that it can win elections and govern effectively. Tea party Republicans prefer to express their principles regardless of consequences, which is why the Pew survey in September found that 71% of them favored a government shutdown even though nearly 40% of them expected that shutdown to have a "major" impact on the economy. Third-party threats frighten Republican leaders. They remember that Ross Perot's independent challenge badly hurt George H.W. Bush's re-election campaign in 1992. Canadian conservatives were locked out of power for nearly 15 years by a party split in the 1990s. British Conservatives fear that a rise in support for the United Kingdom Independence Party could drain support from Britain's Conservative-Liberal governing coalition. Yet politics is a complicated business, and it's not always true that a party is weakened by the departure of its most extreme supporters. Consider, for example, the case of the Democratic Party in the election of 1948. That year, the Democrats faced two groups that bolted. To protest President Harry Truman's turn to support civil rights, southern Democrats coalesced as a "States' Rights" party and nominated South Carolina Gov. Strom Thurmond for president. Left-liberal Democrats angered by Truman's tough Cold War foreign policy created an "American Labor" party and nominated former vice president Henry Wallace. Together, Thurmond and Wallace took almost 5% of the vote in 1948. Thurmond carried four Deep South states and 7% of the Electoral College. Yet Truman survived. In fact, there's a reasonable argument that Truman was actually helped by these third- and fourth-party challenges. In 1948, African-Americans remained very much a swing constituency. Hundreds of thousands of black Americans had moved north and gained voting rights in the 30 years between 1917 and 1948. As a group, they tended to prefer the New Deal policies of the Democratic Party, but they deeply distrusted that party's Southern white supremacist wing. Truman was a card-carrying member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans who had adopted the civil rights cause late in his career. Could he really be trusted? Truman's willingness to face down Thurmond convinced many Northern blacks that he could be. He carried an estimated 77% of the black vote in the North, and those votes provided the margin of victory in the three crucial states of California, Illinois and Ohio. Those three states provided 73 electoral votes in total, and they were each won by Truman with a margin of less than 1%. Meanwhile, the Wallace challenge helped Truman with more conservative voters. Truman had initiated the Marshall Plan and the Berlin Airlift, yet some questioned whether the Democrats were tough enough on communism -- an important question among voters of eastern European origin in states like Wisconsin and Michigan. With Wallace vehemently denouncing Truman as too tough on the Soviet Union -- sometimes in speeches that echoed the editorials of the newspaper of the American Communist Party -- Truman gained the same kind of political cover on his right flank that Thurmond had provided him on his left. The result, everybody knows. Right now, tea party extremism contaminates the whole Republican brand. It's a very interesting question whether a tea party bolt from the GOP might not just liberate the party to slide back to the political center -- and liberate Republicans from identification with the Sarah Palins and the Ted Cruzes who have done so much harm to their hopes over the past three election cycles. It's worth repeating over and over again. Add Todd Akin in Missouri and Richard Mourdock in Indiana, Sharron Angle in Nevada and Ken Buck in Colorado, Christine O'Donnell in Delaware and Joe Miller in Alaska -- and you have half a dozen Senate races lost to the GOP by extremist nominations. Maybe the right answer to the threat, "Shut down the government or we quit" is: "So sad you feel that way. Don't let the door hit you on the way out." [/INST] David Frum: Tea party extremism contaminates the Republican brand .
He cites a Gallup poll saying that 60% of Americans favor creation of a third party .
Most of the time, third parties are formed by the extreme wings of the parties, he says .
Frum: If the tea party bolts the GOP, it would be a positive sign for Republicans . </s> |
Suspended: Alleged Oregon rapist Brandon Austin was suspended at Providence College in Rhode Island due to allegations of sexual misconduct . A woman who says she was sexually assaulted by three University of Oregon basketball players filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the school and head basketball coach Dana Altman. The suit alleges Altman knew when he recruited Brandon Austin that the player had been suspended from Providence College in Rhode Island due to allegations of sexual misconduct. It also claims that the university put off disciplinary action against the players in order to help the basketball team and that it illegally accessed her campus counseling records. The woman, who is still a University of Oregon student, alleges the school was negligent, violated her civil rights and privacy, and deprived her of her right to an education. 'UO delayed taking any action on the sexual assaults for over two months while it prioritized winning basketball games over the health, safety, and welfare of its students,' the lawsuit alleges. Interim President Scott Coltrane said the university disagrees with the allegations in the lawsuit and believes it acted lawfully. He said the university is trying to improve its code of conduct and its handling of student discipline. 'It's our primary job to keep our students safe,' Coltrane said. Austin and the two other players told authorities they had consensual sex with the woman, and prosecutors said there was insufficient evidence to file charges. Laura Fine Moro, a lawyer who has represented Austin, could not immediately be reached for comment. The woman met the players at a party March 8, the same night the Ducks finished the regular season. The woman's father soon called police. Suing the college: The woman suing the school, who is still a University of Oregon student, alleges the school was negligent, violated her civil rights and privacy, and deprived her of her right to an education . Negligence: The suit alleges coach Dana Altman (pictured) knew when he recruited Brandon Austin that the player had been suspended from Providence College in Rhode Island due to allegations of sexual misconduct . The university was informed of the ensuing investigation but allowed two of the players, Dominic Artis and Damyean Dotson, to compete in the NCAA tournament. Austin could not suit up because of NCAA transfer rules. All three players were later suspended from the university. Austin was accused of sexual assault and suspended from the Providence team late in 2013. The reason for his suspension was not made public, and he transferred to Oregon. Altman has said he didn't know why Austin was suspended from Providence when he recruited the player. At a news conference last year, the coach acknowledged that his questioning on the matter "probably didn't go deep enough." Austin was never charged with a crime in Providence. The woman, who is identified in the lawsuit as Jane Doe, is seeking reimbursement of her tuition and expenses, payment of expenses incurred as a result of the alleged assault, as well as damages for emotional pain and loss of enjoyment of life. Suspended: Brandon Austin was suspended from Providence College in Rhode Island (pictured) due to allegations of sexual misconduct . | A woman who says she was sexually assaulted by three University of Oregon basketball players filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the school .
Oregon Coach Dana Altman allegedly knew player Brandon Austin was suspended from Providence College due to allegations of sexual misconduct .
It also claims that the university put off disciplinary action against the players in order to help the basketball team . | 7fb8eaee5472550695d62d617dd51686e433907b | <s>[INST] Suspended: Alleged Oregon rapist Brandon Austin was suspended at Providence College in Rhode Island due to allegations of sexual misconduct . A woman who says she was sexually assaulted by three University of Oregon basketball players filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the school and head basketball coach Dana Altman. The suit alleges Altman knew when he recruited Brandon Austin that the player had been suspended from Providence College in Rhode Island due to allegations of sexual misconduct. It also claims that the university put off disciplinary action against the players in order to help the basketball team and that it illegally accessed her campus counseling records. The woman, who is still a University of Oregon student, alleges the school was negligent, violated her civil rights and privacy, and deprived her of her right to an education. 'UO delayed taking any action on the sexual assaults for over two months while it prioritized winning basketball games over the health, safety, and welfare of its students,' the lawsuit alleges. Interim President Scott Coltrane said the university disagrees with the allegations in the lawsuit and believes it acted lawfully. He said the university is trying to improve its code of conduct and its handling of student discipline. 'It's our primary job to keep our students safe,' Coltrane said. Austin and the two other players told authorities they had consensual sex with the woman, and prosecutors said there was insufficient evidence to file charges. Laura Fine Moro, a lawyer who has represented Austin, could not immediately be reached for comment. The woman met the players at a party March 8, the same night the Ducks finished the regular season. The woman's father soon called police. Suing the college: The woman suing the school, who is still a University of Oregon student, alleges the school was negligent, violated her civil rights and privacy, and deprived her of her right to an education . Negligence: The suit alleges coach Dana Altman (pictured) knew when he recruited Brandon Austin that the player had been suspended from Providence College in Rhode Island due to allegations of sexual misconduct . The university was informed of the ensuing investigation but allowed two of the players, Dominic Artis and Damyean Dotson, to compete in the NCAA tournament. Austin could not suit up because of NCAA transfer rules. All three players were later suspended from the university. Austin was accused of sexual assault and suspended from the Providence team late in 2013. The reason for his suspension was not made public, and he transferred to Oregon. Altman has said he didn't know why Austin was suspended from Providence when he recruited the player. At a news conference last year, the coach acknowledged that his questioning on the matter "probably didn't go deep enough." Austin was never charged with a crime in Providence. The woman, who is identified in the lawsuit as Jane Doe, is seeking reimbursement of her tuition and expenses, payment of expenses incurred as a result of the alleged assault, as well as damages for emotional pain and loss of enjoyment of life. Suspended: Brandon Austin was suspended from Providence College in Rhode Island (pictured) due to allegations of sexual misconduct . [/INST] A woman who says she was sexually assaulted by three University of Oregon basketball players filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the school .
Oregon Coach Dana Altman allegedly knew player Brandon Austin was suspended from Providence College due to allegations of sexual misconduct .
It also claims that the university put off disciplinary action against the players in order to help the basketball team . </s> |
By . Ray Massey . PUBLISHED: . 14:42 EST, 5 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:43 EST, 7 June 2013 . A popular Jeep off-roader favoured by thousands of British school-run families is at the centre of a major fire safety row after U.S. officials blamed it for more than 50 deaths. Car bosses have refused U.S. government demands to recall nearly three million of the 4X4s over 'deadly problems'. Defiant Chrysler is refusing to recall about 2.7 million of the Jeeps which safety officials says are at risk of a fuel tank fire in a rear-end collision. The siting of the 4X4s fuel tank is a 'defect' which poses an 'unreasonable risk to safety,' say safety chiefs – a charge which Chrysler rejects. Some 23,511 of the Jeep Grand Cherokees made between 1993 and 2004 are still on the road in the UK . The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has now sent Chrysler a letter asking that the company voluntarily recall Jeep Grand Cherokees - which were also sold in Britain – between 1993 and 2004. Some 23,511 of the Jeep Grand Cherokees from this period are still on the road in the UK, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and traders. The recall request also affects the Jeep Liberty built between 2002 and 2007, which was not sold in the UK. NHTSA found at least 32 rear-impact crashes and fires in Grand Cherokees that caused 44 deaths. It also found at least five rear crashes in Libertys, causing seven deaths. The fire row between Chrysler, its parent company Fiat, and government safety chiefs was the lead item on prime time news broadcasts in the U.S., including ABC News. Chrysler Group LLC, which is now majority-owned by Italy's Fiat SpA insisted in a statement on Tuesday that the Jeeps are safe and it 'does not intend to recall the vehicles'. Such a refusal by a car company is rare. And though the NHTSA can order a recall but needs a court order to enforce it. David Strickland, the safety agency's administrator, said in a statement that he hopes Chrysler will reconsider its decision. Will it be recalled? The 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited . Chrysler Group LLC, which is now majority-owned by Italy's Fiat SpA insisted in a statement on Tuesday that the Jeeps are safe . 'Our data shows that these vehicles may contain a defect that presents an unreasonable risk to safety,' he said. U.S. car safety chiefs opened an investigation into the Jeeps in August 2010 at the request of the Center for Auto Safety in Washington. They found that the Jeeps' fuel tanks can fail when hit from the rear, leak fuel and cause fires if there's an ignition source. The positioning of the tanks behind the rear axle and their height above the road is a design defect, it said in a letter to Chrysler dated Monday. Chrysler moved the fuel tanks on the Grand Cherokee ahead of the rear axle in 2005, and did the same thing with the Liberty in 2007. NHTSA said the older Jeeps performed poorly when compared with all but one similar vehicle from the 1993 to 2007 model years: 'Particularly in terms of fatalities, fires without fatalities, and fuel leaks in rear-end impacts and crashes.' The agency calculated that the older Grand Cherokees and Libertys have fatal crash rates that are about double those of similar vehicles. It asks Chrysler to recall the vehicles and 'implement a remedy action that improves their performance in rear-impacts and crashes'. Car-makers usually agree to a recall request, partly to avoid bad publicity. In the last three years, Chrysler has conducted 52 recalls. But Chrysler insists its review of nearly 30 years of data shows a low number of rear-impact crashes involving fire or a fuel leak in the affected Jeeps and that the the recall request is based on an 'incomplete analysis of the underlying data'. Chrysler Group LLC chairman and chief executive Sergio Marchionne insisted: 'The company stands behind the quality of its vehicles. 'All of us remain committed to continue working with NHTSA to provide information confirming the safety of these vehicles.' The row comes as Chrysler prepares to launch the latest new generation of its Jeep Grand Cherokee which is unaffected by the safety scare. 'NHTSA seems to be holding Chrysler Group to a new standard for fuel tank integrity that does not exist now and did not exist when the Jeep vehicles were manufactured,' the company said. The dispute leaves owners of the affected Grand Cherokees and Libertys waiting for government or court action. It also leaves Chrysler open to the risk of big liability if there are more crashes and injuries linked to the fuel tanks, said Logan Robinson, a University of Detroit Mercy law professor and former Chrysler corporate counsel. Lawyers could argue that if Chrysler had recalled the Jeeps, people wouldn't have been hurt, he said. But that liability would be limited if Chrysler beats NHTSA in court and a judge rules the company didn't sell defective vehicles, said Robinson. Chrysler called the older Grand Cherokees and Libertys 'among the safest vehicles of their era' saying they met all federal safety standards in effect when they were built. NHTSA's letter concedes this but adds: 'The existence of a minimum standard does not require NHTSA to ignore deadly problems.' Chrysler has until June 18 to respond to the safety administration's letter. NHTSA has the authority to fine companies if slow to provide data or recall vehicles. The agency fined Toyota Motor Corp. a record $66million for failing to quickly report problems and for delaying a recall. Toyota paid the fine without admitting it violated the law. | Car bosses refuse demands to recall nearly three million 4X4s .
Officials say are at risk of a fuel tank fire in a rear-end collision . | e88a2f42e714c694f3c505e8c81ab979612107f6 | <s>[INST] By . Ray Massey . PUBLISHED: . 14:42 EST, 5 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:43 EST, 7 June 2013 . A popular Jeep off-roader favoured by thousands of British school-run families is at the centre of a major fire safety row after U.S. officials blamed it for more than 50 deaths. Car bosses have refused U.S. government demands to recall nearly three million of the 4X4s over 'deadly problems'. Defiant Chrysler is refusing to recall about 2.7 million of the Jeeps which safety officials says are at risk of a fuel tank fire in a rear-end collision. The siting of the 4X4s fuel tank is a 'defect' which poses an 'unreasonable risk to safety,' say safety chiefs – a charge which Chrysler rejects. Some 23,511 of the Jeep Grand Cherokees made between 1993 and 2004 are still on the road in the UK . The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has now sent Chrysler a letter asking that the company voluntarily recall Jeep Grand Cherokees - which were also sold in Britain – between 1993 and 2004. Some 23,511 of the Jeep Grand Cherokees from this period are still on the road in the UK, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and traders. The recall request also affects the Jeep Liberty built between 2002 and 2007, which was not sold in the UK. NHTSA found at least 32 rear-impact crashes and fires in Grand Cherokees that caused 44 deaths. It also found at least five rear crashes in Libertys, causing seven deaths. The fire row between Chrysler, its parent company Fiat, and government safety chiefs was the lead item on prime time news broadcasts in the U.S., including ABC News. Chrysler Group LLC, which is now majority-owned by Italy's Fiat SpA insisted in a statement on Tuesday that the Jeeps are safe and it 'does not intend to recall the vehicles'. Such a refusal by a car company is rare. And though the NHTSA can order a recall but needs a court order to enforce it. David Strickland, the safety agency's administrator, said in a statement that he hopes Chrysler will reconsider its decision. Will it be recalled? The 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited . Chrysler Group LLC, which is now majority-owned by Italy's Fiat SpA insisted in a statement on Tuesday that the Jeeps are safe . 'Our data shows that these vehicles may contain a defect that presents an unreasonable risk to safety,' he said. U.S. car safety chiefs opened an investigation into the Jeeps in August 2010 at the request of the Center for Auto Safety in Washington. They found that the Jeeps' fuel tanks can fail when hit from the rear, leak fuel and cause fires if there's an ignition source. The positioning of the tanks behind the rear axle and their height above the road is a design defect, it said in a letter to Chrysler dated Monday. Chrysler moved the fuel tanks on the Grand Cherokee ahead of the rear axle in 2005, and did the same thing with the Liberty in 2007. NHTSA said the older Jeeps performed poorly when compared with all but one similar vehicle from the 1993 to 2007 model years: 'Particularly in terms of fatalities, fires without fatalities, and fuel leaks in rear-end impacts and crashes.' The agency calculated that the older Grand Cherokees and Libertys have fatal crash rates that are about double those of similar vehicles. It asks Chrysler to recall the vehicles and 'implement a remedy action that improves their performance in rear-impacts and crashes'. Car-makers usually agree to a recall request, partly to avoid bad publicity. In the last three years, Chrysler has conducted 52 recalls. But Chrysler insists its review of nearly 30 years of data shows a low number of rear-impact crashes involving fire or a fuel leak in the affected Jeeps and that the the recall request is based on an 'incomplete analysis of the underlying data'. Chrysler Group LLC chairman and chief executive Sergio Marchionne insisted: 'The company stands behind the quality of its vehicles. 'All of us remain committed to continue working with NHTSA to provide information confirming the safety of these vehicles.' The row comes as Chrysler prepares to launch the latest new generation of its Jeep Grand Cherokee which is unaffected by the safety scare. 'NHTSA seems to be holding Chrysler Group to a new standard for fuel tank integrity that does not exist now and did not exist when the Jeep vehicles were manufactured,' the company said. The dispute leaves owners of the affected Grand Cherokees and Libertys waiting for government or court action. It also leaves Chrysler open to the risk of big liability if there are more crashes and injuries linked to the fuel tanks, said Logan Robinson, a University of Detroit Mercy law professor and former Chrysler corporate counsel. Lawyers could argue that if Chrysler had recalled the Jeeps, people wouldn't have been hurt, he said. But that liability would be limited if Chrysler beats NHTSA in court and a judge rules the company didn't sell defective vehicles, said Robinson. Chrysler called the older Grand Cherokees and Libertys 'among the safest vehicles of their era' saying they met all federal safety standards in effect when they were built. NHTSA's letter concedes this but adds: 'The existence of a minimum standard does not require NHTSA to ignore deadly problems.' Chrysler has until June 18 to respond to the safety administration's letter. NHTSA has the authority to fine companies if slow to provide data or recall vehicles. The agency fined Toyota Motor Corp. a record $66million for failing to quickly report problems and for delaying a recall. Toyota paid the fine without admitting it violated the law. [/INST] Car bosses refuse demands to recall nearly three million 4X4s .
Officials say are at risk of a fuel tank fire in a rear-end collision . </s> |
England will face Italy, Portugal and Sweden in the group stage of next summer's European Under-21 Championship finals in the Czech Republic. Gareth Southgate's seeded side were pitched into battle with the Italians, the Portuguese - whom they play in a friendly at Turf Moor on November 13 - and the Swedes in Group B in the draw, which was performed by former Czech star Pavel Nedved in Prague on Thursday afternoon. The host nation, the top seed in Group A, will face Germany, Denmark and Serbia in the competition, which takes place in Prague, Olomouc and Uherske Hradiste between June 17 and 30. Gareth Southgate's side will Italy, Portugal and Sweden in the group stage of the U21 Finals Championship . Former Czech Republic legend Pavel Nedved chats to UEFA President Michel Platini during Thursday's draw . Southgate urged England’s Under 21 team to show they can win on the biggest stage. ‘It is a cracking group, a group to get excited about,’ said the coach. ‘Yes, they are difficult teams but they are bound to be if you get to this stage. It is on to the next challenge. ‘We are effectively in the quarter-finals of this competition and I have never heard of anyone having any easy time at this stage. That is the mentality we have got to have. If we want to win the tournament, which we do, then we cannot complain about who we have got to play.’ Italy are five times winners of the competition and runners-up in 2013, when they were beaten by Spain in Israel, while Portugal lost in the 1994 final two years after Sweden had done the same. West Brom striker Saido Berahino starred for Southgate's side in qualification scoring 10 times on the way . England are twice winners, but their last success came three decades ago in 1984. Southgate's team dropped only two points in qualification, courtesy of a 1-1 draw in Finland in September last year, winning their remaining nine games, with West Brom striker Saido Berahino scoring 10 times on the way. Having topped Group One, they booked their place in the finals with home and away play-off victories over Croatia. But Portugal boasted a perfect record, collecting a maximum 24 points from their eight qualifiers and winning both legs of their play-off against Holland, the only nation to do so. | Gareth Southgate's side drawn in tough pool for 2015 tournament .
Southgate's team dropped only two points in qualification .
Southgate's side will play friendly game against Portugal at Burnley's Turf Moor stadium on Thursday, November 13 .
Czech Republic will face Germany, Denmark and Serbia in the competition .
The tournament takes place in Prague, Olomouc and Uherske Hradiste between June 17 and 30 .
Italy are five times winners of the competition and were runners-up in 2013 . | 1c7455d69d911085c8fc26079d6e328e4ad659b0 | <s>[INST] England will face Italy, Portugal and Sweden in the group stage of next summer's European Under-21 Championship finals in the Czech Republic. Gareth Southgate's seeded side were pitched into battle with the Italians, the Portuguese - whom they play in a friendly at Turf Moor on November 13 - and the Swedes in Group B in the draw, which was performed by former Czech star Pavel Nedved in Prague on Thursday afternoon. The host nation, the top seed in Group A, will face Germany, Denmark and Serbia in the competition, which takes place in Prague, Olomouc and Uherske Hradiste between June 17 and 30. Gareth Southgate's side will Italy, Portugal and Sweden in the group stage of the U21 Finals Championship . Former Czech Republic legend Pavel Nedved chats to UEFA President Michel Platini during Thursday's draw . Southgate urged England’s Under 21 team to show they can win on the biggest stage. ‘It is a cracking group, a group to get excited about,’ said the coach. ‘Yes, they are difficult teams but they are bound to be if you get to this stage. It is on to the next challenge. ‘We are effectively in the quarter-finals of this competition and I have never heard of anyone having any easy time at this stage. That is the mentality we have got to have. If we want to win the tournament, which we do, then we cannot complain about who we have got to play.’ Italy are five times winners of the competition and runners-up in 2013, when they were beaten by Spain in Israel, while Portugal lost in the 1994 final two years after Sweden had done the same. West Brom striker Saido Berahino starred for Southgate's side in qualification scoring 10 times on the way . England are twice winners, but their last success came three decades ago in 1984. Southgate's team dropped only two points in qualification, courtesy of a 1-1 draw in Finland in September last year, winning their remaining nine games, with West Brom striker Saido Berahino scoring 10 times on the way. Having topped Group One, they booked their place in the finals with home and away play-off victories over Croatia. But Portugal boasted a perfect record, collecting a maximum 24 points from their eight qualifiers and winning both legs of their play-off against Holland, the only nation to do so. [/INST] Gareth Southgate's side drawn in tough pool for 2015 tournament .
Southgate's team dropped only two points in qualification .
Southgate's side will play friendly game against Portugal at Burnley's Turf Moor stadium on Thursday, November 13 .
Czech Republic will face Germany, Denmark and Serbia in the competition .
The tournament takes place in Prague, Olomouc and Uherske Hradiste between June 17 and 30 .
Italy are five times winners of the competition and were runners-up in 2013 . </s> |
(CNN) -- It's hard for me to choose the greatest African films of the 21st century as the genres and styles of African cinema have evolved in a big way over the past 20 years or so. Movie makers are now showing a more vibrant Africa than the Francophone filmmakers did before them. I have chosen films that I loved watching and feel that they are a representative of what is out there in African cinema -- the rich mix and melting pot that is African cinema today. From a Whisper - dir. Wanuri Kahiu, Kenya, 2009 . This movie is very real and deals with the subject of terrorism -- based on the events surrounding the bomb attacks on the U.S. embassy in Nairobi in 1998. I liked Ken Ambani's realistic acting and I loved the music. Wanuri Kahiu is a good director who will go on to make greater films. The cinematography on this film was exceptional and although for me it had plot issues, I think in the end it all came together. Read this: Hollywood classics get African makeover . Viva Riva! -- dir. Djo Munga, DR Congo, 2010 . This is simply a sophisticated gangster movie. It has raw energy and puts a human face to all that is happening in the Congo. Sometimes just too real, it is gritty, fun and a must-watch thriller. Sinking Sands - dir. Leila Djansi, Ghana, 2011 . This film deals with domestic violence, but based on the personal journey of a man disfigured in an accident, which makes him turn against his wife. Ama K. Abebrese, who plays the wife, made this film for me and she won Best Actress at the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for it, but I felt that director Leila Djansi made the film engage with the audience in an emotional way, showing not just the rawness of domestic violence, but taking us through a range of pain and forgiveness. The film also depicts how women can immerse themselves in guilt and force themselves to feel like the guilty party. Actors Jimmy Jean-Louis and Abebrese made this film a must watch and Djansi chose the right cast to make her directing look beautiful. The camera work on this film was excellent -- a bit dark and grainy, but one thing is for sure: you cannot watch "Sinking Sands" and not be affected. White Waters - dir. Izu Ojukwu, Nigeria, 2007 . "White Waters" was a very good movie. It tells the story of a disadvantaged boy who is discovered as gifted runner. I loved the feel, the music and the fact that it was about achieving something from nothing. I loved the cinematography. Izu Ojukwu, the director and my colleague, is going to shout as I say this, but I believe he is one of the best cinematographers Nigeria has and actor O.C. Ukeje was sensational and made this movie for me. Read more: Capetown takes on Tinseltown . Mwansa the Great - dir. Rungano Nyoni, Zambia 2011 . This is one of those films that makes Africa great. By showcasing the talents of the children who make up its cast, it shows off Africa's apparent talent. It's not just the cast that I enjoyed -- it has lovely directing too. Moolaade - dir. Ousmane Sembene, Senegal, 2004 . "Moolaade" dealt with a subject that most men would rather not deal with -- female genital mutilation. But director Ousmane Semebene was not afraid to tackle the subject and the manner of the film was artistic, yet detailed, and did not derail the issues that most people in Africa are afraid to confront. Coming from Sembene it was important, visual and professionally made -- and it pulls at the viewers' heart strings. Otelo Burning - dir. Sara Blecher, South Africa, 2011 . This is one movie I love, just because of the story line of young black South Africans in the 1980s excelling in surfing -- a sport that was reserved for the whites. The sound and picture quality was also excellent, as was the acting. "Otelo Burning" is one of the best African films I have ever seen and I feel it should have had a lot more accolades than it did. Read more: 'Netflix of Africa' brings continent to the small screen . Benda Bilili - dir. Renaud Barret, Florent de La Tullaye, DR Congo/France, 2010 . This is a great musical documentary telling the story of Staff Benda Bilili -- a group of disabled Congolese musicians. The band members start out making a living on the streets of Kinshasa, before becoming world-famous musicians. Irapada -- dir. Kunle Afolayan, Nigeria, 2007 . I love anything to deal with African myths and mysticism. This movie may not have the best sound quality but the storyline was interesting, and it was the first Nollywood film to make it to mainstream film festivals -- including the London Film Festival and Pan African Film festival in Los Angeles -- after winning an AMAA (Best Indigenous Film) in 2007. Ghett'a Life - dir. Chris Browne, Jamaica, 2011 . Not strictly an African movie, but "Ghett'a Life" is one of those films that I just love to watch. The music in this film is brilliant, and the cinematography too. It deals with the political violence in Jamaica in a realistic way, showing that people born in the ghetto can escape. "Gett'a Life" can be hard to deal with but when you watch the documentary "Marley" you begin to understand how politics, music and sports all merge in developing countries. For me, this movie is in the same league as "Otelo Burning," with its message that you can get out of the corner if you really try. Story line: excellent, acting: brilliant. What are your favorite African movies of the 21st century? Let us know in the comments section below. | "African Oscars" founder picks the best of African cinema .
Among her choices of 21st century African films are "From a Whisper" and "Viva Riva!"
"Movie makers are now showing a more vibrant Africa," says Peace Anyiam-Osigwe . | b6136dd5f245f26dece12bf294d524bf584bed69 | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- It's hard for me to choose the greatest African films of the 21st century as the genres and styles of African cinema have evolved in a big way over the past 20 years or so. Movie makers are now showing a more vibrant Africa than the Francophone filmmakers did before them. I have chosen films that I loved watching and feel that they are a representative of what is out there in African cinema -- the rich mix and melting pot that is African cinema today. From a Whisper - dir. Wanuri Kahiu, Kenya, 2009 . This movie is very real and deals with the subject of terrorism -- based on the events surrounding the bomb attacks on the U.S. embassy in Nairobi in 1998. I liked Ken Ambani's realistic acting and I loved the music. Wanuri Kahiu is a good director who will go on to make greater films. The cinematography on this film was exceptional and although for me it had plot issues, I think in the end it all came together. Read this: Hollywood classics get African makeover . Viva Riva! -- dir. Djo Munga, DR Congo, 2010 . This is simply a sophisticated gangster movie. It has raw energy and puts a human face to all that is happening in the Congo. Sometimes just too real, it is gritty, fun and a must-watch thriller. Sinking Sands - dir. Leila Djansi, Ghana, 2011 . This film deals with domestic violence, but based on the personal journey of a man disfigured in an accident, which makes him turn against his wife. Ama K. Abebrese, who plays the wife, made this film for me and she won Best Actress at the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for it, but I felt that director Leila Djansi made the film engage with the audience in an emotional way, showing not just the rawness of domestic violence, but taking us through a range of pain and forgiveness. The film also depicts how women can immerse themselves in guilt and force themselves to feel like the guilty party. Actors Jimmy Jean-Louis and Abebrese made this film a must watch and Djansi chose the right cast to make her directing look beautiful. The camera work on this film was excellent -- a bit dark and grainy, but one thing is for sure: you cannot watch "Sinking Sands" and not be affected. White Waters - dir. Izu Ojukwu, Nigeria, 2007 . "White Waters" was a very good movie. It tells the story of a disadvantaged boy who is discovered as gifted runner. I loved the feel, the music and the fact that it was about achieving something from nothing. I loved the cinematography. Izu Ojukwu, the director and my colleague, is going to shout as I say this, but I believe he is one of the best cinematographers Nigeria has and actor O.C. Ukeje was sensational and made this movie for me. Read more: Capetown takes on Tinseltown . Mwansa the Great - dir. Rungano Nyoni, Zambia 2011 . This is one of those films that makes Africa great. By showcasing the talents of the children who make up its cast, it shows off Africa's apparent talent. It's not just the cast that I enjoyed -- it has lovely directing too. Moolaade - dir. Ousmane Sembene, Senegal, 2004 . "Moolaade" dealt with a subject that most men would rather not deal with -- female genital mutilation. But director Ousmane Semebene was not afraid to tackle the subject and the manner of the film was artistic, yet detailed, and did not derail the issues that most people in Africa are afraid to confront. Coming from Sembene it was important, visual and professionally made -- and it pulls at the viewers' heart strings. Otelo Burning - dir. Sara Blecher, South Africa, 2011 . This is one movie I love, just because of the story line of young black South Africans in the 1980s excelling in surfing -- a sport that was reserved for the whites. The sound and picture quality was also excellent, as was the acting. "Otelo Burning" is one of the best African films I have ever seen and I feel it should have had a lot more accolades than it did. Read more: 'Netflix of Africa' brings continent to the small screen . Benda Bilili - dir. Renaud Barret, Florent de La Tullaye, DR Congo/France, 2010 . This is a great musical documentary telling the story of Staff Benda Bilili -- a group of disabled Congolese musicians. The band members start out making a living on the streets of Kinshasa, before becoming world-famous musicians. Irapada -- dir. Kunle Afolayan, Nigeria, 2007 . I love anything to deal with African myths and mysticism. This movie may not have the best sound quality but the storyline was interesting, and it was the first Nollywood film to make it to mainstream film festivals -- including the London Film Festival and Pan African Film festival in Los Angeles -- after winning an AMAA (Best Indigenous Film) in 2007. Ghett'a Life - dir. Chris Browne, Jamaica, 2011 . Not strictly an African movie, but "Ghett'a Life" is one of those films that I just love to watch. The music in this film is brilliant, and the cinematography too. It deals with the political violence in Jamaica in a realistic way, showing that people born in the ghetto can escape. "Gett'a Life" can be hard to deal with but when you watch the documentary "Marley" you begin to understand how politics, music and sports all merge in developing countries. For me, this movie is in the same league as "Otelo Burning," with its message that you can get out of the corner if you really try. Story line: excellent, acting: brilliant. What are your favorite African movies of the 21st century? Let us know in the comments section below. [/INST] "African Oscars" founder picks the best of African cinema .
Among her choices of 21st century African films are "From a Whisper" and "Viva Riva!"
"Movie makers are now showing a more vibrant Africa," says Peace Anyiam-Osigwe . </s> |
By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 13:17 EST, 6 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:51 EST, 6 January 2013 . A brave young girl left fighting for her life when she took the brunt of a horrific hit and run to save her two-year-old brother's life was last night released from hospital to celebrate her birthday. Sabah Saleem, 11, of Hyde Park in Leeds, West Yorkshire, and her brother Rayhan, who is now three, were badly injured in the hit and run which happened last August just yards from their home. But Sabah left Leeds General Infirmary for the first time last night to have a birthday party with her parents after making a remarkable recovery following weeks spent unconscious after the incident. Joy: There were family celebrations after an amazing recovery for children (left) Rayhan, three, and his sister Sabah Saleem, 11, who were knocked down in a hit and run just yards from their home in Leeds last August . On the day of the hit and run, Sabah and Rayhan were helping their family prepare for Eid al-Fitr to mark the end of Ramadan and were sent to a nearby shop with their cousin to buy some vegetables. Sabah had just finished reading the Koran and was looking forward to a party to celebrate - but the family’s festivities were cut short as she was struck down and medics battled to save her in hospital. Sabah was hailed a ‘hero’ by her relatives after it emerged that she was thought to have taken the brunt of the impact in a bid to shield her beloved brother from the force of the smash on August 18. But family members faced a wait for news after the incident - and their mother, housewife Tazeem Noor, 32 and father, IT analyst Mohammed Saleem, 37, maintained a tearful vigil for their children. Their uncle Aroon Rafique and further relatives were left caring for the couple’s other two daughters, aged eight and 10 months. Delight: Sabah (right) was hailed a 'hero' by her relatives after it emerged that she was thought to have taken the brunt of the impact in a bid to shield her beloved brother Rayhan (left) from the force of the smash . Mr Saleem said: ‘She (Sabah) had a great time at the party - it was lovely to spoil her and made a big difference from the jacket potatoes she has been eating in hospital. 'She had a great time at the party - it was lovely to spoil her and made a big difference from the jacket potatoes she has been eating in hospital' Mohammed Saleem, 37, father . ‘It’s brilliant having her home and the way she has improved is fantastic. She is still on the road to recovery but has come very far. She is such a great girl, a real hero. Since being in hospital she has had around seven operations but she never breaks down - she just goes along with it. 'She doesn’t really remember the crash. I think she just acted on instinct when she saved her brother and took the brunt. 'That’s the mark of a true hero. We told Rayhan that he fell from a swing. I think it’s better that way - he can’t remember it either. Treatment: Sabah left Leeds General Infirmary for the first time last night to have a birthday party with her parents after making a remarkable recovery following weeks spent unconscious after the incident . ‘Every time she gets herself down I show her pictures from the newspapers and the internet and show her how much people admire her. That always cheers her up.’ 'We told Rayhan that he fell from a swing. I think it’s better that way - he can’t remember it either' Mohammed Saleem, 37, father . Rayhan - who was less seriously injured because of his sister’s heroics - was released from hospital weeks after the incident but his family said he ‘lost his sparkle’ when he came home. Sabah has to undergo intense physiotherapy because her right-hand side is weaker following the crash - and her parents still don't know when she is likely to be discharged for good. A call to West Yorkshire Police to ascertain the latest on the case was not immediately returned. | Sabah Saleem, 11, and Rayhan, 3, were injured in Leeds crash last August .
But Sabah left Leeds General Infirmary for first time to celebrate birthday .
She's had around seven operations but is still in good spirits, father says .
It had emerged she took brunt of hit and run crash to protect her brother . | 740ce23964fa5e3e59abfc033387d500a7bcf9d4 | <s>[INST] By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 13:17 EST, 6 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:51 EST, 6 January 2013 . A brave young girl left fighting for her life when she took the brunt of a horrific hit and run to save her two-year-old brother's life was last night released from hospital to celebrate her birthday. Sabah Saleem, 11, of Hyde Park in Leeds, West Yorkshire, and her brother Rayhan, who is now three, were badly injured in the hit and run which happened last August just yards from their home. But Sabah left Leeds General Infirmary for the first time last night to have a birthday party with her parents after making a remarkable recovery following weeks spent unconscious after the incident. Joy: There were family celebrations after an amazing recovery for children (left) Rayhan, three, and his sister Sabah Saleem, 11, who were knocked down in a hit and run just yards from their home in Leeds last August . On the day of the hit and run, Sabah and Rayhan were helping their family prepare for Eid al-Fitr to mark the end of Ramadan and were sent to a nearby shop with their cousin to buy some vegetables. Sabah had just finished reading the Koran and was looking forward to a party to celebrate - but the family’s festivities were cut short as she was struck down and medics battled to save her in hospital. Sabah was hailed a ‘hero’ by her relatives after it emerged that she was thought to have taken the brunt of the impact in a bid to shield her beloved brother from the force of the smash on August 18. But family members faced a wait for news after the incident - and their mother, housewife Tazeem Noor, 32 and father, IT analyst Mohammed Saleem, 37, maintained a tearful vigil for their children. Their uncle Aroon Rafique and further relatives were left caring for the couple’s other two daughters, aged eight and 10 months. Delight: Sabah (right) was hailed a 'hero' by her relatives after it emerged that she was thought to have taken the brunt of the impact in a bid to shield her beloved brother Rayhan (left) from the force of the smash . Mr Saleem said: ‘She (Sabah) had a great time at the party - it was lovely to spoil her and made a big difference from the jacket potatoes she has been eating in hospital. 'She had a great time at the party - it was lovely to spoil her and made a big difference from the jacket potatoes she has been eating in hospital' Mohammed Saleem, 37, father . ‘It’s brilliant having her home and the way she has improved is fantastic. She is still on the road to recovery but has come very far. She is such a great girl, a real hero. Since being in hospital she has had around seven operations but she never breaks down - she just goes along with it. 'She doesn’t really remember the crash. I think she just acted on instinct when she saved her brother and took the brunt. 'That’s the mark of a true hero. We told Rayhan that he fell from a swing. I think it’s better that way - he can’t remember it either. Treatment: Sabah left Leeds General Infirmary for the first time last night to have a birthday party with her parents after making a remarkable recovery following weeks spent unconscious after the incident . ‘Every time she gets herself down I show her pictures from the newspapers and the internet and show her how much people admire her. That always cheers her up.’ 'We told Rayhan that he fell from a swing. I think it’s better that way - he can’t remember it either' Mohammed Saleem, 37, father . Rayhan - who was less seriously injured because of his sister’s heroics - was released from hospital weeks after the incident but his family said he ‘lost his sparkle’ when he came home. Sabah has to undergo intense physiotherapy because her right-hand side is weaker following the crash - and her parents still don't know when she is likely to be discharged for good. A call to West Yorkshire Police to ascertain the latest on the case was not immediately returned. [/INST] Sabah Saleem, 11, and Rayhan, 3, were injured in Leeds crash last August .
But Sabah left Leeds General Infirmary for first time to celebrate birthday .
She's had around seven operations but is still in good spirits, father says .
It had emerged she took brunt of hit and run crash to protect her brother . </s> |
Luckily it was a warm day when a crowd of brave exhibitionists descended on Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire and stripped off. They took to the water naked in a bid to break the record for the world's largest skinny dip. The swimmers - who had not met each other before - all met up at 8pm on Saturday and were taken to one of the lakes surrounding the Wilderness Festival. Cheeky dip: A pair of women get ready to join a mass skinny-dip at a summer festival . Entering the water slowly: The new swimming club, from the creators of Secret Cinema, will bring together people every month and invite them to swim in the wildest, most beautiful places . It was also to celebrate the launch of a new secret swimming club which will bring . together people every month and invite them to swim in the wildest, most . beautiful places. The locations will be kept secret till the last . moment and only released to the Secret Swimming community. The idea is the brainchild of Secret Cinema creators - a group responsible for theatrical hidden screenings. Come on in: Swimmers applaud and shout encouragement as people jump into the water . The new club has been created by the same team which are behind Secret Cinema - a secret film experience . 'When you go skinny dipping late at . night on a beach somewhere with a group of friends, it's an amazing . experience,' Future Cinema and Secret Swimming founder Fabien Riggall . told Wired.co.uk. 'It's fun. I think our audience is looking for ways of doing things that are a bit different.' It's unconfirmed if they broke the record but as they appealed for people to join in, they said on their events website that they predicted: 'Two thousand mostly naked lovely people celebrate wild waters' at similar events around the world. | The new swimming club, from the creators of Secret Cinema, will invite people to swim scenic places .
Locations will be kept secret till the last moment and only released to the Secret Swimming community . | dca94771c35d0c37e226cf1ecac9771e3fa25542 | <s>[INST] Luckily it was a warm day when a crowd of brave exhibitionists descended on Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire and stripped off. They took to the water naked in a bid to break the record for the world's largest skinny dip. The swimmers - who had not met each other before - all met up at 8pm on Saturday and were taken to one of the lakes surrounding the Wilderness Festival. Cheeky dip: A pair of women get ready to join a mass skinny-dip at a summer festival . Entering the water slowly: The new swimming club, from the creators of Secret Cinema, will bring together people every month and invite them to swim in the wildest, most beautiful places . It was also to celebrate the launch of a new secret swimming club which will bring . together people every month and invite them to swim in the wildest, most . beautiful places. The locations will be kept secret till the last . moment and only released to the Secret Swimming community. The idea is the brainchild of Secret Cinema creators - a group responsible for theatrical hidden screenings. Come on in: Swimmers applaud and shout encouragement as people jump into the water . The new club has been created by the same team which are behind Secret Cinema - a secret film experience . 'When you go skinny dipping late at . night on a beach somewhere with a group of friends, it's an amazing . experience,' Future Cinema and Secret Swimming founder Fabien Riggall . told Wired.co.uk. 'It's fun. I think our audience is looking for ways of doing things that are a bit different.' It's unconfirmed if they broke the record but as they appealed for people to join in, they said on their events website that they predicted: 'Two thousand mostly naked lovely people celebrate wild waters' at similar events around the world. [/INST] The new swimming club, from the creators of Secret Cinema, will invite people to swim scenic places .
Locations will be kept secret till the last moment and only released to the Secret Swimming community . </s> |
By . Larisa Brown . PUBLISHED: . 10:54 EST, 28 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:41 EST, 28 August 2012 . These shocking images show a beloved pet that was tortured by being doused in lighter fuel and set on fire. Cody the Border Collie, only three-years-old, was burnt so badly that its ribs and joints were visible through its charred flesh. The owner of the black-and-white dog, Natalie Agnew, initially failed to recognise her brutally injured pet as it limped home across a field near their home in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Such was the extent of the injuries around the dog's head and body, with most of it's fur burnt off, that Mrs Agnew thought it was a jackal from Belfast Zoo. Horrific attack: Cody the Border Collie was doused in lighter fluid and then set alight, leaving it in a terrible state. Police are hunting for the people who did this. Traumatised: The young three-year-old collie dog was so horrifically burnt it was possible to see its ribs and joints . Brutal : Police believe two teenaged youths, who were spotted in the vicinity, poured lighter fuel over the dog . Police found two bottles of barbecue lighting fluid from a quarry near to the family home in the village of Maghaberry, outside Lisburn City. Witnesses, including one of Mrs Agnew's two young sons, described seeing two boys, one wearing a black hoodie, in the area of the family farm prior to the attack. The Police Service of Northern Ireland are searching for the attackers. It was thought the brutal incident happened at around 9pm on Sunday morning. Cody only made it back home two hours later. The family have been left devastated and face an agonising wait to see if the dog will fully recover from the horrific burns. Mrs Agnew, 36, had just returned from a family holiday in Spain with her husband Martin and their sons, Jake, 6 and Justin, 10, when the attack happened. She said: 'I can't believe anyone would actually do this to such a helpless and innocent dog. I am absolutely disgusted and am worried about what else these people are capable of. Mrs Agnew said the dog had failed to come home when she called it. She added: 'When she didn't come running right away, I walked down the private lane towards the quarry at the back of our house to find her. I saw an animal walking up the field. Cody is examined by vets today after she was set alight over the weekend . Still suffering: Cody looks in pain at the vets today, three days after the brutal attack . Devastated owners: Martin Agnew with his sons Jake, 6, left, and Justin, 10, holding a photograph of their dog Cody as a puppy . 'I began to panic a bit as I wasn't sure what it was. I thought it was jackal which had escaped from the zoo. The animal was struggling to walk, there were bald patches all over it and blood was dripping from its nose.' After realising it was their pet, she said: 'I started shaking like a leaf. 'I couldn't look at her. I called husband out to the garden who gathered her up and took her to the vet.' The vet told the family that due to the nature of the burns it was a deliberate attack. It is thought her son saw the likely attackers after he was watching out of the window and saw two boys who looked about 17-years-old walking towards the quarry. They are thought to have been local. Beautiful dog: Cody as a pup. She was just three when she was attacked on Sunday . Cody is 'as friendly as they come', said friend and international rugby player Ferris . Mrs Agnew said: 'In addition to being devastated by this horrific attack on our dog, my ten-year-old son now blames himself for not calling the dog in earlier. 'He is also petrified of going anywhere alone.' The dog is now in the care of a local vet. The family said they face an anxious wait over the next few days to see if the dog's wounds will heal. Mr Agnew said: 'We're just waiting for news from the vet now to see how she's going to be. 'She's got serious burns and we're being told it'll be three weeks before we know if her fur's going to grow back. 'I've got two boys and they are in bits about this.' A public appeal for information using Facebook and other media to help police trace two young boys has been launched. Irish . Lions rugby player Stephen Ferris, who is a family friend, said the . attack was 'inhumane' and the pet was as 'friendly as they come'. He is one of over 20,000 followers who have signed up to a Facebook group called 'Justice for Cody'. Police are appealing for information. | Cody, 3, was so badly burnt its ribs and joints were visible .
Owner failed to recognise it as it limped home across a field .
Police hunting for two young suspects in connection with the brutal attack . | e4120f2e440713250e1d22528161444e75794fc6 | <s>[INST] By . Larisa Brown . PUBLISHED: . 10:54 EST, 28 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:41 EST, 28 August 2012 . These shocking images show a beloved pet that was tortured by being doused in lighter fuel and set on fire. Cody the Border Collie, only three-years-old, was burnt so badly that its ribs and joints were visible through its charred flesh. The owner of the black-and-white dog, Natalie Agnew, initially failed to recognise her brutally injured pet as it limped home across a field near their home in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Such was the extent of the injuries around the dog's head and body, with most of it's fur burnt off, that Mrs Agnew thought it was a jackal from Belfast Zoo. Horrific attack: Cody the Border Collie was doused in lighter fluid and then set alight, leaving it in a terrible state. Police are hunting for the people who did this. Traumatised: The young three-year-old collie dog was so horrifically burnt it was possible to see its ribs and joints . Brutal : Police believe two teenaged youths, who were spotted in the vicinity, poured lighter fuel over the dog . Police found two bottles of barbecue lighting fluid from a quarry near to the family home in the village of Maghaberry, outside Lisburn City. Witnesses, including one of Mrs Agnew's two young sons, described seeing two boys, one wearing a black hoodie, in the area of the family farm prior to the attack. The Police Service of Northern Ireland are searching for the attackers. It was thought the brutal incident happened at around 9pm on Sunday morning. Cody only made it back home two hours later. The family have been left devastated and face an agonising wait to see if the dog will fully recover from the horrific burns. Mrs Agnew, 36, had just returned from a family holiday in Spain with her husband Martin and their sons, Jake, 6 and Justin, 10, when the attack happened. She said: 'I can't believe anyone would actually do this to such a helpless and innocent dog. I am absolutely disgusted and am worried about what else these people are capable of. Mrs Agnew said the dog had failed to come home when she called it. She added: 'When she didn't come running right away, I walked down the private lane towards the quarry at the back of our house to find her. I saw an animal walking up the field. Cody is examined by vets today after she was set alight over the weekend . Still suffering: Cody looks in pain at the vets today, three days after the brutal attack . Devastated owners: Martin Agnew with his sons Jake, 6, left, and Justin, 10, holding a photograph of their dog Cody as a puppy . 'I began to panic a bit as I wasn't sure what it was. I thought it was jackal which had escaped from the zoo. The animal was struggling to walk, there were bald patches all over it and blood was dripping from its nose.' After realising it was their pet, she said: 'I started shaking like a leaf. 'I couldn't look at her. I called husband out to the garden who gathered her up and took her to the vet.' The vet told the family that due to the nature of the burns it was a deliberate attack. It is thought her son saw the likely attackers after he was watching out of the window and saw two boys who looked about 17-years-old walking towards the quarry. They are thought to have been local. Beautiful dog: Cody as a pup. She was just three when she was attacked on Sunday . Cody is 'as friendly as they come', said friend and international rugby player Ferris . Mrs Agnew said: 'In addition to being devastated by this horrific attack on our dog, my ten-year-old son now blames himself for not calling the dog in earlier. 'He is also petrified of going anywhere alone.' The dog is now in the care of a local vet. The family said they face an anxious wait over the next few days to see if the dog's wounds will heal. Mr Agnew said: 'We're just waiting for news from the vet now to see how she's going to be. 'She's got serious burns and we're being told it'll be three weeks before we know if her fur's going to grow back. 'I've got two boys and they are in bits about this.' A public appeal for information using Facebook and other media to help police trace two young boys has been launched. Irish . Lions rugby player Stephen Ferris, who is a family friend, said the . attack was 'inhumane' and the pet was as 'friendly as they come'. He is one of over 20,000 followers who have signed up to a Facebook group called 'Justice for Cody'. Police are appealing for information. [/INST] Cody, 3, was so badly burnt its ribs and joints were visible .
Owner failed to recognise it as it limped home across a field .
Police hunting for two young suspects in connection with the brutal attack . </s> |
By . Steve Doughty . PUBLISHED: . 18:37 EST, 2 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:37 EST, 2 September 2013 . Pupils from poor white families are falling further behind boys and girls from ethnic minorities in their schooling, a think tank claimed yesterday. It said the performance of white British boys from the poorest families – already the lowest achievers – has slipped further over the past five years. They are now half as likely as boys from impoverished Chinese or Indian families to get good qualifications and far less likely to succeed than boys from the worst-off black Caribbean or African families. Educational underclass: White working class boys' grades have slipped even further behind their peers' White girls from worse-off families are also far adrift of their contemporaries in ethnic and cultural minorities, the analysis by the Centre for Social Justice said. The CSJ blamed the low aspirations of poor white families, benefit dependency and the failure of schools to encourage white children in the same way they have tried to help minority children. The report, from the pressure group founded by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, called for further and faster education reform to reverse the educational decline among poor white British children. Alongside the downward spiral among white pupils, the paper said four-year-old children are arriving at schools still in nappies and unable to speak and that at the age of five nearly one in eight children cannot write their own names. Christian Guy, director of the CSJ, said: ‘These figures are sobering. They suggest that despite much money and effort white working-class boys are in danger of becoming an educational underclass. Performance discrepancy: Girls from poor white British families are doing marginally better than their male counterparts but they are both falling behind . ‘We need to take a close look at the reasons behind this growing inequality and re-assess the measures we are taking to close the performance gap.’ The deepening failure of white boys in school was first noticed a decade ago and the widening gap is set out in figures for those on free school meals and who gain five A* to C GCSE grades, including English and maths. Only 26 per cent of white boys on free school meals reached the benchmark last year, compared to 40 per cent of black boys. Among all pupils who have free school meals, 36 per cent achieve good GCSE grades. More than two thirds of Chinese pupils from poor families hit the target mark and more than half of those from Indian or Bangladeshi families. Non-British whites from poor families, including boys whose parents come from Eastern Europe, have similar levels of achievement to black boys. Despite efforts under two governments to improve the performance, the gap has widened rather than narrowed. Widening gap: The underachievement of poor white children has become even more pronounced . White boys are 0.5 per cent down on their 2007 levels, while black boys are up by 3.9 per cent.Girls from poor white British families are doing marginally better, with 35 per cent hitting the GCSE target, compared to 41 per cent of all girls from poor backgrounds. Only Roma gypsy and Irish traveller children do worse than poor white British children. The report said that traditionally white working class families put a low value on education because high qualifications were not necessary to get jobs in industry. Their attitudes have lagged behind as the economy has been transformed. Worklessness in regions that were once heartlands of heavy industry has also taken its toll. The CSJ quoted a Midlands headteacher saying: ‘Families where generations of parents have been on benefits have created dependency and a lack of aspiration and ambition.’ The report also pointed to Ofsted findings that some schools had effective programmes for helping minority children but little for white British pupils in trouble. The report was drawn up by a group headed by Sir Robin Bosher, a former primary school head who now leads the Harris Federation of academy schools. He said: ‘Educational failure is too common in our current system. It affects disadvantaged children and makes reform urgent’, . | Poor British white boys less likely to succeed than nearly any other group .
Only Roma gypsy and Irish traveller children do worse than poor white British children .
Report suggested that traditionally white working class families put a low value on education . | cc30f8efe84374533c56a6bf1a34f680bcf89f29 | <s>[INST] By . Steve Doughty . PUBLISHED: . 18:37 EST, 2 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:37 EST, 2 September 2013 . Pupils from poor white families are falling further behind boys and girls from ethnic minorities in their schooling, a think tank claimed yesterday. It said the performance of white British boys from the poorest families – already the lowest achievers – has slipped further over the past five years. They are now half as likely as boys from impoverished Chinese or Indian families to get good qualifications and far less likely to succeed than boys from the worst-off black Caribbean or African families. Educational underclass: White working class boys' grades have slipped even further behind their peers' White girls from worse-off families are also far adrift of their contemporaries in ethnic and cultural minorities, the analysis by the Centre for Social Justice said. The CSJ blamed the low aspirations of poor white families, benefit dependency and the failure of schools to encourage white children in the same way they have tried to help minority children. The report, from the pressure group founded by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, called for further and faster education reform to reverse the educational decline among poor white British children. Alongside the downward spiral among white pupils, the paper said four-year-old children are arriving at schools still in nappies and unable to speak and that at the age of five nearly one in eight children cannot write their own names. Christian Guy, director of the CSJ, said: ‘These figures are sobering. They suggest that despite much money and effort white working-class boys are in danger of becoming an educational underclass. Performance discrepancy: Girls from poor white British families are doing marginally better than their male counterparts but they are both falling behind . ‘We need to take a close look at the reasons behind this growing inequality and re-assess the measures we are taking to close the performance gap.’ The deepening failure of white boys in school was first noticed a decade ago and the widening gap is set out in figures for those on free school meals and who gain five A* to C GCSE grades, including English and maths. Only 26 per cent of white boys on free school meals reached the benchmark last year, compared to 40 per cent of black boys. Among all pupils who have free school meals, 36 per cent achieve good GCSE grades. More than two thirds of Chinese pupils from poor families hit the target mark and more than half of those from Indian or Bangladeshi families. Non-British whites from poor families, including boys whose parents come from Eastern Europe, have similar levels of achievement to black boys. Despite efforts under two governments to improve the performance, the gap has widened rather than narrowed. Widening gap: The underachievement of poor white children has become even more pronounced . White boys are 0.5 per cent down on their 2007 levels, while black boys are up by 3.9 per cent.Girls from poor white British families are doing marginally better, with 35 per cent hitting the GCSE target, compared to 41 per cent of all girls from poor backgrounds. Only Roma gypsy and Irish traveller children do worse than poor white British children. The report said that traditionally white working class families put a low value on education because high qualifications were not necessary to get jobs in industry. Their attitudes have lagged behind as the economy has been transformed. Worklessness in regions that were once heartlands of heavy industry has also taken its toll. The CSJ quoted a Midlands headteacher saying: ‘Families where generations of parents have been on benefits have created dependency and a lack of aspiration and ambition.’ The report also pointed to Ofsted findings that some schools had effective programmes for helping minority children but little for white British pupils in trouble. The report was drawn up by a group headed by Sir Robin Bosher, a former primary school head who now leads the Harris Federation of academy schools. He said: ‘Educational failure is too common in our current system. It affects disadvantaged children and makes reform urgent’, . [/INST] Poor British white boys less likely to succeed than nearly any other group .
Only Roma gypsy and Irish traveller children do worse than poor white British children .
Report suggested that traditionally white working class families put a low value on education . </s> |
By . John Stevens . PUBLISHED: . 21:10 EST, 6 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:54 EST, 7 January 2013 . Christmas shoppers failed to give stores a much-needed boost, according to figures published today. High street sales fell last month compared with December 2011, and even online retailers saw a decline in sales, despite a surge in the final days before Christmas as bargain hunters snapped up deals. Some of the biggest chains, including Marks & Spencer and Morrisons, are expected to reveal worrying trading figures in the next few days. Festive cheer: Many anxious high street retailers started their sales before Christmas in an attempt to tempt shoppers through the doors, but this failed to make up for weak spending earlier in the festive season . Many anxious high street retailers started their sales before Christmas in an attempt to tempt shoppers through the doors, but this failed to make up for weak spending earlier in the festive season. Overall consumer spending was down by 1.7 per cent last month compared with December 2011, according to figures released by card company Visa. Its UK Expenditure Index, compiled by financial information firm Markit, found that high street spending was down by 2 per cent last month compared with December 2011. Website spending fell by 0.4 per cent over the same period, while mail and telephone-order sales showed the steepest year-on-year decline, tumbling by 3.8 per cent. The study is based on spending on Visa cards and the figures are then adjusted to reflect all consumer spending. Steve Perry, commercial director at Visa Europe, said: ‘Consumer spending rallied towards the end of December with week-on-week growth of 12 per cent in the week before Christmas as consumers made the most of the final shopping weekend. Difficult times: Morrisons, which is the UK's fourth biggest supermarket chain, is among those feared to have done badly over Christmas as it was squeezed by bigger rivals and discounters such as Aldi and Lidl . ‘Online spending as a proportion of overall spending stood at 12.5 per cent during this final week, up considerably on 2011, indicating consumers’ increasing preference for online purchases.’ Shares in Marks & Spencer, which is seen as a high street bellwether, have tumbled as fears grow about its performance. Retail analysts have predicted that clothing sales in October could be down by 9 per cent compared with the previous year, when its results are revealed on Thursday. Morrisons, which is the UK’s fourth biggest supermarket chain, is among those feared to have done badly over Christmas as it was squeezed by bigger rivals and discounters such as Aldi and Lidl. Its trading update for the six weeks to the end of December is likely to show like-for-like sales fell by more than 2 per cent on a year ago. But Tesco and Sainsbury’s, which also publish their figures this week, are expected to show a modest increase in sales compared with Christmas 2011. The figures are expected to get worse in the coming months as rising energy bills put family budgets under further pressure. Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, said: ‘Consumer spending remained disappointingly weak in December. ‘With inflation continuing to outstrip pay growth, and worries persisting about job security and the economic outlook, consumer spending looks likely to remain under pressure for some time.’ | High street sales fell last month compared with December 2011, data shows .
Marks & Spencer and Morrisons expected to reveal worrying trading figures .
But modest increase in sales could be posted by Tesco and Sainsbury’s . | 4d712c2ac1b265223876ba82305fb4e3e529c20a | <s>[INST] By . John Stevens . PUBLISHED: . 21:10 EST, 6 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:54 EST, 7 January 2013 . Christmas shoppers failed to give stores a much-needed boost, according to figures published today. High street sales fell last month compared with December 2011, and even online retailers saw a decline in sales, despite a surge in the final days before Christmas as bargain hunters snapped up deals. Some of the biggest chains, including Marks & Spencer and Morrisons, are expected to reveal worrying trading figures in the next few days. Festive cheer: Many anxious high street retailers started their sales before Christmas in an attempt to tempt shoppers through the doors, but this failed to make up for weak spending earlier in the festive season . Many anxious high street retailers started their sales before Christmas in an attempt to tempt shoppers through the doors, but this failed to make up for weak spending earlier in the festive season. Overall consumer spending was down by 1.7 per cent last month compared with December 2011, according to figures released by card company Visa. Its UK Expenditure Index, compiled by financial information firm Markit, found that high street spending was down by 2 per cent last month compared with December 2011. Website spending fell by 0.4 per cent over the same period, while mail and telephone-order sales showed the steepest year-on-year decline, tumbling by 3.8 per cent. The study is based on spending on Visa cards and the figures are then adjusted to reflect all consumer spending. Steve Perry, commercial director at Visa Europe, said: ‘Consumer spending rallied towards the end of December with week-on-week growth of 12 per cent in the week before Christmas as consumers made the most of the final shopping weekend. Difficult times: Morrisons, which is the UK's fourth biggest supermarket chain, is among those feared to have done badly over Christmas as it was squeezed by bigger rivals and discounters such as Aldi and Lidl . ‘Online spending as a proportion of overall spending stood at 12.5 per cent during this final week, up considerably on 2011, indicating consumers’ increasing preference for online purchases.’ Shares in Marks & Spencer, which is seen as a high street bellwether, have tumbled as fears grow about its performance. Retail analysts have predicted that clothing sales in October could be down by 9 per cent compared with the previous year, when its results are revealed on Thursday. Morrisons, which is the UK’s fourth biggest supermarket chain, is among those feared to have done badly over Christmas as it was squeezed by bigger rivals and discounters such as Aldi and Lidl. Its trading update for the six weeks to the end of December is likely to show like-for-like sales fell by more than 2 per cent on a year ago. But Tesco and Sainsbury’s, which also publish their figures this week, are expected to show a modest increase in sales compared with Christmas 2011. The figures are expected to get worse in the coming months as rising energy bills put family budgets under further pressure. Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, said: ‘Consumer spending remained disappointingly weak in December. ‘With inflation continuing to outstrip pay growth, and worries persisting about job security and the economic outlook, consumer spending looks likely to remain under pressure for some time.’ [/INST] High street sales fell last month compared with December 2011, data shows .
Marks & Spencer and Morrisons expected to reveal worrying trading figures .
But modest increase in sales could be posted by Tesco and Sainsbury’s . </s> |
Minneapolis, Minnesota (CNN) -- Attorney Brian O'Neill has a lifetime of experience when it comes to the legal battles that ensue following major oil catastrophes. After the Exxon Valdez oil tanker crashed in Prince William Sound in 1989, O'Neill headed straight to Alaska. The Minnesota-based attorney had an interest in environmental issues and wanted to help because, as he put it, "there were an awful lot of hurt people." He soon represented 2,600 fishermen and others affected by the spill. What he thought would be a two- or three-year "adventure" is still the biggest thing on his plate, one-third of his life later. O'Neill successfully argued the 1994 trial after which a jury ordered Exxon to pay $5.3 billion in punitive damages to O'Neill's clients and others affected by the spill. Exxon appealed almost two dozen times and O'Neill was there through it all. In 2008, the case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, where a 5-3 majority finally set punitive damages at $500 million. It was a significant blow to O'Neill and his clients. Today, O'Neill is working to make sure each of his clients receives the remainder of their payments from Exxon, which he expects will be complete by year end. O'Neill spoke with CNN in his downtown Minneapolis office at the Faegre & Benson law firm about the similarities between the Exxon Valdez situation, and the current disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. CNN: What are some of the key similarities you see between the two spills? O'Neill: The noise and the feeling that you get now is the same as the noise and the feeling that you got in the early days of the Valdez spill, with people saying the same thing and people reacting the same way. It's going to be interesting when the limelight is no longer on the Gulf as to how BP is going to act and how the federal and state governments are going to act. Because once this is no longer on the front page of the newspaper, everybody's reaction is going to be 'We need oil.' Oil runs the universe, and you can see governments settling with BP relatively cheaply and you can see BP at some point in time changing its attitude from 'We'll pay you' to 'We'll pay you if the court tells us to pay you.' CNN: This week, BP agreed to set aside a $20 billion escrow account to compensate U.S. businesses and workers who have been adversely affected by the Gulf oil spill. What are your thoughts on that? O'Neill: I hope what it means is that they're going to take $20 billion and set up a fund for victims and that you'll go to the fund and that they'll pay you interim money and then they'll pay you final money. That's my hope. And for a lot of the plaintiffs, they may not need to ever go to court, so they're not going to get tied up for 20 years. [In that regard] it would be really positive. If they're successful in starting to move money quickly, it'll be a huge success, but if they're going to pay anywhere from 30,000 to 100,000 people, that's awfully tricky. And it's going to take a lot of work and a lot of money to set this thing up quickly, and it only works if you set it up quickly ... For a lot of these people who live from year to year on their fishing businesses, they could be bankrupt by the end of the year. So that's what we have to do is we've got to get money to them quickly. CNN: Did anything surprise you once you started representing the fishermen and taking on Exxon after the Valdez spill? O'Neill: I thought that -- like a lot of people think now with regard to BP -- that Exxon would want to settle the case relatively early and move on and I was surprised a number of times with the fact that this was World War III to them, and they dealt with it that way ... They spent over $400 million on lawyers, essentially defending [against] our claims. They took every appeal they could take and they took every delay they could take and filed every motion they could take. Don't kid yourself: the oil companies have the best lawyers money can buy. CNN: Is that one of the most important things you think people in the Gulf should keep in mind when thinking about filing a claim? O'Neill: I think that they should -- if they have a claim --file a claim with BP and see if BP will pay it. If BP doesn't pay it I think they ought to go to the federal oil spill fund and see if the oil spill fund will pay it, and then if they have to file suit with the knowledge that it's gonna be a long haul ... make absolutely sure they're not giving up any legal rights. The major problem they face other than the legal system is that they don't know how hard they've been hit yet. You could say to yourself, if you're a shrimper, 'Well I haven't fished for the last month.' But what happens if this toxic oil does something to that fishery? Or what happens if the presence of that toxic oil does something to the price of Gulf shrimp around the world? You're not going to know the answer to some of those things for two or three or four years. So you have to settle part of your case now if you can ... because the scope of the harm to you is unknown. It's as unknown as where that oil is going to go. CNN: You mentioned the legal system would be one of their biggest problems: can you elaborate on that? O'Neill: Well if a company is rich enough and powerful enough to hire hundreds of lawyers they can essentially bring the legal system to a halt. They can. Most of these fishermen no longer believe that the court system of the United States provides equal justice. They've come to a conclusion that is the same as the conclusion that I've come to, and that is that our governmental institutions will always bail out big oil, and they did here. CNN: Do you think oil still has that great of an influence today? O'Neill: It's more than the influence that oil has. It's whoever controls oil rules the world. The fact that you came downtown in a car that needs oil [and the fact that] the electricity in the office is probably the result of oil are everyday reminders of the strategic importance of oil to the United States, and if you're a judge or you're the president...you're aware of the fact that you need BP and Exxon, so why the heck would you punish BP or Exxon in any way that impairs their ability to survive? You wouldn't, no matter how many people they hurt. CNN: Do you have any regrets from this case? O'Neill: I regret that I haven't done a lot of other professional things for the last 21 years, I do. It was never my plan to be a trial lawyer until I was 63 years old. I was going to go off and do something else, teach law school probably. But I didn't get the chance to do that so that's my biggest regret. Second regret is it's hard on you emotionally, so then it's hard on your family to always be worrying about the same thing all of the time. But we got through it ... I am proud of the work I've done. I am not proud of the fact that I didn't make my clients whole. I had expected in 1989 that in the end of the day, everybody would be fully compensated for their losses, and they weren't. And that's in part my fault. So while I'm proud I lasted 21 years, the result was not what my clients deserved. | After the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, attorney Brian O'Neill headed to Alaska .
O'Neill thought he would be representing victims of the spill for three or four years .
Today, 21 years later, he is still working to make sure his clients are fully compensated . | 97ba85535cf348f11f643b5a76a460900176c8d3 | <s>[INST] Minneapolis, Minnesota (CNN) -- Attorney Brian O'Neill has a lifetime of experience when it comes to the legal battles that ensue following major oil catastrophes. After the Exxon Valdez oil tanker crashed in Prince William Sound in 1989, O'Neill headed straight to Alaska. The Minnesota-based attorney had an interest in environmental issues and wanted to help because, as he put it, "there were an awful lot of hurt people." He soon represented 2,600 fishermen and others affected by the spill. What he thought would be a two- or three-year "adventure" is still the biggest thing on his plate, one-third of his life later. O'Neill successfully argued the 1994 trial after which a jury ordered Exxon to pay $5.3 billion in punitive damages to O'Neill's clients and others affected by the spill. Exxon appealed almost two dozen times and O'Neill was there through it all. In 2008, the case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, where a 5-3 majority finally set punitive damages at $500 million. It was a significant blow to O'Neill and his clients. Today, O'Neill is working to make sure each of his clients receives the remainder of their payments from Exxon, which he expects will be complete by year end. O'Neill spoke with CNN in his downtown Minneapolis office at the Faegre & Benson law firm about the similarities between the Exxon Valdez situation, and the current disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. CNN: What are some of the key similarities you see between the two spills? O'Neill: The noise and the feeling that you get now is the same as the noise and the feeling that you got in the early days of the Valdez spill, with people saying the same thing and people reacting the same way. It's going to be interesting when the limelight is no longer on the Gulf as to how BP is going to act and how the federal and state governments are going to act. Because once this is no longer on the front page of the newspaper, everybody's reaction is going to be 'We need oil.' Oil runs the universe, and you can see governments settling with BP relatively cheaply and you can see BP at some point in time changing its attitude from 'We'll pay you' to 'We'll pay you if the court tells us to pay you.' CNN: This week, BP agreed to set aside a $20 billion escrow account to compensate U.S. businesses and workers who have been adversely affected by the Gulf oil spill. What are your thoughts on that? O'Neill: I hope what it means is that they're going to take $20 billion and set up a fund for victims and that you'll go to the fund and that they'll pay you interim money and then they'll pay you final money. That's my hope. And for a lot of the plaintiffs, they may not need to ever go to court, so they're not going to get tied up for 20 years. [In that regard] it would be really positive. If they're successful in starting to move money quickly, it'll be a huge success, but if they're going to pay anywhere from 30,000 to 100,000 people, that's awfully tricky. And it's going to take a lot of work and a lot of money to set this thing up quickly, and it only works if you set it up quickly ... For a lot of these people who live from year to year on their fishing businesses, they could be bankrupt by the end of the year. So that's what we have to do is we've got to get money to them quickly. CNN: Did anything surprise you once you started representing the fishermen and taking on Exxon after the Valdez spill? O'Neill: I thought that -- like a lot of people think now with regard to BP -- that Exxon would want to settle the case relatively early and move on and I was surprised a number of times with the fact that this was World War III to them, and they dealt with it that way ... They spent over $400 million on lawyers, essentially defending [against] our claims. They took every appeal they could take and they took every delay they could take and filed every motion they could take. Don't kid yourself: the oil companies have the best lawyers money can buy. CNN: Is that one of the most important things you think people in the Gulf should keep in mind when thinking about filing a claim? O'Neill: I think that they should -- if they have a claim --file a claim with BP and see if BP will pay it. If BP doesn't pay it I think they ought to go to the federal oil spill fund and see if the oil spill fund will pay it, and then if they have to file suit with the knowledge that it's gonna be a long haul ... make absolutely sure they're not giving up any legal rights. The major problem they face other than the legal system is that they don't know how hard they've been hit yet. You could say to yourself, if you're a shrimper, 'Well I haven't fished for the last month.' But what happens if this toxic oil does something to that fishery? Or what happens if the presence of that toxic oil does something to the price of Gulf shrimp around the world? You're not going to know the answer to some of those things for two or three or four years. So you have to settle part of your case now if you can ... because the scope of the harm to you is unknown. It's as unknown as where that oil is going to go. CNN: You mentioned the legal system would be one of their biggest problems: can you elaborate on that? O'Neill: Well if a company is rich enough and powerful enough to hire hundreds of lawyers they can essentially bring the legal system to a halt. They can. Most of these fishermen no longer believe that the court system of the United States provides equal justice. They've come to a conclusion that is the same as the conclusion that I've come to, and that is that our governmental institutions will always bail out big oil, and they did here. CNN: Do you think oil still has that great of an influence today? O'Neill: It's more than the influence that oil has. It's whoever controls oil rules the world. The fact that you came downtown in a car that needs oil [and the fact that] the electricity in the office is probably the result of oil are everyday reminders of the strategic importance of oil to the United States, and if you're a judge or you're the president...you're aware of the fact that you need BP and Exxon, so why the heck would you punish BP or Exxon in any way that impairs their ability to survive? You wouldn't, no matter how many people they hurt. CNN: Do you have any regrets from this case? O'Neill: I regret that I haven't done a lot of other professional things for the last 21 years, I do. It was never my plan to be a trial lawyer until I was 63 years old. I was going to go off and do something else, teach law school probably. But I didn't get the chance to do that so that's my biggest regret. Second regret is it's hard on you emotionally, so then it's hard on your family to always be worrying about the same thing all of the time. But we got through it ... I am proud of the work I've done. I am not proud of the fact that I didn't make my clients whole. I had expected in 1989 that in the end of the day, everybody would be fully compensated for their losses, and they weren't. And that's in part my fault. So while I'm proud I lasted 21 years, the result was not what my clients deserved. [/INST] After the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, attorney Brian O'Neill headed to Alaska .
O'Neill thought he would be representing victims of the spill for three or four years .
Today, 21 years later, he is still working to make sure his clients are fully compensated . </s> |
By . David Wilkes . PUBLISHED: . 10:18 EST, 14 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:02 EST, 14 December 2012 . Stroke: Kenneth Kendall died in hospital in Newport on the Isle of Wight where he owned an art gallery . Kenneth Kendall, the first newsreader whose face was seen on British television screens, died yesterday aged 88. Kendall, who was known to millions for his elegant style and unflappable manner, had suffered a stroke. More recently he became familiar to a new generation of viewers as presenter of the game show Treasure Hunt. It was on September 4, 1955, that he made history by becoming the first BBC newsreader to appear on TV. Prior to that, presenters’ voices were heard over stills and footage of events because of fears they might, by some facial grimace, display political bias which could dilute the BBC’s authority and impartiality. Even after Kendall and his colleagues became visible to viewers, they remained austerely impersonal. ‘In the early days, our names were not even allowed to be mentioned. That was far too showbizzy,’ he once said. ‘We were only professional broadcasters reading stuff written by somebody else. The BBC had auditioned a few actors, but they were turned down because they acted the news – which is exactly what was not wanted. ‘In those early days, some people didn’t understand anything about television. ‘My cousin’s charlady honestly thought I could see her when I was on the screen. One day she said, “I fell asleep watching Mr Kenneth last night and when I woke up my false teeth had fallen out. I feel so ashamed that he saw me without my teeth in”.’ Scroll down for video . Heyday: Kenneth Kendall presenting the Nine O'Clock News on BBC1 in 1971. He started work at the BBC as a radio announcer before moving on to television in the 1950s where he became well known as a newsreader and a mainstay of the organisation . Born in India, Kendall was educated at . boarding school in England before going on to Oxford and then into the . Army, where he served in the Coldstream Guards, rising to the rank of . captain and seeing action in the Normandy landings. He began working for the BBC in 1948 . as a radio announcer before moving to television in the 1950s. He left . the BBC in 1961 and spent several years as a freelance, returning in . 1969 and staying until 1981. He became a household name alongside . his colleagues Robert Dougall and Richard Baker, and made a brief cameo . appearance as a broadcaster in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film 2001: A . Space Odyssey. Kendall found fame with a new generation as presenter of . the Channel 4 game show Treasure Hunt from 1982 to 1989. High-flying: Kendall (right) joined Treasure Hunt in 1982 and the show, which featured Anneka Rice (left) scouring the country for clues in a helicopter, become a huge hit for the fledgling Channel 4 . Celebrity friends: Kendall (second from right) appeared on a Christmas Day celebrity edition of Bullseye in 1983 alongside fellow TV presenters (left to right) Anne Diamond, Judith Hann, host Jim Bowen and Anne Aston . The show, which featured Anneka Rice scouring the country for clues in a helicopter, become a huge hit. He returned to the BBC in 2010 to . appear in a show called The Young Ones, which featured six celebrities . examining the problems of ageing. Last night Tim Davie, acting BBC . Director-General, said: ‘As one of the broadcasting greats, he will be . hugely missed by colleagues across the BBC.’ Fran Unsworth, acting . director of BBC News, said: ‘For generations, Kenneth Kendall’s familiar . face and reassuring voice were instantly recognisable in households . across the country.’ An enthusiastic sailor, Kendall had . lived with his long-time partner Mark Fear for many years on the Isle of . Wight, where they ran an art gallery and a charter boat business. He . died in hospital in Newport. His agent Jeremy Hicks said he had suffered . a stroke in recent weeks and never recovered. Trim waist: Kendall (far right) was among eight celebrities in 1975 to win a 'slimline Oscar' for personalities in the public eye who have kept their waistlines trimmest. He was joined by (left to right) Bruce Forsyth, Esther Rantzen, Henry Cooper, labour MP Bruce George, Lord Patrick Lichfield . | Kendall was known to many for his role in Channel 4's Treasure Hunt .
He joined BBC as a radio host before moving to television in the 1950s .
In 1955 he became the first newsreader to be seen on screen .
He was named the best-dressed newsreader by Style International in 1979 .
Acting BBC director-general Tim Davie: 'This is a sad day in TV history' | 9f214b73c31d3be2ade723e86de0c9a7c833ed46 | <s>[INST] By . David Wilkes . PUBLISHED: . 10:18 EST, 14 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:02 EST, 14 December 2012 . Stroke: Kenneth Kendall died in hospital in Newport on the Isle of Wight where he owned an art gallery . Kenneth Kendall, the first newsreader whose face was seen on British television screens, died yesterday aged 88. Kendall, who was known to millions for his elegant style and unflappable manner, had suffered a stroke. More recently he became familiar to a new generation of viewers as presenter of the game show Treasure Hunt. It was on September 4, 1955, that he made history by becoming the first BBC newsreader to appear on TV. Prior to that, presenters’ voices were heard over stills and footage of events because of fears they might, by some facial grimace, display political bias which could dilute the BBC’s authority and impartiality. Even after Kendall and his colleagues became visible to viewers, they remained austerely impersonal. ‘In the early days, our names were not even allowed to be mentioned. That was far too showbizzy,’ he once said. ‘We were only professional broadcasters reading stuff written by somebody else. The BBC had auditioned a few actors, but they were turned down because they acted the news – which is exactly what was not wanted. ‘In those early days, some people didn’t understand anything about television. ‘My cousin’s charlady honestly thought I could see her when I was on the screen. One day she said, “I fell asleep watching Mr Kenneth last night and when I woke up my false teeth had fallen out. I feel so ashamed that he saw me without my teeth in”.’ Scroll down for video . Heyday: Kenneth Kendall presenting the Nine O'Clock News on BBC1 in 1971. He started work at the BBC as a radio announcer before moving on to television in the 1950s where he became well known as a newsreader and a mainstay of the organisation . Born in India, Kendall was educated at . boarding school in England before going on to Oxford and then into the . Army, where he served in the Coldstream Guards, rising to the rank of . captain and seeing action in the Normandy landings. He began working for the BBC in 1948 . as a radio announcer before moving to television in the 1950s. He left . the BBC in 1961 and spent several years as a freelance, returning in . 1969 and staying until 1981. He became a household name alongside . his colleagues Robert Dougall and Richard Baker, and made a brief cameo . appearance as a broadcaster in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film 2001: A . Space Odyssey. Kendall found fame with a new generation as presenter of . the Channel 4 game show Treasure Hunt from 1982 to 1989. High-flying: Kendall (right) joined Treasure Hunt in 1982 and the show, which featured Anneka Rice (left) scouring the country for clues in a helicopter, become a huge hit for the fledgling Channel 4 . Celebrity friends: Kendall (second from right) appeared on a Christmas Day celebrity edition of Bullseye in 1983 alongside fellow TV presenters (left to right) Anne Diamond, Judith Hann, host Jim Bowen and Anne Aston . The show, which featured Anneka Rice scouring the country for clues in a helicopter, become a huge hit. He returned to the BBC in 2010 to . appear in a show called The Young Ones, which featured six celebrities . examining the problems of ageing. Last night Tim Davie, acting BBC . Director-General, said: ‘As one of the broadcasting greats, he will be . hugely missed by colleagues across the BBC.’ Fran Unsworth, acting . director of BBC News, said: ‘For generations, Kenneth Kendall’s familiar . face and reassuring voice were instantly recognisable in households . across the country.’ An enthusiastic sailor, Kendall had . lived with his long-time partner Mark Fear for many years on the Isle of . Wight, where they ran an art gallery and a charter boat business. He . died in hospital in Newport. His agent Jeremy Hicks said he had suffered . a stroke in recent weeks and never recovered. Trim waist: Kendall (far right) was among eight celebrities in 1975 to win a 'slimline Oscar' for personalities in the public eye who have kept their waistlines trimmest. He was joined by (left to right) Bruce Forsyth, Esther Rantzen, Henry Cooper, labour MP Bruce George, Lord Patrick Lichfield . [/INST] Kendall was known to many for his role in Channel 4's Treasure Hunt .
He joined BBC as a radio host before moving to television in the 1950s .
In 1955 he became the first newsreader to be seen on screen .
He was named the best-dressed newsreader by Style International in 1979 .
Acting BBC director-general Tim Davie: 'This is a sad day in TV history' </s> |
Imagine turning up for a five-day survival course in the Scottish Highlands and finding a man known as ‘Psycho’ staring back at you. Stuart Pearce can see the funny side of his outward bound experience, just one part of a diverse football sabbatical that has taken him from Cape Verde to the Canadian Rockies and now back to the City Ground. ‘We just pitched up for five days in the wilds of Scotland with two ex-Marines,’ he says. ‘It was brilliant, absolutely brilliant. We learnt survival skills, shelter-building, skinning hares. Sabbatical: Stuart Pearce enjoyed his break from football before taking charge of Nottingham Forest . ‘To be fair the other people came from such diverse parts of the world that only two knew (of me). There was a fella from Dublin, one from Southampton, myself, an ex-Marine from Alaska, a policewoman from Melbourne and a Chinese fella from the tourism industry. Within a day we were in a shelter we had built ourselves in a wood glade with a camp fire chopping up bits of rabbit to cook for dinner that night. It was great fun.’ But any suggestion Pearce’s time in the wild taught him anything about himself is firmly, if politely, dismissed. ‘You’re permanently hungry on a survival course and you prioritise keeping warm and eating. That’s it,’ he shrugs. There has been no great spiritual awakening since Pearce’s six years as England Under-21 boss ended last summer, only an opportunity to indulge his love of travelling, theatre and live gigs, to come back refreshed and re-energised. Hotseat: Pearce took the Forest job, then turned it down before agreeing to take charge on July 1 . His return to Nottingham Forest, the club he served for 12 years as a left back and then player-manager, was handled in the same unsentimental manner. Pearce took the job in April, then turned it down before agreeing to start on July 1 after fulfilling pre-existing ‘media and personal commitments’. He admits he is not sure he would have reacted in the same way as Forest chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi had their roles been reversed. ‘I woke up the following morning after agreeing to go there and something just didn’t sit right,’ says Pearce. ‘I never go back on my word and it was a really tough phone call to make. Credit to the owner. I probably wouldn’t have had the mentality he did. He gave me the opportunity to come back in the summer. It’s a great club and it’s close to my heart. Special club: Pearce spent 12 seasons at the City Ground as a player before joining for Newcastle United in 1997 . ‘There’s a great deal of expectation but I’m not scared of failing. It doesn’t matter to me. My ego is such that I do the best job I can, and I can be judged accordingly.’ Pearce’s first task was to tell his players and staff to forget the ‘sleeping giant’ tag that haunts the double European champions. It clearly irritates him that some fans still believe Forest have a God-given right to win promotion to the Premier League, just as his playing career is no guarantee of success this time around. He knows all too well that both parties have moved on from when he named his first XI as Forest caretaker boss in December 1996 and his wife famously had to point out he had forgotten a goalkeeper. No pressure: Pearce insists he isn't scared of failing as the club search for promotion to the Premier League . ‘I hate the ‘‘sleeping giant’’ tag,’ he snaps. ‘I went and addressed all the players and staff in May and told them to forget that. Why do Forest have any more right to promotion than another club? ‘The part of my life as a player at this club was fantastic, but when the first ball’s kicked on the first day of the season, that finishes. I’m not naive. But I hope that when we do part company, the club are back in the Premier League.’ The wearied look that marked the end of Pearce’s England tenure has gone, replaced by optimism. Yet he laughs at the suggestion he might have pined for the intensity of club management after leaving Manchester City in 2007. All smiles: Pearce shares a joke with Forest assistant Steve Wigley during this summer's pre-season . Pearce admits, however, that Forest was one of the few roles that would have enticed him back to domestic football. ‘I didn’t miss it,’ he says. ‘I loved international football. You end up winning the majority of your games, you sit top of a league for four months while you enjoy Christmas instead of fire-fighting week-in, week-out and you’re working with the best players in England. ‘I’ve been managing and coaching for 12 years. It meant a lot to represent the FA and I thought: “How am I going to replicate that feeling I had representing England?” ‘Forest was one of the clubs I felt would stoke me up again. I’d rather go to work having that feeling about myself than do it just to get paid.’ | Stuart Pearce has enjoyed travelling during his sabbatical from football .
The new Nottingham Forest boss initially turned down the job before taking over in July .
Former left-back not scared of failing as Forest bid for promotion to the Premier League . | 4d1a54301105218b390aa7da488d803ec066d723 | <s>[INST] Imagine turning up for a five-day survival course in the Scottish Highlands and finding a man known as ‘Psycho’ staring back at you. Stuart Pearce can see the funny side of his outward bound experience, just one part of a diverse football sabbatical that has taken him from Cape Verde to the Canadian Rockies and now back to the City Ground. ‘We just pitched up for five days in the wilds of Scotland with two ex-Marines,’ he says. ‘It was brilliant, absolutely brilliant. We learnt survival skills, shelter-building, skinning hares. Sabbatical: Stuart Pearce enjoyed his break from football before taking charge of Nottingham Forest . ‘To be fair the other people came from such diverse parts of the world that only two knew (of me). There was a fella from Dublin, one from Southampton, myself, an ex-Marine from Alaska, a policewoman from Melbourne and a Chinese fella from the tourism industry. Within a day we were in a shelter we had built ourselves in a wood glade with a camp fire chopping up bits of rabbit to cook for dinner that night. It was great fun.’ But any suggestion Pearce’s time in the wild taught him anything about himself is firmly, if politely, dismissed. ‘You’re permanently hungry on a survival course and you prioritise keeping warm and eating. That’s it,’ he shrugs. There has been no great spiritual awakening since Pearce’s six years as England Under-21 boss ended last summer, only an opportunity to indulge his love of travelling, theatre and live gigs, to come back refreshed and re-energised. Hotseat: Pearce took the Forest job, then turned it down before agreeing to take charge on July 1 . His return to Nottingham Forest, the club he served for 12 years as a left back and then player-manager, was handled in the same unsentimental manner. Pearce took the job in April, then turned it down before agreeing to start on July 1 after fulfilling pre-existing ‘media and personal commitments’. He admits he is not sure he would have reacted in the same way as Forest chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi had their roles been reversed. ‘I woke up the following morning after agreeing to go there and something just didn’t sit right,’ says Pearce. ‘I never go back on my word and it was a really tough phone call to make. Credit to the owner. I probably wouldn’t have had the mentality he did. He gave me the opportunity to come back in the summer. It’s a great club and it’s close to my heart. Special club: Pearce spent 12 seasons at the City Ground as a player before joining for Newcastle United in 1997 . ‘There’s a great deal of expectation but I’m not scared of failing. It doesn’t matter to me. My ego is such that I do the best job I can, and I can be judged accordingly.’ Pearce’s first task was to tell his players and staff to forget the ‘sleeping giant’ tag that haunts the double European champions. It clearly irritates him that some fans still believe Forest have a God-given right to win promotion to the Premier League, just as his playing career is no guarantee of success this time around. He knows all too well that both parties have moved on from when he named his first XI as Forest caretaker boss in December 1996 and his wife famously had to point out he had forgotten a goalkeeper. No pressure: Pearce insists he isn't scared of failing as the club search for promotion to the Premier League . ‘I hate the ‘‘sleeping giant’’ tag,’ he snaps. ‘I went and addressed all the players and staff in May and told them to forget that. Why do Forest have any more right to promotion than another club? ‘The part of my life as a player at this club was fantastic, but when the first ball’s kicked on the first day of the season, that finishes. I’m not naive. But I hope that when we do part company, the club are back in the Premier League.’ The wearied look that marked the end of Pearce’s England tenure has gone, replaced by optimism. Yet he laughs at the suggestion he might have pined for the intensity of club management after leaving Manchester City in 2007. All smiles: Pearce shares a joke with Forest assistant Steve Wigley during this summer's pre-season . Pearce admits, however, that Forest was one of the few roles that would have enticed him back to domestic football. ‘I didn’t miss it,’ he says. ‘I loved international football. You end up winning the majority of your games, you sit top of a league for four months while you enjoy Christmas instead of fire-fighting week-in, week-out and you’re working with the best players in England. ‘I’ve been managing and coaching for 12 years. It meant a lot to represent the FA and I thought: “How am I going to replicate that feeling I had representing England?” ‘Forest was one of the clubs I felt would stoke me up again. I’d rather go to work having that feeling about myself than do it just to get paid.’ [/INST] Stuart Pearce has enjoyed travelling during his sabbatical from football .
The new Nottingham Forest boss initially turned down the job before taking over in July .
Former left-back not scared of failing as Forest bid for promotion to the Premier League . </s> |
By . Snejana Farberov . A 13-year-old boy from Florida has been charged in the grisly stabbing death of a middle-aged homeless man over the weekend. Yoel Munoz, from Cape Coral, was taken into custody Sunday in connection to the murder of 51-year-old Thomas Bergstrom, who was discovered stabbed to death in his shelter in the woods a mile away from the teen's home. Thomas Bergstrom was found just before noon Saturday behind the Cape Coral Christian Center suffering from multiple knife wounds. Scroll down for video . In cold blood: Police say 13-year-old Yoel Munoz (left) brutally stabbed 51-year-old homeless man Thomas Bergstrom inside his makeshift shelter in the woods of Cape Coral, Florida . Cluttered crime scene: The victim was found lying face down covered in blood in his camp Saturday morning . Gory details: Bergstrom's blood-stained recliner is seen inside his shelter in the woods . Anthony Cashdollar, 18, told the Fort Myers News Press that he was the one who came upon the grisly crime scene when he stopped by Bergstrom's improvised lodging to show him his new dirt bike. The teen said he saw the 51-year-old vagrant lying face down with blood on his arm and mouth. Cashdollar called out for help, alerting Bergstrom's friend and roommate Danny Brauer. ‘I saw Tommy laying there, flies everywhere.’ Brauer told Naples News. ‘I said, “Call 911 now."’ Police officers who were called to the scene found clues linking Yoel Munoz to the stabbing. According to Cape Coral investigators, the 13-year-old armed with a bagel knife went to the nearby homeless camp Saturday night, stabbed Bergstrom as he was watching TV and then returned home. Officers also discovered strange messages written in blood on a white hockey mask left at the scene of the slaying. The presumed murder weapon turned up in a nearby pond. Attack: Police believe Munoz (left) snuck out of his bedroom armed with a bagel knife and made his way to the homeless camp, where he found Bergstrom (right) watching TV in his shelter and killed him . Stone-faced: The 13-year-old murder suspect, pictured in court, was arrested after police found material evidence in his home linking him to the crime . During an interview with police, Munoz's mother confirmed that she had bought her son a similar hockey mask. Munoz went to a local hospital at around 4am to be treated for a stab wound to his thigh. He reportedly offered conflicting stories to explain the origin of his injury. A hospital report obtained by WINK News stated that Munoz told officers he had been attacked by 10 men because he no longer wanted to be a part of their gang. According to detectives, the boy also had blood on his face, which matched the pattern of the hockey mask found in the woods next to Bergstrom's body. A search of Munoz's home turned up smears of blood on a wall and a bed, and a pair of blood-soaked shoes inside plastic bags stashed in the garage. Detectives believe the suspected teenage killer and his victim had no contact with one another prior to the deadly stabbing. Munoz's brother, Lazaro Ordonez, has come to the 13-year's defense, telling NBC 2 that his sibling got mixed up with the wrong crowd, but that he was 'innocent.' The suspect's mother sounded a similar note when interviewed by WZVN. 'He's not a violent child, he a homebody, he's not a child who's on the streets, he's well educated, and has a good heart,' said Mayling Suarez. Thomas Bergstrom apparently became homeless after losing his job as a carpenter and handyman as a result of a workplace accident. Supporters: Yoel's family have insisted that the 13-year-old was a good boy, and that he was innocent . His roommate Bauer said the 51-year-old had told him that he was successful and even had a lobster boat in Massachusetts. After he became disabled, Bergstrom moved to Florida and settled in a makeshift camp in the woods, where he spent much of his time collecting empty soda cans to supplement his Social Security payments. According to Mr Bauer, Bergstrom used his meager income to buy alcohol and cigarettes. On Monday, an impassive Yoel Munoz was led into juvenile court where a judge ordered the 13-year-old held in secure detention for three weeks pending his next court appearance August 21. | Yoel Munoz, 13, of Cape Coral, Florida, charged with killing 51-year-old vagrant Thomas Bergstrom .
Police found white hockey mask with messages written in blood and discovered Munoz's bloody shoes in his garage .
Munoz turned up in a hospital with stab wound to his thigh and offered conflicting stories explaining his injury .
Boy's family insisted Yoel was spending time with the wrong people but was 'innocent' | fc2110ded4a55f7e4230692b84ebaf62d05593b4 | <s>[INST] By . Snejana Farberov . A 13-year-old boy from Florida has been charged in the grisly stabbing death of a middle-aged homeless man over the weekend. Yoel Munoz, from Cape Coral, was taken into custody Sunday in connection to the murder of 51-year-old Thomas Bergstrom, who was discovered stabbed to death in his shelter in the woods a mile away from the teen's home. Thomas Bergstrom was found just before noon Saturday behind the Cape Coral Christian Center suffering from multiple knife wounds. Scroll down for video . In cold blood: Police say 13-year-old Yoel Munoz (left) brutally stabbed 51-year-old homeless man Thomas Bergstrom inside his makeshift shelter in the woods of Cape Coral, Florida . Cluttered crime scene: The victim was found lying face down covered in blood in his camp Saturday morning . Gory details: Bergstrom's blood-stained recliner is seen inside his shelter in the woods . Anthony Cashdollar, 18, told the Fort Myers News Press that he was the one who came upon the grisly crime scene when he stopped by Bergstrom's improvised lodging to show him his new dirt bike. The teen said he saw the 51-year-old vagrant lying face down with blood on his arm and mouth. Cashdollar called out for help, alerting Bergstrom's friend and roommate Danny Brauer. ‘I saw Tommy laying there, flies everywhere.’ Brauer told Naples News. ‘I said, “Call 911 now."’ Police officers who were called to the scene found clues linking Yoel Munoz to the stabbing. According to Cape Coral investigators, the 13-year-old armed with a bagel knife went to the nearby homeless camp Saturday night, stabbed Bergstrom as he was watching TV and then returned home. Officers also discovered strange messages written in blood on a white hockey mask left at the scene of the slaying. The presumed murder weapon turned up in a nearby pond. Attack: Police believe Munoz (left) snuck out of his bedroom armed with a bagel knife and made his way to the homeless camp, where he found Bergstrom (right) watching TV in his shelter and killed him . Stone-faced: The 13-year-old murder suspect, pictured in court, was arrested after police found material evidence in his home linking him to the crime . During an interview with police, Munoz's mother confirmed that she had bought her son a similar hockey mask. Munoz went to a local hospital at around 4am to be treated for a stab wound to his thigh. He reportedly offered conflicting stories to explain the origin of his injury. A hospital report obtained by WINK News stated that Munoz told officers he had been attacked by 10 men because he no longer wanted to be a part of their gang. According to detectives, the boy also had blood on his face, which matched the pattern of the hockey mask found in the woods next to Bergstrom's body. A search of Munoz's home turned up smears of blood on a wall and a bed, and a pair of blood-soaked shoes inside plastic bags stashed in the garage. Detectives believe the suspected teenage killer and his victim had no contact with one another prior to the deadly stabbing. Munoz's brother, Lazaro Ordonez, has come to the 13-year's defense, telling NBC 2 that his sibling got mixed up with the wrong crowd, but that he was 'innocent.' The suspect's mother sounded a similar note when interviewed by WZVN. 'He's not a violent child, he a homebody, he's not a child who's on the streets, he's well educated, and has a good heart,' said Mayling Suarez. Thomas Bergstrom apparently became homeless after losing his job as a carpenter and handyman as a result of a workplace accident. Supporters: Yoel's family have insisted that the 13-year-old was a good boy, and that he was innocent . His roommate Bauer said the 51-year-old had told him that he was successful and even had a lobster boat in Massachusetts. After he became disabled, Bergstrom moved to Florida and settled in a makeshift camp in the woods, where he spent much of his time collecting empty soda cans to supplement his Social Security payments. According to Mr Bauer, Bergstrom used his meager income to buy alcohol and cigarettes. On Monday, an impassive Yoel Munoz was led into juvenile court where a judge ordered the 13-year-old held in secure detention for three weeks pending his next court appearance August 21. [/INST] Yoel Munoz, 13, of Cape Coral, Florida, charged with killing 51-year-old vagrant Thomas Bergstrom .
Police found white hockey mask with messages written in blood and discovered Munoz's bloody shoes in his garage .
Munoz turned up in a hospital with stab wound to his thigh and offered conflicting stories explaining his injury .
Boy's family insisted Yoel was spending time with the wrong people but was 'innocent' </s> |
By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 07:14 EST, 6 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:37 EST, 6 November 2012 . Marine biologists scouring the seabed have discovered an new species of carnivorous sponge that bears a remarkable resemblance to a harp or lyre. A team from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) in Moss Landing, California, found the weird deep-sea predator off their state's northern coast. They named the new species Chondrocladia lyra - or harp sponge - because the basic structure of its body is shaped like the musical instrument. Weird predator: The harp sponge, or Chondrocladia lyra, so called because its strange body bears a remarkable resemblance to a harp or lyre . Using remotely operated deep-sea vehicles, the MBARI team led by Dr Lonny Lundsten collected two harp sponges and recorded video footage of ten more, sci-news.com reported. The first speciments they discovered had only two vanes, but subsequent dives revealed examples with up to six vanes radiating from the creature's centre. The sponges barbed hooks covering their branching limbs to snare tiny crustaceans before enveloping the creatures in a thin membrane and slowly digesting it. The scientists who made the discovery believe that the harp sponge - which lives on the ocean floor at depths of between 10,800 – 11,500 feet - has evolved its distinctive candelabra-like structure to increase the surface area it exposes to the ocean currents to catch its prey. Sponges typically feed by straining bacteria and bits of organic material from seawater filtering through their bodies, and its less than 20 years since scientists first discovered some species that were carnivores. 'C. lyra is an extraordinary example of the kind of adaptations that animals must make in order to survive in such a hostile environment,' the MBARI team reported in the journal Invertebrate Biology. | Chondrocladia lyra lives at depths of 11,000ft of the coast of California .
Marine biologists discovered it using remote-control deep-sea vehicles .
It traps traps and eats tiny crustaceans using hooks on its branching limbs . | a852c4c52c07dcce0ab670d8ed13191ec3099206 | <s>[INST] By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 07:14 EST, 6 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:37 EST, 6 November 2012 . Marine biologists scouring the seabed have discovered an new species of carnivorous sponge that bears a remarkable resemblance to a harp or lyre. A team from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) in Moss Landing, California, found the weird deep-sea predator off their state's northern coast. They named the new species Chondrocladia lyra - or harp sponge - because the basic structure of its body is shaped like the musical instrument. Weird predator: The harp sponge, or Chondrocladia lyra, so called because its strange body bears a remarkable resemblance to a harp or lyre . Using remotely operated deep-sea vehicles, the MBARI team led by Dr Lonny Lundsten collected two harp sponges and recorded video footage of ten more, sci-news.com reported. The first speciments they discovered had only two vanes, but subsequent dives revealed examples with up to six vanes radiating from the creature's centre. The sponges barbed hooks covering their branching limbs to snare tiny crustaceans before enveloping the creatures in a thin membrane and slowly digesting it. The scientists who made the discovery believe that the harp sponge - which lives on the ocean floor at depths of between 10,800 – 11,500 feet - has evolved its distinctive candelabra-like structure to increase the surface area it exposes to the ocean currents to catch its prey. Sponges typically feed by straining bacteria and bits of organic material from seawater filtering through their bodies, and its less than 20 years since scientists first discovered some species that were carnivores. 'C. lyra is an extraordinary example of the kind of adaptations that animals must make in order to survive in such a hostile environment,' the MBARI team reported in the journal Invertebrate Biology. [/INST] Chondrocladia lyra lives at depths of 11,000ft of the coast of California .
Marine biologists discovered it using remote-control deep-sea vehicles .
It traps traps and eats tiny crustaceans using hooks on its branching limbs . </s> |
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that House committees will begin action on President-elect Barack Obama's proposed economic recovery package in the next couple of weeks, with a vote in the full House slated for the week after Obama's inauguration. Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House will not go on a break until an economic recovery package is passed. Obama will take office January 20. If that schedule slips, Pelosi, D-California, pledged to cancel the House's planned weeklong break in mid-February for Presidents Day. "We are not going home without an economic recovery package," Pelosi said. Pelosi said Obama's plan has broad public support "almost sight unseen," citing a poll from Politico that says 79 percent of Americans support the president-elect's plan. A senior Pelosi aide said discussions about the details are ongoing between the Obama transition team and key leaders. The Ways and Means Committee will focus on the tax piece, approximately $300 billion in tax cuts. Obama transition aides met with Democrats on that committee Wednesday morning to discuss various proposals, according to another Democratic aide. The Appropriations Committee is tasked with drafting details on spending hundreds of billions of dollars on infrastructure projects, food stamps and other aid to states. Sidestepping a question on possible roadblocks for the bill, Pelosi instead touted the new muscle of the expanded Democratic majority. "We have been so used to an uphill fight, but now we have arrived. We have a big, strong, something like an 80-vote majority in the Congress, in the House, with a Democratic president in the White House," she said. In a speech Thursday, Obama said it was imperative that Congress move quickly to pass the stimulus package once he takes office, warning that a failure to do so would have devastating long-term consequences to the nation's economy. "We start 2009 in the midst of a crisis unlike any we have seen in our lifetime, a crisis that has only deepened over the last few weeks," Obama said at George Mason University in Virginia. Watch Obama call for "dramatic action" on the economy » . "I don't believe it's too late to change course, but it will be if we don't take dramatic action as soon as possible," Obama continued. "If nothing is done, this recession could linger for years." Key members of Obama's own party, however, said they opposed central tax measures of the president-elect's proposals after emerging from a closed-door meeting of the Senate Finance Committee. Watch Obama explain his tax proposals » . In particular, they do not think that giving employers a $3,000 tax credit for each worker they hired would work. "I'm not that excited about that," said Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts. "Having a tax credit for hiring is not going to change that dynamic; creating a direct job will. So I'd rather spend the money on the infrastructure, on direct investment, on energy conversion and other kinds of things, much more directly and much more rapidly and much more certainly create a real job." Sen. Kent Conrad agreed. "I think it's unlikely to be effective," the North Dakota senator said. "If you think about it, businesspeople are not going to hire people to produce products that are not selling. Who is going to hire in the auto industry if you give them a $3,000 credit to make cars that people are not buying?" A second Obama tax proposal that several Democrats were down on is payroll tax credits, amounting to about $20 per paycheck and totaling $500 per person and $1,000 for couples earning less than $200,000 a year. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon said he doubted that proposal would do much to stimulate the economy. "We have an example from the first stimulus that indicates just giving people $500 to $600, while certainly welcome when there's this much economic hurt, may not be the best use of stimulus," Wyden said. Instead, Wyden said, pumping more money into infrastructure spending would be more effective in creating jobs. Conrad agreed with Wyden. "Twenty dollars a week? I don't think that will be effective, either. That is in terms of economic impact. We have got to focus on what is actually going to lift the economy," Conrad said. None of the senators CNN spoke with after the meeting said they thought the opposition to these provisions would derail the bill but suggested that many meetings would be needed with the Obama team to hammer out an agreement. First votes in the Finance Committee, which must approve the tax components of the stimulus plan, could come in the next two weeks, senators and aides said. CNN's Deirdre Walsh, Dana Bash and Ted Barrett contributed to this report. | Speaker Nancy Pelosi sets full House vote on stimulus for week of January 25 .
House committees will work on Obama's plan over the next couple of weeks .
Senate Democrats balk at proposal to give employers $3,000 for each worker hired . | a126bd1041eaf065ccca24f4b089d2bf7ab2abab | <s>[INST] WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that House committees will begin action on President-elect Barack Obama's proposed economic recovery package in the next couple of weeks, with a vote in the full House slated for the week after Obama's inauguration. Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House will not go on a break until an economic recovery package is passed. Obama will take office January 20. If that schedule slips, Pelosi, D-California, pledged to cancel the House's planned weeklong break in mid-February for Presidents Day. "We are not going home without an economic recovery package," Pelosi said. Pelosi said Obama's plan has broad public support "almost sight unseen," citing a poll from Politico that says 79 percent of Americans support the president-elect's plan. A senior Pelosi aide said discussions about the details are ongoing between the Obama transition team and key leaders. The Ways and Means Committee will focus on the tax piece, approximately $300 billion in tax cuts. Obama transition aides met with Democrats on that committee Wednesday morning to discuss various proposals, according to another Democratic aide. The Appropriations Committee is tasked with drafting details on spending hundreds of billions of dollars on infrastructure projects, food stamps and other aid to states. Sidestepping a question on possible roadblocks for the bill, Pelosi instead touted the new muscle of the expanded Democratic majority. "We have been so used to an uphill fight, but now we have arrived. We have a big, strong, something like an 80-vote majority in the Congress, in the House, with a Democratic president in the White House," she said. In a speech Thursday, Obama said it was imperative that Congress move quickly to pass the stimulus package once he takes office, warning that a failure to do so would have devastating long-term consequences to the nation's economy. "We start 2009 in the midst of a crisis unlike any we have seen in our lifetime, a crisis that has only deepened over the last few weeks," Obama said at George Mason University in Virginia. Watch Obama call for "dramatic action" on the economy » . "I don't believe it's too late to change course, but it will be if we don't take dramatic action as soon as possible," Obama continued. "If nothing is done, this recession could linger for years." Key members of Obama's own party, however, said they opposed central tax measures of the president-elect's proposals after emerging from a closed-door meeting of the Senate Finance Committee. Watch Obama explain his tax proposals » . In particular, they do not think that giving employers a $3,000 tax credit for each worker they hired would work. "I'm not that excited about that," said Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts. "Having a tax credit for hiring is not going to change that dynamic; creating a direct job will. So I'd rather spend the money on the infrastructure, on direct investment, on energy conversion and other kinds of things, much more directly and much more rapidly and much more certainly create a real job." Sen. Kent Conrad agreed. "I think it's unlikely to be effective," the North Dakota senator said. "If you think about it, businesspeople are not going to hire people to produce products that are not selling. Who is going to hire in the auto industry if you give them a $3,000 credit to make cars that people are not buying?" A second Obama tax proposal that several Democrats were down on is payroll tax credits, amounting to about $20 per paycheck and totaling $500 per person and $1,000 for couples earning less than $200,000 a year. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon said he doubted that proposal would do much to stimulate the economy. "We have an example from the first stimulus that indicates just giving people $500 to $600, while certainly welcome when there's this much economic hurt, may not be the best use of stimulus," Wyden said. Instead, Wyden said, pumping more money into infrastructure spending would be more effective in creating jobs. Conrad agreed with Wyden. "Twenty dollars a week? I don't think that will be effective, either. That is in terms of economic impact. We have got to focus on what is actually going to lift the economy," Conrad said. None of the senators CNN spoke with after the meeting said they thought the opposition to these provisions would derail the bill but suggested that many meetings would be needed with the Obama team to hammer out an agreement. First votes in the Finance Committee, which must approve the tax components of the stimulus plan, could come in the next two weeks, senators and aides said. CNN's Deirdre Walsh, Dana Bash and Ted Barrett contributed to this report. [/INST] Speaker Nancy Pelosi sets full House vote on stimulus for week of January 25 .
House committees will work on Obama's plan over the next couple of weeks .
Senate Democrats balk at proposal to give employers $3,000 for each worker hired . </s> |
By . Rob Waugh . PUBLISHED: . 11:08 EST, 12 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:22 EST, 12 July 2012 . Hark! A new tablet has descended to reward the faithful - letting Christians enjoy cutting-edge computing without the risks. The Edifi tablet is a full-colour touchscreen, much like Apple's iPad - but it's pre-loaded with Bible passages, Christian radio stations and free religious e-Books. The seven-inch Android tablet is $149, and will launch soon in America - and even non-believers might be tempted by its low price. Tablet of stone? The Edifi tablet is a full-colour touchscreen, much like Apple's iPad - but it's pre-loaded with Bible passages, Christian radio stations and free religious e-Books . 'Our full-color touch display e-reader puts thousands of ebooks at your fingertips,' says makers Edifi. The company also offers a range of free and paid-for religious texts, as well as 27 translated versions of the bible. The wi-fi only device also offers 'safe' web browsing, with a custom-built web browser which blocks 'unsuitable' sites. There are also pre-loaded apps for listening to Christian radio stations. The HD screen can also play films, music, and download social networking apps. Safe surfer: The wi-fi only device also offers 'safe' web browsing, with a custom-built web browser which blocks 'unsuitable' sites . | Full-colour Android touchscreen preloaded with Christian e-books .
Offers access to Christian radio stations .
'Safe' web browser for use via wi-fi . | c7cb2a53a11588ffb0742baa47efdc75047eaed4 | <s>[INST] By . Rob Waugh . PUBLISHED: . 11:08 EST, 12 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:22 EST, 12 July 2012 . Hark! A new tablet has descended to reward the faithful - letting Christians enjoy cutting-edge computing without the risks. The Edifi tablet is a full-colour touchscreen, much like Apple's iPad - but it's pre-loaded with Bible passages, Christian radio stations and free religious e-Books. The seven-inch Android tablet is $149, and will launch soon in America - and even non-believers might be tempted by its low price. Tablet of stone? The Edifi tablet is a full-colour touchscreen, much like Apple's iPad - but it's pre-loaded with Bible passages, Christian radio stations and free religious e-Books . 'Our full-color touch display e-reader puts thousands of ebooks at your fingertips,' says makers Edifi. The company also offers a range of free and paid-for religious texts, as well as 27 translated versions of the bible. The wi-fi only device also offers 'safe' web browsing, with a custom-built web browser which blocks 'unsuitable' sites. There are also pre-loaded apps for listening to Christian radio stations. The HD screen can also play films, music, and download social networking apps. Safe surfer: The wi-fi only device also offers 'safe' web browsing, with a custom-built web browser which blocks 'unsuitable' sites . [/INST] Full-colour Android touchscreen preloaded with Christian e-books .
Offers access to Christian radio stations .
'Safe' web browser for use via wi-fi . </s> |
The leader of the Catholic Church has assured pet lovers across the world that dogs do go to heaven. Speaking at his weekly address in the Vatican's St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis confirmed that there is a place in heaven for our furry friends, along with 'all of God's creatures.' The head of the Catholic Church had been attempting to console a distraught young boy who was mourning the death of his dog, according to Time magazine. Pope Francis confirmed that there is a place in heaven for dogs and 'all of God's creatures' during his weekly address in the Vatican's St. Peter's Square . The statement is at odds with conservative Roman Catholic theology which states that animals cannot go to heaven because they have no souls. Francis was quoted by Italian news media as saying: 'One day, we will see our animals again in the eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all of God's creatures.' The remarks have been warmly welcomed by animal rights groups such as PETA and the Humane Society. The issue of whether animals have the chance of an afterlife has been debated for centuries. Pet owners will welcome the Pope's remarks that their beloved dogs, cats, horses and other furry friends have a place in heaven . Pope Francis has refused to meet the Dalai Lama over fears it could impact on the Catholic Church's relationship with China. The exiled Tibetan leader requested the meeting during a visit to Rome but it was declined 'for obvious reasons concerning the delicate situation' with China. The Catholic Church in China is divided in two; the official Church overseen by the Chinese Communist Party, and an underground community that swears allegiance to the Pope. But the main bone of contention is over which side should have the final say in the appointment of bishops. A Vatican official said the Pope's decision was 'not taken out of fear but to avoid any suffering by those who have already suffered'. The longest serving Pope - Pius IX - who was the leader of the church from 1846 to 1878 believed animals had no consciousness and therefore could not have an afterlife. Pope Francis's predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, had also denied the idea of pets entering heaven and said their death simply meant the end of their existence on Earth . But it is perhaps unsurprising that Pope Francis, aged 77, supports the idea of pets and animals having a place in paradise as he took his papal name from St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. It's not the first time Francis, an Argentine Jesuit who took over from Pope Benedict XVI last year, has courted controversy. The leader is seen as more liberal than his predecessors and his lenient positions on homosexuality and unwed couples have caused a stir in the conservative members of the church. | Leader of the Catholic Church said 'all of God's creatures' can go to heaven .
Remarks were made to comfort a young boy mourning the death of his dog .
His comments have been welcomed by several animal rights groups . | f3d01ca0a305b68e0c36221bbf96f9ec7951ac76 | <s>[INST] The leader of the Catholic Church has assured pet lovers across the world that dogs do go to heaven. Speaking at his weekly address in the Vatican's St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis confirmed that there is a place in heaven for our furry friends, along with 'all of God's creatures.' The head of the Catholic Church had been attempting to console a distraught young boy who was mourning the death of his dog, according to Time magazine. Pope Francis confirmed that there is a place in heaven for dogs and 'all of God's creatures' during his weekly address in the Vatican's St. Peter's Square . The statement is at odds with conservative Roman Catholic theology which states that animals cannot go to heaven because they have no souls. Francis was quoted by Italian news media as saying: 'One day, we will see our animals again in the eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all of God's creatures.' The remarks have been warmly welcomed by animal rights groups such as PETA and the Humane Society. The issue of whether animals have the chance of an afterlife has been debated for centuries. Pet owners will welcome the Pope's remarks that their beloved dogs, cats, horses and other furry friends have a place in heaven . Pope Francis has refused to meet the Dalai Lama over fears it could impact on the Catholic Church's relationship with China. The exiled Tibetan leader requested the meeting during a visit to Rome but it was declined 'for obvious reasons concerning the delicate situation' with China. The Catholic Church in China is divided in two; the official Church overseen by the Chinese Communist Party, and an underground community that swears allegiance to the Pope. But the main bone of contention is over which side should have the final say in the appointment of bishops. A Vatican official said the Pope's decision was 'not taken out of fear but to avoid any suffering by those who have already suffered'. The longest serving Pope - Pius IX - who was the leader of the church from 1846 to 1878 believed animals had no consciousness and therefore could not have an afterlife. Pope Francis's predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, had also denied the idea of pets entering heaven and said their death simply meant the end of their existence on Earth . But it is perhaps unsurprising that Pope Francis, aged 77, supports the idea of pets and animals having a place in paradise as he took his papal name from St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. It's not the first time Francis, an Argentine Jesuit who took over from Pope Benedict XVI last year, has courted controversy. The leader is seen as more liberal than his predecessors and his lenient positions on homosexuality and unwed couples have caused a stir in the conservative members of the church. [/INST] Leader of the Catholic Church said 'all of God's creatures' can go to heaven .
Remarks were made to comfort a young boy mourning the death of his dog .
His comments have been welcomed by several animal rights groups . </s> |
By . Nelson Groom for Daily Mail Australia . A man who pummelled and kicked a homeless man then left him to die in an alleyway was sentenced to life in prison today. Steven Ray Churchis, 18, brutally murdered Edwin Linder, 42, when he found him defecating in his preferred sleeping spot in Mills Lane, central Auckland, July 2013. Churchis performed a martial-arts style kick to Linder's head, before beating and stomping on him while he lay defenceless on the ground. A friend of Linder then reportedly poured a bottle of urine on Linder, before they left him to die, reported Ninemsn. Edwin Linder (above) died of pneumonia as a result of the injuries he suffered from the attack . Steven Ray Churchis performed a martial-arts style kick to Linder's head, before beating and stomping on him while he lay defenceless on the ground . Churchis refused to seek medical assistance for Linder, who was left in the lane for eight hours until a member of the public alerted the authorities. Linder suffered brain injuries and died of pneumonia in Auckland Hospital three days after the attack. Churchis claimed he had acted in self defence, but Justice Geoffrey Venning said the force Churchis used on Linder was 'unreasonable' and the attack was 'extreme and excessive'. 'You left him without help to die.' Churchis was 17 and also sleeping on the streets at the time of the attack. He had reportedly had a previous altercation with Linder, as well as a violent past. He was also sentenced to two years and three months' jail for an attack on another man earlier on the same night as Mr Linder was bashed. Auckland High Court, where Churchis was sentenced to life in prison for the attack on Edwin Linder, which Justice Geoffrey Venning described as 'extreme and excessive' Mills Lane, where Steven Ray Churchis, savagely pumelled Edwin Linder and left him 'left him without help to die' Justice Geoffrey Venning said Linder was 'particularly vulnerable' as a small man, with physical disabilities, which Churchis must have been aware of since he had encountered Linder several times before the attack. Family members of both the victim and his murderer were in attendance at the High Court at Auckland during the sentencing. | Steven Ray Churchis, 18, murdered Edwin Linder, 42, in 2013 .
Churchis pummelled Linder repeatedly then left him in an alleyway .
Linder died of pneumonia as a result of head injuries from the attack .
Churchis was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 11 years and six months parole .
Justice Geoffrey Venning said the attack was 'extreme and excessive' | 6ba0bae1027788bdd6a0b7194abaceef56a8e2f1 | <s>[INST] By . Nelson Groom for Daily Mail Australia . A man who pummelled and kicked a homeless man then left him to die in an alleyway was sentenced to life in prison today. Steven Ray Churchis, 18, brutally murdered Edwin Linder, 42, when he found him defecating in his preferred sleeping spot in Mills Lane, central Auckland, July 2013. Churchis performed a martial-arts style kick to Linder's head, before beating and stomping on him while he lay defenceless on the ground. A friend of Linder then reportedly poured a bottle of urine on Linder, before they left him to die, reported Ninemsn. Edwin Linder (above) died of pneumonia as a result of the injuries he suffered from the attack . Steven Ray Churchis performed a martial-arts style kick to Linder's head, before beating and stomping on him while he lay defenceless on the ground . Churchis refused to seek medical assistance for Linder, who was left in the lane for eight hours until a member of the public alerted the authorities. Linder suffered brain injuries and died of pneumonia in Auckland Hospital three days after the attack. Churchis claimed he had acted in self defence, but Justice Geoffrey Venning said the force Churchis used on Linder was 'unreasonable' and the attack was 'extreme and excessive'. 'You left him without help to die.' Churchis was 17 and also sleeping on the streets at the time of the attack. He had reportedly had a previous altercation with Linder, as well as a violent past. He was also sentenced to two years and three months' jail for an attack on another man earlier on the same night as Mr Linder was bashed. Auckland High Court, where Churchis was sentenced to life in prison for the attack on Edwin Linder, which Justice Geoffrey Venning described as 'extreme and excessive' Mills Lane, where Steven Ray Churchis, savagely pumelled Edwin Linder and left him 'left him without help to die' Justice Geoffrey Venning said Linder was 'particularly vulnerable' as a small man, with physical disabilities, which Churchis must have been aware of since he had encountered Linder several times before the attack. Family members of both the victim and his murderer were in attendance at the High Court at Auckland during the sentencing. [/INST] Steven Ray Churchis, 18, murdered Edwin Linder, 42, in 2013 .
Churchis pummelled Linder repeatedly then left him in an alleyway .
Linder died of pneumonia as a result of head injuries from the attack .
Churchis was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 11 years and six months parole .
Justice Geoffrey Venning said the attack was 'extreme and excessive' </s> |
(CNN) -- Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré was highly praised for his leadership of recovery efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, so he's well-versed in what works and what doesn't in disaster management. The general told CNN last week that the U.S. military should have responded sooner to the earthquake in Haiti because "time is of the essence" in helping quake survivors. CNN's Nicole Dow talked to Gen. Honoré Wednesday about his assessment of the situation in Haiti since he made those remarks. CNN: There are reports of looting in Haiti. Is it looting, or an attempt at survival? Gen. Russel Honoré: In the first days after a disaster, people are generally scavenging for food. They are trying to find food where they can. People are going into survival mode. Due to challenges and logistical issues, they use the food they have and what they can get their hands on. I would use the word "looting" lightly -- these people are surviving. It's reminiscent of what was seen during Katrina in the convention center. They survived because they found food in the surrounding areas. CNN: With the potential for violence running high, how can civilians protect themselves? Honoré: People should stay in their family groups and be with people they trust. During a disaster, in the case of not having enough communication, some of the information coming out is speculation and rumor. The role of the military is to provide a sense of order and try to keep people from becoming too excited when food and water are distributed. They also assure that help is on the way. What people are missing is information. You have someone sitting on a sidewalk with a baby, someone who is elderly, disabled, or pregnant, probably wondering what to do. Their house is in rubble, they have members of their family who need to go to the hospital or special care. Where can they go to be cared for? Or to help care for themselves in a humane manner? This is a humanitarian matter of global proportions. CNN: Previously, you've mentioned "adapt and overcome." How difficult is it to achieve this in Haiti? Honoré: You need the U.S. military. One airfield? Let's build two more. We adapt and overcome. USAID said, we have one airfield, how are we going to use it? They don't look at possibilities of building another one. Building another airfield is something that should have been considered the first day. You can take a road and create another airfield. We have a capability to airdrop teams in with equipment to create airfields. USAID said airdrops are unsafe, and it's disorderly to do airdrops. They were concerned that some would get food and others wouldn't. They started to drop five days after event -- the first drop of MREs (meals ready to eat). CNN: So why did the U.S. wait before starting to drop supplies? Honoré: If you don't have enough trucks, the optimal system is to use helicopters. But we don't have enough on the ground to get the job done. Ospreys, Marine planes, we have not seen them in use. There are some in Afghanistan, but not many there. They fly like a plane, land like a helicopter and can also carry a lot of cargo. They can lift things and set them down. We spent 20 years developing that aircraft. We don't have enough helicopters -- between the Coast Guard and the military, there are 60 helicopters in use now. Four days after Katrina, there were 200 helicopters flying in. I don't know if the flow of supplies can keep up with demand, unless we evacuate the injured, elderly, pregnant women, babies, and the disabled. Hospitals will be overflowing with people who have injuries, there will be infections that will need treatment. It is wishful thinking to add more hospitals. We need to think how these airplanes can leave with patients to the U.S. and other countries to be distributed to hospitals to stabilize them. I am hoping that the State Department and the White House will start pushing for a U.N. resolution to start an evacuation plan for Haiti. It will need billions of dollars to sustain its people and to start its recovery. CNN: How did the Israelis immediately set up a working hospital? Honoré: Our military is fully deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The president didn't sign mobilization of reserves until Sunday. We are making right decisions, but making them too slowly to have an immediate impact on the ground. We decided [Tuesday] to open another airfield, they should have done that days ago. CNN: You led the Joint Task Force for Hurricane Katrina. Can you draw some parallels between Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti? Honoré: In my book, "Survival," there's a chapter that talks about dealing with the poor. I think sometimes we talk security, because as a culture, we are afraid of poor people in large groups. In Haiti, right after the earthquake, there were doctors who left. One said, "We don't have any security so we left." That, in and of itself, is indicative of my Katrina experience. People start talking security. And the slower we go, the more there's the possibility of that happening. We have to work on establishing the community government officials in Haiti so they can start communicating with their people. We have to get food and water there to local government officials to distribute it. The local government officials should be authorized to hire young men. The local economy will crank up if we pay people in Haiti to do the cleanup and to run the distribution centers. There's no need to send Americans there to distribute food and water when you have able-bodied people there who can do that. CNN: What are the top five points to keep in mind in the aftermath of natural disaster? Honoré: 1) Improve communications. 2) Get food and water in. 3) Take care of the health and needs of people. 4) Evacuate people, particularly those who are pregnant, disabled, injured, babies, those who cannot take care of themselves. 5) Establish who's in charge. The president of Haiti [Rene Preval] is in charge. It's different when the president and his government are victims. They are going to need help. Someone needs to be the face of the operation to help the president keep people alive. You must have communication to establish a way of giving information to the people in their communities. You have to be your own first responder in a disaster like Haiti, and the Haitian people did that. These situations have a tendency to get worse before getting better unless you start evacuating vulnerable people. Also, you have to take a risk [about security] during the search-and-rescue phase. In that phase of the operation, search-and-rescue takes priority over security. | Gen. Russel Honoré says Haitians should be paid to clean up, do distribution .
Says our culture is afraid of poor people in large groups so we focus on security .
Honoré says supplies can't meet demand; U.N. should start an evacuation plan for Haiti .
General: They should have started to build second airfield the first day . | d4e21b1f646b9bbbc337a0a20d024b01708fb456 | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré was highly praised for his leadership of recovery efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, so he's well-versed in what works and what doesn't in disaster management. The general told CNN last week that the U.S. military should have responded sooner to the earthquake in Haiti because "time is of the essence" in helping quake survivors. CNN's Nicole Dow talked to Gen. Honoré Wednesday about his assessment of the situation in Haiti since he made those remarks. CNN: There are reports of looting in Haiti. Is it looting, or an attempt at survival? Gen. Russel Honoré: In the first days after a disaster, people are generally scavenging for food. They are trying to find food where they can. People are going into survival mode. Due to challenges and logistical issues, they use the food they have and what they can get their hands on. I would use the word "looting" lightly -- these people are surviving. It's reminiscent of what was seen during Katrina in the convention center. They survived because they found food in the surrounding areas. CNN: With the potential for violence running high, how can civilians protect themselves? Honoré: People should stay in their family groups and be with people they trust. During a disaster, in the case of not having enough communication, some of the information coming out is speculation and rumor. The role of the military is to provide a sense of order and try to keep people from becoming too excited when food and water are distributed. They also assure that help is on the way. What people are missing is information. You have someone sitting on a sidewalk with a baby, someone who is elderly, disabled, or pregnant, probably wondering what to do. Their house is in rubble, they have members of their family who need to go to the hospital or special care. Where can they go to be cared for? Or to help care for themselves in a humane manner? This is a humanitarian matter of global proportions. CNN: Previously, you've mentioned "adapt and overcome." How difficult is it to achieve this in Haiti? Honoré: You need the U.S. military. One airfield? Let's build two more. We adapt and overcome. USAID said, we have one airfield, how are we going to use it? They don't look at possibilities of building another one. Building another airfield is something that should have been considered the first day. You can take a road and create another airfield. We have a capability to airdrop teams in with equipment to create airfields. USAID said airdrops are unsafe, and it's disorderly to do airdrops. They were concerned that some would get food and others wouldn't. They started to drop five days after event -- the first drop of MREs (meals ready to eat). CNN: So why did the U.S. wait before starting to drop supplies? Honoré: If you don't have enough trucks, the optimal system is to use helicopters. But we don't have enough on the ground to get the job done. Ospreys, Marine planes, we have not seen them in use. There are some in Afghanistan, but not many there. They fly like a plane, land like a helicopter and can also carry a lot of cargo. They can lift things and set them down. We spent 20 years developing that aircraft. We don't have enough helicopters -- between the Coast Guard and the military, there are 60 helicopters in use now. Four days after Katrina, there were 200 helicopters flying in. I don't know if the flow of supplies can keep up with demand, unless we evacuate the injured, elderly, pregnant women, babies, and the disabled. Hospitals will be overflowing with people who have injuries, there will be infections that will need treatment. It is wishful thinking to add more hospitals. We need to think how these airplanes can leave with patients to the U.S. and other countries to be distributed to hospitals to stabilize them. I am hoping that the State Department and the White House will start pushing for a U.N. resolution to start an evacuation plan for Haiti. It will need billions of dollars to sustain its people and to start its recovery. CNN: How did the Israelis immediately set up a working hospital? Honoré: Our military is fully deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The president didn't sign mobilization of reserves until Sunday. We are making right decisions, but making them too slowly to have an immediate impact on the ground. We decided [Tuesday] to open another airfield, they should have done that days ago. CNN: You led the Joint Task Force for Hurricane Katrina. Can you draw some parallels between Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti? Honoré: In my book, "Survival," there's a chapter that talks about dealing with the poor. I think sometimes we talk security, because as a culture, we are afraid of poor people in large groups. In Haiti, right after the earthquake, there were doctors who left. One said, "We don't have any security so we left." That, in and of itself, is indicative of my Katrina experience. People start talking security. And the slower we go, the more there's the possibility of that happening. We have to work on establishing the community government officials in Haiti so they can start communicating with their people. We have to get food and water there to local government officials to distribute it. The local government officials should be authorized to hire young men. The local economy will crank up if we pay people in Haiti to do the cleanup and to run the distribution centers. There's no need to send Americans there to distribute food and water when you have able-bodied people there who can do that. CNN: What are the top five points to keep in mind in the aftermath of natural disaster? Honoré: 1) Improve communications. 2) Get food and water in. 3) Take care of the health and needs of people. 4) Evacuate people, particularly those who are pregnant, disabled, injured, babies, those who cannot take care of themselves. 5) Establish who's in charge. The president of Haiti [Rene Preval] is in charge. It's different when the president and his government are victims. They are going to need help. Someone needs to be the face of the operation to help the president keep people alive. You must have communication to establish a way of giving information to the people in their communities. You have to be your own first responder in a disaster like Haiti, and the Haitian people did that. These situations have a tendency to get worse before getting better unless you start evacuating vulnerable people. Also, you have to take a risk [about security] during the search-and-rescue phase. In that phase of the operation, search-and-rescue takes priority over security. [/INST] Gen. Russel Honoré says Haitians should be paid to clean up, do distribution .
Says our culture is afraid of poor people in large groups so we focus on security .
Honoré says supplies can't meet demand; U.N. should start an evacuation plan for Haiti .
General: They should have started to build second airfield the first day . </s> |
(CNN) -- By now, we have all heard the allegations made by numerous women that Bill Cosby sexually assaulted them. At least 15 have accused him of abuse, with the first incident in the late 1960s and the last in 2004. While his attorneys have denied most of these assertions, Cosby has publicly refused to comment. In fact just a few weeks ago, Cosby not only declined to answer an Associated Press reporter's question about the claims, he told the reporter that he would appreciate it if any reference to the allegations not appear in the story. So now what? Well, it's not likely Cosby will be criminally prosecuted. The only alleged incident that clearly falls within the criminal statute of limitations is the one involving Andrea Constand. That event purportedly took place in 2004 in Pennsylvania, a state that provides victims with 12 years to file a criminal complaint in sexual assault cases. But don't count on seeing a criminal action. In part, because the prosecutor didn't find sufficient evidence to prosecute back in 2005. In addition, Cosby paid an undisclosed sum to Constand in 2006 to settle the civil lawsuit arising from the alleged sexual assault. I can tell you as a former trial lawyer that that civil settlement would have, without a doubt, included a release by Constand of all claims against Cosby, including criminal. Cosby's career has been deeply damaged by the ongoing scandal and he has been denounced pretty much everywhere. Is there something that he could do now that could persuade the millions of people who were once his fans to potentially see him again as a comedian, not as a serial rapist -- which is how I now see him? I posed this question on social media: What do we want from Bill Cosby now? The responses revealed an interesting cross section of opinion from men and women on all sides of the issue. And while they varied greatly, a common theme emerged. But before I mention that one, here are some of the often thought-provoking comments I received in response to the question. Nothing I suppose... nothing he could say justifies anything he has done @germanphile . ... He should 100% retire so his victims never have to be reminded of his presence again @sidra_zaidi . Want to hear how could criticize blacks for years knowing he had these demons in his closet! @ChrisAlanComedy: . Leave him alone. @MLCzone . "Make a massive donation to a rape prevention program." Comment on Facebook from Lynn Harris . If he's guilty, which it seems that he is, then he deserves to go to prison for his crimes regardless of his age. @wmzraz . "He should apologize to his victims. Maybe pay compensation as well." Comment on Facebook from Basel Ammane. ... WE must turn tragedy into teachable moment. @kthalps . Car battery, jumper cables and a narcoleptic switchwoman @maverick_kris . These comments truly reflect the range of responses I received, with many advocating Cosby be imprisoned and a few defending him. But the most common reaction was this: . "Tell the truth!" Comment on Facebook from Lala Elborno . Ownership...and not just of stock in jello. @EllieRFox . Acknowledge that even if you're innocent, your silence is damaging everything you stood for, even the good things @Brennanator . I would like him to address it and stop hiding. @Rizo78 . It's clear that people, regardless of where they stand on the issue, want Cosby to publicly and directly address the claims. After all, Cosby has made his living for decades speaking to the public as a comedian; his silence adds to the sense that he's hiding something. But this silence appears calculated. Perhaps he thought we would collectively move on when the next big story came along. Or maybe he banked on the fact that when three women came forward in the mid-2000s to make similar allegations of sexual misconduct, we simply didn't seem to care. Sadly, I was among those who didn't pay much attention. Silence this time won't work for Cosby. Already he has lost TV deals with NBC and Netflix. His reputation is in shambles. And while Cosby has escaped criminal prosecution, it's clear that in the court of public opinion, many have found Cosby guilty. Will Cosby ever come forward and address the issues head on? Unlikely. But the upside to this incident, if one can be found, is that the allegations have raised awareness about sexual assault. In fact, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, an organization that combats sexual assault, said last Monday that the national publicity over the Cosby scandal has caused a 50% increase in phone calls to the National Sexual Assault Hotline. It appears that the courageous women who have come forward with these allegations against Cosby have inspired other women to report sexual assaults that they have endured. And maybe, just maybe, the media attention concerning the allegations against Cosby will even save some women from suffering the same fate in the future. | Dean Obeidallah: Bill Cosby likely won't face charges in sex assault allegations .
He asked on social media: What do we want from Cosby?
Some said give money to rape prevention programs, apologize, compensate alleged victims .
Obeidallah: Unlikely Cosby will address the issue, but one good thing: Our awareness is raised . | 74e607355783f64b8e5d680ea897a4417dc6edf6 | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- By now, we have all heard the allegations made by numerous women that Bill Cosby sexually assaulted them. At least 15 have accused him of abuse, with the first incident in the late 1960s and the last in 2004. While his attorneys have denied most of these assertions, Cosby has publicly refused to comment. In fact just a few weeks ago, Cosby not only declined to answer an Associated Press reporter's question about the claims, he told the reporter that he would appreciate it if any reference to the allegations not appear in the story. So now what? Well, it's not likely Cosby will be criminally prosecuted. The only alleged incident that clearly falls within the criminal statute of limitations is the one involving Andrea Constand. That event purportedly took place in 2004 in Pennsylvania, a state that provides victims with 12 years to file a criminal complaint in sexual assault cases. But don't count on seeing a criminal action. In part, because the prosecutor didn't find sufficient evidence to prosecute back in 2005. In addition, Cosby paid an undisclosed sum to Constand in 2006 to settle the civil lawsuit arising from the alleged sexual assault. I can tell you as a former trial lawyer that that civil settlement would have, without a doubt, included a release by Constand of all claims against Cosby, including criminal. Cosby's career has been deeply damaged by the ongoing scandal and he has been denounced pretty much everywhere. Is there something that he could do now that could persuade the millions of people who were once his fans to potentially see him again as a comedian, not as a serial rapist -- which is how I now see him? I posed this question on social media: What do we want from Bill Cosby now? The responses revealed an interesting cross section of opinion from men and women on all sides of the issue. And while they varied greatly, a common theme emerged. But before I mention that one, here are some of the often thought-provoking comments I received in response to the question. Nothing I suppose... nothing he could say justifies anything he has done @germanphile . ... He should 100% retire so his victims never have to be reminded of his presence again @sidra_zaidi . Want to hear how could criticize blacks for years knowing he had these demons in his closet! @ChrisAlanComedy: . Leave him alone. @MLCzone . "Make a massive donation to a rape prevention program." Comment on Facebook from Lynn Harris . If he's guilty, which it seems that he is, then he deserves to go to prison for his crimes regardless of his age. @wmzraz . "He should apologize to his victims. Maybe pay compensation as well." Comment on Facebook from Basel Ammane. ... WE must turn tragedy into teachable moment. @kthalps . Car battery, jumper cables and a narcoleptic switchwoman @maverick_kris . These comments truly reflect the range of responses I received, with many advocating Cosby be imprisoned and a few defending him. But the most common reaction was this: . "Tell the truth!" Comment on Facebook from Lala Elborno . Ownership...and not just of stock in jello. @EllieRFox . Acknowledge that even if you're innocent, your silence is damaging everything you stood for, even the good things @Brennanator . I would like him to address it and stop hiding. @Rizo78 . It's clear that people, regardless of where they stand on the issue, want Cosby to publicly and directly address the claims. After all, Cosby has made his living for decades speaking to the public as a comedian; his silence adds to the sense that he's hiding something. But this silence appears calculated. Perhaps he thought we would collectively move on when the next big story came along. Or maybe he banked on the fact that when three women came forward in the mid-2000s to make similar allegations of sexual misconduct, we simply didn't seem to care. Sadly, I was among those who didn't pay much attention. Silence this time won't work for Cosby. Already he has lost TV deals with NBC and Netflix. His reputation is in shambles. And while Cosby has escaped criminal prosecution, it's clear that in the court of public opinion, many have found Cosby guilty. Will Cosby ever come forward and address the issues head on? Unlikely. But the upside to this incident, if one can be found, is that the allegations have raised awareness about sexual assault. In fact, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, an organization that combats sexual assault, said last Monday that the national publicity over the Cosby scandal has caused a 50% increase in phone calls to the National Sexual Assault Hotline. It appears that the courageous women who have come forward with these allegations against Cosby have inspired other women to report sexual assaults that they have endured. And maybe, just maybe, the media attention concerning the allegations against Cosby will even save some women from suffering the same fate in the future. [/INST] Dean Obeidallah: Bill Cosby likely won't face charges in sex assault allegations .
He asked on social media: What do we want from Cosby?
Some said give money to rape prevention programs, apologize, compensate alleged victims .
Obeidallah: Unlikely Cosby will address the issue, but one good thing: Our awareness is raised . </s> |
(CNN) -- It's been nine years since Kim and Curtis Christiansen were married. Since then they've had their ups and downs, but they've remained close. But when Curtis began snoring about three years ago, Kim began sleeping on the couch. After his snoring drove his wife, Kim, to sleep on the couch, Curtis Christiansen saw a sleep specialist. "His snoring was so loud. At first I would just elbow him to wake him up," she said, "But then I became concerned. He would just (she gasps for breath). It would take his breath away." At first Curtis Christiansen figured he was tired, a little run down from his job. He thought the snoring was just a symptom of his exhaustion. But when he started nodding off while waiting at a traffic light, he knew something was wrong. "I became more aware of this choking and waking-up feeling," he said. Kim Christiansen finally persuaded her husband to go to a sleep specialist. The diagnosis: obstructive sleep apnea. According to the National Sleep Foundation, more than 18 million American adults have sleep apnea, and many of them don't know it. Some people think their snoring is just a side effect of a busy lifestyle. Watch more on the difference between sleep apnea and snoring » . In some cases, that's true. But the foundation says it's trying to get more people to realize how important it is to know the difference between occasional snoring and apnea. Studies have shown that sleep apnea has some serious side effects. A disorder in which breathing is briefly and repeatedly interrupted during sleep, apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat fail to keep the airway open, despite efforts to breathe. That can cause broken sleep patterns and low blood oxygen levels. Doctors say these side effects can lead to hypertension, heart disease, and mood and memory problems. In a recent study at the University of Maryland Medical Center, researchers found that sleep apnea can cause a rise in depression and that sleep-related breathing disorders can also worsen nightmares and post-traumatic stress disorder. And because sufferers are usually sleepy during the day, apnea can increase the risk of automobile crashes. There's no question it can be life-threatening, doctors say. So how do you know whether your snoring is something more serious? When snoring starts to affect your daily habits, you should see a doctor, said Dr. Thomas LoRusso, director of the Northern Virginia Sleep Diagnostic Centers. "A bed partner may notice that the patient stops breathing and snores loudly, " LoRusso said. "And the daytime symptoms are sleepiness, poor concentration, problems waking up in the morning." LoRusso says a good way to check your sleep habits is to note your levels of fatigue during the day and jot down other symptoms you might be having. And if you have a bed partner, ask whether he or she has noticed any "choking or gasping while you snore," he said. "The person you sleep with, many times, knows your snoring better than you." Specific lifestyle changes can help you avoid sleep apnea, the sleep foundation said. LoRusso agrees. "Cut out the alcohol," he said. "It can make the upper airway muscles to relax." And watch your weight. Losing pounds can "cure" sleep apnea, especially for overweight people, LoRusso said. If you smoke, try to quit, he said. Smoking creates swelling in the upper airway, making apnea worse. These seemingly small changes can have dramatic results. "In some cases, changing these factors can eliminate sleep apnea from some patients," LoRusso said. For Curtis Christiansen, it wasn't that easy. Not only was he thin and a non-smoker, he suffered from high blood pressure and high cholesterol and, because of a previous health issue, had only one kidney. He needed help immediately. His doctor recommended a device called a CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure device. It's a mask or nose piece that blows air into the airway to keep it open while a patient sleeps. Although surgery is an option for those who have problems even with the CPAP, Christiansen wasn't one of them. Since his diagnosis, Christiansen has gotten his blood pressure under control. When he started wearing the CPAP, he confesses, he'd leave it behind when he went out of town. "But I found I wasn't getting a good night's sleep, so now I take the CPAP along," he said with a smile, "and I have a restful vacation with my wife." | In sleep apnea, breathing is briefly and repeatedly interrupted .
More than 18 million U.S. adults have sleep apnea; many don't know it .
Potential side effects: hypertension, heart disease and mood, memory problems .
Cutting out alcohol, losing weight, quitting smoking can help . | b7aa93f75367bd6cd1c43bd3e4835d8eec404f93 | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- It's been nine years since Kim and Curtis Christiansen were married. Since then they've had their ups and downs, but they've remained close. But when Curtis began snoring about three years ago, Kim began sleeping on the couch. After his snoring drove his wife, Kim, to sleep on the couch, Curtis Christiansen saw a sleep specialist. "His snoring was so loud. At first I would just elbow him to wake him up," she said, "But then I became concerned. He would just (she gasps for breath). It would take his breath away." At first Curtis Christiansen figured he was tired, a little run down from his job. He thought the snoring was just a symptom of his exhaustion. But when he started nodding off while waiting at a traffic light, he knew something was wrong. "I became more aware of this choking and waking-up feeling," he said. Kim Christiansen finally persuaded her husband to go to a sleep specialist. The diagnosis: obstructive sleep apnea. According to the National Sleep Foundation, more than 18 million American adults have sleep apnea, and many of them don't know it. Some people think their snoring is just a side effect of a busy lifestyle. Watch more on the difference between sleep apnea and snoring » . In some cases, that's true. But the foundation says it's trying to get more people to realize how important it is to know the difference between occasional snoring and apnea. Studies have shown that sleep apnea has some serious side effects. A disorder in which breathing is briefly and repeatedly interrupted during sleep, apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat fail to keep the airway open, despite efforts to breathe. That can cause broken sleep patterns and low blood oxygen levels. Doctors say these side effects can lead to hypertension, heart disease, and mood and memory problems. In a recent study at the University of Maryland Medical Center, researchers found that sleep apnea can cause a rise in depression and that sleep-related breathing disorders can also worsen nightmares and post-traumatic stress disorder. And because sufferers are usually sleepy during the day, apnea can increase the risk of automobile crashes. There's no question it can be life-threatening, doctors say. So how do you know whether your snoring is something more serious? When snoring starts to affect your daily habits, you should see a doctor, said Dr. Thomas LoRusso, director of the Northern Virginia Sleep Diagnostic Centers. "A bed partner may notice that the patient stops breathing and snores loudly, " LoRusso said. "And the daytime symptoms are sleepiness, poor concentration, problems waking up in the morning." LoRusso says a good way to check your sleep habits is to note your levels of fatigue during the day and jot down other symptoms you might be having. And if you have a bed partner, ask whether he or she has noticed any "choking or gasping while you snore," he said. "The person you sleep with, many times, knows your snoring better than you." Specific lifestyle changes can help you avoid sleep apnea, the sleep foundation said. LoRusso agrees. "Cut out the alcohol," he said. "It can make the upper airway muscles to relax." And watch your weight. Losing pounds can "cure" sleep apnea, especially for overweight people, LoRusso said. If you smoke, try to quit, he said. Smoking creates swelling in the upper airway, making apnea worse. These seemingly small changes can have dramatic results. "In some cases, changing these factors can eliminate sleep apnea from some patients," LoRusso said. For Curtis Christiansen, it wasn't that easy. Not only was he thin and a non-smoker, he suffered from high blood pressure and high cholesterol and, because of a previous health issue, had only one kidney. He needed help immediately. His doctor recommended a device called a CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure device. It's a mask or nose piece that blows air into the airway to keep it open while a patient sleeps. Although surgery is an option for those who have problems even with the CPAP, Christiansen wasn't one of them. Since his diagnosis, Christiansen has gotten his blood pressure under control. When he started wearing the CPAP, he confesses, he'd leave it behind when he went out of town. "But I found I wasn't getting a good night's sleep, so now I take the CPAP along," he said with a smile, "and I have a restful vacation with my wife." [/INST] In sleep apnea, breathing is briefly and repeatedly interrupted .
More than 18 million U.S. adults have sleep apnea; many don't know it .
Potential side effects: hypertension, heart disease and mood, memory problems .
Cutting out alcohol, losing weight, quitting smoking can help . </s> |
A foster dad pleaded guilty Wednesday to involuntary manslaughter for leaving a 10-month-old girl inside a sweltering car outside of his house in July while he and his partner smoked marijuana. Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett has said Seth Jackson, 29, went to a drug dealer's house July 24 before picking up the girl from a baby sitter. After arriving home, he went inside with a 5-year-old child, but left the baby in the vehicle. It was around 90 degrees outside, and police say the girl was inside the car with the windows up for more than two hours. An autopsy showed she died of hyperthermia due to heat exposure. Scroll down for video . Guilty: Seth Jackson pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for leaving his 10-month-old foster daughter inside a sweltering car outside of his house in July while he and his partner smoked marijuana . Killed: It was around 90 degrees outside, and police say the girl, Kadillak Poe Jones, was inside the car with the windows up for more than two hours . Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office spokesman Dan Dillon said authorities are identifying the child only by her initials, which are K.P.J. Local media, however, and MailOnline earlier reported the girl's name is Kadillak Poe Jones. The affidavit said that Jackson realized that Jones was in the car when he heard a baby crying on an episode of 'Game of Thrones' they were watching. The couple allegedly viewed one-and-a-half episodes of the program, the affidavit said. The men rushed outside, Jackson unlocked the vehicle and his partner, Payton Schroeder, removed the child. Schroeder told investigators Jones was hot and stiff when he carried her into the house. As he called 911, Jackson attempted CPR but could not get the child's mouth open, according to the affidavit. The affidavit said that Jackson realized that Jones was in the car when he heard a baby crying on an episode of 'Game of Thrones' they were watching. The couple allegedly viewed one-and-a-half episodes of the program . Family: Jackson and Schroeder had five other children in their care, three young foster children - ages 3, 5 and 18- and two adopted children - ages 5 and 7 . Officers who responded found Jackson still on the phone when they arrived, making calls and repeatedly stating, 'I left her in the car, she's dead, she's dead,' according to the affidavit. At a later interview at police headquarters, Schroeder told detectives he and Jackson had been the girl's foster parents since she was 2 weeks old and were trying to adopt her. Jackson and Schroeder had five other children in their care, three young foster children - ages 3, 5 and 18- and two adopted children - ages 5 and 7. The two younger foster children were visiting other relatives at the time the 10-month-old died. Sentencing is set for January 30. Jackson could face 31 to 136 months in prison. KWCH reported that Jackson he may also face a $300,000 fine. | Seth Jackson, 29, pleaded guilty Wednesday to involuntary manslaughter .
It was around 90 degrees outside, and police say the girl was inside the car with the windows up for more than two hours . | ab94e8013c89aa527f8b5c2adb9d17547eb88486 | <s>[INST] A foster dad pleaded guilty Wednesday to involuntary manslaughter for leaving a 10-month-old girl inside a sweltering car outside of his house in July while he and his partner smoked marijuana. Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett has said Seth Jackson, 29, went to a drug dealer's house July 24 before picking up the girl from a baby sitter. After arriving home, he went inside with a 5-year-old child, but left the baby in the vehicle. It was around 90 degrees outside, and police say the girl was inside the car with the windows up for more than two hours. An autopsy showed she died of hyperthermia due to heat exposure. Scroll down for video . Guilty: Seth Jackson pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for leaving his 10-month-old foster daughter inside a sweltering car outside of his house in July while he and his partner smoked marijuana . Killed: It was around 90 degrees outside, and police say the girl, Kadillak Poe Jones, was inside the car with the windows up for more than two hours . Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office spokesman Dan Dillon said authorities are identifying the child only by her initials, which are K.P.J. Local media, however, and MailOnline earlier reported the girl's name is Kadillak Poe Jones. The affidavit said that Jackson realized that Jones was in the car when he heard a baby crying on an episode of 'Game of Thrones' they were watching. The couple allegedly viewed one-and-a-half episodes of the program, the affidavit said. The men rushed outside, Jackson unlocked the vehicle and his partner, Payton Schroeder, removed the child. Schroeder told investigators Jones was hot and stiff when he carried her into the house. As he called 911, Jackson attempted CPR but could not get the child's mouth open, according to the affidavit. The affidavit said that Jackson realized that Jones was in the car when he heard a baby crying on an episode of 'Game of Thrones' they were watching. The couple allegedly viewed one-and-a-half episodes of the program . Family: Jackson and Schroeder had five other children in their care, three young foster children - ages 3, 5 and 18- and two adopted children - ages 5 and 7 . Officers who responded found Jackson still on the phone when they arrived, making calls and repeatedly stating, 'I left her in the car, she's dead, she's dead,' according to the affidavit. At a later interview at police headquarters, Schroeder told detectives he and Jackson had been the girl's foster parents since she was 2 weeks old and were trying to adopt her. Jackson and Schroeder had five other children in their care, three young foster children - ages 3, 5 and 18- and two adopted children - ages 5 and 7. The two younger foster children were visiting other relatives at the time the 10-month-old died. Sentencing is set for January 30. Jackson could face 31 to 136 months in prison. KWCH reported that Jackson he may also face a $300,000 fine. [/INST] Seth Jackson, 29, pleaded guilty Wednesday to involuntary manslaughter .
It was around 90 degrees outside, and police say the girl was inside the car with the windows up for more than two hours . </s> |
By . Martin Beckford . PUBLISHED: . 18:37 EST, 11 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:56 EST, 12 January 2014 . Police forces are to have their crime statistics examined every year after senior officers admitted the figures are routinely fiddled. HM Inspectorate of Constabulary is being given an extra £9.4 million to fund force inspections on core policing, which includes crime recording. It is also to publish a one-off report which will expose more of the tricks used by police to keep crime rates down. Forces are to have their statistics examined after police chiefs last year admitted crime figures were routinely fiddled. File image . The Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Tom Winsor, admitted: ‘I have no doubt we will find a degree of fiddling of the figures.' The Home Office is also changing how police report clear-up rates, to stop them 'chasing targets to gain easy detections' or avoiding recording crimes they could never solve. A more detailed range of crime outcomes will be published with some categories – such as recording an offence as ‘undetected’ – being scrapped, Policing Minister Damian Green said. As the Mail on Sunday revealed, police told a parliamentary inquiry that victims are often disbelieved in a bid to keep crimes off the books, while serious incidents are downgraded and offenders encouraged to admit extra offences. Police chiefs told MPs how serious . offences including rape, child abuse and robberies were 'disappearing in . a puff of smoke' as officers manipulated figures. Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice Damian Green said a more detailed range of crime outcomes would be published . Forces were accused of downgrading the nature of crimes to make them seem less serious or erasing them from data altogether. One analyst claimed hundreds of burglaries 'disappeared' in a matter of weeks at the Met after managers intervened. The claims were made at a hearing of Parliament’s Public Administration Committee in November. Mr Winsor added: 'The accuracy and integrity of police recorded crime data is extremely important. 'HMIC is already carrying out a 43-force inspection of police crime recording policies and practices, and an interim report is scheduled for April 2014. 'In addition, in 2014/15 HMIC will begin a new annual programme of all-force inspections of core policing work, and that will include crime recording.' | HM Inspectorate of Constabulary to be given £9.4million to fund crackdown .
A one-off report exposing tricks used to reduce crime rates to be published .
Last year police chiefs said crimes were 'disappearing in a puff of smoke' | f8df2f9a0d7095055cd8776918fec526e9bc4340 | <s>[INST] By . Martin Beckford . PUBLISHED: . 18:37 EST, 11 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:56 EST, 12 January 2014 . Police forces are to have their crime statistics examined every year after senior officers admitted the figures are routinely fiddled. HM Inspectorate of Constabulary is being given an extra £9.4 million to fund force inspections on core policing, which includes crime recording. It is also to publish a one-off report which will expose more of the tricks used by police to keep crime rates down. Forces are to have their statistics examined after police chiefs last year admitted crime figures were routinely fiddled. File image . The Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Tom Winsor, admitted: ‘I have no doubt we will find a degree of fiddling of the figures.' The Home Office is also changing how police report clear-up rates, to stop them 'chasing targets to gain easy detections' or avoiding recording crimes they could never solve. A more detailed range of crime outcomes will be published with some categories – such as recording an offence as ‘undetected’ – being scrapped, Policing Minister Damian Green said. As the Mail on Sunday revealed, police told a parliamentary inquiry that victims are often disbelieved in a bid to keep crimes off the books, while serious incidents are downgraded and offenders encouraged to admit extra offences. Police chiefs told MPs how serious . offences including rape, child abuse and robberies were 'disappearing in . a puff of smoke' as officers manipulated figures. Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice Damian Green said a more detailed range of crime outcomes would be published . Forces were accused of downgrading the nature of crimes to make them seem less serious or erasing them from data altogether. One analyst claimed hundreds of burglaries 'disappeared' in a matter of weeks at the Met after managers intervened. The claims were made at a hearing of Parliament’s Public Administration Committee in November. Mr Winsor added: 'The accuracy and integrity of police recorded crime data is extremely important. 'HMIC is already carrying out a 43-force inspection of police crime recording policies and practices, and an interim report is scheduled for April 2014. 'In addition, in 2014/15 HMIC will begin a new annual programme of all-force inspections of core policing work, and that will include crime recording.' [/INST] HM Inspectorate of Constabulary to be given £9.4million to fund crackdown .
A one-off report exposing tricks used to reduce crime rates to be published .
Last year police chiefs said crimes were 'disappearing in a puff of smoke' </s> |
By . Allan Hall . A German furniture store is offering £15 gift vouchers to customers who return mugs that the company sold decorated with roses and poems - next to the photograph of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. The sale of anything featuring the former Fuehrer is strictly forbidden in modern-day Germany and can be punishable with severe fines. But the Hitler-decorated mugs somehow crept into the stock of the Zurbrueggen home improvement store in the city of Bielefeld - which remains a base for the British army in Germany to this day. Scroll down for video . Error: The Third Reich-era Hitler stamp is printed between petals and poetry on the mug's decoration, and is not immediately obvious. The store is now offering a gift voucher to any customer who returns one of the mug . The Hitler decoration on the mugs - which were made in China - came in the form of an old 30 pfennig stamp with a swastika postmark over it. It is not immediately obvious what is depicted on the stamp, although Hitler is unmistakable under closer scrutiny. 'I thought I wasn’t seeing too well when . I saw I had Hitler sitting down to breakfast with me,' said Agner . Teewald, who bought one of the mugs for her morning coffee at her home . in nearby Herford. Banned: The sale of anything featuring Hitler is strictly forbidden in modern Germany . The company spoke of a 'pretty stupid amalgam of unfortunate circumstances' which led to the Nazi mugs going on sale. Christian . Zurbrueggen, the owner and managing director of the store, says an . investigation is underway to discover how the face of Hitler made its . way on to the ceramics. The stamp is printed between petals and poetry and is not detectable with a cursory glance. Now the store is offering a gift voucher to any customer who returns one of the mugs. The Chinese factory that made them produced 5,000 total, although only 175 actually sold - all for less than £3 each. The remaining 4825 cups have already been destroyed. Now the store is offering the voucher in a bid to get back the 175 out of a batch of 5000 made in China mugs that were actually sold. They were sold for less than three pounds each. Mr Zurbrueggen also apologised profusely and called the incident 'truly terrible.' He said the mugs were loaded so quickly on to company shelves that no store workers noticed the 'embarrassing error.' The Chinese factory responsible has also apologised and promised a full investigation. | Furniture store in Bielefeld, Germany sold the Hitler mugs in error .
They feature an image of the Nazi leader alongside flowers and poetry .
5,000 mugs were made in Chinese factory, which has since apologised .
German shop staff didn't notice the design until selling 175 of them .
They are now offering a £15 coupon to anyone who returns the mugs .
Selling items featuring an image of Hitler is banned in modern Germany . | ad5b813f711fd5cc4bd3af7c512ffd66ca0eb0e5 | <s>[INST] By . Allan Hall . A German furniture store is offering £15 gift vouchers to customers who return mugs that the company sold decorated with roses and poems - next to the photograph of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. The sale of anything featuring the former Fuehrer is strictly forbidden in modern-day Germany and can be punishable with severe fines. But the Hitler-decorated mugs somehow crept into the stock of the Zurbrueggen home improvement store in the city of Bielefeld - which remains a base for the British army in Germany to this day. Scroll down for video . Error: The Third Reich-era Hitler stamp is printed between petals and poetry on the mug's decoration, and is not immediately obvious. The store is now offering a gift voucher to any customer who returns one of the mug . The Hitler decoration on the mugs - which were made in China - came in the form of an old 30 pfennig stamp with a swastika postmark over it. It is not immediately obvious what is depicted on the stamp, although Hitler is unmistakable under closer scrutiny. 'I thought I wasn’t seeing too well when . I saw I had Hitler sitting down to breakfast with me,' said Agner . Teewald, who bought one of the mugs for her morning coffee at her home . in nearby Herford. Banned: The sale of anything featuring Hitler is strictly forbidden in modern Germany . The company spoke of a 'pretty stupid amalgam of unfortunate circumstances' which led to the Nazi mugs going on sale. Christian . Zurbrueggen, the owner and managing director of the store, says an . investigation is underway to discover how the face of Hitler made its . way on to the ceramics. The stamp is printed between petals and poetry and is not detectable with a cursory glance. Now the store is offering a gift voucher to any customer who returns one of the mugs. The Chinese factory that made them produced 5,000 total, although only 175 actually sold - all for less than £3 each. The remaining 4825 cups have already been destroyed. Now the store is offering the voucher in a bid to get back the 175 out of a batch of 5000 made in China mugs that were actually sold. They were sold for less than three pounds each. Mr Zurbrueggen also apologised profusely and called the incident 'truly terrible.' He said the mugs were loaded so quickly on to company shelves that no store workers noticed the 'embarrassing error.' The Chinese factory responsible has also apologised and promised a full investigation. [/INST] Furniture store in Bielefeld, Germany sold the Hitler mugs in error .
They feature an image of the Nazi leader alongside flowers and poetry .
5,000 mugs were made in Chinese factory, which has since apologised .
German shop staff didn't notice the design until selling 175 of them .
They are now offering a £15 coupon to anyone who returns the mugs .
Selling items featuring an image of Hitler is banned in modern Germany . </s> |
By . Sadie Whitelocks . PUBLISHED: . 08:38 EST, 14 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:11 EST, 14 June 2012 . She might not have been flanked by Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge as she was yesterday, but the Queen attracted an equally impressive turnout as she travelled alone to the county of Hertfordshire today. Opting for a visible lilac coat pinned with a large amethyst and diamond brooch for day two of the Diamond Jubilee tour the monarch was greeted by thousands of cheering fans as she arrived in the market town of Hitchin, where many had stood waiting since the early hours of the morning. Crowds were packed six or seven deep waving Union Flags and cheering as she passed by shortly before midday, while hundreds of pupils from 24 schools in the area had been bussed in specially for the visit. The Queen visits Hitchin as part of her Diamond Jubilee Tour and undertakes a walkabout in the Market Square . The 86-year-old travelled to the town . by royal train from Nottinghamshire, a county she visited yesterday with . the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. As she stepped off the platform she was gifted with lavender oil from locally grown plants, . similar to a gift presented to Queen Victoria at Hitchin station in 1851. Tim Hunter, of Hitchin Lavender, whose wife presented the offering said: 'We were very honoured and privileged to meet her Majesty. 'She said that they grow lavender on the royal estate at Sandringham in Norfolk.'. Meanwhile Stewart . Peter, an oil trader living in the town, had his five-year-old daughter . Erica perched on his shoulders to get a better view. He . said: 'I wanted my daughter to see the Queen because there have been . lots of celebrations, watching the Queen on TV, watching the Queen on . the river, there’s been lots of coverage but I wanted her to see the . Queen in person.' Thousands turned out in the market town of Hitchin today as the Queen passed through as part of her Jubilee tour . The 86-year-old travelled to the town . by royal train from Nottinghamshire, a county she visited yesterday with . the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge . Touching: The Queen was presented with bouquets of flowers from a number of young fans . Many of Hitchin’s shops had shut for . the day but some, such as banks, remained open, with their staff . standing in the doorways and windows watching the spectacle of the royal . visit. Michelle White, 40, from the nearby . town of Shefford, brought her daughters Amelia, aged three, and Jessica . who is one next week, to see the Queen. Mrs . White, whose husband Squadron Leader Craig White, is in Afghanistan . training the Afghan national police, said: 'I think this is absolutely . brilliant. I’m a . royalist through and through and the Jubilee celebrations have been . fantastic. Anyone who was sitting on the fence is now firmly in the . royalist camp.' The Queen's warm welcome from the people of Hertfordshire was repeated . when she travelled from Hitchin to Stevenage to officially open East and North . Hertfordshire NHS Trust's new multimillion-pound maternity ward at Lister Hospital. Her opening of the facility comes 40 years after the Queen Mother originally opened the hospital. Hundreds of youngsters were entertained before the Queen arrived by balloon . sculptors, unicyclists and clowns, and a local band played show tunes, . creating a carnival atmosphere. Hundreds of pupils from 24 schools in the area had been bussed in specially for the royal visit . The Queen's warm welcome from the people of Hertfordshire was repeated when she travelled from Hitchin to Stevenage to visit East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust's new multimillion-pound maternity unit . The Queen officially opened East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust's new multimillion-pound maternity at Lister Hospital . The hospital's new £16.4 million facility has been named the Diamond Jubilee maternity unit. Infants born this year have been dubbed Jubilee babies by staff at the . hospital and the Queen met a group of women who had given birth in the . past few days. Out of the six new mothers, five had boys and the Queen joked about how the males were dominating the room. Proud mother Jenna Scott-Evans, 27, a building society manager, was . sitting with her son Stanley, who was born yesterday at 2.15pm. She said: 'When I went into labour it was Tuesday and the staff said the . Queen was coming but I never thought I would get to meet her. It was lucky he was born when he was, otherwise I probably wouldn't be here. The Queen said to me 'Another baby boy' and we had a laugh about that.' For the visit the Queen wore a Stewart Parvin lilac double-wool crepe . shift coat and a lilac, green and yellow floral print chiffon dress with . a matching hat by Rachel Trevor-Morgan. The final leg will take the Queen to Hatfield House, where a Jubilee tree will be planted in Hatfield Park ahead of a reception and lunch. Today's visit is the Queen's second official engagement in front of big crowds since the Jubilee weekend when millions gathered in London. The Duke of Edinburgh did not accompany her on today's tour as he is still recovering from a bladder infection. Nurses give the Queen a tour of the new maternity ward at the Lister Hospital . Infants born this year have been dubbed Jubilee babies by staff at the Lister hospital . Camilla learns of war memorial thefts . While the Queen stepped out alone on day two of the Diamond Jubilee tour The Duchess of Cornwall also went about her official duties without Prince Charles by her side. The 64-year-old visited the Royal Artillery Memorial in central London to learn about the growing problem of military memorials being vandalised by metal thieves. Camilla marked the structure, at Hyde Park Corner, with a state-of-the-art forensic signature that can only be seen under UV light dubbed SmartWater. The Duchess of Cornwall visited the Royal Artillery Memorial in central London to learn about the growing problem of military memorials being wrecked by metal thieves . 'War Memorials Trust greatly appreciates the support of . HRH The Duchess of Cornwall,' said War Memorials Trust director Frances . Moreton . Camilla also visited a flower festival at St Mary's Church, Barnes for day two of the Jubilee tour . As part of a new national campaign in Memoriam 2014 is offering SmartWater free of charge to the custodians of the estimated 100,000 war memorials across the UK, to provide greater protection. The initiative was launched to coincide with the forthcoming centenary of the First World War. The duchess was attending as patron of the War Memorials Trust. War Memorials Trust director Frances Moreton said: 'War Memorials Trust greatly appreciates the support of HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. 'In Memoriam 2014 offers a simple and free way for communities to protect their war memorials. 'It is stimulating a greater awareness and recognition of this unique aspect of our national heritage which will play a significant role in the next few years as the nation turns its attention to commemorating the centenary of World War One.' | Travelled to the market town of Hitchin by train from Nottinghamshire, which she visited yesterday with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge .
Officially opened the £16.4 million Diamond Jubilee maternity unit at Lister Hospital . | 28c900bfbcd71ba66997998a9f3240e05d9ce91b | <s>[INST] By . Sadie Whitelocks . PUBLISHED: . 08:38 EST, 14 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:11 EST, 14 June 2012 . She might not have been flanked by Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge as she was yesterday, but the Queen attracted an equally impressive turnout as she travelled alone to the county of Hertfordshire today. Opting for a visible lilac coat pinned with a large amethyst and diamond brooch for day two of the Diamond Jubilee tour the monarch was greeted by thousands of cheering fans as she arrived in the market town of Hitchin, where many had stood waiting since the early hours of the morning. Crowds were packed six or seven deep waving Union Flags and cheering as she passed by shortly before midday, while hundreds of pupils from 24 schools in the area had been bussed in specially for the visit. The Queen visits Hitchin as part of her Diamond Jubilee Tour and undertakes a walkabout in the Market Square . The 86-year-old travelled to the town . by royal train from Nottinghamshire, a county she visited yesterday with . the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. As she stepped off the platform she was gifted with lavender oil from locally grown plants, . similar to a gift presented to Queen Victoria at Hitchin station in 1851. Tim Hunter, of Hitchin Lavender, whose wife presented the offering said: 'We were very honoured and privileged to meet her Majesty. 'She said that they grow lavender on the royal estate at Sandringham in Norfolk.'. Meanwhile Stewart . Peter, an oil trader living in the town, had his five-year-old daughter . Erica perched on his shoulders to get a better view. He . said: 'I wanted my daughter to see the Queen because there have been . lots of celebrations, watching the Queen on TV, watching the Queen on . the river, there’s been lots of coverage but I wanted her to see the . Queen in person.' Thousands turned out in the market town of Hitchin today as the Queen passed through as part of her Jubilee tour . The 86-year-old travelled to the town . by royal train from Nottinghamshire, a county she visited yesterday with . the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge . Touching: The Queen was presented with bouquets of flowers from a number of young fans . Many of Hitchin’s shops had shut for . the day but some, such as banks, remained open, with their staff . standing in the doorways and windows watching the spectacle of the royal . visit. Michelle White, 40, from the nearby . town of Shefford, brought her daughters Amelia, aged three, and Jessica . who is one next week, to see the Queen. Mrs . White, whose husband Squadron Leader Craig White, is in Afghanistan . training the Afghan national police, said: 'I think this is absolutely . brilliant. I’m a . royalist through and through and the Jubilee celebrations have been . fantastic. Anyone who was sitting on the fence is now firmly in the . royalist camp.' The Queen's warm welcome from the people of Hertfordshire was repeated . when she travelled from Hitchin to Stevenage to officially open East and North . Hertfordshire NHS Trust's new multimillion-pound maternity ward at Lister Hospital. Her opening of the facility comes 40 years after the Queen Mother originally opened the hospital. Hundreds of youngsters were entertained before the Queen arrived by balloon . sculptors, unicyclists and clowns, and a local band played show tunes, . creating a carnival atmosphere. Hundreds of pupils from 24 schools in the area had been bussed in specially for the royal visit . The Queen's warm welcome from the people of Hertfordshire was repeated when she travelled from Hitchin to Stevenage to visit East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust's new multimillion-pound maternity unit . The Queen officially opened East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust's new multimillion-pound maternity at Lister Hospital . The hospital's new £16.4 million facility has been named the Diamond Jubilee maternity unit. Infants born this year have been dubbed Jubilee babies by staff at the . hospital and the Queen met a group of women who had given birth in the . past few days. Out of the six new mothers, five had boys and the Queen joked about how the males were dominating the room. Proud mother Jenna Scott-Evans, 27, a building society manager, was . sitting with her son Stanley, who was born yesterday at 2.15pm. She said: 'When I went into labour it was Tuesday and the staff said the . Queen was coming but I never thought I would get to meet her. It was lucky he was born when he was, otherwise I probably wouldn't be here. The Queen said to me 'Another baby boy' and we had a laugh about that.' For the visit the Queen wore a Stewart Parvin lilac double-wool crepe . shift coat and a lilac, green and yellow floral print chiffon dress with . a matching hat by Rachel Trevor-Morgan. The final leg will take the Queen to Hatfield House, where a Jubilee tree will be planted in Hatfield Park ahead of a reception and lunch. Today's visit is the Queen's second official engagement in front of big crowds since the Jubilee weekend when millions gathered in London. The Duke of Edinburgh did not accompany her on today's tour as he is still recovering from a bladder infection. Nurses give the Queen a tour of the new maternity ward at the Lister Hospital . Infants born this year have been dubbed Jubilee babies by staff at the Lister hospital . Camilla learns of war memorial thefts . While the Queen stepped out alone on day two of the Diamond Jubilee tour The Duchess of Cornwall also went about her official duties without Prince Charles by her side. The 64-year-old visited the Royal Artillery Memorial in central London to learn about the growing problem of military memorials being vandalised by metal thieves. Camilla marked the structure, at Hyde Park Corner, with a state-of-the-art forensic signature that can only be seen under UV light dubbed SmartWater. The Duchess of Cornwall visited the Royal Artillery Memorial in central London to learn about the growing problem of military memorials being wrecked by metal thieves . 'War Memorials Trust greatly appreciates the support of . HRH The Duchess of Cornwall,' said War Memorials Trust director Frances . Moreton . Camilla also visited a flower festival at St Mary's Church, Barnes for day two of the Jubilee tour . As part of a new national campaign in Memoriam 2014 is offering SmartWater free of charge to the custodians of the estimated 100,000 war memorials across the UK, to provide greater protection. The initiative was launched to coincide with the forthcoming centenary of the First World War. The duchess was attending as patron of the War Memorials Trust. War Memorials Trust director Frances Moreton said: 'War Memorials Trust greatly appreciates the support of HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. 'In Memoriam 2014 offers a simple and free way for communities to protect their war memorials. 'It is stimulating a greater awareness and recognition of this unique aspect of our national heritage which will play a significant role in the next few years as the nation turns its attention to commemorating the centenary of World War One.' [/INST] Travelled to the market town of Hitchin by train from Nottinghamshire, which she visited yesterday with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge .
Officially opened the £16.4 million Diamond Jubilee maternity unit at Lister Hospital . </s> |
One Direction’s Harry Styles has hit out at bandmates Louis . Tomlinson and Zayn Malik for their ‘reckless and stupid’ behaviour after MailOnline's exclusive footage of them smoking a ‘joint’. Harry is said to be annoyed with them for potentially . jeopardising the band’s upcoming 39-date United States tour after the film showed them sharing a suspicious roll-up in Peru last month. Louis, 22, and Zayn, 21, who did not mention the indiscretion during a sell-out concert in Sunderland last night, could be banned from the . United States by immigration authorities. It has also emerged Harry has chosen to fly in a different private jet to Zayn because he does not like his smoking, a source said. An insider told The Sun: ‘Harry is annoyed about the whole . debacle,' and revealed how the singer thought it was ‘stupid and . reckless’ of the pair to film their actions on camera. Scroll down for video . Harry Styles, pictured performing at One Direction's sold out concert in Sunderland last night, is said to be annoyed with bandmates Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik for potentially jeopardising the band's upcoming 39-date US tour . Harry Styles hit out at bandmates Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik (pictured) for their 'reckless and stupid' behaviour after video footage emerged of them smoking a 'joint' Despite the band putting on a united show at the opening night of their tour, it is thought the scandal could create a divide in the band . Bandmembers Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson last night as they joined the rest of the group for a gig in Sunderland, but parents outside admitted their clean-cut image was now tarnished . Flying solo: Separate jets for Harry and his increasingly estranged bandmates this month. Does it mean that some members of the boy band can't stand each other? The source also revealed how, despite . his reputation, Harry, 20, is in fact ‘professional and mature’ and does not approve of . such antics which he fears could now overshadow the band's success. ‘This should be one of the biggest weeks of the band’s . career with the launch of their UK stadium tour. Instead it has been taken over . by this controversy,' the insider added. It comes as Louis’ father said he was ‘worried’ for his son . after watching the footage - which was filmed on April 27 as the pair were escorted . by car to a show at the Estadio Nacional in Lima, Peru, where they performed to . a 40,000-strong crowd. Troy Austin, 45, said his son – who is a keen footballer who . once made an appearance for Doncaster Rovers – had previously vowed to never . touch drugs or get a tattoo. Speaking to the Daily Mirror, he said: ‘It seems the fame . and money have changed him. He’s a different person to that person three years . ago. ‘I do believe that being that famous will be taking its toll . on them. They need a serious talking to.’ 'Joint . lit. Happy days!' Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson smoked a 'roll up . cigarette' and joke about marijuana in a video taken in Lima, Peru, last . month . Hit . maker: Zayn takes a draw on the roll up. Before they began their . journey someone can be heard asking: 'Are we allowed to talk contraband . in this?' Warm up: Louis can be heard joking that 'Mary J' is 'one . very very important factor of Zayn’s warm up' Happy daze: At one point during the video, Louis asks: 'How is it Zayn?' Pausing a beat before he exhales Zayn replies: 'Nice'. Zayn blows smoke at the camera and says: 'I know you like dat, bro' Controversial: In . MailOnline’s exclusive video, Louis Tomlinson, 22, can be heard putting . on an accent while speaking about doing drugs. He then says: ‘It’s . green only, Nig.’ He also questioned One Direction’s management – which . includes their ultimate boss Simon Cowell – by saying they ‘should be . protecting’ the boys from ‘things like this’. Cowell has been dragged into the row by fans who have bombarded him with messages urging him to take action. As well as apparently smoking a ‘joint’ in the video, Louis has also been lambasted by fans and critics for using the word 'nig' - which fans say is a shortened version of the N-word. In the video, Louis puts on an accent while speaking about drugs, then says: ‘It’s green only, nig.’ One . Direction fans - as well as MPs and racism campaigners – have demanded . apologies from the band in light of the video. They suggested the boy . band had abused their position as role models and risked encouraging . their young fans to copy them. Harry Styles arrived at Newcastle International Airport on a separate private jet to Louis and Zayn ahead of One Direction's performance in Sunderland yesterday . Liam Payne (left) and Niall Horan (right) arrived into Newcastle on the same £18million private jet as bandmate Harry Styles but the other members of the group, scandal-hit Louis and Zayn, boarded a different jet . But as the band played to a sell-out 52,000-strong crowd at Sunderland football club’s Stadium of Light ground last night, there was no mention of the recent controversy - let alone an apology. The only reference made to the scandal was by Liam Payne, who joked about his skinny jeans then, in response to something shouted by a member of the crowd, added: ‘No more media attention, please.’ It is not known how the other bandmates - Liam and Niall Horan, both 20 - feel about Louis and Zayn’s video but it is thought the scandal could create a divide in the band. It is understood Harry and Niall already . take separate ‘non-smoking’ private jets to the other members and last . night the pair, joined by Liam, flew into Newcastle on a £18million . private jet separate from their scandal-hit bandmates. Upset: Some One Direction fans have said they have destroyed or sold tickets because they are angry about the video . Despite the controversy, thousands of fans turned out in Sunderland tonight to watch the band perform at the Stadium of Light . Parents Julie and Alan Huntington, from Peterlee, County Durham, whose daughter, Jessica, 14, was going to the gig with a friend, said they were concerned by the footage. Mrs Huntington, 45, a customer service adviser, said: 'They look up to the band so when they see the boys doing this it is worrying.' Mr Huntington, 41, an electrician, said: 'As parents we are always trying to tell our children that taking drugs is wrong and then you have the band they look up to taking drugs themselves. You're constantly fighting a losing battle.' Lisa Loftus, 31, a teaching assistant from Seaham, Country Durham, who was taking daughter Aimee, 13, and her friend Sarah Harrison, 13, to the show, said: 'Our children look up to the band and by doing what they have done they are telling them it is ok to behave like that. When they have such young fans it is worrying. They should be showing their fans how to act as children are very influential.' Michelle Anderson, 46, and her daughter Chloe, 12, from Newcastle, were also attending the gig. Mrs Anderson said: 'My daughter is 12 and she has her own mind so I know she wouldn't be influenced, but other younger children easily could be. If you are that way inclined and don't have parents telling you what is right and wrong then they think it is cool and could do it themselves.' Laura Baker, 16, from South Shields, who was going to the gig with her friends, said: 'It is a bad example on younger fans but we are older so we know what is right and wrong.' Harry was also spotted getting on a different plane at the weekend as One Direction travelled from Ireland following a gig. News of a potential rift in the band will upset fans who have been divided since the footage emerged. Some fans and their parents turned on the band in light of the controversy which several 'Directioners' ripping up, burning or selling their tickets for the upcoming gigs in the UK, Europe and America. But others have said they 'still love' the band and accused critics of not being 'true fans'. First appearance: Zayn Malik looked glum as he was driven away from The Lowry Hotel in Salford yesterday in what is his first appearance since the controversial video emerged . | Harry Styles blasted bandmates as 'stupid and reckless' after video emerged .
20-year-old chooses to fly in separate private jet because of Zayn's smoking .
He also fears the controversy could jeopardise band's 39-date US tour .
Louis, 22, filmed bandmate Zayn, 21, smoking what appeared to be cannabis .
Tomlinson's father is 'worried' for his son who 'needs a serious talking to' | 43acbff5e49f20b7d535e9836d63575b0cb60629 | <s>[INST] One Direction’s Harry Styles has hit out at bandmates Louis . Tomlinson and Zayn Malik for their ‘reckless and stupid’ behaviour after MailOnline's exclusive footage of them smoking a ‘joint’. Harry is said to be annoyed with them for potentially . jeopardising the band’s upcoming 39-date United States tour after the film showed them sharing a suspicious roll-up in Peru last month. Louis, 22, and Zayn, 21, who did not mention the indiscretion during a sell-out concert in Sunderland last night, could be banned from the . United States by immigration authorities. It has also emerged Harry has chosen to fly in a different private jet to Zayn because he does not like his smoking, a source said. An insider told The Sun: ‘Harry is annoyed about the whole . debacle,' and revealed how the singer thought it was ‘stupid and . reckless’ of the pair to film their actions on camera. Scroll down for video . Harry Styles, pictured performing at One Direction's sold out concert in Sunderland last night, is said to be annoyed with bandmates Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik for potentially jeopardising the band's upcoming 39-date US tour . Harry Styles hit out at bandmates Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik (pictured) for their 'reckless and stupid' behaviour after video footage emerged of them smoking a 'joint' Despite the band putting on a united show at the opening night of their tour, it is thought the scandal could create a divide in the band . Bandmembers Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson last night as they joined the rest of the group for a gig in Sunderland, but parents outside admitted their clean-cut image was now tarnished . Flying solo: Separate jets for Harry and his increasingly estranged bandmates this month. Does it mean that some members of the boy band can't stand each other? The source also revealed how, despite . his reputation, Harry, 20, is in fact ‘professional and mature’ and does not approve of . such antics which he fears could now overshadow the band's success. ‘This should be one of the biggest weeks of the band’s . career with the launch of their UK stadium tour. Instead it has been taken over . by this controversy,' the insider added. It comes as Louis’ father said he was ‘worried’ for his son . after watching the footage - which was filmed on April 27 as the pair were escorted . by car to a show at the Estadio Nacional in Lima, Peru, where they performed to . a 40,000-strong crowd. Troy Austin, 45, said his son – who is a keen footballer who . once made an appearance for Doncaster Rovers – had previously vowed to never . touch drugs or get a tattoo. Speaking to the Daily Mirror, he said: ‘It seems the fame . and money have changed him. He’s a different person to that person three years . ago. ‘I do believe that being that famous will be taking its toll . on them. They need a serious talking to.’ 'Joint . lit. Happy days!' Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson smoked a 'roll up . cigarette' and joke about marijuana in a video taken in Lima, Peru, last . month . Hit . maker: Zayn takes a draw on the roll up. Before they began their . journey someone can be heard asking: 'Are we allowed to talk contraband . in this?' Warm up: Louis can be heard joking that 'Mary J' is 'one . very very important factor of Zayn’s warm up' Happy daze: At one point during the video, Louis asks: 'How is it Zayn?' Pausing a beat before he exhales Zayn replies: 'Nice'. Zayn blows smoke at the camera and says: 'I know you like dat, bro' Controversial: In . MailOnline’s exclusive video, Louis Tomlinson, 22, can be heard putting . on an accent while speaking about doing drugs. He then says: ‘It’s . green only, Nig.’ He also questioned One Direction’s management – which . includes their ultimate boss Simon Cowell – by saying they ‘should be . protecting’ the boys from ‘things like this’. Cowell has been dragged into the row by fans who have bombarded him with messages urging him to take action. As well as apparently smoking a ‘joint’ in the video, Louis has also been lambasted by fans and critics for using the word 'nig' - which fans say is a shortened version of the N-word. In the video, Louis puts on an accent while speaking about drugs, then says: ‘It’s green only, nig.’ One . Direction fans - as well as MPs and racism campaigners – have demanded . apologies from the band in light of the video. They suggested the boy . band had abused their position as role models and risked encouraging . their young fans to copy them. Harry Styles arrived at Newcastle International Airport on a separate private jet to Louis and Zayn ahead of One Direction's performance in Sunderland yesterday . Liam Payne (left) and Niall Horan (right) arrived into Newcastle on the same £18million private jet as bandmate Harry Styles but the other members of the group, scandal-hit Louis and Zayn, boarded a different jet . But as the band played to a sell-out 52,000-strong crowd at Sunderland football club’s Stadium of Light ground last night, there was no mention of the recent controversy - let alone an apology. The only reference made to the scandal was by Liam Payne, who joked about his skinny jeans then, in response to something shouted by a member of the crowd, added: ‘No more media attention, please.’ It is not known how the other bandmates - Liam and Niall Horan, both 20 - feel about Louis and Zayn’s video but it is thought the scandal could create a divide in the band. It is understood Harry and Niall already . take separate ‘non-smoking’ private jets to the other members and last . night the pair, joined by Liam, flew into Newcastle on a £18million . private jet separate from their scandal-hit bandmates. Upset: Some One Direction fans have said they have destroyed or sold tickets because they are angry about the video . Despite the controversy, thousands of fans turned out in Sunderland tonight to watch the band perform at the Stadium of Light . Parents Julie and Alan Huntington, from Peterlee, County Durham, whose daughter, Jessica, 14, was going to the gig with a friend, said they were concerned by the footage. Mrs Huntington, 45, a customer service adviser, said: 'They look up to the band so when they see the boys doing this it is worrying.' Mr Huntington, 41, an electrician, said: 'As parents we are always trying to tell our children that taking drugs is wrong and then you have the band they look up to taking drugs themselves. You're constantly fighting a losing battle.' Lisa Loftus, 31, a teaching assistant from Seaham, Country Durham, who was taking daughter Aimee, 13, and her friend Sarah Harrison, 13, to the show, said: 'Our children look up to the band and by doing what they have done they are telling them it is ok to behave like that. When they have such young fans it is worrying. They should be showing their fans how to act as children are very influential.' Michelle Anderson, 46, and her daughter Chloe, 12, from Newcastle, were also attending the gig. Mrs Anderson said: 'My daughter is 12 and she has her own mind so I know she wouldn't be influenced, but other younger children easily could be. If you are that way inclined and don't have parents telling you what is right and wrong then they think it is cool and could do it themselves.' Laura Baker, 16, from South Shields, who was going to the gig with her friends, said: 'It is a bad example on younger fans but we are older so we know what is right and wrong.' Harry was also spotted getting on a different plane at the weekend as One Direction travelled from Ireland following a gig. News of a potential rift in the band will upset fans who have been divided since the footage emerged. Some fans and their parents turned on the band in light of the controversy which several 'Directioners' ripping up, burning or selling their tickets for the upcoming gigs in the UK, Europe and America. But others have said they 'still love' the band and accused critics of not being 'true fans'. First appearance: Zayn Malik looked glum as he was driven away from The Lowry Hotel in Salford yesterday in what is his first appearance since the controversial video emerged . [/INST] Harry Styles blasted bandmates as 'stupid and reckless' after video emerged .
20-year-old chooses to fly in separate private jet because of Zayn's smoking .
He also fears the controversy could jeopardise band's 39-date US tour .
Louis, 22, filmed bandmate Zayn, 21, smoking what appeared to be cannabis .
Tomlinson's father is 'worried' for his son who 'needs a serious talking to' </s> |
Neil Lennon expects Eidur Gudjohnsen to rejoin Bolton in time for the trip to Reading this weekend, while fellow veteran Emile Heskey could also sign for the Sky Bet Championship club if he impresses in training. Former Chelsea and Barcelona forward Gudjohnsen, 36, enjoyed a stint with Wanderers between 1998 and 2000 before moving to Stamford Bridge and he has been back with Lennon's squad for almost a month now. He played 90 minutes for the club's Under 21s on Monday and Lennon, short of experienced forwards since letting Jermaine Beckford join Preston on loan, revealed the former Iceland international is set to pen terms on a deal until the end of the season. Eidur Gudjohnsen made his eagerly anticipated return for Bolton against Middlesbrough on Monday night . Gudjohnsen showed some tidy footwork during the development game against the Championship outfit . Emile Heskey, pictured with Match of the Day host Gary Lineker, looks set to join Bolton Wanderers . 1994-2000 Leicester 125 games 33 goals . 2000-2004 Liverpool 182 games 39 goals . 2004-2006 Birmingham 68 games 14 goals . 2006-2009 Wigan 84 games 15 goals . 2009-2012 Aston Villa 127 games 9 goals . TOTAL: 586 games - 110 goals . 2000-2006 Chelsea 246 games 54 goals . 2010 Tottenham 19 games 1 goal . 2010-2011 Stoke 8 games 0 goals . 2011 Fulham 16 games 0 goals . TOTAL: 289 games 55 goals . 'I'm assuming everything's agreed,' the Northern Irishman said. 'If there's any hold-ups it'll be a minor thing and I'm hoping to have him in the squad for the weekend.' Gudjohnsen could soon be joined by another 36-year-old after Lennon's former Leicester team-mate Heskey was invited to train with the Trotters this week. The 62-cap England forward is a free agent having left Australia's Newcastle Jets and Lennon has granted Heskey a two-week trial period before deciding whether they will pursue a contract. 'Emile is a free agent, I know him very well from my time at Leicester and he's another player we tried to sign in our time at Celtic,' Lennon added. Former Premier League striker Heskey is a free agent after leaving Australian outfit Newcastle Jets . 'He may be coming to the end of his career but he still has very good attributes. It's no-gamble stuff for us, we're just bringing him in and going to have a look over the next 10 days, two weeks - see if he's got something to offer. 'If he has we'll look at it, if he hasn't we'll say, "thanks for coming in but we're not going to pursue this".' Lennon is optimistic that Heskey can follow Gudjohnsen's lead and impress sufficiently in his training audition. It is two years since the Leicester-born forward played in this country but Lennon is confident that despite his advancing years, his talent will not have waned greatly. Heskey decided to move to Australia after leaving former side Aston Villa in 2012 . 'We're pleased he's come in,' the Wanderers boss added. 'There's a hunger there to keep playing. He's 36 and he's had a great career. 'We think there might still be a bit of mileage in him yet and if there is we will try and make the most of that. 'If you look at his career, he's won a lot of things in the game and he's played for his country over 60 times now; that's quality and you don't lose the quality. 'You lose the legs a little bit but he was always a fantastic athlete as well. At 36 I still think there might be plenty left in there if he has the right attitude and hunger to keep going. 'I'm really pleased to see the career he went on to have at Liverpool, Villa, Birmingham and obviously England. He's a great kid, always has been. The way he's looked after himself, he's got longevity as well.' The 36-year-old missed a golden opportunity to score on his return for Bolton during the first half . | Eidur Gudjohnsen could rejoin Bolton Wanderers before weekend .
Bolton boss Neil Lennon expects him to sign before Reading clash .
Emile Heskey is also looking for a contract with Bolton .
He is training with the club in a bid to earn a deal at Bolton . | e8d3c9e558423a6c4159bb07ea3700a2c0a18278 | <s>[INST] Neil Lennon expects Eidur Gudjohnsen to rejoin Bolton in time for the trip to Reading this weekend, while fellow veteran Emile Heskey could also sign for the Sky Bet Championship club if he impresses in training. Former Chelsea and Barcelona forward Gudjohnsen, 36, enjoyed a stint with Wanderers between 1998 and 2000 before moving to Stamford Bridge and he has been back with Lennon's squad for almost a month now. He played 90 minutes for the club's Under 21s on Monday and Lennon, short of experienced forwards since letting Jermaine Beckford join Preston on loan, revealed the former Iceland international is set to pen terms on a deal until the end of the season. Eidur Gudjohnsen made his eagerly anticipated return for Bolton against Middlesbrough on Monday night . Gudjohnsen showed some tidy footwork during the development game against the Championship outfit . Emile Heskey, pictured with Match of the Day host Gary Lineker, looks set to join Bolton Wanderers . 1994-2000 Leicester 125 games 33 goals . 2000-2004 Liverpool 182 games 39 goals . 2004-2006 Birmingham 68 games 14 goals . 2006-2009 Wigan 84 games 15 goals . 2009-2012 Aston Villa 127 games 9 goals . TOTAL: 586 games - 110 goals . 2000-2006 Chelsea 246 games 54 goals . 2010 Tottenham 19 games 1 goal . 2010-2011 Stoke 8 games 0 goals . 2011 Fulham 16 games 0 goals . TOTAL: 289 games 55 goals . 'I'm assuming everything's agreed,' the Northern Irishman said. 'If there's any hold-ups it'll be a minor thing and I'm hoping to have him in the squad for the weekend.' Gudjohnsen could soon be joined by another 36-year-old after Lennon's former Leicester team-mate Heskey was invited to train with the Trotters this week. The 62-cap England forward is a free agent having left Australia's Newcastle Jets and Lennon has granted Heskey a two-week trial period before deciding whether they will pursue a contract. 'Emile is a free agent, I know him very well from my time at Leicester and he's another player we tried to sign in our time at Celtic,' Lennon added. Former Premier League striker Heskey is a free agent after leaving Australian outfit Newcastle Jets . 'He may be coming to the end of his career but he still has very good attributes. It's no-gamble stuff for us, we're just bringing him in and going to have a look over the next 10 days, two weeks - see if he's got something to offer. 'If he has we'll look at it, if he hasn't we'll say, "thanks for coming in but we're not going to pursue this".' Lennon is optimistic that Heskey can follow Gudjohnsen's lead and impress sufficiently in his training audition. It is two years since the Leicester-born forward played in this country but Lennon is confident that despite his advancing years, his talent will not have waned greatly. Heskey decided to move to Australia after leaving former side Aston Villa in 2012 . 'We're pleased he's come in,' the Wanderers boss added. 'There's a hunger there to keep playing. He's 36 and he's had a great career. 'We think there might still be a bit of mileage in him yet and if there is we will try and make the most of that. 'If you look at his career, he's won a lot of things in the game and he's played for his country over 60 times now; that's quality and you don't lose the quality. 'You lose the legs a little bit but he was always a fantastic athlete as well. At 36 I still think there might be plenty left in there if he has the right attitude and hunger to keep going. 'I'm really pleased to see the career he went on to have at Liverpool, Villa, Birmingham and obviously England. He's a great kid, always has been. The way he's looked after himself, he's got longevity as well.' The 36-year-old missed a golden opportunity to score on his return for Bolton during the first half . [/INST] Eidur Gudjohnsen could rejoin Bolton Wanderers before weekend .
Bolton boss Neil Lennon expects him to sign before Reading clash .
Emile Heskey is also looking for a contract with Bolton .
He is training with the club in a bid to earn a deal at Bolton . </s> |
The husband of a teacher who spent the night with a 16-year-old pupil has told how she seduced the boy as revenge after he had an affair. Bernadette Smith, 35, narrowly avoided a prison sentence this week after confessing her infatuation with her student Gary Ralston. The court heard how she called the boy into her classroom at Banockburn High School in Stirling, and confessed her feelings for him. The pair later kissed passionately in a park, and spent the night in bed, where Smith wore just jeans and a bra. Abuse of trust: Sheriff Wyllie Robertson told Smith (left), 35, . who kissed Gary, then 16, (right) and lay beside him wearing only jeans and a . bra, that she had committed a serious abuse of trust. She was spared jail . Waived anonymity: Gary, now 17, in his bedroom where one of the incidents took place. He said his relationship with Smith, who was his teacher during third, fourth and fifth year, began during secret meetings at school . Now Brian Smith, 35, has revealed how . his wife, with whom he has three children, told him she seduced the boy . as punishment for his affair in 2004. 'She said I deserved it, that this was payback. I’ve hit a brick wall trying to explain or understand it', he told the Daily Record. 'I . maybe could have understood if she had gone with another teacher, or a . neighbour, to get back at me. But not a boy, never. Not someone in her . care.' He told how his wife disappeared for a night with the boy, and sent him a text telling him their relationship had to end. She then switched off her phone, leaving him to desperately try and track her down. She came home the next day while he was getting their children ready for school and confessed the affair. His wife was later arrested and taken to court, where this week she admitted engaging in sexual activity with a pupil while in a position of trust. She was sentenced to two years of supervision at Stirling Sheriff Court, and will be on the sex offenders' register for the same period of time. Mr Smith, a bus driver, added that he does not blame Gary for what happened, as he was a 'victim' and only did what he was told. The affair started in Smith's classroom at Bannockburn High School, Stirling, where she confessed her feelings to the boy, before the pair went to a park and had their first kiss . The pupil, who waived his anonymity to speak of the relationship, said Smith had been his favourite teacher before she targeted him for particular attention. He . said: ‘I was thinking I was quite lucky. A lot of the boys fancied her. I couldn’t believe she was with me. It was the last thing I expected. She said she thought she was going crazy but couldn’t help the way she . was feeling.’ Placing the . mother of three under a supervision order yesterday, Sheriff Wyllie . Robertson told her she had committed a serious abuse of trust. He said it was only the fact that she had not gone further with the boy that had saved her from a jail sentence. Gary . revealed how his relationship with Smith, who was his teacher during . third, fourth and fifth year, began during secret meetings at school. ‘When . I started year six, Bernadette was no longer my teacher, but we’d pass . each other in the corridor, say hello and smile,’ he said. He said that . Smith later summoned him to her classroom. ‘I . walked in and as soon as I sat down she said, “Ever since we’ve been . back at school and I’ve seen you around, I’ve been realising I have . feelings for you”,’ he said. Sexual misconduct: Bernadette Smith, left and right leaving court, drove the boy to a park and kissed him . Describing himself as ‘curious’ and ‘excited’, Gary agreed to meet the history and English teacher on September 13 last year. The pair drove to a park in Falkirk, Scotland, and went for a walk but when they got back to the car, Smith kissed him passionately. Gary said he worried for Smith’s job, husband and family but said she ‘didn’t seem too bothered’. He confided in his father, who warned him to be careful but his grandmother called Bannockburn High School to complain. Smith was suspended immediately. Despite their relationship being made public, they stayed together the next night at Gary’s home in Cowie. Gary said: ‘We got ready for bed and I felt nervous. I got into bed with my boxers on. She took off her top, but kept her bra and jeans on, and slid in beside me. ‘We cuddled and talked – nothing else happened.’ His father Richard Ralston, 42, said: ‘I wasn’t pleased about what happened, but you’re an adult at 16 in Scotland so I didn’t want to interfere too much. ‘I want Gary to make decisions and learn from any mistakes.’ Prosecutor Ann Orr told Stirling Sheriff Court that when interviewed, Smith said ‘she loved the boy and they both wanted to be together’. She admitted kissing Gary and staying the night in his bedroom. There was no suggestion that Gary had suffered any long-term harm, the court was told. Smith, of Denny, Stirlingshire, pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual activity with a pupil while in a position of trust, between September 13 and 20 last year. Gary, now 17, revealed how his relationship with Smith, who was his teacher during his third, fourth and fifth years, blossomed during secret meetings at Bannockburn high school . She was placed under supervision for two years and will remain on the sex offenders’ register for the same period. Her solicitor, Andrew Gibb, said she was suspended by the General Teaching Council for Scotland and would be struck off at a hearing in a few weeks’ time. She has also separated from her husband. Sheriff Robertson told the court Smith’s conduct was towards the lesser end of the offending scale, adding: ‘It is serious enough of course when a teacher admits this kind of conduct towards a pupil. 'We expect teachers to ensure children under their care are safe from abuse and that has not happened.’ He told Smith that it may have been that ‘difficulties within your marriage contributed to this aberration’, but he said many other teachers coped without resorting to such ‘bizarre’ behaviour. He said it was to her ‘credit’ that she had not blamed her victim and she was assessed as at low risk of re-offending. He ordered her to return to court on November 12 for a supervision order review. | Teacher Bernadette Smith kissed and shared a bed with Gary Ralston .
She narrowly escaped jail after admitting sexual activity with a pupil .
Her husband Brian Smith, 35, has told how she said the affair was payback .
She sent a break-up text to Mr Smith, with whom she has three children .
Smith then switched off her phone and spent the night in bed with Gary .
Returned the next morning to admit what she did, shocking her husband .
Obsession cost her job and her reputation, Stirling Sheriff Court heard .
Gary said: 'I was thinking I was quite lucky. A lot of the boys fancied her'
Smith under supervision for two years as part of community payback order . | 81395f0b382e4edffafcfb6db9ac4dcfb6e86ad4 | <s>[INST] The husband of a teacher who spent the night with a 16-year-old pupil has told how she seduced the boy as revenge after he had an affair. Bernadette Smith, 35, narrowly avoided a prison sentence this week after confessing her infatuation with her student Gary Ralston. The court heard how she called the boy into her classroom at Banockburn High School in Stirling, and confessed her feelings for him. The pair later kissed passionately in a park, and spent the night in bed, where Smith wore just jeans and a bra. Abuse of trust: Sheriff Wyllie Robertson told Smith (left), 35, . who kissed Gary, then 16, (right) and lay beside him wearing only jeans and a . bra, that she had committed a serious abuse of trust. She was spared jail . Waived anonymity: Gary, now 17, in his bedroom where one of the incidents took place. He said his relationship with Smith, who was his teacher during third, fourth and fifth year, began during secret meetings at school . Now Brian Smith, 35, has revealed how . his wife, with whom he has three children, told him she seduced the boy . as punishment for his affair in 2004. 'She said I deserved it, that this was payback. I’ve hit a brick wall trying to explain or understand it', he told the Daily Record. 'I . maybe could have understood if she had gone with another teacher, or a . neighbour, to get back at me. But not a boy, never. Not someone in her . care.' He told how his wife disappeared for a night with the boy, and sent him a text telling him their relationship had to end. She then switched off her phone, leaving him to desperately try and track her down. She came home the next day while he was getting their children ready for school and confessed the affair. His wife was later arrested and taken to court, where this week she admitted engaging in sexual activity with a pupil while in a position of trust. She was sentenced to two years of supervision at Stirling Sheriff Court, and will be on the sex offenders' register for the same period of time. Mr Smith, a bus driver, added that he does not blame Gary for what happened, as he was a 'victim' and only did what he was told. The affair started in Smith's classroom at Bannockburn High School, Stirling, where she confessed her feelings to the boy, before the pair went to a park and had their first kiss . The pupil, who waived his anonymity to speak of the relationship, said Smith had been his favourite teacher before she targeted him for particular attention. He . said: ‘I was thinking I was quite lucky. A lot of the boys fancied her. I couldn’t believe she was with me. It was the last thing I expected. She said she thought she was going crazy but couldn’t help the way she . was feeling.’ Placing the . mother of three under a supervision order yesterday, Sheriff Wyllie . Robertson told her she had committed a serious abuse of trust. He said it was only the fact that she had not gone further with the boy that had saved her from a jail sentence. Gary . revealed how his relationship with Smith, who was his teacher during . third, fourth and fifth year, began during secret meetings at school. ‘When . I started year six, Bernadette was no longer my teacher, but we’d pass . each other in the corridor, say hello and smile,’ he said. He said that . Smith later summoned him to her classroom. ‘I . walked in and as soon as I sat down she said, “Ever since we’ve been . back at school and I’ve seen you around, I’ve been realising I have . feelings for you”,’ he said. Sexual misconduct: Bernadette Smith, left and right leaving court, drove the boy to a park and kissed him . Describing himself as ‘curious’ and ‘excited’, Gary agreed to meet the history and English teacher on September 13 last year. The pair drove to a park in Falkirk, Scotland, and went for a walk but when they got back to the car, Smith kissed him passionately. Gary said he worried for Smith’s job, husband and family but said she ‘didn’t seem too bothered’. He confided in his father, who warned him to be careful but his grandmother called Bannockburn High School to complain. Smith was suspended immediately. Despite their relationship being made public, they stayed together the next night at Gary’s home in Cowie. Gary said: ‘We got ready for bed and I felt nervous. I got into bed with my boxers on. She took off her top, but kept her bra and jeans on, and slid in beside me. ‘We cuddled and talked – nothing else happened.’ His father Richard Ralston, 42, said: ‘I wasn’t pleased about what happened, but you’re an adult at 16 in Scotland so I didn’t want to interfere too much. ‘I want Gary to make decisions and learn from any mistakes.’ Prosecutor Ann Orr told Stirling Sheriff Court that when interviewed, Smith said ‘she loved the boy and they both wanted to be together’. She admitted kissing Gary and staying the night in his bedroom. There was no suggestion that Gary had suffered any long-term harm, the court was told. Smith, of Denny, Stirlingshire, pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual activity with a pupil while in a position of trust, between September 13 and 20 last year. Gary, now 17, revealed how his relationship with Smith, who was his teacher during his third, fourth and fifth years, blossomed during secret meetings at Bannockburn high school . She was placed under supervision for two years and will remain on the sex offenders’ register for the same period. Her solicitor, Andrew Gibb, said she was suspended by the General Teaching Council for Scotland and would be struck off at a hearing in a few weeks’ time. She has also separated from her husband. Sheriff Robertson told the court Smith’s conduct was towards the lesser end of the offending scale, adding: ‘It is serious enough of course when a teacher admits this kind of conduct towards a pupil. 'We expect teachers to ensure children under their care are safe from abuse and that has not happened.’ He told Smith that it may have been that ‘difficulties within your marriage contributed to this aberration’, but he said many other teachers coped without resorting to such ‘bizarre’ behaviour. He said it was to her ‘credit’ that she had not blamed her victim and she was assessed as at low risk of re-offending. He ordered her to return to court on November 12 for a supervision order review. [/INST] Teacher Bernadette Smith kissed and shared a bed with Gary Ralston .
She narrowly escaped jail after admitting sexual activity with a pupil .
Her husband Brian Smith, 35, has told how she said the affair was payback .
She sent a break-up text to Mr Smith, with whom she has three children .
Smith then switched off her phone and spent the night in bed with Gary .
Returned the next morning to admit what she did, shocking her husband .
Obsession cost her job and her reputation, Stirling Sheriff Court heard .
Gary said: 'I was thinking I was quite lucky. A lot of the boys fancied her'
Smith under supervision for two years as part of community payback order . </s> |
A father-of-three died from a burst blood vessel the day after being discharged from hospital with Gaviscon to treat heartburn, an inquest heard. Daren Hooper, 42, was rushed to hospital after collapsing at work and was diagnosed with gastro-oesophageal reflux and given antacids as treatment. But doctors failed to carry out a CT scan which might have spotted that a leaky artery was slowly filling his chest with blood, the hearing was told. Project worker Daren Hooper is pictured here with his wife Kath. He had suffered with digestive problems for the past decade. He collapsed at his home in Ruishton, Somerset, less than 24 hours after being discharged and died en route to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton. Recording a narrative verdict, coroner Michael Rose said that ‘not enough consideration’ was given to his diagnosis and that a CT scan could have saved his life. The inquest in Taunton, Somerset, heard how Mr Hooper had suffered from gastrointestinal problems for more than a decade. Three days before he died the project manager collapsed at work and was rushed to the Bristol Royal Infirmary. He was diagnosed with gastro-oesophageal reflux and - despite suffering from severe chest pains - was not given a CT scan that may have spotted any damage to his aorta. Mr Hooper collapsed at home on January 16, 2012, where his young son Archie called an ambulance. He went into cardiac arrest en route to Musgrove Hill hospital in Taunton and neither the paramedics nor the emergency resuscitation team at the hospital were able to revive him. His wife Kath, who was with him in the ambulance, told the inquest: ‘I was leaning over Daren and his eyes went. They just went.’ A post mortem examination recorded . his death to be haemorrhage caused by a ruptured aortic aneurysm - a . massive amount of blood which filled his chest. The . aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body and a rupture is a . catastrophic medical condition which carries just a three per cent . survival rate. Mr Hooper was sent home from the Bristol Royal Infirmary with antacids after he collapsed at work . The inquest heard evidence from five doctors who treated him at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. Dr James Ritchie was a junior doctor at the time and flagged up the possibility Mr Hooper's condition may have been more serious than originally thought. He told the inquest: 'I considered the possibility of aortic dissection. ‘I asked the nurse to check Mr Hooper's blood pressure in both arms and I checked that his right and left pulses were equal in volume and synchronous, which they were.’ He added: ‘I was aware that these were possible signs of aortic dissection but I was unsure how reassuring the normal findings were.’ Dr Ritchie and senior medic Dr Alasdair Macrae checked the chest x-ray, which showed no sign of aortic aneurysm or dissection - where part of the lining of the aorta breaks apart and splits inside the artery. Mr Hooper, a project manager at a property firm, was given Gaviscon during his stay in hospital, the inquest heard. Mr Hooper diagnosed with gastro-oesophageal reflux and given Gaviscon during his stay in hospital, the inquest heard . Coroner Mr Rose said: ‘This is a tragic case. The deceased, Daren Mervyn Hooper, was 42 years of age and I would hope he would have a good life ahead of him. ‘My assessment is I feel not enough consideration was given to what admittedly is a rare but not impossible consideration that something had gone wrong with the aorta. ‘We do not think that full consideration was given to the actual matters that subsequently led to his death. ‘When he was discharged from hospital, he was not the man his wife knew two days earlier." Ruptured aortic aneurysms in the chest affect only one in 100,000 patients, but the chances of suffering one are dramatically reduced with age. Mr Hooper was in an age bracket where the NHS see perhaps only two or three cases a year, the inquest was told. Mr Rose added: ‘Had the consideration that Mr Hooper was suffering from an aortic leak been fully considered, a CT scan would have been conducted. ‘His leaking aortic aneurysm would have been discovered and this may have led to successful surgery.’ Speaking after the hearing, Mr Hooper's wife Kath said: "I am satisfied that today's inquest has acknowledged that there are some serious issues for the . Trust to address following the death of my husband. ‘Expert opinion states that his death could have been avoided if he had been given a CT scan when he visited Bristol Royal Infirmary. ‘Indeed, the doctor dealing with him raised the possibility of such a scan but was informed by a senior that it wasn't necessary - that fateful decision has completely devastated my family. ‘It hasn't been helped by the minimal psychological support offered for myself and my children. ‘I will now campaign for better support for bereaved parents and children who really need it to help them rebuild their lives.’ Mr Hooper is survived by his wife Kath and their three children, Joseph, 15, Archie, nine and Darcy, four. Kath's solicitor Andrew Hannam commented after the case: 'We will now consider our options in terms of pursuing this matter further with the objective of securing the kind of support the Hooper family deserve to help them cope without a husband and a father. ‘Meanwhile, it is important to point out that this tragic event has been investigated thoroughly by the Trust who accepted that Darren Hooper's death was regarded as a Serious Untoward Incident. ‘The Serious Untoward Incident investigation has resulted in training for staff at Bristol Royal Infirmary to ensure this 'knowledge gap' is closed and these circumstances don't occur again.' | Daren Hooper, 42, was rushed to hospital after collapsing at work .
Doctors failed to carry out CT scan which would have shown leaky artery .
Was sent home with antacids and collapsed less than 24 hours later .
Went into cardiac arrest and died in ambulance en route to hospital .
He died from a haemorrhage caused by a ruptured aortic aneurysm .
Coroner said although condition was rare for someone of Mr Hooper's age, not enough consideration was given to his diagnosis . | f4cd85afae419311e6296aeb0dc0f7076ee2c598 | <s>[INST] A father-of-three died from a burst blood vessel the day after being discharged from hospital with Gaviscon to treat heartburn, an inquest heard. Daren Hooper, 42, was rushed to hospital after collapsing at work and was diagnosed with gastro-oesophageal reflux and given antacids as treatment. But doctors failed to carry out a CT scan which might have spotted that a leaky artery was slowly filling his chest with blood, the hearing was told. Project worker Daren Hooper is pictured here with his wife Kath. He had suffered with digestive problems for the past decade. He collapsed at his home in Ruishton, Somerset, less than 24 hours after being discharged and died en route to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton. Recording a narrative verdict, coroner Michael Rose said that ‘not enough consideration’ was given to his diagnosis and that a CT scan could have saved his life. The inquest in Taunton, Somerset, heard how Mr Hooper had suffered from gastrointestinal problems for more than a decade. Three days before he died the project manager collapsed at work and was rushed to the Bristol Royal Infirmary. He was diagnosed with gastro-oesophageal reflux and - despite suffering from severe chest pains - was not given a CT scan that may have spotted any damage to his aorta. Mr Hooper collapsed at home on January 16, 2012, where his young son Archie called an ambulance. He went into cardiac arrest en route to Musgrove Hill hospital in Taunton and neither the paramedics nor the emergency resuscitation team at the hospital were able to revive him. His wife Kath, who was with him in the ambulance, told the inquest: ‘I was leaning over Daren and his eyes went. They just went.’ A post mortem examination recorded . his death to be haemorrhage caused by a ruptured aortic aneurysm - a . massive amount of blood which filled his chest. The . aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body and a rupture is a . catastrophic medical condition which carries just a three per cent . survival rate. Mr Hooper was sent home from the Bristol Royal Infirmary with antacids after he collapsed at work . The inquest heard evidence from five doctors who treated him at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. Dr James Ritchie was a junior doctor at the time and flagged up the possibility Mr Hooper's condition may have been more serious than originally thought. He told the inquest: 'I considered the possibility of aortic dissection. ‘I asked the nurse to check Mr Hooper's blood pressure in both arms and I checked that his right and left pulses were equal in volume and synchronous, which they were.’ He added: ‘I was aware that these were possible signs of aortic dissection but I was unsure how reassuring the normal findings were.’ Dr Ritchie and senior medic Dr Alasdair Macrae checked the chest x-ray, which showed no sign of aortic aneurysm or dissection - where part of the lining of the aorta breaks apart and splits inside the artery. Mr Hooper, a project manager at a property firm, was given Gaviscon during his stay in hospital, the inquest heard. Mr Hooper diagnosed with gastro-oesophageal reflux and given Gaviscon during his stay in hospital, the inquest heard . Coroner Mr Rose said: ‘This is a tragic case. The deceased, Daren Mervyn Hooper, was 42 years of age and I would hope he would have a good life ahead of him. ‘My assessment is I feel not enough consideration was given to what admittedly is a rare but not impossible consideration that something had gone wrong with the aorta. ‘We do not think that full consideration was given to the actual matters that subsequently led to his death. ‘When he was discharged from hospital, he was not the man his wife knew two days earlier." Ruptured aortic aneurysms in the chest affect only one in 100,000 patients, but the chances of suffering one are dramatically reduced with age. Mr Hooper was in an age bracket where the NHS see perhaps only two or three cases a year, the inquest was told. Mr Rose added: ‘Had the consideration that Mr Hooper was suffering from an aortic leak been fully considered, a CT scan would have been conducted. ‘His leaking aortic aneurysm would have been discovered and this may have led to successful surgery.’ Speaking after the hearing, Mr Hooper's wife Kath said: "I am satisfied that today's inquest has acknowledged that there are some serious issues for the . Trust to address following the death of my husband. ‘Expert opinion states that his death could have been avoided if he had been given a CT scan when he visited Bristol Royal Infirmary. ‘Indeed, the doctor dealing with him raised the possibility of such a scan but was informed by a senior that it wasn't necessary - that fateful decision has completely devastated my family. ‘It hasn't been helped by the minimal psychological support offered for myself and my children. ‘I will now campaign for better support for bereaved parents and children who really need it to help them rebuild their lives.’ Mr Hooper is survived by his wife Kath and their three children, Joseph, 15, Archie, nine and Darcy, four. Kath's solicitor Andrew Hannam commented after the case: 'We will now consider our options in terms of pursuing this matter further with the objective of securing the kind of support the Hooper family deserve to help them cope without a husband and a father. ‘Meanwhile, it is important to point out that this tragic event has been investigated thoroughly by the Trust who accepted that Darren Hooper's death was regarded as a Serious Untoward Incident. ‘The Serious Untoward Incident investigation has resulted in training for staff at Bristol Royal Infirmary to ensure this 'knowledge gap' is closed and these circumstances don't occur again.' [/INST] Daren Hooper, 42, was rushed to hospital after collapsing at work .
Doctors failed to carry out CT scan which would have shown leaky artery .
Was sent home with antacids and collapsed less than 24 hours later .
Went into cardiac arrest and died in ambulance en route to hospital .
He died from a haemorrhage caused by a ruptured aortic aneurysm .
Coroner said although condition was rare for someone of Mr Hooper's age, not enough consideration was given to his diagnosis . </s> |
By . Jonathan Block . Using an Oculus Rift VR headset, Roberta Firstenberg is able to catch butterflies in the beautiful sunshine outside a virtual Italian villa from her armchair in Seattle. The idea to use virtual reality to give Roberta an outdoor experiernce without leaving her home came from her granddaughter, Priscilla Firstenberg, who is an artist that designs video games.Priscilla emailed Oculus about her idea and they sent her a headset, for free, for Roberta to use. Scroll down for video . Roberta Firstenberg, who is suffering from terminal cancer, uses an Oculus Rift VR headset to experience a virtual world where she can walk outside a Tuscan villa and catch butterflies . The virtual reality headset gives Roberta Firstenberg the ability to feel as if she is outside, without actually leaving her home . 'Thank you very much for the heartfelt email. We’re all really sorry to hear about your grandmother and can sympathize/empathize with your situation," Kevin Crawford, Oculus’s customer service lead, replied back to Priscilla the next day. 'The email has made its rounds within the Support group and it was a unanimous decision that we needed to help you out....Keeping with the spirit of these specific Rifts, it only makes sense that we loan a working developer Rift to another game dev.' When the headset arrived, doctors had given Roberta, at most, two months to live. Roberta Firstenberg's doctors say she has two months to live but her life is being improved using a virtual reality headset . 'I pretty much cried at my desk reading it,' Priscilla said in reference to the response from Crawford. Before long, Roberta was walking through a virtual Tuscan villa, trying to catch butterflies and admiring the sunshine. 'Her favorite part was just being able to walk up and down the stairs again of the villa in the Tuscany demo,' said Priscilla. 'I guess we take a lot of things for granted.' The idea to use the virtual reality headset as therapy came after Roberta told her granddaughter about a dream she had. In it, Priscilla come back from the future with Priscilla's sister, and they would take her to the future using a time traveling chair to cure her cancer. The next day, Priscilla was at work discussing new consoles with her co-workers, including the Rift. 'As I brought up more points about the Rift, it suddenly clicked – there might as well have been a literal light bulb above my head – traveling, going outside, just sitting in a chair, etc. That night I went out on a limb and emailed the support center for the Oculus Rift.' | Roberta Firstenberg uses an Oculus Rift VR headset to 'virtually' catch butterflies outside an Italian villa .
Idea to use headset, normally used by video gamers, came from her grandaughter, who deisgn video games herself .
Oculus loaned a headset to Priscilla Firstenberg after reading a touching email from Ms. Firstenberg . | d54103c846768c131116cf1a6851e9fde57ab965 | <s>[INST] By . Jonathan Block . Using an Oculus Rift VR headset, Roberta Firstenberg is able to catch butterflies in the beautiful sunshine outside a virtual Italian villa from her armchair in Seattle. The idea to use virtual reality to give Roberta an outdoor experiernce without leaving her home came from her granddaughter, Priscilla Firstenberg, who is an artist that designs video games.Priscilla emailed Oculus about her idea and they sent her a headset, for free, for Roberta to use. Scroll down for video . Roberta Firstenberg, who is suffering from terminal cancer, uses an Oculus Rift VR headset to experience a virtual world where she can walk outside a Tuscan villa and catch butterflies . The virtual reality headset gives Roberta Firstenberg the ability to feel as if she is outside, without actually leaving her home . 'Thank you very much for the heartfelt email. We’re all really sorry to hear about your grandmother and can sympathize/empathize with your situation," Kevin Crawford, Oculus’s customer service lead, replied back to Priscilla the next day. 'The email has made its rounds within the Support group and it was a unanimous decision that we needed to help you out....Keeping with the spirit of these specific Rifts, it only makes sense that we loan a working developer Rift to another game dev.' When the headset arrived, doctors had given Roberta, at most, two months to live. Roberta Firstenberg's doctors say she has two months to live but her life is being improved using a virtual reality headset . 'I pretty much cried at my desk reading it,' Priscilla said in reference to the response from Crawford. Before long, Roberta was walking through a virtual Tuscan villa, trying to catch butterflies and admiring the sunshine. 'Her favorite part was just being able to walk up and down the stairs again of the villa in the Tuscany demo,' said Priscilla. 'I guess we take a lot of things for granted.' The idea to use the virtual reality headset as therapy came after Roberta told her granddaughter about a dream she had. In it, Priscilla come back from the future with Priscilla's sister, and they would take her to the future using a time traveling chair to cure her cancer. The next day, Priscilla was at work discussing new consoles with her co-workers, including the Rift. 'As I brought up more points about the Rift, it suddenly clicked – there might as well have been a literal light bulb above my head – traveling, going outside, just sitting in a chair, etc. That night I went out on a limb and emailed the support center for the Oculus Rift.' [/INST] Roberta Firstenberg uses an Oculus Rift VR headset to 'virtually' catch butterflies outside an Italian villa .
Idea to use headset, normally used by video gamers, came from her grandaughter, who deisgn video games herself .
Oculus loaned a headset to Priscilla Firstenberg after reading a touching email from Ms. Firstenberg . </s> |
(CNN) -- A replica of a 1910 aircraft built by flight pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright crashed Saturday in a field near Springfield, Ohio, killing the two men aboard, the Ohio State Highway Patrol reported. The aircraft was reported downed shortly before 11 a.m., the agency said in a statement. It had taken off from Springfield Beckley Municipal Airport. Police identified the dead men as Don Gum, 73, of Beaver Creek, Ohio, and Mitchell Cary, 65, of Yellow Springs, Ohio. The cause of the crash remained under investigation, according to the highway patrol. It's looking into the incident along with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. The plane, owned by Wright "B" Flyer Inc. of Dayton, Ohio -- a volunteer nonprofit group -- was a copy of a Wright Model B aircraft produced seven years after the brothers' celebrated first powered flight. It began test flights in June and performed well, according to a press release on the organization's website. The organization designed the plane to resemble the 1910 edition, but built it so that it could be more easily taken apart and shipped to international events, the company said in the June press release. It was built with a modern engine, controls and materials, the organization said. Gum and Cary were members of the group's board of trustees and Cary was a former president, CNN affiliate WHIO-TV reported. "Mitch and Don were highly competent pilots with extensive experience flying Wright 'B' Flyer airplanes and other experimental aircraft," WHIO quoted president Phil Beaudoin as saying. | Plane crashes near Springfield, Ohio .
Two men on board died .
The plane began test flights in June . | 163254aca6cd80f8268ec4261aaddac9506f6b02 | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- A replica of a 1910 aircraft built by flight pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright crashed Saturday in a field near Springfield, Ohio, killing the two men aboard, the Ohio State Highway Patrol reported. The aircraft was reported downed shortly before 11 a.m., the agency said in a statement. It had taken off from Springfield Beckley Municipal Airport. Police identified the dead men as Don Gum, 73, of Beaver Creek, Ohio, and Mitchell Cary, 65, of Yellow Springs, Ohio. The cause of the crash remained under investigation, according to the highway patrol. It's looking into the incident along with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. The plane, owned by Wright "B" Flyer Inc. of Dayton, Ohio -- a volunteer nonprofit group -- was a copy of a Wright Model B aircraft produced seven years after the brothers' celebrated first powered flight. It began test flights in June and performed well, according to a press release on the organization's website. The organization designed the plane to resemble the 1910 edition, but built it so that it could be more easily taken apart and shipped to international events, the company said in the June press release. It was built with a modern engine, controls and materials, the organization said. Gum and Cary were members of the group's board of trustees and Cary was a former president, CNN affiliate WHIO-TV reported. "Mitch and Don were highly competent pilots with extensive experience flying Wright 'B' Flyer airplanes and other experimental aircraft," WHIO quoted president Phil Beaudoin as saying. [/INST] Plane crashes near Springfield, Ohio .
Two men on board died .
The plane began test flights in June . </s> |
By . Brendan Carlin . PUBLISHED: . 16:42 EST, 3 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:10 EST, 4 August 2013 . Tory Immigration Minister Mark Harper has denied claims by anti-racism campaigner Doreen Lawrence that controversial immigration spot checks were linked to people’s colour. Mr Harper sought to defuse a growing storm over the checks by also insisting they were not ‘random’ but based on ‘specific intelligence’. He also revealed that so far 17 people had been arrested on suspicion at two London Underground stations but was unable to say how many in total had been stopped. Migrant row: Tory Immigration Minister Mark Harper, left, has denied claims by anti-racism campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence, right, that controversial immigration spot checks were linked to people’s colour . The Equality and Human Rights Commission is now investigating the checks for possible discrimination. Last week, Doreen Lawrence, mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence and who is now a Labour peer in recognition of her fight against racism, said she thought ‘racial profiling’ was involved in the checks. 'A matter of urgency': Labour spokesman Chris Bryant has demanded statistics on stops . But Mr Harper insisted: ‘We weren’t . stopping people based on their race or their ethnicity. We were only . stopping people and questioning them where we had a reasonable suspicion . that they were an immigration offender.’ He also said no ethnic details about people questioned were recorded, with officers noting only people’s nationality, name and date of birth. Mr Harper told BBC radio: ‘We are not carrying out random checks of people in the street and asking people to show their papers. That’s absolutely not what we are doing.’ Denying any racial profiling, Mr Harper said: ‘It’s about how they behave, not what they look like. It’s not about their appearance or their race or their ethnicity.’ Data on the numbers stopped for questioning will be released ‘in due course’, said Mr Harper. Labour spokesman Chris Bryant has demanded the release of statistics on the number and ethnic background of people stopped and accused Ministers of whipping up a ‘moral panic’ over immigration for electoral purposes. He said: ‘If it feels as if what is basically happening is that they are going to some parts of the country and stopping every person with a black face, then that is totally unacceptable. ‘What we really need from Home Secretary Theresa May is precise numbers of where these stops and searches were being done, what the percentage was of people who were arrested. I think this is a matter of urgency now.’ | Baroness Lawrence said she thought 'racial profiling' was being used .
But Immigration Minister Mark Harper insists they are not 'random'
Equality and Human Rights Commission to investigate the checks . | 793af7109360131bcc4289c5abf313ce083175a7 | <s>[INST] By . Brendan Carlin . PUBLISHED: . 16:42 EST, 3 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:10 EST, 4 August 2013 . Tory Immigration Minister Mark Harper has denied claims by anti-racism campaigner Doreen Lawrence that controversial immigration spot checks were linked to people’s colour. Mr Harper sought to defuse a growing storm over the checks by also insisting they were not ‘random’ but based on ‘specific intelligence’. He also revealed that so far 17 people had been arrested on suspicion at two London Underground stations but was unable to say how many in total had been stopped. Migrant row: Tory Immigration Minister Mark Harper, left, has denied claims by anti-racism campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence, right, that controversial immigration spot checks were linked to people’s colour . The Equality and Human Rights Commission is now investigating the checks for possible discrimination. Last week, Doreen Lawrence, mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence and who is now a Labour peer in recognition of her fight against racism, said she thought ‘racial profiling’ was involved in the checks. 'A matter of urgency': Labour spokesman Chris Bryant has demanded statistics on stops . But Mr Harper insisted: ‘We weren’t . stopping people based on their race or their ethnicity. We were only . stopping people and questioning them where we had a reasonable suspicion . that they were an immigration offender.’ He also said no ethnic details about people questioned were recorded, with officers noting only people’s nationality, name and date of birth. Mr Harper told BBC radio: ‘We are not carrying out random checks of people in the street and asking people to show their papers. That’s absolutely not what we are doing.’ Denying any racial profiling, Mr Harper said: ‘It’s about how they behave, not what they look like. It’s not about their appearance or their race or their ethnicity.’ Data on the numbers stopped for questioning will be released ‘in due course’, said Mr Harper. Labour spokesman Chris Bryant has demanded the release of statistics on the number and ethnic background of people stopped and accused Ministers of whipping up a ‘moral panic’ over immigration for electoral purposes. He said: ‘If it feels as if what is basically happening is that they are going to some parts of the country and stopping every person with a black face, then that is totally unacceptable. ‘What we really need from Home Secretary Theresa May is precise numbers of where these stops and searches were being done, what the percentage was of people who were arrested. I think this is a matter of urgency now.’ [/INST] Baroness Lawrence said she thought 'racial profiling' was being used .
But Immigration Minister Mark Harper insists they are not 'random'
Equality and Human Rights Commission to investigate the checks . </s> |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 5:33 PM on 3rd August 2011 . Smartphones that turn into a mobile wallet are among several new BlackBerry devices unveiled by manufacturer Research In Motion today. As well as all the usual smartphone functions like internet browsing, Blackberry users will be able to make 'contactless' payments in shops across Britain, including Pret A Manger, McDonalds and Boots. The new technology allows card details to be loaded onto a Blackberry Bold 9900 or 9930 and then make payments of up to £15 by waving it against a reader in-store. BlackBerry Torch 9810, which does not contain the technology, was also unveiled. Pay as you go: The new technology allows credit card details to be loaded onto a Blackberry Bold 9900 (pictured) or 9930 and then make payments of up to £15 by waving it against a reader in-store . The BlackBerry Torch 9850 is the only new smartphone unveiled that features a new design for RIM. The Torch 9850 - launched in the U.S. as the 9860 - is a touchscreen device with a 3.7inch, 480x800 pixel screen. The 253dpi display is the largest on a BlackBerry device to date. It also has 720p video camera and is powered by a 1.2GHz processor and 768MB of RAM. Primed with 4GB of internal memory, the Torch 9850’s memory will be expandable by up to 32GB via a microSD card. The handset has wifi and BlackBerry OS 7. The move by Blackberry, one of the biggest smartphone brands in the world, marks another step along the way to a 'cash-less' society. One in eight of us now doesn't carry cash at all, preferring cards for purchases - a potential goldmine for banks because they charge shops a fee for transactions. It is thought that Apple's iPhone 5, which may be ready for launch as soon as December, will also include the tap-and-pay technology. In May, Orange and Barclaycard teamed up to offer 'Quick Tap' mobile technology. Quick Tap is currently available only on one model of phone - the Samsung Tocco, costing an extra £59 on a pay-as-you-go contract. In addition, internet giant Google has announced that it plans to launch 'Google Wallet', which may take the form of an all-encompassing smartphone app for banking. Experts warned in the Huffington Post, though, that this may allow Google to collect information about users' locations, shopping habits, and spending patterns with the intention of using this to sell ads, coupons, and loyal reward programs. RIM executives hope that today's launch of five devices will buy time until the firm can introduce a radically new software packinging in its smartphones. Three will go onsale in Britain. These three new touchscreen phones run on the new BlackBerry OS 7, and each boast an improved screen display and pack a 1.2 GHz processor from Qualcomm, the most powerful ever for a BlackBerry phone. All three devices will launch with carriers globally by the end of August, RIM said. The browser for the new phones is 40 per cent faster than the original Torch, RIM's last major phone launch which hit shelves almost a year ago. But since co-chief executive Mike Lazaridis has already promised 'superphones' next year using the QNX-based operating system running RIM's PlayBook tablet computer, analysts are looking beyond the launch. 'This is a necessary product refresh in . advance of the big bang that we hope and expect will happen with . QNX-based phones,' said CCS Insight spokesman John Jackson. The three new BlackBerry touchscreen phones being released in Britain. Each runs on the new BlackBerry OS 7 and boasts an improved screen display . RIM shipped 13.2million phones in the three months to late May, its first fall in shipments versus the prior quarter since at least mid-2007, as it pushed this launch back to August. RIM's newly-promoted global head of sales Patrick Spence said BlackBerry heritage was as a leading communications tool and 'what we're talking about now with BlackBerry 7 is really enhancing that experience'. One of the Torch versions is to the eye identical to the original touchscreen device with a slideout Qwerty keyboard, the other is RIM's first touch-only device since the disappointment of its Storm model. The Bold upgrade will feature a near-field communications chip that can turn the phone into a mobile wallet. It was first shown at RIM's BlackBerry World conference in May. RIM's North American market share has dipped sharply in the past year as high-end Android devices proliferate and Apple's iPhone was added to Verizon's lineup. Globally the fall has been less severe but from a smaller starting point, according to data compiled by research firms CCS Insight and Gartner. | New technology allows credit card details .
to be loaded onto a Blackberry .
Payments .
of up to £15 are made by waving device against a reader in-store . | 6c33385f8ba67a06c9373b00fde3478d1a66801c | <s>[INST] By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 5:33 PM on 3rd August 2011 . Smartphones that turn into a mobile wallet are among several new BlackBerry devices unveiled by manufacturer Research In Motion today. As well as all the usual smartphone functions like internet browsing, Blackberry users will be able to make 'contactless' payments in shops across Britain, including Pret A Manger, McDonalds and Boots. The new technology allows card details to be loaded onto a Blackberry Bold 9900 or 9930 and then make payments of up to £15 by waving it against a reader in-store. BlackBerry Torch 9810, which does not contain the technology, was also unveiled. Pay as you go: The new technology allows credit card details to be loaded onto a Blackberry Bold 9900 (pictured) or 9930 and then make payments of up to £15 by waving it against a reader in-store . The BlackBerry Torch 9850 is the only new smartphone unveiled that features a new design for RIM. The Torch 9850 - launched in the U.S. as the 9860 - is a touchscreen device with a 3.7inch, 480x800 pixel screen. The 253dpi display is the largest on a BlackBerry device to date. It also has 720p video camera and is powered by a 1.2GHz processor and 768MB of RAM. Primed with 4GB of internal memory, the Torch 9850’s memory will be expandable by up to 32GB via a microSD card. The handset has wifi and BlackBerry OS 7. The move by Blackberry, one of the biggest smartphone brands in the world, marks another step along the way to a 'cash-less' society. One in eight of us now doesn't carry cash at all, preferring cards for purchases - a potential goldmine for banks because they charge shops a fee for transactions. It is thought that Apple's iPhone 5, which may be ready for launch as soon as December, will also include the tap-and-pay technology. In May, Orange and Barclaycard teamed up to offer 'Quick Tap' mobile technology. Quick Tap is currently available only on one model of phone - the Samsung Tocco, costing an extra £59 on a pay-as-you-go contract. In addition, internet giant Google has announced that it plans to launch 'Google Wallet', which may take the form of an all-encompassing smartphone app for banking. Experts warned in the Huffington Post, though, that this may allow Google to collect information about users' locations, shopping habits, and spending patterns with the intention of using this to sell ads, coupons, and loyal reward programs. RIM executives hope that today's launch of five devices will buy time until the firm can introduce a radically new software packinging in its smartphones. Three will go onsale in Britain. These three new touchscreen phones run on the new BlackBerry OS 7, and each boast an improved screen display and pack a 1.2 GHz processor from Qualcomm, the most powerful ever for a BlackBerry phone. All three devices will launch with carriers globally by the end of August, RIM said. The browser for the new phones is 40 per cent faster than the original Torch, RIM's last major phone launch which hit shelves almost a year ago. But since co-chief executive Mike Lazaridis has already promised 'superphones' next year using the QNX-based operating system running RIM's PlayBook tablet computer, analysts are looking beyond the launch. 'This is a necessary product refresh in . advance of the big bang that we hope and expect will happen with . QNX-based phones,' said CCS Insight spokesman John Jackson. The three new BlackBerry touchscreen phones being released in Britain. Each runs on the new BlackBerry OS 7 and boasts an improved screen display . RIM shipped 13.2million phones in the three months to late May, its first fall in shipments versus the prior quarter since at least mid-2007, as it pushed this launch back to August. RIM's newly-promoted global head of sales Patrick Spence said BlackBerry heritage was as a leading communications tool and 'what we're talking about now with BlackBerry 7 is really enhancing that experience'. One of the Torch versions is to the eye identical to the original touchscreen device with a slideout Qwerty keyboard, the other is RIM's first touch-only device since the disappointment of its Storm model. The Bold upgrade will feature a near-field communications chip that can turn the phone into a mobile wallet. It was first shown at RIM's BlackBerry World conference in May. RIM's North American market share has dipped sharply in the past year as high-end Android devices proliferate and Apple's iPhone was added to Verizon's lineup. Globally the fall has been less severe but from a smaller starting point, according to data compiled by research firms CCS Insight and Gartner. [/INST] New technology allows credit card details .
to be loaded onto a Blackberry .
Payments .
of up to £15 are made by waving device against a reader in-store . </s> |
An African migrant who lured a vulnerable schoolgirl to a house for sex cannot be deported – because he is a member of a ‘persecuted tribe’. Jumaa Kater Saleh, 24, was convicted as part of a predatory sex gang for the ‘deliberate, targeted abuse of a young and vulnerable girl’, who was aged 13 at the time. But he was allowed to remain in Britain under human rights law because he faced mistreatment if sent back to Sudan. Saleh was a member of the Zaghawa tribe, which was subject to widespread persecution (not pictured here) He claimed he was a member of the Zaghawa tribe, which has been persecuted by government forces and Arab tribe militia. And it has been ruled he can stay . indefinitely, unless a court decides the ‘threat’ diminishes and it is . safe for him to return to Africa. Details of the case emerged as Saleh . went to court to demand compensation from the Government for locking him . up. He claimed he was unlawfully detained following his prison . sentence, when he was kept behind bars to protect the public. But the judge rejected his claim . saying he had posed a ‘substantial’ risk to the public and keeping him . locked up was necessary. Deputy High Court judge Philip Mott QC rejected Saleh's claim, but the decision has been overturned . The decision to allow Saleh to stay . sparked outrage. Tory MP Peter Bone said: ‘I take the very simple view . that if someone comes to this country and then breaks the law then he . should be sent back to where he comes from. 'Any arguments about his . human rights disappear when he has violated, violently, the rights of a . young girl.’ Saleh arrived in the UK in November . 2004 hidden in the back of a lorry. In January 2005 he claimed asylum . but this was rejected. However, because he was under 18, he was allowed . to remain until he reached adulthood in October 2006. He was still in the country in May . 2007, when arrested and charged with the sex offences. In February 2008, . he was convicted of two charges of sexual activity with a 13-year-old . girl. He was in a group of five immigrants who lured schoolgirls – . including three aged 13 and one aged 14 – to a house for sex. The judge at the trial had remarked . that all three girls were ‘clearly disturbed and vulnerable, far from . mature for their years and had been targeted by the group’. Saleh was . jailed for four years on the basis that the offences were planned and . that he knew the girl’s age. The judge also recommended him for . deportation. However, at the end of his sentence . immigration officials deemed that he should not be released as they . tried to deport him ‘for the public good’. He was let out in May 2011 . after it was decided that he would face persecution if returned to . Sudan, under protection against ‘inhuman and degrading treatment’ and . risk to life. He now lives in Leicester. Ruling against him yesterday, deputy High Court judge Philip Mott QC said he had not been unlawfully detained. The judge, sitting at the High Court . in London, accepted that Saleh was a member of the Zaghawa and so it was . ‘not possible’ to return him to Sudan. Jumaa Kater Saleh, 24, who arrived in the UK in November 2004 hidden in a lorry, cannot be deported because he is part of a 'persecuted tribe' in Sudan . But he ruled there was no evidence of . Saleh being held unlawfully or unreasonably at any time and his case . failed ‘on all grounds’. The judge said: ‘It was deliberate, . targeted abuse of a young and vulnerable girl. The risk that the . claimant, in his early-20s, would commit a further sexual offence if . released … had to be considered as substantial.’ A UK Border Agency spokesman said: . ‘We believe those who break our laws should be returned home and are . extremely disappointed with the court’s decision. ‘We did not believe that this individual needed or deserved refuge in this country.’ More than 100,000 members of the Zaghawa tribe have been made refugees following the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan. The semi-nomadic people live in large swathes of the desert and plains of Chad and Sudan where they herd cattle, camels, sheep and harvest wild grains. The tribe converted to Islam en masse in the 1940s following their exposure to passing Muslim missionaries from West Africa who were travelling to Mecca. They have become known for their religious piety and are still very superstitious, with a strong belief in the ‘evil eye’. Most Zaghawa villages also contain mosques, which are used for prayer. But despite being Muslim, they were deemed ‘African’ by ‘Arab’ tribal militia who along with the Sudanese Government forces targeted them during the Darfur crisis in 2003. Rebel forces recruited child soldiers from the Zaghawa and thousands were forced to flee to neighbouring Chad or moved to UN refugee camps on the border. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Jumaa Kater Saleh, 24, arrived in UK in 2004 hidden in a lorry .
He was convicted of having sex with a 13-year-old girl in May 2008 .
Judge said today it was 'not possible' to deport him back to Sudan .
Saleh attempted to claim damages for unlawful detention . | efe9ff067c06ce8285fbb5824281fcdb6f1d8ac0 | <s>[INST] An African migrant who lured a vulnerable schoolgirl to a house for sex cannot be deported – because he is a member of a ‘persecuted tribe’. Jumaa Kater Saleh, 24, was convicted as part of a predatory sex gang for the ‘deliberate, targeted abuse of a young and vulnerable girl’, who was aged 13 at the time. But he was allowed to remain in Britain under human rights law because he faced mistreatment if sent back to Sudan. Saleh was a member of the Zaghawa tribe, which was subject to widespread persecution (not pictured here) He claimed he was a member of the Zaghawa tribe, which has been persecuted by government forces and Arab tribe militia. And it has been ruled he can stay . indefinitely, unless a court decides the ‘threat’ diminishes and it is . safe for him to return to Africa. Details of the case emerged as Saleh . went to court to demand compensation from the Government for locking him . up. He claimed he was unlawfully detained following his prison . sentence, when he was kept behind bars to protect the public. But the judge rejected his claim . saying he had posed a ‘substantial’ risk to the public and keeping him . locked up was necessary. Deputy High Court judge Philip Mott QC rejected Saleh's claim, but the decision has been overturned . The decision to allow Saleh to stay . sparked outrage. Tory MP Peter Bone said: ‘I take the very simple view . that if someone comes to this country and then breaks the law then he . should be sent back to where he comes from. 'Any arguments about his . human rights disappear when he has violated, violently, the rights of a . young girl.’ Saleh arrived in the UK in November . 2004 hidden in the back of a lorry. In January 2005 he claimed asylum . but this was rejected. However, because he was under 18, he was allowed . to remain until he reached adulthood in October 2006. He was still in the country in May . 2007, when arrested and charged with the sex offences. In February 2008, . he was convicted of two charges of sexual activity with a 13-year-old . girl. He was in a group of five immigrants who lured schoolgirls – . including three aged 13 and one aged 14 – to a house for sex. The judge at the trial had remarked . that all three girls were ‘clearly disturbed and vulnerable, far from . mature for their years and had been targeted by the group’. Saleh was . jailed for four years on the basis that the offences were planned and . that he knew the girl’s age. The judge also recommended him for . deportation. However, at the end of his sentence . immigration officials deemed that he should not be released as they . tried to deport him ‘for the public good’. He was let out in May 2011 . after it was decided that he would face persecution if returned to . Sudan, under protection against ‘inhuman and degrading treatment’ and . risk to life. He now lives in Leicester. Ruling against him yesterday, deputy High Court judge Philip Mott QC said he had not been unlawfully detained. The judge, sitting at the High Court . in London, accepted that Saleh was a member of the Zaghawa and so it was . ‘not possible’ to return him to Sudan. Jumaa Kater Saleh, 24, who arrived in the UK in November 2004 hidden in a lorry, cannot be deported because he is part of a 'persecuted tribe' in Sudan . But he ruled there was no evidence of . Saleh being held unlawfully or unreasonably at any time and his case . failed ‘on all grounds’. The judge said: ‘It was deliberate, . targeted abuse of a young and vulnerable girl. The risk that the . claimant, in his early-20s, would commit a further sexual offence if . released … had to be considered as substantial.’ A UK Border Agency spokesman said: . ‘We believe those who break our laws should be returned home and are . extremely disappointed with the court’s decision. ‘We did not believe that this individual needed or deserved refuge in this country.’ More than 100,000 members of the Zaghawa tribe have been made refugees following the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan. The semi-nomadic people live in large swathes of the desert and plains of Chad and Sudan where they herd cattle, camels, sheep and harvest wild grains. The tribe converted to Islam en masse in the 1940s following their exposure to passing Muslim missionaries from West Africa who were travelling to Mecca. They have become known for their religious piety and are still very superstitious, with a strong belief in the ‘evil eye’. Most Zaghawa villages also contain mosques, which are used for prayer. But despite being Muslim, they were deemed ‘African’ by ‘Arab’ tribal militia who along with the Sudanese Government forces targeted them during the Darfur crisis in 2003. Rebel forces recruited child soldiers from the Zaghawa and thousands were forced to flee to neighbouring Chad or moved to UN refugee camps on the border. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. [/INST] Jumaa Kater Saleh, 24, arrived in UK in 2004 hidden in a lorry .
He was convicted of having sex with a 13-year-old girl in May 2008 .
Judge said today it was 'not possible' to deport him back to Sudan .
Saleh attempted to claim damages for unlawful detention . </s> |
Students at the University of Nottingham are being investigated over a twisted 'rugby-style' chant about necrophilia. The students from the Cavendish Hall at the university sang a bawdy chant outside their accommodation as part of their Freshers' Week celebrations. However, several of the lines of the chant were very objectionable. Including one about disinterring a sexual partner for a reunion. Scroll down for video . Students wearing specially branded t-shirts at the University of Nottingham sang the twisted chant . Students at the University of Nottingham were filmed singing a bawdy 'rugby-style' chant, (file photograph) According to the Impact Nottingham student magazine, the chant was led by former residents of the accommodation block. The University hired students to act as 'Week One Reps', acting as guides to new students. One student told the magazine: 'I went out every other night for the rest of the week. Each night I heard the same chant, still being led by Week One Reps. 'As the week progressed, freshers started to lead the chants themselves. On the Sunday night, whilst on the bus and queueing for the Freshers’ Finale [hosted at Capital FM Arena], I heard the chant seven times in the space of an hour.' One student recorded the controversial chant on their mobile phone before uploading it to the internet. I wanna be a Cavendish ranger, living a life of sex and danger. High flying, 69-ing. These are the girls that I love best, many times I’ve s***** their breasts. F*** her standing, f*** her lying, if she had wings I’d f*** her flying. Now she’s dead, but not forgotten, dig her up and... Anagharad Smith, who was a co-ordinator for the Week One events said that Reps had signed a contract outlawing 'abusive, offensive, crude or intimidating chants or songs'. According to The Guardian, the Students' Union is conducting an investigation into the vile chanting which has been considered misogynistic. The University's Students' Union has received complaints from campus feminist organisations over the 'laddish' nature of the singing. As part of the chant, the leader sings a line which is immediately repeated by the group. Harry Copson, President of the University's Students' Union said: 'It is unfortunate that in this instance the guidance we provided has not been implemented in the way that we would hope for as a Students’ Union, to ensure enjoyment and comfort for all our members. 'I must however stress that the issue in question has come about as a result of negligence by a minority, and stress that the Students’ Union wishes not to undermine the brilliant hard work put in by all members of the Week One team, including both students and staff.' This follows an investigation at the London School of Economics after a leaflet was distributed to students looking to join the university's rugby club which was deemed racist, sexist and homophobic. The LSE's Students' Union disbanded the club for the rest of the academic year in response to the leaflet. Meanwhile at the University of Exeter, Freshers were forced to kiss a dead conger eel as well as drink beer from a shoe as part of an initiation ceremony. The Nottingham University students are the latest group to exhibit bad behaviour during Freshers' Week . | Second year students initiated the 'sick' chant at Nottingham University .
Freshers were encouraged to join in the 'rugby-club' style ditty .
The video was posted online by fellow students and has drawn criticism .
Student Union officials have launched an investigation into the chant .
Students were asked not to sing 'abusive, sexist or racist chants' | 6fd92257d86f31354f688a6c42d2528f107b63f0 | <s>[INST] Students at the University of Nottingham are being investigated over a twisted 'rugby-style' chant about necrophilia. The students from the Cavendish Hall at the university sang a bawdy chant outside their accommodation as part of their Freshers' Week celebrations. However, several of the lines of the chant were very objectionable. Including one about disinterring a sexual partner for a reunion. Scroll down for video . Students wearing specially branded t-shirts at the University of Nottingham sang the twisted chant . Students at the University of Nottingham were filmed singing a bawdy 'rugby-style' chant, (file photograph) According to the Impact Nottingham student magazine, the chant was led by former residents of the accommodation block. The University hired students to act as 'Week One Reps', acting as guides to new students. One student told the magazine: 'I went out every other night for the rest of the week. Each night I heard the same chant, still being led by Week One Reps. 'As the week progressed, freshers started to lead the chants themselves. On the Sunday night, whilst on the bus and queueing for the Freshers’ Finale [hosted at Capital FM Arena], I heard the chant seven times in the space of an hour.' One student recorded the controversial chant on their mobile phone before uploading it to the internet. I wanna be a Cavendish ranger, living a life of sex and danger. High flying, 69-ing. These are the girls that I love best, many times I’ve s***** their breasts. F*** her standing, f*** her lying, if she had wings I’d f*** her flying. Now she’s dead, but not forgotten, dig her up and... Anagharad Smith, who was a co-ordinator for the Week One events said that Reps had signed a contract outlawing 'abusive, offensive, crude or intimidating chants or songs'. According to The Guardian, the Students' Union is conducting an investigation into the vile chanting which has been considered misogynistic. The University's Students' Union has received complaints from campus feminist organisations over the 'laddish' nature of the singing. As part of the chant, the leader sings a line which is immediately repeated by the group. Harry Copson, President of the University's Students' Union said: 'It is unfortunate that in this instance the guidance we provided has not been implemented in the way that we would hope for as a Students’ Union, to ensure enjoyment and comfort for all our members. 'I must however stress that the issue in question has come about as a result of negligence by a minority, and stress that the Students’ Union wishes not to undermine the brilliant hard work put in by all members of the Week One team, including both students and staff.' This follows an investigation at the London School of Economics after a leaflet was distributed to students looking to join the university's rugby club which was deemed racist, sexist and homophobic. The LSE's Students' Union disbanded the club for the rest of the academic year in response to the leaflet. Meanwhile at the University of Exeter, Freshers were forced to kiss a dead conger eel as well as drink beer from a shoe as part of an initiation ceremony. The Nottingham University students are the latest group to exhibit bad behaviour during Freshers' Week . [/INST] Second year students initiated the 'sick' chant at Nottingham University .
Freshers were encouraged to join in the 'rugby-club' style ditty .
The video was posted online by fellow students and has drawn criticism .
Student Union officials have launched an investigation into the chant .
Students were asked not to sing 'abusive, sexist or racist chants' </s> |
Raymond Morris was convicted of the 1967 murder of seven-year-old Christine Darby and was the prime suspect in the deaths of two other girls . A prison watchdog has complained why a paedophile killer was chained to a hospital bed before his death - despite no complaints being made. Raymond Morris - dubbed the Monster of Cannock Chase - spent 45 years in prison until his death in March. Morris was convicted of the 1967 murder of Christine Darby, seven, and was the prime suspect in the 1965 murders of Diane Tift, five, and six-year-old Margaret Reynolds. Prison watchdog Nigel Newcomen launched an investigation into Morris's death as he died in custody. He expressed concern over the use of restraints while Morris was receiving medical treatment. In 2011, Morris began receiving treatment for leukaemia and kidney failure. When removed from his cell at HMP Preston, the killer was handcuffed and escorted by a pair of prison officers. Morris, 84, was being treated for leukaemia at HMP Preston in Lancashire after being diagnosed with the condition three years ago. On March 1, 2014 Morris signed a disclaimer refusing active medical treatment and on March 10, he was transferred to the prison's medical unit. He died the following day. Morris was jailed in February 1969 for the seven-year-old's rape and murder. The bodies of all three girls were discovered within a few miles of each other beside the A34 on Cannock Chase. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman Nigel Newcomen launched an investigation into Morris's death. According to the report, as well as having chronic myeloid leukaemia he was suffering for kidney failure and required regular dialysis. Morris had earlier signed a document asking medical staff not to resuscitate him in the event of cardiac or respiratory failure. Describing Morris's final few hours, Mr Newcomen said: 'Later, the man's breathing was shallow and his pulse weak. His eyes were closed and he shook his head when asked if he was in pain. At 4.45pm, he became unresponsive, but did not appear to be in pain or agitated. 'At 7.15pm, he became agitated and he was given a sedative. He died peacefully at 7.40pm.' Mr Newcomnen noted that throughout his medical treatment in 2013 and 2014, Morris was handcuffed, placed in chains and accompanied by a pair of prison officers each time he left his cell. Mr Newcomen added: 'The clinical reviewer concludes that the overall standard of clinical care the man received was equal to that he could have expected in the community. Morris was convicted of the murder of Christine Darby, seven, left, and was the prime suspect in the murders of Margaret Reynolds, six, centre, and Diane Tift, right whose bodies were all found near the same spot . Morris, 84, remained handcuffed as he received medical treatment at HMP Preston, pictured . 'While there were some examples of good practice in the support provided at both prisons, there were no formal care places at Wymott. I am also concerned that he appears to have been restrained for hospital visits, including while undergoing dialysis, despite being elderly, frail and in very poor health. 'This is a matter I have raised with the prison before and the Governor needs to ensure that staff fully understand their legal obligation in relation to the use of restraints for seriously ill prisoners undergoing life-saving treatment.' The report reveals that Morris made a final bid for freedom in June 2012 when he instructed a solicitor to make an application for release on compassionate grounds, however the papers were never filed. Raymond Morris was hidden from public view as he was taken to Cannock Police Station for questioning . Morris initially convinced his wife to give him an alibi for the day Christine Darby had been murdered . September 8, 1965: Six-year-old Margaret Reynolds goes missing on her way to school in Aston, Birmingham. December 30: Five-year-old Diane Tift goes missing on her way to her grandmother's house in Bloxwich, West Midlands. January 12, 1966: The bodies of Margaret Reynolds and Diane Tift are found at Cannock Chase. August 14: 10-year-old Jane Taylor disappears near Cannock Chase and is never seen again. August 19, 1967: Seven-year-old Christine Darby is lured into a car by a man near with a local accent. August 22: Christine's body is found on Cannock Chase. November 4, 1968: A failed attempt to abduct 10-year-old Margaret Aulton is witnessed and police are called. They arrest Raymond Morris, but his wife gives him an alibi for the day Christine was murdered. November 15: Carol Morris is shown pornographic pictures that her husband took of her five-year-old niece and retracts her statement. November 16: Morris is charged with the murder of Christine Darby and is remanded in custody. February 18, 1969: A seven-day trial ends with Morris found guilty of murder. He is sentenced to life imprisonment. August 2010: Morris begins an appeal. November: Morris is granted a judicial review in the case of the murder of Christine Darby. The review is overturned. May 2011: Morris breaks a 40-year silence, claims his innocence and says he may go to the European Court of Human Rights. March 11, 2014: Morris confirmed dead at 8pm at health facility in HMP Preston. Morris was dubbed 'The Monster of Cannock Chase' and prompted one of the largest ever UK murder hunts . The bodies of Margaret Reynolds and Diane Tift were found in a field off Mansty Gulley on January 13, 1966 . Morris is eventually tracked down after he is spotted trying to abduct another young girl who escapes . | Raymond Morris was convicted of the 1967 murder of Christine Darby .
He was the prime suspect in the rape and murder of two other young girls .
He was caught when he failed to abduct another young girl and jailed for life .
He developed leukaemia in 2011 and his health got progressively worse .
Morris was kept handcuffed while receiving medical treatment in prison .
The headline in an earlier version of this article implied that the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman investigated the prisoner's death because he was handcuffed when he was treated for cancer. We are happy to clarify that the PPO investigates all deaths in custody, whatever the circumstances. | ae4d01ecaf567ed6a363141923878262a6c0f1c1 | <s>[INST] Raymond Morris was convicted of the 1967 murder of seven-year-old Christine Darby and was the prime suspect in the deaths of two other girls . A prison watchdog has complained why a paedophile killer was chained to a hospital bed before his death - despite no complaints being made. Raymond Morris - dubbed the Monster of Cannock Chase - spent 45 years in prison until his death in March. Morris was convicted of the 1967 murder of Christine Darby, seven, and was the prime suspect in the 1965 murders of Diane Tift, five, and six-year-old Margaret Reynolds. Prison watchdog Nigel Newcomen launched an investigation into Morris's death as he died in custody. He expressed concern over the use of restraints while Morris was receiving medical treatment. In 2011, Morris began receiving treatment for leukaemia and kidney failure. When removed from his cell at HMP Preston, the killer was handcuffed and escorted by a pair of prison officers. Morris, 84, was being treated for leukaemia at HMP Preston in Lancashire after being diagnosed with the condition three years ago. On March 1, 2014 Morris signed a disclaimer refusing active medical treatment and on March 10, he was transferred to the prison's medical unit. He died the following day. Morris was jailed in February 1969 for the seven-year-old's rape and murder. The bodies of all three girls were discovered within a few miles of each other beside the A34 on Cannock Chase. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman Nigel Newcomen launched an investigation into Morris's death. According to the report, as well as having chronic myeloid leukaemia he was suffering for kidney failure and required regular dialysis. Morris had earlier signed a document asking medical staff not to resuscitate him in the event of cardiac or respiratory failure. Describing Morris's final few hours, Mr Newcomen said: 'Later, the man's breathing was shallow and his pulse weak. His eyes were closed and he shook his head when asked if he was in pain. At 4.45pm, he became unresponsive, but did not appear to be in pain or agitated. 'At 7.15pm, he became agitated and he was given a sedative. He died peacefully at 7.40pm.' Mr Newcomnen noted that throughout his medical treatment in 2013 and 2014, Morris was handcuffed, placed in chains and accompanied by a pair of prison officers each time he left his cell. Mr Newcomen added: 'The clinical reviewer concludes that the overall standard of clinical care the man received was equal to that he could have expected in the community. Morris was convicted of the murder of Christine Darby, seven, left, and was the prime suspect in the murders of Margaret Reynolds, six, centre, and Diane Tift, right whose bodies were all found near the same spot . Morris, 84, remained handcuffed as he received medical treatment at HMP Preston, pictured . 'While there were some examples of good practice in the support provided at both prisons, there were no formal care places at Wymott. I am also concerned that he appears to have been restrained for hospital visits, including while undergoing dialysis, despite being elderly, frail and in very poor health. 'This is a matter I have raised with the prison before and the Governor needs to ensure that staff fully understand their legal obligation in relation to the use of restraints for seriously ill prisoners undergoing life-saving treatment.' The report reveals that Morris made a final bid for freedom in June 2012 when he instructed a solicitor to make an application for release on compassionate grounds, however the papers were never filed. Raymond Morris was hidden from public view as he was taken to Cannock Police Station for questioning . Morris initially convinced his wife to give him an alibi for the day Christine Darby had been murdered . September 8, 1965: Six-year-old Margaret Reynolds goes missing on her way to school in Aston, Birmingham. December 30: Five-year-old Diane Tift goes missing on her way to her grandmother's house in Bloxwich, West Midlands. January 12, 1966: The bodies of Margaret Reynolds and Diane Tift are found at Cannock Chase. August 14: 10-year-old Jane Taylor disappears near Cannock Chase and is never seen again. August 19, 1967: Seven-year-old Christine Darby is lured into a car by a man near with a local accent. August 22: Christine's body is found on Cannock Chase. November 4, 1968: A failed attempt to abduct 10-year-old Margaret Aulton is witnessed and police are called. They arrest Raymond Morris, but his wife gives him an alibi for the day Christine was murdered. November 15: Carol Morris is shown pornographic pictures that her husband took of her five-year-old niece and retracts her statement. November 16: Morris is charged with the murder of Christine Darby and is remanded in custody. February 18, 1969: A seven-day trial ends with Morris found guilty of murder. He is sentenced to life imprisonment. August 2010: Morris begins an appeal. November: Morris is granted a judicial review in the case of the murder of Christine Darby. The review is overturned. May 2011: Morris breaks a 40-year silence, claims his innocence and says he may go to the European Court of Human Rights. March 11, 2014: Morris confirmed dead at 8pm at health facility in HMP Preston. Morris was dubbed 'The Monster of Cannock Chase' and prompted one of the largest ever UK murder hunts . The bodies of Margaret Reynolds and Diane Tift were found in a field off Mansty Gulley on January 13, 1966 . Morris is eventually tracked down after he is spotted trying to abduct another young girl who escapes . [/INST] Raymond Morris was convicted of the 1967 murder of Christine Darby .
He was the prime suspect in the rape and murder of two other young girls .
He was caught when he failed to abduct another young girl and jailed for life .
He developed leukaemia in 2011 and his health got progressively worse .
Morris was kept handcuffed while receiving medical treatment in prison .
The headline in an earlier version of this article implied that the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman investigated the prisoner's death because he was handcuffed when he was treated for cancer. We are happy to clarify that the PPO investigates all deaths in custody, whatever the circumstances. </s> |
By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 12:57 EST, 1 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:57 EST, 1 August 2012 . Kristin Armstrong thought she was done with cycling after the birth of her son Lucas in 2010, but could not fight the itch to ride again. Today, she clutched the two-year-old as she celebrated a gold medal-winning ride in the London Olympics. Ms Armstrong - no relation to Lance - knew she was the favorite to win time trial gold in cycling at the Beijing Olympics. Emotion: Kristin Armstrong holds up her gold medal and her toddler son Lucas as she celebrates her cycling victory . Comeback kid: Ms Armstrong rides to victory blistered an 18-mile course south of London to win her second-straight gold medal . But when she looked at the start list in London, she counted nine riders with a shot. In the end, there was only one. The defending champion blistered an 18-mile course south of London today to win her second-straight gold medal. Victory: Kristin Armstrong carries her son while celebrating with her gold medal . Her time of 37 minutes, 34.82 seconds was more than 15 seconds better than world champion Judith Arndt of Germany, who took silver. Olga Zabelinskaya of Russia won the bronze. 'My mantra was, "You have to live with this ride," said Ms Armstrong, who briefly retired after the 2008 Beijing Olympics to start a family. 'You're only as good as your last result.' It couldn't have been any better. The former two-time world champion had already gained a second on the field by the first time check, and the advantage had swelled to five by the time she reached the 12 1/2-mile mark. Armstrong knew she was headed for . another gold when she started to pick off riders in the run-up to the . finish, including Dutch champion Marianne Vos, who won gold in the road . race. Ms Armstrong, . famously stoic, let a smile slip as she crossed the finish line, slowing . to a stop and then slumping over her bike. She rested just enough to catch her breath before heading to the victory stand and her second consecutive Olympic gold. 'When she stopped, she was on top. You . don't lose what you've got,' said Armstrong's teammate Amber Neben, who . finished seventh. 'You don't lose the fact that you're a great bike . racer.' Medalists: Kristin Armstrong, centre, poses with Judith Arndt, left, of Germany (who took silver) and Russia's Olga Zabelinskaya, right (who took bronze) Competitor: Armstrong knew she was the favorite to win time trial gold in cycling at the Beijing Olympics. But when she looked at the start list in London, she counted nine riders with a shot . Glory: Ms Armstrong was the favourite to win the time trial race at Hampton Court Palace . The road from Beijing hasn't been entirely smooth. Armstrong thought she was finished after . winning the world championship in 2009, but got the itch to ride again . after delivering a son, Lucas, in 2010. She got back on the bike and started to win races, only to break her collarbone during a crash in May. Armstrong admits that she rushed her recovery, getting back on the bike only a couple weeks later. But she also thinks the time off allowed her to refocus on the London Olympics. 'This is an amazing moment,' she said. 'A lot of people ask me what the differences were between this and Beijing. I would say this was a much more difficult journey.' The mostly flat course that Armstrong turned into her personal playground began at Hampton Court Palace, the 16th century court once favored by Henry VIII. Quality time: Ms Armstrong and her son Lucas celebrate together after the race, when the mom was awarded Olympic gold . Pride: Ms Armstrong beams as she poses for a picture with her two-year-old son Lucas and her gold medal . The race meandered through the Surrey countryside, twice crossing the River Thames, before finishing back at the palace. Riders in position to medal were ushered onto so-called hot seats - three gilded thrones - to wait out the rest of the riders. Champion: Armstrong won gold in Beijing in 2008, and looked to retire from cycling to start a family - but she came back strong in London . That's where Zabelinskaya spent much of the afternoon. The bronze medalist in the road race, she was the 10th of 24 riders to leave the start tent, and posted a time more than two minutes better than the next-fastest had crossed the line. She looked almost sheepish sitting on her throne as riders finished. 'I'm really happy to win this medal in such company,' she said later, 'but I'm also a bit disappointed, because I know I could have gone a bit faster at the beginning.' Arndt was considered the biggest challenge to Armstrong after her time trial victory at the world championships. The silver medalist at the 2004 Athens Games, she was fifth at the first time check but managed to pick up her pace over the final 12 miles to earn another silver. 'You have to have a good day, and I had a good,' Arndt said. 'I think I had a good race.' Just not as good as Armstrong. 'I'm really happy about this silver medal,' Arndt said, before dropping her voice to almost a whisper. 'Of course, my goal was to win gold, but if you asked me yesterday, I would have named Kristin the favorite to win.' | Kristin Armstrong had put off cycling to have her son, but returned after she had the itch the ride again . | a950610ebd8ace5011610ab76c32eef490e05b6d | <s>[INST] By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 12:57 EST, 1 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:57 EST, 1 August 2012 . Kristin Armstrong thought she was done with cycling after the birth of her son Lucas in 2010, but could not fight the itch to ride again. Today, she clutched the two-year-old as she celebrated a gold medal-winning ride in the London Olympics. Ms Armstrong - no relation to Lance - knew she was the favorite to win time trial gold in cycling at the Beijing Olympics. Emotion: Kristin Armstrong holds up her gold medal and her toddler son Lucas as she celebrates her cycling victory . Comeback kid: Ms Armstrong rides to victory blistered an 18-mile course south of London to win her second-straight gold medal . But when she looked at the start list in London, she counted nine riders with a shot. In the end, there was only one. The defending champion blistered an 18-mile course south of London today to win her second-straight gold medal. Victory: Kristin Armstrong carries her son while celebrating with her gold medal . Her time of 37 minutes, 34.82 seconds was more than 15 seconds better than world champion Judith Arndt of Germany, who took silver. Olga Zabelinskaya of Russia won the bronze. 'My mantra was, "You have to live with this ride," said Ms Armstrong, who briefly retired after the 2008 Beijing Olympics to start a family. 'You're only as good as your last result.' It couldn't have been any better. The former two-time world champion had already gained a second on the field by the first time check, and the advantage had swelled to five by the time she reached the 12 1/2-mile mark. Armstrong knew she was headed for . another gold when she started to pick off riders in the run-up to the . finish, including Dutch champion Marianne Vos, who won gold in the road . race. Ms Armstrong, . famously stoic, let a smile slip as she crossed the finish line, slowing . to a stop and then slumping over her bike. She rested just enough to catch her breath before heading to the victory stand and her second consecutive Olympic gold. 'When she stopped, she was on top. You . don't lose what you've got,' said Armstrong's teammate Amber Neben, who . finished seventh. 'You don't lose the fact that you're a great bike . racer.' Medalists: Kristin Armstrong, centre, poses with Judith Arndt, left, of Germany (who took silver) and Russia's Olga Zabelinskaya, right (who took bronze) Competitor: Armstrong knew she was the favorite to win time trial gold in cycling at the Beijing Olympics. But when she looked at the start list in London, she counted nine riders with a shot . Glory: Ms Armstrong was the favourite to win the time trial race at Hampton Court Palace . The road from Beijing hasn't been entirely smooth. Armstrong thought she was finished after . winning the world championship in 2009, but got the itch to ride again . after delivering a son, Lucas, in 2010. She got back on the bike and started to win races, only to break her collarbone during a crash in May. Armstrong admits that she rushed her recovery, getting back on the bike only a couple weeks later. But she also thinks the time off allowed her to refocus on the London Olympics. 'This is an amazing moment,' she said. 'A lot of people ask me what the differences were between this and Beijing. I would say this was a much more difficult journey.' The mostly flat course that Armstrong turned into her personal playground began at Hampton Court Palace, the 16th century court once favored by Henry VIII. Quality time: Ms Armstrong and her son Lucas celebrate together after the race, when the mom was awarded Olympic gold . Pride: Ms Armstrong beams as she poses for a picture with her two-year-old son Lucas and her gold medal . The race meandered through the Surrey countryside, twice crossing the River Thames, before finishing back at the palace. Riders in position to medal were ushered onto so-called hot seats - three gilded thrones - to wait out the rest of the riders. Champion: Armstrong won gold in Beijing in 2008, and looked to retire from cycling to start a family - but she came back strong in London . That's where Zabelinskaya spent much of the afternoon. The bronze medalist in the road race, she was the 10th of 24 riders to leave the start tent, and posted a time more than two minutes better than the next-fastest had crossed the line. She looked almost sheepish sitting on her throne as riders finished. 'I'm really happy to win this medal in such company,' she said later, 'but I'm also a bit disappointed, because I know I could have gone a bit faster at the beginning.' Arndt was considered the biggest challenge to Armstrong after her time trial victory at the world championships. The silver medalist at the 2004 Athens Games, she was fifth at the first time check but managed to pick up her pace over the final 12 miles to earn another silver. 'You have to have a good day, and I had a good,' Arndt said. 'I think I had a good race.' Just not as good as Armstrong. 'I'm really happy about this silver medal,' Arndt said, before dropping her voice to almost a whisper. 'Of course, my goal was to win gold, but if you asked me yesterday, I would have named Kristin the favorite to win.' [/INST] Kristin Armstrong had put off cycling to have her son, but returned after she had the itch the ride again . </s> |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:07 EST, 2 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:36 EST, 2 October 2012 . Sheron Mancini, 53, walked free from the Old Bailey today after claiming she put gold bars in her BRA in a panic . A woman accused of hiding loot from a £1.1 million bullion snatch inside her bra walked free from court today after claiming she had stashed the ingots in a panic. Sheron Mancini, from Roydon, Harlow, was said to have used specially-modified underwear in an attempt to smuggle the precious metals back to the UK from Belgium. But the 53-year-old was cleared of involvement by an Old Bailey jury after insisting she had found the gold bars in her pocket and hidden them down her frontage after panicking when she and lover David Gale, 55, were stopped by police. Her bespoke bra was handed back to her by Belgian authorities and could not be produced as evidence in court. But Gale, along with six others including the stepfather of The Only Way Is Essex stars Sam and Billy Faiers, is facing jail for plotting the snatch. David Chatwood, 57, who shares a house in Brentwood, Essex, with the famous duo, was part of a syndicate who recruited an inside man to steal gold and silver in a fake lorry hi-jacking in Belgium. Chatwood and Gale, along with lorry driver Brian Mulcahy, 46, Stanley Rose, 74, Matthew Middleton, 41, and Garry Cummings, 50, had already admitted their part. John Corley, 52, stood trial alongside Mancini and was convicted. He was remanded in custody ahead of sentence on Friday. Importer-exporters Kyriacos Nicolas, 30, and his father Andreas Nicolas, 50, were said to have been recruited by Corley to help bring the loot back. But they too were cleared after claiming they had rejected his deal after realising the precious metals were suspect. Mancini sighed and held her head in her hands as the verdicts were delivered, while Kyriacos Nicolas and his father cheered and embraced. Convicted: John Corley, 52, (left) stood alongside Mancini (right) at the Old Bailey and faces sentence on Friday . The court heard Mulcahy was found locked inside the trailer of his vehicle at a service station near Wettern in Belgium in October last year. He had been transporting a consignment of 55lbs of gold bullion and 330lbs of silver grain from Vilvoorde, near Brussels, back to the UK. He told officers he had been hijacked at gunpoint and his cargo stolen before he was placed inside his makeshift prison. But prosecutor John Price QC said his account was ‘pure fiction’. He said: ‘Mr Mulcahy had not been the victim of a robbery. ‘No violence or threat or violence was used against him. ‘It hadn’t been necessary for anyone to do so because in this instance the driver of the lorry was one of the thieves.’ The gang plotted their crime over several months, taking trips to the continent and staging regular meetings, not realising they were under surveillance. Most of loot was found on October 13 last year stashed in a room at the de Keyser Hotel and an apartment in Antwerp, both of which had been booked by Stanley Rose. Mancini and Gale had been caught in a VW Passat heading from the hotel back to the UK two days earlier. When Mancini was frisked by Belgian police, two gold ingots weighing more than 12oz - and worth more than £13,000 - tumbled out onto the floor. But she told the court she had gone to Belgium to look at a second hand boat and found the metal in her pockets. She said when the couple were stopped by police she stuffed it between her breasts. ‘I didn’t know what it was. I panicked and put it in my bra,’ said Mancini. ‘I put them down in between my cleavage. It was between my cleavage and not in the cups.’ The jury giggled when, indicating her breasts to the court, she said: ‘Wearing a bra, these are the cups. This forms the cleavage.’ Corley admitted he had attended meetings with co-conspirators, but claimed he did not realise what was being planned. Mancini, Andreas Nicolas, from Bankes Mead, Duxford, and Kyriacos Nicolas, from Winchmore Hill, north London, denied conspiracy to conceal, disguise, convert or transfer criminal property and were found not guilty. Mancini was earlier cleared of conspiracy to steal before a jury was sworn in after prosecutors offered no evidence. Kyriacos Nicolas was found not guilty of the same charge partway through the trial after the judge ruled there was insufficient evidence against him. Corley, of Biggin Hill, Kent, denied conspiracy to steal and was convicted. Chatwood, from Brentwood, Essex, Mulcahy, from Westcliff-on-Sea, Middleton, of Buckhurst Hill, Rose, of Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, Gale, of the same Harlow address as Mancini, and Cummings, of Ilford, Essex, have all admitted conspiracy to steal. | Sheron Mancini was accused of using specially-modified underwear .
The 53-year-old was cleared of involvement by a jury at the Old Bailey today .
Six others, including her lover David Gales, face jail for plotting the snatch . | 1b4123cde9badf3e0fcfae5192568cda76e6ae32 | <s>[INST] By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:07 EST, 2 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:36 EST, 2 October 2012 . Sheron Mancini, 53, walked free from the Old Bailey today after claiming she put gold bars in her BRA in a panic . A woman accused of hiding loot from a £1.1 million bullion snatch inside her bra walked free from court today after claiming she had stashed the ingots in a panic. Sheron Mancini, from Roydon, Harlow, was said to have used specially-modified underwear in an attempt to smuggle the precious metals back to the UK from Belgium. But the 53-year-old was cleared of involvement by an Old Bailey jury after insisting she had found the gold bars in her pocket and hidden them down her frontage after panicking when she and lover David Gale, 55, were stopped by police. Her bespoke bra was handed back to her by Belgian authorities and could not be produced as evidence in court. But Gale, along with six others including the stepfather of The Only Way Is Essex stars Sam and Billy Faiers, is facing jail for plotting the snatch. David Chatwood, 57, who shares a house in Brentwood, Essex, with the famous duo, was part of a syndicate who recruited an inside man to steal gold and silver in a fake lorry hi-jacking in Belgium. Chatwood and Gale, along with lorry driver Brian Mulcahy, 46, Stanley Rose, 74, Matthew Middleton, 41, and Garry Cummings, 50, had already admitted their part. John Corley, 52, stood trial alongside Mancini and was convicted. He was remanded in custody ahead of sentence on Friday. Importer-exporters Kyriacos Nicolas, 30, and his father Andreas Nicolas, 50, were said to have been recruited by Corley to help bring the loot back. But they too were cleared after claiming they had rejected his deal after realising the precious metals were suspect. Mancini sighed and held her head in her hands as the verdicts were delivered, while Kyriacos Nicolas and his father cheered and embraced. Convicted: John Corley, 52, (left) stood alongside Mancini (right) at the Old Bailey and faces sentence on Friday . The court heard Mulcahy was found locked inside the trailer of his vehicle at a service station near Wettern in Belgium in October last year. He had been transporting a consignment of 55lbs of gold bullion and 330lbs of silver grain from Vilvoorde, near Brussels, back to the UK. He told officers he had been hijacked at gunpoint and his cargo stolen before he was placed inside his makeshift prison. But prosecutor John Price QC said his account was ‘pure fiction’. He said: ‘Mr Mulcahy had not been the victim of a robbery. ‘No violence or threat or violence was used against him. ‘It hadn’t been necessary for anyone to do so because in this instance the driver of the lorry was one of the thieves.’ The gang plotted their crime over several months, taking trips to the continent and staging regular meetings, not realising they were under surveillance. Most of loot was found on October 13 last year stashed in a room at the de Keyser Hotel and an apartment in Antwerp, both of which had been booked by Stanley Rose. Mancini and Gale had been caught in a VW Passat heading from the hotel back to the UK two days earlier. When Mancini was frisked by Belgian police, two gold ingots weighing more than 12oz - and worth more than £13,000 - tumbled out onto the floor. But she told the court she had gone to Belgium to look at a second hand boat and found the metal in her pockets. She said when the couple were stopped by police she stuffed it between her breasts. ‘I didn’t know what it was. I panicked and put it in my bra,’ said Mancini. ‘I put them down in between my cleavage. It was between my cleavage and not in the cups.’ The jury giggled when, indicating her breasts to the court, she said: ‘Wearing a bra, these are the cups. This forms the cleavage.’ Corley admitted he had attended meetings with co-conspirators, but claimed he did not realise what was being planned. Mancini, Andreas Nicolas, from Bankes Mead, Duxford, and Kyriacos Nicolas, from Winchmore Hill, north London, denied conspiracy to conceal, disguise, convert or transfer criminal property and were found not guilty. Mancini was earlier cleared of conspiracy to steal before a jury was sworn in after prosecutors offered no evidence. Kyriacos Nicolas was found not guilty of the same charge partway through the trial after the judge ruled there was insufficient evidence against him. Corley, of Biggin Hill, Kent, denied conspiracy to steal and was convicted. Chatwood, from Brentwood, Essex, Mulcahy, from Westcliff-on-Sea, Middleton, of Buckhurst Hill, Rose, of Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, Gale, of the same Harlow address as Mancini, and Cummings, of Ilford, Essex, have all admitted conspiracy to steal. [/INST] Sheron Mancini was accused of using specially-modified underwear .
The 53-year-old was cleared of involvement by a jury at the Old Bailey today .
Six others, including her lover David Gales, face jail for plotting the snatch . </s> |
New York (CNN) -- The young New York student whose tale of hard work and endurance in the face of homelessness has captured many hearts -- and whose recognition in the prestigious Intel science competition has already given her much to celebrate -- will be attending the president's State of the Union speech. "Well, you know the SOTU attracts the most powerful people in the world, and I think Samantha can teach them a lesson in perseverance," New York Rep. Steve Israel said. Israel, head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, has extended his plus one to Samantha Garvey, a 17-year-old homeless science superstar from Brentwood, New York. Garvey was told last week at the shelter her family had been staying in that her study on the ribbed sea mussels of Long Island's salt marshes had earned her semifinalist recognition in Intel's science talent search and a potential $100,000 scholarship. Two days later, after county officials heard Garvey's story, they announced that a three-bedroom home in Bellmore would be rented for the Garvey family as part of Suffolk County's affordable housing program. The Garveys were living in a shelter after being kicked out of their home on New Year's Eve. Israel called Garvey "an inspiration," and said he thought her presence would be an important influence on attendees of President Barack Obama's address on January 24. "The same people that will praise Samantha with one hand might be the same people that will slash budgets for science and education on the other," Israel said. Her story, he said, was one of staying steadfast in the face of adversity. Israel said he had plans for himself and Garvey to meet with multiple White House officials before the speech. The next day, Garvey will find out if she made it to the Intel finals. | New York Rep. Steve Israel invites homeless science scholar to speech .
Samantha Garvey found out she was Intel semifinalist last week .
Two days later, she was given a home by county officials . | bb2ab6929ba269e726722ff9e8ddcf3f1d7a2d4e | <s>[INST] New York (CNN) -- The young New York student whose tale of hard work and endurance in the face of homelessness has captured many hearts -- and whose recognition in the prestigious Intel science competition has already given her much to celebrate -- will be attending the president's State of the Union speech. "Well, you know the SOTU attracts the most powerful people in the world, and I think Samantha can teach them a lesson in perseverance," New York Rep. Steve Israel said. Israel, head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, has extended his plus one to Samantha Garvey, a 17-year-old homeless science superstar from Brentwood, New York. Garvey was told last week at the shelter her family had been staying in that her study on the ribbed sea mussels of Long Island's salt marshes had earned her semifinalist recognition in Intel's science talent search and a potential $100,000 scholarship. Two days later, after county officials heard Garvey's story, they announced that a three-bedroom home in Bellmore would be rented for the Garvey family as part of Suffolk County's affordable housing program. The Garveys were living in a shelter after being kicked out of their home on New Year's Eve. Israel called Garvey "an inspiration," and said he thought her presence would be an important influence on attendees of President Barack Obama's address on January 24. "The same people that will praise Samantha with one hand might be the same people that will slash budgets for science and education on the other," Israel said. Her story, he said, was one of staying steadfast in the face of adversity. Israel said he had plans for himself and Garvey to meet with multiple White House officials before the speech. The next day, Garvey will find out if she made it to the Intel finals. [/INST] New York Rep. Steve Israel invites homeless science scholar to speech .
Samantha Garvey found out she was Intel semifinalist last week .
Two days later, she was given a home by county officials . </s> |
By . Allan Hall . PUBLISHED: . 18:39 EST, 22 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:25 EST, 23 March 2012 . In matters of the heart, it appears Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's ruthless streak got the better of his chivalrous side . He is viewed as Hitler’s finest general, respected even by the Allies as a professional and honourable soldier. But Erwin Rommel was also capable of great cunning, as his opponents learned when they were outmanoeuvred on the battlefields of North Africa. In matters of the heart, it appears that this ruthless streak got the better of his chivalrous side. In fact, his grandson says the man nicknamed the Desert Fox was a love rat. Josef Pan, 72, is to publish the story of his grandmother Walburga’s love affair with Rommel – an affair which he says Rommel covered up for the sake of his career. Mr Pan, from Bavaria, owns the 150 letters Rommel sent to Walburga, who committed suicide 15 years after she bore his child. He also has a photo of the couple shortly before the First World War. ‘Walburga gave birth to my mother Gertrud Stemmer, on December 8, 1913, but he turned away from her and married Lucie Mollin in 1916,’ said Mr Pan. ‘My grandmother died in 1928, a few months before Rommel had his son, Manfred, with Lucie.’ Rommel had delighted in the birth of Gertrud and wrote to her calling her his ‘little mouse’. He once said he would like to set up home with Walburga and Gertrud. ‘It’s got to be perfect, this little nest of ours,’ he said. However, he returned to Lucie, with whom he had had an affair, and married her in 1916. Walburga never recovered from her rejection. Mr Pan said: ‘Rommel was Walburga’s only love. As long as Rommel and Lucie never had children, she held on to the conviction that he would return to her.’ Josef Pan, 72, is to publish the story of his grandmother Walburga's love affair with Rommel. He said the Desert Fox spurned her and married Lucie Mollin in 1916. Above, Lucie with Rommel and their son Manfred . When Walburga knew Lucie was pregnant, she took an overdose, said Mr Pan. Above, Rommel (seen here in the African desert) in France in 1944 . But when she knew Lucie was pregnant she took an overdose, said Mr Pan, adding: ‘The explanation given was that she had died of pneumonia. 'Later the family doctor told my mother she had taken her own life.’ 'Rommel was Walburga's only love. As long as Rommel and Lucie (above) never had children, she held on to the conviction that he would return to her,' said Mr Pan . Gertrud exchanged hundreds of letters with her father and his wife knew about her. She even knitted him a scarf, which he wore frequently at the battlefront. Rommel, a decorated officer in the First World War, distinguished himself during the invasion of France in 1940 and later in North Africa where he earned his reputation as a skilful but honourable general prior to his defeat at El Alamein by Britain’s Eighth Army – the Desert Rats. Despite failure in Africa, Rommel was . still immensely popular in Germany. In 1943, Hitler gave him command . over the sea defences of occupied France. In June 4, 1944, he left for Germany to celebrate Lucie’s 50th birthday. On the same day, the Allied invasion of France began. Once again, Rommel had to rush back to the battlefield. Wounded in an air attack on his car, he returned home to convalesce. Gertrud . stayed close to the family, even after her father was forced to commit . suicide in 1944 after he was implicated in the plot by senior army . officers to kill Hitler. He took his own life after being assured by the Nazis that if he did so his family would be unharmed. | Josef Pan's grandmother Walburga had love affair with Rommel .
She committed suicide when he left her for, and married, Lucie Mollin .
Walburga bore Rommel illegitimate child, Gertrud, his 'little mouse' | c6c14a177c45842083648778528a594a0b3beffd | <s>[INST] By . Allan Hall . PUBLISHED: . 18:39 EST, 22 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:25 EST, 23 March 2012 . In matters of the heart, it appears Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's ruthless streak got the better of his chivalrous side . He is viewed as Hitler’s finest general, respected even by the Allies as a professional and honourable soldier. But Erwin Rommel was also capable of great cunning, as his opponents learned when they were outmanoeuvred on the battlefields of North Africa. In matters of the heart, it appears that this ruthless streak got the better of his chivalrous side. In fact, his grandson says the man nicknamed the Desert Fox was a love rat. Josef Pan, 72, is to publish the story of his grandmother Walburga’s love affair with Rommel – an affair which he says Rommel covered up for the sake of his career. Mr Pan, from Bavaria, owns the 150 letters Rommel sent to Walburga, who committed suicide 15 years after she bore his child. He also has a photo of the couple shortly before the First World War. ‘Walburga gave birth to my mother Gertrud Stemmer, on December 8, 1913, but he turned away from her and married Lucie Mollin in 1916,’ said Mr Pan. ‘My grandmother died in 1928, a few months before Rommel had his son, Manfred, with Lucie.’ Rommel had delighted in the birth of Gertrud and wrote to her calling her his ‘little mouse’. He once said he would like to set up home with Walburga and Gertrud. ‘It’s got to be perfect, this little nest of ours,’ he said. However, he returned to Lucie, with whom he had had an affair, and married her in 1916. Walburga never recovered from her rejection. Mr Pan said: ‘Rommel was Walburga’s only love. As long as Rommel and Lucie never had children, she held on to the conviction that he would return to her.’ Josef Pan, 72, is to publish the story of his grandmother Walburga's love affair with Rommel. He said the Desert Fox spurned her and married Lucie Mollin in 1916. Above, Lucie with Rommel and their son Manfred . When Walburga knew Lucie was pregnant, she took an overdose, said Mr Pan. Above, Rommel (seen here in the African desert) in France in 1944 . But when she knew Lucie was pregnant she took an overdose, said Mr Pan, adding: ‘The explanation given was that she had died of pneumonia. 'Later the family doctor told my mother she had taken her own life.’ 'Rommel was Walburga's only love. As long as Rommel and Lucie (above) never had children, she held on to the conviction that he would return to her,' said Mr Pan . Gertrud exchanged hundreds of letters with her father and his wife knew about her. She even knitted him a scarf, which he wore frequently at the battlefront. Rommel, a decorated officer in the First World War, distinguished himself during the invasion of France in 1940 and later in North Africa where he earned his reputation as a skilful but honourable general prior to his defeat at El Alamein by Britain’s Eighth Army – the Desert Rats. Despite failure in Africa, Rommel was . still immensely popular in Germany. In 1943, Hitler gave him command . over the sea defences of occupied France. In June 4, 1944, he left for Germany to celebrate Lucie’s 50th birthday. On the same day, the Allied invasion of France began. Once again, Rommel had to rush back to the battlefield. Wounded in an air attack on his car, he returned home to convalesce. Gertrud . stayed close to the family, even after her father was forced to commit . suicide in 1944 after he was implicated in the plot by senior army . officers to kill Hitler. He took his own life after being assured by the Nazis that if he did so his family would be unharmed. [/INST] Josef Pan's grandmother Walburga had love affair with Rommel .
She committed suicide when he left her for, and married, Lucie Mollin .
Walburga bore Rommel illegitimate child, Gertrud, his 'little mouse' </s> |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:24 EST, 26 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:23 EST, 27 August 2013 . A three-year-old girl has died from complications of swallowing a tiny battery when she was just 10-months-old. Kylie Rose Ricards, from Taft, California, was found unresponsive at her mother's home on the 300 block of San Emidio Street on Monday August 19 and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her death is believed to be the result of complications from swallowing a button battery two years ago, which left her with permanent damage to her trachea. In a warning to all parents, Dr. Fernando Fan told KBAK/KBFX that the consequences of swallowing the tiny batteries, which are the size of a nickel or smaller, could be grave. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Loss: Three-year-old Kylie Rose Ricards has died more than two years after swallowing a button battery . They can be found in numerous household devices and gadgets, including calculators, wristwatches, hearing aids, weight scales or electronic candles. 'When [the battery] comes into contact with bodily . fluids, it sets up a current,' he explained. 'That current - on the negative side . of the battery - will start producing a caustic agent and then it will . burn through the tissue.' He said parents should instead buy devices that have locks over the batteries. Devastated: Kylie Rose, who suffered permanent damage to her trachea, is pictured with her mother Victoria . Write caption here . It is a serious suggestion; in 2010 - the same year Kylie Rose swallowed the battery - around 3,000 other children also did. 'There are more and more of these swallowing events every year,' Dr Fan warned. The family has not said how Kylie Rose came into contact with the battery as a baby, but images across social networking sites show the little girl with a tracheal tube after the damage. KBAX reported that she had loved to swim, watch television and perform for the camera. Images on Facebook reveal a vivacious little girl showered with attention from her mother, Victoria Erwin. Erwin was too distraught to comment to the local station about her daughter. Deadly: Thousands of children swallow the tiny batteries every year, which are found in gadgets like calculators . Accident: Victoria poses with newborn Kylie Rose after her birth. She swallowed the battery at 10 months . But friends, family and people who knew the family flocked to Facebook to pay tributes to Kylie Rose, with many uploading her image as their profile pictures in tribute. 'My brothers knew Kylie,' one wrote. 'They said she was always so full of life - a little spark of energy. Kylie will be missed and Vikki, I'm so sorry for your loss, no parent should ever feel what you're feeling.' The family is now seeking donations to help pay for Kylie Rose's funeral. | Kylie Rose Ricards was found unresponsive at her home last Monday .
She had swallowed a tiny battery which had caused permanent damage to her trachea in 2010, forcing her to wear a trachea tube .
That year, 3,000 children in the U.S. swallowed the small batteries, which are found in gadgets such as calculators and watches . | c69c0490a324a5c7fcf30804b6ccfa1ac83aaf88 | <s>[INST] By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:24 EST, 26 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:23 EST, 27 August 2013 . A three-year-old girl has died from complications of swallowing a tiny battery when she was just 10-months-old. Kylie Rose Ricards, from Taft, California, was found unresponsive at her mother's home on the 300 block of San Emidio Street on Monday August 19 and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her death is believed to be the result of complications from swallowing a button battery two years ago, which left her with permanent damage to her trachea. In a warning to all parents, Dr. Fernando Fan told KBAK/KBFX that the consequences of swallowing the tiny batteries, which are the size of a nickel or smaller, could be grave. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Loss: Three-year-old Kylie Rose Ricards has died more than two years after swallowing a button battery . They can be found in numerous household devices and gadgets, including calculators, wristwatches, hearing aids, weight scales or electronic candles. 'When [the battery] comes into contact with bodily . fluids, it sets up a current,' he explained. 'That current - on the negative side . of the battery - will start producing a caustic agent and then it will . burn through the tissue.' He said parents should instead buy devices that have locks over the batteries. Devastated: Kylie Rose, who suffered permanent damage to her trachea, is pictured with her mother Victoria . Write caption here . It is a serious suggestion; in 2010 - the same year Kylie Rose swallowed the battery - around 3,000 other children also did. 'There are more and more of these swallowing events every year,' Dr Fan warned. The family has not said how Kylie Rose came into contact with the battery as a baby, but images across social networking sites show the little girl with a tracheal tube after the damage. KBAX reported that she had loved to swim, watch television and perform for the camera. Images on Facebook reveal a vivacious little girl showered with attention from her mother, Victoria Erwin. Erwin was too distraught to comment to the local station about her daughter. Deadly: Thousands of children swallow the tiny batteries every year, which are found in gadgets like calculators . Accident: Victoria poses with newborn Kylie Rose after her birth. She swallowed the battery at 10 months . But friends, family and people who knew the family flocked to Facebook to pay tributes to Kylie Rose, with many uploading her image as their profile pictures in tribute. 'My brothers knew Kylie,' one wrote. 'They said she was always so full of life - a little spark of energy. Kylie will be missed and Vikki, I'm so sorry for your loss, no parent should ever feel what you're feeling.' The family is now seeking donations to help pay for Kylie Rose's funeral. [/INST] Kylie Rose Ricards was found unresponsive at her home last Monday .
She had swallowed a tiny battery which had caused permanent damage to her trachea in 2010, forcing her to wear a trachea tube .
That year, 3,000 children in the U.S. swallowed the small batteries, which are found in gadgets such as calculators and watches . </s> |
By . Emily Crane For Daily Mail Australia . The beach house Australian billionaire James Packer built as his first home in the mid-1990s has sold for $7 million. Packer bought the Bondi Beach house, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, for $425,000 in 1995 when he was engaged to former model and actress Kate Fischer. The two-bedroom property on Notts Avenue, which overlooks the iconic beach, was most recently sold for $7 million by a New York based family. The beach house Australian billionaire James Packer built as his first home at Sydney's Bondi Beach in the mid-1990s has sold for $7 million . Packer bought the Bondi Beach house, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, for $425,000 in 1995 when he was engaged to former model and actress Kate Fischer . It was last sold prior to that when Ms Fischer pocketed $2.8 million back in 2000, Property Observer reports. Packer's development company transferred the 210 square metre property into Ms Fischer's name in 1998 when the pair ended their relationship. They had been together for five years and engaged for two. The two-bedroom property on Notts Avenue, which overlooks the iconic beach, was most recently sold for $7 million by a New York based family . Packer's development company transferred the 210 square metre property into Ms Fischer's name in 1998 when the pair ended their relationship . The property is located opposite the legendary Bondi Icebergs and boasts two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a four car garage . Packer subsequently moved into his three level apartment in Bondi. It's the home he got into an infamous brawl outside of with Nine CEO David Gyngell earlier this year. The property is located opposite the legendary Bondi Icebergs and boasts two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a four car garage. The house has been rented out by New York family, the Lochtenbergs, at about $2,500 a week since they purchased the property 14 years ago. The free standing home overlooks Sydney's iconic Bondi beach . The house has been rented out by New York family, the Lochtenbergs, at about $2,500 a week since they purchased the property 14 years ago . | James Packer bought the Bondi Beach house for $425,000 in 1995 .
He was engaged to former model and actress Kate Fischer at the time .
The two-bedroom property on Notts Ave was sold off by Ms Fischer in 2000 .
Packer's development company had transferred the property into her name after they split in 1998 .
It was most recently sold for $7 million by a New York based family who had been renting it out for $2,500 since they bought it 14 years ago . | c32bddbd84216f3aad6d32351a09d21cc08fc04e | <s>[INST] By . Emily Crane For Daily Mail Australia . The beach house Australian billionaire James Packer built as his first home in the mid-1990s has sold for $7 million. Packer bought the Bondi Beach house, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, for $425,000 in 1995 when he was engaged to former model and actress Kate Fischer. The two-bedroom property on Notts Avenue, which overlooks the iconic beach, was most recently sold for $7 million by a New York based family. The beach house Australian billionaire James Packer built as his first home at Sydney's Bondi Beach in the mid-1990s has sold for $7 million . Packer bought the Bondi Beach house, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, for $425,000 in 1995 when he was engaged to former model and actress Kate Fischer . It was last sold prior to that when Ms Fischer pocketed $2.8 million back in 2000, Property Observer reports. Packer's development company transferred the 210 square metre property into Ms Fischer's name in 1998 when the pair ended their relationship. They had been together for five years and engaged for two. The two-bedroom property on Notts Avenue, which overlooks the iconic beach, was most recently sold for $7 million by a New York based family . Packer's development company transferred the 210 square metre property into Ms Fischer's name in 1998 when the pair ended their relationship . The property is located opposite the legendary Bondi Icebergs and boasts two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a four car garage . Packer subsequently moved into his three level apartment in Bondi. It's the home he got into an infamous brawl outside of with Nine CEO David Gyngell earlier this year. The property is located opposite the legendary Bondi Icebergs and boasts two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a four car garage. The house has been rented out by New York family, the Lochtenbergs, at about $2,500 a week since they purchased the property 14 years ago. The free standing home overlooks Sydney's iconic Bondi beach . The house has been rented out by New York family, the Lochtenbergs, at about $2,500 a week since they purchased the property 14 years ago . [/INST] James Packer bought the Bondi Beach house for $425,000 in 1995 .
He was engaged to former model and actress Kate Fischer at the time .
The two-bedroom property on Notts Ave was sold off by Ms Fischer in 2000 .
Packer's development company had transferred the property into her name after they split in 1998 .
It was most recently sold for $7 million by a New York based family who had been renting it out for $2,500 since they bought it 14 years ago . </s> |
A cardiologist is being sued by a New York City strip club for not paying over $135,000 - and says he was drugged by the club's employees. Dr. Zyad Kivarkis Younan, a cardiologist at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Jersey, has claimed that he did not authorize $135,303 worth of charges to his American Express card at Scores New York because, he claims, he was 'drugged' by an employee of the club and was incapable of approving the charges. According to the lawsuit, Scores claims Younan 'contested the charges alleging that he was drugged by plaintiff’s employees and thus did not authorize the charges and/or he was not at plaintiff’s place of business on the aforesaid dates.' The club, however, says it has Younan on video at the club four times over a 10-day period in November. 'Drugged': Dr. Zyad Younan, pictured, said he was drugged by employees at Scores New York and did not authorize over $135,000 charged to his credit card . In a lawsuit filed with Manhattan Supreme Court and obtained by the New York Daily News, the strip club says Younan came of his own accord during his four trips to the jiggle-joint in November. It alleges Younan 'voluntarily came to plaintiff’s place of business and requested that plaintiff provide him with food, beverages and services.' Club manager Stephen Hyman told the paper that it's not unusual for a person to run up a big bill at Scores. He says, however, that it is unusual when someone doesn't pay. 'We get a lot of very wealthy people here. You can run up a bill,' he said. Just to get in the door at Scores will cost you $20. Bottles of champagne can sometimes cost more than $1,000. A meal at the club, the paper reports, will easily run you $250, and guests are allowed to leave tips for the dancers on their credit cards. 'We charge reasonable — for us — prices for liquor. We don’t cater to beer drinkers,' Hyman said. Plaintiff: Scores New York has filed a lawsuit against Younan for the money, and says he came 'voluntarily' to the club . As for Younan's claim that he was incapacitated when he was at the club, Hyman says, 'he was coherent until he saw the bill - or his wife saw the bill.' Scores representative Steven Sabbeth told the NY Post 'This happens every once in a while, people get out of control with their credit cards, and then they wake up the next morning and realize what they’ve done.' 'They knew it the night before, but I guess it didn’t bother them because they were enjoying themselves.' | Dr. Zyad Younan, a New Jersey cardiologist, say he was drugged by employees at Scores New York .
Claims he did not authorize $135,303 worth of charges and that he wasn't even at the club on certain dates .
Club says it has video of the doctor visiting the jiggle-joint four times over a 10-day period .
Scores has filed a lawsuit against Younan and says it has him on video at the strip club on FOUR separate occasions . | 9c0c6dda7e5311b1fd39c42ce8a7583be5708d6b | <s>[INST] A cardiologist is being sued by a New York City strip club for not paying over $135,000 - and says he was drugged by the club's employees. Dr. Zyad Kivarkis Younan, a cardiologist at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Jersey, has claimed that he did not authorize $135,303 worth of charges to his American Express card at Scores New York because, he claims, he was 'drugged' by an employee of the club and was incapable of approving the charges. According to the lawsuit, Scores claims Younan 'contested the charges alleging that he was drugged by plaintiff’s employees and thus did not authorize the charges and/or he was not at plaintiff’s place of business on the aforesaid dates.' The club, however, says it has Younan on video at the club four times over a 10-day period in November. 'Drugged': Dr. Zyad Younan, pictured, said he was drugged by employees at Scores New York and did not authorize over $135,000 charged to his credit card . In a lawsuit filed with Manhattan Supreme Court and obtained by the New York Daily News, the strip club says Younan came of his own accord during his four trips to the jiggle-joint in November. It alleges Younan 'voluntarily came to plaintiff’s place of business and requested that plaintiff provide him with food, beverages and services.' Club manager Stephen Hyman told the paper that it's not unusual for a person to run up a big bill at Scores. He says, however, that it is unusual when someone doesn't pay. 'We get a lot of very wealthy people here. You can run up a bill,' he said. Just to get in the door at Scores will cost you $20. Bottles of champagne can sometimes cost more than $1,000. A meal at the club, the paper reports, will easily run you $250, and guests are allowed to leave tips for the dancers on their credit cards. 'We charge reasonable — for us — prices for liquor. We don’t cater to beer drinkers,' Hyman said. Plaintiff: Scores New York has filed a lawsuit against Younan for the money, and says he came 'voluntarily' to the club . As for Younan's claim that he was incapacitated when he was at the club, Hyman says, 'he was coherent until he saw the bill - or his wife saw the bill.' Scores representative Steven Sabbeth told the NY Post 'This happens every once in a while, people get out of control with their credit cards, and then they wake up the next morning and realize what they’ve done.' 'They knew it the night before, but I guess it didn’t bother them because they were enjoying themselves.' [/INST] Dr. Zyad Younan, a New Jersey cardiologist, say he was drugged by employees at Scores New York .
Claims he did not authorize $135,303 worth of charges and that he wasn't even at the club on certain dates .
Club says it has video of the doctor visiting the jiggle-joint four times over a 10-day period .
Scores has filed a lawsuit against Younan and says it has him on video at the strip club on FOUR separate occasions . </s> |
By . Tom Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 18:22 EST, 9 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:35 EST, 9 August 2013 . A Pakistani father has told how he faces death threats and has been driven into hiding - because of his 30ins moustache. Islamist extremists were so infuriated by Malik Amir Mohammad Khan Afridi's facial hair they kidnapped the businessman and held him in a cave for a month until he shaved. But despite his clash with the militants over his prized whiskers - said to signify virility and prosperity - the father-of-ten, from Peshawar, Pakistan, has now grown it back, vowing never to be bowed by the thugs again. Target: Mr Afridi has vowed not to remove his cherished moustache - despite death threats and kidnapping by Islamic extremists . Mr Afridi said: 'I don’t like smoking. I’m not fond of snuff, or drinking. This is the . only choice in my life. I’d even sacrifice food, but not the moustache. It’s my life. It’s not part of my life. It is my life. 'People give me a lot of respect. It’s my identity.' The moustache has been a passion of Mr Afridi's since he started growing it aged 22. He now spends 30 minutes a day . caressing and trimming the moustache. The costs of coconut oil and soap . used to maintain it comes to an eye-watering £100 a month. But despite the cost, the death threats, the constant fear of attack and having to spend long periods away from his family, it is all worth it, he insists. 'I feel happy. When it’s ordinary, no one gives me any attention. I got used to all the attention and I like it a lot.' Danger: The father-of-ten, 48, could now seek asylum to get away from the dangers posed by extremists opposed to his facial hair . Pride in his appearance: Mr Afridi, pictured visiting a barber shop in Peshawar, Pakistan, spends 30minutes a day tending to his flowing moustache . But Mr Afridi came to the attention of . militant group Lashkar-e-Islam, which controlled swathes of the Kyber . district of Parkistan, near the border with Afghanistan. The group was was trying to enforce a strict decree that moustaches and beards must be shaved or trimmed short. When he refused to pay protection money to the group, he was held prisoner in a cave until he shaved. Having just escaped with his life, Mr . Afridi began regrowing his moustache in what he thought was the . relative safe haven city of Peshawar. But he began receiving threats . again last year. He has now been forced to leave his family for long periods of time and move south to Faisalabad where he feels safer. Close shave: Mr Afridi was held in a cave for a month by militants who demanded he shave . Mr Afridi hopes his moustache could be a ticket for him and his family to flee the persecution. He told The Independent: 'I want to live, that is why I want to get out of Pakistan. 'My first choice would be an Islamic country such as Dubai. 'But I also willing to go to . countries such as the US, Canada or Britain. I would like to appeal to . the British government to help me.' | Malik Amir Mohammad Khan Afridi kidnapped by Islamists over his facial hair .
Father of ten, from Peshawar, was held in a cave for a month .
Terrorists threatened to kill him if he didn't shave .
But the 48-year-old has vowed to stand firm against threats .
He is seeking asylum and has now appealed to British government for help . | 4b2cf84c89e9d63a44f08d345b260e8f0b1556b9 | <s>[INST] By . Tom Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 18:22 EST, 9 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:35 EST, 9 August 2013 . A Pakistani father has told how he faces death threats and has been driven into hiding - because of his 30ins moustache. Islamist extremists were so infuriated by Malik Amir Mohammad Khan Afridi's facial hair they kidnapped the businessman and held him in a cave for a month until he shaved. But despite his clash with the militants over his prized whiskers - said to signify virility and prosperity - the father-of-ten, from Peshawar, Pakistan, has now grown it back, vowing never to be bowed by the thugs again. Target: Mr Afridi has vowed not to remove his cherished moustache - despite death threats and kidnapping by Islamic extremists . Mr Afridi said: 'I don’t like smoking. I’m not fond of snuff, or drinking. This is the . only choice in my life. I’d even sacrifice food, but not the moustache. It’s my life. It’s not part of my life. It is my life. 'People give me a lot of respect. It’s my identity.' The moustache has been a passion of Mr Afridi's since he started growing it aged 22. He now spends 30 minutes a day . caressing and trimming the moustache. The costs of coconut oil and soap . used to maintain it comes to an eye-watering £100 a month. But despite the cost, the death threats, the constant fear of attack and having to spend long periods away from his family, it is all worth it, he insists. 'I feel happy. When it’s ordinary, no one gives me any attention. I got used to all the attention and I like it a lot.' Danger: The father-of-ten, 48, could now seek asylum to get away from the dangers posed by extremists opposed to his facial hair . Pride in his appearance: Mr Afridi, pictured visiting a barber shop in Peshawar, Pakistan, spends 30minutes a day tending to his flowing moustache . But Mr Afridi came to the attention of . militant group Lashkar-e-Islam, which controlled swathes of the Kyber . district of Parkistan, near the border with Afghanistan. The group was was trying to enforce a strict decree that moustaches and beards must be shaved or trimmed short. When he refused to pay protection money to the group, he was held prisoner in a cave until he shaved. Having just escaped with his life, Mr . Afridi began regrowing his moustache in what he thought was the . relative safe haven city of Peshawar. But he began receiving threats . again last year. He has now been forced to leave his family for long periods of time and move south to Faisalabad where he feels safer. Close shave: Mr Afridi was held in a cave for a month by militants who demanded he shave . Mr Afridi hopes his moustache could be a ticket for him and his family to flee the persecution. He told The Independent: 'I want to live, that is why I want to get out of Pakistan. 'My first choice would be an Islamic country such as Dubai. 'But I also willing to go to . countries such as the US, Canada or Britain. I would like to appeal to . the British government to help me.' [/INST] Malik Amir Mohammad Khan Afridi kidnapped by Islamists over his facial hair .
Father of ten, from Peshawar, was held in a cave for a month .
Terrorists threatened to kill him if he didn't shave .
But the 48-year-old has vowed to stand firm against threats .
He is seeking asylum and has now appealed to British government for help . </s> |
By . Becky Evans . and Ap Reporter . Refugees fleeing persecution in their home country because they are gay should be granted asylum in the European Union, the bloc's top court ruled today. Judges at the European Court of Justice said homosexuals facing imprisonment may have sufficient grounds to be allowed to stay in the EU. The existence of laws imprisoning homosexuals 'may constitute an act of persecution per se' if they are routinely enforced, the court said. The European Court of Justice said existence of laws prohibiting homosexuality could be an act of persecution 'per se' A homosexual cannot be expected to conceal his sexual orientation in his home country to avoid persecution, since it would amount to renouncing a 'characteristic fundamental to a person's identity,' the court added. International treaties say people must prove they have a 'well-founded fear' of persecution for reasons of race, religion, ethnicity or political opinion if they are to obtain asylum. It is not yet clear how asylum authorities are supposed to check a seeker's claim they are gay . The court said it will be up to Europe's national authorities to determine whether the situation in an applicant's home country amounts to persecution, especially whether homosexuals are indeed sentenced to prison terms there. Some nations have laws against homosexuality but rarely enforce them. The European court ruled on three cases of nationals from Sierra Leone, Uganda and Senegal seeking asylum in the Netherlands. The case was brought by the Dutch Supreme Court seeking clarification on the application of relevant EU laws. The Supreme Court said it will now proceed with the asylum cases and others brought on the same grounds since the cases were sent to Luxembourg in April 2012. However, it still remains unclear how national asylum authorities should check a person's claim of being homosexual. The Dutch Supreme Court in March also referred that problem to the judges, asking what the limits are for the 'method of assessing the credibility of a declared sexual orientation' under EU laws. But the European Court of Justice isn't expected to rule on that issue before next year. | Judges ruling on case brought by the Dutch Supreme Court .
European Court of Justice said existence of laws imprisoning homosexuals 'may constitute an act of persecution per se'
Unclear how asylum authorities should check a person's claim of being gay . | f34cbc3f96c090b47c4319bddd749a65e7671c27 | <s>[INST] By . Becky Evans . and Ap Reporter . Refugees fleeing persecution in their home country because they are gay should be granted asylum in the European Union, the bloc's top court ruled today. Judges at the European Court of Justice said homosexuals facing imprisonment may have sufficient grounds to be allowed to stay in the EU. The existence of laws imprisoning homosexuals 'may constitute an act of persecution per se' if they are routinely enforced, the court said. The European Court of Justice said existence of laws prohibiting homosexuality could be an act of persecution 'per se' A homosexual cannot be expected to conceal his sexual orientation in his home country to avoid persecution, since it would amount to renouncing a 'characteristic fundamental to a person's identity,' the court added. International treaties say people must prove they have a 'well-founded fear' of persecution for reasons of race, religion, ethnicity or political opinion if they are to obtain asylum. It is not yet clear how asylum authorities are supposed to check a seeker's claim they are gay . The court said it will be up to Europe's national authorities to determine whether the situation in an applicant's home country amounts to persecution, especially whether homosexuals are indeed sentenced to prison terms there. Some nations have laws against homosexuality but rarely enforce them. The European court ruled on three cases of nationals from Sierra Leone, Uganda and Senegal seeking asylum in the Netherlands. The case was brought by the Dutch Supreme Court seeking clarification on the application of relevant EU laws. The Supreme Court said it will now proceed with the asylum cases and others brought on the same grounds since the cases were sent to Luxembourg in April 2012. However, it still remains unclear how national asylum authorities should check a person's claim of being homosexual. The Dutch Supreme Court in March also referred that problem to the judges, asking what the limits are for the 'method of assessing the credibility of a declared sexual orientation' under EU laws. But the European Court of Justice isn't expected to rule on that issue before next year. [/INST] Judges ruling on case brought by the Dutch Supreme Court .
European Court of Justice said existence of laws imprisoning homosexuals 'may constitute an act of persecution per se'
Unclear how asylum authorities should check a person's claim of being gay . </s> |
When Jon Stewart gave Hillary Clinton a career aptitude test on the 'Daily Show' Tuesday night, her answers alluded to a presidential bid -- and she touched on the disintegration of a Middle East cease-fire she negotiated two years ago. The former Secretary of State, Senator, First Lady and Cabinet member told the Comedy Central host that she wants a home office. "Do you have a favorite shape for that home office? Would you like it to have corners?" he asked her. "Fewer corners," said Clinton. It wasn't lost on the audience that she was referencing the Oval Office in the White House. In a web-only cut from the interview, she agreed with Stewart that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is overwhelming. Palestinians in Gaza are "trapped by their leadership," said Clinton. "Unfortunately it's a two-pronged trapping," she said. "They have leadership that is committed to resistance and violence and therefore their actions are mostly about how do we get new and better missiles to launch them at Israel instead of saying how we're going to help make your lives better." Israel's Iron Dome defense system is capable of and successful at shooting Hamas-launched rockets out of the sky, but "that can't be certain" in defending Israelis from bombardment from Gaza, said Clinton, especially now that Hamas is reportedly sending drones over the border. Clinton pointed to the Muslim Brotherhood, and former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, as key allies in the negotiation process between Israel and Palestine that she helped spearhead as Secretary of State in November 2012. "The Hamas leadership now feels somewhat trapped themselves because they had an ally with the Muslim Brotherhood," she said. "I negotiated the cease-fire with Morsi and Morsi was able to convince the Hamas groups to abide by it. He's gone." Clinton said that the new, military-led regime in Egypt, which offered a cease-fire Tuesday that Israel accepted and Hamas rejected, sees Hamas as a "danger." Clinton said Egypt's new President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi sees Hamas as a "source of instability and violence that can affect them in Sinai and beyond." "So they are trapped, and they're trapped I would argue first and foremost by leadership that doesn't really want to make the situation too much better because that gives them a lot of leverage over the poor people in Gaza," she said. Clinton used her third appearance on the show to promote her new book, "Hard Choices," and Stewart cut her off a number of times. "I think I speak for everybody when I say no one cares. They just want to know if you're running for President," he said. "I was going to make an announcement," she said. "But you kind of spoiled it." "It sounds to me like if I may, you've declared you're running for President," Stewart said. Stewart referred to two books; 'Clinton, Inc,' a forthcoming book by Daniel Halper, the editor of the conservative Weekly Standard, and 'Blood Feud' by Edward Klein, both of which are critical of her and the Clinton family. The host also touched on Clinton's testimony over the September 11, 2012, attacks in Benghazi, Libya, that left four Americans dead. "If you were not running for President, all of this criticism -- there are two books out now that are exposes of the family, there are constant calls for testimony, there are constant parsing of words. If you stopped that tomorrow -- if you said, 'I am not running for President' -- it all stops. Do you agree or disagree?" Stewart asked. Clinton, who has said journalism is now driven more by entertainment than fact-based reporting, said that "if it all stopped," a lot of people would lose their jobs. Klein's book, which hinges on multiple anonymous sources to draw a story highly critical of Clinton, recently overtook Clinton's own memoir at the top of the New York Times Best Sellers list. "I've been amazed at what a cottage industry it is," Clinton said. To that, Stewart replied -- referring to himself -- "It's just these talking heads sitting around, picking out every little thing -- and making fun of it. It's not right." 6 times Clinton sounded, acted like a candidate . | Palestinians in Gaza are "trapped by their leadership," Clinton says .
Clinton used her appearance to promote her book "Hard Choices"
Stewart: "They just want to know if you're running for President" | 68ad4cd646fb94fc2643c7ed79fd5eba9a4d2739 | <s>[INST] When Jon Stewart gave Hillary Clinton a career aptitude test on the 'Daily Show' Tuesday night, her answers alluded to a presidential bid -- and she touched on the disintegration of a Middle East cease-fire she negotiated two years ago. The former Secretary of State, Senator, First Lady and Cabinet member told the Comedy Central host that she wants a home office. "Do you have a favorite shape for that home office? Would you like it to have corners?" he asked her. "Fewer corners," said Clinton. It wasn't lost on the audience that she was referencing the Oval Office in the White House. In a web-only cut from the interview, she agreed with Stewart that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is overwhelming. Palestinians in Gaza are "trapped by their leadership," said Clinton. "Unfortunately it's a two-pronged trapping," she said. "They have leadership that is committed to resistance and violence and therefore their actions are mostly about how do we get new and better missiles to launch them at Israel instead of saying how we're going to help make your lives better." Israel's Iron Dome defense system is capable of and successful at shooting Hamas-launched rockets out of the sky, but "that can't be certain" in defending Israelis from bombardment from Gaza, said Clinton, especially now that Hamas is reportedly sending drones over the border. Clinton pointed to the Muslim Brotherhood, and former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, as key allies in the negotiation process between Israel and Palestine that she helped spearhead as Secretary of State in November 2012. "The Hamas leadership now feels somewhat trapped themselves because they had an ally with the Muslim Brotherhood," she said. "I negotiated the cease-fire with Morsi and Morsi was able to convince the Hamas groups to abide by it. He's gone." Clinton said that the new, military-led regime in Egypt, which offered a cease-fire Tuesday that Israel accepted and Hamas rejected, sees Hamas as a "danger." Clinton said Egypt's new President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi sees Hamas as a "source of instability and violence that can affect them in Sinai and beyond." "So they are trapped, and they're trapped I would argue first and foremost by leadership that doesn't really want to make the situation too much better because that gives them a lot of leverage over the poor people in Gaza," she said. Clinton used her third appearance on the show to promote her new book, "Hard Choices," and Stewart cut her off a number of times. "I think I speak for everybody when I say no one cares. They just want to know if you're running for President," he said. "I was going to make an announcement," she said. "But you kind of spoiled it." "It sounds to me like if I may, you've declared you're running for President," Stewart said. Stewart referred to two books; 'Clinton, Inc,' a forthcoming book by Daniel Halper, the editor of the conservative Weekly Standard, and 'Blood Feud' by Edward Klein, both of which are critical of her and the Clinton family. The host also touched on Clinton's testimony over the September 11, 2012, attacks in Benghazi, Libya, that left four Americans dead. "If you were not running for President, all of this criticism -- there are two books out now that are exposes of the family, there are constant calls for testimony, there are constant parsing of words. If you stopped that tomorrow -- if you said, 'I am not running for President' -- it all stops. Do you agree or disagree?" Stewart asked. Clinton, who has said journalism is now driven more by entertainment than fact-based reporting, said that "if it all stopped," a lot of people would lose their jobs. Klein's book, which hinges on multiple anonymous sources to draw a story highly critical of Clinton, recently overtook Clinton's own memoir at the top of the New York Times Best Sellers list. "I've been amazed at what a cottage industry it is," Clinton said. To that, Stewart replied -- referring to himself -- "It's just these talking heads sitting around, picking out every little thing -- and making fun of it. It's not right." 6 times Clinton sounded, acted like a candidate . [/INST] Palestinians in Gaza are "trapped by their leadership," Clinton says .
Clinton used her appearance to promote her book "Hard Choices"
Stewart: "They just want to know if you're running for President" </s> |
By . Lucy Crossley . Sisters-in-law who robbed a grandmother in the street, tearing out clumps of her hair, punching her in the head and stealing her phone have been spared jail. Chelsea Coyne, 28, pounced on the woman from behind, before kicking her and punching her as she lay defenceless on the pavement. Seconds later Rachael Coyne, 25, swiped her mobile phone. The attack on the 48-year-old grandmother was caught on the Mitre Hotel's CCTV cameras and helped secure the convictions of the Coynes, who have now been sentenced for the attack. Attack: Chelsea Coyne, 28, (left) pounced on the woman from behind before . kicking her and punching her as she lay defenceless on the pavement. Seconds later Rachael Coyne, 25, (right) swiped her mobile phone . Manchester Magistrates' Court was . told that the woman had been enjoying a drink in the hotel and pub . following a Christmas shopping trip with her son's girlfriend. As she chatted to her son on her phone outside the venue, Chelsea Coyne ‘jumped’ her, with the brunette repeatedly kicking the victim and punching her in the head. Subhanur Chowdhury, prosecuting, said: 'She was speaking with her son on her mobile phone. 'At . that point, she was jumped on and ended up on the floor. She was being . repeatedly kicked whilst on the floor and being punched around the head. 'She manages to get up then realises that she had dropped the phone.' Crime scene: The 48-year-old victim had been standing outside the Mitre Hotel in Manchester (pictured) when she was attacked by Chelsea Coyne . Guilty: Chelsea Coyne, left, admitted an assault charge following the attack in December last year. Rachael Coyne, right, picked up the woman's iPhone after she dropped it during the attack . The victim suffered ‘substantial injuries’ to . her face and forehead and lost hair on the back of her head when it was . pulled during the attack, the court was told. The woman, a grandmother-of-four from Ancoats, said she suffers from headaches following the incident. 'I feel like I am living a nightmare,' she said in a statement read to the court. 'It is so hard to put into words. I feel embarrassed.' Chelsea Coyne pleaded guilty to assault following the attack in December last year. Her sister-in-law Rachael Coyne picked up the woman’s white iPhone after she dropped it during the attack and both then walked away. The blonde denied theft but was found guilty after a trial. The court heard the victim had returned to the pub the day after the attack and secured the CCTV footage for the police. Dominic Ingle, defending, claimed the victim suffered from alopecia, which had contributed to her hair loss. He said: 'It was an unpleasant assault but there is far more to this than meets the eye. 'This is not a black and white matter. They are genuinely good people. They have made a very, very, severe mistake.' Chelsea Coyne, of Miles Platting, Manchester, was sentenced to a six-month community order and a six-week curfew. Rachael Coyne, also of Miles Platting, was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work. Both women were also ordered to pay costs and compensation, and have been given a two-year restraining order preventing them from contacting the victim. | Chelsea Coyne 'jumped' the victim before Rachael Coyne took her mobile .
Grandmother was talking on the phone outside hotel when she was attacked .
Sisters-in-law spared jail after they were convicted for assault and theft . | cab2c870a9b6eeb33a09493c2675c7e9ff8159ce | <s>[INST] By . Lucy Crossley . Sisters-in-law who robbed a grandmother in the street, tearing out clumps of her hair, punching her in the head and stealing her phone have been spared jail. Chelsea Coyne, 28, pounced on the woman from behind, before kicking her and punching her as she lay defenceless on the pavement. Seconds later Rachael Coyne, 25, swiped her mobile phone. The attack on the 48-year-old grandmother was caught on the Mitre Hotel's CCTV cameras and helped secure the convictions of the Coynes, who have now been sentenced for the attack. Attack: Chelsea Coyne, 28, (left) pounced on the woman from behind before . kicking her and punching her as she lay defenceless on the pavement. Seconds later Rachael Coyne, 25, (right) swiped her mobile phone . Manchester Magistrates' Court was . told that the woman had been enjoying a drink in the hotel and pub . following a Christmas shopping trip with her son's girlfriend. As she chatted to her son on her phone outside the venue, Chelsea Coyne ‘jumped’ her, with the brunette repeatedly kicking the victim and punching her in the head. Subhanur Chowdhury, prosecuting, said: 'She was speaking with her son on her mobile phone. 'At . that point, she was jumped on and ended up on the floor. She was being . repeatedly kicked whilst on the floor and being punched around the head. 'She manages to get up then realises that she had dropped the phone.' Crime scene: The 48-year-old victim had been standing outside the Mitre Hotel in Manchester (pictured) when she was attacked by Chelsea Coyne . Guilty: Chelsea Coyne, left, admitted an assault charge following the attack in December last year. Rachael Coyne, right, picked up the woman's iPhone after she dropped it during the attack . The victim suffered ‘substantial injuries’ to . her face and forehead and lost hair on the back of her head when it was . pulled during the attack, the court was told. The woman, a grandmother-of-four from Ancoats, said she suffers from headaches following the incident. 'I feel like I am living a nightmare,' she said in a statement read to the court. 'It is so hard to put into words. I feel embarrassed.' Chelsea Coyne pleaded guilty to assault following the attack in December last year. Her sister-in-law Rachael Coyne picked up the woman’s white iPhone after she dropped it during the attack and both then walked away. The blonde denied theft but was found guilty after a trial. The court heard the victim had returned to the pub the day after the attack and secured the CCTV footage for the police. Dominic Ingle, defending, claimed the victim suffered from alopecia, which had contributed to her hair loss. He said: 'It was an unpleasant assault but there is far more to this than meets the eye. 'This is not a black and white matter. They are genuinely good people. They have made a very, very, severe mistake.' Chelsea Coyne, of Miles Platting, Manchester, was sentenced to a six-month community order and a six-week curfew. Rachael Coyne, also of Miles Platting, was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work. Both women were also ordered to pay costs and compensation, and have been given a two-year restraining order preventing them from contacting the victim. [/INST] Chelsea Coyne 'jumped' the victim before Rachael Coyne took her mobile .
Grandmother was talking on the phone outside hotel when she was attacked .
Sisters-in-law spared jail after they were convicted for assault and theft . </s> |
(CNN) -- Close your eyes for a moment and imagine your life five years from now. What sort of scenarios pop into your mind? How do you see yourself standing professionally? What is the quality of your personal life and relationships? Though each of us may define "happiness" in different ways, it remains the case that we are inclined to see ourselves motoring happily toward professional success, fulfilling relationships, financial security and stable health. Unemployment, debt, Alzheimer's, any number of other regrettably common misfortunes are rarely factored into our projections. Watch Tali Sharot's TED Talk . According to most estimates, 80% of the population hold unrealistic, optimistic beliefs about their own future. However, ask people whether the economy is going in the right direction or how they feel about the future of their country, and you will hear: "absolutely not" and "going down the drain." TED.com: Dan Gilbert on our mistaken expectations . Collectively we are quite pessimistic about the direction of our nation or the ability of our leaders to improve education and reduce crime. But private optimism, about our personal future, remains incredibly resilient. Surveys show that most people overestimate their prospects for personal achievement, expect their children to be extraordinarily gifted and hugely underestimate their likelihood of divorce and cancer. What always puzzled me was how we manage to maintain optimism in the face of reality. We experience failure and heartache, we read the newspaper -- we know the economy is unstable, but still we remain optimistic about our own odds. As a neuroscientist I found this especially surprising, because according to all classic theories of learning when expectations are not met, we alter them. This should eventually lead to realism, not optimism. By scanning the brains of people while they learned from positive and negative information about the future we uncovered a possible answer to this puzzle. Surprisingly, when people learn of what the future may hold, their brains faithfully encode desirable information that can enhance optimism, but fail at incorporating unexpectedly bad information. (My fellow scientists and I were able to alter this tendency using transcranial magnetic stimulation -- watch the TED talk to see how.) When we learn of Oprah Winfrey's success story, our brain takes note and concludes that maybe, we too may become immensely rich one day. But when told the odds of divorce are almost 1 in 2 we take no notice. This means that warning signs such as those on cigarette packets may only have limited impact. "Yes, smoking kills -- but mostly it kills the other guy." But at the same when we hear the housing market is going up we think -- "ohhhh the value of my house is going to double." TED.com: Helen Fisher studies the brain in love . In fact, economists have suggested that optimism was a root cause of the financial downfall of 2008. The optimism bias was not only blurring the vision of the private sector, but also of government officials, rating agencies and financial analysts who constantly expected the market to go up and up. The belief that we are relatively immune to future harms can also put us at physical risk. Take for example an e-mail I received from a California firefighter who read my book about the optimism bias. He says fatality investigations involving firefighters often include statements to the effect of "We didn't think the fire was going to do that" even when all of the available information about risks was there to enable safe decisions. The British government for one has decided to try to address these problems. As a first step, it has acknowledged that the optimism bias causes individuals to underestimate the cost and duration of projects. Specific guidelines of how to correct for the optimism bias in appraisals were published in the British government's Green Book, which provides an overall methodology for economic assessment. Adjustments for the optimism bias have since been factored into the budget of many UK government projects, including most recently the 2012 London Olympics. Despite all these potential pitfalls, the science of optimism clearly indicates that, on balance, viewing the world through rose-tinted glasses is a good thing. We now know that underestimating the pain and difficulties the future undoubtedly holds lowers stress and anxiety, consequently enhancing physical and mental health. TED.com: Four lessons from robots about being human . Believing that a goal is within reach motivates us to act in a way that will help us attain it. This may, for instance, explain why optimists work longer hours and tend to earn more. Yes, the 2012 London Olympics budget had to be adjusted to account for over-optimistic prediction, but if the human spirit were not optimistic, would there be anyone around to participate in the actual Games? My guess is that the number of athletes who expect to win a medal at the Olympics significantly outnumbers the number of contestants who will mount the podium to be garlanded in due course. Most athletes subject themselves to years of intensive training because they can clearly envisage the end goal. At the end of the day, to make any kind of real progress we need to be able to imagine alternative realities -- better ones, and believe them to be possible. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Tali Sharot. | People tend not to anticipate the future perils that face them, Tali Sharot says .
People are pessimistic about the world but are optimistic about their lives, she says .
Sharot: Seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses is good for people's mental state .
Believing that a goal is within reach motivates us to act to attain it, Sharot says . | 53008c2a644de1dd9c7edce26cc618ae8396a6a6 | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- Close your eyes for a moment and imagine your life five years from now. What sort of scenarios pop into your mind? How do you see yourself standing professionally? What is the quality of your personal life and relationships? Though each of us may define "happiness" in different ways, it remains the case that we are inclined to see ourselves motoring happily toward professional success, fulfilling relationships, financial security and stable health. Unemployment, debt, Alzheimer's, any number of other regrettably common misfortunes are rarely factored into our projections. Watch Tali Sharot's TED Talk . According to most estimates, 80% of the population hold unrealistic, optimistic beliefs about their own future. However, ask people whether the economy is going in the right direction or how they feel about the future of their country, and you will hear: "absolutely not" and "going down the drain." TED.com: Dan Gilbert on our mistaken expectations . Collectively we are quite pessimistic about the direction of our nation or the ability of our leaders to improve education and reduce crime. But private optimism, about our personal future, remains incredibly resilient. Surveys show that most people overestimate their prospects for personal achievement, expect their children to be extraordinarily gifted and hugely underestimate their likelihood of divorce and cancer. What always puzzled me was how we manage to maintain optimism in the face of reality. We experience failure and heartache, we read the newspaper -- we know the economy is unstable, but still we remain optimistic about our own odds. As a neuroscientist I found this especially surprising, because according to all classic theories of learning when expectations are not met, we alter them. This should eventually lead to realism, not optimism. By scanning the brains of people while they learned from positive and negative information about the future we uncovered a possible answer to this puzzle. Surprisingly, when people learn of what the future may hold, their brains faithfully encode desirable information that can enhance optimism, but fail at incorporating unexpectedly bad information. (My fellow scientists and I were able to alter this tendency using transcranial magnetic stimulation -- watch the TED talk to see how.) When we learn of Oprah Winfrey's success story, our brain takes note and concludes that maybe, we too may become immensely rich one day. But when told the odds of divorce are almost 1 in 2 we take no notice. This means that warning signs such as those on cigarette packets may only have limited impact. "Yes, smoking kills -- but mostly it kills the other guy." But at the same when we hear the housing market is going up we think -- "ohhhh the value of my house is going to double." TED.com: Helen Fisher studies the brain in love . In fact, economists have suggested that optimism was a root cause of the financial downfall of 2008. The optimism bias was not only blurring the vision of the private sector, but also of government officials, rating agencies and financial analysts who constantly expected the market to go up and up. The belief that we are relatively immune to future harms can also put us at physical risk. Take for example an e-mail I received from a California firefighter who read my book about the optimism bias. He says fatality investigations involving firefighters often include statements to the effect of "We didn't think the fire was going to do that" even when all of the available information about risks was there to enable safe decisions. The British government for one has decided to try to address these problems. As a first step, it has acknowledged that the optimism bias causes individuals to underestimate the cost and duration of projects. Specific guidelines of how to correct for the optimism bias in appraisals were published in the British government's Green Book, which provides an overall methodology for economic assessment. Adjustments for the optimism bias have since been factored into the budget of many UK government projects, including most recently the 2012 London Olympics. Despite all these potential pitfalls, the science of optimism clearly indicates that, on balance, viewing the world through rose-tinted glasses is a good thing. We now know that underestimating the pain and difficulties the future undoubtedly holds lowers stress and anxiety, consequently enhancing physical and mental health. TED.com: Four lessons from robots about being human . Believing that a goal is within reach motivates us to act in a way that will help us attain it. This may, for instance, explain why optimists work longer hours and tend to earn more. Yes, the 2012 London Olympics budget had to be adjusted to account for over-optimistic prediction, but if the human spirit were not optimistic, would there be anyone around to participate in the actual Games? My guess is that the number of athletes who expect to win a medal at the Olympics significantly outnumbers the number of contestants who will mount the podium to be garlanded in due course. Most athletes subject themselves to years of intensive training because they can clearly envisage the end goal. At the end of the day, to make any kind of real progress we need to be able to imagine alternative realities -- better ones, and believe them to be possible. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Tali Sharot. [/INST] People tend not to anticipate the future perils that face them, Tali Sharot says .
People are pessimistic about the world but are optimistic about their lives, she says .
Sharot: Seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses is good for people's mental state .
Believing that a goal is within reach motivates us to act to attain it, Sharot says . </s> |
Scientists could be closer to finding water on the moon - a discovery that could help create rocket fuel and breathable air for future colonies. Using data from the Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter's Lend tool, Nasa scientists have been mapping the hydrogen levels across the moon craggy deposits. And they've found surprisingly higher levels of hydrogen in a very specific area; the slopes of craters in the moon's southern hemisphere facing the South Pole. Nasa scientists have found surprisingly higher levels of hydrogen in a very specific area; the slopes of craters in the moon's southern hemisphere facing the South Pole. Pictured is a Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter mage of the moon's Hayn Crater, located just northeast of Mare Humboldtianum . These slopes could be mankind's best hope finding drinkable water on the lunar surface, they claim. Hydrogen could be found as either hydroxol - which is a single atom bound with a single oxygen atom — or it may be two hydrogen atoms bound with oxygen. Scientists believe lunar water could be used for drinking or its components – hydrogen and oxygen – may be used to manufacture rocket fuel or even breathable air. 'There's an average of about 23 parts-per-million-by-weight (ppmw) more hydrogen on Pole-Facing Slopes (PFS) than on Equator-Facing Slopes (EFS),' said Nasa scientist, Timothy McClanahan. This is the first time a widespread difference in the spread of hydrogen on the moon has been detected. Using data from the Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter's Lend tool (artist's impression pictured), Nasa scientists have been mapping the hydrogen levels across the moon's surface . The cause of the discrepancy between PFS and EFS may be similar to how the sun move or redistributes frozen water from warmer to colder places on the surface of the Earth. There are different possible sources for the hydrogen on the moon. Comets and some asteroids contain large amounts of water, and impacts by these objects may bring hydrogen to the moon. Hydrogen-bearing molecules could also be created on the lunar surface by interaction with the solar wind. The solar wind is a thin stream of gas that's constantly blown off the sun. Most of it is hydrogen, and this hydrogen may interact with oxygen in silicate rock and dust on the moon to form hydroxyl and possibly water molecules. After these molecules arrive at the moon, it is thought they get energized by sunlight and then bounce across the lunar surface; and they get stuck, at least temporarily, in colder and more shadowy areas. 'Here in the northern hemisphere, if you go outside on a sunny day after a snowfall, you'll notice that there's more snow on north-facing slopes because they lose water at slower rates than the more sunlit south-facing slopes' said McClanahan. 'We think a similar phenomenon is happening with the volatiles on the moon – PFS don't get as much sunlight as EFS, so this easily vapourised material stays longer and possibly accumulates to a greater extent on PFS.' Slopes closer to the South Pole show a larger hydrogen concentration difference. Broader slopes provide stronger hydrogen signals than smaller slopes. Since the 1960s scientists thought that only in permanently shadowed areas in craters near the lunar poles was it cold enough to accumulate this volatile material, but these results suggest that hydrogen on the moon is more widespread. At the moment, however, it's uncertain if the hydrogen is abundant enough to economically mine. 'The amounts we are detecting are still drier than the driest desert on Earth,' said McClanahan. The team now wants to see if the hydrogen abundance changes with the transition from day to night. If so, it would back up existing evidence of a very active production and cycling of hydrogen on the lunar surface, according to McClanahan. Since the 1960s scientists thought that only shadowed areas in craters near the lunar poles was it cold enough to accumulate this volatile material, but these results suggest that hydrogen on the moon is more widespread . | Hydrogen was found in larger quantities on slopes of the lunar south pole .
These slopes could be mankind's best hope finding water on the moon .
Scientists believe lunar water could be used for drinking by astronauts .
Its hydrogen and oxygen molecules may be used to create fuel and air .
But the amounts detected are still drier than the driest desert on Earth . | d018d536fb6575f89a6abd56a37d97cfb3bd14c4 | <s>[INST] Scientists could be closer to finding water on the moon - a discovery that could help create rocket fuel and breathable air for future colonies. Using data from the Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter's Lend tool, Nasa scientists have been mapping the hydrogen levels across the moon craggy deposits. And they've found surprisingly higher levels of hydrogen in a very specific area; the slopes of craters in the moon's southern hemisphere facing the South Pole. Nasa scientists have found surprisingly higher levels of hydrogen in a very specific area; the slopes of craters in the moon's southern hemisphere facing the South Pole. Pictured is a Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter mage of the moon's Hayn Crater, located just northeast of Mare Humboldtianum . These slopes could be mankind's best hope finding drinkable water on the lunar surface, they claim. Hydrogen could be found as either hydroxol - which is a single atom bound with a single oxygen atom — or it may be two hydrogen atoms bound with oxygen. Scientists believe lunar water could be used for drinking or its components – hydrogen and oxygen – may be used to manufacture rocket fuel or even breathable air. 'There's an average of about 23 parts-per-million-by-weight (ppmw) more hydrogen on Pole-Facing Slopes (PFS) than on Equator-Facing Slopes (EFS),' said Nasa scientist, Timothy McClanahan. This is the first time a widespread difference in the spread of hydrogen on the moon has been detected. Using data from the Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter's Lend tool (artist's impression pictured), Nasa scientists have been mapping the hydrogen levels across the moon's surface . The cause of the discrepancy between PFS and EFS may be similar to how the sun move or redistributes frozen water from warmer to colder places on the surface of the Earth. There are different possible sources for the hydrogen on the moon. Comets and some asteroids contain large amounts of water, and impacts by these objects may bring hydrogen to the moon. Hydrogen-bearing molecules could also be created on the lunar surface by interaction with the solar wind. The solar wind is a thin stream of gas that's constantly blown off the sun. Most of it is hydrogen, and this hydrogen may interact with oxygen in silicate rock and dust on the moon to form hydroxyl and possibly water molecules. After these molecules arrive at the moon, it is thought they get energized by sunlight and then bounce across the lunar surface; and they get stuck, at least temporarily, in colder and more shadowy areas. 'Here in the northern hemisphere, if you go outside on a sunny day after a snowfall, you'll notice that there's more snow on north-facing slopes because they lose water at slower rates than the more sunlit south-facing slopes' said McClanahan. 'We think a similar phenomenon is happening with the volatiles on the moon – PFS don't get as much sunlight as EFS, so this easily vapourised material stays longer and possibly accumulates to a greater extent on PFS.' Slopes closer to the South Pole show a larger hydrogen concentration difference. Broader slopes provide stronger hydrogen signals than smaller slopes. Since the 1960s scientists thought that only in permanently shadowed areas in craters near the lunar poles was it cold enough to accumulate this volatile material, but these results suggest that hydrogen on the moon is more widespread. At the moment, however, it's uncertain if the hydrogen is abundant enough to economically mine. 'The amounts we are detecting are still drier than the driest desert on Earth,' said McClanahan. The team now wants to see if the hydrogen abundance changes with the transition from day to night. If so, it would back up existing evidence of a very active production and cycling of hydrogen on the lunar surface, according to McClanahan. Since the 1960s scientists thought that only shadowed areas in craters near the lunar poles was it cold enough to accumulate this volatile material, but these results suggest that hydrogen on the moon is more widespread . [/INST] Hydrogen was found in larger quantities on slopes of the lunar south pole .
These slopes could be mankind's best hope finding water on the moon .
Scientists believe lunar water could be used for drinking by astronauts .
Its hydrogen and oxygen molecules may be used to create fuel and air .
But the amounts detected are still drier than the driest desert on Earth . </s> |
Very little separates many of the high-end tablets these days, with each new model claiming to be the fastest on the market. To put these claims to the test, Which? Magazine took the bestselling tablets from the likes of Apple, Samsung, Google and Tesco, covering various price ranges, and ran each one through speed benchmarking tests. Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition topped the list, with a benchmark score of 2856, while Apple’s iPad 2 finished last with a score of just 502. Which? Magazine used benchmarking tests to see which high-end tablets are the fastest. Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition topped the list, pictured centre, with a benchmark score of 2856, beating Apple's iPad Air, left, on 2687 and Google's latest Nexus 7, which scored 2675 . 1. Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition (£399): 2856 . 2. Apple iPad Air 16GB (£399): 2687 . 3. Google Nexus 7 2013 (£199): 2675 . 4. Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 (£329): 2667 . 5. Advent Vega Tegra Note 7" (£139): 2612 . 6. iPad mini with Retina display 16GB (£319): 2512 . 7. Tesco Hudl (£119): 1926 . 8. Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8GB (£119): 807 . 9. Apple iPad 2 16GB (£329): 502 . Apple’s iPad Air was in second place with 2687, followed by the second-generation Google Nexus 7 in third with 2675. A surprise performer was the Advent’s budget Vega Tegra Note 7, in fifth place, which scored 2612 points during speed tests. This was faster than Apple’s iPad mini with Retina display, which scored 2512, despite the Advent being £250 cheaper. Tesco’s £119 Hudl scored 1926 points. Amazon’s latest Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 was just eight points behind Google’s seven-inch tablet, but its older Kindle Fire HD model was eighth, with a score of 807. According to the results, Apple's iPad Air is five times faster than Apple’s iPad 2, however, the latter was released in 2011 so the speed difference isn’t surprising. Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition, pictured, was released in October last year. It runs on a 2.3Ghz quad-core processor and costs £399 . Apple's tablet range received mixed scores. The 9.7-inch iPad Air, right, came second, while the iPad mini with Retina Display, left, came sixth with a score of 2512. The iPad 2 scored 502, yet it is a three-year-old model . Which? Used Geekbench software to test each tablet’s speed. The software is designed to test multi-core performance by replicating a series of everyday tasks. Each of these tests is given a score, which are then combined and weighted to calculate a final numeric score. In theory, the higher the score, the faster the tablet will be when browsing the web, loading pages, opening apps and streaming video. All tablets tested were Wi-Fi only models. A surprise performer in the Which? benchmark tests was Advent's budget Vega Tegra Note 7", pictured, in fifth place. It scored 2612 points during speed tests. This was faster than Apple's iPad mini with Retina display, despite being £250 cheaper . Technology researcher Robert Leedham said: ‘Speed is essential when it comes owning the latest premium tablet. Battery life and storage space are important too, but nothing beats processing power for tablet bragging rights.’ ‘Despite their premium mantra, our testing found that Apple’s iPads aren’t as fast as many of their cheaper Android competitors. ‘The iPad mini with Retina display (£319) proved slower than both Google’s Nexus 7 (£199) and the Advent Vega Tegra Note 7″ (£129).’ However he continued that the results should be used as a guide, but speed alone should not influence a buying decision. ‘Speed benchmarks are undeniably important when buying a top-end tablet, but so are other factors like battery life, storage space and pricing,’ explained Leedham. | Samsung’s latest Galaxy Note 10.1 was the fastest tablet on test .
Apple’s iPad Air was in second place and Google’s Nexus 7 came third .
The slowest tablet based on benchmarking tests was three-year-old iPad 2 .
Advent’s Vega Tegra Note 7 was a surprise performer beating Apple’s iPad mini - despite being £250 cheaper . | cf6e7d966a4e86f1cc036c3574e96047f6df386c | <s>[INST] Very little separates many of the high-end tablets these days, with each new model claiming to be the fastest on the market. To put these claims to the test, Which? Magazine took the bestselling tablets from the likes of Apple, Samsung, Google and Tesco, covering various price ranges, and ran each one through speed benchmarking tests. Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition topped the list, with a benchmark score of 2856, while Apple’s iPad 2 finished last with a score of just 502. Which? Magazine used benchmarking tests to see which high-end tablets are the fastest. Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition topped the list, pictured centre, with a benchmark score of 2856, beating Apple's iPad Air, left, on 2687 and Google's latest Nexus 7, which scored 2675 . 1. Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition (£399): 2856 . 2. Apple iPad Air 16GB (£399): 2687 . 3. Google Nexus 7 2013 (£199): 2675 . 4. Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 (£329): 2667 . 5. Advent Vega Tegra Note 7" (£139): 2612 . 6. iPad mini with Retina display 16GB (£319): 2512 . 7. Tesco Hudl (£119): 1926 . 8. Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8GB (£119): 807 . 9. Apple iPad 2 16GB (£329): 502 . Apple’s iPad Air was in second place with 2687, followed by the second-generation Google Nexus 7 in third with 2675. A surprise performer was the Advent’s budget Vega Tegra Note 7, in fifth place, which scored 2612 points during speed tests. This was faster than Apple’s iPad mini with Retina display, which scored 2512, despite the Advent being £250 cheaper. Tesco’s £119 Hudl scored 1926 points. Amazon’s latest Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 was just eight points behind Google’s seven-inch tablet, but its older Kindle Fire HD model was eighth, with a score of 807. According to the results, Apple's iPad Air is five times faster than Apple’s iPad 2, however, the latter was released in 2011 so the speed difference isn’t surprising. Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition, pictured, was released in October last year. It runs on a 2.3Ghz quad-core processor and costs £399 . Apple's tablet range received mixed scores. The 9.7-inch iPad Air, right, came second, while the iPad mini with Retina Display, left, came sixth with a score of 2512. The iPad 2 scored 502, yet it is a three-year-old model . Which? Used Geekbench software to test each tablet’s speed. The software is designed to test multi-core performance by replicating a series of everyday tasks. Each of these tests is given a score, which are then combined and weighted to calculate a final numeric score. In theory, the higher the score, the faster the tablet will be when browsing the web, loading pages, opening apps and streaming video. All tablets tested were Wi-Fi only models. A surprise performer in the Which? benchmark tests was Advent's budget Vega Tegra Note 7", pictured, in fifth place. It scored 2612 points during speed tests. This was faster than Apple's iPad mini with Retina display, despite being £250 cheaper . Technology researcher Robert Leedham said: ‘Speed is essential when it comes owning the latest premium tablet. Battery life and storage space are important too, but nothing beats processing power for tablet bragging rights.’ ‘Despite their premium mantra, our testing found that Apple’s iPads aren’t as fast as many of their cheaper Android competitors. ‘The iPad mini with Retina display (£319) proved slower than both Google’s Nexus 7 (£199) and the Advent Vega Tegra Note 7″ (£129).’ However he continued that the results should be used as a guide, but speed alone should not influence a buying decision. ‘Speed benchmarks are undeniably important when buying a top-end tablet, but so are other factors like battery life, storage space and pricing,’ explained Leedham. [/INST] Samsung’s latest Galaxy Note 10.1 was the fastest tablet on test .
Apple’s iPad Air was in second place and Google’s Nexus 7 came third .
The slowest tablet based on benchmarking tests was three-year-old iPad 2 .
Advent’s Vega Tegra Note 7 was a surprise performer beating Apple’s iPad mini - despite being £250 cheaper . </s> |
By . Ben Spencer . Do you regularly have more than six drinks in one sitting? Or do you regret a drunken escapade that took place in the past year? If you have answered yes to either question, you may have a drink problem, according to research. A paper published by Leicester University advises that GPs should change the way they approach the subject of drinking in routine appointments . A paper published by Leicester University today advises that GPs change the way they approach drinking in routine appointments. The study found that a positive answer to either of these two questions can correctly identify those with alcohol problems in 87 per cent of cases. Although these are not strong enough results to immediately diagnose someone as an alcoholic, it is enough to effectively rule out those with no drink problem. And those who do pose a concern should be referred on for further questioning which can establish a more accurate picture. If the research, published today in the British Journal of General Practice, is taken on board it could spell an end to GPs asking how many units someone drinks a week. According to the research, GPs should instead ask, ‘Do you drink six or more drinks on one occasion once a month or more frequently?’ And follow it up with: ‘As a result of your drinking, did anything happen in the last year that you wish didn’t happen?’ If a patient answers positively to either question, a second set of four more detailed questions should be asked. The research team believe the findings could make it easier for GPs to identify drinking problems which would otherwise remain hidden. Patients’ answers could either rule out alcohol issues, or could bring to light potentially excessive or unsafe drinking habits. Dr Alex Mitchell, whose team analysed 17 previous alcohol studies involving 5,646 patients, said: ‘There is great time pressure in primary care. ‘GPs don’t have the time to ask a long list of questions for every single patient. The shorter the survey, the more acceptable it is for GP – but the greater the danger that it is inaccurate. ‘Our work shows that asking just two questions to patients works modestly well, but they need to be followed up by a longer questionnaire of four questions in those who initially screen positive.’ The researchers found that asking two questions could correctly identify those with alcohol problems in 87.2 per cent of cases, and correctly identify those who did not have alcohol problems in 79.8 per cent of cases. Dr Mitchell added: ‘At the moment, GPs ask patients about alcohol problems during about 3 per cent of consultations. ‘Routine screening using simple questions are an attempt to improve the situation.’ | Research advises GPs to change approach to drinking in appointments .
Study by Leicester University found doctors should ask two key questions .
It said the answers could effectively rule out those without a drink problem . | 3919a9f42a4a6b69e73ec1eca7e401867e8cb3f1 | <s>[INST] By . Ben Spencer . Do you regularly have more than six drinks in one sitting? Or do you regret a drunken escapade that took place in the past year? If you have answered yes to either question, you may have a drink problem, according to research. A paper published by Leicester University advises that GPs should change the way they approach the subject of drinking in routine appointments . A paper published by Leicester University today advises that GPs change the way they approach drinking in routine appointments. The study found that a positive answer to either of these two questions can correctly identify those with alcohol problems in 87 per cent of cases. Although these are not strong enough results to immediately diagnose someone as an alcoholic, it is enough to effectively rule out those with no drink problem. And those who do pose a concern should be referred on for further questioning which can establish a more accurate picture. If the research, published today in the British Journal of General Practice, is taken on board it could spell an end to GPs asking how many units someone drinks a week. According to the research, GPs should instead ask, ‘Do you drink six or more drinks on one occasion once a month or more frequently?’ And follow it up with: ‘As a result of your drinking, did anything happen in the last year that you wish didn’t happen?’ If a patient answers positively to either question, a second set of four more detailed questions should be asked. The research team believe the findings could make it easier for GPs to identify drinking problems which would otherwise remain hidden. Patients’ answers could either rule out alcohol issues, or could bring to light potentially excessive or unsafe drinking habits. Dr Alex Mitchell, whose team analysed 17 previous alcohol studies involving 5,646 patients, said: ‘There is great time pressure in primary care. ‘GPs don’t have the time to ask a long list of questions for every single patient. The shorter the survey, the more acceptable it is for GP – but the greater the danger that it is inaccurate. ‘Our work shows that asking just two questions to patients works modestly well, but they need to be followed up by a longer questionnaire of four questions in those who initially screen positive.’ The researchers found that asking two questions could correctly identify those with alcohol problems in 87.2 per cent of cases, and correctly identify those who did not have alcohol problems in 79.8 per cent of cases. Dr Mitchell added: ‘At the moment, GPs ask patients about alcohol problems during about 3 per cent of consultations. ‘Routine screening using simple questions are an attempt to improve the situation.’ [/INST] Research advises GPs to change approach to drinking in appointments .
Study by Leicester University found doctors should ask two key questions .
It said the answers could effectively rule out those without a drink problem . </s> |
(CNN) -- A sandy stretch in the tony Hamptons topped 2010's best beaches list, compiled each year by a coastal scholar known as Dr. Beach. Coopers Beach, the main beach in the village of Southampton on the east end of Long Island, New York, took top honors this year on the 20th annual list released by Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University. Coopers Beach's sandy shoreline is dotted with historic mansions and the picturesque St. Andrews Dune Church. Sarasota, Florida's, Siesta Beach took the second spot on the list, followed by Coronado Beach in San Diego, California. Leatherman uses 50 criteria to evaluate the nation's beaches, including water quality, sand quality, beach width and environmental management. The full list includes coastal recreation spots from Hawaii to Massachusetts: . 1. Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York . 2. Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida . 3. Coronado Beach in San Diego, California . 4. Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina . 5. Main Beach in East Hampton, New York . 6. Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii . 7. Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts . 8. Beachwalker Park in Kiawah Island, South Carolina . 9. Hamoa Beach in Maui, Hawaii . 10. Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida . | Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York, tops the 2010 best beaches list .
The list is compiled by a coastal researcher at Florida International University .
Second and third spots go to beaches in Sarasota, Florida, and San Diego, California . | 59bd61b46f72b0531ce6b537b3d772941a6b7571 | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- A sandy stretch in the tony Hamptons topped 2010's best beaches list, compiled each year by a coastal scholar known as Dr. Beach. Coopers Beach, the main beach in the village of Southampton on the east end of Long Island, New York, took top honors this year on the 20th annual list released by Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University. Coopers Beach's sandy shoreline is dotted with historic mansions and the picturesque St. Andrews Dune Church. Sarasota, Florida's, Siesta Beach took the second spot on the list, followed by Coronado Beach in San Diego, California. Leatherman uses 50 criteria to evaluate the nation's beaches, including water quality, sand quality, beach width and environmental management. The full list includes coastal recreation spots from Hawaii to Massachusetts: . 1. Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York . 2. Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida . 3. Coronado Beach in San Diego, California . 4. Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina . 5. Main Beach in East Hampton, New York . 6. Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii . 7. Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts . 8. Beachwalker Park in Kiawah Island, South Carolina . 9. Hamoa Beach in Maui, Hawaii . 10. Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida . [/INST] Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York, tops the 2010 best beaches list .
The list is compiled by a coastal researcher at Florida International University .
Second and third spots go to beaches in Sarasota, Florida, and San Diego, California . </s> |
By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 09:54 EST, 20 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:07 EST, 20 June 2013 . A father who has the same birthday as his son was left stunned when his second child was born on exactly the same day again - at odds of 133,224 to one. Anthony Reading, 26, now has no excuse for forgetting either Tyler or Joey's birthdays because they were all born on June 8. Anthony, from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, was amazed when he welcomed his first son Tyler into the world exactly 24 years to the day since his own birth. Triple celebration: Anthony Reading, 26, with his two sons Tyler, aged two, right, and Joey on the day that he was born. All three celebrate their birthday on June 8 . Originally due at the end of May, the youngster actually arrived two weeks late but perfectly in time to share his father's special day. Having had a double celebration for the past two years, the 26-year-old then went on to defy astounding odds and make the day a triple celebration after his second son Joey was born, like his father and brother, on June 8. Dr Adam Johansen, at University of Warwick, said the odds of two children being born with the same birthday as their father were 133,224-1. 'If you assume these things are completely independent, then the probability that the father's first son is born on the same day as him is one in 365,' he said. 'The probability of his second son being born on the same day is again one in 365. You then have to multiply the two figures together to give you odds of 133,224 to one that all three are born on the same day.' Birthday brothers: Tyler, aged two years, holds his new baby brother Joey. They were both born on the same day, June 8 . Father and son: Anthony Reading holds his newborn son Joey. The father was expecting the baby to be born on June 6, but he actually arrived two days late . Anthony said: 'Having a child is a wonderful thing and I felt really blessed when Tyler was born healthy and happy back in 2011. 'The icing on the cake was the fact he came along on my birthday as it meant we would always be able to celebrate the day together. 'Unfortunately things didn't work out with Tyler's mum but we have stayed in contact and are still really good friends, which means I see him regularly.' He has since found happiness with current partner Katy Porter and the pair could barely believe it when baby Joey showed up on both Anthony and Tyler's birthday less than two weeks ago. Happy family: Anthony Reading, his partner Katy Porter, and their newborn baby Joey . Talking about receiving his second unexpected birthday present, Anthony, who works night shifts at Asda, added: 'Joey was actually due on July 6 so myself and Katy never really thought there would be a chance of us all being born on the same day. 'It seems Joey had other ideas though and he ended up coming four weeks prematurely on both Tyler and my birthday. 'We were both completely stunned and pretty much everyone who I have told since thinks I'm joking or trying to wind them up because it's so unbelievable. 'After he was born, Joey suffered from jaundice and had to undergo a lot of tests before he was allowed to leave the hospital but now he is back at home and we're enjoying every minute. 'I couldn't ask for anything more than to share my birthday with my two favourite boys. A day that was already special has become even more so now. It's the best present in the world and more than I could ever ask for.' Happy couple: Anthony Reading with his partner Katy who gave birth to his second child earlier this month . | Anthony Reading and sons Tyler, two, and baby Joey are born on June 8 .
Odds of all three being born on the same day are 133,224 to one . | 7c6c8cd5848ffafd7ee3fc477f8f3187f7ba3aee | <s>[INST] By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 09:54 EST, 20 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:07 EST, 20 June 2013 . A father who has the same birthday as his son was left stunned when his second child was born on exactly the same day again - at odds of 133,224 to one. Anthony Reading, 26, now has no excuse for forgetting either Tyler or Joey's birthdays because they were all born on June 8. Anthony, from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, was amazed when he welcomed his first son Tyler into the world exactly 24 years to the day since his own birth. Triple celebration: Anthony Reading, 26, with his two sons Tyler, aged two, right, and Joey on the day that he was born. All three celebrate their birthday on June 8 . Originally due at the end of May, the youngster actually arrived two weeks late but perfectly in time to share his father's special day. Having had a double celebration for the past two years, the 26-year-old then went on to defy astounding odds and make the day a triple celebration after his second son Joey was born, like his father and brother, on June 8. Dr Adam Johansen, at University of Warwick, said the odds of two children being born with the same birthday as their father were 133,224-1. 'If you assume these things are completely independent, then the probability that the father's first son is born on the same day as him is one in 365,' he said. 'The probability of his second son being born on the same day is again one in 365. You then have to multiply the two figures together to give you odds of 133,224 to one that all three are born on the same day.' Birthday brothers: Tyler, aged two years, holds his new baby brother Joey. They were both born on the same day, June 8 . Father and son: Anthony Reading holds his newborn son Joey. The father was expecting the baby to be born on June 6, but he actually arrived two days late . Anthony said: 'Having a child is a wonderful thing and I felt really blessed when Tyler was born healthy and happy back in 2011. 'The icing on the cake was the fact he came along on my birthday as it meant we would always be able to celebrate the day together. 'Unfortunately things didn't work out with Tyler's mum but we have stayed in contact and are still really good friends, which means I see him regularly.' He has since found happiness with current partner Katy Porter and the pair could barely believe it when baby Joey showed up on both Anthony and Tyler's birthday less than two weeks ago. Happy family: Anthony Reading, his partner Katy Porter, and their newborn baby Joey . Talking about receiving his second unexpected birthday present, Anthony, who works night shifts at Asda, added: 'Joey was actually due on July 6 so myself and Katy never really thought there would be a chance of us all being born on the same day. 'It seems Joey had other ideas though and he ended up coming four weeks prematurely on both Tyler and my birthday. 'We were both completely stunned and pretty much everyone who I have told since thinks I'm joking or trying to wind them up because it's so unbelievable. 'After he was born, Joey suffered from jaundice and had to undergo a lot of tests before he was allowed to leave the hospital but now he is back at home and we're enjoying every minute. 'I couldn't ask for anything more than to share my birthday with my two favourite boys. A day that was already special has become even more so now. It's the best present in the world and more than I could ever ask for.' Happy couple: Anthony Reading with his partner Katy who gave birth to his second child earlier this month . [/INST] Anthony Reading and sons Tyler, two, and baby Joey are born on June 8 .
Odds of all three being born on the same day are 133,224 to one . </s> |
By . Nick Enoch . The US government has released new satellite pictures which it said showed Russian forces were still near the Ukrainian border in recent days, contradicting Russian assertions they had been withdrawn. President Vladimir Putin announced last Wednesday that the troops had moved, but NATO and the US both said they had seen no sign of a Russian withdrawal from the frontier. NATO officials have previously estimated Russia has around 40,000 soldiers close to Ukraine's border, exacerbating the worst East-West crisis since the Cold War. Scroll down for video . The photos showed what appeared to be about 20 Russian helicopters at Belgorod, near the Ukrainian border, on May 9. Alongside it, the US government published another image of the same area on March 26, also showing helicopters. An earlier photograph, from March 22, showed no helicopters in the area . The commercial satellite photos, published by the US State Department and on the US Mission to NATO's Twitter account, showed what appeared to be about 20 Russian helicopters at Belgorod, near the Ukrainian border, on May 9. Alongside it, the US government published another image of the same area on March 26, also showing helicopters. An earlier photograph, from March 22, showed no helicopters in the area. A second satellite photograph, taken in the Rostov area on May 12, within 75 km (50 miles) of the Ukraine border, showed what the U.S. government said was a group of Russian armoured vehicles. The vehicles were also there in an earlier picture of the same area, dated March 23. A second satellite photograph, taken in the Rostov area on May 12, within 75 km (50 miles) of the Ukraine border, showed what the U.S. government said was a group of Russian armoured vehicles. The vehicles were also there in an earlier picture of the same area, dated March 23; while none were there on October 25 last year . An armed pro-Russian militant stands guard at a barricade outside the village of Shchastya near the eastern Ukrainian city of Lugansk today . Colonel Martin Downie, spokesman for Allied Command Operations at NATO, said recent comments by Russia's leadership on a troop withdrawal did not reflect realities on the ground. 'The reality is that Russia continues to have 40,000 high-readiness troops massed on Ukraine's border and another 25,000 troops in Crimea. The units on the latest satellite pictures show mechanised infantry, armoured vehicles and combat helicopters,' he said in a statement. 'These units are there to intimidate Ukraine's government and they could be used for an invasion of Ukraine, if ordered by Moscow. We will continue to keep a close eye on Russia's actions near our borders,' he said. Lithuania's forces were joined by members of the U.S. Army 173rd Airborne Brigade for military exercise 'Black Arrow 2014' at the Rukla military base some 75 miles west of Vilnius, Lithuania, today . US and Lithuanina troops are taking part in the largest tactical field training event of Lithuania's Mechanised Infantry Brigade, Iron Wolf, this year . Crew prepare the Dutch Royal Navy's HNLMS Bruinvis submarine to leave the military port in Gdynia to take part in the international NATO exercises 'Dynamic Monarch 2014', in Poland today . The two-week exercises in rescuing submarine crews, held in the Gulf of Gdansk in Poland, involves 14 ships, including three submarines, airplanes, helicopters, diving and medical crews from 18 countries . When NATO published similar satellite photographs in April showing a Russian military build-up near the Ukraine border, a Russian official disputed their authenticity, saying the images were from August last year. The allegation was denied by NATO officials, who said the photographs were recent. Ukraine is not a member of NATO and NATO officials have said the alliance will not get involved there militarily. NATO countries have sent planes, ships and some soldiers to reinforce eastern European members of NATO concerned about their security following Russia's annexation of Crimea. 'Combat helicopter with UN markings' spotted in East Ukraine . Video has emerged of a combat helicopter with UN markings in East Ukraine where it was allegedly used against pro-Russian separatists. The Mi-24 chopper was one of four such helicopters spotted near the Donetsk Oblast city of Kramatorsk by Russia's Life News. A spokesperson for UN . Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said any use of peacekeeping . equipment, bearing the name of the UN, for non-peacekeeping purposes, . would contravene UN rules. His office stressed that equipment marked with UN logos could only be used for UN-sanctioned tasks. 'It is the responsibility of Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) that provide Contingent Owned Equipment to peacekeeping missions to remove all logos and signage bearing the UN's name once such equipment has been repatriated to the home country or is no longer being used for official UN purposes,' Ban's office said. The footage has yet to be verified. Roadmap for peace? Ukraine reluctantly agrees to talks . The Ukrainian government reluctantly agreed to launch talks on decentralising power today as part of a European-backed peace plan, but did not invite its main foes, the pro-Russia insurgents who have declared independence in the east. That deliberate oversight left it unclear what the negotiations might accomplish. Ukraine's prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, was to chair the first in a series of round tables with national lawmakers, government figures and regional officials as part of a peace plan drafted by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Locals collect parts of a seized armoured personnel carrier that was set alight during fighting at Oktyabrskoye village, about 12 miles from Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine . The trans-Atlantic security and rights group also includes Russia and the United States. Even as Yatsenyuk launched the talks he was dismissive of them, thanking the OSCE for its efforts but saying Ukraine has its own plan to end the crisis. He gave no details of that plan. The road map aims to halt fighting between government forces and pro-Russia separatists who have taken over government buildings in the east and de-escalate tensions ahead of Ukraine's May 25 presidential vote. It lets the Ukrainian government decide specifics of the talks. Acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov said the talks would involve 'regional elites' - expected to include former Ukrainian presidents, officials and lawmakers. But he said the government would not stop its offensive to retake eastern cities now under the control of the separatists who declared independence on Monday. 'The government will act against those who are terrorising the region with arms in hand in line with the law, by continuing an anti-terrorist operation against them,' Turchynov said. Insurgents in the east shrugged off the round table as meaningless. 'We haven't received any offers to join a round table and dialogue,' said Denis Pushilin, an insurgent leader in Donetsk. 'If the authorities in Kiev want a dialogue, they must come here. If we go to Kiev, they will arrest us.' Even so, European officials applauded the start of the talks. | Photos appear to show about 20 Russian helicopters at Belgorod on May 9 .
US claims second image, taken in Rostov on May 12, within 50 miles of Ukraine .
border, shows group of Russian .
armoured vehicles .
NATO spokesman says Russia still has 40,000 troops on Ukraine's borders .
'Combat helicopter with UN markings' spotted in East Ukraine . | 2691c7c967dd176c12319fa12b5a85235a017906 | <s>[INST] By . Nick Enoch . The US government has released new satellite pictures which it said showed Russian forces were still near the Ukrainian border in recent days, contradicting Russian assertions they had been withdrawn. President Vladimir Putin announced last Wednesday that the troops had moved, but NATO and the US both said they had seen no sign of a Russian withdrawal from the frontier. NATO officials have previously estimated Russia has around 40,000 soldiers close to Ukraine's border, exacerbating the worst East-West crisis since the Cold War. Scroll down for video . The photos showed what appeared to be about 20 Russian helicopters at Belgorod, near the Ukrainian border, on May 9. Alongside it, the US government published another image of the same area on March 26, also showing helicopters. An earlier photograph, from March 22, showed no helicopters in the area . The commercial satellite photos, published by the US State Department and on the US Mission to NATO's Twitter account, showed what appeared to be about 20 Russian helicopters at Belgorod, near the Ukrainian border, on May 9. Alongside it, the US government published another image of the same area on March 26, also showing helicopters. An earlier photograph, from March 22, showed no helicopters in the area. A second satellite photograph, taken in the Rostov area on May 12, within 75 km (50 miles) of the Ukraine border, showed what the U.S. government said was a group of Russian armoured vehicles. The vehicles were also there in an earlier picture of the same area, dated March 23. A second satellite photograph, taken in the Rostov area on May 12, within 75 km (50 miles) of the Ukraine border, showed what the U.S. government said was a group of Russian armoured vehicles. The vehicles were also there in an earlier picture of the same area, dated March 23; while none were there on October 25 last year . An armed pro-Russian militant stands guard at a barricade outside the village of Shchastya near the eastern Ukrainian city of Lugansk today . Colonel Martin Downie, spokesman for Allied Command Operations at NATO, said recent comments by Russia's leadership on a troop withdrawal did not reflect realities on the ground. 'The reality is that Russia continues to have 40,000 high-readiness troops massed on Ukraine's border and another 25,000 troops in Crimea. The units on the latest satellite pictures show mechanised infantry, armoured vehicles and combat helicopters,' he said in a statement. 'These units are there to intimidate Ukraine's government and they could be used for an invasion of Ukraine, if ordered by Moscow. We will continue to keep a close eye on Russia's actions near our borders,' he said. Lithuania's forces were joined by members of the U.S. Army 173rd Airborne Brigade for military exercise 'Black Arrow 2014' at the Rukla military base some 75 miles west of Vilnius, Lithuania, today . US and Lithuanina troops are taking part in the largest tactical field training event of Lithuania's Mechanised Infantry Brigade, Iron Wolf, this year . Crew prepare the Dutch Royal Navy's HNLMS Bruinvis submarine to leave the military port in Gdynia to take part in the international NATO exercises 'Dynamic Monarch 2014', in Poland today . The two-week exercises in rescuing submarine crews, held in the Gulf of Gdansk in Poland, involves 14 ships, including three submarines, airplanes, helicopters, diving and medical crews from 18 countries . When NATO published similar satellite photographs in April showing a Russian military build-up near the Ukraine border, a Russian official disputed their authenticity, saying the images were from August last year. The allegation was denied by NATO officials, who said the photographs were recent. Ukraine is not a member of NATO and NATO officials have said the alliance will not get involved there militarily. NATO countries have sent planes, ships and some soldiers to reinforce eastern European members of NATO concerned about their security following Russia's annexation of Crimea. 'Combat helicopter with UN markings' spotted in East Ukraine . Video has emerged of a combat helicopter with UN markings in East Ukraine where it was allegedly used against pro-Russian separatists. The Mi-24 chopper was one of four such helicopters spotted near the Donetsk Oblast city of Kramatorsk by Russia's Life News. A spokesperson for UN . Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said any use of peacekeeping . equipment, bearing the name of the UN, for non-peacekeeping purposes, . would contravene UN rules. His office stressed that equipment marked with UN logos could only be used for UN-sanctioned tasks. 'It is the responsibility of Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) that provide Contingent Owned Equipment to peacekeeping missions to remove all logos and signage bearing the UN's name once such equipment has been repatriated to the home country or is no longer being used for official UN purposes,' Ban's office said. The footage has yet to be verified. Roadmap for peace? Ukraine reluctantly agrees to talks . The Ukrainian government reluctantly agreed to launch talks on decentralising power today as part of a European-backed peace plan, but did not invite its main foes, the pro-Russia insurgents who have declared independence in the east. That deliberate oversight left it unclear what the negotiations might accomplish. Ukraine's prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, was to chair the first in a series of round tables with national lawmakers, government figures and regional officials as part of a peace plan drafted by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Locals collect parts of a seized armoured personnel carrier that was set alight during fighting at Oktyabrskoye village, about 12 miles from Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine . The trans-Atlantic security and rights group also includes Russia and the United States. Even as Yatsenyuk launched the talks he was dismissive of them, thanking the OSCE for its efforts but saying Ukraine has its own plan to end the crisis. He gave no details of that plan. The road map aims to halt fighting between government forces and pro-Russia separatists who have taken over government buildings in the east and de-escalate tensions ahead of Ukraine's May 25 presidential vote. It lets the Ukrainian government decide specifics of the talks. Acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov said the talks would involve 'regional elites' - expected to include former Ukrainian presidents, officials and lawmakers. But he said the government would not stop its offensive to retake eastern cities now under the control of the separatists who declared independence on Monday. 'The government will act against those who are terrorising the region with arms in hand in line with the law, by continuing an anti-terrorist operation against them,' Turchynov said. Insurgents in the east shrugged off the round table as meaningless. 'We haven't received any offers to join a round table and dialogue,' said Denis Pushilin, an insurgent leader in Donetsk. 'If the authorities in Kiev want a dialogue, they must come here. If we go to Kiev, they will arrest us.' Even so, European officials applauded the start of the talks. [/INST] Photos appear to show about 20 Russian helicopters at Belgorod on May 9 .
US claims second image, taken in Rostov on May 12, within 50 miles of Ukraine .
border, shows group of Russian .
armoured vehicles .
NATO spokesman says Russia still has 40,000 troops on Ukraine's borders .
'Combat helicopter with UN markings' spotted in East Ukraine . </s> |
(AOL Autos) -- It had never been done before, but as Monte Perlin gunned the engine of his Harley motorbike and prepared to land it in an open boxcar of a moving train, he was strangely calm. Stuntman Monte Perlin putting his motorcycle through its paces. Rather than fret for his own life, he was thinking about the responsibility he had for the life of the woman sitting on the saddle behind him. He laughs to tell the story now, but his moving-train stunt for Disney's 2008 Adam Sandler vehicle "Bedtime Stories" was perhaps the most dangerous Perlin's attempted in his 25 years in Hollywood. His career has involved many films, including "Spider-Man," "Star Trek, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" and portraying Arnold Schwarzenegger's stunt double in "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines." That's right: Monte Perlin is a stunt man. In fact, he said that after completing that train stunt, which involved probably more math than we'd care to compute (consider a man jumping 70 feet on a motorbike at 60 mph from a ramp into an open car of a train traveling at 45 mph, all with a woman on the seat next to him...sounds a bit like a SAT question, doesn't it?) the footage showed he missed. In actuality, he came too close -- or about 6 inches -- to one of the boxcar's doors. So, he had to do it again. "I have to time it with a girl on my back," Perlin said. "Too short, I'm dead. Too late, I'm dead. Too high, fast or powerful, I take my head off. It had to be perfect. While he didn't sleep for two nights before the stunt, he says a strange type of calm precedes any of his attempts at a difficult trick. Then, just before launch, he says, as he revs the engine of whichever "boss hog" he's riding that day, his adrenaline kicks into gear. "I get that feeling, that I could wrestle 10 gorillas, I could jump 10 trains, and boom! I go for it." Perlin completed the stunt, this time "hitting" it almost exactly through the middle of the box-car's open gate and the movie's production team wrapped the scene. "I did it again and just hit it perfect," he said. "I hit the impossible stunt." It didn't start this way . Perlin grew up in Lake Arrowhead, not far from Hollywood, where from the age of 10 he ripped around the largely rural area on motocross bikes before he graduated onto some seriously heavy machinery -- including his own super-modified Harley Davidson that packs a 350 Chevy car engine. That gave him a perfect start in his chosen career of motorcycle stunt riding. AOL Autos: Fastest coupes under $30k . He got into Hollywood by ditching the small-town naysayers who didn't believe in him, he says, and traveling to Los Angeles. After a couple misfires, he looked into a stunt school he found in a Hollywood trade publication and he found his calling. AOL Autos: Top 10 best car commercials . Perhaps more importantly, Perlin met his wife, also a stuntwoman. "(She) changed my life and stopped my drinking," he said. "I told her, 'If we're gonna get married, I gotta have a career.'" In addition to traveling to Africa, Israel, Russia, and all over the world, the couple raised four kids on a 10-acre ranch about 25 miles north of Hollywood in Lancaster. Perlin hasn't touched a drop of alcohol in nearly 25 years. He says he often takes his grandkids for "wheelies" around his neighborhood. As it turns out, stuntin' runs in the family: His 17-year-old daughter is a champion horse show-jumper and is gunning for an Olympic place, but is already a professional stuntwoman. AOL Autos: Ford's 'Wonder Woman' engineers important new car . Stunt work isn't something to be taken lightly, though. Perlin has the scars to prove it. He says he's broken "almost everything." Everything, according to Perlin, includes both of his arms, legs, knees, feet, ankles, several of his ribs, his back and his pelvis. But, his background in gymnastics has left him some flexibility. AOL Autos: Most common car- related injuries . Perhaps philosophically, Perlin points out that the most important thing for any stuntman, alongside having a particular niche or forte like motorbike riding, is learning from the mistakes you'll inevitably make. Sometimes this means knowing when to say no and, simply, when to go for it. He recalls the time he was cajoled by a director into doing a motorcycle stunt he considered too dangerous. "The worst thing (I ever did) was on a Brian Bosworth series 13 years ago in Florida. I had to jump off a pier, over the water and into a barge. Well, usually they give you a lighter bike mocked up to look like a Harley, but they wouldn't do that (for) this so I had to get a stock Kawasaki 1200 Vulcan. I could jump a 35-foot distance (on that bike) but from pier to barge was now more than 35 feet. I checked the tide and the jump was 40 feet long. "Now (I know) I don't want to do it. But the production manager came running out and said, 'If Monte Perlin doesn't do this jump, you all are going home right now.' He was really throwing it at me. I did the jump and landed perfectly, but the bike snapped in half and crushed my ankle. In the hospital, the 'doc said they were gonna have to cut my foot off." Perlin's foot was saved by steel plates and screws, but not before he learned an important lesson: "It's not the fact of making mistakes in life, it's what you learn from them." He describes a later stunt where he had to jump a motorbike down 2.5 stories from a roof, jumping through a window, all while wearing a rubber monster suit. He says the lights were bad, and he "couldn't see a thing." "I called down to floor, said I couldn't see the ground," he said. "They said 'You wimp, my mother could do that.' But, five minutes later the lights were right, and I landed it. The end result was I had learned from my mistakes. There are ways to get around anything." One tough assignment . Most famously, perhaps, Perlin portrayed Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Terminator 3," a role that still has a special place in his memory (although he says he's back working with his old Terminator team on a "major blockbuster" to be filmed this summer). AOL Autos: Top 10 movie car chases . "For Terminator 3, I got a call to double Arnold, to go in and meet him. We hung out for six months, riding together and training. Now (as a double for the) Terminator, I can't be riding and looking, or turning my head. I had to use peripheral vision for all my stunts." Not that he needed a reminder, but Monte's Terminator experiences proved once again that stunt work is serious business. "In one of the sequences, Arnold's riding on a motorcycle and the lady's on a crane. She swings at him and he grabs the crane. But that transfer was not as sweet as it looked. Riding at 45 mph, following the crane, a harness was supposed to bring me closer to the crane and lock me safe to it. But, the crane made a swerve and it pulled me off the motorbike, and he's still going. Picture a fish on the end of a hook, being swung around. If that timing was off I would (have been) wrapped around a pole and torn in half." On the same shoot, Monte had to do battle with an object much larger than him and perhaps less forgiving than a moving crane. "For an explosion shot in the movie, I was heading right toward a tanker," he said. "I swerved around (it) and was head on with a remotely controlled ambulance, (which was) on fire. If I had fallen and it would of hit me, I would have been bone dead. "But, it landed beside me -- a full-weight paramedic truck flipping through the air. I talked to the guy on the remote control after that. He said it would have landed on top of me, but on the last second it turned to the right and missed me. It woulda squished me." Unless you're Monte Perlin, do not try this at home. You might get squished. | Stuntman Monte Perlin has broken "almost everything" in his 25-year career .
His films include "Spider-Man," "Star Trek, "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines"
One motorbike stunt involved jumping 70 feet at 60 mph into open car of moving train .
Remotely controlled, burning ambulance flipped and barely missed him . | 0f438181bde5c56662aca89d6a2f4b45e5b4f8a4 | <s>[INST] (AOL Autos) -- It had never been done before, but as Monte Perlin gunned the engine of his Harley motorbike and prepared to land it in an open boxcar of a moving train, he was strangely calm. Stuntman Monte Perlin putting his motorcycle through its paces. Rather than fret for his own life, he was thinking about the responsibility he had for the life of the woman sitting on the saddle behind him. He laughs to tell the story now, but his moving-train stunt for Disney's 2008 Adam Sandler vehicle "Bedtime Stories" was perhaps the most dangerous Perlin's attempted in his 25 years in Hollywood. His career has involved many films, including "Spider-Man," "Star Trek, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" and portraying Arnold Schwarzenegger's stunt double in "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines." That's right: Monte Perlin is a stunt man. In fact, he said that after completing that train stunt, which involved probably more math than we'd care to compute (consider a man jumping 70 feet on a motorbike at 60 mph from a ramp into an open car of a train traveling at 45 mph, all with a woman on the seat next to him...sounds a bit like a SAT question, doesn't it?) the footage showed he missed. In actuality, he came too close -- or about 6 inches -- to one of the boxcar's doors. So, he had to do it again. "I have to time it with a girl on my back," Perlin said. "Too short, I'm dead. Too late, I'm dead. Too high, fast or powerful, I take my head off. It had to be perfect. While he didn't sleep for two nights before the stunt, he says a strange type of calm precedes any of his attempts at a difficult trick. Then, just before launch, he says, as he revs the engine of whichever "boss hog" he's riding that day, his adrenaline kicks into gear. "I get that feeling, that I could wrestle 10 gorillas, I could jump 10 trains, and boom! I go for it." Perlin completed the stunt, this time "hitting" it almost exactly through the middle of the box-car's open gate and the movie's production team wrapped the scene. "I did it again and just hit it perfect," he said. "I hit the impossible stunt." It didn't start this way . Perlin grew up in Lake Arrowhead, not far from Hollywood, where from the age of 10 he ripped around the largely rural area on motocross bikes before he graduated onto some seriously heavy machinery -- including his own super-modified Harley Davidson that packs a 350 Chevy car engine. That gave him a perfect start in his chosen career of motorcycle stunt riding. AOL Autos: Fastest coupes under $30k . He got into Hollywood by ditching the small-town naysayers who didn't believe in him, he says, and traveling to Los Angeles. After a couple misfires, he looked into a stunt school he found in a Hollywood trade publication and he found his calling. AOL Autos: Top 10 best car commercials . Perhaps more importantly, Perlin met his wife, also a stuntwoman. "(She) changed my life and stopped my drinking," he said. "I told her, 'If we're gonna get married, I gotta have a career.'" In addition to traveling to Africa, Israel, Russia, and all over the world, the couple raised four kids on a 10-acre ranch about 25 miles north of Hollywood in Lancaster. Perlin hasn't touched a drop of alcohol in nearly 25 years. He says he often takes his grandkids for "wheelies" around his neighborhood. As it turns out, stuntin' runs in the family: His 17-year-old daughter is a champion horse show-jumper and is gunning for an Olympic place, but is already a professional stuntwoman. AOL Autos: Ford's 'Wonder Woman' engineers important new car . Stunt work isn't something to be taken lightly, though. Perlin has the scars to prove it. He says he's broken "almost everything." Everything, according to Perlin, includes both of his arms, legs, knees, feet, ankles, several of his ribs, his back and his pelvis. But, his background in gymnastics has left him some flexibility. AOL Autos: Most common car- related injuries . Perhaps philosophically, Perlin points out that the most important thing for any stuntman, alongside having a particular niche or forte like motorbike riding, is learning from the mistakes you'll inevitably make. Sometimes this means knowing when to say no and, simply, when to go for it. He recalls the time he was cajoled by a director into doing a motorcycle stunt he considered too dangerous. "The worst thing (I ever did) was on a Brian Bosworth series 13 years ago in Florida. I had to jump off a pier, over the water and into a barge. Well, usually they give you a lighter bike mocked up to look like a Harley, but they wouldn't do that (for) this so I had to get a stock Kawasaki 1200 Vulcan. I could jump a 35-foot distance (on that bike) but from pier to barge was now more than 35 feet. I checked the tide and the jump was 40 feet long. "Now (I know) I don't want to do it. But the production manager came running out and said, 'If Monte Perlin doesn't do this jump, you all are going home right now.' He was really throwing it at me. I did the jump and landed perfectly, but the bike snapped in half and crushed my ankle. In the hospital, the 'doc said they were gonna have to cut my foot off." Perlin's foot was saved by steel plates and screws, but not before he learned an important lesson: "It's not the fact of making mistakes in life, it's what you learn from them." He describes a later stunt where he had to jump a motorbike down 2.5 stories from a roof, jumping through a window, all while wearing a rubber monster suit. He says the lights were bad, and he "couldn't see a thing." "I called down to floor, said I couldn't see the ground," he said. "They said 'You wimp, my mother could do that.' But, five minutes later the lights were right, and I landed it. The end result was I had learned from my mistakes. There are ways to get around anything." One tough assignment . Most famously, perhaps, Perlin portrayed Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Terminator 3," a role that still has a special place in his memory (although he says he's back working with his old Terminator team on a "major blockbuster" to be filmed this summer). AOL Autos: Top 10 movie car chases . "For Terminator 3, I got a call to double Arnold, to go in and meet him. We hung out for six months, riding together and training. Now (as a double for the) Terminator, I can't be riding and looking, or turning my head. I had to use peripheral vision for all my stunts." Not that he needed a reminder, but Monte's Terminator experiences proved once again that stunt work is serious business. "In one of the sequences, Arnold's riding on a motorcycle and the lady's on a crane. She swings at him and he grabs the crane. But that transfer was not as sweet as it looked. Riding at 45 mph, following the crane, a harness was supposed to bring me closer to the crane and lock me safe to it. But, the crane made a swerve and it pulled me off the motorbike, and he's still going. Picture a fish on the end of a hook, being swung around. If that timing was off I would (have been) wrapped around a pole and torn in half." On the same shoot, Monte had to do battle with an object much larger than him and perhaps less forgiving than a moving crane. "For an explosion shot in the movie, I was heading right toward a tanker," he said. "I swerved around (it) and was head on with a remotely controlled ambulance, (which was) on fire. If I had fallen and it would of hit me, I would have been bone dead. "But, it landed beside me -- a full-weight paramedic truck flipping through the air. I talked to the guy on the remote control after that. He said it would have landed on top of me, but on the last second it turned to the right and missed me. It woulda squished me." Unless you're Monte Perlin, do not try this at home. You might get squished. [/INST] Stuntman Monte Perlin has broken "almost everything" in his 25-year career .
His films include "Spider-Man," "Star Trek, "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines"
One motorbike stunt involved jumping 70 feet at 60 mph into open car of moving train .
Remotely controlled, burning ambulance flipped and barely missed him . </s> |
(CNN) -- Being coach of a nation's football team brings enormous responsibility. The stakes are high, and the weight of expectation is even greater. Some say, for instance, that the England manager's job is second only in importance to the British Prime Minister's role -- and Roy Hodgson has already been subject to intense scrutiny before his first match in charge against Norway in this weekend's Euro 2012 warmup match. But though undeniably demanding, Hodgson's job is arguably a walk in the park compared to the task facing Kevin McGreskin. On another island group, half a world away -- and light years in terms of sporting and economic development -- the Scottish coach is getting to grips with turning a tiny nation's team into one recognized by football's governing body FIFA. Hodgson may have the splendor of Wembley Stadium for home games, but Kiribati's main pitch has more sand than grass. Part of the Commonwealth, Kiribati is made up of 33 coral islands about 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, with a population of just over 100,000. It is one of the world's poorest countries and the World Bank ranks it as having a gross domestic product only greater than that of Tuvalu. Who are European football's "Most Valuable Players?" McGreskin, recently appointed as the Kiribati Football Association's technical director and head coach, has worked closely with a number of professional clubs in the UK as well as helping deliver coaching courses for European football's governing body UEFA. He must also be the only coach who holds the prestigious UEFA "A" License qualification through three different national associations -- England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland -- after deciding to research different approaches to the courses. He is likely to need that raft of qualifications given that Kiribati suffered two 17-1 defeats at the 2011 Pacific Games. "One of my aims now is to make us more competitive at international level within the Pacific region," McGreskin told CNN, laughing at the suggestion he has taken on the toughest coaching job in the world. "While achieving this will improve the status of the national team I also think this will be a very important for the development of game in the country as a whole, as it will offer the young players something positive to aspire to." While Hodgson's time will be taken up by analyzing the teams England will face at Euro 2012, handling the egos of millionaire players and enduring the barbed comments of a critical media, McGreskin's job description extends to helping the Kiribati Football Association find a sponsor and a kit supplier. Oh, and given that it is a low-lying Pacific island, global warming could possibly be a concern down the line. "Generating this funding will determine how we can implement a range of programs at various levels to really move the game forward in the country," said McGreskin. His plan to rejuvenate Kiribati will evolve literally one game at a time. "This year we plan to participate in an international fixture against Fiji, one of our 'local' neighbors, in July and this will require us to raise considerable sponsorship to achieve this," said McGreskin. Big-spending Man City top EPL value table . There is also the small matter for McGreskin of helping the Kiribati FA win FIFA recognition, which would allow the islanders to play in international competitions and be eligible to receive funding from football's global governing body. "Our recent application was unsuccessful but this will be an ongoing process for us," said McGreskin. "However, while delivering this disappointing news FIFA also promised some assistance in our efforts to develop the game. "This will be a great help to us and we will continue working towards meeting the membership criteria. It is the country's ultimate ambition to compete in the World Cup qualifiers." Of Kiribati's 33 islands, 21 are inhabited -- though most of its population is based in the Gilbert Islands. Thirty-two are atolls (ring-shaped islands with a central lagoon) while Banaba is a raised coral island. Player selection is also a challenge, with just 2,351 registered male players over the age of 18 in Kiribati and only 468 women players. The islands extend 2,400 miles from east to west, so McGreskin also faces a travel headache as he scouts for talent. "The land mass of the country may be small but it is spread out over a huge area, so it offers a fairly unique logistical problem -- particularly if you need to implement a regular league season," he said. "There is a huge passion for the game in the country and although there isn't much room for football pitches, there is still at least one on each of the islands. "This means that the pitches that are available are played on almost all of the time, which means the surfaces aren't the best." Surrounded by palm trees, Kiribati's Bairiki National Stadium looks about as idyllic a location as you could want from a football ground, but with one small hitch -- it does not have much grass. Indeed it has so little, the pitch could double up as a beach. "The installation of a 3G all-weather pitch would be of huge benefit to us on the main island as it would be used regularly and mean less wear on our stadium pitch, which would give us the chance to maintain it to international standard, and help us achieve our ambition of hosting a home international match," added McGreskin. "Maybe this is one of the projects FIFA can help us with." McGreskin might not be a household name but he is quietly establishing a reputation as one of Britain's more innovative coaches. He believes that for too long England has been coaching players in "pretty much the same way, but expecting the end product to be different and thinking somehow talent will magically appear." An advocate of overload training -- a method which encourages players to concentrate on doing several things at once -- he has devised one exercise in which players have to throw a tennis ball and call out colors while they are passing a football in sequence. "We are not providing players with the challenges that they need to meet the demands of the modern game," said McGreskin, who has been working with Scottish professional team Partick Thistle this season. "Overload exercises help the player speed up the feet and the thought process." McGreskin believes players' decision-making is often not quick enough, a weakness that is caused by their inability to scan the pitch when they are without the ball. "Don't forget almost 98% of the game is played off the ball. Even in a basic passing drill I force the players to work on perception, scanning skills, technique, adjustability, concentration, attention focus and attention bandwidth. It's quite amazing the effect it can have on players." So does McGreskin have any advice for Hodgson ahead of Euro 2012? "In one word: win," he said bluntly. " I think that has become almost only thing that matters for a coach at that level of the game. "England don't just want to be in a position to participate in the Euros and World Cups, they want to be competing and seriously challenging for the trophy. "However, I also think people like to see a steady stream of young talent coming through that also offers hope for the future. So, while the England manager's focus is on the full team, I think he should be actively interested in the development squads at both international and club level." | Roy Hodgson takes charge of England team for first time against Norway on Saturday .
England manager's role has been described as the "impossible" job .
Briton Kevin McGreskin has been brought in to coach the Kiribati Islands .
At the 2011 Pacific Games, Kiribati suffered two 17-1 defeats . | 342e5e44495b70c9c0f03267c8392973cb578915 | <s>[INST] (CNN) -- Being coach of a nation's football team brings enormous responsibility. The stakes are high, and the weight of expectation is even greater. Some say, for instance, that the England manager's job is second only in importance to the British Prime Minister's role -- and Roy Hodgson has already been subject to intense scrutiny before his first match in charge against Norway in this weekend's Euro 2012 warmup match. But though undeniably demanding, Hodgson's job is arguably a walk in the park compared to the task facing Kevin McGreskin. On another island group, half a world away -- and light years in terms of sporting and economic development -- the Scottish coach is getting to grips with turning a tiny nation's team into one recognized by football's governing body FIFA. Hodgson may have the splendor of Wembley Stadium for home games, but Kiribati's main pitch has more sand than grass. Part of the Commonwealth, Kiribati is made up of 33 coral islands about 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, with a population of just over 100,000. It is one of the world's poorest countries and the World Bank ranks it as having a gross domestic product only greater than that of Tuvalu. Who are European football's "Most Valuable Players?" McGreskin, recently appointed as the Kiribati Football Association's technical director and head coach, has worked closely with a number of professional clubs in the UK as well as helping deliver coaching courses for European football's governing body UEFA. He must also be the only coach who holds the prestigious UEFA "A" License qualification through three different national associations -- England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland -- after deciding to research different approaches to the courses. He is likely to need that raft of qualifications given that Kiribati suffered two 17-1 defeats at the 2011 Pacific Games. "One of my aims now is to make us more competitive at international level within the Pacific region," McGreskin told CNN, laughing at the suggestion he has taken on the toughest coaching job in the world. "While achieving this will improve the status of the national team I also think this will be a very important for the development of game in the country as a whole, as it will offer the young players something positive to aspire to." While Hodgson's time will be taken up by analyzing the teams England will face at Euro 2012, handling the egos of millionaire players and enduring the barbed comments of a critical media, McGreskin's job description extends to helping the Kiribati Football Association find a sponsor and a kit supplier. Oh, and given that it is a low-lying Pacific island, global warming could possibly be a concern down the line. "Generating this funding will determine how we can implement a range of programs at various levels to really move the game forward in the country," said McGreskin. His plan to rejuvenate Kiribati will evolve literally one game at a time. "This year we plan to participate in an international fixture against Fiji, one of our 'local' neighbors, in July and this will require us to raise considerable sponsorship to achieve this," said McGreskin. Big-spending Man City top EPL value table . There is also the small matter for McGreskin of helping the Kiribati FA win FIFA recognition, which would allow the islanders to play in international competitions and be eligible to receive funding from football's global governing body. "Our recent application was unsuccessful but this will be an ongoing process for us," said McGreskin. "However, while delivering this disappointing news FIFA also promised some assistance in our efforts to develop the game. "This will be a great help to us and we will continue working towards meeting the membership criteria. It is the country's ultimate ambition to compete in the World Cup qualifiers." Of Kiribati's 33 islands, 21 are inhabited -- though most of its population is based in the Gilbert Islands. Thirty-two are atolls (ring-shaped islands with a central lagoon) while Banaba is a raised coral island. Player selection is also a challenge, with just 2,351 registered male players over the age of 18 in Kiribati and only 468 women players. The islands extend 2,400 miles from east to west, so McGreskin also faces a travel headache as he scouts for talent. "The land mass of the country may be small but it is spread out over a huge area, so it offers a fairly unique logistical problem -- particularly if you need to implement a regular league season," he said. "There is a huge passion for the game in the country and although there isn't much room for football pitches, there is still at least one on each of the islands. "This means that the pitches that are available are played on almost all of the time, which means the surfaces aren't the best." Surrounded by palm trees, Kiribati's Bairiki National Stadium looks about as idyllic a location as you could want from a football ground, but with one small hitch -- it does not have much grass. Indeed it has so little, the pitch could double up as a beach. "The installation of a 3G all-weather pitch would be of huge benefit to us on the main island as it would be used regularly and mean less wear on our stadium pitch, which would give us the chance to maintain it to international standard, and help us achieve our ambition of hosting a home international match," added McGreskin. "Maybe this is one of the projects FIFA can help us with." McGreskin might not be a household name but he is quietly establishing a reputation as one of Britain's more innovative coaches. He believes that for too long England has been coaching players in "pretty much the same way, but expecting the end product to be different and thinking somehow talent will magically appear." An advocate of overload training -- a method which encourages players to concentrate on doing several things at once -- he has devised one exercise in which players have to throw a tennis ball and call out colors while they are passing a football in sequence. "We are not providing players with the challenges that they need to meet the demands of the modern game," said McGreskin, who has been working with Scottish professional team Partick Thistle this season. "Overload exercises help the player speed up the feet and the thought process." McGreskin believes players' decision-making is often not quick enough, a weakness that is caused by their inability to scan the pitch when they are without the ball. "Don't forget almost 98% of the game is played off the ball. Even in a basic passing drill I force the players to work on perception, scanning skills, technique, adjustability, concentration, attention focus and attention bandwidth. It's quite amazing the effect it can have on players." So does McGreskin have any advice for Hodgson ahead of Euro 2012? "In one word: win," he said bluntly. " I think that has become almost only thing that matters for a coach at that level of the game. "England don't just want to be in a position to participate in the Euros and World Cups, they want to be competing and seriously challenging for the trophy. "However, I also think people like to see a steady stream of young talent coming through that also offers hope for the future. So, while the England manager's focus is on the full team, I think he should be actively interested in the development squads at both international and club level." [/INST] Roy Hodgson takes charge of England team for first time against Norway on Saturday .
England manager's role has been described as the "impossible" job .
Briton Kevin McGreskin has been brought in to coach the Kiribati Islands .
At the 2011 Pacific Games, Kiribati suffered two 17-1 defeats . </s> |
By . Sara Nathan . UPDATED: . 01:39 EST, 30 April 2013 . Literary giant Sir Salman Rushdie is romancing New York designer and socialite Missy Brody after escorting her to a string of parties. Sir Salman,65, has been seen with Melissa 'Missy' Brody at a series of posh events recently, including Vanity Fair's Tribeca Film Festival bash last week - and the brunette does seem to bear a striking resemblance to his ex-wife Padma Lakshmi. Missy, who at 45 is 20 years Salman's junior, was previously married to businessman Brian Krauss and the pair shared a home in New Jersey's upscale Saddle River. A spokesman for Sir Salman today confirmed to MailOnline that the couple are dating. New love: Famed scribe Salman Rushdie and fashion designer Missy Brody have 'known each for years', according to a friend. Divorced: Missy Brody is believed to be divorced from businessman Brian Krauss. The couple are seen here in New York in 2007. Page Six today reported Salman and Missy met through mutual friends and “have known each other for years.” They posed for pictures at the New York City Opera spring gala on Thursday, where they entered holding hands. They were also spotted at an Art Production Fund gala to honor Yoko Ono. Missy is the daughter of wealthy fashion merchant Sheldon Brody, the chairman of Marcraft Apparel Group. Lookalike: Sir Salman Rushdie's ex-wife Padma Lakshmi at the Sunlight Jr.' World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 20, 2013 in New York City. Dating: Sir Salman Rushdie and Missy Brody at the Tribeca Film Festival Vanity Fair Party in New York on April 16. Last year, Salman's attempts to wed for the fifth time were wrecked after a marriage . proposal to his last girlfriend was reportedly rejected. Michelle . Barish turned down the Midnight Children's author's request and gave back the seven-carat . emerald-cut diamond ring he had given her, reported the New York Post. The scribe is believed to have proposed to the stunning ex-wife of Chris Barish, the co-owner of nightclub chain Marquee in December 2011. Unlikely lothario: Salman Rushdie dances with Michelle Barish at a previous birthday party. She turned down his marriage request in 2012 and returned a pricey ring. That came just two days after she . split from billionaire boyfriend Steve Tisch, New York Giants NFL . co-owner and producer of Forrest Gump. Ms Barish has a daughter named Bee . with Mr Barish and declined Mr Rushdie’s offer so she can focus on her child, . reported the New York Post. She had been dating Mr Tisch since August 2011 after a friend set them up, but they reportedly ended their . relationship in December that year. Their time together came to an end at a . lavish party in the Gramercy Park Hotel in Manhattan, New York, at . which Mr Rushdie was also present. Split: Michelle Barish, left, had only been broken up from billionaire Steve Tisch, right, two days when Salman Rushdie proposed marriage in December 2011. The evening was co-hosted by designer . Stacey Bendet, a mutual friend of Ms Barish and Mr Rushdie, and she . invited the author to the party. The author chose to have a drink with . Ms Barish in a separate part of the hotel away from the main party, a . source close to him told MailOnline. This came after Mr Rushdie ended his . relationship with young socialite Devorah Rose. Neither Salman nor . Ms Barish commented at the time. Ms Rose, the busty and beautiful . reality TV wannabe, said in December that Salman is a 'literary genius . with the emotions of a horny child'. Couple? Devorah Rose tweeted this photo of herself with Salman Rushdie at dinner, prompting him to say the pair were never romantically involved . She said she admired the acclaimed . author, but when she wouldn't sleep with him, he dumped her and sullied . her name in the press, she claimed. He is said to have dumped her by text . after she tweeted a photo of them together, though he claimed the pair . were never romantically involved. Three years ago he insisted he . wouldn't rule out relationships completely but had no desire for a fifth . union, saying: 'There is no need to marry'. Salman married his first wife . Clarissa Luard in 1976 and had a son, Zafar. They split up in 1987 and . he married Marianne Wiggins a year later. They divorced in 1993, before he . married his third wife Elizabeth West and then his fourth wife Padma . Lakshmi, whom he split from in 2007. | The Midnight's Children's scribe, 65, has four ex-wives; last divorce in 2007 .
His new love bears a striking resemblance to his fourth wife, Padma Lakshmi .
At 45, Missy Brody is 20 years younger than her new love. | 3154ec4c3a8b7cfad54c22ded67a24763f117e12 | <s>[INST] By . Sara Nathan . UPDATED: . 01:39 EST, 30 April 2013 . Literary giant Sir Salman Rushdie is romancing New York designer and socialite Missy Brody after escorting her to a string of parties. Sir Salman,65, has been seen with Melissa 'Missy' Brody at a series of posh events recently, including Vanity Fair's Tribeca Film Festival bash last week - and the brunette does seem to bear a striking resemblance to his ex-wife Padma Lakshmi. Missy, who at 45 is 20 years Salman's junior, was previously married to businessman Brian Krauss and the pair shared a home in New Jersey's upscale Saddle River. A spokesman for Sir Salman today confirmed to MailOnline that the couple are dating. New love: Famed scribe Salman Rushdie and fashion designer Missy Brody have 'known each for years', according to a friend. Divorced: Missy Brody is believed to be divorced from businessman Brian Krauss. The couple are seen here in New York in 2007. Page Six today reported Salman and Missy met through mutual friends and “have known each other for years.” They posed for pictures at the New York City Opera spring gala on Thursday, where they entered holding hands. They were also spotted at an Art Production Fund gala to honor Yoko Ono. Missy is the daughter of wealthy fashion merchant Sheldon Brody, the chairman of Marcraft Apparel Group. Lookalike: Sir Salman Rushdie's ex-wife Padma Lakshmi at the Sunlight Jr.' World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 20, 2013 in New York City. Dating: Sir Salman Rushdie and Missy Brody at the Tribeca Film Festival Vanity Fair Party in New York on April 16. Last year, Salman's attempts to wed for the fifth time were wrecked after a marriage . proposal to his last girlfriend was reportedly rejected. Michelle . Barish turned down the Midnight Children's author's request and gave back the seven-carat . emerald-cut diamond ring he had given her, reported the New York Post. The scribe is believed to have proposed to the stunning ex-wife of Chris Barish, the co-owner of nightclub chain Marquee in December 2011. Unlikely lothario: Salman Rushdie dances with Michelle Barish at a previous birthday party. She turned down his marriage request in 2012 and returned a pricey ring. That came just two days after she . split from billionaire boyfriend Steve Tisch, New York Giants NFL . co-owner and producer of Forrest Gump. Ms Barish has a daughter named Bee . with Mr Barish and declined Mr Rushdie’s offer so she can focus on her child, . reported the New York Post. She had been dating Mr Tisch since August 2011 after a friend set them up, but they reportedly ended their . relationship in December that year. Their time together came to an end at a . lavish party in the Gramercy Park Hotel in Manhattan, New York, at . which Mr Rushdie was also present. Split: Michelle Barish, left, had only been broken up from billionaire Steve Tisch, right, two days when Salman Rushdie proposed marriage in December 2011. The evening was co-hosted by designer . Stacey Bendet, a mutual friend of Ms Barish and Mr Rushdie, and she . invited the author to the party. The author chose to have a drink with . Ms Barish in a separate part of the hotel away from the main party, a . source close to him told MailOnline. This came after Mr Rushdie ended his . relationship with young socialite Devorah Rose. Neither Salman nor . Ms Barish commented at the time. Ms Rose, the busty and beautiful . reality TV wannabe, said in December that Salman is a 'literary genius . with the emotions of a horny child'. Couple? Devorah Rose tweeted this photo of herself with Salman Rushdie at dinner, prompting him to say the pair were never romantically involved . She said she admired the acclaimed . author, but when she wouldn't sleep with him, he dumped her and sullied . her name in the press, she claimed. He is said to have dumped her by text . after she tweeted a photo of them together, though he claimed the pair . were never romantically involved. Three years ago he insisted he . wouldn't rule out relationships completely but had no desire for a fifth . union, saying: 'There is no need to marry'. Salman married his first wife . Clarissa Luard in 1976 and had a son, Zafar. They split up in 1987 and . he married Marianne Wiggins a year later. They divorced in 1993, before he . married his third wife Elizabeth West and then his fourth wife Padma . Lakshmi, whom he split from in 2007. [/INST] The Midnight's Children's scribe, 65, has four ex-wives; last divorce in 2007 .
His new love bears a striking resemblance to his fourth wife, Padma Lakshmi .
At 45, Missy Brody is 20 years younger than her new love. </s> |
Five people have been killed after a gunman went on a murder spree before fatally shooting himself while being chased by officers. Shayne Riggleman, 22, of Morgantown, West Virginia, also ran over a woman before shooting and wounding a seventh victim. He shot himself dead after the multiple slaying, in which he also killed an unborn baby, as he sat in a car in Kentucky following a police chase. Gun: He killed himself after the multiple slaying, in which he also killed an unborn baby, as he sat in a car in Kentucky following a police chase . ‘It was very horrific to see it,’ State Police Captain James Merrill told the West Virginia Metro News. ‘It was one of those things you won't forget.’ Riggleman's last Facebook post before the shooting said he was upset about being rejected from joining the military despite being ‘fully capable’. Three of the five victims in Morgantown on Monday night were Charles Richardson III, 49, his wife Karin Richardson, 50, and Robert Raber Jr, 30. The fourth and fifth victims were the Richardson couple’s two children - Katrina Hudson, 22, who was six months pregnant, and Kevin Hudson, 17. Baby bump: Katrina Hudson, 22, who was pregnant, was one of five victims from the shooting at a house in Morgantown, West Virginia, on Monday night . Killed: Kevin Hudson, 17, left, and his mother Karin Richardson, 50, right, are both pictured on Facebook . Biker: Charles Richardson III, 49, was killed along with four other people at the house in Morgantown on Monday . Two bodies were found by police in the kitchen, two in the bathroom and one in the living room. 'It was very horrific to see it. It was one of those things you won't forget' James MerrillWest Virginia State Police Captain . He then went to visit a friend in Fairchance, Pennsylvania, who ended up tipping off police. Riggleman later ran over a woman after leaving. She is in a critical condition and was named by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review as 60-year-old Sidney Lee Bush. He then drove on to Kentucky, but stopped at an Exxon station in Roane County, West Virginia. There he shot pump attendant Donald Nichols in the neck - and he was also left in a critical condition, but police said he is expected to recover. Scene: Charles Richardson Jr stands outside a home in West Virginia on Tuesday, after his son and four other family members were shot to death . Facebook page: Riggleman's friends have been posting tribute messages on his profile page and set up a group on the social networking site to remember him . The Riggleman shooting spree was not the only one in the U.S. over the last week. Six people died over Labor Day weekend in New York after 15 separate gun incidents. At least 48 were injured and Mayor Michael Bloomberg blamed a national gun crime crisis. Meanwhile four people died after a gunman opened fire at a Nevada IHOP on Tuesday. Riggleman was later pulled over police . in Lewis County, Kentucky, and shot and killed himself, reported the . West Virginia Metro News. Police found two rifles and a . .22-calibre handgun in the car. They believe the killing spree would . have continued if he had not been pulled over. Other Facebook posts made recently by Riggleman included: ‘Revenge is a dish best served cold and God is the chef’. Riggleman's friends have been posting tribute messages on his Facebook page and set up a group to remember him. Dead: He killed himself after the multiple slaying, in which he also killed an unborn baby, as he sat in a car in Kentucky following a police chase . Saw: Riggleman's last Facebook post before the shooting said he was upset about being rejected from joining the military despite being 'fully capable' Amber Christine Faulknier said: 'Omg . Shayne! Why would you do this?! You had so many people to talk to and . help you! I'm gonna miss you!' 'Why wouldn't they let me join the military? I'm fully capable, and there was no career for me!' Shayne Riggleman's last Facebook post . Another friend, Rachel Legg, posted: 'What the hell happened? You were trying so hard to get your life back. I am really sad to hear this.' Police said the crime was 'heinous' but will not reveal any possible motive, although they did confirm Riggleman was an 'acquaintance' of the victims. Riggleman's Facebook page revealed he was agnostic and a socialist. Shooting spree: Shayne Riggleman killed five people before committing suicide . | Shayne Riggleman, 22, murdered five people, including pregnant woman .
Also ran over elderly woman and shot seventh victim before killing himself .
Facebook post by Riggleman said military rejection made him upset . | a7e6ca33bf7b52d9a48f2cc9635cf8dd8a28fa8f | <s>[INST] Five people have been killed after a gunman went on a murder spree before fatally shooting himself while being chased by officers. Shayne Riggleman, 22, of Morgantown, West Virginia, also ran over a woman before shooting and wounding a seventh victim. He shot himself dead after the multiple slaying, in which he also killed an unborn baby, as he sat in a car in Kentucky following a police chase. Gun: He killed himself after the multiple slaying, in which he also killed an unborn baby, as he sat in a car in Kentucky following a police chase . ‘It was very horrific to see it,’ State Police Captain James Merrill told the West Virginia Metro News. ‘It was one of those things you won't forget.’ Riggleman's last Facebook post before the shooting said he was upset about being rejected from joining the military despite being ‘fully capable’. Three of the five victims in Morgantown on Monday night were Charles Richardson III, 49, his wife Karin Richardson, 50, and Robert Raber Jr, 30. The fourth and fifth victims were the Richardson couple’s two children - Katrina Hudson, 22, who was six months pregnant, and Kevin Hudson, 17. Baby bump: Katrina Hudson, 22, who was pregnant, was one of five victims from the shooting at a house in Morgantown, West Virginia, on Monday night . Killed: Kevin Hudson, 17, left, and his mother Karin Richardson, 50, right, are both pictured on Facebook . Biker: Charles Richardson III, 49, was killed along with four other people at the house in Morgantown on Monday . Two bodies were found by police in the kitchen, two in the bathroom and one in the living room. 'It was very horrific to see it. It was one of those things you won't forget' James MerrillWest Virginia State Police Captain . He then went to visit a friend in Fairchance, Pennsylvania, who ended up tipping off police. Riggleman later ran over a woman after leaving. She is in a critical condition and was named by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review as 60-year-old Sidney Lee Bush. He then drove on to Kentucky, but stopped at an Exxon station in Roane County, West Virginia. There he shot pump attendant Donald Nichols in the neck - and he was also left in a critical condition, but police said he is expected to recover. Scene: Charles Richardson Jr stands outside a home in West Virginia on Tuesday, after his son and four other family members were shot to death . Facebook page: Riggleman's friends have been posting tribute messages on his profile page and set up a group on the social networking site to remember him . The Riggleman shooting spree was not the only one in the U.S. over the last week. Six people died over Labor Day weekend in New York after 15 separate gun incidents. At least 48 were injured and Mayor Michael Bloomberg blamed a national gun crime crisis. Meanwhile four people died after a gunman opened fire at a Nevada IHOP on Tuesday. Riggleman was later pulled over police . in Lewis County, Kentucky, and shot and killed himself, reported the . West Virginia Metro News. Police found two rifles and a . .22-calibre handgun in the car. They believe the killing spree would . have continued if he had not been pulled over. Other Facebook posts made recently by Riggleman included: ‘Revenge is a dish best served cold and God is the chef’. Riggleman's friends have been posting tribute messages on his Facebook page and set up a group to remember him. Dead: He killed himself after the multiple slaying, in which he also killed an unborn baby, as he sat in a car in Kentucky following a police chase . Saw: Riggleman's last Facebook post before the shooting said he was upset about being rejected from joining the military despite being 'fully capable' Amber Christine Faulknier said: 'Omg . Shayne! Why would you do this?! You had so many people to talk to and . help you! I'm gonna miss you!' 'Why wouldn't they let me join the military? I'm fully capable, and there was no career for me!' Shayne Riggleman's last Facebook post . Another friend, Rachel Legg, posted: 'What the hell happened? You were trying so hard to get your life back. I am really sad to hear this.' Police said the crime was 'heinous' but will not reveal any possible motive, although they did confirm Riggleman was an 'acquaintance' of the victims. Riggleman's Facebook page revealed he was agnostic and a socialist. Shooting spree: Shayne Riggleman killed five people before committing suicide . [/INST] Shayne Riggleman, 22, murdered five people, including pregnant woman .
Also ran over elderly woman and shot seventh victim before killing himself .
Facebook post by Riggleman said military rejection made him upset . </s> |