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By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 14:11 EST, 25 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:36 EST, 25 October 2013 . The bishop of the Fargo Catholic Diocese in North Dakota has exposed potentially hundreds of church members in Fargo, Grand Forks and Jamestown to the hepatitis A virus in late September and early October. The state Health Department has issued an advisory of exposure for anyone who attended five churches and took communion. Bishop John Folda (pictured) of the Fargo Catholic Diocese in North Dakota has exposed potentially hundreds of church members in Fargo, Grand Forks and Jamestown to the hepatitis A . State Immunization Program Manager Molly Howell says the risk is low, but officials feel it's important to alert people to the possible exposure. The diocese announced on Monday that Bishop John Folda is taking time off after being diagnosed with hepatitis A. The diocese says he contracted the infection through contaminated food while attending a conference for newly ordained bishops in Italy last month. Symptoms of hepatitis A include fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea and abdominal discomfort. Fargo Catholic Diocese in North Dakota (pictured) is where the bishop is located .
Bishop John Folda, of North Dakota, is taking time off after being diagnosed . He contracted the infection through contaminated food in Italy . Church members in Fargo, Grand Forks and Jamestown could have been exposed .
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(CNN) -- Ralph Mata was an internal affairs lieutenant for the Miami-Dade Police Department, working in the division that investigates allegations of wrongdoing by cops. Outside the office, authorities allege that the 45-year-old longtime officer worked with a drug trafficking organization to help plan a murder plot and get guns. A criminal complaint unsealed in U.S. District Court in New Jersey Tuesday accuses Mata, also known as "The Milk Man," of using his role as a police officer to help the drug trafficking organization in exchange for money and gifts, including a Rolex watch. In one instance, the complaint alleges, Mata arranged to pay two assassins to kill rival drug dealers. The killers would pose as cops, pulling over their targets before shooting them, according to the complaint. "Ultimately, the (organization) decided not to move forward with the murder plot, but Mata still received a payment for setting up the meetings," federal prosecutors said in a statement. The complaint also alleges that Mata used his police badge to purchase weapons for drug traffickers. Mata, according to the complaint, then used contacts at the airport to transport the weapons in his carry-on luggage on trips from Miami to the Dominican Republic. Court documents released by investigators do not specify the name of the drug trafficking organization with which Mata allegedly conspired but says the organization has been importing narcotics from places such as Ecuador and the Dominican Republic by hiding them "inside shipping containers containing pallets of produce, including bananas." The organization "has been distributing narcotics in New Jersey and elsewhere," the complaint says. Authorities arrested Mata on Tuesday in Miami Gardens, Florida. It was not immediately clear whether Mata has an attorney, and police officials could not be immediately reached for comment. Mata has worked for the Miami-Dade Police Department since 1992, including directing investigations in Miami Gardens and working as a lieutenant in the K-9 unit at Miami International Airport, according to the complaint. Since March 2010, he had been working in the internal affairs division. Mata faces charges of aiding and abetting a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, conspiring to distribute cocaine and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Florida on Wednesday. If convicted, Mata could face life in prison. CNN's Suzanne Presto contributed to this report.
Criminal complaint: Cop used his role to help cocaine traffickers . Ralph Mata, an internal affairs lieutenant, allegedly helped group get guns . He also arranged to pay two assassins in a murder plot, a complaint alleges .
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A drunk driver who killed a young woman in a head-on crash while checking his mobile phone has been jailed for six years. Craig Eccleston-Todd, 27, was driving home from a night at a pub when he received a text message. As he was reading or replying to it, he veered across the road while driving round a bend and smashed into Rachel Titley’s car coming the other way. Craig Eccleston-Todd, 27 (left) was using his mobile phone when he crashed head-on into the car being driven by Rachel Titley, 28 (right). She died later from her injuries . The head-on crash took place in October 2013. Mr Eccleston-Todd's car was barely recognisable (pictured) Police said Eccleston-Todd had drunk at least three or four pints of beer before getting behind the wheel. He was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving at Portsmouth Crown Court yesterday. Miss Titley, a 28-year-old solicitor’s clerk from Cowes, Isle of Wight, had also spent the evening with friends at a pub but had not drunk any alcohol, police said. She was driving responsibly and there was ‘nothing she could have done to avoid the collision’, they added. Lindsay Pennell, prosecuting, said: ‘Craig Eccleston-Todd’s driving resulted in the tragic death of a young woman, Rachel Titley, a death that could have been avoided. ‘Mr Eccleston-Todd took the decision to pick up his mobile phone whilst driving and, either reading or replying to this text message, was so distracted that he failed to negotiate a left-hand bend, crossing the central white line into the path of Miss Titley’s oncoming car. Miss Titley was pulled the wreckage of her Daihatsu Cuore but died later from her injuries in hospital . ‘Miss Titley [had] a bright future ahead of her. She was also returning home having spent an enjoyable evening with friends and was driving responsibly. ‘She had arranged to contact her friends when she got home to confirm that she had arrived safely. Her friends sadly never heard from her after they parted company. ‘Miss Titley’s death in these circumstances reiterates the danger of using a hand-held mobile phone whilst driving.’ Police were unable to take breath or blood tests from Eccleston-Todd immediately, but in tests several hours after the accident he was only marginally under the drink-drive limit. The judge agreed with police that he would have been over the limit at the time his red Citroen hit Miss Titley’s blue Daihatsu Cuore on a road near Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, on October 11, 2013. His phone records showed he was also texting around the time of the crash. PC Mark Furse, from Hampshire constabulary’s serious collision investigation unit, said: 'Our thoughts are with Rachel's family at this time. She had been out with friends at a pub in Shalfleet that evening, but had not had any alcohol. 'Our investigation showed that there was nothing she could have done to avoid the collision and sadly it cost her her life. 'Mr Eccleston-Todd had left work in Yarmouth and met with friends at a pub where he drank at least three to four pints of lager. He hadn't long left the pub to return home when the collision occurred at around 9.30pm. 'We weren't able to take breath or blood tests from him immediately and although blood taken several hours after the collision showed he was marginally under the limit, we maintain he would have been over the limit at the time of the collision and in summing up today, the judge agreed. 'The analysis of his phone records showed that he was texting on his phone around the time of the collision so it's highly likely this would also have contributed to his dangerous driving and loss of control.' Eccleston-Todd was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving following a trial at Portsmouth Crown Court (pictured) He added: 'Mr Eccleston-Todd will now spend six years behind bars, but Rachel's family have lost her forever. 'I hope this will make people think twice before drinking any alcohol and getting behind the wheel, or using a phone once they're on the road. 'The dangers of drink driving and driving whilst using a mobile phone are obvious. Those who continue to do so risk spending a substantial time in prison. This case highlights just how tragic the consequences of committing these offences can be.' ‘Mr Eccleston-Todd will now spend six years behind bars, but Rachel’s family have lost her for ever. I hope this will make people think twice before drinking any alcohol and getting behind the wheel, or using a phone once they’re on the road. This case highlights just how tragic the consequences of committing these offences can be.’ Eccleston-Todd, of Newport, Isle of Wight, was also disqualified from driving for eight years after which he will have to complete an extended re-test.
Craig Eccleston-Todd, 27, had drunk at least three pints before driving car . Was using phone when he veered across road in Yarmouth, Isle of Wight . Crashed head-on into 28-year-old Rachel Titley's car, who died in hospital . Police say he would have been over legal drink-drive limit at time of crash . He was found guilty at Portsmouth Crown Court of causing death by dangerous driving .
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(CNN) -- With a breezy sweep of his pen President Vladimir Putin wrote a new chapter into Crimea's turbulent history, committing the region to a future returned to Russian domain. Sixty years prior, Ukraine's breakaway peninsula was signed away just as swiftly by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. But dealing with such a blatant land grab on its eastern flank won't be anywhere near as quick and easy for Europe's 28-member union. Because, unlike Crimea's rushed referendum, everyone has a say. After initially slapping visa restrictions and asset freezes on a limited number of little known politicians and military men, Europe is facing urgent calls to widen the scope of its measures to target the Russian business community in particular. The logic of this is that those who run Russia and own it are essentially two sides of the coin. Alexei Navalny, one-time Moscow mayoral contender now under house arrest for opposing the current regime, called for Europe's leaders to ban everyone -- from Vladimir Putin's personal banker to Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich from keeping their money and loved ones abroad. Asset freezes and visa restrictions are especially palatable options for the EU because they can be rolled out on a discretionary basis, without requiring cumbersome legal procedures and recourse. In fact Russia cancels visas for people it doesn't like all the time. Just look at Hermitage Capital founder Bill Browder who lost both his right of entry and Moscow-based money in 2005 and dare not go back. Russia also banned the adoption of its orphans by Americans in retaliation for the US's implementation of an anti-corruption law named after Sergei Magnitsky, Browder's lawyer who died after a year in a Moscow detention center, apparently beaten to death. Yet in playing the 'money talks' card, Europe must be ready for the consequences of such action. Because money also walks. As such EU leaders must be ready to accept sanctions are a two-way street and will hurt both sides. Targeting Russia's peripatetic business community would be one way of sapping their tenuous support for President Putin. And such a strategy might also turn out to have a silver lining: awarding EU countries a chance to finally deal with some of the more unpleasant sides of their patronage, including money laundering and corruption, which have inflated prize assets like London property and Picasso paintings for years. Where Europe should hold fire though is trade. Two decades of post-Soviet rapprochement and almost $500 billion worth of commerce is a lot to put at stake. It's true that any trade war would hurt Russia far harder than it would the EU - not least because 15% of the former's GDP comes from exports to the bloc. But Europe - with its hefty reliance on Russian gas - would have a hard time keeping its factories going and citizens warm without power from the east. And while Putin flexes his political muscle, open trade channels keep the dialogue going giving all sides a chance to change the subject and talk less tensely. No one can afford to cut off that lifeline, especially now with Europe's economy on the rebound and Russia's one on the wane.
Nina dos Santos says Europe must be ready to accept sanctions will hurt both sides . Targeting Russia's business community would be one way of sapping their support for President Putin, she says . But she says Europe would have a hard time keeping its factories going without power from the east .
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Fleetwood are the only team still to have a 100% record in Sky Bet League One as a 2-0 win over Scunthorpe sent Graham Alexander’s men top of the table. The Cod Army are playing in the third tier for the first time in their history after six promotions in nine years and their remarkable ascent shows no sign of slowing with Jamie Proctor and Gareth Evans scoring the goals at Glanford Park. Fleetwood were one of five teams to have won two out of two but the other four clubs - Peterborough, Bristol City, Chesterfield and Crawley - all hit their first stumbling blocks. Posh were defeated 2-1 by Sheffield United, who had lost both of their opening contests. Jose Baxter’s opener gave the Blades a first-half lead, and although it was later cancelled out by Shaun Brisley’s goal, Ben Davies snatched a winner six minutes from time. In the lead: Jose Baxter (right) celebrates opening the scoring for Sheffield United . Up for the battle: Sheffield United's Michael Doyle (left) challenges Peterborough's Kyle Vassell in a keenly-contested clash . Bristol City, who beat Nigel Clough’s men on the opening day, were held to a goalless draw by last season's play-off finalists Leyton Orient while Chesterfield, the League Two champions, were beaten 1-0 by MK Dons, who play Manchester United in the Capital One Cup in seven days’ time. Arsenal loanee Benik Afobe scored the only goal of the game just after the break. Meanwhile, Crawley lost their unbeaten status, while Bradford maintained theirs, thanks to a 3-1 win for the Bantams. James Hanson became the first player to score against Crawley this season after 49 minutes before Joe Walsh equalised five minutes later. Heads up: Bristol City's Korey Smith (left) and Leyton Orient's Lloyd James go up for a header . But strikes from Billy Knott and Mason Bennett sealed an impressive away win Phil Parkinson's men. Bradford are now second behind Fleetwood after Doncaster’s stoppage-time equaliser meant Preston, for whom Joe Garner signed a new contract earlier on Tuesday, were held to a 1-1 draw which slipped them down the table. Chris Humphrey looked to have secured the points for the Lilywhites but Nathan Tyson struck a last-gasp leveller. Stand-in striker Matt Done scored a hat-trick for Rochdale in the evening’s high-scoring affair as Crewe were hammered 5-2. Marcus Haber marked his full Railwaymen debut with a brace but Done’s treble and goals from Ian Henderson and Peter Vincenti helped Keith Hill’s men to a big away victory. There were plenty of goals between Coventry and Barnsley too in a 2-2 draw with all four goals coming in the first half. Josh McQuoid and Jordan Clarke twice gave the Sky Blues the lead, but the Tykes earned a point thanks to strikes from Conor Hourihane and Leroy Lita. Notts County recorded a 2-1 home win over Colchester with Ronan Murray and Liam Noble on target. Freddie Sears replied for Colchester. James Wilson's second half equaliser earned Oldham a points against Port Vale after Tom Pope's opener and Yeovil claimed a 2-1 away victory at Walsall with Kevin Dawson striking a late winner. Tom Bradshaw had equalised after veteran James Hayter gave the Glovers the lead. Finally, Swindon held Gillingham to a 2-2 draw thanks to Stephen Bywater’s last-minute own goal. Danny Kedwell and Kortney Hause twice gave the Gills the lead but Andy Williams pulled Swindon level before Bywater dropped Raphael Branco's cross into his own net.
Fleetwood top of League One after 2-0 win at Scunthorpe . Peterborough, Bristol City, Chesterfield and Crawley all drop first points of the season . Stand-in striker Matt Done scores a hat-trick as Rochdale thrash Crewe 5-2 . Wins for Notts County and Yeovil . Coventry/Bradford and Oldham/Port Vale both end in draws . A late Stephen Bywater own goal denies Gillingham three points against Millwall .
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He's been accused of making many a fashion faux pas while on holiday. But the Prime Minister seems to be deaf to his critics. Yesterday David Cameron was seen in the same pair of beige loafers he wore on holiday last year. Mr Cameron, who is in Lanzarote with his family, got  the £20.99 shoes from high street store Aldo and took them with him to Portugal last summer. Retread: David Cameron with Samantha yesterday. And yes - he's wearing the same shoes . David Cameron and Samantha in Portugal last year - where he debuted his beige loafers . Yesterday he teamed them with a casual . navy blue shirt and beige shorts on a trip to Teguise in the centre of . the island with wife Samantha. As . ever fashion consultant Mrs Cameron trumped her husband in the style . stakes, wearing an elegant black maxi dress and emerald green cardigan. The . couple and their children Nancy, Arthur and Florence are spending six . days on the island in a £200-a-night restored 18th century farmhouse, . away from the main resorts. The Prime Minister sported no socks with smart black work shoes in one memorable holiday look . The couple wear matching trainers while on holiday in Granada, Spain, in 2011 . The . retreat has been styled with an Indonesian theme. It includes . carved Buddha statues, has its own yoga hall, swimming pool, hot tub . and ‘chill-out’ area with hammocks – ideal for a Prime  Minister who . reputedly has a taste for ‘chillaxing’. Mr . Cameron has previously been ridiculed for his holiday attire, such as . wearing smart black work shoes without socks and garish floral shorts. Refreshment: David Cameron and his wife Samantha stop off for a coffee and a water during their break in Lanzarote . Jetting off: In April, the Camerons holidayed in Lanzarote, staying in an upmarket hotel . The Camerons are holidaying in Lanzarote, the most eastern Canary Island .
Prime Minister and his family are enjoying an Easter break in Lanzarote . Sported the same £20.99 beige loafers as he wore in Portugal last year . PM sat and had a drink at a beach-side cafe on the Spanish Island .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 01:15 EST, 30 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:23 EST, 30 November 2013 . More than two decades after Magic Johnson announced that he had HIV, the basketball player says he is still surprised at the impact the news had. The former Los Angeles Lakers player said when he was first told he had HIV he was convinced he was going to die, but advances in drugs has helped Johnson - and millions of others - survive. Johnson, who became the face of HIV/Aids 22 years ago, is now campaigning for more people to get tested for the disease, especially those in black or Hispanic communities. Campaign: Magic Johnson has dedicated his life to raising awareness about HIV over the past 22 years . 'We have to drive people to get tested, . because that's the most important thing,' he told CBS News. 'The stigma and fear . of knowing their status' is holding people back. Johnson admitted that when his team's doctor told him blood results had revealed he had HIV in 1991 he was 'devastated'. 'At that time, people were really dying of Aids. I was just scared to death,' he said. The NBA star began treatment with Dr Michael Mellman and Dr David Ho, a top HIV researcher, who reassured him that newly developed drugs would improve his chance of survival. But it was a meeting with Aids activist Elizabeth Glaser who helped Johnson come to terms with the diagnosis, and influenced his decision to publicly campaign to raise awareness. Legend: NBA star Johnson, pictured here in 1985, was playing for the Lakers when he was told he had HIV . 'Scared': Johnson announces he has HIV at a Los Angeles press conference in 1991. He and wife, Cookie, left, were devastated by the diagnosis . Johnson said that Glaser, whose HIV had developed to Aids, was able to answer questions from him and his wife Cookie, who was two months' pregnant at the time, about living with the disease. 'The one thing she did say was I was . going to live for a long time. And the thing that she asked me to do was . become the face of the disease,' he said. 'She felt it was really . important that I go public to help a lot of other people who were living . the same lifestyle who didn’t know they had HIV and needed to get . tested ... And she was absolutely right.' His wife, Cookie, who tested negative . along with their son, told the Huffington Post: 'For us, it was super . hard. That was back in the day, in 1991, when people were dying at . alarming rates. That was when people didn’t know anything about the . disease, so it was very frightening.' Awareness: This graph shows the estimated new HIV infections across subpopulations in the U.S. in 2010 . The couple have been leading advocates for HIV awareness, and Johnson recently campaigned in Harlem's Apollo Theater to raise awareness about the high rates of the disease in black and Hispanic communities. Despite representing only 12 per cent . of the population, black Americans account for about 44 per cent of new . HIV infections each year. They are also more likely to die from the . disease. Hispanic Americans are also more . likely to die from HIV than white Americans. According to the Centers . for Disease Control and Prevention, Hispanics make up 21 per cent of new . infections each year. Overall, about 1.1 million Americans are living . with HIV, according to federal estimates, with almost one in five . unaware of their infection. Support: Cookie and Magic Johnson in St Tropez earlier this year. Cookie was pregnant with their son when Johnson heard he had HIV . Star: NBA legend Magic Johnson has become a vital part of the Aids awareness campaign . 'In the black community, unfortunately, . we’re still in denial that it can happen to us. We haven’t done a . wonderful job of raising the awareness level or educating our people. Its gotten better since I announced 22 years ago, but it needs to get . much better,' he said. His campaign earlier this month was to raise awareness about Orasure’s OraQuick at-home HIV test. The event was held in the run up to World Aids Day on December 1.
NBA star calls for black and Hispanic communities to get tested . Former Lakers player dedicated life to raising awareness about disease .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . This is the moment a train announcer stunned passengers by announcing over a tannoy as they pulled into a station to beware of pickpockets and gipsies. The London Midland service had been pulling into Telford Station, Shropshire, on Saturday when the comments were made. Passenger Chris Downes, 46, was recording on his mobile at the time and the announcer can clearly be heard saying: 'Telford Central - please be aware of pickpockets and gipsies'. Scroll down for video . This is the moment a train announcer stunned passengers by announcing over a tannoy as they pulled into a station to beware of pickpockets and gipsies . The remark was mainly greeted by cheers from Shrewsbury Town football fans travelling back from their game against Wolverhampton Wanderers. But London Midland said it is now launching an investigation into the incident on board the 17.25 Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury service. Yesterday Wolves fan Mr Downes, who was on his way home to Bayston Hill, Shropshire, with son Jack, 14, said: 'There had been loads of banter between the fans sharing carriages, which threatened to boil over. The atmosphere was a bit hostile at times. 'The announcement diluted the situation quite a bit and helped lighten the mood, to be honest.'But I thought at the time he might get into a bit of trouble for it. Which is shame really, because I’m sure it was intended in good humour. 'When we got to Shrewsbury he said "Welcome back to civilisation" and I for one am looking forward to travelling on his train again in future. 'There’s not enough train drivers with a sense of humour and I think his comments were only made in jest.' However, other passengers and residents of Telford yesterday reacted with disgust at the 'unprofessional' and 'offensive' comments. Mark Peaker, 47, a father-of-three, from Telford said: 'I couldn’t believe what I was hearing - they have not only used a derogatory term they have managed to offend an entire town. 'It suggests we are just a town full of thieves, which is not the case at all. Somebody in a professional role should not be insulting places while they are working. London Midland said it is now launching an investigation into the incident on board the 17.25 Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury service . 'I’m all for them having a sense of humour but this was not funny at all and I hope he is disciplined for his unprofessional actions.' One Wolves fan, who lives in Telford but wished to remain anonymous, was travelling back home from the derby match at Molineux, which ended 0-0. He said: 'I couldn’t believe it. I was utterly flabbergasted. 'Tensions among fans were already high after the match and I don’t think that helped the situation at all. The London Midland service had been pulling into Telford Station, Shropshire, on Saturday when the comments were made . 'Telford is actually a really nice place to live. It certainly isn’t up to a train announcer to make insulting comments about it.' The Gipsy Council called for the matter to be taken up with the police and branded the remarks as racist. Bill Kerswell, a spokesman for the council, said: 'This is unlawful, it is a racist comment. 'It is the same as using any offensive word relating to homosexuals or people of colour. 'I would think it is a police matter and I hope they take it up and look into it.' A spokesman for the train company thanked passengers for drawing it to their attention and added: 'We do not tolerate any sort of comment of that kind made by anyone on our trains and will be looking into it immediately.'
London Midland service had been pulling into Telford Station in Shropshire . Passenger Chris Downes, 46, was recording on his mobile at the time . Announcer can clearly be heard saying: 'Telford Central - please be aware of pickpockets and gipsies' London Midland said it is now launching an investigation into the incident .
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There are a number of job descriptions waiting for Darren Fletcher when he settles in at West Brom but the one he might not have expected is Saido Berahino’s nanny. Fletcher’s unveiling as the deadline day signing from Manchester United was almost eclipsed by the 21-year-old striker, who is acquiring the habit of talking himself into trouble. Ten years Berahino’s senior, Fletcher will be expected to mentor a player who told the world this week that he wanted to play for a bigger club. Tony Pulis has advised Saido Berahino to focus on his performances at West Brom . Darren Fletcher has signed for the baggies where he will be asked to provide a role model for young players . That is off the pitch. On it, the Scotland midfielder wants to prove he is good enough to cut the mustard in the Premier League after finding starts harder and harder to come by at Old Trafford. Head coach Tony Pulis believes that Fletcher, who has agreed a three-and-a-half year contract, will be captain of Albion one day. Having checked with Sir Alex Ferguson last year when he was Crystal Palace, Pulis did not need any more due diligence before moving in when a deal with West Ham collapsed. Pulis wants Fletcher to be his voice in the dressing room, especially when it comes to the younger players who may be led astray. Berahino has caught the eye with impressive performances at West Brom and suggested he could move on . Berahino’s latest outburst this week comes after he was found guilty of drink-driving and after he moodly refused to celebrate a hat-trick against Gateshead. ‘Things are not what they used to be,’ added Pulis. ‘The mentors for these young lads are just not there. These kids need guides and mentors so that the youngsters can respect them and take notice. ‘I think Fletch will be critical to that sort of stuff but give him time to settle in. As a character, having worked with him for a week, he is first class. He got through his illness with flying colours and I see him as a future captain of the club.’ As for Berahino, he will escape a fine. ‘He's been in a naughty chair. That's in my office,’ joked Pulis, although the underlying message was rather more serious. ‘We've had no phone calls. He needs to stop listening to all the kerfuffle.. This is a great football club with great players. And Saido has not become that yet. Pulis praised recent recruit Darren Fletcher and feels he could be an ideal role model for Berahino . ‘The question was whether would he like to play in a top four team and everyone wants that. His responsibility is to work for us until that happens. ‘I've spoken to him and his people. He has to do it rather than talk about it. That's what good players do and then clubs will be interested. He's done an interview but not for what he was supposed to be talking about.’ Fletcher has already been impressed by Berahino on the training ground but admitted: ‘The lads have gone straight into him. He has said something and he will learn from it. ‘He loves West Brom and wants to do well. He’s a young player who said something he shouldn’t and he probably regrets it. I’ve done that, all young players do that. ‘On first impressions he looks very sharp, a real goalscorer. He’s not shy!. Giving me orders straight away because he wants to score goals. He’s a nice kid welcoming, respectful and can be big influence for rest of season.’
Tony Pulis believes Saido Berahino should look up to Darren Fletcher . Pulis insists Berahino has been listened to the wrong advice . Berahino said he wants to move on to bigger things earlier in the week . READ: Berahino available for £20m after Liverpool target angers club . CLICK HERE for all the latest West Brom news .
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Canberra, Australia (CNN) -- At first glance, it doesn't look like much. Hidden behind an unmarked door, in a nondescript government office building in the Australian capital, it could be mistaken for a high school science classroom with work benches, slightly outdated computer monitors, and the odd microscope sitting in the corner. But what happens in this room is anything but amateur. We're inside the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's accident investigation lab, the place where the black boxes from Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 could be brought if and when they're recovered from the bottom of the southern Indian Ocean. The place that may play a critical role in solving the mystery of what happened to the Boeing 777 and the 239 passengers and crew on board. Our guide today is Senior Transport Safety Investigator Neil Campbell. An engineer by trade, he's been taking apart flight data recorders and recovering the data from them for over two decades. Campbell says he thrives on the technical challenge of accident investigation, but there's another factor that attracts him to his chosen line of work. "Anything you can do to improve safety, improve the safety of the traveling public -- that's rewarding," he says. Just a handful of countries have the capability and technical know-how to decipher what's inside a black box. And if the Malaysians, who by international convention are in charge of the investigation into MH370, select Australia to take the lead, the devices will be brought here. 'Object of interest' found . Retrieving the memory board . We start by the sink. Once the flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder is retrieved from more than 4500 meters below the surface of the Indian Ocean, it will be packed in water in a plastic bin to stop any salt or chemicals from solidifying and damaging the memory board, says Campbell. When the recorder arrives at the lab, Campbell or another investigator will rinse the recorder with distilled water, then begin the process of taking it apart. Sometimes getting the data is simple. "A lot of our work is with undamaged recorders and it's very easy to download them, much as you would a USB memory stick," Campbell says, as he flips open a slot on the end of the recorder. But the process becomes much more technical if the recorders are damaged by fire or water. On the shelves of the lab's main room are examples of black boxes that have survived some of the worst conditions. Their metal casing is warped and torn, or their bright orange exterior charred black. But even with these recorders, Campbell still has options to tackle what some might consider an impossible task. That's because the only part of the flight data recorder that investigators really need intact is a small rectangular box called the Crash Survivable Memory Unit (CSMU). Campbell unscrews a couple of bolts. Wearing gloves and grounded to an anti-static mat, he begins peeling off layer upon layer of housing and protective insulation. In the center, is a memory board with eight flash memory chips, no bigger than the palm of his hand. This is where the vital data, and potentially the answers, live. In the case of the Boeing 777, Campbell says, the flight data recorder captures about 2,000 parameters for up to 25 hours. Those include everything from altitude and airspeed, to flap settings, engine performance, even cabin temperature and pressure. Campbell says some of the key parameters are recorded as often as eight times per second. The cockpit voice recorder captures four audio channels for a maximum of two hours before overwriting. One of the most challenging scenarios is when the board itself is damaged: "We could take each individual chip off the circuit board, read those out individually, and then with the help of the manufacturer, piece all that information together," Campbell explains. If there's water damage, Campbell says he will rinse the board very carefully, then use a water displacement liquid, before drying out the circuit board in an oven. That process can take a couple of days. Decoding the data . When the raw data is downloaded from the recorder, it comes out as binary computer code, a slew of zeros and ones. Using a document provided by the aircraft manufacturer, investigators are able to decode each piece of data, and begin the process of getting a clearer picture of what happened and when. To illustrate the point of just what the information gathered from a flight data recorder can show, Campbell takes us through a heavy door into the soundproof audio analysis lab and pulls up an animation on a monitor. For the next 90 seconds we watch an animated representation of a 2010 twin propeller plane crash in Darwin, Australia, when a simulated engine failure went wrong after takeoff, tragically ending in the death of both pilots on board. Campbell says having this visual representation is a vital tool in helping the public understand an accident: "There's a satisfaction in working out what happened with the accident and the conclusions, and the closure that that brings." Closure that any investigator, wherever the black boxes from MH370 end up, might hope to bring to the loved ones of those on board the missing Malaysian Airlines flight. CNN's Michael Holmes contributed to this report.
Black box data from Flight 370 could be analyzed at a laboratory in Australia . Even if the flight data recorder is damaged, information is retrievable . About 2,000 parameters are decoded, like altitude, engine performance and cabin pressure . The data is used to create a visual representation, helping the public understand an accident .
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By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . Take a look at a map today, and you’re likely to see that North America is larger than Africa, Alaska is larger than Mexico and China is smaller than Greenland. But in reality China is four times bigger than Greenland, Africa is three times bigger than North America and Mexico is larger than Alaska. The distortion is the result of the Mercator projection, the map most commonly seen hanging in classrooms and in text books, which was created in 1596 to help sailors navigate the world. The Mercator projection, the map most commonly seen hanging in classrooms and in text books, was created in 1596 to help sailors navigate the world. The familiar map gives the right shapes of land masses, but at the cost of distorting their sizes in favour of the wealthy lands to the north . You might think that the advent of satellite imagery and tools such as Google maps has improved our view of the world, but this isn’t necessarily the case, according to James Wan writing in the Guardian. Much of this is due to technical reasons, said Mr Wan, while others inconsistences are caused by ideological assumptions that can change the way we see the world. The biggest challenge is that it is impossible to portray the reality of the spherical world on a flat map – a problem that has haunted cartographers for centuries. One of the best alternatives to the Mercator projection was presented in 1974 by D. Arno Peters (pictured). The Gall-Peters projection makes seeing the relative size of places much easier. However it also has its flaws as certain places appear stretched, horizontally near the poles and vertically near the Equator . A depiction of the world by Henricus Martellus. It's said that Columbus used this map or one like it to persuade Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile to support him in the early 1490s. The map was made by a German cartographer living in Florence and reflects the latest theories about the form of the world and the most accurate ways of portraying it on a flat surface . Africa is around 14 times larger than Greenland and yet on the map both are almost same size. Brazil is more than five times larger than Alaska, yet Alaska is larger than Brazil on the map. The map suggests that Scandinavian countries are larger than India, whereas in reality India is three times the size of all Scandinavian countries put together. While it looks like Europe is larger than North America on this map, in reality the reverse is true. Russia also isn't as large as it is depicted, with Africa larger than Russia in reality. As a result, shapes of world maps have typically been diverse, ranging from hearts to cones. But the diversity gradually faded away with one model, invented by Gerardus Mercator, surpassing the others. The familiar 'Mercator' projection gives the right shapes of land masses, but at the cost of distorting their sizes in favour of the wealthy lands to the north. For instance, in the Mercator projection, north America looks at least as big, if not slightly larger, than Africa. And Greenland also looks of comparable size. But in reality Africa is larger than both. In fact, you can fit north America into Africa and still have space for India, Argentina, Tunisia and some left over, notes Mr Wan. Greenland, meanwhile, is 1/14th the size of the continent as can be seen in Gall-Peters equal projection, which provides the correct proportion of land mass to the continents. The map suggests that Scandinavian countries are larger than India, whereas in reality India is three times the size of all Scandinavian countries put together. As well, as this, it seems the fact that our maps typically put north at the top is a mere convention but has been accepted as correct in most of the world. Looking back, the diversity of maps can reveal a history of the world. The Chinese Globe which was made for the Chinese Emperor in 1623. The creators exaggerated the size of China and placed it in the middle of a world that otherwise consisted mainly of small offshore islands . The Werner heart-shaped project of the world (left) The fact that our maps typically put north at the top is a mere convention but has been accepted as correct in most of the world. Pictured on the right is a Mercator map turned on its head . For instance, The ‘Be On Guard!’ map was . created in 1921 when infant USSR was threatened with invasion, famine . and social unrest. To counter this, designers such as Dimitri Moor were employed to create pro-Bolshevik propaganda. Using a map of European Russia and its neighbours, Moor's image of a heroic Bolshevik guard defeating the invading 'Whites' helped define the Soviet Union in the Russian popular imagination. An earlier map, called the Hinese Globe, created in 1623 reveals the ancient Chinese view of the world. Made for the Chinese Emperor, this is the earliest known Chinese terrestrial globe, and a fusion of East and Western cultures. The creators exaggerated the size of China and placed it in the middle of a world that otherwise consisted mainly of small off¬shore islands. A century earlier, the 1507 Waldseemuller map named and envisaged America as a separate continent for the first time. Photo of a genuine hand drawn world map, it was drawn in 1844 and therefore the countries are named as they were in that period. The biggest challenge is that it is impossible to portray the reality of the spherical world on a flat map . Perhaps to emphasise the independent existence of the Americas, the map shows what we now know is the Pacific lapping the western coast of South America, though its existence was only confirmed years late. In 2005, Google Earth presented a world in which the area of most concern to the used could be at the centre, and which - with mapped content overlaid - can contain whatever you think is important. Almost for the first time, the ability to create an accurate map has been placed in the hands of everyone, and it has transformed the way we view the world. But it comes at a price. There are few, if any, agreed standards about what should be included, and the less populated and 'less important' regions get ignored. The infant USSR was threatened with invasion, famine and social unrest. To counter this, brilliant designers such as Dimitri Moor were employed to create pro-Bolshevik propaganda. Using a map of European Russia and its neighbours, Moor's image of a heroic Bolshevik guard defeating the invading 'Whites' helped define the Soviet Union in the Russian popular imagination . Google Maps claims that it is on a 'never-ending quest for the perfect map', but Jerry Brotton, historian of cartography and the author of A History of the World in Twelve Maps, isn't so sure . A Mercator map created in 1569. In the Mercator projection, north America looks at least as big, if not slightly larger, than Africa. And Greenland also looks of comparable size . Today, billions of searches are made on Google Maps each day, helping people navigate their way around, streets, towns and countries. Google Maps claims that it is on a ‘never-ending quest for the perfect map’, but Jerry Brotton, historian of cartography and the author of A History of the World in Twelve Maps, isn’t so sure. He argues that all maps are of their time, their place and serve certain purposes. ‘No world map is, or can be, a definitive, transparent depiction of its subject that offers a disembodied eye onto the world,’ he writes. ‘Each one is a continual negotiation between its makers and users, as their understanding of the world changes.’ This map was used in 1782 by British diplomats negotiating an end to the American War of Independence in Paris. Richard Oswald, secretary to the delegation, annotated it with coloured lines to show where it was thought past treaties established the U.S./Canada border .
The distortion is the result of the Mercator map which was created in 1596 to help sailors navigate the world . It gives the right shapes of countries but at the cost of distorting sizes in favour of the wealthy lands to the north . For instance, north America looks larger, or at least as big, as Africa, and Greenland also looks of comparable size . In reality, you can fit north America into Africa and still have space for India, Argentina, Tunisia and some left over . Map suggests Scandinavian countries are larger than India, whereas in reality India is three times the size . The biggest challenge for cartographers is that it is impossible to portray reality of spherical world on a flat map .
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Two lawyers representing a woman who . claims to have had sex as a minor with prominent U.S. criminal defense lawyer Alan Dershowitz have filed a counter-defamation . lawsuit against him. Former federal judge Paul Cassell and Florida plaintiffs . attorney Bradley Edwards filed the lawsuit in a Florida circuit . court, accusing Dershowitz of initiating a public media assault . on their reputation and character, according to court documents. In a filing in Florida federal court last week, Cassell and . Edwards said their client, identified by Buckingham Palace as Virginia Roberts, was forced . as a minor by financier Jeffrey Epstein to have sex with several . people, including Dershowitz and Prince Andrew. Two lawyers representing Virginia Roberts, pictured here with her husband Robert Giuffre in Denver, who claims to have had sex while a minor with prominent U.S.criminal defense lawyer Alan Dershowitz, filed a counter-defamation lawsuit against him . On Monday Dershowitz, who was part of O.J. Simpson's 'dream team', filed defamation suits in both London and the U.S. based on the lawyers' public statements about the case and he urged Prince Andrew to do the same. In a sworn statement in a Florida . federal court, he denied he had sex with an underage girl on . Epstein's private plane and island. Buckingham Palace has also . denied the allegations against Prince Andrew. In their lawsuit, Cassell and Edwards said Dershowitz . defamed them when he accused them of 'deliberate misconduct and . unethical behavior warranting disbarment' during several . interviews with U.S. and international media outlets. On Monday Dershowitz, who was part of O.J. Simpson's 'dream team', filed defamation suits in both London and the U.S. based on Cassell and Edwards' public statements about the case and he urged Prince Andrew to do the same . Controversy: Prince Andrew, pictured here in Verbier, Switzerland, has been linked with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and accused of having sex with Virginia Roberts when she was a minor . Cassell and Edwards said Dershowitz made defamatory . statements in 'reckless disregard' in order to support his claim . of innocence. 'I'm thrilled that they sued me, because this gives me an . opportunity to depose them and prove beyond any doubt that they . concocted the entire story out of whole cloth and that they did . not do a proper investigation and that they have falsely accused . me,' Dershowitz said on Tuesday. Dershowitz said in Monday's filing that the allegation . against him was a 'deliberate lie.' He said that while he had . flown on Epstein's plane several times, Roberts, named in court papers as Jane Doe #3, was not on . any of those trips. Lawyers: Dershowitz slammed his accuser's lawyers, Brad Edwards (left) and Paul Cassell (right), for naming him in the lawsuit. He claims that they failed to carry out proper investigations - which they have denied . Questions: Prince Andrew is photographed with Virginia Roberts in 2001, left, and she is also pictured with her father, right, when she was seven. Roberts accused the prince and Dershowitz of having sex with her . He also said he had been to Epstein's island . once, for a day, and was with his wife and daughter the whole . time. Also on Monday, Dershowitz filed a motion in federal court . to enter in a lawsuit brought against the U.S. government by his . accuser and other women who say Epstein sexually abused them. The women say the government's 2008 plea deal with Epstein, . which allowed him to serve jail time on state charges but avoid . federal prosecution, violated their rights. Dershowitz, a Harvard University professor emeritus, . represented Epstein against the sex crime charges, for which . Epstein served a 13-month sentence after pleading guilty in . 2008. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Alan Dershowitz has filed defamation suits against two other U.S lawyers . He is accused of having sex with Virginia Roberts when she was a minor . Dershowitz says that the two lawyers representing her have defamed him . Those two lawyers are now counter-suing him for defamation . Paul Cassell and Bradley Edwards say their character has been attacked .
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It's the moment every pet owner dreads - when the time comes when they have to say a final goodbye to a faithful friend. These heart-breaking end-of-life snaps are meant to highlight the special relationship between an owner and their dying pet in its last moments. Sarah Ernhart, the owner of Sarah Beth Photography in Minneapolis, created them in what she dubbed a 'Joy Session', in which she records owners' last embrace with their pets that are too old to live or have been diagnosed with terminal illnesses. Final embrace: These special, end-of-life photography sessions are just for terminally ill or elderly pets . Mrs Ernhart, who has been a professional photographer since 2006, trademarked the name Joy Session, and began offering them in 2010. She has since had more than 100 shoots with owners and their pets. 'People seem to love the idea,' she said. 'It's getting bigger and bigger.' The service has become so popular that Mrs Ernhart has built a directory of photographers around the world who shoot terminally ill pets with their owners. 'It can definitely be very emotional,' Mrs Ernhart said. 'It's a very sensitive time for these people who have been with these animals for their entire lives. I definitely have cried with some of the owners. 'The sessions can be happy at the same time because the owners get to talk about their favorite little quirks and things that they like about their pets. I get this inside view of what these people's lives are like. It's a pretty powerful.' Explaining how she came up with the idea, Mrs Ernhart said: 'The name "Joy Session" is not something I arbitrarily chose. There's a . very personal meaning behind it, and I'd like to share how it all began. Mrs Ernhart said: 'The name "Joy Session" is not something I arbitrarily chose. There's a . very personal meaning behind it' The images were created by photographer Sarah Ernhart, the owner of Sarah Beth Photography in Minneapolis . Last moments: The beautiful, yet heartbreaking pictures, are meant to highlight the relationship between pet and owner before they pass . 'Shortly . before Christmas in 2009, I had a photo shoot with a woman named Joan. Her friend booked the session as a gift, and we had a beautiful sunny . day for it. 'Joan was living . at home in Hospice care, and relied on the companionship and day-to-day . help of her Service Dog, a Black Lab named Joy. Joy was her rock, her . best friend, and had saved Joan's life on more than one occasion. 'She would let Joan know when her blood sugar was low, and if she was about to have a seizure. Joy would place herself under Joan to break her fall, stand firm to help . her up, and was by her side day and night. I came into this session . knowing that Joan didn't have much time left, but I had no idea I'd be meeting such a vibrant, funny, happy woman. Mrs Ernhart, who has been a professional photographer since 2006, began offering her service in 2010 . The service has become widespread enough that Mrs Ernhart has built a directory of photographers around the world who shoot terminally ill pets with their owners . 'She . was so blessed to have Joy come into her life, and her eyes lit up with . every story she told of her. She said that Joy was her "gift from God" and taking these photos had given her something wonderful to look . forward to. 'Their bond was . palpable, and it was easy to see that both of them were very loved. Her . apartment was filled with the word "Joy" in artwork and pillows and . Christmas decorations. 'She even wore a "Joy" sweatshirt during our session.We sat and chatted for a long time. Joan's zest for life, even with her declining health, was a breath of . fresh air for me, and helped me see that what I do is meaningful and . important in so many ways. Emotional: The photographer said the sessions are for people who want to 'celebrate the happiness' their pets have brought to their lives . Final farewell: Two boys pictured saying their final goodbye to their pet dog . Last rites: An owner strokes his pet in the park before the terminally ill dog dies . 'Without . knowing it at the time, she and Joy sparked the idea to offer photo . sessions specifically for pets that are nearing the end of their lives. 'For so many people, their pets mean the world to them, and I want to . provide an opportunity to capture what makes them so special, especially . in such a difficult time. 'My . first "official" Joy session was with a Bernese Mountain dog named . Griffin, in January of 2010. I really didn't know what to call this . service, and "Emergency Session" was the first thing I could think of. It sounded so cold and impersonal, and I struggled with what I should . really call it. Difficult time: For many people, their pets mean the world to them, said Mrs Ernhart . The snapper says she had more than 100 shoots with owners and their pets since she launched the service three years ago . Last embrace: A woman with her beloved pet dog in its last moments . Goodbye old friend: A faithful pet dog shortly before it is put down . Time to say goodbye: A dog pictured looking on. Little does it know there is only a short while left . Difficult time: For many people, their pets mean the world to them, said Mrs Ernhart . Mrs Ernhart said: 'The sessions can be happy at the same time because the owners get to talk about their favorite little quirks and things that they like about their pets' 'A few days after posting Griffin's . blog, and receiving some very nice suggestions from readers, I realised . the perfect name was sitting right in front of me. I couldn't think of . anything or anyone I'd met who embodied such love and such a deep . connection as Joan and Joy. 'These sessions really are for people who want to celebrate the happiness - the joy - their pets have brought to their lives.' Mrs Ernhart is a pet owner herself with a miniature schnauzer and two cats.
Sarah Ernhart, the owner of Sarah Beth Photography in Minneapolis, created these tender snaps . She dubbed the shoot a 'Joy Session' in which she records owners' last moments with pets . Her service has been so popular Mrs Ernhart has had more than 100 shoots with owners and their pets .
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Louis van Gaal said he had no option but to substitute Paddy McNair in the first half against Southampton because the defender's 'confidence' was shot - but believes that it will benefit the youngster in the long run. The 19-year-old was hooked by Van Gaal after only 39 minutes at St Mary's Stadium on Monday night during Manchester United's 2-1 victory over the Saints. McNair was struggling to contain Southampton strikers Shane Long and Graziano Pelle, forcing Van Gaal into replacing him prematurely. Paddy McNair (centre) was substituted after only 39 minutes for Manchester United against Southampton . McNair (centre) takes his seat in the stands having been replaced by his manager on Monday night . United boss Louis van Gaal admitted he 'had to' substitute McNair against Southampton . McNair shakes Van Gaal's hand as he leaves the field having been replaced during United's 2-1 victory . Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Van Gaal explained: 'He (McNair) hadn't any confidence. He had already given three big chances away. 'I had to (substitute him), it's very disappointing for me and also for Paddy, but I had to because as a manager, I'm responsible to win. 'And I think, after the change, we played a little better.' Robin van Persie's brace, either side of a Pelle strike, ensured United left the south coast with three points. McNair (right) slices the ball forward off his foot during the early stages of the Southampton clash . Robin van Persie scored what turned out to be the winning goal for Manchester United . But in spite of the fact United won the game, McNair was exposed time after time in defence and was substituted - even though Chris Smalling had already departed early with an injury. Jonny Evans came on to replace Smalling, before McNair made way for midfielder Ander Herrera as Michael Carrick dropped back in to the centre of defence in Van Gaal's 3-5-2 system. And, despite admitting it will be difficult for McNair to accept being replaced so early, Van Gaal insisted that it was a necessity which will serve the Northern Irishman well long term. Van Gaal continued: 'Of course, it's tough (for McNair), but it's also in his best interests.' The victory moved United up to third in the Premier League - their highest position since they claimed the title in 2012-13 under Sir Alex Ferguson. Van Persie, pictured with Juan Mata (left) and Marouane Fellaini (right) celebrates after scoring the opener .
Manchester United beat Southampton 2-1 at St Mary's on Monday night . Paddy McNair was substituted by Louis van Gaal after only 39 minutes . Van Gaal admitted he 'had to' replace the 19-year-old against Saints . United boss said McNair 'had no confidence' after struggling early on . But Van Gaal is adamant substitution was 'in best interests' of McNair .
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(CNN) -- One can hardly read the news these days without learning that yet another American corporation has announced plans to invert, which is corporate-speak for restructuring as a foreign company to avoid U.S. taxes. It's a trend that has increased exponentially over the past decade with barely a peep from Congress. Now that corporate giants such as Pfizer, Walgreen, Medtronic and Mylan have made bids to invert by merging with foreign companies and will be eligible to claim their headquarters are offshore to avoid U.S. taxes, Congress may finally act. These large corporations have publicly asserted they are moving their headquarters, but they really won't change the way they do business. Medtronic, for example, is buying an Ireland-based company. If the merger goes through, the company has said it will maintain "operational headquarters" in Minneapolis, where the company is currently based. In other words, not much will change except the company will claim to be foreign. (Medtronic officials say the move is not about avoiding taxes and that the firm will still face substantial taxes; the firm does have the right to cancel the deal if Congress changes the law in a way that removes the tax benefits of inversion.) Walgreen, the nation's largest drug retailer, has said it is considering moving its headquarters to Switzerland. Inversions are just another ploy that corporations use to reduce or eliminate their U.S. tax bills. According to the Congressional Research Service, legislation to limit corporate inversions could provide an additional $19.5 billion in revenue over 10 years. Even among corporations that aren't pursing inversions, shifting profits offshore to avoid U.S. taxes is a huge problem. For example, American corporations reported to the IRS that subsidiaries in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands collectively earned profits equal to 16 times the gross domestic product of those countries, according to recent data. It's clearly impossible for companies to earn profits in a country that are exponentially larger than that country's entire economy, further proving companies are using accounting gimmicks to avoid U.S. taxes. American corporations engage in these tricks because they can defer paying U.S. taxes on alleged offshore earnings until they officially bring those profits to the United States, which may never happen. Corporations get a permanent break when they invert because the United States will not tax profits earned outside its borders. Corporate inversions are often followed by earnings stripping, a maneuver that artificially shifts profits into lower-tax or zero-tax countries. A recent exposé explains how the highly profitable manufacturer Ingersoll Rand suddenly began reporting U.S. losses or very small profits each year after inverting to become a Bermuda corporation in 2001. This did not reflect any actual loss of U.S. customers or business. Rather, the corporation accomplished this by loaning $3 billion to its U.S. subsidiary, which then deducted the interest payments on the debt to effectively wipe out its U.S. income for tax purposes. Defenders of corporate inversions often argue the United States' 35% statutory corporate tax rate is too high compared to that of other nations and therefore puts companies at a competitive disadvantage, but most U.S. companies pay nowhere near that rate. Defenders also claim profits earned in the United States will always be taxed here. But the earnings stripping practiced by Ingersoll Rand and other inverted companies suggests this is not true. The ultimate goal of much multinational tax planning is making profits appear to be earned in countries with a zero or low tax rate. Reducing the nation's corporate tax rate cannot address the fact that many corporations are employing various means to avoid U.S. taxes altogether. Companies that have recently sought inversions continue to benefit vastly from public investments. The drugs and devices made by Pfizer and Medtronic, which are often sold by Walgreen, would have far fewer buyers if not for Medicaid, Medicare and other federal health programs. They would not exist without federal investments in research and education and in the infrastructure that makes commerce possible. Taxpayers should be outraged that these companies have no qualms about benefiting immensely from the U.S. economic system without contributing their fair share. But Congress can easily fix this by moving forward with a White House proposal to bar corporations that are obviously American from pretending to be foreign. The plan would sensibly treat newly merged companies as American if they are majority owned by shareholders of the original American company, or if they are managed and controlled inside the United States and have substantial business here. There's much more to be done to reform America's tax code, but we can't afford to wait for lawmakers to settle how to approach that challenge. If Congress waits too long, there won't be much of a corporate tax left to reform.
U.S. corporations merge with foreign companies, move their headquarters . McIntyre: Such "inversions" enable firms to greatly lower their U.S. corporate tax bill . He says government can lose billions of tax revenue from such maneuvers . McIntyre: Congress should pass administration proposal to bar inversions .
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For most people, it has become a travel essential. Taking your smartphone or tablet away on holiday keep you in touch with what's going on back home, as well as offering a chance to monitor 'work emails.' But a 'digital detox' revolution is taking place - a chance to embrace the holiday free from modern technology and reminders of home life. The Red Mountain Resort, in Utah, US, is an adventure spa next to Snow Canyon State Park and offers a real 'disconnected' break . Digital Detox Holidays offer the chance to leave your smartphone at home and enjoy all the luxury; pictured is Lake Placid Lodge, in the Adirondacks, US . The temptation to scour work emails on holiday has led to more and more people looking for a digital detox . In an age where it’s becoming increasingly difficult to unplug, a third of Brits say they regret spending too much time on their mobile device while they’re on holiday. Half of all Brits polled admit to checking work e-mails while away and four in 10 say having access to social media is 'very important' to them when they’re abroad. One website showcasing the spots around the world free of Wi-Fi and phone reception, www.digitaldetoxholidays.com have reported a five-fold increase in customers in six months, report The Independent. Their website slogan reads: 'Since you became increasingly addicted to your devices, we have been selecting hotels that are offering detox holidays to help you de-stress.' This spot in Essex, the 'Lifehouse Spa, has a strict tech-free policy in their grounds to enable you to be at peace with the world . Recognized as 'one of the world’s nine amazing yoga retreat destinations,' Via Yoga in Mexico is the escape you’ve been waiting for . The Teton Lodge at Jackson Hole, US is the perfect accommodation for the people who like winter sports and visiting nature parks - you won't even miss your smartphone . From remote beach huts, to garden lodges and mountain lodges, the company aim to find the perfect holiday where the smartphone is reduced to useless. Locations are marketed in the US, the Caribbean, and even a 'Lifehouse Spa' in Thorpe-le-Soken, Essex. Kimpton Monaco residence in Chicago, US Offers a 'black-out' option, with guests surrendering all devices upon check-in . A unique luxury ranch nestled in British Columbia’s picturesque Cariboo region, the Echo Valley Ranch & Spa, Canada offers ultimate serenity . Alison Couper, of Hotels.com, said: ‘Going away on holiday should be a time to take stock and unwind, whether you're lying on a beach in the Seychelles or snowboarding down a mountain in Canada. ‘While smartphones have their plus points while on leave from work, using them to check the weather or view maps, it seems travellers would benefit from switching off their e-mails to disconnect, restoring a little more of the all-important work/life balance.’
Half of Brits admit to checking work e-mails while on holiday, while a third regret spending so much time on them . Rural getaways are becoming more popular in 'digital detox' revolution, many with no signal and no Wi-Fi . Offers a chance to leave smartphones and tablets firmly switched off and enjoy the sights and scenery .
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By . Margot Peppers . Nigerian and Cameroonian pop star Dencia has hit out at Lupita Nyong'o for her new contract with Lancome, accusing her of bowing to 'white people companies'. In an angry tweet directed at the 12 Years A Slave star, she wrote: 'Oh @Lupita_Nyongo cln't talk abt the bleaching creams white people (Companies) make cuz the white man pays her, they own her!! [sic]'. The comment comes just a month after Miss Nyong'o mentioned Dencia - who has been accused of marketing her own brand of skin-bleaching cream called Whitenicious - in a speech about learning to value the color of her own skin. Scroll down for video . Butting heads: Nigerian and Cameroonian pop star Dencia has hit out at Lupita Nyong'o for her new contract with Lancome, accusing her of bowing to 'white people companies' Fighting words: In a tweet directed at the 12 Years A Slave star, she wrote: 'Oh @Lupita_Nyongo cln't talk abt the bleaching creams white people (Companies) make cuz the white man pays her, they own her!! [sic]' The pop star is no stranger to . controversy; in a February interview with Ebony, she all but admitted . that Whitenicious is intended as a skin-lightener, not as a cure for . dark spots as it claims. 'When . you take that picture and you put a picture of Dencia darker, this is . what you're telling people - the product really works,' she said. 'And guess what? People really want to buy it. It's what it is. I don't really care.' Given her defiant and hypocritical attitude, it's no surprise the fiery singer was angered when Miss Nyong'o called her out in a speech at Essence's Black Women in Hollywood event on February 27. Influential: In a recent speech, Miss Nyong'o read out loud a letter from a fan who said she decided not to buy Dencia's skin-whitening cream Whitenicious because the actress had inspired her to love her own skin . On-screen: Miss Nyong'o won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 2013 film 12 Years A Slave . In her talk, the 30-year-old opened up about how conventional standards of beauty once affected her self-esteem, reading aloud a letter written to her by a young girl who viewed her as a role model. 'Dear Lupita,' reads the letter. 'I think you're really lucky to be this black but yet this successful in Hollywood overnight. I was just about to buy Dencia's Whitenicious cream to lighten my skin when you appeared on the world map and saved me.' 'My heart bled a little when I read those words,' the actress said through tears, explaining how as a child, she, too, would pray that she'd one day wake up with lighter skin. Hypocritical: Dencia is no stranger to controversy; in a February interview with Ebony, she essentially admitted that Whitenicious is intended as a skin-lightener, not as a cure for dark spots as it claims . Perpetuating the problem: 'When you take that picture and you put a picture of Dencia darker, this is what you're telling people - the product really works,' she said. 'And guess what? People really want to buy it' But while the actress saw the letter as a source of inspiration, Dencia took it as a personal attack. After her angry tweet at Miss Nyong'o, criticism poured in, with one person tweeting: 'B**** lupita is the new face of Lancôme!! SHE WINS!! And you're just TRASH [sic]'. In her response, Dencia said of the cosmetics company: 'But they sell bleaching cream tho [sic]'. The pop star is likely referring to Lancome's Blanc Expert range of cosmetics, which are actually advertised as 'brighteners' that 'regulate melanin production and awaken the luminosity of the skin'. And as far as Dencia's claim that Lancome is a 'white people company', a quick perusal of the website reveals that it has a number of concealers and foundations in darker skin tones.
Dencia's comment is hypocritical considering she recently courted controversy for marketing 'dark spot remover' Whitenicious, which is frequently used as a skin-whitening cream .
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Britain and the West must brace themselves for more bloody atrocities before Islamist jihadists in Iraq  are defeated, former top brass said  last night. Retired commanders issued the chilling warning as they urged David Cameron to deploy more RAF warplanes to fight Islamic State fanatics. The ex-military chiefs also suggested stepping up Special Forces operations to ‘spoil the day’ of the fanatics, including British Muslims, who have swept across northern Iraq. Recruiters: British jihadis Reyaad Khan, Nasser Muthana and Abdul Raqib Amin are seen in an IS video released earlier this year. In the video, the trio encourage other Britons to join them . Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon, a former head of the RAF, and Air Commodore Andrew Lambert, a former air defence chief who commanded forces in Iraq, called for Britain to ramp up military options in Iraq. They spoke out after gruesome images were published on the internet of a jihadist, with a British accent, murdering US journalist James Foley – claiming it was in revenge for US air strikes. As Mr Cameron condemned the ‘brutal and barbaric murder’, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said British troops could be sent to Baghdad to help train Iraqi soldiers to counter the growing threat. So far the UK has deployed an RAF  Rivet Joint spy plane – a flying ‘listening post’ that picks up chatter made over mobile  phones or radios – and six Tornado fighter jets fitted with state-of-the-art surveillance equipment that beam real-time images of targets  to commanders. The aim is to gather vast amounts of crucial intelligence, including on militants’ manoeuvres, to support humanitarian efforts – but this could be used to support US bombers in strike missions to oust Islamic State. But Sir Michael, who served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1992 to 1997, warned the West must be prepared for jihadists taking retribution against other hostages as they were pounded by air strikes. Referring to Mr Foley’s murder, he said: ‘Being blunt, we sadly must expect more of this. We are dealing with fanatical, religious people who are long past the point of normal behaviour. They must be stopped.’ Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon, a former head of the RAF, and Air Commodore Andrew Lambert, a former air defence chief who commanded forces in Iraq, called for Britain to ramp up military options in Iraq. They spoke out after a jihadist, with a British accent, murdered US journalist James Foley - claiming it was in revenge for US air strikes . He said the West should continue ‘evening the game up’ by supplying weapons, mortars and rockets to the Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers, who are fighting IS. ‘The jihadists have got their hands on artillery and weapons looted from the Iraqi army, which has given them a huge advantage. We should now be arming the Peshmerga to even up the playing field.’ Sending more RAF reconnaissance planes to the troubled region ‘will always be useful’ in building up an intelligence picture of the fanatics. Sir Michael said UK Special Forces on the ground could be deployed on top-secret operations to inflict huge damage on advancing extremists. ‘What I think they can do, if they are working closely with the Peshmerga, and I’m sure they are, is conduct missions which require the jihadists to mass [in an area] and the moment they mass, you have got a target. Then you can send in bombers and do things to them that really spoil their day.’ Air Commodore Lambert, who commanded Allied forces in enforcing a no-fly zone over northern Iraq in 1999, said he believed Britain should put on a greater show of military strength to deter the jihadists. In responce to the shocking footage of Foley's beheading, which was titled 'A Message to U.S.', British Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond to vow Britain would 'oppose ISIS with every breath in our body' He said: ‘If you want me to make one criticism, it’s this: the scale of the operation is probably too small. When we had the no-fly zone, there were 50 or 60 aircraft. Symbolically it quite often is useful to give messages to people that if you have a robust package then people take you more seriously that you know what is going on.’ He said deploying more RAF planes with reconnaissance equipment would allow ‘continuous coverage’ of the battlefield, compared to only a few hours that the RAF can do at present. Air Commodore Lambert added: ‘Obviously, if the threat increases then I would expect the UK and US to increase the number of assets there.’ One of the British jihadists in the region, Nasser Muthana, is a 20-year-old former Cardiff schoolboy who featured prominently in Islamic State’s first professionally produced English-language propaganda video, which urged young Muslims in the West to join the terror group. Yesterday, Muthana mocked US efforts to defend Iraq’s Yazidi minority from genocide at the hands of IS militants, saying on Twitter they ‘can’t even protect their own citizens’. The young jihadist, who describes himself on Twitter as a ‘soldier of the Islamic State’, said last month the UK government should be ‘afraid’ of his bomb-making skills. Muthana has been joined in Syria by his younger brother Aseel, 17. The brothers, who grew up in Cardiff after their father moved there from Yemen as a teenager, are among hundreds of young Britons who have travelled to Syria to join the rebels. British Muslims must be stronger in their condemnation of jihadists and the hate preachers who recruit them, Islamic community leaders said yesterday. In the wake of US journalist James Foley’s brutal murder, they urged imams and mosques to do more to combat extremists – even if it means risking reprisals. Some imams have already made repeated appeals to radicalised youngsters not to join militants in the Middle East. The Muslim Council of Britain has urged Islamic communities to unite and tell the jihadists: ‘Not in our name.’ British Muslims must be stronger in their condemnation of jihadists and the hate preachers who recruit them, Islamic community leaders said yesterday. Including Dr Taj Hargey, director of the Muslim Educational Centre of Oxford . But critics have unfavourably compared the recent appeals, via open letters and YouTube videos, with the thousands-strong marches organised to protest Israel’s military action against Gaza, or the publication of a  cartoon of Mohammed in a Danish magazine. Dr Taj Hargey, director of the Muslim Educational Centre of Oxford, said: ‘This grotesque murder characterises Muslims as barbaric savages. If this senseless killing doesn’t change people’s attitudes, what will? ‘In the UK the majority of the Muslim population are Sunni and the Sunni group has been remarkably silent about what is happening in Iraq. The time has now come for a mass outcry from mainstream Muslims, not only about this murder but also the persecution of the Iraqi Yazidis and Christians and the killing of other Muslims.’ Abu Muntasir, chief executive of the Muslim educational charity JIMAS, added that some religious leaders had been too slow to condemn the Islamic State terrorists due to fear of reprisals from extremists in Britain. He admitted: ‘In the past I have been more careful and shown restraint but enough is enough. ‘I’m prepared to take more risks to defy these evil people. I utterly condemn IS even if it puts me at personal risk, at danger of people coming to my home. I’m no longer prepared to be muted.’ He called on the Government to take tougher action against jihadists who travelled to Iraq or Syria to fight – despite having supported jihad himself in the past. The married father of 12 said he fought the Soviet-backed government in Afghanistan, but now believed fighters were driven by aggression, not religious devotion. He told the Daily Mail: ‘They seek guns and violence. It is not about jihad or religion, it is all pure escapism and adventure.’ Mohammed Shafiq, chief executive of Manchester’s Ramadhan Foundation, said Britain would be at risk of terror attacks if radicalised fighters are allowed to return. He spoke out against IS, formerly known as ISIS, saying: ‘I utterly condemn the senseless and barbaric killing of James Foley by the terrorist group ISIS. ‘If this barbaric killing was not enough then the allegation that the beheading was carried out by a British citizen is deeply worrying for our nation.’ The Muslim Council of Britain released a statement saying: ‘Each day ISIS seeks to carry out an act more barbarous than the day before, craving the oxygen of publicity to give credibility to their heinous acts. ‘We condemn unreservedly their psychopathic violence, whether it is on minorities, on civilians or on fellow Muslims.’
Ex-military chiefs suggested . stepping up Special Forces operations to ‘spoil the day’ of fanatics, including British Muslims, in northern . Iraq . Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon, and Air Commodore Andrew Lambert, called for Britain to ramp . up military options in Iraq . They spoke out after gruesome murderer of US journalist James Foley – apparently by a British jihadist, claiming it was in revenge for US . air strikes .
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A woman has been charged with reckless manslaughter after her boyfriend's mother tried to stop them fighting and suffered a fatal heart attack. Claudia Yanira Hernandez Soriano, 25, and Juan Francisco Martinez Rojas, 28, started punching and scratching each other after they returned to their Bergen, New Jersey home following a party early on Monday. When Ana Angelina Rojas-Jovel, 45, tried to break them up, Hernandez Soriano assaulted the woman, according to the Bergen County Prosecutor. 'During the assault, the victim apparently suffered a cardiac event which resulted in her death,' Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said in a statement. Fight: Claudia Yanira Hernandez Soriano, 25, above, and her boyfriend Juan Francisco Martinez Rojas, 28, started punching and scratching each other at their home on Monday when his mother intervened . Injured: Martinez Rojas' booking shot shows the scratches on his face from the domestic dispute . A seven-year-old child also witnessed the fight, according to the prosecutor, but he did not reveal the relationship between the adults and the youngster. Police responded to a 911 call from the apartment just after 4am on Monday and when they arrived, they found Rojas-Jovel dead on a bedroom floor. 'There were no obvious signs of trauma to the victim, however... the [couple] displayed signs of injury and appeared to have been involved in a domestic assault,' the prosecutor said. In their booking photos, both Hernandez Soriano and Martinez Rojas have scratches on their faces and necks. The pair were interviewed, as were the child and other residents. Scene: Soriano allegedly then assaulted the woman, Ana Angelina Rojas-Jovel, and she suffered a cardiac arrest at the first-floor apartment at the house (pictured) and died before police arrived at the scene . The Bergen County Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy on Rojas-Jovel's body, but results were pending toxicology tests, the prosecutor said. Hernandez Soriano was charged with manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a child, domestic violence simple assault and hindering apprehension, according to authorities. Molinelli said Hernandez Soriano also hid evidence - but would not detail what it was - which investigators later recovered in a search at the crime scene. She was held at the Bergen County Jail on $250,000 bail. Martinez Rojas was also charged with child endangerment and domestic violence simple assault and sent to the county jail on $75,000 bail. A court hearing has been scheduled for Thursday morning at Hackensack Superior Court.
Claudia Yanira Hernandez Soriano, 25, and Juan Francisco Martinez Rojas, 28, started fighting after returning from a party on Monday morning . When his mother, Ana Angelina Rojas-Jovel, 45, tried to stop them, Hernandez Soriano allegedly assaulted her . She suffered cardiac arrest and police arrived to find her dead . A seven-year-old girl witnessed the fight .
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Beirut (CNN) -- Syria carried out an airstrike on a refugee camp in northern Lebanon Saturday, killing nine Syrians and wounding nine more, a Lebanese state-run news agency reported. The strike centered on a Syrian refugee camp located near the Syrian border between the towns of Baalbeck and Arsal in the Bekaa Valley, the National News Agency said. The Red Cross took the casualties to Universal Hospital in Baalbek. Saturday's strike was not the first by the Syrian government, which has accused rebels of smuggling arms and supplies across the border. On March 18, two Syrian jets fired three rockets that hit empty buildings near Arsal. At the time, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman called the use of fighter jets to fire rockets into Lebanon a "significant escalation." U.N. commissioner wants to probe into whether Syrian rebels executed soldiers . Also in March, the U.N. Security Council voiced "grave concern over repeated incidents of cross-border fire which caused death and injury among the Lebanese population, incursions, abductions and arms trafficking across the Lebanese-Syrian border, as well as other border violations." The declaration followed a briefing by officials on how the conflict in Syria has spilled into Lebanon. More than 600,000 Syrians have fled to neighboring Lebanon, a country of about 4 million people, according to a U.N. estimate. But the Lebanese government puts the total at more than 1 million. Whatever the true figure, there is no dispute that the influx has destabilized the area and heightened tensions. The attack comes as the Syrian conflict is mired in a third year of unrest, which started in March 2011 when President Bashar al-Assad cracked down on peaceful protesters. Since then, it has evolved into a civil war that has killed more than 100,000 and transformed more than 1 million others into refugees, according to the Red Cross. Read more: U.N. inspectors heading to Syria to probe chemical weapons reports . CNN's Nick Paton Walsh reported this story from Beirut, and Tom Watkins wrote it in Atlanta. CNN's Hamdi Alkhshali and Yousuf Basil contributed to this report .
Airstrike kills nine Syrians in refugee camp, state media reports . Syria has fired into Lebanon before . The government has accused rebels of smuggling arms across the border with Lebanon .
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An Australian citizen, who has awaited trial from behind the bars of a Russian prison for more than two years, could face a minimum of 15 years in jail for the supply of poppy seeds. Roman Shilov, whose wife and the baby daughter live in Brisbane, was detained by Russian authorities on charges of drug trafficking in July 2012, according to the ABC. He has never met his daughter. The Australian and Russian citizen has been refused bail due to being considered a flight risk, despite the Australian government assuring prosecutors that he would not be issued a passport, a letter from Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop has revealed. Roman Shilov, whose wife and the baby daughter he's never had the chance to meet live in Brisbane, was detained by Russian authorities on controversial charges of drug trafficking in July 2012 . 'Regrettably, Russian authorities have not accepted this advice and remain committed to having Mr Shilov remain in detention,' Ms Bishop wrote in a letter to the Shilov family's local MP. The letter also noted that the Russian Government was refusing to recognise Mr Shilov's dual nationality which in turn 'seriously limits the ability of the Australian Government to provide consular assistance'. Mr Shilov had returned to Moscow three years before his arrest to assist his father with his spice trade business which supplied up to 20 per cent of the country's poppy seed market at the time, the ABC reported. Poppy seeds are currently classified as narcotics by the Russian government. The Australian and Russian citizen, who has been detained without trial for two and a half years, has now been refused bail due to being considered a flight risk despite the Australian government assuring prosecutors that he would not be issued a passport . One of the charges laid against Shilov and his father by Russia's Federal Drug Control Service is the importation of 47 tonnes of narcotics. The ABC reported that this shipment was made up entirely of poppy seeds and the Service had even admitted that only 0.001 percent of it could be extracted as narcotics. Evgeny Shilov, Mr Shilov's brother who also lives in Brisbane, told the ABC that the minimum 15 year sentence was worrying and expressed concern over his brother's detainment. 'It seems very, very unfair that he's been put away from day one and hasn't been let go,' he said. Evgeny Shilov, Mr Shilov's brother who also lives in Brisbane, told the ABC that the minimum 15 year sentence was a worrying one and expressed concern over his brother's long term detainment . 'I'm still hoping that it's going to get resolved. That's all." The Department of Foreign Affairs told Daily Mail Australia in a statement: 'Where there have been concerns expressed about his [Mr Shilov's] health or welfare in prison, the Department has made representations to Russian authorities. 'Consular officials are also in regular communication with the man's family and his legal advisers about his case.'
Roman Shilov has been detained by Russian authorities without trial since July 2012 . He was charged with drug trafficking while importing poppy seeds as part of his father's spice business . He has been refused bail due to being considered a flight risk . Mr Shilov's brother, wife and baby daughter live in Brisbane .
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Everton are still looking to add two new players to their ranks with Tom Cleverley of Manchester United among the options for Roberto Martinez. The midfielder made his competitive debut for United three years ago and turns 25 on August 12. He has 78 first team games under his belt but has been targeted as one of the squad's weaker links after failing to kick-on in the last year with any consistency. Everton manager Martinez was widely credited with improving Cleverley while coaching him at Wigan, where he played 25 games in 2010-11, and the Spaniard is keeping a close on developments at Old Trafford. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Roberto Martinez: Everton need to sign a few more players . On the move? Everton are interested in Manchester United's much-criticised midfielder Tom Cleverley, with manager Roberto Martinez believing he can reinvigorate the England man . Previous experience: Martinez worked with Cleverley when he was manager of Wigan in 2010-11 . Louis van Gaal made Cleverley captain for the friendly against Roma in the USA and will inform players on their return to Manchester this week whether they have made the cut for his planned 22-man squad. The midfielder did not excel against Roma but like many of the United players is enjoying his time under the new Dutch coach. Everton have already splashed out in excess of £35m this summer with Romelu Lukaku, Muhamed Besic and Brendan Galloway signed, while David Henen's transfer from Anderlecht is close. A loan deal for Chelsea's Christian Atsu has hit stalemate but is still on, yet a transfer for Cleverley would cost around £8million. Bradford, Cleverley's first club, would also be due a percentage of any sell on. Decision time: Louis van Gaal will trim his United squad to 22 after their tour of the United States . Statement of intent: Everton have already spent big on striker Romelu Lukaku this summer . VIDEO Van Gaal happy with squad . Martinez may yet prefer to bring in Lacina Traore on loan from Monaco or another striker but Cleverley's situation will be clearer by the end of next week. If they pull off two more deals without selling their stars it would be a huge statement of intent from Everton. The concern at United would be that Martinez could find the key to re-invigorating Cleverley. Van Gaal though will recruit in midfield and defence and has been pleasantly surprised by some of the other younger players' performances. Deals for Arturo Vidal of Juventus and Mats Hummels at Borussia Dortmund remain unlikely. LAMPARD ARRIVAL COULD MEAN CITY SALES . Frank Lampard's arrival at Manchester City has lifted hopes at other clubs that certain fringe players in the Premier League champions' squad will be be made available. Sunderland are among the front runners pushing for a deal with Jack Rodwell while Valencia remain eager to take Bruno Zuculini on loan. Incoming: Frank Lampard's arrival on loan at Manchester City could lead to the departure of other players . Good impression: Bruno Zuculini has looked good on Manchester City's pre-season tour of America . Oriol Romeu has returned from the Spanish League to Chelsea only to be loaned out to the Bundesliga with Stuttgart and Valencia want a defensive-minded midfielder to step in. Zuculini has only just joined from Racing in Argentina but showed on the US tour why City have brought him into their squad. Valencia now hope to give him a season in La Liga where he can continue to improve. However, they face competition for Zuculini from Deportivo La Coruna, who are also among the clubs to have expressed an interest in Liverpool's defensive starlet Tiago Ilori. SOUTHAMPTON CHASING 'MUSKETEER' SCHELOTTO . Southampton will hold further talks with Inter Milan over winger Ezequiel Schelotto on Tuesday. The 25-year-old should certainly give Ronald Koeman's team a better cutting edge as his nickname is 'El Mosquetero' or 'The Musketeer' - although that moniker owes more to his hair than his rapier-swishing style on the wing. It is understood the nickname he actually prefers is 'El Galgo' or 'the Greyhound'. Negotiations: Southampton manager Ronald Koeman is close to sealing the signing of Ezequiel Schelotto . Whatever name he wishes to use, Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio is keen to push a deal forward. They have agreed terms on Dani Osvaldo and are discussing a loan for midfielder Saphir Taider also. Schelotto's agent Bruno Carpeggiani said: 'The situation with Southampton is active and we are waiting for the deal to go ahead.' Although Argentininian born and raised, Schelotto has been capped by Italy. He spent part of last season on loan at Parma. CANAS SWAPPING SWANSEA FOR ELCHE . Swansea midfielder Jose Canas is due to hold talks with Elche ahead of a return to Spain. Celta Vigo, who are playing a series of friendlies in England at the moment, have also shown an interest in the 27-year-old. Swansea manager Garry Monk left Canas out of the club’s pre-season tour to the US, leading his representatives to begin negotiations with Elche sporting director, Victor Orta. Return: Swansea's Jose Canas is holding talks with Elche ahead of a possible return to Spain . Swansea remain on the trail of Almeria's Ramon Azeez and have made enquiries about the Nigerian. Defender Chico Flores remains a target for Michael Laudrup at Lekhwiya. Wolfsburg have expressed an interest in Wilfried Bony, whose wage demands in excess of £100,000-a-week derailed a potential move to Liverpool. Those figures won't be easy for the Bundesliga side to accommodate either although they have also asked about a deal for Chelsea's Fernando Torres who is on around £150,000. Manager Monk said: 'Unless there's a concrete offer that we think is good for us and we want to do business, it doesn't matter. Even then, we're in control - so all of that doesn't matter, because it's speculation - Wilfried's our player.' Demands: Wolfsburg have shown an interest in Wilfried Bony, but his wages could be a stumbling block . NEWCASTLE SIGN FOREST DUO . Newcastle will sign Jamaal Lascelles and Karl Darlow from Nottingham Forest on Monday and loan the pair back. Manager Alan Pardew remains keen to bring in another striker while a deal for Clement Grenier at Lyon remains a possibility. The 23-year-old France midfielder has long been in Newcastle's sights but he is keen to join a Champions League team. If one of those does not come along soon, the greater the Toon's chances become. Possible deal: Newcastle United have been keen on France international Clement Grenier for a while . LIVERPOOL WRAP UP MORENO DEAL . Liverpool's search for a left-back should be concluded soon as talks progress with Sevilla over the £16m transfer of Alberto Moreno. Sevilla have enquired about Sporting Lisbon's 26-year-old Jefferson Nascimento as a potential short term replacement. LAZIO INTERESTED IN KABOUL . Lazio's interest in Younes Kaboul should help Tottenham offset their pending outlay on Eric Dier and Mateo Musacchio from Villarreal. Tottenham have no plans to sell Jan Vertonghen as part of their defensive restructuring but will continue to listen to offers for Michael Dawson. Kaboul, 28, is valued at around £6m by Tottenham although Lazio want to pay around £3m. They are also looking to offload Michael Ciani to Crystal Palace. Tottenham have no interest in Samuel Eto'o, who is looking more likely to return to Italy at this stage with West Ham also looking at younger options. On his way? Lazio are willing to pay Spurs £3m for Younes Kaboul . WEDNESDAY IMPRESSED BY KELHAR . Sheffield Wednesday have offered Slovenian trialist Dejan Kelhar a short-term contract. The 30-year-old defender, who has won six caps for his country and last played for Red Star Belgrade, has been training at Hillsborough and played in some of their pre-season friendlies. Manager Stuart Gray remains keen to sign a striker but Kelhar has also done enough to earn a deal. Gray said: 'We are offering Dejan a short-term contract and hopefully he will be putting pen to paper for us. Nothing has been finalised, he is mulling it over at the moment.' STOKE STOPPER BACHMANN HEADS TO WREXHAM ON LOAN . Stoke's young goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann is poised to join Conference side Wrexham on loan. The 20 year-old Austrian impressed on trial on Friday when appearing for Wrexham in a friendly against a Bolton select XI.
Everton are looking to add two new players to their squad . Cleverley was appointed captain by Louis van Gaal in Roma friendly . But England midfielder could still be cut from United's 22-man squad . Transfer fee for Cleverley would be around £8m . Frank Lampard arrival at Manchester City could mean Jack Rodwell departs . City could loan Bruno Zuculini to Valencia . Swansea's Jose Canas set for return to Spain with Elche . Newcastle United sign Forest pair Jamaal Lascelles and Karl Darlow .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 1:25 AM on 3rd August 2011 . Dragons' Den star Duncan Bannatyne has shocked Twitter followers by offering £50,000 to anyone who could identify - and break the arms of - a sinister tweeter who threatened to harm his daughter. The self-made millionaire became embroiled in a row yesterday afternoon after receiving a string of anonymous threats via the micro-blogging service. The messages threatened to 'bring hurt and pain' to his family unless he handed over £35,000. Reward: Duncan Bennatyne sent out this message to his 372,000 followers . And although Mr Bannatyne later withdrew his threat, the entrepreneur said 'I'd gladly do my time' to get revenge on the anonymous tweeter. The TV star received a series of tweets from someone calling himself Yuri Vasilyev, linking to a message threatening to harm Hollie Bannatyne, 25. He responded by posting: 'I offer £25,000 reward for the capture of the coward who calls himself @YuriVasilyev_ Double if his arms are broken first'. Although this tweet was soon deleted, Mr Bannatyne posted another message saying: 'OK £30,000 reward for info leading to his arrest'. The drama began yesterday, when he . received a message from the Twitter account @YuriVasilyev_ which linked . to a message about Holly. It read: 'Dear Dragon. My name is . Yuri Vasilyev and I'm looking for a £35,000 investment to stop us . hurting your Hollie Bannatyne. We will bring hurt and pain into your . life. 'We are watching her. She is very attractive. Want photos? Tweet using the hashtag £4money to confirm payment will be made.' Threatened: Duncan Bannatyne received sinister messages threatening his daughter Hollie, right . A . later message said: 'Duncan Bannatyne - Hollie is going to get hurt. We . will bring pain and fear. You should have expected us. We are the men . of Belarus. 'We do not give up. We will stand . tall. You should have paid. £35,000 to stop it. Contact us to pay. We . are watching. Expect us. We are the men of Belarus.' Despite Vasilyev's claim to be from Belarus, Mr Bannatyne has said that he believes him to be in Moscow. His latest message to Vasilyev reads: 'Go home to your mum and cry we are closing in on you little boy'. That message was also later deleted. Mr Bannatyne's threats have met a mixed reaction from Twitter users. Many have helped to try to locate Vasilyev, although this is unlikely to be successful without tracking him down electronically, as 'Yuri Vasilyev' is a common name in Russian-speaking countries. But one user, speculating that Vasilyev was using a fake name, told Mr Bannatyne: 'Whoever the real Yuri Vasileyev is I hope hijacking his identity & ur call to vigilantes doesnt end in his injury or death.' [sic] . Mr Bannatyne said in a statement: 'My family is well protected, but I take any threat to them very seriously and will do all I can to ensure the person or people involved are caught.' Last night, police issued a statement saying: 'Durham Constabulary can confirm Duncan Bannatyne has reported a number of threatening messages he had received via email and Twitter in which threats were made against a member of his family. 'These appeared to originate from an email address based in Russia. 'We have been liaising since then with Mr Bannatyne and conducting enquiries into the credibility of these threats.' Mr Bannatyne contacted the Durham Constabulary because his family have long been based in the North East.
Police brought in over Twitter threats believed to be made by man in Russia .
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Last updated at 3:31 PM on 19th July 2011 . Cheaper farmland and proximity to population centres are fueling growth in Amish colonies in The Empire State, a study out of Pennsylvania shows. The Amish, many of them from Ohio or Pennsylvania, have set up 10 new settlements in New York since 2010 - growth that doubles other states. That population has grown by nearly a third in two years, to 13,000. Amish communities are currently in 28 U.S. states, but more communities are popping up in New York over the last few years . The first New York Amish districts were established in the Conewango Valley in 1949, but in-migration slowed until about 10 years ago. As recently as 1991, there were just 3,900 Amish in the state. Elizabethtown College professor Don Kraybill, who directed the study, said the movement has been driven by productive and underpriced land. Factors such as weather, growing season and congenial neighbours and local officials have also contributed to the population boom. In the 1980s and 90s Kentucky played that role for the Amish, while more recently it was Wisconsin, Mr Kraybill said. New York has lower land prices in rural areas than Pennsylvania and Ohio, states that together account for about half of the U.S. Amish population. New York also has more areas of rural isolation, according to Mr Kraybill.'If you want to get away from the suburbs and the high-tech world, there are more places to hide in New York.'New York, Kentucky, Illinois and Kansas have experienced the largest net gain in Amish households since 2006, the study found. The largest net losers were Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Delaware and Ohio, although states with large Amish populations can grow even if they lose households because existing families normally have many children. The Amish emigrated to Pennsylvania from Switzerland and Germany about 300 years ago. Today, the nationwide Amish population totals about 261,000. Nearly all descend from a group of about 5,000 a century ago. 'Empire State of Mind': An Amish man works in the field in Centerville, N.Y., a town with an established Amish community. While their Christian beliefs and practices can vary from settlement to settlement, or from church to church, they were defined for study purposes as people who use horse-and-buggy transportation, and speak a dialect of Pennsylvania German or Swiss German. Mr Kraybill said: 'It's remarkable that a horse-and-buggy people like the Amish are thriving in the midst of high-tech, Twitter America.' Some areas of concentrated Amish populations in Pennsylvania, including Lancaster County, have experienced overall residential and commercial growth that can leave little room for the Amish way of life, so they make the decision to hire a tractor-trailer and head for someplace more remote. Large Amish families sometimes move into new areas to find farmland for the younger generations, while in other cases they are more motivated by a desire to preserve traditional aspects of their family life and to resolve disputes about church rules, said Karen Johnson-Weiner, an anthropology professor at the State University of New York at Potsdam. Ms Johnson-Weiner, whose book on the state's Amish was published last year, said: 'The Amish moving to New York are going to be, for the most part, very conservative. That means they're not going to be so willing to compromise or fit in.' The Amish have been involved in disputes in New York over zoning, construction practices and electronic filing of sales taxes, while some areas have capitalized on local Amish communities for tourism purposes. Ms Johnson-Weiner said some new Amish arrivals are buying land that has not been farmed since the earlier decades of the 20th century. 'The families farming those farms are ready to retire and there aren't any young people ready to take the farm over, so you sell to the Amish,' she said. 'They're revitalising farming, I would say, in many of those areas.' Mr Kraybill said Amish migration in general often consists of younger couples looking for cheaper farmland or new locations to set up small microenterprises. It can cost just a few thousand dollars to start manufacturing furniture or quilts, for example, he said. Other Amish migrants can be multigenerational families moving together so they can afford to buy several adjacent farms at the same time. Mr Kraybill said prime farmland in Lancaster County currently costs about $15,000 an acre, a daunting challenge for a young farmer, along with the expense of buying livestock and farm equipment. That makes land prices of $2,000 an acre in other states very attractive. Pennsylvania had the nation's largest Amish population in the new survey, just over 61,000, with Ohio a close second, about 400 people behind. Indiana ranked third, 46,000, Wisconsin fourth, 16,000, and New York fifth. New York, New York: Map shows new Amish communities in The Empire State .
Amish population in New York has grown by a third in the past two years . The Amish are currently in 28 U.S. states and Ontario . Pennsylvania had the largest Amish population, with Ohio a close second. New York, Kentucky, Illinois and Kansas have the largest net gain in Amish households since 2006.
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Glen Johnson looks destined to leave Anfield next summer after he revealed there is no prospect of his future being resolved. Johnson, like Steven Gerrard, can start talking to foreign clubs in 31 days about joining them on a Bosman at the end of the season. But whereas Liverpool are in talks with their captain about a new deal, Johnson’s situation is drifting. The full back is clearly still committed to the cause — ending up with stitches in his head after diving in to score the winning goal — but has accepted that the end may be near. Liverpool's Glen Johnson strikes late with a header to give his side a vital 1-0 victory over Stoke City at Anfield . Liverpool have not made any contact with him about extending his terms and Johnson, who has attracted interest from Roma, insists that he will not be pleading for a new deal. ‘I want to play for a club that wants me,’ said Johnson, who moved to Merseyside from Portsmouth for £17.5million in 2009. ‘I’ve seen some stuff that I have been offered half the money I am on. That’s not true. I haven’t been offered anything. ‘Time goes very quick. I’ve enjoyed my time here, the majority of the six years. There have been some good times, some bad times. But if I haven’t got a contract, I can’t stay. It does play on your mind but you have to be professional and do your best. I respect my team-mates more than anyone. Johnson celebrates scoring the vitally important winner with a thumbs up to the Anfield crowd late on . ‘I’m not going to go crawling to anybody. They know where I am and they know the situation. There were minor talks at the end of last season but nothing that I could accept or reject. ‘I don’t worry about things that I can’t control. All I can keep doing is my job. Whatever will unfold will unfold. It’s not my business to talk to other clubs. I’m concentrating on winning for Liverpool. I want to respect my contract and that’s what I will do.’ This has not been an easy season for Johnson. With Brendan Rodgers constantly chopping and changing his defence, his form has dipped and he has lost his place in the England squad. Johnson is congratulated by his Liverpool team-mates but needed treatment after taking a hit while scoring . That has led to him becoming a target for supporters’ frustrations. There were a number of growls on Saturday when he made a mistake in the third minute. Aside from that Johnson did little wrong and followed up bravely after Rickie Lambert’s effort struck the woodwork. ‘It hurts a lot less when the ball hits the net,’ said Johnson. ‘When Rickie headed it, I thought it was going to hit the bar, so I just kept going. We fought hard and I would have been very upset if we’d only drawn. We deserved to win.’ Rodgers sprinted down the touchline and celebrated the goal with supporters. Behind him, his assistants and Liverpool’s substitutes vaulted from their seats. Rodgers reflected: ‘There was a feeling of elation, probably a mixture of relief. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard looks on from the bench during the first half after being rested for the match . VIDEO Gerrard denies Rodgers rift . ‘We’ve got to make slow steps. The scrutiny was on us in a big game against a tough side but we came through it very well.’ Stoke will consider themselves unlucky. On another day Bojan Krkic would have scored rather than hitting the post. ‘There wasn’t any real momentum behind Liverpool’s play and we dealt with that quite easily,’ said Stoke manager Mark Hughes. ‘We let ourselves down. We had three or four defenders and (Johnson) reacted quicker than we did when it bounced off the bar.’ Liverpool manager Rodgers looks cheerful after his side secured a late win at Anfield against Stoke .
Full back scored late winner as Liverpool beat Stoke 1-0 on Saturday . Victory is the first for the Reds in the Premier League in over a month . Glen Johnson's contract runs out at Anfield this summer . The England international joined Liverpool from Portsmouth in 2009 .
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Would you believe that these breathtaking photos were seen through the lens of a kayaker's GoPro camera? Intrepid Tomasz Furmanek spends his spare time away from the Institute of Marine Research gliding atop the waters in some Norway's most idyllic beauty spots. For 10 years, Tomasz, a software developer, has visited many of the fjords in western Norway, inland lakes and the areas around Lofoten Islands in the northern part of the country. Scroll down for video . Tomasz Furmanek spends most of his spare time atop the waters of Norway's most idyllic nature spots . Using a GoPro camera fastened to his kayak, Tomasz snaps photos of the fjords he sees in his travels . But for Tomasz the main reason he has spent so much time kayaking is because he finds it relaxing. He said: 'I kayak mainly because it is an easy way to get mental balance. 'You get close to nature in a kayak and can experience things that is not possible while hiking.' Simply breathtaking! The scenery in Scandinavia is not to be missed . Tomasz has visited many of the fjords in western Norway, inland lakes and the areas around Lofoten Islands . For the past two years, Tomasz has been documenting his trips to his 10,000 Instagram followers . For the past two years, Tomasz has been documenting his trips and uploading what he calls an 'adventure blog' to his 10,000 followers on Instagram. 'I do not upload private pictures,' said Tomasz. 'The Instagram feed is more an adventure blog than a personal profile. 'The people that follow my account are mainly interested in kayaking, although I have some followers that do not do kayaking. He insists that the reason he continues to do this is because he finds kayaking so relaxing . He also enjoys the fact that kayaking allows you to get closer to many environments than you would hiking . Ships ahoy! 'You can experience things that is not possible while hiking,' says Tomasz . 'I had about ten thousand followers this summer before I went to Lofoten with Kristoffer Vandbakk who I met on Instagram. 'After three weeks of kayaking in Lofoten area, I gained about ten thousand new followers.' Tomasz mainly uses a helmet mounted GOPRO3+ camera for photos and videos and a Sony RX100mk2 in a waterproof box on the front deck of the kayak. Tomasz gained even more Instagram followers after kayaking with a friend, Kristofer Vandbakk . The two travelled in the Lofoten area for three weeks and when Tomasz returned, he had 10,000 more viewers . This stunning sunset is just one of the many photos that Tomasz has uploaded to his 'adventure blog' Currently, the intrepid kayaker boasts over 26,000 followers on social networking site Instagram . 'I do not upload private pictures,' said Tomasz of his Instagram account . 'The Instagram feed is more an adventure blog than a personal profile,' he says . Tomasz mainly uses a helmet mounted GOPRO3+ camera to capture these photos and videos . Tomasz works during the day as a software developer at the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen . Shadow play! When travelling through narrow spaces, the sun reflects off the rocks in mysterious ways . The moonlight is reflected on the water in this stunning, peaceful shot . Tomasz occasionally also posts photos from his tent or while hiking the fjords themselves . Tomasz has been exploring different parts of Norway for over 10 years now .
Adventurer Tomasz Furmanek photographs Norwegian fjords from a kayak . For over 10 years, he's been documenting his travels around the country . Using a GoPro camera, he uploads his stunning images to Instagram .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:44 EST, 10 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:29 EST, 11 October 2012 . A Florida woman said she was humiliated by local police as she accused them of hogtying her, parading her around topless and bashing some of her teeth out during her arrest last year. Ashleigh Davis, of Ocala, Florida, said she found herself on the wrong side of the law in April of last year at the Leesburg Bikefest after she and another woman were having an argument. When police asked her to leave, she reportedly refused, and was bound by her hands and feet by officers from the Leesburg Police Department and Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Humiliation: Ashleigh Davis can be seen laying topless in the middle of a holding cell, surrounded by several male officers . Damage: Davis said her teeth were cracked after one of the officers slammed her head into the floor . Speaking out: Davis says she deserved to be arrested, but not the brutality she claims to have suffered . The 32-year-old said that while she was being detained, her bikini top fell off, and officers whisked her away topless in front of onlookers. Davis told the Palm Beach Post: '[Officers] handcuffed my hands to my feet and then took a tie and tied it around, then carried me like a suitcase and threw me on the back of a golf cart.' Busted: Davis was given a green sweater for her booking photo . She told the paper that she suffered further shame at the Leesburg Police Department, as she laid nearly naked on the floor of the police station holding cell while a group of officers laughed at her. Davis said that the abuse didn’t stop there, as one of them allegedly smacked her face against the floor and chipped some of her teeth after she had bitten him. She told the Post: 'I just remember him grabbing me from behind, my hair and [covered my mouth] and then I try to bite, and then they grabbed me by the back of my head and slammed my face down.' She admits that she probably deserved to be arrested, but that the officers she dealt with were way over the line. Davis was charged with two counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence and disorderly intoxication, and is serving probation in the case. She claimed that she had filed a complaint against the officer, days after her arrest. Her attorney, Stan Plappert, told WESH.com: 'I think they should have sensitivity training. You would think that they would know that, "hey, I have a topless woman or a nearly naked person. I need to do something to cover them up, to give them some dignity."' Davis added: 'I don't want this to happen again. I want people to be treated the way we’re supposed to be treated, and yes, I'm paying for what I did, and I want them to pay for what has happened to me.' Embarrassment: A surveillance video from the Leesburg Police Department shows Davis - who was topless - curled up on the floor . Bust: Davis was charged with two counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence and disorderly intoxication, and is serving probation in the case .
Ashleigh Davis, 32, arrested last year after a fight with another woman . She claims she was hogtied and paraded topless by officers as she was arrested .
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By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 03:53 EST, 23 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:25 EST, 23 July 2013 . From a tacky knitted baby through to a Harrods mug and a prince's potty chair, these are the bizarre souvenirs retailers are trying to flog on the back of the royal birth. A bewildering array of memorabilia will flood into stores over the next few days as shops try and cash in on the feel good factor. And some retailers are trying to get in on the act early with mugs, tea towels, plates and dolls on sale even before the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's son is named. Terrible: A knitted William, Kate and royal baby set which is on sale on eBay as online retailers try and cash in on the royal birth . Hand knitted royal scene: Prince William and Kate clutch a very large child as they stand with the Queen in this royal product on sale on eBay . Baby souvenir: A Prince potty chair which has gone on sale on Teamson.com so royal enthusiasts can teach their children how to use the bathroom. It comes complete with a toilet paper holder (left) Royal diapers: Strange velvet diapers fit for a future king that have gone on sale on Gdiapers.com . Refit your phone: A royal baby iPhone cover which has gone on sale on zazzle.com . Too far? A royal baby sick bag in pink is launched for those who have had enough of news about the birth . Royal theme: A baby outfit which has gone on sale for £14 on cafepress.co.uk . Tacky: Royal baby themed baby grow and dressing gown which have gone on sale for £20 each at littledelivery.com . Analysts predict that nearly £250million could be spent on royal baby related souvenirs over coming days. The wider boost to the economy could be worth as much as £500million. Souvenirs, memorabilia and food and drink will sell on the back of the royal birth immediately - while in the longer-term royal themed pushchairs and clothing will make millions, according to valuation experts Brand Finance. The new baby's midas touch will supplement the Royal family's annual contribution to the British economy which Brand Finance estimates to stand at £1.5 billion so far this year alone. The firm says the new baby will swell the coffers and enhance the assets of the family as a whole, including Crown Estate and Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster, which stands at £53.6 billion. The most desirable pieces are likely to be the ceramic cups, dishes and bowls which will vary from the cheap and cheerful to gold leaf-covered fine bone china creations costing hundreds of pounds. Stoke-on-Trent, the home of England's pottery industry, was a hive of activity as companies geared up for the birth. Designs have been drawn up and potters are waiting for the moment William and Kate's baby is named. Dr Laura Cohen, chief executive of the British Ceramic Confederation, highlighted how foreign collectors, especially from countries such as America and Japan, prize items from the UK. 'Royal' collection: Baby items from the Highgrove shop which pays its profits to Prince Charles' charitable foundation . Tacky: A knitted baby outfit which has gone on same on eBay - it consists of a romper suit, hat and shoes . Money maker? Harrods launch a £20 royal mug to mark the birth of William and Kate's first child - before the name of the boy is even known . Would you drink out of this? A slightly terrifying picture of an infant king on this hastily put together mug to mark the royal birth. It is on sale on eBay . Lego king: A Lego model of William, Kate and their new baby Prince which has been created by experts Caroline and Nick Savage. The couple created their own business making the bespoke Lego figures two years ago . 'Long live gran': The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their newborn baby boy immortalised in Lego . She said: 'This will be a welcome boost for UK tableware and giftware manufacturers, generating significant sales for many companies in the UK and overseas. 'UK manufacturers are uniquely placed to commence manufacturing as soon as the baby's name is announced and so respond rapidly to orders. 'Many customers value the "Made in England" backstamp on cherished family items such as these marking royal occasions.' Memorabilia to mark the royal birth will be led by the official range produced by the Royal Collection Trust. Chocolate cot: A tribute cradle which has been made by choclatiers at Cadbury to mark the royal birth yesterday . Big seller? Special edition Love Hearts sweets which say simply 'royal baby' which have been made at the Swizzels Matlow factory in New Mills, Derbyshire . Royal range: Lovehearts have launched a special royal baby sweet which is going on sale in shop . In recent years, the organisation has produced high-quality bone china items to mark historic moments for the monarchy. Although they are expected to launch a royal baby product range in the coming days, nothing has appeared on their website yet. A spokeswoman for the trust said: 'Royal Collection Trust has produced a number of commemorative china ranges to celebrate royal anniversaries and events, most recently for the royal wedding, the Diamond Jubilee, and the anniversary of the coronation in 2013. Royal souvenirs: Cups to mark the birth of the royal baby which had gone on sale in central London almost two weeks in advance of the birth . Commemorative plate: A souvenir which is on sale in central London. The market for royal baby memorabilia could be worth an estimated £250million . Souvenirs: Key rings which have gone on sale in stores in central London to mark the royal birth . Souvenirs in the making: Staff put the finishing touches to the Royal Crown Derby's Royal Birth Collection. they were working through the night last night to get the range ready after news broke that the baby was boy . Finishing touches: Hand-painted teddy bears which are part of the Royal Crown Derby's Royal Birth collection which will go on sale within days. Staff worked through the night on the products . 'An official range to celebrate the birth of a future monarch would be made, but not until after the event.' If the trust follows its past ranges, the items on sale could include a coffee mug, tankard, pillbox and plate decorated with a floral pattern or even heraldic creatures. The pieces are likely to feature the individual cyphers of the Duke and Duchess - their initials, W or C, below a coronet - the baby's name and date it was born. In past years, members of the monarchy have approved designs before they have gone into production, so William and Kate are likely to have already cast an eye over the plans. Royal baby range: First toy to mark the birth goes on sale in the Early Learning Centre today . Royal baby toy: Early Learning Centre staff up and down the country were busy stocking 50,000 limited edition Happyland Royal baby sets . Pricey: World's most expensive baby monitor which costs £35,000 . This really is the king of baby gadgets... The world's most expensive baby monitor has been invented in time for the new royal arrival. Engineers at French electronics specialists Withings have spent two months designing a bespoke 24 carat gold gadget, worth £35,000, for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. With an in-built high definition camera, night-vision, and alerts that monitor noise, motion, temperature and humidity, the device will keep Kate and Wills close - even if they're in the other side of Kensington Palace. The first-time parents have been sent the state-of-the-art gadget to their Berkshire manor, which will transmit video of their son direct to their smart phones - no matter how far away they are. The couple will also be able to interact with him, and control the lighting and temperature from a distance. Baby boom: Pregnant women can celebrate their . own 'future princess' with this maternity top from Mothercare, left, . while those not expecting can also get in on the act with this T-shirt . celebrating the royal birth from zazzle.co.uk . Cashing in? A 'royal' potty from Fisher Price and a dummy and clip by Elodie Details featuring crowns . Drink to the royal birth: Commemorative mugs, from left, from Harrods, JoJo Maman Bébé and borngifted.co.uk . Ready to go: Hudsonandmiddleton.co.uk have a range of blue and pink china they will sell depending on the sex of the baby . Fit for a prince or princess: Royal Crown Derby have created a special collection of china to mark the occasion . Read (and eat) all about it: Bloomsbury have released a bedtime story while Krispy Kreme have royal baby themed doughnuts . Born in the year of the royal baby: JoJo Maman Bébé celebrate with a range of baby grows and bibs . Dress up: Buckingham Palace's gift shop sells a . baby grow in the guise of a guard's uniform while at Mothercare you can . personalise one .
£250million could be spent on royal baby souvenirs in Britain alone . Official Royal Collection Trust souvenirs will launch in coming weeks . Monarchy have approved official designs before they go on sale in the past . Pottery industry are waiting for when royal baby is named to launch range . Staff at Derby pottery firm work through the night on products after it is confirmed the royal child is a boy .
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Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- China's top security official paid a surprise visit to Afghanistan, where he met with President Hamid Karzai on issues ranging from investment and bilateral trade to to terrorism and drug trafficking, China's state-run news agency said Sunday. The visit Saturday by Zhou Yongkang, a member of Communist Party's politburo, the elite group of 25 men who run China, was the first visit by a top Chinese official since 1955, Xinhua reported. Beijing kept the visit secret because of security concerns, the agency said. "It is the consistent policy of the Chinese government and the (party) to consolidate and develop China-Afghanistan relations," Zhou said in a statement reported by Xinhua. Zhou also said China is willing to make "due contributions" to peace and stability. "We will continue to provide assistance to Afghanistan with no attached conditions and sincerely hope the Afghan people can regain peace as soon as possible and build a better home in a peaceful environment," he added. Karzai and Chinese President Hu Jintao held a summit in Beijing in June. The two countries decided at the time to develop a strategic and cooperative partnership, Xinhua reported.
China's top security official visited Afghanistan on Saturday and met with President Hamid Karzai . Visit was first by a top Chinese official since 1955, according to China's state-run Xinhua agency . China kept the visit secret because of security concerns, Xinhua said .
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A Hero teacher who saved the life of a seriously ill pupil by giving her one of his kidney is to be honoured with an MBE. Ray Coe stepped in to rescue Alya Ahmed Ali, 13, after learning she was desperate for a donor. The 53-year-old father-of-one said he was left shocked and proud after learning he had been recognised in the Queen's New Year Honours list. Teacher Ray Coe, pictured left, is set to be awarded an MBE after he stepped in to rescue pupil, Alya Ahmed Ali, 13, pictured right, after learning she was desperate for a kidney donor . The special needs coordinator at Royal Docks Community School, Custom House, east London, has been awarded the gong for services to education and the community. He took part in the life-saving kidney transplant to rescue Alya, who suffers from a deadly condition called hydrocephalus, or water on the brain, which has led to severe learning difficulties. They have since become very close - and Mr Coe even spent part of Christmas with Alya and her grateful family. 'It was a bit of a shock to be made an MBE,' said modest Mr Coe. 'I was not expecting it at all. The special needs coordinator at Royal Docks Community School, Custom House, east London, pictured above with Alya,  has been awarded the gong for services to education and the community . Mr Coe, pictured with Alya and her father Ahmed Ali, said he was still a bit 'perplexed' and added: 'I don't see it as anything that no-one else would do' 'It's a very proud moment and there's a huge sense of honour.It seems like it's just spiralled. 'I never thought for a moment that it would become as big a story as it did. 'I'm still a bit perplexed, because I don't see it as anything that no-one else would do. 'For me the greatest thing to come out of it has been becoming a real part of Alya's family.' Mr Coe is a teacher at Royal Docks Community School in east London, where Alya is a pupil . Alya's dad, Ahmed Ali, 47, of Stratford, east London, said after Ray brought his daughter back from the brink: 'He has given Alya much more than just the gift of life.He's an amazing man, we owe him so much.' School head Wendy Bower also saluted Mr Coe, saying: 'Ray has gone above and beyond with the call of duty with this selfless and noble act. 'He's a very humble and modest man.The whole staff are in admiration for his kindness. 'He has given a new life to Alya and her whole family.'
Teacher Ray Coe gave pupil Alya Ahmed Ali,13, one of his kidneys . The teenager desperately needed a donor after suffering from renal failure . The father-of-one, 53, has been awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours . He said he was not expecting it, but described it as a proud moment .
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By . Harriet Arkell For Mailonline . A pair of friends who dreamt up Marmite-themed board games during drunken dinners together have told how they won £50,000 backing from the Dragons' Den investment show. Father of two Richard McLuckie, 48, and his friend Stuart Mackenzie-Walker, 51, dreamt up a series of board games including Love It Or Hate It and Who Put The Marmite In The Fridge, over long evenings spent playing games and drinking wine. They won permission to use the name Marmite from brand owner, Unilever, before going onto Dragons' Den to ask for funding. But the pair, who have been friends since childhood when they lived across a glen from each other in Argyll, nearly lost their chance when they weren't allowed to mention the name Marmite to the inquisitive Dragons. Scroll down for video . The friends came up with the idea of Marmite-themed board games - and persuaded the Dragons to invest . Dragons Duncan Bannatyne, second left, and Peter Jones, second right, put up £50,000 for the board games . Mr McLuckie, a former property developer who lives near Avignon, France, with his French wife, Betty, 43, and their daughters Clara, 15, and Esmee, 13, said: 'Unilever had agreed to the licensing contract but told us we couldn't mention Marmite on the show as they hadn't yet agreed the design of the game. 'They didn't want any mention of it til it was signed off, so we were worried the Dragons wouldn't be interested.' Three Dragons took their money off the table early, leaving Duncan Bannatyne and Peter Jones demanding to know more. Mr McLuckie said: 'We told them we couldn't say the name but it was an iconic brand and a well-known supermarket brand. 'Eventually they demanded to see paperwork and when we showed it to them, Peter Jones said "Oh it's Marmite", and they agreed to invest. Jones and Bannatyne said they would buy a 40 per cent stake in the men's games start-up, Pants On Fire, and the games will go on sale next month. Love It Or Hate It, the title of which is based on the idea that Marmite provokes strong reactions one way or the other, is a game in which couples and friends can find out how much they know about each other. Inventor and board games enthusiast Richard McLuckie, 48, with some of the games he has dreamed up . The idea for Who Put The Marmite In The Fridge came to Mr McLuckie when he realised that his French wife was putting the Marmite in the fridge, meaning it was unspreadable on his toast every morning. He said: 'My wife always puts it in the fridge which makes it like concrete, and now my children do the same thing, and every morning I ask the same thing. 'It occurred to me it would be a great name for a board game.' He and Mr Mackenzie-Walker developed their ideas for games in a series of dinners over the years, but only decided to launch their business in 2009 after the property market crashed and Mr McLuckie needed a new job. First they came up with Liar Liar, in which players try to persuade their opponents to believe made-up facts, and Eurobabble, a modern version of Chinese Whispers in which players translate from one language to another and another. In Who Put The Marmite In The Fridge, players have to avoid being left with the jar of Marmite. Mr McLuckie and his childhood friend Mr Mackenzie-Walker, right, spent many nights playing board games . Mr McLuckie and Mr Mackenzie-Walker, an accountant by trade who moved from Kent to southern Spain, have now had their games snapped up by shops including John Lewis, WH Smith, Waterstones and Amazon. They appeared on Dragons' Den last night, and said their preconceptions about the Dragons were shattered after meeting them. 'We thought we'd really like Piers Linney and Kelly Hoppen but in fact we thought Piers was quite dull and Kelly was a little bit rude and dismissive,' Mr McLuckie said. 'Deborah Meaden was a surprise, as we thought she would be hard-nosed when in fact she was absolutely delightful - so lovely. 'We thought Peter Jones would be fun, which he was, and we thought Duncan Bannatyne would be a hard task-master, when in fact he was lovely - we are so pleased to be working with those two. 'They're both great to work with and a really good laugh, too.'
Richard McLuckie, 48, and Stuart Mackenzie-Walker, 51, invented games . Won permission from Marmite owner Unilever to use its name and image . Then they went on investment TV show to ask for funding from the Dragons . But Unilever contract said entrepreneurs couldn't mention name Marmite . Three Dragons pulled out, but Peter Jones and Duncan Bannatyne agreed . They paid the men £50,000 for a 40 per cent stake in board game business .
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By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 08:06 EST, 5 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:38 EST, 5 November 2012 . An American tabloid has published a shocking front cover claiming that Queen Elizabeth is dying and the Duchess of Cornwall has an 'evil plot' to seize the throne. Globe magazine alleges that the 86-year-old monarch is 'sick and fading fast.' The cover of the weekly magazine shows a close-up photo of the Queen with the headline 'World Exclusive - Queen dying!' Shocking: American tabloid GLOBE has published a front cover claiming that Queen Elizabeth is dying . According to the magazine, the Queen's health problem has triggered a bitter battle for the crown by her daughter-in-law Camilla. The Duchess of Cornwall is frequently the target of negative coverage by the magazine. The publication claims she is trying to sabotage Prince William and Kate Middleton from stepping up to the throne. Royal duties: Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh say farewell to The President of Indonesia, Dr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife, at Buckingham Palace, on Friday . High spirits: She appeared in good health last week as she smiled widely at her guests . 'The Queen’s condition is fading and ruthless Camilla has been plotting,' a source told the magazine. While Buckingham Palace refused to comment on the claims, the Queen's recent public schedule has still been robust. On Friday the Queen and the Duke of . Edinburgh were photographed saying farewell to the President of . Indonesia, Dr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife at Buckingham . Palace. The day before she unveiled a colourful stained glass window to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee at the Chapel of the Savoy in London. Globe magazine, which is published in Florida, is no stranger to controversy. In 1997, it caused outrage when it printed autopsy photos of the murdered child beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey. Seller: The royals have proved to be an ongoing source of fascination for the tabloid magazine . Focus: The tabloid magazine has run dozens of covers about the British royal family in the past . In her hometown of Boulder, Colorado, many stores were so outraged by the publication that they took the edition off the stands. In 2010 it published a front cover . with a picture of actor Gary Coleman during his last hours - sparking . outrage throughout the world. In . the photograph Coleman can be seen on his hospital bed, hooked up to . equipment whilst his ex-wife, Shannon Price poses next to him. The headline shouts 'It was murder' and credits the picture as the 'Last photo. The . publication covers a widespread range of topics, including politics, . celebrity news, human interest and high-profile crime stories. But it also frequently features the British Royal family on its pages. Strained: The Royal couple looked strained as they left the British High Commission while on a visit shortly after the photos were published. Both Kate and William are said to be furious about the publication of the pictures . Invasion: The topless photos of Kate were first published in French Closer magazine, left and then in numerous other countries, including Italy's Chi magazine . Past . allegations that have been plastered across the front cover include . 'Camilla's suicide attempt! Breaks leg in terrifying leap,' and Princess Diana's secret daughter!' Kate Middleton has now also become a . staple for the magazine - since her 2011 wedding she has been dogged by . media rumours that she is pregnant. But Globe magazine took the story further and claimed she was pregnant, and miscarried her first child with Prince William. They ran the headline: 'Kate . loses baby! Her crushing heartbreaking as William leaves for military . duty.' The shocking allegations about Queen . Elizabeth's health come during at difficult year for the royal family . and their relationship with the media. Infamous . holiday: A sensationalised media storm erupted when pictures of a naked . Prince Harry in Vegas were leaked to the world press . In . September Prince William and Kate were said to be ‘devastated’ after . hundreds of intimate snaps of the Duchess were published. The explicit photographs were taken as the Duke and Duchess holidayed at a secluded Provence chateau . owned by the Queen’s nephew, Viscount Linley. A . strongly worded Palace statement compared the photographs to the ‘worst . excesses of the Press and paparazzi during the life of Diana’. The photos, shot with a long lens, exposed her breasts and bottom on swimming pool terrace. They were first published in French Closer magazine, and then in numerous other countries, including Italy and Ireland. Prince William called for the photographer . responsible to be jailed – a possibility which is technically possible . thanks to France’s strict privacy laws. Only . a few weeks previously it would have been hard to miss the . sensationalised media storm that erupted when pictures of a naked Prince . Harry in Vegas were leaked to the world . press. The slightly grainy snap shots were . taken on a camera phone during a private party in the five-star Encore . Wynn resort where was pictured playing ‘strip billiards’ with pretty young girls.
Globe magazine, which often prints controversial headlines, alleges that the 86-year-old monarch is 'sick and fading fast' Claims the Queen's health problem has triggered a bitter battle for the crown by her daughter-in-law the Duchess of Cornwall .
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By . Becky Barrow . PUBLISHED: . 03:39 EST, 8 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:10 EST, 8 May 2012 . Andrew Moss: He will be paid £80,000 a month for the next year . The boss of Britain’s biggest insurance company will continue to receive his salary of £80,000 a month for the next year despite his humiliating resignation yesterday. Andrew Moss, who has quit as chief executive of Aviva after a shareholder revolt, will receive a golden goodbye worth around £1.75million in total. Last Thursday, 59 per cent of shareholder votes failed to back his gold-plated pay package worth up to £5.2million last year. It was the latest chapter in the growing backlash against boardroom greed, nicknamed the Shareholder Spring. Yesterday the 54-year-old chief executive said he ‘felt it was in the best interests of the company that he step aside to make way for new leadership’. But Mr Moss, who has also sparked public criticism for leaving his wife of 25 years and their four children for a junior married colleague, Deidre Galvin, in 2009, will not be leaving empty-handed. Walked: Aviva Group chief executive Andrew Moss, who is to step down with immediate effect . He will be paid his £960,000 ‘basic’ annual salary for the next year, equal to £80,000 a month, unless he finds another job. Mr Moss will also get a £300,000 bonus payment, a cash injection of £209,000 into his pension pot in five years’ time, deferred shares from a 2009 bonus, currently worth around £236,000, and a maximum of £45,000 in legal and other expenses. He has two pensions from Aviva: one worth around £530,000 and one worth around £2.75million, including the £209,000 payment. Mr Moss’s departure was announced on the eve of today’s Queen’s Speech, which is expected to fire the starting gun on a crackdown on boardroom excess and empower shareholders to veto any examples of corporate excess. Bounce: Shares in the UK's largest insurer jumped five per cent following the announcement, suggesting investors approve of Mr Moss's departure . Investor backing: The announcement was immediately followed by a spike in Aviva's shares . At present, shareholders can vote . against pay deals, but their votes are not binding on the company and . directors can still receive the controversial pay and bonuses. The main . role of such votes is to embarrass bosses and damage the firm’s . reputation. The mood of investors has turned ugly recently, triggering . the departure of bosses at drugs company AstraZeneca and newspaper group . Trinity Mirror. Turmoil: Aviva's St Helen's skyscraper looms in the City, where three CEOs have quit amid recent shareholder anger . Yesterday, . the chief executive of William Hill, Ralph Topping, was the latest . victim, with nearly 50 per cent of the betting firm’s shareholders . voting against a £1.2million bonus and a 8.3 per cent pay rise. At its . annual meeting, one angry shareholder said: ‘Chief executives are dining . in the last chance saloon trying to take as much as they can as soon as . possible.’ Business . Secretary Vince Cable, who has heavily criticised boardroom excess, said . bosses are finally being ‘brought back to reality’. He welcomed the . ‘uprising’ by shareholders as ‘a healthy development’, and said he is . determined to stamp out ‘rewards for failure’. Since . Mr Moss became chief executive in July 2007, Aviva’s share price has . more than halved, decimating the nest eggs of thousands of its smaller . shareholders. Liberal Democrat . Lord Oakeshott said: ‘Shareholder votes must be binding, otherwise it . just like a jury who acquit a man of a murder charge but the judge still . gives him 20 years. What’s the point?’ Deborah . Hargreaves, of the High Pay Centre campaign group, said: ‘The irony is . that Aviva was behind some of the recent pay revolts but, at the same . time, they were not looking after their own backyard. ‘This . is what makes Mr Moss’s payoff so intolerable. Aviva’s corporate . governance arm was lecturing others about pay and yet the company was . ignoring its own advice.’ Mr . Moss ceased to be chief executive ‘with immediate effect’ yesterday, but . he will not officially leave until the end of the month. Meanwhile, the average pay of bosses at Britain’s biggest public companies rose by 11 per cent last year to £3.65million, according to research published yesterday. The study, compiled for the BBC by Manifest, the adviser to shareholders, looked at the annual reports of 60 of the companies in the FTSE 100 index. On average, a chief executive gets a basic annual salary of £840,000, a long-term incentive plan of £1.14million, a cash bonus of £689,000 plus several other lucrative perks, according to the research. But the average worker in the private sector is losing ground, according to a report from the pay experts Incomes Data Services. The average pay rise handed out by bosses to their cash-strapped workers between January and March was 3 per cent, it says. It comes at a time when inflation is 3.5 per cent. The report found that 8 per cent of workers, who typically are employed in manufacturing, construction or the not-for-profit sector, had their pay frozen.
Andrew Moss is third victim of recent discontent after departures at Trinity Mirror and AstraZeneca . Investors back the move as shares jump 5 per cent . Small savers and pension investors can have a voice on excessive executive pay. The Mail has teamed up with . the FairPensions campaign to offer a tool that allows you to send your views to . your pension fund or ISA provider. Vote no on fat cat pay: Find out . more .
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These days we pick up a packet of frozen prawns from the supermarket almost without thinking. They’re healthy, flavour-some and cheap enough to count as an affordable treat, perhaps on a skewer for a barbecue or daintily arranged for a dinner party starter. If we give even a moment’s thought about where they come from we probably imagine a sun-burnished fisherman skilfully tossing his nets out into the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean or South China Sea before hauling in his valuable catch. Nothing, I’m afraid, could be further from the truth. Intensively farmed: Jumbo tiger prawns are not so appealing after seeing the putrid factories where feed is processed for the prawn farms . As an environmental journalist, I’ve visited Thailand, the world’s leading exporter of farmed king prawns, many times to investigate the prawn trade, and what I discovered is so horrifying I will never eat another king prawn again. Every aspect of this trade is stomach churning: from the putrid factories that process the feed to the prawn farms that pollute the oceans. Welcome to the rotting, stinking and very dangerous world of the prawn trade, a world where industrial fishing boats exploit illegal slave labour to harvest the so-called ‘trash fish’ on which the prawns are fed and leave devastating environmental damage in their wake. I began my investigation aboard the trawlers that plunder the seas to provide the feed for the prawn farms along Thailand’s shoreline. While on board, I discovered that trafficked labourers from Burma and Cambodia are forced to work 20 hours a day, seven days a week, on boats where they are often beaten, abused, even killed by unscrupulous skippers. These men suffer appalling treatment — some even dying on ship and having their bodies tossed casually overboard — just so we can taste king prawns in a lunchtime sandwich or Friday night curry. The damage to our oceans is also devastating. Watching a haul of trash fish being . pulled over the side of a Thai fishing boat is a heart-breaking sight: a . muddy mess of seaweed and rocks mixed with a vast variety of small or . juvenile sea creatures: crabs, starfish, sponges and small fish that . will not get the chance to grow any bigger. 'Horrifying': Jim Wickens says that now he has seen Thailand's king prawn trade first hand, he will never eat a one again . It was a sight I had to get used to as I worked undercover on these boats. My technique for getting aboard was a dangerous one. More than once I had to throw myself into the sea so that a passing trash fish boat was obliged to ‘rescue’ me. From my vantage point on deck, I saw how this grisly industry operates at first hand. Every few hours, a whistle would sound and a net would be hauled up from the depths, raised above the deck and, on a signal from the captain, the contents spilled out. Panicked marine creatures including sea snakes, baby octopus, sea horses, puffer fish and pretty pink crabs would scurry across the deck, only to be crushed underfoot and shovelled up into a heap before being thrown into the hold. These trawlermen employ one of the most environmentally damaging forms of commercial fishing to be found anywhere in the world: bottom trawling. This practice, which sees the nets weighted down so that they sink to the sea bed, is enormously destructive. Entire tranches of marine life are effectively swept away and habitats and ecosystems that might have been there for centuries are destroyed. Breeding populations of many marine species are being all but destroyed and with them the futures of local fishermen who, until the arrival of the bottom trawlers, had been harvesting sustainable catches of local fish for decades. But no longer. Back on deck, the often enslaved crews, who are tricked into coming to Thailand by the false promise of generous wages, are woken by the deafening blare of an air horn mounted above their cramped sleeping quarters. Exhausted, but too frightened to disobey an order, they stumble to the deck to sort through the latest trash fish catch. It’s only really the rocks and the weed that go over the side; everything else is shovelled into an already stinking hold. Many of these boats do have ice-controlled holds, but they are reserved for commercially valuable catches. The trash fish go straight into a filthy compartment where, with boats often at sea for days at a time, they soon start to rot. Damage: The Thai fishing trade leaves serious environmental damage in its wake and pollution in the ocean . By the time they return to port, the stench from these holds is almost unimaginable and there are regular reports of crewmen fainting and even dying after they’ve been sent into the holds to help with unloading, only to be overcome by the toxic fumes. These men are often at sea for months, even years at a time, thanks to the unscrupulous practice of transferring crew from a returning vessel loaded with fish, to an empty trawler setting out. In such harsh working conditions, where disobedience is often met with a beating from a metal pipe or even a bullet, suicides are common and murders not unknown. One crewman I spoke to had been shot at four times and had seen at least one crewmate killed. These desperate men are dying unnoticed, far out at sea, hundreds of miles from their homes and family.Once the trawlers return to port, the commercially valuable fish are unloaded first and sold at the dockside market. Putrid: The king prawns are fed on 'trash fish' It is only later in the day, when the market has cleared and the port almost seems to have shut down, that the trash fish trucks arrive. Time and again, I witnessed the boats’ stinking holds being unloaded and their rotting cargo shovelled into ten-tonne dumper trucks. From here, it is a very smelly ride to an industrial processing plant, where the feed destined for prawn farms is produced. It is produced amid swarms of flies, temperatures that can approach 38C and a sweltering humidity of 100 per cent. The stench is foul. Load upon load of putrid fish and decaying marine creatures is poured into fetid storage containers. Every now and then you spot the eye of a beautiful coral fish or the glint of a long-dead starfish as the noxious mess is crushed and passed through a series of ovens until the final product — fish flour — is obtained. Transformed into pellets, this is then driven to the prawn farms that have all but destroyed Thailand’s mangrove forests. If you’d driven down the coast of the Gulf of Thailand 20 or 30 years ago you’d have seen mile after mile of these flooded forests, an incredible breeding ground for fish and a natural barrier that protected Thai farmers and their land from tsunamis. Today, however, most of these forests are gone. In their place is mile after mile of prawn ponds, their valuable contents protected by high fencing and security lighting. In these ponds, prawns are farmed on an industrial scale to meet booming demand from consumers in North America and Europe. In Britain, we consume about 85,000 tonnes of prawns a year, two-thirds of which are warm-water prawns like those farmed in Thailand. The trade is worth £450 million in Britain alone. Prawns need brackish, slightly salty water, which is why former mangrove forests that have been cleared of their trees and cut off by sluices from the sea are ideal. But prawns also need feeding — a lot of feeding. Spend a day peering through one of those security fences and you’ll see men coming out every few hours to toss another bucket of ‘feed’ to the growing prawns. I watched from the side of one prawn pond as they prepared to harvest the fattened prawns. The sluices were opened and the prawns caught in a filter as the water drained out. They are beheaded and frozen in minutes but, in many cases, the filthy lagoon water, a grim cocktail of several months’ worth of excreta and food waste, is simply washed out into what’s left of the surrounding mangrove forests or straight out to sea. Concerned about Thailand: In Hugh's Fish Fight, TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall went to examine farmed King Prawns, at Asia's biggest prawn market near Bangkok . Thailand does have marine conservation laws designed to protect both its coastal waters and specially designated marine conservation reserves. But these are poorly policed and routinely ignored by ruthless commercial fishing fleets whose only concern is short-term profit at any cost. Meanwhile, thousands of miles from this marine destruction, we unthinkingly bite into a delicious skewer of tiger prawns, perhaps coated with garlic butter. But what are the alternatives to industrially produced prawns? Some certification schemes for so-called ‘responsibly produced’ prawns do exist, and marginal improvements to farming practices are beginning to take place. But in my research I have found that none of the certification schemes properly address the damage being done to local communities or the destruction to the marine environment caused by trash fishing. King prawns can also be produced organically. Naturally, this makes them very expensive for supermarket customers. But even organic prawn farming usually requires the destruction of wild mangrove forest — even if trash fishing has been avoided. As consumers, however, we can look elsewhere. There are cold-water prawns from the North Atlantic, which currently account for about one-third of all prawns eaten in this country. Dublin Bay prawns from the Irish Sea  — most of which are currently exported to France as langoustine — are another alternative. Neither, however, is currently available as cheaply or conveniently as Thailand’s tiger prawns. The only answer, I believe, is to stop eating warm-water king prawns altogether. I, for one, don’t want slave labour and the destruction of the ocean mixed in with my prawn cocktail. Do you?
'I'll never eat a king prawn again' says Wickens after seeing Thai prawn trade . The environment is left devastated and polluted by unscrupulous trawlers . Trafficked labourers from Burma and Cambodia work in appalling conditions .
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Looks like it's a bad time to be sexing up your publicly viewable video gaming. With debate swirling over treatment of women in gaming, Twitch, a service that lets users broadcast themselves playing games or watch others doing so, has banned "wearing no clothing or sexually suggestive clothing" in posts on the site. "Nerds are sexy, and you're all magnificent, beautiful creatures, but let's try and keep this about the games, shall we?" reads a section titled "Dress ... appropriately" in Twitch's Rules of Conduct, which were updated Tuesday. Boasting more than 55 million monthly visitors, Twitch was purchased by Amazon in August for a reported $970 million. The near billion-dollar price tag, combined with the fact that other tech heavyweights like Google were also pursuing a deal, highlights the massive popularity that video gaming has amassed as a spectator sport. Under the new rules, gamers can be suspended from Twitch for nudity or broadcasting themselves wearing items "including lingerie, swimsuits, pasties, and undergarments." While dealing with a serious issue, the rules maintain a playful tone. "You may have a great six-pack, but that's better shared on the beach during a 2-on-2 volleyball game blasting 'Playing with the Boys,'" read the rules, with a link to the iconic scene of that nature from the movie "Top Gun." "If it's unbearably hot where you are, and you happen to have your shirt off (gents) or a bikini top (ladies), then just crop the webcam to your face. If your lighting is hot, get fluorescent bulbs to reduce the heat. Xbox One Kinect doesn't zoom? Move it closer to you, or turn it off. There is always a workaround." While the post's wording goes out of its way to note the rules apply to both men and women, it comes at a time when female game developers, journalists and players have been targeted with death and rape threats, among other abuse, linked to the so-called GamerGate movement. Behind the furor over GamerGate . Ostensibly about ethics in video-game journalism, the movement quickly targeted "social justice warriors," most of them women, who questioned the portrayal of women in video games as well as the treatment of women in the community. Most recently, actress Felicia Day, known for the gaming-oriented Web series "The Guild," had her email and real-world address posted online less than an hour after a blog post in which she criticized GamerGate. Day had written that she feared retribution when she decided to share her views on the movement. In recent weeks, game designer Zoe Quinn, gaming critic Anita Sarkeesian and game designer Brianna Wu have all received threats of violence on Twitter and other platforms.
Twitch has said gamers can't broadcast without clothes on . Twitch is a popular service that lets users broadcast themselves playing video games . It was purchased by Amazon in August . The new rule comes as a spotlight is on treatment of women in gaming .
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(CNN) -- A University of Wisconsin senior official resigned after making unwanted sexual advances to a male student employee of the school's athletic department, according to a report released this week. John Chadima resigned his post as senior associate athletic director at UW-Madison earlier in January after the allegations surfaced. The allegations were investigated by an independent panel and the report was released Tuesday night. The report alleges that Chadima made the advance in late December at a Rose Bowl party that he was throwing at a hotel in Los Angeles. There was beer and mixed drinks at that party and about 25 to 30 people attended, including employees that were under the age of 21, the report said. As the party was ending, Chadima asked one student to stay behind and have a drink with him. The two each had three rum drinks. The report called the student, who is over the age of 21, John Doe. "Chadima told John Doe that he thought that Doe might be gay," the report says. "Chadima reached over and removed Doe's pants belt and then inserted his hand inside Doe's pants on his genitals." The student slapped Chadima's hand away and swore at him, the report says. "What are you going to do about it? I could have you fired," Chadima said according to the report. As the student rushed from the room, Chadima said he had been joking. The student told his immediate supervisor, along with other student employees and the police were alerted. Chadima declined to be interviewed for the investigation but did release a statement that was released with the report. "I make no excuses and accept full responsibility for my actions," the statement said. "I deeply regret leaving under these circumstances and disappointing those people with, and for whom I have worked and dedicated my career for the past 22 years."
John Chadima resigned after the allegations surfaced . Chadima was the senior associate athletic director at the University of Wisconsin . After the sexual advance, Chadima threatened to have the student fired, the report says . "I make no excuses and accept full responsibility," Chadima said in a written statement .
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(CNN) -- Returning home from the London 2012 Paralympic Games, I discovered the level of U.S. media coverage for a global sports event. Ten days of competition, 21 sports, and 503 events crammed into five-and-a-half hours of coverage. To think that we have 227 athletes who just returned home after representing Team USA at the largest Paralympic Games in history, where 2.7 million tickets were sold, and most Americans didn't even know about it. That hits home personally, not only because I am a Paralympian, but because four-and-a-half years ago I was like most Americans and didn't know about the Paralympics. Opinion: The Paralympics were brilliant, why weren't you watching? Before I was paralyzed, I didn't so much as know the word Paralympics even existed. I was raised in a well educated household in Minnesota, but I knew nothing about the Paralympics until after my paralysis in 2008. After I was paralyzed swimming saved me; swimming gave me hope again and allowed me to believe in what my future could hold. From disaster to triumph: A week in the life of Mallory Weggemann . Swimming, and being involved in the Paralympics, changed my life and changed me as a person. Silent voices . I saw how getting involved in not only the Paralympics, but athletics changed my life. I have heard countless stories of amazing ability that my fellow Team USA teammates displayed. But how many of them were and are heard? How many Paralympians are household names in the United States? How many households are aware of the Paralympics? The biggest difference I noticed though was the appreciation for Paralympic athletes overseas. During the Paralympics, when I left the village and went into London, people knew about the Games, not just knew about them but respected them and were following them. The media coverage was totally different there. You couldn't turn on the television without seeing it, much like it is during the Olympics here in the States. For me it is my hope that I can continue to help push the Paralympic movement forward for generations of athletes to come, just as those before me paved the way for opportunities I have been fortunate enough to experience. So it is a weird feeling being back home. Four years of waiting and working and just like that it is all over. I have spent time at home unpacking and organizing my things and it feels like yesterday I was packing my bags for the start of this adventure. I trained for four-and-a-half years and it is already over. I am back home and making plans as to what I do next, starting to plan my next four years as I begin training for the Rio 2016 Games. Overcoming adversity . I will be honest, coming home from London isn't what I expected it to be. My goal was to come home as the Games' most successful athlete; my goal was to bring home nine gold medals. As I got on the plane to return to Minnesota I carried one gold medal and one bronze, but I carried them with pride. What I had to go through to earn both of those medals makes them more meaningful than nine golds ever could be. That medal represents more than just a winning performance. That one gold medal represents hope, belief, overcoming adversity, a dream and my supporters who backed me throughout the entire journey. When I look at it I see everything I went through to get it, the ups and the downs, the joy and the pain. When I look at my gold medal, I see a dream that I made four-and-a-half years ago and the journey it took to achieve that dream. In life we all make plans. We have this idea of how things are supposed to go and when they don't go according to plan we often find ourselves disappointed. I feel that it is in those moments that we find who we are. Life doesn't go according to a plan. We can map it out, we can plan it, we can even envision it but often we find that life has a plan of its own. My life this past month had a plan of its own. It didn't matter that I had planned that moment for the past four years, it didn't matter that I had done everything in my power to try and control the situation. When the day came to a close the plan I had envisioned wasn't the plan that life had for me. Bubble . Over these past few weeks, as I have tried to understand what happened and make sense of it all, I have realized everything happens for a reason. There is a reason I was reclassified in London, there is a reason life threw me another curve ball, and there is a reason I am sitting here in a wheelchair. As I came back home, I continued to reflect on London and felt many emotions. As an athlete I have put a lot of thought into what I can do different next time. What can I change in my preparations over these next four years before the Rio 2016 Games? I have also found myself settling back into life. When I was in London we as athletes were in this little bubble, the village. We were away from the real world in many ways. We didn't think of what day of the week it was or what the date was, we thought of what day of competition it was. Most of us were cut off from the real world because our lovely cell phones didn't work internationally. But then we return home and real life hits. You no longer are completely focused on competition; you are no longer surrounded by other athletes in the bubble. You are home.
Swimmer Mallory Weggemann won gold in the women's S8 50m freestyle . The 23-year-old also took bronze as part of the 4 x 100m medley relay 34 points . Weggemann hopes to raise the profile of the Paralympic movement in the U.S. The U.S. sent a team of 227 people to the London 2012 Paralympic Games .
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(CNN) -- British innovator James Dyson, who has built a multi-billion dollar empire around his distinctive vacuum cleaners, has described patent laws across Europe as "absolute madness", saying they are unhelpful for inventors and small businesses. Dyson told CNN he wants the patent system in Europe radically overhauled. Over the last four decades, Dyson said, he has been affected enormously by people copying his ideas. Government leaders are continuously telling businesses that innovation drives the economy. But Dyson points to the red tape surrounding the patenting process as being a massive hurdle for businesses wanting to develop ideas. "The problem with inventing: as soon as you file a patent they see what you are doing and they can see ways to get around it," said Dyson, who made his fortune inventing a bagless vacuum. The 64-year-old is an outspoken critic of Chinese counterfeiters, calling on governments to do more to protect intellectual property rights. Problems can arise because of the wording of the patents, Dyson said. "There are no diagrams or drawings and often something hinges on the particular phrasing of the patent." According to Dyson, if it is obvious someone has copied another person's ideas they should be dealt with without the parties going through a protracted legal battle. "There shouldn't be this endless rigmarole of 'could this have been devised by one skilled in the art?'" Because the current system involves many expenses due to varying jurisdictions throughout the continent, a Europe-wide patent is the answer, according to Dyson. "You have to file in each country, you have to translate in each country, sue in each country, renews in each country -- it's seen as a profit center for each country." Issues surrounding plagiarism are not limited to businesses, with consumers also feeling the impact of the high cost of producing and securing new inventions, Dyson said. Energy-saving and cost effective products and technology won't be created because of the enormous upfront investment it takes to develop them, he said "It's anticompetitive to make copying easy." CNN's Emily Smith contributed to this story.
British innovator James Dyson has described patent laws across Europe as "absolute madness" Dyson says the current system involves many expenses due to varying jurisdictions throughout the continent . He says a Europe-wide patent is the answer .
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(CNN) -- While the Tour de France ambles around the French countryside a dark shadow still lingers over the sport's blue ribbon event. While the PR machine goes into overdrive and the wheels of change are supposedly set in motion, cycling's attempt to lift the specter of Lance Armstrong still remains. A man who 'won' the Tour de France on seven occasions brought the sport to its knees last January after finally admitting he doped following years of denying the allegations. Earlier this year, Armstrong revealed he used testosterone and human growth hormone, as well as EPO -- a hormone which is naturally produced by human kidneys to stimulate red blood cell production. His seven consecutive victories between 1999-2005 came amidst rumor and speculation that he was doping -- while the U.S. Anti-Doping agency (USADA) accused Armstrong of running "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen." Now, the Union Cycliste International (UCI), the sport's governing body and its president Pat McQuaid are under pressure to revamp cycling's entire image. But its failure to catch Armstrong remains an albatross around its neck -- despite McQuaid vehemently insisting his organization is not to blame. "I'll look back on a rider who was as well as many others at that period, cheating and getting away with it because the system wasn't strong enough to beat him," McQuaid told CNN ahead of the start of the Tour. "It wasn't a question of authorities, because many authorities tried to catch him and weren't able to, so I don't blame the UCI. I don't blame the AFLD (French anti-doping agency) or USADA or anyone else. "The system wasn't strong enough and they were using products that couldn't be caught with the system. "The system is a lot stronger now and so I look back on an athlete and it's not just Lance Armstrong, many of his counterparts were doing the same thing because they could get away with it." Disillusioned . However McQuaid's position as president of the UCI is under huge strain with opponents desperate to displace him. Cycling Ireland refused to back its home candidate for September's UCI elections, while a recent management committee meeting in Bergen, Norway, was a fiery affair. A dossier compiled by private investigators on McQuaid was reportedly put forward to the committee with the Irishman blocking any attempts to discuss it on the opening day of the meeting. The document was eventually discussed and although its contents have not been made public, it represented another blow to McQuaid's re-election hopes. While McQuaid has denied all knowledge of Armstrong's activities, both he and the UCI have come in for criticism following the publication of a hugely detrimental report from the USADA last October. The report raised question marks over whether the UCI had a role in covering up positive tests -- an allegation which McQuaid strenuously denies. When pushed by CNN on whether the UCI covered up suspicious samples from Armstrong, McQuaid replied: "No. Absolutely not." After being quizzed on how he could be sure, McQuaid added: "Because we know, we've studied, we know what we've done and we know, we have looked into all of this even since. "We have prepared, we have prepared a big number of files for the independent commission that we were going to present to the independent commission and all those questions that you've asked there are all answered in those files. "I think he (Armstrong) was tested 10-15 times during the Tour de France. So we did all we could do. Those samples were sent away and they came back negative. "The UCI wasn't the only anti-doping agency, so to speak, who was testing Armstrong. "I mean everybody was testing him and they were coming back negative and in that situation one has to say that the situation isn't strong enough and it wasn't at that time but today the system is much stronger and much better." But McQuaid is facing a challenge for the leadership from British cycling chief Brian Cookson, who has grown disillusioned with the Irishman's tenure. It follows a catalog of perceived errors by the UCI, including the acceptance of a $100,000 donation from Armstrong in 2002 -- four years before McQuaid took up his role. The money was used by the UCI to buy a Sysmex machine, a contraption which is used to analyze blood samples. It is a decision which McQuaid concedes should not have been made. "I would say and we have said, we have admitted that in hindsight -- and of course hindsight is an exact science -- that it would have been better had we not accepted those," he said. "But we took them at that time in good faith and we used them for the uses that we said we had put them to." Cookson has been heavily critical of the way McQuaid has led the UCI and has pledged to restore faith in the organization. He has promised to create a completely new independent anti-doping unit, which would work alongside the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Cheats . McQuaid, who is aiming to secure a third term in office, remains philosophical about the future and the battle against doping. "Nobody is silly enough to say that you're 100% confident that the peleton is 100% clean," added the UCI president. "That's just not possible. It's not going to be possible in any sport or in any parts of society, but certainly I think the large majority of cyclists are now going into their careers, not wanting to get involved in doping. "And there's evidence of many riders who come from strong teams, with strong anti-doping backgrounds all winning races and when they get across, you know, when they're doing their press conferences, they are saying I'm an example of how you can win a race clean . "I don't think it'll ever be beaten because in every part of society there are cheats. "There are people who look for a short-cut, who try to win by devious means or whatever. "Whether it's cheating by taking drugs or cheating in any other fashion, there are always going to be people like that in society and in sport ." There is one avenue which remains open to McQuaid though -- a route which involves Armstrong. The opportunity to talk to the disgraced cyclist in a bid to improve doping control remains a possibility -- and McQuaid is refusing to rule out such a move. "He certainly has more knowledge," he said of Armstrong. "If he was prepared, in terms of coming to the UCI, not necessarily to me and explain in more detail or give us more assistance, give us more information and try to help us in planning the future on the fight against doping, we'd certainly be interested in speaking to him."
Chris Froome is current leader of Tour de France . First Tour since Lance Armstrong admitted doping last January . UCI President Pat McQuaid insists his organization not to blame . McQuaid reveals his interest in speaking to Armstrong in bid to improve drug testing .
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(CNN) -- After weeks of relative calm, clashes erupted between supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsy and Egyptian security forces and local residents in several areas in Cairo, state media outlets reported. Additonally, pro-Morsy and anti-Morsy protesters clashed in other Egyptian cities. Three people died and 23 were hurt in Zeitoun, in western Cairo, and one person was killed and 17 injured in Manial in central Cairo, according to state media. The violence came during a pro-Morsy march in Cairo. Since Morsy's ouster and detention in July, his supporters have taken to the streets most Fridays. His supporters were unable to reach Tahrir Square and the presidential palace, according to state-run Al-Ahram. Morsy's son: 'Dad, you are the legitimate leader' Compared with violence in August that claimed hundreds of lives, the latest clashes appeared almost minor. On Friday, an anti-Morsy politician was stabbed in Cairo. It wasn't clear whether the attack was tied to the protests. State media reported that Khaled Dawoud sustained stab wounds to his chest and hand. Dawoud resigned from the government in August in protest of the bloody crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood supporters. The unrest came amid reports on state media concerning the fate of 170 imprisoned members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Nile TV reported that this group, including a former governor, will be held for 15 more days for further investigation. It was not clear how long this group had been held or on what charges. Since July, arrests and violence have been commonplace. In September, an Egyptian court banned all activities of the Muslim Brotherhood and froze its finances, drawing complaints from the international community. At the United Nations last week, Egypt's interim foreign minister sought to quell these concerns. Nabil Fahmy said Egypt will hold elections in the spring. He also argued that the political process is open to all "as long as they are committed to the renunciation of violence and terrorism and acts of incitement to them." CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
NEW: State media report four deaths, 40 injuries . Anti-Morsy politician was stabbed, according to state media . State media: Clashes broke out between pro-Morsy protesters and security forces in Cairo . Skirmishes between pro-Morsy and anti-Morsy protesters occurred in two other locations .
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By . Sophie Jane Evans . It looks as though it’s lying in wait to sting unsuspecting beachgoers. But in fact this giant jellyfish is harmless to humans – and a long way from home. Usually found in the Atlantic or the Mediterranean, the creature was spotted by wildlife photographer Steve Trewhella in Portland, Dorset, and is one of ten seen recently along the south coast. Experts say there could be an influx of these barrel jellyfish – up to 3ft 2in in diameter – over the next few months due to warmer weather. 'Invasion': The latest in a string of barrel jellyfish sightings has been reported on a beach in Portland, Dorset. Above, wildlife photographer Steve Trewhella poses with the enormous creature, measuring 3ft in diameter . Richard Harrington of the Marine . Conservation Society said: ‘Although this species is harmless … we still . advise the public not to touch them.’ It comes just days after a jellyfish the size of a dustbin lid was sighted on the island by dog walker Suzanne Sheldon. Following her discovery, Ms Sheldon, 47, said: 'It was at least three feet in width and was very bulky too. It was the largest jellyfish I had ever seen.' Experts have warned that there could be an influx of the sea creatures as the weather warms up. Enormous: Experts have warned that we could see an influx of the sea creatures as temperatures soar to 20C toward the end of May. Above, the jellyfish which was spotted by the 49-year-old photographer, from Wareham . Washed up: Mr Trewhella believes the huge creature was washed ashore during strong winds and high tides . Forecasters expect high pressure to take hold later in May - sending temperatures soaring above 20C. In recent weeks, up to 10 barrel jellyfish have been spotted washed up on beaches around the South Coast. High numbers: In recent weeks, up to 10 barrel jellyfish have been spotted washed up on beaches around the south coast. Left, the jellyfish spotted by Mr Trewhella and, right, local Julie Hatcher poses with another jellyfish . Mr Harrington added: 'This is an Atlantic species and are sometimes found washed up but we still advise the public not to touch them.' But Mr Trewhella believes the creatures have come ashore because of strong winds and high tides. 'It's not that unusual to see jellyfish, they aren't particularly common in Dorset but we do see them every once in a while,' said the photographer. 'Jellyfish are a form of plankton, and the warm weather means we might see an increase in the levels of plankton. Another finding: It comes just days after a jellyfish the size of a dustbin lid was sighted on a beach in Portland . 'This is something that occurs around this time every year and it is known as the plankton boom. 'However, it is not the warm weather that causes jellyfish to wash up, instead it's the wind and tides that leave them stranded on beaches. 'I think we will see more strandings because of the on-shore winds and the tides, but people should be careful not to touch them.' 'Very bulky': Dog walker Suzanne Sheldon, who discovered the creature, said it was 'at least three foot in width' Barrel jellyfish - Rhizostoma pulmo in Latin - are often known as dustbin-lid jellyfish because of their enormous size. They are commonly found in the north east Atlantic, Adriatic, and Mediterranean sea and are prey to leatherback turtles. Experts have warned that some of the jellyfish can sting and anyone affected should seek medical attention.
Latest in string of barrel jellyfish sightings reported on beach in Portland . Enormous creature was spotted by wildlife photographer Steve Trewhella . Comes days after a jellyfish the size of dustbin lid was sighted on island . Experts warn there could be influx of sea creatures as weather warms up . Forecasters expect temperatures to soar above 20C at the end of May .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . A website has been ordered to remove a claim that the MMR jab could cause autism in children by the Advertising Standards Agency. The children’s immunisation service, babyjabs.co.uk, claimed experts believe the vaccine 'could be causing autism in up to 10% of . autistic children in the UK'. It also said: 'Most experts now agree that the . large rise (in autism) has been caused partly by increased diagnosis, but . also by a real increase in the number of children with autism.' The babyjabs website says it enables parents to make an 'informed choice' about child vaccinations . It added that parental fears the jab caused autism . were 'supported' by the fact that the the vaccine strain measles had . been found in the guts and brains of some autistic children. However, the ASA said both the World Health Organisation and the Department of Health have found no evidence of a causal link between MMR and autism. The ASA ruled: 'Consumers were likely to infer from the claim, that the ‘real increase in the number of children with autism’ was not just down to increased diagnosis, but the vaccine might have played a role in bringing about that increase.' They added: 'Because we had not seen supporting evidence that that was the case, and understood that that position was also contradicted by general medical opinion, we concluded that the claim was misleading.' BabyJabs Ltd denied a breach citing previous scientific research which had concluded: 'We cannot rule out the existence of a susceptible subgroup with an increased risk of autism if vaccinated'. But the ASA said: 'The Cochrane review, looking at the general evidence available, could find no significant association between MMR immunisation and autism. 'We noted that the evidence provided by the advertiser included studies and an article which looked at the increased prevalence of autism, but did not include evidence that any increase was due to the MMR vaccine.' They added: 'We considered that consumers would understand from the (advert) that the MMR vaccine was likely to have caused autism in up to 10% of autistic children in the UK, namely between 300 and 400 children a year. 'We noted we had not seen any evidence, such as a clinical trial or study, which actively showed that the MMR vaccine was likely to cause autism in between 300 and 400 children a year. 'Because we did not consider that we had seen sufficient evidence to support the claim we concluded it was misleading.'
The World Health Organisation and the Department of Health have found no evidence of a causal link between MMR and autism .
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As the 74 people on a climate change research ship stuck in the ice in Antarctica readied for New Year's Eve festivities, authorities revealed plans to send in a rescue helicopter. The Russian-flagged MV Akademik Shokalskiy has not moved in a week since getting stuck in unusually thick ice on Christmas. The people on board say they are holding up fairly well. "The group on this ship is incredibly collegiate," said Alok Jha, a science correspondent for The Guardian newspaper, told Anderson Cooper 360. "There are a lot of skills and things people are sharing with each other." Chris Turney, an Australian professor of climate change at the University of New South Wales, said there are regular briefings on the status of rescue attempts, and in the meantime, people are doing what they can to keep busy. That includes yoga and Spanish classes, Jha and Turney said. Turney said it was raining hard Monday, and visibility was deteriorating. The forecast for the next 24 hours called for more of the same. Officials said a helicopter from a nearby Chinese ship will be used in the airlift, but rescuers must wait for conditions to improve. In preparation, crew members of the Akademik Shokalskiy have marked a spot on the ice where the helicopter can land, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said. The helicopter, which can transport 12 people each trip, will take the ship's 52 passengers -- who include the research team and journalists -- to the Chinese icebreaker Xue Long. An Australian icebreaker, which tried unsuccessfully to reach the research vessel, will send a barge to pick them up. The 22 crew members of the Akademik Shokalskiy will stay aboard, the maritime agency said. "People are sort of seeing the end in sight and just keeping morale up," Turney told CNN. "It's New Year's Eve tonight, so there are all sorts of plans." That includes the singing of an original song written by one of the passengers and dancing, Jha said. And there may be good spirits -- both emotional and alcoholic, Jha and Turney said. The Akademik Shokalskiy passengers said it wasn't a bad place to be stuck. The scenery is beautiful. Penguins have been walking up to the ship and sniffing around, checking out their new neighbors. Close, but no rescue . The expedition to gauge the effects of climate change on the region began on November 27. The second and current leg of the trip started on December 8 and was scheduled to conclude with a return to New Zealand on January 4. The vessel got stuck in the ice 15 days after setting out on the second leg. Turney said the ship was surrounded by ice up to nearly 10 feet (3 meters) thick. It was about 100 nautical miles east of the French base Dumont D'Urville, which is about 1,500 nautical miles south of Hobart, Tasmania. On Christmas morning, the ship sent a satellite distress signal after conditions failed to clear. The Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis suspended efforts early Monday to reach the expedition because of bad weather. The ship got within 10 nautical miles but then turned back. The attempt by the Australian icebreaker followed one by the Xue Long, or Snow Dragon, which was six nautical miles from the trapped vessel when it couldn't get any closer because of the ice. It returned to open water and remained in the area to provide support, said Andrea Hayward-Maher, a spokeswoman for the maritime authority.
Passengers preparing for New Year's Eve festivities . It will take at least a day for the weather to improve . Helicopter can pick up 12 passengers at a time . Barge will ferry them from Chinese ship to Australian vessel .
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It is one of the key bonding experiences for a mother and child: breastfeeding. So lesbian partners Heidi and Maryellen Olson wanted to share that with their first-born Sequoia. They both nurse their one-month-old daughter. Phenomenon: Maryellen Olson, 25, nurses her daughter Sequoia despite not giving birth . Both breastfeeding: Her wife Heidi, 26, naturally lactates meaning they can both nurse their first-born . Dubbed 'co-nursing', the little-known practice requires Maryellen, who didn't give birth, to induce lactation and take a natural drug to boost breastmilk. According to the new parents, it has changed everything. 'It is so worth it for the closeness I feel with Sequoia, and also for the sanity-saving it provides both of us,' graduate student Maryellen, 25, told MailOnline from the family's home in Santa Cruz, California. 'We both feel pretty amazed. 'It's amazing to see what our bodies can do, and we felt lucky to have this additional bonding experience available for both of us.' The couple, who married in 2012, discovered the treatment - more common among adoptive families - in a group for lesbians trying to conceive and immediately agreed to pursue it. Maryellen followed a program named the Newman-Goldfarb protocol, which made her body simulate pregnancy. Starting four months before the birth, she took birth control pills and a breastmilk-enhancing drug called Domperidone. The drug does not yet have FDA approval but is prevalent in Europe, some US states, and Canada, where Heidi and Maryellen eventually bought their dosage. Experience: The couple from Santa Cruz, California, said it has made them stronger as a family . Journey: Maryellen (right) started taking birth control pills and a drug called Domperidone four months before Heidi (left) gave birth to Sequoia on November 7. They conceived using artificially inseminated donor sperm . Maryellen stopped the birth control pills six weeks before Heidi's due date, to make her body believe she had given birth, and started 'pumping' up to six times a day. The pump is designed to make a woman's body produce more milk. By the time Sequoia was born on November 7, Maryellen was ready to nurse. She will continue with Domperidone and herbal tablets called 'More Milk Special Blend' until Sequioa is no longer breastfeeding. 'Our friends are fascinated by the fact that my wife and I both breastfeed our daughter,' Heidi, a 26-year-old nurse, said. 'We get a lot of: "Wow, that's amazing!" and "I didn't know that was possible!"' It came after a long battle to conceive. Heidi endured a year-long battle with endometriosis and ovarian cysts that threatened to affect her fertility. In spring this year, she was finally able to undergo an intrauterine insemination (IUI) to implant a donor's sperm in her uterus. But it took ten cycles before the pregnancy test flashed pink. 'It was a heart wrenching time and very hard on us both,' Heidi said. 'Every cycle and negative test was harder than the last, and the doctors were less and less hopeful. Birth: Having followed the meticulous program, Maryellen was able to nurse Sequoia as soon as she was born . Joy: They celebrated the birth at their family home and say they are already easing into their nursing routine . 'Our positive pregnancy test came just in the nick of time, and we were so glad.' Now, four weeks after their home birth, photographed by Santa Cruz Birth Photography, Heidi, Maryellen and Sequoia are easing into their unconventional routine. For Sequoia, it means she doesn't have to wait around - even though she is sometimes stubborn ('she really makes us work for it!'). 'We don't really have a set schedule or rotation,' Maryellen said. 'Whoever is near the baby or holding her will feed her, and the other will try to pump then or shortly after.' 'We are able to sleep in longer chunks due to this, since it's not all on one mama to have to feed her and stay awake. We switch whenever the awake mama feels like she needs help or sleep.' Makes everything easier! Both nursing, it means either can respond to Sequoia's cries if the other is busy . But the crucial benefit is their connection. Maryellen said: 'For me, I am able to feel even closer to her. 'I am absolutely in love with her and feel incredibly connected to her ever since she was in utero, but since she's been out of the womb and I'm breastfeeding, I feel even more connected. 'I know other non-carrying lesbian mothers who feel like they are not as close to their child as the mom who carried the baby, and I know that breastfeeding has helped me feel incredibly bonded to her. 'When she is breastfeeding and falls asleep on me or lays her hand on me, I feel an overwhelming amount of love for her that I wouldn't have were I not breastfeeding.'
Heidi and Maryellen Olson conceived first daughter using donor sperm . Heidi gave birth to Sequoia on Nov 7, Maryellen wanted to breastfeed too . Maryellen followed a program of birth control pills and a milk-enhancing drug for three months before the birth at home in Santa Cruz, California . Now, both mothers nurse their daughter, claim it enhances their closeness .
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(CNN) -- Louisiana authorities said Tuesday they found the body of a missing 6-year-old girl, stabbed and stuffed in a trash can down the street from her home. Ahlittia North had been missing since Saturday morning. Her mother awoke to find her gone from their apartment in the New Orleans suburb of Harvey. Late Tuesday night, authorities charged Matthew Flugence, the nephew of Ahlittia's stepfather, in the girl's death. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said Flugence, 20, often babysat for her. Flugence was arrested after he was spotted walking along a road in the area. He had a knife on him, Sheriff's Col. John Fortunato said. Witnesses told authorities that Ahlittia was a friendly, outgoing child who always wanted to be first at the door when the doorbell rang, Normand said. After she was reported missing Saturday, investigators spent all day combing her neighborhood, looking in alleys, Dumpsters and boarded-up fourplexes. They found a pool of blood in one of the buildings, Normand said, and when DNA results came back Monday evening showing the blood belonged to Ahlittia, investigators searched the area again. That's when they found the girl's body in a garbage can, wrapped in a blanket from her house and covered in a garbage bag, Normand said. Investigators looked at the garbage can during their first search of the neighborhood, so they know the body was put inside sometime after Saturday -- but they still don't know when, he said. It's possible Ahlittia's body was placed there so the garbage trucks would take it away. Normand said garbage collection in the neighborhood happens Tuesday mornings. Ahlittia suffered four stab wounds -- two to her neck, likely the fatal wounds, and two to the abdomen, Jefferson Parish Coroner Gerald Cvitanovich said. She also had bruises to the front and back of her head, shoulder, lower back, and lower extremities. Cvitanovich said were no obvious signs during an autopsy of sexual assault. Flugence's brother Russell, 21, was arrested for obstruction of justice in the case, Normand said. Russell Flugence had information about the crime that he didn't come forward with, and he also had information implicating his brother, the sheriff added. CNN's Joe Sutton contributed to this report.
NEW: Police make an arrest . Authorities say Matthew Flugence, 20, babysat the girl in the past . Ahlittia North was missing since Saturday morning . Flugence's brother is arrested for obstruction of justice .
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Luke Anderson, winner of Big Brother 2012, was born a woman but is undergoing a full sex change . Wife Becki says they have an 'incredible sex life' and can't wait to start a family . His hormone injections have lowered his . voice, grown hair on his body and even thickened his facial bones, which . help him achieve a more masculine look . By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 07:21 EST, 28 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:32 EST, 29 December 2012 . Luke Anderson won over the nation when he was crowned the winner of Big Brother 2012. But for the 31-year-old TV star winning the show meant more than just prize money or fame, it meant acceptance, because Luke was actually born a girl. After living as a man for three years, Luke is now preparing to have a full sex change with the support of his wife Becki Anderson, and the couple plan to start a family as soon as possible with the help of an anonymous sperm donor. Scroll down for video . Happy together: Becki and Luke Anderson are looking forward to starting a family together, even though Luke doesn't have a penis because he was born as a girl . 22-year-old Becki from Chester had never dated a woman before but loves Luke as a man, despite the fact that he doesn't have a penis, and can't wait to give birth to his child next year. The couple who married in summer of 2011 told Closer magazine: 'We can’t wait to have a New Year baby. We’ll pick a sperm donor who has features like Luke so the baby looks like both of us.' They plan on bringing up their baby to be open-minded and will one day explain the situation. Winning: Luke, who won Big Brother 2012, is using his prize money to buy a house and can't wait to be a father . Over the last three years, Luke's hormone injections have lowered his voice, grown hair on his body and even thickened his facial bones, which help him achieve a more masculine look. After dating men and . attempting to live his life as a woman, at the age of 27 he decided to begin the process of changing sex. Becki, who is now a mortgage advisor, worked as a waitress in a hotel at the age of 20 and met chef Luke there. The pair hadn't gone further than kissing when Luke divulged his secret. Becki was shocked when she found out the truth but was so impressed that he mustered the courage to tell her . 'It might sound hard to believe, but I don’t care he hasn’t got a penis. 'We have an amazing sex life. We try all different toys and positions, though Luke doesn’t wear a strap-on,' she told Closer. After moving in together, the pair married at the hotel they met at and Luke underwent a double mastectomy. But it wasn't until May 2012 that they shared Luke's secret with Becki's family. Because of Luke entering the Big Brother house, they knew it was the right time and Becki's family, friends and colleagues all fully supported them. After putting his £50,000 Big Brother winnings towards saving for a family home, Luke said: 'It’ll give us the family we dream of. 'I think I’ll make a great dad and I know Becki will be a brilliant mum.'
Luke Anderson, winner of Big Brother 2012, was born a woman but is undergoing a full sex change . Wife Becki says they have an 'incredible sex life' and can't wait to start a family . His hormone injections have lowered his . voice, grown hair on his body and even thickened his facial bones, which . help him achieve a more masculine look .
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A furniture shop refused to repair a pensioner's armchairs - after claiming she had ruined them with sweat caused by her medication. Grandmother Barbara Challons, of Mosborough, South Yorkshire, bought the two two-seater armchairs from Harveys Furniture Store three years ago and says they have always had problems. The company have sent her several spare parts but after repeated complaints they finally called at her home to fix them. A furniture shop refused to repair armchairs owned by Barbara Challons (pictured) - after claiming she had ruined them with sweat caused by her medication . An inspector from Harveys asked her if she was on any medication and she replied 'yes'. The 79-year-old was later stunned to receive a letter saying the medication had caused her to sweat and 'contaminated' the £500 chairs - meaning staff could not repair them. Mrs Challons said: 'I'm upset about it. People will think I'm dirty and I'm not dirty. They will think my house is scruffy. 'What makes me so cross is that they're saying these chairs are greasy. I'm really hurt by what they've made me look. 'If they didn't want to fix the chairs, why couldn't they use a problem with the furniture as an excuse. 'Instead they've made a personal attack on me and my health. People will think "what's wrong with her?"' The note from the company's repair partner, read: 'We have advised the customer that as she takes medication, this has affected the sofa. Barbara Challons bought the two two-seater armchairs from Harveys Furniture Store in Sheffield (pictured) three years ago and says they have always been plagued by problem . 'She does take high blood pressure tablets, this is unrepairable as now contaminated. 'The chairs are nearly three years old, this is from sweat through taking medication. No repair possible.' After receiving the letter Barbara showed it to her doctor who 'laughed at it' and described it as 'nonsense'. Widowed Mrs Challons, a retired auxiliary nurse, had applied for the chairs to be repaired by the shop. But the worker who visited her home asked her whether she was diabetic or on any blood pressure medication, to which she replied 'yes'. She said she later found this was used as a reason not to fix the chairs, which she said had been 'plagued with problems'. Mrs Challons added: 'It's a load of rubbish. To say my taking tablets damaged the chairs is unreal.' Mrs Challons said she had recently ordered two new armchairs, which are currently being handmade. She added: 'As soon as they arrive, I'm throwing these out. I can't wait to see the back of them.' Mrs Challons (pictured) was stunned to receive a letter saying the medication had caused her to sweat and 'contaminated' the £500 chairs - meaning staff couldn't repair them . The report (pictured) from the company's repair partner said there was 'no repair possible' Accompanying the report, Harveys said there was 'no manufacturing defect' and that she would need to pay an upholsterer to assess the chairs to challenge the decision. A spokesman from Harveys said: ‘Our Customer Service team have conducted a detailed review of Ms Challon’s concerns. 'Our technician carried out a thorough testing of the material and determined that, given the staining on the product, repairing it was not an option and also the age of the product, that we would not be prepared to offer any compensation. 'We do, however, appreciate that our technician could have handled the situation more sensitively. 'We have tried to contact Ms Challon to discuss the matter and offer a small goodwill gesture for any distress we may have caused in dealing with her concerns. 'As always, Harveys remains committed to offering the highest level of customer service to its customers and dealing with every issue fairly and transparently.’
Barbara Challons bought two armchairs from Harveys Furniture Store three years ago . Pensioner claims chairs have both been plagued by problems ever since . She confirmed to an inspector from the store that she was on medication . But she then received letter saying medication had caused her to sweat and 'contaminated' the £500 chairs . The letter explained to 79-year-old that this meant staff could not repair them . Former auxiliary nurse describes comments as 'personal attack on me and my health'
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Sony says it will release the Seth Rogen-James Franco comedy 'The Interview' mere days after it announced the film would not in theaters for its scheduled Christmas release date. Sony cancelled the film's release last week after the hackers threatened real-world attacks on cinemas screening it. 'Sony only delayed this,' said company attorney David Boies on today's NBC's Meet the Press. Scroll down for video . Sony says it will in fact publicly release the Seth Rogen-James Franco comedy 'The Interview' despite threats from hackers . 'Sony only delayed this,' said company attorney David Boies on NBC's Meet the Press. President Obama later said Sony had made a mistake in cancelling the movie, and that he would have intervened to make sure it went ahead. The hackers leaked embarrassing emails between Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal and producer Scott Rudin joking in a racially insensitive manner about Obama's film tastes. 'Sony has been fighting to get this picture distributed,' he said, according to The Daily Beast. 'It will be distributed.' The vast majority of cinema chains which were set to screen the movie pulled it after the threats. That came after a series of embarrassing internal documents were made public, from plans for the upcoming James Bond film, to internal emails arguing over the company's direction, to discussion of past theatrical failures. Pascal has been especially embarrassed by the leaks, recently having emails released revealing that things are so bad between the actor and the studio in fact that Sony head Amy Pascal calls him an 'a**hole* not once, but twice in emails exchanges. The hackers leaked embarrassing emails between Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal and producer Scott Rudin joking in a racially insensitive manner about Obama's film tastes . Actress Angelina Jolie was also ripped in some of the email exchanges with Amy Pascal, seen here together at a  Women in Entertainment Breakfast in L.A. She also believed Idris Elba should be cast as the next James Bond. Meanwhile Angelina Jolie was referred to as a 'a minimally talented spoiled brat' in one exchange discussing the star's passion project remake of Cleopatra. Boies called the hacks 'a state sponsored criminal attack on an American corporation and its employees. Sony has been glad for the FBI's help in investigating the hack, and 'the rest of the government has got to get behind it and has got to figure out a way that we can protect our national security.' As Vox notes, one viable option to get the movie out would be Crackle, the streaming service that Sony already owns. However, Boies was unsure how viewers would finally be able to see the film. Sony cancelled The Interview's slated December 25 release last week after the hackers threatened real-world attacks on cinemas screening it . 'How it's going to be distributed, I don't think anybody knows quite yet,' he said. 'But it's going to be distributed.' Just this weekend, North Korea threatened more attacks against the U.S. government and other American institutions in the wake of the hack on Sony which cancelled the release of The Interview. Obama also announced there was consideration to put the rogue state back on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. The government - which was outraged by the film showing the assassination of leader Kim Jong Un - also claimed to have 'clear evidence' that the U.S. government engineered the project as a 'propaganda' attack against North Korea. Obama also announced there was consideration to put the rogue state back on the list of state sponsors of terrorism . In a ranting post published by the state news agency KCNA, Korean authorities hit back in an escalating war of words in which they say they will 'blow up' the White House - while bizarrely continuing to deny they have anything to do with the cyber attacks on Sony. North Korea called the hack a 'righteous deed' - and reiterated that it 'highly esteems' the attack - but said it had no idea where it came from.
'Sony only delayed this,' said company attorney David Boies on NBC's Meet the Press . Was unsure how distribution might proceed . Sony cancelled The Interview's slated December 25 release last week after the hackers threatened real-world attacks on cinemas screening it . Film could be made available on Crackle, the streaming service Sony already owns .
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By . Chris Pleasance . PUBLISHED: . 08:09 EST, 15 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:05 EST, 16 September 2013 . With divorce fast becoming the norm it seems true love is harder and harder to find these days. But as these letters reveal, one smitten couple found a love so strong it was able to endure even while they were separated during World War II. Not only that, it lasted for a total of 70 years of marriage until they both died in 2011, he aged 96 and she aged 92, within just three days of one another. How time passes: Frederick and Elizabeth Noble wed on New Year's Day 1941 while Frederick . was on 48-hour leave from the Royal Tank Corps and stayed married for . the next 70 years . But, as remarkable as their relationship had seemed in life, in death it was about to give up its biggest and most heartwarming surprise. After Frederick and Elizabeth Noble had passed relatives discovered they had kept 250 love letters, telegrams, notes and Valentine's cards from each other. Their grandson, Dr Andrew Rowland, has taken them along to the Antique Roadshow TV program. In one extract read on tonight's show, Frederick writes: 'You are the most wonderful, marvellous, precious, beloved, lovable, . adoring, adorable, charming, divine and loving sweetheart wife that has . ever lived. 'Darling, come a little closer and let me whisper in . your darling ears, all these loving words, because they are meant for . you, my sweetheart.' The pair wrote a series of remarkable and passionate love letters to one another throughout World War II . The amazing collection of 250 letters, telegrams, notes and Valentine's cards was stored in a tea chest . The couple, who shared the same birthday, kept the memories stashed away inside a tea chest in their home in Wingate, County Durham. Speaking about the letters, Fiona Bruce, the show's host, said: 'Theirs was a real love story. What struck me about the . letters was the sheer outpouring of emotion across their pages. 'They . reveal two people who had fallen headlong in love - and that love burned . even more brightly while they were forced apart by war.' Frederick and Elizabeth Noble wed on New Year's Day in 1941 while he was on 48-hour leave from the Royal Tank Corps. He had volunteered for the Army in 1936 despite having been selected . as a professional footballer by Aston Villa and served in Afghanistan, . India, Burma, Ceylon and France. From these war-torn . countries he wrote the tear-jerking telegrams to his wife who was . nursing injured servicemen back home. After the war, . Elizabeth carried on her work as a nurse while Frederick became a miner . in the East Durham coalfield, before rising to the position of colliery overseer. During their long lives the besotted pair built up a large family of two daughters, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren and it was grandson who discovered the letters . Perhaps the most heart-wrenching messages were written when Frederick's leave was cancelled. He says: 'I'm very sorry my beloved, I can't get home. That's all I live for, . home and you. In another passage he adds: 'We both feel the same when I have to return from leave. I have to take a . firm hold of myself or I would never come back. 'I hate to see the back . of you as my bus or train pulls out because I know it will be weeks . before I set eyes on you again. It's terrible when we have to part - too . awful for words.' Showing a touch of humour, Frederick writes again to compliment his wife's skill in the kitchen: 'Darling, no matter what you think, I still say that you are a good cook . - so let's not have a small row. You know I wish that today I could . have sat down to one of your dinners.' Elizabeth's communication is more limited, as she was kept in the dark about where her husband was to keep military operations a secret. In the letters she did write she talks about the home front, rationing, and hiding under the kitchen table while bombs fell on the main road near their house. Only a small selection of letter were taken to Antiques Roadshow for filming and the family are keeping the rest secret while they decide what to do with them . While the letters reveal a lot about the couple's marriage, the war and their incredible devotion to one another, only a small selection were taken along to the show's filming in North Yorkshire. The rest are being kept a secret while the family, made up of the couple's two daughters, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, decide what to do with them. In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, Dr Rowland revealed that towards the end of their lives the pair talked about not wanting to go on without each other. He said that the family were comforted in their sadness by the thought that, in the end, Elizabeth had only had to endure three days without her beloved other half. Frederick died peacefully on December 4th, 2011, and Elizabeth on December 7th.
Frederick and Elizabeth Noble married in 1941 while he was on leave . They swapped passionate love letters throughout the war . The collection of 250 letters was found by their family in a tea chest . The pair, who shared a birthday, both died in 2011 just three days apart having said they could not bear to be without one another .
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(CNN) -- My mom was always sports mad -- my dad not so much. But both my parents understood the importance of significant events, so when opportunity knocked, my parents opened up all doors for me. I grew up knowing full well that my country wasn't allowed to participate in international sports following the sporting boycott of 1977 which had been placed on South Africa in a protest against apartheid -- a system of racial segregation enforced by the ruling white minority. So when the South African rugby team toured New Zealand in 1981, my parents made sure that I was awoken at 04:30 to watch all three Test matches. I got to snuggle between my parents -- and a first -- they put the television in their bedroom. It was the "flour bomb" Test -- where a light aircraft flew over Auckland's Eden Park before and during the match, dropping flour bombs, smoke bombs and anti-apartheid leaflets -- where I began to realize that other countries didn't like us. I didn't understand why at the time, and it hurt a little. Later that day, I'll never forget my parents telling me that it could be a long time before I witnessed something like this again. I was six at the time. They were right; I would next see these two teams play as a 17-year-old. First trip . My first trip to Cape Town's Newlands Cricket Ground was to watch Western Province play a domestic match. It must have been my mom's first trip too, because I distinctly remember entering the ground and ending up sitting on the grass embankment, which was reserved for colored people. Confused, we sat down. A kind couple offered us some fruit, so we stayed. I was blissfully unaware of how significant this possibly was. We returned a couple of years later to watch my first "Test" match: South Africa vs. the West Indies. This time we were seated in the correct place, in the Oaks Enclosure, which ironically these days is a grass embankment. I remember the hype and the excitement about this special day. I had seen the Windies in their warmup game against Western Province and I knew that they were something special. They had vicious fast bowlers and flamboyant batsmen. We got there early, along with thousands of others, just to watch the warmups. The excitement was tangible. I don't remember much about the games -- I remember more about the players. They were heroes to us. Perhaps there was some curiosity too, something about the islanders from far, far away on our shores. We used to follow them around the boundaries of the ground, hunting their prized autographs. And their accents -- just too cool. Didn't see color . I know I didn't see the color. I don't think most kids did -- they were just cricketers. At the end of play we would run on the field to try to touch them and grab one more autograph. Somewhere there is footage of me congratulating Sylvester Clarke by patting his back. I remember telling all my friends that I had touched the great bowler. While I had forgotten about it, listening to Franklyn Stephenson speak reminded me of the time we were trying to get him to drink from some kid's Coke. He obliged and we all simply went crazy. I realize the significance of that event now. Imagine a black guy drinking from the same can? Perhaps our parents would have flipped out, but this wasn't about color to us. Other memories include how obliging and friendly they were. Happy to give autographs and happy to interact positively with the huge crowds. Branded a rebel . It was with incredible interest and fascination that I watched "Branded a rebel" -- a CNN World Sport documentary which first screened last year. It gave me greater insight into the players, the tour, West Indies cricket and indeed my home country. And while "Branded a rebel" is an appropriate title for the program, it could have just as easily been titled "Branded Heroes." That's what they were to us white South Africans, and I think deep down the Windies players felt that too. It's all about what side of the line you were sitting, I guess. On their return home, the West Indian players were shunned by society and some were forced to move abroad to make a living. The poverty and other such ills which befell some of their players really tugged at all of my emotions. I started thinking what we as South Africans could have done for them. Could we have done more? Did we look after them well enough after the fact? It's a difficult one. These men didn't deserve it, no matter what choices they made. Society can be cruel. Strangled by hatred . It eats me up to think what those players endured upon their return. They were strangled by such hatred in their home countries, and yet I wish they somehow knew what they had done for young cricket fans like me. I got to see "real" international cricket played at the "highest" level. I got to meet new cricketing greats. I got to bowl like Clarke, Collis King and Colin Croft. I got to emulate David Murray's great wicketkeeping skills on Clifton beach, field like Alvin Kallicharan and admire the patience and masterful batting of the great Lawrence Rowe. And something else -- they taught us not to take ourselves too seriously by showing how much one can enjoy themselves on the sports field. Their smiles, I'll never forget their smiles. Each of their names is entrenched in my memory, and of all of those who saw the matches. They became part of my upbringing and that of thousands of South African fans. What I didn't understand at the time, was what it took for those men to actually land on our shores (money aside). They must have been scared -- really scared. I know I would have been. In the interview with Clive Lloyd, longtime captain of the official West Indies team that dominated world cricket for two decades, he said no amount of money would have made him support a racist regime. I would go as far as to say no amount of money would have put my fears at ease to travel to South Africa. Courage . It's not for me to judge, but those men were courageous. In their cricket and in their collective decisions, and I respect that. A few years later, I did wonder how the black West Indian players got to travel using "white" transport and stay in "white" areas. I remember asking my mom how that worked. She didn't know, but you could see that my political curiosity was growing. I was disappointed that more players didn't take up the opportunity of being interviewed for the documentary. I was intrigued by Stephenson, King and Murray's thoughts, motives and reflective answers. There seemed no real regret, which was fascinating and pleasing for some reason. As for those who declined an interview, their wounds obviously cut deep. Stephenson was just how I remember him. Boisterous, bubbly and always looking on the bright side of life. We got to know him well here, as he returned to play for the Orange Free State. The fact that he still has all his memorabilia means that the tour meant something to him, and that he feels part of change and change of attitudes in South Africa. I don't know if they changed us as a society but I'd like to thing so, even if it was an indescribably fractured and dysfunctional society. And by this I mean that white South Africa packed out every cricket ground to watch black West Indies, went home and made sure that "The Cosby Show" was the most watched program on television -- and yet black people were pretty much denied and excluded from everything. Heart bleeds . "Branded a rebel" showed balanced reporting. I like the fact that you saw the tour from a South African perspective as well. Great players like Graeme Pollock, Barry Richards and Clive Rice also effectively served life bans for being, well, South African, and the program understood that. I know that, fundamentally, the tour was morally corrupt, but for an innocent nine-year-old devoid of political allegiances and beliefs, it was simply a chance to see the world's best cricketers entertaining us on the world's most beautiful stage. Ultimately, I'd also like to believe that South African cricketers and administrators were trying to show the government the way forward, and that unity through sport was possible.
Sporting ban to campaign against apartheid in South Africa introduced in 1977 . "Rebel tours" were highly controversial, unofficial, international matches . Team of West Indian cricket players visited South Africa in 1983 . They were shunned by society on their return home to the Caribbean .
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Fears are growing that Britain's jails are becoming a hotbed of extremism after it was revealed today that nearly half the inmates of one top security prison are Muslim. Some 42 per cent of those housed at Category A Whitemoor jail - and more than a quarter of those in London prisons - consider themselves to be of Islamic faith. Experts now fear large numbers are being radicalised on the inside, where they say the spread of Jihadist ideas is rife. Figures show more than a quarter of inmates in London jails are Muslim, with one Category A jail revealing 42 per cent of its convicts follow the Islamic faith . Whitemoor inmate Zia Al Haq, left, was jailed for 18 for planning bomb attacks in London while Nezar Hindawi, right, was handed a 45-year sentence for plotting to blow up a jet . A source at Cambridgeshire jail Whitemoor told the Sunday People: 'Whitemoor is now effectively run by Muslims, many of whom are Jihadis.' A 2012 probe into the jail branded it a 'Taliban recruiting ground' and said inmates were offered protection if they converted to the religion. Shadow Justice Minister Sadiq Khan claimed ministers are not doing enough to tackle the issue of radicalisation in prisons. He said: 'In jails like Whitemoor, the Chief Inspector is on record warning of the risks of radicalisation. The Government needs to wake up to his problem before it is too late.' Shadow Justice Secretary Sadiq Khan says too little is being done to tackle the problem at jails like Whitemoor . A source inside Whitemoor said the jail was 'effectively run' by its large Muslim population . Whitemoor houses terrorists including Nezar Hindawi, who was given a 45-year sentence for trying to bomb an airliner. 'In jails like Whitemoor, the Chief Inspector is on record warning of the risks of radicalisation. The Government needs to wake up to his problem before it is too late' Sadiq Khan, Shadow Justice Minister . Also jailed there is Zia Al Haq, who has been locked up for 18 years in 2007 for offences including trying to bomb the London Underground. The Ministry of Justice insists prison wardens are 'working hard to tackle extremist ideologies'. A Prison Service spokesman said last night: 'Prisoners are held in establishments most suited to managing their individual needs and level of risk. 'The most recent independent inspection of HMP Whitemoor found it to be a safe environment and praised staff for their professionalism and dedicated care.'
Increasing Muslim prison population highlighted by Whitemoor jail . More than one in four of its convicts say they are of Islamic faith . Fears the trend is down to growing radicalisation by Jihaists . Shadow Justice Secretary Sadiq Khan calls for government action .
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(CNN) -- Palestinian journalists are finding reporting increasingly difficult in the face of the growing abuse toward them by Palestinian security forces in the West Bank and Gaza, according to a report released Wednesday by Human Rights Watch. The report, "No News is Good News: Abuses Against Journalists by Palestinian Security Forces," criticizes Palestinian Authority forces in the West Bank and Hamas security forces in Gaza, saying they are abusing local journalists and limiting press freedom in the Palestinian territories. The 35-page report focuses on seven incidents in the West Bank and two in Gaza, saying they are "cases in which security forces tortured, beat, and arbitrarily detained journalists, confiscated their equipment and barred them from leaving the West Bank and Gaza." Human Rights Watch cites a report issued by the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedom that says there was a 45% increase in the number of physical attacks, arrests, confiscation of equipment and limitation of movement in the year 2010. "We respect the Human Rights Watch report and other human rights organizations in what they do on the ground, and we have the readiness to investigate each case," said Maj. Gen. Adnan Dmeiri, spokesman for the Palestinian Authority security services. But, he said, "Why don't they consult us and ask us ... before publishing these reports?" He said the security services will investigate and "bring people to justice. The PA has no agenda to violate the rights of human beings and especially the rights of the journalists. We trust our justice system and the freedom of journalists is a priority of all things." Most of the abuses against journalists are connected to the rift between Fatah, which controls the West Bank's Palestinian Authority, and Hamas, which controls Gaza, according to the report. Pro-Hamas journalists are targeted by the Palestinian security forces in the West Bank and pro-Fatah journalists are targeted by the Hamas security in Gaza. The report stresses that the West Bank security forces have "virtual impunity for serious human rights violations" and states that the "utter failure of the (Palestinian Authority) leadership to address the prevailing culture of impunity for such abuses suggests that they reflect government policy." "We don't accept the comparison between us and the militia in Gaza," Dmeiri said. He said his organization has no political agenda and "we don't hold and detain people on their background. We detain people if they have criminal or security threats or matters that threaten the internal security." Large sums are donated to the Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank by the United States and the European Union. Human Rights Watch calls on the donor countries to condition their support to those security services by making sure that Palestinian Authority officials investigate and punish security personnel for their abuses. Attacks on International journalists in Gaza also have increased in the past couple of months. In March 2011, as journalists were covering a demonstration in Gaza calling for reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, the offices of Reuters, CNN and NHK were raided by Hamas security forces. Efforts to get a response from Hamas officials were not immediately successful. The Tel Aviv-based Foreign Press Association released a statement expressing its "grave concern" that Hamas security forces "brutally attacked photographers and cameramen, beating them, breaking equipment and confiscating photos and video footage." The organization called the developments the latest in a "string of chilling attacks on reporters in Gaza." The United States and European Union have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. Human Rights Watch describes itself on its website as "one of the world's leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights." CNN's Kareem Khadder contributed to this report.
NEW: Palestinian security forces say they will investigate the allegations . The Human Rights Watch report focuses on seven incidents in the West Bank and two in Gaza . Journalists were "tortured, beat, and arbitrarily detained," the report says . The rift between Fatah and Hamas is behind most of the incidents, it says .
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Terrorists are likely to use a weapon of mass destruction somewhere in the world in the next five years, a blue-ribbon panel assembled by Congress has concluded. Police watch over travelers at New York's Grand Central Terminal before Thanksgiving. They are more likely to use a biological weapon than a nuclear one -- and the results could be devastating, the chairman of the commission told CNN. "The consequences of a biological attack are almost beyond comprehension. It would be 9/11 times 10 or a hundred in terms of the number of people who would be killed," former Sen. Bob Graham said. He cited the flu virus that killed millions of people in 1918 as an example. "Today it is still in the laboratory, but if it should get out and into the hands of scientists who knew how to use it for a violent purpose, we could have multiple times the 40 million people who were killed 100 years ago," he said. Watch how officials worry about a biological terror attack » . The U.S. government "needs to move more aggressively to limit" the spread of biological weapons, the commission said in its report. Graham warned that such measures would be costly, but were necessary. "The leadership of this country and the world will have to decide how much of a priority ... they place on avoiding the worst weapons in the world getting in the hands of the worst people in the world," he said. "It is not going to be cheap. It is not going to be accomplished without some sacrifices. It won't be accomplished without putting this issue ahead of some other competing national and international goals. But I think our safety and security depend upon doing so," he added. Graham said a biological attack was more likely than a nuclear one because it would be easier to carry out. Biological weapons "are more available," he said. "Anthrax is a natural product of dead animals. Other serious pathogens are available in equally accessible forms." "There are so many scientists who have the skills to convert a pathogen from benign, helpful purposes into an illicit, very harmful weapon," he added. But the commission warned that there is also a threat of nuclear terrorism, both because more countries are developing nuclear weapons and because some existing nuclear powers are expanding their arsenals. "Terrorist organizations are intent on acquiring nuclear weapons," said the report, which was published Tuesday on the Internet and will be officially released Wednesday. CNN obtained a copy of the report Monday evening. It cited testimony before the commission from former Sen. Sam Nunn, who said that the "risk of a nuclear weapon being used today is growing, not receding." The report recommends a range of measures, including increased security and awareness at biological research labs and strengthening international treaties against the spread of biological and nuclear weapons. "Many biological pathogens and nuclear materials around the world are poorly secured -- and thus vulnerable to theft by those who would put these materials to harmful use, or would sell them on the black market to potential terrorists," the report warned. The commission expressed particular concern about the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, and about Pakistan, which it described as "the intersection of nuclear weapons and terrorism." While observing that Pakistan is a U.S. ally, the report said, "the next terrorist attack against the United States is likely to originate from within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas" in Pakistan. The tribal areas lie in northwest Pakistan where the government exerts little control; the United States says it is a haven for militants from both Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan. Congress created the commission to investigate and report on WMD and terrorism in line with a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission, which compiled a report on the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. Commissioners heard testimony from more than 250 experts from around the world over the course of their six-month investigation. CNN's Jeanne Meserve contributed to this report.
NEW: Next terror attack on U.S. likely to originate in Pakistan tribal areas, report says . Terrorists with biological weapons could kill millions, panel's chairman says . Biological attack more likely than nuclear attack, report says . Number of nations with nuclear weapons also growing, panel says .
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CAVITE CITY, Philippines (CNN) -- At 16, Rhandolf Fajardo reflects on his former life as a gang member. Efren Peñaflorida's Dynamic Teen Company offers Filipino youth an alternative to gangs through education. "My gang mates were the most influential thing in my life," says Fajardo, who joined a gang when he was in sixth grade. "We were pressured to join." He's not alone. In the Philippines, teenage membership in urban gangs has surged to an estimated 130,000 in the past 10 years, according to the Preda Foundation, a local human rights charity. "I thought I'd get stuck in that situation and that my life would never improve," recalls Fajardo. "I would probably be in jail right now, most likely a drug addict -- if I hadn't met Efren." Efren Peñaflorida, 28, also was bullied by gangs in high school. Today, he offers Filipino youth an alternative to gang membership through education. Vote now for the CNN Hero of the Year . "Gang members are groomed in the slums as early as 9 years old," says Peñaflorida. "They are all victims of poverty." For the past 12 years, Peñaflorida and his team of teen volunteers have taught basic reading and writing to children living on the streets. Their main tool: A pushcart classroom. Stocked with books, pens, tables and chairs, his Dynamic Teen Company recreates a school setting in unconventional locations such as the cemetery and municipal trash dump. Peñaflorida knows firsthand the adversity faced by these children. Born into a poor family, he lived in a shanty near the city dump site. But he says he refused to allow his circumstances to define his future. "Instead of being discouraged, I promised myself that I would pursue education," he recalls. "I will strive hard; I will do my best." In high school, Peñaflorida faced a new set of challenges. Gang activity was rampant; they terrorized the student body, vandalized the school and inducted members by forcing them to rape young girls, he says. "I felt the social discrimination. I was afraid to walk down the street." Peñaflorida remembers standing up to a gang leader, refusing to join his gang. That confrontation proved fateful. At 16, he and his friends "got the idea to divert teenagers like us to be productive," he says. He created the Dynamic Teen Company to offer his classmates an outlet to lift up themselves and their community. For Peñaflorida, that meant returning to the slums of his childhood to give kids the education he felt they deserved. "They need education to be successful in life. It's just giving them what others gave to me," he says. Today, children ranging from ages 2 to 14 flock to the pushcart every Saturday to learn reading, writing, arithmetic and English from Peñaflorida and his trained teen volunteers. Watch Peñaflorida and his group in action with their push cart classroom » . "Our volunteers serve as an inspiration to other children," he says. The group also runs a hygiene clinic, where children can get a bath and learn how to brush their teeth. Since 1997, an estimated 10,000 members have helped teach more than 1,500 children living in the slums. The organization supports its efforts by making and selling crafts and collecting items to recycle. Take a look at the slums where Peñaflorida and his group spend their Saturdays » . Through his group, Peñaflorida has successfully mentored former gang members, addicts and dropouts, seeing potential where others see problems. "Before, I really didn't care for my life," says Michael Advincula, who started doing drugs when he was 7. "But then Efren patiently dug me from where I was buried. It was Efren who pushed me to get my life together." Watch Advincula describe how he met Peñaflorida in the slums » . Today, Advincula is a senior in high school and one of the group's volunteers. Peñaflorida hopes to expand the pushcart to other areas, giving more children the chance to learn and stay out of gangs. "I always tell my volunteers that you are the change that you dream and I am the change that I dream. And collectively we are the change that this world needs to be." Want to get involved? Check out the Dynamic Teen Company and see how to help.
Efren Peñaflorida was bullied by gangs in high school in the Philippines . Now his Dynamic Teen Company offers an alternative to gangs through education . Since 1997, some 10,000 members have taught more than 1,500 children in slums . Vote now for the CNN Hero of the Year at CNN.com/Heroes .
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By . Ted Thornhill . Last updated at 2:18 PM on 30th December 2011 . Bored of your surroundings and want to liven things up? Or fancy destroying that broken bit of office machinery? Now there’s an app that’ll add a bit of action movie magic into your life by super-imposing dramatic special effects over mobile phone footage. Action Movie FX for iPhone comes courtesy of J.J. Abrams’ production company Bad Robot Interactive, which is behind Star Trek, Super 8 and Mission Impossible 3. SCROLL DOWN FOR MAILONLINE'S BLOCKBUSTER DEBUT . Kaboom: A MailOnline reporter finds himself in the line of fire . Dramatic: The app's effects are incredibly realistic . Leave it to the professionals: The company behind the app, Bad Robot, has plenty of expertise with movie special effects . The free app comes with two effects – a missile strike and a car crash, and the results are incredible. Simply hit record and film a scene, then use a slider to mark the point at which you want the ‘fx’ to begin. The missile strike is gigantic and a burning pile of rubble is left behind after the initial explosion. The car crash is equally professional-looking. Swirls of dust precede an SUV dropping out of the sky and flying into the camera. Car-nage: A terrifying car crash is one of the free effects that comes with the app . Lights, iPhone, action! For 99 cents you can add in a helicopter crash . Gunning for filmmaking glory: The app also features fake armed police . Simple: The app is straightforward to use and it only takes seconds before you've made special-effects-laden footage . There are even action-movie sound effects to accompany the carnage. More effects, such as a helicopter falling from the sky, can be added for a small fee. So far it’s proving hugely popular, with one user, Jimmo Olson, commenting: ‘I ordered a missile strike on my office calendar. Looks like I’m leaving early today.’
The free iPhone app comes with a 'missile strike' and a 'car crash'
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By . Chris Brooke . PUBLISHED: . 10:18 EST, 8 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:07 EST, 9 April 2013 . A man went berserk and stabbed his fiancée because of the stress of trying to win a £25,000 ‘dream wedding’ contest, a court heard yesterday. Lee Rowlands and Madelaine Moir, both 37, were one of five couples in the competition final who were attempting to win the prize by raising the most money for charity in a week. They were working 20 hours a day to try to raise the money when Rowlands suffered a ‘psychotic episode.’ He allegedly began hearing voices and attacked Miss Moir with two kitchen knives as she cowered on the floor. Strain: Lee Rowlands, right, and his fiancée Madelaine Moir, he he attacked with two kitchen knives during a psychotic episode while desperately trying to win a radio competition for a 'Dream Wedding' She was wounded on her breast, arm, fingers and knee and he ran into the street believing he had killed her, Sheffield Crown Court was told. Yesterday Rowlands was jailed for 28 months after admitting unlawful wounding. He will be released in a few weeks because he has been in custody for 13 months and would have been automatically freed at the halfway point of his sentence. Miss Moir is said to have stood by him and they still hope to get married. The couple had been together for two years before the attack on March 14 last year. They entered the competition run by Sheffield-based independent radio station Hallam FM in the hope of winning the £25,000 wedding package, including a honeymoon in Sri Lanka, venue hire, dress, flowers and photographer. In her application Miss Moir wrote: ‘We wish we had met years ago, we love each other and want to shout it to the world.’ Stand by your man: Miss Moir arrives at Sheffield Crown Court to see Rowlands sentenced. The pair still hope to marry one day . Alison Dorrell, prosecuting, said the couple had a happy relationship and Rowlands had become the father figure to the divorcee’s two children. But Miss Moir had noticed her partner’s heart beating irregularly and he began to speak about hearing voices. He also threatened to jump out of the window and harm himself. During the 25-minute ‘episode’ Rowlands attacked his fiancée with two kitchen knives at their home in Armthorpe, Doncaster. He then ran outside in his boxer shorts ‘saying he had killed her’. Rowlands was found by police sobbing in the street. Miss Dorrell said: ‘He was making no sense at all.’ Miss Moir needed hospital treatment and later had surgery on a finger injury. She said later she didn’t recognise the man who attacked her.  ‘He wasn’t himself and she was of the view that he didn’t want to hurt her and he wasn’t thinking rationally,’ said Miss Dorrell. Miss Moir wrote in her victim statement: ‘We never argued. This is why I can’t say what happened. It is as if somebody else had taken over his body.’ The court heard she had helped turn Rowlands’ life around. He had served time in jail, and they entered the wedding contest because he was desperate to prove himself. Richard Barradell, defending, said the couple aimed to raise £2,000 each a day to win the wedding prize. However, it became clear ‘things were getting to Lee Rowlands’. Mr Barradell said ‘something snapped’ and Rowlands had a ‘psychotic mental breakdown of rapid onset’. ‘He is desperately sorry for what he did. He can’t explain it.’ Judge Robert Moore said Rowlands had been receiving mental health treatment and his release in a few weeks under licence would enable him to continue his rehabilitation. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
Lee Rowlands tried to raise £2,000 a day for charity to win the competition . But the strain got too much and he suffered a psychotic episode . He stabbed fiancée Madelaine Moir in the breast, arm, fingers and knee .
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Washington (CNN) -- The pilots of Northwest Flight 188 did not fall asleep when they overflew their destination by more than 100 miles in October, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday in a detailed report on the wayward flight. The two pilots "became distracted by a conversation" about the airline's new work schedule system and by laptop computers they were using in violation of company policy and did not communicate with air traffic control for about 1 hour and 17 minutes while they cruised past their Minneapolis, Minnesota, destination at 37,000 feet, the NTSB said. The safety board also faulted the Federal Aviation Administration for air traffic control shortcomings. The NTSB report gives the most complete official account to date of the errant flight, which prompted the FAA to revoke both pilots' licenses, prompted the airline to suspend them from flying and prompted the FAA to adopt new procedures to notify the U.S. military in cases where the FAA loses contact with commercial aircraft. According to the account, the flight from San Diego, California, was routine until the plane was in the Denver, Colorado, region. There, air traffic controllers directed the crew of the Airbus A-320 to change their radio frequency. The co-pilot, or first officer, acknowledged the frequency change and read back the correct frequency. However, neither the captain nor the first officer contacted controllers on the new frequency until about 1 hour and 17 minutes later, when Winnipeg, Manitoba, controllers directed the crew to contact Minneapolis. The NTSB said that because of the proximity of the Winnipeg frequency to the last frequency acknowledged by the pilots (Winnipeg is 132.125 megahertz, while the last frequency used was 132.17) it is "likely the first officer began to dial in the new frequency but never completed the frequency change by pushing an activation button. Nor did the first officer attempt to contact the next controller." The NTSB said the frequency change likely occurred while the captain was taking a restroom break and while a flight attendant was serving dinner. "These events may have distracted the first officer from completing the frequency change or attempting to contact the next ATC controller," the NTSB said. Further, the captain's absence would have prevented him from checking the co-pilot's actions. When the captain returned, the pilots became involved in a conversation over new scheduling procedures, and the first officer tutored the captain using their computers, the NTSB said. "The pilots allowed this conversation to monopolize their attention," the board said. "Both pilots state that they heard radio chatter but did not hear a radio call for NWA188." The laptop computers they used likely blocked their view of numerous visual alerts, including text messages sent by airline dispatchers and at least nine messages regarding their position on the airplane's primary flight display, the NTSB said. Northwest Airlines policy prohibited the use of the laptops, the NTSB said. Both pilots told the NTSB the first indication of anything unusual was when a flight attendant called to ask about their arrival time. The captain "looked at his navigation display and saw Duluth [Minnesota] to his left and Eau Claire [Wisconsin] to his right," the board said. The NTSB said it could not determine why the pilots did not respond to numerous radio calls, but said it could be because the volume was turned down, the pilots were distracted or the plane was outside the coverage for the 121.5 megahertz transmitters. The NTSB faulted the FAA for not catching the pilots' errors earlier, saying the plane entered two Denver sectors uneventfully, but radio contact was not established in the next two sectors, where controllers were preparing for a shift change. "Neither sector controller's relief briefing included information that communication had not been established" with the plane, the NTSB said. The NTSB said the FAA had no standard procedures to indicate that an aircraft had not made radio contact when electronic radar handoffs of planes occurred from one sector to the next. "Because of this lack of standardization, NWA188 passed through two Denver ATC sectors without the controllers being aware that it had not made radio contact," the safety board said. Almost 30 minutes had elapsed before the next sector's controller attempted to regain contact with the plane and realized the plane was unresponsive to radio calls, the board said. Recognizing the problem, controllers first attempted to regain contact by calling Northwest dispatchers, then by calling an emergency frequency, but did not use words such as "emergency" or "mayday" that may have helped capture the pilots' attention, the NTSB said. The pilots did not respond. As a result of the investigation and of the crash of an executive jet in Montana in 2009, the safety board is recommending steps to prevent a repeat of the incidents. Six days after the event, the FAA revoked the licenses of Capt. Timothy Bryan Cheney and First Officer Richard Irwin Cole, saying their lack of awareness that they had overflown the Minneapolis airport was "completely unacceptable" and "put your passengers and your crew in serious jeopardy." But in a settlement signed with the pilots on Monday, the pilots acknowledged no wrongdoing, and the FAA agreed to allow the pilots to reapply for their licenses in August, two months shorter than would ordinarily be allowed. A spokesman for Delta Airlines, which merged with Northwest, said this week the airlines' internal investigation is continuing.
First officer didn't completely load radio frequency, NTSB says . He and pilot then were distracted by discussion, personal computers, NTSB says . NTSB also blames air traffic controllers for not realizing problem earlier .
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Four police officers involved in the fatal pursuit of a young student used 'unnecessary, excessive and unlawful force' against him, a court has heard. Brazilian student Roberto Curti, 21, died in the early hours of March 18, 2012, after a chase and violent struggle with police in Sydney's CBD in which he was tasered, handcuffed, hit with capsicum spray and knelt on. Policemen Scott James Edmondson and Daniel David Barling have been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm while Chin Aun Lim and Damian John Ralph face the charge of assault. All four have pleaded not guilty. Brazilian student Roberto Curti died in the early hours of March 18, 2012, following a chase and violent struggle with police in which he was Tasered, handcuffed, hit with capsicum spray and knelt on . A court heard on Monday that the four police officers involved used 'unnecessary, excessive and unlawful force' against Mr Curti . On the opening day of a four-week hearing, prosecutor Cate Dodds on Monday said Mr Curti became increasingly afraid and erratic after taking the drug LSD with two friends on the night of March 17, 2012. By the early hours of the morning, Mr Curti was seen running around the city before going to a convenience store and stealing two packets of Tim Tams. After a triple zero call, police initially described the biscuit theft over the radio as an armed robbery involving two men. Policemen Scott James Edmondson (left) and Daniel David Barling (right) pictured earlier this month have been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm . Mr Curti was eventually spotted by police who began chasing him along Pitt Street at about 6am. He was dressed in blue jeans and had no shirt and no shoes on. When police caught him, Ms Dodds said Lim successfully deployed his Taser at Mr Curti causing him to fall to the ground. What happened next, she said was 'unnecessary, excessive and unlawful'. As Mr Curti lay handcuffed on the ground, surrounded by cops, Lim discharged his Taser for a second time. Chin Aun Lim (left) and Damian John Ralph (right) face the charge of assault . Meanwhile Barling, the court heard, used the Taser's 'drive-stun mode' on five separate occasions, while Edmondson used his twice. Mr Curti was also hit with capsicum spray by Ralph, Ms Dodds said. The cause of Mr Curti's death is undetermined but he was unable to be resuscitated at the scene. The hearing continues on Tuesday. Earlier this month the four police officers were seeking to permanently halt criminal proceedings against them. In a hearing in the first week of November, Barrister Bret Walker SC told Downing Centre Local Court they were now making an application to stay the proceedings against them. All four have pleaded not guilty and earlier this month were trying to halt all criminal proceedings against them . Barrister Bret Walker SC told the court, the prosecution case against the four police officer including Scott Edmondson (pictured) was 'rooted in an eradicable error' The prosecution case against the four had been tainted by directed interviews which took place in the days after Mr Curti's death, Mr Walker said. During the interviews, officers were 'compelled' to answer questions by threat of disciplinary action and therefore their answers should not have been used against them. Instead, Mr Walker argued, the interviews became 'inextricably entangled' in the ensuing investigation of them. This meant the prosecution case was 'rooted in an eradicable error', he said. The hearing commenced on Monday and will run for the next four weeks.  Chin Aun Lim is pictured here a fortnight ago . But Crown Advocate Natalie Adams SC, appearing on behalf of the attorney-general, said only three pages of Lim's interview had ever been handed to the DPP. If the admissibility of the interviews was in question, Ms Adams said there should be an application for that evidence to be excluded. 'This is not a basis for a stay,' she said, adding that should be a 'last resort'. Magistrate Mark Buscombe will hand down his decision on the permanent stay application by the four police officers on November 11. Police officer Damian Ralph leaving the Downing Centre Court in Sydney on November 3 .
A court heard that four police officers used 'unnecessary, excessive and unlawful force' against a student . Brazilian student Roberto Curtis died in March 2012 following a chase and violent struggle with police in which he was tasered . All officers have pleaded not guilty . A four week hearing commenced on Monday .
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By . John Hall . Scam: Patricia Glancy conned five couples who were getting married at Wentworth Golf Club . A wedding planner who stole £11,000 from couples marrying at one of Britain's top golf clubs has avoided jail because she spent the money on a friend who was dying of cancer . Patricia Glancy, 36, conned five couples into leaving blank cheques with Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey, which she would then cash into her own bank account. Although she admitted stealing the money, Glancy was spared prison after it emerged she spent it on taking her dying friend Thelma Harte on holiday to New York, as well as on large donations to cancer charities. Glancy stole a total of £10,787.50 pounds between March 1 and June 6 last year, and had resigned shortly before the con was discovered by golf club bosses. The scheme was was finally detected when a bride emailed the club about her wedding preparations - only to be told she had not put down a deposit and the organiser had left. Judge Peter Moss, sitting at Guildford Crown Court today sentenced Glancy to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months. The court heard she had paid back every penny of the stolen money and that the golf club had honoured the weddings of all couples that fell victim to the scam. During the trial Judge Moss was handed 'proof' Glancy used to the cash to pay for a trip to New York for a friend, Thelma Harte, who was dying of cancer. Ms Harte is believed to have died before the scam was detected. Glancy also provided evidence that she had used the rest of the money to buy goods from the golf club’s shop, which were sold as items at charity auctions to raise money for two cancer hospices. 'Wentworth Golf Club picked up, as you would expect of a reputable organisation, the costs to fulfill their obligations that fell through because of your fraud. You risked damaging their reputation because of your actions,' said Judge Moss. 'You fully admitted this matter and I bear in mind you are 36 years of age and of good character. Suspended sentence: Patricia Glancy (pictured) was spared jail after it emerged she spent the stolen money taking a dying friend on holiday to New York, as well as making large donations to cancer charities . Money: Guildford Crown Court heard that Wentworth Golf Club (pictured) had honoured all the weddings for couples that found themselves conned out of thousands of pounds by Glancy . 'Your best friend was dying of cancer . and you wanted to provide trips for her to New York and you also . mentioned you had given donations to charity events for two particular . hospices, Judge Moss added. 'You certainly had . bought equipment from the professional shop - at a discount no doubt - . with some of the proceeds you had taken from your customers. 'I saw evidence you had been engaged in those charity events. It attracted, for you personally, a considerable amount of praise and admiration from family and friends. That may well have been the motivation for you.' Glancy, from Ascot in Berkshire, admitted five counts of fraud by false representation at an earlier court appearance. Judge Moss said her crimes deserved custodial punishment but decided to suspend her six-month prison sentence for 18 months. The judge told Glancy that she would immediately serve the six-month term if she committed any further crimes in the next 18 months. Scene: Patricia Glancy conned five couples into leaving blank cheques at the world-famous Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey (pictured). She would then deposit the cheques into her own bank account . He also ordered that she paid £350 pounds costs. Prosecutor Trina Little had earlier told the judge how Glancy worked at Wentworth Golf Club, near Virginia Water, Surrey, from January 16, 2012 to May 31 last year as club’s events sales manager. She said: 'She was tasked to arrange wedding receptions for people getting married at the club and liaised with the parties in doing so.' 'Miss Glancy was asking for deposits. On four of the counts the parties paid by cheques. They left them blank and she said she would stamp them with the Wentworth Golf Club stamp.' 'She completed her name and details.' One payment was made by bank transfer - but instead of giving the club’s details to the couple, Glancy gave her own account number, the prosecutor said. Lisa Patel and Mo Maan had just under £1,940 pounds diverted without their knowledge. Lauren Sandford’s father wrote a cheque for £2,650 pounds as a deposit for his daughter’s wedding to Gary Kearton. Home: Guildford Crown Court heard Patricia Glancy had now repaid all the money she had stolen. Above, Glancy's home in Ascot, Berkshire . A further cheque for an almost identical sum for Daniella Field and Matt Joy’s reception failed to land in the club’s account. Then £1,239 pounds for Nikki Hitchmore and Hooverney Martinez’s big day was taken, before Nadine Maraj and Shiraz Sharif had just over £2,300 pounds vanish into Glancy’s account. The frauds, which were carried out between March 1 and June 6, 2013, were exposed by an investigation launched after Lisa Patel tried to send Glancy an email, only for a message to bounce back saying she had left the club. Wentworth honoured the payments to make sure the weddings went ahead as planned. Glancy’s defence counsel Robert Spencer-Bernard told the judge that his client was 'genuinely remorseful' and had paid back the full amount to Wentworth. The judge had deferred Glancy’s sentencing hearing last month to give her time to prove she had spent the money on charitable causes, and to repay the cash.
Patricia Glancy, 36, conned couples out of money at Wentworth Golf Club . She admitted five counts of fraud, with the stolen money totaling £10,787 . Glancy was today spared jail after proving how the spent stolen money . She had donated large sums to charity and took dying friend to New York .
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The secret to staying slim could be in saliva. Researchers have found that a gene that makes a carb-busting compound has a large influence on weight. Nicknamed the Atkins Gene in some quarters after the popular diet, its official scientific nickname is AMY1. The gene makes an enzyme that is found in saliva and begins the breakdown and digestion of starchy foods like chips, crisps and rice. Carbohydrates: Researchers have found that a gene that makes an enzyme found in saliva begins the breakdown of starchy food and can have a large influence on weight . The study showed that people who had more copies of the gene made more of the enzyme and were more likely to be slim. Although we normally think of genes as coming in pairs, some people will only have one copy of a gene.  Others will have two, three or even more. In the case of the AMY1 gene, it possible to have up to 20 copies. Those who had fewer copies would be likely to find carbohydrates more difficult to digest - and therefore more likely to put on weight the journal Nature Genetics reports. Nickname: The AMY1 gene has been nicknamed the Atkins Gene after the popular diet devised by Dr Robert Atkins (pictured) It is not clear why.  But one possibility is that the undigested starch is feasted on by gut bacteria that fuel obesity by tinkering with the metabolism. The researchers, from King’s College London and Imperial College London, said that future dietary advice may have to be tailored to a person’s digestive system. Professor Tim Spector, the study’s joint lead author, said: ‘These findings are very exciting. ‘The next step is to find out more about the activity of this digestive enzyme and whether this might prove a useful marker or target for the treatment of obesity. ‘In the future, a simple blood or saliva test might be used to measure levels of key enzymes such as amylase in the body and therefore shape dietary advice for both overweight and underweight people. ‘Treatments are a long way away but this is an important step in realising that all of us digest and metabolise food differently – and we can move away from ‘one-size fits all diets’ to more personalised approaches.'
AMY1 gene makes a carb-busting compound and can influence weight . Gene makes enzyme in saliva that begins the breakdown of starchy food . It has been nicknamed the Atkins Gene after the popular diet . Study finds that those with more copies of the gene are likely to be slim .
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By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 08:53 EST, 11 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:49 EST, 11 June 2013 . Historians seeking to identify a troop of fallen World War One soldiers could be one step closer to cracking the 99 year mystery after tracing the descendant of a young man killed in France in 1914. The group of unknown soldiers, who fell during heavy gunfire during a battle in Beaucamps-Ligny, France, could be identified thanks to DNA provided by the great-nephew of Private Frederick Thompson, who was reported missing in action at the age of 20. It is believed Private Frederick could be one of the 15 found at the site in France in 2009. Now, his great-nephew Eric Saunders, 61, . from Worcester, has submitted a DNA sample in the hope it matches with . one of the sets of remains and proves it belongs to his relative. Eric Saunders has submitted a DNA sample in the hope it will confirm one of the sets of remains of soldiers found in Beaucamps-Ligny, France, belongs to his great uncle . Private Frederick Thompson (left and right, with his wife) was reported missing in 1914 at the age of 20. Historians believe he could be one of the 15 soldiers found in Beaucamps-Ligny, France, in 2009 . And historians from the Commonwealth War Grave Commission hope that after the DNA testing has been undertaken, they will finally be able to discover their identities and give them a military funeral 100 years on. The remains of the soldiers were uncovered by farmers digging up sewers in 2009. Private Frederick Thompson, killed in action early in the First World War, may be identified nearly a century after his death . Archaeologists uncovered partial skeletal remains of 15 men - alongside toothbrushes, and brass buttons proving the men belonged to the 2nd Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment - after their remains were uncovered by farmers digging up sewers in 2009. One young soldier, Private Frederick Thompson, killed in action early in the First World War may be identified nearly a century after his death, from DNA provided by his great-nephew, in one of the first DNA tests on the soldier's remains. The commission managed to track down Private Thompson’s closest living relative, his great nephew Mr Saunders, and they are now awaiting the results of his DNA test to see if Private Thompson will be the first unknown soldier to be identified. Mr Saunders said: 'I had no idea that any of my relatives served in the Great War. I feel immensely proud to discover that my great uncle fought for his country. 'I was stunned to discover that he had been killed at the age of just 20. 'I have grandchildren that age myself, and I can’t even begin to imagine what those soldier’s poor mothers went through. 'I know it happened to a lot of people but it really hits home to find out that happened to one of my own relatives. 'I didn’t really know anything about my mother’s side of the family. We were both shocked. The number of discoveries of remains varies from year to year, but since 2003 the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has dealt with an average of about 18 cases each year. Over the last decade the highest number of discoveries was in 2007 when 24 cases were found, while the lowest was 12 cases in 2011. Each case can involve multiple sets of remains - bomber crews for example commonly involve seven casualties - but generally discoveries are of one or two casualties at a time. The most common cause of discoveries are building work or farmers ploughing fields. The vast majority of cases are in France and Belgium . In all instances, the responsibility for investigation and identification rests with the relevant service authority - the armed forces of the country for which the individual was serving. The commission’s responsibility begins when the remains are handed over for burial. The commission then identifies the appropriate cemetery - usually the closest Commonwealth War Cemetery in which there is space - manufacture the headstone, prepare the grave and care for the individual in perpetuity once the burial has taken place. 'I was very keen to give a DNA sample to try and prove the identity of these unknown heroes. 'I’ve . been told it may take several months to come back with a result, but I . hope I can do my bit to give those men the proper funeral they deserve. 'I’ve said that I would like to attend the funeral ceremony for the men, even if it turns out not to be my uncle’s remains. I feel as though I have a bond with those men now.' The 2nd Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment had been based in Ireland at the outbreak of the war, landing in France on September 9, 1914, and taking part in the Battle of Armentihres. The battalion then headed to fight with the 6th Division along a line from Preniesques to Radinghem in an action that lasted from October 20 to 31. All the men will be laid to rest in the same graveyard with full military honours, to mark the centenary of their deaths in October 2014. An MOD spokesman said: 'The use of DNA can in some cases enable us to confirm the identity of remains that are discovered, but after many decades results may be inconclusive. We always take steps to make families fully aware of this possibility. 'DNA testing is only used where there is a realistic chance of a positive match being obtained and may not be appropriate in all cases. 'The JCCC Historic Casework team undertakes a unique and essential role in investigating where remains of British Service Personnel are found on wartime battlefields and is always mindful that their work often closes a chapter for families who have lost loved ones many years ago.' Historic find: Beaucamps-Ligny is situated to the west of Lille in France .
Historians seeking to identify troop of fallen WWI soldiers found in France . Eric Saunders provided DNA sample to see if one was his great uncle . Private Frederick Thompson was reported missing in action at the age of 20 .
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A British teenager has been sentenced to eight years in prison over the stabbing death of a British soldier during a nightclub brawl in Cyprus. David Lee Collins, 18, from London, was stabbed to death after a fight broke out in a nightclub in the popular resort of Ayia Napa last November. The court said that Mohamed Abdulkadir Osman, originally from Somalia, but living in London, was provoked and 'lost . self-control' when he pulled out a switchblade and fatally stabbed Mr Collins. Tragic: David Lee Collins, 19, was stabbed to death after a fight broke out in a nightclub in the popular resort of Ayia Napa last November - the photo on the right is thought to be last image taken of him before his death . The three-judge bench said that Collins had confronted Osman and his friends after being punched by an unidentified nightclub patron, raising a clenched fist at the group and telling them 'Are you bad men?' - a phrase which the court said is interpreted in Britain as a challenge to a fight. The court said that it was a group of friends with Collins - all of whom were soldiers - that started the fight. The court also took into account that there was no premeditation on 19-year-old Osman's part since he didn't previously know the victim, had fully cooperated with investigators and had apologised to the victim's family. Sentenced: Mohammed Abdulkadir Osman, 20, originally from Somalia but believed to have been living in London, admitted manslaughter at a court hearing in Larnaca on April 22 and returned for sentencin . David Collins' mother Lisa Minott, arrived at  the court in Larnaca, Cypru  clutching a large handbag with a painted portrait of her son . But it discounted Osman's consumption . of alcohol as a mitigating factor and noted the fact that he had the . switchblade on him inside the club 'carried the possibility of harm . being caused.' Police searching Osman's hotel room . at the time turned up marijuana, two brass knuckles and 11 switchblades . that the defendant said he bought from a local store as souvenirs to . take back home and give to friends. Charges against two other teenagers, who were both 17 at the time of the stabbing, were dropped. Mr Collins, from the 2nd Battalion, . Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, died from a 'ruptured heart caused by a . sharp instrument', according to a post-mortem. Killed while off-duty: Tributes have been paid to Mr Collins, second left, on Twitter and a Facebook page has been set up in his memory . Party: Mr Collins (fourth from right in black and red cap) was stabbed to death after a fight broke out in a nightclub . Scene: The stabbing took place during a fight between four soldiers and three British tourists at this nightclub . He was stationed at the British Army base at Dhekelia but was due to fly to Afghanistan the day before he died and his battalion's mission was delayed. Mr Collins' mother Lisa Minott and her sister - along with members of his regiment - were in court to hear the sentencing. MoD spokeswoman . Connie Pierce said the attack took place in an area of the eastern . Mediterranean island that British soldiers are told to avoid because of . previous incidents. After the rape and murder of Danish tour guide Louise Jensen by British servicemen in 1994, the centre of Ayia Napa - a clubbing resort with a reputation for sex, drugs and violence - was declared off limits to soldiers by military top brass on the island. About 3,000 British military personnel are stationed in Cyprus at bases retained after the former British colony gained independence in 1960. In 2008, nine British soldiers went on trial accused of trashing a pub and beating up its owner during a mass bar brawl on the island. The servicemen, who were celebrating finishing tours of Iraq and Afghanistan and coming home to the UK, were all acquitted. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
David Lee Collins, 18, was stabbed to death after a fight broke out . Died after being stabbed in Ayia Napa nightclub last November . Mohammed Abdulkadir Osman, 20, . originally from Somalia was jailed . Court: Collins' friends - who were all soldiers - started the fights .
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(CNN) -- Virgin, a leading branded venture capital organization, is one of the world's most recognized and respected brands. Conceived in 1970 by Richard Branson, the company started out with a magazine four years before that, which Branson began while still at school. The next move was into the music industry, setting up Virgin as a music retailer and then branching out into music production. The first recording was the 1973 smash "Tubular Bells," by Mike Oldfield. The Virgin Group has gone on to grow very succesful businesses in sectors ranging from mobile telephony, to transportation, travel, financial services, leisure, music, holidays, publishing and retailing. Virgin has created more than 200 branded companies worldwide, employing approximately 50,000 people, in 29 countries. Revenues around the world in 2006 exceeded £10 billion ($20 billion). In 2002, the combined sales of the different Virgin holding companies exceeded £4 billion ($8 billion). The equity of Virgin Music Group -- record labels, music publishing and recording studios -- was sold to THORN EMI in 1992 in a $1 billion deal. E-mail to a friend .
The Virgin Group was founded by Richard Branson in 1970 . Student Magazine, started by Branson at 16, was forerunner to the group . Today Virgin has more than 200 companies in a range of industries .
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Spherical fossils in China dating back 600 million years could be the remains of the planet's earliest animals. The fossils are 60 million years older than the date skeletal animals appeared during a huge growth spurt of new life on Earth known as the Cambrian Explosion. Virginia scientists claim the fossils are too complex to be bacteria, and may instead be the embryos of an ancient unidentified creatures. Spherical fossils in China dating back 600 million years could be the remains of the planet's earliest animals.The fossils are 60 million years older than the date skeletal animals appeared during a huge growth spurt of new life on Earth known as the Cambrian Explosion . Called Megasphaera, the ancient fossils come from a rock layer in southern China called the Doushantuo Formation and contradict several longstanding interpretations of multicellular fossils. Each fossil measures around 0.03 inches (0.7mm) across and originated from what could have been a marine environment at the time. 'This opens up a new door for us to shine some light on the timing and evolutionary steps that were taken by multicellular organisms that would eventually go on to dominate the Earth in a very visible way,' said Shuhai Xiao, a professor of geobiology in the Virginia Tech College of Science. Called Megasphaera, the ancient fossils come from a rock layer in southern China called the Doushantuo Formation and contradict several longstanding interpretations of multicellular fossils . The Cambrian explosion, or Cambrian radiation, was the relatively rapid appearance, around 540 million years ago, of most major animal phyla, as demonstrated in the fossil record. About 580 million years ago, most organisms were simple, composed of individual cells occasionally organized into colonies. Over the following 70 or 80 million years, the rate of evolution accelerated by an order of magnitude (as defined in terms of the extinction and origination rate of species) and the diversity of life began to resemble that of today. It ended with the Cambrian-Ordovician extinction event, approximately 488 million years ago. 'Fossils similar to these have been interpreted as bacteria, single-cell eukaryotes, algae, and transitional forms related to modern animals such as sponges, sea anemones, or bilaterally symmetrical animals. This paper lets us put aside some of those interpretations.' By cutting the rocks into extremely thin slicers, the scientists were able to shine a light through the fossils to see the formation inside, according to a report in LiveScience. Professor Xiao found patterns in the fossils that suggests cell-to-cell adhesion and programmed cell death - qualities found in the cell of animals and plants. The fossils could represent the shift between single-celled life and multicellular animals, Professor Xiao said. Professor Xiao is now hoping to find more Megasphaera, including fossils of the adult creatures that may have created the embryos. 'We will have to be open-minded in terms of what can be expected,' Professor Xiao told Stephanie Pappas at LiveScience. 'There are extinct animals or even offshoots of the lineages leading to animals that could be rather different from what we know as animals living today.'
Called Megasphaera, the fossils were found in rock in southern China . They are 60 million years older than date skeletal animals appeared . But the cells are too complex to be belong to bacteria, the study claims . They may represent shift between single-cell life and multicellular animals .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 09:53 EST, 12 January 2012 . A motorist was stunned when he discovered double yellow lines had been painted underneath his car while it was parked - and then given a ticket. Flecks of yellow paint were even sprayed on the bumper of Patrick McCrystal's car as the lines were painted under the front of it in Kedleston Street, Derby. The 49-year-old had parked his Ford Fiesta in the street near to a Co-operative store and a petrol station, where he works, for three years. Stunned: Patrick McCrystal with his Ford Fiesta, which was given a ticket after council workmen had sprayed yellow lines under the car while it was parked legally . When he parked for his 2pm shift, he noticed new yellow lines had been painted across a housing block entrance. But there was a gap between those lines and existing ones in the street, so Mr McCrystal parked there, in his usual spot. Hours later, a colleague on his dinner break saw that extra lines had been painted below the front of Mr McCrystal's car. And, when he went out, Mr McCrystal discovered he had been given a parking ticket. Tell-tale sign: The workmen left flecks of paint on the bumper of the car as they sprayed underneath . He said: 'There is even paint on my front bumper where they've caught it reaching under to paint the lines. 'There were no lines there when I parked. I can't believe they've done it.' The new lines extended from existing double yellow lines which had previously ended about two feet from Mr McCrystal's front bumper. Apology: The ticket left on Mr McCrystal's window. Derby City Council blamed a breakdown in communication and has now revoked the £70 fine . Now a Derby City Council official has said the £70 fine had been issued in error and would be revoked. Mr McCrystal, from Derby, said notices had been put up several weeks ago saying parking restrictions would be introduced but they did not say when. He said: 'If they were going to paint yellow lines then they should have put up cones to stop people parking. 'When I pulled up, I saw the gap between the old lines and the new ones and thought it was okay to park there. Nothing gave me the impression I couldn't.' A passer-by said council staff had been angered they could not paint the lines because of the parked car. David Gartside, head of traffic and transport at the authority, said: 'We can confirm that lining was painted on Kedleston Street this afternoon after the vehicle had parked and that a parking ticket was issued to the vehicle in error. 'It appears that there was a communication breakdown between our contractors undertaking the lining work and our enforcement officers. 'The ticket will be revoked and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.'
They even sprayed paint on his Ford Fiesta in calamitous giveaway .
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One of the country’s biggest rail terminals will be ‘effectively closed’ today because of over-running engineering works. There will be no trains in or out of King’s Cross in London due to delays to Network Rail works north of the station. The disruption comes on one of the busiest travel days of the year, as thousands of people try to return home after visiting family for Christmas. Scroll down for video . Services in and out of London Kings Cross station have been cancelled today, it has been announced . Frustration: Travellers at the London station, one of the busiest in the country, where services are cancelled . The disruptions at the station, which is managed by Network Rail, will affect those planning to travel on East Coast, First Hull Trains, Grand Central and Great Northern services. East Coast Trains made the announcement on its website yesterday evening, where it advised passengers to delay their travel if possible. It also said that a revised timetable is currently being developed and will be made available as soon as possible. Customers have been advised they need to start or finish their journey at Finsbury Park in north London, with at least one change of train because of the overrun works in the Holloway area. A reduced service to and from the station will go ahead as planned on Sunday, with trains leaving up to 20 minutes earlier than normal from King's Cross. Last night Passenger Focus, the independent watchdog, described the delays as ‘frustrating’. East Coast made the announcement on their website and apologised for disruption on what is 'an already very busy travel day immediately following the Christmas break' They follow years of complaints from passengers that Britain’s railways effectively ‘shut down’ over the Christmas and New Year holiday. The chaos is heightened by the fact that the West Coast Main Line is already closed for engineering works over the Christmas period. The route is shut between London Euston and Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire until Monday, and also closed between Stafford and Crewe until Sunday. Last night travellers vented their frustration with the King’s Cross closure on social media, saying Network Rail had ‘explaining to do’. The station is the southern terminus of the East Coast Main Line, which provides services to major cities including Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh. East Coast spokesman, Paul Emberley, said: 'Network Rail has apologised to passengers for the inevitable delays to their travel plans on Saturday as a result of the overrunning engineering works. 'East Coast is particularly sorry too for the inconvenience to its customers as a result, on what we know is an already very busy travel day immediately following the Christmas break. Sources said that the station would effectively be closed due to delays to works north of the station . 'For customers intending to start or finish their journey at King's Cross, consideration should be given to deferring travel plans to either Sunday or Monday. 'We're working hard over the holiday period to make the necessary adjustments to our timetable as a consequence, and to provide as much information as we can.' National Rail said on its website that services to and from King's Cross would be 'significantly disrupted' tomorrow. It said there will be no trains before 10am tomorrow and over the weekend, many trains will start or terminate at Doncaster, Peterborough, Stevenage or Finsbury Park. Meanwhile, First Hull Trains will run two trains in each direction each day to and from London St Pancras International instead of London Kings Cross. Great Northern are diverting some trains to and from Moorgate between 8.30am and 7.30pm. It said: 'A revised timetable is currently being developed and will be made available as soon as possible. Please check our website regularly for updates. 'Passengers travelling to and from central London may use London Underground services between Finsbury Park and central London. Customers will need to start or finish their journey at Finsbury Park in north London, with at least one change of train, according to East Coast Trains . 'Buses will run between London Kings Cross and Finsbury Park when there is no train or London Underground service.' The rail company said that the work was part of a £200 million Christmas investment programme. It is one of 300 projects being undertaken over the holidays across 2,000 sites up and down the country by some 11,000 railway engineers. A spokesman said: 'What has happened is really regrettable and unfortunate, but it is a small part of a massive amount of engineering investment taking place over Christmas.' The spokesman added that 4.5 million passengers use the railways on average every day, compared with two million a day over the holidays. The company confirmed the disruption at around 8.30pm on its Twitter page - hours after it was first announced by East Coast Trains, which said: 'No service between Kings Cross & Finsbury Park tom due to track work in the Holloway area which has taken longer then expected. Apologies.' Hundreds were forced to take to the roads yesterday after rail services were virtually non-existent today . A reduced service will also operate to and from the terminal on Sunday as planned, with journeys possibly being re-timed or taking longer than expected, according to Network Rail. David Sidebottom, passenger director at the independent watchdog Passenger Focus, said: 'Investment in maintenance and improvement is necessary, and we passengers understand that. 'But overrunning works that disrupt already-limited festive travel are frustrating. 'Our research is clear: passengers want to be kept on the train wherever possible, they want to know before buying a ticket if part of the journey will be by bus, and they want plenty of staff on hand to signpost where to go and what to do. 'We will be looking to see that operators and Network Rail are doing all in their power to alert passengers, to help them make alternative arrangements and to make it easy for them to claim refunds or compensation.' Several frustrated passengers have taken to Twitter to vent their anger. Liam Gladdy said: 'Something must have gone very, very wrong for @networkrail at Kings Cross if they're looking at overrunning by 2 days for 2 days work.' While Amelie Soleil wrote: 'Ahhh what's that? All trains are cancelled coming though Kings Cross tomorrow. Brilliant. Nice to see that £200 train ticket was worth it.' Emily Clifton said: 'Trains all cancelled from King's Cross tomorrow literally what am i supposed to do,' while another user said 'The UK are so unprepared. Today it's just like 'Oh, by the way, we're closing King's Cross for a few days.' It comes after a day of travel disruption on the railways as every single major artery in Britain was closed on Boxing Day. Trains between England and Scotland or Wales on the East Coast, West Coast or Great Western mainlines - and the Midland, Cross Country and East Anglia lines remained shut yesterday. The near-non-existent Boxing Day service has returned this year despite a fierce political battle over the shutdown dating back to at least 2007. Labour and Tories have repeatedly traded accusations over the lack of service, which affects football fans, families without cars and shop workers in the Boxing Day sales. Apart from airport shuttles and Eurostar, only Chiltern, Scotrail, Southeastern and Southern ran trains yesterday. A Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘Network Rail and train companies have ensured that a large part of the railway will remain open during the Christmas/New Year period and alternative routes are provided where lines are closed.’
East Coast, First Hull Trains, Grand Central and Great Northern lines hit . Planned works in Holloway area of London were not completed in time . Customers advised to start and finish journey at Finsbury Park instead . Thousands expected to make post-Christmas return journey on Saturday . East Coast Trains apologised for cancellation on a 'very busy travel day' National Rail said services would be 'significantly disrupted' tomorrow .
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Veteran actor Victor Spinetti, who starred in all three Beatles films, has died at the age of 82. The Welsh star, who also appeared in a string of acclaimed movies as well as taking roles in the West End and on Broadway, died after a fight with pancreatic cancer. Close friend Barbara Windsor, on whose Radio 2 show he made a recent appearance, was one of his final visitors before his death this morning at a hospice in Monmouth. Respected: Victor Spinetti was told by the late George Harrison he had to star in all the Beatles films, pictured here in 1972 . Tributes: Actor Victor Spinetti, pictured left in 2010, died today at a hospice - one of his last visitors was close friend Barbara Windsor, pictured right with the actor in the 1960s . Spinetti’s agent, Barry Burnett, said: 'He had cancer for a year, but he was very cheerful to the end. I spoke to him on Friday and he was talking about his plans and everything.' The versatile actor was able to easily turn his hand from serious classical roles to comedy performances and roles in sitcoms. He was also known as successful stage director, wrote poetry and randomly became known for his appearances in a Jaffa Cake ad campaign as the Mad Jaffa Cake Eater. Star: Victor with John Lennon and Yoko Ono at the National Theatre, in 1969 - the actor starred in all three Beatles films . However, for many fans, Spinetti will always be known for his roles in The Beatles’ three live action films - A Hard Day’s Night, Help! and Magical Mystery Tour. It was his close friendship with the Beatles at the height of their fame which put him on the map. Spinetti was born in Cwm, Wales, on . September 2, 1933, attended Monmouth School and the Cardiff College of . Music and Drama of which in later life he became a fellow. The Wild Affair: Victor Spinetti starred in the hit British satire in 1963 . However, his working life began as a waiter and factory worker before he sprang to prominence in three Beatles films of the 1960s: Hard Day’s Night, Help! and Magical Mystery Tour. The late George Harrison once said to him: 'You have got to be in all our films. If you are not in them, my mum won’t come and see them because she fancies you.” During his versatile career, Spinetti appeared in more than 30 films, including Zeffirelli’s The Taming of the Shrew, Under Milk Wood, with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Voyage of the Damned, The Return of the Pink Panther, and The Krays. Treading the boards: Victor Spinetti in The Merry Widow with Karl Daymond . His work with Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop produced many memorable performances including Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be and Oh! What a Lovely War, which transferred to New York, and for which he won a Tony Award for his role as an obnoxious drill sergeant. His West End appearances included Expresso Bongo, Candide, Cat Among the Pigeons and Chitty, Chitty, Bang Bang, He also played the principal male character in the feminist play, Vagina Rex. He also appeared on Broadway in The Hostage and The Philanthropist. With the Royal Shakespeare Company he appeared as Lord Foppington in The Relapse and as the archbishop in Richard III. Veteran: Victor Spinetti directed and won numerous awards over his 60-year career . Spinetti also co-authored John Lennon In His Own Write, which he directed at the National Theatre. He also directed productions of Jesus Christ Superstar and Hair. His many TV appearances included Take My Wife, and the sitcom An Actor’s Life For Me. Spinetti also wrote poetry, notably Watchers Along The Mall, and prose which have appeared in several publications. His memoirs, Victor Spinetti Up Front, was filled with anecdotes, including the claim that Princess Margaret was instrumental in securing the necessary censor permission for the first run of Oh! What a Lovely War.
Sprang to prominence in three Beatles films of the 1960s: Hard Day’s Night, Help! and Magical Mystery Tour . Close friend Barbara Windsor was one of the last people to visit the veteran actor . His agent Barry Burnett, said: 'He was very cheerful to the end'
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By . Neil Sears . PUBLISHED: . 12:00 EST, 27 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:48 EST, 27 December 2012 . Vladimir Putin enjoys posing bare-chested on horseback and with hunting rifles to  perpetuate his macho image. In Britain, however, our leader has shown his  Russian counterpart how a real action man does it. This was David Cameron yesterday as he got a full soaking during a race along a  swollen icy stream in the Cotswolds. The Prime Minister sported a support  bandage on his right knee as he took part in the fund-raising competition close to his constituency home in Witney, Oxfordshire. Anything you can do Mr Putin... David Cameron braved muddy conditions and cold water in the Chadlington Brook Run . Feat: David Cameron took part in the Great Brook Run on Thursday afternoon . Tough: The Prime Minister was forced to climb through a low tunnel as part of the annual race . Success: Mr Cameron posed with his wife Samantha after receiving a medal for completing the race . The Great Brook Run requires . competitors to cover a course just over a mile long, and this year . involved considerably more water than usual thanks to recent heavy rain. The stream close to the village of . Chadlington, known as the Great Brook, was raging so much this year that . children normally allowed to compete were barred from wading through . some sections. Cut: The Prime Minister's knee support did not stop him sustaining a nasty-looking graze on his shin . Ready to go: Mr Cameron rubbed his hands in anticipation at the start line of the race . Victory! The exhausted politician was still happy to pose for photographs at the end of the race . Support: Well-wishers cheered on the Prime Minister as they took pictures of his exploits . Hilarity: The fun race is intended as a charity fund-raiser and ends at a local pub . Mr Cameron, however, was able to secure plenty of . photographs of himself  taming the torrent. The Prime Minister finished 46th out . of a field of 109 (a few places behind a man dressed as Father . Christmas) with a time of 18 minutes, 23 seconds. He was greeted by wife Samantha at the . end of the run at the Tite Inn. After asking his wife if she had any . money he announced he was  planning to have a burger to celebrate. At the end of the race, Mr Cameron was presented with the medal that is given to all competitors. The Great Brook Run, which was first held in 2006, starts and ends at the Tite Inn in Chadlington and aims to raise funds for local good causes. This year, the £5 entry fee was donated to the Chadlington Memorial Hall. Mr Cameron may have been the most famous competitor in this year's race, but he was not the only well-known runner - Olympic medallist hockey player Beth Storry was also invited to run in the race. Joining in: This is the third time Mr Cameron has taken part in the Great Brook Run . Evasive action: The race may not be very long, but runners must brave a cold and muddy stream . Laid-back: He may be the most powerful man in the country, but Mr Cameron sported casual lycra and a pair of shorts nonetheless . Tired out: The Prime Minister relaxed with a fellow competitor after reaching the finishing line . Ice cold: Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin swims in a cold lake during a vacation in southern Siberia .
Prime Minister took part in Great Brook Run for the third time . Participating for first time in Oxfordshire run since becoming PM in 2010 . Russian President Putin is renowned for his macho exploits . Putin has been pictured competing in judo and holding a rifle while topless .
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(CNN) -- Upon arrival at Kotoka International airport in Ghana's capital city Accra, you are immediately greeted by a sign that says "Akwaaba," which means "Welcome" -- and this is exactly how you will feel when visiting this beautiful West African country. A success story of African development, democracy and stability, Ghana is a nation made up of people that are as warm as its climate. Rich in history, culture and natural beauty, it's the perfect introduction to Africa if you are a first-time traveler to the continent, or a great alternative for those who have exhausted the Safari circuit, and crave a different African experience. There is something for everyone in Ghana, ranging from nature trails and UNESCO World Heritage sites to bustling markets, tranquil beaches and vibrant nightlife. Wildlife . There are 15 national parks and reserves across the country. A must see is Kakum National Park, in the central region. The area is covered with stunning tropical rainforest and rare animals, and a long series of hanging bridges known as the Canopy Walkway. Not for the faint hearted, the walkway is located at the forest canopy level, and is secured by a series of nets and wires for safety. The walkway provides tourists with a spectacular vantage point of the beautiful surroundings. Another great place to visit is Ghana's largest wildlife refuge, Mole National Park. The park is located in northwest Ghana, and the park's entrance is reached through the nearby town of Larabanga. It is home to over 93 mammal species, with large mammals including elephants, hippos, buffalo, and warthogs. The park is considered a primary African preserve for numerous antelope species; olive baboons, black-and-white colobus monkeys and the green vervet are among the monkey species resident there. Slender-snouted and dwarf crocodiles are among the 33 known species of reptiles that call this breathtaking park home. Read more: 26 of the most stunning spots in Africa . Heritage . The country became a major economic hub with the emergence of the slave trade, and several slave castles erected by the Europeans in 15th century remain standing. Built by the Portuguese in 1482, Elmina Castle is the oldest remaining slave castle in Africa. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it has become a pilgrimage site, drawing thousands of visitors from around the world -- in particular African-Americans and Caribbean people seeking to connect with their heritage. The town of Elmina surrounding the castle is a vibrant, robust fishing community with an incredible amount of energy and color. Accra . If you don't want to venture far from the capital, there is a lot to do right in Accra. For beach bums, Labadi beach is perfect for soaking up the African sun, and being entertained while you do it. Drumming, cultural dancing and music can all be seen and heard on holidays and during the weekend. Tourists can also visit local cultural attractions such as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, W.E.B Dubois Center or head to the Arts Center, where a multitude of stalls sell crafts from all around the country. After a day of relaxing at the beach or visiting the cultural sites, visitors can head to the upscale area of Osu, in central Accra, to sample the nightlife. Locally referred to as the "West End," Osu boasts an impressive number of local and international restaurants offering a range of cuisines. There are also several options for club hoppers and lounge goers. One of the latest additions to nightlife in Accra is Republic Bar and Grill. With indoor and outdoor seating the bar has a retro vibe, and celebrates Ghanaian food, music, culture and art. Republic has a wonderful list of drinks, ranging from cold local beers, to exotic cocktails and herbal teas made with fresh ingredients. The bar also serves a wonderful menu of finger foods including fried yam/cassava, kelewele (fried plantain seasoned with delicious spices) and chicken wings seasoned with local spices. Read also: What Ghana can teach the rest of Africa about democracy . Kumasi . If Accra whets your city-touring appetite to then a trip to Kumasi is highly recommended. The five-hour bus ride from Accra is a great way to see more of the country, and the VIP coaches are cheap and comfortable, showing local movies to entertain you. There is plenty to do upon arrival to Ghana's second-biggest city. Kumasi is home to the bustling Kejetia Market, which has more than 10,000 stores and stalls, and is said to be the biggest in West Africa. Visitors can buy a wide variety of items such as hand-crafted wooden sculptures and masks, paintings, native fabric, spices, handmade jewelry and much more. Kumasi is also home to the National Cultural Centre, the Menhya Palace and Lake Bosumtri. The lake is the only natural lake in Ghana and the area is peaceful and tranquil. Like Accra, Kumasi also has a vibrant nightlife with restaurants and entertainment to suit all tastes. When it comes to accomodation, Ghana offers everything from homestays to five-star accommodation. Major international chains include Golden Tulip, Novotel, Best Western and Movenpic. The Marriot, Sheraton and Hilton Hotels are set to open later in 2013.
Ghana is a country rich in history, culture and natural beauty . Mole National Park is home to more than 93 species of mammal . Elmina Castle is the oldest remaining slave castle in Africa . Osu, in Accra, offers visitors a vibrant nightlife .
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(CNN) -- Two separate incidents at coal mines in Southwest China over the weekend left at least three miners dead and 42 trapped, state media reported. Days of heavy rain caused a mine at Niupeng in Guizhou province to flood on Saturday morning; while "rain-saturated earth on the surface collapsed into a shaft" at another pit in Guangxi around noon the same day, killing three miners, Xinhua said. The report added that more than 1,000 police, firemen, and paramilitary personnel joined the mission to rescue the trapped workers at Niupeng. By Monday the water level at the mine had dropped but was still 40 meters (131ft) higher than where 23 of the miners are believed trapped, according to reports from China National Radio. Local authorities said the heavy rain may have caused a previously dry river to rise, while possibly increasing the water level in underground rivers around the mines. According to Xinhua, the Niupeng mine's investors have already been detained by the police. At Guangxi, high concentrations of gas prevented workers from using machines to dig out another 19 trapped miners trapped at a depth of 390 meters (1,200ft), China Daily said. 50 other miners were reported to have escaped the cave-in. Continued rain on Sunday further complicated the rescue effort, it added. "The rescue team is only equipped with shovels and rail track cars", Meng Qingguan, head of the Heshan Work Safety Bureau, told CCTV on Saturday. Mining accidents are not uncommon in China, as very few of the mines follow the government's safety regulations. According to the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety (SACMS), almost 2,500 miners were killed in mine accidents in 2010. However, the head of SACMS, Zhao Tiechui, said Tuesday that the number of miners dead or missing from accidents had decreased by 35% from last year, with just 807 dead so far in 2011. Michele Philips contributed to this report.
42 miners remain trapped in the two coal mines in southwestern China . Days of heavy rain caused a mine at Niupeng in Guizhou province to flood . "Rain-saturated earth on the surface collapsed into a shaft" at another pit in Guangxi .
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In the battle to be the most extravagant mega yacht on the seas, it takes a lot to really impress. While helipads, waterslides, and movie theatres are commonplace additions to the yachts of the super wealthy, a stylish Italian vessel is making waves for being the first to feature a floating drive-in garage. J'ade, by Ferretti group company CRN, features a hydraulic-operated hatch which can store an eight-metre speedboat without the use of a tender lift to hoist it out of the water. Scroll down for video . Innovative: The 196-foot yacht has a hydraulic-operated hatch which can store an eight-metre speedboat without the use of a tender lift to hoist it out of the water . Floating fortress: While swimming pools and helipads are commonplace on many a mega yacht, J'ade features the world's first floating garage . Glide in: The internal basin floods and empties 18,000 litres of water in just three minutes, allowing the boat to enter the yacht without the use of a crane . The internal basin, which holds 18,000 litres of water, floods and empties in just three minutes, enabling the boat (a 27ft Riva Iseo) to enter the yacht without using a crane. When the speedboat is not being stored inside, the basin can also be utilised as an indoor ocean pool, accessible from the lower-deck terrace. Completed last year, the 60-metre yacht was the star attraction at last week's Monaco Yacht Show, where it was a finalist for the Best Interior award, only to miss out on the prize to the brand-new Perini Navi motor yacht Grace E. J'ade made its debut at the annual yacht show last year, and also won the World Yacht Trophy at the 2013 International Boat Show. Honey, I'm home: The one-of-a-kind garage enables the owner to access the yacht from their speed boat internally, via the vessel's plush lower deck . Multi-purpose: When the speedboat is not being stored, the basin can also be used as an internal ocean pool, located just behind this luxury terrace . Beauty: The vessel won the World Yacht Trophy at the 2013 International Boat Show and was nominated for Best Interior at the 2014 Monaco Yacht Show . The privately-owned yacht was created by Studio Zuccon International Project, and is designed to feel 'at one with the sea'. The 196-foot vessel can comfortable accommodate 10 guests in four cabins and the owner suite, and 13 crew members. Aside from the impressive 'garage', J'ade also features a gymnasium, hammam room and aquarium. Across the four decks, materials for the interiors are Canaletto walnut and polished rosewood. The hardwood floors are made of wide Afromosia strips and the cabins and owner suite are fitted with white Tai Ping carpets. There are jade green accents throughout the interior. A life of luxury: Guests on board the J'Ade can also soak up the sun on one of the vessel's comfy lounging areas, located across all four of the decks . Pool on board: If a swim in the ocean becomes a bit daunting for those on board, guests can take a dip in this on-deck plunge pool . Spa: The mega yacht also features a gymnasium and mosaic-tiled hammam room (pictured), where guests can sit back and unwind after a day at sea . No expense spared: The privately-owned yacht was designed for the owner's specific tastes, and includes a round bath in the boat's marble master suite . Made for entertaining: Guests on board the vessel, created by Studio Zuccon International Project, can be sure of a place to sit at several indoor and outdoor living areas . The centrepiece of the yacht is the central stairwell with a crystal lift. A white Yamaha piano sits in the living area. ‘CRN is experimenting,’ Luca Boldrini, CRN’s sales director told Boat International. ‘We’re experimenting in design, in sizes, and in features. Each of the yachts in build has special features in development, and we hope the next step will be to mix and match all these new features in one or two new concepts so future owners can not only have a beautiful, seaworthy and safe vessel, but they can have special features that nobody else has. 'These will not be special features that are just an experiment, but features clients can touch and feel in other vessels under construction or already floating.’ 'At one with the sea': Oversized windows were purpose-built to take advantage of the sea views, and anyone lucky enough to stay in this cabin can also enjoy a balcony terrace, giving them an even better panorama across the ocean . Musical tastes: Got musical guests on board? They can tinkle the ivories on this stunning white Yamaha piano, which takes pride of place in the living area . All at sea: The well-appointed living area combines elegant sofas with driftwood coffee tables and shell-inspired sculptures and bowls to give the room a nautical flavour . Anyone for dinner? The formal dining table comfortably seats 12 guests, while after dinner guests can relax with a digestif on the adjacent seating area . Informal: When the dining table is a bit too formal, breakfast and lunch can be taken on the terrace, with this round table comfortably seating nine people . Guest quarters: The vessel can accommodate 10 guests split across four cabins, plus the owner suite, as well as 13 crew members to cater to those on board .
J'ade, designed by Italian company CRN, can store an eight-metre speedboat in its floating indoor garage . Hydraulic-powered hatch fills with 18,000 litres of water and can also be used as an indoor ocean pool . The luxury vessel was nominated for Best Interior at 2014 Monaco Yacht Show . 196-foot vessel also features a gym, hammam room, and aquarium, and can sleep ten guests in four cabins .
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BERLIN, Germany (CNN) -- A German cruise liner said Tuesday it plans to fly its passengers over the Gulf of Aden, instead of sailing them through, out of fear of pirate attacks in the region. U.S. Navy image of pirates operating off coast of Somalia in October this year. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises said all 246 passengers and most of the crew aboard the MS Columbus, currently at the start of an around-the-world cruise, will disembark at an undisclosed port, then fly to Dubai to continue their journey. The company called the move a precautionary measure. Pirate attacks in the waters off Somalia have shot up this year, with pirates staging increasingly bolder attacks on ever-bigger targets. So far this year, pirates have attacked almost 100 vessels off Somalia's coast and successfully hijacked nearly 40, according to the International Maritime Bureau. Freight and cargo ships, cruise liners, and private yachts have all come under attack. In many hijackings, pirates take the crew and passengers hostage while they demand a ransom. The problem has forced companies like Hapag-Lloyd, that use the Gulf of Aden, to make new plans, including stepping up security or changing their routes. One shipping company announced last month it would bypass the region altogether, sailing instead around the Cape of Good Hope and adding thousands of kilometers to its voyages. Read more about how to solve the pirate problem here. Hapag-Lloyd said a general travel warning for the area, issued by the German Foreign Ministry, played a part in the decision. But the company also said it had asked the German government for naval protection and the request was turned down. Representatives of Hapag-Lloyd and the German Defense Ministry could not immediately be reached for further comment. The passengers on board the Columbus began the first leg of their world cruise November 28 in Genoa, Italy and are due in Dubai on December 17, according to Hapag-Lloyd's Web site. Further stops include Singapore, Bali, Indonesia and Sydney, Australia. Hapag-Lloyd said that after the passengers and most of the crew disembark, the Columbus will sail through the Gulf of Aden with a skeleton staff. The passengers will stay in a five-star hotel in Dubai for three days until the Columbus arrives to take them back onboard, the company said. Both the crew and passengers approve of the safety measure, Hapag-Lloyd said. The U.S. State Department and British Foreign Office advise those traveling near the Somali coast to use extreme caution because of the recent pirate attacks. Last week, the Australian government issued a similar warning about travel to the region. The advice also urged Australian ships "to apply a robust and layered protective security regime" when traveling through the area. -- CNN's Frederik Pleitgen contributed to this report.
Passengers will fly to Dubai to continue their journey . Hapag-Lloyd: Involves 246 passengers, most of crew aboard MS Columbus . Prompted by travel warning for the area issued by German Foreign Ministry . United States, UK advise those traveling near Somali coast to use extreme caution .
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Louis van Gaal has welcomed a public message of support from Sir Alex Ferguson but admitted it has put more pressure on him to succeed at Manchester United. The former Old Trafford boss backed Van Gaal, who has taken United to third place in the table despite a catalogue of injuries, saying: ‘When he gets the best players back, you watch United go – because he’s a great coach he will do well.’ The Dutchman responded at his weekly press conference by thanking Ferguson for the vote of confidence, but he feels that it has put him under even more pressure to get results. Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has welcomed the public support of Sir Alex Ferguson . The Dutchman was praised by Ferguson for guiding United to third in the table, despite a crippling injury list . Van Gaal enjoyed a toast with the media by sharing a glass of red wine during Tuesday's press conference . So, I'm allowed to toast with you my friends of the media. Merry Christmas, I wish your family a lot of love also. That's also important - health and happiness. Cheers. ‘It’s fantastic,’ said Van Gaal - who enjoyed a glass of red wine during the club's press conference on Tuesday afternoon ahead of their Boxing Day clash at home to Newcastle. ‘When you come to Manchester United because I know Sir Alex supports you and when he is supporting you he is doing that not only this week but in other (press) conferences he gives. ‘He showed a lot of confidence and belief in me that I need as manager of Manchester United. You need that belief and support of managers like Sir Alex Ferguson, but also from Sir Bobby Charlton and (former United chief executive) David Gill. They have the belief and I’m very happy with that because then you can work more easily. ‘But it’s also pressure because he believes in you, and gives you that pressure that you have to get results. It’s not so easy to win Premier League matches.’ Ferguson (right) was in attendance for United's 1-1 draw away at Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon . Van Gaal revealed that Chris Smalling is close to full fitness and could return to the squad against Newcastle on Boxing Day, although Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini, Marcos Rojo and Luke Shaw are still unavailable. And the United boss confirmed that he will continue to switch Wayne Rooney between midfield and attack after the England captain played a more defensive role in Saturday’s draw at Aston Villa. ‘Wayne is a player who can play in different positions and I like that because I like multi-functional players,’ added Van Gaal. ‘That’s why I can use him as a midfielder, also as a striker and an attacking midfielder. The last game he was more of a defensive midfielder but I like him closer to their area than our own goal.’ Chris Smalling (right) could feature for United against Newcastle after his injury earlier this month .
Manchester United host Newcastle in the Premier League on Boxing Day . United boss Louis van Gaal has guided them to third in the Premier League so far, despite a catalogue of injuries at the club . Ex-Old Trafford manager Sir Alex Ferguson thinks United can only get better when United's injury list improves under the Dutch coach .
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By . Rob Waugh . PUBLISHED: . 08:03 EST, 13 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:10 EST, 14 March 2012 . A woolly mammoth preserved in permafrost in Siberia could walk the Earth again after 10,000 years, after Russian academics signed a deal with a controversial Korean scientist to clone the animal. Hwang Woo-Suk – who created the world’s first cloned dog, Snuppy, in 2005 – will implant the nucleus from a mammoth cell into an elephant egg to create a mammoth embryo. The embryo will then be implanted into an elephant’s womb. The Koreans say research could begin this year. South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-Suk (L) shakes hands with Vasily Vasiliev (R), vice director of North-Eastern Federal University of Russia's Sakha Republic, after signing an agreement on joint research to clone a mammoth . A painting by Friedrich Wilhelm Kuhnert, (1865 - 1926) shows woolly mammoths - the creature could walk the Earth again for the first time in 10,000 years thanks to the new research . Exciting: Mammoth bones like this one have been dug up many times before, but finding one with undamaged genes has proven a challenge (file picture) Vasily Vasiliev, vice rector of North-Eastern Federal University of the Sakha Republic, signed the deal with Hwang Woo-Suk of South Korea's Sooam Biotech Research Foundation this week. The agreeement follows the discovery of mammoth bones with well-preserved bone marrow in Siberia last summer. Hwang Woo-Suk is a controversial figure some of whose research into human cloning was shown to be fake. But since then, his institute has successfully cloned other creatures such as cows, dogs and coyotes. 'The first and hardest mission is to restore mammoth cells,'  Sooam researcher, Hwang In-Sung, told AFP. 'This will be a really tough job, but we believe it is possible because our institute is good at cloning animals.' The Korean biotech foundation said research would begin this year, as soon as the Russians ship remains. South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-Suk smiles after signing an agreement on joint research with North-Eastern Federal University of Russia's Sakha Republic . Fertile land: The thigh bone was discovered in the permafrost soil of Siberia as were these tusks which came from an entire 23,000-year-old mammoth dug up in 1999 . The Russian academics are already in negotation with Japan's Kinki . University for joint research next year aiming to . recreate the giant mammal. Mammoths became extinct about 10,000 years ago. But the discovery in August in Siberia has increased the chances of a successful cloning. Global . warming has thawed ground in eastern Russia that is usually almost . permanently frozen, leading to the discoveries of a number of frozen . mammoths, the report said.
Controversial scientist created world's first cloned dog . Remains found in Siberia last year to be used . Research 'could begin this year'
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Hong Kong (CNN) -- China's third-largest city Guangzhou -- capital of China's richest and most progressive province Guangdong -- has announced it has taken the first concrete steps in unbolting the country's often reviled "Re-education Through Labor" (RTL) system. A senior judge told the state-run China Daily that all detainees in the city under the "laojiao" or RTL system would be released by the end of the year. "The police and many legal experts have realized the drawbacks of laojiao and called to abolish the system, which has become outdated," Yu Mingyong, deputy president of Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court, was quoted as saying. "Many of those released from laojiao find many difficulties returning to society, families and work after ... their personal freedom has been restricted in labor camps for several years." Guangzhou still has about 100 people in labor camps, he said. Human Rights Watch welcomed the move but said there were few RTL camps and detainees in cities. It estimates Guangdong has as many as 18,000 detainees held in a network of facilities throughout the province. Despite the move to end the process -- originally aimed at reforming offenders through a mixture of hard labor and Marxist indoctrination -- HRW claims the changes are merely cosmetic and work camps have simply been relabeled drug detox centers. How it started . Reform Through Labor was set up in the 1950s under Mao Zedong and modeled on the Soviet "gulags" -- a place where "counter-revolutionaries" and "class enemies" could be detained without trial. Millions are believed to have died through overwork, suicide and harsh conditions until the system was overhauled in the 1970s when Deng Xiaoping released prisoners accused of political and religious offenses. According to the latest available figures from the Bureau of Re-education Through Labor under the Ministry of Justice, 160,000 people were held in 350 re-education through labor centers nationwide as of the end of 2008. The UNHCR says the figure is possibly as high as 190,000 people. Today the system empowers police to jail accused offenders -- from petty thieves and prostitutes to drug abusers -- for up to four years without a judicial hearing. Public criticism of the system has grown in China where petitioners against official corruption, "subversives," such as Falun Gong practitioners or those simply finding themselves on the wrong side of powerful Communist Party figures, have also been sentenced to penal labor without trial. In a brief note in the official Nanfang Daily last week, the vice president of Guangzhou City, Yuming Yong, said the city's administrative courts had ceased hearing RTL cases in March, effectively scrapping the system. "Judicial reform of RTL has been a priority this year," Yong told the Nanfang Daily. "Guangzhou has stopped approval of re-education through labor (cases) further highlighting the protection of citizens' personal liberties." An administrative tribunal official Xiao Zhixiong added that with no new detention cases being heard, the system would eventually be "digested out" but that specific reforms would be a matter for other relevant departments. In January this year, the central government in Beijing strongly hinted that it would begin scrapping the system although Guangzhou's announcement is the strongest indication yet that concrete steps have been taken. Cosmetic changes . While Guangdong province has a reputation for being progressive and reform-oriented, human rights groups are skeptical about the depth of change to the controversial jail system. Nicholas Bequelin, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch told CNN that reforms may simply be a cosmetic re-branding of an otherwise repressive system. "Guangdong is at the vanguard of reform, that's their identity," Bequelin said. "Unfortunately, this 'reform' essentially consists in changing the signboard at the labor camp from 'Re-education Through Labor' to 'Coercive Detoxification Center.'" He said Guangdong had been ready to move fast because the majority of the RTL detainees in the province -- 10,000 out of a total of 18,000 according to HRW — are drug offenders or users who posed little political threat to authorities in Beijing. "It's not entirely clear to us what has become of the 8,000 RTL detainees who are not being shifted to the detoxification system. Some may have been shifted to yet another system of administrative detention, 'Custody and Education,' designed for people suspected of engaging in sex work or of having hired the services of sex workers," Bequelin said. These centers, HRW argues, also constitute arbitrary detention because deprivation of liberty results from administrative, rather than judicial, decisions. "In other words, no trial, no lawyer, no appeal. And the conditions in these centers are consistently abusive," he added. He said that while it was encouraging that local authorities had stopped admitting new detainees while they awaited more concrete reforms from Beijing, the central government could reverse its proposals at any stage. "As far as Human Rights Watch is concerned, the only way forward is to put a definitive end re-education through labor, not to shift detainees to another arbitrary system of detention, or establish a new system to warehouse minor offenders, petitioners, government critics, sex workers and offenders below the age of 18," Bequelin said. Backlash over exposed cases . Two high-profile cases that became public last year generated a massive backlash, forcing the government to address the thorny issue of RTL. In one case, a mother was sentenced to 18 months in a labor camp for "disrupting social order" after she repeatedly petitioned officials to execute men convicted of raping her 11-year-old daughter. In another case, a young village official was sent to a labor camp for two years for re-tweeting Weibo posts that were deemed seditious. While even Guangdong's progressive administration has stopped short of attacking the system, saying that it was "not opposed to the use of coercive power and punishment by public security organs," recent official announcements have offered guarded criticism of RTL. "The system was designed to maintain social order, prevent and reduce crimes by reforming people who committed minor offenses but were not punishable by the penal code," read one Xinhua editorial. "It did play an important role in maintaining social order in specific periods, however, with the development of society and the legal system, its defects have become more and more evident." Jie Chen contributed to this report .
China's third city Guangzhou announces first steps in unbolting 'Re-education Through Labor' system . System was set up in the 1950s under Mao Zedong and modeled on the Soviet 'gulags' It provides for detention without trial for petty thieves and prostitutes to drug abusers . Human Rights Watch says the changes to the system, however, are only cosmetic .
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By . John Hall . and Ted Thornhill . A dog which viciously attacked a four-year-old boy only to be scared off by a fearless cat has been euthanized, it has been claimed. Scrappy, an eight-month-old Labrador-Chow mix, was apparently put down at Bakersfield animal shelter after he was filmed attacking his young neighbor Jeremy Triantafilo. Jeremy's life was saved when his pet cat Tara selflessly pounced on the dog as it launched its attack, chasing the vicious animal down the street so her best friend could receive emergency medical help. Scroll down for video . Lurking: Jeremy Triantafilo was outside his family's home when Scrappy the dog escaped and ran towards him. The Labrador-Chow mix has since been destroyed at nearby at Bakersfield animal shelter . To the rescue! Tara runs towards her owner as Scrappy shakes him. The dog was euthanized after continuing to show aggression during a 10-day assessment . Scrappy was destroyed after he continued to display aggressive traits during a 10-day assessment period at Bakersfield animal centre, according to TMZ. He bit two staff during his stay, and tried to attack any employee who brought him food and water. Last Wednesday, surveillance footage emerged showing Tara the cat saving Jeremy by pouncing on the dog as it attacked him. Tara's owners said she has been best friends with Jeremy since he was born. She . followed Erica and Roger Triantafilo home from a park about six years . ago and has been a member of the family ever since, they said. 'It's pretty amazing to see just a cat . take on a dog and selflessly put herself out there,' Roger Triantafilo . said. 'That dog did not even know what hit him.' Feline brave: The cat launches herself at the startled dog and knocks it away from Jeremy . And don't come back! Tara follows the dog to make sure it has left, before returning to check on Jeremy . Erica . explained that she had been near to the house watering a tree when the . neighbor's dog, Scrappy, escaped and grabbed her son by the leg. 'I'd . never seen a dog just shake a child like that so violently,' she said. 'I just remember hearing him and the next thing I know, I see my cat . flying out of nowhere and getting to this dog.' After the attack, Tara can be seen chasing the dog away before returning to Jeremy's side. In . an interview with the Bakersfield Californian, his family said she had . always been protective over their oldest child and slept in his crib . when he was a baby. They also have younger twin boys. They . added that Tara became part of the family in 2008 when she followed . them home from a nearby park - and they accepted her into their home, . even though Erica is allergic to cats. She 'really just adopted us from there,' Mrs Triantafilo said. They . named her Tara after 'Zatara', which was the name given to Edmond . Dantes in The Count of Monte Cristo by smugglers. They told him it means . driftwood. 'We named her . driftwood because she's our little cat that followed us home,' Triantafilo said. 'She's our little driftwood. She's amazing.' She said that even though her three boys tug at Tara, she sits there and takes it. Loved: The cat happily lets the little boy kiss her as he calls her a hero who saved him from a 'mean dog' Feline fine: Hero cat Tara, with the help of her owner Roger Triantafilo and team staff member Jade Henry (right), 'tosses' the first pitch at the start of the Bakersfield Blaze and Lancaster Jayhawks game . The video had shown Jeremy sitting on . his bicycle outside his family's home on Tuesday when the dog escaped . its home through an open gate and crept up on him from behind. Surveillance . footage, which Jeremy's father uploaded to YouTube, shows the dog . grabbing the boy's leg and pulling him to the ground before violently . shaking him with his teeth clamped tight. Then suddenly, an unlikely hero bounds towards him - the family's cat, Tara. The . video shows the fearless feline jumping on the dog with enough force to . push him away from the boy. Tara then chases the dog away from the . driveway with its leg between its tail. Jeremy, who has mild autism, needed stitches to the deep wounds on his legs but is otherwise fine. 'He's just bouncing back from this,' she told Today. 'He tells us it feels better.' Claw blimey: Tara, with her owner Roger Triantafilo, leaves with Jeremy (left) and Erica (centre) Last week Tara was the star attraction at a minor league baseball match at Sam Lynn Ballpark in Bakersfield, California, 'throwing' the first pitch at the Bakersfield Blaze game. She was carried onto the pitch by Roger Triantafilo, accompanied by his son, Jeremy, who she saved from the dog attack, and his wife, Erica. Tara, however, didn’t quite play ball. Organisers had provided a baseball attached to a piece of string for the ceremonial first pitch, but she wasn’t very interested in swatting it. In the end Mr Triantafilo gave her a helping hand and moved her paw through the air as he pitched the baseball. The crowd were ecstatic nonetheless.
Labrador-Chow mix reportedly destroyed at Bakersfield animal shelter . Eight-month-old 'Scrappy' was filmed attacking four-year-old neighbour . Dog viciously shook Jeremy Triantafilo by the leg until pet cat intervened . Tara the tabby pounced on Scrappy and chased him off down the street . The dog continued to display aggression in the days after the attack . He bit two staff at the animal centre and tried to attack several others .
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The boss of HSBC was last night facing questions over his secretive tax affairs after claiming he sheltered money in a Swiss bank account to prevent prying colleagues from finding out his bonus. Speaking publicly for the first time since revelations about HSBC’s Swiss private bank, Stuart Gulliver described his ‘shame’ at allegations that the lender routinely helped clients including arms dealers and blood diamond smugglers evade taxes. But he was also forced to defend his own finances after leaked documents revealed he sheltered some £5million in bonuses in an HSBC account in Switzerland under the name of a Panamanian company. Leaked files reportedly show that Stuart Gulliver (pictured), chief executive since 2011, held £5million in the bank's Geneva-based subsidiary that was at the centre of a huge tax avoidance scandal . This lasted from 1998 until 2011, when he became chief executive and his pay details had to be published anyway. Last night one accountant described the complex arrangement in Switzerland as a ‘classic case of tax avoidance’. The HSBC boss was also facing questions after revealing that he is domiciled in Hong Kong for tax purposes despite being born in Derby and living in the UK. Mr Gulliver, 55, said the computer systems on the trading floor enabled staff to find out how much their colleagues were being paid in bonuses. As he was often the best paid employee at the bank, he said he was particularly keen to stop this happening and set up a Swiss bank account to keep his pay secret. Mr Gulliver added that he used the Panama structure purely to prevent colleagues in Switzerland finding how much he was being paid. The revelation comes after leaked documents from HSBC Private Bank in Switzerland (pictured) between 2005 and 2007 showed it had helped the rich and famous avoid millions in tax . He said there was ‘no tax advantage’ and declared that he has paid full UK tax on his earnings since moving from Hong Kong to London with HSBC in 2003. Springing to his defence, the bank’s chairman, Douglas Flint, said: ‘There is absolutely no story here. There is nothing that Stuart has done that is not absolutely transparent, legal and appropriate.’ Seeking to justify his tax status, Mr Gulliver said he had spent the majority of his 35-year career at HSBC in Hong Kong and plans to return there when he steps down from the bank. Businesses are expected to behave better than the armed forces and the church, HSBC’s chief executive complained yesterday. Expressing his exasperation with regulators, Stuart Gulliver said: ‘We seem now to be holding publicly listed companies to a different standard than we might hold the armed forces, the church or any large organisation. ‘It seems to be a notion that Douglas [HSBC chairman Douglas Flint] and I should know what every single one of our 257,000 staff is doing all day long. That isn’t normally how large organisations can run.’ HSBC has been criticised as being ‘too big to manage’ after a series of scandals flared up on Mr Gulliver’s watch. It was fined £1.2billion by US regulators in 2012 after lax controls meant it became the ‘bank of choice’ for Mexican drug cartels wanting to launder money. It was also fined £400million by UK and US authorities last November for rigging the £3.5trillion a day foreign exchange market. David Buik from broker Panmure Gordon said: ‘Mr Gulliver may be right that companies are being held to higher standards. But to complain about it does sound a bit rich given the litany of misdemeanours at banks. They have brought it on themselves.’ ‘I would expect to die abroad,’ he added. But the comments received short shrift last night. Richard Murphy, a tax accountant, said he was ‘astonished’ that HM Revenue & Customs has allowed Mr Gulliver to remain domiciled in Hong Kong despite the fact that he has lived in the UK for the past 12 years. ‘Being paid in a Swiss bank account via a company is a classic case of tax avoidance,’ he said. ‘But the big question is how on earth a man can leave the UK at the age of 21, come back 12 years ago and remain permanently domiciled in Hong Kong. I am astonished this has been accepted by the HMRC. ‘There are clearly advantages to this arrangement. Among other things it allows Mr Gulliver to avoid inheritance tax.’ Although there is no suggestion that Mr Gulliver has done anything illegal, the spotlight on his personal finances comes as HSBC is under scrutiny over allegations that its private Swiss bank helped clients evade taxes. Yesterday Mr Gulliver said the wrongdoing was a ‘source of shame and reputational damage to HSBC’. Despite this he received a £7.6million pay package last year, including a £1.3million bonus. This was a drop from his £8million package in 2013 – his bonus was cut by £500,000 to reflect other wrongdoing at the bank. HSBC said its profits fell by 17 per cent last year to £12.2billion, while the bonus pool was cut from £2.6billion to £2.4billion.
Stuart Gulliver's bonuses allegedly paid via Panama-registered company . Money put in Swiss account until 2003, leaked documents reportedly show . Mr Gulliver said this was the only way to hide earnings from colleagues . Claims without Panama business others in bank could search for earnings . He said: 'It was to enable confidentiality. There was no tax advantage' Derby-born boss, 55, is domiciled in Hong Kong for legal and tax purposes . Comes after it emerged that Swiss HSBC Private Bank helped rich avoid millions in tax .
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By . David Williams . They were intended to be ‘Tapes from Beyond the Grave’ – explosive interviews with former IRA terrorists revealing some of their most notorious crimes. The interviews, recorded for a history project, were granted only under strict condition that they were not released until after the deaths of all concerned. But after a fierce legal battle, the secret interviews were passed to the police in Northern Ireland – and the bombshell revelations contained on the tapes are thought to be a key factor behind the dramatic arrest and questioning of Gerry Adams at a police station in Antrim yesterday. Former friends: Gerry Adams (left) is pictured in Long Kesh prison with Brendan 'Darkie' Hughes, a former deputy commander of the IRA's Belfast Brigade. Hughes said Jean McConville was killed on Adams' orders . Murdered: At least two high-profile IRA operatives have linked the Sinn Fein leader (right) to the murder of Jean McConville (left), the mother of ten who was brutally abducted, executed and secretly buried in December 1972 . At least . two high-profile IRA operatives have linked the Sinn Fein leader to the . murder of Jean McConville, the mother of ten who was brutally abducted, . executed and secretly buried in December 1972. The former IRA terrorists who claim they served alongside Adams say he ordered the killing. Adams . has repeated and categorically denied involvement in the death or the . IRA policy of ‘The Disappeared’ – men and women in Northern Ireland . suspected of being informers of the British who were taken from the . streets, questioned, shot and buried. But . the tapes and subsequent interviews allege a very different story in a . detailed series of claims which were yesterday being put to the . 65-year-old politician and architect of the Good Friday agreement. Denial: Adams has repeatedly denied involvement in McConville's death or the IRA policy of 'The Disappeared' Grieving: Jean McConville's family members carry flowers and a photo of their mother following her death . They . include two damning accounts – one of which was given by ex-hunger . striker Brendan ‘Darkie’ Hughes, a former deputy commander of the IRA’s . Belfast Brigade. Hughes, . who died in 2008, said McConville was killed on Adams’ orders. ‘There . was only one man who gave the order for that woman to be executed . . . that man is now the head of Sinn Fein,’ he said. ‘I . did not give the order to execute that woman. He did. I knew she was . being executed. I knew that. I didn’t know she was going to be buried or . disappeared as they called them now. ‘The . special squad was brought into the operation then called the Unknowns, . you know, when anyone needed to be taken away, they normally done it. I . had no control over this squad. Gerry had control over this particular . squad.’ Search: Irish police excavate the beach in Louth, Ireland, where the body of Jean McConville was found in 2003 . Removing her body: The mother of ten's body is removed from an area near Templetown beach in County Louth . Funeral: The family of McConville carry her coffin into church - 31 years after she was abducted and murdered . The . other damning account is that of Dolours Price, the first woman to . become a member of an IRA active service unit and the leader of the . terror cell which bombed the Old Bailey in 1973. Price, . who died last year, recounted how she was chosen to be part of a small . select unit within the three battalions that made up the Belfast . Brigade. The group of eight hand-picked volunteers, labelled ‘the . Unknowns’, were responsible for ‘special operations, including internal . investigations to weed out informers’. ‘The . hardest thing I ever did was drive those people away, the Disappeared,’ Price said. ‘I never knew for sure their ultimate end, I was simply . told by Gerry Adams to take the people away, a couple of lads or . whatever. Past: A younger Adams (centre) attends the funeral of an IRA member who was killed while planting a bomb . Interview: Gerry Adams remained in police custody here in Co Antrim, where he has been in custody since Wednesday . 'It was part of my job within the “Unknowns” to take them . across the border to hand them over to others. I don’t even remember . some of the names, isn’t that terrible?’ Price’s interview continued: ‘I drove away Jean McConville, a very, very unpleasant woman. ‘I know I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead and I don’t think she deserved to die and, at the time, I didn’t know she had children. Damning: Dolours Price, the first woman to become a member of an IRA active service unit, was the other operative to give a damning account . ‘I had a call one night and Adams was in a house down the Falls Road and she’d (McConville) been arrested by Cumann na mBan (a female wing of the IRA) women and held for a couple of days. She got into my car and as far as she was concerned she was being taken away by the Legion of Mary to a place of safety. ‘It was unfortunate for her and it was unfortunate for me as well because she was a foul-mouthed woman who cursed and swore a lot all the way down to the border. She went on and on about “them provies, they wouldn’t have the balls to shoot me... I don’t care what I did”. I was saying to myself, “please don’t say any more”, but she went on and on – she convicted herself out of her own mouth. It wasn’t my decision to disappear her, thank God. ‘You don’t deserve to die if you are an unpleasant person, as she was, but you do deserve to die if you are an informer, I do believe that. Particularly in a war, that is the Republican way.’ Like Hughes, Price provided her personal account of her time in the IRA to be part of the Boston College history project and in subsequent interviews. Researchers at Boston College last year lost a Supreme Court challenge in the US when they tried to block the release of the 84 tapes after the PSNI launched a high-profile legal challenge. So far, 11 have been handed over relating to the McConville case. The wild card in any prosecutions could be a former IRA man called Ivor Bell, 77, who had a bitter split with Adams in the mid-1980s. Bell’s interviews, if accepted as admissible evidence, could be used against Adams because Bell is still alive. Bell was charged in March with aiding and abetting in the murder of McConville, which he denies. 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Interviews not supposed to be released until after deaths of all concerned . But after a legal battle, secret tapes passed to police in Northern Ireland . They are thought to be key factor behind arrest of Gerry Adams in Antrim . At least two IRA operatives link Adams to the murder of Jean McConville . Mother of ten was brutally abducted, executed and secretly buried in 1972 . Ex-IRA terrorists who claim they served with Adams say he ordered killing . But Sinn Fein leader has repeatedly denied any involvement in the murder .
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By . Mark Duell . and Hugo Gye . UPDATED: . 18:30 EST, 3 March 2012 . Rush Limbaugh has apologised for calling a college student a 'slut' after she argued that employers should pay for their workers' contraception. The controversial radio host's comments, which included a suggestion that Sandra Fluke should make a sex tape, caused a row which saw him abandoned by advertisers and even drew in Barack Obama. But today he acknowledged that he 'chose the wrong words' while trying to 'illustrate the absurd with absurdity', and insisted: 'I did not mean a personal attack on Ms Fluke.' Rant: Rush Limbaugh, 61, left called Sandra Fluke, right, a student at Catholic college Georgetown University, a 'slut' for saying religious institutions should cover birth control under health insurance . Mr Limbaugh had faced repeated calls . for an apology after claiming that the student must be sexually . promiscuous because she supported a contentious measure which would have . forced religious institutions to fund birth control for their . employees. But instead he dialed up the . rhetoric, first saying that Ms Fluke should film herself having sex and . then claiming that she 'had boyfriends lined up around the block'. However, after three companies pulled . their advertisements from his show and the President called Ms Fluke to . express his support Mr Limbaugh finally backed down on Saturday . afternoon, three days after his initial remarks. His apology read: 'For over 20 years, . I have illustrated the absurd with absurdity, three hours a day, five . days a week. In this instance, I chose the wrong words in my analogy of . the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms Fluke.' He went on to argue that 'personal . sexual recreational activities' should not enter the public sphere, as . this undermines notions of 'personal responsibility and accountability'. Mr Limbaugh concluded: 'In my . monologue, I posited that it is not our business whatsoever to know what . is going on in anyone's bedroom nor do I think it is a topic that . should reach a Presidential level. 'My choice of words was not the best, . and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I . sincerely apologise to Ms Fluke for the insulting word choices.' Angry: Mattress retailer Sleep Train, based in Rocklin, California, has bowed to pressure on Twitter and said it will no longer advertise on the show . Also angry: Another mattress company in Sleep Number also announced through a spokesman that they were 'immediately suspending' all advertising on the Rush Limbaugh show . Out: Quicken Loans also decided to pull advertising from the show after the 'inflammatory comments' On his radio show yesterday, the . 61-year-old defended his comments  and went on to suggest that Ms Fluke . 'had boyfriends lined up around the block. Or they would have been in my . day'. He said: 'She's . having so much sex that she's going broke, she says... You're worried . here that I'm just stepping in it deeper, yes you are but this is the . truth.' 'If we are going to pay for your contraceptives and thus pay for you to have sex... we want you to post the videos online so we can all watch' Rush Limbaugh . On Friday three . advertisers revealed they will pull all adverts from the radio show . after the host had made fun of Ms Fluke for saying religious . institutions should cover birth control in health insurance - and said . in a further show that she should have to make sex tapes if this ever . happens. Mattress retailers Sleep Train . and Sleep Number, as well as mortgage lender QuickenLoans, have all . bowed to pressure on Twitter and said they will no longer advertise on . the show. ‘We don't condone negative comments . directed toward any group,’ a Sleep Train spokesman tweeted. ‘Thanks to all of you . for your concern and input.’ 'Recent . comments by Rush Limbaugh do not align with our values,' a Sleep Number . spokesman said. 'So we made decision to immediately suspend all . advertising on that program.' A QuickenLoans spokesman . said: 'Due to continued inflammatory comments - along with valuable . feedback from clients & team members - QL has suspended ads on Rush . Limbaugh.' Meanwhile advertiser ProFlowers said it will . 're-evaluate’ its marketing plan and dating site eHarmony insisted it . will look into ‘the matter of 'network buys’. Mr Limbaugh said earlier this week that Ms Fluke, of Catholic college . Georgetown University in Washington D.C., was promiscuous for saying . woman should get the pill for medical reasons. And he went even further on his next show, saying: 'If we are going to pay for your contraceptives and thus pay for you to have sex... we want you to post the videos online so we can all watch.' Annoyed: President Barack Obama, seen on Friday, considers Mr Limbaugh's remarks 'reprehensible' and called Ms Fluke to express his disappointment that she was the subject of 'inappropriate personal attacks' Shock: Ms Fluke told MSNBC's Today show on Friday that she was 'stunned and outraged' by the comments . Mr Obama said he considered Mr Limbaugh's remarks 'reprehensible' and called Ms Fluke to express his disappointment that she was the subject of 'inappropriate personal attacks'. 'He said he hoped my parents were proud of me,' Ms Fluke said, adding that the President 'thanked me for speaking out and for expressing the concerns of so many women'. 'The fact that our political discourse has become debased in many ways . is bad enough,' a White House spokesman said. 'It is worse when . it's directed at a private citizen simply expressing her . views.' More surprisingly, Mr Limbaugh has . also faced criticism from the Republican presidential candidates, with . Rick Santorum calling his comments 'absurd'. When Mitt Romney was asked what he thought about the remarks, he replied: 'I'll just say this, which is, it's not the language I would have used.' Mr Limbaugh . said on his original show regarding Ms Fluke's comments on birth . control: ‘What does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes . her a prostitute. She wants . to be paid to have sex. ‘She's having so much sex she can't afford the contraception. She wants you and me and the taxpayers to pay her to have sex.’ Ms Fluke said on Friday that she has been left 'very upset' by the comments made by Mr Limbaugh. 'My reaction was the reaction . a lot of women have had historically when they’ve been called these . types of names,' she told MSNBC. 'Initially to be stunned by it, and then to quickly feel outraged and very upset.' Spokesman: Ms Fluke was due to testify at a hearing on Capitol Hill last month about Barack Obama's mandate that health insurers provide contraception - but she wasn't allowed to do so . Another target: Mr Limbaugh also hit out at NASCAR driver Danica Patrick earlier this week on Monday for backing contraceptive insurance coverage . Ms Fluke was due to testify at a . hearing on Capitol Hill last month about Barack Obama's mandate that . health insurers provide contraception. But committee chairman Darrell Issa of . California said she could not testify at the hearing as it was focused . on threats to religious freedom. Ms Fluke later put her testimony on . YouTube and spoke about a friend who had to take birth control to treat a . disorder that caused ovarian cysts. The friend subsequently lost her . ovary. She also spoke of classmates who can’t afford contraception, . which was what really riled Mr Limbaugh. Ms Fluke claimed a female student spends $3,000 on protected sex during a three-year course at university, reported ABC News. ‘Three thousand dollars for birth . control in three years? That’s $1,000 a year of sex - and, she wants us . to pay for it,’ Mr Limbaugh said. 'She's having so much sex she can't . afford her own birth control pills and she agrees that Obama should . provide them, or the Pope.’ Female rights activists were left . seething and two Democrats walked out of the Capitol Hill hearing last . month after it was led by an all-male panel. Ms Fluke did eventually speak about . birth control at a Democratic hearing led by House Minority Leader Nancy . Pelosi last week, reported ABC News. She is a third-year law student at Georgetown and ex-president of the Students for Reproductive Justice group at the university. Mr Limbaugh also hit out at NASCAR driver Danica Patrick this week on Monday for backing contraceptive insurance coverage. But he has faced attacks of his own to . deal with this week - after a survey of American viewers found he was . their least-liked news personality. Listen to the audio clip here: .
Conservative radio host slammed Georgetown University's Sandra Fluke . Three advertisers had pulled out in response to controversy . Obama said comment was 'reprehensible' and called Fluke to discuss it .
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(CNN) -- Do you suffer from FOMO (otherwise known as "fear of missing out")? Does the idea that some infinitely intriguing person/place/thing is currently flitting through your general sphere of being -- WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE -- cause your heart to constrict with terror? Well, friends, we hear you. Having just returned from the liquor- (and other liquid-) soaked climes of Austin and SXSW, we're pretty sure we only experienced about 1.3% of all "Cool Things" present at that havoc-wrecked fest. Basically, all we gathered was that people really like Skrillex, and, mysteriously, Train (thanks Monstro!) and that the most-flogged apps at SXSW Interactive were undoubtedly those who aim to kill FOMO dead. Enter: Sonar, Highlight and Banjo, a new wave of social apps designed to keep you abreast of all the interesting people around you -- without requiring that you look up from your smartphone (my Precious...)! These apps were, by far, among the most buzzed-about at SXSW, with Highlight taking the coveted top spot (according to Mashable). Charts and graphs aside, it remains to be seen whether Highlight will be able to assume the many-storied role of "The Next Twitter" or "The Next Foursquare," both of which gained traction at Nerd Spring Break. That's partly because it and these other apps run in the background on your phone, with always-on GPS that drain your battery. But it's mostly because the word "creepy" keeps coming up in the same sentence when people talk about this new cadre of mobile apps. Still, don't let that silly little adjective scare you off! Because if you don't download these apps, you'll be missing out! And you don't want that, do you? Do you?! We didn't think so. That's why we've provided a handy scale for you below, which should be instrumental in finding the level of "Creepy" you FOMO-sufferers are comfortable with. Kind of creepy: Sonar . So you're chilling at your apartment, staring -- moleperson-like -- into the glowing half light of your computer screen. All your Sims have finally drowned in the swimming pool, and you're getting tired of thumbs-downing dubstep tracks on Turntable.fm, so you fire up Sonar. Sonar is a pretty simple app for Android (in beta) and iOS that shows you two things: Who is chilling at hot spots near you, and who -- in general -- in your vicinity you might be interested in meeting. When you launch the app, you'll be asked to connect to your social networks (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn), which lets the app deduce who might be interesting to you. Click on the "Places" tab and you'll see a list of locations in your area. Clicking on a location will surface a list of people at that spot (generated via Foursquare check-ins, etc. -- one doesn't have to be using Sonar to show up in the app), and what level of connection you have to them -- how many Facebook friends, Twitter friends, etc. If you see someone you might want to stalk -- I mean, TALK to, you can tweet at them from within the app. You can also check into that location if you manage to leave your cave and become an object of stalkage -- I mean, talkage -- as well. The app also features a "People" tab, listing which friends (pulled from your social networks) have currently checked in near you, as well as other people of interest. Use that to hook up with your pals next time they "forget to tell you" about karaoke. It's not your fault the only lyrics you know are "Wub wub wub wubwubwubwub wub Pzzzzzzz." Creepy: Highlight . You're just your average tech-savvy businessman, all pimped out in front-pleated khakis, your startup-emblazoned T-shirt of choice, and, of course, your ubiquitous SXSW Interactive Platinum Badge swingin' around your neck. Reclining there on your barstool, sweating Mojito in hand, you cruise the room with your eyes. With whom should you birth your future children -- uh, I mean your latest business venture? Suddenly, your cell vibrates in your holster. You whip it out with delight to see ... a shiny new notification from Highlight. Could it be? Is your dreamboat partner in this very room?! SXSW fave Highlight is what is known as an "ambient location-sharing app," which means that it is always on (unless you "pause" it), alerting others using the service to your whereabouts. When you first install the app, you'll be asked to connect via Facebook, thus porting all your friends and interests into Highlight. From there on out, you'll be alerted via push notifications every time someone of interest is nearby -- you know, folks with a lot of mutual friends, hobbies, taste in TV, etc. These interactions will also be stored in a kind of in-app log. From there, you have the option to check out their profiles and send them a message if you feel keen on meeting. You can also "Highlight" people for future reference, which is kind of the equivalent of a "wink" on an online dating site (IE a complete wuss move). That's right, tech-savvy businessman, now you can meet all kinds of interesting people -- mere feet from your nervous self -- without the hassle of the initial awkward introduction. Highlight now, message one Mojito later. Meet IRL if they deign to answer you. Super creepy: Banjo . Your doll collection just isn't cutting it anymore. Seriously, how much can one stretch one's imagination when it comes to weaving background stories for inanimate objects? And QVC's wares aren't getting any cheaper. If only you could discover some brand new friends -- complete with dossiers (like the books that come with those American Girl dolls) -- with whom to maybe, possibly, someday but not likely hang out with. Well, you've got a friend in Banjo! Banjo serves two purposes: It alerts you when a friend is in your vicinity, and it gives you a glimpse into the lives of those around you -- and around the world. Upon downloading the iOS/Android app, you can connect to Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Instagram and Google+ to keep track of all your friends. When a friend posts content or checks in using any of those services near you (you can change the distance from one-fourth mile to 10), you'll get an alert. If they're using Banjo, you can send them a message in-app, and if they're not, you can post a message to whatever content or check-in they shared, asking them to join the service. (We don't recommend doing this unless you're OK with someone putting cheesy words in your mouth like: "How cool! Banjo tells me we're close by, so let's connect!) If the whereabouts of your friends are less than thrilling ("Jesus Christ, who the F cares that you went to the bodega and bought dish soap?!"), you can toggle over to the "Explore" map or the "People" box to check out a graphical representation of people in your area. That info is collected via check-ins/content as well, so users don't have to be Banjo members to show up on your map. From there, you can click through whatever content they're sharing -- tweets, Instagram photos, etc -- and live vicariously to your heart's content. You can even message folks if they're Banjo members (or spam them -- like your friends -- if they're not). Bonus: Banjo also shows who has looked at you, so there's plenty of opps for potential couples to awkwardly check out each other's profiles until one of them breaks. The app even lets you creep internationally, virtually zooming around cities like Paris and London and anywhere else your heart desires. And you thought that Canadian Maple Leaf doll from the Babies A Bloom collection you bought last week was an international adventure!
Sonar, Highlight and Banjo are a new wave of social apps that were all the buzz at SXSW . Sonar shows who is chilling at hot spots near you and who you might be interested to meet . Highlight alerts you when people who share your interests are nearby . Banjo lets you see whatever content -- tweets, photos, etc. -- nearby users are sharing .
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Chelsea's early season form may have led to comparisons with the Arsenal 'Invincibles' side, but Gary Neville believes they aren't even as good as the Chelsea side from 10 years ago. Jose Mourinho's side are currently four points clear at the top of the Premier League, but after letting leads slip against both Manchester City and United, their killer instinct has been called into question. 'If a team are going to be playing for a 1-0 then you better see it out,' Neville said on Monday Night Football. 'When I saw Jose Mourinho two weeks ago he talked about the 2005 (Chelsea) team and (compared) the team he had then to the team he has now and he said the killer instinct's missing. Chelsea have dropped more points from winning positions this season than they did in the whole of 2004/05 . Chelsea took the lead against both Manchester United and Manchester City, but drew both matches . 'When I look at the statistics they are staggering - 28 times they (the 2004/05 team) scored first (in Premier League matches), 27 the season after and they only dropped two and four points (respectively). 'This team this season, even though they're at a really high level, have scored first seven times and already dropped four points. They've got to get to that next level.' 'When (Manchester) City went down to 10 men I thought Chelsea let them off the hook and yesterday at 1-0 up I think Chelsea let United off the hook. 'There's a mentality shift. Gary Neville was talking on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football show with Sportsmail's Jamie Carragher . Robin van Persie scores Manchester United's injury-time equaliser against Chelsea at Old Trafford . The away side had appeared to be in control of the game but were undone with just moments remaining . 'At Manchester City they went from 55 per cent possession for the 10 minutes before the goal, and the 10 minutes after they went to 26 per cent possession, and City had 10 men. That can't be an instruction from the manager. That's a shift in the players. 'Yesterday (against Manchester United) they went from 64 per cent (possession before scoring) to 45 per cent (after scoring). They switch off. 'This is not the manager changing it. The players who have worked themselves into a 1-0 lead have then sat deeper.'
Chelsea are four points clear at the top of the Premier League . Jose Mourinho's side have proved themselves to be early title favourites . But Gary Neville believes there is still room for improvement . The former Manchester United defender criticised their lack of killer instinct . Chelsea dropped points against both Manchester clubs .
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By . Deborah Arthurs . UPDATED: . 13:47 EST, 4 January 2012 . As Burberry today unveils its new spring/summer campaign in store windows and across social media networking sites, millions of ardent fans will be watching. Just last month, it was announced that the British company had become the world's most successful  luxury fashion brand on Facebook and Twitter, with a record 10million fans on Facebook, and almost 700,000 following the brand's regular UK feed on Twitter. Meanwhile, they have thousands more global Twitter fans following their international feeds and post exclusive content on their own YouTube channel. Behind the scenes: Eddie Redmayne and Cara Delevingne on set of the latest Burberry campaign . Burberry's social media success has grown exponentially - and it is still growing fast. The secret, say consumer experts, is the fact that Burberry share so much unique content exclusively with their followers on social networking platforms, and post new and different content to each one. What is posted on Facebook will be different from that on Twitter, and dialogues are constantly being carried out across both. Just this morning, Burberry placed . three new videos from their latest campaign, starring My Week With . Marilyn star Eddie Redmayne and Cara Delevingne, onto their YouTube channel. And at the news that the brand had . reached 10million Facebook fans, Burberry Chief Creative Officer Christopher . Bailey uploaded a personal thank you via a video message to the site. Days later, a further 163,000 had joined. At ease: The two chat between shots . All this direct contact gives fans that bit more involvement with the brand - and keeps them connected. 'Christopher is really involved,' Burberry told MailOnline. 'He has answered fans' questions personally on . Facebook, and he's very active on Twitter.' 'It gives people something new. It's a direct and personal route for them.' Their groundbreaking, inclusive . approach goes against the practiced elitism of luxury brands, and ultimately brings . fans closer rather than keeping them at a distance. While other fashion houses operate . strict closed-door policies that isolate all but the inner circle - Tom . Ford famously showed his last collection to a tiny selection of invited . contacts, with no photographers and only a handful of select Press allowed - Burberry have . embraced this public approach. Indeed, Burberry was the world's first . fashion house to 'Tweettalk', posting images from its autumn/winter fashion show on to . Twitter - . before the models had even stepped out onto the catwalk. The innovative move meant fans . were able to see the collection before the celebrity front row and the . fashion Press had even caught a glimpse. For his part, current star of the . campaign Eddie Redmayne reports that Christopher Bailey is, as one would . expect from his democratic approach to business, a 'gem of a man' 'I am a huge fan of Christopher Bailey,' he says. 'He is a brilliant designer and a brilliant man. 'The fashion world can be a tad intimidating but Christopher remains a kind, grounded gem of a man. And judging by the latest figures, there are at least 10 million people out there who agree. Intense: Cara, 18, has been the face of Burberry since January last year, when she appeared in the brand's S/S11 campaign . Check it out: The spring/summer Burberry campaign starring My Week With Marilyn's Eddie Redmayne and Brit socialite and model Cara Delevingne . The pair model the Spring Summer 2012 collection for the Burbery Prorsum collection . Social media success story: Burberry has over 10m Facebook fans - and counting . About the videos, Bailey says: 'We wanted to capture a moment in the lives of two exciting and inspiring British actors who have been part of the Burberry family for several years. 'The images reflect the mood of the collection through Eddie's and Cara's energy, playfulness and effortless elegance and I have such huge admiration for them both.' Follow Burberry at www.facebook.com/burberry, . www.twitter.com/burberry, www.youtube.com/burberry, www.burberry.com and www.artofthetrench.com.
Brand has 10,163,728 fans on Facebook while 694,495 follow UK Twitter feed . Chief creative officer Christopher Bailey personally thanks followers . New films star Burberry faces Eddie Redmayne and Cara Delevingne .
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By . Chris Pleasance . Police are hunting for two thieves in Florida who stole an iPad from a canoe rental office before making their getaway in a kayak. The pair were caught on security cameras picking the tablet computer, worth $700, up from the front desk of Wekiva canoe rental before one of them places it in his bag. But instead of making a conventional escape on foot, the pair decided to jump in a kayak and paddle to freedom instead. Police are looking for two men who took an iPad from the front desk of a canoe rental office (pictured) Write caption here . But now they are being hunted by Seminole County deputies, who think they could have been rowing toward Wekiva Springs State Park. According to deputies one suspect is a . Hispanic man with a partial goatee, dark colored hair, a blue and light . blue horizontally striped tank top, and black plaid shorts. He took the iPad from the front desk before going to the bathrooms and meeting with another man, described as being a white male wearing a dark colored hat, and a white shirt with a design on the front. After meeting it appeared that the Hispanic male put the iPad in the white male's backpack. Officers are still hunting for the missing pair, and anyone with information is being asked to call the Seminole County Police Department at 407-665-1720. One suspect is described as being Hispanic with a partical goatee (left) while the other is white (right) The pair were recorded taking the tablet computer, worth $700, from Wekiva Island, Florida (pictured)
Two men filmed taking iPad from canoe rental office in Florida . One checks coast is clear before putting computer in other one's bag . After swiping the device they make their getaway in a kayak .
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The Sunni extremists running roughshod across Iraq could produce 'a thousand' global terrorists like Osama bin Laden bent on widespread death and destruction, Iraq's ambassador to the United States warned on Monday. Lukman Faily said that if the United States and other nations focus too much on Iraq's internal politics and ignore the 'immediate threat' of a terrorist movement that's gathering steam, the results will be catastrophic. 'This is a global tumor in Iraq taking place now and in Syria,' he said, referring to the Sunni militant group calling itself the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). 'We've seen it before.' The White House has scolded Nouri al-Maliki's government in Baghdad for provoking ISIS by alienating the country's Sunni minority. Barack Obama said on Friday that U.S. military intervention would be conditioned on reconciliation efforts from Maliki's Shia majority. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS . Lukman Faily, the Iraqi ambassador to the United States, warned CNN's Christiane Amanpour that 'a thousand' Osama bin Ladens could emerge from among the Sunni extremists pushing to take over Baghdad . Pushing back: Iraqi Shiite tribesmen are joining state-run security forces in the fight against Jihadist militants who have taken over several northern Iraqi cities; Iraq's US ambassador says his country needs America's help to prevent 'a thousand' Bin Ladens from turning the globe into a terrorist shooting gallery . 'Any action that we may take to provide assistance to Iraqi security forces has to be joined by a serious and sincere effort by Iraq’s leaders to set aside sectarian differences, to promote stability, and account for the legitimate interests of all of Iraq’s communities,' Obama said in public remarks. 'So this should be a wake-up call.  Iraq’s leaders have to demonstrate a willingness to make hard decisions and compromises on behalf of the Iraqi people in order to bring the country together.' But Faily suggested during an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour that Obama is naively fiddling while Baghdad burns. 'These are all "nice to have" discussions,' he said, but 'what we have in Iraq now, to -- is an immediate threat.' 'But do you not feel this is an immediate threat?' Amanpour interrupted, 'that practically half the country feels disenfranchised? The Sunnis?' 'We're not saying we're not happy to [have a] discussion,' he responded. 'We want to have that discussion. But we're saying conditioning that discussion is not wise. Making clear that we all stand together against a threat in global terrorism is the question.' 'Let me give you an example. What you have in Afghanistan, with one Bin Laden – you will have a thousand of them.' 'No POWs,' he warned. 'Nothing, none of that. No rules of engagement but destruction.' 'That's the situation in Iraq.' Obama told Congress on Monday that he is sending 275 armed military men and women into Baghdad to protect American embassy personnel and assets as they are moved elsewhere in Iraq and to Jordan. They will be 'armed for combat,' the White House said, while insisting that the ground troops won't be the first drop in an ocean of military entanglements of the sort that Obama campaigned against in 2008 and 2012. An administration official also said Monday that the president is considering the deployment of a small contingent of Special Forces to Iraq, specifically to help the al-Maliki government slow the advance of ISIS. Obama is also mulling unilateral air strikes to hamper ISIS, but administration sources told MailOnline on Tuesday that the primary objection to that strategy is political, not tactical. The National Security Staff, one source said, is concerned that forcing ISIS off the battlefield now that neighboring Iran has sent 2,000 of its elite Quds forces to stabilize the region could effectively clear the way for Iran to seize oil fields and other lands in eastern Iraq. Amanpour pushed back against Faily, arguing that the more 'immediate threat' to Iraq was political inequality enforced by Shiites against Sunnis . ISIS aims to establish a caliphate -- an Islamic state that transcends national borders -- in areas of Syria and Iraq, and it has captured at least nine cities in the two countries . 'A thousand of them': Faily says the late Osama bin Laden (pictured), who masterminded al-Qaeda's 9/11 terror attacks in the United States, could just be the beginning is ISIS is allowed to press forward . Obama is stuck between a rock and a hard place, needing to keep a U.S.-friendly government in place in Baghdad while also avoiding a newly strengthened and further leveraged Iran at a time when that Islamic republic is moving toward nuclear weapons capability. Faily said Monday that whether or not the White House decides on a path of limited cooperation with Tehran, Iraq needs help urgently. 'We have been saying that we need to strengthen our army with having fighter planes, Apache helicopters and others. ... The administration now understands that urgency.' he said. They have been willing to say, "We are willing to help." What we are saying is we cannot wait until tomorrow. A decision has to be made. It should have been made yesterday. 'From our perspective,' Faily said, 'the urgency of the ground are giving us less options and more radical options.'
Lukan Faily said Monday that while Obama frets about Iraq's internal politics, ISIS is gathering strength . Unless the group is stopped, he said, it will become a global terror threat like 'a thousand' Bin Ladens . ISIS will take 'no POWs,' he warned, 'nothing, none of that. No rules of engagement but destruction' 'What we have in Iraq now ... is an immediate threat,' the ambassador warned . CNN's Christiane Amanpour said she thought the true threat was a Sunni minority that feels 'disenfranchised' ISIS, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, is a Sunni militant group that was previously known as 'Al-Qaeda in Iraq'
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Britain is at 'very significant risk' from a terror attack by extremists inspired by ISIS jihadis, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond warned today. Speaking ahead of a counter-terror summit in London today, he warned against complacency in the fight to 'disrupt these plots before they come to the stage of an attack'. As foreign ministers from across the globe fly into London to discuss strategy to take on the jihadis and prevent Paris-style atrocities. Scroll down for video . Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, pictured with US Secretary of State John Kerry today, warned against complacency in the fight to 'disrupt these plots before they come to the stage of an attack' David Cameron met Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Downing Street, where he vowed the UK would do 'everything we can' to stop the flow of foreign fighters who were travelling to join ISIS and cause 'mayhem'. Speaking in No 10, Mr Cameron said: 'The threat from extremist terror you face in Iraq is also a threat we face here in the United Kingdom ... We will do everything we can to help stop foreign fighters coming to your country and creating the mayhem we see today.' Later Mr Abadi will join representatives from 21 countries, including US secretary of state John Kerry and French foreign minister Laurent Fabius, for talks which will focus on military support for fighters battling against ISIS - also known as Isil, as well as by its Arabic acronym Daesh. The Hammond is hosting the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS at Lancaster House in London . Ahead of the meeting, Mr Hammond stressed the danger of terror attack in the UK by people inspired by events in Iraq and Syria. 'We have to regard Isil as probably the greatest single immediate threat to Britain's national security at the moment,' the Foreign Secretary told BBC1's Breakfast. 'There's a very significant risk of an Isil-inspired attack being planned and, if we are not successful in intercepting it, executed by Isil sympathisers who live in the UK but are inspired by what is going on in Iraq and Syria. 'Of course, our security and intelligence agencies, our police forces are working tirelessly around the clock to monitor, to identify, to intercept and to disrupt plots of this nature, and we've been very successful in doing so, but we mustn't be complacent. 'We know there are people out there who wish us harm and we have to be vigilant and we have to work extremely hard to make sure we identify and disrupt these plots before they come to the stage of an attack.' David Cameron met Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Downing Street ahead of the security summit in London . Mr Cameron vowed the UK would do 'everything we can' to stop the flow of foreign fighters who were travelling to join ISIS and cause 'mayhem' But he warned that Iraq's security forces will not be ready for months to take on ISIS fighters who have seized large swathes of the country. The Foreign Secretary acknowledged that despite huge sums spent by the United States and Britain on Iraq's security forces in the years following the ousting of Saddam Hussein, they had fallen back into a 'state of disarray'. 'There is a big challenge ahead of us,' he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. 'We are renewing and regenerating the Iraqi security forces - re-equipping them, retraining them, reorganising them - but it will be months yet before they are ready to start significant combat operations against Isil.' Air strikes by Britain and its allies had 'very effectively' contained ISIS while action was taken to 'rebuild' the Iraqi armed forces to enable them to drive the militants out of their country, he said, adding: 'They will be able to do it, the question is when they will be ready to start that process.'
Hammond warns against complacency in the fight to disrupt terror plots . Foreign ministers from across the globe fly into London for talks . They will discuss plan to take on jihadis and prevent Paris-style attacks . David Cameron promises the UK will do 'everything we can' to help Iraq .
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Parents who encourage their young children to take part in cage fighting contests could be jailed for child cruelty, legal experts warn. They face sentences of up to six months for allowing a boy or girl of primary school age to take part in the sport – described as  ‘barbaric’ by the Culture Secretary. And a Preston social club which hosted the boys’ fight reported in the Mail yesterday is to be investigated over whether it broke its licence conditions. The revelations come after a video emerged showing Kian MacKinson, nine, and a boy of eight, whose father has requested he remain anonymous, kicking, shoving and grappling in front of baying adults. The footage caused outrage among child and medical experts, who called for a police and social services investigation. Brutal: Child cage fighting can continue despite the boys being filmed without padding or head gear . Upsetting: The young boy seen here is crying in the middle of a fight, and is then attended by medical experts who check if he can carry on with the bout in a Preston working club . Battle: Kian MacKinson, nine, with an eight-year-old whose father has asked for his face to be obscured . Parental support: Kian with his father Nick Hartley, the youngster features in the shocking video which shows hundreds of baying adults goading the primary-age boys to fight each other . A source at the Crown Prosecution Service said: ‘A young child being forced to take part in any violent sport could constitute child cruelty. As such, a failure to protect that child from harm could lead to a minimum 12-week sentence or a maximum 26-week sentence.’ Social services bosses in Lancashire  confirmed they had launched an inquiry into the cage fighting, which is also known as mixed martial arts, to ‘consider any child safety concerns’. Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt yesterday condemned the fighting among children as young as eight as ‘barbaric’. ‘Getting more young people doing sport is great but I do ask myself whether it really does have to be in a cage,’ he said. ‘It feels very barbaric and I know there are concerns about children that young doing a sport like that.’ He added he was ‘shocked and surprised’ by claims there were no restrictions on children appearing in such adult environments. His comments came after the British Medical Association, the NSPCC and . Safechild branded child cage fighting ‘disturbing and sick’. A British . Association of Martial Arts spokesman insisted: ‘Children this young . shouldn’t be involved in cage fighting.’ Lancashire Police officers have decided to take no further action either on a child safety level or licensing of the premises. It emerged last night, however, that council chiefs have ordered a . licence review for the Greenlands Labour Club and will ask the venue not . to put on any similar events involving juveniles. The deputy leader of Preston City Council, John Swindells, said: ‘I am . appalled by the incident of cage fighting involving children taking . place in Preston. ‘Having checked the club’s licence there is a condition that children . should not be on the premises at public events after 6pm and I think it . needs to be looked into whether this condition has been breached. Professional appearance: Just like in an adult event, the tiny fighters have an entourage. Seconds out: The boys are brought together in the middle of the cage fighting ring, prepared to do battle . Grappling: The pair begin their fight slowly, testing out the space between them as they start their bout . ‘As such, I have now made a request for the licence at Greenlands Labour Club to be reviewed. A formal licensing review process will now follow.’ That could take up to three months as the club is allowed 28 days to make representations on the matter. A similar period is then opened up for members of the public to have their say. The shocking video that emerged on Wednesday shows Kian and the unnamed boy fighting without protective padding or head gear. One of them is shown apparently receiving medical attention for a leg injury and bursting into tears. Fight: Before long, they have hit the canvas and take turns in pinning each other down . Young fighters: The children wear no padding or headguards for the ten minute bout in Preston . The event was held almost a fortnight ago with about 250 adults paying £25 a ticket to watch 14 fights. The other clashes involved semi-professional adults. Sources said the night was a boisterous alcohol-fuelled affair. Sharefight, the company commissioned to film the event, said the video had been removed from the internet ‘out of respect’ for parents and others who had shown concern. The event took place in a ‘safe environment’, a spokesman added. Greenlands Labour Club has also defended its decision to hold the event. Time out: Scantily clad ring girls parade on the canvas in between rounds . Victory: The fight ends to cheers from the crowd but the social club had its knuckles rapped for letting children stay there after 6pm .
Organisers defend 'barbaric' event as 'perfectly legal' Video footage shows children battling on the floor without head guards . Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt condemns the underage contests . Child safety experts call for ban and urge social work to be brought in . Council to ask club not to stage any more such events involving children .
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By . Louise Eccles . PUBLISHED: . 07:47 EST, 18 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:57 EST, 18 September 2013 . Two women accused of drug smuggling in Peru could serve their sentences in the UK if Britain agrees to a transfer, Peruvian prosecutors said. Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum, 20, were found with £1.5million worth of cocaine in their suitcases as they tried to check-in for a flight from Lima to Madrid, on August 6. The women claimed they were kidnapped in Ibiza and forced to carry the drugs by gun-toting Colombian gangsters who threatened them and their families. Indication: The two women accused of drug smuggling might enter guilty pleas to secure transfers to UK jails . But this week, they suggested they would plead guilty in order to secure shorter sentences, after conceding that detectives did not believe their story. They are expected to receive a sentence of six years and eight months if they admit drug trafficking at their next court hearing. Now, Peruvian counter narcotics prosecutor Luis Mendoza has said the women could apply to serve their sentences in Britain. He said: 'It's very possible that they may complete their sentence in the United Kingdom.' Miss Reid's father William, 53, from Glasgow, claimed they would apply for her to be moved to a UK prison at the earliest opportunity, saying: 'We could start pushing for her to be transferred to Scotland.' But a legal source close to the case told the Mail a transfer could take many years, by which time they could be free. Write caption here . The women are expected to serve . two-and-a-half years of a six-year-and-eight-month sentence, after which . time they can apply to serve their parole in Britain anyway. The source said: 'The process is very slow. 'There . are two British men in jail for drug smuggling in Peru right now, who . have been trying for several years to be transferred back home to . complete their sentence there. 'It . is a very long process and Britain does not often agree to it. It is . not in their interest to. Why would they want them in their prisons?' A . 2008 Peruvian law gives foreigners the option to serve sentences back . home, and Britain has a prisoner transfer agreement with Lima. Miss Reid and Miss McCollum Connolly, from Northern Ireland, will need to show they behaved well in jail, pass 'legal, social, medical and psychological tests' and can fund their own tickets back. They are currently being held in the tough Virgen de Fatima prison, on the outskirts of Lima. Charities warn of dire conditions and claim poorer inmates are forced to prostitute themselves in return for food. However, Miss Reid has compared it to a 'Brownie camp', and said she spent a whole day helping Miss McCollum Connolly to dye her hair brown and take out her hair extensions. Hope: William Reid, father of Melissa, believes he can start the ball rolling to get his daughter moved to Glasgow. Pictured here on Daybreak earlier this month .
The pair have suggested they might plead guilty to reduce sentences . They face more than six years behind bars if they do admit trafficking . Under a deal with the UK they could be transferred to British prisons . The two Brits were caught with £1.5million of cocaine in their suitcases .
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A neighborhood have held Christmas early for a father who has just weeks to live after an unexpected diagnosis. Frank Henderson, 60, Shoreline, Washington, only found out he had cancer two weeks ago and has been given a fortnight to live. But already the family have packed in lots of activities they want to carry out with him including celebrating Christmas in September. A Washington neighborhood have held Christmas early for Frank Henderson, 60,  who has just weeks to live after an unexpected diagnosis. Pictured: Frank with his wife Jan, children Neil, Nate, Nic, Thea and Cory, and ex-wife Debbie Willis . The family began to decorate their home and once neighbors learned about Frank's condition and his enjoyment of the festive period, they decorated their own houses with lights to show solidarity . The father-of-five was scheduled to undergo unrelated surgery on September 13 when he underwent a CAT scan after complaining of stomach pains. The prognosis left the family stunned - his daughter Thea told Today they found out he had cancer 'everywhere,' leaving him 'a few weeks to a month' to live. She says an oncologist determined it may be only a matter of days and that is when his wife Jan, children Neil, Nate, Nic, Thea and Cory, and ex-wife Debbie Willis threw themselves into making lots of memories. Immediately resourceful Frank made a list Bucket List that started with home-improvement projects, so that his family would not have to worry about such tasks after his death. The family carried out all the tasks together and then realised that Frank, a commercial truck driver, may not be around to put up the Christmas lights as he did every year . Frank and his wife Jan who planned to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary next year . Immediately resourceful Frank made a list Bucket List that started with home-improvement projects, so that his family won't have to worry about such tasks after his death . The family smile for a photo - they are determined to make some special memories with Frank in the time they have left with him . 'We were all talking about this Bucket List, and someone mentioned in passing, 'Don't worry, we'll make sure we'll put up the Christmas lights, too, at Christmas,' said Thea. 'And then it kind of hit us that that's Dad's thing.' The family began to decorate their home and once neighbors learned about Frank's condition and his enjoyment of the festive period, they decorated their own houses with lights to show solidarity. The family knew that Frank would miss the chance to dance with his Thea at her wedding so they set up a photoshoot with Thea wearing a donated wedding dress and Frank wearing a suit . The Henderson family have been contacted by people across the world who have been inspired by their story . Neighborhood kids even brought over snow they had saved from last winter to make the occassion as special as they could. The family knew that Frank would miss the chance to dance with his Thea at her wedding so they set up a photoshoot with Thea wearing a donated wedding dress and Frank wearing a suit. They danced to multiple songs, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'Pride and Joy.' 'For my little dad — who's been in a recliner for 10 or 11 days now — that was his time to sort of bust loose and let it all out. He just started dancing, and that's been our thing, ever since I was tiny,' she said. Frank with his five children Neil, Nate, Nic, Thea and Cory and one of his three grandchildren . Frank with one of his three grandchildren. He has videotaped a private message to each of his children which they can watch in the future . 'It's kinda surreal,' Frank told KBOI2. 'We all sit around and hold each others' hands and cry. We hug each other, and we know it's going to happen. 'But if I was, I think, if I was mad, then that would change everybody's position. But God didn't do this to me, and He's not punishing me or anything. 'It's just a fact. And He wants people to be examples, of loving other people and then letting them share. Because people need to share.' The Henderson family have been contacted by people across the world who have been inspired by their story. His daughter Thea wrote on Facebook: 'My Dad has a 1 of a kind spirit. He is quick to love, quick to trust, quick to forgive and slow, VERY SLOW to anger. 'He has raised 5 children and created one huge loving, supportive and caring family who surround him now. He is a grandfather to 3 beautiful grandchildren and wants nothing more than to watch them grow up. He is SO proud of the father’s his sons have become. He loves my mama more than anything, which you can tell simply by the way he looks at her or calls her “honey-bunny.” 'Their marriage is an amazing example of the love they share, 24 years strong. They have made each other better, and I know my Daddy will always be with her, and making her smile… or making her roll her eyes and laugh at his crazy dance moves. Frank has videotaped a private message to each of his family so they can watch it in the future.
Frank Henderson, 60, only found out he had cancer two weeks ago . Frank has always been a fan of Christmas and usually puts up the lights . Neighbors all joined in with the festive celebrations in a show of solidarity .
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Marine experts today warned people not to enter the water after . two killer whales were spotted 100 yards off the English coast. The 'enormous super . predators' were described as unpredictable and could attack surfers and bathers . mistaking them for prey. A mother and calf were spotted off the coast of . Padstow, Cornwall - just 15 miles from the surfing mecca of Newquay - and experts . warned the giant whale may inadvertently harm a human or attack while protecting its . young. A mother and calf were spotted off the coast of Padstow in Cornwall and experts warned the giant whale may inadvertently harm a human or attack while protecting its young (library image of an Orca in Scotland) Peter Richardson, of the Marine Conservation Society, said: 'Obviously we wouldn't recommend getting into the water with a killer . whale. 'They . are enormous super predators and are therefore unpredictable. 'There . is a pod of killer whales in Scotland and they could be travelling around the . country. 'Not a lot is known about the movements of killer whales . but the probability is they are here for food. 'There . are plenty of seals along the south coast especially around Padstow and . Newquay.' Several people have reportedly seen the . whales, a rare sight in the area, over the last ten days. Ocean scientist Dom Clarke, 25, saw what he believes was a mother and calf near Trevose Head, five miles from Padstow (pictured) while walking along the cliff . Ocean scientist Dom Clarke, 25, saw what . he believes was the mother and calf near Trevose Head, five miles from Padstow . while walking along the cliff. He said he saw them heading south towards . Newquay. Mr Clarke told how he came across a man with binoculars . who asked him what species of whale he thought they were. 'I thought "wow, that is pretty unusual to . see", so I grabbed the binoculars,' he said. 'At the time they were heading south along . the coast about 100 metres off the headland. It was pretty special.' He added that a bird watcher had said he . spotted the whales near Trevose the following day. Fisherman Zyg Gregorek, who has travelled the world hunting . fearsome sea predators, said: 'All sea predators present a danger. Killer whales (Orcinus orca), also known . as orcas, can grow up to 32ft in length and weigh up to 9 tonnes. The . distinctive triangular dorsal fin can grow up to 6ft high. They are mainly found around Iceland, . Norway and northern Scotland, but occasionally some are seen as far south as . the Atlantic coasts of Spain and Portugal and east into the Mediterranean. 'If a . swimmer or a surfer got too close to a killer whale, it only takes one swish of . the tail and you've had it. 'A killer whale might be curious around . humans and therefore might attack, whether by accident or design. Also, because of over-fishing, their diets have been affected. 'If they are starving, they can be unpredictable and there is a possibility . they may go for a human. Tom Hardy, of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, said: 'I remember . there were reports of a killer whale attacking a basking shark in Cornwall . years ago. 'But attacks on humans are extremely rare. You would be . very unlucky to get attacked by one.' According to the SeaWatch Foundation, killer . whale sightings are rare in the waters off the coast of South West England, . with most sightings between March and September. The whales were seen just 15 miles from the surfing mecca of Newquay . In September last year, a holidaymaker at . the Bedruthan Steps Hotel at Mawgan Porth, around eight miles south of Trevose, . spotted a pod of four killer whales while eating breakfast in the cliff-top . hotel. Mr Clarke, who runs a rockpool exploration . and education company, Explore the Shore, suggested that the whales could have . been feeding locally. 'At the moment there must be a lot of fish . inshore. And that day there was also a really huge shoal of porpoises about a . kilometre off the headland,' he said. Angie Gall, marine conservation officer . with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, said the whales may have merely . passed through the area en route to more northerly waters around Scotland. 'There is only evidence of one "kill" made . by killer whales in Cornish waters and that was a basking shark," she said. Basking sharks are known to congregate in . huge numbers off the Cornish coast in the summer and are a familiar sight for . tourists in the area.
Sightings at Padstow, just 15 miles from surfing mecca of Newquay .
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A Utah author claims a schoolteacher plagiarized her Christian romance novel, added graphic sex scenes and passed it off as her own. In a case she says brings to light plagiarism in the burgeoning world of online self-publishing, Rachel Ann Nunes of Orem filed a federal lawsuit in August against a Layton teacher, Tiffanie Rushton, who she says cut and pasted large sections from an electronic copy of her book. Nunes wrote 'Love to the Highest Bidder' in 1998 about two art dealers, one from New York and the other from California, who meet while competing for an Indian Buddha statue and fall in love. A Utah author claims a schoolteacher plagiarized her Christian romance novel, added graphic sex scenes and passed it off as her own . It was first published by a Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints-oriented publisher. After the book went out of print, Nunes got the copyright and put out a slightly revised e-book version on Amazon.com with the name 'A Bid for Love.' Rushton's manuscript, 'The Auction Deal,' is about an art dealer who goes to Beverly Hills to bid on a rare sculpture and meets a successful gallery owner from Chicago, according to an online description. The full e-book has been pulled from the site goodreads.com. Nunes claims the book, which was not published in print, was written by Rushton under the pen name Sam Taylor Mullens. 'All the characters are the same, lines throughout and the plot. It is really hard for me to read it,' Nunes said Tuesday. In a case she says brings to light plagiarism in the burgeoning world of online self-publishing, Rachel Ann Nunes of Orem filed a federal lawsuit in August against a Layton teacher, Tiffanie Rushton . 'I feel like my life has been stolen.' She named a character after one of her seven children, making the added sex scenes particularly disturbing. Rushton did not return phone and email messages seeking comment, and no attorney has yet been listed for her. Though the story had been altered, Nunes says the details were recognizable to bloggers who Rushton asked to review an advance copy of the manuscript. Nunes' book, for example, contained this line in chapter one: 'For six years, he had put up with her overt stares and innuendos because she was not only his boss and sole owner of the gallery but also his friend.' Rushton's first chapter included a similar line, according to a screen shot posted online by Nunes: 'For ten years, I'd tolerated her overt stares and innuendos because she was part owner of our gallery and always seemed to find opportunities with new clients that helped the gallery that I could not.' Rushton appeared to be recasting the niche Christian story Nunes wrote into a book that would appeal to a mainstream romance reader looking for a more erotic tale, she said. 'It really is the thing that sells the most,' said Nunes, who has written 47 books in the last 18 years. In email exchanges between Rushton and Nunes, Rushton said the idea came from a friend who died in a car wreck and that she didn't want to reveal her real name because she is Mormon and her extended family wouldn't approve of her writing, according to the suit. Nunes said she's confirmed Mullens and Rushton are the same woman, though she declined to provide details, citing the lawsuit. A spokesman for the Davis School District confirmed that Rushton has been a third-grade teacher since 1993. After their exchange, Nunes says negative reviews began popping up on Amazon.com, Facebook and other websites. She alleges that Rushton created seven different profiles in an attempt to discredit her. Nunes is seeking at least $150,000 in damages as well as attorney's fees in the suit, which was first reported by the Ogden Standard-Examiner. Since filing it, Nunes says she's heard from other authors whose work has also been copied from their e-books. The books are often pulled when the plagiarism is identified but later reposted under a different name. 'It's so much easier ... online, you can be so anonymous,' she said. 'How many authors can afford to take someone to court? That's your life savings, that's your whole future.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Rachel Ann Nunes filed a federal lawsuit against teacher Tiffanie Rushto . Claims Rushton cut and pasted sections from electronic copy of her book . Rushton insists the idea came from a friend who died in a car wreck .
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By . Chris Greenwood . PUBLISHED: . 05:31 EST, 6 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:22 EST, 6 June 2013 . It brings a new meaning to the phrase ‘heavy police presence’. This substantial officer was at the centre of a debate about physical fitness in the police force yesterday amid claims that he is Britain’s fattest bobby. But colleagues were quick to defend Sergeant Andy Sharp, saying he is not even the largest officer in his force. Whatever the truth, he might struggle . to meet controversial new physical tests designed to make sure those on . the thin blue line are fighting fit. On the beat: Sergeant Andy Sharp marshalling campaigners at a march in central London . Frontline representatives are locked in discussions over what form the annual fitness assessments should take. The move follows fears that some . officers in demanding jobs are held back by being overweight and out of . shape. Sgt Sharp, a long-serving Met officer who specialises in . organising high-profile events, was photographed marshalling crowds on . Sunday. He was seen with road cycling star Mark  Cavendish at the Help . the Heroes charity bike ride from Blackheath to Central London. He was also out and about last month as thousands of demonstrators marched through Whitehall to protest at NHS cuts. John Tully, of the Met Police . Federation, said Sgt Sharp spends most of his time on ‘desk duty’ but . comes out during the events he supervises. He said: ‘Everyone should be fit for . purpose. There is a minimum level of fitness for everyone who completes . officer safety training. Sgt Andy Sharp marshals protesters on a London NHS march last month . ‘Presumably he has been able to do that. Regular fitness tests will soon be introduced and we wholeheartedly support that.’ Police have been warned they could . face pay cuts and ultimately dismissal if they do not meet the standards . set by new fitness tests. A major review by former rail . regulator Tom Winsor called for running tests and assault course-style . assessments to ensure officers can chase criminals. A survey found 52 per cent of male . officers and staff in the Met were overweight, 22 per cent were obese . and one per cent were morbidly obese. One senior officer told the review . some officers attending basic safety training were ‘so unfit they cannot . complete the warm-up exercises’. Mr Winsor said fitness equipment . should be installed in stations or officers given access to gyms. If they fail, they could be sent on weight loss courses or given health and diet advice. Rick Nelson, a Met officer and Federation representative who is helping design new fitness tests, said changes are being made. But he added: ‘In many cases, just . because officers are heavy it doesn’t mean they are unfit. And a very . fit officer is not necessarily brilliant at the job.’ 1.    Running (known as the Multi-stage shuttle run test or Bleep Test)2.    A test of strength (Dynamic Strength Test or Push-Pull)You should wear gym shoes and gym kit when taking the test.(1) The multi-stage shuttle run test (Bleep Test)This is done first. You will run back and forth continuously between 2 lines 15 metres apart in time to an electronic bleep. The speed will increase with each new level until you reach the pass mark. The level required is 4 shuttles at level 5 (5.4). You will run 44 shuttles to reach this level.You are likely to pass if you can run 1.5 miles in 12 minutes or run on a treadmill for 8 mph for 12 minutes at zero gradient. (2) Dynamic Strength Test (Push-Pull)This test is carried out on a Concept 2 DYNO machine. After 3 warm up pushes, you will then have to push as hard as you can 5 times. This is repeated with pulling instead of pushing. The mean result of your five maximum efforts for each push or pull will be recorded. The minimum level is 34 kg (push) and 35kg (pull).   You are likely to pass if you can achieve five strict repetitions with 40 kg weight on a seated chest press or bench press machine and on a seated rowing machine. PRE Scale – As you run rate the intensity on a scale of 6 to 20. Number 6 being very, very light and 20 being exhausting. Aim for an intensity of number 14 or 15, which should feel like a HARD run. If you feel you have exceeded number 15, then slow down as you could be running too fast.
Sergeant Andy Sharp was snapped escorting protesters in central London . Recruits have to pass fitness tests when they join but no requirements for non-specialist officers to complete tests once they are in the job .
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Baghdad (CNN) -- Radical Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has returned to the country after more than three years in Iran, according to Iraqi state television and websites maintained by al-Sadr's followers. The Shiite cleric has been in Iran since early 2007, apart from a public appearance in Iraq in May 2007. He has been studying in the Iranian city of Qom to become an ayatollah, the title given to high-ranking Shiite Muslim religious scholars. Al-Sadr commanded one of Iraq's most formidable private armies after the fall of Saddam Hussein, which contributed to violence and instability in the country for several years. His political bloc has now joined forces with a former rival, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. The Sadr movement emerged as one of the kingmakers in Iraqi politics in March, when it won 39 parliamentary seats. The bloc's support played a major role in al-Maliki getting his second term in office.
Muqtada al-Sadr has been in Iran since 2007 . He's been studying to be an ayatollah . His political bloc was a kingmaker after elections in March .
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Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has blasted the Obama administration for bringing the world to the brink of 'a second Cold War that nobody needs.' In a videotaped interview published Tuesday, he told Bloomberg Television that 'we are slowly but surely approaching a second cold war,' in part because President Barack Obama 'could be more tactful politically.' Seated at his private residence outside Moscow and speaking through an English translator, Medvedev blasted Obama for leveling sanctions at the Russian government and its wealthiest oligarchs. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev blasted the Obama administration -- with a smile! -- for bringing the world to the brink of 'a second Cold War that nobody needs' Nerves fraying: Russia claims it has withdrawn troops from near the Ukrainian border, but tank commanders at checkpoints are still standing guard . Naive? Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pressed a red prop 'reset button' along with then- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in March 2009, but the two countries' relations are now at a post-Cold War low . 'Let's be . honest: Those sanctions are a sharp knife for European business,' he claimed. 'And . American business doesn't need them either. The only ones who want . sanctions are politicians, who use them to reinforce their convictions . and demonstrate their power.' And in a mafia-like jab, the Russian legislative leader hinted that if he wanted to, he could push back against U.S. sanctions. 'You've probably noticed that we have not commented on them a great deal or responded to them harshly,' he told Bloomberg reporter Ryan Chilcote, 'although we probably could cause some unpleasantries for the country that imposes those sanctions.' Asked about the now-infamous 'reset button' effort that he co-engineered with then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in March 2009, Medvedev said the Obama administration has unraveled any Russian good will that may have existed five years ago. 'Yes, I believe that President Obama could be more tactful politically when discussing those issues,' he said. 'Some decisions taken by the U.S. administration are disappointing.' Pressure: Russian President Vladimir Putin joined with Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) to oversee joint naval exercises on Tuesday as the two powers seek to build ties in the face of Western criticism and territorial disputes . Medvedev hinted at repercussions for U.S. economic sanctions, saying that 'we probably could cause some unpleasantries for the country that imposes those sanctions' 'We have indeed done a lot for Russian-U.S. relations. I believe doing so was right. The agreements that we reached with America were useful. And I'm very sorry that everything that has been achieved is now being eliminated by those [U.S.] decisions.' 'Basically,' he claimed, 'we are slowly but surely approaching a second Cold War that nobody needs. Why am I saying this? Because a competent politician knows how to make reserved, careful, subtle, wise and intelligent decisions –  which, I believe, Mr Obama succeeded at for a while.' 'But what is being done now, unfortunately, proves that the US Administration has run out of these resources. And the United States is one of the parties to suffer from this.' Medvedev's interview came as the U.S. was still seeking 'firm evidence' to support Russia's claim that it has withdrawn soldiers from the borders of Ukraine. Ukraine is gearing up for an election to replace former president Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia in February after months of street protests. Russia's relations with the United States and European Union are at a post-Cold War low following Moscow's seizure of Crimea.
Dmitry Medvedev blasted Obama for not 'know[ing] how to make reserved, careful, subtle, wise and intelligent decisions' A more 'competent politician,' he said, wouldn't have slapped Russia with economic sanctions after it marched across the Ukraine border . 'We probably could cause some unpleasantries for the country that imposes those sanctions,' he hinted in a moment ripe for The Sopranos . The interview came as state-run TV reported that Russian soldiers near Ukraine are standing down and returning to their bases .
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A St Louis woman was dragged out of her car, attacked and threatened with murder because she is Bosnian, police claim. Officers called in the FBI to investigate the case as a hate crime five days after a Bosnian man was hammered to death nearby. Police said the victim, 26, was driving around a gang of black teenagers at 5.25 on Friday morning when one pulled a gun and ordered her to stop. Scroll down for video . Emotional: The 26-year-old victims parents said they fled the Bosnian war now fear targeted attacks in the city . One struck the windshield with a crowbar and another pulled her out the car. The gang, believed to be all-male, then went through her empty purse and threw her cell phone on the ground, St Louis Post Dispatch reported. They asked where she was from and she said she was European, she claims. 'You're a [expletive] liar,' one man allegedly shouted at the woman. 'You're Bosnian. I should just kill you now'. They then pushed her back to the ground and kicked her. She was found unconscious by passers-by but opted not to go to hospital. Killing: Police said that Zemir Begic was driving in Bevo Mill early Sunday morning when a group of juveniles surrounded his car and began banging on it, beating him when he stepped out of the vehicle . Scene of crime: Flowers at an impromptu memorial to Zemir Begic in South St Louis on Sunday . The reported encounter prompted St Louis police to call the FBI to investigate the case as a hate crime. It comes five days after Zemir Begic, 32, a South City resident of Bosnian descent, was driving home with his newlywed wife at around 1.15am when police say a group of teenagers approached his car and began vandalizing it. Begic emerged from his vehicle to try and stop them, at which point the teenagers allegedly attacked him with hammers, striking him in the head, face and abdomen. The motorist was taken to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries a short time later. His wife escaped unharmed after her husband reportedly shielded her from the attackers with his body. Suspect Robert Mitchell, 17, turned himself in Sunday night after two of his alleged accomplices, ages 15 and 16, were arrested by police, reported St Louis Post-Dispatch. The 17-year-old is being charged as an adult with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.
Gang in St Louis, Missouri, dragged Bosnian woman from car, said: 'You're Bosnian. I should just kill you now' It comes five days after Zemir Begic was hammered to death in the city . FBI called in to investigate the case as a hate crime .
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By . Sophie Jane Evans . From terrifying roars to anguished snarls and evil laughs, it can instantly transform any actor's voice into a monster's. This incredible software was created by Orfeas Boteas, 27, during a project for his sound design degree at the University of Edinburgh. And his creation has been a great success - having been used in an array of TV series, films and computer games. Scroll down for video . Software: Orfeas Boteas, 27, created this sound effect software during a project at the University of Edinburgh . Successful: The software (pictured, left, with Mr Boteas) instantly transforms actors' voices into monsters'. It has been a great success - having produced the voice of 'Blurry man' (right) for American drama Sleepy Hollow . The software, dubbed the Dehumaniser, produced the voice of 'Blurry man' for American drama Sleepy Hollow, as well as sounds for 666 Park Avenue and Animal Planet's Finding Big Foot. 'Creature . and monster sounds exist in many mediums, including sci-fi, horror and . animated films as well as video games,' said Mr Boteas. 'Dehumaniser lets you perform in real time. It has 35 pre-designed presets for creatures, monsters, experimental voices and dialogue. 'I . have worked with some of the largest game companies, sound . post-production companies and distinguished sound designers in the . world. Technology: Mr Boteas's creation, dubbed the Dehumaniser, has also been used in a range of computer games . Complex: 'Dehumaniser lets you perform in real time,' said Mr Boteas, who studied sound design at university . 'It has also been used in many TV series, feature films and video games worldwide.' The . former student, who is originally from Athens, came up with the notion . of the Dehumaniser, before creating a prototype of it during the . university project. He . soon received hundreds of phone calls about the impressive technology, . including calls from film, TV and video game professionals. 'After . posting a video demonstration online, sound designers started showing . great interest on the project so I put it on my webpage for free to . download,' said Mr Boteas. Talented designer: Mr Boteas, who is originally from Athens, poses with a street artist dressed as a monster . 'Afterwards . I started receiving e-mails from acknowledged professionals in the . industry that used the software for many films and games all over the . world. 'I . was very excited about that and after getting feedback from all these . professionals I started working on the commercial version - and the rest . as they say is history.' Among . the professionals to have praised Mr Boteas's creation is Dave . Whitehead, who worked as a sound designer on The Lord Of The Rings, The . Hobbit and District 9. In a short review, he wrote: 'I downloaded Dehumanizer prototype last year and had a play . with it. Drama: The software has been used in 666 Park Avenue (pictured) and Animal Planet's Finding Big Foot . 'It’s got great potential. [The] settings are pretty cool. I had a laugh looking through them.' Mr Boteas offers a Lite version of his software for £49, while the pro version costs £199. This year, he was awarded the Encouraging Dynamic Growth Entrepreneurs 2014 award.
Software was created by Orfeas Boteas, 27, at the University of Edinburgh . Dubbed 'the Dehumaniser', it can transform actors' voices into monsters' It has created unique sounds for array of TV series, films and video games . These include drama Sleepy Hollow and Animal Planet's Finding Big Foot .
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(CNN) -- If kings and queens are able to savor the best things in life, why shouldn't they get to retire, too? It's not traditional, and it kind of goes against one of the biggest perks of being a king or queen -- a secure job for life. But it happens, as the world saw Monday. King Juan Carlos I of Spain became the latest royal to say he's stepping down. It's "time to hand over to a new generation," the 76-year-old announced in a televised address, declaring that he's leaving the job he's had for nearly four decades. His son, Crown Prince Felipe, 46, will take over. The Spanish King is one of several monarchs to step down in recent years. Queen B takes her leave . In January 2013, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands passed the crown to her son Prince Willem-Alexander. He was 46 at the time. Queen Beatrix had been ruling for more than three decades. Much beloved by the Dutch people, she tried to assure them that her retirement didn't mean she was taking off for Florida and forsaking their love. "This doesn't mean that I'm taking leave from you," she told a throng of admirers in Dam Square outside the palace in Amsterdam. Her abdication was a move marked by tradition in the Netherlands -- knowing that it's best to go out while on top, historians say. Queen Beatrix was the third successive Dutch monarch to abdicate, following her grandmother and her mother. "Beatrix's abdication wasn't controversial," explained royal commentator and historian Richard Fitzwilliams. "The people were happy with that and no one thought less of the monarchy." A father to son handoff in Belgium . In July 2013, King Albert II of Belgium gave up his kingship, reportedly over concerns that he was too old to carry out his duties. Those duties include "suggesting, advising, warning and encouraging" lawmakers in the country, according to Belgium's government website. King Albert was 79 when he retired. He had ruled for 20 years. His son, a 53-year-old trained fighter pilot who became King Philippe, took over. The country had been in turmoil at the time, torn between the North and South where residents spoke different languages. A pope quits (and makes history) Europe must have been especially lovely in 2013, because even the Pope didn't want to keep working. An unprecedented "I quit" came in February when the Vatican announced that Pope Benedict XVI -- Germany's Joseph Ratzinger -- was leaving the papacy. His "advanced age" was the reason he wanted out, the Vatican said. The then-85-year-old had led the Catholic church since 2005. He became the first pope in nearly 600 years to leave the post. So what do monarchs -- and one pope -- do when they retire? Benedict's retirement hasn't been all that different from anyone else's. Archbishop Georg Ganswein told Reuters that Benedict has been doing a lot of reading, reflecting and praying. He's taking walks in the Vatican gardens, playing the piano and receiving guests at a monastery. He's mostly a homebody, making only a few public appearances, such as the canonization ceremonies for Popes John XXIII and John Paul II in April. A change of the guard in Qatar . Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, abdicated and transferred power to his son in 2013. Sheikh Hamad, who gained power in 1995 after overthrowing his father, sent out a public message to announce his plans. "I declare that I will hand over the reins of power to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and I am fully certain that he is up to the responsibility, deserving the confidence, capable of shouldering the responsibility and fulfilling the mission," according to the Independent. Sheikh Hamad's decision to cede power willingly was a first in the modern history of the region. The norm is for Gulf leaders to rule for decades until their death or until circumstances conspire to overthrow them, such as the Arab Spring uprisings that toppled leaders in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. His son, Sheikh Tamim, became the youngest monarch in the region at the age of 33. Spanish selfies and change . In Spain on Monday after the King announced his departure, tourists took selfies in front of the royal palace in Madrid. Some gazed through the gates. "Change is good, new blood could be good, why not?" said Spaniard Natividad Andres. "Everything is so unpredictable, you think about politicians that offer you one thing and give you another and things continue to work." Lola Garcia told Reuters that she worried about what the abdication indicated. "It's a shame. I'm really sorry," she said. "I don't know what's going to become of Spain and I don't like what I see coming." On Monday, the King noted in his speech that Spain had been suffering financially. "The long, deep economic crisis we are going through has left a lot of scars socially, but it has also pointed toward a future of hope," he said. Royal watcher Fitzwilliams called King Juan Carlos' abdication a "real tragedy." "He wanted to go down in history as the king who was a symbol of national unity for a very disparate Spain," Fitzwilliams said. "Spaniards -- many of them older -- are great admirers of him." There was still a "tremendous amount of good will" toward the King, he said, despite scandals that had lately rocked his rule. King Juan Carlos' popularity took a hit in 2012 when he fell and broke his hip while on a trip in Botswana, and Spanish news outlets began running a photo from the trip that showed him next to an elephant he had shot. The image appalled many Spaniards. Fitzwilliams recalled Monday, however, that the King had, in his long rule, managed to bring together fractious political groups in Spain and stop a right-wing military coup in 1981. "He's done the country enormous service," Fitzwilliams said. Could a British royal be next? The news of King Juan Carlos' abdication didn't shock British author and historian Kate Williams. "We've seen this in Belgium and the Netherlands," she said. "I think it's often thought that rule should go to someone who is young and vibrant and fun. But you will never see it in the United Kingdom. Never." Queen Elizabeth II has said that she believes the job of ruling Britain was given to her by God, and only God can take it away, Williams said. The queen staying in her job is critical to a cohesive sense of culture in Britain, she said. But it's happened before in the U.K. There's no way Queen Elizabeth doesn't consider the shock waves sent through British society when King Edward VIII abdicated in 1936. That "haunts" the palace still, Fitzwilliams said. King Edward caused a huge stir when he declared that he wanted to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson, an act that broke the rules of the Church of England. He gave up the throne and became the Duke of Windsor. Together, the couple toured Germany. It was reported that the former king had Nazi sympathies. He lived out the rest of his life in France. The episode is considered, Fitzwilliams said, a shame on the legacy of the British monarchy.
Netherlands, Belgium and Qatar all had monarchs step down in 2013 . King Juan Carlos I of Spain announced Monday he would abdicate . Royal watcher says there's no chance Queen Elizabeth would give up throne .
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PUBLISHED: . 07:04 EST, 9 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 07:16 EST, 9 January 2014 . A woman whose nose and upper lip were bitten off by mice when she was a baby is to receive free plastic surgery. Zhu Sanni, 23, from Qingdao, Shandong Province, had been left alone at home for three days when the animals began to eat her face. Her father suffered from a mental illness and often left home and disappeared for days. Fresh chance: Zhu Sanni, 23, had been left alone at home for three days when the animals began to eat her face . Sanni was left to survive by herself but when she was discovered her face was covered in blood and her nose and lip had been eaten by mice. One day her mother went out for food but did not return for three days. Sanni was left to survive by herself but when she was discovered her face was covered in blood and her nose and lip had been eaten by mice. Without money, her parents didn't take her to the hospital, but simply washed her wounds. Recently Qingdao Boshi Hospital has offered to provide free surgeries for Sanni. Director Wu Yuhua from the medical affairs office of the hospital said they will build Sani an artificial nose and lip, but the surgeries may take up to two years. In 2009  Australian nursing home resident had his ears gnawed by mice. Staff found the 89-year-old covered in blood and the man was in a distressed state and had injuries from severe mouse bites.
Zhu Sanni, 23, had been left alone at home for three days when it happened . Her father suffered from a mental illness and often left home . Mother went out for food and did not return for three days .
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Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Thousands of bottles of alcohol were destroyed in Kabul this week, in what authorities described as the product of a crackdown on illegal smuggling and sales. The bottles were confiscated over a two-year period in and around the Afghan capital, according to Kabul police and criminal investigations chief Mohammad Zahir. They were taken almost exclusively from "Afghan sources and not foreigners," he said. The illicit items were being stored by Afghan customs officials, who burned the bottles Wednesday after receiving authorization from the city's attorney general's office, he added. Alcohol is largely banned in Afghanistan, and its sales and consumption considered a criminal offense for the country's . Muslims, who constitute roughly 99% of the population. Certain areas that cater to foreigners, however, are permitted to sell it. Zahir said that it was in these areas -- mostly international hotels -- that local sellers had come into possession of the alcohol. CNN's Matiullah Mati contributed to this report .
Official: Bottles are almost exclusively from "Afghan sources" and not foreigners . Alcohol is largely banned in Afghanistan . Certain areas, however, that cater to foreigners are permitted to sell it .
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Even death couldn't part two skeletons excavated from a lost chapel in an English county, found with their fingers entwined. A team of archaeologists from the University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) are working with volunteers on a four-year excavation project at the site, which overlooks the small village of Hallaton. Vicki Score, ULAS project manager, says the skeletons were placed together in this position, as there was enough room in the grave to have them buried apart. Aside from the bonded couple, 11 skeletons have been found so far, which are yet to be analyzed, but some discoveries have been made already. Score says one was of an older man aged 46 or over who appeared to have been struck on the head with a sharp weapon such as a pole axe. Another, she says, was in his mid-twenties, with teeth showing severe childhood trauma during the first nine years of his life. "He was buried in a very unusual position in a pit with his legs splayed widely apart, arms flexed at the elbows and hands tucked beneath his chin. "We have no idea why he was buried like this -- it could possibly be due to a medical condition." Both skeletons also had lesions on their skulls which suggest they had head lice. The team are hoping to find out more about how the gravesite was chosen. Score says: "We have seen similar skeletons before from Leicester where a couple has been buried together in a single grave. The main question we find ourselves asking is why were they buried up there?" It is thought the chapel may have served as a pilgrimage, or the main church possibly refused to bury the bodies because they were criminals, foreigners or diseased. She adds that Roman archaeology beneath the chapel imply that something important already existed there, which made it a special place. Other findings include the walls and tiled floors of the site, fragments of stone masonry, wall plaster, tiles and lead from the windows. Silver pennies dating between the 12th and 16th centuries give clues as to when the chapel was in use. In 2000, the Hallaton Treasure was discovered, consisting of Iron Age coins, parts of Roman helmets and debris from feasting. The county was also where the remains of 15th-century monarch Richard III were uncovered beneath a parking lot in 2012, raising questions about how the controversial ruler lived and died.
Two skeletons were found holding hands, buried at a lost chapel in Leicester . 11 skeletons have been found so far, but are yet to be analyzed . Early findings suggest one died by being struck on the head with a pole axe . Leicester was also the site where the remains of King Richard III were found .
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(CNN)The New York Police Department faced a newly pressing question in recent weeks: What constitutes an online "threat"? Police reviewed hundreds of online postings--and made several arrests--over alleged anti-cop threats made in the wake of the killing of two officers last month. It used to be a lot easier to define threats. It's not that our dialogue has evolved much. It hasn't. Art and music have always spoken about violence in the most graphic terms, whether it's in rap lyrics or Guns N' Roses songs. Kids have consumed violent art and speech since long before Hansel and Gretel baked a witch in an oven, or Beowulf hacked his way through Southern Scandinavia. The difference today is the delivery system: the Internet and social media. Suppose, after the recent NYPD threats, I posted that I planned to "swarm on any m... in a blue uniform," meaning specifically the "punk police." Suppose I promise that "when I finish, it is going to be a bloodbath of cops dyin.'" Scary right? If I tweeted that today, I might expect police at my door. In 1988, though, there was no Twitter ... or e-mail ... or "online," come to think of it, when the rap group NWA came out with its (famous) "F*** Tha Police," containing those very lyrics. People then were offended, of course. But songs on an album just don't seem to contain the same direct threat potential of social media today. There was something very nonspecific about threatening language contained on a commercially mass-produced cassette tape. And when a megastar like Axl Rose sang in 1988 that he had to kill a woman for complaining too much, and bury her in his backyard, millions heard those lyrics. That's a much bigger audience than the 13 followers reading some guy's rabid musings on Twitter. So, threatening speech online is not about how viral or far-reaching it is. Our society is not as interested in protecting social media rants as it is in protecting artists because—whether the courts say it or not—we really don't feel as good about protecting dummies. We will vigorously protect the free speech of legitimate artists, even if we find their work repulsive. Instinctively, however, we draw the line at people whose only creative accomplishments consist of, say, a bitter child custody dispute and access to a Wi-Fi signal. It seems that if some shmendrik wants to rant on the Internet, he should be able to point to a scintilla of an actual music career to defend his or her language by claiming it is like "lyrics." That analysis dovetails nicely with the issues before the Supreme Court in a case called Elonis v. United States. In Elonis, an "aspiring rapper" used violent language on Facebook to rant about his wife, an elementary school and an FBI agent. Under the First Amendment, the court must decide whether a "threat" requires proof of the defendant's actual intent to threaten, or if it is enough to show that a "reasonable person" would regard the statement as threatening. If the court ultimately requires proof of actual intent, that test would be a higher burden, and more favorable to defendants. But even under the "reasonable person" standard favored by prosecutors, the hearer of the words must understand them as a threat. Maybe this is why social media has more threat potential, and it's not because it can reach many persons: Social media is more threatening for its potential to reach one specific person—but be overheard by many others. Maybe that's the key. In that sense, social media threats are less like a musical performance, and more like a menacing phone call placed on speakerphone for others to hear, or a call surreptitiously recorded by your Russian girlfriend (as with Mel Gibson). Social media postings are (generally) not for profit, and they are authored by the speaker alone. In that sense they feel more like the unfiltered statements of present intent. As protective as we should be of free speech in art, maybe it's time to draw the line at social media. Then again, I'm biased in a way that perhaps the justices are not. I'm on social media, and the tweets directed at me from time to time are, let's say, pretty threatening and too profane to reprint here. Maybe the justices would be less inclined to equate the lyrics of Eminem (as Justice John Roberts recently did) with the poetic musings of frighteningly abusive tweeters if they had more personal experience with social media. The NYPD confronts a similar problem. How is it to know the difference between a true threat, the work of an artist, or some troll sounding off online? The Supreme Court may contain the brightest minds of our time, but compared with your average 14-year-old, they are Luddites. I've never seen a hashtag in a Supreme Court opinion, and I seriously doubt the justices spend a lot of time on Instagram. Tasked as they are with defining threats on social media, will their reasoned opinion reflect a current understanding of how people communicate—or threaten—online? Even if they do, by then the kids will be onto the next thing anyway .
Danny Cevallos: Arrests over tweets threatening NYPD raise issue of when speech is threat . He says Supreme Court to weigh in soon. Maybe it's time to draw threat line at social media .