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<s>[ARTICLE] A 12-year-old boy lacerated four fingers on Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean ride three months before a British tourist had the tops of two fingers severed on the same attraction, it has emerged. The boy was among 12 people who suffered 'significant' injuries at the Walt Disney World resort in the second quarter of 2014, according to a report made by the company to the State of Florida. Paramedics who treated the man in his . 40s after the later incident said he admitted he had dangled his hand outside the log flume ride . which inspired the Johnny Depp movies Pirates of the Caribbean. Scroll down for video . A 12-year-old boy lacerated four fingers while riding on the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disney World in Florida three months before a British tourist had the tops of two of his fingers sliced off on the same ride . The 12-year-old was taken to hospital for treatment and later released to continue his holiday with his family. The name of the victim was not released by hospital officials. Details . were revealed in the report by Disney chiefs to . Florida state officials over the number of accidents at their theme . parks in Orlando in 2014. The youngest person injured was an eight year old girl who lost consciousness on Magic Carpets of Aladdin ride. Most . of those on the injury list were elderly people, with a 70 year old . woman experiencing chest pains from going on the Mission to Mars thrill . ride at the Epcot Centre. A . 68 year old man suffered a blot clot in the leg after getting off the . Astro Orbiter ride at Epcot while a 64 year old woman broke her leg . after falling over at the Tomorowland Speedway. Other theme parks in Orlando also reported injuries from people who passed out after being hurled around on roller coasters. In character: The Pirates of the Caribbean ride was the inspiration for the hugely popular Disney film series, starring Keira Knightley, Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom . Guests to the theme park going on the . Pirates of Caribbean ride are warned to keep their hands inside and not . to put them above their heads or outside the transport vehicle. Riders . are invited to 'set sail on a swashbuckling voyage to a long-forgotten . time and place when pirates and privateers ruled the seas.' It . is one of the tamer thrill rides at the Disney theme parks in Orlando . with people of all ages allowed to take part with no height restriction. Disney rates its thrill level on their Magic Kingdom website as being 'Dark, Slow Rides, Small Drops'. The . Pirates of the Caribbean ride was the inspiration for the hugely . popular Disney film series, starring Keira Knightley, Johnny Depp and . Orlando Bloom. The . original ride was built at Disneyland in California, and there are also . versions in Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Park in Paris. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Details revealed in report made by Disney to State of Florida . The youngster was one of 12 people inured in second quarter of 2014 . British tourist who lost fingers 'dangled his hand outside the ride' [/SUMMARY]</s>

Details revealed in report made by Disney to State of Florida . The youngster was one of 12 people inured in second quarter of 2014 . British tourist who lost fingers 'dangled his hand outside the ride'

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<s>[ARTICLE] Trendsetter: The Queen carries her Launer bag as she opens the Royal London Hospital building this year . Move over, Kate. There’s a new fashion queen in the Windsor family. Her identity? Well … the clue is in the title. Sales of Launer handbags, the Queen’s favourite brand, have risen by 52 per cent in the last year. The . firm says the increase is down to her recent willingness to experiment . with different styles and colours of her trademark boxy bag. The . sales boom echoes the so-called ‘Kate effect’ – anything the Duchess of . Cambridge is seen wearing usually flies off the shelves in minutes. Launer’s . owner Gerald Bodmer said: ‘What is lovely is that people are thinking . of her as a fashion icon rather than an elderly person. The fact is that . she does carry stuff that other people want.’ Although the Queen usually opts for a simple black patent model, in the last year she has chosen a variety of different colours. It is these colourful designs which have proved hugely popular with customers. Mr . Bodmer told The Sunday Times: ‘We are very lucky. She is really loyal . to us and loyal to British merchandise. 'I get a colossal buzz every time . we see a picture of the Queen with one of our handbags. We couldn’t . have a better advert. It’s wonderful. ‘She is partly the reason we’re still here. Having a Royal Warrant makes a big difference to a firm like us.’ The Queen owns around 40 Launer bags, which she has used since the 1960s. Fit for a Queen: Launer, the company behind the monarch's bags, recorded a 52 per cent rise in sales last year . Favourite: The Queen during an engagement in Lewes and leaving the National Theatre with her Launer bag . Her bespoke bags always come with a mirror, a matching purse and a glasses case. Her handbags have a slightly longer handle so they don’t get caught up in her clothes when she is greeting people. She is also said to dislike shoulder straps, zips and partitions. A Launer handbag costs between £435 and £6,000. In June, Launer revealed that the Queen uses her handbag to signal to her ladies-in-waiting when she wants to leave a function. Mr Bodmer said she placed the bag on the table to provide them with a five-minute warning. The Queen’s bespoke bags always come with a mirror, a matching purse and a glasses case, he said. Trademark: The monarch usually plumps for a black patent style although has been seen with other colours . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Launer's owner Gerald Bodmer said Queen is seen as 'fashion icon' Said Queen using their bags is one reason company still exists . Although she often chooses black, she has used multiple colours this year . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Launer's owner Gerald Bodmer said Queen is seen as 'fashion icon' Said Queen using their bags is one reason company still exists . Although she often chooses black, she has used multiple colours this year .

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN) -- Tony Blair will lead a prestigious panel in a unique CNN and World Economic Forum joint debate, to be televised on CNN from this year's event in Davos. Former UK prime minister Tony Blair will be among the distinguished panelist at the CNN televised debate. CNN's extensive on-air and online coverage at this year's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland is led by Richard Quest, Becky Anderson and Charles Hodson and features a new, daily on-air blogging segment, live interviews with key participants and concludes with an exclusive joint debate with the World Economic Forum that features Tony Blair and others. "The most sophisticated communicators in the world converge at Davos and CNN is not just tapping into the major newsmakers but embracing the dynamic world of blogging, which is now a major part of the Davos experience," said Katherine Green, senior vice president of CNN International. The daily blogging segment, "A Day in the Life of a Blogger" features prominent French blogger Loïc Le Meur, who provides viewers with a personal and beyond-the-headlines insight into what's really happening on the ground at Davos. His segment is set to appear in the evening shows as well as part of CNN's daily coverage from Davos that features Quest, Anderson and Hodson reporting live from 0500 GMT / 0600 CET on Tuesday January, 22. The special week of programming culminates on Sunday, January 27 at 2200 GMT / 2300 CET in an hour-long, joint CNN/WEF debate, "Dateline Davos," hosted by CNN's Hala Gorani. The stellar panel line-up includes: Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1997 -- 2007); Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum James Dimon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer JPMorgan Chase & Co., USA; Wang Jianzhou, Chairman and Chief Executive, China Mobile Communications Corporation, People's Republic of China; K. V. Kamath, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, ICICI Bank, India. Topics of discussion include fears of recession, high-priced oil, jittery global markets, the weak U.S. dollar, China and India's explosive growth as well as what the citizens of the U.S. are looking for in their next president. In addition, CNN will offer all the latest news and analysis from the event as well as behind-the-scene images and blogs from CNN staff at www.cnn.com/davos. As the forum gathers pace, CNN International viewers can also visit www.youtube.com/cnn to get involved with YouTube's "The Davos Question." This interactive forum allows viewers to pose questions on the one thing that countries, companies or individuals must do to make the world a better place in 2008. The site will also include a focus on Davos, featuring user-generated content and reporter videos. E-mail to a friend . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Comprehensive coverage of news and events at Davos on CNN.com and TV . Final session is a unique CNN/WEF event broadcast from Davos . Tony Blair leads the distinguished panel in "Dateline Davos" debate . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Comprehensive coverage of news and events at Davos on CNN.com and TV . Final session is a unique CNN/WEF event broadcast from Davos . Tony Blair leads the distinguished panel in "Dateline Davos" debate .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Dolakha, Nepal (CNN)As snow layered the trail before him, Hari Chaudhary thought it was odd. The veteran trekking guide had never seen snow on the trail in early October. The popular 21-day Annapurna Circuit takes trekkers in a horseshoe-shaped route around a majestic segment of the Himalayas in Nepal. On the 10th day of the tour, Chaudhary and his clients, two young Israeli women, were descending from the highest point of the trail, Thorung La Pass, to the next destination, a walk that would normally take about seven hours. Now, after more than 10 hours of heading downhill, the snow pelted. The flurry fell heavier and faster, obstructing their vision. There was nowhere to stop or rest; they had to keep walking. "You couldn't see the trail, there was snow everywhere, making it easy to get lost," said Chaudhary. "It was all white, in the distance you could only see shadows of people walking." Some wandered off the trail. As the blizzard continued, their feet sunk into the snow pile. As their steps became heavier, they began to cry. As the hours passed, Chaudhary could make out backpacks and supplies strewn on the snow. "There were people who had fallen, or were stuck or resting along the way. I couldn't tell if I saw a dead body." Conditions in the Himalayas can be cruel. But trekkers dying in snowstorms on the Annapurna Circuit is almost unheard of -- until this year. Deadly year . Nepal, known for its fabled Himalayas including Mount Everest, has endured a deadly, tragic year. In April, a hanging glacial mass collapsed and tumbled through a dangerous route on Everest, killing 16 Sherpas in the worst single disaster. Months later, an unseasonal snowstorm struck Annapurna, killing at least 43 people including locals and foreign tourists. Were the disasters just prone to happen or was climate change a factor? Everest mountaineers have spoken of changes they've witnessed for years. "In my first journey, there was snow and ice," said Apa Sherpa, a retired mountaineer who made his first summit in 1990. "Now we can see more rock. It's more dangerous ... the glacier's melting, the ice is falling, there's rocks falling more." After a record 21 summits of Everest, he has no doubt that conditions are changing rapidly. Dawa Stephen Sherpa, who has been climbing Everest since 2006, agreed: "Our observations show that seracs are peeling off the mountains much quicker and we're seeing avalanches much more frequently and of greater magnitude." Whether the deadly disasters in Nepal this year can be linked to climate change is debatable. "I am leery of attributing everything bad in nature to climate change," said Jeffrey Kargel, senior associate research scientist at the University of Arizona who studies the Himalayas. "Sorting out what's specifically due to climate change and what's not is a difficult and sometimes impossible task. That said, it's clear climate is changing all over the world, including in Nepal." While it's difficult to blame any single incident on climate change, there's evidence of an increasingly warming Himalayas. Temperatures in the central Himalayas increased by about 0.6 degrees Celsius per decade between 1977 and 2000, according to one study. In the Tibetan Plateau, the average temperature in Lhasa rose by 1.35 degrees Celsius in 30 years, according to a report by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. The impact of climate change includes accelerated glacial melt, irregular rainfall, changes in the monsoon season and greater risk of catastrophes such as avalanches, landslides and floods. Natural disasters always happen, regardless of climate change, experts say. What's worrisome is that disasters in the Himalayas are becoming more common. Extreme flooding hit Pakistan in 2012 and landslides and flooding washed away streets and killed hundreds in 2013 at a Himalayan holy site in Kedernath, India. Unusually early and heavy monsoon rains triggered that disaster, in which two months of rain poured in two days. "These extreme rare events, they're not rare anymore," Kargel said. Water towers of Asia . The Himalayas stretch from the eastern corner of Afghanistan, through Nepal to the northern tip of Myanmar. They contain snow packs and glaciers with freshwater that feed 10 major Asian rivers, including the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Mekong, Yellow and Yangtze, giving life to the continent's farms. Disruptions to the Himalayas could affect agriculture, as well as water and food security for Asian countries including the two most populous countries in the world -- India and China. Nepal sits sandwiched between these two countries, which are among the world's biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. But Nepal emits 0.025% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, according to estimates. "We have not swallowed poison, yet we are being poisoned," said Dr. Govind Raj Pokharel, vice chairman of the Nepal's planning commission. "We haven't done anything against nature or contributed to climate change, but we are majorly affected." Farmers at risk . In Nepal, climate change is already impacting lives and livelihood, scientists say. "Climate change is making things worse," said Deepak K.C., senior program officer for integrated climate risk management at the United Nations Development Program. "There are lots of dry spurts, interspersed with heavy rain in a short period of time that's causing flooding." Farmers say that pests they've never seen before are eating their crops. The monsoon rains they've traditionally expected to arrive in June have become inconsistent, many say. "We depend on timely rainfall for crop cultivation," said Purnimaya Thamang, a farmer who lives in a small village near the foot of the Himalayas. "We may not be able to feed ourselves or have the proper yield. The rain is either too late, too little or too much." It wasn't like this before, they say. Nepal's mountains are encircled with terrace farms where families have tilled the soil for generations. More than 70% of Nepalis work in agriculture and most are subsistence farmers. Many farmers, like Ganesh Thami, have seen landslides and floods destroy their livelihoods. He woke up several years ago to his house trembling as a flood swept over his farmland. "The river beating the stones made drumming sounds that kept growing. I heard the sound of the boulders rolling with the water. It felt like an earthquake," said Thami, who lost his farm in Dolakha, near the Himalayas. Dolakha is identified as one of the most vulnerable districts to landslides according to a national study on climate change conducted by the Nepalese government. The farmers say their livelihood is becoming harder and they don't know why. "The people that are hit the hardest are not the ones causing the climate change," said David Molden, director general of the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. "That's the important message. The poorest people in the world are emitting the least amount of carbon, (yet) they're the ones who have to adapt dramatically to these changes." In harms way . One of the issues is that some villages and homes are cropping up too close to a river or in dangerous areas prone to landslides or floods. "People who are building are unaware that they're in dire jeopardy," Kargel said. "Right now, there's uncontrolled growth, in very vulnerable places, with houses sitting on river bluffs." The mountains have always carried risk of landslides, avalanches and snowstorms even without climate change. But new developments in vulnerable areas exacerbate the risks of making them casualty events. "The Himalayas are changing, the way people are living in the Himalayas is changing too," said Molden. "People are living closer to the river, there are more trekkers and mountain climbers." As Everest has become more commercial, the number of expeditions has increased. In 2013, 658 climbers summited the peak, compared with 192 two decades ago. About 20,000 people a year now trek around the Annapurnas. More people climbing and trekking means a greater probability of disasters that impact tourists and local hires. "People were not prepared" It's riskier for local hires, like Hari Chaudhary, who are exposed to greater risks because of repeated trips. "Why would you want to go to the mountains? I only do it because I need to survive and I need the money," he said. The only opportunities for uneducated, landless men are to take a construction job in the Middle East or work in tourism, said Chaudhary, a lanky man with a wiry frame. He has to support his wife and two kids. During the blizzard, he guided his two clients to safety after 12 hours. While dozens died, went missing or had their hands blackened from frostbite, he and his two Israeli hikers survived without injuries. For a day's work of carrying 50 pounds of gear and guiding tourists, he earns $10. The Annapurna snowstorm was the effect of Cyclone Hudhud, which lashed India and wound up north in Nepal in October. Hundreds of tourists and local hires were stranded when the storms hit. "People were not prepared, they didn't get the warning signals, like they should have," said Molden. While the Annapurna event cannot be definitively ruled as a climate change-related disaster, it can't be ruled out either, scientists say. "The speculation to the link to climate change is we're getting more intense rainfall or precipitation," said Molden. "It's so hard to say that event was due to climate change. All of these things have a relation. To prove that would be difficult." Chaudhary attributes his survival to the rings of ice that formed around his ankles, which blocked snow from seeping into his bright orange Nikes, saving his feet from frostbite. Just three days later, Chaudhary laced the same sneakers and headed back to the mountains to guide another group, glancing upward to the clouds that, for him and others, were becoming increasingly difficult to decipher. This story was made possible by a reporting grant from the International Center for Journalists. A second part about solutions will run in 2015. Journalist Manesh Shrestha also contributed to this report. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Recent deadly mountain incidents in Himalayas have created concern about climate change . Avalanches are more frequent and of greater magnitude, says Sherpa . Landslides and floods have made farming more difficult in recent years . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Recent deadly mountain incidents in Himalayas have created concern about climate change . Avalanches are more frequent and of greater magnitude, says Sherpa . Landslides and floods have made farming more difficult in recent years .

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN) -- Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton met her match while appearing on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" to deliver the show's trademark opening line and provide an "editorial response" to a mock presidential debate. During the opening sketch -- which featured SNL actors playing Clinton, rival candidate Barack Obama and the debate moderators -- Clinton complimented the performance of Amy Poehler, who regularly lampoons Clinton with her impersonation of the senator from New York. "I simply adore Amy's impression of me," Clinton said, providing the cue for Poehler to enter the stage, wearing the same two-button brown jacket and sporting Clinton's medium-length, layered hairstyle. Poehler giddily thanked Clinton for appearing. "I love your outfit," the identically dressed Poehler told Clinton. "Well, I love your outfit," Clinton responded, putting her hand on Poehler's shoulder, "but I do want the earrings back." The quip sparked a hyperbolic cackle from Poehler. Clinton asked, "Do I really laugh like that?" The two jokingly agreed she did. Clinton appeared on the show ahead of several do-or-die primaries that will determine the fate of her campaign. During the segment, Poehler -- who also does impersonations of talk show host Kelly Ripa, "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul and pop star Michael Jackson -- asked Clinton, who trails Obama in the Democratic race, how her campaign was going. "The campaign is going very well. Very, very well," the former first lady responded before earning some laughs with a deadpan: "Why? What have you heard?" Clinton said she appeared on the show to "just relax, have fun" without politics, but she didn't miss her chance to address voters in delivering the opening line. Saying she was appealing to all Americans -- whether they're from Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, Vermont, Pennsylvania "or any of the other states" -- Clinton opened the show with "Live from New York, it is Saturday night!" Watch Clinton open the show » . Pennsylvania's primary is slated for next month, while the other four states Clinton mentioned are holding primaries Tuesday. Clinton's appearance was a poorly kept secret. The media were tipped off when she failed to arrive for a campaign charter flight from Dallas, Texas, to Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday. Her campaign would not say where she was, but an entertainment industry source confirmed she was set to appear on SNL. The late-night skit show has been a popular spot on the campaign trail. Obama appeared unannounced in October, and GOP candidate Mike Huckabee did a bit on the show's "Weekend Update" last week. Also, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who dropped out of the GOP presidential race this year, appeared later in the show that Clinton opened. During an MSNBC debate in Ohio on Tuesday, Clinton referenced an SNL skit in which the comedy troupe satirized the media for being too friendly with Obama. "Maybe we should ask [Obama] if he's comfortable and needs another pillow," she said during the debate. Clinton is scheduled to appear on Jon Stewart's "Daily Show" Monday. E-mail to a friend . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Clinton appears during the opening segment with impersonator Amy Poehler . Clinton mentions upcoming primary states in opening line, "It is Saturday night!" Her rival Sen. Barack Obama appeared on the show last year . Clinton referenced a recent SNL skit during a debate in Ohio on Tuesday . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Clinton appears during the opening segment with impersonator Amy Poehler . Clinton mentions upcoming primary states in opening line, "It is Saturday night!" Her rival Sen. Barack Obama appeared on the show last year . Clinton referenced a recent SNL skit during a debate in Ohio on Tuesday .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Victoria Azarenka will miss rest of the tennis season as she tries to make a full recovery from injuries that plagued her year, the former world number one said on Sunday. The two-time grand slam champion withdrew from this week's Wuhan Open in China with a foot injury and later announced she would be out of action for the remainder of the season. 'Unfortunately I will not be competing in any tournaments for the remainder of the season,' the 25-year-old Belarusian said in a message on her Facebook page. 'It has been a very tough year for me. Former Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka's season has been ended by a foot injury . 'I have been trying my best to improve day in and day out by pushing and pushing... but that does not appear to be the best approach for me right now. 'I will use this time to work on making a full recovery and take care of my body to compete at my best next season.' Azarenka, the Australian Open champion in 2012 and 2013, has struggled the whole year with foot and knee troubles and missed numerous tournaments, which has seen her singles ranking plummet to 25 in the world. Azarenka, whose injuries have seen her drop to 25th in the world, vowed to be back to her best next season . Azarenka said that she 'will use this (time out) time to work on making a full recovery and take care of my body' Â . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Victoria Azarenka has been struggling with a foot injury . Belarusian will miss the remainder of the season . Former Australian Open winner dropped to 25th in world rankings . But Azarenka says she will be back to her best next season . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Victoria Azarenka has been struggling with a foot injury . Belarusian will miss the remainder of the season . Former Australian Open winner dropped to 25th in world rankings . But Azarenka says she will be back to her best next season .

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN) -- Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi is looking at ways to return lawmakers to office after parliament was dissolved, his spokesman said Monday, putting the new leader on a likely collision course with the country's powerful military only days after he was sworn in. Morsi took office on Saturday as Egypt's first democratically elected president, taking the helm of a deeply divided nation that is economically strapped and lacks a working government. The Muslim Brotherhood-backed leader has ordered his office to look into legal options for bringing parliament back, his acting spokesman Yasser Ali said. He also ordered the creation of a committee to arrange for the release of political detainees who have no criminal convictions, the Brotherhood said on its website on Sunday. Restoring parliament would take power away from the country's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which ran the county for more than 16 months until Morsi was sworn in, and currently claims legislative authority. The nation's top court ruled in June that the laws governing parliamentary elections were invalid, and the following day, SCAF announced it was dissolving parliament. The legislature was dominated by Islamists, with Muslim Brotherhood-backed candidates having the single largest bloc of seats. Morsi's historic swearing-in took place amid tight security before the Supreme Constitutional Court and was overseen by the military rulers who have been in control of the country since a popular revolution ousted President Hosni Mubarak last year. "Today, the Egyptian people established a new life for complete freedom, for a true democracy," Morsi said after taking the oath. Shortly after the swearing-in, Morsi went to Cairo University, where he gave his first speech as president. He praised the country's military, but indicated that their control of Egypt's legislative powers would return to civilian hands. "The (Supreme Council of the Armed Forces) adhered to its pledge to not go beyond of the will of the people. And the elected institutions will come back to take their role, and the great Egyptian army will to go their job to protect the boundaries and security of the country," he said, delineating the army's role. SCAF has said it will retain lawmaking powers until a new parliament is sworn in near the end of the year. "We have fulfilled our obligations and the pledge that we took before God and the people. We now have a president who was elected in free elections. Egypt is witnessing a new democratic process," the head of the SCAF, Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, said at a military ceremony for Morsi Saturday. Egyptians, all Arabs, and the world were witnessing "how authority is transferred from the armed forces to the will of the people to the elected civilian authority," Morsi said. Morsi's theme in his recent appearances has been one of respect for democracy and the people. "Today we start a new chapter in the history of Egypt. We turn an old page of an ugly era," he said. He added, ""I will not betray my country. With the will of God I will fulfill your ambitions." Morsi became president by defeating Ahmed Shafik, a former air force general who served as Mubarak's last prime minister. Morsi was the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, but he resigned from the party shortly after he was elected president. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Mohamed Morsi is looking at ways to restore parliament, his spokesman says . The move puts him on a collision course just days after he was sworn in . A military council claimed lawmaking power after dissolving parliament . Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected president, took office on Saturday . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Mohamed Morsi is looking at ways to restore parliament, his spokesman says . The move puts him on a collision course just days after he was sworn in . A military council claimed lawmaking power after dissolving parliament . Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected president, took office on Saturday .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Jonathan O'Callaghan . Consider two brothers who are identical twins. If one goes to space and the other does not, are they still genetically identical? That’s what Nasa will be aiming to discover in March 2015 in a ground-breaking experiment that will for the first time study the impact of space travel on the human body in real time, measuring any changes that occur between the two brothers as they happen. Living in space is known to have effects on the human body, including decreasing bone mass and causing muscle loss. Scroll down for video . Scott Kelly (left) will live aboard the ISS for a year while his twin brother Mark (right) stays on Earth. The two will be studied before, during and after the mission to see what effects space travel has on the human body . But, as of yet, we’re not quite sure what it does to the body on a smaller scale. For example, it could affect our DNA or alter how we age. To test out theories, Nasa is conducting an unprecedented twin experiment. In March 2015 Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly will join cosmonaut Mikhair Kornienko on a one-year mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The one-year mission is in itself interesting, as it will be the first time two humans have stayed aboard the ISS continuously for this period of time with missions to date lasting just six months. However, it is not the longevity of the mission that makes it interesting – while Scott is in space his identical twin brother Mark, a retired NASA astronaut, will remain on the ground as a ‘control’ in the experiment. Scott will spend a year orbiting Earth at 17,000 miles (27,000 km) per hour while Mark remains on Earth. Scott's one-year mission on the ISS with Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko will be the first long-duration stay on the station, with previous missions lasting only six months . ‘We will be taking samples and making measurements of the twins before, during and after the one-year mission,’ says Craig Kundrot of Nasa’s Human Research Program at the Johnson Space Center. For the first time Nasa will be able to monitor ‘two individuals who are genetically identical.’ Nasa recently announced the selection of ten research proposals to study the twins’ genetics, biochemistry, vision, cognition and more. ‘Each proposal is fascinating and could be a feature-length story of its own,’ says Kundrot. ‘We already known that the human immune system changes in space. ‘It’s not as strong as it is on the ground. ‘In one of the experiments, Mark and Scott will be given identical flu vaccines, and we will study how their immune systems react.’ Scott Kelly (left) is a current NASA astronaut with three previous missions under his belt, two aboard the Space Shuttle and one on the ISS. Mark Kelly (right), now retired, flew on four Space Shuttle missions . Scott Kelly's previous mission to the ISS was from 25 September 2010 to 16 March 2011. Here he's pictured in the Unity module playing with fruit in the weightless environment of the station . Mark Kelly peers out of the window of Space Shuttle Endeavour in May 2011. Around his neck is the ring of his wife, Gabrielle Giffords, a former US politician who was recovering from a gunshot would at the time after a failed assassination attempt . Another experiment will delve into whether humans age differently in orbit. On Earth, the loss of telomeres from human DNA has been linked to aging. This loss might be accelerated by cosmic rays. Comparing the twins’ telomeres will reveal if space travel is causing astronauts to age quicker. Among the other proposals will be experiments to monitor how vision is affected by space travel, while researchers will also delve into the psychological effects of being in space. The research, according to Nasa, could provide vital data with a view to one day sending astronauts to more distant destinations in space. The ‘twin paradox’ is a thought experiment proposed by Albert Einstein in the early 20th Century. It is derived from his theory of special relativity. Einstein suggests that the faster you travel, the slower you move through time. If one twin travelled in a spaceship near the speed of light, they would return home considerably younger than their sibling under laws of special relativity. Known as ‘time dilation,’ this was proven in 1971 with the Hafele-Keating experiment. Atomic clocks were set to the same time and then sent in different directions around the world in separate planes. The clocks were found to have ticked differently, proving special relativity. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Nasa will send an identical twin to the International Space Station for a year . His brother will be kept on Earth as the 'control' in the experiment . They will be compared before, during and after the mission . This will enable researchers to study the effects of space travel on humans . The ground-breaking experiment could reveal how DNA is altered . It could also help us determine the effects space travel has on ageing . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Nasa will send an identical twin to the International Space Station for a year . His brother will be kept on Earth as the 'control' in the experiment . They will be compared before, during and after the mission . This will enable researchers to study the effects of space travel on humans . The ground-breaking experiment could reveal how DNA is altered . It could also help us determine the effects space travel has on ageing .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Ready to rip apart that dirty restaurant with the rude service, strange-looking patty melts and lukewarm coffee? California lawmakers want to make sure you don't get in financial, or legal, trouble because of it. A state law signed this week by Gov. Jerry Brown makes Yelp reviews a lot safer, saying that restaurants can't pursue legal action for customers who give them negative reviews. The digital-age legislation appears to be the first of its kind. It addresses so-called "disparagement clauses," lines included in businesses' terms of service that prohibit customers from posting negative comments about the service they received. The new law bans such clauses. It would fine any business that tries to enforce one $2,500 the first time and $5,000 every time after that, with another $10,000 added if the action is considered "willful, intentional or reckless." It seems like a law so ridiculous would never be needed. Sure, freedom of speech under the First Amendment lets us tell the world that we just had the worst bowl of chili in the world, right? Well, that hasn't stopped restaurants and other service-industry spots from trying to go after customers for just that. Last month, Union Street Guest House in Hudson, New York, was featured in the New York Post for trying to fine wedding parties $500 for each negative online review by a member of their parties. Hundreds of people took to Yelp to complain about the policy and write mostly fake, eviscerating reviews of the hotel. "Trying to prevent your customers from talking about their experiences is bad policy and, in this case, likely unenforceable anyway," Yelp said. Overseas, a French blogger was fined the equivalent of about $3,200 after a negative review of a restaurant began surfacing prominently in Google searches. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] California law bans restaurants from targeting bad reviews . Reviews on Yelp and elsewhere can't lead to fines . A New York site had a $500 fine for bad reviews from wedding parties . [/SUMMARY]</s>

California law bans restaurants from targeting bad reviews . Reviews on Yelp and elsewhere can't lead to fines . A New York site had a $500 fine for bad reviews from wedding parties .

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN) -- U.S. Army Sgt. Timothy Owens will be remembered as many things. A son, a husband, a father. A victim of Wednesday's shooting at Fort Hood, Owens loved the Army and planned to make it his career. "He didn't answer the phone so I left a message on his phone. 'Son, call me so I know if you're OK or not.' Well, never got no call from him. I thought: 'Oh God, please don't let it be,'" his mother, Mary Muntean, told CNN Springfield, Illinois, affiliate WICS on Thursday. "Very terrible that they had to shoot my son. He was a good person. Why would they shoot a good person that was helping them?" Owens is survived by his mother, his wife and two children, according to a family statement. One of his children mourned his passing on Facebook. "Today at fort hood there was a shooting...my father sadly died tonight .... I still feel like it's all a dream.... Can't feel anything," wrote Loredana Owens. "I just want everyone to think for a moment .... If you have family your fighting with forgive them, love them, because you never know when there gonna be taken from you ..... I love dad and I hate that you were taken away from me .... I love you daddy" Owens was one of three people killed when a gunman opened fire at the sprawling Texas Army post. The shooting suspect, 34-year-old Spc. Ivan Lopez, also died, of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Sixteen other people were injured. Owens was described by his family as outgoing. He enjoyed taekwondo. His uncle said his nephew was an honorable man, someone who never met a stranger. "You see it happening, but you never know that it's going to come to you. It's just very disturbing," Wallace Gerhardt told WICS. "You'd think that they'd have more security and be able to more ready for something like that to happen. I just don't understand." [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] U.S. Army Sgt. Timothy Owens was killed at Fort Hood on Wednesday . His family describes him as outgoing, someone who never met a stranger . His daughter mourns his passing on Facebook . [/SUMMARY]</s>

U.S. Army Sgt. Timothy Owens was killed at Fort Hood on Wednesday . His family describes him as outgoing, someone who never met a stranger . His daughter mourns his passing on Facebook .

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<s>[ARTICLE] England wing Jack Nowell has agreed terms on a new contract with Aviva Premiership club Exeter. The Chiefs announced that Nowell's deal would keep him at Sandy Park until 2017. The 21-year-old made his England debut in the opening game of this season's RBS 6 Nations Championship against France and featured throughout the campaign. Penned: England wing Jack Nowell has agreed terms on a new contract with Aviva Premiership club Exeter . He is currently recovering from knee surgery, though, and will miss out on England's three-Test New Zealand tour that starts in Auckland next Saturday. 'It's fantastic news for us and, along with the likes of Luke Cowan-Dickie, Sam Hill and Dave Ewers, we've now got most of those young guys tied down and committed to the club long term," Exeter head coach Rob Baxter said. 'Jack has had to take every opportunity with two hands, which he has done, and I think it's a great credit to him that when those opportunities have come along he has taken them, not just with Exeter, but with England as well. 'Whether he will be fit for the start of the season, it's still too early to say. 'We will monitor that closely, but ultimately this period will be very good for him as it will allow him to rest up, recuperate and work on an area of concern with his knee which he hasn't been able to do flat-out for a few seasons now. 'Personally, I am really looking forward to getting Jack back fighting fit. He is around the club most days working really hard, being very professional, and I have no doubt we will see an even better Jack Nowell next season.' Sealed: The Chiefs announced that Nowell's deal would keep him at Sandy Park until 2017 . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] England wing is a big hit for the Aviva Premiership side . Nowell's new deal represents a coup for the Chiefs . [/SUMMARY]</s>

England wing is a big hit for the Aviva Premiership side . Nowell's new deal represents a coup for the Chiefs .

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<s>[ARTICLE] WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A lawsuit filed in California against Kellogg, Brown and Root on Wednesday alleges the company and its subcontractor were involved in a human trafficking plan that forced Nepali men to work against their will in Iraq. The lawyer and relatives of men who were employed by KBR and allegedly sent to Iraq without their consent. The men, between the ages of 18 and 27, were recruited in Nepal and told they would be doing work in hotel and restaurant kitchens in Amman, Jordan, but were sent instead to Iraq to work at a U.S. air base, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges KBR, based in Houston, Texas, and Daoud & Partners, a Jordan-based subcontractor, engineered the trafficking scheme. A KBR spokeswoman would not comment directly on the allegations but released a statement defending the company. "KBR has not yet seen the lawsuit so it is premature for us to comment at this time. The safety and security of all employees and those the company serves remains KBR's top priority. The company in no way condones or tolerates unethical or illegal behavior," KBR spokeswoman Heather Browne said in a statement e-mailed to CNN. "Each employee is expected to adhere to the company's Code of Business Conduct and complete ethics training, which includes TIPS (Trafficking in Persons) information," Browne continued. Efforts by CNN to reach Daoud were unsuccessful. When the Nepali men arrived in Jordan, according to the lawsuit, the contractors took their passports and drove them into Iraq. Mathew Handley, a lawyer with Cohen, Milstein, Hausfeld & Toll, which filed the lawsuit, said about 70 Nepali men were driven into Iraq in a large convoy of civilian vehicles. One of the lead vehicles was ahead of the convoy and was stopped by insurgents posing as Iraqi Police. Twelve of the Nepali men were taken by the insurgents and later killed. "As the men were being transported to Iraq, a car containing twelve of the men was stopped by members of the Ansar al-Sunna Army, an insurgent group. The 12 men in the car were taken hostage and executed by the insurgents," according to a statement on the law firm's Web site. A 13th man, Buddi Prasad Gurung, was not kidnapped and arrived at the U.S. Al Asad air base in western Iraq in August 2004. Gurung worked in a warehouse managed by KBR and was released 15 months later by the company, according to the law firm. Gurung and the families of the 12 men who were killed have brought the lawsuit. Handley says the other Nepali workers who were sent to Iraq with Gurung did not come forward for the lawsuit after they were eventually released from KBR. "Their families went deep into debt to arrange the jobs, which they hoped would lift them out of poverty," according to the lawsuit. The case garnered the attention of the Department of Defense Inspector General's office after a number of news reports about KBR involvement in trafficking. The department concluded an investigation in April 2006. "The primary finding concluded that the U.S. Government had no jurisdiction over the persons, offenses, or circumstances that resulted in the Nepalese deaths," according to the final report. The report also concluded that the events happened "before starting their employment with KBR." However, the case led to increased awareness and enforcement of trafficking laws by the U.S. military. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Suit claims that Nepali men were told they would work in kitchens in Jordan . They were instead sent to Iraq where they were captured and killed, suit says . KBR issued statement defending company but not directly addressing allegations . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Suit claims that Nepali men were told they would work in kitchens in Jordan . They were instead sent to Iraq where they were captured and killed, suit says . KBR issued statement defending company but not directly addressing allegations .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Harriet Arkell . Police probing the death of a Saudi student in Colchester have now appealed for a man who may have followed the student four days before she was stabbed to death to come forward. Essex Police want to speak to a man identified by witnesses as walking behind two women, one of whom may have been Nahid Almanea, near her home in the Essex town on Friday June 13. PhD student Ms Almanea, who was in Britain to study, was stabbed 16 times and left to die on Tuesday 17 June as she walked along a quiet footpath near the University of Essex campus. Police said the man, described as white, in his 30s, around 5ft 10ins tall and with short, dark hair, was seen to follow the women as they came out of a house in Stanley Wooster Way shortly before 9am. They said he had a local Colchester accent. Scroll down for video . Killed a week ago: Ms Almanea, captured here on CCTV on the day of her murder, was stabbed 16 times. Police today said they think she might have been followed by a man four days before she was killed . Followed? Police released footage believed to be of Ms Almanea walking past shops in Hunwicke just before her death. Today they said they wanted to speak to a white man in his 30s witnesses said followed her . Meanwhile . in a new development this afternoon, officers sealed off a road less . than a mile away from from where Ms Almanea's body was discovered after a . knife was found near drains on Hawthorn Avenue. Today's new appeal comes a week after student was murdered on the Salary Brook Trail in Colchester at around 10.40am. Police are still looking to talk to a man seen on the footpath between 10.20am and 10.40am, shortly before Ms Almanea was found. He was walking from the direction of the university towards the Greenstead estate, and is described as being aged in his late teens to 30, with very black, thick hair which was quite short and a two to three inch mop style on top. He was clean shaven, of average build, tanned appearance and was not wearing glasses.  He was wearing baggy trousers, which may have been lightweight cotton, and a distinctive beige jacket.' Officers . are keeping an 'open mind' about possible links between Ms Almanea's . death and that of James Attfield in Colchester three months ago. Distinctive coat: DCI Steve Worron, of Essex Police, right, shows a picture of a jacket similar to that worn by a man they want to talk to in connection with Ms Almanea's murder . Mr . Attfield, 33, was stabbed 102 times on his arms, hands, back, neck and . head in what police described as a 'senseless and frenzied' attack in the town's Castle Park. Detective . Chief Superintendent Steve Worron, of Essex Police said that police do not have evidence that the killings are linked . or that a serial killer is involved - although it is the second knife . murder in three months in the town, where the motive remains unclear. He told . MailOnline: ‘We remain open-minded about whether the same killer or . killers might be responsible for both the murders of Nahid Almanea and . James Attfield.  But at the moment there’s no evidence to suggest that . that is the case.' This . morning officers issued a CCTV image showing a man in a distinctive coat . walking under a lamp-post in CCTV dating back to the time of Mr . Attfield's murder. But confusion grew as this afternoon officers announced they'd ruled out the suggestion that he might . be wearing a jacket similar to the Italian-style designer jacket worn . by the man seen near Ms Almanea's murder scene. Still searching: Detectives are also looking at a . possible link to an assault on a woman in Colchester on Thursday, two . days after Ms Almanea's murder . Police were pictured combing the area yesterday near where student Nahid Almanea was stabbed to death . Detectives . working on the case went back to the scene today where they handed out . leaflets and posters in both English and Arabic. Mr Worron said: 'People living . and working in the local area are the key to helping us find whoever . killed this bright, young woman who was a guest in our country. 'The answers lie in the local community and we will find whoever did this. 'So far . the support we have had from the public has been great. Every time we . issue an appeal we have a surge of information coming through into our . incident room.' Meanwhile, police . also released CCTV footage of a man caught on camera shortly after a . woman was assaulted in an alleyway between Port Lane and Peache Road, in . Colchester on Thursday. Tragic homecoming: The funeral of Nahid Almanea in her native Saudi Arabia was held last month . Murder: James Attfield, 33, was stabbed to death in Colchester in March in an apparently motiveless attack but police are not linking the deaths . Back in March James Attfield was found dying after he was repeatedly stabbed as he walked through Colchester's Lower Castle Park. The killing was described as 'one of the most brutal murders' ever seen by police. A post mortem on the father-of-five's body took eight-and-a-half hours to complete due to the shocking extent of the injuries. He was stabbed 102 times on his arms, hands, back, neck and . head in what police described as a 'senseless and frenzied' attack. Mr Attfield was described as ‘vulnerable’ by his family after he suffered brain damage following a car accident four years ago. He was last seen in CCTV footage drinking at the bar of the River Lodge pub in his home town the evening before he was found dying. He left the pub at 10.09pm and, strangely, left behind almost three quarters of a pint of his beer. Police are still trying to establish what happened between leaving the River Lodge and when Mr Attfield was found injured in Castle Park, Colchester, at 5.45am the next day - March 29. No-one has yet been charged in connection with his murder. Now ruled out: This CCTV image is from March when police were investigating the James Attfield murder. Police initially thought the man pictured looked similar to a man seen near last week's murder scene but this afternoon they ruled this out following new information . Detectives . said they wanted to hear from anyone who recognised the man, who is . wanted for questioning by police in connection with the attack which . took place around 9.45pm. The man is . described as being white, in his early 20s, and around 5ft 7in to 5ft . 8in tall. He was of medium build and had a narrow face and appeared . unwell, and possibly had fair hair. Detectives yesterday appealed for a man and a woman seen cycling close to the murder scene to come forward. The pair, . both believed to be in their 20s, were spotted on Salary Brook Trail . heading towards the Greenstead estate at 10.45am on Tuesday, June 17. The man is . described as having olive skin, dark hair and is tall and slim, while . the woman has long dark hair and was wearing a 'flowing pattern tiered . shirt'. Mr Worron said the cyclists may have seen Ms Almanea before she was attacked and may have even seen her killer. More than . 100 police officers from Essex, Kent and the Metropolitan Police are . involved in the investigation into Ms Almanea's killing, as well as . profilers from the National Crime Agency. Detectives earlier said they were looking into the possibility that she was targeted because of her Muslim dress. Officers . on Sunday drained a fishing pond and carried out an 'intensive fingertip . search' of the area close to where Ms Almanea was killed. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Nahid Almanea, 31, was stabbed 16 times near University of Essex campus . Witnesses have reported seeing man walking near two women in Colchester . One of the women may have been Ms Almanea - she was later murdered . The man is described as white, in his 30s with a local Colchester accent . This afternoon officers found a knife less than a mile from murder scene . Killing was the second motiveless knife murder in the town in three months . In March 'vulnerable' James Attfield was stabbed to death in Colchester . But police say there's not enough evidence to link the two knife deaths . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Nahid Almanea, 31, was stabbed 16 times near University of Essex campus . Witnesses have reported seeing man walking near two women in Colchester . One of the women may have been Ms Almanea - she was later murdered . The man is described as white, in his 30s with a local Colchester accent . This afternoon officers found a knife less than a mile from murder scene . Killing was the second motiveless knife murder in the town in three months . In March 'vulnerable' James Attfield was stabbed to death in Colchester . But police say there's not enough evidence to link the two knife deaths .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama on Saturday reluctantly signed a defense authorization bill, saying he was concerned about some in Congress who want to restrict options used by counterterrorism officials. "I have signed this bill despite having serious reservations with certain provisions that regulate the detention, interrogation, and prosecution of suspected terrorists," he said of the $662 billion legislation. The White House had lifted a veto threat against the bill after legislators made changes in language involving detainees. In particular, the legislators added language to make clear that nothing in the bill requiring military custody of al Qaeda suspects would interfere with the ability of civilian law enforcement to carry out terrorism investigations and interrogations in the United States. The House approved the bill on December 14, and a 86-13 vote in the Senate the next day completed the necessary congressional action. At issue was the president's authority in deciding whether people detained in terrorism investigations would be held in military or civilian custody. Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the legislation includes a "national security waiver" that allows the president to transfer a suspect from military to civilian custody if he chooses. "I want to clarify that my administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens," Obama said in a statement Saturday. "Indeed, I believe that doing so would break with our most important traditions and values as a nation." Obama said a section of the bill provides the "executive branch" with broad authority on military custody for non-citizen detainees. The legislators also agreed on tough sanctions language for the Iranian Central Bank, aimed at punishing Iran for its nuclear program. The measure "will put real additional pressure on the Iranians so they are going to pay a bigger and bigger price, if they continue to move towards nuclear weapons," said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. In addition, legislators agreed to tough new restrictions on Pakistan to ensure that country is not participating in the manufacture and transport of improvised explosive devices, or IEDs -- the hidden bombs that have caused havoc for coalition forces in Afghanistan. "Ultimately, I decided to sign this bill not only because of the critically important services it provides for our forces and their families and the national security programs it authorizes, but also because the Congress revised provisions that otherwise would have jeopardized the safety, security, and liberty of the American people," the president said Saturday. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Obama has concerns about flexibility of counterterrorism efforts . The White House lifted a veto threat after changes in detainee language . The issue involved presidential authority over military or civilian custody . The $662 billion measure includes tough sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Obama has concerns about flexibility of counterterrorism efforts . The White House lifted a veto threat after changes in detainee language . The issue involved presidential authority over military or civilian custody . The $662 billion measure includes tough sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program .

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<s>[ARTICLE] At a factory in a small Javanese town, the bloody carcasses of thousands of dead snakes lie piled on the floor. It is here, in Indonesia's Kapetakan village, snakes are slaughtered to fuel the West's booming appetite for snake skin handbags and shoes. These incredible photos show the vast quantity of snakes that go through its doors, with lengths of skins totalling hundreds of metres sold to bag factories in the West and Central Java provinces on a monthly basis. There are a variety of ways for snakes to be killed and skinned, although one method has been cited by many as exceptionally cruel and outdated. The snake is stunned with a blow to the head from the back of a machete and a hose pipe expertly forced between its jaws. Next, the water is turned on and the reptile fills up - swelling like a balloon. It will be left like that for ten minutes or so, a leather cord tied around its neck to prevent the liquid escaping. Then its head is impaled on a meat hook, a couple of quick incisions follow, and the now-loosened skin peeled off with a series of brutal tugs - much like a rubber glove from a hand. Two workers at the snake farm in Indonesia stand over a pile of hundreds of snakes that have been freshly skinned . A man carries a tray of snake carcasses that are being left to dry after they were killed, skinned and coiled up . Workers wrap snake carcasses into coils after having their skin ripped off. They will be sold for their meat while their skins are sold and made into luxury goods . Two employees at the snake farm show off a dried snakeskin which measures several metres in length . This close up photo shows the skinning process as it is done by hand. A pile of snake carcasses lie in a bloody heap in the background . A farm worker attempts to clear a pile of dead snakes from the factory floor . Two deadly cobras rear up while facing each other. They too will eventually be killed for their skin and meat . A man holds a bundle of dead snakes up to the camera, while his colleagues continue skinning from a separate pile . An employee smokes a cigarette while he handles a pile of snake carcasses and their skins . A pile of snakes, still live, crawl over each other as they await their fate at the slaughterhouse in Kapetakan village in Indonesia . This photo shows thousands of snake carcasses piled together on the ground of the slaughterhouse . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Pictures from a snake slaughterhouse in Indonesia show huge piles of the creatures being killed and skinned . They are farmed for their skin, which is then sold and made into handbags, belts, wallets and shoes . There are a variety of ways the snakes are killed, although some methods are considered exceptionally cruel . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Pictures from a snake slaughterhouse in Indonesia show huge piles of the creatures being killed and skinned . They are farmed for their skin, which is then sold and made into handbags, belts, wallets and shoes . There are a variety of ways the snakes are killed, although some methods are considered exceptionally cruel .

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN) -- After a day spent being trailed by a photographer who taunted him, mocked his clothes and hurled insults about his family, actor Jonah Hill had had enough. "Suck my d***, you f****t," he said to the guy, very likely giving the paparazzo exactly what he wanted: a reaction and a profanity-and-slur laced one at that. The entire episode was caught on tape and eventually aired by gossip site TMZ. Hill soon after made the rounds with an apology for using the anti-gay term, telling radio host Howard Stern on Tuesday that he is heartbroken he used such a "disgusting and hurtful" term. On "The Tonight Show," he told host Jimmy Fallon that "the word I chose was grotesque." But while Hill is left apologizing -- and surely, there is reason for him to do so -- the responsibility was not his alone. After all, the entire episode was a set up, encouraged by a culture obsessed with celebrities and even more obsessed with celebrities behaving badly and a gossip media that rewards those who capture it. The paparazzi have been trained to push buttons, and they've gotten quite good at it. Unlike some stars who, it might be suspected, exhibit bad behavior to court certain attention -- Alec Baldwin could be one -- Hill's response seemed genuinely reactionary, born out of pure emotion and frustration. As such, it is not likely to reflect what he really believes. Hill has been outspoken supporter of gay rights. Last year, he told E! News that "I have tons of gay friends, gay family members." Before the Winter Olympics in Russia, he spoke out against Moscow's anti-gay laws. So why, then, was his breaking point reaction a slur? It probably had far less to do with genuine homophobic beliefs than with power and a feeling of loss of it so profound that it inspired a response rooted in the same crude immaturity as that exhibited by his provoker. The photographer, as seen in the video, was antagonistic, his behavior akin to the taunts of a playground bully, and in a way few adults exhibit, or experience, after childhood. And so, in finally responding after refusing to engage, Hill used language the man would understand and words that he, and indeed many, might never say as an adult, especially an adult in 2014. He had a temper tantrum-like reaction, calling on words he might have used at a time he was most inclined to have such outbursts and tantrums, when such words were not OK but you were less aware of what they meant. It's key to remember that celebrities are forced to endure harassment all the time now and bear the burden of the consequences, too. In 2009, Jude Law allegedly hit a female celebrity photographer after her camera flash went off in his face, although he claims it was untrue. Hugh Grant once threw a tub of baked beans at a cameraman. Nicole Richie had restraining orders issued against two photographers who sat outside her house all day, but not until after she doused them with water for trailing her. While celebrities certainly are not perfect, the ones caught on camera, and the ones largely condemned, are inevitably not the ones holding it. To make Hill's comments reflective of how he feels about gays and lesbians unfairly turns the responsibility entirely on him when the real blame is in the culture that rewards those who provoke this behavior and choose to interpret it in the worst way possible. By suggesting these comments indicate that Hill is homophobic, aren't we, in effect, saying that we believe that's what he meant because what else would he mean? In the end, Hill has behaved after his outburst in the most appropriate way possible, expressing believable remorse, explaining the motivations for the attack but also noting there was no excuse for what he said. "If someone says something that hurt you or angers you, use me as an example of what not to do," he told Fallon. "Don't respond with hatred or anger, because you are just adding more ugliness to the world." Perhaps the celebrity media would be wise to do the same. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Jonah Hill called photographer a gay slur after being antagonized by him all day . Peggy Drexler: Hill publicly apologized, but paparrazi should lay off celebrities . Hill's response was rooted in the same crude immaturity as that exhibited by his provoker . Drexler: No excuse for the slur, but it does not reflect Hill's beliefs . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Jonah Hill called photographer a gay slur after being antagonized by him all day . Peggy Drexler: Hill publicly apologized, but paparrazi should lay off celebrities . Hill's response was rooted in the same crude immaturity as that exhibited by his provoker . Drexler: No excuse for the slur, but it does not reflect Hill's beliefs .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 01:56 EST, 8 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:50 EST, 8 December 2013 . President Barack Obama said Saturday he believed the chances for a comprehensive nuclear agreement with Iran are 50-50 or worse, yet defended diplomacy as the best way to prevent Tehran from acquiring atomic weapons. During a question-and-answer session with a pro-Israel audience, Mr Obama said he wasn't naive about the odds for a successful final agreement between world powers and Iran next year, building on the recent six-month interim deal. 'If you ask me what is the likelihood that we're able to arrive at the end state ... I wouldn't say that it's more than 50-50,' Mr Obama said. 'But we have to try.' Candid: President Barack Obama spoke openly about his skepticism that Iran will keep its word . The president's remark was somewhat startling. Obama has tried to allay the fears of many Israelis and some Americans that his administration last month promised to ease economic pressure too much in return for too few Iranian concessions. The comment nevertheless pointed to the difficult talks that await as the U.S. and its negotiating partners - Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia - work toward a final pact next year. The goal is to eliminate the possibility of Iran assembling a nuclear arsenal, even if any deal might let Iran continue enriching uranium at lower levels not easily convertible into weapons-grade material. Mr Obama said the six-month interim agreement halts and rolls back central elements of Iran's nuclear program, compelling Tehran to eliminate higher-enriched uranium stockpiles, stop adding new centrifuges and cease work at a heavy water reactor that potentially could produce plutonium. It also provides time to see if the crisis can be averted through negotiation. 'If at the end of six months it turns out we can't make a deal,' Mr Obama said, 'we are no worse off.' Sanctions against Iran will be fully reinstated and even tightened if Iran doesn't make a final agreement, he pledged. Mr Obama's appearance at the Brookings Institution forum appeared directed as much at an Israeli audience as an American one. The discussion was broadcast live on Israeli television, with analysts there viewing it as an effort to patch over Mr s public differences with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Unhappy with the deal: Israel's Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets in Jerusalem earlier this week with US Secretary of State John Kerry . Mr Netanyahu, who was scheduled to address the same forum Sunday, has called the nuclear agreement in Geneva the 'deal of the century' for Iran. In an appearance Friday, his foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, repeated Israel's objections. Mr Obama acknowledged some 'significant tactical disagreements' with Mr Netanyahu, but said U.S. and Israeli bottom-line goals were the same. Secretary of State John Kerry promised close consultation on next steps with the Jewish state, which includes a visit to Washington this coming week by Yossi Cohen, Mr Netanyahu's national security adviser. 'We will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon - period - not now, not ever,' Mr Kerry said. 'I am convinced that we have taken a strong first step that has made the world and Israel safer.' Beyond Israel, Sunni Arab countries have expressed concerns about what America's Iran engagement might mean for the balance of power in the region with Shiite-dominate Iran. Saudi Arabian officials even have talked about their own potential nuclear ambitions. Echoing Mr Obama's effort to reach out to concerned allies, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel renewed a U.S. push for the sale of missile defense technology and other weapons systems to U.S.-friendly Gulf nations to counter the threat of Iranian ballistic missiles. Seems so long ago: Mr Kerry between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabiu during the Iran nuclear deal announcement just last month . In a speech Saturday in Bahrain, Mr Hagel made clear that any final deal on Iran's nuclear program wouldn't end the threat posed by a country the U.S. considers the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism. On Mideast peace hopes, Mr Obama echoed an optimistic assessment provided by Mr Kerry during a trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories this past week. The president said his administration had spent much time working with Mr Netanyahu to understand Israel's security needs as part of any two-state solution. Over the next several months to arrive at a framework that does not address every single detail but gets us to the point where everybody recognizes it's better to move forward than move backward," Obama said. Still, he said tough decisions await both sides, including the Palestinians' understanding a transition period will be necessary so no situation arises similar to Hamas' takeover of the Gaza Strip after Israel's 2005 military pullout. 'The Israeli people cannot expect a replica of Gaza in the West Bank,' Mr Obama said. 'That is unacceptable.' [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Despite the negative tone, President Barack Obama still defended diplomacy as the best course of action . The president made the remarks during a Saturday appearance at the Brookings Institution . Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu derided the deal during his talk at Brookings just after Mr Obama . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Despite the negative tone, President Barack Obama still defended diplomacy as the best course of action . The president made the remarks during a Saturday appearance at the Brookings Institution . Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu derided the deal during his talk at Brookings just after Mr Obama .

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN) -- Travel can be a nightmare. Christmas can be a nightmare. Logic dictates that putting these two negatives together should make a positive. And so it proves. Plan wisely, packing your bags while everyone else is stuffing their stockings, and you can steer clear of the orgy of soulless materialism that some say Christmas has become. Just don't expect to get any presents. Or be surprised when your traveling companion introduces himself as "Mr. Scrooge." 1. Go to New Zealand . These days, one of the best ways to take a few hours out from modern life is to fly. With in-flight cellphone reception and free Wi-Fi still relatively rare on commercial flights, it's a rare chance to escape daily stresses. International aviation schedules keep going even over Christmas, so if you really want to spend December 25 out of the festive loop, there are few better ways than ascending to 30,000 feet. Because the pre-Christmas panic is over, tickets often become considerably cheaper -- and the cheaper the fare, the longer the travel time. Admittedly, you'll be dependent on your fellow passengers not trying to celebrate at altitude, but airline food will sap the festive spirit from even the most hardened traveler. New Zealand, thanks to its remote (for most of us) Southern Hemisphere location, makes an ideal destination as it's so far from everywhere else it'll probably take you 24 hours to get there. Unless you live in New Zealand. In which case head to Spain. More: 7 tips for successful solo travel . 2. Go to a non-Christian country . Since Christmas is Christianity's biggest annual shindig -- albeit one hijacked by commercialism in many countries -- another option is to head where both Christians and the pervasive forces of global commerce are confined to the sidelines. Morocco is a perennial favorite for Christmas avoiders, particularly as it also offers a warm escape from the plunging temperatures that merely serve to compound the misery of those who hate the holidays. Daytime temperatures can reach a pleasant 24C/75F. You could head to the ancient imperial city of Marrakech, with its lively Djemaa el Fna square filled with musicians, dancers, apothecaries and snake charmers. After checking into a luxury riad townhouse hotel (Riad Farnatchi, Rue Souk el Fassisi; +212 5 24 38 49 10), you can shop in the souk and sample street food such as chicken tagine with caramelized pumpkin. The evening calls to prayer should drown out the sound of sleigh bells. 3. Go to a communist country . Same deal as before, although by communist country we essentially mean Laos. You could try Cuba, but since Fidel Castro relented on a Christmas ban in 1998, Havana is no longer a safe haven. France's colonial past has left its festive footprint on Vietnam, and North Korea isn't anyone's idea of a fun getaway. You aren't entirely safe even in China, where two decades of economic reform have inspired giddy enthusiasm for Christmas's till-ringing commercialism. More: Giant blowup Santa poses as Marilyn Monroe in China . Expect trees, Santas and lights in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu, and ersatz Christmas dinners in rural tourist spots such as Yangshuo. However, on the Venn diagram where absence of Christianity and communism form two overlapping circles, Laos lies dead center. Here, centuries of Buddhist traditions largely kept French influence at bay and have both survived civil war and the onset of Marxist socialism. Unlike everywhere else at Christmas, it's relatively cheap. You can enjoy a Noel-free night before Christmas in Luang Prabang, where nothing stirs, except maybe the gently flowing Mekong River. The Mekong Riverview hotel (+856 71 25 49 00) makes the most of its location. 4. Retreat . If you're avoiding Christmas to spare your soul rather than your wallet from bankruptcy, perhaps the place for you is a retreat. By immersing yourself in the spiritually enriching possibilities of an intensive yoga course (Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram, Kerala, India; +91 471 227 3093) you'll not only skip the bingeing season, you'll get a head start on the January detox. Or you could try a monastery for silent meditation (such as the Wat Suan Mokkh, in Chaiya, Thailand; no telephone for obvious reasons). Absence of carol singers guaranteed. 5. Go to a party town . This might seem counter-intuitive, but a good way to avoid the season of excess is to head somewhere it happens on a daily basis. Although December 25 is certainly celebrated in world-class party towns like New Orleans, if anything it's slightly more low key than the rest of the year. New Orleans' boozy scene takes it considerably easier over Christmas, making it one of the best times to visit. In the Icelandic capital, Rejkjavik, where Nordic appetites for nightlife can leave visitors whimpering for mercy, very little happens over the Christmas holidays, making it a magically peaceful time to contemplate marvels such as the Northern Lights. More: Best places to see the Northern Lights . In New Orleans, one place to seek sanctuary is Loft 523 (523 Gravier Street; +1 504 200 6523). Near Reykjavik, the upscale Ion Hotel has its own Northern Lights Bar (Nesjavollum vid Thingvallavatn, 801 Selfoss; +354 482 34 15). More: World's 7 most dangerous and remote islands . 6. Work . More soul-cleansing, this time via the creditable route of voluntary work -- which, in a way, combines the giving spirit of Christmas with the best of Christmas avoidance. Not only will you be donating your time and labor, you'll be too busy building schools, teaching kids or saving rainforests to think about anything else. Organizations such as Elevate Destinations or Global Vision International are good places to start. 7. Get lost . If you find a remote spot where no one, not even Santa, can track you down, then giving Christmas the slip should be as easy as mince pie. Lundy, a windswept but beautiful island in the waters of Britain's Bristol Channel, isn't too far from civilization, but there are no televisions or Internet connections, you're unlikely to get a mobile phone signal and the only way on or off is by helicopter. You might have to avoid the island's solitary pub, the Marisco Tavern, on Christmas Day, but the prospect of sitting in front of a blazing fire in the splendid isolation of your very own lighthouse (Old Light Tower, Lundy Island; +44 1628 825 925), will be worth it. It's the perfect place to start plotting next year's Christmas escape. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Not everyone is a Noel fan . Morocco is a perennial favorite for Christmas avoiders . Icelandic appetites for nightlife can leave visitors whimpering for mercy . Just don't expect to get any presents . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Not everyone is a Noel fan . Morocco is a perennial favorite for Christmas avoiders . Icelandic appetites for nightlife can leave visitors whimpering for mercy . Just don't expect to get any presents .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . James Chapman . UPDATED: . 02:33 EST, 17 November 2011 . She famously pledged to go ‘on and on’. Now it has emerged that Margaret Thatcher considered staying on as Prime Minister even after being ousted as Conservative leader. Baroness Thatcher’s former political secretary, John Whittingdale, made the extraordinary revelation as he delivered the Speaker’s lecture on great parliamentarians in the House of Commons. Revelations: Margaret Thatcher 'briefly toyed' with staying as Prime Minister even after losing the leadership bid, according to John Wittingdale (right) Mr Whittingdale, now chairman of the Commons culture committee, said she ‘briefly’ toyed with staying as Prime Minister even after losing the Conservative Party leadership in 1990. ‘She always said she had never been defeated by the people,’ the MP  told an audience at the Speaker’s House. ‘She had only been defeated by her colleagues in the House of Commons and she felt very strongly that it was an act of great disloyalty and betrayal. 'She even briefly thought about whether or not she could continue as Prime Minister without being leader of the Conservative Party. 'Over-emotional': Lord Tebbit criticised Meryl Streep's portrayal of Margaret Thatcher (pictured) ‘This was not an entirely practical . idea but she did feel very strongly that it  was improper that she had . been forced to leave office on that basis.’ Mr . Whittingdale insisted Lady Thatcher only considered the idea fleetingly . –  though constitutionally, there would have been nothing to stop her . refusing to resign as Prime Minister even if someone else had been . elected as Tory leader. He said that at the time of her brutal exit from Number Ten, she had been  playing a key role in the build up to the first Gulf War and was also leading international efforts to win freedom for people in eastern Europe. ‘I think it entered her head very briefly and those of us who were present soon  persuaded her this was not a sensible idea,’ Mr Whittingdale said. ‘But what you have to understand is that . . . she was very angry. I don’t  think it was a serious possibility.’ Mr Whittingdale described the ‘extraordinary night’ her leadership collapsed as she failed to win an outright victory in a leadership vote, and decided to withdraw rather than face a second. ‘I left Downing Street at 2am after working on what we all knew would be her final speech. The next day she gave a vintage performance, an absolute defence of everything she had achieved as Prime Minister.  I have to admit I sat with tears rolling down my cheeks,’ Mr Whittingdale said. There is renewed interest in Lady Thatcher’s premiership thanks to the film The Iron Lady, starring Meryl Streep. But former Tory chairman Lord Tebbit criticised her portrayal, saying: ‘She was never in my experience the over-emotional, over-acting woman portrayed by Meryl Streep,’ he said. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Former political secretary makes revelation during lecture . Iron Lady considered carrying on as PM without being Tory leader . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Former political secretary makes revelation during lecture . Iron Lady considered carrying on as PM without being Tory leader .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Research by Macmillan has shown that by 2016 361,000 people in Britain will be diagnosed with cancer each year (file picture) Almost 1,000 patients will be diagnosed with cancer every day by 2016, researchers warn. Ironically, the rise in life expectancy means many more adults are living to an age when they are at higher risk of the illness. But experts warn today that the NHS is facing a ‘cancer care crisis’ because it will not be able to adequately treat such high numbers of patients. The charity Macmillan Cancer Support says ‘cracks’ are already beginning to show as so many more patients are now waiting longer for vital scans and treatment. One woman with ovarian cancer said she was ordered to leave her bed whilst still recovering from chemotherapy because she had to make room. Research by the charity shows that by 2016 a total of 361,000 people in Britain will be diagnosed with cancer each year. This is 100,000 more than the 263,000 in 1996. The illness is becoming a growing financial burden and only yesterday charities warned that the Government may have to stop funding some life-extending drugs. They are very concerned that several vital treatments for breast and prostate cancer will no longer be available through the Cancer Drugs Fund. This is a pot of money set aside by the Government to pay for drugs which haven’t been approved by the rationing body NICE. But there is such high demand that the fund is running out of money and officials may decide to take some drugs of the list next month. The rise in cases is largely due to the aging population but it also partly down to lifestyle reasons such as obesity, smoking and alcohol. Lynda Thomas, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said the rise in cases was further evidence of the ‘frightening magnitude’ of the illness. ‘Cracks in the NHS are already beginning to show. Whichever party is voted in at next year’s election, they will face a colossal challenge to make sure the NHS is ready to support the wave of people who will be diagnosed with cancer during their time in power. ‘To avoid a cancer care crisis we must take action as a nation now.’ The latest NHS figures show that the number of trusts missing the target to treat patients within 62 days of first being referred by a doctor has doubled in a year. Last month, 64 failed to meet it compared to just 30 for the same period last year. The charity Macmillan Cancer Support says ‘cracks’ are already beginning to show as so many more patients are now waiting longer for vital scans (file pic) Patients say they are being made to feel like a ‘set of symptoms’ rather than humans because nurses are too busy to properly look after them. Mary Jerome-Ayling, 64, from Sussex, who had breast cancer, said she had to wait hours for a seat to become available for chemotherapy. ‘Waiting for hours in a windowless cubby-hole was added to the stress and discomfort of chemotherapy. There were never enough seats for patients and their carers,’ she added. ‘Staff were so rushed that sometimes the infusion would finish and I would be sat there waiting for half an hour just for someone to take it out of my arm. ‘You just wanted to get out of there. It was clear that the staff were under so much pressure and it made you worried that mistakes could be made.’ [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Experts warn that the NHS will not be able to treat such high numbers . More patients are now waiting longer for vital scans and cancer treatment . Macmillan warn that certain treatments may no longer be available . Rise in cases is due to ageing population as well as obesity and smoking . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Experts warn that the NHS will not be able to treat such high numbers . More patients are now waiting longer for vital scans and cancer treatment . Macmillan warn that certain treatments may no longer be available . Rise in cases is due to ageing population as well as obesity and smoking .

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<s>[ARTICLE] The Chinese authorities have banned the phrase 'big yellow duck' as an internet search item after a prankster substituted tanks for ducks in a doctored version of a world famous photograph taken during the Tiananmen massacre . China has begun an annual crackdown on efforts by families to commemorate the . victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre, 24 years after the . pro-democracy demonstrations were crushed by the People’s Liberation . Army. A number of internet search terms have been banned including 'tomorrow' "today", "tonight", "June 4" and other number combinations that might refer to what the Chinese call the June Fourth Incident . Scroll down for video . Censored: The Chinese authorities have banned the phrase 'big yellow duck' as an internet search item after a prankster substituted tanks for ducks in this doctored version of a world famous photograph . Tank man: The world famous image of a protestors standing in front of oncoming Chinese tanks during the 1989 protests . Popular: The doctored photograph is a reference to the 54-foot yellow duck created by Florentijn Hofman, which floats in Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour. This shows a copy of the duck in Tianjin, China . As reported by International Business Times, 'Big yellow duck'  has also been censored as a search item. It comes after a user on Sina Weibo, a Chinese social network, posted a doctored version of the famous Jeff Widener's  photograph of a protester confronting a line of tanks in the square. The doctored photograph instead features four ducks in row instead of the tanks. it was a reference to the 54-foot yellow duck created by Florentijn Hofman, . which floats in Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour. Families of the victims of the massacre have been barred from visiting their graves by more than a dozen Chinese police stationed outside the main 'Stone Gate' entrance to the Wanan graveyard where many of the victims are buried. The exact number of victims of the massacre on June 3-4 and the political crackdown which followed soon after is unknown but it is believed to run well into the hundreds if not more. Commemoration: Tens of thousands of people joined a candlelit vigil in Hong Kong to mark the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests today . Crowds: Demonstrators swarmed the city's Victoria Park in memory of the brutal crackdown carried out by the Chinese government . Freedom: The commemorations have only been allowed to take place in Hong Kong amidst heightened security in mainland China . Vibrant: Protesters brought a series of eye-catching banners aimed at undermining the government's anti-democratic policies . The Chinese Government considers the peaceful protest . by students and workers to have been a 'counter-revolutionary' revolt, . and has previously defended the decision to send in tanks and troops. It has never provided an official death toll. The move by Beijing is . part of a major push to suppress discussion of the massacre across China and Hong Kong, particularly online and around . certain parts of the capital. Security personnel were patrolling . the narrow streets close to Beijing's Forbidden City and outside the former . house of Zhao Ziyang, the Communist party secretary who was purged and . held under house arrest following the protests. Authorities have also detained or . enhanced surveillance on 10 prominent dissidents, according to the Hong . Kong-based advocacy group China Human Rights Defenders. Hardy: Protesters braved the elements to show their opposition to the military crackdown which killed the Chinese democracy movement . Passion: A man brandishes a candle as he protests next to a statue depicting the 'Goddess of Democracy' in Hong Kong . Moving: But in mainland China the authorities have blocked sensitive search terms to avoid controversy . Repression: Some protesters sat behind bars to symbolise the Chinese government's hardline authoritarian policies . Online . searches for a range of keywords on Sina Weibo, China's version of . Twitter, have been blocked, from ‘Tiananmen’ to ‘candle’, which has been used to . encourage digital vigils. Instead activists turned to overseas websites to commemorate the event and criticise authorities. ‘The . dispute in this country is basically stuck on whether to light a candle . or to extinguish it,’ dissident artist Ai Weiwei posted on Twitter. Rights . lawyer Liu Xiaoyuan said on Twitter that he had been blocked from Sina . Weibo for seven days for sharing 'sensitive information' -- urging . others to honour victims by posting an image of a lit candle. Forum: Participants at a discussion meeting in Victoria Park in front of a poster of Beijing's Tiananmen Square . Tributes: Wreaths left in Hong Kong to commemorate the iconic events of the 1989 protests . Security: There was a heavy police presence in Tiananmen Square itself to prevent the possibility of a memorial protest . A . mocked-up picture was circulating online of the 1989 ‘Tank Man’ photograph of a civilian staring down a long row of tanks headed toward . Tiananmen Square -- with the military vehicles replaced by plastic . ducks. The image could not be found on domestic websites within the . ‘Great Firewall of China’ as the country's system of internet controls . is known. The high-profile dissident Hu Jia wrote on Twitter the . broad crackdown on discussion of Tiananmen demonstrated the . government's weakness. The event underscored the ruling Communist . Party's ‘illegal nature’, he wrote. ‘The unprecedentedly high pressure . for the 24th anniversary of June 4 actually reveals the authorities' fear.’ Contrast: Chinese tourists in the square seemed carefree today; many are unaware of what happened in 1989 . Innocent: A little girl holding the Chinese national flag dances in Tainanmen Square as the portrait of Chairman Mao looks on . Over the weekend China accused the US of 'prejudice' after it urged Beijing to provide a full account of the crackdown on activists after the Tiananmen Square protests. Foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the US should 'stop interfering in China's internal affairs'. The Chinese authorities had already reached a 'clear conclusion' about the Tiananmen Square protests, he added. On Friday, the US state department said the 24th anniversary of the 'violent suppression of demonstrations in Tiananmen Square' prompted it to remember this 'tragic loss of innocent lives'. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Chinese police stationed outside cemetery where victims of Tiananmen are buried . Authorities blocking Chinese Twitter searches of sensitive terms related to historic demonstrations . Chinese dissidents including artist Ai Weiwei criticise Beijing for censorship . Streets of Hong Kong packed with protesters as pro-democracy residents demonstrate against crackdown . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Chinese police stationed outside cemetery where victims of Tiananmen are buried . Authorities blocking Chinese Twitter searches of sensitive terms related to historic demonstrations . Chinese dissidents including artist Ai Weiwei criticise Beijing for censorship . Streets of Hong Kong packed with protesters as pro-democracy residents demonstrate against crackdown .

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<s>[ARTICLE] David Cameron loves it, Dick Cheney's a fan and even Justin Bieber likes a game. Now Angry Birds, the online game played by 200 million people worldwide, has been given the royal seal of approval too. The Duke of Cambridge has teamed up with makers Rovio Entertainment in a bid to raise awareness of the plight of the pangolin. Pangolins - or scaly anteaters - will appear in an Angry Birds tournament over the next seven days, with William calling for more to be done to save the animals. Scroll down for video . Partnership: The Duke has teamed up with the makers of Angry Birds in a bid to save the pangolin . Important: William said he hopes that more people will become aware of the pangolin through Angry Birds . Speaking in a video message that accompanied the launch of the new-look game, William said he hoped the appearance of pangolins in Angry Birds would give a boost to efforts to stop poaching. 'The humble pangolin, a scaly anteater, is one of the most endangered animals on the planet because of poaching,' he said. 'The pangolin runs the risk of becoming extinct before most people have even heard of them.' Pangolins are the world's only fully scaly mammal but numbers have gone into freefall in recent years, thanks in no small part to poaching. The animals, which live mostly in China and south-east Asia, are considered a delicacy and are also in high demand for use in traditional medicine, as well as for use in home decoration. As a result, the animals now boast the unfortunate distinction of being one of the most trafficked species in the world, with an estimated one million individuals taken from the wild in the last decade according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Endangered: The pangolin is considered a delicious delicacy in its native China and Vietnam . Animal lover: William, seen here inspecting a bilby at Sydney Zoo, has long supported conservation efforts . Giving it a go: Prince William tries his hand at the new Angry Birds pangolin game . So marked has the decline in their numbers become, all eight species of pangolin were added to the IUCN's 'Red List' during the summer, which means they are at imminent risk of extinction. 'All eight pangolin species are now listed as threatened with extinction, largely because they are being illegally traded to China and Vietnam,' said Professor Jonathan Baillie, Co-Chair of the IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group, following the announcement in July. 'In the 21st century we really should not be eating species to extinction – there is simply no excuse for allowing this illegal trade to continue.' The Duke of Cambridge is president of an umbrella charity called United for Wildlife, which aims to tackle poaching, whether of pangolins or of larger animals such as rhinos and elephants. 'As president of United for Wildlife, I am working with some of the world's largest conservation organisations to fight the illegal wildlife trade,' he added. Important work: The pangolin is critically endangered thanks to near constant poaching . Lucky: This pangolin was rescued but many more are killed to be used in traditional Chinese medicine . Awareness: William, Harry and the Duchess of Cambridge are all supporters of United for Wildlife . 'This criminal trade is responsible for the illegal slaughter of tens of thousands of animals a year, famously elephant and rhino. 'These species are being pushed to the brink of extinction due to poaching. These magnificent creatures will die out in the wild during my lifetime if we do not take notice now.' The Duke hopes that this week's Angry Birds tournament, which follows a similar effort with the game Runescape earlier this year on behalf of rhinos, will encourage more people to get involved and spread the word about pangolins. 'I would love your help to spread the message about this crisis. It may sound trivial set against other world problems, but it is an important part of the jigsaw - and it is one that you can do something about. 'There is evidence that poaching funds criminal gangs, even terrorist organisations, and it deprives ancient communities of their heritage and livelihoods. 'By spreading the message about poaching, I hope you can be part of a movement that says no to poached ivory and rhino horn, and many other animal parts.' [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] William appeared in a video to promote an Angry Birds tournament . It will feature the pangolin and attempt to raise awareness of its plight . Pangolins are critically endangered because of continual poaching . According to the IUCN, the animal is being 'eaten to death' in China . Pangolins are also popular with practitioners of traditional medicine . [/SUMMARY]</s>

William appeared in a video to promote an Angry Birds tournament . It will feature the pangolin and attempt to raise awareness of its plight . Pangolins are critically endangered because of continual poaching . According to the IUCN, the animal is being 'eaten to death' in China . Pangolins are also popular with practitioners of traditional medicine .

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<s>[ARTICLE] The run-up to the Super Bowl on Sunday has been marred by deflate-gate - and it's hurting Tom Brady's feelings. The New England Patriots quarterback says he took football tampering allegations personally after 11 of the 12 footballs tested by the NFL were found to be two PSI less than league minimums. Brady once again denied having anything to do with the fact that they were improperly inflated in an interview with WEEI sports radio in Boston on Monday. Scroll down for audio . New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady says reports he was involved in deflate-gate 'hurt his feelings' Brady appeared on Monday alongside owner Bob Kraft (second right) and head coach Bill Belichick (right) 'I’ve tried to wrap my head around it, too. I’ve done that and I’m trying to move past that, because I continue to try to rehash things,' he said. 'I personalized a lot of things and thought this was all about me, and my feelings got hurt. 'Then I moved past it, because it’s not serving me.' The Patriots are still fending off cheating allegations less than a week before the Super Bowl, where they will face the Seattle Seahawks this coming Sunday. Adoring fans braved the cold - and threat of blizzard - to send their team off to Phoenix on Monday . Critics have suggested that billionaire team owner Kraft (left) could get the team out of trouble . Already, some Seahawks are speaking out about the NFL's investigation of 'deflate-gate.' Richard Sherman, the Seattle cornerback, says he doesn't believe the Patriots will be punished for breaking the rules because Patriots owner Robert Kraft is so close to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. 'Will they be punished? Probably not. Not as long Robert Kraft and Roger Goodell are still taking pictures at their respective homes. He was just at Kraft's house last week before the AFC Championship. Talk about conflict of interest. As long as that happens, it won't affect them at all,' Sherman fumed. Brady told WEEI that he has now blocked out the deflate-gate speculation and is working to focus 100 percent on the upcoming Super Bowl - his sixth appearance with the Patriots. On Sunday, he told ESPN that he hadn't been contacted by NFL investigators - and didn't expect to hear from them until after the big game. Investigators found that 11 out of the 12 footballs used by the Patriots offense during the AFC Championship game were under-inflated, which makes them easier to throw, catch and carry . The Indianapolis Colts complained that the Patriots' footballs were under-inflated during their 45-7 drubbing in the AFC Championship game on January 18. Under-inflated balls are easier to catch and throw in bad weather and they are also easier to carry and harder to fumble. Sports statistician Warren Sharp wrote last week that the Patriots' historically low fumble rate - once every 187 plays - is almost statistically impossible, and dramatically better than even the runner-up team. This Patriots team was able to achieve the record while running more than 200 more running plays than the team with then next-lowest fumble rate - the 2006-2010 Indianapolis Colts. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Brady says he 'took it personally' that he was accused of cheating . He has now 'moved past it' ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl . Brady's New England Patriots play against the Seattle Seahawks . Brady says he hasn't heard from NFL deflate-gate investigators . Click here for all the latest NFL news . For the full interview, visit WEEI here. [/SUMMARY]</s>

Brady says he 'took it personally' that he was accused of cheating . He has now 'moved past it' ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl . Brady's New England Patriots play against the Seattle Seahawks . Brady says he hasn't heard from NFL deflate-gate investigators . Click here for all the latest NFL news . For the full interview, visit WEEI here.

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Lydia Warren and Beth Stebner . PUBLISHED: . 02:02 EST, 7 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:38 EST, 7 December 2012 . The mother who lost her three young daughters as well as her parents during a horrific house fire last Christmas told Piers Morgan about how losing the people she loved shook her to her very core. ‘I screamed at God forever,’ Madonna Badger told the CNN host. She and then-boyfriend, contractor Michael Borcina, were the only two who survived the deadly inferno that swept through her $1.7million-dollar home. She emotionally spoke of how she ‘wanted to die too’ after she found out that her daughters Grace, Sarah, and Lily, all perished, as well as her parents, Lomer Johnson, 71, and his wife Pauline, 69. The deadly fire began after Borcina accidentally put still-smouldering embers left inside the Connecticut mansion. Scroll down for video . Emotional: Madonna Badger gave an emotional interview with CNN's Piers Morgan on Thursday night, saying how she was at first furious with God . Flames rapidly ate up the house as the family members slept. Ms Badger managed to escape, but couldn’t get in to rescue her children or her elderly parents. ‘In the beginning, you don’t cope,’ she said. ‘My life was basically shattered.’ At one point, the former Calvin Klein executive even contemplated suicide, according to news reports last January. But the anger and grief, she explained, gradually melted into a form of tranquil acceptance. ‘I felt so much at peace, because I know, with every fiber of my being, my girls are okay.’ Speaking on the 'TODAY' show Thursday, she revealed 'visits' from her children have helped her to heal, saying that she is doing 'really well' thanks to visions of her three girls, Lily, Sarah and Grace. 'I've seen my children in my dreams,' she told 'TODAY' host Matt Lauer. 'When I pray, I see my children. Recovery: Madonna Badger smiles - nearly a year since her children and parents died in a Christmas Day fire . Moving on: Speaking to Matt Lauer, she said visions of her children have helped her with her grief . 'Lily came to me very early on and said to me, 'Don't worry mommy, I'm right there in your heart, and I love you". 'Once when I was having level 10 - the . worst sort of cries, when it feels like blood is coming out of my eyes - Sarah . came to me in the mirror and said, "There's nothing to be afraid of".' While . Mrs Badger admitted that she first thought she 'was a little nuts' for the . visions, she said she realised it was important to for her heeling, and . professional help and readings have allowed her to accept it. 'I'm doing really well, I'm shocked that I'm doing OK, but I'm doing really well,' she said, smiling. Loss: The blaze claimed the lives of (left to right) seven-year-old twins Grace and Sarah and Lily, nine . Missed: Her parents, Lomer and Pauline Johnson, were also killed on Christmas Day last year . In . her last interview with the 'TODAY' show, in June, Mrs Badger had struggled to . contain her emotions as she recounted her Christmas Day preparations . with her children, her mother and Borcina. When the couple went to bed, they put . fireplace ashes in a box inside a mud room. Despite Borcina running . his hands through the ashes to check for heat, the $1.7million home ignited, killing . the children and their grandparents. Following their deaths, Mrs Badger said she went to three mental institutions and considered suicide, but the support of her friends helped her get through. She moved in with one of her friends in Little Rock, Arkansas - where she still lives - for four months when 'half my hair had fallen out'. Dream home: The $1.7 million mansion was undergoing renovation and did not have activated fire alarms . Inferno: The fire was started by still-smouldering fireplace embers left inside the Connecticut mansion . 'I was a disaster,' she said. 'They made me promise I wouldn't kill myself. They brought me back to life.' And as Christmas - and the . anniversary of that tragic day - looms, she has made plans to go to . Thailand, which is a 'Santa Claus-free zone'. 'I'm going to work in an orphanage with young girls who've lost their families and bring toys from my garage that belonged to my children,' she said. 'I'm going to pray and meditate and be with my kids and love them and do the very best I can.' She added that she no longer contemplates suicide because she doesn't 'know what would happen if I did that and I don't want to risk not being with my children'. Grief: Madonna Badger cries left with her ex-husband Matthew at the funeral of their three daughters, while she is pictured, right, with her then-boyfriend Michael Borcina, who also survived the blaze . Missed: Mrs Badger said the girls come to her and comfort her, which helps her know they are always with her . Victims: The fire also claimed her parents, Pauline and Lomer Johnson, pictured with the three girls (all left) Her interview comes just days after her . ex-husband and the father of the girls, Matthew Badger, said he felt as . if he wanted to kill her and her boyfriend following the tragedy. 'I thought that was perfectly normal,' she told Lauer. 'I . certainly felt the same way. I don't judge Matthew's grief. In fact, I am incredibly proud of him for what he's done with the . LilySarahGrace fund.' The fund, named after nine-year-old Lily and seven-year-old twins Grace and Sarah, raises money for art programs for schools, as the girls, who were all dyslexic, loved art. Mr Badger, 47, has yet to return to his job as a commercial director and two months ago went on a pilgrimage to India with his girlfriend where he met the Dalai Lama and cried, he told New York magazine. Afterwards, he scattered some of the girls' ashes on a hill. Victims: The deadly fire on Christmas Day killed nine-year-old Lily and seven-year-old twins Grace and Sarah . See below for video . Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Madonna Badger appeared at ease nearly a year after the tragedy, speaking both on the 'TODAY' show and 'Piers Morgan Tonight' Said her daughters have spoken to her and comforted her as she cried . Also said she knows her daughters are alright now . Going to Thailand this Christmas to take the girls' toys to an orphanage . Daughters Sarah, Lily and Grace, and parents, Lomer and Pauline Johnson, died in fire at her Connecticut home while she and her boyfriend escaped . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Madonna Badger appeared at ease nearly a year after the tragedy, speaking both on the 'TODAY' show and 'Piers Morgan Tonight' Said her daughters have spoken to her and comforted her as she cried . Also said she knows her daughters are alright now . Going to Thailand this Christmas to take the girls' toys to an orphanage . Daughters Sarah, Lily and Grace, and parents, Lomer and Pauline Johnson, died in fire at her Connecticut home while she and her boyfriend escaped .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Editor's note: Michael Eric Dyson is a professor of sociology at Georgetown University and the author of 16 books, including the New York Times bestseller, "April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Death and How it Changed America". Michael Eric Dyson says the arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr. shows that the U.S. is not "a post-racial paradise." (CNN) -- Last Thursday, President Obama, in his fiery speech before the NAACP Convention, admitted that "an African-American child is roughly five times as likely as a white child to see the inside of a prison." But he surely couldn't have imagined that only a couple of hours before his oration, one of America's most prominent scholars -- and a distinguished professor at Obama's alma mater, Harvard University -- would breathe cruel and ironic life into that sad statistic. Henry Louis "Skip" Gates Jr. is simply the most powerful and influential black scholar in our nation's history. He received a doctorate at Cambridge University long before the culture wars became au courant; he was among the first group of figures to receive a MacArthur "Genius Award" Fellowship; he wrote the finest work of literary criticism in a generation with "Signifying Monkey"; he was named by Time magazine as one of the "25 Most Influential Americans"; he has a boatload of honorary degrees; and he has been a ubiquitous media presence and thoughtful interpreter of race and culture for a quarter-century. But none of that made a bit of difference when Gates returned from a research trip to China to find the front door to his Harvard-owned house jammed and enlisted the assistance of his driver to muscle the door loose. By the time Gates was on the phone with his leasing company, a white policeman had arrived, summoned by a neighbor who spotted two black men looking as if they were unlawfully breaking into the house. Their stories diverge from here; the policeman says he asked Gates to step outside, Gates refused, the officer entered the home and requested Gates' ID, which he didn't initially produce, and finally had Gates arrested when he followed the officer outside, as Gates was "exhibiting loud and tumultuous behavior." Gates allegedly shouted, "Is this how you treat a black man in America?" and "You don't know who you're messing with." Gates says he showed the officer his ID, demanded that the officer identify himself, which he didn't, and then the professor followed the officer outside to get the policeman's name and badge number when he was arrested by the gaggle of police who had gathered. Several features of the story scream the presence of lingering bias and racism. A black man in a tony neighborhood simply seems out of place, even to his neighbors. Had Gates been a white professor trying to get inside his home, and called on his driver to help him jar his door open, he probably wouldn't have as readily aroused the suspicion of neighbors. And when police arrived to check out the premises, they probably wouldn't have been nearly as ready to believe the worst about the occupant of a home who clearly wasn't engaged in a criminal act. Whatever one believes about what happened, Gates clearly wasn't the beneficiary of the benefit of the doubt, a reasonable expectation since he posed no visible threat. It is also striking that Gates seems to be the victim of a police mentality that chafes at a challenge of its implicit authority. While that may be true for folk of all races, it seems especially galling to cops to be questioned by a person of color. How dare black folk believe that, regardless of their station or privilege, they have permission to speak back -- or speak black -- to state-enforced authority, one that, not a decade ago, routinely ravaged black communities in blatant displays of wanton aggression. It is for good reason that police brutality is a constant concern for black folk; the stakes are often high and harmful. The link between black vulnerability and racial profiling -- of setting in one's collective imagination an image of black men as bad people who are liable to commit mayhem at any moment, and who must therefore always be suspected of wrong and subject to arbitrary forms of control and surveillance -- is evident in the pileup of black bodies, from Amadou Diallo to Sean Bell, that testify to the force of police to impose lethal limits on black survival. Gates rubbed up against the unspoken code that enforces black silence and often violently compels black compliance. In the end, Gates' unjust treatment speaks volumes about the cynical assertion that we now live in a post-racial paradise. Gates' crime appears to be a new one in the litany of crimes that black folk commit by virtue of their very existence -- in this case, HWB, or housing while black. If a famous and affluent black man in his own home can be accosted, arrested and humiliated, then all black folk can reasonably expect the same treatment. To Gates' credit, he realizes that racial profiling happens regularly to poor black folk, and he has pledged to do something about it. But another famous black figure associated with Harvard must renew his pledge to get rid of racial profiling and spare the nation the illusion that his success represents a post-racial America. While it's not likely he'll be unjustly arrested in his House, he's got to make sure that the same privilege extends to millions of other black folk who don't live on Pennsylvania Avenue. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Michael Eric Dyson. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Michael Eric Dyson: Gates is an eminent intellectual and Harvard professor . He says Gates' arrest in Cambridge shows that U.S. still grapples with racism . He says police are particularly sensitive to questioning from people of color . Dyson: Obama must renew his pledge to eliminate racial profiling . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Michael Eric Dyson: Gates is an eminent intellectual and Harvard professor . He says Gates' arrest in Cambridge shows that U.S. still grapples with racism . He says police are particularly sensitive to questioning from people of color . Dyson: Obama must renew his pledge to eliminate racial profiling .

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<s>[ARTICLE] A University admin worker has been jailed for eight months after admitting stealing £50,000 and spending it on holidays and tea at the Ritz. Sophie O'Hara, 27, used her position in the science department at the University of East Anglia to sign fake student expenses slips which she then cashed into her own account. Over the course of 17 months O'Hara stole a total of £50,504 which she spent on trips to Egypt, Florida and Madrid as well as an afternoon tea at the Ritz with her mother. Sarah O'Hara used her job as an admin worker in the science department at the University of East Anglia to steal £50,000 by writing out false student expenses claims and cashing them herself . As part of her job O'Hara, who was paid £16,000  year, was charged with signing off expense forms for students. Chris Youell, prosecuting, said O'Hara wasn't a qualified accountant but was in a position of great trust and was authorised to sign for large sums of money. When university staff discovered O'Hara had been paying funds into her own account, Mr Youell said she admitted what she'd done. He added: 'She was, however, somewhat surprised and upset as to how much money she had stolen.' O'Hara admitted one charge of theft of cash from the UEA between March 2012 and October 2013 and was jailed for eight months. O'Hara then spent the money on holiday to Egypt, Florida, and Madrid as well as tea at the Ritz with her mother . Today at Norwich Crown Court (pictured) she was jailed for eight years after admitting one charge of theft of cash between March 2012 and October 2013 . Michael Clare, defending, said she suffered from a form of bipolar disorder but added: 'She does not want to use her difficulties as an excuse. 'She is very sorry indeed. She is unlikely to offend again.' Jailing her at Norwich Crown Court today, Judge Anthony Bate said: 'It went undiscovered for some considerable time. 'You appear to have spent the money on luxuries and foreign holidays and the like.' The judge accepted O'Hara had 'mental health issues' but said they didn't excuse he conduct and said he would be failing in his public duty if he did not jail her. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Sophie O'Hara worked as an admin assistant at University of East Anglia . Used position to sign fake expenses forms which she cashed herself . Over 17 months she stole £50,504 and spent it on holidays and tea at Ritz . Admitted one count of money theft and has been sentenced to eight months . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Sophie O'Hara worked as an admin assistant at University of East Anglia . Used position to sign fake expenses forms which she cashed herself . Over 17 months she stole £50,504 and spent it on holidays and tea at Ritz . Admitted one count of money theft and has been sentenced to eight months .

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<s>[ARTICLE] More than three years after Steve Jobs passed away, it seems that his widow Laurene Powell has found love again. The 51-year-old billionaire business exec was seen enjoying a Caribbean vacation with former Washington D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, 44, this weekend. The pair looked at ease as they laughed together aboard a luxury yacht from the Cayman Islands, cooled off in their swimsuits and got close on the sun loungers, before sharing a meal with friends. The couple was first rumored to be dating in the summer of 2013 but these are among the first photos of their budding romance. Scroll down for video . Together: Laurene Powell, the widow of Steve Jobs, was seen enjoying a vacation in the Caribbean with former Washington D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty on Saturday . All smiles: They are believed to have started dating in 2013 but have not been pictured together before . Break: Fenty, who was mayor between 2007 and 2011, split from his wife Michelle in 2013 . Going for a dip: The couple sunned themselves on the sun loungers after apparently going for a swim . Shared interests: The couple, who first met in 2011, now both work in education reform . Powell was left widowed after Apple founder Steve Jobs passed away, aged 56, from complications from pancreatic cancer in October 2011. They had three children together and Powell is also step-mother to Jobs' daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs. Fenty, mayor of Washington D.C. between 2007 and 2011, formally announced his separation from his wife of 15 years, Michelle, in January 2013. They also have three children together. Sources told the Washington Post that summer that Fenty and Powell started seeing each other around the same time, but there is no suggestion that Powell had anything to do with the separation. It is believed the two met at a Houston education conference in 2011 and bonded over school reform; Powell is the founder of Emerson Collective, which advocates for education reform, among others, while Fenty's focus during his mayorship with education. The following year, Fenty joined the board of College Track, a non-profit program for underserved students wanting to go to college that was co-founded by Powell. At ease: Powell looked relaxed as she joined her boyfriend aboard the luxury yacht on Saturday . Fun in the sun: Powell, a mother of three, checked out her younger boyfriend on the deck . Blossoming romance: The couple were seen getting close as they lounged in the sun on Saturday . Happy: The 51-year-old billionaire mother-of-three smiled as she chatted with her boyfriend on the trip . Close: The couple have kept quiet about their relationship but were rumored to be dating in summer 2013 . Embrace: The former politician put his arm around his girlfriend as they lounged in the sun . Caribbean trip: The couple lounged beneath a flag from the Cayman Islands, pictured . Getting comfortable: After drying off in the Caribbean sun, Powell donned a shirt to grab a bite to eat . Taking it easy: After their sun session, the couple packed up their belongings to head inside . Gentleman: Fenty, who also has three children, holds open the door for his girlfriend as they leave the deck . 'Adrian Fenty is one of our country's great advocates for education reform,' she said in a statement at the time. 'His sense of urgency and record of accomplishment is unparalleled.' The pair were first friends, sources told the Washington Post, before they started dating at the start of 2013. In June 2014, the couple was pictured at a French open match together. Powell had married Jobs two years after meeting him when he gave a talk to Stanford Business School while she was a student there. Their wedding took place in March 1991 at a hotel in Yosemite Valley, and the ceremony was led by a Zen Buddhist monk, Kobun Chino Otogawa, in keeping with Jobs' religious beliefs. Their eldest child, a son named Reed, was born six months later, and the couple had two daughters, Erin and Eve, in the years following. Time for lunch: The couple, who did not appear to be on holiday with their children, headed for a bite to eat . Joining the crowd: After slipping on a t-shirt, Fenty joins his girlfriend and friends for lunch . Relaxing: They enjoyed a meal and drinks with friends aboard the luxury vessel on Saturday . Hanging out: The couple have shied away from the spotlight since dating over the past couple of years . While she was on the boards of several companies and charities during his lifetime, it was only after he died that she began to speak publicly to draw attention to the causes that mattered to her. They were married for 20 years and after his death, she inherited an estate of about $10 billion. Despite being one of the richest women in the U.S. she has kept a deliberately low profile as she continues with her charitable work. Since Fenty left the mayor's office, he has focused on acting as a consultant to education tech companies and working as a special adviser at Andreessen Horowitz. Former flames: Powell is pictured left with her husband, Apple founder Steve Jobs, who passed away in October 2011. Right, Fenty and his wife Michelle are pictured together in 2010, three years before their split . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Powell, 51, and Fenty, 44, were seen laughing and kissing aboard a luxury yacht in the Caribbean on Saturday . Powell was left widowed when the Apple founder passed away in 2011 . Fenty and his wife Michelle split in January 2013 and he was rumored to be dating Powell later that year . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Powell, 51, and Fenty, 44, were seen laughing and kissing aboard a luxury yacht in the Caribbean on Saturday . Powell was left widowed when the Apple founder passed away in 2011 . Fenty and his wife Michelle split in January 2013 and he was rumored to be dating Powell later that year .

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<s>[ARTICLE] An extreme sportsman has made a heart-warming photo diary charting his agonising decision to have his left foot amputated. Joseph Pleban, 23, was told he had a rare bone and joint disease which caused recurring tumours in his ankle. He decided to have his left foot removed by surgeons after realising it would allow him to continue to pursue extreme sports. Undaunted: Joseph Pleban, left, was told that a rare joint disease meant he could no longer pursue extreme sports - so he chose to have it amputated, and even asked for a joking 'please cut here' tattoo on his leg . Post-op: Mr Pleban has now had the operation, and included pictures of his leg after the amputation, above. He plans to have a prosthetic limb fitted so that he can continue with his extreme sports . Sense of humour: Mr Pleban assembled a photo-diary of his last adventures with his leg still intact - including posing for pictures suggesting other ways he could lose the limb . As he was growing up Mr Pleban, from Fredericksburg, Virginia, kept hurting his left ankle while snowboarding, wakeboarding and playing rugby. After consulting doctors, Mr Pleban eventually decided the only option was to have the lower section of his left leg amputated. He created a unique photo as a farewell to his foot after choosing to replace his damaged ankle with a blade-style prosthetic. He said: 'Over six years I had to give up all of the sports I loved. Although taking my ankle away was a big sacrifice, the change to regain the ability to play those sports again meant it it was a no-brainer. Alternative surgery: Mr Pleban, posing above with his girlfriend Johnna Hentrick, 30, took his forthcoming operation in extremely good humour . 'Please cut here': Shortly before his operation, Mr Pleban asked for the tongue-in-cheek tattoo, which he sent to his surgeon . Jokes: Mr Pleban's leg can be seen above at the tattoo parlour having the amusing design drawn on . 'It took me a little while to get past the emotional hurdles. As a way to come to terms with what was happening I decided to capture the journey in pictures.' The photo series follows Mr Pleban from the moment he chose to have his ankle amputated, through the surgery itself, up to the mirror therapy which he is currently undertaking to adjust to life as an amputee. Mr Pleban broke his ankle while wakeboarding the day after he graduated from college in 2008. Doctors operated on the ankle and found that the area was full of small tumours. It was discovered that he had a rare condition called pigmented villonodular synovitis, which produces malignant non-cancerous tumours which attack cartilage, causing agonising degenerative arthritis. Extreme: Mr Pleban, pictured here performing a headstand whilst snowboarding, drew up a bucket list of extreme sports to get done before losing the ankle . Taking the plunge: Mr Pleban, who has always been a sports enthusiast, could have tried other surgery, but decided to push on with amputation as it would provide a definite solution . Big leap: Mr Pleban and Miss Hentrick are shown above in a plane from which they are about to skydive . An operation to remove the tumours was carried out but within six months they had grown back. In 2010 Mr Pleban underwent a second round of surgery followed by radiation therapy and was told he would no longer be able to pursue sports. He said: 'I was a competition swimmer for 18 years then played rugby through college. Later I picked up American football, soccer and snowboarding.' 'Any sport - you name it, I'd play it. To be told that I wouldn't be able to play sports was the worst thing I had ever heard.' In March 2014 he had an MRI which revealed that the nodules had once again returned. Doctors advised that the only option was to fuse his ankle and have surgeries for the rest of his life. Despite their advice to undergo the fusion treatment, Mr Pleban decided to go for amputation instead as it would allow him to continue playing sport. Out and about: Mr Pleban, pictured riding a wheelchair in hospital, says he is looking forward to incorporating his new leg into Hallowe'en costumes . Heartwarming: Mr Pleban documented the three months of his life before the amputation, and included the first stages of his recovery from the procedure . Mr Pleban said: 'It came down to either going through surgeries for a good portion of my life or have one surgery to end them all and be as active as I want on a prosthetic. 'My dad was the last one to accept my choice. He was searching everywhere for other options, but I just had to tell him that it was time to let it go. 'Nothing was going to work except fusion or amputation, and I had decided on amputation.' Mr Pleban and his girlfriend Johnna Hetrick, 30, decided to create a photo record, beginning three months before he had surgery. He said: 'We drew up a list of things which we wanted to do while I could. It was heartbreaking to lose it, but that wasn't going to stop me doing things before I lost it.' Before and after: Mr Pleban poses left at a swimming pool before the operation, and right walking through hospital with crutches, wearing a bizarre beard disguise . Activities included go-karting, paintballing, watersliding and skydiving. The couple went on vacation to the Caribbean and went scuba diving and parasailing. In an expression of Mr Pleban's bravery and sense of humour, he uploaded pictures with electric saws and paintball guns, offering them up as alternative ways to remove his leg. Just before the operation he asked for a tattoo of a line on his ankle with the words 'please cut here'. He said: 'I sent a picture of my tattoo in an email to the surgeon while he was at a conference in London. He showed the photos around and it became a big hit. 'Right before the surgery, I freaked out a bit. I realised there would be no way to turn back from my decision once I'd had the surgery. 'But as soon as I woke up from the surgery and looked down, I knew I had done the right thing . 'I start getting fitted for a new leg as soon as the sutures are out.' He is already planning Hallowe'en costume ideas with his girlfriend. He said: 'I could be a surfer and she could be a shark - maybe we could add a surfboard with a shark bite out of it. 'I would like to get a leg with a USB port that converts the kinetic energy from me walking into electrical energy to charge my phone.' Miss Hetrick said: 'He is an inspiration to me. Him losing part of his leg wouldn't change my feelings for him at all. 'I let him make the decision which was right for him and I support him entirely.' [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Joseph Pleban, 23, loves adventure, but was struck with rare ankle disease . Doctors said he could not keep up extreme sports as disease would recur . Instead decided on  amputation so he could keep going with prosthetic limb . Mr Pleban, from Virginia, made heart-warming photo diary in surgery run-up . Includes him posing jokingly with power saws and guns pointed at his leg . Shows the moment he got a joking 'please cut here' tattoo on afflicted ankle . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Joseph Pleban, 23, loves adventure, but was struck with rare ankle disease . Doctors said he could not keep up extreme sports as disease would recur . Instead decided on  amputation so he could keep going with prosthetic limb . Mr Pleban, from Virginia, made heart-warming photo diary in surgery run-up . Includes him posing jokingly with power saws and guns pointed at his leg . Shows the moment he got a joking 'please cut here' tattoo on afflicted ankle .

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<s>[ARTICLE] New Orleans, Louisiana (CNN) -- As Tropical Depression Bonnie churns through the Gulf of Mexico, several response vessels at the site of BP's ruptured well are in the process of being moved out of harm's way Friday, possibly leaving the sealed well cap unattended for about 48 hours, federal officials said. "The intention right now is to put the vessels in a safe place so they can return as quickly as possible," retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said. The rigs drilling the relief wells and the Q4000 recovery vessel are expected to be fully disconnected by late Friday afternoon, Allen said in a briefing Friday. Operators manning the vessels will begin to move to a position of the "best survivability," he added. Even if the vessels monitoring the well have to depart, Allen said, they'll perform aerial and satellite surveillance and leave recording equipment at the base of the well to continue observation. "If we have to evacuate the scene, we're probably looking at a very limited window, probably 48 hours," he said. Allen also addressed the "good and bad part" of a tropical storm hitting the Gulf region: While he acknowledged how a storm surge could drive the oil into beach and marsh areas, where it would have not been driven otherwise, Allen says the increased weather activity may "actually help" disperse the oil. "So we're mindful that those are two consequences and prepared to move out and aggressively attack this once the threat is passed through. But in [the] meantime, preservation of life and preservation of equipment are our highest priority," Allen said. Later, Allen told CNN's Wolf Blitzer, "it's certainly going to be a setback" in the effort to permanently seal the well and clean up the Gulf. He noted that 800 skimmers that had been collecting oil on the surface across the Gulf Coast will be returning to safety on shore but said authorities are slowly making progress. "I'm not ready to declare victory, nor should anybody. But we certainly are starting to gain a bit of an upper hand here," he said. "Of course, we still have beach cleanup and marshland areas that are affected." BP said that pressure in the well continues to "slowly increase." Company officials said they will continue to take pressure readings and monitor the well as long as weather permits. On Thursday, officials said the departure of the relief well rig could delay work on the operation -- described as the permanent fix to the ruptured well -- for at least 10 days. Allen said the cap placed over the damaged well in the Gulf of Mexico will remain sealed and continue to stop oil from escaping even if the more than 2,000 people who have been working at the well site are off the water. The weather could force officials to temporarily scale back efforts to search beneath the surface for leaking oil. But Allen said Thursday that the remote vehicles used to monitor the area will be the last to leave and the first to return. Sensors and extensive monitoring have allowed observers to "rule out any indications that there might be a leak," Allen said Thursday, noting that his confidence in the integrity of the well had "improved dramatically" after he examined data over the past few days. Once the weather system passes, a plan to pump mud into the well to force oil back into the reservoir below is in the works. BP has Allen's approval to prepare for the "static kill" process but would still need the government's final go-ahead before proceeding, BP Senior Vice President Kent Wells said. Meanwhile, officials monitoring the spill say they continue to track the tropical weather and communicate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is ultimately responsible for the safety of the more than 40,000 people assisting in recovery and response efforts in the Gulf region. "The protection of the equipment and crew is paramount to ensure maximum ability to respond to any new challenges a storm may pose to the enormous mission," Rear Adm. Paul Zukunft, the federal on-scene coordinator, said in a news release Thursday. "We are repositioning assets away from low-lying areas to higher-ground staging areas to protect our ability to respond to the dynamic requirements of the incident," Zukunft said. At 5 p.m. ET Friday, Bonnie had been downgraded to a tropical depression after moving across southern Florida. It was moving west-northwest at 18 miles an hour and had maximum sustained winds of 35 miles an hour. It's expected to make landfall early Sunday between New Orleans, Louisiana, and southeastern Texas. If the storm continues on its path, it could slam into the area of the BP oil spill and possibly push more oil to shore. The tropical weather system could diminish or erase encouraging signs of recovery from the BP oil spill, according to a scientist who spearheaded the first major examination of the Louisiana coast wetlands. "Early marsh regrowth could easily be taken away with high winds and waves," said Tom Bianchi, a Texas A&M oceanography professor who has spent his career researching marshes. Meanwhile, at a federal hearing in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Friday, a Deepwater Horizon chief engineering technician testified that the rig's general alarm system -- which is designed to detect a sudden rise in natural gas -- had been disabled because rig managers "did not want people woke up at 3 in the morning due to false alarms." Technician Mike Williams said the alarm system had been been "inhibited" for about a year before the April 20 explosion that killed 11 workers and started the worst oil disaster in the nation's history. Williams said supervisors on the Transocean rig were aware that the system had been inhibited. Transocean later said in a statement that the disabling was "intentional and conforms to accepted maritime practices." "It was not a safety oversight or done as a matter of convenience," it said. The company said there were hundreds of individual fire and gas alarms on the Deepwater Horizon in a "zone-based" system. The rig had an option -- which was resorted to -- to prevent the general alarm from sounding when an individual alarm went off. Transocean said it's possible that individual alarms might be providing notification of "minor issues or a non-emergency," and "repeated false alarms increase risk and decrease rig safety." CNN's Ashley Fantz, Vivian Kuo and Sean Morris contributed to this report. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] NEW: Retired Adm. Thad Allen says there is "certainly going to be a setback" at well site . NEW: Allen says crews "starting to gain a bit of an upper hand" in collecting oil . NEW: Transocean says that disabling general alarm at rig is accepted practice . Deepwater Horizon alarm had been "inhibited," technician testifies . [/SUMMARY]</s>

NEW: Retired Adm. Thad Allen says there is "certainly going to be a setback" at well site . NEW: Allen says crews "starting to gain a bit of an upper hand" in collecting oil . NEW: Transocean says that disabling general alarm at rig is accepted practice . Deepwater Horizon alarm had been "inhibited," technician testifies .

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<s>[ARTICLE] She has cited Victoria Beckham as her all-time style icon and Michelle Keegan seems set on giving the designer a run for her money in the fashion stakes. The actress has unveiled her third range for Lipsy and says it aims to reflect the season’s hottest shapes, fabrics and styles that incorporate both the catwalk trends and her own coveted wardrobe. The AW14 collection includes reworked classics alongside fresh new designs that have been hand-picked by 27-year-old Michelle to reflect looks and shapes that she loves and wants to be seen in. The range is available to buy online now priced between £22 for a top to £95 for a faux fur coat. Scroll down for video . Michelle wears the Michelle Keegan long sleeve embellished V neck dress, £80, available now . Speaking about her latest offering, she said: 'I love winter - Christmas is my favourite time of year so I couldn’t wait to get back into the design room to create some classic winter pieces. 'This capsule range is a real mix of all of the looks and styles that I love to wear at this time of year and I hope everyone will love them just as much as I do.' What she wears: The range includes reworked classics that she loves to wear alongside fresh new designs hand-picked by the former Coronation Street actress . The actress wears the Michelle Keegan Bardot body, £22.00 and embossed pencil skirt, £35 . Sexy style: Michelle has included her favourite style, lingerie styled up as partywear, which she teams with teeny shorts in the shoot. Here she wears the Michelle Keegan satin cami, £40 . Party girl: She has added her own personal touch to dresses by adding a sexy sheer neckline detail combining lace trims with PU panelling. She's pictured modelling the Michelle Keegan Flocked Lace Dress, £65 . The colour palette is rich and full of black, navy, grey and teal with injections of silver grey and blush pink. Michelle has included her favourite style, the tuxedo short suit, as well as more feminine lingerie styled up as partywear. The classic Lipsy shift dress has been given a Michelle twist with a sexy sheer neckline detail combining lace trims with PU panelling. Michelle was keen to include long sleeved dress options so she reworked the LBD giving it a sweetheart neck and long embellished mesh sleeves. Jump to it: There's lots of jumpsuits, long line kimonos and the cosy knitwear Michelle loves to wrap up in come winter. Michelle wears the Michelle Keegan smart trousers, £42, with a drape wrap top, also £42 . Wrap up warm: This collection includes a huge array of outerwear with everyday coats and glamorous evening jackets. Here she wears the Michelle Keegan PU sleeve fur coat £95.00 . Michelle wears the Michelle Keegan Panel Textured Shift Dress, £55 (l) and lace appliqué PU dress, £70 (r) There's also lots of jumpsuits, long line kimonos and the cosy knitwear Michelle loves to wrap up in come winter. This collection delivers Michelle’s largest outerwear selection to date with everyday coats and glamorous evening jackets. Speaking to MailOnline, Michelle said: 'I have been working on it for so long and created collages of my favourite red carpet looks and colours and shapes that I love so it's full of things I wear myself. 'I would describe it as quite minimalist, classic and tailored with a girly edge. Michelle Keegan mesh trim maxi dress, £85 (l) and lace top bandeau jumpsuit, £75 (r) Sharing style: Michelle said that fiance Mark Wright is good with his fashion choices and always looks stylish but will ask for her opinion sometimes. she wears the Michelle Keegan V neck lace shift dress, £70 . Cosy: As well as designing party dresses and chunky knits, Michelle has made sure she's included lots of statement coats for when the weather turns cooler, such as these, £95 each . Michelle added: 'I have spent a lot of time over the last few months working closely with the Lipsy design team to make sure that each piece in my collection is something I am excited about wearing. 'My collection is classic, unfussy and feminine in style, and I can’t wait for it to hit the high street and see everyone wearing it.' Speaking about the inspiration behind her range, she cited a certain fashionista as her muse. 'I love Victoria Beckham's style, she is effortlessly chic and looks amazing whenever she steps out.' Michelle, who loves high street stores Zara, Mango and Topshop - because you can get 'value for your money' - also shares style tips with fiance, Mark Wright. 'He's good with his fashion choices and always looks stylish but he will ask for my opinion sometimes,' she said. The brunette fashionista added: 'This range is my dream come true and I hope to design for many years to come.' Excited: Michelle says her collection is classic, unfussy and feminine in style, and she can't wait for it to hit the high street and to see everyone wearing it. This long kimono is £48 . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Actress, 27, unveils third collection for high street store . Full of party dresses, outerwear and short tuxedo suits . Range is out now priced £22 - £95 . Says she and Mark Wright share style tips . Just moved to Essex to live with him . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Actress, 27, unveils third collection for high street store . Full of party dresses, outerwear and short tuxedo suits . Range is out now priced £22 - £95 . Says she and Mark Wright share style tips . Just moved to Essex to live with him .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Fiona Macrae and Holly Gregory . PUBLISHED: . 02:06 EST, 8 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:13 EST, 8 August 2013 . For evidence that we are becoming more self-centred, you need look no further than your bookshelf. Analysis of more than 1.5million books has revealed the use of the word ‘get’ has gone up while ‘give’ has fallen out of favour. Modern books also favour feelings over religion and choice over obedience. Analysis of more than 1.5million books has revealed the use of the word ¿get¿ has gone up while ¿give¿ has gone down . The changes, revealed in a study of British and American books published between 1800 and 2000, including popular and academic works. The University of California researchers say the changes in the printed work reflect the change in values that comes with urbanisation, with caring, sharing rural communities being increasingly replaced by materialistic, go-getting town and city-dwellers. Psychologist Patricia Greenfield used a computer programme provided by Google to assess the frequency key words appeared in almost 1.2million American books. Key words included ‘obliged’, picked because of the importance of duty in small family-orientated communities,  and ‘choose’, a word which denotes the freedom of choice important to modern generations. The use of ‘obliged’ fell at least six-fold over the 200 year studied, while ‘choose’ became increasingly common.  By the 1930s, authors spoke more of choice than they did of obligation. Frequency of use of the words ‘act’ and ‘feel’ was also compared. Other recent research found that modern-day British novels lack emotion . By the 1970s, books spoke more of feelings than of actions. The analysis, published in the journal Psychological Science also showed a move from giving to getting. Use of the word ‘get’ quadrupled from 1800 to 2000, reflecting, it is though a move towards a more materialistic society. However, there was a blip in its rise between 1940 and 1960. Researchers say this could be a reflection of a greater community spirit during the Second World War and the civil rights movement. The study also revealed the words ‘obedience’, ‘authority’, ‘belong’ and ‘pray’ to be in decline. The task was repeated using an online library of 350,000 British books which produced similar results. Professor Greenfield said: ‘These replications indicate that the underlying concepts, not just word frequencies, have been changing in historical importance over time. ‘Developing countries have become wealthier, more urbanised, more technologically advanced and more highly educated. ‘But the process also applies to countries such as the United States and United Kingdom. ‘The trend is particularly noticeable if one views the situation over a timescale of centuries, as in the present study.’ Other recent research found that modern-day British novels lack emotion – perhaps because we have started to feel it is a weakness to show our feelings. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Study analysed 1.5million British and American books published between 1800 and 2000 . Researchers say the changes in the printed work reflect the change in values that comes with urbanisation . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Study analysed 1.5million British and American books published between 1800 and 2000 . Researchers say the changes in the printed work reflect the change in values that comes with urbanisation .

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN) -- Lance Armstrong will give his first television interview since being stripped of his Tour de France titles to Oprah Winfrey, her network announced Tuesday. A news release from the Oprah Winfrey Network said the 90-minute "no-holds-barred" interview will air at 9 p.m. ET January 17 and will be simulcast on Oprah.com. Winfrey will ask the disgraced cycling star to address the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's report, which said there was overwhelming evidence he was directly involved in a sophisticated doping program, the statement said. The International Cycling Union, which choose not to appeal the USADA's lifetime ban, stripped Armstrong of his record seven Tour victories in October. The World Anti-Doping Agency also agreed with the sanctions, which means Armstrong may not compete in sports governed by WADA code. Before the ban, he was competing in Ironman triathlons and had won two of the five events he had entered. Since the ban he has entered two non-sanctioned events. Report: Armstrong offered to donated $250,000 to anti-doping agency . According to his Twitter feed, Armstrong has been biking, running and swimming in Hawaii. The Winfrey interview will take place at Armstrong's home in Austin, Texas. The New York Times reported last week that Armstrong, 41, was contemplating publicly admitting he used illegal performance-enhancing drugs. Such an admission might lead toward Armstrong regaining his eligibility. One of his attorneys denied Armstrong was in discussion with the two anti-doping agencies. Attorney Tim Herman, in a recent e-mail to CNN Sports, did not address whether Armstrong told associates -- as reported by the newspaper -- that he was considering an admission. Armstrong has repeatedly and vehemently denied that he used banned performance-enhancing drugs as well as illegal blood transfusions during his cycling career. In the past, Armstrong has argued that he took more than 500 drug tests and never failed. In its 202-page report that detailed Armstrong's alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs and blood transfusions, the USADA said it had tested Armstrong less than 60 times and the International Cycling Union conducted about 215 tests. The agency did not say that Armstrong ever failed a test, but his former teammates testified as to how they beat tests or avoided the tests altogether. The New York Times, citing unnamed associates and anti-doping officials, said Armstrong has been in discussions with USADA officials and hopes to meet with David Howman, chief of the World Anti-Doping Agency. The newspaper said none of the people with knowledge of Armstrong's situation wanted to be identified because it would jeopardize their access to information on the matter. Under World Anti-Doping Agency rules, an athlete who confesses to using performance-enhancing drugs may be eligible for a reinstatement. Awaiting Armstrong's 'last word' Armstrong has been an icon for his cycling feats and celebrity, bringing more status to a sport wildly popular in some nations but lacking big-name recognition, big money and mass appeal in the United States. He fought back from testicular cancer to win the Tour from 1999 to 2005. He raised millions via his Lance Armstrong Foundation to help cancer victims and survivors, an effort illustrated by trendy yellow "LiveSTRONG" wristbands that helped bring in the money. But Armstrong has long been dogged by doping allegations, with compatriot Floyd Landis -- who was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title after failing a drug test -- making a series of claims in 2011. Armstrong sued the USADA last year to stop its investigation of him, arguing it did not have the right to prosecute him. But after a federal judge dismissed the case, Armstrong said he would no longer participate in the investigation. In October 2012, Armstrong was stripped of his titles and banned from cycling. Weeks later, he stepped down from the board of his foundation, Livestrong. It is unclear whether Armstrong would face criminal prosecution for perjury should he confess. Armstrong was involved in several cases where he gave sworn testimony that he never used banned drugs. CNN's Jillian Martin and Chelsea J. Carter contributed to this report. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Lance Armstrong has agreed to 90-minute interview, Oprah Winfrey's network announces . Release says Armstrong is expected to talk about doping allegations . Armstrong has been working out in Hawaii, doing triathlon training . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Lance Armstrong has agreed to 90-minute interview, Oprah Winfrey's network announces . Release says Armstrong is expected to talk about doping allegations . Armstrong has been working out in Hawaii, doing triathlon training .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Charles Sale . Follow @@charliesale . Roy Hodgson has scheduled an unprecedented meeting with England fans in Florida as part of his pre-World Cup charm offensive. The manager is due to take part in a question-and-answer session in downtown Miami on Thursday despite his England team being just a week away from their first game against Italy. Grilling: Roy Hodgson will sit down with fans in Florida ahead of the World Cup . The willingness of Hodgson to engage with fans contrasts with the approach of his predecessors, who might have taken part in stage-managed sponsorship events in the UK but never on the road with a tournament beckoning. After a remarkably calm build-up to Brazil, Hodgson’s dilemma over whether to play the out-of-form Wayne Rooney in Manaus on June 14 will surely be a subject he is asked about. And fans will not countenance FA spin doctors deciding what questions can be put to Hodgson, with even a query about David Beckham being ruled out at the last Press briefing. ................................................................................................... Steve Peters, the sports psychiatrist with the England World Cup party, sat in on Roy Hodgson’s pre-match media conferences at The Grove last Thursday. But it would have been far more beneficial for him to witness Hodgson in interviews straight after games when the pressure on any manager is so much greater. ................................................................................................... Pele is not just cashing in on the World Cup. Legends 10, run by former Tottenham director Paul Kemsley, have bought the Brazil icon’s intellectual property rights and are doing as many deals as possible to take advantage of the 2016 Rio Olympics build-up. It will not be one of his bigger paydays but Pele has agreed to do an interview with Gary Lineker which the BBC football presenter is flying out to Brazil early to record. ................................................................................................... Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore, who has promised to meet various anti-discrimination groups in the wake of his sexist email exchanges with TV rights lawyer Nick West, has started at the top. Scudamore had a meeting at the  Ritz last week with CONCACAF confederation chief Jeffrey Webb, who heads FIFA’s anti-discrimination task force. ................................................................................................... Former FA vice-chairman David Dein, one of football’s great networkers, is expected to help Greg Dyke implement his commission findings. FA chairman Dyke, who is likely to receive a negative reception to his B team proposals at the Football League conference this week, needs all the support he can get to ensure his recommendations aren’t kicked into the long grass. And Dein, a close contact of Dyke’s since they were both part of the Premier League formation group, is understood to have discussed how he could assist — having strong views himself on improving the England team. An official role for Dein has yet to be agreed. Helping hand: Ex-FA vice-chairman David Dein is expected to help Dyke implement his commission findings . Culture secretary Sajid Javid has shown little interest in sport since arriving at the DCMS. But that is not stopping him taking a trip to Brazil for England’s third group game against Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte on June 24.  Minister for Sport Helen Grant will be in Sao Paulo for the Uruguay match on June 19. FIFA snub to Cameron . The email files of disgraced former FIFA ExCo member Mohamed bin Hammam might not be the smoking gun that derails the 2022 Qatar World Cup, but they give more detail about England’s doomed 2018 bid. It is now clear that in the build-up to the Zurich election, Baroness Amos, Prince Andrew and David Cameron all failed to get time with Bin Hammam, whose vote they were courting. Meanwhile, just as the Premier League are considering a police complaint over secretary Rani Abraham acquiring chief executive  Richard Scudamore’s private emails so, it is understood, is Bin Hammam over how the  Sunday Times gained possession of his cache. Good luck message: Cameron visited England during their training session at St George's Park on Thursday . Sven Goran Eriksson, now coaching in China, jumped at every commercial opportunity during his time in charge of the England team. And the Swede has chosen the eve of the World Cup to launch his own red and white Italian wines for the Scandinavian market — named, unimaginatively, Sven. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] England boss Hodgson has scheduled a meeting with England fans in Florida . Pele has agreed to do an interview with Gary Lineker for BBC . Richard Scudamore had a meeting last weekw ith CONCACAF chief Jeffrey Webb, head of FIFA's anti-discrimination task force . Former FA vice-chairman David Dein is expected to help Greg Dyke implement his commission findings . [/SUMMARY]</s>

England boss Hodgson has scheduled a meeting with England fans in Florida . Pele has agreed to do an interview with Gary Lineker for BBC . Richard Scudamore had a meeting last weekw ith CONCACAF chief Jeffrey Webb, head of FIFA's anti-discrimination task force . Former FA vice-chairman David Dein is expected to help Greg Dyke implement his commission findings .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Chris Pleasance . A father accidentally shot his two-year-old son in the head during a domestic row the the boy's mother early yesterday morning, according to police. Officers say Derrice Alexander, 23, killed his son after firing a gun at the outside of of his house in Cleveland, hitting the boy in the head as he stood on the upstairs landing by a window. Derrice Alexander Jr, known by has family as 'Baby Reece', was rushed to Lutheran Hospital at around 5.30am but could not be saved. Scroll down for video . Derrice Alexander, 23, has been arrested after police say he shot his two-year-old son in the head during a domestic argument on Tuesday morning . Derrice Alexander, two, died after a bullet hit him in the head while he was standing on the upstairs landing . Fox 8 Cleveland reports that the boy's mother, who has not been identified, sat in the street cradling the child until medics arrived. Police say Alexander had been involved in a verbal and physical fight with the boy's mother before storming out of the house at 2522(B) Division Street into a shared garden. As he left he turned back and fired one shot into the property, hitting his son who had woken up and was standing on the upstairs landing. According to witnesses, Alexander threw the gun in a trash can, then drove through a metal fence before arriving at the boy's grandmother's house. She told reporters that Alexander was trying to kill himself when he arrived, said he did not mean to hurt the boy, and was 'devastated' over the death. She added that Alexander was eventually turned over to the authorities by relatives. Officers say Alexander stormed out of his house on Division Street, Cleveland (pictured) after arguing with the boy's mother. They say he turned and fired one shot back at the property, which killed the boy . He was arrested at around 8.15am and is said to be cooperating with the investigation but has not yet been charged. Police say Alexander was a felon who should never have had a gun, though declined to comment further on his previous convictions. Officers added that there was a history of domestic violence at the address. Ed Tomba, the deputy chief of Cleveland police, said: 'Any time there’s a weapon involved and intimate partner relationships, emotions are running high, it’s a recipe for disaster and tragedy.' [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Police say Derrice Alexander, 23, killed son firing at the outside of his house . Alexander 'stormed out after argument, firing one shot back at property' Derrice Alexander Jr, two, hit in the head as he stood on stairs by a window . Alexander arrested after fleeing to relative's house and 'trying to kill himself' Police say he is a convicted felon who was not allowed to own a gun . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Police say Derrice Alexander, 23, killed son firing at the outside of his house . Alexander 'stormed out after argument, firing one shot back at property' Derrice Alexander Jr, two, hit in the head as he stood on stairs by a window . Alexander arrested after fleeing to relative's house and 'trying to kill himself' Police say he is a convicted felon who was not allowed to own a gun .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Lizzie Edmonds . Bungling military officials erected a 10ft fence around a US Air Force memorial in case it 'offended Libyan soldiers'. The 'Memphis Belle' monument was erected at RAF Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, to honour the USAF's Eighth Air Force - who were based there during the Second World War. Memphis Bell was the nickname given to the Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress bombers flown by the 91st Bomb Group (Heavy) - which suffered huge losses of men between 1942 and 1945. The US Air Force Memorial was erected at RAF Bassingbourn 20 years ago, left, but was fenced up, right, when it was announced that 2,000 Libyan soldiers were due to relocate to the base for training . But the structure was fenced off when it was announced that 2,000 Libyan soldiers were to be trained at the base. The Libyans will spend two months training at the base as part of efforts to help disarm the country's government after the removal of despot Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. After an uproar from enthusiasts and locals alike, officials have now removed the 10ft fence. The commander responsible for erecting it will be investigated in a Ministry of Defence probe. A ministry source said the official was 'some bloke with a clipboard' who oversaw an extraordinary 'error of judgement'. No official comment has been made as to why the fence was put around the monument but the source said: 'I expect the rationale was it might offend the Libyans.' The 'Memphis Belle' tribute - named after the bombers the USAF's Eight Air Force flew - from afar. The fence has since been removed following an outcry from locals and enthusiasts alike - and a Ministry of Defence probe launched into the incident . Entrance to Bassingbourn Barracks, Cambridgeshire, which was home to the force throughout the Second World War. The 91st Bomb Group which operated the Memphis Belle lost 197 of its aircraft during the conflict . The memorial was erected 20 years ago and USAF veterans frequently make pilgrimages to England to see it to remember their fallen comrades. One group that regularly visits, Friends of the Eighth, formed almost 40 years ago. Peter Worby, 55, a long-standing member of the group, said: 'I am glad someone has seen sense but this was a disgusting insult to the memory of the young airmen who died saving our bacon. 'The MoD should be hugely embarrassed by this - they should be promoting these memorials, not shunning them.' A Facebook page was set up to shame the base after the memorial, which features the propeller of a B-17 bomber, was fenced off. One member said: 'We are not going to let the veterans down and those who died for us. General Davers shakes hands with pilot Captain Robert Morgan as the crew prepare to return to the US from an 8th Amy Air Station in England . The Memphis Belle aircraft on display at the Duxford Air Show. The bombers inspired the 1990 film of the same name as well as a 1944 documentary . 'If the MoD wants a row they have got one. We owe the veterans more than we can ever hope to repay - letting them or their memory down doesn't even enter the picture.' The USFA's Eighth Air Force was based at RAF Bassingbourn during the Second World War. Its 91st Bomb Group (Heavy) - who were known unofficially as 'The Ragged Irregulars' operated B017 Flying Fortress aircraft, otherwise known as the Memphis Belle bombers. Between 1942 and 1945, the unit suffered the largest number of losses of any heavy bomb group - losing 197 of its 340 aircraft in 340 operational missions. 887 of the crew were killed - around 19 per cent - and 123 were declared missing in action. Another branded the move 'disgusting', adding: 'Why do we have to put up with Britain as it is today ? It’s all going down the pan.' The 91st Bomb Group (Heavy), whose duty it was to fly in the B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft, suffered the greatest number of losses of any heavy bomb group between 1942 and 1945. The elite unit within the Eighth Air Force participated in 340 operational missions losing 197 of its aircrafts. 887 of the crew were killed - around 19 per cent - and 123 were declared missing in action. Their missions inspired both a 1944 documentary film called Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress, and a 1990 Hollywood feature film Memphis Belle. A Defence Infrastructure Organisation . spokesman said: 'A temporary screen was erected around the US War . Memorial at Bassingbourn. This has now been removed.' Libyan armed forces will be taught basic infantry skills as part of a two-month course starting next month at RAF Bassingbourn. It is part of efforts to help the Libyan government disarm and integrate militias and improve stability following the toppling of despot Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. US-Libyan relations have been strained since President Ronald Reagan ordered air strikes, code-named Operation El Dorado Canyon, in 1986. In 2011 America led military intervention in Libya and, with British naval forces, fired more than 110 Tomahawk cruise missiles during the civil war. Memphis Belle (cast pictured right) was written by Monte Merrick and directed by Michael Caton-Jones. It had an all-star cast including Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz and Harry Connick Jr. The film was a fictional account of the of the 1943 documentary called Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress. It was about the final, 25th mission, of the Memphis Belle. The plot of the film is as follows. In May 1943, the crew are grounded while their aircraft is repaired. Squadron aircraft begin to arrive back - but as the last bomber makes its final descent, it gets in to trouble just before landing.  It explodes, killing its crew. The next day, officers are told their target for the day is Bremen, Germany - information which riles the experienced men. They are told the squadron will be leading the attack with another 350 aircraft in their bomb group. The bombers suffer significant losses during the mission and at one point, the Belle is then tasked to lead. The remaining squadron aircraft return to the base without the Belle and they wait for its return. In a tense final few scenes, its men struggle to land the bomber - narrowly missing a crash landing. The film finishes with a dedication to all those who lost their lives in the conflict. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Monument erected at RAF Bassingbourn to honour USAF Eighth Air Force . 'Memphis Belle' tribute fenced off when Libyan soldiers relocated to base . After outrage from enthusiasts and locals, it has now been removed . Ministry source slammed official responsible as 'some bloke with a clipboard' He will now be investigated in a Ministry of Defence probe, a source says . Memphis Belle is the nickname given to crafts flown by 91st Bomb Group . They suffered catastrophic losses during the Second World War . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Monument erected at RAF Bassingbourn to honour USAF Eighth Air Force . 'Memphis Belle' tribute fenced off when Libyan soldiers relocated to base . After outrage from enthusiasts and locals, it has now been removed . Ministry source slammed official responsible as 'some bloke with a clipboard' He will now be investigated in a Ministry of Defence probe, a source says . Memphis Belle is the nickname given to crafts flown by 91st Bomb Group . They suffered catastrophic losses during the Second World War .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 01:07 EST, 20 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:58 EST, 21 October 2012 . Mystery surrounds the alleged killer of Oregon Starbucks barista Whitney Heichel. Her 24-year-old neighbour Jonathan Holt was arrested over her killing after the 21-year-old's body was found hidden on a mountainside on Friday night. But police are refusing to release any more information about him other than the fact that he was an acquaintance of both her and her husband. The body of Whitney Heichel, 21, was found on Larch Mountain, a remote forested area east of Gresham, Police Chief Craig Junginger told a news conference. After collecting DNA and fingerprints and conducting three interviews over several days, police arrested n Holt, who lived in the same apartment complex as Heichel and her husband. Scroll down for video . Body found: Police have found the body of Whitney Heichel, pictured with her husband Clint, who vanished on her way to work on Tuesday . Accused: Police arrested Heichel's neighbor, Jonathan Holt, 24, after his stories to police didn't add up . Holt, who knew Heichel and her husband, was arrested after police found inconsistencies in the stories that he told investigators over the course of two interviews. Police said he is also tied to the crime by DNA evidence -- though they would not elaborate. A motive for the horrific crime in unknown. Police did not comment on whether they have a theory of what led to the killing. The Starbucks barista reportedly left . her apartment for work at about 6:45am on Tuesday on a drive that . typically takes less than five minutes. Her husband, Clint, called police . roughly three hours later. He told investigators he tried to reach . Heichel multiple times after her boss alerted him that she never arrived . for her 7am shift. Police said Heichel's ATM card was . used at a nearby Troutdale gas station at 9:14am on Tuesday. Two hours . later, her sport utility vehicle was found in a Wal-Mart parking lot . with the passenger side window smashed. A child later found her cell phone in . a field that lies between the gas station and the Wal-Mart, giving . investigators another venue to search. Jim Vaughn, a family spokesman, spoke at the Friday night news conference, thanking police for their commitment in the case. 'Really, words can't begin to express the sadness that our families are experiencing tonight,' Vaughn said. He asked for privacy for the family. Police took no questions. At a press conference on Thursday, Heichel's husband sobbed uncontrollably and was hardly able to utter a word . as the missing woman’s mother begged for her daughter's safe return. 'It hurts to breathe right now,' Lorilei Ritmiller told reporters while . speaking of 21-year-old Whitney Heichel. 'But we just want to find her . and we're not going to stop.' Heichel . was reported missing by her husband, Clint Heichel, after she failed to . show for her 7am shift at a Starbucks in the Portland suburb of . Gresham. The drive from her apartment complex to the coffee shop takes . less than five minutes. Heart-rending: Clint Heichel, husband of Whitney Heichel, 21, broke down as he attempted to speak at a press conference on Thursday . Just hours after Thursday’s emotional . press conference, children playing in an apartment complex several miles . away from Heichel’s home found what is believed to be the missing . woman’s cell phone. Parents of one of the children told . KATU that the device was spotted in bushes outside the Troutdale Terrace . Apartments on Thursday evening. The family said the phone had a . screensaver of a picture of Heichel and text messages from her relatives . asking if she was okay. 'I was pretty shocked. I mean I knew right away ... I recognized the face,' April Fletcher, the mother of one the girls, told ABC News. Search: A map of Gresham, Oregon shows the short distance between Heichel's home and her work, and the spot where he cell phone was found . The . apartment complex is about four miles away from Heichel's home in . Gresham. Investigators said . Heichel's ATM card was used at a Troutdale gas station at 9.14 am. Two . hours later, her sport utility vehicle was found in the Wal-Mart parking . lot in Wood Village with the passenger side window smashed. Gresham police said at the press conference on Thursday that they had interviewed the Troutdale gas station attendant, examined surveillance video and canvassed the neighborhood where Heichel lives. Lt. Claudio Grandjean declined to say if Heichel was seen after 7am, or to say who may have been driving her SUV. Distraught: Sobbing Clint Heichel gets a hug from Lorilei Ritmiller, Whitney's mother, during a press conference on Thursday . Desperate plea: While Clint Heichel, left, was too overcome with emotion to speak to reporters, her mother, right, begged for the 21-year-old's safe return before her remains were found on Friday . Police said they recovered potential . evidence during searches of Dodge Park and Larch Mountain, remote, . forested places east of Gresham where they believe the SUV was on Tuesday . morning. 'There has been . property recovered at different locations, but we can't positively say . that that property is related to this,' Chief Junginger . said. Ritmiller said her . daughter's nickname within the family is 'Mama,' because she's always . been like a second mother to everybody, including her six siblings. Ritmiller . added that her daughter was a hard worker, a devoted Jehovah's Witness . with a 'heart as big as the sun,' and her greatest hope was to have . children of her own. 'She's wanted to be a mama since she was two years old and I brought her sister home,' she said. 'That was just her biggest hope, to have babies.' Grandjean said police received 25 phone tips on Wednesday and another 21 that night. Two dozen detectives were assigned to the case that had been classified as a suspicious disappearance. Though he acknowledged that the first 48 hours are very important in a missing-person case, he stressed that the case is far from cold. Tragic: Six hours after she left home, her car was found with a smashed window in a parking lot . Extensive search: Clint alerted authorities after Heichel failed to turn up for work on Tuesday in Gresham, Oregon . 'The leads and the evidence we've . gathered have not gone cold, and so we continue to push forward until we . find Whitney,' he on Thursday. Friends . said that a gas station attendant claimed that Heichel's vehicle, which was found with the window smashed in, had been driven . by a man, who was acting 'suspicious and hurried', as Heichel sat in the . passenger seat. Her husband, Clint Heichel, told Fox 12 that he learned of his wife's disappearance when her manager at Starbucks called to say she had not arrived for her shift. 'She got dressed this morning, normal everything. Kissed me goodbye, said goodbye,' he said on Tuesday. '(At) about 8:15 her boss called me and said, "Hey, I was just curious, did . Whitney decide to be sick or not feeling well? Have you seen her or . talked to her?"' he told KATU. Mr Heichel tried calling and texting her, but she did not respond. Abandoned: Her black 1999 Ford Explorer was found in a WalMart parking lot four miles from her home with a window smashed. It looked as if it had been rummaged through, friends said . Targeted: Police confirmed that her SUV was seen at a gas station before the vehicle was found in a car park . Worried, he drove to her parents' home . and then to a hospital in the area, as well as calling family and . friends to see if anyone knew of her whereabouts. When they could provide no further . information, he called police to report her missing at 9.56am, and . friends and family began distributing flyers and searching for her. Detectives learned that her vehicle, a black 1999 Ford Explorer, was seen and her ATM card was used at a gas station around four miles from her home at 9.14am. Her . missing poster claimed an attendant said the man driving the car bought a small amount of gas, but police could not confirm this. At 1pm, family and friends looking for . Heichel found her vehicle, with the passenger window smashed, at a Walmart in Wood Village. Details: Family and friends had been handing out flyers in the area in the hopes of gathering information before her body was found . It appeared as if someone had rummaged through the car, according to her missing poster. 'The passenger side window was busted . out, the backseats were down, there was mud on her tires, which it . wasn't that way the night before,' Clint Heichel said. 'It just is weird that we found her truck, completely off the path that she would take to go to work.' He added: 'Anyone who has a loved one or is . married knows if your spouse goes missing and there's no word... I don't . know what to say, I don't know what to think, I don't know what to do.' In their investigation, Gresham police looked at surveillance . video showing the SUV at the gas station, but said the video was poor quality and detectives were unable to see who was driving the car. Family and friends conducted an extensive search for the young woman, including setting up Facebook groups. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Police arrest 24-year-old male neighbour over aggravated murder . Whitney Heichel failed to turn up for her 7am shift on Tuesday . Children found cell phone four miles from Heichel's home . Her SUV was seen at a gas station two hours later 'driven by a suspicious-looking man as she sat in the passenger seat' Vehicle found in parking lot four miles from her home with window smashed . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Police arrest 24-year-old male neighbour over aggravated murder . Whitney Heichel failed to turn up for her 7am shift on Tuesday . Children found cell phone four miles from Heichel's home . Her SUV was seen at a gas station two hours later 'driven by a suspicious-looking man as she sat in the passenger seat' Vehicle found in parking lot four miles from her home with window smashed .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Jennifer Smith . PUBLISHED: . 12:52 EST, 19 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:49 EST, 19 September 2013 . Beverley Concannon will appear in court in October to face charges under the Animal Cruelty Act 2006 . The owner of four dogs that mauled a teenage girl to death has been charged with animal cruelty offences, it has emerged. Jade Lomas-Anderson, 14, died after she was attacked by the aggressive animals earlier this year. The dogs' owner, Beverley Concannon, from Worsley Hall, Wigan, has been charged with three offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. She will appear at Wigan Magistrates’ Court on October 1, Greater Manchester Police said. Jade's parents were outraged after the 45-year-old reportedly failed to apologise for her dogs' actions at the time of the incident. The charge comes after Jade's family launched an online campaign calling for a change in the law to make dog owners more responsible for their pets' actions. Justice for Jade seeks to amend the law so that police are able to prosecute owners of dogs that behave viciously. Over 10,000 people have signed the online petition, prompting the Government to extend the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to include private property. The Department of Environment, Food, Rural Affairs said: 'The Government takes a deed and breed approach in dealing with attacks by dogs and sees early intervention as a crucial way to prevent future attacks'. Jade was alone at a friend's house . in Chaucer Grove near Wigan when she was . attacked by two bull mastiffs and two Staffordshire bull . terriers on March 26. Witnesses said she was attacked by the dogs after entering a room holding a meat pie. Jade Lomas-Anderson, 14, was killed by the dogs in March after entering a room holding a meat pie . While one of the animals tried to snatch the food, the others dragged her body to the ground and mauled her to death. Police marksmen shot the dogs on arrival at the scene. At the time, Greater Manchester Police revealed there was insufficient evidence to pursue prosecution. A spokesman said: 'At this stage . of the inquiry, we do not have anything evidentially to categorically . prove a crime has been committed, therefore it is unlikely at this stage . we will be seeking to bring a prosecution,' but added: 'That is not to say that no prosecution will ever be brought'. Jade's parents said they wouldn't have let their daughter go to the property if they'd known the dogs were there. Buddy, a Bull Mastiff, was one of four dogs owned by Colcannon destroyed by armed police after the attack . A male Staffordshire Bull Terrier (right) and Bull Mastiff Neo (left) were also involved in the attack which took place in March . Mr Lomas-Anderson told The Sun in April: 'I feel so guilty about that - it's eating me up inside. Concannon is thought to have been in . hiding ever since the attack and her house has been sealed off by the . council following requests by the police. Mike Lomas-Anderson,33,  said he hoped the petition will lead to a change in the law to protect other families. If it reaches 100,000 signatures a debate will take place in the House of Commons. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Jade Lomas-Anderson, 14, was killed by the aggressive animals at her friend's house in March . The dogs' owner, Beverly Concannon, will appear in court in October to face charges under the Animal Cruelty Act 2006 . Justice for Jade petition wins 10,000 signatures calling for change in the law to make dog owners responsible for their pets' actions . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Jade Lomas-Anderson, 14, was killed by the aggressive animals at her friend's house in March . The dogs' owner, Beverly Concannon, will appear in court in October to face charges under the Animal Cruelty Act 2006 . Justice for Jade petition wins 10,000 signatures calling for change in the law to make dog owners responsible for their pets' actions .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Deni Kirkova . A good pair of SPANX is every woman's secret weapon to looking slim and slinky under a tight outfit. But even when it's time to bare all on the beach, the shapewear brand's got British women covered with their swimwear line infused with signature technology. The 2014 range comes in a range of jewel tones and flattering cuts, all encompassing that SPANX 'magic' in the lining. Riveting Ruched One Piece, £117, featuring 'supportive and firming' fabric . Dubbed SPANX Swim, the range has been flying off shelves in America since summer 2010 but now the brand are promoting it on British shores with their stylish 2014 range. The somewhat retro-style collection is inspired by 1950s and 60s glamour and Maylin-esque, nipped-in curves. Pieces feature sleek Spandex and nylon shell on the outside and the power of SPANX shapewear on the inside. Women can shop by dress and cup size for the perfect fit. Standout pieces include the signature black Riveting Ruched One Piece, £117, (pictured above) which features 'supportive and firming' fabric, moulded, underwired cups for ample bust support and feminine shirring to visually slim. Whittle Waistline Draped Tankini Top, £81. Inside, the power of SPANX shapewear; outside, Spandex shell (l) and Belted Beauty Halter Tankini Top, £81, inspired by retro 1960s glam, accentuates the waistline (r) All pieces in the range have flattering V necklines apart from the Braided Core One Piece and tankini which both feature an adjustable halter strap weaving into a plaited centre. The boho inspired fabric straps converge into a centre braid concealing lumps and bumps. Cleverly placed 'hardware' buckles on many styles are placed on the waistline or by the collarbone to emphasise slim and feminine areas of the body. Braided Core One Piece, £123, features chic bohemian braiding, shaping your figure to perfection . A . spokesperson explains why British women should go for SPANX Slim: 'For all of . you who wrote us and said you were tempted to wear your Spanx to the . beach… we just couldn't bear the thought of your tan lines! So, we put . the magic of Spanx inside the swimsuit. 'We . know how to make a woman look and feel her best and are using that . knowledge so you can forget the dreaded experience of trying on your . swimsuit in the dark, drink in hand. Now you can confidently suit up.' SPANX Swim is available from spanx.co.uk. Riveting Ruched One Piece Tropic Charge, £195 (l) and Whittle Waistline Draped Tankini Top Black, £135 (r) Braided Core One Piece, £123 (l) and Belted Beauty Halter Tankini Top Paradise Pink, £135 (r) [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Collection is inspired by retro glamour and Maylin-esque, nipped-in curves . Features Spandex shell on the outside and power of SPANX on the inside . Prices start at £81 and women can shop by dress and cup size . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Collection is inspired by retro glamour and Maylin-esque, nipped-in curves . Features Spandex shell on the outside and power of SPANX on the inside . Prices start at £81 and women can shop by dress and cup size .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . James Slack . Passport Office boss Paul Pugh offered a belated apology yesterday and admitted he had considered resigning over the shambles. Under hostile questioning from MPs, the chief executive – who is paid more £100,000-a-year – said he was 'sorry' for every case where service standards had not been met. But he denied presiding over an organisation in chaos - and insisted a backlog of around 480,000 cases was 'work in progress'. Apology: The head of the Passport Office, Paul Pugh gives evidence to Commons Home Affairs Committee at Portcullis House in London . Asked about images leaked by a whistle-blower, which showed boxes of passport applications piled up in Liverpool, Mr Pugh said the picture showed a 'well ordered, well controlled' holding area. He also defended the decision to launch a 'witch hunt' investigation to find the whistle-blower – saying anybody who had 'unauthorised contact with the media' must be identified. During a stormy session before Westminster's home affairs committee, Mr Pugh was repeatedly accused of putting holiday-makers summer holiday plans in jeopardy. Last week alone, 16,500 of the 165,000 passports that were issued were sent out late. Committee chairman Keith Vaz asked: 'Would you like to take this opportunity to apologise to all those who have been waiting? 'I have a sheaf of letters from members of the public, from members of parliament, who are very, very angry. You don't seem to recognise the fact that people are very upset and angry. Would you like to apologise?' Grilling: During a stormy session before Westminster's home affairs committee, Mr Pugh was repeatedly accused of putting holiday-makers summer holiday plans in jeopardy . Mr Pugh replied: 'I absolutely . recognise the anger and distress that some people have suffered and I . would like to put on record that yes, in every case where we haven't met . our service standards, where we haven't been able to meet the . customer's needs, yes, certainly, we are sorry for that.' 'Mr . Vaz, who revealed he had been forced to personally text the Home . Secretary to sort out the case of one constituent, asked: 'We can take . that as an apology?' 'Mr Pugh, who promised not to take a bonus next year, replied: 'It is an apology.' 'Labour MP Paul Flynn asked Mr Pugh if he had considered resigning, since that was what members of the public hit by the debacle would want.' 'He said he had considered quitting but it was his responsibility to lead the Passport Office through 'tough times. Mr Pugh denied a surge in citizenship approvals to migrants, who can then apply for their first passport, was to blame for the problem. 'He also insisted the decision to stop issuing passports from Britain's embassies overseas was not to blame. However, he admitted forecasts on the impact this decision would have had proved wrong. 'Officials had predicted an extra 350,000 cases would be dealt with in Britain. In fact, the figure was likely to be closer to 400,000. 'Mr Pugh could soon be facing a new crisis, MPs were told, as union leaders threaten to order a walkout at the Passport Office. Mike Jones, Home Office group secretary at the PCS Union, said senior officials wanted up to 600 new jobs and pay rises for their members. He said that, if managers do not open negotiations, the union could ballot for industrial action. Labour MP Ian Austin warned him this would cause severe inconvenience to 'hard-working families' who deserve a summer break. Mr Pugh said a strike would be 'extremely damaging to our customers and our public.' 'He denied claims by the PCS that a reduction of around 550 in the number of staff working in the Passport Office between 2010 and 2014 was to blame'In comments likely to infuriate the union, he said that, four years ago, some staff did not have enough work to do and would spend their days 'reading books'. Mr Jones said the Passport Office had 'lost control' of the backlog.' He said that at June this year the number of applications logged as work-in-progress stood at 493,289, up from 289,892 in March. This compares to 146,586 applications in June last year and 72,586 in March 2013.' 'MPs were frustrated that Mr Pugh had failed to deliver his own detailed figures to the committee. 'They set him a deadline of Friday lunchtime to comply. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Paul Pugh offered a belated apology when he was grilled by MPs . But he denied presiding over an organisation in chaos . He insisted 480,000 case backlog was 'work in progress' [/SUMMARY]</s>

Paul Pugh offered a belated apology when he was grilled by MPs . But he denied presiding over an organisation in chaos . He insisted 480,000 case backlog was 'work in progress'

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN) -- A Syrian general was gunned down in the heart of the capital on Saturday, according to state media, as fresh violence flared in several cities and world powers mulled a way to halt the government's bloody offensive against civilians. An "armed terrorist group" assassinated Brig. Gen. Issa al-Kholi, a military physician who was the director of Hamish Hospital, in front of his Damascus house Saturday morning, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency said. Three gunmen shot him to death, the media outlet said. The killing occurred "In the framework of targeting the Syrian intellectuals and the medical and technical cadres," SANA reported. "A number of efficient, skilled and specialized national cadres were assassinated by armed terrorist groups," said SANA, which cited the killings of a professor, a nuclear specialist, a teacher and a couple of engineers. Al-Kholi once headed the arthritis division at Tishreen Military Hospital and received medical training in Romania and Paris. Andrew Tabler, a Syria expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said al-Kholi is from a powerful Alawite military family and is a relative of Mohammed al-Kholi, the former head of air force intelligence under Hafez al-Assad, President Bashar al-Assad's father and predecessor. The al-Assad family is Alawite, a minority in Sunni-dominated Syria that has a major presence in the military and government. Tabler said air force intelligence is a powerful unit that is in charge of missile systems and investigating military defections. Hafez al-Assad was in that military branch. Jeffrey White, a defense analyst also at the institute, told CNN that al-Kholi was not likely a senior officer or affiliated with a key regime unit. White said he believed the assassination was the first of a higher-ranking Syrian officer in the capital. The capital has not been engulfed with the same kind of daily violence other cities have during the 11-month Syrian uprising, but the killing and recent attacks in Damascus could be a sign that the resistance is spreading to the seats of power. Free Syrian Army Lt. Col. Mohamed Hamado said al-Kholi is "definitely close to Bashar's inner circle" and that his family has been close to both Bashar al-Assad and his father. The FSA is the anti-regime resistance group led by military defectors. The deputy head of the Free Syrian Army said the killing could have been carried out by the regime itself. The al-Assad regime "is now assassinating and targeting anyone they suspect of joining the revolution or thinking of defecting. That may have been the case with General al-Kholi," Col. Malek Al Kurdi told CNN. Al Kurdi claims the regime "assassinated" the deputy head of the armed forces, Gen. Bassam Najm el-Din Antakiali, in September, even though state media reported that he died of an "acute heart attack." At least 30 people were killed in Syria on Saturday, including 12 in Homs, according to the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, a network of opposition activists. Homs, located in the country's west, is Syria's third largest city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, another opposition group, put Saturday's toll at 46, 32 of them civilians. Over the past week, 687 people, including 59 children, have died, the LCC reported late Saturday. About two-thirds of those occurred in Homs. "Today is the seventh day in a row we're under shelling -- nonstop bombardment," an activist named Omar said Saturday. He said government forces have surrounded the area with thousands of soldiers and dozens of tanks: "Not the normal tanks. Big tanks. Russian tanks." "We just want from Assad to give us permission to move the injured baby -- they are just the babies," Omar said, referring to al-Assad. "They have to leave the area to have a good treatment. ... He don't even let us save and treat our (injured) babies." Unrest rippled in the south as five men in the southern province of Daraa were killed when a a tank attacked them in the town of Al Musefra, LCC activist Abu Oudai said. They were among 13 people killed in Daraa, where the government security crackdown and the nationwide uprising started in mid-March. Funerals were held, meanwhile, for 39 members of the Syrian army and law enforcement units. SANA said the officers were targeted while on duty near Damascus and in Homs. World leaders have tried to pass resolutions denouncing the regime's bloody crackdown, but have been stymied by Russia and China in sending a unified message. Almost a week after Russia and China vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution intended to stop the killing, Saudi Arabia has drafted a similarly worded document -- but one that lacks the same punch. The Saudi draft resolution will be submitted to the U.N. General Assembly, where vetoes are not allowed, but resolutions are not legally binding. The three-page draft "strongly condemns" the violations of human rights by Syrian authorities. It cites "the use of force against civilians, arbitrary executions, killing and persecution of protesters, human rights defenders and journalists, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, interference with access to medical treatment, torture, sexual violence and ill-treatment, including against children." The text was provided to CNN by a diplomatic source on the condition that it not be posted in full because it could be amended. The U.N. General Assembly will convene Monday. Both Russia and China, which have major trade ties with Syria, have said they support an end to the violence but disagreed with the text of the draft resolution they rejected last week. "We do believe that, in order to stop violence, armed methods must be stopped not only by the government, but also by the opposition," said Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin. "That was the key flaw of the draft resolution." CNN cannot independently confirm details of the fighting in Syria because the government has severely limited the access of international journalists. But virtually all reports from within the country indicate al-Assad's forces are slaughtering protesters and other civilians en masse. Opposition activists in Homs describe relentless bomb explosions from Syrian forces, wounded people bleeding to death in the streets because they can't get medical attention and snipers picking off civilians running for cover. U.N. officials estimate 6,000 people have died since protests seeking al-Assad's ouster began nearly a year ago. The LCC says the toll has far exceeded 7,000. Al-Assad's regime has insisted its crackdown is aimed at armed gangs and foreign terrorists bent on destabilizing the regime. But U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford said the truth is obvious. "We know who's shelling Homs," he said. "It's not the opposition, it's the government." CNN's Salma Abdelaziz, Ivan Watson, Amir Ahmed, Joe Sterling, Richard Roth and journalist Mohamed Fadel Fahmy contributed to this report. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] NEW: Nearly 700 have died in past week, opposition group says . Slain Brig. Gen. Issa al-Kholi was a physician . Free Syrian Army officer says the regime could have killed the general . Violence rages in Homs, Daraa and the Damascus region . [/SUMMARY]</s>

NEW: Nearly 700 have died in past week, opposition group says . Slain Brig. Gen. Issa al-Kholi was a physician . Free Syrian Army officer says the regime could have killed the general . Violence rages in Homs, Daraa and the Damascus region .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:39 EST, 11 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:02 EST, 11 October 2012 . Sales of Big Bird costumes have skyrocketed in the run-up to Halloween ever since the Sesame Street character found itself thrust into the battle for the U.S. presidency. The 7ft bird has become the centre of frenzied debate after Mitt Romney professed his love for the children's favourite during last week's first presidential debate in Denver. Big Bird now looks set to play a leading role in this year's Halloween celebrations as a number of fancy dress stores have reported a surge of interest in the past few days. Scroll down for make-your-own-bird costume video . Yellow fever: Sales of Big Bird costumes, in particular these 'sassy' versions, have shot up as much as 500 per cent in some stores after the Sesame Street character was mentioned in last week's U.S. presidential debate . Romney's debate trick is a treat for business: The outfits, which come in a variety of designs, but most with a short, yellow dress, orange knee-highs and a bird headband, are flying off the shelves in time for Halloween . A representative from costumecraze.com said it had experienced a 500 per cent increase in sales of the 'sassy Big Bird adult costume' alone. Some versions of the outfit come with a short, yellow dress with orange knee-highs and a bird headband. Meanwhile, other Sesame Street characters - the sassy Cookie Monster and the sassy Elmo costume - had not seen a boost in sales. 'The 500 per cent increase must be due to Big Bird’s increased popularity post-debate,' the representative told ABC News. Mixed messages: Romney told of his fondness for Sesame Street during the presidential debate on PBS, but in the same breath said he would cut funding to the public broadcaster, which airs the children's programme . Debt-buster: Romney told the debate that he was going to stop borrowing money from China to 'pay for things we don't need' Costume World's CEO and founder Marilynn Wick said the avian puppet was also a hit in their stores. 'We have four store locations and all of them are selling out of the Big Bird costumes,' she added. Halloween . Express, which does not have a licence to sell the trademarked Big Bird . costumes, said it has had more than 400 searches for the . outfit on its website. Brad Butler, the firm's COO, said it had also seen an increase in sales of its chicken costume, which . resembles the Big Bird suit and includes the feet and yellow pants. Caught in the middle: Big Bird, seen here with Michelle Obama on Sesame Street, has been thrust into the battle for the presidency after Romney said he would cut funding to the broadcaster which airs the show . Spitting feathers: Barack Obama's Democrats responded by releasing a video (above) featuring Big Bird which mocks Mr Romney for taking aim at PBS rather than cracking down on financial fraud . The interest all started last week when Romney told of his fondness for Sesame Street during the presidential debate on PBS, but in the same breath said he would cut funding to the public broadcaster, which airs the children's programme. He said: 'I'm sorry Jim (the debate moderator), I'm going to stop the subsidy to PBS. 'I like PBS - I love Big Bird, I actually like you, too, but I'm going to stop borrowing money from China to pay for things we don't need.' Barack Obama responded by releasing a video featuring Big Bird which mocks Mr Romney for taking aim at PBS rather than cracking down on financial fraud. Sesame Street has criticised the Obama campaign for exploiting their character and demanded that the campaign advert be cancelled and removed from the internet. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Sales of 'sassy' Big Bird outfits up 500% in days since presidential debate . Romney said he loved Sesame Street character, but wants to cut funding to the broadcaster . Obama responds by releasing video featuring Big Bird mocking Republican . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Sales of 'sassy' Big Bird outfits up 500% in days since presidential debate . Romney said he loved Sesame Street character, but wants to cut funding to the broadcaster . Obama responds by releasing video featuring Big Bird mocking Republican .

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<s>[ARTICLE] DENDERMONDE, Belgium (CNN) -- Authorities have charged a 20-year-old man with murder and attempted murder in a stabbing rampage at a Belgian nursery school that left two children and a staff member dead and a dozen others wounded. A family pays tribute Friday evening outside the nursery school in Dendermonde, Belgium. The regional prosecutor's office identified the man, who has been in custody since Friday, as Kim D., and would not release his last name. They said he lives alone in Sinaai, a city about 20 kilometers (12 miles) outside of Dendermonde. He has no police record and is unemployed, the office said. Authorities allege the man, whose face was painted white with black rings around his eyes, entered the Fabeltjesland (Fable Land) nursery school midmorning Friday and began stabbing those inside. He entered the building through a side door, typically only used by parents who are late in arriving to pick up their children from the school, authorities said. Once inside, he went through several rooms in the center. The dead included the head of the nursery, a woman in her 60s who was well known in the town, residents said. The other victims were young; the nursery cared for children up to the age of three. Watch report on attack » . Authorities caught up with him about an hour-and-a-half later after the attack ended, the ministry said. At the time of his arrest, he had on him a knife, an ax and a fake pistol. He was wearing a bullet-proof vest, authorities said. Two other knives were found at the nursery school, but it has not been confirmed whether they were used in the attack. Kim D. has said nothing to authorities regarding the attack, the prosecutor's office said. Authorities have searched his home, but they did not release any information from the search. Watch description of what happened » . The suspect, who is being held in jail, is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning. The judge has assigned three doctors to monitor him, authorities said. Earlier, authorities said he was not registered with any psychiatric institution. Dendermonde, about 16 miles northwest of Brussels, is a tight-knit community of about 40,000 people, residents said. Fabeltjesland lies off a park and is not easy to find from the road. On Saturday, the nursery stood quiet and boarded up, with tributes of flowers, cuddly toys and cards left outside. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Two children, one adult killed in attack at Belgian nursery school Friday . Tributes including cards, cuddly toys, flowers left outside boarded-up nursery . NEW: Authorities: Suspect was also carrying an ax, bulletproof vest, fake pistol . Attack happened in town of Dendermonde, about 16 miles northwest of Brussels . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Two children, one adult killed in attack at Belgian nursery school Friday . Tributes including cards, cuddly toys, flowers left outside boarded-up nursery . NEW: Authorities: Suspect was also carrying an ax, bulletproof vest, fake pistol . Attack happened in town of Dendermonde, about 16 miles northwest of Brussels .

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN) -- On the track, Regina Frazer is known humbly as saBOBtage. The pre-school teacher is co-captain of the Fairbanks Rollergirls in Alaska. As a jammer, it's her job to get past the opposing team's blockers to score points. Frazer's size, strength and speed make her ideal for the position. That wasn't always the case. When Frazer first joined the league in September 2009, she weighed close to 260 pounds. She could barely complete 25 laps on the track without feeling sick. Since then she's lost 100 pounds and 75 inches from her 5-foot, 7-inch frame. Learn more abut saBOBtage's story on iReport . "It's been incredible," says Frazer's teammate Kristen Thomas, a.k.a. Qwerty. "She went from an overweight asthmatic who was on the slower side... to become one of the fastest skaters that we have." When Frazer and her husband, Steve, first moved to Fairbanks 14 years ago, they lived in what's called the bush. It's a term used to describe rural portions of the state where transportation and other modern conveniences are spotty at best. In the bush, residents rely on packaged food and whatever they can hunt. Frazer had just given birth to son Morgen. On a diet of Ramen noodles, spaghetti and caribou meat, she had difficulty taking off the pregnancy weight. Over time she and Steve packed on more insulation against the cold. In 2009, 65% of adults in Alaska were overweight or obese, according to the state's Department of Health and Social Services. And more than three-quarters of adults did not consume the recommend five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Food has to be shipped to Alaska, making fresh produce expensive, even in metropolitan areas. And with subarctic temperatures that often drop below zero, staying active outdoors is out of the question. Moving to Fairbanks opened up healthy opportunities for Frazer's family. But it wasn't until she put on her first pair of skates that she realized just how much her weight was slowing her down. "My teammates liked my size -- I could use my weight to move people and be in their way," she remembers. "But I couldn't move very fast." In the fall of 2011, Frazer's teammates voted her co-captain of the roller derby team. "It just kind of hit me," she says. "I needed to be a leader, and I felt like I needed to be an athletic leader. That was kind of the turning point." Frazer talked to her husband and the pair did a complete overhaul of their diet. They reduced the amount of sugar they were eating, swapped white bread for whole grain and started planning high-protein meals with lots of vegetables. They cut out fast food and added daily exercise to their routine. On the new plan, Frazer's husband and son also lost weight. Steve has now dropped more than 90 pounds. They've also supported Frazer in her journey on the track, adopting derby nicknames: Steve as bench coach "Burley" and 14-year-old Morgen as "Trucker Chuck." Frazer has gone from a size 22 to a size 8. She can now skate 100 laps with no problem and no longer feels clumsy on her feet. "I think she's always had fun," her teammate Thomas says. "Now she feels empowered to do whatever she puts her mind to. She doesn't feel as limited. She's faster on her feet. She's more comfortable in her body." She's also inspired her team and her community. Thomas' partner has lost 50 pounds with Frazer's help, and "she's inspired a lot of members of our league to take care of themselves." Frazer has noticed the difference in her day job too. As a special needs teacher, she moves around a lot during the day -- crouching down to speak to a child then standing back up to take charge. "I would go home at the end of the day feeling so tired," she says. "Now it doesn't even faze me. My energy level is so outstanding -- I love it!" Roller derby is kind of like football on wheels. The hits can be hard, but the camaraderie is stronger. After events the competing teams often go out together to socialize with beer and bar food. This could have been Frazer's downfall. "[I'd hear] 'Why aren't you eating? You should have this. It's OK,'" she says. Instead of indulging, she carried around a cup of hot liquid, be it coffee, tea or chicken broth. For some reason, the hot beverage quelled her cravings. Still, Frazer credits her weight loss to the supportive roller derby community. She says she loves meeting new women whom she otherwise wouldn't know. Being a skater brings out the best in people, she says, whether it's a competitive spirit or a slimmer self. Have you lost weight? Share your story on iReport . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Alaskan woman joins roller derby team at 260 pounds . Skating helps her find the motivation to adopt a healthier lifestyle . Daily exercise and diet changes helped her lose 100 pounds . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Alaskan woman joins roller derby team at 260 pounds . Skating helps her find the motivation to adopt a healthier lifestyle . Daily exercise and diet changes helped her lose 100 pounds .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Chris Parsons . Last updated at 3:12 PM on 28th December 2011 . Comments (4) Share . DM.has('shareLink', 'sociallinks', { . 'id': '2079404', . 'eTitle': 'McDonalds+to+give+customers+free+coffee+%27as+helping+hand+in+challenging+eco', . 'eUrl': 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-2079404%2FMcDonalds-customers-free-coffee-helping-hand-challenging-economic-climate.html', . 'eShortUrl': 'http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FuvBOkV', . 'eDesc': 'From+January+2%2C+all+local+branches+of+the+fast+food+chain+throughout+Northern+California+will+offer+a+free+small+Premium+Roast+Coffee+with+no+purchase+necessary.' }); . McDonalds will give free coffee to customers across Northern California as of January 2 . Branches of McDonalds in Northern California are to give away free cups of coffee to 'offer a helping hand at the start of the new year'. From January 2, all local branches of the fast food chain throughout Northern California will offer a free small Premium Roast Coffee with no purchase necessary. McDonalds say the initiative is a way of saying 'thank you', and to give customers a helping hand in the new year. Steven Ramirez, a local McDonald’s restaurant owner from Elk Grove, said: 'In this challenging economic climate, we know that many are struggling to make ends meet and this is our way of lending support during these difficult times. 'As the holiday season comes to a close and budgets become tight, we hope this program will offer some comfort to our community and also warm them up a little during this cold, winter season. McDonalds' free coffee programme will last for two weeks across 14 counties in Northern California. The programme is not the first time McDonalds has given away free coffee to customers in American. In Apil, the chain gave coffee away to diners at its Western Washington drive-through locations for two weeks. The participating counties are: Sacramento, Placer, Nevada, Sutter, Yuba, Yolo, El Dorado (not including S. Lake Tahoe restaurants), Solano (not including restaurants west of Fairfield), San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Colusa. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Food chain gives free drinks across Northern California . Offer to last two weeks as 'thank you' to customers . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Food chain gives free drinks across Northern California . Offer to last two weeks as 'thank you' to customers .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 11:38 EST, 7 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:40 EST, 7 January 2013 . They may look cute and cuddly, but these puppies will soon be helping to bring down the toughest criminals in Britain. They are being trained by West . Midlands Police as specialist search dogs hunting for weapons, drugs, . cash, stolen items or explosives and the evidence they will uncover is . often crucial in securing convictions. The Springer spaniels - three boys and . six girls - were born on December 8 into the 'O' litter and are named . Odem, Orville, Osca, Oreo, Olivia, Olympia, Oriel, Oxo and Oasis. Ruff justice: These nine springer spaniel puppies are being trained by West Midlands Police to become the next breed of sniffer dogs . Pet patrol: The Springer spaniels - three boys and six girls - were born on December 8 into the 'O' litter and are named Odem, Orville, Osca, Oreo, Olivia, Olympia, Oriel, Oxo and Oasis . West Midlands Police asked Twitter users to name the new recruits by using the hashtag £nameourpups. Breed scheme manager Dave Raymond, said: 'Clearly a few Baggies fans entered as Odemwingie was tweeted in a few times and I don't think Opium is appropriate for a police dog. 'It's the first time we've turned to our Twitter followers for help naming our puppies and it's proved hugely successful. 'The pups are 20 days old now; their eyes are open and they're starting to get a bit more adventurous. In the next few days we'll be weaning them on milk away from mum Grace and also introducing a few rags and toys for them to play with. 'We'll keep everyone updated on the pups' progress with regular photos and videos.' Canine cops: Breed scheme manager Dave Raymond cuddles one of the pups (left), while another of the breed tries a police helmet out for size (right) Turning to the web: Mr Arnett asked Twitter users to come up with the names of the new brood . The force runs the largest, most . successful police dog breed scheme in the UK with more than 80 per cent . of all dogs going through the training programme becoming operational. Any that don't make the grade are sold as working dogs or given to good homes. Mr Raymond said: 'Brood bitches are selected for their exemplary search skills, stability, responsiveness and temperament. 'They have blood and eye tests to make sure they don't pass on any hereditary conditions.' New recruits: The pups were born to mother Grace and father Tom, a five-year-old explosives search specialist . Mother Grace was born into the breed scheme in August 2009. This is her second litter and, in line with Kennel Club guidelines, she'll have no more than four in her lifetime and only one in any 12-month period. In between, she enjoys life at home with volunteers as a family pet. O Litter's dad is West Midlands Police Dog Tom, a five-year-old explosives search specialist. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Nine dogs are the newest recruits in West . Midlands Police force . They are being trained to hunt for weapons, cash and explosives . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Nine dogs are the newest recruits in West . Midlands Police force . They are being trained to hunt for weapons, cash and explosives .

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<s>[ARTICLE] A suspected serial bank robber wanted in incidents in three East Coast states has been arrested in Medford, New York, the FBI said Tuesday. Agents and New York police arrested Luis Alomar, 37, around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, the agency said in a statement. It didn't provide details of where he was arrested in the Long Island community or how he was located. The FBI had sought the public's help Monday in finding Alomar, who is suspected of robbing 20 banks in New York, New Jersey and Delaware. Alomar allegedly flashed a gun at tellers in some of the robberies, sometimes threatening to shoot them if they said anything, the FBI said. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Suspected serial bank robber arrested in Medford, New York . Luis Alomar is suspected in 20 robberies in three states . The FBI had asked for public's help in finding Alomar . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Suspected serial bank robber arrested in Medford, New York . Luis Alomar is suspected in 20 robberies in three states . The FBI had asked for public's help in finding Alomar .

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN) -- Fireworks continued to erupt between Bolivia and Peru over a costume worn at this year's Miss Universe pageant. Last week, during the national costume part of the competition, Miss Peru, Karen Schwarz, wore an Andean-inspired outfit featuring a headpiece with large horns based on the costume used in the traditional Diablada, or deviled, folk dance. In wearing the outfit, Schwarz unwittingly set off a firestorm in Bolivia, whose culture minister Pablo Groux threatened to go to the International Court of Justice in The Hague to claim that the Diablada belongs to Bolivia's culture and no one else. Bolivia sent a letter to the Miss Universe organizers, citing evidence that the dance has its roots in Bolivia and distinctly belongs to the country, Bolivia's state-run news agency ABI reported. Bolivia dancers showcased the Diablada at events in Washington and Panama, and Bolivia's ambassador to France summed up the country's stance, according to ABI: "We ask that urgent, adequate, opportune and pertinent measures be taken to protect Bolivian cultural patrimony and the respect of the origin of our customs and ancient traditions." Peruvian officials have said that the Diablada folk dance has its roots in both countries. Bolivia has no grounds to claim the dance in the international court, countered Peru's director of its National Institute of Culture, Cecilia Bakula told the newspaper El Comercio. "This issue should stop because we can't lose tolerance or respect between both countries over things like this," Schwarz said in an interview with Bolivian media. "We have a dance that unites us because the Diablada is danced in Bolivia and Peru." The cultural dispute comes at a time of political disagreement between the countries relating to maritime access at the border between Chile and Peru. Peruvian President Alan Garcia has accused Chile and land-locked Bolivia of negotiating an under-the-table deal that would leave Peru out. On Monday Peru said it was taking its own case to the International Court of Justice over the maritime dispute. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Miss Peru, Karen Schwarz, set off firestorm in Bolivia with Andean-inspired outfit . Bolivia's cultural minister threatens to go to international court . Report: Peru cultural director says Bolivia has no grounds to claim dance . Peru also threatens to go to court: over maritime dispute with Chile and Bolivia . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Miss Peru, Karen Schwarz, set off firestorm in Bolivia with Andean-inspired outfit . Bolivia's cultural minister threatens to go to international court . Report: Peru cultural director says Bolivia has no grounds to claim dance . Peru also threatens to go to court: over maritime dispute with Chile and Bolivia .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 03:50 EST, 23 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:50 EST, 23 August 2013 . It may be the most impractical and cumbersome iPhone case ever made, but one thing's for certain: you'd never lose your mobile again if it was encased in it. The red lobster mobile phone case is inspired by Salvador Dali's iconic lobster telephone, (Aphrodisiac telephone), created by the artist in 1938. The modern contraption's designer, Melbourne-based Elliot Gorham, says of his creation: 'Unlike the typical phone case, it doesn’t offer functionality of protection and style . Salvador Dali's lobster telephone, created in 1938 . The modern contraption's designer, Melbourne-based Elliot Gorham, says of his creation: 'Unlike the typical phone case, it doesn't offer functionality. 'Its features include; camera incapability, ergonomically awkward, too big for your pocket or handbag and most importantly, it’s ability to cause its users embarrassment. 'The phone case is a commentary on both the curious nature of the mobile phone case industry and of the modern dependency and or addiction to mobile technology.' Gorham says that he and his collaborator Matthew Little had been discussing the concept of detaching yourself from technology, ad decided that the 'Lobster Mobile Telephone Case presents itself as a deterrent through its awkward and inoperative design, resulting in minimal enjoyment of function, zero fashion credibility and lastly, reduced mobility for the user'. The impractical (but utterly unique) lobster mobile phone case, left, and Salvador Dali's phone in the Surreal Things exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 2007, right . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Melbourne designer Elliot Gorham created 'completely impractical' case . Featured on his design site Noddy Boffin . A modern interpretation of Dali's Aphrodisiac Telephone (1938) [/SUMMARY]</s>

Melbourne designer Elliot Gorham created 'completely impractical' case . Featured on his design site Noddy Boffin . A modern interpretation of Dali's Aphrodisiac Telephone (1938)

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<s>[ARTICLE] A beloved model is dead, those who knew her are in mourning, and one of the world's most admired Olympians is charged with her murder after a Valentine's Day shooting in South Africa. Oscar Pistorius, a Paralympic runner who blazed new terrain by competing in last summer's Olympics, is accused of killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. A shooting took place inside his upscale home in Pretoria, South Africa, early Thursday, and only the two of them were there at the time, police said. Shock waves from the incident quickly reverberated across the world, casting a shadow over the man known as the "Blade Runner" for his achievements on prosthetic limbs. Pistorius will be named officially as the suspect when he appears in court Friday, in keeping with South African law. Authorities have already announced that the suspect is Pistorius' age. Investigators gave no motive for the alleged killing. Read more: 'Blade runner' Pistorius: Track hero at center of shooting probe . "Previous incidents" at the home, police say . Police were alerted to the shooting by neighbors, and residents had "heard things earlier," spokeswoman Denise Beukes said. A police spokeswoman said there had been "previous incidents" at the home, including "allegations of a domestic nature." They did not detail what those may be. Pistorius was arrested and accused of common assault in 2009, but the case was thrown out because of a lack of evidence, police told CNN on Thursday. That incident involved Pistorius allegedly slamming a door during a party, and a piece of the door fell off and hit someone, said Capt. Marissa Van der Merwe of South African police. Police are not aware of any prior incidents between Pistorius and Steenkamp, Van der Merwe said. Some South African media outlets suggested Pistorius may have mistaken Steenkamp for an intruder. South Africa has a high crime rate, and many homeowners keep weapons to ward off intruders. Beukes said those reports did not come from police. There did not appear to be signs of forced entry at the home, she added. "This is a very quiet area, and this is a secure estate," Beukes said. A pistol was recovered at the scene, police said. In November 2011, Pistorius tweeted a photo of himself at a gun range, and wrote that he had "a 96% headshot over 300m from 50 shots! Bam!" Pistorius cooperating with police . Pistorius has made no public statement. His spokeswoman Kate Silvers said the athlete is "assisting the police with their investigation but there will be no further comment until matters become clearer later today." Police also said Pistorius is cooperating. He arrived Thursday at a police station in Pretoria. Beukes said the state will oppose bail. That means the 26-year-old, who was among the men featured in People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" issue, could be behind bars, at least temporarily. Pistorius is not being brought to court Thursday because the public prosecutor needs more time to prepare the case, police spokeswoman Katlego Mogale told CNN. A model's life violently cut short . Steenkamp, 29, had been looking forward to Valentine's Day, encouraging her Twitter followers to "get excited" for the holiday. On Wednesday, she tweeted, "It's a beautiful day! Make things happen. Starting my day off with a yummy healthy shake from my boo," followed by a smiley face. "Boo" is a term for boyfriend. "She was the kindest, sweetest human being; an angel on earth and will be sorely missed," Capacity Relations, the agency that represented her, wrote on Twitter. She was "just a great, fun presence of a person," said Hagen Engler, former editor of the magazine FHM. He described her as "a bikini model, beautiful, gorgeous girl" with a "wicked" sense of humor. She understood the industry and was intelligent and fun to work with, he said. Pistorius' father, Henke, told the South African Broadcasting Corp. his son was "sad at the moment." "I don't know nothing. It will be extremely obnoxious and rude to speculate," the father said. "I don't know the facts." Nike pulls ad . Nike pulled an ad featuring Pistorius from its website Thursday. The ad showed Pistorius taking off for a run, and contained the words" I am the bullet in the chamber." The company issued a statement expressing "sympathy and condolences to the families concerned following this tragic incident." The company added that it will not comment further, noting that the situation is a police matter. Other Pistorius sponsors -- including prosthetics manufacturer Ossur, British Telecom, and Oakley, which makes sunglasses and other products -- expressed condolences and said they had no further comment at this time. Fashion company Thierry Mugler had no comment. As Olympian, Pistorius faced controversy . Pistorius, a double amputee, competed against able-bodied runners during the London Olympics, triggering controversy as some said the prosthetic limbs gave him an advantage. His legs were amputated below the knee when he was a toddler because of a bone defect. He runs on special carbon fiber blades. Pistorius was initially refused permission to enter the Olympics, but he hired a legal team to prove that his artificial limbs did not give him an unfair advantage -- and was allowed to compete. While he did not win a medal, his presence on the track was lauded by many people around the world as an example of victory over adversity and dedication to a goal. He smashed a Paralympic record to win the men's 400m T44 in the final athletics event of the 2012 Games. In an October interview with CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight," Pistorius discussed the "massive blessing" of inspiring people around the world. "Being an international sportsman, there's a lot of responsibility that comes with that, so having to toggle that and remembering, you know, that there are kids out there, especially, that look up to you -- it's definitely something that you need to keep at the back of your mind." In December: Pistorius speaks to Piers Morgan about being a role model . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Oscar Pistorius once tweeted a photo of himself at a gun range . Nike pulls an ad featuring Pistorius and the word "bullet" Reeva Steenkamp tweeted Wednesday about her "boo" making her a shake . Pistorius was arrested for assault in 2009 but the case was dropped , police say . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Oscar Pistorius once tweeted a photo of himself at a gun range . Nike pulls an ad featuring Pistorius and the word "bullet" Reeva Steenkamp tweeted Wednesday about her "boo" making her a shake . Pistorius was arrested for assault in 2009 but the case was dropped , police say .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Editor's note: This is an excerpt from CNN Contributor Bob Greene's new book, "Late Edition: A Love Story," a memoir of his time working at an Ohio newspaper in the 1960s. The localness of what we did down at the paper defined everything. Even as a kid brand-new to the staff and brand-new to the newspaper business, hired to work during summer vacations, I could tell that. Bob Greene recalls a 1967 lesson in manners from Ohio State University football coach Woody Hayes. It was a localness not confined to the geographic scope of our news coverage -- it went without saying that the Columbus, Ohio, Citizen-Journal wasn't about to send its reporters to Africa or France (or even to Kentucky or Indiana). The men and women in the city room arrived at work each day knowing that they weren't going to be assigned to anyplace from where they couldn't drive back to the office by deadline. The localness extended beyond that, though, and infused the very feel of the place. One night in the summer of 1967 the phone on the sports desk rang and I picked it up with the customary: "Sports!" The person on the other end said: . "Now, that's no way to answer a telephone, is it?" "Who's calling?" I said. "To whom am I speaking?" the caller said. "This is Bob Greene," I said. "Now, I've seen your name in the paper," the caller said. "It's Bob Greene Jr., isn't it?" I had been permitted to write a few sports stories that summer; I used the "Jr." at the end of the byline. "Yes," I said. I thought I recognized the voice from somewhere. "Now, I believe I know your mother and father," the caller said. "Are your parents Robert and Phyllis Greene, from Bexley?" "Yes," I said. "I know they didn't raise you to answer a phone that way," the caller said. "When you answer a business telephone, the proper way to do it is to tell the caller your name first." "All right, sir," I said. "I know your parents are fine people, and I'm sure they taught you good manners," the caller said. "You don't want to disappoint them by giving a bad impression of yourself on the telephone, do you?" "No, sir," I said. "Good," the caller said. "Now, this is Woody Hayes. I was calling to speak with Tom Pastorius. Is Tom there, please?" And, my hands shaking, I connected him with Pastorius, one of the paper's sportswriters. I knew it really was the head coach of the Ohio State University football team because of that phrase early in his lecture to me -- "To whom am I speaking?" His grammar was always scrupulous -- no "Who am I speaking to?" from Woody Hayes. The localness was all around us. Woody had met my mother and father on a few occasions, he remembered them, and he was setting their son straight. He may have been the most nationally famous person in the community, but he was first and foremost a member of that community -- during all his years as head football coach at Ohio State, Woody kept his home telephone number listed in the Columbus phone book: W.W. Hayes, on Cardiff Road. That made for a lot of late-night crank calls from a lot of insulting or drunken people, but he thought that if he was going to represent the community, then he should be as available as any other man or woman in town. Once, years later, I heard a story -- I'm almost certain that it was Citizen-Journal sportswriter Kaye Kessler who told it. It seemed that very early in Jack Nicklaus's golf career, Nicklaus's father, Charlie, a Columbus pharmacist, was following his son on tour, and Woody Hayes offered to travel with Charlie Nicklaus to keep him company and provide moral support. Apparently at one tournament someone in the gallery kept referring to Nicklaus as "fat Jack" -- Nicklaus was a little hefty in those younger days. And, the way I remember the story, either Woody Hayes had to physically restrain Charlie Nicklaus from going after the fan, or Charlie Nicklaus had to restrain Woody. (I have a feeling I know which one was which.) It was all part of the localness. Woody Hayes and Charlie Nicklaus were two Columbus residents on the road to cheer for a local golfer; the fact that the local golfer would become the greatest ever to play the game was incidental. And we -- in the eyes of our readers, and in our own eyes, too -- were, proudly, the local paper. That was all, and everything, we aspired to be. Just like the proud local papers in a thousand other American towns. "I know they didn't raise you to answer a phone that way," Woody said. He thought, by saying it, he was doing me a favor. He was. Excerpted by permission from "Late Edition: A Love Story," published this week by St. Martin's Press. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Bob Greene's new memoir is titled "Late Edition: A Love Story" The book chronicles his tenure at an Ohio newspaper in the 1960s . Author recalls lesson in etiquette from Ohio State University's football coach . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Bob Greene's new memoir is titled "Late Edition: A Love Story" The book chronicles his tenure at an Ohio newspaper in the 1960s . Author recalls lesson in etiquette from Ohio State University's football coach .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Daily Mail Reporter . Not guilty: Neville Neville walks away from Bolton Crown Court after he was cleared of sexual assault . The father of former England footballers Gary and Phil Neville has been cleared of sexually assaulting a woman. Neville Neville, 64, admitted he engaged in sexual activity with the middle-aged complainant in her car just 20 yards from his house but said it was consensual. The woman told a jury at Bolton Crown Court that Neville drunkenly forced himself upon her. Neville bowed his head as the woman foreman delivered the verdict after the jury deliberated for just under 75 minutes. He then breathed a sigh of relief and looked upwards before he mouthed 'Thank you' in the direction of the jury. After he was told he could leave the dock, he stepped out and hugged his legal team. Asked for a comment outside the courtroom, Neville said: 'I can't say anything right now. Maybe later.' His son, Gary, who cried as the verdict was delivered, stepped in and said: 'Dad, come on. He won't be saying anything.' Earlier today, his defence lawyer told the jury Neville had 'imperilled his marriage and his children's affections, trust and respect', but was not guilty of sexual assault. The jury of eight women and four men listened to closing speeches today from prosecution and defence counsel, along with Neville's two sons and his daughter, netball international Tracey, in the public gallery. The incident was alleged to have taken place in Bury, Greater Manchester in the early hours of March 23 when the middle-aged complainant offered Neville a lift home in bad weather. Peter Cadwallader, prosecuting, said the case was not about 'precision of recollection' but about who was telling the truth. 'Nothing seriously has been suggested to you about why (the alleged victim) should tell a pack of lies. Nothing has been put forward by the defence as to why she should lie about it. Has she really put herself through the ordeal of this trial on the back of a pack of lies?' he said. Exit: Gary Neville (left) drives his father away from court after he was cleared of the charges . Former England footballers Gary (left) and Phil Neville (right) outside Bolton Crown Court where their father was today cleared of sexually assaulting a woman . 'There can hardly be anyone in this country who has not read a newspaper or watched television over the last few years who does not know that is very likely to be a traumatic ordeal to give evidence when one is alleged to be the victim of a sexual crime. 'If she had this consensual liaison with the defendant and then afterwards regrets it, or is even ashamed of it, the last thing she is going to do is to be talking about it. 'Is it not a remarkable coincidence that neither of them had any sexual interest in one another up until that very moment and suddenly in an instant without any preamble at all they both fall into each other's arms. A bit Mills and Boon that isn't it?' The Crown suggested that once Neville started kissing her, he could not stop and lost his self-control, Mr Cadwallader said. A combination of alcohol, opportunity and the fact that he fancied her led to him committing the offence, he said. It had been alleged Neville lunged at her, thrust his tongue down her throat, put his hand up her shirt and grabbed her breast. The complainant then said he placed his hand down her trousers and sexually assaulted her. Netball international Tracey Neville arriving with her father Neville Neville at Bolton Crown Court today . Orlando Pownall QC, defending, told the jury: 'There is nothing Mills and Boon about it. It is squalid whichever way one looks at the facts. Most, if not all, of the evidence given involves details of events that are seldom talked about in private, yet alone aired in public.' It would be natural to feel sympathy for the alleged victim but feel limited sympathy for his client, he said. 'Mr Neville, upon his own admission, did something he should never have done,' the barrister said. 'Sympathy for the Neville family and, in particular, his wife (Jill). Sympathy wherever it lies will play no part in your deliberations. For a true verdict is a dispassionate one.' Gary Neville was not called to give evidence yesterday because of his 'celebrity status', he said. 'It simply is this. He was a son, no more or less, called on behalf of his father to give in brief an account of his experience of his father,' Mr Pownall said. He asked the jury to disregard the alleged victim's comparison of Neville to Stuart Hall when it was put to her that no one else had ever made a similar complaint about the defendant. 'Contrast that with the present case,' he said. 'Not one other complaint. Not one other communication, false or otherwise, to suggest that this defendant has been involved in any similar activity before and he accepts, from the word go, he had kissed and intimately touched (the alleged victim).' He asked the jury to consider whether it was the case that the complainant bitterly regretted her actions on the night and maybe convinced herself that it was without her consent. 'This defendant has done wrong. He should never have kissed (the alleged victim). In doing so he imperilled his marriage and his children's affections, trust and respect, and he is going to have to live with that. But on a fair assessment of the evidence heard, he is not guilty of the allegation made,' Mr Pownall said. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Neville admitted engaging in sexual activity but said it was consensual . Woman had told court Neville Neville drunkenly forced himself upon her . Neville bowed his head as woman foreman delivered his verdict . He breathed a sigh of relief and mouthed 'Thank you' in direction of the jury . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Neville admitted engaging in sexual activity but said it was consensual . Woman had told court Neville Neville drunkenly forced himself upon her . Neville bowed his head as woman foreman delivered his verdict . He breathed a sigh of relief and mouthed 'Thank you' in direction of the jury .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 23:42 EST, 2 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:10 EST, 3 January 2013 . Pride: Catherine Zeta Jones has donated money for the lost palace of Welsh prince Llywelyn the Great . Hollywood star Catherine Zeta Jones has given a boost to efforts to preserve the site of the 'lost palace' of ancient Welsh princes. Catherine, 43, made a 'substantial' donation to a trust bidding to buy up farmland thought to be the site where the last independent rulers of Wales had their royal residence. The 700-year-old lost palace of Llywelyn the Great and his grandson Llywelyn the Last is believed to have stood in what is now mostly fields. And now the Garth Celyn Trust plans to erect a public monument to the Welsh princes at the farmland in Bangor, North Wales. Trustee Paul Martin Remfry said: 'The home of the Welsh princes of Wales, has been ignored for far too long. 'The trustees are delighted that Catherine Zeta-Jones is taking a personal interest in the work of the trust. 'Her involvement will undoubtedly help to raise the profile of this Welsh project internationally. He added: 'The historical and . archaeological evidence is overwhelming and we want to ensure its . guaranteed preservation for the benefit of present and future . generations.' Former Monty Python star Terry Jones is also keen on backing efforts to buy the 29 acres of land from the current owners. The ancient palace was, according to legend, situated at the place where an mansion called Pen-y-Bryn - dating back to 1624 itself - now stands. While the stories told locally were sometimes doubted by historians, a number of archaeological digs were carried out over the past few years suggesting that there was indeed a large complex of buildings on the site, including an impressive great hall, supporting the idea that Garth Celyn was indeed the location of a palace. It seems to have been one of the final strongholds of the independent princes of Wales, as Llywelyn the Last spent time there before his death at the decisive Battle of Orewin Bridge in 1282, which handed control of the country to England's King Edward I. The mansion's current occupier Kathryn Gibson said: 'The locals have always called the house . Llewelyn's Tower and it seems this local lore has been handed down over . the centuries. 'It's great that Catherine Zeta Jones is showing an interest.' Majestic: Pen-y-Bryn, which dates back to 1624 and is known locally as Llewelyn's Tower . The landscape of Garth Celyn in north Wales is now the site of a Tudor manor house - but in the medieval period, it is believed to have been home to the last independent princes of Wales. One of the princes to have maintained a palace there was Llywelyn the Great (pictured right on his deathbed in 1240), probably the most powerful ruler in Wales's history, who successfully resisted efforts by King John and Henry III to expand their English kingdom into Wales during the early 13th century. His grandson, known as Llywelyn the Last, is recorded as sending letters from Garth Celyn, which appears to have been one of the final strongholds of his vanishing lands. However, Llywelyn was killed at the Battle of Orewin Bridge in 1282, leading to the takeover of Wales by Edward I and its subsequent absorption into the English kingdom. The conquest of Wales brought an end to the royal connections of Garth Celyn, and historians have since doubted that it was in fact the spot where Llywelyn the Great held court - but recent archaeological digs proved that a great hall once stood on the site, bolstering its claims to palatial status. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Star donates undisclosed sum to buy land for monument to Llywelyn princes . Site is believed to have been location of family's royal palace . Former Monty Python star Terry Jones is also backing efforts to buy land . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Star donates undisclosed sum to buy land for monument to Llywelyn princes . Site is believed to have been location of family's royal palace . Former Monty Python star Terry Jones is also backing efforts to buy land .

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<s>[ARTICLE] New Zealand clinched the 2014 Rugby Championship with a bonus-point 34-13 win over Argentina in La Plata. The All Blacks ran in four tries through Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Julian Savea and TJ Perenara, while Beauden Barrett kicked 14 points. The hosts' only try came at the death, with Horacio Agulla crossing. New Zealand's All Blacks celebrate winning the 2014 Rugby Championship after beating Argentina . New Zealand's All Blacks Kieran Read, centre, is tackled by Argentina's Leonardo Senatore . The victory made it four wins and a draw from five games for New Zealand and saw them wrap up the title with the final round of fixtures still to come. It was their third consecutive Rugby Championship crown. Barrett got the All Blacks up and running early on with two penalties before Smith crossed for the first try in the 12th minute. The ball was worked out wide to Dagg, who burst clear and then found Smith on the switch to score. Barrett added the extras. New Zealand coach Steve Hansen leaves the field after winning the 2014 Rugby Championship . Argentina's Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe looks frustrated during the match in La Plata . Argentina's Benjamin Macome, left, tackles New Zealand's All Blacks Malakai Fekitoa . Nicolas Sanchez got the hosts on the board with a penalty, but New Zealand hit straight back. Dagg and Smith were again heavily involved, this time the latter turning provider as he accepted a Malakai Fekitoa offload before helping the ball on to Dagg to score down the right. A successful conversion had New Zealand 20-3 up. Another Sanchez penalty made it 20-6 at half-time. In the 57th minute Savea added a third try, bouncing off three opponents before powering over. Barrett's kicking was again flawless. And 12 minutes later Perenara grabbed the bonus-point try which would seal the title, adding the finishing touch following a great break from Jerome Kaino. Barrett's conversion made it 34-6. Argentina continued to show spirit and crossed two minutes from time, Agulla crossing before Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias added the conversion. But it was far too little too late as the All Blacks were already home and dry, the championship secure. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] The All Blacks ran in four tries through Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Julian Savea and TJ Perenara . New Zealand won the the title with the final round of fixtures still to come . The victory made it four wins and a draw from five games . [/SUMMARY]</s>

The All Blacks ran in four tries through Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Julian Savea and TJ Perenara . New Zealand won the the title with the final round of fixtures still to come . The victory made it four wins and a draw from five games .

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN) -- Tourists staying at Ao Phrao (Phrao Bay) on Thailand's island of Koh Samet have been evacuated as the bay turned black from an oil spill over the weekend. Authorities estimated that around 5,000 liters of crude oil have washed up on the island, having leaked into the ocean from an offshore pipeline belonging to PTT Global Chemical, Thailand's largest petrochemical producer. The total leakage is estimated at 50,000 liters. Due to its beautiful beaches and proximity to Bangkok -- the travel time from the capital is a little less than four hours by bus and then boat -- the island has long been a popular Thai weekend destination. Tourist activities on the island are largely ocean-oriented and include jet-skiing, snorkeling and banana-boating. Gallery: Oil spill on Koh Samet . Effect on tourism . It's still unclear to what extent the spill will affect local tourism, but the damage was initially reportedly limited to one beach, at Ao Phrao. There are 14 beaches on the island. "We've had some hotel cancellations on Samet," Rayong province tourism authority director Chuchart Oncharoen told the Bangkok Post. "Whether this has a long-term impact on the island depends on how quickly PTT cleans up the mess." The affected beach is on the less populated Western part of the island, where resorts have closed and tourists have been evacuated to hotels in other areas. The island is currently in its tourism low season -- the high season is from October to April. "By far the majority of tourists who go to Koh Samet stay at resorts and hotels on the eastern side of the island," Thailand travel blogger Richard Barrow told CNN. Gallery: Oil spill on Koh Samet . Spill 'worse than thought' However, an opposition MP has suggested the damage from the spill may be worse than first thought, reports Australia's ABC. "If that (50,000 litres) was the real amount, they should have already eliminated it -- they should have solved the problem fast enough before it reached Samet island," said Sathit Pitutacha, from Thailand's Democrat Party. The environmental group Greenpeace also called the spill "massive," according to the ABC, and called upon the Thai government to end oil exploration in the Gulf of Thailand. Some travelers to Phrao Bay have already posted about the unexpected change in their itineraries. "The oil completely covered the beach when we woke up in the morning," wrote Tripadvisor reviewer MatJens about his curtailed stay at Lima Coco resort, one of the popular hotels in the area that has been closed. "We rebooked to a hotel on Ko Chang and the personnel at Lima Coco were very helpful getting us there. We also got a voucher covering the days we paid in advance," wrote MatJens on Monday. A statement from PTT Global Chemical said the company had deployed booms to contain the oil as well as oil spill dispersant. It added that the Thai navy and approximately 300 workers from PTT Global Chemical are continuing to clean up the area. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] One of the beaches on Thailand's Koh Samet island has turned black from Saturday's oil spill . Koh Samet is a popular Thai weekend getaway destination . Approximately 5,000 liters of oil have washed up on the island . Spill "may be worse than first thought," says opposition MP, Greenpeace . [/SUMMARY]</s>

One of the beaches on Thailand's Koh Samet island has turned black from Saturday's oil spill . Koh Samet is a popular Thai weekend getaway destination . Approximately 5,000 liters of oil have washed up on the island . Spill "may be worse than first thought," says opposition MP, Greenpeace .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 01:25 EST, 28 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:37 EST, 28 January 2013 . A 24-year-old Marine recruiter in North Carolina sexually assaulted two teen-aged recruits, according to police reports. Sergeant Derek Craig Percival was charged with attempted second-degree rape, involuntary servitude, sexual battery and communicating threats and remains in prison, the local sheriff's office told reporters. Police told local reporters that the alleged assaults took place at a Marine recruiting office in Salisbury, a suburb of Charlotte, as well as Percival’s apartment, where he lives with his wife and two children. Alleged sexual assaulter: Sergeant Derek Craig Percival, 24, a Marine recruiter in North Carolina sexually assaulted two teen-aged recruits, according to police reports . Officers arrested him there on Saturday, according to NBC station WCNC in Charlotte. One of the victims, a 17-year-old girl who was not named, told the station that she had met Percival four or five times to discuss joining the Marine Corps. She said she had gone to his apartment for a party in September and that she also stayed overnight at his place last Saturday, while his family was there, since she and other recruits were unable to get a ride home. She said that early Sunday morning Percival forced her to have oral sex with him and threatened to kill her if she told anyone. ‘He said, “If you don't let me, I'm going to rape you,”’ she told WCNC. ‘And I said, “No you're not, just go away, just stop.”’ She said that Percival approached her again later that morning and asked for sex. Another recruit, a friend of the first alleged victim, said that Percival had asked her to show him her breasts and give him oral sex when she visited the recruiting office he worked at. Looking into it: Marine spokesman Captain John Reney said the Marine Corps is cooperating with local authorities in their investigation and will conduct an internal investigation of its own . Marine spokesman Captain John Reney told NBC News on Sunday that the Marine Corps is cooperating with local authorities in their investigation and will conduct an internal investigation of its own. Percival has an attorney, according to the Marines, though the attorney’s name was not provided. Percival has not entered a plea on the charges. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ordered a review of all military policies and procedures in an effort to curb sexual assaults reported in the military after a sharp rise in the number of reported cases last year. Those reported cases included at least a dozen instructors accused of assaulting recruits at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, in September of 2012. Review: Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ordered a review of all military policies and procedures in an effort to curb sexual assaults reported in the military after a sharp rise in the number of reported cases last year . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Sergeant Derek Craig Percival, 24, a Marine recruiter in North Carolina sexually assaulted two teen-aged recruits, according to police reports . Percival was charged with attempted second-degree rape, involuntary servitude, sexual battery and communicating threats and remains in prison . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Sergeant Derek Craig Percival, 24, a Marine recruiter in North Carolina sexually assaulted two teen-aged recruits, according to police reports . Percival was charged with attempted second-degree rape, involuntary servitude, sexual battery and communicating threats and remains in prison .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Months after accepting asylum in Russia, fugitive U.S. intelligence leaker Edward Snowden on Thursday asked Russian President Vladimir Putin about Moscow's own surveillance practices. "Does Russia intercept, store or analyze in any way the communications of millions of individuals?" Snowden asked in English via a video link during Putin's annual question-and-answer program, which was broadcast on state television. "And do you believe that simply increasing the effectiveness of intelligence or law enforcement investigations can justify placing societies, rather than their subjects, under surveillance?" Putin responded that Russia has a special service that bugs telephone conversations and Internet communications to fight crimes, including terrorism, but only with court permission and only "for specific citizens." "So, the mass character is something we do not have and cannot have," Putin said in Russian. "On such a mass scale ... we do not allow ourselves to do this, and we will never allow this. We do not have the money or the means to do that," he said. Putin, a former intelligence agent, noted that his questioner, a former National Security Agency contractor, shares that background. "So, we can speak in professional language," he said. Snowden last year disclosed details of the vast U.S. surveillance network put in place after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, including the government's record keeping on billions of phone calls. Anticipating legal consequences, he fled to Moscow. U.S. authorities have charged him with espionage and theft of government property. Last month, Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, told National Public Radio that U.S. officials must plan for the possibility that Russia has access to American battle plans and other secrets. "If I'm concerned about anything, I'm concerned about defense capabilities that he may have stolen from where he worked, and does that knowledge then get into the hands of our adversaries -- in this case, of course, Russia," Flynn said. He cited intelligence capabilities, operational capabilities, technology and weapons systems as potential subjects that Snowden -- and now Russia -- may have. "We have to assume the worst case and then begin to make some recommendations to our leadership about how do we mitigate some of the risks that may come from what may have been compromised," Flynn said. Last October, Lon Snowden visited Moscow, where he told reporters that his 30-year-old son told him he had had no contact with Russian security or intelligence. In January, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told the Senate Intelligence Committee that the Snowden leaks caused serious damage to U.S. security. "What Snowden has stolen and exposed has gone way, way beyond his professed concerns with so-called domestic surveillance programs," Clapper said then. "As a result, we've lost critical foreign intelligence collection sources, including some shared with us by valued partners." The nation's adversaries were "going to school on U.S. intelligence sources' methods and trade craft, and the insights that they are gaining are making our job much, much harder," he told the committee. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country's surveillance isn't as broad as that in the U.S. "We do not have the money or the means to do that," he tells the fugitive intelligence leaker . Putin says he and the former NSA contractor "can speak in a professional language" [/SUMMARY]</s>

Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country's surveillance isn't as broad as that in the U.S. "We do not have the money or the means to do that," he tells the fugitive intelligence leaker . Putin says he and the former NSA contractor "can speak in a professional language"

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<s>[ARTICLE] British jihadists fighting in Syria for the Islamic State have posted sickening online messages joking about the beheading of James Foley. Two friends from Cardiff, who appeared in a chilling recruitment video for the terror group in June, have continued to post vile comments, defying attempts to censor them. Last week Reyaad Khan, 20, mocked the horrific murder on Twitter, saying: ‘The brother that executed James Foley should be the new Batman.’ Scroll down for video . Sick: Reyaad Khan (left) and Nasser Muthana (right) have posted sickening online messages joking about the beheading of U.S. journalist James Foley. The pair appeared in a chilling recruitment video for ISIS in June . He also glorified a recent raid by IS on the Al-Tabqa air base in Syria, which led to the cold-blooded execution of more than 200 soldiers belonging to the Assad regime, tweeting ‘Heavy clashes in tabqa, fireworks on the agenda tonight!’ His friend Nasser Muthana, also 20 and from Cardiff, has posted a video showing a building at the air base being detonated by a bomb he claims to have devised. Khan – like many British jihadis – is a frequent user of Twitter with almost 1,500 followers. His previous account appears to have been closed down, but he had a new one within days. His first tweet was: ‘New account lol spread the word “these terrorists keep coming back”. ’ Execution: Khan praised Mr Foley’s executioner and suggested he has been part of a group carrying out a beheading, saying 'Took 4 of us to do it'. Above, Mr Foley is seen in a sickening video that captured his murder . He also praised Mr Foley’s executioner, and suggests he has been part of a group carrying out a beheading: ‘Crazy man. Brothers like 6’4 and hench [strong] lol took 4 of us to do it.’ Muthana boasted that IS was trading the Yazidi women captured by IS militants earlier this month for £1,200 each. He also bragged about having his own concubines. Khan, Muthana and his brother Aseel, 17, all left Cardiff last year to join IS. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Reyaad Khan and Nasser Muthana continue to post vile online comments . The pair appeared in a chilling recruitment video for Islamic State in June . Last week, 20-year-old Khan mocked the murder of James Foley on Twitter . Wrote: 'The brother that executed James Foley should be the new Batman' Khan, Muthana and his brother Aseel, 17, all left Cardiff last year to join ISIS . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Reyaad Khan and Nasser Muthana continue to post vile online comments . The pair appeared in a chilling recruitment video for Islamic State in June . Last week, 20-year-old Khan mocked the murder of James Foley on Twitter . Wrote: 'The brother that executed James Foley should be the new Batman' Khan, Muthana and his brother Aseel, 17, all left Cardiff last year to join ISIS .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- A Georgia Capitol police corporal was grazed by a bullet Wednesday afternoon during an exchange of gunfire with a man suspected of being part of a chop shop ring, authorities said. Three suspects, one of them wounded, were in custody, said Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokesman John Bankhead. The wounded officer was assisting a state trooper tracking a LoJack device in a suspected stolen motorcycle a few blocks from the Georgia Capitol in downtown Atlanta, Bankhead said. Several motorcycles were in a trailer attached to an SUV in an alley and the suspects were unloading them. The two officers approached one of the suspects shortly before 2 p.m. at an alleyway. One suspect brandished a weapon and a gun battle ensued, authorities said. The corporal was wounded by gunfire. CNN affiliates WSB-TV and WXIA reported the trooper wounded the suspected shooter shortly afterward. The police officer suffered a flesh wound in the head and was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. WSB-TV reported he was released from the hospital. The injured suspect was taken to the same hospital and underwent surgery, Bankhead said. His condition was not available. Witnesses recalled a wild scene as swarms of officers looked for the two other suspects, who were found in a building by SWAT officers. Charges were pending Wednesday evening. The GBI and Atlanta Police Department will determine whether all of the motorcycles were stolen, Bankhead said. One of the suspects has an uspecified outstanding warrant in Fayette County, south of Atlanta, the GBI said. CNN's Vivian Kuo contributed to this article. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] NEW: Three suspects, one of them wounded, are in custody . Officer wounded while looking into stolen motorcycles report . The Georgia Capitol police officer was grazed in the shooting . [/SUMMARY]</s>

NEW: Three suspects, one of them wounded, are in custody . Officer wounded while looking into stolen motorcycles report . The Georgia Capitol police officer was grazed in the shooting .

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<s>[ARTICLE] New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told residents in the Buffalo area to be ready to evacuate if they think floodwater caused by melting snow could reach their residences. "It's not enough that your home has never flooded before," Cuomo said Sunday morning at a news conference. "There's always a first time, and this may be the first time." He said people living in places that might flood should have a bag packed and clean out valuables from their basements. He urged them not to wait until the last minute to leave. "Please err on the side of caution," he said. Cuomo said dealing with flooding is worse than the snow. "It's not water," he said Sunday. "It's a toxic brew. It has sewage in it; it has runoff in it." Warming temperatures forecast for Sunday will start to melt 7 feet of snow that fell last week. Rain will add to the menace. State officials aren't taking any chances. They've beefed up stockpiles of emergency supplies including generators and pumps and prepared nearly 180,000 sandbags. Swift-water rescue teams also are in place, along with helicopters, in case anyone gets caught in a deluge of runoff waters. The New York Fire Department sent about 40 members of its incident management team and about 500 National Guardsmen arrived the area. Temperatures should reach the high 40s on Sunday and go as high as 60 on Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Freezing temperatures are not expected again until Tuesday night. The snow is melting fast in Depew, New York, said CNN iReporter Dawn Buck. A few days ago, it reached the railing of her backyard gazebo, she said, but on Sunday the snow was down to the floor. "At least 3 feet of snow has melted so far," she said Sunday afternoon. There's also the threat of more structure collapses as all the rain saturates the snow on the tops of buildings, making the load even heavier. Several dozen roofs have already collapsed from just the weight of the snow, according to Erie County officials. Cuomo said structural engineers will examine schools and other government buildings that might be in danger of roof collapses. He said most state government offices will reopen Monday. 'City of Good Neighbors' One Buffalo man has a memorable souvenir of the storm. Anthony Marchioli was so bored he rented a small snow tractor to clear driveways on his street, CNN affiliate WKBW reported. On the way back from the rental business, he saw his wife standing in the street outside their house. She was pregnant and her water had unexpectedly broken, so Marchioli put her on the tractor and pushed through whiteout snow to Mercy Hospital, WKBW reported. Eleven hours later, the couple's third daughter was born. Her name: Loxley Storm Marchioli. Erica Bartoe, a CNN iReporter from Hamburg, New York, said that people had come to her town from other areas to help shovel snow and drop off donations. "Buffalo is called the City of Good Neighbors for a reason," she said. "There were people everywhere helping out." Flooding threat extends to Tuesday . The area is under a flood warning. The National Weather Service says flood-prone areas will be inundated but warns there will be more widespread flooding, too. "(We) expect 5 to 6 feet of water in some areas in a short period of time," Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said Saturday. The risk of flooding extends into Tuesday. Commissioner Daniel Neaverth Jr. of the county Civil Defense/Disaster Preparedness Division told affiliate WGRZ that officials are "hoping for best, but we're also preparing for the worst." It's a notion the governor echoed. "Hopefully, we need none of this, and hopefully this was just an elaborate exercise in logistics that we will have done and then we will deconstruct, and everything will go back and people will say, 'Boy, the governor really made us waste our time bringing everything out there just to bring it back,'" Cuomo said Saturday. "I hope that happens." Cuomo also said individuals have a responsibility to help deal with the storm. He urged people to clean out storm drains in front of their houses "so the water has some place to go." A year's worth of snow in a week . The 86 inches that fell in some areas in three days last week is a typical year's worth of snow for Buffalo, according to the National Weather Service. The deadly storm claimed 13 lives -- many because of heart attacks while clearing snow. The death toll also includes one senior citizen who died of natural causes after or while being evacuated Thursday from a nursing home in Cheektowaga, officials said. The storm also forced the NFL to reschedule Sunday's football game between the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets. Instead of being played in Buffalo, it's now scheduled for Monday in Detroit. For the Bills, even getting out of the Buffalo area had its complications. Before meeting at the stadium Friday morning to get on a bus to the airport, some of the players had to be picked up by snowmobile because of driving bans in certain areas, team spokesman Scott Berchtold said. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Buffalo man rented snow tractor, ended up taking pregnant wife to hospital . Be ready to evacuate, Gov. Andrew Cuomo tells people in low-lying areas . The Buffalo area is under a flood warning . Authorities worry some buildings could collapse as snow on roofs soaks up rain . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Buffalo man rented snow tractor, ended up taking pregnant wife to hospital . Be ready to evacuate, Gov. Andrew Cuomo tells people in low-lying areas . The Buffalo area is under a flood warning . Authorities worry some buildings could collapse as snow on roofs soaks up rain .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Daniel Martin . PUBLISHED: . 18:33 EST, 18 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:00 EST, 19 August 2013 . Influence? It has been unveiled that the Prince of Wales's staff have been working in key government departments . Prince Charles has been accused of planting 'moles' in the heart of government after it emerged members of his staff had been working full-time in Whitehall departments. One of his employees was seconded to a policy team at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for around a year. Another aide working for the heir to the throne spent two years at the Cabinet Office, which deals with cross-cutting issues across the whole of government and is based next to Number 10. A third was based there for six weeks. The allegations sparked further allegations that the Prince of Wales was meddling in government and abandoning the traditional of royal neutrality in politics - with one MP describing him as a 'constitutional crisis in waiting'. The Sunday Times, which exposed the existence of the seconded staff, said that some current and former ministers in the two departments knew nothing of the appointments. The revelations come a week after the Mail disclosed that the Prince of Wales has had 36 private audiences with Cabinet ministers since the election - one a month. Alongside seven meetings with the Prime Minister, he also met a disproportionately high number of ministers from departments representing issues of personal interest to him, including the environment, alternative medicine and town planning. It raised questions over whether the Prince was lobbying for his pet issues. But Clarence House robustly defended the summits, saying it was his right and duty to meet any minister 'he chooses'. They also said some meetings were requested by the ministers rather than the Prince. And last night they defended the presence of the prince's staff in government, denying claims that the secondees were doing the Prince's work in government. A spokeswoman said the three secondees . were junior members of staff, aged in their 20s, who would not have . come into contact with the Prince very often. She . pointed out that the staff made their own requests for experience in . government departments for their own professional development reasons. Prince Charles has a keen interest in rural affairs and the environment . Labour MP Paul Flynn, member of the Commons public administration committee, said news of the secondments suggested the prince was a 'constitutional crisis in waiting'. 'Planting his civil service moles proves an intention to abandon royal political neutrality,' he said. 'He clearly doesn't accept the principle of an independent and politically neutral monarchy. I am astonished that he should have had his people in the civil service in this way with ministers not even being aware they were there. 'Constitutional monarchs should be above politics. What is he doing except to advance his own agenda? It's outrageous.' Paul Farrelly, another Labour backbencher, said the House of Commons needed an explanation as to why this had been allowed to happen. 'It raises constitutional questions about the influence the monarch-in-waiting has over policy and there will be questions in the House when it returns,' he said. It is not the first time concerns have been raised over the Prince's influence on the political process . Yesterday one minister in one of the two departments affected said he had no idea that a member of the Prince's staff was working there - and demanded to know if they had any influence on policy. He told the Sunday Times it was 'undemocratic' and said: 'There are urgent questions that need to be answered about who agreed it. 'It raises questions about whether Prince Charles is exceeding his position as constitutional monarch in waiting. There is a question about what they are doing and whether they are influencing policy.' Later this year, the public administration committee will conduct an investigation into the Prince's constitutional position which means ministers have been forced to seek his permission to pass at least a dozen government bills. The committee will ask whether there is a risk that the requirement of royal consent 'could be seen as politicising the monarchy'. A spokeswoman for Clarence House would not provide the identities of the secondees or say what tasks they had undertaken. She said staff from departments such as the Foreign Office are often seconded with the Prince of Wales's office. 'We have had two secondments to government departments in the past two years,' she said. 'The secondments were suggested on the basis of professional development and the paperwork was arranged by the relevant HR departments. 'One secondment was one year and the other was for two years. Both have some to a natural conclusion. There was no official feedback mechanism and no regular meetings were attended with the Prince of Wales's household. 'The secondments were on a like-for-like basis. One secondee has now left Clarence House and the other is due to return shortly after a sabbatical. 'Over the past five years, in addition to the two secondments already discussed, there has been one other secondment, for six weeks to the Cabinet Office. We have no new secondments planned at present.' Defra said the Prince's aide was not involved in any issues related to the Duchy of Cornwall, his landholding from which he made £19million last year. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] One of his employees was seconded to a policy team at DEFRA . Another aide spent two years at the Cabinet Office . Allegations that the Prince of Wales was meddling in government . One MP described him as a 'constitutional crisis in waiting' [/SUMMARY]</s>

One of his employees was seconded to a policy team at DEFRA . Another aide spent two years at the Cabinet Office . Allegations that the Prince of Wales was meddling in government . One MP described him as a 'constitutional crisis in waiting'

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<s>[ARTICLE] This is the astonishing moment a Polish man solved a Rubik’s cube in just 21.17 seconds – while blindfolded. Marcin Kowalczyk set a new world record in the same amount of time that it takes most people to make a few turns and become frustrated with the 3-D combination puzzle. But what makes it so remarkable is the fact that Marcin accomplished his incredible feat without seeing what his hands were doing. Marcin Kowalczyk studies the Rubik's cube to memorise its pattern for the world record attempt . The speed cuber took a few seconds to memorise the pattern on the Rubik’s cube and then, while blindfolded, he needed just a few more to solve it during a competition in Szczecin in western Poland. A judge held a piece of paper between Marcin's face and his hands to make sure he couldn't peek under his mask. His celebration was subdued, however, as he jumped out of his chair and remained quiet out of respect for other competitors who were still trying to solve the puzzle. A judge holds a piece of paper between Marcin's face and his hands to make sure he can't see the cube . Marcin leaps out of his chair and hugs the judge after solving the Rubik’s cube in just 21.17 seconds . This isn’t the first time Marcin has set a world record with his special talent. He was already the record holder with a time of 23.19 seconds, which he set earlier this year. In November 2013 he solved 41 Rubik’s cubes in 54 minutes and 14 seconds while blindfolded. He studied all 41 cubes and memorised their patterns before putting on a blindfold and solving each one. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Marcin Kowalczyk set the record during a competition in Szczecin, Poland . He accomplished the feat after memorising the cube's pattern . Mr Kowalczyk once solved 41 Rubik’s cubes in a row while blindfolded . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Marcin Kowalczyk set the record during a competition in Szczecin, Poland . He accomplished the feat after memorising the cube's pattern . Mr Kowalczyk once solved 41 Rubik’s cubes in a row while blindfolded .

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN) -- As the protests in Cairo enter a second week, CNN takes a look at some of the key questions surrounding them. What are the protests about? The protesters are calling for democratization -- for a government that they feel represents them. They want President Hosni Mubarak, 82, to step down after 30 years holding onto power, and an end to what they complain is a corrupt regime. Some have called for the government to face a trial. The anger is driven largely by economic frustrations. Egypt has seen a dramatic rise in the cost of living in recent years. While the government has offered food subsidies to help people handle rising prices, many are struggling. Egypt's economy was stagnant for decades, but in the past 10 years started to grow, creating bigger differences between rich and poor, said Juan Cole, a Middle East historian at the University of Michigan. "And I think some of the protest is over the ways in which the labor movements have gotten left behind and haven't shared in the economic growth," he said. Why now? What sparked the protests? A wave of protests in nearby Tunisia which overthrew the government helped inspire people in other nearby countries, facing similar frustrations, that it was time for an uprising. But the spark, in many ways, was one young man. Mohamed Bouazizi, a 26-year-old college graduate in Tunisia, was unable to find work, so he set up a fruit cart. Police confiscated it, saying he had no permit. According to the Federation of Human Rights Leagues, police also beat him. Bouazizi set himself on fire in protest, and later died. His self-immolation triggered the huge protests in Tunisia, which in turn helped inspire people in other nearby countries, including Algeria and Yemen, to take to the streets as well. There have also been protests in Jordan and Sudan. A Facebook page calls for similar demonstrations in Syria. A popular Facebook page that helped organize the Cairo protests beginning January 25 was dedicated to Bouazizi. Who are the protesters? Many are young men. The majority of Egypt's population is under 30, and the vast majority of its unemployed are as well. While the protesters include people from different socio-economic levels and different parts of the country, there is a "high proportion of the educated middle class," said Cole. There's "a feeling amongst that middle class that they're not being given the opportunities in life that their degrees warrant -- what historians would call a 'blocked elite,'" Cole said. Have the protests been violent? The protesters have generally been peaceful, chanting slogans and holding signs. Last week, police clashed violently with some demonstrators, leaving some dead and others wounded. Once the government sent in the military to take the place of police, the clashes came to a halt. The two sides have generally gotten along well. Some protesters have even posed for pictures with members of the military on their tanks. At times, the protests have even taken on the feeling of a music festival, with people wandering around, chatting, and celebrating. "This is the start of the rest of my life," one jubilant young man who appeared to be in his 20s told CNN. "As cheesy as it sounds, that's exactly how I feel right now." How did chaos begin in some areas? Police disappeared from the streets in parts of Cairo and some other areas, and some police stations were ransacked. Over the weekend, looters attacked stores and homes and torched some cars, and some prisoners escaped. Men gathered in neighborhoods to create vigilante groups protecting their property. In some places, people handed out knives, sticks, clubs, and baseball bats to men and teenage boys, encouraging them to fight any looters who came along. Some Egyptians said they worry the chaos could be part of Mubarak's strategy, getting citizens angry at the protesters for creating havoc and excited for government security forces to come along and bring order. But the crime has also built more frustration against the government among many Egyptians. How many have died? While it's difficult to ascertain a solid death toll, Human Rights Watch staffers have confirmed more than 120 deaths in Cairo, Alexandria, and Suez, according to a researcher for the group in Cairo. How is the food supply? Many families are fast running out of staples, and they are either unable or unwilling to shop for groceries. "I have three children, and I only have enough to feed them for maybe two more days. After that I do not know what we will do," school administrator Gamalat Gadalla said. Grocers have closed up shop or are running out of supplies themselves. "With the curfew, there are no restaurants, food or gas. Basic goods will soon be in shortage," Sandmonkey, an Egyptian blogger said via Twitter. Egyptian state-run Nile TV has set up a hotline for citizens to call in and report bread shortages. There has been no other indication of what the Egyptian government is doing to address the crisis. CNN's Ben Wedeman, Nic Robertson, Ivan Watson, Frederik Pleitgen, and Salma Abdelaziz contributed to this report. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Protesters seek representative government, economic opportunity . A young man in Tunisia sparked waves of protests in several countries . Many protesters are young, unemployed, middle-class . A Human Rights Watch researcher says more than 120 have died . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Protesters seek representative government, economic opportunity . A young man in Tunisia sparked waves of protests in several countries . Many protesters are young, unemployed, middle-class . A Human Rights Watch researcher says more than 120 have died .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Deni Kirkova . PUBLISHED: . 11:59 EST, 21 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:59 EST, 21 May 2013 . An obese woman who struggled to climb the stairs at 29 stone has lost more than half her body weight - to abseil 330ft down a British landmark. Kim Freshwater, 44, celebrated slimming from a huge size 38 to a slender 12 by completing the dare-devil stunt at Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower. The abseil brought an end to a 30 year battle with her weight. Mrs Freshwater, a mother-of-three, wore size 16 clothes while she was still a primary school pupil at the age of 11. Kim, 44, celebrated slimming from size 38 to a slender 12 by completing the daredevil stunt . After Kim's father passed away while she was a teenager she put on more and more weight as she turned to food for comfort. This contributed to high blood pressure, breathing problems and severe back pain. She ended up needing to walk with a stick as an adult, unable to stand to cook, iron or do the washing up and even climbing stairs on all fours for ease. Kim finally resolved to lose weight when her huge size prevented her attending her uncle's funeral. She was unable to walk from the church to the graveside due to her large large size and lack of fitness. Mrs Freshwater, from Havant, Hants, sought the help of her doctor who prescribed her 12 weeks of vouchers for a slimming club. It changed her life and two years on Kim has lost 16st - more than half her body weight. Kim struggled to climb the stairs at 29 stone before losing more than half her body weight . She said: 'After my uncle's funeral, I felt I'd let my family down because I wasn't there to support them and I was so upset I couldn't sleep. 'I went downstairs to watch television and there was a programme on about obese funerals. 'It showed how obese people need special coffins and how difficult it is to cremate their bodies. 'It was as if someone was trying to tell me something. I didn't ever want to put my family through that.' She added: 'When my dad died my eating became out of control. 'He'd always been my best friend and I suppose I used food to fill the hole he left. 'As I got older, people would always say how pretty I'd be if I lost weight and I did try, but the diets I did were only ever quick fixes - I'd regain all the weight I lost as soon as I stopped.' It was a hard job, but with the support of husband Lee, 53, and children Emma, 17, Daniel, 16, and Matthew, 14, Kim changed her eating habits from one large meal a day to three healthy homemade meals. In the first 12 weeks she lost 3st 2lb. With her new-found confidence and . fitness Kim abseiled down the side of the Tower, with her family and . slimming club friends cheering her on. She now plays tennis, swims, and walks miles indulging her hobby of photography. She has even started cycling again after last hanging up her helmet 20 years ago. Kim said: 'It's remarkable how much more I can do since losing weight. The Portsmouth abseil brought an end to a 30 year battle with her weight . 'I feel like I've got my life back. I used to walk with my head down and try to blend into the background. Now I'm living life to the full. 'I'm taking part in days out and activities with my family instead of watching them have fun without me and there's so much I want to do. 'I feel like the world is my oyster now and I am going to grab every opportunity with both hands. She added: 'I love that I don't need . seat belt extensions on planes anymore, I can sit in chairs with arms, . and I can shop on the High Street.' 'To be able to abseil down the side of the Spinnaker Tower when I previously struggled to walk down the stairs is a huge achievement. It was a great experience.' [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Kim Freshwater was so large she required the aid of walking stick . Her weight peaked at 29 stone from comfort eating after father's death . Lost half her weight at slimming club after doctor prescribed vouchers . Now eats three healthy means, plays tennis, swims, and walks for miles . Celebrated achievement by abseiling down Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Kim Freshwater was so large she required the aid of walking stick . Her weight peaked at 29 stone from comfort eating after father's death . Lost half her weight at slimming club after doctor prescribed vouchers . Now eats three healthy means, plays tennis, swims, and walks for miles . Celebrated achievement by abseiling down Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Over-zealous transport chiefs have been accused of wasting taxpayers' money after putting up 63 'no parking' signs along a one-mile country lane. Officials have installed one of the bright yellow warnings every 84ft along the rural West Pentire Road in Newquay, Cornwall. The narrow lane already has double yellow lines, however Cornwall . Council decided motorists needed more signage to keep the hedge-lined . thoroughfare free of obstructions. Over-zealous: transport chiefs have been accused of wasting taxpayers' money after putting up 60 'no parking' signs along the mile-long Rural West Pentire Road in Newquay, Cornwall . Sign of the times: The narrow lane already has double yellow lines, however Cornwall Council decided motorists needed more signage to keep the hedge-lined thoroughfare free of obstructions . Baffled locals have counted 63 of the metal poles bearing the signs, and say they can not understand why so many are needed as people very rarely attempt to park there anyway. 'During the summer there can be a bit of trouble with . people parking on the grass verges and that's what they're trying to . stop' said one neighbour, who asked not to be named. 'But nothing so bad as to warrant so many signs in one mile. They are lining the road, even opposite each other - it seems like a . crazy and unnecessary expense.' The Campaign to Protect Rural England says around two thirds of signs in rural areas are unnecessary. The . group has been lobbying since 1996 for local authorities, including . Cornwall Council, to ditch pointless roadside clutter and their campaign . led to 170 of 900 signs being pulled down last year in another Cornish . village, Feock. Spokesman Orlando Kimber said it was disappointing to hear the same authority had decided to erect 63 signs in a single lane. He said: 'We have been running a campaign since 1996 to de-clutter the countryside in terms of unnecessary road signs. 'So it's disappointing to hear about just how many signs have been erected along this road. 'It sounds like utter nonsense, but someone, somewhere has come up with the rationale for this.' Local councillor Lisa Shuttleworth said locals were shocked by the number of signs that suddenly sprang up before Christmas. 'A letter has been signed to see if we can rectify this,' she said. 'I think many residents are concerned with just how many signs have been erected. 'There have been talks going on and the parish council is trying to see if they can change the amount of signs.' Ms . Shuttlewood said she had asked the council's portfolio holder for . Transport and Waste, Bert Biscoe, to come and take a look at the signs. 'He was of the same opinion as me and couldn't understand why so many are needed,' she said. Cornwall Council said the notices were essential to enforce seasonal parking restrictions that run from June 1 to Sept 30. In some places the road runs just a few hundred metres from the beach, and is also close to popular rambling route the South West Coast Path. However, the unitary authority has . agreed to consider 'alternative parking management options' that could . eventually see some of them removed. A . spokesman said: 'This is likely to require changes to the operational . times of the parking restrictions in the village, and a statutory . consultation process will be required and must be satisfactorily . completed before any changes to signing can take place. 'The . operation of parking restrictions at the same time in the village is . likely to result in the need for fewer signs which will look better and . will not impact on enforcement operations.' Cuttered: An aerial photograph showing all 63 signs along the route. The Campaign to Protect Rural England says around two thirds of signs in rural areas are unnecessary . Baffled: Locals have counted 63 of the metal poles bearing the signs, and say they can not understand why so many are needed as people very rarely attempt to park there anyway . Ruling: Cornwall Council said the notices were essential to enforce seasonal parking restrictions that run from June 1 to Sept 30 . Investigation: he unitary authority has agreed to consider 'alternative parking management options' that could eventually see some of them removed . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Transport officers have installed yellow warning signs every 84ft along route . Rural West Pentire Road in Newquay already has double yellow lines . Neighbours say few people attempt to park in narrow country lane . Council says signs are necessary to enforce summer parking rules . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Transport officers have installed yellow warning signs every 84ft along route . Rural West Pentire Road in Newquay already has double yellow lines . Neighbours say few people attempt to park in narrow country lane . Council says signs are necessary to enforce summer parking rules .

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN)A few years ago, Glyzelle Palomar was begging for food on the streets of northern Manila. This week, the 12-year-old girl was on a stage in front of tens of thousands of people, asking Pope Francis why God lets children suffer. "There are many children neglected by their own parents," Glyzelle said Sunday at a ceremony at a 400-year-old Catholic university in Manila. "There are also many who became victims and many terrible things happened to them like drugs or prostitution." "Why is God allowing such things to happen, even if it is not the fault of the children?" she asked the Pope, breaking down into tears as she spoke. Another former street child, Jun Chura, told Pope Francis about his struggle to survive without a home. "I was feeding myself with what I can find in the garbage," said Jun, 14. "I did not know where to go, and I was sleeping on the sidewalk." "When I was in the street, I witness also things I don't like, terrible things that happened to my companions in the street," Jun said. "I saw that they were taught how to steal, to kill also, and they have no respect anymore for the adults." Pope Francis responded to Glyzelle's question and Jun's testimony by giving the two children a big hug. "She is the only one who has put a question for which there is no answer and she wasn't even able to express it in words but in tears," the 78-year-old Pope told the crowd. Glyzelle and Jun are both in the care of Tulay ng Kabataan Foundation, a non-governmental organization that looks after Manila's street children. The foundation came across Glyzelle and her older sister a few years ago, said Alexandra Chapeleau, the group's communication manager. The girls had left home -- where their impoverished parents were unable to support them or get them an education -- and were fending for themselves on the street, she said. They first attended one of the foundation's drop-in centers before moving into a residential facility and starting to attend school. In November, their younger brother joined them at the foundation. Glyzelle is still in touch with her mother and goes home to see her at Christmas, Chapeleau said. The foundation's center where Glyzelle lives is home to about 40 other former street children. "Most of them are victims of the terrible things that can happen in the street," including physical and sexual abuse, Chapeleau said. But Glyzelle's tears in front of the Pope on Sunday were apparently prompted by the intensity of the moment, not because of her own experiences. She asked the question "on behalf of all the children we take care of," not because of "something personal regarding her own story," Chapeleau said. The Pope touched on the street children theme again later Sunday when he celebrated Mass in a Manila park with millions of people, despite the soaking rain. "We need to see each child as a gift to be welcomed, cherished and protected," he told the enormous crowd. "And we need to care for our young, not allowing them to be condemned to a life on the streets." The Pope had visited the center where Glyzelle and others live on Friday after celebrating Mass at Manila Cathedral, and reportedly said he was "very moved" by what he saw. There are estimated to be more than 1.5 million street children in the Philippines, about 70,000 of them in the Manila metropolitan area, according to the He Cares Foundation, another group that cares for them. In his account, Jun described seeing some of his friends sniffing glue and taking other drugs. He said he learned to be wary of adults offering money or help because it was often a trap to exploit the children. He initially declined an offer of support from Tulay ng Kabataan Foundation but later found out that the organization was genuinely trying to help him. "I realized that not all people have no heart," he said. The Pope left the Philippines on Monday, waving as he boarded his plane at the end of an Asia trip that also included time in Sri Lanka. In the first visit by a Pope to the predominantly Catholic Philippines in 20 years, Francis paid a visit to Tacloban, the city ravaged by Super Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013. Francis had to cut short his time there at the weekend because of the approach of another typhoon. But it didn't stop him from donning a slicker to celebrate Mass in Tacloban on Saturday for hundreds of thousands who gathered despite the stormy weather. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Glyzelle Palomar, 12, asks Pope why street children face drug abuse and prostitution . "She is the only one who has put a question for which there is no answer," Pope says . He hugs Glyzelle and Jun Chura, a boy who recounted foraging for food in garbage . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Glyzelle Palomar, 12, asks Pope why street children face drug abuse and prostitution . "She is the only one who has put a question for which there is no answer," Pope says . He hugs Glyzelle and Jun Chura, a boy who recounted foraging for food in garbage .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard has warned Liverpool counterpart Simon Mignolet it will be a 'hard road back' after the latter lost his place in the team. Reds boss Brendan Rodgers said the Belgium international was set for an indefinite period on the sidelines after leaving him out against Manchester United on Sunday. Growing criticism of Mignolet's inability to command his area and poor distribution - which some blamed for Liverpool's jittery defence - eventually took its toll and he has been replaced by Brad Jones. Simon Mignolet has lost his place in the Liverpool side following a number of high-profile mistakes . The Belgian goalkeeper has not featured in Liverpool's last two matches with Brad Jones being preferred . Everton keeper Tim Howard says it is a hard road back to the starting XI for Mignolet . Howard, no stranger to criticism himself, has some sympathy with his fellow keeper but has warned it may be difficult to come back from the blow. 'I know he is a Red but I feel for Simon. It is hard being a goalkeeper,' said the American, speaking at the launch of his autobiography 'The Keeper: A Life of Saving Goals and Achieving Them'. 'The phrase is taking the goalkeeper out of the spotlight but actually it sheds more light on them. 'It is not easy. It is a confidence position and when you take him out of the team and then bring him back do the team and fans have confidence in him?' 'You have to appreciate with a goalkeeper there are going to be ups and downs especially in this league because it is so fast and rough. Mignolet (left) takes his place on the substitutes bench during Liverpool's 3-0 defeat by Manchester United . The 26-year-old warms up before Sunday's defeat at Old Trafford . 'To be honest I think it is hard road back when you get taken out of the team. 'Sometimes there is no way back. It is unfortunate for a goalkeeper but that is the way it is: you cannot come on and play the last 20-30 minutes and put a good shift in. 'It is all or nothing with goalkeeping.' The United States international has faced criticism almost every season from some disgruntled Everton fans and, although some of it becomes personal via social media, Howard shrugs it off. 'Social media is, for me, non-existent. Anyone who pays attention to that - criticism or praise - is pretty silly,' he added. Howard was getting into the Christmas spirit as he donned a reindeer jumper last month . 'I think you have to have enough positive experiences to be able to block out the criticism. 'When I was young and at Manchester United I did not have a lot in my locker to fall back on so you make a mistake and it is doom and gloom and 'You should hang him up'. 'Now I've had enough criticism and positive experiences to know that I'm not a bad goalkeeper. 'I've had it before and it will happen again - with goalkeepers the next mistake is only just around the corner. 'If you worry about that you will crumble. I think a good goalkeeper always has to have a manager who believes in him.' [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Simon Mignolet has not featured in the last two games for Liverpool . Everton's Tim Howard has sympathy with his goalkeeping colleague . Mignolet was dropped by Brendan Rodgers after series of errors . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Simon Mignolet has not featured in the last two games for Liverpool . Everton's Tim Howard has sympathy with his goalkeeping colleague . Mignolet was dropped by Brendan Rodgers after series of errors .

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<s>[ARTICLE] A spectator who witnessed Australian cricketer Phil Hughes being struck by a ball that saw the sportsman rushed into emergency surgery has described the moment as 'chilling'. Nine News' Will Dempsey was watching the match at Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday when Hughes, 25, collapsed face first on the pitch, following a brutal bouncer from Sean Abbott. 'I have still goosebumps. It was chilling,' Dempsey told Daily Mail Australia. Scroll down for video . Phil Hughes was hit by a cricket ball and collapsed face first on the pitch at Sydney Cricket Grounds . 'There was this crack that echoed through the grounds. It was an eerie feeling, you knew something wasn't right. 'It didn't sound like leather hitting hard metal, it looked like a bouncer crept under his grill.' Dempsey said as soon as Hughes hit the ground players ran to assist him, with wicketkeeper Brad Haddin rolling his teammate on to his side and doctors following close behind. 'Tom Cooper and David Warner stayed by his side for more than half an hour,' Dempsey said. He was hit following a brutal bouncer from South Australia's Sean Abbott on Tuesday . Nine News reporter Will Dempsey was there to witness the moment and said players rushed to Hughes' side . 'They worked on Phil for around 45 minutes. 'There was dead silence at the grounds. No one in the stands spoke or move. No one left, unless they were moving closer to Hughes to help.' Dempsey said Hughes' teammates were distraught over the incident, which happened on day one of the Sheffield Shield between New South Wales and South Australia on Tuesday. 'Steve O'Keefe came off the ground crying. Hughes was loaded into one of two ambulances. It appeared that the helicopter landed at Paddington Barracks,' the spectator said. 'Steve Smith came to the stands, visibly distressed. 'Speaking with Moises Henriques and Mark Waugh, Steve motioned to indicate that Phil had been hit underneath his jawline.' Phil Hughes lays on a stretcher after being struck in the head during day one of the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and South Australia . Dempsey said Sean Abbott - who had bowled the ball that struck Hughes - remained in the dressing room the entire time, while players comforted each other with many crying. 'It was the second ball to hit a player in five overs. It was fast bowling but Abbott's ball to Hughes was a bit sharper than usual,' Dempsey said. The scene was total chaos as Hughes was taken away in an ambulance. 'The ambulance changed direction to avoid the crowds. People and guards were yelling at people who were trying to take photos of Phil as they loaded him into the ambulance,' Dempsey said. 'Umpires were shouting "get away, get away" 'David Warner had been at Phil's side and walked up to his fiancee and daughter in the stands for a warm hug - he was really upset.' NSW Blues assistant coach Geoff Lawson told 702 ABC radio he had never seen something like this before during his career in cricket. 'The ball was rising, his head's going away to the right, and it's hit him just on the back of the head under the helmet,' he said. 'The consequences of the injury I've probably never seen in my lengthy time in the game. Pretty quickly you could see he was in trouble. He fell over... and the way he collapsed was quite alarming. 'The fieldsman worked it out in a few seconds and signaled to the dressing room immediately. Sometimes you shake these things off - and this would be the other end of the scale.' [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Phil Hughes was struck by a ball on day one of the Sheffield Shield at SCG . The cricketer was airlifted and rushed into emergency brain surgery . He was injured after a brutal bouncer from New South Wales' Sean Abbott . Witness Will Dempsey saw the moment Hughes was hit with the ball . 'It was an eerie feeling, you knew something wasn't right,' Mr Dempsey said . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Phil Hughes was struck by a ball on day one of the Sheffield Shield at SCG . The cricketer was airlifted and rushed into emergency brain surgery . He was injured after a brutal bouncer from New South Wales' Sean Abbott . Witness Will Dempsey saw the moment Hughes was hit with the ball . 'It was an eerie feeling, you knew something wasn't right,' Mr Dempsey said .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Two former female employees of Goldman Sachs are seeking class action status for their lawsuit accusing the New York-based bank of widespread gender discrimination and creating a 'boy's club' atmosphere of binge drinking and visits to strip clubs. H Cristina Chen-Oster and Shanna Orlich petitioned a Manhattan federal judge today to let them sue Goldman on behalf of current and former female associates and vice presidents. They said in a filing that they have statements by former Goldman employees, expert statistical analyses and evidence of earnings and promotions from the firm's records to support their claims. H. Cristina Chen-Oster, right, and Shana Orlich at their lawyer's office in New York in 2010. The women asked a federal judge today to let them turn their lawsuit against Goldman Sachs into a class action. They accuse the bank of creating a 'boy's club' atmosphere of binge drinking and strip clubs . Goldman Sachs is accused of creating a culture where women are either 'sexualized or ignored.' Pictured here is Goldman Sachs Tower in Jersey City, New Jersey . 'Women report a "boy's club" atmosphere, where binge drinking is common and women are either sexualized or ignored,' the filing states. Ms Chen-Oster and Ms Orlich sued Goldman back in 2010 for unspecified damages and an order requiring the firm to fix the alleged gender bias. With today's filing, they hope broaden their case to include more than a decade of claimed discrimination at the firm, Bloomberg News reported. Goldman Sachs has denied their claims and is fighting the lawsuit. 'This is a normal and anticipated . procedural step for any proposed class action lawsuit and does not . change the case’s lack of merit,' spokesman David Wells said today in an e-mailed statement. Edith Cooper, global head of human capital management for Goldman Sachs, is the only woman among the firm's 10 executive officers. She's shown here during a Bloomberg Television interview in 2012 . In it the suit, the two claimed female vice presidents earned 21 per cent less than men and female associates 8 per cent less. They also said Goldman promoted 23 per cent fewer female vice presidents to managing director relative to their male counterparts. Edith Cooper, global head of human . capital management at Goldman, is the only woman among the firm's 10 . executive officers. She was named the 26th most powerful woman in New . York by Crain's New York Business in 2013. Goldman didn't elevate a woman to partner until 1986, according to Forbes, 117 years after it was founded. Denise Shelley, a former vice president at Goldman who left the firm in 2009, said in a separate court filing that men at the bank repeatedly called women 'bimbos', mocked a new employee who won a beauty pageant and took clients to strip clubs. Ms Shelley, who sat on the steering committee of Goldman's network for women, said in the filing that she was called a 'party girl' by a managing director after joining colleagues at a bar. Ms Chen-Oster and Ms Orlich are asking U.S. District Judge Analisa Tores to certify a class of female associaties and vice presidents who worked for Goldman in its investment banking, investment management and securities divisions beginning September 10, 2004. The case is Chen-Oster v. Goldman Sachs & Co., 10-cv-06950, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan). In their 2010 lawsuit, Orlich and Chen-Oster seek unspecified damages and an order requiring Goldman to fix the alleged gender bias at the firm . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] H Cristina Chen-Oster and Shanna Orlich say the bank has created an atmosphere where women are either 'sexualized or ignored' The women are asking a federal judge to turn their 2010 lawsuit into a class action on behalf of current and former female associates and vice presidents at Goldman . They said they have statements by other . former employees, statistical analyses and evidence of earnings and . promotions to support their claims . Female vice presidents earn 21 per cent less than their male counterparts, the women claim . [/SUMMARY]</s>

H Cristina Chen-Oster and Shanna Orlich say the bank has created an atmosphere where women are either 'sexualized or ignored' The women are asking a federal judge to turn their 2010 lawsuit into a class action on behalf of current and former female associates and vice presidents at Goldman . They said they have statements by other . former employees, statistical analyses and evidence of earnings and . promotions to support their claims . Female vice presidents earn 21 per cent less than their male counterparts, the women claim .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Updated: . 08:45 GMT, 6 December 2011 . It will cost £6,750,000 per hour to stage the opening and closing ceremonies for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The astonishing figure emerged last night as a spending watchdog warned that the security bill for next year’s extravaganza has smashed through the £1billion barrier. The total cost of starting and finishing the sports jamboree will be £81million, including £41million of taxpayers’ money. Ouch! The Olympic opening and closing ceremonies are set to cost £7m-an-hour... and security costs will exceed £1billion . Each of the four ceremonies at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, East London, will last approximately three hours, meaning they will cost £112,500 per minute. The National Audit Office warned that ministers are in danger of overshooting the £9.3billion budget for next year’s games. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has agreed to pay £41million towards the opening and closing ceremonies – a bill that was supposed to be entirely footed by Locog, the Games’s privately-funded organising committee. The £41million of public money will double the budget for the opening and closing ceremonies to more than £80million. Although Locog has never revealed it initial budget, it was understood to be about £40million. Clock is ticking: The London Olympics get underway on July 27 next year - and the opening and closing ceremonies will now cost public £81m . Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson: 'We decided to go in at the higher figure for the benefit of the country' The amount of money needed to ensure . the safety of spectators, athletes and officials at the London 2012 . games has almost doubled after the number of security guards required . was wildly underestimated. Around 23,700 security staff – . including 7,000 off-duty soldiers – will be deployed next summer, . compared with the original estimate of 10,000. The security bill is growing because £271million has been added to the £282million already pledged. On top of this, £475million has been . set aside for policing and wider security, meaning the total cost for . keeping athletes, spectators and dignitaries safe during the competition . is now £1.03billion. According to the Government’s own . predictions, it will need to use £318million of the £354million . contingency fund that still remains. That will leave only £36million to . play with. Last night the NAO, the Whitehall . spending watchdog, warned that ministers must take ‘rigorous action’ to . curb spending and said there was a ‘real risk’ the overall budget of . £9.3billion could be exceeded. In 2005, when London won the bid to . host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the total cost was estimated . at £2.37billion. By 2007, this figure had quadrupled to the present . total. In a report Amyas Morse, head of the NAO, warns: ‘Not everything . is rosy. The Government is confident that there is money available to . meet known risks, but in my view, the likelihood that the Games can . still be funded within the existing £9.3billion public sector funding . package is so finely balanced that there is a real risk more money will . be needed.’ Officials insist the £9.3billion . budget will not be exceeded as the extra costs will be funded through . savings made elsewhere on Olympic 2012 spending. The Department for Culture, Media and . Sport said the Olympic Quarterly Economic Report showed the Games were . still on track to stay within budget. With eight months to go before the . Games, the NAO has warned that a contingency of only £36million is ‘not a . lot of headroom’, considering that the security budget alone has . doubled since February. Strength in numbers: There will now be 23,700 security officers on duty at the Games next summer . The £1billion plus security bill does . not even include the £253million to secure the Olympic venues during the . construction phase. The Ministry of Defence is now in . negotiations with the Home Office to provide up to 7,000 off-duty . soldiers to plug the recruitment shortfall for guards. The Government has denied it is in response to a specific security threat but simply a further analysis of numbers. Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson defended the extra spending and said London needed to advertise itself to the world next year. ‘These ceremonies will be aired around . the globe and watched by four billion people,’ he said. ‘It is a . seminal moment for Britain and we wanted to give it the wow factor and . leave a lasting economic legacy. ‘We cannot do “a Beijing” but we want to give this our best shot to encourage people from around the world to come and visit.’ Past measures: Anti-aircraft missiles were ready for the 2004 Athens Games . The TaxPayers’ Alliance pressure group . criticised the decision to put more public money towards the . ceremonies. Director Matthew Sinclair said: ‘Taxpayers might enjoy . watching the opening party for the Olympics but they won’t want to wake . up to the hangover of another £40million on the bill.’ Last night, Margaret Hodge, chairman . of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, said the contingency fund was a . very small amount for such a large project. ‘What is left in the budget for . contingency is wafer thin, at only £36million,’ she said. ‘For a project . of this size with unknown risks and eight months remaining, that is a . tiny amount of money. ‘Locog is likely to use all of its . contingency funding and would also have to call on further Government . support if there are further cost increases.’ [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Extra £271m added to venue security bill, now at £553m . Policing costs set at £475m . 23,700 security staff at Games instead of 10,000 . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Extra £271m added to venue security bill, now at £553m . Policing costs set at £475m . 23,700 security staff at Games instead of 10,000 .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Olivia Fleming . When 12-year-old Kayla Roncin, Central New Jersey's star player for Toms River Little League baseball team, blasts a home run she makes sure to chant 'girl power' as she makes her way around the field. But the first baseman, relief pitcher, spot starter and Toms River's best hitter won't have that chance for much longer. Kayla's baseball career has a . shelf life, so she is reluctantly starting to get used to her future sport: softball. 'I know she can keep up with those boys,' her mom, Linda Roncin, told The New York Post. 'I don’t understand, why can’t a girl play baseball? Why is it a big deal?' 12-year-old Kayla Roncin, Central New Jersey's star player for Toms River Little League baseball team, pictured with her mom, Linda, after a home run (courtesy of Asbury Park Press) Kayla, who stands tall at 5ft and 8in, has been playing baseball since she was five years old, when her father, Ray, signed . her up. Toms River manager, Pete Avallone, says even then she was better than 95per cent of the boys, and his son, Tyler, an outfielder for Toms River, agrees. 'People don’t expect a girl to be . playing baseball with a bunch of boys, and she’s one of the best on the . team,' Tyler explained. 'She definitely surprises people with everything she does -- . hitting, pitching and fielding.' Pete Avallone admitted that when he picked Kayla -- who has a personal pitching coach and . batting instructor -- for the team, her male teammates were initially 'shocked', but they quickly came around. 'People don't expect a girl to be playing baseball with a bunch of boys, and she's one of the best on the team,' said her teammate, Tyler. 'She surprises people with everything she does - hitting, pitching and fielding' Kayla, who stands tall at five feet and eight inches, has been playing baseball since she was five years old, when her father, Ray, signed her up . 'She’s treated no differently than the . boys on the team. They make fun of her and she gives it right back to . them,' he explained. However there are some players and coaches who laugh when Kayla walks onto the field - something that doesn't seen to rattle her, or her teammates. 'We’re happy, because we know for a fact . she will prove them wrong and show them how good she is,' Tyler said. 'I think that motivates her to do better and prove them wrong. When they . do that, we know she’s going to show them right up.' Pete Avallone admitted that when he picked Kayla for the team four years ago, her male teammates were initially 'shocked' - but they quickly came around . Toms River is one of six teams . in Bristol, Connecticut to make the Mid-Atlantic Regional -- . mainly thanks to Kayla. The fact she has just one more year left on the . field before she will transition into Junior League Softball makes her . 'sad', she said, but she knows she must 'move on'. 'This could be my last time around, so . I want to do the best I can. I really want to win it all so badly.' Kayla's family has already begun looking into high level fast-pitch travel softball teams for Kayla, despite their reluctance to have her quit baseball. 'I think you’re taking the biggest part of her away if she has . to [quit baseball],' said Linda. 'I can’t even, at this point, fathom that. She just . loves the sport. I can’t even tell you how much, and if she’s not . playing it, she’s watching it. That’s gonna be a really tough transition . for her.' Forty years ago, Little League Baseball allowed girls, for the first time, to participate in the world's largest organized youth sports program. A 1973 ruling by Sylvia Pressler, hearing examiner for the New Jersey Civil Rights Division, was upheld in the New Jersey Superior Court a year later, leading to Little League Baseball's admittance of girls into its programs. Until then, Little League regulations had prohibited girls from participating, and the World Series regulations even featured the clause: 'Girls are not eligible under any conditions.' Now, approximately 150,000 girls play in Little League Baseball, and ten girls have participated in the Little League World Series. However, there were only 859 girls playing high school baseball in 2010, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. Chelsea Baker, a 17-year-old junior at Durant High School in Plant City, Florida, hopes to be the third girl to be chosen for a college baseball team this year. In 2011, Marti Sementelli, from California, received a combination academic-baseball scholarship to Montreat College, which is part of the NCAA, in North Carolina. And Ghazaleh Sailors, a junior pitcher and backup second baseman for the University of Maine-Presque Isle, is the only woman playing baseball in the NCAA in 2014. Miss Sailors was forced to switch high schools after enduring harassment from her baseball teammates because of her gender. She told The Bangor Daily News earlier this year: 'I’ve gotten death threats over the internet. That was pretty scary.' No woman has ever played in Major League Baseball. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Kayla Roncin, Toms Rivers' best hitter, will join Junior League Softball when she turns 13 - the cut-off for age Little League baseball . No woman has ever been admitted into the Major Leagues, which has long been dubbed a 'boys club' [/SUMMARY]</s>

Kayla Roncin, Toms Rivers' best hitter, will join Junior League Softball when she turns 13 - the cut-off for age Little League baseball . No woman has ever been admitted into the Major Leagues, which has long been dubbed a 'boys club'

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<s>[ARTICLE] Researchers have claimed a major breakthrough in the fight against obesity - and say they have found a genetic switch that controls our metabolism. Researchers have identified a protein that controls metabolism - and used it to dramatically reduce the development of obesity and diabetes in mice. By manipulating the biochemical process that underlies cells' energy-burning abilities, researchers say they could now develop new weight loss therapies. By manipulating the biochemical process that underlies how we burn energy, researchers say they could now develop radical new weight loss therapies. The new findings show that reducing the amount of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) protein in fat and liver dramatically reduces the development of obesity and diabetes in mice. NNMT is known to process vitamin B3 and has been previously linked with certain types of cancers. The new process hinges on a biochemical mechanism known as a futile cycle, in which cellular reactions are sped up, thereby generating more energy. This is what allows some people to eat as much as they want, but never put on weight. Investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) published their research in the April 10 issue of the journal Nature. The new findings show that reducing the amount of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) protein in fat and liver dramatically reduces the development of obesity and diabetes in mice. 'With this discovery, we now have a means of metabolic manipulation that could help speed energy production and lead to weight loss,' said senior author Barbara Kahn. The new findings hinge on a biochemical mechanism known as a futile cycle, in which cellular reactions are sped up, thereby generating more energy. 'We all know people who can seemingly eat whatever they want and not gain weight,' explains Kahn. 'Part of the reason for this natural weight control owes to basal cellular metabolism – the body's inherent rate of burning energy. 'A futile cycle is one way to speed up energy utilization in cells.' The breakthrough also used a technique already used to treat other diseases in humans, raising hopes it could be available soon. 'Our findings are particularly exciting because the antisense oligonucleotide [ASO] technology we used to inhibit the NNMT gene in our study is already being used to treat other diseases in humans,' said Dr Kahn. The new findings hinge on a biochemical mechanism known as a futile cycle, in which cellular reactions are sped up, thereby generating more energy - and allows some people to eat as much as they want without getting fat. More than one-third of the U.S. adult population is currently obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 'Obesity is a serious economic burden to our healthcare system and a major risk factor for developing insulin resistance and diabetes,' says Dr Kahn. NNMT is an enzyme that processes vitamin B3 and has been linked to certain types of cancer, as well as Alzheimer's disease, said co-corresponding author Qin Yang, MD, PhD, a Klarman Scholar in the Kahn laboratory at BIDMC and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. 'Now we have identified an entirely new role for this enzyme in fat tissue, and that is to regulate energy metabolism,' he said. The investigators first confirmed that levels of NNMT were increased in obese and diabetic mice. 'In a comparison of genetic profiles of fat from mice that were either prone to or protected from developing diabetes, we discovered that the animals that were prone to develop diabetes had a lot of NNMT in the fat and liver,' said Yang. The team discovered that NNMT inhibition speeds up the so called futile cycle, resulting in more dietary calories being burned for energy and fewer calories being incorporated into fat. Importantly, notes Kahn, the team used antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) technology to knock down the NNMT gene. 'Because ASOs have already been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA] for the treatment of genetic causes of elevated cholesterol or hyperlipidemia, as well as the treatment of a viral eye infection, it's possible that clinical trials to test an ASO anti-obesity therapy in humans could readily move forward. 'NNMT looks to be a promising target for future therapeutic development. 'Furthermore, because obesity is associated with an increased incidence of Alzheimer's disease and certain cancers, disease states in which NNMT is also elevated, an NNMT ASO could potentially also be beneficial in managing these other devastating conditions.' [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Protein called NNMT found to help regulate the metabolism . Inhibiting caused cells to burn more energy . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Protein called NNMT found to help regulate the metabolism . Inhibiting caused cells to burn more energy .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Katie Nicholl and Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 20:43 EST, 9 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:43 EST, 9 November 2013 . When the Duchess of Cambridge was . pictured with unflattering streaks of grey last week, it was a marked . contrast with her normally immaculate look. It was also a clue to the trendy colouring technique that attracted attention at Prince George’s christening. Today, The . Mail on Sunday has revealed that she has been having a £350 colouring . treatment known as balayage – a technique that involves ‘painting’ the . hair with ammonia-free dye to give a natural look. Balayage: The Duchess of Cambridge has adopted a new hassle-free beauty regime of ammonia-free hair dye . Blonde disciples: Sienna Miller (left) and Kate Moss (right) are fans of balayage. The French style, which means 'to sweep', was made in the 1970s for blonde hair, which reacts more readily to the hand-painted bleach . It is popular with celebrities including Kate Moss and Sienna Miller. But, . as last week’s pictures make clear, balayage colour can fade quickly on . brunettes – and Kate has already summoned her hairdresser for a . touch-up. The trend was invented in France in the 1970s - although it didn't take off in Britain until 2008. Translating as 'to sweep', the free-hand strokes of bleach painted onto a woman's hair is designed to give a style of movement that block colour cannot. Chocolate brown: Throughout her life as a student at St Andrews, Kate's hair was a block shade of dark brown . Uniform: The Duchess's hair was immaculately uniform when she announced her engagement . Brunette balayage: Julia Roberts (left) and Sarah Jessica Parker (right) have used it to give their hair shape . It was originally only done for blondes, whose hair is more sensitive to the dye and more readily shows the effects. But as demand soared, stylists worked to develop different techniques which work for brown hair. As pictures of Kate captured this week, brunettes are still resilient to bleach as dark hair takes longer to react. And . balayage, designed for natural hair, is not the ideal way to cover . already existing roots. Kate has been topping up her chocolate brown . locks for years. Impeccably . placed sources have whispered that the Duchess had, to her then horror, . started finding the odd stray grey (‘stress highlights’, her friends . joke) before her pregnancy. When the technique crept onto catwalks . five years ago, beauty blogs and fashion magazines lauded it as 'the . working woman's dream'. It is low maintenance, deliberately uneven, and lasts longer. After three appointments, only a toner and freshener is required, rather than the full treatment. Compared . to normal dye, when balayage grows out there is not a clear line of . roots, meaning women can be more flexible with their appointments. To combat these, she had organic vegetable-based dye and subtle low-lights applied during regular four-hour visits to the Richard Ward Hair And Metrospa in Chelsea. Evidently, Kate has let these sessions slip - not many new mothers, even royal ones, can spare four hours at the salon when they've got a four-month-old to look after. 'Going grey marks nature’s way of softening the hair colour giving natural highlights as the skin pigmentation changes,' says Galvin Jr. 'I always recommend using a semi-permanent colour with no ammonia or peroxide, to blend the grey hair and tone it down slightly.' However, Kate may want to avoid any unnecessary chemicals: it could be that she's being very cautious about dying her hair while pregnant or breastfeeding. Many women stop colouring their hair during pregnancy, with some waiting until at least 12 weeks after the birth of their baby to begin again. This is for fear of the chemicals used in many dyes being passed to the baby through breast-feeding. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Balayage, a French beauty technique created in 1970s, means 'to sweep' Bleach is painted free-hand in strokes over the hair to give movement . Designed for blonde, natural hair, brunettes takes longer to react to the dye . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Balayage, a French beauty technique created in 1970s, means 'to sweep' Bleach is painted free-hand in strokes over the hair to give movement . Designed for blonde, natural hair, brunettes takes longer to react to the dye .

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<s>[ARTICLE] On Christmas Day, Marie Buchan's eight children will unwrap dozens of gifts each presented to them in a giant sack and then have a festive feast in their new four bed home. Like any parent, their 33-year-old mother, from Birmingham, wants them to have it all and enjoy a perfect Christmas. However, the unemployed single parent hasn't paid for any of it. Their lavish Christmas and new home is all thanks to British taxpayers. Scroll down for video . Determined to spoil them: Single parent Marie Buchan has bought all her children's Christmas gifts with her £2,227 a month benefits . The family receives £2,227 a month in benefits (£26,724 a year). Marie is adamant her children deserve everything they get. 'A lot of people will see this and once they are all wrapped think "how dare she, she's on benefits and she has all these presents for her kids and we only have two or three for ours because we are working full time and can't afford it". 'But everyone deserves a Christmas and why should we on benefits not be able to? For my children not to be able to open a present on Christmas day because we're on benefits, it's just not right, there shouldn't be a stigma for that,' she told Channel 5 documentary Benefits Britain: Life On The Dole. But Marie isn't just giving her children one present, she's showering them with gifts even though buying them plunged her into rent arrears. Big family: The young mother is raising Tia, 12, Leah, 11, Latoya, nine, Joshua, eight, Alisha, six, Mikayla, four, Amelia, two, and Olivia, one . Won't miss out: Marie doesn't want the children to have just one present because she's on benefits, so they will each have a sackful - even though buying them meant she missed rent payments . At one point in the show, which airs this evening, she looks at the piles of presents and complains that some of her children don't have enough. 'They are all going to need a lot more,' she said. Her eldest child gets a laptop she bought from a pawn shop. Marie, who has been on benefits since she had her first child at the age of 19, admits she can have trouble controlling her spending. She said: 'When there is a sale on, I'll think I'll order that and that, then at the end of the month I get a £200 bill. A catalogue bill came in this month and I thought, "if I don't pay it, I'll get charged" so I missed my rent. I really have to focus on my rent first.' The single mother's relationship with her former partner - and father of all her children - ended last year because he couldn't handle the stress of having so many children. Shop till you drop: The single mother admits she has trouble controlling her spending . Not enough: Looking at this pile of presents for one of her daughters, Marie said she'll need more . So the young mother is raising Tia, 12, Leah, 11, Latoya, nine, Joshua, eight, Alisha, six, Mikayla, four, Amelia, two, and Olivia, one, on her own with their father seeing them at weekends. Thanks to her spending, she racked up £1,000 in rent arrears on their old three bed council house. The rooms are bursting at the seams and Marie said they will need to find space for all the new toys she's bought them this Christmas. She also got a present for herself - who brings some extra chaos to the house - a puppy called Patch. 'I felt broody, I couldn't have another baby so I got a dog,' Marie explains. She added that she would like to work but her dream job is to be a mechanic and she has been told 'it's not for a woman, it's a male world.' Another new arrival: The family now have a puppy because Marie felt broody . Stay at home mother: Marie said she would find it difficult to work without neglecting her brood of eight . With eight children to look after, she also feels she is a better parent as a stay at home mother. She explains: 'If I go back to work doing 12 hours a day it would be positive as I would be at work but the effect on the kids - they would have to go to breakfast club before school, after school club and then not know when I will be home. 'So is it better to work and neglect the kids or be a stay at home mum till the benefits stop?' Marie's festive dreams come true when she discovers towards the end of the programme that they will be given a larger council house with a garden before Christmas - and her previous rent arrears are written off. Tonight's documentary also features Steve and Andy from Nuneaton, who each receive £100 a week on benefits. They admit they spend most of it on drugs and alcohol, so they go through the bins in order to obtain Christmas presents. Upcycling: Addict Steve raids bins to find toys to give away or sell . Steve, pictured with his friend Andy, said it can be difficult to afford heroin on his £100 a week benefits so they look for discarded items to sell . Rooting through a bin, Steve explains: 'The first week of December is the time to get rid of the old toys and get the kids excited about the new toys. This bin is 80 per cent toys, we can give them a good clean with Dettol.' As a heroin addict, Steve said it can be a 'ball ache' finding the money to pay for them on benefits. He said: 'I'm a heroin addict, I have to have to every day. A bag costs £10 and I'm on three a day. 'Somehow it always seems to drop into place and I get what I need. When I get paid, it lasts for a few days, after that I have to go on the graft either by stealling or going through the bins and selling stuff.' Benefits Britain: Life On The Dole in on Channel 5 17 December at 9pm or catch up on Demand5 . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Single parent Marie Buchan from Birmingham has eight children under 13 . She doesn't work but receives £2,227 a month in benefits . Even though she is £1,000 in debt, she won't scrimp on Christmas . Has bought each of her children dozens of gifts . And just got herself a puppy as she felt broody . She said she doesn't feel guilty about spoiling her children . 'Everyone deserves a Christmas and why should we on benefits not be able to?' she said . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Single parent Marie Buchan from Birmingham has eight children under 13 . She doesn't work but receives £2,227 a month in benefits . Even though she is £1,000 in debt, she won't scrimp on Christmas . Has bought each of her children dozens of gifts . And just got herself a puppy as she felt broody . She said she doesn't feel guilty about spoiling her children . 'Everyone deserves a Christmas and why should we on benefits not be able to?' she said .

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<s>[ARTICLE] It started with Owen Farrell asking George Ford for help with his French homework so the pair of rugby-mad schoolboys would be let out to kick a ball around. That was the beginning of a childhood journey that resumes on Saturday when the Lancashire-born duo start alongside one another at Twickenham. Ford has been given his first England start at fly-half and Farrell, the regular incumbent at No 10, has been moved to inside centre. It is the first time the partnership has been tested at senior level, although it is a combination that lit up the junior England ranks between the Under 16 and Under 20 age groups. Bath's George Ford (right) will start at fly half against Samoa with Owen Farrell moving to inside centre . Ford (left) watches on in training as Farrell lines up a shot at goal at the team's Pennyhill Park base . England skills coach Mike Catt (left) has a word with the team's new 10-12 pairing ahead of Saturday's Test . Farrell (right) and Ford played for England in the final of the Junior World Cup in 2011 . 2008 . England Under 16 teammates. Farrell captained the side, Ford had just turned 15. 2008-09 . England Under 18 team-mates. Toured Argentina together in 2008. Toured South Africa in 2009. Finished the season unbeaten. 2011 . England Under 20 teammates. Won U20 Six Nations Grand Slam. Lost 33-22 to New Zealand in U20 World Cup final. 2014 . Ford made senior debut off the bench at Twickenham as a replacement for Farrell against Wales in the Six Nations. After England’s below-par performances against New Zealand and South Africa, the promotion of Ford to the starting XV is one of six changes for the line-up that will face Samoa at Twickenham on Saturday night. The former neighbours will attempt to kick start England’s campaign and potentially solve the long-term problem in their country’s midfield. ‘We went to the same school and lived literally 10 metres away from each other,’ said Ford. ‘All we wanted to do was go outside and kick a ball around. Owen used to come home and be like, “C’mon mate, we need to go outside and have a mess around, do a bit of my homework for me”. I’d start doing a bit of his French or whatever it was, then we could go out and kick a ball around. Stupid of me when you look back on it.’ Their mutual understanding should hopefully lead to a seamless transition in the back-line. The inclusion of two natural kickers will help improve the territorial game and should also make England’s gameplan more difficult for the opposition to break down. Billy Vunipola has been left out of Stuart Lancaster's match day squad ahead of England's clash with Samoa . James Haskell has been rewarded for his form for Wasps this season as he pushes for a back row place . Gloucester's Billy Twelvetrees (left) and Saracens' Richard Wigglesworth will get their chance on Saturday . Ford has been given goal-kicking responsibilities and Lancaster has told the 21-year-old to go out and ‘be the boss’. It is a rare chance for the Bath No 10 to make a claim for the starting jersey, despite numerous calls for his selection since he was named IRB Junior World Player of the Year in 2011 — the first Englishman to receive a global award since Jonny Wilkinson. ‘I am massively proud to start my first game for England at Twickenham, having played four times off the bench now,’ said Ford. ‘I have not got a great amount of game time but I am really looking forward to it. It’s exciting. As a 10 it is in your job title to organise and lead people around the park and that is what I will try to do.’ Ford was also the designated kicker at age-group level, when he often found himself the target of practical jokes by his team-mates — such as having the contents of his room perched on the flat roof of a team hotel and replaced by 200 cups of Ribena before the 2011 Junior World Cup final. Danny Care has been dropped after making his 50th Test appearance against South Africa . Kyle Eastmond suffered a concussion late in the match against the Springboks . VIDEO O2 Inside Line: Season 5, Episode 3 . After losing to New Zealand in the showcase match of the Under 20s game, Ford moved from Leicester to Bath, where he now plays under the guidance of his father, Mike. Farrell has also experienced life working under his father, Andy, who is England’s defence coach. It is a world of coincidences for the former rugby league players, who used to represent rival clubs Wigan St Patricks and Waterhead Boys and also went to St George’s School in Harpenden together when their fathers moved south to coach at Saracens. ‘Having dads who played and coached in the professional game could only benefit us,’ said Ford. ‘To have someone you constantly talk to about the game — Mum gets sick of it — is brilliant.’ On Saturday Ford will start alongside Leicester scrum-half Ben Youngs, who was his team-mate at Welford Road when he got his first break into senior rugby. The new half-back combination provides two of those new faces from the side that lost to South Africa. Bath hooker Rob Webber has pushed Dylan Hartley to the bench, while Ben Morgan and James Haskell have displaced Billy Vunipola and Tom Wood in the back row. There are new combinations all round, but none will catch the imagination quite like the two Lancashire lads. Starting XV: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Anthony Watson (Bath), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Jonny May (Gloucester), George Ford (Bath), Ben Youngs (Leicester), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Rob Webber (Bath), David Wilson (Bath), Dave Attwood (Bath), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), James Haskell (Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), Ben Morgan (Gloucester). Replacements: Dylan Hartley (Northampton), Matt Mullan (Wasps), Kieran Brookes (Newcastle), George Kruis (Saracens), Tom Wood (Northampton), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester), Marland Yarde (Harlequins). [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] England face Samoa in their next QBE Autumn International on Saturday . Owen Farrell and George Ford played together for England at age group level and reached the final of the 2011 U20s Junior World Cup as a pair . Stuart Lancaster has made a total of six changes, one positional, to the side defeated 31-28 by South Africa last Saturday . Ben Youngs replaces Danny Care at scrum half . Dylan Hartley dropped to the bench as Bath hooker Rob Webber comes in . James Haskell and Ben Morgan partner Chris Robshaw in the backrow in place of Tom Wood and Billy Vunipola . England lost their fifth consecutive Test against South Africa on Saturday . [/SUMMARY]</s>

England face Samoa in their next QBE Autumn International on Saturday . Owen Farrell and George Ford played together for England at age group level and reached the final of the 2011 U20s Junior World Cup as a pair . Stuart Lancaster has made a total of six changes, one positional, to the side defeated 31-28 by South Africa last Saturday . Ben Youngs replaces Danny Care at scrum half . Dylan Hartley dropped to the bench as Bath hooker Rob Webber comes in . James Haskell and Ben Morgan partner Chris Robshaw in the backrow in place of Tom Wood and Billy Vunipola . England lost their fifth consecutive Test against South Africa on Saturday .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 06:06 EST, 5 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:35 EST, 5 February 2013 . Locked up: Polish man Michael Minorczyk, who moved to Britain to find work, has become one of the first men in the UK to be jailed for squatting . A Polish man who moved to Britain to find work has been jailed under tough new anti-squatting laws for refusing to move out of an empty house where he had been sleeping. Former soldier Michael Minorczyk, 27, was arrested by police after defying requests to move out of the empty property in Blackburn. The Polish immigrant, who exploited EU border control policies to settle in the UK in 2005 only to end up homeless and an alcoholic, was prosecuted following the scrapping of squatters rights in September last year. At Blackburn Magistrates' Court in Lancashire, Minorczyk pleaded guilty to a new squatting offence and was jailed for 15 weeks. The court heard Minorczyk was arrested on January 31 after police acting on a tip off found him inside the boarded up property in New Wellington Street, Blackburn, which is empty due to renovation. The officers got into the house through a broken door and could see Minorczyk was sleeping on a makeshift bed in a downstairs room. They woke him up and told him he was squatting and had to leave and was told not to return. But 20 minutes later police returned to check on the house and found him back inside the property lying in a drunken stupor sleeping in the same makeshift bed. He was arrested when he refused to leave. In mitigation Ian Huggan, defending, said Minorczyk had come to the UK from Poland in 2005. He got a job and everything was fine until the breakdown of his relationship. He returned to Poland 'to straighten his head' but when he came back to Blackburn found that his former partner had started a new relationship. Prosecuted: Michael Minorczyk defied police requests to move out of an empty house where he had been bedding down at night . 'He had hoped to reconcile the relationship and was unable to cope with the situation he was faced with,' said Mr Huggan. 'He . started to drink and unfortunately the drink has taken over his life. He hasn't caused any difficulties other than being in a property he . shouldn't have been in.' Michael Minorczyk has been jailed following a successful prosecution under new squatting laws. Previously, . police could not evict squatters as soon as they moved into somebody's property. So a homeowner's main option to get them out was through a civil court . order - which could be time consuming and costs many tens of thousands . of pounds. These rules were changed and new legislation introduced in September last year. The new offence protects homeowners . or legitimate tenants who have been excluded from their homes. It will . also protect those who own residential buildings that they don't live . in, such as landlords, local authorities or second home owners. But . homeless charity Crisis said the new law would criminalise vulnerable . people, leaving them in prison or facing a fine they cannot pay. Last . August Minorczyk gave an interview to a local newspaper investigating . street drinking in the town - with many of the culprits being men and . women, from Eastern Europe. He . said: 'I came to England with my girlfriend in 2005 but shortly after . we broke up. I started work but with the spiralling economy, I ended up . losing my job and finding myself sleeping on my friend's sofa and . drinking hard, which he didn't like. 'I returned home to Poland for a short time before eventually returning to Blackburn where I found myself living on the streets. 'I now sleep in the abandoned cars in King Street. I am an alcoholic and I need alcohol to survive. I have recently started suffering severe fits and if I don't drink they get worse. I am scared I am going to die. 'I often drink up to six litres of Frosty Jacks cider in a day. I am going into rehab. I don't want to be like this anymore. 'I get in trouble with the police for stealing so I can pay for drink. I have been doing this for seven years and that is too long.' Last September a 21-year-old squatter Alex Haigh, from Plymouth was arrested at a flat in Pimlico, central London and was jailed for 12 weeks under the anti squatting legislation. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Michael Minorczyk, 27, ignored requests to move out of an empty . house . Polish immigrant prosecuted following the scrapping of . squatters rights . Minorczyk pleaded guilty to a new offence and was jailed for 15 weeks . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Michael Minorczyk, 27, ignored requests to move out of an empty . house . Polish immigrant prosecuted following the scrapping of . squatters rights . Minorczyk pleaded guilty to a new offence and was jailed for 15 weeks .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Ian Garland and Phil Vinter . PUBLISHED: . 15:11 EST, 17 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:52 EST, 18 April 2012 . Twelve members of Osama Bin Laden's family will be deported from Pakistan this morning. Bin Laden's three widows, their eight children and one grandchild will be sent to Saudia Arabia, after admitting entering Pakistan illegally. The family's lawyer Muhammad Aamir told AFP on Tuesday: 'They will go tonight or tomorrow early in the morning. After 12 tonight they can be deported any time.' Leaving Pakistan: Amal Ahmed Abdul Fateh, from Yemeni (pictured), is one of Osama Bin Laden's three widows who is now due to be deported from the Asian country . Two of the terrorist leader's former . wives - Khairiah Sabar and Siham Sabar - will be sent to Saudi Arabia. The third, Amal Ahmed Abdul Fateh, will join them, but may later be moved on to her native Yemen with her five children. A Pakistani intelligence official confirmed the deportation would take place 'sometime around midnight' on Tuesday and said 'most likely . they would be flown to Saudi Arabia'. All three widows, along with Bin Laden's 17 . and 21 year old daughters, were placed under house arrest earlier this . month having pleaded guilty to living illegally in Pakistan. Just a few days ago the Al Arabiya television network released footage from inside the 'guest house' in Islamabad, where Bin Laden's family members have been holed up . Toddlers and children are seen . playing with teddy bears and cricket bats, while the three widows of Bin . Laden look on or read the Koran. But the boarded-up windows and a . heavy armed presence outside given an indication that while the place . may serve as a home for the occupants, it is also a prison for Osama's . relatives. Family ties: Osama bin Laden's widows, children and grandchildren were . sentenced for a month and a half under house arrest by a Pakistani court for . illegal residency in the country . The three former wives of Bin Laden have been in Pakistani custody since U.S. Navy SEALs raided the terrorist's compound in Abbottabad and killed the al Qaeda leader in May 2011. All the women confessed to impersonation, illegal entry into Pakistan and staying illegally, so a trial was not required. Mr Khalil said his clients would not appeal the 'lenient" sentence. Fateh told Pakistani investigators that Bin Laden spent years on the run in Pakistan after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, moving from one safe house to another and fathering four children. A deposition taken from Fateh gives the clearest picture yet of bin Laden's life while international forces hunted him. He and his family move from city to city with the help of Pakistanis who arranged 'everything' for them. she is reported as saying. She told police she never applied for a visa during her stay in Pakistan. Last stand: Osama Bin Laden's compound in Abottabad where he was killed during a raid by U.S. special forces in May last year . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Dead terrorist leader's family to be expelled any time 'after midnight' on Wednesday . Unclear if widow from Yemeni will be . transported on to her own country of origin . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Dead terrorist leader's family to be expelled any time 'after midnight' on Wednesday . Unclear if widow from Yemeni will be . transported on to her own country of origin .

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<s>[ARTICLE] On the day Prince Charles voiced his fears that many Britons were losing connection with the countryside, it has been announced that his Prince's Countryside Fund will benefit from the proceeds of the final fixture of the jumps season at Ascot on March 29. Prince Charles wrote about his concerns in a foreword in Country Life magazine to mark his 66th birthday, also saying that many were 'increasingly suspicious' about farming. The Prince's Countryside Fund will benefit from the proceeds of raceday at Ascot on March 29 . The Prince wrote: 'Unlike in most parts of the continent of Europe, many people in the UK are now four or more generations removed from anyone who actually worked on the land – and it frequently shows in their attitudes. 'They have only a vague understanding of what farming is or does; and – as outsiders looking in – they are increasingly suspicious of it.' The Prince Countryside Fund raceday has attracted special sponsors including Waitrose and Dairy Crest. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at Royal Ascot this year . Since the Prince of Wales launched the Fund in 2010 it has played a vital role in providing grants to support rural communities right across the UK. Helen Aldis, Manager for The Prince's Countryside Fund, said: 'The aim of the raceday is to support and create awareness of our work ensuring a sustainable future for the countryside. 'This is the first time we have held a fundraising event of this scale at a racecourse and we are excited to spread the word that we are the only charity dedicated to supporting the people who live and work in the countryside and showcase the valuable projects we have been able to support.' [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] The Prince's Countryside Fund will receive proceeds from the final day in Ascot's calendar . Since the Prince of Wales launched the Fund in 2010 it has played a vital role in providing grants to support rural communities right across the UK . [/SUMMARY]</s>

The Prince's Countryside Fund will receive proceeds from the final day in Ascot's calendar . Since the Prince of Wales launched the Fund in 2010 it has played a vital role in providing grants to support rural communities right across the UK .

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN) -- At the end of a bitter political season too often hijacked by the extremes, the Rally to Restore Sanity was a heartening reaffirmation of American humor, smarts and civility. This year's previous political rallies on the Washington mall -- Glenn Beck's "Restore Honor" rally and the labor/liberal corollary "One Nation" rally emceed by Ed Schultz -- seemed like grim partisan marches compared to the optimism of this overflowing crowd composed of Americans from the sensible center. While Beck asked his supporters not to bring signs (presumably for fear of the distractions they might create) and Schultz's rally signs were mostly printed up by unions and activist groups, the signs at the Restore Sanity rally were clearly homemade. And like hosts Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, they used satire to comment on the political insanity that surrounds us. Among the signs I saw: . • God Hates Nags . • The Rant Is Too Damn High . • Restrain the Craziness . • Civil War was an Inside Job . • Texans for Staying in the Union . • Obama: At Least He Isn't James Buchanan . • Hitler was Hitler . • Want Less Government? Move to Somalia (not that there's anything wrong with that...) • Real Patriots Can Handle a Difference of Opinion . • Real Americans Don't Use the Term 'Real Americans' • I read the Constitution for the Articles . • I Masturbate and I Vote . • Moderate to the Extreme . The content from the stage was essentially a comedy show mixed with musical guests. The message was communicated mostly in "show don't tell" sketches. In one, Yusuf Islam, the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens, came out to play the hippie anthem "Peace Train," interrupted by Ozzy Osbourne playing "Crazy Train" -- culminating with the O'Jays "Love Train," a train we can all get on board. But the crowd was making a fairly consistent, if irreverent, political statement -- from the couple who drove up from Florida with a sign that quoted from a '70s pop song: "Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right, here I am -- stuck in the middle with you," to a sign that read, "What do we want? Moderation! When do we want it? In a reasonable timeframe!" College students from Massachusetts made their point for the media: "Can we get some airtime, please? -- The Moderates." "I think there's too much polarization going on -- and of course the squeaky wheel gets the grease," said Reba Winstead of Virginia, whose husband was laid off last year. She was holding a sign that read "One of the Moderate Majority." "And so the extremists on both ends are the ones screaming the loudest and so the rest of us are in the middle thinking that we're not being heard." Another woman held a sign that quoted legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow: "We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason." Some partisan journalists tried to spin the rally as just a liberal event, but they missed the point by reinforcing the idea that has helped get us into this mess: that if you're not with us, you're against us; that if you're not conservative, you're liberal. In fact, the only two signs I saw for actual candidates running this fall were for independents Lincoln Chafee and Charlie Crist. And while there was no shortage of anger expressed, at Fox News in particular, at what other rally would you see a sign that read: "Palin and Pelosi: Both Nice Ladies." More opinion on topics in the news . In comparing rallies, size matters -- and having covered the conservative and liberal rallies on the mall earlier this year, I can tell you that the Restore Sanity rally was much larger. This is fitting, because there are more Americans in the center than those who are on the right or left. And there are certainly more Americans who prefer the leavening effects of laughter to ideological fear-mongering. But for all the humor and affirmation, the Restore Sanity rally ultimately had a serious point that will apply when the election is over -- namely, that we have to work together to solve problems, but our polarized politics and the partisan media are stopping our ability to reason together as Americans. As Jon Stewart said in his instant classic of a closing speech: "Why would you work with Marxists actively subverting our Constitution or racists and homophobes who see no one's humanity but their own? We hear every damn day about how fragile our country is -- on the brink of catastrophe -- torn by polarizing hate, and how it's a shame that we can't work together to get things done. But the truth is we do. We work together to get things done every damn day. The only place we don't is here [in Washington] or on cable TV." So this celebration of sanity and humor came with a challenge to hyperpartisans in politics and media -- stop playing to the lowest common denominator, stop trying to divide Americans in an attempt to conquer. The American people are smart and "most Americans don't live their lives solely as Democrats or Republicans or conservatives or liberals," as Stewart remarked. The rally's size and enthusiasm was evidence of a growing demand for something different -- an alternative to predictable talking points and the partisan spin cycle, a desire for humor and honesty, independence and integrity. It is both an opportunity and an obligation. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John P. Avlon. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] John Avlon: The "Restore Sanity" rally emphasized moderation and humor . He says the big crowd yearned for an alternative to extreme partisanship . Avlon says some tried to spin it as a liberal event, but the real theme was a centrist one . Hyperpartisans should "stop trying to divide Americans in an attempt to conquer," he says . [/SUMMARY]</s>

John Avlon: The "Restore Sanity" rally emphasized moderation and humor . He says the big crowd yearned for an alternative to extreme partisanship . Avlon says some tried to spin it as a liberal event, but the real theme was a centrist one . Hyperpartisans should "stop trying to divide Americans in an attempt to conquer," he says .

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<s>[ARTICLE] New York (CNN) -- The man accused of attempting to set off a car bomb in Times Square considered other targets in and around New York before the failed attack, an investigator said. Faisal Shahzad, 30, pondered attacks on Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Terminal, the World Financial Center and Connecticut helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky, going so far as to case some of the targets, a senior counterterrorism official with oversight of the investigation said Tuesday. Dressed in a gray sweatsuit, free of handcuffs, Shahzad appeared before a federal magistrate on Tuesday afternoon to hear the charges against him. As he walked into courtroom, Shahzad gave a slight smile to his public defender, Julia Gatto. At the end of the hearing, Gatto requested that Shahzad be served halal food -- prepared according to Islamic dietary laws -- while jailed. Gatto did not object to the government's request that he remain in federal custody. He did not enter a plea, and Magistrate Judge James Francis set his next hearing for June 1. Shahzad faces five counts in connection with the attempted bombing in Times Square on May 1. He could face life in prison if convicted. The Pakistani-born naturalized U.S. citizen has been in federal custody since his arrest two days after the bomb attempt. During that time, he "has provided valuable intelligence from which further investigative action has been taken," the U.S. attorney's office said. After 15 days of questioning, Shahzad invoked his right to an attorney at Tuesday's hearing, a federal law enforcement official said. According to court documents, Shahzad has admitted to law enforcement that he attempted to detonate the bomb and that he recently received bomb-making training in the Waziristan region of Pakistan. Attorney General Eric Holder has said Shahzad was working with the Pakistani Taliban. E-mails obtained by CNN indicate he was looking for a way to strike back against "foreign infidel forces" he believed were oppressing the Muslim world. In one, sent to a large group of recipients in February 2006, Shahzad wrote, "Everyone knows how the Muslim country bows down to pressure from the west. Everyone knows the kind of humiliation we are faced with around the globe." At the time, he had been in the United States for about six years, had earned his MBA and was working as a financial analyst in Connecticut. CIA Director Leon Panetta and National Security Adviser James Jones are traveling to Pakistan to meet with officials there about the status of the Times Square investigation, a U.S. official said Tuesday. They also plan to discuss efforts to prevent future terrorist attacks in their meetings there, the official added. The U.S. government wants to see continued Pakistani cooperation in determining what role the Pakistani Taliban may have played in assisting Shahzad. Washington also wants an aggressive push by Pakistani authorities to take action against al Qaeda-linked groups in the largely ungoverned tribal areas along its border with Afghanistan. CNN National Correspondent Susan Candiotti and National Security Analyst Frances Townsend contributed to this report. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] NEW: Times Square bomb plot suspect Faisal Shahzad does not enter plea in hearing . NEW: His lawyer asks that he be served food prepared according to Islamic dietary laws in jail . Shahzad considered attacks on Rockefeller Center, Grand Central, investigator says . U.S. seeking Pakistan's help in determining whether Pakistani Taliban assisted Shahzad . [/SUMMARY]</s>

NEW: Times Square bomb plot suspect Faisal Shahzad does not enter plea in hearing . NEW: His lawyer asks that he be served food prepared according to Islamic dietary laws in jail . Shahzad considered attacks on Rockefeller Center, Grand Central, investigator says . U.S. seeking Pakistan's help in determining whether Pakistani Taliban assisted Shahzad .

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<s>[ARTICLE] When her culinary skills surprisingly let her down, Ruby Tandoh found a new ingredient for the Great British Bake Off judges – a flood of tears. She appeared inconsolable after making basic errors during Tuesday’s semi-final. With tears rolling down her cheeks, the 21-year-old philosophy student clearly feared she was for the chop. And whether it was the shock of messing up or a bid for sympathy, it worked. Just add water: Ruby Tandoh bursts into tears as she awaits her fate before Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry . She was spared by the judges, who put her through to next week’s final, kicking out 31-year-old Beca Lyne-Pirkis instead. However Miss Tandoh’s performance won little sympathy from viewers, many of whom have already claimed that judge Paul Hollywood favours the attractive former model. On Twitter, many criticised her weepy performance and suggested she survived only because the judges felt sorry for her. Lorenzo Cibrario wrote: ‘I really just can’t stand Ruby. Stop crying all the time.’ Beth Sykes added: ‘I swear Ruby has spent most of her time crying instead of baking.’ Cry me a river: Ruby gets a helping hand to wipe the tears from her face when a task does not go to plan . A third tweeted: ‘Poor, poor judging – poor Beca so deserves a place – complete farce that Ruby is through to the final’. Another described a spat with Hollywood over her decision to use saffron in one recipe as like ‘a lovers tiff’. This week’s challenges required the four contestants to make savoury canapés, a charlotte royale dessert and an opera cake. Miss Tandoh’s canapés were praised, with Mary Berry saying the pastry was ‘beautifully cooked’, but her charlotte royale came last and her chocolate, almond praline and saffron opera cake ‘didn’t have the finish’ the judges wanted although it ‘tasted good’. Falling flat: Ruby failed to get the height needed for the technical challenge . Made it through:  Ruby was reduced to tears yet again when she found out she was in the finals . They were left unimpressed by  Mrs Lyne-Pirkis’s ‘unmemorable’ canapés, although her charlotte royal beat Miss Tandoh’s. She then made a banoffee-flavoured opera cake, which scored well on presentation but poorly on flavour, meaning she missed out on a place in the final. Bookmakers have now made Miss Tandoh the favourite to beat the other two finalists, Kimberley Wilson and Frances Quinn, next week. Bake Off will move to BBC1 next year after attracting BBC2’s best audience this year with an average of seven million. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Student and ex-model through to the final of the Great British Bake Off . However, Ruby Tandoh's tears have viewers fuming on Twitter . Fans accuse the baker of crying herself to a place in the finale . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Student and ex-model through to the final of the Great British Bake Off . However, Ruby Tandoh's tears have viewers fuming on Twitter . Fans accuse the baker of crying herself to a place in the finale .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Spencer Matthews . This week I had a smashing time driving Ginetta racing cars - literally smashing, I crashed their 200mph car twice. I was invited out to the Rockingham Race track by Rick Parfitt Jnr – the current British GT4 champion, rock star and all-round good guy. It had been raining all morning and it's my excuse that the wet road surface contributed to my ignominious exit of the track on the third bend. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Hot wheels: Spencer geared up for life in the fast lane this week . I shot off the road and into the gravel at about 120mph and the wall was approaching fast. I wasn't too bothered about my safety - we were well strapped in and had race helmets on – I was more concerned with the fact that I had signed a waiver beforehand saying that I would pay for any damage to the car. As the crash barrier got closer and closer I got a sinking feeling deep in my stomach, and wallet. SmartWitness SVC1080 video incident cameras are usually installed on the cars – these clever devices are basically HD CCTV cameras that sit on your windscreen and shows who is at fault in an accident – which is pretty important when driving £90,000 worth of high-performance racing car. Nervous? Spencer looks apprehensive ahead of his drive . Gearing up: Spencer hangs out with Rick Parfitt Jnr ahead of his drive . Lewis Hamilton who? Spencer looks the part as he gears up for a ride . The SmartWitness Smart-I Drive camera is also hugely popular for parents who are about to let their older children loose on their family car. Sadly, on this occasion the SmartWitness camera would have only shown that the problem was my poor cornering but luckily no damage was done. After lunch Rick Parfitt and Ginetta racing's Paul Rees gave me a further pep talk on how to take the bends and by then the sun had come out and the road conditions were perfect. CRASH! Patient staff help to pull Spencer's car from the gravel after his crash . Oops! Spencer says there was no damage apart from a slightly dented ego . Feeling smug? Rick couldn't help but gloat a little after Spencer's spectacular crash . Rick said I had the makings of a good racing driver – my commitment was total and I put the pedal to the metal at all times, I just needed some more practice. On my second time on the track I achieved an impressive first lap time and, buoyed with confidence, started to look for a better racing line. At that point disaster struck again, I dropped a gear to hit a tight right-hander and skidded right off the track again - and straight into the gravel. Helmet hair: Spencer checks his famous quiff after a drive around the track . Ask the experts: Spencer receives a Pep Talk From Rick Parfitt and Paul Rees . Thankfully it wasn't a bad crash, the car still works fine, but the registration plate was a bit wobbly from where we hit the front of the gravel. The only thing that was badly dented was my ego. But I've definitely got the bug for racing now and thanks to Lawrence Tomlinson the owner of Ginetta racing I hope to be back on the track very soon. PS. Also I'd like to say thank you to Laura Tomlinson for the lovely gift of some of her Ginetta LifeStyle sporting clothes. I think she gave them to me because she was feeling a bit sorry for me when I put the car into the gravel for a second time. Lots of love, Spencer . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Spencer has been hanging out with Rick Parfitt Jnr this week . Rick is the current British GT4 champion . Spencer gave track driving a try but ended up crashing more than once . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Spencer has been hanging out with Rick Parfitt Jnr this week . Rick is the current British GT4 champion . Spencer gave track driving a try but ended up crashing more than once .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . James Nye . and Ryan Gorman . and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 08:00 EST, 20 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:33 EST, 20 November 2013 . The Neo-Nazi serial killer who targeted blacks and Jews and paralyzed pornographer Larry Flynt in 1978 has been executed. Early this morning, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the appeal of two last-minute stays of execution granted to Joseph Paul Franklin over the single drug Missouri planned to use in his execution. Less than one hour later, at 6.17am CST, Franklin's death sentence was carried out with an injection of pentobarbital at the state prison in Bonne Terre, Missouri. It was Missouri's first execution in three years and the first using the single drug - a sedative that caused the accidental overdose of Michael Jackson. Through the years: Joseph Paul Franklin as seen in a series of booking photos from 2005 to 2012 . Pentobarbital is starting to replace . three-drug lethal injection cocktails that had previously been used . because drug manufacturers . will no longer provide them to US prisons. Franklin rejected his last meal. He also made no statement before his execution and said nothing in the death chamber. As he was injected with the drug, he blinked, breathed heavily, swallowed hard and slipped away within minutes, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Franklin . had been convicted of murdering seven people and admitted to killing up . 22 during a cross-country reign of terror that lasted from 1977 through . 1980. Franklin was a . sniper motivated by racism. He targeted blacks and Jews and whites who . were seen mingling with members of other races. A paranoid schizophrenic, Franklin claimed he wanted to start a race war. Franklin's fate was sealed early Wednesday when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a federal appeals court ruling that overturned two stays granted Tuesday evening by district court judges in Missouri. The Missouri Department of Correction wasted no time in executing him. Of all the killings Franklin admitted to, it was for the 1977 sniper shooting of Gerald Gordon at a suburban St. Louis synagogue that he was executed. Tools of hate: This grab from CNN shows the rifle and guitar case carried by the notorious serial killer . Mentally detached: Mr Franklin's lawyer says he was likely unaware he was on death row . Authorities provided no account of execution, except to say that he died at 6.17am CST. A . federal judge had ruled Tuesday afternoon that a lawsuit filed on . behalf of Mr Franklin and 20 other Missouri inmates on death row arguing . the dangers of propofol must be resolved before anyone can be executed. Lawyers for the . serial killer have argued the drug can cause contamination and pain . above and beyond thresholds allowed by the Eight Amendment - which . prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. The . judge on Tuesday agreed, writing that the state 'has not provided any . information about the certification, inspection history, infraction . history, or other aspects of the compounding pharmacy or of the person . compounding the drug.' A . separate ruling from another judge Tuesday called Mr Franklin's mental capacity . into question, and said his mental illness should be reviewed before he . is put to death. His mental state is such that he wasn't even aware he was on death row. 'He was happy,' his attorney told the Salt Lake Tribune. 'I’m not really convinced that he totally understands that he was going to die.' Mr Franklin earlier this week confirmed to CNN he was responsible for . the cold-blooded execution-style deaths of 'approximately' 22 people. He was devoid of emotion as he attempted to justify his killings - . which famously included an attempt on the life of Hustler porn supremo . Larry Flynt - who incredibly tried to stop his shooters execution. Following his 1980 arrest, Mr Franklin told detectives that he selected the St Louis synagogue from the Yellow Pages of the telephone directory because he wanted to 'find a Jew and kill him,' according to reports. The white supremacist was also convicted in the 1977 killing of an interracial couple in Madison, Wisconsin, as well as in the 1980 shooting deaths of two black joggers in Salt Lake City. Mr Franklin's other convictions include the murders of a two teenage black boys and the bombing a synagogue in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1977. 'I felt like I was at war. The survival of the white race was at stake,' he told Kyung Lah of CNN in an interview that was to be his last before being executed. 'I consider it my mission, my three-year mission. Same length of time Jesus was on his mission, from the time he was 30 to 33.' Death row: Joseph Paul Franklin is scheduled to . die by lethal injection at 12.01am on Wednesday for the sniper killing . of 42-year-old Gerald Gordon outside a suburban St. Louis synagogue in . 1977 . Investigators believe his cross-country crime spree was fueled by a hatred of blacks and Jews. Mr Franklin confessed collared in 1980 after the Salt Lake City killings. Among his alleged crimes were two high-profile shootings — of civil rights leader Vernon Jordan in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1980, and the man he calls his 'old pal' - porn mogul Larry Flynt, in Lawrenceville, Georgia, in 1978. Both men survived. Mr Franklin told CNN he believed he was going to start a race war and that his preferred method to kill his victims was to stalk them and set up a sniper's nest from which he pick them off using a high-powered rifle. Seemingly still in denial, Mr Franklin tried to blame his rough childhood on his three-year orgy of violence. Offending magazine: These are the front covers from the 1975 edition of Hustler magazine that enraged Joseph Paul Franklin . 'My momma didn't care about us,' he said, as he complained he wasn't fed properly and not allowed to play with other children. Finding another family in the white supremacist groups in the American South in the 1960s, Mr Franklin felt he found his calling after reading Adolf Hitler's political manifesto 'Mein Kampf'. 'I've never felt that way about any other book that I read,' he said, 'it was something weird about that book.' At 26, he changed his name to Joseph Paul Franklin to honor Nazi propaganda minister Paul Joseph Goebbels and founding father Benjamin Franklin. He even attempted to link himself to infamous serial killer Charles Manson by having the words 'Helter Skelter' tattooed on his arm in reference to |Mr Manson's inspiration provided by The Beatles 'White Album'. The tattoo artist rebuffed the attempt, the tattoo never came. Mr Franklin explained that he hoped his early murders would set an example to other would-be soldiers in his one-man war on minorities. Hatred: . The neo-nazi has also been convicted of killing an interracial couple . in Madison, Wisconsin in 1977, two black joggers in Salt Lake City in . 1980 and bombing a synagogue in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1977 . 'I figured once I started doing it and showed them how, other white supremacists would do the same thing.' Mr Franklin then shockingly claimed minorities he once targeted now have a kinship with him. 'When you commit a crime against a certain group of people, a bonding takes place. It seems like you belong to them,' he said. In addition to the murder of Mr Gordon outside a bar mitzvah, Mr Franklin was convicted of killing Alphonse Manning and Toni Schwean in Madison, Wisconsin, because they were an interracial couple. He also confessed to shooting dead college student Rebecca Bergstrom, after she told him in passing that she dated a Jamaican man. His most shocking murder was that of 13-year-old Dante Evans and his cousin 14-year-old Darrell Lane in Cincinnati -  two African Americans jogging with white female friends. Joseph Deters, who prosecuted that Cincinnati case said, 'He's just a creep. There's no other way to describe him. And what he did to those two kids because of the color of their skin is incomprehensible.' Victim: Larry Flynt says he doesn't to see the man who shot him put to death . Hustler chief Flynt was standing trial on an obscenity charge in Georgia in 1978 when he was wounded by a sniper's bullet. No one was arrested at the time, but the shooting has since been linked to Mr Franklin. Gwinnett County, Ga., District Attorney Danny Porter said he is convinced Franklin shot Flynt because Franklin provided information only the shooter would know — details about the shooting location, the type of weapon used, even the maker of the gun. The details were divulged while the killer served time in the 1990s in a Georgia prison. Mr Franklin said he shot the pornographer because of a magazine front cover showing an interracial couple. 'I saw that interracial couple he had, photographed there, having sex,' he told CNN, referring to the December 1975 issue of Hustler . 'It just made me sick. I think whites marry with whites, blacks with blacks, Indians with Indians. Orientals with orientals. I threw the magazine down and thought, I'm gonna kill that guy.' However, Mr Porter said he opted against filing charges because Franklin had already been convicted of multiple killings and said it didn't make sense to bring him back to Georgia to face trial for shooting Mr Flynt. Incredibly, the Hustler founder has become an unlikely supporter of Franklin's - in so much as he doesn't want him to face the death penalty. Mr Flynt would rather his shooter rot away in a prison cell. 'The government has no business at all being in the business of killing people,' said Flynt. '(It's) much more punishment to put somebody in prison for the rest of their lives than it is to snip their life out in a few seconds with a lethal injection.' Mr Flynt's sadistic hopes have been kept alive for the time being. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Joseph Paul Franklin admitted to killing 22 people across multiple states between 1977 and 1980 . He was executed less than an hour after the U.S. Supreme Court put an end to last-minute legal maneuvering . Franklin declined his last meal, made no statement and said nothing in the death chamber . He was on Missouri death row for the 1977 killing of a Jewish man outside a St. Louis synagogue . His lawyers argued pentobarbital was inhumane . Mr Franklin also shot Hustler publisher Larry Flynt in 1978 in Georgia . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Joseph Paul Franklin admitted to killing 22 people across multiple states between 1977 and 1980 . He was executed less than an hour after the U.S. Supreme Court put an end to last-minute legal maneuvering . Franklin declined his last meal, made no statement and said nothing in the death chamber . He was on Missouri death row for the 1977 killing of a Jewish man outside a St. Louis synagogue . His lawyers argued pentobarbital was inhumane . Mr Franklin also shot Hustler publisher Larry Flynt in 1978 in Georgia .

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<s>[ARTICLE] GENEVA, Switzerland (CNN) -- The World Health Organization on Wednesday raised its pandemic alert to 5, its second-highest level, warning of widespread human infection from the swine flu outbreak that originated in Mexico. Patients wait at a hospital Wednesday in Mexico City. The swine flu outbreak began in Mexico. Dr. Margaret Chan, the U.N. agency's director-general, said the decision to raise the alert on the 6-point scale indicated that all countries should "immediately" activate pandemic preparedness plans. "This change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to ministries of health and other ministries, to the pharm industry and the business community that certain actions now should be taken with increased urgency and at an accelerated pace," Chan said. The announcement came as the number of confirmed cases increased rapidly across the world. The WHO and national governments have confirmed 148 cases in nine countries. Most of those cases are in the United States, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 91 cases. The figures include seven deaths in Mexico and one in the United States. More than 2,700 other patients worldwide are believed to be suffering from the virus that government officials call by its technical name, 2009 H1N1. The first cases of the virus were detected in Mexico, where health officials suspect swine flu in more than 150 other deaths and roughly 2,500 illnesses. As of late Wednesday, 99 cases had been confirmed -- up from 26, Mexico's health secretary reported. An eighth fatality was also confirmed. iReport.com: "Regular life" in Mexico with masks . The additional cases and fatality were not immediately confirmed by WHO . Researchers do not know how the virus is jumping relatively easily from person to person, or why it's affecting what should be society's healthiest demographic. Many of the victims who have died in Mexico have been young and otherwise healthy. The outbreak has prompted Mexican authorities to order about 35,000 public venues in Mexico City to shut down and restrict restaurants to serving only take-out meals. All nonessential government offices and private business were ordered to close between May 1-5, with only skeletal staffing allowed when necessary, Mexico's health secretary announced Wednesday. Mexican officials said it was too soon to determine what kind of economic impact the decision would have on the country. Germany and Austria became the latest European countries to report swine flu on Wednesday, while the number of cases increased in the United Kingdom and Spain. Peru reported its first case late Wednesday. Yet Chan reiterated the WHO's recommendation not to close borders or restrict trade in response to the outbreak, saying the world "is better prepared for an influenza pandemic than at any time" in history. Watch how the U.S. is preparing for the worst » . "We need to maintain a level of calmness so that we will continue to manage this in a rational manner," she said, adding that pork is safe for consumption as long as it is cooked properly. President Obama downplayed the possibility of closing the U.S. border with Mexico, where the recent occurrence of the deadly virus began. "It would be akin to closing the barn door after the horses are out," Obama said during his Wednesday evening news conference. Obama said he'll be looking to health officials for guidance on how to handle travel between the two countries. The $1.5 billion Obama requested from Congress to help fight the outbreaks will help health officials monitor and track the virus and replenish the supply of anti-viral drugs, he said. Watch President Obama caution Americans on swine flu » . Swine influenza, or flu, is a contagious respiratory disease that affects pigs. When the flu spreads person to person, instead of from animals to humans, it can continue to mutate, making it harder to treat or fight, because people have no natural immunity. Symptoms include fever, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The WHO's "Phases of Pandemic Alert," which has been in existence for five years, characterizes phase 5 as a human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region, signaling that a pandemic is imminent. The highest level, phase 6, is defined by community-level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region, according to the agency. About a quarter of the U.S. stockpile of anti-viral drugs will be distributed to states by Sunday, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said. Watch how U.S. officials are reacting to the virus » . U.S. officials also are asking scientists whether additional measures to screen for flu symptoms were needed at U.S. ports of entry, she said. Already, customs officers have asked 49 people to submit to tests for the H1N1 virus, she said. Of those tests, 41 have been negatives and the remaining eight have not yet come back. Researchers in the United States have already taking steps to crack the genetic code of the virus behind the swine flu outbreak in order to produce a vaccine, U.S. officials said Wednesday. The U.S. government is distributing 25 percent of its stockpile of antiviral medications Tamiflu and Relenza to all states, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday. Health officials stress that the medications are effective only if taken in the early stages of the infection. Learn more about swine flu and how to treat it » . The 91 confirmed cases in the United States includes the country's first swine flu fatality: a 23-month-old child visiting from Mexico who died Monday at a Houston, Texas, hospital. A U.S. Marine in California is the military's first suspected case of swine flu, and three military family members in San Diego have confirmed cases, the CDC said. As a precaution, the military is banning travel to Mexico for nonessential personnel. Mexican officials also said they believe they may have found "patient zero" -- the first case of the global outbreak -- in the small mountain village of La Gloria. Edgar Hernandez, 5, survived the earliest documented case of swine flu. He lives near a pig farm, though experts have not established a connection between that and his illness. Edgar has managed to bounce back from his symptoms and playfully credits ice cream for helping him feel better. In the United States, at least 74 elementary, junior high and high schools have closed across the country due to confirmed or probable cases of swine flu, the Department of Education said Wednesday. Another 30 schools have closed as a precautionary measure, Department of Education spokesman Massie Ritsch said. Governments around the world are scrambling to prevent further outbreak. Some countries, such as China and Russia, have banned pork imports from the United States and Mexico, though the WHO said the disease is not transmitted through eating or preparing pig meat. Several other countries, such as Japan and Indonesia, are using thermographic devices to test the temperature of passengers arriving from Mexico. Egypt reportedly is considering culling all pigs although there have been no reported cases of swine flu there. Common seasonal flu kills 250,000 to 500,000 people every year worldwide, far more than the current outbreak of swine flu. But there is a vaccine for seasonal flu. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Barbara Starr contributed to this report. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] NEW: 99 cases confirmed in Mexico, up from 26 earlier Wednesday . Some government offices, private business in Mexico to close from May 1 to 5 . Researchers conducting complete genetic sequencing of the H1N1 virus . World Health Organizations reports 148 cases in 9 countries . [/SUMMARY]</s>

NEW: 99 cases confirmed in Mexico, up from 26 earlier Wednesday . Some government offices, private business in Mexico to close from May 1 to 5 . Researchers conducting complete genetic sequencing of the H1N1 virus . World Health Organizations reports 148 cases in 9 countries .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Sarah Michael for Daily Mail Australia . and Aap . Foul weather is set to hit the east coast of Australia, with flooding, heavy rain and strong coastal winds forecast across NSW and parts of Queensland. Meanwhile in the Northern Territory fire bans are in place until Thursday due to fresh, dry and gusty southeast winds, which are expected to cause extreme fire danger. And Queensland residents in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, were hit with a freak hail storm overnight, which brought with it an impressive lightning display. Scroll down for video . Foul weather is set to hit the east coast of Australia, with flooding, heavy rain and strong coastal winds forecast across NSW and parts of Queensland . Lightning during a major storm in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, in Queensland . A severe storm dropped large amounts of hail in Queensland overnight . As a low pressure system rolls north along the NSW coast on Wednesday, thunderstorms and heavy rain may lead to flash flooding in some regions. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued minor flooding, severe weather and coastal wind warnings across the state. 'Moderate to heavy rain is expected to fall over the NSW mid-north coast and northern rivers districts,' BOM said in its flood watch statement. Illawarra, NSW – 277mm (wettest August since 1998) Sydney, NSW – 191.8mm (wettest August since 1998) Coffs Harbour, NSW – 198mm (wettest August since 2007) Brisbane, QLD - 89.6mm (wettest august since 2010) Melbourne, VIC - 38mm . *BOM statistics . This comes as the eastern states of Australia have been hit with a deluge of rain this month. Sydney has recorded its wettest August since 1998. On Wednesday, there is a chance of minor flooding in the Bellinger, Orara, Richmond, Wilsons and Brunswick River valleys, BOM said. A minor flood warning has been issued by for the upper Paroo River at Willara Crossing, where a peak of 1.3 metres is expected on Wednesday. A minor flood warning was also issued yesterday at Hungerford in Queensland, on the border of NSW, but flood levels will ease in the coming days. The BOM also issued a fire warning for the Northern Territory over the northwest Darwin-Daly District and Roper-McArthur District. 'Fires will be uncontrollable, unpredictable, fast moving and extremely dangerous,' the BOM said in a statement. 'Measures to ensure your survival should be your primary consideration.' Three people stranded on the roof of their car after flood waters started rose rapidly were lucky to escape uninjured when they were winched to safety by a rescue helicopter in remote NSW . The two women and a man were crossing a creek in Moruya in their 4WD when they were caught off guard by fast flowing water on Tuesday . Rain fell heavily in the Illawarra region in the south of NSW overnight, with Robertson receiving 99mm and local flooding making driving difficult. The SES advises people to be careful of flood waters, particularly when driving, and keep clear of creeks and storm drains. Strong marine winds will also whip the Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay coasts as the heavy weather moves north, BOM warned. BOM meteorologist Tim Constable said over the next five days the heaviest rainfall would come on Wednesday. Thousands of blue bottles washed up along the shores of the South Coast due to the large easterly swell and winds on Tuesday . The blue bottles washed up on Wollongong's North Beach . There will be showers across NSW on Thursday and possible light showers on Friday. 'Then into Saturday and Sunday again Sydney could see some possible showers but chance of showers getting a lot slimmer,' he said. On Tuesday, the dramatic rescue of three people trapped on top of their car during a rapidly rising flood led a busy day for NSW emergency services. Large waves slam into the break walls protecting Wollongong Harbour on August 18 . Blustering winds wreak havoc with umbrellas in Sydney on August 18 . The Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter plucked three people from the roof of their four-wheel-drive on Tuesday morning on the south coast moments before a flood submerged the vehicle. The two women and man were crossing a creek west of Moruya near Wamban when the 4WD became caught in the fast-flowing creek. The trio were airlifted to a nearby paddock were paramedics were waiting. They were treated for mild hypothermia, NSW Ambulance says. Broken umbrella's are seen discarded in a garbage bin as torrential rain continues to fall in Sydney on August 18 . A unit block in Sydney's northern beaches was evacuated on August 19 after land gave way at a building site just metres away . According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Moruya was hit with 71mm of rain over the 24 hours until Tuesday at 6pm (AEST). It was one of multiple flood rescues in the south coast region on Tuesday. A man was rescued from his ute after it became stuck on a flooded road at Shellharbour. SES spokesman Phil Campbell said horses were rescued from rising waters at Albion Park. The SES received 60 calls for help up to 6pm Tuesday, mainly for leaky roofs and sandbagging in southern parts of the state, he said. WEDNESDAY . THURSDAY . FRIDAY . SATURDAY . SUNDAY . A unit block in Sydney's northern beaches was evacuated on August 19 after land gave way at a building site just metres away . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Flooding, heavy rain and strong coastal winds to hit NSW and Queensland . Extreme fire danger warnings are in place in the Northern Territory . Eastern states of Australia have been hit with a deluge of rain this month . Sydneysiders have experienced the city's wettest August in 16 years . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Flooding, heavy rain and strong coastal winds to hit NSW and Queensland . Extreme fire danger warnings are in place in the Northern Territory . Eastern states of Australia have been hit with a deluge of rain this month . Sydneysiders have experienced the city's wettest August in 16 years .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:48 EST, 25 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:15 EST, 25 November 2013 . A man had an attempted murder of a former employee had his plan foiled after accidentally pocket dialing the intended victim while he was talking about the hit. Larry Barnett, 68, was arrested in Jonesboro, Arkansas after he 'unknowingly made' a phone call to his former employee. During the phone call, which lasted an hour and a half, Barnett could be heard telling a different man how he wanted him to do whatever it took to kill the former employee. Murderous mistake: Larry Barnett unintentionally made his target aware of his plan to kill him by accidentally calling the man on his cell phone as Barnett spoke to the hit man . 'I don’t care if you have to burn his house to the ground with him in it.  I don’t care what you have to do, make it look like an accident,' Barnett was heard saying, according to Region 8 News. Barnett, who owns the Legend Motor Company, also gave specific directions to the target's house in the town of Paragould. Once he realized what his former boss was plotting, the target- who has not been named- called the police. The call was still going on when the intended target was speaking to police. Charged: Jonesboro, Arkansas police arrested Barnett after the intended target, who was Barnett's former employee, called them while he was listening to the plans for the hit . It is not clear where the intended target was at the time of the Thursday incident, but he was not home as police arrived and found that the would-be assassin had clearly made his move. A police statement from the Jonesboro Police Department makes it clear that the home had been burglarized and the gas stove had been tampered with. Barnett was arrested on Thursday and charged with conspiracy to commit murder. He was due in court for a probable cause hearing on Monday. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Larry Barnett, 68, faces charges of attempted murder . His target has not been named but he listened for an hour and a half as Barnett told a different man how to get to the target's house . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Larry Barnett, 68, faces charges of attempted murder . His target has not been named but he listened for an hour and a half as Barnett told a different man how to get to the target's house .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Katie Nicholl and Christopher Leake . Last updated at 5:47 PM on 18th December 2011 . Prince Harry became embroiled in a real-life crime drama when he came to the rescue of one of his best friends after he was mugged on a London street. According to police records, the Prince was on the phone to Thomas van Straubenzee at the exact moment a robber took his friend’s BlackBerry mobile. Harry heard the scuffle taking place and immediately drove to the scene with his protection officer. Fearing 28-year-old Mr van Straubenzee had been hurt, the Prince circled the streets of Battersea, South-West London, looking for him. Scuffle: The Prince . was on the phone to Thomas van Straubenzee at the exact moment a robber . took his friend’s BlackBerry mobile . When he could not find his friend, he  drove to the nearest police station where he found Mr van Straubenzee reporting the crime. Because he had overheard the mugging taking place, Prince Harry was required to give a police statement, which is now part of an ongoing investigation. Last night, Wandsworth police told The Mail on Sunday that they had arrested a man in connection with the robbery and recovered the stolen mobile phone. The man was released on bail. It is believed to be the first time a senior Royal has walked into a police station to report a crime. Royal witness: The police station where Harry went to report the crime . A police source said: ‘Prince Harry came into the station to give a statement. It was a separate statement from the one given by his friend who was mugged.’ A police spokesman said: ‘Police are . investigating an allegation of personal robbery which occurred at . approximately 8.30pm on Wednesday, November 30, in Albert Bridge Road, . SW11. ‘A mobile phone was . taken during the robbery. This allegation was taken seriously,  as are . all allegations of robbery. A man was arrested on Thursday, December 1 . on  suspicion of robbery and bailed to return in January pending further . inquiries. Police from Wandsworth are investigating.’ An . aide told The Mail on Sunday how Harry, who is believed to have been at . Clarence House, his London residence, leapt into action after their . conversation came to an abrupt end. ‘Prince Harry was aware of what had . happened to his friend and drove to the area immediately to try to find . him,’ the aide said. ‘He . circled the streets for a while in his car before following intuition . and finding his friend at a local police station in Battersea Bridge . Road. The Prince wanted to be there to offer some comfort and friendly . support. ‘Prince Harry . made his way to the station and by the time he arrived the police had . already enacted a number of operational procedures, which involved very . swift action and the kind of scenes you see on The Bill. Both the Prince . and his friend were very grateful to the police for how they handled . it.’ The 27-year-old . Prince, who has recently returned to the UK from America where he has . been completing the final stages of his Apache helicopter training . course, took Mr van Straubenzee home, then returned to Clarence House . with his protection officer. The . Prince and Mr van Straubenzee are childhood friends and attended . Ludgrove school in Berkshire and Eton together. Mr van Straubenzee is . also a close friend of Prince William and was one of his ushers at his . wedding. Nicknamed ‘Van’ by his friends, the 28-year-old accompanied Prince William on his first . official tour  to New Zealand in 2005 and is a  regular guest at William . and Kate’s Anglesey home. Both . Princes are also close to Tom’s parents, Alex and Claire van . Straubenzee, who live at their family’s estate in Grantham, . Lincolnshire, and are patrons of a memorial fund dedicated to Tom’s . brother Henry, who was killed in a car crash in 2002. Old friends: Thomas jokes around with William, Harry and his girlfriend of the time Chelsy Davy at the concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium in 2007 . The fund raises money to help schoolchildren in Uganda. The Dutch-descended Van Straubenzees have a long history with the Royal Family and have served the British Crown for at least 150 years. Alex van Straubenzee is a former officer in the Royal Green Jackets, a regiment since merged into  The Rifles. William and Harry socialise frequently with Tom and his younger brother Charlie. Just weeks ago, Prince Harry attended a party for the Van Straubenzee memorial fund, and the friends regularly shoot together. Clarence House last night confirmed the mugging but said they could not comment on whether Prince Harry was speaking to Mr van Straubenzee at the time he was mugged because the police investigation is ongoing. A spokesman for Prince Harry said: ‘Prince Harry joined a friend  at a police station in South London after his friend had reported a  robbery. By the time Prince Harry arrived to be with his friend, the police investigation into the incident had already begun. ‘The investigation is ongoing, so we cannot comment further.’ Wealthy Battersea has become a crime hotspot for muggings, murders  and drug-dealing.Rich residents have become targets of robberies, often committed by street gangs in the area – a stone’s throw across the Thames from exclusive Chelsea. Last month Richard Ward, 37, died from massive head injuries after being set upon in an unprovoked gang attack. In February, Niall Hall, a former aide  to the Queen Mother, was carjacked and kidnapped by a gang who stripped him naked and ran knives along his body. Danger spot: The road where Thomas van Straubenzee was attacked . Mr Hall, 49, was forced to reveal his bank card PIN numbers, and his valuable watch and cash were stolen. He had to be treated for bleeding in the brain. Four men recently went on trial in connection with the attack. A fifth man has pleaded guilty. In the same month, firefighter’s wife Anna Smith, 33, suffered a severe beating from thugs in the area after she fought to save a female neighbour from being mugged. One of the most horrific crimes in Battersea was the murder in 2002 of local estate agent Tim Robinson. Dwaine Williams was jailed for life after stabbing Mr Robinson, 25, in front of his girlfriend to get his £20,000 Audi Quattro. In 2007, drug addict Elmi Said Elmi was jailed for three-and-a-half years for setting his Staffordshire bull terrier on people to steal their mobiles and cash. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Thomas van Straubenzee, 28, was robbed in Battersea at 8.30pm . Prince and security officer circled streets looking for him . Harry later gave statement which is now part of an ongoing investigation . First time a senior Royal has walked into a police station to report a crime . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Thomas van Straubenzee, 28, was robbed in Battersea at 8.30pm . Prince and security officer circled streets looking for him . Harry later gave statement which is now part of an ongoing investigation . First time a senior Royal has walked into a police station to report a crime .

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN) -- Eva Walusimbi knows well how it is to live in darkness. As a community leader in the small town of Mityana, central Uganda, she's been witnessing the health hazards and financial strains that a shortage of electricity can bring to people living in energy poor, rural areas. "Just three miles away from here, people in the villages don't have electricity -- some of them use candles, some use kerosene lamps," says Walusimbi, who runs schools for orphans and disadvantaged children in Uganda. "One morning there was a kid that was picked from school early in the morning because her sibling had died in a fire," she says. "[The kid] had lit a candle in the house and then went outside to do some other chores, so the candle melted away and the house was all on fire. By the time that they came back to see what's going on, the whole house was burned down and the kid was burned to ashes." In Uganda, some 90% of the population lives without access to electricity, according to World Bank figures. Apart from the health risks, Walusimbi, 50, says that lack of electricity is also preventing people from escaping poverty. "People that are living without electricity, their day ends up so quickly -- they can do less work compared to the people with full light," she says. But for Walusimbi, there is light at the end of the tunnel. She has joined Solar Sister, a group aiming to eradicate energy poverty while creating economic opportunities for women. Using an Avon-style women's distribution system, Solar Sister trains, recruits and supports female entrepreneurs in East Africa to sell affordable solar lighting and other green products such as solar lamps and mobile phone chargers. The women use their community networks of family and neighbors to build their own businesses, earning a commission on each sale. Read related: Harnessing pedal power to light up Africa . Solar Sister founder Katherine Lucey, a former investment banker with expertise in the energy sector, says this model is creating access to safe, affordable and clean energy while helping women to earn a steady income to support their families. "This gives them a chance to earn money in a way that is a lot more steady -- they have control over it and that money can come into the family," says Lucey, who is based in Rhode Island, in the United States. "In almost all cases we see them using that to spend on education for their children." During her 20-year career as an energy executive, Lucey says she'd seen how access to electricity was fundamental for economic growth. But whilst working on large-scale energy projects in developing countries, she also realized that the pressing needs of many poor individuals were still not being served. After dark, houses not connected to the electricity grid rely mainly on open-flame kerosene lamps for light. Such lanterns, however, pose fire hazards, emit toxic fumes and a put a strain on family budgets. "You really can't raise up above subsistence living if you don't have light, electricity and energy," says Lucey. "And when you do have it, it's just tremendous what people are able to accomplish and the impact it has on people's lives: children can study more and go to school, women can start businesses and are able to provide for their families." Read also: Pay-as-you-go solar power lights up rural Africa . According to Lighting Africa, a joint World Bank - International Finance Corporation program developed to increase access to clean sources of energy for lighting, 589 million people in the continent live without access to a public electricity facility. The group says African poor rural households and small businesses pay $10 billion per year for lighting purposes, while communities not connected to the grid spend $4.4 billion annually on kerosene. Lucey says ending a culture of dependency on aid is crucial to help people escape economic hardship and deal with the issue of energy poverty. She explains: "There's not enough philanthropy in the world to solve this problem," she says. "A third of the world population doesn't have access to electricity -- it's not going to be solved by philanthropy, it's going to be solved by some kind of market mechanism where people have access to this product ... and purchase as they need it." So far, more than 270 entrepreneurs in Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan have joined Solar Sister. Lucey says the group, which is looking to expand in other counties in the continent, is deliberately working solely with women as they are responsible of managing the energy needs of a household. "Women are the ones who walk miles to cut the wood; women are the ones who go to markets to buy kerosene -- so if we wanted to make the change that someone would say 'well, I'll quit the kerosene, I'm going to buy a solar lamp and use cleaner technology,' then it had to be the person who was in charge of making that decision and that's the women." Back in Mityana, Walusimbi says her life has "changed enormously" since she started working with the group, using the extra money to cover her household and farm needs. "It makes me feel proud to see that I'm bringing an income to my family," she says. "Because if I can support my family, I feel good -- other than seeking helplessly and looking for everything to be sponsored." [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Solar Sister is a network of women selling solar lighting to poor communities . The female entrepreneurs make a commission on every sale . More than 270 women in three East African countries have so far joined the group . Founder Katherine Lucey says energy poverty will not be solved by philanthropy . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Solar Sister is a network of women selling solar lighting to poor communities . The female entrepreneurs make a commission on every sale . More than 270 women in three East African countries have so far joined the group . Founder Katherine Lucey says energy poverty will not be solved by philanthropy .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Roy Hodgson has hit back at Brendan Rodgers' claims that he ignored advice from Liverpool over Daniel Sturridge's recovery time. Rodgers was furious when Sturridge injured his thigh during the last England get together and he hasn't played since the 1-0 victory over Norway early last month. The Liverpool manager insisted that Sturridge needs 48 hours to recover after a match, but Hodgson ignored the advice and forced the striker to train. Daniel Sturridge was injured in training for England in September resulting in him missing the opening European Championship qualifier against Switzerland and a number of Liverpool matches . Hodgson said: 'We have only a shortage of time. We have two games and two training sessions, we wanted to play him and Rooney together against Switzerland. 'The injury was unfortunate but if I am going to be under pressure to give players two days off every time they play then we won't train. They can't have two days off. 'He has not played for Liverpool since picking up the injury. If he was to get fitter during the international week then he will still have a lot of work to do to bring him up to speed for Liverpool anyway. There was no question of him being selected. Hodgson denied that there is any problem between him and Brendan Rodgers after the Liverpool manager warned him not to play Daniel Sturridge. The England boss has not selected the striker for his squad to face San Marino and Estonia in their Euro 2016 qualifiers. Rodgers said that he had told Hodgson that Sturridge was not available for the national team, even though he could play some part of Liverpool's match against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday before the England squad meet up. Talking at Melwood, the Liverpool boss said: 'I've not spoken to Daniel (about the situation). My focus is on Liverpool, it is not on England. 'I spoke to him about being available for Liverpool but I can't think about England when he is not ready to play for Liverpool. England boss Roy Hodgson has insisted players can not have two days off due to the proximity of matches . 'He's had a grade one injury for four weeks, which is a long time, and my focus is now getting him to play for Liverpool. 'I've had good communication with Roy. It was amicable. There is no issue. 'We spoke at length yesterday on the situation and I said to him 'Every individual player is different'. 'I respect he had work to do internationally but my thoughts are with Liverpool players and what their needs are. 'We agreed it was probably too soon for Daniel to meet up with England, irrespective of whether he was involved this weekend or not. He hasn't trained with the team at all since the injury with them and it was probably not the right time to go with them.' While there is no issue between himself and Hodgson, Rodgers wouldn't dismiss questions surrounding the two pairs of medical staff being at loggerheads. 'It is not something to be discussed now,' he said. 'I don't think the same thing will happen again. From the conversations with Roy they will obviously look at that. 'I understand his position where he has only a few days to work with the players and he will probably take away that intensity on that second day but you can still work players, we work players here on the second day, but it needs to be tapered to the individual player.' Liverpool striker Sturridge has only managed to appear in half of his side's Premier League matches . Brendan Rodgers told Hodgson that Sturridge would not be available for England but could play some part in Liverpool's match against West Brom before the national team meet up . Hodgson added: 'The last thing you want is injuries in training. You feel a responsibility to the clubs when you have their players and I can only think of three injuries with the national team in two and a half years I have been in charge. 'I haven't been told he can't play for us. We have a right to pick players and we have a right to check on their fitness and assess them ourselves. It's never happened in my two-and-a-half years and hope it never will. The way forward is to have dialogue with managers and players. 'If he took some part at the weekend it'll be very much at the beginning of his recovery. Us going forward in December and March, a fully fit Sturridge is what I need. 'I don't seek ways in which I can assert my authority. I'm happy with the way I use my authority.' [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Roy Hodgson has hit back at Brendan Rodgers' claims over Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge . Liverpool boss was furious when Sturridge picked up an injury during England duty . Rodgers insisted Sturridge needed 48 hours to recover from a match . However, Hodgson has hit back and said England players can not have two days off . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Roy Hodgson has hit back at Brendan Rodgers' claims over Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge . Liverpool boss was furious when Sturridge picked up an injury during England duty . Rodgers insisted Sturridge needed 48 hours to recover from a match . However, Hodgson has hit back and said England players can not have two days off .

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<s>[ARTICLE] A Delaware restaurant has come under fire after photographs of bad tippers and their receipts were uploaded to its social networking sites alongside offensive and racist messages. The Padi Restaurant in Hockessin has apologized after images appeared on its manager's Instagram account and the eatery's Facebook page calling people names such as 'cheap' and 'hillbilly'. But the manager, Aaron Kwan, has denied he took the images or wrote the messages - and has instead blamed other employees for accessing his online profiles when he was not looking. After the Wilmington News Journal reported about the messages, the Instagram and Facebook accounts were promptly removed. The News Journal shared several of the offensive messages. In trouble: Offensive and racist messages have appeared on the Instagram account of restaurant manager Aaron Kwan - but he denies that he was the one who posted them . Among them, there was a photo of a bill for $53.80 for a customer with an Indian surname, who had tipped $5.20 - less than 10 per cent. The photo appeared on the Instagram account, fumanchu85, alongside the message: 'What do you expect from a last name like that? #cheap #jew' In a similar message, where a diner with a $45.90 bill paid a $6.10 tip, the person wrote: 'With a last name like that, I don’t think you will ever expect a GOOD tip. #cheap #jerk #indian.' And another image shows a customer paying his bill with the message: '#deuchbag alert. ... hate him and his family. No respect for anyone ever' - before using a derogatory term for the man's wife. Offensive: In one message, a worker posted a picture of a receipt which showed a customer with an Indian surname had left a small tip (top), and then they added an angry message (bottom) He also refered to customers as '#cheapass' and '#hillbillies' in the messages. The News Journal also reported that negative comments were shared on the restaurant's Facebook page, which has now also been removed. 'People need . to take their meds before leaving the comfort of their home,' an October post reads. 'Why would . you come to an Asian restaurant when you don’t feel like having Asian . food.' Kwan, who reportedly would regularly upload pictures of himself to the Instagram account, said he barely used the application and should have checked it more to see if anyone else had access. He added that the messages probably came from other staff members. Rude: Other messages attack diners on the restaurant's public Facebook group for eating takeout there . Site: Many of the messages were posted to the manager's Instagram, pictured, but he says it was hacked . 'It may be hacked because I left my iPad and stuff all around,' he told Delaware Online. 'Probably some other water or waitress got really mad.' Edward B. Rosenthal, an attorney representing the restaurant's owner and Kwan's aunt, Eve Teoh, said the business is working hard to restore its image after the messages emerged two weeks ago. Teoh has written an open letter to customers that hangs beside the counter, apologizing for 'unacceptable and insulting behavior'. 'We . sincerely apologize for those actions, and want the community to know . that those actions and opinions are not consistent with our beliefs and . values, nor are they welcome at our restaurant. Scene: The owner of Padi Restaurant - Kwan's aunt - said they will investigate who is responsible . Inside: Kwan said he thinks other workers accessed his personal profiles when he left his phone out . Damage control: Chef Patrick Wong and owner Eve Teoh have apologized for the offensive messages . 'We want to . assure all of our customers, and members of the community, that those . responsible for insulting our customers and members of the community . will be held accountable, and that we are taking steps to insure that . this type of behavior never happens again,' the letter reads. Rosenthal added that Kwan was on indefinite unpaid leave. 'We're holding him responsible,' he said. 'But we feel there may have been other people [involved].' He added that there will be meetings with staff members to discuss about how they are expected to represent the message of the restaurant on all fronts. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Offensive messages found on Instagram profile belonging to the manager of Padi Restaurant in Hockessin, Delaware . But the manager claims another worker must have hacked his profiles . Messages included rude and racist remarks about customers . Restaurant owner has now apologized and manager is on unpaid leave . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Offensive messages found on Instagram profile belonging to the manager of Padi Restaurant in Hockessin, Delaware . But the manager claims another worker must have hacked his profiles . Messages included rude and racist remarks about customers . Restaurant owner has now apologized and manager is on unpaid leave .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Two Chinese ships arrived at the coast of Vietnam on Monday to begin efforts to collect thousands of Chinese citizens who are fleeing the country after deadly attacks last week. The chartered ships reached the port of Vung Ang in Ha Tinh, the coastal province where some of the worst violence targeting Chinese facilities and workers took place, Chinese state media reported. One of the two, the Wuzhishan, departed later Monday for the southern Chinese port city of Haikou with 989 evacuees on board, according to the official Chinese news agency Xinhua. Along with two other ships that are still en route, the vessels are being used to bring back almost 4,000 Chinese citizens who are leaving because of the recent unrest, Xinhua said. Chinese authorities said Sunday that more than 3,000 Chinese had already been evacuated from Vietnam after protests over China's decision to move an oil rig into disputed waters of the South China Sea spiraled into riots last week in which foreign-owned factories were burned and looted. At issue is the positioning of the rig in waters claimed by both China and Vietnam. Vietnam claims the rig's presence is "illegal," while China says it has every right to drill and has castigated the Vietnamese government for failing to ensure the safety of its nationals. Two Chinese citizens were killed in the violence and more than 100 were injured, authorities said. The crisis has frayed ties between the two Communist-run Asian nations, and there is little sign of either side backing down over the increasingly bitter territorial dispute. Security tightened . A series of chartered planes carried scores of Chinese citizens, including 16 critically injured workers, back to China on Sunday, Xinhua reported. The critically hurt patients were suffering from a range of injuries inflicted by beatings with iron bars, said Liao Zhilin, a spokesman for the hospital in the western Chinese city of Chengdu where they were admitted. The badly injured workers were employees of China Metallurgical Group Corp., a contractor for an iron and steel complex being built in Ha Tinh, according to Chinese state-run media. Vietnamese authorities have clamped down on the unrest, arresting hundreds of people. They have beefed up security at key locations and urged citizens not participate in further protests. But that hasn't stopped China from pressing ahead with the measures to extract thousands of its citizens from the country. Beijing has also warned Chinese people not to travel to Vietnam and said it will suspend some planned bilateral exchanges with Hanoi, according to Xinhua. Ships clash at sea . Out in the South China Sea, ships from both countries are facing off. Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA on Saturday accused China of continuing to show "its aggressiveness by sending more military ships" to the area around the oil rig. The news agency cited Nguyen Van Trung, an official at the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Department, as saying that China had 119 ships in the area Saturday morning, including warships, coast guard vessels and fishing boats. Some of the ships were provoking the Vietnamese vessels by ramming them and firing water cannons at them, he said. Vietnam says the rig site is clearly on its continental shelf, and moreover, is in its Exclusive Economic Zone. Hanoi has demanded that China remove the offending rig from the disputed waters, escort vessels from the region and hold talks to settle the issue. 'We are not afraid of trouble' China, for its part, has continued to accuse Vietnamese ships of similar acts, saying they are trying to disrupt the oil rig's drilling operation. It has declared a 3-mile exclusion zone around the rig, which is operated by the state-owned oil and gas company CNOOC. "We do not make trouble, but we are not afraid of trouble," Gen. Fang Fenghui, the chief of the general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), said Thursday during a visit to the United States. "In matters of territory, our attitude is firm. We won't give an inch," Fang said after meeting U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey. U.S. concerns . Relations between China and Vietnam soured this month when the Chinese platform began drilling for oil near the Paracel Islands, which are claimed by both countries. At the time, the U.S. State Department called the move "provocative," saying it "raises tensions." Beijing has laid claim to most of the South China Sea, putting it at odds with several of its neighbors in the region, including the Philippines and Malaysia. China is also locked in a bitter dispute with Japan over a group of tiny islands in the East China Sea. While many commentators say Vietnam has every right to be upset over the positioning of the Chinese rig, at least one analyst says the issue not as clear cut as some suggest. "Geographical proximity alone is not an unequivocal basis for claiming sovereignty or sovereign rights," writes Sam Bateman in the Eurasia Review. Bateman, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University, says Vietnam's claim to the Paracel Islands is "seriously weakened" by North Vietnam's recognition of China's sovereignty over the Paracels and the lack of protest between 1958 and 1975. In 1974, the two countries fought the Battle of the Paracel Islands, which ended in a Chinese victory and complete control over the land and surrounding waters. After the reunification of Vietnam in 1975, Vietnam's leaders publicly renewed the country's claim to the islands, but the issue remains unresolved. "We have to acknowledge there are territorial disputes," including "what exactly is the status quo and who is seeking to change it," Dempsey said Thursday at the news conference with Fang of the PLA. His comments were a veiled reference to Washington's view that Beijing is attempting to change the status quo by more aggressively seeking to establish control over disputed areas. Protesters torch factories in southern Vietnam as China protests escalate . How an oil rig sparked anti-China riots in Vietnam . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Beijing has laid claim to most of the South China Sea . A Chinese ship sets off with nearly 1,000 evacuees on board, Xinhua says . Anti-Chinese protests in Vietnam descended into deadly violence last week . The unrest was provoked by China moving an oil rig into disputed waters . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Beijing has laid claim to most of the South China Sea . A Chinese ship sets off with nearly 1,000 evacuees on board, Xinhua says . Anti-Chinese protests in Vietnam descended into deadly violence last week . The unrest was provoked by China moving an oil rig into disputed waters .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:31 EST, 9 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:31 EST, 9 January 2013 . American officials blamed the Iranian government for a series of coordinated hacking attacks that targeted U.S. banks. The hackers purposefully targeted bank databases and flooded their systems causing major disruptions and even complete shutdowns of company networks. No money was stolen and no individual accounts were breached as the hacks were merely meant to disrupt business for the banks, which officials say is a trademark of a government-lead attack. Targeted: A series of cyber attacks have disrupted service to the data centers for a long list of U.S.-based banks like Citibank, but because they only effected the websites and did not steal money, officials believe they were government-backed . 'There is no doubt within the U.S. government that Iran is behind these attacks,' former state department official James Lewis told The New York Times. Distrust: American officials believe that the hacks were approved by Iranian government forces, headed by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad . Mr Lewis, who now works as a computer security expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says that the unparalleled to any prior government-backed attacks. Though the attacks have been kept relatively quiet- largely because the lack of stolen funds caused little concern to individual bank users- a shocking amount of financial institutions have been targeted. So far, Bank of America, HSBC, Capital One, PNC, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bancorp and Fifth Third Bank have all been disrupted. A hacking group named Izz ad-Din al Qassam Cyber Fighters claimed responsibility for the attacks in an online message board, but the U.S. government says that group is simply a puppet organization run by the Iranian government. Government-on-government virtual attacks are not unheard of, and the U.S. has actually perpetrated their own against Iran in the past. According to a different New York Times story, the U.S. teamed up with Israel in 2010 to target the computer facilities at a Iranian nuclear facility. Iranian . government officials deny having any connection to the latest string of . attacks, saying that they would not stoop to the American's level. Excuse? The hacking group that claimed responsibility for the attacks said that they were done because the U.S. government refuses to completely remove the offensive anti-Islam film made by Nakoula Basseley Nakoula (center) 'Unlike . the United States, which has per reports in the media given itself the . license to engage in illegal cyber-warfare against Iran, Iran respects . the international law and refrains from targeting other nations’ economic or financial institutions,' Alireza Miryousefi, an . Iranian-United Nations envoy, told The New York Times. In the online post which boasts of plotting the attacks, Izz ad-Din al Qassam Cyber Fighters say that the attacks are due to the American government's refusal to remove an anti-Muslim film from the internet. 'But the american profiteer rulers' insistence and persistence in disregarding this reasonable demand of all Muslims of the world and not taking an action to remove this offensive film shows these tyrants insist that continue to insult Muslim saints,' the group wrote in a document on hacker-friendly site Pastebin. U.S. officials differ, however, saying that it simply a ruse and the true reason is the continued implementation of economic and political sanctions against Iran. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] American banks targeted in string of disruptive hacking attacks . Because no money was stolen, officials believe it was a coordinated attack approved by the Iranian government, though they deny any connection . Group claims responsibility, saying they did it because controversial 'Innocence of Muslims' film is still available online . [/SUMMARY]</s>

American banks targeted in string of disruptive hacking attacks . Because no money was stolen, officials believe it was a coordinated attack approved by the Iranian government, though they deny any connection . Group claims responsibility, saying they did it because controversial 'Innocence of Muslims' film is still available online .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Olivia Williams . PUBLISHED: . 08:04 EST, 20 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:44 EST, 20 February 2013 . A young family narrowly escaped their burning car when it burst into flames while they were driving - then exploded seconds later. Stuart Tasker, 26, and his wife Luesa, 23, were travelling back from a friend’s house in Lincolnshire with their young children Amili, two, and 11-week-old Ayda-Mai when they began to smell burning. Tattoo artist Mr Tasker today described the terrifying ordeal, which his newborn daughter Ayda-Mai . managed to sleep through. Fireball: Stuart Tasker took pictures of his burning Ford Escort in Sleaford, Lincolnshire after he and his family only narrowly escaped from it unharmed . At the scene: The Fire Brigade had to extinguish the burning family car that was left as a charred wreck after the explosion . As they pulled up at traffic lights in Sleaford on Sunday afternoon Amili started screaming from the back seat. He said: 'We had only driven about 200 yards when we could smell something burning - like when you get a hair in a hairdryer.' Mrs Tasker turned around to see flames coming from the back inches from her daughter's legs. The couple managed to free their two young girls from their car seats and rushed away as fire engulfed the vehicle. They turned back to the flaming wreckage of their Ford Escort to see it explode just 10 seconds later. The Tasker family: Stuart and Luesa Tasker with their young children Amili, right, and Ayda-Mai, left . Mr Tasker was full of praise for his wife, saying: 'I've got to say my wife was amazing because she could have just froze. But she was just like The Hulk and ripped the belt off my youngest and got her out.' 'We turned around and the car just exploded into a fireball. We were inches from certain death.' Shocking pictures taken by Mr Tasker show the remains of their charred vehicle. 'Looking back at the pictures afterwards, it brings home the terrifying reality of what happened.' Wreckage: The burnt out Ford Escort that Stuart and Luesa Tasker and their children escaped with seconds to go . Rescued from the backseat: Quick-thinking parents Stuart and Luesa Tasker managed to save their two young daughters from their burning car . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Stuart and Luesa Tasker rescued their daughters with seconds to spare . Ford Escort burst into a fireball without warning in Lincolnshire . Baby Ayda-Mai managed to sleep through the whole ordeal . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Stuart and Luesa Tasker rescued their daughters with seconds to spare . Ford Escort burst into a fireball without warning in Lincolnshire . Baby Ayda-Mai managed to sleep through the whole ordeal .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Manny Pacquiao achieved a points victory of extraordinary dimensions in Macau but not the first knock out in six years which he so mightily desired. The six knock-downs he inflicted on a road-runner in reverse called Chris Algieri thrilled the packed south-east Asian crowd in the CotaiArena but were not quite enough to finish off the American. New York’s holder of degrees in medicine and nutrition looked after his health through 12 rounds spent going backwards so fast and so far that if they had taken out the ropes he would have backed himself into the car park of the Venetian casino. Manny Pacquiao  dominated his fight with Chris Algieri from the first bell and won convincingly . Pacquiao was on top of Algieri from the first bell but was unable to stop the fight early . Mere survival is not enough in a world title fight. So perhaps Algieri’s real achievement was that of preventing the PacMan from sending him so far into oblivion that it may have frightened Floyd Mayweather from ever agreeing to the richest fight in ring history. Team PacMan had considered carrying Algieri a few rounds so as not to look too devastating on television back in Mayweather’s home town of Las Vegas. As it transpired, Algieri did that job for him by being fit enough to run a marathon while facing the wrong way and - well, yes - brave enough to keep getting up every time Pacquiao bowled him over. So when he was asked if him against Mayweather might finally happen, the PacMan was able to say: ‘Yes, I want that fight and the fans deserve it.’ He praised Algieri for regaining a vertical position once in the second round, twice in the sixth, twice more in the eighth and once again in the ninth. His fabled trainer Freddie Roach disagreed with that assessment, saying: 'All he did was run. He showed none of the guts that got him off the canvas to win his light-welter title against Ruslan Provodnikov.' Algieri was stripped of that belt the second the first bell rang here, for accepting this catch-weight fight for Pacquiao’s world welterweight title. Where he goes from here after a performance trying to smother the life out of a major television event is anybody’s guess. But Pacquiao is still on course for a date with destiny and a large share of a potential one-billion dollars purse in Las Vegas, Money Mayweather agreeing. Even though Algieri refused to join the party, Pacquiao was able to demonstrate that his punching power is almost regenerated to the level which destroyed our own Ricky Hatton in 2008. The heaviest knock down was the first of the two in the sixth. Somehow Algeiri made it to the bell even though it could easily have been stopped then by the referee, his own corner... or one more blow of that magnitude from Pacquiao. Algieri hits the canvas after another pinpoint punch from Pacquiao, one of six times he put the American down . Algieri sits on the canvas after being put down by Pacquiao and takes the count from the referee . Algieri gets to his knee as he takes the count from the referee in Macau . Reminded that he had questioned the power of the PacMan, he graciously conceded: ‘He’s a great fighter. He does everything well.’ As for himself, he did so little that I concurred with the judge who gave Pacquiao every round, in addition to the knock-down deductions, on a 120-102 card. The two other judges scored it 119-103. The crowd did not care either way. Inside the arena they squealed to the rafters every time the Filipiino idol landed. Outside, the thousands waiting to see Pacquiao roared their approval. And it was still lunchtime here as we all emerged into the sunshine of another PacMan victory. Pacquiao entered the ring to the strains of Queen's ‘We Will Rock You.’ Once he had knelt to pray in a corner and announcer Michael Buffer had told us to get ready to rumble, the roars of ‘Manny, Manny’ filled the packed CotaiArena. Then began his pursuit of the American, who was clearly intent on backpedaling behind his naturally longer jab. VIDEO Pacquiao delighted with performance . Pacquiao lands a devastating blow to the jaw of Algieri in his dominant performance in China . Algieri had a reach advantage over Pacquiao but was unable to make it count as he was dominated by the Filipino . Pacquiao has not knocked anyone out since Ricky Hatton back in 2008 - but he came very close against Algieri . Pacquiao remains keen on huge fight with pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather in 2015 after this victory over Algieri . Algieri was unable to cope with the power of Pacquiao as he was outclassed . Algieri hits the canvas again as Pacquiao looked to win his first fight by way of knock out since 2008 . Pacquiao stands back as Algieri hits the deck during his comprehensive points win . Despite his five-inch height advantage, however, Algieiri was not landing with that jab and Pacquiao caught up with him often enough to win the round. Algieri was in full flight as Pacquiao stepped up the pace, although when he found the canvas early in the second he claimed it was slip. But referee Genaro Rodriguez ruled a knock-down. Still the medical graduate from New York’s Long Island had not landed a punch of note as the PacMan took the second 10-8. Roach had predicted that Algieri would run and he was being proved right. The American was surviving but showing no sign yet of trying to win the fight as he slipped four points behind by the end of the third round. Algieri was able to land some punches - but not enough to put Paquiao in any danger of losing the fight . Pacquiao takes a shot from Algieri on the chin but did not come close to losing the fight . Algieri was blocking a proportion of Pacquiao’s punches but, despite his height, was mostly out of reach the few he threw himself. He was also beginning to look even more apprehensive as one or two heavier shots landed. It takes two to tango and Algieiri did take a couple of tentative steps forward at the start of the fifth. But once he was hit by a left he went on the retreat again, covering up and crouching whenever Pacquiao cut off his space. One punch he did get through with was low. He was warned for that and for wrestling. Algieri was using his right hand almost exclusively to protect himself against Pacquiao’s deadly left hook. But the first big one got through and down he went again. A third knock-down followed, this time from a wicked right straight through the middle of his guard but he survived the round. Pacquiao is congratulated by his team after the final bell after beating Algieri on points . Pacquiao celebrates his victory over Algieri in Macau after a dominant points win . Algieri is the ring’s self-nutritionist and was certainly a fit enough athlete. But you can’t escape everything the PacMan throws and he was rocked by a crisp right as even the faintest chance of winning on points disappeared completely. As well as going into reverse, Algieri bought more time by complaining about imagined illegalities. The referee was having none of it but, Pacquiao, ever the gentleman, kept giving him a few seconds to recover, en route to winning yet another round. What was becoming a tedious exercise in frustration exploded with a trade-mark left from Pacquiao which put Algieri flat on his back. He staggered back to his feet only to be floored again. Arguably it should have been stopped as Pacquiao went for the kill but the reeling challenger made it to the final bell. Algieri sits down at the end of the fifth round while one of the ring girls holds a board for the upcoming sixth round . American actor Sylvester Stallone takes photographs during the fight at The Venetian in Macau . Arnold Schwarzenegger was also ringside to watch Pacquiao beat Algieri on points . Algieri’s corner sent their man back out to take more punishment. He was fighting – or rather not really fighting – in a fog now and down he went again from another of those lefts. Despite his total dominance, time was running out for Pacquiao to deliver the first knock out in the six years since he demolished Hatton – and which he was desperate to give his south east Asian fans. Blows which would have finished anyone who came to fight were just about ridden by Algieri as bac-pedaled. And so towards the finishing tape which Algieri was so anxious to reach – even though he was losing by as enormous a margin as there has ever been in boxing. Survive he did – but at a cost to his own reputation. The delusional state of Team Algieri is revealed by quotes from his old kick-boxing now world- title- boxing trainer, Tim Lane, overheard in the corner between rounds: . End of round three, after first knock downs: ‘You’re doing beautiful man. Keep it up.’ End of round 3, after first knock downs: ‘You’re doing beautiful man. Keep it up.’ End of round seven, following another knock-down: ‘This is where we want to be.’ During round nine, seconds before the heaviest knock down: ‘Chris is going to put him to sleep in a few minutes.’ End of round nine: ‘We are exactly where we need to be.’ (Presumably flat on his back.) End of round 10: ‘Chris,I’m letting you out of the cage.’ End of round 11, at 17 points behind with one round to go: ‘Hit him in the body and stay on his ass. This is The Chris Algieri Show.’ [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Manny Pacquiao beat Chris Algieri on points 119-103, 119-103, 120-102 . PacMan put his American opponent on the floor six times in the fight . Pacquiao hopes to finally meet Floyd Mayweather in the ring in 2015 . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Manny Pacquiao beat Chris Algieri on points 119-103, 119-103, 120-102 . PacMan put his American opponent on the floor six times in the fight . Pacquiao hopes to finally meet Floyd Mayweather in the ring in 2015 .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:04 EST, 14 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:22 EST, 15 September 2013 . Shock appointment: Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Khan is set to take on an advisory role for the Serbian Government . Sex-crazed former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn is set to become an economic adviser to the Serbian government. Strauss-Khan - who is due to stand trial in France for pimping and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted - is set to be announced in the role next week, according to an official in the Serbian Deputy Prime Minister's. 'The exact details still have to be worked out, but we will have more information on Tuesday,' the official told CNN. 'Mr Strauss-Kahn will come to Serbia from time to time, but I don't think he will live here.' Asked why the government had chosen Strauss-Kahn, she said: 'Because he is an expert in the field of economics.' The government declined to give out any more details ahead of Tuesday's announcement. Strauss-Kahn, once considered a likely candidate for the French presidency, resigned as head of the International Monetary Fund in 2011 after being charged with sexually assaulting a New York City maid. All sexual assault charges against him related to the maid were later dismissed at the request of a prosecutor. More than a year later, in December 2012, Strauss-Kahn reached a settlement with the maid, the terms of which were not release. But earlier this years judges announced they believed he was ‘King’ of the orgies he attended at glamorous hotels all over the world and that he was the ‘central pivot’ in a well organised vice ring is what has led to him being prosecuted. He admits attending swingers' parties over many years, but insists he did not know the women were prostitutes. Strauss-Kahn is known to give advice for free to less economically developed countries and had recently been working with the government of South Sudan. Under pressure: Strauss Khan faces 10 years in jail if found guilty of pimping, for which he is to stand trial in his native France. Last year he reached settlement with the New York hotel maid he was accused of sexually assaulting . [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Disgraced Frenchman set to be announced in role next week . He is facing pimping charges and could be jailed for 10 years . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Disgraced Frenchman set to be announced in role next week . He is facing pimping charges and could be jailed for 10 years .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Sarah Griffiths . Google has started to roll out its revamped logo and freshly-designed homepage. At first glance the logo does not look dramatically different but it has in fact been subtly reshaped and flattened with a slightly different colour palette, while the homepage sports a smaller range of links in the Google bar. The re-design is the first change to Google's logo since 2010, but not all users will be able to see the changes yet on the world's most visited website. Google has started to roll out its revamped logo and freshly-designed homepage. At first glance the logo does not look dramatically different but it has in fact been subtly reshaped and flattened with a slightly different colour palette, while the homepage sports a smaller range of links . Google is the latest large internet brand to refresh its look, following new logos for Bing and Yahoo and the new logo will be gradually rolled out across the company's products in the next few weeks. The shadows and bevelling have been removed from the primary coloured lettering of the logo for a flatter appearance, while the colours are slightly more muted to give a more modern look. The Google bar has been updated to make it more user-friendly on multiple devices. Eddie Kessler, tech lead and manager at Google, wrote in a blogpost: 'If you're anything like me, you move . among devices and Google products on a regular basis. You might check . Gmail on your phone, for instance, then organise your Calendar via . laptop, then browse Google+ photos from your tablet. The new logo will be gradually rolled out across the company's products in the next few weeks. The shadows and beveling have been removed from the primary coloured lettering of the old logo (pictured) for a flatter appearance, while the colours are more muted to give a more modern look . 'Regardless . of your routine, getting around Google should be seamless, and once . you're inside an app, you don't want any distractions. So we're . introducing an updated Google bar that streamlines your experience . across products and devices.' Google products are now accessible under an 'app launcher' located at the top right of the home page. Google is in the process of rolling out an updated Google bar (pictured) that it claims streamlines a user's experience across products and devices. The bar has a less-cluttered look, while products are now accessible under an 'app launcher' located at the top right of the home page . Users can click on the 'Apps grid' just like on Android devices and Chromebooks . Users can click on the 'Apps grid' just like on Android devices and Chromebooks. Other Google products, including . Google Drive Storage, YouTube and the Android app Play Store, are . easy to access as users can click on the corresponding icon made up of . small tiles. Carolina Milanesi from Gartner, told the BBC: 'I do think that there is a move to try to make Google+ more central to everything its users do. 'It . might be the case that it is not obvious to some people that they need . to click on the box to reveal the firm's other services.' Less than two weeks ago, sharp-eyed mobile internet users spotted what they thought could be a new logo for the internet search giant in the latest version of Google's mobile internet browser used by app developers. ars technica reported the cleaner logo was being used for a new tab . page but it was quickly pulled - presumably by someone who might have . feared the cat had been let out of the bag, sparking rumours of a re-design. Yahoo! recently unveiled a new logo to generally negative reviews after teasing the new design with a month of logos. Yahoo's CEO Marissa Mayer wrote in a blog about the lengthy process of the re-design. She said: 'We hadn’t updated our logo in 18 years...We knew we wanted a logo that reflected Yahoo - whimsical, yet sophisticated. Modern and fresh, with a nod to our history.  Having a human touch, personal.  Proud.' [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Google has started to roll out a new-look logo and homepage but not all users will be able to see it yet as it could take a few weeks . The re-design is the first change to the world's most viewed website since 2010, and includes a refreshed Google bar at the top of the page . It has been introduced to make the site more user-friendly and streamlined across different Google products and on multiple devices . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Google has started to roll out a new-look logo and homepage but not all users will be able to see it yet as it could take a few weeks . The re-design is the first change to the world's most viewed website since 2010, and includes a refreshed Google bar at the top of the page . It has been introduced to make the site more user-friendly and streamlined across different Google products and on multiple devices .

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<s>[ARTICLE] Leaving: An official escorts a failed asylum seeker up the steps to an airplane waiting to take off from Stansted Airport in this 2006 file photo . Taxpayers have forked out more than £300million on flights and ‘bribes’ to persuade foreign criminals and illegal immigrants to go home. The bill has been racked up over the past five years as officials struggle to clear a huge backlog of overseas convicts, visa over-stayers and people who sneaked into the UK in the back of lorries. In some cases, the migrants could only be convinced to leave with the help of so-called ‘assistance’ packages worth up to £1,500 each. They are free to spend the cash on education, medical bills, housing and even setting up a business back home. The highest sums were £68million spent in the year ending April 2010 and £71.8million the following year. Last night Tory MPs said much of the blame rested with Labour, which handed the current Government a border system in chaos. The bill only includes flights, assistance grants and, for violent offenders, guards on the journey. If the cost of prison sentences and the time taken by Home Office staff to process the paperwork are included, the total would be far higher. Tory MP Michael Ellis, a member of Westminster’s home affairs select committee, said: ‘This is another example of the appalling legacy and the incompetence of the previous Labour government, which lost control of our borders and security arrangements and created an overweening bureaucracy.’ The figures were revealed to Labour MP Frank Field, a member of the Balanced Migration campaign group, in a Parliamentary written answer. It gives a total bill of £306million between 2009-10 and 2013-14 – including £55.3million in the last year alone. £300million: The bill has been racked up over the past five years as officials struggle to clear a huge backlog of overseas convicts, visa over-stayers and people who sneaked into the UK in the back of lorries . Migrationwatch chairman Lord Green of Deddington said: ‘The removal of immigration offenders is absolutely fundamental to the credibility of the entire system. This figure illustrates the huge cost of each case.’ He said that, given the level of public concern about immigration, the system was in need of more resources. Under the facilitated removals programme – offered to foreign criminals and immigration offenders who agree to drop any remaining appeals – the grant can be used to set up a business, take an education course or pay for housing or medical expenses. Handouts are worth £1,500 if a foreign prisoner signs up while serving their sentence or £750 if they wait until they have been released from jail. The grant is paid in cash, with the foreign nationals handed a pre-paid cash card on departure containing £500. On return home, they get the rest by contacting the International Organisation for Migration which administers the scheme for the Home Office whose officials argue it is cheaper than forcibly deporting them after a long legal battle. Porous? Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron and Home Secretary Theresa May walk through immigration at Terminal 5 during a visit to Border Agency staff at Heathrow Airport, in this November 2010 file photo . A vast camp for migrants in Calais will open this morning, sparking fears it will attract hundreds more to the French town. It will offer beds, showers, food and even power points to charge phones for the 2,500 migrants trying to reach Britain from the port. The Jules Ferry camp was built using a £3million EU grant which would include cash that ultimately comes from British taxpayers. Critics compare the centre to the Sangatte camp which became a magnet for migrants before it was closed. Tory MP Michael Ellis said: ‘It is bonkers for the Calais authorities to do anything which encourages migrants to their town. It will only create problems for us next.’ By March the 12 acre camp, with three football pitches and a tennis court, will be able to feed 1,500 migrants by day and sleep 500. It is believed officers from the UK Border Force will be on site to inform migrants of the realities of entering Britain, in an apparent effort to dissuade them. Last October, ministers were attacked by the UK’s spending watchdog for failing to deport more foreign criminals. The National Audit Office said the number of foreign prisoners had gone up despite a near tenfold increase in officials working on their cases. There are 12,250 foreign offenders in the UK and the Government spends around £850million a year on managing them. Huge sums are also being spent on compensation for foreign criminals and illegal immigrants who were kept locked up for too long while officials fought to deport them. Over the past four years, the total bill is £17million – with recipients including sex offenders, robbers and drug dealers. Judges decided the claimants had been ‘unlawfully detained’ because the Home Office continued to hold them even though they did not have a realistic prospect of booting them out. A Home Office spokesman said: ‘Those with no right to be in the UK should return home and we are determined to crack down on immigration offenders. 'Thanks to the efficiency savings made by this Government, the annual cost of removing foreign nationals with no right to be here has fallen by almost a quarter – while the number of voluntary returns has risen sharply, from just over 27,000 in 2010 to more than 39,000 in 2013.’ [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Tory MPs accuse Labour of handing over a border system in chaos . Bill only includes flights, assistance grants and guards on the journey . If the cost of prison sentences is included the total would be far higher . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Tory MPs accuse Labour of handing over a border system in chaos . Bill only includes flights, assistance grants and guards on the journey . If the cost of prison sentences is included the total would be far higher .

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<s>[ARTICLE] The shell casing of a bullet was found in a car rented by former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez on the day he is accused of murdering Odin Lloyd. Keelia Smyth, former manager of an Enterprise rental car branch in North Attleborough, Boston, told the court on Wednesday that Hernandez returned a damaged Nissan Altima on the afternoon of June 17, 2013. In it, she says, was something she believed to be a bullet stuck to a piece of chewed blue gum and a child's drawing. Hernandez had offered her a piece of blue gum before he left, she said. The testimony came as police were questioned over their handling of evidence, which has been a crucial element of the trial. Accused: Aaron Hernandez allegedly left the casing of a bullet in his rental car after the death of Odin Lloyd . Enterprise worker Keelia Smyth told Bristol County Superior Court on Wednesday about her alleged finding . 'Evidence': This is a picture shown to the court on Wednesday of the casing police recovered on June 20 . Smyth told the court Hernandez made no attempt to conceal his identity when he returned the car on June 18, asking for an SUV instead. When she cleaned the car, she said, there was a 'bullet' stuck to a piece of blue chewing gum, and a child's drawing. Before Hernandez left, she says, he offered her a piece of blue gum, which she declined. She threw it all in the trash but when she heard of Hernandez's arrest, called police describing her alleged discovery, the Boston Globe reported. Officers said they found a .45-caliber shell casing, chewing gum, and a child's drawing in the dumpster on June 20. Smyth told the court Hernandez made no attempt to conceal his identity when he returned the car on June 18 . The court also heard from Hernandez's uncle who said the player was upset about losing his endorsements . Hernandez is charged with the June 17, 2013, killing of Lloyd, who was dating the sister of his fiancee . Gum: Smyth claims Hernandez offered her a piece of blue gum before she found the casing stuck to gum . The items were placed in the bed of a State Police pick-up truck - a move which both the prosecution and defense teams have criticized. 'It was just a dirty old pickup truck, right?' defense lawyer James Sultan asked police detective Michael Elliott. 'Has anyone ever taught you to collect evidence that way, sir?' 'No,' Elliott said. Hernandez is charged with the June 17, 2013, killing of Odin Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancee. Odin Lloyd's bullet-riddled body was found in an industrial park in June 2013. Requested an SUV: She said Hernandez returned the car asking for an SUV on June 18, 2013 . Resuming the murder trial on Wednesday, prosecution first heard from Ms Smyth, who said Hernandez first rented the Nissan Altima on June 10, 2013. She said he requested an SUV when he returned it on June 18. Smyth claims she offered him a Kia Soul, as no SUVs were available, but Hernandez replied that 'he couldn't be seen dead in that'. He took a Chrysler 300. Hernandez, 25, had a $41 million contract with the New England Patriots when he was arrested on murder and firearms charges. The team cut him hours later. Police have yet to find the gun in question, which is proving to be a major set back for both defense and prosecution. In a blow to prosecution, Bristol Superior Court Judge Susan Garsh ruled on Wednesday that Hernandez's friend Robert Paradis could not testify that he knew about the gun. He took to the stand in absence of the jury to clarify that police had overstretched his comments in their report, and that he couldn't be sure of Hernandez's connection to a .45 caliber gun. It was believed Hernandez had told Paradis he owned a .45 caliber gun. Paradis admitted that he cannot recall if it was specifically .45 caliber, and that he never saw the gun in question. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Enterprise worker claims she found 'bullet' when cleaning the car . She told court Hernandez returned the Altima day after alleged murder . Said he offered her piece of blue gum, police found blue gum on shell . Said he made no attempt to hide identity, she gave the evidence to police . Police questioned over fact that the evidence was put in bed of a pick-up . Hernandez is charged with murdering Odin Lloyd on June 17, 2013 . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Enterprise worker claims she found 'bullet' when cleaning the car . She told court Hernandez returned the Altima day after alleged murder . Said he offered her piece of blue gum, police found blue gum on shell . Said he made no attempt to hide identity, she gave the evidence to police . Police questioned over fact that the evidence was put in bed of a pick-up . Hernandez is charged with murdering Odin Lloyd on June 17, 2013 .

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<s>[ARTICLE] (CNN) -- Juventus rebounded from last week's Champions League quarterfinal exit by winning 2-0 at Lazio to extend their lead at the top of Serie A to eleven points. The defending champions ensured they profited from second-placed Napoli's 1-1 draw at Milan on Sunday to strengthen their grip on the championship with just six games remaining. Arturo Vidal, who missed Wednesday's 2-0 home defeat by Bayern Munich (which gave the Germans a 4-0 aggregate win), was the Juventus hero as he scored his first league goals since November. The Chilean opened the scoring after eight minutes from the penalty spot, after striker Mirko Vucinic was brought down in the area by Lazio's Lorik Cana. Twenty minutes later, Vidal doubled the away side's lead as he rifled home following good approach play by midfielder Claudio Marchisio. "It was a strange kind of week, we had to get over a deserved Champions League exit, something that surprised us for the domineering way in which it came," captain Gianluigi Buffon told reporters after the match. "If we're able to reach our target of the Scudetto, be it in three or four weeks time, it would represent a great achievement. "It would give us a sense of continuity from last year and I think it would be a deserved victory. We have been out in front from the start and managed to overcome some difficult moments during the season." Lazio fans appreciated the opportunity to watch their favorites in action again, after the club was forced to play last week's Europa League clash against Fenerbahce behind closed doors as punishment by UEFA for repeated racist chanting from the club's supporters. Goalkeeper Buffon was grateful for the fans' presence, going over to applaud the Lazio faithful at the final whistle. "We're not used to these things in Italy, but Lazio fans have always shown me respect over the years and I make a point of going over to applaud them whenever I'm here. I hold them in high regard and they deserve it." Monday's victory takes Juventus to 74 points, with Napoli in second on 63 -- and Milan in third on 59 points. Lazio's European hopes suffered yet another blow as their seventh defeat in their last 11 Serie A games ensured they stayed fifth in the table, level on points with city rivals Roma. Elsewhere in Europe on Monday, Real Mallorca beat fellow relegation strugglers Celta Vigo 1-0 after Giovani dos Santos grabbed a goal three minutes into stoppage time. The win lifted Real Mallorca off the bottom of the Spanish table, leapfrogging their opponents as they did so. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Juventus win 2-0 at Lazio to extend Serie A lead to 11 points . Arturo Vidal returns to grab both goals at the Stadio Olimpico . In Spain, Real Mallorca climb off the bottom of the table with late win over Celta Vigo . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Juventus win 2-0 at Lazio to extend Serie A lead to 11 points . Arturo Vidal returns to grab both goals at the Stadio Olimpico . In Spain, Real Mallorca climb off the bottom of the table with late win over Celta Vigo .

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<s>[ARTICLE] As many as ten children were killed when a Syrian jet bombed their village, it was claimed yesterday. Activists said the youngsters were playing outside when the aircraft struck Deir al-Asafir - close to the capital Damascus - with cluster bombs. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said eight died while the Revolution Command Council said the figure was ten. Scroll down for video . Deadly: Cluster bombs thought to be used by Syrian security forces on the town of Deir Essafir which killed at least 8 children . Deadly: A Syrian boy picks up parts of explosive devices that landed on his frontyard in the village of Atme, near the Turkish border in Syria's Idlib province . An amateur video showed two girls lying . dead in a street while the bodies of two bloodied dead boys were in the . back seat of a car parked nearby. Several other wounded children were seen rushed for treatment. Another video showed the bodies of . two dead boys inside what appeared to be a makeshift hospital as others . received treatment from injuries while lying on the floor. The activist videos appeared genuine . and corresponded to other reporting about the events depicted. Syria . restricts the access of journalists. Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011 with an uprising against Assad's regime, inspired by other Arab Spring revolts. It quickly morphed into a civil war that has since killed more than 40,000 people, according to activists. Fighting: Free Syrian Army fighters are seen in Daria near Damascus. The director of the observatory, Rami Abdul-Rahman, said rebels seized control of the Marj al-Sultan base on the outskirts of Damascus yesterday morning . Destruction: Residents walk near debris from damaged buildings after shelling by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad at Daria near Damascus . Hundreds of children have been killed since the crisis began, according to activists. The . air base takeover claim showed how rebels are advancing in the area of . the capital, though they are badly outgunned, making inroads where . Assad's power was once unchallenged. Rebels have also been able to fire mortar rounds into Damascus recently. The . director of the observatory, Rami Abdul-Rahman, said rebels seized . control of the Marj al-Sultan base on the outskirts of Damascus . yesterday morning. Attack: Syrian men display the remains of a bomb today in the village of Atme, near the Turkish border, in Syria's Idlib province . He said at least 15 rebels and eight . soldiers were killed in the fighting that started a day earlier. The . rebels later withdrew from the base. Rebels . appear to be trying to take over air bases and destroy aircraft in . order to prevent the regime from using them in attacks against . opposition forces around the country. The rebels have no protection against the attack helicopters and fighter jets that have been blasting their positions. Rebels have been attacking air bases in different parts of Syria, mostly in the northern regions of Idlib and Aleppo. Protesting: A Free Syrian Army fighter is seen in Daria. Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011 with an uprising against Assad's regime, inspired by other Arab Spring revolts . In the battle at the base outside . Damascus, Mr Abdul-Rahman and Damascus-based activist Maath al-Shami . said rebels destroyed two helicopters with rocket propelled grenades and . captured a tank. They say the base, which is on the eastern outskirts of Damascus, houses several radar positions. 'This . is a blow to the morale of the regime, because it is close to the heart . of the capital,' said Mr Abdul-Rahman, referring to the base that is . about 10 miles from Damascus. Mr . Al-Shami said the rebels withdrew from the base after they captured . some ammunition. He said they feared counter-strikes by regime aircraft. Crater: Villagers gather around a hole caused by explosive devices that landed in the village of Atme, near the Turkish border, in Syria's Idlib province . Damaged: A Syrian warplane launched three bombs or rockets at a rebel command centre in the northwest of the country near the Turkish border without causing casualties . An . amateur video posted online showed rebels walking next to two destroyed . helicopters. At least three other helicopters appeared undamaged. Black . smoke billowed in the distance. Another . video showed several radar posts on hills inside the large compound. Parked military trucks stood inside as rebels roamed freely. The . observatory also reported violence in other parts of Syria, including . the country's largest city of Aleppo in the north and the capital . itself. It said rebels captured a training . base for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General . Command near the Damascus suburb of Douma yesterday. The PFLP-GC is one . of the Palestinian factions most loyal to Assad. The . PFLP-GC said on Saturday that the base was under attack. It said . thousands of activists and fighters who fought against Israel were . trained at the base over the past 30 years. Meanwhile . the observatory said a bomb targeted a bus in the southern village of . Othman yesterday, killing at least five people and wounding dozens. t . said rebels and troops clashed in the southern region of Quneitra on the . edge of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Progress: Syrian rebels walk next to a cannon that was captured with other weapons from the 46th Regiment base which was a major pillar of the government's force, near the northern city of Aleppo . The . Local Co-ordination Committees, another activist group, said residents . found 12 bodies in the Damascus suburb of Daraya, the scene of heavy . clashes between rebels and government troops over the past few days. State TV said troops clashed with al Qaida militants in Daraya, killing some of them and confiscating a mortar that they were using in their attacks. The station said troops killed an al Qaida affiliated Palestinian militant known as Abu Suhaib in the Damascus suburb of Hajira. It said his group was behind several bombings in Syria that killed and wounded dozens of people. Assad's regime blames the revolt on a foreign conspiracy. It accuses Saudi Arabia and Qatar, along with the United States, other Western countries and Turkey, of funding, training and arming the rebels, whom it calls terrorists. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Activists said the children were killed when Syrian warplanes bombed the village of Deir al-Asafir . Village is close to suburbs of the capital that has been witnessing clashes, shelling and air raids between troops and rebels over the past months . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Activists said the children were killed when Syrian warplanes bombed the village of Deir al-Asafir . Village is close to suburbs of the capital that has been witnessing clashes, shelling and air raids between troops and rebels over the past months .

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<s>[ARTICLE] By . Damien Gayle . Google has been told to inform its French customers that it must pay a £125,000 fine for violating their privacy. France's data protection watchdog punished the online advertising giant for the way it tracks and stores users' personal information. The fine is just the latest blow for Google in France, after the company was earlier this week hit with a €1billion tax bill from French tax authorities. Communique: Google has been told to inform . French customers it must pay a £125,000 fine for violating their privacy . after France's data watchdog punished the firm over how it tracks and . stores personal information . Privacy watchdog CNIL objected to Google's method . of combining data collected on individual users across services such as . YouTube, Gmail and social network Google+. Google began moving toward the new storage model in March 2012 and combined 60 privacy policies into one, which was forced on users with no means to opt out. The Silicon Valley firm - which has been heavily implicated in Edward Snowden's leaks about American and British online spying - said it would comply with CNIL's order but would keep fighting the €150,000 (£125,000; $204,000) fine issued last month. Google last month appealed the watchdog's fine as well as the order to post a notice of the sanction on its google.fr homepage for 48 hours. Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt: The fine . comes after raids on Google's Paris offices led to officials slapping . the firm with a 1billion-euro tax bill . Lawyers for the multi billion-dollar company specifically asked the Conseil d'Etat (Council of State), France's top administrative court, to suspend the order while it re-examines the case. But judges ruled yesterday that there was not enough urgency nor proof of damage to Google's reputation to warrant a suspension. The fine and order come after raids on Google's Paris offices led to the company being slapped with a €1billion (£830million; $1.36billion) tax claim. French financial inspectors searched the search engine's offices in June 2011 as part of an investigation into its accounting. The company had sought to reduce the amount of tax it pays in France by channelling its revenue through a Dutch-registered intermediary and then to a Bermuda-registered holding, Google Ireland Limited, before reporting it in low-tax Ireland. Socialist France is currently one of the highest taxed countries in the world. Commenting on yesterday's privacy ruling, a Google spokesman told Reuters: 'We've engaged fully with the CNIL throughout this process to explain our privacy policy and how it allows us to create simpler, more effective services. 'We will comply with the order to post the notice, but we'll also continue with our appeal before the Conseil d'Etat.' Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain have also opened similar cases against Google, arguing that the company's privacy policy breached local laws on protecting citizens' personal data. [/ARTICLE] [SUMMARY] Online ads giant rapped for the way it stores and tracks personal data . Comes after French officials this week slapped firm with €1billion tax bill . [/SUMMARY]</s>

Online ads giant rapped for the way it stores and tracks personal data . Comes after French officials this week slapped firm with €1billion tax bill .

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