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At least nine people have died in clashes between protesters and police Turkey as demonstrations against ISIS's advance on a town on the Syrian-Turkish border turned violent. Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party had called for citizens to protest the assault on Kobane, where the situation turned 'extremely critical' overnight. Officers were forced to use tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters in Turkey's predominantly Kurdish eastern and southeastern provinces, as well as the capital Ankara and in Istanbul, where cars were set on fire and demonstrators threw rocks and fireworks at police. Scroll down for video . Burning streets: Kurdish protesters are pictured in a street in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir as the anti-ISIS demonstrations across Turkey on Tuesday continue into the night . Explosions: Protesters throw fireworks at riot police on the streets of Istanbul on Tuesday evening . Day of violence: Smokes rises from the Gaziosmanpasa district in Istanbul on Tuesday afternoon . Five people were killed in Diyarbakir, the largest Kurdish city in the southeast, which saw clashes between protesters and police. A 25-year-old man died in Varto, a town in the eastern province of Mus, and at least half a dozen people were wounded there in clashes between police and protesters, local media reported. Two people died in southeastern Siirt province, the governor was quoted as saying by CNN Turk Television, and another died in neighbouring Batman. Curfews were imposed in five predominantly Kurdish southeastern provinces after the protests, in which shops and banks were damaged. Interior Minister Efkan Ala called for an end to the protests. 'Violence is not the solution. Violence triggers reprisals. This irrational attitude should come to an end immediately,' he told reporters. Taking ction: Protesters throw stones at police in Ankara during a demonstration against lack of action by the Turkish government in defending Kobane against ISIS . City on fire: A bus burned by Kurdish protesters is pictured at the Gaziosmanpasa district in Istanbul . Fighting back: Demonstrator flee as police use tear gas and water cannons in Istanbul . Protest: An activist in Ankara wearing a gas mask wades through tear gas holding a flag . Violence: Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party had called for democratic action against the assault on Kobane by ISIS . Street battle: A protester is hit by a water cannon in Ankara during Tuesday's violent anti-ISIS protest . World on fire: Turkish police intervene against protesters in Istanbul after they set several vehicles on fire . Some European countries are arming the Kurds, and the American-led coalition is carrying out airstrikes against the Islamic extremists, but protesters say it is not enough. Tensions are especially high in Turkey, where Kurds have fought a three-decade-long battle for autonomy and where Syria's violence has taken an especially heavy toll. Protests were reported in cities across Turkey on Tuesday, after ISIS fighters backed by tanks and artillery engaged in heavy street battles in Kobane. Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse demonstrators in Istanbul and in the desert town of Kucuk Kenderciler, near Kobane on the Turkish side of the border. One person in Istanbul was hospitalized after being hit in the head by a gas canister, Dogan reported. Some protesters shouted 'Murderer ISIS!' and accused Turkey's government of collaborating with the Islamic militants. Authorities declared a curfew in six towns in the southeastern province of Mardin, the Anadolu Agency reported. Hundreds of thousands of Kurds live elsewhere in Europe, and mobilized quickly via social networks to stage protests after the advance on Kobane. Some European Kurds have gone to the Mideast recently to join Kurdish forces. Tension in Turkey: Protesters are seen hurling rocks and stones at police in Ankara, the capital of Turkey . Supporting the Kurds: Protests were held across Turkey in support for the Kurdish fighters in Kobane . Several protesters in Ankara (pictured) and Istanbul covered their faces with scarves or gas masks . Although several calm protests were held across Europe on Tuesday, several cities in Turkey saw violence on the streets and clashes between demonstrators and riot police . Protesters throw stones at a police vehicle in Ankara as officers attempt to disperse the crowd . Action: Turkish riot police detain protesters after using tear gas to disperse people in Ankara . Anger: A group of men are shouting in the streets of Istanbul as they demand further action from the Turkish government in support of the Kurdish population in Kobane . Stone's throw: A demonstrator in the Turkish capital has armed him or herself with rocks from the street . Contradictory messages: As some demonstrators throw rocks and attack police, others made 'peace' signs . Calm: Protesters who clashed with riot police during a protest against ISIS in Istanbul take a break . In Brussels on Tuesday, about 50 protesters smashed a glass door and pushed past police to get into the European Parliament. Once inside, some protesters were received by Parliament President Martin Schulz, who promised to discuss the Kurds' plight with NATO and EU leaders. In Germany, home to Western Europe's largest Kurdish population, about 600 people demonstrated in Berlin on Tuesday, according to police. Hundreds demonstrated in other German cities. Austria, too, saw protests. Kurds peacefully occupied the Dutch Parliament for several hours Monday night, and met Tuesday with legislators to press for more Dutch action against the insurgents, according to local media. The Netherlands has sent six F-16 fighter jets to conduct airstrikes against Islamic State in Iraq, but says it does not see a mandate for striking in Syria. Spreading: Demonstrations spread across Turkey over the course of the day, from Istanbul and Ankara to Diyarbaki and further afield . Hiding: A young an covers his face with white cloth as police in Diyarbakir fire tear gas . Kurdish protesters clash with Turkish riot policemen in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir on Tuesday . Armed: A protester wearing a gasmask holds two glass bottles as he prepares to attack police . Run for cover: Turkish police use water cannon to disperse demonstrators in Istanbul on Tuesday . Promise of peace: A man with his face covered makes a 'peace' sign as a car burns in the backhground . France, too, is firing airstrikes on Islamic State positions in Iraq but not in Syria, wary of implications on international efforts against President Bashar Assad. ‘We don't understand why France is acting in Kurdistan in Iraq and not Kurdistan in Syria,’ said Fidan Unlubayir of the Federation of Kurdish Associations of France. Kurds protested overnight at the French Parliament and plan another protest Tuesday. Kurds also staged impromptu protests against the Islamic State fighters in Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm. On Monday, protesters at the U.S. Embassy in Cyprus urged the international coalition to provide heavy weaponry to Kurdish fighters and forge a military cooperation pact with the Kurdish group YPG. | At least nine people dead in protests across Turkey on Tuesday . Demonstrators clash with police in violent anti-ISIS protests . Protesters attacked police, throwing rocks and fireworks . Police in turn used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters . Activists are demanding more support for Turkish fighters in Kobane . Protests spread across Europe and saw demos in Germany and France . | ea29ceee5783a1f7686ad6184e75465003abfba0 |
A group of dancers move with perfect grace and precision, their beautiful diaphanous gowns catching the light with every pirouette and leap. The English National Ballet's new production of Swan Lake, seen here in final dress rehearsal before opening tonight, is bringing the magic of the classic Tchaikovsky work back to London. The tale of the beautiful Odette transformed into a swan by a sorcerer's curse will entrance London audiences at the London Coliseum until 18 January. Scroll down for video . The corps de ballet bring Tchaikovsky's swans to life in the dress rehearsal at the London's Coliseum . Prima ballerinas Alina Cojocaru and Tamara Rojo will alternate playing Odette, the beautiful woman enslaved by a sorcerer. Romanian-born Alina is a principal dancer with the English National Ballet after leaving the Royal Ballet in 2013. Tamara Rojo, 40, is the ballet company's artistic director, and recently dispelled the myth that the two dancers were bitter rivals. 'I think that is one of those myths, like ballet being an elite art,” she told the Telegraph. 'I think what people don’t understand is that your biggest rival is always yourself. It is your own perceived limitations that keep you wanting to do more and do better.' One swan stretches out gracefully on the stage floor in the magical tale of transformation and loss . In the ballet the swans are women under an enchantment that can only be broken by a prince's pure love . With classic tutus, on pointe, the English National Ballet is going back to Swan Lake's classical roots . In Swan Lake, Prince Siegfried turns 21 and out hunting meets Odette, a beautiful woman who's been turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer Rothbart. Only his pure love can save her she tells him yet before he can do anything, the women are compelled to dance as swans by the lake far from the prince's reach. The ballet inspired the film Black Swan starring Natalie Portman as the dancer driven insane by the demands of the role. Swan Lake was premiered by Russia's Bolshoi ballet in Moscow in 1877. An evil sorceress has turned the heroine Odette into a swan queen who needs Prince Siegfried to be free . Two dancers exhibit perfect poise and timing in the rehearsal for the English National Ballet's Swan Lake . | Ballet company stages Tchaikovsky piece tonight at the Coliseum . Production goes back to classical roots . Prima ballerinas Alina Cojocaru and Tamara Rojo to perform . | be4860a7420a016b8dc84b7b09e5dd16181f6d48 |
By . Alexander Armstrong . and Richard Osman . Alexander Armstrong (left) and Richard Osman share some of their most Pointless facts . People with cats are more likely to have university degrees than those with dogs, according to a survey. Some famous people apparently had ailurophobia - a fear of cats: Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan, William Shakespeare, Louis XIV, Napoleon Bonaparte, Isadora Duncan, Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler. Oh, and Dwight D Eisenhower is said to have had his staff shoot any cats seen on the grounds of his home. Anne Boleyn not only haunts the Tower of London, but the church of St Peter ad Vincula (St Peter in Chains), also in London, Hever Castle in Kent and Blickling Hall in Norfolk. She has yet to be on The One Show. In 1945, the German submarine U-1206 was sunk after the toilet malfunctioned and a crewman's botched repair forced them to the surface. It was spotted and bombed. There is a town in Austria called Windpassing, in Niederösterreich or Lower Austria. In China, 20 September is known as Love Your Teeth Day. The electric chair was invented by a dentist, Alfred Southwick, from Buffalo, New York.Shakespeare had seven siblings - and two of them were called Joan. Suicide occurs an unlucky 13 times throughout Shakespeare's plays. Two of Shakespeare's plays, Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing, have been translated into Star Trek language Klingon. The Klingon Language Institute in Pennsylvania, US, says it plans to translate more. The shortest UK Top 40 chart-topper is Adam Faith's What Do You Want from 1959 (1 min, 38 sec). You Suffer is a song by the British grindcore band Napalm Death, from their debut album Scum. It earned a place in the Guinness Book Of Records as the shortest recorded song ever. It is precisely 1.316 seconds long. During Apollo 11's lunar landing Neil Armstrong had to fly the lunar module manually over West Crater and a boulder field to locate a safe landing site - apparently there was 30 seconds of fuel left at touchdown. Russian astronaut Sergei Krikalyov, has spent 803 days, 9 hours and 39 minutes, or 2.2 years in space . Sergei Krikalyov has spent 803 days, 9 hours and 39 minutes, or 2.2 years, in space in the course of six spaceflights on Soyuz, the Space Shuttle, Mir, and the International Space Station. That makes him the spaciest human being ever. The first known toilet paper was for a Chinese emperor - each sheet measured an astonishing 2ft x 3ft. The word 'influenza' comes from the Latin 'influentia' because people used to believe that the influence of the planets, stars and moon caused flu, for only such universal influence could explain such sudden and widespread sickness. For seven years, astrologer Joan Quigley effectively ran the United States of America. After President Reagan was shot, Joan advised his wife Nancy, and Nancy in turn advised Ronnie. Ultimately, Joan's advice controlled everything at the White House, from the date of the president's cancer surgery to his attitude towards the Soviet Union. Some believe that there are actually 13 houses in the zodiac, rather than 12, with Arachne (the 'spider' or 'weaver') tucked in between Taurus and Gemini. Rampant inflation in 1946 in Hungary led to the introduction of the banknote with the highest denomination ever, the 100 million billion pengö, worth about 20 American cents. In 1997, when Joseph Mobutu was overthrown in Zaïre (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), the new government simply cut his image out of the existing paper currency rather than reprinting the whole lot. Gary Lineker is the face of Walker's Crisps and was quite happy to endorse 'Salt and Lineker' crisps, while Michael Owen agreed to 'Cheese and Owen'. But a certain superstar wouldn't play ball with 'Smoky Beckham'. God is the only character in The Simpsons to all five digits on each hand, even Jesus (pictured) has four . God is the only character on The Simpsons to have a full hand of digits - even Jesus has only four. The word 'God' appears in every book of the Bible, except Esther and Song Of Solomon. On 27 December in 2002 an organisation called Clonaid announced they had successfully cloned the first human being. We're still waiting for them to present any evidence to back up this claim. Though has anyone checked how old Jedward are? Richard II was 14 when he put down the Peasants' Revolt. Shakespeare's Juliet did not live to be 14, which is a shame as 14 is the age you must be to drive a 50cc motorbike in Italy. We all know the Keep Calm And Carry On posters, but the other two posters in the series read Freedom Is In Peril, Defend It With All Your Might and Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory. Why aren't they on a tea towel? Berlin Zoo houses 1,500 species, the most of any zoo in the world. © Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman. Extracted from The 100 Most Pointless Things In The World and The 100 Most Pointless Arguments In The World by Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman (both Coronet, £7.99). To order copies for £7.49 (p&p free), call 0844 472 4157. | Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman have released two books . The 100 Most Pointless Things In The World and The 100 Most Pointless Arguments In The World share the pair's most Pointless knowledge . Here they share some of the best picks with you . | dae9fd37abf7e9236213e950eda76bef6166cd6c |
Madrid, Spain (CNN) -- Hundreds of runners braved their luck Wednesday on the first day of the annual running of the bulls in Pamplona -- but just two men, an Australian and a Spaniard, were taken to hospital afterward with injuries, the Navarra regional government said. It was considered a thrilling but safe start to the annual tradition in Pamplona, which has tallied 14 deaths since record-keeping began in 1924, including the fatal goring of a Spanish man last year, and thousands of injuries. The run in Pamplona started 400 years ago and became popular worldwide after author Ernest Hemingway wrote about it in the 1920s in his book "The Sun Also Rises," also published under the title "Fiesta." It is now broadcast live across Spain by state television TVE, which estimated there were more than a thousand runners. An 18-year-old Australian man from Melbourne was taken to hospital with various injuries sustained on the narrow street that descends into the bullring. And a Spanish man, 20, from Zaragoza also went to hospital with an eye injury sustained on a street almost halfway through the run, the Navarra regional government said on its website. Both were initially listed in stable condition but under close observation, the website said. It took the six bulls and a pack of tame steers, which help guide the bulls, a full 17 seconds to emerge from the corrals after the opening rocket was fired to signal the start of the run. But the pack then moved swiftly through the cobblestone streets of old Pamplona along the 825-meter (902-yard) course to the bullring, where the bulls will die later in the day in a bullfight. The run lasted just 2 minutes and 23 seconds and the bull and steer pack stayed mainly together, which long-time observers say usually means a safer run -- unlike when a bull or bulls get separated, frightened and may charge directly into the runners. Television images showed mostly men dressed in the traditional white outfits with red handkerchiefs, but also a small number of women, and even one man with a football helmet, which is prohibited but was apparently not noticed by the hundreds of police officers who eject, before the run, people carrying cameras or who are drunk. The aim is safety, so that runners can focus on the run. Television images showed numerous runners making hard falls to the pavement, tripping over other runners or colliding with the bulls. The daily run continues for eight days, through July 14, at 8 a.m. (2 a.m. ET), and is the highlight of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona that attracts hundreds of thousands to the non-stop fiesta. | 1 Austrialian, 1 Spaniard taken to hospital . Run lasts 2 minutes 23 seconds . TV images show many runners making hard falls . Daily run continues until July 14 . | 6c2c6826a83145ffd45eb59c02943475882d5abb |
Ed Miliband was facing a backbench revolt last night over Labour’s failure to support a judge-led inquiry into British complicity in torture. The party’s high command still insists a Westminster committee should investigate even though it presided over an alleged whitewash in the extraordinary rendition affair. A string of Mr Miliband’s MPs yesterday declared that disturbing questions raised by a US Senate report on the barbaric treatment of detainees by the CIA should be answered once and for all. Paul Flynn, David Winnick and Yasmin Qureshi all said only a judge-led process would do. Scroll down for video . Ed Miliband was facing a backbench revolt last night over Labour’s failure to support a judge-led inquiry into British complicity in torture . It leaves Labour’s leader in the unusual position of backing an investigation he himself admits may be inadequate. His brother David could even be called to give evidence to any inquiry. As foreign secretary from 2007 to 2010, he is accused of trying to cover up Britain’s involvement in CIA wrongdoing. Other Labour figures facing questions include Jack Straw and Tony Blair, who broke cover yesterday to say he had never condoned torture. On another day of drama at Westminster: . A string of Mr Miliband’s MPs declared only a probe by a judge could clear up the disturbing questions raised by a US Senate report on the barbaric treatment of detainees by the CIA. Both Paul Flynn (left) and David Winnick (right) said past mistakes should not be covered up . Yvette Cooper said on Sunday that she doubted Parliament’s intelligence and security committee had the capacity and the scope to carry out an inquiry and her ‘instinct’ was for a judge-led process. However, the shadow home secretary then stopped short of backing the full judicial investigation sought by MPs on all sides. Last night a source close to Mr Miliband said: ‘Ed agrees with the position set out by Yvette. The Government has outlined that the intelligence committee will be doing it, we have some concerns on it but we need to see the way the Government sets that out. As foreign secretary from 2007 to 2010, David Miliband is accused of trying to cover up Britain’s involvement in CIA wrongdoing . ‘We are not at this stage calling for anything to go further than that.’ Yesterday Mrs May said that, since her appointment in 2010, she had seen no evidence of the security services being complicit in ill treatment. But, turning the spotlight on the New Labour years, she added: ‘I cannot speak for what might have happened in the past before this Government came into office.’ Mr Clegg also spoke out, saying senior figures in the last Labour government should give evidence on what they knew. The Deputy Prime Minister added: ‘If people are found to have broken the law, the full weight of the law should come down on them without fear or favour, however operationally grand they are.’ When Mrs May appeared before the home affairs committee, Labour MPs took the opportunity to call for a judge-led investigation. Mr Flynn said it was time for Britain – which is still to publish the Chilcot report into the Iraq War – to ‘get away from this policy of trying to cover up past mistakes’. He added: ‘The (Senate torture) report degrades our reputation as allies of the United States.’ Other Labour MPs demanding a judicial inquiry included Mr Winnick and Miss Qureshi. Mr Winnick said an investigation by a judge was needed to ‘clear this whole matter up once and for all’. Keith Vaz, the committee’s chairman, stopped short of calling for a judge-led inquiry, but said it looks like being the next stage. The Labour MP added: ‘The status quo is not going to be enough.’ Mrs May came under pressure to explain the extent to which Britain had lobbied to have the Senate intelligence committee report – which detailed CIA beatings, waterboarding and the rectal feeding of detainees – redacted. It had been stripped of any mention of MI5, MI6 or Diego Garcia – the British base which David Miliband belatedly admitted had been used for at least two rendition flights. As the Mail revealed last week, there were 22 meetings between the Senate committee and British ambassadors. Mrs May also personally met its chairman Dianne Feinstein, though not on the date originally given by the Foreign Office. The Home Secretary said she had not personally asked for any of the report to be redacted, and the pair had discussed ‘other things’. A number of celebrities and politicians have signed a letter to David Cameron demanding Shaker Aamer’s release from Guantanamo Bay. The father of four is pictured here with two of his children . Other Labour figures facing questions are Jack Straw (left) and Tony Blair (right), who broke cover yesterday to say he had never condoned torture . But she conceded: ‘The UK had an opportunity to ensure there was no evidence put in which would damage our national security.’ Despite the growing clamour on all sides for a judicial inquiry, Mrs May said she also believed the intelligence and security committee should be allowed to complete the task. MPs have voiced concerns that the committee – which cleared MI5 and MI6 of involvement in extraordinary rendition in 2007 – does not have sufficient powers. ISC chairman Sir Malcolm Rifkind has said he will ask the US Senate to reveal which parts of its damning report the British Government asked to be redacted from the published version. However, other members of the UK committee have questioned why he does not simply request the information from British authorities rather than go down the time-consuming road of negotiating with the US. Mr Blair’s office issued a statement saying: ‘Tony Blair has always been opposed to the use of torture, has always said so publicly and privately, has never condoned its use and – as is shown by internal government documentation already made public – thinks it is totally unacceptable.’ The statement did not address any of the specific allegations that – during the war on terror – British agents were complicit in extraordinary rendition or had turned a blind eye to abuse of detainees. David Miliband and Mr Straw were unavailable for comment last night. Last week Ed Miliband leapt to the defence of his brother, saying he would ‘never’ have knowingly allowed British agents to become involved in rendition and torture programmes run by the CIA. | Labour high command insists Westminster committee should investigate . But string of MPs say only a judge's probe can clear up torture questions . Miliband's brother David could be called to give evidence to any inquiry . He is accused of trying to cover up UK's part in CIA wrongdoing . Other Labour figures facing questions are Jack Straw and Tony Blair . Blair broke cover yesterday to say he had never condoned torture . Home Secretary Theresa May admitted the Government had been given the chance to vet the Senate report; . Nick Clegg joined calls for Guantanamo Bay detainee Shaker Aamer to be returned to Britain; . More celebrities and politicians signed a letter to David Cameron demanding the father of four’s release. | 8020087c06177d3a24b568628434c3c9b87c1d29 |
Stevie Ray faces Curt Warburton for the third time - and you can watch it live with Mail Online. As part of our exciting new partnership with Cage Warriors, we will bring you full coverage from Newcastle. Watch all the action from the second half of the show from 9pm. | Stevie Ray takes on Curt Warburton for the third time at Newcastle's Metro Arena on Saturday . The lightweight champion is defending the belt he won against Warburton in June . Warburton won the pair's first fight last year and is bidding for revenge . | 2baafe477a782db6fb1e9d435f80a0cb22ed83e9 |
By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 21:58 EST, 14 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:06 EST, 15 January 2013 . The grandmother of eight-year-old Imani Green, who was shot dead in a Jamaican grocery store while on holiday, has described finding her granddaughter in a 'pool of blood'. Sandra Fisher, who lives in the northern Jamaican village Duncans, described the brutal aftermath of the shooting on Friday. She said: 'My two little granddaughters were there and when one came back I said ‘where is the baby’. 'We went to the shop and I saw a little girl lying down in a pool of blood. I started to cry and everyone was crying and saying ‘why did they kill the little girl?’ Crying: The grandmother of British schoolgirl Imani Green, who was killed on Friday in Jamaica, said she found her granddaughter's body. Imani, pictured right with her mother Donna in 2009, was on holiday to help alleviate the symptoms of sickle cell anaemia . She added: 'She is such a pleasant child; she is the daughter of my son who migrated to England around seven years ago.' Imani had been allowed to take an . extended break from her South London school to visit the country in the . hope that it would help alleviate the symptoms of her sickle-cell . anaemia. Horrifying: Imani Green's grandmother Sandra Fisher, who lives in Duncans, Jamaica, said she found the eight-year-old in a 'pool of blood' She was shot in the head and shoulder when a masked gunman opened fire in the roadside shop and bar run by her cousin. The girl's cousin Brandese Brown, a witness to the incident, told ITN: 'I could see the shot coming out of the gun, just a spear of fire.' She said that the gunman had been wearing a hood at the time. Eight suspects have been 'intensively interrogated' by police over her murder. The island's authorities have said they are confident of solving the killing. One line of inquiry is that Imani was the innocent victim of gangsters fighting a turf war over an illegal lottery scam, according to Jamaica's Security Minister Peter Bunting. The scam, which targets elderly . Americans in the hope that they will wire money to Jamaica after being . told they have won the lottery, is thought to have earned Jamaican gangs . £50 million (£31.8m) last year. Around 500 deaths have been linked to . the scam, while it is also though to account for around half of the . violent crime in the area where Imani was shot. A second person was last night shot dead in . the village, half a mile from a roadside cafe . where Imani was killed on Friday. Following the incident, hundreds of stunned locals yesterday gathered at the scene. A police cordon was in place at the scene, where bullet holes could be seen in a silver Toyota Corolla. Imani, pictured in 2009, is believed to have been the innocent victim of gangsters fighting a turf war over an illegal lottery scam . Heartbroken: Sandra Fisher with relatives, including Imani's brother Tyrese Green, second right in Duncans, Trelawny, Jamaica . Sources believe the gunman could be the same man who killed Imani and wounded three of her cousins. One said the victim's first name was Xavier, although this has not been confirmed. One resident, who did not want to be . identified, said: 'People are whispering that he knew too much - he knew . who killed the little girl. That's why he got shot.' Detectives have confirmed they are investigating whether the latest shooting is connected to Imani's death and say they are not ruling out any possibilities. Detectives are investigating whether the latest shooting in the Jamaican village of Duncans was connected to Imani's death . Detective Superintendent Anthony McLaughlin, of Trelawny Parish Police, said: 'Our scenes of crime officers are still down there examining the scene, it's too early for us to say what is behind this.' He said the victim had not yet been identified. Det Supt McLaughlin said: 'We are looking at whether the two recent deaths in Duncans are linked. To have two shootings within three days in this community is very unusual.' Deputy Superintendent Steve Brown, from the Jamaica Constabulary Force, said the eight suspects in the first shooting, all men under 35, were being questioned but dismissed suggestions linking the shooting to gang warfare. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Sandra Fisher describes moment she found murdered Imani Green . Eight-year-old is thought to be innocent victim of gang turf war . Another man killed yesterday in village where the schoolgirl was shot . Police are investigating whether the two incidents are connected . | fc2eb738c87fdf534eb7568c1b8ea83137fd1fdd |
(CNN) -- Davy Jones, whose charming grin and British accent won the hearts of millions of fans on the 1960s television series "The Monkees," died Wednesday, according to the Martin County, Florida, sheriff's office. He was 66. A witness told authorities he was with Jones in Indiantown, Florida, when Jones "began to complain of not feeling well and having trouble breathing," the sheriff's office said in a statement. Jones was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. A Martin County law enforcement source with knowledge of the case said Jones apparently suffered a heart attack. Laurie Jacobson, whose company Living Legends LTD often booked Jones for Hollywood nostalgia shows, spoke with him two days ago about several new bookings. "He was a vegetarian, and there was not an ounce of fat on the guy," Jacobson said. "He lived on the beach in Florida and ran miles every morning. This is the last person I expected this to happen to. He couldn't have been in better shape." The diminutive vocalist and actor sang lead on the musical group's hits such as "Daydream Believer" and "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You." Besides Jones, The Monkees included band members Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith. The pop group was created to star in an NBC sitcom and capitalize on the Beatles' teenybopper popularity. "The Monkees" TV series premiered in the fall of 1966. Share your memories of Davy Jones on iReport . In terms of musical popularity, the project succeeded beyond anyone's expectations, with the group notching a handful of No. 1 songs (including "I'm a Believer," Billboard's top song of 1967) and four No. 1 albums. The group, which was dubbed the "prefab four" by critics, rebelled against its management in an effort to take control of its musical career. The move worked to an extent -- band members, who had generally been replaced by session men on Monkees recordings, were allowed to play their own instruments and contribute songs -- but coincided with a decline in the Monkees' popularity. NBC canceled the TV series "The Monkees" after just two seasons, and the band lasted for only one more year after that. Though the TV show was never a huge ratings hit, its knockabout, Marx Brothers-style comedy -- inspired, to an extent, by the loopier sequences in the Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" -- gained fans and followers, reigniting the band's popularity when MTV reran the show in the mid-'80s. Demand for Jones at nostalgia shows was brisk, Jacobson said. "He's been really busy," she said. "He's toured with his band, singing as well. He loved to pick up these little autograph shows. He loved the fans, he loved spending time with his fans. He often got on stage and performed at these shows. The lines for him were always out the door." The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce said flowers in honor of Jones would be placed on The Monkees' star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Wednesday afternoon. "That David has stepped beyond my view causes me the sadness that it does many of you," Nesmith posted on his Facebook page Wednesday. "I will miss him, but I won't abandon him to mortality ... David's spirit and soul live well in my heart, among all the lovely people, who remember with me the good times, and the healing times, that were created for so many, including us." "His talent will be much missed; his gifts will be with us always," said fellow Monkee Peter Tork. "My deepest sympathy to Jessica and the rest of his family." Beatle Ringo Starr issued a short statement: "God bless Davy. Peace & love to his family, Ringo." David Thomas Jones was born December 30, 1945, in Manchester, England. He was already famous in his home country when he joined the Monkees. He had starred in the musical "Oliver!" on the London stage as the Artful Dodger and was nominated for a Tony for his performance on Broadway, according to a biography on a Monkees fan site. Indeed, he got a taste of the Beatles' popularity when the "Oliver!" cast appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show" on February 9, 1964 -- the date of the Beatles' first appearance. After the Monkees broke up, Jones enjoyed occasional acting roles, including a guest spot on an episode of "The Brady Bunch" and appearances in "SpongeBob SquarePants" and "The Brady Bunch Movie." When he wasn't singing -- he participated in several Monkees reunions over the years -- he was devoted to owning and racing horses. Jones was married three times. He is survived by his third wife, Jessica Pacheco, and four daughters from his two previous marriages. He told Britain's Daily Mail last year that he used to be 5 feet 4 inches tall, "but I've lost an inch." He posted photographs of his horses, his grandchildren and himself on his blog, "Keep up with Jones," sometimes also posting messages to fans. "I wrote some time ago that not everyone has dreams and hopes that come true," he wrote in a January 2011 message. "Mine have. "Regrets, yes -- if you don't have them you're a fool. However, I thank all of you -- yeah, you -- for your support and love." People we've lost in 2012: The lives they lived . CNN's Alan Duke, Susan Candiotti and Louie Mejia contributed to this report. | Davy Jones sang lead on several of The Monkees' hits . Source: Jones suffered an apparent heart attack . "The Monkees" television series premiered in 1966 and lasted for two seasons . | dd160437bfa070878de91ccafd29cd174dc0fca1 |
Opinion: Seth Rogen caused a Twitter storm with a tweet about American Sniper . Hollywood actors continue to fire Twitter salvos at each other over actor Seth Rogen’s controversial tweet about movie American Sniper, based on Navy SEAL Chris Kyle’s experiences in Iraq. He wrote that the movie reminded him of a Nazi propaganda film about a sniper that appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s acclaimed Inglorious Basterds. Such is the furore surrounding the tweet that he felt obliged to further clarify his comments with another tweet underlining that he has nothing against war veterans and was not comparing the movie to Nazi propaganda. Now Alec Baldwin has leapt to the defence of the Neighbors actor, after Dean Cain weighed in with a tweet claiming that he had no right to make the comment in the original tweet because he’d never fought in a war. Cain, known for his role as Superman, wrote: ‘Seth... I like your films, but right now, I wanna kick your ass. Chris is an American Hero. Period. Go to war. Then we'll talk.’ However, Baldwin retorted: ‘Did @RealDeanCain threaten Seth Rogen? And isn't that the same kind of troubled thinking that got Chris Kyle killed?’ The Clint Eastwood film is a profile of Kyle, who was described as the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history. While critical reviews have been generally positive and the movie has been nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor, it has also drawn fire for being jingoistic or propaganda for the U.S. military. Filmmaker Michael Moore caused an online debate when he tweeted about how he was raised to believe snipers were 'cowards' since his uncle died by a Japanese sniper shot in World War II. Taking to Twitter in rage, the Fahrenheit 9/11 director seethed: 'My uncle killed by sniper in WW2. We were taught snipers were cowards. Will shoot u in the back. Snipers aren't heroes. And invaders r worse.' Moore later backtracked those comments on Facebook, writing that he thought the film was well made but could have done a better job at contextualizing the Iraq War. Rogen has now also sought to calm the Twitter storm down with another explanation of his tweet sent on January 19 that referenced the Nazi sniper. He wrote: ‘It appears I need to further clarify a tweet I sent a few days ago. I said a sniper movie kind of reminded me of a scene in another movie that involved a sniper movie. I didn't compare the two at all. I merely said that one kind of reminded me of the other, because they both involved plots about the most lethal of snipers. Scroll down for video . Alec Baldwin (left) defended Seth Rogen after Dean Cain (right) accused the Neighbors actor of having no right to tweet his remarks about American Sniper because he'd never been to war . This is what I really meant: Seth Rogen went online to clarify the difference between 'kinda reminded me' and a direct comparison. He used apples and oranges as an example . ‘People then claimed that I compared the movie American Sniper to Nazi propaganda, something I would never do (I've already publicly explained that I enjoyed American Sniper) and also implied that I somehow have something against Chris Kyle and veterans in general, neither of which are true in the least. ‘My grandfather was a veteran. My comment about the movie was not meant to have any political implications. Any political meaning was ascribed to my comment by news commentary. I'm sorry if this somehow offended anyone, but that was not my intention. I hope this clears things up.’ This follows an earlier attempt at clarification. Rogen insisted on that occasion as well that he wasn't comparing American Sniper with the parody vignette in Inglorious Basterds, but was saying that one reminded him of the other. He tweeted: ‘Apples remind me of oranges. Can't compare them though.' Rogen, 32, then threw in a small dig at the media, accusing the press of blowing his opinions 'out of proportion'. The Interview star wrote that he is happy to keep the fires burning on the controversy. Quentin Tarantino's Inglorius Basterds culminates with an assassination attempt on Adolph Hitler at the premiere of a fictional propaganda film called 'Stolz der Nation' which translates to Nation's Pride. One of the characters of the film is a haughty German soldier who plays himself in Nation's Pride, a movie about how he killed 200 Allied soldiers from a clock tower in one battle. Controversy: Rogen said American Sniper (still on the right) reminded him of Nation's Pride (still on the left), a fake Nazi propaganda film from Quentin Tarantino's World War II film Inglorious Basterds . True story: American Sniper is based on Chris Kyle's memoir, which was written before his tragic death in February 2013 at a shooting range . Oscar-tipped: Clint Eastwood's (left) movie is hotly-tipped to pick up a few Oscars, including Best Actor for Cooper (right) American Sniper on the other hand stars Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle, the real-life man who became the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history, saving hundreds of American lives with at least 160 kills. The film, based on Kyle's memoir, ends with his tragic death in Texas, allegedly at the hands of a fellow soldier with PTSD he was trying to help. Kid Rock was one of the first stars to wade in on the debate stirred up by Rogen and Moore, tweeting: ‘: 'F— you Michael Moore, you’re a piece of s— and your uncle would be ashamed of you. Seth Rogen, your uncle probably molested you. I hope both of you catch a fist to the face soon. 'God bless you Chris Kyle, Thank you for your service.' American Sniper, directed by Clint Eastwood, raked in $105.3million during its opening weekend in America. | Seth Rogen caused a Twitter storm with a tweet about American Sniper . He wrote that it reminded him of a Nazi sniper film in Inglorious Basterds . Dean Cain tweeted 'Seth, I wanna kick your ass. Go to war, then we'll talk' Alex Baldwin defended Rogen, asking in shock if Cain had threatened him . Rogen, star of The Interview, has sought to further clarify his original tweet . He claims he has got nothing against veterans and didn't want to offend . American Sniper has been nominated for six Academy Awards . Michael Moore sparked controversy by tweeting snipers were 'cowards' | 488fbe65cba76750424ab47e53d69c1a109facd5 |
By . Arthur Martin . PUBLISHED: . 04:54 EST, 10 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:04 EST, 11 September 2013 . Travellers were arrested in dawn swoops across the country yesterday on suspicion of stealing more than £20million of jade artefacts and rhino horns from museums. Police believe the items may have been stolen to order for Chinese collectors. Hundreds of officers from 26 forces arrested 17 men and two women in simultaneous raids. Detectives suspect they may be linked to the notorious Rathkeale Rovers gang that has burgled up to 100 museums across Europe since 2011. Scroll down for video . Raid: A Cottenham travellers' site was targeted in connection with thefts on museums and auction houses . The gang, which hails from an Irish traveller community in Limerick, steals artefacts for black-market dealers in the Far East. Yesterday’s arrests were in connection . with six burglaries at museums and an auction house over four months . last year. The travellers and their associates are suspected of stealing . 18 Chinese jade artefacts worth up to £18million from the Fitzwilliam . Museum in Cambridge in April. They are believed to have been sold on to Chinese collectors and have not been recovered. The suspects are also being questioned . about three break-ins at Durham Museum, one at Gorringes auction house . in East Sussex and one at Norwich Castle Museum. Horns from stuffed . rhinos were stolen from the museums. Dawn: The Smithy Fen site was targeted with connections to the Fitzwilliam Museum robbery . Nationwide: 19 people in total have been arrested - 17 men and two women - including three men from Northern Ireland . Hunt: Rewards have been issued for the £15million worth of treasure plundered from the Fitzwilliam Museum . Organised: Soca and officers from 26 police forces are involved in the nationwide operation . Questions: Investigations are still going on across the country in relation to the spate of robberies across four months in early 2012 . Crackdown: The men arrested at the Cambridgeshire traveller site were aged 24, 41, 44 and 56 . Rhino horns are ground down and used . as medicine in the Far East. They have become so sought after that they . are worth more to smugglers than drugs or diamonds. Yesterday’s raids were on camps and . houses in London, Sussex, Cambridgeshire, Essex, the West Midlands, . Nottingham and Ulster. The operation was led by Cambridgeshire Police, . who arrested four of the men at the Smithy Fen travellers’ camp in . Cottenham. 'Pan-European': Further arrests in Wolverhampton were part of the operation that police say is working with forces abroad . Major: Operation Elven has been launched to recover items stolen from museums and involves raids like these in Wolverhampton . Thorough: A 32-year-old man was arrested in the West Midlands as part of the raids . Investigation: Police raided properties and garages early this morning . Recovered: Northern Ireland Garde officers remove items from a house during raids in the Rathkeale and Raheen areas of Limerick and in Newmarket in Cork . International: Garda sources said the raids were in connection to wider investigations into the theft of rhino horn . Connected: One man was detained at the Castle Street Rug Shop not far from the Belfast city centre in a raid police said was connected to museum thefts in England . Hidden: Several items were removed from the Belfast shop by a specialist search team . Target: Durham University's Oriental Museum was one of the institutions affected in last year's spate of robberies . Raid: Thieves chiselled a 2ft-by-3ft hold in the wall of the Oriental Museum of Durham University in April 2012 . Ransacked: After working at the wall for 40 minutes, it took the robbers just a minute to take Chinese artefacts from the museum . Jade: A 'recumbant buffalo' and an 'imaginary beast', two statuettes stolen from Cambridge's Fitzwilliam Museum in April 2012 . Reward: Police are still searching for many of the artefacts that were stolen . Antique: The Chinese artefacts date back to the Qing dynasty . Dishonour: A mourning ring worn by Admiral Lord Nelson's family after his death at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 and thought to be worth £25,000 was one of the items stolen from Norwich Castle Museum . Break-in: Thieves stole 18 items of Chinese art from the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge in April 2012 . Eighteen of those arrested were held . on suspicion of conspiracy to burgle. A 54-year-old woman arrested in . London is suspected of perverting the course of justice and assisting an . offender. Chief Constable Mick Creedon, of the . Association of Chief Police Officers, which has set up a task force to . crack down on ‘heritage crime’, said: ‘Many of the stolen Chinese . artefacts are still outstanding and a substantial reward remains on . offer for information which leads to the safe return of those priceless . items.’ Eight people have been jailed for a . total of more than 40 years for their roles in last year’s break-ins. They include three men and a 15-year-old boy convicted of conspiracy . to burgle after the raid on the Fitzwilliam Museum. Cambridge Crown Court heard it was . unlikely the men knew the true value of the items, which were sold on to . rich Chinese collectors. | Four men arrested this morning at Smithy Fen travellers' site in Cottenham, Cambridgeshire . Total of 17 men and 2 women arrested from across London, Cambridgeshire, Sussex, Essex, West Midlands and Nottingham . Police from 26 forces and Serious Organised Crime Agency execute dawn raids as part of Operation Elven into six museum and auction house break-ins last year . Robberies at Durham University Oriental Museum, Gorringes Auction House, Norwich Castle Museum and Fitzwilliam Museum over four months in 2012 . Thefts and attempted thefts targeted items belonging to Admiral Lord Nelson, rhino horn and Chinese jade . | 63ebd97cd897ddada1e39d35ca778c3254872749 |
Wisconsin Gov. and rising Republican star Scott Walker refused on Wednesday to say whether he believes in evolution during a Q and A at a London think tank. After declining to answer numerous questions related to foreign policy, out of respect for the sitting President of the United States, the likely presidential candidate evaded the event moderator's question about evolution, telling him, 'For me, I am going to punt on that one as well.' 'That's a question a politician shouldn't be involved in one way or the other,' he added. Scroll down for video . 'That's a question a politician shouldn't be involved in one way or the other,' Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said of evolution on Wednesday during an appearance at London-based think tank Chatham House . Even after his interviewer, Justin Webb of BBC Radio 4, asserted that 'any British politician right or left wing would laugh and say, "yes of course evolution's true," ' Walked stood his ground. 'I'm here to talk about trade, not to pontificate on other issues,' he said, heartily adding, to laughter, 'I love the issue of trade in Wisconsin.' Recently elected to his second term as governor in The Badger State after surviving a recall challenge in his first term, Walker is now on the path to the GOP nomination for president. He has been making the rounds in early presidential states such as Iowa, where he reportedly leased office space this week, and is currently on a trip to the U.K. After fellow presumed Republican presidential contender Chris Christie's disastrous trip to England last week that involved the cancellation of several press conferences after the New Jersey politician came under attack in the U.S. for his lavish spending and his position on mandatory vaccinations, Walker's team said the Wisconsin governor would take no questions from reporters while abroad. The only exception was to be today's speech at Chatham House, an international affairs institute, followed by a sit down interview with Webb. But even then, Walker was not inclined to give direct answers to many of the questions put before him, according to reporters present. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said Walker excused himself from commenting on world affairs because he holds the 'old-fashioned' view that it's not appropriate to 'talk about foreign policy while you're on foreign soil.' 'I don't think it's wise to undermine your own president' on trips such as these, he later said. Officially in Britain as part of a taxpayer-funded trade mission, the UK visit is widely seen as an opportunity for Walker to bulk up his foreign policy credentials before he formally announces a presidential bid. On Tuesday the Republican governor met with British Prime Minister David Cameron. Today he paid a visit to the speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow. During the trip he also visited a Harley-Davidson dealership - the company was founded in Wisconsin, and stopped by the grave of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a conservative icon, to pay his respects. Walker is pictured leaving 10 Downing street after a private meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron in London on Tuesday. Walker is leading a coalition of Wisconsin government and business officials on a trade mission that runs until Friday. The trip gives him a chance to bolster his overseas and foreign policy credentials as he considers running for president in 2016 . Walker is not alone among the probable GOP presidential candidates in his hesitancy to take a stance on evolution. Former governors Rick Perry of Texas and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana have both waffled when asked about the scientific origins of creation. Christie has also been won't to discuss the subject or anything related to foreign policy. Still, the Democratic National Committee took a shot at Walker on Wednesday afternoon over the ducking and dodging. 'For someone who went to London to build his street cred as a serious leader all Walker showed today was the same ducking and dodging Wisconsinites know all too well and that we’ve come to expect from the 2016 GOP field, whose policy positions are just too divisive to share,' the DNC's National Press Secretary, Holly Shulman, said in an email to reporters. 'Would’ve been a lot simpler to just stay home,' she added. In a separate email later in the day, DNC Communications Director Mo Elleithee trolled the Republican field and asked, 'Do any other GOP presidential candidates want to go to London? 'If so, let us know. The DNC is more than happy to pick up your travel costs,' Elleithee said. | 'That's a question a politician shouldn't be involved in one way or the other,' Walker said during an appearance at Chatham House . He also declined to answer numerous questions related to foreign policy; 'I don't think it's wise to undermine your own president' on foreign soil . Officially on a taxpayer-funded trade mission, the UK visit is seen as an opportunity for Walker to bulk up his foreign policy credentials . The DNC trolled him after: 'Do any other GOP presidential candidates want to go to London? The DNC is more than happy to pick up your travel costs' | e5e0ac9d431b1e5e57d62f8c5882e9d904a645ee |
Shedding light on the woes of the upper middle, the 'Overheard in Waitrose' Facebook page took the internet by storm. Infants were heard pining for star fruit and lychees, as mothers barked: 'Noah! You've had enough Manchego for one day!' But now, as hard-up families turn to budget rivals, a version has been made for the cut-price alternative: Aldi. Scroll down for video . Not quite: Aldi may offer everything from chips to soya milk on the cheap, but this shopper seems confused . Change: After internet users flocked to read Waitrose shoppers comments, an Aldi version is becoming a hit . Poking fun: The page pokes fun at the bargain supermarket that has been snapping up shoppers from its rivals . Winning shoppers: The cut-price supermarket has become a hit with the ethos 'spend a little, live a lot' Instead of poking fun at the cushioned lives of Waitrose customers, Overheard In Aldi's collection of comical comments depict a more downmarket shopper. One post on the site, which has more than 2,000 'likes', reads: 'This place is fantastic value for money, I got a shopping trolley that was on display outside for £1. Bargain.' Another adds: 'Chantelle put that f****** vodka back you already got a bottle for ya 16th birthday last week!!' The company, with its no frills approach and low prices, has seen sales rise by 31.5 per cent, massively outpacing the big four of Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons. Aldi has made huge efforts to attract Middle Britain shoppers by introducing a range of superior products at budget prices from fine wines and spirits, to coffee, olive oil, Aberdeen Angus steaks and even fresh goose for Christmas. The group slims down its overheads and profit margins to the minimum with minimalist stores, fewer staff and charges for plastic bags. Confused: Compared to the Waitrose version, quotes on the Aldi page are not littered with elaborate words . Shoppers: One commenter used the format of Flo-Rida's song Low to describe the typical Aldi shopper . Dialect: While most of the Waitrose quotes have a posh air, Aldi's shoppers speak in local dialects . Significantly, . it does not stock any of the big brands, like Kellogg’s and Heinz, . however it has run into trouble for creating its own cheaper copycat . versions. Its . approach has proved popular because of the resulting low prices which . appeal to a nation suffering the longest and deepest cut in incomes and . living standards ever recorded. The . low prices do not mean poor quality or taste. Just last week the . supermarket won 16 gold medals and another 10 silvers in an annual test . to find the nation’s best own-label supermarket foods. The . webpage also features a conversation between two shoppers who struggle . with simple maths and get confused by half price offers. There . is also a conversation in which a youngster asks their dad to buy them . cigarettes, but he replies: 'Nah forgot my fake ID'. Another post about an aubergine sees a boy ask his mum if the vegetable is a cucumber, to which she answers: 'No, it’s a courgette dumb s***.' It is a stark contrast from Overheard in Waitrose, which paints a picture of shoppers whose wealth has left them out of touch with everyday lives. Popular: It seems the group is a response to the Waitrose page as Aldi continues to soar in popularity . Cut-price: Aldi has gained a name for winning customers with bargains - and it seems that's all they come for . One child was overheard asking his mum if they were 'doing shopping for the boat as well'. Another . parent was reported telling her son: 'Lucas put that falafel down, you . already chose olives with Manchego for your treat.' According . to the Facebook page, one couple in the Newark branch in . Nottinghamshire who spotted another customer with an Asda shopping bag . said to each other: 'Should she be walking around in here with that?' And after a Waitrose butcher told a woman they had run out of fillet steak but she could have topside instead, she replied: 'Topside? Why on earth would we feed Winnie topside? Bespoke: Waitrose is the darling of the upmarket shopper serving the sturdy middle and upper classes . Children in Waitrose clearly have different tastes to those whose parents shop in less exclusive supermarkets . Nightmare: Waitrose customers can hardly imagine the horror of running out of such culinary essentials . 'Anyone would think you wanted to kill the poor dog.' (To this, one Facebook user replied: 'You have to work at Waitrose, as I did for 27 years, to know that comments like this are not fictitious.') A customer in the Wilmslow, Cheshire, branch was overheard telling her husband: 'Please don't rummage in the reduced bin, darling, someone from the golf club might see you.' One child following its mother down an aisle asked: 'Mummy, are we doing shopping for the boat as well?' Meanwhile, the Aldi page describes one shopper using the form of Flo-Rida's song Low: 'She's got them Primark bottom jeans, fake uggs with the furr, the whole of Aldi was looking at her'. Aldi has been contacted for a comment. | Overheard in Aldi page on Facebook follows hit version made for Waitrose . Waitrose shoppers were 'heard' saying: 'Orlando! Put down the papaya!' Posts on the Aldi page include: 'I got a trolley outside for £1. Bargain' One child asks his father for cigarettes. Fathers says: 'Nah forgot fake ID' | f38a7acd49084e50ad065c5a9eb35b01d8ba10cc |
Immigration minister Scott Morrison said the four brothers who slipped out of the country to join the fight with the Islamic State in the Middle East are now enemies of Australia. The western Sydney siblings - aged 17, 23, 25 and 28 made their way to Syria after they told their parents they won a trip to Thailand when they left the country in late October. But authorities tracked them down in Turkey after being alerted by concerned family members last Saturday when the men failed to contact home. It is thought that the four have since crossed the Syrian border to fight with IS militants. Scroll down for videos . More Australians have slipped through the cracks and fled overseas to join the fight with Islamic State . Family friend Dr Jamal Rifi has spoken on behalf of the family, saying: 'We are all not coping. These are Australian boys – we are losing them as they going where they’re not suppose to be [sic]'. Their mother has pleaded for the safe return of her four sons after she sent them off at Sydney Airport but when the boys arrived in Bangkok, they boarded a plane to Turkey, according to 9News. The family received a text message saying they were on their way to Syria. A message from their devastated mother – ‘My sons, you are dear to us. I can’t stop crying day and night. You are good at heart. You have done nothing wrong. Come back [sic],' Mr Rifi told 9News. It's reported that the family believes the boys had encountered with someone in Sydney and was given the money and contacts to be able to make the trip over. Scott Morrison said the four brothers will now face the consequences of their actions . Mr Morrison said they will now have to face the consequences of their actions. 'Once these young men cross over that line they become enemies of Australia and the world,' he told reporters in Sydney on Saturday. The brothers' family is reported to be devastated by the news. 'These four young men have effectively been indoctrinated by... a death cult,' the minister said. Mr Morrison said authorities had received the tip too late to apprehend them. The siblings were 'clean-skins' and had not been on any watch-lists. 'These were people for whom nothing indicated to date that they might be involved in this type of activity,' Mr Morrison said. He said it was important the community provided information to authorities. There are now more than 60 Australians known to be fighting in foreign conflicts. Mr Morrison said the four brothers who slipped out of the country to join ISIS are now enemies of Australia . Authorities argue they need more tools to monitor suspects and prevent them from being radicalised . As authorities attempt to contain home-grown terrorists from leaving the country, the latest recruits from Western Sydney have been labelled 'cleanskins' by police agencies because they were completely unknown to intelligence. Australian Federal Police commissioner Neil Gaughan told a parliamentary committee on Thursday that the group of four that managed to leave the country this week were 'not on anyone's radar', the Guardian reported. 'We got wind of it after the fact, but the fact is there are still people travelling,' said Gaughan, the national manager of counter-terrorism for the Australian Federal Police. 1 . Authorities were alerted last Saturday when the family contacted a member of a local community after they failed to hear from their boys since they fled the country, the Daily Telegraph reports. Many foreign fighters have already left the country including Mohamed Elomar (pictured) Immigration Minister Scott Morrison confirmed the family was seeking his help but unfortunately, it was too late. 'Australia has lost yet another four young kids. This is why we are so adamant in trying to prevent people leaving to join these foreign fighters', Mr Morrison told The Daily Telegraph. It follows after 'ginger' jihadist Abdullah Elmir disappeared from his Bankstown home in Sydney's south-west in June and made his way to the Middle East. The 17-year-old gained notoriety when he declared that ISIS will not stop their murderous campaign 'until the black flag is flying high in every single land' in the YouTube video. Khaled Sharrouf is also fighting with IS militants in the Middle East, and made headlines when he posted a photo of his young son brandishing a severed head . According to The Daily Telegraph, counter terrorism officers have been deployed to all Australian international airports. This comes just days ahead of the G20 summit to be held in Brisbane, which will be attended by a large number of world leaders. Police commissioner Neil Gaughan also told the committee he believed that federal police officers needed greater controls urgently, so they were better able to track the movements and interactions of suspects. 'But the fact is there’s still people travelling and regardless of what we’re doing, we’re not stopping that so we need some other tools,' he said, according to The Telegraph. Though he did not reveal from where or to what destination the group travelled, Gaughan said officers are now virtually powerless to stop them unless they resurface elsewhere. 'Unfortunately, once they get into Syria or into Iraq, there is nothing the AFP can do except wait for them to basically pop their head up somewhere on the way back.' Australian Federal Police commissioner Neil Gaughan speaking at the investigation into new legislation in Canberra on Thursday . Gaughan was speaking at an investigation into new legislation which aims to give security agencies power to issue control orders on people who are enabling or supporting terrorism. He also revealed that authorities were struggling to keep up with the sheer number of people being radicalised in such a short time - often less than six months. Authorities said the ability to put restrictions on who suspects can communicate with and where they can go would allow them to greatly reduce the change of an attack on home soil. | Four brothers from Sydney's south-west left Australia, reports suggest . All four - aged 17, 23, 25 and 28 made their way to Syria in late October . It's believed the boys have made their way to the Middle East to join ISIS . Boys' family is thought to be distraught after learning of their decision . Their mother has pleaded for the safe return of her four sons . Scott Morrison said they will now face the consequences of their actions . Authorities were only alerted 'after the fact' and are now powerless . AFP officer told parliamentary committee authorities need more powers . Said authorities can't keep up with number of those being radicalised . | 5994a7a26e577432577983c527291f6b8a7c8831 |
(CNN) -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry's suggestion that the United States may send troops to fight Mexican drug cartels riled officials and spurred debate from analysts on both sides of the border Monday. Mexico's top representative in the United States rejected the idea, which the Republican presidential candidate mentioned at a New Hampshire campaign stop Saturday. Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan told reporters his country's longstanding opposition to the presence of American forces had not changed. "The matter of the participation or presence of U.S. troops on Mexican soil is not on the table," Sarukhan said Monday. "It is not a component that forms part of the innovative approaches that Mexico and the United States have been using to confront transnational organized crime." Perry said Saturday that leaders from Mexico and the United States should meet after next year's elections to address the deadly drug trade. "It may require our military in Mexico working in concert with them to kill these drug cartels and to keep them off of our border," he said. Analysts in the United States and Mexico said the controversial idea could have significant political consequences and security implications -- even as a political campaign proposal. "It may be well-intentioned, but it has the potential of really undermining cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico," said Eric L. Olson, who studies security relationships between the neighboring countries at the Mexico Institute of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. The United States admits its drug market plays a role in fueling violence in Mexico, and has pledged $1.4 billion in assistance through the so-called Merida Initiative, which includes programs to help train Mexican military, police and justice officials. "If there's a perception in Mexico that this is all designed somehow as a backdoor entry into Mexico by the U.S., if there's a perception that this is leading to the United States' direct intervention into Mexico, it puts at risk all those cooperative efforts," Olson said. George W. Grayson -- author of "Mexico: Narco-Violence and a Failed State?" -- described Perry's proposal as "absolute, unadulterated nonsense." "The first thing you'd have to fight is the Mexican Army if you sent troops in there. It's ludicrous," he said. Even if they don't gain traction, Perry's comments will likely resonate in campaign rhetoric beyond the United States' borders, as presidential campaigns in Mexico are also kicking into high gear, Grayson said. "Typically this is a time of nationalism and breast-beating by candidates. ... The politicians are the ones who are going to walk all over it. They're going to say, 'See, the gringos are coming after us,'" he said. Several Mexican lawmakers -- who the country's constitution says would need to approve any presence of U.S. soldiers -- expressed concern about Perry's comments Monday. Institutional Revolutionary Party Sen. Maria de los Angeles Moreno said U.S. troops in Mexico would be a clear "aggression." "We must make an effort to face our own challenge, the violence of the criminals and the organized crime groups, but with our own forces and always maintaining the control of our territory," said Sen. Carlos Navarrete of the left-wing Democratic Revolution Party. But security analyst Pablo Monzalvo said when it comes to U.S. involvement, some Mexican officials are prone to double speak -- allowing U.S.-led measures to occur even as they speak out against them. Earlier this year Mexico's foreign minister fielded questions from angry lawmakers who said U.S. surveillance of Mexican territory -- aimed at detecting criminal groups -- was illegal. "There is interference...and this has been said publicly. But I ask myself what has been accomplished by ceding a certain amount of authority," Monzalvo said. Perry, who was first elected governor of Texas in 2002, has faced criticism from opponents who have attacked his conservative bona fides on illegal immigration at a series of debates this fall. "He's trying to compensate and say, 'Yeah, I'm really tough on Mexico,' but I think he's overcompensated," said Grayson, who is also a professor of government at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. This isn't the first time Perry has called for greater force fighting drug cartels. Last year he asked U.S. President Barack Obama to send 1,000 additional National Guard troops to the border. "We must show the cartels that Washington will no longer tolerate their terrorizing and criminalizing the border region," he wrote in a letter to the president. Troops crossing the border, however, is a different matter, Olson said. "No Mexican wants the U.S. to send its military troops. ... They welcome cooperation and they welcome the U.S. accepting responsibility for its role, but they don't welcome the notion of sending troops. That's crossing a line," he said. CNN's Isabel Morales and Rachel Streitfeld contributed to this report. | The Texas governor says fighting the drug trade "may require our military in Mexico" Mexico's ambassador says the presence of U.S. troops "is not on the table" The idea could have serious political and security consequences, analysts say . Analyst: Sending troops could undermine cooperation between the neighboring countries . | 99870ff73dd967dadb72e9a3de80e9286b7c717a |
(CNN) -- You can draw your own conclusions about why Jill Abramson was fired, but as we look at the history of her tenure as executive editor of The New York Times, the world's most prestigious and influential newspaper, and learn details about how it came to an end, women everywhere are shaking their heads. Any woman who has spent time in the work force is familiar with the challenges of being judged and treated fairly by her peers and bosses, of obtaining the recognition she deserves, and of being an effective advocate for one's own career. Women battle to break through the glass ceiling. After that, what comes is walking on broken glass. It's popular now to talk about the need for women to lean in. But, that's not even half the battle. Turns out, as many women have discovered, that leaning in can actually get you sacked. Just hours after NYTimes.com unceremoniously removed Abramson's name from the masthead and Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. told employees she had been replaced, without offering much of an explanation, we learned that Abramson, who had held the job for less than three years, had confronted her bosses about her compensation, telling them she had discovered her total compensation -- salary and benefits -- was substantially lower than that of her predecessor, former editor Bill Keller. The Times quickly shot back, rejecting the pay disparity argument, saying Abramson's total compensation was comparable to Keller's, and that her "pension benefit, like all Times employees, is based on her years of service and compensation. The pension benefit was frozen in 2009." Sulzberger issued a statement later saying it wasn't about money and it's not true that Abramson was paid less than her predecessor. He said that in her last year, her total compensation package was more than 10% higher than Keller's in his last year as executive editor. Now it's become she said / he said. But compensation aside, in his announcement on Wednesday, Sulzberger did say his decision had to do with "an issue with management in the newsroom." So it's about management. OK. That seems to match a remarkably similar chain of events in Paris, where Natalie Nougayrède, the editor-in-chief of the prestigious newspaper, Le Monde, was forced out of her job after other journalists accused her of being too authoritarian, or "Putin-like." What a curious coincidence. Before Abramson's departure, the personality-driven criticism had wafted out of the Times newsroom, with accusations that reeked of sexism. A few months ago, an article discussed whether she is "bitchy," and the word "pushy" keeps coming up. I have spent many years in the news business and I can think of countless successful high-level managers who were pushy, bossy, at times downright cruel with staff. Those men were often viewed as strong, driven, effective, determined, good leaders. The Washington Post's legendary Ben Bradlee was affectionately described as having a "pugnacious personality." And Abramson's predecessor, Bill Keller, said his wife describes him as "socially autistic." These traits would likely doom a woman's career. In men, they are viewed as quirks, curiosities, even assets in the single-minded pursuit of journalistic success. Men's personalities are fodder for office gossip, but more generally viewed as a secondary matter, perhaps a topic for conversation at the bar after a long day. With women, it infuses their professional persona. People expect women to be nice, likeable or feminine. And it turns out being strong and demanding, and not always warm and friendly, can destroy your career, or at least make for a much less successful one. You cannot win without losing. In order to do a good job, women may find they have to take actions that turn people against them. The problem with the stereotyping that demands women be liked and likeable is that it is much hazier, more difficult to counteract. It often lies hidden below the surface, alongside conscious efforts at equality. The New York Times and Le Monde and other major organizations have made strides to promote women. Abramson was the paper's first female executive editor. Her superior made a landmark decision in promoting her, just as they did with her replacement Dean Baquet, the Times' first African-American executive editor. But the tide of antagonism, the no-win rules that say you fail if you succeed can be found at all levels of the organization, including among rank-and-file staff. By objective standards, Abramson did a fine job. The paper won eight Pulitzer prizes during her brief tenure, with top-notch reporting and investigative journalism. Signups for digital access among readers increased. The company stock doubled during her tenure, performing better than the rest of the stock market. Doing a good job by objective measures, as we know, is not enough. That's especially true for women, who as Sheryl Sandberg pointed out in her book "Lean In," worry about being liked. If it is difficult for women to exercise leadership in order to advance the businesses they lead, that obstacle is a mere bump on the road when compared to the challenge of advocating on their own behalf. We don't know to what extent Abramson's complaint about her compensation was a factor in her firing. But we know just how risky and complicated it is for women to ask for better pay. Women at every level are paid less than their male counterparts. Top female executives make 18% less than their male counterparts. The same is true for female journalists. Trying to change that is excruciatingly difficult. As a recent New York Times article puts it, asking for a promotion or raise can make women seem "overly demanding and unlikeable" and not "sufficiently feminine, unseemly, if on a subconscious level." It's all incredibly irritating and offensive. And it needs to change. The specific circumstance that brought Jill Abramson's sudden and shockingly undignified fall at the New York Times or Natalie Nougayrède's exit are almost secondary. The episodes have an ugly ring that is familiar to women. For all the progress we have seen, there is still a long, long way to go. | Jill Abramson, top editor at The New York Times, was fired by the paper's publisher . Frida Ghitis: Abramson's ouster raises questions about pay equity, gender issues . She says men get praised for being strong, but women are criticized for being pushy . Ghitis: Navigating corporate ladder for women is paved with uncertainty and biases . | de504468c8ae0214ab059610b8ac86f45d5c3c8d |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:30 EST, 16 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:46 EST, 16 April 2012 . An Austrian millionaire who claimed he had given everything he owned to the poor because it never made him happy, has been exposed as a conman who simply wanted to get publicity to sell his house and cover his debts. Media around the world rushed to cover the story of Karl Rabeder when he revealed how he had liquidated everything and had invested the money in a bank to provide micro-financing to people in developing countries. He said he realised money did not make him happy and added: 'I was dying through consumerism. My cars and my plane have already gone – the rest will follow soon.' Conman: Austrian Millionaire Karl Rabeder claimed to have given his entire fortune to the poor but an investigation by a leading German magazine claims it is a scam . He had moved into a small alpine hut and planned to live on just a few hundred pounds a month. A Google search on his name comes up with 500,000 hits. But now a special investigation by respected German magazine Stern has revealed how the 49-year-old had actually hired three top public relations agencies to get his message of philanthropy around the world. Rabeder has since travelled the world for two years preaching his message of philanthropy as a guest on talkshows and other media - even writing a book with the title 'Only People with Nothing Have Everything to Give'. The magazine claimed that his promises have not been kept and in reality the whole scheme was a PR stunt designed to allow the financially struggling businessmen to sell off his Austrian property via a lottery so he could pay his debts. The public relations material sent out in March 2009 from the PR firms had the headline 'Win a Dream Villa and at the Same Time Do Something Good.' Property experts say the luxury Tyrol villa was probably not worth over 500,000, but by selling tickets and the massive exposure the plan attracted he had managed to sell 21,999 tickets for €99 each raising 1.78 million pounds. The winner – a woman from Bavaria – was announced in August 2010 and handed the keys. The magazine said that the money certainly gone to good use – but not for good causes. It said that in fact the only confirmed payment to a good cause had been a payment of €14,886.20 that have been paid to the Austrian charity Light in Darkness and S.O.S. Kinderdorf – representing just 0.7 percent of the total raised. The PR companies that organised the . stunt as well as lawyers pocketed €643,000 while another €745,000 went . to pay off the mortgage. The . property also has a debt tied into the deeds of another €890,000 . from the part share he still had in his firm. This was also cleared. The . magazine said Rabeder had earlier run up massive debts 'living a . champagne lifestyle' on the money that he got from the partial share in . 2004 of his company selling living room accessories. At . the time he was 42 years old and had regarded himself as officially in . early retirement, and had purchased a second house in the South of . France - and speculated on the stock exchange. Scam: The raffle to sell the stunning home raised £1.78 million but the . investigation by Stern magazine found only €14,886.20, 0.7 . per cent, was paid to the Austrian charity Light in Darkness and S.O.S. Kinderdorf . But with the crash in 2007 Rabeder lost vast amounts of money and tried at that time without success to sell his villa in Tyrol. Desperate for money – he had been forced to sell his villa in the South of France at a substantial loss. By September 2010 after the successful sale of the Tyrol villa on the backs of massive publicity he had been able to avoid the insolvency of the remainder of his firm that he had not sold by coming to an arrangement with creditor banks to personally take over €510,000 of debt. Contacted by Stern and asked if money from the sale of the house had been used for creditors he said no. Asked where the money then come from he said: 'I had a few savings elsewhere.' When pushed he failed to provide any documents. Today he makes his money from seminars and talkshows, cashing in on his fame as a philanthropist. Media travelled to interview him, photograph and film him at the wooden hut he supposedly lives in on an alpine meadow – but when Stern visited the property they found no sign of him. They said that the hut was not usable . in the winter and had clearly not been lived in over winter. They also . found evidence that the property had occasionally been rented out in the . summer when he was supposed to have been living there as well. Also . under Austrian law – all residents in the country have to register . their address. But he is not registered anywhere in the country – and in . fact his last recorded contact address was a post box at the Vienna . Millennium Tower, a 202 metre high tower block in the centre of the . Austrian capital. Asked how . true his statement had been of investing everything he owned in . micro-credits in Third World countries he refused to put an amount down . on the table. He said: 'I don't want to state a sum. I will simply refer . you to my original statement that I have given everything that I have.' But . Stern pointed out that this could be nothing. His association . MyMicroCredit (MMC) still exists, but no proof that any money has gone . there. His online Internet . platform has been in existence for two years (www.mymicrocredit.org) and . has been gathering investment from private 'social investors' offering . interest-free miniature loans. Stern . said that many private investors and also invested large sums of money . with no strings attached including the publishing house that had printed . his book. The magazine adds . however that accounts which even an amateur football club has to . prepare in Austria have never been filed for the company. Austrian tax . expert Professor Erich Pummer from the University of Innsbruck said that . failing to file accounts was not an offence. When . questioned by the magazine he said he had never added it all together . because he had too little time. But he admitted there were thousands of . social investors that had probably invested a few hundred thousand Euro. Discrepancies: Although the house wasn't valued at more than €500,000, . the PR companies and lawyers that organised the raffle pocketed €643,000 . while another €745,000 went to pay off Rabeder's mortgage . But the magazine said that the information it had showed very little of the money from the social investors had gone to the preferred end Third World countries where it had been promised. MMC Partner in El Salvdaor, the microcredit company 'Apoyo Integral' said that they hadn't seen any money from him for a long time. They said that they had forwarded on 541 applications for loans from people in El Salvador and that of these 423 had appeared on the MMC page as being approved. But in reality only 278 applications totalling $98,106 had actually been transferred up until June 2010. After that Rabeder stopped making payments even though he continued to collect money at least until the end of last year for the social projects he was claiming to promote. The company said it had tried in vain up until April last year to get at least the remaining $46,000 that had been promised but with out any result. He simply had not paid, claiming to have had problems with German civil servants. He said he needed to change the legal form the company had in order to get round the legal issues that had been raised but when questioned German officials rejected that there had been any difficulties. Apoyo said that the payment difficulties have meant that they had cancelled their working relationship with Rabeder in July last year. A member of the board of Apoyo told Stern: 'We had grave doubts about the way he was operating financial organisation.' | 'Struggling businessman' Karl Rabeder, 49, said he invested £3m to help people in developing countries . Raised over £1.7m selling his house though 'Win a Dream Villa and at the Same Time Do Something Good' raffle . But Der Spiegel magazine claims entire scheme was just a PR stunt designed so he can pay off debts . | fc643e12957f156e508ec61bd22e19ab33766e40 |
This is the dramatic moment that a Syrian warplane exploded after being shot down by a Syrian fighter plane in a move sure to increase tensions between the two countries. The attack on the plane - from which the pilot ejected - happened in a border region where Syrian rebels have been battling President Bashar al-Assad's forces. ‘A Syrian plane violated our airspace,’ Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told an election rally of his supporters in north-west Turkey. Scroll down for video . This is the dramatic moment that a Syrian warplane was shot down by a Syrian warplane in a move sure to increase tensions between the two countries . The attack on the plane - from which the pilot ejected - happened in a border region where Syrian rebels have been battling President Bashar al-Assad's forces . ‘Our F-16s took off and hit this plane. Why? Because if you violate my airspace, our slap after this will be hard.’ He . added: ‘I congratulate the chief of general staff, the armed forces and . those honourable pilots... I congratulate our air forces.’ The . rebels have been fighting for control of the Kasab crossing, the border . region, since Friday, when they launched an offensive which Syrian . authorities say was backed by Turkey's military. Falling from the sky: A Syrian warplane made to crash in Latakia, near the Turkish border . Crashing: The attack on the plane - from which the pilot ejected - happened in a border region where Syrian rebels have been battling President Bashar al-Assad's forces . Syria said Turkish air defences shot down the jet while it was attacking rebel forces inside Syrian territory, calling the move a ‘blatant aggression’. Turkish media reported that the army warned two Syrian jets approaching the border to turn away, but scrambled its F-16 jets when one refused to abide by the warning. State television quoted a military source as saying the pilot managed to eject from the plane. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights . monitoring group said initial reports from the area said the plane came . down on the Syrian side of the border. Al Manar, the television . station of Assad's Lebanese ally Hezbollah, said two rockets had been . fired from Turkish territory at the Syrian jet. Address: Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan told an election rally of supporters about the attack on the plane . Support: Erdogan waves to his supporters during an election campaign rally in Istanbul . Campaign: Erdogan rallied hundreds of thousands of supporters today dismissing accusations of intolerance by Western and domestic critics . Backing: Supporters of Turkey's ruling party Justice and Development Party cheer the Prime Minister during the rally . Statement: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (pictured yesterday) said 'our response from now will be heavy if you violate our airspace' Turkish warplanes last September downed a Syrian helicopter, which Ankara said was detected 1.2 miles inside Turkish airspace. Turkey toughened its rules of engagement after the downing of one of its fighter jets by the Syrian air force in June 2012, to say that any military approach of the Turkish border from Syria would be considered a threat. Since the conflict began in Syria, more than 100,000 people have been killed - with 6.5million nationals displaced and 2.5 million registered as refugees. | Attack in border region where Syrian rebels are battling Assad's forces . Turkish PM: 'If you violate my airspace, our slap after this will be hard' Rebels have been fighting for control of Kasab crossing since Friday . | b6eea38586ae143bac6458edd40fd35b732c6fb7 |
Paul Scholes is set to turn down the opportunity to become the new manager of Oldham Athletic. As revealed by Sportsmail on Wednesday, officials at the League One club were keen to make a stunning move for the 40-year-old Manchester United legend after Lee Johnson was poached by rivals Barnsley. Contact was made and talks are ongoing but it is understood that while Scholes, a lifelong Latics fan, was flattered he does not believe the timing is right. Paul Scholes is a lifelong Oldham Athletic fan but feels the manager's vacancy would be a step too soon . Scholes' media commitments include punditry appearances for ITV's football covergae . Scholes (right) was part of Ryan Giggs' (left) coaching staff towards the end of last season . Sportsmail revealed Oldham Athletic's interest in making Paul Scholes their new manager on Wednesday . Click here for the full original story . He is currently heavily involved with non-league Salford City, of whom he is co-owner with a number of his Class of '92 former United team mates, and has a number of media commitments. Scholes is thought to have not ruled out taking the reins at Boundary Park in the future but should he spurn their advances Oldham will turn their attention elsewhere. The news is likely to come as a blow to fans of promotion-chasing Latics, still reeling from Johnson's shock defection to a team seven places below them in the table. First team coach Dean Holden will be in charge for Saturday's Lancashire derby with Preston North End. Scholes lives in Oldham and has been spotted on a number of occasions in the stands over the years. He is a close friend of Latics chairman Simon Corney and last season oversaw a number of training sessions. Former Oldham manager Iain Dowie has been linked with the vacant hotseat but it is not known whether the cash-strapped club could afford him. Ex-Blackburn star and Manchester City coach Scott Sellars has also been linked with the vacant post. Scholes, who only played for Manchester United, has not ruled out being Oldham boss in the future . Lee Johnson left League One side Oldham to become manager of Barnsley this week . | Oldham wanted Paul Scholes to replace Lee Johnson as their manager . Scholes does not feel the time is right for him to run the League One side . Scholes, an Oldham fan, has not ruled out being manager in the future . | 63374d32a570f76734e2212b238609e6aed6c746 |
(CNN) -- This week, 37-year-old Marissa Mayer became CEO of Yahoo, an internet provider with many problems, although an audience isn't one of them -- the company claims more than half a billion people currently access its products a month, and Mayer told the New York Times she considers it "one of the best brands on the internet." Mayer also announced Tuesday that she is pregnant. She and husband Zack Bogue are expecting a baby boy in October. Read more: If Marissa Mayer can 'have it all,' can you? A Silicon Valley veteran, Mayer became Google's 20th employee in 1999, after completing a Masters in Computer Science at Stanford University. She leaves Google after 13 years, having heading up its search team and, for the last two years, leading location and maps services. This year, she also joined the board of retail giant Wal-Mart. Now, one of the most powerful women in the tech industry, Mayer regularly shares her philosophies on life and work. Here, we've gathered together some of the lessons that have helped Mayer on her way to the top. 11 fun facts about Mayer . Push through your uncertainty . "I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that's how you grow. When there's that moment of 'Wow, I'm not really sure I can do this,' and you push through those moments, that's when you have a breakthrough. Sometimes that's a sign that something really good is about to happen. You're about to grow and learn a lot about yourself," she told CNN in April. Protect what's really important to you . "I have a theory that burnout is about resentment. And you beat it by knowing what it is you're giving up that makes you resentful. I tell people: Find your rhythm. Your rhythm is what matters to you so much that when you miss it you're resentful of your work...So find your rhythm, understand what makes you resentful, and protect it. You can't have everything you want, but you can have the things that really matter to you. And thinking that way empowers you to work really hard for a really long period of time," said Mayer in Bloomberg Businessweek earlier this year. Work with smart people . "It's really wonderful to work in an environment with a lot of smart people. One, I think because it challenges you to think and work on a different level," she said during a talk at Stanford University's Entrepreneurial Thought Leader Speaker Series in 2006. Keep some outside perspective . "I've always loved baking. I think it's because I'm very scientific. The best cooks are chemists... I'm a businesswoman first and foremost (but ) my hobbies actually make me better at work. They help me come up with new and innovative ways of looking at things," Mayer said in an interview with San Francisco magazine in February 2008. Work with a target customer in mind . "I always put the user first when I get ideas pitched to me. I like to think of my mom and wonder if she would be able to get an idea right off the bat," she told careers website WetFeet.com in 2008. Set constraints to boost your creativity . "People think of creativity as this sort of unbridled thing, but engineers thrive on constraints. They love to think their way out of that little box: 'We know you said it was impossible, but we're going to do this, this, and that to get us there," Mayer said in an interview with Fast Company in February 2008. How do you balance career and family? Let us know on CNN iReport. | Yahoo's new CEO Marissa Mayer spent 13 years at Google . We've collected some of the career and life philosophies that have helped Mayer to the top . Having hobbies and imposing constraints can encourage creativity, she says . Mayer: "I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that's how you grow." | 43108c8d28228d783d73266c99ade51c0f139365 |
Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- A sister of a 17-year-old girl whose body was found this week two miles from her home in southern California said Friday she would not rest until the killer is apprehended. "I will not have peace until this this person is found," Elizabeth Lopez, 18, said about the killer of her younger sister Norma, who vanished last Thursday as she walked home from summer classes at Valley View High School in Moreno Valley, about 70 miles east of Los Angeles. Authorities believe that Norma, who had planned to meet a younger sister and a friend at home, took a short cut through a dirt field to reach the family's residence. Her sister contacted the police when Lopez failed to return home. The girl's body was discovered Tuesday two miles away and identified Wednesday through dental records, police said. "I always thought it was something safe," Lopez said about the path her sister typically followed. "I never suspected that my sister would get kidnapped in this empty lot of just dirt." Sgt. Joe Barja of the Riverside Valley Sheriff's Department declined to reveal the cause of death or reveal any injuries Lopez may have sustained but said the department is treating the death as a homicide. The victim's sister said the family was trying to stay strong and to find the killer. "That's what's keeping us motivated -- to get that person in custody so no other family could actually go through what we are going through," Elizabeth Lopez told HLN's "Prime." "There's a family here that loved her very much, even though sometimes we did fight -- but it was something stupid, something dumb. But we love her and miss her and one day we will be together again." She expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support the family has received from the community, including a memorial service at the high school, which hundreds of students attended. "I get a lot of strength from this," she said. "I did not expect this many people to actually support us. I thought this was just going to be one of those kidnappings that people don't really get involved with ... I did not really expect anyone to actually really listen to the story that we had." Lopez said her sister had hope to become a fashion designer, a makeup artist or a model. "She had really big dreams in life," she said. She recalled the last time she saw her sister, the morning of her disappearance. "She brought me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and I opened up my sandwich and it had a happy face made with banana in it," Lopez said. The offering was intended to to persuade her sister to lend her a pair of shoes, she said. Police are looking for a green "SUV-type vehicle" that was seen driving from the area at the time of Lopez's disappearance. The parents, who are originally from Guanajuato, Mexico, were being assisted by the Mexican Consulate, said Carolina Zaragoza, head of the consulate's local office. The victim's father, Martin Lopez, 44, told CNN in a telephone interview that the neighborhood was generally a safe one and that Norma usually took precautions to stay safe. "She never walked around without her mother," he said in Spanish. CNN's Tom Watkins contributed to this report. | Sister "will not have peace until this person is found" Norma Lopez's body was discovered Tuesday . Norma dreamed of being a fashion designer, makeup artist or model . Authorities believe teen was taking a shortcut home when abducted . | be8c99849d3d8c80596b3b8f52fc81dbc185739a |
(CNN) -- An Arizona man lay handcuffed and non-responsive on the floor of a Walmart on Black Friday, as his emotional grandson stood nearby. Jerald Newman, 54, spent Friday night in a Maricopa County jail hours after being arrested for allegedly resisting arrest and shoplifting, according to the county sheriff's department. But the suspect's family members, as well as at least one witness, said the man is innocent and that the treatment was unnecessary. Newman's daughter said that she, her father and other family members were in the packed Buckeye, Arizona, store soon after it opened late Thursday night. "They were just letting people in; there was nowhere to walk," Berneta Sanchez told CNN. "And teenagers and adults were fighting for these games, taking them away from little kids and away from my father." The grandson, Nicholas Nava, told CNN affiliate KNXV that Newman had grabbed one video game and put it under his shirt so that others jostling for the game didn't take it from him. One person alerted a police officer, who then approached Newman. David Chadd, a CNN iReporter from Las Vegas, was among those shopping for video games set up in the Walmart's grocery section in a mass of people. He said Newman "was not resisting" arrest as he was led away from the crowd by a police officer. The officer, Chadd said, then suddenly hooked the suspect around the leg, grabbed him and "slammed him face first into the ground." "It was like a bowling ball hitting the ground, that's how bad it was," he said. That was around when Sanchez said she heard of the altercation from across the store and ran toward her father. "I was fuming," she recalled upon seeing her father on the floor. "They wouldn't let me near him at all, they were telling me to stay back." Video, recorded by Chadd and later posted on CNN's iReport, shows an apparently unconscious Newman head-down on the floor in a pool of blood. As he's turned over, Buckeye police officers appear to attempt to revive him -- at which point his face, covered mostly in blood, is revealed. Several voices, apparently those of fellow shoppers, are heard saying, "Why would you throw him down so hard? All he did was shoplifting and you threw him down like that?" Another person says, "They threw him down. He wasn't doing anything wrong." Two citizens then appear to come to Newman's aid by applying paper towels to the man's nose. Chadd estimated that Newman was knocked out for about 10 minutes, all the while gushing blood and handcuffed. Walmart spokeswoman Ashley Hardie said the retail giant was aware of the incident. "We are concerned whenever there is an incident involving a customer at one of our stores," Hardie said. "We are in contact with the local police and are sharing any information we have with them." Members of the Buckeye Police Department did not immediately respond to CNN calls Friday for comment. Assistant Chief Larry Hall told KNXV that Newman struggled after getting hurt, saying he was aggressive and escalated the situation. "There's a whole other side to this story that wasn't videotaped," Hall said. "There is nothing, on the surface, (that) deems our officer acted inappropriate at this time." The Buckeye incident was one of a few such incidents involving police and shoppers at the chain's stores nationwide. Sanchez said that Newman was "emotional" when she talked to him, briefly, on Friday from a hospital where he was treated before being sent to jail. "He was complaining of his pain, and he was angry," she said. She described her father as "a really nice man," noting he is a custom furniture-maker who preaches through the California prison system. He has raised his grandson from birth and, even while in the hospital, Sanchez said the boy was her father's chief concern. Family members are hoping for a call from law enforcement, informing them that they can pick up Newman, Sanchez said. Until then, she said her mother plans to talk to a lawyer Saturday to work on expediting the man's release. Whatever happens, Sanchez vowed that next year she won't be shopping in the wee hours of the Friday morning after Thanksgiving. "I will never leave my house again on Black Friday, because I don't want to put my daughter through that again," she said, noting her daughter was there to see police standing over her bloody grandfather. "I'd rather stay home. And if they have Black Friday, they need more security." CNN's Marlena Baldacci and Greg Morrison contributed to this report. | NEW: A witness says the man's head hit the ground "like a bowling ball" Jerald Newman, 54, is charged with resisting arrest and shoplifting . His grandson says he tried to hide a video game from jostling shoppers . Video shows the man later bloodied and unconscious on a Walmart floor . | 4ced277dc09cdfb8eff60daa85412efa24dd17bb |
Hairy Biker Si King has spoken for the first time of a ‘life or death’ dash to surgery after suffering a serious brain aneurysm. King, who presents the popular food show with Dave Myers, said he had battled severe headaches for four days before seeing a doctor three months ago. And the TV chef, 46, found himself being rushed into surgery. Now recovering at his home in Newcastle he said: ‘I thought, “Oh, my god, I am in trouble here”. So I went and had a procedure. It was a life or death thing. Scroll down for video . Si King, left, who has spoken for the first time after having emergency surgery for a serious brain aneurysm . ‘It was critical when I went into hospital but now it’s not. It’s good they have fixed it.’ He has nothing but praise for the staff at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, where he was rushed for treatment, saying: ‘They were the most incredible staff and it is an incredible hospital. Hats off to the NHS.’ Mr King is keeping in good spirits and while his weight is creeping up due to the incident – undoing his work to lose 3.5 stone on his Hairy Dieters series – he is exercising to keep help with his rehabilitation, cycling, gardening and walking at least two miles a day. In the deeply personal interview, he said his recovery is going well: ‘There have been no lasting effects – none that you’d notice other than I am slightly madder than I was before. No deficit, as they say’. Mr King, who is married with three children, said he was not quite ready to resume TV work with Myers, 56, who was a Strictly Come Dancing contestant last year. ‘I’m not back at work yet. I want to keep myself right,’ he said. ‘The last thing I want to do is fall over on a shoot. I want to make sure I am 100 per cent fit. And I’m getting there. ‘Dave just wants me to get better so we can get back on the road.’ Mr King, along with Dave Myers, have been making programmes under the banner of the Hairy Bikers since 2004, bridging the gap between a cookery show and a travelogue . Mr King told the Daily Mirror the only silver lining in the horrible ordeal is being able to spend more time with his wife Jane and three sons Alex, James and Dylan. And, as his TV commitment often keep him away from home for long periods of time, his wife is also enjoying having him around more too. He said: ‘She’s not fed up. I think she secretly quite likes it. We haven’t done it for such a long time. We go, “Oh, this is quite nice”. ‘I have been home for James, my middle son’s, birthday for the first time in four or five years. Those little family dos are very special at the moment.’ He has been making programmes under the banner of the Hairy Bikers since 2004, bridging the gap between a cookery show and a travelogue as he and Mr Myers drive around on their motorcycles. Mr King was working as a location manager and assistant director of projects such as the Harry Potter series when he met Mr Myers and says launching their show changed his life. He said: ‘It was great and we have never looked back. We have a loyal fanbase which we are very privi-leged and proud to have. ‘[Dave’s] great – we are like two brothers. He just wants me to get better so we can get back on the road.’ Their last show, The Hairy Bikers Asian Adventure, saw them travel around the continent trying local food. | Si King was rushed to hospital after suffering from severe headaches . Had surgery to operate on a brain aneurysm and is now recovering . Says he is not quite ready to resume TV work with Hairy Bikers partner Dave Myers . | 48a5fb11ea8be339362230710d48734c28701ed5 |
Manuel Pellegrini has admitted Eliaquim Mangala's £32m move to Manchester City has not yet been completed. The Porto defender completed his medical in Manchester and toured the club's Carrington training complex two weeks ago before going on holiday. Mangala, 23, was even filmed on a leaked video saying he wanted to help City to retain their Barclays Premier League title and win the Champions League. VIDEO Scroll down to watch leaked Mangala at City footage . Not done yet: Manuel Pellegrini confirmed that Manchester City's £32m move for Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala was not '100 per cent' completed . On his way: Mangala has already undergone his medical at City and toured the club's facilities . VIDEO Mangala seen in City video . But Pellegrini, speaking after City had thrashed AC Milan 5-1 in Pittsburgh in the latest match of their American tour, said the deal had not been finalised. 'I think it's important not to talk about things that are not 100 per cent, so I'll keep my opinion about that,' he said. City were outstanding as they dismantled the Italian side with four goals in the opening 26 minutes at Heinz Field. Injury-plagued striker Stevan Jovetic scored twice, while Scott Sinclair, Jesus Navas and Kelechi Iheanacho were also on target. Return to form: Stevan Jovetic scored twice as City ran riot against Milan in Pittsburgh . Rampant: Scott Sinclair celebrates his goal as City netted four times inside the opening 26 minutes . Pellegrini said the fans can expect to see more of Jovetic this season after he made only 11 league appearances last term. 'Well Stevan had a very bad luck last year, he had a lot of injuries the whole year, so it's very difficult for a player to have an important performance when he cannot play three games in a row,' he said. 'In this year he starts the pre-season - well he finished last [season] as well - playing well and I think that now he works continually every day and he will demonstrate why he's here at Manchester City because I think he's a very good player.' Pellegrini was full of praise for the manner of his team's performance against Milan, who also conceded five against City in pre-season last year. Title aims: Pellegrini has set his sights on retaining the Premier League title in the season to come . He said: 'I think it was a very good game for our team it's always important to win and to score five goals, but not only that we played with a good pace and that for me is very important at this moment. 'We are in pre-season and we must continue trying to improve the fitness of the team. 'I think that the players know that we are in a new season, we must start from zero at the first game and that's why it is so important to improve every day that we are working here in the United States, that's why we play very seriously.' | Porto defender Mangala completed his medical at City a fortnight ago but the deal hasn't yet been finalised . Frenchman was even filmed saying he wanted to help City retain the title and win Champions League . But move still hasn't been '100 per cent' finalised . Stevan Jovetic scored twice as City thrashed Milan 5-1 in Pittsburgh . | a37517597bcf5d9781f4ff4a8e8e9672d3254d98 |
By . Ap . PUBLISHED: . 18:06 EST, 26 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:16 EST, 26 May 2013 . It seems that the impossible has occurred: The nation's most congested city has become a model for traffic control. Yes, . gridlock still prevails and drivers' blood pressure still spikes as . LA's traffic arteries seize up during every morning and afternoon rush . hour. Yet, with the flip of a switch earlier . this year, Los Angeles became a worldwide leader by synchronizing all of . its nearly 4,400 stoplights, making it the world's first major city to . do so. Synched up: all of Los Angeles' 4,400 stop lights are now synched up . The result? Well, it can still be hell . to cross the City of the Angels by car. Synchronization has allowed LA . to boast of real improvements on paper, however, the average driver . won't always be able to discern the difference of a project that took . nearly 30 years to complete. "To be honest . with you, I haven't felt it, yet," said Jack Abramyam, who has been . driving a cab across LA's mean streets for 20 years. "Late . at night, maybe, yes," Abramyam said as he sat outside his cab on a . street in Chinatown recently, waiting for a fare. "But it was never . really bad then anyway. During the day it was bad. And it's still bad." The . way synchronization works is simple enough: With all the signals . synchronized, if you drive down a street at the posted speed limit you . should be able to make every green light - from one end of this . sprawling city of 469 square miles to the other. Of course there are any number of obstacles that can prevent that. Congestion: transportation engineer associate Abeer Kliefe works at the Los Angeles Department of Transportation's Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control Center . On . a recent mid-afternoon test drive down eight miles of Wilshire . Boulevard, for example, I was cut off by a bus, stuck behind more than . one right-turner waiting for pedestrians to cross the intersecting . street and at one point had my lane blocked by a delivery truck. Approaching . the world famous La Brea Tar Pits - where prehistoric dinosaurs once . got stuck in muck, not traffic - so many people were waiting to turn . left into a parking lot that the street became gridlocked for more than . two blocks. The numerous synchronized green lights didn't wait for me. But why would they? With the posted speed limit 35 mph, I was only . averaging 15. Still, once the LA County Museum . of Art, the high-rise apartments, the headquarters of porn publisher . Larry Flynt and the various other Wilshire Boulevard landmarks were in . the rear-view mirror, the pace did pick up. So much so that 11 green . lights in a row suddenly materialized. That string ended on the edge of . downtown, however, when Wilshire simply became clogged with too many . cars. It was a non-rush hour jam that demonstrated that, good as . synchronization may be, it isn't a magic, traffic-breaking bullet. Los Angeles Department of Transportation officials agree. City of angels - and gridlock: Los Angeles freeways are amongst the most congested in the world . As . they stated in a recent report praising the benefits of synchronized . signals, "No traffic signal system is capable of `fixing traffic.'" If . more motor vehicles show up in the years ahead (and there are already . more than 7.1 million of them registered in Los Angeles County, a number . greater than that of most states), then officials say LA traffic jams . will probably get worse. That's why, said . Clinton Quan, an engineering associate with the Department of . Transportation, planners are continuing to push people to ride bicycles, . take commuter rail lines and other public transportation and move close . enough to work that they can walk there. The . city has added three light rail lines in the last seven years and has . more planned. Officials also recently approved plans to allow high-rise . apartment and condominium buildings along a corridor in Hollywood where a . subway connecting the city's West Side to downtown is supposed to go. In . the meantime, Quan says, the synchronized signal program is putting up . some pretty impressive numbers, even if the average driver isn't . noticing them. It has reduced the drive time on several major LA . corridors, for example, by about 12 percent. In driver-speak, that means the trip across town that used to take you an hour has been reduced to about 53 minutes. And . that's nothing to shrug at, says Robert Puentes, a senior fellow with . the Brookings Institution's metropolitan policy program, which studies . among other things the impact of traffic on the quality of life in . metropolitan areas. Several other . traffic-clogged cities are looking into instituting similar programs and . New York already synchronizes some of its stoplights, said Puentes, who . works in Washington, D.C., the ninth-worst traffic-clogged city in the . country. "If you can get a 12 percent reduction on, say, the Washington Beltway, that would be phenomenal," he said. | Los Angeles became a worldwide leader by synchronizing all of . its nearly 4,400 stoplights, making it the world's first major city to . do so. With all the signals . synchronized, if you drive down a street at the posted speed limit you . should be able to make every green light - from one end of this . sprawling city of 469 square miles to the other. The project took an astonishing 30 years to complete . | 247aed5ec7362023689d81d80231d17ff1f2fb6c |
Vladimir Putin has offered to have a replica Super Bowl ring made for Robert Kraft after the Russian President was accused of stealing it. In his first official statement about the ring allegations, the Russian leader told Petersburg Economic Forum he did not remember Mr Kraft or the ring, but seeing as it was so valuable he would have more made for the New England Patriots' owner. 'I remember that I was handed some souvenirs. If this is such a great value for Kraft and the respective team, I have a proposal,' President Putin said. Scroll down for video . New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has claimed that Vladimir Putin took his Super Bowl ring and that the White House told him to say it was a gift . He suggested that a Russian factory . could create a replica, using 'good metal and stone' so a copy of the . ring can be given to Mr Kraft and the team. '[It] will be the smartest … solution to this complex, international problem,' he added. The ring is believed to be in the . library of the Kremlin, which has denied Mr Kraft's account the . President Putin walked off with the ring during a meeting in St . Petersburg in 2005,according to the New York Post. Since details of the ring's disappearance first emerged, Mr Kraft backtracked on his original claim that President Putin . stole the Super Bowl Ring. A spokesman for the billionaire businessman said Mr Kraft's claim that Putin pocketed his $25,000 Super Bowl XXXIX ring was a 'humorous, anecdotal story that Robert retells for laughs.' A . careful reading of the statement, though, reveals that Mr Kraft isn't . saying the story is untrue - only that it isn't meant to be taken . seriously. Mr Kraft had said that after Putin . made off with his ring, he was pressured by the Bush White House into . calling it a gift was a gift and letting Putin keep it. On Sunday, Kraft's spokesman said: . '(Kraft) loves that his ring is at the Kremlin, and, as he stated back . in 2005, he continues to have great respect for Russia and the . leadership of President Putin.' It's a good thing, too. Because Putin isn't giving it back. Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNN the ring resides at the Kremlin museum - where all 'state gifts' are kept. He denied that Putin stole the ring - . insisting that Mr Kraft freely gave it to the Russian leader in 2005 at a . meeting in Saint Petersburg. 'What Mr. Kraft is saying now is . weird. I was standing 20 centimeters away from him and Mr. Putin and saw . and heard how Mr. Kraft gave this ring as a gift,' he told the network. According to the New York Post, Mr Kraft . told an audience at a gala in New York that he handed Putin . the ring when the Russian president asked to look at it. Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, shakes hands with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, left , while holding Kraft's diamond-encrusted 2005 Super Bowl ring, as News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch, center, looks on during the 2005 meeting . On Sunday, Stacey James, a spokesperson for Robert Kraft's company, the Kraft Group issued a statement backtracking on the story Kraft told Thursday: . 'It's a humorous, anecdotal story that Robert retells for laughs. 'He loves that his ring is at the Kremlin, and, as he stated back in 2005, he continues to have great respect for Russia and the leadership of President Putin. 'In particular, he credits President Putin for modernizing the Russian economy.' The statement adds that the ring being at the Kremlin has 'an added benefit from the attention this story gathered eight years ago was the creation of some Patriots fan clubs in Russia.' ‘I took out the ring and showed it to . [Putin], and he put it on and he goes, “I can kill someone with this . ring,”’ Mr Kraft told the crowd. Mr Kraft continued: ‘I put my hand out and he put it in his pocket, and three KGB guys got around him and walked out.’ The incident occurred in 2005, the summer after the Patriots had won their third Super Bowl under his ownership. He was one of a number of prominent American businessmen who visited Russia to meet with Putin. At the time, Mr Kraft released a public statement saying the . diamond-encrusted ring - worth more than $25,000 - had been a gift. 'President Putin, a great and knowledgeable sports fan, was clearly taken . with its uniqueness. I decided to give him the ring as a symbol of the . respect and admiration that I have for the Russian people and [his] . leadership,' read Kraft's statement at the time. But now Mr . Kraft has claimed that Putin simply pocketed the 4.94-carat ring and that the White House intervened when he . demanded it back, reports the . According to Mr Kraft he received a call from the George W. Bush-run White House, saying, 'It would really be in the best interest of US-Soviet relations if you meant to give the ring as a present.' Kraft shows off one of his other Super Bowl rings at Thursday night's event . But, Mr Kraft . said, 'I really didn’t [want to]. I had an emotional tie to the ring, . it has my name on it. I don’t want to see it on eBay. There was a pause . on the other end of the line, and the voice repeated, "It would really . be in the best interest if you meant to give the ring as a present.’” The ring is reportedly kept in the Kremlin library. | Russian President says he cannot recall meeting Kraft or seeing ring . Copy of Patriots' Super Bowl ring will 'solve international problem' | dcfe64d047a4e3f0c689c837d5eae19bc4f8420b |
(CNN) -- Wael Ghonim, a Google executive who has been missing for more than a week following his purported arrest in Cairo, is to be released Monday, according to two Egyptian television news networks. Telecom executive Naguib Sawiris announced on OTV Sunday that Ghonim would be released at 4 p.m. Monday. Sawiris told CNN that Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman assured him during a Sunday meeting between government officials and opposition leaders that Ghonim would be released. State-run Nile TV reported that Prime Minister Ahmad Shafiq called the network to announce that a Google executive missing for more than a week will be released Monday. There was no explanation as to the executive's whereabouts or condition. Sawiris is a member of the so-called Committee of the Wise, a group of independent elite leaders of Egyptian society taking part in talks over the future of the country. The announcements follow the release of a statement earlier Sunday by the human rights group Amnesty International. The statement warned that Ghonim was at risk of being tortured by Egytian authorities. "The Egyptian authorities must immediately disclose where Wael Ghuneim is and release him or charge him with a recognizable criminal offence," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, deputy director of Middle and North Africa at Amnesty International. "He must be given access to a doctor and a lawyer of his choice and not be subjected to torture or other ill-treatment. His case is just one of many that highlight the continued crackdown by the Egyptian authorities on those exercising their right to protest peacefully." Ghonim, according to Amnesty International, was declared missing after he failed to meet with his brother January 28, as planned, to take part in street demonstrations. Ghonim, who heads Google's marketing operations in north Africa and the Middle East, had been in Cairo on a business trip since January 23. Ghonim is from Dubai, according to the human rights group. Family members became concerned when they discovered that Ghonim's telephones had been disconnected, according to the human rights group. Eyewitnesses later told family members they had seen Egyptian authorities arrest Ghonim during demonstrations near Mustafa Mohamed Street. | Egyptian authorities to let Google executive go, executive says . Wael Ghonim missing since January 28 . Amnesty International protests holding of Dubai native . | a86eeb6289d54a599554c066bd303b0425d69170 |
Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) -- High tide on Friday sent some water pouring into the Bangkok's Chinatown area, but it receded within a few hours, while the commercial district remained largely dry. Those who have stayed in the city despite the government's pleas to leave are waiting to see if the highest tide, forecast to come Saturday afternoon, will overwhelm defenses along the city's river and many canals and bring more damaging floods. Floodwaters that drenched much of central and lower parts of northern Thailand crept Thursday into Bangkok, stressing embankments and flooding roads, parking lots, factories and markets and sending many residents fleeing for dry ground. Up to 1 meter (3.2 feet) of water was expected in some areas, said Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, as the Chao Phraya River spilled into the city of 12 million people. Several districts were under a mandatory evacuation order. "There is water from underground coming up," said Pracha Promnok, chief of the Flood Relief Operations Center. "We are unable to do anything (to stop it)." Yingluck fielded criticism that the flood relief center had not done enough and -- with tears in her eyes -- called on the public to sympathize with emergency staff, as some of them had also become victims of the flooding. "Many are exhausted and some problems cannot be controlled and were not caused by (the center)," Yingluck said, according to MCOT. Thailand's government declared public holidays through the rest of the month in 21 flood-affected provinces, and appealed to Bangkok residents to head to the countryside. People flocked to bus terminals and crowded the Suvarnabhumi Airport, the main airport, in hopes of reaching higher ground. The smaller domestic airport, its runways inundated, was closed until November 1, but Suvarnabhumi was operating normally, protected by 3.5 meters (almost 12 feet) of dikes, said Toopetch Booyarith of the Airport Authority of Thailand. "We are confident that we will not be affected," Toopetch said. CNNGo: Updated info for tourists . The streets of the normally bustling metropolis that is notorious for massive traffic jams stood empty Thursday, save for a few public buses and taxis that were able to navigate through. There was even water standing before the Grand Palace, perhaps the most adored of Bangkok's landmarks. In some neighborhoods vacated by people, domestic animals were left to fend for themselves. "You'll see dogs stranded on rooftops, dogs trying to swim," said Marcelo Cacciola, of the Soi Dog Foundation. "So we went to these little towns around the Bangkok area with boats and rescued the dogs." Some hotels slashed prices to accommodate the flood-affected and some tourist areas reported full occupancies. In the resort town of Pattaya, fleeing Bangkok residents found it hard to get a room in hotels overflowing with European tourists, the Bangkok Post reported. Thanyarat Hemkittiwat said she was planning to leave Bangkok to stay with relatives outside the city. "Some families in southern Bangkok had their house flooded," said the 31-year-old worker at a furniture export company, which was shut after it, too, was flooded. "The water level is two meters (six feet) high and smells very bad," she said. She said the military had set up a flood relief center, "but now even that has water coming in it." UNICEF said it was providing $300,000 in aid that includes 20,000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets. The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert recommending against all but essential travel to affected areas. It noted that most tourist destinations, such as Phuket and Chiang Mai, were unaffected. U.S. Ambassador Kristie Kenny said the crisis was slow-moving and it was hard to know what would be hit next. The United States has already provided civilian relief resources, including water pumps, water purifiers and life vests, she said, and two U.S. helicopters are helping the Thai military determine the extent of the flooding. The floods, caused by monsoon rains that saturated rivers, have killed 373 people nationwide and affected more than 9.5 million people, authorities said. Are you there? Share photos, video but stay safe . The government has called the flooding the worst to afflict the nation in half a century and said it might take more than a month before the waters recede from some areas. The government has set up more than 1,700 shelters nationwide, and more than 113,000 people have taken refuge in them. Overall damage from the floods could exceed $6 billion, the Thai Finance Ministry said. CNN's Sara Sidner, Aliza Kassim and Elizabeth Yuan contributed to this report. Kocha Olarn reported from Bangkok and Moni Basu from Atlanta . | NEW: High tide sends water pouring into Bangkok's Chinatown area . The prime minister says Bangkok is entering a critical stage . A holiday was declared so that residents could flee to safer ground . Flooding has killed 373 people and affected more than 9.5 million . | 104c81d860d8cb0274b2e7b6dd1c21bd2efe59ec |
Ed Miliband, pictured here with his wife Justine, has been challenged by MPs to prove that he did not try to avoid tax in relation to his property dealings . Ed Miliband faced calls last night to publish full details of his tax affairs. The Labour leader’s family affairs have come under the spotlight after he spent much of last week condemning ‘tax dodgers’. The Daily Mail told yesterday how he and his family used a ‘deed of variation’ to divide ownership of their family home – which experts say is used almost exclusively to reduce death duty bills. It has now emerged that Mr Miliband and his partner Justine Thornton – his wife since 2011 – both sold separate flats they owned in upmarket North London in 2008 and 2009 without paying capital gains tax. Mr Miliband sold his £740,000 apartment five months after the purchase of their family home for £1.6million and six months after the couple had their first son. But he claimed that the flat was his ‘primary residence’. Saying the flats were their primary homes enabled them both to save tens of thousands of pounds in capital gains tax. Labour yesterday insisted any suggestion of tax avoidance is a ‘straightforward lie’. And today Mr Miliband is expected to say he is ‘not backing down’ in his campaign against tax avoidance, despite the controversy about his own affairs. In a speech to the Welsh Labour conference he will accuse ministers of ‘turning a blind eye’ to tax avoidance. But the Conservatives last night stepped up pressure on him to publish the details of his tax affairs. Mr Miliband managed to avoid paying capital gains tax on the sale of the flat he owned before moving into the townhouse where his family now live. Mr Miliband met Miss Thornton in 2002. In the following years, they owned separate flats. He originally had an apartment on Chalcot Square but sold this for £342,000 in 2005, before buying a flat on nearby Chalcot Road about a year later for £648,500. It is not known where Mr Miliband, then 36, lived in the intervening months. But Miss Thornton owned a flat in Maida Vale. This was sold for £680,000 in March 2008, with Miss Thornton paying no capital gains tax. A Labour spokesman has said this is because it was her primary residence. Yet when Mr Miliband sold his flat on Chalcot Road for £740,000 in December 2009, he did not pay capital gains tax either, as he claimed this was his primary residence. This is despite the fact that five months earlier Miss Thornton – an environmental law expert on around £200,000 a year – had bought for £1.6 million the family home near Hampstead Heath where they now live. She had also given birth to their first son Daniel earlier that year, in June 2009. They were able to avoid the tax in part because they were unmarried. Mr Miliband and Miss Thornton became engaged in 2010 and married a year later. Miss Thornton, however, is still registered as the sole owner of their four-bedroom Victorian property for reasons that are unclear. Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said Mr Miliband’s family’s deed of variation was clearly designed to cut inheritance tax and condemned the Labour leader’s denial of this. He added: ‘Ed Miliband should now publish this deed of variation that he is currently hiding away and be as open about his own tax affairs as he demands others to be. The public can then judge for themselves.’ The former Director of Public Prosecutions Sir Keir Starmer, now a Labour parliamentary candidate, added: ‘People will take different views on deeds of variation and all forms of tax relief is, in one sense, intended to reduce tax. People have a strong feeling that sophisticated tax avoidance is morally wrong.’ MPs want to know if Mr Miliband and his family used tax avoidance strategies when trading houses . Mr Miliband has spent the week lambasting tax dodgers in the wake of allegations that HSBC’s Swiss private bank helped clients evade tax. He had gone on the attack over allegations of tax avoidance activities linked to some wealthy supporters of the Conservative Party, telling the House of Commons that David Cameron was ‘a dodgy Prime Minister surrounded by dodgy donors’. Mr Miliband was subsequently forced to defend his own tax affairs. Asked by BBC political editor Nick Robinson if he thought it was ‘dodgy’ to use a deed of variation and leave your house to your children to avoid tax, the Labour leader said: ‘The deed of variation... is something my mother did 20 years ago. I paid tax as a result of that transaction, I’ve avoided no tax in that.’ Mr Miliband’s father’s will was changed by deed of variation after his death in 1994 so Ed, David and their mother Marion all became part-owners of their £2.4million family home. This meant that if she then died, the sons would already own part of the property so inheritance tax would be applicable to less of the home than were she to have owned it outright. Mr Miliband has, however, since sold his share to his brother, who bought the remainder from his mother, who is still alive. He also claims to have paid capital gains tax at 40 per cent on the sale and denied he used the arrangement to avoid tax. A spokesman said: ‘It can’t be tax avoidance if no tax was avoided.’ Last night a spokesman for Mr Miliband insisted the couple only moved in together in 2008 – six years into their relationship and when Mr Miliband was 38 and Miss Thornton 37. ‘As HMRC guidance makes clear, primary residence relief continues for three years after you leave your home. The final 36 months of ownership always qualify for relief as long as the dwelling house has been your only or main residence at some point.’ BY JAMES CONEY, MONEY MAIL EDITOR . Why did the family change Ralph Miliband’s will? Changing someone’s will using a deed of variation is a relatively rare event and requires the agreement of all the beneficiaries – so why did the Miliband family do it? Was it because their father had forgotten something, or was it simply for tax planning reasons? If Mrs Miliband wanted to give some of the house to her sons she could have done that without changing her husband’s will – but this would have given her a tax liability when she continued living in the property. By altering the will and essentially making Ralph Miliband give a share of the house to his sons as a gift, Mrs Miliband was allowed to remain living there tax free. It also meant that when Ed and David came to inherit the house their tax liabilities would have been reduced. Figures produced for the Mail suggest this could have saved them £160,000 if they had inherited in 2004. George Bull, senior tax partner at accountancy firm Baker Tilly said: ‘A deed of variation is an established part of tax planning but it is not that common. Generally in the event of someone’s death the beneficiaries of the estate usually accept what is written in the will and shrug their shoulders and say that is that.’ What did Ed Miliband class as his main home from 1995 until 2004? In 1995 Ed Miliband owned 20 per cent of the family home in Edis Street, but also bought a second-floor flat in nearby Chalcot Square for around £100,000. Then in 2004 David bought the Edis Street property outright from Ed and their mother. You do not pay capital gains tax when you sell your main home, but you do have to pay tax on any gains you make above a certain level on a second home. In 2004, this was charged at a person’s highest income tax rate on gains of more than £8,200. Ed says he paid tax of 40 per cent on the sale of his stake of Edis Street to David. But exactly how much was the bill? Second-home owners have to notify HM Revenue & Customs which property is their main home. But they can switch this at any time. Every time they do this, the previous three years of house price gains are discounted (as the rules stand today, it is only 18 months). This allows second-home owners to reduce their tax liability when prices are rising fast. If Edis Street was not classed as his main home, it is estimated Ed’s captial gains tax bill could have been up to £56,000, depending on other gains he cashed in at that time. So which property was Ed living in from 1995, and which did he tell HMRC was his main home? Was it ever switched? Where did Ed and Justine live ? Ed Miliband first met Justine Thornton in 2002 and they married in 2011. For most of this time up until 2009 they each owned their own property. Last night a Labour Party spokesman insisted that they only moved in together in 2008. However, there are questions about where Ed lived between selling his home in 2005 and buying in Chalcot Road the following year. Up until 2008 Justine owned her own apartment in nearby Maida Vale. Had the couple been married and living together only one property would have been able to be classed as a primary residence – the other would have been a second home and as such any gains made on it would have incurred capital gains tax after a period. But because they were not married and apparently not living together there would have been no tax to pay. The Maida Vale home was sold in March 2008. It was only at this point that the couple apparently moved in together, into Mr Miliband’s Chalcot Road home. They eventually moved into a home bought by Justine in July 2009. Ed sold his Chalcot Road flat in 2009, five months after Justine bought their current home. He would have had 18 months to do this before capital gains tax applies. | MPs want Ed Miliband to explain his family's complicated property history . Mr Miliband and his now wife both sold their separate flats in 2008/9 . Mr Miliband and Justine did not pay any capital gains tax on either deal . He sold his flat five months after they bought their £1.6m family home . | 3c97081fc7fb0c09787ce3b8554386c16c432000 |
(CNN) -- The family of Kendrick Johnson has sued a south Georgia school district claiming it was negligent in protecting their son from harassment and bullying, which they contend led to his death. Johnson's body was found in a rolled-up mat in the Lowndes High School gymnasium on January 11, 2013. The lawsuit was filed in State Superior Court on Tuesday. It alleges that Lowndes County Board of Education was negligent and violated Johnson's constitutional right to equal protection based on race. Johnson was African-American. Investigators with the Sheriff's Office ruled his death accidental -- concluding that Johnson climbed into the center of the gym mat to reach for a shoe and got stuck. Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson believe that their son was beaten to death. They hired an independent pathologist, who found "unexplained apparent nonaccidental blunt force trauma" to the teen's neck and concluded the death was a homicide. The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia launched a federal investigation into the case on October 31, 2013. An attorney for Lowndes County Schools had not returned CNN's request for comment by Tuesday evening. Sheriff's office: Claim of confession in Johnson's death not credible . | School district failed to protect Kendrick Johnson from bullying, lawsuit claims . The teen was found dead in January 2013 in a rolled-up mat in his high school gym . A sheriff's office investigation ruled the death accidental . An independent pathologist hired by Johnson's parents ruled it a homicide . | 264e6285453d651a86d1c5a4bbd69f3f0d72e380 |
Smoking cannabis every day warps key structures of the brain, a scientific study suggests. Regular use of the drug seems to shrink the brain’s ‘grey matter’ - the cells that crunch information - according to head scans of heavy drug users. The wiring of the brain – the ‘white matter’ that connects different parts - grows to compensate for the loss of the vital cells, scientists found. But eventually that also breaks down, impairing a drug users’ ability to use and react to information. Scroll down for video . Regular cannabis use appears to shrink the brain's 'grey matter' - the cells that crunch information - according to scientists at the universities of Texas and New Mexico . The brain scan study is one of the first to investigate the drug’s long-term neurological impact in living people. The findings add to a growing weight of evidence that suggests cannabis is more harmful than legalisation campaigners would have us believe. It comes after a review of 20 years of cannabis research, published last month by a professor at King’s College London, revealed that one in six teenagers who use cannabis become dependent on the drug, as do one in 10 adults. That review also suggested that cannabis use in teenagers doubles the risk of developing psychotic disorders including schizophrenia. The authors of the new study, from the universities of Texas and New Mexico, warn that people who take the drug in heavy quantities for prolonged periods are likely to suffer damaging effects. A definitive 20-year study into the effects of long-term cannabis use has demolished the argument that the drug is safe. Cannabis is highly addictive, causes mental health problems and opens the door to hard drugs, the study found. The paper by Professor Wayne Hall, a drugs advisor to the World Health Organisation, builds a compelling case against those who deny the devastation cannabis wreaks on the brain. Professor Hall found: . Examining brain scans, the scientists found that chronic marijuana users - who smoked an average of three times a day - had smaller average volumes of grey matter in the orbitofrontal cortex, the part of the brain involved in mental processing and decision making. The cannabis users were also seen to have more ‘white matter’ - the connections between cells which affect how the brain learns and functions. The researchers suspect that those extra connections are forged as the brain tries to compensate for the lack of crucial grey matter. But even those extra connections were seen to break up within six to eight years under prolonged cannabis abuse, they found. Dr Sina Aslan from the University of Texas said: ‘What’s unique about this work is that it combines three different magnetic resonance imaging techniques to evaluate different brain characteristics. ‘The results suggest increases in connectivity, both structural and functional that may be compensating for grey matter losses. ‘Eventually, however, the structural connectivity or “wiring” of the brain starts degrading with prolonged marijuana use.’ The team studied MRI scans of the brains of 48 adult cannabis users aged 20 to 36 who were compared with a group of 62 non-users. The orbitofrontal cortex region of the brain, where the biggest differences in cannabis users’ brains was seen, is strongly linked to empathy - the ability to sense other people’s feelings. Neuroscientists believe damage to the orbitofrontal cortex may underpin many cases of personality disorder and psychopathy. The researchers found that the effect differed markedly depending on the age they started smoking and the number of years they continued to abuse the drug. The earlier someone started smoking cannabis, the greater the structural change to the brain and the larger the growth in white matter connections. This may explain why some chronic cannabis users sometimes appear to be coping normally, effectively masking the damage to their brain, the scientists said. Examining brain scans, the scientists found that chronic marijuana users - who smoked an average of three times a day - had smaller average volumes of grey matter, pictured on an MRI scan in light blue and green, in the orbitofrontal cortex, the part of the brain involved in mental processing and decision making . But after six to eight years of continually taking cannabis the increases in structural wiring declined, they found. The scientists said that because their study represented a simple snapshot of users’ brains, and did not monitor them over time, they could not be certain that the damage was directly caused by the drug. While the statistical picture they built up suggests that the drug abuse is linked to the structure of the brain, to be absolutely sure they more research is needed, they said. Co-author Dr Francesca Filbey, also from Texas, said: ‘We have seen a steady increase in the incidence of marijuana use since 2007. ‘However, research on its long-term effects remains scarce - despite the changes in legislation surrounding marijuana and the continuing conversation surrounding this relevant public health topic. ‘While our study does not conclusively address whether any or all of the brain changes are a direct consequence of marijuana use, these effects do suggest that these changes are related to age of onset and duration of use.’ UK drugs law has been the subject of much debate in recent years. The Labour government downgraded the drug to Class C in 2004 – meaning officers did not normally arrest those caught with the drug - but reversed their decision within five years, returning it to Class B status. Celebrities including Russell Brand, Richard Branson and Sting have called for it to be decriminalised, as has Professor David Nutt, the government’s former drugs advisor. | Scientists at the universities of Texas and New Mexico found the drug does warp key structures in the brain . Regular use shrank 'grey matter' - the cells that process information . 'White matter' that connects different parts of the brain, grows to compensate but also breaks down impairing ability to react to information . | 0a36d1f80e8bb898aa46415b029f62a44eadc9cf |
(CNN) -- Fashion lovers crowded into a limestone townhouse on the prestigious Upper East Side of New York City on Wednesday night for an exclusive designer showcase. The house didn't belong to posh members of the high fashion elite, but to the Consulate General of the Russian Federation. The Russian Fashion Industry Showcase and Reception is one of several nationally-driven shows at New York Fashion Week promoting textile and apparel production unique to the countries. Upcoming shows will highlight the best in material and design from Korea, Japan, France and Scandinavia, but Wednesday night was all about the Russians. The evening embodied the Imperial Russia zeitgeist; chandeliers dripped with crystal, women glided about draped in fur, well-tailored men straightened their pocket squares as they passed gilded mirrors. The crowd sipped vodka and ogled designs from a conglomerate of modern Russian designers, including Serguei Teplov, Dmitry Loginov, Tegin, Irina Shaposhnikova, Sergey Polyakov and Aleksandr Khrisanfov. American figure skater Johnny Weir, who has his eyes on a third Olympic Games, in the Russian city of Sochi, stopped in and posed for photos. Russia's storied history was on display: A model's hair was mussed into a babushka headpiece; another stood with the rigid posture of a ballerina in laser-cut leather; all of them wore black outfits reflective of the country's harsh climate and lack of sunshine. "New York City itself and, by default, Fashion Week is an avowedly international forum where everyone is welcomed and, for the most part, accepted," said Stephan Rabimov, the founder and editor in chief of DEPESHA magazine, which co-sponsored the event. "It's a new type of communication channel to promote national interests: fashion, culture, tourism." Rabimov said the U.S. fashion consumer is the perfect client for any ambitious designer. High-style buyers are, on average, well-educated professionals with lots of disposable income. Not only is the U.S. consumer a draw to international outlets, but New York is a global fashion capital on par with Paris, Milan and London. "The American market is, simply, among the biggest, and they're very creative. As much as we can celebrate the savoir-faire of the French, I think Americans are the most creative," said Elisabeth Leontieff-Hirshon, a senior manager of UBIFRANCE. The Academy of Art University in San Francisco is showing a collaborative collection sponsored by UBIFRANCE, the French Trade Commission, on Friday at Lincoln Center in an effort to boost the profile of French mills in the United States. The collaboration was launched after approximately 250 meters of fabric was donated by French mills to the university, according to Leontieff-Hirshon. Leontieff-Hirshon said the appeal of partnering French textiles with American students is that U.S. designers are typically more open to new fabrics and new ideas. "The American market knows what's good and what's selling; they're visionaries," she said. An emerging market stepping onto the catwalk: Asia. Concept Korea is a collaborative show organized by the Ministry of Culture, among other state agencies. On display: true Gangnam style. During Concept Korea's show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week last September, Korean designer Kathleen Kye showcased for the first time. That appearance later helped launch her collection at Opening Ceremony, a boutique synonymous with fashion ambassadorship, featuring designs from a different country each year. "It is a must that we create a presence in New York in order to step into global market," said Sang-Pyo Hong, chief director at Korea Creative Content Agency. Leather Japan is yet another Asia-driven show sponsored by the country's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Eight Japanese brands will showcase Japanese leather products, hoping to highlight the designers' craftsmanship, said Kaoru Imajo, a spokesman for the event. While the country's economy is flagging, new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has recently advocated stimulating growth by increasing exports; a somewhat contentious strategy because it could correlate with a depreciation of Japan's currency. "The Japanese yen is expensive now, so that is not good for exporting, but the brands are trying everything they can to make it better," said Imajo. Rounding out the globe, there's a Scandinavian showcase with designers SIPILÄ, Viola Blu and Olav making their debut to the U.S. market. Also showing is EDUN, a label working to increase trade with Africa that was launched in 2005 by Ali Hewson and her husband, U2 frontman Bono. While it's common practice for government-run organizations to participate in international trade shows like COTERIE and Première Vision, governments actively orchestrating Fashion Week events is a recent development. "That's why everyone who actually wants to sell clothes flocks here vying for interest of the best buyers and best media," said Rabimov. "It is a perfect mix to launch a new brand, revamp heavyweights or showcase any country's fashion industry potential." Follow Sarah LeTrent on Twitter and CNN Living on Facebook for dispatches from New York Fashion Week. | Nations are sponsoring Fashion Week events to gain attention for textiles, designers . At Russian showcase a model wore her hair mussed into a babushka headpiece . Concept Korea is a collaborative show organized by the Ministry of Culture . Organizers say New York Fashion Week is the ideal setting to showcase innovative style . | c7c781c463987fbc65d58615ef8a4351a8568c8d |
Never taking the people you love for granted could be the key to a happy life according to pensioners wishing to dispense their wisdom to their grandchildren. Three sets of pensioners, including centenarians Maurice and Helen Kaye, have recording a video featuring their advice for future generations. And the key to being happy it appears is worrying less, following your dreams, not worrying about the future and being thankful for what you have. Scroll down for video . Maurice and Helen Kaye have revealed their happiest moments are when they met and arranged a date . Betty Hal, 95 (left) said one of her happiest memories was going to see her husband in hospital during the war . The video asked the pensioners about their happiest moments and what advice they would give to their grandchildren to safeguard their future well-being. As well as not taking people for granted, Betty, 95, and Doug, 100, Hale, of Winchester, along with William, 84, Maureen, 80, Norman, of Wellingborough also advised people not to hold grudges and to live in the moment rather than worry. The couples listed meeting each other, getting married and having their own children as among their most treasured memories. 1. Never take the people you love for granted . 2. Believe in yourself . 3. Remember what is important to you . 4. Nothing worth having comes easy . 5. Put your heart and soul into everything you do . 6. Don't hold grudges . 7. Don't be jealous of success . 8. Stop worrying and live in the moment . 9. Spend more time with your family . 10. Choose your friends wisely . Mrs Kaye, 101, of Bournemouth, said her happiest moment was when her husband of 80 years walked into her parents' shop for the first time to pick up an order and didn't leave for three hours. She said: 'I think my best memory was when he walked into my mother's shop to get an order and after three hours my mother said who is going to throw him out, you or me, because no customers can get in.' Mr Kaye, 102, said that while that day was not his favourite, as he was chucked out, he was able to arrange a date with his future wife a few weeks later. As couples who lived through the Second World War, the pensioners said that appreciating each other has been central to their happiness. Mrs Hale said: 'One of my happiest memories is when I went up to Manchester to see Doug when he was brought back from the second front in France wounded. 'I walked into the hospital and there he was in hospital blues and he looked at me and there was a great big smile on his face.' Mr and Mrs Kaye are pictured on their wedding day 80 years ago and said they fondly remembered the day . Maureen and William Norman said they were happier now as they appreciated the things they have . The Normans, of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, are pictured on their wedding day 60 years ago . The video was directed by BAFTA-award winning director Gary Tarn for insurance company Beagle Street. A survey by the company found 1,000 over-70s claimed they were at their most happy around the age of 40. Getting married, having children and grandchildren featured on the top lists of happiest moments. 1. Birth of a first child . 2. Wedding day . 3. Birth of grandchildren . 4. Birth of another child . 5. Day of retirement . 6. Moving into a new home . 7. Seeing your child's first steps . 8. Hearing your child's first words . 9. Meeting the man or woman of your dreams . 10. First kiss with them. And the biggest regrets.... 1. Choosing the wrong career . 2. Not furthering education . 3. Not travelling enough . 4. Getting divorced . 5. Getting married too soon . Mrs Norman said while having her children was one of her happiest memories, she feels most content now. She said: 'I'm more happy now than I've ever been. Our generation have been through World War Two when things were rationed and food was rationed. 'It makes us appreciate the things we have now. I could kiss my automatic washing machine.' The research also revealed that men are happiest at 40, while women hit their positive peak at 38 - citing being fit and healthy, having a great group of friends and feeling confident in their appearance as the main reasons. The findings show loving relationships outweigh money and material gains with life's top ten happiest moments dominated by friends and family. The most common cause for regret was choosing the wrong career and not pursuing lifelong dreams. One in ten of those with regrets wished they had worked harder in school with seven per cent regretting that they had not travelled the world. Matthew Gledhill, managing director of Beagle Street, said: 'The overwhelming message from those with the most life experience is that the key to happiness is to worry less and live in the moment with the people you care about most. : . | Three sets of pensioners have revealed what has made them happiest . Couples advise on future happiness, such as not taking people for granted . Helen Kaye, 101, fondly remembers her husband of 80 years walking into her family's shop for the first time and staying three hours as they talked . Maureen Norman, 80, said war taught her to be thankful for what she has . Pensioners believe not holding grudges or worrying is key to a happy life . Getting married, having children and grandchildren are fondest memories . | 0a0815b0e81b05851a0bb1febf226d791b948af4 |
By . Rebecca Seales . PUBLISHED: . 06:12 EST, 8 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:46 EST, 8 April 2012 . Trapped: Mrs Shah - who has adopted a pseudonym for her own protection - was forced into marriage at just five years old, despite living in an ordinary British town (picture posed by model) A successful businesswoman has told of her agony after being forced into an abusive marriage at the age of five - despite living in Britain. Samina Shah, who is now in her 40s and too frightened to reveal her real name, spoke out after revelations that Britain's Forced Marriage Unit had handled the case of another five-year-old girl last year. Mrs Shah said she believed she was being dressed for her fifth birthday party on the day of the Islamic ceremony which effectively ended her childhood. She told The Sun: 'There was a lot of . activity - a lot of relatives in the house. I was dressed up in an . outfit which my mother-in-law had bought for me. 'My sister told me later that my mother-in-law had said, "At last, the beautiful girl belongs to me!"' Pondering . why a tiny girl from a large northern town would be forced to undergo . such an ordeal, she said she thought it was to do with maintaining . tradition - and control. Mrs . Shah was born into a close-knit Asian community, and while her family . lived in Britain they remained true to the conventions of remote . Pakistani villages. Aged . just 13, she was removed from school without explanation. Instead of an . education, she was taught that a woman's place was in the home - and . reminded that the greater her sufferings on earth, the more lavish her . reward would be in Paradise. Samina . was still a frightened girl of 14 when she went through the formal . wedding ceremony which marked her transition from her parents' house to . that of her husband. At 6am the day after, she was forced onto a plane . to Pakistan, told only that she would return to Britain with her husband . when she reached 16. Long before that time, the teenager endured the forced consummation of her marriage after suffering an appalling beating. Missing - one childhood: Locked up by her husband, child bride Mrs Shah used to watch other children playing outside and sigh with envy . Mrs Shah returned to the UK three months later, after her Guardians decided she should be kept there under lock and key. She said the feeling of sunlight on her face was one of the things she missed most during her captivity, adding, 'I used to look out at kids playing and feel an overwhelming sense of envy. 'When you are married at the age of five you no longer live like a normal child. I was deprived of my basic human rights.' After giving birth to a daughter at the age of 20, Mrs Shah said she became determined her child would never endure the horrors she herself had lived through. The law covering forced marriage in Britain makes it a civil rather than a criminal matter, and many of the victims are sent abroad. Those at risk can apply for a court order which bars them or the organisers of the marriage from leaving the country. Violating such an order constitutes contempt of court, which carries a prison sentence of up to two years. While forced marriages are not recognised as legal in the UK, if victims do not return to Britain then the people responsible cannot be prosecuted.The Government is currently considering a change in the law. Ultimately, her daughter was to be her salvation. Though the years of abuse she had suffered took a toll on Mrs Shah, manifesting as crippling obsessive compulsive disorder, she became interested in studying after watching her daughter's progress through school. To her husband's displeasure, she enrolled in college and took GCSEs. Finally, at the age of 37, she found the strength to leave the man who had made her life a misery, even banning her from smiling because he considered it 'the sign of a loose woman'. In strict Muslim communities divorce remains strictly taboo, and those who do separate from their partners risk being ostracised by their friends and families. While Mrs Shah returned to her parents after dissolving her marriage, the arrangement was not a success and she found herself entirely alone in the world. At her lowest ebb, contemplating suicide, she began composing a goodbye text to her beloved daughter - but couldn't bring herself to abandon the best thing in her life, a child who so obviously needed her. Finding herself outside a church, and ready to turn her back on a religion which had brought her nothing but pain and subjugation, Mrs Shah threw herself on the mercy of a priest. Though she said she was keen to become a Christian, the priest said it was not Islam which had failed Samina - it was people. He made contact with a Muslim woman who provided the sobbing mother with solace, and a bed for the night. Mentor: After ending her own forced marriage, Mrs Shah hopes to help girls understand that Islam does not permit the barbaric practice - and that they too can escape it . Mrs Shah said it was not until she stopped seeing herself through other people's eyes that she felt able to move on from her abusive marriage and take control of her own life. Having reinvented herself as a successful entrepreneur, she now gives talks to women's groups and mentors youngsters in her local area. Above all, she wants to emphasise that forced marriage is completely contrary to both the teachings of Islam and the dignity of human beings. She said: 'Islam safeguards women's rights, and I am delighted that I found the Islam that God sent down - not the one that has been hijacked by the jackals who misrepresent its true teachings.' | Victim tells how her childhood was shockingly ended by the ceremony she mistook for a birthday party . Forced abroad to live with her husband in Pakistan, she suffered years of abuse before finally finding the strength to seek a divorce . Now a successful entrepreneur, she wants to show girls in her position there is light at the end of the tunnel . | 81d86508caa50b7cbc4629a7e59939f3aefefe75 |
London (CNN) -- Britain has some of the best journalism in the world. A number of institutions with noble traditions -- the London Times, the BBC, the Guardian and others -- foster reporting that challenges vested interests and informs citizens in exactly the way that journalism is supposed to do. But the British press also has deep problems, as the phone-hacking affair and the year-long Leveson inquiry into press ethics and practices have revealed. In recent decades editors and proprietors have made themselves virtually unaccountable for what they do, enabling a culture to develop in which the people who are the subjects of stories may be bullied, lied about or intruded upon at will. It is only a minority of journalists who have done this, but the attitude was cynical and ugly, summed up by a News of the World news editor who remarked to a colleague: "That is what we do. We go out and destroy other people's lives." The result was a stream of scandals of which phone hacking was only the latest and the worst, and, though journalists hate to admit it, the whole trade is contaminated. News: Brooks, Coulson charged over alleged payments to officials . The report of the Leveson Inquiry, due later this week, is a historic opportunity to clean things up. In an ideal world journalists would not need the kind of regulation he will recommend, but if trust is to be rebuilt it is essential. It is essential, too, because citizens have to be protected against the kinds of violations that have become common, and that have spread misery and distress. What will it change? The first thing we have to acknowledge is that Leveson can only recommend; it is up to the government, parliament and the industry to implement what he suggests. And the British press has been through crises like this before and usually managed to wriggle off the hook. But this time is probably worse than ever before and the newspapers are less in control of the debate than ever before, so change is indeed possible. The challenge to Lord Justice Leveson was to come up with an effective system of regulation that does not undermine the freedom of journalists to do their work in the public interest. And that surely means calling time on the industry's "self-regulation," now acknowledged as a mere fig-leaf. So there will probably be a new body, in all likelihood backed by statute, with the job of ensuring that newspapers and their websites meet basic standards of accuracy and fairness. Hacked Off, the campaign group of which I am director, hopes that it will be very clearly independent of both political influence and of the editors and proprietors. This is not such a great novelty for Britain, first because for years the press has insisted that its own self-regulation regime existed to uphold standards and provide redress (though it did so only selectively) and second because broadcast journalism is regulated in this way (and broadcast journalism happens to be the country's most trusted). To some, however, it will sound ugly, even offensive. We like to think of journalism as unfettered and rambunctious, and British journalists are apt to quote from John Stuart Mill, or to cite the troublemaking examples of William Cobbett and W. T. Stead, to justify their independence from any kind of vetting or control. Opinion: Why media fights back so hard . But change is now vital because journalism has been inflicting too much damage. Too many innocent, ordinary people -- victims of crime, people bereaved in disasters, innocent acquaintances and relatives of the famous -- have been lied about, intruded upon or had their rights trampled on by newspapers. So Britain has a choice: sacrifice the rights of vulnerable people into the future or try to get the press to observe basic standards. It's not really a choice at all. And the new regulation will not be censorship. Lord Justice Leveson is obliged by his terms of reference to make recommendations that support press freedom and in any case he pledged many times that he was not remotely interested in gagging the newspapers. Instead newspapers will be made accountable, after publication, for their errors and failures. They will have to acknowledge them and give redress to those injured. They will be required to abide by a code of practice and face scrutiny, censure and possibly fines for repeated or grievous breaches. And they will have to do something they have never liked to do: learn from their mistakes. For a journalist -- and I am one -- it is in many ways shaming. But we journalists are the first to demand this kind of remedy in any other walk of life where ethics have broken down, be it banking or policing or medical practice. We must be ready to take the medicine we dish out to others, not least because it can and should make us better. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Brian Cathcart. | Phone-hacking revelations revealed problems into UK press, says Brian Cathcart . Cathcart argues Leveson inquiry is historic opportunity to clean things up . He wants scrutiny independent of politicians instead of industry's "self-regulation" Newspapers must be more accountable for errors and failures, Cathcart says . | 52c4aba28cbb48d8675aaf0abf23e24c53aa7460 |
By . Dan Bloom . World football's top 25 officials have had their salaries doubled after a new ethics committee promised to stamp out their bonuses, an investigation has claimed. It is alleged that Fifa - which faces corruption claims over the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar - also offered to pay its executive committee in wads of cash through a Swiss bank account. The claims today, revealed in a cache of millions of documents leaked to The Sunday Times, are the latest in a growing litany against the governing body of world football. Bumper pay: The 25 members of Fifa's top governing body have had their salaries doubled, it was reported today. Pictured: The executive committee (Exco) during a general assembly at its headquarters in Switzerland . The executive committee led by President Sepp Blatter, Exco for short, is Fifa's most powerful body and numbers 25 top officials from the football world. Britain's representative Jim Boyce is one of Exco's seven vice presidents and has already said he would support a rerun of the 2022 vote if corruption allegations are proven. The revelations come just four months after Fifa promised to clean up allegations of corruption by scrapping bonuses to its committee. A new audit and compliance body was formed in July 2012 and its chief, Domenico Scala, said in February that executives had agreed to scrap the bonuses because they could encourage unethical behaviour. He said Exco was an 'oversight and decision-making body... not responsible for sales,' adding: 'We don’t want to provide a bonus to people overseeing the operations.' But according to the report today in . The Sunday Times, each of the 25 members' salaries has risen from . £59,000 to £118,000 this year after the bonuses - reputedly worth . £44,000 a year - were scrapped. Timing: The revelations during the current World Cup in Brazil come as Fifa President Sepp Blatter - the head of Exco - is firmly in the public eye. Pictured: Blatter (right) watching his home team, Switzerland . Mounting anger: Brazilians have protested in Rio de Janiero over the huge cost of staging the World Cup . June 1, 2014: £3m in 'corrupt' payments . The Sunday Times revealed it had been handed 'millions' of documents which exposed how a top Qatari football official, 65-year-old Mohammed Bin Hammam (right), handed officials £3million worth of cash and global junkets to help secure the 2022 World Cup. MPs called for Qatar to be stripped of the tournament amid an investigation. Qatar hit back, saying it 'always upheld the highest standard of ethics and integrity' and that Bin Hammam 'played no official or unofficial role in Qatar’s 2022 Bid Committee'. June 8: Secret gas deal talks . The newspaper revealed more files detailing how Bin Hammam fixed meetings with the Qatari royal family for at least seven key members of Exco, including Sepp Blatter. Two secret meetings were brokered between Qatari royals and an aide to Thailand's serving Fifa member to discuss a gas deal in the critical final months before the 2022 ballot, it was reported. June 15: Fifa 'ignored high terror risk' Further revelations alleged that Qatar had been deemed at the highest risk of a terrorist attack of any of the 2022 host nations. The documents added to questions over how a nation with scorching summer heat and little footballing tradition won the World Cup. An unnamed Exco member told the newspaper the salary 'doubled to take account of the dropping of the bonus.' The newspaper alleged Exco members enjoy generous expenses - including stays in a £200-a-night hotel in Rio de Janiero during the Brazil World Cup and more than £400 a day in generous expenses. Leaked documents also claimed Exco members were allowed to take their salaries in envelopes full of cash at Fifa's headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. The timing of the revelations, during the current World Cup in Brazil, is devastating for Mr Blatter as he remains firmly in the public eye. Brazilian authorities are already fighting unrest in large cities including Rio de Janiero over the huge amount spent on the tournament - and the vast profits for Fifa - in a country with extreme poverty. The governing body of world football is highly secretive about the salaries it pays its top officials. Accounts list the total of payments to Fifa's 'key management personnel', which includes not only the 25 Exco members but also directors and other top staff. This figure was £21.3million last year - a rise of £1.6million in a year since 2012. The pay of Fifa President Sepp Blatter and the other 24 members of Exco is now set by a compensation committee led by Mr Scala. Earlier this month the chairman of the Britain's parliamentary committee for Culture, Media and Sport said Fifa needed a complete overhaul. In a BBC interview earlier this month, John Whittingdale said an inquiry three years ago into the 2022 World Cup bidding process had received several allegations of 'potential corrupt payments'. 'Those were swept aside by Fifa, they weren't properly investigated, and that was three years ago,' he said. 'I don't think anybody is going to be that amazed to learned that the bid process is corrupted. It isn't sufficient just to have a rerun of a vote by a small number of people who conduct the vote in secret and are unaccountable. 'There needs to be a complete reform of Fifa.' A spokesman from Fifa told MailOnline that football's governing body was not in a position to comment prior to Judge Hans-Joachim Eckert's reached his conclusions based on an investigation report due at the end of next month. She said Fifa 'does not comment on allegations', but added: 'Each year Fifa publishes its financial report in line with International Financial Reporting standards on our website. 'Furthermore, Fifa has established an independent Audit and Compliance Committee, as well as a remuneration committee that includes two independent persons namely the chairman of the Audit and Compliance Committee Domenico Scala as well Jean-Pierre Pedrazzini of Egon Zehnder, which defines and approves compensation and salaries of Fifa staff and the executive members.' Concerns: A planned stadium for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, which is allegedly at high risk of a terror attack . | 'All 25 members' of world football's governing body received pay rise . Their annual salaries allegedly shot from £59,000 to £118,000 this year . It comes after audit and compliance body said bonuses would be ditched . Allegations by The Sunday Times are the latest scandal to engulf Fifa . | 021973ff187c0d4a052b06c290409eab652f1d0f |
(CNN)Some of the U.S. military personnel being deployed to Liberia to help tackle the Ebola crisis may come into contact with the virus, a Pentagon official said Tuesday. Speaking at a press conference, the head of U.S. Africa Command, Gen. David Rodriguez, said that while the majority of U.S. troops involved in the mission would not be exposed to the disease, those in mobile testing labs could have contact in that environment. "They're all trained at a very, very high level," Rodriguez told reporters of the lab personnel, who constitute a "separate, specialty element of the force." The Pentagon has sent three of these mobile labs to Liberia so far, and expects to send more in the coming months, according to Rodriguez. Each mobile lab is staffed by three or four service members, a fraction of the overall military presence in the country. Last week, Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby told reporters there was "no expectation" that U.S. troops would be "physically, geographically in a situation where that they should be exposed" to Ebola, though he admitted that risk to lab technicians is higher than the troops. On Tuesday, Rodriguez emphasized that, "the health and safety of the team supporting this mission is our priority." "We will do everything in our power to address and mitigate the potential risk to our service members, civilian employees, contractors and their families," he said. If a service member contracts Ebola while in Liberia, Rodriguez said they would be flown to the United States in a specially outfitted plane to a facility equipped to handle their case. Three American civilians who have so far contracted the disease while in West Africa were similarly evacuated. But the Pentagon insists they are taking all necessary precautions to keep personnel from becoming infected. Troops are completing special training before they deploy and will have to follow strict protocols in the field, which include frequent washing of hands and feet, as well as temperature-taking. They will also have to fill out questionnaires on their physical condition and any symptoms they might be experiencing. Up to 4,000 U.S. military personnel have been approved for deployment in this effort, which Gen. Rodriguez said would cost an estimated $750 million over a six month period. | Some U.S. personnel could be in contact with Ebola in West Africa, Pentagon official says . Personnel are trained at "very high level" for such contact, official says . Official: Any U.S. personnel infected would be evacuated in specially equipped plane . | 554af1c3fc7aac71c149c8c7bea223d691eee9a5 |
By . Nikki Murfitt . Supermarkets losing £100million a year propping up their online delivery services. Experts say that while supermarkets often charge £3 or £4 for each home delivery, the actual cost to them is £20. As a result, they are effectively paying customers to shop with them. Retail analyst Dave McCarthy said: ‘The transition from in-store retailing to online retailing in the grocery market is losing the industry £100million profit per annum. It costs Tesco around £20 to deliver to their customers whoi pay around £4 for the service . ‘When a customer switches from shopping in a store to shopping online, it is a lot less profitable for the retailer, which suffers a double whammy. The store loses profits from the lost sales and importantly, a contribution to fixed costs such as rates, energy and the store manager’s wages. ‘And when the customer shops online, the retailer incurs extra costs for packing the products, paying transportation costs, wages, fuel and for the cost of the vehicle which is an expensive, multi-temperature-controlled vehicle.’ Morrisons and Tesco are among the big supermarkets who are losing out on home deliveries . Mr McCarthy tells a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary to be screened tomorrow night: ‘Discount supermarkets are growing at twice the rate of online shopping, yet the big four keep investing and chasing online custom. ‘How much trade would these supermarkets lose if they stopped online? The answer is not as much as they are losing out to the growth of discount supermarkets.’ The beleaguered supermarket giants – Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons – have seen combined lost sales of more than £3billion in recent years and have slashed thousands of jobs. Last week, Tesco ousted embattled chief executive Philip Clarke after yet another dire profits warning. Last week, Tesco ousted embattled chief executive Philip Clarke after yet another dire profits warning . The success of discount chains such as Lidl and Aldi has meant that middle class shoppers are happy to boast about how savvy they are with their money, and take pride in the fact that they don’t fall victim to the consumerism being promoted by the big four. Mr McCarthy says: ‘As the recession hit, consumers were forced to go elsewhere and as a result they have experimented by trying products in the discount stores and found what they do and don’t like. ‘The discount stores have a compelling offer. They are providing quality and value for money.’ Dispatches quotes customers saying that shopping at Aldi has cut their grocery bill in half without compromising on quality. One said: ‘That was a big surprise. You think because something is cheap then it is probably going to be rubbish quality but it is just the opposite. ‘I used to shop in Sainsbury’s but felt I was being taken for a ride.’ | Customers pay £3 for delivery but price to shops is actually £20 . Double loss for supermarkets when customer decides to shop online . Retailer incurs extra costs for packing the products, paying transportation costs, wages, fuel and for the cost of the vehicle . Supermarket Wars will be shown on Channel 4 at 8pm tomorrow. | 0a1e545a43c7704acb0cced6cb8ad0c28a4073c5 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . A mystery benefactor tweeting clues to hidden cash sparked a frenzy in Los Angeles last night, with hundreds of people swarming the area searching for dollar bills. Throngs of people scavenged through garden beds, searched under bus stops and, police say, caused a traffic nightmare, in Burbank as they hunted for envelopes of cash, according to NBC. Within an hour of the anonymous donor posting a clue on his Twitter account @HiddenCash, the area around the local shopping center was inundated with people. The unknown donor began their pay-it-forward scavenger hunt on May 22 in San Francisco, claiming they were a successful real estate investor who wanted to share their wealth. It is now spreading throughout the West Coast, with the donor promising to make it 'bigger and better'. Scroll down for video . Inundated: Hundreds of people swarmed the area around the Empire Center in Burbank, Los Angeles on Thursday night in search of hidden money, after a mystery benefactor dropped some location clues on Twitter . Huge hunt: Hundreds of people searched at bus stops, in rubbish bins and through gardens in search of the hidden cash in Burbank, Los Angeles on Thursday night . Overwhelmed: Police said the crowds in Burbank, Los Angeles last night caused traffic chaos . This week, the philanthropist began hiding money around Los Angeles, including several hundred dollars in Burbank found by three lucky winners. Chris Treichel and his co-worker found the first cash drop of $135. About 20 minutes later, 14-year-old Tatiana Ramirez spotted an envelope full of cash she said she wanted to put toward her grandmother's medical bills. Sean Zerbe and his friends found the last envelope of the night, and tweeted their victory photo from the car, according to KTLA-TV Channel 5. Lucky winners: Sean Zerbe (left) and Chris Treichel (right) were two of Thursday night's lucky winners, braving the crowds in Burbank, LA, to find the hidden moneyIn response to Thursday night's hysteria, the generous donor issued a safety notice on his Twitter account: 'Please walk and drive safely. A young woman ran right in front of my car a few days ago. I will do my best to pick locations that are safe, but please use common sense and caution,' they wrote. 'Please also be respectful to the locations themselves and surrounding businesses. And be kind and happy with each other, as that's what this is all about.' However the unknown giver also tweeted that he or she 'had no plans to stop' and wanted to 'keep getting bigger and better'. The game continues: The mystery benefactor announced on his Twitter Friday that he or she had no intention of stopping the pay-it-forward scavenger hunt . The donor has also chosen to remain anonymous, in case people who know him or her criticize the decision to give away so much money. 'This is my way of giving back to the community and also having fun,' the donor said. 'The bigger idea is just to give back, both financially and a sense of fun to the community that has made me wealthy.' Other winners . Winner: Twitter user Andrew Sarti directed his mom to find the hidden cash in Los Angeles today . Condition: The mystery benefactor has asked that winners post a picture on Twitter of them holding the cash they found, like these winners pictured left and right . | A wealthy real estate investor is anonymously stashing cash around California . Using the Twitter handle @HiddenCash, the benefactor tweets clues about where to find the money . The scavenger hunt began in San Francisco on May 22 and hit LA this week . Last night, huge crowds swarmed Burbank looking for crash . Police said the crowd caused traffic chaos and some damage . The mystery donor issued a public safety notice on his Twitter account but promised to continue the pay-it-forward scavenger hunt . | ada33612f6343c751bce0519a7e38a1ec3074f89 |
By . Erin Clements for MailOnline . An iPad app that launched today allows brides-to-be to try on up to 300 different wedding gowns without setting foot in a store. First, users must upload a full-body shot to the Wedding Dress Studio app, which is free to download, and adjust their shoulder and hip points. Then they can choose from various silhouettes, necklines, fabrics and embellishments, and see the dress overlaid on their picture. Scroll down for video . Say yes to the dress: The Wedding Dress Studio app lets brides-to-be 'try on' nearly 300 gowns to figure out what styles are most flattering . Founder Hillary Sica, 25, tells MailOnline that she wanted to make the task of finding the perfect dress 'A bit easier and a bit more fun' for women. 'Searching for the perfect gown can be very overwhelming, and while I haven't personally experienced this yet, I can absolutely draw from the experiences of family/friends around me. It's a once in a lifetime purchase, and quite a large one at that,' she says. The designs offered on the app are intended to reflect the most popular bridal styles at the moment. Intelligent design: The app allows users to choose from various silhouettes (left) and necklines (right) Featured silhouettes include A-line, ballgown, empire, column and mermaid, and users can choose from a strapless, bateau, V-neck asymmetrical, off-shoulder or halter neckline. There are also eight different color variations and 22 embellishments, such as bows, flowers, belts and brooches. Miss Sica, who is based in New York City, . recommends that users wear something formfitting in the photo they use . with the app so as not to interfere with the edges of dress. Attention to detail: The app also lets users customize the fabric (left) and embellishments (right) She adds that the app uses 'fabric remapping technology,' which will recognize the user's frame and allow the fabric of the chosen dress to remap and contour realistically to their body shape and stance.The app allows the final design to be saved and shared on social media. Miss Sica says the app has already been tested with about 200 users, and she plans to add other categories, such as maid of honor and mother of the bride. | Users upload a full-body photo to the Wedding Dress Studio app, which overlays the wedding gown of their choice on the picture . | 21167716521c18d45c79fa21a2a2a18e63fdbdc4 |
Bachmann's New Hampshire team claim they were 'treated as second class citizens' by 'rude' campaign . Bachmann spokesman hit back, saying: 'They want to call names, that's their prerogative' By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 15:54 EST, 26 October 2011 . Presidential Candidate Michele Bachmann registered by mail for New Hampshire's presidential primary after her staff's abrupt resignation last week. With all five of Mrs Bachmann's paid staff members in her New Hampshire office abandoning ship last week, the vying presidential contender could have opted to travel to the Granite state but chose to file by mail instead. Those now former-staffers have complained of receiving a cold shoulder by the candidate's national team, as well as to have been treated rudely. Iowa's 'it': Michele Bachmann has publicly acknowledged keeping her focus on the state of Iowa, choosing to slip an appearance to register for the New Hampshire primary this week . Most of the other presidential candidates have chosen to file in person, finding a campaign opportunity in their appearance. Separate from that crowd, Texas congressman Ron Paul sent a staff member to file on his behalf early Monday morning, though the former Governor of Utah Jon Hunstman arrived himself by the late afternoon in addition to former-governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney. With Vice-President Joe Biden's appearance, he filed on behalf of both himself and President Obama. Mrs Bachmann has visited New Hampshire twice since beginning her campaign, publicly acknowledging her decision to focus primarily on Iowa. The five former staffers of Mrs Bachmann had said, however, that they hold no ill will toward the Minnesota congresswoman, but they could not continue working for her because the national campaign team had been 'rude, unprofessional, dishonest, and at times cruel' to them. Scroll down for video . Problems: The five former staffers said they could not continue working for Bachmann because her national campaign team had been 'rude, unprofessional, dishonest, and at times cruel' to them . A press release issued by the New Hampshire team also accused the campaign as being 'abrasive, discourteous, and dismissive' of the state's voters. 'These are our neighbors and our . friends, and some within the national team treated them more as a . nuisance than as potential supporters,' the group wrote. The letter went on to tell how they had all been . full-time, paid employees until September 11, when they were asked to . temporarily go 'off payroll' due to financial concerns. Mrs Bachmann's New Hampshire campaign manager, Jeff Chidester, voluntarily took himself off payroll at the beginning of September until the end of the campaign because funds were so poor. 'It saddens this team to see a dedicated . patriot – a person so desperately needed in the White House – . sequestered behind a wall of pretense, guarded by political operatives . consumed by their own egos,' the group wrote. Alice Stewart, Mrs Bachmann's national spokeswoman, responded by labelling the group 'name callers' and admitted the national focus was on Iowa. Stranger: Michele Bachmann has visited New Hampshire just twice since announcing her campaign blaming her absence on the debt limit debate . 'Name calling': Alice Stewart, Mrs Bachmann's spokeswoman, dismissed the allegations . During her latest trip to New Hampshire earlier this . month, she blamed her frequent absence on the August debate in Congress over . raising the nation's debt limit. In an interview with John King on CNN, Ms Stewart responded to the criticism of the national team, of which she is a senior part, by saying: 'That's unfortunate. They want to call names, that's their prerogative. We wish them the best.' 'It is disheartening when members of the staff or volunteers or people who are working with the team decide to communicate with the media as opposed with the campaign,' Ms Stewart continued. 'We haven't heard anything from these people. It is unfortunate they chose to make it in such a public way.' However, the staffers made clear they tried to inform people within the national operation of their concerns well before they issued the press release. Mrs Bachmann's campaign manager, Keith Nahigian, sought to discredit the authenticity of the people behind the letter. 'The unauthorized news release was sent by a person who doesn't even work for the campaign and has never had authority to speak on behalf of the campaign,' he said. 'We are not responding to comments made by a person who was not even a staff member in New Hampshire.' Ms Stewart said that while the New . Hampshire operation was important, winning Iowa was the primary focus . for Mrs Bachmann and her campaign. 'First . and foremost, we have to get through the important first caucus state,' Ms Stewart told CNN. 'That's what she's focused on.' Little chance: Former campaign manager Ed Rollins quit in September, stating, 'I think legitimately it's a Romney-Perry race' Praying for miracle: The latest poll numbers are not good for Mrs Bachmann, pictured with husband Marcus, with support at five per cent . The New Hampshire exodus is the latest staffing dilemma to to hit Mrs Bachmann's campaign. In September, campaign manager Ed Rollins made a high-profile exit, saying the congresswoman's chances of winning the GOP nod had dwindled. He called her the 'third-candidate' and said: 'I think legitimately it's a Romney-Perry race.' Mr Rollins revealed that his deputy David Polyansky would also stand aside. Earlier this month, seasoned Republican pollster Ed Goeas, who served as an adviser to Mrs Bachmann, and senior policy adviser Andy Parrish left her 2012 campaign. Since winning the Iowa straw poll in August, Mrs Bachmann's poll numbers have been on the slide and according to the latest Gallup poll, constucted between October 3-7, she has just five per cent support for the nomination. Harsh words: The press release which accuses Mrs Bachmann's national team of rudeness . Mitt Romney, on 20 per cent, Herman Cain, 18 per cent, and Rick Perry, 15 per cent, are out in front. Recent polls have also shown that despite earlier success, Mrs Bachmann is now rated no higher than fourth place in the Hawkeye State. In their statement issued on Sunday, . the former New Hampshire staffers also tried to clarify confusion that arose on Friday . when Mrs Bachmann's national spokeswoman disputed reports of a staff . shake-up. The group . said Mr Chidester quit . on Thursday following several 'serious incidents' during Mrs Bachmann's recent trip to the Granite State, but he informed the national campaign that others might be . interested in staying if national officials reached out to them. The other four staffers quit on Friday after their efforts to get in touch with the national team to discuss their concerns were ignored, they said. The group says that 'through all this chaos' they were, 'deceived, . left out of the loop regarding key decisions, and relegated to . second-class citizens within a campaign in which they were the original . members'. | Bachmann's New Hampshire team claim they were 'treated as second class citizens' by 'rude' campaign . Bachmann spokesman hit back, saying: 'They want to call names, that's their prerogative' | 7cf277f5e193839c3fcdc26fc9c2448bfff0d566 |
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