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By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 08:43 EST, 19 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:58 EST, 19 August 2013 . A woman who stole her severely disabled brother's £62,000 inheritance to fund lavish spending sprees has been jailed for three years. Jane Martin, 51, plundered the bank account of her vulnerable brother Vaughan Martin after their elderly mother died and left him the five figure sum. She moved her brother out of a care home to live with her and her partner Steven Collins so the couple could easily access his money. The pair spent the money on a new BMW Mini Cooper car along with several high performance motorbikes over the course of 15 months. Jailed: Jane Martin, 51, pictured left, and her partner Steve Collins, pictured right, plundered the bank account of her vulnerable brother Vaughan Martin after their elderly mother died and left him more than £60,000 . Their theft was discovered after they . placed Vaughan into respite care so they could go away on holiday and . staff noticed bruises on the 53-year-old’s body. Police were called and an investigation revealed that Collins, also 53, had physically abused Vaughan. The probe also uncovered the theft of his inheritance from his late mother Violet and that Martin had stolen £14,000 from her bank account before she died. Martin, from Blandford, Dorset, was jailed for three years for theft while Collins was sentenced to four years in prison. Judge Peter Johnson said: 'This was a despicable loss of control. You were living well beyond your means. 'You systematically plundered Vaughan’s bank account to the sum of £62,000 over approximately 15 months. 'Some of it was used to buy expensive motorbikes, and also a Mini Cooper.' Lavish spending: A court heard how the couple used the stolen money to fund extravagant spending sprees - purchasing a Mini Cooper and high performance motorbikes (stock image) Bournemouth Crown Court heard that the thefts started when Violet Martin was admitted to hospital after a fall in November 2011. The couple seized the opportunity to steal £14,000 from her bank account and disguised it as a loan. After she died and the inheritance had gone through, Martin and Collins removed Vaughan Martin from a care home to live in their house. The couple denied charges of theft but were found guilty following a trial. Collins was also convicted of wilful neglect of a vulnerable person, . Lee Christmas, defending Martin, said the pair stole the money following a ‘loss of control out of despair.’ Nicholas Robinson, defending Collins, said: 'The shame of his conduct will be with him until the end of his days.' A Proceeds of Crime Act confiscation hearing will be held at a later date to try and retrieve Vaughan Martin’s money. Afterwards Detective Sergeant Paul Smith, of Dorset police, said: 'The charges follow a very protracted and difficult investigation, due predominately to the fact we could not interview either victim. 'Vaughan was a vulnerable adult, he couldn’t fend for himself.'
Jane Martin, 51, and her partner Steve Collins, 53, removed her brother Vaughan Martin from his care home to live with them in Dorset . Pair then stole his inheritance to buy fast motorbikes and a Mini Cooper . They were caught when respite care staff noticed bruises on Vaughan . Police launched an investigation and discovered the theft of his money .
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(CNN) -- Strong support from young and minority voters propelled Barack Obama on the road to the White House, exit polls showed Tuesday. Students wait in a long line to vote Tuesday on the campus of the University of Central Florida. Voters in the 18 to 24 age group broke 68 percent for Obama to 30 percent for John McCain, according to the exit polling. Those in the 25 to 29 age bracket went 69 percent to 29 percent in Obama's favor. The only age group where McCain prevailed was 65 and over, and that by just a 10-percentage-point margin, 54 percent to 44 percent, the exit polls showed. And minorities went heavily into the Obama camp. Blacks, 96 percent Obama to 3 percent McCain; Latinos, 67 percent Obama to 30 percent McCain; and Asians, 63 percent Obama to 34 percent McCain. Obama did well with Latinos because they appear to disapprove of President Bush's job performance more than the rest of the country, CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider said. Watch CNN's Bill Schneider explain the Latino impact » . About 80 percent of Latinos give Bush negative marks, while 72 percent of all Americans do, exit polling showed. Race played less of a role in the election than age, exit polls showed. While Obama is projected to be the nation's first black president, John McCain would have been the oldest person ever elected to the nation's highest office. Twice as many of those polled Tuesday said age was an important factor in their vote as those who said race was. Among those factoring age into their vote, 78 percent went for Obama to 21 percent for McCain, exit polls showed. Those who said race was an important factor voted 55 percent to 44 percent in favor of Obama. But Obama also was the winner by a similar margin among those who said race was not important, "which suggests that race was not a decisive factor in this election," Schneider said. The economy was the top issue in the election among 62 percent of voters questioned in exit polls on Tuesday. It was far ahead of the second-place issue, the Iraq war, which was named as the top concern of 10 percent of voters polled. Those who picked the Iraq war as their top issue mostly voted for Obama in all but two states, according to the early exit polling results. Health care and terrorism were tied at 9 percent as the issue voters were most concerned about, according to the exit polling. Those who picked terrorism as their top concern overwhelmingly choose McCain, according to exit polling. In early exit polling, first-time voters were breaking overwhelmingly for Obama over McCain by a 72 percent to 27 percent margin. Watch what first-time voters had to say in Florida » . High income voters -- those who said they make at least $100,000 a year -- went in Obama's favor, 52 percent to 47 percent. Many of those polled said they expect a post-election tax increase, with 49 percent predicting their taxes will rise no matter who is elected president. Another 22 percent said taxes will go up only if Obama wins, and 12 percent said taxes will go up only if McCain wins. Only 15 percent said their taxes will stay the same or go down. A bare majority of those surveyed -- 51 percent -- think the government should do more to solve problems. Forty-three percent believe the government is doing too much. At the same time, early exit polling shows only a minority of voters -- 40 percent -- support the $700 billion government plan to assist failing financial companies. Fifty-six percent are opposed. Watch CNN's Bill Schneider explain how the economy dominated voter concerns » . GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin didn't do well in exit polls. Sixty percent of those polled said the Alaska governor is not qualified to be president if necessary; 38 percent said she is. That compares with the two-thirds of those polled who said Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden is qualified to be president and the 31 percent who said he isn't. Watch CNN's Jack Cafferty ask what issue is most important » . Many voters told the pollsters that they made up their minds early in the campaign season, with 61 percent saying they made up their minds before September, another 13 percent saying they decided in September and 17 percent saying they made their selection last month. Only 7 percent of those polled decided whom to support within the last three days. Exit polling also showed that Democrats who supported Sen. Hillary Clinton during the primaries overwhelming voted for Obama in the general election, 84 percent to 15 percent for McCain. For the poll, more than 16,000 people who had just voted were selected at random to fill out questionnaires. CNN's Joe Von Kanel and Hal Quinley contributed to this report.
NEW: Voters 65 and older only age group to go McCain's way . Twice as many voters factored in age than did race . Obama scores large majority of first-time voters . 49 percent of those polled expect tax increases .
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Charlottesville, Virginia (CNN) -- The man charged with the abduction of University of Virginia student Hannah Graham was also investigated for alleged sexual assault when he was in college over a decade ago. A "criminal incident information" report released Wednesday by Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia, said the alleged incident involving Jesse Matthew took place on September 7, 2003. Matthew quit the school's football team five days later and left the school in mid-October. The university said federal student record privacy laws limited the amount of information it could provide publicly. "The University is fully cooperating with law enforcement agencies," a statement said. "The success of the criminal investigation is paramount at this time." Where is Hannah Graham? Last person with Graham . Investigators believe Matthew, 32, was the last person with Graham, who was last seen September 13. He has been charged with abduction with the intent to defile in the case, and he is being held in jail in isolation, according to Charlottesville police. Authorities are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of the 18-year-old, a second-year student at the university. More than 3,000 tips to Graham's possible whereabouts have poured in, Carter Johnson, a police spokesman, said. As part of the search effort, police have asked owners of large parcels of property in surrounding counties to search their land and report back. Hannah Graham disappearance: What we know . Aerial drone search . The search for Graham now includes the use of an aerial drone -- the first time, according to authorities, one has been used in the search for a missing person in the state. The addition of the drone to the search effort comes more than two weeks after Graham disappeared from an area of Charlottesville known as the Downtown Mall. The drone has a high-quality camera, and it will "look closer" at objects of interest, said John Coggin, chief engineer of the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership and one of the members of the team operating the drone. The drone is expected to help with the search of vast tracts of land in the area. As the drone worked from overhead Wednesday, more than 50 law enforcement personnel participated in the search in Fairfax County. Authorities check unsolved cases for ties to Hannah Graham disappearance . 'New forensic link' The search of Wednesday also included U.S. 29, outside of Charlottesville, where another woman reportedly disappeared. The search follows reports that Virginia State Police found a "new forensic link" between the Graham case and the death of Morgan Harrington, a 20-year-old Virginia Tech student, who went missing after attending a Metallica concert in Charlottesville in October 2009. Harrington was last seen hitchhiking along U.S. 29, and her remains were found on a farm months later. Almost from the start, speculation was raised about the possibility of a connection between Graham's disappearance and Harrington's death. No arrests have been made in Harrington's case, and the cause of her death is still under investigation. CNN's Chelsea J. Carter, Jason Morris, Ed Lavandera, Jean Casarez and journalist Betsy Kaufman contributed to this report.
Suspect Jesse Matthew was investigated for sexual assault while in college in 2003 . Hannah Graham, 18, disappeared on September 13 . Authorities have charged Jesse Matthew, 32, in connection with the case . A drone mounted with a camera will ''look closer'' at objects of interest, an official says .
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A gunman in an Afghan National Army uniform and another man shot dead two NATO soldiers at a combat outpost in southern Afghanistan Thursday, authorities said. The dead soldiers were Americans, according to Niaz Mohammad Sarhadi, the district chief in Kandahar province, where the shooting happened. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, however, did not immediately specify the service members' nationalities. Thursday's shooting was the third at a base or government building since news emerged that U.S. troops mistakenly burned Qurans and other religious materials early last week -- an incident that has sparked outrage, protests, and violence across Afghanistan. All three shootings were carried out by men in official clothing. Four Americans were killed in the earlier attacks. If the troops killed Thursday are indeed American, that would bring the death toll from the three attacks to six. A top U.S. lawmaker last month cited at least 42 attacks by Afghan security forces on their international allies in the past five years. Rep. Buck McKeon, who chairs the Armed Services Committee, said 39 of the attacks were by members of the Afghan National Security Force and three were by contractors. "Though less than 1% of Afghan forces and security guards have attacked coalition forces, this is 42 attacks too many and the new process must do better," he said at a congressional hearing. Most attackers were acting on their own, rather than being puppets of insurgent groups, defense officials testified. France suspended its operations in Afghanistan after four French soldiers were killed by Afghan counterparts in eastern Kapisa province in January. That shooting came after another Afghan soldier killed two French soldiers in December. "The French army is not in Afghanistan to be shot at by Afghan soldiers," French President Nicolas Sarkozy said after the shootings. Coalition forces responding to Thursday's incident killed the two gunmen, said Capt. Justin Brockhoff, an ISAF spokesman. Sarhadi said one gunman was an Afghan National Army soldier and the other, dressed in civilian clothes, was a teacher who formerly ran literacy courses for Afghan army soldiers. Afghan civilians are sometimes used to teach Afghan soldiers English to improve their ability to work alongside ISAF. It appeared that the teacher had been planning the attack for at least a year, Sarhadi said, because officials found pictures and other documents related to the Taliban among his possessions. U.S. officials have called the Quran burning an error by troops who were inadvertently given the Qurans and other religious materials to dispose of because they were thought to contain extremist inscriptions. U.S. President Barack Obama has apologized for the burning. Still, gunmen have targeted U.S. troops in the days following the burning. A man wearing an Afghan National Army uniform killed two American soldiers at a base in eastern Nangarhar province early last week. Over the weekend, two senior U.S. officers were gunned down inside the heavily secure Afghan Interior Ministry when a junior intelligence officer turned his gun on them. The gunman, who had been fired by the ministry but recently rejoined as a driver, is still on the loose. The incident prompted the United States to pull military advisers and embedded civilians from Afghan ministries, and France announced it was temporarily withdrawing all of its public officials in Afghan institutions to ensure their safety. The unrest following the Quran burning has left at least 41 people dead, including the two deaths Thursday, and hundreds more wounded. At least nine people were killed and 12 wounded in an explosion Monday near the front gate of the ISAF base at Jalalabad airport in eastern Afghanistan. There were no NATO casualties in the bombing. The Taliban insurgency said the attack was in retaliation for the Quran burning. In northern Kunduz province over the weekend, protesters attacked a police chief's office and a U.S. military base, Afghan and U.S. authorities said. Some threw hand grenades at the base, known as Combat Outpost Fortitude, and the resulting blasts wounded seven U.S. personnel believed to be Special Forces members, they said. Demonstrations outside the United Nations office in Kunduz on Saturday left four civilians dead and prompted the U.N. mission there to say Monday that it is temporarily relocating its international staff. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Sunday the unrest and targeting of Americans has gotten "out of hand" and needs to stop. The Obama administration feels the Afghans have not done enough to stem the violence, according to a senior U.S. official who has access to the latest intelligence and is involved in administration discussions, but declined to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the situation. "We are not going to settle for what has happened to our troops in recent days," the official said. The U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Ryan Crocker, maintained Sunday that the Afghan security forces have given their lives to control the demonstrations and protect U.S. installations. Crocker said the Afghans "are very much in this fight trying to protect us." After the Interior Ministry shooting, Lt. Col. Jimmie Cummings, an ISAF spokesman, said the United States would not let the incident divide the coalition.
Afghan official says the victims were Americans . The shootings are part of a spike in violence after the burning of Qurans by NATO troops . Two U.S. soldiers were gunned down last week at a base in eastern Afghanistan . Coalition forces have pulled staff from Afghan ministries after the Interior Ministry shooting .
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President Barack Obama and 20 other world leaders participated in a tree-planting ceremony near Beijing on Tuesday, but the trees had already been planted by the Chinese government. The fake photo-op came after a session of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. '‎When the plenary was done, the leaders took part in a tree planting near the conference center,' a White House pool reporter wrote while Washington slept 13 time zones away. 'Actually, the evergreens were already planted when they got there – one tree for each country in APEC, each with a little pile of dirt and a shovel next to it.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . FAKE PLANTING: Obama dug a 'hole' in the dirt for a tree 'planting' -- but the already-planted evergreens can be seen behind him . NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION: Obama strode to his ceremonial shovel with his hands behind his back, while Russian president Vladimir Putin swaggered to his already-planted tree . 'RAPPER': Chinese citizens slammed Obama on Tuesday for casually emerging from his limo at the APEC summit while chewing gum – which may have been his favorite stop-smoking aid . The result was 'a little future forest of eight-foot evergreens along a path of astro-turf.' Photos show the president smirking as he grips a shovel and plunges it into a symbolic pile of dirt. Russia's president, by contrast, swaggered to his tree,' according to the pool report. And Obama 'walked up with his hands clasped behind his back.' After the tree 'planting,' Obama was heard telling a fellow head of state: 'Success!' The laid-back president took a moment to banter with a Spanish-language camera crew who called for his attention. 'Hey, hombre!' he shouted with a wave. Obama's casual style has attracted online criticism from the Chinese people, who are accustomed to seeing their president, Xi Jinping maintain a strictly formal demeanor. Live TV coverage broadcast on state-run networks showed him emerging from his limousine chewing gum. Some users of the Sina Weibo microblogging service, a Chinese clone of Twitter,called him an impolite 'idler' and a careless 'rapper,' according to USA Today. 'We made this meeting so luxurious, with singing and dancing, but see Obama, stepping out of his car chewing gum like an idler,' wrote Yin Hong, a professor of journalism at Beijing's Tsinghua University. The gum may have been Obama's way of coping with the stress of international diplomacy as he faces a rough final two years in the White House: He's known in Washington as a prolific user of nicotine gum as a stop-smoking measure. Fake flora on the grounds of the Yanqi Lake convention center, about 45 miles from central Beijing, include more than just pre-set evergreen trees. The pool reporter noted 'lots of out of season flowers in the flower beds.' 'On close inspection, you see that they're in plastic flats or stuffed into green styrofoam.' Leaders of the 21 APEC countries gathered in Beijing for a 'family photo' after talking through trade issues . It a tree is planted in a forest and no one sees it go in the ground, is it really planted? A Chinese pagoda towers over the Yanqi Lake convention center grounds as world leaders participate in the staged pageantry . 'SUCCESS!': Obama 'planted' his 'tree' and then chatted with Chilean president Michelle Bachelet . Obama told APEC attendees that the annual event 'has been able to provide an extraordinarily important forum for generating ideas that boost regional and then global integration, and has helped to provide jobs and support growth in all of our economies.' He will leave Beijing on Wednesday for Naypyitaw, Myanmar, the site of this year's East Asia Summit. The White House's official announcements have referred to that country as 'Burma,' in a hat-tip to pro-Democracy leaders there who resent the 1989 official name-change by an unelected military regime. Obama's remaining schedule for the week calls for G20 summit events in Brisbane, Australia and a speech at the University of Queensland. There are no additional tree-plantings on his calendar.
'Success!' the president was heard telling a fellow head of state after the fake photo-op . A White House pool reporter traveling with Obama noted that 'the evergreens were already planted when they got there ... each with a little pile of dirt and a shovel next to it' He approached his ceremonial shovel with his hands clasped behind his back, while Vladimir Putin 'swaggered to his tree' Obama shouted 'Hey, hombre!' to a Spanish-language camera crew who yelled for his attention . Chinese Internet users slammed him for casually chewing gum as he exited a limo on his arrival, calling him an 'idler' and a 'rapper'
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:31 EST, 29 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:21 EST, 29 June 2012 . 'Worrying': Iain Gilmour complained that the noise of 110 children talking loudly in the dinner hall was a health risk . A head teacher ordered pupils to  whisper at lunchtime – because their talking was so loud it ‘broke health and safety laws’. Iain Gilmour complained that the children’s cacophonous chatting could give staff migraines. But parents say the move was overly strict and prevented pupils at Isambard Brunel Junior School from relaxing between lessons. The mother of an eight-year-old pupil said: ‘It seems a strange thing for the headmaster to come up with. ‘Part of education is learning social skills. Children need to learn how to relax with their peers. ‘I was in disbelief when I heard about this . . . [the lunch break is] their time to relax and converse with friends and not have to worry about doing as they are told in class.’ Another parent added: ‘The head teacher [told me] he asked the children to whisper. When I asked why he said he gets a headache. ‘It’s not fair on the kids. They should be able to talk to their friends. If they don’t talk they aren’t able to socialise properly.’ Mr Gilmour said pupils had complained about behaviour in the dining hall in a survey, which had influenced the school’s actions. 'Strange': Parents of pupils at Isambard Brunel Junior School argue the move was overly strict and stopped their children being able to relax between lessons . However, he added that children at the Portsmouth school were no longer required to whisper. ‘In our lunch hall we had 110 children shouting. It was breaking the health and safety laws in terms of decibels,’ he claimed. ‘We said to them “please talk quietly, and if you can’t talk quietly then don’t talk at all”. ‘I did say whisper to begin with. Now it’s a quiet chat – everybody can hear everybody talk. Our teachers and dinner staff were having problems making themselves heard. But it’s a lovely atmosphere now.’ 'The idea of children being seen and . not heard is definitely not what we are doing. We are just trying to . make dinner time nice.' Mr . Gilmour said pupils had previously complained about the behaviour in the . school hall in a children’s survey and this had influenced the school’s . actions. U-turn: But Mr Gilmour says he has now relaxed the ruling at the school in North End, Portsmouth, Hants, and children are no longer required to whisper but have to 'talk quietly'
Iain Gilmour complained that the noise of . 110 children talking loudly could . give staff migraines . Rule enacted after pupil chatter broke legal decibel level . Parents tell of 'disbelief' after the rule was imposed . Rule has been relaxed from 'whisper' to 'quiet chat'
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . 'I love it': Dame Helen Mirren, pictured with her husband Taylor Hackford in 2012, said that there was a time that she didn't want to get married . Marriage can be hard work but couples are too quick to give up on it, according to Dame Helen Mirren. The 69-year-old Oscar winner, who wed director Taylor Hackford in 1997, said that it has required a great deal of effort to remain together and provided her advice for marital harmony. She said: 'It’s hard to live with someone . else, who isn’t you. They have annoying habits and so do you. A lot of . people get married when they haven’t really thought it through. 'But I . also believe that sometimes people give up on marriage too quickly.’ She added: ‘It’s not . a state of bliss and there was a time when I never wanted to be . married. Now I love it. I like being part of a team and a partnership.' Dame Helen is currently starring in film The Hundred-Foot Journey in which she plays the owner of a Michelin-starred French restaurant. Last year she admitted that her husband aren’t ‘remotely romantic’. The couple, who got married in 1997 after 11 years together, don’t send each other Valentine’s cards, and they regularly forget to mark birthdays with a present. In an interview with Woman & Home, she said: ‘Taylor and I aren’t remotely romantic with each other. And actually we appreciate the lack of romance in the other person. ‘I’d be completely horrified if Taylor gave me a Valentine’s card! That’s not our sort of relationship at all - we would pour cold water on that sort of thing. ‘We even forget to get each other birthday presents - I’m always thinking the day before, “Oh, I must get Taylor something for his birthday”. ‘Without being corny, we try simply to be considerate to each other every day rather than lavishing each other with gifts.’ But she said Mr Hackford always sends her one present - a bunch of roses to calm her stage fright. ‘The one thing that Taylor does always do for me, though, is to send me a bouquet of yellow roses on a first night for luck,’ she said. ‘When they arrive, I know they’re from him and I love that. And they are all the more special because he’s not constantly giving me things.’ The couple (pictured left in 2005 and right in 2007), who got married in 1997 after 11 years together, don’t send each other Valentine’s cards, and they regularly forget to mark birthdays with a present . The Oscar-winning actress is currently starring in film The Hundred-Foot Journey as Madame Mallory (pictured), the owner of a Michelin-starred French restaurant . Dame Helen also revealed she is rather low maintenance when it comes to being wined and dined. She said: ‘We’ll occasionally go out for dinner, but we don’t need date nights. Being with Taylor is exciting and I feel as if I’m on a permanent date with him.’ Of her marriage, she has previously said: ‘It was never my intention to marry anybody. Economics are basically the only reason to get married, but I’m very glad I did it.’ Of her marriage, Dame Helen, pictured with her husband in 2006, has previously said: 'It was never my intention to marry anybody. Economics are basically the only reason to get married, but I'm very glad I did it'
Helen Mirren admitted that there was a time she didn't want to get married . Now she says she loves 'being part of a team and a partnership' She married director Taylor Hackford more than 15 years ago . The actress said that people 'give up on marriage too quickly'
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A video has captured the moment a bride who thought she was wearing a wedding gown for a photoshoot discovered that she was actually dressed up for her big day. The bride-to-be, Christina, thought she was only at the Mall of Georgia in Buford with a photographer friend to pose for a bridal project but wept as she learned that her loved ones were there as well - and waiting for her to walk down the aisle. The start of the video shows Christina wearing a wedding dress and with her hair and makeup finished perfectly as she is led through the mall and outside to a large Christmas tree. Scroll down for video . Stunned: Bride-to-be Christina was shocked when her father, Michael, told her that rather than taking part in a bridal shoot, she was actually at the Mall of Georgia to be married to her fiance, Brian . Shock: Her father broke the news to her as she waited to have her pictures taken by a photographer . As she prepares to pose for photographs, she is led around the tree - and is stunned to see her father Michael waiting for her, dressed in a tuxedo and with a bunch of flowers. He tells her: 'You're getting married today.' Overwhelmed, she hugs him and wipes away tears, before he whisks her back around the tree to see her crowd of waiting guests and her fiance, Brian - the man behind the plan. Her father walked her to the end of the aisle, which was marked by the standing crowd, and led her towards the man she was about to marry as her bridesmaids cheered. With Christina still wiping away her tears, the couple were married and celebrated with their friends. Hectic: As her father broke the news to her behind the tree, friends and family ran into position . Surprise! Christina and her father appeared from behind the tree to see the wedding guests waiting . Big day: Her father walked her down the aisle as her bridesmaids cheered her along . The video, which was shared to YouTube on Tuesday, also contains footage taken by a drone above the crowd. It shows the crowd rushing into place in the square before she is pulled back around the tree. 'Meet Brian and Christina and their Surprise Flash Mob Christmas Wedding,' the video's creator, Chris Green, wrote on YouTube. 'Christina, who is engaged, got in her wedding dress because she thought she was at the mall to do a favor for a photographer friend working on a special bridal project.' Celebration: Christina kisses her husband Brian after he masterminded the flash mob wedding plan .
A video shows the moment a bride, Christina, learned that she was at the Mall of Georgia for her wedding - not for a photoshoot . As her father broke the news to her, her friends and family ran into place . The plan was the idea of her fiance, Brian .
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Cairo (CNN) -- Thousands gathered in the Egyptian capital on Friday in a mass demonstration against the country's armed forces and its heavy-handed treatment of protesters, which has since drawn international condemnation. Protesters could be seen erecting tents in Cairo's Tahrir Square, a location widely considered the epicenter of an uprising that brought down Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak earlier this year. The move marks the latest in a series of protests around the capital, where at least 16 people were killed in recent days amid clashes with Egyptian authorities. The unrest appears to largely stem from a stretch of assaults by police and defiant protests by demonstrators demanding that Egypt's ruling military cede power to a civilian government. Protesters on Friday could be heard singing the country's national anthem and chanting slogans, such as "The honor of Egyptian women is a red line." They also put up a large projector screen in the city's square, which showed videos of violence against protesters and included testimonials by the injured and family members of those recently killed. Days of clashes were further stoked last weekend by the beating of a woman at the hands of military officers, prompting Tuesday's so-called "Million Women" march, billed as an attempt to highlight regime violence against female demonstrators. Egypt's ruling military council later expressed "great regret" to the women over recent attacks and vowed to hold accountable those responsible. Security forces, meanwhile, on Friday appeared largely absent from the demonstration, according to CNN personnel at the scene. But political groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood and its Freedom and Justice Party, as well as the Salfi Islamic Movement, said they were boycotting the events. The country's Islamic Wasat Party, however, has decided to participate. Elsewhere in Cairo, hundreds of protesters converged on the city's Abasya Square, chanting slogans such as "No to Destruction." Large crowds also gathered in similar demonstrations in the Egyptian cities of Alexandria and Suez, according to state television. On Wednesday, Egypt's military announced on Facebook that they had acquired information of a "plan to vandalize government buildings and topple Egypt on January 25, 2012." The date would mark the one-year anniversary of the start of Egypt's uprising that largely began in Tahrir square on January 25, 2011. Demonstrators have also called for the country's presidential elections, scheduled to take place in June, to be moved ahead to instead take place on the anniversary. A Ministry of Health spokesman, meanwhile, said that some 30 ambulances have been stationed near Tahrir Square and a field hospital has been set-up in anticipation of possible clashes.
Thousands gathered in Cairo in a mass demonstration against the country's armed forces . Demonstrators demand that Egypt's ruling military cede power to a civilian government . Demonstrators are calling for presidential elections to be moved ahead to January .
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(CNN Student News) -- Discussion Questions . 1. When is Black History Month observed? When did Black History Month get its start? Who was Dr. Carter G. Woodson? What was his role in the establishment of Black History Month? 2. What are some significant events and milestones in U.S. black history? Who are some of the individuals who have contributed to black history? 3. How does black history help to tell the story of what it means to be an American? How have African-Americans enriched that story? What lessons can be learned from the experiences of black history makers? Learning Activities . Use these activities to encourage your students to learn about and appreciate the history, culture and achievements of African-Americans. 1. A Milestone in U.S. History . Remind students that they have witnessed a truly historical event in their lifetime: the election of Barack Obama as the first African-American president. What will they remember about this milestone? What do they want future generations to know about it? Challenge students to write letters to students who will be in their place 100 years from now, describing the event and its significance for all Americans. Combine the letters into a book or a Web site, or create a video of students reading their letters. Present the finished product to your school's historian or media specialist for archiving. 2. Covering Black History . Ask students: What if CNN correspondents had been on the scene to record key moments in black history for the entire world to see? Organize students into small teams of reporters, and have each team select a time period in American history and a key figure or event that helped to define that time period for African-Americans. Then, have students imagine that CNN was there to cover the historical figure or event. Ask: How do you think that CNN reporters might have covered these stories? Encourage the teams to write scripts for news stories on their historical figures and events. After students have presented their scripts, have them compare their reports to eyewitness accounts and local newspaper reports that were written at the time. 3. Harlem Renaissance . Inform students that during the 1920s and 1930s, an African-American cultural movement occurred in the United States that was known as the Harlem Renaissance. It was a literary, musical and artistic explosion that was born in Harlem, New York, and it had a profound impact on African-American culture and on the U.S. as a whole. Have your class host a Harlem Renaissance cultural fair. Direct students to online resources to learn about some of the great artists, writers and musicians who were part of the renaissance and their contribution to this cultural movement. Have each student select one of these African-American artists and design a display that tells about the life and times of the artist and the importance of his or her work. Invite guests from your school and community to attend the exhibit. Have students serve as "roaming curators" to instruct and interest guests in the Harlem Renaissance and the creative works of these great African-Americans. 4. Profiles in Black History . Do your students show a personal interest in science, music, politics, theater, sports or education? Inspire them to celebrate the contributions of African-Americans by having them write profiles of African-Americans in the categories that interest them. For example, a budding young scientist might choose to profile the inventor of the ironing board, the lawn mower or the space shuttle retrieval arm, all of whom were/are African-Americans. Direct your students to online and print resources and have them conduct research on their chosen individuals. Then, encourage students to write proposals to have their selected persons commemorated in new postage stamps. Students should accompany their proposals with designs for the stamps. In their presentations, students should try to convince classmates why their profiled persons should have a stamp created in their name. Post the designs around the classroom. 5. Local African-American History . Valuable lessons in black history may be found just a few steps away in the stories and documents that can be found in local libraries, historical organizations, universities or colleges, and online. Encourage students to venture out into the community to investigate the history and contributions of black Americans in their city or town. Students might choose to use milestones in black history as a way to organize their research, gathering information on how those events impacted the community and its residents. They may also decide to profile influential black community members. Have students invite community members to a celebration of local black history. 6. Black History Museum . Celebrate black history by creating plans for a local Black History Museum. First, have students decide where the museum should be housed. Suggestions might include a school or local library, an exhibit in an existing history museum, or perhaps a virtual online museum. Next, discuss how the museum should be organized. Students may choose to categorize the content by theme, by specific time periods, by specific dates, by people or by local landmarks. Encourage students to include interactive elements and multimedia in their plans. Then, challenge students to consider what people, events or contributions to include in their Black History Museum. Ask: What messages or lessons do you want visitors to take away from the exhibits? 7. Not Just for February . Inform students that, while Dr. Carter G. Woodson chose the month of February to recognize the accomplishments of African-Americans, black history can be celebrated all year long. Challenge students to create year-long calendars or timelines that highlight the contributions of African-American newsmakers, illustrate key events in black history, and encourage an ongoing celebration of black culture. Standards . Social Studies . II. Time, Continuity, and Change . Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ways human beings view themselves in and over time. V. Individuals, Groups and Institutions . Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of interactions among individuals, groups, and institutions. The Curriculum Standards for Social Studies (http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands/ are published by the National Council for Social Studies (http://www.socialstudies.org/). Resources . CNN: Black in America 2: . http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/black.in.america/ . U.S. Census Bureau: Black (African-American) History Month: February 2010: . http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/014487.html .
February is Black History Month . These questions and activities help students learn about the history, culture and achievements of African-Americans . These questions and activities can be adapted to accommodate students of different grade levels and learning styles .
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Veterinary students have bared all for a nude calendar, donning nothing but strategically placed animals - for charity, of course. Fourth year students from the University of Sydney's veterinary science course in Camden, south-west of Sydney, stripped off their white coats to produce a tasteful 'Under the Overalls' calendar. The 10th annual student calendar features shots of naked students posing with horses, cats, dogs and fish, which will raise funds for Greyhound Rescue. Scroll down for video . Fourth year students from University of Sydney's veterinary science course in Camden have stripped off for a nude calendar . The 2015 'Under the Overalls' calender will be the 10th annual student calendar featuring shots of naked students posing with various animals . Kara Altman, 21, one of the organisers and a vet student, told Daily Mail Australia that the students involved had lots of fun. 'It is hilarious - it starts off awkward but everyone gets into it and it is really fun. 'It's a really good bonding experience - it is our final year together so it is a great thing to do at the end of the year,' she said. This year students hope to see more people supporting the charity calendar, which in-turn will see more money being raised. 'It is hilarious - it starts off awkward but everyone gets into it and it is really fun,' Kara Altman, 21, one of the organisers of the calender said . The proceeds sold for each calendar will raise money for Greyhound Rescue . Ms Altman said they decided to better promote it and raise more awareness among the wider community. 'We contacted the local paper and have a Facebook page,' Ms Altman told Daily Mail Australia. Ms Altman said around 24 people went 'Full Monty' at the veterinary farms at Werombi, in Sydney's south-west. She said this year the pictures of the naked students were done in a more professional and arty manner. About 24 people went 'Full Monty' at the veterinary farms at Werombi, in Sydney's south-west . 'Every year it is a charity nude calendar but this year it was a lot more professional - we had a lot more direction,' Ms Altman said . 'Every year it is a charity nude calendar but this year it was a lot more professional - we had a lot more direction. 'We hired a professional photography company called House of Cameo, so all the photos look great. 'We actually have our last group shoot tomorrow - we hope we will get even more people involved,' Ms Altman said. Although the shoot may have been tasteful, that did not stop the naked students from receiving a honk from a lecturer as he drove by . Ms Altman said that her favourite shot was the Christmas shot because 'nearly everyone was involved' The calendar includes group shots of the naked students and only one of the shots had one person. 'My favourite is the group Christmas shot because nearly everyone was involved and it was a really relaxed shot - it was really nice,' Ms Altman said. Although the shoot may have been tasteful, that did not stop the naked students from receiving a honk from a car driving past - it was a lecturer. The calender costs $20 and 200 inital copies will be ready in two weeks . The photographs were taken over the course of a week in October. The calender costs $20 and will be ready in two weeks. There will be 200 prints initially, but students hope there will be a higher demand. To purchase a Under the Overalls calendar go to: https://www.facebook.com/undertheoveralls .
Fourth year students from University of Sydney's veterinary science course in Camden, south-west of Sydney took part in the 10th annual nude calendar . The students posed naked with horses, cats, dogs and fish . This year they decided to hire a professional photographer and better promote the cause . The calendar will raise money for Greyhound Rescue .
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There is a real danger of Sergio Aguero becoming the Premier League’s greatest striker of all-time if he manages to maintain a freak minutes-per-goal record which even tops Thierry Henry. The Manchester City man scored the only goal in Sunday’s derby win against rivals United – meaning he now notches once every 109 minutes. It was Aguero’s 62nd in the league for City – and 10th this season – and puts him ahead of Henry, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Alan Shearer. Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has netted 62 Premier League goals in 6783 minutes in England . Sergio Aguero converts Gael Clichy's low cross from the left to put Manchester City 1-0 ahead in the derby . Aguero (second from left) is mobbed by his team-mates after giving the hosts the lead against Man United . Thierry Henry is widely-regarded as one of the best strikers to have ever graced the Premier League . Not only that, the 26-year-old is comfortably in front of every other frontman to have lit up the top flight since 1992. Henry – Arsenal’s main man for eight years – netted 175 times in 237 Premier League games. Widely-regarded as a revolutionary in the modern era, Henry’s capability of scoring 20-a-season in double-quick time put him on a pedestal as the best there had been. Even superior to Shearer, who ended his career with more, 260, but took longer in between strikes to find the net. Van Nistelrooy’s trailblazing four campaigns at Manchester United – ignoring the injury-ravaged first – garnered 95 goals at a rate of one every 128 minutes. Robin van Persie’s strike rate is healthy at 137 minutes per goal, while the year spent in England by Samuel Eto’o had proved profitable – his 12 goals coming in 1609 minutes. Manchester United skipper Wayne Rooney, on the other hand, has taken 168 minutes for each of his 176 in the Premier League. That isn’t a record to be sniffed at. It comes in at better than a goal every other game if purely using minutes. Aguero’s 109 minutes for every strike – which is half-an-hour more impressive than Luis Suarez and Edin Dzeko – makes him the most lethal marksman to have graced English football. Henry comfortably finishes past Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen in an FA Cup tie . Aguero has a better minutes-per-goal ratio than ex-Liverpool talisman Luis Suarez (celebrating at Norwich) Alan Shearer's goals were crucial in Blackburn winning the 1995 Premier League title (Chris Sutton right) Detractors may point to the City striker’s injury record – he always struggles to get through a full campaign without tweaking something – as reason enough to suggest he can never be named No 1. But even last year, when Aguero spent two months on the sidelines, he was up there with Suarez and Daniel Sturridge. His manager Manuel Pellegrini said last December that this season’s top scorer was a better player than the Uruguayan. ‘Suarez is a very important striker, but I think Sergio participates more in the game,’ Pellegrini claimed. ‘He has always been a top player and he has always scored goals, but I think at this moment, he has added working for the team without the ball, which is also important for him.’ Shearer scored 260 Premier League goals, most marked with his trademark celebration . The bustling centre forward often notched from the penalty spot but got plenty from open play . Wayne Rooney is in the top 25 but his record is worse than the likes of Robin van Persie and Javier Hernandez . The Chilean certainly isn’t wrong – Aguero contributes so much more – but it is for his goalscoring that he will be remembered most fondly for. There was never any danger of Gael Clichy’s centre not ending up nestled beyond David de Gea at the Etihad Stadium this weekend. It is that sort of clinical finishing that sets him apart. He rarely needs more than one chance. While Aguero offers much more across the width of a pitch and in behind defenders, there are a number of players who have merely relied on their prowess in front of goal to retain a spot in the upper echelons of this all-time Premier League list. Javier Hernandez, now at Real Madrid, was renowned for doing very little in United games before a ball broke inside the opposition penalty area, while Adam Le Fondre – whose record is only topped by Henry and Aguero – has forever been an impact substitute. Ivan Klasnic's goalscoring record while at Bolton puts him among the Premier League's elite . Tony Yeboah (pictured scoring for Leeds against Liverpool in 1995) scored picture-book goals . Reading used Adam Le Fondre as a super sub - but his minutes-per-goal ratio was exemplary . Ole Gunnar Solskjaer often saved Manchester United late on in games after being called from the bench . Shearer was chief penalty taker wherever he played, while Ivan Klasnic’s 20 Bolton goals tended to come in gluts (and often from the bench) before Owen Coyle sent him packing. Unsurprisingly, both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Owen feature, although their records of a goal every 150 minutes might have been better if the pair didn’t spend so much time coming back from injuries. Derby’s Branko Strupar makes the list, but his four years at Pride Park from 1999 actually only brought about 15 goals, with Tony Yeboah’s record slightly more impressive. Of the current crop to surprise, Andre Schurrle and Wilfried Bony both make the top 25. Whether Aguero’s record can be beaten remains to be seen, but it looks doubtful.
Manchester City striker pips Thierry Henry in the charts . Sergio Aguero scores once every 109 Premier League minutes . Luis Suarez, Robin van Persie and Edin Dzeko also high up . Adam Le Fondre the surprise name in third place .
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(CNN) -- NASA officials said Saturday they are confident that space shuttle Discovery's Wednesday launch will go as scheduled, sending a crew of six astronauts to the International Space Station on an 11-day mission. NASA Test Director Jeff Spaulding said mechanical repairs on the shuttle's system used to pressurize Discovery's right hand Orbital Maneuvering System Pod have been successful. "Right now we're in a good path to get there," Spaulding said. The shuttle is scheduled to launch Wednesday. The targeted launch time is 3:52 p.m. ET, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the shuttle's launch and landing site. Initially, a mechanical problem had forced NASA to delay the final launch of the Discovery, the space agency said Friday. The original Monday launch date was delayed after officials found an air leak in the Orbital Maneuvering System Pod, NASA announced. The weather forecast for Wednesday's launch calls for a 70 percent chance of acceptable conditions, NASA weather officials said. Discovery's 11-day flight is expected to be a "very busy mission," NASA Flight Director Bryan Lunney said. "After we fly around the Earth about 170 times, Discovery will come home for its last flight," Lunney said during a news conference last month. "The crew is ready to go." The six-member crew, led by Cmdr. Steven Lindsey, will install a new "permanent multipurpose module" called Leonardo on the International Space Station. This will be the 133rd space shuttle mission and the final one for Discovery. The shuttle Endeavour is set to launch February 26, and Congress passed a bill this month authorizing another, final space shuttle mission.
NASA officials confident that Discovery's launch will go as scheduled . Crew of six astronauts set to go on an 11-day mission . Orbital Maneuvering System Pod repaired .
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A globe-trotting benefits cheat who travelled the world while claiming she was agoraphobic and housebound has been told to expect jail. 'Agoraphobic' Tracy Johnson claimed to be so unwell that she could not leave her own house or walk more than five metres without help. But the 52-year-old mother, from Frome, Somerset, was actually enjoying a 'champagne lifestyle' while writing travel guides, cookbooks and steamy novels as she falsely claimed benefits of around £50,000. Tracy Johnson claimed to be so unwell that she could not leave her own house. But she was actually enjoying a 'champagne lifestyle' while writing . travel guides, cookbooks and steamy novels as claimed benefits of £50,000 . 'Beneifts cheat': Tracy Johnson, 52, claimed £50,000 while travelling the world. She is pictured at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court . As well as a four-month stint in India, Johnson travelled on shopping sprees in New York and Madrid. A court also heard she spent six months working in Argentina as a tour guide while receiving cold winter payments. And . the day after telling benefits officials she could not walk more than . five metres (16ft) without help, Johnson went on a two-day trip to . central London. She told the jury during the trial: 'I . think I'm entitled to go and sit on a beach in Goa. But you can sit on a . beach in Goa watching the sunset and still be in a pretty desperate . state.' Globetrotter: Johnson is pictured above at the Salinas Grandes salt flats in Argentina . Salt flats: Johnson is pictured above at another locale in Argentina . A . jury at Merthyr Crown Court convicted the defendant of 13 charges - . including fraud, dishonestly making a false representation, and . dishonestly failing to notify a change in circumstances between January . 2008 and July 2012. Recorder Andrew Crabb warned Johnson to expect a custodial sentence. He said: 'A period of custody is likely to follow. How long that will be I could not say at this point.' Joanna James, prosecuting, earlier told the ourt: ‘Tracy Johnson was living the life that . honest, decent, hardworking taxpayers could only dream of. ‘While workers were going out to do their daily grind, she was shopping in New York or having a few days in Madrid. Sightseeing: Johnson is shown taking a photograph on her travels . 'Unable to live': The court heard Johnson rarely spoke to other people or went outside, and couldn't live in her own home . 'Champagne lifestyle': Prosecutors in the case referred to Johnson's 'blatant dishonesty' On the road: In this picture, shown to the jury, a cactus can be seen in the background as Johnson eats at the wheel of a left-hand-drive car . Author: The jury was told how Johnson wrote . novels during the period she was making claims, some of which are linked . to the destinations she visited . ‘She . said she was unable to live on a day-to-day basis because she was . agoraphobic, suffered depression, hallucinations, anxiety, blackouts and . post-traumatic stress disorder. ‘But . while submitting claim forms telling the authorities that she was . unwell, she was travelling the world on taxpayers’ money. The court heard how Johnson, of Frome, . Somerset, had changed her address to her mother’s home in Builth Wells, . Powys, for the purpose of claiming benefits. She was arrested when she . tried to renew her benefits claim in June after she returned from India. Miss . James said: ‘In 2012 she decided to use taxpayers’ money to have a . four-month trip around India. When police searched her home, luggage . tags were still on her suitcases. Tracy Johnson pictured here at the Basalt Cliffs in Patagonia . The fraudster is pictured here (left) at Ruins of Quilmes in Argentina . The jury had heard she had described herself as a 'spoilt girl' who travelled the world sipping pink champagne worth two weeks of a local's wages in a Himalayan spa, trekking in South America where she ran a tour guide business, shopping in the States and sunning herself on Indian beaches. In one year alone between 2011 and 2012, she spent just one month in the UK spending time in America and Argentina, where she worked in both countries as a tour guide, returning from a four-month holiday to India and Goa in April 2012. The luggage tags were still on her suitcases when she was arrested at her mother's home in Builth Wells. 'I was entitled to a little break,' she told the jury. 'I think I'm entitled to go and sit on a beach in Goa. But you can sit on a beach in Goa watching the sunset and still be in a pretty desperate state.'
Tracy Johnson, 52, found guilty of claiming £50,000 of disability payments . She said she was agoraphobic and could hardly leave her own house . But while claiming the cash she made trips abroad and wrote about travel . She enjoyed stint in India, and shopping sprees in New York and Madrid . Fraudster told jury she was 'entitled to go and sit on a beach in Goa' Johnson has today been told to expect jail after being found guilty of fraud .
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When Tubs the Labrador refused to take milk or formula from a bottle, it seemed the puppy was unlikely to survive. The animal was the runt of a litter left as orphans when their mother died, and taken in by a Colarado woman. But when he was just an hour from death, the woman saved the puppy's life – by breastfeeding it herself. Feeding time: A Colarado woman saved the life of Tubs the Labrador after he refused to take milk or formula from a bottle - by breastfeeding the puppy herself. Above, Tubs latches on to the breast of the woman . 'You could call it a maternal instinct': The woman - who wishes to remain unnamed - said the animal had been the smallest of the litter of mixed-breed Labradors that she had fostered following the death of their mother . 'He wasn't moving and I just did it. I didn't know what else to do. I was desperate and I just couldn't bear sitting there watching him die,' the mother-of-one told KRDO-TV. 'I guess you could call it, in a sense, like a maternal instinct.' The unnamed woman - who has a 15-month-old child  - said the puppy had been the smallest of the litter of mixed-breed Labradors that she had fostered following the death of their mother. She confessed she had felt 'weird' about breastfeeding the animal - but that the notion had just 'clicked' in her head. Warning: Veterinarian Amber Williams has warned of the risks posed by breastfeeding animals like puppies . 'I thought "just put him on you and pray to God that he'll take something and not die",' said the woman, who later posted a photo of herself breastfeeding the puppy on Facebook. And her actions appear to have saved the puppy's life - with the animal now weaned off breast milk and taking formula. It is also no longer the runt of the litter, and has even grown larger than some of its siblings - earning it the nickname 'Tubs'. 'I've seen the results. That dog is alive because I took the initiative,' she said. However, veterinarian Amber Williams has warned of the risks posed by breastfeeding puppies - in particular, the danger of zoonotic diseases (conditions transferred between animals and humans). 'There are things that can be passed from puppies to babies,' she said. 'In . an emergency situation, I don't think it's a big deal, but . for them to grow appropriately, I think it would be important for them . to get on a canine formula.' She added that human breast milk is not the most nutritional food for puppies - potentially damaging their growth and general health.
Tubs the Labrador was runt of litter left as orphans after mother died . Seemed unlikely to survive after refusing to drink milk from a bottle . Saved an hour from death by Colorado woman - who breast-fed it herself . 'The dog is alive because I took the initiative,' says unnamed woman . But veterinarian has warned of risks posed by breastfeeding animals .
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(CNN) -- For one group of women in Chicago on Sunday, Mother's Day was marked not with flowers, but with a stark reminder of their loss. One by one, they filed toward a newly unveiled sculpture at the city's St. Sabina Church, placing small white cards emblazoned with names such as Blair Holt and Matthew Michael Rodriguez at the foot of the two figures in the sculpture. For some of the women, the realistic work of a faceless, gun-wielding assailant killing a young girl was too much to bear, CNN affiliate WGN reported. Instead of being celebrated by their children this holiday, these mothers were mourning the deaths of their children -- all victims of gun violence on Chicago's streets. "Today, as I woke up, instead of what a lot of mothers get, which are flowers or Happy Mom's Day or a kiss, I didn't get any of that," said Maria Ramirez, whose son, Matthew, was killed at 16. "I don't even get to hear anybody say 'Mama' anymore. I'll never hear that again." The sculpture's artist, J.S. Kenar, said he was trying to "show the pain, to show that something unhuman is going on here." The city has been plagued by bloodshed on its streets this year, including a particularly deadly stretch last month in which seven people were killed and 18 wounded in a 12-hour period. Statistics released Sunday by Chicago police show that while the overall violent crime rate has decreased by 11 percent this year, the city's homicide rate has risen 8 percent. As of Saturday, 127 killings have been recorded this year -- three more homicides than the 2008 yearly total. "We cannot ignore the destructive nature of guns, and how their presence can escalate a volatile situation into a tragic one," police Superintendent Jody Weis said in a statement announcing the statistics. Annette Holt knows firsthand how destructive gun violence can be to a family. Her son, Blair, an honor student at Chicago's Percy L. Julian high school, was shot on a city bus in 2007. He was killed in a hail of gang bullets when he jumped into the line of fire to save the life of a teenage girl. He was 16. At Sunday's unveiling, Holt implored other mothers to do all they can to stop the cycle of violence. "Do something to make a difference now before you're like us (and) your child is either in the cemetery for Mother's Day or birthdays, or your child is in jail for 100 years," she said.
On Mother's Day, moms of children killed in gun violence go to St. Sabina Church . As of Saturday, 127 people have been killed in Chicago this year . Says one grieving woman: "I don't even get to hear anybody say 'Mama' anymore."
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By . Shari Miller . PUBLISHED: . 11:01 EST, 8 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:29 EST, 9 August 2012 . A drunken thug who attacked a teenager had downed nearly 50 cans of lager and two litres of vodka during a day-long binge. It means 24-year-old Russell Large had drunk around 40 times the daily recommended alcohol limit for men when the attack took place three days before Christmas last year. Large, a former mechanic and chef who has been unemployed for more than a year, admitted attacking the 17-year-old stranger in a Plymouth shop following an entire day of drinking, which involved him consuming 48 cans of Foster’s lager and two litres of vodka. Binge-drink assault: After Russell Large, 24, downed nearly 50 cans of Foster's lager and two litres of vodka in a day, he would have been 40 times over the recommended daily alcohol limit for men when the attack took place . Although it was not specified which size can Large was drinking on the day of the attack, a 440ml can of Foster’s contains 1.8 units of alcohol, while a two-litre bottle of standard vodka contains 75 units, making a total of 161.4 units. The UK Chief Medical Council advises a daily limit of four units for a man, meaning Large had drunk just over 40 times that recommendation in one day. According to the NHS, binge drinking also leads to the body not being able to process all the alcohol, meaning the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rises. A BAC of more than 400milligrams per 100 millitres of blood can result in severe breathing difficulties, coma and even death. However, a person's BAC is dependent on a number of factors including weight, the type of alcohol they have consumed, whether they regularly drink and how much food they have in their stomach. Large, of Budshead Road in the city, told magistrates in Plymouth today that he was sorry after admitting one charge of common assault. “It’s sad,” he added. The court heard Large had recently broken up with his girlfriend and had gone on a drinks binge in a local park. He got into an argument with his victim, who took refuge behind the counter of a nearby corner shop, but Large found and attacked him. Large grabbed his victim by the throat before headbutting him, leaving the teenager with injuries to his left eye. Defending, Michael Crumley described Large’s alcohol consumption as “quite staggering”. Russell Large pleaded guilty at Plymouth Magistrates for attacking the teenager following a drinking binge . He said: “That goes some way to explaining his actions. He is very ashamed and deeply regrets his actions. "He wishes to apologise to this poor, unfortunate young person (victim)." The court was told Large had started drinking at the age of 14 and came from a family with a "heavy drinking culture". His consumption of alcohol had also increased in the time leading up to the attack. Large's defence also told the court that he had no memory of the actual assault. Chairwoman of the bench, Dr Sonia Sidhom, sentenced Large to a 12-month community order, and ordered him to pay £50 compensation and £40 court costs.
Russell Large had consumed 40 times the daily recommended alcohol limit for men . He pleaded guilty to attacking 17-year-old stranger in a Plymouth shop following an argument . Large grabbed the teenager by the throat before headbutting him, leaving his victim with an injured eye . Thug handed community sentence and ordered to pay compensation and court costs .
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Fans of the film Pretty Woman are in for a treat. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, which served as the setting for the film, is offering a themed package for guests. With three levels of pampering, the hotel's 'Pretty Woman for a Day' package is chock full of perks to have guests feeling beautiful in no time. Fans of Pretty Woman can now experience a special themed weekend at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California . With prices ranging from $15,000 to $100,000, the weekend getaway packages may require guests to be a 'corporate raider' themselves . At the cheapest offering, the $15,000 (£10,000) deluxe package includes accommodations in a Deluxe Beverly Suite, as well as a personal shopper for two hours on Rodeo Drive. Guests will receive a dining etiquette lesson, private styling in their suite, a 60-minute couples massage at the Spa at Beverly Wilshire, and a cultural date night: a picnic with limo for two hours and a romantic dinner on the Veranda Suite Terrace. To remember the amazing experience, couples will be offered the chance to pose for photographs to recreate memorable scenes from the film. As part of the luxurious offerings, guests will receive a personal shopper to take them out on Rodeo Drive - and style them after . Guests have the option to stay in either the Deluxe Suite, the Veranda Suite or even the stunning 'Pretty Woman' Presidential Suite . Guests who opt for the Beverly Wilshire's ultimate package, for $100,000, will receive a 'diamond manicure and pedicure' For $22,500 (£15,000), instead of the deluxe suite, guests will be upgraded to the Veranda Suite, gain an additional hour of personal shopping time and a $1,000-pe-rperson clothing allowance for their outing. A longer couples massage and a musical serenade during the picnic lunch is also included. And for those really looking to splash out on a memorable weekend, look no further than the ultimate package - priced at $100,000 (£66,000). It includes a stay in the palatial Presidential Suite, three hours of personal shopping and a clothing allowance of $3,000 per person. All packages offer a 60- or 90-minute couples massage at the hotel's famed Spa at the Regent Beverly Wilshire . Just like in the film, you and your love will be able to head for a romantic picnic at the Greystone Manor - complete with limo transfer . All couples will be given a lovely dinner and the chance to experience a cultural 'date night' activity out in Los Angeles . Additionally, the lunch picnic with a limo ride gets a makeover too. Guests will have the option to choose from a Rolls-Royce or Bentley for a five-hour getaway, complete with a musical serenade. During a romantic dinner on the Veranda Suite terrace, celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck will make a personal appearance and couples will receive a 'diamond manicure and pedicure' as well as a 90-minute couples massage. However, coming in at $100,000, you just may need your own 'corporate raider' to be able to afford it.
With three levels of pampering, the hotel's 'Pretty Woman' themed package will leave guests feeling beautiful . The deluxe option starts at $15,000, while the ultimate package - complete with presidential suite - will run $100,000 . All packages include a couples massage, cultural date night and a romantic picnic with luxury car transfer .
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Passengers and crew of the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight most likely died from suffocation as the plane coasted into the ocean on autopilot, Australian officials have said. In a new 55-page report, the Australian Transport Safety Board said investigators arrived at the conclusion after comparing conditions on the flight with previous disasters. The news comes as authorities announced the Australian-led search will now focus on a 60,000 square kilometre area further south in the Indian Ocean. Scroll down for video . Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said it was 'highly, highly likely' flight MH370 was on autopilot . The report narrowed down the possible final resting place from thousands of possible routes, while noting the absence of communications, the steady flight path and a number of other key abnormalities in the course of the ill-fated flight. 'Given these observations, the final stages of the unresponsive crew/hypoxia event type appeared to best fit the available evidence for the final period of MH370's flight when it was heading in a generally southerly direction,' the ATSB report said. Officials said this suggested the plane was most likely to have crashed further south than previously thought. They said they are confident the . Boeing 777, carrying 239 people, was set to autopilot several hours . before its demise into desolate and unmapped waters. Deputy . Prime Minister Warren Truss said: 'It is highly, highly likely that the . aircraft was on autopilot otherwise it could not have followed the . orderly path that has been identified through the satellite sightings.' The new analysis comes more than 100 days after the plane disappeared on March 8 shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing. Mr Truss said the new phase of the search could take more than a year and involves mapping 23,000 square miles of ocean, while the previous search area was only 330 square miles . Investigators say what little evidence . they have to work with suggests the plane was deliberately diverted . thousands of kilometres from its scheduled route before eventually . plunging into the Indian Ocean. The . search was narrowed in April after a series of acoustic pings thought . to be from the plane's black box recorders were heard along a final arc . where analysis of satellite data put its last location. But . a month later, officials conceded the wreckage was not in that . concentrated area, some 1,600 km (1,000 miles) off the northwest coast . of Australia, and the search area would have to be expanded. The new analysis comes days after Malaysian police said pilot Zaharie Shah, 53 (pic), is the main suspect in the disappearance . 'The . new priority area is still focused on the seventh arc, where the . aircraft last communicated with satellite. We are now shifting our . attention to an area further south along the arc,' MrTruss told . reporters in Canberra. Truss . said the area was determined after a review of satellite data, early . radar information and aircraft performance limits after the plane . diverted across the Malaysian peninsula and headed south into one of the . remotest areas of the planet. The . next phase of the search is expected to start in August and take a . year, covering some 60,000 sq km at a cost of A$60 million ($56 million) or more. The search is already the most expensive in aviation history. The . new priority search area is around 2,000km west of Perth, a stretch of . isolated ocean frequently lashed by storm force winds and massive . swells. Two vessels, one . Chinese and one from Dutch engineering company Fugro, are currently . mapping the sea floor along the arc, where depths exceed 5,000 metres in . parts. A tender to find a commercial operator to conduct the sea floor search closes on Monday . The new search area has been the subject of an aerial search . previously, but efforts will now head below the waves, combing the . ocean floor which is some 5km deep in parts. The shift was expected as the head of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, Martin Dolan, said last week it would move south. 'This . site is a most likely place where the aircraft is resting,' he said. 'The search is going to be painstaking – of course we could be fortunate . and find it in the first hour or the first day, but it could 12 . months.' Mr Truss said Australia remained dedicated to the task of solving 'this greatest aviation mystery in total history.' Malaysia airlines flight MH370 vanished during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 with 239 passengers and crew aboard . The new analysis comes just days after Malaysian Airlines pilot Zaharie Shah, 53, was revealed to be the prime suspect behind the plane's disappearance. Malaysian police made the announcement after discovering files on Shah's home flight simulator showing he practiced landing on small airfields, including several in the Indian Ocean. The files had been deleted from the computer before officials seized it, but have since been recovered by detectives. The criminal inquiry completed intelligence checks on all of the people on board the flight to Beijing via Kuala Lumpur, but the only individual arousing suspicion was Captain Zaharie. The father-of-three was found to have no social or work-related future plans, unlike the rest of the crew including his co-pilot, Fariq Hamid. The criminal inquiry, which is yet to rule out other reasons for the plane's disappearance including a mechanical failure and terrorism, has so far only released its results to foreign governments and their investigators.
Officials say new analysis suggests plane crashed further south than previously thought . Australian Deputy PM says it is 'highly likely' plane was on autopilot . Search operation will focus on a 60,000 square kilometre area further south in the Indian Ocean based on new satellite projections .
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Manchester City striker Stevan Jovetic believes his side's thrilling UEFA Champions League win over Bayern Munich last month could have made all the difference in the bid to retain their domestic crown. Since Sergio Aguero's hat-trick sunk the Germans at the Etihad Stadium, City have put a tough series of top-flight results behind them and earned emphatic away victories at Southampton and Sunderland. Aguero was on target twice more in the 4-1 win at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday night and Jovetic says it is plain to see his side are playing with renewed confidence after pegging back leaders Chelsea to just six points. Stevan Jovetic unleashes his left-footed shot to put City in the lead at the Stadium of Light . Jovetic told City's official website: 'Honestly in the Champions League we have not played well this season but the game against Bayern helped us a lot. 'Now we are in a very good moment but we must continue like this because we are playing every three days and that can change, so we need to give 100 per cent in every game and be behind Chelsea and expect them to drop points. 'We have more confidence because we had some bad times two or three weeks ago when we didn't play so well.' City boss Manuel Pellegrini is hopeful captain Vincent Kompany will be fit to return for next week's crucial Champions League clash with Roma after missing out on the trip to the north east with a hamstring injury. Jovetic points out his provider Aguero after finishing off a slick build-up from City . Kompany is also definitely out of Saturday's clash with Everton and it was initially feared he could be sidelined for longer, but initial scans suggest the injury is not as bad as was first feared. Meanwhile, Sunderland boss Gus Poyet has injury problems to add to issues of fatigue as he prepares his side for their third big game in a week at Liverpool at the weekend. Poyet's men are clearly struggling after back-to-back clashes with Chelsea and Manchester City and Steven Fletcher's substitution with an apparent back injury 55 minutes into the Stadium of Light clash will give cause for concern. But there could be better news on midfielder Adam Johnson who missed Wednesday night's game against his former club with a minor injury which should clear up for the trip to Anfield. Jovetic believes his side's thrilling win over Bayern Munich last month could have made all the difference . Poyet said: 'Adam had a muscle problem at the end of the game (against Chelsea) and he was very close (to playing) but it was not enough.' Johnson was replaced by another former City man, Will Buckley, who admitted the Black Cats squad are feeling the strain of their hectic and high-profile fixture pile-up. Buckley told his club's official website: 'Obviously it was a massive effort on Saturday and a good point but it does take it out of you, and hopefully we can look ahead now and have a good performance against Liverpool. 'We don't like to dwell on bad performances and results so we will look to get it out of our system as soon as possible. We need to find a bit of the performance against Chelsea and take it to Anfield and do a bit better.' Â .
Manchester City beat Bayern Munich 3-2 at Etihad Stadium in November . Since then they have comfortably beaten Southampton and Sunderland . City are second in the Premier League, six points behind Chelsea .
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Watford are poised to sign Ecuador right-back Juan Carlos Paredes. The 27-year-old has refused to return to club Sporting Barcelona who plan to fine him. Club president Francisco Hidalgo confirmed: 'The negotiation with the English club is almost closed and we are only missing a few defining details.' Defensive striker: The full-back has refused to go back to his club in order to force through a move to England . World Cup star: Paredes was impressive for Ecuador in Brazil despite their failure to progress . He also insisted that the player has not explained his absence to the club, who have been unable to contact him since the World Cup. Paredes started all three of Ecuador's matches in Brazil and was impressive for his country as they failed to make it past the Group Stages.
Paredes impressed during World Cup for Ecuador . Player hasn't returned to his club, who have fined him . But Sporting Barcelona admit they are in negotiations with Watford .
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New York (CNN) -- "The Book of Mormon," a musical satire about religion written by the creators of "South Park," and "War Horse," a British play about a boy's search for his beloved horse, dominated the 65th annual Tony Awards Sunday night. The apparent predestination of "The Book of Mormon" as the big winner was not lost on comedian Chris Rock before he presented the best musical Tony. "This is such a waste of time," Rock joked. "It's like taking a hooker to dinner." "The Book of Mormon" got the best musical Tony, along with eight other trophies. The show had been nominated in 14 categories. What the show lacked in suspense was made up with entertainment as two-time Tony host Neil Patrick Harris guided the three-hour broadcast from Broadway's Beacon Theatre. Harris, who is openly homosexual, opened the show with a tongue-in-cheek number proclaiming "Broadway's not just for gays anymore." Most of the dozen song-and-dance performances were from nominated musicals, but the leading actors for "Spider-man, Turn Off the Dark" sang a duet from the show that opens on Broadway next Tuesday. "War Horse" was the big winner among plays, winning all five categories in which it was nominated -- including the best play Tony. It is the story of a teen's journey to find his horse after it was shipped to France for duty in World War I. If an award was given for the most emotional and breathless acceptance speech, it might have gone to Nikki M. James, the 30-year-old actress who claimed her first Tony after a decade of work on Broadway. "They say wrap it up, but I will not leave the stage," James said, well into her acceptance of the best featured actress in a musical Tony. James, who played an African girl in "The Book of Mormon," claimed the only acting award given to the show. "The Book of Mormon" wins set up what might have been the most unlikely of Tony "thank you" speeches. "It it weren't for you, we wouldn't be here," Trey Parker told fans of his Comedy Central animated series "South Park" as he and Casey Nicholaw accepted the Tony for best direction of a musical. Later, when Parker accepted the best musical award, he thanked "Joseph Smith, the founder of the Morman religion." "He couldn't be here tonight, but you did it, Joseph, you got the Tony," Parker said. John Larroquette now has a Tony to sit on a shelf with his five TV Emmys. The former "Night Court" actor won the best featured actor in a musical for his Broadway debut in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." Ellen Barkin, a veteran film and television actress, won the best featured actress in a play Tony for her Broadway debut in "The Normal Heart." "Performing in 'The Normal Heart' is a very profound experience for me," Barkin said in her acceptance speech. "It's the proudest moment in my career." Barkin's "Normal Heart" co-star John Benjamin Hickey was given the best featured actor award. The play, which focuses on the early years of the AIDS epidemic in New York, was chosen the best play revival. The best leading actor in a play award went to Mark Rylance for his role as Johnny "Rooster" Byron, a former daredevil motorcyclist in "Jerusalem." Norbert Leo Butz, who portrays FBI Agent Carl Hanratty in "Catch Me If You Can," captured the best leading actor in a musical Tony. His character chases a con artist, based on the real-life story of Frank Abagnale, Jr. The best leading actress in a play award was handed to Frances McDormand for her "Good People" role as a struggling out-of-work mother. Sutton Foster, who won a best actress Tony in 2002 for "Thoroughly Modern Millie," got a second trophy Sunday night. Foster carried home this year's best actress in a musical Tony for "Anything Goes." "Anything Goes" also won for best musical revival and best choreography.
"The Book of Mormon'" wins 9 musical Tony awards . "War Horse" pulls 5 awards, including best play Tony . Neil Patrick Harris hosted the song-and-dance filled broadcast .
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It’s Not About The Shark . by David Niven . (Icon Books £12.99) I have always felt there is a time and a place for self-help books. That time is Not Now and the place is Somewhere Else, A Long Way Away. But, just occasionally, a book comes along that is not only interesting, but might — just might — be of some conceivable help to someone. This, I believe, is one such. Niven, an American psychologist and social scientist, and by no means the long-deceased star of The Guns Of Navarone, sets out to help us ‘solve unsolvable problems’. While he doesn’t, because they’re unsolvable, he does help us solve problems that look unsolvable but aren’t — which, I suppose, is the next best thing. Steven Spielberg had spent the Jaws' entire original budget on one prop, a mechanical shark (stock picture) The shark in question was the one in Jaws. Steven Spielberg had spent the film’s entire original budget on one prop, a mechanical shark which, on film, looked exactly like a mechanical shark. Not only was it not scary, but in saltwater ‘even its synthetic skin failed, as it became waterlogged and bloated, transforming the terrifying shark into a giant sea marshmallow’. What to do? Niven says that, when we have a problem, many of us are overwhelmed by it. ‘Like staring at the sun and not being able to see the sky all around it, we stare at our problems and cannot see anything else, much less a solution.’ Spielberg didn’t stare at his problem. He just asked himself, ‘What would Alfred Hitchcock do?’ And he realised that the answer was not to show the shark at all, if possible. As his star Richard Dreyfuss said, with admiration: ‘He had to invent, on the spot, another way of shooting, which was to imply the shark, which made an ordinary film into a great film.’ Problems, of course, are everywhere. People can’t make decisions, so hamstrung are they by the fear of making the wrong decision. Niven tells the story of the sitcom Seinfeld, one of two pilots made by NBC one summer. The studio audience detested it. NBC executives could see the show’s potential, but no one had the courage to go out on a creative limb, so they instead ordered something called Sister Kate, which was bland, familiar and utterly unexceptional. It barely lasted a year. In the meantime, Seinfeld squeaked in through the back door. Eventually, it would be making NBC $300 million a year. Jerry Seinfeld now keeps a framed copy of that original audience report on his desk, as does the executive who originally said no. A lot of what Niven says is pretty obvious, but worth saying anyway. People in groups tend to make worse decisions than individuals: indeed, they will sometimes make decisions that none of them individually agrees with (this would explain a few Booker Prize winners). Sometimes, we think the way to solve a problem is to try harder, work longer hours, put in more effort. Niven comes up with examples to show that this can make the problem worse. As he puts it: ‘There is a giant hole in the equation Incentive + Harder Work = Better Outcome.’ Ask yourself what Hitchcock would do. Go for a walk. Let the solution come to you when you’re least expecting it. Niven can be very American in his assumptions and his tone of voice. But there’s very little of the forced cheerfulness that can bring up your breakfast with a single heave. His arguments are sound, his stories intriguing — and your muesli safe. If there’s any higher praise for a self-help book, I can’t imagine it.
David Niven says that, when we have a problem, we are overwhelmed by it . People in groups tend to make worse decisions than individuals . Sometimes, we think the way to solve a problem is to try harder . Niven uses examples to show that this can actually make a problem worse .
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(CNN) -- Illness forced Whitney Houston to postpone the first four shows of the European leg of her "Nothing But Love" comeback tour, her publicist said Wednesday. "Doctors visited Whitney late last night in Paris and confirmed that she was suffering from an upper respiratory infection," a statement issued Wednesday said. "Upon medical advice Whitney has been advised that she cannot perform to allow her time to recover." It was announced Monday that Houston would miss Tuesday's show in Paris because of the illness, but now doctors have advised her to cancel her first three United Kingdom performances, the publicist said. "Only last month Whitney had said how excited she was to be performing again in the U.K. after her eleven year absence and was looking forward to performing new songs as well as crowd favorites," the statement said. Her two Manchester, England shows have been moved from Thursday and Friday to the end of her tour on June 17 and 18, the publicist said. The Glasgow, Scotland concert has been shifted from this Sunday to May 1, he said. The tour is expected to resume next Tuesday in Birmingham, England. Houston just completed a tour of Asia and Australia.
Illness forces Whitney Houston to postpone first four shows of European tour . Doctors says Houston is suffering from an upper respiratory infection . Glasgow, Scotland concert has been shifted from this Sunday to May 1 .
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The grandmother who helped organize a staged kidnapping of her 6-year-old grandson to teach him a lesson about stranger danger appeared in court on Tuesday as she was charged for the traumatic four-hour experience. Rose Brewer is sharing the same lawyer as the man who lured her unnamed grandson after school one day, 23-year-old Nathan Firoved, and both entered not guilty pleas. The boy's mother, 25-year-old Elizabeth Hupp, and aunt, 38-year-old Denise Kroutil, will enter their pleas at their next February 26 court date, according to St Louis Today. Rose Brewer (left) pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges she kidnapped her 6-year-old grandson to toughen him up. She shares a lawyer with family friend Nathan Firoved (right) who also entered a not guilty plea . The boy's mother, grandmother, aunt and her co-worker Firoved are accused of terrorizing a 6-year-old boy in an attempt to toughen him up because he was too nice to strangers. The incident took place last week in Troy, Missouri, where Lincoln County sheriff’s deputies say the child was lured into a pickup truck by Firoved while he was walking home from school. Once inside the truck, Firoved told him he would never ‘see his mommy again’, and he would be ‘nailed to the wall of a shed’ Fox 2 reported. The crying child was then shown a gun and threats were made to hurt him if he did not stop crying. The boy’s hands and feet were then bound with plastic bags and he was blindfolded with a jacket. The boy's mother Elizabeth Hupp (left) and aunt Denise Kroutil (right) are also facing charges but have not yet entered pleas . Firoved drove the boy around for a while to disorient him and then took the terrified child unknowingly to his home. The ordeal did not end there. His aunt then removed the boy’s pants, told him he could be sold into sex slavery and shouted at him for not resisting either her or Firoved. He was then left in the basement for some time before being untied. Family members then lectured him about stranger danger. The whole ordeal went on for four hours. The boy told school officials about the incident soon afterwards, and they called the local division of Family Services. Firoved works with Kroutil and told deputies that he was asked to kidnap the boy to ‘scare’ him because he was ‘too nice’ to people. The suspects have told investigators that they were trying to teach the boy a lesson. They were reportedly unrepentant and felt they did nothing wrong. All four suspects are being held at Lincoln County Jail on $250,000 cash only bonds and are facing charges including felony kidnapping and abuse and neglect of a child. The boy has been placed into protective custody.
The six-year-old was lured into a pickup truck by family friend Nathan Firoved as he walked home from school . Unknowingly taken to his home, family members took off his pants and said he could be sold into sex slavery, before leaving him in a basement . When he was released they lectured him about stranger danger . The boy told school officials who contacted the authorities . The boy's mother, aunt and grandmother and the family friend are in custody on $250,000 cash-only bonds but feel 'they did nothing wrong' Grandmother Rose Brewer and Firoved pleaded not guilty to charges on Tuesday .
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After an in-person briefing from the staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, President Barack Obama on Tuesday announced a "major increase" in the U.S. response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The United States will send troops, material to build field hospitals, additional health care workers, community care kits and badly needed medical supplies. Countless taxis filled with families worried they've become infected with Ebola currently crisscross Monrovia in search of help. They scour the Liberian capital, but not one clinic can take them in for treatment. "Today, there is not one single bed available for the treatment of an Ebola patient in the entire country of Liberia," said Margaret Chan, the World Health Organization's director-general. "As soon as a new Ebola treatment facility is opened, it immediately fills to overflowing with patients," the WHO said. Hospitals and clinics in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone -- the countries hit hardest by the outbreak -- are overwhelmed by what the WHO is calling the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history. Ebola Fast Facts: Everything you need to know . The virus has killed at least 2,400 people, and thousands more are infected. And there are now cases in Nigeria and Senegal. "The number of new cases is increasing exponentially," the WHO said, calling the situation a "dire emergency with ... unprecedented dimensions of human suffering." "Men and women and children are just sitting, waiting to die right now," Obama said. "This is a daunting task, but here's what gives us hope. The world knows how to fight this disease. It's not a mystery. We know the science. We know how to prevent it from spreading. We know how to care for those who contract it. We know that if we take the proper steps, we can save lives. But we have to act fast," Obama said. "We can't dawdle on this one. We have to move with force and make sure that we are catching this as best we can, given that it has already broken out in ways that we have not seen before." The CDC already has hundreds of professionals on the ground in what the President described as the "largest international response in the history of the CDC." Maj. Gen. Darryl Williams, commander of the U.S. Army Africa, arrived in Liberia on Tuesday. Liberian leadership asked that the U.S. military step in to help support civilian efforts there. Williams will coordinate the military's efforts to improve logistics, to build additional field hospitals and to create what the President called an "air bridge" to bring in additional supplies and health care workers. The effort will be called Operation United Assistance. The new treatment centers may house up to 1,700 additional beds. American military personnel in the region could increase by 3,000, administration officials said. The U.S. will also create a new training facility to help prepare thousands more health care workers to handle sick patients. U.S. medics will train up to 500 health care workers per week to identify and care for people with Ebola. USAID will give 400,000 treatment kits with sanitizer and other protective items like gloves to families to help them protect their own safety as they care for sick relatives. The President also called on Congress to approve additional funding his administration requested to carry on these critical efforts to stop the virus. Obama added that "faced with this outbreak, the world is looking to" the United States to lead international efforts to combat the virus. He said the United States is ready to take on that leadership role. "Here's the hard truth. In West Africa, Ebola is now an epidemic of the likes that we have not seen before. It's spiraling out of control," Obama said. "If the outbreak is not stopped now, we could be looking at hundreds of thousands of people infected with profound political and economic and security implications for all of us." Washington has already committed more than $100 million to combat Ebola, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development. Last week, USAID said it would spend $75 million to build treatment facilities and supply them with medical equipment. The Pentagon says it's working to shift $500 million of not yet obligated funds toward the Ebola effort. Airborne Ebola? A nightmare that could happen . Public health campaigns will be broadcast through existing networks in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. 'Hundreds turn into thousands' The President's visit to the CDC comes amid escalating criticism from health experts of the global response to the outbreak in West Africa. U.S. officials hope a more coordinated response on the ground, put in place by the United States, will encourage other nations to step up their efforts. "This is a global threat and demands a global response," Obama said. He added that the international community needs to move faster. Next week, the U.S. will chair an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to maximize the response to the Ebola crisis. The White House will also bring more countries together to talk about future health threats. Tuesday, WHO announced that China dispatched a mobile laboratory team to Sierra Leone to help test for the virus. The team of 59 from the Chinese Center for Disease Control includes epidemiologists, clinicians and nurses. This team will join 115 Chinese medical staff already on the ground in Sierra Leone. Opinion: How not to handle Ebola . Nongovernmental organizations that have been fighting this outbreak since its start reacted positively to Obama's announcement. "The multifaceted response to the Ebola crisis announced today by President Obama is what we have been hoping for and what is needed in Liberia and West Africa," said Bruce Johnson, president of SIM USA. Two of the three American workers who contracted Ebola in Liberia and were evacuated to the United States for treatment work for SIM. SIM and other organizations such as Doctors Without Borders that have been working on the Ebola outbreak since the beginning have been asking for additional international help for months. "Three things are vital right now: More beds and equipment, more trained medical professionals, and more training of Liberians and West Africans," Johnson said. "This current plan addresses these desperate needs." One of the doctors who had been working with SIM's clinic in Liberia when he became infected with the virus testified Tuesday in front of a joint hearing in Congress to look at ways to stop Ebola. Dr. Kent Brantly urged Congress to provide the extra funds to fight the outbreak. Earlier in the day he met with President Obama, who told him about the expanded U.S. efforts. Brantly said he thanked the President, and urged Congress to back this plan up with "immediate action." Ebola survivor donates blood to infected American . "As a survivor, it is not only my privilege, but it is my duty to speak out on behalf of the people of West Africa who continue to face unspeakable devastation because of this horrific disease," Brantly said. He told the story about a patient named Francis who he believes may have been saved had the world acted sooner. The patient became infected after carrying a neighbor sick with Ebola to a taxi to get him to a hospital. "If someone had gone alongside Francis and given him a little education and given him the equipment he needed, his family would have a father," Brantly said. Instead his patient died and the world lost "this good Samaritan." Brantly went on to respond to the analogy some have used to describe Ebola as a fire burning out of control. He warned, it is a "fire. It is a fire straight from the pit of hell." "We cannot fool ourselves into thinking that the vast Atlantic Ocean will protect us from the flames of this fire," Brantly said. Move quickly, he urged, as it is "the only way to keep entire nations from being reduced to ashes." Could the virus mutate? There is also a concern about the possibility that the virus could mutate into an even more dangerous form. Ebola currently transmits only though contact with bodily fluids; a mutation that allows the virus to spread through the air would pose a catastrophic threat to people worldwide, health experts say. White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Monday that there was still a "very low" likelihood the Ebola virus could mutate in a way that threatens the United States. Can Sierra Leone's economy survive Ebola? "Right now, the risk of an Ebola outbreak in the United States is very low," he said, "but that risk would only increase if there were not a robust response on the part of the United States." The President noted a number of precautionary steps that are being taken in the United States to prevent the disease from spreading here. The government has stepped up screening at West African airports. It has increased education for flight crews to teach them what to watch for with people who may be sick. It has worked with hospitals and health care workers to prepare them in case there is a domestic Ebola problem. Will it be enough? Ebola is more than a health threat to West Africa; it could become a "major humanitarian crisis," according to United Nations Under-Secretary-General Valerie Amos, if it is not stopped soon enough. The United Nations said that many millions more will be needed to fight the outbreak. U.N. leaders estimate they need $1 billion to fight the epidemic, with about half needed for the worst-hit country, Liberia. Political systems and infrastructure are fragile in the countries where the virus is concentrated. Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea are still rebuilding their economies after suffering through years of civil wars. "Now their capacity to deliver the necessities of daily life for their people is on the brink of collapse," Amos said. "The Ebola outbreak poses a serious threat to their post-conflict recovery." More people are believed to have died in these countries from secondary diseases like malaria and tuberculosis and from chronic illnesses and pregnancies with complications than from Ebola because the health care systems are so strained. Heavy rain adds to the risk of waterborne diseases like malaria. Food security has also become a problem. Quarantines keep workers from their jobs and have slowed the delivery of food to certain areas, according to the U.N. "We must act now if we want to avoid greater humanitarian consequences in future," Amos said.
Doctor who survived Ebola says: "It is a fire straight from the pit of hell" Obama says "the world is looking to" the U.S. for leadership on Ebola . U.S. personnel in West Africa could increase by 3,000 . Obama to call on Congress to approve $88 million more .
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By . Larisa Brown . Parents claim their children have been left with nowhere to play after a local authority decided to rip out playgrounds to cut costs. Carlisle City Council will spend more than £10,000 bulldozing swings, slides and other play equipment at 21 sites. It says it will save £400,000 in maintenance costs but the move sparked anger among parents and children, who have been left with muddy wastelands. Parents, including Tracy Dixon (pictured with her son, Josh, four), claim their children have been left with nowhere to play after a local authority decided to rip out playgrounds to cut costs . The first most families knew about it was when bulldozers began tearing out equipment. Tracy Dixon says her four-year-old son Josh no longer had a place to play after their local playground was chosen as one of the sites to  be demolished. ‘I live right next to the park and I was able to keep an eye on Josh when he was playing,’ she said. ‘The first I knew about them knocking it down was when the bulldozers arrived at 8am one morning. ‘The nearest playground is a 15-minute walk away and apart from the fact that I have a three-month-old baby to consider, a lot of teenagers hang around there and it can be intimidating for the little ones.’ Elsie Baty runs a residents’ action group in the Botcherby area of  Carlisle, where two playgrounds have already been removed. ‘The council should be encouraging children to get out and play, not pulling the playgrounds down,’ she said. ‘Where are the kids supposed to go now? To get to the nearest playground they need a lift in a car. They’ll just end up hanging round on street corners.’ Opponents of the proposal claim that they were not consulted. Rob Betton, an independent councillor for Botcherby on Cumbria County Council, said locals were shocked by the unexpected nature of the council’s move. Carlisle City Council will spend more than £10,000 bulldozing swings, slides and other play equipment at 21 sites. It says it will save £400,000 in maintenance costs but the move sparked anger among parents . ‘They have just sent in the bulldozers and the diggers without so much as a by-your-leave to the residents,’ he said. ‘Parents have woken up to find their children’s playgrounds gone and massive holes in the ground where they used to be. ‘It’s all very well for the council to say they’re having to make cuts, but why should the children have to suffer? What they’re doing is an absolute disgrace.’ There are 69 council-maintained playgrounds in Carlisle. The council says the 21 to be dismantled had poor equipment and were underused. The savings would go towards maintaining the remaining 48 areas. But locals claim there was nothing wrong with the equipment that has been removed. ‘The money that it must be costing the council to pull it out doesn’t justify what they are doing,’ said resident George Little. A city council spokesman said: ‘We will re-landscape the sites, replacing fixed equipment with soft landscaping. The intention is to create play facilities in a safe environment and accessible to every child.’
Parents in Carlisle claim their children have been left with nowhere to play . Carlisle City Council will spend more than £10,000 bulldozing swings, slides and other play equipment at 21 sites . The council says it will save £400,000 in maintenance costs, but the move sparked anger among parents and children left with muddy wastelands .
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(CNN) -- The board of News Corp. has agreed to split the conglomerate into two pieces, with one company encompassing its television and film assets and the other holding its publishing entities, according to The Wall Street Journal, which is owned by News Corp. The split is expected to be formally announced Thursday, a person familiar with the situation told the Journal. The move would separate the 20th Century Fox film studio, Fox broadcast network and Fox News Channel from newspapers and book publishing, according to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, in which the proposal was first reported. News Corp.'s publishing unit includes newspapers such as The Times of London and The New York Post. Its book publishing assets include HarperCollins. News Corp. is controlled by media magnate Rupert Murdoch. He has been grappling in recent months with criminal investigations into his company over allegations of hacking into people's phones and improper collusion with British police. The scandal prompted News Corp. to shut down its venerable old British tabloid News of the World last year. A report last month from a British Parliament committee said that Murdoch was not a "fit person to exercise the stewardship of a major international company." News Corp. said Wednesday night it would have no comment on The Wall Street Journal's report.
Wall Street Journal: News Corp. board agrees to split company . Journal is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. TV, film assets and the publishing wing to be separate entities .
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Ed Miliband is under intense pressure to agree to two inquiries into Labour’s health service in Wales. As the Daily Mail’s investigation into allegations of appalling failings of Welsh patients dominated Prime Minister’s Questions, David Cameron accused Labour of causing the crisis by slashing NHS funding. He told MPs that the British Medical Association and even some Labour MPs were now calling for a public inquiry in Wales into claims of neglect, long waiting lists and poor access to lifesaving treatments. Facing questions: Ed Miliband at Prime Ministers' Questions yesterday, where he heard even some Labour MPs are calling for a public inquiry into the state of the Labour-run Welsh NHS - the focus of a Mail investigation . The Prime Minister also challenged Labour leader Mr Miliband to allow a separate review by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to go ahead. The international body wants to compare health services in the four nations of the UK. The Prime Minister rejected the Labour leader’s claim that the health and social care systems in England are at ‘breaking point’, with ‘millions of people unable to see their GP’ and ‘the longest waits in A&E for ten years’. Mr Cameron said under the Coalition, 1.3million more outpatients are being treated by 2,500 more nurses and 8,000 more doctors. ‘A record we can be proud of,’ he said. ‘Why? Because we invested in the NHS, they cut the NHS in Wales.’ Strain: Ed Miliband is under intense pressure to agree to two inquiries into Labour’s health service in Wales . The fourth day of the Mail’s investigation reveals how: . Yesterday the Liberal Democrats also attacked Labour’s record, accusing the party of ‘wrecking’ the NHS in Wales. Norman Lamb, the party’s health minister, said: ‘Labour will not back an independent OECD study into the NHS in Wales is because they are scared of the outcome. ‘Ed Miliband and [shadow health secretary] Andy Burnham refused to protect NHS funding in this Parliament and they can’t be trusted with it in government again.’ Mr Cameron said under the Coalition, 1.3million more outpatients are being treated by 2,500 more nurses and 8,000 more doctors. 'A record we can be proud of,’ he said. ‘Why? Because we invested in the NHS' Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb said: ‘It’s quite wrong of the Welsh Labour Party to seek to shut down debate and shut down scrutiny…when it comes to the most important issue for the people of Wales.’ Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt upped the pressure on Mr Miliband by writing to him urging him to support the OECD study ‘according to the timetable that was previously agreed with the Welsh health minister’. He added: ‘These are the facts about the Labour-run NHS in Wales today: The health budget was cut by 8 per cent; the last time A&E targets were met was in March 2008; the eight-minute ambulance response time target has been met once since May 2012.’ A senior Labour source said: ‘What we have here is a politically-motivated smear campaign by a Prime Minister who has forgotten his job is to save the NHS.’ The source said Labour had made clear it is willing for the OECD to review the health service’s record in Wales, but was concerned the Tories would use draft findings for political purposes. Last night, ambulance service trust chief Tracy Myhill apologised to patients and families ‘whose experience of our services has been unacceptable’ and she insisted that performance was improving.
PM said BMA and even some Labour MPs are calling for public inquiry . Commons row came ahead of Day 4 of Daily Mail probe into Welsh NHS . Elderly patients forced to wait up to two and a half hours in ambulances . Welsh Ambulance Service drafting in costly private vehicles from Bristol . 600 people taken by police because of unavailable ambulances in 3 years . Labour sources accuse Cameron of 'politically-motivated smear campaign' Mail reporters witnessed elderly patients being forced to wait up to two and a half hours in ambulances parked outside Wales’s largest hospital; . The Welsh Ambulance Service is drafting in costly private vehicles from Bristol to cover emergencies around Newport while it tries to recruit more staff; . A former paramedic wrote to the Welsh health minister warning that the ambulance service was ‘desperate for more resources’ and becoming more stretched through closure of regional health facilities. Some 267 patients spent four hours or more waiting in the back of an ambulance before being treated at Welsh emergency departments last year, according to Liberal Democrat figures. Several patients have died after ambulance delays. Police in Wales were called on to take at least 600 sick people to hospital in the three years to April because ambulances were not available, statistics obtained by Welsh nationalists Plaid Cymru show.
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(CNN)As "Mad Men" returned for its seventh season, many viewers tuned in to see what happened next for Don, Peggy, Pete and the other characters of the hit AMC show. Many were eager to see the fabulous clothes the actors wore. We can't help but wonder -- was all that glamour real, or is it just the magic of TV? We asked readers to share their snapshots from 1967-69 and show us what the late '60s really looked like. Janie Lambert, 61, says she thinks "Mad Men" portrays the decade's conservative fashion and mod look accurately. But she remembers the late 1960s as more colorful and vibrant. "My favorite looks in the '60s were the bright colors and bold patterns, stripes and polka dots, miniskirts, long hair and pale lipstick," Lambert says. 'Mad Men' and the other 1960s . Many iReporters strived to keep up with the fast pace of the changing fashion in the late '60s. Patricia Anne Alfano, 66, went from a British-inspired mod style cheerleader to a hippie in a matter of three years. In 1967, Alfano was an "Eaglette" -- an NFL cheerleader for the Philadelphia Eagles. Unlike today, the cheerleaders were covered from head to toe. The uniforms had long sleeves, and the cheerleaders wore gloves and cloth helmets. "From the early 1960s until 1967, I spent tons of time on my hair," she says, noting her mod hairdo in the picture is actually a wig. "Wigs were big back then. Everyone had at least one." In 1968, the style began to evolve. Alfano still spent a lot of time on her hair, but her peers began heavily criticizing all things materialistic, so the style became more casual. "I was still 'fussing' a bit with my hair, but the times were changing, and so was I," she says. The changing fashion of 'Mad Men' A year later, Alfano joined the "flower children," moved to California, grew her hair out and wore more flowing clothes. She says many women stopped dying their hair or wearing makeup. Some even stopped shaving. "It was all part of the 'revolution,' and the anti-establishment movement," Alfano says. "I must say, though, that through these turbulent times, I did continue shaving my legs and underarms." Living large in Don Draper's New York . Vote now! The third annual iReport Awards are here! See the nominees and help us recognize the best in citizen journalism by voting for the Community Choice Award. In 1969, the fashion changed to more vibrant, hippie clothing. Though Nikki C. Morris, 64, wore a yellow dress with long white gloves to her high school prom in 1967, colorful dresses in the late 1960s weren't too appealing to her. "All I remember about the fashion of that time was that it was too colorful for my tastes," Morris says. "I remember thinking that most of the dresses and the girls wearing them looked like Easter eggs. I wasn't a fan."
CNN invited people to share real-life photos of their '60s fashions . Let's see yours! Share your '60s pics via CNN iReport . Discover your '60s personality by taking the CNN Sixties quiz . How well do you know the '60s? Take our quiz and find out .
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Tottenham are monitoring developments with Everton midfielder James McCarthy. The Republic of Ireland man did not travel with the club to Hull on New Year's Day as he protects his hamstring injury. However, clubs have become aware that he has grown frustrated following the lack of talks over a revised contract. The 24-year-old only joined Everton from Wigan in 2013 for £13million and signed a five year deal. It is understood that was linked with incentives and Roberto Martinez has since hinted that he would discuss new terms with the player to reward his performances. VIDEO Scroll down for Garry Monk: Wilfried Bony is focused on Swansea City . Everton midfielder James McCarthy did not travel with the squad to Hull City on New Year's Day . Tottenham are monitoring developments, as he is reportedly unhappy with a lack of contract talks at Everton . McCarthy has been pivotal to Martinez's style and has been one of Everton's most consistent performers. His troublesome hamstring injury has been sorely felt by the team as well as the player this season. His importance has been widely recognised by team-mates and other Premier League clubs have taken keen notice. Krystian Bielik is only 16 years old, but has impressed at Legia Warsaw . Arsenal wanted to buy him in January and were willing to go to £20m but they are wary Everton will refuse all offers and don't want to become engaged in a saga hence looking at other targets. Tottenham have similar reservations but like the player and will see how events develop. Head of recruitment Paul Mitchell was a big admirer of McCarthy during his time at Southampton and watched the midfielder regularly while he was playing for Wigan. Tottenham are in the process of re-shaping their squad and are looking to offload midfielders but believe McCarthy would fit into Mauricio Pochettino's pressing style should he be willing to make the move. Arsenal, meanwhile, have had an opening offer for Legia Warsaw midfielder Krystian Bielik rejected. The 16-year-old also has an offer from Roma. Arsene Wenger has made a bid to bring Krystian Bielik to the Emirates, but it was rebuffed . Real Madrid are showing an interest in Wilfried Bony. The Swansea striker is a target for Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham. City have played down their chances of signing the Ivory Coast star but it is understood the club's hierarchy are keen on a £25m transfer. Madrid are scouring Europe for potential new strikers to back up Karim Benzema while rumours also persist that the Frenchman may yet move on in the summer. Javier Hernandez is also expected to return to Manchester United from his loan at Madrid where he has scored four goals in 13 appearances. Madrid are also favourites to sign Marco Reus from Borussia Dortmund although Chelsea, Manchester United and City remain interested. Wilfried Bony, pictured ahead of Swansea's game at QPR on New Year's Day, is interesting Real Madrid . Arsenal and Liverpool have checked on Villarreal striker Luciano Vietto. The 21-year-old was offered to Leicester City for £3.5m last summer but they were unsure about taking a gamble on a young forward from Racing Club who was untried in the English leagues. The Argentina U20 forward, who is looked after by Diego Maradona's former agent Jorge Cyterszpiler, has scored six goals in his last six games and is now rated in the £12m bracket after helping propel Villarreal to fifth in La Liga. Liverpool scouts are looking for forwards who fit into their profile of being quick, technically good and able to play a pressing game. Their budget at this stage means a loan is more likely for January if anything with permanent deals shelved until the summer. Villarreal would be reluctant to sell Vietto in January unless clubs made an inflated offer. Luciano Vietto is in form at Villarreal, and Arsenal and Liverpool are both said to be interested . Chelsea expect Inter Milan to resume talks over a loan deal for Mohamed Salah over the coming days. Inter want a loan with view to a £12m deal for the Egyptian but have also asked about taking Xherdan Shaqiri from Bayern Munich. They expect Shaqiri to choose Juventus although Liverpool have also been asked if they wish to revive interest in the Switzerland star. Chelsea are awaiting news on their bid for Andrej Kramaric. HNK Rijeka's officials are in Dubai and will return to Croatia on Sunday. They want Chelsea to increase their offer for Kramaric while Chelsea will then decide whether to loan him to Leicester or Vitesse. Mohamed Salah (right) is expected to resume talks over a loan deal to Inter Milan in the next few days . Liverpool's highly-rated defender Lloyd Jones has signed for Cheltenham Town on loan and will be joined by team-mates Kevin Stewart and Jack Dunn. Jones, 19, was initially signed from Plymouth and is tipped to make a breakthrough at centre-back while Stewart, 21, a former trainee with Tottenham, is a full back who can play either side. Dunn, 20, can play across the forward line. Liverpool's highly-rated defender Lloyd Jones has signed for Cheltenham Town on loan . Martin Odegaard spent last Thursday training with Manchester United at Carrington before visiting Manchester City but the growing belief is that Ajax may have persuaded him that they could be his best option. Their youth system is renowned and guarantees a quickfire progression into the first team. Odegaard and his father are considering, understandably, whether moves to bigger clubs would stagnate his progress. He is already playing in the first team and is a Norway international at 16. Bayern Munich had been considered favourites to sign him. Martin Odegaard visited Manchester United and Manchester City last week as the Stromsgodset youngster chooses which club to join. Ajax are also interested in the youngster.
James McCarthy did not travel with Everton to Hull on New Year's Day . Wilfried Bony is subject to interest from Real Madrid, among others . Arsenal and Liverpool have checked on Villarreal striker Luciano Vietto . Liverpool defender Lloyd Jones has signed for Cheltenham Town on loan .
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By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 14:24 EST, 18 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:23 EST, 18 February 2014 . Victims of the payment protection insurance pay-outs scandal are more likely to have spent their compensation on holidays or a new car than squirrelled the money away into savings, research suggests. Nearly one quarter (24 per cent) of people who have had a PPI payout said they put the money towards a holiday, a survey for the website VoucherCodesPro.co.uk found. On average, successful claimants said they had received £2,810 - but those who spent the money said it took just two and-a-half weeks typically before all the cash was gone. According to recent figures, Lloyds' PPI costs now total a potential £9.825bn. For all banks the bill is approaching £20bn. Nearly one quarter of people who have had a PPI payout said they put the money towards a holiday . One fifth (22 per cent) of those who had received compensation said they had used the cash to buy a new vehicle and a similar proportion (19 per cent) bought a home appliance. Only around one in seven (13 per cent) people who received compensation put the money they had received into savings, while 17 per cent used it to pay off household bills. One in 10 (10 per cent) splashed out on new clothes and one in 20 (5 per cent) compensation recipients treated themselves to new shoes. PPI, which will cover a borrower’s loan repayments if they stop being able to earn money for some reason, is the biggest scandal that the financial ombudsman has ever seen. The ombudsman still gets around around 6,000 new PPI complaints a week from consumers who have been unable to come to an agreement with a financial firm. The ombudsman still gets around around 6,000 new PPI complaints a week from consumers . The insurance was often added on to loans or credit cards without people realising. Some people were given the 'hard sell' or found such policies were unsuitable for their circumstances. According to figures from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) a total of £13.3 billion has been paid out in PPI compensation since January 2011. VoucherCodesPro.co.uk surveyed more than 2,000 people from across the UK who had purchased PPI at some point, of which nearly one quarter (22 per cent) said they had received compensation arising from a mis-sold PPI claim. Those who received compensation were allowed to select more than one answer when asked what they had spent the money on. PPI was designed to protect borrowers' payments. If the borrower lost their job, had to take maternity leave or suffered from loss of income that they could not make repayments the insurance would have protected them to cover the costs until the policyholder is able to again. The misselling of PPI grew into the biggest financial scandal in the UK within the past five years and has cost banks millions of pounds. Action wasn't taken until 2005 when the Financial Service Authority (FSA) took over regulation of the general isurance market. Citizens Advice also issued a complaint to the Office of Fair Trading. That complaint included evidence of: . Excessively high prices.Only partial protection, with many exclusions which prevent many seemingly reasonable claims.Mis-selling, including high pressures sales tactics.A slow and often unfair claims process when consumers were eligible to claim. In January 2009, a year after the OFT handed its investigation over to them, the Competition Commission recommended that sales of PPI be banned alongside lending products such as credit cards and loans. In August 2010, the FSA published its PPI consultation paper which recommended that banks who had engaged in mis-selling should compensate all the customers who had been sold products using the same methods. The British Banking Association (BBA), a trade body for all UK banks, appealed against the FSA rules by seeking a judicial review to have them annulled or curtailed. By May 2010, 30 per cent of all cases coming in to the Financial Ombudsman Service concerned PPI.
Nearly one quarter of people said they put the money towards a holiday . On average, successful claimants said they had received £2,810 . Those who spent the money said it took just two and-a-half weeks before all the cash was gone . According to recent figures the bill for PPI claims is approaching £20m .
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Former Wimbledon manager Dave Bassett has revealed how country-and-western singer Dolly Parton helped to create the club's Crazy Gang image as they rose from non-league football into the First Division and a victorious FA Cup final win at Wembley. Bassett, a former Wimbledon player as well, was in charge of The Dons between 1981 and 1997 and built a team including Dennis Wise, Vinnie Jones and John Fashanu that famously beat Liverpool 1-0 at Wembley under Bobby Gould in 1988. In a programme piece written for Saturday's League Two match between AFC Wimbledon and Mansfield, Bassett makes the surprising confession that a lot of the Crazy Gang stunts he instigated in the early days, like building team morale by attending army boot camps, were inspired by the unusual source . Dave Bassett revealed a lot of team bonding exercises at Wimbledon were inspired by Dolly Parton songs . The Crazy Gang famously beat Liverpool 1-0 in the 1988 FA Cup final at Wembley . AFC Wimbledon supporters pictured supporting their team at the League Two play-off final . 'Our game plan was built on the words I once heard from country singer Dolly Parton,' he said. 'She was talking about appearing in films with the likes of Jane Fonda and admitted to being starstruck, and that the only way should could truly compete was to learn the lines of all the other actors, knowing she could fill in at any time. 'That struck a chord with me. It was one of the reasons we spent pre-season training at various army training camps around England and Europe. They were tough 'beasting' days, but I wanted to build characters, make players feel at ease in different surroundings. 'I also wanted bonding. I wanted mates who would rush to the rescue of mates if they ever felt they were in trouble. It was Leeds thinking again – never leave a mate behind. 'Some players saw it as a hell-hole. Steve Ketteridge hated heights, but by the end he was abseiling down mountains like a veteran. Andy Sayer hated tunnels, but in the end he was being called an underground rat. 'We sat down afterwards with army specialists and analysed the players, making sure they were not square pegs in round holes. We wanted them to feel comfortable in uncomfortable positions, so they could take this onto the field and be happy wherever and whenever they played. Bassett said songs and quotes from singer Dolly Parton gave him ideas on how to improve Wimbledon . Bassett had a contribution in appointing Neal Ardley as the current manager of Wimbledon . We also wanted character- building. I like to think we were ahead of our time. I also had every player going to Lilleshall to achieve their FA preliminary coaching badge to get a wider picture of the game. We had fun at those army training camps – and also scares. One night, Corkie (Alan Cork), Frenchie, Wally (Downes) and I were dropped off by the army in a remote part of the Mendip Hills with just a map and compass to get home. 'We soon got lost and decided to cut across a field. We were halfway across when a farmer raced out and started shouting and waving his arms and telling us to get off his land. When we ignored him, he raced back home, got his shotgun and started firing over our heads! We ran for our lives. Now that was real character- building!' Bassett is still involved in AFC who were formed after the original club moved to Milton Keynes. He helped to appoint former player Neal Ardley as the club's current manager. Ardley will lead his side into an FA Cup third round tie against Liverpool on January 5 in a rematch of the '88 final. Bassett, who won a record seven automatic promotions in his managerial career, also use his article in the programme to explain his criticisms of a BT Sport documentary called The Crazy Gang which will air on Boxing Day. In the original cut, Bassett and chairman Sam Hammam felt the programme concentrated too much on a reputation of violence and intimidation that surrounded the club and not enough of the fun. Vinnie Jones (left) of Wimbledon kisses the FA Cup as it is held by team-mate Mike Phelan (right) Vinnie Jones describes in detail an attack Fashanu launched on a team-mate though BT Sport have now edited parts of the original version. Bassett explained his connection with the club. 'Forty years ago I had a dream. I hope part of it still lives on in Wimbledon today,' he said. 'Our plan was to produce a group of young, mostly home-grown players who bought into my ideas. I am proud to say that when I left Wimbledon, the club was sixth in the table and in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. In the side were 13 of the 21 players who began the journey with me. Brian Gayle, Kevin Gage, Andy Thorn, Mark Morris, Wally Downes, Glyn Hodges, Paul Fishenden, Vaughan Ryan, Simon Tracey, John Gannon, Andy Sayer, Andy Clement and Dennis Wise: all take a bow. Jones (left) celebrates a Wimbledon goal that was scored by team-mate John Fashanu (right) 'There certainly wasn't the thuggery or bullying that has been depicted. I would never have tolerated that. I have also read that we flooded the opposition dressing room, ripped out toilet seats and blocked drains to make the place stink. Total and utter rubbish. 'Critics accused us sometimes of being tough, but they also forget that Spurs had Graham Roberts in their side, and there were Steve McMahon and Jimmy Case at Liverpool. Arsenal had a few that could knock you over, and so did Chelsea. You had to stand up for yourselves. 'Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher once said, 'If we can sell Newcastle Brown to Japan and if Wimbledon can make it to the First Division, then surely no achievement is beyond our reach.' I'll settle for that legacy.'
Wimbledon's Crazy Gang beat Liverpool 1-0 in the 1988 FA Cup final . Dave Bassett formed ideas to help team bonding through Dolly Parton . Wimbledon take on Liverpool in the FA Cup third round in January .
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By . Phil Vinter . PUBLISHED: . 10:05 EST, 23 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:42 EST, 23 August 2012 . Rafael Correa says the UK has no right to criticise Ecuador . Ecuador's President Rafael Correa says Britain is not in a position to preach about its decision to offer asylum to Julian Assange when it failed to extradite former Chilean President Augusto Pinochet. Correa has infuriated British officials by offering protection at the Ecuador embassy in London to the Wikileaks founder who is wanted for sex assault and rape allegations in Sweden. The South American nation's socialist leader says he shares the former computer hacker's fears that he could be sent from Sweden to the U.S. to face charges over WikiLeak's publication in 2010 of thousands of secret U.S. cables. Both U.S. and European government sources say no criminal charges against Assange have been issued by the U.S. and that Washington has launched no attempt to extradite him. Britain says it is determined to fulfill a legal obligation to send Assange to Sweden. But Correa said London had made its own rules in the past - specifically, by not extraditing Pinochet, who was charged with multiple human rights violations. 'Pinochet was not extradited for humanitarian reasons, when there were dozens of Europeans and thousands of Latin Americans who were murdered, and tens of thousands of people were tortured during the Pinochet dictatorship,' he told reporters in the country's capital Quito. Pinochet was arrested by British police at a hospital in London in 1998 after Spain demanded his extradition for alleged torture and murder, including of Spanish citizens, during his 1973-1990 rule. The British government decided in 2000 that the frail Pinochet was unfit to stand trial and free to fly home. He died six years later in Santiago, Chile, aged 91. 'If Pinochet was not extradited for humanitarian reasons then it's clear that they can take the decision not to extradite Mr. Julian Assange,' Correa said. The British government decided in 2000 that the frail Pinochet was unfit to stand trial and free to fly home. He died six years later in Santiago, Chile, aged 91. He is seen here receiving a visit by Margaret Thatcher in Wentworth . Correa is part of a leftist alliance of Latin American leaders that includes Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Bolivia's Evo Morales who have taken a critical line against the U.S. in recent years and have strengthened ties with China, Russia and Iran. The Ecuadorean government remains angry at a veiled threat by Britain to enter its embassy and arrest Assange. On Tuesday Correa denounced it as 'rude, impertinent and unacceptable.' But on Wednesday he repeated that Ecuador was ready to negotiate over the 41-year-old's fate. Ecuador's government wants Assange to . receive written assurances that he would not be extradited from Sweden . to a third country. 'We have always been open to dialogue and we are still open to dialogue,' the president said. Correa is part of a leftist alliance of . Latin American leaders that includes Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, left, and . Bolivia's Evo Morales, right, who have taken a critical line against the U.S. But on Wednesday he repeated that Ecuador was ready to negotiate over the 41-year-old's fate. Ecuador's government wants Assange to receive written assurances that he would not be extradited from Sweden to a third country. 'We have always been open to dialogue and we are still open to dialogue,' the president said. But he criticized the Swedish government for declining an offer by Ecuador to make Assange available for questioning inside the embassy. He also said he doubted the seriousness of his alleged crimes. 'The alleged sexual offences are not considered crimes in Latin America, or in 95 per cent of the world,' Correa said. He has won broad support for his position on Assange from other South American governments, framing the embassy saga as a struggle between his small country and 'imperialist' powers. 'We cannot ignore the fact that some countries have a lot of weight,' Correa said. 'But something has changed: Latin America no longer has patrons. We don't bow to pressure. We will not accept neo-colonialism, wherever it may come from.'
Chilean dictate for granted right to stay in UK in 2000 . Correa is part of a leftist alliance of Latin American leaders against U.S.
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It's a blazingly warm day in Rio de Janeiro and people flock to the Copacabana beach for a swim in the sea and a round of volleyball. The World Cup and the Olympic and Paralympic Games are approaching, and from high above, the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue is watching over the city. But there are others watching, too. Not far away from the bustling scene at Copacabana, city employees in white jumpsuits are making sure the 6.3 million Cariocas -- Rio locals -- are safe. Sitting in front of a wall of screens, they collect and analyze real-time data of what's going on in the city. Here, they can identify and help prevent anything from landslides to traffic jams. This is the master control of the city -- the Operations Center. Its control room boasts an 80 square meter high-definition video wall --- the biggest in Latin America. Combined with the identical white jumpsuits everyone's sporting, it could very well be straight out of NASA. "It's like our Big Brother, not in a private sense but in a sense where we can watch everything that is going on, that's happening in the city," Rio's mayor Eduardo Paes told CNN during a tour of the state-of-the-art Operations Center. A smarter city welcomes the world . Brazil's growing economy and the fact that Rio will host the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016 have reinforced the city's focus on sustainable initiatives. The mayor's vision is very clear: he plans to make Rio safer and to improve its infrastructure. The Operations Center means that the mayor now has more information about his city that he can use towards other initiatives. "I sleep better thanks to it. The worst thing is not having the information, to not have the tools to act. But we do now," Paes says. Read more: Mayor's dream big, redefine urban living . The video wall in the center displays live information from 560 cameras, a weather forecasting system and a smart map capable of analyzing 60 different layers of data streamed from sensors around the city. The mayor commissioned IBM to set up the Operations Center in 2010, following a storm that killed 68 people. "We integrated more than 20 city agencies into one central command center, decreasing emergency response times by 30%," says Michael Dixon, head of Smarter Cities for IBM Globally. Paes explains that it was tough to manage the city before the Operations Center was built, since the different departments were spread all over the city. Now they can quickly find solutions to help manage everyday life. "It's the place where we gather the minds of the city, we gather the departments but we also gather the technology. I would call that a technological center or urban app or urban technology," he says. The landslides won't bring us down . Rio is surrounded by many steep hillsides on which most of its favelas, the shanty towns, are built. Up to 20% of Rio's inhabitants live in favelas, and many of them are at risk of landslides. "We have a history of big floods because of heavy rains and big landslides, especially during summer time," says Paes. Rio has hundreds of favelas and the city authorities have launched a regeneration project called 'Morar Carioca' that aims to "urbanize" them all by 2020 -- improving the infrastructure in the favelas and integrating them better with the city. "We use it as a laboratory for new experiments on environmental and environmentally friendly public things," Paes says of the project. Read more: Brazil's catadores turn trash into art . But until the favelas are urbanized and safe, the city relies on the Operations Center. So far, Paes is confident his city vision is paying off. "It's amazing because I would say that the biggest benefits are the bad things that don't happen, that won't come to reality because of it."
Rio de Janeiro has a greenhouse gas emission of 2.1 tonnes per capita . 1.4 million people live in the shanty towns, called favelas . The Operations Center was built in 2010 following a storm that killed 68 people .
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Whistleblowing website WikiLeaks today published more than 1.7million U.S. records covering diplomatic or intelligence reports on every country in the world. The data released today includes more than 1.7million U.S. diplomatic records from 1973 to 1976 - covering a traffic of cables, intelligence reports and congressional correspondence. WikiLeaks described the Public Library of US Diplomacy (PlusD) as the world's largest searchable collection of U.S. confidential, or formerly confidential, diplomatic communications. Collection: The data released today includes more than 1.7million US diplomatic records from 1973 to 1976 . Much of the work was carried out by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, 41, during his time in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he has been staying since last summer. The Australian sought refuge at the embassy last June over fears that he would be sent to the U.S. if he was extradited to Sweden to face sexual offence claims by two women - charges he denies. The Ecuadorian Government has granted Mr Assange political asylum and has repeatedly offered Swedish prosecutors the chance to interview him at the embassy in Knightsbridge, central London. Mr Assange said the information showed the ‘vast range and scope’ of U.S. diplomatic and intelligence activity around the world. On the inside: Much of the work was carried out by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange during his time in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he has been staying since last summer . Records database: WikiLeaks described the Public Library of US Diplomacy (PlusD) as the world's largest searchable collection of U.S. confidential, or formerly confidential, diplomatic communications . Henry Kissinger was U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Adviser during the period covered by the collection, and many of the reports were written by him or sent to him. Thousands of the documents are marked NODIS (no distribution) or Eyes Only, as well as cables originally classed as secret or confidential. Mr Assange said WikiLeaks had undertaken a detailed analysis of the communications, adding that the information eclipsed Cablegate, a set of more than 250,000 US diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks from November 2010 and over the following year. These documents were released after being anonymously leaked, detailing U.S. foreign policy over the last decade. Across Africa: Henry Kissinger was U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Adviser during the period covered by the collection, and many of the reports were written by him or sent to him . The collection published today has not been leaked, but Mr Assange said WikiLeaks had been working for the past year to analyse and assess a vast amount of data held at the U.S. national archives before releasing it in a searchable form. Mr Assange said WikiLeaks had developed sophisticated technical systems to deal with ‘complex and voluminous’ data. Top secret documents were not available, while some others were lost or irreversibly corrupted for periods including December 1975 and March and June 1976, said Mr Assange. He added that his mother, who lives in Australia, had told him he was being kept at the embassy ‘with nothing to do but work on WikiLeaks material’.
Wikileaks releases database of U.S. diplomatic records from 1973 to 1976 . Henry Kissinger was U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Adviser . Julian Assange worked on project inside Ecuadorian Embassy in London . Australian Wikileaks founder, 41, sought refuge at the embassy last June .
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(CNN) -- The company that produced the peanut butter linked to a nationwide salmonella outbreak said late Tuesday that it was voluntarily recalling all products made in its Blakely, Georgia, plant. Salmonella bacteria are transmitted to humans by eating contaminated foods. The Peanut Corporation of America, a peanut processing company, made the peanut butter sold by King Nut company. Health officials in Minnesota have said that salmonella they linked to an open container of King Nut peanut butter was the same strain of bacteria responsible for the apparently ongoing outbreak, which has infected at least 434 people in 43 states. However, the King Nut product is unlikely to be responsible for the entire outbreak, since it distributes its peanut butter only to food service companies in just seven states: Ohio, Minnesota, Michigan, North Dakota, Arizona, Idaho and New Hampshire. So, the Peanut Corporation of America said it was voluntarily recalling all peanut butter produced in its Blakely plant "out of an abundance of caution." Some of it is distributed to another company. What you need to know about food poisoning » . "We deeply regret that this has happened," company president Stewart Parnell said. Over the past few days, Food and Drug Administration inspectors visited the Blakely plant, where they took hundreds of samples for testing, Parnell said. The salmonella outbreak has been spreading across much of the country since September. Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium played a role in the deaths of an elderly person from southwestern Virginia and an adult from northern Virginia. The third death was a nursing home resident in her 70s in Minnesota. All three of the patients who died had underlying illnesses that could have contributed to their deaths, state officials said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a written statement, has called peanut butter "a likely source" of the infections. But it said that no association had been found with common brand names of peanut butter sold in grocery stores. The first cases of salmonella were reported September 3, but most occurred between October 1 and January 6, the CDC said. About 18 percent of cases were hospitalized as a result of their illness, and patients have ranged from 2 months to 98 years of age. CDC spokeswoman Lola Russell said a preliminary analysis suggests peanut butter as a likely source of the outbreak. No cases connected to the outbreak have been reported in Montana, New Mexico, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Florida or Alaska. Very young people, older people and those with compromised immune systems are most vulnerable to severe side effects of salmonella infection, including death, health officials have said. CNN's Miriam Falco contributed to this report.
The Peanut Corp. of America recalls all products made in Blakely, Georgia, plant . Peanut butter linked to salmonella outbreak has sickened 425 in 43 states . Three deaths possibly linked to the outbreak; two in Virginia, one in Minnesota .
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(CNN) -- An Arkansas TV station has officially replaced former weatherman Brett Cummins, a month after he was found in a tub next to a dead body, the station's news director said. KARK has named Keith Monahan, who had been working at KIAH in Houston, as its new chief meteorologist, said news director Rob Heverling. "As soon as we watched Keith, we knew he was a very good fit," said Heverling. On the morning of August 7, Christopher Barbour said he awoke in his home outside Little Rock and found the body of 24-year-old Dexter Paul Williams in an empty tub, his face blue and purple and a chain around his neck, a Maumelle Police Department report said. Cummins, 33, was asleep next to the corpse, whose head was lying behind the meteorologist's shoulder, Barbour told police, according to the report. The witness said that he awakened Cummins, who screamed after noticing Williams' discolored face and cold skin and ran to the living room, where he vomited next to the couch. Days later, Cummins resigned from his job at the Little Rock-based station, his attorney Mark Hampton said. Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Jegley said Thursday that his office should know in the coming weeks if any charges will be filed in relation to Williams' death. The night before the incident, Williams and Cummins arrived together at Barbour's house, Barbour told police. Once there, the three had drunk alcohol and snorted illegal narcotics, though Barbour could not identify the drugs, according to the report. Maumelle police Lt. Jim Hansard said the manner of Williams' death remains "undetermined." He added that the medical examiner cited several contributing factors, including intoxication with methamphetamine and amphetamines. The investigation remains open, and there is "no indication (from the medical examiner) in any way that there was a strangulation," said Hansard.
Keith Monahan to be KARK's new chief meteorologist, the station says . Brett Cummins resigned after being found next to a corpse in an empty tub . The incident occurred at a home outside Little Rock, Arkansas . The cause of the man's death is "undetermined," say police .
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By . Gerard Brand for MailOnline . Follow @@gedbrand10 . Joe Cole, once the next darling of English football, has admitted he was wrong to join Liverpool in 2010, but is happy with his career again at West Ham United and intends to see out the remainder of his career at Upton Park. Cole returned to his boyhood club for a second spell in January, after two-and-a-half forgettable years at Anfield. And - in an interview with Chelsea fanzine cfcuk - he concedes that he made a mistake in heading for Merseyside as a free agent after seeing his contract run down at Chelsea. Off and running: Cole has made an impact for West Ham since joining in January . Cole admitted he never adapted to life at Liverpool, and says he was given no choice but to make a move as he could not bring himself to turn out for Tottenham Hotspur, who offered him a five-year deal in the summer of 2011. 'I can only play for teams that I’m passionate about and I think that’s what went wrong for me at Liverpool,' said the 31-year-old midfielder. 'I didn’t feel a connection with the club or the place that I had at Chelsea and West Ham. 'I had seven great years at Chelsea but the club wanted to go in a certain direction and I wasn’t involved. So I was left with two real options - Liverpool or Spurs. Decline: Cole was once tipped to be an England star, but his last game for his country came in 2010 . 'Spurs was probably the best option because they were offering me a five-year deal and it meant I could stay in familiar surroundings. 'But I just couldn’t do it, I just couldn’t see myself pulling that Spurs shirt over my head. With the rivalry between Spurs and West Ham and Chelsea, it felt a bit mercenary. Cole appeared in just 26 league games for Liverpool, and was loaned out to French side Lille in an attempt to regain his form. But the 31-year-old, who has not played for England since 2010, has found his feet at West Ham under Sam Allardyce. Pain stake: Cole admitted his risky move to Liverpool did not pay off .
Former England ace owns up to nightmare two-and-a-half-year spell . Boyhood West Ham fan admits he couldn't bring himself to sign for Spurs .
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Ever since the Cardiff Express Gareth Bale pulled out of London and into Madrid, English football’s top division has been bereft of a player with the pace, close control and courage to run with the ball from deep. Now, thanks to Real Madrid and Barcelona deciding they were surplus to requirements, Angel di Maria and Alexis Sanchez are tearing up the Premier League and terrorising its defences. Sportmail takes a look at what makes Manchester United’s No 7 and Arsenal’s No 17 so unstoppable. Alexis Sanchez (left) and Angel di Maria have injected pace and power into the Premier League . Real Madrid star Gareth Bale (left) has a similar style to the new Premier League recruits . PASSING AND VISION . It’s easier to find space in the Premier League than it is in Spain, where almost all teams have two defensive midfielders shielding the back four and often don’t come out of their own half – particularly if they are playing Real Madrid or Barca. Alexis and Di Maria would have been used to playing tight games against teams camped in and around their own penalty area and neither can probably believe the space they are now finding in England. Cesc Fabregas has spoken about this key difference between La Liga and the Premier League. Sanchez (centre) isn't afraid to run at defenders from deep as he showed against Manchester City . Di Maria will have been used to playing in tight games while at Real Madrid . Manchester United's new signing looks to skip past QPR midfielder Sandro on Sunday . 'In England opponents come chasing you and it is easier to play a quick one-two and go beyond him into space,' he says. 'You can’t do that in Spain where you are likely to be up against two very shrewd defensive midfielders.' Many of the players who move from La Liga to the Premier League talk about the anarchy of English football with the crowd roaring both sides on and players responding by throwing caution to the wind at the expensive of positional discipline. Both Di Maria and Alexis are bound to benefit. Both Sanchez and Di Maria will benefit from finding more space in the Premier League . Angel di Maria (above) made his Premier League debut for Manchester United against Burnley . PACE . It was once said of Lionel Messi that he runs faster with the ball than without it and it is easy to get the same impression watching Di Maria. The run down the left that led to Ander Herrera’s goal on Sunday was reminiscent of Ryan Giggs at his best. Alexis is also bursting with pace although perhaps not the same control over longer distances as the United man. DRIBBLING . Both Sanchez and Di Maria can go past people in tight areas but neither will try to do so if they see a more efficient route to goal via either a shot or a cross. Both players have all the tricks but neither is a showman for the sake of it. The goals and assists statistics from last season prove that – it’s all about end product. The former Barcelona forward looks to get past Frank Lampard (left) on Saturday . SET-PIECES . Did Di Maria over-hit that free-kick? Surely if he had over-hit it, it would have ended up in the seating behind the goal instead of the back of the net. It was a clever delivery perfectly measured to zip over the turf just in that dangerous area between advancing keeper and the back-pedaling defenders; designed to end in the far corner, or if someone got a touch on it, to beat the keeper at his near post. Both these two can score from set-pieces and both will be glad of having moved up the pecking order: Di Maria was behind Sergio Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo and Bale at Real and Alexis behind Lionel Messi, Neymar and Xavi last season at Barca. Di Maria scored Manchester United's first against QPR on Sunday with a free-kick . Sanchez (right) celebrates scoring Arsenal's second goal against City with a superb volley . END PRODUCT . Sanchez scored 21 goals last season for Barcelona finishing behind only Messi in the scoring stakes. It’s little wonder he has been increasingly used by his country through the middle, although with Arsenal dominating many of the games in which he plays up front means he spends too much time with his back to goal – a monumental waste of his ability to run into space. Wenger seems to have realised that with the purchase of Danny Welbeck. Sanchez (above) has settled in well at Arsenal, scoring three goals so far including this one against Besiktas . KILLER PASS . Di Maria played the final ball in 17 of Real Madrid’s goals last season and created a staggering 91 chances. He topped the assist table in La Liga with Atletico Madrid’s Koke creating 68 chances and Cesc Fabregas, in his final season at Barcelona, 58. Sometimes the assist is unintentional. In the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid last season it was his shot on goal that bobbled up for Bale to head Real Madrid in front. Sanchez also made it into double figures at Barcelona with 10 assists in La Liga. His decision making improved across his three seasons at the Nou Camp and Arsenal can now reap the benefits of that. Argentina wingerDi Maria is loved by his team-mates and isknown for setting them up on a regular basis .
Alexis Sanchez and Angel di Maria bring pace, close control and courage to the Premier League . The dynamic duo have similar playing styles to Gareth Bale . Di Maria scored his first goal for Manchester United during his team's 4-0 win against QPR on Sunday . Sanchez has three goals to his name in an Arsenal shirt .
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Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- Four years after the meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, questions about the lingering physical and mental health toll of the disaster persist. The Fukushima District Court ruled Tuesday in favor of a family who filed a landmark lawsuit blaming Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the plant operator of the crippled nuclear reactor, for the suicide of a woman in 2011. Four months after three reactors melted down at the Fukushima plant following a devastating earthquake and tsunami, Hamako Watanabe and her husband lost their home, their jobs and the prospect of restoring their lives. She doused herself in kerosene and set herself on fire after slipping into depression. Her husband, Mikio Watanabe, found her charred body. "We lost everything," her widower told CNN in 2012. "We were forced to evacuate. We lost our jobs. I lost my wife in such a terrible way. I really lost everything." The Fukushima District Court ordered TEPCO to pay 49 million yen ($471,063 U.S.) to her family, in a ruling that found a link between the nuclear accident and Watanabe's death. "It is well assumed that the stress caused by sudden loss of the base of her life against her will and unknown future in evacuation was unbearable for her," according to the court ruling. A spokeswoman of TEPCO Mayumi Yoshida said: "We express deep condolence for the loss for Mrs. Hamako Watanabe. We will examine the ruling closely and continue to deal with it sincerely." Fukushima residents cleared to return . Thyroid cancer cases monitored . In the wake of the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986, the local government began monitoring the health of residents who were under the age of 18 at the time of the March, 2011 incident. The Fukushima Prefectural Government found more cases of thyroid cancer, with 57 people confirmed cases and 46 others listed as possible cases, according to data released this week. The risk of thyroid cancer increases in people who've been exposed to high doses of radiation. Children are more sensitive to radiation and at risk for a longer period of time than adults, according to medical literature on thyroid cancer. The cancer rate -- 57 out of 296,026 -- is high compared to known international statistics, but it's difficult to link the nuclear accident to the rates of pediatric thyroid cancer, according to the Fukushima prefecture's health office. The high rate may be attributed to the thorough method of testing for thyroid cancer, according to the office. Hisakatsu Kotani, from the Fukushima prefectural government's health research section, said there were no patterns detected between the cases of thyroid cancers and high radiation areas. "Experts have been saying this is not the time yet to see any health impact by the accident," he said. In the case of Chernobyl, thyroid cancer cases in children reached a peak about 10 years after exposure, according to a report analyzing radiation exposure and the risk of pediatric thyroid cancers. A scientific review published in 2011, found that pediatric thyroid cancers only account for 0.5 to 3% of all types of cancers. That review also found that girls have four times higher frequency for pediatric thyroid cancer than boys. Of the 104 people who were diagnosed with potentially cancerous tumors at Fukushima, 68 were females and 36 were males. More than half of them, 58, had surgery to remove the growth. Inside Fukushima Daiichi: Visiting one of the most dangerous places on earth .
TEPCO ordered to pay out in suicide case linked to Fukushima . Woman set herself on fire four months after Fukushima disaster . Fukushima government releases data showing more cases of thyroid cancer .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Authorities in Southern California say a 69-year-old man who spent years as a high-ranking member of the Laos defense department helping the U.S. during the Vietnam War was killed Friday when his daughter ran him over as he was pleading with her to not drive drunk. Riverside police Sgt. Dan Reeves said Saturday that 37-year-old Soukvilay Barton ignored her father’s pleas not to drive and backed her BMW convertible out of the garage, striking him. Witness say Barton stopped the car after seeing that her father was injured and sat sobbing before being taken into custody. Tragic: Soukvilay Barton, seen here in handcuffs, ran over her father when he tried to keep her from driving drunk . Bounmy Rajsombath was rushed to a Riverside hospital, where he was pronounced dead Friday night. Witnesses told police Barton had been drinking and arguing with family members before she got behind the wheel. Her father reportedly then stood behind her vehicle and she backed the car into him. A man identifying himself as Rajsombath's son-in-law tells PE.com that his father-in-law ran a refugee camp in Thailand where people fleeing the communist insurgency in Laos during the Vietnam War. Crime scene: Witnesses say they saw Barton drinking and arguing with family members before she ran over her father . 'He had to swim across the Mekong River to get to Thailand because the . communists had come to kill him,' said the man, who spoke in front of . the home with a large American flag above the garage, pe.com reports. 'They were killing . all the Laos military that helped the United States.' The son-in-law, who asked to not be identified, says Rajsombath came to the U.S. in 1979 with his wife. The couple settled in southern California and had two sons and two daughters. The man said Rajsombath worked as a plumber until he injured his arm in a fall about 10 years ago. The son-in-law says that even after his injury, Rajsombath would often do plumbing work for free for people who couldn't afford it. Evidence: This BMW is the car Barton was driving when she ran over her father . 'He was a person that everybody loved,' he said. 'He was a very respected man in the Laos community.' The man declined to speak about what caused Rajsombath's death, saying only that 'I'm very sad. I'm sick. Barton was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and held on $75,000 bond.
Bounmy Rajsombath was a high-ranking member of the Laos defense department during the Vietnam War . He was killed Friday when his daughter ran him over as he stood behind her car pleading with her to not drive drunk . Rajsombath helped Laotians escape to Thailand while fleeing the murderous communist insurgency . In the U.S., Rajsombath worked as a plumber until he was injured 10 years ago . After his injury, friends say he would often do plumbing work for free for people who couldn't afford it .
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By . Emily Davies . The widow of a fusilier shot dead on a training exercise has told of her disgust after it emerged the soldiers who killed her husband will be released from prison today and be allowed to rejoin the army. Newlywed James Wilkinson, 21, was killed by machine gun fire during a mock battle in training with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in Kenya in 2011. Last summer Corporal Colin Bell, 30, and Staff Sergeant Patrick Price, 43, were given sentences of 14 months and 21 months respectively at a court martial for negligently performing a duty. Distraught: Sarah Wilkinson has blasted the appeals granted for the servicemen that shot her husband James in mock battle in Kenya in 2011 . They had been married for four months when Private Wilkinson was killed. Sarah was pregnant with their daughter Annabelle, now aged two. James helped her bring up her first son Connor (all pictured together) Private Wilkinson’s widow, Sarah, spoke of her horror that the two men were yesterday granted appeals against their sentences. Their orders barring them from the army were quashed and the judge reduced them both to the rank of private. Mrs . Wilkinson, 23, said: ‘I’m absolutely shocked and disgusted that the men . responsible for taking my husband’s life are being let back into the . army like they have done no wrong. ‘Their . original sentence was not harsh and if they had any respect for James . or any compassion for my children and I they would have just kept their . heads down and got on with it.’ The couple had been married for four . months when Private Wilkinson was killed and Mrs Wilkinson was pregnant . with their daughter Annabelle, now aged two, at the time. He had helped raise her son Connor, now aged four, from a previous relationship, whom he treated as a son of his own. Private Wilkinson was killed by a machine gun, which went off in the hands of Colin Bell, 30 . Widow Sarah claims Bell and Patrick Price, who was supervising, wouldn't rejoin if they had compassion for her . ‘They didn’t just take one life that day, they took several,’ she said. ‘I will always love James with all my heart and I will never forgive anyone involved for letting him die in vain. 'I hope people question who some of the heroes of our country are. I know I would die before I let my son serve with these irresponsible men.’ Private Wilkinson died when a malfunctioning machine gun accidentally fired. Price supervised the exercise and Bell was holding the weapon when it went off. Mrs Wilkinson criticised the decision to release Bell and Price from prison and to allow them to rejoin the army. She said: 'I will never get over losing my husband. I will never accept that there is no justice' ‘I will never get over losing my husband. I will never accept that there is no justice. I just wish they could accept the consequences of their actions. ‘I want to be honest with my children as they grow up. 'Before at least I could tell them that the men who killed their dad were punished for what they did, but now they have the anguish of knowing the men can continue to represent our country with pride.’ Appeal judge, Lord Justice Pitchford, said reducing their ranks was sufficient but dismissed Price’s appeal against his conviction. ‘While we accept that the consequence of the appellants’ negligence was both extremely serious and tragic, we do not concur in the view that these offences could be regarded as at or near the most serious of their kind,’ he said. ‘In our judgment, theirs was not a reckless disregard for safety but a failure under pressure of circumstances to recognise a danger which, in other circumstances, would have been clear to them.’
James Wilkinson, 21, killed by machine gun fire in mock battle . Colin Bell, 30, and Patrick Price, 43, who shot him in 2011, granted appeals . Widow Sarah blasted original sentences of 14 months and 21 months, and said they would not rejoin if they had compassion for her or children .
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An enormous blue diamond formerly owned by millionaire gardener and philanthropist Rachel Mellon has sold for $32.6million at auction - a new record. The Fancy Vivid Blue diamond, mounted in platinum, weighed in at 9.75 carats, and sold for more than any other blue diamond at Sotheby's auctioneers. An anonymous collector for Hong Kong paid the huge sum for the rock, beating off six contenders. The sale smashed expectations of around $15million. Scroll down for video . Record-breaker: The Fancy Vivid Blue diamond, belonging to Rachel 'Bunny' Mellon, pictured above, has sold for $32.6million at auction . Former owner: Rachel 'Bunny' Mellon died aged 103 this March. Above is the last known photograph of her, from January 2000 when she was 90 years old . It far exceeded the previous blue diamond record, held by the Wittelsbach Diamond, which sold in 2008 for $24.3million. The price was exceeded despite the Wittlesbach being much heavier at more than 30 carats. Mellon, nicknamed Bunny, died in March at 103. She was the widow of philanthropist Paul Mellon, heir to the fortune of the then-Mellon Bank, and one of the richest men in the United States. She herself inherited a fortune derived from Listerine mouthwash, which was invented by her grandfather. Mellon was a close confidante of political figures including Jackie Kennedy, whom she befriended while her husband John F Kennedy was a senator for Massachusetts in the 1950s. Art collectors: Rachel poses alongside her husband Paul Mellon, heir to a banking fortune . After JFK ascended to the presidency, Mellon was invited to redesign the White House Rose Garden. The President was so pleased with the results that, two days after the Cuban Missile Crisis ended, he wrote her a note to say the area: 'has been our brightest spot in the somber surroundings of the last few days.' She also designed a second garden after JFK died, which she insisted be named for Jackie Kennedy. Between them, Mellon and her husband amassed a huge art collection, much of which was donated to national collections. Many of the items they kept are being sold by Sotheby's in separate lots.
Fancy Vivid Blue diamond fetched record price at Sotheby's auction . Anonymous Chinese collector beat six others with a $32.6million bid . Platinum-mounted stone used to belong to Rachel 'Bunny' Mellon . Mellon, a philanthropist, helped landscape White House rose garden in 1960s . She died in March this year, diamond was sold by her estate .
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Gareth Bale marked his return to the Real Madrid starting line-up by scoring after just nine minutes in a convincing 5-1 win over Rayo Vallecano that gave Carlo Ancelotti’s team their 13th straight victory. The Welshman, who also hit the crossbar in the second half, has seen Madrid win their last seven games as he recovered from a Gluteus injury and some supporters have made no secret of the desire to seem the team left unchanged but he came in for Isco on Saturday night at the Santiago Bernabeu and helped Real to yet another comfortable win. Cristiano Ronaldo played Toni Kroos in behind the Rayo Vallecano defence and the German midfielder crossed from the left for Bale to swoop at the back post and convert the centre for the opener. Host commentator . A clinical display by Real Madrid restores them to the top of La Liga with 27 points from 11 points - two clear of their eternal rivals Barcelona. Ancelotti's side have now won 13 games in a row, scoring 52 goals and it is the fifth time they've netted five or more strikes in their last eight league matches. Meanwhile Ronaldo has 18 goals in 10 league appearances this season.That's all from me for tonight, but Sportsmail will be back soon with more top level football action. The referee blows full-time on proceedings and Real record their ninth successive win in La Liga in convincing manner. 91 mins: Quini is booked for a mistimed challenge on Ramos. 90 mins: Medran nearly makes it six but sees his shot saved by Alvarez. 85 mins: And with that goal Carlo Ancelotti makes his final changes of the match as Benzema and Bale are replaced by Alvaro Medran and Javier Hernandez. After making a brilliant save, Alvarez will want to forget this goal. Real pour forward with Ronaldo being found inside Rayo's penalty area from Isco's pass. The Portugal star cuts inside on his right foot before hitting a tame shot that goes through the grasp of Alvarez and into the net for his 23rd goal of the season in all competitions. 79 mins: Fantastic save by Alvarez once more. A long punt up field is headed away by the Rayo defence but only into the path of Bale. The Welsh wizard takes one touch before unleashing a swerving 25-yard left-footed strike that Alvarez does well to tip onto the crossbar. Navas is trying too hard perhaps, knowing this is a rare chance to impress as he comes for a cross that he was never going to get on the end of. Real get away with it though and are still in total control. 74 mins: Navas has been shaky at times in goal for Real tonight and he nearly lets Rayo score once. The ball is whipped into the box and the goalkeeper comes rushing out to punch, but is beaten to the ball by Abdoulaye Ba who's header just goes past the post. A let off for the hosts. 73 mins: Rayo make their third and final change. Baptistao comes off for Manucho in a like-for-like swap. 70 mins: Well what can you say about Real? They've had less possession (45-55) than their opponents but are devastating when in attack. Ronaldo nearly makes it 5-1 bar a great save from Alvarez. With 20 minutes remaining more goals certainly look to be on the cards. 68 mins: Rodriguez comes off for Isco. One playmaker for another to add to Rayo's woes. 61 mins: Rayo make their second change of the night with Roberto Trashorras replaced by Jozabed. The game looks done and dusted now. Pepe marches forward with the ball and finds Ronaldo on the right hand side of the Rayo penalty area. The 29-year-old drills the ball across goal and Benzema bundles it home. Replays show that the France international was offside though. Tito is booked for a nasty challenge on Bale in the build-up to the goal. What a beautiful strike by Kroos. Ronaldo weaves his way into the Rayo box before toe poking the ball back on the edge of the area to Kroos. The German international caresses the ball into the bottom corner of the net from 20 yards for a sumptuous goal. Just 10 seconds earlier it could have been 2-2. Baptistao finishes neatly past Navas but is marginally offside. The outlook of this match could have been so different... 54 mins: The one criticism of Luka Modric is that he doesn't score enough goals and that is evident once more as Real attack. Bale's intended pass for Nacho finds Modric inside the Rayo box but he curls his right-footed effort past the post. 52 mins: Over five minutes into the second half and both sides have failed to trouble each other so far... We're back underway at the Santiago Bernabeu... Real came close to scoring a third before half-time when Gareth Bale's free kick just clears Alvarez's crossbar. As it is though it's 2-1 at the break. Ancelotti will be furious with the way his side conceded their goal - a strike that will give Rayo some belief after the interval. Or is it? Terrible defending by Real Madrid to let Rayo back in the match. Navas throws the ball out to Rodriguez. Turning into danger the Colombia international inexplicably tries to play a pass back to the goalkeeper but it intercepted by Rayo. Bueno rounds Navas before tapping into an empty net. And now it is. Bale sees his cross cleared behind for a corner. Rodriguez's set piece is whipped into the box and Sergio Ramos meets it with glancing volley that appears to come off his shin and loop into the net. That's his 50th goal of the club and a long way back for Rayo. 38 mins: Great save by Alvarez! Rodriguez collects the ball from 30 yards out and runs at the Rayo defence before unleashing a blistering left-footed drive that is brilliantly stopped by Alvarez for a corner. From the resulting set piece Benzema hits the top of the crossbar with a header. So nearly 2-0 for Ancelotti's side. 35 mins: Bit of magic from Bale. Having already scored, he collects the ball on the halfway line and turns his marker before running at the Rayo defence. Unfortunately for the hosts though he over hits his pass intended for Ronaldo. 33 mins: The game has started to settle down after a fast start following Bale's goal. Rayo have come into the match more as the game has grown but Real look dangerous every time they attack. 26 mins: Rayo boss Paco is already forced to make a substitute at 1-0 down as left-back Insua pulls a muscle and is replaced by Quini. 23 mins: As Rayo show some fight, Real hit them on the break with Ronaldo bursting clear. The Portugal star is stopped in his tracks unceremoniously by Rayo midfielder Mohammed Fatau and no foul is given - to the annoyance of the home supporters. On second evidence it should have been a free-kick and a yellow card to Fatau as Emiliano Insua was there to cover. 21 mins: Rayo are starting to show some fight. Leo Baptistao and Bueno both test Navas. 18 mins: It's wave after wave of Real pressure at the moment. It's early days but Carlo Ancelotti's side are playing brilliantly. Karim Benzema and James Rodriguez link up neatly before finding Ronaldo inside the box. However, the 29-year-old blazes over a great opportunity over the bar with his left foot. It didn't take long did it. Ronaldo slips in a pass to Toni Kroos who whips in a low cross for Bale to tap into an empty net from close range. Things are already looking ominous for the visitors. Rayo fans making plenty of noise; they have not had far to travel... Rayo a club club from the Vallecas neighbourhood of Madrid. 6 mins: Real's confidence is oozing following their amazing run of 12 successive wins and it's showing following the opening stages of the match. Navas hasn't had to make a save yet as Real are starting to build some momentum. 2 mins: We have our first shot of the match and who else has it? Yes that man Ronaldo cuts in from the left and hits a dipping right-footed effort that is saved by Cristian Dario Alvarez. The hosts get the game underway... All the facts point in favour of a Real Madrid win. They've scored 37 goals in La Liga so far, sit top of the division and have won their last 12 games in all competitions. Can Rayo stop the Spanish giants juggernaut? What can more you say about Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portugal superstar has scored 22 goals in all competitions and will be hungry to add to his tally against a Vallecano side who conceded 28 goals in their last nine visits to the Bernabeu. Half a chance for Rayo tonight as Real Madrid play with their second keeper. Shame it's Keylor Navas who made more saves than anyone else in La Liga last season. As boss Carlo Ancelotti guaranteed in the build-up to the match, Gareth Bale starts for the Spanish giants. The Wales international had missed the club's previous five games due to a muscle injury, before coming on as a substitute in their 1-0 win against Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday.Real Madrid XI: Navas, Nacho, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo, Kroos, Modric, Bale, Rodriguez, Ronaldo, Benzema. Hello and welcome to Sportsmail's La Liga coverage of Real Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano. Tonight's Madrid derby is a David vs Goliath affair with the hosts having not tasted defeat against their opponents in 17 years.Follow all the action from the Santiago Bernabeu here with team news imminent...
Gareth Bale opens the scoring on nine minutes with a close range tap in . Sergio Ramos made it 2-0 before half-time with a volley from a corner . Alberto Bueno pulled one back for the visitors before half-time . Rayo's Leonardo Baptistao has a goal ruled out for offside after the interval . Moments later Toni Kroos makes it 3-1 with a beautiful low curled effort . Karim Benzema made it 4-1 before the hour mark but looked offside . Cristiano Ronaldo added a fifth in the closing stages of the match . Real Madrid XI: Navas, Nacho, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo, Kroos, Modric, Bale, Rodriguez, Ronaldo, Benzema . Rayo Vallecano XI: Alvarez, Tito, Ze Castro, Ba, Insua, Fatau, Trashorras, Lica, Bueno, Kakuta, Baptistao .
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By . Francesca Chambers . and David Martosko . The campaign arm of Congressional Democrats has raised more than $7.6 million since House Republicans announced a lawsuit against President Barack Obama last month. The Democratic Congressional Campaign committee says it raised $1 million in a single day after newly elected Republican Whip Steve Scalise repeatedly refused to tell Fox News' Chris Wallace on Sunday that the House wouldn't impeach the president. House Speaker John Boehner has said time and time again that the legal action the House intends to take against Obama is not a precursor to impeachment, but Democrats have continued to link the two together, causing headaches for Republican leaders. And if the DCCC's banner fundraising is any indication, the strategy is working. Still, Democrats have a huge hurdle to overcome ahead November's elections if they are to win the 17 seats needed to take control of the House. Scroll down for video . SCAM: Boehner said Democrats have cooked up baseless impeachment fears in order to raise money ahead of November's elections . DCCC Chairman Steve Israel said on Wednesday that his party's odds of taking back the legislative body have certainly been bolstered by Republicans' lawsuit and impeachment talk. Republicans' 'accusations of presidential overreach have . become a Republican overreach and that is motivating swing voters and . persuadable voters,' Israel told CNN today, arguing that Republicans 'stepped into a mess on this.' Israel said that as a result of Republicans' election year scheme to take on the president, Democrats are more fired up than ever. 'The phone calls, the emails, people signing up, wanting volunteer on . campaigns, has surged literally over the past several weeks,' he said. 'Now it . always surges as you get closer to an election, but I'm telling you the . August numbers are what the Octobers numbers should be.' The Washington Post reports the DCCC raised $2.1 million last weekend alone. Even before Boehner announced the House's intention to sue Obama, the DCCC was having a lucrative election cycle. As of the end of June, the DCCC has outraised its Republican counterpart, the National Republican Congressional Committee, by roughly $23 million. The DCCC also has more money in the bank - $50.9 million - than the NRCC - $42.5 million. The House's lawsuit against Obama was meant to turn out volunteers and voters of its own. But so far, the strategy has backfired, giving Democrats the upper hand as they return to their home districts this weekend for Congress' month long recess. Israel told CNN the House's lawsuit would be a major part of Democrats' campaign strategies throughout the next month and the fall. 'You bet we're going to run on a Congress that is just obsessed with . lawsuits, suing the President, talking about impeaching him, instead of . solutions for the middle class, talking about jobs and infrastructure,' Israel noted. 'You bet that we're going to ask people to support us based on that . contrast.' Smoking gun: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee begged donors for money on Monday by floating the idea that Republicans could impeach the president . On . Monday the DCCC emailed its . largest donor list with a request for money based specifically on . impeachment fears. The . president, vice president and first lady, the solicitation read, 'need . your help, because it’s a critical moment. House Republicans will vote . THIS WEEK to sue the President. And the White House believes it could . lead to Barack Obama’s impeachment.' 'It’s . time to have the President’s back. With the most critical deadline . we’ve faced in just days, we’re still 75,000 donations short of our . goal.' Boehner lambasted the impeachment claims on Tuesday as 'a scam started by Democrats at the White House.' 'This . whole talk about impeachment is coming from the president's own staff, . and coming from Democrats on Capitol Hill,' Boehner told reporters. 'Why? Because they’re trying to rally their people to give money and to show up in this year's elections.' Adding fuel to Boehner's contention, a top White House aide used the 'I' word on Friday during a Christian Science Monitor breakfast event, tying the threat of impeachment to a lawsuit Boehner is pursuing against the Obama administration. The legal action, Dan Pfeiffer said, has 'opened the door' to a presidential impeachment. 'Impeachment is a very serious thing that has been bandied about by the recent Republican vice presidential nominee and others in a very un-serious way,' said Pfeiffer, hat-tipping former Alaska governor Sarah Palin. 'We take it very seriously and I don't think it would be a good thing.' Palin said of Obama just days ago in Denver that 'if he's not impeachable, then no one is.' Boehner has said plainly that his lawsuit, which focuses on the White House's unilateral changes to the Obamacare law, is not a prelude to removing Obama from power. 'This is not about impeachment,' the House speaker said on July 9. 'This is about faithfully executing the laws of our country.' He added a more definitive statement on Tuesday, saying that the House leadership has 'no plans to impeach the president. We have no future plans.' Staying: Obama doesn't face an impeachment threat, Boehner said, preferring to take the president to federal court over his administration's changes to the Affordable Care Act . Impeachment refers to a formal process prescribed in the U.S. Constitution for throwing a president or a federal judge out of office. The House would first bring charges against Obama and vote to approve them. The Senate would then hold a trial on those charges and vote on whether to convict. The Constitution reserves impeachment as a remedy for 'high crimes and misdemeanors,' which the framers understood to be official crimes committed while in power. Boehner and other House leaders have tried to tamp down conservative Republicans' expectations in recent weeks. A senior House staffer told MailOnline that Tuesday's words would be welcome in establishment circles since Democrats' control of the Senate makes removing Obama from office a guaranteed non-starter. 'It shouldn't have taken this long for him to say it, but now that he's said it we can get back to things that won't backfire,' the aide said. A CNN/ORC International poll released on Friday found that one-third of Americans, 33 percent, believe Obama should be impeached and removed from office. Fully 65 percent disagreed. Republicans' measure to sue Obama passed the House 225-201 on Wednesday.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign . Committee is fundraising . off impeachment threats . It raised $1 million on Monday after a Republican leader refused to say the House wouldn't impeach Obama . House or Representatives won't move to impeach, Boehner told reporters . He said talk of impeachment is an election-year fundraising ploy launched by the White House itself to help Democrats in November . The House voted 225-201 to sue the president on Wednesday .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:37 EST, 26 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:08 EST, 26 July 2013 . Kath Jones has won a 40 year battle to have this lamppost removed from outside her home . A grandmother has finally won a 40 year battle to have a lamppost removed from the middle of her driveway. The streetlight was put up outside the £160,000 home of Kath Jones, 72, when the estate in Bayston Hill, Shropshire, was being built in the 1970s. Mrs Jones said at the time of its construction, her late husband Albert pleaded with their local authorities to shift the lamppost by just two metres because he had already laid foundations for a garage. She said the couple even offered to pay for the work themselves but their pleas were ignored by highways bosses at Bayston Hill Parish Council. Mrs Jones says the lamppost has caused her a headache ever since with the widow damaging her car while pulling off her driveway six times in the last few years. But after more than four decades of complaining to the authority they have finally accepted her offer to pay £500 from her own pocket to have it removed. Emma Kay, Bayston Hill Parish Council . clerk, claimed the situation had only been brought to her attention two . months ago and confirmed work would begin soon. Mrs Jones today said: 'My car has got lots of scratches on it. When you reverse out there is literally a two inch gap to get it past or it catches. 'We have begged the council for 40 years to remove it. 'About two or three years ago we asked and they said it would cost £1,250 and I said "no way, we didn’t ask for it to be put there". 'I’ve not been able to get the drive done in all these years because all the quotes I get say they won’t do it until the lamppost is gone. 'It grieved me to hand over the money. 'I’m a pensioner - you don’t know how long it took me to raise that money but I’m relieved its finally going to be moved.' Mrs Jones has damaged her car while pulling off the driveway six times in the last few years . The streetlight was put up outside the home when the estate was being built in the 1970s . Her son, Glyn Jones, 43, added: 'We have been asking for years and years and nothing has ever been done. 'We had to put money in their hand for the work to commence.' Work is now due to get underway next week to move the lamppost. After more than four decades of complaining to the authority they have finally accepted her offer to pay £500 from her own pocket to have it removed .
Lamppost put up outside Kath Jones's house when estate built in 1970s . At the time her husband pleaded with authorities to shift it just two metres . She has damaged her car six times in the last few years pulling off driveway . Parish council has now accepted her offer to pay £500 to have it removed .
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A convicted paedophile thought to be part of a child sex ring linked to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann is being extradited to Britain. Roderick MacDonald, 77, was arrested on the Maltese island of Gozo after he fled the UK while he was on licence following his conviction for molesting two girls, five and seven, in Brighton in 2012. The former oil worker was reportedly living in the Algarve when Madeleine disappeared from the McCanns' holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in May 2007, shortly before her fourth birthday. The serial sex offender appeared in court in Malta on Monday after Britain secured a European Arrest Warrant and did not oppose immediate extradition to the UK. Scroll down for video . Arrest: Briton Roderick MacDonald, pictured when he was arrested in Pattaya, Thailand, is being extradited back to the UK and was reportedly in Praia da Luz at the the time of Madeleine's disappearance . MacDonald was first arrested at a campsite in the Algarve in 2010 and extradited to Australia - where he was wanted for the 1998 rape of an eight-year-old. He received six months in prison after accepting a plea deal for indecently assaulting the child in Australia and fled to Thailand after he was released, but Thai authorities deported him back to Britain when they found out about his past. He then settled in Brighton, East Sussex, but, despite being made to sign the Sex Offenders Register, was convicted of molesting two girls, five and seven in 2012. He received a year-long sentence but it was suspended for two years. He changed his surname from Robinson to MacDonald and fled to the Far East soon after. He was arrested in Malta on Monday and his extradition to Britain - to which he consented - was approved in court yesterday. Madeleine went missing from a resort in the Algarve, Portugal in 2007 . Magistrate Audrey Demicoli heard the case and inspector Mario Cuschieri prosecuted. Scotland Yard said they would not give a 'running commentary' on the Madeleine investigation. Madeleine was aged three when she went missing on May 3, 2007, from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, as her parents Kate and Gerry dined at a nearby tapas restaurant. The toddler, who lived in Rothley with her family, had been left in the rented apartment at the seaside Ocean Club resort, along with her siblings, twins Sean and Amelie. This week a new Portuguese prosecutor was charged with solving the disappearance of Madeleine, seven years after she vanished. Ines Sequeira will lead the investigation into the case as Scotland Yard prepares to return to Praia da Luz to 're-interview' three suspects. Ms Sequeira is said to be 'utterly determined' to solve the case, bringing fresh hope to the child's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann. 'Ines is still trying to get her feet under the table and is having to be briefed on scores of cases including Madeleine’s,' a source close to the investigation said. 'But she has been appointed as the new prosecutor and the Scotland Yard team has been given renewed hope of being able to start work again in Portugal before the end of the month. 'Ms Sequeira is one of the sharpest and most ambitious prosecutors in Portugal. 'She is utterly determined to get a result on the Madeleine inquiry.' It comes after British police sent a fifth letter to Portuguese officers requesting access to the investigation. The courts of justice in Gozo, Malta, where the paedophile had been living before his arrest . Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann, pictured during a press conference earlier this year, are still trying to find their missing daughter . 'They’re banking on this new meeting with Portuguese police being their chance to argue their case face-to-face,' the source added. 'Ines will obviously take the final decision on the letter but she’ll consult the police chiefs on the Algarve before making her mind up.' Scotland Yard officers are due to fly to Portugal later this month to re-interview three of seven suspects previously questioned in Faro police stations. Among them are Jose Carlos Fernandes da Silva, an ex-worker at the Ocean Club resort, Paulo Ribeiro, who looks like a man seen near the apartment, and charity collector Ricardo Rodrigues. May 3, 2007 - Madeleine disappeared from the seaside Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz, Portugal. The police began the hunt for Madeleine on the following day. May 30, 2007 - Mr and Mrs McCann met the Pope in Rome in the first of a series of trips around Europe and beyond to highlight the search for their daughter. January 2009 - The fund set up by the McCanns to help find Madeleine announced that £2million in donations had been sent in. May 2011 - Mrs McCann published a book about her daughter's disappearance on Madeleine's eighth birthday and Scotland Yard launched a review of the case after a request from Home Secretary Theresa May, supported by Prime Minister David Cameron. April 2012 - Scotland Yard detectives said they believe Madeleine could still be alive and released an age-progression picture of how she might look now as a nine-year-old. They called on the Portuguese authorities to reopen the case. April 2013 - London's chief crown prosecutor Alison Saunders and her deputy Jenny Hopkins flew to Portugal with Scotland Yard detectives to discuss the case with their Portuguese counterparts. July 2013 - Scotland Yard said it had 'genuinely new' lines of inquiry and had identified 38 people of interest, including 12 Britons. October 2013 - Portugal's Attorney General announced that the case was being officially reopened. March 2014 - British police investigating the disappearance said they were looking for a prolific paedophile who sexually abused five girls at holiday homes in the Algarve before the British toddler went missing. June 2014 - British Detectives searched scrubland in the holiday resort using radar equipment and sniffer dogs. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Roderick MacDonald has been arrested and is to be extradited to Britain . He may have been living in Portugal at the time of Madeleine's disappearance . MacDonald is a convicted paedophile for crimes in Australia and Britain . He was arrested in Malta on Monday and approved for extradition yesterday . International Arrest Warrant used after he fled following conviction for molesting children in Brighton .
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(CNN) -- Turkey's economy, fattened with foreign investment during its boom-times, has stalled amid warnings its model is unsustainable. The country's $800 billion economy remains among the 20 biggest in the world -- but the IMF says it can't last and remains too vulnerable to dangers outside its borders. The OECD has also weighed in with concerns, saying the country's addiction to foreign money risks volatility. How did it get into this mess? Many developed countries struggled with growth after the global financial crisis. But not Turkey, which grew substantially over the last decade -- the country's GDP grew by average 5.5% per year. The government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, now a presidential candidate, was praised for its ability to attract foreign investors from Europe and emerging markets such as Russia and China. The rapid economic growth was largely fueled by cheap credit pouring into the country. As the crisis hit developed economies, investors turned to emerging markets, which promised higher returns than depressed Western markets. For years, Turkey enjoyed a foreign-funded construction boom. House prices have soared more than 50% since the end of 2009 and both the country's GDP and per capita income have increased threefold since 2003. But the party ended with the U.S. Federal Reserve announcing a scale-back in its stimulus program last summer. Suddenly, there was less cash available to invest. With more security in the U.S. economy, investors started pulling their money from the emerging markets. Turkey's growth slowed to just above 2% in 2013 and the country's currency, the lira, slumped further in January this year. That forced Turkey's central bank to ratchet up its interest rates from 7.7% to 12% -- showing the bank's determination to prevent foreign capital outflows. Erdogan strongly opposed the bank's move to raise the rates. He argued it would hurt Turkey's growth, blaming the lira's tumble on the opposition and an "interest rates lobby," and saying it was the result of a conspiracy. What's the economy doing now? The OECD expects 3.5% growth in 2014, picking up slightly from 2013, but high inflation is pushing the country back and hurting consumers. At around 9%, annual inflation is nearly double the Turkish central bank's target of 5%. This, coupled with the country's low employment rate leads to high levels of poverty. In an OECD study, one in three Turks said they were not able to afford sufficient food. The OECD average is one in seven. Furthermore, 20% of Turks live below the relative poverty line, meaning they survive on less then half of the Turkish median income. This makes Turkey the third poorest developed nation, with Mexico and Israel lagging behind. Turkey's strategic position means the country is the bridge between Asia and Europe. Its membership of NATO and candidacy to join the European Union reflect its importance. But unrest and uncertainty has already cost the country millions, with its stock market losing a third of its value last year. Opinion: Turkey's Teflon politician targets top post .
The IMF says Turkish economy remains too vulnerable to dangers outside its borders . Turkey grew substantially over the last decade as investors turned to emerging markets . But volatility, income inequality and high inflation is hurting the growth, IMF warns .
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(CNN) -- If the United States Department of Justice has any real interest in obtaining justice in the tragic shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, Attorney General Eric Holder's announcement of a new civil rights investigation in Ferguson, Missouri, (population 21,000) was a step in the wrong direction. The department's ham-handed effort to improve the political "optics" of active federal involvement may, ironically, create the reasonable doubt that will ultimately clear the shooter, Officer Darren Wilson. The Department of Justice is likely to be impeding justice by proceeding prematurely with a federal investigation while local law enforcement authorities struggle with the facts of the complex and controversial case. The DOJ investigations (there now appear to be two that have been officially announced) are highly prejudicial to the local prosecutor's presentation of the case to the grand jury. The non-sequestered grand jurors who return home every night after scrutinizing evidence in the case are almost certain to hear of the existence of the new federal investigation. After all, the investigation was personally announced by the attorney general himself after the President publicly commented on the case. The grand jurors might reasonably wonder why the federal government would open a civil rights investigation at the very same time they are hearing evidence about Ferguson's most famous homicide. Some might reasonably wonder: Is it possible that police Officer Darren Wilson was motivated by race hatred when he shot and killed Michael Brown? Why would the feds be investigating if that were not the case? Although grand jurors are instructed to avoid press coverage of the matters they are investigating, such an instruction is obviously difficult to enforce with the tsunami of demonstrations, press coverage and presidential pronouncements rolling through St. Louis County. The Department of Justice should not add to the potential of improperly influencing a sitting grand jury by stirring up additional pretrial publicity as Holder did last week. Notwithstanding the street conviction of Officer Darren Wilson by the "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" demonstrators and their allies in the press who appear to march in politically correct lockstep, a sworn grand jury is still evaluating evidence in the case. The federal government should not be playing to the press and the crowd while this sensitive homicide investigation proceeds. There is plenty of time to commence a federal civil rights investigation and lawsuit when the facts of this case have been sorted out by the citizens who have pledged to evaluate the case in a fair and impartial manner. By all accounts, the grand jury presentation is occurring as grand jury presentations normally do in matters of this kind. I see no evidence that there has been any delay or improprieties in the current local grand jury proceedings that would justify immediate federal intervention. The folly of Holder dispatching FBI agents to re-interview witnesses, many already interviewed by local law enforcement authorities, is apparent to any experienced criminal lawyer. Multiple witness statements (and in this case TV appearances) create a wealth of material for criminal defense attorneys to add to their cross-examination arsenal. Eyewitness testimony is often problematic in the best of cases. When even truthful witnesses make multiple statements about observations of a fast-moving event, there are often inconsistencies. Experienced prosecutors attempt to keep a tight rein on the statements of their key witnesses to avoid inconsistencies being used by defense attorneys to create reasonable doubt. The DOJ has blundered even further by conducting its own independent autopsy. In a case where forensic evidence relating to powder burns, angle of entry of the fatal bullets and other matters is of critical importance, the Department of Justice helps to build reasonable doubt by ensuring three separate autopsy reports will be available for defense attorneys to scrutinize for contradictions and the creation of reasonable doubt. Conflicting accounts of expert medical witnesses can be devastating to a prosecutor's case. It is also highly unusual that the Department of Justice would seek to devote its enormous resources to the investigation of a tiny 50-person police force in charge of a city with a population of less than 21,000. There have been small-town investigations in the past, but they often occur in highly unusual situations, such as the lawsuit brought against Colorado City, Arizona, a municipality alleged to be virtually owned and operated by Warren Jeffs, the leader of the polygamist cult FDLS who is serving a life sentence for sexually abusing children in his congregation. Such investigations are virtually never done while an active, sensitive homicide case is under local grand jury investigation. I would imagine there are far greater problems in places like Chicago, Philadelphia, Camden, New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, Cincinnati, Birmingham, Tallahassee and probably 100 other large American cities that should be commanding the attention of the Department of Justice rather than Ferguson. And if the pattern and practices of small-town Ferguson require the scrutiny of the Department of Justice, surely this can be done after the local authorities finish handling the most important matter facing the town, the Michael Brown shooting. If the evidence supports an indictment, the officer deserves to be indicted and brought to justice. On the other hand, if Wilson was under apparent attack and fired the fatal shots under the authority granted to police officers by Missouri law, he deserves to be cleared. Either way, the decision should be made on the basis of the evidence rather than political meddling by the Department of Justice. While it is encouraging to see the administration finally has a "strategy" in place regarding the nation's most highly publicized legal case, it might be better if it was one aimed at accomplishing justice rather than undermining it.
Paul Callan: Justice Department made a mistake with its new investigation of Ferguson police . Callan: He says the probe is politically inspired and risks prejudicing the Michael Brown case . Prosecutors and grand jury seeking to decide if criminal charges are warranted, he says . Callan: Now is not the time to announce that Ferguson police are under federal investigation .
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Disney have developed a new, wheeled robot that can create enormous drawings in the sand. The robot — called the Beachbot — works by dragging a set of pins through the sand, like a rake. Each pin is individually raisable, allowing the contraption to draw lines of varying thicknesses. A 'canvas' is created by setting down poles, which the robot uses as markers to calculate its position. Images are designed on an iPhone or tablet app which can then transmit the data to the machine. It then takes around 10 minutes to create the artwork. Disney have developed a wheeled robot called the Beachbot that can create enormous drawings in the sand . Images are designed on an iPhone or tablet app which can then transmit the data to the machine. It then takes around 10 minutes to create the artwork . The Beachbot moves on a set of large, soft wheels that Disney has dubbed 'balloon wheels', allowing it to move across the sand without leaving tracks or spoiling whatever it’s drawn previously. The invention was created in collaboration with Swiss engineering school ETH Zürich. The Beachbot moves on a set of large, soft wheels that Disney has dubbed 'balloon wheels', allowing it to move across the sand without leaving tracks or spoiling whatever it’s drawn previously . The design team plans to develop the robot so that it can create a variety of textures and erase previous markings. In the demo video, the robot created pictures of the Lion King, Nemo and Mickey Mouse.
The robot - called the Beachbot - drags pins through the sand like a rake . Images are designed on an iPhone app and transmitted to the machine . A 'canvas' is created by setting down poles, which the robot uses as markers to calculate its position .
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Prince Andrew faces international censure after flying out yesterday on a secret visit to meet the controversial president of Azerbaijan. The Queen's son flew out of the UK on a private jet for talks with billionaire despot Ilham Aliyev, who has been repeatedly accused of appalling human rights abuses. It is understood that the royal will stay in the capital, Baku, until Sunday and his 'private' four-day trip includes at least one face to face meeting with the leader. When visiting Azerbaijan Andrew is known as 'the dear guest'. Close ties: Prince Andrew and Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev during one of their meetings in 2009 . His visit was not publicised in the list of official royal engagements in advance and last night Buckingham Palace would only say: 'By long standing convention we do not confirm or comment on private travel by members of the Royal Family.' However it is understood that taxpayers are not being forced to foot the bill for the jolly, aside from the cost of security. Details of the trip only emerged after a British Government source tipped off the pressure group, Platform, which campaigns against social and environmental abuses associated with the energy industry. Its spokesman, Emma Hughes, accused the prince of having a 'cosy relationship' with President Aliyev and demanded to know in what capacity he was visiting Azerbaijan. Andrew was forced to give up his globe-trotting royal role as a UK trade envoy in 2011 after years of public criticism. While his efforts were lauded by some respected names in the business community, he was also repeatedly accused of wasting taxpayers' money on chartering costly private jets and helicopters - including £387,000 in his last few months in the job. Some of his business trips were also noted to coincide with golfing trips or private holidays. The prince also faced scrutiny over claims he was 'cashing in' on connections he had developed through his role including the sale of his Berkshire home for £15 million - £3million over the asking price - to the son-in-law of the controversial Kazakhstan president, a personal friend and goose hunting partner. The final nail in the coffin was the furore over his close friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, a billionaire US financier who was convicted and jailed for soliciting prostitution from underage girls. The pair were photographed together in New York after Epstein had been released from prison. During his decade as the UK's Special Representative for Trade and Industry he also forged a close relationship with the President of Azerbaijan, an oil and gas-rich former Soviet state. The Duke of York speaking at World Economic Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan, at the dinner hosted by Mr Aliyev . Officially, he has now met with him on 12 occasions, although it is believed that he has also enjoyed numerous private encounters too. In June 2009 Andrew spent an estimated £60,000 of public money on chartering a luxury private jet for a three-day visit. And in November 2012 the Mail revealed how the prince had even made a covert stop-off to visit the president en route to an official tour of the Middle East. On another earlier stay he was reported to have visited a luxury spa owned by President Aliyev, which employs a blind Russian masseur described as having the best hands in the world. And in 2013 this newspaper also revealed that Andrew had been given a valuable ornamental sword and a box of caviar by Aliyev when was guest of honour at his dinner table. The Prince is also friendly with the president's wife Mehriban, and her two glamorous daughters, one of whom, Leyla, is married to the son of a Russian oligarch and lives in a penthouse overlooking Hyde Park in London. The disclosures have added to the disquiet over the prince's relationships with the leaders of dubious regimes, as Azerbaijan is considered to be one of the most corrupt countries in the world. The regularity of his visits have also led media in the former Soviet state to speculate that the Queen's son may have business links to the oil-rich state, including a golf resort on the Caspian Sea. Buckingham Palace has vehemently denied this. News of his latest trip has attracted condemnation from pressure groups concerned by Azerbaijan's appalling human rights record. Aliyev, who inherited the presidency from his father, has been accused of torturing his political opponents, rigging elections and curtailing media freedom. Last October presidential elections were held in the country which saw 143 political campaigners jailed. Videos also emerged of ballot boxes allegedly being stuffed by regime supporters. Prince Andrew is not the only high profile British figure who has close links with the Aliyev regime. This August it was announced that Tony Blair is being paid to advise the Azerbaijani government and several oil companies - including BP - on the PR challenges they face in building the Euro-Caspian Mega Pipeline, a huge gas infrastructure that will run from Azerbaijan to Italy. Emma Hughes, Energy Campaigner at campaign group Platform said: 'It's shameful that both Prince Andrew and Tony Blair are so chummy with the Azerbaijani autocrat. 'There are hundreds of brave people in Azerbaijan fighting for democracy, yet our representatives are more concerned with caviar and gas deals.'
Duke of York flew by private jet to meet Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev . Billionaire despot has been accused of appalling human rights abuses . Prince Andrew will stay in capital, Baku, during his 'private' four-day trip . He was forced to stand down as a UK trade envoy after years of criticism .
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Luis Suarez has told his Liverpool team-mates he plans to stay at Anfield and lead next season’s pursuit of the Barclays Premier League title. Liverpool on Monday said that manager Brendan Rodgers had signed a new contract that runs until 2018, and he will be boosted by Suarez’s presence. Reports say Real Madrid are poised to table a £100million offer for Suarez, who signed a lucrative long-term deal at Liverpool in December, when he promised to stay at the club ‘for a very long time’. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Luis Suarez leaving hospital following keyhole surgery . Happy: Luis Suarez wants to stay at Liverpool after scoring 31 goals in 33 Premier League games last season . Stricken: Suarez is fighting a battle against time to make the World Cup after knee surgery on Thursday . National concern: A crowd gathers around Suarez as he leaves hospital in Montevideo . Golden boy: Suarez with his daughter Delfina and son Benjamin and his Golden Boot award after Liverpool's final match of the season at Anfield . His tears . at Crystal Palace, after a 3-3 draw that all but ended Liverpool’s title . challenge were seen as a sign that Suarez felt his one chance to . deliver the Premier League crown to Liverpool had gone. But . sources at the Bernabeu insist there will be no offer for Suarez if . Karim Benzema agrees a new deal. The France striker, believed to be a . target for Arsenal, is demanding a huge pay rise but the European . champions are hopeful of reaching an agreement with the 26-year-old . before the World Cup. Anfield . insiders insist Suarez was committed to staying, with Champions League . football on offer next season as well as another tilt at the title. Sportsmail understands Suarez and his wife have even enrolled their daughter at a new school in the area. Rodgers has signed a long-term contract after Liverpool’s owners promised every help to win the title. Passion: Suarez's tears showed how much he cared after Liverpool's 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace . Familiar face: Suarez is still a chance to play against his Liverpool team-mates when Uruguay take on England . Rodgers, named LMA Manager of the Year after taking Liverpool to within two points of the crown last season, has been given improved terms to reflect his outstanding work. But the crux of the talks with Fenway Sports Group were about boosting the squad rather than wages. Liverpool have identified a number of . targets, headed by Adam Lallana, who has his heart set on a move to . Anfield. But talks are taking time because Southampton want £30m for the . forward. Bayern Munich’s Xherdan Shaqiri is an . alternative to Lallana, while Liverpool are working on signing Emre Can, . a £12m-rated Bayer Leverkusen midfielder. Staying put: Brendan Rodgers has been rewarded with a new deal after an impressive season . Target: Adam Lallana is high on Rodgers' wish list but Southampton want £30m for the England star . Rodgers says FSG’s support is crucial. ‘I came here because I felt this is one of the biggest clubs in the world,’ he said. ‘I want to be here as long as I can, hopefully playing a part in restoring the club to greatness. ‘I want to win and I need to know that if I am going to be here I’m going to have the best possibility to win. ‘I need to know I can have players that can carry out the instructions that we want to work to win trophies. The owners have been great. They’re winners themselves.’
Real Madrid is reportedly ready to make a £100m offer for Suarez . The Uruguay striker signed a new long-term deal at Anfield in December . Bernabeu sources say there'll be no Suarez offer if Karim Benzema stays . Suarez and his wife have enrolled their daughter at a new school . Brendan Rodgers has signed a new long-term contract with the club . The manager is now contracted to stay at the club until 2018 .
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A contest to turn 'nuisance' grey squirrels into burgers had a cold reception from animal activists - who accused it of being a smear campaign against the so-called 'chicken of the trees'. The cook-off in the Forest of Dean, where the animals are accused of damaging trees, attracted wide publicity in its search for the tastiest squirrel snack. Volunteers cooked up quarter-pounders using three minced carcasses each, and one triumphed with a 'cajun melt' surprise - complete with a mozzarella and chutney topping. But they were criticised by vegetarian groups who said grey squirrels were being unfairly maligned, while the RSPCA issued a warning over how the animals were caught. Tasty: It took at least three grey squirrels to make each quarter-pounder at a contest yesterday in the Forest of Dean, prompting complaints by animal rights activists who said it unfairly maligned the little-loved species . Popular: The contest was hosted as part of the Forest Showcase Food and Drink Festival (pictured) The contest was held at the Forest Showcase Food and Drink Festival yesterday near Coleford, Gloucestershire, in a bid to get the animal on British menus. Dozens of would-be chefs submitted a recipe to the Extraordinary Squirrel Burger Challenge, and four finalists served up their version of the dish. Each contestant was handed three 'locally-sourced' squirrel carcasses and added their own flavours to make a quarter pounder. Introduced to Britain in the 19th century, there are now around 100,000 grey squirrels in the Forest of Dean - a population the Forestry Commission claims is 'huge' and 'extremely destructive'. Although the agency does not cull the animals, a spokesman said: 'Grey squirrels do cause considerable damage to the trees through extensive bark stripping.' Trio of carcasses: At least 12 squirrels were killed, skinned and gutted for the family event (file photo) Hotly-tipped: A poster for the event yesterday promised prizes including a £55 cookery school voucher . Rachel Thomas, one of the event's organisers, said: 'It is here in the Forest and we should be using it - they are a nuisance at the end of the day.' But the Bristol-based charity Vegetarians’ International Voice for Animals said the ‘victimisation of grey squirrels’ was ‘totally misguided’. Juicy: This image was one of those used to advertise the squirrel burger cooking contest last week . Spokesman Justin Kerswell added: 'This smear campaign against the grey squirrel reeks of both cruelty and irony. Red squirrels themselves have previously been tarred as pests and killed in huge numbers. 'Favouring and massacring different species of wildlife continues to be a brutal fashion which cannot carry on.' And People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals attacked the 'desperate-for-attention festival organisers' who were 'swimming against the tide'. 'Our shops are brimming with healthy and delicious grains, pasta, beans, rice, nuts, fruits, almond milks and soya puddings,' a spokesman added. 'More and more Brits are realising that these are not only far kinder choices but also far more nourishing than the dead bodies of squirrels, ponies or any other animal for that matter.' The RSPCA also raised concerns over how the animals were found. A spokesman said: 'We would hope that these particular squirrels had been killed humanely. 'We would also be concerned about ordinary members of the public possibly trying to capture and/or kill grey squirrels and would not advocate this.' Festival organisers defended the event, insisting it was fair to eat animals that roam in the woods. The Forestry Commission said the grey squirrel population in the area is 'huge' and 'destructive' (file photo) Ready for lunch? Nicknamed the 'chicken of the trees', squirrel also tastes a little like rabbit (file photo) Ms Thomas said: 'It is no different to going out and having rabbit. It is also kind of an educational thing. It shows that it is a good food source here in the Forest. By Pascal Aussignac, of the Michelin-starred Club Gascon in the City of London . 'I think people seeing it [at the competition] were fascinated and curious. We had a lot of positive reaction. We haven't come across any [negative comments] as it happens.' Nicknamed the 'chicken of the trees', squirrel meat is gamey and mostly tastes like a cross between chicken and rabbit. The first prize in yesterday's contest was won by Holly Hayes, who won a £55 cookery school voucher for her 'cajun melt' burger seasoned with jerk spices and topped with melted mozzarella and chutney. The runner-up was Sophie Drinkwater who called her creation 'chicken of the tree surprise' - a garlic and herb burger with melted Gloucester cheese in the centre. The Forest of Dean is already at the centre of animal rights campaigns because it is the focus of Britain's largest wild boar cull. The cull - which is taking place all winter and could claim as many as 500 animals, say activists - is set to be sabotaged by up to 30 locals who will inform each other whenever government-approved marksmen appear. The ancient forest is also the focus of the government's highly controversial badger cull, which campaigners have accused of doing more harm than good. Lawrence Jefferies, a catering lecturer at Gloucestershire College and one of the judges, said the grey squirrel was 'obviously a nuisance within the Forest of Dean and it does a lot of damage and there’s nothing wrong with eating it.' He added: 'It is a creature with a fluffy tail and some people would take offence at its use for food but to my mind it’s just the same as a wild rabbit, which is perfectly acceptable. 'They are a pest, they are in abundance and there is a food source to be had there. And I think it might make a nice cheeseburger.'
Squirrel Burger Challenge held yesterday in Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire . It aimed to turn some of 100,000 'nuisance' animals into quarter-pounders . Dozens of would-be chefs submitted recipes using 'chicken of the trees' But contest questioned by RSPCA and did not please vegetarian groups . One complained: 'This smear campaign reeks of both cruelty and irony'
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By . James Tozer . PUBLISHED: . 10:04 EST, 22 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:47 EST, 22 November 2012 . For more than a century and a half the simple symmetry of these former almshouses had remained an undisturbed gem. But that was before the unstoppable march of multi-coloured wheelie bins reached their village. The elderly residents of the historic terrace were shocked by the arrival of not one but three bins for each cottage – a total of 21 for the row – as well as two smaller indoor bins each, including an orange ‘caddy’ for waste food. New delivery: The wheelie bins were lined up outside these attractive cottages on Elizabeth Owen Terrace in Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd, Denbighshire by the local council . They claimed that the bins blocked off . wheelchairs, ambulances and even the postman – as well as marring the . Victorian mock Gothic architecture. Unsightly: Each of the seven cottages received five bins, making 35 in total . Since they first rolled into . Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd, Denbighshire, earlier this month, however, the . majority have mysteriously vanished. Denbighshire council said it had . not removed them. Yesterday residents complained that . those which remain outside Elizabeth Owen Terrace are still an eyesore . and a hazard. ‘I can hardly breathe, never mind move bins around,’ said . 77-year-old William Perry. 'Some of the neighbours had to come round and . move the bins away from my front door because I couldn’t get out, and I . can’t use the back door because of my disability. 'I was trapped. And . the ambulance comes here a lot and parks outside, but there is no way an . ambulance can get here now.’ Mr Perry, who has a severe heart . problem and only one lung, said his 90-year-old neighbour was ‘nearly in . tears’ at the situation. Fire hazard: The bins were delivered straight in front of the cottages, blocking some of the elderly residents in their homes . How it looked before: One of the idyllic cottages on Elizabeth Owen Terrace in Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd in Denbighshire before the delivery of wheelie bins . ‘She was so worried about what she was . going to do with all these bins,’ he said. The cottages were built as . almshouses in the mid-19th century, and are still offered to pensioners . at affordable rents. Their rubbish was previously collected in bags, but now each cottage has three wheelie bins . collected fortnightly - a black one for general rubbish, a blue one for . recyclables and a green one for garden waste.
Denbighshire Council delivered 35 wheelie bins for just seven cottages . Elderly residents of Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd left unable to leave their homes . Recycling initiative for 11,000 homes but residents call the bins 'ludicrous'
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By . Steve Robson . PUBLISHED: . 04:14 EST, 15 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:28 EST, 15 January 2013 . Accused: Alicia Inglish has been arrested on 120 counts of suspected animal cruelty and tampering with evidence . An animal rescue boss has been arrested after police raided a shelter and found 149 starving dogs living in filthy conditions. Alicia Inglish, 24, had been taking in unwanted pets and running Willamette Animal Rescue centre from a warehouse in Marion County, Oregon, in the U.S. But police became concerned about the welfare of the animals after complaints from people who adopted dogs. They found many piled up on top of each other in tiny carriers with waste dripping down from one to another. As many as five dogs were crowded into a living area only fit for one. Officers said there was just two bags of dog food in the entire building. The dogs appeared to be mainly surviving on stale bread. Many of the them were said to be severely malnourished and what little water was available was contaminated with rubbish. Some of the dogs' eyes were sealed shut with bodily fluids while others had open sores and bald patches on their coats. A team of 21 officers and volunteers worked through the night after the raid on Sunday to remove the dogs and assess them. The Oregon Humane Society took in 110 dogs. Many of the dogs were found living in cages usually used to transport animals . 'This is so far and away from the perception of warmth and caring people expect in an animal shelter,' Sharon Harmon, executive director of the Oregon Humane Society, told The Oregonian. 'This is just a tragic case of neglect.' Inglish has been arrested on 120 accusations of second-degree animal neglect and tampering with evidence. She was reportedly arrested on Sunday morning as she pulled up to the warehouse with another four dogs. Police raided the animal rescue centre after receiving complaints from people who had adopted dogs . Many of the dogs were malnoursihed and had open sores on their snouts . On the group's Facebook page, which has since taken down, a plea had been posted appealing for dog food on November 10. According to The Oregonian, it read: 'We go through about 120 pounds of . dog food each day at the shelter so gift cards to Costco, Petsmart and . Petco are always a big help!' A former volunteer at the center, Christian Kidd, 23, defended Inglish saying she had been takin gin dogs from a local pound that would otherwise have been euthanized. 'We would pick up dogs sentenced to death and bring them back to rehabilitate them and try to find them loving homes,' said Kidd. 'She didn't want the dogs to die. That's all she cared about.' Inglish is being held at the Marion County Jail on £190,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court this afternoon. Marion County Sheriff's office said additional arrests are expected.
Police raided shelter in Oregon, US, after receiving complaints . Many dogs severely malnourished and had open sores . Police found just two bags of dog food in the entire building . Boss Alicia Inglish, 24, arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty .
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By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 14:39 EST, 27 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:52 EST, 27 September 2013 . The writer who posted the break up text she received from a new boyfriend has revealed that she thinks of herself as the one who initiated the break up. Quin Woodward Pu is a blogger and author who writes about her social life in Washington, D.C. and her latest exploits caused an uproar when she decided to publicly shame the man who dumped her after only two dates. After meeting a 'rando' at a bar on Friday the 13th (which she told MailOnline 'should have been a sign' of things to come), Ms Woodward Pu was outraged when he had the gall to send her a text ending their relationship just days before her 26th birthday. Now she has revealed that his text came after she was the one to initially cool things down with him. While many commenters saw her scathing reaction in a series of texts that she sent to him following the break up as an overreaction, she has spoken out to clarify that she had initially been the one to 'pump the breaks' on the relationship. Vindicated? Quin Woodward Pu has said that she feels that she initiated the break up by 'pumping the breaks' on the relationship before receiving the text . She told MailOnline that on their second date, which took place last Saturday night, he suggested that 'maybe we shouldn't be seeing other people'. She said that she shrugged off the comment, saying 'Okay yeah let's talk about it later'. 'The rest of the weekend I went on another date, I was seeing other people. It was very casual,' she said. Less than two days later, she received the infamous break up text, which she felt was written in a condescending way where he assumed he 'had the upper hand' in the relationship. 'I actually spent the entire day really mad... I was stewing and really agitated I'm already pretty high strung to begin with,' she said. She crafted the admittedly 'hyperbolic' text and actually sent it to the editor who looks over her books and blog posts. The editor said that it was 'a little strong' and suggested she sleep on it before sending. When Woodward Pu woke up on the morning of her birthday, she still felt the same sting from the text and decided to go ahead and send it. 'I'm still mad. I still thought it was a d**k move- he thought that he had the upper hand and I'm none-the-wiser,' she said. 'Agitated': Woodward Pu said that the break up text made her mad because it assumed that he had the upper hand in their nascent relationship . She would not give any identifying details about the man when asked, except to say that he has a 9-year-old daughter and 'is not a young professional but is not middle aged'. She also would not detail whether or not they have spoken since she published the texts, only saying that she is sure that he is still employed and his bosses do not know that he is the person she is referring to. Firing shot: The unidentified man sent her this text after going on two dates and before another planned weekend . The self-published author said that . she has not read the comments to her story online- a practice that she . uses with all of her writing- but finds it funny that Reddit users . created Amazon accounts purely to review her books because even though . they have given scathing reviews, it helps her sales because her books . move towards the top of the 'most reviewed' list and give it more . publicity. 'I write my blog to entertain people, that's the only reason,' she said. 'I've taken great pains to protect his identity... I was not trying to ruin his life and I didn't ruin his life . The . timeline of events is the most controversial point that strikes a chord . with online commentators, as the break up text- and ensuing virtual . firestorm- came after only two dates. Woodward Pu met the man, whose . name she has not released, and they began exchanging emails before going . for a night of drinks, dinner and champagne. After discovering that they had . 'relatively good chemistry', she invited him to her upcoming birthday . party and when he could not make it, he invited her for a weekend-long . trip to nearby wine country. In an interview the day after she posted the break up text, Woodward Pu said that she had been the one to 'pump the breaks' on the relationship at that point. She explained that the man had tried to have a conversation 'DTR', where they would Define The Relationship, and she thought it was too soon. Quin Woodward's pompous self-aggrandized claims to be 'a 25 year old with two published books and a condo' has won her few fans and a host of negative comments . Quin Woodward Pu is the editor-in-chief of . Little Black Blog, and has written two books about her fast-paced life . in Washington, D.C. and her romantic exploits . ‘The man had just 24 hours prior . broached a DTR, which I politely shelved for the time being (that is not . in the original blog post because it seemed unnecessarily merciless to . point that out, but I see now that it is an integral part of setting up . my reaction), and who asked if he could spend an entire weekend with . me,' she told In The Capital. 'For . him to suddenly "dump" me after I'd already politely pumped the brakes . on our still-nascent "relationship"--that is what caused the anger, to . try to preemptively end things before they'd even begun because he felt I . was pulling away.' Said anger included threats to send his employers proof that he was using his work phone to ‘sext’ her. 'Though . unsolicited and completely unrequited, I thought the taxpayer-funded . sexts from your agency blackberry were sweet, but your executive . committee may think the screenshots of your messages I sent to them are a . little cheesy,' she wrote in the text to the would-be suitor. On her Facebook profile late Thursday, she clarified that it was actually an empty threat. 'Let's all calm down, people. The boss was never informed. Government sexter is still very safely and soundly employed, with his superiors none the wiser,' she wrote. Though she was stunned into self-proclaimed paralysis after receiving the break up text- where the unidentified man assured her that he had ‘no doubt you'll move on quickly as you are a funny, smart, cool girl’- the speed at which her story engaged the public did not come as a surprise. Woodward Pu's two books - 'A+' and 'Digfast' are in fact self-published tomes of her own autobiography which have received a host of negatives reviews on Amazon . Quin Woodward Pu's two volumes of self-published memoirs have been labeled 'narcissistic' and 'pretentious' ‘There is a reason why my websites are kept up-to-date, and why I consulted a lawyer the night before I went live with the post. I knew exactly what I was getting myself into,’ she told In The Capital. ‘The reason this story has caught so much attention is because it is relatable, on both sides of the gender line. ‘To be fair, the man has both my books; he also knew what he was getting himself into.’ She also proudly states that sales for her books have dramatically increased since the story came out, in spite of the less-than-stellar reviews on Amazon: they both have an average review of 1.5 stars out of five. Woodward Pu, who graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2009, wrote two memoirs about her ‘glitzy and glamorous’ pursuit of a ‘champagne-soaked’ career in journalism.
Quin Woodward Pu, 26, was unceremoniously dumped via text this week by a man she had been on two dates with . The self-published author and blogger sought revenge by publishing their exchanges online and claiming to send his 'sexts' to his bosses . Now she reveals that she did not send anything to his superiors . She also said that her fury came because she was the one to suggest that their nascent relationship move slower . That conversation reportedly took place a day before his break up text .
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Thousands of people having keyhole knee surgery could be wasting their time, claim researchers. New research suggests that middle-aged people with mild osteoarthritis get little, if any, benefit as a result. A study investigated how best to treat torn meniscus, crescent-shaped cartilage that helps stabilise knees. In the UK many patients have arthroscopic procedures either on the NHS or privately to reduce knee pain. Thousands of people having keyhole knee surgery could be wasting their time, researchers have claimed . This involves a procedure called debridement, which involves tidying up damaged cartilage and ligaments or removing loose debris from the joint. But a study published in the Canadian Medical Journal found surgery is not more effective in the short or long-term than doing nothing. Arthroscopy involves two small stab wounds made on either side of the front of the knee. One is for a telescope called an arthroscope, enabling the surgeon to see directly inside the area, and the other is for an instrument to carry out the surgery. Surgeons typically smooth damaged cartilage surfaces on the end of bones, which can cause stiffness and pain, and flush out bone chips. The minimally invasive procedure allows for quicker healing than traditional surgery, but can still trigger complications such as blood clots, infection and nerve or blood vessel damage. During keyhole surgery, an arthroscopy, surgeons can smooth damaged cartilage surfaces on the end of bones, pictured is a computer generated image of cartilage . Canadian researchers analysed seven good quality trials, involving 811 knees in 805 patients, with an average age of 56 years. The procedure was carried out for symptom relief in patients with mild or no osteoarthritis, compared with similar patients who did not have arthroscopy for meniscal tears. In four trials there was no short-term pain relief in the first six months after surgery for patients with some osteoarthritis. There was no improvement in long-term function up to two years later in five trials. Study leader Dr Moin Khan, Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, said: ‘Arthroscopic surgery for degenerative meniscal tears in the setting of mild or no concurrent osteoarthritis in middle-aged patients may have little, if any, effect on short-term and long-term outcomes in comparison with nonoperative management.’ He said doctors need to carefully weigh the costs and benefits when deciding which middle aged patients should undergo surgery. ‘With limited evidence supporting arthroscopic meniscal débridement for degenerative meniscus tears in the setting of mild or no osteoarthritis, an initial trial of nonoperative interventions should play a large role for middle-aged people,’ he added. A 2008 Canadian study found that patients undergoing surgery for knee arthritis did no better than those having physical therapy and taking medication. Experts believe arthroscopy should not be used routinely to treat osteoarthritis, but say it may still help patients with mild symptoms or a recent injury. NHS guidelines recommend GPs only refer arthritis patients for arthroscopy when they suffer locking of the knee, not other symptoms.
New research suggests middle-aged people with mild osteoarthritis get little, if any, benefit from surgery . Study investigated how best to treat torn meniscus - cartilage in the knee . In the UK many patients have arthroscopic operations to relieve pain .
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(CNN Student News) -- August 22, 2014 . It's a "miraculous day," according to an American doctor who survived the Ebola virus. We'll update you on his condition and what doctors say about his release from the hospital. Today's show also explains how a grand jury and legal complications factor in to an incident in Ferguson, Missouri. And some of Britain's historic statues have been given a new voice. Go there with CNN Student News! On this page you will find today's show Transcript and a place for you to request to be on the CNN Student News Roll Call. TRANSCRIPT . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. WEEKLY NEWS QUIZ . Click here for a printable version of the Weekly News Quiz (PDF). 1. The Mosul Dam is located in what Middle Eastern country? 2. What is the name of wind system that blows from the southwest during summer months and brings tremendous amounts of rain to India? 3. The world's largest experiment involving "smart trash cans" is being conducted in what U.S. city? 4. Pope Francis recently became the first pontiff in 25 years to visit what Asian country? 5. What is the brand of the car that recently made auction history when it sold for more than $38 million? 6. Until his death in 2013, what controversial leader served as president of Venezuela? 7. Which of these organisms would you find in the phylum Cnidaria: octopi, seaweed, sharks or jellyfish? 8. What city in the United Arab Emirates is home to the tallest building in the world? 9. Dr. Kent Brantley and Nancy Writebol are two U.S. missionaries who've recovered from what deadly virus? 10. In what European city is technology being used to give the public information about statuesque figures? CNN Student News is created by a team of journalists who consider the Common Core State Standards, national standards in different subject areas, and state standards when producing the show. ROLL CALL . For a chance to be mentioned on the next CNN Student News, comment on the bottom of this page with your school name, mascot, city and state. We will be selecting schools from the comments of the previous show. You must be a teacher or a student age 13 or older to request a mention on the CNN Student News Roll Call! Thank you for using CNN Student News!
This page includes the show Transcript . Use the Transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary . At the bottom of the page, comment for a chance to be mentioned on CNN Student News. You must be a teacher or a student age 13 or older to request a mention. The Weekly Newsquiz tests students' knowledge of events in the news .
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By . Emily Kent Smith . This shocking footage shows a man kicking a helpless cat while videoing himself committing the act - all with a smirk on his face. Staff at the Liverpool hostel were horrified when they were checking CCTV and spotted a man on camera kicking the little black and white cat named Catters into a doorway. Moments before, the man had asked to use the hostel's bathroom but instead of leaving and thanking staff he brutally kicked their pet. Scroll down for video . Catters pictured on CCTV before the attack happened at the Liverpool hostel . The unknown man is then pictured walking up to the cat as if he is about to enter the bathroom . The man then looks around to make sure that no one is watching him . Staff at Hatters hostel now want to see the callous abuser brought to justice and are asking for anyone who recognises the man to come forward. They have also reported the incident to the RSPCA and pictures of the man have been shared on social media. Catters was a stray before he moved into the hostel six years ago. Staff now lovingly care for the little cat, feeding him every day and even giving him a hot water bottle when it is cold. They also spent their own money building a wooden hut for the cat and there is a mural in the hostel devoted to it. But manager Paul Mercer, 32, said that although Catters used to be friendly and affectionate, since the attack his personality has changed completely. He said: 'He doesn’t seem to be suffering physically but he is definitely wary of humans at the moment. 'He will normally wander up to people and stand and the door and wait for them to let him in. 'Now he will start running rather than come up to you - he is very wary.' Mr Mercer described the attack as 'disgusting'. He said: 'It was the fact that he was videoing himself doing it which was disgraceful. 'We want to find the guy because you would not have thought this is the first time he has done it. 'We want to see him caught.' He is then pictured taking out his phone, ready to film the attack on the camera of his iPhone . The man can be seen lifting up his leg to kick the cat . The man then starts to turn round with a smirk on his face as if he is about to go back down the corridor . Mr Mercer said he was 'shocked' when he learned about the attack. He said: 'I was disgusted that someone could do it and it looked like he enjoyed it. 'It's the size of the guy in comparison to the cat. 'If you see someone hitting a kid you just don’t do it. 'The cat is part of the family.' But the man then goes back to the door and pictures the cat lying on the bathroom floor . The man then gives the cat a second kick after the first attack . The man then walks off again and appears to be re-watching the footage on his phone . The man came into the hostel last . Saturday night at around midnight and asked to use the bathroom. He then walked down to the ground . floor toilets and came out of the bathroom before kicking the cat back . through the bathroom doorway. He then returns a second time and kicks the animal again. The man is smiling throughout and videoing the attack on his iPhone. Mr Mercer described the man as in his mid to late 20s and with Hispanic features. If you have any information about this man contact Hatters Hostel on liverpool@hattersgroup.com or call the RSPCA on 03001234999. Catters has changed completely since the attack and is now wary of humans . Catters was a stray before being taken in by the hostel six years ago. Now, staff make the cat food every day and even make hot water bottles to keep their pet warm .
Footage shows man walk into a hostel and kick a cat through a door . He films attack on mobile phone and smirks - then kicks cat second time . Man walks off and re-watches footage on his phone . Staff at Hatters hostel, Liverpool, described attack as 'disgusting' They are now looking for the man who brutally attacked their pet Catters .
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By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 6:32 PM on 6th September 2011 . The father of classical piano group the 5 Browns sexually abused his three daughters far more times than he was convicted for, police revealed today. Keith Brown, of Utah, was jailed for at least 10 years in March after pleading guilty to abusing his Mormon daughters Deondra, Desirae and Melody when they were children. But a new police report says the abuse was over a period of at least eight years, happened hundreds of times for at least one of his daughters and was across state boundaries. Scroll down for video . Sentenced: Keith Brown, the father of the renowned piano group The 5 Browns, pictured with attorney Steven Shapiro, was jailed in March for at least 10 years on charges of child sex abuse . Brown had emailed his daughters about . the abuse before they went to police, the report said. The 5 Browns are a classical piano group made up of three sisters and two brothers - Melody, Deondra, Desirae, Ryan and Gregory. They were the first family of five siblings to be accepted at the same time into New York’s Juilliard School. The Utah siblings released three albums that got to number one in the U.S. classical chart. The New York Post described them as ‘the biggest classical music sensation in years’. Entertainment Weekly said they are ‘button-down cute and somewhat otherworldly’. They have performances coming up in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in November - before going to Ohio in December. As one daughter got older he focussed on his younger girls, Deputy Utah County Attorney David Sturgill told the Salt Lake . Tribune last week. His crimes were close to being kept a . secret from the public and were only uncovered by the media following a car accident near Salt Lake City that he was involved in just days . after he was charged. Brown drove his Porsche off a road and . it fell 300ft into the Little Cottonwood Canyon as he returned from . a ski resort on Valentine’s Day with his wife - with police saying he was travelling too fast. He was driving, and his wife Lisa, the mother of the children, was in the passenger seat. They were both knocked unconscious, but Brown woke up and managed to dial 911. His lawyer Steven Shapiro has since reflected on the case following the sentencing. ‘The position of a case of this . magnitude was to have it resolved as quickly and quietly as possible,’ he told the Salt Lake Tribune. ‘The intention was to not have this be . any sort of a media event.’ Sexually assaulted: The Brown daughters only wanted to see their father jailed for a certain amount of time . Mr Sturgill said he would rather sexual assault cases were not covered by . the media - but a support group disagreed. Alana Kindness, executive director of . the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault, told the Salt Lake Tribune . she was very grateful to the young women for coming forward. 'The position of a case of this . magnitude was to have it resolved as quickly and quietly as possible. The intention was to not have this be . any sort of a media event' Steven Shapiro, defending . ‘It doesn’t matter what neighbourhood . they come from or what family they come from,' she said. 'It helps break down those . misconceptions about who perpetrators are and who the victims are.’ The three daughters first met with . police in June 2010. But many people close to the family already knew . about the abuse before they came forward, Mr Shapiro told the Salt Lake . Tribune. ‘The girls spoke with investigators . significantly after their father had already spoken with his . ecclesiastical leaders and had a conversation with his family,’ he said. Brown pleaded guilty in February to one count of sodomy on a child and two counts of sexual abuse of a child. Mr Sturgill said the charges did not . represent the number of abusive acts committed - but the women only . wanted to see him jailed for a certain amount of time, so they got what . they wanted. A family torn: Mormon piano group The 5 Browns - left to right: Melody, Ryan, Desirae, Gregory, and Deondra . A spokesman for the 5 Browns told the . Salt Lake Tribune they are now focusing on ‘managing their lives, . careers and the ongoing healing process’. Judge David Mortensen said in March: . 'I think it’s obvious a home should be a refuge and a safe place, and . that a parent should be a protector.’ He added that Brown was a 'danger . to society’. ‘The girls spoke with investigators . significantly after their father had already spoken with his . ecclesiastical leaders and had a conversation with his family' Steven Shapiro, defending . The girls were abused on separate occasions between November 1990 and October 1992, November 1990 and November 1992, and March 1997 and March 1998 in Utah County. Brown's daughters did not attend court for the sentencing as they were on tour in Florida. The 5 Browns are a Utah piano-playing group consisting of three sisters and two brothers. The Brown women severed their professional relationship with their father in October 2008. He was once their manager but now has no connection to the group. See video of The 5 Browns here . > .
Keith Brown jailed for at least 10 years in March after guilty plea on charges . Deondra, Desirae and Melody were all abused when they were children . Mormon girls were members of star classical piano group The 5 Browns .
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Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Manny Pacquiao met for over an hour on Tuesday night in a bid to hammer out the details of their proposed $300million (£200m) mega-fight. Mayweather visited Pacquiao in his Miami hotel suite for what was described as a 'very pleasant and very encouraging' discussion. The pair had earlier sat on opposite sides of a basketball court as Miami Heat took on the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Manny and Floyd finally meet... at Miami Heat . These pictures posted on Twitter show Manny Pacquiao (left) and Floyd Mayweather meeting in Miami . The pair, pictured together for the first time, spoke and swapped phone numbers at the Heat game . Fight fans will be hoping the exchange leads to the mega-bout the world is waiting for . They talked briefly at half-time and exchanged phone numbers during what was their first ever face-to-face conversation. The fight has been in the works for almost six years but appears close to being agreed for the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2. 'That's the first time they ever sat eye to eye,' Pacquiao's adviser Michael Konz told ESPN. 'They talked at half-time, but this was a longer, more serious meeting. You could tell by their body language that this was very positive. It was for a good hour or more. A handshake brought an end to the brief encounter between Pacquiao and Mayweather in Miami . Camera crews were all over the unexpected meeting between the two boxing legends . A huge bodyguard can be seen keeping a close eye on events at the American Airlines Arena . All eyes were on Mayweather and Pacquiao despite the cheerleaders strutting their stuff in the background . 'It was a business meeting but it wasn't a tense business meeting. I think that's because they both have mutual respect for each other. We'll determine what will happen over the next couple of days.' Konz also revealed that Mayweather voiced concern over two broadcasting issues during the meeting. Pacquiao is under contract with HBO while Mayweather has two fights remaining on his six-fight deal with Showtime. It is expected a joint pay-per-view broadcast will be agreed, similar to the arrangement for Lennox Lewis' heavyweight clash with Mike Tyson in 2002. Pacquiao's was only at the basketball match after his flight to New York was delayed due to the blizzard that has hit the east coast. The Filipino was in Miami on Sunday to judge the Miss Universe pageant and has set a deadline of January 31 for Mayweather to agree terms. The closest they came to doing so was in early 2010 when Pacquiao refused to sign up to Olympic-style drug testing. Mayweather and Pacquiao were talking the talk in Miami... will they now walk the walk into the ring? Pacquiao's adviser Michael Koncz has a word in his man's ear amid the excitement . In one image it looked as if Mayweather had most to say and Pacquiao was doing most of the listening . The fighters went their separate ways after speaking for a few minutes... ...but not before members of the crowd had been able to take a few snaps and some footage on their phones . Mayweather and Pacquiao (centre) were pictured together for the first time at the NBA game - the man on the right of the shot is the Filipino fighter's adviser Michael Koncz . Mayweather and Pacquiao spoke during half-time as Miami Heat faced the Milwaukee Bucks game . The pair hugged and swapped phone numbers but there wasn't much smiling during the exchange . Mayweather looked happier when he was able to sit and take in the action at the American Airlines Arena . Pacquiao was also all smiles when he wasn't face to face with the man he could get in the ring with this year . Pacquiao and Mayweather sat on opposite sides of the court during the action in Miami . The Milwaukee Bucks beat the Miami Heat 109-102 but the game was overshadowed by the boxers . Pacquiao won his last fight convincingly on points against Chris Algieri in Macau . Pacquiao is confident he would beat Mayweather if the two ever did meet in the ring . Mayweather won his rematch with Marcos Maidana in September and is due to fight again in May . Mayweather is undefeated in his 47-fight career and considered the best pound-for-pound boxer on the plane . One of the options open to Mayweather for the May 2 date is a rematch with Miguel Cotto . If Mayweather opts to fight Cotto then Pacquiao could turn his attentions to Amir Khan .
Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather first met at NBA game . They sat across the court from each other during first half on Tuesday . The pair had a short conversation at half-time and swapped numbers . Mayweather then visited Pacquiao in his hotel suite for further talks . Mayweather is expected to announce this week his next fight for May 2 . Click here for more boxing news .
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By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 00:07 EST, 15 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:04 EST, 15 March 2013 . A canister of radioactive material stolen from the back of a van a month ago has been found in a shopping centre. The Iridium 192 substance, which can increase the risk of cancer, cause burns, radiation sickness or even death, was discovered at The Point Retail Park in Rochdale yesterday afternoon. A 100 metre cordon was put in place while the fire service recovered the potentially lethal material. Dangerous: Specialist investigators from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue examine work on removing the canister containing radioactive material from The Point Retail Park in Rochdale . Operation: Safety officers check the canister found dumped in a car park a month after it was stolen . Warning: A member of the public alerted police about a 'suspicious device' in a Rochdale car park . The canister was stolen from a Peugeot panel van in New Line, Bacup, Lancashire, last month and police warned people not to touch it. The material was being transported from Scotland to the south of England by a courier who had stopped overnight. Iridium 192 is often used in industrial radiography to locate flaws in metal components and in radiotherapy to kill cancers. It emits harmful beta and gamma radiation and has the potential to cause damage to human cells if they are exposed to it for a prolonged period of time. Potentially lethal: The Iridium 192 substance can increase the risk of cancer, cause burns, radiation sickness or even death . Missing for a month: The yellow canister was stolen from a van in Bacup, Lancashire, in February . US nuclear experts have stated that iridium-192 is one of a handful of radioactive isotopes that would be suitable for a dirty bomb. A statement from Greater Manchester Fire Service said: 'Firefighters and a Detection Identification and Monitoring (DIM) vehicle were sent to the address where they worked with police colleagues to recover the item. 'As a precautionary measure police put a 100-metre cordon in place and traffic diversions were put in place around the area. 'DIM vehicles are provided by Government to fire and rescue services across the country. They are operated by highly-trained officers and can detect, identify and monitor a large range of chemicals and substances.' Plan of action: Specially trained fire fighters discuss how to safely remove the canister . Successful: Officers managed to safely retrieve the canister from the car park .
The Iridium 192 substance can increase the risk of cancer, cause burns, radiation sickness or even death . It was discovered at The Point Retail Park in Rochdale yesterday afternoon . Police put a 100m cordon in place while trained officers removed the canister .
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It is said of Alexander the Great that 'when he saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer.' Lionel Messi might be starting to feel the same way about breaking records. This week, the Barcelona superstar has become the all-time leading goalscorer in both La Liga and the Champions League, adding to his mammoth collection of personal bests. But, as our map of all his goals in Europe's leading competition shows, there are plenty of lands still to conquer for the Argentinian wizard. His hat-trick in Nicosia, Cyprus, on Tuesday night took him past Real Madrid legend Raul as the leading scorer in the Champions League with 74. It was also the 23rd European city and 16th European country in which Messi has hit the target in the continent's premier competition. Our map of Lionel Messi's 74 Champions League goals shows the cities in which he has scored (and the number in each). The badge shows the opponent, with the exception of his home ground in Barcelona. Messi scored in Champions League finals against Manchester United in both Rome in 2009 and London in 2011. Scroll down for the full list of his goals. Messi's hat-trick in Barcelona's 4-0 win over APOEL Nicosia on Tuesday saw him break Raul's Champions League scoring record . Messi clips home his second of the evening and Barcelona's third as they ran out comfortable winner against the Cypriot team . Messi now has 74 goals in the Champions League and has scored in 23 different cities and 16 European countries in the competition . 1st: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 74 goals . 2nd: Raul (Real Madrid, Schalke) - 71 . 3rd: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Real Madrid) - 70 . 4th: Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Real Madrid) - 56 . 5th: Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona) - 50 . Barcelona will always be his home from home, of course, and 38 of his strikes in the Champions League have come in front of an adoring Nou Camp. But Barca's - frequently successful - campaigns the length and breadth of Europe have seen Messi plunder goals in many leading cities. He has scored three times against Celtic in Glasgow, Viktoria Plzen in Prague and Shakhtar in Donetsk. He added the Cypriot city of Nicosia to that list on Tuesday as Barcelona ran out 4-0 victors. Messi has netted twice against Real in Madrid, PSG in Paris, Ajax in Amsterdam, AC Milan in the San Siro, BATE Borisov in Minsk and Spartak in Moscow. And, proving that he can score just about anywhere, he's also been on target in Lisbon, London (against Manchester United in the 2011 final), Manchester, Lyon, Leverkusen, Stuttgart, Bremen, Basle, Rome (against United in the 2009 final), Copenhagen, Kiev and Athens. Messi broke the Champions League goalscoring record of Raul, who netted 71 in the competition for Real Madrid andSchalke . Messi beats Manchester City's Joleon Lescott and Joe Hart to score in last season's round of 16 tie - 38 of his goals came at the Nou Camp . Joe Hart is again left cursing after Messi scores past him at the Etihad Stadium last season as Manchester City were beaten 2-0 . The Argentine drills the ball past Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu during a quarter-final in April 2013 . Another piece of Messi magic leaves AC Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati helpless at the Nou Camp in March 2013 . Messi has won the European Cup on three occasions - in 2006, 2009 and 2011 (pictured) when Manchester United were beaten at Wembley . Messi powers home in Barcelona's 3-1 win over Manchester United in the 2011 final at Wembley Stadium, his only goal so far in London . With Messi breaking records seemingly at will right now, he perhaps can tick off a few more countries with a favourable draw in the seasons to come. Poland, Turkey, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Romania and Bulgaria are among the nations in which Messi has not yet scored. And, to adapt a popular barb aimed at him, he's not done it on a cold night in Bosnia-Herzegovina. As well as beating Raul's overall record - and keeping him ahead of rival Cristiano Ronaldo (70 goals) - Messi also wrote a few more lines in the record books. It was his fifth hat-trick in the competition - a record - and he also has the most two-goal hauls with 20. He has also scored in 24 different stadiums in the Champions League - more than anyone else. Messi was also the scourge of Manchester United in the 2009 Champions League final in Rome, where he scored Barcelona's second goal . Messi gets to the ball ahead of Sergio Ramos to score for Barcelona against bitter rivals Real Madrid in the 2011 semi-final, first leg . Messi has scored on three occasions at Celtic Park, Glasgow, including this one back in February 2008 . Messi is also the first player in the history of the European Cup and the Champions League to score five or more goals in eight consecutive seasons. It continues a pretty good week for the 27-year-old, who broke Telmo Zarra's long-standing La Liga scoring record of 251 in Barcelona's 5-1 win over Sevilla at the weekend. He may usurp Zarra again soon - Messi has 28 hat-tricks in competitive games for Barcelona, while Zarra has 31, the record for Spanish clubs. Messi is also one behind Raul's record of 76 goals in all the European competitions, including the Super Cup. So unlike the teary Alexander the Great, Messi still has plenty still to accomplish. Few doubt that he will do it. MESSI: EVERY CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GOAL . List courtesy of Opta . VIDEO Messi breaks Raul goal-scoring record .
Lionel Messi broke Raul's Champions League goalscoring record in Barcelona's 4-0 win over APOEL Nicosia . The Argentine now has 74 goals in Europe's leading club competition, three more than the Real Madrid legend . Nicosia was the 23rd European city and the 16th country in which he has scored in the Champions League . Messi also broke Telmo Zarra's long-standing La Liga scoring record at the weekend .
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(CNN) -- It moved half its production to China to keep costs down, but eight years later one company is bringing production back to Britain. It's another example of the backshoring trend that has seen many European manufacturers relocate their business back home. Caldeira is a cushion-making business headquartered in Merseyside, Northern England. Since 2004 it has also had a factory operating in Zhejiang province, China. "At the time China was about to be admitted to the WTO and our Chinese competitors were actually selling products cheaper than we could make them", said CEO Tony Caldeira. Read more: Chanel's exclusivity keeps it a cut above . According to Caldeira it was an obvious decision for the company at the time. "It was a good exchange rate, the salaries were only a tenth of their UK colleagues, a huge labor cost differential between China and the UK." That has now changed; last year manufacturing wages increased by 20 percent according to the Chinese National Statistics Bureau. Since setting up his Chinese factory, Tony Caldeira said his Chinese employees have had wages increase 400 percent. Add to that the increasing costs in shipping, packaging, duty rates and fabric costs, and it's not surprising Chinese production has become less attractive. Read more: Will Greek crisis leave banks stronger? Last year it was cost-effective to make velvet striped cushions in Caldeira's Chinese factory, it cost 90 cents less in production per cushion. However, this year that saving shrank to 13 cents and next year the company predicts it'll cost the same to make the cushion in China and the UK. "There are quite a few differences between my Chinese and UK workforces -- the UK employees are more productive, they can make more cushions an hour, however, they work less hours a week. "The Chinese want to work more hours, many of them live on site and they just want to earn as much money as possible to send home to their families." Read more: Why Europe needs a banking union . The company faces difficulties finding staff both in Britain and China, but for different reasons. "We have been very lucky in the UK as most of our staff have been here for more than 10 years", said Caldeira. However, this workforce is much older than the Chinese employees due to a skills shortage. "Most of the staff here in the UK are in their 50s or 60s, although they won't like me saying that! They were taught in apprenticeships in the 1970s and 1980s, but those skills aren't being taught now." And while the Chinese workers are younger with manufacturing and sewing machinery skills in abundance, Tony Caldeira said they don't have the same loyalty and there is a high turnover of staff. "What you tend to find is people aren't as afraid to move jobs in the Chinese culture, a lot of workers move every year after Chinese New Year, the contracts are only 12 months, so at the end of the year they look for the best contract on the market." Despite the rising costs in Chinese wages, the company won't be looking for another low-cost manufacturing base, for example in Vietnam or Bangladesh. "The raw materials are manufactured in China so we'd end up shipping it over, incurring extra costs and complications." As far as Caldeira is concerned, Britain appears to be winning this round of the great pillow fight with China. CNN's Anna Stewart contributed to this report.
Cushion maker brings production back to Britain following a steep rise in Chinese wages . Production was offshored in 2004 when labor costs differed significantly; they're estimated to be equal next year . UK employees are more productive, but young people in particular lack the requisite skills, Caldeira CEO says .
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Some people will do anything to find love and one waiter did, resorting to a very odd and romantic but yet cheesy way. A waiter at a pizza restaurant in Auckland called Il Buco Pizza Parlour on Vulcan Lane, wrote an endearing message on the inside of a pizza box and posted it on facebook. Rupert Bear told The New Zealand Herald he was dumbstruck by the good looks of a customer who stopped in for a latte and a slice of pizza on September 3. Some customer : Pizza restaurant waiter Rupert Bear (pictured) was so fond of a customer that came into Il Buco pizza parlour, Auckland, on September 3 he posted this sign on facebook on the inside of a pizza box. 'I've been waiting for you to come back,' it wrote . Workplace of Rupert Bear (Il Buco pizza parlour, Auckland) who said he was dumbstruck by the good looks of a customer who stopped in for a latte and a slice on September 3 . The 25 year old's willingness to hunt down love then prompted him to post a photo of himself on facebook holding up a pizza box with a written message on it, which has now gone viral on social media and gay websites. 'Three Weeks ago I served you pizza and a coffee and I told you your shoelace was undone. I've been waiting for you to come back! If you're still in Auckland find me on Facebook: Rupert Bear. I'd really like to see you again. p.s. I'm not usually this dorky. P.P.S. if you're not the guy, please share. THX.' the message wrote. And the romantic gesture didn't go un-noticed, it got plenty of love, with thousands of people sharing his plea and wishing him all the best to find his guy. 25 year old Rupert Bear (pictured) wanted to hunt down his love interest by posting a photo of himself on facebook holding up a pizza box with a special written message on it, which has now gone viral on social media and gay websites . Too Cheesy??? Pizza restaurant waiter Rupert Bear met a customer while working at Il Buco pizza parlour in Auckland (pictured) and was dumbstruck by his good looks. He is now on the hunt to find the customer, posting a romantic message on facebook (on the inside of a pizza box) trying to find him . Pizza and love, what two better things : Waiter Rupert Bear posted a special message on the inside of a pizza box trying to track down a customer who had come into his work and then posted it on facebook . Two days after the post, Mr Bear again posted a message on facebook thanking everyone for their kind support. 'Wow!! I'm totally blown away but all of your kind messages and support. I still haven't tracked down my man yet, so keep at it,' he said. The mystery man has been described as fit-looking, in his 30s with dark hair, a bit of a beard, piercing blue eyes, possibly with an American accent, 'and obviously very handsome,' according to Mr Bear. 'I told him his shoe was undone and he said thanks, and that was it,' he told the New Zealand Herald. And he has been clearly stunned by all the attention that his very daring but romantic post has received. 'Overnight I had all these shares. I've had so many messages of support from all these people, it's humbling, I didn't expect it.' 'I've been waiting for you to come back! If you're still in Auckland find me on Facebook' wrote waiter Rupert Bear (pictured) on the inside of a pizza box and posted it to facebook. He hasn't yet found his love interest . Too much cheese?? A Waiter at Il Buco pizza parlour, Auckland, wrote a special message on the inside of a pizza box trying to track down a customer which he said he was 'dumbstruck by his good looks'. He has posted it on facebook and it has gone viral .
Pizza waiter, Rupert Bear, writes a message on a pizza box and posts it on facebook to track down a love interest . The 25 year old was intrigued by a customer who stopped in at Il Buco pizza parlour in Auckland on September 3 . 'I've been waiting for you to come back,' said the facebook message . The romantic gesture has been shared by thousands of people . The mystery man has been described as, in his 30s with dark hair and piercing blue eyes .
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By . Helen Collis . PUBLISHED: . 03:12 EST, 5 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:32 EST, 5 September 2013 . Tragic: Marijuana activist Jennifer Friede was killed in a head-on collision in Denver with a suspected drunk driver . A prominent medical marijuana activist who insisted that the drug was safer than alcohol has been killed by a suspected drunk driver. Jennifer Friede, 34, died on Saturday when the car she was traveling in was involved in a head-on collision on a freeway in Denver. Police arrested the driver of the other vehicle, which was allegedly being driven the wrong way down Interstate 25, on suspicion of DUI and vehicular homicide. Speaking to The Denver Post, Jeremy DePinto, Ms Friede's boyfriend, said for years the couple had rallied at the Capitol for the expansion of access to marijuana, '...trying to tell people that cannabis was safer than alcohol'. 'It's ironic that it was an uninsured drunk driver that killer her,' he told the news service. The crash happened at around 1am Saturday when the couple were on their way home from a concert. DePinto was driving north in the high-occupancy lane of Interstate 25, near the city's Park Avenue. Quoted in the Denver Post, he told friends at a gathering to celebrate his girlfriend's life, he saw the other car coming towards him: '...you get a little blur, for a second, of disbelief'. When he realised it was a vehicle headed straight for him on the wrong side of the road, he said he looked left and right, realised he was trapped, then veered to the left. He said the other car veered into him. DePinot was seriously injured in the crash; his girlfriend Ms Friede, mother of four children, was killed. Ms Friede was a passenger in a car being driven by her boyfriend on Interstate 25, in Denver (pictured), when the fatal collision happened . The driver of the other vehicle, Rebecca Maez, 27, has previously been arrested by Edgeware Police for DUI, speeding in a construction zone and driving while her licence was under restraint in 2009, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. She remains at the Downtown Denbver Detention Center on $80,000 bond, according to the news service. DePinto described his girlfriend, also known as Jenny Kush, as a talented artist and dessert chef. Less control: Ms Friede and her boyfriend Mr DePinto have campaigned for easier access to cannabis for years . Marijuana has been . decriminalized since 1975, when the state legislature passed a bill . making the possession of the drug a $100 civil fine - not an arrestable . offense. In 1996, . California voters passed a bill that legalized marijuana possession for . medical purposes. Doctors are allowed to prescribe the drug to anyone . with certain chronic medical conditions. Californians with a prescription can obtain an ID card that allowed the poses, grown and consume the drug. Fifty-five percent of voters approved the measure at the time. However, voters remain opposed to legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. A . 2010 ballot proposition that would have legalized all possession of one . ounce of marijuana or less for adults age 21 and over. It would also . have allowed for the establishment of marijuana cafes and other . businesses. The measure failed 54percent to 46percent. Federal law still prohibits the possession and use of marijuana - despite state laws allowing it. Federal agents have raided marijuana dispensaries and growing operations that are legal under California state law. Read more here: Victim in DUI crash was Denver marijuana activist Jennifer Friede .
Jennifer Friede, 34, died in the head-on crash on Interstate 25 in Denver . Her boyfriend Jeremy DePinto said they had campaigned for years for better access to medical marijuana . Rebecca Maez, 27, arrested on suspicion of DUI and vehicular homicide .
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Usain Bolt was among the worldwide superstars in attendance at the University of Pheonix Stadium in Arizona on Sunday to watch Super Bowl XLIX. The Jamaican sprinter posted a photo of himself at the big game between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks on Twitter. Bolt tweeted all game, including during Katy Perry's half-time show and to congratulate the Patriots on their 28-24 victory over the Seahawks in Glendale. Bolt, the fastest man in history over 100 metres and 200 metres, also posed with American basketball legend Michael Jordan, renowned NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and New York Yankees' shortstop Derek Jeter - before posting the photos on social media. Usain Bolt watches the Super Bowl unfold at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona . Bolt (left) posted a photo on Twitter with American basketball legend Michael Jordan . Bolt also posted a photo on Twitter with American football legend Peyton Manning (left) Finally, Bolt also added a photo of himself (right) with New York Yankees' shortstop Derek Jeter . The 28-year-old Jamaican - who has claimed six Olympic golds and eight World Championship titles during his illustrious career - accompanied the photos with messages explaining how happy he was to be in the presence of such sporting legends in Arizona. He said: 'Truly a Honour meeting the Great Mr Clutch himself #MichaelJordan.' Bolt also tweeted: 'Who better epitomizes consistency than the legendary @nfl quarterback #PeytonManning #SuperBowlWeekend.' Finally, the Jamaican added: 'It's about the Major League with the Legendary @Yankees shortstop #DerekJeter.' Sprint sensation Bolt has won six Olympic titles and claimed eight World Championship gold medals . The New England Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 to be crowned Super Bowl champions .
New England Patriots beat Seattle Seahawks to win Super Bowl XLIX . Sprinting superstar Usain Bolt watched the action in Glendale, Arizona . He posted a photo with basketball legend Michael Jordan on Twitter . Bolt also posted photos with Peyton Manning and Derek Jeter on Sunday .
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The great British public has voted Hull the the least romantic destination in the UK, while the capital city takes the number one spot as the most romantic destination. Nearly a fifth (18 per cent) of the nation chose London as the top location to take a loved one this year, ahead of the Lake District which slipped to second place with 15 per cent of the vote. Taking the crown for most romantic destination, London, beat last year's reigning champion, the Lake District, and other popular locations including Cornwall, the Cotswolds and Edinburgh which also featured in the top 10. London 1, Hull nil: Hull has been voted the UK's least romantic place in a new survey by Hotels.com . The annual Destination Romance Report from Hotels.com reveals that while London takes the top spot as most romantic UK city, it also comes in third place in the 'least romantic' list. Both the Scottish and Welsh capitals also featured in the top 10 with Edinburgh in fourth place and Cardiff in ninth place. At the other end of the scale Hull was voted by a fifth (19 per cent) of Brits to be the least romantic destination in 2015, rising three spaces from its third position in last year's report and knocking last year's champion, Slough - which no longer features in this year's list at all - from the top spot. I heart St James' Park: London is given the thumbs up as the top place to spend time with loved ones . Second placed: Traditional favourite the Lake District is knocked off the top spot by London this year . Birmingham came in second for the second year in a row with 11 per cent of the vote, while both London and the ballroom capital Blackpool came in at joint third place. It seems the capital divides opinion, with 18 per cent declaring it the most romantic destination, while 7 per cent send it into the list of the least romantic hotspots. Other new entries in this year's least romantic report included Leicester, Glasgow and Coventry who all featured in fifth place with 4 per cent of the nation's vote. Birmingham is voted the second least romantic place - again - by those who took part in the annual study . 1 London                                                18% . 2 Lake District                                        15% . 3 Cornwall                                                7% . 4= Cotswolds                                            6% . 4= Edinburgh                                            6% . 6 Stratford-Upon-Avon                             5% . 7= York (new entry)                                  4% . 7= Devon (new entry)                               3% . 9= Bristol (new entry)                                2% . 9= Cardiff (new entry)                               2% . 1 Hull                                                        19% . 2 Birmingham                                           11% . 3= London                                                  7% . 3= Blackpool                                              7% . 5= Leicester (new entry)                             4% . 5= Glasgow (new entry)                             4% . 5= Coventry (new entry)                             4% . 8= Swansea (new entry)                            3% . 8= Liverpool (new entry)                            3% . 8= Sheffield (new entry)                             3% . 'With numerous new cities now featuring in both our lists, it is clear that those who previously held the top spot are working hard to prove they can be romantic too,' said Caroline Annand of Hotels.com. 'Last year's number one least romantic city, Slough, has been able to avoid the top ten list altogether this year - other locations need to show that romance can be found in the most unlikely of places as well.'
Almost a fifth of those who voted picked Hull as least romantic place . Birmingham was second placed - again on the least romantic list . London beat The Lake District to be top placed for lovers .
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(CNN) -- A Florida exterminator and father of four children adopted from Florida's foster care system has told police that a body found in the pest-control truck he was driving is one of them -- his 10-year-old daughter, authorities said Wednesday. Jorge Barahona, 53, already faces a charge of aggravated child abuse for injuries to the dead girl's twin, Victor, who was also found in the truck, which was parked on the side of I-95 near West Palm Beach, Florida, officials said. According to a probable-cause affidavit filed by the West Palm Beach Police Department, a roadside assistance ranger with the Florida Department of Transportation stopped to check the red Toyota pickup Monday around 5:30 a.m. and found the 10-year-old boy inside next to an open gas can. The boy "appeared to be in respiratory distress and (was) trembling" and his clothing "was soaked with an unknown chemical," the affidavit said. The ranger then found Barahona on the ground beside the truck and called for help. The boy was hospitalized in intensive care with severe burns to his abdomen, upper thighs and buttocks, the affidavit said. While examining the boy, doctors noted he had sustained previous injuries, including a broken collarbone, a broken arm, scarring to his buttocks and lower abdomen, and ligature marks on both wrists, police said. After Barahona and his son were taken to a hospital, a worker decontaminating the truck discovered the body of the girl, wrapped in a plastic bag, the document said. Barahona told police he was distraught over the death of his daughter, and had intended to commit suicide by dousing himself with gasoline and setting himself afire, the affidavit said. Barahona said he didn't go through with his suicide plan because his son was with him, the document added. "Basically, to paraphrase, he was stating that he placed his daughter in a plastic bag being distraught over her death," West Palm Beach Police Spokesman Chase Scott told reporters. "He drove here from South Florida accompanied by his son, Victor. He then pulled off to the side of the road saying that he poured gas on his self, intending to light himself on fire. His son's head was in his lap and he decided, after giving his son some sleeping pills, that he wasn't going to do that." Barahona told police that he doused himself with gasoline and inadvertently got some on the boy, Police Capt. Mary Olsen said. But, she added, the man's story doesn't add up -- there was no gasoline on the boy. Instead, he was covered with another chemical whose composition had yet to be determined. "That's why we're still treating this as a hazmat (hazardous materials case)," she said. Scott said the chemicals were so potent that staff caring for the boy at the hospital became ill as well, he said. Victor, who was transferred Wednesday morning to a specialized burn unit at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital, has not been able to talk to investigators because he is on a breathing tube, she said. Olsen said police would decide how to charge Barahona further once the autopsy on his daughter determines her cause of death. Asked whether Barahona has expressed remorse, she said, "He feels remorse, but we're not getting consistent statements with what we're seeing in our evidence." She added, "It's a complex case." At a hearing Wednesday in Miami attended by Barahona's wife, Carmen, a judge ordered that the remaining two children in the home be placed in foster care. Florida's Department of Children and Families had opened a child protection investigation within the past few days to look into a complaint involving the Barahona family, and it wasn't the first such complaint, spokesman Mark Riordan said. Reporters in the courtroom Wednesday heard tales of abuse, mainly concerning the twins, from state officials and experts. The caller to the child protection hotline in the latest case reported that the twins were routinely locked in a bathroom for long periods of time and had been bound with tape, the court heard. The story was corroborated by interviews with the other two children in the home, officials said in court. An investigator told the court that she had showed up last Friday night at the family's home but had not seen the children. Instead, she said, she had left the family's house after speaking with Carmen Barahona, planning to return on Monday. Asked why she had not planned to return sooner, she said, "I'm not allowed to do investigations on a weekend." However, a spokesman for the department, John Harrell, said it is the job of investigators to follow through immediately or refer to someone else in the department to follow through when a matter is urgent. CNN's Kim Segal, Shawn Nottingham and John Zarrella contributed to this report .
NEW:Barahona charged with aggravated child abuse . The couple's remaining two children have been placed in foster care, court officials said . The girl's body was in a plastic bag, an affidavit said . Jorge Barahona's son is in intensive care, police say .
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Shocking images depicting U.S. soldiers burning the bodies of what appear to be Iraqi insurgents, have emerged today. The explosive photographs, reportedly taken in Fallujah in 2004, have already sparked a Marine Corps investigation, but many of the 41 gag-inducing shots are just too grisly to publish. Two pictures show a Marine pouring what looks like gasoline on the remains of enemy soldiers and another two images appear to show the remains go up in flames. Two more capture the horrifically charred bodies. WARNING: EXTREMELY GRAPHIC CONTENT . Horrific: Shocking images depicting U.S. soldiers burning the bodies of what appear to be Iraqi insurgents, have emerged today . Burning: The explosive photographs, reportedly taken in Fallujah in 2004, appear to show U.S. soldier pouring gasoline on the bodies of Iraqi insurgents . The sick snaps were exclusively obtained by TMZ, who turned them over to the Pentagon last week, triggering the probe. According to the website, U.S. Central Command, which is in charge of military operations in the Middle East, reviewed the photos to determine if they had been brought to their attention before. They determined they had not. Other horrific pictures show a Marine squatting next to a skull to pose for the camera. His U.S. military uniform is clear, on his face he wears a wide grin and he is pointing his gun at the skeleton. Another picture shows a soldier rifling through the pockets of the scant remains of an Iraqi soldier. TMZ . said it has withheld the bulk of the images - including one showing a . body being eaten by a dog - because they are just too graphic. Grim: Many of the 41 gag-inducing shots are just too grisly to publish . probe: The gruesome images have already sparked a Marine Corps investigation . Charred: Two more pictures capture the horrifically charred bodies . It reported seeing well over a dozen dead insurgents in total in the heinous pictures, in various states, including some covered in flies. The Department of Defense said the pictures appear to show U.S. soldiers in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The code outlines that it is a crime to mishandle remains. There is no statute of limitations on . the crime, which means the Marines can be prosecuted even if they're no . longer active in the military. If convicted, the soldiers could go to . prison. 'We are aware of photos appearing on . TMZ.com that depict individuals in U.S. Marine uniforms burning what . appear to be human remains,' Cmdr Bill Speaks, from the Secretary of Defense's office, told MailOnline Wednesday. Pentagon: The sick snaps were exclusively obtained by TMZ, who turned them over to the Pentagon last week, triggering the probe . Posing: Other horrific pictures show a Marine squatting next to a skull to pose for the camera. His U.S. military uniform is clear, on his face he wears a wide grin and he is pointing his gun at the skeleton . Pickpocket: The Department of Defense said the pictures appear to show U.S. soldiers in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The code outlines that it is a crime to mishandle remains . 'The Marine Corps is currently investigating the veracity of these photos, circumstances involved, and if possible, the identities of the service members involved. 'The findings from this investigation will determine whether we are able to move forward with any investigation into possible wrongdoing.' Some have suggested the Marines may have been burning the remains as a sanitary measure. However, . Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steven Warren said the proper handling of . war remains is set by U.S. military regulation and that the actions . depicted in the photos 'are not what we expect from our service . members.' Cmdr Speaks said the deplorable acts depicted in the images are not representative of the millions of hardworking men and women who have served in the Middle East. 'The actions depicted in these photos are not what we expect from our service members, nor do they represent the honorable and professional service of the more than 2.5 million Americans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan,' he told MailOnline. In 2005 report, U.S. soldiers in Gumbad, Afghanistan were investigated for burning the bodies of two enemy fighters. The men argued they set alight the corpses for hygienic reasons, after local citizens had not retrieved the bodies after 24 hours. A report concluded that the action indicated poor judgement but was not a war crime. It stated: 'Based on the criminal investigation, there was no evidence to substantiate the allegation of desecration or any violation of the Law of War. However, there was evidence of poor decision-making and judgment, poor reporting and lack of knowledge and respect for local Afghan customs and tradition.'
The explosive photographs, reportedly taken in Fallujah in 2004, have sparked a Marine Corps investigation . However, many of the 41 shots, obtained by TMZ, are just too grisly to publish . Two pictures show a Marine pouring gasoline on the enemy remains, another two images show the Iraqi soldiers going up in flames while a fifth picture captures the charred bodies . U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, determined the photos had not been brought to their attention before .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . A woman being sued over her $1million shoe collection says she is 'relieved' after her ex-husband dropped his legal battle. Hedge fund manager Daniel Shak, 52, . was fighting to win 35 per cent of the value of ex-wife Beth's 1,200 . luxury shoes, but yesterday dropped the case. Poker champion Mrs Shak, 42, gave six . hours of testimony at Montgomery County Courthouse near Philadelphia . before Mr Shak suddenly stopped his legal action against . her. She said: 'Daniel knew he was going to lose. I'm so relieved that he saw sense and decided to give up on this. It was so stupid.' Surrounded: Beth Shak with some of her 1,200 pairs of designer heels. She claims it was an obsession bordering on illness . Substitute for love: Mrs Shak said 'There was such a lack of emotion and love in my relationship that I filled that void with shopping... I couldn't stop' She hit the headlines last month when . Mr Shak accused her of hiding around $1million worth of designer shoes . in a 'secret room' of their Fifth Avenue apartment during their divorce . three years ago. She has . more than 1,200 pairs of shoes, kept in a number of closets that need a . PIN code to enter - and even has a tattoo of a Louboutin heel on her . hip. She told Judge Ronda Daniele that a lack of love in her marriage drove . her to seek gratification in shopping, spending hundreds of thousands on . shoes that she then often simply gave away. In an interview with the New York Post, Mrs Shak said: 'It really was a sickness... like a disease. 'There was such a lack of emotion and . love in my relationship that I filled that void with shopping. I was . shopping endlessly, I couldn’t stop.' Beth is working on her new shoe website, Shoes R Forever, which was inspired by her new boyfriend Ben Cook . No longer pursuing: Daniel Shak instructed his lawyer to drop the lawsuit over the shoes yesterday . Mr Shak had claimed that he did not know the extent of her shoe collection. But Mrs Shak told the court that her . former husband not only knew about the shoes but signed off on all the . bills for them. She also told the court that it was her husband's . disinterest in their relationship that drove her into retail therapy in . the first place. When asked about the collection, she . told judge Ronda Daniele: 'I would not call these shoes a collection, I . would call them a sickness at a particular point in my life.' When Mr Shak suddenly instructed his . lawyer to withdraw the lawsuit, Judge Daniele said: 'Well, thanks for . wasting everybody's time.' Outside the court, Mrs Shak to the . Post: 'I wanted love and emotional support and affection, but there was . nothing... He would always say, "I’m busy. Leave me alone. Just go . shopping or something". And I would give in and just go do it. 'God only knows how many pairs of shoes I’ve bought in a week.' Mr Shak's lawsuit . against his ex-wife stated: ‘In the summer of 2011, Daniel became . aware that Beth owned and failed to disclose an extensive … collection . of Christian Louboutin shoes … and other high-end designer shoes. ‘Dan . trusted his wife and was not inspecting his home to try to find . inventory or “secret rooms’’.’ The collection is indeed vast and . includes 700 pairs of Louboutins, costing from $700 to $4,000. That, . combined with her reputation as a World Series poker player, has made . Mrs Shak something of a celebrity in the U.S. She has appeared on . television to discuss her shoe habit, and is starting to design her own . range of footwear. Beth Shak with her boyfriend Ben Cook, 36 and part of her shoe collection . Mrs Shak’s most expensive shoes are a pair of . black and white cowboy boots once owned by Elizabeth Taylor. She keeps . them in a glass cabinet of their own with a framed picture of the . actress on the wall above, although she refused to reveal how much they . cost. She now lives in a house near Philadelphia with her . two youngest children Lindy, 17, and Austin, 15 – and has four storage . areas around the property for all her footwear. The main closet, which . can only be entered using a numerical keypad, is 12ft by 8ft and has . eight racks, each full of shoes, going from the floor to the ceiling. New home: Mrs Shak has moved into this new home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her shoes are in special closets that require a PIN code to enter . A second room also has a numerical keypad and is 4ft by 5ft. There is also a separate rack in another room, where she keeps her formal shoes, and another cupboard for the remainder. She said: ‘There are shoes that I don’t even remember . buying. I’m so short of space I had to give a couple of hundred pairs . away.'
Hedge fund manager Daniel Shak abruptly drops lawsuit against ex-wife Beth for a portion of her 1,200 pairs of designer shoes .
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A local New York paper has come under fire for publishing an opinion piece about President Barack Obama that carries the headline 'The N----r in the White House'. Incredibly, the WestView News - a community paper that serves Manhattan's West Village - ran the contemptuous term in full. The headline was printed on page 15 in the latest edition of the periodical. The accompanying piece by James Lincoln Collier criticizes is about the so-called 'anti-black racism of far-right voters' and how 'far-right voters hate Obama because he is black' according to The New York Post. Scroll down for videos . Unacceptable: WestView News - a community paper that serves Manhattan's West Village - says that running the contemptuous term was to highlight racism . Write caption here . Strangely the piece is written in support of Obama. However that has not stopped anger erupting over the mere use of the N-word. 'It’s disrespectful in any context to refer to the president of the United States as the N-word,' one local resident, Eugene May, 31, told The Post. 'If you were quoting something or referring to the historic context of the word being used, I can understand the justification.' 'It seems he’s just using it for shock value.' The editor of WestView News, 86-year-old George Capsis, attempted to explain the reason for running the word . 'The editorial staff continues to object to the use of the word,' Capsis wrote to The Post. '(But) in this article, however, Jim reminded me that The New York Times avoids using the word which convinced me that WestView should.' Collier wanted to use the word 'to shock' us into accepting that 'there are people who believe and use this outrageous word', Capsis added. Collier's piece looks at the 'irreducible measure of racism' in the US and how he believes it has been bolstered by 'America's increasing tolerance of far-right opinion'. As if to offset any offense the headline would attract, as well as showing alot of though had gone into publishing the slur, WestView News ran a story directly underneath Collier's piece by an African-American columnist. Damage control: The newspaper a story directly underneath the controversial piece by African-American columnist Alvin Hall, who wrote about how the word offends him . That story was titled 'The Headline offends Me'. The decision to use the headline feels misguided to me,' Alvin Hall wrote. 'I don’t see how its use benefits anyone, but I do feel all too clearly how it deeply offends me.' Besides jouralism, James Lincoln Collier also writes children's books and is a jazz musician.
Opinion piece by James Lincoln Collier ran in the latest edition of WestView News . Paper services New York's West Village . Story is about increasing racism and pro-Obama . Editor George Capsis, 86, said it was intended to shock . Aimed to drawn attention to a serious issue, Capsis said .
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CNN chief national correspondent John King could be ousted from the network in favour of new Chief Washington correspondent Jake Tapper, MailOnline can reveal. King, 49, has already moved out of his office to make way for Tapper, 43, who was poached by new CNN boss Jeff Zucker from ABC. And now sources have revealed that King has not signed a new contract - and has instead signed an extension to his existing deal, leaving his future at the network unclear. Exes: CNN chief national correspondent John King with his ex wife, CNN's senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash at a White House bash in May 2009 . Popular: CNN's new Chief Washington Correspondent Jake Tapper has already been given his own weekday show . Tapper, who debuted on CNN last week, has already been given his own weekday show by Zucker, most likely set to launch in March or April. Both Jake and John are uber forces in Washington and a source said: 'People are wondering what Jeff has planned for John. His own show didn't work and it was dropped, so where can he go? What would be the best place for him?' King disappeared from the airwaves and Twitter for nearly a month between December and January until Media Bistro reported he had been on an extended vacation with his family - a post-election break. The longtime CNN correspondent who hosted 'John King USA' until disappointing ratings forced it off the air last summer, signed a short-term contract extension at the end of last year. He split from CNN's senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash, 40, last March after four years of marriage less than a year after she gave birth to their son Jonah Frank King. The petite blonde is a favourite at the network. Tapper is now in King's former office - and the correspondent left him a bottle of Johnny Walker Black as a moving in gift. A CNN source told MailOnline: 'This was purely out of convenience. Jake's team are going to be based by that office, so it made sense. John has a got a new office, it's really gorgeous.' Tapper said he expects to take over the 4 p.m. hour currently occupied by Wolf Blitzer’s ‘Situation Room.’ Blitzer will be cut back to 5 to 7 p.m. If all goes well, it could be a prelude to Tapper breaking into the prime-time lineup and he told Media Bistro: 'It’s a little premature, but anything’s possible. Jeff says he wants to do a lot of different things. 'Everything’s on the table. But maybe 4 p.m. will ultimately be a great place to be. It’s when viewers start getting serious about news. It’s valuable real estate.' A CNN spokeswoman said: 'We never discuss contracts.' This week, Zucker - who was hired from NBC to shake up CNN after it suffered its worst rating slump in 21 years last summer - hired and fired six big names in his first two days in the job. The first departuree was political power couple James Carville, the veteran political analyst, and his wife Mary Matalin, who have been with CNN since 2005. CNN network's managing editor Mark Whitaker then announced that he was going to quit as it emerged Tapper's former ABC colleague Chris Cuomo was coming over to start a new morning show. Shake-up: CNN's new boss Jeff Zucker, pictured left, has hired and fired six big names in his first two days in the job. However, the former editor of Britain's Daily Mirror, Piers Morgan, right, will keep his job . RedState's Erick Erickson will also be leaving and will reportedly be heading to Fox News, which recently parted ways with Sarah Palin, who, according to close sources, declined to sign a new deal with the network. But perhaps the biggest news of all is that the voice of James Earl Jones will once again speak the 'This is CNN' greeting. The Oscar nominee and voice of Darth Vader has not been featured on the network for years but Zucker asked that it be brought back on Monday to coincide with President Obama's inauguration - also his first day in the job. The former editor of Britain's Daily Mirror, Piers Morgan, will remain in his position as host of Piers Morgan Tonight, which he began hosting on 17 January 2011, as ratings continue to grow. The changes show just how serious Zucker is about turning CNN around, but for so much to happen so soon has raised eyebrows. His actions also leave huge questions over others whose fate rests in his hands, namely Ann Curry who wants to leave NBC for CNN. Another who will be feeling anxious is Soledad O'Brien, who currently hosts the CNN morning show 'Starting Point,' which has struggled in the ratings despite being critically applauded. Gone: The first departure was political power couple James Carville, right, the veteran political analyst, and his wife Mary Matalin, left, who have been with CNN since 2005 . Co-anchors: Chris Cuomo, left, will reportedly be paired with Erin Burnett, right, who currently hosts her prime time CNN show 'OutFront' O'Brien faces being ousted for Cuomo . who will reportedly be paired with Erin Burnett, who currently hosts her . prime time CNN show 'OutFront.' Getting . Cuomo, the son of New York governor Andrew Cuomo, is quite a coup for . CNN as he is a former anchor on ABC's Good Morning America and is . extremely experienced. But . O'Brien will now have to renegotiate her role and try to avoid being . put on the dreaded 'special assignment' duty which will see her . consigned to graveyard slots and obscurity. A CNN spokesman said: 'Soledad is very important to the network, and we're discussing various options with her.' Carver's firing seems less controversial. He claimed that he was 'completely cool' with being axed and that it . was to do with the fact he lives in New Orleans and not Washington. Fate unclear: It's not clear whether Ann Curry, right, will be able to leave NBC for CNN and Soledad O'Brien, right, who currently hosts the CNN morning show 'Starting Point,' could be out . Switch: Erick Erickson, left, is out, but James Earl Jones, right, is rehired for the CNN jingle . He . told Politico: 'I was told that they wanted the contributors to be more . available -- essentially, closer to Washington. I'm not always . available, I don't live there.' Matalin told Politico in an email: 'Agree with everything James said. 'I loved my time in and out at CNN and more, the many lifelong friendships made there.' Whitaker, . a former Newsweek editor, left with a barb and sent out an email to . staff saying that he stepped aside because Zucker has what he called . 'forceful ideas.' Gone: CNN's managing editor Mark Whitaker has resigned . He then tried to smooth things over . and said: 'For him to succeed, I believe he deserves his own team and . management structure and the freedom to communicate one clear vision to . the staff. 'I have shared that conclusion with him and he has agreed to let me step down as Managing Editor and move on from CNN. Zucker . will in fact take over Whitaker's role overseeing editorial content at . CNN and there will no new managing editor appointed. Zucker said in a statement: 'I want to thank Mark for his service at CNN. We are grateful for his contributions and wish him the best in the future.' Right-leaning Erickson has been with CNN since 2010 when he started as a contributor on John King, USA, which has already been axed, before becoming a contributor across the network. The worst affected by the switch seems to be his daughter and on his RedState blog he wrote: 'When I told my 7 year old I had decided to leave, she laid on the sofa for an hour crying that she'd never see Anderson Cooper again.' He also wrote that even though he was not an 'easy fit' at CNN and that the first month was 'tumultuous,' he was grateful for the chance to 'learn to be friends with people who I disagreed with.'
New CNN chief Jeff Zucker continues to make sweeping changes at network . John King has been given an extension to his contract - and NO new deal .
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By . Francesca Infante . PUBLISHED: . 04:07 EST, 21 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:02 EST, 21 September 2013 . Rising up: Carole, pictured after visiting her grandson George for the first time at St Mary's Hospital in London, has long been seen to have aristocratic aspirations . The agonies of how to design a new family coat of arms is one no doubt familiar to every aspirational family. So it can come as no surprise that faced with such a challenge the astute former air stewardess Carole Middleton - mother of the Duchess of Cambridge - sought the advice of those valued by other great British families - even those that don't actually exist. Downton Abbey has been revealed as the unlikely source of inspiration as the socially mobile Mrs Middleton set out to design her family crest in the run up to the 2011 royal wedding. The family even went to Highclere Castle, the set for ITV's award winning period drama, to meet etiquette expert historian Alastair Bruce who advises the show on social protocol. They were so delighted by the royal equerry's knowledge they asked him for help with the design of their own crest which was later used to adorn the programme at the Royal Wedding in April 2011. Mr Bruce, 53, is an expert on protocol and advises the actors and production team on the set of the show to make sure every aspect of every scene is historically accurate. Affectionately nicknamed the Oracle he has been known to stop filming because he spotted that the 'wrong' shoebrush was being used to shine some boots and is often found pacing the length of the Downton dining room adjusting cutlery and pleading with actors to keep their hands off the table. A source told The Sun: 'Alastair is also a Queen's Herald, so he has a lot of experience. 'But I'm sure people will be amused to know the Middletons looked to Downton Abbey for help in coming up with the coat of arms.' Although as a royal bride Kate would have been entitled to apply for a heraldic design in her own right, it was decided that her parents would commission one. How it might have been: Had she been without the help of her aristocratic advisors this is how the Middleton crest might have turned out . A high-class line-up: The cast of the popular show Downton Abbey . Painstaking process: After much discussion about the design Herald Painter Robert Parsons, sketches the Coat of Arms for the Middleton family . Coats of Arms came into being during medieval tournaments like jousting when knights would be recognised by the motifs on their shields or helmets and heralds quickly learnt the different ones in use, taking up responsibility for the control of their use.Over time their use began to decline in competition and battle but they became more widely used in society.The College of Arms, a branch of the Royal household, is the official body in the UK that deals with coats of arms and their team of experts - funded by the fees they charge and not taxpayers money - design and research heraldic or genealogical issues.The arms are given for free while the money people pay is for the research and design of the coat of arms.However, that doesn't mean that just anybody can pay the fee and get a coat of arms. The cumulative knowledge of the Earl Marshal gathered over hundreds of years has given them the skill of tactfully suggesting that people don't proceed with their application.The late Peter Gwynn-Jones, a former Garter King of Arms, once said: 'In practice, eligibility depends upon holding a civil or military commission, a sound university degree or professional qualification, or having achieved some measure of distinction in a field beneficial to society as a whole.' This gives his entire family – including their other children, Pippa, 30, and James, 26, the right to use the emblem. They met with Mr Bruce and his colleague Thomas Woodcock the College of Arms Garter Principle King of Arms and Senior Herald to invent their crest. Together they settled on a simple design, with three leafy acorns representing each of the couple’s three children – an idea suggested by Kate herself. Acorns were chosen for the analogy that they grow into great oaks. Oak is also a symbol of England and strength, and West Berkshire, where the children were brought up, has many oak trees. Most eye-catching is the gold chevron in the centre of the design representing Kate’s mother, Carole, at the heart of her family with the colour a subtle reference to her maiden name, Goldsmith. The two thin white chevronels on either side allude to mountains and the family’s love of skiing and outdoor pursuits. The background colours of red and blue were chosen as they are the principle colours from the flag of the United Kingdom and match Prince William’s recently revised coat of arms. The College of Arms also likes to include a pun wherever possible and has made the two colours meet squarely in the centre as a play on the words ‘middle tone’. But while Kate's brother James will be able to pass down the coat of arms to his children Pippa, as a woman, will not and can only use it during her lifetime. Yesterday a spokesman for Downton Abbey confirmed: 'Alastair worked with the Garter Principal King of Arms on developing the Middleton crest.' Royal wedding programme: Prince William's coat of arms was printed on the front while Kate's, designed in complimentary colours, decorated the back .
Downton adviser Alastair Bruce helped Middletons come up with the design . Middleton Coat of Arms features three acorns which represent Kate, Pippa and James and their upbringing in Berkshire .
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(CNN Student News) -- March 10, 2014 . A mystery surrounds the disappearance of a passenger plane in Southeast Asia, and we'll start off today by telling you what was unusual about the flight. We also look at some of the first wartime photographs ever taken and contrast them with current tension in the same region. Other stories include a survey of college freshmen and the outcome of a marathon spelling bee. On this page you will find today's show Transcript, the Daily Curriculum, and a place for you to leave feedback. TRANSCRIPT . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. DAILY CURRICULUM . Click here for a printable version of the Daily Curriculum (PDF). Media Literacy Question of the Day: . How do you think that images taken by photojournalists in war have changed over time? Key Concepts: Identify or explain these subjects you heard about in today's show: . 1. flight data recorder . 2. Crimean War . 3. financial aid . Fast Facts: How well were you listening to today's program? 1. What do we know about Malaysia Airlines Flight 370? What mystery surrounds this flight? What is the first priority for investigators? 2. According to the video, from what conflict are the first official photographs of war? Who fought in this war? When did it take place? What was the most famous image to emerge from this war? Why is this image controversial? What famous poem was written about a battle in this conflict? 3. What does a new UCLA survey tell us about what factor students consider "very important" when choosing a college? According to the survey, how might this factor impact what colleges students are actually attending? 4. What's unique about the "Smart Home" seen in the video? What are some of the things this home can do? How does the owner "talk to" the house? Discussion Questions: . 1. If you were investigating the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, what initial questions might guide your investigation? How would you go about finding answers to those questions? 2. In the study of history, what are some examples of primary sources? Why are primary sources, like the photos from the Crimean War, valuable? What kinds of information might primary sources provide that secondary sources cannot? 3. If you plan to go to college, what factors are foremost in your mind as you decide where to go? If cost is a concern, where might you go to find out what your options are for financial aid? 4. What might be some benefits of a programmable home? Can you think of any downsides? Explain. CNN Student News is created by a team of journalists and educators who consider the Common Core State Standards, national standards in different subject areas, and state standards when producing the show and curriculum. We hope you use our free daily materials along with the program, and we welcome your feedback on them. FEEDBACK . We're looking for your feedback about CNN Student News. Please use this page to leave us comments about today's program, including what you think about our stories and our resources. Also, feel free to tell us how you use them in your classroom. The educators on our staff will monitor this page and may respond to your comments as well. Thank you for using CNN Student News! Click here to submit your Roll Call request.
This page includes the show Transcript and the Daily Curriculum . Use the Transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary . The Daily Curriculum offers the Media Literacy Question of the Day, Key Concepts, Fast Facts and Discussion Questions . At the bottom of the page, please share your feedback about our show and curriculum .
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By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 10:55 EST, 15 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:34 EST, 15 May 2013 . Comedian Rory McGrath has been arrested on suspicion of carrying out an attack following a 'drunken row' in his hometown. McGrath, 57, was held after police were called to a house in Pool, near Redruth, in Cornwall, last Friday. It is alleged the 'Three Men in a Boat' star attacked a man and a woman who tried to help him while he was 'heavily in drink'. Arrest: Rory McGrath, pictured on the Lakes at Christmas on ITV, was arrested during a visit to Pool, near Redruth, Cornwall, it was revealed today . A man in his 40s suffered a bloody nose and scratches during the alleged incident, according to Devon and Cornwall Police. Rory, who was born and grew up in Redruth, was held at Camborne police station and questioned and later bailed until July 5 pending further inquiries. The exact circumstances surrounding the alleged attack, which is said to have taken place inside a property at 10.15pm last Friday, remain unclear. A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: 'Police were called to a property in the Pool area, near Redruth, at 10pm on Friday May 10, following a report that a man had assaulted a male and female couple, who it was understood, were attempting to assist this man who was heavily in drink. They Think It's All Over: Rory McGrath (right) with panelists (from left to right) Jonathan Ross, Phil Tuffnell, Nick Hancock and David Seaman in 2003 . 'A man in his late 40s received a bloody nose and scratches to the face. A 57-year-old man from the Cambridge area was arrested on suspicion of common assault and ABH assault. He was later bailed until July 5.' McGrath was educated at Redruth Grammar School and went on to Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He became a member of the Cambridge Footlights before finding fame on the Channel 4 sketch show Who Dares Wins. Rory is also known for roles in Chelmsford 123 and as a regular panellist on They Think It's All Over. A spokesman for the comedian said she did not know anything about the alleged incident. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
McGrath, 57, allegedly attacked a man and a woman in Redruth, Cornwall . Police arrested him after being called to a house last Friday .
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Former U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey thinks President Barack Obama, a fellow Democrat, was re-elected in 2012 because he 'sucked less' than former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. The Nebraskan straight-talker told MailOnline in an exclusive interview that Obama isn't up to the job of bringing liberals and conservatives to the table to rescue America's slowly choking entitlement programs. And Obama, he said Wednesday in his Manhattan office, knew full well he was lying when he promised that the Affordable Care Act would allow Americans to keep insurance plans they liked. 'He had to know he was misleading the audience,' Kerrey said quietly, recalling the newly minted president's countless promises as Congress and the public debated his signature health insurance overhaul. Not your typical Democrat: Former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey opened up with MailOnline about his disappointments with his party and his president . 'If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan': Kerrey says many politicians suffer from 'self-delusion' that makes it easier to lie to the public . 'On the other hand, he may have said it so many times,' he added, 'that the spell-checker wasn't in the room – the spell-checker, the fact-checker – somebody who says, "Excuse me, Mr. President, but I hope you know this..."' Obama's infamous four-Pinocchio pledges, Kerrey explained, never stood a chance of being fulfilled because there were 'a million people out there with policies that, for one reason or another, run short of the minimum standard. I mean, they bought something cheaper!' The White House understood the numbers, Kerrey said, and Republicans did a poor job of explaining the basics of the insurance industry to low-information voters. Insurers, he said the GOP could have made clear, make money by 'not paying claims,' and by making sure that '80 per cent of the people that are buying insurance don't need it. ... So I need young people to sign up. That's what it's all about.' The worst lie Democrats told about Obamacare, Kerrey reasoned, 'is not "If you want to keep your health care plan..." – the worst one is, "Everybody deserves high-quality, affordable health care."' 'Excuse me? Uh, I don't know if you've heard about the bell curve?' he snarked. 'If I've got 1,000 doctors, 100 are great, and 100 are not so good.' He outlined the shape of a bell curve with his hands, and then threw them skyward. 'It's absolutely impossible,' he said. 'And affordable? Forget about it.' Kerry is best known for calling former Sen. Rick Santorum an '***hole' in the Philadelphia Inquirer, and for calling Bill Clinton an 'unusually good liar' Kerry has kept his oar in foreign policy, helming the New School for many years in New York City where he rubbed elbows with foreign leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) When the Affordable Care Act met its most vigorous Republican opposition in late 2009, the U.S. economy was still floundering and the business community's eyes were focused on GDP growth, not a new set of health-benefit mandates. 'I wouldn't have done health care,' Kerrey said.'I think the big mistake was ... to say, "Whew! We've got the stimulus done, okay, the economy's going to come bouncing back in 12 months – let's do health care,"' he explained. 'Only the economy didn't come bouncing back.' 'We're teetering on the edge of going . out of business through most of 2009,' Kerrey recalled. 'And I think . you need to just keep driving, driving, driving on the economy, and make . it as bipartisan as possible.' Life-long pol: In 1992 then-Sen. Kerry made an ultimately failed bid for the Democratic presidential nomination that eventually went to Bill Clinton . Obama compounded his rhetorical mistakes with political ones, he said, by agreeing to ditch a proposal allowing Americans to buy into the Medicare system the way they would buy a policy from a private insurer. '"And now you want to do health care," Kerrey imagined Democratic pols telling Obama near the end of his first year in office. 'It's okay, you're going to do health care. I haven't talked you out of it, Mr. President. [But] don't give on the public option.' Even if the Obamacare law had died in Congress, he insisted, the politics of holding fast to the public option would have favored Democrats since Medicare is among the federal government's most universally popular programs. 'I would have been much better off campaigning saying, "My opponent does not want you to have the right to buy into Medicare,"' Kerrey mused. In his Washington, D.C. days, the former Nebraska governor often stood out as the rare Democrat who publicly lamented U.S. entitlement programs' seemingly unstoppable march to insolvency. 'We're robbing from the future to pay for the past,' he told MailOnline on Wednesday. 'We just are.' 'And we're shoveling more and more money to people over the age of 65.' A . lack of political will and a healthy dose of electoral fear, he said, . has virtually guaranteed a climate inside the U.S. Capitol where no one . will take the first step toward cutting benefits or ratcheting up the . national retirement age. 'It's the one thing "R"s and "D"s can agree on,' Kerrey explained. 'Don't screw with seniors.' Kerrey is a decorated Navy SEAL veteran who has grappled with issues of conscience: He once acknowledged that a Vietnam combat mission for which he was awarded the Bronze Star caused the deaths of 13 to 20 unarmed civilians, most of them women and children . The result, he said, is a set of financial chains clamped tightly on future generations. During an ill-fated 2012 run to recapture his old Senate seat, Kerrey  totaled up Uncle Sam's spending on Medicare, Social Security, and the long-term care portion of Medicaid, and divided it by the number of Americans in the work force. 'All workers,' he insisted, 'including government workers! And the source of their contribution is entirely tax money! But take all of it.' The cost, he determined, 'is $15,000 per year, per worker.' Once a politician ... Kerrey tried to win back his old Senate seat in 2012, only to be beaten in the primary by Deb Fischer, who ultimately won the general election . Asked how to break the congressional logjam, Kerrey thought for a moment and said, softly, 'It takes a president. It takes a president.' Is Barack Obama that president? Kerrey stayed silent but shook his head. 'I'm shaking my head "no,"' he acknowledged, finally. 'If he was up to it, he would have done it. He can't run for re-election.' Another of Obama's failings, according to Kerrey, is an inflated sense of Americans' appetite for programs to correct what the White House calls 'income inequality,' through new taxes and other income-shifting initiatives that transfer wealth from the rich to the poor. The president's re-election 17 months ago wasn't a mandate to conduct class warfare, he said. 'After the 2012 election, what the president needed was somebody to say, "Mr. President, I'm thrilled you won. You stand for all the things I support. But honestly, you won this election because you sucked less than Romney."' Americans, Kerrey believes, lost patience equally with the GOP and the White House during the kabuki theater of fiscal cliff, congressional 'super committee,' budget sequester and tense partial government shutdown. Obama stuck to his guns at the time, holding out for a 'balanced' budget-gap fix that included new taxes on upper-income Americans. 'Everybody since 1913 has had a mandate to raise taxes on the rich,' Kerrey scoffed at his party's leader. 'This isn't something that you've earned, something that's unique.' Coplorful: As governor of Nebraska, Kerrey dated actress Debra Winger for more than two years, telling reporters that she 'swept me off my foot' (He lost part of one leg in the Vietnam war.) Obama isn't the first president to make that kind of miscalculation – Kerrey calls it 'self-delusion' – while in office. He joked that geneticists will one day soon 'find a base pair' of genes that predisposes people to deception. And he predicted, half-seriously, that 'they'll find another base pair which say that politicians have 25 per cent more capacity for – you call it lying, I call it self-delusion.' Bill Clinton, Kerrey once famously hinted, may have been that genetic trait's Darwinian ideal. 'He's an unusually good liar. Unusually good,' the Nebraskan said in 1994. He told MailOnline that he 'actually intended it as a compliment,' although Clinton 'didn't take it that way.' Obama's lies, he said, stem from the same human flaw. 'That self-delusion moment comes in a single declaratory sentence,' Kerrey said, which is, "If they just get to know me, they'll vote for me."' 'It's just self-delusion. ... Some of us are good at it, and some of us are bad.'
Kerrey, a two-term Senator in the '80s and '90s, is disappointed in the president for risking the health of the U.S. economy over Obamacare . 'He had to know he was misleading the audience,' he said of Obama's infamous 'If you like your health care plan' deception . Explains that an even bigger lie Democrats tell is that 'everybody' can get 'high-quality, affordable health care' Obama, he says, lacks the courage to bring Democrats and Republicans together to save U.S. entitlement programs from bankruptcy . 'If he was up to it, he would have done it,' Kerrey tells MailOnline .
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Actress Sarah Goldberg passed away aged 40 from a suspected heart condition last month . An actress who starred in Jurassic Park III and on the TV show 7th Heaven has died in her sleep, her family confirmed. Sarah Goldberg passed away aged 40 at her family's cabin in Wisconsin from a suspected heart condition on September 27. Miss Goldberg, from Chicago, had movie roles in My Best Friend's Wedding and Training Day and appeared in TV shows Judging Amy, Without A Trace, 90210 and House. An autopsy failed to come to a conclusion on a cause of death, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Her mother told the paper: 'She went to sleep and didn't wake up.' Ms Goldberg was born in 1974 in Springfield, Illinois and attended the Latin School of Chicago. She went to to study for a bachelors degree in biology at Amherst College in 1996 before embarking on her acting career. She took the leap and went to Hollywood by herself, landing TV role after TV role under the stage name of Sarah Danielle Madison. In her obituary, Miss Goldberg was described as someone who loved the outdoors and enjoyed camping, waterskiing, fishing and canoeing. She was also devoted to animal rescue. The actress had two dogs, Daisy and Bucket, whom she rescued and who lived with her in Los Angeles. Her family requested that instead of flowers, donations be sent to the Sarah Goldberg Memorial Fund at PAWS, 1997 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60614. She is survived by her parents, Judy and Bill Goldberg, her brother Bradley (Michelle), her niece and her nephew along with many extended family members and close friends. Her funeral arrangements were kept private. Sarah Goldberg (pictured right) starring in an episode of 7th Heaven in 2006. She passed away aged 40 at her family's cabin from suspected heart failure on September 27, her family confirmed . The actress was devoted to animal rescue and had two dogs, Daisy and Bucket, who lived with her in Los Angeles .
Sarah Goldberg passed away aged 40 at her family's cabin in Wisconsin from a suspected heart condition on September 27 . Miss Goldberg, from Chicago, had movie roles in My Best Friend's Wedding and Training Day . She also appeared in TV shows 7th Heaven, Without A Trace, 90210 and House .
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Waveland, Mississippi (CNN) -- Tommy Longo has had a rough year: both hips, a femur and a knee replaced. When he hobbles out of his truck to see how the new City Hall construction is going, he looks with every step like he just needs to sit down. His face is covered with perspiration in the afternoon heat, and he always seems to be headed to the next appointment. You might think the mayor of a town that disappeared would have little to do, and yet Longo seems to never stop. "We lost our residential structures, lost our commercial structures, lost our governmental structures," he says. "Every city building was gone. Our town was obliterated. We were wiped off the face of the earth." For all the attention focused on New Orleans each time the anniversary of Katrina rolls around, it would be easy to forget that the epicenter of the storm was over on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. And no town was hit harder than Waveland. Ninety-five percent of its homes were taken by the storm; 100 percent of the town's businesses. With virtually every road either broken up or piled with mountains of debris, it was difficult for recovery teams to find a starting place. And yet, Mayor Longo and a core of dedicated residents began rebuilding almost as soon as the storm passed, and for the past five years they have remained steadily at it. With $100 million in federal disaster aid as a launching pad, they've repaired utilities, roads, schools, community centers and parks, and recovered 65 percent of the businesses they lost. Temporary churches, often erected on the ruins of their original houses of worship, proved crucial as meeting spots and places to organize volunteers. Now some of those congregations are finally moving into new, permanent sanctuaries. Most importantly, the people are coming back. Like the businesses, about two-thirds of the population has returned. The Kearney family, Charles, his wife Germain and their two small children, lost everything. In the immediate wake of the storm, Germain Kearney kneeled in the wreckage of her house, plucking ruined photographs from the wreckage. "It's just blowing me away," she told CNN back then. "It really is. But this has happened to other people and they've come back from it, so we're going to come back from it too." They have done just that -- rebuilding, resettling not far from the empty lot where they used to live. Germain Kearney knows that remaining here means accepting challenges, maybe for many more years. "I'm not complaining, but it is harder to do what we have to do. School is not around the block, school is 10 miles away." The nearest grocery store is every farther. Charles Kearney says they talked about leaving, "But where were we going to go? This is home." Back downtown, Longo stops walking long enough to answer a basic question that he's heard many times. With nothing left of the town, did it ever occur to you to give up, move away? "It never crossed my mind that we were finished. That we were done. Never crossed my mind." It's more than just a commitment to a job. He is the father of seven children, all still living here. And they'll all be on hand this fall, when for the first time since the storm, his town holds a popular festival it used to enjoy every year before the storm. In the high grass at their old lot, one of the Kearney kids calls out. "I found something!" Even now, they discover bits of detritus tossed by the storm. His father takes a look and tells him it's just part of an old yard trimmer. "But it is still something," the kids say. And this town had saved itself on the simple belief, that you can build something from nothing. They've done it.
Five years after Hurricane Katrina, Waveland, Mississippi, regains what it lost . Mayor: "We were wiped off the face of the earth" Town has recovered about 65 percent of lost businesses since the storm . About two-thirds of the town's residents have returned .
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It's the age-old debate that has split Beatles fans straight down the line for decades. And now celebrities are weighing in on the question: John Lennon or Paul McCartney? A 34-minute video recorded over a decade shows the responses of 550 celebrities to the simple question, which they told they were only allowed to answer with one word. Among the famous faces responding were the likes of Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch. Scroll down for video . John Lennon or Paul McCartney? Some 550 celebrities weigh in on the age-old Beatles question . Robert De Niro (left) and Lady Gaga (right) were among the celebrities featured in the 34-minute video . Even youngsters Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and Carly Rae Jepson weighed in on the question. Predictably, there were fans of both Beatles, although some artists veered off course to answer Harrison - and one artist even said 'neither' before offering 'Hendrix'. The description that accompanied the video read: 'Some stuck to one, some said more, some answered quickly, some thought it through, and some didn't answer at all.' Those who take the time to watch or listen to the video will learn that Robert De Niro prefers John Lennon, Katy Perry Loves McCartney, and Lady Gaga is 'a Lennon girl'. The celebrities are organized alphabetically by first name, and each appears for just a few seconds - just long enough to answer the question - before the video moves on. The video is the brainchild of film, TV and web series production company called Scared Goose Productions run by Matt Schichter in Los Angeles. Predictably, there were fans of both Paul (far left) and John (center left), although some artists veered off course to answer Harrison (far right) Benedict Cumberbatch (left) and Katy Perry (right) were also asked to chose between Paul and John .
A 34-minute video shows responses of 550 artists to the simple question . The answers were collected in interviews over the course of a decade . Artists quizzed include Sylvester Stallone, Katy Perry, Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and Benedict Cumberbatch .
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(CNN) -- A year after a fierce crackdown silenced erupting street protests, not many Iranians living in the country can defy the hardline Islamic government without fearing for their life. But Mohammad Reza Shajarian, is using his voice like never before. "Art by its nature is a form of objection," the legendary musician said in an interview during his tour of the United States. "It can object against love, life, or governments and when art becomes rebellious, it can intimidate governments." Shajarian, 69, sparked his a high-profile protest last year when he publicly objected to state TV and radio broadcasting one of his most popular anthems, "Iran, Ey Saraye Omid" (Iran, the land of Hope), to celebrate the contested re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The song was first performed by Shajarian back in the early days of the 1979 revolution when a popular movement dethroned the Shah. Shajarian was outraged the current Iranian government used his work to drum up patriotic support. "I'm not going to allow my own work to be used against me," said Shajarian, an outspoken critic of the hardline regime. In order to channel his own discontent with the escalating violence at the time, Shajarian collaborated with his colleagues and within a day composed "Zabaneh Atash" (Language of Fire) to capture the political and social climate of the post-election fallout. The song begins this way: . Lay down your guns! I am tired of this gruesome needless shedding of blood . Whether the gun is in your hand or another's . It is the language of fire and mayhem . Shajarian's new release became an instant hit as a battle cry especially for Iran's youth, many of whom are clamoring for change. "You shouldn't beat people over the head with guns, you have to talk to them logically," Shajarian said. Shajarian spent most of his life in Iran and was one of a handful of musicians the Islamic regime allowed to stay and perform in the country after the 1979 revolution. But he has also been met with opposition and has only been able to perform in fewer than a dozen concerts in Iran over the past three decades. Shajarian's interpretations of Persian poetry is lyrical, his voice soulful. He music has captivated Iranians for decades but he has also earned international accolades, including the UNESCO Mozart Medal, the Golden Picasso Medal and two Grammy nominations. In an effort to encourage cross cultural dialogue and reinvigorate Iran's traditional music profile, Shajarian recently toured Australia, the United States and Canada with 16-member Shahnaz Ensamble, comprised of some of Iran's finest classical musicians. Also on stage with him was his daughter Mojgan, who is breaking barriers as a solo female vocalist. Under Iranian law, women can only perform in part of a larger group and soloists are limited to women-only audiences. "It doesn't make any logical sense to forbid women from singing solo," Shajarian said. "There is this impression that a women's voice can arouse a man but does a man's voice not arouse a women? What kind of arousal?" Shajarian remains a strong voice of the Iranian people. He is a voice for change.
Iranian musician is using his voice like never before . Mohammad Reza Shajarian protested the Islamic regime's use of one of his anthems sung during the 1979 revolution . His music is critical of Iran's crackdown on post-election protesters .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:40 EST, 19 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:40 EST, 19 November 2013 . A sold-out unicorn motif sweater worn by Sasha Obama has sparked a demand for its manufacturer to reissue it. The 12-year-old first daughter wore the $18 unicorn design by ASOS to a college basketball game in College Park, Maryland on Sunday. Since photos of the appearance were published, the online retailer has been slammed with requests from shoppers keen to replicate the youngster’s look. Hot item: Sasha Obama's unicorn sweater has prompted massive response from fashion-obsessed Twitter users . At the game: Sasha wore the sweater to a college basketball game with her family on Sunday . Full outfit: She paired the top with cuffed skinny jeans and blue plimsoll sneakers . Tony Manfred, a sports reporter for Business Insider, even wrote: 'Knitting this myself if I can't find it on eBay’ In . response to the demand, ASOS told fans that it is looking into the . possibility of restocking the sweater, which was originally on sale at . $62.69 before going on sale at $18.69. A . Twitter post read: ‘Love Love Love the Unicorn sweater. We’re not sure . at the [moment] if it’ll be restocked, but watch this space…’ If the sweater were to be reissued, it would certainly be met by much fanfare. Kieran Patrick Burns’ remarks on Twitter are representative of the sweater's general response. 'Sasha Obama looking sharp with the unicorn sweater,' he dispatched. On ASOS: The ASOS design is sold out online, but the retailer could be considering a restock . And Kristen Holmes [‏@kristenholmes20] wrote: ‘Sasha Obama is a regular #hipster! Check out the unicorn sweater.’ The . Obama daughters have long been fans of ASOS. Sasha wore an ASOS dress . to last year’s White House Christmas tree lighting, while Malia wore a . blue satiny skirt last year on election night. If . the online retailer were to restock the item, it would be diverging . from what other Obama-endorsed fashion lines have refused to do in the . past. When  Sasha, Malia, . and Michelle Obama wore J.Crew items to President Obama’s second term . inauguration last January, causing the designs to quickly sell out, the . brand’s creative director Jenna Lyons announced that J.Crew would not . reproduce the items ‘out of respect,’ for the first family. As . of press time, ASOS had not restocked the unicorn sweater. The company . was not immediately able to provide a comment when reached by . MailOnline.
ASOS noted in a tweet that it could reissue the design . Sasha wore the sweater to a college basketball game with her family on Sunday .
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By . Claire Bates . PUBLISHED: . 07:10 EST, 11 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:37 EST, 11 January 2013 . A seriously ill toddler has been given a second chance at life after receiving a stem cell transplant from the U.S following a transatlantic appeal. Toddler William Morris had been diagnosed with leukaemia at just six weeks old and intensive chemotherapy had failed to eradicate the cancer. The 18-month-old desperately needed a stem cell transplant to help his body make new healthy blood cells after his own had been destroyed by the disease. However, no matches from umbilical cord blood donations could be found in the UK. William Morris, from County Durham received stem cells taken from a mother's umbilical cord in America . But in March last year the youngster . from Chester-le-Street in County Durham was matched with an anonymous . donor in the U.S. He was treated in isolation in Newcastle for two . months and is now in remission. His mother Catherine Wray, 28, said: 'I don't know who the donor is, but I wish I could send a letter to the mum saying 'thank you for helping to save my son's life. 'When William was diagnosed with leukaemia, it was devastating. It was the last thing that we had expected. It was a really scary time as William was so poorly, but we had full faith in the consultants and are so grateful that a stem cell match was found for William.' William was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, a cancer of the white blood cells and bone marrow, when he was just six weeks old. He underwent four courses of intensive chemotherapy, which were unsuccessful, and within a month had a relapse of his condition. William, pictured in hospital when he was suffering from childhood cancer . On Mother's Day last year, William was admitted to Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary's Bubble Unit, where he remained in isolation for two months. He was given a cord blood stem-cell transplant at the end of March and soon began to respond well to the treatment. William is now in remission and continues to be monitored . Over the last two years, the Anthony Nolan Trust has been working closely with the Department of Health and the NHS Cord Blood Bank to ensure that the UK inventory of cord blood units is suitable for clinical transplant increases in order to reduce the reliance on cord blood imported from overseas. Dr Sujith Samarasinghe, a consultant paediatric haematologist at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'William had a high-risk leukaemia. Since the transplant he is doing extremely well. 'It is early days, but there is now no evidence of leukaemia in his system.' William is back at home and is enjoying life with his mother and father, Christopher Morris, 28. Ms Wray said: 'William is like any other child his age and to look at him, you would not think that anything had been wrong. 'He is a cheeky and lovable boy. He is so special in every way.' William's condition is in remission and he continues to be regularly monitored by consultants. Ms Wray, who is now pregnant with twins, has decided to get the umbilical cords of her babies frozen and "banked", if they are a suitable match for William, in case cord blood stem cells need to be used at a later date. William recently received a Cancer Research UK Little Star Award, made in partnership with TK Maxx, for his bravery in coping with his condition. See more at www.cruk.org/littlestar .
William Morris was diagnosed with leukaemia at just six weeks old and intensive chemotherapy failed to eradicate the disease . He needed a stem cell transplant to help his body make new blood cells . A match was found in the U.S. and William is now in transmission .
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Billie Jean King has accused an on-court interviewer who asked some female tennis players to 'give a twirl' of being 'truly sexist'. Serena Williams and Canada's Eugenie Bouchard were asked to spin around to show off their outfits during on-court interviews in Melbourne, prompting an angry response on social media and accusations of sexism levelled at Tennis Australia commentator Ian Cohen, who made the request. King, who won the tournament in 1968, tweeted: 'The Australian Open interviewer asking the women to "twirl" on court is out of line. Eugeie Bouchard was asked to twirl by interviewer Ian Cohen and she looked embarrassed at the request . Bouchard did oblige, later commenting that it was 'unexpected' that an 'old guy' asked her to twirl on-court . Bouchard laughed as she twirled for the interviewer to show off her outfit after her straight-sets victory . The interviewer continued to speak to Bouchard after she twirled for him after her second round match . 'This is truly sexist. If you ask the women, you have to ask the guys to twirl as well.' The 12-time Grand Slam singles winner, now 71, added: 'Let's focus on competition and accomplishments of both genders and not our looks.' Bouchard looked slightly bemused by the request, which followed her straight-sets win over Kiki Bertens, admitting in her post-match press conference the question had taken her by surprise. 'It was very unexpected. I mean, yeah, I don't know. An old guy asking you to twirl, it was funny,' said the seventh seed. Bouchard smiles to the crowd after completing her comfortable win over Kiki Bertens on Wednesday . Canadian Bouchard celebrates after defeating Bertens of Holland 6-0 6-3 at the Australian Open . Williams, a second-round winner over Vera Zvonareva on Thursday, revealed she had also had the same request and not enjoyed the experience, but would not be drawn on whether it was sexist or not. The American said: 'A commentator asked me to twirl. I wouldn't ask Rafa (Nadal) or Roger (Federer) to twirl. Whether it's sexist or not, I don't know. I can't answer that. 'I didn't really want to twirl because I was just like, you know, I don't need all the extra attention. But, yeah, it was fine. 'I don't think and look that deep into it. Life is far too short to focus on that. We have so many other problems we want to deal with that we should focus on. 'Whether I twirl or not, it's not the end of the world. It's about being positive and just moving forward.' Serena Williams refused to discuss suggestions of sexism, but suggested that male players wouldn't have been asked the same question by the interviewer . World No 1 Williams beat Vera Zvonareva 7-5, 6-0 at the Australia Open on Thursday .
Tennis Australia commentator Ian Cohen asked female tennis players to 'give a twirl' to show off their outfits on court . Serena Williams was reluctant to discuss whether it was sexist or not . Eugenie Bouchard said it was 'unexpected' that an 'old guy' had asked her to twirl following her straight-sets win over Kiki Bertens . Viewers took to Twitter to express their outrage on the incident . Billie Jean King described the request as 'truly sexist' and 'out of line'
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Oakland, California (CNN) -- If college athletes were to start being paid, many schools would leave Division I sports, NCAA President Mark Emmert said Thursday. And the universities that stayed in Division I sports would have to start cutting other, less popular sports to be able to afford the salaries. There would be less competition and no more national championship games — at least not in their current form, Emmert said. Emmert testified at the landmark federal trial for former UCLA player Ed O'Bannon's lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association. He and other athletes are suing for the opportunity for future athletes to be paid for the use of their names, images and likenesses when they play sports on television. Emmert said he believes the customs that most college sports fans hold most dear -- the camaraderie of game day, the tailgating, the atmosphere of a stadium packed with nearly 100,000 fans and the pride of cheering for a university team -- are at stake. "Traditions and keeping them are very important to universities," Emmert said. "These individuals are not professionals. They are representing their universities as part of a university community. "People come to watch ... because it's college sports, with college athletes," he said. Those beloved traditions go hand in hand with the model of amateurism, and if amateurism goes away, so will the games as we know them now, he said. Many schools lose money on Division I athletics but keep them for the "social cohesion" and the boost to their profiles, Emmert said. Emmert said officials at several member schools have told him that if athletes were to start getting paid beyond the cost of attendance, institutions would ditch Division I sports and opt for Division II or III, in which coach's salaries, stadiums, hype and scholarships are much smaller. "Do the members want the sports to remain amateur?" an NCAA lawyer asked. "Yes," Emmert replied. "If the rules were changed to permit student athletes to be paid for (names, images and likenesses), would that change what college sports is all about? "Yes, it would." Never before has the NCAA membership — leaders at about 1,100 colleges and universities — proposed changing the rules to allow college athletes to be paid. However, they are currently considering giving athletes a bit more "miscellaneous" money to cover the full cost of attending college. Emmert, a much-anticipated witness at the three-week trial, testified for five hours Thursday and is expected to continue on Friday. On the stand, Emmert embodied the NCAA's no-budge, no-compromise take on the issue of pay-for-play, citing the organization's century-old history. In the five years since the O'Bannon suit was first filed, there have been several controversies and many attempts to reform the NCAA. Emmert acknowledged that public opinion of the organization is low and that part of his directive when he took this job was to fix that. While he made no concessions to the argument of hypocrisy in college sports — the idea that everyone else involved makes money, except the athletes — Emmert did concede that the commercialization of college sports is overwhelming the amateurism. He said the use of athletes' names, images and likenesses is "one of the most debated topics in NCAA history." One of O'Bannon's lawyers, Bill Isaacson, displayed picture after picture of athletes with corporate logos and asked, "Putting athletes in front of logos, that's all fine under NCAA rules?" "It's not something I'm personally comfortable with," Emmert responded. "... It's certainly not where I would prefer the rules be drawn." Responding to questions from U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken about commercial exploitation, Emmert said the schools have chosen to define it to mean that college athletes should not be acting as "pitchmen" for products. A recent poll conducted by the Saint Leo University Polling Institute showed that 66% of Americans don't think athletes should be paid beyond scholarship money. But complicating the issue are recent academic scandals and consistent court testimony from athletes from several different schools that they were athletes first, not students. Emmert responded by saying that it's hard to get motivated athletes to focus more on schoolwork, but he insisted that they are motivated to play college sports because of the education they receive. But when he was asked about that education, he first mentioned the life experience that athletes earn on the field, then discussed what they learn in class. O'Bannon's lawyers questioned Emmert at length about an e-mail sent to him at the start of his presidency by a senior member of the organization, Wallace Renfro. It said "the notion that athletes are students is the great hypocrisy of intercollegiate athletics" and said the public believes the athletes are exploited in the name of money for higher-caliber coaches and bigger stadiums. Last week, O'Bannon's lawyers said that even if Wilken were to rule in their favor, the conferences and colleges could still decide on their own not to share any of the television revenues with athletes. As long as the NCAA doesn't have a rule against it, it would still be OK for colleges to choose not to pay. Rules, Emmert testified, are necessary. "It's essential there be a body that provides rule-making," he said. "One of the most fundamental principles of fair competition is that everyone is playing by the same rules. Everyone understands they are governing and conducting the game the same way from one side of the country to another. You couldn't do it nationally without those rules." As testimony starts in former college star's suit, NCAA settles another suit . NCAA faces change, legal challenges in months ahead .
NCAA President Mark Emmert said paying athletes would hurt traditions . National championships, camaraderie as we know them would end, he testified . "People come to watch ... because it's college sports," he said in federal court . Ex-UCLA player Ed O'Bannon sued to allow athletes to be paid for images, likenesses .
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A prominent Republican woman launched a she-said, she-said battle over wages on Wednesday morning by accusing the White House of paying women less than men – just hours after President Barack Obama begged Congress to outlaw the practice. High-stakes gender politics made an appearance in Tuesday's State of the Union address when the president insisted that 'Congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work.' 'Really,' he said to cheers from Democrats on Capitol HIll. 'It’s 2015. It’s time.' On Wednesday morning former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina claimed 'the president hasn't really led in this regard. He's not paying women equally by his own measures in his own White House.' 'He's not paying women equally,' former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina (left) said of the president, during a morning-show joust with White House adviser Valerie Jarrett (right) President Barack Obama made a point of mentioning pay equity for women in his State of the Union speech, a political dog-whistle that motivates Democratic voters but is subject to widely varying interpretation . The line brought applause from Democrats but not much enthusiasm from Republicans, who 'won't stand – literally – for pay equity,' according to some wags on Twitter . Fiorina, herself a potential 2016 presidential candidate, glossed over details from the administration's annual Report to Congress on White House Staff that show women are paid equally for the same work but aren't trusted with as many high-level jobs. She aired her complaint on MSNBC's Morning Joe program, where she faced off against top Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett. 'Every woman across the nation agrees that equal pay for equal work is absolutely required,' Fiorina said. 'I also think it's just a fact that laws exist on the books today, and if a woman is being discriminated against because of her gender, she should use the full extent of that law.' Jarrett fired back. 'Let's unpack your question a little bit. ... In the White House women do earn equal pay for equal work,' she said. Obama's salary data show that male white-collar White House employees earn an average of about $88,600, compared with $78,400 for females. That 13 per cent wage gap is in line with the federal government as a whole, according to the Office of Personnel Management. But it's larger than the overall gap in the District of Columbia, which the Washington Post reports is 9.9 per cent. Nationally, women in the U.S. earn 23.5 per cent less than men. That number, like the White House's, results in large part from women holding more junior-level jobs with lower salaries. Fewer men take time away from their careers to raise children, giving them access to continued career advancement and salary growth. And some researchers point to trends in women's employment that suggest many mothers accept lower wages in exchange for better health benefits and greater flexibility in working hours. That may be one reason why 87 men in the White House earn six-figure salaries, something only 53 women on Obama's staff can say.compared to 53 female White House officials. The White House's 2014 report also showed that there are two more men than women in the highest-ranking positions. Fiorina's spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But the longtime tech executive, who ran an unsuccessful bid for a California U.S> Senate seat in 2012, hinted during the on-air tussle that her real target was labor unions and their preference for seniority-based pay systems. 'The single greatest impediment to equal pay for equal work is this seniority system, which pays not on merit, not on performance, but on time and grade,' she claimed. 'And who is it who supports the seniority system? Unions, government bureaucracies, the vast majority of constituencies that the Democratic party represents and who support the Democratic party.' Paying women 'by merit and by their results,' Fiorina insisted, would result in a system where 'women will be paid equally.' Fiorina, a onetime US Senate candidate in California, now lives in Virginia and is weighing a presidential run in 2016 . Jarrett is among the Obamas' oldest friends from their Chicago days, and is seen in Washington as a political 'fixer' who has the president's ear more often than his Cabinet secretaries . Jarrett fired back that Obama's State of the Union barb about pay equity was a reference to the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill that Republicans have consistently blocked since 2009. The National Women's Law Center supports the measure, saying it would allow judges to take a close look at companies' pay practices to be sure any gender disparities 'serve a legitimate business purpose' and spring from 'factors other than sex.' Business advocates and their Republican supporters, however, maintain that there is a broad list of reasons why some women earn less than some men. In 2009 the U.S. Department of Labor commissioned a study from the CONSAD Research Corporation that counseled the government on how to interpret wage data from the U.S. Census and other sources. It found that 'differences in the compensation of men and women are the result of a multitude of factors.' 'The differences in raw wages may be almost entirely the result of the individual choices being made by both male and female workers,' the report concluded. The Equal Pay Act Of 1963 already makes it illegal to pay women less than men for performing the same job in the same company.
Former HP chief Carly Fiorina blasted Obama confidante Valerie Jarrett over the president's State of the Union demand for pay equity . White House pays women on average 13 per cent less than men – but technically gives equal pay for equal work . Salary differences are due to more men than women having higher-paying White House jobs . Fiorina is a potential 2016 presidential candidate .
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By . Richard Shears . PUBLISHED: . 07:57 EST, 7 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:35 EST, 7 September 2012 . Vile British killer Keith Herring may have to be deported to the UK on a chartered flight after twice wreaking havoc on commercial jets in Australia. The murderer had spent 22 years locked up after drowning his wife at their Sydney home in 1989. Yesterday the 66-year-old had to be removed from a Thai Airways flight at Sydney airport after he spat at a crew member, smashed a TV monitor, tore a telephone from a phone seat, screamed abuse at passengers, urinated in a holding cell and tried the same in an aisle. Keith Herring terrorised passengers and crew at Sydney airport until he was kicked off his flight . Now Australian authorities are considering paying for a private jet to fly him back to Britain – at an estimated cost of $1million - £600,000 - to Australian taxpayers. He caused similar problems the day before on a Qantas jet. That resulted in three security guards and an immigration official boarding the plane to take him off to prevent further alarm to passengers. Britons convicted of serious crimes in Australia are almost always deported to the UK once they have served their time. But Herring has shown his determination to remain in Australia. Australian authorities hoped the killer would have a swift departure but he had other plans . After his release from jail he was moved to Villawood Detention Centre, on the edge of Sydney, to await deportation. From there launched a determined fight to remain in Australia. He took his case to the Federal Court. But this week he lost his bid to stay and was escorted to the Qantas jet. But his wild and abusive behaviour frightened passengers and crew so much he was escorted from the plane, Sydney’s Daily Telegraph reported today. A second attempt to fly him to Britain, this time on a Thai Airways jet, also failed. Once again he verbally abused passengers and crew. In a phone call with the paper earlier this year Herring admitted for the first time he was guilty of murder and complained about his accommodation. ‘I caused a death. I paid my time,’ he said. ‘The rooms are dirty, the areas we live in are dirty. I have a heart condition I am waiting for an operation.’ During Herring’s unsuccessful 1995 appeal against his conviction,  Supreme Court Judge Jeremy Badgery-Parker claimed he had ‘an extraordinarily manipulative nature.’ Worried he will try to cause further mayhem on another commercial flight, the Australian authorities are considering their options to get rid of the killer. The alternative to paying for a private plane is to book rows of seats on a regular flight to isolate him. That would also cost tens of thousands of pounds. A spokesman for Australia’s Immigration Department insisted they were examining all options ‘for the removal of this client at the earliest opportunity and in the most cost effective way.’ The brute was removed from the airport but Australia insists he will go back to Britain . He added: ‘Misbehaviour in no way deters the department.’ Herring already had a prison record when he was granted a migration visa to Australia in the early 1990s. In the UK he had been convicted for assault and grievous bodily harm. In Australia, he was convicted of killing his Philippine-born wife in the swimming pool of their Sydney home in 1995. He claimed he was innocent but the prosecution said bruises on her head pointed to foul play. During his trial Herring exposed himself, called the prosecutor a ‘fat slug’ and leapt from the dock at the judge. In jail he committed numerous offences, mainly assault and intimidation. His behaviour - on top of the murder conviction - assured him of deportation once he walked free. But the refusal by commercial pilots to fly Herring may leave the Australian government with no option but to choose the expensive option for fly him alone but for his police minders.
Keith Herring abused crew, smashed TV, broke phone and urinated in cell . Private plane set to cost taxpayers £600,000 after he is booted off jets . Monster moaned he had a heart condition and accommodation was 'dirty' Judge branded criminal a man of ‘an extraordinarily manipulative nature.’
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By . Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:22 EST, 20 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:29 EST, 21 September 2013 . Divers have found the body of a missing U.S. stunt pilot whose plane crashed into a lake in northeast China while attempting a tricky maneuver in the rain, the head of the team searching for him said Friday. David Riggs, whose U.S. pilot's license had been suspended, had been missing since Tuesday's accident outside the city of Shenyang in which his young female Chinese translator died. Riggs was in China to take part in an air show and was apparently rehearsing one of his tricks when the accident occurred. Zhang Fang said Riggs' body was found during a search of the bottom of Lake Caihu by divers from the Dalian branch of the Beihai Rescue Bureau. Dangerous pilot: David Riggs twice had his pilot's license suspended in the US before crashing Tuesday to his death . 'It's likely he was killed on impact, but we don't know for sure yet,' Fang said by telephone from the accident scene. Riggs' high-performance single-engine Lancair 320 plane broke into pieces after hitting the lake and some parts had been recovered, including one of its two seats. The cause of the accident remains under investigation. The plane was not equipped with a "black box" recorder because of its small size. Zhang said Riggs crashed while attempting a stunt in which the wheels of his plane were to drag along the lake surface at high speed. He had just taken off in a light rain, but there was no indication he had violated any flying regulations, Zhang said. Other reports said Chinese officials had urged Riggs not to take off, but Zhang said he had no information about that. Riggs was a well-known Hollywood stunt pilot, and the center of considerable controversy over a string of legal problems and penchant for self-promotion. Fearless: Mr Riggs often performed dangerous stunts at very high speeds . Riggs' website touts his credentials as a holder of several aviation speed world records, but doesn't mention the fact his U.S. pilot's license had been suspended twice. The first time was after buzzing the famed Santa Monica pier in Los Angeles in his Vodochody L-39 Albatros jet trainer. Riggs was sentenced to 60 days of community service and 60 days in jail for reckless flying. He lost his license again in November for selling rides in his plane without permission. The prosecution came after a plane piloted by a business partner crashed, killing both people on board. Death machine: Mr Riggs crashed flying his plane while practicing stunts for an upcoming airshow . Riggs had a stack of other legal problems, including convictions for bank, wire and passport fraud. He aroused such contempt among some pilots that a website - aviationcriminal.com - was devoted to chronicling his misdoings. His website describes him as CEO of California-based Mach One Aviation, Inc. and as a 'Hollywood stunt pilot, movie producer and world aviation speed record holder.' It said his aerial performances had featured in movies and television shows including 'Iron Man,' 'Jarhead,' and the James Bond film 'Casino Royale.' China's official Xinhua News Agency said other U.S. flyers scheduled to take part in Friday's opening ceremony had pulled out of the show. Pilots and aircraft from Sweden, France and Lithuania were due to take part in the show.
David Riggs crashed his plane Tuesday while practicing stunts . The Hollywood stunt pilot was in China for an air show . His US flight license had been suspended twice for reckless flying and selling unauthorized rides in his plane .
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A second female employee at the Washington County Jail in Hillsboro, Oregon, has been accused of having sex with the same inmate — a man held on charges that include failing to register as a sex offender. Brett Robinson, 32, was arrested Tuesday after a grand jury indicted her on charges of custodial sexual misconduct. She was later released after posting $120,000 bail. The revelation comes about a month after Washington County Jail employee Jill Curry, 38, was arrested on similar charges. 'Romantic rivals:' Brett Robinson (left), 32, a staffer at an Oregon jail, was arrested August 19 for allegedly having sex with the same inmate who allegedly had a trsyt with her colleague, Jill Curry, (right) 38, who was arrested last month . The Oregonian reported that both women worked as civilian jail service technicians whose duties included booking and control room operations. The Washington County sheriff's office said it is reviewing jail operations in light of the allegations against its staff. A spokesman, Sgt. Bob Ray, said Curry and Robinson did not know about one another's contact with the inmate. The jail holds 572 inmates and has a staff of 180 corrections deputies and civilian workers. Jill Curry, 38, was arrested July 16 on charges of first-degree custodial misconduct with an inmate. During her arraignment three weeks later, the long-time jail employee was charged with more than two dozen criminal counts, including identity theft. She pleaded not guilty and is due back in court next Monday, reported Hillsboro Tribune. The 38-year-old woman has been working within the sheriff's office since October 2004. Curry's indictment stated that the jail staffer had sex numerous time with the inmate in question between May 25 and July 3. Mrs Curry is married to a sheriff's deputy, who has since filed for divorce. According to officials, the allegations against Brett Robinson came to light as a result of the Curry investigation. ‘I consider allegations that involve a second Jail staff member in this case extraordinarily serious,’ said Sheriff Pat Garrett. ‘Addressing these issues demands immediate changes and a thorough, holistic review of protocols within the jail. Both efforts are under way. ‘ . Robinson, who has been working at the jail since January 2013, was placed on administrative leave July 30. The following day, she was placed on unpaid leave based on the facts of the case. The sheriff's office has been tight-lipped about the details of the investigations concerning Curry and Robinson, declining to specify where and under what circumstances the alleged sexual encounters took place. The name of the inmate at the center of the controversy has not been released, but sheriff's officials revealed that he is facing a slew of charges in connection to four separate cases. The unidentified suspect, who is listed as a victim in the probes of the two jail employees, is accused of failing to register as a sex offender; tempering with a witness; sexual harassment and second-degree assault.
Brett Robinson, 32, a staffer at Washington County Jail in Oregon, is facing custodial sexual misconduct charges . Jill Curry, 38, a married jail employee, was arrested on similar charges in July . The unnamed inmate is being held on a slew of charges, including failing to register as a sex offender, sexual harassment and assault .
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By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 03:40 EST, 1 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:59 EST, 1 May 2013 . A Vietnam War veteran has received a Purple Heart 45 years after being injured in the war. James R. Below's truck was blown up by a landmine and he saved the life of a fellow soldier, but his bravery has never been recognised until now. Yesterday he was presented with the military decoration during a special afternoon ceremony in the Law Library of the Winfield K. Denton Federal Building, in Evansville, Southwestern Indiana. Four decades: James R. Below, a Vietnam veteran has received a Purple Heart 45 years after being injured in the war . Award: Mr Below was presented with the military decoration during a special afternoon ceremony in the Law Library of the Winfield K. Denton Federal Building, in Evansville, Southwestern Indiana . 'It means a lot,'  Mr Below said, but added . 'The real heroes are the ones that are engraved on the Vietnam wall ... the real heroes are our POWs. 'This is just a little bit of me trying to . help my country for my fellow people. Your freedom is not free,' he told the Courier Press. The terrifying event unfolded on March 20, 1968 when Mr Below was transporting a truck of artillery gun tubes between Pleiko and Da Nang in Vietnam. The vehicle in front set off a delayed landmine and Mr Below and his co-driver were blown up as the truck careered off the road. Recognition: 'It means a lot,' Mr Below said on receiving the award he¿s awaited over four decades for . Respect: Indiana Rep. Larry Bucshon, third from left, awards the Purple Heart to the Vietnam War veteran . Mr Below pulled his fellow soldier out from the burning truck. Of course that was my main concern to get him out,' he said . But the pair were attacked by mortar and gunfire from the Viet Cong - his partner was hit by a bullet. The partner was flown by helicopter to be treated for his injuries and Mr Below was taken to a nearby medic unit to be treated for burns to his arms . After treatment in Yokohama, Japan  he was transferred back to the States to Fort Knox, Ky., to finish the remainder of his enlistment. He continued to serve as an Army Reservist until 1995. Mr Below did not receive his medal because the paperwork was lost during moves around the country, but last year a co-worker spurred him on to getting the nearly four decades later. Mr Below was also awarded the Vietnam . Service Medal, with three bronze stars, and the Republic of Vietnam . Gallantry Unit Citation in front of his family.
James R. Below's truck was blown up as he transported equipment . He saved the life a fellow soldier, but his bravery has never been recognised . 'It means a lot,' Mr Below said after waiting over four decades .
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By . Amanda Williams and Rebecca English . PUBLISHED: . 04:04 EST, 17 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:33 EST, 17 October 2013 . Prince Harry has been pictured on a late-night snack run to fast-food chicken chain Nando's. The royal was spotted at the restaurant outlet in Fulham, following England's World Cup qualification against Poland on Tuesday night. According to onlookers, a casually dressed Harry - wearing baseball cap, jeans and T-shirt - ordered a chicken breast fillet in lemon and herb sauce, cheese, and a side order of mashed potato. Chicken royale... The Fullham Broadway franchise of Nandos Restaurant, where Prince Harry bought a meal and drinks with friends . He also ordered a double chicken breast wrap with medium spice and chips, the Daily Mirror reports. The bill came to around £24, staff said. The prince apparently placed the order at around 11.50pm, and spent the next few minutes playing with his mobile phone. He was joined by a friend and his . personal security team at the restaurant until they picked up the order . shortly after midnight and left, exiting through a car park. It is not the first time the prince has been spotted at Nando's. In 2009, he was spotted at an outlet in Stevenage alongside his army colleagues. Harry was clearly looking to burn off some of the calories today as he took to the rugby pitch to put some young players through their paces at Twickenham. Working off the calories: Prince Harry joined a rugby union coaching session at Twickenham Stadium today . The Patron of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) All Schools Programme delivered a training session alongside RFU coaching staff on the Rugby pitch, before heading inside the stadium to meet young people . The fourth in line to the throne is a man of many talents, as he is a qualified rugby coach, and he was challenged to show his talent by England World Cup winner Jason . Robinson, who joked that the prince could be in line for a call-up to . the national squad. But Harry, 29, replied: 'I think I'm a bit past it already.' The All Schools programme aims to . expand rugby into 750 state schools as part of the legacy of England . hosting the 2015 World Cup. Robinson, . who went to state schools in Leeds and represented Great Britain at . rugby league before switching codes and captaining the England rugby . union side, gave Harry a pair of the same type of white and red boots he . wore as an international to take part in the coaching session on . Twickenham's hallowed turf. Prince Harry delivered a training session alongside RFU coaching staff on the Rugby pitch, before heading inside the stadium to meet young people taking part in a kit design workshop, designed to help them take pride in their team colours . The fourth in line to the throne, who is a qualified rugby coach and keen fan, was challenged to show his talent by England World Cup winner Jason Robinson . Robinson, who represented Great Britain at rugby league before switching codes and captaining the England rugby union side, gave Harry a pair of the same type of white and red boots he wore as an international . 'I can't guarantee that they'll get you into the England team but you'll go quick,' said Robinson. Changing into the boots, Harry stripped off his tracksuit and put his expensive designer watch inside a training shoe. 'No one's going to nick my watch?' he asked an aide, before having second thoughts and handing it to him for safekeeping. 'Keep an eye on that one,' he said cheekily gesturing toward Robinson. Prince Harry jostles for the ball against former England rugby union player Jason Robinson as he took part in the RFU All Schools Programme . Harry gets locked into a tough tackle with the player, who determinedly grapples with the Prince . After the game Robinson, looking over at the Prince , said: 'He's dripping with sweat. He's put everything into this' Despite his admission that he was 'past it', Harry put on an energetic and athletic display while joining in the game . On the pitch, the pair trained groups of boys and girls from schools around the country. 'Pass the ball, pass,' shouted Harry. 'Get Jason. Seriously, I'm knackered.' He has too many other commitments these days to be able to play the game regularly. Robinson, looking over at the Prince later, said: 'He's dripping with sweat. He's put everything into this.' Asked about Harry's admission that he was past it, the England hero said: 'I must admit he was blowing on a few occasions. He was heading for the water.'
Royal was spotted at the restaurant chain in Fulham Broadway . Ordered chicken breast fillet in lemon herb sauce, cheese, and mash . The bill  - including soft drinks - came to around £24, staff said .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 16:52 EST, 21 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:12 EST, 22 June 2012 . Victim in the family: Matt Sandusky was preparing to testify against his adopted father during the child sex abuse trial . Jerry Sandusky's own adopted son has dramatically accused him of abuse as a jury deliberates over scores of sex abuse charges against the former Penn State coach. A lawyer for Matt Sandusky said the man told authorities that the former Penn State assistant football coach abused him. Matt Sandusky is one of Jerry Sandusky's six adopted children. His lawyers, Andrew Shubin and Justine Andronici, issued a statement on Thursday naming Matt Sandusky and saying that the 33-year-old had been prepared to testify on behalf of prosecutors at his father's sex abuse trial. The statement says Matt Sandusky is 'a victim of Jerry Sandusky's abuse,' but doesn't go into specifics. NBC News reported that Matt Sandusky was to take the stand as a 'rebuttal witness' if Jerry Sandusky testified. Jerry Sandusky's defence team ultimately decided the 68-year-old former coach wouldn't speak in his own defence . Matt Sandusky's attorney's told the network: 'This has been an extremely painful experience for Matt and he has asked us to convey his request that the media respect his privacy,' they said. The statement came after jurors began deliberating 48 charges against the ex-coach. Prosecutors say Sandusky met the 10 sex-abuse victims through his charity, The Second Mile, which he established in 1977. Lawyers for Matt and Jerry Sandusky and . prosecutors did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Matt . Sandusky's lawyer says his client met with investigators very recently. Scroll down for video . New allegation: One of Jerry Sandusky's six adopted sons, Matt, has come forward through an attorney, saying that the ex-coach abused him too . Spouse: Jerry Sandusky and his wife Dottie, pictured Thursday outside the courthouse, were married in 1966, and have no biological children, but they adopted six times . Matt Sandusky went to live with Sandusky and his wife, Dottie, as a foster child and was adopted by them as an adult. Shortly after Sandusky's arrest in November, Matt Sandusky's ex-wife Jill Jones successfully obtained a restraining order forbidding the children from sleeping at their grandparents' home. At about the same time, details emerged that Matt Sandusky had attempted suicide just four months after first going to live with Jerry and Dottie Sandusky in 1995. He had come into the home through The Second Mile charity, and was first a foster child before being legally adopted. His name also came up last week during the testimony of one of Sandusky's 10 accusers. The man, dubbed Victim 4 by prosecutors, said Matt Sandusky was living at the Sandusky home on an occasion when he had stayed there overnight. When asked by prosecutors whether Jerry Sandusky ever engaged him in a soap battle in the showers, he recounted a time when he and Matt Sandusky had been playing racket ball. When they were done, he said, they went back to a locker room. Matt got undressed and got into the shower and then Victim 4 and Sandusky followed him in there, he testified. 'Me and Jerry came in. He started pumping his hand full of soap,' he said. At that point, Matt shut off his shower and left and went to another locker room to shower, the witness said. Asked by prosecutors about Matt's facial expression when the soap battles started, he replied: 'Nervous.' Jerry and Dottie Sandusky married in 1966 and have no biological children together, but adopted six times and have served as foster parents. The news comes just hours after a 30-year-old Ohio man became the first alleged Sandusky victim to reveal himself to the public, saying in an interview that he was sexually abused by Jerry Sandusky more than 100 times, starting when he was just ten. Travis Weaver said Sandusky preyed on . him after he and his brother went to a summer camp for the Second Mile, a . charity the coach founded and through which he is accused of cultivating . most of his victims. In the jurors' hands: Sandusky is pictured leaving court on Thursday after closing arguments in his child sex abuse trial . Coming forward: Travis Weaver is the first alleged victim of Jerry Sandusky to go public with his story of abuse at the hands of the Penn State coach . The revelation comes on the same day as a jury begins to deliberate Mr Sandusky's fate on 48 counts of sexual abuse charges. In closing arguments, his attorney said the accusers were liars who were hoping to cash in on legal settlements from the university. Mr Weaver is not one of the eight accusers who testified at trial, but he did tell his story to the grand jury that handed down the Sandusky's indictment, NBC News reported. An exclusive interview with Mr Weaver will air at 10pm Thursday on Rock Center. When asked what he would do if he ever met Sandusky again, Mr Weaver doesn't hesitate. Silence: For 15 years, Mr Weaver says, he thought he was Sandusky's only victim. That all changed last fall when the former coach was indicted on charges he abused other eight boys . 'I'd punch him in his mouth,' he said. 'There would be no reason to say anything. He knows what he did.' During the sex abuse trial, Sandusky's . lawyer Joe Amendola said the former coach is being railroaded by . overzealous investigators and prosecutors. He strenuously denied that . accusations and Sandusky has maintained his innocence since his arrest . last fall. Jurors in Jerry Sandusky's child sexual abuse case began deliberations on Thursday after his lawyer and a state prosecutor made closing arguments that followed seven days of testimony. The former Penn State University coach's attorney claimed all eight of Jerry Sandusky's accusers are lying about their sex abuse allegations in the hopes of winning big settlements from the college. Joe Amendola quoted Mother Theresa as he said his client had been railroaded by overzealous investigators and greedy witnesses. He told the jury that prosecutors' case 'doesn't make sense. Sandusky is accused of molesting eight boys over the course of 15 years in a case that shocked the nation and led to the firing of Joe Paterno, one of the most respected head coaches in college football history. When Amendola cited Sandusky's decades of charity work, he referred to the Mother Theresa  'Anyway.' It includes the line: 'If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.' Amendola laid the blame for the allegations at the feet of state police investigators who he said coached the alleged victims into giving accusatory statements. Amendola . said the accusers were greedy an they lied about the abuse in the hopes . of winning big payouts from Penn State University so they could drive . new cars and buy big houses. Mr Weaver has also filed a lawsuit and is being represented by a well-known attorney who has specialized in sex abuse cases against the Catholic church. The abuse began in 1992, Mr Weaver told NBC's Rock Center, when he met Sandusky at a swimming pool at a camp sponsored by the Second Miles, which Sandusky founded to help at-risk young boys. 'It was like meeting my hero,' Mr Weaver said of Sandusky, who was once the top pick to replace legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno. The individual attention Sandusky gave Mr Weaver began innocently, but gradually grew more and more sinister, he said. It began with a shower in the Penn State football team's locker room. 'After the shower was over... he'd dry me off with a towel. He'd say he was trying to wrestle with me... and then it progressed into oral sex,' Mr Weaver told NBC. He always assumed he was the only victim, he said. He never imagined there have been other boys until Sandusky was arrested last fall. Mr Weaver also blasted Sandusky's wife, Dottie, who testified that she never saw or heard anything that would have made her think her husband was molesting boys. He recalled on incident when Sandusky performed oral sex on him in a bedroom across the hall from Mrs Sandusky. 'How could she not know?' Mr Weaver said. He man said the abuse continued for four years until he moved away to Ohio to flee Sandusky. Watch video here . Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy . Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy .
Matt Sandusky, one of the disgraced coach's six adopted children, came forward through an attorney . Was reportedly set to testify if former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky took the stand in his own defence . New claim comes as alleged victim Travis Weaver said Sandusky abused him 'more than 100 times'
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(CNN) -- Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, the annual gathering where the secretive company hosts folks who make a living writing software for its products, kicks off today. And while the event is designed around presentations to help developers, its keynote address has also become an opportunity for Apple to roll out new products not just to developers, but to the world. Two iPhones and several Macs have had their coming-out parties at WWDC, along with a host of operating-system overhauls. Which raises the obvious question: What will Apple announce at its keynote, set for 1 pm ET? Speculation has run rampant, as it does every time the Cupertino, California-based computing giant moves a muscle. But some of the guesses make more sense than others. Here's a look at some of the most credible reports, with our take on the odds of them being even vaguely true. Software updates . This one isn't as sexy as a big product unveiling, but software is the bread-and-butter of WWDC. And there might be some drama here, yet. It's about time for a first look at iOS 6, an update of the mobile operating system that runs iPhones, iPads and Apple's other Web-enabled mobile devices. The developers in attendance will no doubt hang on every detail. But the most high-profile change is expected to be Apple's announcement that it's replacing Google Maps with its own mapping app as the system's default. Apple and Google have obviously squared off in the mobile space, with more smartphones now running Google's Android system, even though the iPhone remains the single most popular phone. Supplanting Google's popular maps on its millions of mobile devices would be a big blow in the rivals' ongoing slugfest. Looking to get the jump on Apple, Google announced new features to Google Maps on Wednesday, including more 3-D images and the ability to use the product even when you're offline. Interestingly, Google only announced the update for people using its own Android mobile operating system. Developers also may get a closer look at OS X Mountain Lion, the Mac operating system scheduled for release this summer. Odds: Bet the farm. Refreshed Macs . Of the nonsoftware speculation, this one feels like the most likely -- and could be pretty significant. For one, It's been a year or more since Apple's major desktop and laptop models have been updated. The iMac got refreshed in May 2011, the MacBook Pro's last overhaul was February 2011 and MacBook Air's latest model rolled out in July of last year. Second, apps have started showing up in the Mac app store with updates saying they've added "retina graphics." That's the term Apple uses for its high-resolution displays on newer iPhones and iPads and suggests that Macs might be getting similar treatment. Plus, the online Apple Store was down Monday morning, suggesting that new hardware is on the way. Apple followers have already been passing around reports that the company could unveil a 15-inch Macbook Pro in a big rollout that might include most of its other Mac products. Announcing now would mean that Apple would have fresh products to push before back-to-school and off-to-college time, not to mention the holidays. Odds: Get your chips on the table. Apple TV . A television set from Apple has been the most elusive and speculated-about piece of vaporware in the tech world for the past year. Whether it's been snippets of info from Apple's supply chain, suggestive notes from retailers or the always talkative "unnamed sources," most observers seem to agree it's just a matter of time before the company goes from offering a set-top box like Roku, Boxee or TiVo to selling its own TVs. Could Monday be the day we finally see it? Maybe ... but it doesn't feel likely. Instead, look for another update to the Apple TV system, the little box that lets users stream movies and other content from iTunes to their TVs. Such a move could be a step towards Apple launching the TV set itself. One report says the company will introduce a kit for third-party developers who want to build apps for the Apple TV device. By Apple standards, Apple TV hasn't been a big seller yet. And things are getting more interesting in that space. Last week, Microsoft announced Xbox SmartGlass, a system that will synch that gaming and entertainment console with mobile devices like iPads and iPhones. Odds: Even money at best. A new iPhone . As of this writing, longshot Guyana Star Dweej is getting 60-to-1 odds to win Saturday's Belmont Stakes. If those odds seem way too good for you, bet on a new iPhone be unveiled Monday. Yes, new iPhones were unveiled at WWDC in 2009 and 2010. But last year's iPhone 4S didn't hit the market until October. It would be out of character for the company to roll out another one eight months later. Sorry, folks. Check back this fall. Same goes for the iPad and iPods. New iPods usually get their own fall events, and the "new iPad" is barely three months old. Even Apple doesn't crank out updates that fast. Odds: Slim, meet none.
Apple's developers conference kicks off with a keynote at 1 pm ET today . Apple will reveal features of iOS 6, its operating system for iPhones and iPads . Company could also unveil its replacement for Google Maps on iPhone, iPad . We may also see upgrades to the Apple TV device that streams iTunes content .
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America's financial problems could not be solved by raising taxes on the rich, Bill Clinton said on Wednesday. During an economic speech in Washington, D.C. at Georgetown University caught on tape by Breitbart News former President Bill Clinton hypothetically said taking all of rich peoples' money wouldn't be enough to balance the United States budget. Clinton, who is the richest living president, said he doesn't mind paying higher taxes than other Americans, 'but you could tax me at a hundred percent, and we couldn't bring growth back into the economy enough to balance the budget.' Former President Bill Clinton, who is the richest living president, said on Wednesday he doesn't mind paying higher taxes than other Americans, 'But you could tax me at a hundred percent, and we couldn't bring growth back into the economy enough to balance the budget' USA Today estimated in 2013 that Bill Clinton had a net worth of $55 million and counting. The former president makes millions of dollars a year in speaking fees. More recent estimates put his net worth at $80 million and he and wife Hillary Clinton's combined net worth anywhere from $100 to $200 million. Raising taxes on the rich has become a rallying cry for progressives in the Obama era. President Barack Obama has made his quest to make Americans making more than $250,000 a year pay their 'fair share' in taxes a cornerstone of his presidency. Obama's 'fair share' strategy is based . on the idea that middle-class Americans shouldn't . be paying the same tax rate as 'rich' Americans because it creates an . unfair disparity in wealth. In his 2014 budget released earlier this month, President Obama calls for a minimum 30 percent tax rate on millionaires like the Clintons and Warren Buffet as part of a revived effort to institute the Buffet Rule. The White House claims that many Americans who make $1 million or more are paying less than 15 percent in taxes. Obama wants to double their tax rate. 'Anyone who does well for themselves should do their fair share in . return, so that more people have the opportunity to get ahead—not just a . few,' the White House's page on the Buffet Rule explains. During his two-hour economic speech on Wednesday at Georgetown, his alma mater, Clinton said he supported President Barack Obama's plan to let the Bush tax cuts on the rich to expire because people in his income bracket have 'enough disposable income that it didn't change our consumption patterns much.' But you cut spending too much or raise taxes too much, it wouldn't work, Clinton said. 'You can only balance a budget if you have adequate revenues, adequate spending restraints and adequate growth. The country needs growth,' Clinton said. 'Then everybody will do well.' 'Hillary and I, and some of our friends in this audience who live in New York, probably pay the highest aggregate tax rates in America, and I thank God every April 15 that I'm able to do it. I never ...  The family I grew up in. It's fine. I'm not ... I'm thankful,' Clinton said, choking up a little, as he recalled his childhood. 'But you could tax me at a hundred percent, and we couldn't bring growth back into the economy enough to balance the budget,' Clinton continued. 'It's got to be a growth strategy.' No federal politician has advocated that the U.S. should begin confiscating wealthy Americans' income in it's entirety. Progressives say they want they want the rich to pay more of their income in taxes, but they have been vague on how tax money they would consider enough. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan once threw out a theoretical 100 percent tax rate during an interview and was smacked down by left-leaning fact-checking site Politifact. 'If you took all the income from every millionaire in America today, it would run the government for about four months,' Ryan said during an appearance on Meet the Press in 2011. Politifact slammed Ryan's example as 'a wildly hypothetical scenario.' 'A 100 percent tax obviously . would have negative effects and is a political non-starter,' Politifact said. Based on the 2008 data Ryan said he was using, Politifact said such a policy would not even come close to fulfilling the United State's debt obligations. It would eliminate the budget deficit, however, it said. Bill Clinton and wife Hillary Clinton, pictured here at her husband's speech on Wednesday, have a combined net worth of $100 to $200 million, millions of which they accumulated through speaking fees .
Former President Bill Clinton shared his economic philosophy at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday . Clinton, a millionaire, said he doesn't mind paying higher taxes than . other Americans . 'But you could tax me at a hundred percent, and we . couldn't bring growth back into the economy enough to balance the . budget,' Clinton said . No federal politician has suggested confiscating millionaires' wealth . Progressives have argued that millionaires should pay more in taxes, but have been vague about percentage they would consider 'enough'
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Joel Campbell again gave a hint that there was more to come from the Costa Rica forward, despite being starved of service in the last-16 tie against Greece. Costa Rica may have had just one shot on target all game, but the man who will line up at the Emirates Stadium next season was part of everything good they produced and was a handful for an experienced Greece backline. The 22-year-old is an awkward player to get to grips with. The Greeks, usually so defensively sound, found him a nuisance and for long periods they couldn't get near him as he provided a useful outlet for Costa Rican counter-attacks. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Campbell get stroppy and hear Wanchope talk about him . Hard to beat: Campbell often leftt he Greece defenders floored as they tried to challenge him . Handful: Campbell made a nuisance of himself and the Greek defenders couldn't handle him . Ouch: Campbell took a bit of a kicking as the defenders often found his ankles rather than the ball . Elusive: Campbell gets the better of Andreas Samaris and uses his body to keep the ball upfront . Alone: The 22-year-old was isolated for long periods but still impressed up front for Costa Rica . One step ahead: Jose Holebas grabs at Campbell's arm in Greece's latest attempt to stop him . 5 minutes: Leads a pacey counter-attack, slicing through the Greek defence - but his ball to Bryan Ruiz is wasteful. 20 minutes: Campbell darts towards the box, cutting in from the right, but is brought down just outside the box. 34 minutes: Tricks his way past a defender but his moves were too clever leading to him losing control and the ball. 70 minutes: Campbell perfectly shows his qualities as a counter-attacking outlet, brilliantly bringing down a long ball and leaving the Greek defender to chase him . 103 minutes: The 22-year-old's impressive workrate seems to have tired him out and he showed signs of struggling to offer quite as much for his side. 111 minutes: Campbell tries to flick the ball in as a low cross comes to him but he misses and it passes through his legs. 120 minutes: With his legs tiring Campbell loses the ball on a counter-attack and Greece almost score the winner at the other end. Penalty shoot-out: Slots his penalty into the bottom left-hand corner, sending Orestis-Spyridon Karnezis the wrong way. That half of Greece's back four played their club football with Olympiakos last season makes his display even more impressive. These are defenders that should be used to what Campbell does after training with him for a year - but he so often eluded them it looked like they had never heard of him. Campbell is not the answer to Arsenal's striking problems - and labelling him as such would be nothing but problematic. The Gunners still need to sign someone to lead the line but Campbell does provide another option that Arsenal can't currently boast. Against Greece he was a perfect outlet as Costa Rica stood strong in defence, leaving Campbell to stretch the Greek backline, find pockets of space and use his excellent first touch to relieve pressure. He came close to winning a first half penalty after being brought down just outside the area and constantly made himself available. In total, he drew four fouls as the Greek defenders struggled to deal with his ability to find fight spaces before using his low centre of gravity and soft touch to bring the ball under control and keep hold of it. Sadly he couldn't top the performance with a winning goal: missing his best chance as he allowed the ball to go between his legs as he attempted to flick it goalwards in extra time - although he did confidently convert his penalty. The fear for Arsenal fans will be whether he can perform for a big side. Costa Rica haven't been favourites in any of their four World Cup games - in the Premier League Campbell will be expected to help break down underdogs. Roll with the punches: Campbell looked tired towards the end which may have been due to the fouling . Tough to mark: Campbell was a constantly nuisance for the Greek defenders . That can be difficult for any forward: even Romelu Lukaku, who has been so impressive at Everton and West Brom, has struggled to match those exploits in a Belgian shirt in Brazil. But Campbell is different. His characteristics and tricky play gives Arsene Wenger's attacking bow another string and while he may not be the answer to Arsenal's big question, he could pose his own questions of Premier League defenders. Eyes on the prize: Campbell looks determined to get the ball in this aerial challenge . Leading the way: Campbell manages to escape the attentions of Konstatinos Manolas . Working up a sweat: Campbell found himself tired towards the end after a tough shift .
Costa Rica used Campbell to spark their counter-attacking play . Things will be different at Arsenal but he still provides more options . The usually solid Greek defenders found him awkward to mark . But he tired as the game went on and his workrate suffered . Campbell converted his penalty as Costa Rica went through .
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(CNN) -- A Qantas passenger jet landed safely in Singapore on Friday after turning back due to engine problems shortly after takeoff, Australian Transport Safety Bureau spokesman Neville Blyth told CNN. "I saw flames five minutes into flight and we could see flames through the left-side window," said passenger Terence Sim. It is the second Qantas jet in two days to return to Singapore as a result of engine trouble. In Friday's incident, the Boeing 747-400 was carrying 412 passengers and 19 crew members and was headed to Sydney, Australia, according to a Qantas spokesman, who would not provide his name, citing company policy. On Thursday, a Qantas Airbus A380 jet made an emergency landing at Changi Airport after one of its four engines shut down as it started a flight to Sydney. As the plane headed back to the airport, part of the engine's covering, or cowling, tore off. Airbus announced Friday that it asked all operators of A380s with Rolls-Royce engines to inspect them as a precaution. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau says it has deployed investigators to examine the cause of Thursday's engine failure on the Airbus A380 and is currently gathering more information regarding Friday's incident. None of the passengers aboard the Boeing 747-400 also had been aboard the Airbus A380, according to the Qantas spokesman.
NEW: Passenger says he saw flames outside the jet's left-side window . Qantas passenger jet lands safely in Singapore . Australian Transport Safety Bureau has deployed investigators to Singapore . Boeing 747-400 is the second jet to return there as a result of engine trouble in two days .
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By . Sally Lee . Meet triplets Calamity Jane, Cassius and Elly May. The delightful new additions to Morrison Dairy farm in Macarthur, south west of Sydney. Triplet calves are said to be rarity with odd of about a 105,000 to 1. These three were born two weeks ago. And to add to the excitement, each of the newborn calves sport a different coloured coat - black, brown and grey. Triplets Calamity Jane, Cassius and Elly May are the delightful new additions to Morrison Dairy farm in Macarthur, south west of Sydney. They were born two weeks ago . Triplet calves are said to be rarity with odd of about a 105,000 to 1 . Farmer Deb Morrison described them as a 'triple treat'. 'It's unusual to have triplets for a start but it's unusual to have them in different colours,' Ms Morrison told Nine News. She said the three may have a different fate to other cows on Morrison Dairy, which is also a beef farm. 'They hold a very special place in my heart so I think I'll keep them on the farm,' she said. Ms Morrison says the farm had black and white triplets 20 years but they didn't survive. She says Calamity Jane, Cassius and Elly May are all very healthy. The three are a delightful new additions to Morrison Dairy farm in Macarthur, south west of Sydney . Farmer Deb Morrison described them as a 'triple treat'. She said the farm had triplets 20 years ago but they sadly didn't survive . Ms Morrison says Calamity Jane, Cassius and Elly May are all very healthy . Ms Morrison says the newborn calves hold a very special place in her heart .
The triplets were born two weeks ago at Morrison Dairy farm in Appin, south west of Sydney . The odds are said to be about 105,000 to 1 . Calamity Jane, Cassius and Elly May all have different coloured coats - black, brown and grey .
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(CNN) -- Emergency rooms around the United States are preparing for the people who may have Ebola and for the people who just think they have Ebola. "I have seen several people who had acute illnesses worried that they may have Ebola," said Dr. Mark Reiter. He works as an emergency room doctor in Tennessee. He's also president of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. Reiter says these patients are unlikely candidates, not having been to West Africa, nor having had any contact with a symptomatic Ebola patient. "But it has gotten a tremendous amount of media coverage and some people are especially concerned about it, even if it is highly unlikely," Reiter said. Emergency rooms typically see a small uptick in traffic after a disease has been in the news a lot. A 2010 study that looked at emergency room traffic when swine flu was in the news saw a 7% increase in emergency room visits. Parents must also have been worried about their children catching it as pediatric visits increased 19.7%. A recent Pew study showed 21% of respondents are somewhat worried about Ebola and their personal health. Dr. Abdul Memon, the chief medical officer for disaster and emergency preparedness at Jackson Health System in Miami, said officials have not seen a significant patient increase with the Ebola scare. They do, however, get cases from time to time where people think they may have it. The hospital is careful, he said to rule it out. "Our health department and the media does a really reasonable job of educating the community about how people get it," Memon said. "I think people are listening and we have not seen this rush of people." "If someone has had contact with someone who has Ebola symptoms or they have been in one of these countries, we want them to come in if they feel sick, and we are ready for it. We will pay close attention" Memon said. The number of deaths attributed to the current Ebola outbreak has topped 4,000, the World Health Organization reported Friday. The latest count brings the total number of confirmed, probable, or suspected cases to 8,399 and the total deaths to 4,033. The numbers were reported from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain and the United States. Complete coverage on Ebola . But along with news of the rising death toll, some suspected Ebola cases around the world -- as fears spread across four continents -- have turned out to be false. Concerns about protective measures, especially for those caring for the infected, remain high. A total of 416 health care workers are among those believed to have contracted Ebola. Of those, 233 of have died, the WHO says. 'We just don't really know' An American aid worker who contracted Ebola in Liberia and overcame the virus was said to have become infected while treating Ebola patients there, but she told CNN on Friday that there is no way to be sure. Nancy Writebol was working with Samaritan's Purse in Liberia, caring for Ebola patients, when she became ill and was eventually transferred to an Atlanta hospital, where she recovered. The belief has been that she contracted Ebola while working in a clinic with infected patients, but the survivor said that isn't necessarily the point of infection. "Well, it's very possible that I contracted Ebola outside of the (medical) unit, not within," Writebol said. "Of course, I came in contact with people outside of our hospital, and I remember knowing and being with a gentleman one time that later died of Ebola. And it's possible that there was, you know, some contact there. We just don't really know." Writebol was released from Emory University Hospital on August 19, once doctors determined she posed "no public health threat." Her recovery has been gradual, Writebol said, but she is gaining strength each day. How the Ebola virus spreads . The lack of clarity about where she became infected is significant as questions are raised worldwide about safety precautions at hospitals and communities as the outbreak stokes fears. The sole person to be diagnosed with the virus on American soil, Thomas Eric Duncan, died this week, as new details of his hospitalization were revealed. He had traveled from Liberia last month. Duncan first went to the hospital on September 25, but the hospital said he only had a "low grade fever and abdominal pain," and was released with some antibiotics and a pain reliever. On Friday, Duncan's nephew Josephus Weeks told CNN that Duncan in fact had a 103-degree fever when he left the hospital, according to the discharge papers. Talking to CNN's Erin Burnett on Friday night, Weeks alleged that the fact Duncan was black, poor and didn't have insurance affected his care. "Had that been another or another color, he probably would be living today, he would have survived it," Weeks said. "And that's what's hurting me the most: ... They treated him the way they did because of the color of his skin... You stand a chance if you're white, but you don't if you're back." While it hasn't responded to these latest allegations, Dallas' Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital did issue a statement Thursday explaining and defending its treatment of Duncan. Why wasn't he immediately given an experimental drug? Because one wasn't available, the hospital explained. Why didn't he get a blood transfusion, like other Ebola patients in the United States? Because "his blood type was not compatible with the serum donors." And as to whether Duncan got inferior treatment because of his nationality or wealth, Texas Health Presbyterian said more than 50 people cared for him and a 24-bed intensive care unit was devoted to his care. "Our care team provided Mr. Duncan with the same high level of attention and are that would be given any patient, regardless of nationality or ability to pay for care," the hospital said. "... We have a long history of treating a multicultural community in this area." Suspected case comes back negative . On Thursday, a test to see whether a Dallas sheriff's deputy had Ebola came back negative, state health officials said. Word of the test result was welcome news a day after the death of Duncan. The deputy had reported being inside the Dallas apartment where Duncan had been staying and having "some contact" with Duncan's family members, Frisco Fire Chief Mark Piland told reporters. Ebola spreads through infected bodily fluids. The deputy, Michael Monnig, on Friday spoke about awaking after having been on duty at Duncan's apartment "feeling like a truck had hit me." He identified them as flu-like symptoms, but following the guidance of the county doctor, he went to the clinic, and explained that he had been in the apartment. "At that point, I knew all the bells and whistles would start up, but at that point, it was out of my control because I had answered yes to the question," he said. He broke down crying when he learned he didn't have Ebola, Monnig said. CDC director on Ebola: 'Only thing like this has been AIDS' Spain creates a committee . In Spain, where a nurse's assistant was confirmed to have Ebola, authorities are taking measures to tackle the crisis. The Spanish government will create a special committee to examine the issue, Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria told reporters in Madrid. The committee, which will include representatives from government and health care, will coordinate national efforts to control the virus and establish protocols to deal with it, she said. The nurse's assistant, Teresa Romero, is the first person to contract Ebola outside of West Africa. A nurses' union spokesman told CNN that "some nurses and other workers from the Carlos III Hospital (where Romero is being treated) are taking leave for psychological reasons." To cover those jobs, the Spanish health service is "making short term contracts hiring nurses that might be unemployed." Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy visited Carlos III Hospital. "The situation isn't a normal situation," he said. "It is difficult, but I'm absolutely convinced that everything necessary will be done, especially from the professionals, to overcome this in the future." CNN's Al Goodman, Elwyn Lopez, Jason Hanna, Catherine E. Shoichet, Greg Botelho and Ashley Fantz contributed to this report.
NEW: Nephew: Hospital gave Duncan inferior treatment because he was black . Emergency rooms in the United States are preparing for possible cases . Doctor: Some people are already coming into hospitals worrying they have Ebola . Spain's government sets up committee to probe the Ebola crisis there .
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New York (CNN) -- Imagine a vulnerable island, parts of it man-made, with towering buildings and lots of people crammed into small spaces. Now imagine a monster storm slamming into that island. Manhattan vs. Irene. It could happen Sunday, and hurricane experts are warning New Yorkers that even though Irene may not be a killer in the vein of Katrina, millions of people could be trapped in their homes for days. Without power, transportation, phones -- and experience. A hurricane warning was issued late Friday afternoon for the New York City area, as well as points eastward to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, stoking fears that Irene could be the most destructive hurricane to hit the metropolis since 1938. "The basic issue is, first, New York City has world-class emergency planners. I mean, they're the best in the game. But the city is out of practice when it comes to hurricanes," said homeland security expert Stephen Flynn, author of "The Edge of Disaster." But it's not just New York that faces Hurricane Irene's wrath as it churns northward. A heavily populated urban corridor from the nation's capital to the New York metropolitan area stands a chance of a wet and windy lashing. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano warned that significant power outages are likely on the East Coast. "This isn't a mammoth storm ... in terms of lots of death and destruction, but what it is going to do is be very disruptive, and people have to be in position to camp out in their house," Flynn said. "Time is always your ally before a disaster. It's always your enemy after a disaster," he said. "Using the time now to get prepared is key. When you have that many people packed in a little space, as dependent as they are on the transportation, everybody has to get informed and get better prepared." But a survey released Friday indicated that the regions that are least likely to be prepared are urban areas in the Northeast, and many of them may be in the path of Hurricane Irene. According to a CNN/ORC International Poll, 45% of Americans say they have a stockpile of food and water in their homes in case of a terrorist attack or a natural disaster like a hurricane or earthquake. Those figures are highest in the South and the West -- where hurricanes and earthquakes are most frequent -- but only 36% of Northeasterners say they have emergency supplies of food and water. People who live in rural areas are also more prepared than people who live in big cities: Only 42% in urban areas have a stockpile of food and water, compared with 51% of rural residents. In recent days, though, public officials have made frequent media appearances and taken other steps to indicate that they are ready for the storm. That includes shutting down all public transportation in New York -- including subways, buses and commuter rails -- after noon Saturday. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has also ordered the National Guard to deploy up to 900 troops. And most bridges in and around the city will be closed to traffic if winds exceed 60 mph, as would be the case with hurricane winds in excess of 74 mph. "The sun is shining, but don't be misled," New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Friday afternoon. "There is a very dangerous storm headed in our direction." Mandatory evacuations have been issued for some low-lying areas in all five of the city's boroughs, including Coney Island in Brooklyn, Far Rockaway in Queens and Battery Park City on the southern tip of Manhattan. Some of those are patients in five hospitals, eight nursing homes and other medical facilities that had to be moved out by 8 p.m. Friday, per the mayor's orders. In addition, Bloomberg said that 91 emergency facilities -- which, among other purposes, will act as shelters -- opened across the city. It's not just Manhattan that will be tested. Flynn noted that Long Island, home of the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn and many other communities farther east, has 7.5 million people crammed together. If it were a state unto itself, it would be the nation's seventh largest -- and one that, likewise, is facing a hurricane warning. "It's an island. The only way to get off and on to it is through the two boroughs and Queens and the Bronx, and what we know is, we're going to have a lot of outages," Flynn said. At 3 p.m. Friday, Suffolk County ordered mandatory evacuations of barrier beach communities, particularly those on the western end of Fire Island, county spokesman Mark Smith said. Further evacuations in low-lying, beachside communities -- including parts of the Hamptons and Montauk -- could be mandated Saturday morning, he added. "We expect long, long delays as these roads start to get jammed," East Hampton town supervisor Bill Wilkinson said. "We are sitting at 125 miles in the Atlantic, and there are -- from Southampton to the end of Long Island -- only two lanes. If you have to get somewhere and you want to get home, you better get on the road soon." On Fire Island, nervous residents put away outdoor furniture, and the parking lot at Costco was filled as shoppers stuffed SUVs with bottled water and groceries. Transit systems in Philadelphia and New Jersey will also shut down Saturday, though the operators of Boston's subway system vowed on Friday to add extra resources and stay operational through the storm. And travelers planning to fly out of any of the busy airports in the Washington and New York areas are in for a headache. Thousands of weekend flights already have been canceled. Baltimore/Washington International is "monitoring terminal and airfield drainage, checking generators and securing any equipment that may become airborne as a result of high winds," said Paul J. Wiedefeld, the airport's executive director. Carriers are monitoring the weather conditions carefully and taking action. Joe Rigby, president and CEO of the power company Pepco, said that close to a thousand line personnel were getting ready to handle outages just in the Washington area. "We've been absolutely anticipating that this is going to hit us hard. It's going to hit us to varying degrees, probably less so here where we are but more as you move east of our service territory going over to Atlantic City," he said. "But we're anticipating that with the kind of rain and sustained wind, we're very likely going to have some serious damage and actually multi-day outages." The main event in Washington this weekend was supposed to be the much-awaited dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial. But as the district's homeland security department tweeted Friday: "The District's focus has shifted to #Irene. That's what's happening in the city this weekend."
NEW: A hurricane warning is in effect for New York and nearby locales . NEW: Mandatory evacuations are ordered in parts of the city and Long Island . One expert says New York is out of practice with hurricanes . Millions of people could be trapped in their homes without power or transportation .