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(CNN)Mirjana Puhar, a recent contestant on "America's Next Top Model," was found dead in a triple homicide Tuesday in Charlotte, North Carolina, according to police reports. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department responded to a call Tuesday evening that three people appeared to be dead in a Charlotte home. Officers discovered the bodies of Puhar, 19, Jonathan Cosme Alvarado, 23, and Jusmar Isiah Gonzaga-Garcia, 21. Puhar appeared on "America's Next Top Model" Cycle 21, the most recent season of the popular reality TV show hosted by supermodel Tyra Banks. Emmanuel Jesus Rangel, 19, was quickly identified as a suspect in the slayings, brought into police custody and charged with three counts of first-degree homicide. He is in the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office. Police said in a press release that it appears the victims and Rangel knew one another and the "incident was drug related." Rangel was also charged in connection with a homicide that took place in Matthews, North Carolina, on Sunday, police said. Puhar was a Serbian refugee who arrived in the United States along with her family at the age of 5, according to a profile in The Charlotte Observer. The 5' 9 1/2" beauty began modeling at 12. She attended high school in the Charlotte area and dropped out at 16 to her parents' dismay, she told The Observer: "I was a wild child," she said. "I went out, had fun, partied, whatever -- I didn't really have the best influences around me." She later earned her GED just before being cast in "America's Next Top Model." Puhar was eliminated in the 10th episode of the show last year. After news of her death surfaced, Banks as well as fans and friends took to social media to remember her and express their sadness.

Former "America's Next Top Model" contestant Mirjana Puhar was found dead Tuesday . Her body was found along with two others in a Charlotte, North Carolina, home . A suspect has been arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree homicide .

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(CNN) -- The golf community is rallying around Jason Day after it emerged the Australian lost eight members of his family during the devastation wreaked by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Day, whose mother moved from the Philippines to Australia over 30 years ago, is reported to have lost his grandmother, his uncle and six cousins during the typhoon, which has so far claimed 3,976 lives according to authorities. "I am deeply saddened to confirm that multiple members of my family lost their lives as the victims of Typhoon Haiyan," said the world No. 18 in a statement released by the PGA Tour. "My family and I are thankful for all who have reached out with their prayers and concern. We feel devastated for all who have been affected by this horrific tragedy." The typhoon struck earlier this month, with 1,598 still unaccounted for across the Philippines. "While I understand the media's interest in this matter and hope that any coverage can spread awareness to assist with the relief efforts that continue in the Philippines, I hope that all will respect my family's privacy during this difficult time," added Day. "I will have no further public comments at this time. Please pray for all who have suffered loss. Thank you." Day is scheduled to play in the World Cup of Golf alongside compatriot Adam Scott, an event which gets underway on Thursday in Melbourne. The duo were practicing at the Royal Melbourne course on Monday and the 26-year old is due to hold a press conference alongside world No. 2 Scott on Wednesday. Day's mother, Denning, migrated from the Philippines to Australia 30 years ago, with a PGA Tour article reporting she had family in the city of Tacloban, capital of the ravaged Leyte province.

Golfer Jason Day lost eight relatives during Typhoon Haiyan . Day reportedly lost his grandmother, his uncle and six cousins during the typhoon . The Australian's mother emigrated from the Philippines over 30 years ago . Authorities say typhoon has so far claimed 3,976 lives .

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Jerusalem (CNN) -- Eleven rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza on Thursday, a day after a fatal terrorist bombing in Jerusalem killed a woman and wounded more than 50 other people, the Israel Defense Forces said. "The question is why," Brig. Gen. Yossi Kuperwasser said in a phone call Thursday, speaking about the increase in attacks, which the IDF said caused no injuries. Israel's ambassador to the United States said Thursday the rocket attacks appear "unrelated" to Wednesday's bombing in Jerusalem. Michael Oren said the rocket attacks probably have to do with infighting in the Hamas-controlled territory of Gaza. However, he said, there has also been an escalation in violence against his country. "Israel has been under attack on several fronts," Oren said, also citing the recent murder of an Israeli family in the West Bank. One of the rockets fired Thursday hit near the southern Israeli town of Ashdod, and another landed in the southern town of Sderot, causing damage to an industrial area of the town, according to Israeli Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld. In response to the rocket attacks, the Israeli military launched airstrikes in Gaza on Thursday night. Two were in the Beit Hanoun area of northern Gaza and two were in Gaza City, according to journalist Ibrahim Dahman. A Hamas building and a Hamas training camp were hit, he reported. Kuperwasser said Thursday night's strikes were aimed at trying to prevent more attacks on Israel. "Right now there is no one in Gaza to stop this, so it's up to us to try to stop it," he said. "It seems no one speaks for the Palestinians," he added. "Hamas is not in charge." There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Jerusalem attack, which was caused by a medium-sized device in a bag that had been left near Jerusalem's central bus station as the evening rush hour began. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs named the woman who died as Mary Jane Gardner, a 59-year-old British national who was studying at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Israeli officials were continuing their investigation into Wednesday's attack, Kuperwasser said, without giving details. U.S. President Barack Obama called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to express his condolences over the Jerusalem bombing and his concern about the attacks against Israel from Gaza, the White House said in a statement. Obama "reaffirmed the United States' unwavering commitment to Israel's security," it said. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates also paid a visit to Israel on Thursday. He met with his Israeli counterpart, Ehud Barak, who said Israel will not "tolerate" terrorist attacks. British Foreign Secretary William Hague also spoke out against the attack, calling it "a callous and disgusting act of terrorism directed against innocent civilians which I condemn unreservedly." The Palestinian Authority also condemned the attack, but Oren, the Israeli ambassador, criticized their comments. They "say one thing" and "do another thing," he said. He said prominent members of the Palestinian government recently attended a ceremony at a central square near Ramallah that was named after a "Palestinian terrorist who killed dozens of Israelis, including about 13 children." "The message gets out that killing Israelis is a good thing," Oren said. "We need to see not just words, but deeds." CNN's Charley Keyes, Michal Zippori, Paul Colsey, and Melissa Gray contributed to this report .

NEW: Eleven rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza on Thursday . NEW: Israel launches airstrikes Thursday night in Gaza . NEW: Obama expresses his condolences over the bombing . Israel's U.S. ambassador says the bombing and rockets appear unrelated .

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A police officer allegedly punched a rape victim in the face as she cowered naked in a closet at her boyfriend's home. Rebecca Gibson, who has chosen to reveal her identity even though she is the victim of an alleged sex attack, says she was raped by two strangers who offered her a ride while she was walking near her apartment in San Antonio, Texas. When she refused they attacked her, she claims. Excessive force? A police officer punched an alleged rape victim in the face as she cowered naked in a closet at her boyfriend's home . Victim: Rebecca Gibson says she was raped by two strangers who offered her a ride while she was walking near her apartment . 'Two men in a truck pulled up beside of me and asked if I needed a ride (and) I told them no,' Gibson told KSAT 12 News. 'I told them no again and one of them hit me in the back of the head and I woke up at four in the morning with no clothes, no money, no phone.' The 29-year old mother said she woke up in a laundry a half-mile away from her apartment. After getting clothes from her apartment she went to her boyfriend's home, but quickly got into an argument. 'He just completely flipped out,' she said. He was apparently angry because she had been out all night without phoning him, and called police reporting that she had broken into his home. When police arrived she was naked and hiding in a wardrobe, but refused to leave without a female officer present. The male officers forcibly removed her, punching her in the face with such force it fractured her right orbital, she says. The alleged sex attack victim was cuffed and taken to the emergency room where she had a rape examination. Medical staff also treated her facial injuries. Hospitalised: The male officers forcibly removed Miss Gibson, punching her in the face with such force it fractured her right orbital . Injured: University Hospital, San Antonio where Miss Gibson was treated for her facial injuries . At the hospital the officer was boasting about hitting Gibson, a nurse wrote in a report seen by KSAT 12 News. The report said, 'the officer was talking about it in a proud manner that he hit her.' Gibson has now hired an attorney to pursue the complaint. Augustin Arredondo Junior said: 'The aggressiveness and hostility toward this victim, it doesn't seem appropriate when dealing with sexual assault victims.' The San Antonio Police Department are investigating. In a statement to the TV station, Public Information Officer Lt. Chris Benavides wrote: 'The preliminary investigation reveals an officer responded to the location for an individual refusing to leave. 'This individual appeared to be intoxicated and aggressive. After a brief struggle with police, she was subdued. During that struggle she was struck in the face. We take all allegations seriously and investigate them thoroughly.' Miss Gibson denied she was drunk and said she was not combative with police. Watch the video .

Rebecca Gibson claimed she was attacked by men who offered her a ride . When the 29-year-old mother told her boyfriend, he 'refused to believe her and told police she was trespassing in his house' Fight broke out as police tried to arrest her .

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Dust devils on Mars can grow to the size of terrestrial tornadoes, with a funnel more than 330ft (100 metres) wide stretching up to 12 miles (19km) above the surface. Their smaller counterparts on Earth form when heating of the ground causes a warm layer of air rising through the more dense layers of air above. Now, a new study has found that it's not just their size that sets Martian dust devils apart; they also require a stronger updraft create a similar vortex than on Earth. Spinning a dust devil in the thin air of Mars requires a stronger updraft than is needed to create a similar vortex on Earth, researchers claim. Pictured is a dust devil reaching above the plain of Mars' Amazonis Planitia . The discovery could help scientists analyse how dust affects the Martian weather system - a piece of information that will impact deep space missions to the red planet. 'To start a dust devil on Mars you need convection, a strong updraft,' said Bryce Williams, an atmospheric science graduate student at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). 'We looked at the ratio between convection and surface turbulence to find the sweet spot where there is enough updraft to overcome the low level wind and turbulence. 'And on Mars, where we think the process that creates a vortex is more easily disrupted by frictional dissipation – turbulence and wind at the surface – you need twice as much convective updraft as you do on Earth.' Dust devils on Mars can grow to the size of terrestrial tornadoes, with a funnel more than 330ft (100 metres) wide stretching as much as 12 miles (19km) above the surface (left). Their smaller counterparts on Earth form when heating of the ground causes a warm layer of air rising through the more dense layers of air (right) Dust devils and tornadoes are common on Mars. Here they have lifted the thin bright dust on the surface of the Schiaparelli Basin, exposing darker material underneath . The team looked for the dust devil sweet spot by combining data from a study of Australian dust devils with meteorological observations collected during the Viking Lander mission. They are now looking at the effects dust devils have on lifting dust into the Martian atmosphere, and changing the planet's climate. 'The Martian air is so thin, dust has a greater effect on energy transfers in the atmosphere and on the surface than it does in Earth's thick atmosphere,' said Professor Udaysankar Nair. Dust in the Martian air cools the surface during the day and emits long-wave radiation that warms the surface at night. Nasa scientists in California have revealed evidence that suggests there is life on Mars based on readings taken by the Curiosity rover (shown). They said methane spikes on the planet could be produced by bacteria. And at the moment there is no alternative explanation for the spikes . In the past few months, conclusive evidence has been found that Mars once had water on its surface, but one greater question remains: Was there, or is there still, life on Mars as well? Scientists may be on the brink of answering that question with an equally conclusive 'yes', as convincing evidence has been detected by Nasa's Curiosity rover. An instrument on the rover identified spikes of methane that scientists believe may have come from bacteria-like organisms on the surface - and it could be the first alien life ever detected. 'This temporary increase in methane - sharply up and then back down - tells us there must be some relatively localiSed source,' said Sushil Atreya of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and Curiosity rover science team. 'There are many possible sources, biological or non-biological, such as interaction of water and rock.' Previous satellite observations have detected unusual plumes of methane on the planet. But none of these previous readings are as extraordinary as the sudden 'venting' measured at Gale Crater, where evidence suggests water once flowed billions of years ago. While spotting dust devil tracks is relatively common, catching these whirling dervishes on the Martian surface can be tough. Earlier this year, observations from the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on board Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter caught three dust devils in action. Despite their reputation, they can actually help solar panelled robots on the Martian surface. For instance, the Mars Rover Opportunity underwent a 'cleaning event' this year, when a dust devil blew off material stuck to its surface. Earlier this year, observations from the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on board Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter caught three dust devils in action .

On Mars, dust devils can stretch up to 12 miles (19km) above the surface . They form when heating of the ground causes a warm layer of air rising through the more dense layers of air above . Scientists used meteorological data with information from Viking lander . They found that due to the Martian atmosphere, twice as much wind is needed to create the dust devils . This could help scientists analyse how dust affects Mars' weather system .

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By . Mark Duell . UPDATED: . 08:21 EST, 31 December 2011 . Police today launched a huge manhunt for a serial arsonist who hit Hollywood for a second night early this morning. Another eight fires were set in the area last night after 22 blazes were set in only four hours on Friday morning. Dozens of Hollywood residents were forced out of their homes and power was disrupted in several neighbourhoods shortly after midnight. Scroll down for video . Burning up: A fire engine arrives at a blaze in the Laurel Canyon section of West Hollywood on Friday, where former Doors lead singer Jim Morrison used to live . Response: The fires started shortly after midnight and occurred over a four-hour span before dawn . Smoking: Burning cars are shown at the site of an arson fire in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles . ‘It was a long, tough night,’ a Los Angeles County fire spokesman said, adding that the department does not yet have any suspect description. 'Thank goodness no one was seriously injured or killed,” Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said at an afternoon news conference, where he was joined by county and West Hollywood officials. West Hollywood Mayor John Duran heatedly spoke directly to the person or persons suspected of starting the fires, reports the LA Times. 'What were you thinking?” he said. “This is the most dense part of Los Angeles. If you’re trying to say something, this is not the way to say it.” Authorities ruled out any possible link to terrorism while bracing for . another round of arson attacks, reports CBS News. One of the blazes happened at the former home of late Doors lead singer Jim Morrison, who died in Paris in 1971 aged just 27. He used to live in the house with girlfriend Pamela Courson in the 1960s and it provided the inspiration for the Doors song ‘Love Street’. There were no civilian injuries on Friday but one city fireman was treated and released from a hospital after a fall while battling a blaze. Aftermath: Los Angeles City firefighter Dane Jackson investigates the scene where fire caused damage to a home once occupied by Doors frontman Jim Morrison . Map: The fires burned at 19 different locations on Friday (in blue). Red markers represent locations where separate fires burned on Thursday . Spray: Firemen in Los Angeles, California, were scrambling to put out the fires that torched parked cars and then spread to nearby homes and flats . Blazes: Dozens of Hollywood residents were forced out of their homes and power was disrupted in several neighbourhoods shortly after midnight . Fallen star: A blaze happened by the former home of Jim Morrison . I woke up really scared,’ evacuated resident Daniel Meza told KABC. ‘I heard somebody saying, “Fire, fire”. The smoke was in my face.’ Mr Meza had to run and get his little sister as well as wake up his parents and tell them all to get out of his block of flats. Arson investigators are looking for building CCTV and eyewitnesses. ‘If you see something, say something,’ the L.A. County fire spokesman said. A $35,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the conviction of the arsonist or arsonists. County supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky told Msnbc.com that the county is putting up $25,000 and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is adding another $10,000. Yaroslavsky added there around $350,000  worth of damage was caused to property in West Hollywood alone from the fires. Fire officials couldn't say whether the rash of fires was the work of a copycat as there was a series of other arson fires early Thursday, also in Hollywood. Two people have been arrested and remain in custody for those blazes, officials said. Scary: There were no civilian injuries but one city fireman was treated and released from a hospital after a fall while battling one blaze . Emergency: It was the second day of arson fires locally after two people were arrested on Thursday following a spate of similar car and rubbish fires . Burnt out: Los Angeles fire officials say they do not yet have any suspect description . ‘It was a long, tough night' L.A. County fire spokesman . Samuel Arrington, 22, of Sunland, L.A., was arrested along with another person on Thursday when a shop worker allegedly saw him trying to cause damage. ‘We have so many that are going around hitting occupancies just like this, carports with residents above,’ an L.A. City fire spokesman told KABC. Hollywood is served by the L.A. city police and fire departments. But the fire and sheriff's departments of L.A. County serve West Hollywood. See video here .

$35,000 reward offered for information leading to capture of arsonists . Around $350,000 worth of damage caused to property in West Hollywood . Firemen scramble to put out fires early Friday morning . Authorities braced for another round of arson attacks . Locals talk of scary moment when blazes woke them up . One fire outside old home of late singer Jim Morrison .

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By . William Turvill . PUBLISHED: . 11:45 EST, 31 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:41 EST, 31 October 2013 . Aqab Hussain was jailed for 20 years after running over a group of friends, including a father of three who is no longer able to talk or walk . A disqualified driver who bowled over three pedestrians in a revenge attack has been jailed for 20 years. Aqab Hussain, 21, was already banned from the roads when he ploughed into a group of friends following a minor spat outside a club. Shocking CCTV footage shows the attack, which during the trial was compared to a scene from the computer game Grant Theft Auto, taking place in Manchester city centre last August. It shows one man knocked to the pavement, another catapulted over the roof of the Vauxhall Corsa and a third carried down the street before Hussain swerved to dislodge him from the bonnet. Father-of-three Michael Ward, 29, who was thrown over the car roof, was left with catastrophic head injuries. He now cannot talk, feed himself or play any part in family life, Manchester Crown Court heard. Mr Ward was already partially sighted and had to be helped to cross roads and get upstairs before he was injured in the incident. Hussain denied being the driver but was found guilty by a jury of four counts of attempted murder after a trial last month and today given a 20-year jail term. He had flouted court orders for previous convictions for dangerous driving and Hussain, himself a father of three, was serving a ban at the time of the offence. Passing sentence Judge Robert Atherton said it was fortunate Mr Ward did not die in the attack. ‘He was very, very seriously injured. He will never recover, he will never be able to enjoy his family,’ the judge said. ‘One witness described the scene as being like someone bowling at skittles and people being flung like skittles to the side. ‘Why you did it is extremely difficult to understand.’ Scroll down for video . Approach: The friends - one of them partially blind - were crossing the road after a night out in Manchester . Hussain ploughed into a group of friends following a minor spat outside a club . During the trial, eyewitness Corey Gordon, 26, who watched the attack from inside his car, later compared it to a sequence from the violent computer game series in which users play the role of car thieves. He said: ‘It was like ten pin bowling where you hit the skittles and they go up in the air. I can only describe it as unreal - a computer game like Grand Theft Auto - as he swerved off line to hit the men. It knocked one of the men at least 7ft into the air.’ Hussain even wobbled his vehicle so he could shake off one of the men who was still on the bonnet, Manchester Crown Court was told. Outside court, Mr Ward’s wife of seven years, Mary Rose Ward, said: ‘What he did to my husband, you wouldn’t do it to an animal really would you? ‘My husband was never a violent person and I am not a violent person but he should not have done what he did.’ Mowed down: Hussain's silver Corsa emerged from a side road, turning the wrong way then sped up to 40mph . Awful: Mr Ward was carried on the bonnet for several feet as the driver swerved to throw him into the road . Mrs Ward said her blind husband was still receiving full-time care in a rehabilitation centre but that she cares for him during the day before going home to look after their children, daughters Montana, six, and Crystal, aged four, and son Michael, aged one. ‘He can’t play with the kids or anything. He can’t talk, he can’t walk, he can’t wash himself or feed himself, he has no memory. I’m his wife and I will care for him for the rest of my life because he is my husband. ‘He knows he was in a car accident and I try and explain but he doesn’t really understand.’She said their six-year-old had asked her: ‘Why did they do it to my daddy?’ and that their other baby was only two months old when her husband was attacked. ‘I have to try and get on with my life. You’ve got to cope, don’t you, and take things day by day. ‘My husband will have to stick this for the rest of his life and he (Hussain) will be out in 20 years.’ Leaving: Hussain had previous convictions for dangerous driving and failing to stop after an accident . Mr Ward is still receiving full-time care more than a year on from the incident in Manchester city centre . The court heard the incident, on John Dalton Street in Manchester, started in ‘horseplay’ between Hussain, from Rusholme, Manchester, and his friends and the group with Mr Ward, from Bolton. But it led to ‘fisticuffs’, with witnesses saying Hussain’s group coming off second best. Minutes later Hussain jumped in the car and drove at the men in revenge. Mr Ward was scooped up on the bonnet before being ‘deposited’ at the side of the road. He was in intensive care for 20 days and spent around four months in a high dependency unit. Paul Hulme, 30, also suffered ‘significant injuries’ with multiple leg fractures after being carried on the bonnet before Hussain veered in the road to knock him off. Aqab Hussain will be banned from driving for 15 years after he has served his 20 year sentence in prison . Martin Harris, 32, suffered bruises as he was side-swiped by the car while a fourth member of Mr Ward’s group, Thomas Mallanphy, narrowly escaped injury after stepping back from the road.Hussain fled to Pakistan after the incident but was arrested at Heathrow when he flew back to the UK six weeks later. He had a string of motoring convictions starting from the age of 16. Hussain was convicted of dangerous driving in October 2008 after making off from police when asked to stop while behind the wheel of a friend’s car. Fourteen months later he was convicted of driving while disqualified and failing to stop after an accident after crashing into a lamppost and another car. And a year later in November 2010, while still disqualified, he was convicted of dangerous driving for a second time and jailed for the first time with 12 months in a young offenders institute. Paul O’Brien, defending, said the attempted murder offences were ‘out of character’ and occurred due to Hussain’s lack of maturity and his desire to show off to friends. He said he came from a good family but had gone off the rails as a teenager.Hussain was also banned from driving for 15 years, which he will serve once he is released two-thirds of the way through his sentence, as is normal practice. Mr Ward faces another major operation on December 21 to have metal plates fitted in his head. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Peach, from Greater Manchester Police, said: ‘This incident started after a minor disagreement between the two groups of men. The CCTV footage demonstrates that Hussain thought he would finish the argument by purposefully using a car as a weapon and deliberately driving into Michael and his friends. ‘The CCTV footage gives an example of how fast he was driving the car and the impact it had with Mr Ward. In all my years of policing, I have not seen anything as shocking as this and I find it amazing that Michael and his friends are still alive. ‘The impact this has had on him and his family has been truly devastating. He is still receiving treatment and his wife visits him every day in hospital. Due to the injuries he suffered, he will no longer be able to play an active part in bringing up his young children. He will need care for the rest of his life. ‘Thanks to the information we received, we were able to arrest Hussain and bring him to justice. ‘However, no sentence can bring back the quality of life Michael once had, and he and his loved ones will have to live with the constant reminder of what happened in the early hours of that morning.’

Aqab Hussain, 21, was already had a driving ban when he hit three people . Shocking CCTV shows the attack, which was compared to a scene from the computer game Grand Theft Auto during the trial . One of the pedestrians was 29-year-old Michael Ward, a father of three . Already partially blind at the time, he can no longer walk or talk . Hussain will have a 15-year driving ban when he completes his sentence .

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A Washington mother has given birth to a baby boy weighing a whopping 14 pounds and 11 ounces. Francisco Leon Ortiz, who was delivered by c-section at Grays Harbor Community Hospital in Aberdeen on December 2, was so large that his dad had to run out and buy new clothes for him because he didn't fit into any newborn clothes they had at the ready. Large babies are often the result of gestational diabetes, but his mother, Yessica Ortiz Delgado, had no such issues through her pregnancy, said David Quigg, the hospital's director of public relations. He added that her two other children were about 12 pounds each at birth so she expected another large baby - but doctors had thought Francisco would be 13 pounds at the most. Shock: Yessica Ortiz Delgado looks at her son, Francisco Leon Diaz, who was born weighing a whopping 14 pounds and 11 ounces at Grays Harbor Community Hospital in Washington last week . After seeing his son, the baby's father, Francisco Leon Diaz, had to go and buy new clothes for the boy because they did not have any big enough. The hospital has spare clothing to give newborn babies, but none of that fitted Francisco either, Quigg said. Some of the nurses kindly went out and bought him a few items too. Francisco was initially in the ICU but headed home on Tuesday. Both mother and son are doing well, but the newborn will have to visit another, less rural hospital for further check ups. The Birth Center at Grays Harbor Community Hospital delivers around 550 babies a year, but the experience was new to them. 'We deliver babies of all sizes, but it is not every day that we deliver and care for a baby as large as Francisco,' hospital director Barbara Connett told the Grays Harbor Talk. His birth came a day after Colorado resident Alisha Hernandez gave birth to daughter Mia Yasmin Garcia, who weighed 13 pounds, 13 ounces. Early Christmas present: Baby Francisco, who was photographed at the hospital in Aberdeen, Washington when he was four days old, has now returned home with his mother and is doing well, staff said . On seeing the news reports, Quigg said that staff at Grays Harbor joked: 'We've got a baby bigger than that here!' Newborns weight 7.5 pounds on average at birth - but baby Francisco is not the largest ever born. The largest baby ever recorded was born in Canada to mother Anna Bates in 1879, a boy weighing 23 pounds 12 ounces, but he died 11 hours later. In 2005, a Brazilian woman gave birth to a 17lb baby boy named Admilton dos Santos. He was mother Francisca's fifth child and it is thought that his size was caused by gestational diabetes. Francisco Leon Diaz was born just one day after Colorado resident Alisha Hernandez welcomed another big bundle, her daughter Mia Yasmin Garcia, who weighed 13 pounds, 13 ounces. Mia, who was born by caesarean section at the San Luis Valley Hospital on December 1, shocked nurses, who thought she would weigh around seven pounds. Her father Francisco Garcia told 9News: 'They're all shocked that they're seeing a baby like that. They opened their eyes like they've never seen a baby like that. 'The nurse, she was shocked. She's like "Come here! Come here! Come here!" I went and I'm like, what happened? She's like, well check out this! I checked it, and it was 13 pounds and 13 ounces.' Mr Garcia explained that all of the couple's other children were all born at normal weights and even the combined weight of their twins at birth was lower than Mia. After her birth, Mia was flown to a Denver-area hospital after suffering from low glucose levels, but doctors said they hoped she would be at home with her four older sisters Britney, Ximena, Yulissa and Yuliana at home within the next week. Oh baby! Mia Yasmin Garcia was born weighing 13 pounds, 13 ounces in Colorado on December 1 .

Francisco Leon Ortiz stunned doctors when he was born weighing a whopping 14 pounds and 11 ounces on December 2 . The average weight of a newborn is 7.5 pounds . Mom Yessica and baby Francisco are both doing well - although his dad had to leave the hospital to buy some bigger baby clothes .

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Looking like a scene from a Hollywood disaster movie, crews will attempt on Sunday to remove three Boeing 737 fuselages that tumbled down a steep bank and into the Clark Fork River in western Montana after a train derailed. Montana Rail Link spokeswoman Lynda Frost said Saturday that it's unclear the type of challenge involved because it's the first time the company has faced such a task. No one was injured when 19 cars from a westbound train derailed Thursday about 10 miles west of Alberton. The cause of the derailment is under investigation. Crash: Three Boeing 737 fuselages lie on an embankment on the Clark Fork River after a BNSF Railway Co train derailed Thursday near Rivulet, Montana in this picture taken July 4, 2014 . Huge accident: Three Boeing 737 fuselages lie on an embankment on the Clark Fork River after a BNSF Railway Co train derailed Thursday near Rivulet, Montana in this picture taken July 4, 2014 . Boeing said a BNSF Railway train loaded with six 737 narrowbody fuselages and assemblies for its 777 and 747 widebody jets derailed in Montana while en route from Wichita on Thursday. A total of 19 cars in the 90-car train derailed in the incident about 18 miles (30 km) east of Superior, Montana, said Rail Link Montana. The rail company links with BNSF to carry freight from Billings in southern Montana through the state to Spokane, Washington where it links back to BNSF. Of the derailed cars, three cars carrying 737 plane fuselages went down an embankment and into the Clark Fork River. Spirit Aerosystems, based in Wichita, Kansas, builds all of Boeing's 737 fuselages and Boeing currently produces 42 finished 737s a month. Recovery: Three Boeing 737 fuselages lie on an embankment on the Clark Fork River after a BNSF Railway Co train derailed Thursday near Rivulet, Montana . Derailed: The train wreckage of 3 boeing 737 fuselages on the Clark Fork River in Montana and one pictured at the top still on the train tracks . Millions of dollars: River rafters floating past the fuselages of three Boeing aircraft sitting near or in the Clark Fork River after the Montana Rail Link train they were being transported on derailed near Missoula, Montana . Dwarfed: Boaters passing the fuselages of three Boeing aircraft sitting near or in the Clark Fork River after the Montana Rail Link train they were being transported on derailed near Missoula, Montana . So the six fuselages involved in Thursday's derailment represent 14 percent of Boeing's monthly production of 737s. The cause of the derailment was not yet known, said Montana Rail Link spokeswoman Lynda Frost, but added that speed was not considered to be an issue. There is a 35 mph speed limit on that section of the track, which is curvy as it tracks the Clark Fork, she said. The line was being reopened on Saturday afternoon, Frost said. There were no injuries in the accident. Boeing said it had experts at the scene 'to begin a thorough assessment of the situation.' Massive: In total nineteen cars were pushed off the tracks in Alberton on Thursday afternoon, Montana's KRTV reported . Montana Rail Link had called in three contractors to undertake the recovery of the derailed cars, Frost said, but she did not have details of the state of the freight in the derailed cars. Montana Rail Link, a privately-held company, is investigating the cause of the accident. Spirit said it was working closely with Boeing following the incident. 'We are confident that, working together, we will overcome whatever challenges may be presented,' the company said in a statement. Video grab of the train wreckage of 3 boeing 737 fuselages on the Clark Fork River in Montana and one pictured at the top still on the train tracks . Spirit shut down temporarily in April 2012 after a tornado severed power lines and damaged buildings in the region. At the time, Boeing said its production system had a cushion to help it handle those disruptions. The train also was carrying fuselage panels for the 777, and a leading edge flight surface for the 747, the company said. 'Our team of experts is assessing the damage,' Boeing spokesman Doug Alder said in a statement on Saturday. 'Once we determine the extent of damage we will assess what, if any, impact there will be to production.' Boeing reported on Thursday that it delivered 342 jetliners in the first half of the year, including 239 737s, a brisk pace but less than half of its goal of delivering between 715 and 725 jetliners this year.

Crews to work on Sunday to remove the Boeing 737 fuselages that fell into the Clark Fork River, Montana on Thursday . Nineteen railway cars derailed and sent three fuselages hurtling into the river . No one was injured and the cause of the accident is under investigation .

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By . Sam Greenhill . PUBLISHED: . 18:39 EST, 1 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:55 EST, 1 March 2013 . From cookbooks to cranberries, putting Delia Smith’s name to something has long been a recipe for success. Substitute a dash of Delia with a pinch of Pippa, however, and it seems to leave a rather sour taste. Customers are struggling to stomach the news that the Duchess of Cambridge’s sister is replacing Delia as a columnist in Waitrose’s magazine. Pippa Middleton's new role seems to have left a sour taste in Waitrose customers' mouths . Just days after Miss Middleton was appointed as the face of the supermarket, shoppers have flooded Waitrose’s Twitter and Facebook accounts with their complaints. ‘A gratuitous insult to any customers with half a brain!’ wrote one, as another warned: ‘If her party book is anything to go by, you may well regret your decision.’ Pippa’s book, Celebrate, offered illuminating advice including a recipe for making ice. It also gave tips such as pouring hot drinks from flasks into ‘mugs or paper cups’, and counselled that toasting marshmallows over a fire required ‘a long-handled fork’ and ‘flames’. Waitrose ditched Delia, 71 – whose cookery books have sold 21million copies – when her three-year contract ended in January. The first column by Pippa, 29, will be published in the April edition of Waitrose Kitchen, on sale from the end of this month. The magazine’s editor has promised she will dispense sage advice on how to prepare a ‘Friday night feast’, and said her ‘wealth of experience’ will be ‘loved’ by readers. But customers have already begun asking why they would take cookery tips from someone who has ‘probably never boiled an egg’. Kitchen favourite: Delia is considered a domestic expert , but Waitrose have asked Pippa to hand out cookery advice . One Twitter user wrote: ‘Can’t believe Waitrose has replaced queen of cooking Delia with Pippa’, while another said: ‘I want a real cook to inspire me, not a relative of the royals who just happens to be famous for wearing a dress.’ The comments can all be viewed on Waitrose’s Twitter feed, which has 42,000 followers. Meanwhile, on the supermarket’s Facebook page, James Hunting wrote that Pippa’s appointment was a ‘ridiculous idea’, adding: ‘I am not sure she has a grasp on the lifestyle and concerns of the typical Waitrose shopper.’ Another customer, David Lee, added: ‘Why oh why would you drop Delia Smith, we have used her recipes for years! Pippa is hardly a famous cook, perhaps a few cupcakes, does that qualify her for the job?’ Gamely, Waitrose has been replying to each and every comment, thanking customers for their ‘suggestions’ and repeating: ‘Pippa is not a replacement for Delia. Pippa will write a column in our monthly Waitrose Kitchen magazine.’ Pippa has told fans she is looking forward to writing her column, saying: ‘It will be an exciting opportunity to share my passion and enthusiasm for food and entertaining.’ Last night a Waitrose spokesman said: ‘We are not making any  comment about what is on  Facebook and Twitter because we are absolutely delighted that Pippa Middleton is joining us as a  columnist.’ Delia Smith was unavailable for comment.

Shoppers flood Waitrose's Twitter and Facebook accounts with complaints . Magazine's editor promises Pippa will dispense advice on preparing feasts .

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By . Mark Duell . After piling on the pounds for too long, this fat cat is now on a strict diet to help her find a new home. Alanna, who lives in Warrington, Cheshire, tips the scales at a whopping one stone - more than 50 per cent heavier than a normal cat - and has been put on a New Year eating regime. It is hoped she will now be able to beat the bulge in a bid to find a new family after her previous owner died earlier this month. Fat cat: Alanna, who lives in Warrington, Cheshire, tips the scales at a whopping one stone . Weight watcher: Alanna is more than 50 per cent heavier than a normal cat - and has been put on a diet . Previous owner died: It is hoped the animal will now be able to beat the bulge in a bid to find a new family . When she waddled into the Cats Protection adoption centre in Warrington, staff were immediately taken back by her monstrous appetite. A spokesman said: ‘She’s a really friendly and playful but can’t run around like normal cats due to her podgy belly.  She’s certainly been over-eating, which can be quite common with elderly owners. ‘So we’ve put her on a new regime to get her fit and active in a bid to beat the bulge and hopefully fine a new home to take her. But any new owners will have to be strict about what they feed her.’ Eating: When she waddled into the Cats Protection adoption centre in Warrington, staff were shocked . Needs help: Cats should weigh around 9lbs (4-4.5kg) but chubby kitty Alanna has weighed in at 1st (6.5kg) after gorging on milk, cream, cheese and even chocolate. Issue: A Cats Protection survey of 1,120 cat owners last Christmas revealed around a quarter of Britain's cats were regarded by their owners to be overweight, yet continued to be fed too many treats . Cats should weigh around 9lbs (4-4.5kg) but chubby kitty Alanna has weighed in at 1st (6.5kg) after gorging on milk, cream, cheese and even chocolate. 'She’s a really friendly and playful but can’t run around like normal cats due to her podgy belly' Cats Protection centre spokesman . A Cats Protection survey of 1,120 cat owners last Christmas revealed around a quarter of Britain’s cats were regarded by their owners to be overweight, yet continued to be fed too many treats. Sonia Sowcroft, north-west adoption centre manager, said: ‘It is advisable for owners to give cats treats that are specially formulated for cats and consider their cat’s total calorific intake.’

Alanna weighed more than 50% more than a normal cat should weigh . It is hoped she will now be able to lose weight in a bid to find a new family . Cats Protection adoption centre staff were shocked by her huge appetite .

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(CNN) -- You know you've reached a special level of fame when you're known by just your first name. For R&B superstar Usher (full name Usher Raymond), achieving his place among the entertainment industry's first-namers has come with the sale of tens of millions of records and multiple Grammy Awards. "I'm definitely living my dream to the fullest... What I do is very positive and an indication that if you simply believe in your dreams, you can make it," he told CNN. When not performing the man who recently visited the gambling city of Macau during his first tour of China is a more modest character. "I would definitely say there is a difference between the Usher that's on stage and the Usher who balances the regular life of being an entertainer," he said. With a new album out entitled "Raymond vs. Raymond" -- "It probably would have been easier if I'd just named it 'Usher vs. Usher' but then people would have thought I was like a schizo" -- balance has become a recent theme in his life and work. "I experienced an incredible amount of depth in these last two to three years of my life in terms of entertainment, places I've gone, the things that I want to do... and the balance between my personal life and my entertainment is what this album was all about," he said. The death of Michael Jackson, an inspirational figure to Usher both in his early career and later when the two became friends, affected him. But talking about it to CNN, he looks back only on the positives from their relationship and the good advice he was given. "The one thing that he always said to me was, 'Be mindful of history. Be conscious of history. Don't get caught up in just the moment. Understand that each moment is a piece of history and you should approach it that way.'" Passing on the wisdom from the "King of Pop" and guiding new stars like Canadian protégé Justin Bieber is part of Usher's plans for the future. "I look at him like a son, like a little brother. They even call me or consider me a mentor sometimes. Whatever it takes, to be helpful. As I said, when I was first his manager, I felt like I could make a meaningful contribution to his career, and thus far it's looking that way. So I'm really happy." Watch the full interview on CNN Talk Asia .

U.S. R&B superstar was friend of Michael Jackson . Usher has sold over 40 million albums . Passing on the advice of "King of Pop," he's now mentor to teen sensation Justin Bieber .

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A waterfront complex in WA could soon boast the largest and most expensive apartment in Australia. Negations are underway to sell a $25 million dollar luxury penthouse in the Mardalup complex, East Perth, in an off-market deal which would beat the previous record of $21 million . The 1900sqm, two-storey apartment contains eight bedrooms, an eight-car garage, three kitchens and a gym, reports Yahoo News. One of three kitchens within the luxury penthouse, which is expected to sell for about $25 million . Developer Ian Johnson and his wife have decided to sell the property in an off-market deal, after Realestate 88 agent Brent Compton said offers had been made around $25 million . Mr Johnson personally designed the eight-bedroom, eight-bathroom apartment, and even lived there himself for a month . Developer Ian Johnson and his wife have decided to sell the property in an off-market deal, after Realestate 88 agent Brent Compton said offers had been made between $25 million and $30 million. Mr Johnson personally designed the eight-bedroom, eight-bathroom apartment, and even lived there himself for a month. It also offers three kitchens, a study, a soundproof cinema, a gym and cellar. He had previously designed the Subiaco Mews complex as well as some other prominent developments in Broome, however he keeps a low profile. The penthouse has no roads between the building and the river, offering unique opportunities for residents: 'you can throw a fishing line off the balcony,' Mr Johnson said . The 1900sqm, two-storey apartment contains eight bedrooms, an eight-car garage, three kitchens and a gym . Three other apartments in the Mardalup complex are on the market for $8 million and $9.5 million each, creating publicity that could raise the selling value of the property. The penthouse has no roads between the building and the river, offering unique opportunities for residents: 'you can throw a fishing line off the balcony,' Johnson said. The property is also connected to popular hospitality spots by a set of footbridges. The current national record for an apartment is $21 million at Bondi Beach, which sold last week . This offered four bedrooms, a lift, a spa and a 40 metres distance from Bondi Beach.

Developer Ian Johnson designed the luxury penthouse in East Perth . The two-storey property has eight bedrooms, three kitchens and a gym . It also offers a study, a soundproof cinema, a study and a cellar . Two other apartments in the complex have sold for almost $10 million .

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England were given a thunderous send-off by the Kaiser Chiefs at their charity ball last night as they prepare to head out to Portugal at lunchtime. The Lions and Roses dinner, which was held at the Grove Hotel in Hertfordshire, marked the starting point for the country’s World Cup preparations. Roy Hodgson’s 23 man squad, plus John Stones and Jon Flanagan, will convene at the prestigious Vale do Lobo resort today to begin their preparations for Brazil. VIDEO: Scroll down to watch Joe Hart singing with the Kaiser Chiefs . The Liverpool Boys: Daniel Sturridge tweeted this picture with Sterling, Henderson and Flanagan . I predict a riot: Kaiser Chiefs performed for the England squad at the charity gala . Chief: Lead singer Ricky Wilson sings from on top of a lion statue during the charity event . Prepared: Danny Welbeck (centre) joins keepers Joe Hart and Fraser Forster at the charity event . It is there . that England’s players will sometimes train in hats and gloves to help . acclimatise to the conditions expected in Manaus when they play Italy at . the tournament. England’s . performance team have packed the winter gear to help the players’ bodies adjust to the heat and humidity which they will encounter next . month. Hodgson . is taking his entire back room staff out to Portugal, including their . newly-appointed performance specialist Dave Reddin. The . summer season is just beginning in Portugal and the team will also . encounter daily temperatures of around 26 degrees celsius when they . arrive in Miami. Hodgson’s . squad will spend this week together before retiring to St George’s Park . on May 26 to prepare for a friendly with Peru at Wembley four days . later. After . the clash with Peru, they head out to Miami on June 1 to play . friendlies against Ecuador (Jun 4) and Honduras (Jun 7). The squad fly . to their Rio base camp the following day. Ready to go: (L-R) Lampard, Barkley, Johnson, Foster, Milner, Shaw, Cahill and Baines arrive at the gala . Young stars: Lallana, Oxlade-Chamberalin, Wilshere and Sterling are all vying for starting spots in Brazil . England's finest: Captain Gerrard (left) poses with (left to right) Lambert, Flanagan, Smalling and Jones . Send-off: Kaiser Chiefs (above) and Rizzle kicks played the charity gala for the England Footballers Foundation . Hodgson, . who confirmed Frank Lampard as his vice-captain yesterday, said: ‘All . of us are going to Brazil with one burning ambition. ‘We’ve worked hard to get there and want to come home with people saying ‘well done’. ‘But . there’s only one way for that to happen, by preparing properly, . competing in the best shape and get our minds right. That doesn’t mean . locking people up in their rooms or making them go through four-hour . meetings. ‘They’re human beings and we want them to perform as well as they can perform. ‘We . have the hope, dream and ambition. But to do well, we have to play . well, play better than the opponents, for all the players to live up to . their reputations. ‘They . deserve those big reputations. It’s up to them to live up to them and . up to us as a coaching team to ensure they’re capable of doing that.’ Hodgson . still has reservations over a number of players in the travelling party . as they continue to recover from various injuries. Wayne . Rooney went to Vale do Lobo a week in advance of his team-mates to . begin his preparations after missing Manchester United’s last three . fixtures. Getting fit: Rooney (left) is already in Portugal where he has been doing fitness work . Team-mate . Danny Welbeck, who is fit, has also been training daily in Dubai along . with his brothers, some friends and a personal trainer. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was left out of Arsenal’s FA Cup final squad on Saturday, has joined the England party. Arsenal chief Arsene Wenger said: ‘He was desperate to play against Hull. ‘Pain-wise he could have played, but I judged him to be short physically. ‘We wanted to play players who were completely fit. Physically, he was a bit short. ‘Certainly . he could have played 20/30 minutes, but you can’t programme it like . that. We left him out, but he’s on the way up and he needs more fitness . work now. He will go to Portugal with (Jack) Wilshere.’ Wilshere came on as a substitute for Arsenal in their thrilling 3-2 victory over Hull at Wembley in Saturday’s final. Phil Jones, who aggravated his shoulder playing for Manchester United against Hull on May 6, remains in the ‘at risk’ category. Preparation: Hodgson insists the work in Portugal is vital to England's chances of a successful World Cup . Injury worries: Jones (left) is still struggling with a shoulder injury but Chamberlain (right) is fit again . Adam Lallana, who was nursing a minor groin injury in Southampton’s final few Premier League games, has no long-term issues. Hodgson . intends the week in Portugal to be a low-key start to the country’s . preparations, but it has not gone unnoticed that other teams are already . underway. Germany drew with Poland in midweek and Louis van Gaal’s Holland side drew 1-1 with Ecuador in a World Cup warm-up on Saturday. England have a slower start, but will ramp up preparations when they play Peru at Wembley in front of a full house on May 30.

Players to train in gloves in Portugal to prepare for extreme temperatures . England squad enjoy charity gala send off before training camp . Hodgson insists Portugal trip will be key for preparation .

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Alcohol has been involved in most of the deaths blamed on the extreme cold in Ukraine, the country worst affected by the icy temperatures gripping Eastern Europe, a government minister said Wednesday. Nine out of 10 of the deaths reported have been alcohol-related, Emergency Situations Minister Viktor Baloga said. At least 135 deaths have been reported in Ukraine in the past two weeks, but he suggested the actual number that can be blamed on the winter weather is somewhat lower, at 112. About 3,000 people have been hospitalized because of the cold since January 27, officials said. Authorities in Ukraine have set up an emergency hospital to deal with people suffering from cold-related conditions, and distributed 3,000 emergency relief tents across the country, they said. The tents are heated, and people with nowhere else to go can get hot food and drinks. Ukraine's capital, Kiev, has more than 14,000 homeless people, authorities said. They are among the most vulnerable to winter's bitter chill. Dr. Anatoliiy Vershigora, doctor-in-chief at an emergency help station in Kiev, told CNN many of those suffering frostbite, hypothermia and in some cases death were alcoholics -- but that others had been drinking in the mistaken belief it would help keep them warm. Outdoor workers, such as those at market stalls, were also suffering frostbite in the extreme conditions, he said, as were some children whose parents had let them spend too long outside. Joe Lowry, a spokesman for the International Red Cross in Europe, said: "It is an unfortunate fact that a lot of homeless people are alcoholic or dependent on other substances -- it may be why they are homeless in the first place. "Alcohol creates the illusion of being warm, so it's not surprising that people are drinking and not surprising that they pass out," he said, adding that this is when hypothermia can occur. "Our approach would be to try to get to these people before they have too much to drink, if we can find them and get them to safety. Obviously, a full belly or hot drinks is far, far better for you than vodka." Red Cross volunteers have been working with authorities to help distribute warm clothing, boots, hot food and drinks in Ukraine and elsewhere, Lowry said, speaking to CNN from Slovakia. But, he added, the people who are most in need of help are often hard to locate. "These people are outside the normal safety nets, difficult to find, and don't realize the great danger they are in." Dr. Sam Zakhari, director of the Division of Metabolism and Health Effects in the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at the National Institutes of Health, said consuming alcohol is dangerous in cold weather for two main reasons. One is that alcohol causes the dilation of blood vessels in the skin, which means they are wider and more blood passes through. This makes the person feel hot, which is not an issue if the person is warmly dressed and indoors, Zakhari said. But "if he or she is not wearing enough warm clothes they will lose heat rapidly, and that can contribute to hypothermia." Secondly, he said, a person who is inebriated may not have the ability to judge what's happening or respond appropriately. He or she may slip and fall in the icy conditions and risk becoming unconscious, or fall asleep as alcohol depresses the central nervous system, he said. Zakhari advises those who are inebriated to stay inside for safety, where possible, or if they must be outside to dress in several warm layers to stop heat escaping and try to ward off hypothermia. Kiev marked its 24th consecutive day of below-freezing temperatures Wednesday, with a low of minus 18 Celsius (minus 0.4 Fahrenheit), CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller said. It could normally expect a high of minus 2 degrees Celsius at this time of year. And there is little respite in prospect for those suffering in the unusual cold. Another surge of frigid air is pushing westward out of Russia into the rest of Europe for the end of the week, with Central and Eastern Europe catching the brunt of the coldest air, Miller said. Temperatures in some of the hardest hit countries, such as Ukraine, Romania, Hungary and Serbia, will once again drop below average by as much as 15 to 20 degrees Celsius (25 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit). Warsaw, in Poland, which would normally expect a high of 2 degrees Celsius (36 degrees Fahrenheit), has now spent 15 days below freezing, while Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina has spent 14 days in subzero temperatures, well below the average for this time of year of 5 degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit.) Temperatures are likely to remain below average well into next week, at the least, with no significant warming likely until late February, Miller said. Parts of the Danube River, one of the most important rivers in Europe for commerce, have nearly frozen over for the first time in 25 years, showing not only the intensity of this cold snap, but also its longevity. The sustained cold spell is also putting a strain on power providers across the region and has raised questions over Europe's reliance on Russia for gas, as supplies sent via Ukraine have dipped below the expected levels. Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuri Boyko said electricity consumption in the country is historically high. But in an interview with CNN, he rejected suggestions that Ukraine has been siphoning off gas as it transits from Russia to Europe. Boyko said the main reason for the 30% drop in gas reaching Europe was the extremely cold weather in Russia, which meant a smaller than usual amount of gas entered Ukraine. Instead of Ukraine receiving the expected 500 million cubic meters per day, only 400 million cubic meters came to its western border, he said. Gazprom, Russia's gas monopoly, has denied sending lower volumes of gas to Europe. But Boyko said he believes the real answer is that given by the deputy chairman of Gazprom, whom he quoted as saying the company was not ready to send additional supplies to Europe during the cold spell. At least 250 people have died across the region during the cold snap. In Romania, where at least 39 people have died because of the weather, snow blown by icy winds on the shores of the Black Sea has disrupted road and rail travel and cut power to 35 settlements in southeast Constanta county, state news agency Agerpres reported Wednesday. Water supplies were also cut to 16 of those settlements. Meanwhile, holiday villas, beaches and resort buildings have been flooded by waves up to 5 meters (16 feet) high swept in from the Black Sea by the winter storms, the news agency said. Video shot by CNNi Reporter Angela Leeb in Constanta on Wednesday showed a fierce snowstorm howling outside her home. It's "still very windy and cold but not snowing," she said. A yacht rides loose on the shore, torn from its moorings by a bad storm last week, she said. As the week started, all "national roads," or two-lane highways, in seven counties in the country's south and east were blocked by snow, Agerpres reported. More than 50 people, most of them homeless, have died in Poland in the past several weeks, according to Polish TVN. At least 64 people have died because of the cold in Russia, the government in Moscow said. In Hungary, the Red Cross has helped more than 4,000 people this week through 15 homeless centers and door-to-door services in rural settlements. Twelve deaths have been reported there during the cold snap, the Red Cross said in a release. Snow has also fallen as far west as Spain. Snowfall in Europe's southeast, close to the Mediterranean Sea, has cut off roads and isolated areas from access to supplies. Southeastern Europe will see more heavy snow, while the northeast is predicted to shiver under temperatures much lower than its winter averages, meteorologists said. The German capital, Berlin, has spent nearly two weeks below freezing, whereas it would normally average 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit). In Berlin, CNN iReporter Meghan Nevill said it is too cold to stay outside for longer than 10 minutes. Water at a dam in the city, the Muggelseedamm, has frozen solid, she said. Britain's Met Office is warning of wintry weather over the next few days, with freezing rain and ice expected Wednesday night across northern England and parts of Scotland. London and portions of eastern England will see some significant snow accumulations by Friday, with up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) in the hardest hit areas and 2 to 4 centimeters possible in the London area, forecasters said. Temperatures in Paris have been below freezing for a week.

Some victims are alcoholics, others mistakenly drink to keep warm, a doctor in Kiev says . Alcohol causes blood vessels to dilate, so body heat is lost rapidly, an expert says . Ukraine's emergencies minister says 9 out of 10 of the deaths from cold have been alcohol-related . Temperatures throughout Europe are significantly lower than average for winter .

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(CNN) -- Two people were killed and 22 injured when an overpass bridge under construction collapsed Thursday in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, one of the host cities for the ongoing World Cup, firefighters said on Twitter. Two buses were also damaged in the collapse, said CNN affiliate TV Record, which cited firefighters. Images that circulated on social media showed a bus trapped by the collapsed concrete structure. Another photo showed at least one car was crushed . The overpass traverses a major thoroughfare and is almost four miles from the 58,170-seat Estadio Mineirao, where some World Cup games are being played in Belo Horizonte. The overpass was supposed to have been completed in time for the World Cup, which began last month and continues through next weekend. Killed were Hanna Cristina Santos, 24, and Charlys Federico Moreira do Nascimento, 25, firefighters said. The latter died in a vehicle, according to firefighters. Brazil's preparations for the World Cup have been controversial. Some critics say the spending was lavish at the expense of schools, public services and hospitals. Also, many of the country's 12 venues struggled to meet construction schedules in time for the games, and several workers died on World Cup stadium construction sites. Belo Horizonte will host Tuesday's semifinal match between the winner of the France-Germany match and the winner of the Brazil-Colombia game. The city has so far hosted five World Cup games since June 14, when Colombia beat Greece 3-0. Tuesday's game will be the last to be hosted by the city in this year's World Cup. The U.S. team did not compete there this year. Most recently, Brazil and Chile played to a 1-1 tie in Belo Horizonte on Saturday. Estadio Mineirao is one of the most historic venues in Brazilian soccer and was overhauled for the games: The pitch surface was lowered, accessibility improved, and a system installed to capture and store rainwater for reuse. The facility's official name is Estadio Governador Magalhaes Pinto, but it's commonly known as the Mineirao. The stadium is home to Atletico Mineiro and Cruzeiro, both former national champions in Brazil. CNN's Pierre Meilhan and Elwyn Lopez contributed to this report. Shasta Darlington contributed from Brazil.

Overpass construction was supposed to have been completed for World Cup . Overpass is almost 4 miles from a stadium where World Cup is played . Brazilian firefighters say two people dead . Belo Horizonte, Brazil, will host Tuesday's semifinal match in the World Cup .

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By . David Kent . Former Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung announced his retirement from football on Wednesday, bringing the curtain down on a career that took him to the 2002 World Cup semi-finals and saw him become the first Asian to play in a UEFA Champions League final. Park's industry, energy and work ethic made him a favourite of Sir Alex Ferguson during his time at Old Trafford and his performances in England and with Dutch side PSV Eindhoven helped raise the profile of Korean football around the world. The 33-year-old, who called time on his international career after the 2011 Asian Cup, said he could not continue to play at the highest level because of knee issues but added that he was leaving the game without any regrets. Calling it quits: Park Ji Sung has announced his retirement from football due to a knee injury . 'I didn't cry about it yesterday, and I'm not crying about it today, that means I'm leaving with no regrets,' he told a news conference at the Park Ji-sung Football Centre in Suwon, where he has a street named after him. 'I enjoyed playing football. I have achieved more than I have thought I would. I'm truly grateful for all the support I have received and I will live the rest of my life thinking how I can pay it back.' After leaving Manchester United in 2012, Park signed for Queen's Park Rangers but spent the last season on loan at PSV. Issues with his knee sidelined him for long spells over the last two years. 'I thought about getting an operation but even if I did it wouldn't mean the injury would be gone completely. Naturally, retirement was the option,' he added. Park grabbed the spotlight at the 2002 World Cup finals, which were co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. Under the tutelage of Dutch coach Guus Hiddink, the shaggy-haired midfielder flourished on the game's biggest stage, scoring the winning goal against Portugal to seal Korea's place in the knockout stages for the first time. Time to go: Park tells a press conference in South Korea about his decision to quit football . Young fireman: Park as a child growing up in South Korea dressed up in a fireman's hat . Young friends: Park with a young female friend in South Korea . After the World Cup, Hiddink was appointed manager of PSV and brought Park with him, where, after a tough start, he won over the fans and caught the eye of then Manchester United manager Ferguson. Park, described by Ferguson as the 'ultimate professional', spent seven seasons at United, winning four Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008, though he was surprisingly omitted from the squad for the final. In 2009, he became the first Asian to play in the Champions League final when he started in United's 2-0 loss to Barcelona. Making his name in England: Park played for Manchester United for seven years . National hero: Park won 100 caps for South Korea before retiring from international football in 2011 . 'The proudest moment for me was of course the 2002 World Cup,' said Park, flanked by his father and his mother, who was in tears throughout the news conference. 'The most influential figure in my life is Guus Hiddink. He took me abroad after the World Cup and that was the turning point of my life. 'Ferguson also helped me play at the world's top level... the coaches I've spent time with are definitely my great asset.' Moving on: Park left Manchester United in 2012 and joined QPR but only played there for one season . Park gave himself a 'seven out of 10' for his career and said he would pull on the PSV uniform for the last time on May 28 when the Dutch side visit Korea to play in a charity match as a tribute to the victims of the recent ferry disaster. Park said if he had to choose only one team to play for it would be the national side.'I would choose to wear the national team uniform because it was my lifetime dream to wear it.'

Midfielder calls time on career due to knee problem . Park was the first Asian footballer to play in a Champions League final . Former United man won 100 caps for South Korea . Credits Guus Hiddink for taking him to Europe after 2002 World Cup . Says Sir Alex Ferguson helped him play at the world's top level .

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(CNN Student News) -- September 2, 2011 . Download PDF maps related to today's show: . • Oklahoma & Texas • Iraq • Tripoli, Libya . 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.

The daily transcript is a written version of each day's CNN Student News program . Use this transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary . Use the weekly Newsquiz to test your knowledge of stories you saw on CNN Student News .

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Leading U.S. CEOs, angered by . the Obama administration's challenge to certain 'workplace . wellness' programs, are threatening to side with anti-Obamacare . forces unless the government backs off, according to people . familiar with the matter. Major U.S. corporations have broadly supported President . Barack Obama's healthcare reform despite concerns over several . of its elements, largely because it included provisions . encouraging the wellness programs. The programs aim to control healthcare costs by reducing . smoking, obesity, hypertension and other risk factors that can . lead to expensive illnesses. A bipartisan provision in the 2010 . healthcare reform law allows employers to reward workers who . participate and penalize those who don't. Scroll down for videos . Upset: Leading U.S. CEOs, angered bythe Obama administration's challenge to certain 'workplace wellness' programs, are threatening to side with anti-Obamacareforces . But recent lawsuits filed by the administration's Equal . Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), challenging the . programs at Honeywell International and two smaller . companies, have thrown the future of that part of Obamacare into . doubt. The lawsuits infuriated some large employers so much that . they are considering aligning themselves with Obama's opponents, . according to people familiar with the executives' thinking. 'The fact that the EEOC sued is shocking to our members,' said Maria Ghazal, vice-president and counsel at the Business . Roundtable, a group of chief executives of more than 200 large . U.S. corporations. 'They don't understand why a plan in . compliance with the ACA (Affordable Care Act) is the target of a . lawsuit," she said. 'This is a major issue to our members.' She then added, 'There have been conversations at the most senior levels of . the administration about this.' Business Roundtable members are due to meet Obama in a . closed-door session on Tuesday, where they may air their . concerns. It is not clear how many members of the group, whose . companies sponsor health insurance for 40 million people, are . considering any action. It is also not clear if the White House . can stop the EEOC from challenging wellness programs. Angered: Maria Ghazal (above), vice-president and counsel at the BusinessRoundtable, which represents over 200 corporations, is due to meet Obama in aclosed-door session on Tuesday . Obamacare allows financial incentives for workers taking . part in workplace wellness programs of up to 50 percent of their . monthly premiums, deductibles, and other costs. That translates . into hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars in extra annual . costs for those who do not participate. Typically, participation means filling out detailed health . questionnaires, undergoing medical screenings, and in some cases . attending weight-loss or smoking-cessation programs. One of the arguments presented in the lawsuit against three . employers is that requiring medical testing violates the . Americans with Disabilities Act. The lawsuits are based on the view that it is no longer . voluntary if employees face up to $4,000 in penalties for . non-participation, loss of insurance or even their jobs. Employers, however, see the lawsuits as reneging on the . administration's commitment to an important part of the . healthcare reform. In practical terms, large corporations have several ways to . undermine Obamacare if they decide to. One is to support legal challenges to the subsidies given to . low-income individuals who buy health insurance on the federal . exchange established under the law. Neither the Business . Roundtable nor any of its CEO members have done this so far. Another option is to make top executives available for . hearings on repealing or diluting Obamacare. 'We never did this . before,' said the person familiar with the executives' thinking. 'But they could turn up the noise. I don't think the White House . would want the CEOs turning on them and supporting these efforts . on the Hill.' The nuclear option would be to radically change . employer-sponsored health insurance. Large corporations are . highly unlikely to eliminate it, but they might give workers a . fixed amount of money to buy coverage on a private insurance . exchange. That would allow employers, almost all of which pay . workers' medical claims out of their earnings, to cap their . healthcare spending.

Many CEOs are angry with the Obama administration thanks to three new cases challenging parts of his 'wellness program' In order to participate in the 'wellness program' and receive a low health care rate under Obamacare, employees must take a physical . Now it is being argued in three cases that forcing someone to take a physical for work violates the  Americans with Disabilities Act . The CEOs now have a number of ways they can undermine Obama because of this development .

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For most people, solving a Rubik’s cube is hard enough - many houses have one of the unsolved puzzles stored away in a cupboard somewhere, away from frustrated eyes. So if you fall into that group, look away now - because one company has made a giant version of the popular toy. With more than 18 times more squares than the regular toy, the latest gadget promises to confound a whole new generation this Christmas. Hong Kong-based Brando has released a larger version of a Rubik's cube (shown). Each of its six sides have a huge 169 coloured tiles - 1,014 in total . Called the Pillow 13x13x13 IQ Brick, the cube is formed from 13 squares in a row on each side of the cube. In total the 3D puzzle features 1,014 coloured tiles that have to be matched up in order to complete the buzzle. That means each side has a rather daunting 169 coloured tiles, compared to just the nine found on a regular Rubik’s Cube. Its makers, Hong Kong-based Brando, claim it is ‘good for creative thinking and improving both your IQ and EQ [emotional intelligence]’. However, anyone wanting to try and solve the puzzle might be put off by the price - a whopping £205 ($320) - which is almost as head scratching as the toy itself. Brando says the toy has a quality design and is made to handle smoothly. It is also apparently good for training both your left and right brain, according to the company. However, with regards to any hints to solving it, Brando only suggests taking a ‘tea break’ and retrying it. The Pillow 13x13x13 IQ Brick has more than 18 times more squares than the regular toy - which has 54. It is also slightly curved on each side. But the price is equally challenging - at a whopping £205 ($320) Brando, claim the toy is ‘good for creative thinking and improving both your IQ and EQ [emotional intelligence].' But to solve it all they recommend is a 'tea break' and to try again . The original Rubik's cube (shown) was invented by Hungarian architect Erno Rubik in 1974 - but compared to the latest version, it has just a paltry 54 coloured tiles . Single time: Mats Valk of the Netherlands in March 2013 with a time of 5.55 seconds at the Zonhoven Open in Belgium. Average time: Feliks Zemdegs at the Melbourne Cube Day 2013 with a 6.54 seconds average solve time. One-handed solving: A time of 9.03 seconds was made by Feliks Zemdegs at the Lifestyle Seasons Summer 2014 . Feet solving: Fakhri Raihaan solved a Rubik's Cube with his feet in 27.93 seconds at the Celebes 2012. Robot: Cubestormer 3 solved a Rubik's Cube in 3.253 seconds - beating the Cubestormer 2's record of 5.27 seconds. A few days ago, Marcin Kowalczyk produced a moment for fans of the original Rubik’s cube to savour - when he solved the puzzle blindfolded in just 21.17 seconds - a new world record. The speed cuber took a few seconds to memorise the pattern on the Rubik’s cube and then, while blindfolded, he needed just a few more to solve it during a competition in Szczecin in western Poland. A judge held a piece of paper between Marcin's face and his hands to make sure he couldn't peek under his mask. His celebration was subdued, however, as he jumped out of his chair and remained quiet out of respect for other competitors who were still trying to solve the puzzle. Quite how he’d cope with the 13-cubed Rubik’s cube while blindfolded remains to be seen - or rather not seen.

Hong Kong-based Brando has released a larger version of a Rubik's cube . Each of its six sides have a huge 169 coloured tiles - 1,014 in total . That's more than 18 times more squares than the regular toy - which has 54 . The Pillow 13x13x13 IQ Brick is also slightly curved on each side . But the price is equally challenging - at a whopping £205 ($320)

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It was branded by Winston Churchill as 'one of the finest expositions of the British art of muddling through.' But now China has stepped in to rebuild Kenya's historic 'Lunatic Line',120 years after British colonialists sacrificed more than 2,500 lives to lay the original track. The £3.8billion project will run from Nairobi to Mombasa and eventually link to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. Under the agreement, signed today, China will finance 90 per cent of the railway while the Kenyan government will foot the rest. 'Equal cooperation': Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta delivers a speech next to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (second left), Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni (left), Rwandan President Paul Kagame (second right) and South Sudan's President Salva Kiir (right) at a news conference on the Standard Gauge Railway at the statehouse in Nairobi . Dangerous: Construction began in Mombasa in 1895. Work was hampered by storms, strikes, local hostility, disease and lion attacks. Some 2,500 workers, many of them labourers imported from India, as they toiled in the heat to meet their imperial masters' ambitious timetable . Early days: Construction of the original line began in Mombasa 1895 and the railway reached Nairobi in 1899. By December 1901, it had reached the shore of Lake Victoria . Construction work on the standard gauge line is expected to start in October this year, and the 610 km (380-mile) stretch from the coast to Nairobi is due to be finished in early 2018. The deal was signed at State House in Nairobi and witnessed by presidents Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Salva Kiir of South Sudan as well as Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang. Huge network: The £3.8billion project will run from Nairobi to Mombasa (in red) and eventually link to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan . Open Africa: Railway men pose for a photograph on a railway trolley in the middle of a bridge in 1885. The aim then was to create a route linking Mombasa to Uganda, the source of the Nile and to open up Africa's 'interior' Trouble ahead: But huge costs - both financial and in human life - drew strong opposition and the project soon became known as the 'Lunatic Line' Man eaters: Lt Col John Henry Patterson (pictured with one of the two dead Tsavo Man-Eaters) described how he and his workers became drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with two lions, claiming they ate 135 men before he killed them . 'This . project demonstrates that there is equal cooperation and mutual benefit . between China and the East African countries, and the railway is a very . important part of transport infrastructure development,' Li said. The Tsavo Man-Eaters are the most notorious lions in history who terrorised the British-led team of railway-bridge builders at Kenya's  Tsavo river in 1898. Over a nine-month reign of terror, the two maneless male lions would sneak into the labourers' camp in the dead of night and snatch men from their tents, devouring them on site. Terrified workers built snares, thorn fences and bonfires to scare them off but the beasts simply crawled under or leapt over them to reach their prey. The number of victims varies wildly between accounts. Lt. Col. John Henry Patterson, who oversaw the project and ultimately killed the beasts, claimed they had slain 135 men, though that number is generally accepted to be a generous exaggeration. Current estimates remain somewhere between 30 and 70 dead. After several attempts to hunt down and kill the lions, Patterson finally shot one from scaffold on December 9 1898. It measured 3m, from head to tail. He killed the second 20 days later after shooting it nine times, and recorded the story in his 1907 book The Man-Eaters of Tsavo. The tale has since been made into three films, most recently the 1996 movie The Ghost of Darkness, starring Val Kilmer, as Patterson, and Michael Douglas. After 25 years as Patterson's floor rugs, the lions' skins were eventually sold to the Chicago Field Museum in 1924 for $5,000 where they were stuffed and put on display (pictured). Kenyatta . hailed the booming relationship with China, calling it one 'based on . mutual trust' and saying Kenya 'has found an honourable partner in . China'. Construction . of the original line began in Mombasa 1895 and the railway reached . Nairobi in 1899. By December 1901, it had reached the shore of Lake . Victoria. But building the line proved no easy task for the British. The aim then was to create a route linking Mombasa to Uganda, the source of the Nile and to open up Africa's 'interior'. But huge costs - both financial and in human life - drew strong opposition and the project soon became known as the 'Lunatic Line'. Disease and attacks by wild animals killed some 2,500 workers, many of them labourers imported from India, as they toiled in the heat to meet their imperial masters' ambitious timetable. Lt Col John Henry Patterson, who oversaw the construction of a railway bridge over the Tsavo river in Kenya in 1898, described how he and his workers became drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a local pride of lions. 'Our work was soon interrupted in a rude and startling manner,' he wrote. 'Two most voracious and insatiable man-eating lions appeared upon the scene and for over nine months waged an intermittent warfare against the railway and all those connected with it in the vicinity of Tsavo.' One of the lions' many victims was the unfortunate superintendent Charles Ryall, who was dragged from his carriage and killed by one of the beasts. Lt Col Patterson's story was later dramatised in the 1996 movie The Ghost of Darkness, starring Val Kilmer, as Patterson, and Michael Douglas. For a brief period, the 660-mile track proved a success, despite its massive cost, opening up Africa's 'interior' to tradesmen and colonists and transforming the region. Tellingly, Winston Churchill, who later shot zebra from the train, called it 'one of the finest expositions of the British art of muddling through'. But over the years it was blighted by bandit raids, corruption and neglect. Now trains are infrequent and slow, running at little more than around 15mph. There have also been numerous derailments and delays in recent years, sparking serious safety fears and a resulting passenger exodus. Kenyan economist Aly-Khan Satchu told The Telegraph that China’s new engagement with Africa was 'very similar to the British engagement in the past: railways, roads, bridges, major infrastructure'. With president Kanyatta about to face trial for alleged crimes against humanity, Kenyan relations with the West has become strained. Britain has reduced its dealings with him to 'essential' contact only. China, however, has seen Kenya's alienation from the West as a gaping opportunity and eagerly stepped in. Chinese car manufacturers and television stations all operate in Kenya while an . English edition of China Daily is now printed in the capital, Nairobi. Brief success: For a brief period, the 660-mile track proved a success, despite its massive cost, opening up Africa's 'interior' to tradesmen and colonists and transforming the region. In this picture, US president Theodore Roosevelt inspects a train on the track . Danger: But over the years it was blighted by bandit raids, corruption and neglect. Now trains are infrequent and slow, running at little more than around 15mph . Hopes that the new line will boost Kenya's economy - already running at a healthy 5 per cent growth - and its government claim it will knock some 79 per cent off the cost of running freight across the country. But critics say it represents a starkly one-way trade relationship between China and Kenya. Kenya’s exports to China totalled just £32 million last year, compared with imports of £1.2 billion. 'Kenyatta feels he needs to rebalance towards China in particular,' said Mr Satchu. 'It’s clear why — China is Mr Moneybags, and we need loads of money to leapfrog our infrastructure to modern standards. But the president’s tone and language have been seen as quite dismissive to Kenya’s old friends.'

The £3.8billion project will run from Nairobi to Mombasa, then other nations . Chinese PM Li hails deal as 'very important part of transport development' Kenyan president Kenyatta says deal represents 'honourable partnership' Line was first built by British colonialists between 1895 and 1901 . But construction was costly and dangerous, earning nickname 'Lunatic Line' Some 2,500 workers, mostly from India, were killed by disease and lions . Winston Churchill, who shot Zebra from train, called it 'one of the finest expositions of the British art of muddling through'

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This is the dramatic moment a woman gave birth in a car as her boyfriend made a desperate attempt to drive her to the local hospital. Diamond Jones and her boyfriend Corey Lynn Griffith were driving down the I-20 in Jackson, Mississippi towards Baptist Women's Clinic when she saw the baby's head emerge. Jones said that she realized that her new daughter was not going to wait until they had reached hospital to make her entrance. Scroll down for video . I'm here: The baby cries loudly as she makes her dramatic entry in the car as her parents attempt to drive to the hospital where she was scheduled to be born . Shock: Diamond Jones, wearing a yellow top holds onto her baby as her boyfriend shouts words of encouragement to her and the newborn . That's when proud dad Griffith took out his iPhone and captured the dramatic moment which unfolded at 5 am on September 8. Jones told WLBT: ‘I think we had just passed the airport exit and I felt the head come out and I had to push.’ In the video, Griffith can be heard shouting words of encouragement to his unborn daughter: ‘Yea. Talk to me girl. We going to get you there. You just hold on.’ Griffith said: ‘I thought it was a false alarm and I reached over and sure enough, it was. ‘I hit the gas immediately, and she said one more push and here she is. She sat her on her knee and I said, ‘oh my goodness.’’ New mom: Diamond Jones said she felt the head come out and had to push then gave birth and recalls that she immediately inspected her baby to check that her umbilical cord was not wrapped around her neck . Beautiful: The couple named their bundle of joy Corri Lynn after her father . Proud dad: Griffith said he thought it was a false alarm and hit the gas to try and get his girlfriend to the hospital . Love: Griffith said ‘They tell me I'll never love another person the way I love this girl and I know that truly’ The shocked mother can be seen holding her newborn baby who is wailing and crying loudly as her mother holds on to her tightly. In the cell phone video, Griffith tries to comfort both his newborn daughter and his fiancé. He tells Jones: ‘Rub her baby. Let her know you love her.’ Proud dad Griffith says that he had planned to tape the birth on his iPhone. But he never imagined doing so in the car. He said: ‘I had my phone in my hand because I had just called the nurse and thank God for the iPhone because you can just hit it and the camera is right there.’ Doting: Proud dad Griffith had planned to tape the birth on his iPhone but never imagined doing so in a car . Meanwhile Jones recalls that she inspected her baby after the birth to check that her umbilical cord was not wrapped around her neck. ‘I just wanted to make sure it wasn't tangled or wrapped around her and once I saw that and I was sitting her up, I figured we would be ok. We'll make it to the hospital and let them cut the cord. But that's the first thing we checked for was that she was not tangled.’ Griffith expressed his amazement at how quickly his baby began to try new things. He said: ‘She's already trying to nurse! Look at her. She's ready.’ The couple have named their bundle of joy Corri Lynn after her father. And although she gave her parents the shock of their lives with her dramatic entry into the world, her proud mom and dad say they fell in love with her instantly. ‘They tell me I'll never love another person the way I love this girl and I know that truly,’ Griffith said.

Diamond Jones and her boyfriend Corey Lynn Griffith were driving down the I-20 in Jackson, Mississippi to Baptist Women's Clinic on September 8 . Jones saw the head emerge and realized that she was about to give birth . Proud dad Griffith recorded the precious moment on his iPhone . The couple named their bundle of joy Corri Lynn after her father . Her doting parents say they are deeply in love with their newborn daughter .

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(CNN) -- Online acquaintances wished fair winds and following seas to Joshua Hakken as he fled to Cuba, a strange refuge for a professed fan of Ron Paul. Hakken, his wife and their two sons, 2-year-old Chase and 4-year-old Cole, were at a marina on the communist-ruled island when CNN found them aboard their small sailboat Tuesday. Florida authorities believe Hakken sailed there after abducting the two boys from the Tampa home of their grandmother, who was granted custody after Hakken's 2012 arrest on drug charges in Louisiana. "This all just seems like the government is yet again making real criminals out of non-violent peaceful freedom lovers," wrote one commenter on "Adam Vs. The Man," a libertarian web forum. The family's Cuban sojourn may be short-lived, as the government there announced Tuesday that it would hand them over to U.S. authorities. A man identifying himself as Hakken -- "a father, a registered professional mechanical engineer and a veteran of the USAF" -- joined the Adam Vs. The Man discussion board in February 2012 under the handle "Sailingbull." "I am absolutely devoted to life, liberty, the rights of the individual and the Constitution of the United States of America," he wrote. "Mr. Ron Paul is the ONLY politician I have ever admired or supported. It is unimaginable what the forces at be are doing and want to do to him." Paul, the former Texas congressman, ran for president as a Republican in 2008 and 2012 and once as the Libertarian Party nominee, in 1988. Hakken vounteered to help Paul supporters scout out campsites near last year's Republican convention in Tampa, posting photos of site possibilities on the message board. CNN has not been able to independently confirm Hakken's identity on site, and Adam Vs. The Man founder Adam Kokesh did not respond to requests for comment. But in a post last week, after news that Hakken was wanted in connection with the abduction, he noted, "I feel like we're in a position to help here. Maybe to reach out to him. Certainly seems like a stupid way to go about this, regardless of what your moral assessment is." Both Hakken and his wife, Sharyn, held professional engineering certificates -- hers in civil engineering, his in the mechanical and fire-protection specialties, according to state records. After high school, he attended the Air Force Academy in Colorado from June 1996 to May 1998, academy spokesman Meade Warthen told CNN. Online, Hakken said he left because of a previously undiagnosed spinal condition; Warthen said the academy couldn't comment on the reason for his withdrawal. The couple's legal woes began last June with what police called a "disturbance" at a hotel in Slidell, Louisiana, just east of New Orleans. "When police arrived, both Mr. and Mrs. Hakken were acting in a bizarre manner that alarmed officers," a Slidell police statement recounts. "They were talking about 'completing their ultimate journey' and were traveling across the country to 'take a journey to the Armageddon.' Let it be noted that both of their children were present in the hotel room at the time." Police said they found both drugs and weapons in the room and called in the state Office of Child Services, which "determined that the children were in danger" and took them into their custody. Hakken was charged with marijuana possession, possession of drug paraphernalia and the use of a controlled substance around minors; "Officers also took custody of several weapons for safe keeping." The Office of Child Services told CNN it would not comment on the case. The children were put into foster care with a family in Tangipahoa Parish, north of Lake Pontchartrain. Two weeks after the arrest, the foster mother called 911 and told dispatchers, "I need a cop now. I have a guy at my house with a gun." "I have two foster children, and it's their dad ... I don't hear banging, but I'm not getting out 'til a cop car gets here," she said. Hakken left without the boys, who later were sent to live with Patricia Hauser, Sharyn Hakken's mother, in Tampa. On April 2, a Louisiana court terminated the couple's parental rights, investigators say. The following day, Hillsborough County authorities say Hakken entered Hauser's home, tied her up and took off in her Toyota Camry with the boys. Three and a half hours later, surveillance video captured their recently-purchased sailboat heading into the Gulf of Mexico. CNN's Kim Segal and Vivian Kuo contributed to this report.

Tampa engineer Joshua Hakken is now a fugitive . The Ron Paul fan and his family await expulsion from communist Cuba . Hakken and his wife are accused of abducting their sons after losing custody . Some on a web forum he frequented cheered his escape .

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A couple are suing the Philadelphia Little League, which is home to starlet Mo'ne Davis, for more than $50,000 in damages over an errant throw. Anand and Sujata Kumar, from New Jersey, are suing the Taney Youth Baseball Association. They couple filed a lawsuit last week claiming Mr Kumar, 73, was injured on May 18 last year as they watched their grandson play at Trolley Works Field. Taney Dragons' Mo'ne Davis pitches to a Nevada batter during a Little League World Series game at Lamade Stadium on August 20 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania . They claim two players were tossing the ball when it hit Mr Kumar in the eye, leaving him with long-term physical and emotional damage. The couple say the association should not have allowed players to practice near the stands. The lawsuit states the incident occurred during a 'game of toss and catch' between two boys who who were practising outside the fence and 'negligently close' to the stands. The Philadelphia Daily News first reported the lawsuit on Tuesday, saying the incident left Mr Kumar 'disabled and disordered'. His injuries included a corneal abrasion, a 'deformed pupil,' double vision and 'multiple torn sphincter muscles'. Aged 13, Mo'ne became the first girl ever to throw a shutout in the history of the Little League World series and now has secured a book deal for her memoir, right . Honor roll student Mo'ne from Philadelphia became a sensation last summer after leading the Taney Dragons to a 4-0 victory over Nashville, when she was just 13. The team became the first Philadelphia team to make the Little League World Series. She became the first girl to throw a shutout in the history of the Little League World Series. Now, she has graced the cover of Sports Illustrated, thrown out the first pitch at a major league World Series game and starred in a car commercial directed by Spike Lee. She has also secured a book deal and her memoir 'Mo'ne Davis: Remember My Name' will be released next March.

Anand Kumar, from New Jersey, was hit in the eye with a baseball . He claims two players were playing catch negligently close to the stands . Pitcher Mo'ne Davis became a sensation last summer after leading the Taney Dragons to victory over Nashville aged just 13 .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:14 EST, 25 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:49 EST, 25 October 2013 . School got off to an early start in Lakewood, Colorado this morning as Katy Perry performed a birthday concert at Lakewood High School. Appearing in a cheerleader uniform, ponytail and sneakers – and with the band wearing school football jerseys, the singer took to a specially constructed stage in the school’s gym. The lucky Lakewood students won the Perry concert by making a lip-dub video of the singer's hit song 'Roar,' which they entered into a national contest on 'Good Morning America.' Scroll down for video... Teenage dream: Katy Perry celebrated her 29th birthday by giving a private concert at a Colorado high school whose lip dub video to her pop anthem 'Roar' went viral . Early school: Members of the band wore the schools 'Tigers' football strip . Perry picked Lakewood High School as the winner. Lakewood High School's mascot is the tigers, so the idea of making a video to the name ‘Roar’ seemed appropriate. ‘For me, Lakewood really embodied a whole school spirit,’ Perry said when she picked the contest winner last week. ‘I think they brought everyone together and you saw so many different people coming together to do one shot.’ More than 2,000 students from 80 different school clubs were involved in Lakewood High School's entry. SEE MORE OF THE WINNING ENTRY AT LAKEWOOD TIGERS TV . Winning touch: Hundreds of high schools entered the competition but Lakewood's stood. The video, filmed in one continuous shot, features cheerleaders, members of school clubs, sports teams, student council and the orchestra . Winners: The local high school received the rights to host the concert after winning a contest on Good Morning America for a video they produced, showing more than 2,000 students and staff lip dubbing Perry¿s hit song 'Roar' This Friday Morning: Nearly 3,000 students packed the gym to hear Katy Perry 'Roar' live on Good Morning America . ‘It was so incredibly crafted,’ Perry said. ‘The clubs, the cliques, they all came together and did their own individual thing, but it was so interesting and well done and well organized.’ Perry was impressed that so many kids at Lakewood High came together ‘to roar.’ ‘That is what this competition embodies,’ Perry said. Students at Lakewood told 7NEWS that they practiced several times before the big day because it had to be done in a single take. The school rehearsed for two weeks with 98 percent of the student body taking part in the final video. After seeing the video last month, Perry Tweeted, ‘Oh my GAWD. Now this is what I call school. I hear you roaring LAKEWOOD HIGH!’ Birthday girl: Perry, who just released her new album, 'Prism,' turned 29 today, but said she often feels like a teen at heart. 'I'm 29. I feel great,' Perry said to a packed audience of thousands . Loving every minute: A day of school, the students at Lakewood High, won't soon forget! Crews spent several days transforming the school's gym into a TV studio and concert hall. ‘Were starting to build, to build the stage and the lighting is starting to come.  Not only are we putting on a great music performance, we are also putting on a TV show, so it's having those two things come together,’ said Kyle Morris, production manager for Good Morning America. The concert was for Lakewood High School students only. Senior Jessica Kostelnik coined the motto "One World, One Roar," which challenges every high school in the country to raise $1,000 to donate to a charity of their choice. Students were instructed to arrive at the school no later than 4:15 a.m. The crowd sang "Happy Birthday" to the pop star in honor of her 29th birthday, . Principal Ron Castagna couldn't be more proud of his students. ‘Students have made this about not just winning a concert, but sending a message, and trying to unite all students throughout the country, to show there is a common good,’ Castagna said. Once it was over, Perry tweeted "Thanks for a GREAT morning LAKEWOOD HIGH! Keep #ROARING . Lakewood High School Lip Dub 2013 - Roar from Lakewood High School on Vimeo.

Katy Perry celebrated her 29th birthday by giving a private concert at Colorado high school . School won competition by making their own video of her pop anthem 'Roar' Perry chose the winning video, which was shot in a single take and featured over 2,000 students and staff .

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By . Associated Press . Washington police they have found the body of a man who appears to have committed suicide in a park where officers were searching for missing 8-year-old girl Relisha Rudd. Police Chief Cathy Lanier did not immediately identify the man, whose body was found Monday, with the possibility that it is Kahlil Tatum, the last person with whom Relisha was seen. She would also not comment on his race. Investigators found the man’s body in an area they have been searching since last week near Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens. Police are investigating whether the body of an adult male found in a Washington D.C. park they were searching for Relisha Rudd (left) in could be Kahlil Tatum, 51 (right), the last person the eight-year-old was seen with . Scene: Police have been searching Kenilworth Park Aquatic Gardens in Washington DC for Relisha Rudd. On Monday they found the body of an adult man . Police descended on the 700-acre area last Thursday . after information led them to believe Mr. Tatum had gone to the area . shortly after purchasing a carton of large 42-gallon garbage bags the . day after Relisha was last seen. Tatum, 51, has been missing since his wife was found fatally shot in an Oxon Hill motel. Police . from Prince George’s County, where Mr. Tatum faces a first-degree . murder charge in connection with his wife’s death, also sent officers to . the park where the body was found. Volutneers search a park for missing 8-year-old girl Relisha Rudd, who disappeared from a homeless shelter . This wanted poster for Kahlil Malik Tatum was posted after the body of his wife was found in a Maryland hotel. Police say they cannot rule out the possibility Tatum killed Relisha Rudd . Tatum was a janitor at the homeless shelter where she lived with her mother and brothers. The girl was last seen on March 1. Only after she was reported missing did police in neighboring Prince George's County, Md., find the body of Tatum's wife in a motel room, with the FBI releasing a nation-wide wanted poster.

Body of adult male found in Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens in Washington D.C. on Monday . Police have been searching the area since last Thursday for eight-year-old Relisha Rudd . She has not been seen since March 1, when she disappeared from the homeless shelter where she lived with her family . Authorities recently switched the search to a recovery mission, presuming Relisha is dead . Police are investigating whether the body recovered today is that of Kahlil Tatum, 51, the last person with whom Relisha was seen .

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A forged police letter obtained by The Mail on Sunday casts new light on the BBC’s controversial decision to drop its documentary on Jimmy Savile. It was handed to this newspaper last week by a woman who appeared on the ITV programme which exposed the entertainer as a predatory paedophile. Identified only as Fiona, she said the letter backed her claims that Surrey Police had dropped its  investigation into the sex abuse allegations because of Savile's ill health and 'senility'. Allegations: 'Fiona' during the ITV documentary on Jimmy Savile. She this week handed the Mail On Sunday a forged police letter casting new light on the BBC's decision to drop its documentary on the late presenter . Newsnight journalists were desperate . to see the letter because its contents were apparently at odds with what . they had been told – that officers were unable to proceed because of . lack of evidence. Producers . believed the letter would provide the breakthrough they needed to . revive their stalled investigation and get the ten-minute film aired. However, . Fiona never sent it to them, and the Newsnight team began to doubt . whether it ever existed – and if everything they were being told was the . truth. The BBC has been . heavily criticised for shelving the item on Savile, which was due to air . just a few weeks before Christmas tributes to the late presenter. On Friday, it agreed to establish  an independent inquiry into why the film was dropped. However, . last night Corporation sources indicated that their dealings with Fiona . – who they said ‘appeared to be playing games with us’ – was a . contributory factor. The . Mail on Sunday has seen the letter – and the BBC’s fears appear to be . justified because it is unquestionably a fake. The note says that Fiona . was interviewed by police in 2006 despite the inquiry not beginning . until May the following year. The . letter is also headed by a Surrey Police crest not in use at the time . it was supposedly written. Significantly, there are no reference numbers . included within the text. A . spokesman for Surrey Police said: ‘This letter is not genuine and was . not sent by us at any time. The suggestion that we advised anyone this . case would not be pursued due to the health of the individual concerned . is wholly inaccurate. ‘An . investigation file was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service who . advised there was not enough evidence to charge. All those involved were . updated accordingly.’ The BBC has been heavily criticised for shelving its Newsnight item on Savile, which was due to air just a few weeks before Christmas tributes to the late presenter . For her part, Fiona denies forging the letter. Although she initially insisted that it was genuine, last night she conceded that she may have been the victim of a hoax. An ITV spokesman declined to comment on the letter last night. A source said the programme’s production team was aware of the letter’s existence, but had not seen it. The insider added that the ITV documentary – Exposure: The Other Side Of Jimmy Savile – centred on the experiences of girls at the hands of Savile, rather than the police investigation. Fiona was first contacted by a Newsnight reporter on November 3 last year. She was told the BBC wanted to ‘verify a few details about what happened there in the Seventies... in relation to Jimmy Savile’s visits to the home’. Fiona claims she spoke with reporters about the allegations of abuse surrounding the presenter and told them about the letter she claimed was sent by Surrey Police officer Angela Sullivan in 2007. The Newsnight team contacted her on November 11 and 22, and again on December 12 asking to see the letter. Fiona claims that she did not respond to the requests because she no longer wanted to be a part of the documentary. 'Sexual predator': The BBC could be forced to pay compensation if they are found to be linked to the claims that Savile molested children . She added: ‘In one of the emails I received from the Newsnight team they said it wasn’t just me, that others had also said it, so I always assumed others had been given a letter like mine. ‘The Newsnight reporters told me that they had hit a brick wall with the investigation and they needed to see the letter I had received from the police. ‘I assumed other people had received [the letter] giving the same reasons. I had spoken to other people who had been told the same things as to why the investigation wasn’t going ahead. ‘One of the reporters wanted me to send it to her so I scanned it on the computer and tried to send it in an email. When they didn’t receive it I assumed I had done something wrong but I didn’t resend it.’ In a final email, a Newsnight reporter wrote: ‘We’ve come up against a brick wall in our story – the CPS tell us the reason they dropped the inquiry is they didn’t have enough evidence. That contradicts what you and others have told us. We can only get round this by seeing the letter. Any chance?’ Fiona said last night: ‘I now understand the significance of not sending them the letter and I am possibly responsible for them not being able to run the story. ‘When they asked for it again I decided this had turned into an argument between who was right, the girls or the CPS. It shouldn’t be about what the CPS were saying, it should have been about the girls.’

Letter handed to Mail On Sunday by woman who appeared on ITV show which exposed Jimmy Savile as a predatory paedophile . She said letter backed her claims Surrey Police dropped its investigation into the sex abuse allegations because of Savile's ill health and 'senility'

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(CNN) -- Manny Pacquiao has told CNN even he was surprised at how quickly his fight against Great Britain's Ricky Hatton came to an end. Manny Pacquiao throws a left hand on his way to a devastating victory over Ricky Hatton. Pacquiao, often considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, cemented his reputation Saturday night when he knocked out Hatton in the second round. "That was two of the most exciting rounds I have seen in my career," said Chris Mannix, a writer for Sports Illustrated. "You saw, from the opening bell, Pacquiao was really dominant." In an interview with CNN's Kristie LuStout after the fight, Pacquiao acknowledged the fight ended sooner than he expected. Watch Pacquiao talk about his post-fight plans » . With the win at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada, Pacquiao added the light-welterweight crown to his past world titles: lightweight, super-featherweight, light-featherweight, featherweight and flyweight. The Filipino's career record now stands at 49-3-2 with 37 knockouts. The fight, for which Pacquiao reportedly earned $12 million, was brief. Pacquiao knocked Hatton down in the first round from a series of lightning-fast right hooks. The British boxer managed to get to his feet and finish the round, but the outcome was evident once the second round began. Hatton, the International Boxing Organization's light-welterweight champion, tried the classic brawling style that has fueled his career. But Pacquiao's technique and speed quickly outclassed Hatton. The Filipino's right hooks set up a devastating left hook that flattened Hatton with a second remaining in the second round. The referee quickly ended the match. "It turned out he (Hatton) just wasn't very good at boxing," Mannix said. "You saw the difference between a great fighter and very good fighter." The 30-year-old Pacquiao is a national hero in the Philippines, where his bouts bring the country to a standstill. He came into the fight on Saturday as a narrow favorite after sending one of the biggest names in the sport, Oscar de la Hoya, into retirement with a stoppage victory in December. Nicknamed "Pacman," he grew up poor in General Santos City in the southern Philippines. He found boxing as a way to lift himself to fame and riches, yet he remains self-deprecating outside of the ring. It is this combination of a fierce fighter in the ring and a smiling deferential one outside that has helped turn him into an idol. Outside a bar in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong, China, a woman who would only identify herself as Amy and her friends erupted in joy. The second-biggest ethnic group behind Chinese are Filipinos . Amy and her friends -- all from the Philippines and working here in this world financial center -- were part of the crowd that had just witnessed the match live. "This is great, this is wonderful," Amy screamed. CNN's Kevin Drew contributed to this report .

Manny Pacquiao knocks out Ricky Hatton in second round at the MGM Grand . Victory cements Pacquiao's reputation as best pound-for-pound boxer in world . The Filipino adds the light-welterweight title to his collection of championships .

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A father and son targeted in a bungled police sting into stolen scrap metal have been cleared after a two-year legal battle which is thought to have cost the taxpayer more than £300,000. David Day, 36, and his father Terrence, 61, were arrested and kept in police cells for eight hours after officers posing as scrap metal thieves tried to sell them what appeared to be stolen railway cable. Although they refused to buy the items, the two undercover detectives are thought to visited their scrapyard 12 times to push the sale of what appeared to be stolen scrap metal. David, left, and Terrence Day, right, at the Greengate Metals scrapyard in Middleton were held in police cells for eight hours after a bungled police sting in 2012 . Both men, who run Greengate Metals in Middleton, Greater Manchester, and colleague Billy Dillon, 57, were later charged with attempting to handle stolen goods, and encouraging the act of the stripping of railways cable. If convicted, they could have faced up to five years in jail. But after a trial at Bolton Crown Court, all three men were acquitted of wrongdoing after it emerged the officers were working from an inaccurate edict from British Telecom and Railtrack - which wrongly claimed that certain cable offered on the open market must be stolen. The sting occurred in 2012 during an operation against various scrap metal dealers in the area - and 17 suspects were arrested in total. Last month, three other scrap dealers targeted in the same police operation were cleared after a judge accused the undercover officers of 'wearing down' their suspects into accepting what appeared to appeared to be stolen cable. David, from Blackley, Manchester said: 'The last two years have been hell. It's tarnished our name. None of us have ever been in trouble. David, pictured at the scrapyard, said they initially refused to buy the railway cable but agreed to buy copper wire when the undercover officers returned a week later . 'Being in the dock was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me. We knew we had not done anything wrong but we didn't know how the jury were thinking. 'Before our arrest we had about 150 visits from police over the space of two years. 'Every time they came to the yard they always went around and never found anything yet despite us getting visits once or twice a week, they've always been treated with respect.' He explained the first time the officers tried to sell them railway cable, they had refused - only for them to return two days later. A week later, the officers returned with copper wire and the Days agreed to buy with the belief it was legitimately sourced and IDs were taken.. In October 2012 around 60 officers swooped on the scrapyard. Mr Day added: 'Being kept in police cells for eight hours was the worst experience. The business had to be put on hold and my wife and kids became nervous wrecks. My wife was ringing me up in tears when she saw police vans. 'There were times when we were considering selling up, my dad retiring.' 'It's been a waste of taxpayers money. I've been told that each day we were in court it was costing £20,000 and we were in court for 18 full days.' He added that he had also spent £10,000 installing CCTV in the scrapyard. The sting affected trade at the scrapyard. David said: 'There were times when we were considering selling up' David added the lengthy legal battle, which is thought to have cost more than £300,000, was a 'waste of money' Mr Day's lawyer Sean Reilly said BT and Railtrack's error was a major flaw in the investigation. He said: 'BT and Railtrack had told the police, erroneously, that certain specification cable was only manufactured for their industry, and that it does not exist on the open market, that this cable can only be owned by BT and Rail track. 'This was wrong. Companies that manufacture cable are happy to sell their cable to whoever will buy it, after all they are in business to make profit and the more they sell the more profit they make. 'Companies that buy from the manufacturers also sell off cuts on to the open market.' A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: 'We are aware that a judge has raised concerns about a policing tactic used in an operation to target metal theft dealers suspected of handling stolen metal. 'Following the judge's comments, the Crown Prosecution Service is reviewing other upcoming cases involved in this operation. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.'

David Day, 36, and father Terrence, 61, were targeted at scrapyard in 2012 . Refused to buy what appeared to be stolen railway cable but officers are thought to have visited 12 times to push sale . Police officers swooped on scrapyard after they bought copper wire . Inaccurate edict from BT and Railtrack said certain cable must be stolen . They were cleared at Bolton Crown Court after two-year legal battle .

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Former contestants of MTV's Pimp My Ride have revealed that much of the show was faked. According to the Huffington Post, many of the flashy upgrades installed by rapper Xzibit and his West Coast Customs crew didn't work, made the car worse or were simply taken out as soon as the cameras stopped rolling. The show, was enormously popular when it debuted in 2004, featured participants who had clapped out cars, which would then be repaired and 'pimped out' with new paint jobs, interiors and rims. The show also earned a reputation for its extravagant auto features such as adding pool tables, arcade machines, shoe racks, clothes dryers and chandeliers to cars. Scroll down for video . A 1988 Daihatsu Hi-Jet was transformed on the MTV show Pimp My Ride, hosted by rapper Xzibit. Former contestants of the show have now revealed that many of the flashy upgrades to their cars were faked . The before shot: The van (pictured above) before it received its 'pimp my ride' treatment by the MTV show . The rear of the minivan, before and after it has had its drastic makeover. However contestants of the MTV show have said on Reddit that the many of the flashy features were unusable . However a number of former contestants revealed in separate Reddit AMA's that many of the customizations were only put in for the sake of the show. 'They actually take out a lot of the stuff that they showed on TV,' said Justin Dearinger, whose Toyota Rav4 was given 'pop-up champagne contraption' and a 'drive in theater' - both of which were taken out when the episode wrapped. He added the former was removed because they didn't want to be seen condoning drink driving; the latter because it simply wasn't road safe. The show, which debuted in 2004, typically consisted of drivers with horribly beat up cars begging the team to 'pimp their ride' The car was then taken to an auto body shop and given an extreme makeover with new paint jobs, interiors and rims . The interior of this beaten up, junk-filled SUV was refitted with red leather and TV screens in the headrests . The show also earned a reputation for its extravagant features such as adding pool tables, arcade machines, shoe racks, clothes dryers and chandeliers to cars. Here, a jeep gets a chocolate fountain, candles and a boom box . Another contestant Seth Martino claimed he couldn't drive with the LED lights they had installed in his seat because they would get too hot. Another addition, a cotton candy machine, didn't have room for a lid, so if used the candy floss would just fly all over the place. Not what it seems: Former contestants on MTV's Pimp My Ride, hosted in the U.S. by rapper Xzibit (pictured)  have claimed much of the show was faked . 'They took the gull-wing doors off because the pistons used to lift them kept them from putting seat belts in the back, which was highly dangerous,' he said. Martino also claimed the producers just wanted to put the cotton candy machine into someone's car, and selected him because he was fat, even pouring bags of candy into his pre-pimped car. 'I know I'm fat, but they went the extra mile to make me look extra fat by telling the world that I kept candy all over my seat and floor just in case I got hungry. 'Then gave me a cotton candy machine in my trunk,' he said. 'I sat there and watched them dump out two bags of generic candy. I did not have any candy all over my car. That was completely fabricated for the story.' Seth also claimed he had to rent a car at his own expense while he waited months on the revamp; not the couple of days the shows editors had viewers believe. The contestants also revealed that much of the reaction shots - when their new pimped ride is revealed - were faked and re-shot many times. A third contestant, Jake Glazer, clearly wasn't excited enough when he had his Buick century returned. He said: 'I remember this very clearly, Big Dane, very big dude, he like puts his arm around my shoulder, kind of walks me around the shop for like 10 minutes and he's like, "Listen, we put a lot of work into this... we expect you to be a little more f****** enthusiastic."' Pimped: West Coast Customs used to add some outrageous features to the cars such as chandeliers and pool tables, but new claims say the vehicles weren't always road worthy afterward .

Many of the flashy upgrades installed by rapper Xzibit and his West Coast Customs crew didn't work, made the car worse or were simply taken out . The show earned a reputation for its extravagant features such as adding pool tables, arcade machines, clothes dryers and chandeliers to cars . One contestant claimed on a Reddit AMA he couldn't drive with the LED lights they installed in his seat would get too hot .

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(CNN) -- The civil warfare and social instability in Somalia have prompted the flight of more than 50,000 refugees to neighboring Kenya this year alone, the U.N. refugee agency said Friday. The Dadaab refugee complex is the largest of its kind in the world. Somalis are arriving at an average rate of 6,400 a month, and their presence has placed pressure on northern Kenya's Dadaab refugee complex -- bursting at the seams with three times the population it was built to hold. There are more than 281,000 Somali refugees there, and the UNHCR fears that heavy rains in Kenya will lead to flooding at the complex and pose "considerable health risks to the refugees." The International Organization of Migration has been working with the UNHCR, Kenyan authorities and non-governmental organizations to relocate refugees from Dadaab to the Kakuma camp in the northwestern part of the country. Somalia has been in turmoil for years. Clashes have raged between pro-government forces and rebel groups such as Al-Shabaab, the Islamist militia with ties to al Qaeda. And this fighting has prompted widespread displacement in the war-wracked nation. Al-Shabaab has been targeting the most prominent Western-linked entity in the capital, Mogadishu -- the African Union peacekeeping mission, the de facto military force of the weak, transitional Somali government. Fighting has forced about 250,000 Somalis out of their homes in Mogadishu since May and many of the displaced have sought refuge west of the capital in the Afgooye corridor, the U.N. agency said. Also, many Somalis have chosen to flee the country by traveling across the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea to Yemen or the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. Many have drowned or have gone missing in their journey.

More than 50,000 Somali refugees have entered Kenya since the beginning of 2009 . Refugees are arriving at 6,400 every month placing strain on Kenya's Dadaab camp . Fighting forced about 250,000 Somalis out of their homes in Mogadishu since May .

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It smashed all book-selling records at the start of this year. But just a few months on, EL James' raunchy 'mummy porn' trilogy is the last thing we want to find in our stockings on Christmas morning. Fifty Shades of Grey is the most unpopular potential Christmas gift this year, with 26 per cent of people saying they would be seriously disappointed if they unwrapped it on 25 December, according to a survey by the British Heart Foundation. Fifty Shades of...meh: The EL James trilogy is reportedly the least popular Christmas gift this year, according to the survey by the British Heart Foundation . More than a quarter of people said the publishing phenomenon would be their most unwanted gift, followed by the Olympics highlights DVD (24 per cent) and a weight loss DVD (20 per cent). The recently fashionable 'onesie' item of clothing made fourth place, with 18 per cent of people saying they would not appreciate it as a gift, while just 7 per cent of those surveyed said the Christmas jumper would be their most unwanted present. Two thirds of the 2,000 people surveyed (66 per cent) said they received at least one gift they did not want every Christmas. According to the poll, those most likely to give unwanted gifts were grandparents, identified by 16 per cent of those surveyed, followed by mothers (14 per cent) and partners (10 per cent). Go, Mo! Mo Farah delighted us over the summer, but the survey reported that a DVD of Olympic highlights would be the second least popular Christmas gift this year . The BHF said its shops received a surge of candles, toiletries, clothing, accessories, books and DVDs after last Christmas. Ugh: 20 per cent of people say they would be disappointed with a weight loss DVD . BHF retail director Mike Taylor said: 'People spend a lot of money gifting friends and family at Christmas, but sometimes these presents aren't quite right. 'People often receive perfectly good gifts that are just not to their taste, are the wrong size, or even two of the same gift. 'We encourage people to donate these items to BHF shops so that unwanted Christmas gifts can help in the fight against heart disease. 'Whether it's a jumper that doesn't suit your taste, a CD that's not to your liking or a book you've already read, every donation will make a huge difference and help the BHF continue its life-saving work.'

26% of people would be disappointed with EL James' 'mummy porn' trilogy . Results from British Heart Foundation survey .

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(CNN) -- The driver of a train that jumped the tracks last month at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport -- after having reportedly "dozed off" -- has been fired, a transit authority spokeswoman said Friday. The early morning incident at one of the nation's busiest airports was the operator's second serious safety violation, according to Chicago Transit Authority spokeswoman Tammy Chase. That said, Chase said the woman was primarily terminated because of the severity of that crash, which injured 32 people. The development came the same day the transit authority announced several policy changes aimed at enhancing safety. They include requirements that train operators not be working at least one day in a seven-day period and must have at least 10 hours off between shifts (up from the previous 8-hour mandate). Train operators also can't work more than 12 hours (including layover times and non-driving duties) in a 14-hour period. Fresh restrictions were also placed on those in their first year of operating trains: They can't do so more than 32 hours a week, though these employees can "work other rail-related duties besides operating trains in their other work hours," the transit authority said in its statement Friday. These revised guidelines are "nearly identical" to those used by other transit agencies, according to Chase. She said "nothing about the operator's work schedule suggests that fatigue should have played a factor in her performance." The driver had a day off four days before the incident, hadn't worked for 18 hours before coming to work that day and worked 55.7 hours in the seven previous days (less than 44 of those as a rail operator), according to the transit authority spokeswoman. That said, Chase acknowledged, "The O'Hare incident prompted us to take a closer look at our scheduling." The wreck occurred at 2:52 a.m. on March 24, when an eight-car train failed to stop at the end of the Blue Line when it arrived at the airport station, a Chicago fire official said. The lead car appeared to have climbed an escalator adjacent to the passenger platform. "I've investigated many accidents and trains do different things," National Transportation Safety Board investigator Tim DePaepe said of the train climbing the escalator. "It's all about kinetic force. I have not seen an accident like this, personally." A union official told reporters last month that the train's driver may have fallen asleep, CNN affiliate WLS reported. "There are indications that she dozed off, yes," Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308 President Robert Kelly said, according to WLS. CNN's Alan Duke and Jennifer Feldman contributed to this report.

NEW: Official: No reason, based on schedule, that fatigue should have been a factor . NEW: Incident did prompt transit agency to look at train operator scheduling . 32 people were injured in last month's incident at the end of Chicago's Blue Line . A union official had said there were "indications" that the train operator "dozed off"

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Sanaa (CNN) -- Thousands of Yemeni air force personnel rallied in the capital Saturday to demand the removal of the president's half-brother as the country's air force commander. They marched in front of the Sanaa home of Vice President Abdurabu Hadi to urge the removal of the commander, Mohammed Saleh, whose policies are under fire by other air force officials. Thousands of air force members staged similar protests elsewhere in Yemen, with demonstrations occurring in 16 of the country's 21 provinces. The country has been beset with demonstrations against President Ali Abdullah Saleh since early last year. That's when pro-democratic uprisings spread across the Arab world. Demonstrators have been turning out against the president despite a power transfer deal that leads to his departure. Under the plan, the president will step down in February. He will receive immunity under the plan forged by the Gulf Cooperation Council, made up of six Gulf Arab states. Executive powers already have been transferred to Hadi. Senior officials in Saleh's General People's Congress party condemned protests against relatives of the ruling family and called the actions an inappropriate tactic and a violation of the power transfer deal. They discussed the air force ferment in closed-door meetings on Friday. Hadi's office said it is considering an idea to force Mohammed Saleh to step down temporarily and form a committee to run the air force. "President Saleh will leave power willingly, but the opposition is pushing the wrong buttons and escalating the situation. Such actions will not help the safe transfer of power," said Tareq al-Shami, the GPC spokesman. "Political factions need to ease the tension in this critical period instead of causing barriers and bumps in the way of change." But opposition parties, while denying that they are standing behind marches against senior ruling family members, said they cannot stop the people from demanding their rights. "It's a revolution, and Yemenis have learned how to step up to their commanders who are oppressing them," said Mohammed Qahtan, senior official of the opposition Islah party. Last week, Mohammed Saleh stoked anger at a meeting with senior air force officials and blamed them for not standing up for the president. One attendee threw his shoes at Saleh and called him a corrupt and oppressive commander. Such a gesture is considered a deep insult in Arab world. "Mohammed Saleh demanded that air force pilots raid areas of innocent civilians. When we refused, dozens of pilots were imprisoned," said Abdul Aziz al-Muhayya, deputy commander of air force operations. "We are revolting against oppression." Al-Muhayya told CNN that the marches at the vice president's residence will continue until their commander is forced out of power. "We are seeking an air force loyal to the country and not to a specific family. Our revolution will continue until the fall of the family from the country's military and air force," al-Muhayya said. Saleem Nasser, a pilot in the air force and one of the march organizers, said that more than 80 of his air force colleagues have been imprisoned and tortured by the ruling family after rejecting to attack tribes in the outskirts of Sanaa. "They cannot imprison thousands of us. We will not stop and will only serve the country. We vowed to not attack our people for the sake of a person," Nasser said.

Air force rallies across Yemen are calling for the commander's ouster . The president's party says the opposition is "pushing the wrong buttons" One man threw his shoes at air force commander Mohammed Saleh .

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Goldfinger's infamous 'No Mr Bond, I expect you to die' quote has been voted the best moment from the 007 movies. The laser-charged confrontation between Goldfinger and Sean Connery's Bond was named the nation's favourite Bond moment in a new poll from Sky Movies HD to celebrate the return of its dedicated Bond channel Sky Movies 007/HD. After 50 years and 23 films to date, Sky Movies asked more than 2,500 people to name their favourite Bond scenes as part of a special programme, Bond's Greatest Moments. Iconic: The 'No Mr Bond, I expect you to die' quote from villainous Auric Goldfinger (played by Gert Frobe, centre) has been voted to number one James Bond moment in a poll . Hosted by Sky Movies presenter Alex Zane, the programme includes contributions from Bond stars including Daniel Craig and Judi Dench, Bond directors, producers and celebrity fans including Andrew Garfield and Hugh Jackman. When informed of the winning moment, which received 10.3 per cent of the votes, current Bond star Daniel Craig said: 'Yes, that would take some beating.' Second in the poll was the breath-taking pre-title moment in The Spy Who Loved Me which showed Roger Moore skiing off the edge of an Austrian mountain to open a Union Jack parachute (7.6 per cent), pipping the first ever, now definitive 'Bond...James Bond' statement from Sean Connery in 1962's Dr. No, which completed the top three with 5.7 per cent of the votes. 'Bond... James Bond': Sean Connery's legendary introduction came in at number three in the poll. Daniel Craig's pulse-pounding chase at the start of Casino Royale came in at fourth . Thrill ride: The opening car chase in Quantum of Solace made the top ten, despite the film dividing critics . Daniel Craig's chase across a building site in Casino Royale came fourth (5.3 per cent) ahead of The Man With The Golden Gun's barrel roll car sequence, which saw Roger Moore's Bond perform a daring car jump across a Bangkok river (4.5 per cent). Pierce Brosnan made his entry into the poll in sixth place with 3.3 per cent for his tank chase through St. Petersburg in Goldeneye, beating Roger Moore's crocodile 'stepping stone' escape in Live And Let Die. The eighth most popular Bond scene was back to four wheels for Daniel Craig's Quantum Of Solace Aston Martin DBS race through the banks of Lake Garda (2.2 per cent). (Others = 54.6%) Explosive: Pierce Brosnan's tank chase in 1995's Goldeneye came in at six . Following at nine is Desmond Llewellyn's final scene as Q in The World Is Not Enough where viewers saw him advise Pierce Brosnan to 'pay attention 007' for the very last time. A sombre moment rounds off the top 10, courtesy of On Her Majesty's Secret Service and George Lazenby's only turn as 007. Following a tumultuous relationship and just moments after marrying his bride Tracy (played by Diana Rigg), celebrations were cut short when Blofeld carried out a drive-by-shooting that killed her and left Bond grief-stricken (1.7 per cent). Grief: The shocking murder of Bond's wife, played by Diana Rigg, in'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' was a sombre entry in the countdown .

Poll ranks top ten James Bond moments from 23 films over 50 years . Gold-obsessed villain's line to trapped spy comes in at number one . Other entries include tank chase in Goldeneye and shooting of hero's wife .

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A Nebraska toddler who repeated a slew of profanities in an online video has been taken into child protective custody, Omaha police said Wednesday. While authorities found nothing criminal in the video, officials from the Omaha police's Child Victim Unit and the Nebraska Child Protective Services took the infant and three other children into custody on Wednesday, the police department said on its Facebook page. The joint investigation found safety concerns, the statement said. CNN learned of development through Twitter. In the video, the diapered child is bombarded with obscenities and racial slurs by the adults around him. The African-American toddler knocks down a chair and gives nearly as good as he gets, responding to some of the comments with an upraised middle finger and telling one of the adults at one point, "Shut up, bitch." The adults laugh and prompt him to repeat other crudities. Just another day on the Internet -- until the police union in Omaha, Nebraska, posted the clip on its website to highlight what it called the "cycle of violence and thuggery" the community faces. Police union draws fire over swearing toddler 'thug' video . The Omaha Police Officers Association came under fire from the city's police chief, the ACLU and at least one community leader. They say the move needlessly antagonizes the city's minority communities, who make up about a quarter of Omaha's 409,000 residents. Sgt. John Wells, the union's president, said the video was "disturbing" and "offensive." "The focus here isn't on any particular ethnic group. The focus here is on the troubling behavior towards this child," Wells said. "This behavior is going to potentially lead this child down a path that is completely unhealthy." On the website where the video is hosted, the union said the clip came from "a local thug's public Facebook page." "We here at OmahaPOA.com viewed the video and we knew that despite the fact that it is sickening, heartbreaking footage, we have an obligation to share it to continue to educate the law abiding public about the terrible cycle of violence and thuggery that some young innocent children find themselves helplessly trapped in," the police union wrote in a post accompanying the video. "Now while we didn't see anything in this video that is blatantly 'illegal,' we sure did see a lot that is flat out immoral and completely unhealthy for this little child from a healthy upbringing standpoint," it added. Wells said one of the adults mentions a local street gang in the video. "That is why when we talk about the culture, the criminal culture, that this is to try to break the cycle and deal with the culture of violence and the culture of gang activity," he said. But in a city where police officers' treatment of minorities led to lawsuits, criminal charges against two officers and the firings and reassignments of several others in the past year, critics say the video is poking at raw wounds. Willie Hamilton, president of the community activist group Black Men United, said the union "crossed a line by doing this." "For them to take a video out of context -- a 2-year-old who doesn't have the brain capacity to know what's going on -- and to say that this child, because two adults acted inappropriately, is going to end up in a life of crime is totally inappropriate," Hamilton said. And the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska, which filed an excessive-force suit against the Omaha Police Department on behalf of an African-American family on Monday, said the union's use of "racially charged language" was "very disconcerting." Police Chief Todd Schmaderer tried to distance his agency from the controversy in a statement issued Tuesday, saying that the union's website and Facebook page are separate from those of the Omaha Police Department and that he has little authority over the public statements of union members. "With that background and understanding, I want to make it explicit and clear that the views expressed on the OPOA Facebook page do not necessarily reflect the official stance of the Omaha Police Department," Schmaderer said. "I strongly disagree with any postings that may cause a divide in our community or an obstacle to police community relations." Wells said union members have turned the video over to the department's child victim unit, which will work with child-welfare agencies to investigate the circumstances. He said the organization "didn't think we'd get this big of a reaction." "Hopefully, the impact is, it gives law-abiding citizens what law enforcement deals with on a daily basis, and it sort of throws back the blinders that these type of problems are going on," he said. "And we can have a very frank and open discussion on how to tackle these issues and come up with solutions."

Authorities say there was no crime committed, but safety concerns existed . Video shows toddler bombarded with obscenities, coached to respond in kind . Omaha police union says it illustrates "a cycle of violence and thuggery" ACLU and African-American leaders blast the posting of the video .

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Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan's parliament threatened Saturday to cut off access to a facility used by NATO forces to ferry troops into Afghanistan, signaling a growing rift that began when U.S. commandos killed Osama bin Laden during a raid on a Pakistani compound. A resolution adopted during a joint session of parliament condemned the U.S. action. It also called for a review of its working agreement with the U.S., demanded an independent investigation and ordered the immediate end of drone attacks along its border region. Failure to end unilateral U.S. raids and drone attacks will force Pakistan to "to consider taking necessary steps, including withdrawal of (the) transit facility" used by the NATO's International Security Assistance Force, according to the resolution. U.S. lawmakers have questioned how the world's most wanted terrorist managed to live in plain sight for years in Pakistan -- near the country's elite military academy -- without being detected. Pakistani and U.S. intelligence officials have said there is no evidence that any active members of Pakistan's military or intelligence establishment knew about or actively protected the al Qaeda leader. Publicly, leaders in both countries have downplayed a rift. During a stop in Afghanistan Saturday, U.S. Sen. John Kerry stressed that Americans want Pakistan to be "a real ally" in combating terror. Still, he added, the United States is "not trying to find a way to break the relationship apart." "We're trying to find a way to build it and to improve it and we need to work at that and that's part of what I'll be doing over the course of the next couple of days," said Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who also planned to visit Pakistan. The unanimous resolution made clear there was a growing dissatisfaction among Pakistani lawmakers. The resolution also ordered a review of its counter-terrorism cooperation agreement with the United States. The government is deeply "distress(ed) on the campaign to malign Pakistan, launched by certain quarters in other countries without appreciating Pakistan's determined efforts and immense sacrifices in combating terror," the resolution said. It also said more than 30,000 Pakistani civilians and more than 5,000 military personnel had been killed in its fight against terror "and the blowback emanating from actions of the NATO/ISAF forces in Afghanistan." Anger over U.S. drone strikes has mounted during the past year after it stepped up efforts along the Pakistani-Afghan border. On Friday, a suspected U.S. drone strike killed four suspected Islamic militants in the Datta Khel region of North Waziristan, according to two Pakistani intelligence officials. They said an unmanned aircraft fired four missiles at a militant's vehicle on the border area. The demands by the Pakistani civilian government come as new details emerge about the raid on bin Laden's Abbottabad compound. Members of the U.S. Navy SEAL team that attacked the compound were wearing helmet-mounted digital cameras that recorded the mission, a U.S. military official told CNN on Friday. The official described the digital recording as hazy, fast-moving and subject to poor lighting in the rooms. The source also said it is hard to get clear images from the footage. "This is not movie-quality stuff," the official said. An official familiar with the material seized from the compound said Friday that Navy SEALs recovered a stash of pornography. The official would not discuss exactly where it was found, what it was or whether it is believed to belong to the al Qaeda leader or to someone else living at the site, such as bin Laden's couriers or his son. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information. Bin Laden's compound is also undergoing intense analysis, and U.S. officials say he apparently enjoyed a support network in Pakistan that allowed him to stay in one location for the past several years. He had no escape plan or means to destroy his reams and gigabytes of documents in the event of an enemy assault, according to the U.S. sources. Two U.S. lawmakers joined a public chorus for the release of photos of bin Laden's body after seeing the images themselves. "These are very graphic, gruesome pictures," said Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Republican from Colorado. But seeing them "gave me a sense of finality and closure." A conservative legal watchdog group has filed the first lawsuit seeking the public release of the video and photographs of the raid and its aftermath. Judicial Watch is asking the Department of Defense to comply with a Freedom of Information request for the material, especially photos of bin Laden's body. The legal complaint to force compliance was made in federal court in Washington on Friday. CNN's Reza Sayah, Barbara Starr, Michael Martinez, Pam Benson and Larry Shaughnessy contributed to this report.

NEW: U.S. wants a "real ally" in Pakistan, Sen. Kerry says . The Pakistani parliament threatens to cut off access to a facility used by NATO forces . A joint session of parliament adopts the resolution . The resolution demands an immediate stop to drone strikes . It also demands an end to raids by U.S. troops within Pakistan's borders .

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(CNN)As another snowstorm barrels toward the already-buried Northeast this weekend, some folks have had just about all they can take. Dr. Steve Schlozman, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, wrote this week that he has "developed a new sympathy for my daughter's hamster," on WBUR's Common Health blog. "She's seen the same cage, the same scene, the same everything, day in and day out," Schlozman wrote. "But alas, my kid's hamster cannot work scissors, or a remote control for the television, or engage in any sort of higher order thinking." But too much time for thinking in the winter can lead to trouble. Millions of Americans experience a serious mood change during the winter months, when there is less natural sunlight. The condition is called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, it's a type of depression, with symptoms such as: . • Sad, anxious or "empty" feelings . • Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism . • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness or helplessness . • Irritability, restlessness . • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy . • Fatigue and decreased energy . • Difficulty concentrating, remembering details and making decisions . • Difficulty sleeping or oversleeping . • Changes in weight . • Thoughts of death or suicide . While the specific cause of SAD remains unknown, researchers have narrowed down a few factors that may come into play. "Our inner clock, whose timing cycle does not necessarily match day and night outdoors, needs to stay in sync with rest-activity cycles dictated by family and work life," says Michael Terman, a professor of clinical psychology in psychiatry at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. "This is both very disorienting and a trigger for mood slumps and depression." "Since the inner clock relies on sunlight to stay in sync, winter sunrise is later and winter nights are longer, melatonin can overshoot into the day, causing grogginess or 'brain fog,' for several hours," Terman says. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates sleep and wake cycles. Serotonin, one of many brain chemicals that affect mood, also varies seasonally, with lower levels in winter. According to the Mayo Clinic, SAD is diagnosed more often in women than in men, but men typically experience more severe symptoms. Younger people have a higher risk of SAD, and those affected are more likely to have blood relatives with SAD or another form of depression. So, how can you beat the winter blues? You've got a few options: . Light therapy is typically the treatment most people try first. You sit a few feet from a specially designed bright light, which mimics natural outdoor light. Solid scientific data is lacking, but light therapy appears to cause a change in brain chemicals linked to mood and seems to be effective for most people in relieving SAD symptoms. You don't need a prescription from your doctor. There are options on websites such as Amazon for under $100. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesn't regulate light-therapy products and, as you might expect, some of the manufacturers' claims are confusing and overreaching. The general consensus is to look for a light box that provides white light -- as opposed to blue or "full spectrum" -- with 10,000 lux of illumination and a broad diffuser screen that filters out UV rays. Most patients report phototherapy generally starts working in just a few days and results in few side effects; at worst: headaches, mild nausea, feelings of restlessness and trouble sleeping. If light therapy doesn't work, you might ask your doctor about a prescription for an antidepressant, especially if your symptoms are severe. Keep in mind that it might take a few weeks for the medication to fully kick in. Additionally, you may have to try a few different medications before you find one that works well for you and has the fewest side effects. If you want to go the natural route, psychotherapy is another option to treat SAD. Psychotherapy can help you identify and change negative thoughts and behaviors that may be making you feel worse, learn healthy ways to cope with SAD and learn how to better manage stress. Of course, the best solutions to any problem are sometimes the simplest. • Get outside. Bundle up and take a walk, even a short one. Even on a cold or cloudy day, outdoor light can help -- especially if you soak it in within the first few hours or waking up in the morning. • Make time to work out. Exercise helps decrease stress and anxiety, both of which can increase symptoms of SAD. As we all know, being more in shape can make you feel better about yourself, too, which can lift your mood. • Last but not least: socialize. When you're feeling down, it can be hard to be social, but that's when it's most important to connect with those around you. So grab your spouse, your kids, a neighbor and let us see what you're up to by posting on social media using the hashtag #CNNsnow.

Yet more snow heading to Northeast United States this weekend . Many are tired of it, but some are SAD. Here are suggestions to help cheer up .

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By . Rob Preece . PUBLISHED: . 02:27 EST, 25 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:44 EST, 25 July 2012 . Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has criticised sports stars David Beckham and Gary Lineker for promoting junk food. The television presenter, who forced the Government to introduce nutrition rules in schools after highlighting the unhealthy meals served to pupils, has added his name to a letter which condemns the use of athletes in commercials. Oliver and other signatories, including Dr Hilary Cass, the president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), say the practice sends the wrong message to children. Under fire: David Beckham, pictured swigging from a fizzy drink bottle in an advert for Pepsi, has been criticised for promoting the product . The letter, published in the Times, reads: 'On the eve of the London Olympics we, a group with a vested interest in improving the health and wellbeing of young people, express our grave concern about this trend. 'We believe it is wrong for athletes to encourage the excessive consumption of such items, which are fuelling poor health and obesity. Image rights: David Beckham has signed lucrative contracts to endorse soft drink Pepsi . 'David Beckham is a great sportsman, yet he has endorsed Pepsi. 'What about the impact of Gary Lineker’s association with Walkers crisps? Or the partnership between Mars and the FA?' The letter claims that food companies . are aware their products have 'little redeeming nutritional qualities' but can trigger a 'so-called "halo" effect' by associating them with . sport. It warns that diet-related diseases are reaching global epidemic proportions. The . letter continues: 'With one in three children in Britain overweight or . obese by the age of nine, we have a public health crisis that requires . urgent intervention.' It . ends: 'We would ask athletes to be very conscious of the effect their . endorsements may have on the future lives of youngsters. 'Obesity does not just carry physical consequences but serious social and emotional ones as well.' Other . signatories to the letter are RCPCH past president Professor Terence . Stephenson, National Association of Head Teachers president Steve . Iredale, Children’s Food Campaign director Charlie Powell and London . cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra. Dr . Malhotra, who has called for a ban on junk food sponsorship of the . Olympics, said: 'It is totally perverse that some of the main sponsors . of the greatest sporting spectacle in the world are McDonald’s and . Coca-Cola. 'One . vital step in reducing the consumption of obesogenic products is to end . the association of sporting role models with junk food. Promotion: Former England striker Gary Lineker has appeared alongside ex-managers Bobby Robson and Terry Venables (left) and singer Lionel Richie (right) in adverts for Walkers crisps . 'The very lucrative financial gain for these athletes is sadly at the expense of our children’s health and we should not allow this to continue.' Dr Cass said: 'We shouldn’t underestimate the fascination that many children and young people have with celebrities, whether that’s teenage girls skipping meals to look like the latest airbrushed magazine model or boys wanting the same brand boot as their footballing idol. 'Sporting role models in particular can send a powerful message to children when it comes to their health and fitness. 'Instead of glamorising junk food, they should be using their influence to inspire children and young people to become tomorrow’s top athletes by eating well and leading active lifestyles. Critical: TV chef Jamie Oliver has signed a letter criticising the use of athletes to promote foods with 'little redeeming nutritional qualities' 'With celebrity status comes responsibility. So rather than helping to fuel this nation’s growing obesity crisis, these stars can play a key role in helping stem it.' Mr Iredale said: 'Like many colleagues in the teaching profession and beyond I continue to be frustrated by the direct link made by large numbers of young people between the sports men and women idolised by so many and the promotion of unhealthy food and drink. 'This sends entirely the wrong message to a generation who are often influenced by the advertising of these products by their heroes. 'I would ask those involved to reflect carefully on the potential consequences of their actions and instead work together to help to improve the health and life chances of those who are so vulnerable.'

TV chef signs letter claiming use of athletes in commercials sends wrong message to children . Beckham promotes Pepsi and Lineker appears in Walkers crisps commercials . Others who have signed letter include Dr Hilary Cass, the president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health .

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By . Tony Jimenez, Reuters . A hole-in-one helped lift European Tour journeyman Graeme Storm to the top of the leaderboard after the third round of the European Masters in Switzerland on Saturday. The 36-year-old Briton's tee shot at the 217-yard, par-three 11th bounced off a bank at the side of the green before taking three hops and diving into the middle of the cup. The ace won Storm a BMW sportscar worth around 144,000 euros(£114,227) and he eventually finished with a one-stroke lead after posting a six-under-par 64 for a 16-under tally of 194. Ace: Storm celebrates the hole-in-one that puts him top of the leaderboard at Crans-sur-Sierre . 'It was an incredible feeling,' the Englishman told reporters at Crans-sur-Sierre. 'I had a hole-in-one earlier in the season in Morocco and won a lamp so I think this prize just about tops that one. 'To win a car is absolutely magnificent especially as I have had to sell mine because we couldn't afford to have two cars any more.' Storm, who is a lowly 159th on the money-list, achieved his only tour victory at the 2007 French Open. Reward: The Englishman poses in the car he was given as a reward for the brilliant hole-in-one . Fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood (63) was one stroke off the pace while Americans Brooks Koepka (66) and David Lipsky (66) occupied third and fourth position on 196 and 197 respectively. Welshman Jamie Donaldson, who will make his Ryder Cup debut later this month, was in a share of fifth spot on 198 after carding a 69. Frenchman Victor Dubuisson (68) was on 10-under-par 200 while Ryder Cup team mate Thomas Bjorn (68) was down the field on 206. On top: Storm leads by one shot in Switzerland with Ryder Cup debutant Jamie Donaldson in fifth place .

Graeme Storm holes tee shot on 217-yard par 3 . Storm wins sports car worth over £100,000 for the shot . Englishman leads by one-shot from countryman Tommy Fleetwood .

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(CNN) -- The race is on to locate the latest Banksy on the streets of New York. The work shows a dog urinating on a fire hydrant -- with a thought bubble above the hydrant reading "You complete me." This is the third piece by the mysterious street artist to appear this week. The first depicted two boys reaching up to a sign which said "Graffiti Is a Crime." The second simply read "This is my New York Accent... normally I write like this." Banksy authenticated the works by publishing them on his website and within hours they were located and defaced. Banksy may have started out as a graffiti artist in western England but his work now sells for millions in the coveted evening contemporary art auctions at Christie's and Sotheby's. His foray into the film business even earned him an Oscar nomination. Read more: Oscars won't let Banksy attend in disguise . He's a hugely successful artist and crucially he knows how to manage his brand. Banksy knows that his reputation was made on street corners, not in establishment hang-outs like the auction rooms of London and New York. New York 'residency' He regularly reminds us of his roots, as with his latest project in New York which his long serving PR, Jo Brooks, describes as: "A month-long residency on streets of New York." Read more: Banksy mural torn from wall, up for auction . Banksy is painting images on walls, taking photographs and publishing them on Instagram and his own website. It's art but it's also a treasure hunt -- a race to locate the work before the vandals. Next to each piece is a toll-free number that the finder can call to receive an audio commentary of the work whilst standing in front of it. Banksy was an early adopter of social media. It was the perfect tool to allow him to communicate directly with fans whilst also protecting his anonymity. He's using Instagram because it doesn't matter where you are, you can see what's going on. The more traditional use of a toll-free number is intended to make it feel like you're in a museum. The lingering question is: Will anyone locate Banksy himself and publish that picture on Instagram? Well I've been trying for years. Apparently I've even met him without knowing it. But this month I hand the task over to New Yorkers ... Read more: Street vs public art .

Banksy started out as a graffiti artist in western England but his work now sells for millions . He is in New York for what his spokesperson says is a "month-long residency." Banksy is painting images, taking photos and publishing them on Instagram and his website. Finders of the works can phone a toll-free number to get a commentary on them.

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President Barack Obama will speak to the nation Tuesday, trying to build public support for a military strike against Syria. His request to Congress to endorse action reaches the House and Senate at an extraordinarily difficult moment. Vote counts suggest that the president might not win the support he is seeking. Democrats and Republicans are uncertain about backing the president. The public remains skeptical as well. According to one NBC poll, only 42% of the public endorsed using military force against Syria. After Afghanistan and Iraq, the nation is weary of war. The bar has been raised for further intervention. Although presidential speeches rarely are able to fundamentally reshape public opinion, Obama must give his strongest effort if he does not want to end up in an embarrassing situation for his administration and one that could undercut the military effort that he is proposing. If Obama is going to deliver a speech that matters, he must answer some basic questions about the Syrian intervention: . Why are we entering this conflict? For many Americans, the arguments behind American intervention in Syria remain murky. This is not just about Syria being a confusing and complex situation, but also has to do with a general uncertainty about the objectives of American foreign policy in 2013. In each era of foreign policy, policymakers have put forth strong ideological arguments that framed public policy about war and peace. Each period had substantial numbers of dissenters, but at least there was something concrete to argue about. During the 1930s and early 1940s, the fight against fascism was the driving force behind decisions about intervention. "Yesterday, December 7, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy -- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan," President Franklin D. Roosevelt explained the next day, when asking Congress for a declaration of war. From the mid-1940s through the late 1980s, the fight against communism was the focal point of policy. Since that time, the objectives of American foreign policy have been less clear. When President Truman asked for congressional support to use military power in Korea in July 1950, he said that the conflict in Korea "has made it clear, beyond all doubt, that the international Communist movement is willing to use armed invasion, to conquer independent nations." In the early 1990s, policymakers turned their attention to rogue states such as Iraq that were said to pose dangers to the stability of key regions. After 9/11, attention turned to international terrorist networks like al Qaeda. On September 20, 2001, President Bush told the nation, "The enemy of America is not our many Muslim friends. It is not our many Arab friends. Our enemy is a radical network of terrorists and every government that supports them." The larger framework surrounding the Syrian intervention is less clear. The administration has offered a number of arguments as to why the United States needs to intervene, from the message it would send to Iran about nuclear weapons, to the urgency of responding to gross violations of human rights. The president must offer a compelling reason why a situation such as this deserves national resources. If humanitarian interventions are to become a new norm, the president should make the case and offer a set of coherent principles for future conflicts. What is the justification for this intervention and is it based on sound intelligence? One of the main sources of public cynicism about American foreign policy comes from the fact that presidents have often used incorrect information or purposely flawed data to justify military operations that result in huge human and financial costs. American history is filled with such examples. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964, which provided President Lyndon Johnson the blanket authority he needed to expand America's presence in Vietnam and the region, was based on spurious data about alleged attacks on U.S. Navy destroyers by the North Vietnamese. Congress gave Johnson wide-ranging authority to conduct military operations. It was "like grandma's nightshirt, it covered everything," he later said. President George W. Bush's request to Congress for the authorization to use force in Iraq in 2003 was justified through incorrect intelligence about the presence of weapons of mass destruction and untrue reports of connections between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. Obama, who ran his 2008 campaign based on criticism of all the problems with Bush's war, needs to demonstrate to the public that he has made a decision based on the soundest of evidence. The revelations about the National Security Agency have already raised public skepticism about the discrepancy between what Obama says in public and what he does behind the scenes. Without revealing sensitive information to the public, it is important that the president make a convincing case that the intelligence behind this decision is sound, that it has been examined and cross-examined, that the Syrian government did use chemical weapons and that the Syrians do pose a substantial threat to the region. He needs to explain why chemical weapons pose a threat that deserves a military strike as opposed to other weapons or mechanisms of mass destruction. Why act here, but not with regard to other atrocities or risks? The nation cannot afford another war based on false premises. What is the mission? Presidents have gone into many wars without a clear sense of what they hope to achieve. Once troops are sent into a war or even after the Air Force is sent in to strike targets, conflicts can take unpredictable turns and escalate quickly. If the administration doesn't articulate a clear sense of what it hopes to accomplish at the outset, it allows for open-ended possibilities for escalation. When President George H.W. Bush went to war with Iraq in 1990, the confusion over the objectives led to great frustration when Americans saw that Hussein remained in power after the celebrations of U.S. victory had taken place. Bush's son's war in Iraq proved even more frustrating, as there was growing awareness that the administration was entering into a much broader mission of nation-building than many Americans had anticipated. When the new government that emerged from the rubble in Iraq remained unstable and the U.S. seemed to be pouring endless resources into the country, many Americans were left with a sense that the operation had not been worthwhile. Obama can't afford to make the the mistake of leaving his objectives ill-defined. It is possible that quick and targeted airstrikes will destroy the chemical weapons capacity of the Syrians, though that would still leave in place a dictator whom the president has characterized as inhumane and brutal. It is also possible that airstrikes would result in retaliation that would trigger a bigger conflict, which would in turn create greater pressure for regime change. The president did the right thing by engaging Congress in this decision rather than trying to circumvent the legislative branch. But in this case, with the memories of Iraq looming large, he won't have luck just asking for blind support. In his speech, the president must answer these questions in simple and direct terms. This would do a great deal to build confidence in the operation, and to build a foundation for longer term support of this intervention should it be needed.

Julian Zelizer: President Obama must answer basic questions to sell Syria move to the public . War-weary Americans want to know why U.S. should intervene, he says . Zelizer: Obama needs to explain reliability of intelligence, outline the aims of the mission .

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By . Tammy Hughes . PUBLISHED: . 04:47 EST, 19 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:48 EST, 19 June 2012 . A Hollywood interior designer - who counts Jessica Alba and Kristen Bell among her clients - has been dragged into a legal dispute over a fostered dog. Designer Kari Whitman, whose office is based in Beverly Hills, also runs a pet adoption agency in L.A called Ace of Hearts - aimed at re-homing rescue dogs. Whitman recently appeared on reality TV show Judge Judy after Teresa Gardenhire, a foster parent for dogs, claimed the designer owed her money for taking care of one of the agency's dogs. Animal lover: Kari Whitman set up Ace of Hearts to re-home rescue dogs - she appeared on Judge Judy accused of owing Teresa Gardenhire money . Restraining order: Whitman, an interior designer to the stars, claims she was harrassed and intimidated by Gardenhire . Judge Judy ruled in favour of Ace of Hearts in an episode taped on May 23. But the situation continued to escalate off-screen and eventually Whitman was forced to file a request for a restraining order after allegedly receiving violent threats from Gardenshire.According to TMZ Gardenhire began harassing Whitman, warning her to 'watch her back' and threatening to steal Whitman's rescue dogs in retaliation. Whitman claimed that she was afraid the 'threats will become real actions' and decided to take legal action. Beverly Hills: Whitman counts Jessica Alba as one of her clients but says her charity work is her true calling . Celebrity connections: Whitman has designed rooms for Kristen Bell and Jessica Alba . Drama: Tensions between the two women escalated off-screen and a real court hearing has been listed for later this month . But Gardenhire says she believed she had adopted the dog in question and was horrified when it was taken away from her. She even filed a police report - claiming she was the victim of a dog-napping. A court hearing on the restraining order is listed for June 28. It is understood the dog involved has already been adopted by another family.

Hollywood interior designer Kari Whitman was accused of owing Teresa Gardenhire money for looking after a dog on the daytime reality TV Show . Although Judge Judy ruled in favour of the designer the drama continued off-screen .

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By . Sami Mokbel In New York . Arsene Wenger has revealed a heart-to-heart with Aaron Ramsey helped trigger the midfielder’s explosive rise last season. Wenger admitted for the first time that he shied away from playing the Welshman at the Emirates Stadium towards the end of the 2012-13 season due to abuse he was receiving from Gunners fans. In an attempt to eradicate the problem, Wenger called a meeting with the troubled player. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Aaron Ramsey flick Santi Cazorla's ear during training . Major change: Aaron Ramsey is now one of the first names on Arsene Wenger's teamsheet . Mentor: Wenger, pictured with Carl Jenkinson, has helped Ramsey's development . And the talks proved a masterstroke, with Ramsey — who scored Arsenal’s winner in last season’s FA Cup final — now established as the club’s premier central midfielder. Wenger said: ‘I sat down with Aaron and I told him, “I don’t think people don’t like you, but they don’t like your game at the moment”. ‘He had to come back to a more simple game... then you saw a different player, because he is intelligent, and when I came out of the meeting I knew this guy would come back.’ Silverware: Ramsey played a major role in Arsenal's FA Cup triumph .

Arsene Wenger used to limit Aaron Ramsey's playing time at the Emirates . The Frenchman held private talks with Wales international Ramsey . Ramsey has gone on to become one of Arsenal's key players .

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The British banker - identified as 29-year-old Rurik Jutting - has been charged with the double murder of two prostitutes in Hong Kong. Mr Jutting, who attended Cambridge University, was arrested by police after the bodies of two women were discovered in his up-market apartment in the early hours of yesterday morning. One of the victims, whose naked body was reportedly found tied up in a suitcase on the 31st-floor balcony, has been identified as 25-year-old Sumarti Ningsih from Indonesia, according to reports. The other woman, believed to be aged between 25 and 30, is thought to have worked part-time as a DJ at a local bar, a source told the South China Morning Post. She had suffered a series of knife wounds. Scroll down for video . Rurick Jutting, a Cambridge University graduate, has been named as the suspect of the double murder . Government workers remove the body of a woman who was found dead at a flat in Hong Kong's Wan Chai district in the early hours of this morning. A British man was been arrested in connection with the murders . Both women were found after Mr Jutting, who is understood to have recently left his job at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, allegedly called police to his address in Wan Chai - an area that is popular with young and affluent expatriate executives and bankers. It is thought the woman found inside the apartment was attacked shortly before officers arrived. Ms Ningsih, who is believed to have been killed several days before she was found, was identified on Sunday by her cousin, who works as a domestic worker in Hong Kong, the South China Morning Post reports. It claimed that she had been arrested on suspicion of breaching her conditions of stay in the territory. Sex toys and cocaine were also reportedly found at the scene, along with a knife that was seized by officers. Mr Jutting's phone is today being examined by police in a bid to identify possible further victims, according to local reports. It is understood that photos of Ms Ningsih, apparently taken after she died, were among roughly 2,000 that officers found on the device. He will appear in court in Hong Kong today while police are said to have placed a 'holding charge' on him. A statement from Hong Kong police said: 'Police today laid a holding charge against a 29-year-old man with two counts of murder. 'Police arrested the man on November 1 in suspected connection with a murder case in which a foreign woman aged between 25 and 30, and another woman were killed. 'The arrestee will appear before Eastern Magistrates' Courts today.' Mr Jutting, who attended Winchester College, an independent boys school in Hampshire, grew up in Chertsey, Surrey, where his family lived in a Grade II listed home. The Grade II listed manor in Cobham, Surrey, where Rurick Jutting's family moved after he left home to continue his studies at Peterhouse, Cambridge . The block of flats in Hong Kong where Jutting moved to when it is understood he took a job at Bank of America Merrill Lynch's office in the city and worked as a trader from July last year . One neighbour, who remembered Mr Jutting and his brother Auryn as teenagers, said he had been shocked by the news of his arrest. He described the family as 'nice enough' and said they were 'quiet and kept themselves to themselves'. When Mr Jutting left to continue his studies at Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he studied law and history, his parents, Helen and Graham, moved into a Grade II listed manor in nearby Cobham. The Victorian home, which was built in 1861, is set behind wrought iron gates and was the inspiration for Ernest Shepard's illustration of Kenneth Grahame's children's classic The Wind in the Willows. Rurik Jutting appears to have worked in Structured Capital Markets at Barclays in London between 2008 and 2010, when he took a job with Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He was moved to the bank's Hong Kong office, where he worked as a trader in the Structured Equity Finance & Trading department, in July last year. A porter at the smart Wapping apartment where he lived before moving to China described him as unfriendly and uncommunicative. 'He was a single guy, he was just one of those that kept his head down,' he said. 'He didn't say 'hi' or anything like that. He was a bit of a loner. 'He did used to have a girlfriend - they lived together for a while then they broke up and she moved out. 'They seemed happy together, holding hands, smiling and laughing. 'He seemed quite normal, I can't believe it. He wasn't aggressive, he was a really quiet and calm guy.' Officers investigate two adjacent balconies in the flat where the two bodies were discovered yesterday . A policeman checks the window (right) in the apartment where the bodies of two women were found . One colleague told the Telegraph that he had apparently vanished from his workplace a week ago. It has also been reported that he resigned from his post days before news of the murders emerged. A spokesman for Bank of America Merrill Lynch confirmed that it had previously employed a man by the same name but would not give more details nor clarify when the person had left the bank. CCTV footage from his apartment block, a 40-storey development of exclusive properties, showed the banker and the other victim returning to the 31st floor shortly after midnight local time yesterday. He allegedly called police to his home at 3.42am, shortly after the woman he was seen with is believed to have been killed. She was found with two wounds to her neck and her throat had been slashed. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Ms Ningsih's body, which was wrapped in a carpet and stuffed inside a black suitcase that measured about three feet by 18 inches, was not found by police until eight hours later. A second victim was found stuffed inside a suitcase on the balcony of the residential flat in Hong Kong . Forensics teams investigate the scene where the bodies were discovered - and a knife was also seized . A woman walks past J Residence, which has been decorated with Halloween-themed stickers, in the Wan Chai district after officers were called in the early hours of Saturday . A police source quoted by the South China Morning Post said: 'She was nearly decapitated and her hands and legs were bound with ropes. 'She was naked and wrapped in a towel before being stuffed into the suitcase. Her passport was found at the scene.' Wan Chai, the district where the apartment is located, is known for its bustling nightclub scene of 'girly bars,' popular with expatriate men and staffed by sex workers from South East Asia. Police have today been contacting nearby bars in an attempt to find out more about the background of the two murdered women. One resident in the 40-storey block, where most of the residents are expatriates, said he had noticed an unusual smell in recent days. He told the South China Morning Post that there had been 'a stink in the building like a dead animal'. Wan Chai District Assistant Commander Wan Siu-hung speaking to reporters about the double murders . Wan Chai, the district where the apartment is located, is known for its bustling nightclub scene of 'girly bars,' popular with expatriate men and staffed by sex workers from South East Asia . Flats measuring just 350 square feet in the 30-storey development sell for more than £550,000 and can be rented for around £1,700 a month. A police source said that the scene of the latest murder was among the grisliest the city had seen since the so-called 'milkshake murder' which took place in 2003. In that case, American Nancy Kisel murdered her husband Robert, a Merrill Lynch investment banker, in their luxury home, bludgeoning him to death after giving him a drug-laced milkshake. She was jailed for life. A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said last night: 'We can confirm that a British national has been arrested in Hong Kong. 'We are in touch with the local police and stand ready to provide consular assistance.' The 40-storey J Residence is reportedly a high-end development favoured by junior expatriate bankers . Police said that when they arrived at the scene a woman was found unconscious and lying inside the flat . Post-mortem examinations will be conducted later to ascertain the causes of death of the deceased . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

A 29-year-old man charged after bodies of two women found yesterday . Named as Rurik Jutting, who studied at Peterhouse, Cambridge . He reportedly recently left his job at Bank of America Merrill Lynch . His phone is being examined as police search for possible further victims . One woman had wounds to neck and buttock and declared dead at scene . Body of second victim was inside a suitcase on balcony of Hong Kong flat . Reportedly identified as 25-year-old Sumarti Ningsih from Indonesia . Photos taken after she died were among 2,000 found on his smartphone . Early investigations suggest they were killed days apart at banker's flat . CCTV showed women and suspect returning to flat at around midnight . A small amount of cocaine was reportedly discovered in the living room .

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Melbourne motorists have been urged to stay away from the Monash Freeway this afternoon after it was closed earlier following a major chemical spill. The Country Fire Authority (CFA) reports that a specialist hazardous materials team has controlled the spill from a drum of highly flammable aviation fuel, which occurred just before 11am. 200 litres of the fuel was being transported in a truck also carrying other highly dangerous chemicals - however authorities say the heavy mover did not crash or roll over. The bank-up of traffic on the Monash Freeway in Melbourne  after a truck carrying highly flammable liquid began leaking earlier today . 'Firefighters in fully enclosed gas suits worked successfully for several hours to prevent the chemicals mixing or igniting,' said the CFA. All inbound and outbound lanes were expected to be open by the peak hour period. Earlier, CFA crews had issued urgent advice, which requested that residents turn off all air-conditioning units. Fire authorities urged residents in the area to stay inside and switch off air conditioners while the clean up of the aviation fuel took place . Operations Officer Greg Christison that a passer-by had alerted the truck driver to the chemical leak who then pulled over and contacted emergency services about the problem. Firefighters were immediately sent to the scene at the Heatherton Road overpass. The truck leaked about 200 litres of highly flammable aviation fuel, the CFA said. VicRoads has confirmed that even with the re-opening of the freeway, that motorists making their way home should expect delays throughout the afternoon and evening.

Chemical spill closed Monash Freeway for several hours . Truck carrying 200 litres of highly flammable aviation fuel began leaking . Residents were told to stay inside and not to switch on air-conditioning units . Motorists urged to stay away from area if possible .

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By . Sarah Griffiths . Most football fans dream of scoring the winning goal in a stadium packed full of thousands of cheering fans and now they can – in a miniature stadium in their garden, at least. The Kansas City-based company that built the London 2012 Olympic Stadium is offering to make miniature fully-functional sports stadiums that can mimic any major sport stadium in the world. The personalised ‘multisport’ stadium can seat up to 100 spectators and features wraparound video screens that can display an illusionary backdrop of choice – including cheering supporters – to make wealthy sports fans feel like they are playing in a professional stadium. The personalised 'multisport' stadium can seat 100 spectators and features wraparound video screens that can display an illusionary backdrop of choice - including cheering supporters - to make wealthy sports fans feel like they are playing in a professional stadium . However, such technology comes at a cost and a bespoke stadium will cost around $30million (£18.3million). Populous, the architects firm that built the London 2012 stadium, Wembley and the new Yankee stadium said the playing field can be up to 50-yards-long and will be surrounded by 20-foot LED screens, able to beam images of an array of famous stadiums to suit the sport being played. Ryan Sickman, an engineer and associate principal at Populous, said players and spectators will feel 'enclosed' in the environment, meaning a fan could play an FA Cup final at Wembley or make a touchdown at the home of the Dallas Cowboys. Populous, the architects firm that built the London 2012 stadium, Wembley and the new Yankee stadium said the playing field can be up to 50-yards-long and will be surrounded by 20-foot LED screens, able to beam images of an array of famous stadiums to suit the sport being played . Amazingly, the pitch will be able to transform between different types of sports field markings at a flick of a switch. Fibre-optic lighting can be embedded in the ‘FieldTurf’ artificial turf system to transform the playing field from a rugby pitch to a baseball diamond instantly. A professional-grade sound system can channel the sounds of a chanting football ground, the polite clapping from a cricket match or even allow someone to commentate on the game. Fibre-optic lighting can be embedded in the 'FieldTurf' artificial turf system of the personal stadium to transform the playing field from a rugby pitch to a baseball diamond instantly. The architects behind the luxurious venture built the London 2012 stadium (pictured) Ryan Sickman, an engineer and associate principal at Populous, said: ‘We're not creating a stadium for thousands of people - this is a custom premium environment for a select number of people. ‘Wind, snow, and rain machines add even more authenticity to the playing and viewing experience and we can even design the stadium with a retractable roof so weather is not a concern. ‘Locker rooms with showers can also can be included - the possibilities are endless.’ Ryan Sickman, an engineer and associate principal at Populous, said players and spectators will feel 'enclosed' in the environment, meaning you can play an FA Cup final at Wembley (pictured) or make a touchdown at the home of the Dallas Cowboys .

The Kansas City-based company is offering to make fully-functional . sports stadiums that can mimic any major sport venue in the world . The personalised ‘multisport’ stadium can seat up to 100 spectators and features wraparound video screens that can display cheering supporters . Populous' bespoke stadium will cost around $30million (£18.3million)

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By . Francesca Infante . PUBLISHED: . 20:47 EST, 1 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:20 EST, 2 November 2013 . His title as one of nation's most popular entertainers is confirmed. And with a career spanning seven decades, a glamorous wife, half a dozen adoring children and an OBE to his name, audiences could be forgiven for thinking that Sir Bruce Forsyth hasn't got a care in the world. But as the 85-year-old entertainer continues to delight viewers in his current role on Strictly Come Dancing, it has been revealed that he is also nursing his first wife as she battles with dementia. The presenter has been caring for first wife Penny Calvert, 83, since 2008, when the former dancer’s health deteriorated to such an extent that she was moved to a residential care home. Sadness: Bruce and Penny in 1961. The veteran entertainer has been a regular visitor to his ex-wife's nursing home, where she has been treated for dementia since 2008 . And despite divorcing 40 years ago Sir Bruce remains a frequent visitor at the Kent care where Penny now lives and is apparently determined to keep her involved in family life. His daughter Julie - his second child . with Penny– has spoken of her father's ongoing commitment to his former wife even as here health deteriorated. Speaking to the Daily Mirror she said: 'It has become impossible to care for her anymore. My father and I continue to visit her. She might not recognise us anymore but we won’t forget her.’ Such is Sir Bruce's loyalty to Penny was received as a guest of honour at a special Mother's Day party at his Surrey home in 2009 where he presented her with a bouquet of flowers. The event was attended by Sir Bruce's current wife Wilnelia, 54, all six of his children, eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren - his second wife Anthea Red fern, 65 even telephone to offer her good wishes. Julie, 55, added: ‘We stood in a line for a photo and . as I glanced around me, at my sisters, my half-sisters, half-brother, . step-mother and mother, it struck me that this was probably my father’s . greatest achievement. How it was: Bruce fathered three children with Penny before their divorce in 1973 . Dancing sensations: Bruce and Penny in their dancing gear in 1961 . ‘To . have three wives and six children who adore him and get along, without . acrimony, rows or bitterness, is extraordinary. We are like a huge, . extended family. When we arrived, he gave the women a bouquet of . flowers. It was so typical of Dad’ But Penny did not appear in the family photograph and has rarely been seen in public since her split from Sir Bruce in the seventies. She was also guest at her ex-husband's 80th birthday party in 2008 but after suffering a stroke that year was forced to move into residential care. A source close to the legendary entertainer told the Mirror that despite two subsequent marriages Sir Bruce has remained close contact with his former wife and has been saddened by her illness. The source said: 'Penny and Bruce divorced a long time ago but things heal over with time and considering there are three marriages involved in his life, everyone is very friendly and civilised. 'It is a testament to his current wife, Wilnelia, that Bruce has such a wonderful and close family, which includes Penny.' Second time lucky: Bruce would go on to marry his Generation Game hostess, Anthea Redfern, with whom he has two daughters . Penny and Bruce met at the Windmill Theatre in London and became a song and dance double act before going on to marry in 1953. They . had three daughters together, Julie, Debbie, 55, and Laura, 51, but . their 20 years of marriage were wracked by the pressures of Bruce's . growing fame - and repeated infidelities. The pair finally parted company in 1973 after a decade of living apart lat the . same year he married former Generation Game hostess Anthea Redfearn, . with whom he would have two daughters before their eventual divorce six years later. Bruce . then married Puerto Rican former Miss World Wilnelia Merced – who is 32 . years his junior – in 1983, three-years after they met while judging . the 30th annual Miss Work pageant at London’s Royal Albert Hall. No sign of slowing down: Bruce, left,  with Strictly co-star Tess Daly, and right, in concert at the Symphony Hall in Birmingham in May this year . Happy couple: Bruce with his third wife, former Miss World Wilnelia Merced who he married 20 years ago, sources close to the star have credited her with helping him maintain close relationships with his ex-wives . Four years later she gave birth to his first and only son, Jonathan. The presenter has previously opened up about the strain his frequent touring would put on his first marriage. ‘Sadly, such prolonged absences eventually put a great strain on our marriage,’ he said. ‘There are always temptations. Whether you take them or not is up to you. It depends how happy your private life is.’

Former dancer Penny, 83, was moved into a residential care home in 2008 after she became 'impossible' to care for . The pair met in London in the fifties and married before having three children together . But despite their divorce 40 years ago Sir Bruce has remained a regular visitor to his former wife as her health deteriorated .

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Washington (CNN) -- It took five days for President Barack Obama to address the controversy he caused by saying "we don't have a strategy yet" to defeat ISIS. Wednesday, the President attempted to clarify what he meant by specifying that he was referring to ISIS inside Syria while highlighting the U.S. strategy in Iraq of airstrikes to weaken the extremist terror group that calls itself the Islamic State. "It is very important from my perspective that when we send our pilots in to do a job -- that we know that this is a mission that's going to work; that we're very clear what our objectives are, what our targets are," Obama said during a joint news conference with Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas on the first day of his trip to Europe for NATO meetings. Obama went further, saying that before the U.S. acts in Syria, the administration must have "made the case to the American people and (make sure) we've got allies behind us so that it's not just a one-off, but it's something that over time is going to be effective." In other words, the President wants to engage coalition partners, create a meaningful military plan and explain it to the public. He also said he might need approval from Congress. Who is ISIS? So why did that take so long to respond to that rare moment of candor that resulted in ongoing criticism from every corner of the political spectrum and provide another opportunity for critics to define his foreign policy as feckless and aimless? Dr. Nussaibah Younis, senior researcher at the Project on Middle East Democracy, said Obama's slow response to his critics is characteristic of his approach to foreign policy. "Slowly he's getting there," said Younis, an Iraq expert who has been warning about the growing threat of ISIS and is critical of the President's "cautious" approach to ISIS in Iraq. He wants strategic, limited and immediate airstrikes in Syria. "The gravity of the situation is filtering through and I think that's progress." Biden: U.S. to pursue ISIS killers 'to the gates of hell' The President again fell victim to that perception again Wednesday. During that same news conference in Estonia, Obama gave mixed messages of U.S. goals against the group that effectively erased the border between Iraq and Syria. On one hand he said the goal is to "degrade and destroy," then appeared to move back from the "destroy" part of the phrase by saying the goal against ISIS is to ensure the group is "manageable." It is another instance that opens him up to criticism from those who want aggressive military action as well as confusion on the part of an American public that wants answers. "He left a little ambiguous what the goal is today," David Gergen, a former adviser to four presidents, said Wednesday on CNN. An administration official defended the President, saying he did not deliver two conflicting messages, but noted that this is going to be a time-consuming fight that will begin with managing ISIS's threat and eventually lead to its destruction. Now that this is the second messaging problem the President has had in less than a week when talking about the terrorist group, Major Gen. James "Spider" Marks said the President's missives must be more clear. "Words are very, very important," Marks said on CNN, adding that his messages are mixed because the U.S.'s lack of a strategy. Regardless of messaging, the President's restrained strategy does have its defenders. Fareed Zakaria, host of CNN's "GPS," said that the President's response to ISIS in Syria, which is embroiled in a three-year long civil war, is appropriate. He said one important consideration is whether the brutal regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would be strengthened if ISIS is defeated there. "In the Middle East, the enemy of your enemy is still your enemy," Zakaria said on CNN's "New Day" on Wednesday. The external pressure put on Obama to act is harmful, Zakaria said. "This is where the media pressure actually is unhelpful to having a strong foreign policy," he said. After ISIS beheaded American journalist Steve Sotloff, the second American in less than one month, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman wrote that caution is the President's ally because ISIS's actions are "meant to get us to overreact." The President will begin to mold his strategy at the NATO summit where he will attempt to organize a coalition to address ISIS in Syria. And next week, Congress is back in Washington where debate about U.S. response to ISIS is expected. Opinion: Why Obama needs to be the explainer in chief . CNN's Jim Acosta contributed to this report .

Obama addresses his "we don't have a strategy yet" to defeat ISIS five days later . Obama said he wants to "clear what our objectives are" and to make "the case" to Americans . One expert said his delayed response is characteristic of his approach to foreign policy: slow .

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By . Charlie Scott . Follow @@charliefscott . Toni Kroos has rubbed salt in the wounds of Bayern Munich fans following his £24million move to Real Madrid, by claiming the Champions League holders are ‘the greatest club in the world’. The midfielder left the Allianz Arena after the World Cup following a hugely successful four-year spell at the club. But, in his first official interview since becoming a Madrid player, he said: ‘In my opinion, Real Madrid is the greatest club in the world and for that reason, I didn’t really need to think twice [about joining them]. VIDEO Scroll down to watch There was no other club for me - Kroos . Delighted: Real Madrid president Florentino Perez unveils Toni Kroos following his move . Wanted: The German applauds the Madrid fans that attended his unveiling at the Santiago Bernabeu . Superstar: The World Cup-winning midfielder enjoys the adulation of Real Madrid's fans . Kroos said he cannot wait to start playing with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Sergio Ramos. ‘It’s . clear that all of those players have enormous quality. Real Madrid have . very good players – they always have had. It will be out of this world . to play alongside such great players, Real Madrid really has a . magnificent team.’ The 24-year-old won the World Cup with Germany at the Maracana on July 13 and then signed for Madrid four days later. ‘I’ve . certainly had worse weeks!’ he said, when asked about his busy . schedule. ‘There’s no doubt about that. First we won the World Cup in . Brazil and now I have officially joined Real Madrid and I am extremely . happy about that.' Champions: Kroos (18) celebrates Germany's World Cup final victory over Argentina . Battered: Kroos scored twice against Brazil in the semi-final as Germany crushed the hosts . Real deal: Kroos holds his World Cup winners' medal with pride after Germany's win over Argentina . VIDEO There was no other club for me - Kroos . On his . unveiling, which included him performing tricks in front of hundreds of . fans at the Santiago Bernabeu, he said: ‘I am very proud to be at . Madrid. It’s something very special and also to step out into the . Bernabeu wearing the Madrid shirt for the first time was a fantastic . feeling. The fans gave me a wonderful reception. ‘I . was absolutely convinced that I had made the right decision to come . here when I signed the contract and everything that has happened to me . since only confirms that. ‘Everything . has worked out quickly and easily; I really enjoyed getting to meet the . fans – that was a special moment for me and it made me realise I have . made the correct decision. ‘I . have played at the Bernabeu twice with Bayern Munich and it was a . magnificent experience. But now, playing at my new home, as a Real . Madrid player and with those fans behind me is going to be an even . better experience. I know that the atmosphere here is wonderful. I’m . looking forward to our home games which I am sure will be very . successful.’ Great shakes: Toni Kroos (left) meets Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti as he signs for the Spanish giamts . Welcome aboard: Kroos is greeted by Madrid's assistant coach Fernando Hierro . Kroos was . given a tour of Madrid’s training base at Valdebebas, where he also met . Carlo Ancelotti and a number of his new team-mates. ‘It . was very nice and very interesting to see the training facilities for . the first time. I’m sure I will get to know the training complex a lot . better. ‘I was very . impressed with what I saw – the complex is very big and it was also very . nice to meet the coach I had already spoken with him and now I cannot . wait for August 5 to arrive so that I can start training with the squad . and be ready to start playing. ‘Carlo . told me he is very happy to have me here, and that the transfer had . gone as planned and also that he was very happy that I had decided to . join Real Madrid. ‘He said . that he was delighted to be able to welcome me on board today and is . looking forward to seeing me on August 5 when I will join the squad for . training.’ Out of this world: Kroos says he cannot wait to players of the calibre of Cristiano Ronaldo . Talent pool: Kroos will join the likes of Gareth Bale, centre, and Isco, right at Real Madrid . The German also had some kind words to say about Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano, who passed away at the beginning of July. ‘Everyone . I have spoken to here has told me what Alfredo Di Stefano means to Real . Madrid, and that he was an absolute club legend. ‘He made the club even greater than it was before and everyone told me how sad they are at his passing. ‘I . think that it will take some time before that sadness fades and I hope . that our future will be just as successful here at Real Madrid.’ Legendary status: Kroos paid tribute to Madrid legend Di Stefano, who died at the beginning of July . Sad loss: Di Stefano celebrates with the original European Cup after Real beat Reims 4-3 in the 1956 final .

Kroos completed his £24m switch from Bayern Munich after excelling for Germany at the World Cup in Brazil . The midfielder says Madrid were always his first option, and that he considers them to be 'the greatest club in the world' Kroos cannot wait to get playing with new team-mates Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Sergio Ramos . He also spoke of his pride for signing Madrid, who won their 10th Champions League last season .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:30 EST, 31 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:22 EST, 31 January 2013 . Wants his due: 'For at least 25 years, she has been living a major lie,' says former assistant district attorney Steven Pagones, who filed court papers against Brawley for the $431,492 she still owes from a decade-old defamation judgment against her . A former New York prosecutor whose reputation was destroyed after Tawana Brawley falsely called him a 'gang-raping, kidnapping racist' has filed court papers seeking the nearly half a million dollars she owes him, it was revealed today. Steven Pagones, a former Dutchess County prosecutor, says Brawley still owes him . $431,492, including interest, after dragging his name through the mud  in 1987 when he was one of three falsely accused by her of the notorious gang rape. On . November 28, 1987, the then-15-year-old was found in a trash bag, . dazed, smeared with feces with the word 'n****r' scrawled on her body. 'For at least 25 years, she has . been living a major lie,' Pagones said. 'To me, this has always been . about responsibility and accountability,' he said of the more than decade-old defamation judgment against her. She told police she had been abducted by . two white men and driven to the woods where they and four others . ravaged her for four days - one of which had a badge. The case was catapulted onto the . national stage by attorneys Alton H. Maddox and C. Vernon Mason, and the . then-little-known Rev Al Sharpton, who claimed she was raped 33 times. Brawley, who now goes by the name Tawana Gutierrez, is a single mom working as a nurse in . Virginia. She may now have as much as 25 percent of her wages garnished to repay Pagones, his lawyer, Garry Bolnick, told the New York Post. 'People criticize me for going after a hardworking single mother trying to support herself and child,' Pagones said. 'My argument has been she has not been held accountable.' He added that he may drop the suit if Brawley finally admits she made up the horrific accusations. Racial tensions: Rev Al Sharpton catapulted the case of Tawana Brawley, centre, onto the main stage and made him a household name across the country . 'If . she is not going to tell the truth, then it is about the money. That is . the only way to hold her accountable,” said Pagones, who is now . principal owner of a private investigations firm. The Brawley case was a national . scandal and had celebrities weighing in, with Bill Cosby posting a . $25,000 reward for information on the case. Don King promised $100,000 for Brawley’s education and boxer Mike Tyson gave her a $30,000 watch to ease her pain. Here to collect: Pagones says he would consider dropping his demand for money if Brawley admits she made up her story against him. 'If she is not going to tell the truth, then it is about the money. That is the only way to hold her accountable' Fishkill Police Officer Harry Crist Jr. was implicated after being found dead in his apartment a week after Brawley was discovered, and Pagones was also accused when he stepped in with an alibi for the 28-year-old. But in 1988 a grand jury found the whole shocking story was a hoax, and Brawley was never raped. Now 40 years old, The New York Post tracked her down working as a nurse in Virginia. 'I don't want to talk to anyone about that,' Brawley told the newspaper recently as she emerged from her apartment in Hopewell, Virginia, wearing scrubs. Historic case: Reverend Al Sharpton, pictured in 1988, picketed outside the hotel of New York governor Mario Cuomo . She lives what appears to be a relatively normal life in a neatly kept brick apartment complex with signs warning of video surveillance cameras. To avoid detection, Brawley goes by the aliases of Thompson and Gutierrez and has a young daughter, a neighbor told the Post. She reportedly works as a licensed practical nurse at The Laurels of Bon Air in Richmond. But her co-workers have been in the dark about the incredible story of brutality, which turned out to be false. 'Are you serious? We don't know her by that name. Isn't that a trip?' one staffer said, adding that the woman who they call Tawana Gutierrez was 'a good worker.' According to a neighbor, Brawley has lived in Hopewell - Virginia's most crime-laden town - for at least a year. 'Tawana V. Gutierrez' and 'Tawana V. Thompson' have held the same nursing license since 2006, state records show. The Virginia Board of Nursing confirmed issuing it to a 'Tawana Vacenia Thompson Gutierrez.' False claims: Brawley, pictured in 1988, claimed she was gang raped by a group of white men, one of whom had a badge . Rally: Tawana Brawley, left in 1988, of Wappinger Falls, N.Y., was the center of the legal controversy over her rape charges . Brawley maintains a PO box in Claremont, Va., under the name Gutierrez, according to The Post's sources. The grand jury panel, which heard from 180 witnesses over its seven-month investigation, found that Brawley made up the story to avoid being punished for staying out late and missing school. They found evidence she had ran away from home and was hiding out in her parents' former apartment after they got evicted. Many believed that Brawley feared her stepdad Ralph King's and needed an alibi for her absence. King spent seven years in prison in the 1970s for killing his first wife. Traces of the charcoal-like material used to scrawl the hateful word on her body were found under her fingernails, and she showed no signs of genital trauma or exposure, the jury found. One witness said Brawley was spotted climbing into the bin bag. We believe you: The case polarised new York City in the late 1980s . Lawsuit: Tawana Brawley, pictured in 1997, spoke at a rally in support of Alton Maddox who lost a lawsuit for defamation of character by Steven Pagones . 'It is probable that in the history of this state, never has a teenager turned the prosecutorial and judicial systems literally upside down with such false claims,' state Supreme Court Justice S. Barrett Hickman wrote at the time. Pagones has tried to forget the sorry affair but says he can't. 'It'll come up randomly. It'll come up when something happens with Sharpton,' he told The Post. Pagones won a defamation lawsuit against Sharpton, Brawley and her lawyers in 1998. Maddox was found liable for $97,000, Mason for $188,000, and Sharpton was ordered to pay $66,000. Brawley was ordered to pay $190,000 at 9 per cent annual interest but hasn't paid any of that bill. 'Through her silence, she's as guilty of libel as Maddox, Mason and Sharpton,' he told the newspaper. 'The only way to hold her accountable — at least at this stage — is financially.'

Steven Pagones, a former assistant district attorney, says Brawley 'never told the truth about this hoax or paid me a cent' Brawley, 40, has been found living modest life in Hopewell, Virginia . She is a nurse and has a young daughter but said 'I don't want to talk to anyone about that' when questioned about her former life . At 15, she claimed she was raped by a gang of white men, one of whom had a badge . Three men were accused in the 1987 attack . In 1988, a grand jury found the incredible story of brutality was all a hoax . Brawley was ordered to pay Pagones $190,000 more in 1998, and that figured has ballooned with interest .

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By . Chris Pleasance . PUBLISHED: . 04:36 EST, 25 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:00 EST, 25 October 2013 . The Swiss public could be about to back a law which would stop company bosses earning more than 12 times more than their lowest paid employee. Campaigners from Young Socialists Switzerland, a youth arm of the Swiss . Socialist Party, are now 'pulling out all the stops' to ensure a win . when the country votes on the proposed law on November 24. The latest opinion polls, published yesterday, showed support for and against tied on 44 per cent after earlier polls predicted defeat for those pledging to vote for the law in the referendum. The campaign has targeted UBS investment bank CEO Andrea Orcel after claiming his pay is 194 times higher than the lowest paid employee . As part of the campaign, the left-wing activists have launched a 'fat cat of the week' competition on their facebook page, targetting UBS' CEO Andrea Orcel, whose pay is 194 times higher than the lowest paid employee, they claim. He also received a $29million (£17.9million) payment when he joined the investment bank in 2012, though Switzerland has already . passed a law forbidding these so-called 'golden handshakes'. The new move, which is fiercely opposed by the Swiss banking sector, had been expected to fail after being criticised by both right-wing and centre politicians. Activists from Switzerland's Young Socialists have been projecting campaign material onto the UBS building and are organising a rally for November 2 . However the recent polls have given hope to activists who have begun projecting campaign material onto banking buildings, and are organising a rally for November 2. David Roth, head of the youth group, said: 'It’s better than previous polls which only gave 35 percent in favour, but it could still vary between 10 or 15 per cent for each side.' That means campaigners still have their work cut out to ensure it passes, he added. Switzerland hosts two referendums a year by postal vote, which form the cornerstone of Swiss democracy. Earlier this month a petition signed by 120,000 people called on the Swiss government to ensure a minimum income of $2,800 (£1,700) per month for every worker in the country. The petition was backed by enough people to force a vote on the issue in parliament, though no date has yet been set.

Referendum will be held on November 24 to decide whether law is brought in . Young Socialists Switzerland had been expected to fail in campaign . However latest polls show yes and no vote tied at 44 per cent .

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Beijing (CNN) -- One year in the job as the Chinese Communist Party supremo, Xi Jinping so far has presided over a relatively smooth transition of leadership. But what is his vision for the next 10 years, when he is expected to serve as paramount leader? No one has a crystal ball that gives definitive clues. In the first few months since he took power, Xi has pushed a popular and arguably progressive agenda: attacking corruption, not just flies (junior officials) but a few tigers (senior officials) too; curbing official extravagance, like senseless banqueting, and, one of my favorites, banning "empty speeches." But in recent weeks, Xi has turned "left". He allowed tighter control over the traditional and social media, silenced dissenting voices among academics and scholars, and cracked down on liberal activists, petitioners and protesters. At the same time, Xi has paid homage to Chairman Mao Zedong and some of his preaching. He visited a few revolutionary shrines, endorsed the Maoist practices of "criticism and self-criticism" -- ostensibly to purify the party ranks -- and advocated "mass line" campaigns to improve the party's popularity among the people. Analysts wonder: Is Xi a Maoist or a Dengist? Is he a conservative or a reformist? Clearly, Xi is not a Chairman Mao nor a Deng Xiaoping. Like his two predecessors -- Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao -- Xi is not a legendary revolutionary figure who can command absolute loyalty. In the current political system, he is merely a primus inter pares -- first among equals, who leads by consensus. Left or right? Like Deng, Xi may not have to seek absolute dominance, a la Mao, to be an effective leader. Instead, he may just seek to find the center of the debate. Still, unless and until there is fundamental political reform, China will remain a nation more dependent on the power of a single leader, a charismatic strongman, than on institutions. Friends in China asked me these same questions, and my honest answer is: no one knows for sure, but I think Xi is signaling "left" so he can turn "right". Expectations of Xi were high on the eve of the Third Plenum of the Communist Party's central committee, China's 300-plus political elite, who last week met behind closed doors in Beijing. Sinologists had drawn parallels to the Third Plenum in 1978, a landmark meeting that launched Deng Xiaoping's reform and open-door program. Chinese media accounts on documents approved during the plenum signal significant changes: . Prickly issues . China's top leaders have been deliberating these prickly issues for years, but decisions have been put off for lack of consensus or political will. That Xi was able to push these through this time, analysts say, indicates Xi's growing influence. The Plenum has also agreed to set up two new institutions: the Leading Group on Comprehensive Deepening of Economic Reform and the National Security Commission. The security commission will be a supra-ministerial body that will take charge of over-arching security issues, including military and police matters, territorial disputes, cyber-attacks and ethnic unrest. Xi is expected to play a leading role in the two groups, even though Premier Li Keqiang may head the economic reform commission. These institutions, analysts say, will allow Xi and his team to supervise the complex and often conflicting bureaucracies -- the Communist Party, the government, the military and police in a top-down authoritarian way. Proponents of reform sound optimistic. Endorsements . The plenum gives market forces a "decisive role" that will allow enterprises and individuals to invest more overseas, economist Wang Zhile, an expert on international business and trade told me. The most significant endorsement came from Wu Jinglian, the octogenarian guru of the Deng's reform program who also served as doctoral degree adviser of Premier Li Keqiang at Peking University. Speaking in Beijing this week, Wu said the system set up by China in 1978 when China embarked on reform and opening was "the initial primary-stage version of market economy for the late 21st century, which still took on many vestiges of the old system." The one put forth by Xi, he said, is "an upgraded version for a more mature market economy system that suits the current demands." But analysts also caution against excessive optimism. It will take longer than expected to make these reforms work, says economist Cheng Siwei, using the Chinese maxim "Bu pa man, zhi pa zhan" -- slowing down is not worrisome; a standstill is. Three decades ago, the late Communist leader Chen Yun, a contemporary of Deng Xiaoping, likened the Chinese economy to a bird and the Chinese political system to a bird cage. While the cage may be enlarged to let the bird fly more freely, Chen argued, it must never be discarded. Xi and his cohorts seem to agree on that .

Far-reaching reform package indicates Xi Jinping's growing influence . But reforms come as Xi tightens media controls and pays homage to Mao Zedong . Rhetoric suggests Xi is signaling "left" so he can turn "right" Chinese political system likened to a bird cage: Cage can be enlarged but not discarded .

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By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 01:14 EST, 29 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:33 EST, 29 June 2012 . Two female police officers, who allegedly leaked a photo of pop star Rihanna's bruised and battered face after she was assaulted by singer Chris Brown, will not face criminal charges, authorities said today. A three-year investigation by the LA district attorney's office could not find enough evidence to show celebrity news website TMZ paid the accused officers for the photo. Officers Blanca Lopez and Rebecca Reyes may still be fired. They are slated to appear before disciplinary panels in August. Pain: A photo of Rihanna's battered and bruised face after she was attacked by boyfriend Chris Brown was allegedly leaked to celebrity site TMZ by two LAPD officers . Brown, who was Rihanna's boyfriend at the time, was arrested on suspicion of beating the Grammy winner on February 8, 2009, leaving her battered and bruised. The singer, whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, canceled her Grammy performance that year after the incident. Brown pleaded guilty to attacking Rihanna and was ordered to serve five years on supervised probation and to complete six months of community service including roadside clean-up, graffiti removal and manual labor. Prosecutors alleged the picture was leaked after a stack of photographs of Rihanna's injuries was left lying on a desk at the Wilshire police station in Los Angeles and Reyes took a picture of the top photo with her phone. Volatile: Rihanna was dating singer Chris Brown when he attacked her in February 2009, sparking a national conversation about domestic violence . Prosecutors say Reyes later emailed the image from her LAPD email address to her personal account. Reyes and Lopez were roommates at the time, and phone records showed that they made multiple phone calls to Fox Television and TMZ in February. The photo shocked fans and prompted a national conversation about domestic violence after it spread through the media. But despite a search of Reyes' and Lopez's bank accounts, a money trail was not discovered tying the leak to them, prosecutors said. Leak: Pictures of Rihanna were taken at Wilshire police department in LA where it is believed they were sent to media outlets . In order to prove the officers broke the law, prosecutors said in the report they 'must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Reyes and Lopez disclosed the image of Robyn F. (Rihanna) to TMZ and obtained money in exchange for this disclosure'. The prosecutors' report noted that other LAPD personnel had access to the photos. 'As such, although both Reyes and Lopez's actions are suspicious, they are insufficient to support a criminal prosecution,' the report said. Rihanna's attorney Donald Etra said today he does not know at this time whether the singer wants to pursue any further legal action. 'Apparently this was an internal decision by the district attorney. A victim's privacy should be protected,' Etra said.

Officers Blanca Lopez and Rebecca Reyes may still lose their jobs . Reyes allegedly took a picture with her phone of Rihanna's photo which was lying on a desk at Wilshire police department in LA then sent to TMZ .

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(CNN) -- Chaos and a lack of communication are common threads among American survivors' stories of the Costa Concordia sinking, and making it to shore was only the beginning of a long ordeal for passengers trying to get home. Melissa Goduti of Wallingford, Connecticut, boarded the ship about three hours before it ran aground Friday night, killing at least 11 passengers. "All of a sudden, the boat leaned over like on a 70-degree angle, and everything just started falling -- dishes were falling, trash cans were falling, everything was falling," Goduti told CNN affiliate CTNow. "Then the lights went out and everything was blacked, out and then the lights came back on." Lynn Kaelin of Puyallup, Washington, told CNN affiliate KCPQ that it was "like having the Titanic without the water gushing through." "I called my husband, not knowing if I'd see him again," she said. "I thought we were going to die." There were no announcements for a long time, and Goduti and her mother didn't see signs directing them toward lifeboats. "We were running around trying to ask what floor the lifeboats were on, and all the crew kept saying is, 'you don't need them, you're fine, everything is fine, we just got hit by a big wave,' " Goduti told CTNow. "All they kept saying was it's a generator issue, just a generator issue and that the boat was floating along and just needed to get stabilized," she said. Nancy Lofaro of New Rochelle, New York, said the crew tried to do what they could, "but when we asked them, they said they had no information. They just didn't have any information to give us." Lofaro estimates the first announcement came 30 to 40 minutes after the ship ran aground. Goduti and her mother feel lucky they found a lifeboat. "When our lifeboat dropped, it dropped. It wasn't an easy letdown by any means, but at least we got into the water and were safe, which is a lot better than, unfortunately, some people," she said. Costa staff in Lofaro's lifeboat were debating who would drive the boat, and they didn't seem to know what to do, she said. Joan Fleser of Duanesburg, New York, seconds that opinion, calling the crew "inexperienced and untrained." In a letter to passengers, Costa Cruises CEO Pier Luigi Foschi disputes that assessment: "The crew of the Costa Concordia acted bravely and swiftly in an extremely difficult situation and succeeded -- despite the terribly demanding conditions -- in evacuating more than 4,000 people in the shortest possible time: we are proud of our commitment and dedication to your safety." He goes on to outline crew training, safety procedures and regulatory oversight. Survivors of the disaster say the scene on land was equally chaotic. Fleser said the lifeboat ride to the Tuscan island of Giglio was the last she saw of Costa Cruises employees until she, her husband and daughter reached a hotel in Rome on Saturday. The people of the island came out in force to help the stranded travelers, and a local priest opened up the church. Fleser and her family stayed at the home of a local family overnight. "The people of the island were wonderful," Fleser said. Nancy Lofaro and her husband wandered around on shore, finding a church, a local cafe and a small hotel all packed. "There was no organization. There was nobody, and the staff was in shock as much as we were. There were no announcements. We saw Costa people ... walking around with a bullhorn, not using it," Lofaro said. Fleser and her family were herded onto a ferry to the mainland the morning after the wreck, "but we had no idea where we were going." Triage doctors, members of the coast guard, the Red Cross and other volunteer organizations met the cruise passengers and took them to a local school, where more local services were provided. Her daughter received a pair of sneakers there because she was still wearing high heels from the night before, Fleser said. The family then boarded a bus to Rome, where they were dropped off at a hotel. "The Marriott had no idea we were coming. All these refugee boat people land on their front door, and they say, 'Who are you? But we'll take care of you,' " Fleser said. There were two Costa cruise representatives at the hotel, "but every time we asked them if they could do something for us, they said they had no authority," she said. The cruise line did pay for food, the hotel and their airfare home, Fleser said, although they booked them on a flight to Albany, Georgia, instead of Albany, New York -- a mistake the family discovered in the Atlanta airport. "Oh my god, we were just ready to lose it at that point." More than 1,100 Costa employees have been working to assist passengers and crew since Friday night, Foschi said in his letter to passengers. The CEO of Costa's parent company, Carnival Corp., pledged support to passengers: "I give my personal assurance that we will take care of each and every one of our guests, crew and their families affected by this tragic event," Micky Arison said in a statement. Before Fleser and her family could make the journey home, they needed new passports to replace those lost on the sinking ship. The U.S. Embassy's response was a big disappointment, Fleser said. "Other than getting our temporary passports, they gave us no assistance whatsoever. No food, no clothes, no money, no transportation. They told us to borrow some money, get a cab, come on down." A hotel shuttle took Fleser and other Americans to the embassy, she said. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the agency arranged with the cruise line to have American passengers transported to a Rome hotel and to the embassy for documents. More than 100 emergency passports have been issued to stranded travelers. "We also provided all kinds of advice, telephone contacts to families, helped families create travel funds, provided them with passport photos, warm clothes, there were even a couple of families that needed diapers," she said during a State Department briefing Wednesday. Fleser and her family arrived home shortly after midnight Tuesday. They received a voicemail from Costa saying the family would be reimbursed for the cruise and articles lost on the ship, she said, but the message didn't offer details of how those amounts would be determined. In addition to arranging lodging, transportation and counseling for passengers, Costa will address possessions lost on board and is in the process of refunding cruise fares and costs incurred while on board, the company said in a statement.

U.S. passengers tell stories of "inexperienced, untrained" crew . Costa CEO: "Crew of the Costa Concordia acted bravely and swiftly" New York woman disappointed in U.S. Embassy response . Passengers to receive refunds, reimbursement for lost possessions .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 23:01 EST, 2 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 23:01 EST, 2 November 2013 . Bernhard Goetz, the controversial 'Subway Vigilante' who shot four teenagers on the New York subway in 1984, has been charged with misdemeanor sale and possession of marijuana, authorities said Saturday. The 65-year-old was arraigned Saturday in Manhattan Criminal Court on three misdemeanor drug charges for sale and possession of marijuana. He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court next month. Goetz became a public figure after he shot four black youths he claimed were going to mug him, prompting debate over race relations and frustration with high crime rates of New York in the 1980s. Charged: Bernard Goetz stands with attorney Danielle Iredale, as he is arraigned in Manhattan criminal court, in New York . Out and about: Bernie Goetz seen on the streets of Manhattan in February 2012. It has been reported that he was arrested for trying to make a pot deal with an undercover cop on Friday . Goetz was nabbed in a sting operation in . Union Square park Friday evening for selling $30 worth of marijuana to . an undercover officer, police said. He asked the woman if she wanted to get . high, then went back to his apartment, where he has lived for decades, . and returned with marijuana, authorities said. He was arrested on . charges of criminal sale of marijuana. According to The Post, Goetz was arrested on the street at about 5.45pm after getting into conversation with the police officer. A police source said: 'He told her he wanted to get high with her and sold her a small amount of pot in a tissue.' Courting controversy: Bernhard Goetz leaves Manhattan criminal court in New York on Saturday . Goetz wasn't being targeted specifically; he just happened to cross paths with the undercover officer assigned to crack down on drug dealing in the park, authorities said. After a tumultuous trial in 1985 that attracted much media attention, Goetz was only found guilty of criminal possession of a weapon and innocent of all four counts of attempted murder and assault. With New York in the grip of a violent crime epidemic, some hailed Goetz for standing up to his potential attackers. Others saw him as a racist, who had overstepped the boundaries of self-defense. Goetz ended up serving eight months in jail, but his legacy lasted much longer than his time in the big house. He went on to become an activist for a tougher focus on crime, and he proceeded to run for mayor of the city in 2001 and the city's public advocate in 2005. Scene: Goetz shot four black youths he claimed were going to rob him on the subway in December 1984. With New York in the grip of a violent crime epidemic, some hailed Goetz for standing up to his potential attackers. Others saw him as a racist, who had overstepped the boundaries of self-defense . Neither bid was successful, but Goetz traded in on his given nickname by opening an repair store called Vigilante Electronics. His case came back up in the press in December 2011 when one of the four men he shot killed himself in an apparent suicidal drug overdose on the 27th anniversary of the attack. James Ramseur was found dead in the Paradise Motor Inn in the Bronx. Ramseur was the youngest of four teens who surrounded Goetz on the 2 train on December 22, 1984. Believing the group was about to rob him, Goetz pulled out a .38 calibre revolver and fired, striking each of them once. Ramseur was shot in the chest, but survived. The other teenagers - Barry Allen, Troy Canty and Darrell Cabey - were also hospitalized and were not killed. Cabey was left paralyzed by the bullet that struck him. Controversial: Goetz was a divisive figure but was only found guilty of criminal possession of a weapon and innocent of all four counts of attempted murder and assault . Goetz was briefly a fugitive, but turned himself in to police a little more than a week later in Concord, New Hampshire. Goetz claimed it was self-defense, alleging the youths intended to rob him. During the trial, Ramseur testified that they were panhandling, and not demanding money from Goetz, but it was later reported that the group was intending to mug him. Goetz was convicted of a gun charge but acquitted of attempted murder. Three of the suspects were found to have screwdrivers at the time of the shooting, which the suspects claimed were used to break into arcade games to steal quarters, not as weapons. Goetz filed for bankruptcy shortly after Cabey won a $43 million lawsuit against him. Cabey's attorney, Ron Kuby, said Saturday his client remains paralyzed in a wheelchair and has never received a penny from Goetz.

Bernhard Goetz, 65, was arrested for trying to sell marijuana to an undercover police officer Friday . He was arraigned Saturday in Manhattan Criminal Court . Goetz gained notoriety for shooting four black youths he claimed we trying to mug him on a subway in 1985 .

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Daley Blind will join Manchester United for £14million as Louis van Gaal makes his final moves to improve a desperately poor Manchester United side, who were held to a 0-0 draw at Burnley on Saturday and have yet to win this season. The Ajax left-sided defender will have a medical in Manchester with personal terms and the fee between the clubs agreed. Van Gaal has now spent £160 million this summer — with no immediate improvement in the team — almost as much as the club have spent in total over the previous five years. Blind, the son of former Ajax captain Danny, was a key player in Holland’s run to the World Cup semi-finals under Van Gaal and understands the back-three system with which the team are struggling. VIDEO Scroll down to watch soon-to-be Manchester United's Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo . On the brink: Daley Blind at the Bridgewater Hospital in Manchester on Saturday to undergo a medical . Tough tackling: The Dutch international Blind is set to join Manchester United for £13.8m . World Cup star: Blind impressed in Brazil with his passing range and ability to play in midfield and defence . Van Gaal, who also managed the player’s father at Ajax, said: ‘Daley will come to Manchester to have his medical and maybe we will have a new player.’ With the transfer deadline on Monday, United appear to have cooled in their pursuit of Sporting Lisbon’s £20m-rated midfielder William Carvalho, for whom Arsenal are ready to bid again. United are expecting to move players out in the next 48 hours. Tottenham are ready to push United to sell Danny Welbeck for £12m but have been told that United are loathe to help out a likely rival for Champions League qualification. Everton and Aston Villa are interested in signing Tom Cleverley, though with only one year left on his deal, the player may prefer a loan. Shinji Kagawa is likely to make an £8m move to Borussia Dortmund but Van Gaal insists: ‘We have to wait and to see because the players are deciding, not the manager.’ Problems: Manchester United are confident that paperwork issues over Marcos Rojo's signing will be resolved . Exit? Tottenham are pursuing a £12m deal for England striker Danny Welbeck . Leaving: Shinji Kagawa is set to complete a return to Borussia Dortmund and leave Manchester United . He claimed that the problems over paperwork with £15m signing Marcos Rojo, 24, would be resolved during the international break. The player has a permit but also needs a visa and the Home Office has insisted Rojo must be interviewed by the Madrid consulate because of an altercation with a neighbour in Argentina in 2010. He was never prosecuted but the case was reopened in May. Rojo does not have a criminal record but it is likely that embassy officials are checking the details before processing the visa. Van Gaal said: ‘I expect by the time we play QPR, he will be playing.’

Manchester United and Ajax have agreed a fee of £13.8million . Blind pictured having a medical in Manchester on Saturday . 24-year-old not included in Ajax squad for Groningen game on Sunday . Blind's arrival follows the signings of Angel di Maria, Marcos Rojo, Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw this summer .

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Pepperoni lovers are extroverts, diners who like pizzas topped with an egg are supportive and veggie fans are flirtatious. According to a study, pizza fans who pick particular toppings reveal more than their favourite flavours when they create their perfect pie. The research also revealed the compatibility of the different pizza personalities, proving that the way to a person's heart is through their stomach. Dr Alan Hirsch's study reveals that pizza toppings can say a lot about person's character . Dr Hirsch used a bespoke form of Pizza Rorschach testing to analyse the results . Smell and taste expert Dr Alan Hirsch's research showed personality traits can be summed up according to preferred pizza toppings. This sort of information is advantageous when it comes to a first date, as Dr Hirsch explains: 'You can tell a lot about someone by what they like on their pizza, which is useful when you're on a date. 'You don't just need to ask questions to get to know them; look at what they order to find out if they really are your perfect match or not.' Carbonara Roma: Fans of this egg-based pizza are said to be good with money, cynical and cautious . Mare Rossa Romana: According to the results, seafood lovers are principled, intelligent and critical . Among the other discoveries were that people who love a debate or might be described as cautious or good with money would usually opt for a creamy béchamel-based pizza. Having goat's cheese on your doughy dish means you are most likely to be sensitive and easy-going. And pepperoni lovers tend to display extrovert characteristics, while diners who like pizzas topped with an egg are supportive and trustworthy but don't naturally seek out the limelight. Meat eaters are classified as supportive homebodies whilst those who like chicken toppings are driven, competitive and assertive. The study revealed the compatibility of the different Pizza Personalities . The way to the heart is through the stomach:  If the hypothesis is right, this could lead to interesting coupling . According to Dr Hirsch lovers of spicy food tend to be a risk-takers . Dr Hirsch used a bespoke form of Pizza Rorschach testing – similar to the inkblot tests used to decipher underlying character traits – to analyse what toppings say about a person. 'It's long been known, thanks to Freud, that your personality will dictate what you look for in your food,' Dr Hirsch said. 'For example, if you like spicy foods then you tend to be a risk-taker and like the adrenaline rush that comes with it, whereas people who prefer a lot of protein in their meal are often more sociable or outgoing. 'Food can be such an emotive thing – the taste, texture, smell – and we often prefer certain foods because of an underlying personality trait.' The pizza personalities were generated using a pool of 500 British adults who took part in a comprehensive range of psychiatric and personality tests . Dr Alan Hirsch (left) says diners who choose a chicken topping are 'competitive' and 'driven' Head of Menu at Pizza Express, Holly Davies, says: 'Our work with Dr Hirsch has given us real insight into why we tend to order the same thing when we go back to our favourite restaurants. 'We're calling for people to try something different this month. You might just discover your new favourite suits your personality better – or find a new person to be compatible with.' The pizza personalities were generated using a pool of 500 British adults who took part in a comprehensive range of psychiatric and personality tests.

Study builds on Freud’s theories of links between personality and food . Taste expert Dr Alan Hirsch reveals perfect dates based on menu choices . 500 adults took part in a range of psychiatric and personality tests .

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By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 06:44 EST, 12 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:35 EST, 12 December 2013 . Snapchat, headquarters pictured, has secured $50m (£30.5m) in funding from New York hedge fund Coatue Management . For an app which is only two-years-old and doesn’t generate any of its own revenue, Snapchat is attracting some serious investment. Reports emerged yesterday that the company had secured $50m (£30.5m) in new funding from an unknown source. Snapchat has now revealed to the Financial Times this investor is Coatue Management in New York. This brings the total investment in the firm to $123m. Almost half a million of that came from Michael Lynton who left his role as chairman of Sony Entertainment to join Snapchat earlier this year. Other investors include Institutional Venture Partners and Benchmark Capital. Rumours recently claimed Facebook had tried to buy the firm for $3 billion but had been turned down. Snapchat, which has been dubbed a next-generation messaging service was started by 23-year-old Evan Spiegel and friends. The co-founder of the company reportedly turned down the huge all-cash offer from Facebook - which would have valued Snapchat $4 billion – because the firm is said to be being wooed by other investors and possible buyers . In June, the app was valued at $800m yet analysis from by VCExperts.com during recent funding rounds more than doubled this figure. This latest funding brings the total investment in the firm to $123m. Almost half a million of that came from Michael Lynton who left his role as chairman of Sony Entertainment to join Snapchat earlier this year. Other investors include Institutional Venture Partners and Benchmark Capital . Coatue hedge fund manages around $8.5 billion of assets and also invested in the cloud storage company Box. While California-based Snapchat has . no sales or business model, its smartphone app delivers millions of . messages that disappear in less than 10 seconds, making it a truly . instant service, instead of a more permanent record collector like . Twitter or Facebook. According to sources, Mr Spiegel thinks the app’s user numbers have lots of potential to grow and just two months ago, the company’s usage had reportedly risen dramatically to 350 million messages a day, from 200 million in June. However, the company does not disclose its numbers and has not commented on the rumours. Snapchat joins an exclusive club of tech start-ups which have snubbed multibillion dollar buyout offers. Groupon turned down an offer from Google of almost $6 billion in 2010 and Facebook and Twitter have both turned down offers over the years, deciding to grow their businesses organically instead. Snapchat, which has been dubbed a next generation messaging service, is just two-years-old and was started by 23-year-old Evan Spiegel (left) and Bobby Murphy (right). Last week the pair filed a restraining order against Frank Reginald Brown, who co-founded the app, to cease and desist from making any more information public . Snapchat is a photo messaging app for iOS and Android devices, developed by Stanford University students. Using the app, users can take photos, record videos, add text and drawings and send them to a controlled list of recipients. These sent photographs and videos are known as 'Snaps'. Users set a time limit for how long recipients can view their Snaps (from one to 10 seconds) after which they will be hidden from the recipient's device and deleted from the Snapchat server. The social app is currently delivering more than 350 million photos every day. Snapchat hasn't made any money yet as it doesn't sell adverts or charge people to download or use its app, but it has attracted a lot of investment. It recently added Snapchat stories, which lets users link photos and videos together, where they exist for 24 hours. The app has come under fire from people worried about sexting and cyber bullying. Shervin Pishevar, an entrepreneur co-founder of venture-capital firm Sherpa Ventures, said: ‘There is no shame in getting an Instagram result, but there is tremendous glory in building a stand-alone multibillion-dollar company.’ Facebook snapped up photographic app Instagram for almost $1 billion, just two years after it was founded. Snapchat has carved a niche in the crowded social media marketplace as its messages disappear after 10 seconds and is popular among 13 to 25-year-olds – a group that is increasingly less engaged with more established networks. Facebook admitted that while it is making more money via mobile advertising, fewer young teenagers are using its site regularly to chat to friends. The social network reportedly tried to acquire Snapchat last year for $1 billion but raised its offer to $3 billion, which, if it was accepted, would be Facebook’s largest acquisition to date. While it is expected that Snapchat will . receive more buyout and investment offers due to its popularity, experts . are unsure how the service will make money, but think that one option . might be to help marketing companies create messages that speak to its . young users. While California-based Snapchat has no sales of business model, its smartphone app delivers millions of messages that disappear in less than 10 seconds, making it a truly instant service . Julie Ask, principal analyst at Forrester Research believes this could include more personalised narrative content instead of banner adverts. ‘If you can create content, whether it is a photo or a video or a story, and get it onto one of these instant messaging apps, it has the potential to go viral so fast because the community of users is so big,’ she said. While the app might have the potential to generate revenue from advertising, some analysts believe Snapchat runs the risk of becoming one of many similar services. Benedict Evans, an analyst at Enders Analysis, predicts similar young apps will flood the market as more and more people use smartphones. ‘There are going to be a dozen companies that look something like this, and Facebook can't buy them all,’ he said. Snapchat was started by Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy as a project for one of Spiegel's classes at Stanford University where he was studying product Design between 2008 and 2012. He told The Huffington Post that he came up with the idea of a temporary photo sharing and messaging service as a friend of his regretted sending a photo. Together with Bobby Murphy, he looked at other apps that were deleting text and photos and realised they had a stigma attached to them because content disappeared. He spoke about the idea in April 2011 in his product design class for his final project and classmates are said to have balked at the idea of impermanent photos. Undeterred, the duo built a prototype and realised it was fun and exciting sending temporary photos back and forth and decided to persevere with the idea and turn it into a business. Mr Spiegel launched the company in September 2011 in his father’s living room. He reportedly dropped out of his Stanford class just three classes before graduation, in order to move back to his father’s house and to work full time on Snapchat. Before that, he had worked as a software developer at Intuit for seven months on ‘a stealth project involving SMS technology’ before starting work on his app. Despite the offer of riches, he still lives at home. In May 2012, 25 images were being sent every second and in November 2012 users had shared over one billion photos on the iOS app. Snapchat rolled out an app for Android smartphones in November 2012. In June this year, the company introduced Snapkidz for users under the age of 13. It allows children to take snaps and draw pictures, but they are unable to send their creations to other users. Writing on his LinkedIn profile, Mr Spiegel said: ‘Snapchatters have shared over fifteen billion unique images through the service since January 2012, making Snapchat one of the top 10 apps in the iTunes App Store.’

Snapchat gained $50m (£30.5m) of new funding from Coatue Management . Early reports did not reveal who the mystery investor was . The company has now confirmed Coatue, but declined to comment further . Messaging app was recently valued at $2 billion – double its June valuation . Rumours recently claimed Facebook tried to buy the firm for $3 billion but had been turned down . This is said to be the second Facebook offer the firm has rejected .

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Maureen Hanlan, 71, has been diagnosed with breast cancer despite having had both her breasts removed in a double mastectomy nine years ago . A pensioner has been diagnosed with breast cancer for a third time – even though she has no breasts. Maureen Hanlan, 71, from Christchurch, Dorset, thought it was impossible for her to ever get breast cancer again after having both her breasts removed in a double mastectomy. However, nine years later she is once again facing a battle to survive, after what she believed was a skin rash turned out to be breast cancer. Her doctors said the chances of cancer returning after a mastectomy were so rare they had never encountered or even heard of such a case. Ms Hanlan now faces a lifetime of taking anti-cancer drugs to keep the tumour at bay. Formerly a theatre worker, she said the high profile case of Angelina Jolie had led people to believe that the operation was a fix-all solution. The actress had a double mastectomy in 2013 after finding out she had a gene linked to cancer. However, Ms Hanlan said: 'I was totally convinced after having the mastectomy that I would not get breast cancer any more. 'Nobody had told me you could still get breast cancer after such a major operation. 'I read in the newspaper that Angelina Jolie had had a double mastectomy after finding out she had the cancer gene. 'I wonder if she was aware that, although very rare, she could still get breast cancer?' Doctors said while Ms Hanlan's experience is 'unusual' it is 'not unheard of'. During a double mastectomy, nearly all of the breast tissue is removed, but cancer can still return to the chest area. The more lymph nodes (small masses of tissue that help the body fight infection and disease) with cancer at the time of the mastectomy, the higher the chance the disease may return. Breast cancer cells can also spread to other areas of the body through the lymph nodes and tumours could grow in places including the lungs, bones and skin. Ms Hanlan was told she needed the drastic operation after suffering two breast cancer scares, the first in 1990 and then again 2002. She opted for a double mastectomy despite the fact that cancer was only present in one of her breasts because her grandmother had died of the disease. All was well for the next 10 years until she developed a worrying, lumpy rash over both of her breasts. Actress Angelina Jolie had a double mastectomy in 2013 after finding out she had a gene linked to cancer. She was told she had an 87 per cent chance of breast cancer due to the inherited gene. But Ms Hanlan believes her case has led people to believe that the operation is a 'fix all solution' She visited her GP who referred her to a dermatologist but was told she would have to wait three months for an appointment on the NHS. Ms Hanlan opted to go private and secured a consultation within a week - a decision she admits probably saved her life. 'That's probably why I'm still here today,' she said, 'The dermatologist who saw me said we should do a biopsy just in case it was anything more serious and that was what revealed the cancer.' She said she was 'absolutely terrified' when the doctor told her she had breast cancer. While most people have no further problems, sometimes breast cancer can return. Local recurrence . If breast cancer comes back in the chest/breast area, or in the skin near the original site or the scar, this is called local recurrence. This means there are remaining cancer cells in the local area which have not been completely removed by the initial surgery or treatment. It is not the same as the cancer spreading. If this happens, patients usually need further surgery, but it is treatable. Regional recurrence (also called locally advanced) Breast cancer can also come back when it has spread beyond the breast and the lymph nodes under the arm into the tissues and lymph nodes around the chest, neck and under the breastbone. Treatment for regional recurrence will depend on previous treatments, but could include surgery, radiotherapy and drug treatments. People who have a regional recurrence are thought to have an increased risk of cancer cells spreading to other areas of the body. Treatments such as chemotherapy, hormone and targeted therapies are given because they are systemic treatments which work throughout the whole body. When breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body such as the bones, lungs, liver or brain, this is called secondary breast cancer. Source: Breast Cancer Care . 'First of all I was shocked - I couldn't believe it. I was totally devastated,' she added. 'I had been so happy that day - it was my sister's birthday and I'd just bought a property, a beautiful garden flat, and I was so high on that. 'I went into the surgery bouncing with joy and I sat down and the nurse asked me if I wanted my results. I said "yes, of course", not thinking for a second that she was going to say those awful words again. 'Then she just said it - "it's breast cancer again" - and I just couldn't believe it, I just broke down. 'The doctor cuddled me and hugged me and said "I'm so sorry". 'I said "I can't go through chemo again, I just can't do it".' She will now have to take the anti-cancer drug Tamoxifen for life. Alongside the help of her son, Jake, she says she could not have got through the ordeal without the help of cancer charity Macmillan. 'They were so helpful to me emotionally and financially and even paid for me to go away for a holiday. 'They also gave me a visit at home one evening when I was feeling pretty rough. 'They really did see me through that bad time, and I will always be thankful to them for that.' Ms Hanlan is now hoping to find out whether any other cancer sufferers in the UK have gone through the same ordeal. She said: 'There was a lot of emotion there, but happiness at the end of it. 'I'm going to keep fighting it, I'm not going anywhere, I'm going to stay here and annoy more people and grow old disgracefully, as they say. 'I should probably be happy that I'm still alive, that I'm still here, but I don't want to leave it at that. 'I'm the type of person who needs an answer, and I want to help other cancer sufferers. 'There must be other people who have been through the same thing, or who know what it is. 'It's been a long bumpy journey, with lots of highs and lows. 'However, I'm extremely grateful I'm still here to tell the tale and I'm just hoping to God that I will have a clean bill of health for the rest of my days.' A leading breast cancer charity said that Ms Hanlan's third cancer diagnosis following a double masectomy was 'unusual.' 'It is not unheard of but extremely unusual,' said Sally Greenbrook, a senior policy advisor at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, which funds research into prevention, detection and treatment of the UK's most common cancer. Ms Hanlan will now take anti-cancer drugs for the rest of her life to keep the tumour at bay. She hopes to find others like her - who developed breast cancer despite having had a mastectomy . 'One in eight women will face breast cancer in their lifetime. After having a double mastectomy, it would be very rare for breast cancer to re-occur,' she added. 'It is always going to be a shock when breast cancer comes back, especially after a double mastectomy,' she said. 'It is unusual, but we have heard of such cases coming up. After removing most of the breast tissue, it can recur in the chest wall.' It could also spread to cells in other parts of the body, even after invasive surgery, and guarantees can never be made, she added. She reiterated that mastectomies hit the headlines in 2013 after actress Angelina Jolie revealed she had undergone the surgery as a preventative measure as her BRCA gene mutation made her a high risk for developing breast cancer. Emphasising that star's preventative procedure was different from Maureen's treatment for cancer, Ms Greenbrook said anecdotal evidence showed that Ms Jolie going public with her story had encouraged many women with a family history of breast cancer to come forward for tests.

Maureen Hanlan, 71, had a double mastectomy nine years ago . She believed it would be impossible to ever get breast cancer again . Was sent for a biopsy after developing a bumpy rash on her chest . She was devastated to find out her cancer had returned . Now faces a lifetime of anti-cancer drugs to keep the tumour at bay . Doctors say chances of cancer returning after mastectomy are very rare .

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(CNN) -- Women's rights took center stage Saturday at the Nobel ceremonies as three women recognized for their struggles against the backdrops of the Arab Spring and democratic progress in Africa accepted this year's peace prize. Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and Leymah Gbowee, a social worker and peace campaigner from the same country, shared the prize with Tawakkul Karman, an activist and journalist who this year played a key opposition role in Yemen. The three were chosen for their non-violent struggle against injustice, sexual violence and repression. "Ever since the Norwegian Nobel Committee made this year's decision known, the people of Norway have looked forward to seeing you on this stage," said Thorbjorn Jagland, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. "You give concrete meaning to the Chinese proverb which says that 'women hold up half the sky,'" he said. "We thank you for the hope you awaken in us all." Jagland said the work of the three laureates should serve as warning to dictators even as more civilians were killed Saturday in Syria. 'Been a long time coming,' say prize winners . "The leaders in Yemen and Syria who murder their people to retain their own power should take note of the following: mankind's fight for freedom and human rights never stops," Jagland said. The three women received the coveted gold Nobel medal and a diploma and will share $1.5 million in cash. They will also be honored with a star-studded concert Sunday that culminates the program of Nobel events. All three women dedicated their remarks to women struggling for equal rights around the world. "I urge my sisters, and my brothers, not to be afraid," Sirleaf said in her Nobel lecture. "Be not afraid to denounce injustice, though you may be outnumbered. Be not afraid to seek peace, even if your voice may be small. Be not afraid to demand peace." Johnson Sirleaf, a 73-year-old Harvard graduate whose political resilience earned her the nickname "Iron Lady," became Africa's first democratically-elected female president in 2006, three years after decades of civil war ended. Crediting women with ending the conflict and challenging the dictatorship of former President Charles Taylor, she declared a zero-tolerance policy against corruption and made education compulsory and free for all primary-age children. She dedicated her remarks to women around the world "who have seen the devastation that merciless violence can bring." Gbowee, 39, led a women's movement that protested the use of rape and child soldiers in Liberia's civil war. She mobilized hundreds of women to force delegates at 2003 peace talks to sign a treaty -- at one point calling for a "sex strike" until demands were met. She thanked Liberian women for making "our country proud." "Thank you for sitting in the rain and under the sun. This is your prize. This is our prize," she said. "The world used to remember Liberia for child soldiers but they now remember our country for the white t-shirt women," she said referring to the women clad in white T-shirts who demanded an end to Liberia's brutal civil war. "Who would have ever thought that Liberian women would have been among faces of women's global victory, but you did it." But she also reminded the world that victory was still afar. "We must continue to unite in sisterhood to turn our tears into triumph, our despair into determination and our fear into fortitude." she said. "There is no time to rest until our world achieves wholeness and balance, where all men and women are considered equal and free." Karman, 32, emerged as an icon of change as Yemen was swept up in the tumult of the Arab Spring, but the mother-of-three has long been active in campaigning for women and human rights. Karman, the first Arab woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize -- and one of its youngest recipients -- founded the rights group Women Journalists without Chains, and emerged as a key figure in protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh's regime. "I have always believed that resistance against repression and violence is possible without relying on similar repression and violence," she said. "I have always believed that human civilization is the fruit of the effort of both women and men. "So, when women are treated unjustly and are deprived of their natural right in this process, all social deficiencies and cultural illnesses will be unfolded, and in the end the whole community, men and women, will suffer." While Johnson Sirleaf's Nobel achievement has stirred anger among Liberian political opponents who claim recent elections were rigged in her favor, this year's Nobel Peace Price is unlikely to attract the level of controversy seen in 2010. China and more than a dozen other countries, including Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran, boycotted the event over the decision to award the prize to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, a key figure in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. Liu, who is serving an 11-year-sentence in a Chinese prison for what the government called "inciting subversion of state power," was not allowed to travel to Norway to accept the prize, which China denounced as a "political farce." Awarded almost every year since 1901 (it has been halted during times of major international conflict) the Peace Prize has a history of contentious laureates. Previous winners include former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who won alongside Vietnamese revolutionary Le Duc Tho (who declined the award), and the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who won jointly with Israeli President Shimon Peres and former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. In 2009, the prize was awarded to U.S. President Barack Obama despite the fact he had spent less than one year in office. Two years earlier, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore was a joint recipient in recognition of work highlighting climate change. • This year's three co-laureates will sit down with CNN's Jonathan Mann for an hour-long special interview. The interview will broadcast live on CNN International and CNN.com on Saturday at 1600 GMT (11 a.m. ET) and repeated on Sunday at 0300 GMT (10 p.m. ET Saturday). • The concert in honor of the Nobel prize winners will be broadcast on CNN.com on Sunday between 1900-2000 GMT (2 p.m.-3 p.m. ET) and 2030-2130 GMT (3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. ET).

NEW: Nobel chairman says the prize should serve as warning to dictators . Be not afraid to denounce injustice,' Sirleaf says in accepting the prize . Arab Spring, Africa provide backdrop to this year's peace prize . The three women are recognized for their struggle against injustice and sexual violence .

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By . Sanchez Manning . Blasted: Superdrug admits it has had to stock cheap drinks to lure customers to the store . Superdrug has been accused of fuelling Britain’s binge drinking culture by selling cheap  alcohol in its stores alongside cosmetics. The retailer, better known for beauty products and in-store pharmacies, admitted it has resorted to stocking cheap wine, beer and alcopops to entice customers into struggling outlets. But a Conservative MP last night branded its decision irresponsible and called on Superdrug to take the booze off the shelves – accusing the firm of targeting younger customers with its alcohol promotions. In a branch in Chatham, Kent, customers can buy bottles of wine for just £2.49, while a brand of peach schnapps is on sale for just £4.49 – almost £2.50 cheaper than the same drink in Tesco. The town’s MP Tracey Crouch, chairwoman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Misuse, said: ‘I’m very disappointed because this isn’t what their core selling is about. They’re about health and beauty products. ‘They are clearly marketing at young, female consumers and I don’t think it’s a responsible thing to do. I share the concerns about cheap booze in supermarkets and Superdrug is contributing to the issue of people pre-loading before they go out in an evening. ‘They should remove alcohol from their stores. ‘Other shops might follow Superdrug’s lead, which will be damaging for our High Street and won’t help us, as a nation, deal with young people binge drinking on cheap booze.’ Her call was backed last night by Crime Prevention Minister Norman Baker, who said: ‘It is not impressive to see a national chain specialising in medicines and health care now dealing in alcohol sales. 'Industry needs to raise its game and do much more to help reduce problem drinking – and retailers have to recognise they have a significant part to play.’ MP Tracey Crouch has attacked the move as 'irresponsible' and a fuel for dangerous binge-drinking culture . The attack comes after supermarkets were criticised for using cheap drink promotions to attract customers. Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to crack down on promotional deals, which he blamed for increasing anti-social behaviour turning town centres into the ‘Wild West’. Another Superdrug outlet in Tamworth, Staffordshire, is selling Echo Falls red, white and rose wine for £4.19. Meanwhile 70cl bottles of the alcopop Caribbean Twist, which sell for £2.50 in most supermarkets, are promoted as ‘great value’ at £1.79. A store assistant said: ‘The Echo Falls was under £4 recently and the shelves were soon empty. We had to order more. We had San Miguel beer in December and that went quickly.’ But Superdrug managing director Joey Wat defended the alcohol sales, saying it was the only way to stop some branches closing down. Crime Prevention Minister Norman Baker and Alcohol Concern have also blasted the prices for encouraging 'pre-loading', when teenagers drink before going out . In a letter responding to concerns raised by Ms Crouch about the Chatham branch, he wrote: ‘We sell alcoholic drinks in a very small number of our stores – only six out of 870. 'There is one reason for the sale of alcohol in these stores – to drive footfall and sales as the six are significant loss-making stores and at serious risk of closure. ‘It is the last resort to save the jobs of our people.’ Superdrug insisted the branches in question do not have pharmacies. But responsible drinking campaigners said Superdrug should not be treating alcoholic beverages like another product to increase profits. Alcohol Concern’s Emily Robinson said: ‘Should shops be selling alcopops and wine beside shampoos and mascaras? This sends out the wrong message about alcohol – it’s not just any product, it can be harmful, addictive and dangerous. 'With alcohol now sold in Superdrug, Argos and a pub on the M40, we would ask the Government whether their licensing rules need to be reconsidered.’ Today Superdrug backtracked over its decision to sell alcohol. A spokesman said: 'We have decided to cease selling alcohol in the five Superdrug stores which currently offer this range. 'The introduction of this category into a very small number of stores was a trial to see if this was a product area our customers wanted us to stock, to ensure the continued viability of these stores and to safeguard jobs on the high street.'

Conservative MP branded store 'irresponsible' for £2.49 wine offer . Drinks such as peach schnapps are £2.50 cheaper than Tesco . Follows Cameron's pledge to crack down on promotional drink deals .

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I'm sorry: Shashank Tripathi has now apologised and resigned from the Congressional campaign for Republican candidate Christopher Wight . The rogue Twitter user who falsely claimed during Superstorm Sandy that the New York Stock Exchange was flooded under more than 3ft of water has been unmasked as a Wall Street analyst and political campaign manager. Shashank Tripathi, 29, has now apologised and resigned from the campaign for Republican candidate Christopher Wight to represent New York's 12th Congressional District in the US House of Representatives. He was even threatened with prosecution by New York City Councilman Peter Vallone, who said the tweets could be the digital equivalent of shouting ‘Fire!’ in a crowded theatre. The tweet - ‘BREAKING: Confirmed flooding on NYSE. The trading floor is flooded under more than 3 feet of water’ - was picked up by the National Weather Service and even CNN. It was retweeted more than 600 times. But an NYSE spokesman told ABC: 'It is false. Weather Channel issued an egregiously false report. There is no water in our building.' Responses to his tweet included: ‘that's bulls**t’, ‘What are the sources for your links?’, ‘confirmed by whom?’ and ‘you are a liar’. Mr Tripathi then posted an hour later: ‘NYSE DID NOT FLOOD’. The analyst - who used the Twitter name @comfortablysmug - was outed by the website BuzzFeed, which compared photos censored and posted on the account to unedited versions found elsewhere. Rogue: The tweet was picked up by the National Weather Service, the Weather Channel and CNN . Time to say sorry: Mr Tripathi did not comment to BuzzFeed or Reuters, but posted this apology on Twitter . Mr Tripathi - who has been a vocal . supporter of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney - has been paid . thousands of dollars by Mr Wight as a consultant, Federal Election . Commission papers show. He wrote a sex diary for New York Magazine, which then interviewed him in 2009. Pictured with his face hidden, he said: ‘I’m not as blatantly an a**hole in person, but I still have a**hole tendencies.’ 'I’m not as blatantly an a**hole in person, but I still have a**hole tendencies' Shashank Tripathi, interviewed in 2009 . Mr Tripathi did not comment to BuzzFeed or Reuters, but posted an apology on Twitter saying: ‘I wish to offer the people of New York a sincere, humble and unconditional apology.’ The Twitter user, who had posted various other false tweets in the past, added: ‘During a natural disaster that threatened the entire city, I made a series of irresponsible and inaccurate tweets. ‘While some would use the anonymity and instant feedback of social media as an excuse, I take full responsibility for my actions. I deeply regret any distress or harm they may have caused.’ Republican candidate: Christopher Wight is hoping to represent New York's 12th District in the US House of Representatives, and said he was 'shocked and disgusted by the actions of my former campaign manager' Mr Tripathi added that he has immediately resigned from Mr Wight's campaign but believes the candidate has 'the ideas, philosophy and leadership skills to make New York a better place'. 'I hope the fact that I'm asking for criminal charges to be seriously considered will make him much less comfortable and much less smug' New York City Councilman Peter Vallone . Mr Wight said yesterday in a powerful statement that he was ‘reeling from the shock of Hurricane Sandy’s destruction’ and ‘shocked and disgusted by the actions of my former campaign manager’. He added: ‘His actions were all the more distressing, occurring as they did, in the midst of Monday’s disastrous weather - during a time when no one was truly safe. ‘I learned from online reports yesterday (Tuesday), just as others did, that Shashank had been spreading false information from a personal and anonymous Twitter account. Sandbags: The New York Stock Exchange in Manhattan was closed as Superstorm Sandy hit the US East Coast . Devastation: Homes sit in ruin after being destroyed by Superstorm Sandy in Seaside Heights, New Jersey . ‘While he had been with my campaign for seven months, I had no indication that he was capable of the type of behaviour he exhibited. 'We don't moderate content, and we certainly don't want to be in a position of deciding what speech is OK and what speech is not' Twitter spokesman . 'I immediately accepted Shashank’s resignation and I have named (my former chief of staff) Nick Mackey as my new campaign manager.’ Twitter said it would not consider suspending Mr Tripathi’s account unless it received a request from a law enforcement agency. A Twitter spokesman said: ‘We don't moderate content, and we certainly don't want to be in a position of deciding what speech is OK and what speech is not.’ Councilman Vallone told Buzzfeed: ‘I hope the fact that I'm asking for criminal charges to be seriously considered will make him much less comfortable and much less smug.’

Shashank Tripathi posted rogue tweet as Sandy hit NYC on Monday night . Was campaign manager for GOP New York candidate Christopher Wight . Resigned after being outed and posted apology for 'irresponsible tweets' Threatened with prosecution by New York City Councilman Peter Vallone . Politician said tweet could compare to shouting 'Fire!' in crowded theatre .

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(CNN) -- Aurora Ogg wakes up every day and goes to work with one mission: connecting people in her community with the Republican Party, so that in November they can be proud to cast a ballot for our candidates. Aurora is the Asian Coalition regional director in Colorado. She's been on the ground since September of last year, earlier than field staffers like her are usually hired. And she wasn't alone. Following the release of the Growth and Opportunity Project report -- a comprehensive post-2012 election review I commissioned -- the Republican National Committee committed to building a permanent, year-round ground game. We immediately began locating and hiring field staff all across the country. Aurora has the full support of the RNC and our resources. Thanks to our multimillion-dollar investment in technology, and the private sector talent we've brought on board, she has at her fingertips a suite of tools that allow her to identify voters we need to target in her community. The data she's plugged into is the best in politics. We've collected data from commercial and political organizations to make sure that we have the most current information needed to contact voters effectively. We've invested in new predictive analytics that are revolutionizing how our campaigns understand what matters to each individual voter. Not only are we making the data better, we are improving how other Republicans can access our data and provide data back to us. Our new voter relationship management tool, GOP Beacon, makes it easier for people to download and see the data. Our new connecting tool, or application programming interface, allows other committees, candidates and vendors to receive our data automatically and send data back to us in real time. To ensure we recruit the best talent to develop the best tools, we launched a startup-style initiative within the RNC called Para Bellum Labs, and we opened a field office in Silicon Valley. In addition to all these data resources, field staffers like Aurora are given a communications playbook with media lists, information on important surrogates, suggested events to attend and messaging on key issues, as well as access to media training, research and social media help. This isn't just one person's story. It's the story of our field staffers across the country -- state directors, data directors, and Hispanic, black, and Asian-American engagement staffers. The RNC has also hired staff dedicated to engaging better with women, youth, people of faith and conservative allies and groups. We have hundreds of staff fanned out, especially in critical midterm states, supporting our candidates and growing our party. Today, 91% of our political staff is in the field. They support whole teams of precinct captains. We've recruited more than 12,000 captains nationwide. Those captains have teams of volunteers whose job it is to maintain lasting relationships with sets of people in their communities. They're listening to their concerns and making sure they hear about the issues they care about. This is all done alongside our state parties and sister committees. That's why we've invested millions in our state parties to date. In addition to our on-the-ground work, we're looking ahead and changing the 2016 presidential primary process so that we have better debates, handpicked moderators and an earlier convention. We have two overarching goals: holding a primary that is more informative and engaging for voters, and having a nominee who enters the general election in a position of strength. It's been one year since I announced the first actions we'd take in response to the Growth and Opportunity Project. Today, I can report that we've fundamentally reshaped the way we do business. The power of our new tools and new strategy was on display last week, when we helped David Jolly win an important special election in Florida's 13th Congressional District. That victory has Democrats worried about November. Of course, this is just a snapshot. And it's also just the beginning. There's much more ahead, including an ad campaign we're launching this week -- a six-figure ad buy in 14 Senate target states. This campaign is about answering the question, "Why should I be a Republican?" People have told us that we need to better communicate what it is Republicans stand for. But instead of the RNC telling people, we asked Republicans to tell the RNC -- and the rest of the country -- what they stand for. Why are they Republicans? And that's what you'll see in these ads. We hope this campaign will help us have that important and ongoing conversation. As for me, I'm a Republican because I believe all Americans, regardless of where they come from, regardless of where they're going, should have the chance to create their own American Dreams. That's a message we're taking to every American, to every community. And thanks to the actions we've taken in the last year, we're better equipped than ever before to do that. We're going to keep working to earn every voter's trust, and we're going keep fighting to earn every American's vote. We're guided by the principle that no voter should be taken for granted; no voter should be overlooked. Because as the great Vince Lombardi, former coach of my Green Bay Packers, said, "The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary." Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Reince Priebus.

Reince Priebus marks a year of changes at the Republican National Committee . The RNC created a continuous ground game to put better tools in the field, he says . It's changing how presidential primaries, debates will run . Priebus says shift proved successful in Florida special election victory .

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Thousands of US soldiers spending Thanksgiving away from their families have celebrated with their comrades in bases around the world. Around 24,000 troops stationed around Afghanistan sat down for their traditional turkey dinners. For many it will be their last with the end of NATO combat operations on December 31. Huge shipments of meat, along with the essential cranberry sauce and pies, were also flown to Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan and Kosovo. Food packages, were also sent to West African nations Liberia and Senegal - where around 2,000 service members are fighting the Ebola outbreak. Scroll down for video . Troops grab their trays and head to the tables to sit down for their last Thanksgiving meal in Kabul, Afghanistan, ahead of the end of combat operations on December 31 . Service men and women lined tables in the NATO based and tucked into the traditional meal which included cranberry sauce and pies that had been shipped in especially from the United States . Troops stand along the serving hub in Camp Bondtseel near the village of Sojevo in Kosovo where the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in the country, KFOR, is based . A group of soldiers talk as they enjoy their meals at the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) headquarters in Kabul . A U.S. soldier carries a plate of food during a Thanksgiving meal at a NATO base in Kabul . A server greets another comrade with a smile as he hands over his tray in Camp Bondsteel near the Kosovan village of Sojeva . In his Thanksgiving address, President Obama paid tribute to the soldiers stationed across the globe for their continued bravery. He said: 'Today, we are grateful to all Americans who do their part to live by those ideals, including our brave men and women in uniform overseas and their families, who sacrifice so much to keep America safe. 'To our service members who are away from home, we say an extra prayer for you and your loved ones, and we renew our commitment to take care of you as well as you've taken care of us.' Anthony Amendolia from the Defence Logistics Agency (DLA), who makes sure soldiers get their Thanksgiving food, told the US Army website: 'Since they can't be home for the holidays, our team is dedicated to bringing the holidays to them. 'Whether they're stationed on a remote base in Afghanistan, or a field hospital in West Africa, they'll be eating a traditional American Thanksgiving meal on November 27.' The agency reported that  2,000 pounds of turkey, 300 pounds of cranberry sauce, and 500 pies will be sent to Liberia, while 600 pounds of turkey, 75 pounds of cranberry sauce, and 200 pies were sent to Senegal. As many as 5,000 meals were served in each location - and troops even had the choice of apple, cherry, pumpkin, pecan or sweet potato pie. As many of 24,000 troops are stationed in Afghanistan and are set to leave by the end of the year . An American flag adorns the wall of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) base in Kabul . With Thanksgiving decorations covering the walls of Camp Bondsteel, a soldier eyes up the cakes on display. One enormous dessert says 'Happy Thanksgiving' above the emblem of a turkey . While the subsistence team typically starts planning to ship holiday meal six months in advance, military operations in West Africa only began two months ago. It meant that the turkeys had to be airlifted to the bases in time for them to be served. Two days ago it was revealed that some personnel returning to Joint Base Lewis-McChord from Africa will spend Thanksgiving in isolation while the Army monitors their health for signs of Ebola. The group arriving Tuesday evening includes 15 service members and one Defense Department civilian who built facilities in Liberia to fight the fatal disease, the Army said. They were not exposed to Ebola-infected patients and the risk that they picked up the fatal disease is very minimal, said I Corps Maj. Mary Ricks. Because they have no symptoms, the isolation is called controlled monitoring rather than quarantine, Ricks said Tuesday. They'll have their temperature taken twice a day during their stay, which won't be a full 21 days because they've already spent some time in Germany. Lewis-McChord is not their home base. They come from all over the country and one is stationed overseas, Ricks said. Servicemen queue up patiently alongside piled-up trays and cutlery as they await their well-deserved turkey in Kosovo . Soldiers line up at a hatch at the 'Secretary of Defense Dining Facility' as they are served a traditional Thanksgiving dinner . A model of a turkey is placed among trees and hay in the Camp Bondsteel base where the NATO-led peacekeeping mission is based . A U.S. soldier takes photo of her comrade in front of a banner and a flag during a Thanksgiving meal at a NATO base in Kabul . US soldiers part of the NATO led-peacekeeping mission in Kosovo (KFOR) arrive at the dining facility ahead of their lunch . Once inside they patiently queue up again underneath decorations in the main cafeteria . Desserts were spread out in front of two turkeys in Camp Bondsteel, near the village of Sojevo in Kosovo . Two service men look down at their plates ahead of their well-deserved Thanksgiving meal . President Barack Obama makes his Thanksgiving Day phone calls to U.S. troops, from the Oval Office .

Around 24,000 service members stationed in Afghanistan sat down for the dinner, many at the NATO base in Kabul . Comes as combat operations in the country draw to a close - they are scheduled to end on December 31 . Turkeys, cranberry sauce and pies were also flown to Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan and Kosovo ahead of the holiday . Food packagers were delivered to West African nations Liberia and Senegal, where troops are fighting Ebola .

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Signing off: Lena Dunham has cancelled two stops on her book tour this week amid allegations she sexually abused her little sister. Pictured above at a book event in London on October 29 . Lena Dunham is reportedly threatening to sue the right-wing website which last week accused her of sexually abusing her little sister Grace when they were children. In the wake of the allegations,  the creator and star of HBO's Girls, has cancelled two stops on her book tour scheduled this week in Belgium and Germany for health issues. On Monday,  she tweeted that she was 'deeply sorry' to miss the Antwerp Book Fair and a signing in Berlin, adding that she's 'so grateful for your energy and support'. Last week, right-wing website Truth Revolt excerpted a portion from Lena's new book about her childhood curiosity with the female reproductive system and labelled it 'unsettling' and 'disturbing'. Today, that website claims that Lena is threatening to sue them if they don't remove the article she claims is 'false and defamatory' and publish an apology note. The website adamantly declined, and editor Ben Shapiro wrote another article explaining why they would not heed to the demands of Lena's lawyers. 'We refuse. We refuse to withdraw our story or apologize for running it, because quoting a woman’s book does not constitute a “false” story, even if she is a prominent actress and left-wing activist. 'Lena Dunham may not like our interpretation of her book, but unfortunately for her and her attorneys, she wrote that book – and the First Amendment covers a good deal of material she may not like, the article reads. The passage that Truth Revolt excerpted details a conversation that then-year-old Lena had with her mother, famed artist Laurie Simmons, about women's organs. In the course of the conversation, young Lena asks her mother if little sister Grace's vagina looks like hers. 'I guess so, Just smaller,' her mother responds . 'One day, as I sat in our driveway in Long Island playing with blocks and buckets, my curiosity got the best of me,' Dunham writes . Scroll down for video . Allegations: A right-wing website published a story last week, citing an incident detailed in Lena's (right) new book as evidence of molestation. The essay descirbes a curious 7-year-old Lena looking at her then 1-year-old sister Grace's (left) vagina after having a conversation with her mother about female reproductive organs. The Dunham sisters pictured above at the filming of Lena's film Tiny Furniture in November 2010 . 'Grace was sitting up, babbling and smiling, and I leaned down between her legs and carefully spread open her vagina. She didn’t resist and when I saw what was inside I shrieked. 'My mother came running. “Mama, Mama! Grace has something in there!” 'My mother didn’t bother asking why I had opened Grace’s vagina. This was within the spectrum of things I did. 'She just on her knees and looked for herself. It quickly became apparent that Grace had stuffed six or seven pebbles in there. My mother removed them patiently while Grace cackled, thrilled that her prank had been a success.' Truth Revolt  responded described the essay as 'unsettling' and 'disturbing' in an article titled 'Lena Dunham Describes Sexually Abusing Her Little Sister' The article reads: 'Lena Dunham describes experimenting sexually with her younger sister Grace, whom she says she attempted to persuade to kiss her using “anything a sexual predator might do.” In one particularly unsettling passage, Dunham experimented with her six-year younger sister’s vagina.' They also originally wrote that Dunham was 17 at the time of the incident, and later added a correction saying 'This article has been modified to correct a typo in the book excerpt incorrectly listing Dunham's age as seventeen'. Obviously upset with being named as a child molester, Dunham took to Twitter on Saturday to lash out at Truth Revolt for their damaging article three days after it was published. The website has refused to apologize for the article. 'If Ms. Dunham says that our quotations from her book were “false,” or that our interpretation of those events was libelous under the law, then we look forward to asking her, in her deposition, about why they appeared in her book,' editor Ben Shapiro wrote on Tuesday. 'We also look forward to asking her why she believes it is now appropriate for a 28-year-old woman to make light of opening her baby sister’s vagina, paying her with candies for prolonged kisses on the lips in the manner of a “sexual predator,” or masturbating in bed next to her prepubescent sister,' he added. Grace Dunham also appears to have responded to the allegations in her own Twitter rant on Monday, writing vaguely about heternormativity and what is and is not considered 'normal' behavior. Grace writes that she supports writers 'narrating their own experiences, determining for themselves what has and has not been harmful'. She also posted: '2day, like every other day, is a good day to think about how we police the sexualities of young women, queer, and trans people.' While the tweets seem to address the criticism of her sister's essay, they do not directly come out and support the personal story that her sister shared with the world. The sisters appear to have a difference of opinion on the Truth Revolt article, according to one tweet Lena wrote on Saturday. 'Sometimes I get so mad I burn write up. Also, I wish my sister wasn't laughing so hard,' Dunham tweeted on November 1. In defense: Grace Dunham (left) came out to respond to claims her older sister sexually abused her when they were children. The sisters pictured above in a snap posted to Lena's Instagram last year .

The Girls creator and actress cancelled two scheduled events in Germany and Belgium on Monday, citing 'health issues' Last week, website Truth Revolt accused her of sexually-abusing her little sister Grace, citing an excerpt from her new book 'Not That Kind of Girl' On Tuesday, the website published another article claiming Lena was threatening to sue them if they didn't take the article down and apologize . Lena responded to the allegations with a anger-filled rant on Twitter this weekend .

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A pub holding a competition to find the ‘Ugliest Woman’ got a visit from the police after someone reported them for sexism. An unknown complainant demanded the competition be cancelled and wanted the owners of Islay Inn prosecuted. However, when police arrived at the Glasgow venue they gave manager George Hogg the go ahead after discovering it was, in fact, a competition for men dressed as women. 'Ugly Women': Manager George Hogg (right) with regular punter Kenny Barra with their outfits ready for the competition in Glasgow pub The Islay Inn, which was reported to the police for sexism . Mr Hogg told of his disbelief of the complaint and accused the protestor of being ‘over the top with political correctness.’ He said: ‘I have no idea who made the complaint and the police wouldn’t tell me - but if he or she had bothered to read the advert properly, they would have realised that it was not ugly women we were looking for - but ugly men dressed up as women. ‘The first we knew of a potential problem was when two female officers from Maryhill Police Station came into the bar on Thursday night. ‘They told me they had received a complaint about us holding a competition to find the ugliest woman in the bar and that it might constitute some kind of sexist offence. ‘But when I pointed out the facts, the policewomen were clearly amused and quickly told me the matter would go no further.' All good: The Islay Inn was visited by two police officers who allowed the 'Ugliest Woman' competition to go ahead after it was explained that it would be one with male contestants . Mr Hogg added: 'It was a totally over the top reaction by whoever went to the bother of reporting us - political correctness gone mad!’ The event was advertised on the Facebook page of the pub, located in the city’s Kelvingrove area. OTT complaint: Manager George Hogg, sans outfit, called the complaint political correctness gone mad . Earlier today the page was updated to clear up the 'misunderstanding' regarding the 'Ugliest Woman' competition, which is set to go ahead on Sunday. The Islay Inn apologised for causing any offense adding: ‘Just so it’s clear to all, our ugly women will be men dressed as women, beard stubble and all.’ The pub offers a £50 cash prize for the ugliest ‘woman’ and in the spirit of equality, the ‘bonniest’ woman dressed as a man will receive a bottle of vodka. The posting attracted several comments from customers, saying a competition for ugly men would not have been met with the same reaction. Andrew Parr wrote: ‘Ridiculous getting the police involved. Some people are pathetic. Mark McCarrick added: ‘As if our overstretched police service haven’t got enough to do without being bothered by some silly complaint. ‘I bet the silly fart wouldn’t have moaned had it been an ugly man competition. ‘Get yourself a life whoever you are, its a bit of fun in these dark and gloomy times!’ Jennifer Forde said: ‘Goodness! Some people get offended very easily - sounds like a good laugh.’ Randi Carlson posted: ‘Well, I did think it was maybe a bit un-PC - but calling the police? That is a bit much.’ Gordon Gillies joked: ‘I bet it was a right ugly one who contacted the police.’ Although the competition has been allowed to take place, Strathclyde Police confirmed to the MailOnline that an inquiry into the complaint is still ongoing.

Unknown complainant reported Glasgow pub for sexism . When police arrived at the venue they allowed the competition to go ahead this Sunday .

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By . Sophie Borland . New figures show the NHS is short of 12,500 nursing posts with many hospitals struggling to recruit highly trained, senior staff . Older nurses who have quit the NHS are being urged back onto wards over concerns of desperate staffing shortages. Officials are drawing up plans to try to entice back nurses who left ten or 20 years ago to start families or pursue different careers. New figures show the NHS is short of 12,500 nursing posts with many hospitals struggling to recruit highly trained, senior staff. The push for older nurses comes as critics say modern nursing training creates nurses with degrees who are ‘too posh to wash’ patients - although nursing unions fiercely reject the claim. Concerns have also been raised that nurses with university degrees lack hands-on experience in care as they have spent too much time in the classroom. Health Education England, the body in charge of recruitment, is preparing to launch a campaign to encourage back ex-nurses which is likely to include attractive pay-rates and flexible working. Many of these nurses may not have worked in the NHS for more than 20 years having qualified in the 1980s - without a degree - and subsequently left to start a family. Meanwhile a new report shows that 83 per cent of NHS trusts are short of nurses with the NHS estimated to be down on 12,566 posts over all. A survey by NHS Employers - which represents managers - also shows that on average 1 in 10 posts are vacant at hospitals also at some having more than 100 are empty. Professor Janice Stevens, managing director of Health Education West Midlands, who is overseeing the plans said: ‘Where trusts do have shortages of nurses, it is often those with experience that they need most. ‘Attracting nurses back to practice has the potential to address current shortages. ‘The next phase of our work will involve designing an efficient process to ensure the success of any campaign encouraging nurses to return to practice. ‘Preventing staff leaving is equally important and also requires focus and attention.’ Last week the NHS watchdog NICE recommended that all wards should have a minimum of one nurse for every patient otherwise safety will be put at risk. But unions say this is simply unachievable given the current shortage of nurses. Last week the NHS watchdog NICE recommended that all wards should have a minimum of one nurse for every patient otherwise safety will be put at risk . The NHS Employers report, published yesterday, also revealed that nearly half of hospitals have recruited nurses from abroad in the last 12 months including from Spain, Portugal and India. Dr Peter Carter, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing said: ‘This is further evidence of the crisis in nurse numbers facing the NHS. ‘It is certainly positive that NHS organisations are now acknowledging the need for more nurses, but urgent action must be taken to address the current shortfalls in the nursing workforce. ‘One part of the solution should be to encourage registered nurses who no longer work in the NHS to return to practice. Bringing their skills and experience back to the health service can be a relatively quick and cost-effective means of plugging the gaps in staffing. ‘Such nurses are an invaluable resource for the NHS, but attracting them back into work will require the provision of dedicated support from employers. ‘There needs to be sufficient funding for return to practice programmes and suitable supervision and mentoring processes in place.’ Nurses who have not worked for a certain amount of time have to complete a return to practice course - usually run at universities - to ensure their skills are up to date.

New figures show the NHS is short of 12,500 nursing posts . Many hospitals are struggling to recruit highly trained, senior staff . Concerns raised that nurses with degrees lack hands-on experience .

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(CNN) -- Reigning champions Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova successfully began the defense of their titles at the French Open on Monday, a day when local player Gael Monfils stole the show by upsetting fifth seed Tomas Berdych. Nadal was the first on court, with his seven-month injury layoff making this the Spaniard's first grand slam match since being sensationally knocked out of Wimbledon last year by Lukas Rosol. With six titles in eight finals since his return in February, Nadal had been expected to cruise past Germany's Daniel Brands, 25. Instead, a man seeking a record eighth title at Roland Garros proceeded to do something he had never previously managed in the first round of a grand slam match - lose the opening set. This was unwanted history in his 34th grand slam tournament but a reminder of Nadal's dominance in Paris was underlined by this being only the 15th set he had lost in 54 matches at Roland Garros. The big-hitting Brands, ranked 59th, unleashed a fearless barrage of attacks off both sides and even led the second set tie break 3-0 only for Nadal to claim the set en route to a 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 6-3 victory. "He was playing unbelievable. I tried to find my game and tried to resist his fantastic shots," said Nadal, who will face Martin Klizan of Slovakia for a place in the last 32. "He played a great match and put me in a tricky situation." There were no such troubles for Sharapova who brushed Taiwan's Hsieh Su-Wei aside in just 54 minutes. Surrendering only eight points on her serve, the second seed hit just four unforced errors as she set up a second round clash with Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard. The Russian was joined in the next round by three former champions: Li Na, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Francesca Schiavone. One player not expected to be joining such heavyweights was Slovak veteran Zuzana Kucova, who finally won a grand slam match after 12 years of trying. The 30-year-old produced a massive shock, knocking out local favorite and 24th seed Julia Georges in a 7-6 (10-8) 6-0 victory. After being off the tour for the last 18 months, Kucova is ranked 1,152 in the world but made the first round after coming through qualifying. She will take on Virginie Razzano in the second round, with the French player having enjoyed her greatest success when upsetting Serena Williams in the first round of last year's French Open. Kucova will struggle to beat Monfils for local press coverage though after the wild card knocked out fifth seed Tomas Berdych in a five-set thriller, winning 7-6 (10-8) 6-4 6-7 (3-7) 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 to delight a partisan crowd. The match took just over four hours and saw Monfils, currently ranked No. 81 after a knee injury forced him out of the world's top 100, dig deep to win the fifth after losing two tie breaks that could have finished the match early. World No. 2 Andy Murray, who withdrew ahead of the tournament because of injury, was among those impressed by the Frenchman's display against the 2010 semifinalist. "You got to love Monfils," the Scot tweeted. "Great entertainer, one of the most fun guys to watch and he's also a really good person." Berdych's defeat means that three of the world's top 10 are no longer in contention, as the world No. 6 joined the injured Murray and Juan Martin del Potro in being forced to watch on from the sidelines. A semifinalist himself in 2008, Monfils, 26, faces Ernests Gulbis in the second round while fellow Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga eased through with victory over Aljaz Bedene. No Frenchman has won at Roland Garros since Yannick Noah in 1983. In other notable results on Monday, grand slam debutant Nick Krygios of Australia beat Czech veteran Radek Stepanek thanks to a 100% record in the tie breaks - the 18-year-old winning 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (13-11). At one point in the second set tie break, the winner of this year's Australian Open junior event trailed 6-0. And after sporting a new blonde hairdo during her routine defeat of Israel's Shahar Peer, Agnieszka Radwanska was refreshingly frank when asked what she knew about her next opponent, American Mallory Burdette. "To be honest, not much. Nothing at all, actually," the fourth seed from Poland said with a smile. "I might Google her.'' Should she beat the 22-year-old, Agnieszka may not have to do much work about her potential opponent in the third round - younger sister Urszula, who must beat Dinah Pfizenmaier of Germany first.

Reigning champions Rafa Nadal and Maria Sharapova start title defense with wins . Spaniard suffers scare after losing first set in opening grand slam match for first time . French wild card Gael Monfils steals the show with thrilling defeat of Tomas Berdych .

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By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . In ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’, super-villain Magneto is shown ripping a baseball stadium from its foundation and levitating it off the ground. Inspired by this incredible power, a plumber from Lincolnshire has attempted to recreate this metal-controlling power using home-made magnetic shoes. Colin Furze, 34, spent a week creating the strange gadget, which allow him to walk upside down along metal ceilings. Scroll down for videos . Mr Furze built the magnet in the shoes . using a microwave transformer, with one of the coils removed, and . hooking it up to a car battery. He then placed the transformer on a shoe shaped plate and clamped his foot to it. He has attached straps to the shoes with switches which power the flow of electricity and enable him to walk. The father-of-one said he could potentially use his mad invention to scale skyscrapers, instead of taking the lift. ‘The shoes are great fun but it is rather bizarre trying to walk upside down, you have to really force your feet on to the ceiling,’ said Mr Furze, who lives in Stamford, Lincolnshire. ‘It’s rather nerve-racking because if the electricity fails the magnets won’t work and I will fall. An X-Men fan has invented his own magnetic shoes which help him to walk upside down. Colin Furze, 34, spent a week creating the amazing shoes after being inspired by comic book character Magneto, who can move metal with his mind . Mr Furze built the magnet in the shoes using a microwave transformer, with one of the coils removed, and hooking it up to a car battery. He then placed the transformer on a shoe shaped plate and clamped his foot to it . ‘I think the shoes could be useful for beating the queues at a railway station by walking over the top of everyone’s heads or running along the side of buildings in busy shopping streets.’ Mr Furze built the magnet in the shoes using a microwave transformer, with one of the coils removed, and hooking it up to a car battery. He then placed the transformer on a shoe shaped plate and clamped his foot to it. He has attached straps to the shoes with switches which power the flow of electricity and enable him to walk. Colin Furze (right) said he could potentially use his mad invention to scale skyscrapers, instead of taking the lift. He was inspired by the character Magneto (left) in the film series X-Men. Pictured is actor Sir Ian McKellen . 'The shoes will hold me with 12 volts of power, but it can really hurt your back,' said Mr Furze . In a hilarious video, he demonstrates his unsuccessful attempts at learning to walk without crashing to the floor. ‘The shoes will hold me with 12 volts of power, but it can really hurt your back,’ added Mr Furze. ‘My wife Charlotte was a bit surprised when she saw me hanging upside down from the ceiling.’ This isn’t Mr Furze’s first foray into creating bizarre contraptions. The plumber recently invented a pair of Wolverine-inspired claws complete with 12 inch (30cm) stainless steel blades. Not only do they automatically extend and retract, like Hugh Jackman’s claws in X-Men, they are so sharp they have been used to slice watermelon and rip card from a distance. Mr Furze has also previously built a turbojet engine, vacuum shoes and hacked a mobility scooter. 'I think the shoes could be useful for beating the queues at a railway station by walking over the top of everyone's heads or running along the side of buildings in busy shopping streets,' said Mr Furze .

Colin Furze, 34, from Lincolnshire, spent a week creating the shoes . He used microwave parts and hooked the contraption up to a car battery . The father-of-one documents his attempts at walking in a series of videos . Mr Furze also recently invented a pair of Wolverine-inspired claws complete with 12 inch (30cm) stainless steel blades .

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By . Emily Allen . PUBLISHED: . 09:50 EST, 26 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:44 EST, 27 June 2012 . Embarrassed: Dr Malcolm spoke of his 'deep regret' over the affair at the hearing . A respected family doctor who lost his job after he had a two year extra marital affair with a patient told of his shame, embarrassment and 'deep regret' at the fling today. Married GP Dr Malcolm Kelvin, 58, swapped sexual texts with the woman and conducted the secret affair at his surgery after his colleagues had gone home for the day. The woman, 50, who was also a health care assistant at the medical practise was said to have 'disposition, sensibility and was in control of her life.' But the illicit romance ended after Kelvin’s wife looked at his mobile phone and discovered the flirtatious texts between him and his mistress. Kelvin was a called to meeting by his three fellow partners at the Mount Farm Surgery in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk where he admitted the affair and later resigned. 'Today he apologised 'most humbly' for the affair as he faced a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) fitness to practise hearing in Manchester where he faces being struck off for misconduct.' He admits the affair was improper but denies using his professional position as a doctor in order to secure a relationship with patient A claiming he regarded his mistress as a work colleague. 'I am appalled by my behaviour at the time,' said the doctor. 'I have asked myself thousands of times how I managed to get myself into the position and how a well-respected GP, with a good character finds his career collapsing around himself over such a fundamental breach of the sort of trust and honour that goes with my position.' Earlier the hearing was told Kelvin, who joined the practice in 1984, met his mistress whilst she was working at the surgery. She was also Kelvin’s patient at the practise and had been to six appointments with the doctor during the affair after suffering a shoulder complaint. Each appointment with the woman - known only as Patient A should have lasted no longer than 10 minutes. But the hearing was told the appointments appeared to be not only at the end of surgery but on two occasions they over-ran - one by 57 minutes and another by 18 minutes. Kelvin was a called to meeting by his three fellow partners at the Mount Farm Surgery in Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk (pictured) where he admitted the affair . A distressed Kelvin eventually confided in another partner at the practice about the relationship with patient A in January 2011 after his wife discovered a text message on his phone which gave the relationship away. It emerged the texts had began as early as 2008. When asked if he admitted the relationship with patient A, Kelvin said: 'Sadly and with deep regret, yes. She had disposition, sensibility, aged about 50, and in control of her life, that’s what I would probably say. 'She was an extremely good employee, good at her job, with attention to detail, a good sickness record and was not in any way prone to sickness at all. 'I think I was feeling slightly ignored at home. I cannot tell you how the first text happened, it just sort of developed. I honestly couldn’t tell you who sent the first text. There were certainly some texts of a sexual nature.' He said the sexual relationship didn’t start until March 2010 when Patient A ran smoking cessation advice sessions and he was on a rota working extended hours. Kelvin continued: 'Our working life together presented us with the opportunity to have a sexual relationship once the surgery was closed for business and the secretaries had gone home for the day. 'I am embarrassed to say this but it is important that I acknowledge that that was the situation that developed.' He said the pair had not struck up a sexual relationship before Patient A visited him for an appointment about her shoulder on October, 15, 2009. Kelvin said there was no sexual contact between the two during appointments and when asked about the lengthy appointments, he suggested the computer must have been set to log off after a failure to shut down. Speaking of the sexual encounters, Dr Kelvin added: 'They were after the extended hours, when the building was empty - around 8.30 or 8.45pm, something like that. 'The affair developed between patient A and myself because we worked together - had patient A not worked in the surgery, the affair would have never developed.' He also said the affair would have happened, even if patient A registered with another practice - because they still worked together. 'It is my great shame that I’m here now because of that,' he added. 'I should have never started any kind of sexual relationship with her, it was inappropriate on all sorts of levels. 'It was only when my inappropriate behaviour was discovered that I actually came to realise what I had been doing, for which I apologise most humbly.' 'It was based on two people working together, but that doesn’t excuse it. I now accept that I crossed the boundary. 'It developed because we worked together as work colleagues and there was no real link in my mind or her that the relationship developed because she was a patient. 'I didn’t give it the significance that it obviously should have had'. The hearing was told on January 18, 2011 a meeting was set up between Kelvin and the other three partners where he admitted everything and was suspended as a result. Counsel to the GMC Elizabeth Nicholls said: 'He admitted to his colleagues and partners that he had a relationship with her and had admitted that the sexual liaisons had taken place in the surgery premises.' Patient A did not give evidence at the hearing but submitted a letter to the surgery confirming that the relationship had taken place over a two year period. She said: 'I was very aware that what we were doing was wrong. I have deeply hurt my family and let down my work colleges. It’s something I have to live with, I only hope in time that they will forgive me.' The hearing was told the woman’s medical appointments with Kelvin had been set late in the day as they would fit in better with her 9-6pm working patterns. Kelvin’s lawyer Gordon Bebb, defending, said: 'It’s admitted that in relation to patient A, Doctor Kelvin engaged in an improper emotional and sexual relationship, but it is not admitted that he abused his professional position.' The hearing continues.

Dr Malcolm Kelvin resigned after being called to a meeting by his three fellow partners . He apologised and spoke of his shame and 'deep regret' over the affair . He denies using his position to secure the affair as he regarded the woman as a work colleague .

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By . James Rush . A father-of-two left his wedding ring and watch to give to his children in case something happened to him before boarding the missing Malaysia Airlines flight as he flew out to start a dream job in Mongolia. Mechanical engineer Paul Weeks, 39, of Perth, Australia, was on the flight as he made his way to his first shift in a fly-in fly-out job. His wife Danica has revealed how he left the objects with her to give to their two boys if something was to happen to him. Father-of-two Paul Weeks was on board the missing flight MH370 as he flew out to Mongolia to start a dream job . Mrs Weeks however said on Sunday that she was praying for a miracle as she waited for news of him. She told 9News National in Perth: '(He said) "If something should happen to me then the wedding ring should go to the first son that gets married and then the watch to the second".' The former soldier, who was born in New Zealand, moved his young family to Perth after their home in Christchurch was devastated by earthquakes. The couple have a three-year-old son called Lincoln and an 11-month-old called Jack. Mr Weeks was believed to have got a new job with Transwest Mongolia. Mrs Weeks said before he left he took 'lots of photos' of his family. She told WA Today: 'I can’t give up hope. I would love him to walk through that door, hold him one more time ... I see him everywhere in the house.' Mr Weeks's wife Danica has said her husband left his wedding ring and watch in case something happened to him . Mrs Weeks has said she 'can't give up hope' after the Malaysia Airlines flight went missing early Saturday morning . Mr Weeks was one of 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board the Malaysia Airlines flight which went missing early Saturday morning as it made its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The manifest included 152 passengers from China, 38 from Malaysia, seven from Indonesia, six from Australia, five from India, three from the U.S., and others from Indonesia, France, New Zealand, Canada, Ukraine, Russia, Taiwan and the Netherlands. A mid-air explosion: The lack of debris could be explained by it falling into Malaysian jungle . A terrorist attack: Director of CIA has said terrorism could not be ruled out . Power failure: Possibly caused by deliberate cutting of power to communication instruments . Electronic warfare: 20 passengers on board were experts in this technology. Hijacking: Radar data indicates the plane might have made a U-turn. A pilot error: There is a chance of them in all air mysteries, claim experts . Structural failure: Possibly involving damage sustained by an accident in 2012 . Pilot suicide: There were two large jet crashes in the late 1990s caused by this . Aeronautical black hole: Plane is stranded hundreds of miles from current search area . Among those travelling on the flight was a group of eight Chinese and 12 Malaysian employees of Austin, Texas, semiconductor company Freescale, which said it was assembling 'around-the-clock support' for their families. For seasoned Australian travellers Robert Lawton, 58, and his wife, Catherine, 54, the seemingly routine takeoff of flight MH370 was the beginning of another adventure. Sharing their adventure was another 50-something Australian couple, Rodney and Mary Burrows. Neighbor Don Stokes said the trip was intended as the beginning of the 'next step in their life'. Among the family groups on board were teenage sweethearts Hadrien Wattrelos, 17, and Zhao Yan, 18, students at a French school in Beijing who were returning from the Malaysian leg of a two-week holiday along with Hadrien's mother and younger sister. In December, Zhao changed her Facebook profile photo to one of her and Hadrien. He had commented: 'Je t'aime,' followed by a heart, and she had 'liked' his comment. Some boarded the plane with more serious purposes in mind. Colleagues of Chandrika Sharma said the 50-year-old director of the Chennai chapter of an organization that works with fishermen was on her way from the southern Indian city to Mongolia for a Food and Agriculture Organization conference. More than three days after the Boeing 777 disappeared, no trace of the plane has been found in waters between Malaysia and Vietnam that have been scoured by more than 40 planes and ships from at least 10 nations. Catherine and Robert Lawton, from Brisbane, were named as one of three couples from Australia who were missing . French teenagers Zhao Yan and Hadrien Wattrelos had enrolled together at the Lycee Francais International de Pekin. Both are believed to have been on board . The plane dropped off radar less than an hour into the flight without sending out a distress signal. Authorities have said it may have attempted to turn back to Kuala Lumpur, but they expressed surprise that it would do so without informing ground control. Malaysia Airlines has said in a statement that search and rescue teams expanded their scope to the Malacca Strait between Malaysia's western coast and Indonesia's Sumatra island - the opposite side of Malaysia from the plane's last known location. To reach the strait, a busy shipping lane, the plane would have had to cross over the country, presumably within the range of radar. An earlier statement said the western coast of Malaysia was 'now the focus', but the airline subsequently said that phrase was an oversight. It did not elaborate. Civil aviation chief Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said the search remained 'on both sides' of the country.

Paul Weeks was on the missing flight as he made his way to new job . Before leaving he had taken 'lots of photos' of his family, his wife has said . She said he left her his wedding ring and watch in case something happened . She has said she 'can't give up hope... I would love him to walk through that door'

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A couple who weighed a combined 32st were shamed into slimming by their own family - during Christmas dinner. Margaret Gibson, 37, and her husband, James, 41, from Biddulph, Staffs, started piling on the pounds after the birth of their two children just over a decade ago. But after taunts during the festive feast - and a warning from James's doctor that he couldn't undergo a procedure because he would 'die on the operating table' - the pair took action and have lost more than 7st between them. Wake up call: James, 41, and Margaret Gibson, 37, have shed a combined 7st in the last 11 months . By last Christmas Margaret tipped the scales at 12st 5lb and James weighed an unhealthy 20st. But the mother-of-two received a stark wake-up call when her father made a hurtful comment about her size. Margaret, a law firm secretary, said: 'I can't remember exactly what my father said but he made some sort of flippant comment to me about our appetite and I was really embarrassed. 'It was literally while we were having Christmas dinner and I wasn't very impressed at all, but that's when I decided it was time to start losing weight.' Since joining Weight Watchers in January, Margaret lost 2st 5lb to reach a healthier 10st and husband James shed 4st. Margaret, has dropped from a hefty size 18 to a size 12, and James's waist measurement has shrunk from 44in to 34in. James weighed an unhealthy 20st (right) until he and wife Margaret pledged to slim-down as a pair . Secretary Margaret dropped three dress sizes from a hefty size 18 since joining Weight Watchers in January . 'It was literally while we were having Christmas dinner and I wasn't very impressed at all, but that's when I decided it was time to start losing weight.' The pair piled on the pounds after buying a house, having children and enjoying a 'blow out' for a while . 'We have just changed our style of cooking. Instead of buying a jar of sauce, we make our own with the Weight Watchers recipes. We make sure to eat as a family. 'I feel much better than before. I have more energy. Our weight loss has helped the kids as well. 'Being heavier did not stop us doing things before, but we are more active now.' Self-employed hairdresser James added: 'I went to the doctor about a varicose veins operation and the consultant said 'If I operate on you, you will die on my table'. 'It was a kick up the backside. And then Margaret had the comments about her weight over dinner last year, so we decided to do something about it. 'Weight Watchers is easy to follow. We tried other diets before, but this is the one we have done well with. 'We used to eat fairly healthily, but on a weekend, we would go to McDonald's with the children and we would go to the local chip shop one night a week. 'Now, we eat less takeaway and try to make things from scratch. Our children have benefited from the meals as well. 'We go to meetings together to support each other, if one has a bad week, the other is there. 'We are finally getting back to the size we were when we got married. 'You do not realise, you don't see the weight creeping on to you. 'People ask where the "big, fat hairdresser" has gone and I am like "I am still here".' Margaret ensures the family eats together and she has swapped out store bought food for homemade dishes . The Gibsons followed the ProPoints system, which allots food a value depending on the amount of protein, carbohydrate and fat it contains. Just weeks away from December 25, the family is looking forward to enjoying slimline seasonal festivities. Margaret said: 'We can enjoy our Christmas dinner this year without having to feel too guilty.'

Couple started piling on pounds after the birth of two children . Margaret Gibson weighed 12st 5lb and husband James weighed 20st . James Gibson's barred from simple op as he 'would die', warned doctor .

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(CNN) -- At least 20 people were killed and 200 more were injured Friday in the northern Mediterranean city of Benghazi, Libya's second-largest, said a medical source in Benghazi who was not identified for security reasons. The casualties occurred as thousands of Libyans took to the streets to voice their discontent over leader Moammar Gadhafi, witnesses said. Friday's killings brought to 50 the number of people killed since Tuesday, when the protests began, the medical source said. Amnesty International said security forces had killed at least 46 during the past three days, with sources at al-Jala Hospital in Benghazi saying that the most common injuries were bullet wounds to the head, chest and neck. "The alarming rise in the death toll, and the reported nature of victims' injuries, strongly suggests that security forces are permitted to use lethal force against unarmed protesters calling for political change," said Malcolm Smart, the Amnesty's director for the Middle East and North Africa. CNN was unable to independently verify the information. In front of the main courthouse in a square in Benghazi, thousands of demonstrators filled the streets demanding a change of government, a protester said. He said people were chanting for Gadhafi and his children to get out of Libya. He called Gadhafi's authoritarian rule "the biggest dictatorship in history." Late Friday, a witness said more people were still streaming into the already crowded plaza, with some erecting tents, apparently planning to spend the night. There was no sign in the square of police or military forces except for the presence of three tanks, which were not moving, he said. Another source said that he saw three Libyan army tanks in the square and that young demonstrators were engaging the tank crews in conversation. He said government forces were not visible in or around Benghazi. He added that he visited Al-Jala hospital and that it was "full of dead and wounded." Electricity was lost in parts of the city but had been restored by late Friday, when the city was quiet, he said. Farther east, in al-Baida, thousands of people showed up to bury 13 protesters killed in clashes in recent days, said Mohamed Abdallah of the opposition National Front for the Salvation of Libya, who has been receiving information about Libya from sources there. Plainclothes members of the Revolutionary Committee had reportedly fired at the protesters, Abdallah said. Demonstrations unfolded Friday in other cities as well, he said. CNN has not been permitted to report from Libya and cannot confirm information about the demonstrations. The government maintains tight control of the news media and telephone services, and many people expressed fear of talking openly amid what they described as a climate of fear. CNN has been relying on information from protesters, human rights groups and foreign-based Libyan organizations assessing the situation through their sources on the ground. Libyan state-run television was airing taped images of Gadhafi surrounded by adoring crowds. The demonstrations erupted Tuesday after the detention of a human rights lawyer and spread across the country. U.S. President Barack Obama condemned the government crackdowns in Libya, Bahrain and Yemen, which are all embroiled in unrest. "Wherever they are, people have certain universal rights, including the right to peaceful assembly," Obama said. "The United States urges the governments of Bahrain, Libya and Yemen to show restraint in responding to peaceful protests, and to respect the rights of their people." "The security forces' vicious attacks on peaceful demonstrators lay bare the reality of Moammar Gadhafi's brutal rule when faced with any internal dissent," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director for Human Rights Watch. Navi Pillay, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, also condemned the crackdown in Libya and other countries "as illegal and excessively heavy-handed." Abdallah, the spokesman for the National Front for the Salvation of Libya, reported that protesters in Benghazi had freed people who had been detained during the first two days of the unrest. He said protesters also set afire a police station and the Revolutionary Committee headquarters in Benghazi, al-Baida and Darna. Gadhafi's regime, however, has sought to portray a different picture of events and sent out tacit warnings via mobile phone texts to Libyans planning to make their voices known. "The inappropriate use of telecommunications services contradicts our religion ... our customs ... and our traditions," said a text from the General Communications Body. Another said: "We commend the conscious youth who have realized that sedition destroys his family, his city, his country. And we commend our cities who have realized that touching national unity destroys the prospects of future generations. Together for the sake of the Libya of Tomorrow." A screen grab of the messages was sent to CNN by Abdulla Darrat, spokesman of Enough Gadhafi, a U.S.-based organization that has been in close touch with people on the streets of Libya. State-run television countered the anti-government protests with coverage of pro-Gadhafi demonstrations. It showed men chanting pro-Gadhafi slogans, waving flags and singing around the Libyan leader's limousine as it crept through Tripoli. Scores of supportive demonstrators packed the roadway and held up pictures of their leader as fireworks burst into the night sky. The images followed reports from protesters, witnesses and human rights activists who described brutality by internal security forces, sometimes dressed in plain clothes. One of the protesters likened the situation in Libya to that which occurred early this month in Egypt, telling Human Rights Watch that "they are sending baltaqiyyas (thugs) to beat us." Libya, like many of its Arab neighbors, is suffering from economic hardship and a lack of political reform. Youth unemployment is high. Gadhafi is acutely aware of popular grievances and has spoken with groups of students, lawyers and journalists in the past few weeks, a source told CNN this week. CNN's Yousuf Basil, Fionnuala Sweeney, Ben Wedeman and Salma Abdelaziz contributed to this report.

Witness says square in Benghazi is full of protesters, but there is little sign of police or military . Tanks surrounded demonstrators in Benghazi, a protester says . 50 reportedly killed since Tuesday, 20 of them Friday . U.S. president condemns the government crackdowns in Libya, Bahrain and Yemen .

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(CNN) -- Cyndi Lauper had a hit in the 1980s called "Money Changes Everything." She has a point. It may or may not buy happiness, but money -- especially truckloads of it -- does change things, including endowing the holder of the checkbook with power. Now, take a teenager and give him that power. What happens? Justin Bieber, Lindsay Lohan and the other teen stars that have crashed to earth in a shower of tabloid sparks, may only be doing what a great many teenagers would be doing -- if they could. There are teenagers like Justin Bieber on every block. But imagine the kid who cuts your lawn suddenly having a net worth of about $130 million. The same teen brain that convinces its host that he won't get caught if he throws a party at the house while mom and dad are away now knows it owns the house -- and it's a mansion, with Lamborghinis outside loaned gratis by a friendly dealer. Woohoo! It's long been said that by age 5 or 6, a child's brain is 95% of its adult size. But neuroscientists, enlightened by MRI technology, are discovering it is still changing -- creating connections, adding and shedding cells. That process is particularly active in the prefrontal cortex -- the part that makes judgments like drag racing through residential neighborhoods. Dr. Jay Giedd at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland, led studies that found the teen brain development was a process of adding and pruning. Significantly, he said, brain cells at that age are influenced by what the teen does. If he plays sports, the brain cells will make connections that help with that. If he sits on the couch and plays video games, then the cells will be hardwired for those activities. The only real moderating influence -- as it is for any teenager -- is the parents. But instilling discipline and values can be a daunting exercise when the child is the breadwinner. It can be difficult to tell your child they can't have the car tonight -- when he's the one who paid for it. Some parents -- like the Lohans -- are simply not up to the job. Others -- like the parents of Britney Spears or Amanda Bynes -- may have had their job complicated by what appear to be mental problems. Unfortunately, today, those problems are there for all to see. Every failure of a troubled celebrity teen spreads like digital wildfire. Still, for every Justin Bieber, there is a Ron Howard, Natalie Portman or Jodie Foster -- child stars who navigated the rocky shoals of teen years into successful adulthood. Actor Rance Howard, in an interview, said he raised well-adjusted child star sons, Clint and Academy-award winning Ron, by removing their money from the family's life. "We chose not to live on what the boys could afford," he said, "but what I could afford." Let's hope Justin will find his way. But romping in a mountain of money like most kids play in a pile of leaves, and surrounded by an entourage of dependent cheerleaders, won't make it easy. As the developing cells of his teenage brain react to the world around him -- money does change everything. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Peggy Drexler.

Peggy Drexler: There are teenagers like Justin Bieber on every block . Drexler: A young person who has so much money -- and power -- can do crazy things . She says parents can instill values, but it's hard when a kid is the breadwinner . Drexler: Still, there are teen stars who grow up fine even if they have a lot of money .

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Washington (CNN) -- A U.S. Navy drone crashed Monday in a marsh near Salisbury, Maryland. The RQ-4A Global Hawk drone crashed during a routine training flight from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, according to Jamie Cosgrove, a spokeswoman for the Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons Program at the base. There were no injuries to civilians and no property damage, said the Navy, which said it is investigating the cause. Video from CNN affiliate WBOC showed smoke rising from brush fires in the unpopulated area. The drone crashed into a tributary of the Nanticoke River, a U.S. Coast Guard official said. The crash site has been blocked to recreational boat traffic while the agency investigates, the Coast Guard official said. As soon as Navy personnel lost contact with the unmanned vehicle, a piloted aircraft was dispatched to Maryland's Eastern Shore, where it came upon the wreckage and determined that it was unlikely anyone on the ground had been hurt, Navy officials told CNN. The crash occurred at about 12:11 p.m., near Bloodworth Island in Dorchester County, the Navy said. The aircraft is one of five aircraft acquired from the Air Force Global Hawk program. The BAMS-D program has been developing tactics and doctrine for the employment of high-altitude unmanned patrol aircraft since November 2006. The drone can fly for 30 hours without refueling at altitudes as high as 11 miles. It is typically used for reconnaissance. Of the five drones based at southern Maryland's Naval Air Station Patuxent River, four are in routine training and one is deployed with the U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet, the officials said. The basic RQ-4A Global Hawk UAV, manufactured for the U.S. Air Force by Northrop-Grumman, is the largest and most advanced drone in the U.S. military, according to the Navy. It is 44 feet long, has a 116-foot wingspan and weighs 25,600 lbs. The vehicles cost $176 million apiece, the Government Accountability Office reported in 2010. Crashes are highly unusual, Navy officials said.

NEW: No one was hurt and no property was damaged, the Navy says . NEW: The drones cost $176 million apiece . Navy drone crashes near Salisbury, Maryland . The RQ-4A Global Hawk was on a training mission, the Navy says .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:35 EST, 15 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:35 EST, 15 March 2013 . The road to late president Hugo Chavez's final resting place in Caracas showed just how impoverished ordinary Venezuelans are, as parade pictures showed some of the most dangerous slums on the planet. While tens of thousands of mourners lined the streets to mourn former President Chavez's passage to the museum where he will be displayed indefinitely, it highlighted how severe problems in Venezuela are for who ever will lead the country next. Mr Chavez, who ruled for 14 years, died of cancer last week. Chavez's legacy: The funeral route of Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez revealed the horrifying conditions in which many Venezuelans live . Tens of thousands of Venezuelans . gathered along that route today to watch the late president's body . cross the city in another choreographed show designed to keep Chavez . supporters in thrall, at least until an April 14 election scheduled to . replace him. All along the funeral route were . unmistakable signs that this 28 million-person country is not only . unsafe, but that its basic services no longer work. The parade showed bridges in dire need of repair and food shops looking sparse and understocked. Vying for power: Venezuela's acting President Nicolas Maduro drives a military vehicle while his Foreign Minister Elias Jaua (top centre), president of Congress Diosdado Cabello (top left) and other members of his government lead the funeral parade . Crumbling apartment towers and food lines often shared the pavement with cheering crowds eager to greet their departed Comandante. 'More than anything, the government continues fighting with everyone, and does everything badly,' said Francisco Olivero, a 54-year-old carpenter who lives with his wife and five children in the poor neighborhood of Catia, a few streets from the funeral route. Like many Venezuelans, Olivero said wartime-levels of street violence all over the city were his top worry. 'They kill people here every day,' he said. 'I've lost friends, relatives.' Elaborate mourning: Onlookers throw confetti as his body was being transferred from a military academy, where it has been lying in state, to the military museum . As thousands of bused-in police academy cadets gathered along the route, Olivero and his wife Yelitza Acuna were waiting in line to buy flour, coffee, butter and other food staples that they said have been hard to come by for about two years. The shop, which sat along the most trafficked part of the route, drew a crowd of people desperate for a few bags of flour. 'The word spread in the street, and we all came running here,' said Oliver's wife, Yelitza Acuna, a cook's assistant. Economists say government-imposed price controls designed to dampen inflation topping 20 percent have made it impossible for shop owners to sell basic foods at a profit, sparking widespread shortages. Pomp and ceremony: The presidential guard soldiers carry the coffin at the start of a procession in which Venezuelans lined up to bid their last farewell to Hugo Chavez. In the background a portrait of independence hero Simon Bolivar. Officials have accused suppliers of hoarding the goods and have invaded warehouses looking for sugar, flour and other food items in short supply. 'You can't find anything,' said 27-year-old lawyer Anglys Bericote, who rode a bus for four hours from the town of Cajigal to view the funeral cortege. Wearing a heart-shaped 'I am Chavez' badge, she said she was taking the opportunity to also stock up on basic goods. People in her town have even had to go without toothpaste and toilet paper, she said. 'It's all the plan of the private businesses,' she said, repeating the government's line of attack. 'They want to hold onto everything so that it riles up people.' A few blocks from the military museum, Jonathan Rodriguez watched government supporters pass by in red T-shirts bearing Chavez's image. Raw sewage trickled from a broken pipe down the street, and the 37-year-old insurance agent scolded his two sons for playing nearby. Lying in state: Religious and political ceremonies were held at the military museum, attended by Mr Chavez's chosen successor Nicolas Maduro . 'The majority of them don't complain about the problems here,' Rodriguez whispered about the passing Chavez supporters. 'It's as if they didn't exist.' Rodriguez said he doesn't have that luxury. Violent crime is so bad in his part of town that he and his family shut themselves inside their home every night by 6 p.m., only opening the iron gate covering his front door the next morning. Yet for Rodriguez, staying indoors might not be enough to protect him and his family from the war outside. Several weeks ago, a stray bullet penetrated the zinc roof of a neighbor's house. Almost all of Caracas' streets empty of people by dusk as residents with a homicide rate 20 times that of the United States. On Thursday, the U.N. Development Programme issued a study finding Venezuela had the world's fifth highest homicide rate, behind Honduras, El Salvador, the Ivory Coast and Jamaica. Many believe the police are a big part of the problem. Death of a strong leader: Chavez's brothers Adam Chavez, left, and Anibal Chavez, right carried his coffin, while thousands of people lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the hearse . In an astounding revelation, former Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami said in 2009 that police were responsible for up to 20 per cent of the country's crimes. 'I just stay inside now,' Rodriguez said. 'Outside, it's not safe.' The hills around the military academy are covered with bare-brick slums. More Venezuelans have moved into such slums during Chavez's government, casualties of a housing deficit that the human rights group Provea estimates at 2 million units. Official figures show the number of houses deemed "inadequate" in the country grew from 295,000 in 1999 to more than 404,000 in 2011. The growth of such neighborhoods has contributed to other problems. Due to crumbling or inexistent infrastructure, sewage all over the city goes mainly to one place: the once-pristine Guaire River, which runs along most of Chavez's funeral route. In 2005, Chavez had famously promised that Venezuelans would one day be able to swim in its waters. Trying to do that today would be nothing less than life-threatening. Military might: Hugo Chavez was keen to show off his army credentials at parades in Caracas . Retired truck driver Miguel Mosquera said he remembered the idyllic scene there decades ago, when the river was a perfect place to spend a sunny day. He lives in the neighborhood of San Antonio, close to the river and within sight of the funeral route. 'The city grew too much,' the 67-year-old said. 'In the 30s and in the 40s, people bathed in this river. ... Here, when it rains, it's chaos, you see that the river sometimes spills over when it rains.' Jose Leal, who had stopped by a bakery near the route, said he had given up on any change under the current government, led by Chavez's hand-picked successor Nicolas Maduro. 'It isn't easy, brother,' Leal said as Chavez supporters headed to the river to watch the cortege pass. 'It's worrying. It creates stress, stress in the family, stress at work.'

Despite crowds of mourners on the streets, Chavez's worrying legacy was visible in Caracas's dangerous slums . Venezuelan capital has fifth highest homicide rate in the world . Former Justice Minister Tareck El . Aissami said police are responsible for up to 20 per cent . of Venezuela's crimes . While thousands were on the streets to mourn Chavez's passing, others were queuing up to get basic food .

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By . Rebecca Camber . PUBLISHED: . 20:44 EST, 8 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 04:57 EST, 9 January 2014 . Water cannon will be ready for use on the streets of mainland Britain within months under controversial new plans. London Mayor Boris Johnson wants Britain's biggest police force to be armed with the fearsome weapon by the Summer. In the wake of the riots of August 2011, Scotland Yard boss Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe has been calling for officers to have access to the high-pressured cannon to quell possible future outbreaks of disorder. Controversial methods:The cannons have never been used on the streets of mainland Britain . But the Home Secretary Theresa May has refused to fund it as a 'national asset' for forces. Now Boris Johnson is pressing ahead with the scheme, telling the Home Secretary he is happy to fund the machines after receiving assurances from the Met Commissioner that they will be 'rarely used and rarely seen' only in the most extreme circumstances. Mr Johnson will hold talks with stakeholders, members of the public and the Police and Crime Committee of the London Assembly over the next few weeks before making a final decision next month. This week Mr Johnson wrote to Mrs May: 'Following briefing by the Commissioner I am broadly convinced of the value of having water cannon available to the Metropolitan Police Service for those circumstances where its absence would lead to either greater disorder or the use of more extreme force.' He added: 'Subject to the public engagement process that I have outlined above, I am happy to make the necessary funds available to the Metropolitan Police Service for the most economical interim solution that allows the Commissioner to meet his desire to prevent disorder on the streets.' Funding: Boris Johnson is pressing ahead with the scheme despite Home Secretary Theresa May's refusal to fund the cannons as a an 'asset' for forces around the country . Scotland Yard wants to take delivery of the cannon, which have never been used on the streets of mainland Britain, by the time of the third anniversary of the riots which laid waste to great swathes of the country. But the Home Secretary still has to decide whether to licence use of the machines. There are plans to buy three cannon from Germany at a cost of £30,000 each, that will then need to be modified for use on UK soil. Pleas: Scotland Yard boss Sir Bernard Hogan Howe has called for the cannons to made available since the 2011 riots . The Met has approached companies about hiring or buying second-hand water cannons from overseas to have the machines available as soon as possible. The German-made Ziegler Wasserwerfer 9000 costs £1.3 million from new. Each machine holds 9,000 litres and is equipped with searchlights and CCTV cameras. Last year nearly 3,000 British police officers were trained how to work around the cannon before being deployed to Northern Ireland as part of the massive security operation for the G8 summit. The jets have been used in Northern Ireland for some time, but Sir Hugh Orde, head of the Association of Chief Police Officers, has spoken out against water cannon after deploying it while he was Chief of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The machines have caused serious injuries in the past, including to a German protester who was blinded in 2010. Yesterday London Assembly member Jenny Jones said: 'What happens if the Commissioner wants to deploy water cannon but the Mayor doesn't? Londoners need to know when and in what circumstances the Mayor would agree with the Met using this weapon. 'Allowing water cannon on the streets of London is a step in the wrong direction towards arming our police like a military force, and it goes against our great tradition of an unarmed police service. 'People have a democratic right to protest and my fear is that once the Mayor allows these weapons onto our streets we will see them being used against people exercising their legal right to protest.' Stephen Greenhaigh, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime has now written to the London Assembly saying: 'In order to ensure that water cannon is available by next summer, something which the Commissioner has been calling for, it is important that this process of engagement starts soon. 'This will be based on the reassurance that the Commissioner has given that it will be "rarely used and rarely seen".' A spokeswoman for the Mayor's Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC) added: 'Since the riots in August 2011 the police and the independent Inspectorate of Constabulary have argued that water cannon should be available as one of a range of tools to respond to serious public disorder.

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe has called for their use since 2011 riots . Theresa May has previously refused to fund them as an 'asset' for forces . Johnson has been assured they will be 'rarely used or seen' The machines could cost as much as much as £1.3million .

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(CNN) -- His father's death certificate, long-lost relatives and a town possibly named after an ancestor are just a few of the details John William Harris found as he researched his family tree. Harris, 62, a sales executive and consultant from Atlanta, Georgia, had always hoped to learn more about his family, including his father, John Henry Harris, whom he said was murdered by another man when he was 5 years old. "The man who killed my father was never tried in a court of law. In small-town Gainesville, Georgia, in 1953, such a crime -- black on black -- was not considered important and often went unpunished," said Harris. Lt. Stephanie Gilbert of Hall County Sheriff's Department said there's no file telling exactly what happened, because records from that period were burned by a former sheriff. Gainesville police said they did not have records from that time, either. His death certificate indicates Harris died from complications after a stab wound. "I had long put the lack of knowledge of his murder behind me," said Harris. "This revelation about the lost records only rekindles the old feelings and my desire to know the truth of what happened." Harris' journey to learn more about his father's life and death and his family background took him to the internet and into U.S. census records and other online websites. Harris grew up with his mother's family on Race Street in Gainesville (the family called it the "Big House") and heard a lot about their history. But Harris said his family hid most information about his father's death in order to protect him and they did not have a lot of recorded information about that side of his family tree. However, Harris said he was inspired to learn more about his past after recently watching the PBS special "African American Lives." "After seeing what was possible and how fulfilling it was for those who discovered their backgrounds, I felt both encouraged and a little guilty I hadn't made the effort before," said Harris. Harris is one of millions of Americans interested in learning and researching details about family origins. A Harris Interactive poll (no relation to John Harris) found 87 percent of Americans want to know more about their family background. For his search into his father's side of the family, Harris didn't have much information to work with when he started -- only his father's and grandmothers' names. When Harris began, he found it difficult to focus on his career or even eat and sleep. "I was so engaged about learning information about my history and spent many hours researching it online. My wife joked that I spent more time on the computer than I did with her or at my job," Harris said with a chuckle. "Researching family history is not hard, but it takes work being a detective," said Harris. "The computer, the internet and the accumulation of databases that never existed before make it easier to get started right in your own home." Many subscription websites allow you to access databases for a fee and it's a big business. For instance, ancestry.com says it has more than 1 million paying subscribers and has the largest collection of records on the internet. Subscribers can pay as little as $12.95 a month for access to some records. Higher fees provide greater access. Some of the other fee-based sites are onegreatfamily.com, worldvitalrecords.com and footnote.com. Familysearch.org is maintained by the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). This site is free. It is organized by volunteers, so there is no hidden cost to join or access the vast database. LDS said it has about 50,000 hits a day on its site. Microfilm copies of original U.S. census records from 1790 through 1930 are available for research at the National Archives in Washington and its 13 regional archives. Many libraries and courthouses also store tax and property records and other documents that might help trace people through history. For Harris, his first big discovery was an unknown uncle, Ebbie Harris, listed in a 1920 census record. Harris learned his father's brother had died as a schoolboy. "I was shocked he ever existed," said Harris. Harris also said he discovered at least 50 relatives he didn't know about while using census reports from 1900 to 1930 on Gainesville, Georgia. "It was exciting to see the names of all of my family." The census records opened his eyes to how big his family was. Harris was amused by some of the details revealed by the records. "I learned my grandfather Wade Harris was 69 years old and married to my grandmother, who was only 31 when the census was taken in 1920. I was amazed at their age difference," Harris said with a chuckle. Harris didn't find out a lot of new details about his father beyond the year of his birth and the exact date of his death. "It was thrilling to see confirmation of his date of death. Though the details were minute, the joy of discovery was overwhelming for me," Harris said. For Harris, researching his past has been a roller-coaster ride of many emotions, but he was glad to be on the journey. One of his greatest highs was when he discovered the town of Chamblee, Georgia, may have been named after his great-great grandfather. "Apparently Ransom Chamblee, a former slave, made such an impression on the local people that when the town applied for a post office they may have named the town after him," said Harris. A historian in DeKalb County, Georgia, said there is a strong possibility that the town was named after a former slave named Ransom Chamblee, but could not confirm it. Harris said investigating his family has been rewarding and has given him a sense of belonging and knowing more about his history. "Above all, I am appreciative of the struggles so many have gone through to prepare the way for us," said Harris. Harris has been married to Mary Alice, his high school sweetheart, for nearly 45 years. They have three children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. "I'm happy that our family tree is captured for them and more will be forthcoming," said Harris. "I hope they will take advantage and continue the efforts."

Poll finds 87 percent of Americans have interest in their family roots . John William Harris is one of millions of Americans who traced his family tree . Many free and subscription websites allow access to research genealogy in the U.S.

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 11:51 PM on 21st October 2011 . No love for familiarity: Judge John Foster has been accused of discrimination . To most in the county, it is a term of endearment. But one Yorkshire judge takes such offence at the use of the word 'love' as a term of address, he has banned it from his courtroom. Barnsley Magistrates' Court Judge John Foster has ruled that defendants should no longer be permitted to reply 'yes, love' when confirming their details with the court clerk or legal adviser. Instead, they have been ordered to answer: 'Yes, ma'am.' Judge Foster claims the word 'love' is 'disrespectful' and has ordered all defendants in his court to abide by the new rules. The district judge imposed the ban after his legal adviser Pam Bower asked a 42-year-old defendant if he would confirm his identity during a recent hearing and got the reply: ‘Yes, love.’ The man, who was on remand and appearing on a video link, was later freed from custody on conditional bail. Judge Foster, 64, said courts ‘have to maintain proper standards’, adding: ‘Courts are solemn places and serious. 'They are not places for chatty discussions.’ But regional campaign groups condemned the move. Graeme Garvey, from the Yorkshire  Dialect Society, said: ‘The judge is, himself, being discriminatory in insisting on Standard English usage over traditional Yorkshire dialect. 'Love' is a non-sexual term which has been and is used by people of both . genders to people of both genders. It is a term of endearment. Love-free zone: From now on, defendants appearing at Barnsley . Magistrates Court, above, are to address female court staff as . 'ma'am' 'The . key issue regarding the current case is if the usage is patronising and . that is a value judgement not susceptible to objective proof. 'If it is not used patronisingly then . the judge, himself, is in error. If the plaintiff were to arraign the . judge for linguistic discrimination, I feel he would have a strong . case.' Keith Madeley, from the Yorkshire . Society, an organisation which encourages business and all things . Yorkshire, added: 'I think that you've got to be careful that you don't . lose the affectionate terms that we use for each other as part of our . regional dialects. 'If the . term is used in the right way I see nothing wrong with it, in other . parts of the country I believe they refer to one another as "duck", are we . going to stop that as well?' Defending against the cries of foul against the Yorkshire dialect the Judicial Office on behalf of Judge Foster said: 'He simply asked the defendant to observe ordinary courtesy and respect towards an officer of the court. 'And that the standards demanded upon this occasion were no different to those applied in every other court in the land on every day upon which they sit.' CHUCK: A favourite in the north west of the country . KIDDA: Originally used in Liverpool but now also used in parts of North Wales . OUR KID: Often used to refer to a brother or close friend in Manchester . BABBA: Meaning 'baby' or 'friend' and originated in Bristol . MY LOVER: Another term originating from Bristol but is now heard throughout the south west of the country . BOYO: Out of date, but can occasionally still be heard in the Welsh Valleys . OLD BEAN: Originating in the south east, this is a jocular form of addressing a man, dating from the 1910s. TREACLE: Out-and-out Cockney. Used by men to describe women, derived from the 'treacle tart' rhyming slang meaning of sweetheart. GEEZER: Used in the south east as slang for man, but it actually dates from the 15th century word for actor - which was 'guiser' PET: The popular Geordie expression for women, originates from the notion that pets need looking after . PETAL: Another term for women, which can be heard all over the North East . HEN: Scottish slang for woman or girl . DOLL: An affectionate term for women, used by men in Scotland . CHICKEN: The tables turn with this term, for it is mainly used by women about men in the North East. LASS: Term for a young woman or girl, widely used across Yorkshire . FLOWER: Another well-used phrase in Yorkshire - again for women . BAB: A variation on the word 'babe' and used to greet Brummie women . ME DUCK: Heard in Derbyshire, but dates back to the 1500s when Shakespeare used the phrase 'dainty duck' for sweetheart.

Defendants must now call women 'ma'am' Dialect group claim judge discriminates against people from Yorkshire .

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A planet-wide conflict that claimed as many lives as the first two world wars combined would hardly make any difference to the world's exploding population, according to a study. The researchers claim that population growth is so out of control that even stringent restrictions on childbirth, disastrous pandemics, or World War Three would not make it manageable by the turn of the next century. They say the global population will likely exceed 10 billion by 2100, and even in the worst case scenario the minimum it could reach would be 5.1 billion. Another World War would not significantly dent the global population (stock image shown). That's according to a study by the University of Adelaide, Australia. Researchers say that the population has spiralled upwards. It is now more than likely to exceed 10 billion by 2100 . Professor Barry Brook, who co-led the study at the University of Adelaide, Australia, said: 'We were surprised that a five-year World War Three scenario, mimicking the same proportion of people killed in the first and second world wars combined, barely registered a blip on the human population trajectory this century.' Rather than reducing the number of people on the planet, cutting the consumption of natural resources and enhanced recycling would have a better chance of achieving effective sustainability gains in the next 85 years, they said. There are about seven billion people living on our planet and this number is set to reach almost 10 billion by 2050, according to UN figures. This population explosion is largely attributed to better healthcare and farming practices, with some experts arguing that industrialisation in the 18th and 19th centuries was the tipping point that allowed more humans to thrive. However, one social scientist claims the human population explosion has its roots as far back as 2,000 years ago. Aaron Stutz, an associate professor of anthropology at Emory’s Oxford College in Georgia created a new model of demographic and archaeological data to show when humans thrived. In a paper published in the journal PLOS ONE, he claims that political and economic reforms helped to create more stable families, and therefore enabled more people to thrive. World War Two claimed between 50 million and 85 million military and civilian lives, according to different estimates, making it the most lethal conflict by absolute numbers of dead in human history. Meanwhile, more than 37 million people are thought to have died in World War One. The scientists used a computer model based on demographic data from the World Health Organisation and United States Census Bureau to investigate different population reduction scenarios. They found that under current conditions of fertility, mortality and mother's average age at first childbirth, global population was likely to grow from seven billion in 2013 to 10.4 billion by 2100. Climate change, war, reduced mortality and fertility, and increased maternal age altered this prediction only slightly. A devastating global pandemic today that killed two billion people was only projected to reduce population size to 8.4 billion, while six billion deaths brought it down to 5.1 billion. The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy Of Sciences. Co-author Professor Corey Bradshaw, also from the University of Adelaide, said: 'Global population has risen so fast over the past century that roughly 14 per cent of all the human beings that have ever existed are still alive today. That's a sobering statistic. 'This is considered unsustainable for a range of reasons, not least being able to feed everyone as well as the impact on the climate and environment. World War Two claimed between 50 million and 85 million military and civilian lives, according to different estimates, but the researchers say this would not be more than a blip on the modern population. Pictured is the American Memorial Cemetery in Manila, Philippines . 'We examined various scenarios for global human population change to the year 2100 by adjusting fertility and mortality rates to determine the plausible range of population sizes at the end of this century. 'Even a worldwide one-child policy like China's, implemented over the coming century, or catastrophic mortality events like global conflict or a disease pandemic, would still likely result in five to 10 billion people by 2100.' Nine different scenarios were constructed, ranging from 'business as usual' population growth to highly unlikely disasters resulting in billions of deaths. Professor Brook, now at the University of Tasmania, said: 'As our models show clearly, while there needs to be more policy discussion on this issue, the current inexorable momentum of the global human population precludes any demographic 'quick fixes' to our sustainability problems. 'Our work reveals that effective family planning and reproduction education worldwide have great potential to constrain the size of the human population and alleviate pressure on resource availability over the longer term. 'Our great-great-great-great grandchildren might ultimately benefit from such planning, but people alive today will not.' Professor Bradshaw added: 'The corollary of these findings is that society's efforts towards sustainability would be directed more productively towards reducing our impact as much as possible through technological and social innovation.'

Another world war would not significantly dent the global population . That's according to a study by the University of Adelaide, Australia . Researchers say that the population has spiralled upwards . It is now more than likely to exceed 10 billion by 2100 . And even a global pandemic or conflict that killed six billion people today would still see the population reach more than five billion in 2100 . Experts say we need to cut resource consumption to control the population . 'Roughly 14 per cent of all the human beings that have ever existed are still alive today. That's a sobering statistic,' said study's Professor Bradshaw .

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Paris (CNN)A man with a handgun entered a post office outside of Paris early Friday afternoon before reportedly surrendering and releasing his hostages unharmed. The incident in Colombes, a community about 10 kilometers northwest of the French capital, began at about 12:45 p.m. (6:45 a.m. ET) and was over two hours later. The gunman might be mentally unstable, according to police in Colombes. Police said that they don't know yet whether the incident is related to terrorism. This is a hot topic in France after last week's deadly attacks. A Western intelligence source said there could be as many as 20 terrorist sleeper cells of between 120 and 180 people ready to strike in France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. The gunman eventually surrendered and the hostages emerged with no injuries, according to France Bleu, which is part of the country's public broadcasting group. CNN's Greg Botelho and Elwyn Lopez contributed to this report.

Public radio: Gunman surrenders, hostages released uninjured . Man enters a post office in Colombes, which is just outside Paris . Police: The gunman may be mentally unstable .

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By . Sean Poulter . Tesco is launching its own diet service with guidance on how to achieve weight loss goals and a new range of calorie controlled meals. The scheme will put the supermarket head to head with the likes of Weight Watchers and Slimming World, which dominate the weight loss market and have even been accepted into the NHS. Shoppers can put their height and weight into Tesco’s Health and Wellbeing website and will then be offered guidance, fitness advice and a personally tailored eating plan. Slimming: Tesco has launched a range of low-calorie products that combine to create slimming meal plans . Central to the regime is the launch of a range of calorie controlled products under a new brand called ‘my fit lifestyle’. The products fit under one of five colour coded headings ranging from 100 to 500 calories, which can be combined to create a daily menu. The range, which is launching initially in London, builds on a new and emerging trend in the US for personalised eating plans and puts together menu suggestions that will add up to less than 2,000 calories a day. Breakfast might be a ‘Greek style yoghurt with granola, pear, apple, berries’ plus a ‘roasted snack mix’ and a ‘grape, blueberry and pomegranate fruit pot’. Together these add up 398 calories. Lunch could be a ‘superfood salad with pineapple, kiwi and blueberry seed boost’ paired with a pack of ‘smoked paprika and cream cheese popcorn’, which adds up to 608 calories. Dinner could be what it calls a ‘Mediterranean graze box’, which includes baked falafels, super food salad, chilli spiced broccoli and edamame beans with yogurt dip, plus as roasted snack mix – at 594 calories. Range: The line, called 'my fit lifestyle', features granola for breakfast and quinoa (pictured) for dinner . Colour code: Customers can organise their meal plans on the website using colour codes . There is also room for a snack of a ‘quinoa, Edamame & Black Rice Salad Shot’, which comes in at 382 calories. Together this meal plan would come in at 1,982 calories. The chain will create my fit lifestyle zones both in its stores and on the firm’s Tesco.com website, to help customers put together their personal plans. They will be also able to count their calories on Tesco’s Health and Wellbeing website and app. To mark the launch of the new range, . Tesco is offering a Ride ‘n’ Dine restaurant-on-wheels pre-booked taxi . service in London, which will run for five days and deliver products . from the new range to home or work. Trend: The line, which customers can have delivered to their home or work, builds on a trend in the US for personalised meal plans . Tesco is keen to change its images away from a soulless retail juggernaut to a company that is a friend to customers and can offer solutions to real life problems. Jill Easterbrook, the chain’s chief customer officer, said: ‘We know that our customers are looking for us to help them lead healthier lives. 'They’ve told us that the pressures of the day make sticking to a healthy eating regime can be really difficult. ‘As a working mum of three I know just how busy life can get. That’s why we’re launching my fit lifestyle, so you can mix and match freshly prepared meals to suit your own personal plan. ‘Taken together with our wider programme to help improve health and wellbeing, including our recent decision to withdraw confectionery from all checkouts, and the billions of calories we have removed from our soft drinks, sandwiches and ready meal ranges, my fit lifestyle is another sign of our commitment to help shoppers live more healthily. ‘By combining fresh, healthy, delicious meals with a personal eating plan, we can support our customers and help them achieve to their health and well-being goals.’ Karen Tonks, in-house nutritionist at Tesco, said: ‘Each of the meals provide two of your five a day, so whether you are aiming for short term weight loss goals or a long term lifestyle change, the my fit lifestyle range, Tesco health and wellbeing website and app are there to guide and support customers. ‘It’s flexible too, so you can follow a complete meal plan or just balance out an indulgent weekend. The range has enough variety to deliver all the nutrients you need for a healthy lifestyle.’ As part of the initiative, Tesco will offer customers free tours with nutritionists in 19 of its larger Extra stores.

Supermarket has devised calorie-controlled range called 'my fit lifestyle' Initial launch is in London, builds on US trend of personalised meal plans . Colour-coded products fit together to create daily menu under 2,000 calories . Breakfast is granola, lunch could be superfood salad, falafels for dinner . Customers can have the meals delivered direct to home or work .

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(CNN) -- When opposition rugby teams line up against the New Zealand All Blacks, there's a common game plan: Get Carter. New Zealand rugby player Dan Carter is on course to be the country's top points scorer. Playing as number 10 in the fly half position, Carter is the All Blacks' creative talisman and the one player that can catch the eye with his skill and control a match with his reading of the game. He made his debut for the All Blacks in 2003 at just 21-years-old, but really burst onto the international scene in 2005 during the British Lions tour of New Zealand. It led his opposite number, English fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, who won the World Cup with England in 2003, to call Carter the most complete player in that position, combining great natural talent with an excellent work ethic. As well as the accolades from journalists and fellow players he also picked up the International Rugby Board's Player of the year award in 2005. Growing up around Christchurch on New Zealand's south island, he's been an integral member of the Crusaders team since 2002 and helped to make them the most successful team in the Super 14 competition, the southern hemisphere's top club league. Having been courted by numerous British club sides for years, he's now taking the opportunity to play on pastures new, but with French club Perpignan. He'll be in the Catalan city for six months, and regardless of how well he does on the field, he'll set new records by becoming the best paid player in club rugby. He's set to earn an estimated $50,000 per game, which in a sport that lags far behind football or American sports in terms of finance is big money. Find out what he thinks about playing his club rugby abroad for the first time, his view on the All Blacks and what it's like to be a rugby-playing pin-up on Talk Asia this week.

New Zealand rugby player made international debut as a 21-year-old . All Blacks second highest points scorer in test rugby . Recently signed to play for French club team Perpignan .

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By . Emma Glanfield for MailOnline . A 41-year-old woman battered her musician boyfriend to death with a guitar stand during a drunken row, a court heard. Samantha Adeokun, from Silverdale, Lancashire, is accused of killing her partner Peter Davegun, 42, in a brutal attack on December 23 last year. Stafford Crown Court heard she flew into a rage and beat her boyfriend by kicking and punching him as he curled up in a ball to protect himself. Samantha Adeokun, 41, from Silverdale, Lancashire, is accused of killing her on/off partner of six years Peter Davegun, 42, (above) by punching, kicking and beating him with a metal guitar stand until he fell unconcious . He suffered multiple injuries to his head and body after also being bludgeoned with a metal guitar stand leaving behind 'a bloodbath', jurors were told. Emergency services arrived at his flat in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, after Adeokun waited one hour to dial 999. She claimed her partner had fallen and hit his head on a TV stand after tripping on a mat. Paramedics arrived just before 2.45pm and found Mr Davegun's body lying in the foetal position on his bedroom floor. The court heard he had extensive bruising and bite marks on his body and had suffered severe internal injuries and seven fractured ribs. He was pronounced dead at the property at around 3.20pm. Adeokun went on trial yesterday accused of murdering her on-off partner of six years following the drunken row. Prosecutor Deborah Gould, opening the case, said: 'The prosecution case says the defendant literally beat him to death using her fists, feet and part of a guitar stand. Stafford Crown Court heard how 41-year-old Adeokun allegedly attacked her partner at his flat in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire (above) on December 23 last year during a drunken row. Mr Davegun died from his injuries . The court heard how Adeokun waited nearly one hour before calling emergency services after the alleged attack. When police arrived, Mr Davegun was found unconscious in a pool of blood and was pronounced dead . 'At least part of the time she was doing this, she was bleeding and standing above him. 'She struck him repeatedly, causing significant internal bruising and bleeding. She struck him from behind and from the front. 'You will hear from the pathologist that there's evidence he was struck while on the ground in the foetal position. 'After the attack, the defendant telephoned her daughter and said she was sorry. She said she and the deceased had a fight. 'She said she had been defending herself and Mr Davegun was, at that stage, unconscious. 'When her daughter asked if she had called 999, the defendant said she hadn't because she needed to get dressed because she had blood on her. 'She changed out of her clothing. Then, nearly an hour afterwards, she called paramedics, claiming Mr Davegun had fallen, hit his head and been unconscious for 40 minutes.' Adeokun denies murdering Mr Davegun and claims he fell and hit his head after tripping on a mat at the flat . The jury also heard a recording of the 999 call Adeokun made during which she described the scene as a 'bloodbath'. She told the operator: 'We had a big argument earlier on and he's just fell. 'I cut my finger and it looks bad. I cut my finger and it looks like I've killed him.' Adeokun denies murder. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Samantha Adeokun, 41, is accused of murdering partner Peter Davegun, 42 . Court heard she 'punched, kicked and beat him to death with guitar stand' She waited one hour to call police after alleged attack in December last year . Adeokun denies murder charge and trial at Stafford Crown Court continues .

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes it would 'definitely be a bigger miracle' than Manchester United's epic 1999 Champions League final triumph if Cardiff can avoid Barclays Premier League relegation. Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham scored injury-time goals as United beat Bayern Munich 2-1 in Barcelona on one of British football's most famous nights. The current Cardiff manager now faces the task of trying to keep his team afloat. VIDEO Scroll down for Solskjaer: It's still possible to get out of the bottom 3 . Miracle: Solkskjaer says his side need to produce wonders if they are to avoid the drop . Currently bottom of the league, they require victories in their final two games - at Newcastle on Saturday and against Cardiff City Stadium visitors Chelsea in nine days' time - to retain any survival hope. Even then, they still need other results to work in their favour, but Solskjaer has no intention of throwing in the towel. 'If we stay up it would definitely be a bigger miracle than Barcelona in 1999,' he said. 'That night it was possible, and in football anything is possible. So we need to give ourselves a chance in front of our fans against Chelsea. 'It takes belief, togetherness, a team that goes the extra mile, and a hero stepping forward and doing something magical. Up against it: Cardiff are bottom of the Premier League with two games remaining . Miracle: Solksjaer famously scored the winner for United in 1999 as they came from behind in the final minutes . 'It's still possible, it's still possible that we are out of the bottom three if we win this weekend. We have got to give ourselves something to play for in the last game by winning this game. 'One of the key points is just imagine how this place (Cardiff City Stadium) will be next weekend if we have got something to play for, when we have got something to play for. 'Let's give ourselves a chance by beating Newcastle, because this place will be absolutely rocking if we are in with a chance.' Cardiff's woefully erratic form this season suggests a quickfire Championship return is the likely outcome of a chaotic campaign on and off the pitch. And if the Bluebirds do go down, it would be an experience Solskjaer has only felt once before in football. 'It was with my local team (in Norway),' he added. 'I think I scored two thirds of our goals that season. It's the only relegation I have had. 'But you can't compare that. I was just playing for my local team. I was 21. I never thought I would play football for anything else but enjoyment. 'Here, you can see how much it means for your players, your fans, for so many more than just yourself and your little town if you play in the second or third division back home. 'Here, you have got a much bigger responsibility, and that's my job now. This is a fantastic club. We are going into this game to give ourselves a chance to stay up.' Cardiff will face a Newcastle side reeling from six successive league defeats, a sequence that has piled pressure on manager Alan Pardew and caused huge unrest among Magpies supporters. Pressure: Alan Pardew faces protests from fans this weekend but Solskjaer defended the Newcastle boss . Threats: Solskjaer sees the likes of Sissoko (right) and Remy (left) as dangers to Cardiff's survival chances . 'When clubs lose games there is always going to be noise, but Alan is doing his job and he deserves to do so, and I am doing my job to the best of my ability,' Solskjaer said. 'We know we can only control ourselves. I will let Alan deal with his problems, and I will control my issues. I am not one of those who talks too much about the opposition. 'We need something special. We have to go there and defend well against the likes of (Moussa) Sissoko, (Loic) Remy and (Shola) Ameobi, but we've got to do to them what they do to us. 'It is a difficult position we are in, but it is still possible if we go and win at Newcastle. Short term, it is going to be a big tall mountain to climb. We need to win both games, and we need to have some help.' Cardiff defender Juan Cala, meanwhile, has requested a personal hearing with the Football Association after being hit by an FA misconduct charge. Charged: Cala was sent off for this tug on Wickham before being charged for an incident in the tunnel area . Cala has been charged in relation to an alleged incident in or around the tunnel area following Cardiff's 4-0 defeat against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light last Sunday. Spanish defender Cala had earlier been sent off by referee Phil Dowd for a professional foul on Sunderland striker Connor Wickham. He will miss the Newcastle game. 'Juan would like to put his point across. He feels it is important he can do that,' Solskjaer added. 'He just wants a chance to explain himself.'

Cardiff are bottom of the league, two points from safety . They travel to Newcastle tomorrow before hosting Chelsea on final day . Solskjaer also backed opposition boss Alan Pardew .

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By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 12:58 EST, 30 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:21 EST, 30 August 2013 . Towson University’s champion cheerleaders have been suspended for hazing. The Baltimore school’s cheerleading squad has been suspended for a recent hazing incident that the school has not yet disclosed. An investigation into the matter has been completed, but an appeal is still on-going, Gay Pinder, media relations, told MailOnline. The university first learned of the allegations Aug. 6. A total of 10 incoming freshman co-eds were hazed, Ms Pinder told MailOnline, adding that they went unharmed. No title defense: Despite an automatic place in the next cheer championships, in 2014, it appears unlikely the team will defend its title . The team has been suspended for the entire 2013-2014 academic year, according to Ms. Pinder. First enacted while the university looked into the allegations, the punishment stood after the investigation was completed. The suspension was first reported by the university’s student newspaper The Torchlight. ‘Towson has a policy of no hazing and we do take that very seriously, said Ms. Pinder, ‘we have high expectations of our students and expect them to treat each other with the utmost respect.’ The school has not yet released the details surrounding exactly how the students were hazed, and Ms Pinder declined to provide those details to MailOnline. Champions: The squad won the most recent Division I cheer championships, earning an automatic bid in next year's tournament . Banned: Towson University's cheerleading team has been suspended following allegations of hazing . It is not clear if this is the first incident of hazing involving the cheer team, according to Ms Pinder.While sports teams have usually been in the hazing spotlight, pep squads have been outed as hazers as well. A drum major at Florida A&M University died after a 2011 hazing incident during which he was beaten by several members of the school band. ‘I have never heard of a whole team getting suspended,’ Jim Lord, executive director of the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators told the Baltimore Sun. ‘That is pretty rare, maybe unheard of,’ he added. In April, Towson’s cheerleaders placed first in the All-Girl Division I section of the National Cheerleaders Association's Collegiate Cheerleading Championship. Their win proffered them an automatic spot in the 2014 competition, one they look unlikely to attend.

10 incoming freshman co-eds were hazed but suffered no harm . The squad is suspended for the entire 2013-2014 academic year . Towson University's cheerleaders placed first in national championships only a few months ago .

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When out-of-work actress Tanisha, one of the most active Bigg Boss contestants this season, furiously pushed TV actor Kushal Tandon during a task, most viewers decided to finish dinner before the show subsequent episodes onwards, eager not to miss what would be in store . Kushal tried scaling the wall of the Bigg Boss house and some among the audience chose to sit through even the ad-break that followed, so as not to miss the fun . VJ Andy tried some low-brow tricks to irritate the lovely Gauhar Khan, and a good number of viewers were more than happy to watch the ensuing, juicy bickering . Flop actor Armaan Kohli at times gets into the abusive mode and hurls expletives at women. He has left the audience disgusted but they love to continue watching him . By . Priyanka Srivastava . PUBLISHED: . 18:13 EST, 15 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:13 EST, 15 November 2013 . As Bigg Boss season 7 enters its 60th day, loyal fans have identified their favourites on the basis of temper and filthy drama. The show has always been about muck, outbursts and ugly behaviour, and the latest season has certainly offered the best in smutty drama. Housemates comprising a mixed bag of C-list celebrities from films, sports and the TV world have by now acquired a comfort level and adjusted to the fact that low-brow drama sells huge, grabbing maximum footage. With only 30 days to go before the final winner walks away with the grand prize of Rs 50 lakh, it is best to follow the formula that has worked on the popular show. The housemates have accepted that Bigg Boss sells huge, grabbing maximum footage . Host Salman Khan, despite being attacked on social networking sites for being partial to Tanisha and Armaan, has joked about how strong reactions and fights are the biggest draw of the show. "Aap ladoge nahi toh audience ko mazaa aayega nahi (if you guys don't fight, the audience won't have fun),"he joked in one episode. Salman has anchored the show over the past three years and he too realises the pulse of the audience. His active participation in the resolving the petty quarrels, he knows, is much appreciated, too. The show opened at 7,711 TVTs on its premiere night and has been drawing a decent rating ranging between 5,080 and 6,000 TVTs during weekdays since then. This only goes on to prove the audience is pretty much hooked to inane fights over trivial issues. The average viewership ranges from 4.3 million to 4.6 million and the show is one of the top three on Colors channel after Balika Vadhu and Comedy Nights With Kapil. "Prying into a neighbour's house is a common habit and the juicier the gossip, the better it is. It is a tradition all over the world to derive pleasure out of bad things happening to others. People fighting or getting involved in vicarious controversies give pleasure to the audience and this tendency works in the favour of Bigg Boss," says ad-filmmaker and image consultant Prahlad Kakkar. Every season, a few housemates rise to prominence for their low-brow antics. In the past, we have had contestants such as Kamal R. Khan, Dolly Bindra, Pooja Missra, Veena Malik, and Rajev Paul who shot to fame thanks to their brazen behaviour. Their outbursts however pale in front of the current housemates who have been liberally showcasing temper and bad manners to gain mileage. WHO'S THAT GIRL: Elli is a Swedish model and actor who made her Bollywood debut recently in the comedy film Mickey Virus. DEFINING TRAIT: Elli's happy-go-lucky bimbette avatar is her biggest USP. Her inability to fluently converse in Hindi has worked in her favour, giving her a cute edge. To be in the show for long, she has been expressing her views strongly without getting into ugly fights with anyone. She has been smartly underplaying her presence, which has made her a neutral and non-controversial contestant. WHO'S THAT GUY: A wrestler by profession, Sangram won several prestigious championships and also won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Wrestling Championship. He shot to prominence when he posed nude with girlfriend Payal Rohatgi. DEFINING TRAIT: Sangram's rustic mannerism has been a big draw on the show. Although he handles most situations patiently, his seething anger comes to fore when the situation goes out of control. Sticking by the house rules, Sangram's outburst was seen when Armaan and other housemates dragged him into controversies and attacked him for the heck of it. WHO'S THAT GUY: Andy is a UKborn veejay-anchor, who was known for his sarcastic comments on celebrities on his TV shows. He shot to prominence as an anchor of What's With Indian Women. DEFINING TRAIT: Salman was quick to spot Andy's attention-seeking streak and compared him to ex-Bigg Boss contestant Imam Siddiqui. Andy can go to any extent to prove his point and has had a fight with every contestant in the house. His ability to cry led to Kushal's exit. His knack at gossiping has made him a popular contestant. WHO'S THAT GUY: Armaan is the son of veteran film producer Rajkumar Kohli and former actress Nishi. He worked in a few duds in late '90s and early 2000s his dad produced. DEFINING TRAIT: Armaan is the most abusive housemate. Well-known for his short temper, he was involved in a hit-and-run case and once allegedly beat up his girlfriend. On the show, he passed personal remarks at Kamya Punjabi but later apologised. He has found a buddy in Tanisha.

When out-of-work actress Tanisha, one of the most active Bigg Boss contestants this season, furiously pushed TV actor Kushal Tandon during a task, most viewers decided to finish dinner before the show subsequent episodes onwards, eager not to miss what would be in store . Kushal tried scaling the wall of the Bigg Boss house and some among the audience chose to sit through even the ad-break that followed, so as not to miss the fun . VJ Andy tried some low-brow tricks to irritate the lovely Gauhar Khan, and a good number of viewers were more than happy to watch the ensuing, juicy bickering . Flop actor Armaan Kohli at times gets into the abusive mode and hurls expletives at women. He has left the audience disgusted but they love to continue watching him .

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(CNN) -- The Obama administration pushed forward Sunday on a new path toward military action in Syria, urging Congress to support the president's call. Tests found signatures of sarin gas in blood and hair samples collected from the Damascus site of an alleged chemical weapons attack, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday on CNN's State of the Union. The samples were collected separately from a United Nations investigation into the August 21 attack and provide further proof that the Syrian regime attacked its own people, Kerry said. With "each day that goes by, this case is even stronger," he said, arguing that the United States must act. "If you don't do it, you send a message of impunity," Kerry said. Iran, North Korea, and Hezbollah "will look at the United States and say 'Nothing means anything' -- that's what's at stake here," he said. Syria denies using chemical weapons on its people and blames the rebels. Kerry called the evidence "overwhelming" Sunday, and the Arab League issued a statement blaming the Syrian government for the attack. But the United Nations argued that world leaders should wait until U.N. investigators determine whether chemical weapons were used. 'Red line' debate: Are chemical weapons worse? "The U.N. mission is uniquely capable of establishing in an impartial and credible manner the facts of any use of chemical weapons," Martin Nesirky, spokesman for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said repeatedly at a news conference. So when will the results be ready? The U.N. won't give a timeline, Nesirky said. "It's being done as fast as it is possible to do within the scientific constraints." Samples will be delivered to laboratories Monday, he said. The investigation involves a strict chain of custody and clear guidelines, he said, adding that two Syrian government officials monitored the process. But even when it's done, the U.N. will only say whether chemical weapons were used -- not who was responsible. Obama's last-minute Syria switch . U.S. military action appeared imminent until Saturday, when Obama announced he would first seek lawmakers' approval. Obama made a last-minute decision Friday evening to seek congressional authorization before any military action, senior administration officials told reporters. "While I believe I have the authority to carry out this military action without specific congressional authorization, I know that the country will be stronger if we take this course, and our actions will be even more effective," Obama said Saturday. The 1973 War Powers Act technically allows him to strike without such approval. Lawmakers officially come back from recess on September 9. But some members of Congress arrived on Capitol Hill Sunday for a classified briefing on Syria with White House, State Department and Pentagon officials. Many of them said they remained skeptical and undecided about how to respond to the August 21 purported chemical weapons attack that U.S. officials have said killed more than 1,000 people in Syrian rebel strongholds. "There was a great deal of skepticism in the room about the utility, effectiveness and support that we would have for the kind of strike that the president has proposed," said Rep. Jim Himes, D-Connecticut. "There's not a lot of skepticism, frankly, about whether or not this was an attack carried out by the Syrian regime. While nobody would say that it's been proven, the vast bulk of the evidence suggests that this was an attack carried out by the Assad regime." Sen. John McCain told CBS' "Face the Nation" that Obama had invited him to a Monday meeting at the White House to discuss the next steps in Syria. McCain, who has been pushing for military intervention in Syria, said he had questions for the president. "I want to find out whether there is a plan and a strategy. I want to find out whether this is just a pinprick that somehow Bashar Assad can trumpet that he defeated the United States of America," McCain told CNN. "But I will say that if Congress overrules a decision of the president of the United States on an issue of national security, that could set a catastrophic precedent in the future. It would be a very dangerous precedent to be setting." Obama's last-minute decision . Global debate surges over Syria . At a meeting in Cairo Sunday, Arab League foreign ministers condemned the chemical weapons attack, urging the international community to take action and calling for the prosecution of those responsible. "The Syrian regime bears full responsibility for the use of chemical weapons (in) this heinous crime," foreign ministers from the regional organization said in a statement, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. "The council also called for providing the required forms of support for the Syrian people to defend themselves and the need for concerted Arab and international efforts to help them," the statement said. Arab League Secretary General Nabil el-Araby said in a Twitter post that the league was calling for the United Nations Security Council to "assume its responsibility and take all the deterrent and needed measures against this crime and all crimes of genocide" in Syria. But the statements Sunday did not directly refer to the United States, and it's unclear how much international support the U.S. government would have if it chooses to strike Syria. At the Arab League meeting, Saudi Arabia called for international action, but Egypt said it was opposed to foreign intervention in the Syrian crisis. Britain has voted against taking any military action in Syria, and France said it won't act without the United States as a partner. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle tweeted Sunday that the time gained waiting for U.S. congressional approval "must be used to reach a common position of the international community within the U.N. Security Council." Amid the debate over whether to strike Syria, U.S. authorities are tightening domestic security measures. The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are warning of a higher risk of cyberattacks after months of disruptions by hackers known as the Syrian Electronic Army, and authorities say more attacks are likely. Opposition: Obama gave false hope . The shift to ask for approval from Congress left some analysts scratching their heads. "The decision-making has been so confused and muddled that it's difficult to put the word 'wise' in front of anything they're doing right now," CNN's Fareed Zakaria said on Sunday. "The administration has hesitated between nonintervention and intervention, and it is caught between those two." The Obama administration, Zakaria said, "seems to want to have it both ways, but it can't." Others praised the president for taking a step to get more buy-in at home and abroad. "Frankly, I think he looks prudent, and I don't doubt his resolve on this," John Negroponte, who served as director of national intelligence for two years under President George W. Bush, told CNN's State of the Union. "I don't think he's looking for an excuse to get out from a box or a situation that he painted himself into." While some praised the president for giving Congress a chance to weigh in, a key group of Syrian dissidents said it was surprised and concerned by Obama's new approach. "We can't understand how you can promise to help those who are being slaughtered every day in the hundreds, giving them false hope, then change your mind and say let's wait and see," the Syrian National Coalition said. Iran, a staunch supporter of the Syrian regime, warned the United States will pay a price if it strikes Syria. Syria reacts . The Syrian government has denied that it used chemical weapons in the August 21 attack, saying that jihadists fighting with the rebels used them in an effort to turn global sentiments against the regime. Maria Saadeh, a member of Syria's parliament, told CNN on Sunday that she sees no justification for a U.S. strike on Syria. "There is no legitimacy to make this attack," she said, accusing rebel groups of using chemical weapons and committing other crimes against humanity. Syrian state media have been packed with critiques of the U.S. position since Obama's announcement Saturday. An editorial in the state-run Al-Thawra newspaper Sunday said that Obama had declared "the beginning of a historic American retreat." Meanwhile, the opposition Syrian National Coalition issued a statement aimed at U.S. lawmakers. "The Syrian National Coalition calls on the American congress to carry their historical responsibility towards the Syrian people and take the right decision to support the American government approach to stop the killing machine of the Syrian criminal regime," the statement said. Iran: U.S. military action in Syria would spark 'disaster' Opinion: Why strikes in Syria are a bad idea . Sarin allegedly used previously in Syrian civil war . World leaders have said previously that sarin has been used in the Syrian civil war. In April, the United States said it had evidence sarin was used in Syria on a small scale. In May, a U.N. official said there were strong suspicions that rebel forces used the deadly nerve agent. In June, France said sarin had been used several times in the war, including at least once by the Syrian regime. Fast Facts: sarin gas . Dr. Sanjay Gupta: How 'gruesome' sarin gas can kill . CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom, Yousuf Basil, Catherine Shoichet, Khushbu Shah, Evan Perez, Saad Abedine, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Tom Watkins, Dana Bash and Reza Sayah contributed to this report.

NEW: Arab League condemns attack, blames Syrian government . Kerry says blood and hair samples show "signatures of sarin" The U.N. says its investigation will be "impartial and credible" Syrian opposition: Obama has given false hope to those suffering .

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By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:53 EST, 27 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:13 EST, 28 October 2012 . Esther Rantzen has passed emails containing sex allegations against three ‘high-profile’ BBC employees to the police. The messages were sent  to Ms Rantzen by people who saw her appearance on the recent ITV documentary exposing Savile as a predatory paedophile. All three are still alive. Exposed: The e-mails were sent to Esther Rantzen, seen above with Jimmy Savile, following her appearance on a recent ITV documentary exposing the Jim'll Fix It host as a predatory paedophile . Ms Rantzen, the founder of the charity ChildLine, said she passed the ‘general allegations’ – which were not made by  the victims but by others with knowledge of the incidents – to detectives on the Savile probe. But she decided not to warn the BBC. ‘I didn’t think it was my responsibility to tell the BBC,’ she told The Mail on Sunday yesterday. Earlier this month, Ms Rantzen was forced to  deny reports that she ignored warnings about Savile 18 years ago. Esther Rantzen said BBC staff had witnessed Savile's promiscuity . She said yesterday that she had heard a ‘rumour’ about Savile’s interest in young girls when she started work at the Corporation, but had never met ‘anyone who had either witnessed it or experienced it’. However, she said BBC staff had witnessed his promiscuity. Ms Rantzen said a friend of hers who worked on the Radio 1 programme Savile’s Travels told her the presenter had left his radio microphone on while having sex with a nurse during  a visit to a hospital. ‘My friend’s job was to  sit through the spools of recordings. One of the things he had to listen to was Jimmy having sex in some sort of hospital cupboard with a nurse. It was consensual sex, but my friend was pretty disgusted.’ Ms Rantzen insisted ChildLine had never received any calls naming Savile as an abuser. She spoke as it emerged that police have identified three former close associates of Savile crucial to their inquiry and who are expected to be questioned soon. One of them, a convicted sex offender, was a friend of the Top Of The Pops presenter in the early days of his career. The other two were BBC employees in the Seventies. None is a household name. Detectives are preparing an ‘arrest strategy’ after being contacted by more than 300 alleged victims.

Ms Rantzen received the e-mails after appearing on a documentary exposing Savile as a paedophile . The ChildLine founder has passed the messages to detectives heading the Savile probe .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:28 EST, 30 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:24 EST, 1 December 2013 . Martha Ann Lillard's crippling illness has made her a prisoner in her own home for the last 60 years. Paralyzed by polio at age five, the Oklahoma woman has spent most of her life encased in a 1940s respirator which breathes for her. But the 65-year-old couldn't imagine life any other way. Martha Ann Lillard, 65, has lived inside an iron lung like this one since she was five-years-old . 'Some people have said I’d rather die than leave my iron lung, and it . makes it sound like I’m not trying to be modern, and it’s not like that . at all,' she told NBC News. 'It . feels wonderful, actually, if you’re not breathing well. When I was first put into it, it was such a relief. It makes all the . difference when you’re not breathing.' Lillard has learned to live with her disease. She taught herself to walk again. While she can leave the 800-pound respirator, she prefers not to. Lillard lies on a goose down comforter inside a long metal cylinder in which she’s enclosed with an . airtight seal. Her neck and head sticks out of a foam . collar. There are switches inside to allow her to roll a tray-like cot in and out. She lives with her three beagles, and a housemate who helps care for her. She stays in touch with friends by phone and internet. Lillard owns her iron lung, which runs on a fan belt motor that friends help patch . together with car parts when it breaks. She said it's a better option than portable positive pressure ventilators which most polio survivors . use. They force air into the lungs, often through a tube in the . throat. 'If . I use the positive pressure vent, I’m not as well rested,' she said. Martha told MailOnline about her experience. 'I was paralyzed all over except my face.I was unconscious & turning blue when they put me in the lung. I was in it for six month in hospital, during which time I learned to breathe for 30 seconds and longer on my own. It was terrifying.W hen you can't breathe much, you can't talk, cry or make a sound. Doctors said I wouldn't ever be out of the lung or walk. I was determined to do both!' She says that after the time she spent in hospital she regained 25% of her breathing and after a year of work she learned to walk. 'I would love to not need any vent & would like not to have the weakening that comes with Post-Poilo Syndrome. I can't use other types of ventilators because of inflammation that comes with Polio. I could be more rested if I stayed in the lung full time. But I choose to be up as much as possible.Get the vaccine!' This undated photo shows a woman lying inside an iron lung . Lillard . considers herself an anomaly in a U.S. society that barely remembers . the scourge of polio - a viral infection of the spinal cord that mainly affected young children. But with reports polio has reared its ugly head in Syria and Cameroon, Lillard wants . to make sure that people never forget. 'I think the word is to get your child vaccinated. Why would we let somebody have to go back through that again?' she said. 'If my mother would have had the . opportunity to give me the vaccine, she would have done that.' Lillard was a kindergartner in 1953 when she woke up with a sore . throat that quickly progressed to poliovirus. The virus is transmitted through contaminated food and water. 'The night before I was paralyzed, the neighbor children ate out of the same bowl of pancake batter that I did,' Lillard said. 'They just had to pray that nobody got it.' The first known outbreak of polio in the U.S. was in 1894 in Vermont. In 1952, a record 57,628 cases of polio were reported in the U.S.

Martha Ann Lillard, 65, was paralyzed by polio at age five . The Oklahoma resident has spent most of her life inside an 800-pound iron lung that helps her breathe . The respirator, built in the 1940s, increases and decreases the air pressure to expand and contract Lillard's lungs . She is a staunch advocate of vaccinations .

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(CNN) -- Those countries in the Middle East that have been spared political upheaval find themselves enmeshed in a different sort of battle of late. As Qatar, the UAE and Jordan split what's left of the region's tourists, each is fighting to pull in the lion's share. Their weapon of choice? Theme parks. Currently, Abu Dhabi and its scrappier sibling, Al Ain, are duking it out with Doha for the rights to build the region's first Angry Birds theme park. Not surprisingly, the Middle Eastern version of Angry Bird Land (there are already outlets in Finland, Singapore and the UK) would also be the world's largest. "[The competition] is getting quite fierce," says Nigel Cann, director of operations and development at Gebal Group, the local agents for Lappset, who first developed the brand's entertainment complex. Read more: The Middle East's changing butler class . "They all want to find a space for it, and to do it as soon as they can. They all want to be first." As one of the most downloaded apps of all times (the game has amassed 1.7 billion downloads since launching in 2010), Angry Birds' name recognition is almost unbeatable. Though is a global phenomenon, it's proved particularly popular in the region. Over a fifth of all downloads come from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Rovio Entertainment, the developers of the game, are even toying with the idea of creating a localized version of the game. "Everyone recognizes the game, from little kids to adults," notes Cann. "It's a brand new concept to the region. No one has it, and everyone wants it. They want to be ahead of their neighbors all the time -- they want to beat them at everything." At $60 million, the budget for Angry Birds Land is fairly modest, by entertainment complex standards. According to John Gerner, a theme park consultant and the managing director at Leisure Business Advisors, it makes for a fairly inexpensive investment. "It's really a great concept for the Middle East, especially for areas looking to grow their attractions," he says. "The scale is small, but it still has a brand name associated with it, and a very current one at that. It gives [whoever wins it] a name attraction without the risk of a more expensive brand." Read more: Dubai cops have Lamborghinis . Angry Birds Land is just one of several ambitious projects proposed in the region. Other cities are starting to come up with theme park concepts that are either branded, big, or bizarre. In addition to courting Angry Birds, Abu Dhabi has expressed interest in a Michael Jackson-themed resort. According to Abu Dhabi newspaper The National, Jermaine Jackson has been in talks to build it on Yas Island, adjacent to Ferrari World. Jordan, a country who relies more on cultural tourism than man-made gimmicks (UNESCO-listed Petra is the most popular destination, attracting over 600,000 visitors in 2011), seems to be taking a tip from its neighbor. RGH Themed Entertainment are developing a $1.5 billion entertainment resort in Aqaba, complete with Star Trek themed rides and a flight simulator attraction. Before the 2008 recession, Dubai had several entertainment-themed developments in the pipeline, mainly slated for the still undeveloped neigborhood of Dubailand. Though some -- like the largest Six Flags theme park outside of the United States -- were shelved in the downturn, others have found their legs in Dubai's recent economic resurgence. One of these projects includes IMG World of Adventure, which has a soft launch scheduled for December as part of the City of Arabia residential and commercial development. It plans to usurp Ferrari World as the world's largest indoor theme park, and will include four zones, which, separately, would be a massive undertaking. Perhaps the most unique is The Lost Valley, a Jurassic-themed segment that will include animatronic dinosaurs. Two other zones are dedicated to the characters of Marvel Comics and Cartoon Network. "We want this park to be one of the center points in the future of Dubai," explains Adam Alexander Page, the vice president of marketing for IMG Group, the developer behind the project. "As such, you don't want to build something that won't get global attention, and if that means it's big, that's what you do. There's no point in building it small."

Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Doha are competing to for the rights to build the Middle East's first Angry Birds theme park. Though the details aren't finalized, the park will also be the biggest in the world. Dubai is also planning to open IMG World of Adventure, the world's biggest indoor theme park in December. The new park will feature animatronic dinosaurs, which walk and move around.

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By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 03:35 EST, 20 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:42 EST, 20 July 2013 . Horror: Rhoda Youson was left unrecognisable after being attacked with a garden fork and a bat at her home in Nuneaton . A grandmother murdered in her own bed with a pitchfork and a wooden bat was beaten so savagely that her face 'caved in', a court heard. Rhoda Youson, 57, was found dead by police who forced their way into her blood-spattered flat in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. A trial at Birmingham Crown Court heard there was 'nothing left' of her face after the sickening attack, in which she suffered multiple fractures to her skull, jaw and cheekbones and damage to her hands, shoulder and neck. Homeless Anthony Hall, 47, denies Mrs Youson's murder. He was one of a number of homeless people that the 'generous' grandmother used to invite into her home and cook meals for, the court was told. The trial heard Hall set upon Mrs Youson, who lived alone in the flat, with a garden fork and a bat on November 22 last year. Philip Bennetts, prosecuting, said: 'The following day Hall told several people that he had done something bad. 'He . mentioned to a customer at a betting shop that he had killed someone . and told a friend that he had killed Rhoda and had caved her face in. 'She had massive injuries to her head and there was nothing left of her facial area. Blood was splattered on the walls.' Jurors . were told Hall, who has an alcohol problem, met with his social worker . days after the attack had taken place and confessed to ‘bashing someone . with a pitchfork'. 'Nothing left': Hall was one of a number of homeless people who 'generous' Mrs Youson would invite into her home and cook for . A garden fork was found in a car park near to the grandmother’s home alongside a carrier bag containing a broken wooden bat. Both items were later identified as belonging to Mrs Youson and had blood, tissue and hair samples on them. Trial: Mrs Youson suffered multiple fractures to her skull, jaw and cheekbones as well as damage to her neck, hands and shoulder . The QC told the court that Mrs Youson had two daughters and lived alone in sheltered housing in Blythe Court following her divorce. 'She drank heavily and became friendly with street drinkers,' he said . 'She was generous with money for homeless people she met. 'Hall was one of those people, who she used to invite to her home and cook them meals,' Mr Bennetts told the court. The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.

'Nothing left' of Rhoda Youson's face after horror attack, trial hears . Homeless Anthony Hall, 47, denies murdering the 57-year-old . 'Generous' grandmother used to cook meals for Hall at her Nuneaton flat .

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By . David Baker . PUBLISHED: . 07:51 EST, 28 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:56 EST, 28 July 2012 . Out of the blue: The picture Susan Ardron sent her family via Facebook after she contacted them for the first time in 34 years . When Susan Ardron emigrated to South Africa in 1975 communication with her family abruptly ended just a few years later. Completely unaware that she was battling against amnesia following a serious car accident her family presumed she had died. But now after 34 years, as her memory slowly started to come back, she has stunned her siblings by contacting them on Facebook. Still living in South Africa, the 61-year-old was given a helping hand to trace her family in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, by a family she stayed with in Johannesburg. And now, following the bolt out of the blue, her brother Colin, 39, and sisters Dawn, 58, Julie, 50 and Gail, 52, are desperately trying to obtain a passport for their sister to get her back home. Susan left for South Africa with her husband Sid and four young children but when her siblings failed to hear from her they made desperate attempts to find her through the Red Cross and Salvation Army. It has since emerged that a car crash left her struggling to remember her real identity, and left her even referring to herself as Katie. Her husband soon left with their four children, Joanna, 43, Jason, 40, Adele, 38, and Amanda, 36, returning to the UK, and Susan has yet to make full contact with them as she continues to try and come to terms with the gaps in her memory. Before her move: Susan Ardron with her husband Sid and daughter Joanna, before their move to South Africa, where a car crash left her suffering from amnesia . Stunned: Susan's sisters Dawn Ardron and Gail Lewin are amazed to be reunited with their sister, who they presumed was dead . She found herself living with a number . of different families across South Africa, battling breast cancer . without her family, and taking up employment as a maid. But it wasn't until she moved in with the January family that she was given the helping hand to get in touch with her long lost family back home. The family who reach out to those in need after being homeless themselves have been invaluable in getting Susan on the social network site. And speaking to the Daily Mirror her brother paid tribute to them. He said: 'The Januarys have been exceptional. We owe it all to them.' Her sister Dawn added: 'Over the years her memory has started . to come back, little by little,  she has good and bad days when her . memory completely goes and she is back to square one and other days . where she can recall a bit more. 'We thought it might be a trick, but as soon as we were sent photos, we ­immediately knew it was her. 'It’s . a mix of huge relief and sadness. We are just so sad that this didn’t happen three years ago when our mum and dad were still alive.' Susan’s parents, Colin and Mavis both died in 2009. According to the family they refused to move from the family home in case their daughter ever came looking for them. Emotional: Susan has yet to have full contact with her children Joanne, Jason, Adele and Amanda who returned to the UK after she was involved in a car crash .

Unbeknown to her family Susan Ardron was left with amnesia after a serious car crash in South Africa . They presumed she had died but were stunned when she used Facebook to contact them after 34 years . She has still yet to get back in contact with her four children as she tries to come to terms with her memory loss .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:26 EST, 23 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:04 EST, 24 October 2013 . A 25-year-old Hawaii surfer has survived a dramatic attack by a 12-foot tiger shark by jumping on top of it and punching it in the eye. Jeff Horton, a former boxer, said he was surfing off Pila'a Beach near Kilaueai in Kauai on Sunday with friends when he spotted a dark shape moving toward him and his board through the water. He explained that he was looking for a wave and seated with his feet dangling from the board. 'I look down and see what I thought was a sting ray,' Horton told Fox News. 'It came up on me and I jerked my foot and kicked it a couple of times. It went for the bite and missed my leg.' Scroll down for video . Lucky escape: Jeff Horton, a surfer in Hawaii, has survived a shark attack after hitting it in its eye . Damage: The shark's teeth marks can be seen on Horton's board - which he said he'll be putting on his wall . Horton pulled his left leg from the water and got on the surfboard, but was knocked off when the shark clamped its teeth down on the board. 'I rolled to the top of the shark and punched it in the mouth and got one shot in the eye,' Horton said. 'I thought I was going to die unless I put up the best fight I ever had.' He estimated that he hit the shark, which he guessed was about 12 feet long, about eight times. But when he punched it once in the eye, it recoiled, giving him a chance to jump on his board and frantically paddle back to the shore with another surfer. 'At that point I was pretty much in a full panic and started swimming for my life,' he said. 'I saw the shadow of its belly following me underneath.' Attack: He was attacked by the tiger shark (file photo) as he looked for waves on Sunday afternoon . Even though the shark followed, it did not attack again. When they reached the shore, he was welcomed back by a group of people and a tourist gave him $50 and told him to buy a bottle, The Garden Island reported. Horton's only injuries were scratches from the shark's rough skin on his knuckles and legs. 'I'm lucky to be here today,' he said. The 7-foot board, however, was left with a semi-circle imprint of the shark's jaws. Horton, who surfed again Monday at another beach, said he plans to put it up on his wall. Horton moved to Kauai from Washington D.C. two years ago and said, while he's been traumatized by the experience, he will be returning to the water. Scene: The shark was seen just off Kilauea, pictured, which has had no other shark attacks this year . But he said he won't be using the board - which displays the circular teeth marks of the shark - again; instead he plans to hang it on his wall. 'I'll surf the rest of my life,' he told The Garden Island. Tiger sharks are considered dangerous due to their size and indiscriminate feeding behavior and willingness to eat nearly anything - including objects at the surface, Hawaii Sharks explains. Some bites sustained by people are thought to be the result of investigatory behavior as the sharks bite creatures or objects to determine whether they are suitable to be eaten. There have been no reported shark attacks around Kauai this year. Three were recorded last year. See below for video . var p = new anv_pl_def(); p.config = {}; p.config.width = 636; p.config.height = 360; p.loadVideoExpressV3("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|STAGEV3|SPSQA"); .

Jeff Horton was looking for waves on Sunday morning in Kauaui when the tiger shark clamped its teeth on his surfboard . He punched it 8 times and it eventually recoiled when he punched its eye . Horton suffered only grazes from the shark's rough skin . He plans to keep the board on his wall - and get back in the water again .

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Security guards had to rescue a family of dogs who became stranded on a 590ft-high glass bridge in China. The group, including several puppies, became spooked when crossing part of the bridge that has glass panels covering the floor. It is understood the animals followed tourists onto the suspension bridge at the famous Shiniuzhai Scenic Spot. Security guards in China had to rescue  dogs who became stranded on a 180-meter high glass bridge . Part of the floor was recently removed and replaced by glass panels that cover a 10 meter section . Part of the floor was recently removed and replaced by glass panels that cover a 10 meter section. The move made the bridge a popular tourist attraction but it proved too much for the dogs who were too afraid to cross over the glass. Security guard Xiong Yin, 35, said: ‘Some of the dogs did not seem to mind but the rest refused to step on the glass. ‘There was a risk that the dogs that were all very small might fall, and so we decided to remove them. It is understood that the animals followed tourists onto the bridge at the famous Shiniuzhai Scenic Spot . The group, including several puppies, became spooked when crossing part of the bridge that has a glass panel covering the floor . ‘They were very popular with tourists that had been posing for pictures with them. But it was dangerous.’ He added that usually dogs and other animals avoided the bridge, but he believed these dogs had followed a small group of tourists that had been feeding them, and had hoped to get more food later by keeping behind the visitors. The bridge is one of the most famous sights in the scenic spot in China's Hunan province. At 300-metres-long and 180-metres-high, it is one of the world’s highest. At 300-metres-long and 180-metres-high, the Shiniuzhai footbridge is one of the world’s highest . It was earlier this year that the glass floor was installed, with more expected to be added across the whole bridge next year. The towering rock formations have become extremely popular with tourists and in addition to the bridge, a cable car was installed in 2009 as well as hundreds of meters of cliffwalks. It was in 2012 that tightrope walker Aisikaier fell as he was attempting a 600-meter long route across the valley walking backwards with a blindfold on. Strong winds caused him to lose his balance just 40 meters from the end of the rope, but his fall was broken by trees and he escaped without injury.

Dogs followed tourists onto the crossing at famous Shiniuzhai Scenic Spot . At 300m long and 180m high, it is one of the world’s highest footbridges . A 10m section of floor was recently removed and replaced by glass panels . Bridge is a popular tourist attraction but proved too much for the dogs .

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By . James Rush . and Rosie Taylor . PUBLISHED: . 08:05 EST, 29 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:06 EST, 1 July 2013 . Closure: Stanbridge Earls School has announced it will close in December and another school is due to take over the site . Pupils at a school which is the focus of 'Lord of the Flies' abuse claims abseiled naked while teachers watched, it has been reported. Stanbridge Earls School, which is currently embroiled in a police investigation into alleged sexual abuse of pupils, announced yesterday it will close in December and another school has been lined up to take over the site. But today it was revealed that Ofsted inspectors carrying out emergency visits to the school were told three male pupils had been naked during a school trip to the Rua Fiola Island Exploration Centre in Oban. Inspectors heard two female members of staff watched while the boys abseiled and allegedly took photographs of them during the May half-term trip. The incident has been reported to police by the special needs school's headteacher Maggie McMurray, the Sunday Times reported. The Department for Education confirmed the county council and police were investigating the situation at the school, where a 15-year-old girl was sexually abused by fellow pupils. A spokesman said:  'We have just received advice from Ofsted following an inspection that took place last week. 'Ministers are studying that advice and will announce their decisions about regulatory action very soon.  It would be wrong to take any decisions until we have studied their findings, but all options remain open.' The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has opened astatutory inquiry into Stanbridge Earls School. A spokesman for the adventure centre told MailOnline that it had 'an unblemished record' for child protection in the 38 years it had been run as a family business. 'Considering the special needs nature of the school, our on-site instructor was looking for a lead from the two female members of the teaching staff who were present throughout this incident,' he added. 'While neither intervened, he saw his primary concern as being for the boys’ health and safety during the climb. 'This was an awkward and very regrettable incident but there was certainly no harm done to the children. 'This was an awkward and very regrettable incident but there was certainly no harm done to the children.' - Spokesman for the Rua Fiola Island Exploration Centre in Oban . 'We have however contacted the police about the incident to offer our full support on any follow up inquiries. 'We are also further clarifying our existing guidelines for our staff to ensure intervening action is taken should we ever see a repeat of an incident like this in future.' On Friday Mrs McMurray wrote to parents announcing Stanbridge Earls' planned closure. She said the school, in Hampshire, had 'for some considerable time now been experiencing many difficulties... most of which are a legacy of past events'. She said the school had seen a drop in numbers after a number of local authorities stopped placing pupils at the school, leading it into financial difficulties. Ofsted was due to report on its findings following an 'unannounced inspection' last week, according to investigative news website Exaro. The school's announcement comes as a major police investigation continues into allegations that a 15-year-old girl was raped and a 12-year-old girl stripped and sexually assaulted by male pupils. Detectives are also investigating if the school perverted the course of justice, amid claims pupils were ordered not to report incidents to anyone outside the school. The mother of the 15-year-old has compared behaviour at the school to the classic novel Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, in which children stranded on an island without adults torment each other with savage cruelty. 'Financial difficulties': The headteacher said it had seen a drop in numbers after a number of local authorities stopped placing pupils there . Earlier this year a tribunal ruled that the school had discriminated against a pupil, who suffered 'appalling abuse' at the hands of another student. It found a number of staff members . failed to tell the youngster’s parents that she had complained of pain . in an intimate part of her body. And it said the school had been 'unsystematic, unprofessional, ad hoc and completely inadequate' when it came to protecting her. The Special Educational Needs and . Disability Tribunal awarded the girl's family £85,000 after ruling the . school failed to respond properly to her allegations of sexual abuse by . other boys at the school. The . tribunal was damning of the school’s then head teacher Peter Trythall, saying he 'failed to recognise that non-consensual sex is actually rape.' Mr Trythall stepped down from his role in April this year and was replaced by Mrs McMurray. Stanbridge . Earls is an independent special school for 190 children with learning . difficulties. It takes boarders aged 10 to 19, and charges between . £25,000 and £39,000 a year. One parent told Exaro: 'I hope that lessons can truly be learnt. We are delighted, although saddened, at the school’s closure.' The new school is due to be a sister establishment to Gard'ner Memorial's More House School, in Surrey.

Three male pupils 'abseiled naked' on Stanbridge Earls School trip to Oban . Police investigation was already underway into separate sex abuse claims . Special needs school announced it will close in December after allegations . One mother compared behaviour at school to novel Lord of the Flies . Tribunal found pupil suffered 'appalling abuse' at hands of another student .

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By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 10:49 EST, 23 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:36 EST, 23 April 2013 . David Chan has eaten at almost every Los Angeles Chinese restaurant opened in the past 50 years . A Chinese food lover has eaten at 6,300 different restaurants and travelled across America feeding his obsession with Oriental cuisine. But despite eating Chinese food all his life, David Chan still cannot use chopsticks. Mr Chan's quest began in earnest after college when he tried to eat at every Chinese restaurant in his home city of Los Angeles. His passion for the cuisine has since taken him to 50 states. The 64-year-old accountant has charted every meal on an Excel spreadsheet and over the past 58 years, Mr Chan has tried a new Chinese restaurant on average every three days. His incredible feat is even more remarkable as Mr Chan hated Chinese food when he was a child. The third-generation Asian-American preferred spaghetti or meatloaf until he discovered the joys of Chinese food when he was at college. Such is Mr Chan’s expertise on Chinese food that restaurant critics often ask him for suggestions on good places to try and he has also written about the country’s cuisine and history. He said that he discovered Chinese food as a way of connecting with his culture. When he got his first job, Mr Chan befriended a group of colleagues from Hong Kong and they set out on trying every restaurant they could find. Mr Chan told The Los Angeles Times: 'I've always been a collector. I collected stamps and records.' However, his love of Chinese food did not stem from childhood. Koi Palace topped topped the list as Mr Chan praised it for its continuing excellence . Mr Chan has travelled around the U.S. sampling traditional and American-Chinese fusion food (file picture) 1) Koi Palace, Daly City, California: Mr Chan praised it for continuing excellence . 2) Sea Harbour, Rosemead, California: He said it brought 'high quality dim sum' to the area . 3) Elite Restaurant, Montery Park, California: Praised for its interesting range of dim sum . 4) King Hua, Alhambra, California: Mr Chan said it has similar dim sum to Sea Harbour . 5) Lunasia, Alhambra, California: The expert said it has an 'innovative' menu such as foie gras dim sum . 6) Din Tai Fung, Arcadia, California: The only Shanghai style restaurant in the top 10 . 7) Yank Sing, San Francisco, California: Mr Chan praised the dim sum specialist for 'evolving' 8) Seafood Village, Monterey Park, California: The Hong Kong-style restaurant is 'highly regarded' 9) 101 Noodle Express, Alhambra, California: Mr Chan said the restaurant's star dish the Shandong beef roll has given it prominence . 10) Jai Yun, San Francisco, California: Mr Chan said it is one of the 'quirkiest' Chinese restaurants in the U.S. He said he was brought up as an American by his parents who wanted to ‘protect’ him from discrimination. When . he was younger the only Chinese restaurants were in Chinatown and in . 1950 he was one of just 8,067 Chinese people living in Los Angeles. Mr Chan told the Los Angeles Times: ‘Unless you lived in San Francisco, you were an oddity.’ Chinese . immigration became more prevalent when he was studying at UCLA after . the government relaxed laws that had only allowed 105 people each year . to move from China to the U.S. It . was during his college years that Mr Chan began to connect with . Chinese culture and took a course called Orientals in America. Mr Chan said he one of the favorite parts of his hobby is seeing how the cuisine has evolved over the decades. He says he finds American-Chinese fusions - such as the Chow Mein sandwich served with gravy that he found in New England - as interesting and enjoyable as traditional Chinese food. While there is only one restaurant that he returns to, ABC Seafood, Mr Chan said the current number one Chinese restaurant is Koi Palace in Daly City, California, where they specialise in dim sum at lunch and Hong Kong-style seafood at dinner. Mr Chan's son Eric believes his father's obsessions stems from him being a natural collector. He said: 'If you collect enough of something, you can capture its essence. Maybe that's what he's trying to do with food.'

David Chan, 64, has tried almost every Chinese restaurant in Los Angeles . He has travelled across 50 states feeding his passion for the cuisine . But as a child, Mr Chan said he hated Chinese food and preferred spaghetti . Every meal has been recorded on ExCel spreadsheet that dates back to 1955 .

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By . Emma Thomas . A horror writer who collected photographs of people after they had died is having his gruesome catalogue showcased by an American college. Acclaimed author Michael McDowell gathered photographs as well as other sombre 'memorabilia' including adverts for burial gowns and pins containing locks of dead people's hair. He even used a coffin housing a skeleton as his coffee table. Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, bought the 'Death Collection' McDowell amassed in three decades before his own death in 1999 and is now preparing to open the vault. Grisly end: As well of photographs of people who met their maker thorough natural causes, Mr McDowell also gathered images of people who were hanged. This photograph shows the hanging of the co-conspirators in the Abraham Lincoln assassination in Washington, DC . Burial gowns: Mr McDowell collected adverts for burial gowns posed by . live models. His archive is going on display at Northwestern University, . Illinois . Artifact: Librarian Benn Joseph holds up a mortician's chalk make up kit. This is one of the curios that form part of the 'Death Collection' The pictures include people that died from natural causes or who met a more grisly end by a knife or a gun. Researchers studying the history of . death, its mourning rituals and businesses that profit from it soon will . be able to browse artifacts amassed by an enthusiast author Stephen . King once heralded as 'a writer for the ages.' Mr McDowell's long career included . penning more than two dozen novels, screenplays for King's novel . 'Thinner' and director Tim Burton's movies 'Beetlejuice' and 'The . Nightmare Before Christmas.' He also wrote episodes for macabre television shows 'Tales from the Darkside' and 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents.' Photographs: Scott Krafft holds up a daguerreotype of a dead child from the mid 18th century. Mr Krafft said they may have been the only photograph of the child that existed . 'We . are very removed from death today, and a lot of this stuff we see in . this collection gives us a snapshot in how people have dealt with death . generations ago in ways very different from today,' said Benn Joseph, a . manuscript librarian at the school. 'We look at it nowadays and think . this is inappropriate or gory... but when it was done, it was very much . acceptable.' Mr Joseph and others spent months getting the 76-box collection - one containing a child's coffin - ready to be studied. The archive, which officials said . ultimately will go on public display, includes at least one artifact . dating to the 16th century: a Spanish painting of a dead boy, his eyes . closed, wearing a cloak with a ruffled collar. The school bought the collection from McDowell's partner, director Laurence Senelick, for an undisclosed price. McDowell's younger brother, James, said he didn't realize but wasn't surprised by the extent of the collection. 'He always had kind of a gothic horror side to him,' Mr McDowell said in an interview. There are photographs and postcards from around the world. One, taken in 1899 in Cuba, shows a pile of skulls and bones. In another, a soldier in the Philippines poses with a man's severed head. There also are reminders of the infamous. Photographs show the people convicted of conspiracy for Abraham Lincoln's assassination being hanged, with dozens of soldiers looking on and the US Capitol looming in the background. Some pictures are gruesome, including . one of a man whose legs are on one side of the train tracks and the . rest of him in the middle. But much of the collection is devoted to the . deaths of regular . Americans and how they were memorialized in the 19th and early 20th centuries. There . are, for example, dozens of photographs that families had made into . postcards of their dead children. Dressed in their finest clothes, many . appear to be sleeping. Some have their eyes open, serious looks on their . faces. Hair: Mr McDowell also collected pins and brooches containing locks of dead people's hair. The badges are worn by women after the death of a loved one . Macabre: Books and adverts are also among the collection. Pictured here is The Championship Book on Embalming . Collection: Scott Krafft (left) curator of the Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections and manuscript librarian Benn Joseph (right) display a painting of a dead Spanish boy from the 16the century . Interest: Horror writer Michael McDowell (pictured) amassed the huge collection of curios, photographs and artifacts over three decades . There's one of a small boy, standing up, . with his hands resting on a small stack of books. Joseph said it could . be a bit of photographic sleight of hand and that the boy may actually . be lying down but made to look like he is standing. 'With the advent of photography, regular folks could have access to that sort of thing (and) families either took the kid's body to the studio or they arranged for a visit from the photographer,' said Scott Krafft, the library curator who purchased the collection for Northwestern. 'And they may have been the only photograph of the child that existed.' The collection also offers a glimpse into what families did after their loved ones died, at a time when they were preparing their homes to display the remains and getting ready to bring them to the cemetery. After choosing a burial gown - worn in ads by living models - many families then looked for a headstone. Traveling headstone salesmen in the early 20th century often carried around design samples in a box about the size of one that holds chocolates. Those paying their respects in the 19th and early 20th centuries frequently selected a tribute song for the dead to play inside the family homes, Mr Joseph said. There were some 100 popular pieces of topical sheet music, with such titles as 'She Died On Her Wedding Day.' Beetlejuice: Mr McDowell worked on the 1988 film with Tim Burton . Boxes: Scott Krafft (right) curator of the Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections sits with librarian Benn Joseph (left). They bought the 76-box collection from Mr McDowell's partner for an undisclosed sum . Music: Sheet music written for funerals includes titles like 'She Died on her Wedding Day'. This is included in an archive of death-related oddities once owned by horror novelist and screenwriter Michael McDowell . Weirder still, at least by today's standards, is McDowell's collection of what were called 'spirit' photographs that include both the living and a ghostly image purportedly of a dead person hovering nearby. In one photograph, Georgiana Houghton, a prominent 19th century medium, shakes hands with an apparition of her dead sister. She explains the photograph 'is the first manifestation of inner spiritual life.' 'I'm sure Michael, when he came across this, was totally excited,' Mr Krafft said. While the collection isn't yet on display, members of the public can see one piece when they enter the library reading room where it is housed. That children's coffin that once belonged to McDowell now holds Halloween candy. 'I don't think it was ever used,' Mr Krafft added. Oddity: A children's coffin that once belonged to McDowell now holds Halloween candy at the McCormick Library of Special Collections . 'Spirit' photogaraphs: The Chronicles of Spirit Photography is a book of images purporting to be of living people standing next to dead relatives.

Michael McDowell collected hundreds of photographs of dead people . Author amassed collection over 30 years . Northwestern University in Illinois preparing to exhibit collection . The archive includes at least one artifact . dating to the 16th century . Includes 'spirit' photographs with images of living and dead people .

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Washington (CNN) -- It's Christmas in 1787 at Mount Vernon, George Washington's stately home in Alexandria, Virginia. Holidays in the 18th century were usually pretty low key, according to Dean Norton, director of Horticulture at the first president's estate. "It was just all a matter of family being together to enjoy good food, good drink, good family time. And certainly when you add a camel to the mix, it adds a little bit of specialness to the whole atmosphere," he said. A camel? According to Washington's ledger, he paid 18 schillings, a pretty hefty amount for that time, to "the man who brot. A Camel from Alex. for a show" on December 29, 1787. Historians know that Washington paid to see exotic and rare animals throughout his life including a lioness and a tiger. "During his presidency, he paid to see a cougar, a sea leopard, which is kind of like a sea lion, an elephant, and three dollars to see a very smart dog who apparently could beat anybody at this particular card game," according to Norton. He spent the equivalent of $1.75 to see the elephant during his presidency and was so impressed that several months later he went back with the whole family. But as to the reason he brought a camel to Mount Vernon that Christmas, no one really knows. It's possible that he heard that the camel was being shown in Alexandria and he asked if the owner or handler would bring it to Mount Vernon. At the time, entrepreneurs would acquire rare or exotic animals and travel around with them charging the populace to see the animal. Then again, the camel's owner or handler may have found out that George Washington lived down the road and may have visited Mount Vernon hoping that the ex-president would pay to see the camel. Regardless, it wasn't cheap. "If I were the gardener at that time in 1787, I would have been making 20 pounds a year, so it would have come out to about 400 schillings, so it would be half a weeks salary for me for me to pay to see a camel and I certainly wouldn't do that today," said Norton. Mt. Vernon historians estimate that Washington paid enough for 24 adults, or 48 children to see the camel at the going rates for that time. Today, in honor of that Christmas in 1787, visitors to Mt. Vernon during the Christmas season can see and pet a dromedary, or a one humped camel, named Aladdin.

Washington paid paid 18 schillings, a pretty hefty amount, for a man to bring a camel to Mount Vernon . Washington paid to see exotic and rare animals throughout his life . The sum was enough for 24 adults or 48 children to see the camel .